Shunka Sushi & Japanese Cuisine

Sushi Shunka is our go-to spot for celebrating special occasions and also our fave sushi spot in OC. Located in a strip mall at the corner of E. 17th Street and Tustin Avenue in Costa Mesa, the restaurant specializes in authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine. "Shunka" means "Flavor of the Season", so they of course select their fish depending on the season and in addition to customer favorites. The sushi chefs are veterans and the wait staff are polite helping to provide an unforgettable dining experience to their customers.

I highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and ordering one of the omakase options. On our recent visit, I ordered the Chef's Omakase which included 10 pieces of sushi including sea bream, Japanese sea bass, mackerel, amberjack, toro and bluefin tuna among others. The sushi is always top-qualify and practically melts in your mouth. I have a big appetite so I also supplemented my meal with a toro hand roll, blue fin tuna hand roll and fried Hamachi Kama. Everything is made to order and is so oishi! Having said that, this is fine dining so expect to pay a high price but know that it’s worth every penny. As I mentioned before we only visit on special occasions, so I’m already hoping we’ll have a reason to celebrate again soon!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Our go-to. Omakase is IT. The best. The chefs are so friendly and everything is always SO fresh and SO good. 🫶

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

In a town full of good japanese options, Shunka still stands out. The quality of the fish is top notch, all the chefs are highly skilled and the service is warm and attentive. I've been coming here for years and it is always a great experience

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Omakase

Went on a Thursday and sat at the counter for an omikase lunch. There were some really delicious pieces but the knife work was super sloppy making much of the fish look like it was prepared with a pocket knife. Many pieces were super stingy at the prices charged by a much better place.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 5

Exactly what you want in your local sushi spot. Fresh fish and great service. Everything we ordered showed up quickly as an added bonus.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase

Authentic sushi by real Japanese sushi chefs. Dishes were served timely, and all the dishes were delicious. Loved the chawanmushi (steamed eggs), must get!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chawanmushi, Sushi, Fish

Amazing since I've been there a few less times times there and I was so pleased and delicious. 🙂

Food: 5

Like the variety. Cut a bit small and a few were was too salty. I prefer just soy sauce and wasabi instead of their sauce/salt on some pieces

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Came from Vegas with the wife. Had dinner and it was so good we came back the next day for lunch. Haven’t stopped thinking about this place since. Miss you Chefs. Food was Very Mucho Oishi. Top tier.

Kid-friendliness: Booths for privacy.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Salmon and Tuna Nigiri, Yellowtail Belly, Kanpachi Fresh Octopus Tachiuo, Sushi, Fish, Omakase, Albacore, Spanish Mackerel, Tempura, Sweet Shrimp, Sea Bream, Salmon Belly

Amazing omakase authentic delicious and reasonable prices

I'm a sushi chef from Vegas, and after coming here, I feel like an impostor and I can't eat Vegas sushi ever again. I might feel a little guilt going back to my job now.

The quality of the fish was unbeatable--super fresh, nothing frozen, and the chefs know exactly how to serve it with ingredients to complement it and make each item a delight.

The chefs themselves were all wonderful. Great sense of humor, very informative and welcoming--alongside the service staff who were attentive and quick in a way I have *never* seen before. I feel some very deep shame after being blown away by this spot.

The sushi is served exactly how it's meant to be. Put directly in front of the customer to be eaten immediately, to preserve the equilibrium between the cold fish and the warm rice. The volume of food at which the average sushi chef in Las Vegas makes this impossible, and to experience how it's meant to be experienced is insanely different.

Other things of note:
- Wide variety of white fish, plus some other fish that is hard to find
- Fresh fish that's always frozen in Vegas (octopus, scallop, mackarel)
- WAGYU!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase, Scallop, Sweet Shrimp, Sea Bream

Great atmosphere and chefs. Great fresh fish. They are honest, too.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Yellowtail Belly, Sushi, Omakase, Salmon Sashimi, Albacore, Scallop, Salmon Belly

Great find!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sushi

Let’s talk about how authentic this place is! Going from service to the food, super authentic to the core! It’s my first time visiting and stumbled upon this place thru google maps. Everyone working here was Japanese and was super polite. Each dish that came out looked so fresh and the taste hit hard. Perfect dinner place for date night or family friendly place!

We had a lady greet us into the store and took us to our seats asap and delivered punctual service. Loved it! Highly recommend this spot if you want to try authentic, fresh Japanese food. Worth every second and price.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Yellowtail Belly, Sushi

2024: Am happy to say that Shunka has maintained its attention to quality.
Enjoyed the Shunka roll (would just have it without sriracha next time) and the Spider Roll—delicious.
Also the 8-piece Omakase with 1 hand-roll was excellent ?
This is a more traditional, delicate sushi restaurant—the kind I enjoy. Dishes and rolls are thankfully not slathered in mayonnaise and sticky sauces.

Pre-pandemic: This was one of my consistently favorite sushi places ?

Parking: There is a free parking lot, but it can sometimes get crowded; side street parking is available if you are willing to walk a block.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Sushi, Omakase