Taiko Japanese Restaurant

Tara Kup a month ago

My family and I have been coming to Taiko since the early 2000s, back when it was owner-operated. It was one of our favorite restaurants in Irvine. The food was consistently excellent, the portions were generous, the staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was always full of loyal customers. We happily recommended it to friends and family for years. Unfortunately, our recent experiences have been incredibly disappointing. In my opinion, the restaurant has lost everything that made it special. The food quality has declined significantly, portions have become noticeably smaller, and prices have continued to increase. Paying more while receiving less is frustrating enough, but what was even more disappointing was the attitude we encountered. When we politely asked about the food and portions, instead of receiving a courteous explanation, we were met with a rude, dismissive response that made us feel as though our business was no longer valued. After supporting this restaurant for over two decades, we left feeling unwelcome. It's sad to see what was once one of Irvine's landmark Japanese restaurants become a place where long-time loyal customers feel ignored and unappreciated. A res

Randy Lee 3 months ago

Popular place in a busy kind of strip mall. Parking can be a challenge. Taiko is larger than it looks from the outside. Nice ambiance. Our server was a young, enthusiastic guy who did a great job. Nice selection of dishes and combinations. I got a combination of salmon, tempura, and sesame chicken. It was a lot of food! I also got the No. 4 appetizer to share with the table. It was the hit of the night. Yeah, it's just called No. 4. It's like the Japanese dish Dynamite, with fake crab and avocado instead of scallops. My wife got a misoyaki butterfish appetizer and turned it into a dinner set. It was good. My combination was very good, even as leftovers.

Alex Lee 3 months ago

Taiko is a cute hole in the wall located in Irvine off of Jeffrey. I love this spot because of their diverse Japanese food selection. The menu consists of items like sushi, sashimi, udon, tempura, and other Japanese classics like teriyaki or mackerel. The food here is very afforable even during this time of increasing food cost. A prime example of this is the Lunch Specials and Teishoku meal sets. The Udon & Una Don lunch special only costs $21.90, but comes with a massive piece of eel. All the employees are so friendly here. There's a lady who works here that speaks English, Japanese, and Korean fluently, which makes it much more welcoming for a wider variety of guests.

Simba The King 5 months ago

This place has been here since the 70s, unbelievable still here according to mama. we took my father here 20+ years ago, didn’t come again until now because there’s no waiting line anymore. amazing food still, the portion is larger than the picture, yeah… usually is smaller bout here is larger. definitely fills you up before you think you’re full. Bon appétit😋

TK LEE 8 months ago

I first came here nearly 30 years ago, and while many things have changed since then, it’s still familiar in its own way. The food is decent, and the portions are very generous—perfect for bringing some home for a late-night bite.