Honda-Ya

I love this place so much. I came here 3xs already. I took my family here especially my mom was so excited to have some dishes that you couldn't find at any other resturants like this place. It reminded me of back home in Okinawa. It's so hard ti find a good Okinawa resturant. It took me way back. My mom was even delighted. We ordered so much and highly recommend everything here. The customer service is amazing. Auntie that works here she's super sweet and she's so attentive. Very good hospitality. She just adds to the experience. She ensured we were well taken care of. We sat in the tatami room. So warning to those who have a bad knee or weak back. But it's a pleasant experience. The quality and price of the food is great affordable. And if your looking to have a good time and enjoy yourself whether it be with friends, on a date, or with family highly recommend you will feel like your part of the family coming here. Can't wait to go back because the food just melts in your melt..so delicious.

Super cute seating area where you have to take off your shoes! I felt like I was transported back to Japan. Food was good—I would recommend the Oden and beef tongue! Service was a little slow on a Tuesday late night.

Been here probably 100 times for past 15 years. Yakitori is fantastic, wasabi chicken, fatty heart, lamb chop are highly recommended. Takowasa is great, grilled saba (mackerel), plenty of nice dishes. Also fun to sit in the tatami floor area with friends. Great izakaya vibes. Usually expect to wait awhile if you have a large group even on a weekday. Weekends can be very busy. Takeout or dining solo is also possible.

Although they have a good selection of yakitori, most of the meat is a bit dry and lacks grill flavor. It's probably because the grill fire is too strong. The grilled squid and yakisoba are probably the better ones but overall I still think shinsengumi has better yakitori despite the selection might be a bit limited.

hands down one of the best yakitori places! highly recommend and will definitely come back again. menu with prices attached. the food can be pricey but honestly just go for the experience, the vibes, the food is tasty so definitely give it a try. the waitlist can be long at night time, we waited around 45 mins, you cannot waitlist online, must be in person. we spent around $50-70 per person, we ordered a lot of yakitori. the atmosphere is amazing, one of a kind place. the service is good and they take their time. go ahead and try their honda ya beer!

We was there after 10pm and the line was still long, so we had a really high expectation. Plus I'm a Japanese food chef myself, so I was looking forward to having this meal. I'll start with the good parts, the chicken udon and the unagi bowl we're pretty good, the soup was rich in flavor and the eel sauce was not too sweet. The gyoza seems like to be their signature, and it was decent I'd have to admit that. However, the vinegar rice didn't have enough vinegar in it. The softness was good, but I'm not sure if they use the wooden container to absorb the steam. On the other hand, the fish had too many tendons, which affects the texture. The yakitori was good, the taste and smell of charcoal really blended into the meat, would definitely recommend! Overall I would give it a 3.5 star.

Honda-Ya Tustin is one place that is always reliable! Every dish we tried was packed with flavor and authenticity. The soft shell crab that we had was just how we wanted it with the outside being crispy and the inside being soft and non-dry – a real treat. The shiitake mushrooms were nothing fancy but still a very enjoyable dish with their strong, natural flavor. The Japanese beef that we ordered was very tender and the umami flavor was quite strong in it. Shrimp tempura was a feast-apart, which was smooth, crispy, and not at all oily – just like a traditional tempura. Besides, the OC roll was totally a sushi fan's best attraction, with the freshness of the ingredients and a very harmonious blend of flavors. Also, the place has a very warm and inviting atmosphere that immediately creates the feeling of being of that place and the service is not only quick but also very helpful and caring. No matter whether you prefer traditional Japanese dishes or want to try out new things, the place is an absolute must-visit. I am really looking forward to my next visit and cannot wait to try some more of their menu!

I've been coming here for many years and the service is always on point. The food is tasty and the vibe of the place is great. Just be prepared to wait for a table if you're dining on a weekend

The ambiance was warm and inviting, creating a relaxed dining experience. As soon as we walked in, our server welcomed us with a friendly attitude and made sure we had everything we ordered. He was not only attentive but also incredibly polite. We enjoyed an abundance of delicious food, but the service stood out even more. Thank you for the amazing hospitality, Odyn K. We'll definitely be back to explore more delicious menu options based on your recommendations!

This is a staple spot for Japanese yakitori (skewers) and small bites! Every item I've tried has been great, and I love how they have such a large menu with affordable small dishes so you can try many things. For the yakitori, I really enjoyed the pork cheek and chicken heart, I would recommend if you like fatty pork and organ meats. The skewers have a great barbecued flavor. For the small bites, the garlic French fries are my favorite, and they come with this delicious spicy cod roe mayo. They also have combination entrees if you want a full meal, and it comes with a refreshing salad and miso soup. The interior decoration is very cozy and traditional, and the staff is very accommodating. The wait can be long on weekends, so plan accordingly!

HONDA-YA is my friends' and my go-to restaurant in the OC area. Even with our large party of 10, the staff have always been very accommodating when we called ahead. On weekend evenings you can expect about a 20-minute wait. The interior stays true to the traditional izakaya vibe you'd find in Japan, complete with a section featuring tatami mat flooring (where you'll need to take your shoes off). The menu offers a wide variety of options, so anyone who fw Japanese food is sure to find something they like. Parking is pretty easy to find in the adjacent area even if their parking lot is full. While I don't think anything in particular stands out on the menu it's a solid spot for late night dining that's sure to please a crowd.

I've came here multiple times and have had great experiences and the food is definitely great but I had a very bad experience with the server on the phone for a Togo order. Unfortunately I cannot have crab meat and told the server that I would like to pay extra to substitute for salmon and avocado on a roll. Instead of giving me an answer at first, the server hung up the phone so they didn't have to give me an answer. I called back immediately and they said I can't do that and didn't even say sorry for hanging up or acknowledging the fact. I have done this plenty of times but this time apparently they said they don't do substitutions and who ever did the time before broke the rules. Very sad but I won't be eating here any longer and will be spreading the word

We ordered beef ponzu & chicken ponzu to go, the beef was completely dry (looks like it was sitting out for hours) , it didn't even bend. my wife's chicken looked like whatever they had leftover and the chicken was hard mostly crunchy. shocked on how they would pack this and approve. I called to just inform her we were unhappy with the order because typically we like this spot. She said " other people ordered these and they didn't complain." horrible customer service on her end, ate half and threw it away

As a former fan of the DTLA location in Little Tokyo, I drove here from quite a ways away to relive the experience. I used to love the appies, skewers, and rolls from the DTLA location. The ambiance was also unmatched. The menu here seemed very similar if not identical to what I can recall, so I was super excited for this visit. I planned to arrive just as the place opened for dinner. I ended up arriving about 5 minutes before opening time, and there was already quite a crowd out front! I was even more excited to give this a go. We waited about 15 minutes and were then promptly seated. They advised that they would be back with menus soon. We got them a few minutes later and ordered relatively quickly from there. Great service. When we got our first item - a soft shell crab roll - we were surprised to find it soggy. The crab, itself, was not crispy and had way too much water in it. We ordered sashimi and skewers - the sashimi was a bit too fishy though the skewers were pretty decent (note we were told they came in two pieces but turns out it's just one piece per order). We decided not to order much else and left pretty soon after. Long gone are the days of the DTLA Honda-Ya, I suppose. :(

This is definitely one of my top spots to get yakitori and sushi in the OC area! I love how they offer so much variety so it's nice when you can get a lot of dishes and share it amongst your party. The ambiance is really cool and has a Japanese bar vibe. They have both tables and places to sit on the floor which gives a traditional Japanese feel. The service is always good and the food come out very fast. As for the food, we got the sexy roll which is spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. Also got the caterpillar roll which has avocado, eel, and cucumber, mixed plate sashimi, chicken karaage, and not pictured (mixed tempura plate, and yakitori (chicken, meatball, beef tongue, and pork belly). All of the food tasted fresh, delicious, and high quality. The yakitori especially is my favorite. It has a smokiness and richness, and the meat is all super tender. I would get the meatballs if you are here. It was juicy, smoky, and filled with a lot of flavor. I would definitely recommend this place if you want yakitori and also want a variety of other Japanese dishes!

Highly recommend sitting by the bar where you can watch the grill at work. it's a really cool experience. Staff was friendly and respectful, but they did miss one of our box checked items on their ordering slip so we were waiting for a while without realizing they didn't see one of our ordered items. Inside has a lot of decorations and seeing the grilling experience was fun. Seating is limited so it can feel somewhat cramped. If you come at open you should be good on seating otherwise expect some wait. Agedashi Mochi - agedashi tofu is more common so seeing the mochi was different. It's unique and thought it was decent. Yakitori - I would choose the "recommended" items which have the thumbs up icon. My favorite was easily the miyazaki beef. Many of the other ones were also enjoyable 5 Kind Mixed Sashimi - the yellowtail was fantastic. Salmon and tuna were decent. The white fish and albacore were not good. I would pass on this option since some of the items I felt were a little lackluster. Overall there are a lot of food options you can try from ramen, sushi, yakitoria, etc. The pricing is reasonable but you can definitely run up a tab. The food is tasty and enjoyable but not everything is amazing. Despite the higher price tag of the miyazaki beef I would highly recommend it because it was delicious! Service: 4.5/5 Food: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5

Whenever I come, I always request to sit on the floor. There is a separate dining area where you get to sit on cushions on an elevated tatami floor. It's so cool and is such a fun little touch to your dinner experience. The menu has a lot of variety, consisting of Izakaya bar foods. They have everything from takoyaki, yakitori, sushi, and donburi. It's so much fun to come with a moderately large party, sit on the floor, order food tapas-style, drink, and yap. The food is good and becomes even better when you're drunk, sitting cross-legged on the tatami floor. The pork belly skewers are a must, but my personal favorite is the fried sweet chili shrimp. I would recommend coming a bit early though as the wait can be a little long, especially if you request the floor.

Very delicious yakitori and the vibes inside are very nice. The restaurant is enjoyable from any seating as well, from the bar counter by the chefs to the floor seating and tables. This is one of my favorite restaurants! My go to skewer has to be Japanese beef!! It's a must try! The side dishes and other entrees are really yummy as well but the yakitori is 100% the highlight :D The waiters are also very friendly and accommodating and provide a wonderful dining experience with a cozy vibe!

Super yummy! Never fails! Service is great! Always attentive. Don't let the line fool you, it always tends to go much faster than it says it will be. Small but traditional. They have booth seating, table seating, and they also have floor seating which they call Zashiki seating. They did send me the wrong food order HOWEVER I ate it anyway and I LOVED IT! They attempted to fix the mistake as soon as they realized it, however I did not allow them to, and I kept the meal which I was very pleased with. This please is a must try if you haven't already!

Super busy but defs worth the visit. Restaurant is a bit cramped and seating is limited. The food is very good and overall experience is enjoyable. Lots and lots of options with a very busy menu. Great place to gather with a friends to drink and enjoy a wide variety of shareable plates.

This is such a fun place overall. The food is really well priced for what you get, and they have such a large selection. The seating is really fun, and in some cases, you can see them make the yakitori. Service is really fast, and they do have a two hour limit. I always recommend joining the waitlist early and walking around because they wait can get pretty long at times.

Honda-Ya in Tustin is our all-time favorite sushi spot! We've celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and so many special occasions here as a family, and every visit is just as amazing as the last. The food is consistently incredible, and the staff is always friendly, welcoming, and attentive--it truly feels like home. Some of our absolute must-order favorites: * Beef Yakisoba * Yellowtail Jalapeño * Sexy Roll * Gyoza Red * Ramen * Spicy Tuna Cracker * Chicken Katsu

I have been coming to Honda-Ya for a long time and am happy to still see them going strong! We came here on a Tuesday around 6pm and was seated promptly to my surprise. The restaurant was maybe half full and after we placed our order, our food came out unusually fast. I'm talking fast food fast lol. The service was attentive and food for the most part is as good I as I remembered. I tried to order things that I have not seen before or looked unique. The restaurant got a lot more busy after we got our food so we got lucky! The good 1. Tako-Wasa - Raw octopus marinated in wasabi. I'm not a huge fan of raw octopus but this worked. The octopus was fresh/crisp and the wasabi gave it a nice kick. This was a nicely balanced dish. 2. Sautéed Clam with Garlic Butter - You can't go wrong with a garlic butter sauce and this dish delivered. The clams were cooked perfect and the garlic butter sauce was amazing. 3. Men-Mochi - Spicy Cod Roe & Cheese on Mochi. I've never had cod roe and cheese on mochi and this was pretty good. I enjoyed the cheese and mochi but I didn't quite taste the spicy cod roe. It is best to eat this dish while it is hot. 4. Cheese Meatball Yakitori - These two really paired well together! The meatball by itself was already flavorful but the cheese added another level of complexity. I could eat a lot more of these. The alright 1. Spicy Tuna Cracker - I didn't really taste any spice and the crispy rice was tough and chewy. This surprised me!

FOOD: Great Japanese fare and the variety of yakitori skewers. The extensive menu has classic and rare items, with helpful photos. Items are also displayed around the dining area to entice you to order something new. I ordered a Shoyu ramen. Though average, the chashu was tender, the broth was light and flavorful, and the chewy noodles were enjoyable. I also chose a few yakitori items, which were all tasty. The Homemade Chicken Karaage is delicious. It was hot, crispy, and tender. AMBIANCE: The restaurant buzzes with a lively and upbeat atmosphere, especially during dinner and on weekends. However, due to its popularity and that of other businesses, parking can be challenging, and wait times can be longer during these peak times. SERVICE: We've generally had pleasing, attentive service before, but our most recent visit was way under par. Our server started great, was kind to take our orders, and set a pleasant mood. Once we got our food, the service could have been more present and attentive. The service experience left a wrong impression without going into detail, which was unfortunate because I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. I may give this place another chance because I've yet to try more Japanese food here. Getting a table is straightforward. You sign in with the host and wait for a table to become available. It's important to note that your entire party needs to be ready before being seated. Reservations are not available.

Use to be better. Haven't been to Honda for years I say quality wasn't there . Need step up on service too .

First time here LOVEEE IT SO MUCH BUT Do not come when you are STARVING bc u won't get seated for another hour or two, eat something light before you come unless you come to the restaurant 30min before they open because it gets packed so fast. They do not do a waitlist thru phone, you have to put your name down at the restaurant! We arrived on a Saturday at 5:20 and didn't get seated until 7:10 pm. The service was amazing, the food came out very fast and ofc very yummy. The ambiance is beautiful and cozy. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I don't think I've been here since about a decade ago. It was so long, that I didn't even remember what they had on the menu or their interior. I will say, after going to Japan twice this past year, I can appreciate this restaurant a bit more. This place is known for their yakitori skewers which, if you sit near the bar, you can see them grilling it right in front of you. My friend and I tried a variety of skewers: heart, liver, butt, skin, pork belly, shitake mushroom, cucumber salad, and agedashi tofu. Everything was so delicious! I was surprised to like the chicken liver a lot more than I thought I would! Everything was extremely flavorful and cooked in a way that made it all easy to chew. The tofu wasn't a huge fan of mine because it did feel a bit gelatinous. Service here is quick and straight to the point. You place your skewers order on a sheet and any other orders goes to the servers. They did a great job at checking and refilling our waters throughout the meal. It's a small restaurant with limited and tight seating so I could see a long wait form if you were with a large group or came during busy hours. There's also a huge parking lot but it does feel a bit cramped in there so be careful when you're parking!

Our favorite Izakaya place in the OC. Always have a good meal here every time we come visit.

A: this place is pretty cool. It has either regular seating, bar seating, or Japanese floor table seating. You must take off your shoes if you want the floor seating. I recommend coming here when they open as they get very busy quick. F: they offer various types of shareable meals and small sized meals. The menu is huge so it can get overwhelming trust me. I got the mushroom and egg skewers which were great tasting. Then I got the calamari which was tasty. If you are into sour I would recommend the plum onigiri. All my dishes were great. S: despite being busy I got my items in a timely manner. They would come around often to take our order for any additional items you would want. Forgot to mention their house beer is amazing and their house sake!

ambiance teleported me to japan very cool!! :) food was great and I really enjoyed my roll. Excited to try more things next time!

Japanese drinking bar with an extensive menu!! Think Cheesecake Factory but your out for drunchies and eating with a lot of friends! This is the spot to go to. However the wait is always long and I always find myself spending a lot more money than I needed to get full. While I do think the food is good (love the pork belly and beef tongue skewers), I find that it's difficult to want to be a regular with the cost of the items. From a restaurant standpoint I get that it's hard to operate a restaurant without charging the prices they need... so what I will say is we like to go here to treat ourselves after a well-deserved day! It's lively, beers are ice cold, and it is a taste of Japan while we're here though! We also do go to the sister location (Kappo Honda) occasionally as well. Would recommend!

Food is generally okay, it depends what you order! Our dinner came out to around $48/person including tip and we were pretty full. Ratings for what we ordered: -California rolls 9/10 (they don't make these w/ cucumbers FYI) -Sausage skewer 9/10 -Beef tongue skewer 8.5/10 -Takoyaki 8/10 -Chicken meatball skewer 8/10 -Chicken leg w/ sauce skewer 8/10 -Chicken leg w/ salt skewer 7.5/10 -Beef skirt skewer 7.5/10 -Chicken wings skewer 7.5/10 (felt like it needed light sauce, skin was really dry and a little flavorless) -Chicken skin skewer 7/10 (some parts not crispy, was still rubbery) -Garlic pork belly skewer 7/10 -Rock 'n roll (eel roll) 7/10 -Chicken breast w/ wasabi skewer 6/10 (wouldn't recommend) -Bacon wrapped enoki skewer 4/10 (wouldn't recommend. Something about this tasted really off. The flavor was only herbal and tasted wrong) The ambience was good and the variety of the menu is great. I think coming here for the experience once is good enough. Not sure if I'd come back again. We waited 50 minutes for a party of 2 on a Thursday night around 7pm. The wait can be pretty long during dinner. Parking was easy, should be able to find a spot in the parking lot. The service was good, no complaints.

Never had a bad time here at Honda-Ya! Founded in 1993 and still standing strong to this day~ Such a charming vintage Japanese restaurant. I've been coming here since my college days and food has been consistently good especially the yakitori! Over the course of 2 decades their menu options has expanded. Such a variety of eats and drinks to choose from. The staff does work hard and are constantly hustling and bustling in and out. The service is decently quick and friendly. Food comes out in a very timely manner. The ambiance is of a loud environment and good high energy. They do honor birthday celebrations playing the birthday song loud & clear within the establishment. My newly found and love items here is the Cheese Age (with extra jalapeno) and the Crab Zosui. Zosui is a mild and comforting Japanese rice soup cooked in a savory dashi broth. Yum Yum Yum! My only cons are: (1) There are table and counter seating that can be tight, no back support and no where to hang/put your purse. Booths are minimal but they are the better seating spots. (2) Wait time sure is loooong! You can only join the waitlist at their kiosk. They do text you updates which is decently accurate. While waiting can hit up the bars at Centro Storico or the Swinging Door Saloon. On a good note for the sake drinkers - not many Japanese places price their House Sake at $5 for small and $9 for Large. I believe this is the lowest cost I've seen around this area. Every where else is few dollars more and cost sure adds up quick especially when you are in a group of drinkers! Honda-Ya is such a gem to have here in Tustin! To many more years to come of dining here~

We came to Honda-Ya in Tustin for dinner. The wait was short, about 10 minutes, which was nice. However, the overall experience was underwhelming. We started with the ankimo, which was overpriced at $10.95 for just three small pieces. The fresh oysters were good, and the garlic French fries were decent, but the calamari was overcooked and too dry, likely fried for too long. The mixed tempura and 5-kind mixed sashimi were average. We also tried the eel bowl and nabeyaki udon--the broth was good, but the udon was overly salty. For the yakitori, the chicken leg meat was dry, and the chicken heart was a disappointment--only three pieces for $3.25, which didn't feel worth it. The chicken tail was the highlight of the yakitori, juicy and tasty. The quail egg and pork belly were tasty, but beef tongue were too salty. The service was a letdown. We waited a long time for our food, and to make it worse, the table next to us, which came after us, was served much quicker. We also had to wait quite a while for water refills. Overall, the food quality and poor service left us unsatisfied, and we likely won't be returning.

Soooo yummy.! Even on a busy night service was quick and efficient. The atmosphere and decor was great too!! Yakitoris were delicious! Only wished the garage chicken came with a few more pieces and a dipping sauce. I also got the nabeyaki udon and my bf got the curry udon!!

I've been to Honda-Ya a couple times now. Parking is okay; the spaces are tight so you'll be squeezing your car into a space. This restaurant is very hip and cute. Perfect spot to grab some delicious skewers and drinks. Good for groups. I really LOVE their skewers but have mixed experiences with their other dishes. Last time I visited, I had their beansprout stir fry, which was delicious. This visit, I tried their pork belly skewers, which were my favorite dish of that night. Beef tongue skewers were good too. We tried the bacon-wrapped okra and bacon-wrapped enoki, which were good! I preferred the enoki. We didn't care for their scallop with uni, Stinky Roll, or the spicy tuna crackers. The Men-Mochi was good but really cheesy (it says "spicy" but it wasn't spicy at all). The yuzu ice cream was a great way to end the meal. All the dishes came out fast and servers were always walking around and helping customers. Thank you!

I've lived in OC for years and I've always heard such good things about this place. I've tried several times but the wait was always just too long. I finally made an attempt to go on a Monday night at around 7pm. We had about a 10 minute wait. We weren't too hungry so we just ordered some small bites. We got: Seared scallop-this was just ok. I felt like there was nothing special about this scallop and it was a bit bland Chicken meatball- this was pretty solid, good texture and good sauce Japanese beef- this beef was so juicy and tender and well worth the price! It also had the perfect amount of flavor Garlic pork belly- this one fell a bit flat for me and lacked flavor Okonomiyaki- this was just ok. It was too doughy and lacked some crunch from the sizzling plate they served it on Chicken cartilage- this was ok. It wasn't as crispy as we wanted it to be Tako-wasa- this was good! octopus tasted fresh Miso shishito- this surprisingly was so yummy! I would order this again Yuzu sherbet- a seasonal item but this was so refreshing at the end of the meal! Overall I felt like this place was a bit lackluster. They had a few items that surprised us but it was not as good as I imagined it to be. They appeared to be very understaffed and we had flagged 3 different servers down in order to get a water refill. For a solid 10 minutes, no servers were on our side of the restaurant. I'm willing to give it another try and I hope my experience is better next time! c:

One of the places I love to go to. There's usually a waiting line, but it hasn't been too too bad. I love their skewers here, they have a lot to choose from like gizzard, tongue, chicken, seafood, veggies etc. It takes a bit since since they have to grill them on this charcoal thing back there. We've tried their sushi and I was never really impressed. It's fresh, but it was just OK. Good place for big groups since they have long tables but also perfect for small as well.

Everything was Delicious! Great tradition dishes and the place its self is so cute! The staff was wonderful and very helpful, explained the menu and dishes well! Be prepared to wait as this is a very popular place!

I ordered a one-item dinner combination with beef teriyaki and the beef was so dry, it crumbled as I bit into it. The other components of the meal were good and I feel like this is good value considering the economy nowadays, but I would like to see an option for medium rare or well on the online ordering system.

Honda ya is one of my favorite yakitori/ izakaya spots in oc. They have an incredibly extensive menu with pages and pages of delicious options to choose from. One of my all time favorites here is the white meat with wasabi yakitori; it lights up my nose hairs and I love the flavor so much. Other yakitori I've ordered is the beef tongue, chicken heart, chicken gizzard, chicken liver, meatball with cheese and pork belly; the yakitori meat is amazing quality with everything I've ordered here. I've also ordered the potato croquettes, edamame, oysters, miso soup, gyoza, stinky roll, sexy roll and chicken yakisoba. If you love garlic like me, you should definitely order the stinky roll. Hands down my favorite roll here. For dessert, my favorite is the sesame balls; they are so warm and heavenly when you bite into one. The service at Honda ya is usually fast, but the wait time for a table can be crazy sometimes, with an hour wait. I do appreciate though that you can grab a beer on their patio while you wait for a table. The ambiance is really neat and has a Japanese bar vibe. They even have tables where you can take your shoes off and sit down criss cross apple sauce, which I think is absolutely adorable. You should definitely check out Honda Ya if you're looking for some delicious yakitori or sushi in Tustin!

I came to honda-ya multiple times with many different friends in the area, but the experience this time was nothing like the rest. I think it's because I got to treat out my boyfriend, and we tried so many different dishes, which were all so amazing! Food: I firmly believe that you can't go wrong with anything you order from here, you can blindly pick and choose, and it'll still be good haha. But with that aside, their beef tongue yakitori, scallop yakitori, garlic marinated scallops in their special menu, men-mochi, and yakiudon are absolute musts. I quiet enjoyed the tako-wasa although the wasabi flavor was rather strong for me, liked the salmon carpaccio even though it wasn't super unique or special. I don't think I'll be ordering ume-shiso, beef tatami, stinky roll, matcha mont blanc, daigaku imo next time, but glad I got to try those as well, cuz they were still very delish! Price: most dishes tend to be less than $10, but can be up to $15-20 if they are special menus or require more expensive ingredients. We ordered a whole bunch of plates, and the meal ended up to be about $130 including tax and tip Ambiance: we signed up for the floor seats instead of tables, to really get that feel of japanese izakaya restaurant. Despite me and my boyfriend being asian, I don't think it was super comfortable to sit cross legged the whole time, but worth it for the experience. Usually I had to wait up to an hour to get seated, but because I came on a Monday, we only waited about 10-15 minutes Service: nice young non-Japanese waiters running the show within the restaurant, they were friendly taking my orders and made sure we got all the plates correctly. Checked in often to refill our waters, and got our check right on time too Parking: large parking lot within the complex, honda-ya is located in the corner of big outdoor plaza. Had no issues finding a spot on Monday evening, but I think it can get quiet busy during the weekends

Make sure to join that Yelp waitlist ASAP when you arrive. This place fills up quick! While traditional seating isn't the most comfortable, choosing first available that includes sitting on the floor may prove the fastest to getting seating I feel like. But still be prepared to wait. I came here for the skewers, but the rest of their menu is just as good. My husband tried this fish bisque that was surprisingly the tastiest of everything I had that night. Also there's a reason why beef tongue is recommended-- it's to die for! Despite it being busy, I had no problems with service. The waitress came by frequently and the food comes at a decent pace. Their house beer is also a must try! Gotta try their sake next time!

Ya, this place is absolutely bonkers. If there's one must go place to eat at, it's Honda-Ya. Izakaya and small bites is the name of the game here. I was a fan of, well, everything but let's break it down: Tako-wasa was wasabi marinated octopus and phew, it's fresh with a kick. Loved every bite of it. Ume-shiso tempura is white fish wrapped in shiso leaf and it's glorious with its crunch paired with the lemon and salt/pepper thing. It was gone in seconds. Beef tataki was decent at best, it's good but you could probably get something else better. The garlic scallop with quail egg is a limited time item but wow, easily my favorite dish of the night. It's just... heaven on earth. The fresh scallop marinated in garlic sauce and oomph. Can't stress how much I loved this. Salmon carpaccio is almost always a solid option, no exception here, nice and fresh and refreshing to boot. Men-mochi is my second favorite item, mochi, cod roe, and cheese? Sign me up. The cheese and mochi pull is impeccable and the cod roe just seals the flavors together, making for a pretty fantastic dish. Yakiudon is a nice carb since you're likely ordering a bunch of noncarb items, good flavors and diversity in this dish. Beef tongue skewer is pretty epic. Nice and chewy but also cooked to perfection. The scallop skewers were good too but pales in comparison to the garlic scallops. Stinky roll is another nice filler item, the sushi is good, everything is fresh, but again, filler for carbs. Now dessert: matcha mont blanc is the epitome of "not too sweet" which makes for a nice dessert for "older" asian folks like us. So what're you waiting for? Honda-Ya's calling for you. The wait can be long on weekends, weeknights aren't *as* bad but you do what you can. If you can eat on the tatami floor, go for that, you take your shoes off and enjoy some cozy and chill ambiance in an already amazing restaurant.

really scrumptious and authentic yakitori and traditional japanese dishes in the heart of old town tustin. all of the food we got was really delicious! my favorite yakitori was probably the meatball and leg meat, but you really can't go wrong. the grilled taste is absolutely delicious! my favorite dishes were the cholesteroll, crab zosui, and karaage. the other dishes (takoyaki, rock'n roll, salmon hand roll, and strawberry waffle dessert) were good but nothing to write home about. the restaurant has a very small interior so i would recommend going right when they open since they do not take reservations. service is quick and efficient, pretty standard. i would definitely recommend HONDA-YA!

I was hyped to try this place out but expectations were not met very sad The bad: 1. Fried chicken skin was almost inedibly hard 2. I tried the vegetable, tongue, chicken, and beef skewers but they were tiny and the taste was below mid...the eggplant skewer were so small I thought they were complimentary pickled cucumbers grilled and served as skewers. 3. Sodas were from fountains and not canned. The fountain drinks tasted very..fountainy.. The good: 1. The fried udon & potato croquettes were really good! 2. Takoyakis were not bad. But again Takoyakis were a bit empty inside compared to ones I've had in Japan. Usually the takoyaki batter is served doughy and there shouldnt be any empty spaces inside the takoyaki sphere but not only was it empty inside, there was virtually no squid (the point of takoyaki..) We went in on a Wednesday at 5:40 PM for dinner, placed my name on the waitlist and waited less than 10 minutes. There wasn't a waitlist at around 5 PM but noticed a queue outside from 5:30 - 9:30 PM. The atmosphere is like izakaya in a cabin vibes. The inside isn't small but the main travel hallway is narrow and you may bump into busy servers. We had a nice server who was accommodating but there was one other young lady server who, when we'd make a request, would just look away and nod. Other than her, the lady at the cashier, the host/busser (the same person hosting and bussing), and other servers were nice and helpful.

Sautéed clams - amazing as always. There's a great garlic flavor with a hint of wine which just elevates the dish. If only there was bread to dip into the sauce Yaki udon - was pretty solid but definitely outshone by the other dishes. This was kinda used as a breather between dishes Men mochi - so delicious. It was nice and cheesy, had a great overall chewiness and slight crunch Garlic shrimp - solid garlic shrimp skewer, was honestly a little bland Pork belly - very good, had an amazing smoky flavor Beef tongue - great texture, had a solid smoky flavor Overall this place stays as my fav restaurant due to its consistently delicious food

Skewers + beer = perfect night! Came here on a weeknight and there was a bit of a wait, but service was fast and friendly. Skewers + yellowtail were good and price was average. Would come back!

I have not been SO HAPPY for a long time since u went to Japan last year! This place is legit and so authentic. The yakitori all has a nice charred flavor and was grilled to perfection. The beef was so tender and the pork belly has the right thickness to make it crispy. The sauce that they use to dip the yakitori is full of umami. Was so pleasantly surprised by the soft shelf crab hand roll which is a huge portion. The crab was crunchy and paired so well with the creamy imitation crab. Usually I don't expect salad to be very good but the tofu and avocado salad was so tasty. It can truly be a meal on its own since the portion was huge! Even though the waitlist was long but they turned the tables very fast. But they still let you take your time once you are in the restaurant. Super attentive service and extremely nice staff. I like the open large table concept where you feel the warm atmosphere yet have a little bit of privacy. Can't wait to go back to this place!

Ambiance ~ 3/5 There is a unique entrance into the bar that places me in to the Japanese culture. Service ~ 3/5 At the side door entrance, there is a Yelp check in stand. The hostess directs every customer to check in for the waiting list on the Yelp computer. I would rather be greeted with a quick explanation rather than given the quick command. I left a small tip because the cucumber salad was brought fifteen minutes after I had already dug into my sushi. Parking ~ 5/5 The parking lot is huge, but can fill up quickly because Old Town Tustin offers many unique store fronts to look at, bars, tea houses, cute shops to venture into, and a great garden area in front of the outdoor store. Food ~ 1/5 I ordered the Sexy Girl sushi, and it was not good. I also had the Green Iced tea, which was average as it was missing flavor. The ginger and wasabi was very dry. The cucumber salad was small and dry, too. It left a horrible flavor in my mouth that I've never had after eating sushi. My friend ordered sushi and ramen, which put a horrible taste in her mouth to the point that I convinced her to leave and go to my favorite sushi restaurant on Bryon and Newport, Tommy's Sushi by Claros Italian deli. I will never return! Why is this restaurant always so crowded?

Horrible customer service, The guy who let you in treats you in a very low tune and very rude! Definitely horrible experience.

I think this place is really nice and has a good vibe to it. The decor is nice and everything is really tidy. The service was fine as well but we had a quirk which was the server forgot to put in an order for us so we ended up staying longer than expected. Otherwise no problems there. The food was pretty good and tasty. Portions were somewhat small for the price so if you're looking for value, you're not looking here. The food was good though, so I would say that was nice.

There's nothing like eating some delicious Japanese style food at HONDA-YA in Tustin (Orange County). I've been coming here off and on as it's one of the few good places still open past 9 or 10pm. That right! They're opened 'til late, which I like. Drink: Nowadays I enjoy getting myself a glass of strawberry chu-hai. Chu-hai is a Japanese cocktail. I even got that last night too. Sooo good. Food: I've ordered many different things there, especially those small bite items which I considered it as appetizers. I really like those small bites like meatball, pork belly, Japanese beef, leg meat, and jumbo shrimp. It can get expensive if you order more of those, but totally worth it. And for the bigger items, The best on the menu so far as cut rolls goes, Mt Fuji Roll is the best thing to get. In the past beside that, I've ordered OC Roll, Sexy Roll, and Shrimp Popper. There's all good, but to me, Mt Fuji Roll is a real winner in my book. Service: Service here is great. They're very helpful and know what they're doing. Seating area: You can pick a table/bar seating, or you can pick the floor seating with low table. I usually by myself, so I almost sit in the bar area. Overall: I'll be back here in the future. Don't know when though. 5 stars!

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The pricing is so much cheaper than other places and yet the food is still 100x better. This place has become a fan favorite for my friends and I. We especially love to go whenever we are celebrating as the atmosphere and vibes are just perfect for celebrating! Service is always amazing everytime and I honestly have nothing bad to say about this place.

The best sushi experience I've ever had. I did not leave hungry. The sushi rolls were great. The skewers of meat were delectable.

This place is overhyped. Not sure why there is over an hour wait for this place. I'd skip and go elsewhere. Skewers- 2.75/5: Tried a bunch of different skewers. The chicken ones were the best ones in my opinion. The others were mid and I'd pass on them. Gindara- 3.5/5: The fish was really soft and the flavor was good. Not really a fan of the sauce. The fish is super tiny. Kitsune- 1.5/5: Beware this is a soup and not just cold noodles. Felt like I ate soup solely of MSG and soy sauce. There were barely any toppings in the dish. I'd pass on this. Teriyaki Combo- 3/5: The dish was good, but nothing special. I was really disappointed in the amount of meat they gave. I wish I took a photo of this dish because they gave about half the amount of meat seen in other people's dishes on Yelp. Comes with potato salad and rice.

came here recently and wanted to give an update.. yeah its still 5 stars, very efficient and very busy. Reminds me of japan, the ambiance, food, and service. Will be back soon!!