UPDATE I previously posted a review regarding Dan Kai, which I have since removed, due to the restaurant having contacted me with a sincere apology. I won't go into the reason I posted the three star review earlier on Friday. The point is, they made it right in principal. Here is the apology I received on Sunday. Sun, Apr 12 at 3:48 PM From Jiun K. Subject: Dana Kai "Hi Michael, First of all, we sincerely apologize for the discomfort you experienced after your visit. We're truly sorry to hear that you were unwell--it must have been very concerning. When you brought this to our attention at the time, we confirmed with our chef that the uni was freshly delivered that day, and we regret that we did not take further action to address your concern. Looking back, we recognize that our response was not sufficient, especially when it comes to a guest's health and safety. We also apologize for not offering a refund or a more immediate resolution at that time. That was a shortcoming on our part, and we take full responsibility for it. Your well-being is extremely important to us, and we would truly appreciate the opportunity to make this right. Please feel free to contact us directly so we can follow up properly and offer an appropriate resolution. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and once again, we sincerely apologize for your experience. Dana Kai" read more

I love Dana Kai and their sushi is excellent and fresh. If they can figure out a way to slow down the food to the tables, I'll give them 5 stars. read more

We've been going here over 20 years; a new owner bought it years ago since we first started going. We haven't been here in a while and as with most things, the prices have gone way up, but the sushi was good but I wasn't crazy about their rolls. We got there early so the service was great but as it got busier the service was sporadic because there's only two women working the floor. The restaurant has been updated; sushi bar up front then tables if you want to dine. We took the kids and they enjoyed it. It's not the same, hence the stars. read more

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We like coming here for lunch because their lunch menu options are really good and reasonably priced. They have changed the lunch menu since our last visit as they no longer offer a 4 item combination. Another change is that you can only select sashimi or sushi as one item. Previously you could order both as two of your items so we were disappointed with that change. We ordered the three item combination for $19.95 with the fire crunch roll, spicy rainbow roll and sushi. Their sushi is still delicious and service is always quick and friendly. read more

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I've been waiting to try this place after seeing great reviews online. The servers were so warm and welcoming. They quickly got our drink order and were very helpful. I sat at the sushi bar. I started with the seaweed salad. It was sweet and crunchy. So comforting. Then I ordered the sashimi sampler. The price is awesome for what you get. Mine came with snapper (my fav), scallop (SO BUTTERY), albacore (mild), bluefin tuna w/ uni (bursting with flavor), yellowtail w/ jalapeno (classic), and salmon (the ikura was a great touch.) Lastly I ordered the seared tuna. The smoky flavor is so much fun. I've always wanted to try seared sushi, I had no idea it was so good. I'm definitely ordering a searing option every time for now on. read more

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Dana Kai Sushi is one of those spots that just gets it right. I ordered the Premium Sushi Sampler ($38) and it was an incredible spread. Beautiful fish, super fresh, and thoughtfully put together. Standouts for me were the seared salmon with caper (so ono), the bluefin topped with uni (pure decadence) and the snapper, which was clean, delicate, and perfectly sliced. But every bite was great. They also run a buy one, get one half off deal on draft beer and select sake, which makes it an easy yes if you're hanging out or grabbing dinner with friends. What really seals the deal here is the staff. Everyone is incredibly friendly and genuinely kind. They make you feel like family the moment you walk in. Warm, welcoming service paired with great sushi is a winning combo. This is a local place I plan to visit once a week at least! Also very kid friendly! read more

This is our go to sushi place in the area. We do take out and dine in here and have been very pleased with the selection of items and the service. Until we fall upon another place as decent as Dana Kai, this will continue to be our mainstay for sushi and Japanese food. read more

I tremendously enjoyed this lunch combo of tempura and sushi at Dana Kai! It was enormous and very good. The salad was crisp with a nice touch of dressing, the sushi was fresh, the tempura was nice and flaky. With a side of California Rolls, I was hooked! It also came with a miso soup which is standard in many places. The restaurant is a bit looking tired inside but I noticed an outdoor seating in front is being built. Service was rushed when it wasn't even busy. The waitress set the bento on the side of the table instead of in front of me. Maybe they should just take it a bit easy. But I would recommend this restaurant for a casual and a quick lunch. read more

It's been a while since I've been to Dana Kai. My husband and I were craving sushi so we stopped in. The staff seemed pretty busy with other tables. We ordered two sushi rolls and a noodle dish for our toddler. The sushi was not fresh, I was really disappointed. We will not be returning again as it was overpriced and lacked freshness. The service was nice but it felt sort of rushed and they were running around. read more

I stopped in here to get a bite of sushi I was starving after sitting in traffic. I ordered the bluefin tuna sushi and the scallop sushi. I sat outside enjoying the sunshine of the parking lot. I also had a cucumber salad with a lot of red ginger. read more

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Our favorite neighborhood date night restaurant. Dana Kai located off Niguel and Camino Del Avion. Parking is a little tricky. Great place to come for some sushi, drinks and my husband's favorite two item combo. Staff is friendly and with great service. Next time you come to Dana Point/ Laguna Niguel stop by and give them a try. read more

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Ok wait! I'm overwhelmed in the Best way ... I walked in on a sunny Sunday to be delighted to experience a Clean, High Vibe Atmosphere and finally a great Ventilation system! Legit! Dana Kai is sooo impressive!!! AND even a I just found my Dream roll. I am constantly trying to communicate with sushi chefs as to my palette(my fish taste tolerance and I do not like rice). I'm clearly high maintenance!!! So YES It happened. It's like finding your 'drink order' at Starbucks! I consulted with a very kind and funny handsome young sushi chef ' Kevin' aka Joomin shhhh its a Pic.'s to follow of my new roll... I feel like I traveled in time and went to Japan and got my own private chef. It's the Hamachi Taki roll and I was confused about what it meant from seared just my normal Hamachi yellowtail. He explained it in detail and he was so kind as to give me three of one and three of the other it's a six year-old y'all and I feel like it was a feast! Delicious. Perfect. Fresh . Generous. I am grateful... See you here! read more

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Great food Love the sushi Waitstaff does a good job Always love eating there Easy parking read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Bring your friends - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

Open Monday thru Sunday 12-9pm. Korean owned. There were multiple tables available and we were immediately seated. No plate settings on our table, had to ask for them once food arrived. How can you bring food to the table and not notice there's nothing to eat with for all the guests. $25 sashimi sampler, $38 sushi sampler. Happy hour 3-6p M-F. Miso soup had a strong plastic smell that came from the soup itself. Felt unsafe to eat. Highly recommend you avoid it. The rainbow roll and salmon roll were ok. Ordered an additional roll and it never came. Inquired with the server and she asked if we ordered. Yes we ordered with you earlier. So she went and added it to the computer so we had to wait a while longer. Sushi comes out pretty quick though. We were still ordering, she took my plate away and never brought a new one. She obviously knew we were still eating since she just placed the order for another roll herself. I had to ask for another plate. Service is very poor here. Inattentive, terrible, don't know how to resolve issues. Beef combo plate was ok. Tempura was good. Very disappointing meal. Lack service etiquette. Food is mediocre, many other better sushi spots around to visit instead. They do cater to frequent fliers / residents of the area, as they greet them with hugs and kind words. Building is currently under construction, but does not affect dining area. read more

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This was the worst sushi I have ever had . The quality is as low as it gets please do yourself a favor and go elsewhere any believe the quality when you have to chew the fish like a piece of gum it's really low quality and taste like fish smells when it's bad. We won't be back ever. read more

Truthfully, I expected much better. Their miso soup was delicious but that's where the fun ended. Their sushi rolls are astronomically large. I ordered the rainbow roll and it barely had any fish but it was overloaded with rice. Who wants that much rice on their roll? I'd say skip this place and go to Gen Kai Sushi or Sushi Kara in SJC. read more

My son and I just ate here again. The food is just amazing. The tempura is perfectly flaky and crunchy, not that overly breaded stuff where you feel like there's no shrimp. The sashimi appetizer, fresh as if just fished out of the ocean. Crispy rice spicy tuna, finally a place that knows not to overly crisp the rice. Perfect soft crunch. Toro nigiri, WOW! We just love the quality of the fish here. Moreover, the staff is ultra attentive and nice. Three wonderful ladies were taking care of us. It's just a very nice and relaxing experience eating here. I'm so glad we live near by. read more

Restaurants at the Ritz Laguna Niguel were all booked up so we ventured close by to Dana Kai. Quick highlights: Staff were polite and didn't rush us, even though it was 40 mins to closing Service was quick Sushi tasted fresh Lots of parking Price was standard and what you would expect for sushi (we got 3 different rolls) Restaurant was clean Overall, it was a good choice for the night! read more

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Dana Kai is a nice Sushi Spot in Dana Point. I had some cucumber salad and wine to start off before getting some cucumber and avocado rolls with spicy Mayo. Everything was very tasty! My overall meal didn't cost so much due to the type of sushi I ordered. The parking is somewhat big so parking shouldn't be an issue. The service was decent, but could be slightly better in regards to being attentive but overall good. read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Our go-to place was closed one evening, and we were recommended to come here. We were NOT disappointed. I was shocked by the selection, quality, and generosity of the sushi pieces. My husband and I are sushi fanatics. Absolutely no rolls, just nigiri or sashimi, and we will always pair it with beer (they had Asahi on draft) and hot sake, as well as cucumber salad, seaweed, and shishito peppers. This time, we came with my mother in law and our friend, and it was the first time I cold say we struggled to finish our last pieces. We also tried the soft shell crab, which was sooo delicious, light, and crispy. The cucumber salad was a very generous size. You can also order fresh wasabi, which I recommend, as it will most definitely enhance your sushi experience. Every piece of fish was so tender and perfect, and as I mentioned, was very surprised by the generous cuts. The ratio of fish to rice was surprising. From the toro, to albacore belly, mackerel, uni, unagi, ikura, halibut. Wow. Highly, highly recommend. The wait staff were also so charming and friendly. Great location with good parking. read more

I like getting take out from Dana Kai. Never disappoints. Food is always packaged well

The food is really good and the 4 item lunch combo is definitely a good deal at $22. I give 4 stars and not 5 because every single staff person was MANIC and rushing us (there really weren't very many customers so it was by no means a mad house). For example, when we were filling out our order on the sheet of paper, the waitress kept coming back saying "are you done are you done" as we were clearly still filling it out. That is just one example. But they need to slow down and take a deep breath. They also seemed irritated that we didn't order any alcohol? Lol it was just a weird energy and stressed us out as if they were timing us the whole time we were there (a whopping 45ish minutes for lunch) Foods bomb but staff needs to MELLOW out. read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Mixed tempura appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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I just found this place and it's fantastic the service is fast and reliable, it's a little pricey however but what sushi restaurant aren't.

We come to dana Kai every time we're in town . Always great service with friendly smiles . The sushi and sashimi are soooo good , crispy rice is the bomb read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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So, I went here on a date and got invited here, and got to try it out. The environment was very clean and nice, and the waiters were great about checking in and seeing if we were doing okay. We ordered a variety of rolls (as listed along with the photos) and all were very very good. The Godzilla in particular was my favorite and hers the Tuna Lover, with the Hot Hot being a new one for her that is a top tier roll in her opinion. Overall, this may have been my best sushi experience yet, with the rolls having charred rice, it was unique to where I've never experienced that on a roll and it elevated the flavor. Overall, all items were of exceptional quality and flavor, and well presented and good service. 10/10 would HIGHLY recommend to anyone trying to get a superb experience of quality fish to come here read more

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Friendly staffs with care. Totally recommend! Foods are all fresh no smell. Prices are amazing!!!! read more

I've been going to Dana Kai for years now--at least once every month--and they have never disappointed. Their sushi is consistently excellent, always fresh, flavorful, and prepared with real care. No matter what I order, it's spot-on every time. The service is truly outstanding. The staff is warm, attentive, and incredibly welcoming, making every visit feel like a treat. I was there again this evening, and just like always, everything was perfect--from the dishes to the atmosphere to the genuine hospitality. Dana Kai is one of those rare places that stays exceptional year after year. Absolutely love it and highly recommend! read more

Delicious and authentic Japanese food and sake! Very generous portions for reasonable price! We come here every week. read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Delicious and authentic Japanese food with hot sake! - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

This place used to be one of my favorite sushi spots, but the service has gone downhill. We were greeted with a negative attitude, and it honestly felt a bit discriminatory. We asked for sauce and our server said she'd bring it, then went straight to her phone and never came back with anything. No effort, no basic respect. The sushi chef was kind, and a gentleman who started his shift later was polite, but that doesn't make up for how badly we were treated. Overall the service was disappointing. Food wasn't amazing, wouldn't recommend. read more

The last time I came to this little Japanese restaurant was during the pandemic for takeout. They were so efficient and so gracious we just rolled up in our car waited in the little line they brought her food out. It was wonderful. Yesterday I had the opportunity to go back and have lunch inside . There's sushi is very good and the portion size is spot on . Everyone is always so friendly. They still have their patio outside which is dog friendly. read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Unimpressed with everything. The waitress was impatient. Their sushi is nothing special and way overpriced for such small portions without a side salad and miso soup. I was also surprised that their tofu udon was naked with only broth, noodles, and tofu without any sort of topping like green onions, seaweed flakes and/or sesame seeds. I might as well have boiled a can of beef broth then toss in a package of udon noodles and diced tofu for under $5 at home instead. As for ambiance, the staff parked their cart and tub for bussing tables at the entrance. Big disappointment. read more

I absolutely love this place. You cannot beat the lunch specials but if you're going to celebrate a birthday, it is so much fun. I absolutely love the team from Jenny to Sunny. They go out of their way to make you feel special. I was lucky to celebrate two friends birthday in the last couple of weeks and they both said it was a wonderful fun filled evening Absolutely delicious food. I tried the tuna carpaccio for the first time and I think this will become my new addiction. read more

Service was only fair. Ambiance not impressive. Food was good. Prices fair. Lots of options. Definitely a consideration.

Service was honestly some of the best service i have ever received. everyone was fast, effective, and welcoming. Every single person will greet you and say goodbye. It was pretty busy for a thursday night. Food came out pretty fast and everything was delicious. Their crispy rice was so good as well as the baked mussels! Wish I lived closer to here but i was just in the area and decided to stop by! read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

Poor service! Very rushed! By 8:30 on a Thursday night they wanted us OUT!! Will not be back!

Great lunch specials sushi is very fresh. That's very friendly. Food comes out quickly. If you're in a hurry for lunch, I would highly recommend. read more

Best fresh , delicious food, very kind helpful service and reasonable price,great welcoming. We love to eat there always,

This is my favorite sushi in OC! it's easy to find seating at a table, the bar, or outside. The staff is friendly and helpful. I love the yellowtail roll with the seared yellowtail and jalepeño on top. The uni and toro have been consistently delicious. The fish is fresh and the presentation is beautiful. read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Omakase - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Sushi was perfect. We really enjoyed it. Cute little restaurant... basic but comfortable and clean. Service was prompt and friendly.

This is the best overall Japanese restaurant in the area. Great selection and quality of non-sushi/sashima 9/10, good sushi/sashimi 9/10, excellent value 10/10, ambiance 9/10. Guaranteed you'll be a customer. Only downside is wait time for in-dining and takeouts. But then again, that's one aspect I accept since this is the best in the area! read more

Dana Kai Sushi - Cucumber Salad with Uni - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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