35 Best Sushi Bars near San Clemente

“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!“

“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 spent years in Japan and for an hour I forgot I was in California! The food is outstanding and authentic. ありがとうございました!“

“Very high quality / fresh combined with highly skilled chefs“

“Momoku No Usagi in San Clemente is one of those places you can’t wait to tell friends about. The sushi is fresh, beautiful, and seriously delicious, the cocktails are well crafted and addictive, and the team makes you feel instantly welcome. Its cozy “speakeasushi” vibe makes it perfect for casual nights or special celebrations.“

“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.“

“Absolutely loved it. great taste good portion. Tuna and salmon chunks are pretty decent personally I think it’s tastier than poke n half they have a sushi like thing in the tofu skin two for six bucks that taste good too, but I didn’t like the Hawaiian shrimp hot plate.“

“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.“

“On vacation from phoenix arizona, stop to get a roll.Ask what their best role was was shown.A yellowtail roll that was out of this world.They also have fresh wasabi.Definitely a must in sushi.They're known for their roles here, but they also have sashimi and nagiri.“

“Nice atmosphere and the food was very tasty 😋“

“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.“

“If I give Luke the glowing review he deserves, it will become overcrowded and hard to get into. So stay home, hahaha.

It's difficult to find a quality sushi bar with top-notch 'wagyu' sushi. The carpaccio is outstanding and much more. The chefs (Luke, Jose, Effrin) all do amazing work, and the owner deserves praise for sourcing high-quality fish. When I'm not in the mood for cold sushi, the yellowtail cheeks are the best in Orange County. The price is also best you'll find in ALL of OC.
All jokes aside, this restaurant is truly excellent. It's owned by a very kind man and is a local favorite in a small part of Orange County.
Luke, bring in Monk Fish Liver and Yamakakai Tuna and I'll be here daily.😋“

“Don't sleep on Lemon & Life Sushi!
After 4 visits with consistently outstanding food quality, we've decided that Lemon & LIfe is our family's go-to. We've tried sashimi, sushi, ramen, appetizers, drinks, mochi dessert - pretty much everything on the menu and not had a disapointing meal yet. The portions of fish are pretty large - shocking actually. For that quality, it's a bargain. If I had one recommendation, it would be to soften the lighting for dinner service and turn the music up a bit just to create more ambiance.“

“The Ladyfingers are divine and no one else has them on the menu that I've ever seen. The Chefs are top notch and we've never been disappointed.“

“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!!!“

“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!“

“I’ve been going here for years and years. This staff is incredible. They are about to change management and I hope you keep all the same ladies that have been there for years. I get treated badly at so many restaurants because of how I look and they are always so kind and always have a smile on their faces when I walk in because I used to be a super regular. These are incredible women and I hope they stay if they want.“

“We found this gem after a long fun beach day. We had two hungry little ones. Server was so sweet with the kids; food was excellent and came out fast. We ordered chicken udon stir fry (for the kids and we all loved it, flavor was great and lots of mixed in veges); we ordered several rolls and all were devoured. Will definitely be back“

“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.“

“So happy that we discovered this SJC neighbourhood gem! Expect authentic, fresh, no-frills sushi and maki rolls, with wonderful chef and staff service (at the sushi bar). Our fave this visit was the 'Aburi Hamachi Roll', but we are looking forward to coming back often to try all the menu options!“

“An absolutely exceptional omakase experience that defines luxury dining. From the first course to the last, the sushi was nothing short of extraordinary—impeccably fresh, masterfully prepared, and thoughtfully composed to highlight the purity of each ingredient. Every bite reflected true craftsmanship and precision.

The sake pairing was perfectly curated, enhancing the flavors of the sushi without overpowering them and adding a refined rhythm to the entire experience. Each selection felt intentional and elevated the progression of the meal.

The dessert was a stunning finale—elegant, balanced, and a brilliant complement to the journey of flavors that came before it. It tied the entire experience together in a way that felt both indulgent and refined.

This is not just a meal, but a world-class omakase experience. Ideal for special occasions or anyone seeking the highest level of sushi and hospitality. Sue and her husband have something very special that they want to share with all their customers. This is a foodies paradise.“

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

“I enjoyed the smoked spare ribs and the spicy stir fried prawns with veg Dessert was great too“

“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!“

“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.“

“honestly the first time coming here was a horrible experience, but that was three years ago I gave this place a second chance and honestly you can get cheaper sushi but if you eat as much its gonna be the same price…i love sushi and this place worth your buck for lunch..dinner time is a little pricey but thats okay make it worth it if your gonna eat here..keep up the good work guys and keep the food fresh as you should…“

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

“Really enjoyed my stay! The rooms were quiet and comfortable, the hotel bar was fantastic, and the room service was excellent. Loved the thoughtful little amenities—they really made a difference.“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“Perfect sushie 🍣 Delicious drinks and excellent service🧙‍♀️🧹“

“The food was so delicious.“