Somisomi — Restaurant in Irvine

Whenever I'm in the area, Somisomi is a must. I walked in with my parents and there was no line at all. There were many people on the benches enjoying their treats and it was full of people but we were free to order. This wasn't our first time getting Somisomi, it's a family favorite of ours but it was our first time here at this location.

All of us got the ah boong upside down with the cup. One of the swirls of the week was Cookies and Cream and Matcha, and we all got the same flavor. For mine, I added Oreo Crumbles and a cute little macaron too. It was very good, the Matcha flavor was earthy and delicious. This establishment nails the sweetness level, sweet but not overly sweet. I love how the extra toppings at the end are free as well. The taiyaki was tasty and a great compliment to the soft serve, it helped reduce the sweetness.

Wait time was very quick. The cashier also prepared each of our soft serves and she was very kind and helpful. I did ask for a black sesame filling in my taiyaki but when I finished my taiyaki I realized I didn't get the black sesame filling, it was just plain. But other than that mishaps, service was still excellent. She was the only person I saw working behind the counter taking orders and preparing them as well so I don't blame her.

Going to Somisomi is always an amazing experience for me and my family. I highly recommend this place...

If you're looking for a creative ice cream shop, look no more. Somisomi combines ice cream with a renowned dessert from the Japanese tradition, taiyaki 鯛焼き (crisp and chewy bread shaped like koi, with red bean or other fillings, also known as Ah-Boong in Korea).

First timers should try the matcha flavor, with toppings of your choice (cereal, cookie, strawberry, macaroon). You will be amazed by the combination soft serve with the chewy taiyaki, with a filling of your choice. Traditional matcha goes well with the red bean filling, but the custard and Nutella are also worth trying.

Perhaps more than the flavor and creativity, the presentation of each ice cream item is extremely appealing aesthetically. People now have a need to showcase what they eat in online platforms, and Somi's excellent presentation is feeding into that need.

The menu is very simple. You can choose between a taiyaki and ice cream combination, or the traditional taiyaki. An interesting feature is Somisomi's "forecast" screen which informs customers different swirls (combination of two ice creams in one) for next week.

The only downside is the wait time, but given the novelty of this shop, long lines are expected. Somisomi is sure to develop loyal customers if they maintain the quality of their products. A customer loyalty stamp card would be good too, to generate even...

The lines here can get pretty long because of how popular it is, but the wait isn't terrible. The line moves fast, as the menu is small so people don't have too much time to ponder, and they get your dessert out fast. It's fun to watch them make everything too. The taiyaki itself was tasty, and the fillings made it so much better. You can top your ice cream with however many toppings for no extra charge, which is nice. I love to stop by here after a night out in Irvine since it's the perfect little treat to end the day on. I didn't mind this at all, as I'm familiar with the Asian flavors they offer here, but to those that aren't familiar: they offer only a few ice cream options and they are by no means traditional, so don't walk in there expecting to see chocolate or cookies and cream. They have milk, which pretty much tastes like vanilla, ube, green tea, and black sesame. All of them taste wonderful though, so don't let that stop you from stopping by! I personally loved how they remained true to classic Asian flavors, and it was fun to see them include Filipino ube! I don't see that flavor outside of Filipino restaurants often, so that was a bonus for me. (I recommend ube ice cream with custard taiyaki topped with...