This is my favorite sushi in OC. I feel like I am visiting my local sushi spot in Japan when I come here. Great staff and tasty food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Blake Rice
Had an amazing dinner at Jinbei in Irvine. We sat right at the sushi bar and let the chef take the lead, which was absolutely the right call. Everything was fresh, super flavorful, and came out perfectly paced. The chef was friendly, attentive, and clearly takes pride in what he’s doing. A few dishes we never would’ve ordered ourselves ended up being our favorites.
The vibes are relaxed, the fish quality is top-tier, and the whole experience just feels special without being stuffy. Easily one of the best sushi nights we’ve had in Orange County. Highly recommend letting the chef choose—trust me, you’ll be happy you did.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Grace Lawler
Hands down best sushi I have ever had in Orange County / LA. The quality of the fish was remarkable, so buttery and soft. As a big sushi lover I have not had this quality of sushi anywhere!! Anyone who says different does not understand the taste of high quality fish. I would go back and eat at this restaurant every day. We sat at the bar and from receiving our first piece of sushi realized this was our new spot. Everything was perfect and the sushi chef chose all our pieces which added so much fun to the dinner. Not one thing wasn’t good- I would give this restaurant 10 stars if allowed if you’re looking for good sushi and good atmosphere this is the place. Also not expensive at all!
M K
After the remodeling, I was disappointed to see that they removed my favorite dish, the uni spaghetti. My son even said it feels like a downgrade. We kindly ask the management team to consider bringing back the previous menu items for the continued success of the business
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Monica Degani
This is a great place for a quick lunch. The Service is excellent and the lunch menu is affordable and good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Ara Lee
The food is great but the service is so slowly. Expect to wait even though seats are empty and available.
J A
Truly, oddly, weird experience. Walk in with a party of 4. 2 go to the bathroom to freshen up and once the table is ready, the waitress tells us to “wait near the door until they are out.” Huh? We inform her: “no, they are in your restroom, we all already walked in together…” “NO! Wait until they are out of the bathroom and then you can sit down.” Cool… Once we are seated (ya know, when everyone is out) they take our order - and 45 minutes pass before I tepidly ask, “hi, I ordered the salmon roll almost an hour ago?” “Things take time!” Is their answer. Cool… Then, the salmon skin hand roll arrives with completely soggy salmon. “It’s the way salmon is! The chef cut it wrong but it’s still salmon skin!” Cool… “Hey; just please cancel the salmon roll,” I say 1.05 hours later. “No! It’s almost ready!” “Nah, please cancel it. It’s been over an hour.” Silence. Bad stare. Coldness. Check. Fin. Fun times. Maybe an off day.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Lilypad518
Great izakaya. Got their lunch special and was a great deal for good quality chirashi!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ben Djohan
Great lil Japanese restaurant...great food selection...try the Uin Spaghetti and the lunch sets are well worth it. Good service staffs too and great location w plenty of parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chirashi Lunch Special, Uni Spaghetti
XIAOLE HE
The taste is very good and authentic, and the price is reasonable. Like raw fish rice
I’m not going to lie this does not at all feel like authentic Japanese. I highly doubt ownership is Japanese. The quality & freshness was NOT there. Way overpriced for what it is. The atmosphere was stale & quiet. Worst was the service. Rude, quiet, & standoffish. Notable mention, We went about 4 months ago but were talking about it together today.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Eric
Agreed with Kevin below. What was once our favorite sushi spot is no more, likely due to ownership change. Luckily the Uni pasta is still great, but for $28 you may think twice (I think it was $22 before). We used to come once a month at least, for more than two years, and the food was SO consistent. Every single time high quality, impeccable presentation. No more. And to add insult to injury, our typical meal was $20 more. The $20 more would have been fine if the quality was still there.
The yellowtail roll, which used to be great with yellowtail chunks from high quality sushi, is now mush. Doesn't taste the same.
The seared salmon sushi was the same price or more expensive, with half the rice and 1/2 the fish. The Yellowtail sushi was of lower quality and didn't taste great, and a bit smaller than in the past. Very bummed our favorite sushi spot is now just ok.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Kevin
Sad to see a once great place go downhill. Used to come here 1-2 times a week. Back then, people would line up before opening, that's how popular it was, and for a good reason: food was delicious then. Went back today and it's not the Jinbei I used to know. The spicy tuna cut roll, which I always used to get, was so mushy and fishy-smelling. No sense of freshness. Everything about it was disappointing. Same goes for the spicy tuna crunchy roll. Flavors are way off. Service is good though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
K.
Sad to see a once great place go downhill. Used to come here 1-2 times a week. Back then, people would line up before opening, that's how popular it was, and for a good reason: food was delicious then. Went back today and it's not the Jinbei I used to know. The spicy tuna cut roll, which I always used to get, was so mushy and fishy-smelling. No sense of freshness. Everything about it was disappointing. Same goes for the spicy tuna crunchy roll. Flavors are way off. Service is good though.
This is my favorite sushi in OC. I feel like I am visiting my local sushi spot in Japan when I come here. Great staff and tasty food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had an amazing dinner at Jinbei in Irvine. We sat right at the sushi bar and let the chef take the lead, which was absolutely the right call. Everything was fresh, super flavorful, and came out perfectly paced. The chef was friendly, attentive, and clearly takes pride in what he’s doing. A few dishes we never would’ve ordered ourselves ended up being our favorites.
The vibes are relaxed, the fish quality is top-tier, and the whole experience just feels special without being stuffy. Easily one of the best sushi nights we’ve had in Orange County. Highly recommend letting the chef choose—trust me, you’ll be happy you did.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hands down best sushi I have ever had in Orange County / LA. The quality of the fish was remarkable, so buttery and soft. As a big sushi lover I have not had this quality of sushi anywhere!! Anyone who says different does not understand the taste of high quality fish. I would go back and eat at this restaurant every day. We sat at the bar and from receiving our first piece of sushi realized this was our new spot. Everything was perfect and the sushi chef chose all our pieces which added so much fun to the dinner. Not one thing wasn’t good- I would give this restaurant 10 stars if allowed if you’re looking for good sushi and good atmosphere this is the place. Also not expensive at all!
After the remodeling, I was disappointed to see that they removed my favorite dish, the uni spaghetti. My son even said it feels like a downgrade. We kindly ask the management team to consider bringing back the previous menu items for the continued success of the business
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
This is a great place for a quick lunch. The Service is excellent and the lunch menu is affordable and good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The food is great but the service is so slowly. Expect to wait even though seats are empty and available.
Truly, oddly, weird experience.
Walk in with a party of 4.
2 go to the bathroom to freshen up and once the table is ready, the waitress tells us to “wait near the door until they are out.” Huh? We inform her: “no, they are in your restroom, we all already walked in together…”
“NO! Wait until they are out of the bathroom and then you can sit down.”
Cool…
Once we are seated (ya know, when everyone is out) they take our order - and 45 minutes pass before I tepidly ask, “hi, I ordered the salmon roll almost an hour ago?”
“Things take time!” Is their answer.
Cool…
Then, the salmon skin hand roll arrives with completely soggy salmon.
“It’s the way salmon is! The chef cut it wrong but it’s still salmon skin!”
Cool…
“Hey; just please cancel the salmon roll,” I say 1.05 hours later.
“No! It’s almost ready!”
“Nah, please cancel it. It’s been over an hour.”
Silence. Bad stare. Coldness. Check.
Fin.
Fun times. Maybe an off day.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great izakaya. Got their lunch special and was a great deal for good quality chirashi!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great lil Japanese restaurant...great food selection...try the Uin Spaghetti and the lunch sets are well worth it. Good service staffs too and great location w plenty of parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chirashi Lunch Special, Uni Spaghetti
The taste is very good and authentic, and the price is reasonable. Like raw fish rice
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
I’m not going to lie this does not at all feel like authentic Japanese. I highly doubt ownership is Japanese. The quality & freshness was NOT there. Way overpriced for what it is. The atmosphere was stale & quiet. Worst was the service. Rude, quiet, & standoffish. Notable mention, We went about 4 months ago but were talking about it together today.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Agreed with Kevin below. What was once our favorite sushi spot is no more, likely due to ownership change. Luckily the Uni pasta is still great, but for $28 you may think twice (I think it was $22 before). We used to come once a month at least, for more than two years, and the food was SO consistent. Every single time high quality, impeccable presentation. No more. And to add insult to injury, our typical meal was $20 more. The $20 more would have been fine if the quality was still there.
The yellowtail roll, which used to be great with yellowtail chunks from high quality sushi, is now mush. Doesn't taste the same.
The seared salmon sushi was the same price or more expensive, with half the rice and 1/2 the fish. The Yellowtail sushi was of lower quality and didn't taste great, and a bit smaller than in the past. Very bummed our favorite sushi spot is now just ok.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sad to see a once great place go downhill. Used to come here 1-2 times a week. Back then, people would line up before opening, that's how popular it was, and for a good reason: food was delicious then. Went back today and it's not the Jinbei I used to know. The spicy tuna cut roll, which I always used to get, was so mushy and fishy-smelling. No sense of freshness. Everything about it was disappointing. Same goes for the spicy tuna crunchy roll. Flavors are way off. Service is good though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Sad to see a once great place go downhill. Used to come here 1-2 times a week. Back then, people would line up before opening, that's how popular it was, and for a good reason: food was delicious then. Went back today and it's not the Jinbei I used to know. The spicy tuna cut roll, which I always used to get, was so mushy and fishy-smelling. No sense of freshness. Everything about it was disappointing. Same goes for the spicy tuna crunchy roll. Flavors are way off. Service is good though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Nice dinner here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
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