Honda-Ya in Tustin

One of my favorite spots to go anytime I’m in town. Really great service and amazing food. Highly recommend the avocado tempura and mushroom zosui. The yakitori are so good, definitely give the bacon wrapped enoki, garlic butter shrimp, and pork belly a try. Highly recommend!

There is a wait-list sometimes so its best to get there a limit early. Keep in mind the wait-list reflected is hosted by yelp, so after you check in the estimation can be different than their times. There is a to go side if you need it but overall the food was delicious. Would recommend to order the skewers piece by piece so you can eat them as they come out. There is a floor mat area, so be aware if you are aiming for that, you will have to take shoes off. The menu is big but everything has pictures, so for those are worried of what to get, the photos are pretty accurate. As for the skewers, I like the bacon asparagus and scallop ones over the skirt steak ones, but to each their own.

Great place for small bites, skewers, and even entrees of Japanese dishes. Weekdays at prime time meals are busy for a reason. Many items on menu for any preference. Can host big groups so will get noisy because everyone seems to be having fun.

Yakitori is very good in this place. They are open late with good selections of foods. You have a choice to sit seiza style or regular table. Small, cozy place. Service is friendly and quick. Staff is knowledgeable about the food they serve and made great suggestions on their favorites.

I was so happy to feel that Japanese vibe with variety of food selections! My favorite was the beef tataki salad, ginko skewers, bacon asparagus skewers, takoyaki and the grilled fish (forgot what kind of fish). All of their dishes were great tho. And that icy-cold glass of beer is just... too good for this hot weather!

⭐⭐⭐⭐Had a varied experience at Honda-Ya. The tonkatsu was a tad over-fried for my liking, but the freshness of the sashimi more than made up for it. The chicken leg was notably tender, a delightful surprise. Also, their chicken gizzard is commendable. However, the Dan Dan was fairly average. Overall, a good dining experience and will visit again to try other dishes.

The worst service in the world. The staff here are very rude and entitled. This was our first time here and our last time. The food tasted horrible. The quality was horrid. The sushi rice was old and disgusting. They stuffed a lot of rice and very little fish. All around the worst sushi restaurant. Their shrimp tempura is scrawny. Save yourself a trip. Go elsewhere!

Always a great time at Honda-Ya. Perfect for date night or getting together with friends for some great Japanese eats and beer/sake. Parking can be a bit crowded, but its a large parking lot. Recommend getting there early because theres usually a wait due to its long time popularity. For people with purses, bring a purse valet because theres no where to put it. You can order drinks and food while you wait outside which is pretty cool. Menu is huge with just about something for everyone.

I recently visited this Honda-Ya and I have to say, it was an amazing experience! The speedy service on a weekday was really impressive - we were in and out in no time. On the weekends, the wait can get quite long, so I definitely recommend coming on a weekday if possible.The food was simply delicious! We started off with the recommended Dan Dan noodles, and I have to say, the flavor was out of this world. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce had just the right amount of spice. My boyfriend got his usual order of yakisoba, and it did not disappoint. The flavors were rich and savory, and the noodles were perfectly cooked.We couldnt leave without trying a few skewers, and they did not disappoint either. They were cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of char on the outside and juicy on the inside. They were so good, I forgot to get a pic when they came out.Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for delicious Japanese cuisine. The food is top-notch and the speedy service on a weekday is really impressive. Just be prepared for a longer wait on the weekends. I give this restaurant a 5-star rating and will definitely be returning!

EDIT 6/5/2023:Just revisited one of my favorite izakaya spot for many years and I am totally bummed. I am not sure if there was an ownership/management change, but Hondayas magic - its fresh robata skewers pretty much grilled to order is gone. All of its food is Luke warm and felt pre-cooked. Also, not very common to see dim sum type food offering at what used to be an authentic Japanese izakaya.Original:I just visited after a long shut down for covid. Outdoor seating only, and while I was there it rained. Outdoor canopy can definitely be worked on for it to be water resistant - lots of leaks in many places.As for food, we ordered our usual: pitcher of beer and bunch if different skewers. All 10 skewers or so came out together at once which made it cold almost immediately. I would recommend on ordering few at a time so it doesnt get too cold.As for food, most of it is casual Japanese comfort food. Its pretty authentic and is good.