Origami Bistro & Bar

Origami is dead.
Finally!
Maybe it will be replaced by a restaurant that realizes that it’s in the service industry.
One can hope.

I wish that I could say I was sad that this place was closed. All I can say is «see ya suckers». The management and staff was so unbelievably horrible that I can’t help but be glad they are now unemployed.
This is what happens when you treat your customers like «sh&t», you couldn’t keep it together. Hope all your dreams were broken and your wallets broken. This city tried to give you a chance, but you weren’t ready to own a restaurant/​bar.

We had to walk by the waiter (smoking outside the front door) to get in and that should have been a sign. The service was horrible. The waiter acted like we were a pain in the butt when we just ordered basic sushi and iced tea. He never checked back with us after our initial order and never even had the energy to crack a smile the whole time we were there. There was a Mexican fellow who brought out our food and because of him I have to add one more star, he asked us with a smile if everything was okay and if we needed anything else… interesting concept that the waiter could have tried. The rest of the experience was just unpleasant. I don’t foresee this place lasting very long with that kind of service.

I Will NOT be returning to this garbage place. First of all… Wtf! When you first walk in to the restaurant, youll probably feel like you walked into an empty warehouse. There was nobody to even give a rats @$$ about people who walk in to dine. The waiter was disinterested and looked like he was annoyed. When he finally seated us after 4min of talking to his buddy, he brought plates for appetizers and basically threw the plates on the table. Maybe Im little bit anal but this is actually first time reviewing on Unilocal.It was so bad that i had to prevent other people to eat at this «restaurant.» I strongly believe that great service can compensate for the quality of the food and even maybe returning even they have bad food to give another try, but this place im not coming back. I seriously dont know what the managers are thinking. Flush out your employee and get your service straight!
Even if they have good food, i dont know how you can possibly return to this place.

Best patio in the SCV. Fantastic view. (But I wish their patio could stay open as late as the restaurant itself, but the city has limited their patio hours.)
Food is very good. Sushi is always good, so are the burgers, and they have a decent happy hour. Great seaweed and sashimi salads; great miso; amazing oysters; etc.
I also wish their patio had a cover so we could sit out there in the rain, but I’m sure the city would not allow that either. I finally wish they would have more heaters on the patio for those cold nights.
But overall, one of my favorite cigar patios.
Cigar Dave :)

The thing about Origami is…
I used to LOVE this place. The lobster crab roll was unlike any roll ever. It was so good! Real crab, baby lobster… home made spicy mayo not like any other spicy mayo. They had these lettuce cup apps that were amazing too. I live in the sfv and used to brave the traffic on a friday night just to come here. Not to mention all of their maritnis. It was my fav place. Every first date, every birthday was spent here. Then, one day… I went to sit on the patio and they were charging something stupid, like 20 bucks to sit there. They no longer had regular rice but some odd rice no one liked… they had fake crab and horrible service. No one was in the place and I knew it was gonna go under. They did the typical failing restaurant thing… lower the quality of the product, charge for what used to be free, and cut down staff. I stopped going. Then one day they were a burger bar… that was confusing and heartbreaking. And again one day they were back to being a Asian fusion joint. Problem is, now I see their menu clearly states that the crab is fake and they are charging 16 bucks for a fake crab roll??? ugh. RIP origami… I loved you so. If you wise up and get back to your roots you might just make it. Great staff, real crab… and bomb martinis… I’ll spend every friday night there.

Always a great time out. I first went for the burgers. Great! But quickly realized their sushi was some of the freshest around and the imaginative rolls are very tasty — try the Sakura roll. My family and I tend to pick it each time we are heading out for a great meal.
Along with the great food, their wait staff always makes us smile. Great service every time!
The happy hour pricing is great for the bottom line too.

I have no idea why this place is getting so many good reviews or why there are two different review profiles for this place. Unilocal HQ needs to clean that up.
So my buddy who lives in the SCV wanted to do a movie and chow; he heard about this place so I agreed. The reviews looked promising. The place has a decent layout but not what I would call romantic, just dark. The evening we went the place was dead, hardly anyone in the place. So the service was attentive but the food is crap.
The best Kobe beef burgers I have had have been in Las Vegas at Burger Bar and in Napa. Hell, even the Kobe burger from room service at the Mandalay is far superior to what I had at Origami. My buddy was also disappointed with his burger.
I had the Honolulu burger, the beef was not fresh. It did not melt in my mouth and have the tenderness I have had before with Kobe beef. The pineapple was from a can, yes canned. How do I know, fresh cut pineapple has a fibrous texture while canned becomes what I would describe as compressed and smooth.
My buddy had the Hollywood Burger; he commented that the mushroom was too chewy and also how the beef was not fresh.
I am not sure how this place gets so many stars; locals must not have experienced a fresh Kobe burger. The SCV lets this place stay open while a real culinary gem (Cavi in Newhall) closes down. What are you people thinking? You are better off having something across the street at Jonny Rocket’s. And yes, they are way over priced for the quality and location. By the way, Salt Creek is crap as well. Valencia is a culinary wasteland.

Highly unexpected!
We were a little put-​off by the lounge atmosphere, and very nearly turned around when we thought they weren’t seating for dinner. But we stuck around and got seated right away. What an incredibly interesting menu, with the mix of burgers and sushi. I had the Mexican garlic burger, cooked perfectly and with the right amount of spiciness. The cheese wasn’t that present, but everything else was in full force. My wife got some sushi, which isn’t my thing, but she enjoyed it. It looks like their happy hour is an excellent deal, with a special discount menu & discount drinks. We are certainly going to go back when we’re good and hungry.

My boyfriend and I went to Origami with a few friends for drinks and dinner. There was no host and we were left to wander around looking for seating. No one came to greet us, I guess we were expected to go up to the bar for any kind of service. Finally after about 15 minutes, we were able to flag down a waitress. She tossed us our menus and wasn’t much help. We had to ask several times for the «drink» menu.
My boyfriend ordered the Korean BBQ Burger and I had the Spider burger.
The food came out in an appropriate amount of time but I wish they had spent more time on the preparation.
His burger was a kimchi slaw and Kobe beef disappointment. The bun was stale and the «kimchi» was more of a soggy cabbage mess.
My burger was a tempura battered soft shell crab with Swiss cheese. The bun was stale and over cooked, the «crab» was over battered and over cooked. I had so much lettuce and tomato on there, I felt like I was eating a salad.
All in all, the drinks were over priced (we skipped on the $ 12 martinis) and the food was sub par at best. The concept was there but the execution was way off. I’d only suggest this place if you were in the mood for eating in the dark and sitting on the floor.

I arrived at the restaurant a little after 4:00 pm, walked in and was greeted by the waiter/​host, and immediately felt that I was intruding on his privacy since there was absolutely no other patrons in the restaurant. Because of the early hour, I excused the emptiness. My friends arrived shortly after and then joined me. We proceeded to review the menu and asked the waiter for his recommendations, to which he had no real answer and didn’t seem very familiar with the menu, as a matter of fact, I asked him specifically about one of the sushi rolls and he had to read off of the menu.
Considering we were the ONLY table in the restaurant, you’d think that we’d have the best of service, far from it! The service was VERY poor with a side of «don’t ask me for anything.» I had to ask the waiter if they were open for lunch, and he replied yes, which explained why the floor was dirty.
As for the food, it was okay, certainly not worth the inconvenience of the waiter’s attitude.
My recommendation is to go somewhere else, at least we can cross that one off our list!

We attended a friend’s Birthday party just the other weekend and this is what I experienced as I passed by a couple waiting to get seated.
” you guys can sit anywhere because I really don’t know what’s going on…“
said by one of the waitresses there as she walks away.
I just looked at the couples and they looked at each other confused.
Hahahah!
Oh yeh, for parents out there, this place only has 1 high chair available.
So you might wanna bring your own! LOL!!!

This review has absolutely nothing to do with the food. As a matter of fact, it has nothing to do with the drinks either. I had some happy-​hour Coors Light; which I’m fairly certain they don’t ‘brew’ on location or anything.
This review is just for Karaōke Night. I must have gone on the best night humanly possible. I walked in and the place was full of beautiful women; mostly with their hipster man-​friends on their hips (play on words, so to speak). I noticed the atmosphere was poppin’ and the people were gettin their swerve on; aka-​people were dancing, a little.
The Karaōke selection was legit. Almost, 2 Legit 2 Quit, but not quite. Some of the songs were softies, so, more like 2 leqit 2 Quilt? Anywho, their was this large biker guy that had a harmonica and he rocked it like nothing I’ve ever seen. It was, well, to quote a famous poet, «like a mix between Fergie & Jesus.» Yea, it was that good. I don’t know any of the songs he played because I mainly listen to the Yentel Soundtrack and N.W.A.
Anywho, all I remember is that I was slightly inebriated and decided to switch the mood up a bit. So, I chose a bit of an unorthodox song for a hipster-​trendy bar. I was midway through Coolio’s «Gangsters Paradise» when Eddie Murray walked in. I can’t explain much more about my experience at the Origami Bar. But, it was just about the best thing since Loaved Bread (sorry, not a slice guy).

The prices are pretty steep for the portions that you get not to mention the taste was … different.
I tried the kimchee tacos, the spicy beef tacos, dumplings, … basically sampled the happy hour menu which has a bit of everything off their regular menu and I was not impressed. Didn’t really taste the asian.
The drinks were diluted, not that much alcohol and the service was ok… a bit slow and their waiters did not know their menu. I had asked a question regarding walnuts as I am allergic as was not sure if it was in the dish and got two different responses of yes and no… which did not help.

Review for ‘Origami BURGER bar’… not the former Origami Bar…
Unilocalers, please give them another try, I don’t want the best BURGER in town (maybe planet?) to disappear! (And neither will you.)
I was intrigued by a review I read online, and a new banner outside on the new ‘Burger Bar’…I expected the worst, and hoped for the best based on past reviews.
BEST BURGER I’VE EVER HAD! Went twice in the same week to test consistency… perfect both times! My husband LOVES Father’s Office Burgers (Santa Monica) and agreed these burgers are better. We went back 3 days later, brought his mother, she also concurred that these were AMAZING.
FYI…
Over the years, I’ve been to Origami Bistro a few times. It was alright, but not memorable. Now I will cry if this place closes because people aren’t wiling to give them another chance. The burgers REALLY are that good.
What I’ve tried:
SURF & TURF*
American kobe beef, Shrimp tempura, Avocado, Cucumber, Swiss cheese, Dragon sauce
HOLLYWOOD BURGER*
Caramelized Onion, Sautéed King Mushroom, Grilled Tomato, Aged Provolone, Romaine Lettuce, Steak Aioli
Check my pictures to see the burgers in al their glory!
Honorable mention:
Garlic Fries w/​Chipotle Ranch

Tonight was the third or fourth time we have been to Origami in Valencia Town Center, but only the first time since it has become «Origami Burger Bar.» Yes, we had a good laugh when we saw the sign changing the sushi bar into a burger joint, but thought we’d give it a try anyway.
Typically, this place is hoppin’ late into the night… every night. Granted, our visit was on a Monday evening, but it was eerily slow for this regularly packed restaurant. We sat outside (since the diner was completely empty), which was our first mistake as a large group was enjoying cigars on the patio. Service was okay; no suggestions for the new menu. We ordered the Hollywood Burger ($ 12), garlic fries ($ 5), and couldn’t resist the spicy tuna and california rolls. The sushi was good, as expected. The burger on the other hand was warm (not hot), soggy and lacked flavor. The fries were small, greasy and salty, but hardly tasted of fresh garlic… not at all what we were expecting. I left feeling unsatisfied to the tune of $ 35. Possibly the new menu needs a little practice with rave reviews in its future, but I doubt we will give it another try.

I was sad to see all the negative reviews of Origami but I also sort of understand. It’s a bit hit and miss with this place and you really have to have been here a few times.
My joy in this restaurant/​bar does not stem from the food. Ted and I usually bike down here, meet tons of friends, have a great time, get sloppy drunk and then bike our intoxicated butts home. It’s all in good fun. My favorite drink is the wedding cake martini. Incredible! The martini list itself is creative, extensive and interesting. By the time we are hungry we are also too far in the cups to care that much about the sushi. (which is not amazing but isn’t nearly as bad as everyone has been saying). The staff (or those I have dealt with) are amazing. They often remember me and always partake in pleasant conversation.
Origami has dropped in popularity simultaneous to the decline in the economy but it’s still a fun place to relax and drink with friends. Plus the last time I went they had introduced a new burger menu that while totally bizarre is still really intriguing. I ate a dragon burger (think dragon roll on a burger) beef, unagi, avocado. Sounds weird but is actually super awesome. I feel bad for Origami. I hope they can turn things back to the way they used to be.

Beware. This place is a rip off! Their sushi is not that great because their quality is terrible. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got their fish from the Gulf of Mexico.
Trust me, as a former worker, I know what they do in the back. The quality SUCKS! It’s basically crappy stuff that has okay plating.
On the other hand, their deserts are pretty good… but you’re getting ripped off.
DONT GO HERE!

Stopped in to Origami Bistro for dessert on a Monday evening. About 15 people in the place.
The waitress, a local gal named Christi, was very friendly (thank you!). In addition to waiting tables, she worked behind the bar. She was socializing with all the patrons equally.
The dessert I chose was a baked banana with vanilla ice cream. It was pretty good, but quite small for $ 7.63, plus tip.
The build out is okay; Origami looks like a hip Asian restaurant inside.
The music playing is loud hard rock — punk, metal, etc.
The patrons I saw were in their early 20s.
There is a VIP (?) room in the back where there was some canoodling going on. Wasn’t sure if this was a restaurant or a strip club.
While conveniently located across the street from the Valencia (Westfield?) mall and the Hyatt Hotel, I don’t see a need to return here, and would not recommend it to my friends, colleagues, or business associates.
That being said, I give it two stars for the dessert that was quite good, and Christi, who was kind.

-/​\ — beep —— /​\ — –beep — -/​\ –beep — — ^ — -beep — — -^ — — — — — — –
That’s my attempt of a flatline. Yes, I am a big ‘ol Nerd but if an experience so disappointing drives me to crude ASCII art, it REALLY must be bad.
They say time heals all wounds, but as the weeks go on my frustration grows when harkening back to my meal at Origami. This place is on life support, and no number of Affliction wearing skinny MMA dudes nursing beers at the bar will bring this place back to life. Here were my problems with my last experience here:
1. No hostess at the podium. We were begrudgingly seated by a stressed, overworked waiter.
2. I ordered a citrus martini that I nicknamed the ‘Hair of the Dog”. Why? Because there was a hair in it. I immediately sent it back and watched in horror as the waiter closely inspected the drink before he apologized. Don’t EVEN get me started on the proper protocol for this dilemma, but I’ll keep it simple. Waiters, when someone says there’s a hair in a dish just take it away, don’t ask questions, don’t inspect, apologize and «BE GONE».
3. We ordered an appetizer of Kobe beef in butter leaf lettuce cups. This dish came to us with Kobe overcooked beef nuggets, served in wilted lettuce cups and topped with a cotija cheese whose saltiness overpowered the beef. Conceptually the dish was flawed; butter lettuce is too delicate for sautéed beef, and the flavors competed against each other in such a way that it was a disappointment.
4. The waiter suggested that we hurry and order our sushi because the kitchen was really backed up and slow.
5. The aforementioned sushi was unmemorable.
Sadly I haven’t mustered the courage to eat out in the Santa Clarita Valley since this culinary travesty.
I won’t be back.