Top Japanese Restaurant in Irvine
O Fine Japanese Cuisine-Irvine
6731 Quail Hill Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92603, United States
Decent Japanese restaurant with a good selection of sashimi, rolls, and other Japanese food.The restaurant is modern and nice looking inside. The server was quick and helpful and all the food came out quickly. One downside - I never saw soy sauce and my opinion on food was asked after I finished everything, not in the middle of it. Crispy lobster and caterpillar rolls were very delicious though - would order again and recommend!Price wise it’s a bit above average but they cater to a slightly more upscale experience.
Coco Ichibanya Curry Restaurant IRVINE
2710 Alton Pkwy #115, Irvine, CA 92606, United States
Coco Ichibanya exceeded my expectations with its exceptional Japanese curry dishes. The menu offers a wide variety of customizable options, allowing diners to tailor their meal to their preferences. The curry itself is rich and flavorful, with just the right balance of spices. The restaurants cozy ambiance and friendly staff create a welcoming dining experience. Overall, Coco Ichibanya is a must-visit for anyone craving delicious and satisfying Japanese curry.
Tomikawa Sushi Bar Restaurant
14191 Jeffrey Rd, Irvine, CA 92620, United States
These days, the price of everything has risen due to inflation, and as a result, the cost of living has increased, which is a huge burden on the mind.The price of food at Japanese restaurants has gone up a lot, so I cant eat sushi as often as I used to.I saw an article about Tomikawa Japanese restaurant in the Irvine newsletter recently, and I searched for reviews on Yelp because I was curious, and most of the reviews were good.So, I visited for the first time with my friends two weeks ago, and even though it was a rainy day, the restaurant was already full of people and the waiting line was long.After putting my name on the waiting list and waiting for about 30 minutes, it was our turn to be seated.The menu was fairly simple. We decided on AYCE and ordered food. The side dishes such as garlic edamame, salads, and baked green mussel tasted great, and the sushi and rolls were also delicious because they were made with the right amount of rice.Usually, at AYCE sushi restaurants, they put a lot of rice on the sushi or rolls, and they put a lot of sauce on it, but tomikawa didnt put sauce on the sushi and rolls, so it was really good. Also, the rice was delicious.Anyway, I and all my friends could eat sushi deliciously and satisfactorily.Will be visiting again soon.
Robata Wasa
926 Spectrum Center Dr Suite 926, Irvine, CA 92618, United States
Excellent Food. Excellent Service. The decor was very modern, making use of Traditional Japanese elements, but constructed of modern materials and contemporary techniques. Think natural wood shapes and facades but covered in a modern wallpaper or endgrain wood branches layered to form an entire accent wall. (See Pics Attached).Im using talk-to-text to write this review so please pardon any grammatical errors or confusing writing style... Im not writing, Im talking.This theme, Traditional Japanese fused with Modern Ingredients and Cutting Edge Flavor Profiles, prepared using contemporary techniques carries over through the menu. I ordered 6 robata skewers, a couple of salads, we had scallops and salmon as well as the Miso cod.I would say the winner was the satsuma roasted Japanese yam, purple in color bold and flavor much more enlightened than say a taro root. The yam was sitting in a luscious pool of honey butter and bordered on dessert level sweetness...but how great is that for an appetizer.... sneaking in a dessert (shhh no one will know).The Robata was simple, fresh, high quality and could have almost achieved elegant had they not all come on the same plate OR had they had a been served with a couple more accoutrements. alAlthough the traditional spicy rub, raw wasabi, and Japanese mustard accompanied the plate, I felt that they could have used a little bit more sauce or something with them to really heighten the flavor profiles.Dont get me wrong, the Robata was a Class Act. Indulging in the beef tongue, the prime beef with garlic chips, and the negini (chicken layered with scallion) on a skewer was delicious and eating with your hands is always fun. I do recall them being a little bit too room temperature when we got them and it didnt seem like it had taken that long. nevertheless I would return for the robot alone so please allow my criticisms to be interpreted as nothing other than very constructive.Another dish worth noting separately was the Smelt Robata. This was a large skewered Smelt unlike the popcorn calamari-like varietal you might find in traditional Greek restaurants where theyre battered and fried. Here the Smelt was both tender enough and fresh enough that the bones would simply chew away... filled with flavor and definitely delicious.One thing that I thought of and Im wondering if this even exists in Japan, but it would certainly be something that would fit in perfectly with the menu here...because of the fact that the chef is willing to be somewhat daring and unique..., was when I asker for the Smelt to be prepared tempura style.When you think about it when ordering smelt at any good Greek restaurant, its always flash fried in a like flour batter similar to Tempura anyway and I think there might be something there. A dish of six to nine Smelt as a larger $16 appetizer prepared with tempura batter and served with traditional Japanese accoutrements family style.. Yummy. The Smelt in a Tempura Style... that would be (another) winner.I would have stayed for dessert but I imagined asking the owner where she would direct her own family for dessert and no question it would be Afters Ice Cream for a milky bun filled with the combination of dark chocolate matter, a brownie batter flavor... and peanut butter smores, a flavor that needs no introduction. That milky bun was definitely the ultimate dessert to have after such a delicious meal at Robata Wasa.Finally, since I know that this matters to the owners of the business and since I have my own business that uses the internet for support and good reviews, I must say that I would always choose this restaurant over any other restaurant at the Irvine spectrum, including another unnamed yet decent Japanese restaurant.Robata Wasa is the Best Restaurant in the Irvine Spectrum. My wife and I were raving about it all night long after we came home and threw out the Clint Eastwood movie we saw right afterwards. Im about to watch a genuinely made for a fun evening and a memorable one at that.
Shin-Sen-Gumi Irvine
6404 Irvine Blvd, Irvine, CA 92620, United States
Absolutely the worst want to be Japanese food I’ve ever tasted. Ramen and fried rice were sour, gyoza were unbelievably bad and the prices were high for such garbage. I will never, ever even consider returning to this horrible non Japanese restaurant and I highly suggest you NEVER COME HERE. I lived in Japan for 5 years and I know Japanese food. This isn’t even close. It’s absolutely the worst Asian restaurant I’ve been to in Irvine. Maybe all of America. STAY AWAY FROM HERE. I’m very sad for any other reviewer who likes this place. You’ve clearly never had real Japanese food and you’re missing out!
TOKYO TABLE
2710 Alton Pkwy #101, Irvine, CA 92606, United States
Great fit for what it is. The food was interesting and tasty. BUT if you are there and expect Japanese sushi, then you went to the WRONG restaurant. Their restaurant in Tokyo has the same problem. The traditional Japanese cant understand it and the young crowd loves it. Try the Sushi Pizza. It is a unique twist. I WILL BE BACK.
TEN Sushi Cocktail Bar
18177 Von Karman Ave, Irvine, CA 92612, United States
Is Ten Sushi Cocktail Bar a 10/10 (or a 5/5 on Yelp)? Close, but no cigar!I found the food to be pretty good and the cocktails OK, but one thing that was a little lacking was the service. From the moment you walk in the door youre in a staring contest with the host, who didnt say anything until I said For 2.. We arrived closer to 4PM on Saturday and there were only 2 parties there.We got seated then our not-so-happy looking server came and awkwardly introduced himself and somewhat explained the menu. He made some suggestions, but we went ahead and order a Crispy Rice Sushi and cocktails (Eastern Medicine & Kyoto Muke) to start. When he came back later, we ordered a Bluefin Jalapano Handroll, Spicy Domo Roll, and a Golden Dragon.The food was good:- Crispy Rice Sushi ($16): This was the best Ive had so far compared to other sushi restaurants. I have to order this wherever I go. The sriracha mayo on top is pretty good and the smushed crispy rice on the bottom is good too. Its oddly satisfying getting the rice stuck in my teeth.- Bluefin Jalapeno Handroll ($11): It was OK, honestly for hand rolls I would stick with the specialty places like ROL.- Spicy Domo Roll ($20): This tasted really good, and was super refreshing. The lightly applied tempura flakes on the outside made it.- Golden Dragon Roll ($21): This roll came out nice and warm. The baked salmon was good, as well as the roll. There are thin slices of lemon between the roll, which gives the taste a little twist, but honestly its better without it.- Eastern Medicine ($16): I normally enjoy my whiskey cocktails but I wasnt a fan of this one. It had a Japanese whiskey, honey, lemon, and ginger.- Kyoto Mule ($14): This was to taste like a traditional mule, but I feel like it was lacking enough ginger beer.Overall, the food was good. The ambiance is nice as the interior has a nice aesthetic touch.Theres plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. There are a few seats at the bar as well with two TVs for your viewing pleasure.Parking is no issue with the multi-level parking structure located nearby.Service could see some improvement as mentioned earlier in this review. It would have been nice to see a few happy faces to make the experience a little bit better. Maybe it was just one of those days, I dont know.Prices are a bit steep and I feel like you can get a better experience elsewhere. They have a happy hour but Im not sure when it is, (I didnt ask and the hours arent listed online) but Id think that would be worth checking out since the food is pretty good.
MAJI CURRY - Award Winning Japanese Curry
14411 Culver Dr, Irvine, CA 92604, United States
Great alternative to Curry House. Maji Curry boasts award-winning Japanese curry with a simple menu of popular proteins, curry, and a handful of toppings (including a melted, creamy cheese to pour over your curry). So, of course, I was curious: does it hold up?The answer is mostly yes. The curry itself is a bit spicy, even at the mild level, and is a thicker consistency compared to the usual Japanese curry. The flavor of the curry sauce is dark and rich, and the rice was cooked perfectly. The accompanying pickles also tasted like they were freshly made and were a delicious addition to the curry.The Lows: The Hamburg Curry with Cheese did not meet the hype for me, primarily because the Hamburg was not soft or delicate as most Hamburg in Japan would be. Perhaps more to American taste - they served a well-done patty. When I asked if they could cook the beef medium rare, to my surprise, the server let me know that they would not be able to adjust the cook.The cheese sauce was pretty good on its own but gets lost in the rich curry sauce. For this reason, I would not recommend adding the cheese if youre being calorie-conscious.The Highs: the Pork Cutlet Curry! The cutlet was thick, juicy, and delicious, and the cook of the meat was great. The Vegetables (which can act as its own curry or a side) and the Eggplant are both also great. Tenderly cooked and well-seasoned stars.The service pacing was decent and the servers were pretty friendly, but the restaurant is far too small for the potential demand of curry lovers.The interior has seating for maybe 7-8 small parties (mostly for parties of 2), and on the night we visited, a large party took up half the restaurant so it took over an hour for a seat for 3 folks. Things may improve once its warm enough for outdoor seating (though there are only a couple of tables outside too).Would I come back? Absolutely! With that said, Id recommend to come with a small group (preferably just 2 people) and avoid the dinner rush and get here very early or late. And order the pork cutlet and/or veggie curry - theyre fantastic!
HiroNori Craft Ramen
2222 Michelson Dr #234, Irvine, CA 92612, United States
Tonkotsu ramen, very good excellent flavor, restaurant staff is very helpful. they make sure you get the right experience, I enjoy a lot this ramen soup. and also the crab salad. with a refreshing Japanese beer. go and visit this restaurant .
Krave Asian Fusion Restaurant
2819 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614, United States
Came through for a birthday and was pleasantly surprised by its proximity to work. It was a literal 5 minute drive! Ive had this place bookmarked for quite some time, so I was very excited to try them out for their much acclaimed KFC (Korean fried chicken).They have an amazing lunch special deal and the menu had plenty of variety - a lot more than I had expected. I thought they were just a place for KFC, but they had ramen, bibimbap, burgers, katsu and more. I was a little stumped on what to try as a first timer, but I stuck to my first selection with the 8 wings with fries lunch combo for $9.99.You can get more than one flavor, so I decided to get half black peppercorn and half soy garlic. For your fries, you get a choice of ranch, ketchup or sriracha ranch. When the food arrived, there was a bit of a mix-up - not sure if it was the fault of the server or ours, but a few plates got swapped. Since most of us have never been here, we didnt know what things were supposed to look like.My plate ended up being the soy garlic and mango habanero. My friend across me somehow ended up with mine after switching with another persons plate previously. It was a game of musical plates and we didnt know what things were until everything was half eaten. I was sorely disappointed that I never got to try the black peppercorn, so my experience here could have been better. However, the soy garlic wings were quite tasty and the table favorite.For the lunch deal, it was pretty good and way more filling than I thought it would be. I wished I had more time to explore the menu, but maybe Ill return when Im not crunched for time on a work day.