Omakase by Gino

We had a lovely experience yesterday evening at our omakase! Thank you so much for the DELICIOUS food. This was our first omakase and we loved the experience and all the dishes! The fish was mouthwatering and melted in your mouth!

Gino is always great. His sushi is top tier, one of the best! A must try if you love omakase.

Great food. Small table for 10 (we had 8). Service was great for a 2 person gig. If you haven’t gone. Go. Well Be back for another treat soon.

What a lovely chef, and an unbelievable meal. This was one of the best restaurant experiences I’ve had in my entire life. The service was attentive, the food thoughtful and inspired, the atmosphere comfortable and clean. On its own, the menu was incredible. Every single plate was well-described and beautifully prepared. I may never recover. And Gino… was LOVELY. I have met many chefs, and dined in fine-dining/Michelin-quality restaurants around the world. This was a superior experience. Gino was knowledgeable, kind, and friendly in a way that is truly rare. We would have come back for the food alone, but Gino made it a memory and an experience. He also personally (and kindly) chased us down to return my purse — the food was so good that I completely forgot it. Thank you — from a couple of new Canadian transplants who felt infinitely welcomed and well-fed.

Had an incredible dinner at Omakase (a Japanese meal consisting of dishes selected by the chef) by Gino. Reservations are a must because they’re usually booked up at least 2 months in advance. Everything was amazing from the appetizers, to the sushi, sashimi, and last but not least the deserts. My pics are out of order and didn’t take a photo of all the dishes but can’t wait to come back for more.

WOW! Best omakase sushi I have ever had! This place did not disappoint! Gino is welcoming and very efficient. He makes his own soy sauce from 6 month aged Spanish mackerel! What?!?! I left full and happy! If you love sushi and are a foodie I would highly recommend this place! Very worth the hype!

Mark your calendars for the second Sunday of every month at 10am. This is when reservations open up for Omakase by Gino and I highly recommend you try and get in. Every course was beautifully and creatively crafted with the freshest fish and finest ingredients. Everytime I thought I had a favorite, a new dish would come out. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just want to treat yourself, this is the spot.

The food is good but some dishes repeated so I didn't feel the great performance. Taste is ok comparing with the price but don't think I will come back.

This is the most perfect dining experience I have ever had!!! I loved every single dish, some more than others! Gino's service was excellent! He was warm, accommodating and put on a great chef show! I loved the ambiance. Nothing extravagant but feels like you are in an authentic Japanese spot in Tokyo! Make sure to make reservations a month before your desired date. Chef Gino opens reservations once a month and spots fill up fast. Make sure to follow Omakase by Gino on IG to get the latest updates and announcements

I've been meaning to try OmG since I heard about it from some friends when I first moved down here but reservations were extremely hard to get. Luckily I was able to get one for my girlfriend's birthday. First off, I don't know how Gino doesn't have a Michelin star here. I'm actually in awe. The food alone deserves a star but Gino made the whole experience so personable and fun. This was probably the closest thing to an omakase in Japan. When you walk into OmG, it reminds you of a Japanese izakaya. It's dim but well lit enough. There are only 10 seats when I went and there's only the sushi bar where Gino serves you. The entire omakase was 12 courses and normally I leave ok full but after OmG I was STUFFED. You can check out my pictures for what we got. Gino spends so much time prepping all his fishes, it's no wonder the cost is $250 a person. It's definitely worth the price though if you're a big sushi fan. I hope to come back and try the new dishes Gino comes up with. He said the menu never rotates and it's always some new he cooks up with. Michelin Guide give this man a star!!!

After multiple canceled reservations due to various circumstances, my wife was finally able to secure us a reservation for OmG for my birthday. So my word of advice to anyone interested in trying out OmG is to set multiple alarms on the 2nd Sunday of the month to make sure you get your desired reservation for the following month because it gets sold out within a few hours - unless you're willing to dine solo. Upon entering, we were intrigued by all of the decor within the restaurant. There was no common theme but everything was so quirky yet meshed together so well. There was a specific set of placards that we were trying to decode with the couple sitting next to us - we thought it represented the zodiac but saw repeat animals so we gave up on trying to understand haha As for the food, we opened up the meal with the Ikura and Yuzu Cream with Asian Pear which was the perfect opening act for the night to come. Our meal consisted of around 20 or so dishes which I was in too in the moment to recall the exact selection of fish we were served that night. It was nice to find out that he purposefully opens the store Wed - Sat to guarantee that he has the best Japanese fish available to accommodate for any hiccups in delivery. Each dish was skillfully crafted and you can tell that Gino is a master of his art. Everything from the soy sauce, misos, and vinegar is all made or grown by Gino and/or his wife so it's amazing to see how dedicated he is to his craft. The man seemed so happy to share his story with us throughout the night and it was a great two hour experience understanding how he got into the sushi business and the type of struggles he endured maintaining his restaurant throughout the pandemic. Also, keep in mind that my wife typically hates sushi with a passion but our experience at OmG finally altered her brain chemistry haha The price point may be hefty, but I assure you that it's worth every single penny. Because compared to other omakase spots I've tried, I feel like I had the most complete experience here at OmG where everything from ambiance, service, and food was at a perfect balance. Other omakases I've been to might have had more stand out dishes but they would oftentimes lack in engagement or other areas. Although there are other omakase spots that I haven't had a chance to try yet, I wouldn't mind putting my journey on a slight pause if it means I could dine with Gino a few more times because that's how much I enjoyed it. Hope to be back here soon to try the Fall/Winter menu(s)!

My husband and I have been coming here many times now since Gino first opened his amazing restaurant 6 years ago. We come as often as we have childcare which is unfortunately only about 4 times a year. Omakase by Gino is not only my favorite restaurant in Orange County AND my favorite omakase restaurant AND my favorite sushi restaurant but it is also my favorite restaurant EVER! Like of all time! And I used to live in London and eat at a ton of Michelin starred restaurants but Omakase by Gino is my all time favorite! The reason is that he has a variety of signature dishes that we look forward to keep coming back to and he also is constantly innovating and adding new creative seasonal dishes. All of the fish (sourced directly from Japan!) and ingredients are top notch and delicious! We love it here and I can't wait for my next reservation next month for my birthday!

Omakase by Gino offers an exceptional dining experience. There's limited seating with an intimate setting to ensure an immersive meal. Gino himself is the sole chef, meticulously crafting each course with precision and passion. Gino imports the fish directly from Japan and someone picks it up from LAX. Throughout the meal, he provides insightful commentary on each fish, detailing when it's in season and its unique characteristics. The presentation of each dish highlights the artistry involved in sushi making. The multi-course meal is comprehensive so you're able to savor a wide variety of flavors and textures. At $250 per person before tax and tip, the experience is worth every penny for the quality and detail provided. This omakase is a must-try for sushi lovers seeking an unforgettable experience.

Great intimate omakase to try in Orange County. The chef is very friendly and tries to explain each dish. Only negative is that it is in downtown Santa Ana so the area is a bit sketchy. But the food and service was worth it. They release reservation a month at a time.

I came here for my boyfriend's birthday on Wednesday for the later 8pm seating. The restaurant has two seatings a night for 10 guests Wednesday through Sunday. It is bar seating to watch Gino prepare our dishes. The restaurant is small, intimate, and cozy, a little hidden on the street. There was only one waitress, and she was very sweet. There is only one omakase to order, and the dishes change every so often. The omakase is $225 per person which is crazy in my opinion but that's the price around here. The fish quality was amazing, and we loved experimenting different fishes and preparation techniques. There were 20 dishes, and a nice variation of sashimi, nigiri, and Gino's unique creations. The flavors were simple, clean yet delicious, and really allowed the fish to shine. We were just about full at the end, not too full but definitely satisfied. Overall, OmG is a special place to celebrate with loved ones. I'm still iffy about whether is it worth the $225 pp before tax and tip, but for a special occasion to try out somewhere my boyfriend has been wanting to then sure.

My girlfriend and I came here for an early Valentine's Day celebration after trying to make reservations for a few months (hint: they open up reservations for the following month on the second Sunday of every month at 10AM PST. Make sure to have a Resy account already made!) The food, as expected, was phenomenal with only a couple courses that were "misses" in our opinion. The otoro, which we were really looking forward to trying, missed the mark completely as the piece of fish my girlfriend and I were served were very "tendon-y" and hard to chew. The same goes for a couple of the other courses, but were less noticeable. Another thing that didn't fit our palette was the sprinkle of salt on every piece of sushi that was served, kind of over powering taste wise. Our favorite dish was the black truffle Uni udon, which was filled with flavor! It was a toss up between the udon, red fish in pictures below, panna cotta, and Uni/scallop. The interior is very cute and the service is attentive! Overall, I don't think this justifies the price tag ($225/pp before tax, tip, and drinks) but it was nice to finally try.

Fantastic experience and Chef Gino is very funny and a delight to talk to. He shared his stories while also showing off his excellent abilities. We got to see him cut, slice, and prepare everything at the bar. You share an L shape bar with 9-10 customers at a time and honestly, everyone was pretty nice and fun to talk to. We all found out that Chef Gino crafted the bar and a lot of his plates/dishes by himself or with family at a pottery place. His restaurant was very homey and comfortable, especially knowing he handcrafted so much of it. It's a good amount of food but I was comfortably full, not stuffed. Chef Gino explains each dish thoroughly so it was nice to know what you're eating. His dishes were pretty on par with a lot of delicious omakases I've had in the past. I definitely recommend this experience for anyone looking for a good time. Logistics: There's meter street parking or the parking structures. It's in front of a busy street so drop off is difficult. Reservations for the next month do come out on the 2nd Sunday of the month. So I was on Resy exactly at 9:59am Sunday morning of January to book my February reservation. It's not too difficult to book as long as you're on time. Check his Instagram for more information.

I managed to snag reservations with OmG on resy after getting on their waitlist. Reservations open at 10 AM the second Sunday of the month for the next month so be quick otherwise you'll need to get on the waitlist! Walking into the cozy and warm restaurant, you're greeted by the hostess and the chef. You're seated at the chefs table so you can see Chef Gino work his magic and craft his wonderful dishes for the night. I really loved Chef Gino's explanation of all the different fish and it was really nice hearing about his journey to being a sushi chef. He made a lot of the plates and drink ware that are used in the restaurant so that just makes the omakase feel extra special. Pacing for the night was very nice and there were a lot of dishes served that night. If you're a fan of uni, you are in for quite the treat! The scallop and uni course was phenomenal! You definitely get an enjoyable amount of food from the omakase so don't eat any snacks before! Overall I'm so glad I was able to dine here. I would definitely come back again to try out the offerings in the spring, summer, and winter. Many many kudos to Chef Gino and crew for the amazing night!

What an experience!!! You have to set your alarms to get a reservation here. They really swoop up in 5 minutes. Worth the wait! It's a nice intimate location in santa ana, very welcoming. Around 20 little dishes ranging from oysters to fresh soft trumpet fish. It's definitely something to experience once. Gino was great and very very detailed with every piece. You'll leave full! Our reservations were for 8pm, and ended around 10:30pm, so make sure to book accordingly!

Chef Gino did not disappoint! This intimate 10 seats dining establishment is a dining experience that everyone should experience at least once. Here are some of the pics that I tried to capture and I will say the pics do not do justice as each course was well presented and the whole experience is a symphony of umami. His choice of the 20 course meal was well planned and you will leave bursting at the seam. Plan well ahead as Gino only accepts reservations on Resy, and the reservation opens only once a month, for seating the following month. But it is well worth the wait! The $250 pp may seem to be a sticker shock at first, but in reality, it is well worth it.

Gino was awesome and the food was delicious. This was probably the best omakase experience I've had in the states. He has 2 dinner times and my group of ten people booked the 8PM slot. It was a nice intimate dinner between close friends and the service was impeccable. I always had my water cup filled and never had an empty sake glass. The course was set at $225 per person but I forgot the total since we kept ordering drinks and there was a service charge plus tax. Everything was delicious and I licked the plates clean (literally). Some of the sauces that Gino makes were so tasty that I requested some rice to help me finish any leftover sauce. He gave me a giant ball of rice during the middle of our course as a joke. It was a lot of food. We got a starter, chawanmushi, some uni pasta, soup, scallop, a sashimi platter and 9 to 10 pieces of nigiri. I wish I could post more photos. Highly recommend if you can book a reservation which can be made on Resy.

Finally! We were able to try the much touted Omakase by Gino! Let me tell you, Gino DID NOT disappoint! Everything was well thought out and intricately prepared. It was a night of deliciousness! I'm not big into sashimi and nigiri, but OMG changed that and ruined everything else, haha! Everything from the sea bream, salmon, and bluefin tuna (just to name a few) was buttery and prepped to perfection. Also, their chosen chawanmushi for that night, delicioso! To top it off, the OG Uni Truffle Pasta! Que magnifique! No complaints, all highlights! Thank you, Gino, for such a wonderful and delicious first time omakase experience! *This is a definite must try! Reservations are released a month prior. Get yours in ASAP!*

Late review but my bf and I came to Gino's in July for his bday. I managed to get super lucky with a last minute reservation and the experience was well-worth it. We are both huge fans of sashimi and sushi so this was the dream. Gino is a master with his knife skills, and his art and presentation is truly amazing. All the dishes were beautiful and delicious, and the fish was extremely buttery. Gino graciously accommodated my food preference, which I was so thankful for! Definitely a special occasion kind of meal but so worth the money. Only 10 seats at a time so I advise turning on the email notifications for any open reservations last minute!

My boyfriend made a reservation here for my birthday and it was amazing!! The whole set up and area is so nice and it feels like we were actually in Japan. There were constant refills in drinks. I got the hot matcha and I drank around 4 cups at least! The food was amazing, I have no complaints. The fish is fresh and very well taken care of. The oyster was my favorite. It was so good that I was tearing up a bit from happiness. The uni pasta with truffle was also amazing. It was the perfect touch of cheesy flavor with the uni. It was also my first time seeing an actual whole truffle get shaved down! All Chef Gino's sushi is very well prepared and served nicely for you. It didn't have super overpowering fish/sea water taste and it melts in your mouth. He is very open about where he gets his fish and making conversation :) HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!!

Late review but my boyfriend and I came to celebrate our anniversary and we absolutely loved our experience and the food here! Chef Gino really puts a lot of thought into each dish and you can really tell. I liked how we didn't just get all nigiri for the omakase. When we came, the omakase was $200 pp but I believe it has gone up now. Reservations were a little hard to get but follow his Instagram for instructions and keep trying! It's definitely worth it. It's perfect for a cute date night or to celebrate a special occasion. There's a parking lot right next to the restaurant.

Quality of fish 10+/10 Service 10+/10 Ambiance 10+/10 Experience priceless! Michelin, give this impeccable chef, Gino, stars!

5/5 An overwhelmingly delicious and intimate omakase experience with Gino. We had 20 different dishes and each one so finely crafted right in front of your eyes. I could attempt to review each bite but they were all so unique and wonderful that there's no need to. There's only about space for 10 people at this bar which made it seem just so much more exclusive. It's just Gino and one server. The preparation and presentation of each dish is a whole journey in itself. There are small touches like how the ceramic dishes are all unique because he (and his wife) makes it themselves! You can tell he really cares about the authenticity and craft of everything. A reservation wasn't terribly difficult if you have alerts for openings and I was able to find one a couple weeks out. Be sure to be there a few minutes early too! If you're ever going to spend $250 a person (including tax), Gino will take care of you and it'll be totally worth it. Come here for a special occasion and it'll be an unforgettable experience (unless you have $200+ dinners regularly) Food: 10/10 Service: 9/10 Vibes: 9/10 Value: 7/10

Consider how difficult it is to get reservations for this place - I had high expectation of OmG but somehow fell short. Everything was OK but nothing was WOW... glad that I finally got to try though.

Thank you so much for such an incredible experience. We had a wonderful time and will cherish the memories forever.

This is the second time my wife and I have had a dinner date here with Chef Gino , and he never disappoints! If you're a sushi lover , I beg you please try OMG. Thank you Chef Gino and we will see you again sir !

The food here is very delicious. Every bite is flavorful and special. It is a quiet restaurant so good place to take friends if you want to have a conversation. Not easy to get a reservation.

My cousin and I have been dying to try OmG by Gino for ages! She's been following his IG since he first got started and I've been a longtime fan of DtF's Kaori (where Gino used to be head chef before he left to open OmG) so I was psyched when we finally got these much sought after reservations for my birthday. These seats can be pretty tough to get since he only offers two seatings in his 10-seat L-shaped bar per night. Reservations open one month in advance on the 2nd Sunday at 10am (plus or minus a couple min, so be ready!) The vast majority of seafood is sourced from Tokyo's Toyosu Fish Market. What particularly stood out was the amount of prep work that allowed Chef Gino to basically serve the entire 20-course meal on his own to our group of 10, with the assistance of just one server. The pacing of the meal felt smooth and natural, and it was easy to appreciate the impeccable quality of each and every ingredient, as well as how meticulously everything was prepared - from the aged bluefin and home-brewed soy sauce aged with mackerel for half a year to the young ginger specially ordered from Japan (only available for 2 weeks out of the year) and pickled several months in advance. I've been to my fair share of omakase, but there's something about sitting in front of a chef, watching the painstaking assembly of each course and hearing the in-depth process behind every dish that adds an element of anticipation and elevates it from a simple meal to an immersive dining experience. Our 18 course dinner included: -- Ikura and yuzu cream with Asian pear -- Hokkaido scallop in ponzu jelly with caviar -- Sea eel with pureed honey nut squash = my first time trying saltwater eel, which tends to be firmer and thicker than freshwater unagi but was simmered in such a way that softened all the bone fibers, imparting a delicate sweetness to match the squash -- Black cod* - the epitome of salt/fat/acid/heat with the acidity and sweetness from plum tomatoes, citrus kick from the yuzu foam and mild spiciness of the Japanese water pepper leaves~ -- Lobster chawanmushi with trout roe -- Sashimi platter with white halibut, wild sea bream, otoro* -- Uni udon with Spanish black summer truffle = the only disappointing dish, as I felt the uni was too fishy and not very fresh tasting - though the thatch of truffles added a delectable earthiness to the noodles -- Sea perch (akamatsu) -- Golden fin sea bream (itayori) = almost too pretty to eat -- Sea trout -- Aged marinated bluefin tuna -- Striped jack (shima aji)* = loved the yuzu kosho (salt-fermented chiles w yuzu zest) accent piece on top -- Sweet snapper with shiitake and kombu broth -- Otoro with sturgeon caviar - unabashedly decadent -- Smoked Spanish mackerel (sawara) -- Miyazaki A5 wagyu -- Tamago with Japanese sea bream and tiger shrimp* - fluffy and flavor-packed with a deliciously caramelized crust that set a high standard by which I will now judge all tamago moving forward -- Panna cotta * = notable faves Personal highlights for me were the whitefish+otoro sashimi platter (notably served with green tea sea salt instead of soy sauce to avoid overpowering the delicate white fishes) and sea bream-shrimp infused tamago with its deliciously caramelized egg crust. I really enjoyed sampling the three different kinds of roe (salmon, trout, sturgeon) and overall the large variety of Japan-sourced fish. It was also pretty entertaining to watch Chef's artful knife skills and blowtorching and evident that each dish was intentionally crafted with careful thought into the flavor and texture pairings, such that the end products felt like mini culinary pieces of art. Overall, while I had a wonderful time here and thoroughly enjoyed this intimate dining experience, I wouldn't say it's worth the hefty price tag. While the quality of the ingredients is definitely top notch, there weren't many courses that were particularly inventive or mind-blowing enough to justify the ever-increasing post-COVID prices (originally started at $105, now at $225 pp). However, if you have extra cash to splurge, OmG is still a unique and memorable experience in OC fine dining worth checking off your omakase scratch card.

My boyfriend made reservations 1.5 months before our dinner and we've been waiting patiently for the day. I've been trying to get reservations myself for months but I haven't had the golden touch. I believe you should have a resy account first before even trying. We just had our dinner last night. We parked in the Structure next door. Normally, parking there is $5/day unless there's some event going on. I believe there was a cycle event (very fun to hear and see, btw) and added to our ambiance of the night. Chef Gino takes his time explaining the dishes after he makes the food and also puts great attention to detail. It's a very intimate setting, 10 people max, and his server and him attend to each one. Every dish was delicious. We had about 20, plus 2 desserts. A guest brought in a birthday cake for her partner and shared it with everyone. It was such a sweet and lovely gesture. Now that I've finally dined here, I can say that I've eaten with Chef Gino more than 20 years ago at one of his restaurants in Fullerton and his skill and serving has only improved in artistry and flavor so incredibly since. Back then, he served family style Japanese food and it was still very high quality and delicious stuff. I went once a week for a year dining there. I have very fond memories of my year there and wish I hadn't had to move to LA and could have continued eating there. Chef Gino, my boyfriend and I agree that we will be seeing you again another day, another month, in the future. Thank you for taking that special care and feeding us! We were very full afterward. Normally, I go for some froyo afterward but I couldn't, I was just so full and couldn't even fathom the idea of consuming more food. Bf took pictures to post in our group chat and gloat. I sat and took in the pretty view and ate with delight. Some good stuff. Yes, expensive as everyone else has mentioned. I've had $120 omakases elsewhere where they limited it to 6 dishes. I've had $180 omakases elsewhere where I added some tacos from a truck afterward to fill up my appetite more. Gino's serving and time was absolutely perfect for us. Thank you again!!

O.M.G...I am soo glad I found this place and got to experience the OmGino experience! Definitely on my top list to take special guests for special occasions! There are only 10 seats per seating (5:30pm and 8:30pm) and you have to have a reservation or they won't even let you come inside. The menu was delicately orchestrated, from the timing, the selection, and the service. It was $225pp (so worth it). I can't wait to come back when I am in town!

An amazing experience! Gino just brings course after course of astounding flavors and is extremely delightful. The reservationwas tricky to get, but 100% worth the wait. Get there now.

Hands down the best sushi omakase in Southern California. Service is top notch, with just Gino and his helper they deliver an out of this world sushi omakase experience. Everything from the jazz music playing in the back round, to having them fold your napkins as you get up to go to the restroom. High quality top notch food. Reservations are worth the struggle to make as this is an unforgettable experience you have to try. Thanks again Gino for the preparation, food and hospitality.

I've been here 2 times so far, and both times have been absolutely amazing! Chef Gino does a great job describing the dishes, and creates a warm ambiance. Reservations through Resy are required, and depending on party size it can be difficult. The experience is absolutely worth the price!

Twice!!! First with me and wifey... Then recently, the wifey and our 16-yr old who loves sushi. TLDR - this place ruined my/our taste buds. So far, no other omakase we have tried comes close... And with 19~ items - absolutely good value for the price!!!

Solid Omakase spot and Chef Gino is so personable as well as a wonderful chef. I brought my boyfriend here for his birthday and we had a great time! Watching the different dishes created in front of us was fun and I was excited to see what did he'd make next. The restaurant is small and intimate as it only fits 8 customers at a time. I loved the variety of cooked dishes to raw nigiri and the presentation of every dish was beautiful and well-executed. My favorites have to be the Uni Udon with truffle as well as the torched Wagyu Nigiri. Words won't do the meal justice but I did take pictures of every course. One con was that at the end of the meal I did find myself wishing that there was more variety in the nigiri - all of the different fishes tasted similar. There is a huge parking lot right around the corner for really cheap (think we only paid like 75 cents for the 2 hours). Overall, a great experience and I'd definitely recommend trying it at least once! For the price point of $200 per person, it is worth it especially for a special occasion.

This is our second time going here and it is still one of our favorite sushi places in socal. The bluefin tuna here is probably the best we've ever tasted: soft, buttery, and packed with flavor. I still find it amazing and unique how Gino can serve 8+ people by himself when I usually see about 2-3 chefs at other places. He gives great and detailed descriptions of each fish, as well as sharing interesting stories throughout the dinner.

After reading the countless reviews hyping up OMG I knew I had to try to get a reservation - and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be! (Or maybe I got lucky, who knows?) First off, location wise it's in Santa Ana close to a parking structure with a lot of parking. Me and the SO scored a later seating so parking at the structure was easy. The restaurant is right around the corner from the structure. Now the food: the food was delicious overall, but didn't give me that "WOW that's delicious" reaction. A few of the dishes fell short for me, namely the steamed egg and the uni pasta. The steamed egg didn't have a lot of flavor. The uni pasta was different temperatures and a bit clunky. He puts fresh uni right on top of the pasta which is nice, but the big difference between the warm pasta and cold uni was just weird for me. I hate to compare, but I was expecting something similar in taste to the uni pasta served at n/naka. (THAT one was the best I've had.) To put it a different way, the quality of the ingredients was top notch, but there was nothing super special about the flavors. It's still a solid omakase spot and I'll come back (especially for this price point and the quantity - the rolls are bigger than other omakase places I've tried recently).

Such a wonderful and beautiful experience I had with Gino. Plates were presented beautifully and its taste was absolute. Thank you Gino for providing me and my party with a pleasant evening.

5/5 in food, service, and ambiance. Sushi were made in Gina's way with his own design. My favorite of the night is the chawanmushi, which has really special seafood flavor. Lobster and the fish egg merge with the egg perfectly. Reservation - please reserve a month ahead and you might want to refresh your Resy when they make the reservation available.

My husband treated me here for my birthday & I enjoyed the dining experience very much. I liked that it was intimate with only 10 seatings for dinner. The ambiance was calm as Chef Gino played smooth jazz music & he was attentive to all the guests conversing with all of us. He was detailed in explaining each dish & where some of the fish/ingredients came from which show cases how compassionate he is as a sushi chef. Each dish was prepared beautifully & his knife skills were amazing & handled with careful thought. We left the his place full & satisfied. I highly recommend anyone who reads this review to try his place bc it won't disappoint.

OmG was delicious! We were lucky to grab some last minute seating for a date night. All the fish was very fresh and reach piece was perfect! Can't wait to be back again!

Finally got reservations here for 6.17.2021. Be prepared to put a little dent in your wallet! Worth the price, for the amazing experience! For someone who usually likes cooked sushi, I still found this place seriously delicious! I'm not sure what's crazier, the price or how fresh the sushi is. Everything is prepared fresh in front of you. Super fun watching them prepare each dish! I wish I wrote down each item I ate, but there was so much! I thought I wasn't going to be full, but I was! Very intimate inside. Parking is tricky. PRICE $$$$$

This is my 2nd time here. A friend took me here for my birthday before Covid and I want to take my husband and another couple to join us this time around. Food is great. Chef Gino is funny and thorough explaining each dish he presented. The portion is generous as well. I'm not too sure for other people saying they weren't full. I eat a lot and I was so full. I even gave my husband the last 2 pieces of sushi. Reservation is hard to get because its a small place with 10 seatings and 2 turnover. The restaurant is clean and cozy. Definitely recommend this place.

I've been wanting to go here for some time but never felt like I deserved to. Or even if I did, I never had someone who would possibly enjoy it with. So I was so excited to have been able to finally go today to celebrate @wakandinh 's birthday and do a date night. This was honestly some of the most prettiest and tastiest food I have had. These were some of my favorites tonight. They honestly were all so well thought out and meticulously prepared. I am so grateful to have experienced this Omakase service. The staff and Chef Gino were very attentive, friendly, and endearing. The ambiance was cozy and intimate. 10/10 will have to come back another time not just for the beautiful meal but Chef Gino himself. Thank you Chef for this wonderful meal! ‍

I can't say enough about this experience because it's definitely an experience to dine with Chef Gino. By far the best omakase around and a great place for special occasions, date nights, etc. Prepare to spend a solid 2 hours. The dishes are plated spectacularly and chef Gino walks you through everything as he's presenting it to his dining guests. So many amazing dishes so I'll just add a few photos here to entice you to try. I'll be back!

10/10! Highly recommend on every level! Food was well executed, service was top tier, and the vibe was very intimate. Pleasant surprise and worth the price.

Ever since missing out on early opportunities to make reservations when they first opened, it's been a struggle to find anything because they always sold out in seconds. 3+ years later, I managed to snag something to celebrate Valentine's Day. We booked the earlier time slot which starts at 5:30pm. Parking is difficult since there isn't much street parking and I guess it was recently changed where some of the DTSA parking structures aren't free anymore due to them selling the parking garage. The one that was nearest charged $10 for the whole night, I guess it is what it is. The storefront is somewhat hidden, but there is a sign so don't miss it! Upon entrance, they asked if we wanted to hang our coats and then took us to our seats. If you want to pick your spot, I would recommend to arrive slightly earlier, otherwise it'll just be whatever is left. I loved how they were able to pair a sake to the menu that we were being served that night, so it made it an easy choice to select, plus they serve Suntory Premium Malts, you know I had to get a glass of that too. Now onto the food, you get to not only appreciate eating, but to be able to ask questions to the chef about the individual components. I really enjoy learning about the construction on how these dishes come to fruition. We started off with an amuse, and quickly flowed into each dish, one after another, everything so delicious and unique. Once we finished the first set, we moved into the sushi courses where we were given 10pc of freshly cut fish, ending with the humble tamago. Finally, we were treated to a homemade panna cotta to end the amazing meal. Price wise, it was $225pp all in plus all the additional alcohol which is perfect fair. We thoroughly enjoyed this meal and if given a chance in the future, would love to come back again! If you are looking for a unique omakase experience in Orange County, this is a must try.

Unbelievable, one of the best meals I have ever had! Service was top notch and they were so nice and kind. Loved the jazz music, overall a wonderful experience!

The food was amazing! So many dishes and so many wonderful flavors. I thought I was going to be still hungry afterwards but I was wrong. There were so many courses it was my first omakase experience. The service was great also. Very attentive, kind, discrete and quick. Ambiance was like your normal sushi restaurant. You can tell they used some items to block the lighting so it wouldn't blind the guest. They were really thinking about us.

Quick Notes: There is street parking and a paid lot in the vicinty. Street parking is best if you're able to nab a spot! Reservations are required! OmG Omakase is currently what seems to be the golden ticket of omakase reservations. I've never struggled so much to find a reservation and I'm happy to report the hype is real! I got my reservations through the old reservation system (I believe he now reserves through Resy) - and I have to say, years of playing video games finally paid off once I figured out to click back and forth to see what popped up. A girlfriend and I made reservations about a month in advance and were talking about the place non-stop until we finally got there! The experience was super intimate. His bar only seats approximately 8-10 patrons. There are social distance partitions between each 2 person party which was nice. Ikura Amuse Bouche with pear and yuzu cream Our meal started off with an amuse bouche of an ikura and cream shooter, that had tiny gold flakes and a touch of wasabi. It was super delicious and had me wanting more. If no one else was around I'd probably lick the shot glass. Scallop Next we had a scallop with white soy sauce jelly, caviar and yuzu. Gino says he ferments this soy sauce himself and takes a couple of months preparation. It was very tasty and had a really clean taste to it. Torched Bluefin Tuna Next we had a torched blue fin tuna with a cream sauce and garlic foam. Another yummy dish where I wanted to lick my bowl. Seared Sea Bass Nice seared bass, with delicious tomatos and micro greens. Chawan Mushi Next we had a chawan mushi which was delicious and delicate in flavor. Sashimi The assorted cuts of fish were delicious and fresh! Udon with cod roe, uni and fresh grated truffles Oh my goodness. This dish was so yummy. Another I would lick the bowl if no one was watching dish. Uni and cod roe udon is always great, but the truffles just put it over the top. So, so good. Nigiri Assortment We had an assortment of nigiri that evening. Everything, like the dishes before were well thought out, fresh with care for ingredients and preparation. The real stars for me of the evening had to be the caviar and truffle topped toro (yes I know, my eyes grew big when I saw it come out too), the caviar and gold leaf topped wagyu (yes more caviar) and the amberjack (it's one of my faves and here it was no exception). We also had a nice soup and a dessert to round out the meal. Gino is an amazing host. His menu is really well thought out his ingredients are flown in from all over the world - truffles are from Italy, caviar is russian and the fish is fresh from Japan! This is truly an amazing experience and I can't wait to enjoy myself at his place again. If you have a chance to go, definitely do so! It is a must eat place.

Wow what an experience. I'm not sure where to even begin, but I'm extremely grateful to have experienced this omakase dinner for my birthday recently. Here are all the details: Reservation process: I have heard numerous warnings of how difficult it can get to snag a reservation so I was prepared. If you follow their IG account, you will get the reminder posts that reservations will open for the following month on the second Sunday of each month. So, if you are looking to reserve for February, you can only reserve on the second Sunday of January, and the Resy will open at 10am. But beware, due to the server connection, reservations can open a few minutes earlier or later. For the month I booked, it dropped at 9:56am exactly, so be ready. I would recommend having multiple dates in mind because they are only opened Wed-Sat (two sessions per night @ max 10 people each) so it is already super limited. I initially tried to get a Friday reservation and as soon as I typed in my credit card info, it said all spots were filled, and that was less than 30 seconds from when it opened. So be ready and be fast! The food: -Ikura, Asian Pear, Cream: Looks like a gem. Fresh. Sweetness and crispness from pear. Creamy with a good balance of briney-ness from the ikura -Hokkaido Scallop, Gelee, Sturgeon Caviar: Beautiful, supple texture. Slight tang from gelee. Couldn't get over the plating. -Cooked Santa Barbara Uni w/Shoyu, Butternut Squash, Black Truffle Puree: Texture has a bit more bite than raw uni. Butternut squash puree complimented the uni really well. Light but creamy. -Black Cod w/Yuzu Foam: Pleasantly surprised with this one. Fish was cooked perfectly. Soft and tender. Yuzu foam was just enough. Thin tomato slices brought a great acidity to the fish but remained sweet (and I usually don't even prefer tomatoes) -Lobster Chawanmushi w/Roe: Savory egg custard was absolutely delicious and cooked just right. Soft with some bite from the lobster enjoyed this one a lot. -Assorted Sashimi: I believe it was sea bream, king fish, otoro, and smoked spanish mackerel. The white fish varieties were balanced and I enjoyed the green tea salt and soy sauce it was served with. Otoro was thick, firm, and fatty. -Uni Pasta w/Black Truffle: Creamy. Bouncy. Uni was raw this time and perfectly soft and melty. Shaved black truffle gave a nuttiness to this dish. -Black Throat Sea Perch -Itayori (Golden Fin Sea Bream) -Sea Trout -Aged Marinated Bluefin Tuna -Shima Aji (Striped Jack) -French Snapper in Dashi Stock w/Shiitake and Kombu: Light citrus notes. Nice, hot palette cleanser between all the nigiri courses. -Toro w/Sturgeon Caviar -Kuromutsu (Blue Fish) -Trumpet Fish -Miyazaki A5 Wagyu: Served as nigiri, torched, and garnished with gold leaf. -Tamago: Made with Japanese Sea Bream and tiger shrimp. Bouncy. Can definitely taste the shrimp notes -Panna Cotta w/Fruit: Light and perfect texture. Fruits were all sweet. I think I would like to see a more creative dessert to end the night but there were no faults for this one. Gino: This man is multi-talented and it shows. Not only is he a great chef, his attention to detail is impeccable and what he has accomplished for his business is impressive. He chatted with everyone that night about the time that goes into aging and perfecting individual ingredients like the young ginger that he plans and orders from Japan (only available 2 weeks out of the year) that he marinated since June of this year and is now serving in December. The soy sauce he serves takes 14 months and I believe it was miso he makes that he said takes 3 years to age! He also mentioned that the ceramic dishes he used to serve the nigiri were all personally made by him! Each with character and varying colors and shapes. I also read on a blog that he built the very sushi bar that everyone eats on. Cut, sanded, and polished all by his hands. The restaurant and parking: The restaurant is pretty small. It has an area with some seating as soon as you walk in and the main L-shaped bar with 10 seats to the left. They are located in DTSA, down the street from the popular Detention and Kaizen Shabu. There is a parking structure around the area and some lots but our reservation was for 8pm so we parked at the meters right near the restaurant as they were free at that point. Overall: A very cool, intimate experience. More quiet and personal than other omakases I have been to. It was awesome watching Gino in action and seeing all the artwork he created. I would recommend for a nice date/occasion.

It's pretty hard to get reservations since there's only 20 spots available Thursday - Saturday (10 seats at 5:30pm, 10 seats at 8:00pm). They have openings available every 2nd Sunday of the month for the following month. I was lucky enough to stumble upon a reservation for a Saturday the week of. The service was great, no complaints. We really enjoyed that the chef was super personable and we were able to watch how each dish was prepared. It's definitely an experience. But man, everything about the food here was amazing! Every dish was made to perfection and the quality was TOP notch. I loved that there was a mix of cooked and raw dishes too! We had a total of 19 courses and didn't come out hungry. I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for an omakase spot.

You NEED to try this place if you have the chance! Reservations were pretty hard for me to get, but for good reason!! Reservations open up every second Sunday of the month at 10am..and they literally go by SO FAST! $185/person, not including drinks and tip! Everything about this experience was amazing. The service by our waitress and Chef Gino was exceptional. The fish was high quality. The flavors were immaculate. And I absolutely loved the decor! Because this place only serves 8-10 people at a time, it is very easy to converse (and cheers) with everyone in the restaurant to make the experience even more memorable. Chef Gino is extremely passionate about his craft, and it definitely shows. If you want high quality omakase sushi, I HIGHLY recommend this place!