After walking around and exploring The Source OC plaza, particularly on a hot summer day, we were craving something cool to consume and being in a Korean entertainment complex, a Korean seafood restaurant was the right choice. Venice Beach is known for their seafood to be imported directly from Korea so that they can provide authenticity to their Korean seafood dishes. Many of their seafood choices include abalone, sea urchin, live octopus and crab and many more and their main focus is primarily cold seafood dishes. We were first given a starter which was a Steamed Egg dish then we ordered a Large Assorted Sashimi Platter Combo for four which included Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, Halibut, Rockfish and Red Seabream. Many of the side dishes that we ordered were the Soy Sauce Shrimp, Steamed Octopus Tentacles, Spicy Marinated Crab, Abalone, Sea Cucumber, Conch, and Ankimo (Monkfish Liver). Unfortunately, they ran out of Live Octopus Tentacles (Sannakji) which we were informed wouldn't arrive until the next day. The combo also included a large Spicy Crab Soup as well. Throughout our meal, the staff kept giving us "service" dishes, which in Korean restaurant culture, are "on-the-house" dishes given by the owner. Some of the dishes we received included Corn Cheese, assorted Tempura, Sweet Shrimp Sashimi, Shrimp Head Tempura (made from the Sweet Shrimp Sashimi), Steamed Conch, Grilled Spicy Mackerel, Grilled Mackerel Head, Sea Urchin (Uni) Roe with Rice, and Abalone Mulhoe/Mulhae/Mulhwae (물회) a Korean cold seafood soup. The food was incredible and we were extremely grateful for their hospitality. While many are more familiar with Japanese seafood, Korean seafood is in a class of its own. It is underrated and deserves just as much recognition as their Japanese counterpart. While the Japanese seafood stereotype we see in the West focus mostly on fish, Korean seafood tends to focus on mollusks, echinoderms, and other invertebrates. So the next time you're in the mood for fresh seafood, skip that Western Japanese sushi restaurant that serves California Rolls and give authentic Korean seafood a try because then you'll realize there are more edible sea creatures under the sea. read more

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Overall, the experience was satisfactory, though the restaurant was notably quiet for a Friday evening. The food is of good quality, but the pricing makes it difficult to fully justify the value. The standout dish of the meal was the snapper sashimi. The chef's recommendation to add freshly grated wasabi, along with a light touch of truffle salt, enhanced the dish significantly. This combination elevated the flavors and made it the most memorable part of the dining experience. As someone who particularly enjoys uni, I found that dish had strong potential. However, the addition of a sweet sauce and sweet seaweed overpowered the natural delicacy of the uni, which diminished the overall balance of the dish. In this case, a more restrained approach may have allowed the ingredient to shine more effectively. In general, while the food is well-prepared, the pricing does not fully align with the overall experience. Given the location, higher operating costs are understandable; however, there is considerable competition in the area offering comparable or stronger quality at a more favorable price point. I appreciate the effort and execution from the team, but based on this visit, it is unlikely to become a regular dining option for me. read more

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~ food: squid and pork bulgogi rice bowl 7/10: ok portion, pricey at $25.99. needs more flavor. i know it's a seafood spot but it was on the menu sea urchin roe rice 9/10: $22.99 loved this dish! everything was very fresh and the price was very reasonable ~ service: 6/10 ok service they weren't very welcoming but did their job ~ ambiance: 6/10 ok ambiance, seats are a bit uncomfortable and decorations look like any other korean seafood spot ~ parking: parking available at the source mall read more

Venice Beach - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

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Excellent quality live seafood! The menu included both Japanese and Korean type of seafood dishes. We sampled the marinated crab, Uni Rice Bowl, and a medium-sized uni. The uni was great, I enjoyed tasting the different varieties, one being creamier and the other a bit saltier. The marinated crab was outstanding, one of the best I've had, with a tasty korean flavor and meaty soft texture. Could come back here again, great seafood at a fantastic value! read more

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I've had a lot of seafood, but this place is on another level. They fly in LIVE seafood straight from Korea, and you can genuinely taste the difference in how fresh everything is. The sashimi platter was super generous and had a great variety -- everything tasted clean, fresh, and high quality. We also tried both the soy marinated crab and spicy marinated crab, and both were packed with flavor. Definitely a must-order. The shrimp nigiri (both raw and soy marinated) was also really good and balanced out the meal nicely. The uni bowl was super creamy and loaded -- one of my favorite dishes. We ordered the set B combo and I was honestly surprised by how many side dishes came out. It just kept coming, which made the whole experience feel really worth it. We ended the meal with their spicy fish soup, which was really comforting and tied everything together. Overall, I can see why so many Koreans come here for seafood. If you're in Buena Park and want fresh, high-quality Korean seafood, this spot is definitely worth trying. read more

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Don't come here with kids. We ordered the 4-person course plus one roll, and the bill ended up being over $400 for 3 adults and 3 kids after the automatic 20% gratuity. Many of the dishes shown in the photos, like the marinated crab or steamed crab, steamed egg, and grilled saury, were missing. Many side plates, just plates, but not enough actual food. Very disappointing. We won't be coming back. I asked for advice before ordering because I wasn't sure. I wish they had suggested a different option instead. read more

Venice Beach - The food we got looked very different from the photos shown outside. - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

Upon entering we were greeted with a nice flower arch. It was welcoming and quiet. Hostess seated and greeted with hot tea. Tea was not hot but Luke warm. You must order via portal on table which is not accessible to remove from its stand. Upon scrolling, it did have translate to English but we scrolled and used pictures to order. Order was brought pretty quickly it was 2nd choice because we realized our order that initially was picked stayed red. Red means they are out,so waiter came to assist. Lots of veggies,and sides,but no seafood. Overall this was a business meeting,so the environment was quite and plenty of space. Next time I come back,definitely changing the menu to English. I think I had like a veggie bowl,can't tell ya more the pictures Dessert was a mocha doughnut! Yummy a d a great treat. I recommend this place,plenty of parking since its on 2nd floor of the Source. Enjoy my pictures for your viewing pleasure. read more

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Located in the OC Source, this Korean restaurant restaurant serves a lot of seafood at a reasonable price. You get seated and then order off of a tablet at the table, so there is not much interaction with waitstaff. I ordered the raw soy-marinated shrimps and crab (large). The texture was good, but the flavor could be better, as it was a little fishy for my taste. I've had other raw marinated crabs and shrimps at higher price points, so I would say the quality is fair for the price at this restaurant. It also comes with a lot of good refillable banchan. Overall I was satisfied with the meal and wouldn't mind returning. read more

Venice Beach - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

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This is restaurant is a mix of a sushi place with Korean seafood. It's pretty good. My wife ordered the fish egg stew, which she has all the time. The fish here is good but not great. There's a very good amount of fish eggs and a lot of good ingredients. And the broth is very refreshing. But we both agreed that it could be a little spicier and a little richer ... The flavor was pretty good, but a little thin. The donkatsu was pretty good. The breading was crispy and the pork still pretty tender. Probably average to above average. But, really ... Why am I ordering pork at a seafood place? The Alaska roll was quite good and it's based on that I pulled my rating up to 4 stars. The salmon tasted very fresh. And the proportion of sushi to rice was really good. The spicy tuna was spicy but not overwhelmingly so. Very good. Next time we'll stick to sushi. I think that's probably this place's strength. read more

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Unfortunately, I wasn't able to have as much of a smooth-sailing experience as the first time I visited. I had gushed to one of my close friends about this spot having the freshest uni rice bowls that would perfectly hit the spot, but something was definitely off. When I asked the wait staff about it, they immediately took it back to the kitchen which I greatly appreciate, however one of the older women kitchen staff members came out shouting at the wait staff and put the bowl back on the table. I've never been so disappointed, especially seeing how my friend's uni looked not-so-expired. I wanted this place to be a treasured spot, but seeing how unpleasant the kitchen staff members are towards their other team members is off-putting, especially how they tried forcing the wait staff to gaslight me into believing it was "normal" despite the staff originally knowing that something was off as well since there was a rotting smell emitting from it... I hope some adjustments are made soon because the treatment towards us as customers and their own team members is extremely disappointing and disgusting. read more

Venice Beach - Sea urchin rice bowl, raw marinated crab (spicy), Alaskan roll (salmon with spicy tuna) - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

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Came by Venice Beach inside The Source OC for lunch and decided to try their lunch specials. Heads up--they were already sold out of a couple popular items like the uni and crab, which was a bit disappointing. That said, I was still able to order the uni separately as an appetizer, so it worked out. Overall, the food was decent--nothing that completely wowed me, but still enjoyable for a casual meal. The portions were fair for the lunch pricing, and everything came out pretty presentable. One highlight was the unexpected sweet ending--they gave us a complimentary mochi donut for dessert, which was a nice touch and definitely appreciated. It added a little boost to the overall experience. Service was okay, and the location inside The Source makes it a convenient stop if you're already in the area. Would I come back? Maybe, especially to try more of their menu (hopefully before they sell out next time). read more

Good food, fast service, and cute interior. You order in a kiosk at the table and everything is brought to you. We will be back again for the other thing on the menu that I wasn't able to try. Till next time ... read more

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Overall experience was so-so nothing very special. We came here because I was having a huge seafood craving! The soy marinated crab was kind of disgusting ngl... so not sure if the one I got was spoiled. However, the spicy marinated crab was delicious ! And the uni bowl! I had gotten the uni bowl before for take out and it's truly so fresh!! My boyfriend got the katsu plate and it was pretty standard Overall I'll probably only come back for the uni bowl read more

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I had high hopes going to Venice Beach because we were craving Korean style seafood. We ordered two assorted sashimi rice bowls and the crab soup. Overall I say this place is a 2/5. The assorted sashimi bowls, my issue is that they don't give you much sashimi and the quality of the fish is mid. The crab soup was not seasoned properly and did not taste good. Overall, I would not go back. read more

Venice Beach - crab soup - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

I feel like I've been to Omakase restaurant. The best quality sashimi Thank you for providing it. read more

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We came with 4 adults and 4 toddlers. Only the four adults were eating. We ordered 3 Premium Assorted Sashimi Courses, plus an Assorted Mulhoe and an Alaskan Roll because we wanted more variety. The extra dishes actually cost more than doing the course for four, so it's not like we were trying to feed four adults while only ordering for 3. The sashimi itself was good. Unfortunately, everything else was disappointing. The tsukidashi (side dishes) were very limited in both quantity and variety. That part was underwhelming, but the biggest disappointment was the fish soup at the end of the meal. I've never seen a place serve such a tiny portion. It literally came in a bowl you'd expect for a single serving at a regular soup restaurant, despite our table ordering nearly $400 worth of food before tax and gratuity. I completely understand that ordering three courses means some course items come in portions for three people. However, what really left a bad impression was how stingy they were with the nurungji (crispy rice). Even after ordering the extra mulhoe and roll, they still brought exactly three bowls. We simply asked for one more bowl to share, and instead of making a small gesture for a table spending over $500, they stuck rigidly to the count. Ironically, while they counted every little complimentary item down to the last bowl, they had no problem counting all people--including a 3-year-old, two 11-month-olds, and a 5-month-old--for the 20% large party gratuity. Only four adults were actually eating. They say they serve "Korean style". Stop giving "Korean style" a bad name. This was honestly one of the most disappointing dining experiences I've had in the past several years. The worst value for money ever. read more

Came back to The Source and tried this spot. You order right at your table and can call the server from there too, which was pretty convenient. Service was pretty quick. Food was better than expected. We got the octopus and beef bulgogi bowl. The octopus was tender and cut into smaller pieces which made it easy to eat. The banchan were tasty. My friend really liked his abalone samgyetang. Definitely want to come back to try the sea urchin and eel next time. read more

Came in on a Wednesday afternoon and it was completely empty, which I quickly understood why. It was 89 degrees outside and there was no AC inside. The water on the table was warm and you have to ask for cold water. Prices were on the expensive side, especially for a bowl that was mostly cabbage and rice. The side dishes were yummy and the steamed egg was flavorful. Service was fast and efficient as you order everything on the tablet. read more

Venice Beach - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

I might have had high expection for this place, but quality of their ingredients was on and off by plate they bring. Some of them were too fishy while some were really fresh. However, as they are located on the source mall, it was very pricey meal compared to what you eat. Thier service was great and generous though. read more

Venice Beach - Live octopus - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

My table ordered the mixed sashimi rice combo. It came in the rice, a small portion of sashimi, and a biiig bowl of salad. All for $22! To me, that's an incredibly high price for the salad to sashimi ratio. We also ordered the marinated raw spicy crab. To me, the texture was an immediate no but that might just be my personal bias. Taste wise, the sauce was way too overpowering. I couldn't get a taste of the crab since the sauce was too strong. The service was okay. They checked in on us often. I wished that the menu had more photos. We had to refer to videos/photos online through other Yelp reviews or TikTok videos to find what we wanted. read more

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We got the soy marinated crab, uni rice, steamed egg, and fish roe soup. The portions and food were great for the price during a weekend lunch. The food was decent but in my opinion not overly special. The seafood was not, not fresh but they had fishier after tastes than some other places. I can't complain for the price though. The service was good as well and there was complimentary dessert of a mochi donut at the end. read more

Venice Beach - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

If you ever wanted to try "alive" octopus that's moving, come here!! This place is great. However, I think it would be more helpful to have pictures with the menu items, as it is hard to picture what the dish will be like. Thank goodness I am Korean, so I kinda understand what everything is. But for customers who are not, a better organized and explained menu would be good. That is why I am giving this place a 4/5. However, the food is good. I would recommend for people who want to try different things. Also, the atmosphere is very open and big. The servers were really nice as well and every time I went, we got a free complimentary box of donuts (how sweet). read more

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Perfect place to be for seafood Especially if you are new to seafood, this is the place. Also, the ambiance is different than the other places. I had a great experience with their food and the service. Thank you read more

Originally, we came to The Source to get our usual but they had a wait time so we decided to try this new seafood place out for a change and we're glad we did! The interior was spacious and refreshing. Service was excellent and fluent in Korean (if preferred). We got their Assorted Sashimi for 2 people and picked the side dishes that came with it all for one price instead of them charging you for every item individually. Other than the Tuna, their Assorted Sashimi was extremely fresh and delicious. The tuna tasted more like it was frozen and taken out compared to the other cut fish. I'd say most of the side dishes came out fresh as well. We weren't feeling their mixed tempura and that skinny long cooked fish (idk the name). Overall, the food and service were amazing so we'd definitely come back again. read more

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Best birthday dinner ever! Incredibly fresh and high quality seafood! Came here for an early birthday dinner and it did not disappoint. The space was clean and well-maintained with a welcoming atmosphere. This was my first time trying premium sushi and sashimi and Venice Beach was the perfect place for it. We pre-ordered a premium cut sashimi platter which was absolutely fresh. We also had sea urchin, sea cucumber, and marinated crab -- everything was high quality. Even the mackerel that came as a side dish was fresh and delicious. You can tell they pay attention to quality and presentation here. The side dishes rounded out the meal nicely with plenty of variety. Service was great and made the birthday dinner feel like a special occasion, additionally they kept bringing complimentary sashimi which was very thoughtful. If you're looking for high quality Korean seafood in Orange County, this place is it. Already planning on my next visit! read more

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I visited this place yesterday, and it was such a great experience from start to finish. The prices were much more reasonable compared to restaurants in Koreatown LA, yet the quality was just as good--if not better. All the seafood was incredibly fresh, and you could really taste the difference in every bite.The abalone and sea cucumber were especially impressive -- both had that perfect chewy texture and rich, clean flavor that shows how fresh they were. Everything was beautifully presented, and the staff provided friendly and attentive service throughout our meal.Overall, I was really satisfied with both the quality and value. If you're looking for fresh, authentic seafood without the high Koreatown prices, this place is definitely worth a visit. I'll be coming back for sure. read more

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Great lunch special around $20 to try out Korean seafood options. Ordering from kiosk on the table with pictures of menu items were super helpful. I went back for dinner sashimi which comes with side dishes and other seafoods. read more

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$21 plus tax for a lunch special I think only m-f certain hours. I liked the set up and side dishes and the big uni pieces. I think it was reasonable for the price as well. Second floor of the source read more

Venice Beach - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

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We came for lunch on a Saturday and ordered the sea bream combo. 70% of the food came right away. No banchan tho. Maybe that's just how it is? 1.5 hrs later, the crab soup came. We never got the uni.. The menu also included wagyu, but only for 3+ people (we missed that memo). Probably won't be back, but at least the fish quality wasn't too bad. read more

My new favorite spot for Korean sashimi! The service is always consistent and the ambiance is great for a family meal or date night. read more

Venice Beach - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

We were specifically looking for live octopus and marinated raw crab near the Source OC mall. Venice Beach was the convenient choice for us for ease of parking and proximity to all the K-pop merchandise for some of the members of our party. The marinated raw crab was fresh and tasty. The live octopus was, well, live and moving and the members of our family who can eat that enjoyed it and told us it was pretty good. Sashimi bowl rice, hamachi, and salmon sushi were all pretty fresh. Service was good and it was a good and family-friendly atmosphere. We were pleasantly surprised with the free dessert as we were settling the bill. They gave us mochi donut and even though it was pretty random, our kids enjoyed the nice change in cuisine. read more

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Food: 5/5 Very fresh, very tasty, so many options! Uni, sea cucumber, salmon. All of which were so incredibly fresh, it's a different type of experience. In addition they offer a variety of sake and soju option. The corn cheese, the spicy fish soup and all the tasty sides. Awesome place for drinks and fresh sashimi or great for a full desire dinner that will leave you stuffed! Service: 5/5 The staff was very quick, attentive and sweet. They really do go out of their way to provide you with top service. Ambiance: 5/5 Very clean, nice decoration and I absolutely love seeing the tanks with live sea critters. Very nicely laid out and plenty of room for large and small parties. read more

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We visited this restaurant as a family and ordered their most expensive combo, about $350 per order. We ordered five in total and spent nearly $2,000 including drinks. This place used to be very good, with a wide assortment of sashimi, but that is no longer the case. The portions were not sufficient for five people per order, and the overall quality and value have clearly declined. In addition, the service was disappointing. Our server seemed unhappy to be working there and was quite rude throughout our visit. Everyone in our family felt the same way, and unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

1. The live octopus was fun to eat! The crab were marinated well! The sushi roll was nicely assembled! 2. The spot has fun casual vibes with high ceilings! 3. There were a lot of indoor seatings! 4. The staff were friendly and attentive! 5. There is a parking structure nearby! Note: The spot is located on the second floor of The Source OC! Photo: Soy Sauce Marinated Crab, Live Octopus, Banchan, and Baked Salmon Roll read more

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Dad loves it! Took him on Father's Day and everything went well. Staff were attentive, friendly, and helpful. I was telling myself to get a dessert at some bakery at The Source and then they brought mochi donut! read more

I first came to this place because of the great Yelp reviews. We tried the Korean sashimi for my husband's birthday. I'm quite familiar with Korean sashimi. The tsukidashi dishes had poor sauce balance, and the three-piece wagyu sushi was tough. The grilled pacific saury was cold and had a strong fishy taste. The only decent thing was the fried vegetables. The main dish, assorted sashimi, looked fresh, but most of the fish except for the flounder had a fishy taste as well as odor. The spicy fish stew was barely spicy. Overall, it was about the quality of a $39.99 per person All You Can Eat. read more

Venice Beach - Receipt - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

I thought this place was really good! Ordered the Marinated Crab dinner set ($23.99) and an Uni with salmon roe dinner set ($23.99). The dinner set came with rice, banchans (fish cake, pickled cucumber, and other pickled veggies). Also came with a miso soup and a spicy tofu soup. I thought the uni was super fresh and delicious! I wasn't too big of a fan of marinated raw crab, it was my first time trying it! I feel like it's a delicacy and an acquired taste, wasn't for me, but decent none the less. The salmon roe rice bowl that came with the Uni dish was super good! Beautiful presentation and very flavorful! I will come back for the Uni and salmon roe set again! My only complaint is the menu is super confusing to look at and read. I had no idea what comes with the dinner set and if it's enough for a person (One set per person is good enough), or what comes with it. I see marinated crab about 3 times on the menu with different prices, no uni on the menu without the dinner set. The banchan variety was a little lacking in my opinion too, the fish cake was good but the rest were just pickled items which were okay... But I will give this place 5 stars because the workers are super nice, food was excellent and for $23.99, I thought was a good price! read more

Venice Beach - Marinated Crab and Uni with roe Dinner sets! - Seafood Near Me - Buena Park, California

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I visited this place during its early soft opening and remember the food taking a very long time to come out and the service being underwhelming, so I hadn't returned for quite a while. Recently, I came back for a family gathering, and the experience was completely different. We ordered the live fish and sashimi combo, and the freshness of the fish was outstanding. The table was filled with a generous variety of side dishes, all delicious and reminiscent of what you'd get in Korea. The service was also extremely friendly and fast. If you add the restaurant on KakaoTalk, they offer a complimentary drink and share updates on events and days when especially fresh fish arrives, so I highly recommend adding their channel. read more

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Lots of seafood options but I was only there for the sea urchin. A bit disappointed as it didn't seem as fresh as expected. I felt I got some dead sea urchin. So to the items ordered. Tried the sea urchin lunch special and the sea urchin appetizer. They give you loads of rice which drowns the uni. Also the rice is just regular warm rice. I've had this fresh from the shell with sesame sushi rice that is perfectly proportioned with he sea urchin size. There's this dark eel or teriyaki like sauce they drizzle on the rice, I am not a fan. I would get that on the side next time and easy rice. The uni should be the star of the dish. It didn't deel like it. Maybe I tried it on not the best day. The service staff was available and nice. The place wasn't too busy. Chill semi quiet since there was barely a handful of tables. I would come back but I need to make sure the uni is fresh. Would love to know which days they get their deliveries. read more

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Not impressed at all!! We were there around noon on a Saturday. Recognized the place from Instagram ads and decided to try. The place was pretty empty. The host said "how many" not a greeting or anything. He barely pointed out to a table and walked away. He didn't explain how it worked. On our own we have figured ordering must be done through a tablet. Water, napkins, a to go box, anything you want. Several items we wanted were sold out and the place just opened. ordered a soybean marinaded crab. One small crab on a dish for $34... unfortunately it wasn't tasty at all. Meanwhile not one staff comes by to check on you. Everything is done via a tablet. Came with a half filled soybean soup. Each time, staff drops off requested items and leaves without saying a word. When we were ready to pay, again use the tablet to ask for a bill. It was like self serve. Will not be returning!! This was the first and last trip. I didn't think that the servers deserved any tip but I did tip. The Ambiance felt cheap, like food court. read more

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