Kuramoto delivers A great experience with a chef known for Omakase This plaza seems to familiar. A sushi spot back in the early 2000's once sat here... but that is now a faded memory now that Kuramoto and Chef Taiki have taken over. Inside is beautiful and modern. Natural elements of wood and stone work well to bring everything together. All courses were phenomenal that its hard to choose a favorite. Omakase is the perfect way to try fish you never even thought you would have tried, and to ruin your idea of good tasting fish. Sake and Toro? Nah bro, that's not it. It is on par with the other "REAL" Omakase spots in OC, and they are serving the same great cuts of fish. However Chef Taiki introduces some of his own flair with dishes that I've never encountered before (see pics) and he knocks it out of the park. Lunch looks very affordable if you want to dip your feet in. I think this is definitely a place to add to your list. Reservations on TOCK required to hold your seat. read more

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Ok. I'm back after one year. Chef Taiki has kept up his quality and variety. Service excellent! 4 1/2 Stars. He'll need to refine experience for the $$. Cheers! read more

Kuramoto - Cheers! Make mine a double pls. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tustin, California

I really enjoyed the lunch omakase, which I felt was the perfect amount of food for a lighter lunch appetite and presented some unique pieces of nigiri. I can't think of a single item that I didn't enjoy. Really enjoyed the black cod nigiri, amberjack nigiri, and ikura/uni bowl. Would return to try the dinner omakase! The only nitpicky thing I can think of is that the white chocolate creme brulee was cooked to more of a custard-like texture, rather than exquisitely smooth and creamy. However, Kuramoto is not a French restaurant and the custard-like creme brulee may represent more of an Eastern texture preference. read more

Absolutely delicious! This was my first omakase experience, it was immersive, fresh, and just overall indulgent. They played soft music in the background, which meant we could keep a nice conversation without needing to shout to be heard. The Chef presented each dish delicately, explaining what we were eating, and giving us time between each bite to savor and enjoy the freshness and full experience of each piece. It was an amazing experience, highly recomend. read more

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I have been wanting to try Kuramoto since it opened, and I was so happy to finally be able to! As other reviews state, please note that this spot is reservations only. There's plenty of parking around. It's a modern, minimalist, + intimate setting. The seating was very comfortable, and the restaurant is bright, while maintaining a sense of coziness. It definitely reminded me of some omakase spots I've tried in Japan! Love the attention to detail when it comes to the food and even the service. You are definitely paying for a luxury omakase experience. We ordered hot tea, and our server was constantly replacing our cups to make sure it stayed hot. We ordered the tokusen, this lasted 1.5 hours and we were so full + satisfied by the end of it. I honestly could have tapped out by fish piece #4. ALL of the fish melted in our mouths and none of the pieces were fishy at all. Highlights - crab + panko fried scallops with uni - ocean trout (SO good, beyond my expectations) - uni gunkan + caviar - lobster pasta chef taiki definitely put a lot of care and thought into the menu. i was breath-taken at many moments throughout the meal. i love the innovative ways they incorporate different flavors together. i would definitely recommend this spot for a date night / celebration for a small group! i can not wait to be back to try their lunch omakase. read more

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Kuramoto was an amazing omakase experience from start to finish. The pacing was perfect and the service was very attentive the entire time. Dinner omakase is $215 per person and lasted around 1.5 hours. Everything was well seasoned, but my favorites were the uni and toro with miso uni. One course included foie gras, which I am personally not a fan of because of how it is traditionally produced. They did find a loophole to serve this dish even though it's banned in CA. That was really the only thing I would change. Other than that, the food was excellent. Overall, Kuramoto has great service, and a beautiful setting. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves high quality sushi. read more

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We had six people reservation for lunch omekashi. The omekashi was great, I don't mind repeating it. Fish was fresh! Ambiance was great - sitting on bar tables. One server for all 18 so diners and she was very efficient! Once you tried the lunch omekashi - you will wonder what's the dinner omekashi is like ($70 vs $220)! Great business strategy :) read more

Kuramoto is easily one of the best omakase experiences I've had. We went for dinner and everything was amazing from start to finish. Most omakase spots are good, but usually there are only a few pieces that really stand out. Here, every single piece blew my mind. I found myself wanting to slow down and savor every bite because nothing missed. The service was also great It's a small, intimate spot with no table seating -- just the sushi bar -- but it was still great for a small group. The ambiance was relaxing and cozy, though a little hard to find since there's only a small sign on the door. You can tell how much care and thought goes into each course -- the flavors, balance, and flow of the meal were spot on. If you're an omakase fan and want a place where every piece hits, Kuramoto is a must. Would absolutely come back. read more

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The outside of Kuramoto is very unassuming but when you walk in, it's a vibe. Very calming and soothing with very minimalistic decor. Only my third time having omakase so not an expert but the food was amazing. Even the salad was so delicious with the yummy dressing and various pieces of fish, very refreshing. I was actually surprised there was no shoyu to dip the sushi in but then realized that it wasn't needed. It would have taken away the flavor of the fish which was extremely fresh. Even the ginger was very tasty with a hint of sweetness to it. Service was great with our server being very attentive and very pleasant. I'm would definitely come again for lunch. For $68 it was definitely worth it. read more

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My first time enjoying omakase, and couldn't have chosen a better spot! Kuramoto is an intimate restaurant located in Tustin, CA. It's entrance faces out into a parking lot, but upon walking in you are transported to a small restaurant in Japan with 2 chefs and 16 seats. The windows are blacked out, really keeping you immersed in the experience. Once seated, we were immediately greeted by the waitress and and chef. Both were fantastic! When making the reservation, I let them know I had a dairy allergy, and they were sure to check with me about what I could and couldn't eat. Service was extremely quick between courses; only 2-3 minutes until the next dish was served. All pieces of the chef's choice nigiri were fresh and delicious, but our favorites were the finale toro with pickled raddish, and seared black cod with truffle salt. Lunch is definitely the way to go, 12 courses for $68. read more

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We had sushi omakase all over the world, this place is definitely top notch. It's very authentic Japanese style. Each piece has distinctive flavor. Fishes are very fresh and professionally prepared. My parents think it's even better than the expensive Ginza sushi places in Tokyo. Highly recommend the wonderful sushi experience. read more

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Good food, service, environment, great chef. He is engaging. Funny guy. Made sure we were taken cared of. It is a cozy space. Very clean and organized. Will be coming back! read more

Kuramoto - Uni, caviar. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tustin, California

AMBIANCE (4/5): Small place, bar seating only for a total of 16 seats. SERVICE (lunch) (5/5): There were 2 sushi chefs for 16 people, 1 waitress who brought all the non-sushi items out and she was ON IT! Everything was brought out promptly, my hot tea was never empty. She brought out every starter and dessert course with no wait! Sushi chefs went at the perfect pace and handled multiple customers with ease. FOOD (5/5): $68 LUNCH OMAKASE - includes sashimi salad, chawanmushi, 7 pieces nigiri sushi, uni/ikura rice dish, clear broth soup, and light mousse dessert! 7 PIECES NIGIRI SUSHI: 1. Sea bream with lemon & salt 2. Ocean trout 3. Amberjack 4. Striped jack with fresh wasabi & crispy rice cracker 5. Black cod (seared) with lemon & truffle salt 6. Blue fin tuna with nori paste 7. Chopped up toro with pickled radish $3 HOT GREEN TEA $2 +ADDED SPECIAL RIVER CRAB (Sawagani) - crispy like a chip lightly salted (seasonal) read more

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best omakase deal out in OC. i brought my hubby out on his birthday to kuramoto for the lunch omakase and he left a very happy man. the service was very prompt and straight to the point. which we liked. making this experience one where we could enjoy ourselves and converse about. when the courses were brought out, we immediately noticed the presentation. absolutely beautiful. the selection, quality, and cuts of the fish was the best we've ever had. the ocean trout, striped jack, and black cod were some of our most favorite courses. the pictures attached speak for themselves. just wow. in the end, chef asked if we would like to order more pieces and we regret not doing so! we will definitely be back. read more

Kuramoto - 10/01/2025 lunch omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tustin, California

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My partner and I made this reservation months in advance to celebrate Valentine's Day together. There is a $50 deposit for each person, but it's returned after you check in with the host. Upon arrival, the host showed us our seats which are centered around the counter where the chef prepares the food. It is a very intimate setting and depending on the dining group, it can get quiet so just be aware of that. The Jousen course includes a total of 15 courses including starters, the sushi, and dessert. We loved the freshness of the fish and how carefully crafted each dish was! Your appetite will be satiated after this meal. read more

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WOW incredible Omakase great food and service and ambiance. plus Michelin star. read more

Made a reservation for a mid week lunch since I had business in the area. It's located in a large-ish shopping center with a decent amount of parking. The space is clean, somewhat minimal, and intimate with only bar seating. I feel like the bar top is a little high which obscures the view of the chefs working, but NBD. Lunch moves at your pace of choosing unless you linger. Service is nice enough, pretty typical. The lunch Omakase starts with a sashimi salad which was just average. Chawanmushi was solid with a mild flavored stock, smooth egg and pieces of seafood. Sushi followed and though it was pleasant, there was nothing memorable, out of the ordinary, or hyper seasonal. The Tamago was really light and ate almost like a cake. The cup of dashi before dessert was a treat. A solid lunch for the price point, but nothing really stood out. I'm sure dinner service will offer more highpoints but of course comes the equivalence in price. I'd come back for lunch if I was in the area, but it's not worth a special trip. read more

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Wow...amazing experience. I had the lunch omakase with a reservation for $68 per person and was blown away by each bite. Sushi quality is super nice and each nigiri is carefully crafted with flavors that complement the fish very well. A bit on the expensive side but I think the lunch is worth it! Japanese chefs craft each nigiri in front of you with a short explanation of what the fish is, loved the service. Love the attention to detail and even the plates they use. Interior is pretty small, feels intimate but there's a few parties that were dining at the same time as us. Definitely worth a try! read more

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The most memorable Omakase experience for a long time!! The quality of food and the service were the top tier level in OC. Definitely will return for other occasions! read more

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Kuramoto is located at the corner of a strip mall. It had a very unassuming front signage which made it difficult to find at night. Once inside, we were greeted by the hostess and shown our seats on the bar that wrapped around the restaurant. The restaurant's dining area wasn't very big which provided an intimate dining experience. From looking around the bar, there were many other couples who also wanted to share the evening together. Throughout the evening we were served various nigiri's, soups, and other well thought out dishes. The fish was fresh and each dish was carefully assembled and crafted. The whole dining experience lasted about 90 minutes and we were thoroughly satisfied at the end of the meal. Overall it was a great experience and definitely a keeper. read more

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Good fish and amazing flavors! We went for lunch and it was $68 and it came with apps, nigiri and light soup. The ambiance is super clean and minimalist. Great vibes and Japanese service. read more

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This place was amazing. Make sure you're super hungry! The chefs are super friendly once you get the ball rolling and will gracefully accept any drinks you send their way. It's very limited sitting so the vibe is up to you. Food was great in my opinion, even thought some plates might be something you'd never think you'd eat, but if I ever get the chance to go again, I wouldn't think twice about it. read more

Chef Taiki is an absolute legend. I had some of the best take on nigiri that I've ever had here. From amberjack to cod, all the way to A5 wagyu topped with foie gras. Absolute bangers. Resto itself had immaculate vibes, excellent service, and 10/10 16-course intimate experience. The wife and I were fortunate enough to have the restaurant to ourselves. Chef made the night super comfortable. We had conversations about Japan, family, and life experiences. My only regret was that I didn't tip enough. Shouldn't have calculated in my head. Chef Taiki, I'll be back to try the lunch menu and make sure I tip enough for both visits!! Thank you, Kuramoto, for an epic night. We will 100% eat here again. read more

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Had an amazing omakase dinner here. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented. The quality of the fish was excellent and you can really tell a lot of care goes into each course. The staff was amazing, especially the chefs who took the time to explain every dish as it was served. It made the experience feel much more personal and special. Compliments to the chef for such a well executed menu. The restaurant itself was also very nice spacious, clean, and had a great atmosphere. Overall a great experience and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great omakase spot. read more

If you are looking for a Michelin level Omakase dining experience for a special occasion or just enjoy delicious food Kuramoto is what you're looking for! This is a concept from renown Executive Chef Taiki, yes the winner from Hulu's Best in Dough show, Michelin guide ranked 2022-2023 from Momoyama. Kuramoto is located literally in a random strip mall on the corner of Red Hill/Edinger without a sign. But the door is at end of the building and look for the blacked out window with the small Kuramoto sign on the door. Yes, this place is my RSVP only for your dining time for dinner with prepaid RSVP on tock. The entire omakase dining experience is a journey through the creative mind of Chef Taiki. You can see his personality through the design of the course and his entertaining presentation manner throughout the 2 hour service. You can see his passion to his craft with the freshest and premium ingredient with technical and inspirations from modern Japanese dining. You will taste the depth of the flavor profiles as Chef explains his dishes. This was absolutely a memorable experience that we would recommend to anyone! The omakase was exactly what a real authentic omakase is suppose to be. Not these Westernized/lookalike versions but a genuine throughout journey from begin to end. The staff and Chef Taiki were both excellent in service and entertainment value too! He'll even respond to your social media tags if you tag him personally thanking you! It's great seeing how passionate Chef Taiki is and we will absolutely be coming back again when new menus release. Not to mention Chef is just super funny and charming! read more

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5/5 dining experience This is one of the best sushi spots in OC. Extremely lucky to have a chef Taiki here to give us some amazing pieces of sushi. I just got back from Japan and the sushi here just hit the spot so well almost felt like I was back there already. The restaurant is so nice inside. It is very simple and straightforward. You're walking into a theater and you are the guest. Make sure to buy some sake and share with your sushi chef! read more

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$68 Lunch omakase. Trust me. It's worth every penny. The reservation experience was seamless on tock. Excellent communication on Yelp messages and 200% accommodating. The ambiance, amazingly Zen. I thought I was fine dining at a Michelin star restaurant. The food, every piece was delicious. See pictures. Go try the lunch omakase. We are planning our dinner omakase already! read more

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Really good omakase experience. All of the nigiri was fresh and creative. Service was good and courses came out timely. Quiet ambiance with limited seating around the sushi bar. Not a place to go with a large group of friends. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because I wasn't impressed with the last two courses (sushi pizza and yuzu icee dessert). I would have been much happier with the crème brute I saw in the Yelp photos. read more

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Probably the best omakase experience in OC. This place was tucked away in a tustin plaza on edinger and red hill. We made a reservation way beforehand for our one year anniversary dinner. Just to note, they do require a $50 deposit pp when you reserve online. However, they remove it once you show up. We came here right on time and dinner started immediately. The two chefs were wonderful as they cracked jokes, kept everyone engaged, while explaining every dish. Just letting you guys know, you actually end up getting full from this omakase. It was pretty substantial. We would definitely recommend the tokusen menu, which was $215 pp. The only difference compared to the jousen menu ($190) was that you will get a featured dish, in our case, was the korokke stuffed with A5 wagu. Every dish was delicious and wonderful. The ambiance was very simple and clean. I love the lighting inside. Also, the server was super attentive, though I wish there was one more server to help since one server seemed overwhelming. If you have been to other omakase places like hana re or rebel omakase, this was 100% better. I wouldn't even be surprised if they get a michelin star in the coming years. read more

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Very clean and lovely restaurant. Everything was on point. Best value for your dollar. Best price for lunch omakase around the area. Would definitely come back for second. read more

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Chef Kuramoto serves up a lunch omakase that's undeniably the best deal in Orange County right now. For $68 you get a mixed set of nigiri, a variety of small dishes and soup plus dessert. That's nearly a tank of gas in this economy. I also tried their chirashi bowl which was great too, each ingredient expertly placed. The atmosphere here would largely depend on the crowd on the day you go, but it's generally pretty low-key. I stayed as long as I could and caught the chefs pulling out an ice box of fish freshly imported from Japan and watched him prep it. If you're picky about what you eat or are looking for a california roll--this place might not be your first pick. However, if you're an experience that's authentic don't want to break the bank, I would definitely go try Kuramoto. read more

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Amazing new sushi omakase in OC!!! I was looking for michelin worthy sushi omakase when I found the sushi spot. They have two seatings a night 6 &8pm, you can reserve it on tock. They literally just opened a couple months ago and the Chef really knows what he's doing. Sushi omakase has two different types, I tried the Tokusen. Every single dish was amazing. They just started the new winter menu today and added his cherry wood smoked scallops with a whole fried crab!!! See pics :) I have high hopes for this one! read more

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We were fans of Chef Taiki since Hamamori and the other restaurant that shall not be named (starts with Momo, and ends with Yama). So when we found out he finally opened his own restaurant, fittingly named after him, we had to go. Of course we opted for the premium omakase, which is a hefty $215 pp. But hey, YOLO. ALL the dishes were heavenly, but there were a few favorites including the Wagyu with foie gras, crab handroll, uni, and otoro. Loved the finishing touches of gold flakes (24 karat magic in the airrrr) and black truffle shavings on top. I'd say the food was perfect although I always wish the cut of fish would be thicker. The service was friendly and the flow was smooth and well paced, to allow time for guests to enjoy the food as it's meant to be an experience of the palate. Decor was simple, minimal but elevated, reminiscent of the traditional architecture in Kyoto that I've seen on my recent trip. It's a 14 seater restaurant so ambiance is intimate. Plenty of parking and it's super close to the freeway. Definitely a solid 5 star experience. read more

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The best lunch omakase I had in a long time! The interior was new, clean, and I like that it's bar seating only. All the courses were amazing, my favorite were definitely - the chopped toro with pickled radish - striped jack - cod with truffle salt OMG the tamago tasted like literal dessert, if you told me this was castella cake I would 100% believe it I loved every single aspect of this lunch omakase. Even the dessert was so so yummy!! 1000/10 rating, best bang for your buck. I'm coming back in 2 weeks read more

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Newly opened upscale Omakase Restaurant with a great value lunch omakase. Kuramoto appeared on my radar recently and it looked really intriguing from the pictures I saw. What really captured my attention was their $68 lunch Omakase. Keep in mind this place is reservation only. I found it quite funny the sign outside said closed upon my arrival but I think that's to deter walk ins due to their limited seating. The executive chef is Chef Taiki who has won some cooking competitions as well as being on the Michelin guide. The lunch Omakase consists of some starters, 7 pieces of nigiri, an uni and Ikura bowl, soup and dessert. The chefs prepare right in front of you and all the food was excellent. It makes me really curious how the dinner menu is but at $175 or $200 per person, it has to be a really special event. I'll for sure come back for lunch as it's a great value and really delicious. read more

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Went in with a reservation for their lunch omakase and wow, top tier experience from beginning to end. Honestly, the lunch portion was just enough for us to feel satiated, but we are looking forward to indulging ourselves and coming in for the dinner omakase one day for a special occasion. Also, a big thanks to Myron. read more

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Kuramoto recently opened up and right away, my friends and I booked reservations for lunch through Tock.  Initially, my friend got lost cause it was sort of nondescript location but she eventually found her way.  It's located in a strip mall with plenty of free parking. Inside, it was a minimalist interior, a large station for the chef to prepare the food and chairs along the other side of the bar style table.  The bathroom was clean and had a bidet with heat for the seat. Chef Taiki was fun to interact with while he was prepping the foods for everyone.   Service was excellent, the tea kept coming, which was greatly appreciated. The lunch omakase is a such a good way to taste test if the restaurant is worth going to for dinner. I have to say that everything was super fresh, delicate, and so so tasty.  Of course my favorites were the striped jack, chawanmushi, and toro.  Everything was delicious and I would definitely go back again. read more

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We used to eat at the other shop until recently the main chef opened this one. His craft and passion in making quality sushi is pleasant with every bite. There was never a bad time and issue with the food; only consistency. The new place is very modern with nice dim lights, but still in tuned with the Japanese style decor. For 68$, the lunch omakase is a good price given for the quality of the sushi and where it's coming from. My favorite dish was the black cod and waygu sashimi w/ foie gras on top. The black cod tasted smoky even though it wasn't seared; so good. The waygu sashimi was buttery and very umami coming from the goose liver. The full course was a 5/5. The service was also good and friendly. Because the seating inside was less than 15, it was very intimate. They took care of us good. We didn't forget the Dassai Bleu too and man, lunch was lit and good talks. If you guys like good quality sushi with nice vibes, come through. I highly recommend for dates too. Taiki thank you for the amazing experience, ay! Will be coming back soon lol. read more

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I happened to be coincidentally talking to my friend about another sushi restaurant, and she mentioned the head chef had left and was opening a new sushi establishment. Luck would have it where it opened the day we were talking, and it was so close! This place is opened for lunch and dinner, and I took a shot at lunch and they do indeed have a fabulously priced lunch menu. We opted for the lunch omakase. At $68 I think it is easily the best value to quality sushi lunch experience in the entire OC. All the fish here is extremely fresh and well sourced, and all the appetizers are well executed. I was surprised at the level of quality here, it caught me off guard especially since they just opened. The restaurant itself is gorgeous: sleek, modern, and high end. It is obvious that the head chef and owner put alot of love, thought, and care into this place. I love the lighting details all around. The servers were also very nice, and I never had any issues with my water glass being empty. Overall, I'm so excited to have such a high caliber establishment so close to home, at such an affordable price point. Basically, I'll be a regular here for lunch - no more waiting in line at Otorro for lunch. If you're on the fence of checking this place out, I can confidently say you should just go. You won't be disappointed, and neither will your wallet. read more

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Decent Omakase spot, Is it the best in the world, no. For lunch at 68 per head? Hits the spot since some places could be alot more. Bar seating only. Would I come back again? Maybe. You can make reservations online which is nice with a prepaid 50 dollars per seat. read more