Food is always delicious and fresh. Service is top notch. The wait is definitely worth it.read more

Wait was over an hour and a half for dinner. Friendly services. Small hidden spot with good foodread more

Meiji seimen is always taste good. Udon is not salty. And…read morethe hot pot keeps soup waem.

This place always has a wait, and for good reason. It's a small shop so waiters are attentive and…read moreyour food will come out in a timely manner - feels like you're transported to Japan :) Also, make sure to join the waitlist before you get there to avoid long wait times. Udon is favorite noodle dish and this place definitely meets my expectations. I've had the Nabeyaki and Chicken Tempura Curry udon, and they're very filling! I will say they're a little pricey but I think it's worth for the amount and quality. If you want to impress someone who loves udon or Japanese food, come here!!

Kagura is a fantastic option if you're feeling some katsu…read more Starting with the Karaage, they came out looking potentially a little too fried but I couldn't have been more wrong. The coating was tasty, the chicken was juicy, and the sauce with a little bit of lemon was exquisite. For the main dish, I went a little bold and tried their Chicken Katsu with Umeboshi Sauce and Shiso inside the katsu. May sound kind of odd, but the combination of flavors was both fresh and bold. Service at the restaurant was solid and I don't think there was a moment where my water wasn't full. The restaurant itself was quite big and I was surprised by how many tables/people could be seated. 100% would come back to try some of the other katsu options.

How have I not known about this place?…read more In the area and found this gem in a strip mall on Yelp! Thankfully no wait! Felt like we morphed to Japan. Service was great. Food amazing. I loved the sides and miso soup with the meal. Rice was perfect. Katsu sauce and soy on table. We shared between my husband and 11 yo -an order of the chicken chili cheese katsu set and the pork (no fat) katsu set. I asked for extra salad sauce which was .50. The marinated egg side was delish. Ordered another pork katsu set for my older son to go. He enjoyed it. So so so good! What a gem!!!! Beautiful woodsy ambiance. Staff were Japanese. An authentic experience. Will definitely be back.

rice to fish ratio is perfect -- it's not overly stuffed with rice. it's just right!…read more my favorite was definitely the seared salmon and spicy tuna crunch roll. the fish was fresh the rolls were clean & nicely plated :) i'll definitely come back here for the good service & yummy food at an affordable price! 10/10

We had a group of 5 and everyone left happy and voted to return. Good quality proteins, small…read moreamounts of rice on nigiri, $40 AYCE includes carpaccio, nigiri and rolls. Rolls can also be ordered in half size (4 piece) to try new things. Separate menu for appetizers also included in AYCE price. Friendly service team from host - server - busser. Clean establishment, large space keeps wait times low or none. Free parking in large lot, ADA accessible. We will return and recommend to family/friends. Our new spot.

I've been to Anjin many a time - and have yet to do a review! On a crispy Saturday night, the wife…read morewanted some delicious a la carte JBBQ, and I wanted some warm sake, compliments for a spring evening. We were seated promptly, and Anjin isn't as busy during 10pm to close, so if you're looking for an almost all night eatery with great service, you should stop by. We had: - Marinated Ribeye - Regular Ribeye - Scallops The beef carpacio is a must try, and the scallops were large, great to share as well. The Ribeyes were also very fatty and cooked quickly, so please keep your eyes on them. The ribeye was quite delicious, and if you like a chewier piece of meet, the pork cheek with some sauce was also tasty. Great service, with team members continuously taking finished plates off your table, and always there if you needed anything. A classic JBBQ spot, and a must try in OC.

make sure to get here early and put your name on the list! we came very close to opening and still…read morehad to wait 45 mins for a table. inside is small but very clean and staff were all welcoming and nice food was delicious. meat here is top quality and melts in your mouth. we loved the thick cuts of tongue. pairs so nicely with their house sauces. the crispy rice dish was also delicious. make sure to pay the extra dollar to make the rice crispy! it makes a difference :)

Randomly decided to try this place with the wife last night…read more I remembered there being a spot called mogu mogu here prior and confirmed with the waitress that it's the same menu! Spicy miso ramen: 9/10 Actually one of the better ramens I've had lately. The broth is creamier and isn't overpowering with chicken/beef flavor. The chashu was nice and tender as well. I really liked that their noodles were al dente and not too soft Deluxe mazemen: 8/10 Taking my first bite, I was instantly greeted with an explosion of umami. There's a LOT of flavor packed in this bowl and the noodles used are actually a bit thicker which is right up my alley. My only drawback on this dish was that I wished it came with some sort of veggies to cut through all the flavor. They also give you a small serving of rice at the end for you to mix into the bottom which was a nice addition Kurobota sausage: 7.5/10 We've recently been on a kurobota craze. Don't get me wrong, these were great but we've only had them charred and grilled before so I was taken aback when I saw that these were only steamed. Flavor was spot on but I'm a sucker for a nice char or crisp to my meat Overall, loved the service and small restaurant vibe of this spot. We were seated very quickly and the food came out even faster. Definitely come try this spot, I know we'll be back

Never had Mazemen before which is basically broth-less ramen with various of toppings. We were on…read morethe way to Kitakata, but after finding this place on Yelp, we had to check out the hype. The interior is cozy and small with authentic Japanese decorations/setup. Kinda felt like we were eating in Kyoto or something, lol. The lady who served us was friendly and gave us good recommendations. I think she was handling the whole operation to be honest. To start it off, we ordered their specialty chicken karaage and it was very delicious. It has a nice crispy and crunchy texture. The batter on the chicken was good and once you bite it, the meat is juicy and tender. Doesn't really need dipping since it's so good. As for the Mazemen, we ordered the Deluxe and Veggie one, both is a 5/5. Very flavorful and it tastes just like ramen, but without the soup. The presentation of the dish looks like a work of art. Very picture pretty. I ate that shit up within ten minutes. After that they give you a scoop of rice so you can mix it up with the leftover sauce. Lots of umami for sure. Definitely will come back again to try the other flavors. People, trust me and come through!

My quest to try different types of ramen led me to Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai. I was fumbling with…read moreWaitlist when Madison welcomed me inside to be seated. Nice! I considered tonkatsu ramen but decided to order a large spicy miso ramen instead, Make it a large for $1.50 is a great deal. I found myself staring at a mount of vegetable toppings when my ramen arrived. The next thing I noticed was the wavy kitakata noodle that reminded me of chewy homemade noodle. I tasted the broth by itself before slurping in my ramen. The whole package was a winner for my taste buds. I learned from Madison that this location in Costa Mesa was established in 2014, the first international Kitakata joint outside Japan. Although this is my first time at Kitakata certainly won't be the last.

This used to be my go to spot to take my family. However after tonight's experience I might not be…read moreback. Me and my husband and two kids waited over an hour (based on a Yelp wait time of 5 minutes). The restaurant was very clearly understaffed (2 servers on a busy Saturday night.). Tables were left unbussed for 20 plus minutes. Despite open tables in the restaurant, the wait time continued to increase. I inquired as to when we could expect to be seated and the staff was not able to give me an answer, only mentioning a large amount of to go orders. Although the food is wonderful, the ownership clearly does not prioritize customer service or treating their staff well because they were overwhelmed. Absolutely mind boggling to continue taking to go orders when you have in person customers ready to be seated. We eventually left hungry and cranky.

Finally tried this place and everything was soooo good…read more Started with the Oyster Half Shell: super fresh, clean, and just melted in my mouth. The Crispy Rice with spicy tuna was definitely a favorite. The rice was perfectly crunchy, the spicy tuna was packed with flavor. Next was the Mad Man roll, which has filet mignon on top. The filet was tender, flavorful, and paired surprisingly well with the sushi. But the highlight for me was the Miso-glazed Chilean sea bass. The miso glaze added the perfect amount of sweetness and umami without overpowering the fish. Also, shoutout to our server! I feel bad because I forgot her name, but she was incredibly sweet, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. She checked in at all the right times and was just genuinely warm and welcoming.

May 2026 and I'm honestly shocked at how much the food quality has gone downhill. The miso soup was…read morecompletely flavorless, and the fish honestly looked questionable, almost like food coloring was used just to make it appear fresh. For $160 for just a few rolls (no appetizers, no drinks, no dessert), the value simply is not there. The only redeeming quality was the staff. They were genuinely very kind, attentive, and helpful. Unfortunately, good service alone can't justify the quality or price. I won't be returning. I'd rather spend my money at places like Pacific Catch in Tustin or restaurants that prioritize and certify the quality of their seafood. As consumers, we have to support places that deliver real value.