I've been to this restaurant at least four times within the past year for their uni pasta, specifically their clam spaghetti. The only thing that prevents me from dining here more often is the price. Each entree is at least $20, so a date night for two can run you $50+ (and way more if you include drinks, appetizers, and dessert). I always justify the cost for the quality and save my visits for special occasions. However, during my most recent dinner, I noticed the food and ambiance have declined. This restaurant is decorated as a charming European street complete with dim lights and soft music. It has an intimate, romantic vibe perfect for quiet conversations. Unfortunately my last visit was anything but quiet. My boyfriend and I were seated in the middle of the dining room between two large parties - one of unruly businessmen, the other of college age kids, both acting like they were at a bar during happy hour. There was shouting, cackling, the whole shebang! We basically had to yell over our tiny table to hear each other. Suggestion: if you want to ensure that you dine in peace, request a table in their hallway away from the crowd. I tried to mentally block out the noise as much as possible to enjoy my meal, but alas, my beloved clam spaghetti was not up to par. There was way too much garlic in it, and I don't mean just the flavoring. Every bite was a spoonful of garlic bits. It was enough to keep the vampires away for miles. I even added a load of chili flakes to diffuse the taste but it didn't make a difference. My breath took a hit that night. The only upside to the experience was the usual good customer service. It'll be a long while before we return. Crossing our fingers for better luck next time. read more

I love this little restaurant. It reminds me of Spoon House in Gardena. My faves here are the uni spaghetti and the clams with spaghetti. The seafood risotto is also very good. They have a small wine selection that I wish would be better, but then it's good because I limit myself to one glass, lol. I usually stick with a light pinot to compliment the seafood. The service is really nice here. I feel like I'm in Japan. Everyone is so polite and accommodating. I like to sit in the back secluded section of the restaurant. We usually reserve our table for that back area. Cafe Hiro is really tiny with limited seating, so I wouldn't bring a large party here without checking for space first. If you're going to order pasta, so yourself a favor and order the uni spaghetti. I don't even like seafood that much, but I feel in love with the uni spaghetti. I'm craving it as I write this review. Go and try it :) read more

Cafe Hiro - Clam spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

Service was horrible. It took close to an hour for our food to arrive. We felt very ignored and unimportant. This was not my first time eating here but will definitely be my last. Sayonara, arrividerci and good riddance. read more

I just brought home our "uni Spaghetti", I was charged $20 for a pretty small serving. The chicken carbonara $17 with chicken she said it was $4 more. The serving was slightly bigger than the spaghetti. $5 for the fries. Absolutely not worth the price. Below average flavors. WE WILL NEVER COME BACK! I feel cheated. read more

Cafe Hiro - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

I had the short rib curry, it was ok. I chose the medium level spice but there was no hint of spice at all. The flavor was lacking like it needed more salt? Also tried the French fries as the appetizer, it was too oily. The seats are uncomfortable and the seating was super cramped due to the tables being so close to each other. I also don't like that the tables are so small. I personally don't like being seated so close to other people. I gave 3 stars because the customer service was great but the high prices don't justify the taste of food. read more

What a hidden gem!! I've been here twice and did the Omakase dinner combo for 4. Everything we had was amazing! Except the salmon spring rolls...they were egg rolls so we were a bit disappointed when it came out. The salmon was a bit dry inside the egg roll. Our favorite appetizer was the diced tuna dish! Perfect combination of tuna mixed with a poached egg over a bed of salad. Definitely just ordering two of it the next time we're back. The salmon risotto is so bomb!! Highly recommend trying it. Flavorful grilled salmon over a bed of creamy mushroom risotto. The Omakase deal is a total bang for your buck! You get three appetizers, one salad, one entree, two pastas, one risotto, and desserts!! Service is incredible as well, we felt like we were at a fine dining type of restaurant :) read more

I tried uni pasta with the price of $25 for lunch. Salad came along. Food was okay. Wish they put more uni & use pasta noodle but overall it was fine. Workers & the owner though seemed very nice but only nice and bubbly to the ones they know of or only to gentlemen. I was never asked how the food was or if I need anything else while other customers were kindly taken care of. Wow! I'm not coming back to this place. read more

Asian, Italian, and French Fusion?! ANYDAY! My sister & I found Cafe Hiro on Yelp, and were understandably intrigued- so, made the commute from Long Beach to Cypress to check it out. The location is much smaller than pictures make it appear. And unfortunately, the seating is extremely uncomfortable. We came around 6 pm on a Sunday evening, and there were only about 3 other small parties of 2. Everything on the menu sounded amazing! We started with an appetizer- the scallop carpaccio. Although I can appreciate the creative thought- there were far too many flavors going on in one bite. The sliver of daikon radish was a bit too much for our liking. Completely threw off the texture. My sister got the Carbonara. AMAZING! I wish I would've gotten the same. My dish was far less than satisfactory. I forgot exactly what I wanted to order initially, but they told me upon ordering it, that they no longer carried the item. So, I asked our waitress to recommend something. She said I could go for the seared mahi mahi, with mushroom risotto. No complaints about the risotto at all- in fact, it's a safe bet that this is likely the best risotto I've ever had. The mahi mahi on the other hand, was over cooked to the 10th degree; and tasted and smelled fishy. I was able to stomach about 3 bites, and had to ask for it to go back. The head chef took the complete cost of my meal off of the bill, and offered to cook me something different. The waitress was very gracious. I can't say I think prices are super fair for what you get. Portions are kind of small. read more

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This restaurant used to serve best uni spaghetti, but their recipe was not the same anymore. I wish they increase the price and keep the quality, but they choose to increase the price and dip on quality. read more

Came here for the spinach uni pasta. I like the first couple of bites but then I started getting bored of the flavor because it wasn't much uni in the dish and the spinach absorbed all the uni flavor. Hubby got the carbonara and his dish was really flavorful. We got the tuna tartar as an appetizer and that was really good. read more

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Finally got the chance to go try this place out over the weekend. This is the only place that I know that actually serves lunch on a Sunday. The restaurant is pretty small and tight. The waitresses are really nice as well. We ordered 3 different types of Pasta. One was mantaiko , another was penne cream chicken pasta with veggies, and another spaghetti with cream and chicken. We each all got soup and salad. The Salad was fresh and soup was reallllllly good. A good place to try out once. read more

The food was to die for I wasn't even that hungry but i ended up eating all my food plus a little of my brothers lol. The portions were just perfect and the food is also amazing to re heat if u take some home! read more

This restaurant is very small but service, food, and ambiance is good. Its a good place to have a quick bite for lunch on a weekday. Come early because the seating is limited. They don't have to go orders ( my first time here). Sounds like they didn't want to service to go. Bring only one friend. This place is not for large party. read more

Cafe Hiro - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

Geez. It sure is tough to visit a place after all sorts of rave reviews. I feel like Cafe Hiro is like a quality booty call you've had for a long time, I'm not sure Cafe Hiro is a place I'll ever be totally in love with, but it sure is enjoyable. Visited for lunch and was seated immediately, even though the restaurant looked mostly full, ordered my iced tea and waited for my lunch date to arrive. And waited. Just sipping on my iced tea in a very tiny, very full restaurant. Are you looking at me? Oh, don't mind me. I know you're waiting for a table, but I'm just sitting here, not ordering, enjoying my iced tea. *sluuuurp* Good thing it was only impatient patrons giving me that look, not the waitress, who didn't give me any guff about waiting for Mr. Q to show up for lunch. Two iced teas later, he showed up and the waitress, happily appeared immediately to take his drink order and shortly thereafter our food orders. I opted for the chicken curry, even though the pork cutlet curry was screaming my name. It was quite good, but I'm just not a curry gal. Don't get me wrong, I like it. But you won't see a pregnant Hazel Q. (maaaany years from now) absolutely dying from a curry craving. With that said, I looove me some osso bucco, so I think a dinner booty cal....errrr...I mean, visit is in order soon. Thumbs up: -Fresh food. Good curry. Sure. -Fab service - super friendly. -Tasty iced tea, as I learned after 14 glasses of it. Thumbs Down: -Nothin' really. I'm just not in love. -It's not you, it's me. read more

A friend suggested going here for lunch last Sunday, and I of course looked it up on Yelp. Sure enough some of my most respected Yelp buds had posted many glowing reviews. They just chalked up their 10 year anniversary this past May and I feel so ashamed that I just made my first visit. Very lame. I immediately fell in love with the ambiance. Whimsical wall mural and artwork, including one of Jimi Hendrix circa Electric Lady Land adorn the walls. Works for me! The two waitresses double teamed us and were most pleasant and efficient, even later in our meal when the place maxed out. A very small place, so fills up quickly. We arrived at their noon opening so were seated immediately, but for dinner rezeez are a must. I of course had to order the uni spaghetti raved on by many, and it did not disappoint. In fact I would put it in my top 5 dishes I have had in any OC restaurant this year. Nice and creamy, with a great natural saltiness from the uni. I do love uni, but even I could not anticipate the masterpiece that is executed with this dish. With the addition of a small dollop of wasabi, and several strands of toasted seaweed crisscrossed atop just added to its perfection. I will forever crave it, just as I do the uni dumplings at Kappo Honda in Fountain Valley. OK, so is this one of those one trick pony fusion restos that we all have seen before? Nope. My buddy's ossobuco was also a stunner. Great marinade, and of course oh so tender. His wife's uni risotto was just OK. Luckily it is an appetizer because it would be too rich as a normal main dish portion. No comparison to the epic uni spaghetti. We also had a very delicious pumpkin soup. Nothing says autumn on a 90 degree November day like pumpkin soup. Well even more satisfying on a cooler day I'm guessing, but we all loved it. For dessert we split their bread pudding and it was just above so-so. But then I was recently in New Orleans, so my taste buds are now spoiled by their authentic southern versions. So what the hell is going on in the outer reaches of Orange County lately? I have been led to several excellent restos in Yorba Linda, and now Cypress? WTH indeed. read more

Time for a long overdue review! A plan was hatched to meet fellow Yelpers Lica N. and Cathy S. here for dinner. Cool, I'm up for a new place! It's a fairly small place in a strip mall but has a nice eclectic, yet homey feel inside. SERVICE: The service was good and very polite. They were really calm each time they brought a plate of food and we'd ALL start snapping photos like crazed Japanese tourists! A+ FOOD: We ordered a few appetizers so share starting with the Poke: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#110ilYzgw5es5UE1b_c9Ag Slightly seared and served warm, interesting and VERY tasty! The Fried shrimp http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#xfTmhwzIW-eELbmD6XJDvw (I left it to Lica & Cathy to devour these... they are pretty though, right?) Next was the Crispy Tofu http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#6apzyReEpjCVBUxAOQv7kg They had a very delicate and slight crispy-ness to them, VERY tasty with the sauce. I also ordered the Carrot Soup http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#T2iVBKY4rBZN3qpAu6ucVQ it was interesting that it looked like carrot, but had a VERY subtle carrot flavor. It was good but I'd pass the next time. My entrée came with the house salad with a typical Japanese (miso?) dressing. It was light and refreshing. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#hg428D2SL206Ev7qUkWW8g Cathy ordered the Uni Spaghetti http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#c7IbbdfmwffWzFplgMU30Q and said it was quite delish! I ordered the Sea Bass on mushroom risotto http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#GhYFC4n71AcVDdjmQAoCqg Lica had a similar fish dish to me, but w/o the risotto. We were all quite pleased with our choices. We finished with the sinfully delicious Croissant Bread Pudding http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#siFiZkpO-RasQUifgZVXrg Here is a close up http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/cafe-hiro-cypress?select=fwf0OxOGO-FlNSt7VLPf1A#NzBIvb20ZAWdhRISpYWs5Q Overall we had a great time chatting, laughing and eating a VERY tasty meal at Café Niro! It's now on my "to do again list" read more

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Happy Friday and happy dinner. We drove all the way to cypress to try out this hidden gem. -parking: there's a big parking lot in this plaza, so it's not difficult to look for one. -service: they were very attentive and nice. When you asked their recommendations, they were more than happy to do that. -appetizer: we had the scallops carpaccio was the must, it mixed very well with their curry source. They top it with the thin layer of the radish which can remove the fishy taste of the scallops. And we had their Manila clams with bread. The bread was cold which I don't really like it, because the clam soup was hot. You can also taste the strong taste of the sake. It's a Japanese style which made the soup flavorful without the fishy taste. The soup was absorbed the original flavor of the clams that it never go wrong with the fresh garlic into it. -entrée: beef tongue was so tender and the portion was perfect with the source. The beef tongue was tender yet not over tender, it's perfectly cooked. We also had the sea bass with veggies. I enjoyed the sea bass the most. It's not fishy at all to me, plus the source was paired perfectly. I don't like the veggies on the bottom that much. -waiting: we went on Friday weekend, and the reservation was made, so there's no waiting time for us. read more

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I was getting hot and bothered. As I looked into the eyes of my dark-skinned date, I could feel beads of sweat form on the back of my neck and roll down my spine. Looking cute in a pool of sweat is not easy. He cleared his throat; we didn't have to speak aloud to know that we were suffering from the same heat...but I said it anyway: "What the the FUCK happened to the air conditioner?" Being in the midst of a summer heat wave, our tiny restaurant felt like a sauna. From the lack of personal space, I could tell it was a popular joint. The dishes that passed our table looked appetizing enough, but I couldn't see how it was worth messing up my bangs. My friend offered to find another place, but I also knew that he really wanted to eat there. Something about cream...and panna cotta. We started with fried tofu and ahi tuna tartar. The tofu was soft and fresh, and the tartar was fairly good. Our entrees, chilean sea bass and uni risotto, both came with soup and salad. The sea bass was small in portion but well prepared. The risotto was quite amazing although it was hard to fish out the sea urchin. And then, we finished with a light and creamy panna cotta with berries. He tried to convince me that he makes the best cream at home. I have yet to try. Normally, such gratuitious ordering would have induced me into a slothful slumber, but somehow, we managed to finish each crumb of deliciousness. Surprisingly, our entire meal took 3.5 hours to finish. Yes, 3.5 HOURS. Every dish was brought out separately, and not until the previous had been licked off. Although a part of me appreciated the fact the owner was letting us take our time, this was ridiculous. I felt like I was in a marathon of sorts, and the sweat glazing over my eyeballs was not helping. The only marathon I'd gladly endure would probably take place on a mattress. Seriously. Next time I come back will be when I can clear my schedule in the dead of December. read more

To the owners of Cafe Hiro, your workers have failed you miserably tonight. For months I have been waiting to dine-in at your restaurant and the anticipation has been killing me. You see, my schedule is hectic and it's hard for me to have free time to eat somewhere nice with my girlfriend -- we have to make time to go somewhere nice to eat. Friday night (tonight) we were finally able to set aside time to eat at your restaurant. We arrived and wrote our name down on your 'wait-list'. There were only two small groups ahead of us. While we were waiting several other groups (fairly large) arrived, some of whom wrote their names down on the 'wait-list after us. From what happened next, I'm guessing the other groups had reservations. One of your hostess/waitress looked at the 'wait-list', looked around the restaurant, then told me that the wait would be another 15 minutes. I acknowledged and thanked her. One hour goes by and we're still not seated. Instead, all of the groups, including the large group that signed in after us, were seated before us. The tables which were available were pulled together to form large tables to accommodate large groups. Your employees place large groups ahead of smaller groups who have been waiting longer! This is unacceptable. Sure, we were only a party of two and would not have "racked up as large of a bill", but that does NOT mean you place us at the back of the line every time a larger group arrives. Your employee said 15 minutes... waiting 20-25 minutes is understandable cause nobody's perfect in estimating times, but ONE HOUR is a huge difference from 15 minutes. Needless to say, we left your unappreciative and rude establishment to find some place else that welcomes good business, big or small. Thank you for ruining a hard-to-come-by night which was hard planned for. read more

My friend and I had a pleasant dinner here. Yes, pleasant. That word pretty much sums up my thoughts about Cafe Hiro; it was good, but not memorable, and I'm not sure if I'd return anytime soon. I ordered the chicken curry, which was good, but it could've been a little spicier and a little...curry-er? I had to eat a bunch of those raisins to add flavor and depth to the dish. My friend got the duck breast risotto, which I didn't try, but it looked - in Yelp terms - "A-OK". The place is cute, but it's so small that you're bound to overhear other people's conversations, and vice versa. (Be careful what you talk about!) Anyway, I might have liked Cafe Hiro more if it hadn't been so hyped up. If you go, expect slightly-above-average Asian fusion cafe food and nothing more, or else you just might be disappointed. read more

I returned after about three years to get a taste of that uni pasta again, and it just wasn't cutting it this time. The richness was cut probably in half and after awhile, with the orange color and all, it didn't feel too different from eating mac 'n' cheese. There were much fewer discernible chunks of uni, and in order to get myself to eat the whole thing, I had to mix the whole pat of wasabi in. This is not to say that it was bad by any means. It just wasn't as uni-filled, and uni is why I come. The other thing that sort of rankled was that the 'sea bass spring rolls' offered as an appetizer for $8 consisted of ONE ROLL cut in half. And that one roll was tiny. I ate it in four bites. Don't put the 's' at the end, or don't charge $8, or, better yet, actually include a plural number of spring rolls. read more

Don't hate me, crucify me, or think bad of me, but I did not have a good experience here. It's odd because EVERYONE seems to have a good experience at Cafe Hiro so what happened to me??? It seems that Cafe Hiro is one of those places where you have to order the "correct" meal. I don't know. I just didn't feel like ordering the sea urchin risotto like everyone else. It definitely sounded interesting, but I wasn't so bold as to go for it. I had a bite though and it was ummm.... sea urchin-y? The place itself is cute and quaint. The tables were a bit cramped. The dressing on the salad was weird and not very tasty. My chicken curry plate was awful. The curry was odd, the chicken was gross, and it just wasn't good. I had a piece of chicken and some of the rice with curry to be polite, but I did not enjoy it one bit. One thing I did like? The cauliflower soup. It was creamy and just yummy. I'd love the recipe for it if they'd share it with me. If I EVER come back, I will have to get the sea bass with mushroom risotto (looked like a good choice Nancy!) since it just looked yummy and of course the ever so recommended Panna Cotta (I didn't try it this time Dave G.). We went to Milk + Honey afterward so I didn't get to try the Panna Cotta. Maybe it's a good thing so that I can come back, try some other food, and update my review at that time. I must say, we came at the end of lunch and they were very nice about not rushing us. Service was good overall so nothing bad to say there. Time for try number 2 I guess. :-/ read more

A quaint, cute little spot in a small strip mall in Cypress. When you're inside, you don't really notice the hotel across the parking lot, the McDonald's and the other numerous industrial and business parks in the area. The inside of the restaurant feels like you're at a European eatery. So, for that alone, I give it some props. Unfortunately for me (or not?), due to different schedules, I met up with beautiful 5 ladies. Believe me, that wasn't planned. Now, onto the food. Having a conversation with a good friend about Uni, she suggested this place for Uni risotto. She raved about it and told me how it was good. I've never had risotto, and have had good Uni before, so why not? That's what being a Yelper is all about. New experiences through food. So I ordered the Uni risotto with shrimp. As stated earlier, I'm a risotto virgin, so to me, the Uni risotto wasn't bad at all. The Uni taste was there, and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't mind blowing either. The shrimp was cooked just right, slightly firm, but gave up easily as I bit down on them. Overall, the dish was really good. The service was quite attentive as well. Even though the restaurant technically was supposed to be closed, they didn't rush us or made us feel unwelcome by still being there and just let us enjoy ourselves. Overall, a good experience, and I wouldn't mind trying other things on the menu on my next visit. Parking wasn't hard at all as the lot is huge. I would give this place 3.5 stars for now. read more

After reading all of the reviews, and seeing the amount of customers, I thought we were going to have an exceptional meal.... Service is exceptional here and very attentive and it's one of those place I feel like giving more stars because their service was that good but this is more about the food. Service is a definite 4 stars. Food is a 3 1/2 stars. We ordered the sea bass spring roll to start off. First, it is only one piece of spring roll cut into 3 pieces. It was served on top of a bed of salad with dressing. The spring roll should be called an egg roll because it was fried and not wrapped in some type of rice vermicelli wrap. The spring roll itself was mediocre. I couldn't differentiate the difference between the sea bass and the mushroom. It was more on the bland and salty side. I wouldn't order it again. Next up was the calamari frite and by far, it was my favorite. The breeding was well executed. It was crunchy and flavorful. It was no way near greasy and is served without sauce and it definitely didn't need any dipping sauce. The last appetizer we ordered was the pork buns and my friend really liked it. It was flavorful and the pork was cooked well. It was tender and not over cooked because we all know how easily pork can be ruined by being over cooked! I ordered the uni pasta and was very excited about it....sad to say but it was a let down. Compared to EMC, this was no way near it. The pasta was served with a small amount of wasabi. The pasta was a bit watered down and the uni wasn't the full bodied or full aroma I was expecting. Towards the end, it honestly tasted like regular pasta with seafood flavoring. I was expecting it to be thick, creamy and a hint of the uni aroma. I didn't get it with this dish. It was an okay dish but not to be ordered again. My friend ordered the spinach and uni pasta and it wasn't what we were expecting. The spinach watered down the dish and sauce and didn't do much to enhance the uni or the dish. Last my other friend ordered the chicken. He enjoyed his dish and the vegetables were really good and seasoned just right. The chicken was moist, tender, and juicy. The serving size was generous. For dessert, we ordered the panna cotta and almond crime brûlée. The panna cotta looked like jello. The consistency was nothing of a "true" panna cotta. The fruits were fresh and added a good amount of sweetness to the panna cotta. I wanted to love this but I would have called this jello. Last was the creme brûlée. What I liked about was the sugar crust. It was thick, crunchy, and chewy all at the same time. The cream itself was not good. For some odd reason, when I went to smell the brûlée, the first thing I noticed was the smell of soy milk and that's not good! I didn't care much for it and I am usually one for brûlée! All in all, this was a good experience and I am glad I tried it but not sure if I would be back. Maybe just for appetizers. read more

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I hadn't been to Cafe Hiro in a long time, but when a friend of mine began a quest for "cool date spots" for his new lady friend, a bunch of us decided that he should check out Cafe Hiro. So that's how we ended up in the dark strip mall in Cypress last night. We had raved about how cute the place was, so he was looking forward to it. Considering it was about 8pm on a Friday night, it wasn't all that packed. Sure, there was a pretty good crowd, but there was absolutely no wait. We got seated at one of the tables in the hallway towards the bathroom because those were the only tables available that could fit four. WELL... for some reason, the tables back there are extremely tiny, and we felt very... confined. Nevertheless, we decided to enjoy our meal. Better a cramped space than a long wait, right? We placed orders for two sodas, two waters, Peking Pork, Beef Tatake, Spinach Garlic Bacon Pasta with Chicken, and the Osso Bucco. Family style, folks. The Appetizers came out straightaway, and we all dug in. The portions were whatever, but I was sort of aghast at the prices. $8 for the Peking Pork? It only comes with four servings! That's $2 a pop! So expensive, considering I could polish it off in two bites, max. Both of the appetizers were pretty tasty, but we were so hungry, we were clamoring for the next course. Up next were our salads. They were included with the Osso Bucco. It was a typical lettuce salad topped with some miso-ish dressing. 'Twas a'ite, but nothing special. We picked and picked at it for lack of anything else to eat (we were starving), but after about 20 minutes, we were getting really annoyed. Where the heck is the rest of the food?! FINALLY our entrees arrived, and for $17, the Osso Bucco is SO NOT WORTH IT. It's literally ONE piece of braised beef. It's funny, I could've SWORN there used to be two pieces. Then again, perhaps my memory is failing me in my old age. Who knows? The pasta was tasty, but again, very overpriced. I also had to note that the curry (even though we didn't order them) went for about $15 a plate! Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, I'd rather go to Curry House. All in all, service was incredibly slow, and the prices were incredibly inflated. I swear, this place used to be a lot cheaper. For what we ordered, it came out to $60!!! Would I go back? Probably - but only if someone else is paying!!! read more

Cafe Hiro is a pleasant surprise. It doesn't look like much from the outside as it's tucked away in a small, dime-a-dozen plaza. But once you step inside Cafe Hiro, it's as though you've been transported to a quaint Italian cafe. An immediate telltale sign that this is not a restaurant for typical Japanese fare. Service was friendly and prompt. We opted to try the following yelp favorites: Pork Belly Buns Not as good as Ippudo or Momofuku but still solidly good. Chilean Sea Bass Risotto Perfect complements in flavor. The sea bass was well prepared and maintained a light buttery texture. Uni Spaghetti I love me some Uni so this was a no brainer. What I like most about Cafe Hiro's version of this dish is that they don't skimp on the uni. I could easily finish this dish by myself if I didn't have to be so carb conscious *sigh* Overall, Cafe Hiro is a choice spot for lunch or dinner. I'd like to say that I'll be back to try some of their other menu options but who am I kidding, I'll be back for the uni spaghetti. read more

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DAMN GOOD!!!!!! Finally knocked this place off my bookmark list!!! So my spicy Italian friend was in town and he was in walking distance of this lovely place. He really had LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW low low looooow expectations because he doesn't trust many spots in small shopping centers especially ones with a Chili's LOL. He's a fiend for the Michelin stars for dinner so I had my hands full. Walked in and even with 45 minutes til closing, the service was more than welcoming. She gave us the menus and he already wanted to order almost all of the appetizers. He was also torn between two dishes then he looked right and saw the specials board and he became torn some more. So the break down LOL Ahi "poke" : I was kinda surprised when I tasted this. It was a warm poke salad. I never had that before. This was lying in a bed of lettuce with some crunchy stuff and onions and an awesome dressing . Maybe this was the seared albacore tuna salad LOL. As I look at the menu online that's what it sounds like but I could have sworn we ordered poke LOL. Either way it was good and quite heavy. Crab cake: I guess I'm spoiled by crab cakes with lump crab and made with a tiny bit of bread crumbs. This was more like a crab croquette. I'm not really a fan of croquettes because they always taste one note and I'm not a big fan of things crispy outside and mushy inside ;P So unless you're a croquette fan, I don't recommend these. Shaomai their spelling(Shumai): His choice. I typically stay away from shumai dishes, unless I'm with a bunch of people because they're so heavy for me, I can't eat more than one (NO JOKE LOL.) So if it's dinner for two, I don't want to waste the second one and eat it, which is fine, I'll just have more leftovers from the main course :p These were fine, definitely not bland but I like anything wrapped in a wonton wrapper, fried , not steamed. Just personal preference. Uni spaghetti pasta: This was the main thing I came here for! First time I ever had uni pasta was at the now deceased Itriya in Irvine. I remember seeing this dish at Osteria Angelini in LA but that bobblehead Giada told me on the "Best I ever ate," to eat the Lasagna verde BLAH. So I could have popped my uni pasta cherry ages ago! Anywho ever since having it at Itriya and when I found out about their closing, I was trying to figure out how the hell am I going to get a chance to get such a mouthgasmic dish again in OC no less!!!!!! One day I was reading the Orange coast and saw mention of this dish at Café hiro, I knew I had to bookmark immediately!!!! Well Café hiro did not disappoint! I probably filled up on the apps so I can take this dish back with me LOL. I didn't want my meal to end so I enjoyed my 3 heavy bites and made love to it the next day at home. So creamy and not overwhelmed with the uni. All the flavors were balanced. I could have used a little more of the wasabi paste mix and nori. Other than that, this hit the spot! My date ordered the scallop risotto. Great presentation and looked pretty good. But I was so focused on my dish I never tasted it. He loved it and ate every last bite. We ate beyond like pigs. We wanted dessert but we were to damn full!!!! I want that bread pudding next time! Honestly I had such a great meal, I wanted to come back the next day LOL. He' been wanting to go back and we will once he's back in town :D read more

OVERPRICED, SLOW, AND BAD FOOD. Wife and I went in for lunch for the first time and noticed the high prices on the entrees so thought food must be good, but it took 40 min for us to receive the entrees - arrived at 11:50 am and we were the only one in the restaurant and did not get our food until 12:30. The worst part was the food. Wife ordered a Carbenara and I the Donkatsu. Portions were surprisingly small compare to what they charge and Dontaksu was undercook so it smelled of pork. Pasta was no better - both of us did not even finish 1/3 of our plate. Do not waste your money here. read more

French dish with a Japanese touch. Mmmm....special herb roasted pork chop with spinach risotto with tea. Damn, I didn't get the panna cotta! :( I think I'm crushing on the young Japanese waitress that Father's Day Saturday weekend :-/ read more

Apparently, Cypress is where the Japanese population of Orange County reside and hang out. This could be because there are a lot of Japanese corporations that have headquarters nearby. It isn't too hard to imagine some outstanding Japanese restaurants opening around the area. Cafe Hiro is one of them. Mr. Hiro, the owner and chef of the restaurant can usually be seen standing in the back overseeing the food leaving his kitchen and greeting customers who make eye contact with him. My first visit, I sat at the bar and had a chance to really see how he supervises the food preparation. The quality of the house salad is pretty solid. They have a sweet orange like dressing that actually compliments the leaves nicely. It also isn't too big to be imposing and not too little to make you want more. Buyer beware of the items that sound like they have cream-based sauces, but actually don't. I've learned that unless it explicitly says that something is in alfredo or white sauce, it isn't. Usually a pasta with garlic and chicken sounds like a creamy dish, so you can imagine my surprise when it came out in a soup-like bowl instead. I don't recommend going for that, unless you really want something soupy. I tried their fire fries to tide my hunger as I waited for the entrees. It's actually quite good and offers some much needed carbs. Most of dishes there, you will find, lack carbs. The decor of the restaurant is quaint. There's a simulated outdoor feel with some sky murals and faux shed-like roofing. The size of the place is actually quite small, and there can be a little wait especially if you come in during peak hours. Just sign in and light up a cigarette outside. You're in a Japanese restaurant, you must light up and smoke if you got 'em. You'll notice a lot of acclaim for the place just by looking at the front door as well as newspaper/magazine articles hung in the restrooms. Those are definitely good signs. I even see local business leaders and politicians dining here. Also, don't make the mistake of coming here on a Monday. They're closed on those days. read more

Came in at around 8pm tonight, not too packed luckily and I was seated promptly at the bar area. Despite the name of the restaurant having the name "Cafe" in it, it's definitely more of a restaurant than a Cafe. However, the wall decorations and decor does give off a cozy feeling found in typical Cafes. Now on to the menu itself! With Today's Special written on several blackboards on top of the kitchen and a decently sized menu, I decided to try the Scallop Carpaccio and the Clam Spaghetti on the Today's Special. The Scallop Carpaccio had an interesting mix of flavor and texture to it as a thin slice of daikon is placed on top of each scallop, sort of like dumpling skin with a piece of mint and curry oil to give it a kick. The combination definitely surprised me as I get the crunchy texture of the daikon along with the scallop just melting in my mouth after! However, if you were expecting a lighter taste for a scallop appetizer, this is not for you as the curry oil makes up most of the flavor. For my entree, I got a clam spaghetti as I kept seeing it on menus in many Kdramas with a Korean fusion kitchen haha. The amount of clams in this dish exceeded my expectation as you can hardly see the spaghetti beneath the mountain of clams and nori. The texture of the spaghetti was nice and tender and the broth has a slight kick to it when its still warm. Overall, I would definitely get this again just for the sheer amouny of clams. Finally, for dessert, I got a Green Tea Blanc-manger. The waitress described this as a green tea pudding with creamy red bean under it with a layer of green tea on the top. She wasn't joking on the green tea on top of the pudding! The bitterness of the green tea with the sweetness of the red bean made the dessert just right in terms of taste, not too strong and not too sweet! read more

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I have finally found something at Cafe Hiro that I thoroughly enjoy: their tofu salad. Yes, it's still a tad pricey for just a salad - if I remember correctly, it's at least $10+ for some greens with tofu and potato salad on it - but it's something that I actually enjoy, rather than all the other stuff on their menu. The portions are perfect if you want something light and not too filling, but it won't keep you full for long (so keep that in mind if you order it). Other than that, Cafe Hiro is still "meh" in my book. read more

The decor is really cute and kitchsy date-ish. The place gets super packed so come early or make a reservation. We came around 645p and the house was completely full. Osso Bucco - I was hoping for something a bit more stewlike since the waitress said it's like the beef tongue stew but just a different meat. The dish was still pretty tasty though. The foccacia bread sopped up the juices nicely. Scallop Risotto - My favorite dish of the nice. The scallops were cooked very nicely. The mushroom risotto was nice and creamy and did not have an overpowering mushroom flavor. The scallions added a nice lightness to the dish. Banana Mill Fueille - A fancy name for a napoleon. I didn't care for this dessert because it just tasted like banana creme/pudding with some fresh bananas and a couple tiny pieces of puff pastry. It definitely needed some chocolate or caramel drizzle. I would not get this again. The servers are very very nice and helpful with recommendations. I wanted to like this place a lot but I think I am still missing a little umph in the food. Perhaps next time will give me the special umph. read more

Cafe Hiro made me an uni lover. I am now an official sea urchin advocate for those who are weary of sea urchin. Maybe if someone had told me that it was the butter of the sea I would not have been so apprehensive. And honestly, looking back, I don't see what the big fuss was about. It's smooth and creamy like butter and doesn't taste any different than a sweet sea scallop. Having that said, the sea urchin spaghetti and the sea urchin risotto are to die for here!! Now when I come here, I pretty much ignore everything else on the menu and immediately order one of the two. Although the menu does offer pretty amazing dishes. The BBQ beef salad, Albacore Tuna salad, Ossu Bucco, and Sea Bass risotto are major contenders. Always looks to see what lunch/dinner specials they have. One night they offered tempura uni and that's the dish that won me over! read more

I'm not usually a fan of fusion places. My preferences was confirmed when I stepped in and found roses and clouds painted on the ceiling a la French, wooden furniture (Japanese), and an entire wall dedicated to a painting of a sun (...Mexican?). Definitely some bad choices of interior decor. But despite the clash, the place has a nice cozy but unconstricting feel to it, and I love how the kitchen area is so open. I went for lunch and was promptly given a black bean soup with cream drizzled on it, which was quite light and tasty. I love it when you can taste a slight grittiness in bean soups, it's reminiscent of the Korean bean soups that I usually eat (kind of a mix between the taste of whole sweet red bean paht and the consistency of a nice rich dwenjang soup). I ordered the seared albacore salad which came with a very much needed miso sesame dressing to bring up the greens and red onions. The albacore was good, but I wish they hadn't seared it so much. I tried my friend's uni spaghetti, but I'm not a huge fan of uni so I'm not too sure if I'd recommend it to others. But I did love the noodles themselves, it's much more tasty than my usual Barilla. Not a huge fan, but I'd be wiling to go back again to give it another try. read more

'Tis fusion. Fellow yelpers have decribed the fare here as Italian, Japanese, something or another. Umm... is curry Italian? That must be the Japanese part. So the spaghetti in the uni spaghetti is the Italian part, right? So why were they playing Hawaiian music and had tiki mugs as decoration? "Tis fusion confusion. Fusion also means you pay more...even though you only somewhat recognize the ethnic fare they are offering. Fusion can also mean you're either scared of the real thing or you're bored with it. But with any fusion fare, the chef has to be creative. A food writer once said "If you are going to bastardize a cuisine, it helps to take it somewhere where nobody knows the parents." I am neither an expert of Italian nor Japanese cuisine so I wasn't offended here. The servers were super nice. The place is uber quaint. We were seated in the hallway behind the main dining hall. For our convenience the specials were written on a board nailed to the hallway. But we're the only ones who can see it. We feared that they might walk patrons over to look at the sign, creating a fire hazzard in the process. I ordered a special: pork loin w/ mushroom risotto. Big pieces of sliced pork loin, but not big on flavor. The risotto was creamy and delicious. The calamari frit was light and filling...sorry for the oxymoron here. It was light because it wasn't terribly breaded, but the amount was a filling appetizer. Before the entree, we had a salad. The type of salad and salad dressing you get from a bento box. Then we had the soup course. It was rich and creamy. It think it was sweet potato soup. Not sure. Bottom line: Food: 3+ Service: 5 Ambiance: 4 It's a great place for a special gathering, but the prices might keep others at bay especially if the food is a 3+. Just my opinion of course. Don't you all go to the ghetto on me. I just don't have the warm and fuzzies for fusion. ::Sigh:: read more

I think it's amazing now that I've lived in Cypress during all my years in high school, and I never once went to this little gem of a restaurant. But then again, this is more of a cozy date place, and I didn't really date much back then. "'Much' David? Don't you mean ever?" "Shut up." Anyway, this fusion restaurant serves both Japanese and/or Italian dishes. Some of which results in some fantastic food. For example, a must get here is the uni pasta. It comes with a little wasabi, which gives it a subtle kick so the richness of the uni doesn't overwhelm it. It's pretty small inside, but I think that adds to the charm of this little place. There's many things about this place that is charming. An example is how the ceiling is painted with a blue sky. Don't forget to check the specials on the board when you come here, as there's some great dishes on there that are not in the regular menu. (E.G. scallop carpaccio.) it really is a little gem with unique and fantastic food, and great service to boot. Definitely worth the 5 stars and checking out. read more

Um, if "Asian Fusion" means blending more culinary influences than the UN has countries, then Cafe Hiro is your place. I'm always a bit skeptical on Asian Fusion. Being Filipina myself, it's always a real crap shoot at these places for me. The place is seriously as big as half a Sizzler salad bar area. My two friends and I went on a Tuesday night, so although we still made reservations just to be sure (when I arrived early, every table was taken), it's a lot more dependable to give this place a shot on a random weekday, since there's no way the dining area could accommodate realistically more than about 40 people at a time. Because of the limited size of the place, it makes it a tiny bit intimidating at first. But not to be outdone by our homies out there, however, my friends and I brought our own bottle of wine to enjoy. Highly recommended. Anyway, we started off the night with the creamy crabcakes and ahi tuna tartare. The tuna was seasoned and spiced well, but it wasn't anything completely out of the ordinary -- whereas the crab cakes, now we're talking! Being a Washington DC/Baltimore transplant, I have to admit to being a big crab cake addict/critic, and these cakes were so unique in their texture and flavor. They were perfectly rich for an appetizer. Also highly recommended! Since there were three of us in the group, we all decided to order three entrees from the menu and just split them. We ultimately decided on the uni spaghetti and Chilean sea bass with asparagus, but needed a little wait staff recommendation on the curry. She brightly suggested the pork cutlet curry. First up: the curry. It was basically pork katsu (Japanese) with a sweeter-sauced curry accompaniment (more resembling Thai curry than Indian curry) and white rice. Not being a huge fan of the katsu variety myself, I thought it was delicious. The pork was breaded well but not overly so, and the sauce was unlike any other 'curry' I'd ever tasted anywhere. It was like a well proportioned blend of katsu sauce, Thai basil, the consistency of peanut sauce, and a dab of mirin-like taste at the very end. Secondly: the sea bass. Cooked to perfection, although with a fish as fatty as CSB, not sure there's any real way to 'mis-cook' it. The sauce that accompanied it was light and not overpowering at all, allowing the natural flavor of the fish to really shine. What was most impressive (since CSB done right is impressive in its own right) was the lemon-buttery sauce with the asparagus spears. Delicious and complemented everything just right. And of course, last but not least: the uni spaghetti. This was so good that we ordered another bowl right after we finished the first. At first I was REALLY skeptical of the concept of this dish -- uni + spaghetti = ??? I felt like we were truly throwing Asian Fusion caution to the wind here. But once we dug in, it turned out to be one of the most delicious combinations ever invented. The uni flavor was absolutely perfect, and the toasted nori on top just made the texture/flavor combination just that much more awesome. Again, I must stress my dubious distrust of all things "Asian Fusion," but delectable delights like this definitely don't take away any brownie points in my book. For dessert we had the creme brulee, which just seemed so mediocre compared to the uni spaghetti. We stuck around at the insistence of the wait staff (which was NICE for a change!) for a pitcher of beer, which we found to our delight was also at a reasonable price. We almost ordered more uni spaghetti for dessert, but my two friends and I felt for the chefs and wait staff -- although they very kindly stayed with us and chatted us up a bit seeing as that were the last customers standing that evening. Overall the night was infinitely better than I expected, considering Cafe Hiro is located in one of those little generic strip malls where you'd expect a Subway, a nail salon and little corner liquor store to co-exist peacefully. This particular strip, however, is different -- with the cornucopia of restaurants and cuisines offered within -- and Cafe Hiro is the jewel in its odd little crown. read more

I don't know where to start for this one. Zoolander turned me on to this place years ago, but I could never bring myself to write about it. In fact, I don't know when I'm actually going to post this review out of fear of revealing this place to all the hungry eyes. This is the secret you're not supposed to tell anyone. The one thing you may take to your grave out of sheer selfishness. Alas, I have plenty of secrets that I will never share, this will be one less burden to carry upon these mortal shoulders. Cafe Hiro is simply the best. Stunningly consistent over the many years I've been going and affordingly affordable. The quality of everything I've tried sets my taste buds afire. As corny as that sounds, you have to have been there to know. As I salivate writing this review, images of Fire Fries and Calamari dance in my head, taunting me to come back and bathe in the glory that is Mushroom Risotto. I reluctantly share with you my most favorite of most favorites: 1. Chilean Sea Bass with Mushroom Risotto - Do not come without trying this. Do not to leave without trying this. You commit an unspoken sin should you not allow your body not to experience what happens when man meets fish and risotto. Buttery beyond belief. And that risotto? I purposely don't finish my meal just so I can have leftovers the next day. The restraint I exhibit is applaudable. 2. Pasta - Any and all are rich and beyond words. I will stop right there. Go try it for yourself. All hits, no misses. 3. Calamari - Rings and tentacles fit for the food Gods themselves (should they exist). I order them every time, knowing damn well the gf won't touch the tentacles, leaving more for me. 4. Fire fries - Same as calamari, but in potato form. And spicy. And the gf can't handle spicy, so more for me once again. Fry King approved, summa cum laude. 5. Accompanying soups - Asparagus, corn, whatever, I'll take it. Creamy and rich. Like me. Except for the creamy and rich parts. My bowl is licked clean every single time. Should I see a neighbor with an unfinished portion, I will unashamedly ask to polish it off for them, I don't care if they're at the same table as me or not. No shame. Like my Mom says, I've left my shame at home. 6. Pot de Chocolate - Mine, all mine. I could eat three of these in one sitting. Rich and decadent, this desert is the reason for the season. I have, and will continue, to use my finger to clean up the serving dish. Remember, no chocolate left behind. There, I've said enough. No more. read more

I would have put 2 stars but I didn't want to be harsh. The crab cake has a more soupy texture inside, like a clam chowder stuffed in an over fried roll. The risotto with scallops is just ok and it's priced too high for the small portion they serve. The Osso Buco is more like pedestrian slow cooked beef sitting in a bowl of bland broth. We will not be coming back. read more