Sushi Damu, PAYCE - Tustin, California

Isabelle Minch

If you're in the area stop by here! This place is such a treat and you won't regret popping by for the best sushi of your life. The chef special was to die for and the recommendations of the staff were all thoroughly delightful! It was clear that each and every single morsel was of the highest caliber, freshest ingredients and made with skill and love. We were seated quickly despite it being busy and got drinks and appetizers in a flash. I don't typically do reviews for restaurants these days with infant twins taking my attention but this place was worth the time it took to write about how awesome the experience was.

Angel Pena

Food is good. Nice flavors and good cuts. Service was bad. Asked for our drinks 2 times. Finally got them. And was never offered a refill or table clean. Restaurant was not even busy. Only 4 total party’s including us.

Jeff

Closes at a 10:30pm but stopped serving at 930pm and poor customer service by the greeter? I guess I’ll spend my money elsewhere. Good to find RA and Honda-Ya down the way are open later.
Update: Decided to give it another shot and my experience this time around was very different. There was a 20-30 minute wait when we arrived. While we waited, a server came out with a plate of vegetable tempura and mentioned it was a compliment from the manager for our wait. Awesome gesture from the manager. Her gesture made the wait seem shorter. Food was amazing! Can’t wait to come back!

豆皮哥（DOPPERALIEN）

We went there for Mother’s Day celebration. We did not wait too long since we have reservation. Host was good. Server was good. Food wait time was way too long for each round even we submitted the order sheet as soon as possible. And every round had some item missing. Server felt sorry for us since he couldn’t control kitchen. Overall the experience wasn’t that good. Fish was fresh and hot item are pretty good.

911feedmee

Disappointing Experience at Damu: Great Food Marred by Poor Service

As a dedicated Google reviewer and food blogger, I was eager to share my experience at Damu, a renowned sushi spot in town. Having visited for the second time, my expectations were high for both service and cuisine. Opting for the premium package priced at $45, I anticipated a delightful dining affair.

On the culinary front, Damu did not disappoint. The quality of the food was commendable, meeting the standards I had heard so much about. However, my dining experience took a sour turn due to several shortcomings in service.

Firstly, the pace of service was disappointingly slow. But what truly soured the experience was the demeanor of our server. Throughout the meal, her attitude was unwelcoming, and every request felt like an inconvenience. This lack of hospitality detracted significantly from what could have been an enjoyable evening.

To compound matters, we were unaware of the restaurant's strict 1.5-hour seating limit, a detail not communicated to us upon arrival. Imagine our surprise when, after an hour and a half of dining, we were abruptly informed by our server that our time was up, and we were expected to settle the bill and vacate our seats immediately. This abruptness left us feeling rushed and unwelcome, with the added frustration of having to pay for uneaten food due to the time constraint.

Seeking clarification, we addressed our concerns with the manager regarding both the restaurant's policies and the server's demeanor. Unfortunately, the manager's response was disappointingly dismissive, offering only to speak with the server without addressing our broader concerns. To add insult to injury, the same server handled our bill, further highlighting the lack of accountability within the establishment.

In summary, while Damu impresses with its culinary offerings and inviting ambiance, the poor service detracts significantly from the overall dining experience. My ratings reflect this sentiment: Food receives a modest 2 out of 5, the atmosphere earns a respectable 4 out of 5, but service, unfortunately, garners a dismal 0 out of 5.

In conclusion, while Damu may excel in certain aspects, potential patrons should be wary of the inconsistencies in service that mar an otherwise promising establishment.

Ben Jams

One of my favorite AYCE places so far!

i paid for the premium $45 one as opposed to the lower tier $38 option and i think it was worth it?

most of the salmon was nice and marbled. tasted quite fresh and creamy. the tuna was decent as well, although it was interesting that it wasn't that red and it was already sauced...

a lot of little random things went wrong however which kept interrupting our dinner so that was unfortunate. for example, wrong orders coming out to our table

Artur

Very good PAYCE sushi place in Orange County. Been coming here for years now. If you can, visit on less busy days.

Šmøķê

It was a really good place. we got 2 plates and 2 soft drinks for only 63 bucks, I mean, really, we ate a lot of food like sushi, shrimp, ice cream, steak, strawberry moose, and watermelon. There's also a lot more, but we were just full of food, so we didn't need more.