Been here a few times, Buddha's Favorite never disappoints. A good friend of mine treated me to a belated birthday lunch and this is the place I picked as I haven't been here in a while. Nicole (owner) was friendly and helpful when I reached out to her via email for a lunch resy on 7/11. You have to start with the Salmon Candy--crab wrapped in fresh salmon topped with avocado... completely addicting! The Weekend Lunch Bento Box was also packed with so much deliciousness (the crispy rice and tempura were highlights!). Super fresh fish and a beautiful relaxed vibe right by the water. 10/10! read more

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Was seated right away. Which was exciting. Bummer, that we got set next to a window outside on a little table. The space was crammed with none stop foot traffic that became a huge interruption and distraction. We had been bumped a few times by other guests and staff. We tried to tough it out, but when the food arrived, we realized this wasn't going to work. Our appetizers, the soft shell crab was great. Oysters were good. All the rolls we ordered, we took one bite of and sent back due to taste, texture being off (slimy) or it not being our order. Being next to the water is nice, but that's really what you're paying for when you come here. UPDATE: I'm disappointed by the owner's response, as it seems to misrepresent the concerns in my review. To clarify, I was not "bummed" to be seated outside or upset about having a view of the bay. The issue was the specific placement of our small table in a very congested walkway, where both guests and staff repeatedly bumped into us while we were trying to eat. I also never stated that the fish was not fresh. I described our actual experience with the rolls we were served: the taste and texture were unpleasant to us, one roll was not what we ordered, and we chose to send them back. I actually specifically mentioned that the soft-shell crab was great and the oysters were good. I understand that the restaurant is small, but telling a disappointed customer that they would have known that "if [they] looked around" feels unnecessarily dismissive. My original review was simply an account of our experience, including both the things we enjoyed and the things we did not. Unfortunately, the response from ownership only reinforced my disappointment. read more

Located right on the bay/docks in Newport, it was such a vibe. My overall rating is closer to 3.5/5. Service: They have a lot of young workers here. They were nice but not as attentive and knowledgeable. Parking: They offer valet parking as street parking can be difficult depending on the time of day. Drinks: I wish they had a full bar here. Unfortunately, they only offer a few cocktails and they're all canned. Food: Their menu was extensive and a bit overwhelming. I will say that the fish did taste fresh, but they can definitely improve on their rice as it was more on the mushy side. - CRISPY RICE SPICY TUNA 3.5/5 - SALMON CARPACCIO 3/5 - BLUE CRAB HANDROLL 3/5 - GOLDEN TORO 4.5/5: This was the best dish hands down. Would order this again. - SALMON COLLAR 4/5 Overall, I think this would be a great place to come back to just for the views and a few bites. It is a bit on the pricier side but as expected for Newport. For fine dining pricing it was very mid. read more

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I was expecting much better sushi that this unfortunately... there really was no real flavor in any of the 3 rolls we tried. I also got a mascot mule that didn't taste like there was any alcohol in it while also just tasting like a lime and club side drink? The server was sweet but we were also missing silverware, a plate, and the ginger and wasabi and it took a while for her to come back and ask. It was fine sushi but for the location my expectations were so much higher. read more

Really wanted to like this place! The pictures of the food looked amazing, it came up on my IG feed randomly. We had a reservation and got sat quickly, great! But it was literally impossible to get the attention of our server and order anything. We kept asking workers and they just kept saying "I'm not your server" then who is it? Can we get some food going? Do I have to order at the front? We were there for an hour and a half and only had our server come twice by begging pleading and crying for someone to help us lol. Not to mention the cocktails are not made they don't have a bar they are canned (Which is fine, it is just not portrayed that way in the pictures). We only got the spicy crispy tuna appetizer, and it was good that is why there is 2 stars given. Ended up paying and leaving early without even having dinner and walked over to Cannery instead. Overall disappointing experience, would not recommend since there are too many other great spots close by. read more

Buddha's Favorite - "Cocktails" - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Food here is great! The Jamie's crying roll was probably my favorite and that's coming from someone who doesn't typically like sushi! I also had the baked salmon roll which was solid. It's a small place so if you don't have reservations you will be waiting. and I think the hardest park is parking here ... read more

Buddha's Favorite - Baked salmon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Food: The food is always so good! The veggie tempura was so good came out hot and crispy and that's what we want!! The sushi was so good I got the same rolls as last time. Rock n roll and firecracker! They were so good! The spicy edamame were okay! They weren't too hot when they came out almost room temp and not spicy whatsoever. Overall the food was so good! Service: The service was okay when we went. I've been many times but never sat inside. It wasn't the best we waited for about 15 mins for someone to take the check. I understand when it's busy but it wasn't packed as usual. Maybe an off day and that's okay! When we got there there was many many tables open outside. It was a weekday and I understand reservations. But there was about 7 tables open and we had to sit inside because of reservations. And the waitress said about 2 hours for an outside table. I watched the tables I could see and they never got sat. So make a reservation if you want to sit outside I guess! Inside: The inside was small but cute. The decor is so cute! Outside: The parking around here is mostly paid parking. The restrooms are shared with other restaurants within the area. Not very clean or nice. The outdoor patio is such a vibe and so cute it's a part of why we go there! read more

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so delicious!! this water front view was gorgeous, and the food was just as pretty!! the flavors were also so good, such a great sushi experience!! our server was kind and helped us out a lot!! read more

Buddha's Favorite - crispy rice - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Had such a great experience at Buddha's Favorite! The staff was incredibly accommodating with my to-go meal and drink at the counter. Kira was exceptionally sweet and helpful, and the service was quick, friendly, and kind. Super happy with my experience--I'll definitely be back! read more

Buddha's Favorite - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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We got sat right next to the Buddha's favorite red sign so that was cool. The sushi rolls were good and I loved the energy. I would come here again! read more

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The service was very slow the day we went. The Omakase was not great. It is a very small place and they do a lot with a tiny kitchen but the sushi wasn't the quality I would have expected for the price. They forgot to give us our Miso soup and salad with the Omakase. The waiter failed to explain the omakase menu or price. I'm not price sensitive so I dismissed it. I personally cannot recommend them. Then I ordered a few other dishes when we realized the omakase was simply a plate of Nigiri. It was decently average. The dishes I ordered came out very slowly. The chefs were less than friendly and gave no description of the fish until I asked him "what do we have on our plate". I won't be going back. read more

Came here for my husband's birthday this past weekend. View is obviously amazing but the food is mid and the service was awful. It took 10-15 minutes after we were sat for our server to acknowledge us, which in a busy restaurant I would probably understand but half the tables were empty. Even just a "hey I'll be over in a minute!" would have been nice. I had to flag down another server to bring my husband's beer and sake after ours was dropped off and 10 minutes went by without his. Just all around not great service. Food is just okay too. We got a handful of rolls and they were fine but nothing to write home about. Skip and go to the Cannery. read more

What a beautifully located sushi spot! With an outdoor patio right off the water, you get to enjoy a delicious meal right off the water. Very cute decor and wonderful staff. We both shared a Paradise Roll. It is a California Roll topped with Poke and Green Onions. Very fresh and the ponzu sauce is bright. We also got our own weekend lunch special. This is a steal. A lot of food for an excellent price. We were both very full. A great vacation spot. read more

Buddha's Favorite - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We had a very disappointing experience. The server staff, who appeared to be mostly young girls, came across as unfriendly, snobby, and made us feel like we were an inconvenience from the moment we sat down. During our meal, soy sauce was spilled all over our table and even onto one of our phones. No one apologized or made any effort to address the situation. Several food items we ordered were never brought to our table, yet they still appeared on our bill. We were also charged the full price for kids' menu items even though Sundays are advertised as $6 for those meals. The poor service didn't end when we left. As we were walking down Lido Street, one of the servers drove through a stop sign at a high rate of speed, which was both shocking and dangerous. Mistakes happen, but the complete lack of accountability, professionalism, and basic customer service made this an experience we won't be repeating. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend this restaurant based on our visit. read more

As a local Uni connoisseur, I've had a lot of Uni. Don't come here for uni (sea urchin) ! It's horribly unfresh . I wouldn't eat it if it was free. More hype than quality sushi Zero stars Edit: The owner Nicole P has no customer service . She told me in a review not to come back.. I wasn't planing on it ... that's why I left an honest review. Horribly Unfresh sushi. read more

Good service, it was busy so we didn't see our server often but he was around. We went here on a recommendation from a previous local. I started with Buddhas favorite and subbed salmon for yellowtail. Very good, fresh, loved the chili sauce. Others in my party got the OMF rolls and it was so good we ordered another one. However this is when it got really busy and it took forever for the second roll to come out. Like over 30 minutes. By that time we weren't even still hungry. It's a cute little place right on the water, I'd go back. read more

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Been coming here weekly for a while because I live right down the street. Some people in my party got food poisoning last time we came. I decided to come back and give it a try. However, on this recent visit, we had a reservation at 7 PM, and we didn't get seated until past 7:30 PM. Not worth your time or your health. read more

Great food all around. The spicy crispy rice and all the sushi were excellent! Can't go wrong with some good sushi and water view. You definitely need to sit on the patio to enjoy all the experience. Great service and great food. Definitely stop by if you're in the area. read more

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i thought the food was super good, wine and sake were good, and the view was gorgeous. we got a lot of items and none were bad. the only downfall was that we had a reservation, but we still had to wait for quite some time to be seated since they were waiting for a table open up which was kind of weird in my opinion. other parties were being seated before us all due to certain tables opening up based on numbers. we got seated probably 15-20 minutes after our reservation time, but then the food was great so all was good. read more

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The food was really fresh and delicious. We ordered the tornado, backflip, and beagle rolls. My favorite was the tornado. We also ordered delicious jalapeño poppers and spicy edamame. The restaurant is very close to Newport water so just be aware that it could be cold depending on the weather and if you have outdoor seating. With that being said, it is so beautiful to sit outside near the boats they do have outdoor heaters, and I even saw a basket of blankets. Very cute for date night or girls night. I can't wait to go back. read more

Buddha's Favorite - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Came here on a Thursday night but it started raining so had to eat inside! The inside is a small space. Definitely a spot for locals. And seems to always be busy. Parking is easy either street parking or valet. The sushi was fresh! I got calamari, sashimi & buddhas favorite. Buddha must be a huge fan of cream cheese, if you are too then go for it! Would recommend & come again. read more

We got sushi,chicken yakisoba, miso soup,chicken yakisoba & SOFT SHELL CRAB(Tempura fried Maryland blue crab with sweet soy sauce) Sushi was just OK.Other dishes were horrible.There are better sushi spots in area EDIT Updated the menu item(confirmed it was crab)No idea why 3 top mentioned,actually liked sitting there next to harbor .Must've been another review.Wow,never been gaslighted from business owner on Yelp before lol!With that attitude we won't be returning.Understand you're a small business but no excuse for poor quality food(or gaslighting reviews) read more

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One of my fave restaurants! This time we went with our pup and ordered few rolls. The food and service were great and our server went above and beyond to make sure us (including our pup) are taken care of. read more

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Just tried this spot for the first time and wow -- I totally get the hype. We ordered 3 rolls and my Favorite was the Rock and Roll sushi, the 3 amigos was ok not my personal favorite. The vibe was super chill but still had that nice date-night feel. We sat in the patio outside but the warmers felt really good. The service was attentive. Overall it was a good sushi spot read more

Buddha's Favorite - Rock&roll , Buddha's Favorite - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

This is my new favorite restaurant. There is a beagle roll. That rocks. also, saw jellyfish so that's pretty cool read more

Buddha's Favorite - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

First time here and it was amazing! From the moment we walked in, the experience was top-notch. Katie was our server, and she was absolutely wonderful--super sweet, gave great recommendations, and was refreshingly honest about what she personally liked (and didn't like), which I really appreciated. All the servers were friendly and made us feel so welcome. The food was fantastic, and the ambiance was adorable--such a cute spot! I had such a great time, and I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend! read more

Buddha's Favorite - Baked Salmon Roll + Golden Toro Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Amazing sushi. Could be some of the best sushi in Southern Cal. Quaint, amazing service, freshest sushi! Have no idea why this was our first time there ! We will be back often! We drove a Duffy boat there and it was one of the best days ! read more

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we showed up ten minutes late to reservation. happy to show uber receipt! we even called to say we were running late due to traffic, and the hosts said it was no worries. we didnt get seated for thirty minutes after arriving. my family used to come and sit at the sushi bar every Wednesday and play with the owner's dog. happy to hear them say we had never been there or were more than fifteen late. read more

Buddha's Favorite is hands down one of the best dining experiences in Newport. Not only is the food consistently fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented, but the service is on another level. A huge shoutout to CJ and Marissa, who took care of us on the dock. Their warmth, attention to detail, and genuine hospitality made the night unforgettable. From perfectly timed recommendations to their friendly energy, they made us feel like VIPs the entire evening. If you're looking for a place where great food meets an incredible waterfront vibe and top-notch service, this is it. CJ and Marisa made the experience 10/10--I can't wait to come back! read more

Buddha's Favorite - Patio seating overlooking the water. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Came here on a Tuesday evening with my honorary dad, who's a vegetarian. Thankfully was able to get a reservation online same day and were seated quickly in their outdoor space, which is fitted with heaters so we weren't too cold. We started off with their garlic spicy edamame and a miso soup - both pretty standard and yummy. We also got the black cod "saikyo style," which was a fairly small portion but honestly quite delicious! Roll-wise, we ordered the Buddha's favorite alongside the vegetable and veggie crunchy rolls. I did really enjoy the cream cheese and salmon combo of the Buddha's favorite, but I think the size of the roll was a bit too small. The veggie options were surprisingly robust and quite fresh and yummy, especially the veggie crunchy! Overall, a good experience. I wouldn't say the strongest in terms of sushi options and amount for the price, but a fun place to drop by for the lovely ocean view and good service. And, of course, if one of your party is vegetarian and can't eat fish, it's great that this place had other options. read more

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We went to Lil Buddahs on accident when trying to find this place. This is the "big sister" to Lil Buddahs! Thankfully, workers helped guide us in the direction to actual main restaurant. Gorgeous little setup they have going on the peninsula. The waiter was a bit blunt, but the service was quick. We did have a group of 6, so we were seated inside. It was quite crammed, so not sure if this is the most ideal place for bigger groups. Sushi was fresh and flavorful. The menu had lots of options and some non-sushi options too, which is nice to see. Appetizers were also quick and tasty. read more

Buddha's Favorite - "I like it raw" (left) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Buddha's Favorite Sushi in Newport Beach absolutely blew me away. I've been to a lot of sushi spots throughout Orange County, and this place easily stands out. The quality of the fish was top-tier--everything tasted incredibly fresh, and the variety on the menu makes it easy to find something you'll love no matter your preferences. The Salmon Lemon and Salmon Candy rolls were next-level and easily my favorites. Service was just as impressive. Kate took great care of us--attentive, friendly, and on point the entire time. We also had the chance to talk with Nicole, the owner, and hearing about the restaurant's history was genuinely fascinating. I had no idea this place has been around for decades--it really adds to the experience and shows in the consistency and quality. All around, an outstanding experience. We'll definitely be back soon and I'm already looking forward to trying more from the menu. read more

Buddha's Favorite - Waiting area - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Came here for a late lunch on a Saturday and ordered the bento box special and shishito peppers. The service was a bit slow, but my fiancé and I enjoyed our lunch and plan to return. read more

Buddha's Favorite - Bento Box - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Loved the vibes of this place!! Very Newport-esque with it being right on the marina people driving up on their boats. The sushi was good!! Not the best I've ever had but it's a fusion place. We got the blue crab roll, oh snap roll, hidden gem roll, and tornado roll. All pretty good but the oh snap roll stood out to me - so yummy. We also got the chicken yakisoba noodles which were just okay. A lot of their apps looked yummy so I would try those next time. FYI - the bathroom is a literal shack in the parking lot so I would keep that in mind. read more

I was really looking forward to taking my boyfriend to Buddha's Favorite. The location is beautiful, and the restaurant has a great vibe. We were seated at the sushi bar and were excited to try it. Unfortunately, the service didn't match the atmosphere. Our server seemed overwhelmed with too many tables and was rarely around when we needed water, wanted to place an order, or were ready to pay. She appeared to be going through the motions rather than providing attentive service. At one point, we ordered a crispy rice dish and weren't sure which varieties to choose. Our server suggested getting two pieces of each. When the order arrived, it was four pieces of the same item. The mistake was quickly noticed by the sushi chef/preparer, who told us not to worry and brought out the two pieces we had originally wanted. We appreciated how professionally he handled the situation. When we finally got our server's attention and received the bill, we noticed we had been charged extra because of the mix-up. We explained the issue, but she didn't seem to understand and told us we were actually getting a deal, which wasn't the case. A manager was eventually brought over to resolve it, but by then the experience had left a bad taste in my mouth. What was disappointing wasn't the mistake itself--mistakes happen. It was the feeling that we were being nickel-and-dimed over an error that wasn't ours. They should have simply checked with Alfredo, who had been handling the situation appropriately from the start. A special thank you to Alfredo for being kind, professional, and helpful throughout our meal. He provided the level of customer service that made us feel welcome and valued. I may or may not give this place another try. The food and atmosphere have a lot of potential, so I'm hoping the service issues were simply the result of an off day. read more

It was alright. Overpriced and not the best. Won't be back. Very visually pleasing. We were also offered free edamame that was then on the bill and had to be taken off. read more

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All time favorite sushi spot. My go to gem of a place to take anyone I know that loves sushi. The staff is always kind and willing to accommodate per requests made. The food is always delicious. The wine is always great. Just a solid sushi spot in the heart of Newps ! Love it. read more

The food was tasty! Bento box was a good amount of food and the crunchy roll was delicious. I didn't care for the salad dressing and the spicy edamame needed more garlic. Good service. Nobody rushed us. read more

Buddha's Favorite - Bento box - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Service was good with a super pretty view of the harbor, but the sushi was nothing to rave about. It was pretty basic. read more

Buddha's Favorite - Sushi Bars Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Buddha's Favorite is definitely one of my favorite sushi spots for many reasons. Right on the water in Lido, the restaurant is the perfect spot for a night out. My friend is here from out of town and although we didn't have a reservation, we got seated pretty quickly. I think our favorite item of the night was the salmon nigiri or the baked lobster roll but everything was great! read more