Izakaya Osen is easily one of my favorite spots in OC for sushi and Japanese food. Everything I've tried here has been delicious, from the skewers to the sashimi platters and carpaccios. Everything is always super fresh, and the service is great. The portions are perfect for sharing but still feel generous. The sea bass kushiyaki literally melts in your mouth, and the prime beef kushiyaki was so tender. The blue crab uni bowl is also really fun because you get to make your own hand rolls. The cuts of sashimi are always really thick here too. Overall, you really can't go wrong with anything here. The interior is spacious and modern, making it perfect for a date night or girls' night out. They also have private rooms if you're coming with a larger group or celebrating something special. Definitely one of my go-to spots in OC when I'm craving Japanese food. Parking is easy in their paid structure -- just be sure to validate before you leave! read more

I came here for dinner with reservations on a weekday. They have both indoor and patio seating. The service was good, the servers would often check on us. I ordered a toro sushi roll, some nigiris (bluefin, salmon belly, toro, and scallop), and beef tantan udon to share. The fish was super fresh and the udon was surprisingly good. I would recommend this spot for a fancy lunch or dinner spot since it an upscale japanese restaurant. read more

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The experience was average. The sushi was okay, but nothing special in terms of freshness, taste, or presentation. The service was decent, but there is definitely room for improvement. The prices were a bit high considering the overall quality. Overall, it's an average sushi restaurant. Not a terrible experience, but not a place I would rush back to. read more

NEW FAVORITE SUSHI RESTAURANT OF ALL TIME!! I've had this on my bucket list for awhile and my friend finally took me for my birthday. I can't begin to emphasize how flavorful and fresh the food is. ORDER: - Sea bass & beef tongue skewers - so soft & tender, I'm not even a skewer person but this has me craving them - Miso crab salmon roll - surprisingly very yummy for no rice, our favorite dish - Omakase bowl - popular for a reason, love the DIY aspect and the combo of salmon + toro - Amato special - complimentary bday dessert, you haven't lived until you've tried pandan honeycomb cake AMBIANCE & SERVICE : - Quality service, friendly staff, free parking in the structure with 2-3 hour validation - Ample seating, private rooms reserved for bigger parties, great for special occasions & dates If this were more in my tax bracket, I'd probably visit every month. Safe to say I'll be making the trip back soon! If you're doubting whether to come here, just know it's 1000% worth it!! read more

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We're backkkkkkkkk! We came here on a whim for our second dinner of the night, and we were happy as clams. The drinks were incredible- I will never forget my yuzu mocktail, and the miso soups were so hearty. We got an omakase bowl and a noodle bowl with fresh fish. The service was phenomenal and everyone worked together to provide 10/10 for the guests. The ambiance was sexy- even though it was busy, everyone was professional and it was run very well. read more

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We're backkkkk!! And this time we decided to treat ourselves and ordered the course set menu! As always, this did not disappoint! Loved everything on the set! Service is always amazing. Chef even offered us torigai to try! Hands down, my favorite sushi restaurant ever! Would recommend this place to anyone! read more

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- easy to make reservations on yelp - very nice ambiance and layout, restrooms clean - great for date night, girls night, they do also have more private rooms too - bar seating available - great service, everything came out quick and staff was friendly and helpful 1. Osen Roll 4/5 - perfect combo of 3 fish cuts - avocado and the white sauce added nice creaminess, sauce was super rich yet citrus 2. Skewers - Chicken gizzard 5/5 - Prime beef 5/5, my favorite skewer so gooood and tender - Beef tongue 4/5 3. Spicy tuna hand roll 3/5 4. Soft shell crab 5/5 - so delicious with their sweet sauce 5. Toro sashimi 5/5 - no notes, perfectly buttery melts in your mouth 6. Toro Uni 5/5 - also perfectly buttery melts in your mouth 7. Pork Short Rib 2/5 - tender meat but very very sweet, not my preference for short rib as I usually have it more savory 8. Chili mango drink 2/5 - very strong, not much mango flavor to it either 9. Halibut 5/5 - star of the night, soooooo good with the char 10. Matcha ice cream 5/5 + mochi cake 3/5 read more

Osen Izakaya has quickly become one of our favorite Japanese spots in Irvine! When me and my husband first started dating, we were fans of their LA location for years, so having one closer to home is definitely a win. The host and servers were super friendly, always came by to check on our table, and made sure they answered any questions we had about their menu. We ordered a little bit of everything. Spicy tuna on crispy rice, uni scallop carpaccio, premium sushi hachi mori, omakase bowl, toro roll, sea bass kushiyaki, and prime beef kushiyaki. Honestly, there wasn't a single bad dish. The sushi was incredibly fresh, and the premium sushi hachi mori was such a beautiful spread and perfect if you want to try a variety of fish. The uni scallop carpaccio was delicate, buttery, and probably one of my favorites of the meal. The spicy tuna crispy rice is always a solid choice, and the toro roll basically melted in your mouth. OH! The kushiyaki!! Don't skip on that! They had 7 choices. We picked the sea bass (tender and flavorful) and the prime beef (juicy and cooked perfectly) Everything tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared, and the quality really comes through. The atmosphere is great for a date night, but still casual enough to come in whenever you're craving really good Japanese food. Definitely recommend Osen Izakaya Irvine if you love sushi and Japanese food. I've been back her for a few birthday celebrations, including my own. Note: I will say if you came here a few years ago when they first started out, please come back. Like all restaurants starting out, they are going to have a few hiccups while they figure things out. A lot of the older reviews I've seen mentioned that the food was solid, but the service missed the mark. If that was your experience back then, I genuinely think it's worth coming back because they've improved SO much. Highly recommend you give them another shot :) read more

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Great ambience! You do have to get parking validated! Came a little bit late so the staff informed us it would be a slightly rushed omakase with everything come out quickly but we were fine with it! Did their omakase menu which was different to me compared to other spots as it's usually sushi pieces forward but thoroughly enjoyed it One of my fav courses was the chawanmushi with a spicy mentaiko on it! Super flavorful and a great mix of flavors Uni scallop foe gra tasted super luxurious and a treat Pasta was a great mix of garlic butter I did wish there were more popular sushi pieces but I understand this is an izakaya rather than a sushi spot so definitely hits all those spots read more

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We visited IZAKAYA OSEN over the weekend to celebrate my daughter's birthday. We made our reservation three days in advance and were seated immediately upon arrival. I really loved the private dining room with the beautiful bonsai tree as the backdrop. It created a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere, and the room gave us plenty of privacy to enjoy our celebration together. The food quality was outstanding. We ordered the Premium Chirashi ($80), which was incredibly fresh and absolutely excellent. The Seared Scallop ($31) was perfectly prepared and delicious. The Tuna Pringles ($17) were both fun and flavorful, with crispy wonton skin adding a great texture. The A5 Wagyu Beef ($70) was premium quality and exceptionally tender. We also enjoyed the Salmon Skin Salad ($20), as well as the King Salmon Sushi ($28) and Hokkaido Scallop Sushi ($27), both of which were fresh and delicious. For dessert, we had the Amato Special Black Sesame Ice Cream ($15), which was unique, rich, and a perfect way to end the meal. The service was excellent from start to finish. Our servers were professional, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcomed throughout our visit. We even had a fun conversation with one of our waiters about the World Cup matches, which made the experience even more enjoyable and personal. It's those little interactions that made us feel like valued guests rather than just customers. IZAKAYA OSEN truly delivers a high-end dining experience with exceptional food, beautiful ambiance, and outstanding service. We had a wonderful birthday lunch, and I will definitely recommend this restaurant to my friends and look forward to visiting again. read more

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We came to Izakaya Osen to celebrate a birthday and had such a great dinner! We ordered a little bit of everything, including the oysters, soft shell crab, Yuzu Kanpaccio with caviar, Premium Sashimi Hachi Mori, Blue Crab Uni Bowl, Silver Lake Maki, and the sea bass and pork belly kushiyaki. Everything tasted super fresh, and I loved the variety of sashimi, uni, crispy soft shell crab, and grilled skewers. The Blue Crab Uni Bowl was one of my favorites of the night. Great spot for a birthday dinner or a night out when you want to order a bunch of dishes for the table and share! read more

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There are a few good options for vegans here. Eggplant appetizer tasted better than it looks. Wasn't mushy. Wasn't difficult to eat. The flavor and texture was good. The vegan roll was filling but not super flavorful but it is perfect for vegans especially those who don't eat onion and garlic. Appreciate that it's not just a simple cucumber or avocado roll. It's packed with more protein and that's what I loved about it. Ume & S hand roll was different but I actually liked it! Even with a reservation, had to wait a bit but it was chill. Nice play to enjoy good sushi. read more

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Wow really nice place for japanese cuisine! I tried some skewers and the chicken hotplate. The prime beef skewer was my favorite! The meat was tender, had a nice balanced buttery taste that wasnt too heavy, and was cooked at just the right level of done-ness. The seasoning was just right. The bacon wrapped shrimp skewer was great as well. The shrimp was succulent and it already comes with the shell peeled which was very nice haha. The bacon on the outside had some nice crispy bits to it which added some fun textures to the skewer. Very yummy. The pork belly skewer was good too! Not as good as the other skewers I tried though. As for the chicken hotplate, it was really good! The chicken was grilled perfectly and the meat was very tender. The skin on the outside is grilled such that it's crispy, so that added some nice char flavor and texture. The arugula added some nice brightness to the dish. The lighter colored sauce had a sweet and tangy flavor to it, whereas the darker colored sauce had a sweet soy sauce flavor to it. Reminded me a lot of teriyaki sauce, but in a good way! It comes with a side of white rice and the rice was cooked perfectly. Overall a nice spot to go to for a special occasion. The ambience felt modern, clean, and kind of fancy. Seemed very upscale to me. The service was great. Our server was attentive to us and they took really good care of us. If I ever come back, I definitely want to try their nabe hot pot dishes. read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Prime beef skewer, pork belly skewer, bacon wrapped shrimp - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had such a great experience at Izakaya Osen in Irvine! Everything we ordered was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. The favorite is definitely the scallop with uni. Only minor tweak would be less rice for the omakase bowl. Can't wait to be back! read more

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I only pretty much come here once a year. I choose this place on my birthday every year. This year we celebrated on July 4, and it wasn't super crowded to begin. These are the items we ordered again some of my favorites since I only enjoy it once a year. They missed my salmon miso with blue crab, and I had to ask for it three times. By the end, we never got it and they ended up serving it to us anyway and took it off the bill. They even gave us the free calamari and a free dessert to make it up. I was already writing this review in my head prior to them doing this, but they showed up and came through and this is the level of service that I can always appreciate. I know we're not always Perfect and Service related industry can be tricky at times. But this is how you make it up to your customers. Again, still a fan favorite! As usual, the meal was delicious. No complaints. Everything is impeccably placed onto the dish with all the wonderful taste, aroma's and aesthetic. read more

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Today felt like a day to go enjoy myself so I decided I wanted to go to this particular restaurant. I've been here with big groups and decided to go on a little solo date. I came nearly at opening and sat at the bar area. The restaurant itself has indoor and outdoor seating plus a sushi bar as well. I've never sat at the bar but decided to since it was just me. Menus come on their iPad or they also have specials for the day on paper. I decided on the omakase bowl and wasn't sure if my appetite was big enough for anything else. The omakase bowl was delicious and came with seaweed paper to make your own little hand rolls. I also treated myself to a lychee martini and it was not too sweet which I liked! My bar server was Hailey and she was super sweet. We talked about her dog and plans for World Cup weekend. Was nice to have a conversation going especially when you're solo. This place is one of my go to places for good sushi and drinks. Unfortunately I got full fast and didn't get to order anything else on the menu but was also given complimentary shishito peppers! It was the second nice gesture I received today and it really made my day. Whether you're solo, date night or in a group setting, this place is always a vibe. read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Omakase bowl, shishito peppers and lychee martini - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here with my sister on a Wednesday afternoon and everything was so fresh! You could really taste the freshness of the sushi. Our favorite was definitely the spicy tuna... it was the perfect choice if you're looking to switch things up. The prime beef was also so delicious! A special shoutout to Philip, who welcomed us and showed us to our room. He was super nice, chill, and made us feel comfortable from the moment we walked in. Thanks, Philip! I hope you continue sharing that same welcoming energy with everyone who visits. We had such a great experience! review video coming soon onIG @povangelaa read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Located on the corner of Main St and Gillette in Irvine. Cool vibe inside and very good service. We celebrated a friend's work accomplishment. Excellent cold sake! Ordered a bunch of rolls and nigiri. The presentation and the quality of the fish was great! They will validate your parking. A bit expensive but a great place to enjoy with friends so you can share. It is definitely worth returning again! read more

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I loved: Toro Unagi Bowl Premium Chirashi I really liked: Omakase Bowl Beef Tongue Futomaki I liked: Matcha Cake W/ Matcha Ice Cream Izakaya Osen was a really good time and the Toro Unagi Bowl was easily the standout. The unagi is super flavorful and really puts the whole bowl over the top. I also love that the bowls come with seaweed nori so you can make your own mini hand rolls. The Omakase Bowl was almost as good as the Toro Unagi Bowl and came with both organic seaweed nori and regular seaweed nori, which made it fun to try more variety. Some of the fish had a stronger flavor profile, so it may be a little picky depending on what you like, but overall still great. The Premium Chirashi comes with 16 to 20 different pieces of fish and the quality was excellent across the board. My favorites were the salmon and bluefin tuna. It's definitely good to share with two people. My only slight knock is that the fish was so good that the rice felt a little lacking in comparison. It was still good, but I don't think it quite did the fish justice. The Beef Tongue was thick and chewy in a good way with excellent flavor. It's pretty lean, but has just enough fattiness to make it taste divine. The Futomaki was a large roll that tasted very refreshing and clean. The matcha cake with matcha ice cream was also good, and they were nice enough to give it to us for the birthday we were celebrating. We ordered so much that we had a full bento box of leftovers after, which I was very happy about. Service was pretty standard in a good way. Everyone was helpful but not overly in the way, which I always appreciate. I also liked that they came over to ask us about validation without us having to bring it up. The restaurant itself is very clean and well decorated. It's a great spot for pictures and has a nice atmosphere for a birthday dinner or just a nicer Japanese meal in Irvine. Overall, I'd definitely come back, especially for that Toro Unagi Bowl. read more

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I was so excited to receive an invitation to try their tasting menu and try a few new dishes here. The restaurant has an easy to access parking structure and they provide validation which is great. You can sit at the sushi bar, a table or event a private room. It's a nice space without being too fancy. The service was friendly and food came out very fast. My water came with something floating in it and when I asked for it to be replaced, they handled it promptly. The crispy tuna was bigger than expected! The omakase bowl with a mix of fish where you can make your own handroll was unique. My favorites were the sea bass and chicken kushiyaki, so good. We tried the 8pc sushi hachi mori and I liked the seared salmon with truffle best, the others were ok. My friend loved the toro roll. read more

Got here at 5pm with reservations. Already 3 groups of ppl here There's small segments rooms for privacy Restaurants has a modern clean look. BUT Bathroom was not check up and stocked up. :-/ really messy and lacked supplies Food was fresh but the veggie in tempura was tough :''-(. Tempura mix is small portion too I had sushi chirasa set. And hamachi sashimi, soft shell crab, chicken karrage, tempura mix Service fast but I'm here at 5pm Miso soup was too salty Everything else was awesome read more

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Came here for dinner for the first time and was pretty excited to try it. Unfortunately, the experience didn't quite live up to our expectations. When we arrived, the hostess took us to the outdoor seating area. It was over 80 degrees and extremely hot, so I asked if we could sit inside, especially since I had made a reservation. She told me that outdoor seating was the only option available and responded with a bit of an attitude, saying that having a reservation doesn't mean you get indoor seating. I understand that indoor seating may not always be guaranteed, but the way it was communicated could have been much more welcoming. We sat outside for a while, but because of the heat, I eventually asked our waiter if we could move inside. He was very nice and accommodating and was able to move us to seats at the bar, which we really appreciated. As for the food, the yakitori was good. The spicy tuna crispy rice and toro roll I would probably skip next time. The chirashi bowl and omakase bowl were decent. One other thing to watch for is the gratuity suggestion on the check. I noticed two different amounts, and it appeared that one calculation included tax while the other did not, so I would recommend looking carefully before selecting the tip amount. The restaurant was quite busy, which I understand, but throughout most of our meal, nobody came by to check on us, refill our water, or ask how everything was. It wasn't until toward the end of the meal that a manager, who may have noticed me staring at the ceiling finally came over to check on us. Other than that, there was very little attention from the staff. For a restaurant at this price point, I definitely expected a higher level of service and attentiveness. The overall experience left us disappointed. Probably won't be coming back. read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Gratuity on the left is higher than the gratuity on the right. For a voluntary tip is generally not subject to sales tax. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Excellent ambiance and food. Food was high quality and service was great. Still thinking of that A5 Wagyu read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - A5 Wagyu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

We made a reservation for Friday night 7pm and there was quite a lot of people already for an Izakaya joint! Although, it's funny everyone mainly comes for the sushi rather than the izakaya food. Love the interior! Modern, sleek, and minimalistic. The restaurant was a lot bigger than I thought since there's patio seating. Parking here is shared with a business complex, which they offer your 2 hr free with validation. If over, it would have been $1.50 per 15 minutes (from what I remembered). Service was also friendly and efficient! We got to order the rock shrimp tempura, omakase bowl, miso crab salmon, maguro kajime, and the soy garlic edamame. Orders came out pretty quickly! We actually got the rock shrimp tempura first, which this one was pretty nice for the first few bites. Then it was me realizing that the batter was really hard, which I feel like this should be called rock hard shrimp haha. The flavors were good though! The soy garlic edamame came next, which this one was really nice! The soy garlic gives it a nice sweet touch. They also give a good amount. Then came the maguro kajime, this one was really good! Fish was really fresh and everything was so soft. Then came the miso crab salmon, this one was my favorite! Flavors tasted really good fused together, also very soft and fresh! The omakase bowl came last, which definitely was pretty nice. Everything was really fresh and it was nice they offer you seaweed so you can make your little hand rolls with it. The sea trumpet seaweed was really unique, although, I wasn't really a big fan of it after having so much it because it's tasted very oceanic. Actually, the whole omakase bowl tasted really oceanic, which is pretty nice, but personally for me it was too much haha. Everything was really good though! My least favorite may be the rock shrimp tempura, but my favorite was the miso crab salmon. read more

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The food here is pretty good. I ordered the white miso salmon from the hot plate menu but I think the waitress misheard me and I got white crab with salmon sushi which was $30. It was delish though so I didn't mind haha. The same lady was very kind and attentive and kept replacing my tea to ensure it was always hot :) My only complaint is that the waiters in the suits were lurking a bit It felt awkward and uncomfortable with how close they would stand to the table sometimes. I don't think they meant any harm by it at all, but it was something my friend noticed as well that caught us a bit off guard. The menu on the tablet was a bit silly too since sometimes we would hit the home button by accident and have to look for the menu again in the apps. I think the menu situation could be improved upon. Overall, I really appreciated the female staff being very attentive and welcoming. Food is yummy, but I don't know if I would visit again anytime soon. read more

Found my new favorite sushi spot in Costa Mesa. We did the $100 Mother's Day omakase and I was blown away by the value. Every course was delicious and the fish quality was top-tier. Beyond the freshness, I loved the creative touches--they clearly put a lot of thought into the garnishes and sauces. The service was attentive, and the restaurant has a great energy. For $100, this felt like a steal compared to other high-end omakase spots in OC. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and beautifully presented. read more

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We had been searching for the perfect place to celebrate my daughter's birthday lunch, and since she loves Japanese cuisine, we had our eyes set on Izakaya Osen for quite some time. We scheduled our lunch on the same day as the FIFA World Cup Bronze Medal match, making it an even more memorable afternoon. The restaurant has a modern Japanese atmosphere with several small private dining rooms, a large bar-style seating area, and an open sushi counter. Each private room is separated by traditional Japanese-style sliding panel walls, giving guests a comfortable sense of privacy. Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly and quickly escorted to one of the center private rooms, which overlooked a beautiful shared display of bonsai trees. In my opinion, we were seated in the best private room in the restaurant. The peaceful setting and elegant décor made it feel like the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion. For our birthday lunch, we ordered the following dishes: Salmon Skin Salad - (Excellent) Crispy salmon skin served over a fresh salad with a light dressing. A refreshing way to start the meal with a nice contrast of textures. Tuna Pringles - (Great) Crispy potato chips topped with seasoned tuna. A fun and creative appetizer that combines crunchy and creamy in every bite. Seared Scallop - (Excellent) Beautifully seared scallops with a lightly caramelized exterior while remaining tender and buttery inside. Premium Chirashi - (Excellent) An assorted sashimi bowl featuring a generous selection of premium fresh seafood over sushi rice. Great variety and beautifully presented. A5 Wagyu Beef (GF) - (Excellent) Rich, buttery A5 Wagyu that literally melts in your mouth. A must-order for beef lovers. King Salmon Sushi (4 pcs) - (Excellent) Thick-cut king salmon with rich flavor and buttery texture. Fresh and satisfying. Hokkaido Scallop Sushi (4 pcs) - (Wonderful) Sweet, tender Hokkaido scallops with a delicate texture that practically melts in your mouth. Miso Soup (3 bowls) - (Excellent) Warm and comforting traditional miso soup served before the main courses. It wasn't an ordinary miso soup, I feel like the base of the soup has a strong seafood flavor which made it even more enjoyable. Hot Green Tea - (Good) A classic hot green tea that paired nicely with the sushi and sashimi throughout the meal. Amato Special Black Sesame Ice Cream (Black Sesame Ice Cream, Dry Persimmons with cream cheese, and Matcha cake- (Excellent) A rich and creamy black sesame ice cream with deep roasted sesame flavor perfect to finish off a sashimi meal. It also comes with Dry persimmons filled with cream cheese which is not too sweet and the two ingredients go so well together. I love the match mochi cake that can pair well with the black sesame ice cream. Birthday Matcha Cake - (Complimentary) A thoughtful birthday surprise from the restaurant that made the celebration even more memorable. It is topped with matcha ice cream with matcha mochi cake underneath. Overall, Izakaya Osen exceeded our expectations and delivered one of the best Japanese dining experiences we've had in Orange County. Every dish was beautifully presented and prepared with high-quality ingredients, from the incredibly fresh sashimi to the melt-in-your-mouth A5 Wagyu and Hokkaido Scallop Sushi. The unique appetizers, flavorful seafood-based miso soup, and outstanding desserts made the meal even more memorable. Combined with the elegant private dining room, peaceful atmosphere, and attentive service, it was the perfect place to celebrate my daughter's birthday. The complimentary birthday matcha cake was a thoughtful finishing touch that made the occasion feel even more special. We already have several more dishes on our list to try next time, and we'll definitely be returning. Izakaya Osen easily earns a well-deserved 5-star rating from us. read more

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Location is easy access from the freeway. The ambience is beautiful and very clean. The staff were all nice, friendly, and accommodating. The sushi nigiri and roll quality were great . The cooked appetizers were done perfectly. The soft shell crab was crunchy and flavorful. The albacore with crispy onions and the shishito peppers were nicely prepared. The izakaya skewers were also so delicious. Definitely a must if you're in the area. read more

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We celebrated a joint birthday with the $150 dinner omakase. The staff was gracious enough to give us a private room (first come first served). In particular our server Rin was stellar; she graciously noted down all of our various dietary restrictions (including a toddler's palate, various diet and alcohol allergies, and breastfeeding restrictions). The star of the omakase show is the sushi plate. So tasty and beautiful. Next time we come here we plan to try their sushi a la carte! I will note that the simple upon we ordered for our toddler was on the sour side, which may not be suitable for kids. The private rooms are lovely and not too loud. It was a wonderful and memorable birthday celebration. Thank you RIN! We will be back. read more

Izakaya Osen in Irvine is my go-to spot to kick off my Disneyland vacations. The reservation system on Yelp makes it easy to book a table and the parking validation makes parking a non-issue. The ambience is pretty cozy. We've sat at the sushi bar and it was cool watching the sushi chefs assemble rolls and nigiri. The tables offer more space for food and the patio has heat lamps so seating outside isn't an issue. There's small private rooms for larger parties that looked great. I'm not a big omakase/nigiri fan so I stick to the rolls and appetizers but my friend frequently orders the raw fish. My go-tos are either the Fresh Roll (if I want something lighter) or the Rainbow Roll. For appetizers, the tuna pringles are good but a bit pricey. The only dish I've tried and wasn't a big fan of is the Japanese Rib-Eye Steak Tobanyaki (sauce was too sweet and the steak was a little overcooked). Service is always pleasant. This last visit, our waitress (unfortunately I forgot her name!) was particularly awesome. When my friend asked her about the 6 piece omakase, she admitted that she normally doesn't recommend that people order it because of the portion size. We appreciated her honesty and her recommendations. We decided to try the pork belly kushiyaki per her suggestion (it was delicious) and my friend went with the 8 piece omakase (it ended up being the perfect amount). The food came out at a nice pace though there was a bit of a wait for the omakase (we were told ahead of time that it would be around a 20 minute wait). Everything tasted great and the waitress even threw in a free matcha cake dessert since "she was feeling nice." I would recommend this place to anyone who wants a nice dinner and fresh, high quality sushi. This was my third visit and I'll continue to support this establishment. I'll have to be more strategic to make sure I'm hungry enough to order their hot pot rice bowls next! read more

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Had a fantastic experience here! We started with half a dozen oysters, and they were incredibly fresh and clean. For the kushiyaki, we ordered the beef tongue, prime beef, chicken gizzard, and bacon enoki mushroom skewers. Every skewer was packed with flavor. The prime beef was especially tender. For sushi, we tried the Blue Crab Uni Bowl and the Premium Sushi Hachi Mori (8 pieces). While the sushi was excellent, the standout for me was definitely the Blue Crab Uni Bowl. It felt like a DIY hand roll experience. The restaurant itself is beautiful, spacious, and has a great atmosphere. There's a parking structure available, and the restaurant validates parking, which makes visiting even more convenient. Overall, everything from the food to the ambiance was outstanding. Service was amazing during dinner rush. I would definitely come back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for great sushi and kushiyaki! read more

I came here with family for my birthday and I have to say the food, service, and ambiance were all top notch. First of all, we got seated in a private room with lovely interior design and our server was extremely welcoming. They helped us navigate the menu and gave their own suggestions of what we might like. They even provided us with real fresh wasabi upon request! Later on when our servers were switched, the second server was also very attentive, checking in on us and making light small talk. We ordered a variety of dishes, including the tuna pringles, wagyu, salmon skin salad, and a variety of nigiri. However, I have to say the premium chirashi was the star of the show. All the fish was high quality and fresh. You could really taste the natural flavors present in each cut. You could also tell there was time taken to make the sushi rice and it all paired extremely well with the fresh wasabi. I was very delighted with the entire experience and I highly recommend this to those looking for the next food adventure! read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Elevated sushi dining experience. Got an order of the chicken karaage and garlic edamame. Server came by with on the house miso soup. We ordered shared a premium chirashi for our main dish. Fish was fresh. Would recommend. read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Premium chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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We went to Izakaya Osen with another family while we were in town for a tournament, and we really enjoyed our experience. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and was a perfect place to relax and enjoy dinner after a long day. Everything we ordered was very fresh and beautifully prepared. The sushi was especially good, and there were plenty of options for everyone at the table to share and try. The staff was friendly, attentive, and provided great service throughout our meal. It is definitely on the more expensive side, especially when dining with a larger group, but the quality and freshness of the food were excellent. Overall, we had a wonderful dinner read more

This hidden gem offers a modern take on the traditional izakaya, featuring beautifully crafted sushi, fresh sashimi, and elevated Japanese dishes . Our favorite was the omakase-style nigiri, where every piece featured its own unique flavor profile, from truffle to yuzu and other creative toppings . The fish was incredibly fresh, and every nigiri was presented so beautifully ! We also highly recommend ordering the toro & uni bowl to make your own handrolls ! Their team provided an excellent level of service, as well as creating the perfect dining ambiance! read more

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Was able to return to another one of my favorite sushi spots for OC restaurant week. They had a special 8 course menu for $150 that looked too good not to try. It did not disappoint. The premium sashimi and nigiri course were outstanding. They have the fresh grated wasabi if you need it but honestly, the fish stood out by itself. Loved the ankimo/uni/scallop with truffle too. They were busy on this Friday night but it gave the ambiance a good energy. They also gave us a fried calamari to apologize for one of our courses running behind. Wasn't necessary but it was delicious. Servers were efficient read more

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OMG Hands down the best sushi I've had in OC! I've had this place bookmarked for years and finally got the opportunity to go -- it did not disappoint. We came on a Sunday for lunch and there was no wait. The restaurant itself had ambient and dim lighting. The fish here is so fresh and the flavors of each dish melded perfectly together. The seasoning on the rice was so good too, it had the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and saltiness. And the temperature of the rice paired well with the raw fish. Every dish we had was 10/10 and I would 100% come back!! It is totally worth the price. This might be my favorite restaurant in OC now! What we ordered: - Osen roll - Miso crab salmon - Omakase bowl - Premium chirashi read more

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This was my first time trying this sushi spot, and I was a little unsure at first, but I'm glad I gave it a try. I came in for dinner and was told the wait would be about 20 minutes, so I sat at the bar and ordered a quick appetizer and a beer. The bartender, Steeve, was great. He explained how everything works and recommended some popular items on the menu. The service was excellent, and the atmosphere is quiet with a nice, dim setting. I will definitely be back read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Cool bartender - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Delicious delicious sushi bowls. Their fish is SUPER fresh and fairly priced. Got both the Toro Uni bowl and Uni Sashimi on the side, my friend got the ebi uni bowl. Both were fantastic! The uni sashimi portions were much more generous than I expected, especially for the price. Service is friendly and receptive even when they were busy. Ambience is a bit low lit and slightly upscale, definitely good for dates. Been to a lot of sushi places in Irvine and OC, and this definitely definitely ranks up there. Don't forget to get your parking verified! read more

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Came here cause I was craving skewers and wanted to try a new place. The cuts of meat were pretty big, but I thought the overall yakitori skewers were bland and a bit dry. The soft shell crab was crispy and cooked well. It didn't come with the typical ponzu sauce, which I think is better. The rock shrimp had extra crunchy bits to mimicking rock texture I think, I would thought it would taste better with more sauce. Flavor was great just not enough. Service was okay, but they're busy. And it's a pretty casual spot to hang out with friends. Kind of small restaurant so better to booked ahead online just in case. Parking lot is small, so might take sometime to find street parking on a weekend. read more

IZAKAYA OSEN - Beef tongue - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California