Costa Mesa is a fun and energetic city and the perfect place to call home. The city holds many of Orange County’s best-kept secrets, from the endless supply of shopping and dining options to the world-class boating and fishing at the marina or simply exploring a vast array of parks and trails. With a population of 111,918 as of the 2020 United States Census, Costa Mesa is the 26th largest city in California.
Located just a mile from the Pacific Ocean, Costa Mesa is known as the City of the Arts. Between world-class concerts and shows, art galleries, and design shops, this coastal town is bursting with culture and will surprise Southern California visitors with its urban, cosmopolitan feel. In this article, I’ll go through some of the best places for sushi in Costa Mesa, and show you that arts and sushi go well together!
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Best Sushi In Costa Mesa
If you’re searching for a relaxed, upscale atmosphere and excellent quality Japanese cuisine, Costa Mesa, California, is where you want to be! You can’t get any closer to the ocean than visiting sushi restaurants in Costa Mesa. Plenty of restaurants serve sushi by the slice and offer a wide array of tantalizing menu items. From sashimi and nigiri to teriyaki and tempura, Costa Mesa’s sushi spots provide premium quality food at a great value. So whether you are looking for a quick bite before catching a show or a relaxing evening with family, Costa Mesa has got you covered!
Niko Niko Sushi
2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 // +19496453375
Niko Niko sushi is a delivery and takeout restaurant that, by its already mentioned name, is well known for the Japanese-style sushi they make. The menu is also very rich in all kinds of seafood, lobsters, salmon, tuna, and seaweed, the type of recipes that seafood lovers would really enjoy.
For those who have a taste for true Japanese food, Niko Niko is the closest you can find to authentic Japanese sushi in Orange County. It does not disappoint, especially their baked spicy lobster roll. The food is well worth the wait, and don’t hesitate to try their great-tasting Japanese beer! Niko Niko definitely has the most authentic sushi in Costa Mesa.
Ikko Japanese Restaurant
735 Baker St. C, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 // +17145567822
The Japanese restaurant in Costa Mesa is low-key, and the entrance is a simple wooden door. The lighting of the space highlights the Master in the room on stage. Each dish has its own distinct taste and celebrates fresh seafood quality. The Master is well known for pairing each fish with unique sauces and unwrapping different flavors of even unfamiliar fish.
It’s an up-scale Japanese style restaurant where a waiter basically stares you down from the side to ensure that your water is always full and your dishes are transparent. The diverse and creative menu, along with the customer service, is one of the best features of what this restaurant is known for, so if you are in the mood for trying one of the best sushi in Costa Mesa, then Ikko restaurant is definitely the place you would want to go.
Sushi Imari
2340 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 // +17146415654
This place looks pretty unassuming from the outside, but don’t let that fool you. Its menu includes fresh seafood, fresh uni, and baked scallop rolls. They have great sushi for a reasonable price as well. With quick and excellent service and affordable prices for high-quality fish, Sushi Imari is known for its authentic Japanese cuisine. When dining here, you’ll appreciate the use of different sauces, herbs, and flowers to add color and design to each dish. If you’re looking for a spin on a traditional Japanese cuisine, then Sushi Imari has the best sushi in Costa Mesa that will satisfy your creative thirst.
Recreate the taste of Japan with Sushi Imari’s menu. It features traditional Japanese dishes and provides a taste of the country that you may not find anywhere else in town. Try the green iced tea, sake, and green tea ice cream if your meal does not include it. It is a great place to eat during the lunch hour and serves dinner. Large and spacious, it can easily accommodate large groups.
Sushi Shibucho
590 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627 // +19496422677
Sushi Shibucho is an authentic, cozy Japanese restaurant with traditionally high-quality fish prepared, absent the American style and sauces. If you are the type to order omakase, you will probably be happy here. Omakase in Shibucho means the chef makes your food until you are full and ask him to stop.
Sushi Shibucho is a top-rated Japanese restaurant in OC, with locals and visitors raving about the fresh sushi selections. Sit at the bar and go with the chef’s choice omakase menu, as you’ll get the best picks for the day. Enjoy Japanese delicacies like sea eel with salt, red snapper, Spanish and regular mackerel or uni. Of course, the miso soup with clams is a must. Experience warm, down-home service, too, at this locals’ favorite. Shibucho is the place to go if you’re looking for endless platters of sushi in Costa Mesa.
Full Moon Sushi
1420 Baker St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 // +17149570700
Full Moon Sushi is a restaurant dedicated to Japanese food. It can be a fantastic experience for you; taste the freshness of Japanese vegetables and seafood and enjoy how they’re cooked authentically.
At Full Moon, you can order takeout. Significant advantages of this place are its excellent service and the terrific staff. Here you will pay affordable prices. The pleasant atmosphere gladdens people and attracts more clients.
The cooks in this restaurant will definitely try to provide the quests with the best salmon roe, sesame fish, and miso. They also offer a great variety of beers, but one of the special drinks their waiters offer is tea, so make sure you definitely try that.
Izakaya Hachi
3033 Bristol St. D, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 // +16572316566
Have a nice meal at this restaurant and enjoy the exotic cuisine of the famous chef. The chef is renowned for delicious beef tongue, Hawaiian bbq chicken, and battered oysters that must be tasted. Visitors recommend delightful vanilla ice cream, pudding, and crème brûlée. The staff is friendly. Most clients recommend trying orange beer, margaritas, or iced sake.
Izakayas are Japanese gastropubs, drinking houses with small dishes and Japanese tapas to snack on while drinking. So if you want a place to linger with good friends, good food, and good drink, then Izakaya Hachi is the place to go.
Takaya Yakitori Izakaya
891 Baker St. # B15, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 // +17145578715
The menu of Japanese cuisine is to the pleasure of all visitors here. Here guests may choose dishes from a significant number of sushi, oysters, and sashimi. The cook here is skillful and experienced. He works hard to make your eating experience unforgettable and delicious. The truth is that it’s worth trying mouthwatering yakitori chicken, salmon, and sushi.
Choose between indoor and outdoor seating. Significant advantages of Takaya Yakitori Izakaya are its fabulous service and appealing staff. You will pay the average prices for your meal. The ambiance of this place is pleasant.
Experience Asian Food In Costa Mesa
Orange County is home to some of California’s most charming beach towns. However, with Costa Mesa lying just a short distance inland, you still get all the benefits of being near the ocean, but at a fraction of the cost.
A cousin is a characteristic style of cooking traditions and practices. Asia is the largest and most populous continent and has developed various dishes worthy of being tried out. The restaurants that we have mentioned above are one of those, not just because of their quality food and beautiful recipes, but because of the tradition which has been passed on from generation to generation.
So if you are traveling or just happened to end up here, don’t shy away, but visit these beautiful restaurants and fill your belly with every bite of some of the best sushi in Costa Mesa.
Visiting other destinations in California? Check out our other delicious guides:
- The 20 Best Restaurants In Costa Mesa
- The 10 Best Mexican Restaurants In San Diego
- The 9 Best Mexican Food Trucks In Los Angeles
- The 7 Best Mexican Restaurants In Downtown Los Angeles
- 15 Best Elk Grove Restaurants
- 8 Must-Try Danville Restaurants
- 10 Must-Try Half Moon Bay Restaurants
- 9 Must-Try Visalia Restaurants
- 7 Best North Beach San Francisco Italian Restaurants
- 11 Must-Try Sebastopol Restaurant
Which of these sushi restaurants in Costa Mesa will you try first? Let us know in the comments section below!
Igor Jovanovski is an aspiring digital nomad, travel blogger and graphic designer who really loves food. He also has a creative side, and he works as a freelance graphic designer in his spare time. He has traveled across Europe quite a few times since he was young and recently started his mission to visit every country in the world! Igor’s favorite thing about traveling is the way he gets to know new people, food, places and cultures.
This exciting experience helps him create his own stories and make memories that will last forever