My colleagues and I come here often for lunch. It is one of those true, authentic Japanese bento places that fills your cravings at a reasonable cost. Every day they write their lunch special on the whiteboard. My favorite so far has been the gyudon (beef bowl) with poached egg - so f'in good. I wish they'd put it on their regular menu. Their lunch combo comes with delicious miso soup and rice, salad as well, and whatever protein you choose (i.e. teriyaki chicken, tempura or CA roll). You can taste the quality in their food. The place has a mom and pop shop feel and all staff are friendly and the place is clean. read more

Authentic and delicious Japanese food at a reasonable price! The aesthetic and ambiance may not be as good as other Japanese restaurants, but the food and service is definitely on par. read more

This place doesn't miss. They have great staff that greet you warmly and provide helpful suggestions to the uninitiated, like me. The food comes fast and very hot. We got the pork cutlet, maitake tempura, smelt fish, shishito peppers, and miso soup. Don't expect "Japanese" food like you might expect Taco Bell to Serve Mexican food. This place is the real deal, eat here. read more

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My go to spot for lunch in this area. Food is always on point and the prices can't be beat. Portion size is kinda small but they give you some dishes to offset the smaller portion sizes. Always check out the lunch specials but if not there are plenty of other good choices. I like the salmon lunch combo or the fried pork bowl. Home style cooking for a decent price. Service could be better but that won't stop me from coming here. Highly recommend. read more

Excellent restaurant. My wife is Japanese and I lived in Japan for seven years so when we eat out and go to a Japanese restaurant we want to enjoy authentic Japanese food. Kappo Sui was a very pleasant surprise, every dish was delicious, service was friendly and efficient. Even the desserts looked homemade and not too sweet (even the caramel tarte, which was a real treat). I will come back again soon ! read more

The food, ambience, and service are top tier and unrivaled. Orange County is blessed to be home to a plethora of fine restaurants, but Kappo Sui tops them all with its elite ability to educate yet spoil one's tongue. The staff are incredibly friendly and honest, and the vibes make you feel as if you are dining in your own home. Truly a gem and will be back so very soon!! read more

Hidden gem that has been around since 1995. Amazing authentic Japanese food that is hard to find being made in America, and all of the staff speak Japanese. Servers are charming and kind. I liked the jazz music playing :) read more

This is authentic real Japanese food restaurant. From real home made foods to high quality dishes. The variety of menu is amazed me how well they prepare the each dishes. As I'm Japanese, this place is to go restaurant for Japanese food :) read more

Waitstaff was nice upon entering . The food takes a drastic dive . I ordered chicken teriyaki and tempura . The salad consisted of ONLY iceberg lettuce , nothing else . No radish, cabbage , carrot , onion ..... nothing . It had a moderately flavorful dressing , but was more than sad looking . I was slightly dumbfounded . The low point was the tempura . It was 3 pathetic , obviously previously frozen and tiny shrimp, with a greasy and soggy tempura batter . The additional vegetables was one small mushroom , and one soggy and greasy piece of eggplant . I was shocked at the stingy amount of vegetables and the soft batter on the pieces . No crispy crunchy coating at all . I couldn't eat the last shrimp (it was that bad) Knowing that culturally the Japanese pride themselves on presentation for everything . Nothing here had any thoughtfulness to presentation whatsoever . They also had NO sashimi (??????) or raw fish of any kind to order ! Is this temporary for the restaurant or just the way things always are here ? In short , a major disappointment . How can they think that they are proud to serve this ? My first scathing review ever . By the way , the owners are different than some of the older and positive reviews .. Would like to know WHY there is no raw fish served . Is it that no one has any sushi chef skills ?? (Which is bad to hear ) Or, are they not permitted for health reasons that they can't comply with the health department to be able to serve it ? (Also bad ) Would like to know ... answers from the restaurant about this I would appreciate hearing from you . read more

You're looking at like real Japanese food. Literally, it's like walking into a restaurant in the countryside of Japan. Why? Well for one; the majority of the customers speak Japanese. You can tell that they've been coming here for quite sometime. I ended up getting their Sushi Nigiri special, its okay, nothing too spectacular but I enjoyed the overall feel of the restaurant. It's almost like if you were adopted into a Japanese family. P.S. Parking sucks so come early. read more

I am on a legit Japanese food kick. Currently still dreaming about the food at Kappo Sui. I came here at 1 p.m. I know, I was one of "those" people. However, the wait staff at Kappo Sui never made me feel bad and was even pleasantly nice! The establishment itself is in a little tight of a spot that's right next to Fresca's, a massage parlor, & a 7-11. I've come to trust any place that's in a ridiculous little strip mall. Kappo Sui was no disappointment. They have a pretty well priced lunch menu! I ordered the Hirekatsu Don & was amazed as how much food I received for basically nothing. The don came in a huge bowl, alongside with a medium size bowl of udon. Don't let them fool you. They're "small" was pretty big! The rice was pleasantly dressed with some kind of soy saucey sauce and was delicious! Next layer? Caramelized onions. Wow. To match that was a nice hearty later of the actual pork katsu covered in egg. The deliciousness was overwhelming and frankly, food-coma-ing. The small udon was just a bowl of noodles and broth, but the broth had deep rich flavor. It was the kind of flavor you taste when something has been simmering in it for hours. $14 for my meal with a tip? Not bad at all Kappo Sui! I can't wait to actually taste your lunch specials sometime! You're definitely on my go back list! read more

Kappo Sui - Lunch menu. 04.12.18 - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Authentic Japanese Cuisine. The setting is a bit old. More of a hole in a wall kind of place. Service was prompt - the food was excellent. Most of the patrons were Japanese as well. read more

Loved it. Sushi and tempura were excellent. Atmosphere is simple but sincere. Will absolutely be back.

Good food, good service!! Traditional lunch bento, fish was fresh, presentation was nice. Everything tasted so good which I was not expected in a little hole in the wall read more

Kappo Sui - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This is so far my favorite Japanese restaurant around. Came here almost once a week at lunch hours. Tried most of the food in lunch menu. They never let me down. The price may seem pricy for lunch. However, the proportion is really decent. My favorite meal is Ten don. It come with a udon that is also great as well. A bit on the salty side but still good. Customer service is great as well. Even provide hot tea for free and refill it without having to ask. Love this place! read more

Kappo Sui - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Such a hidden gem. Love this place so much, so authentic. If you're looking for authentic, simple ingredients but magnificent execution, come here. It's a hole in a wall Japanese restaurant, I highly recommend. read more

This is NOT a sushi restaurant, and if you give it a try you will be better for it. If you're new to Kappo, I suggest you order whatever your servers says is good. Think tempura, braised dishes, some noodles, and unique choices you won't find at sushi bars. My husband and I love this place for date night, I highly recommend. read more

Not as good as before but it is still can be accepted. However, they don't do the famous dishes of the restaurant before anymore.

Authentic Japanese restaurant run by Japanese team. Hidden gem in a small strip mall. We are always impressed with the level of service and quality of food. Lunch menu is small but tasty with assortment of bento and undo. Dinner is more extension with more specialty items beyond Americanized Japanese items like sushi rolls. read more

Kappo Sui is celebrated as one of the most revered Japanese comfort food places by all of the top Japanese chefs in Southern California. This is one of our ultimate family favorites... I've known the crew here for almost two decades. I remember when I used to bring my teenage son here as a baby, to have one-on-one time... Tomoko-san (chef-owner) used to just hold my baby boy in his arms and play with him while I ate... And 14 years later, my he has now become quite the Japanese food connoisseur. My younger son started eating sushi at age 3. Some of his biggest, most favorite meals have been here. Whenever I have to go to Japan for business, Kappo Sui is usually my last meal before I go, and one of my first meals when I get back to the OC. I go here when I am happy or when I am sad; when I am celebrating or when I want to retreat from busy-ness; when I am entertaining foodies or when we just need a simple family meal. I'm so glad that they've been open throughout the Covid pandemic. They serve lunch and dinner at the restaurant, and also offer take out. Thanks for the years of great comfort food! read more

Kappo Sui - Tuna Bowl..: - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

If you want American sushi, this is not your spot. It's more Japanese than "sushi". But, very worth the meal. When I showed up at 5pm (the time they open on multiple websites) I was turned away because they open at 5:30pm. The smell of frying oil was pungent. But, the reviews and pictures made me wait. I ordered salmon nigiri, spicy tuna roll and agedashi tofu. The salmon was melt in your mouth. The tuna roll was messy but very flavorful and sparing with the mayo (which I prefer). The agedashi tofu was wonderfully silky with the umami expected but I did taste the frying oil that I smelled in the air when I walked in. If they changed the oil in their fryers more often I think the tofu would have been amazing! BTW, I think I was the only non-Asian person and it was super busy (for COVID times). To me, that's a sign of a quality place - they attract people who know what the food should be. The service was also really great. I will return, for sure. read more

Ok this place gets better every time we come. 5 stars now. So many home style dishes. Never had anything bad here. Always same staff. 100 percent legit. Still going strong. read more

Ok for OC, but doesn't compare to South Bay. I am torn between two previous reviews, so I suggest taking a look at both of them (Greg T. and Albert W.). I agree with Greg, but Albert starts off his with specifying Orange County. He may be correct. Regardless, read both. ~Ingredients are fresh-Check The ingredients are fresh...specifically the vegetables. It was the flavor and preparation that were whatevers. Ice Green Tea sucked. ~Service~3 Stars The man running the place was rude. The hostesses were nice but overwhelmed. ~Food~3 Stars Overall. Details are as follows Udon Soup 3 stars Again, fresh ingredients except my noodles were ok. The broth was a surprise and I loved it. Plenty of Mushrooms. I cant stand mushrooms. Butter fish 3.5 Stars What butter fish isn't good? I had the glazed. It was a bit salty, but pretty good. I prefer Echizen's better. Tempura 3 Stars I would say 2 stars, but everything was fresh. Bonus. Just my preference, the batter was not to my liking. Soba 2 stars. Good broth. Again, I am used to South Bay. Green Tea 2 Stars Whatevers. I seriously doubt I will return here. The price is too high when I can get similar food for much cheaper in South Bay. Yes, South Bay is far but depending on your party, you just might save enough to make it worth your drive. For similar food, I actually prefer echizen in Cypress..Yummers. Overall, this place is AOK. Kappo Sui, another reason the OC is the best place to live. read more

- Locale Destination - It's on Santa Ana Ave & Santa Ana Ave in Costa Mesa - on the gas station "Shell" side (Santa Ana Ave will become Red Hill Ave if you went toward Airport side). It's in the tiny strip mall by "seven eleven"! The outside doesn't look promising. Inside is kinda outdated, as well. They got a sushi bar and tables. Service is not great. Just so so. The owner Japanese guy seemed grumpy but was OK to me. All the staff are Japanese. The menu are mostly Japanese. They also got an English menu, but the items on menu are pretty tuned to Japanese customers. You might need to bring your Japanese friend to enjoy here so that you know what you get. - Gluttony Expedition - Sushi: I think the quality is less than average. If you want a great sushi, go to "Nana San" in Newport Beach. It's very close from here. I wouldn't order sushi here. Sushi: Spanish mackerel and halibut were just OK. Careless. Sauteed garlic clam: It looked like a "Saka-mushi" (steamed with sake) with tons of soup. The soup-like sauce got tons of sake and garlic. Good. Spinach salad: Spinach, bacon, kaiware and mushroom with a soy sauce based dressing. It's one of the popular menu for Japanese people, but this is just meh since I'm Japanese and so familiar with it. Over-hyped. Roasted Aigamo (duck) with salt: Duck was cooked well (Medium Rare) and tasty. Rice balls: Mentai / salmon inside of the rice ball. Each rice ball costs $2.50, which is a total rip off. The rice ball wasn't made tight enough and fell apart, so I had to use chopsticks. Sauteed mentai rotus roots: The rotus roots were crunchy and seasoned well with mentai-ko (spicy trout eggs). I do like it. Gindara miso: Butterfish with miso. The fish was marinated well with sake. Miso on top of the fish was a bit too sweet side. The flavor for adults. Not the best one I've ever had but good. Shrimp shinjyo: Grated shrimp was deep fried. Hot and fluffy with decent flavors. - Conqueror's Deduction - 3.5 stars. Over-hyped. Where were Japanese customers?? I was the only Japanese there. The menu totally caters to strictly Japanese customers. They might go to "Sushi Kappo Suzumaru" in Tustin for tapas - the place is packed by Japanese people unexpectedly. I think it's a bit too expensive for the food quality and Japanese tapas. $2.50 for just ONE rice ball??? Yeah, they got a decent quality but nothing WOW to me. I'm Japanese from Japan. If you think this is the greatest "Kappo" (tapas restaurant in Japanese), you're totally wrong. If you went to kappos in Japan, they'll blow your mind. The level of goodness (taste wise) is beyond comparison to this. Hondaya's "jidori Mentai mayo salad" wows me (in Tustin), but not this plain spinach salad. I liked the "roasted aigamo" (duck) with salt, but as a whole, it was not so much of the level to make me think "I WANNA GO BACK". I might come back if I did crave for typical traditional Japanese foods, but for the price, you should expect more. They failed me in many ways... read more

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I wanted to have my review written all in nihongo (Japanese) to give my review some authenticity, but that might exclude 98% of the people who might read this.... actually, that might make my review more appealing? (the people rating this place 5 stars are into that sort of thing). I can see how having an all Japanese staff/clientele may appeal or create some level of intrigue for people because this place caters to a strictly a Japanese clientele, but I've been here several times, one for a birthday, and a couple other times just for dinner. Neither one of those times was I ever impressed/content with their food. Even if you do go with somebody who's Japanese and all buddy buddy with the owner. Here's what we ordered off of the menu and the exclusionary specials menu which had a lot of sashimi that day... and california rolls (ok maybe not): - Asari to niniku (nothing special) - Renkon tempura (i love renkon.... mediocre here) - Kisu tempura (average) - Hakusai zuke (not as good as my gam gam's) - Aji no tataki (meh) - Aigamo no shioyaki (sucked, check out Wazen in Irvine instead) One other thing, just because you see a bunch of Americans in a McDonalds doesn't make it the best authentic burger.... now if only Taco Bell could only have a menu only in spanish, that might make it into an authentic Mexican restaurant. read more

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We went to Kappo Sui in costa mesa tonight. it's a small humble little japanese restaurant with an open kitchen. it's rare to see the entire kitchen staff and wait staff japanese. the restaurant was all booked so we had to seat at the bar. there is a variety of izakaya, sushi, and carb dishes to choose from. we were impressed by the quality of the food and everything tasted pretty good. Service was equally excellent as we received our food promptly and immediately questioned if we wanted more beer when our pitcher was running low. Food is excellently executed without the air of pretentiousness from the newer "modern" izakayas, it feels like this place hasn't changed since the 90s and probably never will. From beginning to end the whole experience was flawless and met my expectations on how an Izakaya should be. read more

Doesn't look like much when you walk by it but they have legit Japanese food. It's a mom and pop restaurant and I loved it. Everything I got was delicious. Very happy with the atmosphere and cozy feeling. Will definitely be going back to try something new! read more

Kappo Sui - I love this place. If you love trying new things and getting a homey feel, this is great!! - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My first experience with authentic Japanese food. Absolutely delicious food! Sweet staff. Will come back for sure.

Things about Kappo Sui: 1) The owner can be either super friendly when he has time for his beer or super unfriendly when it gets packed. So say hi if he's happy and ignore him when he's not. 2) Their shrimp croquettes are so creamy~ watch your tongue, very very hot content. 3) Their very very famous salted charboiled chicken wings are a must! 4) White Fish Tempura is silky inside. Try it if you like fish. 5) Saba Oshizushi is great! 6) You'll wanna try the Hot Soup Udon if you want something more satisfying, it's surprisingly good! 7) Order a hot sake, pick your cute japanese sake cup~ bon appetit! read more

My work is just a couple miles from Sui so I've been eating here w/ my co-workers for about 15 years and I have to say if you want Japanese comfort food, this place is hard to beat! Funny thing is, they haven't remodeled I think in decades so it's like taking a time machine back to the 1990's! Definitely do not miss out on their Menchi Katsu - the best I've tried in the area. They only offer it on Friday though so FYI. Anyways, if it's old-style, authentic Japanese food you're looking for, you've found it. read more

I've been here several times the past few months...This is the local joint that my J-bosses take us to for lunch and dinners! They love it here and they say that it is the most authentic J-food u can get! Honestly the only time I come is when they decide to do a business lunch/dinner but I'm not complaining...Since they know the owners the service is always great... What's really deceiving is how full a person can get from the food here..at first glance I always think it's not enough food for me...cuz yes I'm a pig...but I always leave completely stuffed...I've tried various things from the Nabeyaki Udon, to their chicken, i've even tried a lot of their tapas style dishes, and lunch combinations...everything is really good here! read more

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my coworker raves about this place and in the beginning i didn't know why. i honestly thought this place was mediocre at best. i would even have rock paper scissors competitions with him during lunch so that the winner would get to choose the lunch place. i would work hard at rock paper scissors to avoid this place like the plague... however, after coming to this place a few more times... i've noticed that for lunch, the items on the menu are not too shabby. granted, they cost more than mitsuwa's food courts or other japanese restaurants, but the quality is indeed better. i usually get the chicken teriyaki or chicken karaage for lunch. they are both decent combos and does its job in filling you up. with the chicken teriyaki: you get a plate of teriyaki, side salad, bowl of rice and 8 cali rolls for 8 bucks... where as the karaage, you'll get a side salad, chicken karaage, miso soup and a bowl of rice for 7 bucks. I've been here for dinner a few times. and i get sloppy every time. i swear it felt like i was in a never ending sake factory and the drinks kept pouring. i think my coworker told me that this was not the place to come to get sushi... this place has small dishes that go well with beer and sake. so its usually more poppin at night. they usually have daily specials written on a white board on the wall. if you don't know what to order, ask the waiters and they will happily suggest something. they are really friendly. PS: i don't think they place charges for green tea unlike other Japanese places. read more

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I met up with my friends for lunch here on a Monday close to noon. This is located in a small, weathered strip mall off of Santa Ana Avenue, close to the corner of Bristol (next to Shell gas station), so it may be hard to see while driving on the street. Many Yelpers have commented on the interior, and it does looks like it never left the 80s, but it didn't bug me that much. The place was still somewhat empty so we got a table right away and our order came pretty quickly. Nothing like fast service when you're hungry. I got the daily special, which was shrimp and onion kaki age (tempura) with dipping sauce, rice, udon, hijiki (brown sea vegetable), and tsukemono (pickled vegetables), for $10.50. The kaki age surprisingly had generous amounts of shrimp. I don't eat sashimi so I can't comment on how it is here, but I noticed that they serve a lot of "mom's home recipes" like grilled fish, chicken karaage, tempura, chawan mushi (steamed egg custard with seafood/vegetables), and soba/udon noodles, so maybe that's what they specialize in. The prices here are little high for "down home cooking" and can add up especially for dinner, but if you've been to Japan and have a craving for that "ofukuro no aji", then give this place a try. read more

Kappo Sui - Their daily special I had on a Monday - shrimp & onion kaki age with dipping sauce, rice, udon, hijiki, and tsukemono - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First of all, I have to thank everyone that recommended this place. I was not disappointed. My favorite dishes are shrimp with mochi, steamed clams with garlic, udon in soup (I think it's called udon inaniwa or something), and butterfish. Each dish is small in portions so we end up ordering a lot more dishes so the cost is pretty high. Also, there's one thing that really bothered me.... We saw one of the chef, the one on the left if you're facing the kitchen, take a sip out of a ladle and stuck the ladle back into the big pot of soup. I was really grossed out. I haven't been back since but if I do go back, I'm not ordering anything soupy. I would've given it a five star but I have to subtract one for the gross factor :D read more

I love this restaurant due to the variety of food. It's more Casual Japanese style but still yummy. Perfect to match beer or Sake for dining. read more

Great place to get authentic Japanese small dishes. Perfect for a group of four to enjoy each dish.

I think Kappo Sui is super authentic. I have eaten here about 5 times so far, including 1 diner and 4 lunches. Dinner gets kind of pricy, but lunch is much more affordable. My favorite is grilled fish combo. Inaniwaudon combo with battera was really tasty as well. Their quality of food is excellent, so much better than buying stuff at Mitsuwa or Marukai or going to Korean owned cheap Japanese restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is clean, but it needs to get redone! The owner is very polite and seems to be training people which keeps this restaurant well standards. I can't wait to try Nabeyaki Udon for winter. read more

Kappo Sui - Inaniwa Udon with Battera - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Food on the cooked menu is pretty good. Sushi is just okay. I like yakionigiri(grill rice ball), tebasaki(chicken wings), yellow tail collar all are pretty nice. Don't waste money on sushi. Only few items are actually good enough for the price it charges. To be honest, salmon sushi from mitsuwa tastes better than that here. I only gave it 3 stars because one of the staff kept smoking in front of the restaurant with the door open. We were eating with the 2nd hand smoke all hour long. I just want to finish my dinner ASAP because it makes me feel uncomfortable. I can't smell the food. It's really not a good experience tonight. read more

Kappo Sui - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is one of my favourite places to visit on a lunch break. The parking can be an absolute nightmare if you don't get there right at opening, but that's par for Costa Mesa. Kappo Sui offers some of the most authentic Japanese food you'll find in Orange County and their lunch menu can be easier on your wallet than you'd expect. They also have daily specials that usually include a bowl of some incredible Udon. Don't come here for California Rolls and Chicken Teriyaki. I didn't even know those were on the menu. Come here and get some excellent karaage, katsudon, and broiled fish with daikon. read more

I love this restaurant! I come here every week and they usually have amazing specials and they're lunch sets are so filling. Also it's authentic Japanese food reminds me of things my mom makes! Thank you Kappo Sui! read more