I recently tried the To-Go Rice Sandwich, and I really enjoyed it! I also dine at the restaurant regularly, and the food is always delicious. The rice sandwich reminded me of a Japanese rice ball, making it easy and enjoyable to eat. The French fries were generous in portion, crispy, and perfectly cooked. I also loved that I could eat it without getting my hands messy. I'll definitely be ordering it again on my next visit! read more

Izakaya Takasei - Sausage egg san-rice - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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We are so proud to have an authentic Japanese restaurant like Izakaya Takasei right here in our community! I'm a huge advocate for supporting local businesses, and Takasei is absolutely deserving of it. From the moment you walk in, the servers always make us feel welcomed and appreciated. They have, hands down, one of the best sake selections in Huntington Beach, and I love that their menu continuously evolves with the seasons. Everything feels thoughtfully selected, fresh, and authentic. We've eaten at just about every Japanese restaurant you can imagine throughout Orange County, and I can honestly say that Izakaya Takasei is consistently exceptional when it comes to freshness, quality, authenticity, and service. If you're looking for a true Japanese dining experience and want to support a local business, I 100% vouch for Takasei! We're lucky to have them in our community and will continue to support them. read more

Clean, spacious restaurant good for intimate and larger parties. Love their tamago tempura! Very flavorful and crisp. Spicy edamame was also a treat of an appetizer. For yakitori the chicken breast with yuzu kosho was our favorite - juicy and well seasoned. Lots of drink options and we enjoyed the spicy ginger chu-hi and sour shikuwasa chu-hi. Everything came out quickly and service was attentive. read more

That adds an important point: you actually left hungry after spending $260, which makes the value issue much more concrete. I'd also sharpen the food assessment from "reasonably good" to "average/decent but nothing exceptional." That seems closer to what you're actually saying. We used to go to the old Fullerton location, so we were curious to try the new, smaller Huntington Beach location after they relocated. Unfortunately, the economics of this place just don't make sense to me anymore. The prices have gone up considerably, but the quality hasn't. The food was decent, but essentially the same average-to-good izakaya food we remember from Fullerton. Nothing we had was bad, but nothing was particularly exceptional either. At these prices, I think it's reasonable to expect either a noticeable jump in quality or portions that are commensurate with what you're paying. We got neither. In fact, some of the portions felt remarkably small for the price. Our bill came to around $260 for two adults and two kids. We didn't order an extravagant amount of food or go crazy with drinks, and somehow we still left hungry. That's the part I really can't get past. We eat at izakayas fairly regularly, so I'm familiar with this style of dining and understand that ordering a bunch of smaller dishes can add up quickly. This was well beyond that. The service, to be fair, was good. No complaints there. And again, the food wasn't bad. It's simply very difficult to justify these prices for food of this quality and portion size. I understand restaurants have gotten more expensive, and I'm willing to spend money on a great meal. But if a family of four can spend $260 on fairly average izakaya food and walk out still hungry, something is seriously out of balance. Sadly, I don't see us going back. read more

Although we had originally planned on knocking off one of the many places on my list of Yelp bookmarks to try, even I couldn't be upset when we pivoted to coming to check out Izakaya Takasei instead. They may have popped up tangentially as we perused the options that were around, but the photos of their food looked too good to resist! Now, I don't know if it's the aesthetic they're going for or if it's because they were still somewhat new when we came here (we came shortly after their soft opening), but I was surprised by how empty the place felt. Still, they have it where it counts the most - the menu. Despite not being quite as extensive as some of the other izakayas I've been to, it has far more than just the basics to offer. Alongside a terrific slate of skewers, featuring a range of meats, seafood, and vegetables with a variety of seasonings, they also have an awesome selection of izakaya staples, like karaage, hamachi kama, salmon kama, chawanmushi, gyutan stew, oysters, and sashimi, among so many other things. Of course, that's not even including their many beer, sake, shochu, plum wines, and chu-hai drink options. -- CHAWANMUSHI - Savory Steamed Egg Custard I was pretty hopeful for this one and it actually didn't disappoint. The consistency of the egg custard was silky smooth and I liked how there was a good mix of fresh seafood at the bottom. Plus, the broth was delicate yet quite flavorful. -- JIDORI KARAAGE (SALT) - Free-Range Chicken Karaage with Salt Seasoning This was great! The batter was crispy and the chicken itself was really moist. Plus, every piece was so big and not all that oily either. -- GRILLED SATSUMA-AGE - Japanese Fish Cake, Grilled and Served with Yuzu Kosho Tartar Sauce Along with the Jidori Karaage, this was the perfect snack to go with our drinks. The fish cakes were crispy with just a touch of smokiness that was complemented well by the tartar sauce. -- HAMACHI KAMA - Grilled Hamachi Collar We actually ordered Salmon Kama, but they were out and had this instead, which wasn't listed. Not the worst turn of events, as this was easily my favorite thing here. For one, the portion was quite generous, but it was also so flavorful and succulent. Delicious! -- CHICKEN HEART SKEWER Pretty solid, all in all. Each heart was meaty and cooked perfectly, as they each had a nice chew to it. -- BUTTER SOY SCALLOP SKEWER Love how the butter soy reinforced the richness of the scallops and, more importantly, how they left the mantle/skirt still attached, which added even more of a briny flavor that I loved. -- ASPARAGUS BACON SKEWER Aside from how I wish the cut of bacon had been a little thicker (and crispier), this was pretty solid. The bacon added a nice porky flavor and the asparagus was really well cooked. -- GARLIC SHRIMP SKEWER Perhaps my least favorite skewer, though still not bad. For me, I just wish the shrimp had a bit more char on the edges and a stronger hit of garlic. -- PRIME BEEF SKEWER Even with minimal seasoning, this was so flavorful, as it really allowed its tender beefiness and slight bit of char to really shine through. -- QUAIL EGG SKEWER This was pretty simple, but it was so much more than just a cooked quail egg on a skewer. Rather, I love how these had a smokiness to them, which made the flavors a bit more interesting. -- PORK BELLY WITH MISO BUTTER SHICHIMI SKEWER Even though the miso better was a bit on the subtle side, it paired so well with the pork belly, which was meaty and not super fatty. -- KOBE BEEF WITH FRESH WASABI SKEWER Of the skewers, this just might have been my favorite. The Kobe Beef was oh so tender and had a nice bit of richness to it that was cut nicely by the fresh wasabi. SO GOOD! -- LAMB CHOP SKEWER The size of this was pretty modest, even for an izakaya joint, but I liked how juicy the chop was and how the lamb didn't taste the least bit gamey. As far as service goes, the workers were all relatively nice and happily offered suggestions and answered our questions. That being said, it also felt a little awkward at times, like how they ended up coming back multiple times well after we had ordered to tell us they had run out of things, which was weird since we weren't here that late. Also, one guy was just awkward in general, as he came back to see if we needed anything just a few minutes after we had ordered another beer that he hadn't brought out yet. Service quirks aside, I can easily see why Izakaya Takasei is such a popular new joint in Huntington Beach. If I could, FOUR AND A HALF STARS would be perfect, but rounded down for forgetting to remove one of the dishes that they were out of from our bill, which we ended up paying for (we didn't catch it when it came time to pay), and for also giving me the wrong beer (which still tasted okay, thankfully). read more

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The gindara miso is my favorite here. Ive tried this dish at multiple places but its the best here. Very saddened to find out they had move location. And it has been industrialized, the charm of the original location made it very cozy and represented the ambiance of izakaya especially with the choice of sitting in the tatami mat area. read more

We are back and brought my japanese born mom and sushi loving step dad. As last time, it was excellent. This time we had the salmon set, sashimi set, sukyaki, asst yakitori, premium sashimi and chirashi. 3 sake flights chosen by the attentiveness team. The vibe is minimalistic and clean. We hope they get busier! (But not too busy ) read more

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This place is a hidden gem! So glad they moved from Fullerton to HB! Food: Amazing! We ordered almost everything on the menu and didn't find anything we didn't like. They also sell bottles of Saki. Which is a plus. Service: Fantastic! Very attentive and kind. They also give you a hand towel to wipe your hands before you you eat. Cleanliness is a must! Ambiance: the decor and seating arrangements were simple and tasteful. Definitely coming back and recommend! read more

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Quiet and calm spot with only a few tables tucked into a corner in HB. The service was fast and they were really kind, and the food was tasty, but nothing special. Would come here more for the ambiance and vibe than for the izakaya here IMO read more

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Great food and service! Workers constantly checked in on my table and food came out fast. Love love loved the chefs sashimi and calamari. Calamari is one of the best I've had and the sashimi was so tasty paired with their fresh wasabi. Also really enjoyed the white peach chu hai. Also got yakitori but felt the yakitori was just alright, def have had better yakitori at other places. I liked their spicy chicken skin because it looked like it had chili oil lathered onto it, but it was not very crispy at all and I feel the crispiness of chicken skin is really what makes it. Felt that the place was reasonably priced overall for the food, some izakayas can charge a lot for mid food, but the calamari and sashimi were def the stars here, def recommend ordering those. I think this place might be newer, was a lil empty when I first came in but it filled up pretty fast. It's very spacious and open inside and I like the decor they had around. I think my only complaint is that for an izakaya, it is very bright inside. Most izakayas I go to are either dark or really dimly lit on the inside which really adds to the ambiance. Don't let that deter you though, def a good alternative izakaya to go to if you don't want to wait for a place like kappo honda read more

The new location is very clean and modern inside. The food was high quality as well. We got a variety of skewers such as the beef tongue, prime beef, garlic shrimp and chicken with yuzu. The garlic shrimp was ok and chicken was a bit hard to chew. The beef tongue was delicious. We also got the miso cod, fried squid and fried fish cake - all were delicious. I do miss how the menu at the old location had more options / variety. I wouldn't come back as often anymore since sometimes I crave ordering a lot of different things to try rather the just mainly skewers. Hope the expand the menu eventually. Service was nice and attentive. Parking is easy to find in the lot. read more

"It is rice that we imported from Hokkaido, so it'll be $4 a bowl." That about sums it up; this place left its soul in Fullerton, and the prognosis now seems unfortunately terminal. More than the decor has changed; it is NOT the same restaurant, this is a complete reboot. What used to be a very cozy izakaya with an authentic feel and an outstandingly expansive, affordable menu has now devolved into a sterile shell hawking $36 sea bream chazuke (I kid you not) in lieu of the former $10 salmon. The menu is heavily slimed with a focus on premium; the service is stiff and tepid. There's a pursuit (heavily misguided in my opinion) of some upscale aesthetic that lands completely flat. This all said, the food was good, the skewers remain as excellent as before, and I'm a fan of the yuzu chu-hai. If you served me their menu as a blind taste test, I'd be fairly pleased. However, I left here with far too much ill will ($4 rice and $36 chazuke!? And with a straight face. Seriously!?) to recommend it. I strongly encourage this new version of Takasei to loosen up and come back to Earth in some fashion; otherwise, you'll have to find new fans (and quite a lot of them), because the old ones will wisely stay away. read more

Izakaya Takasei - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Takasei fails as an isakaya, not because the food or sake aren't great--but because a good izakaya establishment needs to provide the right ambience...one that relaxes, makes us lean in a little closer, and encourages conversation--intimate lighting, nooks and corners, and non-industrial architecture/design, and ideally, the action of the kitchen in sight--if not audible. read more

Plea3e me aware....they charge a 4 or a little over 4% when using a credit card. It wasn't posted anywhere. A bit disappointed about this.

Excellent authentic Japanese food. Service is great. Sashimi very fresh. Parking great. Interior very clean. Great Sake selection. read more

Wow! Takasei is off to a seriously strong start in their new location! For those familiar with their roots, Takasei originally took over a former Honda Ya space in Fullerton, and that is not a legacy you casually live up to. Honda Ya set a high bar for izakaya dining, and as someone who holds it as a personal favorite, I do not say this lightly. Takasei continues to deliver that same level of quality, consistency, and attention to detail that made that space special in the first place. This new location is conveniently situated near Bella Terra and directly across from Marina High School, with plenty of easy parking in the surrounding area. Accessibility is another strong point. The layout is open, easy to navigate, and clearly accommodates wheelchair access without issue. Guests using walkers or canes should feel comfortable moving through the space. The interior, at least for now, is minimal. Clean and open, but noticeably sparse. Compared to the warmth and character of their previous location, this space feels like it is still finding its identity. A few thoughtful additions like wall art or decor would go a long way in making it feel more inviting and lived in. That said, it is clear the focus right now is on getting the food and service dialed in first. And that focus is paying off. The food is exactly what you want from a strong izakaya. Everything we ordered came out hot, well-timed, and properly executed. It is also worth noting that they are already seeing strong demand. A handful of items we were interested in were sold out, which, this early on, speaks volumes. People are showing up, ordering the hits, and clearing them out. The skewers are a highlight. Every single one arrived hot off the grill with that ideal balance of light char and juicy interior. Simple in concept, but not easy to execute consistently, and they absolutely nailed it. This is the kind of place where you can confidently order across the skewer menu and expect it to land. Right now, the menu is on the smaller side, which feels intentional. It reads like a soft opening selection, focused on doing a core set of dishes really well rather than stretching too far too fast. If you have been to their previous location, you will likely notice some favorites missing. Hopefully that is temporary, because if this is the baseline, a full menu rollout will make this place even stronger. The beer selection is another win. A solid lineup on tap, including Orion, which pairs perfectly with the food and completes the izakaya experience. Bottom line, Takasei is already drawing a crowd and for good reason. Even with a pared-down menu and a space that is still coming together, the fundamentals are all there. Great food, strong execution, and the kind of consistency that keeps people coming back. This is one to watch as it settles in. If this is the starting point, it is only going to get better. I live very VERY close to this location. So I expect to be in here weekly ;) read more

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This is a brand new location in Huntington Beach. They used to have a location in Fullerton, but I had never been. This location is modern and fairly spacious. Their presentation is very classic Japanese style and service is great. The chicken karaage, Suntory draft, and hojicha were great. Yakitori selection is also good. Definitely pay them a visit if you like authentic Japanese read more

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Clean and friendly service. Modern but minimalist. Stick to yakitori - great char and flavor. Raw foods were decent but nothing to write home about. The restaurant was quiet on a Sunday night. This place deserves more praise for bringing authentic food to an area that lacks good Izakaya. read more

One of my favorite new restaurants to open recently! The skewers are good quality, and decently priced. Our favorites were the chicken heart, skin, tail, and beef. The appetizers, cold dishes, and seafood are great as well! Love the variety here and being able to try multiple dishes. Also a good selection of sake to choose from. Service has always been efficient and attentive. The ambiance is very simple and minimal. My partner and I usually eat late, but if we make it early enough our first choice of izakaya has been Izakaya Takasei since it's opened. Will definitely be coming back read more

A new favorite place! The energy is nice and calm inside. Everything we ate was amazing there are definitely things we need to come back and try! The staff was super nice and gave good recommendations read more

This place is absolutely amazing and delicious, so glad we have a great yakitori place in HB now! The quality of the meats are so good and the service is on point, all the staff is so Friendly. There wasn't an item we tried that we did not like, you can really tell they are carefully crafting each dish. Japanese house cheesecake was the best I've had and was the perfect wait to end the night. Welcome to HB and I can't wait to come back :) read more

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The picture does not do it justice. That is the sashimi premium totally worth the price. The skewers were great too. I had the pork chop the pork belly shrimp stuff like that and it was all good. I got the standard raw oysters. It came with some condiments on it, it was good different from what I'm used to everything just blended well. The service was awesome very attentive. I had about three other peach cocktails real flavorful Wish It had more liquor in it. read more

Izakaya Takasei - Premium sashimi planter - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

This new place is going to be our new favorite place! Sorry I didnt take any pictures. The decor is fresh and modern, the service was great, lot of staff so please come try it out! The food was so fresh and delicious, original, not like anything else around. Price was fair for the quality! read more

Food was AMAZING!! The skewers were so tasty. Tip: ask for a side of the ponzu spicy sauce, it'll cost just a little extra but worth it! You'll be licking the plate. Service was great, water and other drinks never went unfilled and the staff were so nice. The walls inside are a little bare but when you're in good company and eating delicious food you won't even notice. Definitely will be a regular place for me to visit. read more

The food was really good very high quality good service and good drinks I had a great time

We used to go to the old Fullerton location regularly. First time at the new location last night. Place is smaller but modern and nice. We ordered several yakitori items (chicken liver and skin, beef tongue, pork belly, bacon asparagus) along with geso karaage, fried oysters, mixed sashimi, sautéed mushrooms and sautéed scallops/asparagus. Everything tasted delicious. Too bad they didn't have our favorite (nankotsu karaage) but we're told they may add it to the menu. Also had a few Suntory draft. Service was excellent with 2 attending to us. By the way, they take reservations now. We'll be back! read more

The food was fresh and flavorful, the staff was attentive, and the overall atmosphere made for a very enjoyable dining experience.