food and vibe are FANTASTIC. typical warm mom/pop Japanese atmosphere. the owner is a caucasian husband who has a very warm and vibrant attitude. the co-owner is a wife who was very friendly with our baby and loved our baby. food is excellent. they used to have restaurant.com coupons used here but they don't anymore...so we stopped coming as much. but still really good. read more

This is a very belated review, but such a deserving one. We visited Ichiban for the first time in over 10 years. Since having kids, our restaurant outings have become much less frequent, so it felt especially meaningful to return to a place we used to love. We had such an amazing time! We came with our two young children, and Masako, the owner, was incredibly warm and kind from the moment we arrived. She welcomed us with a level of genuine hospitality that feels increasingly rare these days. Masako and Tom both went above and beyond to make sure our family was comfortable and well taken care of. The food was excellent, and the care they showed us made the whole evening even more special. It is rare to come across such generous and kindhearted people. A highlight of the night was dessert for my daughter, who has a dairy allergy and usually cannot enjoy desserts at most restaurants. Masako thoughtfully made her a dairy-free version of the Oreo tempura, which meant so much to us. She absolutely loved it. Also, the sashimi latina sauce was so delicious that we saved the extra sauce and kept dipping our rolls in it. What used to be one of our favorite restaurants has now become our new favorite all over again. Thank you, Masako and Tom, for such a wonderful evening and for making our family feel so cared for. read more

Amazing sushi, amazing food! The customer service was amazing 10/10 and everything was over the top. We heard about this place online and definitely recommend to come by! The service is amazing. My son literally drank 6 cups of lemonade because it was so good and the staff was so friendly. It made our date night so memorable. read more

Gem of a Japanese family restaurant sitting inconspicuously (no signage) in the corner of a large strip mall. Next year is their 40th anniversary and you will be able to see why - good food, friendly service at excellent prices from this original owner who still visits the tables to check on you. Excellent sushi, tempura, teriyaki and all the Japanese favorites in generous portions at still family run restaurant prices. A must try if you are in the area! They also sell their popular salad dressing to go! read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - This boat is ready to sail! Two person boat - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

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Ichiban has been my family's go-to restaurant for excellent and authentic Japanese food! This place has been in business for 30+ years and the food and service are definitely behind this restaurant's longevity. We've been coming here for almost a decade and the food is always freshly prepared and the portions are very generous. Most of us order one of the combination dinners with tempura. The tempura is very light, crispy and flaky. It isn't in a big blob like most places. The sushi is always very fresh and delicious. My husband repeatedly has ordered the Volcano Roll, which has some heat, but was very enjoyable. Masako's dressing is one of my favorites and doubles as a great dipping sauce! If you're looking to enjoy and savor authentic Japanese cuisine, look no further. This is a MUST TRY restaurant! You'll definitely be back again! read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Tempura Oreo Cookies - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

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I hadn't been to Ichiban in nearly 20 years because I had moved, but man, what a gem! I am so glad this place continues to thrive in the community! The food was great, prices were fair, service outstanding, and the restaurant is the same as I remembered it. We ordered the 3 item combo with steak teriyaki, vegetable tempura, and California rolls. The steak had a couple fatty pieces, but otherwise was cooked great. The tempura was literally the best I've ever had. Sooo crispy and light, not overly oily and the vegetables were cooked perfectly. The CA rolls were delicious and fresh. The ONLY (small) complaint I had was that the side of white rice was a bit starchy/gummy. Maybe it had sat or overcooked? We also ordered a rainbow roll, 1 piece of halibut sushi, and 1 piece of eel sushi. It was all amazing and fresh. Good portions for the price. Lastly, the give free edamame for the table and it was perfectly cooked and perfectly salty! Stop supporting all those chains and keep these small, family owned places in business instead! The owner literally walks around to check on you and make sure your experience is perfect. Can't ask for a better night out supporting a place like this! read more

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I have visited Ichiban a couple of times previously but haven't been in a long time. My mother-in-law decided that this is where she wanted to go for her birthday dinner. We had a group of 9 and we were seated as soon as we walked in. We had the Sashimi Latina and this was amazing. There was so much flavor that I could eat it all day. We then had the Ichiban boat and the food was so good and fresh. The tempura was spectacular. Finished the night off with tempura oreos and they were delicious. The service was top notch and made the night one of the best meals I've had in a long time! I can't wait to return. Thank you Masako and Tom! read more

Family owned sushi place buried in the back of a plaza. We came right before closing and they couldn't have been nicer or more welcoming. A dish of edamame came right away and we got started on that. For dinner we got 4 pieces of albacore, a spicy tuna roll with soy paper, a tempura udon and a poke bowl. Spicy tuna roll was as expected. Nice spice level. Albacore looked good but my kid ate it all before I had a bite. Udon was a big old bowl with a rich broth. I requested broccoli only for my veggie and they obliged. It came out crispy and piping hot and was a generous portion. My poke bowl I asked to be spicy and no salmon. It comes with tuna, salmon and yellowtail. It was a heaping serving for $19 with chunks of avocado and some cucumber on the side. The yellowtail was a ***touch*** fishy for me- but I'm not a yellowtail fan normally. The tuna was very good and loved the temperature. The gentleman helping us I assume was the owner and he was so friendly with my kids. Even though we were there right before closing I never felt rushed. This place isn't fancy but had a great atmosphere. Would for sure come back! read more

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First visit today -happy I found this on Yelp. Apparently they've been around 39 years -never knew they were here even though I've driven by a million times! Tucked into a back corner of a strip mall across of Brea Mall. For years we've been going to another Japanese restaurant nearby but this will be our new place. Food, service, ambiance were all great - prices are very reasonable. Old school style restaurant -owner is so nice and hospitable. Definitely the kind of place you want to support versus the busy, mega chain restaurants across the street. read more

Just want to give a shout out to management there, always coming up to tables and checking on us and/or getting things we might need. Also, bigger shout out to London! My mom, myself and my grandma went yesterday and he was so sweet. Still in training, from what he told us but I feel as if he's gonna be lead server in a few months for how efficient and kind he was. I know how it feels to be new and nervous, as I've been serving since I was 18, but as time goes on you get better and even more confident. Way to go London and we hope to have you as our server again read more

Didn't event know this sushi spot existed in Brea but I'm so glad my girlfriends family took me here for an unforgettable omakase experience. We immediately sat at the bar and met Masa san and he talked to us for a bit. He gave out some of the best pieces of fish and wow the fish was to die for. Chefs kiss for the tuna and yellowtail, it literally fell apart in my mouth. I ordered some more protein so we got the chicken kaarage too, which was pretty good. Although I was full, we all ordered their soba set with tempura which was great too, it hit the spot and the tempura batter was really memorable. We came here for New Years eve so the soba and longevity just made sense haha. The owner Masako is really sweet and wants to give you the best service possible so her and her husband will be walking around checking up on customers. Definitely will be back or will convince my girlfriends family to come again for a nice family outing. read more

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Absolutely amazing! Highly recommend! The sushi is incredibly fresh, and the owners, Masako and Tom, are so welcoming, kind, and attentive with great recommendations. The atmosphere is warm, and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend the sashimi platter, the family boat for its generous portions, and the baked scallop roll, calamari, and tempura all so delicious! I will definitely be back soon! read more

A mom and pop hidden gem! Not only was the food delicious, the service was sooo amazing. So attentive, so friendly, and they really make you feel like family. Clean ambience, 10/10 would recommend read more

It's a fun experience and a really hidden little location. I always forget about this place. I went there 30 years ago before a foreign exchange trip and then took my son recently. Nice people good food a and a great traditional sushi restaurant vibe read more

We visited Ichiban about a week ago for Friday dinner. It's tucked away in the back corner of a plaza and hidden from the street, so it's easy to miss. I'm so glad we finally found and tried this place! Inside it's intimate and cozy, and you can tell they've been here for a while. The walls are filled with photos, and it's clearly beloved by the community. Although they were busy, we didn't wait long at all. The waitstaff was very attentive, and the owner Masako herself came by to speak with us. She made us feel so welcome! *Appetizers: We were given complimentary edamame as soon as we sat down, which was such a nice touch. Both of our dishes also came with miso soup, which was warm and full of seaweed and tofu. *Chirashi Sushi: I ordered this, and every piece of fish was fresh and delicious. The portions were generous and flavorful, and I like that it included tamago, naruto, and octopus. I don't always see this variety at other places that usually stick to just fish. *Salmon Skin Hand Roll: This was packed with salmon skin and microgreens, which I'm a fan of. The rice was a good amount without being overbearing, making it a very satisfying hand roll. *Three-Item Combo: We chose tempura, beef teriyaki, and chicken yakitori. The tempura was light and not over-battered, the steak was nicely grilled and tender (not bulgogi-style, but true steak teriyaki, which I appreciated), and the yakitori was delicious, coming with two skewers. The combo came with rice, salad, seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned cucumbers, and an orange slicel. *Dessert: Masako generously brought out complimentary chocolate éclairs, mentioning that the cream was from Hokkaido. I thought these were super yummy, and such a thoughtful and balanced way to end the meal. Parking was easy with plenty of space in the lot. Overall, Ichiban has an intimate, wholesome, community-owned vibe. You can feel the heart and history here, and I'm not surprised they've been part of Brea for 37 years. We'll definitely be back! read more

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This place will change your opinion about Japanese restaurants. Here make your pocket happy and you will enjoy the food and services.

Masako and her husband ALWAYS go out of their way to make sure you are happy! Used to bring my own 3 children here quite often over the years. Then moved away. Recently returned and suggested one of my daughter's and her children go again. They didn't disappoint! Great meal...great service. My daughter returned with her family last week and shared with me that they were just as accommodating again! Thank you for always making us feel special! read more

EVERY visit to this iconic Japanese restaurant is an absolute pleasure. The owners, Masako and Tom are always there, with a smile and a hug to greet their veteran diners. The food is consistently fresh and of the best quality. The atmosphere is warm and genuine. The chef's at the sushi bar take the time to add their personal touch to every roll and dish. Ultimately, this is the best kept secret in Orange County - and I absolutely recommend this family owned gem to any sushi lover. They've been in business for over 37 years, and I can see why. Come treat yourself and your family to a wonderful meal today! You won't regret it. read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Poke bowl - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

We came here from Fullerton for some sushi. It was good and felt like a small family sushi place. Everyone is super nice and the vibe is authentic. Our server was really nice and I appreciated that every server came by to see if we needed anything. It was nice and not overwhelming, just genuine to see if we needed anything extra. It was great because on one of these asks, my daughter did need soy sauce. As we sat down, we were treated to a bowl of edamame. I ordered a caterpillar roll and cucumber salad. My daughter had California rolls with soy paper and no cucumbers plus a side of tempura shrimp. All in all it was great and we enjoyed our dinner. read more

This was our first time eating at Ichiban's and we plan on returning soon. The food is delicious! The service was great as soon as we sat down we were serve with a small dish of edamame. The server that served us, Erick was great. The owners were very welcoming and always made sure that we were doing ok. Once we placed our order it wasn't very long after our food came to the table. It looked wonderful and was delicious !! It's a hidden gem!! read more

Tried this place for the first time, and loved it! Tony and Masako made us feel like we were at home. They checked up on us every now and then, filled our waters, and asked if we needed anything. They weren't our main servers, as we had another great waiter, but I loved how they made us feel so welcoming! Very sweet, attentive, and friendly owners! The edamame was a nice touch before we received our entrees :) I got the 3 item combo and my husband got salmon with veggie tempura. Delicious meal and reasonable prices. We ended the night with Hokkaido cream puffs; so yummy! Definitely a hidden gem and hole in the wall place. I'm glad we tried this place, and we will be coming back if we're ever in the area! read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

The food is absolutely delicious and the staff is very friendly and helpful. From the moment you walk thru the door to the moment they seat you, the staff is always attentive and accommodating. We ordered the Family Boat which gave you a little taste of everything and it was good to the last bite. We will be definitely returning soon. read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Family Boat for two! Delicious! - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

This sushi spot is my go to in brea! I like to do omakase style and the sushi chef brings out different nigiris he recommends for that day. The sushi is fresh and to die for! Thank you Masa san for the amazing sushi!! The soba set with the tempura was also delicious. I think it was the best tempura I ever had. The owners were also so kind and welcoming! Overall and amazing experience, I definitely will be coming back here again! read more

A Hidden Gem That Took Me Back I'm 23 and just visited Ichiban in Brea for the first time--and somehow, it filled me with nostalgia. From the moment I walked in, the subtle scent of the carpet and the warm wood-lined walls transported me to my childhood, back when eating out felt magical and every bite was a new discovery. The sushi here? Fresh and flavorful. The kind that doesn't try too hard--it just delivers. The prices hit that sweet spot too: affordable without sacrificing quality. And the service? Incredible. Attentive, kind, and genuine. I genuinely wish I had found this place sooner. It's rare to find a spot that makes you feel both at home and excited in the same sitting. Ichiban isn't just a restaurant--it's a memory in the making. read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

Always our go to, for almost 20 years. They never disappoint, wonderful service, friendly people, great food. Home of the Sashimi Latino - which my wife can't live without. read more

Was in the mood for Japanese food, but not just sushi or ramen. We decided on Ichiban and were welcomed right when we walked in. The gentleman was so friendly and inviting. The food was as delicious and service so attentive. Our group enjoyed the calamari's crisp coating. The sukiyaki was piping hot, like it should be, with generous portions of beef, veggies and noodles. The tempura was crispy, hot and had a great variety. 30 years in Brea! I'll be back! read more

Came here for the first time and I was not disappointed. The location here is kinda hidden so you'd have to know where you're going to find this place. You wouldn't find it just strolling around the main surface streets, it's hidden in the back of a plaza. The staff are extremely friendly and chatty and regards customers as their family. I really felt welcomed here. The food is great quality too! The chicken breast was SUPER tender and moist which is surprising for a white meat. The tempura batter oreos were delicious as well. The oreos are basically melted in the batter and it's so sooo good and decadent read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Tempura oreos - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

This place is an amazing Japanese restaurant. The atmosphere is clean and quiet allowing for a tranquil dining experience. If you like sashimi, absolutely try the "Latina"- you will not regret it especially if you like a bit of spice. Their menu items are delicious and their service is top-notch! It's perfect for a date or to have dinner with your family. I will definitely be a repeat customer. read more

I love Ichiban! Hands down my favorite Japanese restaurant and I've been coming here since they opened over 30 years ago. The food is excellent, but it's their friendly service that I love more than anything. Masako and Tom are always there and greeting and taking good care of customers around the restaurant. read more

Still the original owners for the past 40 years! Amazing food and service. Our server Erik recommended the boat and it was delicious. Something for everyone to eat and it was a great portion size. Very nice restaurant inside making a great dining experience. Definitely coming back soon! read more

I placed an online order at 5:30. I walked in the restaurant at 6:30 thinking that my order will definitely be ready after 1 hour. The customer service here is horrendous, no server or anyone came to talk to me for 5-10 minutes even though I stood at the front waiting for someone. They stared at me, yet did not say anything. Finally, the lady at the front confirmed my order with me, but she was saying something that I did not order. I told her what I had ordered and then she said "Shoot!" And ran in the back of the restaurant. I did not see her for 20+ minutes. I just sat in the front and had no updates on what had happened. This was extremely frustrating. After 30 minutes, they gave me my order that I ALREADY had waited an hour for. All she said to me was "I'm so sorry" THATS IT. They did not offer me a coupon or anything for waiting a total of 1 1/2 hours for the food. I'm extremely disappointed at this restaurant customer service. Just be wary of this place customer service and DO NOT RECOMMEND ORDERING ONLINE! AS FOR THE FOOD: Also extremely disappointing because I've been a customer of ichiban for years. I ordered steak teriyaki and it tasted like it was heated up in the microwave. Absolutely gross because I've had it here before and it's been good but NOT this time. They rushed the order and microwaved the steak. read more

Delicious well prepared food. Personal service by iwners and staff. Lighting, decor and furnishing very nice. Wish they had a hand rail by the stairs. read more

We went as they opened for dinner and were pleasantly greeted and seated immediately. They offered us some edamame as we finalized our orders. We started with some appetizers of karage, salmon and yellow tail sushi and a scallop hand roll. We then ordered two types of cold soba and agedashi tofu with miso soup for dinner. Everything was delicious and the portion sizes were perfect for our dinner. Fish was fresh and the chew on the soba noodle was a great consistency. After we were done with our meal, we were given some eclairs to tie everything together. The service was superb, food was great and value was good for all that we ordered. read more

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This restaurant never disappoints! Quality authentic Japanese Cuisine at its finest! I drive all the way from Irvine to come here, and every visit out does it last. Honestly I've eaten at NOBU and this place is way better, Always a pleasure, read more

Ichiban Japanese & Sushi Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Brea, California

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Food was excellent and price was reasonable. Service was also excellent. Environment was so calm and relaxing. Theres also plenty of parking space. read more

Have reviewed Ichiban before but it's still terrific! We like the #1 and #2 plates...both very good! read more

Great service! Our first time eating here and the service was incredible. Everyone is very nice and friendly and the food was delicious!

We came for Valentine's Day and got the best service ever! The food was amazing, and the owner made the meal feel like we were visiting with family, not eating at a restaurant. This is now our go to anytime we want Japanese food! read more

My family happened to be at the Brea mall after the holiday season and it was so ridiculously busy there was nowhere to eat so, with a quick search we thankfully found Ichiban. Upon walking in, I noticed the photos of locals and celebrities that visited the establishment. The restaurant's ambiance is cozy and comfortable. We sat down and not long after was treated by a very friendly waiter, in fact all of the waiters were so happy, nice and patient. We ordered the 3 item entree special ($20.50 each) and wow, it's an amazing value. Miso, salad, pickled cucumber, and pickled bean sprouts. I selected shrimp and vegetable tempura which was light and crispy, steak tempura (actual steak) and California rolls. Everything came out quickly. Hot foods were hot and cold foods cold. Our drinks were never empty because the servers were so attentive. At the end of our meal, the owner even hooked us up with deep fried oreos, which were deliciously decadent. All in all, for our first visit Inchiban didn't disappoint. I will certainly be visiting again when I'm in Brea. read more

This is an amazing Japanese restaurant right next to the Brea Mall, it's has been there for more than 30 yrs. The value for the price is absolutely incredible. The food is delicious, everyone that I have taken there has loved it!! read more