Wow! So I was here a year ago and had a much different experience than I did today! The first thing you see when you come in is a 3% price reduction if your pay cash, so I understand we are all struggling in this economy but to be reminded of it right when you walk in is unpleasant for me. Then I saw the menu prices, it was outrageous I won't be back. We got 3 items and no drinks it was 78.00!!!! Plus the real absolute finish was when I asked for hot sauce I was told I'd be charged 1.00! I mean it was just an unpleasant feeling to be nickled and dimed for every last thing. I spent 25.00 for a sushi roll and couldn't get hot sauce without a charge I felt awful the experience was just terrible and the server was not great either was not friendly at all! I had a poor experience overall and I hope the restaurant can carry on in this economy not sure I can't imagine the costs for them. But being here a year ago to now there was a huge difference and it was not a good one, when we came in on Friday afternoon it was also completely empty....good luck but I'm sorry I won't be back. read more

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Walked by a thousand times before, thought it was time to try it. Pretty good, I'd come back. Ordered calamari, 2 specialty cocktails, volcano roll, and a yellow tail roll. The calamari wasn't good. It was very tough. My wife said I should eat the rest, but it just wasn't enjoyable to me. Also when the calamari came, they delivered the plate to us and we had no water or table settings yet. We just looked at each other like "so, hands???" lol The cocktails seemed unique and both were enjoyable. Both rolls were delicious, so the sushi itself was on point. The volcano roll was placed at our table literally on fire, which was a pretty cool experience. After about a minute it went out and we ate it. Only negative thing is that the table settings were absent and not ready for us to eat, and that the calamari wasn't good. Would for sure come back for the sushi though. read more

Robata Wasa - Volcano Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Excellent vegetable udon & chicken teriyaki! Terrific service from Jay. Wonderful patio to sit outside on a beautiful So Cal Day! Had salmon sushi & Spicy tuna handroll too everything was fantastic! Highly recommend! read more

Robata Wasa - Chicken Teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Just okay food. wait is long even when not too busy. Service just okay. Not worth the price imo

Jenine was amazing!! Not only was the sushi fantastic, but the service from Jenine was outstanding--attentive, quick, kind, and really made our evening. Definitely recommend the Volcano Roll, Salmon Lemon Pepper Roll, Baked Salmon Roll, and the classic Rainbow Roll. All great! read more

Delicious food. Sushi is solid and the udon is surprisingly good! We get the udon whenever we here. In fact, if I'm in the mood for udon , I wouldn't mind stopping here and skipping the sushi. I'm surprised this restaurant isn't bigger. Lots of booth seats. The drinks are strong and taste good! read more

I've had Robata Wasa on my list for a long time, so I was genuinely excited for the chance to finally slip away for a solo visit and enjoy a quiet moment. Unfortunately, the experience didn't quite meet the expectation. The hostess seated me between two large families with infants and strollers, which made the space feel cramped--not just for me, but for everyone involved. I kindly asked to switch seats, and although she seemed a bit frazzled, I didn't want to cause a fuss, so I offered to move to the bar, which ended up being a better fit. Service was fairly quick and courteous, and I appreciated that. I didn't want to overthink my order, so I went with a sushi combo and an order of Hokkaido uni nigiri. The food was okay--not bad by any means, but for the price, it just didn't leave a lasting impression. I really wanted to enjoy this visit, but overall it felt a bit underwhelming. read more

Robata Wasa - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

A few weeks ago, me and my lady were trying to figure out where to eat -- and as usual, she couldn't decide. I tossed out a few ideas, all "no's," until I mentioned sushi. That's when she finally said, "yeah, I'm down." Since we were near Irvine Spectrum, I checked Yelp and found Robata Wasa. The reviews looked great, so we decided to give it a shot. We got there around 7:30 on a Friday night and were seated in about 20 minutes -- pretty quick for a busy night. Our server Vivian was absolutely amazing from the moment we sat down. Super friendly, easy to talk to, and she just had that good energy that makes you feel welcome right away. I asked her what drinks she recommended, and she didn't miss a beat -- suggested the lychee martini. Me and my lady both ordered it, and she was spot-on. I also tried the espresso martini, and that one hit perfectly too. When it came to food, we told Vivian to just bring out whatever she thought was best, and wow... she did not disappoint. The garlic edamame was packed with flavor -- probably the best I've had anywhere. Then came the squid ink uni pasta, and man, that uni was so fresh it tasted like it came straight from the ocean that day. The spicy tuna roll was perfect, and the volcano roll came out literally on fire -- such a cool presentation and crazy good flavor. What really made the night though was Vivian's service. She checked in on us at the right times, made sure everything was perfect, and you could tell she genuinely cared that we were having a good experience. It wasn't just great service -- it felt like being taken care of by someone who loves what they do. All in all, Robata Wasa blew us away. The food, drinks, and atmosphere were top-notch, but Vivian honestly made the whole night. Me and my lady left saying, "she's the reason we're coming back." 10/10 -- amazing food, even better service. If you go, ask for Vivian -- she'll make your night. read more

Squid Ink Uni Pasta: This is an iconic item that uses an uni cream sauce but I found it to be a little too watery and the uni was subtle. What I do recommend is... Mentaiko and Shrimp Cream Pasta: This was the superior pasta and it's a spring 2024 seasonal item so you have to try it before it's gone. The shrimp were so plump and succulent and the mentaiko cream sauce was so good. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice: I highly recommend ordering this as an appetizer. They were some of the biggest ones I've seen and they stayed crispy. RW Sashimi Platter: A great sharing plate for the table or maybe for just one person if you're in the sushi mood. Unagi Don: I love eel and although the slices were thin, they seasoned it well. Salmon Oyako Don: Oyako means parent and child in Japanese so this dish features salmon sashimi and salmon roe over rice and I loved it. Toro & Yellowtail Belly Sushi: I saw another review saying the toro was incredible so I had to order it myself. I wish the slices were thicker but he was right, it was delicious. I also added on a yellowtail belly because why not? The service was so nice and my whole party felt welcomed and well taken care of. The food came out in rounds but with a good pace in between. We went on a Monday night so neither the inside nor outside seating area was crowded but I can imagine it being crowded during the weekends. read more

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I was impressed with the decor and comfortable seating for a dining experience. Very relaxing to grab a bite after a day of shopping here at the Irvine Spectrum. Service level was mediocre and could improve by checking in with guest during the dining experience. They recommended a few items and their Bake Bree was to die for!! I was impressed! The sushi itself was good, but the roll wasn't the best. For the price point could've had more flavor or thicker slices of the sushi in/on the roll. I tried their seasonal drink which looked amazing but the tase itself was very tart. Overall good experience and will be going back for their omakase when the Chef Is in. read more

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Located in Irvine Spectrum next to black dot coffee. Decided to get some lunch. Service fast. Friendly host. They have indoor and outdoor seating area and also bar. We ordered: Natsu salmon roll - its their summer special, we like it, it's refreshing Sashimi roll - its ok, nothing special Chincaron salmon skin salad - we like it a lot except they overly dressed the salad. Vegetable tempura - nicely crispy not oily Squid ink uni - it taste like Alfredo, nah. We got mochi ice cream for my d birthday. Overall ok. read more

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Ryōshi Plate 10/10- honestly one of the best poke bowls I've ever tried! The presentation was absolutely stunning with all the ingredients arranged in these beautiful colorful stripes - it almost looked too pretty to eat. Everything in this bowl was incredibly fresh. The poke-style marinated sashimi literally melted in your mouth and had such amazing flavor, while also being incredibly fresh. The ikura was also so fresh and I loved how it added these perfect little bursts of saltiness throughout the bowl. The avocado was perfectly ripe and added this amazing creamy element, while the cucumber and seaweed salad gave such a satisfying crunch factor. I really appreciated how they added micro greens which made everything taste even fresher and added such a nice pop of color. All the components worked so incredibly well together and created the perfect balance of textures and flavors. The portion size was super generous - this bowl was actually so filling! Such a beautiful and delicious bowl that really exceeded my expectations and was plated perfectly. This is a seasonal special so I highly recommend trying it soon if you're in the mood for a poke bowl as it's exceptional. The service was also incredible. Instagram: @hungrytamale read more

Robata Wasa - Ryōshi Plate Instagram: @hungrytamale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

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Great quality seafood and flavorful! Tiff was so amazing, we enjoyed chatting with her. will definitely come back

I went here with my family since we happened to be in town to meet up with a couple of friends. We were at the Spectrum on a Saturday around 12 PM and there was no wait. Was seated immediately and they accommodated us with booster seats for our 2 boys. Our waitress was extremely gracious and kind. I had put a kids' bento and the chicken karaage appetizer ahead of time with her as I got a table before my husband and kids could make their way from the leafy playground a little ways' away. We also ended up adding a crunchy roll, the Fishnet roll, and the beef don (beef sukiyaki with rice) to our order. We did feel like we waited a bit longer than expected for the rest of our food, which made me glad that our waitress asked if I wanted to put anything in ahead of time so that by the time I was joined at the table by the rest of my family, my boys were able to just eat right away. The one boys' bento was perfectly portioned for my boys. They're 1 and 3 (with my older one always extra picky), so the teriyaki chicken, salmon, rice, the tamago, and edamame was just enough for them to share. They were a little rowdy so my husband scarfed down his crunchy roll, and sort of enjoyed his beef don but we both were slightly rushing through our food to keep the kids entertained as long as possible. Lol. Great service, convenient location, and food was good. Nothing to complain about, but also nothing that stood out. Bill was a bit steep also in my opinion, but again - it was convenient and the quality was a bit better than other comparable places I suppose. read more

tiff was a great server, yummy recommendations and everything came on time. will be coming back again!

We had a party of 7 with family to celebrate my son's birthday. Our family is not too familiar with Japanese food. Tomoko was excellent in her recommendations and my family raved about the delicious food the rest of the day. She was so attentive and handled our table perfectly. Thank you Tomoko for your excellent service! We'll be back read more

Had amazing service from @tiff and everything came out perfect (and quickly) would recommend. The house salad is the bomb as is the spicy tuna crispy rice read more

Hi. We ate here for father's day and Tiff was amazing. She wqs really helpful and made our dining experience memorable

Had the greatest experience getting dinner after shopping at Irvine Spectrum! The service was so good everyone was so welcoming and the miso cod WAS AMAZING!! Love the vibe of this place will be coming again :) read more

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The food here was do good and the service was even better. Our server tiff took great care of us. We ordered our appetizers and shareables and came out with 5 minutes. 10/10 would come again read more

TIFF was an amazing server.we were pleasantly greeted by the hostess Kylie. The sushi was fresh and delicious. We also had the very flavorful garlic edamame. read more

shoutout to our amazing server, tiff!! i would definitely come back not only to eat the yummy sushi but to be served by tiff who made our first time memorable! read more

Great service, fast and prompt. Fresh fish for sure. The restaurant gives off a really ambient vibe which is super cute for a dinner date. We loved the sashimi and nigiri set, both were amazing. We tried to uni pasta, but honestly it was quite small in portion so it wouldn't be a top pick. read more

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Tiff took great care of us! The food was amazing will definitely be back :) the spicy yellow tail roll was my favorite!

I was expecting more from this restaurant. Very fancy looking, loved the vibes. Service was ok. Our server was nice and friendly. They have an ok selection on sushi but not a wide variety. The bento boxes were very pricey. My husband had the Udon Beef Ramen and he really loved it. The gioza was nice and crispy. I had the Angel Hair Specialty roll and it was good but was expecting more flavor/spiciness. Very pricey. Not sure if I'll come back here since I've tried better sushi places. read more

Robata Wasa - Angel Hair - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Sat at the bar while our daughter was shopping with her friend. I've eaten here before but this time it was just by myself. Cucumber salad. Bountiful portions. Crisp and cold. Delicious and flavorful. Garlic edamame. Toro. Yellow tail. Albacore. And Uni. Just perfect. Miso soup that was very unique with shards of union or perhaps some other veggie in it. Not sure but it was great. Michael was my server and working the bar. Fantastic in all he did to make me feel welcome and as a valued customer. Had a great time. With 20% tip $107. Not cheap but a an amazing dining experience. read more

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Food and service were great!!! Shout out to our server Tiffanie! She was honest on giving recommendations

I've been here quite a few times. Always a good meal at Robata Wasa. Food is well prepared & sushi is fresh. Reservations are pretty easy to get. I docked one star because our server was a bit rude one of the times I went. She seemed to want to get us in & out as quickly as possible even though it was a weekday night & the restaurant wasn't extremely busy. But, I know this wasn't the norm. Staff are usually friendly. Maybe she had a date or had to get home & couldn't leave until we left? Regardless, this is a go-to spot now when I'm at the Spectrum & craving sushi. read more

Rolls are spicy, and they recently updated their menu, so it is not as great as it was before

Honestly, the service has always been nice and I would give more stars for that but I have to give Robata 1 star for food poisoning. I came back after stomach cramps, nausea, a fever and other symptoms I will not write in detail about to, but the fish that day was really off. We came in as a party of 15 and 5 of us had food poisoning. read more

Food. The worst Sushi I have had in a very long time. Frozen fish thawed and served on a bed of daikon. Miso soup had no seaweed. Too much vinegar on the seaweed salad. No fresh salad. When I complained, they did reduce the bill by 30% I would rather have eaten fresh sushi. Bartender was also serving the tables. Did not even serve me water. Will never ever go there. read more

Robata Wasa delivers upscale sushi, robata, and elegance under one roof -- easily deserving a full five stars. From the moment you walk in, the restaurant mixes modern Japanese styling with warm energy and attentive service. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared, and reservations are easy to manage. I started with the sashimi salad, loaded with tuna, salmon, and yellowtail atop greens--bright, clean, and flavor-forward. Then came the volcano roll, a masterclass in texture and heat--it added a welcome kick without overpowering. I also tried skewers off the robata grill--like grilled saba and shishito peppers--smoky, juicy, and fantastically seasoned. Service was seamless: servers checked in at the right moments, recommended standout rolls, and made the meal feel curated just for me. While prices are on the premium side, the quality, presentation, and flavor absolutely earn it. Yes, seating can be cozy--and I'd skip the tempura udon next time--but these are small notes in an otherwise delicious experience. Bottom line: Robata Wasa is easily one of the best sushi/robata experiences in the Spectrum. Great vibes, curated cocktails, and consistently fresh, creative dishes make this place a clear 5-star go-to. I'll be back--and bringing friends next time! read more

Tiff was the best server! She was attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to make sure our family had a great experience. I had my kids with me, and she was incredibly patient, accommodating, and kind to them, which made the meal so much more enjoyable. She checked on us regularly, made sure we had everything we needed, and always had a positive attitude. Excellent service from start to finish, we will definitely be back and hope to have Tiff as our server again! read more

Food was good. We requested to sit in a booth and they denied us. They had a reserve Marker on it but they were only like at 25% capacity, which was weird. By the he time we ate and had out meal, the booths still were empty. Also they charge 3% more for using your credit card. Isn't it part of doing business than charging customer additional fees at the end of the meal and it's printed small on the bottom of the receipt. We won't be coming here again. read more

Robata Wasa - Receipt charging additional fees. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Irvine, California

Thanks to Tiff's recommendation, we tried the Volcano Roll and Spicy Yellowtail Tatak both were amazing! Great food and a great experience. We'll definitely be back! read more

Absolutely incredible sushi spot. The fish here is unbelievably fresh, and you can taste the quality in every bite. The yellowtail carpaccio was hands-down one of the best I've ever had so delicate, & buttery. It completely melted in my mouth and the sauce is to die for! Easily one of my new favorites. read more

Tiffany was our server... she was great......... the food and drinks were good too.. the ambiance was also very nice

Tiff was super nice and helpful during selection as well as recommending items! Never needed to ask for a refill during our time. Would comeback again made the first time experience amazing. +food was fire read more

Our go-to dine in place at the Irvine Spectrum. Service is always good and the ambiance is nice. Food: -Toro Sushi: comes with two pieces and topped with relished chopped wasabi. It's the best toro sushi I've ever had and I've had some incredible ones in Little Tokyo. The temperature, the fatty-melt-in-your-mouth texture and the added light citrus from the topping makes it heavenly. No dipping of any sauce required. 5/5 -Salmon Sushi- great temperature and taste. The rice is warm and vinegary enough. Perfect. 5/5 -Crunchy (shrimp tempura) roll is my 5-year-old's favorite dish. She loves it and devours the whole thing, coming from a picky eater, that's a win! 5/5 -Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna: huge topping of spicy tuna on top a nice bed of crispy rice. I like that the rice is made well and not hard like some places. They add a light sauce and it's fantastic. The spicy tuna could be a little more flavorful but nonetheless it's good. 4.5/5 Their sliced pickled ginger is good too. Not too "spicy" and has a sweet taste to it. Highly recommend! read more

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Tiff was amazing and kind! It's a beautiful restaurant and everyone loved the food. Thank you Tiff!