The "Best of" Japanese Sushi Bars in Orange County, California

One persons idea of the best, is not everybody’s idea of the bestess’ess’sess (that is a word), so I compiled a list of the best of the best broken down into a number of categories.

You might start off a search by “best (rating),” than by “reviews (popularity), and eventually places “open late” because you took so damn long to decide. If that is you, you’re on the right page because I’m going to save you time by breaking everything down by category, but I just left out “best place to get food poisoning.”

Photo Description: Sushi Koto in Fountain Valley. The white bowl is in a tear drop shape and is of chirashi. The chirashi is a mix of tuna, uni, salmon, ikura, tamago, oba shiso, and even a chunk of ankimo..wow. — Yea, that chirashi from Koto Sushi does look good. Image by Sushi Koto.

Best Omakase Sushi

Come for the food, minus the sushi bar chit chat and pretentious prices.

SUSHI MURASAKI

2901 W MacArthur Blvd #108
Santa Ana, CA
(714) 241-1000
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-2pm, 6-9:30pm
Fri: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Sat: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Sun: 5:30-9pm
Mon: Closed

Friendliest Service Sushi Bar

Walking into Nana San after it has been about 3 years? What, you still remember what I like?!

NANA SAN

3601 Jamboree Rd
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 474-7373
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-9:30pm
Fri: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Sat: 5:30-10pm
Sun: Closed
Mon: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm

Best Variety of Fish

That school field trip you took as kid to the aquarium is nothing compared to Shunka because they at least let you eat the fish here.

Photo Description: 2-pieces of nigiri sushi of anago which is saltwater eel. — Freshly prepared anago (saltwater eel), one of Shunka’s specialties.

SHUNKA

369 E 17th St #17
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 631-9854
Tues-Mon: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm

Best Sushi “Bar”

Just remember how to say “kampai,” “sake bomb,” and “biiru o mou ippon onegaishimasu“

JIZAKE SUSHI RESTAURANT

30001 Crown Valley Pkwy, Ste C, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 363-9779
www.jizakeoc.com
Tues-Thurs: 5-9pm, 5:30-9:30pm
Fri: 12am-1:30pm, 5-10pm
Sat: 5-10pm
Sun: 5-9pm
Mon: 5-9pm

Best Value Sushi Bar

It’s a good value when it is not only affordable, but they don’t come up short on quality.

IKEDA JAPANESE DINING

18900 Beach Blvd #112
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 861-2125
Tues-Sun: 4-9pm
Mon: Closed

Best Sushi Bar for Large Groups

The sushi bar, dining room, garden, the bar, tatami room, to the outdoor patio, they got you covered for your family and lover(s).

KITAYAMA (CLOSED)

101 Bayview Pl
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 725-0777
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-9:30pm
Fri: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Sat: 5:30-10pm
Sun: 5:30-9:30pm
Mon: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9:30pm

Best Sushi Bar Kitchen Menu

Twice on the list for good reason.

MURASAKI

2901 W MacArthur Blvd #108
Santa Ana, CA
(714) 241-1000
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-2pm, 6-9:30pm
Fri: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Sat: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Sun: 5:30-9pm
Mon: Closed

Best Sushi Bar Ambiance

Where best can you take selfies and valet your yacht.

NOBU

3450 Via Oporto #101
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 429-4440
www.noburestaurants.com
Tues-Thurs: 12-10pm
Fri: 12-11pm
Sat: 11am-11pm
Sun: 11am-10pm
Mon: 12-10pm

Best Service

Don’t worry about having to lift a hand, they’ll do everything for you except feed you (well, maybe for the right price).

SAN SHI GO

205 Main St
Newport Beach, CA 92661
(949) 673-3724
Tues-Thurs: 5-10pm
Fri-Sat: 5-10:30pm
Sun: 5-10pm
Mon: 5-10pm

Best Family Sushi Bar Restaurant

Go get gramps and gam gam’s because you can also do hibachi and sushi night here.

MATSU RESTAURANT

18035 Beach Blvd
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(714) 848-4404
www.matsugood.com
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Fri: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10:30pm
Sat: 5-10:30pm
Sun: 5-9:30pm
Mon: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm

Best Fusion Sushi

The fusion will rock you (sing it, everybody, alright).

SUSHI ROKU

327 Newport Center Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
www.innovativedining.com
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-9:30pm
Fri: 11:30am-10:30pm
Sat: 11:30am-10:30pm
Sun: 11:30-9:30pm
Mon: 11:30-9:30pm

Best AYCE (All You Can Eat)

Eat up fatass, go feed your tapeworm.

SAKE 2 ME SUSHI

13951 Carroll Way
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 731-6980
www.sake2mesushi.com
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-10pm
Fri: 11:30am-10:30pm
Sat: 11:30am-10:30pm
Sun: 12-10pm
Mon: 11:30-10pm

Best Kaiten Sushi

It’s like you walked directly into a slice of Japan minus the drunken salarymen.

KURA SUSHI

2700 Alton Pkwy #133
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 553-0747
www.kurausa.com
Tues-Thurs: 11am-11pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-12am
Sun-Mon: 11am-11pm

Best Chirashi

Why would you not come here for it, it’s the go to item (check out the pic at the bottom).

KOTO SUSHI

18120 Brookhurst St #25
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
www.kotooc.com
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-1:45pm, 5-9:15pm
Fri: 11:30am-2:15pm, 5-10pm
Sat: 11:30am-2:15pm, 5-10pm
Sun: 11:30-2:15pm, 5:30-9:15 pm
Mon: 11:30am-1:45pm, 5-9:15pm

Best Ready-Made Sushi

Mitsuwa sushi beats a lot of sushi restaurants.

MITSUWA

Multiple locations:
Torrance, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Monica, San Joe, to New Jersey.
www.mitsuwa.com
General Hours
Daily: 8am-9pm

Best Lunch Specials

You just can’t beat the quality and price, I just hope the service is quick.

SUSHI WAZEN

22641 Lake Forest Dr
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 855-8330
Tues-Thurs: 11:30am-2pm, 5-10pm
Fri: 11:30am-2pm, 5-10pm
Sat: 11:30am-2pm, 5-10pm
Sun: 11:30-2pm, 5-10pm
Mon: Closed

Best Late Night Sushi

Not strictly sushi, but they are open till 1 am with an expansive menu and bar.

TOKYO TABLE

2710 Alton Pkwy #101
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 263-0000
www.tokyotable.com
Tues-Mon: 11:30am-1am

This “Best of” List is Based on the “Best Authentic Japanese Sushi Bars in Orange County”

This is only my short list of sushi restaurants in Orange County, and if you are looking for the top 10 best sushi restaurants for authentic edomae-sushi, I also have that list.