Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Izakaya Takasei in Fullerton

4.4 (199) 2980 Yorba Linda Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92831, United States

Location on the map

Fullerton, Orange County, California, US

Phone: +1 714-577-0401
Site: https://izakayatakasei.com/

Opening hours

Monday:Closed
Tuesday:5–8:30 PM
Wednesday:5–8:30 PM
Thursday:5–8:30 PM
Friday:5–9 PM
Saturday:5–9 PM
Sunday:5–8:30 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.4

199 Reviews for Izakaya Takasei 2024:

Review №1

2023-12-07 19:04:00

Looked like a promising place, but we were highly disappointed.Most of the yakiyori came out lukewarm.Spicy tuna crackers - the crispy rice wasnt crispy at all and you can tell they were batch fried earlier in the day. Hard to eat.Sashimi bowl was okay.Takoyaki was mediocre.Whole squid didnt seem too fresh.The staff didnt seem too excited to be there and they were sort of scarce.Will not be returning.

Review №2

2023-08-21 18:51:50

I hope to come back next weekend!I ordered the jumbo shrimp & chicken breast w/ ume yakitori. I’m looking forward to trying others once I’m back because they were so good! The nasu miso was absolutely delicious too. My boyfriend ordered the karaage; can’t go wrong with that & it didn’t disappoint. The staff & atmosphere are very welcoming. Employees made sure we were OK, refilled our drinks, picked up empty plates, & asked if we wanted to put in more orders before happy hour ended; thank you! I’ll definitely be back & can’t wait to share the izakaya with my loved ones.

Review №3

2023-01-17 21:47:16

We had reservations and it got pretty crowded on Saturday evening. They have a happy hour from 5-6pm and then 8pm -closing. You get 20% off certain items. We ordered mixed tempura, yakitori, karaage chicken, nasu miso, and other dishes. It was tasty and food came out fast. They have a big menu with sushi, sashimi and combination dinners. The tempura, yakitori, karaage chicken was very good. The nasu miso was okay. I took the nasu miso home and it was better the next day as the flavors had time to meld. Will definitely go back. Reservations recommended.

Review №4

2023-01-15 04:05:47

Extensive menu and surprisingly good service. My family and I came at opening and was able to get seated quickly. The restaurant was massive and I could see it being a fun spot to meet up with a large group of friends to eat and drink. Happy hour goes from 5-6PM with 20% off drinks and some discounted items. We were able to get a crunchy roll off the HH menu for $10. We also ordered a soba, udon, and handful of yakitori. Everything came out quickly and was pretty yummy. My 2 year old son devoured his udon. The yakitori was very similar to what you would find at Honda-ya (not sure if they’re the same owners). Overall, it was a really nice night out with good food. If you are close to the Brea area, I recommend skipping the wait at Honda-ya and coming here instead. No wait, more space, better service, and decent food.

Review №5

2022-12-17 17:12:10

Got back here after a year, and their service gets worse. They served me the sashimi without utensils. The second server put the second dishes on my table and left so quickly, I did not have a chance to ask them. Hard to find a server to ask for utensils; my food was getting cold. The skewers I ordered weret good; I think they left them at the counter for a while until the server had a time to bring them to my table. Bill was $125 for 2 people, its not worth it. Disappointed!

Review №6

2021-11-04 04:40:46

Food menu is varied and seems authentic. The atmosphere is wonderful and definitely seems authentic. The staff is friendly and charming (based on a sample of 1 waitress). Food itself was good too, though I picked something basic so I guess I dont actually know if everything is good. Free hot roasted green tea though is amazing, never seen that before. And sitting on mats with short tables like in real Japan is neat too, though we sat at the regular booths.TL;DR give it a try, you stranger you.

Review №7

2023-05-03 12:56:19

This is the most authentic Japanese establishment Ive ever been in. Not only is the decor amazingly traditional it is also beautiful and Nostalgic of the Japanese culture. The owners Tak and Yumi do a wonderful job and have a great kitchen team from cooks to Servers all the way down tonits dishwashers. The food is absolutely amazing, and even when busy the staff manages to get the food from the kitchen to your table in a efficient time. I would highly reccomended this establishment if you are looking to seek a nice date night or for a night out after a baseball game with your buddies or even a family night. Thank you for wonderful food and service. Dont forget to try the Sorbet desserts served in a pineapple or a Orange or perhaps even the Macha Tiramisu or Macha cheesecake. I will be coming back in the future and recommending it to anyone who asks for a great local restaurant eatery. Thank you Tak and Yumi.

Review №8

2022-10-03 00:39:04

After a long Disneyland day, my friends and I wanted some Japanese food. Izakaya Takasei gave us that fix! The restaurant itself was clean and offered a tatami style dining experience but our legs were too sore to do that. Would love to come back and do it! The staff were attentive and made sure to greet every customer that came in.For food, I ordered a tonkatsu and scrambled egg rice bowl and a variety of yakitori. My tonkatsu bowl was very flavorful! I was able to taste a little dashi in the egg and the pickled ginger added a lot of contrast to the saltiness of the dish. The katsu was still a little crispy and tender on the inside. I was very impressed with their large selection of yakitori. From the ones I ordered, the kobe beef with ponzu and the garlic pork belly really stood out! The kobe was so tender and exploded with juice with every bite! The garlic pork belly had so much garlic flavor and had crispy garlic bits on top for good measure.To cap off a great meal, I tried the orange sorbet. It was visually pleasing to look at and tasted so clean and refreshing!I highly recommend giving Izakaya Takasei a chance if youre in the area!

Review №9

2023-10-30 01:43:34

Had dinner here this evening, this was our 4th time here. Today I had the Yakatori- Kobe Beef, Pork Belly, and Prime Beef. I also had an Uni Roll, and some Gyoza, all of which were phenomenal. My partner had the Salmon Kama which was a really generous sized piece of salmon for the price.The cherry on the top was their strawberry cheese cake. It was layered and the texture and temp was perfect. I wanted more it was soo good.My partner had some sake, and they gave him a complimentary sample of another sake they had which was delicious.This place was terrific. The prices while not inexpensive were fair and reasonable for the portions. The staff were helpful and courteous. Always quick to remove empty plates and refill drinks.Overall 5 out of 5 for a wonderful evening dinner.

Review №10

2022-07-27 02:34:02

My wife suggested this restaurant for our date night. The food was delicious. I would definitely recommend this place to others.

Review №11

2023-09-03 07:28:48

Great food. Great service. We came at opening time to avoid waiting and crowds since we have a baby. Prices have increased but thats the same everywhere. This place always satisfies our craving for izakaya/yakitori and has a great atmosphere and a variety of seating from tatami mats to booths to tables.

Review №12

2019-03-24 22:19:16

My buddies decided they wanted to come here fo dinner. I havent been here since it was Honda-Ya. The menu seems to be pretty much the same.We came during dinner time (630ish) and the wait was about 20-30 min. Afterwards, service and food came by quick and furiously. We ordered everything we could because our server relayed to us there was a party of 40 coming in about 20 min. I ended up ordering a beef and egg udon ($8.95) which was excellent; shared a salmon belly ($5.95); superb. Plus, we also ordered izakaya, (range from $2.50-5 per stick) which are too may to list here, but FYI, there was nothing less than average here in my opinion. What stood out most to me were spicy lamb chops though, highly recommend.Service: GoodFood: GoodAlcohol: FairParking: Below averagePrice: Fair

Review №13

2021-12-22 03:33:05

Great food! Great service. Very close to eating in Japan. Best thing is they serve Orion beer from Okinawa on tap ICE COLD!

Review №14

2019-09-04 01:49:29

If you come to this restaurant, stay from ordering any nigiris. Absolutely terrible. The quality of the fish was very bad. The rolls were good. So it’s a safe option. The yakitori were not up to standard from my perspective. First they were just warm or cold. The beef quality was not appealing at all. The noodles our friend ordered were too gingery. We still try to understand why it’s so packed here. The things we liked were the decors - Japanese style and the sake flight! $10 for 3 kinds of sake tasting indeed was really good. We got to try quite some different types of sake just that when we wanted to order a bottle that we all liked, the server said it’s out of stock 😅. So if you like sake tasting, it’s a good place to go. The rest, maybe just rolls. 🤣Ah. The desserts, I think you can save your money.

Review №15

2023-08-18 18:23:02

The food here is the perfect combination; inexpensive and delicious. I have yet to ever go to a play with more delicious Japanese food full stop. The fact that its super affordable is absurd.

Review №16

2021-12-30 02:42:11

Nice place for family meal for 🇯🇵🍱. Came at 5pm and there was no waiting. The six of us sat in the tatami room. They left one table empty between tables. Waitress was super friendly and the service was quick. Family had everything from udon noodles, sashimi, fried oysters, combo meals, etc. Everything was super fresh and spot on. 🅿️ was plentiful. If you come here during rush hour, make sure you add yourself to the Yelp waiting list. Happy hour is the first hour when they open too and then at 8pm? Would come back again. Good place for a 🔥date too.

Review №17

2019-09-30 04:22:23

A great Japanese tapas style restaurant. Great for larger groups. A tremendous variety of small plates, sushi and regular combo type meals as well as udon and ramen dishes as well. Definitely traditional Japanese decor and style. Staff all very friendly and very helpful. Food is excellent. Definitely a new must do for me when Im in Southern California.

Review №18

2023-03-18 04:01:38

Very cool spot for food and drinks. They have a fun happy hour as well.

Review №19

2021-10-09 00:06:15

First Time I ever had Yakitori - Delish - Each meat was cooked to perfection and super tasty and juicy - Udon shown was in a small bowl - The original bowl was much larger - I was sharing - We had a glass of Shichida Tunmai Sake - not too sweet and not too dry and a hint of a fruit flavor - Staff was amazing- Ended the full experience with some green tea ice cream - total bill was around $115 for all you see - We had so much fun!

Review №20

2020-01-06 05:55:31

They updated the menu with new price.See the pictures for more detailsI like the atmosphere. Food was good too.Besides eel everything was great.

Review №21

2019-10-24 23:35:52

Amazing food coupled with amazing service. I go here at least once a week. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name and theyre always glad you came. You want to be where you can see the troubles are all the same. You want to be where everybody knows your name.

Review №22

2020-08-30 03:57:06

Short wait times and yummy food. Customer service could be improved. As you can see servers wearing basketball shorts with slides..not really professional or appropriate attire for restaurant. They also need more lighting for outdoor eating. Many people were using their phones for light. But food was tasty!

Review №23

2023-06-01 02:48:35

The staff is friendly, tasty one-of-a-kind food, casually great atmoshpere. This place sets the bar for Japanese food in America.The menu had a variety of things to try (if you want a true foodie venture) outside of the typical sushi roll menu. I had to take away a star because one item we ordered was delayed and when it arrived, it was not quite what we ordered.Yet, they were courteous with the service recovery and took it off of our bill.We have traveled to Japan and here it felt like we had a piece of the mom and pop shop feel near home.

Review №24

2020-02-28 07:44:48

Thumbs up! Everything here is in my style. Im really happy to find this Izakaya place. Their Yakitori (skewered meats) was awesome! Had chicken wings, two sticks of Kobe beef + ponzu & wasabi sauce, prime beef, and bacon wrapped tomato skewers. Authentic! This place also seems to have many kinds of sake (traditional Japanese alcoholic beverages).

Review №25

2023-09-13 08:50:15

I love izakayas and have been to many different ones over the years, and Takasei is the one I find myself going back to the most. The food and ambiance reminds me of izakayas I have been to in Japan.Yakitori and sake are the staples of an izakaya and Takasei has these nailed down. I have yet to see a sake menu elsewhere that comes close to Takaseis in terms of variety and selection. I have been able to experience so many new and different sakes here that it has really broadened my horizons in the world of sake. 10/10.

Review №26

2020-02-28 02:29:56

The best Izakaya this side of Dakine !🤣 for sure braahh🤙🏼 delicious and hellah legit yakitori with all the aromas of the phenomenal charcoal grill distinction ! Simply fabulous and straight outta japan kine of place tooo!🌈🍙🍚🍘🍢🍥 i recommend the yakitori and the super dry asahi to accompany such fantastic duo!🤣🍺 TRY THIS PLACE NOW!😭😂 MAHALOS !🌈🤙🏼

Review №27

2022-05-09 03:29:59

Great service, great food. Use yelp waitlist to get in line. My favorite izakaya in the area.

Review №28

2023-05-26 21:02:22

This is one of the best izakaya experiences I’ve had outside of Japan. We were celebrating a graduation and ordered a large variety of menu items.Highlights - the sashimi was very fresh, the gyoza were tasty, the tempura was light and crisp, the avocado salad was amazing, and the combination meal portions were generous.The restaurant was very accommodating even though we arrived a little on the late side, and the graduate in our party was very happy to have such a wonderful meal!

Review №29

2022-11-20 02:03:48

Excellent service, very friendly and attentive. The yakitori is excellent as well, with reasonable prices and delicious.

Review №30

2021-02-26 06:23:17

Its been a couple years since Ive eaten here. No complaints the service & food were excellent.

Review №31

2023-07-30 20:59:49

Mixed sashimi was bad. yakitori was good. decent food and good priced drinks for happy hour. food comes out super fast.

Review №32

2019-06-06 17:26:03

I come here to eat a lot, and have tried many of the different items on the menu. So far, I have not had a single thing that was not high quality! All the rolls are uniquely crafted, and bursting with flavor. The only bad thing is the lack of quality desserts, if anything, but to me thats not very important. They have a large menu that includes soups, rolls, sashimi, as well as dinner plates, and rotating chefs specials based on available ingredients. The atmosphere is great for a date night, and they have a good selection of sake. The menu ranges from affordable to a bit pricey, depending on how much food you order, and what you order. I know for sure that I will continue to come back to this place, and I have not had a bad experience there yet!

Review №33

2022-12-11 05:54:34

Awesome udon and sushi. Im just a bit too creaky to be sitting on the floor. Good sake flight too. So nice of the awesome staff to seat us at near closing time.

Review №34

2023-05-07 11:18:20

I recently visited Izakaya Takasei and had a mixed experience.My boyfriend and I ordered the takoyaki, chicken cutlet and egg rice bowl, several yakitori, takowasabi (raw octopus with wasabi), and the Kobe beef roll. While the takoyaki and yakitori were delicious, the chicken cutlet and egg rice bowl was really bland. The Kobe beef roll was a bit odd with the combination of garlic butter and tataki sauce. Unfortunately, there were also a few items on the menu that were no longer available, which was a bit disappointing. It would be good for the restaurant to update their menu to avoid any confusion or disappointments.While the food at Izakaya Takasei comes out quickly, this can also be a double-edged sword. During my visit, my boyfriend and I received several dishes at once, which meant that a lot of our food was sitting out and getting cold while we were eating the others. It would be great if the kitchen could pace the dishes better to ensure that everything is served at the optimal temperature.The service was a bit lackluster as well. The only time we were able to ask for condiments, utensils, and more water was when the employees brought our food out. No one checked on us throughout our meal, and it would have been nice to have a more attentive staff.On the plus side, the restaurant has nice Japanese decor and is quite spacious. However, there was no background music, which made the ambiance a bit dull.Overall, while there were some drawbacks, Izakaya Takasei may be worth checking out if youre in the area and in the mood for some Japanese cuisine. Just be sure to join the wait-list on Yelp beforehand and check in with the host when you arrive.

Review №35

2018-08-30 06:37:55

Great place for all night Japanese Izakaya food...From Sashimi, sushi, noodles and chicken...Beer and drinks...Cant go wrong here...Overall friendly atmosphere and good food...Almost like being in Japan.

Review №36

2023-04-03 22:00:07

Busy at night. I hope they could open til late night. Good service, izakaya is mediocre

Review №37

2023-06-22 02:52:51

Beside the sushi everything else is greatYakitori is the best around Brea and Yorba LindaService always good ! Inside the restaurant is kind of old probably need to be detailed the floor and tables

Review №38

2019-06-20 21:17:20

Hands down best ramen restaurant. And before all of you so called ramen experts and snobs start telling me about broth and toppings. Its the overall eating experience that does it for me. My family always gets the same thing. Edamame and shrimp tempura to start. I get miso ramen. Wife gets spicy miso with extra spice. Daughter gets spicy miso w extra noodles. And son gets miso ramen w extra noodles and pork. The icing on the cake is pork belly yakitori. Asparagus bacon yakitori. And chicken yakitori. Delicious. Taste so good.

Review №39

2023-03-22 01:40:47

Food quality was amazing! Even though they were busy, food still came super quickly so big praises to their servers/cooks. Chuhais were super tasty as well. We are definitely coming back

Review №40

2018-12-15 06:01:06

Takasei always has the best Hamachi Kama around! Also the Ume dishes they have hit the spot. Try their Ume Chazuke, you wont be disappointed! The staff here are always so attentive and kind. They also take the time to say hi to regulars as well.

Review №41

2023-07-25 21:42:05

Best restaurant ever,love the service-dylan was especially helpful with his recommendations!!

Review №42

2023-08-25 05:37:56

Nice food and service, but too dark to read the menu!

Review №43

2019-10-02 06:48:12

Loved the food and the quality of service but... The place needs some cleaning!

Review №44

2022-09-29 19:40:00

I actually really loved the food, but the tatami mat area was visibly dirty. It felt so wrong considering tatami is supposed to be entered without shoes etc. I really hope they can update it a little to make it feel cleaner.Will return and sit at a table.

Review №45

2019-03-24 05:53:24

Fun to order lots of delicious foods, Garlic pork belly all the way

Review №46

2023-10-22 03:19:38

Extra 3% credit card charges is not so common now. Little bit disappointed

Review №47

2020-02-25 02:39:16

Delicious food! Some traditional japanese flare. Worth it every time.

Review №48

2022-10-28 03:28:24

Love our neighborhood restaurant. Fresh food consistent quality. Awesome servers. Great ambiance. Great for family, business dinners and large parties

Review №49

2021-12-23 07:23:06

Authentic Japanese Izakaya but the price is at a higher point with small portions. Be ready to spend more if you wanna have a variety of dishes. Yakitori is very yummy, and you also find very Japanese style appetizers. The atmosphere is also great in the restaurant.

Review №50

2023-04-29 15:31:05

This is a great place to go for authentic Japanese food. A huge menu, friendly service.

Review №51

2019-05-14 18:12:09

Wow - best sushi Ive had in the LA area. Fun experience including sitting on tatami mats while eating. Huge menu, very reasonable prices. Attentive and friendly service. We arrived around 9pm and the food came out quickly. We tried the pot stickers, ginger pork, baked scallop roll and Yorba Linda roll. The baked scallop roll was the highlight!

Review №52

2022-01-23 02:16:45

Absolutely fantastic restaurant. I was looking for a place with good yakitori and the google search result definitely did not disappoint. Service is very good, and food is authentic. Highly recommend arriving at opening hour to avoid long wait.

Review №53

2021-04-25 18:13:24

This place is amazing. The chefs special squid is very tasty and tender. Service is good. The deluxe sashimi platter is the best Ive had. The Yellowtail was so fresh and tasty. The x-ray roll is amazing and good for the low carb diet. I highly recommend this place. Be sure to get in line on Yelp to save time as this place can get busy.

Review №54

2023-09-09 05:23:22

Huge variety of izakaya food and other items. Order the men mochi as a starter. Jesus its good. Im getting this every time im in the area

Review №55

2019-09-24 07:20:00

The food was delicious, as always. The server was great too. I brought a couple of friends who never been and love Japanese food. One of which visited Japan and she said it reminded her of her trip. Both of them cant wait to come back.

Review №56

2017-12-24 07:29:05

Come here every time we make a trip to Orange County. The food here is great, but we stay for the staff. My favorite item on the menu is the black sesame ice cream. All of the dinner options are good, and they have a great happy hour after 9PM on drinks!Definitely worth stopping for dinner!

Review №57

2023-03-07 08:36:39

Delicious dinner and sushi in a relaxed atmosphere. My favorite dish was probably the dumplings and the garlic spinach.

Review №58

2019-01-03 06:16:05

The most scenic place Ive ever eaten at for sure! Watched the cruise ships sail across and the passengers wave down at us, it was very exciting! Had a platter of their sushi and curry chicken. Everything was delicious and I was delighted. Hopefully Ill be able to come more often!

Review №59

2018-09-28 04:25:34

My friends and I absolutely love this place. We get seated right away and the food comes separately and quickly. The food is really cheap. For two people, my boyfriend and I usually spend $30-$40. If you check in on Yelp, you can get a $1 Kirin beer. The service could be better because we dont get refills quick enough and our waiter isnt around that much, but other people are there to help out. We would definitely come back!

Review №60

2020-01-18 05:13:06

This izakaya has a tatami area, which is really cool! We had an infant among us, so sitting in this area gave us peace of mind knowing that we didnt have to rely on a restaurant booster seat and chair situation.The food was tasty and reasonably priced. Service was friendly and it felt like food kept poring on to our table!! We plan to go back again!

Review №61

2021-12-29 22:56:47

I’ve been here multiple times now and I am a big fan. It has a plethora of great food that you would find in an izakaya.Every time that I have gone, I’ve ordered a bunch of nigiri and yakitori for the table and all of it was fantastic, especially any of the yakitori that feature wasabi. The price is fairly high, but it is understandable with the quality you’re getting and the atmosphere you’re in.It is the only place that I know in the Fullerton area with the tatami mat seating (if there are others, let me know) and it’s just a great environment to go to with friends and talk and eat great Japanese food.

Review №62

2022-09-16 01:53:32

Busy as heck but its my go to for fried hearts. Give them a shot next time you are in the area and have money to burn.Again, fantastic service got them to sing happy birthday 🎂🎂🎂

Review №63

2018-04-23 11:15:15

Food is great here.. really recommend it.Enjoy the atmosphere, very relaxing area.If you area a drinker.. They have a variety of beers from japan.One more is that the waiter was very nice and helped with our choices.Didnt get to try the dessert but pretty sure it would be good.

Review №64

2020-11-21 09:17:50

Love this outdoor dinning. Came here for my husband and I one year anniversary ❤️❤️❤️. Food was good. I like their grill are soooo good that you cant skip it. Outdoor dinning is cute and romantic.

Review №65

2016-12-10 20:37:16

My family and I have been going to this place for about 2 years now, and they never fail to disappoint us. Waiting time might be quite long if you come during their busy hours, but the food is definitely worth it! Every dish always fills us up and is delicious in every way. The ramen and udon bowls are small, though, but for my tiny belly, its enough. Its a little more overpriced than other Japanese restaurants, especially because the portion sizes are quite small.If you have a birthday, come here! They dim the lights a little and play a happy birthday song... Then, you get a free scoop of ice cream! :)In terms of service, there have definitely been some times when its been difficult to catch the waiters attention, especially if youre not sitting in one of the booths.Other than that, awesome experience!

Review №66

2019-02-19 05:11:56

Always a great dining experience here. The menu is packed with the tastiest dishes. There hasnt been one dish I have tried I didnt like. The Staff is always friendly and attentive to your needs. A+ for Izakaya Takasei.

Review №67

2018-11-14 19:06:18

Although Ive lived nearby for years, this is my first time eating here. We were served promptly and the ambiance was nice. There was a choice to eat at a traditional American table or eat at a traditional Japanese table (while sitting on the floor with no shoes). The food quality was great! The garlic edamame appetizer was so good that it was gone in about 5 minutes. The chicken, steak, soup, rice, salad, scallops and fried veggies/shrimp were all very good! My only complaint would be the fish smell that kept wofting my way. Weve already been back another time and will go again .

Review №68

2019-06-08 04:25:16

Great happy hour prices and food!

Review №69

2021-03-28 03:55:27

We made a reservation trough Yelp and called ahead to confirm and they said it would take about 40 min. We arrived on time, however, when we arrived we were at the bottom of the list. We asked them if they could fix the situation but they refused to help and told us we would have to wait an hour. We are very disappointed with the service we were provided. They said there were ppl who came at 5pm and still waiting. It was 8:00pm. So did people were eating inside come yesterday? It doesn’t make sense^^.They need to work flexibly.

Review №70

2019-03-16 15:16:43

This place is a little Japanese restaurant, with table or floor seating(you sit on a pad with a low table in front of you) My 4 year old choose the floor seating for us, of course. We started off with some edamame. They have a small plate menu, which is a few dollars but they literally give one one kabob, per order(so order 5). Really good Sushi, got a California roll and a crunch roll, so good. They have happy hour everyday 5-7pm(20% off drinks and certain food) Place is good, get REALLLLLYYY busy weekend nights with long waits. Service gets slow when the place gets full. I suggest always going early.

Review №71

2019-02-02 19:37:19

It was o.k.Nice and spacious inside. Choose to sit on the floor or at tables. No sushi bar, no drinking bar area.We went at 5:30, as they opened. Seated fast & experienced great service for about the first 45 minutes, then they kinda forgot about us.We enjoyed our meals. And after we had finished, sat chatting over our empty plates for about 15 minutes. No one stopped to clear our table, or see if we wished to close our bill. No one checked on us. We finally gave up eaiting on them, and flagged one of the 2 serving us.Food was decent.Rolls made with imitation crab?I ordered 2 item combo including 2 tempura shrimp with mixed veg and sashimi) $17.002 item chicken teriyaki and dragon roll $15.00 both served with miso soup, green salad and a weird potato salad came plated with the main meal.Service placing/dishware lacking. Paper napkins, wooden cheap salad bowls (70s) and chipped ceramic individial plates (sharing rolls).Great happy hour, for a Friday night. I tried a plum wine for the first time, $4 decent pour. Ice cold mugs of Japanese drafts were 3 bucks.As we exited there was quite a line of people waiting. Had the servers come by earlier to close our bill, they could have had our 4 top to seat another group earlier.Overall, we thought we may go back for a couple drafts and a roll during happy hour, but probably head back to one of our regular places for dinner.

Review №72

2020-02-21 20:37:02

Have visited here over a dozen times, and have never experienced either food or service, to the extent that I am excited to return. Instead, convenience wins over. Its unfortunate, since I like the interior of Izakaya Takasei, more than anywhere else in the immediate area.The guests I have brought here, echo the same.

Review №73

2021-09-09 03:09:43

Fantastic Izakaya experience. The Yellowtail Belly sticks were delicious, as were all the other small plates I ordered. Service was incredibly fast. Definitely will be back.

Review №74

2023-01-20 15:05:06

Loved it 😀 Especially the Pinapple sorbet!

Review №75

2019-12-03 10:10:02

Yakitori was pretty terrible. Prices have gone up over time. No salt on chicken skin, tare was not correctly applied on hatsumoto, and overall tasted burnt rather than smokey. Happy hour food was decent. Good service and attentiveness though. Youll have a good time if you dont order the yakitori....

Review №76

2019-03-11 14:26:06

Wow what can I tell you about this place. It is absolutely delicious and so affordable! Every time I am in the area, I always come here.This is an authentic Japanese restaurant that has almost every Japanese dish you could want. They have yakitori, udon, ramen, sushi, grilled fish. Pretty much everything. There is such a great selection of food here.They also have an area where you can sit on the floor like in Japan. The staff here is super friendly. They are so attentive and helpful.They also have late night happy hour where they have food and drinks! I am so happy that this place exists and I cant wait to go back again!

Review №77

2019-08-05 02:39:34

The ambiance, food presentation and portion, and service is good. I got to try multiple of small dishes. Creativity of the dishes is also good. The food taste is ok but not that outstanding, which is why I give 4 stars instead of 5.

Review №78

2019-05-24 02:10:15

A variety of japanese food, every course we ordered is tasty!

Review №79

2018-12-19 09:08:56

I really like their food, especially the thick beef tongue yakitori and grilled fish. Sake selection is also quite nice, bottle price is not cheap but acceptable. Definitely recommend call ahead to check for wait time, I visited in mid weekday night and it was crowded.

Review №80

2019-02-13 06:01:00

This place is always busy. This feels impressive since their hours are pretty unpredictable. The chefs are obviously Japanese and most clients are local regulars. Authentic Japanese style seating is available and the menu is vast

Review №81

2016-10-03 02:41:22

Looks great, has a wide selection of food, and often has special deals going on (e.g. $1 beer if you check in on yelp). Ive never seen the place suffer from scarce parking, being too busy, or being understaffed. I recommend the Spicy Miso Soup, which is a good amount to eat for an 8 dollar price tag, and isnt too spicy for most people. I take friends here often.

Review №82

2020-11-30 03:19:31

Ordered take out tonight, ramen, one sushi roll, and a miso soup. The miso soup wasn’t wrapped properly and when delivered it had opened up and spilled out over the entire meal. Would expect the restaurant to properly wrap the to go food so this doesn’t happen. Most places who serve soup will wrap it in cellophane so this doesn’t happen. Very disappointed to spend $40 after tax and fees and have the meal ruined.

Review №83

2019-07-28 04:13:53

Excellent food, the wait looks long but its not too bad and they have electronic check in. The food is reasonable priced and good quality. Theres something for everyone here. They have table and chair seating or tatami mat seating.

Review №84

2018-09-01 13:47:29

The place feels like home. They are divided into two: one where you cam sit in a chair and the other sit like a japanese on the warm floor. It has a peaceful atmosphere although there are alot of people. It seems like the place is always crowded but they always have space for everyone. When we signed up, after 5 minutes or less, we were called to sit right away when there were 5 parties ahead of us. That being said, it is not too long to get seated. It was friday night when we went there.Food is alright. They sell in skewers, but i think its pretty overpriced. The bento is cheap and you can save a lot more with that than buying separate side dishes. I like the spicy chicken and the crunchy roll the most. Im not very fond of grilled rice. I thought theres something inside but just salmon on the top and thats it. My fiancee likes the takoyaki and tomato grape wrapped in bacon so much.

Review №85

2018-11-12 08:15:53

One of our favorite restaurants in all of Orange County. Authentic Japanese food of every imaginable kind. Incredible sake selection and a genuinely gracious and attentive staff. Absolutely LOVE this place!

Review №86

2013-08-21 01:38:23

Excellent food, exceptional service. They really make sure youre very well taken care of. Will definitely come back to try other dishes.Server Alice is awesome! :)

Review №87

2017-08-07 15:42:01

Absolutely terrible sushi (dry, flavorless and smelly), but excellent izakaya and cooked foods. Stay away from the raw stuff here, its clearly not a sushi restaurant but have sushi offerings to appeal to a larger customer base. Great for larger groups and finger foods.

Review №88

2019-07-08 03:33:38

Nice place to get real Japanese food

Review №89

2014-04-09 07:37:35

Fun, inviting atmosphere.Excellent for parties or large groups. Great place to come if you are craving a variety of foods. Its very similar to tapas or small plates but Japanese style! Clean and the staff is friendly.

Review №90

2019-07-08 04:12:32

Really craving yakitori, then this might not be so bad. But dont expect it to be awesome or even good. Somethings are still worth a drive out to the South Bay despite the time and effort. But atmosphere and people are friendly enough. I cant speak for the other menu items...

Review №91

2016-02-24 07:22:04

You have officially gone to ONE STAR!!! The wait staff made us order when we sat down and then they asked us to hurry up and pay our bill. I cant believe how unprofessional they are. They close when ever they want to. Have gone by at night and they lock you out if they dont feel like working late. They also have last call 30-45 minutes before their posted closing times.

Review №92

2016-04-03 21:37:39

Came here for the first time with my colleagues, were supposed to take the low table, but one of us didnt wanna take off their shoes lol, (they use some type of garden clog shoes) its a cool concept, imo. i really like this place cuz it looks like a huge place coming from the door.. (we were seated by the door.)there are many things to choose from, like ramen, yakitori, rice bowls, sushi, poke, salads, etc. i ate their miso ramen and their poke ball. 2 of my colleagues chose ramen too.the service is really quick, they kept our drinks filled and made sure we got everything. it opens and closes late too.

Review №93

2018-11-05 02:37:30

Great place for small Japanese dishes. The japanese beef was my favorite. Also really enjoyed the tuna nigiri. Tuna was delicious. Came with a 7 year old and he loved the pork sausage yakatori, he called it the japanese hot dog.

Review №94

2018-07-09 19:42:42

This place is really great especially if you get the tatami. The atmosphere is very tranquil even if theres people so close to you and the service is terrific. Food was also delicious.

Review №95

2019-08-21 03:06:22

Similar to be Hondaya but what makes it better is the Yelp wait list. Food is quick and on point. Mostly young crowd with some families mixed in here and there.

Review №96

2018-10-31 05:31:34

Always tasty, nice service, reasonable prices. The new menu items was a good idea.Start with Asahi DraftFinish with Orange sorbet!

Review №97

2023-08-15 02:45:45

Delicious, authentic Japanese food!!!

Review №98

2014-08-01 01:39:35

The goods. Service was really good. Environment and decor are very pleasing. Food was good. To be fair I only had the rolls and a couple bacon skewers. I would for sure recommend this place!

Review №99

2021-06-21 04:00:51

Not bad, they seem to offer every possible Japanese cuisine there is, from sushi to izakaya to noodles to tempura, but then nothing really stood out neither.

Review №100

2017-06-24 02:44:35

This place is the best for ramen and sushi. This as close to a home cooked meal while visiting in Japan. Seriously best bang for your buck here, high quality for slightly more money than fake sushi down the street.

Review №101

2021-04-13 17:26:29

This is probably my favorite restaurant. They Have great food and wide menu selection. Perfect spot for a date night or a get together with friends

Review №102

2021-06-27 00:48:49

Good food, good service. However, theres clutter in different spots inside--this is unacceptable to me, i.e. theres a floor mop hanging on the wall right by our table. Why?!

Review №103

2019-06-10 22:51:42

Food was bomb and you can taste the quality. Poki bowl can change to protein style all salad ftw. Also, the tempura fried shrimps was awesome too.

Review №104

2019-05-12 16:10:30

Great food and environment. Staff was helpful and friendly.

Review №105

2016-08-22 13:20:55

I read that Izakaya Takasei used to be Honda-Ya.Not only the menu is almost the same as Honda-Ya, the food tastes just like Honda-Ya.The inside the restaurant is very spacious.The best part – no wait.Dr. P ordered his favorite Yellowtail Jalapeno.The yellowtail sashimi were thicker than the ones at Honda-Ya.Dr. P said he actually likes the thinner cuts better.Pork kimchi was a great dish.Thin sliced pork stir-fried with spicy kimchi.I can eat a whole bowl of rice with this dish.From the description of the dish, we didn’t know Asari Garlic Butter was a soup.The clams were juicy and big.The soup had a strong garlic taste.It was good but a bit on the heavy side.Love the flavor of the yakisoba.Kinoko Zosui is a simple porridge with egg and mushrooms.It tastes hearty and reminds me of homemade food by mom.Gotta have some yakitori at Izakaya.Enjoyed everything except heart.The heart was in tiny tiny pieces, which is a bit strange.Black Sesame Ice Cream for dessert to end our meal.We had a wonderful dinner at Izakaya Takasei.Very glad to find this place.

Review №106

2019-12-18 01:34:34

Delicious food.Our server seemed preoccupied and was a bit slow on service. Had to get his attention to few times. We all have those days. Id reccomend going here.

Review №107

2019-05-29 03:28:17

The sashimi bowl was not that fresh and the white fish sashimi was extra fishy. We ordered the crunchy roll and they forgot our order and did not compensate for it. Not worth the wait.

Review №108

2022-09-25 04:22:46

Not good and not bad. Service is not as good, meal portions seems smaller while price has gone up.

Review №109

2022-10-27 03:52:23

I ate here on weekends and weekdays. I suspect that their weekday food is far lower quality than what they put out during the weekends.

Review №110

2019-05-30 03:38:53

The food was amazing! The service started off excellent but our server went on break and nobody covered her for a while but overall we were all extremely satisfied with the quality and taste of the food

Review №111

2019-10-29 09:41:00

Delicious izakya style food!! They have agedashi tofu!! So many yakiniku options as well. I would love to go back! Lots of meat, fish and vegetable choices!

Review №112

2019-11-08 02:43:43

I love this place. Good Japanese food, love the decor, love the dim lit relaxed atmosphere, good happy hour deals, and never ate anything there I didnt love.

Review №113

2020-01-07 06:25:09

Super welcoming atmosphere and really tasty food! Service is good even when its busy and there are tons on things on the menu that are worth trying.

Review №114

2019-10-10 03:12:49

Great for date night, great ambience and great service.All the chicken yakitori are great especially chicken gizzards and chicken tail (no to chicken wings, too salty for my liking)Yakitori pork belly w garlic is good too.

Review №115

2017-07-20 02:59:10

It was so good! Very traditional items and the staff was really nice and super helpful, the food tastes amazing. I will come back again many times

Review №116

2019-06-28 05:50:13

Food was tasted great. Service was good. What else can u ask for? The fried tentacles, French fries were really good.

Review №117

2019-03-10 07:53:50

Very good sake! I love it happy hour!!

Review №118

2019-09-25 20:35:56

Great selection and delicious food. Atmosphere and decor is also very good. They have a really large tatami room too!

Review №119

2018-01-12 02:34:40

Excellent food n service, will come back again

Review №120

2023-03-04 05:42:02

Nah this place aint it. Long wait, mediocre food, less than mediocre service. This is the panda express of izakayas.

Review №121

2019-03-17 04:18:22

Incredible as always. The poke roll and pork flight are my all time favorites. Cant go wrong here! One of our faves.

Review №122

2019-03-04 18:13:48

We loooove this spot!! Great service guaranteed. Try the Evan roll(California roll slightly heated drizzled w/terriyaki sauce). Loads of fun and yummy food guaranteed.

Review №123

2021-03-08 04:12:56

Great food, excellent service. The Nigiri, crunchy, spider, and spicy tuna rolls were delicious!!!

Review №124

2015-02-02 00:58:59

Sushi and sake was fantastic! As well as prices in comparison to other sushi places. I liked the ambiance and the option to skit on the tatame floor table. But service was arrigh.

Review №125

2019-06-17 04:41:42

Good food my son loved the sushi. I ate tempura and miso soup. It was delicious. Good place nice atmosphere. Recomend it.

Review №126

2019-09-23 04:49:01

This place is great. It has excellent atmosphere and really good food. Its a great place to go out for a fun evening.

Review №127

2016-02-11 20:49:47

Service was spot on. Fast service put it up to 5 stars. Food Spent 3 hours drinking eating and relaxing but did not fell like 3 hours. Will come again.

Review №128

2019-12-17 05:35:25

This place is not run by Japanese and lacks in quality and authenticity. The food is mediocre at best. However, the service is great.

Review №129

2016-10-20 04:23:03

Quality food for great price. Happy Hour is amazing, $5 pitcher and also unlocks $3 and $5 appetizers !!

Review №130

2019-07-15 04:12:00

Good food good service. Theyre happy hours and sake specials are worth it. Bathrooms could be cleaner

Review №131

2020-12-06 04:37:52

They asked you to go to yelp for waiting list. But in the end they will not Honor if youre the first in the waiting list. So whats the use of going to yelp? In Japan HONOR is so important!!

Review №132

2017-03-20 22:03:10

For me it was mediocre. Sashimi was pretty plain.Pork belly was pretty good though. I life the section where u can sit in the floor

Review №133

2018-01-12 04:03:41

It’s a popular place that gets packed fast. So I would recommend coming at the hour it opens. They have a happy hour from the time the store opens!

Review №134

2019-11-10 04:27:41

This restaurant has an extensive menu to satisfy everyone. Quick and easy Asia food with Japanese theme and fusion oriental dishes.

Review №135

2018-11-05 20:04:51

Good sake selection. Fair prices. Average service. Above average food quality. Recommended.

Review №136

2017-10-15 05:01:45

Cant believe Ive waited so long to try this place! Everything I try becomes my new favorite. The pork bellies in soy sauce!!! Wow!

Review №137

2019-07-16 02:34:18

Big open sitting space, cheap beer, and friendly servers. Great place if youre trying to avoid the lines at a more popular izakaya

Review №138

2016-06-20 21:30:00

The sushi is very good and according to my fiancé the soups are very good as well. Every time I have gone, the service has been excellent.

Review №139

2021-03-24 20:15:12

Great, safe indoor dining experience. Great selection across a wide variety of japanese styles

Review №140

2015-11-30 23:57:39

I love that this place is open late. There are so many times that I want sushi late at night. They have several very good rolls.

Review №141

2018-12-01 15:17:14

Food is excellent, service is great. Need to replace menus, they are physically old and getting kinda gross.

Review №142

2019-12-03 06:23:44

The food was great but the server were unprofessional they didn’t come to see what we needed and they even lied that they came to talk to us that the kitchen closed at 10 o’clock for are first time we had the worst service 😡

Review №143

2019-03-04 13:10:23

This place is fun and has an amazing wait staff. The food was really good and done just right.

Review №144

2016-10-18 18:07:18

This is our favorite sushi spot! The sushi quality is always excellent, along with the wait staff who are attentive and friendly.

Review №145

2021-11-09 01:32:08

Great food and really good service! We love the Takoyaki!

Review №146

2019-02-08 02:32:07

One of my favorite places.

Review №147

2019-07-21 17:17:37

This place is always good! They have such a big selection to satisfy every craving! My favorite is the katsu-ni.

Review №148

2021-05-11 19:06:17

Great service and wonderful place to have a delightful dinner with someone special, family or friends!

Review №149

2019-03-09 18:17:19

Cool place to grab some beers with yakitori!!! They have cool selections of sake as well. Love it.

Review №150

2021-09-18 03:30:54

Great food great atmosphere great price great staff! Wonderful izakaya experience

Review №151

2016-12-13 06:23:35

Lots of tables, good food. Definitely try the yakitori. HH beer is only $1!

Review №152

2018-03-10 03:24:58

This is the place my Japanese mother-in-law takes me for proper Japanese Food. Awesome food always!

Review №153

2019-08-30 07:45:18

Well priced and delicious food. We only wish they were open later!

Review №154

2017-10-07 14:56:08

Good Japanese food and decent prices. The ambiance is nice too.

Review №155

2019-06-22 06:31:32

Well known izakayaOnly one thing that I want to complain is they close really early during week days. Izakaya supposedly open till late..

Review №156

2019-12-11 06:36:14

Ate gyoza (dumplings) and asparagus which I really liked. Friendly staff and reasonable prices.

Review №157

2019-10-06 23:40:50

Great atmosphere, great food, nice staff. I always feel welcomed

Review №158

2017-07-24 04:04:58

Nice classic Japanese food. Been here on recommendation and I have been a regular ever since.

Review №159

2018-06-26 08:28:33

Very authentic Japanese food and even cooked by Japanese chefs!!! Great place and reasonably priced!!

Review №160

2023-02-22 06:20:12

Delicious food and great service.

Review №161

2023-05-05 20:17:14

From Australia, visited with friends living locally for dinner

Review №162

2020-02-15 19:10:51

A good place for a casual dinning. Authentic Japanese izakaya style dishes.

Review №163

2022-05-03 03:26:54

Love this place. Highly recommend.. great food.

Review №164

2020-01-09 05:23:48

They always have the best service and friendliest people and have genuine japanese feel to the restraunt

Review №165

2023-02-05 05:34:10

Excellent service and the food is great 👍

Review №166

2019-12-28 06:16:27

Great Japanese food and ambiance at a decent price.

Review №167

2014-12-14 03:55:21

Their yakitori is the best! but I wish they put less salt on those though. Its bit salty, but other than that, its the best!! :D

Review №168

2019-10-06 06:00:03

Great food, warm service, totally worth the wait!!

Review №169

2019-10-24 04:22:35

Very nice place to go with friends at night for happy hour from 9 to 10:30.

Review №170

2017-06-21 05:15:23

I love this place, never been disappointed with food or service .Thanks too all of you that work at Takasei.

Review №171

2019-03-06 02:25:29

Love this place. Great place to hangout and enjoy some great Japanese food.

Review №172

2019-12-28 19:37:08

A decent place to have Japanese style BBQ, udon, sushi, and sashimi

Review №173

2023-05-21 21:57:20

Nice spot

Review №174

2016-12-27 23:22:43

Ginger pork. Thats all I ever get anymore. Ive enjoyed all Ive tried, but now hooked on the ginger pork

Review №175

2016-03-25 07:18:23

The place has a good ambience, well lit. Good choice for a family or a social lunch or dinner.

Review №176

2017-02-07 04:36:32

Fun and friendly atmosphere!! The food is excellent and the staff is awesome!!!

Review №177

2022-05-13 05:20:44

Delicious yakitoris

Review №178

2018-07-17 05:09:04

Google, their own front door says they close at 10:30, but doors are already locked at 10:05pm...👌

Review №179

2019-08-19 14:57:17

First time here and in a restaurant like this. I enjoyed this place a lot and will return.

Review №180

2019-04-13 05:41:18

One of the best Japanese restaurants I have ever eaten at

Review №181

2018-11-28 03:35:55

One of my go tos. Plenty of options. You can find pretty much anything. Delicious as well.

Review №182

2017-06-20 14:27:21

I come here often its just a great place to eat

Review №183

2019-02-16 05:56:44

Experience was average at best. The yakitori were under seasoned.

Review №184

2017-07-03 02:12:51

Excellent food and service staff very attentive soft spoken

Review №185

2022-01-05 16:35:18

Really good sushi, Great service.

Review №186

2020-02-17 03:58:41

Great Yakatori....so many selections. Fun place to go with a group

Review №187

2021-05-30 04:06:29

The food was AMAZING and the service was phenomenal.

Review №188

2018-08-05 14:21:41

A small authentic Japanese style of restaurant. Great food

Review №189

2019-12-06 04:51:19

Great prices and amazing Japanese food

Review №190

2019-09-16 03:58:56

We love this place, always a good time with the family and friends.

Review №191

2016-02-22 19:30:33

Wonderful food, large selection, and tatami section for those interested.

Review №192

2019-12-28 04:48:19

The service was poor on a Friday night way over crowded not enough servers.

Review №193

2017-10-09 05:02:18

Really cool place, good food and ambiance.

Review №194

2021-10-09 01:25:51

Very salty and bad experiance. too expansive than quality

Review №195

2019-06-12 04:55:56

A bit pricey but has great atmosphere.

Review №196

2017-03-30 07:06:25

The worst food and service I have ever had to date my plate was still raw!!!!

Review №197

2019-10-28 03:41:56

Authentic Japanese food and excellent service

Review №198

2023-09-18 06:12:23

Yum

Review №199

2013-07-24 17:03:05

Tough to find, only open and night but flat out amazing food.