Sushi Noguchi
18507 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA, 92886
Sushi Noguchi Menu
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Address :
18507 Yorba Linda Blvd
Yorba Linda, CA, 92886 - Phone (714) 777-6789
- Website https://www.sushinoguchi.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
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 : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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MiYun C.
The omakase is an amalgam of texture, flavor and optically charming bites of wonderment. Jeena E. initiated the assemblage of truly exceptional individuals to partake in an allocation of Japanese delights carefully prepared by Hiro-san. With the assistance of Jun-san, proprietor, the ladies collaborated to originate an evening of splendor. Until this evening, I had yet to meet an uni that I liked. Hiro-san, the uni whisperer plated uni that was not briny, but creamy and sweet. An outstanding Japanese Restaurant serving remarkable food paired with uncommonly great service. Ichiban!!!!
(5)Tripod T.
This place is amazing !!! They used to be located closer to me in whitter and moved to Yorba Linda and of course i followed .. Sushi is fresh and are JAPANESE own not Korean .. I no longer need to go to lil Tokyo ... Amazingly good
(5)Alex M.
Excellent restaurant with attention to details in everything - decor, ambiance, dinnerware, freshness of the fish, sauces, etc. Went for omakase meal that included a tartar, set of sashimi, lightly seared toro steak, set of nigiri and a few other items. Great presentation, fresh fish, excellent flavors.
(5)Shane R.
we got omakase and it didnt disappoint. everything was very fresh. rice was moist, chewy, and a little sweet. just right. a couple of the dishes had slight creative twists. otherwise, everything was very traditional and authentic. faaaantastic.
(5)Jessica L.
My husband and I decided to have date night here on a Wednesday night, due to the fact it is in walking distance from our home. I was skeptical because I had never been there and I have high expectations where sushi is concerned. We ordered the "chefs special" it was amazing. AMAZING. We inhaled it. We ordered California Rolls, Garlic Tuna, different types of Saki (good high quality saki). I could have eaten more it was so fresh, succulent, savory, and delicious! I can't wait to go back! Love this place. Love it. The service was fabulous as well. No waiting, fresh food kept coming, and the saki was brought out promptly.
(5)Jim M.
This place was awesome. Jun & Hiro were gracious and accommodating. The Food was fresh and beautifully prepared. I brought a guest (Sushi Noob) and they were helpful in picking choices that were great . The asparagus was amazing. I really like the light airy atmosphere and clean lines.
(5)L D.
Look no further if you want the best and most authentic sushi in town. This place is definitely it!!! This place is clean and most importantly the food were fresh and tasty. Jun and her husband Hiro who was also the chef were so welcoming and friendly. This is my new favorite Sushi place!
(5)P G.
Hiro's Omakase.... Do it!
(5)Timothy S.
Most of the food was adequate, but not spectacular. For instance, the whitefish was swimming in oil. The blue-crab was not rolled tightly enough to keep intact. However, the service was simply unbearable. Four dishes never were delivered and we had to inquire repeatedly to have them served. My son's dish was clearly forgotten and took three separate requests to determine it's (non) status. I was expecting moderate sushi, but not atrocious service. Maybe they will get their act together, but I'm not willing to risk another try.
(1)Lisa W.
Love this place! We go at least once a month for their omakase (chef's choice menu). They have good sashimi dishes and chawanmushi. It is a good replacement of our old favorite place, although different, in Houston called Uchi. Service is always the best too!
(5)Jonny J.
Definitely what you want from a sushi joint. Very clean, high quality fish, friendly service and reasonable prices. I wanted to try everything on the menu, but the specialty rolls were a great way to kick off my first visit to Sushi Noguchi! I'm a fan and highly recommend.
(4)Lauren Y.
Family surprised me with dinner here for my birthday. Appetizers (edamame, miso, and such) were delivered fast and hot for party of 5. I had several different tuna dishes and sushi and tried to not lick my plates but I was the birthday girl after all! Also surprised with complimentary tiramisu loaded with fresh fruit for me, candle and all. Delicious!
(5)Bruce B.
At first, I loved the taste of this sushi. Service was great, went right after Lunch and I can see this place is wildly popular and everyone loves it. And yes, the owners, chefs and waiters/waitresses are all fine. Just one unexpected thing... I got FOOD POSIONING off their Lobster Hand Roll!! I don't know if it was undercooked, if their 'secret sauce' was not quite done right or what, but I ended up chucking my guts out only an hour or so later and had to drive myself to the EMERGENCY room at nearby Kaiser Lakeview Hospital. My stomach was fine beforehand, I only had one small glass of Plum Wine, which never gives me trouble, and I ate a regular diet the week of this incident. So it wasn't necessarily my stomach being weird or anything like that. I tasted all Lobster comin' up. Just be VERY WARY of the Lobster Hand Roll...good taste, but perhaps this could happen to one of YOU.... BB, Yorba Linda, CA
(3)Khalid N.
The service really shines. True Japanese hospitality was excellent. Prices mid level. Tuna and albacore quality was decent. Definitely will come back.
(4)Grace M.
Amazing sushi, amazing FRESH FRESH fish!!!!!!! This isn't a sushi restaurant that has crazy fancy rolls with sauces and the hoopla. This is a restaurant that focuses on QUALITY fish and sushi. You can order whatever you want, with whatever ingredients, choice of fish, etc... This is a clean environment, bright and open. I sat at the sushi bar, which I love, I feel like half the experience is at the sushi bar, interacting with the sushi chef. I wish I knew his name, but he provided us with great recommendations and honest opinions. I cannot wait to come back here!
(5)V C.
I love this place and the people! The food is fresh and tasteful. The price is also reasonable. I don't know why some people would give this place a rating less three. Customer service is very outstanding here.
(5)Cindy Y.
Considering the fact that they have a Seafood Medley, similar to the Sashimi Lunch at Sushi Gen, I had to check this place out. I came here with a couple of friends and got that. Took a while for the food to come out, but at least it came with Miso Soup and Rice in the mean time. Nothing too special about these. Pretty typical. When the Seafood Medley came out, there were a lot of different things on the plate. - There was salmon that was baked, pretty similar to Scallop Dynamite, but with salmon. It's the same type of sauce. - Krab mix and spicy tuna. I thought those were pretty tasty, and paired really well with the rice that they gave. - Asparagus with a special type of Mayo-like sauce, which was pretty good. Creamy, delicious, and refreshing. - There were also pieces of Yellowtail, Tuna, and Salmon. While these pieces of fish weren't melt-in-your-mouth like Sushi Gen, they were fresh, nice, and really tender. - There also came octopus pieces with a certain type of sauce, that tasted almost light like a light citrus-soy sauce type of sauce. I don't remember too much about this one--compared to the others, it wasn't really special. - There was also this type of ceviche, I think pieces of Yellowtail. It was pretty good. It came with a little bit of roe on top, and the pieces of fish were really soft and easy to bite into. Tasted citrus-soy sauce ish too. This one was one of the better ones. - Unagi with Egg. This was delicious! I love unagi AND egg. When you pair them together, it tastes delicious. Pair this with rice, and you've got yourself something special. Compared to Sushi Gen's Sashimi Lunch, the price is a bit more, but the presentation is more interesting. The quality, I would have to say, goes to Sushi Gen. They give you a lot more fish and it's literally melt-in-your-mouth. Not to say this place isn't good, but just comes second to Sushi Gen. Sushi Gen's also a bit cheaper, at $15 vs. $15.95. Not too much. If you're around the area, I'd say go give this place a try. It's still a pretty good buy, and I wouldn't say that you'd be disappointed by the taste at all.
(4)Eric W.
Sushi Noguchi is the best. Bu t most expensive restaurant . Don't believe the two star ratings. It's like someone giving Denny's a 5 star rating.
(5)Nicky S.
The ambience was very clean and calm. Service was great and very attentive. Everything was good and presentation was very nice. Kobe beef was not as expected. It was a little cold and not as soft.
(4)Phil R.
I have been coming here for over a year now and never been disappointed. The sushi is always very good and Hiro is a really nice guy who takes the time to get to know you when eating at the sushi bar. Went today for lunch with family. The food was excellent. Can't wait to go back. If you like sushi and don't want to drive to Matsuhisa in BH, Sushi Noguchi can't be beat. I love that it is less than 10 minutes from my house. Cheers!
(5)Karin H.
Great sushi! The only reason It didn't get 5 stars from me was the fact that it is not "as good as it gets" since I have been to a few places better. However, I am definitely A FAN. It is by far the best sushi I have tasted in the OC and I will head there whenever I am in the OC. In brief: - The service is excellent. Great friendly waiters and chefs. - Atmosphere is very chic - simple and classy. - The food is generally a little on the small portion, but DELICIOUS. - On my sushi scale, it has an A-/A quality fish, but the way they put the fish together is what I believe makes this place special. - I am a fan of the green mussels and just plain sushi. - I would NOT recommend the ceviche because it's not your typical ceviche, for those that eat it at every restaurant you go to (like some people I know). Overall, this is a great place. I have already taken friends here when they visit and fly into the OC. If you are in the OC, go here.
(4)Pearlie L.
Before I knew of Sushi Noguchi, I was fat and miserable. Now I'm still fat but rather happy. This guy who was trying really hard to impress me took me here for a dinner date. Cost him $200, and cost me my jaw if you know what I'm sayin'. Omakase is just not a thing for me. I like buttery, fresh and succulent pieces of fish as much as the next guy and his pink taco, but I just can't see myself paying $$$ for fish. However, this place is legit. Food is great, service is great, getting drunk is awesome, having someone to pay for your meal is s.u.g.o.i.!!! It was quite a trip to get to this restaurant, since it's properly tucked inside a deceiving strip mall. Make sure you get real drunk so you won't feel the pain of money leaving your wallet and appreciatively cherish the possibility of impressing (and possibly engaging in coital acts) with your dates. Unless your date isn't cheap and easily impressed like me. Bottom line is... Step 1: Sashimi Step 2: Sake Step 3: ???? Step 4: PROFIT!!!
(5)Bill J.
Jun was disappointed that we did not have a good experience and invited us back. Many months had past, but we did return and found that she remembered us and our prior lackluster visit. We only had sushi this time and found it to be good. The service was better this visit and the sushi likely one of the best in the area. Prices still a little steep, but a better experience overall.
(4)ken k.
It s great place~ must try place for others~! Lots different kinds of fish, service is great, even dessert is good!
(5)Robert G.
Very cool sushi spot. The chef recommended some great dishes, and the servers were very attentive. We will definitely be going back.
(5)Barb B.
Love this place! Great real sushi! Try it. You won't be disappointed!! Wish I was there right now!!
(5)Linda T.
We had been to sushi Noguchi a few times in the past. We loved the sushi quality Hiro San offered. However, the Valentine's Omakase was a disappointment. My husband and I came to celebrate his birthday which happens to be on Valentine's weekend. For $80, you get a shrimp salad, an assortment of sashimi ( 2 pieces each: salmon, tuna, yellowtail, scallop, uni), an assortment of sushi (5 pieces), two hot dishes (Tempura pepper and stewed beef), a hand roll and cake. We sat at the sushi bar, I ordered the Omakase menu and husband ordered sushi off the menu. We sat at the bar and saw that sushi chef must have mistakenly made an extra order of sashimi and he plastic wrapped it and put in the fringe under the counter. When we saw that, we just thought that was odd. I get it, sashimi is expensive, you don't want to waste it. As I am proceed to my omakase course, the the 2-5 course all came out together (fried pepper dish, sushi and sashimi) and to my surprise, he took out the plastic wrapped sashimi that was previously stored in the fridge and handed to me. I was speechless, and should have call them out and rejected the dish, but was too chicken to make a scene. I should mention that there were 3 sushi chefs working at night and our sushi chef was not Hiro San. However, when we witness an extra sashimi plate was made, my sushi chef conversed with Hiro San before he plastic wrapped the sashimi and put inside the fridge. So I am sure Hiro San was aware of the situation and allowed this to happen. Overall, all dishes were not that memorable. No special sushi offered for the Omakase. Every piece is the typical sushi you can get on an ordinary day. The best from the Omakase was the 1 piece of toro sushi. I feel the omakase sushi ($20) from the lunch menu offers more interesting sushi selection than the $80 Valentine's Omakase set. Husband ordered sushi off the menu and he ordered toro, uni, sweet shrimp and several others and his bill was $71 which was lower than my mediocre Omakase price for better sushi experience. However, our sushi chef is really not that professional. We put in our sushi orders and he kept forgetting that we still had other sushi we were waiting to get. He would stand there and asked my husband if he wants more sushi and we have to remind him that we still have orders outstanding that he had not made. Then he checked the list twice and apologize that he forgot about it. This happened TWICE. I wonder if we don't remember what we ordered and we did not remind him what we ordered, will we get charged for those? Sushi Noguchi, you failed me BIG time. Fish quality was not as fresh as we remembered. I really hope Sushi Noguchi does not become one of those restaurant that compromise sushi quality after receiving fame from yelp.
(1)Andrew Y.
no complaints here. sushi noguchi lives up to the hype. fish is very fresh, authentic, and service was attentive as well. omakase was delicious, and lunch specials are great for those on the go.everything from the yellow tail to the toro here are very good - not fishy at all. i also order a cooked entree of hamachi kama and it was delicious. cuts are on the smaller side. order the crepe ice cream desert - delicious. i would come again.
(4)Michael C.
For its Omakase, I give it 2 stars. They served a bunch of things that were no sushi. I'm fine with that but those things should be good and not cheap (i.e. seaweed salad). Do yourself a favor go to Sushi Sasabune for the price.
(2)Chris K.
Authentic Japanese sushi? Methinks yes. Affordable? Methinks yes again. Finally. To the sushi snobs out there (myself included), THIS right hurr is hard to find. A truly Japanese sushi bar, with an affordable omakase option, fresh and delicate flavors, artistic, simple, classy. You might expect to find something like this is J-town LA, but it isn't. It's in a Stater Bros plaza in Yorba Linda. Right here in OC. And I'm glad it's not in LA because my dinner here for two was about $80. In LA it would have been at least 2-3x that easy. To the not-so-sushi snobs who can't tell the difference between Korean and Japanese, THIS is real sushi. No cali roll topped with a heaping gallon of spicy mayonnaise and "lobster" that's really mudbug crawfish. No "Red snapper" that's really frozen tilapia. Yes tilapia. The stuff from Albertson's that's $1.99 a pound. Even cheaper from 99 Ranch Market. None of that. But most of all, you won't find drunk Korean sushi chefs dressed in Kimono/Robes pretending to be Japanese. You won't find any of those "fusion" shenanigans here. This is authentic Japanese. Not Korean fake Japanese. But what's the big deal if it is Korean you ask? It's not a big deal. Not really. But aside from the fact that 95 out of 100 "Authentic Japanese" sushi bars are Korean owned now and serve mediocre to terrible sushi, I just feel cheated. Just a little. It's like if a bunch of Canadians started opening up Outback Steakhouses and spouted out Aussie phrases and spoke in fake Aussie accents to trick all us Asians into believing they were Australian. Something's just shady about that, and it makes me wonder what other shenanigans are pulled, especially with the quality of the food. And so far all 95 out of the 100 have proven me right. But like I said, this is one of very very few sushi places that do it right, and do it authentic. The nigiri cuts are clean, and fresh. The rice is perfectly molded and doesn't break apart until it hits your mouth. THAT'S sushi rice. It was done right. In addition to some fresh cuts of yellowtail, salmon, and tuna, we had some scallop uni, some braised ginger beef, sesame green beans, and cucumbers with miso paste, which were all delicious. My only complaint for the night was about the "crab ensemble" which was supposed to be crab dumplings in a crab sauce. It ended up being frozen shumai with edamame beans on top in an egg-flour soup-like crab sauce. Don't get me wrong, it was good. But I was just hoping for hand made dumplings, not the frozen Shirakiku kind you can get from Mitsuwa market. If it hadn't been for the dumpings, this would have been a 5 star in my books hands down. But overall, it was a great experience. Service was great, the chefs were friendly, and I left this place with a slightly more positive outlook on the future of California sushi. PS. 100th Review!! :) EDIT: After a nice message from the owners, I decided to round up to 5 stars. I will definitely be back soon.
(5)Jasper W.
Specials appear to be an effort to get rid of the older fish. Had some sushi that was really fishy to the point where it left that sharp taste in the back of your throat. Salmon was outstanding, service was great but like most sushi bars they need to move their old fish. I'll stay away from the specials next time.
(3)Eddie O.
I tried this restaurant with my family this past weekend. We had a fairly large party which allowed us to order a nice variety of ala carte sushi, various rolls, and some unique specialty dishes. While this is not a very large restaurant it was very clean and the service was very good.
(4)Jenna L.
Yum! A close friend was in town and my friend and I decided to take her out for a dinner. We chose Sushi Noguchi after a quick Yelp search in the area. Our expectations were rather high after reading all the promising reviews, but we were certainly not let down - thanks Yelp! There was a minor disappointment though, which is why I took a star off (see below). Sushi Noguchi is a small, unassuming restaurant hidden in a strip mall. The interior is super clean and has a minimalistic design to it. We ordered an omakase ($45) and several smaller dishes (miso soup, the triolet, hand rolls, and the ceviche). We wanted to try Hiro's Omakase but was nervous about not knowing how high the price would go (this menu item means that the chef gives you the best dishes of the day until you tell him to stop). Everything was delicious - the flavors complemented each other well and the fish was super fresh. I have to take off one star for the miso soup though. My friend ordered one with clams, I didn't. (Still the same soup). It was way too salty and I was super thirsty after having it. I don't know if they put MSG in it (I like to think they didn't) but either way, that's the one dish from Sushi Noguchi I wouldn't recommend. Overall, though, this is probably my new favorite sushi spot in OC and I will be back! Just choose anything on the "Sushi Noguchi's Specials" (or something like that?) menu and you'll be satisfied. Or take the recommendation of many Yelpers and go for the omakase/Hiro's omakase. It is a bit pricey but IMO, for fresh ingredients and friendly service it's totally worth it.
(4)Andrea J.
Came here with my boyfriend last Friday night based on the good reviews on Yelp...plus they had a Yelp deal $15 for $20. I was disappointed at the small menu and was expecting a normal sushi place that had rolls and whatnot. I ordered Cripsy Spicy Tuna and my boyfriend ordered the Kobe Steak dinner meal. My order consisted of 4 small rolls, which did not fill me up and my boyfriend loved his meal. It came with rice, salad, and a few slabs of tender Kobe steak. It took about an hour and half from the time we sat til we got our bill, and it was not busy at all. The staff is really nice though.
(2)Julie M.
This sushi restaurant was okay. We went because we saw all the great reviews and maybe we went with really high expectations. We order the Omakase Dinner and my boyfriend enoyed it but I thought it was just okay. One thing I can say is that it did taste very fresh but for me the environment was too serious and everything took long to come out. However, I do understand that that is what Omakase style dinner is like.
(3)James C.
just went here today for lunch with the wife and dropped 100 bucks on the "jun omakase" which is a fixed menu. i came hungry and i left hungry....rip off. the portions are super small and the price way too high for what you get. the quality was good but not great. not what i would expect for the amount i paid. kaori in fullerton is a much better place. i spent 80 bucks there for 2 at dinner and the quality was much better and i left full. never going here again. i hate it when i get ripped off.
(2)Jasmine C.
So today my aunt and I stopped by at Sushi Noguchi because I looked at the reviews and how many stars it had. We like to try different sushi bars because we are sushi fanatics. Well boy were we wrong about deciding on this place for lunch. The service was horrible. I had to ask for more water, ginger, wasabi, and they never came to check on how we were doing. Also at the end of our lunch, our server just threw the check at us and walked away saying thank you with no eye contact at all. The sushi was fine, but my aunt found a black thing in one of our crunchy rolls (it wasn't seaweed). The green tea ice cream tasted like mustard with the first bite. When the waitress came back to refill our waters, it tasted like fish water. We will definitely not be going back. I'm surprised that this place received 5 stars!
(1)Dave S.
This really was amazing. I know (kinda) Hiro (the owner) from his sushi place (Higo) in La Habra. I received an email last week telling me that he and his family could no longer run the both and that he was going to focus on his traditional, more upscale, Sushi Noguchi. I had to go, finally. The food was excellent. Higo Sushi was excellent so I was expecting good things. It lived up to my expectations; the fish was exceptionally fresh, and there wasn't a bad order in the bunch. Toro Yellow Tail Salmon Uni Japanese Ceviche Salmon Carpaccio White fish with Ponzu ... and about four others that I'm not remembering.. all great. It's easy to see why they're holding a 4.5 star rating after reviews from some of OC's toughest reviewers. I'm lookin' at you, Anita. Good stuff.. definitely worth the trip.
(5)Shela L.
Love Hiro's omakase! And they also have the best mille crepe!
(5)Karen C.
I must have ate something totally different for the omakase than everyone else. I left Sushi Noguchi thinking that their 4.5 star rating must be according to "Yorba Linda's standard" given that there's nothing to do and not many places to eat at in that area. I came here w/ a party of 6, 3 of us got the omakase and the others ordered a la carte. Chef Hiro-san personally prepared our courses. Unfortunately we weren't impressed. I think my favorite dish out of all the small plates was the halibut in chivas oil. It was a simple yet flavorful citrusy sauce that complimented the fish very well. Other than that, everything else was quite forgettable. Especially the trio that came in 3 tiny little bowls. What was that? I couldn't believe that it was actually considered a course. We were still hungry after dinner so we walked next door to get some pasta to go. The portions were definitely small, for Japanese cuisine it could be expected, but quality wise it just wasn't worth the $60/person after tax+tip. I think people who live in Yorba Linda are just happy that there's a decent Japanese restaurant in town, hence the high rating, but if you live closer like I do to all the better options in LA, you won't be impressed.
(2)Christine L.
I have been avidly searching Yelp for the past week looking for a great restaurant that had more than the 3.5 stars and served either omakase or really great chirashi. I lucked out in finding this spot in just expanding my radius a bit farther than usual and quickly, was able to make a reservation at 6PM this evening. A client of mine took a bit longer than usual so around 5:54PM, I had to call and ask if I could come in at 6:20PM instead. When I arrived, on the dot, the restaurant was getting packed. However, when I arrived and let the waitress know that I was Christine, she quickly ushered me to one single open spot at the sushi bar. She actually reserved it for me! I was very shocked at that one point because restaurants who say that they take reservations, absolutely do not. This dining experience was brought to me with a $40, 5-plate, omakase with an addition of a side of ankimo (monk liver) and a dessert of their refreshing Japanese ceviche, along with a small Asahi, extra dry. The $40 omakase is not that filling and I am slightly confused about the Hiro Omakase, which is basically choosing anything you want off the menu. There was never any price determined on the menu which is what is confusing me about that. However, I did notice that they had ankimo on the menu and it feels like it's been eons since I've had such a delicious cut, so I requested it. To say that it was creamier than usual or fattier than usual or even richer than usual might be overkill, but it was even more delicious than I had envisioned that it could be. As a last dish, I ordered the Japanese ceviche as I was seriously craving that as well! The taste of yuzu is prominent and lingers in the mouth and if you are tolerable to yuzu, you will go nuts for this dish. I had two great dining partners next to me, though they were complete strangers. The guy on my left was raving about the Crispy Spicy Tuna and he and his girl picked up the dish twice since. On my right, I had an older Chinese couple who were enjoying their sake and the delectables that Sushi Noguchi had to offer. My very last morsel was provided by the older Chinese woman who wasn't a fan of King Salmon sushi and let me have the last bite! This was amazing. The entire experience and the quality of the fish was just so enjoyable. This place is a little bit of money, in comparison to sushi places that have 40 different types of rolls, but you really do get what you pay for. The wasabi was freshly grated and you could tell by texture, spice, and taste. This may not be a once a week dinner but I am definitely keeping them in my sights for another visit.
(5)Turtle S.
So happy to have found a GOOD sushi place near Brea! I had the omakase for lunch, which was a pretty good $20 deal for 8 pieces and that was really good. So I took my husband there for dinner and ordered a few pieces (the usual hamachi, uni, salmon, tuna etc) and they were all very good too! Just and FYI, I'm asian and I'm so happy there's finally a good sushi place near Brea. We used to go to Kagura or go down to OC for good sushi.
(5)Catherine W.
Service: 5 Stars! Food: 3.5 Stars I've had their Hiro's Omakase, regular Omakase, lunch specials(grilled chicken salad with tuna hand roll $9.95, sauteed kobe beef + nigiri sushi $12.95, and chirashi $15), over all, the sushi quality and hot food presentation and authenticity is among one of the best in the area(Brea, Yorba Linda, Fullerton and Placentia). Their Mille Crepe cake is pretty tasty, but to bring it to the next level, I think vanilla beans should be incorporated into the cream, and if the top can be gently caramelized till golden, then it might rival Lady M in NYC. Conclusion: I would still prefer Ikko's lunch special/dinner or Ohshima's Omakase, but to satisfy for my sushi cravings without driving far, Sushi Noguchi will be my go to restaurant for a quick sushi fix.
(4)Xx N.
Honestly I really liked this restaurant. The last few times I've been here, food was fresh. For some reason as I stopped by for lunch today, it wasn't. Every thing has a distinct smell. Is it because i stopped by 1:45pm right before they closed at 2:00 pm? Although I swallowed everything because I didn't want to complain, and I would have still pay for my food. The food was not the same quality like it was 5 times ago when I went there for lunch. I always order uni sashimi, and they'd charge me 16.00 on my bill, and Hiro lunch special. In this case, my bill was 15.95 hiro special (sashimi) lunch special, and 20.00 for uni sashimi, and diet coke 2. 95. You do the math. I don't mind spending, Just don't rip me off because I've been a loyal customer. I asked the owner why is sashimi uni $20.00, and she said because she gave me more uni this time. As I didn't ask for more, I just want her to give me what I normally ordered, don't give me more and charge me more( and there wasn't much difference) I dont mind spending, but dont overlook my loyalty and cheat mefor feel dollars. i won't be coming back, neither my friends.
(1)OC P.
Love the authentic Japanese decor, great service and fresh sushi. The owner's wife and waitress that served us were just too cute. I felt like I was in Japan. Little slice of sushi heaven in little old Yorba Linda! Love them, definitely a gem. I agree with the others, it's the best sushi in town and also the most authentic. Thank goodness I don't have to drive out to Little Tokyo when I get cravings for Japanese.
(5)Michelle S.
Hands down the best sushi in OC. I'm extremely particular when it comes to sushi. Not only is the freshness of the fish important, how to sushi chef handle the fish is important as well. I went to Sushi Noguchi for lunch and Jun was extremely attentive and friendly. The place is very clean with a modern/beautiful interior. The sashimis were incredibly fresh especially the uni. I also had the miso soup with asari, hamachi sushi, amberjack, king salmon, bluefin tuna and kohada. Though Hiro san wasn't there, I still enjoyed my dining experience. I highly recommend this place as it is indeed the best sushi place in OC!!!
(5)Leida B.
Hiro's Omakase always promises a delicious little surprise with each little dish that Hiro creates. :) And the layered crepe cake will always be one of my favorites!!! Jun, Hiro, Dennis, & the rest of the team, thank you for another incredibly great dinner...and for the added entertainment the other night. :D
(5)Sameer S.
You know something is good when it inspires you to do something for the first time. Sushi Noguchi is one such gem that has inspired me to write my first review on Yelp. This place is a little slice of Japan in Yorba Linda. It has excellent food, excellent service and simple yet Zenful decor. My wife and I have visited this place twice and have been extremely satisfied each time. Chef Hiro is friendly and skilled and wife Jun is delightful and a gracious host. We were overwhelmed with the menu options but they patiently guided us through the menu and made excellent suggestions. We ended up getting the Chef Omakase. Everything we tried was flavorful and delicious but if I were to pick a favorite then it would be Halibut Sashimi with Chive Oil with small pink peppercorn. Jun will always remind you to not use Soy Sauce and she is absolutely right. This stuff is a medley of flavors that indulge your senses and does not need anything on top. I look forward to going back and trying other new and exciting creations by Chef Hiro.
(5)Janet K.
Great service! Extremely fresh. Uni is the best I've had anywhere!
(4)Alison P.
Came here for my birthday meal with a couple of foodie friends. Fairly spacious, very well lit, and very simple zen. Staffs were all really friendly and nice. We got the Hiro's Omakase. This definitely the way to go if you want to be able to try a wide range of foods; ranging from appetizers to hand rolls to sushi. Food keeps coming until you tell them that you're full. All the foods were got were amazingly delicious. After a delicious meal, it was topped with dessert. This must be one of a kind, the Mille Crepe. It is a layered vanilla crepe like cake (not too sweet), drizzled with chocolate plum syrup (not sweet but not too sour) and served with fruit. IT was melt in your mouth goodness.
(4)Isaac M.
Northeast OC. Great, fresh sushi and sashimi. If you're looking for a sushi place in NEOC, then this is the place to go to.
(4)Elisa R.
Fantastic food. Expensive but oh so worth it.
(5)Allison M.
Came on a double date for my husband's birthday. He loves true sushi, and I don't have as much of an appreciation for it. No one had trouble finding things to order. Girls went with spicy tuna & Kobe beef and guys did Omakase. Everything tasted great! Plus they have a great selection of Sake, even a really reasonable house cold sake. We ordered the crepe dessert and all left full and happy. A cute place with super friendly staff. Will definitely be returning!
(5)Jared M.
Good quality sushi. Service was fine. Oshima is much better though.
(4)Yuri O.
nnmmmm nom nom nom :)))) i went to sushi noguchi the other day with a friend. it's actually kinda far from where i am, but i've been missing food from home (im from Tokyo) and some of my friends recommended me to try it out. so here i am. from the moment i opened their door, it felt like home! the interior is very simple and clean yet has welcoming air to it, which i really like. they don't decorate their walls with bunch of posters or menu. and they don't play loud music like most of asian sushi/roll places do!! you can actually hear your friends when you are having a dinner! this is pretty awesome, already. you feel you are actually having a good dinner at an authentic place. now the important part. food. boy, where have i been eating sushi again?? i had omakase and told them no shrimp and uni. ( i have shrimp allergy and just not a huge fan of uni. yea i know. u don't really expect that to come from a japanese. but anyway.) words won't be enough to describe how wonderful of an experience my stomach had! lol all the fish was really flesh and each slice was nicely thick. and most importantly, the rice was amazing...!!!! unfortunately, you don't get to eat really good rice too often around here. especially the rice for sushi is hard to get it really right. but here they are, making some miracle everyday. im totally coming back with more friends and i think everyone should check this place out. you just have to experience the real sushi rice and tasty fresh fish and you'll see what im talking about here! ;) oh and the side note, their mille crape is amazing too!!! they make it from scratch everyday and it's seriously delicious!!!!
(5)Kim B.
I saw all the great reviews and since I live so close I thought I would try this place. My favorite was the King Salmon, it pretty much melts in your mouth. I also tried Amberjack for the first time. I highly recommend it. Prompt friendly service. It wasn't too crowded for a Friday night which was a plus.
(5)Matthew V.
Have been here a couple of times now...and each time it get's better and better. Service is friendly and knowledgeable...very high quality fish. This is not a cheap susshi buffet all you can eat dive.....it can be pricey but well worth it. One of the best Sushi houses in the area if not the best.
(5)Mary Esther F.
Absolutely amazing sushi, not really the traditional roll order service. Loved the fact that the wait staff was so attentive.
(5)Jeannie S.
One of the best sushi place in town! Great quality, cozy environment. I brought my friends here one time, they absolutely loved!!
(5)Linda T.
Great Sushi! My son and his girlfriend are sushi connosieurs, so after reading all the positive yelp reviews, we decided to give Sushi Noguchi a try to celebrate their birthdays. We were not dissapointed. The personal service was excellent and the Chef's choices fresh and delicious. Everyone had a great dinner and we will definitely go back. Even though the location is a strip mall, the restaurant was very nicely decorated and very new and clean. Linda
(5)BIG B.
The reviews are great, matching the quality, but my 1-star is not a result of quality. I'm still annoyed and it's been three days. There are three levels of toro. "otoro" is the most prized, "chutoro" is the second-most prized and "toro", which is generally ordered. Differences between the three are quite noticeable, with fat content, color, and marble look the most obvious. The waiter confirmed with the sushi chef they had chutoro, so i placed an order. Once he arrived w/ the plate, even before he sat it down i knew it was toro. I started nicely by asking, are you sure this is chutoro? He again asked the chef and confirmed. I then added, this is the first time I've had red chotoro with no fat or marble look. He simply responded with, it's the correct order. To charge me for chutoro and serve me regular toro was unacceptable. For a place with such high reviews, i would have expected better. There was no mistaking the two on this one. ***edit - they did lower the price for regular toro. Not sure that would be the case if i didn't say anything though?? increased to 2-star as a result. Sushi Noguchi, you have a good thing going, which is apparent by the reviews. But i think my situation should be noted. Please be honest. If you don't have a requested piece, just say it's not available.
(2)Jasmine W.
simple, clean, friendly, delicious japanese-owned sushi spot. a little difficult to find (in the stater bros shopping plaza) but was able to meet up here with a friend for lunch recently. we bought the yelp deal ($20 for $15, which doesn't combine with the 50% off dessert when you check in) and split a kobe beef with spicy salmon roll lunch special (comes with miso soup), fish ceviche, and the amazing crepe cake for dessert. the kobe beef was tender and flavorful but not amazingly so, the fish ceviche was nice but small portion and i felt like we insulted what you can tell is amazing sashimi by eating it as ceviche. the spicy salmon roll was delicious. instead of having a spicy salmon be paste-like it was small chunks of salmon sashimi - again it made me sad that i didn't order sashimi! the crepe cake dessert was out of this world! it was so light, mild, delicate, and the perfect ending to a delightful meal. the cake also had some balsalmic/red wine/honey sauce that paired really well with the strawberries that were paired - we practically licked the plate clean! after we left the waitresses asked for our email addresses and just today i received a coupon to return. if this spot wasn't almost an hour drive for me i'd return right away but this spot is worth the drive if you want an authentic sushi spot. when i return, i'm definitely looking forward to getting sashimi and, of course, ending with that amazing crepe cake!
(5)Lena L.
My husband and I were looking for sushi restaurants around our area since we're new to it. In addition to looking for a new sushi restaurant, it was also my birthday. We yelped sushi restaurants and we came across Sushi Noguchi and thanks to everyone's great reviews, we gave it a try. It was awesome! Hiro was extremely friendly as well as Denise, our server. Everyone provided excellent service. All of their sushi was great and we tried a new fish that we never had before; cherry trout. It tasted like Salmon, but the texture was slightly softer. DELICIOUS!!! We are definitely going to bring our family and friends to Sushi Noguchi! Now we don't have to go all the way to Japanese Town in LA for great sushi!
(5)Carrie C.
I saw a bunch of Yelp Elite post reviews of this place on their FB and since I am always in search of authentic Japanese restaurants, I immediately looked up the restaurant, checked out their menu and pictures. The pictures mesmerized me, all that fresh fish looked sooo good. even though I don't eat raw fish, my BF does and I thought it'd be a good treat for him. For those of you not used to traditional Japanese food, this place is not for you. Go get your teriyaki chicken somewhere else!! It is tapas style. so the serving size is a bit small, but so tasty. This restaurant is beautiful, clean cut and very modern, a lot of wood and I love the wood beams across the ceiling. I also like the lights strung along those wood beams. Cute. As we walked in, we were immediately greeted and sat down. We had a waiter but the owner, Jun, whom I recognized from Yelp photos came over and greeted us as well. She asked how I found out about their place and I told her through Julie L's FB post of her Yelp review. After that, she was so nice, coming over making sure we were ok and making suggestions. Smart move on her part :D watching her, she was very hands on, greeting people, serving and taking orders. I also like that she's Japanese and her husband Hiro is a sushi chef. :) We ordered a bunch of things: -the crispy spicy tuna, soooo good...the crispy rice was nice and charred and offset the tenderness of the spicy tuna. -the triolet, it was beautiful and although I don't eat raw fish, I took a few bites of everything from my BFs and none of it was fishy, it was all quite tasty actually! perhaps I'll start going raw!! -poke tuna and albacore in spicy ponzu sauce -yellowtail with sashimi with jalapeno sauce -shrimp with spicy amazu, this one was ok, kind of reminded me of sweet and sour shrimp..could have been spicier! -matsutake with shrimp tempura...little cuts of mushroom and shrimp tempura on a skewer. Jun instructed to squeeze lemon on it and that's it. It was surprisingly so very tasty! -blue crab handroll in tofu wrap...this was soooo cute, fresh crab that just melted in your mouth. mmmm... -and of course the Mille crepe, which Jun said takes two hours to make, it was a sight, all those little layers, light and a bit creamy...it was really good, you can't find this anywhere else! I want to find a recipe to make my own!! Beautiful cake! It was a great dining experience, I wish Jun all the luck and I'm sure I'll be back here, this time with friends!! :D
(5)SAMANTHA I.
An amazing sushi experience! When you go to Noguchi it isn't just another sushi dinner it is an experience! Everything is so fresh and the menu has some really tasty creations. The decor is beautiful, clean and the sushi bar has plenty of room so you don't feel cramped. The sushi chefs are friendly and they will recommend items for you to try. This place isn't cheap but you get what you pay for which is the freshest sushi around. You won't get sushi or service this good at any other sushi bar.
(5)Lola H.
We loved everything about this place. The deco is modern with a touch of Japanese simplicity and tradition, love the pics of the sushi chef/owner. The service is very helpful and know their stuff about all the dishes. I have visited many sushi places over the years, being a L.A. native, and Higo Sushi and now Sushi Noguchi are not only my favorite places but the only places I will take anyone who wants truly fresh, creative, and delicous sushi. Yes, you can find cheaper sushi but you will not find better sushi!
(5)Jennifer with a J B.
Can I say AMAZING FRESH!?? I am very particular and extremely picky about sushi, and sashimi. With that said, I have never been to a better SUSHI restaurant. Well, yes, their original Higo sushi in La Habra is great, and the sush chef extraordinaire, Hiro, is amazing at serving the customer the freshest, most delicious sushi! I see reviews about how he doesn't serve chicken teriyaki... For those people, let's review: this is a sushi bar/restaurant. NOT a Teriyaki chicken restaurant. I guess they don't know the difference between fresh seafood and poultry. Let's go further... Those ranting about how expensive this place is - this is a very exquisite restaurant. Yes, if you are going by hunger, let me recommend Home Town Buttet. For $11, you can eat to your heart's content. You don't go into a 5-star restaurant and expect to eat the most elegant food with amazing atmosphere and expect to leave less than $200. You don't even pay that much at Noguchi! Enough of my ranting. So anyway, what makes this restaurant great? Their fresh food. Amazing! They have so many varieties of the exotic fresh seafood that more than satisfy my taste... and more! Not only that, Chef Hiro knows how to texturize, flavor, and present them in a way that is beyond artistic. Now for the kill. As you place these masterpieces into your mouth, does your mouth sing ? YOU BET! If yours do not, then this place is not for you, and please save these amazing delicacies for people like us. Really. If they do sing and began having a parade of some sort, then congratulations. You know what I'm talking about! My favorites? I can't reveal my favorite dishes and expect me to sit at the counter to find out all my favorite dishes have sold out... you can go and find out that the tuna and salmon are super fresh, better than "other" "sushi" restaurants (Don't even get me started about those non-authentic so called Japanese restaurants that are not even ran by a Japanese owner/chef). All I can say is that Chef Hiro and his wife Jun take pride in their food and their sushi, and we are blessed - yes I said blessed! - to have them serve their skills and talents to us. I know when I take a mouth-watering bite of one of the white fish (oh, like I'm going to tell you what it's called) I just want to howl with delight... ok, perhaps a bit strong... but it is like my mouth has never tasted something so mouth-watering... perfect to my taste buds... Oh, and not only am I a fan, but I have been their customer since they opened Higo Restaurant. And no, they are not paying me to tell you all of this! ( you may find me there from time to time - just sayin') Have a great sushi day! I'm going back next week... YUM!
(5)Henry M.
I was super excited when I saw that they were putting in a sushi bar in this location because I live nearby, and I often a craving for good sushi. I previously lived in Los Angeles and I have to say good sushi if abundant. Sushi here was good, but the price was a bit excessive for what you get. I will return, more so do the proximity to my home then the food. My experience with the service was really good. They were very attentive and food/sushi arrived quickly. Very happy with the service.
(3)Kneel Y.
This place is LEGIT. I was a little hesitant at first because when I think of fine sushi establishments, I immediately think Los Angeles. I mean, who would've thought such a gem of a sushi restaurant existed in Yorba Linda?! I started off with sake, sushi, and more sake. The Hakutsura Sake was pretty bland and a little to light for my liking. So I killed the bottle and moved on to the Dassai Sake. I found my match. A very well-rounded flavor, just as the menu describes. T'was a perfect compliment to all things sushi. Salmon, Albaccore, and Eel sushi were all on POINT! I'm not much of a roll person, but we gave the spicy tuna a whirl and BOY WERE WE SURPRISED! I might be reaching here (maybe just a little bit), but this is probably the best spicy tuna roll in the world! A definitive MUST TRY! The Kobe Beef Steak was also very tasty. So tasty in fact, I ordered a second round! Be sure to save room for dessert, as the Crepe Layer cake will not disappoint. Service was great, prices were very reasonable and the Sushi was probably some of the best that I've ever had.
(5)Brenda L.
This restaurant got 2 "F"s from me.....Friendly service and Fresh sushi. I have not had such a fresh sushi that they melted in your mouth. We have tried their OMAKASE...what an experience!! The owner, Chef Hiro picks fresh fish from the fish market early in the morning and offers the BEST quality to his customers. If you have room for dessert, you must order their house special..."Mille Crepe". The light cream flavor with layers of crepes made me want to go back just for the dessert. During our lunch, there were 2 Japanese ladies dressed in their traditional kimono walked in...they just finished their tea ceremony at home. This shows that this restaurant must be very authentic. If you have a crave of sushi, this restaurant will not fail you!!
(5)Jessica F.
This place is so good. All the flavors and the fish blended well, as well every single piece of fish we ordered melted in our mouths. We could agreeable say that was some of the best sushi we have ever had. Down side was, they took a long time to take our order and our two year old was getting impatient. I have a pet peeve about that. It is hard enough to sit down to a nice dinner with a two year old and then to have them take 15 minutes to bring the first round of drinks. Yikes! I loved the atmosphere though and it is obvious that this restaurant takes pride in their food. It is a bit expensive, but worth it. We will be back!
(5)Charla D.
WOW, WOW & did I mention WOW ? I had heard about this place from friends and reading reviews...it was all true...The cherry trout was probably my favorite, but everything was really good. I tried the Omakase menu - and it was a great choice...it is a wide diversity of items and everything was yummy! The restaurant is very clean and the staff both friendly & helpful. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but the quality of the fish is worth it. Can't wait to go back !
(5)Lillian K.
We've been going to the sister restaurant for years and we finally decided to come to Hiro's new restaurant. When we today arrived Hiro and Jun (the owners) immediately recognized us and was so happy that we were able to finally make it. You know you have a great relationship and the people really care when that's the reaction you get and they know you by name. Despite the fact that we had a late lunch and I didn't feel too hungry as soon as the food arrived I couldn't stop eating, it was too good. The Kobe beef was amazing, my favorite part of the triolet is the stuffed fried mushrooms, and I almost couldn't bring myself to eat the spicy tuna tartar because it's just too pretty. To make it that much better they were so nice to bring me a free ice cream in a crepe because it's my birthday. This is one of the best, most authentic, and most caring restaurants and people there is.
(5)A. Y.
Since there are so many good reviews about this place, I'll go straight to the point. They have one of the freshest fish - plated skillfully by Chef Hiro himself, and the friendliest service - husband and wife team Chef Hiro & Jun Noguchi. This is the newest of the two sushi restaurants they own/operate, the other is a well established Higo Sushi in La Habra. After my good friend, Julie L., raved about their sushi, I had to give it a try. I had originally suggested Ikko but she insisted on Sushi Noguchi as she had become a true fan of this place. Since she is an experienced sushi snob, I wasn't worried but rather intrigued by the great reviews the elite yelpers recently posted about this place. Here's a sample of what we ordered: Starter - spicy tuna tartare on crispy wonton - 3 layers of crunchy, heavenly bliss, giant scallop topped with velvety uni - simple perfection with only a slice of lemon. Omakase - spicy tuna tartare -1 layer, halibut carpaccio with citrus ponzu sauce, amuse-bouche trio - delightful eye candy, blue crab hand roll wrapped in tofu paper - least of my favorites (it was a little dry, needs a contrasting texture like cucumbers), 5 assorted sushi - wild toro, hamachi, marinated maguro, salmon with mango and squid - one of the daily buys, perfectly cooked. Extras - baked hamachi collar - buttery that just melts in your mouth, toro shashimi tasting - 3 kinds of toro goodness. Dessert - mille feuille crepe cake - light and not too sweet, they should rename this the 25 layer cake! The omakase for $40 IMHO was a great value for the quality of plates presented. Next time I will try the Kobe beef tataki. You don't want to miss this experience, just go to Sushi Noguchi. You will not be disappointed but more likely, you will be treated like family!
(5)Steve w.
Hands down the best sashimi you can get for these neck of the woods! Excellent service with a server always a few steps away. We had a group of 6 and the gratuity was included in the bill when we where driving away the server came running out saying we tipped too much. I guess the saka was flowing good.......
(5)Jennifer T.
This place is amazing, I don't even know where to start. Let's see... Let's start with the ambiance. It's actually in a strange location. The plaza is dingy and dated, but that in no way speaks for the interior of this restaurant. Once you walk in, you feel like you're in a different place outside of its surroundings. With it's white tables and clean look, it makes you feel peaceful almost. Moving on to the food, I can't remember what they call a lot of these dishes, but my favorite is their crunch roll. The roll itself is typical compared to other sushi restaurants; however, their topping is fairly unique. They use these crunchy bits with a sweet sauce, and I sometimes find myself just eating those pieces until the plate is completely clean -- I know, classy right? I've also gotten their chicken dinner combo. This comes with a trio appetizer as well as a salad. This isn't my most favorite dish from this place, but it's my safe zone. It comes with a tangy sauce dotted on the plate for the chicken. They really stress the importance of presentation for their dishes. Aside from those, we've also ordered the crab shumai, the halibut, the chicken karage, the asparagus tempura-like dish with the fish, and... I honestly can't remember what else, but I feel like I'm missing some amazing dishes. Anyway, we have yet to complain about anything that we've ordered from this restaurant. Now, my only con is that the past 3 times we've been, they've run out of the Mille Crepe. There's nothing more horrific than looking forward to that crepe your entire meal and having the server say they've run out. I mean, after all those times and after all of the disappointed customers, you would think that they would make more. They've always used the excuse that it takes 2 hours to make, but they're a restaurant, and that's one of their key desserts...shouldn't they have more of a supply? Just my $0.02. Other than that, this place is great, good service, and good food.
(5)Valor K.
This place is great ... food is awesome! crape cake is great. very good quality salmon! kobe was pretty good too... they just need a soda fountain as all sushi places need!
(5)Tim O.
Wife and I were a weekly customer at owner Hiro's original restaurant in la habra, Higo Sushi, for years until we moved to Anaheim hills and had to find a closer sushi spot. Saw the ads for sushi Noguchi a few weeks ago and to my pleasant surprise I saw chef Hiro when I walked in the door! Noguchi's menu is a bit more upscale and had some of our old favorites reinvented. The food was fantastic---always fresh (hire goes to the fish market in LA himself) and creative. The prices might be a bit higher than your run of the mill sushi bar but that's because this place is different and worth it. Service was spectacular as always; Hiro's wife Jun runs the front of the house. Decor is modern and clean. Soooo happy to have this place near us and chef Hiro behind the counter again.
(5)Bryan I.
I absolutely love Sushi Noguchi! As previously stated by other people, this is not a Korean run sushi bar. This is Japanese through and through. People have complained that there is a limited roll selection. Well that's because it not the run of the mill sushi bar that caters purely to Western tastes. Not saying that their food doesn't have a western flair, just saying it's more traditional than most. As far as the price. You get what you pay for. The fish isn't something that has been cryopaked, sitting in someones freezer for 3 weeks. It's fresh and delicious. For instance, I have friends that swear that they will never eat mackerel ever again because is is too fishy and oily. I tell them that they need to go to Noguchi and try it because the places they have tried it at are not fresh and the mackerel here is BOMB! Is it cheap? No . Is this the place you want to go if you've got a hankering for a monster roll with 15 different kinds of fish with 30 different sauces and accouterments? No! If you want God damn good sushi this is where you want to go. All you naysayers can go to your Korean run chains and enjoy you Super Duper Crazy Monkey Ninja Superman Dragon Rolls. I'll stick with Noguchi.
(5)Mike K.
The positive reviews are from Reputation Defender. The price was 50% more than any other sushi restaurant around. While that would be fine for exquisite food, there is nothing special about the sushi at Noguchi. We feel ripped off. The portions are tiny, the prices are inflated, and the ambiance is set with Ikea chairs and concrete floors. In the end we left hungry and angry. We left Sushi Noguchi and went to Rubios - I'm not kidding. Save the $ and go to Yoshi's or Maguroya for reasonably priced decent local sushi... or go to Fish in a Bottle or Kabuki, have a couple of beers, and eat whatever you want... it'll still cost you less than this place. Don't go to Sushi Nogufhi. You'll spend 50% more and get 50% less sushi.
(1)Rick L.
HMMMMM We were driving by here because we live close and decided that we would give it a try. We do Sushi somewhere in our area almost every Friday. We are in to the more traditional Sushi and not real big on all the fancy rolls so after viewing the menu we were pleased with the selection. My wife likes the Spicy Tuna Tataki which came out beautifully prepared and presented but a bit on the small side for the price. I insisted we get the Trio Specialty which was 3 different kinds of sushi. It was listed as an appetizer for 12$. When it came there were only 3 pieces of sushi which was disappointing but they were delicious. That is basically how the whole evening went. Everything was on the small side and expensive. I wanted a Spicy Scallop Hand Roll and when I did not see on menu I asked. They stated that they can make any roll you want but they do not advertise it. The Spicy Scallop Hand Roll was an absolute treat. I would go back just for that. The scallops filled the roll and were not just on the top like most places. It was by far the best part of the meal!!! The Saki was cheap and tasty at $4.75 per. There was a fabulous crepe desert that we split that was incredibly tasty. Between my wife and I we dropped $140.00 which is too expensive. Bring your prices down or your portion sizes up and I will quickly give 5 stars :) Service was OUTSTANDING!!!
(3)Kimberly R.
Let me start by saying this..... it is the cleanest looking, cleanest smelling japanese restaurant i have ever been to! My first experience here was when they first opened. My daughter and I were looking for somewhere to eat after a rough day.... We eat sushi out all the time, every place we can find we try.... until we came here... no more looking anymore for the perfect place. Im writing this review now because im in Indiana and just had the most horrible sushi experience ever! I cant wait to get back home to have dinner at Sushi Noguchi with my family. If you are a basic california roll, tempura shrimp and teriaki person this may not be the place for you! If you do not appreciate fresh fish this may not be your place either. Sushi Noguchi is a culinary delight, made by a real chef a real sushi master. Service is always with a smile every time we come in we are greeted with a smile and by name..... I cant wait to get back home and have some real food!
(5)Rachel T.
Came here with the Diva and her sister. This is mom's experience and here goes! This place is incredibly clean ! I mean the cleanest establishment I have ever eaten at. The staff was exceptional. Greeted immediately by the staff with smiles and an openness you just don't feel in most establishments. Walked in and I was so impressed,. A beautiful decor that is so welcoming. I just loved this spot ! The attention paid to every detail. The staff wanted to make sure sure everything was alright and if we needed anything. A very polite young man came out and gave his regards to ATG from the owner who was not in. I thought wow, now that is service. We had an order of shrimp dumplings in a light broth,melted in our mouths. Never ever have I ever tasted dumplings like this. The crab hand roll was so fresh and so delicious. We also had a lobster roll too but the crab won ! For dessert we shared the mill crepe and let me tell you,nothing like it. Very light not overly sweet, great texture and just the right amount of creamy. Everything in it was just enough. I will return again and again. The food is great but the service was outstanding. Great service is hard to come by. Thank you for a wonderful experience :}
(5)Jeffrey K.
My wife & I were ecstatic to find that Higo & Jun were opening a sushi restaurant within a 1/2 mile of our home in Yorba Linda! We have been frequenting their first restaurant in La Habra, Higo Sushi - next door to The Cat & The Custard Cup - for years. Although, it is close to my office, it's a bit of a jaunt from Yorba Linda. To my relief, Higo & Jun opened Sushi Noguchi, and now I can have that wonderfully fresh sushi, hand-picked at the market daily by Higo himself, within 2 minutes of my house! Higo not only offers the most authentic sushi & sashimi around, but his creativity is amazing! I never order anything while at the sushi bar, as I prefer to let Higo treat me with his newest creations, and freshest fish.... My wife has her standard favorites consisting of new & old creations that Higo has discovered. Higo also always been happy to help my now 8 & 10 years-olds discover a taste for sushi. Shrimp heads are still my son's favorite! Jun offers the warmth & friendliness so many restaurants lack. It's great to have a husband & wife who are so dedicated to bringing their customers a wonderful experience from cuisine to hospitality! If you have not tried Sushi Noguchi yet, you are missing the best sushi around!
(5)chelsea m.
Hiro Noguchi has always had a dream to open an upscale Japanese restaurant, not just a sushi bar, but a way to show his talents as a chef - innovative, creative, trendy, and classical. The décor has very clean lines and has a Feng Shui, zen-like atmosphere. Sushi chefs announce your presence and welcome you with smiles. Asian decanters for the shoyu are a nice touch on the table. String lighting hangs from the ceiling cross beams making you feel as if you are dining outside. Omakase is served here as well. You tell the sushi chef what you don't like and he'll keep making items until you say to stop. Owners Hiro and Junko are the faces of the restaurant. Hiro serves, cooks, and makes the sushi bar creations. Junko is your hostess and makes sure you are having a wonderful dining experience. Let's talk about their Signature Specialties. The Sushi Triolet is three different kinds of Noguchi's special presentation of sushi. On this occasion, the presentation consisted of salmon sushi topped with mango and jalapeno, red snapper with a lemon pepper, jalapeno, yuzu sauce, and Prosciutto Tuna which is a finely selected fresh tuna wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto with yuzu juice and olive oil. The salmon sushi excites the taste buds with the creaminess of the salmon, sweetness of the mango, and a little bit of heat from the jalapeno. It creates a perfectly balanced flavor. The red snapper's freshness really stands out on this one. Then the sauce takes it to a whole new level, leaving your mouth with a clean, yet spicy finish. The Prosciutto Tuna is how Hiro shows you his innovative style. Who knew that tuna and prosciutto would be so great together. The tuna is excellent, very lean and sweet. The prosciutto brings a little bit of salty and just enough fat to make your mouth go wild. No shoyu necessary for these delights. Ask your sushi chef what the triolet of the day is. If available, this combination is out-of-this-world! Thumbs up with 5 stars!
(5)Edward S.
This place rocks for authentic, fresh and tasty sushi fish in OC. A little pricey, but definitely worth it.
(4)KC S.
Yummy fresh sushi! We have only visited once but it was a wonderful experience. The place is tiny so if you are going on a Friday or Saturday be aware that there may be quiet a wait. Make reservations for sure and I think the wait time will be a lot less. The sushi was again fantastic and top quality! We will definitely be by for a repeat visit!
(4)David L.
Black cod is sooo good. .
(3)Jeff S.
We really like this new sushi restaurant. The fish was super fresh, the menu is very interesting and different than your usual sushi, sashimi, and rolls options, and the staff is super friendly. If you're looking for the typical options of just lots of rolls then this is not the place but if you love fresh fish and interesting menu items and specials then I recommend this restaurant. In fact, we did want a special roll wrapped in cucumber and the chef was very accommodating and made us whatever we wanted very well. They also have some very nice sake and wine to choose from. We wil definitely be adding this to our list of local sushi restaurants to choose from.
(4)Mark K.
I was emailed by the owner after she found one of my other reviews of lack of fresh sushi in the OC. She promised me that the fish would be fresh. THE GOOD The fish was fresh as promised. Ordered the tuna, yellow tail, yellow tail belly, salmon and the spicy tuna role. I also had the Chilean sea bass which was heavenly as well as the soft shell crab which was light and tasty. Service was phenomenal and Chef Hiro even came out to give me a chat. Very nice personal service. Felt like royalty. THE BAD Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but the sushi rice was cold and hard. When I eat sushi at a restaurant, I don't want the rice to taste like the sushi rice you get from the refrigerated section of Whole Foods. Again, I just might be overly critical of this aspect, but ruined the amazingly fresh fish that was on top of it. I got a bill that I typically get when I go to a high end sushi restaurant in Los Angeles. I had my wife with me and ordered a kid's meal for my 2 1/2 year old. Total came out to $120ish without tip. I'll let you be the judge of value but for me I'll have to knock off a star. I was promised that the rice would be better the next time I go but not sure if I'll end up at Sushi Noguchi again. I sort of feel bad because the owners are such nice people, but I want to give a fair critique of the restaurant. -1 star for rice -1 star for value
(3)Michael O.
On a date with my wifey and she was craving for Sushi. We went to our favorite Sushi joint, "Rokuan" in Chino Hills but they were closed. So we were feeling adventurous and wanted to try a new place. I mean we already lowered our expectation thinking most likely it is not going to be as good. BUT WOW were we wrong! I ordered the Sea Eel Sushi the color of the fish was very light brown and I could totally taste the freshness of it worth every dollar. I also ordered the crunchy roll and it was served differently, instead of the usual tempura crumb they used wonton crumbs and it was extra crunchy and complimented the flavor better than I imagined. My wifey ordered the Sashimi plate and every piece was so fresh, from the color, to the smell, and taste you could totally tell that it is A+++++ quality. Our server/owner Jun Noguchi was so attentive and informative. We are completely satisfied and are definitely coming back again :)
(5)B. J. P.
Everything we tried here was wonderfu.
(5)Mark E.
Sushi Noguchi always has friendly and accommodating staff. I'm certainly no sushi expert, but the sushi is fresh and seems to have a nicer texture than many places. We don't get to go here often, but enjoy it when we do.
(5)uly k.
Omakase was great tonight! Great service, great company! Thanks for keeping the doors open today for me!
(5)S R.
Excellent sushi! My favorite is the "omakase" great rice very very fresh FISH! The kids menu is great too!
(5)Nathan W.
Well, the sushi rice was really great, & the fish was fresh. The best sushi we had that night were the simple nigiris. The salmon & tuna were both great. However, too many negatives to ignore. First off, worst waiter of the year. Straight up annoying. He might have been on drugs, seriously. The rest of the staff was or looked Japanese. What gives? I speak Japanese, I wanted me one of them. When he asked if we needed anything, we said no, he jumped back with his hands up, exclaiming well I guess I'll just leave you all alone! It was weird. It wasn't funny, why did he keep being jokey, it came off as douche. Also the omakase, came off like wanna be fine dining, I didn't dig it. I know I am very traditional when it comes to o-sushi. However, if you like that style, go for it. Also, it's a small place, with great acoustics. There was an extremely loud party when we came in, getting drunk. The noise was deafening, we couldn't hear each other at all. Supposedly they have another location which is more mom and pop. I'd be down to try that place. I am the first to admit though, that I am very hard to please when it comes to sushi. So if you are like me, avoid, if not enjoy. Just hope that you don't get the in your face waiter and there isn't an enormous party of boisterous boisterans. UPDATE 2/28/12 Whatever happened to Review Updates? I remember doing those. Anyways, Jun & Hiro, the owners, contacted me after I wrote this review. They were both very nice & offered an explanation & invited me back. That kind of attention to customer satisfaction is rare. I look forward to going back & raising my rating.
(3)Natsumi H.
TWO THUMBS UP!!!!! Being a first generation Japanese American, I have been raised eating only authentic Japanese food and I am very picky about the japanese restaurants that I go to. That being said, Noguchi is the perfect combination of an authentic japanese restaurant with a modern touch. The food I ordered was very delicious and I was very impressed that a restaurant like this existed in Yorba Linda. I cant wait to come back to try other things! I ordered the salmon skin salad, the assorted sashimi, the kobe beef tataki and the mille crepe (YUM). I usually judge a japanese restaurant by the sashimi and I must say that it is the best sashimi I have had in a while in the Southern California area! The sashimi was very fresh and it basically melted in my mouth! The kobe beef tataki was very juicy, tender and the flavoring was delicious. Lastly the MILLE CREPE... OMG the mille crepe is amazing. A very light, sweet dessert, it was SO GOOD!!! It is the perfect dessert to finish off your dinner I promise you! If you come to Noguchi you need to try the mille crepe!!! I can't wait to come back!!
(5)Vic V.
We were visiting from the Bay Area and wanted Japanese food. Being out of towners, we did not have know where to go, so I checked Yelp. Almost all the comments rated Sushi Noguchi with 4 stars or higher. We agree, the food was outstanding, service was great and the food was presented elegantly. We had a few appetizers and had 4 different rolls and everything exceeded our expectations. A great place with open seating and a great view of the sushi bar. Next time we are in the area, we will make sure we stop for dinner again.
(4)Natalie O.
My husband and I went there on a Friday night date night. First of all we were the only people in the entire restaurant, food was ok and it was extremely expensive compared to most sushi places. You get the smallest pour of wine I have ever had, about 4 oz. we will not go back!
(2)Suyen G.
Sushi snobs of the world unite! Anytime my husband and I want to go out for sushi we find ourselves searching on Yelp first since we have yet to find a place we absolutely love. Well, we have found THE place and Sushi Noguchi is it for so many reasons. The dining experience as a whole was outstanding. Everything we ordered was fresh and delicious. The creativity and attention to detail on each plate had my OCD husband in sheer bliss. The excellent service and warm welcome from Jun took everything up a notch for me.The atmosphere was perfect for a date night, a night out with friends, or even a family meal with the kids. The prices were also reasonable especially considering the quality and overall experience. We can't wait to go back this weekend and try some more amazing dishes. I can't imagine anyone who truly loves sushi being disappointed with this place.
(5)Sean B.
Excellent sushi, especially for the area. The dishes were creative and fresh. It is definitely on the expensive side, but the service and quality were both very good.
(4)Stephanie L.
People love this place and it is becoming the new hit sushi place in OC, receiving lots of reviews from local food bloggers and newspapers. The food here is good and the fish is delicious, but I wouldn't say I love it. Nothing about it stood out to me and I came with two other people who were not impressed either. Rather disappointing and frustrating, especially with the influx of reviews in the media about it.
(3)Larry L.
Amazing. Enjoyed several Japanese tapas. Perfect for three. Wonderful service. Best Japanese in the OC, hands down. Super cold draft Kirin.
(5)Eric C.
Big surprise. High quality sushi behind the orange curtain. Rivals sushi joints in LA and SF.
(5)Anastasia S.
I dont know how the food is becouse we walked out, so I'm not voting on the food purely on service. We waited for a half hour and tables were open an they would not set us or the 8 other people waiting to be seated. People were complaining the whole time we were waiting. They are completely disorganized it is amazing how disorganized a small place can be!!!!
(1)Angela Y.
My hubby and I tried this place for the first time on Sunday. We had the chief special (omakase). All the fish is really fresh. The only complaint is that there isn't a lot of fish varieties. They have all the usual stuff (salmon, tuna, toro, blue crab, sweet shrimp etc), but I was disappointed that i didn't have anything that are different. Our favorite place is Sushi Sasabune in West LA. In comparison, Sasabune has more variety and the price is more reasonable. But the drive is way too long for us to be a regular there. Therefore, we will definitely return to Sushi Noguchi for our sushi fix.
(4)Charlie T.
good fish, excellent service, one of the best place to go for sushi among that area
(4)Kumi N.
This is my first-ever yelp review, and I consider myself a true critic of authentic Japanese food, so I'm excited to have a place to share my thoughts! I've been waiting to try out Sushi Noguchi for a while after reading all the yelp reviews. People have been claiming how great this place is - so I thought I'd give this place a try. Well, I also needed to give sushi another try because I had gotten food poisoning at another place the week before (from eating the Aoyagi clam!), and Sushi Noguchi looked promising. I decided to order both sushi and some staple Japanese side dishes. Here's my take on my experience: We started off with the ohitashi, which is a super simple spinach appetizer. I make this all the time at home, but Sushi Noguchi's broth/seasoning was a bit too bland/watery. There were some weird moments of chewing into some grainy parts while eating the spinach, so I wondered if it wasn't washed thoroughly enough. I ordered the Sushi Triolet, which came with grunt fish (isaki), shrimp, and marinated tuna. The neta (the meat part) was good - very fresh. But I was really disappointed with the quality of the sushi rice. Rice is SO key to good sushi. So I was quite disappointed - the rice was a bit too dry and hard for our liking. At least for this batch. My boyfriend ordered the Japanese Ceviche, which was really delicious. The tuna, yellowtail, and salmon pieces were fresh, the ponzu sauce was perfect. I also ordered the belt fish (tachiuo) because it was recommended by Jun-san, since it was imported from Japan. My boyfriend and I thought it was OK - it was fried white fish that was wrapped in seaweed over rice. She told us that it was already seasoned, so we ate it as it - but It was a bit too bland, so a bit more salt would have helped. And again, this batch of rice was not that great. To give sushi another try, I then ordered yellowtail, and then later, the amberjack. The fish was so fresh. And this time, the rice was made JUST right. So I was relieved that the sushi wasn't entirely a negative experience. My boyfriend ordered the regular scallops (not the jumbo ones), but we were told it was going to be marinated with mayo, so we decided not to get it. To try out how their other Japanese dishes are, I ordered the Wagyu kakuni. Kakuni is staple Japanese izakaya food. I thought it'd be a good indicator of how well they make their 'tapas.' It was OK - their marinate was wonderful - full of rich flavor. The mustard they served with it was the real deal. Yet the wagyu beef was too tough and dry, hard to chew on (almost beef jerky status). Kakuni meat should always be tender, especially if it's wagyu. So this dish was disappointing, because it's not a difficult dish to make - the meat needs to be treated with care and not overcooked. After trying these dishes, we decided to head out. The general consensus was, come for the sushi, but everything else is not too great. We felt that the sushi meat was really fresh - and I haven't found a place that serves sushi this fresh around the North OC area. I would definitely come again to give it another try. And sushi is probably the only thing I'll order next time. Hopefully the rice will be perfect, just like it was toward the end!
(4)D H.
I would have to say this is the best sushi restaurant that I,ve ever been to. We have tried countless sushi restaurants in orange county and have been looking for our #1 restaurant. Sushi Noguchi is our #1. Upon entering the establishment we were greeted my friendly staff in a pleasant environment. The design and color reflects a chic design with natural wooden theme. We sat at the bar and ordered the omakase or chefs choice special. The quality of the fish was superb since the chef, Hiro Noguchi, goes to the fish market regularly to get the freshest fish available. The balance of the sushi rice texture, amount of wasabi, and finely cut fish was well executed. Also if you love oysters the Kumamoto oysters were delicious. To top off the night we also had crepe. If you come here you have to try before you leave o matter how full you are. With over 15+ layers of goodness, it will explode in your mouth. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to come here and experience it first hand.
(5)Jennifer C.
Sushi Noguchi has the freshest sushi around! I have lived in the area for over 10 years and have yet to find a better sushi restaurant. I am ecstatic that Sushi Noguchi is here!! But, this place is not for you if you do not eat the real raw sushi. They do not have a lot of rolls on the menu although they are willing to make pretty much anything you ask for. I did not care for the Hiro roll (asparagus and cucumber on the inside and albacore on top) because the fish to roll ratio was poor. And the roll was drenched in sauce. I also did not care for the spicy tuna roll. It was not spicy enough for me. Stick to the traditional sushi or sashimi. Anything on their "Specials" menu is good. We had the toro handroll which was amazing. I also really liked the ceviche. My family and I have been there twice so far. They have a kid's meal on the menu with chicken karage. The kids also loved their assorted tempura - you get three huge shrimp and an assortment of vegetables. The kids also loved the broiled salmon collar with ponzu sauce. Don't let the location or the exterior fool you. The food and the service is first rate.
(4)Brendan B.
I had no idea there was such a great sushi place in sleepy north OC. Great service, elegant design inside, and a fantastic meal. Hiro's omakase was one of the best I have ever had--and I have been lucky enough to dine at some very good sushi restaurants in my time.
(5)N N.
Disappointed!!! I bought two Yelp deals after reading many good reviews from Yelp. But I guess I'm not coming back. Compared to Nana San and Ohssima, Noguchi food is lack of freshness and tastiness. We ordered the chef choice menu which is so disappointed, especially the soy blue crab hand roll. The rice was hard and dry, too much rice, only little bit of crab. The rest of it was just so so, the only dish I like was monk fish liver
(2)Timothy S.
Easily the best omakase I've ever had
(5)Ying Y.
Sea Urchin, Clam and Tuna were extra awesome. Thank you Julie L. for recommending this place. It is a gem. The Japanese couple whom owns this place were very nice and their raw fish is just phenomenally fresh too. Two Thumbs up for this restaurant.
(5)Kristen B.
A few nights ago my fiance and I visited Sushi Noguchi for the second time. It was well worth the drive from Irvine to Yorba Linda for the freshest sushi I have had in OC. Their special rolls are amazing and I couldn't get over how fresh the fish was! We ordered a trio of sashimi, the Hiro roll, and the.....a role that starts with D. All were fantastic. We also had Miso Soup (very good here) and the Milo Crepe for dessert; it was unusual and tasty. Our first visit was a solid 5 stars. They lost a star this time for the excess of rice used on the special rolls. The server was very nice too. He answered all our questions about the rolls and made some great recommendations. Everyone is very friendly here....they all stop and say goodbye as you walk out the door (even the sushi chefs). Very welcoming group. Altogether, service is awesome, food is delicious, and yes...it's worth the 25 minute drive past 20+ other sushi restaurants that aren't as good. We'll be back for sure.
(4)Edward C.
I tried the omakase and it was really good. The bad thing about eating at a better sushi restaurant is, you know you're going to be harsher in your judgement at the next sushi restaurant. =D I really liked how they balanced the fish with the vinegar. The presentation was excellent and the blue crab avocado roll with soy paper at the end is now my personal favorite sushi food. Being 6' and 185lbs though, it did not fill me up so I had assorted sashimi at the end with fresh ground wasabi. They were really good as well. The sake and beer probably helped the experience =D. The food is pricey but I like to pamper myself every once in a while. If you have a lighter frame and a more sophisticated palate, this will be an excellent value for you. The service was warm and prompt. Excellent overall.
(5)Colleen K.
Unfortunately for these prices we expected much more. We have eaten at all kinds of sushi places all over southern California including the best. The portions were stingy and there was nothing special about the atmosphere or the food. Never again
(1)KATHRYN M.
I absolutely love Sushi Noguchi! Best sushi place in Yorba Linda by far. It is a little pricey but definitely worth it. If you want great, fresh sushi this is the place to go! Last time I ate dinner here with my family we ordered: Halibut sashi (half with lemon & sea salt and the other half with Ponzu) Rising sun roll Hiro Roll Mixed tempura and all of it was delicious! You won't be disapointed :)
(5)CHANTAL L.
Had to try this place because the ratings were so awesome! And that's exactly what Sushi Noguchi is! From the moment we walked in we were greeted in Japanese by 4 people lol! Being pregnant I had a craving for sushi but was definetly limited on what I could get roll wise but the chef was so accomadating and made me a veggie roll that was delicious! I also loved the idea of Japanese tapas the portions were good and my husband loved the Chilean sea bass and fried squid. And to top off such a great meal I ordered the mille crepe omg! About 30 layers of crepe after crepe and cream it was a little pricey for one slice at $6.50 but well worth it. This is officially our new sushi spot.
(5)Holly F.
celebrated my birthday here with about 12 guests. when i called ahead of time for the reservation, i had no idea that upon arriving at the restaurant, the staff would have prepared a table for our group right next to Christmas tree and nearly separated from the rest of the restaurant! definitely made the party experience more intimate and cozy. my friends and i all enjoyed ourselves and the sushi was great and reasonably priced. our server was also very accomodating. i do wish the service had been quicker, but we did have one server for 12 people, so it's understandable. the only drawback was that the bill did not come out in a point of sale format. it was mostly just scribble every which way and around all over the place so it made it very dfficult for everyone to divvy up their bills. the owner, jun, was a sweetheart though, and let us know that, if we let her know in advance next time, she can do separate checks for each party -- which would have saved us a great deal of time and headache. the owner, jun, is a very sweet lady, and the ambience and environment of the restaurant is beautiful. very sophisticated and classy, unlike most authentic sushi restaurants. i'll definitely be back. thanks, jun!
(5)Justin A.
Oishi! Just had dinner here tonight. Everyone was so friendly and the food was utterly amazing. If you love Sushi and you dont find this place easily one of the best in the area you dont know Sushi. I would give 6 or 7 stars if I could.
(5)Raj Q.
Great sushi. Great service! Friendly owners! Facebook friendly! We will definitely be back! Try the Hiro Roll!
(5)Susan C.
Spotless and fantastic ! We had Amberjack sushi for the first time, and it was so fresh we just couldnt believe it ! NOGUCHI was the best sushi dining experience we've had in over a year. We'll definately be back, (with friends)
(4)Angela P.
I was super excited when I saw that they were putting in a sushi bar in this location because I live nearby, and I am an absolute nut for a good roll at the end of a long day. Unfortunately, as I discovered last night, this place apparently doesn't cater to those of us less-than-traditional sushi lovers. There are only 2 rolls available, a California and a spicy tuna, and both of those are way too expensive to be worthwhile. There were some stand out nigiri offerings, but unfortunately those are also significantly over priced, and simply won't fill you up for less than a small fortune. The main dishes were extremely expensive as well, and didn't offer any of the standardized (read: Americanized) offerings many of us love from a sushi bar. I appreciate that as a white girl from the suburbs I might not have the street cred to support my disappointment, but you will have to take my word for it that I know what I'm talking about. My friend and I shared one small plate of tempura, two bowls of miso, one pair of salmon nigiri, and a California roll for $50, and we were still starving. The decor is beautiful, but we were only able to enjoy it for approximately 20 minutes, because that is as long as our over-priced and under-filling food lasted. In short, while the surroundings are truly a pleasure to be in, there simply wasn't a selection of rolls, main courses, or even side dishes available at this location worthy of returning for. The prices are far too high for what you receive, and I probably won't be returning without a major overhaul of the menu.
(2)Addison S.
This is the most delicious, fresh, authentic sushi you'll get anywhere around. Hands down. I am a sushi freak/connoisseur/snob, call it what you will, but I don't give that praise lightly. The chefs put a lot of work and care into crafting those delicious delicacies. There are several fusion type dishes and modern takes on classics that are truly inspired. The owner Hiro (who you'll most likely see there nightly) is up in the early morning buying the freshest fish straight from the morning's catch and slicing away all night to give those savory morsels. He must not sleep. The entrees are nothing short of pure genius. I'll have to update later when I've written down the names of some of my favorites. Now, to those who read or wrote the 1-2 star reviews please take special note. This is NOT a cheap Korean owned sushi restaurant like 90% of those you'll find in southern california. It's authentic Japanese sushi which deals with only the finest quality fish and it's worth every penny. There's a reason for the difference in price point from those other places. Now, if you are satisfied with cheap fish you could pick up from the grocery store that has probably been sitting there for a few days that's fine. If you can't taste the difference and expect a dinner at a sushi bar to be like eating at Dennys, okay. Just know that Sushi Noguchi is on a whole other level from places like that and it's goal is to expand your taste buds' horizons with delicious food. Please don't hate on a place because you're too cheap or "americanized" (read: lack of refined palate). Also, to be completely honest, this place really isn't very expensive. For 3 people, a wide assortment of food and some alcohol, the bill was more than reasonable. Take out the alcohol and it would have been a down right bargain. Long review short, this place is amazing. Go, you'll love it. You'll also want to come back. I drive about 35 minutes inland from the coast to eat here, so if the rest of my review goes unheard, that should at least mean something. Also, don't trust sushi reviews from self admitted "less-than-traditional" sushi lovers (read: clueless).
(5)John S.
If you appreciate good variety of Japanese foods and presentation, this is the place to go. Expensive but worth the price. Authentic local Japanese foods away from J-Town or Gardena. Best is to go with the Chef's special order. Sit back, enjoy your beer and let the foods keep coming (until you full) then try the desert.
(4)lisa w.
Love this place! Food was yummy and the service was great. Everything came out fast. The fish was fresh... :) the milk crepe is the BOMB...
(5)Bridget L.
Good fresh sushi. Great service. Love the sunrise roll. Affordable. Classy ans casual.
(4)Frances C.
First time at this place. Caught it on Yelp and since we live nearby, we decided to try it. The Triolet was a very interesting take on sushi. Everything was fresh. The Cod and Miso was cooked just right. The fish was tender and tasty. Hubby liked it so much, he wants to visit often. We will be coming back.
(4)Guillermo A.
I get an opportunity to travel all over California and get a chance to try many different sushi restaurants. Hands down i have to say that Sushi Noguchi has the best and freshest sushi anywhere. Hiro prepares everything with such zeal that it brings joy into every bite.
(5)Nathan N.
i tired this place, because i work somewhat nearby and really like higo sushi, so i figured that this place would be good as well. however that is not the case; like another review stated it is much too expensive for what you get. i will say that the dish i had was decent and i didn't get food poisoning (which is why they get 2 stars instead of one), but ive had far, far better, in much larger quantities, and paid significantly less. the most astonishing fact about this place is that they don't serve teriyaki chicken...come on now, what is that about?...they mind as well not serve rice while their at it. honestly, no matter how gourmet and "different" you want to be you gotta to have basics.
(2)Michael L.
Sushi was super fresh and service was great. There was some great innovative sushi dishes. The Japanese Ceviche was awesome and Tuna Tartar was awesome. This restaurant is such a great addition to Yorba Linda.
(5)Shelley F.
My Mom and Dad frequented the owner's other Japanese restaurant, Higos, and loved it. Unfortunately, Higos closed down so my parents were left without their favorite Japanese eatery. We finally got around to going to Sushi Noguchi last Saturday and boy is it different than Higos! It has a very modern setup and a very different menu. I had the miso chicken. Was yummier than I expected! For appetizer we had the fried tofu (sooo delicious) and miso cucumbers which were mediocre. (I prefer my cucumbers with vinegar and sugar.) the service was excellent. The owner was around and greeted us. Our waiter was a young Japanese boy who had started working there about a month or so ago. He was excellent and made sure we were well taken care of. Would definitely go back.
(4)karen G.
First: this place is not cheap, nor is it extremely pricey. I always feel like I get what I pay for, and never regret spending my hard-earned money here. This is absolutely beautiful food. The last time I was at Sushi Noguchi I had the omakase sushi (chef's choice). The taste ranged from pure top quality seafood, to delightfully surprising complex flavors artfully designed with various sauces and ingredients. My brothers, also long-time sushi aficionados, were equally impressed with the meal, fit for an emperor. We actually gave our chef a standing ovation! It was my birthday that night, and I was presented with a piece of cake made with thin layers of crepe and whipped cream. My heaven! A great memory.
(5)Grace J.
I love the food and the service. But they need to serve something that American ppl can eat. Like teriyaki chicken. They should probably change the menu. Everything is way too fancy. The restaurant, the food, the menu. American ppl don't know how to order from that kind of menu. They need to serve some basic stuff. Besides that, they have nice food and good quality of sushi.
(2)John K.
good sushi. owners are extremely friendly. clean and simple decor. would come bk again.
(4)Greg T.
$200 worth of mediocre. I'm going to try and figure out my bill in which I based the pricing on several restaurants: - Ankimo (about an 1 oz), $6 Sushi Gen - 4 oysters, Sugar Fish (SF) $6.50 - 5 subpar pieces of bonito, $10? - 12 pcs of: 4 salmon, 4 maguro, and 4 hamachi, saba/shiso?, and of course sashimi clam, Shunka $25 - 4 pcs nigiri pieces: 2 salmon, 2 maguro, SF $4.75/$4.75 - 4 pcs clam (mirugai)... yea more clam, 345 $7+x2 - 4 pcs uni/ika/masago and tai with yuzu kosho, SF tai $5.25x2 - 2 pcs ebi, SF $4.50 - BTW: had no alcohol and only green tea/water. That's $86. Am I missing something? Oh yea: the mille crepe, 1 bday slice must have cost the balance which is $87.00 = $173. Now the Details: First dish was Ankimo: I always like to see what spin most people put on it since it's traditionally served with momiji oroshi, negi, and ponzu. So I was excited for the first dish, but in the case of Noguchi, regardless of preparation it was surprisingly one of the worst I've had which was a bad way to start off the meal. It was hard, and almost dry and flavorless like they had over steamed it. Garnishment was lettuce and lemon. Enuff said. Next dish was 4 oysters (looked like typical American Kumamotos) which were typically prepared with momiji oroshi and negi. Next. Bonito was next up and it's one of my favorites (just not here), so i don't know how they messed this one up. Of course I had to compare this dish to only a month back of having one of the best prepared bonito (aku) sashimi dishes I've ever had at Izakaya Gaku in Hawaii. Nothing was typical with their preparation and it was phenomenal. With Noguchi's version, it was seriously one of the worst I've ever had. The fish quality was horrendous and at this point I was getting fed up with all the crappy ponzu laden sashimi dishes, so I asked for nigiri sushi (they said it was coming). Next plate was the sashimi platter which was tolerable, but I'm not a big salmon sashimi eater, but I assume they're heavy on salmon because that typically appeals to the Yorba Linda crowd. Nigiri time. I thought things would get better now, but instead we got fed more salmon. 2-pieces of salmon with osetra caviar? (big effn deal for caviar) and 2 maguro. Only condiment worse is if they busted out truffles or even worse synthetic truffle oil. I thought since this was "the special Hiro/CBS omakase" (not served by Hiro), it'd be a lot better than this, but instead we just got really subpar nigiri sushi too. Sushi shari/nigiri preparation, etc wasn't by any means stand out. Definitely at this point, I realized this place was well below almost every place I had been too. Only way this is acceptable is if this place was in a dive location or on Main St. in HB because at least I would've expected this level of sushi. 5 star reviews a plenty because ohhh do they got 5 staaaarrrrs from the elite of Elites. How that came about is why yelp gets it's fair share of criticism, but if you know how to utilize yelp, you know how important it is to sort through the reviews while taking the overall rating with a grain-of-salt. Unfortunately I wish I had paid more attention to some of my more hardcore sushi yelpers (Maggie'chan or Jenny K) vs. the casual ones or to some of my non-yelpers who had frequented the place. So I was definitely done with this lower than average experience, and I just wanted to go home and eat which I did do. I ate my leftover poke that I had made the night before which I give that meal 3 stars (over marinated the maguro). The moment of truth, flipping over the bill to see a $173 bill was the biggest slap in the face because most of my friends know I have no problem throwing down on food. In fact, I typically eat sushi at least a couple times week at typically either Shunka, Murasaki, or a random spot. Two of the places which were also listed on the CBS site for the best omakase. Unfortunately, Noguchi is nowhere in the same league as these other two places. That's why I find all these so called "food critics" and "best of" listings on large media sites also as credible as yelp. As for service, Jun and the other waitress are really personable and definitely enjoyable to talk to and very sweet. They probably are the reason why I could see this place getting 5 stars, but if you ever go to the similarly priced (yet cheaper) San Shi Go in Newport, that is the level of service/food of a $80-100+ per person place. Noguchi doesn't even come close if you were to directly compare the two because at San Shi Go, not one time are you ever expected to reach up and grab your food. Instead a waiter comes over to the sushi bar to place the food directly in front of you. At Noguchi, the stoic sushi chef just stands their waiting for you to reach up and get out of your seat to grab the plate because it sometimes requires a super long reach at their sushi bar. 2 stars?? Well the majority has it being 4.5 stars, so dismiss what I said. Its 5 STARS!!! Best place ever.
(2)Ellie L.
My cousin and I dined here for dinner just few hours ago because we wanted to try another spot besides our usual go-tos. We were disappointed because the preparations for the chef's choice omasake too forever! We checked in at 7:30pm and decided to call it "quits!" at 9pm after receiving our 7th piece. There were only three parties left, two chefs cleaning up, and 5 servers tuck away in the corner of the restaurant texting. Our chef was really nice but the wait was too long. Service was slow and it took forever to get their attention to grab the check. Well one good thing about this place is that their fish was delicious and fresh. Especially the fatty Toro, sea bream, coronet fish, and Japanese Spanish mackerel is a must. Overall, I would come back to try their Mille crepe but otherwise I won't be coming back anytime soon.
(3)Eliza C.
Soooooo good to be back! Hiro's Omakase!!! Amazing!!!! As they come out, I keep forgetting to take masterpiece pics because i'm just inhaling them!!! (I've been holding onto this review? It's been awhile but must post! & can't wait to go back!!!) (Hi Hiro-san & Jun-san!)
(5)Jennifer J.
There must be a dearth of good sushi in this neck of the woods judging by the glowing reviews. Desserts were amazing, but when it comes to sushi, who saves room? The meal was as pleasant as running into an old acquaintance/colleague. I nodded and smiled throughout the $45 omakase, and politely insisted on sharing my dishes with friends. But truth be told, I would never "share" my omakase with friends because, let's face it, I'm a shameless pig when it comes to sushi. If Noguchi were a guy trying to get in my pants, I'd say he's in the dreaded friend zone and no amount of alcohol (FYI there is a $15 corkage fee) could sway me to give Noguchi a chance to be more than just friends.
(3)Michael J.
The place has a newer modern look but the price for what you get was really high. Sushi was fresh but have tried others with a more reasonable price and same quality.....ill go back when they actaully have a happy hour...the presentation was beautiful though
(3)Kimberly D.
Great place to eat sushi! The fishes are very fresh and delicious! The service is great and the staff is excellent and gracious! The chef is awesome! My family enjoyed coming here! When my nephews visited from Germany! I took them here and they truly enjoyed the experience. My husband and I celebrated an anniversary here. We had our daughter's 8th grade graduation luncheon here and everyone had a great time! It is always a treat to come here and I can't wait to come back! I often come here for lunch with my girlfriends! They love it here too!
(5)Linda S.
This is not an especially fancy or large restaurant, but you will feel well-pampered upon entrance as you are greeted by the warm environment, undivided attention, and the sweet owners, Jun and Hiro themselves. Hiro's Omakase is definitely the way to go. We were able to try a wide variety of appetizers, fusion food, hand rolls, and raw fish. You can tell Hiro what you don't want and when you get full. Hiro paid a lot of attention into his work of art and kept it reasonably priced for the boyfriend's wallet ;) We were both very satisfied with the food not to mention blown away by the service and DESSERT. The boyfriend told Jun and Hiro it was my birthday and immediately, they prepared this special dessert for me, on the house. This must be one of a kind, the Mille Crepe. It is a layered vanilla cake (not too sweet), drizzled with chocolate syrup and served with fruit. We will be back. PS. My favorite were salmon, scallop, and albacore.
(5)Danny C.
Recommend: do the market price omakase, well worth the money and the ingredients are fresh. If you do not like something or would like a second serving of something, the sushi chefs are more than able to tailor your dining experience to your liking. Overall: Japanese restaurants are all about freshness, cleaniness and welcoming ambiance. This place is the cleanest I have seen, even the back kitchen. Definite Thumbs Up! The food service is a bit on the slower side, which is good - enjoy the food and chew thoroughly, something that is lost in some other establishments wanting to turn over seatings faster.
(5)Ada Y.
Super fresh fish. Everything taste great. No TVs and everything was decorated very clean, light and simple. Almost seems like a place in LA or Hollywood. Sushi chefs doesn't interact with the ppl sitting at the bar as much as other places.
(4)Sidney S.
Sometimes sushi is just superb, and other times there's nothing like a great big steak. It depends where your taste buds are at the time -- Francesca Annis Food and Wine/Sake Bacchanal Part II But why choose between sushi and steak when you can have both on the same night???? And have both on the same night we did...oh wait, taken out of context that sounds bad. Anyway, earlier in the week i had gone to Sushi Noguchi and had a wonderful meal with the wine geeks. Except no Mille Crepe dessert!!!! I almost gave them one star review for that oversight (Just kidding Jun!). Anyway, we had a wonderful meal regardless...gorgeous Baby Blue Fin and lovely Toro were the highlights. But, since we were in YL on a Saturday night, we called Jun from Bistrot Masillia and checked to see if they were open and if Mille Crepe cake was available. It was! So on we rushed over even after having a four course meal. We brought June some Bordeaux too...ordered some sake...and hey, since you are at a sushi restaurant why not order sushi too? Dynamite was excellent...some more Toro and Amberjack I think. No Blue Fin though :( So two great meals here in one week!
(5)Bernard P.
I'm always looking for legit Japanese owned sushi bars with fresh fish and good service. This is the place! Perfect temperature fish with the perfect amount of garnish. I let the sushi chef do his thing and surprise me. Surprise it was! I've owned a sushi restaurant for over 8 years. This place blew mine out the water lol!
(5)Lori M.
Just when you stop looking, give up hope, artisan sushi finally arrives in Yorba Linda. Step inside and have your senses cleansed with a crisp yet somehow inviting atmosphere. With little to compete with the presentation of each dish, you settle in for a treat. Fellow Yelpers helped me out by telling me about Sushi Noguchi. In a little strip mall off of Yorba Linda Boulevard, I never would have noticed this place! Sidney S., especially, I kow-tow to you and your skill in locating hidden gems. For our first visit, my BF kicks us off by ordering omakase. From there, Chef Hiro-san brings on a blend of beautiful, tasty, complex, simple, traditional, and fusion plates full of taste bud happiness. He keeps us guessing and happy, all at the same time. When we heard about the sake tasting, a food/sake pairing, we call some friends to join us. We are seated and treated even more special than on our first visit. Service is excellent and gets even better with repetition. Again, the food is truly lovely and full of flavor. It is obvious that the staff at Sushi Noguchi care about their craft. They combine old school with whimsical. They show pride in being your host, letting their skill and graciousness speak for themselves. Sometimes when we stop looking, life gives us wonderful surprises. For me, Sushi Noguchi is one of those wonderful surprises.
(5)Wendy W.
We confirm our previous review. Tonight everything was as good as usual or better. It's Xmas eve and the service is superb. The fish fresh, delicious and sake selection is fantastic. Whatever: we are well fed and sake saturated, we recommend you come here. Merry Everything!! Sushi Noguchi is the bomb!!!
(5)Dan H.
Yep another 5 star experience at my now favorite OC sushi bar. The lady friend and I arrived a little buzzed and starving after spending a few hours at a Greek Festival up in Downey. My exact recollection of everything we had is thus a little cloudy. The highlights: Jun and Hiro the owners. Jun asked me if we wanted omakase and I replied not really. Well it ended up being sort of that with Jun's guidance. She was almost a constant presence, and after each item I consulted her on what to order next. She would shout out in Japanese to Hiro, and in a few moments some beautifuly plated creation would arrive before us. Farideh felt compelled to compliment Hiro on how beautiful everything was. With a wink and a chuckle.."that way we can charge more" was his tongue in cheek reply. The uni in shell. Whatever Jun instructed Hiro it also came with three slices of salmon, yellowtail, and maybe 4 or 5 slices of toro on the side, and of course beautifully plated. The toro and uni here is absolutely the freshest one would ever hope for. We ordered more later in the meal. Uni atop fresh scallops. A divine creation indeed. Some homemade layered crepe desert. Light, and a very refreshing end to a great meal. Yelp discount of $10 for leaving a quick tip on the Yelp check in app. After Hiro made his tongue in cheek remark I was prepared to spend $120+ for this amount of superior sushi and several (3? 4?) sakes. With the Yelp perk it was $87 plus tip. An absolute bargain. I am eagerly awaiting our next trip to visit Jun, Hiro, and the rest of their efficient smiling staff.
(5)Steph H.
Came here to enjoy a PYE featuring jazz by the Dave G Trio and a special prix-fixe dinner and it did not disappoint! I don't get out to these parts very much these days but this event was worth the drive! I'd been hearing so much about how wonderful Jun and this restaurant was and I finally got to experience it firsthand. She and the rest of the staff were SO wonderful to us (the crazy boisterous crowd that we were), and the prix fixe menu they put together for us was amazingly generous. I got to nosh on some delicious sashimi, sushi and other delights while listening to some awesome jazz by Dave G & Co AND socializing with cool Yelpers! All around a great experience--thanks so much for organizing this, Dave G, and many many thanks to Jun and the restaurant for making it such a wonderful event. I know this will be my go-to sushi joint the next time I'm in this area!
(5)Edward P.
This place sort of bucks the trendy all you can eat, loud techno music blaring sushi restaurant and opts for the quiet, traditional sushi establishment; which can be a nice change of pace. With that being said, where the rubber meets the road is in the quality of food and attention to detail. Yes the sushi was fresh and the execution was good, but let me just say, if you're going to charge Morimoto like prices, then you must be judged accordingly...and this place is no Morimoto's. A bit disappointing in my humble opinion because it has the potential to be something special, but the price point for what they offer just isn't enough...not in So Cal where the sushi competition is fierce.
(3)Reeves C.
As an advanced sushi consumer, my caution is that while the food preparation is good, the service is excellent, there is a consistent thread of over charging... Even to the regular user. The prices are out of line even for this quality. Caveat emptor.
(3)Soo P.
It was a good experience. Tried the king crab, jumbo scallops, purple squid, uni, bonito, and mackarel. Seemed like good quality. I liked the variation of things I could try.
(5)Ryan G.
After reading over the offerings we opted for the omakase menu. 1st course - spicy tuna canapé. Spicy tuna with jalapeno, sweet mayo, tomato and onions served on a cracker. This was a nice, light way to start the meal. The flavors and textures were balanced wonderfully in the first course. 2nd course - cold chawanmushi. A cold egg custard with gelatin, spinach, fish cake, mushrooms with glass noodles, chicken and shrimp. The accompaniments added good texture and flavor to compliment the delicate custard. This was one of the better dishes of the evening. 3rd course - yellowtail with jalapeno sauce. I wish there was a sugar, acid and/or heat component to give the dish more depth. The yellowtail was my least favorite dish of the night. 4th course - toro steak. Grilled toro steak with grated daikon and radish sprouts in a sweet sauce with mustard. Quite simply, this dish was amazing. The toro was slightly smoky from the grill and reminded me of a well marbled steak. Each bite had the perfect harmony of rich, smoky, fresh, peppery, sweet and bitter notes. This was an excellent "meat" course that was easily my favorite savory dish of the night. 5th course - sushi course. Halibut, salmon, seabream, tuna and amberjack. The fish was extremely fresh and expertly cut. This was a lovely assortment of sushi. 6th course - Negitoro hand roll. A hand roll with green onions and toro, simple but satisfying. The toro was buttery and the green onion added freshness and a little bite which complimented the toro and sushi rice. Additional course - mille crepe. Tender crepes layered with a slightly sweet, buttery cream and served atop a balsamic glaze. A French dessert served Japanese style, intricately constructed and not overly sweet. I enjoyed the meal overall. The only course I didn't care for was the yellowtail. The toro steak was among the best dishes I have ever had at a Japanese restaurant. As a long time resident of Yorba Linda I am ecstatic that Yorba Linda is finally getting some good dining options.
(5)Dave G.
I need to come here more. Sushi Noguchi is by far the finest Sushi I've eaten. No I haven't eaten at Urasawa in Beverly Hills. But I have eaten at many sushi places, and I can tell you that it doesn't get better than this. In fact nothing I've had in Northern Orange County is close to being in their league. Each piece of fish just melts in your mouth. This is not your local pig out Sushi spot. Those are McDonalds and this is prime Kobe Beef Filet Mignon level sushi here. You don't eat sushi here to get stuffed. You eat sushi here to experience a bite of perfection. Take your time, admire it's presentation, pick it up, just barely dip it in the soy sauce fish side down so the rice doesn't soak up too much to cover the delicate flavor of the fine fish. Savor the texture. Let it linger, like you would a fine wine. Now all that said, I still am going to run up a big bill here, because everything is so wonderful. I started off with a few things on their signature dish menu. Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno Sauce. The thin cut jalapeno peppers added just the perfected amount of heat to this beautiful not too thin slices of yellowtail. I've really been on a yellowtail kick lately and I'm starting to love it as much as salmon. My only regret with this dish is that there was so much yummy sauce left over, I needed something to soak it up. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Next up was the Sushi Triolet. This changes nightly and while I've seen some beautiful presentations, mine was very plain looking. So much so that I didn't bother to snap a photo of it. Just 3 pieces of white fish on rice. Now plain looking, doesn't mean plain tasting as I thoroughly enjoyed each one. I then went with the Prosciutto Tuna. This is a cubed piece of tuna wrapped in proscuitto with a sauce of yuzu juice and olive oil, pink peppercorns and thin sliced radish. I loved this sauce the last time I had it with their smoked salmon carpaccio. While it was good this time around, there's something about the prosciutto and the tuna that says, "hey it's all about us." yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Now came the words that I didn't want my Sushi chef to say to me, "Is there anything else i can get you? Some Toro perhaps?" Just when I thought I was done, I found myself saying "Sure." You don't get Toro very often. It's a perfect cut of the Bluefin Tuna from the belly. The texture is unmatched and the words melt in your mouth, don't do it justice. Most of the time places freeze it because it's expensive, and it doesn't freeze well. I've had it before and thought, hmm it's not all that, good but not amazing. Then I had it at Sushi Noguchi, where it's as fresh as can be. Now I get it. The light is on now. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… I figured the Toro was going to be my dessert, but Jun the owner had other plans for me and brought me out some Vanilla Ice Cream Folded in a Crepe. Sometimes desserts look much better than they are, but not at Sushi Noguchi. I've had their Mille-Feulli Cake before and was amazed. However now we have dessert 1 and 1A. This little crepe package almost had the texture of Mochi, because it was very cold around the ice cream. The custard base that it was in was excellent and you can see on the photo the attention to detail with the heart shaped decoration. Thank you Jun, my daughter and I loved it. I can't wait to return soon. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE…
(5)Andrew A.
The food is good quality, not our favorite choice when getting sushi. The portion is a little on the small side, price is a little above avg. service was a little slow from the sushi chef, looks like more concern with presentation vs speed of service. It's not bad food just wouldn't pay that price for the food. It's the most expensive sushi restaurant we have been to in a long time!
(3)Rob N.
Great Gem in YL! I've been trying to find a great sushi restaurant near my home and believe I have just located it. The fish is fresh and quality grade. You can tell even before you have your first piece of fish that Hiro and his staff (our sushi chef for the night was Shio) take great pride in what they do and what they serve simply by tasting the ginger that is served with the sushi. In addition to the great food, I have to say they really value their customers. I had bought a deal back in 2010 on Yelp for a discounted meal (I think it was like $30 for a $40 value). Unfortunately, the one time we tried to use it in 2010 was on a Monday night when they were closed. Shortly after that night, my wife and I learned that we were expecting a baby girl to arrive....so that began our sushi hiatus. It wasn't until recently that we have been able to go out for dinner again. So it was to my surprise that they honored the deal in full value despite the fine print that indicated it expired and that I would only get the principal amount. We wound up tipping it right back but things like this make a difference in a customer's experience and we really appreciated it. We will definitely be coming again for the great food and good service!
(4)Samuel Curtis J.
I saw the pics on yelp and I was excited to try this place since its decently Close to where I live, sadly I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, this place isn't bad, the fish is fresh and the service is decent, but people rating this place 5 stars or even 4 don't know sushi. I thought this place was more traditional because they offer omakase and the pics looked legit. But then they served me a spicy tuna taco as one of my courses, seriously? Whack. Overall, very mediocre and not worth the money. Ricky's sushi in corona is close enough to here to make it worth the drive... Way better sushi. Corona, I know, but trust me, check it out and you'll know what I mean.
(3)Richard M.
I'm giving this 3 star review with a heavy hand, I went to Noguchi last night with the real X(wife) for some sashimi and I wasn't impressed. Everything came out looking good, but the fish was lacking in flavor and variety. I ordered hamachi belly sashimi, it wasn't the belly. Asked if they had mirugai, no. Ordered 1/2 dozen kumomoto oysters, only had 3. The toro sushi tasted average. The aji was great. The sweet shrimp, great presentation but the shrimp itself was soft and mushy. Inconsistencies can kill my desire to go back.
(3)Danielle B.
My grandma read about this place in the paper and took note to try their "top rated" cuisine. We stalked the place for months, always ending up at their door when they were closed. We finally made it in one day and were the only people in the restaurant the whole time.... The service was great, but the sushi was the worst I've ever had.I ordered spicy tuna that was less spicy than regular tuna. Honestly, if they'd taken regular tuna and washed the flavor out, it would have been comparable to my spicy tuna rolls. My grandma ordered the special combo of the day, which tasted like nothing and an appetizer for us to share that tasted like nothing. We both agreed our money would be better spent elsewhere and would not be returning. I don't understand the positive reviews on the food.
(1)Brian P.
Went back there with my gf. The service and the fish wasn't as amazing as the first time. Hmmm... confused.
(3)Forrest D.
One of the greatest surprises anyone can have eating out is getting a dish that makes your taste buds dance like a schoolgirl at a Bieber concert that you weren't expecting. (hopefully this reference will make no sense at all to people who read this five years from now) Here that moment comes at dessert, a moment in any Asian dinners that is almost always, without fail, completely unmemorable. I've likely eaten thousands of meals in various Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Tibetan, Vietnamese etc. restaurants and never had one notable dessert. Until now. Mille Crepe Cake is simply stunning. It's subtle yet oddly complex, layer after layer of delicate crepes molded into a quietly remarkable confection on a plate garnished with strawberries, grapes and scribbles of chocolate. Picture don't really do it justice, nor do ornate descriptions and by over promoting I run the risk of hyping it too much. It's not too sweet and it's not too heavy. If that were all, it might still be worth driving across town for but there are other delicacies to revel in too. They offer a moderately priced omakase here at $45, but as it only consisted of six dishes we opted for Chef's Choice a la carte where you tell him when to stop because six isn't enough to fill us up. It went a little something like this: Amuse Bouche - light and simple Toro - pretty close to perfection Fresh Scallop w Uni - fabulous White Fish sashimi w Chives Oil - nice Salmon and Crescent Sweetlips - fantastic salmon, Sweetlips wasn't as interesting as it sounded but it was fresh Yellowtail w jalapeño - good quality but not our favorite Toro Hand roll - also good but not overly memorable Baked Lobster Hand Roll - holy s$&% good Mille Crepe - unmissable The sushi quality is terrific here, completely unexpected even with all the rave Yelp reviews. If its not quite at the level of a place like Sushi Zo, Kimagura or n/naka, that's to be expected as they all consistently make every top ten sushi lists in Los Angeles but it's still light years better than most. How far it's worth to drive for depends on how close you live to excellent quality sashimi, but it's hard to imagine better quality sushi anywhere in Orange County. Also a pleasant surprise after you pass through the doors from the undistinguished mini mall where Noguchi is located, is the understated but beautiful and modern interior. Light wood touches include a marvelous slatted ceiling balanced against white walls, cement floors and a very large sushi bar. It was startlingly empty early but possibly we were expecting huge crowds from the raves, and it packed up later with well heeled clientele. The only caveat I have is that it wasn't as inexpensive as some had stated. Granted we eat a lot, but even so the end result was the equivalent of most any high end sushi restaurant anywhere in Los Angeles. I don't know when, we live a long ways away, but I know for sure I'll be back. Probably every time I'm anywhere close and can dream of Mille Crepe. Best Plates: Baked Lobster Hand Rolls, Toro, Scallop with Uni, Salmon, Mille Crepe Palate - Mainstream Food - A- Ambience - A- Service - A- Value - B+
(5)Amy K.
Favorite sushi restaurant for my family of six. Ask them where they want to go and it's always this awesome sushi spot. Makes for easy nights out with the family! Hiro's Omakase is by far the best in the OC and LA(we've tried many others). Husbands favorite here is amaebi sweet shrimp. A must have. My favorite is simple yellowtail. And their green salads are always my go to while waiting for my other orders. Wish I could get their salad dressing secrets. I look forward to it each time. We have a lot of dietary restrictions in our family and Jun and Hiro are always accommodating and understanding. They always make us feel welcome and happy to be there. Their fish is some of the freshest tasting and looking we've every had. And the size of some of the pieces. yes! Because who wants to go to sushi and then get presented with tiny pieces. They are always plentiful. Out of town visitors, birthdays, celebrations... this is always our favorite dinner and lunch pick.
(5)Minerva T.
I don't see how I can expect anything less than fantastic whenever I go to Sushi Noguchi. Of course, this causes me to blab my mouth off and drag other people along (or if they say they love sushi but haven't been, I accompany their first visit here). We recommended Craig F. to come here and enjoyed dinner ourselves. It is always a treat at Sushi Noguchi not only because everyone there is so friendly and gracious but also because the fresh fish itself is a present. We started off with some sake to get us going. Duke D. and I ordered a few dishes but overall, we shared an omakase. One of the great things about omakase is the constant feeling of wonder and curiosity to see what the chef will provide. Chef Hiro-san is such a particular artisan of his craft that we just enjoyed watching him prepare dishes (we sat at the bar) instead of particularly seeing if it was our plate or not. The starter was Deep Fried Smelt served with a Sweet, Vinegar Sauce, easily something that might turn another person off because it's smelt after all. However, don't deny yourself this salty treat! One of the regular menu items we ordered was the Yellowtail Sashimi in a Jalapeño Sauce because yellowtail is my favorite. While the cuts here cannot compare to the earth-shattering cut I had in Vancouver, they are still certainly amazing. The natural buttery-ness of the yellowtail shone brilliantly despite the sauce which is just a nice accent to the fish itself. Then a plate of generously thick Jumbo Scallop with Uni & Caviar came out; if you haven't had this texture before, it may take some getting used to. The scallop is reminiscent of a briny piece of cooked tendon but a bit harder. There is definitely an edge to it. With fresh and smooth uni atop with bursts of caviar flavor, these were great for scallop lovers. Then a regular menu item order came out of the Ikaten (tempura squid) which was hands down one of the best cooked choices we made. Lightly salty and crunchy, it satisfied so many cravings. The next plate in the omakase series was a beautifully presented Orange Clam, cut into many different styles. We really thought there were other items on the plate but Chef assured us we were just having the various parts of the clam. I particularly was in favor of the smaller slices nestled within the shell itself as they were briney and crisp, like pig ears or hard tendon. Overall, a very fresh clam that we dispensed of quickly. Then Craig got the treat of Bluefin Toro which was cut oh so handsomely. He so nicely let us have some and using just my chopsticks, I was able to separate a piece to eat. Melt-in-your-mouth goodness, yes. It was a pleasant pre-show to our next plate that we asked for because Duke D. and I love it so much - the Live Shrimp. Live shrimp deftly killed in front of us, taken apart, and quickly deep-fried before being presented in a fun and unique manner makes for a good meal! Salted slightly but full of crunch and bite, this is not a dish to forget or recommended to miss. Of course, you can't avoid some nigiri. Rolled out was a plate of Kampachi, King Salmon, and Yellowtail Toro followed quickly by King Crab. Yes, yes, yes. I had a piece of the Yellowtail toro and just sat there quietly contemplating if I should order a full plate of that for myself. The King crab was subtly sweet with a fine texture. Our last nigiri plate featured some fish that one might not typically see in a sushi restaurant: Spanish Mackerel & Gizzard Shad. I must say that if you were apprehensive coming in here about raw fish, the gizzard shad would probably scare you off since its gleaming skin was still intact on the cut. The Spanish mackerel was lovely with a touch of their own sauce and coupled with the green onions. The shad was soft but boasted flavor and a similar sourness you naturally find in yellowtail. I was a fan. Then Chef insisted we have some Shishito Tempura so we did, and it was a tasty finish to the fish. The shishito peppers gave a vegetal end that we only glimpsed in the wasabi smidgeons we had underneath each fish cut in the nigiri. By the way, you must try their wasabi as it has more authenticity than the reconstituted paste at other places! I mean, you really can taste the vegetal sweetness that real wasabi touts. Alas, how could you leave the place without having a slice of their Mille Crepe dessert? It is always such an occasion when we get this because we're fascinated by the amount of effort that goes into this multi-layer cake. Thin crepe and thin spreads of cream make it an airy but still nearly decadent dessert. Our thanks to Chef Hiro-san for the choices he made for our omakase and to Jun for her constant amazing service!
(5)Emily H.
Disappointed! The wait for our food was terrible! We spent almost two hours there, had to send back a dish, always had to flag down service, and the rolls were not the "usual". We appreciated that they tried to be unique but a crunch roll should be a crunch roll! The place was very clean and staff was friendly but we spent almost $100 for a couple beers, 2 rolls, and a dinner entree. We could have gotten a lot more for our money at the other local sushi joints.
(2)Danica D.
Pure delicacy. Two of my friends are servers at Sushi Noguchi and I can't believe I did not take their word when they said this was the best sushi around. I finally got the opportunity to come in this past weekend and was excited to explore the many great things this restaurant has to offer. I cannot remember the names of everything we got, I just know that I had a little bit of everything and it was all worth the wait. The Mackerel, however, was by far my favorite. Everything was fresh, and pretty foreign to me because of the things they combined together. For example, fried tempura asparagus with some sort of fish at the end, who woulda thought! Presentation was beautiful and each with it's own special distinct flavors, I was mesmerized by it all. My friends shared great stories about this restaurant and I give much respect to the owners. Give Sushi Noguchi a try. The quality of everything offered, all the way down to the dessert, will leave you completely happy and enlightened. Don't worry about the prices either, it's all worth it. Lastly, ask the servers for their opinions. They know what's up.
(5)Colin O.
If there was a half a star I would give this a 4 and a half. Definitely one of the better sushi spots I've been to. Along with Ohshima and Ikko I'd have to say top three sushi spots in Orange County. A little pricey but definitely worth it. Fish is fresh and flavorful. And to think its right here in the middle of Yorba Linda of all places.
(4)Randi C.
Hubby and I came here spur of the moment one night based on the reviews. In my old age I guess am becoming a sushi snob. Before beginning my review I will also note that I typically prefer sashimi / sushi over rolls or anything baked/cooked. We walked in and smelled no fish - good sign. We talked to our waiter who recommended some things - including the eel (even though I told him I didn't like eel). He assured me it was delicious & had to try it. I am still not a fan, but I won't hold that against him. I am the one who ordered it, knowing I don't like eel. Most everything was fresh, with the exception of one piece of halibut which was AWFUL ( even though the partner piece was fine). Other than that the staff was friendly. I've had fresh sushi, plenty of times, so fresh does not automatically give you 5 stars. I am giving it the "A-OK" rating, because I expected to have my socks knocked off, and I agree with a previous reviewer - it was $200 of mediocre. Do not expect anything besides a piece of fish stuck to rice with wasabi paste. There is no homemade wasabi or freshly prepared sauces served alongside the fish to complement the flavor and sides are overpriced. There are other local sushi places I would go over this place, so I most likely won't be back.
(3)Jay M.
Every Californian should have their own go to sushi bar, not ones that are all you can eat or places that serve renditions of rolls. That's not authentic japanese. My old go to place was Oshima in Orange, however because of an incident which you can read, I nor my family or clients will ever go back there. Sushi Noguchi fills that hole perfectly. My in law has been here numerous times since the Oshima incident. I finally joined my in laws for some ngiri. We did ala carte this time, we ordered sea bream, salmon, albacore, yellow tail, uni, and japanese scallop. There was another ngiri that my in law that I could not remember. We also ordered spicy tuna hand roll, baked crab hand roll, rainbow roll, and salmon skin salad. Everything was spectacular but that night's winner was the seabream, jap scallop, uni, and salmon. The salmon was the creamiest salmon I've ever had. It was melt in your mouth rich, silky, and fatty (in a great way) like eating toro. Just marvelous. My wife and I will be back on our own to try their omakase. It's very reasonable at $45, but I'll know I'll spend more than that by requesting all the best that they can throw at me, alive, moving, or not.
(5)Cathy S.
And the Oscar goes to (drum roll) to Jeena, Jun, Hiro and the staff at Sushi Noguchi! Irrashaimase! theworldinaspoonful.word… Ah... the warm familiar greeting... Omakase en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om… Seriously, hubby and I don't do anything else.... Leave it to the expert, I always say! Every dish that was served were shared with four fellow Yelpers and the ooohs and ahhhhs and the OMG... were loud and thunderous. You could not have found a more happier and content bunch in the OC that night! Amuse bouche, Japanese ceviche, The Platter, Beef, Tuna, Bonito, Halibut, can't remember the name - Good 'ol home cooking... Brings back the memories of Mom's cooking...Scallops, Snapper, Green tea Ice cream package or burrito as Lica named it.. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… The fish was fresh, the uni yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… was outstanding! The best uni I have had to date! My husband doesn't normally like uni and he had 4 pieces! Sushi Noguchi has certainly gone up the ranks in my book as my most favorite Sushi House in the OC! What a great way to spend Oscar night with some fellow Yelpers in one awesome sushi restaurant! Food - 5 Stars! Heavenly! Each item a work of art! Service - 5 Stars! Beyond awesome! Jun and her staff were so accommodating and must have worn ear plugs! LOL Ambiance - 5 Stars! Very nice with the white walls and the pictures and the decorative items placed as if in a Japanese home.
(5)Jessica T.
This place has recently been my family's go-to spot for Japanese food. The decor is completely different from the exterior, and I like how you can almost get a table immediately without a reservation. It's tucked away towards the back of an old shopping center, so I really consider it to be a hidden gem. I've ordered almost everything on their regular menu at least once, and they're all worth a try. The one thing I must mention is that they used to always be running out of the mille crepe dessert, but if you call and reserve a table, you can also request for them to reserve the crepes. I always do this now so I don't get disappointed at the end of my meal. Btw, the staff is super friendly too! June is always super friendly and makes sure that we have what we need. I'm really glad this place opened in YL.
(5)Greg N.
Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Totally food! I'm on a 5-star foodie mission cuz I party like a Yelp! star salivatin' as I'm drivin' to Y.L. in my grey car Sake irashaiimase was first by Jun and Hiro This drink was just the first act of this omokase freak show An appetizer trio was the tantalizing second act kara age, kobe kakuni gave me an impact asparagasu, string beans umami-balancing greens A hit for foodie kings and queens I partied like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Totally food! Ceviche I could eat cuz sashimi was the only star Raw salmon in the next plate was the best salmon I've had by far whoop, whoop they gave us prime rib neatly sliced bonito that more than sufficed halibut and toro that was iced a fish head with some sweet soy sauce the fish was so moist snapper that was so good that I had to rejoice change the game . . . no no In the OC they're the best by far The service was so awesome cuz I partied like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Party like a Yelp! star Party like a Yelp! Totally food! Thank you Jeena, Jun, and Hiro, for making me (for one night) a Yelp! star!
(5)Tuan C.
My first Omakase in the OC and Sushi Noguchi did not disappoint! Hiro and Jun not only provide top-notch service, but they put out some extraordinary food. From the amuse bouche to the dessert, everything we had was simply delicious! Now onto the highlights! 1. Japanese Ceviche - This dish was seasoned beautifully and every bite was flavorful and sophisticated. The fish was fresh and the sauce was tangy and flavorful. 2. Scallops with Sea Salt - At most places, this sucker would have been dunked in soy sauce and coupled with a chunk of wasabi. In this case, the scallop was perfect alone. I would come back just for this! 3. The Sashimi Platter - All the fishes were excellent, but the one thing that stood out was the Uni. Let me tell you, I'm by no means a fan of Uni but this one was phenomenal. I actually ate several pieces without any added seasoning! 4. The Green Tea Ice Cream - Yum...tasted like a home made mochi....and i love myself some mochi!!! 5. Last but definitely not least... the fellow Yelpers who made the dinner enjoyable. Conversations from working out and running to "clink clink T&A", positive vibes always provide the special seasoning missing in some feasts.
(5)Elisa H.
Originally came here on a Thursday night. Go to sushi spot in Yorba Linda. Owner is Japanese and very polite. Uni is fresh yumm. Sweet shrimp sushi was delicious and fried shrimp heads was perfectly crispy! Nice cuts of sashimi. Presentation of food is clean and simple. Tastes fresh and handled with care. Interior is also clean, open and simple. I recommend.
(5)David L.
Great sushi. Really fresh! The staff are very friendly as well. It's a real shame that the location is what prevents this restaurant from shining. The fish is fresh and I definitely recommend the omakase. Was a very good experience! Also for dessert, don't forget the mille crepe cake.
(5)Risa A.
So I've tried this place 4 times now (twice for lunch and twice for dinner) and I have given up. The first time was the day of their grand opening. The place was full of Japanese clients and no surprise, none seem to be going back to this place. I didn't leave a negative review because I wanted to give them some more time. I understand it takes time to get service running at a new restaurant and I really wanted to like this place. 2nd time when I went for lunch, the food got better but the service was so slow. We ordered their lunch combo but our lunch ended up being about 2 hours because their waiters took forever bringing anything out (even water), at an EMPTY restaurant. I recall the rating on yelp was 2 stars at this point. 3rd time I gave lunch another try... the food was horrible! We ended up not eating most of it and the bill still came out to like $30 for lunch. This 4th time... I took my family visiting from Japan and what an embarrassment. There was only one other person eating at the restaurant but once again the service was SUPER slow. The servers smile a lot and try to be friendly, but they're just not trained. For example, as soon as we ordered my miso soup was brought out on its own. 5 minutes later they brought one small salad out, then another 5 minutes later brought out the same exact salad for me. One by one, random things got delivered to our table instead of all of us getting our dishes at the same time so we can actually have a dinner together. It was very awkward since we'd just be staring at the person eating. When the other two people finished eating their dinners, my Black cod finally came out. It was so disgusting, definitely was not worth the wait!! The fish was not fresh, but tasted only like the sauce since it was probably soaked for days before anyone ordered this. It makes me wonder how fresh all their ingredients are. Actually... I'm attaching the photo but their rice was dry and yellow. I'm pretty sure they serve rice that's a day/few days old. There's no way rice should taste or look like that if they made it on the day but seeing how empty this place is all the time, I wouldn't be surprised. They offered to make me a different dish, but 20 minutes of waiting later, with everyone else being done, we decided to leave. Then I hear the chef say "what the hell?!!?" in Japanese.. So basically, I was there for 2 hours to eat miso soup, salad, and dry yellow rice. GREAT experience again Sushi Noguchi. We will NEVER be back unless they change management. The food is disgusting and service needs a LOT of training here. Honestly, the only reason this place has high ratings seems to be because they host a lot of yelp events. I keep reading about the owner's wife in the post, and she seems to be doing a great job marketing this place. Maybe they have a special menu they serve to Yelp Elite members but.... in the 4 times I've been here the experience has been horrible. This place is run by Japanese and usually that's a good sign, but look around to see if there are any other Japanese clients coming here because at their grand opening they were there and now they aren't. This place is $$$$, you might as well save your time driving all the way out and use your money elsewhere at a place that serves you fresh food with good service. (Forgot to mention... one of us ended up with a stomach ache, most likely from the oyster they served. It was REALLY fishy smelling!)
(1)Stefanie M.
LOVE Sushi Noguchi. The traditional, simplistic decor is an indicator of the style of sushi preparation here; nothing but good sushi done right. Fish is always the freshest of the fresh, they have fantastic and unique specials that change routinely, and no "crazy" Americanized rolls here. Hiro and the rest of the fantastic chefs don't need to deep fry their fish and douse it with globs of mayo. That's because their fish is of the highest quality, and if you are a sushi aficionado, you will certainly appreciate Sushi Noguchi. Prices are slightly expensive, but what you should be paying for quality sushi. If you're the adventurous type, try the omakase: the best of what Chef Hiro has to offer, beautifully presented and keeps coming until you can't fit any more into your stomach.
(5)Beth H.
I've intentionally waited several days to write my review of the amazing PYE thrown by my fab friend Mr. S and generously hosted by Jun, her husband Hiro and their amazing staff. Basically, I've been gushing all over this place like a young, nubile, half naked teenager justabouttohavesex in a tent at a camp on the lake when that gets whacked by a dude in a hockey mask....yeah...tourniquet anyone? I've been shamelessly plugging Sushi Noguchi and unintentionally sucking up to Jun for the mere fact that GASP....this is the best sushi and could possibly be some of the best food I've ever had. As my friends know, when I love you, I REEALLYY Love you! I figured a few days of distance from this dining bliss would possibly temper the objectivity of this review but you know what? Screw it! I'm in LOVE with Sushi Noguchi and I don't care WHO knows it! If loving SN is wrong, I don't wanna be right! Ahem..(smooths hair, straightens shirt)..The event, experience and food were beyond reproach. We started off with the crispy fried eel spines. Very interesting and I enjoyed the taste, texture, crunch and salty flavor more than I though I would. Not because they were eel spines but because sometimes I have texture issues with food. Not here...no sir......I had and loved me some eel spines! The sashimi plate that followed was honestly a thing of beauty and tasted just as good. I'm a sushi whore. I admit it, hell...I OWN it! This was the most delicate, buttery, fresh fish I've ever had. I've never had amber jack before and honestly, have not heard many positive things about it. It was absolutely divine! I was SO excited to see the gorgeous sea urchin body overflowing with plump, luscious skeins of uni. I admit, I was an uni virgin until this night. Not by choice, just lack of opportunity. It was even more amazing than I'd ever imagined. Like a buttery kiss from the ocean. Next was the red snapper head stewed in a rich, fresh ragout of sorts made of onions, tomatoes and peppers. Roomie and I are not squeamish about fish heads and know where all of the best meat is, especially the cheeks! He was gracious enough to dish out portions to us to make things easier and be sure that everyone had a generous portion of this amazing dish to share. I reallyreallyreally wanted to try the eyeball but I chickened out. It was just SO squishy and well, that whole texture thing. Maybe next time! Next came a lovely plate of nigiri sushi of shrimp, salmon, red snapper, hamachi, bonito....sorry, had to stop to wipe my mouth. Delicate, fresh, flavorful and just fantastic. Two cooked dishes followed: Roasted pork with asparagus and fried lotus root and Kobe beef (Wagyu?). Melt in your mouth, rich, flavorful bites that made you want to STEAL a couple bites from the person next to you that you. I've always wanted to try lotus root and it was delicious! Next, (yes next..can you believe it?) came the fried shrimp/prawn heads...OMG, crispy, crunchy, buttery, rich, yummy goodness. Again, I thought I might have an issue because of the texture. However, I found my way crunching on Sir Shrimpy's legs like they were pretzel rods! I did draw the line at the tip of the head with the eyeballs. I passed that small portion to Roomie to eagerly inhale. Dessert...we really get dessert TOO?? Fabulous crepe layer cake that was indescribably good. Neither Roomie or I are desert fans and while I like Tiramisu, I'm not a custard fan. This cake was tender layer upon layer of crepes with a creamy, whipped, custard filling. It was not sugary sweet and for the first time ever in our lives, We ate an entire serving of cake. It was THAT good. Sprinkled throughout the joy was a fantastic tasting of five different type of sake. Roomie and I love sake and this was really fun, interesting and exciting to experience. Loved the little "trading cards" that explained where each came from, the process, etc. These were not little dinky pours either so you really got to enjoy and taste the flavors and differences of each one. The minimalist vibe of SN is perfect. There's nothing to distract you from the food and it's really kind of peaceful. Honestly, SN could look like a scene out of Peter Sellers' The Party with the pained elephant and everything and it still wouldn't detract from or distract you from the food. While I'd briefly met Jun once before at another event, I already feel like we've been friends for years! She's so fun, vibrant, hospitable and energetic you can't help but smile when you see her bustling around making sure everyone is happy. Hiro is the pillar behind the counter, methodically and systematically cranking out these amazing dishes that look like they take hours to assemble. He is a true artist. Thank you, Mr. S for a fantastic event. Thank you to Katie S and her beau for being fab dining partners (and thanks for the sake!) and thank you to Jun, Hiro and their staff. Amazing...I have no more words to describe this fantastic experience!
(5)Sarah K.
I came here again but the fish was not so fresh. I guess it's hit or miss with this place which is a shame because I really liked it the first time. We also ordered the beef tataki this time around. Meat tasted like choice but served like it was prime. Cold, yuck and chewy.
(2)M N.
We sometimes feel like we're cheating when we go to Sushi Noguchi instead of our typical go-to place in Orange but my excuse has been that it's closer to my new work location. Sushi Noguchi has not failed to impress with the appetizers. Sushi triolet with engawa: 5 stars Spicy tuna with crispy rice: 5 stars Grilled shishito peppers: 5 stars Chilean seabass Chinois style: 5 stars Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno: 3.5 stars Toro: 3.5 stars (we like the more buttery o-toro) King salmon: 5 stars Mille Crepe : 10 stars! The dessert was mind-blowing, and I'm not typically a fan of desert. This subtly sweet, light and airy crepe concoction which takes 2 hours to make is a must-try for everyone! The decor is modern and looks very pristine and clean. Next time, omakase...
(5)Jewlee Y.
I had been looking forward to this for a while, especially with all the good reviews. I got an omakase. They sent out a lot of whitefish and other nonsense and then had the audacity to charge me $80. No wonder this place was only a 1/3 full. I have no problem paying $80 for an omakase, but they sure as hell better not send me out fillers of cheap fish. I'll need some Uni, Mirugai, Amaebi, Toro, & some fish your typical roll places won't have. If you really enjoy real sushi edommae style, then try Ohshima's in Orange, a lot harder to get into but your palate will thank you. I hate feeling like I just got mugged when I leave a restaurant.
(2)Vanessa L.
I don't know much about sushi but I know I love Sushi Noguchi. First off, the place is beautiful. It's simple, full of warm lighting and atmosphere is just so inviting. Service was great and I felt that the menu was comprehensive for sushi lovers and Japanese cuisine lovers. We ordered a handful of items off of the sushi menu (tuna, Spanish mackeral, toro), two orders of the spicy tuna on the crispy rice and a bunch of other appetizers. I don't think there was a food item we ate that we didn't enjoy. INCLUDING dessert. We ordered the two desserts available that night but the crepe cake was what really stood out. At the end of our meal, Jun came by to speak with us. We talked briefly about Yelp and the other sushi restaurants we eat at closer to home (we live in Anaheim, our friend David L. lives down the street). We added ourselves to the email list and now I get weekly coupons. Although it's a bit out of the way and even though Kaori is just down the street from me, I think Sushi Noguchi might just be my "go to" spot now.
(5)Heather F.
Sit at the bar and ask the sushi chef what to eat and ask him to create something for you!! So tasty! And excellent service!!!
(3)Kim T.
Had such a wonderful omakase experience. Plating and presentation were visually stunning. June was an absolute doll. We started off with a seaweed rice soup, which was a perfect starter because the saltiness made you crave something more. Sashimi plate of sweet shrimp, yellowtail, salmon, and tuna came next. They were all excellent, but the tuna was a bit tough. Then we had various servings of nigiri, a carpacchio (excellent), and uni of course. I was getting full so we told the chef the next serving would be our last. He rounded out the meal with snow crab (yum). Next time, I want to come hungry so I can try more!
(5)anna n.
This review is long overdue!! Julie L. invited me here for an Omakase lunch one day last September. Thanks Julie for introducing me to this gem of a place. Chef Hiro made some Oh so yummy dishes for us. And his wife Jun and their staff were wonderful. So personable and nice. The sushi was fresh and very tasty. My fave dish was the uni over scallop. It was melt in your mouth goodness. But seriously every dish that came out was so so good. LOVED it! Even the desserts were good! Needless to say, I knew I had to come back and dragged a few of my girlfriends out to Yorba Linda for an Omakase dinner. Again it was phenomena!! My friends loved it as well. I highly recommend eating here if you are ever in the Yorba Linda area. You will not be disappointed! Unfortunately, I can't eat sushi for another few months but as soon as I can, I'll for sure be heading out to Yorba Linda for some of Chef Hiro's delectable dish.
(5)Jen K.
This is for the kid menu. Now they do have a kid menu and it looks delicious. I wish I can order it for myself. Haha.
(5)Brian G.
Everybody loves unexpected surprises. Who knew that this unassuming restaurant located in a Yorba Linda strip mall would house a gem of a sushi restaurant? Yes, I was reluctant in schelpping across the OC to find good sushi. I figured there really couldn't be great sushi in the OC especially since I've tried some stalwarts in LA and the SFV, but I'm man enough to say that I was served. Served good sushi that is. The omakase was definitely a great way to sample their freshest items that night. Sushi was well portioned - not giant slabs like some places. Rice had just the right amount of vinegar. Fish was extremely fresh and they were kind enough to ask about any dislikes before they went to town. Think Nozawa with the ability to have a little control of the ship. We were encouraged to try their crepe cake dessert, which was good, but not as amazing as it was made out to be. But that was a minor blip for the evening. The service was friendly and approachable and the interior is clean and sleek. Should my travels take me to the surrounding counties of the Magic Kingdom I will definitely find my way back to Noguchi.
(4)Risa T.
As Japanese Foodie, I highly recommend to go try their Omakase. It was beautiful to see each plate and taste was incredible!! This place is such a 5 stars place !!!! I was very happy to find such a good Japanese restaurant in North OC !! Food was delicious, place was clean and neat, and great customer service. Owner couple is very friendly. Jun-san(wife) treats all customers like her long-time friends,which was creating good atmosphere in the restaurant. I will definately go back to try their other food on a menu and CREPES !!!!
(5)Arnold W.
4.5 stars! Super fancy sushi place. They have some pretty interesting twist to classical/traditional Japanese dishes. The ambience is white and very sterile. Service is nice. The Rising Sun roll was delicious, clean, and fresh, and adding the miso sauce that accompanies the roll, takes it to the next level. We had the cerviche, which was refreshing, but I thought was a bit too boring for me. The tuna tartare was good, nice combination of textures. We also had you yellowtail, super fresh and delicious. Mille Feuille Crepe Cake, a light and fluffy labor of love that is not too sweet. It looks like they spent hours making it. Really delicious.
(4)Brenda R.
Loved this place!!! Can't wait to go back. As soon as you walk in you're greeted by Japenese personnel. The place is super clean and the decor inviting. Everything on their menu sounds delicious. We tried about 4-5 different plates and nothing disappointed. The fish was very fresh. Although they're on the pricey side, believe me, it is well worth it! My 2 favorite dishes were the Spicy Tuna Tartare and the Japenese Ceviche. Keep in mind, both those dishes are part of their Japanese Tapas.....so the portions are small (leaving more room for you to try lots of other dishes).
(5)Petsila L.
I was there a while back and i don't have a deep impression on the specifics but i remember that it was pretty good.
(4)Maggie C.
Where the heck is Yorba Linda? I went here after my usual trip to SCP. I bought a Yelp deal after many controversial yelp reviews from my yelp friends. I checked out the pictures and salivated while browsing. I am very picky, especially when it comes to sushi. I already know what I want from Sushi Noguchi; I only get the stuff I like. I was greeted right away by a very nice lady. She turned out to be Jun, the owner of the restaurant. Jun was very sweet and she didn't give me a hard time when I showed her my yelp deal. Ordered: jumbo scallop sashimi with uni, soy wrapped blue crab, unagi, amaebi, albacore and white fish sashimi with chivas oil. Jumbo scallop sashimi with uni: I was blown away by this dish. It was fresh, cold and sweet. The uni was sweet and the live scallops were thicker than the usual live scallops I had. There was only one other sushi place in the South Bay that served live scallops that good. 4.5 stars. Soy wrapped blue crab: I was disappointed with blue crab. This was the first time I didn't really enjoy my blue crab. The rice needed more vinegar and the crab needed to be tastier. The proportion of rice to blue crab wasn't good; too much rice. 3.5 stars because the crab was fresh. Unagi: My unagi was overly sweet and it wasn't that good. It had too many little bones compared the unagi I usually got. 2 stars!! Amaebi: I ordered amaebi so I could get the fried shrimp head as it's one of my favorite thing to order @ a sushi place. The amaebi was sweet and pretty good and the head was kinda yum. 3.5 stars. Albacore: I never had albacore I didnt like but honestly I didn't like this one. Sorry..2 stars. White fish sashimi with chives oil: The oil was so good but not so much for the fish itself. My fish was stringy. 3.5 stars!! The workers were super nice. Our worker delivered the wrong dishes to us but it wasn't a big deal. I really liked my first sashimi but I was disappointed when I ate the other stuff. This place has so much potential if they serve everything as fresh as its jumbo scallop sashimi with uni. 3 stars!! Maybe I went on an off day. You should go and try it for yourself. Sushi Noguchi is kinda yummylicious!!
(3)Ohhee J.
Came here for bachelorette dinner. The bride to be wanted omakase. But everyone else couldn't afford it so we just ordered off the menu. I liked everything I ordered. The interior is eh. Traditional Japanese. Nothing special.
(5)Joshua L.
I could have easily given them 5 stars but service had what could be considered serious misses for some people. Had I been in less than a great mood, it could of swayed my experience. Because service was slow, I can't give 5 stars. We ordered: 1 Sea scallop w/ caviar 2 Yellow Tail 2 Tuna 1 Uni / Sea Urchin 2 Freshwater eal 1 Sweet shrimp and deep fried shrimp heads 1 Crunchy spicy tuna roll 1 Spicy tuna roll 1 Cold sake 1 Sapporo beer Turned out around $75 per person after tax and tip. My favorites were yellow tail, tuna, scallop w/ caviar, and the shrimp heads. Also, the crunchy spicy tuna was creative and unexpected....although not spicy at all which was disappointing, but nevertheless delicious. By the way I'm not a fan of sweet shrimp (which you have to order in order to get shrimp heads), so I had them tempura it and it was fantastic. One of my top 3 sushi spots now. 1. Sushi Kinoya in Long Beach 2. Tied between Nana San in Irvine and now Sushi Noguchi in Yorba Linda. Who knew....sushi in Yorba Linda? huh...... thanks to the yelp folks who reviewed this place and constant feedback I've gotten over the years about it. Definitely a great option when I don't want to drive too far.
(4)Joe P.
I have been wanting to come here, and finally had the chance. However, it took my cuz Kevin P & his wife Kat, and my foodie pal Van D to make it happen. Kevin & Kat were going to be in Riverside, and Van was in Upland. They said sushi, and Noguchi is located in Yorba Linda that is central to all of us. It is located at YL Blvd & Lakeview. We went big and ordered Hiro's omakase (although Jun was our chef). The large omakase is projected to cost between $60 - $100, depending upon how much you order. In addition, we had a couple of pitchers of Kirin, and a bottle of Denshin sake ($65). My share was $130 inc tax, but before tip. Of course, we sat at the sushi bar. We had 15 courses of uber fresh, and in some cases very unique presentations & combinations. My faves were the first uni dish, the scallop w/ foie gras, amaebi inc heads, and kanpachi. First of all, the uni w/ ikura, squash and egg was well thought out. The combination of the ingredients worked very well together: 4 Stars. Secondarily, scallops and foie gras were a match made in heaven. The sweetness of the scallops, coupled with the creaminess of the foie gras was a delight to our palates: 5+++ Stars. Thirdly, we ate amaebi sashimi style in the second dish, and later we had the fried heads. I know of no better way to enjoy fresh seafood other than eating the head: 5 Stars. Lastly, the kanpachi is not something you see on every sushi house's menu. It has a delicate taste, and it was a nice segway into the last few items: 4 Stars. All pieces of sushi were seasoned so that you didn't have to dip in shoyu & wasabi. We simply turned the sushi over, and ate it fish side down so the fish touched our taste buds first: 4 Stars. Jun was a master at his work, and has plates flying off in succession over a two hour period. We hardly noticed the time. In addition, he was super nice, and asked where we generally eat sushi. He even recommended a place in West LA that is reportedly better than Urasawa (on my hit list). The rest of the team was also super nice and efficient: 5 Stars. Regarding the ambiance, it is good sized space with an L shaped sushi bar and a number of tables: 4 Stars. I'm glad the people I came with appreciate good sushi. Noguchi has been highly recommended by many friends, some of whom grew up in Japan. Its not that far of a drive from HB, so I would definitely come back here again to enjoy some very good sushi.
(4)Van D.
Best Omakase in OC according to CBS?!?! Count me in!! Met up for dinner with Joe P., Kevin P., and his beautiful wife Kat P. We had reservations to sit at the sushi bar area and the place was surprisingly empty for a Saturday night. They started off by handing us hot towels and giving us the menu, but we all knew we wanted the Hiro's Omakase (average $60-100/person). You can refer to Kevin P.'s review for the extensive list of our order since he diligently wrote his review before I did. We also ordered a bottle of Denshin ($65) - a 720ml bottle of light sake with elegant undertones of peaches and 2 pitchers of Kirin. Props to Noguchi for their fancy filtrated pitchers!! I really like the innovation between the first two omasake items we were presented with. The combination created a harmonious balance on my palette. It was definitely an impressive start. However when it came to their sushi pieces, I felt like it fell flat to my expectation compared to my experiences at Ohshima or Shunka. Maybe I've been too spoiled with my frequent visits to Shunka, but I was not too impressed towards the remainder of the courses. Nevertheless still a treat to have a few of my favorite things all in one meal: uni, quail egg, otoro, foie gras, etc.. We were also convinced to order their many crepe layered cake slice that we all shared. We were told that it was a must try dessert item, but other than the fact that it had multiple layers I didn't find anything too impressive about it. I would probably be equally content with a simple crepe-dessert. Sushi Noguchi is definitely one of the higher tier sushi places in OC, but I can hardly say it is the best. Sorry CBS!! But I still had an amazing time with great food and awesome company.
(4)Kevin P.
Let's keep this simple and short. We met up here for dinner with brotha Joe P. and Van D. Sushi Noguchi to me is a solid 4 stars. The sushi here was fresh and perfectly prepared so no dipping in shoyu. The way i like it .We all ordered the Omakase. Which was roughly $95 a person. Service: Was fantastic, but our sushi chef could have done a better job of letting us know what kind of fish he was serving us. Luckily I knew my fishes. Food: Omakase : Uni/ Ikura w/ mountain squash and quail egg. Sweet Shrimp: Super fresh the head was still moving. Awesome. Japanese Sea Bream. Spanish Mackerel. Red Snapper. King Salmon / Daikon. Fantastic. Bonito. Uni. Seared O-Toro. Scallop w/seared Foie Gras. This was the highlight of the night. Hamachi. Kanpachi. Saba. Anago. Overall it was great dinner with great company!
(4)Michelle P.
Awesome quality fish. Can't beat the quality!! Artisan work and all the Japanese eat here..so you know it's good. Check in and get a beer deal!!
(5)Nana T.
My fiance and I just spent our Valentine's Day dinner at Sushi Noguchi. We were both blown away...everything tasted amazing! We had their 5 course omakase special for $80 pp. I have to admit, it is pricey....but definitely one of the best omakase experiences of my life. The rainbow trout, amberjack, and blue fin toro were my favorite! I could have skipped the uni though...it wasn't the best. All and all, the fish just melted in my mouth...no soy sauce necessary. The mille cake was the perfect end to our wonderful dinner. (I've always wanted to try Lady M in LA so i was extra excited to try a crepe cake for the first time) I would definitely come here again!
(5)Samantha C.
I literally felt like I was in Japan.. I made reservations the night before for my mom's birthday and there was no problem in getting seats for dinner. Jun's Omakase (50) 1. Tuna w/ jalapeno yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… 2. Amuse Bouche yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… 3. Yellowtail yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… 4. Steak Fish yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… 5. Tuna handroll yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… 6. Sushi platter with white fish, smoked salmon, yellowtail, tuna yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… My parents enjoyed all of the dishes. The sashimi was fresh and everything worked together beautifully. Tempura (9) - Lightly battered in panko and fried perfectly. Most tempura, you could taste how heavy and greasy it is, but this one was delicate and delicious. yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Wagyu Steak (27) - Cooked to a perfect medium rare. It also comes with a steak sauce which I thought was unnecessary because the steak was so good by itself. yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Chilean Sea Bass Chinois Style (30) - The softest seabass ever. I loved the savory yet sweet sauce that came with the fish. yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… The dinner specials also come with a salad and an amuse bouche. Salad - Salad served with a type of vinaigrette dressing, which I enjoyed. yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Amuse Bouche - The sweet tofu, the shrimp with the sauce, the thousand island, and the sweet brown sauce all ties together really well. At the end of our meal, Jun brought out a complimentary birthday cake for my mom. AND GUESS WHAT. SHE BROUGHT OUT ANOTHER ONE FOR MY FAMILY TO SHARE. You are amazing, Jun. yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Wonderful time! My family enjoyed it immensely and it is definitely one of the most authentic Japanese restaurants I've ever been too.
(5)Pete F.
Sushi Noguchi is not for those who's idea of good sushi is a California roll. With sushi restaurants at nearly every shopping center in the area, Sushi Noguchi stands apart. My favorite option is usually the chiraishi bowl. It's a selection of sashimi served on a bed of rice. It's a great way to sample the best selections available that day. The richness and freshness of the morsels from the sea are immediately apparent. The sashimi are generously sliced and simply yet exquisitely presented. I savor each bite, appreciating the texture and flavor of each offering. And I always save the tamago for last. The sweet omelette is my dessert. If you've seen Jiro Dreams of Sushi (a must see movie for every sushi lover), you'll know that this apparent simple dish is not so simple to master. Eating at Sushi Noguchi is special, not for the everyday budget. But when I can no longer remember what mouth watering sushi tastes like, I make a quick drive to Sushi Noguchi.
(5)Kevin M.
I'm giving it two stars for two reasons, overpriced and very very small portions. For two people we spent nearly $60 for a couple rolls and fried tempura. Wow what a letdown. The rolls were SO SMALL and the mixed tempura...well we got 5 pieces of it. Seriously only 5 pieces. The water taste like they filled it in the bathroom sink. They need to get a quality filtered water system for drinking. I know that this review will most likely get deleted because they most likely pay yelp to remove bad reviews since every review is 5star and not honest. I left this place starving, such a disappointment.
(2)Stella M.
Noguchi was named best sushi in OC... So my friend and I had to try it! It was good but it still cant beat my favorite sushi restaurants (Murasaki in Santa Ana and Hama in Little Tokyo)... Overall it was good sushi and I can see myself coming back but I would do things a little differently. My friend and I opted to do Hiro's Omakase. One thing different about this omakase from other omakases I've experienced is that it's a mixture of dishes, sashimi and sushi... Kinda like a fusion? Which I like the concept but I would have preferred to do just a sushi omakase. I'm sure if I told the chef my preference he would have catered to my needs. Everything was fresh and of good quality. Overall I enjoyed my meal... I guess for me the pit fall were the following: 1) price (my friend and I paid $100 each for lunch... Pretty much ate until we were full but I don't think we ate $100 worth?) 2) I'm not a fan of Japanese sashimi even if it's good fish because I prefer eating sashimi the Korean way with chili paste sauce... It's just a preference thing. So when the omakase consisted of a large plate of sashimi despite the fact that it was good it wasn't to my liking. And that plate probably cost a bit too... The sushi was good. My favorite at Noguchi was their Foie Gras with Scallop sushi. Very good. I'm in general not a fan of foie gras since I think it's difficult to cook. I've only enjoyed foie gras at Michelin star restaurants and the other times I've been repulsed by it that I avoid it if possible but it was really good at Noguchi. Definitely loved it. Their salmon was very good as well. Not quite as good as Hama but pretty darn close. Overall it was a good experience and I would go back for their sushi. The service was good. The sushi chef was awesome. He was this older Korean man who was friendly. He explained what all the dishes/sushi were and we had a nice little chat back and forth at the sushi bar. Definitely a plus! The waiter and waitress (Jun) was nice and was quick to pick up finished plates and refill our waters. The interior is nice. I like the simple contemporary feel. Oh and their crepe dessert is good! 24 layers of thin crepe w cream in btw. Definitely worth trying at least once esp if you're a dessert person!
(4)Teagan T.
Two words : REAL wasabi! The wasabi itself was worth the visit, none of that horseradish sh*t. They are very traditional if you like traditional Japanese omakase - Hiro omakase. It comes with all kinds of different sashimi including some more of the skin of the fish. The more common sashimi I loved, toro, yellowtail, uni and sweet shrimp were all grade quality and fresh. Just not so crazy with the more uncommon sashimi style fish. I would suggest you getting the Juno's omakase if you're not into the traditional style. Juno's is not all that Americanized but just made to cater more to the average tongue. reservations are recommended for dinner time to avoid any long wait. The service was tentative. Prices are very reasonable for the quality they serve.
(4)Marissa S.
One must give credit where credit is due and Sushi Noguchi deserves all the attention and high praises it's getting. It is after all, one of OC's best. For that ultimate experience, I suggest the omakase which you can choose between Hiro's or his wife, Jun's. These are the two types they have named after themselves. Hiro's starts at $60 but can go up to $100++, depending on when you've had your fill, it's your call. Jun's omakase on the other hand, is a fixed $45 which is also more Americanized, with some dishes having that local flare. Jun's Omakase: 1. A refreshing plate of tuna with jalapeno kicked off my palate 2. Followed shortly by an interlude of their amuse bouche platter. I really liked the jalapeno topped with giant clam bits and shiitake mushroom with delicious dynamite sauce. 3. Albacore salad served on a martini glass came next with the albacore exuding a creamy texture to that of an avocado. Alongside fresh tomatoes, greens, and sprouts, I thought their take on this was brilliant. 4. It only gets better... Seared tuna steak topped with ground daikon then drizzled with a superb ponzu sauce enlightened me all the more. 5. Not done yet. Tuna hand roll, anyone? As simple as it may look, it was packed with negi toro that was mind-blowingly good. 6. Finally, a platter of tuna, salmon, albacore, and shrimp nigiris ended this beautifully executed course. Lucky for me, my husband had Hiro's omakase. That only meant I got to try the best of both worlds. Believe me when I say this was a meal worth remembering for a while. While a myriad of courses came through, there are those that left a mark on me like the scallop that was oh-so buttery, toro, crab topped with uni, snapper, and the perfect note to finish off our meal was a very luscious serving of uni. Only appropriate for us uni lovers, of course. Sure, everyone raves about how there's nothing less than great being dished out here, but the true gem Sushi Noguchi has is having the mighty duo, Chef Hiro san and his lovely wife, Jun, running this place together. They are truly the heart and soul of this restaurant.
(5)Terry C.
Our first visit but not our last. The atmosphere is very clean and quiet. The service is top notch, very focused on your needs and desires. The Sushi was fantastic, Toro and Ootoro was perfect. The octopus was cut just right, thin and suckers showing. I'm looking forward to coming back soon. If you come by, try the baked lobster hand roll. It's all too good. Enjoy
(5)Julie L.
4 words: Fresh Sea Water Eel. It will change your life. Do it. You won't regret it. Thank me later. Oh, and James the sushi chef is a great guy - easy to talk and and very talented. Thanks for making our traditional omakase experience at the bar pleasant! Would definitely recommend this.
(5)Avery T.
Our experience at Sushi Noguchi was yet again delicious. I had Hiro's Omakase and I was served delicious pieces of sushi from Blue Fin Tuna to Uni. My brother was also very satisfied with his meal by getting his favorites, tuna, spanish mackerel, and beef. Everyone was very nice and friendly and we had a good time. Hiro was our chef this time and he did really good on serving us the sushi.
(5)Jason T.
Please put some photos of the food from patrons. You must pay yelp to control the pictures. Thanks!
(5)Aaron E.
Sushi Noguchi offers the best Sushi you are going to find in Orange County, if not Southern California. Bold statement? Sure. But after 4 visits I have yet to find a fault with Sushi Noguchi's brand of Japanese so I feel totally comfortable with that declaration. Why? Well, the restaurant is clean to the point of sterile. The seafood is "still swimming" fresh. The presentation is always first class. The service is excellent and the ownership understands their clientele well. My only selfish complaint is that I live in Irvine making the trip to Yorba Linda to visit with Chef Hiro and Jun a bit of a trek. Dan H. was gracious enough to invite me to a recent and intimate PYE at Noguchi and I jumped at the chance to once again order their best in class Omakase. Starting at $60.00, Hiro will select the best Sashimi and Sushi cuts and prepare them for you before your eyes. Some of my personal favorites include the mesmerizing Basil topped Halibut Sashimi, the "fresher than fresh" wild caught Tuna Sashimi, the mind numbingly tasty Ahi Poke, Cucumber Miso and each and every single piece of hand crafted Sushi I have tried. I am dead serious when I say that I cannot find a piece of Sushi I do not completely adore. I could go on and on but I think their track record alone merits your business: Sushi Noguchi is the perennial winner of the Sushi category in the Golden Foodie Awards, CBS LA's Best Omakase, and is featured on both Thrillst and Gayot's "Best of" lists for Orange County, not to mention a long standing north county darling here on Yelp with well over 400 reviews written . All of the accolades are highly deserved and the hype is very, very real. All of this and you could not possibly find a more friendly, kind and humble pair of owners here in Southern California. My new #1 spot in Sushi takes the crown away from the formidable Nana San.
(5)Jen T.
"CBS" best omakase? Long wait for mediocre selection. 1 hour to be served 3 dishes for 90$. Nothing unique on the plate. 5-15 minutes in between dishes. The worst omakase experience ever. Although the service from the waiters was wonderful.
(2)Moe P.
This place is amazing. I love the food and presentations are on point. We got pre fixed meal and it was magnificent. I would highly recommend this place as well as their crepe cake. It's great!!
(5)Derek L.
Absolutely amazing sushi. Thanks to my sister in law Crystal Cuc Nguyen also a yelper herself from the Bay area taken us to this wonderful place. She did all of the ordering and from different type of rolls to sashimi and dessert. I have never seen my kids eat so much. I really like the Uni so creamy that left my taste buds cheering. We had an absolutely fabulous meal. The service is great, friendly. This place is absolute gem.
(5)Priyanka L.
We had shishito,seaweed salad,veggie roll,veg tempura and crepe icecream.The service is not upto the mark.Vegetarian options very limited for larger groups.Tommy was our server who was good with explaining to us each dish and his recommendations.However kitchen closed early and he didnt inform us beforehand about it.So we were not provided with the option to order desserts initially.After sometime seeing our frowned faces Tommy did allow us to order the crepes icecream which coincidentally turned out to be the best item on our dinner.Seaweed salad was also good amongst other items. Try Calpico drink.It closely tastes like lychee juice.
(2)Jun Y.
When to dinner with my wife and decided to try this restaurant due to their reviews. We, unfortunately, were very disappointed. Although we spent $200+ for our meal, we felt like the meal should have been only for $75 due to the quality of the food and the service. We originally wanted to go to Ohshima Restaurant but due to the long line, we decided to do something new. FOOD: the presentation of the dishes were very nice and my wife took a number of pictures due to their beauty. Unfortunately, the food did not share the same quality. We both did the omakase style for dinner but unfortunately some of the items did not taste good. At one point, we had back to back dishes of fried fresh shrimp, which seems to be a waste of a dish. SERVICE: service was mediocre at best. Getting refills on my drinks took some time. And plates were not removed very quickly. At one point, I had to pull the server who was walking by to take our dirty plates. He then proceeded to put the dish bucket on the table and reached over my wife's shoulder to take our dishes. I can guarantee everyone that we will not be going back here.
(1)Shannon M.
The word of the day is - Omakase. I can easily say that I have never had a better sushi experience in my life. Ever. I fear this has ruined me for any other sushi, as nothing else will compare. First off, I love the space itself - minimalist and clean, without huge TVs, loud music or glowing beer signs. The white walls, graced with a few simple black and white photographs, let you know that the focus is on one thing. The food. Opting for Hiro's Omakase, we placed ourselves in the chef's hands, with the only instruction being we didn't care for uni. What came next can only be described as as amazing. Masterpiece after masterpiece, each prepared for both beauty and flavor. Most did not need any additional soy or wasabi, but we were given guidance as to when it was advised. We were basically taken on a journey of flavor, ranging from light to somewhat fishy (but in a fresh good way), sweet, savory and everything in between. I really should have taken notes or something - it has all become a wonderful blur, kind of like a really good dream where you can't quite recall all of the details. This type of quality is not inexpensive, but well worth it. I would much rather skip more frequent visits to 'just OK' sushi spots to come back to Sushi Noguchi for more dreamworthy deliciousness. Wonderful food and wonderful people. All I can say is Thank You.
(5)Adriana L.
I have been wanting to come here since it opened. I have known the owners from their previous restaurant so I knew the sushi was going to fabulous. We had salmon, yellow tail, halibut and tuna sashimi style. It was so fresh and tasty. We also had their poke bowl, which was another exquisite treat . We also had the Hiro special which has the sautéed onion on the sushi. Lastly my boyfriend has the oyster shooter. He loved it! The restaurant is very clean. The decor is very chic and modern. The service is great and very professional. I will be back very soon! Good job June and Hiro! So proud of you!
(5)Ingrid V.
"Japanese chefs believe our soul goes into our knives once we start using them. You wouldn't put your soul in a dishwasher!" --Masaharu Morimoto "I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I'll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is." --Jiro Ono "Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it." --Gautama Buddha Thought. Purpose. Soul. Art. I believe that these four words embody the spirit of Sushi Noguchi. Here, a seamless expression of edible art and impeccable service take form in the skillful hands of Hiro and Jun. The subtleties in which they execute their craft are almost intangible. Guests leave feeling like they have truly enjoyed their dining experience... that "something" differentiates Sushi Noguchi from any other Japanese restaurant. The thought that Hiro puts into his dishes seems to begin when he sources his ingredients. There was a lovely harmony about Jun's Omakase: Course 1: Tastings of Wagyu Kakuni, marinated mushrooms and a clam Course 2: Chilled miso egg custard Course 3: Toro Steaks Course 4: Yellowtail sashimi with Jalapeno Course 5: Sushi; smoked salmon, albacore, amberjack, tuna Course 6: Toro and green onion hand roll. Exploring tastes and textures, Hiro's genius prepared a 6-course adventure! 1: Savory samples with depth through meat, seafood and vegetable 2: A palate cleansing, deliciously mild custard 3: Seared toro texture with a mild savory sauce 4: Light and palate cleansing spicy sashimi 5: Four pieces of sushi, smoked, mild, moderate, and rich in flavor 6: A comforting hand roll with memorable flavors that played off the previous dish We also sampled a few other menu selections: Seaweed Salad: Clean, crunchy, incredibly fresh. Halibut and asparagus tempura: surprisingly amazing! Hitokuchi Katsu (panko breaded pork): the epitome of comfort food. Calimari: lightly breaded flavor that needed no sauce. Wagyu Kakuni: Fallen off the bone, extremely tender delicious cubed beef. Mackerel Sushi (saba): The best I have ever tasted. And it is my favorite! The Mille Crepe for dessert was 24 layers of heaven. It's what happens when you magically combine a crepe and a cheesecake. Pure culinary magic. From the hands of Hiro, into the hands of Jun who takes care of the service aspect of the dining room, the experience is flawless. Jun treats you like family from the moment you walk in the door, until it's time to say goodbye. Her heartfelt sincerity in making sure you are loving your experience is evident in the way that she often checks back with you, asking with genuine concern how you are liking your meal. The rest of the team is well trained, knowledgeable, and helpful! I usually link photos of our meal, but this time, my hubby and I went overboard! We wanted to try everything so we were sure to arrive hungry! Please take a moment to explore my photos if you are interested in the culinary adventure we had at Sushi Noguchi. I will link our favorite dishes of the evening. Mackerel Sushi: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Hitohuchi Katsu: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Spicy Yellowtail sashimi: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Mille Crepe: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… If the multitude of amazing reviews have not convinced you to visit Sushi Noguchi, then just go to experience a master sushi chef's craft. There is a huge difference in the flavor of food. All the menu items here are elevated in a way only a lifetime of thought, practice, and purpose can achieve.
(5)Jeff V.
A Blast to MY Past. The experience I had at Sushi Noguchi took me way back to my youth when my family lived across the street from a Japanese family. My dad had been best friends with their dad before I was even born. To this day he's considered my second dad. Whenever those two went on fishing trips, whether it'd be for Yellowtail, Ahi, Salmon, etc., the next day we would have a sushi/sashimi gathering of the families. It was a cool feeling every time I went over to their home, I felt a strong sense of the Japanese culture and tradition. My 2nd dad would prep, cut and plate, and my 2nd mom would lay everything out and and assist in the serving. The fish looked so clean fresh and colorful, with a taste that can only be equaled. Another time in my past set me back to when I was 16 yrs old. It was on a Friday afternoon, Dad at work, mom running errands, my siblings were out, which leaves me home alone, this hungry teenager. Time to raid the fridge! But to my dismay there was nothing that really appealed to me. Just as I was about to close the fridge, I saw on the far corner of the top shelf, slabs of ahi. Ahh, some beet red filets w/a little blood still left(mmm we all have a little vampire in us). These filets were for the feast the next day. I took a count and decided there was one too many. So I took a slab, wrapped it in a paper towel, turned on the TV, sat it my dad's recliner(did it all the time), put my feet up and started chomping, felt kinda like a cannibal minus the screaming, or what a tiger sounds like when you're feeding it some raw meat(actually got the tiger on video, up close and personal, from my recent trip to the Philippines). Every bite I took of that reddish purple Ahi was so smooth, you can taste the freshness...No part being gristle-laden. All those memories of culture, tradition, quality came back to me, thanks to my recent visit to Sushi Noguchi and being introduced to the owners Hiro and Jun. Hiro was behind the bar busy prepping, cutting and plating with precision. Jun made us feel like family, taking care of us at the table with her attentiveness and smile. Rather than go over each and every fish item/plate we ate, just know, in my opinion they were all exactly the way I remembered, fresh and smooth, with every bite melting in your mouth. The photos are up showing all what we ate. I even tried Uni for the first time in my life. I heard it was a Foie Gras alternative, which I don't really care for, but I tried it anyway. I'm so glad I did, what an amazing taste. I can see why this might be for some, an aphrodisiac. The light creamy buttery texture with a slight sweetness to it made me wonder why I haven't tried it all these years. Sushi Noguchi equals great memories old and new. Thank you Hiro and Jun. I will return.
(5)Joanne C.
Still serving up fresh sushi with great, friendly service. We usually go during the week or on Sunday. There is usually no wait, but still pretty busy. I can only imagine how busy they get on Fridays and Saturdays. The owners are usually there when we go, and you can tell how much pride they have in their restaurant. Follow them on Facebook, they post often and the food looks delicious! Some of our favorite menu items to order: Albacore sushi Tuna sushi Mackerel sushi Steamed clams Sushi trio let Yup, we definitely recommend Sushi Noguchi and will be back soon.
(4)Lawrence L.
I have to be among one of the last of my cadre of closer Yelp friends to come out to Yorba Linda to dine, sushi at that; I mean what else is out here, the Nixon Library? After putting it off for quite a while, my wife and I finally decided to make the trek towards inland OC and take in some of the hoopla firsthand. It's coming to these out-of-the-way places that seems to make the trip all the more worthwhile though and I can lend mine to the growing crescendo of voices that hail Sushi Noguchi as one of the better places for omakase in the OC... Calling ahead for reservations ensures you a spot at the bar where you can catch all of the itamae action like we did although we also found that you can choose a more traditional dining route at a table and still order some pretty sizable sushi/sashimi preparations. The place is immaculate btw, bright and airy in an Ikea kind of way, but soothing as if you were thinking outside of your head ... I've met Jun, sort of the Robin to Hiro's Batman, or maybe it's the other way around? Jun is in charge of the front shop, friendly and gregarious, she was the one who picked up the phone when I called to make reservations and saved us a spot right in front of the bar. Talking and sharing experiences with her I found to be speakeasy and delightful... Being a Yelper, I naturally took advantage of the half-off house sake, for my better half of course. But onward. For me, the omakase is the thing and here they offer two kinds. Hiro's Omakase is the traditional approach where we got lots of sashimi and nigiri, to our hearts (or stomachs) content and is more open ended price-wise; in other words keep it coming baller until your wallet gets too light. Jun's Omakase is a $45 five-course prix fixe that included chawanmushi, a 4 piece nigiri, and a hand roll, but also some more contemporary, "fusion" elements (not really) like baked toro steak (really good), a big-eye tuna kampachi with neutered chiles (without the seeds), and an amuse bouche shrimp with sweet mayo like honey-walnut shrimp sans nuts... Between the two, I preferred the more traditional Hiro's Omakase, in part because it was more in line with what I was expecting from an omakase but also because I had more access to different kinds of fresh fish. I was expecting the quality to be good because so many trusted reviewers said so and it was. I particularly enjoyed the toro and clam sashimi, and the sardine and uni nigiri was superb. I was glad we ordered one of each omakase though because we got to try more things, and also because the pacing of the food was better, otherwise I could have eaten $150-$200 worth of sushi/sashimi alone without any filter... I don't know if it was all the name-dropping I did but Jun graciously offered us a slice of mille crepe cake for dessert that rivals Lady M's on the house; everything just tastes better when you weren't expecting it... It was a solid outing, we enjoyed ourselves and can't wait for an opportunity to see if we can bring any of our friends and family back...
(5)Jin S.
Plain and simple. Great fish. Rice was a wreck. It was soggy at first. He apologized and made another batch and it was undercooked. I was crunching on rice. Isn't that the first thing you learn? I will give it another shot though. Maybe it was just an off night.
(3)Alice K.
I originally tried this place and really enjoyed sushi I ordered here. After telling all the raving review from me, my boyfriend who also loves sushI decided to come with me. Ambiance is clean and modern traditional, staff are well trained and attentive. For the night we decided to go with Juns Omakase, $45 each person. Omakase means the best dishes from a sushi chef. Although we were really full by end of five courses, we were disappointed of what being served to us and it was a unsatisfied meal. Most food served to us are either cooked or pokes. 1st course is this really artisc plate with a very small cocktail shrimp and poke served in a spoon. 2nd is albercore poke served in a cocktail glass. 3rd is cooked fish steak served in tartar style. 4th nigiris with smoked salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and halibut. 5th is tuna hand roll. Most of them are decent, but I will not order this chef special again. $45 for some chopped leftover fish are not worth it. I hope the restaurant can improve their Omakase by adding more quality sushi to meet restaurant's upscale style.
(3)Phil Y.
When I was single, I used to get it a couple times a week. But, after getting married, I have been deprived of it. It has been many years since I have had it. I recently discovered that I can get it without my wife being around, but, it would have to be a lunchtime quickie. It is because of my Yelp friends that I discovered Sushi Noguchi. Sushi Noguchi has been able to satisfy my desires for sushi and sashimi. I had my first rendezvous with Jun at Sushi Noguchi a couple weeks ago. She greeted me with a nice big smile. She treated me nicely and insisted that I get Hiro's Best Seafood Medley. Not being a dummy, I agreed. The Hiro's Best Seafood Medley came out a short time later. The Seafood Medley was a medley of different kinds of sashimi. It came with Hamachi, Tuna, Tako, Salmon, spicy tuna, and a few others. The medley came with a bowl of rice and soup. It was the best sashimi that I have had in a long time. I savored every bite that I took. It made me reminisce about my younger days when I used to get it a couple of times a week. A few weeks later, I felt the desire to go visit Sushi Noguchi once again. Jun was prepared for me this time. She knew what kind of customer I would be. She put me in the back corner of the restaurant out of sight of most of the other patrons where we could have some privacy. This time I ordered their lunch special consisting of Karaage and a spicy tuna roll. The lunch special also came with miso soup and a bowl of rice. While I was waiting for my lunch, Jun came over and showed me something very private. Shortly thereafter, the food came out. The spicy tuna came out first. The Karaage came out moments later. Both the spicy tuna and the karaage were very good. The spicy tuna roll once again satisfied my sushi desires. Jun and Sushi Noguchi have shown me what I have been missing. Great Japanese food! Service is great! I can share private moments with Jun in the back corner of the restaurant. A great place for a lunchtime quickie of sushi and sashimi! I'll be back for sure!
(5)Diana T.
I am always looking for good sushi places to eat so my friend introduced me to this little gem of a place! My friends and I had dinner reservations at 7:30pm on a Friday night. We arrived and were seated right away! As we waited for our group to arrive, we were already getting something to drink from our attentive waiter, Nick. I gotta tell you that the service is impeccable because Nick did an awesome job checking up on us to see if we needed anything as well as Jun, the owner! She was super nice and helped us order if we were unsure. I really like salmon, tuna, avocado and crab meat (I know so simple). Jun suggested that I tell her what I like and they can just make me a special roll with my favorite ingredients! WHO DOES THAT?! It's like customizing your own roll! That is freaking awesome! While I waited for mine, we all shared the rainbow roll and the crunchy roll. Both were fabulous! I was kind of saddened that when I took a bit into a piece of the rainbow roll, there were lots of tuna and a sliver of salmon. I bit into and and the next thing you know, the salmon piece just sends its way back to my through before I could even chew! The fish is that BUTTERY so beware of how you eat!! The fish here is amazingly fresh, delicious, and buttery!! It did however take a very long time to get the roll but it is well worth the wait when you have good company as well! The crunch roll was also very good! This is probably the first time I've had any type of sushi roll without the tortilla crunch! Very Interesting!! Last but not least, please save room for dessert! The mile crepe is amazingly awesome! I made the mistake of eating each bite very thick! I just stuck my fork in and went to town! SIDE NOTE: Eat the crepe layer by layer. Just peel it and eat it! Taste a lot better and it is much lighter! The sauce is a red wine sauce I believe! I thought it was chocolate so just be careful if you don't like wine or not. I will definitely come back to this place and may try their Hiro's Omakase Special! I will I will I will!! Thank you for such a wonderful experience and Nick, thanks for taking all our pictures :) NOTE: -Single bathroom available -check in using the Yelp app and get 50% off draft beer or house sake
(5)Han L.
I'm recanting on my previous rating as a result of last night'a dinner. My friend and I ordered the omakase (priced at $45) from the bar, and it was going ok. Food was good, but not extraordinary. We were sure how many pieces was included in the omakase, and I finally asked the chef if we were done- apparently it was only done If/When we told him so. The bill came out to $165-- and well, each piece was charged separately, as part of a different omakase. Needless to say, I was appalled. I paid it anyway and never am going back. I felt completely cheated: 1 star for service 2 stars for food
(2)Olga G.
Hiro is a master sushi chef! We love his creativity. The fish is fresh, excellent quality. Hiro & June have a killer corner on japanese cuisine. I recommend this place is a must on my short list of favorite sushi restaurants Each visit has been a satisfying and savory experience. Unsurpassed quality of the freshest fish.
(5)Will L.
Sushi Noguchi claims to have the best sushi in the OC. I wouldn't be surprised if that was actually true. However, for someone who eats sushi from the LA area, the fish here is a little lacking. We tried the Hiro's special omakase, which was pay-as-you-eat and you just let the chefs know when you're done. The first batch came with a large assortment of different sashimi pieces including otoro, mackerel, yellowtail, chutoro, and a couple of other various items. They also brought out a dish of halibut in chivas oil. The second batch came with sushi pieces of uni, king salmon, mackarel, and some other pieces I've never tried before. The verdict? The first batch of sashimi started out promising with the otoro leading the way. The flavor was really exceptional, but I guess that's to be expected with any place that serves otoro (usually the best part of toro). The mackerel, chutoro, and yellowtail sashimi all had good flavor, but they were a little on the dry side. It soon became apparent that most of the sashimi were not as fresh as the ones you would get in LA. Even though the flavor was good, the pieces didn't exactly melt in your mouth. The second batch of sushi had the same problem. The uni and king salmon were not that fresh, which you could easily see just from an eye inspection. Although I would say that I enjoyed my meal, it was a little too expensive for the quality. A good amount of food from the omakase ended up costing about $80 per person, which is in line with the omakase you usually get in LA too, but I'd rather be spending that money somewhere with fresher fish. Maybe the fish was a little off because it's summer time and the heat was getting to the quality (Yorba Linda is much closer to the desert area). Or maybe people just rate this place higher because there's no better sushi places around the Yorba Linda area. However, after this first experience, I'd personally prefer sushi places in LA, near Rowland Heights, and near Monterey Park.
(3)Joanna L.
Their $50 fusion omakase was an extraordinary deal. 6 courses of masterfully prepared dishes presented with meticulous care. Even sushi purists will find something to love about this chef's selection. The quality and freshness of their seafood are unbeatable. Service is courteous but not overbearing. Looking forward to the traditional sushi omakase on my next trip.
(5)Monica Z.
Came here with the husband for date night and we both chose their Omakase #1 (sushi & sashimi) - $60-$90 range depending on how much you eat. This is misleading because you don't know how much your bill is until the end of dinner. Omakase meaning the "Chef's Best" we expected Chef Hiro to give us what he believed to be his best. What we got was subpar sashimi and no sushi whatsoever. We were given cheaper fish, they were fresh but tasted bland. At the third course the chef served us Rainbow Trout sashimi. It was the most disgusting tasting piece of raw fish I've ever had. There's a reason no other sushi restaurant serves it raw and it's mainly served cooked. It wasn't even served on a bed of rice to cut the bitter taste! Although we were still hungry we asked him to stop service. Service was slow and inattentive. We had to keep flagging down a server to refill our tea and beer. For really delicious Omakase, try Sushi Murasaki. Their chefs are amazing and the price is more reasonable.
(2)Jeff H.
Great food, great service. Not sure why this place isn't busy. Make sure to get Rising Sun if you like Sushi....uh well, if you don't like Sushi I'm not sure why you'd come. They do have cooked food on the menu if you're interested I suppose.
(5)Robin L.
Came to Sushi Noguchi after a new friend drove us by and mentioned the sushi was amazing. He was so right. The fish is incredibly fresh and the rolls are expertly executed while being thoughtfully made. Here's what I mean: why make a rainbow roll with mayo-ey shredded crab on the inside when you can add flavorful, fresh asparagus (it adds a delightful crunch while complimenting the fish perfectly). We had a dinner to attend later in the evening so we weren't able to get the omakase but I will absolutely hit that up next time. As I understand it, Hiro's nick name is Omakase Man:) What we did have was a salmon sashimi plate and a couple truly excellent rolls that featured melt-in-your-mouth fish. I was blown away by the quality. This is not the place for rolls that use a bunch of sauce for flavor; you go here for the fish! And expect to pay for it. Our little snack was not cheap by any means but I think it was reasonable given the portions/quality. Plus we got free ice cream for checking in and you get offers through their email list. For a great Sushi place with amazing quality, good service and nice atmosphere, Yay! I'm a fan. Yelp 100 Challenge: 93/100, pictures #92-95/100
(4)Leonard K.
Great sushi. they definitely deserve the great reviews from other yelpers. hiro San really does put out some of the finest sushi in the area. Uni, chu toro (bluefin) are recommend. Will be coming back for sure.
(5)Randi B.
I have been to Sushi Noguchi many times now. I have had the Omakase a few times, stopped in for a light lunch, tried all sorts of sashimi and rolls and things that I have never had before. Everything I have had has been wonderful and I am so glad that Sushi Noguchi has opened me up to not fearing sushi - a couple years ago I was the girl who would only order Tempura Shrimp with rice, and now I will try shrimp heads and uni. Who knew I could be so adventurous! I just wanted to update my review to mention a new item they have on the menu - Toban yaki. I saw this new dish on their Facebook page and it looked great so BF and I headed in for dinner last night. You are given a cast iron pot that is placed over an open flame with Wagyu beef, potatoes, carrot, asparagus, and a shishito pepper. The pot is HOT! Everything is cooked but the longer you leave the food on the pot, the more it will cook, the meat will become more well done and the veggies will develop a nice char. The Toban yaki was awesome! The veggies had a great seasoning on them, and the beef was just perfect, seasoned with only salt and pepper. It was a very heavily marbled meat, which gave it a lovely rich flavor. Delicious! It was another perfect meal at Sushi Noguchi! Thanks Jun & Hiro!
(5)NV C.
Amazing local neighborhood joint! The fish was unbelievably fresh and the sake was delish as always!!!
(5)Marie AK C.
Didn't think much of this place as it's situated in a Stater Brothers strip mall. Came here for dinner and was pleasantly surprised. It's definitely pricey but worth it! The sushi is fresh and top notch. The uni, salmon, yellowtail, albacore and tuna were fresh! The wagyu beef was very tasty. I finished off the meal with their highly rated and positively reviewed Mille Crepe dessert. I'm not much of a crepe lover, but it's definitely a decadent dessert worth ordering. Pros: fresh fish, good service Cons: pricey but worth it.
(5)Jal T.
Jumbo scallop with uni - very tasty 2 order of uni sushi - not the best I've had but good enough Baked crab handroll - delicious Toro hand roll with green onions - delicious Salmon skin salad - good Ootoro, blue fin tuna, and sea bream sushi - all were decent but the blue fin tuna was legit This place is good but not great. All of this costed $114. Price isn't bad for what I paid for but it took 1.25 hours for all of it to come out. I sat at the sushi bar and it was painfully slow to even get in the first order. Will I be back? No.
(3)YY C.
I saw this restaurant on a FB post and it is super near my house so we decided to give it a try. This place is amazing. The service is excellent. It is a cozy environment yet family friendly. I will also recommend this place if you want to bring a date or a first date because the noise level is good. You can hear a lot of people talking, no background music. Tonight we went Sake Tasting. Every pairing dish was yummy! I decided to come here very often if i win a lottery for the food is not cheap. They even gave me a slice of sake cake, on the house, on my birthday. It was really unique and tasty. The kid's meal is $8 comes with rice, chicken nuggets, octopus balls and little fruit on the side. The nuggets are tender and taste very fresh, not frozen.
(5)John C.
This place told me it would take 45 min to an hour to get my order after placing The restaurant was half empty ABSURD I left
(1)Kathy N.
Saw them appear on a oc best list and had to try it out for myself. Went here last night to try Hiro's omakase and it was one of the best experiences I had. Maybe since it was slow the service was better but the chefs were friendly and the wait staff was very attentive quickly taking away finished plates and refilling drinks. I checked in for 50% off cold house sake too! P.s. The 24 layer crepe dessert is a must have!
(5)Jay K.
Best best best sushi ever! It's fresh and huge! Great service. Modern decor! I love this place. Slightly on the pricier end but worth every penny!
(5)Tyler W.
I am shocked that this place doesn't have more reviews. Just goes to show that more reviews doesn't always mean better (especially in socal). Well, I can't make any lofty claims, but I will say that this is some of the best sushi I have had. It easily competes with and surpasses pretty much everywhere we have been in Little Tokyo and also Sugarfish. I can't tell you how it does against the super high end places in LA, but I can tell you that you will get some great fish served by very nice people. I wouldn't doubt some of the claims saying that this is some of the best in OC. This is definitely going to be our new go to place for sushi.
(5)Janet L.
Their seafood medley is my go-to item. Delicious and generous portions. The complimentary miso soup is flavorful. Two of friends tried their crepe cake. Only one of them said they would order it again. The owner (sushi chef) really takes his time to make each dish with an artistic touch. The waitress is very friendly and always makes some conversation with us when we come. The ambiance is clean, neat, and very well-kept. The only downside is that my co-workers and I have to leave at a certain time and we've tried calling in 30 mins. early to make sure we can actually enjoy our meals rather than rush our meals every time. If you have a party more than 4 people, I highly suggest you order in at least 30 mins. earlier and tell them that you are in a rush.
(4)Richard W.
If you're a cheap ass or want a rushed meal this place won't be for you. You get what you pay for here in quality and they don't rush you through your meal so you can actually enjoy the food and your company. I would recommend going for it all and getting the Omakase. It's a blend of sushi, sashimi, and cooked dishes that are of the highest quality. Maybe it's the prices, but it's never overly crowded and getting a table is easy. If you're looking for quality, give Noguchi a try!
(5)G T.
We tried the (2) Hiro omakase and (1) Juno Omakase and the hamachi kama and the butterfish/black cod. I think I am not going to ever order omakase since I think it leaves too much discretion to the chef and I feel like the more we ate, the worst the sushi/sashimi quality got. Maybe its the cynic in me but no one should ever cook toro unless it is so old that the only way to eat it would be to cook it. That was what started my suspicions of sub par quality fish being selected for the omakase consumers. Also, the black cod is nothing like the Nobu version of Miso Black Cod. It was simply salted. Same for the Hamachi Kama although this dish had a ponzu dipping sauce. The cooked fish was a bit dry which is unusual given the typically high fat content of those fishes. It was an ok meal but not sure what all the hype was all about.
(3)Natassia H.
Booooooooooooo!!! Over priced, too quiet, gave us diarrhea. We decided to go here based on the great reviews. So much for our date night. There was nothing special about the hiro roll. Pretty much any other roll I've had has been better. It was so quiet and akward too. No atmosphere. Boooooooooooooooooo!
(1)Matthew C.
Very nice place. I'm not sure that I was blown away but it's definitely a good place.
(4)Auds S.
My number one sushi place. Had a packed house tonight but honestly it was worth it! 11/2 wait. But when every I can come hear I'm am a happy woman;)
(5)Taylor A.
Came here for lunch and was blown away!! The fish is so fresh and their signature dishes are so delicious. I also love the clean white ambience. Boyfriend had uni for the first time and said it was over the top delicious! Personable staff. No complaints.
(5)Marko C.
FIVE SOLID STARS for Sushi Noguchi! Owner/Chefs Jun and Hiro - AMAZING stuff! I think I may have found my favorite sushi place in Yorba Linda! It's no wonder this place has been nominated and won so many sushi awards! Well deserved, delicious, and amazing! Gambatte! yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… For our starters, we had two sashimi plates. The first one was Hamachi sashimi with jalapeno peppers, served with a kind of a ponzu sauce. Clean, refreshing, quality. We really enjoyed this dish because of the firmness of the fish and the contrasting flavors. Grade: A! yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Our second plate was the seared ahi tuna. This fish was also firm and served with an oil shoyu sauce, topped with fried onions/garlic. OMG DELICIOUS! I would have licked the plate if I could have! Grade: A. yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… For the table (actually only for me), we ordered nigiri sushi. Hamachi was nice and fresh, very buttery. Nice texture to the bite. (Grade: A!). The Mirugai / Giant Clam, was fresh, tasted of the sea, and chewy delicious (Grade: A+). The Fresh Water Eel was flavorful, tender (Grade: A-). My main meal was the lunch special Omakase Chirashi Sushi. It was a bed of Hamachi, tai snapper, salmon, uni sea urchin, scallops, maguro, kanpachi (baby hamachi) served on a bed of sushi rice. The presentation was beautiful and I enjoyed every bite of my meal! Grade: A! yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… We were treated to two kinds of desserts! The first dessert was the FAMOUS 30+ layered cake! OMG GET THIS!!! This dessert was 30+ layers of crepes, served in a cream sauce. It was fun to cut into the cake, because you could feel each layer of the cake as you tore through it. The flavors were light and refreshing. It tasted a bit like the Japanese Cream Cake and the Mexican Tres Leches sauce. LOVED THIS! Grade: A+ yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… The second dessert was the BEAUTIFUL Green Tea wrapped in a Crepe, and served with frozen red grapes. The green tea was AMAZING. The presentation was OUTSTANDING (beautiful plating like the Japanese always do). We devoured this dish! I would have licked the plate if given the opportunity! Grade: A! yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… The highlight of this eating experience was Owner Chef Jun. She was super bubbly, friendly, and treated us like family! Her husband Sushi Chef Hiro was busy working behind the counter, ensuring that they offered only the best quality sushi. Beautiful clean modern decor combined with hard working staff. AMAZING! See you tomorrow! I'm a new FAN! Visit their Facebook page to see all of the food pictures and awards that they have won. I promise you will have an amazing experience! Please open a second restaurant on the WestSide of town! yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… Food Grade: A! Service Grade: A+ Worth the Money Grade: A Overall Impression Grade: A!
(5)Michael M.
A great little find. I used to drive to Costa Mesa for great sushi, now it is around the corner. Food quality is great. Service is wonderful. Price is a touch high but still good for this quality of sushi. The Mille Crep dessert is amazing. I'm torn, this is my secret little find, not sure I want you all here! On the other hand, come on in and make them a huge success.
(4)David L.
Best sushi I have ever had. Very fresh with a weekly imported fish menu from Japan. Nice staff with a very traditional and clean environment. It reminds me of the movie regarding Hiro Loves Sushi
(5)Jonah L.
Lots of hype, award-winning establish, therefore had to try it. I came here with high expectations. I have to admit the plating was decent, but not the best. Compared to the previous photos I've seen, I felt like we got below average. We ordered the salmon, tempura, spicy tuna roll and a few off the sashimi list. The salmon was cooked to perfection, quite tasty I wouldn't change a thing about it. The tuna roll was average, nothing really spectacular about it. As for the sashimi, the cuts were nice, you can taste the freshness in the fish, but that too was average. As for the ambiance and staff, wonderful! The interior of the restaurant is welcoming and beautifully set to make your dining experience inviting and warm. The staff is nice and attentive. In the end, the food didn't sell it for me. A sushi restaurant with quite the reputation, unfortunately, I can name a dozen others that are much better.
(3)Christine H.
Best quality of fish I've ever had in Orange county. Great and friendly service. It's a bit expensive but would every penny. I wish I could eat here every night. They really know how to create a perfect experience. I had the scallop with uni, the ebi, gizzard shad, and and striped bonito... all to die for!
(5)Elena L.
Food wasnt as good as i had expected from the reviews and photos. Ginger wasnt that good either, it lacks the sweetness taste.
(3)Jeff K.
I have been here several times and ordered different items each time. This last time for my birthday, we did Hiro's Omakase, which consisted of chawan mushi (egg custard), grilled tuna, amuse bouche, yellowtail with jalapeño, nigiri sushi, and a hand roll. Everything was okay, but nothing different from what I've had at other Japanese restaurants, nor any better. Service was fine, as they came by to refill our waters and always introduced the dishes. The restaurant also seemed to fill up around 7:30 PM on the Saturday we went, which is probably due to its status as one of the better restaurants in Orange County. It's always a good thing to get a reservation. One thing I have to say is that when I came here for lunch with a friend once, we ordered the exact same dishes, except mine came with chicken karaage. We went for a track workout after lunch, and I got pretty sick (felt like food poisoning) and kept tasting the karaage, so I stayed away from this restaurant for a while.
(4)Steve S.
I first came by this place during winter break last year after move to Yorba Linda. I was expecting to find such a great sushi place in my area. Personally, I am a sashimi lover, grow up in Shanghai, I am really picky on the taste of seafood. Sushi Noguchi is one of the only few place I would go to. Ever since I step in this place for dinner one time during winter break. I got absolutely addicted. Now I usually go their 1-2 times each month. Good food do have higher cost, that is expected and their food really worth the price. In the other hand, their lunch special is really good deal for saving. Strongly recommended!
(5)Saul C.
I don't have much to say... Except, Grade A Sushi, Great Flavors, Authenticity And Great Staff!!! ( THE AWARDS SPEAK FOR THEM SELF ) If you don't like this place, we'll then You Have Bad Taste!! Try Hiro's Omakase!
(5)James D.
I have eaten here 3 times in the last 4 weeks. And I have not been disappointed. I brought my son and his wife one time, and they both were very impressed. I brought my wife, with a bit of trepidation, as she is not a 'sushi person', but she really really enjoyed her lunch and is looking forward to going back. That made me happy. The setting is very nice inside. Minimalist. Relaxing. It's smaller than I expected. It's tucked into a little strip mall next to a beauty parlor. But once inside you are transported. And Jun, co-owner, will take good care of you. Don't forget to do a Yelp check in and write a tip for a free glass of the coldest Kirin beer you have ever had. That cold beer had my wife swooning. I have yet to sit at the sushi bar, but I plan to. Maybe next week for the sake tasting. I have only ordered the omakase as the main meal.. At lunch there are two omakase choices. One is $20, with 8 pieces of sushi and a miso soup. The miso soup is delicious, but I have only stolen bites from my lunch partners, as it does not come with the full omakase, which is $45 at lunch. My wife had the $20 omakase, and she was very impressed, not easy to do with someone who does not eat much sushi and has tended to prefer CA rolls or something like that. She also ordered a green salad, and commented on how fresh the greens were. She was won over by the dressing too, which at the beginning she was comparing (not favorably) to the salads at San Shi Go. My omakase lunches have been varied, as expected, and amazing. I love the seabream with a touch of yuzu. Chef Hiro made some deep fried toro served on skewers in a daikon radish. Like the best chicken/fish nugget you have ever eaten. My 4 year old wanted all of it.. I put an end to that. Chef Hiro has an elegant touch. His dishes are visually inviting and any garnish enhances the flavors or provides texture. The salmon has been extraordinary. Melt in the mouth fresh. I like the seaweed-wrapped toro, especially when the small bit of sushi rice inside is slightly warm. None of the dishes is too spicy, something that is important to me. Great balance, so one is tasting the fish, not garnishes. I like that wasabi isn't just tossed out there to be put on everything. And I like it that they tell you whether you should even use a little soy with each dish as it is brought to you. I ordered some waygu shortribs this time, thinking my daughter would eat some. Nope. Oh well, more for me. Excellent. The $45 omakase is plenty of food for a big guy. I'm a big guy. In fact, I let my wife share some and I was still plenty full. A great deal, if you ask me. And the desserts? My wife is not a sweet person. Maybe I meant to say she is not a sweets person. But the mille crepe dessert, which is 25 super thin layered crepes with some sweetness, but not too much, was a real winner with her. Almost like a bread pudding. And the green tea ice cream. It's not all sweetness, but has real green tea flavor. She was taken with both. Me too. Ok, so I have to say, I'm not a sushi expert. I haven't eaten in a zillion sushi places. But I do think I recognize high quality food when I eat it. And this is such a place for me. Never before in my life I have found myself thinking about sushi all the time. I do now. Thanks, sushi Noguchi (and Yelpers Sidney S and Julie L for turning me on to this place.... it is awesome, as are both of you).
(5)Cat Q.
The waitress:" How was your chawanmushi?". Me: " This is our first cold chawanmushi". The waitress:" Really? You never had cold chawanmushi before?" Me:"!?!?" Okay, here is the thing. There is a big definition about cool and cold. And this chawanmushi is cold and icy. The temperature is as cold as they just came out of the fridge. It's unpleasant to eat ice cold salty dish in a cold restaurant. The indoor architecture looks like a Japanese spa house. The ambiance makes you feel cold, this place needs more of some warmness and kindness. The service is on and off and the management is unorganized. They are only nice to the old customers, they let us wait 15 minutes without any drinks in a half empty restaurant. Some staff walking around like they are busy, but they never looked at us to take order. Sometimes, when people walk in, a bunch of waiter/waitress start to fold napkins instead of greeting the customers like headless chicken. Some of them walk around with empty trays like a donkey grinding the mill, what a mess. The wine list is big. We got Hiro's omakase and it was the worst omakase ever. Normally we will having 7-9 dishes, but today we stopped at the 5th and we didn't even want to try their dessert. The whole experience was uninspiring and uncreative. If I want to order standard sashimi, I won't get an omakase, I will order a big plate of sashimi. Omakase is suppose to be "surprise me if you can", but here at Sushi Noguchi, they just give you mediocre sashimi over and over again, it gets boring. Where is your amazing skill? Why is my omakase different from the beautiful food pictures online? Where is your creativity? Their knife skill is similar to Angotei. The sashimi was thick and long. They use every last bit of the fish. You will get leftover fish meat that's hiding behind the shiso leaves. Some of the sashimi looks ugly, like it was the leftovers from the fish. --+ The fish meat was mediocre, everything is soaked in ponzu. --+Scallops were sweet. --+ Chawanmushi was the high light on the entire menu. It was fresh, sweet, eggy. the uni is very thin and skinny, but it was fresh and sweet. However the whole dish was icy cold. It's so cold, that my stomach didn't feel well all night long. --+The wassabi has this tiny salty pieces inside. The wasabi was sweet and not spicy at all. ---Octopus: Worst octopus that we ever had. It was like eating eraser. It's chewy, rubbery and it's bland. The octopus must been dead for decades and it nested in their freezer for a long time. Gross! Normally I never care much about what I spend on food, but $160,00 for all you can see in my picture. Wow...Just WOW! We don't recommend this place for their careless service, boring omakase and icy dishes.
(1)Chris G.
Thank you, Noguchi, for another excellent meal. The monkfish liver with oysters was stellar and the sashimi platter was almost too pretty to eat. Hiro and Min are both gracious and friendly and always serve the best, varied omakase.
(5)Andrew P.
very high quality sushi and sashimi for above average prices. a place to eat at if you are not super hungry and want to enjoy quality over quantity. i'd go back however would be sure to hit up an AYCE place instead of i just need a large sushi fix. $$$.
(4)B L.
Omakase please! 5 stars all the way I've been on the hunt for another great omakase after popping my omakase cherry at San Diego's popular Sushi Ota. Now I have one closer to home. I've been eyeing Sushi Noguchi ever since seeing it as a competitor for the foodie awards. Right when you walk in, you will noticed how bright the whole place is, ranging from its white walls to its wooden elements. Very contemporary if you ask me. I have to say, Noguchi blows a lot of sushi places out of the water. Service is top notch, as all the chefs and waiters are fast and friendly. For the past few times I've been here, I always got the omakase. I never regret spending $100+ on a meal here. The food is all about quality! The cuts are to die for and melt perfectly in your mouth. I grew a love (more like an obsession) for kanpachi now ever since having it here. It was like butter! I've been dreaming of their salmon, spanish mackerel, blue crab, and blue fin toro ever since. OMG the blue fin toro... Never have I had something so amazing. I was also impressed with their amuse bouche, salads, and cooked items... Can I also give them another +1 star for having mille crepes?! I cannot wait till my next visit.
(5)Heidi B.
Excellent fish! Not a huge selection of rolls but very high quality. Great service, clean, nice atmosphere.
(5)Miss M.
First time trying this place and was so disappointed with the quality of Sushi. We came in during dinner but there were only 4 tables besides us there so it was not busy. We order 1 California Roll and 2 orders of Spicy Tuna, 1 miso soup and 1 seaweed salad. Soup and salad came out quick but the Sushi took 30mins to receive and we only received the California rolls first then about 5mins later the Spicy Tuna and it did not look fresh at all! Not only that it had no spice to it at all. The taste was awful. We then called the waitress and told her it was not spicy at all and she said oh its medium spicy tuna. Never heard of medium thought spicy tuna is that spicy. The taste had a fatty taste to it and looked sloppy. We did not eat more than 1 piece of the spicy tuna and left. They still charged us for everything minus one of the orders we cancelled that still did not come. I will not come here again.
(1)Corrie W.
This place is excellent. All the sushi was perfectly seasoned, delicately flavored, fresh, and some very interesting selections in the omakase (Never seen mantis shrimp served before!). I got Jun's Omakase, served by Jun herself, while my friend got the more traditional Hiro's Omakase. Pricey, but you get what you pay for! If you are on a budget but still want a considered splurge, Jun's omakase is a fixed price at $45. It's more "fusion style," with some cooked offerings, some sashimi, but still good, simple, clean flavors. Nothing too gimmicky. I was very satisfied with the meal, the ambience, and Jun was a delight! It is in a weird plaza with a McDonalds and a grocery store, so it was a little confusing to find, but the interior of the restaurant is clean and tastefully decorated. A nice little secret, surprisingly right in OC.
(5)Julie S.
I REALLY wanted to like Sushi Noguchi. The service was very friendly and the interior was pleasantly bright, airy, and clean. We sat at the bar and ordered the omakase; the sushi chef took care to give us extra attention. It started out beautifully with great appetizers and a big plate of assorted sashimi. If it stopped there, this would be a completely different review. It SHOULD have stopped there because we were already stuffed, and kept saying so. When the nigiri sushi started coming out, it went completely downhill. The rice tasted stale and the vinegar taste was too strong. It was also a cold sushi rice, unlike the warmer versions at other high end sushi bars. With each new bite we complained loudly how full we were and yet the sushi kept coming. It started to feel like a food challenge. And worst of all, the fish on the nigiri pieces weren't very fresh at all. When we got the bill, we were shocked that it came out to $98 per person, not including alcohol. The menu said the omakase was around $60 or so (can't remember exactly), so we had no idea we were buying so much sushi. Don't get me wrong, I usually don't mind spending a lot on sushi when it's worth the price. But the chef never asked us once if we had had enough so we thought we were still within the minimum amount. And the fact that we kept saying how full we were, which was completely ignored, made it feel like we were basically duped into a higher bill than necessary. Don't be like me - know before you go. Be very direct about whether or not you want to keep going or stop because otherwise he will keep going. I recommend Noguchi for the sashimi and appetizers, but unfortunately not the nigiri.
(2)Andrew T.
Ultra expensive. Not really ultra taste. Paid $36 for three pieces of toro. What did we get, not even hunking pieces of tuna, no, what we got was three skimpy pieces of what looked like dried out, old Toro. Very disappointing and almost insulting that we paid that amount of money for that amount of sushi. And don't even get me started on the waitress who seems to hate her job and makes it very obviois to everyone around her. I just came here for a nice meal, I don't need the attitude or the rushed vibe emanating from the waitress. Now it is an authentic Japanese place so what exactly does that mean compared to its Korean counterpart? Well for starters apparently you pay a lot more for a lot less. And I'm not talking about rolls here, I'm talking about real sushi ans sashimi. Why would you pay so much for some nigiri, to get the tiniest aliver of fish? Or the same size sliver of fish that I could get at any other Korean sushi place for half the price? Is the quality of their fish so astounding that its worth half the size? In my opinion, not really. And trust me, I can usually tell these kinds of things, such as high quality tuna from bad tuna. But in this case it was just ehhhh. Overall. Maybe try this place once so you can have your own opinion but if you're tired of the korean sushi places and wan a legit Japanese experience, wallet destroying, but also taste worthy experiences can be found elsewhere.
(3)Shawn T.
We went to Sushi Noguchi once and we were hooked. It has become our go to Sushi place. They always have great service and are very accommodating to the fact that we have kids. I like Sushi Noguchi because they focus on the fish. I am not a fan of most sushi rolls. Their sushi menu is mainly Sashimi and Nigiri. They have several Toro options and unique plates like the yellowtail with jalapeño sauce.
(5)Les S.
Ever since I came here for a Yelp event several months ago I wanted to write a 5 star review, but I've been holding off until I can have one more experience as a regular customer. I wanted to see how this place operates when it's not hosting a private party. My wife and I came back last night for early Father's Day celebration and we enjoyed our meal more than the ones that were served at the Yelp event. We both opted for the prix fixe omakase and it was a fantastic deal. we got 10 special items which the chef prepared for the day. Everything was really fresh and tasted like high quality fish. I've been to some sushi places where the fish was fresh but just didn't have that special touch. All of the items were served at the right pace so we weren't hungry in between items. My favorite from the omakase was salmon. It was so buttery and soft you didn't need anything on it. I always judge a sushi place by its salmon and this place definitely got it right. Hamachi with jalapeno was also a great item. I had something similar at another place but this place was way better. We got some dessert at the end which was a variation of tempura ice cream. Instead of tempura Sushi Noguchi uses fried crepe on the outside so the outer layer is slightly crispy and chewy. It was an excellent dessert and was a nice touch to end our meal. Our whole meal took over 2 hours. You should set aside about that much time when you're doing omakase. This place is quite spacious for a sushi restaurant and is very clean. The tables are arranged in a way so you don't feel claustrophobic even when the place is packed to its capacity. For the best sushi experience I recommend always sitting at the bar. For me, the time it takes for the sushi to go from the sushi bar to a table is too long. I want to eat it as soon as the sushi chef prepares it. It does make a difference. Service was consistently good both times we've been here. Owner Jun was constantly going from table to table to make sure all guests were taken care of. I purposely pretended like I was a non Yelper when I came with my wife the second time so I don't get any special treatment. Eventually she recognized me but by then it was end of our meal and I had already made up my mind on how I would rate this place. I wish this place was little closer so I can visit more frequently. Distance isn't too far but is a bit off the freeway so you end up driving local streets for a while.
(5)Paul N.
Usually for Sushi i would go to a All You Can Eat place for quantity. Not this place, i come here for the freaking QUALITY! My oh my. I been here 4 - 6 times (wish i could go more, but i cant afford it haha) Food is divine, service is fantastic! Tommy and Hayate i believe? Are usually the guys that serve me. If i don't really know what i want they give me a recommendation and it turns out phenomenal. Things that i would recommend: Sit at the Bar get the full experience. Uni, Salmon, Yellowtail Belly, Toro, The Halibut Asparagus, Rising Sun Roll, and Engawa (had it the first time and it was delicious) Things i Wouldn't recommend: Not trying out this place. Bringing a empty wallet.
(5)Kevin N.
Well, my wife and I have tried several sushi places around our area and have found a new place to call home at Sushi Noguchi! Every time we come into eat, we are always greeted warmly by the staff. Sushi is excellent here. Fish taste fresh and their customer service is excellent. Unlike some other sushi places, they don't mask their fish with sauces or whatnot, to me that takes away from the natural flavor of the fish. Thank you again Hiro and your staff for such a wonderful experience every time we come in, we will definitely be back soon!!
(5)Krystle M.
Came here on a Friday night. Made a reservation same day for two at 5pm, sushi bar and had no issues. Called a little before 5 because we were running late and again, friendly employee informed us no problem. Arrived at 520pm and we were seated promptly and in front of Hiro. Both of us ordered Hiro's omakase and held on for a ride of a lifetime. Total experience took about 2 hours. Could have been longer but we decided to cut it off after about 15+ items each. Lost count but we were more than satisfied. So many amazing items, customer service was fantastic (Jun, Hiro and staff of employees were all wonderful), interior was clean and ambiance was perfect for our taste: great music and mellow. It was such a breathe of fresh air having beautiful classical/jazz music playing instead of the usual loud trance type music AND it was great being able to talk to each other without having to yell. Once seated we were promptly asked for our beverages: water and hot green tea. Hot green tea was so good and they kept the refills coming! Plates were cleared, refills immediate -- so attentive! (keep in mind our meal time was 530ish on a Friday and when we left around 730pm, it was starting to get packed so only accounting for our experience at our time. Items I can remember: sashimi: abalone, scallop, blue fin, steamed abalone, amberjack, ankimo with ponzu dipping sauce Nigiri: sardine, bonito, mackerel, halibut with seared foie gros, yellowtail, Toro, octopus, firefly squid, sweet shrimp with fried heads and dipping sauce, uni, another type of halibut, needlefish Can't remember what else but that is the bulk of it and it was all great. Uni was DELICIOUS and the halibut with foie gros...HOLY FRIGGIN YUM! Can only imagine what other delicious treats would have made way to our plates if we decided to continue on with the omakase. After we cut off omakase service, we split a slice of the mille crepe (which they make in house) and it was scrumptious. Light, delectable and perfect end! Overall, amazing experience. Bill came out to about $226 and was worth every buck. Everyone was amazing and we cannot wait to eat there again.
(5)Scott T.
I have been on a very serious search to find the BEST sushi spots in Orange County and this place definitely fits the bill and may in fact be the best of the best. I finally made it to this place and so glad I did. It's kind of an unassuming place and sort of tough to find just off Imperial Hwy, in the back corner of the shopping center, but isn't that where you find ALL the best sushi spots ;) However, that hole in the wall feeling ends the minute you walk in the door. The place is designed beautifully in a very clean modern motif, with very clean white, wood and metal aspects. The hanging festival lights are a nice touch too. The quality of the fish and the level of expertise at Sushi Noguchi cannot be beat! Hiro doesn't speak much English, but Jun does a good job handling the explanations and communication-assist and to be honest... this sushi doesn't need any explanation. The service is very good, you almost feel like you are at a formal restaurant in Japan, it's very peaceful and everyone is trying to please you, a refreshing feeling from most places these days! Hiro's Omakase was really amazing! I was wanting to go back the very next day. Some of the standouts from the Omokase that were the garlic abalone, monkfish liver, cornetfish, gizzard shad and the BEST darn Spanish Mackerel I have ever had! Beverages... They seem to have a great selection of sake and they even serve pitchers of Kirin! I thought that was pretty cool! They even have special event dinners, I just got a promo email about one for a jizake tasting dinner. Apparently, jizake is craft sake from Japan! I love craft beer, so why not craft sake? Looking forward to learning something from the Sake Specialist! Sushi Noguchi is definitely in the Top 3, probably Top 2 Sushi Restaurants in OC! and maybe even further. I wish I could afford to eat Hiro's Omakase every week! MY GO-TO: Oh no you don't, This is HIRO'S GO-TO, he's got me!
(5)Mr. C.
It pains me to write this review. We were really looking forward to upscale sushi with some special treatment. Sadly the food was just average. Wife and I ordered the Jun's Omakase to high hopes. What would the enterprising chef serve? While the food was 'good' nothing was special. The amuse bouche was interesting but the main items never got better. One dish had interesting crispy fish but the hot temperature was poorly offset with an ice cold topping. Tuna sashimi with jalapeño slices was okay. Not particularly spicy or flavorful. I don't remember most items the next day. Service was just okay as well. Waiter was very polite but forgot requests and we had to flag him down multiple times. Overall experience was "meh". For a bill of $200 for 2.5 (6 year old went for the shrimp tempura which was really good) I expect more.
(3)Vivian N.
The food here is amazing. Expensive, but amazing. The fish literally, I mean literally, melted in my mouth and everything was impeccable! We had a little bit of everything, so it was a great first time experience. I would recommend coming here for a date night, but you might want to fill up on the rice because you'll probably leave hungry, or broke LOL.
(5)Hao-Han L.
I highly recommend people to try this restaurant if you are a sushi lover and you want to try some professional and special sushi. If you are satisfied by rolls such as California rolls, dragon rolls or Philadelphia rolls, this restaurant also offer these foods, but I think those foods are not the spirit of this restaurant. Be here, you should order "omakase", which means you don't need to order anything, and you totally trust the chief to order for you. I crazily loved to dine here before I leaved Southern California. On average, I had dinner twice per week. Until now, I still miss the sushi here but I have no chance to enjoy it. The sushi and sashimi are very fresh and diverse! I specially like the big shrimp sashimi and the rainbow trout sashimi. Of course, the dessert here is also awesome!
(5)An L.
I really wanna like this place but I cant. My first time experience here was pretty horrible. - Food was mediocre but it wasnt fresh, I got food poisioning afterward. - Service was pretty bad (we didnt know our server was the whole time, and no one came to check on us either). I ordered the hiro's omakase and asked the chef to put just a little amount of wasabi for me. He was like ok ok. Then later on, he made the first piece of sushi with a good amount of wasabi in there. I saw it and asked him again to make sure that he remembered my request. He went: "Oh this one? No wasabi at all!" And i was like whaaa? I saw him put that much in there you know (i was sitting at the bar). I picked out all the wasabi and showed it to him. He looked at me and be like: "ohhh.." and started laughing. Okay..?? Are you serious? I came here because of the "foody award" or "the best sushi in OC" pictures on yelp. But imho, meh.. I'd rather save my money to go Ohshima or somewhere else.
(1)Chris D.
Sushi Noguchi never disappoints. Three visits and each time perfect in presentation, taste, and service. My wife and I came here for Sidney S's PYE which literally filled this restaurant to the maximum legal capacity. Jun, Hiro, and staff were kind enough to open 3 hours early on a busy Valentine's weekend to entertain this giant group of 60+ hungry yelpers. Life was made easy by paying a set price upon walking in the door with a choice of Sushi or Non-sushi. Table seating was predetermined based off this preference. I have to say... for the price I paid I received a bargain since the food never seemed to end. I also got lucky since my wife kept giving me parts of her meal so I pretty much enjoyed both the sushi and non-sushi offerings. I had to waddle out of this restaurant. Here's what I had. Fried eel bones: Looked like something off of fear factor. A bowl of spines. My wife dry heaved with one bite. I ate pretty much the entire bowl since my side of the table was squeamish. Fishy yet addicting. Red Snapper Head: Literally a effen head sat on a plate surrounded by stewed tomatoes. Jellified eye staring at me, huge lips with giant sharp teeth jutting out. I think my reaction was "What the f&*k do I do with this?!" I was at a loss. After randomly poking and prodding the head random chunks of meat were to be found. I even sucked the meat off its toothy jaw bone. Not something I'd ever order but at least I live up to my motto of eating anything that had a face... including the face itself. Not sure how four people were supposed to share it though since there was just a smidgen of meat...... unless you ventured into the brain chamber I guess but nobody was that daring. My wife had a giant plate of veggie tempura, I had her shrimp tempura. Huge prawn perfectly cooked. She also had a bowl of grilled shishito peppers which she graciously shared. She also had some perfectly cooked tuna topped with red onion, cilanto, tomatoes, and sauce... almost like a brushetta topping. I loved it and will order it next time I visit if I can remember. Next came a beautifully presented plate of sashimi which the table of sushi eaters shared. Each person taking their share via honor system. I'm not good at identifying raw fish so I really don't know what I ate but it was all delicious. Six or seven variety. It's the first time I had raw scallop and liked it, perfect texture. Also a huge portion of raw uni served artistically on the body of the sea urchin. I'm a novice to this sea creature but I really liked the buttery texture and the almost cucumber flavor to it. Next a variety of nigiri sushi which consisted of salmon, shrimp, bonito, and two different white colored fish, not sure what they were. All were as fresh as it gets and tasted wonderful. Also had a roasted pork with asparagus and fried lotus root, and some beef wagyu kakuni which is melt in your mouth bliss. Since the sashimi plate came with a helping of sweet shrimp the fried heads were divvied out amongst the sushi eaters to enjoy. Fun to eat when there's squeamish people at the table horrified you're eating a head with black beady eyeballs. Finally the wonderful multi-layered crepe dessert that I've only seen at Sushi Noguchi and is a must have. Besides food I opted for the 5 course sake pairing. Even though all 5 were delicious I was very disappointed in the way it was done. Before I even finished sipping on one type of sake they were forcing another one on me causing to me basically slam the sake down like shots. All 5 sakes including the sweet one were served to me before my first plate of food arrived. Wasn't a pairing at all... they hoped by force feeding me the sake I'd be more willing to purchase a bottle I guess. This wasn't Sushi Noguchi's doing, it was a sake company who was at the event. Thank you Sidney for organizing this awesome event and thank you Sushi Noguchi staff for a wonderful dining experience! It was great hanging out with familiar faces and meeting new ones!
(5)Crystal D.
My husband and I love the sushi here. Everything was so fresh. I am so glad to have finally found a sushi place we love in O.C. Also the staff is super friendly and informative.
(5)Denny Y.
I came here because I heard it was amazing, but to me it was okay. The food tasted alright, but there was really nothing there to wow me. I ordered omasake and I got a good variety of things. It wasn't really too busy and everything came out pretty slow still. Maybe I got my hopes up real high with this plcae, because I'm comparing it to Sugarfish or something. I'll definitely come back here again to maybe re-review this place.
(3)Fia R.
Now it's the 5-Footer's turn on what she thought of the Noguchis' sushi boogie wonderland ^.^ To me it was a wonderland, driving to Nixon's birthplace at about the same distance as going from northern OC to Hollywood or from San Clemente to Disneyland--both assuming that very light traffic exists. As opposed to these similes, parking at a plaza lot lacked difficulty for a lunch event that the Noguchis were fervently ecstatic to cater to 60-something Yelpers. Of this group some have already eaten there and have granted fandom, while some--like myself--will face their sushi for the 1st time. Of course sushi-loving me chose Omakase, aka Hiro's choice, which was culled for pristine qualities of both red meat and sea meat. The following dishes occurred at about 2 hours of synchronized presentations and slow yet steady-paced service... -Fried Eel Bones- They were flavorful & awesomely crunchy for to be deemed edible. If they can sell them like Shrimp Flavored Chips, I'd buy maybe at least 2 heavy bags! -Sashimi Platter- Oh boy, where should I begin on this... We ended up with some delectable Yellowtail; succulent, raw Sweet Shrimps; regal Halibut; straightforwardly tasty Tuna; and the biggest & most wonderfully yummy Scallops I've ever self-stuffed. But the Uni? Actually, I am not very fond of sea urchin b/c I'd lose my attraction on their oceanic yet eccentric flavor easily. HOWEVER, their Uni was one, tremendous, striking, refined, & incredibly fresh exception. Even sweeter: the Noguchis splendidly offered a generous amount tucked in that poor sea urchin's exoskeleton that I think I consumed at least 5 pieces. Seriously, I was so blissful to FINALLY love uni--at least from them =P. -Red Snapper Head in Tomato Sauce- To me it had an Italian influence, all thanks to the sultry sauce from the red vegetable. It was tender & no-nonsense yummy, except that no one--even me--dared to eat the eye of the true beholder O_o. -Canadian Premium Pork w/ Asparagus & Fried Lotus Root- I'm not wholly concerned on where the pork came from, but I will certainly offer kudos to whoever took utmost care of the pig, sacrificed for giving us such outstanding flavor & tenderness, regardless of being sautéed. Even the veggies were amazingly scrumptious that perhaps a picky-eating juvenile would enjoy. -Nigiri Platter- In 5 good pieces the fresh factor was the same as the sashimi. The obvious difference: some tasty rice to soak up and hide under such cold-feelin' fish but with warmhearted flavor. The Red Snapper & Yellowtail were thumbs-up, but I was stunned for their Shrimp to excel and for their Bonito (the darkest colored piece) to be triumphantly phenomenal with none of that ironically fishy pungency. As for my favorite fish ever, Salmon, I made darn sure to suck up that entire, super delectable piece as if it were a sacred gift from the river gods. -Braised Kobe Beef- Again, I will not be questioning about its true origin, but it did live up to its cooked technique and its tasty name. Oh, and that omnipresent, F word was found here, too--hello, I'm talking about Fresh o_o. -Fried Shrimp Heads- Honestly I am pitying the squeamish since the literal body part--including the beady eyeballs--were fried to delicious perfection. Now these are some heads that I shamelessly will take a whole mouthful ;). -Mille Crepe- What in the world is that, really? I can tell what it's made out of: love, with grace & absolute patience. The result of numerous & numerous layers of soft, thin crepes elicited a delicate-looking cake with such opulent indulgence--lightly sweet, vanilla-y, & decadent from their balsamic vinegar sauce for a contrasting, dimensional moment. So in a 1-sentence summary: your 40 plus dollars plus the gas to drive up to the Yorba Linda locale are worth giving away towards the family's edible treasures. In addition, with a background of eating sushi omakase-style for a few times in my life, and thanks to the BF for authorizing me to score Sushi Noguchi--stated below--like how he'll grade his fish, this OC little restaurant all in all earned solid 4.5 stars. Thanks for hosting for most-ing, Sid S, and thanks a bunch, Jun & Hiro!! 1.) Quality and freshness: 5 stars. 2.) Creativity and presentation: 5 stars. 3.) Quantity and substance: 4.5 stars. 4.) Accessibility and affordability: 4 stars. 5.) Service and ambiance: 4 stars.
(5)Elisa B.
Not the best place. Service was great but sushi rolls weren't very good put together. They fell apart as you pick them up.
(1)Andrew B.
I've been meaning to try Sushi Noguchi for quite some time. Recommended to me by a friend, I've had even more incentive because Jun, the head chef's wife, is so pleasant and let me know she'd take care of my wife and me if we came in. So I already was feeling good about my meal before I showed up. The restaurant decor is very simple and welcoming. Bright with a wooden sushi bar, and seating all around for standard dining. The bar sits about a dozen people or so. Hiro-san was very friendly but focused. He had an excellent memory as he could continue holding conversation with us while remembering the preferences that my wife and I mentioned, even in passing. I recommend omakase because he tailors the fish that you receive based upon what you say you like and don't like. As for the fish, I was impressed by pretty much everything he served. Even the items that I liked "less than" the rest, were still much fresher and more well prepared than other sushi restaurants I've been to in the area. Here's a breakdown of some of the fish we had. Kohada - One of my favorite fish, very distinct flavor and has a firm but smooth texture to it. Not easy to come by at most restaurants. Kanpachi - Similar to hamachi, but I personally prefer this fish. Hiro's kanpachi was very fresh and, I think, has a more distinct taste to it than hamachi. If you like that, you'll love this. Hon Maguro - Such a smooth fish. You can usually judge a restaurant by the maguro it gives you which is why it can be both my favorite and least favorite fish on any given night. Here, it was wonderful. Aji - Gave me that strong fish flavor without being too overwhelming. One of my favorites on the evening which is surprising because Aji can be very hit or miss for me. Scallop with Uni - The scallop was good, but not one of my favorites. But the uni it was topped with, PHENOMENAL. It was basically like a creamy bite of the sea, in the best way you can imagine. Well done! King Crab - Not usually a crab fan but this was delicious. I really enjoyed all the sushi and sashimi that was put before me by Hiro-san. He is very consistent in the way he presses his fish and the rice is always the same. I know it seems like something simple but it really does allow for the fish to play the starring role. He also used stuff like ponzu, yuzu, etc. in ways to accent the flavors of his fish without covering it up like I've seen at other restaurants. Non Sushi item: Red Snapper Collar - Hiro-san brought this out as a special treat for my wife and I. I love snapper, it's got a springiness to it that other fish don't have. Cooked just right, it was moist, well-flavored, and when you get to the section around the eye of the fish, it melts in your mouth. A great dish! Because she could not be there, Jun provided us with a free dessert, the Mille-Feuille Crepe Cake. I'm sure there's a better description but just imagine about a hundred crepes stacked on top of each other with just a little bit of custard in between each level. Delicious way to end the meal. I've been trying to find a sushi place to frequent in the OC. After my experience with Sushi Noguchi, I think my decision has been made for me. Cheers!
(5)Christopher H.
For the faint of heart... This place isn't for shallow pockets & expect to drop some coin on this place, in a good way. Pricing is nothing compared to higher scale sushi joints/bars but it's significantly higher than a standard sushi joint. However pricing doesn't dictate consumer habit since if that was the case Mercedes, Ferrari et al would not exist and we'd all be driving $250 chinese cars or pintos. Now to the foooooooooooooood: This place is elf portions, i mean dayum, mini-me elf portions so if you are a buffet type, highly suggest going to todai. However with portions & pricing comes quality, freshness et al and Noguchi does not lack any of those sorts. The fishies tasted different for a reason... Cause it's new and clean. The standard salmon roll was delish. It was very good & not overbearing with rice. I don't know what the names of the stuff i had, but they had something with fish on top of some type of fried rice which was surprisingly damn good. I recommend that. It comes with four pieces and decoration (salad). Rainbow roll was the best i've had thus far. The added asparagus was cool trick but it got old after a few bites. Maybe adding crab meat would make rainbow roll aweeesome! The desert was fabulous. I have no idea what's that called. Im bad with names so get used to it =P It looked like cheesecake but had pudding-like texture. Coming here for this specialty crafted, in-house/homemade desert is worth the trip. Had some plum wine. Nice and sweet. my bad, it's more like white plum wine. Beni Mansaku i miss you (favorite sake thus far). All in all, a few plates of fishies, four ounces of plum wine and cheesecake wannabe = close to a benji. This place is great for novelty. Nice for small family and the demographic clientele were all korean. I think our table was the only one who spoke English during convo even though we could've blended in. The best aspects is Noguchi is straight jdm, not korean owned and crap. Service was wonderful. The staff was attentive, quick, courteous, polite and all that crap. Ms. Jun's personality was a nice change of pace. She was friendly and joyous and she's on yelp. Coincidently she liked one of my pics (not related to noguchi) prior to the day i patronized (impeccable timing). I didn't take any pics this time. It didn't seem appropriate for the situation. Parking is ample and the place is located in the western section of the mall.
(5)Grace Y.
This is first time I visited this restaurant, but it is so impressive to me. The sashimi is so fresh especially the tuna, yellow tail. All of them tasted so good. The scallop was exceptionally tender and delicious. The desert,cake is also good with the fresh fruit.For sure, I will visit it again soon. Highly recommend.
(5)Cindy D.
Amazing sushi! Fresh fish and vegetables. The staff is super friendly. The "Rising Sun" and "Crunchy Roll" were to die for! I will be back for sure!!!! Our bill for 5(big eaters and drinkers) was 224. Totally worth it, but will have to save before we can come again. Thanks Noguchi!
(4)Stefanie C.
OMG this was the best sushi I have had! The fish was so delicious. You can really taste the quality. We had salmon, albacore, red snapper, tuna, shrimp, kobe beef... a roll a couple hand rolls... mmm Everything was so fresh and tasty. Happy birthday to me!
(5)Steve S.
My first PYE (Private Yelp Event) organized by Sidney S It was a sushi omakase (chef's choice). The food was great. The company was even better. Roughly 60 Yelpers got the whole place to our selves for 3 hours. Here's the rundown of what we had Fried Eel bone - not much to look at, but I like it, specially with a bit of lemon. My wife didn't care for it though. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Sashimi platter - it had tuna, yellow tail, shrimp, scallops and sea urchin (uni). Everything was very good. But the star was the sea urchin. I've never had it so fresh before. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Red snapper head in tomato - I had the honor of eating the eye ball, well no one else wanted it. Lol. It was very good. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Premium pork (fried) with asparagus & fried lotus root - the pork was cooked perfectly, the asparagus & some micro greens were mixed with a vinegrete and the fried lotus root was so good. Yummy dish. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Kobe beef - the beef was braised to perfection. It was on the sweet side. One of my favorite from today's offering. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Sushi plate. Shrimp, red snapper, yellow tail, bonito & salmon. The shrimp & yellow tail tuna were outstanding. I don't like red snapper that much, but the one I got to eat was also outstanding. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Deep Fried Shrimp Head - another winner. The shrimp head was so big & meaty, really good yelp.com/user_local_phot… For dessert we had Sushi Noguchi's signature dessert, Mille Crape. It's subtle and not so sweet. A perfect end to a meal. yelp.com/user_local_phot… BUT, since we checked in, all four of us at our table also got a scoop of ice cream. Green Tea for me and Red Bean for my wife, both were very good. Aside from the food, some of us got to do a sake tasting. 5 different sakes. My favorites were MU (Junmai Daiginjo) a super premium sake, that was lightly fruity & smooth. HATSUMAGO (Junmai Kimoto) a bit more kick to it than the first sake, but still very good. The company: My wife & I got seated with Sidney T & Binh T (aka the Asian table). We had a great time at our table. I think having one of the four of us drank had something to do with it. Lol. Got to meet some more Yelpers in person (Hi Minerva T, Duke M, Drew M, and everyone else) Thank you to Sidney S for organizing this event. You can tell everyone was having so much fun with the food & the company. Great job Sid. Thank you to Jun (owner) for having us. The service was great. I will definitely be back.
(5)Khanh P.
Sushi Noguchi is my go-to sushi restaurant. Yes, it is pricy but what else do you expect if you want the freshest fish. Whether we do omakase or order at our own accord, I know that every bite will be worth it. I was not a fan of mackerel, sardines, and the like but after trying it here... it was actually really good! Hiro and Jun provide exceptional service and you can tell the love they put into their craft. We love coming here time and time again! My recommendations: uni, giant clam, sweet shrimp, amberjack, ootoro (melt in your mouth good), spicy tuna hand roll (best), toro & green onions hand rolls, and Mille crepe for dessert!!
(5)Tammy L.
Based on compelling reviews from my fellow Yelpers (Chris D.), I decided to check this place out with hubby on our usual Friday night date night. Sure, it was a haul from our Lake Forest location but traffic was unusually light that evening and we got there in record time. It definitely is a quirky location, be situated at the end of a Stater Bros. strip mall. The interior reeks of Japanese simplicity and elegance. My favorite part of the decor was the bright lights which allowed to actually SEE what we were eating. Hubby was able to make reservations for the sushi bar (bonus points!) and we were quickly seated upon our somewhat early arrival. A young man took our drink orders and one of the few dampers of the evening included the delay in getting our drinks. However, thereafter, service stepped up and all was right with the world. Having had it just the week before, I was very excited to see a "yagara" head on the counter. I think they translated it as coronet fish. It's a very mild, clean tasting fish that was served to us with a sprinkling of salt and lemon. Very tasty indeed. We opted out of the omakase special since we were there for only sushi and didn't want to bother with cooked dishes. I have to say, we ate most of what they had to offer. Stars of the evening besides the yagara included: Tako wasa - best I've had with big pieces of marinated octopus Tamago - Hubby is somewhat a tamago connoisseur and we were both very pleased with this dish in that it wasn't too sweet and was perfectly seasoned. Baby Yellowtail - Nothing like adult yellowtail. Not as fatty, very fresh. Crunchy Roll - I'm not usually one for crunchy rolls due to the excess use of fried dough bits and eel sauce. However, Noguchi's was a refreshing take on the classic, utilizing tiny house-made crackers as a topping. Solid. King salmon - When I tried to tell our chef I was done (hubby quit ages ago), he convinced me to try the king salmon. While not usually a fan of salmon, I thought this would be different. And it was!! After having Noguchi's king salmon, it is now at the top of my favorite list. We also appreciated that they made us eel bones. Typically this is seen as bar food that the chefs make for themselves to have with their sake/beer after work but they were kind enough to make us an order. Admittedly, the dish wasn't seasoned and a few of the bones were VERY VERY fishy but I still mostly enjoyed it when I dipped it in my soy sauce. Other damper was the uni. Now. My loved ones know how much I love uni. Absent live uni, I want my uni fresh. Although Noguchi's uni tasted fresh, it did look somewhat "manhandled"...surprisingly. The roe sacs were popped which gave the whole thing a gooey look. Later one when our chef brought out a fresh box of uni, I literally salivated and wished I had room for one more order!! Overall our experience here was positive. I had a great time and got to speak a little Japanese which I haven't had the opportunity to do for a long time. I hope I didn't make a huge ass of myself!!
(4)Stephen P.
3.5 stars I came here on probably one of the most expensive nights of the year...Valentine's Day. I was excited to bring my lady here as she loves sushi...the traditional kind, not the fusion or baked rolls popular in Korean-run places. When I made the reservation with Jun she explained the set menu for ~$85 per person. I forget the exact amount. But, on arrival I discovered that I didn't need to go this route. Still, I thought the set menu aka omakase would be fun to watch the chef in action. It was, although on a busy night set menus are hard to do without some delays in between the dishes, esp. as other sushi bar orders are coming in. All the food was very fresh and well presented, however, after the meal we felt a little underwhelmed after we left the nicely decorated restaurant and the good service. It boils down to this - we've had sushi as good elsewhere - probably more food for less cash - although the surroundings may not have been as nice and the presentation wasn't as good either. And that's the thing - we like to pay for food rather than for the smoke and mirrors. I'm not knocking Sushi Noguchi - Jun has a really nice restaurant here and I'm glad I got to try it on Valentine's night. It'll be the only time we come here as there are so many other sushi joints to try without racking up a $$$$ bill or as Yelp calls it: "splurge over $61 per person!" Descriptions and photo links #1 ceviche in tomato bit.ly/Yke3wZ #2 sashimi with deep-fried prawn/shrimp head (tasty) bit.ly/15UdsaJ #3 oyster, scallop and uni/sea urchin (fresh) bit.ly/103zKVG #4 sashimi bit.ly/115COUb #5 Kobe beef and crispy rice bit.ly/WwSgos #6 mille crepe - very tasty and smooth. P.S. Risa A's one-star review doesn't seem to tally with my experience and probably the many other patrons on the night I visited.
(3)Lina S.
Really good, very fresh! I wish I knew it earlier because it is only half mile from my house, even better! I will definitely come again! Nice place nice service nice food!!
(5)Jacob k.
Pretty good sushi. I wouldn't say it's the best sushi in town that definitely belongs to Ohshima sushi but in a pinch it does the trick. Ok so they have good service, it's clean and the prices are about what you would expect from an mid to upper class sushi joint. I don't really like the atmosphere in the place tho. While it's open and airy it almost has the feel of a fast food place. If you go you'll know what i mean. I like to have a little bit of privacy when it comes to eating sushi in the evening. Go check it out tho i would recommend this place!
(4)Sarah N.
One of the best quality fish I've ever eaten. The owner greeted us with great service. You're able to make reservations.
(5)Kris B.
Our buddy Clint said "I found the best sushi ever - we have to go!" So Friday night, beautiful dish after beautiful dish, $180.00 for three people and man, was it worth it! The food here is excellent! My favorite was the Dynamite baked scallops ($7.95) which we actually wolfed down before I remembered to take a picture! The Rising Sun Roll ($16.00) is a must - the texture is so creamy - it's like buttah! Also order the Japanese Ceviche ($12.00) and you will not be disappointed with this mixture of fresh fish. One tip is to order the tapas size of the dinner dishes - like the Chilean Sea Bass ($9.00) and the Kobe Beef ($12.00). Then you can have more flavors instead of committing to just one dish. Another tip - share everything! Unless you really love it and then of course, hog it to yourself! If you check in, you get FREE ice cream - I got Green Tea and still managed to finish it even though it was a huge portion and we'd eaten 12 dishes. And we also had to order the Mille Crepe cake - a "million" crepe layers with a delicious cream in between. The service here is friendly and efficient. We had barely finished a dish when the empty was whisked away. A good thing too, since we needed the table space! And thank you also to the staff for letting us stay and keep talking long after we finished our meal!
(5)Gigi M.
JUN!!!! Yay, I finally got my ass up there to see you, successfully!! Since technically this was my second time, first time I was there like an idiot expecting to have some yummy sushi and you were CLOSED! Hahahaa, totally my fault of course! So take 2, and there I was! Met up with a few cool Yelpers to chill with and eat! Let's see if I remember everything we tried ... yellow tail jalapeno - yum, scallop uni - yum, poke - yum, Japanese ceviche - yum, hiro roll - yum, short rib - yum, shrimp tempura - yum, pumpkin something - yum, sake - yum, and of course the Mille Crepe - yum, yum! No ankimo that day but I shall return for some! Thanks, Jun, for the yummy extras! We felt loved! ;-) I was impressed with how spacious, clean and cozy the place is! Good job! I felt so comfortable there, like I was chillin at someone's house! I'm sure it was the great company, friendly attentive service and knowing Jun appreciated us being there! Who doesn't want to be somewhere warm and welcoming! Aaaaw, group hug, group hug!!! =) While there are a ton of sushi spots nearby me, you make it worth the 20 mile hike up the 55/91 to YL! I'll be seeing you again and again, Jun! So save me a huge bowl of fresh uni, like a cereal bowl size! I can't get enough of fresh uni!! Uni monster, yum, yum, yum!!!!!
(5)Mary I.
Had the Omakase with my husband here for my birthday. Everyone was really nice and the sushi was AMAZING! The Mille Crepe is to die for! The price tag is not cheap though, we paid ~$180 total for 2 people. Was slightly disappointed in the spicy crispy tuna compared to katsuya, but everything else was phenomenal!
(5)Jack H.
Food is good here. Always fresh! Best Japanese restaurant in Yorba Linda!
(5)G H.
*I understand you do not expect fast food service at a Sushi establishment, but there should be some short of rhyme and reason of how courses should be sent out to the table. I am not sure if it was an off day for this establishment, but had the worst experience. From the reviews, we had very high expectations. I went there with 3 other people. 2 of us had the omakase and the other 2 ordered a la carte. Our server, "fast hands", tried to be accommodating, however I am not sure if the sushi chefs were the ones making the mistakes or if the kitchen was in chaos as well. Before ordering our omakase, we were asked if we had any things we did not like. I stated I did not like mackerel (remember this note). As our food came out, we were informed the sushi chef only made one omakase. Our server apologized, and said they were working on my order. While this was going on, the a la carte items came out - slowly. The service was extremely slow. They even forgot some of our orders as well from the a la carte. I had already waited about 30-40 minutes for my omakase to come out, but was simply informed they were working on it. There was also a table next to us at this point where they were also being very agitated by the fact their order was taking so long. They were served an appetizer platter which they did not order, which they were very confused about. By this time my first course came out, where I was served Spanish mackerel. When I said I didn't like mackerel and mentioned this to him when I ordered, he said that Spanish mackerel is not mackerel (*remember what I stated above). At this point, I was starving and didn't want to argue. Also, at this point I realized that the couple next to us who where perplexed about the appetizer they were served, was probably being served the appetizers that came with our omakase. No other servers noticed this and especially our server did not as well. When I asked where the other courses where, we were informed again it will be out shortly. After waiting another 15 or so minutes we could not wait anymore because we had to go to another engagement. We had to check again, and was informed that the sushi chef had not started our other course so we could cancel our order at this time. I could mention what we ordered from the a la carte and what little came out from our omakase, but was not memorable to even mention. The sashimi was ok, sushi was ok - the rice used for the sushi had a bit too much vinegar being used. I do not expect a McDonald's experience of how fast your food should come out when going to a sushi restaurant, but if an order is forgotten, then they should try to push it through to get the whole table on track of eating.
(1)Paul S.
My wife and I love this place. She is Japanese (born and raised in Japan), and I met and married her while I was living there. We KNOW good sushi, and this is as good as the best sushi we've had, even in Japan. It just doesn't get any better than this.
(5)Craig S.
Another great meal prepared by Hiro. Displayed in artistic fashion. It tasted better than it looked and that's hard to do. This is the real deal for sushi. If you want sushi you cant go anywhere else! Uni was great again. Great service Jun! Referred so many to your Restaurant they all love it!!!
(5)Brock S.
Fresh fish is the benchmark for sushi. Sadly, many, if not most sushi restaurants fail to meet even this minimum standard. Sushi Noguchi exceeds freshness standards by a long shot. There's no need for massive amounts of sauce and garnish because the seafood speaks for itself. The smell is ocean without being fishy. The color is vibrant, when appropriate, and the flesh is smooth and has the right about of softness. The second criteria is having food that highlights seafood, not mayonnaise, not sriracha, not teriyaki sauce or this sauce or that sauce- the central figure to any legitimate sushi place must be fish. That's how it is here. And not just the food, but even the decor. It's not some kind of tribute to an Americanized romantic version of pagodas and zen gardens. The decorations are simple and clean. The focus isn't on loud music, or five jumbo screen TVs with 24/7 sports, or even the chefs yelling out a greeting every time someone walks in the door, like it's a party going down. No, Sushi Noguchi is for the person who walks in for the fish, not ambiance, noise, fluff or anything else. Chef Hiro knows his fish. He even knows what to serve you. The Omakase demonstrates his expertise. Leave it up to 9 out of 10 other places, and their version of Omakase would be California Roll and something with cream cheese, sriracha and something fried. Chef Hiro won't put up with that sort of nonsense (at least I think he won't- I don't know him). You can watch his precision, you can see his focus and care, and you can taste the results of excellence. The blue fin Otoro is off the charts amazing. It's tender, full-bodied and full-textured. There's a dry element to it that's counterintuitive to sushi in general. The other cut of Blue Fin is equally amazing, but represents a drastic change in texture, mouth feel, and taste. The bonito is amazing. The baked crab hand roll is nothing short of perfect. It has actual crab, instead of man-made haddock or whatever it is used to make imitation crab. I personally love the live sweet shrimp because I love seeing them alive before I eat them, I love the bold, crunch/juicy bite of a sweet shrimp, and I absolutely love, love, love eating everything between the eyeballs and the top of the body. In all, I'd say you can't go wrong here, unless you're looking for varieties of rolls and lots of sauce and all that. If you want straightforward focus on perfect seafood, with a minimalist approach in preparation, Sushi Noguchi is your place.
(5)Dave C.
Services sucks waited forever to get acknowledged on a Friday night. I order the Hiro's Omakase and what a big rip off. I paid $85 for 3 slices of sashimi, one scallop, fresh water sweet shrimp. What a joke. I think they rip me off on purpose since I was not a regular. I rather go Ohshima in Orange then this place.
(1)Justin W.
Very good food but the Omakase is very misleading.. There is a price on the menu but they don't tell you when your order has exceeded the price on the menu.. Let's just say this place is very expensive and the bill adds up fast. Me and my wife spent $390 for the both of us to leave full with a few drinks.. Ouch
(3)YL B.
This is one of the two best sushi and sashimi restaurants in Yorba Linda and Placentia. Not real big portion size however good quality.
(4)J P.
$200 worth of blah! This is an acclaimed award winning sushi restaurant. well i don't know what to say. If sushi tastes like this everywhere i think i'll stop eating sushi. This was supposed to be comparable to Oshima in Tustin but it oh boy. must i tell you... stay away I don't remember what I ordered bc it was that unmemorable. The food tasted like a 2star sushi place. almost tasted like food court sushi. service was mediocre. Fish wasn't too fresh. Maybe it was their bad day? but im not willing to spend another $200 just to give them a chance. If you open a restaurant. your everday goal should be making the food most memorable to your patron. ESPECIALLY when youre an award winning restaurant. There should be no room for mistakes. oh yeah, for their most famous item- UNI. no it wasn't fresh or amazing in any way. but everyone have their preference. Sorry if this review offended you Sushi Noguchi's fans... but if you had my luck that day, you will feel me.
(1)Chloe K.
I'm not saying the quality of sushi and sashimi was bad but it's def too much over priced. This place was OK when I've been last March but yesterday was so bad. It was my first time to have a fish bone in sushi and salmon texture was like tuna. Toro was good, Uni was so so, tamago and salmon was hell, and unagi was so so. They don't know how to make tamago, didn't scramble enough that I could see white eggs and texture wasn't soft. Most pieces of sashimi and sushi was not equal in shape, i guess non professional guy cut them.
(2)Dee C.
Loved the variety! Live shrimp was wonderful and so were the caviar scallops. Crispy rice with spicy salmon was a familiar western taste with the salmon on top. All in all, we will be back, despite the hair in the ginger.
(5)Christine C.
Love this place! You get your fancy sushi restaurant feel right here in Yorba Linda. There aren't too many good sushi places around here. So glad I found this place! Alittle on the pricey side though... But you get what you pay for!
(5)Diana L.
Saw an article saying that this place serves the best omakase- so being the sushi fan I am, I decided to give it a shot. I was a little disappointed with the sushi, I would give this place 3 stars but I added an extra star for the Millie Crepe cake (which reminded me of Lady M). First things first, for the entree I ordered omakase- com'on its known to be the best! Not sure if its all the hype that made me have a higher expectation. The omakase came as sashimi on a boat and had quite a decent amount, it was delicious.. but it wasn't like omg it melts in my mouth and I want more. Just based on the decor and everything I would say that this place is more of a fusion Japanese place. Usually Japanese places would have more delicate servings, whereas this place has slightly larger portion (I'm not complaining). In my opinion, the top sushi place for me would be oshima, nothing has beaten it so far.
(4)Jinny H.
Probably a 3.5 (half a star off cause of the SLOW service). Wanted some fish in the area, so opted for some raw fish at Sushi Noguchi, based on some reviews of the place. There were plenty of lunch options ranging $10-14 for simple lunch set, to about $20 for a premium sushi/sashimi lunch special. Also got some tea for $3. The quality of fish was above average, and went along with the price, but the service was very slow (a little over an hour.. most of the time waiting on staff). Seems to be only one waiter, and another assistant? who doesn't really do much (probably a newbie). Ideally a second waiter would be nice to get lunch going a bit faster. I'd come again if craving sushi and had an hour+ for lunch.
(4)Alex K.
I hadn't been here in a year, and Jun still remembered me when I came in. Amazing. I came for lunch again, and this time ordered a Seafood Medley, consisting of various cuts of fish, both raw and cooked. Still awesome. The sashimi was fresh. Tuna, salmon, and albacore. There was also a tuna tartare, roasted eel on cooked egg to resemble a sushi nigiri, and a few other items that I can't recall. I've never been for dinner service, but for lunch the service is attentive and delicious. So worth the money.
(5)Angela W.
The beauty of Sushi Noguchi is that every element of the dining experience compliments each other. Hiro and Jun are such accommodating hosts and ensure that service is on par with the best of the best. The interior is simple, spacious, and clean with sleek white counter tops and dim lighting. Too many places try to overcomplicate their dishes and atmosphere with unnecessary things but the sushi and environment at Sushi Noguchi will blow your mind and palate. We easily decided on the Omakase. Letting the sushi chef personally guide the meal with your personal likes and dislikes is usually a solid option. We started off with fresh octopus. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the texture but it wasn't bad. We also had sweet shrimp, spanish mackerel, sea bass, sea snail, and baby yellowtail. All of the sashimi was fresh and each dish was plated exquisitely. The shrimp, sea bass, and yellowtail were my personal favorites and we ended the meal with complementary green tea ice cream. Thanks Hiro and Jun for an unforgettable experience!
(5)Fj N.
This is one of yorba linda's hidden culinary gems! Saves me a drive to little Tokyo for delicious, fresh sushi. It's quickly become one of my regular eateries in town given its consistent and delectable delights. Omikase is the way to go! I've introduced the place to my other yorba linda friends and they also love it and are repeat customers. I had to subtract one star though since their limited roll selection isn't very good.....filling yes, tasty not so much.
(4)Christina C.
Came here on a Sunday evening and it was very slow and quiet, too quiet. Service was good, as it should be since there was only one other couple in here, but the food was just ok and over priced for what you got. Ordered a crunch roll and it was not a traditional crunch roll... It had small crispy squares of something, not panko type crunchies...Disappointed. Also, the end pieces had a very fishy taste and this is with soy paper. Not sure what that was about. The salmon was very fresh and good.
(3)Jeong P.
Good quality sushi at a premium price. This is pretty much the only high quality sushi joint in the Yorba Linda area, east of the 55 and north of the 91. And seeing how limited the sushi options are in this defined area, this place pretty much matched my expectations. You won't find the best sushi you've ever had here, and the restaurant itself is very understated and underwhelming. But if you appreciate fresh sushi and are down to pay a little bit for quality, you probably won't be too dissapointed eating here. My friend and I did not do the omakase because we didn't want to waste money on dishes we didn't want. So instead, we ordered a bunch of the things we like from the sushi bar, to get a better feel for the place. My conclusion was that everything was fresh and the quality was definitely better than average, but none of the fish really stood out as excellent. Ankimo - (2/5) Dry and not creamy at all. Worst ankimo I've had in a while. Tamago - (4/5) Surprisingly one of my favorites. A sign of a good chef. Amberjack - (4/5) Very good but very expensive. Unagi - (4/5) Can't really mess this up. ChuToro- (4/5) Not quite as fatty as I like but still melts in your mouth. Uni - (5/5) On point. Super clean and perfect with their excellent nori. Special Yellowtail - (4/5) Good flavor but not noticeably "special". Oysters - (3/5) Too much ponzu and slightly fishy, but refreshing. Shrimp Tempura - (4/5) large and battered just right. Very expensive. Spicy Tuna Handroll - (3/5) Not spicy enough but the nori is excellent. Although the fish was pretty fresh, a lot of them were a little dried out, and probably a couple days old. I have no doubt that they get some high quality stuff here tho, and the sushi chefs are very skilled and take pride in what they do. But maybe catching them on a better day instead of late on a Sunday night, would have made my experience slightly better. Because instead of the fish leaving the best impressions, the things that stuck out to me were the quality of the nori and the tamago. And at the prices that they charge, you tend to notice all of these things more. So if I'm ever craving sushi while I'm in this area, Sushi Noguchi will difinitely be the first choice on my list. But if I'm anywhere near Costa Mesa/Newport or LA, there are a handful of other sushi restaurants that I'd rather choose, to drop the same amount of coin. But God that uni was good...
(4)Terry T.
Wonderful service that you could tell they really do care. Very tasty and not too fishy despite the sashimi of course. Never felt rushed when we couldn't decide on what to pick. The staff made this a pleasant experience.
(4)Dina R.
Look I'm very picky and i loooved this place! It's small but very friendly staff and excellent food! I don't know why I didn't see them sooner! I know I'll be back!
(5)Griz P.
Clearly the best sushi place in California! I've been there 4 times in the pass 2 1/2 months and have not been disappointed with any of the sushi that my husband and I have gotten! We always try something different and the fish is always fresh and very tasty....pretty much melts in your mouth! The manager is very attentive and friendly! If I recall right, her name is "Jun". Any questions about the sushi or the other meals they serve ask her, she will explain in full detail! Great Chefs and staff! Love this place!
(5)Lica N.
Irashai mase! Sushi Noguchi is a warm and welcoming place that serves top notch sushi that wont disappoint. My first dining experience here was amazing as I was lucky to join the fun, yelptastic crew that Jeena E put together for her PYE. We were a loud bunch and im sure their regular patrons were wondering what this odd group was Ooing and Ahhing about, as we took a gazillion pictures of every dish that was presented in front of us. The omakase menu was a delight from start to finish. Amuse bouche ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… ever item here was good. I especially liked the chicken as it was lightly fried and seasoned perfectly. Japanese ceviche ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Wow this was surprisingly delish. Great taste from the yuzu sauce. The Platter ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… This had everything you want. The salmon, tuna, octopus and one my fave fish, aji were plated to be shared. The were all good but the highlight of this platter was the Uni. Goodness this uni was so delicate, creamy, sweet and melt in your mouth orgasmic! I could not get enough of it. It was by the the best uni I have had in the OC. Beef ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… This was a tender cut of beef that you wanted to keep eating. Tuna ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Nice clean taking with a little touch of shoyu! Bonito ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Known as katsuo was served with thinly sliced red onions, ginger and I think a little ponzu sauce. Tasty! Halibut ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… These yummies were swimming and soaking up some delish sauce. Served with a peppercorn it gave a nice surprising crunch! This next dish is something that's cooked in most Japanese homes. It can be a whole fish or parts of it especially when most of the meat was used elsewhere! Nistuke ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… There is another name for it but I'm drawing a blank. The fish is simmered in soy and sake. This was cooked and seasoned perfectly! Umai!! Scallops ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Oh man these were perfecto! The sea salt sprinkled on top brought out the sweetness of the scallops it was so good. Snapper ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… The little bit of yuzu koshyo on top was just enough to ensure a flavor explosion in your mouth. Yum! Green tea Ice cream burrito ~ yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Not sure what to call it but it looked like a burrito so that's what Im calling it. It was a tasty good ending to end the night. I may be allergic to wine and still a light weigh when it comes to alcohol but I can handle sake pretty good and it was flowing good last night. Found a new one that I like too yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Jun san and Hiro san along with the entire staff at Sushi Noguchi did a phenomenal job of serving the most delicious assortment of sushi and Japanese delights for our big and crazy crowd. I truly enjoyed everything I ate and drank wink wink! This will certainly be a spot that I will most definitely visit again and again! Eyes ~ Oh my word! Plate after plate after plate! Nose ~ I smell something yummy coming from the kitchen! Mouth ~ Oh goodness everything is so good! Gochisou-sama!!! Tummy ~ Totally stuffed and satisfied.
(5)Trina D.
A special thanks to Jun and Hiro for allowing a party of Yelpers to cause such a lively ruckus in their restaurant. We did get a little loud last night. Oops. Jeena E.'s PYE was a huge hit. Drew M. and I made the trek out to Yorba Linda to Sushi Noguchi. We were given so much DELICIOUS food. The sushi and sashimi were amazing. I wasn't a big fan of the ceviche. I guess it's not my thing. I LOVED the uni. It was fresh, soft, buttery, so delicate and delicious. I had a bad experience with uni years ago and haven't touched it since. Last night's uni was really good and I may never go back since I don't think any future uni can compare. The beef and the braised red snapper head were welcome surprises since I thought we were just having sushi and sashimi. I loved the green tea ice cream crepe dessert at the end but was disappointed that I missed out on the 100-layer crepe dessert that had sold out the night before. Everything was so delightful, service was top-notch. Jun was a fantastic hostess. Compliments to the chefs!! Thanks to all the Yelpers who turned out to support this great local sushi restaurant. It was great to see Dan H., Jeena E. & Aaron E., Cathy S. & Dennis S., Steven N., Greg N., Sidney S., Miyun C., Julie L., Lica N. and Lili H. If you ever decide to pop in, try the chef's omakase. It's great!
(5)Drew M.
Came here for Jeena E's PYE the other night, and all I can say is, "OMG mecha super oishiikata!" Or, "OMG that was ridiculously delicious." yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Jun and Hiro did such an amazing job of handling our massive group, and kept the food and liquor flowing, assuming that a group of Yelpers would be ravenous alcoholics... which was a totally correct assumption. I just feel sorry for the rest of the customers for our joyful loudness... actually I don't because they got a real live izakaya experience! You're welcome. I didn't eat a single thing that I didn't like, and I ate everything that was put in front of me. If I was to really be nit picky, I would say that the scallop that came after the beef and snapper dishes couldn't really appreciated by yours truly because the heaviness of the previous dishes had the delicateness of the scallop be lost on me. That being said, there were some things here that really blew my mind. I don't seek out Uni despite the fact that I've heard it be called the "filet migon of the sea." yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Now I know what Uni is SUPPOSED to taste like. I seriously didn't want to eat anything else after the buttery deliciousness this uni exuded. The finish was delicate, and lingered in an exquisite way. I don't see myself ever ordering Uni anywhere else. Seriously. The mackerel on this same plate was another win for me. The mackerel was finely chopped and mixed with I believe a ponzu base which tasted delectable with no discernible fish taste, which is always a fear with mackerel dishes. This whole plate was phenomenal. The Red Snapper Head yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… was also a huge win for me. Actually, the diakon was allowed to just stew in that sauce, and the result was a soft, forkable radish that was both sweet and a little tangy. We may have had a little fight about who got to eat these at our section because they were so delicious. The head was also delicate and flavorful, really taking on the taste of the stew as well as not being overly chewy. Loved this dish. I could go on and on about all the dishes, but those were the ones that stood above and beyond the rest for me, which was difficult because they were all just so wonderful. If I ever need to really show guests how sushi SHOULD be done, I will brave the 91 traffic in order to make the trek to Sushi Noguchi. What a wonderful evening, and thanks again Jeena for setting this up!!!
(5)Sandy K.
I have mixed feelings about Sushi Noguchi. After seeing all the raving reviews I had high expectations. I called and spoke to Jun who politely advised me they had a party of 20 around 6:00 pm. I advised her that BC of that I would arrive around 5:15pm for Omakase We were greeted asap by Jun and was seated at the Sushi bar directly in front of Hiro who is the husband of Jun. We were pretty hungry after playing a round of golf earlier so we decided to go with 1 Omakase for $40.00 and 1 of the Hiro Omakase which is priced at whatever you eat off the menu. Hiro asked what I liked liked and then provided what is the best sashimi and sushi currently available in the restaurant. For beverages we had 3 orders of hot sake which is in a open container which does not stay hot long. I suggest they get enclosed containers that would maintain the temperature. This we what we dined on: Spicy tuna appetizer White fish sashimi dried fish bites scallop with uni - good but the scallop had no taste. Kobe beef - on the chewy side for Kobe beef Sweet shrimp - very good Baby octopus - very good Steam snapper fish head- Good Monk fish liver- ok Kumamoto oyster- Good Blue fin sashimi- very good Baby yellow tail sashimi -good Prime rib sliced with salad - very good Baked crab hand roll - very good Marinated tuna sushi - ok Salmon w/ mango sushi - ok Sea Bass sushi - good Mille crepe- very good Overall a decent experience but I thought in comparison to Raku In Las Vegas. I prefer Raku by a star. Reasons - the robata grill offering at Raku and the higher quality of sashimi and exquisite taste of each dish. The presentation at Sushi Noguchi is solid on all the dishes but lacks the transitional flow from entree to entree. Some of the flavors of the sashimi and sushi lacked the distinctive flavor of each individual fish. On another note the restaurant is smaller and with a large party gets quite loud. I read so many comments in previous reviews about how reasonable Sushi Noguchi is. I was taken back for the amount of food we received and how expensive our entire meal totaled. I would suggest anyone who considers ordering the Hiro Omakase to order Ala Carte or you may be in for a surprise. The total for the Hiro Omakase was $110.00 and In addition neither of the two Omakase selections included dessert. Service was on the spot, our waiter was friendly, efficient and I only had to flag him down once to refill our hot Sake.
(4)James P.
This is the best sushi restaurant in OC bar none! Jun, the owner waited on me and a couple of friends tonight and it was a very pleasurable experience! I do love sushi nogushi!! Hiro, Jun is amazing !!
(5)Jimmy C.
Been a fan of Hiro since Higo Sushi in La Habra, cannot go wrong with the quality of the food here.. Price has gone up compare to their previous location but still well worth it...give it a try, Hiro and his wife are great people and they do offer the best sushi in OC..
(5)Dave L.
My wife and I came here for our anniversary. Nine years of marriage, and I still love her. I wanted to come someplace special, and I had Sushi Noguchi bookmarked for quite a while based on its rave reviews. I made a reservation a couple days before. When we arrived, the restaurant was not busy, but I imagine reservations would be recommended on Fridays and Saturdays. We were immediately seated at the sushi bar. The decor of Sushi Noguchi is very simple and clean. Very nice wood tones with a clean looking white tile wall behind the sushi bar. I liked the look a lot. Service from Jun and the wait staff was excellent throughout our meal. Water remained filled and they were prompt when I asked for another sake. I re-introduced myself to Jun since I had met her before at a PYE. She knew exactly who I was because she saw my Yelp check in. She seemed genuinely happy to have us in her restaurant. Okay. Now for the important part - the food. Overall, it was very, very good. The presentation was beautiful. Here is what we ordered: Japanese ceviche - 5 stars. Great dish. Very nice citrus flavor with a mix of fresh fish. The cucumbers add just the right amount of crunch. A hint of spice made this one of my favorites of the evening. Assorted sashimi - 4 stars. The tuna and yellowtail were both very fresh tasting and meaty. The salmon and snapper? were okay. Rising sun roll - 3 stars. I would have liked to have more spice on this. I felt the cool crab and shrimp flavors covered the spice of the tuna. Salmon and yellowtail nigiri - 4 stars. My wife ordered both of these. She said both were very good and fresh. Uni - 5 stars. I liked it; my wife was just okay with it. I have had uni in the past and thought it tasted like dirt. This uni had a buttery flavor and consistency that was very nice. Easily the best uni I have ever eaten. Spicy tuna hand roll - 5 stars. I ordered mine without avocado. Unfortunately, the chef though I said with avocado. When I bit into the roll, I saw the avocado. I alerted the chef and he made me a new roll. The second one had cucumbers. It was great. Prosciutto tuna - 5 stars. My other favorite savory dish of the night. Wow. The mix of the prosciutto and the tuna with rice vinegar and miso dressing. Wow. Great dish. Sake - nice and warm and comforting. Green tea ice cream - The ice cream is free with check in. My wife ate this. She said it had a nice fat content. Better than most other green tea ice cream. Mille Crepe - Jun brought this fantastic dessert out to us at the end of our meal. Again - WOW, just WOW. She told us it takes about two hours to make this dessert and they only make one per day. I don't know how many layers of crepe are in the dessert, but it is obvious a lot of work goes into it. My wife said her meal was good up to this point. The Mille Crepe took her meal from good to fantastic. Thank you Jun for introducing us to your signature dessert! Sushi Noguchi provides excellent food and service. Our bill was what I would expect to pay for a nice dinner out, so there is reasonable value here. I look forward to coming back.
(5)Roy B.
Want to have a 5*****Star time? And a 5***** Star Meal? Then grab a few friends and head over to Sushi Noguchi. Belly up to the bar and partake in some face time with friends and prepare for fantastic food from the skilled hands of Chef Hiro! So I need to back up a bit. I first met Jun (Hiro's wife a few months ago at a PYE and had a good time sharing some wine, food and conversation with her and others. yelp.com/biz_photos/k6G7… I later found out that she and her husband Hiro had a sushi restaurant Sushi Noguchi not far, and I promised her I'd come sometime and try it. Why did I wait so long??? She didn't bother to tell me it was the best sushi around that's why! LOL! But it will not be long for my return! I was warmly greeted by the diminutive, quiet Jun (LOL!) as I entered. She makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable. I met up with a Yelp friend and 2 new ones who would join us later on. So like I said it was belly up to the bar to get my sushi on! We ordered up all kinds of goodies that were all artfully presented and carefully balanced in their flavors. Each highlighting a main ingredient that was skillfully put together by the crafty hands of Hiro and his chefs. Yellowtail Jalapeno Sauce ... thin slices of yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno sauce, the pepper adds a nice light kick to this tasty fish. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Japanese Ceviche ... Tuna, yellowtail, salmon lightly marinated in fresh yuzu juice, olive oil and minced garlic, I could eat a salad bowl of this delicious dish! My favorite of the night. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… (borrowed pic) Scallop - Uni & Amuse-bouche of Kobe Steak & Shrimp Tempura ... The uni tasted very fresh. It is the butter of the gods and put atop a sweet scallop it is fit for a god too. The Steak bite was so tender and flavorful, it melted in my mouth while the tempura shrimp tasted very sweet. I could easily make a meal of these two items as my taste buds were happy campers. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Hiro Roll ... Another tasty work of art from its namesake. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… (borrowed pic) Lobster Roll ... The baked lobster in the sesame skin was delicious and it was a treat for me as I had never tried this kind of roll before. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… (borrowed pic) Poke Tuna ... Tuna and albacore in Hawaiian style spicy garlic ponzu sauce. I have always been a big poke fan, and this did not disappoint and was par with some of the best poke I have eaten. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Mille crepe dessert ... What can I say, this is a work of art that is not compleat until it paints your toungue with its sweetness. If you come to SN you must get this! yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Salute to Jun, Hiro and Sushi Noguchi! yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… This is a fantastic restraunt Food - 5***** Stars! Each item a work of art that has to be eaten to be appreciated. Chef Hiro and his staff are to be commended on a fantastic job! Service - 5***** Stars! Jun and her staff go out of their way to make sure your needs are fully met. Your in capable hands that welcome you and make you feel at home. Ambiance - 5***** Stars! The great minimalist interior of Sushi Noguchi doesn't make you feel crowded or take away from the meal it adds a great feeling of being in a clean, warm open space for a first class dining experience. I'll be back again, see ya real soon Jun & Hiro!
(5)Akiko I.
- Locale Destination - It's in casual shopping plaza on Yorba Linda Blvd and Lakeview Ave in Yorba Linda. It's like less than 10 minutes from CSU Fullerton. Decor is simple and clean. Great service. All the workers are very friendly included sushi chefs.
(4)Jamie W.
To do an omakase is truly an enjoyable experience and I can't believe it has taken me most of my life to discover that such a culinarily wonderful thing actually exists. When fellow yelper Sidney invited us to a private Yelp event I jumped at the opportunity to finally face-to-face meet friends I had only the privilege of communicating online with and secondly to experience my second omakase at a restaurant which gets some pretty stellar reviews. First of all... I had no idea that Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills even existed, let alone existed in Orange County until a couple of years ago. Some may say the same about Rancho Santa Margarita but while I always say "it's worth the drive to live there" I bet people from Yorba and Anaheim Hills say the same thing. After all, they do have a pretty kick ass Japanese restaurant. The omakase consisted of many courses but the stand outs for me were the eel spines and fish head. While that just doesn't sound appetizing, I promise you... they were both interesting and pretty tasty, just not things necessarily on my "have to try before I die" list. There were a couple plates of sashimi and sushi and in all honesty, the fish was some of the best I've had outside of Japan and Honolulu. Fantastically fresh and melt in your mouth. The event consisted of about 60 fellow yelpers and the restaurant was open only for us. What a fun experience! My only complaint of the entire afternoon was not being able to hear people speak from directly across the table. The acoustics in this restaurant are horrible! That being said, the service was impeccable. If we lived in the area, we would definitely make Sushi Noguchi one of our regular haunts!
(5)Jp P.
Despite its unusual location for a fine Japanese restaurant, this is one of the best sushi restaurants in LA / OC area. I love sushi, and I think I know good sushi. I almost never eat sushi outside of Japan unless I know the place is worthwhile trying. I heard a lot of good things about this restaurant and decided to try by ordering just a few simple nigiris and they actually were very good. After that day, my wife and I became regular at this restaurant. We were thrilled to find a good sushi place so close by. Only sushi restaurants we felt comfortable going to in US before we found this restaurant was Blue Fin in Corona del Mar, Nobu Honolulu, New York, and Yasuda (I heard they closed down or sold recently) in New York. (Not that we've been to all sushi restaurants in America, but we've tried many nice ones) This place is not the best sushi restaurant in America or probably not in entire California (hopefully they will be). But for the quality and value, very hard to beat Noguchi. Their lunch and dinner Omakase are incredible value! Noguchi-san knows quality fish, how to prep and handle them. Their rice (I personally think rice is even more important than fish) is amazing, reminds me of being back in Tokyo.
(5)V A.
Great restaurant! Everything we ordered was fresh. And for those people that put a high value on service, theirs is great as well. I give them 5 stars because: 1) I don't like Uni but after trying theirs, I now have added Uni to my sushi rotation. 2) I hate Spanish mackerel or any mackerel but the same thing happened, I will order their mackerel from now on. My favorites were: gizzard shad, Uni, ootoro, sweet shrimp and mackerel. We got lucky and had Chef Hiro on our first visit. Just like the terminator- I'll be back.
(5)Eugene C.
Best Sushi in Orange County? We made reservations anticipating a busy long wait, especially for a Friday night. We arrived on time and there were many tables available. That's not necessarily a bad sign, but it's not necessarily a good sign either... especially for the Winner of a Golden Foodie Award. We went down the sushi menu and order Uni, Ankawa, Amberjack, Toro, Salmon Egg, and other items (easily forgettable). Two things I was a bit concerned about: 1. They have rolls 2. They have ramekins for customers to fill soy sauce with From my experience with superior sushi restaurants; they don't have either of the former... Despite my concerns, were not completely disappointed with the sushi. Everything we ordered was excellent, fresh, and cut with precision. *Side note, (I already know not to dip seasoned sushi in soy sauce) the Chef gave us the heads up what not to dip in the soy sauce. The one down side: the rice was UNDERCOOKED -=(... it's a terrible thing to have a crunch from rice while trying to enjoy an $8 piece of sushi. I can't speak for everyone else that ate that night, maybe it was just a fluke. The hot food was decent but not great like. We ordered the chicken karage, tofu, and steamed egg. I know they are not known for their hot foods, but I think it could have been prepared with just as much attention to detail as they do with their sushi. For kicks we ordered the Millie Crepe: HIGHLY recommend. It was delicious and the waitress told us it takes over 2 hours to prepare. If you try it, you'll know why. *3 stars is A-OK! Enjoy!
(3)Sasha B.
I found this place through yelp and tried it last week. We came in three women and a kid. My kid has udon and tempura. She's okay with it. We adult all sit at the bar and had Hiro's Omakase served by Hiro. I would say the sashimi was good and fresh and the service was great. I had Omakase at many high end sushi place and I like Noguchi so it's good. What I like best here are: uni with quail egg, blue fin toro, aji, amaebi and geoduck. Their green tea crepe at the end is very very good. I would definitely come back again.
(4)Lauren K.
We read the reviews for Sushi Noguchi and decided to give it a try. I ordered the california roll and the mixed tempura (veggies/shrimp), while my boyfriend ordered the omakase. We both were thoroughly delighted with our food, and the staff was very friendly and the restaurant clean. This is now our local sushi place!
(5)Alex K.
The food and the overall cleanliness of the restaurant was very good, but there has to be a one star deduction because of the portion size and the super outrageous prices!
(3)Yum E.
I took my client there and I ordered the pre fixed meals. I thought it was a set price but apparently they failed to mention that and it wasn't until after we told them we're full, they'll stop charging us. I thought the platter was a complete set but they added extra sashimi and sushi, unbeknownst to me, and bill came out three times more than what was listed on the Menu. VERY DECEPTIVE and I don't appreciate that they didn't mention it ahead of time. And, to top it off, it was not even good to be worth prefix meal. This caters well to patrons who can't tell if fish is fresh or not. It infuriates me that they could have continued serving me sushi had I not told them we're full and keep charging me more.
(1)Rob G.
Its shameful that i have not given Sushi Noguchi a 5-Star review before! The biggest concern my wife and had moving to Yorba Linda 18 months ago was not having a legitimate go-to sushi spot in town. After years of being spoiled in LA with amazing sushi options, we had resigned ourselves to the fact that we would be dining on overly-sauced sushi rolls once we moved to the 'burbs. Oh my, how wrong we were and how thankful we are for that! Hiro-san and his staff do an amazing job of delivering the freshest fish with wonderful variety, amazing consistency, and stellar execution. I have probably been 25-30 times at this point, and I can honestly not remember having a piece of fish that was not fresh and expertly prepared. Our two little ones have come to love the mini-udon, and the staff is always so great and understanding with them (2 and 3). It has become a 2-3 time a month family tradition, and we've become accustomed to seeing other families with small children there in the 5-6:30pm window. Its quite the little family spot early on! Now, let's get to the fish. If you want Americanized sushi rolls loaded with fried stuff and doused in sauces to mask the week-old fish - - you've come to the wrong place. The best 30 seconds of my visit is the first glimpse of the little blue placard with that day's special. Abalone, gizzard shad, needlefish, oh-toro, live ebi, blue crab handrolls! There is always something new to try, but the "old reliables" never disappoint. As a sushi fiend, I've not had much of their cooked specialties, but I am sure they are wonderful (I'll never know for certain!). If you have not experienced Hiro's omakase yet, you need to make it out to the Land of Gracious Living!
(5)Kevin S.
Had a much better experience this time around. We came for the Omakase + Sake pairing night and it was an overall pleasant experience. The sake pairings actually went well with the courses we had, and Jun even let us sample a taste of a different sake that was off the menu. The food itself was relatively tasty - I particularly liked the shrimp tempura, eel shrimp, and of course the mille crepe. We ordered sweet shrimp a la carte and it was as good as usual, but the fried head component was particularly well done last night. Similar to my last review though, I do find myself wishing there was a slightly more diverse set of cuts of fish available here. Service was excellent - Jun is an attentive and friendly host, and Hiro is a funny guy that has some interesting stories. I ended up spending about $90/person overall, which is still on the higher end of my usual spend for omakase + drinks. I don't mind paying a slight premium for the "experience" of sake pairings plus the Jun and Hiro service though.
(4)Lawrence Y.
A buddy and I had the omakase here and the food was phenomenal. It is definitely worth the price however. The service was terrific and even though the chef didn't speak much English, he tried very hard to explain what he was serving us. I'm definitely coming back here!
(5)Patty ..
Awesome - had the omakase, beer & sake and thn they surprised me w/dessert for my bday [pix to come] only problem was a 1/2 drive from Newport Beach
(5)Daniela C.
Great sashimis!!! Tuna prosciutto and yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño sauce yunmmmmn I would order over and over- can't get enough of it!!! Baked crab roll is Delish- a must have!!! Truly amazing experience!
(5)Andy N.
Oh my! The best sushi I've ever had. Thank you Jun and Hiro for having us at your amazing restaurant. Every single dish here was ridiculously good. When you walk in this place is very nice and clean. White tables and a clean looking bar. The space is pretty open to avoid cramping of neighbors. The service is awesome with everyone being so helpful and attentive. You rarely get a dining experience like this ever. My sister ordered the pre-fix omakase. I tried a bunch of different items. The salmon sushi was amazing. Like butter fish melting in my mouth. The fresh water eel was ridiculously fresh. The omakase was gorgeous. Each dish coming out with amazing fresh fish. Hiro knows exactly how to get his fish. He only serves the best. Jun was the best host I've ever been around. She was very friendly and attentive. Honestly you'll be happy with everything you order here. Just check out other reviews and they get all 5 stars for a good reason. I can't wait to come back again for the freshest fish around. Recommendation: Omakase style!
(5)Adam W.
Sushi Noguchi is hands down the best sushi spot in Yorba Linda / Anaheim Hills. We tried the Poke, Kobe Beef, and Japanese Ceviche specials, and all were delicious and packed with flavor. Next time I might order 2x the Poke and Kobe Beef specials they are so good. We also had the Salmon and Yellowtail Toro which were great. This place is right around the corner from our house and we are just bummed we had not heard of it sooner. My wife said that this is the only sushi spot she will come to now.
(5)Emily N.
It's a mid range sushi place in the North OC area. The place is absolutely stunning, very fresh and breezy. So many choices of sashimi and tasty fish morsels; the baked lobster roll was probably my favorite, but they also have this delicious cerviche (only a tiny bit of lemon/lime juice and salt), the fresh fish floor really stood out. My boyfriend loved the uni and the super fatty toro. We went on a Friday night, no wait and the owners actually took the time to talk to us about where the get the fish and what days to ensure they get the best fish.
(4)Allison S.
We went in an excited mood because of all the reviews (and recommendations by friends), but walked away unimpressed. My dad got the 6 course omakase, and most of it was not memorable. In the first course, they served a red pepper, a piece of cucumber, and a shrimp held together with a toothpick. Seriously? Even I could do that. The second course was a tuna tartare that was very bland. In fact, I found a lot of their dishes to have virtually no flavor. My brother had the wasabi chicken salad, and the chicken itself had a weird soggy texture. I think it was the way they prepared it; grilling the chicken probably would have fit better with the wasabi. The salad also had these weird rice crisps that were so crunchy to the point where I thought I would chip my tooth. I had their chicken karrage (soggy and needed to be better fried), the braised kobe with mustard (tasted like braised short rib), and the seared kobe tataki (which I really liked with the ponzu sauce). The BF got the omakase (ordering until you are full) and we thought the fish was pretty ordinary. I think the quality and freshness was just not up to par with some of our other favorites (Ootoro, Hayakwa). I also thought the bill was ridiculously expensive. Yes, we ordered two bottles of sake, but the bill came out to be $240 for 4 people (when one person only ordered a salad). I love mille crepe but was doubtful it would be good so I skipped it. To cut to the chase, I thought the sushi was way overpriced, not to mention just not good. Come at your own risk.
(2)Linda T.
Food was average even though we had Omakase. The bill for two came out to $163. Completely not worth it, for that amount I could have went to many other omakase locations that are five times better.
(2)Robin W.
A-OK is not a bad review. I liken the experience to this meal being Omakase, hence, not giving me the opportunity to order what I love. All the fish was fresh. There was an amuse bouche of fried eel bones which were too dry and fishy for me. The first platter consisted of uni and other sashimi. It was all good but the standout was the scallop. Too bad there was only a sliver. There was a braised fish head with stewed peppers and tomatoes. It tasted good but the head had very little meat, especially when shared among three people (it was served to share between three). There was some overly sweet and chewy red meat...or was it chicken? - that didn't warrant more than one bite, in my book. Some sushi was served and again, all fresh but nothing melt in your mouth cannot live without. The crepe cake was served for dessert and it was nice, not overly sweet. Except we all kept getting a hint of something sour. What looked like a chocolate sauce was either balsamic vinegar or the chocolate went bad. Not a great way to end a meal. I would likely return but this time to order off the menu.
(3)Beth Q.
First time here and came for Valentine's Day lunch. Why this place was not packed is beyond me. This place is AWESOME! Super fresh sushi, tender and buttery steaks and clean, authentic Japanese cuisine. We will be back soon.
(5)Anita L.
I am EXTREMELY particular when it comes to raw fish and sushi and of course, in Irvine, really great places are few and far between. I would never have found Sushi Noguchi, nor would I have ventured out to Yorba Linda, had my friend not organize a lunch there. We began with Halibut Sashimi in chive oil which was so delicate and flavorful in the aromatic sauce. I also loved the pink peppercorns adorning the top of the fish. Next came a series of Amuse Bouche including sesame green beans, a pumpkin croquette and clam with asparagus. Presentation itself was to die for. My mouth literally went into a heavenly fit with the Fresh Albacore Toro sushi. The fish was melt-in-the-mouth with the hints of umami which exploded in my mouth. The next item was possibly my favorite. Jumbo Scallop Sashimi with Uni was so flavorful combining two of my most loved items together. I could've eaten plateful after plateful of this. Marinated Tuna was next -- I've never been a huge fan of maguro so this was so-so for me. However, yellowtail belly with jalapeno was a major hit on my palate. Rich, lusciously melt-in-your-mouth yellowtail toro was really awesome, maybe a little on the fishy side for some, but if you're a fish lover, this will definitely hit the spot. Shima-aji, or jack mackerel is one of those fish which I love tremendously. It is really fishy -- but in a good way -- and has a firmer texture which requires a little more chewing, but its flavors are so unique it makes the experience ever so pleasing. Aji -- Spanish mackerel was next and I enjoyed having this right after the previous mackerel just so I could savor the difference in both taste and texture of the two fish but from the same family. Amaebi was fresh -- live -- and oh so plump! I relished this with vigor and wished I had more. The fried shrimp head accompanied and had all the wonderful "butter" on the inside for me to suck on. Blue Crab sushi was absolutely divine. Wrapped in mamenori or soy sheet wrapper, the sushi didn't need the aioli at all on top because the blue crab was so fresh and flavorful on its own and made for a salivating bite -- in fact I'm salivating just writing this up! Our last item was Toro with Green Onion (negi-toro), every bit delicious except I felt it should've come earlier. There were too many outstanding offerings which overshadowed this otherwise welcoming item. All that food for $50! Unbelievable!! This is one of those times I am a little thankful Sushi Noguchi is not in Irvine because I know I will be there every week -- maybe twice a week -- and although that's not a bad thing, I know it will be an overkill even for me. LOVE THIS PLACE!
(5)Annie L.
I'm going to be the odd one out here, I'm sorry. I really hate giving bad reviews especially when this place is so highly recommended on Yelp (which is why I came here last week). I read from reviews that they had amazing omakase, so that's what we came here for. From the very first dish to the last one, I was extremely disappointed with the quality of fish they served. What happened? Everyone raves about this place. I just kept thinking to myself, "ok maybe next one will be better...." I stopped half way and decided to go elsewhere. Anyway, I can't remember everything the chef served us, but a couple items we had were abalone, tuna, and king salmon sashimi. I just remembered the salmon being very unfresh and you can totally tell just by looking at it. The tuna looked discolored like it's been freezer burned. On top of all this, I just don't think anything was paired correctly. This is supposed to be chef's choice, the texture and taste of everything the chef chose just did not go well together. The chef himself even looked like he wasn't satisfied with the quality of the fish he was preparing. The quality of their fish and prices are just did not meet my expectations of this place. Maybe it was just an off night for them since it's the holidays or what not....But I will not come back here again.
(2)Jess M.
I totally recommend this sushi restaurant. I really enjoyed the service Mrs. Jun gave us when eating there. Very friendly and family orientated. Mr. Hiro picked out great sushi selections for us. I will definitely go back!!!
(5)Jaime Y.
This place is owned by the hostess and her husband who works behind the bar as a sushi chef.. Friendly servers and hostess! They checked on us, refilled our waters, etc.. However, the boyfriend and I felt a little uncomfortable at the bar because our sushi chef wasn't very welcoming. He didn't talk to us at all, didn't ask us what we liked, and kept insisting that we get the $40 omakase deal.. I wish we sat in front of the owner because he was talkative and smiling with his customers. What we ordered: Scallop with uni appetizer: GET THIS! I would only come back for this. They put yuzu on top of the uni.. soo delicious. Sushi triolet: Marinated tuna tasted like pure soy sauce.. would not recommend this dish.. Amberjack and yellowtail were fresh, but slices were too thin and I felt like I was just eating rice. White fish with chivas oil: Pretty good, but sauce is heavy.. Would have enjoyed it more without any sauce and just a dash of lemon.. Jack mackerel: decent.. Uni sushi: Our sushi chef made it with cucumber; presentation was very nice but it watered down the taste of the uni! :( Otherwise the uni would've been outstanding.. Overall verdict: This place has potential. HOWEVER, the sushi was a bit underwhelming.. rice kept falling apart (almost every piece -_-) and the cuts of fish were so thin. If i can taste the rice more than the fish, there's something wrong. Come here for the scallop with uni appetizer.. Freshest scallop I've ever had, and by far the best dish of the night!
(4)Jenny L.
Came here on a whim. Service was amazingly friendly. You can tell they love their clientele and try to accommodate. There are like a million menus (ok 4), but hey more choices right? Unfortunately, they all looked so delicious and I was undecided...very rare for me. Luckily, Jun the owner's wife was there to help. She recommended the grilled tuna with ravigote sauce...a new item and it happened to be 20% off as well. Score! Grilled tuna w/ravigote sauce: tasted like steak with a hint of tuna. It looked small on the plate, but it filled me up quickly. I loved the sauce. Creamy with soy and a salsa-like concoction with jalapenos, it was really good and paired very well. Got the lunch special as well. Great presentation and the size was just right. Definitely coming back for the Omakase with more adventurous friends next time.
(5)Nick H.
Updated 2-19-2013: Ankimo was delicious. This was my fourth time here. Friendly service, yelp deals and checkin deals and warm hospitality makes me a fan! Hiro was on the mark! Super cool people running this place! 5 Star Service! Sushi was AOK. I opted for Hiro's Omakase. I had several pieces and my date had the children's meal. The uni stole the show and was deliciously prepared (4 Stars!). There is a $10 savings if you buy the $40 gift card for $30 off of yelp. My bill was $85 after the discount for Omakase and the children's plate. The children's dinner consisted of chicken, macaroni and veggie and ended with red bean ice cream. My date loved this. Definitely super nice owners and some very unique and creative pieces. Jun gave us a very warm welcome. I look forward to coming back. 3.5 Stars! Sushi Noguchi...another reason the OC is the best place to live.
(4)Donna B.
Their sashimi is soooo good, and presentation as well. I love their green tea mil crepe. It just has the right amount of sugar in it that makes it taste so good. The sushi chefs are very polite and professional, and the waiter is very nice.
(4)Wayne K.
Have to say the reviews this place gets is very mixed. Some say great some say not good at all. The food is okay and the preparations takes entirely too long. I would not go with the omakase here again. Reason I say is because they start you off with sashimi tuna, yellowtail, salmon, snapper and albacore. Then the same combination in nigiri. Each group of sushi take more than 45 minutes to be brought out. My expectations with omakase is to present your best tasting and fresh items but I felt he was just throwing out items he wanted to get rid of. At more than $100 a person I feel they could do much than that. Also please do not be fooled by the pictures on yelp. It almost seems like some of the pictures are taken else where because some of the plated used does not match the decor of the plates we used.
(2)J H.
Entree - Hiro's Omakase After Dinner - Uni Good - Pretty empty around 6PM on Thursday. Friendly staff. My date was very reluctant to try "non-rice sushi" (never mind her lack Japanese vocabulary) but she really liked it. Quite fresh, tender. Bad - Not totally full before the wallet is empty.
(4)Jenny K.
UNSATISFYING... (went home to cook ramen since i was not full) I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN TRICKED...RIPPED OFF WITH TINY PORTIONS AND EXPENSIVE PRICING. we were excited to try a new sushi place since the reviews were so good. yelp, you have failed me again. we ordered the omakase for $45 pp. MY FIRST THOUGHT the instant i saw the first course was..."higo..?" my intuition was correct. note that i have never reviewed higo in la habra for personal reasons. but anyways.. it turns out that the owners sold higo last year to open sushi noguchi. now that i'm home, i did a yelp search for "higo". i would have never had time to read that many reviews to know that it was higo's owners. the last person who even mentioned it was on 03/21/12. when i do yelp searches, i search by DATE and by ELITE. neither let me know.. if i had known, i would have saved my money and gas. omakase: 1) tuna tartare with dices tomatoes and red onions topped with cilantro on a round cracker - this was why i thought of higo. the only other place i have had a tuna tartare nacho was at higo. 2) seared tuna (4 pcs) with alfalfa sprouts in the middle 3) whitefish sashimi (with a red peppercorn) in sesame/olive oil mix 4) toro handroll 5) 5 pieces of sushi - 2 eaten w/o sauce.. the salmon was extra buttery. i liked the yuzu on top of the hamachi most of the fish was good and fresh. i am not sick from it. just doesn't compare to many other places. but that was it. my $45 omakase consisted of too little. now $45 is more like $60 when you add the tax/tip. i dreamed of eating sooo many meals that were much more satisfying. we even had the yelp check-in offer for free ice cream. the first thing that i did upon getting home was... ...MAKE RAMEN!!! HOW SAD IS THAT?? we spent $$$$ for dinner. (oh, and we even had appetizers at buffalo wild wings before dinner) i think that offering a small salad and miso soup would have done the trick. why offer omakase to customers if you are not going to make them full? i cannot think of a time when i had omakase and it wasn't enough. *Note: reading others reviews tells me that they changed the omakase. they made it more expensive and don't offer the same variety of fish that they did AFTER they had many good yelp reviews. when a restaurant is newer, they try to offer the best stuff at a good price. THEN WHEN THEY HAVE A HIGH RATING, THEY CHANGE THE FISH AND THE PRICE. too bad i didn't eat at noguchi last year in the opening months.
(2)Regina T.
Sushi can be an expensive option for dining, but you get what you pay for! This place has the best sushi I've tasted in a long while after binging out at other all you can eat places. Fresh, melt in your mouth goodness! Staff are friendly and engaging. The sushi chefs are top notch and know what they're doing! Owners Hiro and Jun make your dining experience all the more worth it with their upbeat personalities! Can be quite busy on weekends but that's what reservations are for so make sure you make them!
(5)Caroline L.
Love the sleek, modern, minimalist decor in here. I enjoyed the crab handroll. The crispy spicy tuna was tasty, but I think the tuna could have been cut in more delicate chunks. The beef entree was tender and I absolutely loved the Mille crepe. Light and decadent. The pannacotta was the "special" dessert of the night, although it wasn't so special at all. Stick to the Mille crepe. Overall the food was good, however, the service was a tad slow. I had to wave down a busboy to take away empty plates from our table.
(4)William W.
Woohoo! As good as it gets, indeed... Had a wonderful night with friends Thursday at Orange County's premiere sushi restaurant, Sushi Noguchi (Winner of the 2013 Golden Foodie Award for best sushi restaurant in OC!). Please go, definitely order Omakase. My friends and I had Hiro's Omakase, and the focus was sashimi and sushi. Hiro is an amazingly artistic and precise sushi chef. Every time I go, I am amazed at the quality of the sushi high. Highlights were sea eel, some amazing yellowtail with a just-sweet jalapeno sauce, an amazingly elegant yet simple yet delicious tuna hand roll, and, well, everything else pouring forth from Hiro's trusted hands. My wife had Jun's Omakase, which includes a mixture of sushi and amazingly prepared cooked dishes. Highlights included a shrimp broth custard, a petite piece of panko fried chicken with a mustard sauce that was somehow both southern and Japanese at the same time, and Hiro's amazingly fresh and well-prepared sushi, With a chef like Hiro, Omakase is a can't miss proposition. Jun runs the front of the house, and while she had the night off, it is always an added treat when she is there. She is completely suited to charming your entire party, and her staff is incredibly well-trained and attentive. Our waiter that night guided our saki selection with a deft hand, and had a depth of knowledge about all of the food that was amazing; we had an amazingly in-depth and informative discussion about sea eel. Seriously, this place is a gem, and my favorite restaurant in Orange County. That last statement comes after mush consideration because we have some stellar places in OC: Il Garage in Stanton, Napa Rose, Basilic in Balboa...Sushi Noguchi stands up to all of them! Tell them I sent you
(5)Lizzie S.
Top notch sushi, well worth the 28 mile drive from LA. Sleek modern environment with beautiful vintage photos, natural wood beamed ceilings & walls. Great service. Nothing crossed my plate that wasn't 5 star: halibut with olive oil, ponzu & pink peppercorn, salmon belly nigiri with black caviar, king crab nigiri, prawn nigiri with uni and deep fried prawn heads. It was an epic meal! All four of us did Hiro's omakase, with the infamous Mille crepe dessert, two bottles sake, two house sake, two beers & lots of tea for around a hundred a person. I admit we ate a lot, we all walked out STUFFED. Totally worth the money. Granted not cheap sushi, but VERY high quality preparation & freshness with prices under what you would pay for same meal in LA.
(5)Kevin R.
I recently took my girlfriend here for dinner. Decor: beautiful and simple. The epitome of Japanese styling. Having eaten in traditional ryokan and in Kyoto this place is legit. Lighting is great and the colors are light and inviting. Food: wow. Just wow. We did omakase, as I have done almost every time I have been here. It was phenomenal. The quality of the fish is unsurpassed. Hiro and his chefs are masters at what they do. The flavors are rich and full. The blue fin is amazing, so if you get a chance, treat yourself to an amazing experience. Price: it really is a "you get what you pay for" type of restaurant. High quality means a higher than normal price. This isn't fast food sushi. If you want quick and cheap, go to the mall. You are coming here for an experience and quality. Expect to pay for it. I've been eating with Hiro and Jun for years. They are fantastic and I am deeply sorry to be moving away from California.
(5)yolinda y.
First time trying this restaurant. We came after one o'clock on a weekday. There was only one table of guests. A friend of mine and I had Jun's omakase ($45) and seafood medley ($16). Omakase comes with 5-6 courses. I would say the portion were considered generous, however, I was a bit disappointed on chef's choice. Since four courses all contained tuna. one was a cooked dish (turned out to be my favorite), one was an appetizer, one was a sushi, another one was a hand roll. Their Albacore wasn't to my liking either. I would suggest if you decide to go during lunch time for a value meal, pick their lunch special items. I would order the seafood medley again. If you truly want to enjoy a meal, perhaps you should try their omakase at night or when the chef was in a better mood. Good luck.
(3)Kevin K.
One of my favorite Sushi places in SoCal! Fresh and tasty! Always satisfying!
(5)Tammy D.
Had our third experience at this place and finally have to say don't waste your time or money. The first time the food was OK. We sat at the bar. We weren't overly impressed. Second time was pretty bad. Horrible service. Below par food. I asked for a salmon skin hand roll and after waiting was told that they don't want to make the salmon skin for just one hand roll so I wasn't getting it. Friends suggested I give it one more chance. We did and it was bad again. Awful, slow service. Standard food. Nothing like a Nobu, Katana or Katsuya - which from the reviews you would think they are on par with. I don't think they are trying to have bad service or anything and I can tell they want to have good service but it just isn't happening. I like Sushi Yosuke in Anaheim Hills much better.
(1)Stephen N.
Food was great however the staff was more interested in this one table than three other tables.
(3)Bob T.
Sushi Noguchi was the venue for a wonderful evening of friends, fun, and food for our little dining group of OC Yelpers (and a few of our non-yelping spouses). My wife and I were fortunate to have the company of Chris and Donna D, Chad A, Dave G & family, plus we got to meet Jeena E and her husband Aaron. I am certain that most of you are familiar with these "heavy hitting" yelpers and their reviews - If you are not already a fan of this group of "all-star" reviewers, I suggest you check them out - you'll become one right away (I did!). Needless to say, the company was beyond 5 stars! Of special note - 5 stars to Dave and Christina's little daughter Lainey - she did such a great job hanging with us at the sushi bar for about 3 hours. That's not an easy task for a lot of kids - I'm pretty sure most of the credit goes to Christina on that one! I have waited to write my review until after most of the others in our party have written theirs - as someone suggested - I could've just posted this review with the simple words "See Jeena, Dave, Chris and Chad's reviews - what they said." In fact, that would be very useful - we had quite a few of the same dishes, they did a great job with their descriptions of the food, the restaurant in addition they took some nice pictures - no point in attempting to improve upon their perfection! Let me give you some general impressions - If you have read my other 5 star sushi review - you will see what I consider to be my perfect sushi place. SN is tied for the top spot in this search. SN while not perfect, is a 4.5 star round up to a 5 - due to the incredible job that the husband and wife ownership team of Hiro and Jun Noguchi did as our hosts, and their assistance in setting up this little PYE. The food - High quality, fresh salmon, hamachi and toro. Plating and presentation were always top notch! Sushi is an art form!!! Perfect Kobe Beef tataki. Many middle of the road places won't have always have toro, and those that do sometimes end up freezing it - not here - it was very impressive. The prices are unapologetically a little on the high end - due to the step up in quality. SN may not have as many types of imported species as Ohshima, but HIro and Jun are Japanese immigrants - and their place leans towards the traditional - you aren't going to see a "Yorba Linda" roll - but you are going to see a more creative omakase than at Ohshima. If they have the ingredients they'll make you that favorite roll of yours. I went with the fixed price menu that Jun and I had set up for the group - but it wasn't really what my wife and I tend to order, so I need to get back in there and experience more of what Hiro can do! I would like to see them have cream cheese in the house, and they didn't have fresh diced wasabi available - although it seemed that there was a little chunky fresh wasabi mixed in with their regular wasabi paste. If you want to put together a sushi party - this is the place! I highly recommend working with Jun! She faithfully returned all of my communications - even giving me her cell phone number in case I had any last minute questions. She made menu suggestions, listened to, and even implemented my suggestions. She gave us seating options and held the corner spots on the sushi bar for us, which made conversation -and the overall evening- very enjoyable. Her attitude the entire time was to do whatever she could for my friends to be happy. Yelp is really about people - people who care about providing quality products, and services for others, sure they want to make a buck, but the places that have top reviews are due to people like Hiro, Jun and her staff who were all genuinely enjoying the fact that we were having a successful visit. Everyone felt like they were a special guest. A "must do" tip - check out the pictures on the wall - they are pictures from the lives of Hiro, Jun, and their family - they bring warmth to the clean lines and minimalistic decor. So now I have 2 "go to" sushi homes - each a bit different in there approach - but both with great fish, and great people. We'll definitely be back - hopefully soon and with prolific sushi reviewer Steven N!!
(5)Helena E.
OMomakase. It was delicious. We took the kids with us this time. They have one choice for the kids meal, chicken with rice, a side of pasta salad and ice cream. The kids had no problem with it. They gobbled it up. For us, my husband and I both had the Omakase and don't regret it. I'm glad we stumbled onto this place. The service was good and personable and very welcoming. We'll be back for sure, best I've ever had.
(5)Ryan T.
A hidden gem tucked away in Yorba Linda. Very fresh and tasty sushi and a flare of LA fusion cuisine. Not the cheapest place around but quality food is not supposed to be cheap. Omakase was very good as was anything Kobe on the menu. suprisingly the Kobe was pretty reasonably priced. Downside, if crowded service can lag a little but maybe that is because of the attention to detail servers provide. Thus the 4 star rating.
(4)Donna D.
I have to admit that my run of sushi usually is a Philly salmon roll and tempura but when the regular gang wanted to get together to try out Sushi Noguchi....I was in! We sat at the bar which we haven't done before but Chris has always wanted to. I find this may not be a great idea since it made it so easy for Chris to see what was being fixed behind the bar and yell...."I'll have one of those too" - this gets pricy really quick! We started off with a bunch of little starters that consisted of Amuse Bouche, Kobe Beef Tataki, Halibut Asparagus Tempura but the highlight of this course is the smoked salmon...holy cow was this stuff so fresh and so smoky! I could have just had this and would have been happy. This was the definite WOW factor. You simply cannot leave this place without trying it. I ordered a cali roll and tempura since they don't have the philly salmon roll here....can you imagine how good that would have been with the salmon mentioned above!! I was so ready but Jun said they have no philly cheese in the place at all. Bummer for me. Chris, as I mentioned before, feasted on everything and anything that came over that bar...whether or not it was his or not. LOL. I think he tasted a bit of everyone elses plates as well. The last course was such a treat, among all the sake we tasted, we were presented with a crepe dessert that I can only call decadent! Very yummy. Thanks Jun and staff for the warmth and family atmosphere. And to my yelp gang who always include us in these frequent get-togethers......I always enjoy being with you and have so much fun with you. Here is to going to LA tomorrow for Pastrami and heading to Park Avenue in December. I sit on this Thanksgiving day and am thankful for your wonderful friendships!
(4)Doug M.
The sushi was OK. Nothing special. The service was horrific. The waitress became defensive and angry when we complained of slow and unsatisfactory service. The servers acted like they were doing us a favor by taking our money and serving us when they got around to it. This is another example of an ungrateful North Orange County service provider that acts entitled to customer's patronage because of misguided reviews and bogus awards. This was truly missing "Thought. Purpose. Soul. Art." If you want the former, go to the OC Art Museum.
(1)Connie M.
I came here once with my best friend and his mother when the place first opened. We were excited because it's a clean sushi place in yorba linda!!! :) when we looked at the menu...we realized it was at least to me...very pricey and not what i expected...it was much more a date place with tapas...and not like the usual family dining experience you come to expect in Yorba Linda. The food was pretty good...and the sushi was definitely delicious...but i have to say...it was SUPER PRICEY. I think i'll have to go again...to make my final decision on this place...but from my first experience...i would go more on a date...than with my family
(3)Allison S.
Best omakase in OC. Authentic Japanese sushi! Loved everything the chef had prepared especially oysters, and giant clam! Must end meal w their famous crepe dessert u will regret if u don't. So happy that they r so close to home, and open for lunch. Must return w my girlfriends... Very soon!
(5)Duke D.
You haven't tried authentic sushi until you've gone here. Had the incredible pleasure of going here for the first time with Robert L., Lori M. and Minerva T. Interior is very warm and welcoming. I would suggest sitting at the sushi bar where Chef Hiro-san is so you could watch his expertise in action. And Jun (his wife and co-owner) is such a fun person to be around. She's really attentive and will definitely take care of you. It was our first time, so Robert and Lori ordered most of the items for us. And I'm so glad they did. Here's what we all got from what I can remember: fresh clam chicken kara age anago yellowtail sashimi in jalapeno sauce amuse-bouche Japanese ceviche spicy tuna tartare mille-feuille monkfish liver Chilean seabass chinois style Smoked salmon carpaccio mille feuille dessert Just watching Hiro-san work is an amazing show itself. You could tell he's passionate about what he does. And seeing him style the food right there is a treat! I can't describe just how good every item was but for me the highlights were the clam, Chilean seabass chinois style, anago and the mille feuille dessert. I never thought fresh clam would be good due to its sea-salt/brine-y characteristic but Hiro-san just does so well I immediately became a fan. And of course, their mille feuille dessert. Get it whenever you visit. It is rightfully famous among regulars. So soft and fluffy but still has that cake-y consistency. From what I remember, this dessert is always made fresh each day and takes about 4 hours to make each time. Anyone wanting un-Americanized sushi has got to make time to go here. Everything is spectacular here from the service to the food to the people. I'd have to look at you weirdly if you said you didn't enjoy eating their sushi.
(5)Jin L.
Absolutely the best quality in town. Been here many times. I've had regular omakase. Sushi omakase. Sometimes I order piece by piece. The sushi here is not only fresh. High quality fish. Right balance. Rare items. Bill can go as high as $500 for a group of 4 but totally worth every $$. I believe they should do better wine corkage service when they charge $15 per bottle but I still give them 5 stars.
(5)Oanh N.
Wow wow WOW. This was the best omakase I have ever had! You know how omakases have their hits and misses on the sushi selection the chef decides on? Hiro's omakase was interesting and full of flavor from beginning to end. Some of his fish selection was so delicious and interesting that it actually beat uni... Santa Barbara uni to be exact... to me. That's VERY HARD to beat since I love uni so much. The thing that is surprising is that Sushi Noguchi is nestled in Yorba Linda, an unlikely location populated with conservative Caucasians. Kinda makes it unknown bc I didn't know there was something like this in OC. Like Ohshima... I think that soon enough my big mouth will get many to be curious about Sushi Noguchi and see what I mean. I have to say Sushi Noguchi is my new favorite sushi restaurant bc overall it wowed my socks off throughout the entire omakase. I usually like my normal picks at certain sushi restaurants but Hiro's fresh fish makes me want to try everything he has hand picked. Ahhhhhh I can't wait to come back! Thank you Hiro & Jun for such a wonderful sushi experience! I will be back soon!
(5)Jay Y.
AMAZING HIDDEN GEM OF YORBA LINDA Who would have thought there would be a sushi spot in Yorba Linda that serves NOTHING but FRESH INGREDIENTS? If it weren't for Julie L., I would have NEVER found out about this place!! A group of us came here for an omakase lunch and were immediately greeted by the sushi chef and his staff members. The interior is really clean and white: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . I started off with an Iced Green Tea (unsweetened): yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Since there was a group of us, we were okay with sharing from the plate. First up, the Halibut Sashimi w/ Chivas Oil: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . All I can say is: WOW. This was one of my favorites! Amuse Bouche: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . These were all such a tasty treat! Fresh Albacore Toro Sushi: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . I love albacore and this was also melt-in-your-mouth, delicious! Albacore up close: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Jumbo Scallop Sashimi w/ uni: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . It's been such a long time since I've had FRESH uni. Their UNI was one of the FRESHEST I have tasted and their scallop was just plump and delightful! Marinated Maguro: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . Another favorite. Perfectly flavored and delicious! Maguro up close: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Yellowtail Belly Sushi w/ Jalapeno: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . The yellowtail and the jalapeno had a perfect balance and kick. Up close: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Shimaaji Sushi (Jack Mackerel): yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . I'm not a huge fan of mackerel, but this was actually pretty good! Jack Mackerel up close: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Aji Sushi (Spanish Mackerel): yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . Another mackerel and I was impressed. Spanish Mackeral up close: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Live Sweet Shrimp: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . One of my favorites. DELICIOUS!! Live Sweet Shrimp (up close): yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Fried Shrimp Head: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . I ate the WHOLE fried shrimp...yes. Even the eyes and the legs. They were delicious! Soy-wrapped blue crab: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . This was very light and a perfect bite. Blue crab roll up close: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Negi Toro Roll w/ Green Onion: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . Another favorite. :) Mille Crepe: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . OMG. OMG... this was SO EFFING DELICIOUS. WHY wasn't this served FIRST???? I was so full from eating and I had to force myself to keep on eating this whole thing since Michael Y was so full, too! Close shot: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Green Tea Ice Cream Crepe: yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . Another OMG. TWO DESSERTS?? SOMEONE SHOOT ME!! This was another piece of heaven in my mouth. I can just eat their dessert all day....
(5)Romin N.
Sushi was good quality. Portions are tiny. However the service is extremely slow and the waitress did not even look at us most of the time she walked by making it annoying to get her attention. It took 40 minutes to get sushi and a roll out to my party, and it was not packed or anything. Because of the wait, probably won't come back.
(3)Julie L.
MY NEW FAVORITE SUSHI PLACE! I had meant to write an update for a while but now that my review was named ROTD, I should write a quick update about my last experience here. I came with a bunch of Yelp Elites and Food Bloggers to experience Hiro's Omakase. What a fine afternoon it was, as we indulged in melt-in-the mouth goodness such as Fresh Albacore Toro, Jumbo Scallop Sashimi with Uni on Top, Halibut Sashimi with Chive Oil, Live Sweet Shrimp, Toro with green onion, Spicy Tuna Tartar, two types of Mackerel sushi, Jack and Spanish, Hamachi Belly with Jalapeno, and Blue Crab Sushi with soy wrap. I listed these items in order of my preference. Perhaps I like my blue crab roll with traditional seaweed in the form of a hand roll better (ala Sushi Wasabi). Their Amuse Bouche is a treat for the eye and a bargain for $5! Our sensational meal was concluded with not one but two house made desserts, Mille Feuille Crepe Cake, a light and fluffy labor of love that is not too sweet, and the Green Tea wrapped in Crepe. My new advice is sit in front of Hiro San and order Hiro's Omakase! I don't take good pictures but my Elite friends Anita L. and Wendy C. actually blogged about this experience. Check them out... madhungrywoman.com/2011/… wendyfulworld.com/?p=624
(5)Rafael S.
I'm a bit of a sushi noob, but I know good food when I have it. I've been eating at sushi places for the past two years, and folks this is it. This is the best sushi I've ever had. I took my girlfriend here for her birthday. Since it was her day, and a more experience sushi fan than I, she suggested Omakase, or specifically the Hiro's Omakase. Hiro is the head chef of the place, and he did an amazing job of slicing up some sushi for us. From tuna to the toro, he took us on a ride of absolutely gorgeous and delicious food. The food presentation was so amazingly done that it was almost a shame to eat it. Some of the highlights were the toro, brazed beef, spicy tuna, fried eel bones, and of course 1000 layer cake. Seriously, if you don't have the 1000 layer cake when eating here, you wasted your time. It is the perfect way to end a meal here. I highly recommend it to sushi noobs like me, and of course sushi veterans like my girlfriend she loved it and we had a great time.
(5)Thao N.
I am a huge fan of Ohshima so when I heard about this place and being better than Ohshima I couldnt believe my ears! This place has amazing fresh sashimi. We had so many different kinds of fish I was blown away. I am not even an Eel fan and they had the eel perfectly cooked that I might even be a semi converted eel fan! This is not a cheap place by all means, do the Omakase if you have money lying around, it will cost you a bit but it is all worth it!
(5)Lauren C.
Every time is a great experience! Amazing staff and fresh food! You know a sushi restaurant is good when they close on a Monday. Gotta respect them for that! sign up for their e mails and they have great deals. Also, so much saki knowledges. Sometimes they have saki tasting. I've gotten sushi, meat, soup...... I've enjoyed everything! Especially the sweet shrimp and the crispy rice.
(5)Matthew W.
Took my girlfriend to Sushi Noguchi for her birthday, upon walking in, you can see that our reservation at the sushi bar had been setup beforehand. The server greeted me by my name (Given to her days ago to reserve the spot), I was truly amazed already. We ordered the $40 Omakase and then the Hiro's Omakase, all the sushi and sashimi that was served was very unique and fresh. I suggest ordering their specials/fishes of the day. Very flavorful and everything is reasonably priced. Best of all was the dessert Mille Crepe, truly amazing and was on the house for her birthday. The server told us that it took the chefs two hours to make. Also, if you are at the sushi bar, you will witness Hiro's attention to detail, he places as much effort in the taste as well as it's presentation of the dishes. I seen him rearrange a piece of sushi multiple times on the plate before he allowed it to be delivered. Truly amazing spot, anyone living in the area nearby should check it out, don't be judgmental just cause it's located in Orange County. It's astonishing to see business owners that take it among themselves to communicate with their customers. Here's what I got in my inbox: Thank you very much, matthew, for your nice review about us.. It was great meeting you and Linda!! We are so happy that you liked our food!!! We will make sure we serve you excellent food and service. Please come and enjoy our food again. thank you. Hiro and Jun My Reply: Your service, food, and experience is truly amazing, you truly define what it means to give "World Class Service". You set an example for what all restaurants and businesses should learn from. I really appreciate that you embrace yelp as a way to communicate with your customers. You deserve all those positive reviews. Thank you for allowing us to have such a wonderful dinner, we hope to be back ;) Keep up the good work!
(5)Jong L.
We were so excited when we first found this sushi place. We stopped by and had the omakase both times and we were miserably disappointed both times. We gave it another try but nowhere near ohshima. We started talking with the sushi chef and asked me where I usually go for sushi. I told him I usually go to ohshima and he told me that place is expensive. Guess what? My bill came out more than my goto place ohshima. It's worth the extra 20 minute drive to nana San or ohshima. Sorry Noguchi Sushi. Maybe if our experience was with Noguchi San it might have been different.
(2)Michelle M.
Definitely NOT worth it.$25 for a bland fucken salmon roll??! You're on some good fucken crack, sushi chef. Never again. Worst sushi experience EVER!
(1)Sharon S.
Tried this place on a recent business trip. The Chef's Omakase was the must-have at this place. What caught my eye to try this place was not the Yelp deal, but the winner of the best sushi in Orange County. This was hands down one of the better sushi places I have been to.
(4)Jessica C.
Went there for dinner over the weekend since I love sushi. We ordered Omakase set menu. It was delicious and fresh. Would come here again. Like other say, it a bit on the pricey side but worth it. Friendly services too.
(5)Lisa V.
good..
(4)Jason W.
I don't know why this place and it's owners are getting such rave reviews. My first experience here was just alright. The sushi is fresh but it didn't blow my mind. The service was just okay; I found myself looking for the server on a few occasions. As for Hiro & Jun they were pretty straight faced and I didn't get a warm welcome or thank you upon entering or departing this establishment. Despite all this I thought well perhaps this was just an off night. I sent my parents here for their Anniversary and they were greatly disappointed. Being new to the Sushi experience they asked their server for a little assistance ordering and she was less than helpful in this regard. Like my experience they found themselves trying to flag her down on several occasions. My mom ordered the Kobe beef plate and stated that it was tough and chewy and not marbled. Sounds to me as if she wasn't served Kobe at all as this is so uncharacteristic of Kobe beef. Based on two unique experiences I would say this place is overpriced and overrated!
(2)Wendy C.
I'm so glad my friend Julie L. convinced me to come back with her to try Sushi Noguchi again. But this time, instead of ordering from the menu, she suggested that I tried OMAKASE. I was really hesitant because there are many raw fish I don't eat because I am extremely sensitive to fishy smell. I was so shocked that of the 11 sushi/sashimi from the OMAKASE, I was able to eat 9 of them and none tasted fishy what-so-ever! yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… What I took away from this experience was that when dining at an authentic Japanese restaurant, go with OMAKASE (Chef's Prix Fixe menu). The chef will create your special meal based on your preference. If there is something you absolutely wouldn't eat, he will accommodate that, but trust him that you will have a sushi experience like you've never had before. It totally change me and I am not afraid to try new sushi anymore! To read more detail on Sushi Noguchi, please visit wendyfulworld.com/?p=624 .
(5)Sol E.
A party of 3 went there for omakase on Saturday night. 10 pieces(not pairs) of slightly above average sushi = $70 pps w/o tax and tip. Not worth it. They seem to care less about your experience and more about maximizing profit. They will serve MP sushi one after another and charge whatever they want to. Don't do Chef's Omakase unless you want to get ripped off.
(1)Nina B.
We have been here many times. We have been here to celebrate our parents birthdays as they love sushi and enjoy speaking Japanese with the owners. My mother-in-law has brought her friends over for lunch. Most times I would say that this is a five star restaurant, so it was very disappointing to only give the restaurant two stars tonight. Why? My husband and I love to come here to enjoy the omakase dinner. After working hard at work all day, it is wonderful to look forward to such a treat. Today...not so much. Both sushi chefs barely greeted us - no eye contact. The service was negligible. Everything felt so rushed. My husband had to constantly wave the server over to order our drinks. The sushi chef was in such a rush, his rapid movements and noise was not conducive to enjoying a very, very expensive OMAKASE dinner that we were looking forward to. The guest sitting next to me cancelled his order of sashimi as the chef forgot about it. That is not the way to handle your paying clients in this competitive environment. I ordered anago for our last sushi meal and the rice was COLD. How disappointing and insulting to think you can deceive us. Growing up in Japan, we know what is right and what is wrong. This was inexcusable. For what we spent for dinner and drinks, I would say that the entire experience tonight was very disappointing, considering that we love to come to here enjoy the experience of having great sushi and sashimi.
(2)David L.
Awesome sushi! We've gone there a few times and recommended it to friends who live it!
(5)Kim N.
Based on all the stellar reviews, I was definitely expecting more. However, Sushi Noguchi felt very "vanilla" to me - no character or style. Just very similar to all the other mediocre restaurants found in Yorba Linda. That isn't to say it was bad - it was just okay. First of the all, the albacore was absolutely delicious. No problem there. The yellowtail was just okay though. My husband said that the salmon sashimi was good. The pork tenderloin katsu was like Tyson frozen food nuggets - definitely a disappointment. The crab dumplings were okay, but again, nothing special. And the yellowtail collar was, again, okay, but we we have had better elsewhere. Service was kind of haphazard and the atmosphere was definitely lacking. And while it wasn't bad, we would never bother eating here again. I kind of felt like I was robbed of a really good restaurant experience.
(3)Jay L.
Hiro presents another tantalizing sumptuous venue to showcase his finesse and execution in cuisine. My very first time here and I will not forget how full I was after having the omakase; it was also my first time trying the omakase. It was a myriad of different tastes to each palate; be it salty savory even a hint of sweet and sour. Every plate was delicate. the omakase was more of an, "oh-my-goodness-mind-blowing-sushi". Hiro is a mastermind and foodies will appreciate his gifts. If you pop in for a sushi roll and it doesn't seem to be on the menu; please ask the server if they have it in the restaurant; never be afraid to ask, after all a restaurant is suppose to deliver 'heart's desire' Mille Crepe cake was also like a soft cream explosion (no pun here I promise, just descriptive :p ) Crepes were so thinly fried and placed together so gently my sweetheart was able to enjoy it by herself without guilt. :) That Mille crepe alone would be fit to serve as a wedding cake at any occasion! Stop in for lunch, tea, dinner, or a beer (sake too!) This place is fantastic
(5)Mark G.
Sushi Noguchi is my favorite sushi restaurant - a dubious distinction since I do not eat sushi! Even though I don't enjoy sushi, my Japanese girlfriend does and so I have been to many sushi restaurants and I rate them based on their non-sushi dishes. But I should mention that we have been here several times with lots of different people, as this is one of Kelley's favorite places to share with other sushi fans and no one is ever disappointed. You can tell that there is a lot of care taken in selection of ingredients, preparation and presentation of every dish. Their chicken kare age is the best I've ever had. This dish is frequently over-cooked at other places and is very tough and chewy when it is. I have had it on at least three occasions at Sushi Noguchi and it is always perfectly cooked. The batter is always crisp, and the chicken moist. Also, it is apparent that care has been taken in the trimming of the chicken pieces and there is never a grisly piece. The Kobe steak and beef teriyaki is always perfectly cooked and sliced the right size - frequently Japanese restaurants will under-cook the beef and the pieces will be too big for a comfortable bite. On my last visit I had the halibut asparagus tempura and it was delicious! My favorite thing to eat here is the mille crepe cake. It's a cake made from 24 layers of crepes with a vanilla cream between each layer. So delicious! I have to have have a piece every time we visit.
(5)Houston W.
Like the decor service not so much n pricing too high the portion size was nit enough for 2 people over rated.
(3)Khim T.
This place takes you straight to Sushi heaven! From the time you enter this inviting, warm, bright and immaculate restaurant, you get the vibe that the Sushi Masters at the bar are totally focused on their "edible art". They look like surgeons hard at work, or artists in the midst of a masterpiece. They did however greeted us with a warm welcome and went back to the serious business of preparing high quality delicacies to be served. The menu highlights a variety of sushi connoisseur delights such as Scallop sashimi topped with Uni, kobe beef tataki, prosciutto tuna and giant clam, you know Iron Chef kinda stuff. The last time I had such an elevated sushi restaurant experience was at Nobu in Las Vegas. We also indulged in the Grilled yellowtail collar which oozed "melt-in-your-mouth" goodness. Service was prompt, warm and efficient. Overall, the ambiance coupled with the delectable entrees that thrill the palette really made it a memorable night out with family. Well, any dining experience isn't complete without desert and this place sure kept their standards high to the end. We ordered the Mille Feuille Crepe Cake and it was so uniquely delicious, I am compelled to command all patrons to try it! I was told it takes two hours to assemble such a well balanced, light and fluffy yet satisfying desert. Yoku dekita ne! (Well done) Sushi Noguchi!
(5)Robert L.
What makes a Chef brilliant ? Michelin stars? Perhaps a eccentric personality like Marco White? Is cooking a form of art that magically appears at the end of one's finger tips or a product of relentless effort? When does a simple cut of raw fish cross the line from a product of a Sushi Institute of America graduate to a work of art? Every bite of Hiro san's creation humbles me as it puts me in my place as a wanna be food critic and a lie of a cook. The quality of every ingredient is honest and is of the highest quality. Each fish served are fresh and every grain of rice is gleaming white, unbroken and in its place. Every knife stroke is executed with purpose to make sure one never feels the grain of the fish. Simply put a masterful execution of culinary art. The food price is honest, Service is friendly, and Sake list is decent. The presentation is modern and whimsical. Thank you Sidney S. and Julie L. for recommending this place to me and my family. Happy Eating - R
(5)Steve K.
Still the best sushi place in town. I been a regular since they opened about a year ago. They have more choices of fishes yet I feel like they are still focused on more popular fishes for the demographic. Another words, two different kinds of salmon in sushi joint does not impress me compare to say two different kind of tunas. But then I have bit of high standard when it comes to sushi as I would take a trip to LA or an hour drive for proper sushi experience. Overall this place is legit and do the job for my craving. I would like to see less time on presentation on some plates and more money spent on more exclusive fish, better training on overall staffs, and faster service. I like to see sushi joint speak itself with quality of the fish than presentation. It seems there are too much gap between the serving specially at the bar as chef is juggling with lack of assistant from other assistants. Otherwise, well done and keep up the good work and wish this place continue the success.
(4)Les L.
Hand's down, this is the best sushi restaurant within a 20 mile radius. Whether anyone in the vicinity will appreciate it is another story. The must order items are not fusion rolls or bento boxes or teriyaki. I hope that it will not be this restaurant's demise because it is too good for that. For one thing, it is one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever seen. The blonde wood floors and curved wood panels sweeping towards the ceiling remind me of a washed beach house. The walls are clean white with only black and white family photos on the walls. We sat at the sushi bar and split a $40 omakase. The impetus for that was that we didn't want to spend $80 on something that might not suit us and also to enable us to try other things on the menu within our control. I thought it was pretty swell they let us split the omakase and actually encouraged it so that we could dabble. The first omakase dish that arrived was the Kobe Beef Sashimi. Two slices of kobe beef that had been very lightly seared arrived dressed in soy and topped with red onions and scallions. They were extremely tender and well seasoned. The next dish was Halibut with chive oil and pink peppercorns. I loved this dish. The flavorful oil, and slight spice from the peppers was just the right balance against the fish. The next dish was essentially the Noguchi version of a Dynamite. White fish and Salmon were mixed with mayonaiise and topped with a bit of scallion and masago. I'm not a huge fan of dynamite but they were so judicious with the use of the mayo that this was actually tasty. FYI: also included in the omakase is the triolet - which is a daily special of three sushis, in a plate of 5 sushis. Thus, you should not order it separately, as I was tempted to do. Today's version was Salmon, Mango and Jalapeno - which was both sweet and gently hot. Black Snapper and Yuzu, and Tuna with Proscuitto. I really enjoyed the tuna with the salty ham. The last two were Toro (delish!!!) Black Snapper with Yuzu. The last dish was a King Crab Roll with a Creamy Miso Dressing. The miso was enough to highlight the clean crab taste. What I thought odd about the omakase was that they didn't announce the last omakase dish. That left us confused as to when it officially "ended" since it was interspersed among our other dishes. Particularly since there was no dessert, even fruit, which usually ends an omakase. Nevertheless, I think that would have been an ample portion for one person. You can also pick an omakase with your own price, which I think would be amazing since it would force the chef to deviate from the $40 set and expose his creativity. In addition to the omakase, we ordered a Grilled Yellowtail Collar. As per usual, it was fatty and delicious. John and I picked it clean of all its meat. We also loved the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice. While this is pretty americanized, this was one of the best versions I'd ever had. The rice had been formed into little logs and deep fried. It had the texture of a tater tot whereas I've seen them as dry discs before. Excellent! For dessert, we highly recommend the millefeuille crepe. 25 layers of thin crepes, layered with whipped cream to form a beautiful cake. It is garnished with chocolate and strawberry. The crepe was light and delicious.
(5)Jason L.
Hands down the best sushi I have ever had, service is great and friendly, spicy tuna roll and the Kobe beef bowl for lunch is really good too. It's hard to find a decent Asian restaurant in Yorba Linda, I'm glad we have sushi Noguchi!
(5)Bethany K.
TIME&PLACE: Saturday, peak dinner Came here to celebrate my SIL's birthday with the in-laws and they had been once before and loved it. Didn't really have expectations given I don't eat/care for sushi, but when the rest of the fam wants it, I tag along and hope for some interesting apps and salads. FOOD *Baked asparagus with house made creamy sauce - yum! Didn't really need the sauce, but it was great. Hard to mess up asparagus. *Miso soup - yum! Hard to mess up miso soup, but it was good. *Green salad - bigger portion than I expected, dressing was fine but I should have asked for less. *The rest of the table did the omasake and tried a lot of realllllyyy interesting, pretty things. They said it was SOLID sushi but the one gripe was that each plate came out pretty slowly. I think we're faster (than average) eaters, but even still... it was pretty slow. Eventually the rest of the family switched off the omasake and instead just ordered the items that they wanted which came out much more quickly... which makes sense because it's not as creative and artistic. *We got the free ice cream scoop as part of the check-in offer on Yelp, but they also brought out the Mille Crepe cake (didn't realize their non-sushi menu was French-inspired... but it was!) which was TO DIE FOR DELICIOUS. They said the chefs make that came every day (it takes TWO HOURS for each one!) and I thought it was AMAZING... like, I would come back for that cake. It was lighter than a traditional cheesecake but more nuanced than a plain ol' sheet cake... I'd get it. We also got the dessert crepe (?) with ice cream, which was good--but nothing can stand up to that Mille Crepe! LOGISTICS *Parking lot, easy peasy *Aside from the slow omasake service, service was fantastic. Super helpful, answered questions, made recommendations, attentive. The chef even greeted us on our way out and apologized for what happened with the pace of the meal. Given my vegan/vegetarian diet, I probably won't come back for the sushi... but if others want to? I'll eat before and save up for the crepe cake! (Disclaimer: it is definitely not dairy-free, but everyone has a weakness...)
(4)JT N.
I received a response from the owner offering her apologies for our unpleasant experience. It is nice that she took the time out to respond. For that, I am giving Sushi Noguchi an additional. I'll probably give it another try.
(3)D C.
I usually go to LA for sushi. But since Sushi Noguchi opened up it's been my go to place for great sushi in OC. You can't go wrong with the Hiro Omakase.
(4)Calvin C.
This is a hidden gem!! The food was very tasty and satisfying. The staff was very professional and pleasant. I was very happy with the service and value overall. If you are looking for awesome sushi bar, in Yorba Linda. This is the place. Triple thumbs up!!! We will be bring my workers here for dinner. From OEM Auto Shop.
(5)Megan S.
Sushi is comfort food for me, so when I have an extremely bad week I head to my favorite of all sushi restaurants, Sushi Noguchi! I'm always looking for an excuse to rave about this place, and I finally got the Omakase a few weeks ago and again it was nothing short of phenomenal. Everything was fresh, like always. I tried Japanese Escargot for the first time and it was different than anything I've had before, but definitely tasty. We got Uni, which I usually hate, but it was wonderful and had an almost buttery quality. There were deep fried whole shrimp, too and they were crunchy and amazing. There was so much food that can't possibly remember each dish now, and I wish I had updated this review several weeks ago, but I can certainly say everything was delicious! Of course I will be back soon : )
(5)Yvon N.
I came here when they first opened and happy that they're doing so well now! They immediately recognized us and gave us the warmest and loudest welcome ever! The tuna wrapped prosciutto is soo different and delicious. My favorite from here is still the dessert which is their homemade mille crepe! It's SO FRIGGIN GOOD!!! :D However, they did forget one of our ordered entrees but made up for it by buying us dessert. Awesome!
(4)David W.
Fantastic Sushi. Very expensive. I've gone to this restaurant three times with friends. In all three cases, the meals were extremely expensive, and the fish amazingly good. My absolute favorite dish is spicy tuna on fried-rice cubes. It's amazingly good. I only wish the portions were a bit larger, or the prices a bit better. We spent about $115 for two people after tax and tip. Honestly, I was still a bit hungry.
(5)Meg S.
Hands down my favorite sushi restaurant in Southern California. I used to visit them when they were located in La Habra, and from the very first time I had ever been there, they knew my name and what I liked to order, sushi-wise. I felt more like an old friend that came to visit every so often for dinner then just a customer, and my hosts were extremely accommodating. Since then, they have moved to a lovely location in Yorba Linda, and though it's a trek for me, I suffer through traffic just to get my grubby little paws on their delicious sushi. They still know me by name, and even make rolls from their old menu just for me when I visit. I'm saving up my next visit voucher for the Omakase. So worth the price, and I trust them to bring me the best quality sushi that I will rave about for months. Favorite roll: La Habra roll - which I believe has a different name on the menu, but they still know what I want when I order the old-school way.
(5)Tam D.
I don't understand how anyone could call this place mediocre nor can I understand how anyone can rate Sushi Noguchi anything but 5 stars. The food is amazing and you get what you pay for. You don't go to a steakhouse and complain about the price of a nice cut of prime rib. The same goes for a truly authentic Japanese sushi bar. Please do yourself a favor and give this place a try.
(5)Mina C.
If you want fresh, Sushi Noguchi is the place to go. Friendly staff, clean/simple/modern atmosphere is diamond in the rough. Love Sushi Noguchi!
(5)Cool Breeze V.
Where do I start? I have been eating sushi for a more than 15 years, I have had sushi in Japan, and many high end establishments through out the world. Yet I still compare everything to the best I have ever had. The creations and attention to detail of Hiro the chef / owner of Sushi Noguchi. For all the years that I have followed him and his wife Jun even before this beautiful, modern and welcoming establishment, I have never been let down. If I had to sum the food up in a few words...... they would be FRESH! FLAVORFUL! NEW! AMAZING! DELICATE! LIFE CHANGING! Because they have forever ruined me for anywhere thus far. A big part of the experience is Hiros wife Jun she makes you feel so welcome and relaxed. By the end of the meal you are so contend. I can't say enough about them and Noguchi.
(5)tas t.
I found this place on Yelp, and I'm glad I stumbled onto it. I think it's only been open since mid-2011. I'm an oily-fish guy, so I usually use Mackerel (saba) as an informal barometer for a sushi place . Here, it was so moist and flavorful, served with mint and another translucent, light green leaf (?seaweed) - I immediately ordered it again. The Yellowtail was meaty and firm with a slight bit of resistance, the best I've had yet. Jumbo scallops were sweet; Ikura was fresh and hardly salty; and the Uni... words are never enough to describe the taste of Uni, but if you order it here you won't be disappointed. If you like sushi even a little, then come here now before everyone finds out about the place, while you can still get a seat easily!
(5)Zack A.
I love japanese food. It's probably the one type of food that will ruin me financially if I had any money to begin with. Let's start with the positive. The rolls were fantastic. I think the one I had was called rising sun or something, and the flavors were manifold and very well balanced. The sushi and sashimi, however, were fairly average, and by that I mean quality and taste were very good, but for the minuscule portions, not quite worth the price. 3/4 star off for that. Another 1/4 for a somewhat cold and alienating ambiance. I found the lighting too harsh, which made the restaurant feel like a middle school cafeteria.
(4)Oggie O.
Food Everything we ordered was good. Even the fried chicken from the combination was tender. Baked green mussels were good, but I've had better. Kobe beef was very juicy and tender. Sushi was very fresh also. Layered desert was delicious. This is the same one as the one that you can order from NY if you know what I am talking about! I think they make it in house? Omakase is $45/person, but I think it was worth it. Service Staff were pretty nice. If you live around the area, you can sign up to receive their fresh fish of the day. I've been there twice in the last month, so yes I am going back there again!
(4)Sai L.
Overall I was pretty satisfied with this place. Brought my mom and my 2 young nieces here after Black Friday shopping. Let me look at the menu and try to remember what we had: 1) Japanese ceviche: my niece actually picked this and it was pretty good. Portions are kinda small though. I'm a big fan of ceviche and I thought this was pretty good. Recommend 2) Sushi triolet- it was 3 nigiris from chef's choice. I don't quite remember what they were, one was king salmon and another one was amberjack. I kinda ordered this for myself, but my nieces helped themselves with them, haha. I had the amberjack and I was quite impressed with the freshness. My nieces said the other 2 pieces were quite good, but they don't usually eat sushi, so gotta take their feedback with a grain of salt. As far as me, I am no great Sultan of sushi, but I have gone through great lengths to try some sushi places. I usually like going to omakase places. I like Sushi wasabi and shibucho (hit or miss) and in the bay area, my favorite places are Yume and Tekka. So I think I'm a decent judge of sushi. Granted, it was on a friday night and I was only able to eat one piece of nigiri and the sushi from the ceviche, but I was impressed by the freshness. You know what Anthony Bourdain says, the best sushi you'll get is on fridays and the weekends. 3) Fish dishes: Had the chilean sea bass chinois style - was pretty good, on par with chilean sea bass I've had at other places. Also had another fish dish that was pretty good, can't remember what it was, something not too expensive on the menu. Ok so I notice that our bill is probably adding up so I was looking for dishes that can fill us up, more, not expecting it to be that great looking at the prices. My nieces were just destroying the food, who knew 2 teenage girls could do so much damage. So I ordered items like their chicken and tonkatsu, you know, food that will fill you up more. If I were to order more tapas, I would be spending a lot more. Surpisingly they were pretty good. Ok, I feel like I'm not the best at writing reviews. I'm kinda tired now, so I'll end it now. Service overall was pretty good, the only thing that bothered me that I checked in and was supposed the get green tea ice cream, but the waiter said that since it's a friday, it doesn't apply. I usually read the fine print and it didn't say anything about only using it on a non-popular day (M-thur usually). That's why I didn't get the yelp deal b/c it specifically said I couldn't use it that day. Minor issue but I do like businesses to honor their promotions. Ok, overall, I really do like this place. I signed up for their email list and they just sent me a coupon, so I am planning to pay a return visit. Perhaps this time I can try their omakase. Maybe after that, I can give 5 stars, which I really reserve only for the best places, I'm pretty picky. Oh and the Miles Crepe was really good, I didn't even know it was a dessert, I just followed the yelp reviews under highlights. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but it's like a cheesecake, but better. Ok, gotta go to bed now.
(4)Scott M.
There is always something delicious to try here! Their Kobe beef is succulent and their spicy tuna rolls are delicious! I won't go anywhere else now because no one can match their quality, freshness and taste.
(5)Windi ThuyTien T.
This is my first review and been wanting to know which businesses that I would take my time to compliments. I would say this place deserved it! Love everything about this place: foods, atmosphere, services, presentations, and deserts. I'm a BIG sushi lover and surely this place has got my vote for the best sushi in OC.
(5)Tim L.
I came here tonight with a couple friends to have some sushi. Place is hidden in Yorba Linda. The plaza looks out dated and ghetto but once you walk inside the place looks completely different. (minimalistic and clean) We were greeted by the sushi chef when we walked inside and was seated immediately by the server. If you do not eat sushi they have many other non-sushi dishes. I wasn't too hungry so I did not opt for the omakase. I am a huge sushi fan so I ordered a few orders of nigiri. I ordered the King Salmon, King Crab, Kobe Beef, Engawa, Prosciutto Tuna, and Blue Fin Toro. King Salmon - Very fresh, but nothing too special. Generous with portions. King Crab - Not too many restaurants have king crab nigiri. It was probably my favorite dish of the night. *MUST ORDER!* Kobe Beef - Juicy and delicious! Engawa (Flounder) - Not many sushi restaurants have engawa. I was surprised that they had it, so I had to order it. It has a distinctive taste and has a squishy/chewy texture but amazing! *MUST ORDER* Blue Fin Toro - I was not impressed with the toro. It wasn't fresh and had too much seasoning on it. Prosciutto Tuna - Dish with pieces of tuna wrapped in prosciutto with a tint of olive oil. I was not expecting too much but it surprisingly was a great combination. Overall, I had an excellent sushi experience. Service was prompt and they took care of us all night. They had numerous selections and most of the dishes I had were fresh with the exception of the blue fin toro. The price is a bit on the pricey end, however, you get what you pay for so it's all worth it in the end. If you are out in the OC area and do not want to drive out to LA, this will be a great experience for you! Would definitely come back!
(4)Jasper C.
After many recommendations from the citizens of Yelp-dom, we went to Sushi Noguchi for lunch. We ordered some of the lunch specials and accompanying sushi dishes - Sushi Noguchi did not disappoint! We ordered a uni (sea urchin) and scallop sushi and they were awesome! The uni and scallop was top notch fresh...you could taste the sea and the sweetness of the uni and scallop! One way to tell if the uni and scallop is fresh is if it tastes sweet. We talked to the waitress (who also happens to be the sushi chef's wife) and she explained to us that the chef personally goes to the fish market and selects the fish for the day. The chef also personally goes to the harvester/seller for the freshest uni to serve at the restaurant. Overall, our first visit was great and we'll go back and try their dinner menu very soon.
(4)Faith M.
OMG, the Hamachi, Tai, Halibut, Uni, Albacore, Anago, Engawa, Nato roll, Spicy Tuna was so fresh, the nori and the rice was perfect. Casual atmosphere, great service, bit pricey but totally worth. Sushi Noguchi outweighs Ohshima in Orange, Murasaki in Santa Ana, Kaito Sushi n Sushi Otta in San Diego.
(5)Jenny J.
My brother and I spent $180 here. Pretty pricey, but really worth it. The KING SALMON was probably the most savory salmon sushi I've ever eaten, and the TORO!!! was so so so good. If you're hesitating, just go for it. Yes, the portions are small, but you probably came here for the quality and not for quantity anyway. Time to go try Jiro's sushi in Japan. (Watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi!)
(5)John D.
I took my wife and son here last night (12/26) and it was our first time being there. I read a lot of good reviews about this place and I was pretty excited about being there. I was surprised to find that we weren't the only one that brought their kid to dinner. everything started off fine. The staff were all friendly, they even aloud us to bring in french fries from outside as that's all my son will ever eat. I'm giving the 1 star due to service. The place was not packed at all and there were 2 chefs. I don't know why our order took so long to make it to our table. On top of that, they were confused with the orders because they kept giving our food to the 2 tables next to us. They even gave my kobe beef to the next table who had just ordered their food (also kobe beef) when i had been waiting for mine for 45 mins. I'm usually a lot more patient that my wife with how long the food gets to our table but this was just an off night. I could tell they give good service but I have to give a review from my experience and not what it could have been. Anyway by the time we got our food my son was so sleepy and cranky that we had to take some of our food in a to go box. So paid for our food plus a 6 cents tip and we were out of there.
(1)Aaron R.
My wife and I live in the YL and are so pleased a Japanese restaurant of this quality has opened so close to home. The fish is incredible and the menu shows wonderful creativity. Most of the menu is app style which is terrific for us because we get to sample a broad range of dishes. Portions are not huge so if you're looking for the Claim Jumper (bankrupt) of sushi restaurants this might not be for you. However, if you love great sushi, wonderful service, and a unique menu check it out. We love it. Ps. Little bit more upbeat music on the weekends will draw that 30 something clients that will dip into the bar menu...my opinion.
(5)Michelle W.
I love this place! The interior design is beautiful, the food is wonderful, and the owners are great people. We used to frequent their other restaurant Higo Sushi, and that was how we found out about Sushi Noguchi. Its very upscale, and the fish is always fresh. They also make your rolls special to your order, which is a plus. We took some friends to the resaurant last night, and everyone raved at how good, and fresh everything tasted, and even though they don't live in the area, they said they would definitely go back.
(5)Heather M.
Had the rainbow roll and some other rolls.. You would think this would be par for the course. They tried to make it unique by putting in asparagus instead of the avocado and cucumber. Did not like it at all. I think avocado and cucumber are what make that part of the rainbow roll. Everything we had was very bland. Even the Miso soup tasted watered down. The fish was fresh, but all the accompaniments just did not stand up. I was so excited to try this place. I guess that is why I was so let down.
(1)Chris C.
I was home alone and was really craving sushi. Had no car and my usual place was too far to walk. Luckily I decided to give Noguchi a shot. It is pricey but well worth the mile money and the mile hike.
(5)Bob R.
Great food at reasonable price, reminds me of Nobu without high prices.
(4)Hannah L.
Not being from the area, we had no idea where to have dinner after dropping our son off at a friend's. Thanks to Yelp, we found Sushi Noguchi, and what a gem it is. Located in an unassuming strip center behind The Coffee Bean on Yorba Linda Blvd and Lakeview Avenue, owners Hiro and Jun Noguchi offer one of the freshest and most imaginative sushi and Japanese small plate offerings in Orange County. My husband and I elected to take the Chef's Omakase menu (different from the "regular" Omakase offering, which seems to be more like a prix fixe meal which we might try next time). In this case, Hiro-San chose to serve us sashimi and sushi selections based on our individual preferences of fish(mild/strong), and what complemented our beverages that we ordered as a guideline for him before he started setting out plate after plate throughout the evening. Previous Yelpers have described some of his creative offerings, so I won't go into detail here, but much of what he served us was "off menu" and amazing. When you get full, just let him know, or he will keep creating dishes for you all night! Both Hiro-san and Jun have warm and attentive personalities, and are engaging with their stories. One of the most important things that set this restaurant apart is the fish is VERY fresh. Many sushi restaurants get their deliveries from their fish suppliers, but Hiro-san personally goes down to the fish market in Los Angeles to hand select the best fish a minimum of 3 times a week. With the recent closure of the 60 freeway for several days, he battled the traffic one day for 5 hours just to get his fish. That speaks volumes of his dedication and desire only to serve the freshest fish and seafood to his patrons. Very impressive! But you don't need to know the stories to tell how fresh his sushi and sashimi offerings are - you can taste it immediately. Although this restaurant is 30 or so minutes from where we live, we will make this a regular destination for our sushi cravings! Thank you Yelp for helping us find this restaurant!
(5)Dave S.
Realized tonight that all this time we've just been eating at the "McDonalds" of sushi places; Sushi Noguchi is the "Morton's" of sushi restaurants! In a few words this restaurant offers the most unique, creative, freshest dishes we've ever had. We began by ordering three of their "Today's Special" items: triolet of red tilefish, grunt, and baby yellowtail, toro with green onion hand roll, and fresh scallop with uni. Each of the trio was distinct and fresh. The hand roll was unique in that it isn't wrapped in the typical sea weed; instead it's a wrap of rice paper with sesame. The few sesame seeds gave the wrap a nice subtle nutty flavor. The scallop with uni was the show stopper by far! The scallop was atop a slice of lemon that gave the dish a refreshing flavor while the jalapeno on top of the uni gave a nice kick. The entire bite just melted in your mouth. From there we ordered the crispy spicy tuna. We have never had crispy sushi rice. What a nice change in texture to go with the creaminess of the tuna. We ended our meal with the Hiro Style Roll. How could we pass up a roll filled with a fresh asparagus stalk! Again, another first. The service was welcoming, friendly, and professional. Our server took the time to recommend dishes in each section of the menu, and everyone who came to our table was pleasant. The food came out one dish at a time in an even flow, which is welcome as you have time savor the dish you are eating before you enjoy the next round. Sushi Noguchi isn't the cheapest sushi you'll find, but you pay for what you get. This is the best sushi by far that we've ever had.
(5)Tad K.
Very disappointed with this place. We are from Tokyo and know Edo Mai Sushi true nigiri without Calif. modif-rolls ...Head chief nigiri preparation technique is very poor ..I don't know where he picked up such crude style...too slow in handling before present to customer..freshness of delicate tane is ruin by warmth of chief's hand....proper speedy preparation is must in first class sushi;also direction of knife cut relative to fish body is must to make tasteful and good looking nigiri. Some ingredient (tane) were either too old or scrape leftover..especially toro we ordered . If you are serious sushi fan; don't believe high mark reviews on this board....We are not reviewing or commenting any Calif. creations such as spider,rainbow, crunchy etc rolls ..Restaurant decor / styling is roomy and clean ...Good but sushi is not. My recommendation in similar price range are Sushi- Gen at Honda Plaza LA, Kitayama ,New Port Beach, Kasen Fountain Valley..
(1)A F.
Went on recommendation of friends who are sushi lovers. Did not disappoint. Had Omakase, delightful innovative offerings and really good friendly service. No complaints. Will be back soon to sample through the menu. Nice, clean minimalist design, quiet when we were eating, no complaints.
(5)skee d.
I am very picky when it comes to Japanese food. Japanese owned restaurants are fewer and fewer, so I was very happy to find Sushi Noguchi. I would describe the food at Sushi Noguchi as very light, crisp, refreshing, and clean. On my first visit, I tried the chirashi. It was delicious. I am very picky about my sashimi and the sashimi here was grades above what you find in Mitsuwa or Marukai. Clean and seemed to melt in your mouth. The sushi rice was seasoned just right too. Not too vinegary or sweet. Next visit, I tried the Noguchi Special Lunch. It was deep fried flounder in a sweet vinegar sauce. The plating was quite modern. The fish was lightly battered, crisp, light, and delicious. The sauce, clean and refreshing. On another visit with a friend, we tried agedashi tofu, Kobe beef tataki, the lunch special nigiri sushi with kaarage, and the mille crepe. The agedashi tofu was okay for me. I loved the sauce and the tofu itself was soft and light, but the batter was a bit chewy and that was something I did not expect. The Kobe beef tataki was good. I enjoyed the flavors and the beef was tender and tasty, but I would have liked the beef to be cut a bit thinner or a bit smaller to make for easier eating. The kaarage was not the normal kaarage. This one was very, very light and very yummy. The nigiri sushi also did not disappoint. Fresh and clean. I really liked the gari shoga (red pickled ginger) that came with the sushi. The flavor was bright with a softer subtler texture than the package kind. I did not really have room for dessert, but I did want to try the mille crepe. The sweet sour sauce was a good match for the cake. I ate a couple bites and took the rest home to share with my kids. Needless to say, I ate it before the kids came home. They never had a chance. Next time, I will try the Omakase.
(5)Naz S.
interesting food, not the typical sushi joint
(4)Suzanne M.
Had the omakase and it was delicious. The service was very attentive. Followed up with the uni, which was the best part. Fresh! And the portion was decent. Received good quality fish. Would definitely come here again.
(4)Justin M.
I literally just walked into the door of my home and am now on yelp. Why? Because I am so damn excited about this restaurant that I just have to tell everybody. First of all, the Main Sushi Chef Hiro, is simply a Genius. How he approaches flavor profiles and his eye for presentation are simply stunning. Second, most every bite I had was the freshest representation of whatever fish or crustacean he was trying to showcase. A truly gifted artist with the freshest produce to choose from- I was in for a night =). When I first walked in we were greeted by Jun and was promptly seated at the sushi bar, then we were introduced to Dennis and he explained the menu a bit. I must stress this, it was a little nerve-racking at first, but the cast truly makes you feel comfortable. Almost like enjoying an amazing meal with close friends. Ahhh, but alas, the food. O,the food. My girlfriend and I wanted to really get a taste for everything so we just went with the Hiro's Omakase, and now I can tell you that I can die a happy man. The flavors and textures and culmination of genius are literally leaving me dumbfounded. From the amuse bouche (Which I had to order two of because the kobe beef was the best I had ever tried) to the next dish, there was a beautiful progression of tastes. Looking back, the dishes that most captivated me have to be: -The Uni Sushi- Freshest Uni I have ever experienced and closing my eyes while I ate it gave me the cleanest sensation of the ocean. -White Fish Sashimi in Chive oil- Showing some of Hiro's genius'. Without the addition of pink peppercorns, it would be top shelf sashimi. With the addition, its an unspeakable clash of deliciousness where the sharpness of the pink peppercorn contrasts the freshness of the fish and the chive oil. -Tuna sushi with Foie Gras- Another sushi I had to order two of. I never thought a piece of sushi would be unctuous, but that is the only word that can describe it. The foie gras seared on top of the tuna imparts such a robust taste, I almost felt it was too good to eat. Death Row Bite right here. -Hard to pick but may be the best thing I had all night. The live spot prawn sushi and tempura fried heads. Earlier I was talking to Hiro telling him things I liked, and one of the things that came up was Tiger Shrimp. I told him I really loved fresh shrimp and that most of the flavor was in the heads, and sushi never really gets to showcase that. So for this he had the perfect proposal. A sushi of the most tender yet perfectly firm Spot prawn, served so fresh I saw its demise, with only the spot prawn roe mixed with a little soy sauce over the prawn, where the sweetness of the meat was overwhelming, and a fried head after. Most people reading this might think a fried shrimp head is whatever, but i'm telling you it was magical and may be the best thing I had all night. I just wanted to say thank you to the cast at Sushi Noguchi, Hiro is Genius, Jun is the great woman behind the great man, Dennis was really helpful, and Naoki was like an old friend. Cheers Naoki! P.S. People say its pricey, but for what you get, its so much more of an experience then just a meal. And I still thought it was really well priced, not exuberant like all the complainers on this page would have u believe. A celebration of food and life. Long Live Sushi Noguchi!
(5)Kitty C.
Quality food and service but did not like their Millie Crepe as much as Hayakawa (although their Millie Crepe was the closest I could find).
(4)Sonoko K.
I am always searching for authentic sushi and was very impressed with the food and service at Sushi Noguchi. The food was scrumptious and the service delightful. I had the Sashimi plate and Tonkatsu and my husband had the Kobe beef. Overall, I gave them 5 stars because the food was delicious and my picky husband absolutely loved the Kobe beef. Definitely one of the best new restaurants in the OC.
(5)Ed Z.
I went to Sushi Noguchi to try the Kobe beef and wasn't disappointed. It was my first time trying the legendary dish, and it was as good as it gets. The cuts were juicy, savory and extremely tasty. My hats off to the chef.
(5)Tina N.
This is my new favorite Sushi Bar. Awesome service. The food is so good. The crepe dessert is amazing. Clean, beautiful place to eat.
(5)Karen T.
I ate lunch here a couple of weeks ago and have been meaning to write a review. I got the omakase, which was $45 I think. It included about 7 rounds of small plates. Overall everything was delicious - yes, some dishes tasted better than others (the yellowtail is amazing, as was the salmon), but generally all the dishes were good and I like being able to sample different things that I wouldn't normally order. Plus, the omakase is definitely a good deal, in terms of what you get and how much it costs (though it isn't cheap obviously). Since I went by myself, I sat at the sushi bar and watched Hiro as he made my sushi. He was very good about explaining each plate as he served them to me. I went for a late lunch, so service was fine for me. I also got their famous mille crepe dessert. I'm not usually a dessert person, but I decided to heed the suggestion of my fellow Yelpers and try it out. It ended up being pretty good because it wasn't too sweet and the cream tasted very light. If only I lived a bit closer to here, I'd definitely want to come again and try the other sushi here (like the live sweet shrimp - I saw someone else order it and it looked amazing!)
(4)Jenn M.
This is not your average sushi restaurant. Clean & modern decor, very attentive service and a total departure from your typical sushi menu. They even have decent wines- and offer an amuse-bouche. If you go out for sushi so you can get a California roll or a Vegas Roll or a Dragon roll (insert anything cooked and wrapped in rice here)...you might not like Noguchi. They will make you a Vegas roll or a Rainbow roll but they are absent from their menu. Instead they have a "Japanese Tapas" menu full of interesting plays on typical sushi proteins- yellowtail with jalepeno-soy sauce, pan-fried chilean seabass, soft-shell crab with cilantro-soy (the Dancing Crab) and a plethora of sashimi options. We spent a pretty penny on those a-typical dishes and to be blunt I was still a little hungry afterwards. (Blame that on not having any rolls- no rice to fill me up!). However I thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate and had a nice time trying new dishes. There are times when I want Yard House in a sushi restaurant- cheap pitchers of Kirin, (possibly some shots with the staff), tacky beer posters on the wall along with cheap plastic bamboo plants and 15 different roll options. Those places are on every corner here. But there are times when I want to enjoy a "night out" with the hubby, a little ambiance and some culinary adventure- for that I'll go to Noguchi.
(4)Linda M.
This is the most overpriced restaurant I've ever been to, sushi or otherwise. Maybe it's because I went against the grain and didn't order the omakase, but I don't understand the ratings here at all. They don't have many roll options and of the ones they did have like Rainbow roll was $16 for the most pitiful rainbow roll I ever had. It was the standard fish over a block of dry rice wrapped around a super cold piece if asparagus. The crunchy roll was even worse. I did not like the pieces of rice crackers and super sweet sauce. Also, seriously, the roll size? Pffff... Chicken kaarage came out as 5 chicken nugget sized pieces. To me, this was the biggest rip off of all. The only thing remotely worth is price was the yellow tail collar. Service was friendly when you could get it. Seriously, if you are that slammed, hire more staff. And the wait time between receiving dishes was ridiculous. We sat there for over 20 minutes with nothing waiting for our last two rolls. Even when I asked for the bill, it still took 15 minutes before I got it. If your going to do the omakase, then according to other yelp reviews this is a good place. Otherwise this place will leave you pissed off, half hungry and, in my case, $110 poorer. Great omakase or not, I personally would not return because I still feel the bitter sting of the $110 bill I paid for 2 people. Just TWO people. Ugh.
(1)Frank A.
The best service and best sushi in Orange County. Big place so you don't have to wait. Traditional sushi.
(5)Helen K.
One of the best sushi restaurants in the world. The word that describes eating at Sushi Noguchi is "perfection." Their sushi is simply work of art in its highest form. The sushi here raises your standard eating experience to another level. Simple amazing. The taste of their sushi takes you deep into the ocean where the fish was caught as it melts in your mouth. Every bite is heavenly and extremely pleasing to senses. Also the superior aesthetic presentation is just another touch of a genius. This place is a rare gem for those that are serious sushi eaters. Also their Mille Crepe (soft cake made with crepe) is to die for, a perfect way to finish your meal.
(5)Esther M.
Today just me and my husband came no kids! Today Min was our sushi chef and actually the last time too. He is awesome. Very nice explained everything and was easy I talk too. Thanks for sharing a beer! Omakase was great and perfect!
(5)L N.
Authentic Japanese. I just came back from Tokyo and this place seriously brings me back to that trip. Don't look for Americanized sushi here. If you want real Japanese food this place is a must. If I lived closer I would come here all the time. Reasonably priced for the quality. Nice Japanese owners. Great service. Doesn't get better than this.
(5)Jade P.
Came here for Hiro's omakasi and was impressed with the quality of fish. Toro pretty much melt in your mouth, the best mackerel I've ever tasted ( usually I don't like mackerel because of the toughness but Hiro changed my mind on that). The fish with chive was the only dish that fell flat for me. Their crepe dessert was also amazing. Will definitely come back.
(5)Kelley U.
I knew my parents would enjoy Sushi Noguchi, so I took them there for lunch to celebrate their anniversary with my niece. I love that you can order small plates of Japanese tapas here. It is a great way to sample the many wonderful things that Sushi Noguchi has to offer. I ordered the grilled asparagus, mixed tempura, Dynamite and agenasu (deep fried eggplant in tempura sauce) from this part of the menu. My niece and parents loved the Dynamite with the baked Scallop, onion and mushroom with creamy house sauce. My 8-year-old niece said, "I can eat 75 of these." ;) We also ordered the Kids' meal that came with karaage chicken, macaroni salad and rice and fruit that my niece devoured, albacore sashimi Hiro style (my favorite), saba sushi which was so incredibly tasty and fresh and my dad ordered the lunch special of fried flounder yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… . Everything, as always, at Sushi Noguchi is beautifully plated and tastes as absolutely delicious as it looks. My mom loves saba sushi and said it was the best she has ever had besides my grandma's. Jun presented my parents with a lovely crepe dessert for their anniversary. Such a thoughtful and special ending to our meal. My parents said they thought the restaurant was the best Japanese food and sushi that they had ever had in Orange County. Jun and Hiro pride themselves in acquiring the very freshest of fish, providing warm friendly service and taking extra care to make everything they serve top notch.
(5)Ambrose R.
I had their lunch Omakase. The chef's fish selection was generous and the food quality was good. Minus one star for the miso soup because the soup base wasn't taste right. Beside that, it was one of the best sushi experience I have ever had.
(4)Jen A.
Miss it after I moved!
(5)David W.
Wife and I decided to come here to celebrate her recent promotion. We're both sushi lovers, and I chose Sushi Noguchi after reading some reviews on Yelp. We came around 7pm and we're promptly greeted and seated. I didn't even open the menu because we both wanted to try Hiro's Omakase. The meal started with oysters in a light ponzu sauce, and they were excellent. Not overpowering, and tasted like the ocean. The next "course" was the sashimi. A fine variety of tuna, salmon, squid, and scallops. Yes, the sushi was fresh and delicious. But the attention to detail was most impressive. Fresh grated wasabi (super plus), finely cut radishes, and flower shaped carrots adorned the plate. I found myself barely using any soy sauce, and just putting a dab of wasabi on each bite. The third course was the nigiri sushi; King Salmon, Japanese Mackrel, Amber Jack, and Halibut Muscle. Probably could've used less sushi rice, but that's being a little nit-picky. I could've eaten multiple servings of everything. At this point, we were both pretty full, and Jun asked if we wanted a couple more pieces. How could we say no? She brought out 2 more pieces of Halibut and a salmon/cucumber roll (square) piece served in a martini glass. Hands down one of the best sushi experiences I've ever had. Service was attentive and place was clean. I could see why they're award winners. Bill came out to $150 with 2 glasses of wine. Pricey, but I'd definitely come back again.
(5)Nancy T.
This 5-star review is looooong overdue, considering how well-deserved it is! It's not every day a restaurant of this caliber comes to the quaint town of Yorba Linda, otherwise known as the "Land of Gracious Living" and quite frankly, the land of boring chain restaurants. Hence why, it's beyond refreshing and a long overdue welcome change to have an amazing restaurant like Sushi Noguchi right here in YL! First off, Chef Hiro studied under Katsuya. Uhh, yeah... THE Katsuya, of celebrity-worthy fame, who has made quite an insane name for himself in the trendy L.A. region. If that wasn't impressive enough, he previously owned a rather happening restaurant in the Orange County area, which was also popular. Ok, enough about Chef Hiro's qualifications - all you need to know is that he's AMAZING. The food at Sushi Noguchi is unbelievably fresh and the presentation is exquisite! I took my husband here for our one month wedding anniversary :) Given that it was a special occasion, Jun (she's Hiro's super friendly and unbelievably sweet wife) hooked us up with a special Omakase for the evening for $40/person. In case you didn't know, Omakase basically means you leave all of the dishes up to the chef... and let me tell you, we don't regret entrusting Chef Hiro completely, as the food did not disappoint! Our first course of sashimi was super fresh and beautifully cut. We enjoyed the tuna, amberjack, salmon, and uni. I know everyone raves about the uni, but my husband and I personally weren't in love with the squishy texture. Nonetheless, we loved all of the pieces of sashimi, which by the way... we barely needed any sauce for. Ah, the true test of high-quality sushi! After that, we had an assortment of sushi, which is basically like sashimi, plus rice on the bottom. We enjoyed the bonito, yellowtail, halibut and tuna. Personally, I liked the yellowtail the best - super, super good flavor. For our third course, we enjoyed agedashi tofu. I can barely capture how delicious this was! As soon as Jun put down the dish, the familiar aroma of tempura immediately flooded our nose buds. Although the smell was familiar, the taste was anything but ordinary. The tofu came with a thin, light, crispy coating - perfectly fried and topped with green onions, seaweed, and freshly grated radish. Mmm, simple, but delicious. We then tried the sautéed premium pork with asparagus, which was super good. Jun told me it's mugifuji pork, which is super premium and boy, it definitely tasted that way! :) The pork was surprisingly tender and had just the right amount of fat on it to give you that nice pungent flavor. My husband especially liked this dish, since he loves pork with some fat on it! ;) For our fifth and final course, we enjoyed the famous Mille crepe. Truly, this dessert left me speechless. Jun told me it involves 2 full days of work, as they have to make 25 crepes, layer them, and then wait for them to stick together. On top of that, she also told me that all of the fresh custard and cream in between the super thin layers of crepes are completely homemade! I can't recommend this dish enough - I would come back JUST for this crepe alone!!! Both my husband and I wanted more after it was over :( If the food wasn't enough, I must say that the service is top-notch. Jun, Chef Hiro, and the rest of the staff really went out of their way to make us feel welcome! Our drinks were constantly refilled and Jun constantly asked us for feedback on the dishes to ensure that we liked all of them. Plus, the inside of the restaurant is super cute and wonderfully modern - the accents of white and calming decor definitely make for an authentic Japanese experience! And who would have thought such a great restaurant existed in YL?!?!! Thank you, thank you Chef Hiro and Jun for bringing authentic sushi to the North Orange County area! :)
(5)Bryan L.
A friend of mine referred me to this place. The quality of the fish and the service wasn't all the great. The food - my gf and i ordered the salmon and Toro to start. Salmon came out looking dull and didn't have the white fatty lines. The Toro didn't melt in my mouth as I expected it to. Overall, the fish didn't taste very fresh. It was chewy more than anything. The best tasting thing was the Toro with green onion hand roll. Service - 1) Service was horrible, they didn't notify me of not having Spanish mackerel at the beginning. 2) When one of the waiters told the waitress to clear our table (don't know why because we were not finished with our meal), the waitress cleared our table and we told her that we weren't done yet. The next thing that she did was just absolutely unacceptable. She placed the dirty plates back onto the table after she had placed it in the tray. The least she could have done was bring us a new set of plates. I was too grossed out by this action and completely lost my appetite. 3) We had to wait a while for our food to arrive, over 30 minutes for a set of Salmon, Hamachi, and Toro. The waiter kept coming back to tell us that the chefs were working on our order. One of the times he checked up on us, he said, "Sorry about the wait, you just came at a bad time." It's fine to check up on us, but don't tell us that we came at a bad time. That's just bad customer service. We went at the prime of dinner (6:30PM) when is it a good time to go if that's a bad time? Besides, not every table was filled. That was just a rude thing to say and made us both feel uncomfortable. Overall, i will not go back to this place based on the assessment above
(1)Epic-E A.
I'm fairly new to the area from the Westside area of LA where there are many great places for sushi. I set out to try all the YL sushi places. Sushi Noguchi is by far my favorite so far! I had the Sashimi. Outstanding! Thank you Hiro for the warm welcome! E!
(5)Lili H.
I heard about this restaurant from Rissa T yelp.com/user_details?us… (Japanese Foodie) so when Jeena E was organizing our get-together I was quite excited about it! yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… The place is medium size, with a minimalistic decoration, super neat. The omakase was otherworldly! yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… Hiro and Jun are unbelievably great!!! - The combination platter was awesome! the Uni and Sashimi delicious and incredibly fresh yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… - The bonito, snapper, scallops and halibut were tasty, everything in perfect balance. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… - Japanese ceviche: I never heard about anything like that, so my guess is that is their own fusion creation. Excellent!!! tasty with a little orangy aftertaste. yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… This time I made an exception to my drink beer and wine only policy, it was so worth it!!! this sake was really nice and smooth yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… I was a bit late (I got lost!!!!) so I missed some dishes but everything I had was absolutely beautiful and delicious! Even thought the green tea ice cream crepe was pretty good yelp.com/biz_photos/-SDE… I want to go back to have their signature dessert the mile crepe 5 Stars!! Highly recommended, it's a great dining experience. I'm definitely going back.
(5)Craig F.
By no means am i qualified to critique Chef Hiro. To do so would be outrageous. He is an artist in every sense; and in "entrusting him," I respectfully present instead--for your perusal and imaginative taste--a gallery of delectable perfection... "Hiro's Omakase Special": The Japanese phrase "omakase" means "to entrust." Enjoying an evening of sushi in this manner allows Chef Hiro the creativity to prepare--especially for you--a myriad of texture, flavor, and imagery. "Trust me." Your palate will enjoy the adventure. And now, without subjectivity, mine... * Deep Fried Smelt served with a Sweet, Vinegar Sauce: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Yellowtail Sashimi in a Jalapeño Sauce: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Jumbo Scallops with Uni and Caviar: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Ikaten (thin-sliced, deep fried squid; lightly salted): yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Shrimp: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Shishito Tempura (deep fried Shishito peppers served Japanese-style): yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Crab: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Orange Clam: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Bluefin Toro (literally melts in your mouth, and considered the very best, most prized part of the tuna): yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Kampachi, King Salmon, Yellowtail Toro: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Spanish Mackerel & Gizzard Shad: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . * Mille Crepe: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… . In French, the word "mille" means "a thousand," implying the cake's many layers. There are actually 20+ freshly-made, paper-thin crepes, and each one is blanketed with fresh pastry cream. If you've yet to experience Mille Crepe, it is a must. (At no time did I adulterate any of the prepared selections with soy, unless invited to by Chef Hiro. Also my use of wasabi was limited, if at all. It's included when needed. But I encourage you to try the wasabi on its own. It has an initial sweet flavor. And the reason for this is that you are actually tasting wasabi in its root form. Sushi Noguchi does not use the standard powder or paste that you would find in other restaurants.) Cheers to Ms. Jun and Chef Hiro!: yelp.com/biz_photos/sush… .
(5)Kathleen L.
I would not be able to enjoy sushi elsewhere anymore. I was concerned that moving from L.A. with great sushi restaurants I was never going to find my sushi spot here in the OC, surprise for me was to find Sushi Noguchi with the most quality and freshness, unparalleled taste and variety I was most impressed. Goes with out saying I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Aaron H.
Nothing but the best sushi in Orange County! It's definitely a happy fathers day for me today!
(5)Mr. D.
Delicious fish great attention to quality detail & techniques. Get the Omakase it's very good & tailored to the customers likes instead of a Grab Bag like most places. Nice decor staff & comfortable. A Ln so like that you don't feel like they are rushing to get you outta the door like allot of Asian places. Location is difficult to find with Google maps but it's in the Stater Brothers Grocery Store Parking Lot A few doors down from Amechi Pizza.
(4)Vivian T.
There are probably two kinds of omakase: one is the traditional way where the chef asks you what you like, what you don't like and he serves up his best until you say to stop - a very personable, delicious and fun experience. The other omakase I've tried is almost a pre-set course where you say how much you want to spend and they serve within that limit. It ended being very similar to what other people get all the time. Noguchi was the more traditional experience. The staff there is very gracious and welcoming, and the omakase is quite the experience. The chef will present different fish from their tank to serve up and of course everything is fresh! That day, he had just got quite a bit of shellfish. Normally, I really don't like shellfish, but I was up for anything. Luckily I loved it all! There was flavor in all the fishes and it was cold...just the way I like it! We specially requested uni which was also good, although nothing mind blowing. Rice was perfectly cooked with the perfect amount of sweetness. Everything else the chef came up with was pretty fantastic! I have to say I did wish he held back a bit on the wasabi. In the end, I was pretty full and our bill ended up to be $50 per person with 1 beer, too. Overall great omakase, very personable staff and experience, and I can't wait to go back!
(4)Alexis B.
4.5 I could probably easily give it a 5 if I came with a more openminded eater of a date LOL. So we came in on a Tuesday evening, which was perfect since I didn't have to deal with an over crowded sushi joint. Cool thing about this place, it actually looked spacious especially compared to Nana sans cramped ass LOL. Speaking of this spot will probably be my go to spot since Nana san is always packed! Ok enough of that. Im scaling the menu and im loving everything I see! We ordered various nigiri, yellowtail sashimi and Mr.boring ordered a roll -_- . When im at a real sushi spot, a roll is the last thing on my mind, unless its packed with yellowtail! Ok so besides the various nigiri , I also ordered the escargot. All the food was FRESH and tasty. The kobe beef nigiri was interesting, I never had that, it would have been nice if they had a nice drizzle of a mushroom aioli mmmm. The fish super fresh and I love the HUGE shrimp heads BUT the star of the show for me was escargot!!!! It was the best escargot dish I've ever had, so much that next time im getting two orders! Its hard to describe the flavors they added to this dish but my mouth was beyond happy and my date didn't understand that since his pallet is BORE.COM ! I loved this place, the food and service was great and I will be back. Actually this upcoming week I will be!
(4)M T.
Amazing. That is all I can say. The chefs are amazing. They are exceptional. Extraordinary.
(5)Lee G.
We've been to Sushi Noguchi more than eight times. Food: Good, fresh and creatively presented, although portion sizes are smaller than many other similar restaurants. Prices: Fair, but higher than most others with similar ambiance. Service: Slow...sometimes frustratingly so. On one occasion we placed our order, waited over 15 minutes, then finally flagged over the manager who'd actually taken our order. She said, "Sorry, I misplaced your order. Please tell me again what you wanted." I was furious, but we stayed. The manager comped a dish and gave us a free dessert. (The Milli Crepe is delicious!) Bottom line: There are better sushi quality and values nearby, but I wouldn't rule out going again.
(3)Hion L.
Sushi Noguchi is hands down the best and freshest sushi I have had in OC. It is on par with some of the best places I have dined in LA. Thank God that I don't have to drive all the way to Little Tokyo or BH and fight to get parking anymore. A big thanks to my Yelp friends Miyun C, Chad A, and Julie L for their inspirational reviews that motivated me to come here. I could go into a lengthy description of all the dishes we had our first night there, but I will keep it simple and just say everything we had was fantastic. My wife and I came here setting a budget of $50 and ended up doubling it w/o ordering any alcohol - that is how good the stuff here is. You can tell that the sushi is fresh and not frozen. Sauces are used sparingly as to not overpower the the delicacy of the fish. Toro was incredible. I wouldn't say the sushi here is cheap or a bargain, but it is definitely value based where you get your money's worth. When it comes to sushi, you don't want to skimp too much as it correlates with a decline in quality as well - like looking for a cheap plastic surgeon - don't go there! Some of the best dishes I have ever had rely on the focus of simplicity, melded with superior quality. This requires dedication and passion, both of which comes through Hiro-san's plates. Some examples: Agedashi tofu - normally just a simple fried tofu, but here, there seem to be coated with a sweet rice flour which creates a a chewiness that resembles crisped mochi. A textural perfection of the dish. Tempura sauce is just enough to highlight the tofu and not overwhelm it. spicy tuna tartare mille feuille - layers of spicy tuna with avocado and fried wonton skins. A refreshing and lightly spicy dish with a great contrast of textures and flavors. What a great change of pace from the glut of mayo-sriracha spicy tuna that has become such a ubiquitous staple of many sushi places and commonly used to cover up cheap inferior sushi. toro hand roll with green onion - packed with minced toro, this is what I consider the Rolls-Royce of all sushi. Pillowy in texture from the all of the marbled fat, thin slices of green onion enhance, and does not detract, letting the toro itself be the centerpiece mille crepe dessert - literally translated as a "thousand crepes" it is a layers of fluffy thin crepes with delectable whipped cream and pastry cream in between. Very rarely does a restaurant inspire me to want to try everything on the menu, and I plan to make this my next priority.
(5)Michelle D.
Ok, if any other old customer noticed, this place went down. I'm not here often, but had been here couple times since they first open. Service - the waiter who served us has definitely limited knowledge about sashimi/sushi, even how I can order and create my own sashimi combo, which annoys me. This should not be an American animal style sushi place ok? We don't eat fast food sushi at these kind of restaurant, so please be professional and get trained before you go out take any orders. Food - their uni is still good, but other than the uni I had that night, nothing else wowed me. I used to be impressed about their food quality every time I go. Is it just a bad night or something? Or maybe I just went to ikko recently and the food there won my heart? I really hope this place can keep their quality of food and services. This is the only good Japanese fine dine in north oc. Please don't ruin it.
(2)Lola G.
Sashimi plate was fresh and delicious! Seaweed salad delicious! Ginger is fresh and delicious! Plum wine is on the light side in terms of sweetness. Service is excellent! Very clean. Will definitely come with the rest or the family!! Highly recommend it!
(5)