50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Ladera Ranch

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

“Fresh, Friendly, Unique!
My sister and I became big fans of onigiri when visiting Japan, and ONIGURU did not disappoint.
Visited last Sunday and ordered a variety of onigiri; they were all delightful.
They were delicious and refreshingly fresh. In addition, the service was fast and extremely friendly.
The lady that helped us was a pleasure and made our visit more special.
Four thumbs up :)“

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

“I recently discovered this gem of a restaurant and I am happy I did. We tried the bento box and all the items were fresh, tasty and leaves you wanting more. It was so good we returned 2 weeks later and had it today. This time we tried a variety of sushi rolls and once again it was delicious. Great friendly staff and quick service to add. Excellent service and great food all around.“

“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 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?!“

“Delicious chicken bowls, caterpillar rolls and udon. Friendly cashier and someone just came around to the front to bring us an extra needed chair unasked which we appreciated!

Kid-friendliness: Casual. A bar-type counter inside with stools and tables outside“

“Super fresh, smelled clean inside. Owner is quite friendly and really cares about making a nice bowl.

Got the large bowl with brown rice, and a selection of great sides and toppings. Not *too* many, but each one worth considering. Flavors and spice level were spot on, not too salty or sweet, which highlighted how good the fish choices are.“

“I ordered the ramen tofu because there normal ramen was a combination of tonkotsu broth with pork and chicken.
Since I don't eat pork, it had to be the tofu one, which is really sad for me. I was expecting them to add chicken to it, but they couldn't, so I had to order a chicken lolipop on the side, which was actually pretty good.
So if you don't like/eat pork it's gonna be hard for you in there but otherwise the ramen tofu was good but I didn't want to eat tofu because I don’t like it but chicken but like I said I had no choice but to order it.“

“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.“

“Really good food

Vegetarian options: All so delicious

Dietary restrictions: Yes

Parking: Very friendly

Kid-friendliness: Yes

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes“

“Best sushi I have ever had“

“This is my favorite and go to shabu and its for a reason. the quality of meats here are incredible and they offer different types of cuts with different prices. They also offer more than few options for broth which is a huge plus and my favorite here is the yuzu. moreover, the wait time is not long and they have greta service.“

“4.5 stars.

A bit pricy and the hours are a bit odd but have always left full and happy. The hospitality is amazing and each roll or dish is hand prepared with care.

The hand rolls are huge - beware when ordering as they are quite filling (and delicious!). Cucumber salad is refreshing and the yellowtail and tuna are incredibly fresh and light.

Daily specials are “special dishes” not necessarily specials of the day (price wise).

Huge lot shared with other retailers but this location is off to itself with ample parking.

Vegetarian options: Salads and some options but not many

Parking: Huge lot shared with other retailers but this location is off to itself with ample parking.“

“I recently discovered this charming little sushi spot right by my workplace, and I had the pleasure of dining here with my daughter. The service was delightful, making our experience even more enjoyable. The sushi we tried was absolutely delicious! If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by to savor some fantastic sushi. You won’t be disappointed!“

“This place has some of the best sushi in town at reasonable prices! The staff is very friendly and fun and they're very attentive. It's definitely a hidden gem of San Clemente

Vegetarian options: There are many vegetarian options to choose from

Dietary restrictions: They can accommodate virtually any dietary restrictions

Parking: There is always parking available right at the store front

Kid-friendliness: Kids are very welcome there

Wheelchair accessibility: This place is ADA compliant“

“I don’t really live in the area but was craving some fish and this spot sounded real chill. Turns out it was more than chill, it was fantastic! Atmosphere was comfy and the man taking my order was nice. Food was 10/10 satisfied my craving for sure and would def come back again to eat if I come by here.“

“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!“

“Great place for some light and fresh food. Enjoyed the plate as it came with a dressed greens and cabbage salad. Cutlet was a little greasy and the teriyaki sauce tasted like A1 steak sauce. Still worth another trip next time I'm in town.“

“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 there many times and love it! One of the best sushi restaurants I know! I prefer sashimi and the presentation is beautiful and mouthwatering!“

“This is a great, unexpected treat in a strip mall in Laguna Hills. Some of the best sushi I have had in quite some time. We ordered omakse and each dish was better than the last. The service was prompt and polite. Small store front and not much in terms of atmosphere, but that is an easy trade off for the great food!“

“Great food and excellent customer service
Highly recommend
Yaki Udon noodles were great and all of us enjoyed our dinner
Excellent service and food
The employees were attentive if we needed anything
This place deserves more than 5 stars“

“Delicious ramen , broth was amazing . Sushi rolls very fresh and creative, looking forward to trying more things !“

“Awesome place, great prices and amazing food, I love getting the Deluxe Bento plate, it comes with chicken teriyaki, tempura shrimp, Edamame, California rolls, crunchy rolls, and salad, plus the miso soup.“

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

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

“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!“

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

“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”.“

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

“I was able to make it here early last month after just walking around and exploring and I was pleasantly surprised at the portion sizes. I also really enjoyed the toro and got the largest portion. I sound at the bar. All of the sushi chefs were very friendly as well as the servers. If you’re chasing good Toro this is a solid spot for sure.“

“Food tasted good and healthy, as in no msg i can taste and mildly seasoned. All the ingredients were fresh. This is a hidden gem. I cannot believe this place isn't more busy.

I ordered the tempura crunch roll and wrap. Both were delicious. Also the prices are so ridiculously low, esp for the quality of food.“

“AMAZEBALLS! Japanese A5 Wagyu For The Win!“

“The food is very good and fresh. Ordering child menu you will have a real feast -with MANY dishes, like 2 types of chicken, shrimps, soup, salad and desert. I was impressed. Only one thing I did not like - it's too noisy but it's because everyone wants to eat there!

Kid-friendliness: My kid was happy because kid's menu is really super good there.“

“I love � fukada“

“Nice atmosphere and the food was very tasty 😋“

“Our go to Sushi 🍣 restaurant. Best in town, small, but great friendly, service oriented staff.“

“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.“

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

“DELICIOUSNESS! healthy, tasty and great prices“

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

“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.“

“RECOMMENDATION - We have been here too many times to count and will keep coming back.
(5:30pm Monday night)
(2 adults)

VALUE - $28 - 3.5/5
- Bento Box dinner - teriyaki with a side order of vegi tempura - 4/5
We really like the dinner. We get it To Go and then eat it at home. It's nice for the two of us to split.

PORTION SIZE- 4/5
We add an extra portion of tempura and then split the whole meal. So, portion sizes are good.

SERVICE- 4/5
Their service is always great. Happy people. The whole place says, 'Welcome!' when you enter and, ' See you tomorrow!' when you leave. :)

ATMOSPHERE - 4/5
Typical small sushi place. Friendly environment. Not loud. We've eaten here many times, in the restaurant and To Go. They even have a few tables outside when the weather is nice, which is most of the time.“

“Great food! More like a "Sushi to go" restaurant. You order your food at the counter. There are only a couple of tables inside and out the restaurant and they will bring the food to your table if you are dining in. It is family owned and you often see Father, Mother, and Daughter working behind the counter. But every time I've eaten here, I've been very pleased with the food and service.“

“This is a good neighborhood joint. It's not fancy, but the food is solid and the staff is attentive and friendly. If you go regularly, they'll remember your name.The have indoor seating (sushi bar and tables) and a small covered patio. They have fun hand-lettered signs with specials. Halibut carpaccio was one the specials tonight.If you go for lunch, they've got bento box specials that are tasty too.RECOMMEND

Parking: This is in in a large shopping plaza with a big parking lot. Parking is never a problem.

Kid-friendliness: They don't have a kids menu or specific option for kids. If your kid likes sushi or teriyaki or tempura, then your kid would do okay here.“

“Best Tomo fried rice, smothered fries, and Ramen I've had since moving to south OC. And the staff is super friendly! I drive 15 to 20 minutes just to get their food.“

“Great restaurant, staff and awesome sushi!

Restaurant can get busy quickly so pick your times.. we usually go at opening time to avoid the rush. We have never had a bad experience there.

Awesome Japanese restaurant!!“

“Sea butter Laguna Beach is my go-to for sushi. The fish is always fresh, and the rolls are perfectly crafted. The service is friendly and attentive, and the cozy atmosphere makes it a great spot to relax and enjoy a meal. Highly recommend for sushi lovers!“