wow I never would have guessed this adorable spot existed had it not been for yelp it's right next to California fish grill which is one of my go-to spots when I visit the parentals in OC and i'd always pass by café hiro but assumed it was just a boba spot or some lame "Asian-fusion" roll place but a friend of mine mentioned that it was Japanese-Italian and I knew I had to come by one, the interior is absolutely adorable like a quaint little euro café I love how they painted the walls the checkered table cloth & details two, the food was quite tasty although I think they were a little heavy handed with the salt aside from the salt, my only qualm with this spot is that they need more servers because every time we needed something, it took awhile for us to even flag down a waitress and more time to get what we needed note: there is a $10 corkage fee if you BYOB we ordered: -scallop Carpaccio (light, fresh and delicious with the yuzu) -fried prawns (heavy & salty but good as a side appetizer with sake/beer -seabass with mushroom risotto (they overcooked the rice and the fish was a little overcooked as well, but not bad) -uni pasta (this was pretty good but very heavy in comparison to some other uni pasta dishes i've tried in the past) -bread pudding (a-ok) make sure you make reservations in advance. read more

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To be honest it was just ok.. the server was great but the food was ok.. let's start w/ appetizer: burrata salad is a must to order. Diced ahi tuna w/ poached egg.. the egg was cooked so sloppy & where was my yolk..? I wouldn't order again! (2) Fried oyster $7.00 was blah. No flavor & disgusting to eat. The best of the appetizer is the beef takayaki. Its was rare w/ 3 side condiments. Taste & flavor was all there! I guess they close at 9pm & they call last call at 845 pm. They start cleaning the other tables & putting all the condiments / flowers on the bar while we are still eating. I've felt it we was rush to go.. read more

Delicious! I came here with my dad on a Friday night and it was exactly what we were looking for. High quality, interesting food in a relaxed atmosphere. We each had a glass of wine, and split a beef tataki appetizer. For dinner, I had the uni with wasabi pasta and my dad had the ume ships. The uni pasta was amazing - creamy and briny with the right note of wasabi to set it off. I could eat that all day long! The ume shiso was good too. Came with shredded shiso, lemon juice and lots of bonito flakes. It was good as a standalone but would be great with tuna next time too. Overall, our bill was $70 including tip. I would heartily recommend this to you! Pro tip: call ahead for a reservation read more

Cafe Hiro - Uni pasta with wasabi - highly recommend! - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

This is my uni spaghetti place cuz I know no other place that serves uni spaghetti! Love that stuff!! I have to say the service at lunch time on my recent visit totally sucked!! Never once did our server come by to ask us how we were doing, and I had to wave her down to get a box and the bill! And it wasn't like she was busy with other customers, it was 25% full! They were busy taking care of their own crap (like setting tables) instead of attending to us! That was annoying; therefore, 1 star GONE! read more

Cafe Hiro - Uni/seaweed, YUUUUUM!!! - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

This a cute little spot to have a pleasant dinner. I hadn't heard of an Italian-Japanese fusion restaurant until I came here. Personally, I prefer ordering a few dishes and sharing. Here's a few of my favorites to use as a guide: appetizers - tipsy manila clams - beef tataki - scallop carpaccio entrées - uni spaghetti - chicken cutlet curry - roasted Chilean sea bass with mushroom risotto Mmmmm, good food and friendly service, bravo Cafe Hiro! read more

I'm not completely convinced but I'll hang the 4 stars subject to further review. On my first visit I can certainly see why the accolades. The free range chicken katsu was outstanding. The meat was fried to perfection, so tender and juicy and the breading was not greasy. The miso black cod was first rate, very flavorful and again cooked just right. We ordered the mushroom risotto for the boys and it was also quite good though they preferred my katsu chicken. However, there were a few disappointments. The curry which accompanied my awesome katsu chicken was off. While it looked and tasted like curry, it lacked depth. I was left wondering if it was the real thing. The calamari friti consisted of only rings. I prefer some tentacles. Also, some dipping sauce would have been preferred. The baked hama hama oyster was the biggest disappointment. Told it was their signature appetizer, I simply didn't get it at all. It appeared to me as simply . . . baked oysters. I know I know. I can't claim false advertising but I expected a lot more. There might have been some seasoning but it didn't seem to me any ingredients were added. It was also a little too chewy. Chewy and oyster don't go well together. The service started off good but became more frazzled as the dinner crowd milled in. I do give it lots of credit for its uniqueness. It's something one might find in some neighborhood restaurant in Frisco or Manhattan but unfortunately too few and far between in the Southland. read more

Small restaurant with great eats! I've been here a few times and had the Uni Spaghetti and the Chilean Sea Bass. Really good. This time, I tried the Rock Cod Ceviche from the appetizer specials board, and the Beef Curry over rice. Never had rock cod raw before - very fresh, served with red onions. The stew in the Beef Curry was very tender - basically shredded itself. The curry is flavorful. Wish there were more rice! Can't finish a meal here without a dessert! Had the Panna Cotta that was served in a martini glass with some kiwi, sliced strawberries and raspberries. Tasty! Highly recommended! read more

Cafe Hiro - Rock Cod Ceviche - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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It's nice to have a small, cozy Japanese cafe in this part of OC. It's fairly easy to get this style of Japanese pasta/western dishes (katsu, etc) in Gardena/Torrance or even Costa Mesa, but not much in between the two areas. The food tastes great. It's a few bucks more per dish than what I'm used to paying, but I'll pay it for the close proximity to me. Dinner on the weekends can get crowded (I've waited 30-45 before at peak hours), and we're almost always seated at a table that's barely a full sized table but hey, it's technically a cafe. If you are not used to Japanese pasta, gratin/doria, or risotto, or are not keen on exploring new flavors, this may not be for you (i.e. you're looking for a standard spaghetti with marinara Italian place for a big family dinner). read more

Hello. My name is MiYeon... and I'm an uni addict. That's right. I love uni. Not just any uni -- but the fresh and savory type. That's what brought me here: their Uni spaghetti. I didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by the kind staff, quaint decor, and delicious food. Such an artful blend of flavors from this fusion of Japanese, French, and Italian cuisine -- the unique characteristics of each culture so delicately blended in a symphony of flavors. What did I consume? Beef Tataki: tender and full of flavor. It's perfectly prepared and presented. "Kurobuta" Pork Loin Cutlet: What a great cut of pork, breaded and perfectly fried. Mushroom Risotto: Ordered it on the side. Yum yum. Uni Spaghetti: Definitely did not disappoint. Met up to the hype and was worth my visit to Hiro's. I believe that every restaurant should have something from the menu that will leave a lasting impression. From what I tried, their uni spaghetti is both unique and well executed. I am definitely coming back. read more

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This is one of our favorite restaurants for some tine now. Service is great and food is consistently delicious. We went there last night for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. It was excellent. The ambiance is quite homey and the food is so good. Our waitress asked if we were celebrating something special last night and I told her it was his birthday and they were sweet enough to put a candle by the plate of our Panna Cotta dessert and took photos for us too. For appetizers we tried their Peking Pork, I ordered a side of Steamed Vegetables which was buttery delicious, it had some mushrooms too. My main course was my favorite Uni Pasta. Boyfriend had Chilean sea bass with Risotto which came with a side salad and soup. Dessert was Panna Cotta and Green Tea Blanc - Monger. Everything was delicious thank you Cafe Hiro we will be back read more

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Their risotto and uni pasta are amazing. Definitely will come here again for the delicious food and friendly service!

The Asian fusion concept for all their dishes are so delicious! I was glad that I went with a big group for my first visit so I was able to try a lot of dishes. Everything was very fresh, flavorful, and juicy. Quality over quantity. Must try: Sea bass salad Scallop carpaccio Uni pasta Uni risotto Croissant bread pudding (dessert) Worth a try: Fried chicken Pork buns Pana cotta (dessert) Average: Seafood pasta Can't wait to come back and try more dishes! read more

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Scallop Risotto : Great!!!!! Uni Spaghetti : Good! Beef Tataki : Good It's not impressive but the price is good. Cream Croquette : Great! It's very creamy and it's very hard to make it at home! I'm Japanese and I like Japanese Fusion food. This restaurant is great taste, good price, and good service. I'd like to come back soon! Thank you for great food! read more

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Seriously wish one of these were in our neighborhood. I would be eating here all the time! The uni spaghetti is exactly that: uni spaghetti with thin slices of roasted seaweed. It's light and makes for a delicious lunch.. Comes with a green salad and an asparagus-type soup. The sesame dressing was delicious... I could eat it everyday! We also had the curry chicken katsu. It was a huge piece of chicken and the sauce was a bit too mild for my liking. As with most Japanese joints, the service was great. Prices are affordable. Nice place to meet a gf for some dinner and a nice glass of wine! read more

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Came here witih a friend of mine last week. The restaurant and very small and quaint. I was very excited to try the uni pasta since I loveeeeeeeeee everything UNI. On the Specials board there was a Spicy Caviar Pasta on the menu. We asked if the chef could make that dish and add uni to it as well and he said YES!! I didn't get to try the regular uni pasta but the Spicy Caviar Uni Pasta was delicious and the best dish we had there. It was flavorful and not fishy at all. Although the pasta wasn't spicy as it stated it did not disappoint. The rest of the items we ordered we very mediocre. Another popular dish they had was the Beef Tongue Stew. I love beef tongue and was surprised of how big the beef tongue was. I've never had beef tongue that was the size of a steak! The beef tongue was very tender and soft however the stew itself was a little bland. The hama hama oysters were another special item. It came with three large oysters that were just ok. With all the toppings I still felt it was on the bland side and the oysters weren't as fresh as I had hoped. We also ordered the beef tataki and creamy crab cakes. The creamy crab cakes were a popular item from yelp but I didn't feel like there was a lot of crab it. Mostly potato like a croquette. Dessert we had the panna cotta and the creme brulee. The panna cotta consistency was a lot more loose than it normally is. I make panna cottta myself and it was weird to see how runny it was. Its almond flavored which is different than the traditional vanilla. I didn't like the creme brulee and the sugar on top was overly burnt. I would not recommend it. All in all it didn't blow me away but if you come here I would definitely get the Spicy Caviar Pasta with Uni. read more

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Scallop Carpaccio with Curry oil and Yuzu vinaigrette - $8 - Giant scallop (sliced in half I believe) topped with daikon pickle topped with the oil and vinaigrette. I liked this appetizer especially since the curry oil screams Indian but the Yuzu gives it an acidic bite that evens it out. My personal opinion though- the flavors overpower the natural taste of the scallops and I think it wouldn't hurt to put a bit less of it on the plate Calamari - Unfortunately, many MANY places think their calamari is good but it's usually mushy, fishy, bland, chalky. Hiro's calamari - AWESOME. We ordered another one after the demolishing the first Crispy whole shrimp - $8 - 5 pieces of deep fried goodness This time I had the uni spaghetti with spinach. I like that it made the meal a bit heartier and the spinach was cooked perfectly. Osso Bucco - I'm not really crazy about red meat these days but this was so tender it was falling apart Once again, the salad fell short with withered pieces and also the strawberry on our Panna Cotta looked bruised/old/fuzzy.. waitress couldn't tell but it's definitely not a piece of fruit you should serve. What is with the theme of sub-par produce? C'mon Cafe Hiro; you're better than that! read more

Cafe Hiro - Spicy garlic, spinach and bacon spaghetti (yumm) - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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Yet another hit of BAD SERVICE. Not sure what has gotten to my luck recently, but horrible service seems to fill my visits to restaurants. Maybe I just have a big "I can wait" on my face? Not sure exactly... Anyways, my friends and I arrived around 6:40 to put down our name. I must add that, at the time we arrived, there was already 1 table of 4 open. We waited around 1hr to finally be seated, but what bugs me is, during this duration, no one came over to acknowledge our existence, or to check-up on the waiting list. Then finally, when we were told the table for 4 was ready, we were put at the table that had been empty the moment we walked in the restaurant an hour ago. WHAT?! We then sat down and ordered, and although our appetizers came out shortly after, the main courses did not arrive until yet another hour after. Again, during this wait, no one came over to check up and see how we were doing, or to provide status on the food. By the time our food came out, it was already 8:40 pm. Although the food was good, especially the uni pasta, I don't believe it's worthy enough for this horrible service. For future references, I will be taking this to-go instead of dealing with this fiasco. The beef tataki and pork buns were also really good, except the portions were surprisingly small. My boyfriend and I shared 3 appetizers and 1 main dish and weren't really all that full after. I do not recommend the Salmon Spring Roll AT ALL. The waitress did mention at the time this dish was ordered that it only had 2 per serving, in which we thought 2 ROLLS, but no, it was 2 HALVES. So basically its 1 egg roll sized portion for $6.00, and very lacking in the plum sauce taste. At last, the panna cotta dessert was AWFUL. It tasted like plastic. Overall, for the portion sizes, especially for the appetizer, the prices were a little steep. On top of poor service that caused an overall unsatisfactory dining experience, I am not sure if I will be coming back. These people need to get their act together. read more

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Tofu salad!! YUM! Their ahi tuna tartare was pretty good as well. The mango terrine I could live without. Overall, it is kind of pricey but the ambiance is awesome. read more

Boom! Uni uni uni is all I see- that stuff isn't alive anymore and I'm gonna eat uni for about $14! Aside from my horrible jingle, Cafe Hiro is cute and offers a very popular Asian twist to Italian dishes and some might say Italian-inspired. I stopped by for lunch yesterday and was greeted warmly by the workers. I was seated at the bar since I was dining alone. Although there is a lot of cute decorations, it should be noted that this place is small and during a rush this may be problematic for customers on a tight schedule. Lunch entrees come with soup and salad! A small amount but enough to get your stomach ready for the bigger, better stuff. I got the uni spaghetti with toasted seaweed and wasabi. The noodles were al denté and the uni sauce not as creamy as I expected it to be. Nevertheless, it was good and wasn't too salty for me. I wish there was more wasabi on mine, but I wanted to try the dish without changing anything. I'm going to have to swing by again to try other dishes that look yummy or maybe even sour (here's looking at you Ume Shiso Spaghetti). Yay for driving everywhere to work and eat! read more

Cafe Hiro - Uni pasta with wasabi - $15/lunch - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

The food here is delicious and we never shy away from complementing them about their food. But unfortunately they don't seem to receive compliments well. We love coming here mainly for their delicious salad and their freshly made chicken salad dressing. We have asked if we can buy a bottle of their dressing or even just ask for extra salad dressing (which we would pay extra for) but often met with resistance. I am not too fond about their customer service. Whatever it is, we would definitely have been buying here more had their custom service had been better. read more

A small scale restaurant and comfortable, cozy setting. Went there on Xmas Eve and food is coming a little slow, but that's ok since it's a busy day. Capacio (with Scallop), uni pasta, desserts are all tasting good. A good restaurant. Will go again read more

Cafe Hiro - Scallop capacio - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

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An adorable small "hole in the wall" cafe. Nice ambiance & decor~ Reasonable pricing for the quality of the food. The servers were very attentive. Our entrees came with a salad & their soup of the day. We had the following: 1) Beef Tataki - yummy cuz it came with slices of fried garlic & ponzu sauce 2) Chilean Sea Bass w/ Mushroom Risotto - the risotto was creamy & tasty but the sea bass lacked in flavor. 3) Uni Pasta - unique dish! our absolute fav! Overall we had a really good lunch and would visit again~ read more

If I'm craving for something innovative, flavorful, whimsical and definitely local I jump in my car and drive a mere 5-10 minutes and head down to this place and you can never go wrong. - Ahi tuna tartar: the perfect appetizer. Beautiful to look at and quite savory. - BBQ beef salad: soooo good! The portion is perfect. The greens are crisp. The short ribs are full of flavor and so juicy and the dressing is very subtle but works well with the meat. - Chicken curry: yummy!! The server will ask you how spicy you want your curry. I usually go for the medium/mild but if you want spicier: go for it. Their rice is so good too. Personally, I love my rice soft and they make the best rice for all the dishes, not just this one. - Walnut creme brulee: it's sooo tiny but quite good. I remember my sister and I ordered this for dessert and the server asked us "are you sure? It's pretty small." Being that we were full, we just wanted something sweet to finish off the meal but as soon as she put it down we both looked at it and started cracking up. She wasn't lying. We practically scooped a spoonful each and cleaned out the bowl in a second. This place is pretty small but intimate. It's great to bring a date or just catching up with an old friend. Some nights it can get busy so expect the possibility of waiting. read more

Cafe Hiro - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

This place is a hidden gem! It's the best Italian/Japanese fusion restaurant in the area. I get the uni pasta - creamy & delicious! We also tried the fig & burrrata appetizer and it was amazing! read more

Never dined at a restaurant like this! I can't even express how in love I am with this place. My boyfriend took me here for a surprise dinner for our 18 month and I could not be ANY happier. I've seen this place pop up a couple times through yelp but never gave it any notice because the name never rang a bell so trying this place was such a nice and unexpected surprise. We had reservations for 8pm and arrived promptly. When we got to the plaza, the sign was not lit or anything so it was hard to spot, but I have no complaints! It was a small little place, true definition of ' hole in the wall. ' We were seated closely to some other tables, but requested to be seated at the bar immediately and the two waitresses were so nice. Décor is cute also! My bf planned to come to this place because I got all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled out 3 days ago (cut and stitched!) so I've been cranky and starving on my soft foods diet! He looked at the menu ahead of time and told me he planned that we would both get the chillean sea bass over mushroom risotto (some of my faveeeess)! As we looked on yelp, everyone was talking about the uni pasta! So we decided to share a plate of uni pasta and the sea bass/mushroom risotto. NOTE: the sea urchin pasta is with mayo and a more potent taste of the sea urchin (uni), the second sea urchin pasta on their menu is with spinach and our waitress explained the sea urchin is more masked in this dish. If you are totally against sea urchin/uni, I would still really suggest you atleast give this a try because cooked/raw (sushi) uni is much different! Anyways, this place is absolutely amazing. Kind of like a Japanese/Italian fusion. Prices are unbeatable for the quality/experience/ingredients! They have all sorts of things here: spicy caviar, black cod, uni, clams, risottos. If I remember correctly, all dishes are less than $20! Seriously can't wait to come back when my teeth are all better. BEST PLACE IVE HAD IN A LONG TIME. Best of all, service is quick and the owner (Hiro) is so cute and humble! Sea Urchin Pasta & Chillean Sea Bass w/ mushroom risotto (all risottos include soup/salad) = $40. Dying to come back already! read more

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Service: the restaurant was supposed to close at 2:30pm, but by 1:45pm they were already busy wiping the tables and tidying up the cashier area. It took the waitress a while to notice our waving hands. The same happened to the table next to ours. They even cried sumimasen out loud. Ambiance: -Cute, colourful decor -The table was sticky and didn't feel too clean at all. Food: Beef tataki: the beef was served semi rare. A very healthy appetizer Their famous uni spaghetti: this is our first time in Cypress and we came here just for their famous uni pasta. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a huge let down for us. The spaghetti was cooked to al dente, but there was way too much sodium in the sauce. Don't order it if you suffer from high blood pressure. I love, love, love uni but the flavour of the uni didn't really shine through in this dish. Moreover, the sauce was not as creamy as I expected it to be. Did they skimp on the uni? I'm not sure. Perhaps I just shouldn't have expected too much from a $18 uni pasta. I have had way better uni pasta elsewhere and have definitely made better ones at home. Fried chicken: the fried chicken were executed very well- crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside Scallop carpaccio: the seasoned scallop sashimi were topped with thin daikon slices and drizzled with olive oil. Quite delicious! I don't think I would come to Cypress just for this again. My tastebuds are so overwhelmed by the sodium-overload, I have to get some sorbet to balance it out now... read more

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My wife and I revisit this establishment with my friend family after first visit in early 2000. This place is still very popular place with high quality Ingredient and mixing Asian and European influence. Comparing scallop and beef taktak, I would reorder beef taktak. Uni spaghetti taste somewhat different compared to first visit. It has less marinated sauce but perfect balance of olive oil. Beef tongue stew cannot go wrong. Make reservation and Tuesday and Wednesday are BYPB days. Cork fee is $10. read more

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YAY! Review 100! I was saving this for something special, and I think I found it! Cafe Hiro is the epitome of the old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover". It inhabits a small spot in a plaza in Cypress, very low key and nondescript. The interior decor and place settings give a very homey vibe, comfortable and relaxed. Just a warning, it is a very small space so the tables are quaint and there is not a lot of elbow or walking room. All the servers were very nice and attentive. They made sure that we had everything we needed, being diligent in filling the water cups and clearing out any empty plates so that our tables didn't get too crowded. The Food: Scallop Carpaccio: Seasonal special appetizer that is light, fresh and delicious! Nothing over the top, but it's a great way to start the meal. Calamari Frit: Rings of squid that are lightly breaded and fried perfectly so that every bite had a nice crunch and the inside was juicy and chewy. There was no marinara sauce or anything that came with the calamari, and I am so happy that they opted to not have it! The calamari was perfect on it's own and the addition of any sauce would have done a disservice! Peking Pork: The most tender pork I have ever had! It basically just fell apart when I tried to put some into the steamed buns. The flavors in the pork were so delicious, you barely need to add any Hoisin sauce! This dish gives peking duck a run for its money! Roasted Chilean Sea Bass: (2 options) The sea bass for both options was cooked perfectly! The meat was not too tough or too dry, but crispy enough around the edges and tender and juicy on the inside. It was not overly seasoned, but had just enough to bring out that very unique flavor of the fish. mmmm. A+! 1. Sauteed vegetables: very simple with a nice garlic/ soy sauce to go with it 2. Mushroom Risotto: Very yummy! Not too cheesy and you can really taste the mushroom in the rice. I would definitely go for this option if you are looking for a more hearty meal. Beef Tongue Stew: So very tender and juicy! The meat in the stew was smaller in size, but it made up for it in flavor! I have never had such a tender, delicious juicy piece of tongue. The stew had a great mix of the tongue and spices, combining to form a very satisfying dish. Penne w/ Mushroom, Chicken and Cream Sauce: Penne was cooked al dente! This is always a great sign. The cream sauce was not too thick or overwhelming, and the ratio of cream to pasta was perfect, It's a real bummer when cream sauces are way too thick or there is way too much, or both because it really ruins the dish, but Cafe Hiro did a great job. The only downside to this dish was that the chicken was a tad too dry for my liking. Probably would not order this again but rather try a different pasta dish. Uni (Sea Urchin Pasta): This was DELICIOUS and they did not skimp out on the uni either! Each bite had a lovely uni flavor and the nori was a beautiful touch. YUM. If your stomach can handle this, I would recommend ordering this as a sharing plate because it is more on the savory side so it is a heavier dish. Kurobuta "Black Pig" Pork Cutlet: A very unassuming dish, looking like any old curry pork cutlet plate but oh my goodness, the pork was the best pork cutlet ever. Thick, juicy slices with a perfectly crunchy breading, but it did not have the oily/ greasy after taste that so many cutlets have. The sauce was also the best cutlet sauce I have ever tasted! Not too salty and the flavor complimented the pork so well, it was amazing. Croissant Bread Pudding: I am not a huge fan of bread pudding, but this particular one was quite delightful. It was thick and soft, but not too sweet which made it seem like a lighter dessert. A simple but successful dessert in my opinion. Banana Dessert: I am very sorry but I cannot remember the name of this seasonal dessert. It was a banana cream-esque dessert but it was sub-par. I wouldn't really recommend this one, but maybe try a different one. Overall, this is a great place and not super expensive! They had an omakase deal that we didn't see until the end of the meal, so I definitely will be back to try it out. read more

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I came here for a friend's birthday on a Friday night. With a party of 6, we made reservations two days prior. The ambience is very intimate and romantic. (We were the only large group there that night.) We ordered: For appetizers, we ordered the fried calamari and the beef tataki. The fried calamari was decent, nothing too amazing. The beef tataki on the other hand was 100% amazing. The beef slices were rare or medium rare which made it amazingly chewy. Top it with the components and the ponzu sauce, just omg. Uni Pasta - light angel hair pasta with uni and wasabi. I've never had uni before but I seriously loved this uni pasta dish. If you like seafood, you will enjoy this dish. "It tastes like the ocean." Pescatore - angel hair pasta with tomato sauce and tons of seafood. Mussel, squid, shrimp, scallops and clams. YUM!! Risotto with scallops and mushrooms - decent amount of scallops and light and flavorful tasting risotto which tasted great. A lot of restaurants overpower the risotto and it becomes overwhelming but not here! Spicy Garlic Spaghetti with spinach + bacon and a Risotto dish with duck. For dessert, we ordered the Panna Cotta and the Walnut Creme Brûlée. Omg, too damn good. Best Panna Cotta I've tried so far!! It comes in a martini looking glass and it tasted amazing with the raspberry/blackberry drizzle. mmm Service was a bit slow that night, took a while before we got our food but I think the quality of the food makes up for it. Decor is very cute. Random surfer paintings/art on the wall but whatever. There are pillows alongside the left wall for the bar-style seating which was cute and comfortable. Will definitely return for more uni pasta and panna cotta!! read more

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The boyfriend and I didn't have any plans for Valentine's Day this year, so on the day of at around 5:00pm I looked up restaurants on Yelp that had any menu related to Valentine's Day and found Cafe Hiro. I'm not much of an Asian fusion type of gal, but thought...never went here and it's in the area, let's see if they have a table. We called and they were able to fit us in at 6pm. The restaurant is small, but I love the atmosphere of small restaurants. It has a very homey feel to it. It's great for dates. Love how the food is fancy, but you can be casual. There was a 5 course prefix Valentine's Menu. Here's what we ordered Appetizer 1: tuna and scallop salad & beef tataki Appetizer 2: crab cakes & shitake spring rolls Pasta: penne w/spinach and bacon in cream sauce & penne w/eggplant in tomato sauce Entree: both ordered prime rib (2nd choice was cod dish) Dessert: walnut creme brulee & panna cotta We shared dishes and came to a conclusion that the winners of each category were: Appetizer 1: tuna & scallop salad Appetizer 2: shitake spring roles Pasta: undecided Entree: undecided (both ordered same dish) Dessert: panna cotta (there were also 3 more dishes to choose from) Everything was very delicious! The presentation was nice. The service was also great. I would definitely go back! read more

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Italian/Japanese fusion at it's finest! I finally was able to go here a week back on a Thursday. I called ahead for a reservation but once I came the restaurant had a few open tables. They sat us down int he hallway area. I've heard the uni pasta is of legend here so we obviously ordered that along with the scallops carpaccio, raw beef dish, scallop risotto and the sea bass. The scallop dish came first and they were AMAZING. The thinly sliced scallop was sooooooo dam fresh and soft and just melted in my mouth. WOW... jsut wow. The raw beef dish was great and came with various garnishments. It was soft and also had that melt in your mouth taste. The uni pasta was a bit underwheling... maybe because i had great expectations but still good... i couldnt really taste the uni that was blended with the cream but still pretty good as a side dish. The scallop risotto was good but the scallops were a bit small than typically pictured (maybe it was a bad day). The seabass was perfectly cooked but it was suuuuuper small.. three bites and then gone... haha. one dock of star because of portion size (a bit harsh but no 4.5 stars haha) A great date place, bday celebration, family night out... whatever it is the service,decor, and food will be solid. Will be back! read more

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Really cute hole in the wall joint and serves awesome japanese italian fusion cuisine :) The first time I came here (pre-Yelp), we didn't know what to order and got the Pork Cutlet and the Bacon Carbonara pasta. We only thought the food was "alright" and didn't bother coming back since the prices were steep. Now, 8 years later, I decided to make another visit to try and am so glad I did! We got- * Spinach and Uni Spaghetti - RICH, delicious, and SO decadent. Mix it well to get the maximum flavor. YUM. * Roasted Chilean Sea Bass with Mushroom Risotto - The sea bass was really tender, and the risotto was a little plain at first. But alternating bites between the Uni spaghetti and the risotto actually brought out and enhanced the mushroom flavor! Great combination if you're sharing! * Green Tea Blanc Manger - This dish looks like green jello at first but dig and you'll find a very japanese dessert of green tea custard and red beans at the bottom. Very refreshing and has a deep matcha taste. * Panna Cotta - YUM. I love panna cotta so I'm partial to it. Also very refreshing and not too sweet. The salad and soup that comes with the meal are small portions but very tasty! This location is in an unassuming plaza where CA Fish Grill and Carl's Jr is. Parking can be kind of a bummer, but it's worth it. read more

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*Chanting sounds from far away ...inching closer and closer" Uni, Uni, UNi, UNIIIII Spaghettiiiiii!!! *applause* Yup, .. The Uni Spaghetti here is Bomb-diggity. One must try the Uni Spaghetti, ..BUT if one has NEVER had Uni, or does not understand and appreciate the delicacy of the Sea Urchin .. then ..... shoo shooo.. cuuuuuzzzz... it's Bomb-Diggity. read more

During my last week in So Cal before I made my big move to Chicago, I had a goodbye lunch at Cafe Hiro with a good friend. We were seated right away but the place was pretty packed. I ordered the famous sea urchin "uni" spaghetti while my friend got the chicken cutlet. Before we got our food, the waiter served us a salad and soup. The soup was DELICIOUS. My, my, I tried really hard to not lick off every last drop of soup from the bowl. Maybe it was because I was hungry or maybe it was one of the best simplistic soup I've ever had. Shortly after, my uni spaghetti came out and I was super excited to try it. I have heard great reviews about it and after my first bite, I finally knew what people were raving about. It was definitely an acquired taste but I love seafood so I enjoyed the uni flavored. There was nothing wrong with this dish. I had a bite of my friend's chicken cutlet and I have to say, that dish was delicious, too! The cutlet was fried to perfection and their sauce was yummy. This place is a little pricey but service is great and the quality is perfect so I definitely don't mind forking up a few extra buck for this place. Ambience is a small casual restaurant, perfect for small parties. Parking lot is ample but it does share with other restaurants like California Fish Grill so it might get busy during peak hours. read more

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

Café hiro is fantastic- the food is innovative and yet done with style and care, the staff are nice and considerate, there's variety for the easily bored and all-time favourites for those that hate change. There's even great desserts to end the meal and fragrant Shangri-lai iced tea to start it! Located in a small plaza that probably usually survives off of the Cypress lunch crowd, I was let in on its deliciousness back in college. (We still like to joke to him it's the best and only thing boring Cypress has.) The lunch menu is very reasonable and includes salad and soup. The salad is always light and refreshing with a pureed dressing that hints of tangy lemon and possibly ginger? But oh my god, the soup. I'm not going to tell you whether or not I've actually licked my bowl clean, but I'm pretty sure I've never tried to clean off my bowl as well as I do when I drink the rich, creamy, dances on your tongue as it glides down your throat, soup at Café Hiro. They change it every day so some days may be asparagus, some days sweet potato. I just know it's always delicious. I think there's very few things on this menu I have not tried. The all time favourite is the creamy yet simple oral combustion of the uni pasta like everyone says although the pork risotto (the pork does not fall apart but it does embody really good flavor into the risotto) is good. The chicken is free range and the pork is kurobata (try the curry & pork katsu, yum!). All the other pastas have always been fantastic as well, probably because Chef Hiro oversees every sauce and plate exiting his kitchen. Appetizers are good too, although portions run a bit small. They usually have a specials menu out front or on the chalkboard above the counter. Try the specials. Heck, try 3 or 4, because they might be gone the next time you come, depending on the season of ingredients. The only one I wasn't impressed with was the fries (seasoned, but typical and a little soft), the Peking Duck (small, it tasted okay but I'm here to eat Japanese-Italian fusion, not Chinese), and crab cakes (a little dry and small). Baked oysters were good, the two variations of tuna and poke were fresh, and everything else, even the mushroom salad has failed to let me down, carnivore as I am. Desserts are great. I've tried them all but I keep coming back to the panna cotta with its fresh fruit and light creaminess. K's favourite is the pot au chocolat, which he would probably sit and eat 10 of if I'd let him. Portions are a bit small but perfect for when you've had a good satisfying meal and need that sweet but refreshing finish. Downsides? Portions are generally medium to small and the tables can be pretty tiny to match. They serve according to how fast you eat, which is nice. (Plus you'd never be able to fit everything on the table at once, anyways.) There's generally a wait at night and weekends can get nasty, with people milling outside, hoping their name on the waitlist gets called. They do special prix-fixe menus for special holidays so you can give them a call or drop by. I had their Christmas special once- fabulous deal with so many courses and flavours. I enjoy this place so much, its been my last place to eat before flying out of the country lately. Delish! read more

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

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Cafe Hiro is AMAZING. Everything on their menu is delicious & satisfying in the most delectable of ways!! You may think their portions are on the small side, but because they're so rich & flavorful you'll see that they were right to serve it that way. Uni spaghetti is my favorite dish here! read more

Cafe Hiro - uni spaghetti - absolutely divine. - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

***STRAIGHT UP LEGIT JAPANESE FOOD BY CHEF HIRO SAN*** I'm not going to lie, Ive been curious about Cafe Hiro for quite sometime, this place is consistently packed on weeknights and weekends. I frequent California Fish Grill located a few doors down but was never willing try Cafe Hiro or maybe I just flat out lacked patience to deal with the crowds. Sadly it took sparking a conversation with my car serviceman at Century BMW in Alhambra who is a total foodie alike. We instantly starting talking food and animal parts as he proceeds to tell me a little spot in Cypress called Cafe HIro that has theeee best beef tongue stew!! Oh and wait it gets better uni spaghetti that is to die for, really? uni spaghetti? Forget the tongue I can have that anytime HAHA I mean on a skewer of course. Shit I had to try this uni spaghetti ASAP. Cafe Hiro is Asian fusion-Italian flare-ish? The Chef, waiters and waitresses are primarily all Asian as well as most of the clientele, hey--my kind of crowd! :p So why the Italian flare? Hmm, well refer to my photos as the interior looks like a mom and pops version of Olive Garden. Super cozy but confusing decor, red and white checkered table cloth, the walls make you feel like you're sitting against a backdrop of a Tuscany film! Nonetheless I came for the UNI! I started off with the Peking pork steam buns, its served on a bamboo plate with a very light hoisin sauce with just the right amount of spicy mustard, all flavors combined with the steam bun was an explosion in my mouth! Main Course: Uni Spaghetti and yes it lived up to my friends ranting and raving review as well as what everyone else had to say about it in the hundreds of reviews! The pasta was al dente, just the perfect amount of sauce and I swear I tasted a little bit of uni heaven in ever twirl of pasta on my fork! Nom nom nom nom and NOM. I think what sealed the deal for me was the wasabi and garnish of dried seaweed atop. Service is superb, really cool staff that is always friendly and so knowledgeable when it comes to the Chef's menu and his specials listed on a small chalk board. I highly recommend any of the Chef's specials to new comers, you can't go wrong. Trust me I've had just about all of them; Miso black cod, beef tongue stew, chicken katsu, uni x 5 and more. Each dish did not disappoint. I now frequent Cafe Hiro and yes as stated above I tried their beef tongue stew which was delicious. Their panna cotta dessert is also a favorite Located in a Cypress suburbia strip mall! This place is truly a hidden gem with very odd decor but nonetheless COZY. The tables are small, not the best for large group dining but perfect for a party of 2 or 4 ppl. They also have a few chairs at a small bar facing the kitchen, chef is always there watching over his staff and ensuring his food is served with LOVE. The bar tender is super friendly, stinking cute and she rocks skinny jeans and chucks! Why wouldn't you take a seat for 1 at the bar?? :p I am guilty of passing by this place time and time again, what a shame I've been missing out on some great tasting food in Orange County!! Lesson learned don't judge a restaurant by its exterior or the crowds. If you're looking for a tasty dish and weekly chef specials this is the place to try when in Cypress. Cafe Hiro definitely brings healthy competition to the surrounding restaurants such as Sweetie Thai, California Fish Grill and Sushi. Look out! read more

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If I could give this place 6 stars I would. Cafe Hiro is as good as it gets. I've never tasted such delicious entrees and appetizers and pastas. Uni Pasta [6/5] - By far the best thing I've ever tasted. I love how it didn't have too much cream in the sauce. It was the right amount of fishiness taste to it. So good! I highly recommend. Scallops Carpaccio [6/5] - Oh my god. There are no words to describe this appetizer. It just opened up my taste palettes by 100x. The daikon adds a hint of sourness that is complimented by the sweet scallop. I was in heaven with each bite. The sad part? It only comes with 6 pieces but they will be the best 6 pieces of scallop you'll ever eat. Pumpkin Soup [6/5] - I can't believe I'm reviewing their soups. It's not even on the menu... it just comes with the entrees. The creaminess of the soup will blow your minds. I'm not even kidding. It's pure deliciousness with every sip. It has the perfect amount of flavor. Duck Breast Riscotto [5/5] - sooo good! I usually don't get duck but this meat was so tender and juicy. Some pieces were chewier than I would like but it tasted sooo good. The riscotto plus sauce was a perfect blend. I savored every bite. Honestly, I felt like I haven't enjoyed good food until today. The staff tries their best to attend to you and refill your water every 10 minutes. Food arrived promptly and everything was melt-in-your-mouth-delicious. For a three course meal for 2 people, it was under $50. Everyone MUST try this place!!! I will most definitely be returning!!! read more

Cafe Hiro - Uni pasta on the left, duck breast in the right - Italian Near Me - Cypress, California

Rating: 3.8 This place is very tiny and cozy; seats are pretty close to each other. I ordered the albacore salad and fried calamari as appetizers. The fried calamari was a tad bit salty, so I tapped away the salt on top and ate it. Still pretty good. The albacore salad was pretty big in size--I shared it with my friend. It tasted pretty good--traditional Japanese salad dressing. For entree, I ordered the famous uni spaghetti. The price is reasonable because of the uni. The sauce is creamy but not overwhelming at all. It comes with a mild wasabi on top.I was adventurous enough to mix the whole thing into the spaghetti. It actually went pretty well with the spaghetti. It provided a more clean with a hint of wasabi at the end. BUT I wouldn't recommend mixing the whole thing in there-maybe half. As I kept eating the spaghetti, the wasabi taste crept up on me and all I can taste was wasabi near the end haha. The servers are nice but may not be so quick to serve you. Give them some time and have patience. Would definitely go again to try out other entrees. read more

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

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Really good Japanese Italian fusion food. I highly recommend the hamburger steak, scallop risotto, Chilean sea bass, and the beef tongue stew for the more adventurous. To be honest, everything here is good. A great little restaurant for lunch or for dinner! read more