04/04/09

HORRIBLE SERVICE!!!

by jenie

I had waited about two hours to be seated and another 10 min after to even get my menu. The waiter himself was decent and the food was decent.

I travel plenty in Asian and tried many different cuisine before so I know my stuff.

After leaving a 7% tip out of pure pity I get chase down my this worker who demands more tip from me in which I refused only to have her tell me she will remember my face and I am not allowed to come back.

This i not a place where I would even recommend to my worse enemy. The wait is too long for average food. Many other god eateries in the O.C

• Pros: nice setting
• Cons: bad service, long wait

06/19/07

Kappo Honda is a true gem...

by verve93

I had the good fortune of experiencing Kappo Honda last night and I cannot wait to go back! I went with my buddies and had a great time - thanks to the friendly staff, delicious food, and surprisingly easily affordable prices. I recommend the Blue Crab and Avocado hand roll to start. The Salmon was delicious and the serving size was good...with an order of the Red Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese my meal was more than enough. Add to that some ice cold Kirin and your good to go!

All in all, I was really surprised at the food and overall atmosphere of Kappo Honda - so much so that it prompted me to register and write my first ever review on this site.

• Pros: Food, affordable prices, and atmosphere.
• Cons: a bit of a wait to get seated - even on a Monday night. (but it's well worth the wait)

04/09/07

traditional Japanese food

by juju13es

It's very different from the typical Japanese sushi and teriyaki joint, and it's more similar to the authentic Tokyo dining style where everything comes out in little dishes (i.e. tapas). My favorite dishes would have to be the cheese fry and the bacon-wrapped asparagus! The place gets pretty crowded especially on the weekends, but for the most part- it's worth the wait. Plus, they keep the authenticity by hiring Japanese-speaking employees who are- for the most part- extremely friendly and courteous.

• Pros: authentic Japanese dishes, great staff

11/13/06

MY FAVORITE JAPANESE RESTAURANT- plus there's another location named HONDA-YA in tustin

by cidheli

Actually I started eating at Honda-ya in tustin (same ownership and 90% same menu) and I loved it so much I eventually drove out to Huntington Beach (Fountain Valley). There are actually three locations and I get them all confused, but regardless, this chain is the closest thing to Japan I can get in America (there are a couple places in New York that have yakitori, grilled meats, but who can go there twice a week?!) I LOVE all the wait staff. The place is always packed, and they get very very busy, and sometime you have to call them over (by the way thats how you order in Japan), but, they are VERY friendly, and I go there so much I have a great rapport with many of them. Oh, and they are all native Japanese youths. Everyone in the restaurant eating is also asian, for the most part, and many are Japanese. I dont use this in my own criteria, but I think it is additional evidence to support my own love for Honda-ya/ Kappo Honda. I bring my family (Japanese and non-Japanese), my friends (all of them), my in-laws, and everyone else. If you are afraid of trying some of the stranger Japanese items, your standard teriyaki sets are there. The teriyaki sauce is delicious and I dont even like teriyaki. The sushi is not priced outrageously, and I have eaten it without complaint, and can actually find my favorite type, which is not available in most places. I could go on and on, but really I just suggest you try it for yourself. Like I said, its as real as you are going to get.

• Pros: WONDERFUL FOOD, AUTHENTIC, inexpensive, un-matcheable variety
• Cons: there's usually a wait (but I would wait all night for something this delicious)

10/01/06

Great place that stays open until 1 AM every night!

by korokke

This place is the best! My boyfriend and I go here at least a couple times a week. We usually get the salmon cheek (truly the best part of the salmon!), garlic spinach, tempura udon, and a bunch of the yakitori dishes (the asparagus wrapped in bacon and chicken wings are the BEST!)

• Pros: great food, easy to find parking, open late
• Cons: NONE!!!!!

10/01/06

Great Atmosphere

by vsmith2323

Delicious food! Try the enoki butter or spinach garlic. Many little dishes to try. Not your typical Japanese sushi place. Its very busy so I would definetely make reservations beforehand so you can get a booth to yourself. The service is fast. Love love love this place!

03/09/06

Great Food - Great Ambience

by doyouknow

Food is great. Many hard to find Sake brands. Pricing is very good, and choices keep you ordering more.

• Pros: Taste, Choice, Reservations
• Cons: Very Busy

12/11/05

Excellent Izakaya in the O.C.!

by exilekiss

Kappo Honda brings traditional Japanese "Izakaya"-style cuisine to the O.C. and delivers in spades! Izakaya-style is similar to Dim Sum or Tapas, little dishes, wonderfully prepared, ranging from seafoods, to slow-stewed pork roast and more! They have a real selection of Japanese Sake and Beers (some wonderful, hard-to-find Sake).

Open late, wonderful, boisterous (at times), exciting! Recommend: Tarakasu (Butter Fish), Buta Kakunin (Slow-roasted Pork), Agedashi Tofu (amazing Tofu dish, light, simple), and even their Zaru Soba Noodles (simple, chilled buckwheat noodles) are a delight! Also, their Suigei sake is wonderful.

• Pros: Excellent Dishes, Izakaya-style, Sake Menu
• Cons: Busy

08/19/05

Late night dining in OC?

by jenofkuo

Thank gawd for establishments like these that cater to us nocturnal folks that live behind the Orange Curtain. My favorite items lobster salad, enoki mushroom (yes, I know I could easily make this at home but it's buttery goodness) and don't forget the yakitori items. Yes, their udon is good. Yippee for Japanese dim sum/tapas like dining.

10/04/04

Great food, great value

by johntchow

The asparagus yaki-tori was delicious as was the beef udon and calbi. You won't find sushi here but the grilled skewers of meats are delicious. Very japanese atmosphere. The restaurant name means japanese pub restauarant and is a great place to relax with inexspenive food to go a long with ice cold Asahis

• Pros: great tasting food, good value, clean restrooms
• Cons: , crowded