If you're craving sashimi, sushi, or Japanese food in general, Kiyo is a really nice spot to try or dine in at! My girlfriend and I were looking for a place to choose and the chirashi bowl caught her eye, so we ended up here, and were thoroughly surprised! Seating was pretty quick nearing closing and there's plenty of parking, and service is great! Servers stop by often to refill water, ask questions, make sure you feel at home honestly, and that's a big plus. I personally can't handle too much when it comes to sushi, so I only ordered 1 seared salmon roll, and I got full off it quick, but the flavor from the seared salmon was good and balanced the fatty feeling I typically get. Plus the hint of sriracha and spicy mayo added a kick, but in a good way. The mushroom miso soup was so good to have on the side, not too salty, very savory in my opinion which I liked. The salmon carpaccio was amazing, definitely have to order that if you're coming here in my opinion as it's an all around good dish. Garlic edamame was okay, it's just an average side dish to have with everything, just would maybe ask for a tiny bit less garlic overall? But it didn't ruin the dish. Lastly, I had the takowasa, and I was really surprised with this. I've never had raw octopus, but this was very wasabi heavy and the texture was really interesting. It was kind of like really firm popping boba, and tasted mostly like wasabi. The only thing I didn't try from was her deluxe chirashi don, but in her words, it was perfect and so good that she'd be thinking of this place often. So if you're really captivated by the look of it, you should try it! You won't be disappointed ^_^ we'd definitely come back some time and recommend Kiyo! read more

See all

How have I never been to Kiyo before? I live super close but finally got around to trying their lunch specials. The best sashimi I've had in a while, the cuts are so thick and buttery. We went all out and got all the premium items- the premium sashimi platter, premium chirashi, and lunch sashimi. Would definitely recommend the premium chirashi the most- feels the most balanced because it comes with rice and the sashimi is literally just the sashimi haha. The quality of the fish is top tier, and there's a lot of cuts in the premium orders that are unique like sweet raw shrimp, uni, and jumbo scallops. Kiyo will definitely be my new go-to whenever I'm craving sashimi, the prices are amazing for what you get, especially for Irvine. I'd also like to try just their regular lunch specials and dinner items to compare them to the premium options. read more

See all

A great spot for very fresh sushi with very well priced lunch specials. There's a good amount of parking in the parking lot. They're fairly popular for lunch because of their specials. They have sushi bar seating as well as smaller tables available. They have iPads that they give to each party to order, but the lunch specials need to be ordered from their staff directly. The food is of excellent quality and all of the fish is extremely fresh. Their dishes have very appealing presentation and the taste of the food matches the effort that they put into the presentation. They give a generous amount of fish per dish and it makes for a very satisfying meal. I've been several times and the quality is very consistent. read more

See all

Dined in this time and really enjoyed the sashimi salad and the Kiyo roll, which is my all-time favorite. If you're a fan of fresh rolls and high-quality fish, I would absolutely recommend the Kyo roll. I came in for lunch and they were offering a great sashimi lunch special, but since I was craving something lighter, I went with the sashimi salad along with the Kiyo roll. The portions were larger than expected. The server mentioned it's meant for one person, and I agree -- if I had been a bit hungrier, it would've been perfect as a full meal on its own. The service was excellent and the food quality really stands out. As someone who considers themselves a sushi connoisseur with a strong appreciation for good sashimi, I would definitely recommend this place. Their lunch specials are especially worth it. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Sashimi Salad and Kiyo Roll - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

The food here is amazing! We got several of the special sushi rolls, and we recommend the Dragon and Crunchy, but everything we had was delicious. The service was great and they were very attentive. This is a cozy restaurant, and there's nice options for seating- chairs, booths, and at the "sushi bar" where you can watch them make the food. I would definitely recommend going here! read more

I've frequented kiyo sushi a lot and its a go-to for me when i want good quality sushi easily. its super close by and there is usually no wait. my favorite order is a salmon don. though, i have to reduce a star bc the service isnt very consistent. we have had some moments where the service wasnt the best. for example, there have been a couple times where they seated people out of order, as we were 1st in line for a party of 3 and another party of 3 who came later was seated first, and they didnt have a reservation. it was very odd. ambiance is minimalist and clean. can be upscale if you want it to be but also casual too. read more

See all

My friend treated me this Japanese restaurant because it's the best in this area. I chose chirashi don, their lunch special. Possibly one of freshest fish in chirashi don and rice tastes great as well. The lunch set comes with miso soup and it's not watered down - flavorful. Service is good and quick. Their menu is actually an iPad. Ambiance is modern Japanese sushi restaurant. It's busy at noon. The lunch is great, if you are hungry - order the premium sets! read more

See all

Delicious and fresh sushi with a modern touch! We got the new Uni with homemade tofu as appetizer, the creamy uni marry well with the plant based tofu. We also got the lightly marinated grilled abalone; it was full of flavors and our fav item for the meal. For lunch, we shared a steak plate, three pieces of lightly torched toro; it just melted in your month and you can tell it was high quality fish! The steak was cooked to perfection, served with ripe tomatoes, and the dry garlic flakes added a different texture to it, we were surprised to find such plater at the sushi restaurant. It just shows there is something for everyone at Kiyo! read more

See all

One of my go-to spots for lunch specials in the Irvine area (and unlike most places, their lunch specials run on the weekend as well!). Their Chirashi Don lunch special is around $22, and is a pretty good bang for your buck. For $13 more you can get the "premium" chirashi bowl, which includes a few extra items like uni, ikura and fried shrimp head. Combined with the miso soup that comes with the lunch special, it's a decent thing to order and split with a friend if you're not too hungry. They also have lunch combos (for around $20) that include miso soup, an entree (from a selection of salmon skin salad, teriyaki chicken/beef, or a selection of grilled fishes) as well as a side (from a selection of the usual edamame, karaage, and tempura options plus various sushi rolls). The servings are pretty generous, so once again, if you're not too hungry, it's a decent thing to split or eat partially and take the rest to-go. One note: even though their outdoor signage says they close at 2:30pm, they actually close at 2pm (which is what most online listings say, so at least it's been updated there), so last call usually happens around 1:45pm. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Salmon Skin Salad - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

unassuming from the outside, this restaurant has a pretty interior with more space than i would've thought! parking was limited when i went but the lot is big and you're bound to find a spot. they have great lunch specials and their food was fresh and filling! overall i'd go back here. Chriashi Don the fish tasted fresh and the cuts and little sauces on the scallops were perfect! it's served on a bed of rice with some ginger and wasabi and it was the perfect amount for me. Miso Soup (complimentary with don) i love when places give free soup with your fish. the miso soup was a perfectly warm, soothing compliment to the cool fish and rice! Shrimp Tempura served with only 3 pieces, this tempura was perfectly crisp and crunchy while staying soft inside. it wasn't overwhelmingly bready which i appreciated and it was a great appetizer! the pieces are a bit small so i do think $2 per tempura is a big pricey. it also comes on a bed of extra tempura flakes that you can eat as you please! read more

See all

This place has quickly become my favorite sushi spot. I love coming here on the weekends for lunch, especially because they do happy hour lunch deals. Shocking, right? Not many places offer lunch happy hour on the weekend. The service is great, and I really enjoy the atmosphere here. We ordered: Veggie Tempura: Lately, this has been my go-to. I love anything fried in tempura batter, and the mix of veggies gives a nice contrast to all the sashimi. Miso Soup: Complimentary, flavorful, and a perfect start to the meal. Takoyaki: I'm a sucker for takoyaki,if I see it on the menu, I have to get it. These came out piping hot and crispy, topped generously with bonito flakes. The little side of salad added a nice crunch and balance. Chirashi Don Bowl: The fish literally melted in my mouth. The yellowtail was especially incredible, so buttery it actually outshined the fatty tuna. The way they prepare everything makes it fun to eat. read more

See all

If you want some beautiful, fresh sushi - this is the place to go. My favorites are the Kiyo roll, Phoenix roll, & salmon carpaccio. Don't miss out on the mushroom miso soup. All the sashimi is very very good. It's small so I suggest going when they open. Alternatively, this place may have the best takeout packing I have ever seen. Everything is packed beautifully and comes to you in great condition. It's great to order in or pickup if you have guests too! read more

Great food, GREAT price! Get there earlier so you could get a spot! Place is clean and very good service. read more

A bit conflicted on my rating because I loved the fish; it was fresh tasting! But the sushi rice was sooo mushy? Sadly for me I feel like bad sushi rice at a sushi restaurant is almost a deal breaker. You just can't have mushy rice alongside luxurious raw fish. I would give it a second try and see if the rice improves because the fish was great. My husband does not eat fish (he's missing out haha) and ordered the gyudon rice bowl - he was super disappointed because the beef was very saucy which paired poorly with the again mushy rice. It comes with raw egg as well, which makes the rice even soggier! Ahh... It made me sad. Saving grace was good fish with nice fish presentation, and the gyoza was yummy. read more

See all

I love their lunch special chirashi! It's such a good value, and they even offer it on weekdays. The portions are generous, and the sashimi is really fresh! I ordered online for pickup, and the process was really smooth. The servers are attentive and the restaurant is very clean. read more

We ordered the sashimi platter and 2 lunch boxes for lunch. Nice selection of fish, sweet shrimp and scallops in the platter. The lunch is a choice of entree and side, with salad, rice and seaweed. Everything was very good and filling. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Sashimi platter - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Top notch quality of fish as well as the take-out packaging. I have yet to dine in but so far first impressions have won me. read more

See all

Kiyo sushi was delicious! This was my first time at Kiyo sushi. They had a short wait and we got the premium sushi set for lunch. High quality and fresh fish. It was all around delicious and I'm very impressed with the presentation and food. Especially loved the toro and the scallops! Great service as well. I look forward to my next visit read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Premium Sashimi Set - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

這一家餐廳一年多前來過，一個長輩帶我們家來的，我那時候後來就覺得他們的價格很不錯午餐有很多很棒的lunch special，果然在這邊朋友過來，價格公道，食物新鮮，服務態度也還不差，難怪在這邊生意非常的好， 11點多來就已經是幾乎滿桌了！ read more

See all

Still one of the best bargain for sashimi. We love the premium sashimi lunch special. Plenty of variety and very nice cuts! A single order is enough to serve two light eaters or two eaters on diets! read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Premium sashimi lunch special! Our go to dish! - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Simply delicious with graceful service. It can be on the high end side but it worthwhile. Simple, great quality, freshness, and well presented. decor is simple but elegant with a touch of Japan feeling. We love the sake presentation, but of course you have to get a good one in order to get the service. Just love it. read more

See all

I LOVE SUSHI. service is awesome sauce and i love the environment around there. all the employees are super nice and i highly recommend this place. read more

Love Kiyo for their lunch specials. You can't beat $22 chirashi bowl. Fish is fresh and plenty. My daughter gets the cucumber roll. And sometimes the plain udon. Be sure to come right when they open for lunch though, they'll get busy. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

It's a small and clean little sushi place in a strip mall. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was very good. The quality of the sushi and freshness of the food was great. I think I would have preferred a little more variety. We didn't order any udon as we usually do because we heard it's not as good, but everything else was very good. I think this place specializes in really premium stuff that costs $100s+ per serving, but we didn't try any. Otherwise the cost is on the high side of moderate -- not cheap, but not outrageous either. Overall, it's a good experience, good service, nice interior, very good sushi. read more

See all

I want to start off my saying I have NEVER given a sushi restaurant 5 stars. But Kiyo deserves it. I ordered takeout earlier this week and ordered it again today because it was that good. It is SO hard finding good sushi, especially in Irvine. It's always not fresh or only select cuts are good. But every piece of sushi I had at Kiyo was amazing. We got the deluxe chirashi bowl, sashimi B, salmon ikura don, and a few cut rolls. Everything was packaged so well and tasted amazing. Even the Amaebi and uni were great, which is very rare for casual sushi restaurants. This is definitely my go to spot now. I haven't dined in store which is where people seem to dock their ratings on (service issues?) but the quality of fish is there for sure! read more

Another visit! So good! They never fail to amaze me with the delicious lunch specials available even on weekends! read more

See all

They're constantly swamped so service is a hit or a miss esp. when there's only 1-2 servers for the whole restaurant. But the prices are goooooooood. Their chirashi bowls are a no brainer to order and they're always fresh. It comes with a miso soup and hot tea is included in your meal for free. The bowls are similar but different each time we go - I'm guessing this just depends on the freshness of the fish and what is currently there that day. They give you an ipad that shows you what you can order/photos - but not really needed. Their lunch specials are also available on the weekend. Parking is simple as it's in a giant plaza and H-Mart is in the same plaza if you want to get some groceries after your trip. Can't get a seat? Just get take out! Their takeout comes in awesome fridge bags w/ ice. Your wait is about the same, and there's tables outside the restaurant so you can just eat it there. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - chirashi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Kiyo has a modern aesthetic with a sushi bar and a decent amount of seating. The service here is always impeccable. Food comes out fast and efficiently. The food, itself, is literally inexplicably good. The quality of the fish is the best i've ever had in all of orange county. And they sell uni by the box! Everything here is delicious. If you like sushi, you absolutely have to come here. They open at 5:30pm for dinner and there are always people waiting outside for them to open. So come here early and wait. It's worth it! read more

See all

How always come to this place and order my lunch special sushi bowl with salad it tastes amazing

Food was average- I remember it was much better years ago. Garlic edamame had a strong taste of sriracha and tasted sour, tempura batter was not crispy, little hard. Service- I literally had to raise my hand for anything I needed. Servers just did not have the common sense to come and ask if we need anything- I am asking for water, a bowl, a spoon, additional food. I felt like I was at a typical Chinese restaurant where they put the food on the table and that is the end of the service. I still tipped them average but I felt my tip was a waste of money. Don't think I will be back. read more

We went there on Monday around 1:15 pm. Guess if any lunch rush, it is over. Ordered the lunch specials Chirashi Don. Great quality sashimi and no problem ex rot the sea urchin tasted not very fresh, just ok. Nothing special to say except a solid lunch special place if you are looking for reasonably priced sashimi and Bento lunch specials. read more

Came here because the original sushi spot we wanted had a long line. Came in on a Saturday at 1, was packed and i knew i was at the right place. Sushi is high quality, prices are super fair, service was very good! Would definitely come back. read more

8 hours ago New Horrible, horrible, horrible staff. If you love being disrespected and get terrible service then visit this place. The middle aged woman who is the server and who's also in charge of the delivery takeout orders is horrible, rude and unprofessional . Orders take ages to be ready and you get served with rude attitude if you dare to ask how much longer you have to wait. They act as if they are doing you a favor for taking your money and serving you. If I could give it a 0 star I would. I will never step foot in this place ever again. read more

I think this is the best Chirashi bowl you can get in OC. I came here for their lunch deal, they did not disappoint! I got the premium chirashi bowl, there were real crab, Uni , toro... all the good stuff. So worth the price. I think it's a very good value, for the premium food you get. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Premium Chirashi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Plenty of sushi options. Fish portions are bigger than most Japanese restaurants. Really easy parking and great place when you are craving sushi. Protip: dont add too much wasabi and eat Nigirizushi with no soy sauce but eat sashimi with soy sause - HL read more

See all

The lunch special is super worth the amount. There are a few options for lunch specials depending on what you like the Chirashi don is the best value for your buck. We got the premium Chirashi and salmon dons both super good quality and worth the price. If you are thinking about going for dinner it is also a great spot! The sashimi is a decent size cut and everything is super fresh too. The wait can get pretty long though so just keep that in mind. read more

Kiyo Sushi & Sake - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

The food is pretty consistent and delicious. I've been a repeat customer due to that. Taking two stars away because the service has been pretty mixed. I don't have super high standards but I've had a waiter get my order wrong (they also didn't confirm my order) and I had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the correct order. Another time I had a waitress that was super impatient initially - and no, it wasn't close to the last call and I kept a very courteous tone throughout our encounter. I think she softened up afterwards because she felt bad. Lol. read more

Since my last review, have tried some one Japanese restaurants and still, the sashimi at Kiyo is far superior. Nice thick cuts and freshness, quality taste that is unmatched in OC. Love it. read more

See all

After a long absence, we recently revisited Kiyo and surprisingly I had the bluefin tun don that I ordered six years ago. And this time, it was a lot better and it was even less than what I paid back then. I don't know if ownership changed since their opening in 2018, but it was a pleasant surprise. The restaurant was filled to capacity for lunch on a weekday. The staff is understandably busy so I did not have a chance to chit chat with anyone. Food is good, but not much of an ambiance. read more

Great food and service, place is nice and quiet, I'd recommend to everyone who love sushi