Gurume Sushi — Restaurant in Irvine

Enjoyed the Tempura (Mixed), Sashimi Deluxe, Miso Black Cod, Salmon Teriyaki, Salmon Kama, Ton Katsu, and Miso Pork Belly. Would highly recommend the Tempura (Mixed) if you want a little balance of vegetables, the kabocha pieces and sweet potato pieces were outstanding, soft on the inside and a bit sweet. Word of caution is that the meal sets do include a few pieces of tempura as one of the side dishes already. Nevertheless, we had no issue finishing our meal. The Sashimi Deluxe was a very beautiful plate and the quality was seen and tasted. The tuna had a proper fattiness and the portions were very well made, I had only wished we had a proper introduction of each seafood item on that plate. The Miso Black Cod felt very light and well done, it held its own without falling apart and had a good shine to it. Salmon Teriyaki was a very appealing portion, nicely cooked with a very delicious sauce on top. Salmon Kama was not as large of a portion but I believe was a lot more flavorful and the flesh separated very well too. Ton Katsu was a pork cutlet, very well done and crispy. While the pork was a bit hard, one of our guests later noted that they were familiar with this style, that while a bit hard to chew, it was a good meal. Miso Pork Belly was a savory dish, the fat from the pork belly was so nice and juicy. The pork meat was 'melt-in-your-mouth' delightful. This is a great place for hosting a meeting, treating a guest, a premium meal out, or for a celebratory occasion. Parking is convenient and the ambiance of the location was very...

I would give it zero stars if I could. We ordered the Gurume Omakase. Worst mistake and worst omakase I have ever experienced. I should’ve known it was a bad start when the first course is an American salad typical of one you get with an Americanized bento box. The sushi chef did not pace our courses so we’re just overwhelmed with things that don’t really go together. It was an odd mix of cooked and raw dishes. I wish I took more pictures. The scallop and black cod were inedible. I had to spit it back out. The scallop had something that resembled cream cheese so it was sour and overly sweet at the same time. The black cod initially tasted fine but as you chewed through it, it felt like eating raw chicken skin. The menu says sashimi, sushi, otsumami, and soup but they served a ton of other random stuff like aforementioned salad, tempura, several variety of cooked fish (which was ok), monkfish liver, oyster, crab-uni-caviar hand roll, etc. There wasn’t enough sashimi and sushi to justify the $180 so basically money wasted. Take your money and go somewhere else. They should update their menu to say that they include a bunch of random sides just to fill you up. Oh you do get dessert included...

Decided to try this place and did not regret it. There was no wait time and I was seated immediately. I ordered the sushi harmony set with mixed tempura and surprised myself that I ate every bite. Sushi was fresh and didn't really need to dip it in the soy sauce. I was surprised that there was a good amount of wasabi between the fish and rice so for those that like to use lots of wasabi...you have been warned. The bite from the wasabi, the sweetness from the rice and the fish were well balanced and I can see why they call the set Harmony. Tempura was great, light and crispy and most importantly....fresh. I highly recommend this place. It isn't cheap but it was worth every penny.

Came back to try the sushi omakase and shrimp tempura. There was a sushi topped with uni and caviar I have never liked uni sushi....but this place changed my opinion. The uni melted in my mouth and was so creamy! I didn't even have to use any soy sauce to eat the sushi, it was such a pleasant experience. The tempura was light and crispy and fresh. I am definitely hooked...