Kanpai Sushi

This place is not just aesthetically pleasing, but they serve absolutely delicious sushi! Everything tastes very fresh. Service is great. I really don’t have any complaints about it and will continue to return here - especially for their lunch specials. You can get a sesame chicken combo with a California roll, soup and salad for under 15.00 - Can’t beat that!

Great, quick service, and staff is super friendly. The sushi is soooo good. Would definitely go again.

This is a good local sushi restaurant. The proprietor seems to know EVERYONE who comes in. That makes for a friendly atmosphere. The menu is quite good. I look forward to trying menu items beyond the creative sushi rolls.

This is amazing sushi. The calamari is a must try. It's incredible. The rolls are fresh and large portions. I go here every time I come to Orange County from Texas.

I ordered a draft beer, poke bowl, and fried calamari. Raw fish in the poke bowl are very fresh and cold while rice is warm. Fried calamari had only the meaty part of the calamari. If you like the small tentacles, they are not. It's fried to crispy. For me, it's too much for a meal so I ended up boxing half of the calamari home.

So good! We got there before it opened and they still had smiles and sat us anyway. They have, hands down, the best calamari. The rolls are fresh and large. Last time we went we shared the sweetheart roll and it blew me away. It felt like you got led down a culinary path of delight. LOL. We'll be coming back for a long time.

I went there yesterday and ordered two rolls. The food was okay. I have had better sushi else where. The food was dry. For the two rolls we ordered we only got a small amount of ginger. Overall it was an average place.

Second time here and we couldn’t be happier with what we got. Started with some sashimi appetizer and a cucumber salad (both amazing and super fresh), and ate some gyozas. The sauce that comes with it was to die for! The sushi was super delicious as well, and my boyfriend really loved the roll he got (pictured here). Also, the place is so beautifully decorated, the host and owner always friendly. We will for sure become regulars :)

Ok first off FOOD!!! Top notch and they always take good care w my order. We used to live quite close... now however, I'm 5 miles away not super convenient BUT IDK THIS IS MY PLACE AND THEY MAKE MY ORDER PERFECTLY EACH TIME!!! 2-4 X a week!!! Yes that's correct!!! You will NOT be disappointed and the waiters as well as the chefs are friendly!!! I feel like Norm at Cheers. Nuff Said?

Great little spot in the middle of the center. Service is quick and attentive. Every roll is pictured, but menu dose not reflect what is on the paper copy you give to the waiter so kind of a lapse there on what's available. Sushi tasted great was fresh rolls maybe a little on the smaller side but still great and delicious overall pleased with this spot and I'll be back.

Consistent predictable excellent quality of food and service. Clean and flexible table formations for larger parties. Family owned and operated. Staff cares about guest experience and friendly atmosphere makes for an enjoyable unrushed meal.

Really like this restaurant. Staff was knowledgeable on suggestions since we've never been there . Food was good and we enjoyed the atmosphere.

Out and about with this amazing crew! Laughter served with a side of deliciousness - our favorite combo! Cheers to good times and even better bites! My favorites: Octopus salad Spicy Calamari Unagi (Eel)

This has been a family favorite for years! We bring family and friends here all the time. Not to mention our immediate family for all occasions. Everything is literally amazing!!

Lots of sushi options and freshly being made out in the open. The place is neat and clean. Love that they have the seaweed salad, edamame, and soft shell crab for appetizers. It seems that the picture/description on their menu doesn't match what sushi you get, though. Since we were in a hurry, I didn't bother asking our server, who was very accommodating and warm. We placed 2 orders for the green tea ice cream and each one of us had a scoop - I think they gave us more for free!

Been going to this place for years and they are fabulous! Extra kind and friendly to my son and now he loves going there and wants to eat there everyday. Very family friendly

Visited this afternoon for lunch with a friend. Service was fantastic - super thoughtful and kind, right there when something was needed. Sushi was very good - nigiri super fresh, Sweet shrimp with fried heads as well We will be back -

I've been here 3 times, just found out about it. Great atmosphere, good sushi and 1st class service. This is my new Sushi Spot.

Been here many times, always good, but Wednesday 11/13/24 I ordered a spicy tuna roll. Four hours later I got violently ill. Vomiting & diarrhea, I don't think I can go back.

Outstanding fresh fish, wonderful staff and ambience. Always a good time at the sushi bar and the music is awesome as well, doesn't get better than this fabulous establishment to enjoy quality Japanese food. Thank you so much, Tom & Joslyn for your attention to every detail with respect to your guests, Janet and I will see you again soon! ~Julie

Great quality service and food. This place is a longtime staple and is a consistent safe option for a great time.

Kanpai by far the best sushi in the area. Tom and Nerio are engaging and attentive to the clientele. The fish is fresh, prepared beautifully, and the restaurant is comfortable and clean. The chefs and staff truly provide service with a smile. We would eat here every day if we could!

The location of this spot is neat, the doors were open and there was some live music outside that set a fun mood. I have had better sushi and a yummier selection for fish varieties, however the orders I made were fresh, simple, and satisfying. The service is friendly here, although I wish they could customize their rolls or let you "edit" what you pick.

First sushi spot I tried in the Aliso Viejo. Sushi is pretty good. I've had better but will I come back yes. The service was amazing. Tom was great. Sashimi platter was pretty big for the dinner price. Rolls are clean!

Stopped in for lunch. Not a picky eater. Tried what looked like a good deal on a lunch special. Sashimi The salmon had a ton of fat on one side, not buttery like otoro. Hard fat. The yellow tail was rock hard. Wish I could give a place that appeared clean and in a good location a good review but it was not appetizing. Perhaps they gave me the bad cuts for lunch. Probably won't come back to try that theory.

It's been a while since we'd visited Kanpai in Town Centre. The street walk was recently removed and we're back to having parking spaces again, which is miserable because people never show courtesy to allow a person to get into a spot since it's a tight 3 point turn, especially if someone is backing out on the adjacent side. My wife and I wanted to get it to go, but decided to go in. Nereo was our server and made the night even the more special. We walked in and the place was almost empty. And as soon as we were seated 5 or 6 separate parties got seated. I was worried that we wouldn't have our order taken before everyone that came in after us, so I was about to lose it. Instead of waiting I just went over and told Nereo what was going on and made sure he knew how I felt and he took care of it. Gave him our order that I'd filled out. Much credit to him because had it gone the other way it would have been the last time I'd be there. First in first out. It gets under my skin when restaurants don't pay attention to that. But the customer should get up and not assume it will get taken care of because these folks are busy. About the food and service. From the sushi, tuna, albacore, yellow tail, spicy tuna hand roll, crunch roll, and Tataki roll, to the miso soup and garlic edamame - it was all perfect. I can't believe how quickly the food came out. And our left over was boxed up for us. Nereo also spent some time having a nice conversation with us. I really enjoyed everything and look forward to being back. The only suggestion I have is to have fresh wasabi which is the cut up wasabi vs the paste. I was surprised they didn't have that. It's usually on the menu of other sushi places for an additional $3.50 or so. Thank you Nereo for great service that night. See you soon. If you haven't been to Kanpai, you should.

I come here on my lunch break. The gentleman that work here are so nice my food is always fresh and ready when I get there. I highly recommend this sushi spot

Great food, great value, great service. Good sized cuts of fresh fish. Ordered combo sushi/sashimi and chirashi don. The large hot sake was bigger than typical "large"! Prices are good. Will definitely come back next time in OC!

Very average sushi restaurant. Came here for dinner one night and got a whole bunch of rolls to share with our group. We were able to get a table outside on a warm summer day, so it was very nice. The food took a while to come out. The rolls were OK, nothing spectacular to rave about. Just decent three-star average sushi place. Service was OK, got a little spotty at times. Bathrooms are clean. Big parking lot for the mall, you can park pretty close to the restaurant and cut through. A bit pricey for what you get.

Sexy roll and Yoshi roll super clean, never disappoints, good local spot for dine in or take out

Sushi and service were amazing! Definitely coming back. Make sure you get there early to beat the lunch crowd.

For the price this sushi is FANTASTIC We have got take out from there a few times a month during Covid and the seafood is always fresh, and the boxes are nicely presented. Their soft shell crab roll is fab! The only reason I can't give five stars is because I have had better sushi. But as I said for the price it's really fantastic

Amazing!!!!! Love the food and the service is spectacular!! The ambiance is very relaxing as well!!

The sushi was good but one of the pieces of sushi had a piece of plastic on it. That was really gross. But my partner convinced me that this place has been nothing but top tier experiences for her.

First time here. Busy place, not a lot of seating waited for them to clear and separate a big table into several smaller ones. Friendly staff. 1. Garlic edamame - excellent 2. Tempura - shrimp and a lot of various veggies. Probable the best tempura I've had. Comes in a cone holder with dipping sauce on both sides so we each got our own sauce - cool. Highly recommend this dish. 3. Tornado roll, spicy yellowtail hand roll, cucumber roll (can't remember the name but it was wrapped in cucumber instead of seaweed). They use imitation crab here which I don't like. The rolls were just ok. Server was friendly. Food came out fresh and quick. Water refills were plentiful and didn't have to ask.

Been going to Kanpai for about 18 years now and love it! How have I not left a review sooner?!?! Great quality and yummy rolls! My husband an dI generally go for lunch and enjoy it a lot. Good service and simple ambiance.

A local gem.... The staff is super friendly and takes good care of us. I love the tuna tataki and the sashimi roll. Often times they are busy and new customers get impatient or rude... If you can't appreciate FRESH made to order food takes a minute... Chill. It's worth the wait. Outdoor and indoor seating is now available as well as to go. Many nights during the pandemic I would call in a to go order and not once did they forget anything or give out smaller portions (like many places do with to go orders) If your HUNGRY and want good ... Stop by and remember to park in the back. There is a convenient breezeway right in the middle of the building to get to Kanpai

Delicious sushi, but terrible wait times (even ordering ahead on phone-- was told 40 minutes, waited 1.5+ hrs), and very poor customer service. We love the food, but cannot pay over $100 for subpar service.

We highly recommend Kanpai Sushi! We have visited this restaurant for 4 years and have never had a bad meal!! We love the owners and staff. They made us feel like family. You've got to try this place! You won't regret it! We are sad we are leaving the area and we will really miss them and the excellent food!

Soft shell crab was interesting. Super thick breading, juicy innards that werent sopping wet or super fresh tasting. They give you a sizeable amount, even if the legs have heavy breading. Still enjoyable. The baked scallops were good for what they were. Creamy, with a still noticeable fishy taste. The sashimi roll was actually really good. Their uni is not fresh. Their mackeral was decent. This is the typical suburban sushi spot that does their best but arent trying to wow anyone with the distributer they use.

One of our favorites and weekly go to's! Kanpai never fails to deliver, the albacore lovers roll is exceptional and the crunch roll is amazing. Always coming back for more and is the only place in Aliso we will have sushi from! :)

Fresh and delicious sushi! My friend does not eat spicy food and I love spicy food... The chef replaced the spicy tuna with fresh tuna and served the jalapeños of the Cabo's Roll on the side to accommodate our preferences. The food was delicious and the service was prompt. On a different occasion, I had their baked appetizer... Definitely order that too. I recommend this restaurant and will certainly come back for more goodness.

Perfect sushi! Love the interior and taste. Tuna and Philadelphia were the best:) Coke does refill! Everything was pretty fast

Went here for the first time and never coming back. One of the waiters kept looking directly down my shirt with a smile on his face, even though i was with my boyfriend. He kept doing it, even when I was looking directly at him. He did it 3 times!!!!!! Food was alright but that one staff member makes me NEVER want to come back. I felt so uncomfortable and unsafe. He should not be able to work with women!!!!!!!

Amazingly fresh sushi and great service. I have been going here for years and have never been disappointed. The 911 roll is outstanding.

Love this place. Quality ingredients, good people, a menu that keeps us coming back. When I first moved to the area, I asked my neighbors for restaurant recommendations. This was one they agreed on, and now I recommend it as well. I know there are multiple fancy sushi places in Irvine but this is a clear winner for a neighborhood go-to place.

Food was so yummy and the service was unmatched! The hostess was so sweet helping me with my to go order and the food came out quickly!

Been here two times, first time was great the second time not so much. My second visit turned into a stomach and intestinal problem due to food that was apparently old. I haven't been back since and I find that sad because I really love Sushi. Service was great in both instances and the environment is very pleasing. Just be careful with any Sushi restaurant, spoiled fish could ruin your day!

I just love this restaurant! We come here regularly and have introduced friends to it. They love it just as much as I do. Everyone that works here is super nice and helpful. The food is delicious! Can't say enough positive words about this location! Bravo and keep up the great work!!!

I work up the street and have been overlooking this place. Their lunch special lives up to its name. The miso soup, choice of meet, rice, salad and four sushi pieces is incredibly filling. TVs there for a fun lunch ambiance. I've really liked each time I've gone.

Came here for lunch on a Sunday. Place wasn't busy and got seated right away. Host was pleasant and patient. I love miso soup and when i looked at the lunch menu out did not mention what the entree comes with so ordered from the side orders. The host mentioned that all lunch items comes with salad, tempura and soup! Hubby got their sushi mix $11(4 pc sushi and 8 pc CA roll) and I got their spicy teriyaki $9. Service was fast. Salad was fresh and had spinach, cucumber and lettuce. Loved both soup and salad. Sushi arrived and had 1pc of tuna, salmon, white fish and shrimp. CA roll was good. Portion size was pretty good for teriyaki. I didn't find the food spicy at all. It was sweet but overall good. Tempura was yummy and not oily at all. Would definitely try this place again for my Japanese food fix.

Subpar sushi, poor poor service, unfriendly staff. We waited over 45 minutes for our food and watched table after table that came after us get served and get food. Finally, when the food arrived, no apologies, no smile. The fish itself was subpar. You know it's poor quality salmon when it's the same colour as smoked salmon, when it is supposed to be fresh. It's a shame, we love sushi and usually go to Zen sushi, but since this was closer to home, we gave it a try. Very very disappointing experience. I DO NOT recommend this place at all.

I'm just not a fan. Employees were all very polite and attentive. The sushi is just ok. I did enjoy the salmon and the yellow tail - those two fish were delicate and tasty. The others....meh...not so much. Tasted as if the fish wasn't bad just older-ish. I may try one more time to confirm but I am a little apprehensive....as it involves me eating what may be old(er) fish.

Hands down best sushi in the area! The Cabo roll is our favorite. The garlic edamame and dumplings are sooo good!

Friendly staff, prompt service, always accommodating. Great sushi. We feel like family while we are eating.

The Sushi was the worst EVER!!! TOOK 15 MINUTES to locate waiter to get check. I can not believe this restaurant is as crowded as it was...

This is our go to spot when the rain hits! Their udon tempura is fantastic and the portions are very generous! It is always fresh, hot and ready when they state the pick up time!