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    Sushi Shunka

    4.3 (893 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Sushi Shunka Photos

    Business Info

    SUSHI SHUNKA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Sushi Shunka

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    Denise S.

    The food is delicious. Very fresh tasting and melts in your mouth. Service is efficient and polite. I like the dragon painting behind the sushi bar. The only thing I didn't like is that I think it is a bit pricey.

    In my experience, a restaurant review system has 4 levels: Bad, Good, Nice, and Wonderful. · Bad = I'd never go back. · Good = It's fine, but nothing I'd miss. · Nice = Better than good -- I'd return someday. · Wonderful = Everything is excellent -- I'd love to come often. This one? Excellent! We like to have omakase here every week -- it's $65 for 10 pieces, not too heavy but filling enough. And I really love craft beer.

    10 piece omakase
    Lily T.

    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.

    Chicken teriyaki
    Harsimran s.

    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.

    Cody L.

    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.

    Sushi Sunka in Costa Mesa, CA
    Cece C.

    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.

    Nigiri - Hirame, shrimp, yellow tail belly, salmon, higesori, toro
    Christina T.

    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.

    Lunch special Chirashi bowl
    Sophia P.

    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.

    Andrew L.

    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.

    Grilled Hamachi Kama
    Alan S.

    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!

    Omakase (from top to bottom): sea bream, stripe jack, medai, barracuda
    Cindy H.

    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.

    Sea Brim

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Huge fan! One of my new favorite sushi restaurants. Love the santa barbara sweet prawns and the kampachi.

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Second time here, and definetly the best sushi I have had in the area. The rolls and sashimi are amazing and incredibly fresh!!!

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

    It is my favorite sushi spot, everything is fresh, great quality and taste delicious. A must go to I. Costa Mesa

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Absolutely amazing, great service, freshest sushi in town. I will 100% be coming back! The shunka roll is to die for!

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    8 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    13 years ago

    Shunka is definitely one of my favorite sushi restaurants. The food and service are outstanding. I highly recommend the sea bream.

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    13 years ago

    Loved the fresh sushi! My only comment would be, I wish they had more choices for sushi rolls. But the food is good!

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    13 years ago

    First off, very very very fresh fish. Great quality and very good staff. Very friendly and attentive.

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    12 years ago

    Excellent sushi, reasonable pricing and service. Try live scallop with yuzu

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Best sushi in the OC. Everything on the menu is prepared with thought and care. The staff is really friendly and accommodating.

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    10 years ago

    Best in OC. Hands down. Good fresh fish with some exotic varieties not carried elsewhere.

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    10 years ago

    As to the food, fabulous. Service and staff was good to excellent. The Tuna was the best I've ever had outside Japan.

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Amazing quality sushi!!! Would recommend to any sushi lover! High quality and great ambiance!

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    14 years ago

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    Page 20 of 23

    Sushi Shunka Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sushi Shunka

    Have you permanently stopped offering takeout? I stopped by on 4/20/2022 and was told by the hostess that takeout is no longer offered (but Yelp still shows takeout is offered).

    They temporarily terminate taking togo orders for now, since they have sushi bar opened back up. It would take a little while for the togo orders to be back.

    Do they take reservations?

    No.

    Have they started indoor dining at the sushi bar?

    As of December 2021, they do have indoor seating in the booths but not at the sushi bar.

    How much is omakase?

    $45/person for 8 pieces of fish from Japan. Another one, price unknown but the chef serves you until you are full.

    View All 15 Questions

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    Takumi Sushi

    Takumi Sushi

    4.6(670 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    Delicious food we love it so much. Long wait but worth it. the price is reasonable too.read more

    First time visiting Takumi Sushi and I immediately want to come back. We ordered a bunch of…read moredifferent items - appetizers, sashimi, sushi, rolls and more. We ordered the Soft Shell Crab and Salmon Blue Crab and these were delicious! I absolutely loved how lightly battered the soft shell crab was and it was quite meaty. The dipping sauce made it even more delicious. The Salmon Blue Crab is a fan fav. The salmon was so smooth and fatty and the blue crab was flavorful. I could have eaten the whole dish all by myself. Takumi Sushi has a new style sashimi category that has 5 slices of sashimi. We ordered the Madai (Japanese Snapper) that is served with white truffle oil, lemon, yuzu and black truffle salt. Very unique and the truffle flavor did not overpower the snapper. We also ordered the Bluefin Tuna, Fatty Tuna, Scallop, Sea Urchin and Eel Sushi. All were pretty fresh, but the Fatty Tuna and the Scallop were the best. For the rolls, we ordered the Mountain Hand Roll (no rice roll) and the Baby Lobster (Crawfish) Roll (baked roll). I love that the Mountain Hand Roll uses a light wrapper and all you taste is fish. This has tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp tempura and spicy crab. Definitely another fav from the menu. All the fish was super fresh. The Baby Lobster Roll is a crab, avocado and cucumber roll and then topped with baked crawfish.Very flavorful and saucy. We were given great customer service throughout the meal, and everyone came to check in on us multiple times throughout our meal. The servers and the manager were all very friendly. They also gave us some recommendations. The restaurant reminds me of Japan because of the Osaka-inspired decor. Traditional Japanese accents and warm wooden tones. I like how intimate the dining area was set up with booths and the tables further away from each other. There is also a bar area where you can sit and interact with the chefs while they work. A really great spot for dates, quick lunch break or dinner catch ups.

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    Sushi Town

    Sushi Town

    4.0(932 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$

    Such a Costa Mesa staple! We use to come here all the time when we use to live in the area. This is…read moreme and my husband's go to when we were dating! I absolutely love this place and never did it disappoint. They are still consistent even today. The last time we are here was before we moved to Vegas in 2017. I really miss this place and could not find anything at Vegas that's casual and delicious like this place. We absolutely love the pink Cadillac and all their no rice rolls. Worth every penny. We can't get great sushi like this fresh and good in Vegas. I love the red eye as well. All light with seasoning on point. The nigiri are pretty pricey for 1 piece but it's fresh fatty tuna and blue fin. What do you expect. Especially since everything has gone up and cost of living is not the same anymore. I'll pay $6 for the nigiri. It's what we expected. Fatty tuna was on point! Service here is always amazing! Staff has been here for years. They even remember my hubby. Lol. Ambiance is casual. Can't wait to come back.

    Came here for the lunch special. It did not disappoint. Parking is not the greatest. However the…read moreservice is friendly and the ambiance is relaxing. The lunch special was sashimi I got that came with spicy tuna roll and miso soup. It was all good. Wis I could have had more. 5/5. I thought the spider roll was a bit too pricey for my liking but it was so good I wish I got more. The soft shell crab was cooked perfectly. 5/5.

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    Sushi Town - Black hair in the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna Roll (2 pc)

    Black hair in the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna Roll (2 pc)

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    Omakase

    Sushi Shunka - sushi - Updated September 2026

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