We got a meal here on a Saturday night around 6:30pm and found parking easily. The restaurant wasn't crowded and we were warmly welcomed in and quickly seated at a table. There is the option to sit at the sushi bar or a table or a booth. We ordered the omakase with a yellowtail hand roll and mixed tempura as an appetizer. The sushi quality was great and the mixed tempura was perfectly fried. My only complaint is that they go very heavy on the wasabi - so when eating some of the nigiri I wasn't able to taste the flavor of the fish over the wasabi. Im hoping it was an off night because I would love to come back and try again! read more

Kaigen - Mixed tempura - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

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Valentine's Day dinner at our usual sushi spot was very disappointing. Our servers were wonderful and attentive, but the sushi bar took an extremely long time to get our food out. When it finally arrived, the quality seemed off. My husband and I ordered the omakase and a few rolls, and my daughter had a hand roll and rainbow roll. Most concerning, I became sick before we even left the restaurant, and the illness continued once I got home. My daughter also didn't feel well shortly after. This has never happened to us here before, and it was very upsetting. We've always enjoyed this restaurant, so I hope this was just an off night, but food safety and quality should never be compromised. read more

Gem of a place. We got the omakase sashimi and it was a beautiful presentation. Such a great deal for what you get. The service was very attentive. The ambience is pretty spacious for a sushi joint. They have a great selection of beer and food. We added a couple of other dishes that were a little on the pricier side but still great and tasty. We did the crab roll and the albacore carpaccio. read more

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Nice little sushi restaurant. I wanted to try a simple omakase and Kaigen delivered. We ordered the $45 omakase. It came with 9 pieces of sushi and a roll. It also came with salad and miso soup. Each piece was fresh. Presentation was nice. We also ordered the sashimi lunch combo. It came with 3 different types of fishes. It also included soup and choice of rice or salad. I liked the miso soup here. It had a good amount of tofu and it wasn't so salty. The male staff that assisted us was nice and friendly. We came before it opened so we got seated. It got busy later on. So it was a good choice to go early. The menu was pretty extensive. Lots of items. Prices were decent. I don't think I will go outta my way for this place, but if someone I know wanna go, I don't mind. read more

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I kinda didnt want to leave a review cuz i want to gatekeep this place.. Enjoyed their omakase and service. The chef was generous to include belt fish i never tried as sashimi in our set. No single piece was fishy. Not a big fan of salmon and tuna, but their cherry salmon and bluefin tuna was good surprise! Sea bass, sea bream and black cod were delicious. Scallop very fresh. Quite a bit of unique items on their special fish menu! read more

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Kaiden is truly a hidden gem for sushi in orange. I think they get over shadowed by the other joints. But this place is not only so good. But the price is amazing. Omakase 45. 9 pieces. Plus hand roll. What a deal. High quality fish. Ray was amazing. They also have a sashimi omakase 20 pieces. My fav. Scallops. Cherry salmon Halibut Spanish mackerel Blue fin Black cod read more

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First time here today. The sushi bar was full so we sat at the regular table. We ordered the sushi omakase which is 9 pieces. It consisted of soup, salad and nigiri and one hand roll. I usually don't like getting omakase unless it's at the bar bc as expected, the temperature of the nigiri was off. Both the rice and the fish was a little too cool/cold for my liking. And granted $40 for omakase is a steal! But the pieces were on the smaller side. Salad was drenched in dressing so it was overpowering. Our waitress was friendly and efficient. Would come back again but sit at the bar. read more

Kaigen - Soup and salad - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

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Came for sister's bday for the sushi omakase. My fave part it of meal was the toro and the cooked cod sushi at the end! It was good! Very reasonably priced. The set came with a salad and miso soup to start. Was able to call the morning of to get a reservation at the bar. Service was good. Ambiance was casual and relaxed. We were able to sit for awhile and chat without feeling rushed. Servers were warm and friendly! Thank you Kaigen! read more

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I'm so glad we found this hidden gem! From the moment you walk in, the warm glow of the lantern and cozy atmosphere makes you feel like you've stepped into a little slice of Japan. The inside is lively but still comfortable, with a traditional sushi bar where the chefs prepare everything fresh right in front of you. We ordered a variety of dishes, and everything exceeded expectations: * The miso soup and salad were the perfect start--simple but flavorful, with that carrot and ginger dressing I love. * The tempura was light, crispy, and not greasy at all--absolutely delicious with the dipping sauce. * The steamed mussels were fresh, tender, and full of umami flavor, perfect with a bowl of rice. * The sushi rolls were generous in portion and beautifully balanced with fresh ingredients. * The Omakase was the highlight--every piece melted in the mouth, and the seafood quality was outstanding. Unfortunately, the service left a bad impression. We originally reserved for 7:00 pm but called ahead to move it to 8:30 pm. When we arrived, we were told we'd need to leave by 9:30 pm regardless. At the end of our meal, we asked to split the check four ways, and the server remarked that he "would have stayed all night" if we did that. It was disappointing, especially after such an excellent meal. Overall, I'm glad we tried this spot for the food, but I wouldn't return because of the service. read more

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I came here on a weekday night to get some sushi with the husband. I read on the reviews that this place gets busy, but we came five minutes before they open for dinner and got seated right away. The person who served us was super nice very attentive. And I guess since we got there before opening, everything was super clean! We ordered their sashimi roll, salmon collar and crunchy spicy tuna with a side of fresh wasabi. I love their sashimi roll! It tasted so fresh with low carbs. Their salmon collar was super juicy. It was easily my favorite dish. I could have done without the crunchy spicy tuna because the rice was too crunchy. It was dry. Overall, I would come back again try other dishes. The place wasn't expensive. read more

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What a hidden gem for omakase. Especially if you aren't looking for an extremely fancy/well-priced option. No way, and great service. Our water was always full and the Omakase chef was really welcoming. They have $42 omakase with 9 high quality fish, 1 handroll, & complimentary edamame, soup, salad & cucumbers . No complaints about the fish, I love how minimal the additional seasonings are, no heavy sauces like mayo or whatnot on the fish. Just pinches of salt or topped with seasoning. Additional notes: 1. I will say the wasabi on the hand roll was really strong, it made me and my partner have wasabi burn. 2. We ordered tempera on top of the omakase. I really like the way they fried the items. However, there is a lot of fried zucchini, which I'm not a huge fan of because of how the texture is soggy inside I would have loved if there was more diversity like pumpkin or sweet potato instead. Omakase: blue fin tuna amberjack sea bream scallop cherry salmon sea bass shiokko black cod choice of bluefin or yellowtail handroll read more

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Oh boy... I shoulda known when I was told this place looked good on tiktok.... Here we go. I got the omakase 9pieces, miso soup, salad hand roll. Entrance looks ok. It's in orange many strip malls plazas look similar. I had a good experience with sushi in Orange so had high hopes. Walked in and was greeted by empty lunch crowd, 1 waiter and 2 sushi chefs. Seemed pretty sketch lol but I thought maybe it's cuz weekday. Sat down at counter... first thing I noticed, the fridge display was really old and caulking on the counter looked like a Mickey Mouse job... I coulda done better. Looked up... there's dust falling from the ceiling (refer to images). Alright maybe the food is just that good. Ambiance and vibe might be a bit off but let's try the food. Miso soup: it is what you expect. Powder miso soup. Salad: wayyy overly dressed. Just normal spring mix. Fish quality: 3/5. Edible, "fresh" but the texture had a bit of that mushy soft feel from not fresh fish. It's definitely sushi grade but just not up to my standards. Flavor: chef puts a lot of sauce to mask the quality of the fish I believe. Really sweet sauce. When I eat omakase I want to taste the fish and the sauce/topping should make the fish shine. I felt like I was eating sauce with some fish. Rice: mushy sticky not individual pieces. Also not seasoned enough. Disappointed. Hand roll: it's not a hand roll. It's a maki.... Crab filling was good Atleast. Good blue crab flavor and not too overpowering on the mayo. I have a problem with the seaweed though. It was all soggy and chewy. Not like quality fresh seaweed that's crispy when you first make it and eat right away. Other notes: green tea tastes like water but looks green... can't believe I paid for this. You can tell on the bluefin toro the fish meat is kinda broken. QR code takes me to a site using Naver a Korean search engine. Opened by Koreans??? Wasabi is fresh. I will give them that. They use really wasabi and grind it by hand. Thank you for not using store bought bottles wasabi. Even for the price... not worth it. Overall very disappointed by this omakase experience. I'm glad service was alright though. Very attentive waiter and chefs were friendly read more

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My girlfriend and I were randomly in the mood for sushi one night so we decided to check this place out after seeing the TikTok videos advertising it's cheap omakase. We were very pleasantly surprised by our experience! The omakase was every bit as good as the videos had promised and at that cost point, can't be beat! In addition to the chef's omakase, we also ordered the crispy rice tuna appetizer since it's one of our favorite things to get at any sushi restaurant. It wasn't very good so we would pass on that next time. But the omakase was so good, we didn't mind. Among our favorites in the omakase were the blue fin tuna, the toro, and the sea bream. The waiters were pretty attentive, clearing out our plates very quickly. The restaurant gets full pretty quickly but we sat at the bar so no issues with any wait for us. I would highly recommend this place for anyone who likes omakase style sushi. Just don't order anything else. read more

Kaigen - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

Gf found this 42 dollar omakase video on the tic tac. Came for lunch on a Saturday and glad we did. Dude listed off all the fish when he brought it out and I don't remember them but all bomb. Soup and salad were great too. Service was solid, server was very friendly and helpful. Very nice looking place. Will definitely be back. read more

Kaigen - Sushi Omakase - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

If I could give Kaigen 6 stars, I would. Everything here was so good, including the service. You can immediately tell the quality is top tier, especially if you sit at the sushi bar. The fish is super fresh and just melts in your mouth. We started with the shishito peppers and they were perfectly seasoned. For sushi, we had salmon, toro, uni, suzuki, yellowtail, tuna, and the Philly roll, and honestly there wasn't a single miss. The salmon was buttery, the toro was unreal, and the uni was creamy and fresh with no weird aftertaste. Yellowtail, suzuki, and tuna were just as good. If you're a sushi lover, Kaigen is a must. Definitely one of my favorite sushi spots and I'll for sure be back. read more

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Every time I crave sashimi, I go to this place. The atmosphere is peaceful, and every dish is delicious. The omakase set is enough for two people because it comes with rice, soup, and salad. I usually order soft shell crab, tempura, and takoyaki as appetizers. Really good service too read more

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Food was amazing for such a great price! I ordered the omakase and for $60 it was one of the best you can get for that price. I always recommend getting fresh wasabi with the order. I would say the service was okay when sitting at the tables. I would rate the service overall a 3/5 I would try sitting at the bar next time. Ambiance was nice and accommodating for a party of 6. Tip for having large parties is that you can call in to reserve a spot!I also I was happy I didn't have to fight for parking. read more

Great quality for a cheaper omakase experience! I visited Kaigen with a friend on a Saturday noon. I called in a week prior to make a reservation as there is limited seating/service. I sat down at the sushi bar facing the sushi chef. The sushi chef prepared all the different types of sushi in front of us and it was a great experience being able to view his different techniques. He would serve us one by one and the service wasn't too long or too quick between the different courses. All of the different sushi's were great and delicious. They were fresh, flavorful, had melt in your mouth textures, and were of good quality. I loved the toro the best - it completely melted in my mouth and was very tasty. I also loved the salmon as well and it had hints of sweetness. My only critique is the chef could layoff on the wasabi portions on some of the pieces. Especially for the handroll, there was too much wasabi to the point where it was an attack on the nose. But not a deal breaker. We had 9 courses of sushi for around $40ish which was such a steal! We did leave a bit hungry after that, but still a good price. We were also served a soup and salad appetizer at the beginning which was nice. The general service was good and the host was nice and friendly. The interior was that of standard plaza Japanese restaurant - not good, but also not bad. The interior wasn't dirty, but it wasn't the most cleanest either. There's also ample parking in the parking lot. Overall, this was a great and cheap omakase experience in OC and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a budget-friendly experience. read more

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9 piece Omakase Nigiri set with a hand roll plus 1 extra nigiri piece. Great service as always. Seated right away at the sushi bar, next toy the chef read more

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Located in a strip mall in Orange, Kaigen provides an omakase experience that rivals high-end sushi bars, all without the hefty price tag. The omakase menu is priced generously and includes: nine pieces of nigiri, a hand roll, miso soup, and salad. Each piece is meticulously prepared, featuring selections like buttery toro, fresh scallop, and sea bream (a favorite of mine), all sourced from quality fish markets. The chefs does something magical with their their creations because each piece will WOW you. I would recommend dining at the sushi bar so that it allows guests to interact directly with the chefs, adding a personal touch to the meal. The staff is attentive and friendly, providing a more than welcoming atmosphere throughout the dining experience. For those seeking a high-quality omakase without the pretension, Kaigen delivers exceptional value and flavor. read more

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Wow what a pleasant surprise! Had the omakase here at the bar and the quality of sushi was very fresh! Service was quick, friendly, and attentive. I've eaten at many sushi restaurants around SoCal and they all were great but for the price and quality, it's hard to beat Kaigen. This is a spot that I immediately thought of returning to once I left. Planning to become a regular here hahah read more

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This is a simple no frills sushi restaurant. Parking is really easy and when we went around noon it was quite empty. We got the 20 piece sashimi omakase and sat at the bar. It started with salad and miso soup. I really liked the quality of the sashimi. My favorite was the cherry salmon. The chef was really nice as well. It was a nice touch that they gave us a matcha ice cream for my husband's birthday. read more

Put this on my list of places to try after seeing it was highly rated in North Orange County. It is located in a strip mall and can be easily missed, but parking was ample. The restaurant is spacious and clean. It starts getting busy in the evenings. The service was okay, though I feel they may be understaffed at times. I had uni nigiri, salmon nigiri, toro nigiri, and amaebi nigiri. The quality was fine; I have had better quality elsewhere. It was worth a try. read more

Kaigen - Uni nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

This place has been my favorite local sushi restaurant in Orange. The price is reasonable considering they have very good quality of food and service. I always order their omakase with some other items. Best deal omakase in town! read more

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Great sushi tonight. Thank you everyone for bringing the Best of everything to dinner at Kaigen. The fresh fish was Amazing and service was outstanding with good attention to details. Nice clean restroom available inside for customers. Plenty of parking here on Wednesday night. We appreciate all your hard work for this special occasion. We highly recommend everyone come to Kaigen for dinner. Enjoy the Spirit of fine dining in Orange. read more

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We absolutely love Kaigen! It's our go-to spot whenever we have a free evening. We always get the omakase, and it never disappoints, everything is so fresh and beautifully prepared. Our absolute favorites are the scallop, cherry salmon, and toro, literally mouthwatering every single time! We love sitting at the bar and chatting with the sushi chefs too. They're always so friendly and make the experience even better. Thanks Kaigen!! read more

Kaigen - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

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Alright. Come here for the omakase. But DONT get the other stuff. I can't believe I paid for that cucumber salad hahaha but it is what it is. My fault for expecting more. They do give you an appetizer salad, so turns out we didn't even need to order a salad.. Udon noodles are so obviously freshly thawed hahaha but I still ate it all. Tempura that came with it not pictured but it was ok. 6/10. But the omakase sashimi???? Get. It. For the price, 5/5. AMAZING. Just come for the omakase or sashimi! Skip the frill and other stuff. read more

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Such an amazing experience. Food - soooo good. Service- soooo great. We walked in on a busy Friday night and were assisted right away. Love this place. read more

WOW, just WOW. I was craving omakase, and my boyfriend brought me here for date night. Kaigen us tucked away in a unassuming location but it is absolutely fantastic. I throughly enjoyed their omakase, which comes at a great price for the quality. Each bite was buttery, melt-in-your-mouth and honestly UNREAL. We sat at the bar which was so much fun as we got to know the sushi chef and the friendly staff. Truly a hidden gem for sushi lovers, we had such an amazing experience and will be back as soon as we can! read more

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Drove 1 hr to come here a second time. Omakase is a must! At an affordable price. The fish is fresh and melts in your mouth. You don't need soy sauce with it. Will definitely come back! read more

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A true Hidden Gem for Sushi Lovers The affordability, hospitality, and attention to detail at this spot are truly unmatched. I've only been here twice so far, but it's been on my mind daily (only because I live far) -- I keep finding reasons to plan my next visit. If you can, sit at the sushi bar and ask for Danny. He's an incredible sushi chef and host who goes above and beyond to make your experience unforgettable. Every time I've sat at the bar with him, I've left with a full stomach and an even fuller appreciation for quality sushi. The fish here is some of the best I've ever had, and in my opinion, it beats Sugarfish hands down for both quality and price. I've tried the sashimi omakase and the sushi omakase, and every piece was phenomenal. Each omakase will come with a miso and a citrus vinegarette salad. My personal favorites were the toro, bluefin, scallop, seabream, yellowtail, yellow jack and the blackened cod. The sushi sushi omakase comes with either a blue crab hand-roll or yellowtail hand-roll (pictured)The fish is sourced from around the world and delivered fresh daily -- you can taste the difference with every bite. I've also had the Ika Geso karaage (deep-fried squid tentacles) wish tasted freshly battered and fried and crispy rice with spicy tuna which was phenomenal and perfectly spicy. While the restaurant itself might not look like much, the moment you step inside, you're greeted warmly and surrounded by the comforting aroma of Japanese fried dishes and fresh sushi. It feels like eating at a friend's house -- if that friend happened to be a master at Japanese comfort food. And don't forget to pair your meal with a chilled Orion premium draft beer! It's the perfect complement to an already amazing dining experience. read more

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I wasn't going to write this. Really. I was fully prepared to take this gem to the grave because once the secret's out, it's going to be a battle royale for a bar seat. But alas, here I am--because greatness deserves recognition. Kaigen is hands-down the spot for the best bang-for-your-buck omakase in Orange County. $39 for a parade of ultra-fresh, melt-in-your-mouth fish? It's basically daylight robbery--in your favor. Pro tip: Sit. At. The. Bar. That's where the magic unfolds--piece by piece, bite by bite, handed to you like a sacred treasure by the sushi chef himself. If you end up at a table, they'll still let you order the omakase, but they serve it all at once, platter-style. Still tasty, but where's the drama? Where's the suspense? Where's the sushi foreplay? They also have a solid sake selection if you like your raw fish with a side of buzz. Bonus: the vibe is casual but polished, so you can roll in without feeling like you're underdressed or overpaying. read more

Kaigen has delicious and fresh nigiri! I went twice, once ordering a la carte, and once ordering the nigiri omakase while sitting at the sushi bar. I would definitely recommend the nigiri omakase at the bar, as the fish is high quality and the chef prepares each piece with lots of care... all for just $60! The omakase was a great experience, as the chef would prepare the pieces in front of us and hand us the nigiri one at a time. I appreciated that the wasabi was already inside the sushi so I didn't have to add more on top. The only thing for improvement was maybe the pacing. I felt that it was a bit fast, and I felt rushed to finish the sushi before the chef would hand me the next piece. Overall, this spot is great value for the quality and quantity of fish and the great service. Would return with no hesitation! read more

Ordered 2x omakase set - Blue fin tuna - I found this to be a very good cut of tuna that wasn't fishy at all. The texture is above the cheaper cuts we've had at other locations. I love how smooth and satisfying to chew it is. - Amberjack with salted egg - Super unique and actually worked well! The salted egg yolk added a subtle twist to the flavor and texture and it all went down easily. We've never seen amberjack presented like this before so it was a novel experience we'd definitely like to appreciate again. - Sea bream - we loved the crunchiness of the white fish and the kick from the yuzu. - Halibut with shiso leaf - This was a fun bite. It was a bit sweet and spicy from the sauce, and complimented with a fresh, aromatic flavor from the leaf which honestly kind of felt like a twist on the usual wasabi flavor. The fish was also very crunchy. - Cherry salmon - Very sweet and smooth cut of salmon. High quality, not sure what the sauce was, but it worked. We're pretty picky with our salmon, but this makes it. This was one of my gf's favorite piece. - Sea bass - had a nice soy flavor with it and enjoyed the crunch with the green onion. - Young yellowtail - Thick and crunchy cut. Not much to say here, we also loved this one - Toro - Amazing cut, literally so smooth and creamy and melts in our mouth. This piece alone elevated the omakase set we got. It compares to the toro we've gotten at much pricier omakase experiences. - Black cod - Despite appearing to be the heaviest of the bunch based on its seared and saucy aesthetic, it actually turned out to be quite light! Sear was subtle, and the sauce gave it a bit of a savory kick to complement the fish. This was a surprise standout. Overall (5/5): We came here on a Thursday evening and it was pretty empty. It's a bit of an unassuming spot, that you wouldn't expect to have an amazing budget option for omakase. I would be genuinely shocked if there was a better restaurant for omakase at this price point, considering it's not just a nigiri set, you also get a salad, miso soup, and an extra hand roll! Each nigiri was well made and sported thick cuts of fish and a very balanced rice to fish ratio. The rice also didn't fall apart when we picked it up with chopsticks... unlike more expensive and highly raved about spots we've been to! Also, be sure to avoid soy sauce, and enjoy each fish as served because the chefs have already perfectly flavored! The one thing to note is that they are pretty understaffed, resulting in it being hard to get attentive service and could be worse during busy weekend times, though the staff was very friendly and still took the time to explain the fish in the omakase to us and talk to some of the customers. read more

Kaigen - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

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Hands down, best sushi I have had in years. Unbelievable. I forgot how good sushi can really be. This place deserves a 10 star review. This is how sushi was meant to taste. Freshest fish....Love this place. Nice people, too! read more

Kaigen - Salmon Skin hand roll & Spicy Tuna hand roll - Japanese Near Me - Orange, California

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We came for dinner on a weekday. The RSVP was pretty straight forward but they only accept them over the phone. The restaurant is located in a random strip mall with plenty of parking in the lot. The restaurant itself is not very big so it does fill up fast especially during peak hours. The menu itself is pretty straight forward with classic Japanese cuisine choices. You are presented with a sheet to mark off your nigiri, roll and sashimi choices from the sushi bar. The other apps, yakitori you have to order with the waiter. They do have Orion on tap so if you wanna taste some authentic Okinawa beer this is super refreshing on those hot summer days. The best value is absolutely the omakase sets with either the 9 piece or 20 piece sets. The sets come with miso soup, salad and rice. But these are also great for sharing if you want to order other items like we did. The 20 piece set is perfect for two people with a variety of super fresh and thickly cut sashimi. It's served at the perfect chilled temperature too! Note if you eat at a table they serve it on this beautiful platter, but if you eat at the bar they will serve you per course. For apps, the soft shell crab was super tasty but was just enough for two people with exactly one whole crab cut in two. So if you have more than 2 people you may need more orders since there's literally only 2 pieces. The yakitori was also grilled perfectly and super tasty. We got the scallop which was grilled super tender and well seasoned. It comes with 3 pieces. The best of our two was the chicken breast with green onion. The added green onion gave a very nice herbal flavor with the super moist and tender chicken. Overall a great dining experience was excellent service. Yes this is a small family owned business and yes it is Korean owned but they do serve delish Japanese food for the price point and for the area for casual dining. We'll be back again for sure. read more

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Highly recommend to make a reservation. We were able to squeeze in for two at the bar when Kaigen opened. Omakse Sushi and Omakse Sashimi is delicious! Wow. Fish is fresh and I enjoyed the service! Interior is clean and welcoming. read more

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The omakase is a great deal! We used to go a lot when it first blew up on social media, and have dropped to occasional visits from the popularity. It is a hole in the wall location with limited seating, so plan around to wait a bit especially if you want the sushi bar. Staff is friendly enough, and the chefs are very detail oriented. We also love their albacore sashimi plat, and is a must every time we go! read more

I came in at 11:30 for lunch with no reservations and was seated right away. The omakase was excellent quality and each fish was perfectly seasoned. The quality and craftsmanship of each sushi was just as good as Oshima down the street but the price and availability was much better. I will be coming back! read more

my bf treated me to omakase here a few years ago and i never posted about it until i saw these pics from that day. i still think about this experience to this day because the price and quality were amazing back then. i would love to come here again for our anniversary and experience omakase from this place again. read more

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