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Izakaya Okan

4.1 (54 reviews)

Izakaya Okan Photos

IZAKAYA OKAN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Intimate
Good for groups
Dogs allowed

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Dessert: puddings!
Priscilla U.

Delicious authentic Japanese food ranging from izakaya, sushi, and dons! This restaurant is in a quaint restaurant strip, they have tons of dining seatings from small (2 people) tables to medium sized group tables. There is also bar seating if you'd prefer that. They also have a late night happy hour menu, this place is great for post-work happy hour, intimate catch up dinners, or just a casual hang out with friends. When you go in, you're greeted by the nicest staff. They're enthusiastic and they also give the best food recommendations. There are pictures all of the walls that shows you the best deals and what specials they offer. Now let's talk about the menu.. It's not an izakaya meal without a fun happy hour beverage, we got the calpico and peach drink. They both were so refreshing, fruity and not too sweet. The carbonation kicked off the meal pretty well. Gabo Salad -- this salad is super healthy and is super fiberous. It's really crunchy and fun to share, we ate this throughout the entire meal and didn't try to finish it in one go. When you squeeze the lemon, a lot of the flavors are expressed. The bottom includes more of the leafy part of the salad, don't forget to mix it in with the crunch mid way through. Tamago -- The tamago they had were really fluffy and thick, it was really flavorful and I ended up adding the radish to pair. Great source of protein Mackerel -- This has got to be my favorite dish, I would highly recommend it! I ended up ordering this to go as well. The mackerel is from Norway and the way they prepared it was smoked. It wasn't too fishy and they also had prepared home made ponzu sauce. The sear really masks the fishy smell and the fish melted in my mouth. It was so buttery! The skewers: - Chicken was really tender, this one was oen of my favorites - Pork belly, this was really flavorful and the salt/acid pairs really well. I was pleasantly surprised by how crispy this was! I added wasabi to cut the salt - Beef tongue was really chewy Salmon with Ikura Kamamenshi -- This one was the nice filler meal. It takes 30 minutes to prepare and Kamamenshi is the style of cooking their rice, it's their specialty! The ikura added a lot of flavor to this dish. We ended the meal with some dessert: - Black Sesame pudding was really light and sweet. It was a great way to wrap the meal and it tasted really unique. - They also had a pudding that tasted like flan, this one was dense and more on the sweeter end but the syrup almost tasted like a hojicha syrup that I love Overall, really well rounded meal that got me feeling really satisfied! Definitely would be coming again.

Andrew L.

I've been to all their restaurants in San Diego and have been a fan for all of them, so I was excited when I realized they opened one down the street from where I live now. Taste-wise I think it was exactly the same as what I remembered from Okan San Diego (though that was over 5 years ago). It was very authentic izakaya food. Maybe it's the location? Or marketing? Either way I think they deserve more people to give it a try... cuz they seemed way too empty.

Carbonara Udon
Raul B.

Super low-key izakaya with cozy, hole-in-the-wall vibes! We came with a group of 5 on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. Loved the hand drawn menu items scattered over the walls, and super kind. We ordered the Japanese curry rice, curry udon, carbonara udon, Kobe beef carpaccio, and beef tongue clay pot rice. The beef carpaccio was cooked medium rare, served cold with a light soy sauce dressing, lemon, and raw onion slices. Pretty tender and super flavorful. The carbonara udon was a generous portion, and was rich and creamy from the egg yolk, bacon, and cream sauce. Tasty, but I wish there a bit more flavor. The curry udon had a great depth of flavor and richness in the broth, and the noodles were super chewy and springy. I recommend this one!

Beef tongue skewer - more like beef jerky
Bobby Y.

Been wanting to try this place but unfortunately it was a giant disappointment. We ordered the following for takeout: chicken & mushroom rice - no flavor at all, was as if they forgot to season the dish altogether; there were barely any mushrooms, and the rice was hard and stale. Beef tongue skewer - overcooked and very avg taste. chicken thigh skewer - another very avg dish. Kobe beef with ponzu - decent quality and flavor, but was barely lukewarm. Egg omelette - the only solid dish we had, good texture and flavor. Creamy mentai udon - this would've been fine as the umami was goo, except it was so salty that it was basically not edible until we added a whole pack of udon noodle; could've used some of this salt in the chicken rice. Def not going back.

Stephanie O.

Hidden gem alert! A small cozy store front in a tiny little business strip that you cannot afford to miss! I stopped in about 40 minutes before they closed, there was one other person besides me in the shop that felt much like being back in a little Izakaya in Japan. Service was great, the time from ordering to food delivery quick, and just an overall great experience! I ordered the steamed clams, pork belly wrapped asparagus, and pork cheek (as recommended by the server). They were all a treat! The clams were cooked perfectly and the broth comforting for a chilly evening. The pork belly and asparagus well balanced and flavorful. The pork cheek was amazing! I can't wait to come back and try more items off their menu again soon!

Uni Scallop Carpaccio
Christina C.

New casual Japanese dining spot discovery in the OC. Okan took over the previous Sakanaya OC location (I am sad that Sakanaya OC is closed!). Okan has decent food, and their pricing is ok. Everything we ordered was good: Uni Scallop Carpaccio, Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crab with Salt, Hamachi Kama, and Kamameshi Beef Tongue Rice Pot. Kamameshi Rice Pot was not hot enough to create crispy rice. Staff was friendly. I would like to come back to try their Creamy Mentai Udon next time. Their Creamy Uni Udon looked nice too. They also have late night happy hour Monday through Thursdays 9pm - 10:30pm with Sapporo pitcher for $13 (original price $19). I would love to try their happy hour, but sadly, OC is too far for me on a weekday. Their reservations are available via phone or online. Corkage fee is $25 for 720mL. Hot water is $1. Hot Green Tea is $2.50. There is free parking in the strip mall lot.

Tiffany Y.

Come here for some late night happy hour bites! This place has a variety of dishes ranging from grilled, skewers, fried, fish, rice and noodles! There's something for everybody. Some standouts: - chicken skin skewer! crispy yet tender - mackerel with ponzu, super flavorful - hamachi kama - takoyaki, perfectly cooked with a nice fluffy texture - karaage - super juicy and tender! Service is quick and friendly! Even took a selfie with us haha Atmosphere is cozy since it's not a big restaurant but it feels more intimate this way. Definitely will be coming by here to try most dishes!

Deep fried chicken gizzards
Kelly N.

Stopped by on a Friday night. We were the only ones there around 6:15pm. Soon it filled up but there was no wait. It's a cute little place and reminds me of restaurants in Tokyo. Service was great. We ordered the following to share between four: Takowasa Agedashi tofu Soft shell crab with wasabi salt Broiled chicken liver in chilled sweet soy sauce Deep fried chicken gizzards Gobo salad Beef tongue Potato, Cod Roe, corn & butter rice Eel rice Deluxe curry udon Deep fried chicken with green onion sauce Everything was delicious. I loved the potato, cod roe, corn & butter rice. It was so scrumptious. I have never had all together like this. The beef tongue was so tender. Chicken liver was made with love. It was nicely cooked. I enjoyed every dish we ordered. I just wish the portion was bigger. My mom complained that the eel rice was too sweet and had very little eel. I felt like it was American price with Japanese portion. But other than that, this is a definitely must try place if you love Japanese food.

mentai butter udon
Ashley V.

Me and 2 friends came in on a Sunday evening at 7. A lot of dish options on the menu as well as some other dishes that weren't on the menu (you can look on the walls for additional dishes). The restaurant is small and there were 3 other parties besides ours but we noticed that the service was slow. The waiter took awhile to come take our orders and it took awhile for us to get our check. The karagae was okay, it wasn't as crispy as I would like, not something I would order again. The mentai butter udon was good but a little salty. The mentai butter udon was okay, the cream is overpowering the mentai flavor so it just tasted like cream udon. The udon noodles were average when it comes to texture.

Chinh N.

Found this place upon searching on Yelp for something new. It's a little hole in the wall and it definitely did not disappoint. We didn't order any ramen or udon since others whom have rated said it was not good. We ordered monk fish liver, salmon belly, this rice with broth and salmon and eel, and yellowtail collar. All was good. Fish was fresh and seasoning was on par. The salmon belly (grilled) and the yellowtail was market price which is a bit different than other places where they have a flat price...maybe is because it's fresh rather than those frozen ones you can get at restaurant depot. This is a nice spot to come for basic family Japanese food. The restaurant is a bit small and tables are jam but it's still quiet enough to catch up and chit chat without the bustling like other places. The waiters were super friendly and accommodating.

Yellowtail collar hamachi kama
Rosie H.

4.5 rounding it up to 5 I missed the small parking lot for the strip mall but was able to go around the block with ease. It's located near a nail salon shop and Wahoo is nearby as well. Service was very good, they were on top of it and even brought me the Nanami Togarashi to add a bit of a kick and spice to the food. I'm Korean so this is a must and it paired well with everything that I put it on, especially the pasta. The food came out fairly quickly and they filled our water and tea regularly as we ate our meal. The restaurant is not very big but they have plenty of seating. We opted for a larger table since we were going to be ordering a bunch of food to try out. I wanted to eat things that I don't normally eat so we ate: eggplant with grated mountain potato, this was lighter than I thought it was going to be and my friend appreciated how nice it looked plated. We also got the creamy uni udon. It had a good sized amount of uni in the dish. I thought it was a bit TOO creamy, it was definitely decadent. I liked how it tasted with the Nanami Togarashi too. This I had to take home as leftovers because we had other food to eat. The pork cheek with green onion sauce tasted a bit like Samgyupsal or grilled pork belly to me. The fat just melted in my mouth. There were some pieces that were a little chewy but still edible. I've never had pork cheek before so I'm unfamiliar with the texture. The yellowtail collar was fantastic, it had a lot of meat to it and the miso black cod, well I could have eaten three orders of that by myself. I've had this before at other restaurants, but I have to say that theirs is the best thus far, the piece was bigger and fresher too. I saw later on the wall menu that they had nigiri. Y'all...you know I had to get the bluefin tuna and toro. It was a little bit on the pricier side but the pieces of fish were thicker and it was oh so tasty. I also could have ordered more but we had to stop ourselves. I'll definitely go back there for the nigiri and miso black cod. But I also want to try their other dishes like their prime beef skirt skewer, scallop skewer, takoyaki balls, and quick seared US Kobe beef with garlic ponzu. And their happy hour sounds legit!

Yansha Y.

Came here twice in 2 days lol!! Just randomly stumbled upon this spot when my friend & I were craving some Japanese food. And it's so good and welll priced. Sashimi was fresh, yellowtail is such a good deal here !! $10 for a small! Can't wait to try the other menu items perfect for someone who likes to try everything but doesn't want giant portions I can't finish

potato, cod roe, corn and butter kamameshi
Sharon C.

I've been wanting to try Okan for awhile ever since they announced their opening not long ago, and I finally got to try last Friday night around 6:30pm. We got seated right away, though if we came any later the restaurant would have been full since it's small with a few tables and a bar seating. They have a lot of different Japanese dishes, from noodles (udon and soba) to grilled skewers to sashimi and rice in a pot (kamameshi) so it was hard deciding what I wanted since a lot of it looked good. I ended up getting the kinpira gobo as our appetizer and the carbonara udon while my other party members got the tempura udon and the potato, cod roe, corn and butter kamameshi. The kamameshi did take longer to come because it takes 20 minutes to cook, but other than that the rest of the items came pretty quickly. The kinpira gobo was really good! I love gobo, so I can't go wrong with getting it. It was flavorful and crunchy and it also comes with carrots mixed in. My carbonara udon was surprisingly good too, it wasn't too heavy on cream (but it was still creamy) and it came with a runny egg, enoki mushroom, and bacon pieces. I finished this bowl pretty quickly, it was that good and portion size was just right. I didn't particularly like the bacon though, it tasted a bit too smoky for me. After mixing the egg in the sauce, I actually tried the sauce and it tasted like egg drop soup for some reason but it made it drinkable haha. I tried some of the tempura and it was hot and crunchy, with just enough batter. The kamameshi was a little underwhelming- I feel like the rice to topping ratio was bit more rice heavy. It had good flavor, I just wish there was a bit more of the cod roe to mix together and both me and my sister couldn't taste the butter flavor. I did like how it came with a cute spoon scooper for mixing the rice. Overall, Okan surpassed my expectations and I definitely will recommend and come back again to try their other options. Actually I was in between the mentai and carbonara udon which I chose carbonara this time, but next time I want to try the mentai. Also I would suggest looking at the specials they have posted papers in some areas of the restaurant with specific items cheaper or not on the menu (like the carbonara udon is something you can't find in the menu).

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My wife and I visited here a couple weeks ago. We had a great dinner. The food was delicious and authentic.

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This place could get 4 Michelin stars and it wouldn't be enough. Makes Jiro look like Claim Jumper.

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Izakaya Okan Reviews in Other Languages

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Wadaya - WADAYA is now OPEN

Wadaya

4.6(1.2k reviews)
1.3 mi
•$$

My wife and I were looking around for a good bowl of Japanese ramen noodles, and this place popped…read moreup as a place we hadn't tried before, so off we went for lunch. We had actually expected just the usual soup ramen place, but later discovered that, although a view varieties of ramen noodles are offered on their menu, their specialty was in fact the dried version of a bowl of soup ramen noodles, or what our server referred to as a bowl of "reverse" ramen noodles, better known as Mazemen noodles.... sounded really yummy so far as I have always preferred dry noodles to soup ones. So, my wife went ahead and ordered a bowl of spicy California Tonkotsu ramen noodles, and I went with the Saitama Chicken Mazemen noodles..... and some handmade spicy wonton and fried Karaage Chicken on the side. Our food came out pretty fast, super hot, super fresh, and super delicious! I tried some of my wife's soup ramen, and yes, had great flavor... not too salty, and perfectly medium firm ramen noodles. As for my Mazemen noodles....woweee!.... this was my first time trying Mazemen noodles, with a large board on the wall with instructions on how Wadaya's Mazemen noodles should be eaten. When the instructions were followed, I dug straight in and...mmmmm good! The combination of ingredients in the bowl.... peppered ground chicken, scallions, chives, poached egg, minced garlic, fish umami, and seaweed flakes.... when all tossed together just made for an amazingly delicious bowl of noodles! I really loved and enjoyed it so very much! The Chicken karaage and spicy wontons were very delicious too and went great with our noodles. Other than that, very cute and cozy ambiance... like a little Japanese ramen place, service was excellent.. our server was so nice, so friendly, so attentive, and so helpful.... this made for just the perfect lunch! This place may not be as high profiled as other more popular and well known brands of ramen places, but it's definitely one of the best we've ever tried, and we'll definitely be back soon.

Rainy socal day means it's the perfect day for ramen. Tried out this spot for the first time and…read morewas pleasantly surprised. I got the saitama chicken mazemen, which had peppered ground chicken, a poached egg yolk, scallions, chives, minced garlic, fish umami powder, and seaweed flakes. After you mix everything up, it creates this sauces that coats the noodles perfectly. It was a tad salty for my taste, so next time I would ask for less fish umami. My fav part were the noodles, they were super thick and chewy and so satisfying to eat.

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Wadaya
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Le Shrimp Noodle Bar - IG: snacks_with_steph

Le Shrimp Noodle Bar

4.0(806 reviews)
0.7 mi
•$$
Happy hour specials
Free WiFi

I love shrimp broth It was line and clowded but foods are…read moregood I will come back again

Le Shrimp Noodle Bar is a Chinese-Japanese Fusion concept located in the lower level of South Coast…read morePlaza's own Collage Food Hall. With many Asian eateries here, it can get pretty busy at peak times with many diners coming for many different food spots. Personally, I came by on a Thursday around 7:30PM to see what people call one of the best noodle options in the Costa Mesa area. Dining in, there were a few tables full and many open spots. But with about 20 tables total, I can see how the restaurant fills up on the weekends. For this visit, I decided to try their signature and ordered the Signature Trio Shrimp Noodle which was $19.95 at the time of this review. And looking at the bowl, it was vibrant and enticing when it hit the table. The bright orange broth made the dish look spicy and the visible seafood made the dish look fresh. That said, diners with larger appetites might be better ordering another item when paying a visit. Inside the bowl, there was a good mix of thin noodles, cabbage, and green onions. But as for your meat items, the bowl included three pieces of shrimp, three shrimp wontons, and three shrimp balls. At the $20 price tag in Costa Mesa, there are many Japanese and Chinese restaurants where a typical bowl of food runs closer to $16-$17 instead. In terms of taste, the Signature Trio Shrimp Noodle did have a unique flavor to it. The orange broth gave a good mix of sweet and spicy flavors while the noodles tasted savory. The cabbage absorbed some of that spicy broth and acted as as fresh baseline with a firmer chew. I especially enjoyed all of the meat items in the dish, particularly the fresh shrimp it tasted shrimpy without being too fishy. I only wish I had more meat to other ingredients to further cement the "shrimp" flavor the restaurant is known for. Le Shrimp Noodle Bar has multiple locations across the Greater LA Area. And if you haven't been before, it's definitely a place where I would visit at least once. The quality of the food is definitely there and I would recommend it to most people, no questions asked. However, the quantity of what you're getting for the price can be a little steep and difficult to justify for a casual meal. For the next visit, I'll be trying another one of Le Shrimp's solid noodle soups and maybe one of their side dishes. Four star out of five.

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Le Shrimp Noodle Bar
Le Shrimp Noodle Bar - IG: snacks_with_steph

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Le Shrimp Noodle Bar - Tossed ramen in chili vinaigrette with dumplings.

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Tossed ramen in chili vinaigrette with dumplings.

Hakata Ikkousha Ramen - Menu

Hakata Ikkousha Ramen

4.0(1.6k reviews)
0.1 mi
•$$

A Legendary Slurp - Gone But Never Forgotten It is a true…read moretragedy for the Orange County food scene that Hakata Ikkousha in Costa Mesa has closed its doors. This wasn't just a "ramen joint"--it was a masterclass in authentic Fukuoka-style soul food. The Broth: Liquid Gold The standout was always their Signature Tonkotsu broth. You could literally taste the 30+ hours of labor that went into it. It had that distinct "frothy" texture (the bubble of the bone marrow) that you only find in high-end Hakata shops. It was rich, creamy, and carried a deep umami funk without ever being overly greasy. The Hits * Black Tonkotsu: The roasted garlic oil (mayu) added a smoky, dark complexity that ruined all other garlic ramens for me. * God Fire: For those who like to sweat, this offered the perfect balance of heat without sacrificing the integrity of the pork flavor. * The Karaage: Genuinely some of the best fried chicken in the area. Massive, juicy thigh meat with a shattering, thin crust and that addictive spicy mayo on the side. * Customization: I loved that they let you pick your noodle firmness. "Hard" was the only way to go to ensure that perfect snap with every bite. The Atmosphere The Costa Mesa location always had a great energy--functional, clean, and unpretentious. The staff were always efficient, greeting everyone with a loud "Irasshaimase!" that made the experience feel truly authentic. It's heartbreaking to see such a high-caliber spot leave the neighborhood. If you were lucky enough to eat here, you know we lost a heavy hitter. To the team at Ikkousha: thank you for the memories and the best bowls in the city. You'll be sorely missed! Note: For those still craving that specific broth, their Torrance locations are still holding it down--definitely worth the drive to keep the dream alive. Come back to OC! !

I was completely unaware 10/26/25 was the last day this location was open so I feel very blind…read moresighted T-T The only location left is Torrance and I hope it stays open! Favorite ramen spot ever!! The Black Devil Level 2 Spice will be missed.

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Hakata Ikkousha Ramen - Menu pg 2

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Hakata Ikkousha Ramen - Menu pg3

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Menu pg 4

Xishang Roodle - Wagyu Beef Crossing- The-Bridge Rice Noodle

Xishang Roodle

4.4(246 reviews)
1.5 mi
•$$

I'm Chinese, but had never had Yunnan food before, so thought of giving it a try…read more I walked in and was immediately sat. It's a QR scan to see the menu and place your order through your phone. The food came out so quick. Less than 2 minutes and everything was in front of me and tasted fresh. The service is extremely fast. I got the classic Roodle and as soon as I put all the ingredients into the broth, they swung by and collected empty dishes immediately. The portion was large and ingredients fresh. I enjoyed the variety and the amount of rice noodle. The broth was salty and refreshing. They have some side sauces to adjust the flavor, but I found myself not needing it. The dish reminded me of a form of hot pot but a soup version. Loved it! I highly recommend and will be returning!

I decided to give this place a try because I heard their noodles were very authentic, and as…read moresomeone who loves noodles, I was excited to try it. I ordered their most popular dish, the A1 set, but honestly, it didn't really live up to the hype for me. The broth tasted pretty underseasoned overall. From what I understood, you're supposed to mix all the toppings into the soup with the noodles, but even after doing that, I still felt like the flavor was lacking. Yes, they provide seasoning on the side, but personally, I wish the broth already had enough flavor on its own without needing to adjust it myself. Would I come back? Probably not. Nothing really stood out to me enough to return, and it felt more like a one-time experience. Overall, everything was just okay.

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Xishang Roodle - We came from all over to meet at this Roodle spot in Santa Ana. Fun times.

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Mian - egg with minced pork

Mian

4.4(1.1k reviews)
0.8 mi
•$$

I used to not like Mian but my recent visit was very good as the servers were extremely helpful! I…read moregot the tomatoes fried egg and this bowl is packed with flavor! It's a bit tangy, sour and overall tastes delicious. I do wish that it has protein (meats) in it as it is just eggs and veggies! I would love to come and get this bowl again, share with someone because it's HUGE!

Mian is located inside South Coast Plaza's Northeast wing, one of the most unlikely places to find…read morea Chinese restaurant....ever. But with the recent trend of restaurants finding their way into shopping malls, I figured I'd drop by and see what the buzz at Mian has been all about. I came to the restaurant on a Sunday evening around 6PM and was seated immediately. At this time, there were a lot of people eating in and about 60-70% of the tables were full. Upon being seated, we were given menus and given the option to order using a QR code. Looking at the menu, most of the items were noodle dishes (as expected). But if you're craving something else, the place has fried rice, dumplings, and a variety of appetizer dishes to choose from. For this visit, I decided to try the Spicy Intestine Noodle which was $15.50 at the time of this review. Looking a the bowl, I was very happy with the quantity of food given. On the surface, I could easily make out 13 pieces of beef intestines. And with lots more underneath, the quantity more than justified the $15 price tag. The dish had about 60% meat, 30% thick noodles and 10% bok choy. After consuming just the bowl alone, I was more than satisfied and did not feel any excess hunger. Because of this, the price-to-portion ratio of the dish felt more than fair. Taste-wise, the average diner who is not versed in very authentic Chinese food might find the texture strange. But for someone who has enjoyed authentic Chinese food for a long time, the taste of the dish was overall pretty good. The broth of the soup was just a tad spicy and had a chili oil flavor to it. Definitely add some extra oil if you like more spicy foods. The bok choy given with the dish was fresh and the noodles tasted doughy and absorbed the soup well. The intestines had to be the best part about the dish because the meat were spongy, the flavor was savory and sweet, and it paired well with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. One thing to note is that the intestines have a aroma that can be seen as "stinky" to those not familiar with Asian cuisine, so be sure to enjoy this dish with some water. The experience at Mian was very straightforward and service was efficient. Despite being in a shopping mall, the food here is quite authentic and tastes just like the places you might find in a typical Asian shopping center. For these reasons, Mian deserves a solid 4 star rating out of five. If you're in the mall and looking to get a solid bowl of beef noodle soup, I'd be happy to recommend Mian and will be back to try some more dishes!

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Mian - IG: happyfoodietown

IG: happyfoodietown

Mian - Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (mild) - delicious!  Meats were very tender.

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (mild) - delicious! Meats were very tender.

Mian - Interior.

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Interior.

Izakaya Okan - japanese - Updated November 2026

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