Habuya Okinawan Dining

Reviews

• Na L.

  star star star star star 13 June 2026

  Late night dinner, I didn't want to have anything heavy, so I decided to try Habuya, it is not too far from where I stay in Irvine, easy to find.
  
  The set up is super cute, make you feel like you are in a small Izakaya house in Japan. The entire place was decorated with the owner's personal collection. They sell their own T-Shirt with their logo on it, very nice design, all the waiting staff's customs are just like what the waitress wore in Japanese restaurant.
  
  My biggest advise: Listen to your waiter if you are not very familiar with their menu, I was glad I listened, she recommended me this homemade tofu and told me it is their house special. Tofu??? Really??? How special can a tofu be, but I was wrong, it was super delicious!!! Very unique, I guarantee it is something you never had before, it tasted so smooth and flavorful with their special soy sauce.
  
  Also they have this special imported sea leaves from Japan, it pops in your mouth. Definitely do not have it in Houston.
  
  I also ordered a bitter melon with spam, it is a little bit strange due to the bitterness, but I know it is very healthy and light. Great for a late night snack.
  
  Wish I brought some more friends so I can try some more traditional hot dishes from the kitchen, will have to go back again on my next visit.
  
  Highly highly recommended.

• So L.

  star star star star star_border 10 June 2026

  Delicious place! One of the hidden places in Orange County. I don't live in this neighborhood but my friend does and she recommended this place. Their lunch menu was filling and satisfying in terms of quantity and quality. It's a small location and lunch time gets packed pretty fast. Try to get there before noon to secure a table. I really enjoyed their grilled fish as well. Please make a visit if you can.
  
  Parking? Yes but limited.
  Good for a date? ummm Sure. Not fancy but cute.
  Good for group? Not really..
  Good for family lunch? yes! absolutely.
  
  Enjoy!

• Martin M.

  star star star star star 3 June 2026

  This is like my favorite Japanese restaurant to go to if I want to treat myself and a friend. Seating is limited here so I wouldn't recommend bringing a party larger than 4. It's relatively close to Honda-Ya which is also known for serving really amazing Japanese food, but I personally prefer Habuya more.
  
  Food could be relatively cheap here, but with so many amazing dishes to try I usually ramp up around $25 a person. The interior is pretty small so expect a wait to be able to get inside.
  
  The decor inside is amazing! It's feels like being in an authentic Okinawan restaurant. Paired with the amazing foods and flavors that they serve, you'll get an amazing experience of Japanese dining.
  
  I highly recc:
  - Ramen. It was full of flavor and decently sized.
  - Uni Pasta - Creamy and good noods.
  - Grilled squid. Tasty, buttery, full of flavor and good sharing portions.
  - Tasty natto.

• Mickey H.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 3 June 2026

  Meh, this place was below okay for me.
  
  My bf and I dined here because of the raving reviews. We ordered several dishes here (photos attached) of which nothing stood out other than every dish was extra salty. The only dish that I recommend here is their scallop sashimi. The worst dish was their octopus. The octopus was large (quantity wise) but I'm looking for quality and it just wasn't there. The flavor and extra chewyness just made it unenjoyable.
  
  Thankfully there was no wait time and we were seated immediately. It's a cute cozy setting that reminds you of a small dining shop in Japan but that was the only nice impression it left for you. A definite hidden gem that should just be left hidden.

• Thomas B.

  star star star star star_border 23 May 2026

  Gotta have reservations, for Friday night at least. We tried  a few weeks prior and got turned away. On this Friday while dining, we saw at least 2 different groups of people get rejected, I know the feeling.
  
  For the two of us we got a total of 5 dishes and this was a lot, probably too much. First was the grilled squid, it had a good soy flavor, tender, and nice snap to it. The chicken karage had a light batter and was juicy. It was served with a sweet mustardy/mayo which at first was weird but came around and we enjoyed it. Next was the uni cream pasta, there was no whole uni pieces but did have a prominent uni flavor. The sobs noodles with pork belly came next. The broth was rich and flavorful while the noodles were perfectly firm. Their pork belly fell apart with the slightest agitation. Finally, the takoyaki had the tiniest bit of octopus but a slightly crispy outside. It had just the right amount of sauce on top but was definitely lacking the katsuobushi.
  
  Their menu is huge and will take forever to try everything but I'm willing to continue exploring.