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    Kappo Sui

    4.6 (414 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Kappo Sui Photos

    Business Info

    KAPPO SUI ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Monkfish liver
    Ariel D.

    Kappo Sui is owned by pastry chef Zuke, who also seats and waits tables. (Respect.) His demeanor is the definition of accommodating, and the intimate vibe of the restaurant is refreshingly human. Service was exceptionally attentive -- we ordered the crab dumplings, which come as three. Zuke had the kitchen plate four so we could share evenly. Michelin-level front of house service. MONKFISH LIVER: 5/5. Dense and silky richness was perfectly complemented by the bright sauce and fresh onions. SHISHITO PEPPERS: 5/5. The char on these was so good. PORK BELLY: 4/5. The fat was well rendered, the meat could have been silkier. CRAB TOAST: 5/5. Something about Japanese tartar sauce does it for me every time. CRAB DUMPLINGS: 5/5. Surprisingly large, delicate in flavor. SIMMERED KINKI (ROCKFISH): 5/5. Wagyu of the sea, in my opinion. Clean, sweet, and SO fatty. This dish is a rarity on any menu because sourcing is difficult and expensive, and Kappo Sui definitely did it justice. CHAWANMUSHI: 5/5. Absolutely THE softest egg custard I've had to date. It was hard for me to save half for my friend. SUSHI: 5/5. I am 1000% getting the omakase the next time I come here. Everything was fresh, clean, and balanced. BASQUE CHEESECAKE: 5/5. Airy, delicate, custardy, tart. I took an extra slice to go. BLUEBERRY PANNA COTTA: 5/5. I don't know what kind of magical blueberries these were, but these blueberries had the most concentrated blueberry flavor I've ever had. The panna cotta was silky and soft and really elevated the blueberry. MATCHA PANNA COTTA: 5/5. The bitter and earthy matcha, the rich and creamy vanilla ice cream? Not a combination I would have come up with, but a combination I WILL be making in the future. YUZU ICE CREAM: 5/5. Literally tasted like fresh squeezed yuzu juice that was frozen. Everything was delicious, and their menu has something for everyone. Zuke (and the rest of the staff, honestly) was such a pleasure, I'm already planning my next visit here...

    Jesus D.

    A quiet standout in Costa Mesa. We ended up at Kappo Sui after considering a few other spots during a local staycation. First visited a few months back, came back again--and it holds up. This time we kept a couple favorites but added some new dishes, which made for a really balanced, traditional spread. What we ordered: * Braised daikon with minced meat -- soft, deeply flavored, very comforting * Nasu (eggplant) with grated daikon -- silky with a light soy/dashi finish * Agedashi tofu -- crisp outside, delicate inside, clean broth * Chirashi bowl -- fresh cuts (uni, tuna, white fish), no filler * Grilled fish collar -- rich, slightly smoky, easy highlight What to expect: * Food leans traditional--simple dishes, done well * Flavors are clean and layered, not heavy or over-sauced * Service is warm and personable without being over the top * Portions are moderate; pricing reflects the quality The whole experience feels thoughtful and unforced. Nothing flashy--just consistent execution across the board. Easy place to overlook from the outside, but one you'll likely come back to once you've been.

    Salmon Skin Roll
    Richard W.

    Kappo Sui is hidden in a small strip mall on the intersection of Bristol and Red Hill. As a solo, I got seated at the bar right away but they were busy, and it took a while to get orders in. Fried oysters ($14) Small and bready. I'm really looking for the briny flavor here and it's absent or minimal. Yummy dressing on the side salad though. Stick with the raw fish and rolls. Blufin Tuna Nigiri ($12) Deep rich flavor. Smooth and fresh texture - there's also more expensive toro options but I don't like too much fatty flavor. This was amazing already. Yellowtail Nigiri ($9) Nigiri cuts are more substantial than expected and the flavor is definitely all that. Golden eye snapper ($15) Generous gorgeous cut with the red criss crossed skin. Flavor levels more mild than a maguro and certainly less than hamachi so I'm not sure I would order this again at this price point. Japanese mackerel ($9) Fancy cut and no mistaking the mackerel flavor. The texture is a little tougher than the maguro standard. Salmon skin roll ($9) Instant smokiness of the charred skin on nose and palate. An excellent crunch that requires some chewing at the end but that just makes for a longer delightful finish. This is an everytime order. Fire grilled chicken thigh ($11.5) They have several meats that they grill in a high temp oven. Not quite hibachi but pretty darned close. The particular chicken breast is on the dry side but then got more tender with the inside cuts. While it comes with a spread of yellow wasabi, it really needs some kind of sauce or au jus. Who doesn't love the charred skin though. Service is somewhat scattered but earnest and I get the feeling that it's a family run operation that somewhat mitigates the higher prices. This looks like a great place for group gatherings but you should probably come early as it fills up fast. That's all.

    Hot sake with bug in the cup (top right)

    I'm grateful my stomach survived this place, but I will never return. We came for dinner over Memorial Day weekend. From the moment we arrived, the first impression was poor. The host asked us to wait five minutes while he cleaned a table, except the table we ultimately sat at was already empty and ready. We waited for him to clean a completely different table. (And it was well over five minutes, but who's counting.) For food, we ordered hot sake, sushi, cold soba, and more. The hot sake was memorable, though not in a good way. After I poured it into my cup, a bug appeared. (See the photos I took, upper right corner.) I brought it to the host/server's attention. He acknowledged seeing the bug after taking my cup, but seemed uncertain what the problem was, so I had to spell it out: the bug appeared after I poured the sake. Only then did he take the sake bottle away and bring a replacement. There's a bug in the drink, shouldn't that prompt an immediate apology and remedy? Why was I the one explaining what was wrong? The food itself was fine, but I couldn't bring myself to touch the sushi after that. The restaurant was crowded, and between that and the service, the atmosphere felt anything but welcoming. We had also ordered clam soup, which the host later told us was unavailable, completely understandable. What wasn't acceptable was finding the $15 clam soup still on our bill. I asked to have it removed. The host reviewed the bill and it remained. It took a second request to finally get it corrected. By the end of the night, I was simply exhausted by the experience.

    Remaining soup made into congee with some eggs.  Delicious
    Edward C.

    Delicious authentic Japanese style hotpot. A bit pricey for hotpot but absolutely delicious. Very courteous staff and attentive service. Need to try their sushi next time.

    dessert
    Vivian P.

    Came here on a Monday night and the ambiance was so nice! A few of us were running late but they seated us and didn't rush us to order at all. I don't eat raw fish, so I was pleasantly surprised that they had SO MANY options for me! The eel box was my favorite item! So delicious- will be back for that alone. They are more of a traditional restaurant, but they were trying to expand and make rolls (spider roll was yum!) which I appreciated. The business feels family owned, and you can tell that they really care about their customers and want you to come back. Zuke chatted with us while we ate, gave us recommendations on what to order when we weren't sure! They had a variety of dessert and you can never finish a meal without a sweet treat so we tried it all! We will be recommending this place and returning!

    Simmered eel & egg
    Johnathan H.

    What an absolute hidden gem! My mom's coworker recommended Kappo Sui, and we couldn't be happier. They're a traditional Japanese restaurant, so don't think of "sushi rolls" here, think more like izakaya in a traditional atmosphere. The menu is small, so they really stick to what they do best. Honestly, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. There's some seasoned Japanese chefs and cooks in the partially open kitchen making some of the best Japanese food you haven't found in OC yet. What we loved: egg custard (chawanmushi), yellowtail collar, eel box, crab dumplings, black cod, soft shell crab, and simmered eel with egg. Thank you Zuke for being such an amazing server & pastry chef!

    Monkfish Liver
    Thomas Q.

    Our fancy foodie friends rave about this place . True appreciation of food only need a restaurant that simply says " Japanese restaurant " on the marquis and no fancy furniture. Just clean good unique menu items to try with regular fair Japanese food . Loved the Herring Roe and Kinki . All the fish were high quality, albeit cooked or uncooked . The sashimi was fresh and crunchy. Very nice service from waitress and waiters .

    Meg S.

    Came here with my son while dropping him off at UCI. Amazing food, authentic, local favorite, tucked away in this unassuming shopping center. Came back three times and will definitely come back whenever in Irvine!

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    5 months ago

    Amazing food and customer service!!!! The person who help us was named zuke. I would recommend the inaniwa udon.

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    Another wonderful family meal at Water Grill!…read more This is an easy pick whenever we want to enjoy yummy seafood with the kids because they have elegant adult dishes as well as kids meals. The service is always friendly and attentive. I usually start with a cocktail like Bristol Street and some chilled fresh seafood. Today, we enjoyed the sea urchin... some pieces were buttery and sweet, others had a slight bitter flavor. I think I will stick with prawn and oyster next time. Shrimp scampi is good, and kids loved the calamari and kids cheeseburger. Ice cream, banana sundae, and latte to cap off our Father's Day celebration luncheon. Honestly, it is not a cheap place, but we will gladly return because of the quality of food, service and ambiance. Thumbs up!

    I don't know why it's taken me so long to dine here but so glad I finally did. We had an excellent…read moretime at Water Grill. Our server Jason was the highlight. He went above and beyond to inform us and he was clearly knowledgeable about every aspect of the menu. Everything we ordered was excellent. Really enjoyed the crisp calamari and ceviche (crudo style). A great celebration for a birthday with a birthday card and a complimentary triple cookie dessert à la mode. It's near Segerstrom Theater so they asked if we had a show that evening as they are conscientious to get people out the door to catch it. Thankfully we didn't have any restrictions so we took our time to enjoy each course. It was really great dining here! Thanks Jason, Daniel, and Water Grill for making it a great evening.

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    Hook & Anchor

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    I have been meaning to try this place for a while so when my son's auntie wanted to do dinner, we…read moremet up. This place is very child friendly thankfully. My son was a bit over sugared with the lemonade we ordered but when he calmed down it was better. They have a published kids menu but they have additional items not on the website available. My son ordered the Mac n cheese but ate 2 bites. Instead, this 4 yr old ate the lobster deviled eggs and calamari fries like they were his last meal. I think it's safe to say he's going to be expensive when he grows up. The poke stack was similarly good as was the Chardonnay I ordered. I have to say a big thank you to staff for being very patient with an over stimulated 4 yr old. I was trying very hard to get him to lower his voice and chill out and yall thought nothing of it. Thank you so much for your kindness. Given this experience we'll have to come back again to apparently give my child his fix of lobster, deviled eggs and calamari fries. But no lemonade! Thanks again!

    My friends and I were craving lobster roll, so we decided to pick Hook and Anchor since it has been…read moreon our bucket list to try! We got the lobster mac & cheese, fish & chips, and 4oz lobster roll. The Mac & Cheese was good, but I didn't like the choice of the noodle. The pasta was a bit undercooked, but the lobster was good. The batter for the fish and chips is so good, but the fish was a bit dry. I would def come back for the lobster roll. Lobster was fresh and the brioche bun was buttery! The lobster roll was def the high light! The ambiance was nice! Def a cute date spot for couple to go on a night out. Service was a bit slow for how empty the restaurant was.

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    The Boiling Crab

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    I haven't been to Boiling Crab in nearly 10 years. Back when it was really hyped and trendy. It was…read moretime to try it again. Me and my wife arrived on a Sunday around 3:30 PM. We put our name down on the Yelp waitlist and the wait for a party of 2 was maybe 90 min. Essentially if you go anytime on the weekend expect to wait at least an hour. There is no such thing as "off times" on the weekend. Evidently Boiling Crab is still as popular as ever. We didn't mind waiting. Once our number was next we were promptly seated. First thing I noticed was how great the service was from the host, to the waiters, to the helpers. We ordered shrimp and Cajun fries. Shrimp is $18/pound and it is the only seafood you can order by the half-a-pound. After ordering the food came out in less than 10 min. Besides the initial wait, everything else about the dining experience was very efficient, which tells me the long waits are not a fault to slow service. I think they are being as efficient as they can. The dining experience was pleasant. They supply bibs, gloves, etc for easy clean-up. There are TVs showing sports. We were out of there at $45 for two. A pretty good deal considering the unique dining experience. I can see why Boiling Crab remained popular after all these years.

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    VOX Kitchen & Bar - South Coast Plaza

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    My first time at this location - I've been to their other location. This one is located across the…read morebridge where all the home stores are, like crate and barrel, west elm... The service is just as good here. Friendly and the food came out quickly. When you walk into this side of the building - you get a hint of a lot of garlic. Maybe not a thing for others, but it lead the way for me. They have a bar and seating inside and outside. Not as big as you would think, but utilized the space perfectly. 100% ribeye garlic noodles and pear salad is a must have. I would recommend to others and would come back for more

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    The Capital Grille

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    The Capital Grille is always a hit for me. One of my favorite times to visit is during The Wagyu…read moreand Wine Pairing. They offer Wagyu burgers paired with a glass of wine for $35. If you appreciate a great burger, and just happen to like wine.. you will be as happy as me. The event happens every April and November. Check it out. As usual, the customer service was always. The ambiance is nice and relaxed.

    came here with bestie for my late bday celebration & we were sooooo surprised at how amazing our…read moremeal was we ordered the calamari & shrimp cocktail for apps for entrees i ordered the steak frites w caesar salad & hg ordered the seared salmon with salad just WOW... the calamari with peppers ???? WE ATE THAT HOE DOWNNNNNN the peppers added the most delicious twist on those perfectly seasoned & crispy calamari. each bite sent us into orbit truly so sexy the shrimp were SO BIG and PLUMP absolutely juicy and bursting with every bite we looooooved our salads, the veggies were super fresh and perfectly seasoned with dressing my steak frites was so good, i got mine medium rare & it was perfectly cooked, and that chimichurri sauce?? so good fries were crunchy and yummy and the green dipping sauce paired perfectly the seared salmon was soooo good like omgggg the couscous & the sauce was SEXY ASL truly so yummy !! the veggies were a fantastic pair with each bite and so cronchy service was AMAZING!! i forgot our servers name but girl, WE LOVE YOUUUUU our waters were refilled before we could even think to ask and she surprised me with free dessert i love how ambient the interior lights are it's perfect for meals with family or date night HIGHLY RECOMMEND

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    Lobster Mac 'N' Cheese – Made with freshly poached lobster and topped with a Grana Padano crust.
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    Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail served with housemade mustard sauce.
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    14 oz Dry Aged NY Strip au Poivre finished with our housemade Courvoisier Cream for a decadent finish.
    Vaca

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    Splurge restaurant but food is very solid! My husband and I…read morecame here for date night and had a great experience~ Vaca is located next to south coast, interior has tall ceilings and have a small indoor and outdoor seating. They have Spanish menu items, several tapas and main dishes. We got 4 wines and both loved with whites and reds! La bola (8.5/10)-the meat inside was delicious wasn't overly crispy, sauce on top was too much but a classed dish Pani puri (9/10)-interesting concept scallop was delicious and sauce was rich, shell was crispy Cauliflower (7/10)-bit too salty and rich but they give you a good portion Steak (7.5/10)-we asked for medium but it was more in medium rare, good quality but small for price Churro (9/10)-cant beat a piping hot churro with chocolate sauce portion not too large Our server was friendly and vibe was classy Would love to try the paella my next visit!

    Vaca is one of the best dining experiences in Orange County. The Spanish-inspired menu strikes a…read moregreat balance between traditional flavors and creative execution, and every dish we ordered felt thoughtfully prepared. The tapas are perfect for sharing, with standout flavors that make it hard to pick favorites, and the paella is worth the wait. The atmosphere is lively and energetic without feeling pretentious, making it a great spot for a date night, celebration, or dinner with friends. Service was attentive, knowledgeable, and helped guide us through the menu. Chef Amar Santana's influence is clear throughout the restaurant, and it's easy to see why Vaca has built such a strong reputation. Not the cheapest meal in Costa Mesa, but the quality, creativity, and overall experience make it well worth it. I'll definitely be back.

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    Bar seating
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    Seafood Paella Valenciana
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    Churro con chocolate & basque cheesecake

    Kappo Sui - japanese - Updated June 2026

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