The atmosphere, the service and the quality of the food (except the freshness of the fish) and drinks were great. HOWEVER, I was not impressed with the flavor of the dishes that was ordered. It was either too heavily flavored-- either too salty or too sweet. The service overall was great, but did not appreciate when the waiters were constantly hovering and taking away plates when I'm in the middle of a conversation. I get that you ask beforehand, but some common sense on when you can actually come between us and take plates would have been appreciated. Totally wished I liked it, however for an izakaya, I was not impressed at all. Unfortunately, I don't plan on going back. read more

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

My favorite place to eat in Costa Mesa. Delicious food and great drink selection. I recommend the chicken thighs.

Service: Excellent service (such happy staff)-thx Ty & Tanner). Food: Fire fire fire wings!!! My fiancé and I are big wing fanatics. These "fire wings" were exactly as described. - crispy, savory (subtle sweet and more spice) - sweet/tangy/spicy! - nice golden brown and juicy on the inside clears the sinuses read more

Oak & Coal - What's left of the fire wings - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The staff here is incredibly knowledgeable about the food and beverages. They'll help guide you through the menu if it's your first time, and they're very attentive and friendly. My absolute must have items when I'm here are the dumplings, garlic noodles, and bacon wrapped tomatoes, but I definitely suggest exploring the menu! I especially enjoy the atmosphere of the dimly lit Oak Room. The music selection really sets the tone, and isn't distracting. Weekends are obviously busy here, I personally prefer the slower pace of the weekdays where I can interact with the bartenders who seem really passionate about suggesting and creating excellent and creative cocktails. Highly recommend! read more

Folks, the salmon crudo is bat shit crazy good. Thank me later. Also, the service is second to none. If you have the chance, sit at the chefs table thing, not sure the proper name for it but where you sit at a bar in front of the chefs cooking. Bullshit with them and have them whip you up some cocktails to go with what you ordered. Not sure who the owner is but holy shit they're doing things right here. read more

This place is amazing .. celebrated a bday here recently and wow what a great place ... food .. service .. ambience .. and the owner sent us shots .. so kind and thoughtful .. this is my new go to spot So excited!!! read more

I can't believe I'm so late in trying Oak and Coal! Our dishes were absolutely divine, and the service was excellent! I highly recommend the Chashu Bao Buns. Those were our favorite, but everything was so tasty and flavorful. The next time I go, I want to try the bar in the back, which looked like it had a great ambiance. read more

Oak & Coal - Garlic noodles and Steamed Chicken Lemongrass Dumplings - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Came here on a Thursday night around 9pm with my family of 6 and it was super busy!! This place is basically yakitori style with lots of kebab and grilled options. We ordered a lot of items but a lot of the meat and some veggies ended up being so salty we couldn't really order more... Also even tho we ordered a lot of different things, we weren't very full at the end either since the portions were so small (2-3 skewers each dish). Everything was also so pricey for the portion and taste! Some items I liked were the - tsukune (chicken meatballs) and veggies (least salty dish) - grilled mushroom - karaage Everything else was on the salty side, though, and there wasn't much other flavor besides salt. The food also isn't very authentic, but the vibes are nice. Although the food wasn't the best, the service was really great. We were very happy with how we were greeted until the time we left. Our waitress gave us this sauce platter that had gochujang, garlic, their house sauce, etc. since it was our first time there (sadly I didn't really dip much extra sauce because I didn't want to make my meat taste even saltier than it was already :')). But I really liked the service and how kind they were despite the business of the restaurant. Luckily if you come late enough then everything is 20% off along with some drink discounts as well. I think this place is good to try with the discounts and service, but overall the food wasn't my taste. read more

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This place is one of the best kept secrets in Costa Mesa. Everything and I mean everything was fantastic. We sat at the bar and told the chef to send us what he likes and he didn't disappoint. The drinks are fire too! Everything was perfectly balanced. My brother text me this morning and said we have to go back this weekend. read more

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Service was attentive and friendly, and the ambience was pretty nice, although I found the back room too noisy. Place is open late (at least for the OC!) and great for late meetups. Food was good as well. Don't let the exterior fool you - if it's not stated closing time, it's open! read more

Had the pleasure of being served by Addison. If bartending was an Ivy league school, he would be at the top of his class. The service I and my friends received was above anything I have experienced before. Drinks on point and delicious food to boot, what more can one desire from a restaurant! Perfect date night spot. Going at it solo? Also perfect... read more

Easily the best place in Costa Mesa. Food, atmosphere, and service are 11/10! Addison and Steven are amazing! I could go on for days about the food but seriously everything on the menu is perfect and if I could eat here every night I would. read more

I have gone into Oak and Coal a few times now. I'm super impressed by the quality of the food! Everything I have had has been delicious. Some of my favorites have been the edamame hummus (MUST TRY) and wagyu skewers. The unagi crispy rice was out of my comfort zone but I'm glad I tried it! I'm unsure about the complaints about the pricing in other reviews considering the quality of the food, ingredients received, labor involved & presentation- seems fair to me! The service was great. Our server, a girl (can't remember her name!) was so sweet to us and very bubbly. You can tell the staff gets along so well, which is always fun to be around. I'd definitely recommend checking out the back bar area! It has a speak-easy vibe to it and is quite fun for a night out with your friends. Will be visiting again! read more

Extremely busy on a Saturday evening so be prepared to wait a bit if you aren't there right when they open but we certainly found it worth the wait. Service was quick once we were in and the food and especially cocktails were perfect. We had a decent sized and hungry group and the food is designed to share so we got through most of the food and drinks and nothing was a miss. The bar in back has a better atmosphere but fills up first. read more

Great service. Food is pretty good too. I spent years doing yakitori so I like to think I know what I am talking about with this stuff. First the menu is preset so you can't order a la carte like normal yakitori places. Second No choice on salt or sauce but the good news is it comes out salted and up to you to dip with sauces. Again since it's not set at the beginning you can tell it's seasoned a little weak for salt but enough for sauce. Sauces are ok the garlic one is good and yuzu is decent. Already the experienced yakitori fan is thinking WTF. It's ok. Go with it. Over all good intro to yakitori. I got the chicken combo and meat combo. Pork chop was on point and the chicken plum shiso was ok if not a bit salty. Probably a rookie mistake not backing off on the salt because the plum adds salt. read more

love oak&coal! Their employees are all so nice and they have the best espresso martinis

Came across this place for date night, pretty small dining room and has a speakeasy bar in the back. Highly recommend a reservation before coming here. The staff is very friendly and attentive upon arriving. Drinks were excellent and the food was even better, the menu was very modern Japanese cuisine. The garlic noodles and the crispy rice are a go to when ordering! Will definitely come back to try their other dishes! read more

Great food options! There's something for everyone, vegan, carnivores, low carb, etc! You name it they have it and super tasty regardless of what you choose. read more

Love this place! Food is always delicious. Besides the photos, also had some wagyu beef and pork belly kushiyaki and seafood garlic noodles. Enjoyed everything. They even make a good Oak Fashioned! :) read more

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Went here last night and had quite the spread. They have an outdoor seating area with carpet and a canopy. Came around 9p to try for happy hour but they are not offering happy hour during COVID. Sat within about 15 mins for 2. Food was amazing and service was great. I would recommend the fire wings, seared hamachi and meat sampler to get a good spread. Shout out to Nick for being an amazing server. Our party had great laughs every time he came to check on us and will definitely come to request his table again. read more

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Almost tempted to not review this awesome gem, so it doesn't get harder to get a table. Best food and best service. You will not be disappointed if you give this place a try! read more

I really wanted to like this place. I have bookmarked it for a long time and wanted to try this place. However, everything we had tonight was extremely disappointing. The chicken/onion skewer was okay, but it was not fully marinated and lacked flavor. The pork belly skewer was inedible. I've never had a pork belly skewer that was so dry to the point that I had to yank the meat with the back of my mouth. The chicken meatball we had was disgusting. It was so overcooked and overly salted. It also fell right off the skewer because it wasn't even properly assembled. We ordered three different skewers, spent about $52 and decided it would be better to have the rest of the dinner at in and out. I really wanted to like this place but there wasn't even one item that tasted good Response to owner: I want you to know that I was trying to provide an honest review of my experience. I'm not looking to "destroy" anyones business. Based on my past reviews of other places, they were all honest response to my experience and I provided positive ones when I did have a good experience. I did not berate any staff in my comment, only commented on the yakitori that I ordered. This issue isn't just about the money I paid for food...my husband and I had to get sitter in order to have date nights, which is rare for us. And I wish our experience was different If you only want people to provide a stellar review every time they go, then yelp isn't the platform for your business or simply, improve on the quality of food served. read more

Oak & Coal - Chicken meatball. I've never had such bad tasting yakitori - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Love the garlic noodles, boa buns, and really anything on the menu. Great cocktails too. They have two spaces in one. Darker back bar area and brighter pretty wood work entry room. So the ambience tailors to what you are looking for. Also great staff! read more

So so good!! Food, service and ambiance! Thanks for a wonderful experience ! We'll be back!!

Loved this spot! Checked it out for the first time last night. It's definitely a unique Asian fusion experience. We got a bunch of different plates - chicken dumplings, cabbage, wagyu donburi rice bowl, garlic noodles, unagi crispy rice, and some skewers. Everything was very good. I got the yuze responsibly mezcal cocktail which was also amazing. Highly recommend this spot! No reservations so plan on waiting on a weekend night. We went around 6pm and didn't have to wait on a Saturday night. Will definitely be back! read more

Subconsciously, I tend to critique a restaurant as I'm walking out of their front door. I suppose I'm not alone, my brain just processes the experience automatically. Oak & Coal is one of my favorite restaurants because I love everything about it! The people are really friendly, the food and drinks are unique and delicious and I have such a great experience whether it's a date night with my wife or when we introduce our friends who've never been there before. Thank you to the owner and staff for providing such a cool restaurant for us to enjoy! read more

Oak and Coal is good for the soul, even if you're a sole diner. You won't get skewered at this Bento Box sized Yakitori Bar. One whole wall depicts a bear stalking his dinner, not necessarily your wallet. There is an 8 seat bar. Sit there as the tables are close and small enough to slish your Chicken Meatballs in someone else's Yuzu. I don't know about you but I'm picky about who slishes my Yuzu. 4 window seats allow you to keep an eye on your Bento Boxster and there is one communal table which requires conviviality with strangers. (Not for misanthropes or only children.) The recommended Bar has hard wooden stools set on springs which is good for throwing a tantrum. And, they swivel around like Regan's head to enhance that Brew buzz. Caveat: The grill ventilator is as loud as a NASA wind tunnel. Gorilla glue that rug to your cue ball head. It'll yank the turquoise out of your fall, ladies. A mini tray of Sauce dots appear immediately. The Garlic, Chimichurri and Gochujang will have to be replenished at least 6 times. Traditionally, these types of bar bites Bars offer free food as long as you're drinking. But that's in Japan, not here. Everything on the tiny plate menu is reasonable but it starts to add up with each "round" along with you. $3.50 for a Chicken Heart. Hey, a lot goes into that, like a Chicken. It take a page form the Club Med paradigm. Pay with beads and it doesn't feel like money. $3 for this and that doesn't feel like needing to call Visa to up your credit limit. You will get a Sushi style menu of things on sticks. Order by the thing for each round. Caveat: Treat this like Dim Sum. Ride the brakes until you get the rhythm. Order with your innards, not your eyeballs as some plates are better than others or all are not as described once they land in front of you. Remember, over eating and excessive drinking are encouraged here. Tread carefully, intrepid traveler. The Staff: Eager as a Trump Apprentice. A flock of seagulls behind a full fishing boat is less insistent. My server asked me every 30 seconds if "I was alright". Who knows? Maybe not. This was more concern than my sainted Mum showered on her progeny in the formative years. I suppose it's better than yelling, "Hey, look, Sarah Huckabee Sanders just walked in!" to get attention. And, you won't get more feigned interest on a 1-900 call. The server was as involved as a good therapist. Maybe you can work on some character flaws with her while she hovers. The Food: Fast and furious. And here are some highlights. Kimchi Dumplings. Ooh baby! Ask for 5 orders of 12, and the check. The Spicy Tuna Bowl was a perky poke. Cute with a kick. (Think Ronda Rousey in heels.) The Chicken Meatball-ettes were fun compared to the other Chicken parts on offer. The Chicken Meatballs were slightly larger than a Chicken's balls. Juicy, tender and chicken-y they were. The Meatballs, not the Chicken's. The Chicken Breast and thighs were the size of salt cellar spoons. The Spicy Chicken Wings were as big as Chiclets and required tweezers and a jeweler's loop. Somewhere there must be a bunch of hummingbirds now just flappin' their gums. The wings made an Ortolan look like a Pterodactyl. Yes, Vegans and Pescatarians, there are options for you too. Have an order of Grilled Onions, Garlic Cloves or a Fingerling Potato. A King Trumpet Mushroom sliver can be yours for the flick of a pen...and $3 dollah. For fakey Vegans there is a bowl of ice cold Soba with razor thin Scallion rings. Refreshing as a happy story about puppies. While those veggie things are tasty, it's like kissing in the front seat of your car. Amusing, but missing something as you wonder, what's next? Coffee or the curb? The high water mark was the trio of house made little Pork squealers. They were mini Kielbasa in Kimonos. Or think Lech Walesa enjoyed a Bumble tumble with a Geisha. The Pork Belly bites had no fat whatsoever. Goes to show that miracles can come in small sizes. They were delicious and both bites were gone in two bites. For dessert, assuming you still have gas in the tank and not in your Spanks, you can have a free, if you check in on Yelp, yes free, Mushipan. I thought this was something you see a Gastroenterologist for and you may want to after you eat it. For free, we keep stuffing it in. Right? It was a fluffy Pound Cake with a heroic scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream, Strawberries, Whipped Cream striped with day-glo red Cherry syrup. Hit the sweet tooth much better than a Red Bean Mochi. Overall, this was a cool adventure for anyone that's adventuresome. Thumbs up emoji here. O and C, the DNC, or a D and C? One out of three is worth signing up for. read more

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Ambience is nice and the music brings a good vibe. The art brought good vibes. Recently ordered food to go and every dish tastes delicious. The menu has plenty to choose from. Staff was helpful. To go order took a bit long but staff assured me of the wait due to the evening rush. I will definitely be back to dine in soon. read more

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

Cool spot for small groups. The food was yummy and great for sharing. We ordered all the skewers to try and about 5 other dishes to share. Friends were saying the salmon and tuna tartare were soft in texture and fresh (sorry no picture of the tartare and salmon, it went quickly). read more

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Bus boys helped more than waiters. My girlfriend's pork belly skewer took 30-40 minutes . It wasn't even busy, there was no wait when we got seated. Then the waiter fought us on our bill even though he BARELY helped. They added $40 worth of stuff we didn't order and the waiter who liked to play hide and seek when we needed something tried saying all four of us were wrong and we did order those things. Nice very professional. I always tip good but no way after that. If we are spending $300 put some effort into service cause you're letting the owner of the restaurant and other staff members down. Taste wise 5 stars but certain staff negative 2 stars. read more

We sat at the bar and really enjoyed our drinks and food. The ambiance is nice, with a dark, sultry air and a friendly and helpful staff!

Delicious quick bite in Costa Mesa. Small inside but food does not disappoint! Started off with the wagyu and pork belly. The beef quite literally melted in my mouth. The pork had a nice sear and great taste. Also got the shrimp garlic noodles. The garlic noodles were very flavorful and delish. Food came out fast and service was amazing. Definitely recommend read more

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

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Just found this spot and came after work with a friend. Everyone working there is sooooo sweet and welcoming from the moment you walk in the door. The little hidden dim bar in the back definitely gave a nice wow factor. Addison was our bartender and was super attentive. He and another lady who's name I didn't catch helped me with gluten free options. They can also modify some orders to remove gluten containing sauces. We ordered the pork belly skewers, bacon wrapped asparagus, karaage chicken, and sunomono salad. It was a nice complement to our drinks but I think we over ordered haha. And not gonna lie, it's pretty expensive for these tapas dishes. 2 skewers for over $10 when you can probably get 2 for $5-8 at most izakaya restaurants. The drinks are average price but definitely taste strong and delicious. I got the endless summer and it was just what I wanted. Definitely come for the drinks and the vibe! They play from different vinyl records so we had a nice Tribe Called Quest vibe going on. read more

Oak & Coal - Endless summer cocktail - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

When someone ask me for a recommendation on a good place to eat I always start with this place, it's a perfect balance of great food, great drinks and casual. It works for almost any occasion and is definitely a place you can visit often due to the prices. They have a nice dark bar in the back with cool vibes you can eat or just bring a date to and have some fantastic drinks & food to share. It's small and fills up fast so keep that in mind! The Home Runs - Bao Buns, Crispy Rice with Unagi, Garlic Noodles, Pork Sausage, & Wagyu Don Drinks - Tokyo Gimlet, shishito sour, mesa 2.0 & the old menu sunday drink (forget the name) You can thank me later read more

Couldn't rave enough about this spot! We came here on a Saturday night based on a friends recommendation and i would give it more than 5 stars! Since we had a party of 4, I had the opportunity to try numerous items on the menu. Everything came out spot on with so much flavor. After trying the first couple of dishes, I knew immediately that anything we ordered would come out fantastic. I love the atmosphere of the side room that they just expanded on (perfect for a date night). It's dimly lit and super lively. Full bar and everything. I will definitely be back. read more

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I was there on Saturday evening. Food was really good. My friends and I enjoy drinks and food; we have a really good time.

Amazing food, atmosphere and food. The owner Jeff and bartender Addison make the place! They need one in south OC!

Great food. Just FYI The Ube pudding didn't taste like Ube at all more banana taste. Other than that the ambiance was great and the food was delicious!! read more

This was a surprising find!! Small plates to share and everything was delicious. We had the cucumbers, soy wings, garlic noodles and Brussels sprouts. We ordered the wagyu beef but they ran out so we opted for the karaage. So delicious!! Will be back for sure!! read more

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

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So we were here on a very hot Friday and was so impressed w the flavors and variety of food, we came back 3 days later w my son, daughter in law and grandbaby. They loved it too. Well done Oak & Coal! read more