Ambiance - family style izakaya. Service - very good. We were immediately seated. Service was fast and efficient. Food - we came here for lunch. I ordered a chicken teriyaki, California roll combo and my friend ordered the shrimp tempura lunch. The chicken teriyaki combo was around $18.50 and the tempura was $14.50, I think. The price is very reasonable for the amount of food you get. The chicken was tender and flavorful, the tempura was crispy but not greasy and the Cali roll was fresh and had depth of flavor. You can't go wrong here. The meals are always satisfying. Love this place. read more

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The staff here are the sweetest, most caring Japanese ladies and they will not rush you and they will make you feel so taken care of. Immediate comfort. The space is a little dated but in the best way, feels like a rustic little spot in Japan and honestly that's the whole charm. Went for lunch and did the build your own teishoku. Got tempura and sushi, my coworker went sesame chicken, sushi, and veggie tempura. The portion size is MASSIVE and suddenly very clear why it's $20-25. I had leftovers and I was not expecting that. The food genuinely reminded me of home cooking. Warm, comforting, made with care. Vast menu so there's truly something for everyone. One tiny thing: canned green beans with mayo came with the meal. Very Japanese, very classic, very much not for me personally. But that's between me and the green beans. A hidden gem. Go for lunch, clear your afternoon, and let the auntie energy wash over you. read more

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Happy hours are an important part in Orange County's restaurant culture. We want a place that's welcoming and servers are kind. Specifically, me and my wife were craving Japanese food that reminded us of our time in Osaka or Tokyo. That's why we come to Taiko for Happy hour! Food was fantastic as always, we always get the tempura and sesame chicken. Lots of food with this one, and the chicken is fresh. Miso soup is amazing with it. We also like to get tuna rolls and 2 bottles of Sapporo. The dodger game was on so it was a fun environment. Servers are very attentive and good at what they do. They also have a rewards system so look at that for future discounts. We'll be returning often to Taiko, it's really a comforting atmosphere to enjoy Japanese cuisine! read more

Taiko - (A) Tempura & Sesame Chicken Lots of food for 2 - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This place is surviving on its past. The place has deteriorated beyond what I can imagine. It is Saturday night, and the sushi bar is empty. No one, just some chefs talking to each other. There was almost no service. The dining room had a few tables. The menu is beautiful. The food is still good. Everything else has deteriorated to almost nothing. I won't return until there is a new owner. read more

Taiko is one of the main Irvine Japanese gems that brings back so many memories. Every time I come here, I just have memories of large beautifully plated meals and friendly waiters/waitresses. I'm so glad they made it through COVID and still have pretty decent sized portions. My husband and I love coming here for an easy and delicious date night. I usually order the salmon teriyaki and chicken and they're both so so yummy. The salmon is always cooked so perfectly. He likes to order the California roll and chicken teriyaki and those are both good too. Overall we enjoy the experience and food of Taiko! read more

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Used to come as a kid and it's been quite some time! Got a togo order and portion was reasonable. Also 10/10 for putting the teriyaki on the side for the bento. Would come back read more

Taiko - Beef teriyaki and salmon teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Taiko is a cute hole in the wall located in Irvine off of Jeffrey. I love this spot because of their diverse Japanese food selection. The menu consists of items like sushi, sashimi, udon, tempura, and other Japanese classics like teriyaki or mackerel. The food here is very afforable even during this time of increasing food cost. A prime example of this is the Lunch Specials and Teishoku meal sets. The Udon & Una Don lunch special only costs $21.90, but comes with a massive piece of eel. All the employees are so friendly here. There's a lady who works here that speaks English, Japanese, and Korean fluently, which makes it much more welcoming for a wider variety of guests. read more

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Food was good as always. Service was off this time around. My salmon Kama took more than 20 mins. It was so hard to flag someone to ask for utensils, water or our bill. No one paid attention to our section. I had to go to the front to ask for our bill and was told someone will take it to us. It took another 5 plus minutes. Poor service that night. Hopefully it was just a one off because we've been coming here for more than 20 years now and I would hate to find another go-to Japanese around us. read more

A delicious and authentic Japanese spot with great combos! The tempura and nigiri combo was more than enough food, and I left feeling full sand satisfied. It came with a generous amount of salad, shrimp and veggie tempura, and five nigiris. The sushi was fresh and delicious, and the tempura was light and crispy. I also a bite of sesame chicken from another person's combo, and it was tasty and came with a lot! The interior is very cozy and feels like an authentic Japanese restaurant, and the service was great. I will definitely add this spot to my rotation! read more

Taiko - Nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Love these portions! Another day, another salmon collar! This one was huge, nice and fatty, and perfectly charred. The vibes are great here, feels like traditional Japanese restaurant. The service was excellent, the food came out super quick, what a great time! read more

Taiko - Salmon Kama Meal Set - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Lots of options- sushi, udon, plates. I went with Teriyaki chicken- it was flavorful and tender. Rainbow roll was good. Portion sizes are on the bigger side. Service was good. Place was big inside and lots of tables. read more

Taiko - Rainbow roll - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Ordered online. Cucumber rolls came in looking like a roadkill nothing like the ones on the menu , but they tasted good. read more

Taiko - Not really like the picture in the menu, but rated good. - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Haven't been here in many, many years and recently a co worker wanted to come here for lunch. We were greeted right away, and our attention immediately went to their lunch specials. I got the sesame chicken with tempura and wow. Their portions are HUGE. The other food items we got: chicken rice bowl with udon lunch special, sushi with tempura lunch special, and an eel roll to share. The portions were so big that we all took leftovers to go. Food was delicious - will def be coming back to try more items! At around $20 for their lunch specials, you're definitely getting the most bang for your buck! read more

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Taiko is a very cute Japanese restaurant with such friendly staff. It's also conveniently located near other shops for dessert/skincare/makeup shops if you'd like to walk before or after your meal. Portion sizes for some dishes are pretty generous! The salmon nigiri that I ordered was fatttt. The charashi was also very worth the price. We spent about $60 (tad pricy) per person and were both full/had some leftovers. Of everything we ordered the only one I wouldn't order again is the takoyaki just because I'd like more sauce. read more

Taiko - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Taiko is a great Japanese spot with a standard menu and generous portions. The service is quick, but that also means everyone gets served at different times. I ordered the sesame chicken and udon combination, which was more than enough food. They're both nearly full-size servings of each meal instead of a half-and-half style combo. The udon was as expected, and I get why the sesame chicken is so popular here. It was well-cooked, had a good flavor, and balanced well with the other veggies in the rice bowl. read more

Taiko - Sesame chicken, udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm really sad to see my favorite sushi place of 40+ years take a nose dive in quality and care. I'm sharing these images in the hopes that a little evidence will demonstrate how you can step it up and bring it back. read more

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we got the build your own set with choice of 2. i ordered the sesame chicken and the sashimi, as well as the gyoza under their happy hour menu. very good comfort food, and a big family style restaurant. next time definitely would want to check out their seasonal specials and other appetizers! read more

Taiko - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

If you are in Irvine and looking for some quality sushi or other Japanese food, PLEASE go to Taiko. The food is delicious and always fresh. From what I have heard, this place has been open since the 1980's, and still continues to serve amazing food. I went here with my boyfriend and his family and they have been going to this place for years and years now. We ordered sashimi, sesame chicken, spicy tuna rolls, and vegetable tempura udon. Everything was great and our servers were happy and provided great service. The inside is cozy with wooden furniture and there are a lot of families who eat here. Excited to visit here again! read more

I was a bit hesitant to try Taiko again after not going for over eight years, mostly because I noticed there's no line anymore. Not that I enjoy waiting in line to eat, but it always seemed like a good sign that this place consistently had one. To my surprise, the food was still very good. We ordered the Chirashi Bowl ($22), Sweet Shrimp Nigiri ($6.75), and Tempura Appetizer ($9.75). The sashimi tasted fresh and the service was great. I know prices have gone up everywhere, but I was a little bummed about the pricing here, especially paying that much for just one piece of Sweet Shrimp Nigiri. Still, Id' come back. The food still holds up, even though the interior could use a bit of an update. read more

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idk man... for a spot with hella good reviews and so many customers coming in when it opened at 5pm, it did not live up to its expectations (for me at least). service was great but food wise, i loved happy hour (wine was strong + beer), yellowtail nirigi was the best tbh and $1 miso soup c'mon my fav. the ume set -- half were yom the other half was disappointing.. overall affordable prices! but wouldn't come back read more

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Service was fine. Nothing to rave about. Food was good. The sashimi pieces were a bit too thick for my liking. Feel like they tried to overcompensate with thicker pieces to fill the bowl. 2 pieces of each type of sashimi. Was decent. read more

Taiko - Tempura Appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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I've been to Taiko twice recently and love the variety of options here! My favorite items are the unagi kabayaki appetizer, furikake fries, and the beef teriyaki teishoku. I prefer the more mayo forward California rolls and theirs is a bit different than what I'm used to. Taiko is located in a rather busy plaza but I've never had issues with parking. They offer happy hour deals, have a loyalty rewards program, and the option to scan a QR code to pay if you're in a rush. Solid spot! read more

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This place is so so so awesome!!! Interior AMAZING. Service BANGIN. Food KILLER. ordered the veggie curry ramen, side salad, edamame, jalapeño yellowtail, and green tea between a friend and it totaled to $20/person! Perfect place for friends or family or work outings! read more

Taiko - Edamame - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Excited to find a Japanese place that has more than just sushi and seems authentic! The menu is very extensive and is a bit overwhelming and they also have a good amount of specials/highlighted menu items. Shared appetizer items: We really LOVED the baked scallops appetizer. Flavor was fantastic and they were super delicious. Also got the regular edamame and I felt it left some to be desired; maybe needed some salt or garlic of some sort. Salmon Aburi Yuzu roll had really unique flavors and pretty good. Not amazing, but good. Shared entree item: one of the special Teishoku items that came with miso soup, rice, a salad, sashimi, tempura vegetables, sesame chicken, and a little savory egg thing that had a very interesting taste. The sashimi had no flavor and I was disappointed with it overall. Overall, it was a good ambience with attentive staff, but some of the items were a miss for me. read more

Taiko - 4 person feast - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This is a family style Japanese restaurant - nothing fancy, just straightforward good food. We ordered chicken teriyaki dinner, two orders of hamachi nigiri, one order of dynamite sushi (baked scallops with mayo and mushrooms on top) and chirashi bowl. The reasons why we keep coming back to this place are that their servings are generous, the fish is fresh and thick, the scallops over the dynamite are plenty and the umami flavor of the mushroom is nicely incorporated in the mayo sauce. The chicken is nicely grilled and seasoned but I had to ask for more teriyaki sauce. Food is not cheap, but you get the value of your hard earned money. Service is friendly and on point. If they keep up the quality and quantity as it is now, I'll never tire of this place. read more

Taiko - Chicken Teriyaki (Lunch) - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

I have been eating at Taiko since my high school days (which trust me..is a longgg time lol) and the quality & quantity of the food has not changed. It's deelish every time and I love the different bento options on the menu. My go-to is almost always the teriyaki salmon (or the beef teriyaki) and the sesame chicken ~ combi E, however their sushi is really fresh & good too! If you are craving Japanese food and want to leave full & satisfied, then Taiko is your place. A must try!!! Heads up, it can get pretty crowded & busy here, esp. for dinners and weekends, so make sure you Yelp check-in or go during lunch time (like me) instead. Also, take note of the time that they close in between lunch & dinner. Lastly, don't forget to sign up for their new loyalty rewards program to take advantage of rewards & offers. read more

Taiko - (E) Salmon Teriyaki, Tempura & Sesame Chicken - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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We've visited several times, and this place never disappoints. The food is always outstanding, the portions are generous, and the service is consistently friendly. The atmosphere is simple but cozy, creating a comfortable dining experience. We'll definitely be back! read more

Taiko - Salmon Teriyaki, Tempura, and Sesame Chicken lunch set - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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This was my first time here and I was super impressed! Their staff was so nice and did an amazing job handling my family's request. I tried their Toro don and it was super fresh and melts in your mouth. I found out that it's a limited quantity per day, so don't be surprised if they run out. The Seared A5 Wagyu Roll is Smokey, buttery, and goes well with the veggies in the roll. The Taiko Gozen comes with everything though. It's great for sharing and I love the presentation too. For drinks, the Mango Sunrise and the peach lemonade are my favorites I did a full breakdown of the restaurant on IG @ToshiEats read more

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My family and I have been coming to Taiko since the early 2000s, back when it was owner-operated. It was one of our favorite restaurants in Irvine. The food was consistently excellent, the portions were generous, the staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was always full of loyal customers. We happily recommended it to friends and family for years. Unfortunately, our recent experiences have been incredibly disappointing. In my opinion, the restaurant has lost everything that made it special. The food quality has declined significantly, portions have become noticeably smaller, and prices have continued to increase. Paying more while receiving less is frustrating enough, but what was even more disappointing was the attitude we encountered. When we politely asked about the food and portions, instead of receiving a courteous explanation, we were met with a rude, dismissive response that made us feel as though our business was no longer valued. After supporting this restaurant for over two decades, we left feeling unwelcome. It's sad to see what was once one of Irvine's landmark Japanese restaurants become a place where long-time loyal customers feel ignored and unappreciated. A restaurant can recover from higher prices or occasional mistakes, but losing respect for your customers is much harder to recover from. Sadly, after more than 20 years of patronage, this was our last visit. There are too many restaurants in Irvine that still value their customers and provide better food, better service, and a much better overall experience. As you can see, many of the recent positive reviews appear to come from Local Guides rather than long-time individual customers. That makes the current 3-4 star rating difficult for me to reconcile with the experience I had, which was completely different. Also the restuarent is NOT allowing any new reviewes the past month or so- THAT SAYS SOMETHING!!!!!!!!! read more

This happens a lot with under trained people typical of Japanese restaurants and ramen places. The appetizer came the last. Good value for the food and amount. Message to the owner. The experience should be one of the key factors in customer satisfaction. Please work on it and provide training. read more

Although the food is not really authentic or traditional it was very tasty, but most of all, such generous portions, I loved the oyster shooter I started with and the hamachi Kama was probably THE BEST I've EVER had! Even in Japan! read more

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How have I not rated this place taiko is amazing they give you way too much food it's awesome and amazing even a fatty like me can't finish their $16.5 set meal. I recommend going with a friend to split it or just take it home for next meal. Shoutout my friend for making me try the hamachi kama it was really good if ur a fish snob I think you will like it. The worst part about this restaurant is it looks like they should've remodeled 15 years ago and the ceiling is so low. Other than that it's great and shohei is there (in picture) read more

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came here about an hour from closing on a weekend and was seated immediately. staff here is nice and prompt. inside is clean and there are many tables. they have some of their specials printed on the wall so check them out! got the toro sashimi and chirashi bowls. fish quality was wonderful. their rice also tasted nicely seasoned. cuts were pretty generous and we were pretty full after read more

Taiko - Chirashi Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Long time customer here. Some items are still delicious, but there has been a drop off since new ownership. It's hard to top the previous owner and how good the food was back then. I'd say it's still worth a visit here and there, but not the frequent stops I used to make before. read more

Dinner at Taiko was pretty good! Our party of 6 enjoyed a smorgasbord of sushi, sashimi, udon and dinner combos. My favorite roll is the volcano roll. Very tasty. The wait on a Friday night was also not bad. If you are within a 10mile radius, you can jump in the queue. Service is good, no complaints. The price is reasonable. We will be back soon! read more

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What can I say? We are suckers for this place! Whenever we crave for the best sushi, we end up here! Service is always quick. Servers are always nice and friendly. It can get busy but nevertheless. The food never misses. Uni, Toro, Assorted nigiri, mixed tempura, and even the kids meal were a hit with us! Highly recommended! Will continue to keep coming back! read more

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We ordered a huge spread, and every single dish was so yum! Their sukiyaki was loaded with protein, tofu, veggies, and perfectly chewy noodles. It was rich, flavorful, and comforting. The $30ish taiko set was so worth it! All the cuts were fresh, especially the amaebi! We also ordered the baked mussels, and it was creamy and savory. The hamachi kama was tender with crispy skin and the sauce it came with I think it was a miso sauce was amazing paired with it. And the furikake fries were addicting... and yes we finished it all. The service was warm and attentive, even with how busy the restaurant gets. Such a comforting environment :3 read more

Taiko - Furikake Fries, Baked Green Mussel, Hamachi Kama - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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One of my go to spots for sushi in Irvine that never misses! The nigiri pieces are pretty big and totally worth the price. Quality and taste are always great. The restaurant gives me 80s vibes which always feels weirdly warm and inviting :) read more

Taiko - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

We ordered the Namba roll and Assorted sushi plate. The food was okay but I don't think it was anything amazing. The assorted plate had a variety of nigiri. The fish was okay but didn't taste fresh. The roll was decent. The restaurant is pretty spacious inside and lots of seats available. read more

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Have loved Taiko for years and years, truly an Irvine staple! Their sesame chicken is probably my favorite here- can't count the number of times I've gotten their sesame chicken bento combo and I love upgrading to the sashimi or sushi roll side. I also like their sushi and other dishes like tempura. But their sesame chicken is a must must order. read more

Taiko - sesame chicken combo - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California