I like the authenticity of Dana kai compared to many of the fusion restaurants around. I am purely a sashimi water, and more of the exotic types are my preference. The uni is fresh and amazing, and the bluefin with uni sushi special is to die for. The prices are pretty high, but you get what you pay for.

  Great choice for sushi! The service was excellent, the food was great, the drinks were flowing and everything was well priced. Not the cheapest sushi joint out there, but I generally avoid those places anyways. You get what you pay for.

My girlfriend and I went last night and got 2 specialty rolls, one cut roll, 2 miso soups, spicy edamame (which was excellent btw), sake, large beer, and 2 oyster shooters. Total came out to $84 after tax.

Yes, I would recommend DanaKai Sushi. Get the spicy edamame and some sake to start.

  Hands down the best sushi restaurant in the area, in my opinion. Its prices have recently gone up (my wife and I can easily spend near $100when we go) but you get what you pay for. If you like cheep sushi then don't bother. Go to Ralph's or something. But if you're looking for high quality, fresh fish then you've found your sushi home!

Note: I care way more about the food than the service/ambiance etc. If the food is top of the line, I'll usually give the establishment I'm reviewing high marks, even in spite of its other failings, if any, unless it's extreme.

  If you want fresh sashimi, this is the place to be. They also have better oysters than some Dana harbor restaurant that I am not going to name. Order these early as they sell out quickly. We usually go as date night on Friday or Saturday and that's our experience anyway. And all their sushi chefs are artists. Love this place and I can't find another place like this.

  Incredible sushi the best ive had in southern california. The complete experience miso soup and all.

  Dana Kai is The best Japanese food in Orange County. Sushi made fresh until 9:45pm! Ask for Diane, she is an excellent server. Kim, the owner, is available & will make sure your food & service food is everything you expect!
Bob, Diana, Max & Anna

  One of the best sushi places in SOC!  The Jeff Roll is amazing and Daniel roll!  Too many rolls to name but delish!   So happy this place is close to home and In Laguna Niguel and Dana Point!

  Dana Kai is hands down the best sushi restaurant I have ever been to. It's not cheap, but the fish is incredibly fresh, and the rolls are made with the utmost skill on top of using fresh ingredients.

I'd order any regular sushi without hesitation, but if you really want something fun and delicious be sure and try their rotation special rolls.

  Great sushi with excellent service. The fish was fresh and well priced. Will visit this place again.

  So glad we used Yelp to find this restaurant. The server was excellent and even had all of us laughing together. Her recommendations were spot on (tiger roll), and she kept the green tea flowing. The food was so good we even bought a to go bottle of the ginger salad dressing (8oz/$7). If you want fresh, this place will not disappoint anyone who appreciates the art of making the roll. I think my wife may actually start bringing her best friend here for lunch.

  Had dinner late 8:45 with my daughter last Tuesday night here. She's vegan and they do have a few things she can order that are fresh and tasty. Frankly there aren't a great number of restaurants open late in Laguna Niguel/ Dana Point. Used to go here once a week as my son away in college LOVES sushi. I ordered salmon sashimi, and yellow tail and they were yummy - tender buttery and fresh. Daughter's vegetable roll was too small for the price. Sushi in general is expensive and Dana Kai is higher priced. Service from this family run restaurant is friendly but - had to ask for more water, more ginger ...

  I've enjoyed sushi for many years. So I've eaten at some of the best sushi houses in LA and Orange County. Last night Dana Kai became my all time favorite!
From the staff, the menu, the decor, an awesome choice of sakes, and of course the fantastic sushi, sashimi, and rolls Dana Kai has it all! Don't waste your time or money going any where else.

  Best Sushi.  Popcorn Lobster Roll is the best.  Visited 3 years ago and loved it.  Came back a few days ago and its still great
Friendly service Good Food and Nice Restaurant

  Stopped  by this sushi place while on my way back from the beach and I was pleasantly surprised on how good the sushi was.

Service here was great. They were fast and very attentive. I ordered a spicy salmon roll and one of their speciality rolls and they were both really well done.

I definitely recommend this sushi joint if you live in the area or just passing by.

  Good prices and decent sushi, very clean and nice place. We not super impressed with the sushi chef that helped us at the bar. We asked what he recommended and he had no suggestions. Prefer a more interactive sushi bar, but maybe that isn't their style? If we go again it will just be a normal table, the table service looked great. Had to ask for more beer then wait for the tab...

  The sushi is amazing! It is always really fresh! The restaurant is very clean and the service is great:) I highly recommend Dana Kai!!

  My girlfriend and I love right around the corner from this place and we love it. The restaurant is full of welcoming staff and they serve you QUICK! You will not need to search for a server because they get to you in a hurry. I would strongly recommend the mountain roll. All of their rolls are really delicious though and frequently they will offer some edamame on the house. If you are looking for a sake bomb, you can get one but you have to buy a miniature carafe of sake and individually order the beers. The effect is the same just a little less straight forward. They have many specials to choose from and the classics as well. They are somewhat pricy but I would say fairly comparable to any other true sushi restaurant.

  I don't eat seafood so I can not comment on the Sushi but perhaps my review could be of use to people like vegetarians or picky eaters. There are other options on the menu which is a good thing.

I like the vegetable Udon noodle soup the best and it is probably the healthiest option anyway. Udon, veggies and broth. Simple yet yummy.

The meat dishes I tried were mediocre and a bit artificial tasting, probably due to the sauces. I don't think there was MSG in the food but the sauces seem suspect as they taste highly processed and from a jar/bottle. Unfortunately without them the food was way too bland as it is perhaps the opposite of Thai food, lacking natural spices or flavors to really excite you. While the food is not low quality and not nearly as artificial tasting as in Chinese restaurants, I do think there is room for improvement.

  ok folks you know that thing where you eat with your eyes?
well this place is art that you can eat
fresh fresh yummy fish artfully prepared and delish.have an ice cold Sapporo with it and ENJOY

  This place is amazing as soon as you walk in they give a warm welcome. They are very attentive, the food was delicious. I would definitely recommended.

  Always a winner.  Dana Kai is a go-to lunch spot.  The lunch specials are great, the rolls are good and the price is reasonable.  You can't go wrong here.

  I'm not a sushi eater but I love their tempura and I come here whenever I visit the area.  I've been coming here for years and the tempura is always great.  I'm disappointed they changed the menu and an "all tempura" dinner is no longer offered; the combination dinner restricts you to two items, one tempura and one teriyaki etc.  They won't let you get two tempura items.  Not good for a vegetarian/fish eater like me.  So I order two tempura appetizers:  one shrimp and one vegetable and I get a side dish.  My niece says their salmon teriyaki is the best.

  This place was great.  The service was great and we really felt welcomed there.  It was just myself and my 2 year old daughter.  They lay paper out across the table and provide them with crayons, so my daughter loved drawling all over the table.  We ordered edamame and it came out piping hot and was fresh.  The miso soup came out right away as well and it was delicious they brought a bowl for myself and my daughter and we ate the whole thing.  My daughter got the teriyaki chicken plate with rice, a salad and fruit with a little umbrella.  My daughter loved this.  I got the California roll and the tiger roll both with spicy mayo.  They were rolled very nicely and didn't fall apart and the texture was great.  Most of all I loved the service.

  I have been here now 3 times and I enjoy it! The atmosphere is relaxing and pleasant. Although the sushi is pricey it's a nice place to dine once in awhile. I can say sushi is my favorite food, meaning I have tried many sushi places and this place has great quality sushi! It's not the best I've tried but it is on the list of good sushi joints for sure!

  Ended up here by accident when we forgot to make reservations on a busy Saturday night. I am a sushi snob, and was delighted by the quality of the food. The fish was fresh and very tasty. Had the yellowtail and salmon sashimi which was delish. The seared tuna carpaccio was a wonderful surprise.  Service was spot on. She was extremely polite and attentive.  The chef was a bit quiet but kept his eye on us and kept the order spaced appropriately.  Will definitely go back again.

  My favorite sushi place in south Orange County. The food is fresh, they do an awesome job! I have moved and still make sure to stop here at least once every time I visit!

  My husband, little girl and I came here when we visited CA last week! One of the best Japanese restaurants we've been to and we've been to quite a bit! The sushi is so fresh and the food is delicious! The staff is so friendly and very welcoming! The servers kept coming over and playing with our daughter! They're so nice and the restaurant is very clean! Wish we had this restaurant in Chicago, but we will definitely be back when we visit! Thanks for such a wonderful experience!!!!

  This is my favorite sushi place in Orange County. Service is incredible, always can get a reservation, and the food is great! There is literally something for everyone on the menu. Even if you don't like raw fish, there is something there you will find which will work for you. Such a good place!

  Stopped in here to place a to-go order. Staff was very accommodating.  Ordered 2 sushi-(Philly roll with asparagus and a fancy roll - tuna with special chili sauce). and 1 edamame ($25 total).  Kind of expensive for a few items, but they were of good fresh quality and delicious.  The dining atmosphere is appealing.  I will definitely return.

  Very friendly customer service. Pricey but worth the price. Very presentable staff constantly checked up on us. Seafood Udon Noodles was a little bland so we mixed it with salmon and pork katsu, it was delicious 🙂