This is a special little place where you can find a taste of Japan among lots of chain restaurants and americanized cuisine. I have wanted to try this place for a long time and so glad I finally decided to come in for lunch, it did not disappoint. The shop is small, only enough for around 6 groups of people, if that, so it's highly recommended to show up early. There's also some limited outdoor seating if inside gets full. The food is definitely the highlight, we got the bento boxes, not a large amount of food, but just enough for most. I got the Miso Cod, which was amazing. So tender, just melted in your mouth. Service was still very good despite having only one lady serving the entire restaurant. Prices are slightly higher given the amount of food, but not outrageous. Overall, it was a great experience, just not somewhere we would come frequently due to the pricing and quantity of food, but would love to come back someday. read more

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The Rice has great, authentic food that always tastes fresh and is consistently cooked with great flavors, which is why I'm a little disappointed by the prices for the portion sizes. I always order the Grilled Jidori Chicken Bento Box with garlic seasoning. I enjoy ordering this because it has a little bit of everything. Along with the chicken and rice, it comes with miso soup, pickled cucumbers and macaroni salad. The chicken is cooked perfectly, has great flavor and is always moist! However, the miso soup is definitely a little bland, and the sides are just OK to me. The staff is always friendly and very attentive to both customers dining inside the restaurant and those picking up their orders. The restaurant is pretty small, so I usually get my food to-go. If their food were a little cheaper and the portions were slightly larger, I think I would come more frequently. For now, though, it's still a great option for Japanese food when I'm craving it! read more

The Rice - Grilled Jidori Chicken Bento Box - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Found this lovely gem when we were in the area and looking for a Japanese restaurant. It's a small cozy place that's family owned (from Osaka!) and wasn't too busy when we stopped by for an early dinner on a Saturday. They have very fresh sushi and great service. The food came out fairly quickly. We tried two special menu items and they were both delicious! The scallop and shrimp cream udon and salmon, salmon roe, scallop from Hokkaido sushi bowl. The cream udon was light with generous amounts of scallop and shrimp. The sushi bowl was very fresh and just the right amount of food. My daughter also ordered the salmon and ikura donburi from the regular menu and really enjoyed it. The restaurant is located in a retail area with plenty of parking. I would definitely come back again if I'm in the area. read more

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Salmon donburi was so good it had me closing my eyes to savor and take in the moment. That salmon was fresh and delicious. I am dying to go back for another bowl because it was mind blowing. The staff is extremely friendly and the presentation is beautiful. read more

The Rice - Salmon donburi - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

I like going restaurant for Japanese home cooking. The restaurant is always clean and organized. Additionally, they only use quality ingredients and make a lot of items themselves. I particularly like their steak bento and Nabeyaki udon. The steak is always perfectly cooked and seasoned with sea salt. It melts in my mouth and is very savory! Their udon broth is very tasty and hearty too. If you have extra appetite, I highly recommend you try their chicken cartilage and gyoza as well! read more

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I tried their sashimi bowl and it was good but expensive! Sushi was soft and flavorful so quality of fish is top tier. It comes in a big bowl of sushi rice. It was like $35 bucks though for 7 pieces. It's a bit much for me. People are nice and parking is easy. It's in a shopping center. Not a fan of the name of the place though. Maybe it should've been a Japanese name since it's a pretty authentic Japanese place. read more

The Rice - Sashimi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Outstanding food! We started with the house salad - the dressings were so tasty - carrot onion dressing and a sesame dressing - loved both! We got the Hokkaido don - salmon, ikura, and scallops over rice. We also got the toro don - toro over rice - loved the radish in the bowl for the crunchy texture. Both bowls featured fresh fish and nicely cooked rice. The miso soups that came with were very flavorful and tasty. We definitely want to come back to try some of the cooked dishes/bento boxes. Friendly service! Cute, cozy spot. read more

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Can't believe I haven't written about this place after all these years. Hands down the best authentic Japanese restaurant with some really amazing items especially in their rotating menus written on the blackboard. Can't go wrong with anything here but the best ones are the seasonal ones and those specials on the board. Be adventurous and try something that you won't see in typical Japanese eateries around here. Some of my favorites: - beef tongue curry - saba mentai roll (slightly sour marinated and grilled mackerel) - scallop creamy udon - grilled mackerel They use local organic veggies. Have good alcoholic beverages selection. Service is always prompt even when they're busy around lunch time. The place is cute and reminds me of the one featured in the Midnight Diner on Netflix . read more

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My mom's beean talking about this place for a couple years now, and I kind of wrote them off because any time I wanted Japanese, I wanted actual sushi. However, we finally stopped by last week since we went for a walk in the strip mall and didn't feel like going home to cook dinner. I splurged on the premium don, and my mom go the nabeyaki udon, which was one of several specials of the day. My don was amazing. It was $39, but had probably 8 different types of fish, each with multiple pieces. They all tasted super fresh. I recently left Oahu, and have been fully unimpressed with sushi at an affordable price on the mainland. This was it! Sure, it wasn't rolled or had nori, but it hit the spot. The prices are amazing for what you get. The place is amll, maybe seats 5 parties, though they have some out door seating. It's in a very unassuming strip mall in Foothill Ranch of all places, but the place is immigrant, Japanese owned, and doesn't have a lot of staff - husband in the back, wife in the front. Expect things to take a little time, but the service is great, the vibe is casual, and the food is GOOOD. I noticed out of the four parties, half were Japanese speaking. Like, the people know where to go. I hope they do well and seems they have been open for five years now. Don't expect sushi rolls, no eel sauce, etc, but do expect very well-done home style dishes that will fill your stomach and soothe your soul. I will definitely be back. read more

Fresh fish, seasoned sushi reduce, comes with miso soup (with the sweet shrimp head). Very modest decor, J-pop music, friendly service. A great way to get a head start of a long weekend. read more

The Rice - Deluxe kansei donburi - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

This is one of my favorite places to eat whenever I'm staying at my sister's house in Lake Forest. The place is small but clean, the service is fast and friendly, and the prices are reasonable for the amount of food and how good it is. I loved their grilled miso black cod bento. I prefer this or Chilean sea bass whenever I am eating at a Japanese restaurant, rather than grilled salmon. There are no frills or fuss; their food tastes delicious. I highly recommend it, and I prefer this place whenever I crave Japanese cuisine. read more

I had the unagi bowl which is smoked eel! It was delish! My friend had the noodles with chicken. It did not look apetizing. The chicken looked pale. It's a little out of the way for me, but I'll be back read more

Got the prime beef sukiyaki to go and it was really yummy! The beef, tofu, and mushrooms were all flavored really well. It was a perfect lunch portion that doesn't fill you up too much. We called in and picked it up within 15-20mins and it was ready by the time we were there. My only complaint is the prices are pretty steep for portion size but overall happy with the food! read more

The Rice - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Support small businesses. Authentic Japanese in south OC? Yes, please! The Rice doesn't disappoint with fresh fish offerings! Service is always friendly and lots of parking in a large shopping plaza. Seating may be limited at busy hours but there is seating inside and outside. Dine in or take out the food is always on point. read more

Found The Rice unintentionally, after a hike on the Whiting Ranch Trail. The Rice feels like a mom and pop kinda place, with a few tables inside and two tables outside. The menu is pretty expansive, and offers a variety of Japanese comfort food. The staff are really friendly. We sat outside initially as there were no tables available inside, but once a table became available inside, the cashier invited us to sit inside. We got pork curry udon, black cod bento box and cold brew matcha. Food was pretty good. The curry felt home made and had a unique umami aftertaste. The fish was fresh and nicely cooked. The side salad came with two types of house made dressing to choose from, and they were both really good. The cold brew matcha was $9 but it comes in a big jar and it was freshly made. Overall, a very nice experience, but I agree with others, that the price is a bit high. read more

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Dan Dan Udon is the bomb when it's available. Small like a Japanese restaurant. Service is nice and friendly but a little slow. read more

The Rice - Dan Dan Udon Special - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Food was unique. Very interesting tasting curry. Not sure if I liked it but I can definitely say I have never had any curry like this before, super herbal tasting. Also lamb chops were good but SO SMALL!!! For the price, I was not expecting the portion to be so tiny. The chirashi bowl was good though! Good quality fish and the rice was very well made! Super super small seating area. The owner does not allow big parties. 3.5/5 Overall decent uniquely flavored food, but definitely pricey for the portion sizes. If I returned, will stick to the chirashi bowls! read more

The Rice - Lamb Chop Curry - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

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Never disappoints! If you want authentic Japanese food this is the place to be. Staff are friendly. Seating is small but take out is an option. Give them a follow on IG to find out their freshest specials. read more

It is very pricey for their portions. We got small pieces of steak for $35 and a small bowl of Dan Dan udon for $20. I understand that things are going up and it's Japanese portion, but it's been a rip off. read more

Do: - Get the Donburi and bluefin toro bowl! - Enjoy the miso soup that comes fresh tofu Don't: get the curry lamb chop it was too small and not a traditional curry taste The service was amazing even though they had constant flow of customers walking in. We got their speciality teas and mochi dessert to end the meal. Would definitely come back again for the bowls. read more

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Hidden Gem in Foothill Ranch - The Rice is a Must-Try! After dining at The Rice, I had to share. This place absolutely delivers on flavor, quality, and service. From the moment you walk in, the ambiance is warm, modern, and welcoming. It's cozy, and quaint. You can tell the staff actually care about what they're serving. I ordered the Miso Mackerel, and it blew me away. Perfectly balanced flavors, fresh ingredients, and that comforting homemade feel without being heavy or greasy. What I really appreciate is the attention to detail--whether it's the presentation, the portion sizes, or even how clean and inviting the restaurant is. You get the sense that this isn't just another strip mall eatery; it's something special. The portions were the perfect size. I felt I didn't overeat, and was perfectly satisfied with the meal. Prices are totally fair for the quality, and it's the kind of spot you can bring a date, your family, or even pick up something quick and satisfying to-go. They have an excellent tea selection, as well as a selection of beer and sake ! Highly recommend this place if you're in the area--or even if you're not. It's worth the detour. read more

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The food is actually really good, especially considering how small the restaurant is. There are only a few tables and usually just one waiter, but the service is still fast and the food is good quality. Overall, it's a great spot for a quick, savory meal. read more

Good was fresh and great! Service was quick and friendly. The place is too small but it's nice and cozy. Got my food to go and it was prepared and packaged nicely. read more

This entire meal was so amazing!! Came here with family and we ordered a bunch of stuff to share. First off the miso soup was pretty good, just your standard soup. But oh my gosh the salmon and hamachi, and unagi donburi was sooo good!! I came here like 2 months ago and I'm still thinking about it today. The salmon and hamachi bowl had some really fresh fish. The pieces of fish are so thick and I think this is really good value for $18. There was too much rice in the bowl though so the ratio wasn't the best, but the amount of fish was still a lot. My favorite was the unagi donburi bowl and the eel was so delicious!! I love the smoky flavor and the sauce paired with the eel. Again though there was way too much rice in the bowl. The kitsune udon was super light and refreshing as well! Service was super quick and food came out fast too :) read more

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Good: spacious parking in area with Chase bank & Ralphs supermarket, grilled cod bento box was delicious, some outdoor seating, and service. Bad: tiny place that could seat 3-4 small groups inside, miso soup was lukewarm (ick), 3% charge if paying with credit card, prices were quite high with most items $20+ which being in a strip mall is audacious for lunch. read more

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The Rice is amazing and pretty authentic! Definitely a hidden gym that is not easy to spot. Their fish bowls were so good and helped me to relive the fond memories I had of Japan! The place is super authentic, fish is super fresh. The sushi rice that comes with the meal is super good. I normally never finish the rice but I was tempted to eat all the rice here. The texture and quality of rice is A+. The name doesn't stand out, and I would have overlooked this place if not for the compliments from my friends. Give this place a try even though it's just called "The Rice" Cons: Pricey, but the quality of fish and prep is worth it! Pro-tip: They charge a 3% fee for using credit cards or gift cards. So either bring cash to pay or use a debit card to avoid the 3% fee. read more

The Rice - Kaisen bowl has variety fish - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

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Pricey but the quality is there. The deluxe donburi is the best. They put premium sashimi in the bowl. The tuna is like the fatty tuna. They put smelt and salmon eggs. The sweet shrimp and scallop pieces are good. No complaints here. Every time that I got this deluxe bowl, I have been happy. The chicken and egg donburi was good. Very tasty. Seating is limited but we never had to wait too long for a table. Don't forget to try the soy sauce spray! HAPPY SASHIMIING!! read more

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There's no reason to travel to Japan or even Little Tokyo when you can get authentic Japanese food right here in Foothill Ranch. This small shop makes various dishes that taste authentically Japanese...because they ARE. Aside from the food the cooks and staff are Japanese and offer uniquely friendly Japanese hospitality. Even though most of their business looks to be takeout it's a popular place with limited seating. The interior only has four tables with a couple outside. It's a good idea to call and make a reservation on a weekend night if you plan to come with the family otherwise you may find yourself waiting. I ordered the curry pork dish and my wife got a beef bowl that came with miso soup. The curry was incredible. They create it using a secret mix of spices. The pork pieces were tender and delicious and a small salad was fresh with a vibrant dressing on the side. You'd expect a place named The Rice would have some good rice on the plate and they most certainly deliver. You're not going to find better prepared rice anywhere outside of Japan. A couple bites of my wife's beef bowl allow me to say that one is a winner too. The beef is so tender and flavorful. The Rice is located in a Ralphs shopping plaza that I go to multiple times each week and have overlooked until now. Big mistake on my part. This is going to be a spot I frequent often from now on. read more

The Rice - curry pork - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

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Incredible! Both the service and the food were outstanding. We went in skeptically because of the few recent poor reviews but were pleasantly surprised. We ordered the Prime Beef Sukiyaki Bento and the Deluxe Kaisen Donburi. The sashimi couldn't have been any fresher and the roe on top was sweet. The beef was tender and perfectly cooked and seasoned. Service was fantastic and we didn't have to wait as much as people have complained - probably waited 15-20 mins to get freshly cooked meal which is totally worth it. Family cooked meals tend to take time. And they brought in our miso soups (included in combos) while we were waiting. Portions were great for us. Probably not as large to take leftovers home but an entree size is enough to stuff an adult. We cannot wait to go back! read more

The Rice - Deluxe Kaisen Donburi - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

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Clean, delicious Japanese food served on actual plates, no plastic. Super nice staff.

The food is so yummy. I tried their 2 sashimi Don so far and I have to say " I fell in love with them yummy Japanese food". This is a " Japanese " cozy food place. Not fancy but must-go place. read more

First time coming here and ordered the salmon and hamachi donburi togo! Was super excited because I was craving fish. Cute little restaurant and the lady was very nice and welcoming. I was surprised that the donburi came with miso soup but of course not complaining... until I did taste the miso. Flavor was not strong at all, mostly tasted like water. Onto the donburi, pretty good until I got to the tiny piece of hamachi on the side. Thought it was just a little extra they added in... did not expect a bone to be in my sashimi. read more

The Rice - Bone from hamachi in the salmon and hamachi donburi - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Really cute family owned spot. The donburi fish were fresh and thick pieces. We got the salmon hamachi. Also highly recommend the nabeyaki udon the noodles were perfect and broth was flavorful and not too salty. read more

Very underrated Japanese spot in foothill ranch. The place is small you can't really eat here with a huge group. A total of 4 small tables but the food was good. Seems pretty authentic, very glad I got to check this place out! read more

The Rice - Prime beef sukiyaki - Japanese Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

This is located in the Foothill Ranch Marketplace at the corner of Portola Parkway and Bake Parkway. Chase Mortgage is on the actual corner, but Ralphs is probably more visible or serves more as a landmark for this plaza. It's one of the rare Japanese owned and operated Japanese restaurants (there are more Korean and Chinese owned Japanese restaurants nowadays - nothing wrong with that, just an observation). The interior is small, with couple of tables and chairs that may roughly fit up to 15 people or so. There are outdoor seating as well. Personally, I think that their food is okay...tasty, but not out of this world. With that being said, I gave 4 stars for reasons below. My kid likes it, so thus, I've been here a few times. I recently came here with my kid on a Thursday around 2:30pm for a late lunch to go. Prices definitely have gone up since our last visit, as have every other restaurants'. We ordered the salisbury steak bento box ($20), the salisbury steak curry ($21), and the 8pc gyoza ($9). They do charge a 3% or 3.5% fee (sorry, don't remember) if paying with credit card. The salisbury steak burgers were tender and juicy, and went very well with the onion sauce. In fact, the burgers actually needed the sauce as they lacked a bit of seasoning for my taste. The sides change, and this time I got pickled cucumbers (tsukemono) and mac salad (came with a dressing rather than mayo). Both sides were good. The curry sauce was different from what I'm used to though. They make it from scratch using 21 different spices from India, so there's a strong flavor of those with a slight kick. Kind of like a mesh between Japanese and Indian curry. I think one reviewer said that it tasted medicinal...yeah, I see what you mean (medicinal spices: tumeric, saffron, nutmeg, ginger, etc.). I haven't tried any of their sashimi/raw stuff, but I've had a few of their other menu items like the jidori chicken and grilled salmon. A lot of their proteins are gently seasoned, and the whole menu reminds me of home cooked meals ("katei ryouri"). Everything is carefully sourced, from protein selection to using organic produce and butter, and they make a lot of their stuff from scratch like dressings and sauces. Definitely a great option if looking for something clean and healthier. read more

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The curry is very different, a lot of pepper. Not used to it. Jerk chicken fire tho would go for that. Follow their ig for a free drink

The food is very plain. Nothing special. Service was standard. No special ambiance. Very small place for quick bite. read more

I've been coming here at least twice a month, and every visit has been consistently great. Each dish is freshly cooked and full of flavor. Their current seasonal specials, especially the duck soba are absolutely delicious. The deluxe kaisen don is my all-time favorite, and I also love their udon noodle soup and fresh salad with the tasty house dressing. The owners and staffs are incredibly friendly, making you feel welcome the moment you walk in. It's a small place, but it has such a warm and inviting atmosphere. Definitely one of my go-to spots! read more

I recommend this place, food was very yum.and staff is friendly. We ordered soup and fried rice.

5 stars! Excellent Japanese food. Very authentic very fresh and very delicious. Decent prices and portions it will fill you up even if it looks like it won't! read more