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Buddha's Favorite
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
634 Lido Park DrNewport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 723-4203
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
144 reviews for Buddha's Favorite
Review Highlights
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"I want to try the tempura ice cream next time." In 9 reviews -
"it's "on the water" tucked behind bluewater grill." In 7 reviews -
"beagle roll was good and unaten was really good." In 6 reviews
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144 reviews in English
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Review from Andrea A.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/22/2012
This place is a perfect spot for a sushi dinner date! With the location being right on the water in Newport Harbor, the view from the outdoor patio dining area is very romantic. It is tucked away in the corner and it is never over crowded.
The sushi here is great. Large pieces of fresh fish. You can taste the quality for sure. The rolls are good but the best thing here is the Nigiri sushi. My favorite is the Albacore and the Salmon. The best roll here is the Tornado.
All in all a great date spot with yummy sushi. A girl can't complain about that ;) -
Review from Robin S.
Great place to take a date or dinner with friends right on the water.
Ordered:
Shrimp Boat-shrimp sushi topped with lots of smelt eggs, ponzu, and raw quail egg. Quail egg really saved this dish from being too sour.
Lollipop Sushi- the dressing they put on this lollipop was super delicious!
Ono- I think they seared the fish way too much, but the garlic ponzu they used was fab. -
Review from Janice L.
4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was awesome that even though their sign said they closed at 10PM, they still seated us and had awesome service.
The only downside was the boat docking and it stunk up the outside patio like gas and stink.
Had the usual Miso soup and edamame to start with a glass of rasberry soju
Tried half orders of: Scallop Roll, Crunchy Roll, Back Flip, and a few others that I can't remember.
But the verdict was that they were all decadent and of great quality.
It's a little scary to go to the bathroom as it feels as its located in the back alley... -
Review from Gab T.
Irvine, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Turn right in to the parking lot behind Blue Water Grill and just walk towards the water, you'll see the sign.
I was really disappointed with the rolls but the sushi and carpaccio was good quality.
The half rolls = 4 pieces (half rolls are $5-8, not worth it in my opinion)
The Bleh to Gross:
-Stuffed Shishito Pepper: okay, a little heavy cause it's fried, not spicy, wouldn't order it again
-Tuna Tower: for the people who recommended it...are you high??? it was kind of gross...0_o
-Half caliente roll: lacked flavor, also fried and wouldn't order it again
-Half backflip roll: lacked flavor, it was ok, still wouldn't order it again
-Half SYT roll: tasted like something from sushi boy, wouldn't order it again
-Blufin tuna: wouldn't get it again. It was my first time trying it and i prefered the regular tuna over it...plus I feel bad eating Blufin
The Meh to MMMmm:
-Lollipop roll: sashimi wrapped in cucumber served with dressing, definitely the best tasting roll, it wasn't amazing but i would order it again ($14-16)
-Yellowtail Carpaccio: yellowtail sashimi with jalepeno in some sauce, the sashimi was fresh and this was the best thing we ordered, I would get it again though it's a little pricey ($14)
-Seared Salmon Sushi: ($5.50 i think) this was good. I'd get it again.
-Tuna sushi: also good
-Tempura icecream: NOMMMMMMMMM i've never had it before and it was like an icecream donut
I recommend sticking to the sushi menu/sashimi options. -
Review from Sara A.
Irvine, CA
5/23/2012
What a great place for sushi. We went there with few friends of ours and the food was excellent. It was a very cold night, but they brought us couple of heaters and we were very cozy and warm after that.
-
Review from Drew M.
3/11/2012 1 photo
Just like enlightenment, Buddha's Favorite can be a little difficult to find.
It shares a patio with Bluewater Grill, If you go into the parking lot and head to the back of Bluewater Grill, you'll find it hidden in the back.
Once we actually found this spot, we spent an equal amount of time waiting awkwardly waiting to be seated on a fairly busy Saturday night. Two servers walked past of briskly and did their best job to not acknowledge we existed so as to prevent us from asking them any questions. We eventually were seated outside on the patio, which is one of the best parts of the experience; it is warmly heated, and affords great views of the bay!
Our service was slow throughout, and was sporadic at best. I ordered the "Tuna Tower," http://www.yelp.com/bi... which, as it turns out, was more like a Tuna lean to at best. It's got spicy tuna, cream cheese, asparagus, eel sauce, and fried onion, and for a fusion dish, was quite delicious.
Overall our group really enjoyed our food, but there were a few glaring errors that tarnished our experience. Getting seated was laborious, our service was slow and sporadic, and they made an egregious error on our bill, overcharging us by 80 dollars! Seriously, they doubled our bill. Our 'server' quickly fixed the mistake, but with one item as 'hanamori' at $34.00, we were intrigued at what would garner that price.
I'd come back again to try some more of their food options, but with the glaringly bad service, and the "happy time" discount that is in play at all times (how about just making your food 15% cheaper?), I'm not quite sold on Buddha's Favorite.
2.5 Stars rounded up. -
Review from Omar M.
Irvine, CA
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's solid. Not the same grade of sushi as places like Kotobuki in Laguna Hills or Bluefin in Newport Coast; but it is a fun place. Good vibe.
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Review from Nicole W.
Long Beach, CA
4/22/2012
I love this place. Fish is super fresh and its incredibly reasonably priced for sushi. You cant' really beat the value here. You have to get the salmon sashimi candy and the ono nigiri when you go and you can thank me later :)
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Review from Carl E.
Newport Beach, CA
4/23/2012
Local gem. Tough to get in during the summer but on the water and for a relaxing, post Santa Ana winds October, nothing could be better. Relaxed atmosphere, reasonably-priced and tasty sushi with terrific variety. Love the fact that it is hidden, keeps the tourists at bay and allows the locals to nom-nom.
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Review from Becky Z.
Riverside, CA
1/12/2012
PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ENJOY QUALITY SUSHI, PLEASE READ!
HORRIBLE. I dont know why it has a 4 star rating, but it shouldn't. First off their roll selection was small and lacking variety. Everything was a california roll with one or two other fishes mixed in. Absolutely NO variety. Secondly, The majority of the rolls I ordered were rice, yet they were still about the size of a quarter, maybe a little bigger, but still, for the price of the rolls, it should have had a lot more fish. The fish wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the freshest I have had. The location is nice, relaxing, and a great atmosphere with nice servers, but if you are looking for a good quality sushi dinner, this IS NOT the place to go. -
Review from Mikey S.
11/2/2011 ROTD 2/12/2012
Lately, my reviews have been pretty raunchy, so I've decided to slow it down a bit and take you to the beach, specifically to Newport peninsula's best kept secret and one of my favorite sushi houses in the county.
I've been coming here for nearly a decade and I just realized that the majority of the time, I take dates out here. Why is it a good place for a date? Well, it's in a secluded area away from Newport's party scene with an absolute stunning view of the luxurious yachts anchored throughout the soothing harbor. The restaurant's elegance is elucidated by the serene-calm waters, brushed by the gentle pacific breeze, and breathtaking view of the sunset complimented by their genuinely empathetic service team and fresh sashimi grade sushi. Buddha's Favorite will outshine any steakhouse's semblance and keep your wallet full, all while giving you the perfect excuse to cozy up next to that special someone. Yes, I can be charming and yes, miracles can happen here.
Reservations are highly recommended as it can get inundated due to the popularity and compact size of the restaurant. Parking is by way of valet service of which is inexpensive or if you prefer street parking, there's plenty down Lido Street.
While here, you won't hear disgusting techno beats or find erogenous and dysfunctional names like other wannabe-trendy restaurants serving made up specialty rolls that don't make sense i.e. dynamite-botox-injection-roll or a sexy-omakase-augmentation-hand-job, slathered with a river of saline. No sir.
My typical order when visiting a sushi house is kept fairly simple, consisting of a spicy tuna hand roll, crunchy & rainbow rolls, unagi nigiri, and salmon & yellowtail sashimi. Not too adventurous, but to praise their food, it's fresh, perfectly cut, and tightly executed with a balanced ratio of rice to fish.
To summarize, Buddha's Favorite is a cozy little restaurant docked on Newport's backwaters serving up fresh, simple sushi without the face lift and glam. It's the perfect place for a date or to catch up with a friend without breaking the bank. Take my word and try it out, the view and food will not disappoint or I'll take you there myself and win you over...and I will win. -
Review from Diana M.
Newport Beach, CA
1/17/2012
We got their garlic edemame to start, and it was a bit too garlicky. This is coming from a girl who loves garlic. We tried 4 different rolls and they were all great.
1. Lemon salmon roll, it had a sliver of lemon which was a great touch of flavor
2. The beagle
3. Backflip
4. Can't remember but it seemed like you really couldn't go wrong with any of the choices. We'll definitely be back -
Review from Maddie C.
Irvine, CA
11/23/2011
Surprisingly good hidden spot.
Surprising, because it's in Newport Beach, on Lido.
Hidden, because it's at the end of the dock across from the Cannery and may be hard to find.
The first time I came here, I was meeting co-workers who lived in the neighborhood and proclaimed their undying love for this restaurant. "Psssshaw," I thought. Well, I was wrong. Although the restaurant does not serve "authentic" Japanese food, its stuff sure is tasty. Our favs are:
1. Yoshi's Spring Roll---fresh slices of fish wrapped in a rice paper roll, covered in delicious sauce. YUM.
2. Crispy rice--crispy rice w/spicy tuna on top. YUM.
3. Halibut carpaccio
The prices are a little high, but hey it's in a high rent area with nice views. Great little place for a late night date! -
Review from Christal M.
Laguna Beach, CA
10/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
A hidden gem... and I do mean hidden... like it took using gps on my phone a couple times to get to it and then almost walked right by it! But the search was so worth it!
We came here 45 min before closing on a Sunday night to fix a sushi craving otherwise normally I hate going places so close to closing. The people that work here are extremely friendly and welcoming. I never felt rushed the whole time I was there.
It's a small place... definitely one of those places that if you came a few times, everyone would probably remember you. It's right by the water which is nice and makes for an intimate setting. Their chef/owner is Japanese! That in itself is amazing since so many sushi places are not Japanese owned.
We only tried the sushi this time. We ordered the crunchy roll, caterpillar roll, and the ultimate roll (basically a baked scallop roll). They were all good! It's cool that they let you order half orders of their rolls so that you can try a bunch. I want to come back and try their tapas style dishes and homemade noodles.
I can see this place getting crowded during peak eating hours. It's cute that they don't have happy hour, but "happy time" instead, which is all the time where they give 15% off your order. Love it! -
Review from Kyle A.
Fullerton, CA
2/27/2012
More of the sushi place to go get rolls. It's good depending on who u sit in front of.
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Review from Cat H.
8/16/2011
What a fun little spot! I had an awkward date here (still can't believe I'm back on the market- d'oh!) We had a couple of sakis and then shared 3 different varieties of rolls. We had the lobster roll, the backflip and the tornado. The backflip is nice and spicy spicy! All of the rolls tasted fresh and good, but that was easily my favorite. I do love spicy foods. :)
The restaurant itself is TINY. It's located on the water next to Bluewater Grill, so if you're lost, just go there and ask the valet how to get to Buddah's Favorite like I did. The dining room itself is tiny so if you don't make a reservation, you may have a little bit of a wait. And the bathrooms are located outside in what kinda' felt like a beachy kind of outhouse. But there's running water in them. Service was extremely friendly and efficient, too. Overall, I liked it. I'll be back. -
Review from Carol L.
8/16/2011
Small little sushi restaurant hidden behind Bluewater Grill with a patio seating area right next to the water. There's plenty of street parking around the area and since it's waterfront, taking a little stroll to/from the restaurant is nice. The resataurant has a private valet lot.
My favorite is the Yoshi's Spring Roll. (Tuna, salmon, albacore, crab meat, & avocado wrapped in rice paper.) Everything I want in a sushi roll without the heaviness of the rice.
The Black Cod was delicious as well. Nicely cooked to flakey perfection and marinated in delicious sweet miso.
Buddha's Favorite is a great place for a casual date. Their prices are more than affordable and they offer half rolls! So instead of ordering a full cut roll, you can order halves and order a bigger variety of rolls. Love it! The fish and ingredients were fresh and all the servers/sushi chefs are friendly and attentive. I had a very pleasant experience. -
Review from Amy M.
Tustin, CA
10/3/2011
Buddha's Favorite and The Ultimate are my favorite rolls here!
The Salmon wontons are also pretty good and it comes in a small portion.
Definitely a good place to go for sushi and prices are reasonable. We showed up on a saturday night for 2 and the wait was 15 minutes. -
Review from Linds C.
Newport Beach, CA
6/28/2011
So, if I had the ability to give a negative score I would in a heart beat. I ate here a month ago and got the WORST FOOD POISONING I have ever had in my life.
The scary part is that I didn't even eat fish; apparently they prepared my veggie crunchie roll on the same contaminated surface that they prepared the fish rolls that the other three people at my table ate....ALL of us....sick for 3 days straight. I literally couldn't get out of bed for three days. I can't even remember the last time I had a cold, let alone so sick that I couldn't work, eat or generally function for three days in a row. None of us at the table shared food, we don't live in the same houses....there is no doubt that we got sick from this place.
I will NEVER go back. Sushi is my favorite food and I haven't been able to even look at it for the last five weeks because of this one meal. Please be cautious about eating here!!! I can't express how disappointed I am in Buddha's Favorite.
Buddha's Favorite=YUCK! -
Review from Josie L.
Buddha's Favorite is at the top of my list (along with San Shi Go - Laguna Beach) for best sushi in O.C. This place is hard to find and pretty small but it's all worth it. It's some of the freshest sushi I've ever had. The last time I came in we sat at the bar and the sushi chefs were extremely friendly. They recommended the Ono sushi so we had to go for it and I am so glad we did! It was melt in your mouth delicious. We ordered 4 more pieces. When we came it was toward the end of the night so it was quiet and there were no issues finding a seat but I'm sure it would've been a different story if we had come in earlier. All of the sushi was excellent (and you can tell because they don't have to drench their rolls in sauces to cover up the fact that the sushi isn't fresh). I can't wait to come back!
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Review from Jason H.
Corona del Mar, CA
2/26/2012
Awesome sushi! I love this place because it's very casual and not too expensive. Also the view of the boats and harbor area is great as well!
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Review from Michele W.
Santa Ana, CA
8/23/2011
This is my great accidental find.
The rolls are very Americanized, but the twits that they do offer on the "fusion" rolls are what separate them from the other places of similar caliber. I would say that they give rolls an edge.
The sashami is very very fresh and pretty averagely priced.
its a really small place, its not good for large groups, but good for a date spot. They have a patio seating area and then about 6 tables inside. It is probally one of the smallest sushi places I've been to.
for a sushi places, rolls were a bit on the steeper side in price. however they do offer 15% off your entire bill.
Great ambiance, and its a true Japanese place- all of the people that work here ARE Japanese (vs Korean at fair number of establishments).
One downside is the lack of beer on tap. However, this place is soo small
where would you even put the keg?
I will def be back, and I can take people here that love either rolls or sushi -
Review from OrganizeDxxxChaoS l.
Newport Beach, CA
2/13/2012
Awesome place. Good food.
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Review from Claudia Z.
Orange, CA
8/4/2011
Location. Location. Location. Waterfront dining, intimate setting, great place for a date. No wonder this place is Buddha's favorite! ...wait a minute, isn't Buddha vegetarian? and a monk...
As far as sushi goes, tastes good, but not mouthwateringly memorable like Ikko or Oshima. Many fusion options too. I had a green tea creme brulee for dessert, that was interesting... wouldn't recommend it though. The best part of Buddha's Favorite is that it's not located in a strip mall but on the waters of Newport Beach. Fellas, take your girl out here on a summer night with a bottle of wine and a rose, you will sure to score some points! -
Review from Christina M.
Thousand Oaks, CA
10/14/2011
The only problem with this place is that its a 2 hr drive from my house. Seriously some of the best sushi I've ever had.
Definitely get the backflip roll and the shishito albacore roll up. Amazing. We had the chef make us whatever he wanted and we ended up with this crazy red snapper piece of art that was unlike anything I've ever had.
Don't miss out on this place. Though I recommend calling first bc its pretty small - only enough seating for abt 20 ppl. Pretty cool looking inside for such a small place. -
Review from Tony C.
Newport Beach, CA
6/21/2011
Waterfront Sushi!
What a great lil find on the water, in fact it's probably the best part of Buddah's Favorite. The fact that you can eat sushi on a summer evening right on the water in Newport. It's located right next to the Bluewater Grill across from the Cannery tucked deep in the boardwalk. Hard to find, but worth the experience once you are there.
As far as sushi goes it is straight forward and tasty. The portions are fair, and the fish is fresh. Buddah doesn't do anything super special as far as presentation goes, but they do a solid job and they have a great location!
I would recommend Buddah's on a warm summer night for sushi, and a few beers. Good Times! -
Review from Amy D.
Orange, CA
9/25/2011
This is the place if you're looking for REAL SUSHI in Orange County. Been going here for over 4yrs+ and cannot find a place that even comes close. My fiance and I are true sushi lovers and this was our "first date" place and also the place where "he proposed to me!!!"
Its a little hole in the wall with a great setting looking right onto the water off the pier. The place literally overlooks the water and the luxury boats are docked right next to it as well.
The food portions are insanely large and you definitely get more than what you pay for. The best item I would have to say is the albacore with a special sauce they have over it. They also have an amazing crunchie roll; however, anything you order on their will surely NOT disappoint you at all. They also have a great kids meal section for those of you bringing any children and full course meals with rice plates, etc.
If you're looking for alcohol, the cold/hot sake would normally be the best, but if you've got a sweet tooth like I do, their PLUM WINE is AMAZING!!!!!
NOTE: The place is a small hole in the wall, so be sure to call in to see how much space they have available. NO reservations from what I recall, unless you have a large party (I think).... -
Review from Heidi T.
Irvine, CA
8/29/2011
Perfectly situated right on the pier, if you sit on the outside, you get a perfect view of the water, and you get to ship watch the entire time!
I was super hungry when i got here, and everything just looked amazing I had a hard time choosing what to get. I ended up sharing the Ahi and Salmon candy as an appetizer, the chicken udon noodles, back flip roll, and the rainbow roll. The candy was absolutely amazzzzing!!! It's a bit expensive and i expected more food, but it was well worth it. The udon soup was a bit salty, as was the chicken but it was still really good. The rolls were alright, there was nothing special about them that made it stand out from any other place. -
Review from Randy S.
Honolulu, HI
1/22/2012
Nice little sushi bar on the water in Newport harbor. Nothing special. Nothing bad either.
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Review from Jen T.
3/24/2011 3 photos
Came here for my golden birthday!!
I dont understand what the hype is all about for this place! Its a bit Americanized and I guess Im over the "Americanized" sushi.
Lets get down to business...
Miso Soup: Felt like I was drinking tan colored water with tofu and seaweed in it. It was pretty tasteless.
Lobster Roll: not too bad, but what killed it for me was that they put wasabi in it. Definitely not a fan of wasabi, whatsoever. I know..I am eating sushi too!
Caliente: It was okay, still weirded out that it has melted cheese in it. Barely tasted the spicy tuna. I could only taste the outside which was fried?
Buddha's Bomb: Im starting to realize that I dont like salmon cooked. It has that fishy after taste and I cant stand it...and this roll is the prime example of my salmon dislike. The flavors were great, but the salmon just killed it for me.
I dont think any of the rolls were worth what they were worth. Buddha's Bomb was freaking 15 bucks...ridunkulous! Caliente (full) was 12 something. Lobster roll was around 9ish?
Service was awesome though! Very friendly and patient! Thats why they get 3 stars! 15 percent discount..I liiikeeyy!
since the manfriend and I were not full...we got In-N-Out and Cha for Tea's chicken right after! Yeah, we were beasts that day!
Enjoy! :/ -
Review from Gianna S.
Irvine, CA
7/29/2011
Buddah's Favorite is a great place to come for dinner in Newport Beach. It's not terribly expensive because they give you a 15% discount (or they have every time I've been there). You can bring your own bottle of wine which they will cork for you, which is also a plus.
I really enjoy their Beagle roll- which is a new twist on the traditional California roll. But I also have eaten their sushi and sashimi and it hasn't been fishy at all.
Well worth the (sometimes long) wait to be seated, but I recommend going early so that you don't have to stand around. There isn't a whole lot to do in the area besides walk over to one of the other restaurants and have a drink. -
Review from Rob A.
Costa Mesa, CA
4/13/2011
3.5 Stars. Don't get me wrong, I'd probably come back to this place and I'd recommend it to friends, but there are definitely a few things that could use some improvement.
Pros:
Cool, hidden little restaurant on the water. Definitely not a place you would stumble upon by walking by it. Thank you Yelp.
Really chill outdoor seating area. Don't bother sitting inside.
Solid food/prices -- no bad dishes, but nothing really spectacular. 15% auto discount is pretty cool.
Good sake selection.
Cons:
They serve sake in cheapo shot glasses from Ikea. It wouldn't exactly kill you to get some traditional sake cups.
They serve miso soup with a regular metal soup spoon. Ghetto. Either give me one of those ladley spoon things with the flat bottom, or just serve it with nothing and I'll drink from the bowl.
Unless you can find a spot on the street, you're pretty much forced into $2 valet parking in a lot that you could easily self park in. At the end of the night I literally walked by my car to give the attendant my ticket, and he gave me my keys. Kinda makes you feel like you've been had.
Neither:
The bathroom is located around back and you need a key. It has a handicapped shower stall in it. I guess you could argue that this is a Pro... -
Review from Jaqueline Y.
Tustin, CA
1/22/2011 7 photos
3.5/5 stars
This has been one of my bucket list restaurants for quite some time now and tonight felt like a good night to spoil myself! With everyone's advice, it really wasn't hard to find at all. No need for valet parking! We parked along the street right in front of Bluewater Grill and walked to the end of the pier. I'm glad I made reservations earlier because there were two couples before us who left because the wait was too long.
We got seated right away and they brought us menus soon after. Very cute and cozy interior. I was super stoked to find that today is the first day of NPB Restaurant Week! Coincidentally, I had just looked up Buddha's Favorite Prix Fixe menu last week :). We decided to get the Crispy Rice for our appetizer, the Roll Sampler (baked spicy crab hand roll, Back Flip, Crunchy and Tropical Roll) for the entree and green tea tiramisu for dessert. We also got a half roll of the Ultimate Roll ($7.00) and a Lobster Roll (which comes only in a full size-$8.75).
Everything was pretty good; we had some ooh's and ahh's but nothing really spectacular that totally wow'd me. Maybe the reviews hyped it up too much for me. Everything tasted like a fancy California Roll after awhile. Too much rice! I suggest mixing some sashimi salad in if you plan on ordering lots of rolls. I will point out that Lobster Roll and the Tropical Roll were probably my favorite. The Lobster Roll had huge chunks of lobster in it with a tint of spiciness and the Tropical Roll was topped with what tasted like ahi poke. Don't quote me on it though! Yummy.
We ended our meal with the green tea tiramisu, which was suuper mushy. The ladyfingers were completely soaked and gave off a weird texture. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I want to try the tempura ice cream next time. I don't think you can go wrong with that!
With our check, we got a cool 20% bounce-back coupon to use at any of the participating restaurants for NPB Restaurant Week. Pretty sweet!Listed in: Thanks Yelp!
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Review from Lane S.
Newport Beach, CA
11/6/2011 4 Check-ins Here
1 minute and 45 seconds from my house and best Sushi in NB. Yeah Son!
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Review from Julie L.
9/15/2010
Yea, the automatic 20% off was pretty nice of them. I love the blurb on the "f-you traditional happy hr" in the menu.
Special rolls you can't find anywhere else and everything is decently priced. Great service on refills and ordering additional rolls, etc. (We had a table of 4 that turned into 6...that turned into 9.)
Overall great but some items seemed a tad salty. Unagi sauce shouldn't be salty! Lobster burrito was good but the cheese sauce was a bit much and I'm glad I split it. -
Review from Roubi G.
Orange, CA
1/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have a friend who use to work at Blue Water Grill, so the other night when my gps led my friend and I directly to it, I thought there was a mistake. There wasn't. It's hidden right around the corner, in the same valet parking lot. Take the parking advice from others to avoid the fee to valet.
We sat at the sushi bar. Everything was quite delightful. They were busy, but not overly packed. The drinks arrived quickly, the food came out in perfect time. The banana fritter dessert with green tea ice cream was definitely my favorite between that and the green tea tiramisu, which I thought could use a kick.
I plan on going back. The atmosphere was cozy, comfortable and on the water. My kind of ambiance! -
Review from Jennifer H.
Huntington Beach, CA
11/4/2010
Probably one of my favorite sushi places ever, because the rolls are unique and the setting is awesome.
My bf and I ordered a couple of rolls and each one was unique, different, and really tasty. We also got the black cod which was juicy and buttery, and some sake which wasn't that expensive either. Our bill came out to be 72 I think, and we both went home full and happy.
This is a great place to take a date, just make sure you make reservations to be seated on the outdoor patio and not inside the restaurant so you can get a nice candlelit dinner on the harbor.
Excellent food! -
Review from Catherine Q.
Irvine, CA
9/25/2010
PROS:
- Automatic 20% off. So much win.
- Cute outdoor seating with heaters and blankets. Great location right on the water.
- $2 valet right in front, and metered parking a bit further away if you don't mind walking.
- You can order half or full rolls, along with choosing 1-2 pieces of sushi or 3-4 pieces of sashimi. Great for if you want to try a lot of different things, as opposed to ordering a few plates and getting super full.
CONS:
- A bit hard to find if you're going for the first time, it's tucked away behind Bluewater Grill
- Open for dinner only. You'll have to find some other way to satisfy your cravings for lunchtime sushi.
Onto the food..
The sushi is fresh and delicious (salmon and yellowtail and tuna are my favorite). As for the rolls, the caliente and yoshi ones are great, as well as the crunchy roll if you're looking for something safe. Buddha's bomb was pretty amazing at first, but it was way too heavy and I found myself sick of it after a few bites. Salmon lemon roll was alright, but the lemon was a bit too overpowering for my tastes- I've had better. The tempura green tea ice cream was a perfect dessert choice.
Overall, one of my favorite sushi places in Newport, even maybe in all of OC. The prices are so reasonable for the quality of the food, even before the 20% off. -
Review from Alice Y.
Glendale, CA
9/6/2010
One of my great friends Jan K. brought me here for a little birthday shindig and it was de-freaking-licious. First of all, the sushi here is epic. Mine even came with a little pink umbrella poked in a roll. I'm a sucker for anything pink and cute so that was definitely a plus for Buddha. I ordered the Tornado or Volcano or something like that; I can't remember because I wanted to order everything on the menu! I also split an Udon Soup which was OK. I've tasted better, but it sufficed for my temporary udon needs at the moment. I also got a birthday ice cream plate which was the perfect ending to dinner.
I can't say too much on the cost because my friends paid, but 20% off since it's their anniversary. That should relieve some cost since you ARE at a SUSHI restaurant in NEWPORT.
This place is also "conveniently" located behind Bluewater Grill. It's actually pretty hard to find, but at least you'll know that the people you are dining with the smart ones that know how to navigate their way around. It's also right by the water front so it's definitely got that Cali feel.
Buddha's favorite is now Alice Y.'s favorite. (yay for cheesy commentary) -
Review from Jenna D.
7/27/2010
this is long overdue....
I LOVE this place for several reasons...
1. the prices are insanely good for the quality, plus they take an additional 20% off the total (wine too!)
2. the rolls are fun- something for every type of sushi lover
3. the appetizers go above and beyond the norm (i usually ignore apps at sushi restaurants, but buddhas has so many tasty options i still havent gotten thru all of them yet!)
4. you can order half-rolls so u can try a bunch of different things without throwing up on urself from overstuffing
5. parking is relatively easy- $2 when valet is running or lot parking when its not
6. dinner for 2 WITH a full bottle of wine about $50.... this is the joint
Try:
"the ultimate"- seared albacore and tempura flakes on cali roll- and we add jalapeno on top YUMM
"the beagle"- shrimp tempura/cuke inside, shrimp/avo outside with eel sauce and t flakes- safe but good
"caliente"- intense but yummy try a 1/2 roll- spicy tuna, avocado and melty jalapeno cheese wrapped in tempura- sounds crazy but just try it
"buddha's bomb"- a mish mosh of things i dont even know what but i would get it again- kinda greasy tho
albacore sushi- big pieces of fresh fish with a wasabi hinted "dressing" on top- sometimes i prefer only ponzu depending on my mood but great either way
i know i'm forgetting a bunch-- i guess i'll have to go back and update! but for a casual/reasonable sushi dinner this is it....
made me say Buddha's so good i'll beat the brakes off that sushi! (see e-40 for reference) oooooo-wuh ;)
