Hard for me to write this review b/c I think a lot of people would prefer to gatekeep this spot. Not everyone can afford to eat here often because the prices for dinner are pretty pricey, but the lunch is quite affordable and the food quality is top notch. The service here is also great. No matter if we sit at the bar or at a table, the staff is friendly and attentive. It is also noteworthy that almost the entire staff speaks Japanese which helps create the illusion that this place could be in Japan. There has never been a time or a dish that we ordered that was not special. Each dish is handled with care and the basics are done quite well. If you eat J food a lot, you can tell quite a bit about a place by the inexpensive/overlooked items that you consume. Think about miso soup, most people think of this as a free item that is just to hold you over. Here they use real tofu, real miso and seaweed. Even something as simple as wasabi, they will give you fresh wasabi when ordering certain dishes. Their fried foods are also done to perfection. And you can tell they take the extra care to ensure your food is cooked properly (not over or underdone). We have to be careful not to come here too often because it can get expensive, but each time we do come here, it is definitely worth while. I feel blessed to have found this place and we wish the owners/staff all the best. read more

Went to Jinbei a little before they opened for lunch and there was already a line of about 20 people. We were seated at a table and the waitress went to each table in the order we were seated to take orders. By the time she got to us, 10 sushi lunch were sold but we managed to get the last 3 of 10 lunch chirashi bowls and also one mixed roll lunch special. The fish in the chirashi bowls were very fresh and they were thick slices. It is definitely worth the lunch price if you can manage to get a bowl. The only thing I don't like is how they a lot of different pickles on top of the sushi rice under the fish. There are a lot of small chopped up pieces and they kind of ruin the flavor of the fish and rice when I try to eat some sushi rice along with the fish. I wish they would put the pickle to the side so people can choose how/when/if they want to eat the pickles. Other than that, the portion is big and we all only ate half the rice. read more

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underrated authentic Japanese food that is better quality than most. Great service from friendly staff as well read more

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My fiancé and I went here on the recommendation of a friend and it was delicious! We came for dinner and there were two parties in front of us but the wait wasn't that bad. We got a table and parking was easy. We ordered the dragon crunch roll, the chef's selection, and the chicken kaarage. It was all so good and super filling. I would definitely come back and bring friends here. Although it is a little loud and the spots are tight so it's probably not the best place for a large group. But otherwise, the food is top notch if you're looking for sushi. read more

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I'll start by saying, just go. Go to Jinbei. Stop reading reviews and just go. Jinbei serves up happiness. It's called udon, but it should be called Soul Healing Super Soup. Depending on when you arrive, there likely may be a wait. If you can wait, wait. Take a walk around the block, play games on your phone, but wait for a table. It'll be worth it. I'm selling Jinbei so hard because it's the single best stand alone bowl of udon noodles I've had in a very long time. I got the beef udon + a karaage appetizer. I was stunned. I loved the option to add protein to my udon, but even without it the broth and noodles shine. The soup has a mild, light, but confident flavor. It feels like a hug on a sad day. It's a blanket when it's raining. It's a smile when you need it most. The noodles are firm and soft all together. And the serving size is fair. You will get full simply on one bowl. My experience got even better once the karaage arrived. This chicken means business. It is full, juicy, flavorful, fresh, well plated, and has a satisfying crunch without being heavy. I would almost say that the chicken outshined the noodles, but that would be crazy talk. So delicious. The service was great too. We had our order taken quickly, waters refilled, and were checked on frequently. Jinbei's dining room is small. It's a cozy, warmly lit, and well decorated room. It's not big, which explains the long wait, but it doesn't feel intimate either. Somewhere in the middle. You can hear the conversations happening next to you, but you don't feel like you're eating with them. A good date spot, good for friends, but I wouldn't take my young kids here. Jinbei is a love letter to great food. It stands on such solid ground and then reaches for the stars. You have to try it. read more

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I tried Jinbei for the first time this past Tuesday. After reading other yelp reviews we decided to get there about 10 minutes early but there were still about 5 or 6 small groups ahead of us. When it came our turn to order they were out of the Chirashi bowls so we got 2 orders of the Sushi Lunch (had 3 left), which arrived about 15 minutes after ordering. I noticed a number of other reviews citing bad service but I thought the service was pretty decent as the staff was nice and not slow when taking into consideration the fact that they went in order of arrival to not miscount how many Chirashi/sushi lunches were already ordered. For the food itself, the fish and rice quality were both very good but I will note that the wasabi was extremely strong here. I thought that adding more wasabi (in addition to the wasabi already in between the rice and fish) overpowered the fish itself. Overall though the place was pretty good but would try to arrive even earlier next time to get the Chirashi bowl. Food: Sushi Lunch: $18.8 read more

Jinbei - Sushi lunches - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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The quality of the fish here is amazing, however, the past few times we've been here, the service has been slow and inattentive. We still come occasionally because the sushi is high-quality, but the recent service has made us visit less often. I would still recommend this sushi spot purely for the fish! read more

Jinbei - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This is my favorite sushi in OC. I feel like I am visiting my local sushi spot in Japan when I come here. Great staff and tasty food.

Their fish is fantastic. I was able to get the halibut fin again! Woohoo! Definitely must try to sit at the bar if you want sushi. That's the freshest to eat. So happy they had takowasa here. Everything was good. It was my 3rd time here. I've been coming here too much. I like sitting at the bar in front of chef Jun. He wasn't here today though. I'll have to return again ha! Tonight was crowded for a weekday. People were having fun like it was a weekend! Loud and rowdy at every table. It's fun ambiance! If you're not having fun here, something isn't right! read more

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Overall the food at Jinbei was high quality but seriously lacking in diversity. I ordered the chirashi lunch and it was as predictable as it could get with a piece of tuna, yellowtail, fresh water eel, halibut, octopus, and salmon. Nothing really stood out in particular. I think there's a possibility that I'm way too accustomed to the Bay Area sushi restaurants where I'm bound to try something more unique such as uni or squid. I would also recommend Jinbei if you're in need of a place for a business lunch. read more

The food here is always presented in such an appealing manner, flavors are clean and fresh. This time my mom and I shared a Tonkatsu set lunch which included a miso soup, some sushi and the star of the show- tonkatsu! We ordered extra miso soup and the portion was just right for both of us since mom is recovering from surgery and not eating much yet. The sushi was fresh, miso seasoned just right and the tonkatsu was sufficiently thick, juicy and breaded perfectly with a golden crisp exterior. The service was attentive despite a full house with a decent amount of check-ins and hot water refills. My only quibble would be the wait time at noon for a table, which took a good 30 min. So plan your lunch accordingly! read more

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Service Was ok but kind of slow overall decent quality but not worth the $$$ cost was over $100 for me and my two kids read more

Sushi chef was amazing!! Also Sushi was fabulous!! I'v never been there. I'm first time. But employers were so kindly.

The food is great, authentically made, and fresh. The service and staff are friendly and professional. The ambience gives an authentic Japanese vibe. Overall, I had a good experience at this place. Will go back. read more

Jinbei is one of my favorite sushi spots here in OC. Authentic Japanese food, fresh fish, decent pricing, and ample parking. The other day, I got a kitsune udon, and my family and I split a variety of rolls. The broth is savory and has a strong dashi flavor. The chicken karaage is so good. Perfectly crispy and I love the ponzu and tartar sauces to dip it with. The rolls are good, except this last time they were a little heavy handed with the spicy mayo. read more

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Came here for an early lunch with a friend, and there was already a line out to narnia before they opened. Luckily my friend got there before our meeting time and we were seated immediately. The chirashi bowl and all of the fish we ordered was very fresh and delicious. The service was great, and the food authentic and fresh. Give this place a try. You will not regret it. read more

Slow service and the food was not good at all. The uni pasta was unavailable, and the menu overall felt very limited.

Who could have guessed that the suburbs of Irvine would hold the secret of the BEST sushi restaurant? Seriously, I'm the type that eats everything and it all tastes good to me, but this sushi was next level. Within the first bite of their specialty roll, I could tell the fish was high quality and fresh. For delivery, we got the Special Roll #1 with tempura shrimp & spicy tuna, another spicy tuna roll, and rainbow roll. So filling and a great portion (even a couple extra bites over!) for two people. I've eaten in the restaurant before as well and the service was fantastic to no surprise. They're located in the Orchard Hills Shopping Center so there's plenty of parking. Make sure you get there early though as the place fills up fast and there's usually a wait. Enjoy! read more

Jinbei - Special roll #1 at Jinbei with tempura shrimp and spicy tuna - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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OISHIIIII Parking: Shared lot Service: Prompt but sometimes it takes a while to turn a table. Get there at opening if you want to order the Chirashi bowl lunch! Food: Everything is good. The fish quality is exceptionally fresh. I turn to my dude during our meals here and say out loud "yup this is an excellent decision. I love life with you". Amazinggggg. I told myself I'll dine here monthly just because it's THAT good. read more

My fiancé and I celebrated our anniversary here and it was amazing! The service was professional and timely, and the staff made sure to make the evening special. The ambience was very romantic. It's some of the best sushi I've had here in CA, and can't wait to come back soon! The mackerel, uni, and otoro are the best! I definitely recommend this place for any special occasion. read more

Had to try the chirashi bowl since there are a limited amount each day. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and presentation! The fish were all super fresh and came in big pieces! Also, the rice was very well seasoned, I couldn't stop eating it! I enjoyed the assortment of different pickled vegetables in addition to the rest of the elements! I would definitely recommend ordering this! read more

Jinbei - Chirashi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

The Orchard Hill's main Sushi restaurant situated at the shopping center anchored by upscale Pavilion Grocery and Mediterranean Źov's Restaurant stands on the hillside overlooking the Portolla Street with other expensive, overpriced and undeserving accommodations for the entitled few locals, this place tops the list for undeserving reputation for quality Sushi. The service is OK but not exceptional, their expensive Sushi menu is not very exciting. The three Sushi chef's mainly cater to those who are not really versed at quality Sushi. The first and foremost the rice is undercooked. The house Sake comes in smallest portions. The Sashimi platter came at very last after four sushi dishes. The quality of Toro and Unni just isn't what I expected. The overpriced and just so so quality of food and the service was just not up to par for their reputation! Three stars for me. read more

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The food is good hear. Very close to my house . Small dinner menu. This restaurant is always busy so be prepared to wait

New owner and food was not good ....got the chirashi bowl and got only 4 pieces of fish and rice was mushy. No wonder the restaurant was empty at noon...so many other good restaurants out there, no one will come back. read more

Excellent food as always. We had their special rolls, spicy tuna with garlic & jalapeño, and baked salmon. The wait can be long depending on when you go. Will definitely be back. read more

We came here because we wanted omakase and didn't want to drive too far or wait in a long line. We saw on Yelp that there was no wait time so we decided to come. When we got there, there was already a few tables that were seated. They asked us if we wanted indoor or outdoor and it was cold that night so we asked for indoor. There was one big party that came in after us that sat indoors but they sat everyone else outdoors because we adhere to the social distancing, which was nice. The server came right over and explained the menu. We wanted omakase so we just let the chefs pick. We did the 10 piece omakase and ordered a spicy tuna roll as well as a crunch roll. We thought that 10 pieces of omakase was not going to be enough so that's why we ordered the two additional rolls, but in actuality, we probably could have done without the two rolls. The 10 pieces were super filling. The chefs did such a good job with each piece. They were all different and very flavorful without using any soy sauce or wasabi. Even with the omakase and two rolls, the price was super decent. Most places you go to, omakase is at least $150/person, but this wasn't and it was still really good. Highly recommended. We will definitely be back. read more

Jinbei - 10 piece omakase - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Opens at 1130am and you'll want to come early to get to their limited menu items. We came about 10 minutes early on a Friday and there were about 30 people in front of us so we came back on Sunday and were first in line :) They have 10 chirashi and 10 nigiri plates. The food is fresh and service is very good. Come check them out! read more

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Went on a Saturday night with reservations for 7 at 5:30 - right when it opens. We got there a few minutes early and were surprised to see a line almost to the sidewalk! Luckily, with reservations, we got in right away, but I'll keep that in mind for next time. We had gotten the chirashi take out before during covid and that's what I had my heart set on before we got there. The dinner menu felt somewhat limited, and they didn't serve their chirashi during the dinner hours. The nigiri sushi we got was fresh, though, and was the best part of the meal. The server (owner?) was very friendly and helpful. We'll be back, maybe for lunch next time. read more

Came here on a Friday night around 7:30pm. We put our name on the Yelp waitlist when we arrived at the restaurant, and there were about three people ahead of us. We waited about 15 mins before we got seated. The restaurant is quite tiny, so it makes sense why there was a wait. I ordered the dragon crunch roll ($18). Honestly, it wasn't anything spectacular. The roll tasted like a standard sushi roll that you can get at any AYCE sushi restaurant. I also tried one of my boyfriend's amberjack sushi. It was also average, but was less enjoyable than other sushi places because there was hidden wasabi in it. So if you don't like wasabi, you might want to be careful about ordering the sushi. Price was quite high. This place is not worth writing home about. read more

Jinbei - Dragon crunch roll ($18) - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Slow service. We have been going to Jinbei for a while and when we noticed there was a new owner, the food started to be sloppy and bad quality and now that the newly renovated Jinbei opened the food is still the same, nothing changed besides the decorations. Do not recommend coming here. read more

Get in line well in advance of their 11:30a opening time! We arrived at 11a to already see a line. It's well worth the wait! Big cuts of fresh fish on their limited chirashi bowl and sushi lunch plates. Deeelicious! read more

Very reasonable price, especially for their lunch specials. The staffs are pretty polite & helpful. Highly recommended read more

Jinbei - Limited # of lunch specials - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

My wife and I have been coming to Jinbei for about 7 years now which means we've been experienced Jinbei through several ownership (or at least staff) changes. With that said, throughout ALL of those changes Jinbei has remained a go-to for us. Service and food has always been top notch. They have most recently remodeled a bit and everything looks gorgeous. On our most recent visit, we sat at the sushi bar and had the pleasure of being served by Chef Burton. We ordered various pieces of nigiri and he let us enjoy them one by one and explained what each piece was as he presented it to us. Everything that he made for us was incredible. Each piece had perfectly seasoned rice and a perfect fish to rice ratio. He was incredibly kind, fun, and the rhythm at which we received each piece was such an enjoyable experience! I would absolutely recommend checking out Jinbei! read more

The sushi melts in your mouth. Nice cuts and color fresh. Food is great. This was my parent's favorite Japanese restaurant. However, service was a bit backwards. Hot food came out first. Then Salad. And last sushi. They forgot the blue fin and we waited an hour for it. Waitress never smiled and she occurred put off when I asked her for my mom's rice to go with her meal. I recommend the restaurant for the quality of food not the service tonight. read more

The last time I reviewed Jinbei was in Oct 2023. Today I went back for lunch and had a Chirashi bowl. The rice was dry and the price was high. What a disappointment. This restaurant started off really good back in 2008 or so, but ever since then it has been getting worse and worse. If you are looking for a decent Japanese place to eat, sadly I would not recommend Jinbei. read more

This is our go-to Japanese restaurant for lunch. Their sushi lunch and Chirashi bowl are our favorites, they are delicious and fresh. Their service is always good as well, definitely worth the price. One thing worth mentioning, if you come for their sushi lunch or Chirashi bowl, be sure to come at least 10 minutes before they open since they have a daily limit of only 10 Chirashi bowls and 10 sushi lunch orders. read more

Jinbei - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I love this sushi spot! Sushi is always fresh and delicious and service has always been great as well. My husband and I love doing omakase at the bar and always enjoy what the sushi chefs prepare for us. Most recently, I took my family to celebrate my dad and brother's birthdays. We ended up ordering some tempura for appetizers, a few rolls for myself (currently pregnant and can't eat sushi), and sushi for the rest of the family. Everything was delicious and service was great! It's on the pricier side, but the quality of the food makes it well worth it and a lot of their fish is imported from Europe or Asia. We're loyal regulars now and can't wait for our next visit! read more

Oh boy where to start? Jinbei is my new home favorite for sushi. Since Covid, my taste buds had a difficult time finding old spots had changed or completely resigned. But then Jinbei happened, it only helps to keep searching. All food was delicious, whole and complete with chefs way* I arrived with little hours left, but service was like being at home. Hospitality, vibes, energy and movement all well done with Jinbei. I find myself recommending all the time now. Thanks everyone at Jinbei, yelp, and future readers. Peace, blessings, and understanding. -Steph B read more

I love love love this restaurant Knocked down 2 stars bc they are always out of the best stuff and always make an excuse. Probably will not ever go back again. Sad. I was a regular But when it's good it's good. Never ever consistent tho. read more

Jinbei - Sweet shrimp, salmon belly, seared halibut fin. Amazing but 9 times out of 10 it's sold out. - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Great lunch deal, but you need to be aware that they have a limited quantity and it is first come first serve. There are 10 sushi specials, 10 roll specials, and 10 chirashi bowls. Excellent value for high quality fish, ranging about $13 to $20 ish. Other lunch specials are also very good, like the tonkatsu and udon. Those are not limited. read more

Jinbei - Sushi lunch special - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California