Sushi Ichi

**** THIS BUSINESS IS CLOSED. DO NOT BUY THE Unilocal DEAL. ****
Tried calling to use thier living social coupon. The number was out. Drove down anyway. The lights were off and everything appears to be put away for good. The sign is gone from the marquis, and a banner announcing a new BBQ and Rice restaurant opening in its place hangs over the doorway.
Unilocal, please remove the deal ASAP to save your users’ time!

I did not like the sushi here at all. Sushi is my favorite food and I found a groupon for this place and bought it based on the good reviews. I came on a weekend afternoon and it was empty. The man at the cashier was nice, he was there for any questions I had and was just overall friendly. I didn’t know that he would not only take my order but also be making all of the rolls behind the counter. I ordered the firecracker roll, baked lobster roll, and crunch roll, all to-​go. I drove home immediately because I was so hungry. There was something wrong about each roll that was so unbearable that I ended up throwing more than half of my meal away because I could not finish it. The firecracker roll had spicy tuna and the spicy tuna was extra red and did not taste like it was spiced with sriracha as it should be. It tasted like it was spiced with a different type of chili, not right. The baked lobster roll had an orange sauce drizzled over it which I know should be dynamite sauce. It was sour and tangy! Dynamite sauce is NOT sour and tangy. And right next to the roll was a slice of an old partially rotten lemon, apparently placed as a garnish. I don’t know what these guys are doing by putting a slice of lemon alongside sushi rolls let alone mix it in with their dynamite sauce. Lastly, the crunch roll. OMG I can’t imagine someone messing up a crunch roll. Crunch roll usually comes drizzled with thick eel sauce. The eel sauce was watery and it was poured over the rolls and sogged up the rice and shrimp tempura inside the roll. I could not eat any of this and I forced myself to as much as I could because I did pay for it. After I gave up, my mom had to try it because she usually eats things I don’t want to keep it from going to waste. She put one piece of the firecracker roll in her mouth and spit it out. It is THAT gross. Never again Sushi Ichi.

Oh my goodness such good prices and it wasn’t cause the sushi was bad but quite the opposite! It was delicious, owner was amazing and super helpful in selecting the best deals and rolls. Would definitely come back next time in Santa Ana!

Best Sushi I have ever ate in my life. Chef Johnny knows what he is doing. Chef Johnny is very friendly and shows great hospitality. All food is made fresh to order. You can not beat the price, 2 special rolls for 9.95. I could easily pay 9.95 for one roll its that good. Sushi rolls I tired that were to die for were Super Santa Ana roll, Laker roll, Johnny roll, Golden Tiger roll and Ichi roll. I’m sure all the other rolls are great too but these are the ones I tried. Be warned that you will become addicted.

I ordered the Korean spicy ramen with out egg and it was absolutely delicious. It was my first time here and the guy taking my order was super nice and welcoming. Not only did I love the food but I also really enjoyed the decorations it wasn’t like any other regular sushi restaurants. I thought it was pretty unique. I Highly recommend eating here you won’t regret it!!!

As always best sushi place around! Johnny has been open for 8 months now and he’s only getting better! 2 special rolls for $ 9.95 is hard to beat. Great quality sushi. You know how they say quality over quantity? Here you get both. I really recommend his signature roll the «Johnny Style»!

The best sushi place! With great value and a nice owner, this place can’t be beat.
I especially love their California rolls and tempura is crispy and delicious!

Me and a friend eat here all the time because it is Fresh, Fast and affordable. The staff is always happy and most friendly.
I recommend this place 100%

Hello,
We’ve been here 2 or 3 times and it’s good quality for the money. Johnny (the owner) is always very pleasant and helpful. I even went there myself for lunch.
Everything is always fresh and the array of rolls is quite good. Yes the prices have gone up but the 2 roll special you get miso soup and a beverage for $ 10.00 I think it’s a bargain.

I should’ve known better than to believe I could get quality sushi at such a cheap price. For just under $ 11, you get two special rolls and a can of soda or water bottle. Ordering to-​go takes less than 10 minutes, which makes it ideal for a popular lunch break stop for all the offices in the area.
However, I advise you not to come here, even if it is convenient and cheap.
I tried the Rainbow and Ichi roll today, and opted for a bottle of water. It was done within 5 minutes, service was friendly and they guided me in what was included in the special deal. They even stated that their Special was «the best deal in town.» He was right… it was cheap, but it definitely showed in the quality, as well.
First thing I always notice when it comes to sushi: color. I’m not expecting 5-​star sushi, either, cause you KNOW I love my AYCE. But I was presented with browned mushed avocados, browned white fish, greyish salmon and dark tuna. Nothing looked appetizing. The Ichi roll was slathered in dynamite and eel sauce, which was not stated on the menu; I don’t like my rolls sauced too much either, so it wasn’t my cup of tea.
Second thing I notice… smell. Boy, were these rolls fishy and FULL of vinegar. And the taste backed up what my nose caught. The rolls were strong with vinegar, the fish smelled and had a texture that made me realize I probably should’ve listened to all those warnings about eating raw foods and getting food poisoning…
Luckily, my stomach is fine. I threw away more than half the food, since I couldn’t stomach the smell and texture. However, given the great staff, the cheap deal and the fact that I didn’t end up face down in a toilet tells me that it is, at least, safe to ingest. But the quality is equivalent to that of an AYCE restaurant, if not worse.
Pass even trying this place out. Don’t know what I was even thinking. :(
(edit: I’m checking out everyone’s photos on Unilocal and they look delicious. Maybe I’ll try this place again another time, when it’s busier.)

My sister and I recently stopped in this tiny restaurant for lunch on a Friday and were the only customers, which should have served as a warning sign. There was a gentleman working there, who was very nice and proudly announced that they had the best prices in town. For $ 10 a person, we got 4 rolls, 2 miso soups, and 2 drinks. For the price, it wasn’t the worst sushi I have ever had, but it was close. Some rolls were better than others, but the baked lobster roll was the worst – the «lobster» was some sort of chewy resemblance of shellfish and the spicy mayo had an odd consistency. Service was fine, but unfortunately the food was not good. I would not go back if I find myself in the area again.

I came in here bc my addiction was calling (sushi) and nothing else sounded good. I found this place on Unilocal and decided to give it a try. I was very pleased with my experience. I ordered 2 sushi rolls which was $ 9.50. It came with miso soup and a canned beverage of your choice. The owner was very nice and makes you feel at home. It’s very small, don’t get turned off by the space. It truly is a gem. The sushi was fresh and the best price in town, as the owner mentioned ;)

We love this place!!! Super affordable price, great service and REALLY GOOD FOOD!!!

For fast, cheap sushi that’s also fresh and delicious, this is the place to go!
I didn’t ask if this was an all the time special, but you can get any of their two rolls for $ 7.00. And they are normal/​decent sized rolls, no skimping on fish or toppings!
The owner is super friendly and will remember you. There is also a stamp card you can receive that goes up to 10.

Lunch with co-​workers and pleasantly surprised to find this place. Great prices, rolls are small which is good because 2 full size rolls would be too much.
Fish was fresh and tea was good. Will be back

Two large lobster, shrimp or crabmeat rolls for $ 7.50. We had to ask three times if that was a typo.
So far so good. Girl was a little slow with the water but… I distracted her with my irresistible charm. (read annoying psychic voyeurism).
Friendly and much better than fast food. Hello! Took only 5 – 7 minutes to be served. Friendly. Fun.

Food:
— Baked Lobster roll — fresh and warm. i like the sauce on top. it makes the roll taste even better.
— Buritto roll w/​o rice — love it. its not on the menu but the owner gladly made it for me upon request. its made with imitation crab meat with avocado and salmon. simple yet tasty.
— washington roll — descent salmon pieces with some crunch
— ichi roll — shrimp is not freshly fried, hence not crunchy but it still taste pretty good with some salmon on top.
— 4 stars for the food
Service:
— superb. friendly owner who is very helpful, engaging, nice, and accommodating. where else can you find this kinda of service. i’d give 6 stars for the service. this is one of the main reasons why i’d give this place 5 stars.
Price:
— its a steal. i feel like i am robbing this place. its super cheap and i think its the cheapest in orange county. $ 7.50 for two rolls. the other reason why this place deserve 5 stars. the roll is not as big as other sushi places, but it is still very cheap. in fact, i prefer this bite size roll, where i can just put the whole thing in my mouth without having to bite it or make a mess.
will definitely be back to try their other rolls and maybe some bento.

There are now three of my favorite lunch spots in this same shopping center thanks to Sushi Ichi. How have I never been in here? I get burgers at Johnny’s like once every other week and I frequent Niki’s (Indian food) as well, but somehow I’ve missed little Sushi Ichi tucked in there.
Today I parked in front of Niki’s for lunch but then noticed this place and thought I’d try it out. SO glad I did.
It’s small inside, but no smaller than most of the other sushi lunch spots in the area… probably 5 or 6 small tables. The guy who greeted me was super nice and so was the gal who took my order. They have a special which is $ 6.50 for any two of the «special» rolls which there are THIRTY THREE of. Such an insane deal, especially for the choices. I went with the Baked Lobster roll and the Seattle’s Best roll. Both were normal portion size, a little skimpy on the fish, but what can you expect for $ 6.50?! It was completely worth the money especially considering how fresh the fish was. This isn’t a get what you pay for type of inexpensive sushi place; you get great quality for what you pay for here.
I will absolutely be back as a regular.

My first impressions of this place was the décor. It has a nice Japanese influence with shades of cherry blossoms lining the inside.
The owner, John, has owned this place for a little more than a month. Love the customer service!
Sushi is only 6.50 $ for two rolls, CHEAPEST in SoCal, the sushi was good, not amazing but for a price quite a steal.

Little place owned by a man, Johnny. He was hilarious and welcoming. Treated us extremely well and made us feel at home, while eating sushi. My mother and I had the baked salmon and baked lobster roll. Both had similar sauces and flavors, but my mom said that the salmon was better. I also ordered a chicken bowl given that I’m a huge fan of the simple teriyaki chicken bowls. It was also delicious. The only thing I was iffy about was the chicken since it contained a bit of fat, but I’m just picky on that little detail. We had hot (warning, very HOT) green tea to accompany our food and it was perfect.
All this was well under a 20 dollar bill. Great experience. I recommend it.