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    HONDA-YA Tustin

    4.0 (3.6k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    HONDA-YA Tustin Photos

    Business Info

    HONDA-YA TUSTIN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - HONDA-YA Tustin

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    Reviews With Photos

    Sauteed Clams
    Andrew L.

    I visited Honda Ya and had a mixed experience overall. It is located near old town Tustin. Although it was a weekday, we still had to wait a long time. Food: I got to try some of the sushi,yakitori,yakisoba, and other small dishes. The sautéed clams were my favorite, it tasted delicious. The yakisoba was good as well. We ordered the stinky roll. It tasted okay. The yakitori tasted good,but the portions were very small for the price. Service: Our waitress was very friendly and explained the menu to us. Ambiance: The decor inside is nice, but some of of the seats are very low, like a stool to sit on. The tables are close to each other as well to. You have to sit right to next to other people.

    Dave L.

    We decided to go on a weekday but still needed top wait 30 minutes. This restaurant is located in a strip mall in Old Town Tustin. The inside is very Japanese with lots of art and artifacts that make it really cool. We liked siting at long tables with other people. They were super friendly and gave us a huge menu loaded with pictures and prices. We didn't know what to order, so she suggested the bbq skewers. They came right away and they were so tiny, each was one or two bites, kind of a joke. If that was it, I would have left the restaurant. We discovered their plates with one or two proteins. This was pretty good. This place confused me. We ended up spending a lot more money than I thought I would. Confusing menu, very small portions, I thought, overly salty, Japanese food. Just okay for me.

    Lamb Chop
    Aliya S.

    The ambiance was really cool. This place has all sorts of things to choose from! The beef and eel skewers were my favorite items I tried. The chicken meat ball skewers were also good. Personally I liked them without the cheese. The service was quick and tentative. The skewers do add up fast though!

    Michelle C.

    Between three of us - my unnies and me - we got to be blessed by delicious ramen, refreshing cucumber appetizer, and savory skewers. There's so much to choose from! Service is also kind and speedy. I'm grateful for the team that works here especially because I can only imagine how fast paced everything can be. As soon as you walk in - there's a buzz of excitement in a not overwhelming way. It can be a bit dark inside but still strangely soothing? There's plenty of parking and if you also wanted to walk around to check out other places, I really like this whole plaza. God bless you all.

    Gregg L.

    This place is a fantastic hole in the wall. We got lucky and walked up with no line. By the time we left there were at least 15 people waiting so plan accordingly. The food here is excellent and very reasonably priced. The yakitori skewers were as good as anywhere I've been and the sushi rolls were great as well. I especially liked their current special tuna roll and the bacon wrapped shrimp skewer. Service was attentive and friendly. Really felt like the value for portion sizes and quality was on point, especially compared to what you get in LA proper.

    Mixed Tempura
    Trent V.

    Had a really nice lunch here. Stumbled upon this place and made it before the lunch rush . It's a pretty extensive menu. We ordered the potato salad, a sushi roll, nigiri, tempura, and yakitori The sushi was really great. Fresh and bright. The tempura was fine.. nothing to really write home about. Potato salad and miso soup were both exactly how they should be. Yakitori , while not the best I ever had, was on point. Also had the yuzu ice cream (skip this one). And the melon shaved ice. (Order this instead) Service was friendly but sluggish. The wait person did apologize and said they were short staffed that day Will definitely be back

    Hannah N.

    Food - I order the oden hot pot, meatball, meatball w/cheese. Not in the picture garlic pork belly, pork belly, beef, prime beef, Japanese beef and beef udon, As you can see in the picture oden hot pot what you see in the menu is what you get. It is 6/10 for me soup was very bland, hard boiled egg yolk had a very strong scent (which maybe boiled it for too long) didn't really get full from this. The skewers are always good and delicious. I think they have changed their menu also? There were some food items I was looking for but it seems to be discounted. The server were nice enough to explain each items in the menu but we weren't assisted that quickly as it was a very busy night. The decorations are very cozy and felt like you were in a authentic Japanese restaurant they also have a place where you can sit on the floor but that takes about 40 - 2 hours. Overall experience was great! Will go back and try other items.

    Salmon onigiri
    Amy L.

    So yummy but also so busy so make sure you come early to join waitlist and find parking! There's options to sit at a table, bar, or tatami mat which I think is nice. Skewers are the star of the show here, especially the chicken skewers!! So nice and juicy! The side dishes look bigger on the menu pictures but they were pretty good. I think a good strategy is to come and just have skewers to get the most bang for your buck. Definitely coming back

    Yellowtail and salmon hand tools.  Delicious and filling,
    Tom C.

    I absolutely love this place, and have been coming here now for about 27 years. Some of the best, if not the best, yakitori I've had in the US. The sushi and the side dishes are really good too. Oddly, I hadn't come here in about 8 years, so this review is based on my most recent visit. They don't take reservations, but they have a very efficient check in system as you walk up to the restaurant. It's almost always crowded when you come here, so bear that in mind. However, it's really worth it. Since I was alone, they were able to seat me right away at the sushi bar. Overall, I'm giving this experience a 4.5 stars. Knocking them down half a point because I was never checked on. However, they were fairly prompt in getting me whatever I needed when I flagged them down. Looking forward to my next trip out here, which will be very soon.

    James Q.

    It's very popular and the wait is very long. Luckily the food is good enough so it kinda deserves it? But you have to go with good friends who don't mind waiting for a good long wait and chat. Inside is packed and not so big, also there's a time limit since it's too popular, seems a little under staffed. Sashimi are very fresh, skewers are mostly good. Good spot to hangout.

    Eunice L.

    Not just the yakitori--every item on the menu is solid and above average. It really feels like you're experiencing authentic Japanese flavors and atmosphere, just like dining in Japan. The draft beer is also fresh and pairs perfectly with the food. On top of that, the pricing is very reasonable for the quality you get. The only downside is the wait during dinner hours. The system feels a bit inconvenient and confusing, and it seems like the staff managing the waitlist isn't always clear on the order. Updating to a more modern system would definitely make the experience smoother. That said, when it comes to the food, it's absolutely excellent.

    Crunchy Roll + Chicken Karaage
    Elizabeth N.

    Honda-Ya is a cool Japanese izakaya with traditional aesthetics, an extensive menu, and late-night hours. The service was kind and attentive, and we loved the floor seating. We enjoyed the crunchy roll, chicken karaage, and pork sukiyaki. The only downside was that the chicken karaage portion felt really small. Free parking lot, and heads up you may be asked to show an ID before entering.

    Lab
    Norma D.

    Tried this place while in Tustin. We got on the waitlist which on a Friday night was about 40 minutes. Not sure if they take reservations. The restaurant had ample seating and it was busy. The food came up pretty quickly. They have so many options it's hard to know where to start, since it was my first time. Next time I'll be more prepared. Everything looked amazing and smelt delicious. We had the garlic chili cucumbers. I was disappointed they weren't crunchy and didn't have much flavor. But I did love everything else. We had the Sexy Roll for sushi, mixed tempera, Hoi-Ko-Ro, Breast w/Ohba & Yuzu peppers, thigh with sauce, miso pork belly w/green onions, prime rib skirt, Japanese beef, kabocha & bacon asparagus. The portions are small but filling. The peppers in one of dishes was so hot. The waitress said it's a 50/50 chance it 's beyond hot. We enjoyed everything we had. The table we sat at was pretty small but the waitress pulled empties off the table very quickly. Waitress was great and it looked like everyone inside were pretty regular and having a great time. So definitely a plus. It does get loud inside. Yes, I'll be back. It was delicious. And yes I agree with their FOMO. It's true!!

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    Page 1 of 92

    HONDA-YA Tustin Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - HONDA-YA Tustin

    What is the wait for lunch on a Friday?

    How long is the usual wait time on a weekday night like Thursday 7pm? Thanks.

    Its super busy here, honestly probably an hour

    Is there yelp check in?

    No, there is a tablet outside the restaurant you will need to check in on, but you can track your place in line through the Yelp app afterwards.

    Do they still serve zosui or chazukes?

    They still have them the last time I was there, plus it's still showing on their menu

    Is the restaurant AYCE?

    No it's no AYCE, a la carte menu

    Is there someone I can email about a food allergy question?

    I would suggest reaching out to them on Yelp or calling them so there are no misunderstandings. When there is a food allergy involved it best to go directly to the source itself.

    Do you take reservations or waiting list ? If Sat, go there at 4:30pm, any waiting?

    They don't take reservations but you put yourself on a waiting list at 4:30. If you get there at 4:25 and be one of the first to put yourself on a wait list, you'll get seated immediately.

    Are there gluten free options?

    Yes, they have an enormous menu, including many protein-only options like meat skewers or sashimi

    Can I join waiting list from yalp?

    I don't think so, I don't see the option to do so on the yelp app

    Is there still outdoor dining available?

    Indoor only, the outdoor tents have been removed.

    Do they have the Tatami floor seating as an option?

    Yes

    Are you currently open since I saw a notice from google said closed from 1/8/2022? Are you now open for business?

    Thank you for contacting us. We have been reopening since January 14th. We look forward to your… 

    Are there gluten free options?

    Do you have waitlist where we can rsvp a table?

    They use a Yelp wait list on a physical tablet in front of the restaurant. There’s no remote Yelp wait list. I don’t believe they take RSVPs. When you receive a text from the Yelp wait list, they will only seat you if your whole party is present.

    How long is the usual wait time on a weekday? Thanks!

    we assume 1 hour weekdays and its worth it

    Can you make reservations?

    No. You have to put your name in, in-person. They now have a tablet where you put your name and number in where you receive a wait time and a text when your table is ready. All persons in your party must be present to be seated.

    Their online menu doesn't list YakiTori skewers, do they still have them?

    Yes. That's one of Honda Ya's specialities.

    Is the Yelp wait-list not operating during covid?

    i was there this past weekend. you cannot check in through your phone. you gotta check in at the location and put your phone# down.

    Do they use msg in their cooking?

    No they don't. It's fresh and the best quality food.

    Can I order dinner for carry out?

    Yes

    View All 42 Questions

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    Yummy yummy
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