Food was great, service as well! Yelp is asking fir 85…read morecharacters which is annoying :)

Another Kei Concepts favorite! Went here with a party of 16, no reservation, but you can easily get…read moreon the Yelp waitlist by checking in under a random party size and then calling in to change the party size. The hosts on the phone were super helpful and it was really easy! 1pm on a Saturday and waited less than 1hr doing so (only half of that being in person too). Service top tier as usual. Favorite dishes: - Spicy noodle w/ chicken wontons: sauce is a banger, not too spicy, and they're generous with it to coat all of the noodles! - Lomo Saltado w/ Filet Mignon: the fries are sooo good with a sweet crunch to it PLUS the creamy little spicy cilantro green sauce is so good!!! Picanha had too much fat on it for me, the filet mignon was definitely the move - Garlic noodles: Perfect amount of garlic & butter to the noodles. And again, the green sauce is so superior with this.

I love this place a lot for the ambiance and the service. It has bright, clean, energy. I wish I…read morecould remember our server's name, because she was super attentive at the right times. She updated us on when food was coming, was not confused about any orders, even if they were off the beaten path, and she boxed up the food, and ran our card when we had to leave, in such an efficient manner. Even though I could see she was busy with other, larger tables. And she reminded me since my items were raw, I should refrigerate them asap. That was so sweet, she didn't have to care what happened after we left lol and I know people want to hear about food in a review, but great service makes such a difference! The thing about the ambiance, everyone was there celebrating, and happy, it made it such a happy dinner. There were birthdays, and friends sharing plates, family style. It was just heart warming. Now food and drinks: I ordered a lychee martini, not on the menu, and then another martini, both were perfectly balanced. We had the infamous bread and honey appetizer, which was phenomenal! The meatballs. Which, my only qualm was, I wish they brought a cheese grater, but that's me, I love too much cheese lol I had the carpaccio, which was amazingly balanced. I loved the quality of the meat, the sauce, and arugula. I also had the salmon crudo, which I wasn't the biggest fan of. I liked the sauce, but it was a little fishy and cut thick, so chewy, and personally, I'm not a big fan of pickles. I would have liked pickled cucumbers, more. My friend had the katsu, which was a little spicy. So pay attention when the menu has a jalepeno next to it! lol All in all, it was a great experience! My only warning is that menu items change, so don't go in set on something specific. Because I really wanted the lamb. but again, I left very happy!

I've been to Ini numerous times and my friend and I recently stopped by to try their summer menu…read more The ambiance is modern, stylish, and always a great place for a date night or dinner with friends. We ordered the calamari, crab roe spaghetti, short rib gnocchi, and a yuzu rita. The calamari was crispy and packed with flavor. The marinara sauce wasn't anything special but our server recommended their house calabrian chili sauce and it was so good. The short rib gnocchi was probably my favorite dish of the night. The short rib was incredibly tender and the sauce was rich without feeling too heavy. The crab roe spaghetti was also a hit. The sauce was creamy, packed with crab flavor, and they were pretty generous with the crab meat. My only complaint was finding a piece of crab shell in the pasta which was a little unpleasant. The yuzu rita was refreshing and helped cut through the richness of the heavier dishes perfectly. Shoutout to Anthony for being so sweet and helpful throughout our meal!! I've always loved Ini for its creative menu and consistency. Can't wait to come back and see what they come up with next!

We finally got around to trying MomoNoki and honestly, every dish we ordered was a hit. Ricky and…read moreRyan took great care of us and were super friendly throughout the meal. The Miso Carbonara was probably my favorite. It's one of those dishes where everyone at the table keeps sneaking another bite. The Kimchi Arancini was also so good We also ordered the scallop dish with pesto, and wow!! The scallops were cooked perfectly and the sauce was creamy without feeling too heavy. It was one of those dishes that makes you pause for a second after the first bite. By the end of the meal, we were already talking about what we will order next time

Final Score - 7.5 / 10 Yelp Score - 4 / 5…read more Overall, I like the place. The service was good but the execution of the dishes had a bit extra to be desired to make it standout within its category. I went here on Saturday with my partner, arriving a bit later than half past noon. There weren't many people too many people here yet and we were seated promptly. The service was good the entire time and didn't have any issues. The decor was very nice, I do enjoy the more green or plant aesthetic they had going with the plants on the ceiling. Although, I would like to see them differentiate themselves more as it's only just nice and not amazing or unique. We ordered the Dashi Pesto with Scallops and the Pork Jowl with lettuce cups. I found the Dashi Pesto with Scallops to be good. It was a bit overly salty to my taste, although my partner said it was fine. They did mention that the scallops were only seared on one side and not both sides though that wasn't something I noticed or missed. I do have some issues with a 30 dollar dish only having three scallops on top, four would've been acceptable. These issues for me brought the dish down overall, although still delicious. The Pork Jowl with lettuce cups I definitely enjoyed more. It was cooked very well with the meat being pretty tender. The ssamjang aioli was delicious and paired nicely with the entree. I could've used more lettuce cups but that's a personal preference as I'm more of a vegetable heavy person. I enjoyed this place a lot. It would've received my yelp 5 stars or my person score of 8/10 of it hit everything perfectly. My yelp score maxes out at my personal score of 8 out of 10. Very close to being a standout place for its category if it can fix up the execution.

Checking out a viral Vietnamese restaurant! Even though I usually don't drink coffee, I finished…read morethe whole cup by myself. The food was absolutely delicious. The dipping sauce for the fried calamari was so flavorful , and the chicken wings were so good that we had to order another serving . Even now, just thinking about it makes me crave it again!

Nep Cafe was one of my first Kei Concepts restaurants that I truly enjoyed. I came to realize that…read moreI only tried it for breakfast, so in my recent visit, it was for dinner. While it was busy on a Sunday evening, my girlfriend and I were able to grab a seat right away. The first thing I noticed was that the table we were seated was still not clean and was sticky. After reviewing the menu, we decided to get items that were a bit different than what we tried in the past. I was craving some curry and decided to get the Curry Crab Omelet. My girlfriend got the Seafood Ceviche. The ceviche was pretty spicy and tasted refreshing. Unfortunately, when it came the curry dish, it was utterly disappointing. The dish comes with rice and I thought it would go well together. The omelette itself was very bland and didn't par well with the curry crab. Eventually, it was unbearable to continue eating the omelet, so I just ate the curry crab with rice. This experience itself confirms that I'd rather not come back for the dinner service. I hope to continue the support with their usual breakfast options... American Express is accepted here.

Back again for another ramen craving!…read more We started with the corn cheese, bacon-wrapped enoki, and filet mignon appetizers! all so good. We usually stick to our go-to ramen orders: my boyfriend always gets the original Tonkotsu, and I get the spicy version. Our favorite add-ons are shoyu egg, extra mushrooms, corn, fresh garlic paste, and chili paste, which make the bowls even better. For drinks, my boyfriend had a draft Sapporo beer while I got the yuzu lemonade. The lemonade was super refreshing and paired perfectly with all the food we ordered. Service is always spot on, and the food stays consistently delicious every time. That's exactly why we keep coming back!

I come here often for the late night happy hour since it makes their main ramen bowls are pretty…read moreaffordable. I usually get the tom Yum Ramen, in the flavor is actually very unique. I haven't tried a broth like this anywhere else in OC. The only other place I've had a similar Broth was actually in Japan. Ramen bowls also have unlimited noodle refills. Service is usually pretty good and can be pretty accommodating for larger groups. Ambience is very modern and clean inside with a pretty large dining room room. Ample parking in the plaza is available.

Alex was the highlight of our experience at Nova. Super attentive and detailed. He recommended a…read morecocktail for me based on my preferences. It was delicious! Chili oil wontons were amazing. Out of the nigiri's, hamachi was my favorite. Partner liked the salmon. Toro was just alright (I'm a sushi snob). Fried chicken bao was a bit too salty for us and very saucy; would have preferred the mayo sauce on the side. Ambiance is very night club vibes. Bathroom sign for female vs male was very confusing but there was a unisex accessible/family bathroom also. Parking validation available. Overall, worth a try.

Love Nova and their Waygu steak. It is absolute butter. And the garlic citrus broccolini was…read moreincredible too! Shout out to Kayla for being a great waitress! Service was quick and water was always full.

Loved the ambiance in here. It's tucked into the corner in a plaza so a little hidden. But once…read moreinside the vibe is very sexy and posh. We had the seafood fried rice which was excellent. The baked cheese and pork belly bao were delicious too. Service was good! Shannon was so nice and attentive.

Came to CIR Lounge for a quick date night with my spouse, definitely more of a vibe spot…read more Started with the caviar, which was solid. Pork buns were good too, just a little on the fatty side but still flavorful. The truffle seafood fried rice had a good amount of seafood, just wish the truffle came through a bit more. Old fashioned was well done. Atmosphere is nice, dim and loungey, but music can get pretty loud. Not necessary when there are only 8 people in the establishment. Service was quick and everything came out fast. Overall, good for a night out or drinks with some bites. Not perfect, but I'd come back.

Great tasting food (saltado picanha with garlic noodles sub for the rice) so phone did not eat…read morefirst. Edmond C was incredibly friendly and helpful! Great great service.

VOX So. Cst. Plaza was excellent!!! The menu has something for everyone from mild to spicy, some…read morereally creative dishes, and I had a difficult time making a choice. But the Seafood Soup was everything I could have wanted! The service was attentive without hovering and the table set attractively. I can't wait togo again!

I've eaten at the restaurant when they first opened and have since gotten take out here several…read moretimes as well. Staff were welcoming and efficient. Restaurant was clean and felt cozy. Definitely transported me into that retro diner feel. My personal favorite is the Vietnamese Bo kho both with pho and egg noodles. I like both. Very hearty and filling of flavor. Beef tender and seasoned well. Maybe a little less salt, but overall really good! I like to squeeze a lot of lemon to balance it out. My friend says their Coconut Basil Salmon Curry is delicious and a must try! We also like the fusion twist on Asian cuisine.

We've been eyeing this Vietnamese diner for some time and finally got to try it this weekend. We…read morevisited on a Saturday morning and were the only patrons inside. Luckily, that meant the service was super attentive. The owner was super friendly and chatted with us about the origins of the diner. We love the concept -- the interior has a retro vibe reminiscent of New York. Fried chicken steak 4/5 - Juicy and lots of five spice flavor. Loved using the extra sauce to coat the eggs. The tator tots were also light and crispy. Good dish, but a little too heavy on the salt. Bun Bo Hue 3/5 - Flavorful broth but the accompaniments left much to be desired. The noodles didn't have that fresh chewiness to them and the lime was dry. We appreciated the outstanding service and cool concept of this spot!

Guys night and it was fun. We tried their pasta and the Yuzu oysters and it tasted delicious. The…read moremeat quality is still good and consistent. It's on par with Nobu. Gotta ordered the Dassai too, that's a must. Definitely still recommend this spot for a dinner dates, hangouts, and Mother's Day. Come for a good time!

So much fatty meat! Good quality meat and also good appetizers. The VIP is about $75, which can…read morereally add up, and although Wagyu is all the rage, I actually think their lowest tier would have been best, as it doesn't feature the fattier cuts. The Wagyu tends to make you more full due to their fat content. The addictive fries are really good--crispy with a lovely garlic sauce. The salmon crudo was refreshing and their sashimi tasted pretty fresh! The Wagyu sliders were solid--delicious and fatty meat on a toasty bun. The uni cream udon had a strong truffle taste and was so creamy. The Wagyu fried rice was also a favorite among the table. We would skip the green crying tiger due to too much sauce, but go for the mango chili hamachi. The clock starts as soon as you sit, not when you order, so definitely order ASAP. Our meat orders came at a reasonable pace.