37 Best Japanese Restaurants in Irvine

“Such a cute spot next to UCI! The interior decor is gorgeous — such a vibe! They have beer, sake, and COFFEES! Everything on the menu looks soo good. Many of the rolls use the same ingredients so that’s an area for potential improvement, but didn’t take away from the experience.

Service was great, our server was very kind and attentive. I didn’t love that water for the table was already sitting on each table when we arrived, it looked like it had been there all day. The ginger and wasabi was a similar situation, it didn’t look fresh, but when we requested more the server immediately replaced it!

It was so quiet and chill in this area, and they have outdoor seating as well where families were hanging out. Very mellow and cute.

We were in the area for a concert, but would definitely return for Botan Sushi! Thank you!“

“Tried their jumbo beef pepper rice and I really enjoy the rice. The rice is oily with a lot of flavor and definitely carried the beef in my opinion. Their onion rings are also good and fresh but I kinda wish there was more for its price. Overall, the food taste great but the portions are in the smaller side.“

“I love the katsu and curry here. I think the curry is better than most other Japanese style curry restaurants. Good ingredients and thickened perfectly. Service is always good. New fav katsu and curry place. Oh, it's like $20 per order but the serving size is big.“

“Ordered for the entire office!
Ive had the chicken bowl and the tempura plate. It has been consistently great in service and quality! I recommend it for anyone looking for delicious fast and healthy meal- their portions are very generous as well!“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“

“There are restaurants that chase perfection and there are restaurants that simply make you happy you walked through the door. Miyabi falls squarely into the second category.

No, this isn’t the best beef I’ve ever had. If you’re hunting for the most exclusive wagyu or the rarest cuts imaginable, there are places that will happily charge you two or three times as much. That’s not what Miyabi is trying to be.

What it does, it does exceptionally well. My wife and I came for the lunch special and by the time we left we both looked at each other and said the same thing. We’re definitely coming back.

The value is outstanding. The meat is fresh, beautifully sliced and generous. The broths are clean without being bland. I went with the kombu while my wife chose the yuzu and both were excellent in completely different ways.

The real surprise was the ponzu. Most ponzu leans too sweet or too salty. This one somehow lands perfectly in the middle. Bright, balanced and exactly what I wanted with every bite of beef and vegetables.

The vegetable bar is another thoughtful touch. Extra greens, scallions, grated daikon, garlic and everything is there whenever you want it instead of waiting for someone to bring it over.

Service deserves its own paragraph. They somehow found that balance that’s harder than it looks. They’re never hovering over your table, but they’re never impossible to find either. Water stayed full, empty plates disappeared and whenever we needed something, someone was already walking over before we had to ask. That’s good hospitality.

The restaurant itself is comfortable. A little darker than some shabu places, but clean, relaxed and somewhere you actually want to linger. We happened to catch the World Cup on the TVs, which somehow made an already enjoyable lunch feel even more relaxed.

If I had one criticism, it’d be the rice. It was just a touch firmer than I prefer. Still perfectly edible, especially with their crispy chili topping, but not quite as soft as I’d hoped.

Don’t skip the hot drops. It brings serious heat without overwhelming the food. Spicy enough to wake everything up, but never so aggressive that it masks the flavor of the broth or the beef.

Miyabi isn’t trying to be the flashiest shabu restaurant in Southern California. It’s trying to serve a genuinely satisfying meal at a fair price with attentive service and thoughtful details. Mission accomplished. I’ll absolutely be back.“

“Our meal was delicious and the service was amazing“

“Best onigiri I've had outside of Japan. 🤩 Would definitely recommend! DON'T BE DETERRED BY THE EMPTY LOOK, STAFF ARE IN THE BACK COOKING. The staff are very nice here and the food was amazing. Each onigiri was just overflowing with meat on the inside, and the meat/fish was so flavorful. Food came out fast. The rice was warm and fresh. Great onigiri, great service, great place. You gotta come try! 🍙💓“

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

“This was hands down one of the best meals I’ve had in LA. The quality of the fish—especially the toro and uni—was flawless. I haven't tasted toro this good since my trip to Japan. I did the DineLA event and got the $99 omakase—highly recommend. The only downside was that we had to wait 45 minutes to be seated, even with a reservation. Normally, a wait that long would be a dealbreaker for me, but they compensated us with a complimentary spicy crab, and the food completely turned my mood around ;) The server was also incredibly welcoming and broke down every single dish for us.“

“It's really one of the best restaurants in Irvine compared all including price, quality and service. Especially, Jane, the store manager, I sincerely appreciate her kindness and all staffs are taking care of my husband whenever he visited with me on wheelchair....~😊💕“

“I love � fukada“

“It's my favorite lunch spot the service is consistently great, and the food is absolutely fantastic. Their lunch specials are a steal, and the regular menu items are delicious too. Plus, they can accommodate large groups! Highly recommended!“

“Authentic Japanese, with my favorite grilled fish like salmon kama, miso cod, and they even have great grilled red meat. The make your own, deconstructed sushi is awesome too. The kids love the tempura, my grandpa loves the seafood noodles. Everyone is happy, with fresh, big portion plates (although the price does reflect larger plates). Quiet atmosphere, great for quiet conversations with family. The little dishes that come with the meal sets are really good too.“

“Quick and friendly service, food is yummy!.😋“

“This place is such a fun spot for creative Japanese dishes. We tried the Ube Colada which was creamy and delicious with the perfect pina colada flavor. The salmon skin tacos actually use salmon skin for the taco shells which is something I have never seen done before and they were so good.

The spicy tuna crispy rice was perfectly crispy and the Natsu salmon roll had lemon on it which added some nice citrus and fresh flavors.

We also got the Miso Black Cod which was very buttery and flaky. Overall everything was really well done and I loved how unique the menu was.“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a wonderful dining experience! The location is very convenient, and I especially appreciate that they are open until 10:45 PM—perfect for a late dinner. The atmosphere is warm, relaxing, and beautiful.

A special thank you to the manager, Gary, and the wonderful staff, Charlie and Nikki, for making my birthday so memorable! They went above and beyond to celebrate with us and made me feel very special. 🎂❤️

They also recommended the sashimi, which was shipped directly from Japan. It was incredibly fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented. 🍣

I truly enjoyed everything about our experience and would strongly recommend this sushi restaurant to anyone looking for fresh sushi, great service, and a wonderful dining atmosphere. We will definitely be back!“

“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...“

“Onigiri was one of the foods that I've commonly seen in animes that I have yet to try... Until today that is. Started with the plain onigiri, but also tried the kbbq one as well as the mentai. It was overall delicious and a good first experience... However the mentai was extremely salty for some reason. Overall it was very tasty.“

“Best Pokee in the Irvine location. I highly recommend this place.“

“We’ve gotten takeout from here a few times and it’s always so good! The rolls are always fresh, the portions are big, and they actually have a good amount of filling. Honestly, it’s the first sushi place in the area that reminds me of sushi in Ukraine. Definitely recommend!“

“Delicious Japanese food & sushi! 😋“

“Such nice service and delicious sushi, udon/soba, sake, yam fries, edamame and tempura! (pictured is the Tekka naki and Unagi and California , crunchy eel roll, and spicy tuna roll!“

“Quality food & service at reasonable prices 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻“

“WOW! They give a great large portion of your choice of katsu (chicken, pork, beef, cheese etc.) with an amazing peanut sauce, rice, slaw, and miso soup. We got a side of curry as well and it had a good heat to it. And it all comes at a great price for this fulfilling meal“

“Joe Biden sucks here too!“

“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.“

“Everything was excellent! Service was top notch as well.“

“Ramen was delish, it was pretty busy and took awhile to get a table for 8, but if you have a smaller party and aren’t starving, for sure get some!“

“Foodxwas excellent and lots of it. We were a group of 5 and had fun! It was a little confusing at first but we got the hang of it. It was little pricey at $60 per. So all must be ready to eat. The manager on duty was fun and attentive. He showed us how to do Sake Bombs and we really enjoed the interaction with staff. Keep that up!“

“There are 3 locations in Orange County but my favorite location is Irvine. The second location would be in Costa Mesa because they do serve outdoor I can bring my fur baby. I love hot pot in general but I must say Mokkoji hot pot still my number 1 hot pot place out of all. I love their Fire Crab Soup Base which no other hot pot has this flavor. I normally ordered the Surf & Turf which they offer a large beef plate but you would pick your beef choice of cuts and the price is different as well depend on what cut you choose. Beside the beef plate it came with seafood plate contain half lobster, scallops, salmon, white gulf shrimps and shrimps paste. As for appetizer you can pick between garlic shrimps or something else. But because I always get garlic shrimp so I wouldn’t remember what are there other choices. Come with drinks and desserts as well. But this time I just ordered the combination of beef and shrimp since that’s what I felt like at that moment. Also they offer unlimited greens, but not Enoki Mushrooms or Tofu, ect….“

“el sushi es bueno la comida de Alex es asquerosa“

“Houston Location: We arrived at our reservation and waited 10 minutes for the hostess. Once seated, we were uninstructed on how to order. Sushi chefs explained the process. Our waiter arrived 10 minutes after, taking our drink order. The app arrived before the waters, followed by the drinks after we ordered and received the sushi. The manager noticed us looking for our waiter but was often in the corner on his phone or socializing with the hostess. The sushi chefs were also on their phones while making the sushi, which was unhealthy. Despite the germy seasoning, the food was amazing.“

“Came here twice and food is really good. Seems to be kind of quiet which is nice. Really liked the dinosaurian egg and Mars roll, might try the ramen next time. The sashimi was fresh and well prepared, which is super important! Recommend :)“

“The sushi was fresh and tasted good, but I was disappointed by the limited selection offered with the $27.99 lunch special. Considering the price, I expected a wider variety and better overall value. If you're looking for a restaurant that specializes in sushi, I don't think this would be my first choice. However, the shabu-shabu looked much more impressive. The quality and variety of the meats appeared to be excellent, making it a great option for meat lovers. I would definitely consider coming back to try the shabu-shabu instead of the sushi.“

“Incredible sashimi, specifically we took the salmon several times during a period of two weeks and it was so fresh and so delicious we were in awe. One of the best we had.
The Irvine roll was fantastic as well.
Wonderful service.
They keep consistently a super high quality.“

“Good sushi, good service and good prices. Perfect and right around the corner.“