Loved the food. Very good service, fast as well. Don't like sushi, but this place changes my mind every time. Very good

The WORST service I've ever had. I went to the restaurant with my toddler for dinner. She was pretty hungry and the restaurant didn't seem too busy, so we went. We were told that the wait is 10 mins, but ended up waiting for almost 20 mins to get seated. When we sat down, I wasn't going to eat, but still ordered a full $40 entree, a cooked cod, and told him we're going to share. After another 25 mins of waiting for our food, I asked the server for the status of our order. The response I got from my waiter was unreal. Without any apologies or anything, he said there are people waiting for their food for over an hour and there are 15 tickets in front of us, so we should wait for another 35 mins of wait. To simply put, there were several tables empty when we were seated, so I don't understand how there were 15 tickets ahead of us, when the sushi bar probably has separate tickets from the kitchen. And there were tables getting food that were seated after us. I get that the food is not that great here, so they are not used to dealing with customers, but this is going to be another reason why they will never see all of their tables full. I spoke to the manager and he did apologize but that will never change my mind of coming back here. read more

Spare yourself one hell of a evening with your toilet. It'll be a long embrace. My family became profusely ill due to food poisoning after dining at Robata Wasa yesterday evening (August 17,2022). I called and informed the restaurant about how devastatingly sick my family became and the manager did not seem to care. Nevertheless, She stated they receive many calls about food quality. I'm saddened to see other yelpers review about poor food quality, also being food poisoned, and Even seeing RATS in the restaurant. Beware! read more

My son and I came here for my bday. They had just opened Monday, as part of the new business expansion at the Irvine Spectrum. The warm ambiance and kindness of the hosts immediately made me feel welcomed. We ordered the Salmon Tartare, Salmon Citrus, and Ultimate Albacore. All were extremely yummy and fairly priced. Our server, Jodie, was consistently informative, kind, and hospitable. She recommended several items from the menu which made our decision easy. As for dessert, I highly recommend the Matcha Cheesecake. I'm not a cheesecake person but the texture was light, soft, and gelatinous. I'm glad the taste was not overbearing w/cheesecake flavor, but evenly mixture of both matcha green tea and cheesecake....yummm!!! Finally, a good sushi place at the Spectrum!!! read more

See all

Eva was the best server Eva! (Pun intended) everything was delicious and great, am coming back again

Came to walk around and shop then ran into this place. Decided to grab a bite & the sushi was delicious! We got the Dragon roll and salmon and lemon pepper roll! Our server Michael was amazing! Totally recommend! read more

Excellent quality sushi. Took my daughter we had excellent time. We ate everything to the last drop.

So today was my second visit to Robata Wasa for dinner. I have been eager to come back after hearing about their updated menu with new specialty items. We ended up trying all of them! I appreciated the quality and freshness of the seafood in each of these dishes. Mango Foam Lobster: I was intrigued by this combo as I LOVE mango AND lobster, so this dish was a must try for me! The mango foam paired well with the perfectly poached lobster tail. It was also topped with sautéed chick peas and kubota sausage. The sausage added a nice smoky flavor to the dish. However, I was not a big fan of the chick peas. (I may just be biased bc I typically don't like chick peas unless it's transformed into hummus lol). Other than that, I really enjoyed this dish! Seared Ahi Avocado Crema: The seared ahi tuna was so tasty! I loved the tang from the lemon ponzu and pairing it with the creamy avocado sauce. I'd definitely order this again. YUM! Uni Meets Ikura: This dish consisted of sea urchin (uni) and salmon roe topped over sushi rice with sesame oil. I enjoyed the mild, yet delightful flavors of the sushi rice with salmon roe. The uni was the star of the dish, as it should be! :) Japanese Scallop Crudo: The scallops are topped with sliced cucumber, sweet apple salsa, and Serrano pepper. It's light and refreshing. Citrusy from the lemon juice and a nice kick from the Serrano. The crunchiness of the cucumbers and apples complement the scallops well. We also tried the calamari, vegetable udon, and spicy tuna roll. These were all delicious, especially the spicy tuna roll! SO GOOD! The service we received tonight was phenomenal! Chef Andy took the time to provide us with a thorough explanation of each dish we had ordered. It was apparent that Chef Andy was passionate about creating memorable experiences for his customers through his unique dishes. Looking forward to trying more of his signature items in the future! Also, thank you to our server Danny for being so sweet and attentive throughout the evening. In regards to COVID-19 precautions, the staff did an excellent job making us feel safe during our visit. The restaurant is currently limiting their capacity. They all had their masks on and social distancing was enforced. I highly recommend swinging by Robata Wasa to give your taste buds a unique and satisfying experience! :) read more

See all

We had dinner The night before Father's Day. From the location and website the place looks inviting, food appealing. The staff and server was helpful and attentive. Tapas Tempura Calamari, Miso soup and Octopus balls were hot and delicious. Both kids enjoyed their selections of assorted sushi. The platter of sashimi was cool, almost room temperature and had no texture , my wife's bento plate was so so/ meh. read more

Robata Wasa - Sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Got take out, couldn't eat it -- super fishy. They didn't give any sauces to items that commonly come with them. Blew $50 on inedible sushi. Maybe dine in is better, but I'm not coming back to see. read more

My kids love to eat here, every time we're at Spectrum Food's great taste & good service. read more

This was a couple of weeks ago but I still think about this experience and it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Ordered the squid ink pasta with uni on top and the uni was rancid. Ruined the whole dish and I got a discount for it when I finally complained halfway through eating but my issue was not entirely with the dish....or the flies that you could see flying throughout the restaurant. My issue was when I came into the restaurant, was seated but then had to wait a good 20-25 minutes before anyone helped to take my order. I was about to leave but I really wanted to try the uni pasta. I didn't even know who my server was as I had to flag someone over to tell them I was ready to order. The server who finally took my order was nice enough but then she did not come to check in on me and I had to make another effort to try and flag down another person to help me check out. It was an unpleasant experience overall and I don't think I will be coming back as my first visit here was just as unpleasant. read more

Came here on a Wednesday night. Our server Tiya was extremely friendly and attentive. The food was so yummy. Got one of my favorite dishes from any restaurant I've been to in my life which is the fried brie cheese with blueberry and honey. I cannot speak highly enough about this restaurant! Yes, wait times can be high and it can be a little pricey but if you're going to complain about wait times and prices then either find somewhere else to eat or eat at home!! read more

While the food was good, the service was AWFUL!!! We sat at 3:00 in the afternoon for almost 15 minutes before a server acknowledged us and took our order. We ordered a salad, edamame, and rolls. The salad and edamame should have come out first, but it all came out together. It took our food over an hour to come out even though we could see 6 people working in the kitchen. I will NEVER go back to this restaurant again. read more

Nice place to grab a quick bite to eat & share some tasty beverages for a date in the spectrum. Yummy sushi, excellent recommendations from the waitress and prompt/attentive service. read more

I was so disappointed. The food was good and the patio area was nice but the service is slower than molasses. I waited 15 minutes before someone appeared to get my order after they dropped off the menus. Another person dropped off my food and then we waited another 20 minutes after I ate before we could get our check and box. After they came by with the card reader, the waitress took off again and had us standing there for 10 minutes and we never got our receipt. How long do they think the card reader takes? They just couldn't be bothered to even ask us to wait. She just left so we just left. The food is not worth that long of a wait. Ridiculous. I left 15% tip anyway since I'm not coming back. read more

Made reservation here for my birthday dinner. Wasn't sure what to expect with it being my first time trying this establishment. Was very happy with the service and the dishes we had. The plates tasted delicious, and the fish was so fresh. Look forward to dining here again. read more

See all

I recommend Robata wasa to anyone who enjoys a wonderful ambiance, excellent service, and astonishing quality. My brother and I ordered three rolls, the Spicy Yellowtail Tataki Roll, Natsu roll, and the Salmon Lemon Roll. The flavor of each roll was phenomenal, layered, and fresh. Lovely experience, will definitely come back again. read more

The fishnet was 1000/10. The vibes were so good and service was very good. Servers check up regularly and their seasonal specials are a must read more

Robata Wasa - Wall art inside - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

I've been here about 6 times and I've always had a great experience here! The food is delicious and the presentation is always beautiful. Their bentos are really yummy if you want to try a variety of items. Their shitake mushroom salad with miso ginger dressing was also one of the best salad's I've had! The portion was perfect to share with 3 and it was super refreshing/tasty. Sounds super simple, but definitely try this salad! The mango foam lobster was also perfectly cooked. The lobster was super soft and tender and the sauce complimented it well. read more

Robata Wasa - Love their agedashi tofu and shitake salad! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

You're paying for the rent. The pricetag begs the question, "WTF am I paying for?" The food and service here are nothing special, and the decor is what you'd expect at most higher mid-level sushi places, but man this is just a cluster. Yeah, it's in the spectrum. Yeah, it's a huge and imposing entrance. Sure, it's kinda pretty inside. But your beers aren't the right temperature and your plating is something of a mix between a culinary student and someone who watched Chef's Table the night before. There is nothing special here, and the quality of the fish is actually pretty poor, but the asking price makes one believe that they're paying for something above average, and for those who don't know any better, the cost is enough to confirm the illusion. Just because something is expensive doesn't mean it's good, and just because something is hyped doesn't mean it'll be worth your time and money. Wasa, you let me down. Where are your roots? What happened to you? Did you forget where you came from? Sorry. I forgot. It's south OC. *facepalm* read more

See all

Will be paying for the FRESH/INCREDIBLE QUALITY of their food. I have been here numerous times and is consistently impressed. Id recommend making a reservation if you plan to visit Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. I havent been during the week, so I cant speak to wait times for those days. There is no wrong option on the menu!! read more

I came to eat at this place last week looked appetizing, food was alright a bit pricey but okay as me and my wife were enjoying our meal a Rat was crawling on the top of the establishment it was probably the size of the cat not sure what their feeding them. After researching on OC health care agency I found out they've been closed several times within this year due to them finding rat droppings and rats as well in the kitchen area. Will never come back to this place cannot believe they are still open after so many failed inspections unbelievable. read more

Robata Wasa - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

Great place, food is delicious. Will go back to try other dishes! Location is good, service is fast, read more

Came here for lunch with a coworker and had the salmon belly sashimi, salmon truffle carpaccio, and the naruto roll. The salmon belly sashimi comes with 5 pieces. It was my favorite dish we ordered. The sashimi was really fresh and fatty. I also really enjoyed the naruto rolls. It comes with 6 rolls and it's nice having the perfect option if you're looking to order something light, without rice. Unfortunately the salmon truffle carpaccio was my least favorite thing we ordered. The salmon didn't have much flavor and the truffle overpowered the fish. read more

Robata Wasa - Salmon Belly, Salmon truffle carpaccio, Naruto - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

See all

The volcano roll & Naruto roll were sooo good! The vibe is always nice vibe, nice staff & the quality of all the food wam better than NOBU read more

This place is really accommodating.....so far the vegan options I've had are the avocado rolls, sea weed salad, and shiitake mushroom salad with no cheese add tofu....the salad was definitely my favorite. Food is always great quality and the staff is always exceptional! Would absolutely recommend this place!!! read more

Robata Wasa - Shiitake salad made vegan - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

First time back since their soft opening. We came here because my good friend that now lived in Texas was back in town. She was in the mood for some sushi and seafood. This place did not disappoint. I love how you pick your sake cup from the tray. The food was good and our server was very knowledgeable and kind. Sage was very attentive and knew her stuff. We had a great time and will be coming back. This was much better then when they first opened so I'm glad they were able to work all the kinks out. read more

See all

Really great place! My girlfriend and I have been coming here for a while now and it's always a good experience. The staff is very polite and the service is always great. Our server tonight was Jay and he did an amazing job! The food here is also really great, though we don't really ever get anything other than miso soup, edamame, and rolls. But everything else looks good. HOWEVER, the music they play just doesn't fit the vibe. They did such a great job with the aesthetics and we love everything about how the place looks. But when I'm eating sushi in a place that has Hokusai all over the place, I don't really want to listen to Ariana Grande and Drake. So if the owners or GM is reading this, please reconsider the playlist. I'm not saying you should play J-pop, but top 50 just does not fit the aesthetic of this place. read more

Robata Wasa - Crunchy Roll, Edamame, Baked Salmon Roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

We were pleasantly surprised with the salad, lobster dish, and the scallop appetizer. The waitress we had was great. What was not good was the sushi gozem box, that was pretty gross. The sashimi pieces were cut in unusual shapes, not to mention the texture and colors were off too. I get very nervous with raw fish like that. We will come again but will stay away from the sushi/sashimi. read more

so I dont know what to think about this place. service was terrible. whatever. this place is like nobu. you have a large bill and leave hungry kinda vibes. I came sunday for brunch and they have no cocktails besides beer & wine. the waitress said the bartender only comes at night. uhh wtf? im sure they make enough money to have someone in the day. whatever. i got the iced match green tea. no straw no sweetner. remonds me of murky toilet water haha whatever. didnt get a refill never got a glass of water. I decided on the salmon truffle carpaccio (very good but oily) the scallop appetizer. a little much on the apple cider vinegar the spicy tuna crispy rice was good but the sweet sauce on top didnt match with the dish. the naruto roll- way too mushy but normally this roll is good. for $67 for no booze and a couple appetizers and bad service. I may come back and try again read more

I was shopping at the Apple store next door and decided to stop by this place for a quick bite. Came in on a Sunday night around 6pm, it wasn't as packed as I expected it to be and I was immediately sat at the sushi bar. My server for the night was Alen. I mentioned that I was just looking for a simple nigiri set and he was extremely helpful! He recommended me either the SA dinner set or the SU dinner set, and I opted for the sushi set. I was served miso soup and the house salad that came with the dinner set within 5 minutes, which I highly appreciated as people started to pile in and Alen mentioned that he would get my food out as fast as possible before the kitchen gets backed up. Miso and the house salad were pretty standard, nothing outstanding but tasty nonetheless. The dressing for the salad was a sesame dressing, which is usually the case at Japanese Cuisine. It took just under 10 minutes for my sushi set to come out, which is very reasonable as the sushi chefs have to handmake each individual piece of nigiri. The set was served on a wooden platter and came with 8 pieces of different fish. It came with Inari (Japanese Tofu skin) and a spicy tuna hand roll as well. Very satisfied with the portions, I was definitely full by the end. Alen came back at the end and asked if I would like to finish off with any dessert, but I just told him I would be back to try that next time. Overall a very satisfactory experience and I will be back! read more

Robata Wasa - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Ate here recently, there were roaches crawling up and down the walls and floors. tables left in a hurry! they were huge! and now they recently got shut down for a rodent infestation! https://inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/orange-county/restaurant-closures Jesus christ, how are they allowed to operate with vermin and pest and roaches up and down. Food is mid this is disgusting will never visit again. read more

I've been here several times for lunch and dinner. The crispy spicy tuna rolls on the appetizer menu are so yummY as well as the yellowtail sashimi with a jalapeño sauce so delicious. The sushi is fresh bUt was surprised that they didn't offer fried rice. The restaurant has a patio and small bar area to sit at as well if you prefer to not sit at the sushi bar orr dinning area. Restrooms are very clean and staff is friendly and attentive. read more

Prices were a tad high but the sushi was quality. We really enjoyed the baked Brie- it's labeled a tapa but I would consider it a yummy dessert. Service was great. read more

Robata Wasa - Philly roll, yellow tail roll, baked brie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been looking forward to try Robata Wasa since I always see it when I'm at the Irvine Spectrum, but I don't think I'll ever be coming back. When we came in we were immediately greeted by unhappy hosts that seemed annoyed to have to do their job. Btw we came at 3:00 pm, and it was not crowded at all. It took forever for us to order our entrees, I think our server forgot about us lol. The ambience is nice and the music is great! Definitely a fun atmosphere. However, the food was not that good. The sushi was definitely not top quality, but they are charging top quality prices. Maybe come here if you want some drinks and appetizers, but I don't recommend coming here for the sushi. read more

See all

I've been to, what now, 5 various sushi joints that have been under the Wasa umbrella by now. The Spectrum location by the theater was an old standby, and I do miss the Irvine location on Jamboree. By far, this is the most attractive restaurant, even if you want to count in the SCP Crystal Court place (that I don't think is part of Wasa any more). It is a little jewel box of a restaurant, maybe they hired the same folks who did the new Apple Store next door. The food, however, is just OK. Nothing is bad, the fish is all good, but the portions are fair, and the price is steep. There wasn't anything I had (a mix of various sushi and roll options) that really blew me away. The inclusions of a cocktail bar was nice, but I think the drinks are on the light side and not that great for what looks like a craft menu. The cocktail menu is especially helpful because the sake menu is too pretentious and too expensive. Now the girls had a different opinion, and they really liked the food, so you may have a different opinion that I, but this sits a bit higher on the quality scale but down on the value scale. I don't mind spending on good sushi, but this wasn't worth it in my opinion. read more

5 stars right off the bat for the ambiance and proximity to Apple. Who likes waiting for appointments shopping? Ordered a Midori Mule and Tonkotsu ramen. Mule served in copper mugs as usual. Decent seating for bar and sushi bar. Intimate and not too loud. 2:30 PM on a Saturday is nice to have a refreshing combo read more

See all

The worst service I have encountered as long as I reviewed restaurants the past 5 years. I was just finishing my sake , when the waitress trying to kick me out , with empty tables all over. It's not the only bad service she gave us at the end , it was from the beginning, rude and inappropriate service , the more patience we were the more rude service she was giving . I am really surprised the restaurant employing her. Usually when this happens , the management have issues in servicing guests ! read more

The sushi was fresh and the grilled hamachi collar was grilled to perfection. Service was friendly and prompt, will be returning soon!