What people are saying about our restaurant
Anyone, who visits our place leaves us well fed and in a great mood!
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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 ...
Caroline G.
3/09/2016I'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.Rod K.
1/07/2016We are sushi lovers and this is by far the best sushi we've ever had! The presentation is amazing and unbelievable and the quality of the food is great. I love the colorful flower pedals used in their presentation. It also has a beautiful and open atmosphere as well. We have been to over 50 sushi places but this one tops them all.
Kamelia T.
11/04/2017 -
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.
Sue V.
3/27/2016 -
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.
Curtis P.
3/30/2016 -
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!!!!
Laura B.
1/31/2017 -
My daughter and I came here for lunch and the lunch specials were super reasonable and every detail was spot on. Clean and fast, friendly service. My daughter ordered the $13.99 lunch special and got a ton of food. I ordered the Tuna sashimi and the crunch roll and they were perfect. Beautifully presented and fresh and delicious. Love this place. Will come again.
Sara B.
1/24/2017 -
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.Brandon T.
9/05/2016A perennial favorite. Both an amazing sushi bar, and an atmospheric Japanese restaurant, Gen Kao delivers. Fish is always impeccably fresh and delicious, and the restaurant puts out some wonderful Japanese cuisine.
This restaurant has been an institution in Dana Point for decades. They survived a recent fire and rebuilt coming back better than ever.Timothy G.
2/05/2017This is hands down, the best sushi I have ever eaten! They are consistently delicious and fresh. All the menu items I've tried I've been very pleased with, but it's their off menu specials that are to die for! Try the Jeff, Daniel, or Adam rolls. I don't know who these guys are, but I love them
Whitney B.
8/05/2015 -
It's tradition for my father and me to go out and eat sushi for us to bond. I've been to many sushi restaurants in my life with him, and we both agree that this place beats them all. In fact, he swears this place is better than the sushi he's eaten in Japan!
Let me tell how much we loved this place: I've been a regular customer for 10 years (wow I didn't realize it's been that long!).
The owner is so nice and he treats his customers well. He always greets us personally when he's there. His wife is so kind as well! The staff is sweet and the sushi chefs are brilliant. The best thing to do is to sit at the sushi bar and let the chefs pick the freshest fish for you that day. Never once has that let me down!
Ten years ago, the rest of my family would rarely eat sushi, and order teriyaki or gyoza. Slowly over the years, they've come to love the sushi there just as much as we do! It's just that good!
They are more expensive than some places, but the food is worth it. Their lunch special is a great deal! Sometimes I want to order one nigiri too of something fresh but I'm just too darn full! I definitely recommend it here. It's delicious, the people are great, and it's just a fun time for everyone! おいしい!Sarah S.
7/26/2016This is my favorite sushi place in town. It's in a small strip store area off Del Avion.
I go here 2-3 times a week for their lunch special. You get soup, salad, and a choice of 3 rolls off the luncheon menu all for only $14.00.
We also always add the lemon salmon roll which is amazing and so delicious.
The waitresses are wonderful and the sushi chefs shout out a welcome when you come thru the door.
If you're celebrating a birthday at dinner be sure to let them know. I won't spoil the surprise but it was priceless.Evelyn K.
12/27/2017I love great customer service! They accidentally brought out a chicken dish instead of the delicious Yaki Niku dish I ordered. The staff quickly fixed my order and brought out extra dishes on the house! I wasn't upset or mad.. everyone makes mistakes once in a while but this caught me off guard. Such a blessing!
The food was really delicious and definitely much more quality quality than your usual japanese restaurant. We both came in for lunch and ordered bento boxes. He got the pork Katsu and liked that it wasn't drowned in gravy/sauce. The seared salmon roll sample they comped us with was a mouthful of flavors! I also liked the freshness of my veggies and the light ginger dressing.
Give it a try!Trinity T.
5/04/2016 -
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!
Gen D.
8/23/2015This is some of the best sushi that I have ever had. We ordered the Tuna Kai Special Rolls, Fire Crunch Rolls, and the Tempura spicy Tuna Rolls. Everything was fresh and presented well.
Kim our waitress was outstanding! She was patient and gave us great recommendations on what to order. Did even have to ask for refills on our drinks.
Absolutely will send all my sushi loving friends here.Corey O.
5/19/2017Stopped 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.Carlos C.
8/13/2015 -
Our favorite spot! My husband and I take our two year old here every week and it is so yummy!!! Jin usually serves us and loves her as much as we love the sushi!
Try the seared salmon sushi special. It's heaven!!!Ashlie Z.
7/08/2017 -
Great atmosphere with great food! My only qualm is the server was a bit weird. She asked us if we were ready to order and when we said yes, she said "ok I'll be right back". We maybe saw her 2 other times the rest of the night. Also the menu was a bit pricey and a bit difficult to understand. I ended up ordering the Dinner Combination Special with BBQ Ribs and Beef Teriyaki. It was literally finger-licking good. I was still hungry though and got the Tuna Roll. Also excellent. Would definitely go again.
Ruchi B.
7/05/2016My 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.
Nick B.
5/31/2017Had an awesome meal here the other night! Under new ownership and the sushi is great ! Snow crab hand roll was beyond!! Had some bluefin tuna sashimi and some salmon. Fresh and delicious. Really happy with all their offerings that night. We will be back for more of that snow crab hand roll for sure !! Hospitality and service was great. Will be back!
Anthony C.
12/07/2017
