29 Best Japanese Restaurants near San Clemente

“A Hidden Gem in Surfer’s Paradise – Super Bowl Express Delivers a Knockout!”

Tucked away in the heart of surf heaven, Super Bowl Express is the kind of place you stumble upon once—and never forget. The staff? Absolute legends. They literally fired up the kitchen after hours just to make me dinner. That kind of hospitality is rare.

The food? Fresh, flavorful, and made with heart. The BBQ with brown rice and vegetables is a game-changer—smoky, wholesome, and perfectly balanced. And don’t sleep on the sushi—it’s ocean-fresh and melts in your mouth.

If you’re chasing waves and crave something real, this spot is your post-surf paradise.“

“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.“

“I’ve visited several times, and each time I’ve tried different dishes. Every staff member is very friendly, and the food never takes too long to be served. The food is authentic and delicious, and you can really feel the chefs’ dedication in every dish. It’s hard to find another Japanese restaurant with such great quality and value!“

“I eat at wow poki more than anywhere else (besides my own restaurant) because I love their product. This is one of the very few poke spots anywhere that offers yellowtail or gluten-free ponzu or brown rice. That alone is worth 5 stars. The fish is almost always really fresh. Some days it's less so, but I know the fish market closes one day per week and I go anyway because it's that good. The owners are there a lot and they're always nice to me and my family. I usually get it to go, so don't pay much attention to the vibe. The only thing I'd change would be to add a fresh brewed tea option. Then I might just eat there every day.“

“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.“

“4.5 actually. Cool decor. Great concept--a speakeasy sushi bar (actually upstairs from a Goonies inspired speakeasy). Friendly staff. Very nice cocktails. And quite good food, but I wish there were larger portions offered (my only complaint). Definitely worth a visit or revisit.“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“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.“

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

“If you’re in Dana Point and looking for something simple, honest, and actually made with care — this little spot surprised me in the best way.

I ended up here in the middle of the day while working in the area. Never been before. I try to avoid chains when I can and pick something new each time. This place caught my eye, and I’m glad I walked in.

It’s a small, family-run vibe — and I mean literally. Looked like a husband and wife running everything themselves. They were both super polite, calm, and you can tell they really care about the food and about every guest who walks in. No rush, no attitude, just warm hospitality.

I went with something safe for me — ramen and salmon sushi. And both were just… really solid. Not overcomplicated, not trying to be something fancy. Just good food made right. The broth had depth, noodles cooked right, and the sushi was fresh with balanced flavor. No complaints there at all.

The place itself is small. Not a big dining room. A few tables inside, clean but definitely more of a takeout–focused spot. They don’t have a restroom available inside, which kind of confirms that they expect people to grab food and go. And honestly — I would.

Not because it’s bad to sit there — it’s fine. But this is the kind of meal that hits even better sitting somewhere by the ocean with the breeze. I’d definitely order takeout from here and eat outside by the water next time.

I paid around $30, which is very fair for the quality, especially in California. They do ask about tip at checkout before you get your food — that part always feels a bit weird to me, but I get it.

Overall — 5 stars for the food and the heart behind the place.
I’ll remember it.
And I’ll be back — probably to pick up a to-go order and take it straight to the beach.“

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

“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.“

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

“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.“

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

“Nice atmosphere and the food was very tasty 😋“

“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 food was so delicious.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!”“

“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!!!“

“Cool little hole in the wall place down the street from my parents place. Got the bento box and it hit the spot. I don't live there, but if you are looking for a random place, this isn't a bad place to check out. Only dig is they close early. Probably because they are in the back spot of a complex. So staying open late would be tough if folks don't know you are there.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We tried the onigiri and poke yesterday and they were absolutely amazing! The flavors were fresh, authentic, and so delicious – every bite was a treat. The service was friendly and attentive, which made the whole experience even better. Definitely a spot we’ll be coming back to again and again. Highly recommend! 🍣✨“

“I have been coming here for over 10 years, and it consistently hits the spot. The Chicken Teriyaki bowl with extra chicken is the way to go, and the sheer amount of food you receive is uncanny.

Can't recommend it enough if you are craving a Chicken Bowl“

“always fresh delicious friendly staff.All you can eat Monday and Tuesday 👍“

“Zenko Sushi delivers an exceptional fusion of freshness, artistry, and hospitality. Each dish is a testament to precision—from melt-in-your-mouth sashimi to inventive rolls that surprise and delight. The ambiance is serene, the service attentive, and the flavors consistently elevate the dining experience. A standout destination for sushi lovers.“