Ikko Japanese Restaurant

My first omakase in OC! Entrance is a simple, wooden door. It's very low key and feels like a hidden room. Counter seats 8-10?? Very clean and sanitary interior. The lighting of the space highlights the Master in the room on stage. His space was organized; nothing unused was left on the table top, and everything is lined up/cleaned. Loved this aspect of the place, feels very Ginza. Servers/Master are welcoming, alert and attentive to detail throughout. Your cup of water is always full and unneeded items removed from your space/table swiftly. Careful explanation about every dish. Master is Japanese, so he can provide an explanation Bilingually. From our conversation, I admired his detail to his craft, and passion to express his procedure to his customer. Thank you! Every dish was amazing; Each tasting distinct and celebrates the fresh quality of the seafood in your mouth. Master pairs each fish well with unique condiments/sauces, and unwraps flavors of even unfamiliar fish. The omakase is colorful, flavorful and leaves you full. I don't drink, but I enjoyed my meal with hot green tea. The dessert was a highlight for my matcha-loving friend. I enjoyed a course/set for Valentines Day 4 stars for variety, but I am picky: Uni-Chutoro can be served separately???, limited grilled/fried option in set. However, I am from Tokyo, so I may seek a more traditional angle to omakase. I'd love to return in a different season, perhaps in the fall :)

im a huge fan of omakase and honestly havent really had the chance to enjoy omakase since covid. ikko was the perfect place to remind me of how much i missed omakase. it was at an amazing price point and came with several starters, nigiris with fish from japan, and dessert! every dish was super impressive and delicious. omakase is a super intimate experience and directly translates to "ill leave it up to you" in japanese. this allows the chef to serve you their best and freshest of the day. currently ikko is reservation only and only does omakase at the $100 price point. would DEFINITELY recommend. and you already know we HAD to add that premium santa barbara uni at the end...

I've been here several times now, and I really enjoy the consistency of quality here. The omakase is just the right amount of food for me to feel satisfied, but not overly full which is perfect. Chef Ikko and his wonderful team make this intimate omakase dinner very enjoyable and perfect for date nights.

Enjoyed the omakase but the atmosphere felt a bit too stifling for me but that could have been the other parties dining next to us. We snuck in with no reservation and was very excited by the sushi we had. The chef made a lot of very interesting flavors. Forgot my good camera again :( will need to go back at some point.

Quick Summary Excellent customer service and very solid and creative omakase. Disappointed that I wasn't able to make it for their foie gras and A5 wagyu, but still a great experience, nonetheless. Reservations are a must, as there is very limited seating. Food- 5 stars I commend Ikko for adding plenty of variety in their dishes. My only knock was for the scallop course, but everything else was wonderful. The amberjack, mackerel and the trout were my favorite pieces Service- 5 stars The service is fantastic. It's an up-scale Japanese style where a waiter is basically staring you down from the side, to make sure your water is always full and your dishes are always clear. You're well taken care of here Parking- there's plenty of parking available in the strip mall Bottom Line Very solid experience and great value as well. The diverse and creative menu along with the customer service were the best draws of the restaurant. Will be coming back!