INI Ristorante

Had a girls' day with my friend who recommended this place, and I can see why it’s one of her favorites. The portions are big enough to share, and we ordered the Naraman Muroka Sake, Truffle Cheese Bread (small plate), Spicy Miso Carbonara, Mentaiko Pizza, and the Matcha Cremeux for dessert. Let’s just say it was a lot of food for two people, we ended up taking home half the pizza and bread. Everything exceeded my expectations and was absolutely delicious. The staff were friendly, attentive, and even boxed up all our leftovers for us. Prices are on the higher side, so I’ll likely save this spot for special occasions, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you like Japanese and Italian fusion dishes.

A very popular Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant. It’s upscale but still doable for college students for a fancy night out. The drinks are strong, the food is flavorful and upscale, the aesthetics are classy, and the service is great. We brought in a birthday cake and they were able to hold it for us and bring it out at the end of our meal. The gnocchi and poke pizza were my personal favorites.

I came here for the first time for a friend's birthday dinner. The restaurant itself is super cute inside! Cute decor and plenty of seating. There's plenty of free parking in the lot. Definitely recommend a reservation as it fills up quickly. The menu is very interesting! Staff were all very sweet and welcoming. They were playing some good music! Definitely recommend giving this place a try! Food review: * I have a lot of seafood allergies so was unable to try lots of the dishes. I kept it simple* Chicken Alfredo (4/5): It was pretty good! I added chili oil and chili flakes and it was perfect. It was quite plain. The chicken was tender. Chicken Caesar salad: (3/5) It was OK. Probably shouldn't have ordered a salad here. Prosciutto and burrata pizza: (5/5) My friend devoured this and said it was delicious!! It's a great sharing size.

Simply amazing quality and great service. It was clean and ambience was just right for a peaceful dinner. When it's crowded, the noise level is a little high but tolerable. Entree was so tasty I would like order everything on the menu but I can only try and eat so much, the quality of the food is worth the price of which is reasonably catered for the average foodie. Dessert was just perfect, not only in design/presentation but flavorful to one's sweet pallette. My server "Daniel" was attentive and professional, I would ask for his services if possible for he was respectful and courteous to anything that requires attention. The only thing negative is that the tables are too close to each other, I prefer not hearing the others' table's conversation.

Self-described as a Japanese-Italian interpretation, INI Ristorante offers both familiar dishes like Bolognese and Alfredo (a powerful combo), as well as fusion mashups like Uni Pasta. This restaurant is one of my most frequented and well-received by all the company I’ve taken here. Service is consistently attentive and the dishes are fantastic. The Short Rib Gnocchi, available only at dinner, is absolutely incredible. The vibes are simultaneously sophisticated and laid-back. I’ve hosted casual walk-in lunches wearing flip flops and also reserved celebratory gatherings late night when the ambience becomes more refined. The intimate lighting and the illuminated tree centerpiece makes for a top-tier dining environment. During the day, they have a solid and affordable happy hour menu Monday to Friday from 2 to 5pm.

Food is just okay—nothing particularly memorable, and a bit on the overpriced side for what you get. That said, there’s plenty of parking, which is always a plus, and the service is excellent—friendly, attentive, and efficient. Good if you’re in the area and want convenience, but not necessarily a destination spot.

Another amazing restaurant by Kei Concepts. We've tried Vox, Nep, Kin and Gem (waiting for it to reopen). Ini is an Italian restaurant with Asian fusion. The espresso martini is one of the best I've had, kinda nice to have sea salt sprinkled on top. Our friend had Lychee sour and he liked it as well. Then we ordered Mentaiko Pizza. I've had mentaiko cream on pasta but to try it on pizza sounded strange but it works. The sliced octopus adds depth to the pizza, as well as the nori on top. Everyone in our group loves it. For the entree, we ordered the scallops risotto and branzino. Scallops are well cooked and the risotto is on point. The branzino comes in 2 filets with an amazing rice pilaf. The skin is perfectly crispy and the meat not dry. For dessert, we order the corn bread and chocolate lava cake. I wish they have more exotic dessert options. All in all, a very good meal. Danny is very helpful and professional. The noise level is quite high on a Wednesday evening, I believe the whole restaurant is packed.

It was a Monday evening, but the place was still quite crowded. Even though we had a reservation, we had to wait a little while. The food was absolutely delicious, and what I loved most was that it wasn’t overly salty — it was perfectly seasoned to my taste. I could really understand why this restaurant is so popular. Everything we ordered was great, and the Uni pasta in particular was outstanding! The only downside was that after we had eaten most of our food, our server gave us the feeling that he wanted us to leave quickly. It’s not an all-you-can-eat restaurant, so it felt a bit rushed, which was disappointing.

This is my go to restaurant when I don't know where to go! This Japan Italian fusion restaurant is one of my favorites in OC! It's located in a big plaza with plenty of parking. If you don't want to wait, I suggest making a reservation ahead of time since there isn't a yelp waitlist online. Each dish I have gotten here is amazing! Here are my favorites: - truffle cheese bread: this bread is delicious, paired with honey and it is so good - Italian meatballs: the meatballs are extremely tender and juicy, very well flavored - seafood mafaldine: the noodles are cooked Al dente and all of the seafood in the sauce pairs very well together. My favorite is the scallops in the pasta I really recommend this restaurant to anyone who visits OC! In my opinion, I think this is the best Kei Concepts restaurant.

What a great restaurant, food and service. The interior decor is very inviting! Nice spacious layout with cozy booths, tables and a very long bar. The food is Italian/Japaneese, Asia Fusion but predominantly Italian dishes. I ordered the Chicken Katsu Parmesan. There was a nice kick to.the sauce (hence the Asian Fusion) and it was served with salad on top! I added the side marinara pasta as I wanted to.try out the sauce. I make marinara all the time and theirs is very similar to mine, very pleased with the taste. There are so many great menu options, definitely need to.come back and try more. Portions are large and definitely shareable. We love shareable, more tastes and more leftovers! They also have a grrat Happy Hour Menu! I have heard great things about their Pizzas, so that's a must try on our next visit (and on their Happy Hour!). Parking was easy. It's located in a shopping center with other restaurants and businesses. Service was excellent! My server today was Amy. She was very pleasant and helped me decide between two dishes. She kept my water refilled! Definitely going back with the family!

Returned with my husband, and we got the calamari fritti, miso picanha steak, mala lamb pizza, and truffle cheese bread. We definitely had to-go boxes since the meal was so filling. The service was exceptional per usual, and our server Josh was great! As some utensils were about to fall, he caught them with one hand (spider-man moment) where my husband and I both said, "good catch!" we went around noon so it was pretty busy but we only had to wait about 10 minutes even during the rush hour. Can't wait to try their whole menu! Their food was still great even after having it the next day and reheated!!

I wanted to update my review here after my awful experience. I came here on a Thursday with 3 other people. Some of my friends live over an hour away made the drive to meet up with us. It was their first time and I really wanted them to enjoy this place as much as I recently had. Unluckily for us that was not the case. We ordered a bunch of food and drinks as the night went on. We were still dining when, Jimmy, one of the managers told us we only had 15 minutes left and we had to go since there was another party that would be dining. We were all shocked because we were not done with our food, we had just ordered more drinks, and were planning on ordering desserts. There were also plenty other tables and they could had accommodated us by offering to move us or had the new party sit somewhere else. Never in my life had I ever experienced this. So we had to cancel our drink and we left. It left a bad taste in all our mouths and likely will not be coming back. I just thought there were so many different ways this could have gone. I will not be recommending Ini anymore to friends and families.

The waitlist for this place is incredibly long for the weekend, so I would definitely aim to come on the weekdays. We waited a little over an hour to get sat. The spicy miso carbonara was pretty good. Definitely has a kick and is very creamy. I thought it was slightly lacking in flavor though. The truffle bread has to be one of the best things on the menu. It is delicious, crispy, and cheesy. It's also a perfect shareable appetizer before getting the other dishes. The pizzas were also amazing as well. I can't remember which ones we got exactly. The restaurant itself has a warm ambiance, I like the vibes.

We were able to snag a 2:30 reservation on a sunday afternoon but even at off peak times it's pretty busy. Cheese bread: 5/5 Perfect dish. Generous amount of truffle and cream and cheese, and the bread is extremely soft and chewy. Pulls apart really easily and the hot honey adds a nice sweetness Uni pasta: 5/5 super creamy, nice chew and flavor to the pasta, and the uni itself tasted really sweet and fresh. Good balance of flavors Duck ragu: 5/5 Duck meat is super tender and the pasta itself has this nice, complex flavor from the duck. Pasta is also nice and chewy. Carbonara: 3/5 Probably the only miss in this meal. Not much carbonara flavor and you kind of just taste spiciness. Would not recommend. Mentaiko Pizza: 4/5 Good filler dish, but would still prefer the pasta. Good mentaiko flavor and good chew to the crust. Food is generally really good but portions are a bit small.

Another Kei Concepts restaurant but this time make it italian! I highly recommend making a reservation as the waits can be crazy long. For bigger parties, definitely call as I was able to secure a reservation that OpenTable wasn't able to for the large party. Upon entering, there was a ton of people waiting inside making it hard to get to the host and the table. I will say the staff are super friendly and attentive like other Kei concept restaurants. We all ordered and the appetizers came out first but it was weird that one person's food came out 30 minutes before the others. They ended up finishing their food a little before the rest of the food came out. Additionally, it took about 1.5 hours for us to get out food - not sure if it was just because they were very busy or something else. Our party ordered a bit of everything but overall, the consensus was that the food was just okay and it was better before. I don't have any dish recommendations based off my visit and won't be back since the dishes weren't memorable.

Such a cute Italian Korean fusion restaurant! Came here with a friend for lunch. There's plenty of parking in the shopping center. The staff were nice and friendly, very attentive. The menu had so many delicious options, everything we ordered was great! Would recommend trying this place, it was fun trying the fusion foods and drinks!

I've been wanting to try this place for a while and I'm glad I finally did! I really like Italian Japanese fusion (tbh I prefer it over just Italian) and I loved everything we ordered here. I enjoyed both our starters - the umeboshi spring salad was refreshing and had a variety of fruit that surprisingly all went well together. The cauliflower tempura came with this delicious Calabrian chili sauce and was very savory. We also ordered the squid ink uni pasta which was so, so good. I loved the pops of tobiko and the sauce was very creamy and garlicky, the whole thing was just full of flavor. The shrimp rigatoni alla rosa with the miso tomato cream sauce was also good, the flavor was more of the typical Italian but just very well done and rich. The cocktails we ordered came in the middle of our meal because the bar was backed up, but I still highly recommend the lychee sour. Everything was delicious, I honestly can't wait to come back and try other things on their menu. I'm very intrigued by their unique menu items such as the miso carbonara, seafood malfadine, mentaiko pizza, mortadella and pistachio pizza, and mala lamb pizza.

My absolute favorite spot for pizza and pasta! I highly recommend joining the waitlist ahead of time or making a reservation--there's almost always a line. Once you're seated though, the service is consistently fast, attentive, and professional. Spicy Miso Carbonara: 5/5 I love this dish so much. The noodles are udon-style and cooked perfectly--super chewy and satisfying. The spicy miso sauce is creamy, sweet, savory, and full of umami. The bits of bacon in the sauce make it even better. Mentaiko Pizza: 10/5 This completely exceeded my expectations. The dough is made fresh in-house every day and baked to order, so it's soft, fragrant, and incredibly fresh. The mentaiko sauce is rich and flavorful--honestly one of the best pizzas I've had. Garlic Parmesan Fries: 4/5 Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. I do wish the seasoning were a bit stronger, but still a solid side to share. Definitely a great spot for date nights!

Exceptional experience in all areas. We didn't have a reservation for 7 people plus one toddler in a high chair but arriving by 5:30 pm helped and we got seated within few minutes without any issues. Given a 1.5 hour time limit for dining we initially felt a bit stressed if we could finish and manage it within the timeframe. Food was bought out quickly with drinks and appetizers ordered first to get us started. A whiskey flight was perfect to set the birthday celebration and tone for the night. For starters, Cheese bread, Cauliflower, were super flavorful, satisfied each of us. Kids ordered Butter Noodles & Chicken w/Fries came in the cutest (Kawai-cute) box by Kei Concepts. Great presentation. Kids meals were reasonable at $8 each. Love the whole kids menu and meal box concept. Short Rib Ragú, two pizzas, Chicken Alfredo, Spicy Miso Carbonera went beyond our expectations. Quality offerings, creative and beautiful servings. For dessert, celebrating two birthdays, Ini provided complimentary mini brownies with a candle. Thoughtful appreciated gesture! We ordered the Pistachio Cannoli and the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake- delish! Cannolis are on the small size however they give 3 in an order. Service was friendly, professional, very smooth. A lovely evening, a bit moderate to pricey. Worth going for a family night, romantic dinner to experience flavorful creative diverse dishes with thoughtful culinary expertise. Buon appeti

Really delicious food! This whole shopping center has great restaurants but I love how Ini puts an Asian spin on Italian food. You can't go wrong getting pasta or pizza here! My favorite menu items are: -salmon crudo -truffle funghi pizza -Squid ink uni pasta Service was outstanding and we didn't wait long for a table. We'll return for sure!!

My husband and I are big fans of KEI Concept restaurants, and Ini in Fountain Valley absolutely lives up to the reputation. Every KEI spot we've tried has blown us away with amazing service, incredible food, and great drinks--and Ini is no exception. We've been here twice for lunch, and recently came back to try their dinner menu. Everything was so good. Bolognese - Yum! Rich and perfectly seasoned. Truffle Cheese Bread - A must-order. The honey drizzle takes it to another level. Even though we order pizza, we still order their bread. Shrimp Rigatoni - good amount of shrimp and the sauce is packed with flavor. Truffle Funghi Pizza - My husband's and brothers' absolute favorite! Earthy, aromatic, and super satisfying. Love that it's thin crust Ini continues to impress us every visit. If you're looking for consistently delicious dishes and warm, attentive service, this place never misses. Highly recommend! Try making reservations too as they usually get busy.

Just wow. Super nice place with Japanese & Italian fusion dishes which were mind-blowing. I especially loved their spicy miso carbonara and cavatelli alla norcina. Can't explain how delicious it was, you'll just need to try it. Poke pizza was good too but did not scream poke to me, most of it was just shrimp and squid, it was an interesting one. Mushroom mafaldine was alright, definitely a good option if you're vegetarian. On a side note, I didn't like how one of the waiters seemed super paranoid and was hovering like he thought we were gonna ditch the bill, not sure if it's because it happens a lot or what, but it was very odd.

Wow I will be dreaming about this meal! We made reservations so we didn't have to wait for a table on a Friday night. Were were sat in the background room away from most of the guests. The star of the meal was definitely the Mala lamb pizza with the hot honey sauce. It was so flavorful and so so good. We had great service and overall a great experience

Came here on a Thursday night, and though it was packed, we still got seated immediately as a party of 2. We ordered the burrata prosciutto pizza and duck ragu. The duck ragu came out first and it tasted like a hearty stew. It was piping hot, perfect on a winter night. A bit tangy and tomatoey and the pasta was thick chewy and perfect. The pizza was light and airy, crispy and delicious as always. Service was great and food was even better. Theres a reason why we keep coming back.

Ini Is a must. They've never missed. The food is always top-notch, creative without being weird, comforting without being boring, and just downright delicious every single visit. The atmosphere is exactly what you want for a night out: super romantic, chic, sleek, and low-key sexy. Perfect for date nights, but also such a vibe for a girls' night out when you want something a little fancy without trying too hard. The cocktails!!! Chef's kiss!!!. Perfectly balanced, never too sweet, and full of interesting flavor combos you don't see everywhere. They mix drinks the way other places wish they did. And the staff here is always on point. The servers give amazing recommendations, especially for first-timers, and they just make the whole experience feel smooth and welcoming. If you want a spot that delivers every single time, this is it. Truly one of those places you keep coming back to because everything is just consistently that good.

We came here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner and had a great time! It was a busy Friday night, but luckily we made reservations so we just had to check in. We got seated in the rear seating area which was nice but a little loud because of other parties. The food was amazing as always and we started with the Calamari Fritti and Truffle Cheese Bread. The Mala Lamb Pizza has quickly became one of our favorites right up there with the Spicy Miso Carbonara pasta. My boyfriend ordered the Australian ribeye which was also really flavorful and went well with the included sides: the broccolini and potatoes. Our server was also really attentive and gave great service. INI is one of our favorite restaurants for special occasions, so we'll be coming back!

Back and tried different things, needless to say, they were also amazing. Went this time for my gf's pop's birthday and did some damage. made reservations online and was promptly seated. we had our favorites, but tried the calamari, mala sausage pizza and sausage pasta (kinda forgot the name, but refer to the picture). The calamari had a cool twist and they fried the peperoncinos, which added a nice tangy taste. The mala pizza with honey was great. The pasta was also cooked al dente , which i prefer, cause sho like mushy/soft pasta? Our server took great care of us and was attentive, they really got it down here.

Don't shoot me, but I honestly thought this place was just ok... For apps, we got the truffle bread and beef carpaccio. Tasty, but definitely heavy. I think anything with that much cream, honey, cheese would taste good. For entree, sil got the miso carbonara, her favorite. (This is also her favorite restaurant and honestly raved about by another friend as well). I tried some, and it just tasted like a kimchi fried noodle. The dish uses udon. I shared a Uni pasta and it was tasty but not stand out. We ordered a side of grilled chicken and I think that was cooked nicely. The best value is the chicken katsu dish. It was a huge katsu! And for $5, you can add in spaghetti marinara. Worth it. They do a birthday candle and dessert which was really nice.

INI Ristorante is everything I would expect KEI Concepts to deliver: delicious food, aesthetically-pleasing environment, amazing customer service, tasteful decor, pleasant atmosphere, and a memorable dining experience. INI's take on Japanese meets Italian cuisine is executed beautifully. The harmony between these different cuisines complement one another. Our party ordered a variety of items so that we can taste a little of everything. Here is a list of all the food we ordered: * TRUFFLE CHEESE BREAD - Absolutely exquisite! The combination of honey, truffles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella with fluffy bread was an unexpected surprise. It was great without the honey and even better once you add the honey! You MUST order this! * CALAMARI FRITTI - This was good but it wasn't my favorite. It's a typical fried calamari. What I liked more were the dressed arugula that came with this appetizer. * CAVATELLI ALLA NORCINA - When I saw this, I had to have it because it's my favorite dish from Bestia in LA. The truffle butter mixed with Parmesan and sausage made for an unctuous bite. It was savory and comforting at the same time. * SPICY MISO CARBONARA - I don't usually care for carbonara but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish. The spicy miso cream enhanced the usually-boring udon noodles. The egg yolks lended a creamier texture. With the added shiitake mushrooms and bacon, it gave a natural umami flavor that made me enjoy slurping the noodles. * TRUFFLE FUNGHI PIZZA - I love a great mushroom pizza and this was really good. It would be better if the arugula wasn't so dry. It needed to be dressed the same as the arugula that came with the calamari IMO. Other things to note: * PARKING around the perimeter of the restaurant is limited but there are plenty of parking spots in the same plaza. * MOUTHWASH available in the restrooms, just like they have at VOX Kitchen. * SPACIOUS LAYOUT means there's mobility space for walkers, wheelchairs, and strollers. Overall, I enjoyed everything about INI Ristorante and would gladly recommend this restaurant for group outings, celebrations for family or friends, and even solo dining or take out.

Great fusion place for both Italian and Japanese. Its rare where a fusion place works and this place hits. We made a reservation for a Wed night and this place was already pretty busy. Its a beautifully designed restaurant with a modern look. We ordered the burrata calprese which was delicious but had way too many tomatoes. The mentaiko pizza is a must order. It was super crispy and had a generous flavor of mentaiko. The duck ragu was also a great choice. You can definitely taste quality all around. Save room for dessert because the tiramisu was light and fluffy and a perfect end to a meal. The service was also pretty good. My only issue was that this is a little on the pricey side. However, a perfect place for date nights!

INI's menu is ever-evolving. The menu features new items for pastas, entrees, and pizza. So, I visited once again for a fresh experience. The shrimp rigatoni is one of their new menu items. It was mildly spicy in flavor, came with perfectly cooked pasta, and mingled well with the few large pieces of shrimp. If you get this dish, I do not recommend getting the spicy miso carbonara because the taste isn't different enough. I recommend pairing the rigatoni with a pasta with an entirely different flavor profile. The truffle funghi pizza is fantastic. The portion size is perfect for sharing in a group, the truffle aroma wasn't overwhelming, and the pieces of mushroom added nice texture. The service is top tier, even though I could tell the staff is incredibly busy attending to multiple tables at once. The prices are affordable for the amazing quality. Overall, I enjoyed my dining experience at INI Ristorante. I'd love to come back when their menu changes again.

Back again after a few years and the food is still good. I highly recommend a reservation for the weekends because of how busy it gets. We had a 5:30pm Saturday night reservation and there was a wait when we got there. Our server was so kind and chill and the ambiance was nice. Ordered the spicy miso carbonara (a must!), the garlic Parmesan fries, and mala lamb pizza. The udon noodles in the carbonara were perfectly chewy and had a good texture to it. The fries were so crispy and didn't feel extremely oily. The pizza was good, I liked the mala honey on the side but I wished the lamb was spread out more evenly and had a crispier bottom. Overall a solid date night spot or even a nice spot to eat at with friends.

I've really enjoyed this restaurant in the past and even left a 5 star review before. From the service to the atmosphere and the food, everything used to be excellent. However, during my most recent visit on August 23, 2025, I was very disappointed with the quality of the food , particularly the Salmon Crudo $18 appetizer. The salmon tasted unpleasantly fishy and did not seem fresh at all, which was a big contrast compared to previous times I ordered it. It lacked the clean and delicate flavor I used to enjoy. One of my favorite dishes here has always been the Seafood Poke Pizza $25 , which I regularly order. My daughter also loves the Cavatelli alla Norcina $22 , whether dining in or for takeout , even these favorites didn't meet expectations this time. I really hope this was just a one time issue, because I used to love this place and recommended it to others. I'd like to return again, but I hope the food quality returns to the high standards they once had.

Food: Truffle Cheese Bread, Prosciutto & Burrata, Seafood Mafaldine Price: $16 | $22 | $28 Overall: I love INI! I came here a few times already and it never disappoints. The interior is fancy and the service is great. I made reservations on their websites just in case they were crowded (thankfully it wasn't crowded). We ordered the Truffle Cheese Bread, Prosciutto & Burrata, Seafood Mafaldine! The truffle cheese bread is fluffy yet has a some crunchy parts of the mozzarella, drizzled with the honey: SO GOOD! The prosciutto and burrata was tasty and is sharable! I am just a sucker for pasta and the spicy cream tomato based with seafood and sausage was just chefs kiss. Honorable mentions from this place is the short rib gnocchi and seafood poke pizza! A great spot for special occasions like dates, family dinners, etc. This is such a great Japanese-Italian spot and their dishes are delicious.

Went to ini to celebrated a buddys bday and had another fantastic experience. Service was amazing as always, warm attentive and welcoming. The owner even stopped by to say hello which always adds a nice personal touch. Started with the beef carpaccio which is an absolute must every time. Got the seafood malfadine for my main- incredible depth of flavour and very generous amount of protein throughout. Pasta noodle was perfectly al dente. Even the martinis here are impressive, honestly rivals martinis ive gotten at cocktail bars. Love it when a restaurant nails food and drink. Honestly, pricing is so affordable for the quality of food, the ambience, and the service you receive. Highly recommend

I walked in on a Saturday afternoon, luckily it was only a short 10 min wait. The seafood mafaldine pasta was delicious. The sauce was good, it had so much flavor, loaded with different seafood, and the pasta cooked perfectly. The calamari and Parmesan fries are both good choices as appetizers. Def want to try their other items.

I finally got the chance to bring my lovely husband to try this restaurant, as he's a big fan of Kei Concepts and their creativity in the culinary field. We of course booked a reservation, which I highly recommend doing to skip any long waits due to how popular the Kei Concepts restaurants are. The staff member immediately walked us to our seats and was very attentive. I did not catch her name, but she was very quick, refilled our water plenty of times, and brought us our food in a very timely manner. My husband was very excited to try many dishes from the menu, so we ordered 4 dishes, each from a different category. Truffle Cheese Bread: This was my husband's favorite dish from the entire meal. The cheese pull was absolutely amazing, with perfection in the way it melts with the bread pieces - super flavorful and very addicting to eat. Highly recommend this appetizer to anyone visiting. Truffle Funghi Pizza: Wow, what a massive pizza. It could honestly serve 3-4 people in addition to other dishes. The dough was pretty well cooked. The crust was very crunchy. Although I did not really like how the toppings easily slid off from the pizza, it was a very flavorful pizza. For anyone who has not had truffle pizzas, I would recommend giving this a try. Veal Bolognese: Veal pasta at its finest. This had a very rich and creamy flavor - a great mix of meatballs that goes very well with the sauce. This was a shareable dish that I would recommend, since the portions are pretty sizeable. Very nice presentation for a pasta dish. Chicken Katsu Parmesan: I did not expect this dish to be spicy, but it was. The katsu itself was very tasty, with the crunchy texture being the best feeling when savoring the katsu. I was pretty impressed with the way this dish was presented as well. The portion size was generous and I enjoyed how easily the katsu can be cut into pieces to share. Highly recommend if you don't mind a kick of spice. I was extremely happy that I was able to introduce this establishment to my husband. We would love to keep revisiting to try a bunch of the other menu items. Both of us were super impressed with the way the restaurant was maintained. It definitely feels very much like fine dining vibes with modern touches inside, high quality food, and amazing professional staff.

Dropped by INI Ristorante, one of the Kei Concepts spots in Fountain Valley Town Center. It got a Happy Hour from 2-5PM with small plates around $8-$12, kind of like their sister restaurants. The menu's shorter during lunch and happy hour, but we picked a few things to try anyway. *Calamari Fritti $10 Tiny crispy rings, simple but actually pretty good. *Caesar Salad $10 Nothing fancy, standard Caesar, smaller portion but fresh. *Pepperoni Pizza $12 So salty it made me chug water nonstop. Wouldn't order this again. *Pistachio Cannoli $8 Now this was the winner. The pistachio cream was rich, nutty, and full of flavor. I'd come back just for this dessert. Service was great and staff was friendly. Fun fact: their sister restaurants VOX Kitchen, ROL Hand Roll Bar, and KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya are all in the same plaza. NEP Cafe and Kei Coffee House are close by and only SUP Noodle Bar is a bit farther from Kei's Fountain Valley hub. INI Ristorante (Fountain Valley Town Center) 16129 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

This is a great place to meet up with friends! We ordered the Prosciutto and burrata pizza, spicy miso carbonara, beef carpaccio, scallop risotto, and calamari. I really liked the spicy miso carbonara best and it had the best flavor. The scallop risotto was just okay, but I don't think I'd order it again. Service was good, but they get busy so it gets a little hard getting a hold of someone sometimes. But overall, I would come again for the carbonara!

Ordered takeout this time around so cannot comment on service or ambience. 5/10 Uni Pasta ($34): It's criminal how small the portions are given the cost. I don't recommend getting takeout as it will always taste worse than just dining in. Noodles are dry as seen in the photos. The uni was good, but I wouldn't get this dish again at Ini.

We just impromptuively searched some restaurants on tik tok and came across ina, and am I glad we did. Everything we ate was incredible. We started with the truffle cheese bread and I highly recommend it! My favorite dish was the miso carbonara. It had a great complexity of flavors and the spice level was perfect! We also got the pizza and it was really good! I will say that I recommend eating it while fresh. I heated up some a few days later and it was definitely not the same. Next time we come to that oc area, we will definitely be going back!

I was super excited to try out this restaurant after hearing raving reviews, and it did not disappoint! We love Japanese-Italian fusion, so we'll definitely be back. It was easy to make a reservation online and we came for dinner on a Saturday. I also really appreciated that the staff accommodated our seating change request to a different table in an area we preferred. Service was friendly and very attentive and I loved the sunlit open space ambience with all the greenery. I'm not a big drinker, so I ordered the Yuzu Peach Refresher Mocktail. It was refreshing and I really enjoyed it. We ordered the Squid Ink Risotto, Short Rib Gnocchi, and the Truffle Cheese Bread. The cheese bread is delicious and smothered with cheese. I loved pairing it with the honey on the side. The Gnocchi was cooked a perfect al-dente but my favorite dish was the risotto! It was so flavorful and the scallops were delicious - I would definitely order it again. They even kindly surprised us with a decadent slice of chocolate cake to celebrate our anniversary! Overall, a perfect spot for date night with delicious food and drinks!

Didn't dine in. Didn't sit down. The food did all the talking on this delivery order. Needless to say, I was impressed. I'd been wanting to try this place for quite awhile, and being hungry and in full chill mode at mi casa made pulling the trigger the only logical move. BURRATA CAPRESE Fresh, creamy, and excellent. One of the better burratas I've had, and it still held up in delivery. UNI PASTA (ADDED BACON) Excellent flavor. The uni didn't fade, and the bacon add-on was automatic for me. Elevated it without overdoing it. MISO PICANHA STEAK Tender, flavorful, and cooked right. The potatoes kept some of their crisp and the egg held up better than expected. CAULIFLOWER Unfortunately the crunch didn't survive delivery, but the flavor made up for it. Really good. TRUFFLE CHEESE BREAD Saving the best for last. Crisp edges, soft center, and packed with flavor. Straight sensory satisfaction. Highly addictive. For being delivery, it came in looking unexpectedly fine. No mess, no drama, just arriving the way you hope it would. I'll be coming back, but next time will be INI, not outie.

Both the spicy miso carbonara and seafood malfadine were excellent but i would definitely go with the carbonara if you're going to choose only 1 dish. The interior is unique and really well put together, and the booth seating is worth waiting for since it fits the space nicely. Prices are reasonable, parking is easy, and the staff was welcoming. I'd recommend this spot for anyone looking for a solid place to grab lunch.

This is my second time eating here and it always impresses me from the dishes to the service. We got the summer menu with the Scallop Dashi Risotto and the Mala Lamb Pizza as well as the Watermelon and Prosciutto. Scallop Dashi Risotto 9/10 This is a flavorful dish that is savory and light. There is a slight taste of dashi with the rice and the scallop seared brings a nice smoky taste. The egg yolk also makes the dish creamy and the vinaigrette onion adds a slight tang. Watermelon and Prosciutto 9/10 A refreshing appetizer that is both sweet and nutty in flavor. The watermelon is the perfect addition to the prosciutto. The whipped ricotta with the balsamic vinegar is a creamy and yet tangy flavor. The spicy seed mix is a nice addition to the mix. Mala Lamb Pizza 8/10 The overall pizza is nice with a thin cheese portion to breading. The crème fraiche is not too overpowering with the lamb sausage. The Mala honey though is sweet with a slight kick which is also included in the pizza. It would be nice if there is more of a kick though. Friendly staff and lots of seating for hanging out/date night. There is also parking in the shared lot as well.

Located in a plaza with ample parking. The restaurant is clean and the ambiance is chill with chill music and lots of light as there are windows all over. There were all kinds of different people eating here and to my surprise it was not that busy as we walked straight in and seated right away. Restroom was clean. Amy, our waitress was very kind and polite. Yuzu Peach Refresher is a pretty good drink and just had to try it. Lychee Dragon Fruit Lemonade was a really good drink that is a must try. Calamari Fritti: Crispy but small pieces made it like potatoe chip crispy. Cheese Bread: This is good but kind of salty. Shrimp Rigatoni was ok but a bit spicy, the shrimp though was extra large. Veal Bolognese: This was actually pretty good and a must try. Prosciutto Burrata pizza was really good and fresh. Mama Lamb Pizza was another good one and a must try when you come here. Miso Picanha Steak: Had it cooked medium rare and though it was good, it is not worth it here as you are better off going to a steakhouse if you want steak. I just had to try it. Spicy Miso Carbonara: Not spicy as it had a slight kick to the sauce. The udon noodles does not do any justice. We can care less for this dish. For desert we tried we're in had the brownie, Yuzu Sorbet, Hazlenut Chocolate. The Hazlenut was the bomb and a must try! Overall this restaurant is a must try and we plan on coming back to try other things on the menu...the restaurant is really clean.

Came here for my sister in laws birthday, and it was really good! Everything has maintained its great quality and service since the last time I've been here. I've forgotten the name of these dishes, but the accompanying photos should help, all of them were pretty tasty, and cheesy to boot! You can't go wrong with anything here :)

Food was yummy and ambiance was very warm! Despite how busy they were on a Saturday night, the service was well paced. The seafood malfadine tasted super fresh and pasta was cooked perfectly. Spicy miso carbonara didn't disappoint! It was super savory and rich and actually had a good spice to it. Lastly, the mentaiko pizza was surprisingly tasty. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did but the flavors all worked really well together and didn't feel like an overload. Side note the yuzurita was such a good drink! It was slightly too sweet but the tanginess balanced it out. Overall I would come back!

This spot was suggested to me by a friend who had been here once. She said Japanese fusion pasta and I said let's go! We started with the calamari. It could've used a little more breading, but the pepperoncini added a nice saltiness to complement the marinara sauce. Spicy miso carbonara - this was my fave! It's actually really spicy and the spicier, the better for me! Might be too spicy for some though, so be warned. Very creamy, wish there were more mushrooms Seafood mafaldine - this was also divine. The tomato sauce is rich and creamy and pairs well with the seafood. Plus the pasta shape is fun I would not hesitate to come back. Would love to try the scallop risotto, but I came for brunch and it's a dinner only item. The mala lamb pizza looks great too. Too many good things I wanted to try! Service was veryyy quick! I think the appetizer came out in less than 10 minutes of ordering and the pasta shortly after. The servers are very friendly too. There's a nice ambiance, very large space with lots of tables. They do have an hour and a half time limit for walk ins, which is plenty of time.

The food is literally fantastic. There's nothing on the menu that isn't good. The bread is the absolute must get. Prosciutto pizza is good to the crust is just right The restaurant itself is so cute there's a tree in the middle of it and the booths are comfy. Servers are always good and knowledgeable

I've dined here twice already, the first time was a while ago then randomly ate here for a late lunch on Saturday (9/27). I have to say both times were pretty decent, food's good and service is okay.. it could be better tbh. I've tried the poke pizza (i remember enjoying it), spicy carbonara (mehhh), fries (fries is fries), watermelon salad (delish!!!) and chicken parm (really good). The watermelon salad is a MUST! Super refreshing and all the ingredients go so well together. Also really liked the chicken parm, it was still delicious even as a leftover, make sure to air fry the chicken, flavor is good! The restaurant is pretty big and can accommodate big parties, they take reservations too! Overall, this place is good. Not my fave but still deserve the 4 stars.

I'm not a big on the food here compared to my friends, but the service is really good. So far I've tried their seasonal duck dish, short rib pasta, and their sashimi pizza. The pizza is the only thing I'd get again. Tons of parking, easy to find.

You can never go wrong with INI. We have been here quite a few times and it never disappoints. The staff is always very friendly and provides great service. We tried a few new things that we had not seen on their menu before. We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the chicken katsu parmesan, it was huge! The cauliflower was excellent, the ginger and miso made it very fresh even though it is fried. The duck ragu was great, you can definitely tell they make their noodles fresh. The pumpkin yuzu cheesecake cocktail was delightful, you can taste all the elements and everything goes well with each other, we were a bit surprised by how strong it was. Definitely will be back soon.

Came here on a whim on a Saturday evening and it was a 20 min wait which wasn't too bad. But it's a safe bet to get a reservation if you can. There's lots of parking bc it's located in a large parking lot. Service was fast, we were approached right when we got seated. The interior is beautiful for the lights and tree in the center of the restaurant. We ordered 2 new summer menu items. The shrimp rigatoni was good, but I think the sauce was on the watery side. However, the shrimp was nice and charred and had good flavor. The scallop risotto was also delicious. I just wish there were more scallops on the dish! Overall, I would 100% recommend this restaurant!

Arrived on a Saturday around 8 pm, the wait was going to be about 45 min - 1 hr. We got seated within 30 minutes. We ordered the truffle bread, mala lamb pizza, shrimp miso rigatoni, uni pasta and some drinks. The truffle bread was ok, it was a bit too soaked in the truffle sauce. Bread was therefore soggy. Used to be better but maybe it was an off night. On the other hand, the mala lamb pizza was pretty good! I couldn't taste the mala in the pizza or the mala honey that came with it but the pizza was flavorful! The shrimp miso rigatoni was also delicious! I didn't taste the miso but the dish was also very flavorful. The uni pasta was my favorite but I got food poisoning from it. The piece of uni they used was a bit bitter and didn't seem fresh. I would order this with caution. The pasta was very flavorful though, creamy and rich. Had a strong uni flavor. As for drinks, we ordered the Sakura and the tropical drink. Both were very strong. I feel like their drinks are always so strong. Service was excellent and ambiance was nice. Would be a great date night spot! Parking is plenty and in a huge lot shared with other businesses.

I got the spicy miso carbonara and it was so savory and tasty! It had a good balance of creaminess without feeling too heavy. This dish is one of my favorites although it'd be nice if it had more protein. Other than that this dish is great! It is very filling

If you haven't tried INI yet, you're missing out! I usually order some form of seafood pasta whenever I come here. I've tried the Seafood Mafaldine and Shrimp Rigatoni Alla Rosa and both were amazing. The portions are huge so I always have enough for leftovers. The menu rotates often which is great for variety, but sad when your faves leave the menu (I still miss their delicious arancini). It can get busy around peak meal times, so I recommend making a reservation or joining the waitlist ahead of time.