Judy W.

This Japanese bakery is located in The CAMP in Costa Mesa and it's the first U.S. location straight from Japan! They had a wide variety of pastries--both savory and sweet. I ordered two items: Salt and Butter Roll (4/10): was disappointment with this one, maybe I got a bad batch? I was expecting a soft, fluffy interior with a slightly crunchy bottom--like how regular salt and butter rolls usually are. However, the piece I got had a dense, doughy interior and did not deliver on the crispy base. Also, the size was very small considering the $3 price point Mini Croissants (10/10): Got the box for $10 are am so glad I did! These are literally little bits of delight. Flaky outside, slightly chewy inside and the sugar glaze on the outside was perfect. Would pair well with coffee or tea. Perfect for sharing, or enjoying all by yourself :) I was surprised how modern the interior design looked. Great place for coffee and chatting with friends! Though, there seems to be a lack of seating besides a few towards the front. So keep that in mind. Service and staff are friendly. Parking is a little hectic. Not a lot of spots and fills up really quickly. Recommend going either early or during the weekdays.

Daph H.

Visited 1954 Egashira after lunch on a Sunday, so there was no line and they were sold out of shokupan. It was super hot inside, but somehow the staff managed to maintain a cheery attitude (I don't know how because the heat instantly made me grumpy). They were giving out samples of their mini croissants, a bite-sized crispy sugary treat. My favorite was their 1954 custard bun - I can see why this is one of their most popular items. I was going to only eat half, but it was so light and yummy that I devoured the whole thing. The chocolate stick was kind of a like a less sweet mini chocolate babka. The salt and butter bread was very salty, with large chunks of salt on top, kind of reminiscent of a salty Hawaiian roll. The custard chocolate, which resembled a pain Suisse, had no custard, just chocolate. I would not make a special trip, especially given how challenging parking can be at The Camp, but would definitely stop in if I was going to eat lunch there.

Angie K.

First Day Visit To 1954 Egashira!! Japanese Bakery Located At The Camp, Costa Mesa!! Specializes In Light, Fluffy, Small Batch Breads, Pastries, Coffee & Matcha Drinks!! Cozy Relaxing Vibe & Ambiance!! Ordered The Salt Butter Roll Paired With A Banana Cream Matcha!! The Bread Taste Good, Buttery & Soft Inside!! Good Creamy Matcha Drink & Not Too Sweet!! Busy Place, Line & Service Was Helpful & Efficient!! Will Return Again, When Visiting The Camp!! ThankU

Anna T.

Did I finally find a really good salt bread?? I get why when they first open it was limited amount per person Wow the salt bread was delicious! They have milk bread and they sell it by half loaf too! I couldn't resist a curry Frank! Really wanted a melon pan and they had their own version of it. It was pretty sweet so maybe I'll try the one without cream next time This shop is super cute and simple and smells so so good! Really enjoyed what I tried and definitely will be coming back! Loved their salt bread, curry Frank and melon pan that had cream in it.

Nhue G.

1954 Egashira is a cute bakery at The CAMP in Costa Mesa that specializes in unique baked goods. Their most popular item is the Salt & Butter Croissant, and it usually sells out, so they limited it to just 2 per person. I went on a weekday so there was just a small line inside the store. * Salt & Butter Croissant 5/5 - This was delicious and worth being their top seller. The bread was soft, spongey, buttery, and slightly salty with a light sweetness to it. * Almond Fromage 3/5 - This was more like a cream cheese bun with almonds sprinkled on top. The filling was semi solid, not creamy. The volcano shape was cute, but the taste was just okay. * Curry Frank 5/5 - This was a unique bread with a very yummy curry flavor that actually went well with the hot dog. * Matcha Stick 4/5 - Nice sweet matcha cream treat. The bread was denser than I would like.

Nicole H.

The ambiance is so aesthetically pleasing and cute! There are some places to sit and enjoy your coffee, matcha, and pastries but not a ton of spots. There's a little tiny patio area. I think it will be a hit or miss depending on what day or time you're there if you can find a spot to sit and enjoy. There's cool photos and decor to muse over. It was my first time there, and the worker was so nice to give me his recommendations. There wasn't a big line at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. All the breads were available. I went with the worker's recs and got 2 salt and butter breads (worth the hype), a melon pan (pretty plain and won't get again), chocolate stick (get it if you love chocolate cookie-like bread), 1954 custard cream (soooo pillowy soft and quality cream filling!), a peperoncino (thin crust cracker-like bacon thing, won't get again). He likes the coffee and said the banana cream matcha was on the sweeter side. I only bought breads on this run. I highly recommend! I can taste the quality! I also bought the half-size shokupan, and that was delicious just eating a slice plain by itself. It would be great as a pbj, grilled cheese, or French toast, etc.

Christian C.

1954 Egashira Bakery is a newly opened bakery at The CAMP in Costa Mesa; its flagship store is located in Saga Prefecture in northwestern Kyushu, Japan (1 Chome-10-45 Wakamiya, Saga, 849-0926, Japan). Interestingly, the sign at the flagship store simply reads '1954', leading many visitors to wonder about the bakery's exact name. On Google Maps, the flagship store is listed as 'Stone oven bakery Kusukusu' 石窯パン工房 くすくす (Ishigama Pan Kōbō Kusukusu). Among more than 100 varieties of pastries, popular choices include mini croissants, melon bread, curry bread, and salt bread. This first U.S. location, newly opened at The CAMP opens at 9:00 AM, but a long line forms even before the doors open. I arrived around 9:05 AM, and due to the long line, it took over 30 minutes just to make my purchase. I bought Shokupan (Japanese milk bread loaf), a salt & butter roll, Matcha cube, and an iced Americano; everything was reasonably priced and delicious. The Shokupan was particularly popular and sold out quickly. On my next visit, I plan to try other popular pastries, such as the 1954 Custard cream bun and Mentai France.

Christal M.

Finally had the chance to visit this viral new Japanese bakery at The Camp. I came on a Friday at 10:30am and there was a semi-long line outside. The inside is industrial but cute with a seating area that has small tables. It took 30 min. to get to the front and they were out of a lot of things. I ordered a box of Mini Croissants ($10) and a 1954 Sunrise ($4). The 1954 Sunrise is a soft bread with sugary butter cream inside. The bread was a little dry but the cream helped and wasn't too sweet. I thought the croissants would be plain but they were sweet and tasted like a palmier cookie. The things I tried were pretty good but I wouldn't wait in line for them again. I would like to try their salt & butter bread and shokupan next time since those seem to be their popular items. If you want first pick at everything, try to come early when they open and on a weekday. But they seem to be constantly baking and replenishing so you could also try your luck later.

Stacy T.

Wanted to check out this place located in the camp, and tldr: tasty, light, and would love to come everyday... if not for the parking. Here is what I got: 1954 cream bun in the wrapper (5/10) : very sweet but pastry was fluffy and light. There was a little crunch from sprinkled sugar but for me, it was too much, even though I have a sweet tooth. Cream bun (8/10): yummy and not as sweet as the 1954 cream bun. This one tastes like the milk cream bun from 85 degrees bakery but better! I would pair this with a coffee and you got a good mix! Curry Sausage (6/10): savory, and I actually liked it, but it is heavy/filling despite looking like a small pastry. I wished the curry was spicy to keep me from getting tired of the taste. Mentaiko France bun (mentaiko drizzled 6/10): very tasty and captured the mentaiko very well! However, I had a bun from a "fresh" full tray and the bread was dry and tough (i had to bite it like tearing jerky with my teeth). I really liked the flavor though and wish it was on a softer dough. Almond pastry (4/10): good crunches from almond and peanuts but dough was dry Cinnamon cookie (7/10): really yummy amd sweet! Reminded me of those Christmas gingerbread shortbread cookies. Pair it with coffee and it's works well! Mini Croissant (not pictured but 9/10) : got it as a free sample and it was so yummy! They sell 1 box for $10 and honestly worth it! Consider bringing it to work and it's a nicer, healthier option compared to donuts in the office. THE SHOWSTOPPERS: French Toast square!!! (10/10): eggy, crispy, perfectly sweet and soft. My new go to favorite for breakfast/brunch. Even though it looks like a thick piece of pastry, it had an airy, fluffy taste to it that was filling, but doesn't make you feel gross and heavy from overeating. Salt bread (9/10): SOOOO good and this is coming from someone who has had multiple korean salt breads and other spots in OC. Pastry is so fluffy, good amount of salt, and butteryyy. Yum! Only thing against this is that you can definitely feeeel the amount of butter they use, as the outside gets really greasy, but it's worth increasing my cholesterol levels for. DRINKS: Banana Matcha (8/10): honestly, my type of matcha. Banana is sweet and doesn't taste artificial, but for a sweet tooth like me, I ask for an extra pump of sweetener and it's perfect. Matcha is not as grassy and bitter, so if you like Tatys or airoma, this isn't it for you... it's more of an umami depth of flavor. It pairs well with the sweet or savory pastries! Would definitely get again and this is coming from someone who usually prefers strawberry over banana matcha. Cold brew (5/10): classic, bitter, and a good source of caffeine. Pairs especially well with the sweeter pastries like the 1954 one Jasmine Hot Tea Latte (7/10): strong jasmine tea flavor which could've been paired with dim sum lol. But with these pastries, I wish it was a bit sweeter with condensed milk or something, but I did like the tea used. SERVICE (10/10): really prompt and patient. They also let you know when the next batch of fresh pastries come out and they let you wait by the cash register to pay for it when it comes out without having to go back in line to get it! LOCATION: camp parking sucks which is the only thing. Inside is very clean and makes a nice hangout/date spot for groups 1-4. There is an outdoor seating area for larger groups, but honestly it's a nice grab n go location. Would definitely come again! Insta: stacteaboba

Leeza D.

New bakery. We grabbed a box with different varieties. Got in line at 8:45 and the line is constant. Bread freshly brought out at this time. Please come and create your own adventure.

Timmy S.

This excellent Japanese bakery is located in The Camp and sells some delicious bread treats that rival those I've had in Japan. They actually originated in Japan and still have 3 locations there; the original bakery started operation in 1954 (hence their name). I learned this from historical photos and stories on the walls. We came in the late afternoon on a weekday. The Camp is always challenging in finding a parking spot but we had good parking karma that day and grabbed a close one. As it was an hour before closing, the bakery was quiet with no line. They have several seating options inside and a small patio. After our order we sat indoors and enjoyed our selections. We ordered a custard cream bun, a salt bread, and a chocolate stick. Additionally, I had a hot latte. The custard cream bun, so fresh, soft, and filled with a luscious custard, was definitely my favorite. This one perfectly equaled what I would get at the best bakeries I visited in Japan. The salty butter bread, which they are known for, was also pillowy soft with a smattering of sea salt on top that made it very savory, was also great. The chocolate stick had some yummy chocolate chips and was very good but slightly dry (not unexpected since it was near closing time). Still, it delighted my chocolate senses. The latte was fine, nothing special, but the perfect accompaniment to the breads. The baker came out and gave us free samples of their mini croissants, which were fantastic. You can't go wrong if you purchase those. I definitely want to return to try other items, some of which were out of stock due to our late arrival. And to get more of those custard cream buns!

Canary H.

This place was very hyped up and I assumed it would have mouth watering, super soft bread. This bakery is located in the CAMP and parking is DIFFICULT!! Especially on the weekends, can't imagine getting parking when you just arrive. You'd have to fight for it. 1954 Egashira is a cute little bakery, facing the parking lot. When we walked in, every seat was taken with numerous people eating bread. There were several baskets with the sign "sold out" placed on top, which was fine. We bought their salt and butter bread, custard, chocolate & custard, and a chocolate chip bread. We stepped outside to do a taste test of every piece. The salty bread was decent but just salt and butter. I didn't understand what the hype was with that but the texture was nice. Their custard bread was dry but the custard was wasn't overly sweet, which was good. I wasn't a fan of any of their chocolate breads. Overall, I think this place is overhyped. I know it's still new and they're working out how to function the bakery with such a big demand. Yet, I wasn't a fan of what they had to offer. I like my bread moist and soft, and I didn't get that here. I'd come to try it again on a weekday and not the weekend.

Eunice N.

I've never been to The Camp before, but really happy to have stopped by and try this bakery! I think there are great options between savory and sweet. We ended up trying the salt bread, cream bun, and mini croissants. My favorite was definitely the mini croissants, but that's probably because I have a sweet tooth haha. All of the bakery items came out really fresh and warm! Cream bun was actually a bit hot so we had to wait for it to cool a bit. Service was good and I really liked their spot. They had some inside seating, and the smell was just amazinggg. Their outside patio had a cute little grass patch to hang out around. Would come back!