We had one of the best dinners at Ootoro Sushi. Some of the fish are shipped directly from Japan, and you can really taste the difference in quality. We had just returned from a trip to Japan two weeks ago and honestly, the quality here did not disappoint at all. Every piece was impeccable. The otoro and uni were especially amazing, so creamy and rich, truly melt-in-your-mouth. We were also pleasantly surprised to see nodoguro on the menu. Omakase can be pricey but this experience was absolutely worth it. Highly recommend if you're looking for high-quality sushi and a special dining experience. read more

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Recently visited here for a business meal. Frankly, its not the same as I remember. While raw fish and the freshness level tend to be the standard of comparison, it is somehow translated into how the fish is prepared, ratio, and presentation. Traditional offerings need to be on point all around to claim valid winning points. Pacing of food, especially, sushi should also be taken into consideration. I understand busy establishments needs to turn tables, or shortage of staff needing to deliver food to the tables efficiently. But putting the dishes on the table, back-to-back, barely presenting what is being served, then expecting a high tip amount does not translate well in this industry. Even if it's expensed under the company, I must say that the service and food quality is mediocre at best. Should I have the option to select the restaurant for our next meeting, unfortunately, this level of food and service is not going to be a top choice. Overall, meal tasted decent and service is adequate. Interior is dim with decent amount of light with variable noise level. Not bad for a conversation of two where you are not climbing over individuals tones. Consider your patrons conversation and capture their attention first before placing food down. Decent place for typical sushi, flavor, and service. read more

Ootoro is just phenomenal. The sushi here has always been high quality. I've ordered their sushi and sashimi. I don't remember exactly which ones I got but they were all excellent quality. As for specific dishes: Chirashi: 9.5/10. Amazing quality and an excellent price for dinner. The fish is high quality and the rice is seasoned very well. But I think it used to be better. Toro don: 10/10. I was surprised that there were different types of Toro on here. I'm a fan of it. Note that it's limited supply, but on some days, they may have more Toro than other days. Lobster roll: 10/10. It takes a while since it's a baked roll, but it's soooo good. BBQ ramen: 6.5/10. Part of the lunch menu. It's good, but nothing special. I was surprised at how big it was, though. I would definitely stick to their seafood, since that's obviously what they're known for. Just to caveat, I know some friends and family have mentioned some bad experiences with food wait times even after being seated, but I personally have never had an issue with service or food speed. Reservations for lunch are only for omakase. Dinner reservations are for either omakase or the regular menu. Parking is free but limited and tight here. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Amazing Sushi lunch omakase here at OOToro Sushi in Irvine by John Wayne airport. Professional chef and staff and nice elegant atmosphere and ambience with good price points for lunch. You will love this restaurant and beautiful clean restroom available too for disabled people too. What a wonderful experience here today. See you real soon. Everything here is flown in daily so you know it's gottz to be fresh and delicious. Yes they speak Japanese here too for all the international tourists arriving here daily. read more

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Dang this place makes me want to cry. Finally found a place that serves silver needle fish only to find out is just out of season. Not to mention a bunch of other seasonal fish are sold out. Ouch, why do you do this to me. But they did recommend me some off menu fish as well as what's nice there. Well, they weren't wrong. The engawa they recommended was so juicy and fatty. I wasn't quite sure how a fish can be this good and rich in flavor. It makes fatty tuna taste bland. Their hotate(scallop) sashimi was one of the freshest I've had in Los Angeles. I mean all their stuff was fresh but the scallop really stood out though. This place basically serves high end omakase sushi you'd expect from Beverly Hills omakase restaurant but instead you can choose from their menu. I like omakase but sometimes I just want to pick. Especially if you ate a piece of engawa and wanted more, those omakase place won't give you more but here you can get as many pieces as you want to indulge yourself. One of the best sushi experiences in OC! read more

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We tried the Shiki omakase at Otoro Sushi along with a few small plates, and everything was really great. The Saba is my usual favorite, and the Saba nigiri here did not disappoint. It was perfectly prepared and the flavors were so balanced. All of the fish tasted incredibly fresh and buttery without being overly "seafoody," which I really appreciate. The portions left us feeling satisfied by the end. *Also have to mention* that the texture of the soup and the order it came in was the perfect palette cleanser. What really stood out was the level of focus and care behind the counter. You can tell the chefs take a lot of pride in what they do, and every piece felt thoughtfully made. Watching them work added an extra layer to the whole experience and made the meal feel special. It is definitely a bit on the expensive side, but the quality made it feel worth it. You are paying for skill, top-tier ingredients, and attention to detail, and it shows. The lychee ice cream at the end was such a nice surprise. Light, refreshing, and the perfect way to finish the meal. I would absolutely come back for a special occasion or anytime I am craving really good sushi. read more

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We randomly decided to try this place on a weekday night. I asked for a table for two, and the host told me twice to sit on the bench in the waiting area, in a rather hostile tone. I tried not to make a big deal out of it, and we eventually got seated within a few minutes since there were plenty of tables. Price-wise, it was definitely on the higher end, but the food was solid. I ordered the chirashi, and my friend ordered a few pieces of nigiri. Our waitress was courteous and patiently answered all our questions about the menu. Overall, it is a solid place, but I was concerned about the faint odor when I first walked in. It smelled like air was being blown out from the bathroom vent. Also, there are so many great sushi restaurants in the area, I felt this place lacks something that makes it stand out for both decor and the menu. read more

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Let's preface: we were HUNGRY!!! Came here for lunch and it did not disappoint. We're so lucky there was no wait. Lunch combo: chilean seabass and blue crab hand roll. The seabass was melt-in-your mouth deliciousness!!! Drooling thinking about it. It was a nice thick, big piece of fish, well seasoned and perfectly flaky. One of the best I've ever had, and for ~$29, great price. Sushi lunch: came with miso soup. Plenty of food. Most items were good, but a few pieces didnt taste fresh. Scallop was chewy. Some had too much wasabi, a little overpowering. Sashimi lunch: nice thick cut of diff fishes. Hot tea: on the house read more

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My cousin invited my son and I to lunch since it was her son's birthday and this was his favorite sushi place. I had never been here before but my cousin comes here frequently because the sushi is so fresh. They don't take reservations so there is usually a long wait, but we were lucky that we showed up right when they opened at 11:30am on Saturday, 11/29/25 (weekend after Thanksgiving). I luckily found parking in the crowded lot (spaces are small). Place is very clean and modern. Prices are high but everything is super fresh and the fish melt in your mouth. The birthday boy chose a two item lunch combo ($27 +tax) with Toro Don and Toro Cut Roll along with an order of Hamachi Toro ($13 +tax). His portions were small. The rest of us got the Sushi Lunch for $48 +tax that comes with 10pcs Chef's Choice + 6pcs cut tuna roll (upgrade to spicy tuna roll for $2 extra). The sushi lunch comes with a live shrimp that you can choose to have prepared deep fried or cooked in a miso broth. I chose deep fried and it tasted great. The meal was enough to satiate but not necessarily make you full. Service was great and the food was amazing, but on the pricier side with small portions. read more

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Busy but organized restaurant. The lunch selections are very decent. One of the best Chirashi bowl(premium) I had for recent years. Food came relatively quick for busy lunch time. I would recommend this place for someone likes traditional Japanese food. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Premium Chirashi bowl (without the shrimp head) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been coming here for at least three years. They consistently deliver a 4/5 dining experience. I always come at opening to avoid the wait and enjoy the sashimi lunch special, however it ALWAYS smells of bleach. They use the bleach bottle as a door stopper for the women's bathroom. Eating and smelling bleach do not go well together. This has been an issue for two years (see my last review), and the restaurant hasn't done anything to address it. Having been a waitress before, this problem is an easy fix - clean at night instead of morning or open the doors to have better ventilation during cleaning. The only reason I come back is their sashimi is the best in the area. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Sashimi Lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

My sister and i stopped by yesterday for lunch. The price pretty much surprised us since the last stop we made, But we could not go wrong with the quality, not a prime time at 12:00 PM , got the seat right away, but I felt little unwelcome from our server, she seems got angry from somewhere. This attitude isn't something that made you deserve a good tip. read more

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Probably one of the best omakase sushi's I've had, and I'll admit, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Service is great and pieces are authentic. Don't have much to say other than I will be back soon and can't wait to bring friends and family here for another wonderful experience. Enjoy the photos, although missing a photo from the main Sashimi dish. Everything was fantastic! read more

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You'll definitely find high quality sashimi with great service here at Ootoro Sushi. We came around 5:30pm on a weekday. There was no wait and parking was fairly easy to find. I have heard that it does get busy at night though so we came right when they opened for their evening hours. It was pretty quiet inside the restaurant--probably because everyone was too busy enjoying their food! read more

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Excellent Japanese food and service. I haven't been to Japan but another reviewer had and data this is close. I believe it. I've been to many in SoCal. Ootoro worth it read more

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This place was spectacular. The signage and storefront seem very underwhelming. The sushi is fresh, probably the best sushi I've ever had. I can't think of a place better than this one. I didn't get a pic of the shrimp head in the miso. Also delicious. Service was exceptional. They were welcoming and great. read more

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I love sushi and Ootoro Sushi is one of the best sushi restaurants here in OC. I've had my birthday meal here a couple years ago - omakase of course. Recently I was invited to have lunch here, and my lady friend did a good job ordering an assorted platter of sashimi and nigiri for first timers to try. We also had tempura, miso cod, salmon skin salad and miso soup. Oiishikata deshita! It was delicious! Ambiance was cozy and service was friendly! Great choice for lunch! read more

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Ootoro is without question my favorite sushi experience in Irvine - well-deserving of its Michelin Star, they have never failed to deliver a quality experience with quality food. On a quick visit, I'm always extremely pleased with the Premium Chirashi and Black Cod Tempura. Though for high-end experiences like the premium level Omakase, they certainly know how to make the experience worth the price point for taste and for show. With a talented and accommodating staff of both sushi chefs and servers, Ootoro is able to cater to any occasion from large or small business lunches, friendly outings, and intimate date nights. I'll never say no to the idea of Ootoro for dinner! This is not your place to go if you want to fill up on cheap sushi! You'll come here to seek amazing quality in every bite. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Premium Chirashi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

We came here for lunch on a weekday and got two sea bass hand rolls, the deluxe chirashi bowl and sushi lunch set. The sea bass hand rolls were good but I probably wouldn't get it again, the battered and fried sea bass made it feel like a fish taco to me. The chirashi bowl had nice thick pieces of fish, I don't think I've had another chirashi bowl with such big thick pieces! It came with sweet shrimp too, which was a nice plus. The sushi lunch came with 12 pieces and a tuna roll (or spicy tuna roll for $2 upcharge). The fish was all very fresh, the squid wasn't too tough and it came with sweet shrimp as well! We had the option of fried shrimp head or have it in miso soup so we both got fried and they fried it very nicely. All the fish were really fresh and good quality, I was surprised because it was on par with omakase fish quality at other places. I would definitely come again! read more

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I really can't believe that I haven't reviewed Otoro yet. Dude this place is sooooo good! Been dining here for YEARS. This is me and my coworkers all time favorite place when we all used to work across the street. Def my go-to lunch sushi/sashimi spot in Irvine! No where else can beat the price and the quality of their fish during lunch. It's actually insane. Sashimi lunch is a MUST!!!!! The quantity and the quality you get, it's legit. Never had a bad experience, not even once and I've been eating here since 2018. They also have a 2 for 25 bucks lunch special with top notch choices. I've tried the udon, sashimi salad, nigiri, etc. Seriously all so delicious. Service is great too, food comes out timely and servers are nice. I will say that if you don't wanna wait, come before they open during lunch time, they get BUSY so quick because legit this place is a hack, if you want high quality sashimi for an affordable price. HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you're craving sushi for lunch!! read more

Ootoro Sushi - sashimi salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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When: Wednesday 11:40 AM Parking: Filled to the gills- good luck finding parking! We walked from our workplace across the street. Ambience: Dark and moody. Smells like mildew (eek) Service: Our server was friendly and accommodating for everyone in our party. He was able to help us figure out what to order. The food came out when it was ready. Some items took 10 minutes, others took 30. It made for awkward moments when eating with a group since we were all eating at different times. What I tasted: lunch combo with black cod (I originally ordered sea bass but they were out) and seaweed avocado salad. It also came with miso soup. The black cod was flaky and juicy. Very easy to eat with chopsticks. The salad with avocado and seaweed was simply okay. I feel like they bought bulk seaweed salad from the store and put it in some mixed greens and added avocado. There really wasn't anything special about it. The leaves should have been cut more since it was hard to eat with chopsticks. Some leaves had some browning. The miso soup was comforting and served in a small cup to sip from. They did not provide spoons. Overall thoughts: I'm shocked they have $500 food items while the menu is laminated paper and the restaurant smells like mildew. It was disappointing that they were out of sea bass but the black cod they subbed with was the star of the show for me. I personally wouldn't order sushi from here since it visually did not look appealing or fresh to me. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Avocado seaweed salad- nothing special. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Very good sushi. Everything we tried was very good. It's a small restaurant and not that nicely decorated, but service and food are both top quality. read more

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Ootoro Sushi is one of my favorite sushi spots. The food is always fresh and consistently good every time I visit. Great service, great food, and I'll definitely keep coming back! read more

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On the pricier side ($70+ per person) but the quality of fish is super good. We were a little intimated by the omakase prices so we got al a carte. we ordered: - oo toro sushi: my favorite dish! felt like i was eating butter, melted in my mouth..a little expensive for 2pc but highly recommend! - hirami with uni sushi: comes with yuzu salt, flavors are very good. the uni is very subtle though - ikura sushi: very refreshing, would definitely order again - fried squid leg: was alright, wouldn't order again though - amaebi sushi: super sweet and fresh, we got the head in soup option, really liked it! - una jah: melt in your mouth eel bowl. huge portions too, shared this between 2 people, definitely a fan favorite. Overall we were very satisfied with the extremely fast and kind service! Will be coming back read more

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The sashimi lunch plate was wonderful with a great variety of fresh fish. The ambience at lunch time was good and I would definitely return. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Sashimi Lunch Plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

We don't go out much for sushi anymore since it can get pretty expensive but ootoro always hits! I usually come for the lunch specials in particular their sashimi lunch (under $30 I think) or their lunch combo (~$33). For the lunch combo I like to get either the toro don (if available, it usually sells out), spicy tuna bowl, or clam dynamite, and tempura or the salmon skin salad. Sashimi and sushi always taste so fresh and really good quality. The best bite is usually the toro don with the daikon pickles. The food (dining in/take out) and service are always excellent. I always recommend ootoro when people ask for a sushi recommendation! read more

Ootoro Sushi - Sashimi plate lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Was planning to go to another restaurant in the plaza, but they had a long wait for a Friday night so tried our luck here. The wait actually wasn't too bad! The bar only allows you to order sashimi and omakase so we opted for a table since we were eyeing other items on the list. We had: - Fried Squid Legs - the appearance made it seem like it was slightly over fried, but it was actually perfectly crisp. I did wish the lemon slice was larger, but very delicious - Oysters 3 different ways - tasty with the fish eggs and uni! - Assorted sashimi - wow the marbling on the tuna was amazing and the scallop paired well with what I think is yuzu kosho? - House special salmon - wow. This was by far the best salmon pairing I've ever had. I'm not sure what the rectangular thin layer was - perhaps a fruit leather or gelatin, but it gave the salmon a sweet taste with just a bit of citrus from the lemon slice - Soft shell crab hand roll - not bad, a tad greasy but decent read more

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So so soooo good!! We went at 5:45pm, waited maybe 10 minutes before seating on a friday. Staff was very friendly and informative. We ordered the 4 hand rolls and sushi set A. The quality of the fish were so good!!! Very buttery and no fishy taste at all. The food came out so fast too. You can see the chef really on top of his game. The prices were also not too pricey. A sushi set A was around 45$ for 12 pieces of sushi and a handroll. The place has good vibes, intimate. Will definitely come again and recommend people to try this spot out for good quality sushi. read more

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OMG. This cute little spot is seriously so underrated. Fair warning it is a little on the pricier side, but it is soooo worth it!!! Also, the service was quick and our server was great! The tempura was great, not AMAZING but a solid appetizer that I would order again. The star of the show was the premium chirashi bowl. The fish came in these SUPER thick slices and were so incredibly fresh and yummy. The rice was perfectly cooked sushi rice that was literally almost as good as the fish. Also, they offer an option to give you a miso soup with the cooked shrimp head from the little shrimp in your chirashi bowl! Super cool. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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After a long day at work, I decided to treat myself to some nice sushi. Parking here sucks, but we all know that and still go here for some of the great restaurants in the plaza. I had never been to this sushi place, but thought the reviews looked promising. When my order was ready, I walked in to be greeted by a woman who hurriedly walked away without saying anything else. No problem; she looked busy. I stood for a few minutes, waiting to be acknowledged. Someone else then walked in behind me. Then, a man who worked there looked over, saw the man behind me, greeted him and immediately got his pick up order for him. He didn't even look in my direction. When I spoke up, he apologized and said he had just recognized the other guy. Doesn't really make sense to me since we both had pick up orders, and I was standing in front of that other guy. Anyway. So, time to eat. It looks delicious. The edamame is a little dry looking but tastes fine. The thick slices of sushi taste amazing. Some mounds of something I've never seen before... tastes great. I was happily eating until I noticed a bug poking its antenna out by one of the sushi. Ew. According to Google, it's an earwig, which, even if eaten, won't hurt you. But it was still gross. It must have been in the seaweed that is under the sushi. Overall, this was very disappointing, but I honestly still ate pretty much everything. Probably won't come back. read more

SERVICE If you've been following me here on Yelp, you know exactly I feel about relationships whether it's in our personal lives or in business. OOTORO SUSHI prides itself with excellent service - it literally feels like you are going to a family member's home. They know you by first name and treat you like a sister/brother. You can read my past reviews for a breakdown of the people who take very good care of a loyal customer like mwah. Don't settle for mediocre, OOTORO comes with all the toppings for excellence in service. FOOD Salmon $8.95 2 eye-catching pieces of juicy, FRESH and delicious! Red Snapper $7.95 2 shiny, loving pieces that defy selfish hunger yum! Halibut $7.95 loved it! 2 pieces - I had to put in 2 more orders cuz I loved how fresh it was tonight - oh yes! Amberjack $7.95 KANPACHI 2 pieces Smelt Eggs Masago $5.50 2 pieces Fresh Water Eel Unagi $5.50 2 pieces AMBIANCE I'd say this place is perfect for your next romantic date but let me tell you, I'd bring the entire office staff here for a grand office party! Did I mention they have a private room in the back that's so private you can dance like a duck all you want and no one outside of your Boss can see you. Kidding aside, you'd find the privacy factor a big plus. read more

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Yummy food and I love their sashimi lunch specials! Good amount for fresh fish that isn't fishy. Worth a try for sure!! read more

Another satisfying visit, good quality and filling portions. I wish other places offer decent cuts for the prices they charge. Been coming back over the years and always enjoyed what they had to offer. The deco hasn't changed over the years but no reason to ask for more. read more

Ootoro Sushi - Premium Chirashi ($47) and Sashimi Deluxe ($49), Lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

I had the churashi bowl and it was amazing. Lots of fish and seafood. Fresh seafood salad. Really wonderful food.

Came here with my girlfriend for lunch to celebrate her birthday. ( which I forgot to mention to our server and therefore didn't get a dessert .) I arrived earlier (40min prior to opening) to secure a table when they open at 11:30am. The restaurant staff were still organizing and cleaning before opening time. Once you put your name on the list inside ,you can walk around the mini mall or wait outside. They only take reservations for the bar & you are required to get the omakase. ($150 per person.) When you put your name on the list you get a table and can order either omakase or from the menu. We were one of the first group to be seated. Initially, there was a bleach smell from the cleaning AND a strong fishy odor. However, I'm glad I didn't notice it after a while. Outstanding food! Everything was very fresh and high quality. We each ordered the lunch special which you pick two items. Both of us wanted the Toro Don. For the second item, she chose the blue crab hand roll and I got the miso black cod. We also got the lunch omakase from the a la carte side to share. (Yes,we ate it all.) * I have an Ootoro location closer to where I live. Since I've only gone there at dinner hours, I didn't experience the cleaning /fish odor as I did at this location. I was worried it would dampen my appetite. ( Hence the one less star .) read more

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OoToro Sushi is excellent--honestly one of the better sushi bars in Irvine. Quality is high across the board and the overall experience was great. That said, it's definitely on the pricier side. We did the omakase, and it was very good, but once you're at $200+ per person, the value starts to get tough--there are other spots at that price point that I'd personally rank higher. If you're okay paying a premium for a great Irvine sushi experience, it's worth trying. read more

Location 4/5 Service 5/5 Quality and Taste 5/5 Price 4.5/5 This place is always crowded and busy. But they seem to handle well all the customers to their satisfaction. They have best premium Chirashi bowl and sushi combo in Irvine in my opinion as an ex chef. We already went there 5x and never had disappointed yet with their service and foods. # I strongly recommend this place for those who want to try premium Chirashi and sushi read more

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Make a reservation! You have to call them. No online reservations. Parking is a challenge. So grab a spot when you see one. We had reservations for a weeknight at 530 when they open. There were about 6 people who got there before we did and were waiting outside. They opened promptly at 530pm. They seated those with reservations first. The interior is nice. They spent some $ on the interior. Such fresh sashimi and generous slices! We told the server it was our first visit and they had great suggestions. Can't wait to go back! read more

Ootoro Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

The best sushi restaurant in town, I love omakase here they make very fresh sashimi and sushi read more

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One of the freshest seafood in town. Wow, everything was amazing! Their live shrimp was so fresh that when they deep fried the head, everything tasted so good! Expect to spend some serious money, but it's worth the price because you'll get the best seafood. Parking was horrible. You need to go 30 minutes earlier and wait for an open spot. Overall, I love this sushi place. For Thinsulin fans, there's plenty of green light options. read more

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