I really enjoyed my dining experience here. I sat at the sushi bar and it could not of been better. I enjoyed trying the following fish: Madai: loved this fresh buttery fish Kanpachi: my favorite fish, perfect balance Barracuda: different but fun, a nice briny taste. I had a good time discussing different fish with the sushi chef. He showed me some of the various fish he was preparing. He had great recommendations. I was able to meet many different people here. All of them were regulars who came here all the time. Shunka has a quaint, energetic atmosphere that makes it really fun to sit and enjoy. I love the plaza it's in, there is plenty shopping available. read more

The parking lot is a tiny slot nightmare if you don't get there early. The restaurant promptly closes at 2PM also, so there's another reason to choose this place for an early lunch. With the unpleasantries out of the way, this is a great little cozy sushi spot! Fresh fish, clean smell, plump and tender rice, and a friendly and attentive chef if you sit at the bar. They offer an 8 piece + hand roll or a 10 piece omakase (chef's choice) that I have rarely seen offered at lunch. I loved it! A great selection of fish and thoughtful presentation as the chef guided us on which pieces were prepared to be eaten as served and which pieces could use soy sauce. Great little spot. read more

Came in for lunch and honestly expected more. I ordered the chirashi bowl for the lunch special at $35, which felt really overpriced for what it was. The presentation looked great, but the fish didn't taste very fresh and had a fishy smell, which was disappointing. We also ordered the wild yellowtail. It was okay, but nothing special. Overall, the quality didn't match the price. I wanted to like this place, but the freshness just wasn't there. read more

Sushi Shunka - Lunch special Chirashi bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Not just your local family owned sushi restaurant, it's a gem. From the very best quality fishes, attentive service and excellent experience from start to finish this is my favorite go to sushi. Please be aware they get locals lined up to put your name on the list, expect to wait because it's very good. read more

Sushi Shunka - 10 piece omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Eek really wanted to love this spot but it wasn't that great! Service was nice, quick on a random weekday lunch. A very cool dragon painting hanging behind the sushi chefs, but the tables felt sticky and dirty. We ordered crispy rice with spicy tuna (I did like that it offered single options to add on) and a simple salmon and avocado roll. Both were very chewy and not exciting. The miso soup was crazy salty and made me feel sick. The chicken tempura was made with very fatty meat. read more

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Had such a hard time writing this review because Shunkas been my go to sushi spot for the last decade. Ive constantly raved about it to friends and after taking a small hiatus, decided to go back last night. Im not sure if it was just an off-night but the experience was disappointing to say the least. Pros: - shunka has the best selection of raw fish out of any restaurant ive been to in socal as they fly a lot of fish over from Japan. In fact, I dont think ive been to a restaurant that has the variety of fish shunka does. Highlights include the ishidai, medai, mejina, kanpachi, and scallop. Cons: -I dont want to say the service was bad because the servers were friendly but it seems they would keep forgetting to bring us items we had requested, even after asking a second or third time. Ie we had to ask multiple times for napkins and sauce. -multiple dishes we ordered weren't even rung up- either that or they were sold out and didnt notify us or they were rung up and just didnt get brought out. Unfortunately theres no way to validate what we actually paid for either since the check isn't itemized. -again, not sure if it was off night or not but the rice was a little too warm for sushi rice and would fall apart pretty easily. All in all, not sure id go back given the above items but hope they use this constructive criticism to improve. read more

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DELICIOUS! OISHI! The best place to have authentic, fresh, creative sushi & Japanese cuisine in a local spot that is OPEN on MONDAY! AUTHENTIC CUISINE in a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Tru Japanese hospitality! The owner is always there and Chitose is the most welcoming person ever! Thank you Shunka! read more

If you've been following me here on Yelp, you know I love trying new restaurants. But plot twist, I didn't even remember I'd already been here. Turns out this was my second or third date with this place. Classic case of sushi amnesia. But hey, sometimes even great relationships need a reintroduction, am I right? Or am I right again?! Hah! As a Life Coach who specializes in dating, I couldn't help but experience this restaurant like I would a first date...with curiosity, high standards, and a mental checklist of red and green flags. Ready? Let's break it down, coach-style: PARKING Ladies, there's tons of free parking right in front of the restaurant. Green flag: Shows up with zero stress and makes your life easier. Like a guy who offers to pick you up and actually knows how to parallel park. SERVICE The chefs are like emotionally available partners--warm, attentive, and genuinely interested in your experience. They greet you, engage with you, and make you feel seen. Green flag: Active listening and eye contact. If they were on Hinge, I'd swipe right and send a rose. FOOD The salmon belly sushi? Melt-in-your-mouth magic. Yellowtail belly, halibut, freshwater eel, albacore--they all delivered like a partner who knows your love language and remembers your coffee order. Just a heads-up: at upscale spots like this, each sushi order is one piece, not two. Green flag: Quality over quantity. Like a relationship that's low on drama but high on emotional intelligence. Red flag (for the unprepared): If you're expecting a sushi mountain, you might be disappointed. But hey, that's why we manage expectations--just like in dating. As someone who's in a committed relationship with sushi (we see each other weekly), I can confidently say this place is top-tier. Worth every dime and every bite. AMBIENCE This is a date-night dream. Intimate booths that feel private but not isolating--like the perfect partner who gives you space but still holds your hand in public. Green flag: Cozy, connected, and no weird lighting that makes you look like a vampire. Red flag: Honestly? None. Unless your date talks with their mouth full. That's on them. WOULD I GO BACK? Absolutely. Maybe next week. Because just like a great partner, when you find something this good, you don't ghost it--you keep showing up. read more

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The sushi was good and the fish was very fresh. I wish I could have been able to eat more to try more things on the menu. My personal favorite were the handrolls. They weren't skimming on the amount of fish and there wasn't a lot of rice which I appreciate when it comes to handrolls. The service was friendly, they offered to explain the menu since there are options to do an omakase vs just ordering a la carte. The price for the quality was worth the experience. The interior was not very big but there was a few booths and bar seating for if you wanted to have the omakase experience. My friend and I didn't have to wait too long for a table, despite coming on a Friday night. Parking wasn't an issue as it's in plaza with many food and drink places. read more

Sushi Shunka - Nigiri - Hirame, shrimp, yellow tail belly, salmon, higesori, toro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Sushi Shunka is amazing! Walked in on a Friday night and was fortunate to be seated at the sushi bar served by Yuki-san. He made our night so memorable from his welcoming staff and amazing food. He makes the BEST unagi hand roll (ask to have it made the way he likes- fun treat!) Thank you Yuki-san and all the wonderful staff there. We can't wait to come back :) read more

For the quality of omakase sushi they offer, the sub $100 price definitely felt like a steal. The place wasn't particularly boogey or anything, but everything tasted just as good as the $300+ omakase restaurants. We had alcohol and extra sushis cuz 10 wasn't enough lol. That still came out to be less than $150 per person. Damn. I loved everything that was served to me. Will be back again for sure. read more

Sushi Shunka - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Sushi Shunka is our go-to spot for celebrating special occasions and also our fave sushi spot in OC. Located in a strip mall at the corner of E. 17th Street and Tustin Avenue in Costa Mesa, the restaurant specializes in authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine. "Shunka" means "Flavor of the Season", so they of course select their fish depending on the season and in addition to customer favorites. The sushi chefs are veterans and the wait staff are polite helping to provide an unforgettable dining experience to their customers. I highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and ordering one of the omakase options. On our recent visit, I ordered the Chef's Omakase which included 10 pieces of sushi including sea bream, Japanese sea bass, mackerel, amberjack, toro and bluefin tuna among others. The sushi is always top-qualify and practically melts in your mouth. I have a big appetite so I also supplemented my meal with a toro hand roll, blue fin tuna hand roll and fried Hamachi Kama. Everything is made to order and is so oishi! Having said that, this is fine dining so expect to pay a high price but know that it's worth every penny. As I mentioned before we only visit on special occasions, so I'm already hoping we'll have a reason to celebrate again soon! read more

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Very nice people and excellent fish, try the butterfish sushi its delicious. Omekase is very reasonable as well.

Delicious sushi, hand rolls, cut rolls and really great value! Service was friendly, kind & prompt. BIG fan!

The nigiri here is amazing. Truly the best I've had in a long time. I'd skip the rolls and stick to their daily specials. Also the service here is exceptional. I had my two Littles 3 and 1 and they handled them like pros. I didn't have a chance to take pictures because of the kids but the dishes were beautiful. Great great spot. read more

The chef's omakase was great, and the fish quality was excellent. We really enjoyed the striped jack. The uni was surprisingly not very fishy. Most of the fish was very buttery and melts in the mouth. The taste and presentation of the food were both on point. The prices are decent considering other omakase in the area. The service was very friendly and helpful. The interior is small and has a homey and cute atmosphere. read more

Small sushi joint with tables inside, outside, and counter seating at the bar. Highly recommend sitting at the bar and getting omakase to fully experience what Shunka has to offer! What I like about Shunka is they have a variety of fish to choose from, even those that are not typical, sourced from Japan. It was around $85 for omakase which consisted of: sea bream, striped jack, medai, barracuda, ocean trout, engawa, buri, japanese sea perch, uni, and toro. Very affordable considering that you're getting uni and toro! Besides omakase, I recommend getting the live scallop if it's available. Since it's live, the scallop has a firmer texture and tastes more sweet. This also comes with baked bay scallops sauteed with mushrooms and onions. The chicken kaarage is also a good choice if you want something fried to munch on in between your sushi meal. Service has always been friendly and attentive. They can get busy since it's a popular local sushi spot, but you can always put your name on the list. They'll call you when your table is ready. read more

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This place is such a hidden gem! It is a small place, but very authentic. I came here on a Saturday night with my partner and we decided to try the Shunka omakase. It was out of this world! The chef was super engaged and perfected the omakase experience. The fishes we experienced were: Sea bream: one of my favorites with a light flavor and texture. White snapper: flavorful and come with chili oil Kanpachi: a little chewier and sweet and mild King mackerel: blowtorched slightly and tender Halibut with shiso pepper: this was amazing with a smokey flavor from the peppers. Barracuda: sweet and tender and smokey flavor balanced well with the nori Stripped jack: clean and good umami Blue finned tuna: a classic red tuna flavor And a hand-roll which you had a choice of blue crab or toro. The toro was so tender and the chef let us try both! We will definitely be coming back! read more

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Small sushi restaurant on 17th street with indoor and outdoor seating. The service was okay, nothing bad about it but nothing good about it either. The rolls were basic and the tempura didn't taste very fresh or crispy in the rolls. The nigiri was good. Overall it was a fine experience but nothing in particular made me want to return. read more

Sushi Shunka - Shunka roll on the left sumo roll on the right - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Wow. An absolute hidden masterpiece. They use all specialty Japanese cut fish and it is the highest quality I have found thus far in SoCal. I'm writing this from the sushi bar my third time this week and always sit to reserved by chef/owner Yuki. $55 8 piece omakase with a hand roll is such a great price for customers nearby. Thank you so much for the most fabulous authentic experience! read more

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Fantastic sushi, wonderful fish from Japan. Fills up fast, service was very nice. A great restaurant

Delicious, fresh-forward, authentic with attentive service. The seafood quality is on point here. The chefs do not play. A ton of locals hit this spot, so that is a testament to the quality of the food and service. Can't wait for my next visit! read more

My wife thinks that its bluefin tuna sashimi was the best she has ever had: I had the Japanese hamburger which was more like a loco Moco sans gravy but tinged with a mild Worcestershire sauce flavor. And it was made from pork. I will give it a 4 star. The service was great The ambience was clean and friendly: read more

Sushi Shunka - Japanese hamburger with egg, rice , and salad . Partly bitten. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Hands down one of the BEST sushi in the area. We just order from the board because we know it will be fresh. And we bring out of town friends to Shunka because they must experience this place. read more

Came for omakase with my family for my birthday! Ordered shunka omakase and was fun to tasting so many new fish that I'd never heard before. My brother got the chef omakase that included uni and Toro. He doesn't like tuna that much but enjoyed it and I loooooved the uni that was part of the chef omakase. It tasted sooooo refreshing. There was no wait which was amazing! And price was very reasonable! read more

Sushi Shunka - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Oh my God, never disappoints, just loved every bite, this is one of the few times that I just had a hankering for Shunka and went by myself. It was an absolute pleasure to sit at the sushi bar. Ambience lovely, everyone was just so pleasant. I will definitely be going as a solo person again. It was such a pleasure. My Itamae was winderful and every roll was spot on. I felt very well taken care of. Thank you thank you! read more

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This place serves great, traditional sushi. I have been here a few times and the chefs are always so nice and helpful. The staff is also very attentive and does a wonderful job. I highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and ordering the chefs omakase. read more

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i thought the food was okay! the fish was fresh and everything tasted good. the ambience was nice and cozy. the only thing was the service was so awful. servers were super inattentive even though there were maybe only 3 parties including us there at the time. they also forgot to put in our order for things and we sat there for so long waiting for it like clowns. finally we just wanted to leave and asked for the check and that was a super long wait too. honestly wouldn't come back or maybe if i ever did i would sit at the sushi bar so that the service would be better hopefully. :( read more

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everytime we're in costa mesa, our family stops here for an early dinner or late lunch and it never disappoints. fair pricing for high quality - the chawanmushi always hits the spot for my toddler. read more

Loved this sushi restaurant! My bf and I got the chef's omakase, which is very reasonably priced. Fish was so fresh - we don't usually like uni but it was so delicious. Service was great - very friendly sushi chefs and attentive servers! Will definitely be coming back ご馳走様でした read more

Sushi Shunka - Uni - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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One of the best sushi spots in Orange County! We love this restaurant and have been frequenting it for many years. The fish is fresh and they know how to make sushi rice the way it should be made! We also really like their rolls, in particular, the Shunka roll and the Sumo roll. The restaurant is pretty traditional and the chefs are Japanese which we appreciate because we feel like they are closer to a mom and pop restaurant focusing on high quality food. Their fish gets shipped from Japan and we like that it doesn't taste fishy. My husband's favorite is the scallop nigiri. We always make sure to order the salmon nigiri, yellowtail nigiri, eel and tamago. This restaurant is on the smaller side and it's in an outdoor plaza with various restaurants so it can get busy, but even if there is a wait, it's well worth waiting for. read more

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A Kind Suggestion for Shunka Sushi Your staff's warmth is a real strength--friendly and attentive service made the visit pleasant despite the food. Unfortunately, the sushi quality fell short of expectations. Advertised as authentic Japanese, the rice was okay, but the salmon lacked the bright, clean flavor I associate with true sushi. For the price, it simply didn't deliver the freshness or precision that sets great sushi apart.With nearly 200 sushi options in Costa Mesa, I'm afraid I wouldn't return unless the quality improves. A tighter focus on sushi texture, fresher fish, and authentic preparation would make all the difference. Wishing you the best in refining the craft! read more

Pretty good!! Came here right when they were open and they were pretty busy. For a reason, it's pretty good sushi. I have been on a hunt for good sushi in OC and it's difficult so I was happy to come here. I recommend the crunch roll! read more

Sushi Shunka - Crispy tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

If you're looking for a bargain Omakase experience, this spot is friendly, fast and has an overall great variety of unusual cuts of fish to try. Just don't expect super high quality cuts of fish like from omakase spots that are in the $150-$300 range as you get what you pay for. Definitely upgrade to the more expensive omakase at $85 as it includes uni and toro that is very tasty and good quality. The sushi chef and servers are very nice and the space was super casual. read more

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Oishi! Every roll we had was fantastic in every way especially the eel. Beautifully presented and prepared. Super friendly staff as well. Can't wait to come back. read more

In same strip mall as various women's clothing and home boutique shops. I liked sitting in a booth which felt semi private. Good service. Salmon avocado roll- loved the loose rice and fresh salmon. Tempura bowl lunch special- it was ok. I usually get larger pieces of veggies when I order tempura at other places. The rice was plain so I added the dipping sauce to it. The small sliced cucumber salad had little flavor. Miso soup was just right in flavor. Shanku roll- meh. Ordered it based on recommendations, but we prefer sashimi over seared fish so didn't think much about it. It was smooth and creamy w the albacore inside. Red bean ice cream- it was ok. The family liked it as they don't like red beans but enjoyed this ice cream as it was mild in red bean flavor read more

Sushi Shunka - Shanku roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Really fast service. Not a lot of options for kids here but we ordered teriyaki chicken and it was good. My favourite sushi was the kimani so fresh so light great piece of fish. The cucumber salad I wasn't a fan of I don't recommend it and it's such a small portion for $9 Their miso soup didn't have a single seaweed in it so it lost a star for some of their underwhelming food items read more

Sushi Shunka - Sushi Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Sushi Shunka is a great option for omakase in Orange County. It isn't my favorite but it is pretty up there. There are two omakase options both around $80 per person. There's a the Shunka Omakase Option, which is 8 piece with a handroll. Or you can get the Chef's Omakase Option which is a 10 piece option. I usually do the 10 pieces and find that it is barely enough and usually order a few extra rolls after. Each piece is normally very good, fresh and flavorful. The last time I went we ordered sweet shrimp as well. Service is always excellent. The chefs really take care of you and we enjoy sitting at the bar. I came here with my husband on a Friday night and we were surprise there was not a wait at 6:30pm. It was just semi-busy. Waits on the weekend can get bad though. I recommend checking it out for omakase if you have not. It's worth the experience. read more

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Very good food and service: been coming here for years. Omakase is also very fairly priced. The salmon and shima aji were standouts. Also cannot go wrong with Shunka and Sumo rolls read more

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Absolutely love Shunka. Shunka was my first omakase experience and I keep coming back (occasionally bc I'm not made out of money). But when I do, I always have a great time here. The chefs are funny, animated and welcoming. I adore the omakase experience because you don't know what you're going to get and they tell you how to eat it - with or without soy sauce. I love when they serve me scallop or white fish with the yuzu salt, uni, cherry salmon and fatty tuna. To me, Shunka is more of a casual dining experience but the service is spectacular. I don't think it's too expensive for what you get. Highly recommend Shunka for your first time trying omakase. read more