Hot! Hot! Wasabi! An authentic Japanese restaurant located in a strip mall in the city of Orange this Japanese run place serves omakase boxes during the pandemic. Ordered a regular omakase, Deluxe Omakase, and some hand rolls (ie Blue crab, Spicy Tuna, Wagyu). The sushi pieces were pretty good for both boxes but I was more of a fan of the regular omakase. The Wagyu hand roll was interesting because it tasted a bit sweet and creamy with the meat. I'd recommend going with the Blue crab hand roll though. I had been here once before the pandemic and I remember service here was good. I don't remember it being too busy and when I went to pick up my order it looked slightly busy. Anyways this is a good option for a decent priced omakase in this city. read more

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Still the best sushi in OC. I have tried so many places but so far not one place measures up to Sushi Wasabi. Service is friendly , fresh fish , and oh so delicious sushi . read more

The omakase is amazing. I have been coming here for over 10 years. The blue crab hand roll is still incomparable. Don't let the exterior mislead you. The sushi is exceptionally fresh and delicious. read more

Sushi Wasabi - Tuna belly, toro, red snapper - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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Best sushi I've ever had ! Hands down. Consistently spectacular for almost 10 years one been going there. I love omakase and they have the freshest fish every time. They are super friendly and sweet. Very traditional which I love. read more

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Delicious as usual. I am so glad this place is still here after 10 years. I had a baby and moved 4 cities away, but always wanted to return. Life prevented me to return, and this place always in the back of my mind because it was that delicious especially the blue crab rolls. Mwah!! It was definitely worth the drive. See you next time read more

This place is SO DELICIOUS. I've been going here for years--since the previous owners owned it. When I eat here, I close my eyes after every bite to fully enjoy it--it is THAT GOOD. I decided to write a review because I noticed it wasn't on YELP's top 100 restaurants. It should be! Do yourself a favor, make a reservation and eat here!! read more

Lawwwwd hammmercy. This mom & pop hidden gem deserves the crown!! The quality, taste and value of the omakase is amazing. Literally, break my bank. I'm in, again and again and again. *Make a reservation, the restaurant is small! *not your typical Americanized sushi spot (no lion kings and crazy rolls) *special menu has amazing items! Treat yo self! *I highly recommend the spicy scallop hand roll in addition to the omakase *order the CHOBEI sake! Highly recommended BLESS UP, Sushi Wasabi read more

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Sushi Wasabi is a great tradition sushi restaurant to go to but beware, it can get pretty expensive. Seating at the bar is for omakase. You can order a la carte at the tables if you don't want omakase. In addition to fish, the omakase also includes oysters. Generally, I like omakase because you try many fish that you might not order. We would get a la carte when we go here now because we know what we like here. Some of the must-haves here: -amberjack | it's prepared in 2 ways. One with wasabi leaf (I think) and the other with yuzu. Both are topped with sea salt. I cannot express to you how delicious this is. The fish is super fresh and the tastes perfect at the temperature it's served at along with the temp of the rice. -scallops | the combination of yuzu, salt, and sauce make this one of our favorites also. -blue crab handrail | anyone who eats here will tell you to order this and there's a reason. It's prepared simply to preserve the taste of the blue crab. -uni | the ration of rice to uni is perfect. It's always buttery and delicious -kumamoto oysters | the plating of this dish is beautiful. 3 oysters served on the half shell atop the other 3 shells. It is sauced and topped with massage and green onion. So sweet. You really can't go wrong ordering anything here. The fresh is always fresh and the rice is the perfect temperature for the fish. We usually go for dinner at 5:30 or 6:00 right when they open. I only see one sushi chef when we go. It takes some time between plates, especially if you're ordering a la carte. read more

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This place was once the best omakase in O.C. for two decades. The previous owner Katsu and his wife were the best! They never compromised on quality and service. The new owners were trained by the former, but much of the love & greatness of the former owner's standards are slowly diminishing over the last several years. The worst of thing of all is they refuse to reopen the sushi bar and only do table service now. Stubbornly refusing to clean up the packaging and clutter off the sushi bar again and allow true sushi tradition to be resume as it was prior to covid. Either Paranoia or laziness must be getting the best of them. They also need to go back to the way it was and realize they were lucky to have the recipes handed down from Katsu and stay true to the entire vision they inherited. read more

A unique omakase selection and a favorite for several decades, even with the not-so-new owners. The food and service continues to be top notch and won't disappoint. read more

They are open during SIP. I ordered 2 boxes of the deluxe omakase $50 which comes with uni and 1 box of the omakase $38 which comes with a hand roll. The quality was so good even with takeout. I really appreciated the handroll because of its wrapping. The seaweed was still crisp! A+ for it's aesthetically appealing packaging too. They aren't doing single orders of uni, but they are selling handrolls by the piece/ per 3 package. read more

Sushi Wasabi - Deluxe omakase (uni) and regular omakase (handroll) - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Excellent Omakase, friendly service. We didn't have a reservation but they normally allow only 4-5 tables so reservations are highly recommended. read more

This small hidden gem in a strip mall plaza has some of the best sushi we've ever tasted. Don't let the location deter you. The menu is limited because the there's only one sushi chef. The focus here is definitely quality over quantity. The chef gets the freshest fish of the day that he hand picks each morning from various markets in the area and also has some flown in from Japan. The small sushi place has four tables where you can select your own options or choose the sushi bar for omakase. We decided to go with a table. We saw fresh scallops on the menu but no spicy scallop handrolls, so we asked the waitress and she said the chef would be happy to make it for us. What a treat these were! Some of the sweetest melt in your mouth scallops we've ever had. Perfect level of spice, flavor and texture! Definitely ask to try this if they have scallops in stock. These rival the spicy scallop handrolls from Sushi Katsu-Ya / Izaka-Ya by Katsu-Ya. The only thing they didn't have was Katsu-Ya's amazing roasted sesame oil seaweed but they were so good that it didn't even matter. All items were fresh and delicious but the scallops are a must! read more

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The best sushi in Orange County. Now with the whole Covid19 deal, they are offering to go sushi. I've never been so excited to eat my sushi wasabi while relaxing at home. They are a great family owned restaurant that could use the support! read more

Sushi Wasabi - Omakase to go! With the blue crab hand roll. - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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This is a review for their takeout Omakase Even though I missed out on the atmosphere and the experience, food is still amazing and quality/freshness isn't lost, even though I had to bring the food back. Happy to support small local business as well. Call ahead and order! Be mindful that the parking lot is quite cramped and you might have to go to the back of the left side (Behind the Hole Mole) to park. read more

Low reviews on here are from dummies. This is some of the best sushi I've ever had. Just expect it to be authentic omakase.

For twenty years I have had the opportunity to enjoy a truly amazing Sushi experience. This was the first Omakase sushi restaurant in Orange County and as far as I am concerned still the best. There is thoughtful preparation placed into each course using only the finest fish. The owners are kind and appreciate each of their regular customers. Don't let the small strip mall full you. Step through the door and you may as well be in Japan. The iced green tea is to die for. The blue crab hand roll is a highlight. The tuna course is spectacular with amazing blue fin tuna typically served three ways. If your lucky golden eye snapper will be on the menu. If your looking to go somewhere and gorge yourself on non-traditional Japanese style sushi like California rolls then don't waste your time. Sushi Wasabi is for the true connoisseur looking for a traditional Japanese dining experience. read more

Prices are high. Sushi is not very fresh. Selection is poor. Food came out extremely slow. Sushi Wasabi is a traditional style sushi restaurant specializing in fish (nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls). They only have a tiny sushi menu with the common fish (think tuna, salmon, yellowtail, scallop, eel and such) and a Chef's Pick menu up on the board with selection and prices that change. I think the thing to come here for is Omakase, which runs about $80-90 per person on average and of course will depend on how much you eat. For that price point I would expect much better quality than what I had here. After ordering off the small menu and picking some of the choices off the Chef's board, I was generally unimpressed by the quality and freshness of the fish. The albacore sashimi was drenched in ponzu, yellowtail was extremely fishy, and the negitoro handroll tasted like the fish was frozen and not defrosted all the way. When the best tasting sushi is the unagi you know this place ain't the business. Sushi Wasabi did not hit the spot and the high prices did not match the low quality. read more

Sushi Wasabi - Only menu they have, plus the daily Chef's Pick fish on the board. - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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Torn about this review. Food - 4 star, service - 4 star, but why the 3-star rating? Omakase style is a must if you're a fan of sushi. I have to say, my first time at this place, I was a bit dubious about the recommendation to check them out because of its location. However, food was good. You've seen everyone's review of their blue crab....yeah, it's THAT good. Sushi was served at a nice pace, you had time to enjoy and savor each piece. The progression of the sushi was good too -- from mild/light fish to stronger in flavor. Fast forward to a couple of months --- So when we came back to visit, I made plans to go back. However, our group of 5 were mixed -- 3 of us wanted Omakase, and 2 wanted to order from menu. When we called to make reservation, we were told the group had to be either all Omakase or all ordering from the menu. So initially, we only made reservation for 3 for Omakase. The following day, because we really wanted the 5 of us to have dinner together, we called to change the reservation to all of us ordering from the menu. We were then told that because we are more than group of 4, which is considered a big party, we all have to be Omakase. Big parties are Omakase only. We cancelled our reservation and went somewhere else. Not planning to return. Matsu on Beach Blvd is a good Japanese restaurant. They have a sushi bar and their staff are always courteous. Their sushi is superb. I'm sure the chef will be more than happy to serve you Omakase. read more

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Best sushi I have had in LA with the price I paid. Yes, sushi is high quality, no, they don't serve California roll. It's traditional Japanese style, every sushi tasted different. I did not use soy sauce at all. Food and service were excellent. Highly recommended for true sushi lovers. This will be my sushi to go spot in LA. read more

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Probably one of my fav sushi places in OC. Retail strip, where it's located, doesn't look like the safest place in town but the omakase (only) sushi is pretty darn good. for baseline of $80 (a/o Jan'24), you get 10 pieces of sushi as well as a sashimi appetizer and the irresistible blue crab roll. Highly recommend. read more

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This is truly a hole in the wall. Never in a million years would I think I would be getting Omakase right next to an Autozone. Right now the restaurant doesn't allow any guest to sit at the sushi bar and has around four tables available therefore I suggest calling 1-2 days in advance for a reservation. If you are dining in, the only option you have is the Omakase that goes for $65. The omakase comes with albacore sashimi, ten pieces of nigiri, and one blue crab handroll. If you're still hungry, they allow you to order additional items afterwards such as oysters. Although this establishment is considered relatively reasonable in price, I can't decide if I would return or not. I've been to a variety of Omakase restaurants; ones that serve only 8 pieces of nigiri and nothing else but have left fuller from that than today. However, the quality of the fish is on par with the omakases that go for above 100. My favorite pieces were the albacore sashimi, blue crab handroll, and seared sea bream (not sure if I remember this correctly but use the last picture for reference). However, I was super devastated by the minced toro and toro nigiri. Although it looked like it had decent marbling, the texture of the toro was far from melt in your mouth. I have hope that I just came on the wrong fish shipment day because the staff members here are super sweet and go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable. Our total bill for two was $160. read more

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Probably the best authentic sushi spot in the Tustin/Irvine area. Yes the to-go and reservation method is very interesting and kind of annoying but you have to understand, they only have one sushi chef. However, I really appreciate they try to keep everything authentic as possible. Always love the quality of food and service here. read more

First time here and it was amazing.. every piece of sushi I had was so fresh. I haven't had a perfect sushi dinner like this in a long time. I love the style and the simplicity of the place. They don't need to front because the food speaks for itself. Can't wait to go back. read more

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Really amazing local sushi. Went once and will definitely be back. They do not have any rolls and only do omakase. So be sure to come expecting to be pleased by what the chef has to offer read more

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It's a nice small Japanese sushi restaurant and there's no sushi bar but only omakase sushi set eating at the table . It's very much Japanese style and traditional Japanese taste. I can go every day for my dinner! read more

Great small mom and pop establishment. When you walk in, you feel like you are going to someone's home. Go here for a wonderful experience! read more

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The best sushi is fresh, tasty, and prepared with attention to detail. That is exactly the kind of sushi you will find here. Sushi wasabi is authentically and unapologetically Japanese--not for the picky eater. It's best to sit at the sushi bar and do omakase style (Chef's pick). Be open to trying new types of fish, sauces, etc. The chef knows what he's doing. read more

Sushi Wasabi - Tuna, 3 ways - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

One of the best sushi spot. My wife and I came in tonight and really enjoyed our dinner. The sushi chef prepared and presented every sushi beautifully, also very delicious! The waitresses are so friendly, always kept our drinks filled, and made sure that we didn't run out of wasabi or ginger. All the fish were A+ grade and melts in your mouth. Even the red snapper, usually tough and chewy, was really soft and tasty here. The Santa Barbara uni were sweet and so good!! Overall experience, 5stars all the way. Thank you for the great dinner, Sushi Wasabi!! read more

This is one of my favorite local places to get sushi. It's a simple traditional sushi joint so there's no American rolls. It's run by a husband and wife duo. Hands down the best blue crab handrolls ever. I can easily eat 4 to myself. Usually they're $7 but they were only $5 last night! It's so simple, yet so delicious. It's toasted seaweed filled with rice and blue crab. If you're not doing omakase, I definitely recommend ordering an order of each item per person. It's difficult to share because each order comes with two pieces; however, each piece is prepared differently except for the Scottish salmon and eel (as far as I know). Must haves: blue crab handroll, amberjack, red snapper, halibut, albacore toro, spicy scallop handroll, scallop, and seared cod. Everything here is delicious. I haven't ordered anything that I disliked. Be patient as there is only one chef, so be prepared to dine for an hour to two. Also, if you have more than four in your party, you'll automatically have to do the omakase. read more

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This place is great! Thoroughly enjoyed it! Blue crab hand roll was my favorite and probably the reason I'll be returning. Omakase felt like such a great price for the value of the meal. Making a reservation was annoying. The person over the phone kept explaining to me it was omakase only and the price. I kept reassuring them I was there for the omakase and that was fine. Got to the point that they called me back to explain some other useless detail about their service. I ended up saying, "can I just, please, get a reservation!?" Happy I tough'd it out and had dinner there. Great place. read more

Absolutely love their take out menu! I ordered their Omakase take out as well as their hand rolls. Their sushi is fresh and delicious! The handroll was pretty cool too! The seaweed is separate from the rice and filling and you assemble it like how you would do an onigiri! Definitely can't wait to try their dine in sometime! Service was very friendly and quick too. read more

Discovered Wasabi from our friend Allen during Covid. Absolutely love their Deluxe Nigiri boxes and their one of a kind band rolls. A must! And it's a great deal for 3/$15. Their design of the hand rolls are genius! To keep the roll fresh and seaweed from getting soggy, they show you how to roll it when you get home. I love it and it gives a sense of the sushi chef experience. Always quality you can taste. The deluxe bigot box gives you a little bit of everything which I love! I enjoy the tiny ikura bowl it comes with so much. So mini but so perfect! Wasabi comes highly recommended! Esp if you want to enjoy great quality and design at home. Were coming for the wagyu HR next!! read more

This is REALLY a HOLEY MOLEY SUSHI of a place!! =) Not because it's right next to a Mexican restaurant that's adequately named Holey Moley.. =) I would have NEVER found this place if it wasn't for Yelp. But because, Hands Down, I have to say for the quality level of sushi that is served here, this 1 of the TOP 3 BEST Sushi places I have been to in OC; I have been to so many Sushi places that have disappointed me from high end to mom & pop places. Well, NO more!! Because I LOVE LOVE this place! =) This review is NOT for the Omakase @Sushi bar for $70 / person before tax & tip. BUT, this IS for the Sit down booths; the smaller side tables surrounding the long sushi bar. The Iron Chef (Sushi) stands behinds the sushi bar & prepares all of the dishes; him & ONLY him & No one else... This is a TRADITIONAL sushi place, if you like that Americanized California roll crap then definitely don't come here. So if you come here expecting the Asian/ California Fusion stuff then go elsewhere. Because, If you are the Hard core fresh seafood lover like Moi, then this is THE place 4 you to go to. =) ****************************** Food: Alaskan Albacore: 3 Stars Fresh & pretty thick slices but a bit on the frozen side. Not my cup of tea. Kumamoto Oyster from Seattle: 5+ STARS (3 pieces per order) The BEST ones I've had in Southern Cali. They're Small but they pack a ton of flavors as your tongue soaks up the deliciousness. So yummy & delicious!! I so wish they were bigger though. Blue Crab Hand roll - 5 STARS A popular dish for most customers & I understood why because when I took a bite out of this baby, I could taste the freshness of the sea as I was munching away. =) Yellow Tail: 5 STARS A soft tender piece of fish that just melts in your mouth & makes your mouth sing. =) Backside: Totally white, which means fattier and sweeter - better quality. Berry side - sweeter and better than backside. Baked Scallop: 4 stars Small pieces of scallops with sauteed onions on top surrounded by citrusy ponzu sauce. Uni from Santa Barbara: 5 STARS Small but very sweet. One of the best in Southern Cali. I LOVE it, makes me miss freshly caught Uni even More. Octopus: 2 stars Fresh but So so chewy that it made my jaw a bit tired from chewing. I love octopus but not when it's this chewy. Halibut: 3.5 stars Fresh & clear color w/ mint & a touch of wasabi underneath which gives it final lingering kick to your senses. A bit on the chewy side. Eel: 3.5 stars So soft & fresh that pieces were falling off. Grilled & drizzled with BBQ sauce (a bit too much though) *************************************************************** Overall: Food: A++ This place BEATS Angotei on freshness & quality level. The decent sized pieces of seafood are on top of small portions of rice, rather than the other way around like other sushi places. =) Service: A Decor: B+ Hidden gem but Cozy, very small mom & pop place ( only 5 tables available for sit down & the rest is by the sushi bar reserved only for Omakase) Ambiance: A Simple & small but clean; great for a nice intimate night out with your loved one. You will go home with a happy belly. =) read more

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WARNING: Omakase Sushi does not mean "All you can eat" Wifey and I came here on a date night. This place is a hole in the wall in a plaza with a 7-11. There are literally 12 seats at the sushi bar and a couple tables. Minimal decorations, it's really just a sushi bar. We sat at the bar and opted for the Omakase, which is the chef's selection. The sushi chef greeted us and just started putting various sushis on our plates. This is what we ate: 1. Albacore from Canada - This one was good. It was 3-4 tender slices of Albacore sashimi. In a pool of house made ponzu sauce. 2. Tuna from Scotland - Pretty standard. Two pieces of fresh tuna on rice. 3. Red Snapper from Tahiti - Delicious. Usually not a fan of red snapper because of the tougher consistency, but this was well done. Very tender and sweet. 4. Texas Bluecrab Handroll - This was Money. I was a little skeptical at first, but the sweetness and creamiest of the bluecrab salad with the seaweed and rich worked really well. A lot of people around us ordered seconds. 5. Baked Scallop - Eh. Not bad, but I'm not a fan of bay scallops. It was well made, the scallops weren't tough and chewy like other places, but I thought the combination of ponzu sauce, onions, and mayonnaise on the scallops was too tart. 6. Kumamoto Oyster from Seattle - My favorite of the meal. The plate came with 3 freshly shucked oysters. Super fresh, sweet, and tender. 7. Yellowtail from Japan - This was interesting. The sushi chef gave use two cuts from the fish - The back and the belly. I ate the back portion first and saved the belly second, but I should have done that in reverse. Back was tastier. 8. Sea Scallops from Japan - This might have been my second favorite. There were generous portions of high quality scallops. Really sweet. 9. Sea Urchin from Santa Barbara - I'm usually not a fan of Sea Urchin. This is one of those things that can easily go badly. It tasted really buttery. It's definitely an acquired taste, so I would not suggest this for newbie sushi eaters. 10. Salmon from Scotland - My wife's favorite. Soft, large cuts of salmon. With toasted sesame seeds and a dab of ponzu. 11. Toro (fatty tuna) from the Ocean - I would skip this. I know it's a delicacy, but one of the Toro sushi was served grounded. It was okay, lacked favor but great consistency. 12. Shrimp from the Ocean - The sweet shrimp was good, but I prefer it live. I would skip. 13. Spicy Tuna Handroll - I have mixed feelings about this one. The Tuna was delicious, the green onions gave it a light, fresh taste, but overall combine was okay. Wifey and I ALMOST tried everything on the menu. I think we fell short of 5 items. The must tries are: Albacore, Red Snapper, Bluecrab Handrolls, Kumamoto Oyster, Sea Scallops, Salmon, and Yellowtail. I would probably skipped the baked scallops, Tuna, Sweet Shrimp, and I know this is crazy, but the Toro too. I made the poor assumption that the sushi chef had a set menu or this place was all you can eat. Wifey and I ran a train on the sushi/handrolls and ate anything and everything the sushi chef put in front of us. Eventually when we started to have trouble breathing and told the sushi chef that we're throwing in the towel. With tax and tip, we dropped 223. Totally worth it though, but I think wifey and I should have shared the items above so we wouldn't have to "roll" out of there. A little about my credentials: I first got into cooking & food when I was in college. After being rejected by numerous girls and getting zero action, I decided it was time for a change. I needed a new makeover to boost my geeky image. I applied for a cooking position at a Mediterranean-Italian Restaurant near my home and learned to cook all sorts of dishes. I never became a professional chef, but I continue to enjoy & love food. 9 years later and 55 lbs heavier, I have a new passion for traveling and trying different foods around the world. read more

Sushi Wasabi - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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3.5 borderline 4 star review! In my opinion every fresh sushi is GOOD sushi. If the fish is fresh, clean, good quality, than it is good. However when you start to add extra sauces or alter the sushi in anyway by adding extra ingredients, that's where it gets a little iffy. The sushi I ordered today had a bit too much sauce than I'd prefer. Albacore with the ponzu sauce, halibut, the rice was soaking in a sauce, the toro same thing, scallops, and red snapper all had the same issue. Out of 7 different sushi's I ordered, ALL of them had some sort of sauce except for the yellowtail. The yellowtail was in it's truest, purest form, nothing except rice n a bit of wasabi. Again, the sushi itself was fresh and good quality, but I think they could do a little better in cutting back on the sauces. I even thought the sauces overpowered the sushi a bit. So ehh.... I would rather go to another place. read more

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My friends and I were gonna go to Nana San in Costa Mesa for omakase but it was closed for remodeling, therefor we came here. Overall the experience was disappointing. And we would never come back again. Go to Nana San if you want better omakase and more reasonable price. Food: the chef used a lot of ponzu sauce for everything. I would say about 80% dishes contained ponzu sauce. The fishes were pretty average. I dunno if the ponzu sauce was used to cover the average quality of fishes or what. Service: we asked the waitress not to give us more ponzu sauce types of dishes and she said they couldn't accommodate that. The service was pretty slow as well. Only one chef for the whole sushi bar and the tables, which were about 12 customers at that time. Price: this was the most disappointing part. We each paid about $100 for this average or even below average omakase. I would've only paid like max of $30 for these. At Nana San you could get a better omakase at $50 than this overpriced $100 omakase. If you know sushi, don't come here because you will be disappointed. read more

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very lovely employees and great service. very small establishment but very cute inside. sushi is a yay and is on the more (ish) affordable side for high quality sushi. would recommend making a res or getting there when they open because spots are limited read more

We have been going here for years and now even during pandemic they are able to serve the best, freshest, and great cut of sushi that always satisfies my cravings each time. read more

Sushi Wasabi - Uni Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Have never dined in here before but I heard about their takeout omakase special so I decided to try it out to help support local businesses. Ordered the $35 omakase that comes with 8 pieces of sushi and 1 blue crab or spicy tuna handroll. Every piece was delicious and the quality of the fish was pretty good. I really enjoyed the blue crab handroll as well. Overall a great spot for when you want some quality sushi. They also have a deluxe omakase for $50 which I might try next time. read more