50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Laguna Hills

“First time eating here and it did not disappoint. I ordered the sexy roll and it was delicious 🤤 . A great combination of crunchy and spicy. I also ordered miso soup and so far one of my favorites , so savory definitely recommend this restaurant. Wonderful service, i will definitely come back.“

“06.12.25 update: Some places are just worth visiting even with the extra drive. Maki-Yaki Express here in Laguna Hills is definitely a very good place for sushi. Same owners - very nice and humble two-team folks! Excellent array of dishes on their menu. I'm picky when it comes to pricing but if the quality and freshness are top notch, then I'm good with paying the price. Deeleeciousness on food for sure! The atmosphere inside fits with the adjacent stores. People come for the food anyway. Huge plus if owners are nice to customers👏👏👏

Reasonable prices and fairly quick service. A few of my favorites are salmon-mango roll, mango-avocado salad, shrimp tempura udon, jessica roll, shrimp tempura. Very accommodating on platter orders. Place is small in size, although not a place to impress your girl. This is one of THE places to go for good food!“

“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!“

“Good food and friendly service“

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

“Service is wonderful. Everyone is friendly. It’s like going to my Obason’s to have dinner. Everything about this place is authentically Okinawan. Oishī“

“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!!“

“Pretty good ramen and sushi. Our group ordered the tonkotsu black and spicy miso ramen. Both were very flavorful and filling. We also order the salmon bento box and chicken katsu with curry. Both the bento boxes were good, but katsu seemed a little dry. It's better with the curry, but I wouldn't order it again. The sushi was great. We got the baked salmon roll and crunch fire roll. Both were fresh and delicious! I would come back to try the other ramen.“

“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.“

“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?!“

“Love this lil place. Service is amazing and love the waitresses -they are always so friendly and welcoming! I really appreciate and am grateful they have a gluten free menu! It’s limited and wish they had more options but it’s so great because I don’t need to worry about getting sick from gluten! Not many sushi places have gluten free menus!“

“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.“

“I have ordered sushi from here many times and it’s always the best. It can be hard to find sushi places that are consistent in quality and taste but Maki Yaki is always consistent in both! The staff is also very kind. I absolutely love this place and their food!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“Best sushi I have ever had“

“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.“

“Sushi
Came here because we were curious and hungry. Not a lot of people which was perfect and got seated right away. The ambiance is a Japanese and Korean vibe. The food and service is so great.

Food. So many to choose from and you only have one stomach. Don’t you hate that.

What my family ordered.
Gurume steak
Salmon

Sushi and a few sushi rolls

Everything is so delicious. Sushi and sushi rolls are so fresh. Would definitely comeback her again.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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“

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

“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👍“

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

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

“Small place. Reservations recommended. Pricey but fish is fresh and delicious.“

“Pleasantly surprised by how good the AYCE sushi was. There was a bit of a wait when we arrived right before they opened on a Friday, we added ourselves to the waitlist and it took about 20 minutes to be seated. The sushi and hot foods is of good quality, but there isn’t a lot of variety when it comes to nigiri. Still, it’s a very good option if you want AYCE sushi.“

“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!!!“

“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...“

“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!“

“Ordered sushi take out from Gen Kai later in the evening. It was ready in 20 minutes - service was also very friendly. The food was very fresh and so delicious. California rolls, tuna rolls, salmon rolls, and cucumber rolls were all hearty and had plenty of fish/stuffing. The tuna and salmon came with cucumber and avocado, something that is often an add on other places. The portions were very good and 2 rolls felt like a real meal not just an appetizer!! The rice was tender and, again, it was all super fresh. Thank you for a wonderful take out meal to eat at a scenic overlook!!“

“I love � fukada“

“We come here often because it’s a dog friendly restaurant outside the patio. We love to take our fur baby here. Closer to home. And we can walk around after for digestion since it’s located in Irvine Spectrum like an outdoors mall with many restaurants, shops. They offer happy hour but drinks only and from Monday to Thurs.“

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

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

“My go to order is Salmon and Spicy Tuna handroll and there's avocado in it too. The salmon is really yummy as well as the spicy tuna.
The restaurant is big but I don't see a lot of customers when I come at 1:30pm-ish. I usually call my order in so it's ready by the time I pick it up.“

“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!”“

“Delicious Japanese food & sushi! 😋“

“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.“

“Amazing sushi-rolls! Service is awesome👍🏻“

“Great sushi and the atmosphere is great. The owners and chef’s will stop by your table to see how things are going. They also make sure that you always have a cold beer. While you’re there, buy the chefs a beer, they love toasting with their patrons.“

“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.“

“DELICIOUSNESS! healthy, tasty and great prices“

“Nice atmosphere and the food was very tasty 😋“