If you're in Dana Point and looking for something simple, honest, and actually made with care -- this little spot surprised me in the best way. I ended up here in the middle of the day while working in the area. Never been before. I try to avoid chains when I can and pick something new each time. This place caught my eye, and I'm glad I walked in. It's a small, family-run vibe -- and I mean literally. Looked like a husband and wife running everything themselves. They were both super polite, calm, and you can tell they really care about the food and about every guest who walks in. No rush, no attitude, just warm hospitality. I went with something safe for me -- ramen and salmon sushi. And both were just... really solid. Not overcomplicated, not trying to be something fancy. Just good food made right. The broth had depth, noodles cooked right, and the sushi was fresh with balanced flavor. No complaints there at all. The place itself is small. Not a big dining room. A few tables inside, clean but definitely more of a takeout-focused spot. They don't have a restroom available inside, which kind of confirms that they expect people to grab food and go. And honestly -- I would. Not because it's bad to sit there -- it's fine. But this is the kind of meal that hits even better sitting somewhere by the ocean with the breeze. I'd definitely order takeout from here and eat outside by the water next time. I paid around $30, which is very fair for the quality, especially in California. They do ask about tip at checkout before you get your food -- that part always feels a bit weird to me, but I get it. Overall -- 5 stars for the food and the heart behind the place. I'll remember it. And I'll be back -- probably to pick up a to-go order and take it straight to the beach. read more

Maki Yaki - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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This quaint location is a mom & pop shop run by the sweetest people ever. Don't expect stellar dine-in service as you will have to order and pay up front before anything. Either way, the staff here will always make sure you have everything you need as long as you ask. You're free to help yourself w/ hot or room temp water at the dispenser in front of the green wall. Plenty of parking and jsyk there is no public restroom. As for the food, everything tastes great! You get a great amount of fresh fish for the most affordable prices in the area. The sushi rice tastes good and I appreciate how the rolls aren't stuffed w/ rice to make up for the lack of fish. I especially like the Aloha roll, Lollipop roll, Crunch (shrimp tempura) hand roll, and the sashimi & carpaccios are all fresh. Love how you can get pickled wasabi (real wasabi) for a reasonable up-charge. All of their salad dressings are made in-house too! Great place for a quick & casual bite to eat. They got treats for dogs and lots of friendly vibes to share. Super accommodating to all, and can confidently say that they treat their regulars so well. Always happy to support a local, family-owned business! Thank you :) read more

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The server was really nice; the place seemed small and quiet. I got the chicken teriyaki plate and was very disappointed. The chicken didn't taste right and the texture didn't feel right. It was very hard but chewy once you started chewing on it. Listen, I cook chicken almost every day and even make chicken teriyaki bowls myself with dark meat and white meat but this chicken just didn't taste right. The sauce tasted like a bottle of teriyaki sauce you would buy from the store. I wouldn't recommend the chicken teriyaki from here. read more

Maki Yaki - Chicken teriyaki plate - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

Hard working couple.. Definitely hole in the wall. Let me give you an honest review. I should've read the previous post about the teriyaki chicken- inedible with the worst teriyaki sauce on the planet. Sushi was decent and worth getting. No alcohol here... just a quick decent meal. read more

I stopped in to get a Roll at this small Sushi Shop located in Dana Point between PCH and Del Prado in a small strip mall with Taco Bell in the same center. It closes from 2:30-4:00 daily for a break between lunch and dinner service. I had my two grandsons and we wanted a quick snack before music lessons. We waited until 4 then went in to order. The woman was very kind, polite and welcoming. She took my order for a crunchy roll to-go, and told me it would be about 15 minutes. It came out in about 10 minutes and was bigger, fresher and more tasty than I expected. I'm not sure why we haven't tried this restaurant before? We've lived in DP/LB/LN area for decades so I'm not sure how we missed this little gem. The crab was perfectly cooked and not imitation. The tempura shrimp was fresh as were the veggies inside--the eel sauce on top combined with crunchy pieces was delicious! The boys had a few pieces each and loved it so much they asked me to take them back this week. They are 1/2 Japanese and spent 2 weeks in Japan this summer so they know good quality sushi:food! We'll be back most definitely to try another roll soon! read more

Maki Yaki - Fresh Crab and Shrimp Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Food was very good and service was great. I would recommend the ya ya roll if in the mood for a roll. Staff was very kind and quick. It was also very clean inside. read more

Maki Yaki - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

At first I did not expect much from this location, but it was a hidden gem. The high quality of the fish was superb and surprised me. The owner/chef was a professional omakase chef and it really shows in the dishes' taste and appearance. I am coming again! read more

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Excellent place with amazing food. We were in the area and decided to look up a good spot came across this perfect place everything taste grate and the service was amazing. If you're in the area or a local this is the perfect spot. read more

Maki Yaki - 67. Salmon Tempura Roll - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Mucky Yucky, Not So Lucky People must have really bad sushi radar because this place does not deserve 4.5 stars. We tried to power through $65 worth of sushi--but when you're literally gulping down rolls just to justify the spend, something's seriously off. We left behind three rolls and miso soup. The only thing we took to-go was the edamame, and even that was a "maybe the kids will eat it" move--not because it was good. The fish was questionable, the textures were weird, and even the vibe of the place felt off. This wasn't a picky palate situation--this was a "what are we doing to ourselves?" moment. Honestly, they should rename this place Mucky Yucky. Harsh? Maybe. Accurate? Definitely. Sorry, not sorry. read more

Wanted a quick to-go bite to grab and have a little picnic for a sunset on the beach, ordered a teriyaki chicken bowl, and decided that during the wait I would grab some sushi. 10/10. Very high quality sushi, delicious, I was a little skeptical since the restaurant is very small and compact, but I was very glad I didn't let that bother me and stopped in anyways. The gentleman running the register was very polite, didn't rush me to make a decision despite me standing there trying to decide for probably a full four minutes. Very patient and kind. Would definitely come back here for the sushi, the quality you can truly taste. By far one of the best sushi places I've been to. read more

Maki Yaki - 74. Green Dragon Roll - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Got food poisoning today after eating there! Had a couple of sushi rolls and though everything tasted fine within an hour, I was having stomach cramps. And worse! I won't go into details..... :( I definitely won't be going back. I also didn't really like all the cluttered boxes around in the dining area. It just looked really tacky and messy. Wonder what the kitchen looks like!? read more

I love this place service is always amazing. The foods great. Small place and looks like family owned read more

It took me a while, but I got over to try the sushi here again. It is under new management . I got the Philadelphia role and added crispy fried onions to the top. It was so delicious. The rice and crispy onions were perfectly cooked, the salmon was so delicious! The size and quality for the price is great! The friendly staff was efficient and very welcoming. can't wait to go back and try something else! read more

Maki Yaki - Philadelphia roll with added crispy onions on top - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

This place is a staple in our weekly rotation. Sushi is quality and tastes fantastic. Our go-to rolls include the Cucumber Wrap, Philadelphia Roll, Spicy Yellowtail Roll, and surprisingly the Veggie Roll. The man at the front (Seyuel), is an amazing person. So very friendly, and remembers everything. Be his friend. Prices are reasonable for sushi by the beach, I think my wife and I spend about $50 for (4) rolls, and a miso soup everytime. Unfortunately there is no indoor dining, as they have converted to takeout only for the time being, which is the only reason Maki Yaki gets a 4-star. Other than that, try this place. read more

My kids and I enjoyed the food here. Service was friendly, and fast, prices are fair. The food was made to order fresh, and there's a good variety of menu items for everyone. We enjoyed the chicken cutlet with rice, then temp pour vegetables as well as their salad. The salad dressing was delicious too. Nice option for the area. read more

One and done. Went in at lunch for a poke bowl. It was AWFUL. There was a small portion of tuna scraps that were tough and chewy. Never again. read more

I've been frequenting this place for over five years now. Most of the time I've always had a good experience. That being said, I went there a few years ago during the pandemic, and I think it was on a Monday or Tuesday. For some reason, the food seemed off and it was just not as good as usual. I was not ready to come back for a while, but since I had had a usually good experience, I decided to give them another chance. We decided to go back last night after several years without visiting. It was nice that the owner recognized all of us. They no longer do dine in, having changed to takeout only. We brought our food home, and everything was as good as ever. Tuna poke was super fresh. Teriyaki chicken Bento box was excellent, with good portions of tempura, sushi, and rice. Sushi rolls were also spot on and great. I had gone there many times before always having a good experience, so I had to give them the benefit of the doubt they just had an off night. Nine times out of 10 this place has been great. Thank you, Simon. While the off night is rare, don't give up hope as 98% of the time this place is spot on. read more

Stopped in for lunch today. Small place with great food. Had the spicy tuna mango roll, and my husband had the Yaya roll. The owner brought over some complementary onion straws to go with mine. Great food will stop by again. read more

I ordered the rainbow roll with miso soup and it was delicious and filling, he had the unagi bowl and the tempura fried shrimp and vegetable plate It's a little hidden gem that makes authentic Japanese food. The owners were outstanding and provided excellent customer service, the restaurant is clean and has cute tables wooded floor booth and chairs lighting and ambiance was great. read more

Although I've driven by countless times, this was the first time I stopped to eat due to the number of high reviews. Maybe my expectations were too high or I made the mistake of not ordering standard sushi selections, but I was unimpressed. In flavor, the beef teriyaki plate was at best a 3. That too many pieces of beef were too gristlely to eat, that drops my review to 2.5. The other dish sounded intriguing, having never seen it on a menu before - spicy tuna tempura roll. Unfortunately, it was a complete miss. The tempura completely masked the flavor of the tuna; the frying made the tuna texture mushy. Now I know why I've never seen spicy tuna tempura rolls before; they're not very good. I will probably try this place again, when I'm passing by and craving sushi. But I'll stick with the standard sushi items - no experimenting! read more

Maki Yaki - Spicy tuna tempura roll. - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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We ordered off Uber eats so I can't speak to the restaurant itself, but the sushi was pretty decent. Preparation and delivery were faster than anticipated so that was awesome! We ordered the Rainbow Roll, Popcorn Roll and Philadelphia Roll. The Rainbow Roll was fresh and just your standard Rainbow Roll. The Popcorn Roll was the best of the three...sweet, fresh crab on the inside and lovely crawfish and sauce on top...and the crawfish was substantial! I'd have expected it to be mostly breading but it wasn't! It had a great amount of fish inside. The reason for the 4 stars was the Philly Roll and their wasabi. The Philly Roll has a strange flavor to it...I'm not sure if it was something on the inside or what but it had a strange aftertaste or something...I didn't like it. And the wasabi was also kinda strange...was mild with a strange texture. Otherwise it was good...I can recommend the Popcorn Roll for sure! read more

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The sushi and rolls were really good. 4 stars because I feel it's a bit overpriced for a takeout sushi spot. $95 for me and my 2 kids (no alcohol) We dined in, but shouldn't have. Zero ambience, strip mall spot. The staff was super friendly. read more

Maki Yaki - 81. Caterpillar Roll - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

Fresh and Flavorful! This is our second time here and it's just a delicious as we remembered it. We were too excited to dig in and forgot to take a picture of it all. We Ordered: Jessica, Baked Salmon, and Cucumber Wrap. Everything was perfect and freshly made. The Cucumber Wrap was my favorite - it's meaty and a phat roll. We make it a point to stop when going to Dana Point read more

Maki Yaki - 76. Jessica Roll - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

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My daughter and I stopped by on Dec. 15 for a quick bite to eat after visiting Dana Point. We were the first ones in the restaurant when they opened at 4pm. Restaurant is clean and the waitress was very friendly. You order at the counter and I selected a Rainbow roll and my daughter ordered chicken teriyaki. When the food arrived the tuna and other fish on the roll looked old and dried up. I took two bites and was worried I would get sick and did not finish eating. My daughter ate half the chicken terriyaki and she had no comment on the chicken. Typically, we would bring home the leftovers but not in this case. Hopefully, this was just a day where the restaurant was not on their game. read more

Fresh food at a great price and rolls are a great size. He even gave us free miso soup :)

My husband and I were in the area for a wedding and were in the mood for sushi. We found this place on yelp and were impressed with all the great reviews. The restaurant is nothing special on the inside, but that is made up for by the quality of the fish and the niceness of the person who helped us. The prices were also incredible for the size of the portions and the freshness of the fish. The seaweed salad was huge and delicious. I also ordered salmon sushi and albacore, and then my husband and I got 2 special rolls, Washington Roll for myself, and Hawaiian roll for my husband, but substituting for real crab (I think it was $5 more) so that it would be gluten free for him since he can't have imitation crab. They were also very gluten free friendly, so my husband was happy. Overall, if you're in the area, this place was amazing. read more

Amazing! My wife and I ate at Maki Yaki for the first time last night and we will definitely be back. The sushi was so fresh and creative. Our favorites with the laguna canyon roll and the Whole hole sashimi. Staff were very friendly too and cool to have a sushi bar with all women sushi chefs. read more

What a great little spot! I'd give it 4.5 stars. Avid sushi eater from the Bay Area, and I am picky with my sushi. Our rolls were fresh and delicious! My fiance, cousin and I shared 5 rolls, and that was plenty! Their sushi rice is unique and is something that makes them standout against other sushi spots. We all shared the green dragon, rainbow roll, dynamite, washington and cucumber wrap. My favorite was the cucumber wrap. So yummy! The place is clean and the service is friendly and fairly quick. If I'm every in the area, would love to stop by again! read more

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I usually think of this as the convenient sushi place nearby and that's all, but I gotta say today they really killed it with our lunch order. That was some really great sushi, best I've tasted in a while. And while sushi isn't exactly a cheap food, the price is very reasonable for what you get. And the staff is super friendly and helpful. If you haven't yet tried it, you should. read more

Love this place! Mango Avocado roll, soy beans and miso soup. My go to favorite! My go to for lunch time! Obsessed!!!! Yummmmm Also the owner is nice and cares about his business. Been going here for YEARS. read more

Maki Yaki - Love this place! Mango Avocado roll, soy beans and miso soup. My go to favorite! Postmate to go for dinner. Obsessed!!!! Yummmmm - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

By far, one of the best sushi in town. Food was extremely fresh and tasty. Beautiful presentation and the staff and the owner are extremely friendly. read more

I didn't want to fight the 7:00 dinner crowd at my normal sushi spot so I thought I would try it. Yes it is small, you order first and then sit down. The owners are very friendly. The sushi was good quality and the presentation was good. The prices are normal for any sushi these days. They do not serve beer or wine which was disappointing. As I sat there they had a lot of take out orders and they had some mix ups with those orders. The table next to ours missed one of the persons order and it took a while to get it out. I think it is just the husband, wife and one other helper. Not bad overall. read more

Vibe was chill. Owners/employees were chill. Sushi was solid. Ramen, advertised as traditional ramen noodles with fresh vegetables in it, was literally cup of noodle with a single fried egg in it. I could see the freeze dried carrots and corn. If you're going to advertise ramen, make it right. Otherwise, take it off the menu. read more

Maki Yaki - "Ramen" - Japanese Near Me - Dana Point, California

So Fresh and Flavorful We make it a point to stop here whenever we're in Dana point. The sushi is fresh, made to order, and taste out of this world! Price is moderate but once you taste the quality you won't mind. Every option is delicious and we cannot wait for our next trip to try a different roll. Call ahead to place your orders to minimize your wait time. read more

No chopsticks, no soy sauce, no napkins. $50 later not impressed. and that was for two items.

This place is so good! The food came out fast and the owner gave us three miso soups on the house!! The sushi was good quality and I would definitely eat here again read more

This small Japanese place is in a strip mall and conveniently situated off the PCH. There is parking for vehicles and bicycles. Inside is small with only and handful of tables. Not good for large parties. Sit where you like and order at the counter. We found the poke bowls for 15.50 plenty of food for lunch. The bowl is served with choose of rice or salad, fish preference, and sauce preference. The rolls are also good. The Philly roll was 10.50. I recommend this place to all sushi lovers. read more

$14 for a crunchy roll. Too high. All his prices shot up, way past Ghen Kai. I checked the site and it wasn't 3rd party read more

Good sushi. Always good service and super easy takeout. Owner is a really nice guy, my favorite go-to quick and easy sushi spot around.

Fresh, yummy, fairly priced, great menu options (ramen, poke, sushi, etc.) will be back!