Presentation on Map Reviews Nearby

Izakaya Tenko in Lake Forest

4.4 (122) 20491 Alton Pkwy A, Lake Forest, CA 92630, United States

Categories

Sushi restaurant
Japanese restaurant

Location on the map

Lake Forest, Orange County, California, US

Phone: +1 949-215-2898
Site: http://izakayatenkoca.com/

Opening hours

Monday:Closed
Tuesday:4:30–10 PM
Wednesday:4:30–10 PM
Thursday:4:30–10 PM
Friday:4:30–10 PM
Saturday:4:30–10 PM
Sunday:4:30–10 PM

Edit info

Total reviews rating 4.4

122 Reviews for Izakaya Tenko 2024:

Review №1

2023-09-02 01:05:21

Food was horrible. Only beer is good and the people. Meat and fish sucked. I mean on another level. I live 2 minutes away but will never goEven orange and salad were bad. Took the meat for my dog. Hope she doesnt get sick

Review №2

2022-10-10 02:26:58

Let me give any restaurant owner advice. The condition of the restrooms represents the conditions of the kitchen, the cooks and the staff. Service was good. Food had a nice presentation. Some of the yakitori was cold in the center, but I gobbled it down because each piece is $$$, but a little worried how my stomach will react later. I had a bit of msg headache too. Think this place has potential but needs to work on things I have just stated. Good luck!

Review №3

2023-05-05 21:55:25

The food is decent, the prices are high for the food and location/ambient.They are busy and if the party is big it is better to make reservation. Our party was two people and they could share a table with another diner group.

Review №4

2023-08-07 02:31:17

This place has the worst customer service. We tried to call them so many times. They would say: “one moment” and never speak again. You can hear them speaking but they wouldn’t take the phone. It happened with us already 2 times. Also they like to make their phone busy just no one can call them. Their food is okay too. It’s not bad but not amazing either. They need a lot of improvements starting with the customer service and also fixing their website that people can order online.

Review №5

2023-07-23 00:06:03

Been here a few times as it is really close to my house. So far, the food has been really good and service has been excellent. We took a few friends over to celebrate my wifes bday. They liked the food and service as well. We will be back soon.

Review №6

2021-09-18 07:10:28

Very good food and services overall, but will review each dish we ordered accordingly:Yakitori: The yakitoris were the best we tried from their menu. Recommend the garlic ribeye and pork belly.Baked mussels: Flavor was good, has some sweetness to it. A chopped mussel is placed on top of a bed of seasoned crab meat.Uni pasta: The pasta itself didnt really taste like it has any uni based sauce but it was alright. So what youre getting is basically some creamy pasta mixed with tomatoes, asparagus and mushrooms, topped with a few pieces of uni.Would go back for the yakitori.

Review №7

2021-04-07 01:57:08

Best Garlic Pork Belly I have ever had in my entire life but the woman who works here could not be more friendly and kind. I have only ordered a few things but the appetizer of the crispy garlic pork belly is like more addicting then anything on earth squeeze that lemon and a pinch of salt and its like you could eat 3 orders by your self I could not recommend this more. This place is a hidden gem 100% try it out!

Review №8

2023-06-25 04:09:08

Easily the best katsu Ive had. And my server was very polite

Review №9

2023-08-02 02:26:12

Very good sushi and udon! Nice, comfortable restaurant with good service. You might want to make a reservation or come early in the evening.

Review №10

2019-10-17 20:24:13

Fantastic first experience. I had the katsu chicken curry. It was delicious. The staff was on it. Our waitress checked on us non stop. The restaurant was very clean. Had a few pieces of sushi too. It was good. Overall a great restaurant

Review №11

2019-02-22 23:40:40

Great food at reasonable prices. Small but big enough for a few families, several couples and full bar.

Review №12

2022-10-02 05:07:29

Great food and friendly service. Whenever I am craving yakitori, this is my go-to place!

Review №13

2023-05-15 01:57:31

We love getting their bento boxes, delicious! I will say though the cooked salmon has been over cooked every time I’ve tried it. But everything else is perfect!

Review №14

2023-09-08 03:08:54

Great yakitori! Glad to find this spot near Irvine!!

Review №15

2023-04-24 03:32:37

Great atmosphere but the yakitori shrimp and garlic pork cheek and belly were disappointing. Over-cooked, and tasteless and not worth the price. Plus points for the cold beer and yakitori liver.

Review №16

2022-08-29 00:13:47

Our go-to local restaurant. I get the sashimi roll every time - so fresh and good! Love the chicken meatball yakitori and the uni sushi when they have them! Waitress is super nice to our dog and gives great recommendations. So glad this place is walking distance to us! Also, you can see sunset from the outdoor patio on the side of the building (dog friendly).

Review №17

2023-06-22 04:55:49

Unfortunately the food today was not good at all. We order chicken yakitori that are exceptionally good. But today’s delivery was terrible.

Review №18

2023-05-05 18:42:56

What a pleasant surprise this place is. The food was very good, the service was good and the prices werent costly at all. Thank you, we will be back!!

Review №19

2018-03-23 07:10:17

Excellent food n service, like the beer as well

Review №20

2022-12-17 15:34:03

Had a late dinner here. The food was especially good for a small bistro type restaurant. The wait staff was pleasant and efficient. If youre in the area, you should try it!

Review №21

2021-07-13 18:40:48

Love this place,the food is so good a perfect place to grab a beer and some small plates of Japanese food and watch a game,perfect if you dont want to be around a big crowd.

Review №22

2023-02-17 03:31:57

Decided to drive out to Izakaya Tenko for some delicious authentic Yakitori. It did not disappoint! The yakitori looks so good and smelled so wonderful, that I forgot to take my usual pictures.The servers were prompt and a bit intense. When the yakitori was served, we werent sure which ones were served and which ones we ate. They were very serious in ensuring we got the order right!Bottom line, the yakitori was excellent and better yet, it was happy hour, so adding a Kirin was an added bonus.The restaurant was small but had a very clean, comfy, upscale vibe. It began to fill up fast around 6pm, so its a good idea to get there early. My favorite? pork belly. Give it a try!

Review №23

2022-10-06 01:28:47

We love this restaurant! They have various different styles of Japanese cuisine that are all very tasty.We typically order a bunch of different skewers (the beef shishito ones are 😍) along with some sushi and sake.

Review №24

2020-09-12 00:18:00

Delicious Japanese food. So many different options too choose from!

Review №25

2023-03-03 14:49:08

If your coming to dine in this place, be prepared., I was confronted by one of the server ( a co-owner maybe), I Tips 10$ on my TAB., was said not enough, TIPPING is Voluntary not Mandatory. Worse told me not to come back., I will report them to BBB.

Review №26

2023-09-09 23:28:20

This is a great place for Japanese dishes in a relaxed atmosphere.

Review №27

2021-10-10 06:43:29

Updated menu: Oct 2021Reasonable price, great staff

Review №28

2018-09-19 20:35:48

Great quality of food. Love the happy hour. Service could use some work. My last experience coming in I was not greeted or asked if I would like to be seated. Three servers had walked past and made eye contact but showed no signs of helping. Once seated I had an older lady as my waitress which I’m unsure if she is the owner or not but she had quite the attitude when serving my table. I’m going to give the waitress the benefit of the doubt that it was possibly a bad day and will come back once more to test the service. However, if I find this to be the norm I will be taking my business elsewhere.

Review №29

2023-07-18 00:10:11

The Lamb chops yum everything else was really good too

Review №30

2023-09-24 15:11:54

Food and customer was good. Very good

Review №31

2017-04-11 03:57:56

Had a nice dinner here. Their dishes are varied and delicious. My Japanese wife was impressed with the selection of dishes. The lobster with garlic butter was very nice. We had some grilled squid and sushi. The servers were very helpful and checked back regularly to make sure we were happy. Will be back again. Its in our neighborhood.

Review №32

2019-06-08 18:50:57

Good sushi, but not as elaborate as some other sushi places. However, this is one of those few places that serve wine which makes it a revisit for me! Some really good yakitori options on menu, but I didnt try any myself. Other patrons seemed to love them though. Not a bad place, and a good local option. Id recommend a try.

Review №33

2019-02-19 18:53:53

I use to love here and come every month. But the last two visits was a bummer. The food here is good, nice Japanese foods. The staff are not very warmly here. Last time it even mass up my order and gave me the wrong item. I waited and waited and eventually left. Im not going back here for a while. I really hope they hire better waitress.

Review №34

2018-10-24 18:17:44

This is really a Izakaya, a small pub with tasty Japanese Pub Grub. You can get a wide variety of food from a friendly and courteous staff. We had Tempura Vegetables, Shrimp. I saw a wonderful Sukiyaki setup at an adjacent table and will come back to have that the next time I visit. Best part is that they are open late in that part of the area, which closes around 8PM.

Review №35

2018-11-27 19:08:26

Great pub (Izakaya) atmosphere and beer selection. There menu is large and covers all types of Japanese cuisine. From pub food to sushi. Lunch specials are actually pretty well priced. I had sashimi and tempura lunch special. Sashimi was good and tempura was awesome. Only complaint was service was a bit slow. Not really the waitresses fault as there is only two and the place is packed at lunch. Should really get some more help for the lunch rush. I will be back to sort through that huge menu.

Review №36

2018-10-12 21:57:56

The food is good. There are lots of options, especially if you have any picky eaters (such as those who dont like or cant eat sushi).I didnt experience any problems with service, but I was also there when it wasnt very busy.However it has a beautiful view of the sunset from the patio.

Review №37

2019-09-29 03:53:22

Their Lunch special is a good deal! Its a good amount of food for the price and will definitely fill you up ! The teriyaki chicken is the best ! And for dinner I recommend their fried rice! Its a big plate though so its good for sharing! Also dont be afraid to try their sushi. Its super fresh . I recommend going for lunch. It doesnt get too packed and the servers are all super nice ! The draft beer is also very popular here so be sure to check out the bar area if youre into that :)

Review №38

2018-02-24 01:24:22

What a gem of a place! Delicious rolls and fresh sushi. Loved the food every time I come here. They have a great happy hour menu which include sushi and rolls plus they have a huge menu. I recommend the dynamite shrimp and the yellowtail sushi.

Review №39

2019-03-06 10:50:30

I used to really like this place a lot but recently I feel the service has really gone downhill. I do think the food is really good, specially the sushi. I hope their service can be better so I can go there more often but it really puts me off.

Review №40

2020-01-13 06:23:00

Kind of hidden place but, excellent neighborhood location (next to bakers ranch and Starbucks )Food - please try deep fried pork and bento box !Reasonable price, fresh salad, meat, sashimiNew modern place more like regular Japanese restaurant not IzakayaGood service !Tips for the owner - please relocate the cashier deskPlease have a sushi refrigerator and bar and sushi chef, you will have more businessNice size of patio outside patio but, inside is pretty small

Review №41

2017-09-24 16:08:20

Nice little Japanese restaurant (Chinese owned) tucked away near Baker Ranch. The quality of the food & portion size is good! Its a little pricey, but I guess because of the location they can justify the prices.

Review №42

2017-04-30 23:18:16

Wasnt sure what to expect but the atmosphere was nice, the service was great, and the sushi was killer! I highly recommend the red dragon roll. Took a friend for her birthday and we will definitely be making this a regular hot spot.

Review №43

2017-12-30 19:24:27

I was really excited about this place because there arent many options in this area for yakitori. Id give the normal dining experience 4 stars because it is a bit on the expensive side compared to what youd find out in Tustin or further west (if you get drinks too), but happy hour prices are 5 stars for sure. The food is good with nice variety (izakaya small plates, sushi, etc. The service is fine and theres plenty of parking.

Review №44

2019-06-11 19:28:41

Im rating this from a Japanese point of view so only 3 stars. However, if you have never been to Japan nor tasted real robata or karaage or tempura, then you may love this place. I just know the way they make these dishes are not Japanese especially the karaage. And they put on too much sweet sauce - like a teriyaki sauce. Good meats are salt or pepper only with the exception of tsukune. Anyway its the best restaurant within the 5mi radius. And the service was good.

Review №45

2019-06-09 23:01:26

A waitress at this restaurant stole my cell phone. I left it on the table, but remembered while I was driving home. Theres absolutely no doubt of where I left it, because I had it when I walked into the restaurant, I remember placing it on the table, and then I noticed it was missing before I even got out of the car. (The bluetooth in the car would pick it up if it was anywhere in the car, so theres no way it was lost in the car.) I got home and contacted my friend to call the restaurant for me, which he immediately did, and the waitress who picked up was very unfriendly to him, finally agreed to check, but then just placed the phone down for 10 seconds and then picked it up and said sorry its not here and hung up. My friend called the phone and it went straight to voicemail, despite the fact that it had had 92% charge and been turned on. Obviously someone grabbed it and immediately turned it off and took the sim card out,I came to the restaurant in person the following day. It was obvious they recognized me. They glanced up at me, looked guilty, then looked down again. No one would make eye contact. I stood there at the counter waiting patiently while they studiously ignored me for 5-10 minutes. Finally a waitress came out, was very belligerent, and told me repeatedly, No, its not here. Its not here. I said, Are you sure? I am 100% certain that I left it here. Would you mind just checking in the back? She kind of stared me down with extreme hostility until I left.I guess its possible it was one of the other customers who took it, but its unlikely, because there werent many other people in the restaurant. And it is especially unlikely given the way the waitresses acted.If I were the owner, I would want to know that my employees were dishonest. If theyll steal from me, they will steal from you too.

Review №46

2022-02-06 03:14:23

Have garlic allergy, asked waitress and said we can just do the raw meat no Seasoning or marinade.Wife liked hers.

Review №47

2022-04-10 15:07:41

This is definitely one of my favorite Japanese food places.The sashimi is very fresh!And the staff are super friendly

Review №48

2018-04-11 04:53:52

Came here on a Tuesday night with the missus. Ordered pork gyoza and miso for a starters with the duck, garlic ribeye and enoki yakitori, the spicy rock shrimp sushi roll and the bbq pork ramen. Lots of flavors in the mix and none of them fell short! The gyoza were fresh and supple with a wonderful and mildly sweet dipping sauce. The spicy rock shrimp sushi was in fact spicy with a lightly battered temps shrimp over a spicy tuna to with avocado. Sushi rice was well cooked with sticky texture and taste, unlike other sushi restaurants that sometimes fall short and either under or over cook their sushi rice. The BBQ pork ramen broth was outstanding in its balance of savoury, salty and very lightly lemon flavors. We got a broad taste of this places offerings, not comprehensive obviously but a bit from each of their major offerings and we were very happy. On top of all that, the service was great and the waiter was very happy to answer questions about the menu and their offerings. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for a sushi, ramen, or yakitori place in Lake Forest. Best I have tried so far!

Review №49

2018-07-24 02:51:44

This place is great! Very reasonable prices and the food is fantastic. Every time I go I’m never dissatisfied. Try their skewers doesn’t matter which ones they are all good.

Review №50

2017-10-03 19:26:57

Just tried this place for the first time. Menu was great! Happy hour was great as well! Loved this place. Great food! Great service! Will definitely go there again😁

Review №51

2017-05-28 03:29:54

I really hate reviewing places, but people must know. Gyoza was equivalent to McDonalds quality. Chicken Teriyaki was over priced & not appetizing. Super Philly roll bland, stay away if you are looking for a proper izakaya. Wait staff non attentive.

Review №52

2019-01-19 19:54:44

First time at this sushi join. Service was friendly and timely. Food was delicious. Crunchy lobster roll was excellent. Sashimi and spicy tuna roll were fresh and delicious.

Review №53

2019-07-21 03:18:56

Prompt, friendly service, nice atmosphere, (clean). Sushi, yakatori, and salad were all fresh & tasty. Decent selection of draught beer. My kind of place.

Review №54

2018-02-10 19:44:56

Really solid sushi spot. Great for a quick lunch during the work week. Small though, so if you get there with everyone else expect to wait a bit for a table.

Review №55

2021-07-05 22:46:51

Our go-to local restaurant. I get the shashimi roll every time - so fresh and good! Love the chicken meatball yakitori and the uni sushi when they have them! Waitress is super nice to our dog and gives great recommendations. So glad this place is walking distance to us! Also, you can see sunset from the outdoor patio on the side of the building (dog friendly).

Review №56

2021-12-21 16:48:20

Delicious! Found my new favorite spot! Great food, excellent service, Ill definitely be back, 👍🏾

Review №57

2017-07-08 00:28:17

Awesome yellowtail belly, great beer on tap

Review №58

2017-12-07 06:57:53

Hip, cozy ambiance. Great place to relax after a long week. I highly recommend the panko asparagus! A little bit expensive so we mostly come during happy hour

Review №59

2019-02-10 17:16:58

Good Izakaya. Limited seating. Small restaurant

Review №60

2019-01-16 13:30:43

Food is very good presentation is very nicely done. Service is out standing. Been going once every two weeks.

Review №61

2018-09-17 03:42:39

The food is excellent but its kind of small. I would love to be selfish and say its bad so I could get a seat easier next time but the people here are too nice.

Review №62

2023-04-15 02:53:59

The food was really good, and the service was as well!

Review №63

2018-12-03 05:10:45

Great food, great service, great atmosphere.

Review №64

2019-05-24 19:46:30

Food was really good, service was great, and it was very reasonably priced. Small, intimate little place, but well set up.

Review №65

2022-05-22 03:34:37

Food is delicious. Great Service. Overall a really great time.

Review №66

2020-03-05 20:03:37

Every food is perfect for my family

Review №67

2019-04-18 02:21:13

Do not waste your money. I love Japanese food, but this place is awful. Rude service, misleading menu, and stinky food, literally.

Review №68

2018-02-18 05:56:43

Love this place, great food, great service. Feels like a Tokyo Izakaya, minus the indoor smoking and drunk Japanese business men. Kanpai!

Review №69

2018-01-11 21:25:21

Delicious food, good price for the quantity and quality. Service was a little slow but did not detract from the experience of the meal.

Review №70

2018-08-10 05:10:27

Amazing dishes. great atmosphere. it gets crowded 5-7ish in the evenings, but well worth a visit

Review №71

2019-04-19 05:19:37

I only get food to go on my lunch, but the people that work there are verry nice and polite. The food is always good.

Review №72

2021-12-28 07:40:48

Ordered the ramen. The soup was lukewarm. 1/2 the things on the menu were not available.

Review №73

2018-12-14 05:37:29

Great quality sushi. Price is on the higher end but their location is prime. Will definitely go back.

Review №74

2022-07-02 02:21:11

Came here to try some skewers... Most impressed. Ribeye garlic skewers medium rare...

Review №75

2018-08-11 02:57:56

Great food AND service! Im from out of state and this was the best sushi Ive had!

Review №76

2018-09-08 07:18:08

The best Japanese food around. Have been going here since they opened! A+++

Review №77

2017-07-07 12:16:59

Fresh food, great flavor. Very nice out door seating area.

Review №78

2019-07-06 03:17:59

Food was amazing, service was top notch. Small wait time, but worth it!!

Review №79

2019-07-17 17:05:10

Delicious food. The owner is very sweet. Nice staff

Review №80

2023-03-24 03:34:43

First time coming here and it’s amazing

Review №81

2018-04-10 23:55:24

Every time I visit this place I try new dishes and each time dish is better than the last one.

Review №82

2021-04-30 04:54:59

Awesome great Japanese food and sushi if you like sushi like i do

Review №83

2018-10-31 17:59:07

Great place to have lunch friendly and good atmosphere setting.

Review №84

2017-08-29 03:31:54

Delicious food, great atmosphere and warm, friendly service!

Review №85

2022-05-22 03:34:28

Food is fire: chicken curry, fried rice with chicken and beef udon 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Review №86

2019-11-07 19:59:10

I like the sushi here, the price is not expensive, it is authentic.

Review №87

2017-07-12 01:06:04

Great food and an amazing atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Review №88

2019-08-30 20:23:12

Very good! Small place, but nice!!! Great service.

Review №89

2018-09-26 02:52:33

Gteat place but lousy music at dinner and upon request would not chanhe

Review №90

2017-05-10 04:10:13

Great food .. Great service. You have got to eat here.

Review №91

2022-06-03 03:34:04

If you are looking for authentic Japanese food, look elsewhere.

Review №92

2023-02-24 13:48:27

Staff was lovely food was medicre

Review №93

2018-08-28 05:09:42

By far the food is absolutley amazing, and so are the prices, amazingly high!!

Review №94

2017-11-17 23:58:07

Great local izakaya place without wait unlike most places near costa mesa

Review №95

2017-10-09 14:32:04

Great yakitori, great sushi, definitely worth it

Review №96

2017-06-11 02:03:55

I waited at the front to be seated for a little. But no acknowledge us.

Review №97

2019-09-05 19:04:44

Good food and pleasant staff.

Review №98

2017-10-18 19:45:18

Excellent food, service, and cool vibe!!!

Review №99

2017-12-20 18:49:07

California Roll was good, wanted to try the tempura.

Review №100

2017-10-01 23:01:47

A neighborhood restaurant. Wont draw people out of the way but good for a local bite.

Review №101

2017-11-05 07:32:45

Very good place! We will go back.

Review №102

2017-10-19 19:45:42

Solid Japanese food! Really fresh!

Review №103

2017-10-31 19:12:32

Excellent quality sushi and sashimi!

Review №104

2018-02-19 06:38:54

Great Japanese, lots of skewers of various deliciousness

Review №105

2017-04-14 00:28:53

Really good! Would come again.

Review №106

2018-02-23 05:29:09

Awesome food and great environment

Review №107

2022-04-04 03:00:58

Clean, great service and service!!

Review №108

2019-05-24 05:47:11

Fresh sasimi, various Japaneese meals

Review №109

2019-02-13 04:27:02

Garlic pork belly is bomb!!!!

Review №110

2018-02-05 03:21:03

Great Sushi and Great Hosts!

Review №111

2022-06-03 03:32:48

Not very authentic…

Review №112

2018-06-09 05:18:11

Salmon tempura sushi is the bomb

Review №113

2022-05-16 05:46:38

Staff was caring!

Review №114

2021-03-20 20:05:05

Good service 👌 👏 👍.

Review №115

2017-08-02 01:58:07

The bacon asparagus is EVERYTHING

Review №116

2021-04-27 01:14:32

YUM!!! Food is terrific!!!

Review №117

2019-08-05 01:32:06

Not good at all

Review №118

2020-03-09 17:06:05

Great food

Review №119

2019-11-02 18:21:28

Lovely

Review №120

2018-05-09 21:25:47

Good ramen

Review №121

2022-06-14 17:25:09

The amount of fried rice is amazing and delicious.

Review №122

2018-09-19 04:09:03

Great yakitori