4. Restaurants

Buddha’s Favorite

634 Lido Park Dr, Newport Beach, CA, 92663
  • (949) 723-4203
  • Store is closed

Buddha’s Favorite Menu

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  • Jeong P.

    I was pleasantly surprised by this low key sushi restaurant that is tucked away adjacent to Bluewater Grill in Newport. Located directly on the water with an entrance found only through the rear of the parking lot, this little sushi spot offers a pretty peaceful outdoor patio where you can enjoy some very decently priced food and drinks while enjoying the view. We ordered a few pieces of nigiri as well as some cooked dishes while enjoying a bottle of unfiltered sake. I can't really say that the sushi was great, as it resembled something you would find at a Korean owned place. But everything was prepared fresh and tasted satisfactory. The cooked dishes like the agedashi tofu and the stuffed peppers lacked the refinement of a good Izakaya, but still had some pretty good flavor. But the best thing about this place, are the reasonable prices. This is probably the only waterfront restaurant in Newport where you can have a decent meal and feel like you got a good value. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the bill, even after ordering a fair amount of food and drinks. So if you are looking for some waterfront dining that is different from the typical overpriced Newport restaurant, this place offers a casual and intimate space to enjoy a pretty good meal. The sushi might not have been San-Shi-Go or Ohshima quality, but I still kind of liked this place. Maybe it was the peaceful setting on the outdoor patio, or the company of a very attractive date. But I ended up having a good experience here, and I guess that's all that really matters.

    (4)

  • Kat B.

    Our server falsely accused us of having fake IDs when we tried to order sake. So maybe they should brush up on their ID-checking procedures. Sushi was good, though.

    (3)

  • Gonzalo D.

    As new parents our time out of the house is limited so when our order didn't come after 45 minutes of waiting we started asking about it. After the 3rd "your order is coming right up" we asked to pay for edamame and drinks so we could leave. We were tired of waiting and starving but we had to leave. Amazingly a few pieces of sushi magically appeared. We paid for what little we ate and left very unsatisfied with this place. Apparently we are not the only ones.

    (1)

  • Michael B.

    I went here on Tuesday and was sadly disappointed. As with most other commenters who didn't think highly of this place, the service is terrible. It shouldn't take 50 minutes just to get a miso soup. A party of 4 was seated after us, got their food before us, finished eating, and paid all at least 20 minutes before we even got our food. If you're going to make me wait an hour before serving me, your food better be fantastic. The food is above average, but I would rather scarf down strip mall sushi that I have to wait 5 minutes for than wait an hour for this place. There are too many other (good) sushi places in Orange County to waste time here. Most of the tables were full so if your business model is to trick gullible yuppies into thinking this is how a sushi restaurant should be run, then more power to you.

    (1)

  • Mark B.

    "Oh Captain, my Captain...", alas Dash (Tadashi) has returned to his native Hong Kong; however, Buddha's has retained longtime stalwart & all around awesome sushi chef, Justin, which keeps the good culture of Buddah's alive and well. This is a hidden gem of a sushi restaurant. It's location is great - right on the water with both a large bar & waterside outdoor seating. Don't worry they have heat lamps aplenty. The menu features plenty of traditional and inventive sushi. There are also options for vegetarians and those who prefer beef, chicken, noodle, and/or rice options to fish. Or put your palate on auto-pilot and order omekase (chef's choice). The big things I appreciate about this spot are that the staff remember me and take excellent care of me; and Justin remembers the things that I can and cannot eat.

    (5)

  • J H.

    This has always been our go-to place for sushi. Good food, nice location, comfortable, and reasonably priced. However, they seem to be in a steady decline. We stopped coming on Friday nights as the crowd on the last several occasions was rowdy and loud. We definitely enjoy a good time and our adult beverages, but it was definitely too much. So we started coming mostly during the week when it's quiter. To our dismay, they food doesn't seem to be as good as "the last time" week after week. The spicy tuna was so decimated last visit that it was just pink mush with a very unpleasant consistency. We also ordered tempura udon and the oil used to fry the vegetables was clearly not fresh and the broth taste oddly burnt (not sure how you can burn broth but clearly something was wrong). I really dislike giving bad reviews, but hoping Buddha will up its game as this was previously one of our favorite spots for a casual dinner. The food quality needs to be evaluated and improved.

    (3)

  • Brittney D.

    I would give zero stars if i could. The food was great, but the service was terrible. I gave them my card to charge for the $75 bill i had, and lost my card within seconds. They were no help in helping me try to locate it, and made me feel like i was a burden. I asked for a manager and was completely ignored. I will not be going back.

    (1)

  • Kissy S.

    We've been coming here for over a decade. Always great sushi and service. The last few times I've ordered food to "go", the wait times have been horrendous. Last week was two hours and this week one hour.. And tonight's pick up had an hour wait with not a customer in the place. That's for an order of 4 items. They have some new chefs and the food doesn't taste as good as it used to. Their famous garlic edamame is tasteless now, sashimi is blah and everything else I had to throw away from my order. What a disappointment. I hope they get it together and put the "flavor" back in their food. Then, they can work on their service as orders have been getting messed up lately too. This has always been a neighborhood gem, but Buddahs Fave it is not at the moment.

    (2)

  • Jolene W.

    I was happy to find this hidden gem in an otherwise predictable California beach town. The food tasted fresh and service was excellent. I sat at the sushi bar and saw how attentive the sushi chefs were to quality and presentation.

    (4)

  • Sporty L.

    Great place in the cut! I am a sushi regular and always in search for a reasonably priced sushi spot with great quality. The restaurant is tucked away on the water next to blue water grill and although I've been to area dozens of times, I never knew they restaurant existed. Me and the BF were seated quickly. The fish was very fresh and they had a great selection of other cooked foods. You can't really go wrong with this place!

    (4)

  • Angie W.

    I really love the food here but the service is always slow and terrible. If you have *plenty* of time check out the salmon & tuna 'candy' and the lollipop roll. To the management, it should not take 45 minutes to get a carry out when you are only half full... and your hostesses should not leave people on hold for orders for 10+ minutes then not answer the phone when they call back....for 25 more minutes. Had I written this review the day it happened you would have got 1 star because quality of service is just as important as quality of food. Hoping the service catches up with the sushi soon!!!

    (3)

  • Ken A.

    I went with a rather large party and I can understand that food will take longer because of the larger party but this was pretty slow. I have gone to sushi establishments with much larger parties and received the food in a timely manner. The food was okay. Very salty and they drench it with sauce. The only dish that I though that stood out was the Tropical roll, but there's a catch, it only comes with 4 pieces!! The food is also not cheap. On a brighter note, I have to commend the servers. They were very friendly and truly cared about our concerns and would even try to throw in a joke or 2. In conclusion, I would not recommend this place due to their prices and the quality of food. It's not worth it.

    (2)

  • Lindsay G.

    Buddha's favorite? More like Buddha's least favorite! Went here on a mellow Friday night and received terrible service. Also the heater fell onto my friend and all we got was a $13 discount! They didn't even have the manager come out and talk to us. Rolls were mixed up, service was slow, and took forever to get our check after having asked for it. Wouldn't reccomend. Only plus side was the beautiful valet man Kyle Hoff. Follow him @kylehoff_ on Instagram and tip him big!

    (1)

  • Victoria N.

    I'm really picky with sushi. It's to the point where I'm afraid to go to places because it may ruin my experience. I sometimes rather buy my fish from the market to guarantee the quality. I agreed to come here because my boyfriend insisted. Justin, our sushi chef, took care of us and made us a variety of different things to try. Among some of the variations were seared salmon topped with yuzu, scallop topped with yuzu, sweet shrimp, and others I cannot remember. I normally don't like sweet shrimp but it was really good here. And I am now a fan of yuzu. We also requested yellowtail and salmon boats which were amazing. Came back again the next day and justin took care of us again. This time with different items except 2 repeated which were the ones with yuzu on top. So good! Also had the fried banana with ice cream. For the price and quality it's really good deal for Newport. Overall I would recommend it to friends. Only gripe is the waitress is somewhat slow.

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    Excellent food!! Best sushi in a long time. Unfortunately the worst service in a long time as well. Had to ask for plates, ginger, wasabi of all things, and more water all while sitting inside when they had a patio full of empty tables held for a seven pm reservations; mind you we were there at 5:45 for dinner!! Will go back for sure but will make reservations for outdoor seating.

    (4)

  • Clayton H.

    One of my top favorite sushi joints in OC. I've always loved everything I've ordered. Some of my go-to items: sashimi candy, crispy rice, tornado roll. You can order 1/2 or whole rolls here- makes it easy for beginners to try something without wasting a whole roll (although I've never disliked anything here). Parking is $2 valet or street. Cute location. Make a reservation, the place is tiny. 4 stars due to great food, but mediocre service.

    (4)

  • Michael W.

    Pros: 10% OFF all the time 1/2 Rolls for small appetites. Nice views off the patio area Cons: Location is a little difficult to reach and they have limited seating Overall, a great reasonably priced sushi restaurant on the Newport peninsula. I ve been here several times and I have never been disappointed. Staff is friendly and quick to serve you. I'll definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Audrey C.

    I had the sashimi sushi plate which included six pieces of chef's choice sashimi and six spicy tuna sushi pieces. The spicy tuna rolls were whatever but the sashimi was amazing! It was really rich and melted in your mouth--leaving a golden taste in your throat afterwards. The only complaint that I have with the sashimi was that it was a bit warm...but I didn't get sick so I guess it's okay. I would recommend eating outside because it's pretty stuffy inside the restaurant.

    (4)

  • Bella D.

    Great little sushi restaraunt - the wait was a little long I thought, especially for how small the place was, but the food was oh so worth it!!! Don't hesitate to visit this place and enjoy their amazing and very fresh sushi choices!

    (4)

  • Bill T.

    Horrible Valentines Day experience... Bad service even though there were empty tables. No food after an hour of ordering. We cancelled the rest of our order and left in frustration. Used to really like the food and ambiance, but when the servers ignore you, it makes you wonder WTF management/owners really want to project to their customers. The servers also acted like they really didn't really give a $hit. Interesting that I just read many other bad service reviews here as well, so this appears symptomatic.... I will miss sitting next to the dock under the gas heaters in the evenings, but Blue Water Grille next door is a much better option, great service and very good food. Good luck here but theses reviews are pretty consistent with my experience.....

    (1)

  • Jen C.

    Great food but bad service ;( when it gets busy - you are invisible and the sushi chef ignored us even sitting in front of him at the sushi bar.

    (3)

  • Madie R.

    Worst service I have ever had in my life. I understand servers get overwhelmed this was absolutely ridiculous how under trained this waitress was. I asked for an appetizers, it took 40 minutes to get and we got it after our rolls that took 30 minutes. Asked for a manager just to speak about the fact that our water was not filled for 20 minutes or asked if we would like drinks and he said what do you need I'm busy!! How absolutely ridiculous and unprofessional. The manager "dash" is so rude I don't know who is running this place but they need a reality check. This place is ridiculous and could definitely need some customer service rehab!!! THEY WERE SO RUDE DO NOT GO HERE

    (1)

  • Kay V.

    Best sushi ! The food is fresh

    (4)

  • Lyna V.

    I was in charge of planning my sister's birthday and she requested sushi. Of course, I jump right onto Yelp to do research and found Buddha's favorite. I thought this would be a good place but I should've heeded the warning that this place isn't good for groups. It is typically ideal for 4 at most, but they will accommodate up to 10. I like that it's right by the water..okay, so it's where the boats are docked, but still..pretty neat. We were seated outside and to be honest, I debated on whether or not it was OK to be seated there. We were right in front of the salon instead of the restaurant, far away from all the other patrons. We didn't even have a heater over us like everyone else and it was freezing! The service was very slow and at times non existent but I could tell the 2 girls were trying. I have no recommendations in terms of food because nothing stood out and I can barely recall what I ate..kind of a disappointment BUT we enjoyed the company we were with so it made it ok..

    (2)

  • Christian S.

    We went in the low season, so we had no issues with finding a table (no waiting). The staff was nice, very obliging and helpfull. Food was great, we went twice there in our 5 days vacation and can only recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Kelly C.

    Their food is good but unfortunately their customer service, managerial and wait staff need a once over. I have never experienced anything like this before. First of all I called to make a dinner reservation for a party of 12. When I called there was no answer so I left a message with all of my details. After a few days I hadn't heard back so I called again. As I started to give my reservation the woman that answered said "Yes, we already have you down for a party of 12". Ok, well I never received a confirmation call back. She says we don't call back until the day before. Yeah right, so I'm going to assume that you received my message and I'm going to assume that you will be able to take my party of 12 on that day at that time. No way, that is just plain stupid. So whatever, I blow it off and a few days later we receive a couple more responses so we are now at 15 people. I call on Friday evening, knowing that they are open (this is the day before mind you because I tried to call previously and there wasn't an answer and I was not going to leave a message HOPING they got it). So the woman answers, I tell her I need to change the number of people and she says oh, hold on. You need a managers approval on THAT many people. Ok...I understand that. No big deal...until the "manager" gets on the phone and says "that is the maximum amount of people you can have in your party and you can only stay an hour and a half." She says too many people and you take up too much space. TOO MUCH SPACE? So what you are saying is that our money isn't good enough for you? THAT IS RIDICULOUS!!! You are a sushi restaurant!!!! Are you frickin' kidding me??? Sushi and and drinks for 2 hours...if, IF people get there EXACTLY at 5:30. So I rebuttal and say well you know we aren't children, we are adults who WHEN we do go out spend quite a bit of money on food and drinks. So her response..."you can stay 2 hours then". WOW I was hesitant to tell my boyfriend because this was his choice and his birthday but I didn't feel right giving this company any of my money let alone any of my friends. When I tell him he is flabbergasted and tells me to call and cancel. I tried to call back 2 times that evening and the phone just rang and rang and rang. I'm not leaving a message that's for sure. So I call back Saturday after I get a call from someone there (I received a voice mail as I was getting ready for our evening). I called back within 6 minutes...no answer and I let it ring about 40+ times. So I wait and call back in 10 minutes, ask to speak to a manager. Whoever he was just kept saying a huh a huh a huh over everything that I was saying....yes I know you were not listening especially since after my explanation of why I'm cancelling he says...so we are setting up for you right now. Are you saying you aren't coming now? Buddah's NOT SO Favorite. You can have your space. I called a sushi place around the corner from them. They took my 15 people with great pleasure and said they would even stay open longer if they needed to. My boyfriend said I should take a picture of the bill we had at the other place and post it, but I won't be that person....but you should have seen it! Boy did we have fun!! You can find my Yelp review on their page.....it won't be difficult to find what other sushi restaurant we went to on the peninsula.

    (1)

  • Kymber W.

    I live 70 steps from this place, so I just take out a lot. Some nights they will make the Lollipop Roll for me to take out and some nights, they refuse to make it for take out. Not sure what is up with that, but not a deal breaker.

    (4)

  • Stephstrrr G.

    This sushi place is incredibly fresh and delicious! This is definitely my favorite sushi restaurant. I love the prompt service (although sometimes it lacks) and the variety. The view of the dock is so relaxing and mesmerizing. My favorite rolls are Salmon Lemon, Buddha's Favorite, Tuna, Crunch, SYT, actually they're all pretty darn scrumptious!! Definitely, make a reservation; I always do and never have to wait. I can't wait to come back!!

    (4)

  • Hannah T.

    Their salmon lemon and SYT rolls are TO DIE FOR. I bring all my friends and family here. So good.

    (5)

  • Phil G.

    Completely horrible. Two waitresses. One hour waiting and literally no food. Talked to the manager and he said "I'm just asking for understanding" rather than taking responsibility. Haven't even tried the food. We left after an hour and fifteen.

    (1)

  • Kathryn S.

    REVIEW IS ONLY FOR SERVICE! The Asian waitresses totally ignored us last night. We were a party of 4, were nice and ordered lots of food. After we got our food, that was it- 30 minutes and NO one came around to check on us. We had to walk to the host stand to get our check..

    (1)

  • Jadie N.

    This place is AWESOME! I come here all the time. The servers are always willing to accommodate to your needs are extremely polite. I love the option of either sitting indoors, at the sushi bar, or the patio. My favorite is eating on the patio with the heaters. I do recommend calling ahead of time for a reservation with a heater!!

    (5)

  • Craig W.

    First time here. Eating dinner with the wife for an early Valentines meal (2/12). The indoor dining area is small with about 10+ seats at the sushi bar. There is a very large patio, that sits next to the bay, with plenty of outdoor heaters to keep you warm. We sat at the sushi bar for this visit, we always enjoy the experience at the bar when we do sushi. The menu was pretty basic with your usual rolls, sashimi, etc. We ordered a bottle of their 2nd best saki (based on price) for about $16. It was very good. Not a saki connoisseur but this one was not to dry or sweet. Right in the middle. The staff was friendly, the sushi chef was efficient and most importantly the fish and food were fresh. The pricing was average and considering the location on the bay you're not going to get a strip mall all you can eat deal. I recommend!

    (5)

  • Chad B.

    Food is great but if you have reservations be prepared to wait for a table when you arrive. We have had reservations twice and each time we have waited for a table for over 20 minutes so it defeats the purpose of reservations. They act suprise when you show up. We were on time and they said "oh, you are early." No we weren't. Food is great if you don't mind the wait. They shouldn't offer reservations if they cannot fulfill the request.

    (3)

  • Viswa V.

    The best sushi place in Newport Beach area... amazing service and quality of food. They have a good collection of sake and authentic Japanese cuisine.

    (5)

  • Nicole A.

    We celebrated my friends moms bday here and we had a reservation and our table was ready as soon as we arrived! The service was excellent and so friendly and prompt. The sushi and everything we ordered was so fresh! Only downside is the location was a bit confusing to find and we did use valet parking since we didn't see any other options. Next time we will ride bikes. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Peter B.

    Horrible service, clueless, average sushi at best. Don't trust the positive reviews. Arrived early, hostess gave our table away. Waited 15 minutes only to find out hostess had crossed our name off list and ignored us, even though they had an open table. Took over an hour to get first piece of sushi. Cannery is a better option. This place should be gone shortly.

    (1)

  • Ryno S.

    5 stars for nice, friendly service, location and great tastes.

    (5)

  • Russell F.

    By far the worst service I've ever had. It took us 2 hours to get our food and the only reason I didn't get up and walk away is because my girlfriend and I were with friends and she would have killed me. The sushi was average at best when it came out anyways. I refuse to waste my time and go here again.

    (1)

  • Asher R.

    THE BEST. Fresh fish, awesome + helpful sushi chefs, fair prices. I've lived in Newport for 6 months and this was my best dinner experience in the area so far. Great for groups or a date.

    (5)

  • Alex B.

    LOVE this place. Tiny little hidden gem with super yummy sushi and great vibe. Corkage fee is $15 but they don't always charge you, which is nice. I recommend sitting at the sushi bar, if not the service is kind of slow. They only have two servers for the whole place so that explains why. I recommend making it a date night place, not really that great for kids. It's just small and dark and kind of loud but not in a kid way. Also, make reservations. Gets crazy busy. I love this place. Make sure and check it out.

    (4)

  • Matthew L.

    Thanks for nothing Yelp, you truly let me down today. Our original plan was to try out San Shi Go but we couldn't find parking . So naturally we decided to whip our Yelp app to find another sushi spot nearby. With 4 solid stars, I decided to overlook their not so traditional name and give Buddha's Favorite a chance. When we first arrived, the small quaint restaurant looks promising. The heated patio made it pleasant to sit outside. That was the only positive thing I can think of for this place. With half a dozen open tables, it took our hostess 10 minutes to seat us. And to our dismay, we got the dirty, wet table she just wipe down in a hurry. Aren't we lucky! I kidd you not, but it took another 10 minutes to get our drink order in, another 10 minutes to get ice water, and another 10 before our drinks came out. I have no clue as to why our waitress keeps disappearing for such long intervals. Whenever she was nearby, she made sure to keep her head down and took ever step possible to avoid eye contact so that she wouldn't see us trying to flag her down. Forty five minutes in and we still haven't placed our order yet. It was just ridiculous. Just to add insult to injury, our food came out before our table sittings. Yay! The hunt continues for our elusive waitress. To make it worst, we had to request for every piece of dinnerware. I was finishing up my last bite when they finally brought out the ginger and wasabi. If the food was anywhere near good, I could have forgiven the slow service. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The fish was warm, salad was wrinkled, and the seaweed wasn't crispy but chewy. I could have gotten sushi at the supermarket. I didn't even bother to ask for more ice water to wash down the sub par food. I just wanted to get out of there before I waste anymore time waiting around. I seriously don't know how anyone could give this place a positive review. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST.

    (1)

  • Anna Y.

    Come here if you want to enjoy good sushi on the water. 5 stars for Buddha's :)

    (5)

  • Kaitlyn P.

    The reason this place is getting 2 stars and not 1, is because I loved that you overlook the marina (kind of). - Sushi = average, nothing amazing. - The service = bad. Rarely came to check on us and charged us for items we didn't even order. - VERY limited seating, don't go with a big group. There were probably 5 tables at most there.

    (2)

  • Blace T.

    Buddhas is simply the best sushi!!! Ever! Dash is the most talented sushi chef! I've known dash for seven years and he has just gotten better.

    (5)

  • Robin S.

    Great place to take a date or dinner with friends right on the water. Ordered: Shrimp Boat-shrimp sushi topped with lots of smelt eggs, ponzu, and raw quail egg. Quail egg really saved this dish from being too sour. Lollipop Sushi- the dressing they put on this lollipop was super delicious! Ono- I think they seared the fish way too much, but the garlic ponzu they used was fab.

    (4)

  • David F.

    Make RSVPs Great price with a good view. Live the Black Cod!

    (5)

  • Drew M.

    Just like enlightenment, Buddha's Favorite can be a little difficult to find. It shares a patio with Bluewater Grill, If you go into the parking lot and head to the back of Bluewater Grill, you'll find it hidden in the back. Once we actually found this spot, we spent an equal amount of time waiting awkwardly waiting to be seated on a fairly busy Saturday night. Two servers walked past of briskly and did their best job to not acknowledge we existed so as to prevent us from asking them any questions. We eventually were seated outside on the patio, which is one of the best parts of the experience; it is warmly heated, and affords great views of the bay! Our service was slow throughout, and was sporadic at best. I ordered the "Tuna Tower," yelp.com/biz_photos/J4Yw… which, as it turns out, was more like a Tuna lean to at best. It's got spicy tuna, cream cheese, asparagus, eel sauce, and fried onion, and for a fusion dish, was quite delicious. Overall our group really enjoyed our food, but there were a few glaring errors that tarnished our experience. Getting seated was laborious, our service was slow and sporadic, and they made an egregious error on our bill, overcharging us by 80 dollars! Seriously, they doubled our bill. Our 'server' quickly fixed the mistake, but with one item as 'hanamori' at $34.00, we were intrigued at what would garner that price. I'd come back again to try some more of their food options, but with the glaringly bad service, and the "happy time" discount that is in play at all times (how about just making your food 15% cheaper?), I'm not quite sold on Buddha's Favorite. 2.5 Stars rounded up.

    (2)

  • Elnaz S.

    this place is AMAZING. They really only have a seating place outside by the water...its very tiny inside. All together i think its like 10 tables. So make reservations WELL in advance! This was probably the best sushi I've had....

    (5)

  • Nicole C.

    Service was lacking. Had to wait 20 min for a table to get cleaned off so we can be seated and we were the only ones waiting. 3 items we ordered were unavailable. We were charged for things we didn't order. Ultimate roll was an ultimate fail. This place used to be a great spot, they lost my business.

    (1)

  • Gavin W.

    Normally this place is pretty good. However tonight both my dishes never arrived with the rest of my parties meals. Now my friends must sit and watch me eat! Not happy!!! I'd like to add that the staff more than made it up to me and comped my meals. A happy ending!

    (4)

  • Bobby M.

    Great small location, and a local feel kind of place. The food is good, the chefs are awesome but......the service is a bit slow. (unless you get a spot at the bar) we love coming here and its a great place to hang out with friends. Just wish you guys would bring back the lunch time hours! See you soon!

    (4)

  • Ashlee C.

    love the atmosphere. sushi is a little over priced & service is also slow. but I would return for the fresh fish!

    (3)

  • PaigeeGa L.

    Lollipop is so bombDotCom and everything else here. Love this place and the scenery. Cool vibe and super cool sushi chef.

    (5)

  • Natalie P.

    Love the lollipop tapas, ultimate roll, and garlic edamame! Fun to eat out on the patio! Parking is not the best!

    (5)

  • Jackie H.

    Love this place! Love their menu, variety and all the rice-less options! :) Everything we ordered was superb!

    (5)

  • Cheryl V.

    Love this place! Dash is the best!! Try and sit in his section if you can. We had our first Omikasen meal and he took very good care of us. This is our favorite sushi spot and we go out of our way to get down here when we have a date night. Service can be slow when you're not at the bar, but trust me, it's worth it!

    (5)

  • Greg V.

    The wife and I went here last Saturday as part of our 10 yr anniv weekend. We used to live in NB and had not been back here in quite some time. And it was just as good as I remembered. We got there just after opening and were quickly seated at the Sushi Bar. Dash (our chef) was great. Very attentive, asked if there was something specific we liked/disliked, and was great at answering our questions. Some of the highlights: 1. blue fin tuna 2. seared albacore 3. Negitoro hand roll (not on the menu but Dash knows how to make it) 4. crispy rice (just order it; it was not traditional in any way but very good if you like spicy) Service was great and the atmosphere was very welcoming. I cannot wait to go back again very soon.

    (5)

  • Ashley N.

    I've been here a few times and their rolls are delicious. I love the calamari and crunchy roll :) You can sit outside by the water or inside. The waitresses are really friendly and I had great service! Definitely coming back for more.

    (5)

  • Stephanie L.

    The service was SO bad and i actually feel bad saying that because the server was nice and really did try to please us. I came here for my birthday and they got my order wrong 3 times! By the time everyone was done with their meal I finally got the correct order. My overall impression was that they were working hard and doing the best they could, but possibly had very little training. The food was decent.

    (2)

  • Carl E.

    Fact is, if you sneeze, you'll miss the place and as a local, I'm diggin' that cuz otherwise the thundering herds from Iowa would stampede the local haunts. Reasonable priced and right on the water, you can kick up a good time on a mellow sun-drenched afternoon or throw on a light jacket, drink some adult bev, and take in the sounds and sights of Newport at night. Either way, the vibe works. Good mix of sushi or sashimi and plenty of tempura dishes for those who say they eat sushi but have no clue.

    (4)

  • Ken W.

    Like this place so much! Everything I ordered here is good. Yes, I mean everything is good!! Will definitely come back with my family

    (5)

  • Amanda T.

    So, here it is, a year later and I decided to go back to Buddha's yesterday on the Labor Day holiday. There were a bunch of people that seemed to be waiting, but a lot of tables looked to be just about done. The waitress took our names and said it would be about 30 minutes. We didn't mind and figured it would be less. We stood awkwardly on the deck waiting for our names to be called. We then realized they had 4 whole tables empty outside, but completely dirty with dishes from the previous party. We looked inside and saw 3 tables, empty and dirty in there as well. (See the picture I uploaded). Thinking it strange we asked the host again what was going on. She said she had to call reservations to make sure they weren't coming. 25 minutes later, and still 5 empty and dirty tables, we asked the hostess again what the status was. We finally convinced her to let us sit down at one of the empty tables. Which then resulted in having to ask multiple times for menus, place settings, water, wasabi/ginger plates, and the check. We never got anything after asking once, and it was always about a 15 minute wait! Disappointed, we asked if we could speak with a manager. He came over, we told him that we were pretty disappointed with the service that night (to which the neighboring table chimed in and agreed with us!). His response was anything but apologetic. He said that they are trying their best, it takes time to make good food, and that we need to be patient. He said that there are other people here before us and people that made reservations...He did bring us over a free poke appetizer, which was nice, but apparently we aren't as important as his other customers that had made a reservation and we felt as if we had just had a patience lecture from our father. The food this time wasn't that great, and we have ultimately decided we will not be returning unless it goes under new management. The ONLY thing I enjoyed last night was the location on the harbor. But that was it.

    (1)

  • Lauren E.

    Good food and friendly service. The atmosphere was nice too! Good prices as well.

    (4)

  • Christal M.

    I have to take stars away for a couple reasons. Maybe it's because it's summer time, but the lot that used to be free for restaurant parking is valet only now. One of the most pointless valets I've seen I might add... $2 to have a guy park your car 10 feet away and then walk by your parked car to give the valet guy your ticket to retrieve your car when you leave! Besides the parking, the quality of sushi seems to have gone down. The shrimp in the Crunchy roll did not seem freshly cooked and the crunch was lacking in crunch. Buddha's Favorite is pretty good if you like cream cheese, which I usually don't, but this roll wasn't too cheesy and had a nice blend of flavors with the jalapeño and crab inside, and salmon on the outside. DO NOT get the Calamari roll! It's way too salty with a weird spicy, tangy sauce. It's still a nice location by the docks to grab some sushi on a sunny day. And it's still great that they serve half rolls. But if you want to fill your sushi craving with really good sushi, there are better options.

    (2)

  • Jen T.

    Came here for my golden birthday!! I dont understand what the hype is all about for this place! Its a bit Americanized and I guess Im over the "Americanized" sushi. Lets get down to business... Miso Soup: Felt like I was drinking tan colored water with tofu and seaweed in it. It was pretty tasteless. Lobster Roll: not too bad, but what killed it for me was that they put wasabi in it. Definitely not a fan of wasabi, whatsoever. I know..I am eating sushi too! Caliente: It was okay, still weirded out that it has melted cheese in it. Barely tasted the spicy tuna. I could only taste the outside which was fried? Buddha's Bomb: Im starting to realize that I dont like salmon cooked. It has that fishy after taste and I cant stand it...and this roll is the prime example of my salmon dislike. The flavors were great, but the salmon just killed it for me. I dont think any of the rolls were worth what they were worth. Buddha's Bomb was freaking 15 bucks...ridunkulous! Caliente (full) was 12 something. Lobster roll was around 9ish? Service was awesome though! Very friendly and patient! Thats why they get 3 stars! 15 percent discount..I liiikeeyy! since the manfriend and I were not full...we got In-N-Out and Cha for Tea's chicken right after! Yeah, we were beasts that day! Enjoy! :/

    (3)

  • Christina N.

    This place is just okay. Great spot for a quick bite because it's not fast food and stays open pretty late. Great location but tables and the way the place is arranged isn't that comfortable. The food is alright - I found nothing spectacular about it but will come back again!

    (4)

  • Autum B.

    The poke bowl is amazing! So is the garlic edamame and lemon salmon roll (with Ca roll inside instead of veggie). I love that they offer half rolls, so you can try a bunch of different ones without being too full.

    (5)

  • Victoria A.

    Not what I was expecting. Maybe I have high sushi standards coming from SD but for a four starred place I expected the food to match. Parking is $2 cash only, and it is quite hidden but if you have GPS and eyes it's not that hard. Anyways we get there and sit at the bar. Place isn't busy, bar isn't busy and the only person to say hi to us was the hostess who was also our waitress. Sushi chef didn't say much if anything and kinda killed the whole experience. We ordered gyoza and the sashimi salmon candy to start. A piece each of halibut and hamachi. The nigiri came out quickly but had so much wasabi on it that i couldnt enjoy the fish. The gyoza was good but the sashimi candy stole the show. Fresh salmon wrapped around crab and crunchies, it was delicious. However that's where it ended. The miso soup my bf had was clear, tasteless and a weird dark color. How you mess up miso soup, I don't know. The rolls we had would have been alright except they all tasted about the same. The Beagle, Unaten, and Ultimate. All had temp crunchies and were falling apart. I'm pretty sure each time I tried to eat a piece rice was falling off of it. They were good, but again not great. Service was poor, no one refilled our waters and i pretty much bussed the bar myself. Come to think of it no one came to check on us the entire meal and they were NOT busy. Would go back but the prices definitely don't match the quality. Buddha's favorite was a flop.

    (2)

  • Katia P.

    My favorite sushi place! Very cozy and unique place! Everything on the menu is delicious!

    (5)

  • Crystal R.

    So good we came back a second time on our 2 day trip to Newport! We will definitely be back! Everything was so fresh and delicious!!!

    (5)

  • Katey B.

    I love coming here for sushi. I go about once every two to three months and it's always wonderful.

    (5)

  • Mon K.

    Like everyone else said, it's a hidden place. We didn't see a sign for it so it was a bit hard to find. But it's there! With a great view :) we had a reservation for about 13 at 730pm. Being that we were party of 13, I understand that it can get hectic for the servers. The food was good but took a reallyy really long time to come to our table. The servers were also not quite together. I wouldn't recommend it for large groups. Come with 3-4 people. Probably for the best.

    (4)

  • Suzy J.

    Loved this place! It's really small and hidden but I loved it! The sushi chefs- Justin and Dash are cool and I like talking to them. I'm surprised by the reviews I'm reading... Our service was good and fast, the food was good and I will definitely be going back! I do suggest getting there earlier than later. It gets filled up quickly!

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    Our fave sushi!

    (5)

  • Breanna L.

    This place Rocks. Dash is the best.

    (5)

  • Jason K.

    This place is GREAT if you don't don't know anything about sushi and enjoy ambiance more than quality of the food. I had high expectations because a friend said before heading here that this was and I quote, "the best sushi I've ever had, they're always busy there". This was said on a Friday night at around 6 pm and we were immediately able to secure reservations for 7 pm that night. That right there should have been a red flag, lol. So we get there, the location is incredible, the restaurant is situated right on the water and there's a ton of fancy boats, I'm impressed. The servers were accommodating at first, but this is where the story turns the flavor of milk past its expiration date. So I ordered sashimi, big mistake, the quality of the fish was lacking and the sushi chef had executed some strange cut I had never seen on fish. They had cut the fish into strange rectangular strips that were much too large to eat in one bite. Service at this point also started to falter a bit, things were taking way too long to arrive to our table, 10 minutes for the delivery of beer and forgotten orders of food which were hastily "remembered" and had the kitchen produce immediately. But luckily, they also must have forgotten to charge us for some of the beers and sake, because noticed those weren't on the bill. Thanks guys! :) tl;dr If you like bad sushi with a good view, come here. Also the servers don't seem to know what they're doing so you might get free drinks.

    (1)

  • Tuesday S.

    Amazing sushi! By far the best salmon and tuna I have tasted. My favorite was the seared salmon and the lemon salmon. The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars, is the lack of service. One waitress for a full packed patio was not enough, my party and I felt so bad for her! Please find a way to improve you service.

    (3)

  • Allie K.

    Love Buddha's! It's a great place-- right on the water in Newport. They have tons of different an innovative rolls, and thier fish is always super fresh. They are great with modifications if you ask, and the servers are nice and don't try to rush you through your ordering/eating. Parking is valet, unles syou find a spot on the strret, but it's super inexpensive, and the valet guy is a riot. I look forward to going to Buddha's as often as possible!

    (4)

  • Mike L.

    Seriously the best sushi I have ever had..and I try a LOT of sushi bars. It is a hidden gem, fresh fish is an understatement. A bit pricey but well worth it. The Yoshi Spring Roll is a MUST. 5 different fish wrapped in Soy Paper, NO rice! Yellowtail Sashimi is really good too!

    (5)

  • Michael G.

    We come here for convenience and atmosphere. Sushi freshness is very inconsistent. Menu is definitely geared towards American sushi with lots of fried and mayonnaise bases. If you know what to order, and the fish is fresh that day, you can have a good dinner. Service is lacking and inconsistent as well.

    (2)

  • Cat H.

    What a fun little spot! I had an awkward date here (still can't believe I'm back on the market- d'oh!) We had a couple of sakis and then shared 3 different varieties of rolls. We had the lobster roll, the backflip and the tornado. The backflip is nice and spicy spicy! All of the rolls tasted fresh and good, but that was easily my favorite. I do love spicy foods. :) The restaurant itself is TINY. It's located on the water next to Bluewater Grill, so if you're lost, just go there and ask the valet how to get to Buddah's Favorite like I did. The dining room itself is tiny so if you don't make a reservation, you may have a little bit of a wait. And the bathrooms are located outside in what kinda' felt like a beachy kind of outhouse. But there's running water in them. Service was extremely friendly and efficient, too. Overall, I liked it. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Alicia K.

    Always great service and good sushi! Great little spot! Definitely recommend making reservations. Perfect spot to hit up for dinner before going out on the pen.

    (5)

  • Henna C.

    One of my favorite sushi places! Everything seemed fresh, I asked Daniel the chef to make something for me, and he did an awesome job! The restaurant itself is kind of hidden and by the lake.... really liked the venue. Its small, but with the friendly staff it felt cozy and nice :) Will be coming back soon!

    (5)

  • Amber O.

    Hidden Tasty Treasure...We will be back! We had a couple of Tapas - Ahi Tuna Wrap and Crispy Rice = YUM! Order a total of 5 rolls but 4 of them were half rolls. It's a pretty cool thing to get a half roll...let us try more! We sat on the patio which was nice...views of the docks and surrounding resturants. Good little Sushi Spot!!

    (4)

  • Heather F.

    We landed here all because I love to YELP! After a day at the beach, we decided we wanted Sushi and wanted a view as well. Yelp reviews took us to Buddha's Favorite and I am sooo glad it did! Great service, the sushi, sashimi and rolls were all very tasty too! The ambiance is very casual and from the looks of things nothing special but we loved it and will be back!

    (4)

  • Jeff K.

    more like a 4.5/5 stars without yelp, there would be no way in hell i would ever come to this place. so thank you people of yelp. :) its a intimate and cozy sushi bar. this place is really hidden at the end of the dock... the food was a-freakin'-mazing. we got the lobster burrito, tuna tower, lollipop roll. the lobster burrito was cheesy and full of real chunks of lobster. the tuna tower had the perfect amount of cream cheese and tuna in it. and the lollipop roll was a great way to end dinner because the cucumber roll on the outside was very refreshing and complimented the array of seafood that accompanied it. the sushi chefs are fucking down. they will not turn down shots of sake, and will always be down to drink with you. the sushi chefs are nice and very friendly. if you don't know what you wanna eat, just ask them and they will be more than willing to help you out. the only reason i didn't give this place a 5/5 stars review, is that parking is horrible. its almost impossible to find parking. so me and my gf had to park like 3 blocks away and walk there. not to bad, cuz we took the scenric route. :) - and also, the waitress forgot to refill our hot green tea, but i guess they were just busy that night.... they were running some type of promotion (happy hour all day everyday??), because they will take 20% off your bill at the very end. it was a very nice touch. i recommend this place and would come back again. i heard they are going to be part of newport beach restaurant week, so make sure you take advantage of this place.

    (5)

  • Jaqueline Y.

    3.5/5 stars This has been one of my bucket list restaurants for quite some time now and tonight felt like a good night to spoil myself! With everyone's advice, it really wasn't hard to find at all. No need for valet parking! We parked along the street right in front of Bluewater Grill and walked to the end of the pier. I'm glad I made reservations earlier because there were two couples before us who left because the wait was too long. We got seated right away and they brought us menus soon after. Very cute and cozy interior. I was super stoked to find that today is the first day of NPB Restaurant Week! Coincidentally, I had just looked up Buddha's Favorite Prix Fixe menu last week :). We decided to get the Crispy Rice for our appetizer, the Roll Sampler (baked spicy crab hand roll, Back Flip, Crunchy and Tropical Roll) for the entree and green tea tiramisu for dessert. We also got a half roll of the Ultimate Roll ($7.00) and a Lobster Roll (which comes only in a full size-$8.75). Everything was pretty good; we had some ooh's and ahh's but nothing really spectacular that totally wow'd me. Maybe the reviews hyped it up too much for me. Everything tasted like a fancy California Roll after awhile. Too much rice! I suggest mixing some sashimi salad in if you plan on ordering lots of rolls. I will point out that Lobster Roll and the Tropical Roll were probably my favorite. The Lobster Roll had huge chunks of lobster in it with a tint of spiciness and the Tropical Roll was topped with what tasted like ahi poke. Don't quote me on it though! Yummy. We ended our meal with the green tea tiramisu, which was suuper mushy. The ladyfingers were completely soaked and gave off a weird texture. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I want to try the tempura ice cream next time. I don't think you can go wrong with that! With our check, we got a cool 20% bounce-back coupon to use at any of the participating restaurants for NPB Restaurant Week. Pretty sweet!

    (3)

  • Fady Y.

    Good food with a nice view on the bay. I am not a sushi connoisseur so I can not speak to the quality of the sushi but the rolls we ordered were delicious. Would recommend it.

    (4)

  • Danielle H.

    sushi is good - not the best i've ever tasted but fresh and the places has some great things to offer -like their baked jalapeno roll -like that you can get 1/2 orders of rolls so you could have more of a selection -comfy ambiance - tiny heated outdoor patio that overlooks the marina :) -great date place or girls night catch up -not the best for large groups but they accommodate & take reservations *friendly servers - I've never felt rushed even though there are usually customers waiting on tables

    (4)

  • Julie L.

    Yea, the automatic 20% off was pretty nice of them. I love the blurb on the "f-you traditional happy hr" in the menu. Special rolls you can't find anywhere else and everything is decently priced. Great service on refills and ordering additional rolls, etc. (We had a table of 4 that turned into 6...that turned into 9.) Overall great but some items seemed a tad salty. Unagi sauce shouldn't be salty! Lobster burrito was good but the cheese sauce was a bit much and I'm glad I split it.

    (4)

  • Vanessa N.

    Man this place is hidden! Buddha's Favorite shares the same dock as Blue Water Grill so if you see blue water grill then you found the spot! I highly recommend you make reservations even if its just a small party because this place gets extremely packed, I kinda feel sorry for the servers sometimes lol. Anyhow, food is delicious and not least, its affordable and not over the top. and obviously, the beautiful atmosphere overlooking the view of Newport harbor :) this is a great place for a small date or even a night out with group with your friends! They offer Happy Hour everyday and anytime of the week at 10 percent off your bill :) service could be a bit slow at times but i cant blame them because theyre just that busy. However i really gotta give that i can tell that they do try to accommodate everyone and thats why Ill be back soon!

    (4)

  • Jenna D.

    this is long overdue.... I LOVE this place for several reasons... 1. the prices are insanely good for the quality, plus they take an additional 20% off the total (wine too!) 2. the rolls are fun- something for every type of sushi lover 3. the appetizers go above and beyond the norm (i usually ignore apps at sushi restaurants, but buddhas has so many tasty options i still havent gotten thru all of them yet!) 4. you can order half-rolls so u can try a bunch of different things without throwing up on urself from overstuffing 5. parking is relatively easy- $2 when valet is running or lot parking when its not 6. dinner for 2 WITH a full bottle of wine about $50.... this is the joint Try: "the ultimate"- seared albacore and tempura flakes on cali roll- and we add jalapeno on top YUMM "the beagle"- shrimp tempura/cuke inside, shrimp/avo outside with eel sauce and t flakes- safe but good "caliente"- intense but yummy try a 1/2 roll- spicy tuna, avocado and melty jalapeno cheese wrapped in tempura- sounds crazy but just try it "buddha's bomb"- a mish mosh of things i dont even know what but i would get it again- kinda greasy tho albacore sushi- big pieces of fresh fish with a wasabi hinted "dressing" on top- sometimes i prefer only ponzu depending on my mood but great either way i know i'm forgetting a bunch-- i guess i'll have to go back and update! but for a casual/reasonable sushi dinner this is it.... made me say Buddha's so good i'll beat the brakes off that sushi! (see e-40 for reference) oooooo-wuh ;)

    (5)

  • Gabrielle A.

    Turn right in to the parking lot behind Blue Water Grill and just walk towards the water, you'll see the sign. I was really disappointed with the rolls but the sushi and carpaccio was good quality. The half rolls = 4 pieces (half rolls are $5-8, not worth it in my opinion) The Bleh to Gross: -Stuffed Shishito Pepper: okay, a little heavy cause it's fried, not spicy, wouldn't order it again -Tuna Tower: for the people who recommended it...are you high??? it was kind of gross...0_o -Half caliente roll: lacked flavor, also fried and wouldn't order it again -Half backflip roll: lacked flavor, it was ok, still wouldn't order it again -Half SYT roll: tasted like something from sushi boy, wouldn't order it again -Blufin tuna: wouldn't get it again. It was my first time trying it and i prefered the regular tuna over it...plus I feel bad eating Blufin The Meh to MMMmm: -Lollipop roll: sashimi wrapped in cucumber served with dressing, definitely the best tasting roll, it wasn't amazing but i would order it again ($14-16) -Yellowtail Carpaccio: yellowtail sashimi with jalepeno in some sauce, the sashimi was fresh and this was the best thing we ordered, I would get it again though it's a little pricey ($14) -Seared Salmon Sushi: ($5.50 i think) this was good. I'd get it again. -Tuna sushi: also good -Tempura icecream: NOMMMMMMMMM i've never had it before and it was like an icecream donut I recommend sticking to the sushi menu/sashimi options.

    (3)

  • christianna b.

    Good quality sushi and nice servers. Their rolls are great. I tried their recommendations and loved them all...small restaurant inside, generous servings of sushi. Dont come with small kids, toddlers or large groups. The place is too small.

    (5)

  • Trang H.

    Parking: They have limited amount of parking meters for a dollar an hour but you do have option of valeting your car for $2.50. We came on a Sunday night so parking meters were free after 6pm. Area: Buddha's favorite is definitely a local's spot since it's a hard place to find. This beautiful little restaurant is located on lido island, right on the docks tucked right beside blue water and across from the Cannery. Decor/ambiance: I must give the ambiance a 5 star! This restaurant is a fun little spot with a charming atmosphere. Because of the way it is arranged the restaurant feels really intimate with it's balcony surrounded by boats and a candle lit atmosphere. It does get cold at night but they do provide you with plenty of heat lamps and BLANKETS to keep you warm! How cute is that! The ambiance alone with worth seeking out! Foodies: 1. edamame ($3.00) They serve their edamame warm and lightly salted. 2. philly roll (half, $3.25) Salmon with cream cheese and avocado. Cream cheese makes everything delicious. 3. caterpillar roll (half, $5.50) Bbq eel, cucumber & slices of avocado on the outside. We love anything with eel. 4. s.y.t roll (half, $5.50) Vegetable roll with seared yellowtail & jalapeno on the outside. We expected this one to be spicy with the slices of jalapeno but it wasn't spicy at all. The texture of this roll was crunchy and had with a hint ginger flavor. 5. buddhas favorite roll (half, $5.75) Deep fried zucchini & cream cheese with salmon on the outside. 6. caliente roll (half, $6.25) Spicy tuna, jalapeno cheese & avocado wrapped in tempura. This was our favorite sushi roll of the night! With the warm and gooey jalapeno cheese and crunchy tempura layer, the sushi roll just melts in your mouth. yum! 7. vanilla tempura ice cream ($3.75) The lightly sweet tempura batter went well with the vanilla ice cream. Service: Our server, Chieh, was very nice, prompt with our meals and made sure our empty plates were immediately cleared off. It did take a little long to get our check but we didn't mind it since we were enjoying each other's company. Overall: We would give this place a 4.5 stars if possible. My boyfriend is allergic to crustaceans so he loved how this place provided a variety of rolls for him to choose from. This is the best sushi place he has ever been to. The food was great and at a great price!

    (4)

  • Becky Z.

    PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ENJOY QUALITY SUSHI, PLEASE READ! HORRIBLE. I dont know why it has a 4 star rating, but it shouldn't. First off their roll selection was small and lacking variety. Everything was a california roll with one or two other fishes mixed in. Absolutely NO variety. Secondly, The majority of the rolls I ordered were rice, yet they were still about the size of a quarter, maybe a little bigger, but still, for the price of the rolls, it should have had a lot more fish. The fish wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the freshest I have had. The location is nice, relaxing, and a great atmosphere with nice servers, but if you are looking for a good quality sushi dinner, this IS NOT the place to go.

    (1)

  • Sabrina W.

    This place is gorgeous at sunset! Get the outdoor seating and don't worry about cold weather because they have massive heaters. I ordered the salmon lemon roll and Buddhas favorite. They didn't disappoint! My bf got the chicken as the noodle&donburi combo which he thought was delicious! I would definitely come here again, sake, Sapporo and all, and definitely at sunset!

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    Awesome place. Good food.

    (5)

  • V L.

    cool location, everything else felt average, I must be spoiled in the bay area.

    (2)

  • Jeff M.

    Excellent food, prices, location, staff and atmosphere. Love the Beagle roll!

    (5)

  • Rachel K.

    Went here a few weeks back with my boyfriend, who was visiting for A DAY, then leaving back up to Northern California. He had been craving GOOD "OC Sushi" for months, and we came across this place that supposedly had great reviews and a romantic scenery. We got there and were stared at for maybe 10 minutes until someone acknowledged us as customers and actually seated us. Our waiter went to get us waters and literally never came back. 30 minutes later we had a waiter who was assisting the couples next to us and asked her if she could take our order. ( Our waitress never came back) .. finally we got out food after almost an hour and a half of sitting there. Starving and irritated we finally begin to eat, and with all honesty it was the worst sushi ive ever had. I had two pieces of my roll and couldn't even finish it. Me & my boyfriend left the restaurant completely pissed off.. they didnt seem to care or try & make up for anything which wasn't surprising. We seemed to be invisible that night! but we werent the only ones. A couple next to us actually got up and left, which we were considering. It could have been just a bad day for them, however it was a WEDS night and wasn't at all busy. Really there's just no excuse it was awful... never again

    (1)

  • Eric T.

    Awesome sushi period. heres a tip, ask for the firey phoenix. its not on the menu anymore. its a local secret. Its basically spicy tuna in a hollowed out avocado deep fried, with crunchy things on top and ponzu sauce!

    (4)

  • Sydney M.

    I love this place. It's in a great location right on the harbor and the fish is always super fresh. The restaurant is pretty small but there is a good amount of outdoor seating. Reservations are a good idea during the summer and weekends.

    (5)

  • Lisamarie W.

    I love this place! Cozy atmosphere, tucked away, friendly service and most importantly FANTASTIC sushi!!

    (5)

  • Mayu H.

    This used to be one of my fav. They changed everything after the 20% off. I use to love this place but not no more:( I am hoping that it was just a bad night when I went last time.I will try it one more time. Two years ago the sushi was amazing now it's just not the same...

    (3)

  • Nicole B.

    This is my absolute favorite sushi spot anywhere around Newport Beach. It's hip but not pretentious, and intimate without being cramped and in such a great location! The best part of course is the sushi, it's oh so fresh and creative and simply scrumptious! My husband and I go there anytime we want sushi and will drive past several other sushi joints on our way there even to get takeout. So totally worth it!

    (5)

  • Bekah L.

    This review is for host service only. My husband and I were in the area Saturday night, and thought we would try Buddha's Favorite after reading the good reviews on Yelp. When we arrived at the restaurant, we waited awkwardly for about 5 minutes before the host acknowledged us. When we asked for a table for two, the host seemed confused and said he needed to go ask someone. About one-third of the tables were open, but when he eventually came back, we were told they were all reserved. We said we were happy to wait, but the host wasn't even sure we could ever be seated. Overall, he seemed flustered and confused. We decided to leave, and will not be back. This restaurant should hire a more competent host, and treat its walk-in customers with more respect. Be cautious if you want to drop-in to this restaurant.

    (1)

  • Rob K.

    I would say this is my second favorite place to get sushi in Newport Beach (345 Sushi is the best). This place has a great location and view of all the yachts. The food is moderatley priced while the quality is good. Its kind of small, but the atmosphere is still relaxing. Not usually a line

    (4)

  • Sara D.

    super small place so make a reservation or come in off peak hours. we absolutely LOVED the garlic edamame...so good! all the sushi rolls we ordered were really good and the prices are very decent as well!

    (5)

  • Thuy Q.

    One of the best little secrets in Southern California. A friendly staff with banging reggae music. Go here if your looking for a nice cozy eating exp. Perfect for a first date. As for the food they offer the whole line of sake, sushi and Japanese style cuisine. Afterwords you can enjoy a nice walk around the harbor.

    (5)

  • Eugene C.

    This place used to be good. What the heck happened? I know... All patrons are all idiots that don't know much about real Japanese food. The owners took advantage and lowered the quality and hiked up the prices. They didn't even have toro. Any reputable sushi bar has toro ready. But they have a surpluss of ahi and spicy tuna for all you wannabe sushi fans.

    (2)

  • Mia P.

    Very small hole in the wall restaurant. Good but not great food..

    (3)

  • Derek A.

    I bring all my dates here and they love it man. Its so chilled out and laid back. They stare out at the water while I pour another glass of saki. Then we cheers and drink and laugh. Kung-pai! Sometimes I stare at the water too. All the other reviewers seem to agree with me that this place is the roooooots brother, but let me just say this: I love the staff, they give me respect and great vibes. I wait my turn in line and when its my turn they give me great table and more good vibes. All the sushi, the SYT, the Buddhas bomb, the edamame, the miso, yellowtail (hamachi), its all my favorite. I plan on being there this weekend if you need some positive vibes.

    (5)

  • Forest K.

    Great Sushi in an exquisite setting. The building itself isn't what I would call luxurious, but being able to sit outside and enjoy the harbor shoots it right up to my new favorite sushi place. It was fun watching people enjoying their boats. Plus it's near where I live so that doesn't hurt. Everything I ate was fresh and well prepared and my friends felt the same. However by 3/4 through the meal, I had probably had enough Saki and Asahi that I wouldn't have cared either way, meaning I was enjoying myself. Service was very accommodating and had the perfect mix of being attentive without being annoying. IOW they looked at what you were doing and knew whether to approach you or not. I like that. I found this place by asking my neighbors for some good restaurant suggestions and this one popped up quite a bit. It is said to be a "best kept secret" since it is indeed off the beaten path. You wouldn't know about it just driving by, you have to find it as it is behind "Blue Water Grill" towards the back of a series of buildings. The map pointer is wrong, it's on the water to the southwest of the pointer. I am not too worried about the secret getting out. It wasn't crowded, and might be able to use a few more customers. Highly recommended you make an effort to find this gem.

    (5)

  • Carmen D.

    Rate: 4.5 I was looking for a new sushi joint for my anniversary this past Friday and I decided to try this place out since it was one of the top 10 rated in the Newport Area. I usually go to Nana San but I was looking for something a bit more cozy. Trust me, if Nana San was cozy and intimate I would have gone there but I'm sure glad I tried this place! First of all, this place was hard to find. Pretend your gonna dine at Blue Fin and park at their valet. Their valet also does the valet for Buddha's Favorite. Buddha's is all the way at the end of the parking lot. Kuddo's for the valet guys being nice, speedy all at a price of $2... So on to the restaurant. Got there (finally) at 8:30 pm and they had our table ready to go. I rsvp'd to dine outside but was a bit weary of my choice since it was chilly. Don't worry, bring a light jacket or not and the heaters will keep you warm! The food was very good. In my opinion, I just found my new sushi joint to go to. It also helps that they are offering a 20% discount on everything, any time and any day for the entire year. My bf and I had the following: 2 Hot Sake (Large), Sashimi Candy in Salmon & Ahi, Philly Roll, Crunchy Roll, Yellow Tail Sashimi (3pcs), 1/2 Twin Roll, 1/2 Salmon Lemon Roll (6pcs each) and a Green Tea Cream Brulee all for $59.38 including tax & 20% disc. Lemme tell you, It is a must to try the Salmon Candy. I love the crunchy roll and to take a bite out of the salmon roll and find a crunchy filling was absolutely divine. Wish I could have eaten those all night. The rest of the sushi was all very good, More tuna then cream cheese in the Philly roll and the cream cheese was soft :) Also, the dessert was yummy! My bf is French and he loved the green tea flavored cream brulee...to me it was good but tasted a bit like banana bread, not bad at all! Also, the ginger was the freshest I ave ever had. No pickled ginger here! Tasted like it was just cut! Service was perfect. We were not bothered at all or over serviced. All our rolls came out exactly at the right time during the course of our meal. I would recommend this place as a date night or to go with a small group of friends. It's a small place but very cute and right on the water. Make a reservation! if they are not there when you call leave a message and they WILL get back to you.

    (5)

  • Iman Y.

    LOVE buddha's favorite. come here with the bf on occasion and am always satisfied with everything i order. their sushi is amazing, it is my new favorite place to take out of town quests and friends. their baked rolls are the best. Alos eating right on a dock is always nice in the summer.

    (5)

  • Mario F.

    I was sitting next to what looked like Kato Kalin at the Buddha's Favorite sushi bar. His very appearance had me thoroughly annoyed What's worse is he was loud, obnoxious and was trying to impress everyone by using the same 4 Japanese words on the Sushi chef. I was already in a foul mood and I wanted to punch him. I soon forgot about the rotten bastard once the waitress had brought me my large Asa-hi beer, Miso soup and edemame. The soup and edemame were good and I was ready to order a few rolls. I couldn't remember what my Canadian friend, who's recommendation had brought me there in the first place, had told me I should try. I gave up trying to remember and went ahead and ordered what I knew I liked. The sushi was above average and the price range was pretty standard at about $6-$12 per dish. For me, the best thing about this spot is that it is in very close proximity to one of my favorite dives: Cassidy's. Buddha's Favorite is trying if you happen to be in the area and are looking for sushi that is good enough to get the job done.

    (3)

  • Mike G.

    Had dinner there the other night and 3 of the 5 of us became violently ill. We ordered separate dishes, so there was no sharing between the table. It was the first time any of us had been there and I'd say its safe to assume it was our last. Looking at the reviews, most people seem to love this place, unfortunately I am not one of them.

    (1)

  • Super H.

    They should change their name to Brendan's Favorite because that's what this awesome sushi joint is. Located on the water overlooking the Back Bay in Newport, this hidden gem is pretty darn hard to find if you don't know where to look. You basically have to walk through the outdoor dining area of Bluewater Grill to reach the door or you can come through the back lot. The indoor seating area is really really small but that's ok because you should eat outside anyway. They have some of the best rolls and sashimi in town and the people are SO nice. No complaints from this Yelper. I'm not religious but I am a fanatic for Buddha's Favorite!

    (5)

  • CLINTON W.

    I used to go here when I would visit my girlfriend at the time who lived in Newport Beach. The place is small and has a warmth about it. The food is delicious but not expensive. It is located right on the water in the marina and if weather permits, sitting outside is a must. We would always buy the sushi makers a large beer and they would always show their thanks by sending over a complimentary item. We wouldn't do it to get free food, but instead because they treat us well and we wanted to return the favor. I haven't been to too many places recently that buying a beer for sushi makers is a thing to do. I used to do it all the time at my small, local sushi restaurants. But now up in the bay area, there are so many sushi restaurants that just don't have the same warmth that Buddha's did.

    (4)

  • Tiffany S.

    The view is why it get's a 3rd star. Have not been in years. I compare all my sushi to Matsu's and this just doesn't live up. Plus the prices are too high.

    (3)

  • Crystal H.

    A group of us went here to celebrate a friend's birthday. The sushi did not look very appetizing and didn't taste very fresh. We sent the shrimp pizza roll back because it tasted so bad. The service was ridiculously slow for a relatively empty restaurant. All of this we were going to overlook until the end. We paid and were hanging out for a while longer. As we were walking in the parking lot, our waitress chased us down to ask us for more tip. She asked us if the service was bad and when we told her that in fact it was and that the fish was not fresh, she had the nerve to talk back to us. I could not believe it! I do not recommend this place at all. We would have been better off buying sushi from Albertons and celebrating at home.

    (1)

  • Kim N.

    We came here on a recommendation from my friend's bf for her birthday. He boasted great tastes and large pieces of sushi. He was not lying, the pieces of fish were huge! I ordered a ton, as per usual, and loved every bite. Fish was fresh and their different rolls and treats were scrumptious. I didn't see the inside because an outside table was requested, but it looked to be a small place. It was quite lovely to sit on the pier, eat good food with your friends, and drink obscene amounts of sake, all while enjoying the cool ocean breeze. A great gem in OC.

    (4)

  • Ashley B.

    Great atmosphere. I've never had a bad meal here. However, it can get a bit pricey. $20 for Toro sashimi alone. Share some of your sake with the sushi chefs and it makes for an interesting evening, and if you're lucky you'll get a free sample of an appetizer (we had salmon cakes- delish!!).

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    I live a block away from this place. GREAT location. Right on the water next to Blue Water. Food is really good. Friendly staff. Indoor and out door seating. The outdoor is where to be. Quite location, plenty of parking.

    (4)

  • Mike Y.

    Solid roll sushi joint. The high end stuff was okay (group liked the uni, amaebi was ok). Get the salmon or yellowtail collar, great stuff. Service wasn't great, a bit slow but we were a big group and also outside so I will give them a break on that. Providing blankets for us at our outdoor table was a good touch. Overall, stick to the rolls and you can't go too wrong. As for the more traditional sushi, I think it's more middle of the road.

    (4)

  • Tom V.

    Love this place. Cute, small.. Fresh. YUMMY Sauces. Decent portions. Prices could be better.. but a nice treat, once in a while.

    (5)

  • Chris D.

    Went here with my gf on our socal getaway becuz of the reviews on yelp. Ps love yelp!!! Anyway food here was great we made reservations and sat out on the deck which is covered and had heat lamps which were great for my gf lol had agadashi tofu was killer!! One of the best I've had. beagle roll was good and unaten was really good. Really good shrimp tempura rolls here :) sake was cheap to. Rolls were nicely priced as well. Nice location right by the water. Parking was little difficult just parked a block away and walked. Kinda hard place to find I'll say that much though lol. But great place overall.

    (5)

  • Stacey C.

    How did I not know of this place before? I have lived in Irvine for over 7 years, thinking that I tried all the best sushi places yet I was proven otherwise! This little place is a gem! Located in the Cannery Village of Newport Beach, it's in the corner by a small area of water. We sat outside enjoying the nice California Winter weather. We went for the Newport Beach Restaurant Week and it was a bargain for what we got! 3 course meal for $20! I ate Albacore Tataki Salad, Sashimi plate, spicy tuna roll, and tempura ice cream. I loved all of the meal! The fish is fresh and yummy! I want to go back to try their other dishes. I deemed this joint my new little favorite sushi place in Newport Beach!

    (5)

  • Rhett S.

    for the newbies, this is how you do it.... -Pay for the valet parking, it will save you a lot of time -grab/fight for a seat outside just before sunset -throw back a few cold kirin's, kirin lights or sake for the ladies -sit back and listen to the looping reggae music (marleys, jimmy cliff, etc...) -order the yoshi spring roll w/ no filler all sashimi wrapped in soy paper w/ ponzu sauce -order the SYT and Buddha Bomb -enjoy the sunset and boats in the harbor -order some hot tea -pay bill (guys) -go home -grab that sweaty cowboy hat and make love to the lady (so i've been told)

    (4)

  • Natasha S.

    Buddha's is a great, casual sushi place to have good sushi in a really unique atmosphere. I mean, really - where else can you sit out on a dock listening to reggae while enjoying good japanese food? It's not the best japanese you will ever have, but it's very, very good and something about the salt air and sunset makes it taste even better. Definitely worth a shot.

    (5)

  • jill j.

    did someone say suuuusssshiiii?!! after weeks of working long hours in this bear economy, we finally decided to take advantage of newport restaurant week and head out here on a monday night - a 3 course meal for twenty bucks?!! oh snap! a table for 5, pls! appetizer choices: tataki salad, salmon cakes, sunomono (octopus or crab) - i chose the salmon cakes since i find that the tataki and sunomono will always be on a regular menu. besides the fact that they are salads and greens are not my thing, really and yes, deep fried is better! omg, good choice coz it was dee-lish! two pieces were just enough. main course: sushi, sashimi or roll combo - i went with the sushi on this one just coz everyone got the rolls. a real sushi luuuhhverrr will go for the raw deal, yo! it was the usual deal with the fish for my sushi - salmon, albacore, tuna, white fish, shrimp, yellow tail plus a ca roll or spicy tuna.. damn, i thought they were gonna scrimp on the size but noo.. omg, first time for me *not* to finish everything on my plate! oh, the rolls that the girls got were, needless to say, wasn't half size.. they can barely finish 'em - crunchy roll, lobster roll and tornado roll! whew! that's a whole lotta rice! dessert: ice cream, mochi ice cream, tempura ice cream - let's pick the obvious here.. mochi, pls!! got the strawberry.. mmm... like the other yelpers have mentioned, it's located by the cannery village in nb. such a tiny shack of a resto but still remains cool... everything is cool by the water! u see the boats docked outside and it's just too cute of a place. the only downfall is the shared restroom with the rest of the tenants in the area.. by the parking lot. ok, all i can say is that, thank *gawd* it's newport coz if it was another area, it would be a bit more ew on the ick factor.. just sayin.. so yeah, this was it FOR TWENTY BUCKEROOS! cool deal, huh?!

    (4)

  • John G.

    this place only gets a 3 star because the sushi is bomb or else it would get a 5... the reason its a 3 and not a 5 is because the service is horrible once you get seated it takes forever and a day for them to take your order. besides the horriblr service...the sushi is bomb,,,,if you have patience and nothing to do most of the day...pass by

    (3)

  • Miss M.

    Always delicious! The yellowtail sashimi really just melts in your mouth and leaves your palette craving more. Wash it down with Sake then get the spicy tuna chirashi bowl. It is really, really, good! Sit by the water and relax make sure to bring good company! The service is great, which makes any place that much better! The sushi chefs are very personable and will not decline having a beer with you while you watch them create your edible masterpieces. Go explore this hidden gem and report back.

    (5)

  • Lynette L.

    This is a cute little restaurant by the bay. The sushi didn't amaze me, but it was definitely good. We got the sashimi combo and tornado roll. The sushi was tasty...can't say anything bad. The sushi chef Dash was really cool. He gave us salmon cake and mochi for free. However, he's not cool just for the free stuff, he was a really nice guy. He made us feel welcomed and talked to us like we were already friends. I would definitely come back her just because my fiance and I made friends with him. If I'm ever in Newport again, at I'm glad I know of a good sushi place.

    (4)

  • Kressler N.

    that's good sushi...if you can find the place. it's "on the water" tucked behind bluewater grill...good thing someone else drove - i would have been completely lost! there isn't much parking...i suppose if we were determined enough we could find a place but we opted to valet to be expedient (it's only a $2 fee) my friends & i went for a birthday (7 of us all together)...made reservations and had an outside table which was definitely nice. * yellow tail & salmon sashimi = the pieces were huge!! some of the best yellow tail i've ever had!! * super cali. roll = basically, it's the standard roll with eel on top - yum!! eel (unagi) is one of my favorites and it was nicely made here * unaten = similar to a crunchy roll...it was devoured very fast * volcano roll = cali. roll with baked scallops on top; omg that was good! and a load of appetizers including... * lollipop = basically had the cali. roll components but with tuna(?)...rice and fish were wrapped by cucumber slices and a stick held it together to resemble a lollipop * lobster burrito = did not get to try this, but it was pricey for a small portion * yoshi spring roll = very big! think of a rainbow roll but instead of seaweed wrapper, you use rice wrapper (similar to spring rolls) * dynamite = baked scallops and mushrooms...i thought it was very tasty but my friend said she has had better..oh well! * in addition, i ordered a tataki salad - has seared albacore rather than beef and it was very good!! the albacore pieces were very big and cooked perfectly. the dressing had a hint of wasabi but was not too strong (i'm not the biggest fan of wasabi) our party ordered a lot of sake that night...i didn't realize how tiny those sake bottles are! i barely drank any but the others seemed quite happy...i guess if you buy 5 bottles of sake, you'd be *happy* too. i'd say the prices are a bit higher than other places, but the location of the restaurant would explain this and the portions were quite big for what we ordered. we were all satisfied by meal's end, especially the birthday girl! the favorites of the night? volcano roll, unaten roll & sparkling sake! i'd say it's perfect for a nice date

    (4)

  • Tuan N.

    It isn't that the rolls are made with real crab instead of imitation, nor is it the perfect location that keeps it a hidden gem among a sea of raw-fish-phobia sushi afficionados. Buddha's favorite offers creativity. The creations are something so well thought out that it deserves a review from someone who hasnt written anything in months. Whether you are the type that ONLY eats cooked fish or the adventurous type that will sample raw, there is a perfect roll for everyone. The sushi at Buddha's Favorite is delectable, fun, and unique. The price may be a bit above what is normally seen in orange county but you trade off the cost for some of the freshest fish, most imaginative rolls, and quirky harajuku-esque service in town. The fusion of flavors meshed with the perfect texture of fish (that i swear was caught the day of) makes Buddha's favorite...Tuan's favorite.

    (5)

  • Emily W.

    I found this place by chance, when I was walking along the pier with my dad looking at boats. Cute and hidden behind the large seafood restaurant which is directly on the street, this small restaurant has great atmosphere and food. Wander down the pier next to the large restaurant and you'll find Buddha. If possible sit outside...even if it's a little chilly, they have outdoor heating which works very well. Inside tends to be cramped and overly stylish. The bowls of udon are big and excellent. They have a large sushi selection and everything is wonderfully prepared, fresh, and beautifully presented. Sometimes there can be a little wait, but nothing major. The larger problem is trying to find parking, but if you're willing to walk a couple blocks, you should be able to find something. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant, but it tends to fill up and is sometimes valet only. NOTE - the map doesn't appear to accurately place the restaurant (though the listed address is right). The restaurant is at the end of that one pier at the bottom of Lido Park Dr.

    (5)

  • mason d.

    buddha's favorite qualifies as a 'best kept secret'...which makes me a bit reluctant to rave about it, but it truly is one of my favorite places in orange county and works for everything from a casual dinner with pals to birthdays to a nice date. unlike many american sushi places and very much like many spots i discovered in japan, buddha's takes the basic plan of traditional sushi house and puts a unique, hip spin on it without seeming too contrived. something about the combo of its location right on the water (cleverly hidden behind a froofy seafood place), its surfer vibe (always playing reggae) and its genuinely nice staff makes it feel like YOUR neighborhood place. all in all, a soothing place for great food and great people/boat watching...they have blankets and heatlamps to sit outside even in winter. besides the lovely usual suspects of edamame, miso soup, unagi, spicy tuna and crunchy rolls, be sure to check out the specialty rolls where the chefs get creative but without going overboard. if you're not in a sushi mood the udon bowls and oyakodon are delicious too. wash it all down with a sapporo or asahi and you're golden. the star of their dessert menu is the green tea ice cream..but if you want coffee with your dessert, i'd suggest stretching your legs to walk the block to alta coffee which often has live folky entertainment saturdays. FYIs: fills up fast in summer, call ahead to reserve a table (outside's best). there's "free" valet parking out back or you can usually find street parking in walking distance.

    (5)

  • Ryan T.

    tucked away so that if you weren't looking for the place you would see it all. the food was decent but I have had better . What makes this place is it's relaxed ambiance and outside seating with a view. Came here late night on a weekday so the parking wasn't an issue and the place was always at least half full. If you are sitting outside and it gets a bit nippy they provide blankets, fortunately we were under the heat lamp and was warm and toasty.

    (4)

  • Michelle H.

    I kept hearing about how good this place was, and so I finally went with a friend, and we were both first-timers. For the location, you so badly want to love this place. Sitting on the deck, right at the water, we were so excited to have some good sushi. The food was horrible and fishy. It was so bad we didn't eat the food. The edamame was soggy, and the roll was stuffed with cream cheese, it was totally gross even to look at. Our table neighbors were loud and wasted... I think this place is for the heavy sushi drinkers.

    (1)

  • Fred J.

    Nice sushi place on the water of the marina. Food was good, tried the Rainbow and Volcano rolls, did not blow me away but hit the spot. Service was good, no problems getting help since the place is small. The atmosphere definitely makes the place, sit outside and enjoy the marina.

    (4)

  • Mikey L.

    Buddhas favorite as easily become one of favorite places in Orange county to eat at. I'm a huge sushi roll fan and this place is awesome. I totally recommend the lollipop and spring roll, they're both not bastardized California rolls that you often see, they contain not crab mix and are just plain AWESOME. Id eat here a lot more often if it weren't for the price tag, which typically runs around $90 for a group of two with alcohol. Because of that Im only here maybe once a week. :( Even if the food weren't great, Id probably still choose this place as my preferred date destination. It is extremely hidden behind a huge restaurant and is not visible from the street at all. Its located right next to the water with a view of a bunch of private boats floating in their little stalls. Ive never taken a girl here who has known where it was before, so its always a nice surprise.

    (5)

  • Marie S.

    i loved buddha's favorite mainly because of the location! (well...i liked the smallness of the restaurant cuz it felt cozy and homey ish but the n i liked how they had an outside and inside dining) the location right on the water n the reggae music made me feel like i was in hawaii =P but seriously. it's a lil hard to find since its behind the HUGE seafood restaurant but then again, that adds to the "hidden hot spot" feeling of the restaurant =) i ordered the curry udon n my bf got the nabeyaki udon and both were great! n then we shared the "buddha bomb" which was this rice-less roll with salmon n it came on this stone dish thing that made the roll sizzle. the roll was pretty good n i really wanted to try their other rolls! 1 star less for the slow service tho...but hopefully it was just for that night since there was this couple who were hogging all the attention. the staffs were all smiling n were very polite n nice. i wish i sat at the sushi bar tho cuz the chef seemed really fun! next time im craving for some japanese food, i'd definitely go back to Buddha's favorite!!!

    (4)

  • Alex R.

    The sushi, while not mind blowing, is still very, very good. I definitely agree with the other Yelpers here on the atmosphere and general ambiance. Although the place is a bit small, it's relaxing and views of needlessly extravagant yachts are fun for everyone. The quality of the sushi is very good and quite fresh. I've had most of the basics (i.e., salmon, yellowtail, tuna, etc.) and would rate them a solid 4 out of 5. Noteworthy are some their rolls like the lobster roll. It obviously has lobster and jalapeno cheese among other things. Yes I know that sounds completely heinous and I thought the same until I actually tried it. The first thing that popped in my head was Japanese chimichanga. There's also a lollipop "roll" which is really a rainbow roll sans rice wrapped in cucumber and stuck on a stick to resemble a lollipop. While aesthetically great, it tasted just ok. All in all, this is a place you should stop by if you love sushi.

    (4)

  • Brooke D.

    best sushi around... everything is great here.

    (5)

  • Mikey S.

    Lately, my reviews have been pretty raunchy, so I've decided to slow it down a bit and take you to the beach, specifically to Newport peninsula's best kept secret and one of my favorite sushi houses in the county. I've been coming here for nearly a decade and I just realized that the majority of the time, I take dates out here. Why is it a good place for a date? Well, it's in a secluded area away from Newport's party scene with an absolute stunning view of the luxurious yachts anchored throughout the soothing harbor. The restaurant's elegance is elucidated by the serene-calm waters, brushed by the gentle pacific breeze, and breathtaking view of the sunset complimented by their genuinely empathetic service team and fresh sashimi grade sushi. Buddha's Favorite will outshine any steakhouse's semblance and keep your wallet full, all while giving you the perfect excuse to cozy up next to that special someone. Yes, I can be charming and yes, miracles can happen here. Reservations are highly recommended as it can get inundated due to the popularity and compact size of the restaurant. Parking is by way of valet service of which is inexpensive or if you prefer street parking, there's plenty down Lido Street. While here, you won't hear disgusting techno beats or find erogenous and dysfunctional names like other wannabe-trendy restaurants serving made up specialty rolls that don't make sense i.e. dynamite-botox-injection-roll or a sexy-omakase-augmentation-hand-job, slathered with a river of saline. No sir. My typical order when visiting a sushi house is kept fairly simple, consisting of a spicy tuna hand roll, crunchy & rainbow rolls, unagi nigiri, and salmon & yellowtail sashimi. Not too adventurous, but to praise their food, it's fresh, perfectly cut, and tightly executed with a balanced ratio of rice to fish. To summarize, Buddha's Favorite is a cozy little restaurant docked on Newport's backwaters serving up fresh, simple sushi without the face lift and glam. It's the perfect place for a date or to catch up with a friend without breaking the bank. Take my word and try it out, the view and food will not disappoint or I'll take you there myself and win you over...and I will win.

    (5)

  • Danae A.

    Great vibe, friendly service. And most importantly, fresh fish! Creative rolls too. It's small so it's perfect for a party for two. Try a cocktail and the Bluewater next door if there's a long wait for a table (or make a reservation). Definitely worth checking out!

    (4)

  • Ceren P.

    I am very disappointed with this place. I went to Buddha's favorite on a very nice day with my husband and sister in law. The menu was pretty big, so many options so I don't know if this a good thing or not. We ordered more than 5 appetizers to try some things out of this huge menu. Got a couple of different rolls and some seaweed salads. I have to say the locations is very beautiful, you are right by the water with all the boats and stuff. But the food was so disappointing that I had to write a review. The fish was not fresh at all that all of us got sick the next morning from the food. On top of that, everything was really bland, lack of flavor. The presentation of the food looked nice but really? Bad fish? You guys got all of sick! This is sushi! You are right by the water use fresh ingredients for god's sake! Never coming back! Beware if you do not wanna get sick from bad fish!

    (1)

  • Veronica L.

    Hands down one if my favorite sushi restaurants around... The ambiance is amazing, the sushi always fresh and delicious and the staff is very accommodating. Do yourself a favor and order a Yoshi Spring Roll, a Nigori Saki and make sure to enjoy outside on the patio... You won't regret it! I just wish they would open up for lunch again!!

    (5)

  • Janice L.

    It was awesome that even though their sign said they closed at 10PM, they still seated us and had awesome service. The only downside was the boat docking and it stunk up the outside patio like gas and stink. Had the usual Miso soup and edamame to start with a glass of rasberry soju Tried half orders of: Scallop Roll, Crunchy Roll, Back Flip, and a few others that I can't remember. But the verdict was that they were all decadent and of great quality. It's a little scary to go to the bathroom as it feels as its located in the back alley...

    (4)

  • Nicole S.

    This review is based on the fact that I'm a roll kind of girl, not traditional sushi. I love that this place let's you do 1/2 rolls, that way you can try more rolls! So awesome. I had the lobster burrito...super cheesy and delicious! Literally melted cheese with fish. Sounds weird but so good. The fish definitely tasted fresh. The wasabi was not spicy :( My soy sauce ended up being a paste because I kept adding wasabi in it to try and make it spicy. It's kind of hard to find this place, its right behind blue water grill. MMM!

    (4)

  • Kristine D.

    First off, can't beat the view especially on a nice summer day out these days. Although the food has nothing to do with it but luckily the food is just as good! The best part? you can do half orders on all cut rolls which means i wasn't limited on getting all types of rolls I wanted to try without getting too full or blowing my wallet. It was my first time here too so luckily I took yelp's advice and made reservations because I can see where this place gets pretty packed! My bestfriend and I had the recommended Yoshi Spring Roll and Buddha's Bomb! Mmmmm and the fried salmon wontons!! They also have a pretty good selection of bottled sake too from Nigori, Tate or sparkling flowers for the weak sauce. Cheers!

    (4)

  • F T.

    This place is VERY hard to find if you don't know exactly where to go. It is on your Google maps but it won't take you to the front door. It takes you to the water. Since the restaurant is right off the water, you must walk through the parking lot of Bluewater Grill to find this hidden little gem of a sushi place. The sushi is great, but the seating is very limited inside and outside. Also, the service is absolutely terrible. The two times I went there were different in terms of seating. First time we were able to sit anywhere and the second time they took names (but it was hard to understand the waiter). So confusing. Be prepared. Giving this place a 3 because the food is good and the view is nice, but service gets a thumbs down and location is hard to find.

    (3)

  • Andrea A.

    This place is a perfect spot for a sushi dinner date! With the location being right on the water in Newport Harbor, the view from the outdoor patio dining area is very romantic. It is tucked away in the corner and it is never over crowded. The sushi here is great. Large pieces of fresh fish. You can taste the quality for sure. The rolls are good but the best thing here is the Nigiri sushi. My favorite is the Albacore and the Salmon. The best roll here is the Tornado. All in all a great date spot with yummy sushi. A girl can't complain about that ;)

    (5)

  • John M.

    Very good salmon sashimi.

    (4)

  • Linds C.

    So, if I had the ability to give a negative score I would in a heart beat. I ate here a month ago and got the WORST FOOD POISONING I have ever had in my life. The scary part is that I didn't even eat fish; apparently they prepared my veggie crunchie roll on the same contaminated surface that they prepared the fish rolls that the other three people at my table ate....ALL of us....sick for 3 days straight. I literally couldn't get out of bed for three days. I can't even remember the last time I had a cold, let alone so sick that I couldn't work, eat or generally function for three days in a row. None of us at the table shared food, we don't live in the same houses....there is no doubt that we got sick from this place. I will NEVER go back. Sushi is my favorite food and I haven't been able to even look at it for the last five weeks because of this one meal. Please be cautious about eating here!!! I can't express how disappointed I am in Buddha's Favorite. Buddha's Favorite=YUCK!

    (1)

  • alex g.

    Went last weekend to Buddhas with a group of friends... location is nice (albeit hard to find - look for bluewater), service was fast and friendly, but food was just so-so. We ordered the crunchy rice (blah), the ahi nachos (highlight of the meal for me), and a bunch of rolls. 3 stars because while there's nothing particularly negative to comment on, I didn't like it enough to go back.

    (3)

  • James A.

    The sushi is actually okay but nothing too special, but the service is absolutely terrible. The hostess/server was basically non-existent and totally unfriendly. There is very limited seating so there's almost no reason to wait for long periods of time to order a roll or get a refill.

    (2)

  • Lou H.

    My colleague and I went here for dinner on a recommendation. It is tucked away right on the water. The food was fairly good, but unfortunately for us, the service was absolutely dreadful! First, the waitress who tried to serve us seemed only to have a passing familiarity with the menu, so she couldn't answer questions very well and certainly not in a way that made sense. Then, after we were seated and just about ready to order, they came over and asked us to move so they could accommodate a larger group that had just shown up. They made it pretty clear that they would not accept "No, we'd rather not move" as an option. The menu listed a green salad and clearly offered both the regular and "small" sizes, with the expected price differential. I very clearly ordered the small version, but I was not told that this size was no longer offered. When the salad came I questioned how large it was and was told that they only have one size. I asked then why does the menu offer a small one at which point the waitress simply walked away! No answer or even acknowledgement that I'd asked a question! The food was fairly good, but delivered in random order, even though we had ordered by saying "I'll have the xxx, and then.... I'll have the YYY..." Finally the bill came and it included two large salads. I had to show the menu to a waiter to get them to recognize that I was not hallucinating when I said I had ordered a small one. We asked to talk to a manager to discuss all the things that had gone wrong and was told that it was the chef and he'd come out when he had time. As you can guess, he never did. It was pretty clear from the incredibly disorganized and fairly rude service that they don't have management. They have a chef and some random wait staff. Sad really.... If I were going only by the food I might go again. But not to be treated like an inconvenience.

    (2)

  • Milana K.

    The location is great, you are sitting right on the water on the boardwalk, but the actual restaurant is very small so unless you make a reservation you are kind of out of luck on a weekend. The sushi here is pretty delicious and creative but it is also on the more pricey side, but I guess that is the price you pay to dine on the boardwalk. Try and not sit inside, its small and crammed.

    (4)

  • Michelle B.

    Tried this place after the holidays with the fam. Other members of my party rave about it (as do yelpers apparently) so truthfully I did go into it with really high expectations. I won't say that I was completely disappointed but its not exactly all its cracked up to be either. Average sushi. Not wonderful but definitely decent. Some of the rolls were pretty good but rolls aren't really my thing. I judge a sushi place by their sashimi and nigiri and this place was just OK. I do really like that they offer half rolls so you can try more things though! Honestly, I would go back but only because it is cheaper than the places around my house in CdM. Maybe it will be better the second time around. Overall, decent sushi at a decent price for the area.

    (3)

  • Josie L.

    Buddha's Favorite is at the top of my list (along with San Shi Go - Laguna Beach) for best sushi in O.C. This place is hard to find and pretty small but it's all worth it. It's some of the freshest sushi I've ever had. The last time I came in we sat at the bar and the sushi chefs were extremely friendly. They recommended the Ono sushi so we had to go for it and I am so glad we did! It was melt in your mouth delicious. We ordered 4 more pieces. When we came it was toward the end of the night so it was quiet and there were no issues finding a seat but I'm sure it would've been a different story if we had come in earlier. All of the sushi was excellent (and you can tell because they don't have to drench their rolls in sauces to cover up the fact that the sushi isn't fresh). I can't wait to come back!

    (5)

  • Carol L.

    Small little sushi restaurant hidden behind Bluewater Grill with a patio seating area right next to the water. There's plenty of street parking around the area and since it's waterfront, taking a little stroll to/from the restaurant is nice. The resataurant has a private valet lot. My favorite is the Yoshi's Spring Roll. (Tuna, salmon, albacore, crab meat, & avocado wrapped in rice paper.) Everything I want in a sushi roll without the heaviness of the rice. The Black Cod was delicious as well. Nicely cooked to flakey perfection and marinated in delicious sweet miso. Buddha's Favorite is a great place for a casual date. Their prices are more than affordable and they offer half rolls! So instead of ordering a full cut roll, you can order halves and order a bigger variety of rolls. Love it! The fish and ingredients were fresh and all the servers/sushi chefs are friendly and attentive. I had a very pleasant experience.

    (4)

  • Maddie C.

    Surprisingly good hidden spot. Surprising, because it's in Newport Beach, on Lido. Hidden, because it's at the end of the dock across from the Cannery and may be hard to find. The first time I came here, I was meeting co-workers who lived in the neighborhood and proclaimed their undying love for this restaurant. "Psssshaw," I thought. Well, I was wrong. Although the restaurant does not serve "authentic" Japanese food, its stuff sure is tasty. Our favs are: 1. Yoshi's Spring Roll---fresh slices of fish wrapped in a rice paper roll, covered in delicious sauce. YUM. 2. Crispy rice--crispy rice w/spicy tuna on top. YUM. 3. Halibut carpaccio The prices are a little high, but hey it's in a high rent area with nice views. Great little place for a late night date!

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    Its a hole in the wall but the sushi is good and the chefs are nice. This place gets packed so make a reservation or show up early

    (4)

  • T C.

    Waterfront Sushi! What a great lil find on the water, in fact it's probably the best part of Buddah's Favorite. The fact that you can eat sushi on a summer evening right on the water in Newport. It's located right next to the Bluewater Grill across from the Cannery tucked deep in the boardwalk. Hard to find, but worth the experience once you are there. As far as sushi goes it is straight forward and tasty. The portions are fair, and the fish is fresh. Buddah doesn't do anything super special as far as presentation goes, but they do a solid job and they have a great location! I would recommend Buddah's on a warm summer night for sushi, and a few beers. Good Times!

    (4)

  • Amy C.

    Came here during NPB Restaurant Week in January 2010. It was a preset dinner. Appetizer, Main Entree and desert. For appetizers, I chose ahi poke, main entree was sashimi and desert was tempura ice cream! Well worth it for $25!! CHEAP! There was so much food I barely finished! I have 2 pics (no desert pic)., Going to try there sometime for dinner and see if the portion and quality is as good.

    (4)

  • Fran H.

    What a lovely place, right on the water!. Their menu has a variety of Japanese food and great combinations to choose from. The servers were friendly, helpful, and attentive. My friends and I enjoyed our time here and never felt rushed. Thank you for a great service.

    (4)

  • Oana V.

    One of the best sushi restaurant! Can't wait to have dinner there again!

    (5)

  • Amy D.

    This is the place if you're looking for REAL SUSHI in Orange County. Been going here for over 4yrs+ and cannot find a place that even comes close. My fiance and I are true sushi lovers and this was our "first date" place and also the place where "he proposed to me!!!" Its a little hole in the wall with a great setting looking right onto the water off the pier. The place literally overlooks the water and the luxury boats are docked right next to it as well. The food portions are insanely large and you definitely get more than what you pay for. The best item I would have to say is the albacore with a special sauce they have over it. They also have an amazing crunchie roll; however, anything you order on their will surely NOT disappoint you at all. They also have a great kids meal section for those of you bringing any children and full course meals with rice plates, etc. If you're looking for alcohol, the cold/hot sake would normally be the best, but if you've got a sweet tooth like I do, their PLUM WINE is AMAZING!!!!! NOTE: The place is a small hole in the wall, so be sure to call in to see how much space they have available. NO reservations from what I recall, unless you have a large party (I think)....

    (5)

  • Gianna G.

    Buddah's Favorite is a great place to come for dinner in Newport Beach. It's not terribly expensive because they give you a 15% discount (or they have every time I've been there). You can bring your own bottle of wine which they will cork for you, which is also a plus. I really enjoy their Beagle roll- which is a new twist on the traditional California roll. But I also have eaten their sushi and sashimi and it hasn't been fishy at all. Well worth the (sometimes long) wait to be seated, but I recommend going early so that you don't have to stand around. There isn't a whole lot to do in the area besides walk over to one of the other restaurants and have a drink.

    (4)

  • Angelica B.

    Tiny little place on Lido Isle in Balboa, but oh so good. There is limited seating as they protect reservations! YOu can order half rolls , something I like to do. The sake is nice and it's right on the water, you can't go wrong.

    (3)

  • Jason H.

    Awesome sushi! I love this place because it's very casual and not too expensive. Also the view of the boats and harbor area is great as well!

    (5)

  • Stacey B.

    This place is decent but not spectacular. Their appetizers are good, sushi was not mind blowing. Location is nice. We thought the experience might be better during the day, however they are no longer open for lunch.

    (3)

  • Stevie S.

    Thank you fellow Yelpers for the recommendation. Best sushi rolls on the Newport Coast. Loved the variety and quality of the rolls. On par with Katsuya, Nobu. Atmosphere more casual than 930, but selection and quality at Buddhas Favorite is Superior. Very inexpensive. Only $73 for 4 people including sake and beer. Plus they offer half order of rolls(4 pieces) which allows you to sample more items. The beagle, crab handroll, volcan, bomb, all great. We will become regulars !

    (5)

  • Nicole W.

    I love this place. Fish is super fresh and its incredibly reasonably priced for sushi. You cant' really beat the value here. You have to get the salmon sashimi candy and the ono nigiri when you go and you can thank me later :)

    (5)

  • Melissa L.

    Hidden..tucked away behind Bluewater Grill, lies a small inviting sushi establishment with views of multi-million dollar yachts that I will never be able to afford. After selecting their draft sake (cold and crisp), we decided on half orders of the Backflip, Caliente, and the Buddah's Favorite. Went with the full order on the Soft Shell Crab Roll, which was unfortunate, as it was our least favorite. Overall, I definitely recommend the Backflip and Caliente Roll, and would pass if offered the Soft Shell Crab Roll again.

    (4)

  • Claudia Z.

    Location. Location. Location. Waterfront dining, intimate setting, great place for a date. No wonder this place is Buddha's favorite! ...wait a minute, isn't Buddha vegetarian? and a monk... As far as sushi goes, tastes good, but not mouthwateringly memorable like Ikko or Oshima. Many fusion options too. I had a green tea creme brulee for dessert, that was interesting... wouldn't recommend it though. The best part of Buddha's Favorite is that it's not located in a strip mall but on the waters of Newport Beach. Fellas, take your girl out here on a summer night with a bottle of wine and a rose, you will sure to score some points!

    (4)

  • Rachel G.

    We went here last night with a group of nine girls for a bachelorette party. Service started off a little rocky as it took a while to get our drinks ordered and all of our glasses on the table. After that, it went fine. Our waitress was incredibly accommodating - she didn't mind all the specific requests we made, let us return things and change our order, and never seemed annoyed or overwhelmed by all this. It's not that nine is a huge party, but my girls can be a little picky and specific =) Everything I ate was excellent. The fish was super fresh and just melted in your mouth. The Tornado roll was, in simplest words, orgasmic. The sashimi was very generous, well cut, and delicious. It is honestly some of the best fish I've had in a long time. We sat on the deck looking at the marina and yachts. There are heat lamps on the ceiling which kept us warm and cozy. We took saki bombs without being glared at by the workers. And best of all, our bill only came out to $25 a person. This place was perfect.

    (5)

  • Amy M.

    Buddha's Favorite and The Ultimate are my favorite rolls here! The Salmon wontons are also pretty good and it comes in a small portion. Definitely a good place to go for sushi and prices are reasonable. We showed up on a saturday night for 2 and the wait was 15 minutes.

    (4)

  • Heidi T.

    Perfectly situated right on the pier, if you sit on the outside, you get a perfect view of the water, and you get to ship watch the entire time! I was super hungry when i got here, and everything just looked amazing I had a hard time choosing what to get. I ended up sharing the Ahi and Salmon candy as an appetizer, the chicken udon noodles, back flip roll, and the rainbow roll. The candy was absolutely amazzzzing!!! It's a bit expensive and i expected more food, but it was well worth it. The udon soup was a bit salty, as was the chicken but it was still really good. The rolls were alright, there was nothing special about them that made it stand out from any other place.

    (4)

  • Michele W.

    This is my great accidental find. The rolls are very Americanized, but the twits that they do offer on the "fusion" rolls are what separate them from the other places of similar caliber. I would say that they give rolls an edge. The sashami is very very fresh and pretty averagely priced. its a really small place, its not good for large groups, but good for a date spot. They have a patio seating area and then about 6 tables inside. It is probally one of the smallest sushi places I've been to. for a sushi places, rolls were a bit on the steeper side in price. however they do offer 15% off your entire bill. Great ambiance, and its a true Japanese place- all of the people that work here ARE Japanese (vs Korean at fair number of establishments). One downside is the lack of beer on tap. However, this place is soo small where would you even put the keg? I will def be back, and I can take people here that love either rolls or sushi

    (4)

  • Rob A.

    3.5 Stars. Don't get me wrong, I'd probably come back to this place and I'd recommend it to friends, but there are definitely a few things that could use some improvement. Pros: Cool, hidden little restaurant on the water. Definitely not a place you would stumble upon by walking by it. Thank you Yelp. Really chill outdoor seating area. Don't bother sitting inside. Solid food/prices -- no bad dishes, but nothing really spectacular. 15% auto discount is pretty cool. Good sake selection. Cons: They serve sake in cheapo shot glasses from Ikea. It wouldn't exactly kill you to get some traditional sake cups. They serve miso soup with a regular metal soup spoon. Ghetto. Either give me one of those ladley spoon things with the flat bottom, or just serve it with nothing and I'll drink from the bowl. Unless you can find a spot on the street, you're pretty much forced into $2 valet parking in a lot that you could easily self park in. At the end of the night I literally walked by my car to give the attendant my ticket, and he gave me my keys. Kinda makes you feel like you've been had. Neither: The bathroom is located around back and you need a key. It has a handicapped shower stall in it. I guess you could argue that this is a Pro...

    (3)

  • Diana M.

    We got their garlic edemame to start, and it was a bit too garlicky. This is coming from a girl who loves garlic. We tried 4 different rolls and they were all great. 1. Lemon salmon roll, it had a sliver of lemon which was a great touch of flavor 2. The beagle 3. Backflip 4. Can't remember but it seemed like you really couldn't go wrong with any of the choices. We'll definitely be back

    (4)

  • Catherine Q.

    PROS: - Automatic 20% off. So much win. - Cute outdoor seating with heaters and blankets. Great location right on the water. - $2 valet right in front, and metered parking a bit further away if you don't mind walking. - You can order half or full rolls, along with choosing 1-2 pieces of sushi or 3-4 pieces of sashimi. Great for if you want to try a lot of different things, as opposed to ordering a few plates and getting super full. CONS: - A bit hard to find if you're going for the first time, it's tucked away behind Bluewater Grill - Open for dinner only. You'll have to find some other way to satisfy your cravings for lunchtime sushi. Onto the food.. The sushi is fresh and delicious (salmon and yellowtail and tuna are my favorite). As for the rolls, the caliente and yoshi ones are great, as well as the crunchy roll if you're looking for something safe. Buddha's bomb was pretty amazing at first, but it was way too heavy and I found myself sick of it after a few bites. Salmon lemon roll was alright, but the lemon was a bit too overpowering for my tastes- I've had better. The tempura green tea ice cream was a perfect dessert choice. Overall, one of my favorite sushi places in Newport, even maybe in all of OC. The prices are so reasonable for the quality of the food, even before the 20% off.

    (4)

  • Andy K.

    Normally, I don't eat sushi but my girlfriend does. It was her birthday and I took her on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm. Was packed and we only had to wait 5 minutes. Ambiance and atmosphere, 5/5 stars. The location was very nice and overlooked the docks and water. The heaters kept us very warm and they are spread out quite nicely so everyone stays warm. --- The food and price was fantastic. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to sushi so I started off with a half plate of 'Crunchy rolls' and half plate of their popular 'Beagle rolls'. The Beagle roll is like the crunch roll with some added things and it's definitely my new favorite! My girlfriend ordered the 'Rainbow rolls' in which she loved. After wiping my crunch rolls and beagle roll plate clean, I had to try the Rainbow rolls. The raw salmon taste like it just came fresh out of the ocean, was very good. For dessert, we got the green tea and mango mochi. I saw others rave about the tempura ice cream and I will be coming back to try that next. I seldom give 5 stars but the overall experience, food, and friendly staff earned it. We will be coming back, I will update you on my next adventure when I try something more raw!

    (5)

  • Christina M.

    The only problem with this place is that its a 2 hr drive from my house. Seriously some of the best sushi I've ever had. Definitely get the backflip roll and the shishito albacore roll up. Amazing. We had the chef make us whatever he wanted and we ended up with this crazy red snapper piece of art that was unlike anything I've ever had. Don't miss out on this place. Though I recommend calling first bc its pretty small - only enough seating for abt 20 ppl. Pretty cool looking inside for such a small place.

    (5)

  • Jennifer H.

    Probably one of my favorite sushi places ever, because the rolls are unique and the setting is awesome. My bf and I ordered a couple of rolls and each one was unique, different, and really tasty. We also got the black cod which was juicy and buttery, and some sake which wasn't that expensive either. Our bill came out to be 72 I think, and we both went home full and happy. This is a great place to take a date, just make sure you make reservations to be seated on the outdoor patio and not inside the restaurant so you can get a nice candlelit dinner on the harbor. Excellent food!

    (5)

  • Jenny D.

    By far the best sushi place! It only took 30 mins before the waitress brought us water, then another 5 for our hot sake. She was considerate enough to recommend waiting 5 mins before drinking because she accidentally made it burning hot. Another 10 mins passed before she remembered we were there. Opps...are you ready to order? (Uh...okay...) Got our food. Wait...was this finger-food sushi? The table next to us got seated much later than us...they had their food, drinks, utensils, and check while we were patiently waiting for wasabi and ginger. Lol it was hysterical...2 pieces of ginger. Check please! Waiting...more waiting...excuse me I paid already I just need to sign so I can move on with my life. "So sorry, the other girl took your card and kept it in her pocket. Uh let me find it somewhere." O god, I hope I dont get charged twice. Yay! There it is (crumbled up). Meh. I am definitely coming back...NOT (ever).

    (1)

  • Debbie M.

    What a charming place but challenging to find! The restaurant is definitely not visible from the main street. We originally drove by it thinking that it was next to the Bluewater Grill but actually it is behind Bluewater Grill. You can walk to Buddha's Favorite through the valet parking lot. The parking lot attendants were helpful in directing us so if you are lost, you can ask them. =) Buddha's favorite has patio seating which is great for larger parties or for people trying to soak some sun. The restaurant is small and quaint. I didn't feel like I was in Newport Beach but rather somewhere in the Orient. FOOD: I admit I was pleasantly surprised because I thought I was going to a place where California rolls were the base of all sushi rolls. On the contrary, the food was good and creative. The presentation was what you would expect from any Japanese restaurant, beautiful. Hats off to the chef. I'll come visit you again Budda...

    (4)

  • leigh c.

    Our Favorite Sushi place, not that expensive and right on the water:)

    (5)

  • Alice Y.

    One of my great friends Jan K. brought me here for a little birthday shindig and it was de-freaking-licious. First of all, the sushi here is epic. Mine even came with a little pink umbrella poked in a roll. I'm a sucker for anything pink and cute so that was definitely a plus for Buddha. I ordered the Tornado or Volcano or something like that; I can't remember because I wanted to order everything on the menu! I also split an Udon Soup which was OK. I've tasted better, but it sufficed for my temporary udon needs at the moment. I also got a birthday ice cream plate which was the perfect ending to dinner. I can't say too much on the cost because my friends paid, but 20% off since it's their anniversary. That should relieve some cost since you ARE at a SUSHI restaurant in NEWPORT. This place is also "conveniently" located behind Bluewater Grill. It's actually pretty hard to find, but at least you'll know that the people you are dining with the smart ones that know how to navigate their way around. It's also right by the water front so it's definitely got that Cali feel. Buddha's favorite is now Alice Y.'s favorite. (yay for cheesy commentary)

    (4)

  • Omar M.

    It's solid. Not the same grade of sushi as places like Kotobuki in Laguna Hills or Bluefin in Newport Coast; but it is a fun place. Good vibe.

    (4)

  • Andy L.

    Fun little spot on the Harbor, sushi was good, not outstanding but I'd certainly go back. Service was about the same, good not great, but nothing I'd complain or necessarily write home about. Highlight was sitting close to the water on nice summer night.

    (3)

  • Alicia K.

    Friends were in town and we were looking for a good sushi place for dinner. Found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try. We didn't get there til around 9pm and the restaurant is not easy to find if it's your first time. It's tucked behind another restaurant. While the location is a bit sketch, it's right on the water and a super happenin' place. Seems like there are lots of regulars there. Anyway, we sit down and order. Service was good. Run down of what we had: Chicken Udon: The broth was amazing, and the noodles were good - the chicken had a weird, sweet flavor that I was not a fan of. Yoshi Spring Roll: This was AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. I think there was salmon, tuna, yellowtail, avocado and two yummy sauces on top, covered with rice paper. It was my favorite thing - I will definitely go back for more, even if it does cost $15. Buddha's Bowl: The reason why Buddha's Favorite only gets 4 stars. This was pretty gross. There was imitation crab, salmon, avocado and sauce on a sizzling skillet. Too sweet for my taste, and it looked like a mess in the skillet. I would rather have spent the $16 on another Yoshi roll. Next time, I'll go earlier in the evening so I can dine al fresco and catch the sunset. (Also, there was a nice 20% discount which was automatically deducted on our bill. It's an anniversary special that's advertised on the website.)

    (4)

  • Ms. M.

    This is definitely my favorite non-kaiten sushi joint in the Irvine-Costa Mesa-Newport area. It's a great value considering the quality of the sashimi, the tasty creativity of the sushi rolls and appetizers, and the fact that you can order single-piece nigiri and half-rolls. My favorites are the Poke Nachos, the Unaten roll, the Ultimate roll, and the salmon and yellowtail sashimi. The only "miss" I have had here is the ikura, which tasted fishy and not salty enough. Outdoor seating comes with a view of the harbor, lots of toasty heat lamps, and blankets you can borrow to stay warm if it's chilly outside. Service can be slow, tables can be hard to come by (even with a reservation), parking can be a pain (you have to get lucky to find street parking, or else pay $2 for valet), and the bathroom is kind of an outhouse situation, but it's definitely worth it for the delicious food.

    (4)

  • Toan D.

    This place was okay, definately recommend making a reservation or else it's going to be a good wait. Not a very big place at all, parties or 6 or more definately will get seated on the patio rather than inside. Parking seemed like only valet was the choice of parking unless you're willing to make a walk just to save yourself $2.50. Now here's the reason why I only rated this place 3 stars(2 1/2 if I could), the sushi was great and all some were a hit and miss sushi and some were amazing. But I also got a side dish(soft shell crab) and about an hour later my stomach wasn't settling very comfortably at all and for $11.00 you don't get much really besides spinach. So I highly don't recommend that dish. The other reason is our server wasn't seen around much. It seemed as if he only came out like every 10-15 mins when we needed stuff to be taken care of. I'm not one to completely bash on a restaurant considering this specific one has pretty good ratings I think it's just a hit or miss with the food and servers. P.s. If you own a push start button car(i.e. Lexus, BMW, Infiniti, etc...) take an extra sec as your walking and watch them park it and make sure it's completely turned off

    (3)

  • Lil Y.

    Solid sushi joint. Grrreeeat location. I've been going to this sushi bar for years. The sushi is always fresh and tasty. I've tried just about everything from the fun rolls to the simple sashimi. Always good. The atmosphere is fun and mellow. They always have Bob Marley playing, which makes you just want to kick back and enjoy. Recommended time to go: Spring/Summer at sunset. Have a bottle of cold sake and watch the yachts, boats, and duffies come in and out. You'll feel real lucky to be there.

    (4)

  • Monsieur M.

    Mellow beach spot...perfect for a cocktail or casual meal Sushi is pretty good...more like 'fun' party sushi as opposed to the high end traditional stuff

    (4)

  • Mike F.

    We went here at the recommendation of a friend and let's just say we're now no longer friends (just kidding...sort of). This place was dreadful in so many ways but the service was one of the worst we've seen. Our server (barely old enough to drive) had a huge lack of knowledge about the menu. He originally told us how many pieces of fish came with the combo platter so we ordered based on his answer. However, when the food arrived he admitted he made a mistake as it was way less than we were originally told. No problem, we figured, they would correct their mistake. The "manager" (also barely old enough to drive) came over to the table , confirmed their mistake, apologized and then left --- no correction/resolution was offered. They didn't ask us for anything (food or drinks) after that and simply left us unattended. We had to get up from the table, find our server and request the check. And this place is so small that last sentence seems almost ridiculous to say. In trying to find the bathroom for this place (it's in another building behind the restaurant), I found a back door to their kitchen propped open with a cart that had piles of freshly cooked rice sitting in the open air. I'm not a health inspector but that has to be a few code violations. I figured if they treat the rice with such lack of care, I'd hate to imagine what happens with the fish. In regard to the food, I thought it was very mediocre at best. Granted, we didn't try anything exotic so we can't speak for that but would assume they could get the basics (tuna, salmon, etc.) right. I can't imagine anyone going here and spending big dollars for this kind of food. In summary, we really wanted to like this place and our bubble was burst. We can overlook some negative things but not a long list. I'm not sure if "Buddha" ever tried another Sushi place in town before he deemed this his "favorite" but if he did, he'd change his tune. Until this place changes their host/hostess/greeter, hires friendly and knowledgeable servers, changes their food handling habits, lowers their prices, and has a competent management staff, we're never going back.

    (1)

  • Scott B.

    Great! You have to try the back flip roll and the crunchy rice.

    (5)

  • Janae P.

    Buddha's is a fun place to go with friends, you can sit inside or outside, and you can call ahead and make reservations so you don't have to wait. I'm not a huge sushi eater, however my boyfriend is so we always compromise on coming here since there is one thing i love, the beagle roll, and just the atmosphere down there is very fun. I love sitting on the water and watching the people! In the winter i thought it would be too cold to go, but they gave us blankets to use and had a tent up with heaters. The staff is always very friendly, your waiters will change so its a little hard to know who to ask for something, so i just ask anybody! They are all very helpful! The parking is valet only, unless you can find a spot on the street!

    (4)

  • Shawn S.

    I dont want to say too much about this place because I like the fact that it is mostly a locals secret. Hard to find, and it seems like no one really knows about it except for the locals. I dont want to be the one to blow the lid off this place...but its good...REAL good!

    (5)

  • Lane S.

    1 minute and 45 seconds from my house and best Sushi in NB. Yeah Son!

    (4)

  • Randy S.

    Nice little sushi bar on the water in Newport harbor. Nothing special. Nothing bad either.

    (3)

  • Erik M.

    It was a bit of an adventure trying to find Buddha's Favorite in the dark, in a rental car, with crappy GPS service on my iPhone, but the adventure was worth it. Once I figured out it was tucked away at the end of the pier behind the Bluewater Grill, it was all good. I must have hit it right at the end of their dinner rush, because the place was about half full when I arrived and many of the parties were settling their bill. So I had a nice, quiet meal with my book at a corner table, perfect for unwinding after a long day with a client. I was in the mood for basic sushi so I didn't bother to peruse the menu very far, but the items I did look at seemed pretty reasonably priced and sounded tasty. If the rest of the menu was anything like the fish I ordered, I'm sure it won't disappoint. I started with a bowl of the miso soup, which was prepared quite nicely and wasn't overly salty, although it might have been a served a little warmer. From there, I just opted for the sushi combination with spicy tuna roll and an lobster roll on the side. Each piece of sushi was an elegant, bite-sized delight The portion of fish dwarfed the rice, and each item had a unique topping of some kind, either a savory garnish or sauce, that really brought out the flavor of the fish, which was fresh and melt-in-your-mouth tender across the board. Even the octopus was less chewy and more flavorful than your typical cut of tako. The lobster roll might very well have been my favorite item of the meal, if I cared to really try and compare them. It had a nice, subtle spiciness to it that perfectly complimented the tender lobster meat and creamy avocado. I was completely satisfied with my meal from the perspectives of quality, quantity, and price, and the service was decent. The only thing keeping me from going with a five star review is the atmosphere didn't quite do it for me. Maybe it was the reggae music, maybe it was the fact that the restrooms are outside in a completely different building, but something didn't quite mesh in the total package. But I'd absolutely visit again if the opportunity arises.

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    Made reservations since it was small. Good for groups if you can manage to sit outside by the water for the wonderful ambiance since it's in that Lido Isle alcove. Service was wonderful, very attentive and helpful with suggestions. Items Ordered: Crunchy Roll - Outstanding Caliente Roll - mediocre, waaay too much tempura batter Buddha's Favorite - This was my fav, heavy eel sauce and a think chunk of salmon made it oooh so tasty. Salmon sushi w/ onions - delish Yellowtail - scrumptious Toro - like butter Red Snapper - adequate Ono - Tasty Amaebi - Good stuff, the head came fried, but the shrimp wasn't accompanied by anything particularly significant like a special wasabi or ponzu. Definitely a place to check out if you are a sushi enthusiast / connoisseur.

    (5)

  • Chloe M.

    masa is the man! he know how to do it just right!! the atmosphere of the restraunt is nice... right next to the ocean. it can get pretty chilly during the winter but amazing to stop by after spending a day at the beach during summer time! i love the salmon sashimin and sea urchin here because it melts in your mouth and doesn't have that fishy smell or taste at some of those korean sushi joints. i always finish my meal with the tempura green tea ice cream. so good! another plus is the 15% off discount they give u for i have no idea haha the earlier you go the better because it really gets crowded especially on fir and sat nights.

    (5)

  • Veronica V.

    They have great sushi! We had to wait a little bit longer for our food as we were a big party, however the food was delicious. They were very busy and seemed to have no room for people to sit down inside for those who did not make reservations.

    (4)

  • Juliann T.

    Buddha's is very good but, it's really small and crowded. The people are very nice. I lovee the specialty rolls and the tempura ice cream. Delicious! Buddha's is just kinda hard to find if you don't know the area or miss a turn. My friend knows the sushi chef, that's how I heard about this gem. Now the word's out and it gets crowded. The outdoor deck is over water. So you may want to bring a jacket at nights. For weekends, I highly recommend reservations.

    (4)

  • Goldie R.

    This is the first place that comes to mind when I am recommending a sushi spot. Its hidden behind Blue Water Grill and the bay, and its exterior is so unassuming that you would never guess, that it is Orange Countys best kept secret. Totally unpretentious for Newport Beach, and also for a sushi joint. My personal favorites are the SYT (seared yellow tail), Buddha Bomb, the Lollipop and the Crunchy Roll. I always end up getting yellowtail sashimi and ocassionally the toro sashimi. They play Bob at the bar, and if you request "Omakasi", the chef will come up with some pretty unique, but ohh so delicious surprises. Now if you don't even dig on sushi, at least come her for their deserts. The crowning jewel of this place is the Souffle. You have to order it thirty minutes before you want it served to you. Trust me, it'll change your life.

    (5)

  • Kyle A.

    More of the sushi place to go get rolls. It's good depending on who u sit in front of.

    (3)

  • Reina S.

    I don't discriminate when it comes to sushi. I love rolls, I love sashimi. I love it all. Just give me some soy sauce and some good fresh fish and I am golden. I am def not a novice nor a rookie at sushi but I love "california-ized" sushi just as much as I love Sushi Gen. Maybe if your a "sushi snob" then no don't come to Buddha's but if you like yummy rolls, a quaint and cute restaurant by the bay then go here! And don't worry they got heaters and a covered patio and blankets in case you get cold. I did the Newport Restaurant Week special on this outing here and it was a great deal for 20 bucks! We had some delicious salads to start, I had the Tataki Salad with seared ahi with this yummy sauce that had a kick of wasabi on it and a bed of mixed greens. Def one of my faves here now! I loved their lollipop roll which is wrapped in cucumber and had tuna and some seared ahi again, drizzeled with that same sauce from the Tataki Salad. The sashimi as always is my fave and was good. The only gripe I have is that the mochi was small, but I guess that is ok since I watchin' the calories right now. I have been here on other occasions and ordered some rolls that had WAY to much mayo, so now I know I stay away from those and stick more to sashimi and rolls w/o mayo. I would def come back here for a some good sashimi or rolls.

    (4)

  • Mary M.

    Buddha's favorite is my favorite place for sushi. My favorite roll is the Beagle roll which is similar to a crunchy roll, but so much better! It is a huge roll, so this is the only thing I need to order when I eat there. My boyfriend loves the Caterpillar roll and Spicy Tuna hand roll. There isn't usually a wait to be seated, even when I have gone on Friday and Saturday nights, They can usually fit my boyfriend and I in at the bar or a table for two, although, it is very helpful if you take the time to make a reservation. Sometimes it takes a while for our rolls to arrive when it is busy and when I have gotten seated in the corner it is sometimes difficult to get the server's attention for refills or to bring the check. The atmosphere here is one of the best parts about the place, it is small and cozy with good music and lighting. Everyone is very friendly! It can be a hard place to find since it is so small and hard to spot from the street. Park as close to the BlueWater grill as you can and walk down the boardwalk/dock area in front of the BlueWater grill.

    (5)

  • Stacy P.

    Since we live a block away and wanted sushi we decided to try this little place. It's hidden next to Bluewater Grill so if you've never been back there it can be hard to find. We went at about 8 PM on Monday night and they had a decent crowd but we were able to sit on the patio right away. They have deck heaters which made it really comfortable to sit outside which is nice since it's on the docks. We started with Edamame then ordered the Halibut and Unagi sushi. I didn't try the Unagi but the Halibut was REALLY good. The Lollipops were fine too (various fish wrapped in cucumber and served on skewers) as were the other rolls we tried (spicy tuna, cali rolls and eel). My son didn't like his noodles which I tasted and I agreed they weren't great so I didn't make him eat them. The service wasn't overly attentive but not bad either. I was curious whether the waitress would notice my son didn't eat much and either ask if it was okay or offer to box it but she never did. Overall we had a good experience and will go back when we don't want to go too far for a sushi fix. It's a good casual, laid back atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Quan D.

    Alright so check it out, go to a sushi place. Sit at the bar. Tell the sushi chef, "Make what you want, don't stop till I say so." Sit back be full. That's what my uncle and I did at this joint, and wow what an awesome experience. The nice thing is that we didn't get anything from the menu (except for dessert but we'll get to that) and it pushed the chef's creative limits. We started with a delicious red snapper sashimi topped I believe with some green onions and I don't quite remember what else, but it was great. The fish was smooth and just melted away in your mouth. We went through at least 8 dishes all not on the menu. I remember a double salmon sushi, salmon with salmon roe on top. Another great one. And one of the most unique of the night was an squid sushi topped with uni. It was so surprising cause the squid is usually pretty bland and chewy but this was fresh crisp and topped with the uni it finished of the flavor very nicely! Both of the chefs working tonight were pretty young and we were so impressed with their skills and creativity we had to toast some sake with them. In return they made for us a mackeral (I think) wrapped around a tempura chili on some rice. It was great, the chili wasn't too spicy but gave it a nice kick to the full flavor of the mackeral. Another favorite was a tempura jalapeno on top of fatty eel tail (I think)... argh that's the only problem with getting these off the menu dishes you might not be able to get them again! Ha ha! but oh man it was all so good!! It was great to see the chef's really try to impress and push themselves to come up with different off beat plates. Towards the end of the evening he was surprised we were still eating and was straining to come up with something different and not on the menu, but he finished it off with a great refreshing cucumber roll dashed with plum sauce, highly recommend it with a sip of sake. We finished the night with a tempura ice cream (fried ice cream) which just perfected the night. Sweet, with some hot and cold, but not greasy like some other fried ice creams I've had (maybe they were just bad ones) but this sealed the smile on my face. The restaurant is a little small and tucked away in the corner, but its a great establishment. Nouveau and fusion like, we didn't expect much, but they blew us away with their creativity and knowledge of the cuisine. For sushi afficiandos, you know how much ordering off menu can cost, but we were very surprised to make it out just sub 100, for all that we had. I highly recommend this place for any sushi lover, and I definitely definitely recommend ordering off menu. Have faith in the chef, let him decide the course of your meal, I assure you that here, they won't disappoint.

    (5)

  • Hiep N.

    I went here on a whim after noticing it when I was dining at the Cannery. I'm glad I did. The sushi was fresh and flavorful, service was attentive, and the location is great. The prices were really reasonable, and the outside seating is well heated so you don't get cold plus you get to enjoy a great view of the bay. The only cons were the fumes from the boats.

    (4)

  • Jackie D.

    Great sushi, I also enjoy sitting on the bay. Small low key joint, which is what I like to go to, after a long work week.

    (5)

  • Linda G.

    Im a total fan of Buddha's. I love that you can sit outside and that the heaters are on so that you are cozy ( since this year California seems to have skipped out on SUMMER!!). The ambiance is nice inside as well, a little small but it makes for a cute & quatint environment. We have never had to wait. The food is good and the prices are as well. This is one of the places i love to bring our friends from out-of-town to. Its along the water so its a nice walk to the restaurant from Cannerys. This place has been full every time we have gone,with young hip people, and with occasional lovey dovey dates too ;) .. Its a little hard to find, but once you do, you will lovey. :)

    (4)

  • Ann T.

    I wish I lived down in OC just to go to this place more often. Came here on a late night after work with the bf, and it was super warm, cozy and welcoming. The service was excellent and food just as great. Make sure to get the Agedashi Tofu, it's the best I've had anywhere...the texture and softness of it was so good, not to mention the sauce it was cooked in. The rolls are okay, not mind-blowing. This place will satisfy your sushi fix. Sit on out on the deck if it's a warmer night, you'll have a great view of the port and pretty lights on all the boats.

    (3)

  • Pierre T.

    Nice ambience, excellent sushi and some of the coolest sushi chefs around. Love the little "hole in the wall" feeling, but definitely an extremely clean, well-lit and open space. The fish is mostly always fresh, but please don't be afraid to ask the chefs their opinion of the fish. They have always been honest with me as per the quality of the fish and told me straight up if it's worth eating or not. From time to time, they'll let you try out some of their more inventive creations and as a matter of fact, a few of them have now become my favs!

    (5)

  • Wilson O.

    All time favorite sushi place at a reasonable price. Rolls are great especially the cruncy one. Location on the water is nice. Get there're early or make reservation.

    (5)

  • Randy C.

    We went there twice, both times the fish was not good...the first time the service was also horrible. The only reason for the second chance was because we live right across the street...sorry no third chance.

    (1)

  • Lizzy J.

    I remember my first trip to Buddha's favorite was excellent and then every time I kept coming back it was not as good then worse then terrible. I love to order sashimi so the fish has to be fresh, that wasn't happening here. 3 stars because the staff is really nice and I really like the outdoor patio.

    (3)

  • Amy L.

    The location is great, sit outside and enjoy your food! The food here is consistently good, not really amazing but a nice place to go for your sushi fix. I really like the sashimi salad here - the crunchy roll is another favorite. It's pretty quiet during the weekday nights - usually only another 1 or 2 couples. The two waitresses are really sweet and add to the atmosphere! Try the tempura ice cream too :)

    (4)

  • Ryan D.

    Buddha's Favorite is one of the most hidden restaurants in Orange County, but it's well worth the search. The restaurant has a cozy feel to it, as it almost feels like you are eating in a friends backyard. That is, of course, if your friend lives on the water in Newport Beach. The restaurant has a small indoor section, and a couple of tables outside. We had a rather large party of 7, so we sat outside. We were a bit worried about it being cold, but they do a very good job of covering the outdoor seating from the wind, and using heaters to keep it warm. Ironically, I had to take off my jacket because I was a little too warm, but this is not a criticism, more like a compliment. The quality of the fish was very good. While it did not blow me away, it was very solid, and was priced pretty well. The best fish was the yellowtail sashimi and the salmon sashimi. The tuna was also pretty good, but not as good as I've had at other places. All of the sashimi's were around $10, and was served 5 large slices of sashimi each serving. The rolls were very impressive, especially the combinations of flavors used in the rolls. I really liked the combination of shishito peppers, tuna, and ponzu in one of the specials, and I also liked the Volcano Roll, which was California Roll topped with scallops. The service was very attentive, and very polite. In fact, the service was just about perfect. I prefer a server to be attentive, yet professional, making sure not to bother the customers. That is exactly how our server was. She was very attentive in filling up waters, and taking more orders, and was very friendly and accommodating with everything. Overall, we were very pleased with our meal at Buddha's Favorite, and will definitely be coming back. They also knocked 20% off our bill for a constant happy hour of some sort, and also gave us a free $20 gift certificate for spending over $200. Now we will definitely be back!

    (4)

  • Lisa W.

    Kevin and Dash are great behind the counter! You have to try Yoshi spring roll and the Sashimi candy!

    (5)

  • Marianne D.

    my sisters favorite local sushi joint. They have a big range of things to order here besides sushi. It was decent, but forgettable. Nothing really jumped out at me.

    (2)

  • Michael H.

    Maybe I expected more from this place. It's cute, but San Shi Go seems way better.

    (2)

  • Jeff M.

    I took a recommendation from a good friend to check this place out several months ago. I have since been back many many times with friends, family and dates. I have eaten sushi for years and their Philly Roll is the best around, not to mention their Crunchy Roll. The outdoor ambiance is fantastic for all dining scenarios you're looking for and the outdoor heating stations make it comfortable for when the sun goes down. They also have little blankets for you to use. Indoors can feel pretty small, especially when you first walk in, but take a seat and enjoy the reggae music. It can be busy on a Friday or Saturday night so call ahead to make reservations. The place is pretty small, and hidden behind a few other restaurants and buildings, but it's worth every penny and will really make you look like a true local when you bring your friends.

    (5)

  • pilar p.

    Nice location - on the water - but if you go at night and dine outside wear a jacket because their heaters aren't very strong. Sushi was good but for the price I've eaten better.. Nice place for a date (IF you dine outside - it's REALLLYY noisy inside)

    (3)

  • Jeanne M.

    I tried Buddha's Favorite last night, after reading the reviews here on Yelp. It wasn't quite as good as I was hoping for, though not bad by any standards. The service left a little something to be desired, but it may have had something to do with how busy the place was. The rolls contained generous portions of fresh tasting fish, and my non-sushi eating boyfriend was able to find something he liked on the menu. The plum sake was terrible however. A few people at my table tried it and we all agreed it tasted like cough syrup. Overall, I've had better sushi. But this place was decent, and the ambiance of being able to sit on the deck overlooking the water earns it an extra star. I'd go back.

    (4)

  • Juli M.

    I LOVE Buddha's. It is my favorite sushi place. Great atmosphere, super friendly staff, and amazing food. Can't get better than that. If you get there early, you are pretty much guaranteed a table with no wait. But they do take reservations and you can make them the same day. Just call and leave a message and they will call you back to confirm it. They are also great if you bring the kids with you, which I always do. My toddler usually runs around and we have brought our baby in the car seat twice now, no problem. I definitely recommend Yoshi's spring roll, twin roll, caliente roll, and the lobster burrito. And the veggie crunchy roll is amazing too for all you non fish eaters.

    (5)

  • Darcy G.

    Very yummy sushi with an outstanding location right on the water. Its tucked behind Blue Water Grill and a little hard to find, but worth the search. Their albacore is summer yummy... as is all their sushi. The downside they stopped serving Kirin Light (my favorite Japanese beer). Its perfect with sushi.... so I have been going up to triangle square. Nonetheless, if the beer isn't a deal breaker, give it a try. Super hip and fun... in a beachy sorta way.

    (4)

  • Shannon W.

    Had dinner here on a Saturday night without reservations for two. Definitely recommend reservations if you go on the weekend. We waited ~20 minutes for a seat even though there were some available (they were reserved). The place is super tiny, so there isn't much room to stand around and wait. We felt a little awkward standing around waiting for a table. The food was typical and not particularly outstanding. I had the spicy tuna and an unagi type roll. The edamame was served warm which was nice - don't you hate it when it comes out cold? The location was cute since it was along the water but that's about all that stood out. I may go again if I am in the area, but would definitely make reservations first.

    (3)

  • Jinra I.

    The name of this place is an incomplete sentence. Buddha's Favorite _________? Favorite what? As a yelper, I've taken the liberty of finishing it: Buddha's Favorite Spot to Achieve Sush Roll Nirvana. Coincedently, the reason why it's his favorite spot is the same reason why it's (now) my favorite spot. The rolls taste fresh, even on a Friday -- the day all fish is the least fresh tasting. Perhaps a good amount of attention goes towards how they store their fish. The rolls aren't even of the generic, bastardized California/Crunch roll kind. Want proof? Try the Lollipop roll and the Spring roll. If you're looking to get some date action (without breaking the bank!!!!), this place is located in a somewhat-hidden location in the Newport Marina. On a deck over water.

    (5)

  • Courtney H.

    Buddha's Favorite is one of my fave sushi spots in OC. It is small, kind of a local gem. Great service and very fresh fish :D The sashimi salad is to die for! Try it out please!!! They open at 4 or 5 i believe. Great date place, they give you blankets for outside. yum.

    (5)

  • JENNA K.

    Went to check it out again at 5:30PM. It's starting to get bizy.

    (3)

  • Arwi O.

    Staff super friendly here! Another great meal. We have been here several times and will be back!

    (4)

  • Alex W.

    Japanese food is our favorite but we have not been lucky in our search for a good Japanese restaurant in Irvine. Luckily, this one is pretty good and not too far from us. We had sushi for dinner and it was great with good quality fish. We also had the green tea tiramissu for dessert which was incredible! Highly recommend having a reservation since this is a small restaurant and fills up quickly.

    (4)

  • Cherese M.

    By far my favorite sushi place. Always fresh and never a disappointment. Staff is always friendly and will often make you something to try at no charge. If you haven't been here yet I suggest you go! :)

    (5)

  • Priscilla A.

    This was a cute little whole in the wall sushi place. It's kind of hidden but if you want something low key next to the water this place is perfect. Plus we got 15% off this rocked!!!

    (4)

  • Danielle A.

    Damn good sushi. Island music. Comfy atmosphere. Hit the spot just right.

    (5)

  • maggie C.

    I don't like giving bad reviews but the food was so bad we didn't finish two out of 4 dishes. Maybe it was an off night but I doubt it. My gripe with the food is the mayonnaise in the rolls and the super sweet icky sauce on the other dishes.... really bad.. make me pick up a turkey sandwich on the way home bad. The location is pretty great on the water, the actual restaurant is small and cute and the staff was very nice.

    (2)

  • Kat N.

    After skimming through the reviews here, I had envisioned this place to be the typical California-ized joint with rolls galore. Sure enough, it was and what do you know, I was in a rare mood for rolls Saturday night so thought I would check it out. The location is pretty ideal in that tucked-away sense, on the water next to some yachts (a few doors down from Bluewater Grill). We sat inside and Bob Marley blared throughout the small eatery. I'll say this: Buddha's Favorite is the type of sushi joint you head to if you're A) Just getting into sushi B) not too particular and C) enjoy rolls slathered in mayonnaise sauce, or stuffed with cream cheese. We tried the lobster burrito ($8), a deep-fried pocket filled with jalapeno cheese and lobster. I think the outer layer was soy paper dipped in tempura batter and fried. The cheese overpowered any lobster taste. Then we had the poke salad ($10), which came with four or five thick slices of maguro tuna atop mixed baby greens that were tossed in a fragrant sesame oil dressing that somehow managed to be both sweet and bland. Then we tried to spicy yellowtail (SYT) roll ($8-$10?), a vegetable roll topped with seared yellowtail and slivers of fresh jalapeno. Not spicy at all. If you want to go the rolls route, I've had better at Murasaki in Santa Ana, San Shi Go in Laguna Beach, Koi in Seal Beach, Matsu in Huntington Beach (but only at the sushi bar), Abe in Newport.

    (2)

  • Gstar K.

    Tasty stuff though very brief visit & not super memorable. Will try again for better review. Noteworthy: intimate spaces, great for cozy dates. Can be easily missed since BlueWater Grill is at the forefront of the street curb. Stopped by to hangout w/friends. Our table of 5 was the largest squeezed inside. Too cold an evening to enjoy dining outside port view. Kinda stumped: Isn't Buddha actually a vegetarian? Clearly not what this place is b/c of the fresh seafood.

    (3)

  • Nerissa P.

    Ehh, it was alright. My hubby ordered the poke salad, and given that poke is supposed to be raw fish cut into cubes by Hawaiian definition, the poke salad definitely did not have poke, but rather thin slices of tuna that were not seasoned as poke is typically done. We also ordered the tofu steak, and although we asked for light teriyaki sauce, the tofu was doused in it and was salty as a result. We also tried the beagle roll which was fairly good as far as rolls go, as well as the Chirashi bowl, which was also fairly good. The service was pretty poor and the atmosphere was a bit hoity-toity for my taste. I probably wouldn't come back. I will say, though, that the sashimi itself was of quality and that they had a vast variety of rolls.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:30 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Valet, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Buddha’s Favorite

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