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.“

“OniGuru in Ladera Ranch is a clean, modern spot with really solid onigiri. Everything tastes fresh, the staff is friendly, and it’s easy to grab a quick, satisfying bite without feeling stuffed. Simple, cozy, and definitely worth checking out if you’re nearby 🍙“

“Super Bowl Express has been one of my go-to spots in San Clemente for years and after today I had to leave a review.

Not only is the food consistently amazing, but the people there genuinely care about their customers. Joo, the owner, is one of the kindest business owners I’ve met and went completely above and beyond for us today. Martha was also incredibly welcoming and took amazing care of us.

The spam musubi is hands down the best in town, the beef bowls are unreal, and the Korean ribs are always a must order. Everything is fresh, flavorful, and consistent every single time.

Highly recommend supporting them if you haven’t been already.“

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

“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 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?!“

“Jerk chicken ELL eggs Tantan udon Kaisendon Everything“

“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.“

“Simple, delicious, and healthy. This place species in beef pepper rice and have mastered their craft. The menu is nice and simple which makes it easy to order. The beef pepper rice is affordable and delicious, but the toppings at $2 each is pretty absurd. You order at the tablet and the staff bring out the food to your table if dining in. The staff are very friendly and the interior is clean.“

“Family brought us here to celebrate a birthday - even though they stick to bento boxes and don't get the sushi. Worked out, everything was very fresh and tasty. It's a small space inside and very homey. Loved the no rice roll options. The servers were making jokes with us and jumping in pictures, we were the only ones there for awhile. (If you're the stick to yourselves type, you will hate this.)“

“The sushi is so fresh and everyone is so friendly, It is obvious that there are many regulars in there. So many groups of customers were talking and joking with each other, it is a very friendly atmosphere. It is a small place with only one Sushi chef and it appeared that many customers knew each other, the chef seemed to know most of the customers, the customers knew the chef……you get the picture. Seeing the place full of so many regulars was reassuring on its own but the food spoke for itself.“

“It's a lovely sushi place. Went on a weeknight early evening and sat by the sushi bar. Had the chefs choice and it was a delight. I find it to be a. Ice gem for a sushi place. It's not a place I would expect to have chef choice sushi but it was a nice surprise. Will go back and will bring friends and family.“

“Best poke! So much variety, tuna, salmon, spicy tuna, albacore, octopus, shrimp. tamago, and tofu. Delicious add-ons and lots of toppings!“

“Needed a healthy option for my daughter and this is her favorite.

Super fresh ingredients and tasty quality I expect of sushi and bowls. The teriyaki chicken bowl is very tasty and enjoyable.

We generally get to-go. The eat-in option are basic tables and chairs.“

“Had a really good experience at GU Ramen Taps & Tapas recently. The ramen was flavorful, the tapas were perfect for sharing, and the drinks selection was solid too. We went during happy hour and the atmosphere was super fun and relaxed, definitely a place we’ll be coming back to.“

“When we searched for the best sushi place in San Clemente, Malulu Sushi came up first on the list.

Good things come in small packages, right? Well, this is a small place, but it doesn't matter because the food & service are excellent.

To me, service is very important!!! At Malulu, the Japanese hospitality is on full display. Then, the food came, and we realized that we had found our favorite sushi place in SC.

Everything we ordered was tasty. And to our surprise, the female sushi chef made the best spicy yellow tail handroll. It reminded us of a sushi roll that we could only get at a sushi restaurant in Laguna Niguel (sadly, the chef moved to Japan).

We are already planning to go back this week & bring some friends along.“

“This is the ultimate sushi spot. We have been coming here for many years for date nights and also nights with the family to celebrate and enjoy a special occasion. Everyone here knows us and we are always welcomed with big smiles and “come in, come in!” The staff and chefs here make this place feel like home, like this is our spot. It’s a very small restaurant, hole in the wall, which I absolutely love. We’ve sat at tables inside, the bar, and the tables outside are great too! They have enhanced the outdoor area with umbrellas and heaters, candles and table lamps. We always ask about the specials - go with the specials! They have sake, beer, sodas, tea - we usually get a large Asahi and share it, or ask for a recommendation on sake. The oysters and monkfish liver, when they have it, are incredible! Any and all of the nigiri is our go-to, can’t go wrong with any of the rolls too (we usually do sushi when dining in and get rolls for take out). I love the uni and unagi, chu toro and buri toro (all the toro), hamachi and kanpachi… I honestly love it all. The kids always get udon and karaage chicken with a side of white rice. This is our special place to celebrate, so grateful to have this kind of spot to go to that’s close to home. We love it here.“

“The service was very good, and the overall taste was impeccable; the food was delicious and well-balanced, but it lacked the authentic and refined Japanese flavor. It was also unusual that the rolls fell apart. They gave us two eggs with the oden... The bonito broth tasted exactly like the one from Lawson convenience store, haha. The sake-steamed clams really tasted strongly of sake! The sukiyaki was quite impressive, a huge bowl! The only downside was the lack of a raw egg accompaniment, which felt like something essential was missing“

“all of it was delish! great service as well.“

“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!“

“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’ve been coming to Miyabi Shabu Shabu in Irvine every week for the past 7 years, and it has never disappointed. That kind of consistency is rare, and it’s the reason this place has become one of my absolute favorites.

The food is always incredibly fresh—especially the meats, vegetables, and sauces. You can really taste the quality in every bite, and the presentation is always clean and inviting. It’s the perfect spot if you’re looking for a healthy, satisfying meal.

What truly makes this place stand out is the service. The staff is consistently friendly, attentive, and efficient, even during busy times. They make you feel welcomed every visit and ensure everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a reliable, high-quality shabu shabu experience in Irvine, I highly recommend Miyabi. After 7 years of weekly visits, it’s safe to say they’re doing everything right.“

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

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

“I am allergic to shrimp, and today I decided to have an udon soup here. My sincere congratulations and endless thanks to the staff who took care of me tonight at the bar. They remade my order from scratch to make sure there was no cross-contamination, and the manager personally supervised the preparation of my udon soup to ensure it was completely safe. Thank you so much, I will definitely be coming back to this restaurant!“

“Food: Sushi rolls were excellent and pretty competitive prices. My favorite was the caterpillar. Fish quality was excellent. Avocado and cucumber was fresh and sushi didn't taste like it had sugar in it which was excellent.!

Service: Sucks. They are impatient, rude, and quick to walk away and pretend they didn't hear you. For example I asked if a waiter could remove a plate. He ignored me and signaled at the busboy to pick up the plate instead. Even the busboy realized that was odd.“

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

“Superb Japanese restaurant that is set in a modern, elevated dining space. The quality of the food is great and very delicious. They have a large menu filled with classic sushi, sashimi, rolls, and other entrees. The staff are very friendly and helpful. This was the first time I have ever seen double sided chopsticks, which were very interesting and helpful.“

“AMAZEBALLS! Japanese A5 Wagyu For The Win!“

“DELICIOUSNESS! healthy, tasty and great prices“

“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!“

“I love � fukada“

“The food was so delicious.“

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

“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!!!“

“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.“

“I want my review to literally reflect the 4.8 currently for this restaurant. The food is good, but with some reservations. First off, the sushi was fresh and tasty. My daughter loves sushi and they did not disappoint. I ordered the Bento box with the beef teriyaki upgrade. The teriyaki was fantastic, definitely home made and had superb flavor. The problem was the meat. It had the distinctive taste that it had been left to marinate in the blood of the meat. Understandable, while it didn't ruin the meal, the taste did give me pause. Everything else, the tempura, salad, and California rolls; were excellent. The service left me puzzled. The young lady at the counter was friendly and helpful. However, it would have been nice to know we could have ordered at our table instead of the counter. Minor quibbles aside, the food is great and the service was excellent. Definitely a place to check out in Laguna Beach.“

“My family and I usually love Jizake and have been to this place multiple times over the years. However after last nights dinner not sure if we will come back. The first issue is that the server forgot to bring us 3 of our appetizers. I also noticed that my hot sake wasn't very hot and that they have trimmed down the size of their rolls. During the meal it became obvious to all of us outside that they were using a wifi speaker and whoesever phone it was hooked up to must have been moving around since the music was going in and out. Lastly while asking for the check I instructed the server to take the appetizers off our bill since we didn't receive them. He said he would and when he came back I was given a hand written bill with the break down. To his credit those appetizers were shown but not charged. I totaled up each line item and everything seemed correct as the subtotal was $170 with tax total should have been $183.17. However after taking my credit card he came back saying they totaled our bill incorrectly and apologized. Our new printed bill after charging my credit card didn't show the pricing break down for all the items but it appears that they added back in the money for the appetizers as with tax it came to $196.11 plus tip. By this point we just wanted to leave. After getting home we started not feeling so well. We don't usually have any bad reactions to sushi so maybe it was some sort of cross contamination issue. Either way I would caution everyone while eating at this establishment.“

“The vegetarian rolls are so flavorful and the staff is super friendly! Definitely going back.“

“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.“

“Amazing all around! Fantastic service, insanely positive and friendly staff, 10/10 food. Thank you for this experience. Refreshing to walk into a place that greets people so happily and acts like they actually want your business. We got 7 rolls and they were all perfect. We will definitely return.“

“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.“

“Restaurant is clean and open. Their sashimi bento box lunch special [includes miso soup, cucumber salad, tempura, half CA roll, and seven slices of quality sashimi served with real wasabi!] is the best and it was only $20. Thank you to sushi chef Obi for his recommendation. Now if they only served Kuronama or any other Japanese dark beer, they'd be perfect.“

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

“Nice atmosphere and the food was very tasty 😋“

“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!”“

“The service here is so nice and fast. You can’t beat the lunch special deals! ($10-13 for entree with soup and salad) I love coming here for lunch, I want to try all their deals haha. If I didn’t make it for the lunch specials I would definitely try one of their specialty rolls!“

“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.“

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

“We sat at the sushi bar and Joe-san was our sushi chef. He was fast, efficient and everything was tasty. We chose the Oh My God roll towards the end and honestly folks? It is OMG spectacular! And so was the Queen Imperial with yellowtail and mango. Great service!!!“