The food was good but the service was 5 stars. Staff is very friendly and took really good care of us.

Excellent food, owners are always making their rounds making sure everything is good. Can't say enough on how this restaurant treat their customers like family. Masaka and Tom are the best... We make it priority to come in once a month to have dinner. establishment. James read more

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Delicious Japanese food in family (locally) owned Brea restaurant behind IHOP on Imperial: going to Ichiban is like going home to Have dinner with family! Service was amazing, even on Mother's Day (with a reservation). The food is YUM, we started with complimentary edamame, then had the teriyaki and katsu chicken, and the boat with the most perfectly crisp shrimp tempura I've ever had. Most of all, the service was incredible. The owner, her husband, and all the staff were so friendly and gave the visit a homey feel. The brown rice green tea was perfect to complement the meal. You can tell they know all the regulars. Thank you for an amazing meal and making us feel so welcome! we will definitely come back! read more

Used to love this place but recently they have drastically increased prices. Will not be returning anymore

The quality of the food is phenomenal and the staff was very attentive. Thank you Satoshi for recommending this place to me, the Pork Katsu Curry was fantastic. The owner Masako was very kind and her salad dressing was incredible. Thank you Ichiban for the good food! read more

The sushi was so fresh and delicious! We even tried their pork katsu and teriyaki, both of excellent and fresh! The thing that stood out most was the welcoming ambiance of the restaurant and server from everyone who came to our table. They were so incredibly nice. We will be back! read more

I loved this place. Super traditional authentic sushi spot. The service is great and the food is even better. Super clean and accommodating. You must try the sashimi Latina!! read more

Amazing home cooked Japanese food. Felt like home. Beef Sukiyaki was my comfort food. Masako was the sweetest. Best Japanese restaurant that reminded me of my Mom's kitchen. Highly recommend. read more

We came from Chino to dine in. Thank you OC and Ichiban for being open. The owner Tom is very nice. We were sat promptly inside. Got a spacious and comfortable table for 4. Their food is really good. Huge menu with a lot of fun choices. I got their firecracker roll. It was outstanding. One of the best rolls I've ever had. Service is really good. Servers are friendly and attentive. Try the owners salad dressing. Yummy! I purchased a bottle to go. Please support this local, family business. Highly recommended. read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Firecracker Roll - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

My boyfriend and I were so excited to go here as one of his friends recommended it. I've been eating sushi since I was 16 years old I am now 56, I ordered the spider roll which is a softshell crab roll ,hand roll I asked for gobo ( little pickled carrot root that is a Japanese staple used to be in almost everything) to be put in it , the server did not know what it was and when asked for it to be put in my spider roll the sushi chef said we don't have it . Wow , I've never been to a sushi bar in my life that didn't have gobo. My boyfriend told me to drop it as he's not a huge gobo fan as I am ,he didn't really know what it was . He then googled gobo and found out for himself that it is a major Japanese food . Because of this Ichiban was a one and done for us . read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - The Sapporo was good as was the edamame! - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

We love this place. We eat dinner here after seeing a movie. The staff is attentive and the food is fresh. There menu changes but I always find something to eat. Love their scallop tempura. Love their salmon and chicken teriyaki. Would recommend read more

Previous post was 3 stars due to a decrease in service. However, after the owner reaching out and inviting me back, what a turnaround! 100% customer service change and for the better! My boyfriend and I got to try the garlic edamame (which is delicious) and the seared halibut sashimi (yummy and had a lemon zest to it). Our second time experience was wonderful and will become one of our go-to sushi restaurants. I was pleasantly surprised to meet the owner in person when I came in and she said she remembered me from before. She was very apologetic for the prior service and made sure to check on us multiple times during our meal. I'm glad I gave this place a second chance and will definitely be coming back! read more

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All I can say is CONSISTENCY! You don't know it's a good place until you've been twice and the food taste equally as delicious. The owners and servers are genuine, friendly, and care about the quality of food. It is the cutest, quaint restaurant and we have officially become regulars. It is clean and the music is fantastic. You definitely need to come and enjoy their food. The sashimi was fresh and tasty. My families, favorite appetizer was the sampler platter and the house salad! The dressing is phenomenal. read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Sashimi Latina - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

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The service was exceptional and quick. The food was delicious. We ordered miso soup, a variety of rolls, salad and Soba noodles. Great flavor to everything. The rolls were fresh and a great balance of texture. We will definitely be back! read more

Not the best pictures because we started eating before the phone, but this has to be one of the best restaurants in the area. From delicious food to amazing service, this place has it all. Their prices are reasonable and the quality of their food is to die for. The sushi was fresh, the meats were tender and flavorful, and the tempura was fried to perfection. Besides the food, the customer service was top notch. The owner and her husband are most kind-hearted people you could ever meet. They constantly check up on you to make sure you're satisfied with their service and love making small talk to connect with their customers. My family and I went here for the first time yesterday and we would definitely come back just to chat with them. You can really tell they care about their customers and try to create an amazing experience for each and every one of them. This is a definite must if you're around the area or just craving some Japanese food. Wonderful restaurant and even more wonderful owners. read more

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My wife and I recently moved to Brea and were admittedly a bit spoiled when it came to Asian food, due to growing up in the South Bay area of LA. One day after deciding not to cook, we discovered Ichiban, and boy does it not disappoint. The staff is super friendly and very attentive (shoutout to Memis!). We also love their Green Tea Arnold Palmers. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for good sushi and Japanese food in the North OC area. read more

Been coming here for a while now. Almost 7 years. Covid took two away however. So great to see this sweet and traditional venue thriving again. The hours have adjusted but the food and service is still top notch!! Sashimi Latina is my dish of choice and I prefer hamachi. The sushi chefs tell amazing stories and lots of jokes and happy to cheer a toast or two with you and yours. The management team and the serving crew are professional and courteous always. Love this place read more

We love Ichiban!!!! No better service anywhere!! When our daughter visits From PA, Ichiban is on her list of "Things to Do while she is here!! read more

Oh my gosh this place was AMAZING!!! So good I forgot to take pictures to share. My family and I had Calamari, Sashimi Latina,Soft Shell Crab, Steak Teriyaki, Volcano Roll, sashimi, sweet shrimp, and an assortment of different sushi nigiri. Finished with strawberry mochi ice cream and kids had fried Oreos. HEAVEN. Everything looked and tasted GREAT! The place was very homey and peaceful. I nice place to bring family and friends. The service was top notch! I was blessed and honored in having the owner Masako and her husband Tom service us. They were SO friendly and made us feel just like family. Even though it was the first time meeting her, it feels like I've known her forever. Definitely will be coming back here again read more

We love Ichiban! We are always here every week for our date night. Always excellent food and service!

Excellent news. Ichiban has remained open and providing pickup orders during this pandemic. My wife and I ordered the two person family boat earlier this evening and can confidently report that there has been zero compromise in the food quality compared to dining in. If you can still afford to dine out, then small mom and pop restaurants such as this one deserve our continued support. read more

The food was amazing and the service even better! I order the chirashi bowl and bluefin tuna nigiri and everything was delicious. Memos was the absolute best server. This place was amazing and I'm definitely coming back for more! read more

The food is incredible, the service impeccable, and as my friend from Japan Daisuke-San said "it feels like a little piece of Japan in the US" ambiance is on point. Best sushi place in OC bar none. Get the Latina it's to die for read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - This man right here knows sushi and that's a stone cold fact, - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

We LOVE Ichiban. We have been coming here for 6 years. My kids (9 and 7) constantly ask to Dine here and for kids to ask for sushi is saying something! The food is great and always fresh. The couple that owns the restaurant are so very sweet and such wonderful hosts. They always greet us and include the kids in conversation. The chefs and servers are wonderful as well. Highly recommend! read more

This place not only has great quality food but the service is amazing!! The owners are the sweetest!! We've been coming here for years!!! I highly recommend this place, very delicious. Please let's support family owned businesses here is Brea. read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Thank you for always greeting us with a beautiful smile. - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

Nice family owned sushi resturant. I tried the vegan options and liked everything i tried. They also have tempura veggies.

Four generations of my family have been coming to the Ichiban Japanese Restaurant!!! I think my parents started coming here in the 1980's when they first opened. The owners, Masako and Tom are two of the nicest people anywhere and their Japanese Restaurant is definitely one of the best!!! Their Japanese food is very delicious and my wife and I can compare... we were stationed outside of Tokyo, Japan for many years while I was in the US Air Force. We ate at many of the best restaurants throughout Japan, so I know what's up. Coming to the Ichiban is like still being in Japan. The decor and the cleanliness are so reminiscent of that beautiful country. So please come and enjoy their "Oishii Gochiso" (Delicious Feast)!!! Dan Suzuki, Retired USAF and Vietnam Vet. (Susan, my beautiful Filipina wife) read more

Best sushi in town. Fresh and tasty. Got to try the Latina sashimi plate. They even have boats full of different types of temp and sushi. Greatly recommend. read more

How does a restaurant or any customer service stay in business for 35 years +?! Great service & a quality product. My son is always excited for sushi and although we have many choices around Brea, we wanted to return to Ichiban. They may have earned a life long loyal customer from him tonight. I know small business has it tough these days, so please support them first. Thank you for a great dinner & we hope to see you again very soon! read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Tobias handroll: salmon, tuna, cucumber, avocado & rice (no sesame) - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

The owners of this small and quaint restaurant are so friendly and pride themselves on clean and fresh sushi. The Latina Sashimi is to die for! A must have..Best sashimi ever and so flavorful. The sushi rolls are fresh and all so delicious. The staff is amazingly attentive. This is my fave sushi joint in so cal. Thanks Ichiban! Keep up the great work. read more

Been going here off and on for years. This isn't the sort of go to place we usually think of when going out to dinner. So when we're considering our dinner options and Ichiban comes up it's more like a treat we never think of than dinner. So we enjoy the ambiance, service is always excellent and attentive. Food comes out and it's "pretty". They arrange your plate to be fun. And anything we've ever had there is good. They have a lot of choices and we usually just get some kind of dinner plate, so I wouldn't say we've tried their many options. Go there, have a relaxing quiet meal where you can talk to your dinner guest. You'll leave full and happy. read more

Excellent Japanese food with a great value. I used to come 20 years ago and the owners are the same. I'll be back and we really enjoyed the friendly cozy atmosphere. You won't be disappointed! read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

Not one person working was wearing a mask. So if you're into that sort of thing this is your place. I think I heard some coughs from one of them too. They don't bother to space you out from other parties either. The food was decent. Edging on pricey but not unreasonable. Service was really great and friendly. Probably won't be back until after the pandemic is over. It was nice except the disregard for covid. read more

hi i don't post a lot on yelp but this place deserves proper recognition, the staff was so sweet! immediately we were greeted with welcoming faces :) i ordered the firecracker roll and though it was spicy i kept wanting more and more!! this place is a perfect date night spot or family gathering. 100% will come again when craving sushi read more

Food was good. A bit pricey but willing to pay for the service and quality sushi. A bit of a hidden gem. Udon was also really good.

Ichiban is my to go Japanese Restaurant place since the 1990s. We have celebrated birthdays, out of town guests and family events there. All who have gone have agreed that Ichiban's best items are there tempura, chicken karaage and their sushi. Masako, the owner, is fabulous and a gracious host. I present have moved closer to Ichiban, but before I would travel 30 miles to visit the restaurant. read more

Great food and great atmosphere. Staff is very nice especially the owners Tom and masako.

This is among one of the finest places in Orange County (or anywhere perhaps) that serves Japanese food consistently. The food and menu is fantastic, the service is great, and the restaurant is very comfortable and inviting. The sushi is always incredibly fresh and well-prepared, and the other menu selections are awesome. Perfectly-prepared tempura each and every time, along with the assorted other items on the menu have made this restaurant among my favorites for over a decade now, and I will keep going here for many years to come! I have NEVER had a bad meal here - it is always excellent. One of the best finds in Orange County, and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone wanting great Japanese food! read more

Came here today with my sister because of T-Mobile's Restaurant.com promotion. Spend more than $50 and get $25 off. Pretty good deal. We drove all the way from Santa Ana to get here. Cute little place located in the corner of a quiet plaza. Typical dimly lit sushi place. Not sure what to order because there were no pictures in the menu and not too many variety on Yelp either so we decided to go off of the popular item suggestions. 1st item we ordered is the Mt. Fuji roll. It was pretty spicy which I liked and I love the baked scallops. Aside from that I don't like anything else about it. A little mushy for my taste and the flavor wasn't anything special. Wouldn't order this again. 2nd item: sashimi Latina. This was okay. Decent portion and pretty okay flavor. 3rd item: seared halibut sashimi. Very zesty. A little too overpowering in terms of flavor. It was kicking my tongue in the ass lol. Too much. 4th item: butterfish. Wow. For $7.00 this portion was tiny! Flavor was okay. Not great. But it is so thin and literally 2 tiny pieces. The piece of salmon collar I get for a lunch combo at other sushi places is so much bigger in portion and costs way less. This was a regretful choice. 5th item: curry udon with extra beef. Flavoring was bland! It tasted like watered down curry. The texture of the soup is not very thick like curry should be. It was way too runny and loose. It was not to my liking but that's more of a personal preference. I probably wouldn't be coming back here. Pricier than most places but the quality is not there. Thank goodness for the T-mobile promotion so I only have to pay for half the bill. You get what you pay for I guess. read more

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Amazing food and a family friendly environment. Loved the entire experience of eating here. Memis was our server, he helped us pick out our appetizers and assured we had a great experience. I will definitely be coming back read more