Very friendly staff, excellent food. Great customer service! the young men working there are very kind and polite.

Friendly service and a generous amount of meat in my Shio Ramen. Noodles cooked perfectly and pork really tasty. The broth could use a little more help but overall a great ramen in Escondido of all places. read more

Food (5/5 stars): Mirin Cafe made it to the top 3 of my North County SD ramen list! The highlight of the Special Mirin Ramen was the broth. I loved the balance of spicy and savory Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: cheaper than most ramen places * Wait Time: minimal on a Sunday for lunch * Service: good and friendly * Parking: there's a parking lot * Ambiance: it's a small, simple, nice restaurant read more

Mirin Cafe - Special Mirin Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

Awesome food and excellent service, polite and a local favorite. The food was prepared well and a very nice place to eat, we will return again when in Escondido read more

The food was soooooooo gas asf definitely recommend this place. But I will say pulling up to the spot caught me off guard and the drive-thru . But other than that so good!!!!!! Love read more

Mirin Cafe - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

A bit pricey, but really good quality and tasty food. Atmosphere is nice, I like the small Asian diner feel. A couple youngsters working there but they are respectful. read more

The outside of the restaurant lacks curb appeal however when I walked in I was pleasantly surprised, the restaurant looks clean and cozy inside, the waitress motioned us to sit anywhere. They weren't busy on a Tuesday afternoon Parking around the back of the building. Food was delicious I enjoyed my vegetable udon noodles were the perfect texture. read more

Mirin Cafe - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

Great food, prices, and service! Prices are very reasonable for Japanese food. The crunchy roll was around $8ish I believe. They have a great selection of food to choose from. We ordered the Tofu entree and chicken/beef entrees and the miso soup (not pictured) was a generous size! Our server was a young gentleman with curly hair and he was so polite and welcoming- which is pretty hard to come by nowadays. The only con I would say is the exterior. This is definitely a hole in the wall sort of place bc it doesn't even look like they're open. There's not much ads or anything like that on their exterior walls (except for their Mirin sign) so it could look like it's closed. But upon entering, the interior is cute and modern with a farm-like feel. I used to come here before they upgraded their interior, so it's definitely changed with that modern look. There's also a lot of parking available and they have a drive thru. Location is right next to Popeyes. read more

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Food 5/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Customer service 5/5 Speed 3/5 Price 4/5 Vegetarian options? Yes Vegan options? Yes I'm so excited that I finally place with great veggie ramen in North County. Their volcano sauce is SO spicy and delicious- one side is good for 2-3 people because you don't need a lot. Very filling. Ingredients and noodles aren't anything extraordinary but their broth is the best I've had in Escondido. The drive thru is for pick up orders only. Will definitely be return read more

Good sushi and mochi , went for some ramen and I think i was given some sort of miso soup, wasn't a fan.

I didn't know what to expect when I went to lunch here but I was pleasantly surprised. I feel like the prices are very competitive as well as the food was very tasty. Although it's a small restaurant they make the most out of the size and the staff were all very nice. It's very nice having a Japanese restaurant that serves things besides sushi in Escondido. The udon, yakisoba and gyoza were all delicious. There is not a lot of parking but that's ok too. For a great meal at a good price, this is the place. read more

Super cute cafe! Customer service was great! Food was fast and delicious. Really recommend this place read more

We got Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen, Brussel Sprout Tempura and Chicken Teriyaki & Fried Rice. Everything was delicious. read more

Mirin Cafe - Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen w/ corn added (I requested no egg). - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

Honestly was extremely surprised at how yummy this place was! Please note that it is not actually a drive thru, that you MUST order either online, over the phone or inside the restaurant. That being said, of you order takeout, you can then certainly collect it at the drive thru window once it's ready. So I was skeptical about getting sushi through a drive thru but it did make me feel better how you don't actually get it instantly--so it's not grocery store sushi that's been prepped and say for WHO even knows how long. They make everything fresh to order! The staff is wonderful, they were super nice and informative when I was confused there was a drive thru with no menu. They kindly let me know that you have to order ahead if you want to pick up at the drive thru. I went for lunch and ordered the pork fried rice and a Philly roll to take home. The pork fried rice was delicious, hot, perfectly seasoned and the pork was flavorful! I feel like often places dry out pork when they cook, but not Mirin. They know what they're doing in the kitchen! Also was delighted at how yummy the Philly roll was! A couple of the rolls did fall apart, but I think that just had to do with how long I waited to eat it (coming a little later than estimated pick up time + the drive home). I will say that the brand of packaged soy sauce they offer to-go is the kind that I find extremely salty, so next time I'll just go with my soy sauce at home. But other than that, the flavors of the roll were delicious and all the ingredients tasted fresh including the salmon. Definitely adding this to my list of drive thru options on the weekend especially when I want sushi, but don't want to step out of the car to pick it up. And to echo the other reviews, this is definitely a hole in the wall diamond in the rough. Being a woman that was driving around by herself, of course I felt unsafe that they have quite a crew of people without permanent housing hanging around their back parking lot, but they kept their distance and stayed away from the spots next to the restaurant and drive thru window. So just a heads up--also, this was the first time I've visited this restaurant so I'm not sure if those folks hang out there all the time, but just wanted to make other women out on their own aware. read more

Mirin Cafe - Pork fried rice - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

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Ordered the beef and chicken teriyaki bowl with garlic edamame. The bowl had great portions and the beef and chicken were juicy. Unfortunately they left off the sauce this time. Oh well, I will consider this the low sodium version. :) The broccoli, carrots and rice were steamed perfectly. My garlic edamame is always the star of the dinner. Love.all the garlic and the charred pods. Used the sauce for my bowl and it was delicious. Love the drive up window and customer service is usually great! read more

Mirin Cafe - Garlic Edamame - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

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It's a stand alone restaurant in East Escondido, good amount of parking spot, just right amount for how many people can be seated inside the restaurant. Food and service were good. - black garlic tonkotsu ramen with pork: strong garlic taste and thick broth that I love! 4.5/5 - beef udon: a little salty 3.5/5 - chicken and beef teriyaki: beef teriyaki was tender and flavorful 5/5 but chicken was dry 1/5 - double salmon roll: yummy!! 5/5 read more

Love this place. The gyoza is delicious, whether you choose them steamed or fried. I almost always get the beef bowl with shrimp tempura. The katsu chicken burger and fries is also a solid selection. They also do brisk business in sushi, noodles, ramen and udon. It's a small place, about 10 tables and it gets busy. read more

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Came here for my Grad celebration. Great experience! Good service! Ordered a bunch of dishes...a little bit of a wait (of course) and Everything is in one word........ PERFECTO! Woo! Btw, I was at their second grand restaurant @Vista read more

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The staff is really sweet and fast- and for what you pay it's great! It's home-y Japanese food (they get creative with their dishes sometimes in case you want to try a little fusion). I like how they decorate, and when I pick up food to-go they give you all the fix-ins. :O) read more

Grabbed a quick bite here in Escondido. Had the shoyu ramen which was solid. The double salmon roll was good as well. The cucumber salad was a little bitter. Service was good and food came out quickly. read more

It's a Tuesday ... that means I'm in Escondido (until my gig is up) :) ;) It's overcast and in the low 60's w/a very cool breeze. I'm thinking, a nice bowl of Ramen noodles. I check on Yelp to see what's close to me ... Hello, Mirin Cafe. Ok, I know I had mentioned ramen noodles but, when I saw Curry and Katsu together, I just had to have it. I called ahead and was told it's going to be ready in 15 min. 15 min later, I'm walking back to my dining table, ah, I meant truck, that's funny right? :) :) :) My expectations were exceeded. Craving for Curry and Katsu?? Mirin Cafe was spot on! Moist, yet tender and crisp chicken breast prepared to perfection. Curry was packed separately as to not ruin the delicate crunch of the Katsu. Curry is not spicy (little on the sweet side) and paired well with the rice and Katsu. I actually thought I was going to have leftovers . . . NOT, ahahaha It would've been great to have a side dish of pickled vegetables like, tsukemono. Service is friendly, dining area is very clean and they do have a TV. Plenty of parking and easy to find. FYI, no Drive thru . . . ahahahaha (jus sayin) - Take care! read more

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We have found our go to ramen spot in North County! Let me start by saying that we have been in search of good ramen in the San Marcos/Escondido area. We've tried quite a few places that are pretty good, but none that knock our socks off like Menya or Nishiki down south. The pictures on Yelp excited me to try Mirin Cafe, despite the rather inconsistent ratings I've read from recent reviews. Boy, am I glad we did! I got the volcano ramen and my husband got the black garlic tonkatsu ramen for takeout. Both were AMAZING. Such great flavor, good pricing, and a good amount of food! We also got the garlic noodles with chicken katsu and I'd say the katsu was one of the best I've had! Not too greasy, not too dry, and tasted delicious! The staff was nice and they played some nice jams. The outside of the restaurant looks like it could definitely use some work, but the inside is nice and cozy. I can't wait to go back and try their other dishes! read more

Mirin Cafe - Garlic noodles with chicken katsu - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

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Food was just okay, service was horrible. Nothing was given to us, we were instructed to sit anywhere but then no one came out to service us. We finally got up to find menus. Sushi roll came out at the same time as the hot meals. No chopsticks, share plates, bowls for soy & wasabi, napkins or utensils were offered. We had to keep asking for things. I asked for brown rice in my bowl but received white as well as a small bone in the beef. I know that can happen but it just felt like icing on the cake. The sushi fell apart and husband felt like it tasted overly fishy. Sad that we came here as we now have a pricy check for a subpar meal. I won't be back. Husband liked his noodles but he can order them to go. And, as to the lack of attentiveness, we have been sitting here done as I have been writing this whole review surrounded by our dirty dishes with no check or acknowledgment. read more

Didn't like what I ordered, sent it back....was charged for it anyway. It was seafood Ramen. Didn't like the flavor of the broth. Scallops were raw. I had food from here years ago that I liked....but this time no. I don't think I should have been charged. read more

Mirin Cafe - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

Good here is always outstanding and service is personal and great. Tonkatsu ramen is some of the best I've had outside of Tokyo. Their sushi is also great. Love coming here! read more

Cozy interior here with lots of menu choices and specials. My only complaint is they didn't have their AC on when we went, so it was hotter inside than outside. We got some yakiudon and the garlic noodles with filet special. The special was super delicious, intense garlic flavor and the filet was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. A little side of some crema was a nice touch. Service was good, no complaints. Overall this places delivers on flavor and would recommend any of their specials. read more

Mirin Cafe - Garlic noodles with filet special - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

I hay been several toon this place and I have enjoyed it every time. The place has plenty of parking and I was surprised in a good way to find this kind of restaurant in Escondido. We ordered: - chicken katsu Curry.- very good. - crunchy roll.- good. - Garlic Noodles with Filet Mignon.- this is the I like most although the portions are not quite enough. - Black Pepper Steak.- good too but quite small portions. I really liked this place but my main issue are the potion sizes which I think they are on the small side. read more

Mirin Cafe - Chicken Katsu - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

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Mirin is genius for maximizing the small space with tables and having a drive thru pickup. I ordered for pickup and the food was fresh and the ramen was piping hot. The sushi was very fresh tasting and the noodles were delicious as well. The spicy sesame ramen was SPICY so I would steer clear of that if I was sensitive to spice. read more

Rasterized digits inputted by an accountant crawl throughout my veins. At times, they call upon me to return to the nomadic nature of my ancestors. I have probably keyed up the southern Californian coastal straight more than most men would ever care to. To ensure the marks I leave no longer vanish, I have taken upon the written word as my savior. My opinions are only for making a personal tier list, and I mean no offense by my rating. Unlike most of my foodie peers, I don't expect to obtain anything from writing this, nor am I attempting to satiate my ego as a self-appointed god of grub. I appreciate all meals -- even the bad ones. I only have so many days left, and with that, so many meals left. Before I meet my maker via a buckshot soufflé prepared by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, I will commit to the written word. With that said, here are my thoughts: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ First thing worth mentioning, the things that did not affect my score + Behind the restaurant is a homeless encampment cutting off the ability to walk to the main parking lot (safely). + Parking could be better. As it is, it's small, and the lot is only accessible from one tight spot. + In general, the restaurant is pretty compact ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Things that did affect my score + The server was courteous but lacked attentiveness + The food was standard and would earn a 3 star rating -Specifically, I liked the Marin ramen --Takoyaki were standard ---tempura brussel sprout were decent but lacked the cleanliness I prefer in vegetable tempura. ---- I DO RECOMMEND THIS PLACE IF IT HAPPENS TO BE YOUR LOCAL RAMEN SPOT + The 2-star rating is a reminder for me to not go out of my way to come back here unless it happens to be the most convenient option. read more

My review from years ago still stands. Delicious, simple food with generous portions and great prices. Dining room is not fancy but it is clean and comfortable. Service is always exceptional, and you'll often find the owner himself buzzing between tables and greeting customers and chatting with regulars. They've recently opened a new spot in Vista called Mirin Kitchen and I can't wait to get out there and try the expanded menu. read more

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We tried their ramen noodles soup recently and it was regrettable experience. The soup tastes plain and noodles are packaged cup noodle qualify. Over priced for poor quality ramen noodle soup. read more

Placed an order online and drove about 11 minutes to the cafe. My order was just about done so at least I knew it was made fresh! It feels like a fast casual restaurant, but they serve everything from Ramen to yakisoba to sushi rolls! Spider Roll: (Snowcrab, cucumber, avocado, soft shell crab, eel sauce, sesame seeds) There was definitely soft shell crab, but i think it was like a half portion of the crab. It was neatly packed and there were no legs poking out as you would typically find in a spider roll. The eel sauce wasn't thick either, but that doesn't affect my review since you can still taste it. Crunchy: (Snowcrab, cucumber, avocado, shrimp tempura inside. Topped with crunchy, eel sauce, spicy mayo, sesame seeds) Well executed sushi roll! It was easy to hold and didn't break apart as I lifted it up. Can you believe the tempura shrimp was still crispy? And don't get me started on the crunchy topping! This should be the standard for places when they advertise that there is a crunchy topping cause Mirin does it very well. DF California: (Snowcrab, avocado inside. Deep fried. Topped with crunchy, eel sauce, spicy mayo, sesame seeds) Appreciated that they did not drizzle the whole thing in the spicy mayo sauce since it could get overwhelmingly creamy. The fried roll was still warm and the crunchy topping just enhanced the crispy factor by tenfold. The one thing that was misleading on the site was that their crab rolls listed "snow crab" but it was actually imitation crab in all of them. Also, the rice surrounding the rolls were a bit "over-handled" because some bites were a little mushy. Overall this is a great place to get a quick bite. It was $6.45 for each of those rolls! read more

Mirin Cafe - DF CA roll; Crunchy roll -- the crunchy toppings are wonderful - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

My family loves this place it's so bomb. The service can be slow but it's super busy. My nephew loves the filet mignon noodles. My sister often has this on her eating playlist when she comes to visit me. read more

Mirin Cafe - Plain ramen for kiddies. - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

Somebody redo the exterior of this spot because it hides such a good spot for food lol! Friendly service, reasonable speed, clean interior, nice ambience! All good, all good. Next, the food. Very hip food choices, everything looks appetizing I kinda wanted to try a lot more stuff haha! Ordered the Miso Soup, Black Garlic Ramen, and Takoyaki. All excellent and tasty. The Black Garlic was not for me, but I admit towards the end where all the essence of the soup becomes more concentrated I could not stop raving about it. Pricing is worth the taste, for sure. I don't think you can leave disappointed. Love when I find spots like that. Can't really be when everything falls so nicely together. read more

Mirin Cafe - Black Garlic Ramen w/ pork - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

The staff is friendly, but this isn't a 5 star joint. The drive-thru is for pick-up orders only, and it's definitely a hole-in-the-wall. However, my order was correct & tasty. 4 Stars seems perfect. read more

Mirin Cafe - Spider roll - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

Great food, fast friendly service, recommend this place, place is small. Cute decor , read more

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Great experience.. had the Ramen.. Volcano! Tasty & Spicy.. waiter was friendly & knowledgeable.

This little place is one of, if not, the finest restaurants in Escondido. Despite the humble location, the food here is full of flavor, and the service is fantastic and attentive. It can get full inside quickly, of course, but they do an excellent job of packaging to-go orders. I have been here many times and have never had an issue with to-go orders or service times in general. There are only about 8 tables inside buy at least it's clean and nice. Most recently we came and ordered chicken teriyaki yakisoba, and the chicken was so flavorful it was shocking to me. It is very rare to order a dish and have me absolutely floored by how much flavor there is. The sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce that is used is very pronounced and welcome, much different from other places that only offer a hint of flavor. We also got pork fried rice; it is so fresh and amazing. What a treat to get great fried rice you can tell was wok'ed to order. We also ordered the spider roll which was great and fresh. Overall this business deserves your patronage. They deserve to stay open, along with their other location in Vista, which is just as precious as the Escondido location. We need more restaurants operated at a high standard like Mirin Cafe in Escondido! read more

Wow! I can't believe we have not been to this place and glad we came in today. This place is such a gem in Escondido. The food was great, better than I expected. My husband and I enjoyed the ramen, it was full of flavors and so delicious. My son had the bowl of teriyaki chicken and he said it was delicious too. The service was great, they were a bit busy but service was fast. The ambience was great, don't let the outside fool you. Overall, we enjoyed our food today and glad they're not far from us. read more

Mirin Cafe - Volcano Ramen, spicy! - Japanese Near Me - Escondido, California

We ordered Sushi, crisp cucumber & green salad with a delightful vinaigrette dressing, fresh cucumber salad with a sensational sesame dressing, flavorful fried goyza and an order of a tasty shrimp tempura. We had ordered the food late on line and didn't realize it. They were kind enough to call us and tell us their closing. They confirmed the order would be ready for us to pick up. They had a drive through where we picked it up from. They had food was flavorful and we enjoyed it. Definitely a great experience. Their little place looked cozy but we were unable to enjoy it. Next time we're going in. read more