Niko Niko Sushi Irvine has a wide variety of sushi rolls in Irvine, California

Located in the Woodbury Town Center shopping center, Niko Niko Irvine is part of a food court in the middle of the shopping center. The interior of the restaurant is quite chic – dark chairs, white table tops, beaded drapes, and very open. The sushi bar is nicely sized and the sushi chefs welcome you, “Irashaimase,” as you come in. Grab a seat at the sushi bar or table in the dining room.

Spicy Scallop Roll is spicy scallop and avocado atop a California Roll. The presentation was nice. The scallops were sweet and plump, but could have been spicier. The California Roll itself was not bad. It was a good base to bring the scallops flavor forward. Rating: 4/5

Spicy Tuna Roll contains spicy tuna, cucumber, and topped with smelt eggs. This cut roll was very generous in the spicy tuna department. It was just spicy enough to let the fresh flavor of the tuna through. The cucumbers were refreshing and the tobiko added a touch of saltiness. Rating: 5/5

Ultimate Albacore Roll is spicy tuna and cucumber on the inside and topped with seared albacore, crispy fried onions, and mustard sauce. It was a striking presentation with the crispy onions resembling spines from a deep-sea ocean creature. The sear on the albacore was perfect to lock in the subtle flavors of the raw tuna. The mustard sauce tied the whole roll together with a salty and subtle kick from the hot mustard. Rating: 4.5/5

Popcorn Lobster Roll is spicy tuna, avocado, and bell pepper on the inside and topped with deep-fried lobster, Japanese mayo, kabayaki sauce, and furikake. The plate looked like disco fries. The popcorn lobster was piled high covered in a zigzag of sauces. I could barely see the actual roll underneath. It was very interesting in flavor like have sushi with tempura. You definitely need all hands on deck to finish as well. This would be a good roll to share. Rating: 4/5

Crunch Dragon Roll is spicy tuna atop a crunch roll (surimi, cucumber, avocado, and shrimp tempura). It was tasty but messy roll to eat so prepare to use the chopsticks to pick up the aftermath. It might be easier to eat the spicy tuna off the top before attempting to eat each piece. Interesting concept, but not sure if I would order again. Rating: 3/5

Uni (Sea Urchin) Nigiri Sushi is always fantastic here! They always serve it fresh, indicated by a bright orange/yellow color. The consistency is always creamy and with a slight briny flavor. I usually eat two of the uni pieces by themselves, as they are usually piled high. Then, I put the whole sushi piece in my mouth and savor it with the rice and nori. Rating: 5/5

Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp) Nigiri Sushi is another of my favorites! Amaebi tail is served on rice with tobiki on top. The tail meat was sweet and delicate. Just watch out for the barb on the end of the tail. The heads are fried to glorious perfection and become “shrimp chips”. You can eat everything from the antennae to the miso (tamale) inside. The taste was almost like lobster. Rating: 5/5

Spider Handroll is soft shell crab that is deep-fried combined with avocado, cucumber, and surimi (imitation crab). I love ordering it as a handroll as the amount of rice is less than a cut roll and keeps the flavor of the crab intact. I would probably leave out the surimi as it can be distracting to the real crab flavor. Rating: 4/5

Salmon Handroll contains salmon and cucumbers. It was packed with salmon. They have the perfect type of salmon here with huge fat stripes for a rich buttery flavor. One of my favorite types of handrolls! Rating: 5/5

Spicy Scallop Handroll contains spicy scallops and cucumbers. The scallops could be a tad spicier, but the scallops were as sweet as could be. The tobiko was the perfect addition of salty flavor. Rating: 4.5/5

Salmon Skin Handroll is another one of my favorites. Salmon skin is what I call “bacon of the sea”. When broiled, the fat in the salmon melts and makes the skin crispy like bacon. The texture works well with the refreshing cucumber and carrot-like gobo. The bonito flakes added a salty, fishy flavor and brings the salmon flavor forward. Rating: 5/5

House Salad is mixed greens topped with a miso sesame dressing. It was a great way to go low carb at a sushi bar. Add orders of sashimi with it and it’s a meal. Rating: 4/5

Salmon Sashimi is beautifully plated with sliced salmon atop threads of daikon and shishito leaves. The salmon had large fat stripes for a buttery flavor. Dip into a mixture of wasabi and shoyu and you’re good to go! Rating: 5/5

Uni Sashimi is also beautifully composed along with tobiko (orange and black) atop threads of daikon. My uni was arranged on a lemon lounge chair with the uni basking in its glory with a lemon peel umbrella. The uni stole the show with its creamy sweet flavor and silky texture. Rating: 5/5

Amaebi Sashimi is another beautiful presentation of the shrimp tails and the fried heads on one plate. It almost looked like a display of mini lobsters. The shrimp was sweet and the heads were just amazing! The only thing left on the plate was the tea leaf underneath. Rating: 5/5

Niko Niko Irvine is the perfect place for anyone whether you are a sushi lover, vegetarian, watching your carbs, or want something hot and cooked inside a bento box.

Atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars

Service: 5 out of 5 stars

Décor: 5 out of 5 stars

Food: 5 out of 5 stars

For more information:

Niko Niko Sushi Irvine

6384 Irvine Blvd

Irvine, CA 92620-2102
+1.949.748.3970