Araki’s Japon

So sad to report that Araki’s Japon has closed. Chef Hisashi Araki’s talents were underappreciated and will be greatly missed.
He was very kind to us when we were at the restaurant. Hope he will be back somewhere again soon!

Came here based on all the great reviews, but left pretty disappointed. Here’s why…
1) Poor ambiance. We came for date night so when we walked in we were pretty surprised that it was located in a food court next to a movie theater and a bunch of fast food places. There is a limited amount of seating inside and the layout is just really strange.
2) The owner/​head sushi chef is soo mean and condescending to his servers. We sat at the «bar» and he was shouting commands left and right. He was constantly distracted — like he would be in the middle of cutting fish, but then see his server do something he didn’t like so he’d go over and rebuke him. It was soo unprofessional and made for an unpleasant, anxiety-​inducing dining experience. If you have a problem with your workers, pull them aside and talk to them quietly without humiliating them in public… OR train them better so they don’t make mistakes. This guy is worse than the soup nazi.
3) The fish was good quality, but there were so many things we asked for that he didn’t have. Really lacking in variety here. He was also soo proud of his sashimi salad and this other dish, but I’ve had better at cheaper prices.
4) Service was sooo slow. It’s only one chef making everyone’s dishes so it took forever for us to get each dish we ordered. Then it took forever to get the bill. Geez.
We came here with a
coupon and even if I had another, I wouldn’t come here again. Good dining is not just about the food, it’s about the whole experience… and the one I had left a very unpleasant taste in my mouth.

What a little hidden gem!
Home on a weekday, my sister’s better half decided to treat me to a sushi lunch and he found Araki’s on Unilocal.We originally planned on going elsewhere but they were closed on Monday, their loss and our gain!
I ordered the Sake Kama (roasted salmon cheek), which was delicious, the ponzu is awesome! It came with a bowl of rice and miso soup, both of which I enjoyed. I also ordered 2 pieces of maguro and hamachi (I was feeling a little gluttonous) and was surprised at the quality and freshness of the fish. The maguro in particular was unbelievably smooth, but after this meal, I would recommend you try ANYTHING on the menu.
The service wasn’t amazing, but not terrible. There was only one server to cover all of the tables, so I’d cut her some slack. I don’t know if she’s the owner’s wife, but the Japanese woman that served us was friendly, warm and did a good job considering she was alone.
I would come here again (and plan on it), and even if you have sushi-​phobic friends in your dining party, bring them anyway. There’s plenty of grilled/​cooked/​non-​seafood items on the menu to satisfy most.

Friday: My BF purchased a Groupon for $ 30 for Araki-​Style Sashimi Platter and Five-​Glass Flight of House Fruit-​Infused Sake (Up to $ 64 Value). We made reservations and were seated promptly. The fruit infused sake was tasty. We both thought the raspberry was the best. The Sashimi platter came out about 15 mins after we arrived, it all of the plates were served at once, on a long board. To no surprise, the fish was fresh and the toppings accented each one beautifully. We then ordered some cut rolls to finish off the dinner.
Again, the only flaw on the evening was the quality of service. Simple things were over looked. We both asked for water, and only got 1. Three people tried to take our order repeatedly even after putting our order in. I’m aware that they are trying to be attentive. And it certainly isn’t something that would keep me from coming back. There are only 5 or 6 booths, I would think that the staff would be able to keep track. When the sashimi platter came out — the waitress told my BF «you need to move your stuff» which was weird considering the only «stuff» on the table was dishes she had set down. Again, simple things that I’d expect from an AYCE or a lesser grade place. I guess I just expect the service to match the caliber of the food.

Araki Japon… where to begin…
First of all if you like sushi, enjoy eating high quality FRESH fish or delicious and delicately crafted deserts I would definitely check out what I think is probably one of the most under rated sushi places in orange county. Despite the fact this place happens to be hidden in a food court in foothill ranch don’t let that put you off. The quality of fish and skill of the chef are well worth the drive from the freeway. My recommendation is to just make the night sushi and a movie as regal cinemas is right next door to make the drive worth while.
First timers should definitely get the omakase, yes its expensive but you will get to sample a wide variety of the best the house has to offer based on whats fresh that day. Plus its a good chance to try something new you probably wouldn’t have ordered in the first place and end up loving it.
As far as the negative reviews go im both surprised and entertained. Very clearly the people complaining about rice and chicken teriyaki did not come for sushi let alone authentic japanese food. I can’t comment on the seated table service as I have only sat at the sushi bar the 3 times I have been here. But seeing as there is only one chef I could see how things could get busy and end up taking longer than some people may like but that’s the price you pay for quality.
Bottom line, if you want some really good SUSHI check out araki! sit at the bar and order the omakase your first time.
remember order sushi, not chicken… and I doubt you will leave disappointed. Don’t forget dessert I have tried a new dessert each time I have gone and they are all amazing!

Araki’s is awesome! What a gem to find this place in a strip mall. He used to be a chef at Nobu.
Fresh fish and Chef Araki is great. Spends time telling you stories and educating you. He makes his own soy sauce!
The yellowtail jalapeño roll is so yummy, I’ve never seen it before. With cilantro and this lemon sauce.
We also like the huge house special rollm flounder appetizer, sashimi tacos, noodles, all kinds of stuff.
Tons of choices for great sake and beer.
Amazing desserts. Crème brûlée trio and berry dish are so good.
We come here all the time and love it!!!
(I have no idea why one poster would say «mystery fish, its all laid out in front of you and if you’ve even had sushi its not too difficult to figure out. Or ask… whatever)

«Chef, it was an honor dining here.» were my last words before I stepped out after staying for 2 hours of glorious orgasmic pure authentic Japanese food with my grandmother.
Alright. Time to school these kids with all these negative reviews.
All you pathetic reviewers who are complaining about the price and whining about quality, FALL ON SOMETHING SHARP. You go to a sushi authentic sushi place complain about lunch boxes and chicken teriyaki? Go to places that have sushi buffets. I’m sure you tasteless not knowing what quality means people will be very impressed with Walmart sushi. I apologize for the rage but it’s so pathetic when I see people like this. YOU ARE AT A SUSHI PLACE. SIT AT THE DAMN BAR AND LET THE CHEF TAKE OVER.
Done.
I’ve eaten fish and sushi as I was growing up. The only place I gave good sushi rating to was a place in Colorado who flew their fish from Japan EVERY morning. It was pricey, but it was one of the best. I’m VERY picky.
I saw the «mixed» reviews but I went anyways because I knew from lunch meal that this place was run by Japanese people. Those Korean owned sushi places are pretty pathetic and pretentious (I’m Korean). So that’s good!
Went in, the bar was full so we waited. Best place to eat sushi is at the bar where the chef suggest the fresh and the specialty to you personally.
Food: LIVE Amaebi? WTF? Hell yes! LIVE Konchi? HELL YES! After devouring these two I trusted the chef and let him take over. Each dish was or~~gasmic (I’m not gay). Dish after dish it was a new experience. AMAZING quality fish and the cuts were just pure beauty. Yellowtail, octopus, unagi, etc were all so amazing. Top notch stuff and wow… trust me, it was an experience sitting there. I wish I coulda had some sake too. Go there and try out their sushi. Trust me, it’s amazing. That’s quality. Oh and the deserts… yeah… my grandmother doesn’t eat much ice cream… she ate the whole thing.
Service: Had to wait for the bar but what can they do? Kick people out? The servers were very friendly and attentive. The Chef had such a positive vibe and taught me about sushi. The salt, the 3 different stages of tasting fish, how to eat the sushi, etc. You could tell this guy was passionate about his food. Great service. If you’re worried about bad service, come at a time when it’s not packed and busy. The place was half filled and I got great service.
Price: Trust me, I know it’s not cheap, but hey, like I said, if you want cheap half assed sushi? don’t come here. Fill your belly out at some buffet. If want an sushi extravaganza experience? Pay up and you won’t be sorry. Compared to other authentic places, it’s basically the same price.
Conclusion: If you’re a authentic Japanese sushi lover, you’ll love this place. Even if you’re not that familiar with sushi, this place would be the one to go for the proper experience. This place is a diamond in the rough people! Like others say, don’t be fooled by it’s outside appearance next to fast food places. Inside there’s a amazing chef that’ll make you fall in love with authentic Japanese sushi.

Some friends were taking us here, so I didn’t really know what we really what I was getting myself into. On the outside, it looked like any typical Japanese restaurant in a food court… franchise, americanized, average.
On the other hand, I didn’t know how pleasantly surprised I would be with this restaurant.
When we sat down, a waiter with hispster-​esque glasses came to take our order, but since we all speak Japanese and since the waiter looked like the typical American waiter, we nearly jumped when he started speaking Japanese.
The menu is that of a typical, good Japanese restaurant, and I decided to get the tenzaru udon set while others around me ordered the bento box, tenzaru soba set, and tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet).
It didn’t take very long for the food to come out, and I was happy to find that the food was VERY authentic. The udon was just what I hoped it would be, and the tempura was definitely above average. From what I heard, everything else that was ordered was also very good.
Overall, do not be fooled by the outer appearance of Araki’s Japon. The food is authentic, and the service is exceptional… the waiter was very personable and he was happy to have conversations with us in Japanese! A very fun and delicious experience indeed.

What a surprise… an authentic Japanese restaurant in the heart of a strip mall food court, really? Yup! The menu here is ridiculous. I wish I was a little more adventurous because I’m sure the Foie Gras with Mango is quite an experience.
I’ve actually gotten used to Korean style Japanese food since that seems to be most common in my neighborhood so it is really nice to find a Japanese chef serving traditional (and non-​traditional) items. Don’t let the location fool you, this place is the real deal!

Are you kidding me?!! Amazing omakase in Foothill Ranch? How? when? whaaa? OC got lucky, very lucky to have master chef Hisashi Araki amongst us creating some of the most delectable dishes you could feast on.
So yeah, this review is for the omakase. Had the $ 50 omakase this time, getting $ 75 next.
In a word: EXCELLENT. Truly excellent, from the food to the service. The food is delicious and served beautifully. The server was very attentive, kind and helpful.
Chef Araki deserves all the praises in the world. What an experience! The man has a gift and it’s making extraordinary Japanese dishes. By the time I was finished, I realized this was the BEST MEAL I’ve ever had in my life. Trust me when I say, from one foodie to another, that you will not be disappointed with the omakase he serves. Out of this world!
Every one of my taste buds was lit up and I couldn’t stop smiling, I was actually blushing from how happy I looked eating everything. Araki takes great pride in his work and you can tell. It’s very interesting how he mixes all the flavors and leaves you guessing what’s next. He’s great to talk to as well, very sociable and a pleasant demeanor. His English is wonderful for only being in the U.S. for 2 years!
The dessert is also incredible as everyone is mentioning. And try the sake sampler, it’s house-​made and won’t disappoint.
I feel a little bad for the chef. He has upscale 5-​star dishes in a town where not many of the people can appreciate it. I could see him being very successful in Laguna Beach or Newport one day. I believe anyone who is posting a lower review either has not tried the omakase or ordering things like teriyaki chicken at a sushi restaurant and expecting heaven on earth. And someone is complaining about the aesthetics of the restaurant? Really? It’s in a food court, dude, not the Taj Mahal. Gotta keep in mind the place is relatively new, having been there only about a year or so. Given enough time and customers, I believe this place is going to turn out even better.
May we keep Chef Araki here as long as we can. OMAKASE FOR THE WIN!

I visited this place for a business mixer.
This place is located inside of shopping mall kind of like food court set up next to the movie theater. Usually, you don’t expect something great from this kind of set up.
But the food is great here! I think their quality of food and location do not quite fit. But if you trust Unilocal review and go in, you would know what I mean.
It is a fusion style Japanese restaurant, and their food is really tasty, But honestly, I enjoyed their dessert the most! I don’t mean dessert is better than food. I just feel their have not received the spotlight which should get more to promote their business. And quite honestly I felt Mr Araki’s passion to the dessert as well!
If you have a chance to come here, you should definitely try some their sweets!

After reading the reviews here on Unilocal I was excited to try this place since it’s close to where I live. Unfortunately it didn’t measure up and I won’t be going back.
Too many better alternatives and all of which are half the price.
Had the Omakazi. It was good but nothing special. For the price I don’t think it was worth it.
They had a number of daily fresh items listed on the board which sounded interesting. We ordered two of them (live scallops, live urchin) but were told they were out. Given that we were the first table of the evening they clearly never had any to begin with.
Desserts were good.

There are only a handful of places (outside of Japan) I know my mom and dad love to go to get genuine Japanese food, and Araki’s Japon is one of them.
I went with my family and we each got the 7 course Omakase ($ 50). Every dish was thoughtful and delicious. After licking each plate clean I was totally stuffed. And the DESSERTS! AMAZING. The head chef studied pasty and dessert making in France for a few years and it shows.
He also makes this tasty fruit infused sake sampler. For the person who doesn’t always love hard alcohols and liquors this is perfect.
The only warning I would give is, for the best omakase experience, keep your group small (no more than 5 people). Preparing each course to come out at the same time can get time consuming.
But other than that, for a genuine and tasty Japanese experience, go here.

Ignoring the ‘Closed’ status for a previous Araki’s japon iteration in Lake Forest, the lady and I went to the location in the food court in Foothill Ranch on Towne Center.
Without getting into inane amounts of who did what to whom and how it was done, I will just say that the sushi is some of the BEST I have come across here in Southern California.
The chef/​owner is talented beyond compare. His driving sensation is texture, as opposed to the pedestrian statement of so many Asian chefs, «all flavors in balance.» At this point, many western diners are familiar with the refrain, and hearing how someone’s dish is both sweet and savory is not nouveau or even very interesting.
Instead, Araki’s masters the tactile sensations of eating. Whether it be via a broil-​at-​the-​table salmon dish, or a carpaccio of the most delicate flounder, this is serious stuff. The palate is constantly courted, seduced, and fulfilled. The fresh lobster dish was especially noteworthy.
Araki’s is a place for lovers on a night out, a family to reconnect, or for businessmen to ink a deal.
Araki’s Japon rates the highest I can provide it. And frankly, anything more I can say will just be hyperbole. Go and dine and fall in love with sushi again.
And yes, I did just copy this review from another site. The bottom line is, Chef Hisashi brings his game. To an idiot who thinks a 15 minute wait for a roll is too long, go hit Koo Koo Roo. This is food made for people who love to eat by someone who loves to prepare it.

Are you kidding me? 4.5 stars Unilocal???You are beginning to make me wonder about you. Alright, it is a Monday night and we come here armed and ready for a great meal based on all the reviews here. We invite some friends along for the ride expecting a really great meal but wait! What do we encounter? The waitress telling us that it takes 15 minute for a roll??? WTF???
So we order some food and some rolls and the rolls take over an hour to come! The food took over an hour to come as well! Unacceptable! I feel that we were deceived by Unilocal and the reviews for this place. Our guest even stopped off at Burger King after the meal and got chicken fingers and fries because he was hungry. This was very unacceptable after eating a meal that cost over $ 140 for 4 people!
R-​I-​D-​I-​C-​U-​L-​O-​U-​S!!!
The waitress was nice but that did not make up for the slow service and the slow food coming out of the kitchen.
I doubt the previous reviewers ate here or came to the same restaurant as I did. I would not come here or recommend it to anyone else!

Japanese is my favorite cuisine — and i’m very particular about sushi. Araki’s is in located in an area you would not expect this caliber of a chef or food. Hisashi (the owner and chef) cooks up an amazing variety of food for his omakase. I’ve been there quite a few times and know my favorite things (live shrimp, live scallop, live uni etc) Tonight I had the pleasure of trying the live lobster salad that was cooked just perfectly! The food is fresh, tasty and presentation is beautiful! The chef never disappoints.
Things to try when you go there: Aji, uni, yellowtail belly. And at the end, make sure you save room for his AMAZING desserts!!!

I’ve put off writing this review for the longest time because I’ve been wanting a LEGIT japanese food place close to home (by close, i mean 2 mins away). I’m used to driving 20 – 40 miles for good Japanese food (Tustin, Torrance, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley).
I went in with a friend on a random Thursday weekday and boy, this place was so dead. After reading the reviews of Araki’s from the other patrons, I was nothing but excited to see what he had to offer. My friend and I had a few beers and ordered the Omakase menu. I believe at the time they were upgrading the Omakase to the larger menu for free.
Needless to say, the food was alright, not bad by any means, but I remembered the profound use of yuzu in almost everything. I also remember one of the courses having beef, which was a first for me on any omakase style course I’ve had elsewhere. Seemed a bit out of place, but even that was «meeeeeeh».
We spent a good 2 hours there slowly eating, chatting with Araki, (who is a REALLY nice guy!) and during that time, I think maybe 2 patrons came in to get «to go» orders. At the end of the course, my friend and I shared the dessert sampler, which was delicious. I think we had 3 different items (there was so much food, forgive me! haha!). But nope, we weren’t done. We saw the live amaebi in the tank and had an order (which apparently only counts as ONE @ $ 9/​ea).
We walked out with a frickin’ painfully split tab @ $ 9x.xx each after all was said and done… DAHHH.
But it doesn’t end there. I decided to give it another shot. So a few weeks later I went in with my sister on Saturday around lunch time and again, we were the only patrons in there (how does he survive?). I love Oyakodon so I ordered it along w/​a cold soba entrée (I was being a fatty). The Oyakodon was terrible. It was overcooked, too salty, and the rice was hard and falling apart. The cold soba, which I didn’t think you could really mess up too badly was undercooked to a sort of «Al Dente» fashion, which doesn’t really work with a whole wheat or buckwheat noodle like soba since it leaves hard uncooked clumps of noodle in your teeth. Not a great dining experience.
If enough people write a stellar review of something other than his Omakase special, I’d definitely go back to try it. I’m really looking to add this place to my «GO TO» for grubbin’

This was my first time to Araki’s and I came here based on a recommendation from a friend saying I have to try this place. My friend has been insisting I try this place because he knows I am all into the food. So on Saturday night, I did and… it was pretty freaking good. How good? I didn’t expect to see this level of food in Foothill Ranch and Araki’s seems waaay out of place because they are on a completely different level.
First off, you should know this isn’t a sushi joint despite having a sushi bar and also having some sushi on their menu. In fact, we came here looking to get some sushi, but was more or less told to skip it and get the omakase. Now when I say omakase, I am not talking about getting the sushi chefs picks/​recommendations on the best and freshest of sushi, it is actually a set number of courses that they serve which consists mostly of non-​sushi.
The food was the best non-​sushi Japanese food I have had in a very long time. The staff is attentive on refills for drinks, clearing out plates, and very friendly to talk to. Some of highlights of the evening:
* Yellow Tail Carpaccio with Cilantro and Serrano Chili, Yuzu Soy Sauce
* Sashimi Salad
* Blackened Chilean Sea Bass with a Miso Glaze — this was my favorite. I have had it before, but it was so simple and yet executed perfectly.
I will admit, I was a little hesitant and suspicious of Araki’s because there are so many filtered reviews, my friend doesn’t strike me as the foodie type, and I haven’t had any Unilocal friends who have been here before. You should definitely know that the food here is mostly modern Japanese cuisine and not traditional. So your going to get food that is different and yet so very good. I would definitely recommend without a doubt you get the $ 50 omakase special for your first time as it was a lot of food even for me (in the end, I was just stuffed). Araki’s gets an easy 5 star.

Omakase at Araki’s — It was not just dinner, it was a life experience.
I had no idea what I was in for when we sat down, only that I’ve heard that such dining experiences existed in cities like NYC or LA. I couldn’t believe that this was in my own back yard! I walked in with friends one day and said, what the heck, we decided to splurge and indulge ourselves.
Ordering Omakase was easy… you don’t. I was at the mercy of Hisashi-​san, as he created artistically each plate as if it was an edible work of art. I was nervous at first, but soon learned to trust Hisashi, and couldn’t wait for the next course. It was a thrilling ride from the first dish all the way to the main course, and on to dessert. I thought I’ve had fresh fish before, but the sashimi at Araki’s was absolutely, out-​of-​this-​world, delicious. The whole experience was just as good, if not better than my dining experience at Morimoto’s in Philadelphia, owned by Iron Chef Morimoto.
The Foothill Ranch/​Lake Forest communities are extremely lucky to have an award winning chef who is the caliber of Hisashi Araki.

I have read a few reviews from the previous. This place have a new owner, cooks are real japanese people. Unlike, many other places I’ve been to majority of the food are made by Chinese or Koreans. Don’t get me wrong, Korean sushi are pretty decent, but Chinese… did you know that back in history Chinese and Japanese are like «fire and water»? This place just change owner recently, the owner is the main chef… seem like all the cook here are Japanese except the cleaners ofcourse.
Used to be call «Teri Ya», which was suck.