Great quality, friendly atmosphere, definitely going to be a regular!A hidden gem in Garden Grove. Japanese owned omakase that focuses on seasonal offerings. Ben and Ayako make you feel welcome once you walk in those doors. The menu is hand written and you can see the focus and care that Ben puts with each piece of nigiri. If you want to come and get a bite, make sure you make your reservations at least 2 weeks in advance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jamie L.
The BEST omakase restaurant we have been so far. My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary here and it was amazing. Definitely will be coming back!
Loralyn N.
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and it was our first omakase EVER. I had never been so excited for a meal in my life. Taira is a little hidden gem in Garden Grove led by Chef Ben and his wife Ayako bringing amazing cuts of the freshest, high quality fish and more for so much cheaper than other omakases I've seen on social media. It's not a huge restaurant, but the smallness of it adds to the cozy and intimate experience that I feel that omakase needs. We sat at the bar and got to watch Chef Ben put together the nigiris and it was honestly a dream. We started with the appetizer set that featured a number of different appetizers like whelk, spinach, pickled tomato, eggplant, jellyfish, and steamed egg with uni. When you first hear about what you get, it doesn't particularly sound spectacular, but trust me, EVERY BITE blew me away. It speaks to amazing talent to turn simple things into flavor explosions. Please get this. At $85, this 12 course omakase was the most reasonably priced one I had ever heard of and just like the appetizers, EVERY BITE, was beyond flavorful. I was so sad when I finished my bite. I can't put it into words. Just go try it. We also got the roasted brown tea pudding and surprised me with a fruit tart for my birthday since my boyfriend mentioned it in the reservation. Chef Ben and Ayako were so sweet and they created such an amazing first omakase experience. We will 100% be going back and I can't wait to do so!
Mimi N.
This is a reservation only restaurant, and I really liked the private atmosphere of the place. We got Omakase here, and the chef and waiters were all really nice. The biggest caveat here being the price. With omakase being 89, you potentially get good value given the selection of fish that was offered. But definitely a pricier and treat yourself kind of meal This review will be short - the fish quality was out of this world. I was constantly surprised by the selection of fish. For example, I generally do not like tuna due to it, being usually a rougher texture, but today, even though they only put soy sauce on it. They had chosen such a good selection of blue fin tuna/or prepared it so well that it was really soft and had great depth of flavor. Maybe I'm a tuna person now! Things I've never tried before I particularly liked the sour eggplant that they served.
Sophia H.
Amazing quality food for great prices, no wonder they are always booked. Not only was the 12 piece omakase delicious and creative, but the izakaya items we ordered were also a hit. The chicken wings were probably the best I've ever had. Eggplant and shishito peppers were also good. Definitely making this one of my must visits every time I'm back in SoCal to visit family.
J A.
great selection of fish and small plates. family owned. very good service. biggest downside is for $$$$ the pieces of fish are small when you compare to other comparable places of quality/price.
GS A.
Definitely deserve as a hidden gem. Please make reservation and don't blame if you can't get a table for walk in. Family owned and very friendly atmosphere. They don't treat you as customer, they treat you as friend to hang out with them. You don't only get sashimi from Japan, but also korea and Norway, depends on seasons. The most seasoned fish is what you will get
Kathy S.
Taira Sushi deserves a Tiara for the amazing sushi and service! Brought the hubby here to celebrate his birthday and this hidden gem did not disappoint! We thoroughly enjoyed every piece of fish served. Initially we ordered a 10 piece omakase set but after savoring over everything we ate we had to upgrade to 12 pieces! We truly appreciate the chef's taste profile. Each cut of fish was paired so well with their respective sauce/salt/pepper/etc. the rice enhanced the sweetness of the fresh sashimi. We really appreciated that the chef kept the flavor of each bite simple, fresh, and with a taste of Japanese tradition. The sweet owners celebrated hubby's birthday with free dessert and that too should not be skipped! Ayako (chef's wife) actually created the brown tea pudding and matcha white chocolate and both were delightful! I loved the pudding! It was "Asian sweet-" aka not too sweet! =P Our dining experience was intimate and personal. We really enjoyed our conversation with the chef. Timing of each piece was just right. We had enough time to enjoy and each bite before appreciating the next. Chef made sure everything was delicious and to our likings! His wife constantly checked up on us and refilled our teas/drinks. Both are such wonderful hosts. We felt like we were dining at a friends' place- welcomed and cared for. I can't wait to come back here! After so many bad experiences (involving GI system) with other sushi places, I have been refraining from eating sushi for some time until I've found you, Taira!! See you again soon!! Enjoy!! You're welcome, friends! :)
Tyler Diep
It is a hidden gem in Garden Grove. Not easy to make a reservation and they don’t take “walk in”.Chef Ben is very skillful at making sushi. You either get the 8-piece Omakase or 10-piece option or 12-piece selection.Price is very affordable if you don’t drink alcohol.They have good options for appetizer as well.
Don't often leave reviews but this place is definitely worth every dollar. High quality fish and taste, we'll definitely be back again with friends and family. Make sure you call and make a reservation tho!
Jonathan S.
OMG, the sushi is just YUM!! I have been here a couple of times, and sushi is always fresh made, and ready to be served. I was here for both my Dad's birthday this past January as well as my birthday a few months back. Depends on how hungry you are, I'd suggest the omakase, which is basically the chef's special. The chef "Ben" will tell you what cut of fish he will make before serving it to you. Some of the fish that are made for the Omakase is made fresh from the waters in Hokkaido, Japan, and some of the types of seafood that I got, such as the scallops as well as the Nodoguro (Japanese Blackthroat Seaperc) (You can google it ) does not taste chewy at all. I'd definitely suggest this place if you want really great sushi - a bit on the pricey side for sushi, but it's definitely worth the money. Oh, and make sure you call in advance, since the place fills up quickly.
Casey C.
The 12-pc omakase provided a unique variety of textures and flavors where every piece felt like a standout. Had tried sake on multiple occasions prior to this visit but felt like giving it another chance - the Harada Junmai 80 was recommended and was fantastic. Friendly staff and great service.
Masaaki U.
Excellent food and service. They treat you like you are family. Omakase, along with the other Izakaya items were very unique. Plus the prices are very reasonable compared to other good Omakase places in OC. I'm born in Tokyo Japanese; and this place is authentic and legit. I'll be back for sure.
William
It was decent. The sushi was alright. Everything was ok.
Best bang for your buck omakase sushi restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Great quality, friendly atmosphere, definitely going to be a regular!A hidden gem in Garden Grove. Japanese owned omakase that focuses on seasonal offerings. Ben and Ayako make you feel welcome once you walk in those doors. The menu is hand written and you can see the focus and care that Ben puts with each piece of nigiri. If you want to come and get a bite, make sure you make your reservations at least 2 weeks in advance.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The BEST omakase restaurant we have been so far. My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary here and it was amazing. Definitely will be coming back!
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and it was our first omakase EVER. I had never been so excited for a meal in my life. Taira is a little hidden gem in Garden Grove led by Chef Ben and his wife Ayako bringing amazing cuts of the freshest, high quality fish and more for so much cheaper than other omakases I've seen on social media. It's not a huge restaurant, but the smallness of it adds to the cozy and intimate experience that I feel that omakase needs. We sat at the bar and got to watch Chef Ben put together the nigiris and it was honestly a dream. We started with the appetizer set that featured a number of different appetizers like whelk, spinach, pickled tomato, eggplant, jellyfish, and steamed egg with uni. When you first hear about what you get, it doesn't particularly sound spectacular, but trust me, EVERY BITE blew me away. It speaks to amazing talent to turn simple things into flavor explosions. Please get this. At $85, this 12 course omakase was the most reasonably priced one I had ever heard of and just like the appetizers, EVERY BITE, was beyond flavorful. I was so sad when I finished my bite. I can't put it into words. Just go try it. We also got the roasted brown tea pudding and surprised me with a fruit tart for my birthday since my boyfriend mentioned it in the reservation. Chef Ben and Ayako were so sweet and they created such an amazing first omakase experience. We will 100% be going back and I can't wait to do so!
This is a reservation only restaurant, and I really liked the private atmosphere of the place. We got Omakase here, and the chef and waiters were all really nice. The biggest caveat here being the price. With omakase being 89, you potentially get good value given the selection of fish that was offered. But definitely a pricier and treat yourself kind of meal This review will be short - the fish quality was out of this world. I was constantly surprised by the selection of fish. For example, I generally do not like tuna due to it, being usually a rougher texture, but today, even though they only put soy sauce on it. They had chosen such a good selection of blue fin tuna/or prepared it so well that it was really soft and had great depth of flavor. Maybe I'm a tuna person now! Things I've never tried before I particularly liked the sour eggplant that they served.
Amazing quality food for great prices, no wonder they are always booked. Not only was the 12 piece omakase delicious and creative, but the izakaya items we ordered were also a hit. The chicken wings were probably the best I've ever had. Eggplant and shishito peppers were also good. Definitely making this one of my must visits every time I'm back in SoCal to visit family.
great selection of fish and small plates. family owned. very good service. biggest downside is for $$$$ the pieces of fish are small when you compare to other comparable places of quality/price.
Definitely deserve as a hidden gem. Please make reservation and don't blame if you can't get a table for walk in. Family owned and very friendly atmosphere. They don't treat you as customer, they treat you as friend to hang out with them. You don't only get sashimi from Japan, but also korea and Norway, depends on seasons. The most seasoned fish is what you will get
Taira Sushi deserves a Tiara for the amazing sushi and service! Brought the hubby here to celebrate his birthday and this hidden gem did not disappoint! We thoroughly enjoyed every piece of fish served. Initially we ordered a 10 piece omakase set but after savoring over everything we ate we had to upgrade to 12 pieces! We truly appreciate the chef's taste profile. Each cut of fish was paired so well with their respective sauce/salt/pepper/etc. the rice enhanced the sweetness of the fresh sashimi. We really appreciated that the chef kept the flavor of each bite simple, fresh, and with a taste of Japanese tradition. The sweet owners celebrated hubby's birthday with free dessert and that too should not be skipped! Ayako (chef's wife) actually created the brown tea pudding and matcha white chocolate and both were delightful! I loved the pudding! It was "Asian sweet-" aka not too sweet! =P Our dining experience was intimate and personal. We really enjoyed our conversation with the chef. Timing of each piece was just right. We had enough time to enjoy and each bite before appreciating the next. Chef made sure everything was delicious and to our likings! His wife constantly checked up on us and refilled our teas/drinks. Both are such wonderful hosts. We felt like we were dining at a friends' place- welcomed and cared for. I can't wait to come back here! After so many bad experiences (involving GI system) with other sushi places, I have been refraining from eating sushi for some time until I've found you, Taira!! See you again soon!! Enjoy!! You're welcome, friends! :)
It is a hidden gem in Garden Grove. Not easy to make a reservation and they don’t take “walk in”.Chef Ben is very skillful at making sushi. You either get the 8-piece Omakase or 10-piece option or 12-piece selection.Price is very affordable if you don’t drink alcohol.They have good options for appetizer as well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Monkfish Liver Ankimo Appetizer, Sushi
Restaurantji Recommends
Don't often leave reviews but this place is definitely worth every dollar. High quality fish and taste, we'll definitely be back again with friends and family. Make sure you call and make a reservation tho!
OMG, the sushi is just YUM!! I have been here a couple of times, and sushi is always fresh made, and ready to be served. I was here for both my Dad's birthday this past January as well as my birthday a few months back. Depends on how hungry you are, I'd suggest the omakase, which is basically the chef's special. The chef "Ben" will tell you what cut of fish he will make before serving it to you. Some of the fish that are made for the Omakase is made fresh from the waters in Hokkaido, Japan, and some of the types of seafood that I got, such as the scallops as well as the Nodoguro (Japanese Blackthroat Seaperc) (You can google it ) does not taste chewy at all. I'd definitely suggest this place if you want really great sushi - a bit on the pricey side for sushi, but it's definitely worth the money. Oh, and make sure you call in advance, since the place fills up quickly.
The 12-pc omakase provided a unique variety of textures and flavors where every piece felt like a standout. Had tried sake on multiple occasions prior to this visit but felt like giving it another chance - the Harada Junmai 80 was recommended and was fantastic. Friendly staff and great service.
Excellent food and service. They treat you like you are family. Omakase, along with the other Izakaya items were very unique. Plus the prices are very reasonable compared to other good Omakase places in OC. I'm born in Tokyo Japanese; and this place is authentic and legit. I'll be back for sure.
It was decent. The sushi was alright. Everything was ok.