If you're anywhere near Lake Forest and craving next-level sushi, Minato Sushi Cafe is an absolute must. This place isn't just a restaurant--it's an experience. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the care and craftsmanship that goes into every dish. The fish is unbelievably fresh, the presentation is clean and beautiful, and every bite hits with that perfect balance of flavor and texture. Whether you're going classic with nigiri or exploring one of their creative rolls, everything tastes like it was made with intention and pride. What truly sets Minato apart, though, is James--the owner and master chef behind the counter. You can literally watch him work his magic, turning simple ingredients into something unforgettable. His attention to detail and passion for the craft come through in every plate he serves. It's rare to find a spot where the quality is this high and the atmosphere still feels welcoming and down-to-earth. Once you've been here, it's hard to go anywhere else--this is the kind of place you end up telling all your friends about. Thanks James from Todd & Marnell read more

Love coming to our neighborhood Japanese restaurant. It is simple but good food. The prices are very reasonable for bento box, rolls and sushi. The service and staff are so friendly and very accommodating. read more

Minato Sushi - Bentonville Box with salmon teriyaki & mussels - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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We ordered salmon boat , etemami , sesame chicken appetizer , miso soup , bento box , Diet Coke All exquisite , "non factory ", beautifully presented by talented , dignified staff As McCarther said , "we shall return !" read more

Seriously, one of my favorite sushi places. The staff here is always so friendly, and the whole atmosphere of this place has such a welcoming, homey feel. Great sushi for a great price, too. I ordered the spicy tuna roll and the yellowtail roll. The spicy tuna had a great sriracha kick to it, while the yellowtail was really fresh. There was a "buy two, get one free" deal too. Can't beat that. read more

Minato Sushi - Spicy Tuna and Yellowtail Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Came here for lunch with a friend and decided to try their Bento box. I decided to splurge and get salmon teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, and mixed tempura. It also came with a miso soup and salad. This is the BEST Bento box I have ever had. The fish was cooked perfectly and it was a good size portion. Tempura was amazing and the chicken was good quality. None of that fatty gristle meat that some places put. It was a little more expensive than other places, but I would gladly pay this every time. My friend got some sushi rolls and because it was lunch time, it was buy 2 get 1 free! Everything was brought out quickly, server was very friendly, and the atmosphere was good. read more

James and Joseph,Angie and Cynthia are the best. We have been coming here for years. Word of mouth try it. read more

Minato Sushi - Excellent food at the finest. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I love this sushi spot, their crunchy rice tuna is my absolute favorite!! Great place to grab lunch, they are quick and the sushi is tasty read more

Minato Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Our server, who I assume was either the manager or owner, was incredibly unprofessional, dismissive, and openly demeaning throughout our visit. We were given barely a minute to look over the menu before being pressured to order. I repeatedly had to explain that we were not ready, and each time, he visibly rolled his eyes. At one point, he aggressively took the menus from our hands before we had even finished looking them over. When taking our order, he loudly repeated each item back to the table, including mine, in a way that felt unnecessary and uncomfortable. To make matters worse, my food arrived significantly later than everyone else's because, as he admitted, he had "forgotten I ordered something." Unfortunately, this was not my first negative experience with this employee. During a previous visit, he was similarly dismissive, irritated, and rude toward my partner and me over a simple misunderstanding regarding the menu. One bad day is understandable. Repeatedly treating customers with impatience, disrespect, and open hostility is not. Based on multiple experiences, I will not be returning, and others should be aware of the level of service they may encounter here. read more

The best place to eat sushi. The atmosphere is amazing. The food is clean. My great granddaughter loves their food read more

Minato Sushi - Mila my great granddaughter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Whatever they put in that sesame chicken, my body responded with a level 1000 addiction. So crunchy, flavorful and juicy EVEN AFTER the second round of microwave heat ups. I got a Bento lunch situation that had enough food for three meals, between the (heavenly) chicken, spicy tuna roll, some teriyaki salmon, rice, miso soup and salad. Just wildly good. Will be back when the cravings become insurmountable. read more

Wanted to try Minato since we saw it driving by on El Toro, then they were added to the Lake Forest gift card so we had to go in. Had dinner on a Tuesday night, and there were about 3 other parties there. Nice location, lots of parking, and clean bathrooms. Clean and bright, comfy tables. Sushi chefs greet you right away, they were very nice. Server helped us quickly with our menus and order sheet. I wanted hot sake and she brought that right out to me. We tried hand rolls, cut rolls, nigiri and an appetizer. The hand roll of salmon skin was really good, lots of salmon and veggies. The tuna nigiri was flavorful and they gave an extra piece on top. The rolls were ok, our favorite was the eel on top of the california roll and avocado. The jalapeno bombs were pretty bland but with spicy mayo it was much better. The crunchy crab roll was also yummy and they give you a piece of soft shell fried crab on the plate, that was a nice touch. Bill was over $100, with the special of buy 2 get one free, so I think that's very pricey for what we ordered, but then again sushi is always on the high side! The cute orange animal dessert is adorable! read more

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They're overall alright, depending on what you order and how much you're willing to spend. They do have good deals that they offer and service was great, nice establishment, and cozy atmosphere. I love their sushi, it's fresh and they give 3 types of fish within the same roll, something that I definitely don't usually see and makes them unique. Their rolls are not overpacked with rice at all and you do get quite full from just one roll. The only downside is that because they offer so many types of fish in one roll, their different roll options all taste a little similar. So stick to 1-2 rolls and you'll be satisfied. Tempura ice cream is HUGE and can be shared amongst multiple people (don't be fooled by the picture), the tempura shell was so large though that it had a little bit of mushy consistency compared to the crunchier smaller versions I've had at other restaurants. It's fun to try though! Love their mochi ice cream, but again, a little pricey. Bento and baked mussels were okay, but probably wouldn't order again. read more

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This is my second time coming to Minato Sushi, and they're the type of sushi place to give you fresh and delicious food. I started off with the Yellowtail and Spicy Tuna rolls for the night. The yellowtail was perfectly crafted and really good for the price! While the Spicy Tuna packed a spicy punch adding a better taste to the roll. Afterwards I ordered the Eel Special roll, with Crab, Cream-cheese topped with eel on it. This roll is definitely one of their best rolls they offer at this place so I highly recommend it. Finally we ended it off with the Spider Roll, which is my favorite roll of all time. With it only coming with five rolls, this one has the perfect amount of rice with tons of flavor. The service was super nice and friendly, even being able to see the chefs hard at work making the rolls in-front of the sit down bar. The interior of this establishment is small but cozy almost what you would see at a local Japanese shop. Overall Minato Sushi is an incredible location to stop by in Lake Forest and with a good price too! read more

Minato Sushi - Eel Special Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Start with ice green with lemon wedge was perfect Beef teriyaki is good with Sapporo and 10 piece sushi and seared salmon was so tasty Come and start with ice green tea with lemon wedge It was the best start read more

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I mean, hey it's a chain sushi restaurant but it's a pretty decent place. My wife really likes sushi so I took her and she ate like nothing but that's fine. I don't care that's how it is. The waiters and waiters were very nice, but you have to really think about what you wanna order before you order. Not a big deal you just wanna know cause you don't wanna get them confused or anything, but that doesn't matter. I don't care about that. I will go back. I just wanna get the Uni shooter because it kicked me in the mouth. read more

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salmon skin roll - meh California roll - meh Just wanted some non raw rolls and tried this place out cause it was buy 2 rolls, get one free. It's inexpensive for a quick meal but nothing great about it. Service wasn't too friendly. read more

I've been in this place several times, what is really bothering me is the unfiltered water they have, it totally tastes like full of chlorine, you feel chemicals in your mouth, very unhealthy and not acceptable ,the food is okay/ good the service is good and my main issue is the unfiltered water , even though I have told them about it they don't care, they say it is filtered I don't care about an empty claim, The Taste totally shows it is not filtered or that filtration must be from 10 years ago totally clogged , dirty and useless! read more

Have been going here for YEARS. sevice has declined in the last few months. Today, forget it. Went in with my 10 yo daughter. Ordered tea and was told if I wanted 2 cups he was going to charge double. For tea. 25 cent bag and hot water for 6+ dollars. Nope. Left and will never return. No wonder they weren't busy at dinner rush. read more

Me and my family come here all the time, probably the best sushi place in El Toro in my opinion. I mean come on the food is always so good and hits so hard, I'm usually scared to eat raw fish and salmon but the fish here is always so fresh, just by looking at it you can tell how fresh it is. The deal they have for the rolls is also great its buy 2 get 1 free roll which is like a literal steal. The service of this place is on another level, every single time we walk in, even on a bad day the staff always put a smile on our face. They are always so welcoming and friendly, some places are rude and not welcoming at all but this one is the friendliest out of them all! The ambiance of this place is so friendly and warm right when you walk in you instantly get a good vibe! The staff is always at your service and have fast service. Out of all the sushi places around here this is probably the best one yet! Definitely come check it out, totally worth it. read more

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Fantastic food and service. I order takeout all the time. It seems like a fun place to dine-in, and I look forward to doing so in the near future. read more

So so so good. Sit at the bar - Chef James made us the BEST food! Be sure to try the Hamachi belly, and if it is available, treat yourself to a bottle of Kurosawa Draft Sake (blue). read more

Minato Sushi - Sake - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Affordable and delicious sushi place with friendly and attentive staff . They do have specials running all the time . We stopped by second time with my wife and were treated very kindly with delicious sushi, bento box and of course cute orange bear at the end . Recommended. read more

Was a little apprehensive because I love good sushi. Delicious. The fish on the rolls was nice snd thick. Definitely recommend.

Quick and friendly service. The decor had an authentic feel. The sushi was fresh and delicious. read more

Minato Sushi - Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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The place use to be a gem until they got rid of the all you can eat menu + changed their staff. I also noticed the energy of the staff shifted when I stopped buying bottles of Saki. We use to go and make great conversations with the cooks- receiving special plates and feeling welcomed. It's been pretty dry for us the last few times and I don't wish to support businesses that change for the worse. I wish the best for Minato but not our first choice for sushi anymore. read more

James the sushi chef is awesome and the food excellent!! I have done sushi all over the country and recommend this sort 100%

James was verry nice and super happy, made me smile. This place is my new go too for sushi genuine 10/10 very happy I found a new spot read more

Minato Sushi - James! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

James was our sushi chef he was AMAZING! All the food was absolutely delicious! so fresh read more

Minato Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I ordered a $24.50 baked lobster roll and veggie egg rolls. I received cold lobster with cream and butter on a piece of foil, I guess to bake myself and a vegetable sushi roll, no egg rolls. I called and the manager said the lobster gets cold because of delivery time. That would be true if it was remotely warm. It was refrigerator cold. I paid $49.50 for my order to be delivered only to throw one roll in the trash and bake my own lobster... Do not order from Minato, they are rude and can't read orders. read more

Good service and I came in at a quiet time and they offer cute orange animals for guests! read more

Minato Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Buy 3 get one free? I think yes! Quality fish, great prices, great staff; what more can a person want in a sushi place??? The Ambiance also gives a great representation of what an authentic Japanese restaurant would look like in Japan! (Not that I've ever been there, but still) The Washington roll is my personal favorite which is salmon sashimi on a California roll (simple yet perfect) A close second is the Palm Springs roll. It's a California roll with tuna and Tomato ! ( I know right!) Our server recommended this to us one time and we thought, well we come here a lot, I think we can trust these people) And then I trusted them... And BOOM and fantastic sushi roll ended up in my mouth! 10/10 recommend, this is our sushi place and will always be our sushi place!! Highly recommend read more

Staff is very friendly, food is great. Also they give you cute animal shaped oranges at the end of your meal which I thought was the cutest touch. Also buy 2 rolls get one free, so it's budget friendly! read more

Minato Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Best sushi deal I've ever had! Definitely a great deal and you don't sacrifice the quality of food for it. Basically when you eat in, you can get 2 rolls and 1 free. Shareable portions and great service! Very nice and quiet in the restaurant, no weird stuff going on. My go to place for any sushi related things now! read more

Minato Sushi - Hawaiian Roll (Top) Rainbow Roll (Bottom) 2 Choice Bento - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

The pricing structure at this place is hilariously bad. Let me give y'all a scenario. Meal 1: Lunch special combo~ teriyaki chicken, California roll, tempura shrimp. Comes with a side salad and miso soup. $16 or so. Meal 2: wanted a salmon collar, which automatically pushes the meal to a "regular combo" instead of lunch special, despite ordering at the same time. Still teriyaki chicken, still California roll, with the only difference being a salmon collar. $24. TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS. Let me get this straight... the salmon collar costs 8 DOLLARS MORE than shrimp tempura? EIGHT DOLLARS? The way they set this prices here makes as much sense as using sand paper to wipe your butt. Never returning again. read more

This sushi place is the best in town. The staff is friendly and efficient. Kudos to sushi chef James, he always has a surprise for you as a treat he is sooo sweet! And I personally love the baked lobster California roll combo it is soooo soooo yummy. I highly recommend this sushi place and they are conveniently located and open late. read more

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I grew up around the corner and have been helped by James many times. He takes care of every customer, the staff is always very friendly, and the sushi chefs are extremely talented at what they do, one of my favorite and unique things is the variety or animals they can make out of a simple orange! So creative, and I've never seen anyone else make something like this. The sushi is great quality, fresh, and tasty. Their Buy 2 Get One Roll Free deal is good too! I got the lobster roll and alaskan roll. I always see customers thanking the chefs for being caring and helpful, and I would recommend anyone to come here!! :) read more

Minato Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Excellent Japanese restaurant. Everything I ordered was very tasty and fresh. My friend ordered a bento, very fresh and made to order. The chef gave me an orange peeled to look like a bear so cute. Highlight: I dropped my wallet, little change wallet , the waitress came out of the restaurant and returned to me. Thank you so much. read more

This is so close to home I love coming here for dinner. The sushi chefs are so fun and love to drink with you. If you are looking for great service and a fun time this place is where to be. There is also plenty of seating. Menu option is also great. Come here and enjoy lunch or dinner. read more

It's been years but I came back to Minato with my best friend and her husband. I came here years ago because it used to be AYCE. Sadly, that is no more at this establishment. I will say the sushi rolls are still good, but it wasn't anything amazing tbh. I've definitely had better sushi at other places but for buy two rolls, get one free, it's not bad if you're having a hankering for sushi. Just don't expect to be blown away. read more

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The salmon at this restaurant is very bad. It tasted so fishy and off that I couldn't eat the sashimi and salmon roll that I ordered. Hopefully I won't get sick. The crispy rice with spicy tuna and the chicken teriyaki were good, but the whole thing was ruined by the salmon. read more