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    Malulu Kitchen

    4.9 (32 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Closed Closed

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    MALULU KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Malulu Kitchen

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    Ally Roll
    Sajeet S.

    Small spot but had a good menu. The service of great. Zack was great. Fast which is great even you have kids The teriyaki is really good. Highly recommend this to everyone The sashimi plate was ok. Recommend the Ally roll. It's bright and fresh. The crispy rice 5/5. Really good. Only reason not 5 star is several of the dishes were dirty.

    Menu
    Stacy S.

    Always on the search for a good Japanese eatery, I came across this place for lunch. They're located in a small shopping plaza off of Alicia Pkwy in Laguna Hills. Same plaza as Ralph's. Plenty of free parking is available. Their lunch specials looked good. 2 items for $16 or 3 items for $20, and you can choose from 10 different items. I ordered mine online to go, and only had to wait a few minutes when I arrived. I was greeted by the friendliest employees! The inside is small with just a few tables, so my guess is that most people get their food to go. I ordered the 2 item combo: chicken teriyaki with shrimp tempura. It also came with rice & salad. Everything was delicious! The teriyaki sauce was phenomenal! And the shrimp tempura was crunchy and had the perfect texture. I will definitely return to try more items in the near future!

    Fried jalapeños, Sushi Burrito Roll
    Aimee H.

    This is a hidden gem! My family and I agree, this is some of the best sushi we have ever had. For the kids we ordered edamame, cucumber maki rolls, plain udon, shrimp tempura and gyoza. The shrimp tempura was incredibly fresh and delicious (my husband and I had to steal some because they were too good.) the gyoza was amazing. Cooked fresh and to perfection. The Udon was by far the best broth I've ever had and the noodles were perfectly cooked. So often udon can be overcooked as mushy but this udon had the perfect firmness. And again, the broth was unreal. I ordered the Ally roll and the seared tuna was so fresh. This blew me away. Honestly it was perfect. We ordered the fried jalapeños and they were perfectly firm on the outside. We also ordered the sushi burrito and the spicy yellowtail roll which were excellent. The restaurant was incredibly clean. We had a sneak peek at the kitchen and it was sparkling clean. As was the bathroom. Very impressed. The service was so friendly and helpful and the sushi chef, I believe owns the restaurant, was kind and extremely skilled. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. We will be regulars.

    Lion King Roll and Ally Roll
    Elizabeth H.

    This simple sushi eatery will be our go-to for delicious sushi! The sushi my husband and I shared were so fresh and mouthwatering it was impossible not to eat it! We had the Lion King, spicy tuna roll topped with seared salmon and green onion. The other set of sushi roll we had was Ally, seared salmon and green onion on top with cucumber and avocado. They were just fantastic! Besides the yummy sushi, our server Mayu was so welcoming and friendly we enjoyed her company! We can't wait to come back for more fresh sushi!

    Spicy Yellowtail Hand Roll - so good!
    Pauline N.

    This place is the real deal! A Japanese owned establishment that has a variety of items! This is probably some of the best "dirty" sushi rolls in the area! //CONTEXT// I came here as a party of two on a Saturday lunch. It wasn't crowded. Some takeout orders while we were there //ENVIRONMENT// Fast casual spot where you order up front and you can sit down. There is some seating for smaller parties. No frills spot but don't let that deter you! //FOOD// I love that this is Japanese owned! Usually when I go to non Japanese establishments the dirty sushi rolls are too big where you can barely fit it in your mouth. Here it's not like that at all! The rolls while still substantial are the perfect size, has so much fish and the fish taste so fresh compared to other spots that do dirty sushi rolls: the quality of the fish is definitely better! The rolls are flavorful. We got the Samurai and Moana roll and both were amazing! I also got a spicy yellowtail hand roll and it was terrific //SERVICE// Service was great and the person helping us was so nice! Overall I would definitely be back! I already told my friends about this spot!

    Jonathan H.

    On a rainy day, my wife and I were craving sushi and decided to stop at Malulu Kitchen. Wow! We're glad we did! It was so good it will become one of our regular go-to sushi places! We ordered two specialty rolls: Lion King (spicy tuna roll with seared salmon on top, black pepper, green onion and ponzu sauce); and, Ally (salmon, cucumber and avocado on the inside and seared salmon, lemon, green onion, and ponzu on top). Both rolls were amazing! Just a wonderful flavor! The fish and ingredients were incredibly fresh. The rolls were artfully put together. The rolls were a good, generous size. We also had miso soup, which was delicious. The price was very reasonable. While we had sushi this time, I noticed that they have very good, reasonably priced lunch specials. So next time, I might be tempted to try one of the lunch specials. The ambiance was pleasant, with a chilled, relaxed feel. The decor was cute with small paintings on the wall and splashes of color. The woman who served us was a delight. Incredibly warm and friendly and very helpful. This place is a find! I'll definitely be back!

    Rainbow roll

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    9 days ago

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    2 months ago

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    7 days ago

    Stopped in yesterday with a friend. Everything was absolutely delicious. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend!!

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    7 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Great food at reasonable prices! Staff is super friendly. Let's keep this small business going!

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    8 months ago

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    17 days ago

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    21 days ago

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    5 months ago

    The food is great and the staff is very nice and friendly and the place is cute and small it's perfect.

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Food was amazing and service was quick and very friendly. Would highly recommend the this location to everyone for a great experience.

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    8 months ago

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    5 months ago

    The Rainbow roll had the most delicious fresh sushi. Tempura vegetable and cucumber side dishes were perfect. Great super casual place.

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    10 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Surprisingly fresh considering it wasn't that busy when we went. Good quality food. Good prices. Very nice people.

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    4 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

    The vibe was awesome and the sushi tasted amazing the people are very nice highly recommend the crunchy roll

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    7 months ago

    Delicious sushi, fresh and tasty. Solid Beef Sukiyaki Udon, delicious deep flavor and noodles cook perfectly .

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    8 months ago

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    Ask the Community - Malulu Kitchen

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    Soba Izakaya Minami

    4.2
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    Another amazing soba find! The soba here are handmade and they offer 2 portions of soba for each…read moreorder. It's recommended to get 1 portion and order more as you go since it'll be fresh and not soggy. I tried their recommended dipping so as, the beef and the duck. Both of them had amazing flavors that made me keep wanting more! The soba was nice and chewy with the perfect al dente texture, and it paired perfectly well with the dipping sauce. Also tried the shrimp tempura soba and was pleased with the portion they provided. The tempura itself was also nicely coated, not too heavy on the crumbs. The staff there were all very friendly, and helped guide the menu since it was my first time. Amazing service and great food. Definitely a must try if you're in the area!

    I have been to this restaurant many times and finally have the time to do a review. For anyone who…read moreenjoys udon or soba, this place is a must try. I don't think many restaurants offers cold soba option so if you never tried it, here is the probably the best place in south OC to give it a shot. This restaurant is located in a large plaza so there are plenty parking. The wait is usually not long at all. I have been here a few times with my family during lunch and dinner and it is never that packed. I think it is located in a pretty secluded area so it is not busy but the food is very good. The decor is simple but clean and has many tables. This most recent visit I ordered the marinated beef hot udon and my daughter ordered the Kakiage cold udon. I didn't know what Kakiage is so the staff kindly educated me that it is a ball of Tempura vegetables. Please don't mix it up with Karaage which is Fried Chicken. They are two different dishes. The broth of my beef udon is deep with umami flavor. The soup base has a legit dashi flavor, not the instant udon flavor. You can tell the difference right away. We also ordered the grill squid. The grill squid is tender and has a unique tastes like the dried squid snacks that I get from the Japanese market. The staff even offered hot water for my daughter's left over dipping sauce. She mixed her dipping sauce with hot water to drink it as a soup. Overall the food is great and we'll definitely be back for more.

    Photos
    Lots of seating with bar counter seats as well
    Lots of seating with bar counter seats as well
    Curry Udon with side of Agedashi tofu
    Curry Udon with side of Agedashi tofu
    Beef Hot Soba

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    Beef Hot Soba
    Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant

    Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant

    4.2
    (386 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$$

    We found our new sushi place! We have frequented Little Ferry a lot, also ordered from LF via…read moreDoorDash, and it always slaps. However, we discovered Kotobuki, and it's now the top contender for best sushi place in OC. From the moment you walk in, you are warmly greeted by the sushi chefs and servers. We were immediately seated -- with a choice of sitting at the sushi bar or tables. The place is a bit cozy, so keep that in mind if you're planning on coming during peak times. They offer a full menu of traditional Japanese fare and a sushi list. They serve sake and Japanese beer. We ordered a handful of sushi rolls, nigiri, and tempura appetizers. All food came out fast, fresh, and hot (the tempura). What I really loved was that the crab used in the sushi rolls was really fresh. It didn't taste like the typical krab that other sushi restaurants use. It was really amazing. The nigiri melted in your mouth, and the tempura appetizer was cooked extremely well -- the shrimp wasn't floppy, the vegetable wasn't soggy. Just perfection. We're literally thinking about the next time we can come here! Thank you for serving awesome sushi :)

    It is so nostalgic to dine here again. Kotobuki has been here for many years and I recall coming…read morehere with my family in the 2000s. Not sure if ownership has changed but the inside looks a little more modern. Love their rolls and especially the bento boxes. Their salad dressing is delicious. The chicken karaage bento is my fave. The tempura is perfectly fried and not overly battered. They peel and precut the tangerines. Very clean establishment. Servers are so sweet. The sushi chefs are great. Glad to have revisited. We will be coming back for sure.

    Photos
    Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant
    Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant in Laguna Hills California Menu our signature Japanese hamburger steak
    Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant in Laguna Hills California Menu our signature Japanese hamburger steak
    Tuna titaki

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    Malulu Kitchen - sushi - Updated August 2026

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