50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Foothill Ranch

“AMAZEBALLS! Japanese A5 Wagyu For The Win!“

“The freshest fish I’ve ever had in my life. Absolutely fantastic. Is ten stars a thing? This place deserves that many. Epic food. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🙌🏽“

“I love Miyagi Shabu!! had the half and half with ribeye and wagyu....so delicious! best of both worlds and the porridge they make at the end is the bomb!!“

“This is truly a hidden gem worth visiting for some great sushi! We went for a date night and instantly fell in love with the cozy atmosphere along with the warm and inviting service.
The rolls were delicious and fish was absolutely fresh and tasteful.
The happy hour specials were the cherry on top! The service was top notch and super fast. Servers were so sweet and friendly.
Will definitely be coming back!“

“Fast ... very friendly... great foods and great prices... A+++++....“

“First time eating here and it did not disappoint. I ordered the sexy roll and it was delicious 🤤 . A great combination of crunchy and spicy. I also ordered miso soup and so far one of my favorites , so savory definitely recommend this restaurant. Wonderful service, i will definitely come back.“

“This place is adorable. We've been here a few times now. Food is good and drinks are great. I mean who wouldn't like googly eyes on their sandwich bun and coconut drink?!“

“Great place! Hole in the wall with limited seating, but the food was fresh and delicious. Price was not much more than lower quality sushi restaurants.
it gets packed very quick, so reservations is recommended. We didn't have reservations and had to wait about 10-15 minutes.“

“Love this lil place. Service is amazing and love the waitresses -they are always so friendly and welcoming! I really appreciate and am grateful they have a gluten free menu! It’s limited and wish they had more options but it’s so great because I don’t need to worry about getting sick from gluten! Not many sushi places have gluten free menus!“

“06.12.25 update: Some places are just worth visiting even with the extra drive. Maki-Yaki Express here in Laguna Hills is definitely a very good place for sushi. Same owners - very nice and humble two-team folks! Excellent array of dishes on their menu. I'm picky when it comes to pricing but if the quality and freshness are top notch, then I'm good with paying the price. Deeleeciousness on food for sure! The atmosphere inside fits with the adjacent stores. People come for the food anyway. Huge plus if owners are nice to customers👏👏👏

Reasonable prices and fairly quick service. A few of my favorites are salmon-mango roll, mango-avocado salad, shrimp tempura udon, jessica roll, shrimp tempura. Very accommodating on platter orders. Place is small in size, although not a place to impress your girl. This is one of THE places to go for good food!“

“Most wondrous sushi! My wife and I popped in last weekend. First time visiting. We were warmly greeted and seated right away. Our server was so polite and friendly. The chefs waved from behind the sushi bar. Our beer and sake were tasty and the sushi dishes were delicious and just the right size. Love the atmosphere; we went for lunch and it was quiet, but I imagine it can be hustle bustle in the evening. Definitely recommended, check it out. 🍣“

“I’m glad Uoko survived the pandemic and still in business since the 80s.“

“WOW, this place is a hidden lunch gem. My first time here. The chicken teriyaki rice bowl is delicious. I normally don’t - never - eat the little side salad at food places but this salad was fresh and light. Definitely recommend getting lunch here.“

“It is a very small restaurant with about 4 tables inside, 6 tables outside and a small bar. Do make a reservation as they fill up quickly! We sat outside in February but it was fine because they have lots of heaters! You can also get a partial view of the lake from their patio.The service is prompt and friendly and food is delicious.

Parking: Lots of free parking available in the plaza lot.“

“I normally don’t enjoy shabu shabu, but I was surprised with how much I liked the the quality of the meats and the ambiance at Miyabi. Maybe I’ve just been cheating myself by not spending a little bit more for higher-quality shabu shabu. I’m a fan of their crispy garlic. Attentive and friendly service from Chris and Alyssa made for an excellent lunchtime dining experience.“

“Sushi
Came here because we were curious and hungry. Not a lot of people which was perfect and got seated right away. The ambiance is a Japanese and Korean vibe. The food and service is so great.

Food. So many to choose from and you only have one stomach. Don’t you hate that.

What my family ordered.
Gurume steak
Salmon

Sushi and a few sushi rolls

Everything is so delicious. Sushi and sushi rolls are so fresh. Would definitely comeback her again.“

“This is the unicorn my Obaachan searched for! I only regret finding it late. Delicious authentic Japanese food made with the best ingredients by native Japanese who care. Tomoko-san, the co-owner, made sure I was aware of the City of Lake Forest Shop and Dine Card to get 50% off at this restaurant and many other LF businesses. I had the Hamachi and Salmon Donburi. The serving size and quality was perfect. I've already been back with friends and look forward to many more meals here!“

“​I've had a lot of sushi in Orange County, and this spot is one of the best—and the price is right. The high-quality food, the location, and the fantastic staff all make this place a winner. Tom and his wife are an absolute delight.

​I highly recommend the Poki bowl. This place was serving up poki bowls long before they were on every corner. The quality is so much better, and you get way more fish. It's a must-try.“

“After my daughter’s basketball game in Mission Viejo, we drove about 12 minutes to Marugame Udon in Aliso Viejo for lunch. The food was great. My kids really enjoyed the noodles and everything tasted fresh. The restaurant was clean, spacious, and had a nice setup for families.

The only downside was how hot it felt inside. There was no air conditioning, and with the temperature outside at 88 degrees, it was uncomfortable eating the hot udon noodle soup. My kids even said the restroom felt cooler than the dining area.

Overall, we liked the food and the space. If the AC were more powerful and consistent, it would definitely elevate the entire experience and make dining much more enjoyable.“

“Love this place. I’m surprised I haven’t reviewed it as I’ve been probably 60 times since I found it! I will say here and there sometimes it is inconsistent with the amount of sauce you get based on who is serving you, but otherwise the team is always really friendly and super quick!!!

The fish/ingredients are always fresh and flavorful.

So they earn all five stars.“

“We have been going to Niko Niko for 10 years now. We love the restaurant and the community and the friends we made there I would definitely recommend this place, the food is amazing and the owners are very accommodating to the costumers needs. Love you Niko Niko family. My youngest daughter was so in love with their miso soup that they named an specific to go order with her name. “Christiana style”.“

“I’d rate Soba Izakaya Minami one of south OC’s best izakaya. Their small portion (Japanese tapas) are delicious and served very fast. Don’t forget to order the Orion beer draft if you’re a beer lover!“

“We come here often because it’s a dog friendly restaurant outside the patio. We love to take our fur baby here. Closer to home. And we can walk around after for digestion since it’s located in Irvine Spectrum like an outdoors mall with many restaurants, shops. They offer happy hour but drinks only and from Monday to Thurs.“

“Very clean environment and fresh sashimi. Good service too👍“

“The best AYCE sushi we have had. This IS our go to sushi spot in OC. The food is superbly fresh and clean and has you wanting to get more and more. Try everything they have to offer. Or, don't bother with the generic appetizers and head straight for the sushi. The staff is generally good, but it can take some time to get their attention. But that is because they are ALWAYS so busy! But the food here is absolutely the star of the show. I think it is OC's best spot!“

“Delicious food, fun and inviting atmosphere, excellent service and the friendliest owners Key and his lovely wife Grace. Our local reliable go to.“

“A favorite restaurant for our friends and family. Food is always consistently good and the atmosphere is fun!!!“

“The food is amazing!!! Knee is the best waitress ever👏👏👏👏🥰🥰“

“What is there to complain about? I always come by whenever I'm in the neighborhood. Still one of the few deals thats under $10 for an actual meal.Their Pork Cutlet Curry ($9.25+tax) is my go-to for its volume and the home-y feeling it gives you.The gentleman at the front gingerly took my order and my food came out ~10mins. Mind you, this was on a Tuesday afternoon (2pm)I prefer this locaction sometimes compared to its sister location in Costa Mesa. The choices here are limited, but you get the quiet and convenience.Tip: There's a parking in the back corner of the mall where you have direct access to the food court instead of parking and walking through the front. If you can find it...“

“Love our little sushi spot. Best sushi! We get no rice rolls and we cannot find the selection elsewhere. They r fantastic with kids“

“Pretty good ramen and sushi. Our group ordered the tonkotsu black and spicy miso ramen. Both were very flavorful and filling. We also order the salmon bento box and chicken katsu with curry. Both the bento boxes were good, but katsu seemed a little dry. It's better with the curry, but I wouldn't order it again. The sushi was great. We got the baked salmon roll and crunch fire roll. Both were fresh and delicious! I would come back to try the other ramen.“

“I recommend the AYCE. All You Can Eat for a great price. The Sushi was very fresh and flavorful, the service very good and the Price was very reasonable. I would try the Jalapeño Poppers if you like a bite of spice and uniqueness! The Melon Soda was really good. Enjoy!!!“

“Oh My Sushi is a hidden gem tucked away in a strip mall in Laguna Niguel. They serve incredibly fresh fish, beautifully presented in both classic and creative sushi rolls. The Toro Tasting is amazing. The décor is modern and inviting, the drinks are inventive, and the dessert selection is a sweet surprise. Their sake list is impressive — don’t miss the sake flight, it’s a must-try!”“

“I love � fukada“

“My go to order is Salmon and Spicy Tuna handroll and there's avocado in it too. The salmon is really yummy as well as the spicy tuna.
The restaurant is big but I don't see a lot of customers when I come at 1:30pm-ish. I usually call my order in so it's ready by the time I pick it up.“

“With a charming and intimate atmosphere, Taiko Japanese Restaurant is ideal for romantic dinners or special occasions. The comfortable interior design and beautiful views create a pleasant dining atmosphere. Taiko is impressive with its creative and innovative Japanese cuisine. Dishes are carefully prepared with fresh ingredients, demonstrating authentic flavours and culinary expertise. Famous dishes include exquisite sushi and sashimi platters, as well as delicious teriyaki chicken and miso cod. Despite being a high-end restaurant, Taiko is reasonably priced and offers excellent value for money food quality and service.“

“Amazing sushi-rolls! Service is awesome👍🏻“

“We came here to use a coupon we got in the mail for a BOGO tonkatsu bowl. We were told this item was not on the menu but we could order it. We decided to get this mystery item and it was delicious! The menu has a very large selection and is reasonably priced. Service was fast and friendly.“

“DELICIOUSNESS! healthy, tasty and great prices“

“Fresh fish expertly prepared by friendly chef with equally cheerful service staff! We will be back“

“Mokkoji is more than just a shabu spot—it’s dinner and a live drama show. The food is solid, with nice broths and super thin shabu meat (seriously, it’s like dipping tissue paper). But hey, unlimited veggie refills make up for it! The real star of the night? The tea-worthy gossip. The young Asian couple next to us casually revealed they were both cheating on their original partners—spicy, right? Who needs Netflix when you have Mokkoji? Come for the hot pot, stay for the unexpected reality show.“

“i like the food, big serving & it’s worth the price, i hope they willnot increase the price or lessen the service.“

“good food on the go. plenty of seafood options.“

“We love it here! Super good food and nice employees. We went the other night for dinner. My husband got the chicken and beef teriyaki plate with white rice, California rolls, edamame, tempura, and Crunchyroll. They put a great variety of items on the dinner plates and it's so delicious! I got the Chashu ramen. It was delish. It was like a bowl of comfort. The only thing I would suggest is on the ramen there are green onions on top and I wish that they were chopped up instead of in strips. I feel like I always have a hard time chewing strips of green onion, but other than that, everything is so good.“

“Delicious Japanese food & sushi! 😋“

“By far the best Sushi place in the area! There are two equally good sushi places further away, but I cannot recall any that is better! Food is always delicious, fresh, and very friendly and fast. You can tell that the chef is very experienced and knows how to deliver the experience! I feel lucky to live really close! :)“

“Sashimi is a sushi restaurant located at the corner of Lake Forest Drive and Dimension Drive. It appears to be run by a Korean family and is a popular spot among the locals. They have a sushi bar, but we opted to dine at a table. Steve greeted us and was not only friendly and helpful, but his service level enhanced our overall dining experience.

We tried a number of dishes during our visit. Among my favorites were the Veggie Tempura, Salmon Nigiri, Lake Forest Roll (I appreciate that they allow substitutions so I subbed spicy yellowtail in place of the spicy tuna) and Special Carpaccio S. The Spicy Salmon cut roll was nothing special and tasted more like a California Roll. The Yellowtail Cheek was good, but it was more meaty and less tender than I've enjoyed at other Japanese restaurants. My wife ordered the Pink Lady, but I prefer my sushi with rice. All in all, we enjoyed our Sashimi experience and I'd recommend checking it out if you're in Lake Forest and in the mood for raw fish at a reasonable price.“

“It's one of me and my fiancé Denise's favorite place. We go there all the time and it's always awesome. I highly recommend it to anyone that lives in the area. We absolutely love it and they take care of you like family.“