Taiko Japanese Restaurant

Been there couple times (never understand why the wait is so long), not so crazy about the Jap food. more

Be prepared to wait because Taiko Japanese Restaurant is VERY popular restaurant. Depending on the time and the day of the week, you may end up having to wait hours just to get seated. The food at Taiko is extremely good and the combination plates make it easy to order for those who've never been to the restaurant. Like any other Japanese restaurants, Taiko isn't for those who're seriously on a strict budget but it may be worthwhile to splurge and eat something that agrees with your stomach, for a change. Taiko is located in a crowded area so it may be necessary to park far away from the restaurant. more

Although Taiko doesn't have a long list of sushi variety, they have a good list of entrees. I've always wondered why this restaurant was so packed all the time, even at 5 PM to an hour before closing time. Then I realized is because their food is very fresh and has a lot of flavor. The food comes in a big amount as well. Their salmon teriyaki is the best I have ever had, and came in the biggest amount I have ever received. A++++ for this restaurant. more

Taiko isn't too big of a restaurant but the atmosphere is really nice and the food is so delicious! All dishes come with rice, salad, and miso soup! They lavishly decorated my dish to make my order look unique and almost to creative to eat. They even have a Benihana type of thing going on at the Sushi bar so you can watch as they cook up your food. If I recall correctly, the price range is around $10-15 each plate and the sushi is about $4.00 a roll. This place seems to be an Irvine favorite. I went around two hours before closing time and it was a "packed house." more

Taiko is another great place to visit in Irvine for authentic Japanese food. For sushi lovers, there is a complete sushi bar where you can sit and watch chefs make your orders right in front of you. The chefs are very skilled and have a few tricks up their sleeves to impress those in front of them. Otherwise, you can sit at regular tables and order from the menu. Everything I can remember tastes great! more

This place would of gotten 4 stars from me because I waited about 70 minutes to get a table for two. On friday and saturday nights, the wait can be ridiculously long. My friend really wanted to eat here so I had no choice. The food is pretty good here and the portions are generous. However, I am not a big fan of waiting in line. The service here is friendly and it took me about 25 minutes to wind down from waiting in that line. There are no chairs to sit outside while waiting and the inside area to wait for a table is very limited. more

Taiko Japanese Restaurant is my favorite Japanese and sushi restaurant in Irvine. It is actually owned by Japanese people unlike other restaurants. The atmosphere is authentic. They have huge sake jars throughout the store. The service is nice with true Japanese speaking waitresses. The food was great. The portions are great and the food taste delicious and looks appealing. I love the freshness of a sashimi sushi and the teriyaki chicken. more

This is our absolute favorite sushi restaurant to go to for reasonable pricing and great menu items! It gets very packed and the wait can sometimes be up to 2 hours, but it has been worth it. You can order a combo dinner that includes teriyaki, sushi, sashimi, and tempura, and it is plenty for at least 4 people! My favorite is the Special No. 4... it's baked salmon wrapped in seaweed with the special mayonnaise, so rich in calories, but great with rice! The baby tuna salad is excellent, and we practically have to order one per person, because everyone enjoys it! The sushi and sashimi are fresh, and just the right size. I don't know of many places that uses real crab meat for the California rolls, so it's definitely worth it here! And if it's your birthday, you can get some green tea ice cream with a candle on top! more

At lunchtimes, the wait for the sushi bar can be very long. However, it's worth the wait as they have the freshest fish there. The yellowtail, salmon, and tuna are all great, but my favorite is the crunch roll. It contains a shrimp tempura, and they add various veggies and roll it up. Another appetizing variation is the halibut tempura roll. Although it's not on the menu, it's one of many special requests they cater to. more

The sashimi are always fresh and they have a wide variety of set menu during lunch and dinner. Their sweet shrimp, fish liver, yellowtail belly and toro are worth a try!! Their staffs are friendly and courteous. Be sure to go there early during weekends as there are always long line and they don't accept resrevations. more