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    Sushi Damu

    4.3 (7.5k reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    SUSHI DAMU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Sushi Damu

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    Justin A.

    Sushi Damu sheeesh this place has some of the most unique sushi rolls I've ever had! The Coconut Shrimp Roll is a perfect example and absolutely delicious. In my humble opinion, this is one of the best sushi spots in Orange County. The ambiance is always great, and they play a versatile mix of music that keeps the atmosphere fun and enjoyable. Even when there's a line and the restaurant is busy, I never feel rushed while dining there. I also have to give a shoutout to their eel -- they have some of the best eel I've had anywhere. Definitely one of my favorite sushi spots, and I'll continue coming back!

    Sapporo tower
    Monika F.

    I've been coming here for a couple of years now and it never disappoints. The food is always good and fresh. The service is amazing and I love the music playing. Our server, Sabirah was so sweet and helpful with all our questions.

    Blue Bluefin Tuna Nigiri
    Mike C.

    I came for the premium $60 ayce includes blue fin tuna and sashimi They have a bunch of things on their menu from nigiri, rolls, appetizers, hot dishes, sashimi, and etc. The blue fin tuna nigiri was pretty good, similar quality to x fish. Salmon and yellowtail was good as well. Service was fast once it got going but it was slow to start. Staff were all friendly and nice. Main concern: when i bit into blue fin tuna sashimi, i felt a thin layer of ice as if the fish hasn't been properly thawed. Big issue since this is one of the main things i came for Regardless, imo this is one of the best ayce in oc in terms of bang for your buck since you can order as many blue fin tuna as you can. This is very similar to x fish, biggest difference is that x fish is $55 and you also get a 12 piece omakase which includes a toro piece. This place is $60 without that. But if you live in the oc area it makes more sense to come here instead of driving further to go to x fish.

    Elizabeth M.

    The ambiance is gorgeous dark, moody, and they have great food and service. This may be weird to point out but I love the size of their tables haha so spacious. Please note that their fizzy drinks are not from a soda machine but rather a can with ice on the side I didn't mind but just letting you know. Food is absolutely picture perfect and I love the options of the baked sushi. I was able to get dry udon for my baby girl. Ages 0-3 are free and thank goodness because I have twin babies (not so babies) and it gets expensive doing family outings. Im already thinking about my next meal here. Ohh they had the fun bendy straws+ waters for my kiddos which was so cute and my kids loved it.

    Wendy Y.

    Excellent value and quality for AYCE sushi restaurant. The place was packed on a Monday day night! You have choice of premium AYCE for $45 or premium omakase $60. I recommend $60 if you want sashimi and omakase choices. Come hungry!!

    Chase K.

    I am not sure what to say with my review. I decided to come here for lunch mid week and after reading reviews I was unsure what to expect. I will say the sushi was good, the interior is nice and the service was no issue! For $45 (which ends up being $55 after tax and tip) I left stuffed, but I don't think that was good, I was unsure I got my moneys worth and will say the rolls were a bit sloppy, most every sashimi and roll had rice falling out which was not great, very messy and tough to eat. I probably won't return for the price I can probably find a cheaper buffet. But I see the appeal cool interior lots of food!

    Sashimi nachos
    Jorge V.

    I eat AYCE sushi once a week. I've been to at least 40 ayce sushi's in Southern California. This place is hands down the best spot I've tried. Fish quality is excellent , and you must try the " Damu Signature Experience". The amount of quality food for the price is way worth it. Ethan and the whole team are in top of the service and suggestions. Music has really good vibes and excellent drinks

    DO NOT COME HERE!!! We were charged for more than DOUBLE the dinner price PER PERSON for LEFTOVERS.
    Sherry C.

    Their $60 all-you-can-eat omakase might be one of the best omakases you can get in Orange County. You start off with a refreshing salad, 9 pieces of sashimi including otoro or fatty tuna, that literally melts in your mouth, and a meaty raw oyster that was super fresh. Then a tempura course with a tempura black cod that was my favorite, miso soup, and 7 pieces of premium sushi with even more otoro! $60 for everything before this AND you get access to their regular all-you-can-eat menu! I had to try some of their new yakitori skewers, extra orders of my favorite sushi like salmon carpaccio, and they also have riceless roll options. Oh, and one of the sushi rolls that they light on fire! Dessert is even included, and they're doing their omakase option by reservation only. Thanks for reading! ^-^

    Jocelyn N.

    This sushi experience is pretty worth it if you can eat a lot. The sushi was also good quality and they have a range of appetizers!

    Maricel S.

    Sushi Damu has always been my favorite AYCE sushi spot because of the quality, variety, and usually great service, so this experience was really disappointing. I give Five Stars for the food, but two for the service we received this night. We came in for dinner and placed our first round of orders, and while we received our sides and two rolls, we were still waiting on our nigiri for quite a while. At first, we understood because it seemed busy, but after waiting longer we finally asked about it and were told that our order paper had been lost. If we didn't ask would they have even noticed? By that point, we had already been waiting a long time. We were handed a new order sheet and put in our 1st round order again and not long after that we were then told to put in the rest of our order because last call was soon... They also forgot one of our appetizer orders but at that point it wasn't worth waiting for. I still love the food here, but the service during this visit was frustrating and made the experience feel rushed and overlooked.

    Monkey Ball
    Millena P.

    It's been a while since I've been here. I've visited once before. I brought my family along with me during this visit to celebrate my mom's birthday. Parking: There's a medium sized parking lot. Finding a spot can be difficult. Since all the spots close to the restaurant were already taken, I parked further in the back. Ambiance/Environment: We visited on a Sunday for an early dinner around 4pm. It was already packed with every table and booth filled. We waited about 18 min to get seated. The tables were somewhat close together. Everything was kept clean. If you're a millennial, you'll appreciate the type of music. Service: We thought the service can improve. 3/5 at most. The host was really nice when he greeted & seated us. If you need assistance, you'd flip the sign to get their attention. It takes a while to grab their attention. The servers weren't as efficient. They forgot some of our dishes and didn't bring a bottle opener for the beers. Throughput was a bit slow bc it took a while to receive our orders. Sushi & cocktails: They offer two options, and we decided to go with the Premium AYCE. They have a QR code for the menu then you'd fill out the sheet for each round. The taste of each fish was good, especially the seasoned ones. Presentation can improve. Some of the cuts were messy. My favorite appetizers is the Monkey Ball. The alcoholic beverages were sweet. Can't expect much when it's $10, so I didn't expect them to be strong. - Monkey Ball - Garlic Edamame - Lychee Martini - Soju Sunrise - Salmon, Tuna, Blue Fin nigiri - Sushi Damu - Protein rolls Pricing: Their AYCE options are more on the higher end. We enjoyed the majority of the appetizers and sushi. Presentation can be cleaner. Drinks were okay, and service can improve.

    Poke nacho
    Lea P.

    Came here after debating between Sushi Damu and Sake 2 Me Newport - ended up choosing Damu because we heard parking was easier. Ironically, we got there around 6 PM and still had to circle for about 10 minutes before finding parking since the plaza was packed (possibly because of the animal hospital in the same center). Pro tip: even if you join the waitlist online, you still need to check in inside when you arrive. We missed that step, so parties who arrived after us got seated before us. We ordered the AYCE Premium (without the grilled options), and honestly it was more than enough food. Service was friendly and efficient, and dishes came out at a good pace. Favorites: * Nigiri: Unagi, Scallop * Rolls: Craw Me Daddy, Dynamite, Spider Roll * Appetizer: Baked Mussels, Poke Nacho Music was decent volume where it was still easy to have a conversation. It helped that we were in a booth. We only made it through 2 of the 3 rounds and still felt like we got our money's worth. We're not usually big on AYCE, but if the craving hits again, Sushi Damu would definitely be on our list.

    Julianne T.

    Our server Matthew was super nice and took our orders. If you order a lot, the orders might take some time to come out, but all the sushi were delicious and fresh. The manager even came over to make sure everything was good afterwards which was nice of him. Would definitely recommend for AYCE.

    High quality omakase

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    10 days ago

    Best AYCE sushi in South OC! Fresh fish, fast service, and unbeatable value! Our family loves coming here!

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    Food quality is always great and great portion sizes! Our server Sabirah was amazing and very attentive!

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    Page 2 of 187

    Sushi Damu Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sushi Damu

    Would love to have the premium AYCE, but have a friend who is strictly vegetarian- can they sit with me and order their own meal alacart?

    My wife is one who only eats cooked fish and we wanted to do the same as you (for slightly different reasons). Their policy, which they strictly enforce, is all members of the party must choose the same option, no exceptions.… 

    Does everyone at the table have to do the AYCE if at least one person orders it?

    Our policy is that everyone at the table must participate in AYCE. Thank you for your inquiry.… 

    How many rounds?

    It's AYCE (all you can eat) within their time limit so as much as you can eat. You'll get charge if you over order and can't finish it.

    Do they still offer AYCE lunch prices?

    Yes they do. Regular AYCE and sashimi AYCE for a little bit more.

    How much do they charge for a child under 3 for all the AYCE options?

    Free

    When is your last call on Fridays?

    We close at midnight on Fri, last call is 30 min prior to closing so it would be 11:30pm on Fridays. Please note that last seating is at 12:00 pm

    Is there a max number of people you can do for reservations?

    Hi, it’s usually 6 people max, we turn it off occasionally based on business requirements. We have waitlist though to put your name on it in case there’s a wait when you get here

    How much is the AYCE dinner during the weekday?

    Thank you for the inquiry. It's 44.95 everyday, all day.

    How much per person?

    35.95 for lunch and 39.95 for dinner!

    Do you have a separate menu for someone who does not want to do AYCE and have bento like menus or noodles for someone who does not eat raw fish?

    We are currently making our progress on a la carte menu. This individual menu is only available from 90min prior to closing. Please visit sushidamu.com for specific hours of operation.… 

    Are you open today (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)? I've tried calling the phone number listed on this Yelp page and on the website multiple times to speak with someone to confirm if today's hours are the same as usual, but no answer.

    Hi, we are open during the normal hours.

    Is this restaurant open on the 2nd of January?

    Yes they are open.

    Are you guys open Christmas Eve?

    Yes we are

    Will you bring back the poke bowls? They had been the best I've ever had

    Is there AYCE sashimi?

    They will charge you an extra $15 per person on top of the AYCE price.

    Make a reservation?

    They don't take reservations but you have the option of joining the waitlist

    Do you serve all you can eat all day?

    Yes. Lunch pricing and dinner pricing

    What gluten free options do you have?

    Rice is GLUTEN-FREE, however most soy sauce is not. Some places do offer a gluten free version.

    Do you take reservations?

    Hi, not at this. Please use the waitlist.

    How many items per person can be ordered each round? Moreover, is it 3 rounds limit?

    Just went today for lunch, unlimited rounds for 2 hours - 5 items per person per round.

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    Belly of the Beast

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    (157 reviews)
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    Love this place. Nice service, nice food, very interesting…read moredrinks. But they had not fix the Lorem ipsum text on menu =p

    (Drank/Snacked 06/27/2026 SA @ 10:00pm): This was a monstro feat as we all ended up in a beast of a…read morewhale's belly for drinks! After our party of six chatted over cocktails and preyed on pupus, we moved to a "secret" room tucked in the back of Stowaway and walked into a Belly Of The Beast. The founders and co-owners of Stowaway, Leonard Chan and Dominic Iapello, created this extension to the tiki bar with a wildly interesting Pinocchio theme and the famed encounter with Monstro the whale all the while serving the same offerings in Stowaway but with also an exclusive limited menu just for this adventure. With its proximity to Disneyland and its Enchanted Tiki Room, with the very niche underground-like society of tiki culture they found a consistent customer base and the thrill of island escapism through colorful cocktails, pleasurable pupus, tropical trimmings, and nostalgic know-how. How would my belly handle the beastly drinks concocted here!? PURCHASE(S) Gepetto's Last Words ($16.00): Intrigued by the cocktail's name, this elixir was crafted with Fid Street Gin, tangerine, creme de violette, lemon, and cucumber, it was a citrusy refreshing sweet drink that was decorated with bright yellow petals. It was nice, but for whatever reason it just didn't quite hit the spot. [ONION RINGS/STRAWS/STRINGS ALERT - 4.0 of 5.0 STARS] Onion Rings ($9.00): A decent portion with rings of medium to large sizes, these were hot, dark golden browned, crunchy, and had a slight tendency to crumble when bitten into while the onion ring (sweet Maui!) rarely pulled out at times. They were lightly oily while the catsup wasn't needed but used. SERVICE While in Stowaway, we informed our male server to let us know when we were allowed to enter the belly. Once inside and situated, we had the place and bartender to ourselves. After we all perused the menu, we placed our orders, and everything arrived within ten minutes. The rest of the time was spent chatting, picture taking, and our bartender checked in on us also giving a Dole Whip taster. All was casual, chill, and somewhat on island time - aloha and mahalo! PARKING (FREE): They shared a medium-sized private lot with several other businesses who were closed at this time with plenty of spots - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE "Hidden" inside Stowaway which was located within a strip mall, the entire theme was based on the Pinocchio story, the interlude in time spent inside Monstro, and as we entered it felt like the beginning of the Disneyland "Storybook" ride as you road a canal boat into the mouth and sharp teet of a whale. There were several marionettes (appropriate and non-appropriate) that hung from the ceiling and belly walls, along with other Disneyesque memorabilia, a few sitting booths, and a tiny bar at the end of the roo. No natural lighting whatsoever while an assortment of extremely low-lit electric lights and table candles glowed. There were no TVs while I couldn't recall any background music. ATTIRE Although I was actually dressed appropriately for the occasion in an aloha shirt, linen pants, and flip-flops, this place was totally casual, so a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops would suffice. OVERALL Belly Of The Beast was an adventurous fun evening with friends, it left me feeling childlike with the need to watch "Pinocchio", and I couldn't wait to return to try more of their awesome-soundling elixirs. I generally loved all-things Disneyana, and this new wrinkle, albeit probably not approved by the mouse ears brass, caught my fancy. My one drink was tasty but just didn't hit the right spot, the onion rings were very good, the prices were a tad elevated, the atmosphere was awesome, and the service was friendly and professional. They had an extremely limited menu, and there was some doubt whether or not ordering from the Stowaway menu was an option. Plus, I always preferred to support small local mom & pop businesses. I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $27.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 4.0 STARS

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    A shot of the entire speakeasy.
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    Small place inside Stowaway.. floor can get wet when it's raining

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    Renz Social House

    Renz Social House

    4.1
    (72 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    So haven't been back since my last terrible karaoke experience over 3 years ago and left a 1 star…read morereview. I remember someone reached out from the business saying things have changed and got a new KJ thats better and should give it another go. Well 3+ years later I gave it another chance with a group hoping for improvement but instead the experience is just as bad. The sound is terrible. Mics kept cutting in and out and only half the speakers were actually working. Its sad bc there were some really good singers who were pretty much singing without a working mic. I let the KJ (some old white bald guy with a goatee) know and he had this IDGAF response and didnt do anything. The icing on the cake was me buying drinks and waiting for over an hour to get to my song when I noticed I was passed over for people who signed up after me. I let the KJ know to check and he has me on the bottom of the list like I never moved. I explained how I was waiting over an hour and he began to get defensive and tell me basically he cant trust what I say and doesnt remember me. If dude was doing his job properly this wouldn't happen. How hard is it to go down a signup sheet in order. Its crazy. KJ was also bartending and cleaning tables. I dont know if hes the owner or just carrying many hats but man he sucks. Long story short had to get my peoples to vouch for me and he finally let me sing my 1 song disgruntledly. Man Im never coming back. So many more professional & organized karaoke bars in south OC. Its sad this place is such a disaster for karaoke. The vibe from the patrons are great too. Advice to management/owner: 1. Spend a few hundred bucks and fix your karaoke system. If this was Asian-owned it would have never been an issue because Asians take their karaoke seriously. 2. Get another KJ and get rid of the bald old white dude with the goatee. He is an unhappy person who doesn't like his job and it shows. 1 Star!

    They don't offer any decent tequila here. Bar is a bit dirty as well as the bathrooms. Day time was…read moreso dead! It's probably much more livlier at night.

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    Club 616

    Club 616

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    (193 reviews)
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    I love the vibe here. It's about the energy and atmosphere for sure. Reminiscent of the bars /…read moreclubs in Baja California or Mexico in general, it's lively with a back patio area and even like a taquero there, at least on weekends. The drat beer selection is solid and the cocktails are well crafted. Highly recommend this spot. One of my favorite it's Downtown Stabba Ana

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    0.5 mi
    $$$

    Had a great experience at Chaak Kitchen this month for a birthday date. The interior of this…read morerestaurant is stunning. It is the perfect spot for a date night out, especially in the summer. We ordered carne crudo, castacan, cochinita pibil, and beignets for dessert. For a drink I got a pineapple tamarind agua fresca that was a perfect combination. I really enjoyed everything we ate here. 3 dishes was enough to feed 2. The standout was the cochinita pibil. I do wish we got a little variety and picked a different dish instead of getting 2 pork dishes but both the cochnita pibil and castacan were highly recommended by a friend. The beignets and the dipping sauces were delicious . The dough was so fluffy. The service was great and we sat right next to the kitchen. You could tell the staff is organized and keeps a clean kitchen which is always nice to see with these open kitchen restaurants. Parking is street parking only.

    Wow. Totally outstanding. We had reservations for 1:30, but traffic was really bad so it looked…read morelike our arrival time was more like 2 o'clock. We call them and give them a heads up and wondered if there was still availability. Melody was pretty transparent and said that there is a different menu between two and five ---a more limited menu. She asked if there was anyway we could get there before 2 o'clock. Long story short, she was super gracious and told the cooks that we would get there a little after two and they would make us something from the lunch menu. Isa was our waitress, and she was phenomenal! Great sense of humor, very transparent about the different menu items. I got a copal and it was fantastic! Smoky and spicy, but not too spicy. We started our late lunch with Caesar salad, Sopa Limon, Seabreem fish dish. We also got the cubano. We were so stuffed by the end of it, but everything was phenomenal. The Caesar salad was a great way to start the meal, but after a couple of bites of it once we had the other dishes, it didn't stand out as much. We probably would've ordered the same thing all over again, with the exception of the Caesar salad (although it was still good!) Sopa Limon had a very unique bone broth flavor. It was a little sweet. So amazing. Seabreem dish - the vegetables played an important part in the flavors! The fries and the aïoli for the Cubano was amazing. The Cubano was excellent, but was a big serving. We sat outdoors, but if I had to have my choice, I would prefer indoors because the ambience indoors is similar to a resort. It reminds us of a place up in the Bay Area called Luna in Campbell. Except the food here is slightly better :). Will definitely return!

    Photos
    Dining Room and Kitchen
    Dining Room and Kitchen
    Bone-In Prime New York Strip
    Bone-In Prime New York Strip
    Parrillada Yucatan

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    Parrillada Yucatan
    Sonder

    Sonder

    4.3
    (198 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    This might be my new favorite spot to grab a bite to eat!! The vibes here are IMMACULATE, and it's…read moreevident they carefully craft an energetic atmosphere that really amplifies the dining experience. The decorations, the lights, and the music all come together to give an ambiance that just feels so inviting to where you want to take your time while you're here. The service is top notch, all the staff are lively and accommodating. The menu is very creative including fun drink names and plenty of versatility in the types of dishes you can order. Be on the lookout for special dishes on different days of the week. We ordered the steak and mushroom skewers which are nice appetizers to hold you over until the entrees hit the table. The drinks hit the spot as well and luckily we came during happy hour so we got a little discount on the apps/drinks. We decided to try roasted half chicken with the potato salad which were both absolutely fantastic. The chicken was cooked perfectly, just incredibly tender and juicy. The potato salad was well seasoned, had a great texture, and was a nice compliment to the chicken. As we were eating, a DJ came in and started mixing up some cool tracks which just amplified our experience even more. Also, Sonder is my favorite word so bonus points there (I guess I'm biased). Anyways, I'm thrilled with my first visit here and will undoubtedly be checking this place out again! Would highly recommend you come visit Sonder, you can thank me later!!

    I've been a big fan of Kaizen and am so happy I finally got to try out Sonder next door!…read more Sonder is located in DTSA, and there's plenty of street parking plus a parking lot next to it. They took over the old El Mercado restaurant, and while the layout is similar, the vibes are completely different. I love the vinyl DJ setup, along with the colors and lighting they use now. We decided to stop by very last minute, but the host was so gracious to sneak us a spot at the bar. Service here was some of the best I've experienced in OC. Everyone was SO friendly, and made it feel like I was hanging out at a friend's place for great food and drinks. Shoutout to Tony who was taking care of us at the bar, he made the whole experience such a treat. Everyone was super attentive and was on top of everything too, making this such a lovely experience. On the drinks front, this place has one of the best Tequila offerings in the area, and they also have a great selection of unique cocktails to try from. Tony made me something off menu that reminded me of a tequila/gin gimlet, and it was spectacular. On the food front, I enjoyed a lot of the stuff we got, with a few critiques: * 6100 Sourdough: The bread was delicious but the ricotta was completely overpowered by the saffron. If you love saffron then this is for you. * Little Gem Salad: This was a good, standard issue salad. If you're craving some greens it's a nice addition to any meal. * Seafood Cocktail: This was my favorite dish, it was so fresh and flavorful, and all of the seafood was tender. My only critique is I wish that the shrimp was prepared similar to the other seafood instead of being in large chunks, but that's just a personal preference. I will be coming back for this dish again. * Scallop Skewer: Another standout dish, the scallops were perfectly prepared and the sauce used was so good we put it on everything else we ate too. Highly recommend. * Chicken Oyster Skewer: Really tasty, the chicken was perfectly cooked. Wished there was some spice to it, but that's where the scallop sauce came in handy. Overall, Sonder is a welcome addition to the area and I highly recommend checking it out. I think this was easily a 4.5/5 experience, and I have plans of coming back to try more of the food with a larger group.

    Photos
    Sophisticated bar and classy chandeliers
    Sophisticated bar and classy chandeliers
    Pork Belly: mustard * black vinegar * thai basil * chives * side of rice | $8
    Pork Belly: mustard * black vinegar * thai basil * chives * side of rice | $8
    CHICKEN OYSTERS: Buttermilk brined thighs, tare sauce | $8ea

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    CHICKEN OYSTERS: Buttermilk brined thighs, tare sauce | $8ea
    Strong Water Anaheim

    Strong Water Anaheim

    4.6
    (997 reviews)
    8.6 mi
    $$

    Back here to update after 3 years. Came in to celebrate a birthday and had such a fun time. I…read moreordered the NA version of the taro colada, and also got a NA birthday shot which was pretty thoughtful. Ordered: taro colada, NA taro colada, + Dubai chocolate lava cake for $49. The service was stellar as always, and so was the ambiance. My niece had a fun and unique experience for her 21st birthday!

    Second time at Strong Water and the staff always makes it a lovely experience. Be sure to reserve…read morein advance. Parking is validated for 2 hours in Car Park 4. The best part of Strong Water is the immersive experience you feel sitting inside. We sat in the Captain's quarters which was an intimate spot for great conversation. Our waiter was very friendly and gave plenty of options. We opted for the Crispy Tuna Appetizer which unfortunately was not good at all. The tuna and toppings were okay but the crispy rice tasted like fried fair food almost with the texture of a rice cake. Hopefully, their other dishes are better. For drinks, the waiter helped select the Banana Batida for me which was very lovely! I love how customized the recommendations were. My partner ordered a rum drink which he enjoyed as well. We finished off with a brownie dessert. I really enjoyed the passion fruit puree and kiwi topping. The brownie tasted good but was very dense which isn't my preference. Overall, would recommend. Prioritize the drinks over the food in my opinion

    Photos
    3 Dots & A Dash and Tales from the Black Lagoon
    3 Dots & A Dash and Tales from the Black Lagoon
    Tempura King Oyster Mushrooms & Shishito Peppers
    Tempura King Oyster Mushrooms & Shishito Peppers
    Captain's Quarters

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    Captain's Quarters

    Sushi Damu - sushi - Updated July 2026

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