Kaigen is a hidden gem for an affordable omakase! Their sushi omakase set is $45 for 9 pieces of…read morenigiri, your choice of either a blue fin tuna or yellowtail cut roll, miso soup, and salad. The fish here is really high quality, and each piece melted in your mouth with how fresh and buttery they were. My favorites were the bluefin tuna, scallop, cherry salmon, and black cod. This is such a steal, especially considering how the omakase already comes with a piece of bluefin nigiri, but you can still choose to get more bluefin in your roll. My only criticism would be that they can go a little heavy on the wasabi sometimes, but that's more of a personal preference since I prefer to eat sushi without wasabi at all. We came at around 6:30 on a Thursday and got seated right away. Our server was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant is located in a strip mall, and parking was plentiful and easy. The restaurant itself was very clean and decorated with a very traditional Japanese vibe. Overall, we loved our experience here, and would definitely come back!

Got some recommendations for good sushi in the area because the only time I've seen a friend really…read moreenjoy a meal was when he was eating sushi. The TLDR is the overall quality is much higher than normal but be prepared to pay for it. We came at lunch and the overall bill for 7 people was pretty stunning. We did order a lot since we were worried it wouldn't be enough food, especially after excercise so take that as a caveat. Below is a review of some of the things that stood out. Kaarage: Would not order this again, it was probabably the thing we enjoyed the least from what we ordered. More like chicken nuggets and less like a classic Kaarage. Sushi Burrito: I always look for interesting things on the menu and got this. It tasted quite good but was also very "fusion" in the way it was plated and tasted. In soy paper with a large heaping of artificial crab. Softshell Crab: The best I've had in a long time, so well cooked and not oily. Ika-Uni: Squid and uni with a hint of wasabi, unique dish and delicious if you like squid and Uni. Seared Sea Bass Nigiri: We got this toward the end and it was amazing!

I am so excited we finally got to try this place! You need a reservation, so I called a few weeks…read morein advance to make one. The restaurant itself is very small and intimate, which I absolutely love. It's run by a husband-and-wife team and because the space is so cozy, the experience feels very personal and welcoming. We ordered the beef tongue and the 12-piece omakase & everything was fantastic! The beef tongue is a must...it literally melts in your mouth and has SO much flavor. The omakase experience was wonderful as well and the black cod was absolutely insane! It is overall on the pricier end, but the price is pretty in line with what you'd expect for an omakase experience in Orange County. Highly recommend and I can't wait to come back!

We got the 12-piece omakase and SINSEI sake, and everything tasted incredibly fresh and high…read morequality. Every piece of the omakase was amazing, but the fatty tuna was our absolute favorite - it was so good that we ordered another piece after finishing the omakase! It was rich, buttery, and practically melted in your mouth. Taira Sushi has easily become our favorite sushi spot of all time. We loved everything about our meal and will definitely be coming back!

Came here to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday…read more Our party had 3 people and we came for an early dinner on a weekday. There was maybe one or two other parties there. Their menu specializes in Korean style premium seafood items. They have the option of live or not. They had different set options and items you can get a la carte. We went with their live fish and sashimi set C. We also got some live shrimp and live octopus to try. I love that the staff was super knowledgeable and explained everything to us. The live set included a lot of side dishes. It also included halibut and flounder, a platter of abalone, sea cucumber, cold soup, hot fish soup, calamari and vegetable tempura. All of which were amazing and tasted very fresh. The live octopus was definitely an experience. They tasted fresh and sweet and were very actively moving. If you want to try it I would definitely recommend trying it here. The chef was nice enough to have us try two types of nigiri. Both were amazing and fatty. The whole dinner was quite an experience. Since there were so many dishes they made sure to go in order but not rush us since many items were coming out. The staff was super attentive. Many items came with its own sauce so they made sure we were doing it right. We spent about $400 for 3 people which included alcohol. I thought it was fair especially for how fresh our seafood was. The inside of the restaurant is pretty casual but clean. You can also see most of the seafood items. I recommend if if you want live seafood items Korean style. We will be back.

Seafood here is fresh and really good. Service is great and parking is really easy to find…read more We ordered the sashimi platter set C. It feeds around 2-3 people. It is pretty expensive but it comes with a bunch of sides so it was pretty filling. All the fish was fresh. We also got the eel over rice. The eel over rice was pretty expensive and it did not have a lot of eel. Not pictured but we ordered the live octopus as well and everyone loved it. I think in the future when I come back, I will stick to ordering the sashimi platters or the live sashimi platter. I think ordering the live seafood here is worth the price more than their other stuff. Overall, pretty delicious and I left feeling very full! I recommend giving this place a try if you like seafood and especially live seafood since it is fresh here. The only con is the price but I still recommend giving this place a shot!

We got the Murasaki Set for $90…read more Food was great! My favorite were the appetizers that came with the set. The service was great. They sat us at the sushi counter at late notice. Definitely would come again! For the price, it's hard to beat!

The restaurant is located in a very obscure looking building. I had to do a double check to see if…read moreit was really where the restaurant was supposed to be. Luckily, there was plenty of parking and since we got there earlier in the evening, there was no wait. The interior was pretty standard with tables and chairs. They had some purple decorations up along the back and side of the walls. The staff were pretty attentive and we got our food pretty quick. Again, I think it may have been because we were one of the few people there because towards the end of our meal, the place was packed. I went for the murasaki course which is 8 pieces of sushi and 3 appetizers. When we finished, we realized that we were still hungry and ordered more nigiri and A5 wagyu skewer. Overall, the sushi was good. I've had a lot of really great sushi and this was pretty good, but it didn't wow me to where I was going to want to come back ASAP. After we ate, we decided to get more nigiri and even ice cream. The black sesame ice cream was a great way to end the meal.

Such a great place for date night dinner, lunch, or a hang with friends!…read more My husband got the 5 hand rolls for $27 and I ordered 4 hand rolls for $22 with a side of shrimp tempura. The miso soup was included in the meal and it's MORE than enough food. The fish is fresh and the chefs are attentive and serve you each roll at a good pace. Note that all of the seating is bar seating and they will seat you next to other parties to maximize space. But the intimate, clean interior is comfortable and laid back. Highly recommend if you're looking for a quality sushi-like experience at an affordable price.

Stumbled upon here while looking for a quick dinner date. There is only bar seating so this is not…read moresomewhere to bring your party of five. I thought the hand roll sets were a fixed set, but I think that's just the happy hour sets. So i was happy to see that you can pick any four (besides uni and negitoro) for $22! The set is cheaper than buying individually, and you also get a miso soup. If you're used to Kazunori or Rol, you'll notice some different and unique things about Ato that may either be appealing or unappealing depending on your taste: -There are more appetizers and starters than your average hand roll bar, so there is a variety to choose from if you are with someone you want to share appetizers with. -The protein: Some of the fish, like salmon and tuna are not finely minced and diced, but more chopped into cubes like what you'd put into poke bowls. You do get more protein in these rolls compared to other locations, but the bite is a different texture. The flavor for some (salmon) were plain but some good sauced up ones were spicy scallop and blue crab if you like creamier flavors. You can also order extra dipping sauces including a yuzu sauce. -The rice: not as flufffy and loose, but a little sticker and dense. Once again, it made the hand rolls very dense. I guess the protein and rice portions get you your moneys worth, but I felt like I was biting into a piece of sushi- like a sashimi roll or a poke roll instead. Overall the hand rolls are not as delicate and fluffy, but are dense and packed with as much as they can. Even the uni was a generous amount! We were greeted and sat right away but the service was a bit unorganized as we got the first hand roll before the wasabi and ginger- so I wasn't quite ready to eat yet. And if you're picky you know that you need to enjoy the first bite asap. However the servers and hand roll chefs were very friendly and I am looking forward to coming back to try more!

My son took me to Akashiro for my birthday. What a treat this was!!…read more He ordered the full omakase experience for us. I didn't know what to expect, but WOW! It's a like a dining adventure. Fifteen courses that are surprises because even tho there's a "template" of types of dishes, each one is ultimately the chef's choice. As each course was brought out, our waiter did an excellent job of describing what each item was and it's place of origin. Fifteen courses is alot to try to remember each specific dish so I decided to stay in the moment (after I snapped a pic) and enjoyed each one as we had them and talked about the flavor profiles and what we liked best about it. When my son had made the reservation he must have told them we were celebrating my birthday because in addition to the regular dessert course, our server brought me a birthday dessert which included green tea ice cream and a slice of matcha cheesecake. The full omakase experience was delicious and so fun! I told my son that it was like an advent calendar ~ each course we "opened" had us saying "ooo, how yummy" and left us with almost giddy anticipation of what we'd discover next. If you're looking for something fun and unique for a special occasion, I highly recommend the full omakase experience at Akashiro!

It's a Saturday and husband was ready for sushi. I had another place in mind, but they didn't take…read morereservations and we're not about to chance it and wait. So we found this place and it was in the same vicinity and yay, they took reservations. Made reservations same day for a 18:30 seating. Service is impeccable. We were welcomed with hot towels, and this impressed me: when our server asked if we wanted cold or hot water. Love it! We opted for hot, better for digestion :) Our libation: Kubota sake - semi dry, rich, clean Our dishes: Assorted sashimi (16 pcs) - omakase. No soy sauce needed. Chef prepared with delicious flavors in mind. Tiger scallops - served in a what appears to resemble petrified wood, carved into a long boatlike dish. Hokkaido shrimp, cilantro oil, chilaquita (Peruvian onion relish), sweet potato crisp, smoke aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili) Leche de tigre (rich emulsion of limes, Peruvian spices and chilis) - A complexity of flavors that comes together so completely. Eat with spoon. The delicate potato crisp finishes the bite with a little crunch. Udon picante - bell peppers, quinoa and 2 jumbo shrimp. Love the heat level. Comfort food at its best. Salmon parmesan - Nikkei sushi - seared salmon, parmesan bitter, eel sauce , arare, lime. Amazing. O toro sushi - the fattiest cut of tuna. Eat as is. Again chef prepared. No added seasoning required. Parri maki - fried shrimp, cream cheese, seared tuna topped with chimichurri, aji amarillo, chalaquita, ponzu. Food experience was enhanced by their impeccable taste in music. Super chill, soft beats stream the restaurant. With its perfect lighting too sets all the good moods for us. Don't wait for this fine dining experience of Japanese and Peruvian fusion. Note: when they ask if you want soy sauce, say No, thank you. It would be a shame to kill the taste of a beautiful dish with any added sauce. Kampai! Salud!

This place is absolutely worth it! I've been to almost all of the top omakase restaurants in OC and…read morethis one had some of the most creative courses I've tried. My favorite was the first appetizer, which had ikura, truffle, and pear. Such an unexpected combination, but it worked so well. The nigiri was simple and traditional. Everything was delicious and the rice had the perfect texture and temperature. I also loved how quiet and intimate the experience was. I've been to a few omakase spots where it gets too loud and takes away from the experience, but this felt very relaxed and focused on the food. The chef's pacing and service was great, the ingredients were fresh, and there was a nice balance between creative dishes and more classic nigiri. Definitely one of the more memorable omakase experiences I've had in OC and one I would recommend for a special occasion. PP: $275 Parking: Structure $20

OmG, I can't recommend trying OmG Omakase by Gino enough. This place has been on my list for years,…read morebut I had baby after baby after baby and was finally able to go this past weekend. The expectations were high and Chef Gino exceeded them. The food was so fresh and made with exceptional ingredients. The platings were magnificent, always a work of art. Chef Gino was very knowledgeable and told us background information for each dish. It was worth the $275 per person for this omakase experience. Also, love the decor inside. We will be back another season to dine here again. Thank you for a wonderful date night.

The food here was super good!!! I got the double hamachi roll ($26), the dish was super tender and…read moretasted fresh. The spicy mayo sauce was also well flavored, not too sour. The miso soup was also great. Our server, Mimi, was super nice and wonderful! Doing god's work! The restaurant environment itself is super clean and welcoming. Lighting is adequately lit and noise level was good. Highly recommend!

Eat here. Immediately…read more Taberu Sushi was absolutely incredible. This is a family-run restaurant where you can immediately tell how much pride and care goes into the food. We ordered the 16-piece Sashimi Box, which included bluefin tuna, cherry salmon, kanpachi, kuro dai, shima aji, toro, snapper, clam, mackerel and amberfish. Everything was unbelievably fresh and beautifully presented. The quality of the fish really stood out. We learned that the chef is extremely particular about his fish. If something comes in from a vendor and isn't up to his standards, he sends it back. He also doesn't cut the fish until you actually order it. After eating here, you understand why. The texture, temperature and freshness were on another level. We also had the scallops topped with uni and caviar , which were amazing, and the tuna toast was so simple but SO good. Honestly, there wasn't one thing we wouldn't order again. Lynn, the owner, was gracious and wonderful, she made us feel so welcome. Derek was our server and was equally wonderful and attentive. You really feel the warmth of a family-run restaurant here. Exceptional sushi, exceptional quality and genuinely wonderful people. We can't wait to come back!!