Uni pasta! This place been on my wishlist for a decade--ever since I was a high schooler but I never had the chance to try it out until recently. I love the cozy vibes in here--it gives homey japanese family kitchen vibes. The service was good! The uni pasta was a bit drier than I would've liked. I'd love to come back and try their other dishes though! read more

Cafe Hiro - 2 uni pastas! - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

This place is such a cute and charming little hole in the wall that reminds me of small family owned restaurants in Japan. This is a Japanese Italian restaurant that is a very common theme in japan but very hard to find here. And they do it right! Their menu has some classic items and they also have specials on the boards so make sure to check everytime. I started off with their delicious chicken Karaage which was very nice and crispy and tender inside. The Peking Pork was another delicious appetizer I had ordered when I saw another table had it and it's displayed very nicely as you will see in the pics. The pork was just perfectly cooked and the buns were soft and warm. We for entree I had ordered the Hamburg steak and Menchi combo. That was definitely a hit for me as they come with 2 pieces and my goodness it was cooked perfectly. I like using a combination of Demi glaze and Ponzu with mine but try them separately first. Somehow with authentic Japanese food you never feel too full so I also had room to share the Walnut Crème Brûlée and the Berry Panna Cotta and that was the perfect finish to the experience. Everyone is super nice here which reflects in their good service. I will definitely be back! read more

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Cafe Hiro has been strongly recommended by my foodie buddies and gosh darn it why oh why did I wait sooo long to judge it for myself? Hubs and I ordered their Omakase Course for 2 and thoroughly enjoyed the whole dining experience! Each and every dish was outstanding. Here's a list of what we picked: steamed peking pork buns asian BBQ beef salad seafood spaghetti osso bucco panna cotta croissant bread pudding blood orange margarita Cafe Hiro offers a delightful fusion of Japanese + Italian flavors. Everything was excellently prepared: that osso bucco short rib was oh soooo tender, the seafood spaghetti was so flavorful, the beef salad tossed in sesame-miso dressing with the bonus potato salad on top was deeeee-licious and sealing the meal with wiggly-jiggly panna cotta and bread pudding was fantastic! Compliments to Chef Hiro, we are so excited to return for the scallop risotto and uni pasta. Reserve on Yelp. Omakase for 2 is $39 per person. Highly recommended! read more

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Wow. The quality of the ingredients and the level of culinary arts makes me realize that I had unknowingly lowered my standard. That's how wonderful the subtle blend of tastes make an amazing melody of harmony in my mouth, (imagine Ratatouille). Recommended: -Sautéed mushroom salad $12 (melody of sautéed mushrooms with sour hints, and note of truffle without being obvious or overpowering) -fried chicken $10 (gochujang sauce in chicken that "feels like it was alive very recently" - quote from my husband) -uni spaghetti, if you like uni, this will be worth the price Less recommended: -Hamburg curry: curry is more tomato based, and is different from the average Japanese curry you might expect, which is understandable considering Hamburg is usually served with a tomato-Worcestershire sauce. However, I wish it had a little more dynamic flavor like the wonderful sautéed mushroom salad. Rice is perfect- fluffy and warm. Hamburg is also a generous portion. I also wish it had some more dynamic flavor, because the salad is amazing and I think the Hamburg could also be. The servers were kind and polite. They could have asked us if we wanted to browse the desert menu. We had finished our meal and could have had dessert, but we also had not finished our food so I understand why though. I also wished they might have warned me about the hot tea. But they were kind and no big complaints at all. Warning: Hot tea is not included in meal, extra charge read more

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I felt very welcomed at this place. I think the overall food was a little salty. I had 4 different plates and everything was well prepared and plated. I just wished it was less salty as it made me drink a lot of water. The servers were super nice as well. Love the ambience because is quiet and warm. read more

Cafe Hiro - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

Came here for the first time and was happy we did. It would be a good idea to get a reservation since they don't have many tables (especially if you're coming from far away). The service was great and the food was pretty good as well. Will probably come back to try other dishes 4. read more

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cute little Japanese-Italian restaurant, felt like I was in a small alley in Italy! each entree comes with a salad! for appetizers we got crispy tofu & fried calamari! tofu had an amazing gingery-miso sauce. calamari was lightly fried & tasted fresh with that squeeze of lemon on top. truly the star of the show was the seared scallop risotto, 5/5 !! it had a creamy mushroom-y flavor that complimented the fat pieces of scallop which was nicely cooked. 2nd best would probably be the salmon over the veggies! it was grilled to get this nice crispy layer on the outside but still so moist when you cut into it. the uni pasta was not as creamy as I thought it would be, I feel like it should have a hint more of that uni flavor & have a nice orange color. I did appreciate that the pasta was aldente! then we got a Chinese chicken salad which was nothing special! I could make it at home . thank you to our servers that always made sure that everything was to our liking! he kindly switched out my moms drink for a new one since she didn't like it! would def be a cute date night spot or to just even take yourself out! will come back to check out their omakase! read more

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My cousin and I went to Café Hiro tonight. Although we both grew up in Cypress, neither of us had ever been to Cafe Hiro before--I can't believe it took us this long to try it. The food was outstanding. I ordered the clam spaghetti, which came with clams still in the shell, and my cousin had the scallop risotto. Both dishes were absolutely phenomenal. For dessert, we shared the croissant bread pudding, and I can honestly say it was the best bread pudding I've ever had. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, offering great recommendations and making sure we had everything we needed. We'll definitely be coming back, and we'll be sure to spread the word to our friends and family. read more

I was here years ago and tried its popular uni pasta, but wasn't that impressed with it, so never bothered coming back. I decided to give it another try since I live so close, and pictures of other seafood dishes looked enticing. Peking Pork was fantastic. It's four pieces of steamed buns with pork, which you assemble together with some herbs and hoisin/mustard sauce. Very simple, but those white steamed buns make almost anything taste good. Seared Hokkaido Scallops was one of the dishes that drew me to this place. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the mushroom risotto was extremely flavorful. Only complaint I have is there were some pieces of sand in the scallops. I heard myself crunching sand as I was eating them. It wasn't a lot, but enough to make me notice. This dish came with a side of salad. Roasted Miso Marinated Scottish Salmon was excellent. Miso flavor was incorporated well throughout the salmon, and took away any fishy taste. It was served with sautéed vegetables, and a side of salad. Service was good, although seemed a bit rushed. I can understand because this place gets busy quickly and seating is limited. I highly recommend making a reservation. My wife and I came here on a Friday night at 5:30 p.m. and the whole place filled up within 30 minutes. read more

I wanted to take my fiancé in a date. Found a reservation early enough before they close. Ambiance is a little different and tight fit. But the way there system works is like a fine dining restaurant. We choose the omakase course. You can choose a couple of things and as soon as you're done with the next one comes. Pretty good food. There Soju cocktail is good too! It does get pretty packed! read more

Cafe Hiro had been on my list for a while and I can't believe it took me so long to try it. I made a reservation for a party of 3 on a Friday evening and were seated right away. First impression of the restaurant was that it's a small space but cozy, and it was busy the entire night. We ordered a few dishes to share and they were all delicious. 1. Beef Tataki - A simple appetizer; I do recommend eating the beef with all the toppings and sauce, even the lemon. 2. Peking Pork - The pieces of pork were large and juicy and I appreciated that the buns weren't dry. We weren't sure if we would enjoy this dish but surprisingly did! 3. Kurobuta Pork Cutlet - Served on a bed of cabbage and comes with some pasta, potatoes, and your choice of ponzu or demi-glace sauce. This was our favorite dish of the meal! The pork was crispy and juicy - what more could you ask for? 4. Seared Scallops Risotto - Flavorful and the scallops were seared perfectly. I love mushrooms so I wished the risotto had a stronger mushroom flavor, but it smelled amazing. 5. Uni Pasta - Not too salty nor heavy like most uni pastas and it had a great seafood flavor. I personally think uni pastas get tiring after a few bites so it was nice to share. We paired the meal with a bottle of red wine and everything was just amazing. Service is very friendly and attentive as well. I'll definitely be back! read more

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My cousin and I tried a ton of dishes when we went, and every dish we tried was so good. You won't regret going to Cafe Hiro.

We stayed at Hyatt next door and this place is just a minute walk over. There's sign with daily specials and sign saying no to-go/community plate (shared dishes?) on weekends. We ordered the seafood risotto which is very good and the daily special of uni pasta with scallop for $36, which is $12 extra from just uni pasta. Don't think it's worth it because it comes with just 1pc of scallop cut to 3 + salad with Wasabi dressing. The uni flavor is so light that even my kids who doesn't like uni is loving it. I guess it could be either positive or negative. Make sure to make reservations and I recommend coming here earlier because lots of things sold-out (wanted seabass) when we were there for our reservation at 8pm. read more

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Food here was pretty good. The space is a bit tight and small but they still fit a good amount of tables inside. We made reservations for a Saturday night but you can probably still get seated pretty quickly without one if you go after 8pm. Parking wasn't too bad in this plaza either. Overall, this is a solid place and I would give it 4.5 stars. Seared Hokkaido Scallops Risotto - A must try here! It's a mushroom risotto and it was so creamy. I don't even like risottos and I loved this! The scallops weren't anything too crazy but the risotto was just amazing. I felt like the mushroom balances out the cheese really well. Uni Pasta - Another amazing entree. It was creamy but not too heavy. I don't like uni so I'm glad it wasn't super fishy or anything. Chicken Cutlet Curry - This was the worst dish we had that night. The chicken itself was juicy but the curry was weird. It was so earthy? Not even sure how to describe it. I'd definitely pass on their curry dishes. Peking Pork Buns - This was my favorite appetizer of the night. The buns were so soft and the pork was fatty! I would definitely come back and get this again. Scallop Carpaccio - This was pretty good too. I like the curry oil they use as a drizzle. The scallop was nice and buttery too. Calamari Frit - I wouldn't say this was bad but it could use more flavor. I've never tried fried calamari with parmesan before so it was interesting to try. I also wish it was crispier. The portion was also kind of small. read more

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This place was so cute!! The decor made me feel so cozy and welcomed. The servers were also so sweet. The food was bomb. We got the spinach/uni pasta & the uni risotto. My boyfriend and I had a really nice little date night here. read more

Cafe Hiro - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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was excited with the sound of Japanese Italian fusion. the staff is friendly, the space is clean, the food is just OK. read more

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what a gem! had this place bookmarked for a long time and finally got to try it a few months ago! everything we order was really good. i particularly loved the menchi hamburger curry, it reminded my friend and me of our beloved curry house that no longer exists the scallop risotto and uni pasta are both excellent as well. service is very friendly and efficient. very casual vibe. really nice little japanese place and we will def return. read more

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Stopped in for a birthday day lunch with friends. We all decided in the $45 omakase and it's a great deal. You get 3 apps, salad, 2 pasta, risotto and steak. All the dishes are portion for the number in your party. The food was delicious. The fried chicken was sweet and crunchy. The risotto was creamy and scallops were cooked perfectly. The staff were so nice and friendly and made our dining experience that much more memorable. Can't wait to come back with my other friends. read more

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We came to try their famous uni pasta! While I'm still not a huge fan of uni pasta (I prefer it uncooked and fresh), I think this is the creamiest and tastiest and most not fishy uni pasta I've had. We also tried: Beef tataki - good with various toppings to try, a fun dish Tuna tartare - too salty and mushy, skip this Scallop risotto- yum, perfectly cooked scallops and creamy risotto Kurobuta kontatsu - very good, very tender and perfect with their ponzu sauce. The scalloped potatoes it came with was delicious as well. It also came with spaghetti and rice, so it can definitely be shared. Sparkling sake - very light and refreshing Bread pudding - the star of the show for me! Super soft and pillow like with just the right amount of sweetness. Definitely coming back for this. The first bread pudding that rivals the one at Storyteller's cafe I've found! The decor is very basic, such a huge contrast with the delicious food! Service was great too. Very nice people. It shares a parking lot with a few other businesses. read more

I went to school in the area and had always seen this place on Yelp but never got the chance to try it until today. Upon entry I noticed that there's definitely limited seating and it felt cozy. We came in around lunch and were seated quickly. The server was able to answer all the questions we had about the menu items and our food came out in a timely manner as well. Our server was also really attentive and our water glasses were never empty! I ordered the miso salmon risotto which came with a salad. Usually I'm not the biggest fan of side salads, but the dressing on this one drew me in and my salad plate was clean (9/10). Now onto the star of the show, the miso salmon risotto. The salmon was beautifully seasoned and cooked just the right way for a risotto dish. The risotto was also cooked perfectly and one of the best risottos I've had (9.5/10) I will say the dishes are a bit pricey compared to restaurants serving similar dishes, but you are definitely getting good portion sizes here. I can't wait to come back and try their scallop risotto next time! read more

Cafe Hiro - Salad - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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The food here was delicious, my friend and I did the omakase course and we got the tuna tartare, mushroom salad, seafood pasta, short rib, walnut creme brulee and the bread pudding. Every dish was delicious and portion size was great, we had leftover pasta because there was so much food. I really enjoyed the food and atmosphere and can't wait to come back to try the risotto. read more

Cafe Hiro - Omakase for two - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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How I wish this place was around the block from me! Incredible food at an affordable price in a friendly, chill atmosphere. I had the sparkling sake, which was sweet and bubbly, and refreshing. They have some premade wine cocktails and a decent selection of sake, beer, and wine. For food, we split the beef tatami appetizer. I was a little worried when it came out because it seemed like a make-your-own situation with small pieces of beef, a sauce on the side, shredded radish, and the like, but it was delicious and flavorful and fresh, and hit the spot. For my entree, I just couldn't pass up the uni spaghetti, which came with a generous mound of real fresh wasabi that was refreshing but not too spicy, and lots of shredded dried seaweed. It was excellent. My friend got the seared scallops over risotto which was umami-packed and creamy and luscious. I want everything on this menu. Each item seems like a hug and exactly what I wish I could eat for dinner. What a true gem! read more

food is very tasty. Price is not that bad either. Our new spot to eat Japanese food here

A really solid meal but nothing to write home about. Uni pasta was fine, but the pasta was a little over cooked and you couldn't taste much uni flavor. Pork katsu was pretty typical. Seafood risotto was probably the thing IMO. Big pieces of seafood and it was pretty fresh. Portions were pretty small though. read more

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Solid Japanese spot in Orange County. Easy parking in a mini-mall lot and friendly staff with easy Yelp reservations. They have a small outdoor eating area as well, in addition to their standard indoor space. Mushroom Salad- solid Japanese flavored salad with a good portion size as an appetizer to share. Uni Pasta- Excellent as expected. The wasabi mixed in gives it the perfect kick. There are many competitors to this dish, but this still stands out as good. Mushroom Risotto with Miso Salmon- This is my highlight dish and one to recommend. Risotto is perfectly cooked, the mushrooms compliment it perfectly. The miso salmon had excellent flavor and a good Portion size. Also comes with a side house salad. read more

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Uni pasta was wayyy to rich for my taste. The little wasabi ball they put on it helps a lot to cut through, but it's not quite enough. It's swimming in oil. read more

Food is delicious, service is excellent ! The ambiance is great ! I highly recommend Cafe Hiro read more

It gets crowded so make sure to come early or make a reservation. Food was good. I got the scallop risotto, which was a 7/10. Workers were kind. read more

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Food as yummy! it's a special food place that you can't just get anywhere. Service was excellent!

Heard good things about this place, and now I've finally gone. The Interior is super cute and homey. We made a reservation on Yelp before going. They do accept walk-ins, but probably before to just make a quick reservation since the interior fills up pretty fast. Ordered the beef tataki, uni pasta, and hamburger steak curry. Tataki was great, especially with the sauce. Be generous with it! Uni pasta was the best I've had. The nori smelled so good as the dish came out, and the pasta itself was perfectly ocean umami without being too overwhelming. Hamburger steak curry was a lot milder (herb/spice) tasting than other curries I've had. But the milder taste made it homier, and you just kept going. read more

Cafe Hiro - Uni Pasta - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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I enjoyed the experience from the moment I stepped inside, everyone here is kind and inviting. The food here was amazing every bite was enjoyable. Everything came out at a timely manner , from start to finish the dishes were amazing as well as the staff I can't say enough good things about this place. read more

Cafe Hiro - Appetizers - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

If you are looking for fresh highly quality food I highly recommend Cafe Hiro. The food is so delish and fresh when you order it. I love the location and the service there is always so great! read more

One of the best restaurants I've been to in So Cal! The food was so delectable and flavorful. We got the omakase course which was perfect for 3 people and we got to try sooooo many things from their menu. For appetizers, we got the beef tataki and the pork steamed buns. I especially liked the pork steamed buns because it's plated for you to build-your-own. The sauce that comes with it is CHEF'S KISS. Other favorites from the menu would have to be the uni pasta-- which has such a thick & creamy sauce-- and Hamburg steak-- which was savory and very filling. Service is one of the best I've experienced. Our server walked us through the menu and helped us pick what we should try since it was our first time. Ambiance is so cute-- would be perfect for a date night since it doesn't get too loud and isn't over crowded. Can't wait to come back and try more from their menu! read more

Cafe Hiro - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

Love the food. So delicious . Staff are very nice and friendly. My favorite is the Salmon Risotto.

The food is very delicious! We really like how they have the family style omakase deal for 2 people. It is a great way to try different things from their menu (and you can't really go wrong with any of their items)! I specifically love their eggplant and mushroom pasta as well as the shrimp tempura salad. They're also known for their scallops and they are amazing! Staff are attentive and are all nice. Great service and it's also nice to see the owner/ chef working in the kitchen! read more

I've been eyeing this place for a while and finally gave it a try. Once you walk inside, it is very cozy and more dimly lit than expected. The service is amazing in the sense that they greet you quickly and sit you down relatively fast if you have a reservation. For the food, the rare beef was not bad, but it didn't have a strong enough marinade flavor in the beef itself. The sauce it self was immaculate and I wish it the beef itself had a bit more flavor. The Hamburg curry was AMAZING. The patty was so soft and the taste was perfect mix of salt to rich flavor. The curry was more grainy than typical jape seasoning curry I've had, but I really liked it. It was almost like a gravy that didn't feel heavy even though it tasted like it would. The rich deep flavor doesn't pack a punch, but gives more of a home made feel. The Uni pasta was by far the best Uni pasta I've had. Most places almost get rid of the Uni flavor by the time it is a pasta, but they do it right. Not only is there plenty of Uni flavor, it gets enhanced by the wasabi mix read more

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Place was good, cute ambiance. I've never been to an Asian restaurant like this before. To be home, I freaked out a bit when I didn't see sushi or chow mein or miso soup or other common items on the menu. There is a whole curry section and pasta section, when threw me off, but gave the Uni Pasta a try. It was good! Kind of a creamy, soupy, pasta, but it was good. Would come here again. read more

Cafe Hiro - Uni pasta - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

Food is great. Price is reasonable. Their bread pudding is the best. Beef tongue and seafood pasta are above average too

There aren't many Japanese Italian fusion restaurants that I know of in OC. Cafe Hiro always comes into conversation or mentioned in reviews so I was excited to try it. The food left me disappointed so hopefully I came on an off day. Sometime last year I ordered for takeout... the Peking Pork, Scallop Risotto, and Uni Spaghetti. I wasn't impressed with any of the dishes I got. The flavors were not memorable and left me with a memory of it being bland. The Peking Pork came with some steamed buns, a couple sauces, and the pork belly. The meat was tender and the sauces were what you would expect with this dish. The risotto was heavy and got tiring to eat after a few bites. The scallops were well cooked. The yuzu sauce was needed to add flavor but wasn't enough to cut through the richness. The only obvious Japanese element was the yuzu taste. People have said the uni pasta here is the best but that is far from true in my opinion based on what I tasted. The sauce just tasted like cream and uni. Severely underseasoned. Maybe with the thought that you could taste the uni more? But all I tasted was bitter uni. The distinct sweet, creamy, brininess that I come to expect with uni was not present. Can't comment on the service since I ordered online, but from what I remember, they seemed nice. For a place so beloved, I had a hard time seeing why. The food was unmemorable, bland, and lacked inspiration. Maybe I'll take another chance again in the future. read more

The food was delish, small venu & good atmosphere! I went with out of town family- they had a l o t of food. Good for quick date.