We came here for Happy Hour and was very impressed with the ambience and their friendly service. The space was small with chill vibes. We ordered several items: Brussel sprouts Tuna sashimi Chicken yakitori mix Pork belly Kushiyaki Tsukune (chicken meatballs) Seafood garlic noodles Sweet garlic soy wings wild mexican Shrimp While the flavors here might not be super authentic, or out of this world amazing, food was fresh and decent. I think it is a good place to grab small bites and casual dinner. Service was superb and made this place more attractive. read more

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I was really hoping to like the food because of the potential this place has but unfortunately the food was pretty underwhelming for me. I wanted to try some more of the grilled Japanese skewers that they offered but I knew how expensive it would be for me to order enough just to be somewhat full. Instead I decided to try the seafood garlic noodles which seem to be a favorite based on all the reviews I read prior to ordering. It was nice to see 4 good sized scallops and 3 pieces of shrimp on their because it could have easily been a couple less. I would have been happy with the meal if the garlic noodles were good since it's the base of the dish. It was severely under seasoned and it just tasted like bland noodles that were greasy and garlicky. Sure the garlic flavor was there but there was no salt to make it taste good. I tried to add the sauces they provided on the side meant for the lamb chop, but it didn't do much. Both the noodles and seafood was over cooked as well which only increased my disappointment. Since the noodles are so thin, it is so easy to overcook them leading to a mushy texture with no bite. The shrimp and scallops also tasted like they were not seasoned and the shrimp was dry and rubbery. On the bright side, the lamb chop was delightful. They were tender and seasoned properly. The thing is that it's $14 for two tiny lamb chops. There is no way I would be full or satisfied even if I were to order multiple orders of just the grilled skewers alone. With that being said, I don't think the food was worth it and it was far from a good value. I can see the appeal and it seems like a chill place, but I can't spend all my money and not leave somewhat satisfied. Even if the quality of the ingredients are any better than other Japanese restaurants serving similar food, it is just too pricey for me to want to come back. read more

Oak & Coal - Seafood Garlic Noodles - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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A must try place. Will not disappoint! My camera failed me tonight but the highlights list goes on and on, the wagyu, salmon tartare, PORK BELLY, brocillini, Bao buns.... Shishito sours, gimlet HOLY SMOKES..... I'm nearly speechless. I'll be back and order a bit of everything again, they took me to flavor town and I want more trips! read more

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Cute little yakitori spot. Seating is limited inside! Service is great. Prices are average compared to all the other yakitori places I've been to. I'd choose the beef over chicken here and I feel the alcohol prices are a little high for the whiskey selection so I opted for the old fashion. Overall: Not bad :) read more

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Good service, friendly staff. We came with a larger party and added on drinks and food while we were dining, and they didn't seem to mind. We didn't feel rushed which I appreciated. Yummy and interesting cocktails on the menu, and there is also a full bar. Standout menu items were: the agedashi tofu (I could have drank the dashi like soup, it was sooo good), chicken skewers, and miso cod. One slight note was there are TVs in the restaurant, and I can't understand why. The ambiance would be so much better without the TVs, and no one is there to watch sports or games anyway, it's not a sports bar! read more

Came here on a late weeknight for drinks and food. We went to the back, and this place did not disappoint! We sat at the bar top, and we served our drinks in a fairly reasonable manner. It was a little bit busy, so it took the bartender a minute to get to us, but the bartender took their time and carefully crafted our drinks. We ordered some amazing appetizers and share plates that were also carefully crafted and made to order. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Oak & Coal - Mai tai - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This place is seriously scrumptious!! Girls night and we ordered the pork belly (10000% recommend), wagyu beef (unfortunately ours was over cooked but seasoned well), cabbage salad (seriously don't sleep on this), garlic noodles, salmon crude (YUM!), and the ube banana bread pudding (to die for). It's a small place but it has character and the food is honestly some of the best I've ever had. Portion sizes were decent for yakitori. Definitely will be back! read more

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Sat at the bar and had delicious cocktails with a super cute vibe inside. All the food was good but actually thought the seafood/sashimi we got was actually better than the meat skewers they're known for. The banana pudding was super tasty as well read more

Love this place! We shared Chashu Bao Buns, Miso Black Cod, Lemongrass Dumplings, and Karaage chicken. Such creative dishes with amazing flavors! Everything was awesome and now I want to try more menu items! Service was great. read more

Went here to celebrate my birthday and it was such a fun experience to try various dishes with a modern fusion take! We tried a couple of options here, but the miso butter noodles were the star of the show... to the point we ordered just the noodles 2 more times :] All the other dishes were also great, but portion wise a bit difficult to share amongst a larger party, so we had to order double each. Aside from that, we were able to dine in the oak room which was a nice moody ambience with very attentive servers! read more

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If you are looking for a traditional Japanese cuisine, this is not it. It is an inspired Japanese cuisine restaurant, fused with different cultures. But, if you are up for the adventure, don't miss it. I ordered seared habachi, chicken dumpling, and wagyu steak. The habachi has a unique texture as it is partly raw. The combination with the asparagus is just delicious. Try wraping the asparagus with the habachi! The wagyu just melted in your mouth. It is cooked at medium rare to medium, just how a wagyu should. The yuzu brings a slight of tangy-ess and freshness. I will re-order the seared habachi and wagyu steak. However, the dumpling is not my favorite. They have a twist of lemongrass, which is refreshing. But it is an acquired taste. They are juicy and flavorful. So, if you like dumpling and lemongrass, this is right up your alley. One note that I don't know before coming is the dishes are supposed to be shared. So, it's great to bring someone with, have some drinks, food, and talks. read more

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Woooow, I feel like I stumbled upon a gem! Everything we had here was fantastic. Donburi, shishito, yakitori, and a drink (it had lilikoi foam - forgot the name). Service was great. There's two days to the restaurant - both were cool. Yin/Yang vibe. Get the pork belly! read more

Oak & Coal - Shishito Peppers - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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3.5 They have a major fan following and Im not really sure why. Get there early or you wont have a seat in either space. Not sure why their bar is referred to as a speakeasy. The tiny front yakitori bar has zero character, the oak room is dark and very charming. The bar top is lovely. But please let's not throw around that term it's silly. So drinks and service were absolutely excellent. But I dont think this is the place for a full dinner. I feel like we ordered a decent amount of food and all of us were left hungry and underwhelmed. Food was good, but the value proposition so low it didn't encourage us to order more. Highs: dumplings, Brussels, wagyu (wild price) cucumber lows: shrimp, poke we had more items, but I honestly don't remember the impression wasn't super remarkable. Come for an amazing cocktail when they open, but perhaps skip the food, unless you're just slightly peckish read more

Very very good! Have been here a handful of times now and have had 10/10 experiences each time! The atmosphere is nice & quaint - they have a little speakeasy room in the back and the service has been really good as well. I've tried quite a few things on the menu now and the items that I continue to go back for are the garlic noodles, the spicy Waygu bao buns & the salted caramel gelato (omg it's to die for). Overall this place is very consistent and a cool find! 10/10 read more

Came here for a Saturday night dinner and there was a bit of a wait. We were seated at the bar and it was nice to have a view of the kitchen. The food was overall good but I found it a little salty. I enjoyed the miso soup, which was loaded with noodles and toppings. The garlic noodles were also yummy. The restaurant was a bit loud so might be hard if you're trying to talk a lot. The kebabs were good, but not my favorite. Overall, an interesting fusion spot. read more

You may as well ignore any reviews less than 5 stars. I grew up in Asia and travelled to Japan a lot. I know good Asian food when I eat it. Skewers were cooked perfectly with interesting yet very well matched sauces. Broccolini was crispy and flavourful. Main wagyu donburi rice bowl was topped with perfectly cooked hot spring egg (right consistency, right kind of runny yolk etc). Cocktails were all very good with their own interesting spin. Dessert? Salted caramel gelato, best you could get from a restaurant. read more

A little hole in the wall gem found! Tapas style restaurant with tastiest Snake River Farms Wagyu w/ tare basting skewers. Ended up ordering 3 of these appetizers. We also ordered the Spicy Tuna Don Sashimi Ahi | Kewpie | Chili sauce! It was so delicious and the Seared Yellowtail & Asparagus Togarashi Sesame Crust & Chili Soy was cooked to perfection!!!!! The ambience is very intimate with limited seating. Since it's a small venue the service is very personable. We walked out of this place happy and full! We loved the whole concept of this restaurant. read more

What a great atmosphere and the bartenders were great. Super tasty drinks and even one he made himself! Pretty good food but we only had 2 dishes (tapas style). This can easily become our fav place for a date night! read more

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Shoutout to the chefs and staff, your endless hospitality and amazing food keeps us coming back for more! read more

Excellent staff. Excellent service. Excellent vibe excellent food! Good times and atmosphere as well as the drinks

first time coming in and wow such a great experience! the bartenders were so attentive to us and we have such great food!! i recommend getting the edamame hummus, definitely coming back ! read more

Oak & Coal - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Stopped by Oak & Coal on a Friday around 6:30, we were seated right away outside. Right now, they have a patio with four tables, with each table seating up to four people. There are heaters so it was nice to sit outside. It got really busy after we arrived, so I think we just beat a rush. The food was decent, as other reviews have mentioned, I wouldn't call it authentic per se. We ordered the NY prime (wanted wagyu but they were sold out), the chicken meat balls, pork belly, and the natural chicken mix. The chicken was dryer then we would have liked. We really enjoyed the NY prime, along with the veggies it came on (we ordered it with vegetables that accompany the wagyu). Overall, we had a good experience but would probably opt for a different yakitori place in OC. Service was really prompt and everyone was really attentive! read more

Oak & Coal - NY prime, pork belly, chicken mix and chicken meatballs - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This place is phenomenal. I rarely write reviews but this place definitely deserves one. The service was great. For example, they were mindful enough to send the food out in a particular order to not fill the table and provide us with a lighter to heavy course. The food was also unique, I can't wait to come back read more

Amazing food, great cocktails, great service. Shoutout to Stephen for being a real MVP.

A modern Japanese Izakaya kind of place with small plates, skewers, rice bowls, a full bar, and a decent selection of Sake. The stars of the show are definitely the char-grilled skewers. We had chicken and scallion and chicken meatballs (comes with a side of quail eggs). Both were savory and flavorful and the meat was very juicy. We also got the wagyu beef bowl - the beef was tender, but the rice to beef ratio is a bit too high. I didn't really care for the chicken karage (a little bland) and blistered broccolini (very fried and tasted greasy). I would probably skip the unagi crispy rice as well - the fish was burnt and rice flavorless... Overall we enjoyed the ambiance but thought the dishes were just ok! read more

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First time here and I was impressed. Celebrated my birthday here with family and so glad we did. Super friendly and accommodating management, and our server was great. We were seated in the speakeasy room which had a cool vibe and nice music. The food...amazing! We ordered tapas style and everything was excellent. The cocktails were different from any other bar and well executed. I'm looking forward to returning to try some more new cocktails! read more

Insane. I came with a party of 7 others but luckily we made reservations. The reservation process is different so go online and fill out the form. The food was so good, so flavorful, and so melt in your mouth. Service was great, everyone was nice and efficient. We were put in the back room where it was dimly lit and it felt very New York bar, very rich person penthouse kinda vibes. Portions are relatively small so I wouldn't suggest this place for a group because you will still be hungry even after ordering a good bunch of plates. I couldn't get photos of the food because our group knocked them out so fast *oh no guess I have to go back*. Anyways can't wait to bring my dad here. Standouts were: Garlic Noodles (I usually hate garlic noodles. I find them too oily and just lacking in flavor and these were not that. The mushrooms with it? Top notch noods. Miso Cod (Truly felt like biting into butter which I have done before when I was 12 because who doesn't love butter) read more

I came here a few months ago and I keep thinking about it and regretting the fact I forgot my left overs on the table. It was 2 of us with no reservation on a Wednesday night around 630pm and we were seated right away in their tented outside area. The service was very attentive and knowledgeable to the menu and she was able to recommend great options. We ordered a variety of plates to try and share including the meat sampler, meatballs, seafood noodles, and dumplings. Everything was delicious but the meatballs and noodles definitely stood out. We also ordered a few cocktails including our two favorites, Tokyo Gimlet and Yuzu Responsibly. Both were very well made and perfect combination with our dinner. I will absolutely be coming back! read more

Oak & Coal - Yuzu - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Tapas style food was beyond. Everything was great, but get there early. The place is small and it fill up fast. Food comes out like lightning. We'll see u again soon!!! read more

too salty :( not evenly seasoned :( salmon crudo aight, kushiyaki was a bit tough and so salty man :( would not go again but yum tym lemonade read more

Oak & Coal - salmon crudo - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I came here with coworkers for an after-work dinner. Worked out for me since I wasn't in the mood for anything heavy, like Mastro's or Javier's (those were the last two post-work dinner spots I went to). If I had to describe Oak & Coal, I would say it's a Japanese fusion izakaya (now that I'm looking at the website, I guess they agree hah). It's a small place designed for good, quick eats and drinks. We were seated in the middle table as we were a large group. We ordered a large selection of food and I only captured some photos. But I do remember what we had. The cucumber sunomono, steamed chicken lemongrass dumplings, chicken karage, edamame hummus, and the charred elote were our starters and all excellent. I really like that the karage wasn't overly breaded. The edamame hummus was fantastic and quite notable. The goal of the night was tapas so we ordered a lot of sharable foods. We tried their "famous" garlic noodles, which, tbh, didn't stand out that much to me. Was it good? Yes, but I feel like I've had better garlic noodles (the garlic noodles @ Crustacean comes to mind). We also ordered the wagyu donburi (american wagyu, surprisingly the least tasty dish to me), miso white fish, bao buns (very good), unagi and crispy rice (tasty), tuna tartare, and my favorite, the salmon crudo (also IMO a good value as I counted I believe 10 thin slices of king salmon). We also ordered a variety of kushiyaki, but none of them really stood out to me vs the shareables. In fact, their side dishes I think were better than the skewers. The shishito peppers I appreciated because they removed the stems so you can pop the whole thing in your mouth. I also had a tokyo gimlet, a well-balanced drink that I wasn't too target and refreshing. Overall I enjoyed the food, although if you're on a budget, I would suggest the following for two: hummus, bao buns, shishito peppers, and broccolini. That should fill you up (unless you're a college student or have a nuclear furnace for a metabolic system) without breaking the bank much. read more

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I've had Oak and Coal bookmarked for awhile, and I finally got the chance to try it! I love a good Izakaya-style restaurant, and Oak and Coal did not disappoint. Service - we were there on a Friday night, so pretty busy. Waited about 20 minutes or so, not long at all. We got seated in their bar area, which had a DJ and was very lively! The bartenders greeted us right away... Shoutout to Nick! There were a few regulars that were seated next to us at the bar, and they started raving about the place, the food, the drinks, the staff everything... definitely started off to a great start. Food - Appetizers, we got some shishito peppers and cabbage salad. I love cabbage salad, so I'll get it anywhere I have the chance. The dressing was a bit too sweet for me, but still good. Salmon crudo was probably my favorite, the sauce was fantastic, and the fish was very fresh. Not a huge fan of Salmon sashimi in general, but this was surprisingly very good! Kushiyaki - snake river wagyu beef, 10/10. melt in your mouth. so good. Pork belly was a bit dry. 2nd fave was prob the new zealand lamb chops with their Yuzu sauce that comes with it, def a must have. Drinks - I got the Yuze Responsibly, which was good. My bf got the I do declare which he thought wasn't strong enough. Fan fave for the night was the mango boiler special. I did not know sake goes so well with Mango Cart, but now I do and my life is forever changed!!! read more

Oak & Coal - One cup ginjo that came with our Mango Boiler Special (peep the mango cart in the background) - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Extremely nice modern interior. We got the "not your average miso". It interestingly had mushroom and noodles, which was nice. However, I wished the miso taste was slightly stronger. We got the shishito sour and (I think) the summertime fine. I liked the shishito sour as it came with a charred shishito pepper. The workers checked up on us often and the ambiance was nice. Personally, I think the food is alright but it is still a very nice date night spot. read more

Oak & Coal - Not your average miso - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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We tried to come here a few times before but either the wait was too long or something came up with the kids. Therefore we had a date night without the kids! When we arrived at 6:45 we were told about 30-45 min wait for a table for 2. Happily, it was only a 15 minute wait! It's a quaint little modern Japanese restaurant and the menu is traditional but creative. Garlic noodles (veggies) - good but no garlic flavor, more similar to just stir-fried noodles. They did load on the veggies, which was nice. Lemongrass dumplings - very tasty and a solid lemongrass flavor, as advertised. Poke - light, citrusy, and fresh. Not loaded with flavor but still enjoyable. Yakitori - chicken and scallion was very good, moist and flavorful. Pork belly also delicious. Unagi was tender but with the marinade, it needed rice or noodles with it. Chicken meatball was dry and not worth ordering again. We were glad to finally get to try Oak and Coal! read more

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There are two parts to this establishment (restaurant and bar). We sat in the restaurant side which gave a nice and casual feel. The menu offers lots of options and they are most known for their skewers that are grilled over coal to produce a smoky flavor. Although a bit on the pricy side, their skewers are definitely worth a try. We got three different types of skewers: wagyu, pork belly, chicken thigh. The wagyu was very tasty and came with a yuzu wasabi that paired perfectly along with it. The pork belly was also grilled super well and perfect with the miso sauce. We ordered a broccolini which was super crispy and delicious. I personally thought that the miso soup was nothing special, and could of gotten something else instead. Overall, I'd recommend trying the varying selection of skewers offered! read more

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I love the concept of this place, using coal as one of the ingredients for the drinks and the food they make here. They have a really nice Japanese style menu, it has a nice twist with the more modern style cuisine. I had the salmon sashimi, chicken Karaage, the beef bowl and the kitsune yakitori. Out of all of them, I feel like the beef bowl lacked something.. and I've had lots and lots of gyu don (beef bowls) in japan which is so simple yet delicious. The salmon was so buttery and delicious and I don't usually like salmon sashimi much. I was truly amazed by it. The chicken karaage was really nice as it has a touch of coal to it and they are served out black. The service was really good, it's a tiny place but they have outdoor seating as well. Definition worth bringing friends and family for a good bite. read more

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The chicken Lemon grass dumplings were so delicious I wish I would have gotten more! Then came out the main dish the Wagyu beef was INCREDIBLE so tender and juicy. We were provided some sauces on the side to dip, but honestly nothing really needed the sauces it was perfect on its own. Eel makes me cringe at times, but it was very well done here (no cringing this night) Even the very simple corn was grilled perfectly and paired with Japanese Mayo. Kinda pricey for the amount of food, but they are quality menu items. You must try the Wagyu and the drinks sake was awesome too! read more

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This is for the Oak Room inside Oak & Coal. Man they did a great job creating a different space and vibe inside a regular lunch and dinner restaurant. From outside you wouldn't guess what they did with this place, you'll need reservations or you'll have to wait a little while to get in. We tried different appetizers on the menu, they were all absolutely delicious, they put a twist on every dish and, and make it better. Even their Shishito peppers are better than most other ones! We got a bottle of cab and shared it, but they have a full bar and beers on tap too. Service is very knowledgeable and they take pride in explaining the menu. read more

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Loved the food and service. Son and I were celebrating and wanted to try something new. Served tapas style. Everything was so tasty. We loved the pork buns, chicken skewes, broccoliini. All the dishes were good read more

Oak & Coal - Great times. Merry Christmas... - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

What do a team of medical executives love most about having dinner together? That is having top A grade food, drinks and spectacular service. And let's not forget a classy ambiance... I brought our Orange County Medical Executives for dinner to Oak & Coal, and everyone was extremely pleased and therefore I am extremely content with my decision in coming here. To begin, we ordered plenty of Kurosawa ginjo Sake, and many Tokyo gimlet's cocktails. Let's just say our prestigious team, knows how to have fun! The food is beyond tasty, and the selection and variety of the menu made it fun to choose from. The New Zealand lamb chops, the snake river Wagyu beef, (of course my favorite!), my boss had the ponzu prime NY strip, we also ordered multiple orders of the seared Hamachi. Oh, and the jumbo white shrimp were just delectable. And... we may have just may have ordered some shots of Tequila! The entire dinner experience at Oak & Coal was AMAZING! Thank you, Suzy and the A Team! read more