Updating my old review. Recently came here for the 1st time in years on a cold rainy otherworldly so-cal day. Caught the end of the lunch rush on Saturday. They seemed to have not enough staffing so we ordered take-out but they allowed people to eat inside. A lot of plastic waste unfortunately. However, you can't beat this price anywhere for the lunch combo. And they even offer that combo on the weekend! I like the sansai topping on my noodles so I can feel healthy with some veggies. I also ordered the salmon roll but I was accidentally given spicy tuna roll. A satisfying meal with great value. Definitely check this place out! read more

Always great food at fukada. Service has changed from full sit down to order ahead style. I do like that because the wait deceased dramatically. Been coming here for years! And always delicious read more

Pretty good Japanese food. You can mix and match a lot of options from their combo menu--noodles, rice, salad, rolls. I got the sansai (mountain vegetable) hot soba noddles and seafood salad. Was surprised at how large the servings were... definitely a filling meal. The soba was very tasty and chewy and I loved the mountain vegetables--whatever they were--a mixture of roots and greens, lol. Very flavorful. The seafood salad came with huge seared chunks of salmon and albacore tuna over a bed of mixed greens. The miso dressing was tasty but very salty. read more

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If you live here, Fukada needs to be a staple in your life! I made the rookie mistake of ordering tempura on top of the lunch special - their portions are huge. The lunch special is big enough for 2 meals. We ordered the Katsu Don + Hot Udon and the Salmon Don + Hot Udon. Both were delicious - can't wait to try their other bowls! read more

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Ok I hear what the others are saying about it tough to find seating indoors and that the air isn't on so it's super hot especially near the stove. Some of the food is super expensive and others are super great in value. For example any time nearby I'll gladly come to get the seafood salad or the salmon skin salad. But my daughter ordered the tuna bowl which is costly. Granted I was just excited that she found tuna that she liked. And she finished the bowl later in at home. And our youngest liked the udon noodles. Might make more sense to order to go, especially as they package all the food for take out anyway. Lots of parking as it's in a strip mall. Love they they have a giant vat of ice water at the front. Staff is fiendish and fast. read more

I really liked Fukada, mainly because of the bento dinner special - there were lots of options and variety! I ordered the hot soba noodles with sansai (mountain vegetables). The other option is to do noodles with tanuki (tempura flakes) - both options are delicious! The soup had such a nice and soothing flavor to it. For my main dish, I ordered the spicy tuna don. The spicy tuna had an interesting texture because it was completely smooth (like mashed potatoes) and the flavor was a little spicy and very creamy! I would definitely come back and try their other dinner special options. I also tried the kimchi with nato - it was my first time trying nato. It's definitely an acquired taste, but I liked read more

Since covid, they do not provide indoor seatings anymore. However, the plaza has many tables. So there are seats for you to order to go and sit outside to eat. These two are my all-times favorite. The dinner special, hot udon, sansai, and the unagi don side. Yummm read more

Fukada - Sansai and Unagi Don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I am so grateful to have Fukada so close by! Such a great value for what you get. The food is always consistently delicious. We always order the lunch or dinner special with the unagi and hot udon. Such a hearty and filling meal. Highly recommend! read more

Whenever I visit OC, Fukada is always at the top of my list for must eats! I'm happy that I'm still able to enjoy their delicious food, even with ongoing pandemic. Ordering over the phone and picking up my order were easy and straightforward. We always go in the afternoon because the lunch combo is so worth it! My go-to order is hot udon with half tanuki, half sansai with the spicy tuna don (I think about this spicy tuna very very often it's so good). I love that the udon noodles are soft and chewy. The cold soba is also an amazing choice that is light and refreshing yet filling. read more

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I couldn't come here for the last 3 years due to Covid. I recently discovered they were allowing dine in again, but in a much different manner. In the old days, they had a list which you put your name on to wait for them to call you. Now there's no wait list, no servers. They give you food in to go containers and you dine in with these cumbersome containers. Someday it will be back to normal. Today, I captured a sense of normalcy. My special place is back! read more

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i was surprised but also not surprised by how amazing this place was o.o i've heard so many good reviews from friends & family but when i actually tried it, i was still blown away. i ordered the dinner combination which is SO worth it for the amount of food you get. i chose the hot tanaki udon + spicy tuna don (which is $1 extra) and it came out to ~$17 w tax. both dishes were AMAZING. the spicy tuna was flavored perfectly and melted in your mouth, and the rice it comes w is cooked to perfection. the udon was delish though i do think it lacked a tinyyyy bit of flavor, but i still really enjoyed it with the crunchy tanaki bits they add on top. would give the spicy tuna don 5/5 and tbe udon 4/5! at the moment, they're only doing takeout due to lack of workers, so i ordered there and the food came out so quick. i highly recommend eating it right away (either at one of the tables outside the store or in the car) since its so much better when the rice is warm and the udon soup is super hot. it's a shame i live so far cus i can def see myself craving this often :'( read more

Fukada - spicy tuna din + hot udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Hadn't been here in a while but when I went recently it was take out only but the seating space was open for self seating. As always, love their lunch combo I had the udon and a crunchy roll. It was busy but easy to find a seat and the service was prompt read more

Ambiance 4/5 - Very casual dining. You order at this makeshift counter on the left side of the restaurant. Once you order, you find a table either inside or outside. The food gets prepared togo by default, even if you dine in. Food 3/5 - Honestly, the food was super bland, even with adding soy sauce and sriracha (no, I don't have covid). I've tried this place 2x and both times I felt like the food lacked flavor. Service 5/5 - Employees were nice and helpful. Overall 3/5 - For the price, you get a lot of food. But the quality of food would not entice me to come back again. At least it wouldn't be my idea. read more

Fukada - 2 lunch combos + 2 appetizers = $46 - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Just had dinner here a few hours ago! Workers here are super kind and helpful, but heads up they've been understaffed so you order and seat yourself. They bring out all food as if it's take-out, but this doesn't take away from portions, food quality, or taste! I got the udon and don combo, I chose the hot udon and katsu don..delicious! Portions were big and hearty..good enough to share imo Hoping to be back soon! There's plenty of seating inside and some outside too read more

First time trying this place through recommendation by a friend and it was delicious! I ordered the dinner combination with hot udon (it was a cold day) with tempura flakes on top and spicy tuna rice. Both were really good. They give you plenty of soup so you'll most likely have left over! The portions are a good size and can be shared. They currently aren't allowing eating in the restaurant but we are outside in their patio chairs. The service was great! The man who placed our order was nice and our order came out within 10-15 minutes. Will definitely be back read more

Fukada - Udon and Spicy Tuna Don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Fukada offers high-quality food that's fresh and well-prepared. While everything is solid, it's not the kind of spot I'd go out of my way for. The service here is mediocre and the vibe is very casual. However, it's a good choice if you're in the area. read more

I enjoy a good tasting udon so this is my go to spot for it. Perfect tasting broth and thing udon noodles. I've ordered their fried chicken (kara age) and it's delicious. I also like their fried tofu. Lightly crispy with a creamy soft tofu middle. Yum! This recent time was to go as they couldn't allow for indoor dining due to lack of staff. Overall to go process was great. Efficient and very polite staff. Really like it here. Can't wait to come back again! read more

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Fukada is located across the street from the los olivos shopping center in a small strip mall. They serve up traditional Japanese fare and are extremely packed during the weekday lunch hour rush. I visited during COV-19, and all the staff wore masks and gloves, and allowed only 2 customers in the restaurant to place/pick-up orders. I ordered the lunch combination. Lunch combination ($12 for noodle and donburi or roll) Noodles - One has the option of getting udon or soba noodles, and each is available either hot or cold. I usually opt for the hot udon, which comes in a flavorful broth with plenty of veggies in it. The noodles are chewy but not as thick as some of my other favorite places. However, it is still a filling bowl. One can also choose to go with a seafood salad for $2 more instead of the noodles. Donburi - This rice bowl comes with a choice of white or brown rice. Options include spicy tuna, tempura, oyako, tentoji, katsu, curry and unagi (+$2). I really enjoy the brown rice here and usually get it with the spicy tuna, which is fresh and delicious. Overall the food tasted pretty good and was healthy. I was full by the time I finished and the pricing is ok given the quantity. While the noodles aren't the best I have tried they are still great. I can definitely count on Fukada to satisfy my Japanese food cravings. read more

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Came here around 5:30 pm and wasn't crowded but, after we were seated, the crowd came in. Take out only as they are short on staff. Spicy Tuna was tasty with the sushi rice and udon soup on the side! read more

Fukada - Spicy Tuna Don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I like the noodles! The food is clean and tasty! The price is good! The service is warm and fast!

Excellent food with efficient service! Combo meals are a great value. Wish they didn't pack all meals in to go containers.

Came here to pick up lunch for my coworkers and I and the lunch special is well worth the price. It comes with udon noodle soup and your choice of another dish like a cut roll or rice bowl with tempura, spicy tuna, etc. I was full from the udon and just ate the rice for dinner! The food was great and satisfied my soup cravings on a gloomy day. Also want to mention, I tried calling in my order, but the phone goes straight to busy so be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes if they don't answer the phone. I wish a discovered this place pre COVID as they only prepare everything in take out containers, but you are more than welcome to sit inside to eat, as long as you clean up after yourself. They also seemed understaffed hence why they don't do dine in. As for the service, I'm docking off one point because as I was ordering, I asked a simple question on what is included in the cut rolls and the person taking my order was questioning me as if I was dumb. Not a big deal, but I don't work here and am not familiar with the menu, so if I had a question, a condescending answer is not appreciated. Overall, food was delicious and cheap, but the ambiance and service can be improved. I would come again if I wanted a quick bite to eat in the area. read more

Came here for the first time after exploring Irvine and I'm so glad I made the stop here! Everything was individually packaged like the soup broth was separate from noodles, utensils, extra optional seasoning, and each item. This place has plenty of options for you to choose on the menu, and even lets you mix and match to make your own combo. Prices are worth it for the authenticity their food has. The food was surprisingly high quality even though it may not always look like it due to the packaging for COVID procedures. I personally got my own combo with udon and shrimp Tempura + egg don. The udon looked pretty simple and plain, but once I took a bite I was pretty much hooked. The broth was perfectly seasoned and tasted AMAZING! On to the don, the rice was under a blanket of shrimp Tempura in an omelette. The rice was pretty much covered in some sauce, but luckily it wasn't too salty or anything. It was just subtly sweet and salty. TLDR: definitely a great Japanese spot to check out, might even be your new favourite! Great options to choose and even customize combos, authentic taste and flavours! read more

Fukada - Left: Udon Right: Tempura Don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This is a solid Japanese eatery. I went to get take out as I don't think they do delivery (we couldn't find them on DoorDash) and there is a sign inside that also states they don't deliver via Postmates. It was worth the drive though. Their food is fresh, presented nicely, and taste delicious...which seems to be a rarity these days. They use fresh crab in their California rolls which my babe loved. The rice was so soft and perfectly cooked as well..you can tell they aren't using leftover rice or veggies here as unfortunately, some places do. Their lemonade was also a standout for us. Housemade perfection. The right tartness and sweetness and being somewhat obsessed with lemonade, we know that's hard to get right. The curry udon was also very yummy. The noodles and flavor was so good. I also got this eggplant that taste just like my Egyptian mom makes it, which is fried, with seasonings on top, in this case it was a sesame soy paste...I toasted pita bread to eat it with the eggplant and it tasted like home. We find ourselves eating a lot of different fried chicken from different countries and although the chicken here was definitely fresh, for us, it just needed more flavor. The dipping sauce made up for it though and it's one of the best dipping sauces I've tried. It looks red hot but it's actually somewhat mild, yet sweet and salty at the same time. It taste better than I'm describing it. :) Either way, give this place a try. I don't think you will be disappointed with anything you get here. Oh and they're not in the Spectrum, but about 5 minutes away, so you can always walk around while you wait for your food. read more

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Only been to Fukada for lunch but the food is always great and fresh. I tried soba, curry, salmon skin rolls and tofu salad. Sometimes tempura coating is thick and chewy, which is not my favorite, however rest of the choices are delicious. read more

Udon. This is the place to get it and even after they store in south coast got planted this is the joint. It's more takeout now but don't sleep on their seabass salmon and tuna collar. Just a solid place and is consistently good. There's a ton of ramen places but there are only two udon places to go in OC and this is 1. read more

O..o..O..o..O..oXo..O..o..O..o..O | | | -:: OVERALL RATING ::- | | | | 4.5/5.0 :: Venue | | 5.0/5.0 :: Service | | 5.0/5.0 :: Take-Out | | 5.0/5.0 :: Food | |________________________ | For as long as I can remember Fukada has been around since mid-2000. To this day even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, they still consistently serve marvelous authentic Japanese food! Fukada is currently open for To-Go/Take-out/Pick-up. Give them a call & get your orders in! Fukada has already over 2500 reviews & that says something - this place is super legit. I'll try to keep my review concise & to the point! =:-:= VENUE =:-:= Within the establishment there are regular tables, communal table & a back kitchen "bar" table (suitable for the single or double diners). With a high ceiling the noise level can be a little louder than normal but you dine comfortably w/o feeling to claustrophobic. The staff has a convenient cart placed up near the front of the restaurant stocked with to-go boxes/bags, water & hot water filler. If the staffers get to busy, you can help yourself to it. =:-:= SERVICE / TAKE-OUT =:-:= Fukada is a full service restaurant. I typically dine-in or do take-out for lunch. There is always a line! People come early before they open to get their name on the list first. Wait to be seated. Turnaround is fairly quick. They do close by 2 pm & re-opens for dinner at 5 pm. Dinner is a little less hectic. All the servers have been cordial & attentive. =:-:= FOOD =:-:= Their combo's is the best way to go especially for the lunch price! Love they have the brown rice option too. They have healthy options as well. Menu is pretty extensive so there gotta be something you would like. That is if you have not checked out Fukada before. Agedashi Tofu [4.5/5.0] Goma-ae** [5.0/5.0] Tatsuta-Age (fried chicken) [4.0/5.0] Vegetable Tempura [5.0/5.0] Mix Tempura** [5.0/5.0] Chicken Teriyaki Don [4.0/5.0] Curry Don [4.5/5.0] Katsu Don [4.5/5.0] Oyako Don [4.5/5.0] Spicy Tuna Don** [5.0/5.0] Hot Sansai Soba** [5.0/5.0] Hot Sansai Udon** [5.0/5.0] Chilean Seabass** [5.0/5.0] Seafood Salad** [5.0/5.0] ** My Favs! =:-:= NOTES =:-:= 1) For lunch (again b4 this covid19 pandemic) Fukada does not pick up calls during lunch time for take-out orders, nor is there online ordering too. You have to go on-site & order. Wait isn't to bad. read more

Fukada - 3/17//19 (tue): Vegetable Tempura! Was the last day to dine-in b4 the Covid-19 OC Ban - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This is my go to feel good food! You just can't go wrong with a hot udon noodle combo with mountain vegetables and a pork katsu don!!! This is one of the few places that I just crave at least once a month and have to get it. During all of quaratine I got it togo and it is just as satisfying when I take it home. They do a great job packaging their noodles separate from the soup and keeping it neat until you get the food home. Before I use get frustrated ordering because calling in was such a hassle when the line is busy. Now I never have a problem just calling in my order and picking it up shortly. Fukada, see you again in a few weeks :) read more

A staple in Irvine, Fukada is perhaps the best udon in the area. They provide exceptional customer service, delicious food, at affordable pricing! Looking at the prices I always end up over ordering. What was once a long line pre-covid has now simmered down. During peak covid, it was take out only. Now it's still take out, but they opened up their tables in door for you to eat your take out order. They even bring your food to your table! I'm always a fan of the free tea in front. Overall Fukada is a great place. Would highly recommend. read more

Fukada - Spicy Tuna Don - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Honestly... sometimes I dream about the spicy tuna don! I've been coming here for many years now and I still can't get over the spicy tuna don. The spicy tuna don + tempera udon combo is WAY cheaper than ordering separately so make sure to get that! The spicy tuna don comes with a bowl of spicy tuna and a bowl of rice. You mix it together and it's the most magical flavor in the world. The tempera udon broth just warms up your soul. It is so flavorful and delicious. The tempera flakes are a bit crispy so it's a great mix with the soft udon noodles. These days, you have to order To-Go and then pick a seat inside or outside. There are plenty of seating. The middle table is huge and can fit more people but there are also smaller seats on the side of the restaurant. You pay for your food in the front and pick a table to eat. I have not had to wait very long since this change. The wait used to be super long but now, people just eat it quickly and leave. The place is always clean and well kept. I can literally go on for hours about how delicious the food is here. Overall, I highly recommend this place. I especially would recommend spicy tuna don and tempera udon but I've tried other things and those are FIRE too. Can't wait to come back! read more

Fukada - Inside eating area - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This post pains me to write. This is now "take out only." The sheer amount of single use items is insane and so environmentally unfriendly. They still allow you to eat and sit inside (which a large portion of costumers do), but still give all single use items even tho you're eating there. I wish there was an option to "eat in" without having to waste so much styrofoam and plastic. It's so painful to see how wasteful everything is. I hope management will consider eat in option that allows costumers to opt for a non plastic bowl and non styrofoam cup. read more

Fukada - So wasteful. All this single use items is for eating in... - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Perfect place for a hearty meal and at a great price point. Im so thankful that my brother recommended this place because it hits all the right spots. Fukada has a lunch and dinner meal combo deal that is very affordable. I tried their dinner combo ($13.70) with hot udon and a side of spicy tuna donburi. They give you a LOT of spicy tuna on the donburi! I was so happy to see that and it tasted great. The udon was also great as well. I wish the udon came with some meat, but the overall meal was still filling. Fukada is also very close to Irvine Spectrum so it's a good place to hit up after a long day of shopping! Def be back in the future! read more

First of all this place more expensive than most noodle place. I was shocked with the price, its "fast food" setting. There's no real service here and the feel is like in a food court. We ordered the tempura udon and soba (1 each) nothing special therefore don't think we'll back here anytime soon. read more

Their spicy tuna don definitely lived up to the hype!! My friend and I got 2 combos to share: seafood salad with katsu don and hot udon with spicy tuna don. Everyone raves about their udon, but I've had better elsewhere. Both the udon and katsu don were lacking flavor!! :( it was so bland we had to pour soy sauce on the rice and it still tasted whatever's. The katsu meat was also kind of tough and dry so I would pass on those 2 dishes. But the salad and spicy tuna don were both sooo good and more flavorful. The salad had tuna and salmon, but the salmon was definitely better. This would be my go-to combo here! Food came out soo fast!! The line can look intimidating, but it actually goes by pretty fast. Service was nice, but not the most attentive. Portions were really big for the price so it was worth it! read more

Fukada - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This place has been a staple of Japanese food for years. The staff is super friendly and courteous. Frankly, it's one of the best Japanese places in Irvine. read more

Fukada - Menu QR code - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

As someone who goes here all the time the udon is consistently great, and they serve the best udon in Irvine. The noodles are nice and chewy, and the broth is good. Their spicy tuna bowl is also a nice side dish to go along with the udon. When I used to dine in, I did get a little uncomfortable since the tables are so close together. The middle of the restaurant is even worse since there is one big table with connected seats where anyone can sit. The layout is not ideal, but it was worth it for the udon. Recently since the pandemic they have been doing takeout only and no dine in. They now give you the udon and broth in separate containers so the noodles don't get soggy, which is great for the taste, but it's unfortunate because it equals more costs and waste. They also raised the price of the spicy tuna don and it's now an extra charge when you get it in the combination menu. Even with price increase and takeout only, the udon is just a good as before and I highly recommend this place! read more

The wait time on a Friday night was not as bad & we only waited for less than 10 minutes to be seated down. Noodle Combo: -Tanuki Udon (Hot): The broth was very flavorful but light at the same time. It wasn't too salty and had the right amount of seasoning. The udon noodles were so yummy! You can tell they added so much effort into making this dish. -Tempura Don: This dish is assorted tempura on top of rice. The tempura was super crispy and I love how they added the sauce on the rice already. I enjoyed this dish a lot! Salad Combo: -Salad topped w/ seared tuna & salmon: Yummy yummy in my tummy! I have no idea what salad dressing they used but they need to put it in a bottle and sell it! It was delicious and had the right acidity and sweetness to it. The salmon & tuna was very fresh. It complimented the dish very well. -Spicy Tuna Don: This dish is spicy tuna on topped of rice. It seems very simple but it's super yummy! I wish they had more of a spicy mayo flavoring to it but I enjoyed trying this dish as well. Even though it was my first time here, I was very impressed! I can't wait to bring my mom here so she can try this place out. read more

I love this place! My favorite go to Japanese spot! It's fresh, authentic and great service! In the inside feels like a Cafe in Japan! I normally get the unagi Don lunch special with the vegetable udon and it feels like gives me energy after I eat! Healthy, yummy and simple! 10/10 read more

This place has been on my list for a while after my friend told me this was one of her favorite places to eat in Irvine. Right now they are only doing take out, but there are a few table outside to eat if you can't wait until you go home to chow down! There was a small line when we came here on a Saturday for lunch. Food came out in maybe about 10 minutes. I got the duck udon. It's great that they separate the broth from the udon so that it doesn't get soggy. Noodles were a good texture, and I have to say the broth was out of this world. Definitely one of the richest/tastiest broths I've had with udon. There was a good amount of duck, but the duck wasn't super tender or flavorful. Overall enjoyed the meal and would like to come back to try more items! read more

Fukada - Duck udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

my favorite restaurant my comfort food~ best japanese food that feels like home food