Four of us came for a late weekday dinner, & found out exactly why they earned a Michelin star last year. All the food was fantastic! 2 of us got the sushi omakase. At $50/person, they really did get the best pieces. We all shared spicy tuna on crispy rice, a few rolls & desserts. The consensus among us was that these were the favorites: Mini truffle don - a perfect smallish bowl of truffle-y rice, topped with ikura & a piece of Santa Barbara uni Black cod sushi - charred & smoky, with the lightest bit of a creamy sauce on top Toro sushi - some of the best toro we have had since we were in Japan! Yuzu sherbet - refreshing, lightly sweet, even on full tummies we made room for this Service was really warm & spot on gracious. Absolutely recommend! read more

We went here on a Tuesday afternoon. While there was a wait for tables, there was none for the sushi bar. We got the teriyaki chicken bento, shrimp tempura udon, California roll, and tuna roll. The udon had a relatively sweet broth. I expected a kitsune broth (umami-rich with dashi) as the restaurant specializes in sushi. Regardless, it was decent; the accompanying shrimp tempura were good. Interestingly, this restaurant is also mentioned in the Michelin Guide. I believe this is due to the quality of the rolls. The tuna tasted amazingly refreshing. I liked the California rolls too. For the quality served, they were decently priced. I'm sure more premium items would taste delicious. Walking inside is like entering a small traditional izakaya densely packed with Japanese decor. The restaurant is usually busy with only one or a couple servers accommodating everyone. Sitting at the sushi bar is convenient as the chefs can serve orders themselves. I wouldn't go here if I was in a rush due to the restaurant's popularity. The parking situation is fine, but make sure to use the bigger lot sectioned off from the restaurants. read more

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Omakase $50/pp from Monday to Thursday for dinner. We request for the booth, they did not accommodate. Server girl said the booth is reserved for 4+ people, yet girl sat us at a table for 4 people so I don't know what difference does it make. Service was slow on Tuesday night and there were 3-4 unoccupied booth. We got the omakase, menu said a5 wagyu but we didn't get any a5 wagyu, such a scam. The rice were so dry and fish were stiff. Unsure how they got recognized as Michelin 2025. Omakase Menu: * Cucumber Sunomono w/ Umeboshi) * Asari Clam Miso Soup * 2 pc Sashimi * Chef's Choice * 8 pc Nigiri: 1. Uni (Santa Barbara) -or-Spain Blufin TORO (Belly) 2. A5 Wagyu (#1 Japanese Beef) 3. Spain Bluefin w/ Truffle 4. Japanese Kampachi (Amberjack) 5. Japanese Madai (Seabream) 6. Black Cod 7. Japanese Hotate Jumbo Scallop) 8. Anago (Sea Eel) Lobster Handroll read more

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This used to be my family's absolute favorite restaurant. We've brought so many guests here over the years and constantly recommended it to everyone we know. Unfortunately, the service has been noticeably declining for a while. Last time, when I tried to place a pickup order over the phone, they refused to take it simply because there was only one sushi chef working. Even after I said I was completely fine picking it up an hour later, they brushed me off and said, "You can check back after 30 minutes." Despite that frustrating experience, we loved this place so much that we decided to give it another chance and visited in person today. Unfortunately, today's service was the absolute worst. It's deeply disappointing to see a place we loved go downhill like this. We will not be returning. read more

i was expecting more since this was recommended by michelin guide! wasn't fully disappointed though i opted for the omakase set! the only notable fish were the uni and scallop. everything else was just okay or lacking. the seaweed was not crispy whatsoever, it was SO hard to bite through. uni pasta was really good--it's a very small dish but it's heavy so the portion size makes sense! the miso soup was too salty service was good, waiters checked in with us multiple times. really loved the decor of the place! read more

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I was looking for a sushi dinner spot and this one hits the spot. I came here on a Saturday night and there was a small line. I ordered the Chef's Special 12 Pcs of Sashmi, Fried Soft Shell Crab, Salmon Roll, and Clam Miso Soup. Every dish was packed with unique flavors and everything was pretty fresh. Great spot and will have to be back for other items! read more

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I love their lunch menu!! Sashimi bento is great &delicious. Chirashi bowl is large portion. Inside is small but very cozy! Free parking. All the food is so delicious! Their service was awesome so polite. I would totally come back! read more

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They have some great tasting food items! We had the blue crab risotto and oh my goodness it was delicious. I was so sad when we finished it up. I'd also had the rainbow roll, which was pretty good but it wasn't as cold as I would have liked it to be. For dessert we ordered the yuzu sherbet. So good with authentic yuzu flavor! Plus they gave a pretty good amount for just $5. I would love to come back here and order that risotto and sherbet again. read more

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10/7/25 - My partner and I got here shortly after they opened for the day. There is parking in the small lot in front of the restaurant but plenty more in the adjacent lot. We were the only customers at that time so we were seated immediately. The inside is cozy and the interior design incorporates a lot of Japanese culture and pop references. I ordered the Himokawa Udon lunch special ($24.99) which came with a 4 piece sushi set. They'd been promoting the flat udon noodles as part of their lunch special on social media, and as an udon lover I wanted to try it. The udon was served cold with pieces of ice on top and also came with a sweet, lemony dipping sauce. I'm glad I tried the Himokawa Udon and it did taste good, but it was not a meal that I would necessarily reorder. We also ordered a baked salmon roll ($18) which we could smell from our seats as it was being baked. The roll was served warm and was very filling. My partner ordered an unagi don ($19). The unagi was savory with the sauce and came one a bed of rice with slices of avocado. As we dined the restaurant did start to fill up quickly, so get there earlier if you want quicker and more attentive service. I do want to come back to try out their $50 omakase weeknight dinner special. read more

Kaori Sushi - Interior - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Came back for more! Always packed, but service was good and food was amazing. We came on Saturday night, wanted the $50 Omakase but it was not available on weekends! Will be back on a weekday for that. Fresh sushi and sashimi. Other dishes like beef tongue or crispy rice were also delicious. I honestly wanted to order the whole menu lol. read more

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I ordered the Kaori plate, and it was very good. The variety of fish that was given was great. I love salmon, and it was very buttery. The tempura and everything else were also very wonderful. The inside is very aesthetic, with traditional Japanese decoration throughout the restaurant. As for service they are very on top of it and very welcoming whenever you need something. Will definitely come back here to eat again. read more

Kaori Sushi - Kaori plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

Kaori Sushi is a solid choice if you're looking for affordable omakase during the week. I came on a weekday evening and didn't need a reservation, which was a nice surprise. The food came out quickly, everything was fresh, and there was a good variety throughout the meal. $50 for a 5 course omakase - the price and convenience is unbeatable, it's definitely worth checking out. With super cute decor too! read more

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I have been coming to this place over the years but it has become a weekly visit for my boyfriend and I! We love this place almost as much as we love sushi. Inside feels so cozy and the decorations are so cute, the staff is always kind and everything always comes out fast. Sometimes service is slower when it's busy but that's to be expected. I can confidently say I have never had anything bad here. The quality of the fish here is unmatched. For the price the portions you get are amazing and I genuinely feel as this place is always worth it. My boyfriend loves getting the dinner bento boxes that come at a great price! I love everything here especially the chefs mix sushi & sashimi! I love this place so much and we always look forward to our weekly sushi dates here!! read more

Kaori Sushi - yellow tail jalapeno - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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I came to Kaori after seeing that they had the thick udon on social media! My partner and I came during lunch and they had a thick cold udon + 4 piece sushi deal while my partner got the Kaori bento box! Service was slow since it seems like there was only one server serving customers food! Ambiance was average due to chatter! Cold Udon: Super chewy and thick! Nice dipping sauce to dip noodles into! Bento Box: Based on my partner, he liked the portion sizing of the sushi! TIP: Parking in this plaza is ample and they have a restroom as well! This restaurant closes around 2 PM and they opens at 5 PM, so keep that in mind! read more

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Will be back for their lunch specials WOWWW the sashimi is the most buttery I've ever had, would almost go to say it's too buttery...(almost haha I love a fatty fish). Splurged on the premium chirashi and it was definitely worth it, thought there was only sashimi on top only to find layers of spicy tuna, crabmeat, and seaweed salad underneath! Service was also great despite there only being one waitress- she was very attentive and quick with everything! read more

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TLDR: great appetizers, sushi hit or miss, amazing ambiance (especially the booths in the back), reservations highly recommended Tako wasabi portions go crazy. Agedashi tofu is really good. Squid sushi was great. Salmon was not really great. Eel and toro were standard. read more

Fresh Fish!! Fresh Fish!! I jerked my head around as soon as I heard it. I was panic stricken, with sweat beaded forehead and fear pulsating all through my presently incapacitated body. Was I living my worst nightmare? Had I inexplicably done something horribly wrong? Was it my time to pay for my actions now? Could this possibly be? Could this be prison? Take a sigh of relief my friends, I am not in prison. I am standing in front of Kaori Sushi and the two people exiting the restaurant are raving about their fresh fish. After regaining my baseline faculties, I wondered to myself, is sushi supposed to be fresh? I've heard this urban legend that sushi is actually supposed to be served off-fresh. What do I know though? Not enough to waste my time pondering, instead I stepped inside to what looked like a restaurant resembling something that one might imagine existing in Japan. The Korean chefs and owner might be a dead giveaway though. To be honest I couldn't really tell you if the sashimi was fresh or not but it was delicious. They have all varieties of sushi and they are prepared properly. Their food from the kitchen is solid and if you order some sake you're looking at a good night. The odd thing is, every subsequent time I've been here, I've left progressively less enthused. Stay out of prison and eat more fish my friends... read more

Would I come back? OH YEA. OVERALL: ‣ $50 for a 5-course omakase ? YUHH. ‣ Good quality seafood !! ‣ They use HIGH QUALITY vinegar for their sushi rice ! Here's What I Got: $50 Omakase by Kaori | 5-Course: 1 | Cucumber Sunomono (w/Umeboshi) 2 | Asari Clam Miso Soup 3 | 2-Piece Sashimi | Chef's Choice ‣ King Salmon Belly ‣ Yellowtail Belly 4 | 8 Piece Nigiri ‣ Uni (Santa Barbara) ‣ Spain Bluefin Toro (Belly) ‣ Spain Bluefin w/Truffle ‣ Japanese Kamachi (Amberjack) ‣ Japanese Madai (Seabream) ‣ Black Cod ‣ Unagi (Freshwater Eel) 5 | Negi Toro Handroll ATMOSPHERE: ‣ Good for parties small to medium sized parties ‣ Slightly on the darker side PARKING: ‣ FREE parking STAFF: ‣ Attentive & kind IG & TikTok: @keilanieats read more

Kaori Sushi - Omakase Menu as of July 2025 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Omg this restaurant exceeded my expectations! The blue crab risotto was sooo freakin good. Perfect balance of flavors with the cheese and crab. I would for sure get that again. The n-ta roll was also another favorite. Really rich unique flavors with shiso and a creamy sauce (mayo based maybe?). The red snapper and black cod were really good quality. Black cod melted in my mouth! Very excited to come back! Hopefully I can come for a weekday lunch to get their omakase or chirashi for a cheaper price. read more

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Small sushi spot that serves fresh fish! We went for lunch to try the big udon special. Overall going for lunch was definitely worth it. Everything is about $10 more for dinner. Food: - Cold Udon: Dipping soup was very flavorful but we felt like the noodles would've been better with a hot broth - Sushi and sashimi: fresh and delicious chefs choice. will definitely come here again for my sushi fix Service: - The waitress serving us was great. Unfortunately she was the only server at that time. Really felt for her so we didn't mind everything being a little slow. She was still very attentive and everything. Inside: A little small but fits a good amount of people. We went for lunch so there was no wait but dinner might take a little longer to get in. Parking: Abundant amount of parking!! read more

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Saw Kaori popping up on my social media feed and decided to try them out. The ambiance feels like you're in Japan - it's a small restaurant adorned with Japanese decorations and is dimly lit. I got the $50 omakase and it includes: - Seaweed cucumber salad - Clam miso soup - 2 piece sashimi - 8 pc nigiri - uni, bluefin w/ truffle, toro, kampachi, madai, black cod, jumbo scallop, egg - Negi toro handroll. This is such a great deal for what you get! I'm surprised for $50, uni and toro were included. Rice was seasoned well and complimented the fish. My favorites were the uni, toro, and black cod. The miso soup was a great addition to the meal, and had a depth of umami flavor from the clams. I sat at the table and the food came out quick. Just note that the nigiri for the omakase doesn't come out piece-by-piece individually. Service was friendly and prompt. I'd come back again for this deal! Such a great value to enjoy quality sushi. read more

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The highlight of the meal was the premium chirashi box, featuring an array of fresh fish and ikrua. They had good choice for rolls, and my Dad was surprised how many scallops came with his roll. Service was okay as we had to ask for refills on hot water, which wasn't too hot to begin with. Prices were reasonable considering their fresh fish. Overall not my favorite local sushi restaurant, but was nice to try. read more

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Kaori is a sleeper for mid-range sushi in Fullerton. We sampled the Kaori special, dinner bento and yellowtail collar appetizer. Everything tasted pretty fresh and the portions were generous. I like that the dinner specials include salad, tempura, miso soup and a scoop of ice cream to finish things off. I did wish that the tamari and wasabi were a bit more refined, but given the price it is totally understandable. Service was decent and we did enjoy the Japanese decor. Not quite Kyoto- but fun and a bit kitschy nonetheless. read more

Kaori Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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We were in the Anaheim area and had a craving for sushi, so my husband found this place, which was only 10 minutes away. The surrounding area itself is rather unassuming, and parking was no problem. We got the toro, Ikura, sishito peppers, black cod, clam miso. Everything was OUTSTANDING. Quality was awesome. Smallish restaurant and not fancy or anything but the quality. Wow. Ended up getting the yuzu sherbet and green tea ice cream and wow. LOVED the yuzu. Mika was our waitress and she was great! Would 100% be back. read more

My husband and I very much enjoyed the Dynamite shrimp, crunchy role and the veggie tempura. We sat at the bar and loved talking to the chef who helped recommend some good dishes. The restaurant itself is small, but is a good atmosphere with good vibes. We went during the week and had no trouble getting a seat, however, may need to check if they have reservations for those busier nights. read more

The best sushi in the OC! @kaorisushi This is a hidden gem in Fullerton CA in the OC area! The food is delicious fresh and the customer service is amazing! read more

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While I loved the interior decorations, sadly that was the only enjoyable part of my meal. I came for their omakase on a Saturday night, but they said it's only available Monday thru Thursday. Disappointed, I asked for their closest option and was recommended the 8pc chef's choice sushi. What I got were two pieces each of the standard tuna, salmon, etc. I guess the chef's choice today was their cheapest, most common fish. It's sad to consider that they're using their omakase option to lure customers in during the slow days of the week. This limited availability wasn't on their website hosted menu. I was very excited for this place at first but unfortunately I don't think I'll be back. read more

Really awesome $50 omakase menu available for dinner. You get a lot for $50! They serve it all at once to your table. Fish was fresh and yummy, rice was warm and perfect vinegary. Inside was also beautifully and thematically decorated. I believe they're from Osaka as there's lots of Osaka motifs around. Service was kind and efficient. Highly recommend and would come again. read more

Kaori Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

Food was delicious, at least what we got. We ordered appetizers and entrees but only got the entrees and not the appetizers. Service was pleasant, just disappointed that we didnt get all our items read more

Went on a Thursday night, and we were sat within a few minutes. We had two different servers helping us out, and both were friendly. We started with drinks and edamame. The edamame actually ended up getting forgotten about, but it wasn't on our bill, so we didn't worry about it. The rolls we ordered were coming out quickly, so we just ended up ordering some sashimi at the end instead. We had not planned ahead and were coming from an event. Otherwise we might have considered the omakase. They had a nice assortment of cut rolls though. I had a hard time narrowing it down, as a lot of them sounded good. They were creative, but not over the top, which is good. We ordered 3 rolls - spicy spider, salmon smash, and valentine. All were good. I liked the textures of the spicy spider and salmon smash, but the valentine rolls fell apart when picking them up. We had some blue fin at the end, which was good as well. Prices were reasonable, and it was cozy environment. As far as downtown Fullerton is concerned, I think it's a good choice. It's a little off the main drag. I would go back again. read more

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This place is a hidden gem! Came here with a few friends on a Wednesday Night to try their 13 item $50 Omakase special. The plaza is large and there is plenty of parking. There were quite a lot of people waiting and luckily we made reservations for 7pm. The restaurant has a Glico man poster on their door and you are immediately reminded of Japan. The ambiance gives Japan street sushi vibes. The sushi was high quality, staff were pleasant, and the vibes were spectacular. I definitely recommend giving Kaori Sushi a try! read more

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This place is a cozy little sushi shop located in downtown Fullerton! We came here for dinner around 6 pm on a Friday night and there was quite a wait. Once we got seated, service was quick and attentive. The interior is SO nicely decorated with ambient lighting and Japanese-inspired motifs. The menu offers quite a variety of dishes so it was hard to decide, but I went with the slash salmon cut roll. It was delicious and the salmon was so fresh! I don't normally like cucumbers, but the seasoning on the salmon and spicy tuna complimented the cucumbers so well. I do think that for the price, the rolls are on the smaller side. We also ordered the Chirashi sushi plate and Philly and Mexican rolls. I didn't take a bite of the other rolls, but they looked solid. The Chirashi plate came with miso soup. Overall, amazing interior, fresh sushi, and quick and attentive service. I'll be returning! read more

Kaori Sushi - philly roll, Mexican roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Went here with a couple of cousins and friends around lunch time. First thing I noticed was the beautiful interior design. It brings a chill welcoming environment for you to hangout and dine. I ordered the adegashi todu, flat udon set, and crispy tuna rice. The flat udon was probably my favorite as the udon had a great thick chewy texture that tasted well with the sauce. The tofu was perfect with slight crispy on the outside and softness in the inside. The crispy tuna rice and sushi tasted very fresh and for a person who is not a big fan of yellowtail, it tasted the best out of the 4 sushi's. Service was phenomenal as well and I definitely would be coming back for more in the future. read more

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This place feels just like being in Japan. It's small but feels cozy and authentic. They have an amazing omakase here, and for such great value at only $50. I thought at first it wouldn't be filling enough, but to my surprise I felt even more than content by the end. You get to choose between Uni or TORO part of your set. I wanted both so I just ended up choosing TORO on the set, and ordering Uni on the side since it was cheaper to buy Uni al la carte than the market price of TORO. Also really enjoyed the A5 Wagyu and Anago. Flavors were immaculate. Servers were incredibly nice. They even gave us complimentary salmon collar as well as ice cream (probably since we one of the last people in the restaurant). Of note, omakase is only served on weekdays. We had reservations which was pretty crowded at 7, but by 8 the restaurant was more or less empty. read more

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Yum! Nice staff, DELICIOUS GARLIC EDAMAME...not just a sauce poured over the edamame...the salmon collar is flavorful and my favorite yellowtail and albacore were delectable..just melt in your mouth texture. I'm thankful my friend recommended this cute spot....plus great music! I've told other friends and family to go too! I'll be back often:) read more

The food is fantastic! The sushi chefs are the best. But the place needs a deep cleaning. Torn seats, stains and dust on lamps above the chef's station. They can also use more servers with cleaning tables. We waited 10 minutes looking at a table that needs to be clear. It's a fire star restaurant that just needs a cleaning, let's do better. read more

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We stopped by for lunch specifically to try the cold flat udon set, and it did not disappoint. It came with a set of nigiri on the side. It was my first time having udon like this. At first glance, the noodles looked super plain, but once dipped into the flavorful sauce, they completely came to life. Cool, chewy, and refreshing -- perfect for a lighter yet satisfying meal. The nigiri on the side was beautifully prepared, with pieces cut nice and thick -- no skimping here. Definitely a solid lunch spot! read more

Kaori Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

This place has bits of good and bits of bad. Let me preface this by saying that I understand that these days economic hard times has made some restaurants running on razor thin lines with staff to make sure they can stay afloat. Ordered the $50 omakase for 2 people total. Overall for the price the omakase was a decent deal. The "toro" had very little fat IMHO. But for the price it's hard to complain. Also ordered the tempura and hamachi kama about half way thru the omakase. Throughout the meal, service was very slow and had to repeat many requests, including ice water, pickled wasabi root, diet Coke and even to take out order. It took over 2 hours and 30mins to complete our meal and we are fast eaters. They had 1 sushi chef and 2 waiters working. One waiter seemed like he was training and one manager was barking orders at him while he was cleaning tables and other things. My date wanted to cancel the hamachi kama and tempura because it took about 20-30mins to arrive, but I had to talk her down from complaining. It did arrive fresh and hot though. The tempura sauce was lacking grated radish also. We ended up taking the majority of the tempura and kama home since we were out of sake by the time it arrived. The workers were overall friendly and seemed flustered a bit. This spot is not bad for the price overall for a local spot but it's not a spot you would take anyone to impress. 2hours and 30mins for the amount for food is outrageous imho read more

Always looking for a good non AYCE Japanese sushi restaurant. Kaori delivers. Similar to another favorite of mine, but more of a focus on sushi. My wife and I decided to go Ala-cart and Kaori did not disappoint. Fish was fresh and a few of the cut roll recipes were unique sounding so that's what we ordered. We started with mixed tempura, then hamachi and amberjack nigiri. The tempura was battered right and fried to perfection. The fish was firm and fresh as expected and the sushi rice was actually mixed with mirin as it should be. We ordered two cut rolls and I can't remember the names, but one had jalapeño on top but used blow crab instead of imitation crab, which makes all the difference in the world when it comes to taste. The other cut roll was a no rice roll with various sashimi, seaweed salad and spicy tuna wrapped in cucumber. Fresh and delicious. Finished the meal with a hamachi Kama (yellowtail collar) and toro nigiri. Loved it. Yes it's more expensive than all u. An eat, but so worth it if you like quality over quantity. Oishi read more

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I'm so happy that I finally tried this place especially when it's just a few miles and even walkable from my house. Good, simple, affordable sushi is always what I'm looking for. I ordered 3 kaori lunch special to go over the phone and it took about 15 minutes . When I arrived, it was just right on time and packaged very well . I wish they gave packets of soy sauce, but since it was my first time to go, maybe it's something I should've asked for. I will definitely be back . I love the huge parking lot too! Hopefully the lunch special menu will help someone because their website and pictures are a bit outdated. read more

Kaori Sushi - Lunch special menu as of 7/18/25. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Fullerton, California

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