Top Japanese Restaurant in Laguna Beach
O Fine Japanese Cuisine
30872 Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
Viktoriia and I love sushi. In fact, we met at a sushi place in Aliso Viejo one night when a mutual friend introduced us. Thereafter, we visited almost every sushi place in the Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo areas we could find over the last six months.Now for starters, Viktoriia is one of the most critical consumers I have ever met, especially when it comes to sushi. As we visited all the local Hot-Spots, we were usually relatively disappointed in the overall quality of the dishes and/or of the service.This all changed when we found O Fine. O Fine was a real find. A gem of a restaurant hidden by the presence of a more well-known sushi place in the same plaza, Starfish - Laguna Beach.After scouting nearly every sushi place in the area for the last six months, Viktoriia and I cannot get enough of this place. It is incredible. After nine visits, we have yet to have a bad or subpar meal there yet.Not only is every piece of sushi they serve fresh, it is presented well. And it is not just the sushi, it is now our favorite place to get ramen. Every time we go there, we are impressed more and more by the quality and the sheer deliciousness of each and every dish.In visiting this location, we got to know one of the server/managers, Don, who makes this place even more amazing. Don knows the dishes and he knows how to make customers feel welcomed and appreciated.If you are looking for a great Japanese food place with amazing sushi, incredible ramen, and amazing service, visit O Fine Sushi and ask for Don while you are at it, he will make the experience that much more special.
Gu Ramen Taps and Tapas
907 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
What a delicious and enjoyable lunch in Laguna Beach to celebrate my friend's birthday!Savor the Gu Ramen, which is customizable to spicy level, choice of noodles and toppings. The combination of Tonkotsu broth with pork and chicken and Chashu was so satisfying and delicious!! The added spinach gave me the veggies it needed.My friend ordered the same thing except she had kale noodles, which is a great low carb option and added bean sprouts instead of spinach. She loved it!!My friend (his birthday) ordered the Ramen Tofu with this Shoyu Umami Broth and double Tofu. It was delightful and it's his regular go-to.The spicy and regular edamame is the perfect appetizer! Very shareable!The service was friendly. She remembers her regulars. Love the ambiance!! The open window is great!! It's near the beach!Just be prepared for the summer crowds in Laguna. Parking isn't the easiest. You'll probably have to circle around a bit. And, the traffic going into Laguna Beach can be frustrating so allow for extra time.
Seabutter - Laguna Beach
1100 S Coast Hwy #303, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
Not an authentic Japanese food.High price!!!!small portion.Not knowledgeable hosts.Waste of money...Disappointed..Just being in Laguna Beach doesnt make it good.To me, the description of a good restaurant is if you like to go back there again regularly or not.And I Will never go back there for sure.
Top other services in Laguna Beach:
Rebel Omakase
361 Forest Ave #103, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
Rebel Omakase ??You must try the super delicious Japanese food near Irvine??$220 not including tip tax on drinksThere are 19 courses ????????You can book a table at open table, and there is a parking space behind the restaurant.Sunday is Nigiri Sushi Omakase ?Every dish is fresh and super delicious. My favorite is UNI + steamed egg.It’s a relatively novel presentation. There are exactly 8 of us, so it’s just us.It is also open at noon on weekdays, so reservations are required. Closed on Monday?361 Forest Ave, Ste 103, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Poke Tiki - Laguna Beach
1100 S Coast Hwy Suite 110, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
This is possibly the worst poke Ive EVER had. There are so many rave reviews about this place I figured I would give it a try since I was in the area. The actual poke was really bad, I ordered the largest bowl they have as I was STARVING after a long day fish was chewy(I got the salmon, albacore and ahi) the rice was soggy. The veggies were on point and very crisp and fresh so Ill give two stars for that, but the rest of the poke was horrendous. Oh and parking in this area is really bad too.I wont be back.
Broadway by Amar Santana
328 Glenneyre St, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
Give my regards to Broadway by Amar Santana. This gem is tucked away just a couple blocks from the beach, and delivers trendy, hip vibes with top notch service and food that wows. While the price tag is on the higher end, it is comparable to most of the nicer dines in the area.Starting with the popular Free Range Organic Egg Yolk Raviolo, a large single Raviolo sits simmered in buttery goodness with crispy sage and toasted hazelnuts. When you break into the Raviolo, you get a rich ooze of yolk mixed in with ricotta. This decadent dish is topped off with a sliced duck prosciutto, which adds a nice meaty bite.For bone marrow lovers, the Roasted Beef Bone Marrow is otherworldly. With a thin crisp crust on top, the marrow offers a build-your-own-flavor experience with charred sourdough and an option of garlic confit, oxtail mushroom marmalade, and sea salt. It was hard to decide which combination was best, but as a purist, I was surprised by how much I kept going back to the garlic and oxtail. This gave the rich, umami explosiveness you hope for in a bone marrow dish.Another outstanding dish was the Grilled Smoked Pork Chop. With a perfect ratio of fat to meat, the pork chop was so tender that the pieces with fat almost melted in your mouth while the meatier pieces easily gave to each bite. The sauce, farro, and mushrooms were all great supporting stars, but the white bean purée had the thick creamy goodness that really complimented the pork chop.But the best dish of the night was the fan favorite - the Grilled Marinated Prime Skirt Steak. The meat was a perfect medium rare, easily cut with a knife. Each bite was marinated in beautiful, savory caramelized onion jus that you almost wouldnt care about anything else on the dish. But dont forget to try the chimichurri, which was a creamy green delightful accompaniment.For dessert, the Brown Butter Banana Tart was recommended to us by the server and chefs. With thick saucy miso caramel, browned bananas, luxuriously creamy vanilla bean ice cream, nutty pecan crumble, and a cinnamon rich, buttery crust - Ill be dreaming about those bites for a while. On a minor note, I would order dessert in advance if possible as some items can take a bit longer to come out.To top things off, non culinary highlights include:If youre sitting at Chefs Table (bar seating), you have very comfortable bar seats, a hook for your bags under the table, but most importantly, a fantastic view of the chefs cooking your dinner. In our case, Chef Sergio and his cooking mates were incredibly hospitable, guiding us with menu selection while casually wiping off oil burns. The chefs made our dinner even more memorable.Our server Eddie, was patient, attentive, and a fantastic guide of the menu as well. He paced the night well for us and had a calm, kind energy while being very knowledgeable about the menu.Finally, at every turn, our waters were being refilled, dirty plates and utensils removed, and trash being wiped off without requiring request. Kudos to the entire wait staff.Whether youre looking to impress a date, celebrating a special evening, or just looking for a delicious meal, Broadway will have you singing Mmm~!
AhbA
31732 Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
If youre looking for a dining experience thats as good as it gets, AhbA restaurant is the place to be. My partner and I stopped by for a weekend afternoon bite between 2-5pm and I was blown away by everything this place had to offer.First off, the ambience was top-notch. The hip-hop classics that played in the background were the perfect accompaniment to the breezy ocean air, creating an atmosphere that was both relaxed and energizing. And the kitchen staff were an absolute delight to watch - they were clean, attentive, and clearly took great pride in their work.But the real star of the show was the service. The staff were kind, attentive, polite, and prompt, making me feel welcome from the moment I walked in the door. They were happy to answer any questions I had and were genuinely interested in making sure I had the best possible dining experience.And then there was the food. Let me tell you, this was some of the best food Ive had in a long time. The cheeseburger was made with wagyu beef and it was absolutely divine - juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The little gem caesar salad was equally impressive, with a satisfying crunch and a dressing that was full of umami flavor. And the carrot cake was a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, with just the right amount of cream cheese frosting.The only thing that could have been improved was the whipped feta, which was savory and delicious but could have used more bread so we didn't have so much left over! We bought some more bread to finish it up as we couldn't store it post-meal, and we were really full by the end of it all.Overall, I cannot recommend AhbA restaurant highly enough. From the ambience to the service to the food, everything about this place is top-notch. If youre looking for a dining experience that will leave you feeling delighted and satisfied, this is the place to be.
Selanne Steak Tavern
1464 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
If you are a hardcore steak person, you will be disappointed by this place. The awesome location and decor will distract you from the mediocre sourcing and preparation of the steaks. I love Teemu and have been a Ducks fan since their inception, but sorry the restaurant does not cut it for steaks. Its called a steak tavern but unfortunately they do not prepare their namesake dishes expertly. The prime portion of the menu has regular prime steaks, and were pretty standard. The filet was ordered medium-rare, but came rare+, not a big deal. I wanted to test out their wagyu menu, so I naturally ordered the leanest cut (flat iron) of wagyu they had, because with real wagyu even a chuck steak or a london broil cut will be highly marbled and soft. The wagyu steak was not marbled at all. I should have known, because only a few domestic or Australian wagyu producers actually produce a highly marbled beef. Most are fake, and its better to just stick with real Japanese suppliers. Selanne wagyu is either fake or just low quality. I looked at the lord Stanley ribeye wagyu at it looked barely marbled, Im glad we didnt order that. Other high end steakhouses have a tomahawk ribeye for less. The steaks were not seared to make a nice crust. Not at all, even though the server said so. No crust. Bottom line: I can grill a better steak at home, probably you can too. Sides were meh, including the so called special mac & cheese.The good things about this place: Scallops were excellent and perfectly cooked. Service was perfect. Ambiance was elegant. Would not recommend for steaks, but maybe just for drinks or dessert. Overall as a steakhouse, well below top-tier (Mastros, Cut, etc) in quality. Even below Capital Grill and Flemings. This is a 3rd tier steakhouse masquerading as top tier.
Starfish Laguna Beach
30832 Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, United States
I wanted to share with you my recent dining experience at Starfish, a Japanese fusion restaurant nestled in the heart of Laguna Beach.Starfish offers a unique culinary journey that combines traditional Japanese flavors with innovative twists, resulting in a menu thats as diverse as it is delicious. From sushi rolls to sashimi platters, and from ramen bowls to grilled skewers, theres something on the menu to tantalize every taste bud.What struck me most about Starfish was its inviting ambiance. The restaurants sleek and modern decor creates an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, perfect for enjoying a meal with friends or a romantic evening out. Whether you choose to dine indoors surrounded by chic furnishings or outdoors under the stars, youre sure to be enchanted by the ambiance.Of course, no dining experience would be complete without exceptional service, and Starfish certainly delivers in this regard. The staff are attentive, knowledgeable, and always eager to ensure that guests have a memorable experience from start to finish.In summary, my visit to Starfish exceeded all expectations, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a culinary adventure in Laguna Beach. Whether youre a fan of Japanese cuisine or simply looking for a new dining destination to explore, Starfish is sure to delight your senses and leave you craving more.Happy hours is the best!Thank you for considering my recommendation, and I hope you have the opportunity to experience the magic of Starfish for yourself soon.