Today is our son's 17th birthday, and he wanted to try omakase. What better place than Nana San? This has been our favorite date night spot when we used to live in Irvine. We were lucky to get seats at the sushi bar, and Chef David was amazing. My son was so excited to watch Chef David craft his nigiri. Every single piece was so good! The fish was fresh and melted in our mouths. The service today was superb, and everyone was so nice and welcoming. The price is very reasonable for such a great omakase experience. Thank you, Chef David and the entire team, for giving my son an awesome first omakase experience! read more

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Really enjoyed our experience at Nana San! The fish was very fresh, and the service was friendly and welcoming. What I especially liked was the reasonable pricing--good quality without feeling overpriced. Definitely a nice spot for Japanese food, and I'd be happy to come back! read more

4.5/5 Quality ingredients in a classy yet casual environment. This is a small neighborhood restaurant with ample parking but very limited seating. We called around 10am for same day reservations and sat at a table for dinner. Prices are reasonable and I would return - Lotus Roots With Spicy Tuna (5/5) - Must order. - Tataki with Tuna and Salmon (3/5) - I preferred the salmon here but overall found the dish lacking in flavor and would not reorder. - Black Cod Nigiri (3/5) Didn't care for the lime on top but it was nicely seared - Toro Nigiri (5/5) I think it was $17 for "regular" or $19 for the "better" version that day. Go premium you won't regret it. - King Salmon Nigiri (4/5) Noticeably different from the regular salmon and good for salmon enjoyers. - Uni (5/5) Smaller variety. Super fresh, chilled and creamy. Crisp seaweed. Ask for it even if you don't see it on the menu. - #2 Sushi Combo (3.5/5) Perfectly fine if you don't want to deal with choosing fish but I wouldn't order again since I didn't like half the fish (especially the regular tuna was very standard/basic without much flavor). I did really like the salmon, unagi, red snapper and sweet shrimp with a fried head. read more

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If this isn't one of OC's best hidden gems, I don't know what is. I almost hate to write about it, but let's be honest, it was packed on a Tuesday night; it's gonna get the business it gets. Came in for omakase style dining....and not omakase in a preset sense, but in a, "I'm hanging out with with my sushi chef, and he's gonna make me what he wants,' type of way. Everything was amazing; right down to the service with Chef David and Judy. Amazing rapport. Inside is dim and intimate. Outside I couldn't even find it. There were no bright neon signs saying open. You can miss it. (like I did!). Their sign was off when I came. Look, if you like Sushi and Japanese food, call it in, see if you can get a table/seat. I don't want to spoil anything for you, but everything is just top notch. It ain't cheap either...you can't get that quality and service at fast food prices. read more

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This is more like a 3.5 star review. Went here for lunch based on reviews. Sushi was good. Service was good and so was the chicken. Tempura mix was OK. Overall a good experience but can't say I was blown away. Will be coming back to try more. read more

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The sushi here is good, but the service is far from exceptional. No matter how early you arrive, there always seems to be an excuse about the bar seats being "all taken" and that you should call for a reservation. We called at 4:00 PM one time--no one answered. Another time, we were told to call around noon. Again, no one answered. Today, I arrived at 4:30 PM and was once again told that all the bar seats were taken and that I should call. I honestly don't know what I'm supposed to do at this point. I waited until 5:30 PM when the restaurant opened, and they seated me at the hottest table in the restaurant, with the sun shining directly on me. I politely asked if I could move to another table. I was told no because the other tables were "taken." The unbelievable part? The restaurant was practically empty. Good sushi can only go so far. When customers make an effort to arrive early, follow your instructions, and still receive this kind of treatment, it becomes extremely frustrating. Tonight, I'm not just disappointed--I'm angry, upset, and hungry. read more

Nana San - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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In my opinion, this is the best place to get sushi in Orange County -- and I've lived here for a long time. Sure, you could go to a much pricier place and get really great sushi there too, but you can't get much better value than at Nana's. Spots fill up quickly and it's a small restaurant, so it's best to show up right when they open in for their dinner hours. read more

This time we came for lunch. We had to wait to be noticed. Then we were sat down and left. It was a full five minutes later before I had to ask for a menu. We ordered a Salmon roll and a Combo A with chicken Terryaki, rice, soup, and salad. The roll came right away. The quality was good and the seaweed salad was fantastic. Then came the chicken. I bit into it and there was a cold spot in the meat. The rest was room temp but the cold spot felt like this was taken out of the refrigerator. I asked the waitress to bring me something warm to eat. She left and returned in five minutes. The chicken was like rubber. The ends were not edible. I told the sushi chef to look at the meat. I pressed down on it in front of him. It was like beef jerky. It did not taste fresh, and the small amount was $18. I don't want to be a big complainer and cause trouble for this restaurant, but I will never return to this place or recommend it to anyone I know. read more

Nana San - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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I love going for omakase here. There's not a set course, I just sit down at the sushi bar and let the chef know my preferences and then he keeps serving until I'm all set. I like that the chefs personally introduce the sushi and recommend to have it with or without soy sauce. At the end, they serve a complimentary little jello dessert taster and tea, but I usually save a little room for their black sesame flan which is light and just a perfect end to the experience. The owner/chef, along with the rest of the staff, have always been friendly, helpful, and help to make the atmosphere comfortable and welcoming. It's a small restaurant and they do get busy, so might be best to make a reservation or go early. Parking is easy. The prices are really fair. Closed Sundays. read more

I'm so happy to visit Nana San again! Through all the different sushi spots that I try, I always find myself coming back here to eat all my favorites. It was so special to try the Kanpachi Kama and go back to my favorite dish, Blue Crab Handroll. I ordered all my favorite dishes, including my favorite cut being the Japanese Red Snapper. As always, I was met by the lovely staff that helped place my name on the waitlist, those that greeted me, and others that served me and continued to make my experience special. I was seated at the bar and the sushi chef was so personable. He would create my dishes quick and with precision, never compromising on flavor or presentation. I always order extra pickled carrots on the side and he did not hesitate to present me a lovely serving of this. Coming to Nana San feels like home. With the food, people, and company, it never fails to fill my cup at the end of a long day or week. read more

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This has become our favorite place for celebration dinners because it's so delicious! We always sit at the sushi bar and order omakase. Today we had Chef Goro San. He carefully prepared each wonderful piece individually: - red snapper - rock cod - black snapper - European sea bass - Bluefin tuna - striped jack/shimaaji - finger lime on halibut - king salmon - yellowtail - kanpachi/amberjack - seared scallop - Spanish mackerel - steamed abalone - Spanish mackerel fried bones - albacore belly read more

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If I could give this place 10 stars I would! Freshest sushi! I know it gets packed & honestly it's worth the wait. I was lucky I had a reservation & was seated right away. It's authentic & the service is great. I would say it's not too big not too small inside. Every single thing I tried was phenomenal it's the best sushi I have had in a long time! I tried the hand rolls, nigiri, unagi, sashimi, and the lotus tempura with spicy tuna (highly recommend). The scallop nigiri was literally insane just melted in your mouth. The unagi was some of the best unagi I've ever had. I can't wait to return I've thought about this meal often! read more

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Ultra high quality Japanese/sushi/sashimi experience here in Newport. Very impressed with how authentic and well prepared everything was presented, and how delicious and fresh everything tasted. The omakase made by the chefs had a beautiful assortment of different fish with a very wide palate experience. The churashi bowls and sushi specials were delicious and well made. Individual nigiri orders were perfect, light and delicious. Sake pairing was awesome with plenty of selection depending on your budget. Servers are super friendly, kind, and courteous. Ambiance is cozy and good for small groups, friends catching up, or date night. Overall, an amazing and delicious dinner, highly recommended and would absolutely return to again. If you're looking for sushi/Japanese tonight, make a reservation and come here. read more

Nana San in Newport Beach is a longtime sushi favorite that feels calm, polished, and consistently fresh. The strength here is simple, well-executed nigiri and sashimi, with a style that lets the fish speak for itself rather than overloading everything with sauces. It's also a good place if you want a dependable Japanese meal without the fuss of a flashy omakase spot. The atmosphere tends to be relaxed and professional, the fish quality is a big reason people keep going back, and it has that steady neighborhood feel that makes it easy to recommend for repeats ! read more

Nanasan's omakase is first rate. Goro is the master. We have been coming here for a decade and it's amazing. Sit at the sushi counter and order what makes you happy. Parking is plentiful. It's in a large strip mall. Everything they make is delicious. This place takes me back to our summers in Japan. The fish is fresh, the dishes are authentic, and you are transformed into a Japanese paradise when you come here. Enjoy! Happy Yelping! read more

Nana San - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Important tip: Make sure to call ahead for a reservation. You cannot book online--reservations are phone-only. I called in the morning and reserved for 2 people at 7:30 PM. We arrived early around 6:45 PM just in case and ended up waiting about 30 minutes, getting seated around 7:15 PM. What we ordered: Deluxe Chirashi "J" Combo (tuna, yellowtail, salmon + crunchy roll - 8 pieces) Chicken Karaage Live sweet shrimp x 2 Eel x2 Toro x 2 Because it was busy, ordering took a bit of time--but I placed everything at once so we wouldn't need to keep flagging the staff later. Overall experience: Everything was visually appetizing, incredibly tender, clean, and fresh--exactly what you hope for from high-quality sushi. The fish quality and presentation fully met expectations despite the crowd. Final thoughts: This is definitely a place to save for a special occasion, as prices are on the higher side. That said, the quality makes it worth it. I will be coming back again soon. read more

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Nana San is me and my girlfriends go to for special occasions. Anniversary? We're there. Valentines? We're there. Girlfriend day? Veterans Day? We don't need any excuses to make reservations here. It's always a rush trying to get reservations for evening bar seating. It reminds me of ticket wars trying to get seats for a Stray Kids concert. If you want omakase bar seating, make sure to call at 10 AM(?) weekdays or 5 PM(?) on weekends. Getting to the food, let me put it this way: Nana San has ruined other sushi for me. Whenever me and my girlfriend try another sushi place, we always end the meal with "we should have just gone to nana San." The quality to price ratio, the selection of fish, the chefs personality are all top notch for a budget price. I can't emphasize enough how much I personally love Nana San, and this is coming from someone who used to not like sushi. The quality, service, and overall vibe of the restaurant is amazing, and I hope you are able to go and experience it yourself. read more

Nana San - Omakase nigiris ( I literally can't remember what these fish were but they are DELICIOUS) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Nana San is our go-to feel-good sushi spot: Birthday? Nana San. The day after the wedding? Nana San. Feeling sad? Nana San will fix it. Chef Goro and Chef David are always so welcoming and make us feel at home. Their sushi is of highest quality. The rice to fish ratio is spot on. Each nigiri piece is dressed up differently with a variety of condiments/garnishes, so every bite is a surprise and a celebration of flavors. Another highlight for me is their complimentary pickled cucumber, which makes a perfectly balanced meal. As a tradition, we always ended our meal with their homemade flan: black sesame, coffee, matcha, or hojicha - you really can't go wrong with any of them. I highly recommend calling on the day of to make a reservation, or else it will be a long wait because it's a small establishment. What are you waiting for? read more

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Update on my review since the last time I was here. We came here last night to celebrate my little cousins birthday and they provided us good hospitality. The waitress and servers were very attentive and always cleared up our dishes. We ordered al la carte this time. I really enjoyed the scallop, red snapper, ocean trout, and European sea bass sushi. Super fresh! We tried the Soft shell crab hand roll and yellow tail hand roll as well, so good! Highly recommend the soft shell handroll. I had to order the shiitake crab meat, that has to be my favorite appetizer. It was delicious! read more

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Its the type of restaurant that transports you out of FUSA. For just a moment you can imagine you've escaped and you're dining in, say, Osaka. Extensive menu and beautiful service. read more

My bestie called at 10am to made reservations for us at 6pm and it was super worth it The inside is a bit small but they have plenty of tables & the bar was filled with ppl Their food was amazing! We drank sm sake that I don't remember which dishes were ordered but every single thing we ate was absolutely AMAZING the amaebi, kanpachi, king salmon, uni and hamachi was sooooooo freaking good I literally loved every single dish and I lowkey wish we ordered more so I'll definitely be back again next time to try a lot more things read more

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Food has gotten worse and worse. Sushi compatible to supermarket quality sliced very thin and had a film coated on the fish. Teriyaki chicken was served watery with awful presentation. Only good thing was tempura and that was like the good old time from Nanasan read more

Been to nanasan a couple of times for lunch/dinner. Each time service was excellent. Over all thr fisj quality is excellent and balanced. Wide variety and selection. They serve an omakase that you can let them know how much or how little you d like. Over all very well priced. Would highly recommend for a return visit. read more

Stopped by today for a lunch omakase and again Nana San left me impressed! For the price - this is probably the best fish I've had in SoCal. Had a 10 piece omakase with a blue crab hand roll. Forgot what I had but their scallops and live shrimp were unreal Absolutely satisfied A++++ read more

4.5 stars We had one of the most delicious sushi meals in recent years. With an 11:30 reservation, we were greeted warmly and sat at the sushi bar as soon as they opened. Nana San is a small and cozy restaurant with a long L shape bar which can fit 12-14 people. Some tables on the other side of the sushi bar. Service was nice and friendly. Four of us shared a variety of different nigiris, hand rolls, sashimi and tempura. Everything was super fresh, well executed and very yummy. The nigiris shared were scallops, toro, hamachi and hamachi belly. Toro was the standout (and most expensive) but all were thoroughly enjoyed. The yuzu salmon sashimi was offered in generous portion (8 pieces) marinated in a light and slightly spicy yuzu sauce, sooo good. We ordered second. Sweet Ebi was the best ever raw shrimp I've ever tasted, sweet, crunchy and pretty good size. At $23 a piece was pricy but well worth the $$. They charged additional $3.50 pp if the shrimp head is cooked in Miso soup, a little unusual; no extra charge for fried ones. We had several orders of the softshell crab handrolls, it's quite substantial and a bit mayo heavy. Not my favorite but others seem to enjoy it a lot. Tempura Mix came with three shrimps plus multiple pieces of vegetable, again well cooked, $15 was a very reasonable price. To finish the meal, we shared a couple of sesame flans, not too sweet with good sesame flavor; I'm not much of a dessert person, but liked it. We are very happy with our experience at Nana San, will definitely visit again when coming to this area next time; sure hope we lived closer. Highly recommended for Sushi/sashimi lovers. read more

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Is there anyway I can eat here ? I call for reservation just me and a stroller (my baby) 2 hour wait. I come early in person 1 hour 30 min wait . Is it because of my stroller? I'm making this review in a desperate attempt to eat here like what if i came in a wheelchair ? The place is so tiny I can't even fit a stroller! Pls let me eat here how is everyone else getting tables it's literally a humiliation ritual going out with a baby . Hosts can be nicer too, showing me a list and saying "look all these people waiting" isn't a good response to "hi how long is the wait" I clearly DONT see anyone physically waiting so how am i supposed to know 40 other people called in. I called in too! Does anyone else have this problem read more

Been eyeing on Nana San for awhile, missed their reservation calls a couple times, I've finally got to try out for my birthday. Nana San is such a gem of a place despite how small and local it is. I got to meet chef David, one of the coolest sushi chefs. We had couple drinks and great talk together. We got bunch of nigiri pieces along with chef's recommendations, and every bite was delicious. Every piece was really fresh, fish to rice ratio was spot on. Chef used different sauces/garnish for different cuts in order to elevate the flavor, and my favorite was the secret truffle sauce. It's really hard to find a good sushi place like this in the area when there are so many options to choose from, but Nana San was so worth it, especially at that price point. If you're ever in town and crave for sushi, this is THE PLACE! read more

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Friendly service. Great fresh food of all varieties, attractively presented. Homemade flan not to be missed. A bargain. read more

Nana San has always been a go to for me and my family. I don't drink but I'm sure to buy the guys at the bar something for doing a great job. This is a traditional Japanese sushi bar with all the sushi being 5/5. This is probably the best MOM and POP sushi bar in Orange County. Hard to get a reservation, come early or come late is the only way you're getting in. All the servers do an amazing job. I've been coming here for a very long time never had one bad experience. read more

I've been coming here for years and it's one of the best sushi spots in Orange County I would say around south California. The quality of food is superior to many other places. They have 4 different types of miso soup and very fresh fish. The staff is wonderful to the hostess and chefs. Their service is amazing and very attentive always !!! Their ambiance is original Japanese style fun bar sitting and great location between Newport and Irvine. I saw some negative reviews and I want to adress them. All the bad reviews comes from people that are unable to get it at their own convenience. You have to call ahead and respect the restaurant they are always busy and full due to their amazing quality of food !!! My advice if you want to get in here you have to call ahead and be prepared in advance. 10/10 I give them for service ambiance and prices and quality. read more

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I used to be a regular years ago and my last visit left me with mixed feelings. First the waitlist process doesn't make sense and is inefficient. We called the day of and was told they would call us when a table is ready starting at 6pm. By 7pm we haven't received a call yet so we make our way to the restaurant. When we arrive, they have a table open but won't sit us because there is another party who is on their way to the restaurant. Mind you we were the only party waiting. NBD we only had to wait an extra 15 minutes. Once we sit down, it took almost 2 hours to get our nigiri sushi order to fully arrive. We were a party of 3 adults and a child. Want to add 4 pieces of nigiri to our original order? That will take another 20min. No thank you. Most of the fish is fresh but was told they have Santa Barbara uni at market price. It was not fresh at all and they tried to make up for it by soaking it in sauce. Please don't charge market price for seafood that is not fresh. I'll give this place one more try by doing omakase at the bar. Maybe it was an off night even though we dined on a Saturday night. read more

Fresh sushi and friendly service Everytime! Can be a bit hard to get a table sometimes because of the popularity but totally worth it. Also very well priced read more

When you are in Irvine, it's always a good decision to dine at an Asian restaurant! Tonight we chose to visit a restaurant that we have gone by a zillion times but not stopped till today! Due to rave reviews we finally stopped in to see why this was one of the best places to stop in for sushi! Tucked away in a stripped mall with Starbucks, subway and cleaners, you will find this small Japanese restaurant. A place where local and frequent guest dine! You know they are frequent guest as their name tags are on bottles of sake! And they know how to secure a reservation at this restaurant when they opened! We were fortunate to secure a seat on a Saturday night at 5:30pm. When we approached the restaurant door, people were waiting to get inside. Fortunately we had a reservation by calling the day of. Others were turned around without reservations or told to come back later at night. The employees were super friendly and accommodating upon arrival and throughout our meal. We appreciated them checking in on us throughout the meal service. As for food, all the food items we had were fresh! None of the fish seem tough or fishy. We both ordered combo dishes that featured salmon, tuna, eel and more. We also order some additional sushi to try some of the specials for the day. At the end they provided us with a palette cleaner sweet and some hot green tea. A perfect finish for our meal! After a great experience we will be back! From our first experience we learned that reservations is important and that they are closed on Sunday! Enjoy! read more

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Very high quality sushi. The emphasis is on Nigiri rather than rolls. There are also some cooked seafood options. Typical strip mall location. Highly recommended if you prefer Nigiri. read more

Nana-San is a local sushi spot with some of the best omakase I have had. It's truly spectacular with how much care and attention each chef places in crafting each piece. I always try requesting Nana-San, who is always a joy to have as he remembers all of our preferences and feels like hanging out with a friend I have not seen in a while. The sushi pieces are super fresh and tasty, with the unique flavors of the fish being highlighted throughout. The staff is super attentive and ensures that your water and plates are filled and cleaned respectively. Be warned, the spots fill up fast, so make sure to call at 10 AM to book your spot at the bar for omakase! Overall, Nana-San is one of the best omakase spots in OC. read more

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Top 3 sushi place in Orange County. Sushi is fantastic. Tender fresh and melts in your mouth. This place is always busy and you need to call ahead to make a reservation. Only same day reservations though. But if you do, you will get a spot. All cuts are great. I usually just get the nigiri for good sushi places like this. Nothing fancy, just really good food. read more

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Super fresh sushi. I usually come for lunch and always try to eat at the sushi bar. Nobu-san is great and the servers are attentive. It's pretty small though, so large parties aren't recommended. read more

I can no longer gate keep this place... jk I don't know what took me so long to review. Long story short my husband and I tried omakase here 2 years ago. It was the BEST we ever had. We made our efforts to try a lot of other places for omakase but we kept comparing them to nana san. The only gripe is of course no reservation, they only take calls 10:30 am the same day. But it is worth it I promise. Red snapper here is sooo good a must try! Our favorite is the nigiri sushi, we tried other items that were good (salmon skin salad, shishito peppers, double salmon roll) but the STAR is the fresh nigiri. Fave nigiris include red snapper, black cod, scallop, sweet shrimp raw (with miso soup), yellowtail, toro read more

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Absolutely delicious! I've been searching for a handroll spot for quite some time and this is by far the best I've had in awhile. The fish quality is excellent and incredibly fresh. I would definitely come back again for some hand rolls. The restaurant itself has cute authentic Japanese restaurant vibe. It's always a plus for me when I see the chefs and staff speaking Japanese. read more

Family-style sushi place, an absolute must-visit for simple, delicious omakase. Everything about this place was amazing. The food and service, are top-notch! I would recommend calling ahead before you come and asking if they have space at the sushi bar. It was a steal for omakase, especially for the quality of the fish. It reminds me of more classic omakase where the chef just makes different pieces until you are full. You are also able to request specific fish to try or have your favorites again. In my experience, they'll usually serve you 12 pieces and then allow you to request more if you'd like. I will be recommending this spot as it is great value omakase! read more

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