Anjin - Costa Mesa

This restaurant is undoubtedly one of the best Japanese BBQ places in Orange County. The quality of the meat is consistently excellent, and I always make sure to order the beef tongue, which is my personal favorite. The emphasis on the BBQ meat experience really distinguishes this spot. However, I should mention that while the meat is outstanding, other main dishes like noodles or desserts don't quite match that high standard. It's best to stick to what they excel at – the BBQ. Also, be sure to arrive early, as there is usually a long wait.

The food was too good to capture in photos, but I have a video to share! Do yourself a favor and visit this place; it’s the perfect spot for a late dinner. The service is outstanding as well—everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming.

The food was good, but I found it to be overrated. It didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Overall: 3.9/5 dine in) We came around 11:30 PM, and there was still a wait. We didn't get seated until ~12:10 AM. Service was a bit slow too so we had to flag people down. Our table was set with 2 types of sauces. The left side was like a thicker sesame forward flavor which I didn't use too much while the right side was a bit lighter and paired well with the meats. I wished they gave us a piece of fat to coat our grill grates. The meat was sticking to the grill a bit and was burning quicker. The veggie choice was also very interesting. The boneless short rib came with one huge slice of green bell pepper 1/4 of a whole). I would have like it if came in smaller slices. The beef rib eye came with 2 slices of squash and half a corn cob. #4 Marbled Prime Boneless Short Rib $19.95): This was okay. We don't understand the hype over this. Can get much better short rib elsewhere. Special Premium Beef Kobe Style Beef Rib Eye $45): Big thick slices that were so juicy and delicious! Pineapple Sherbet $8): The sherbet seems to be made out of fresh pineapple but our's wasn't very sweet. Green Tea: They offer complimentary green tea to end your meal. It's of good quality and tasty as well.

Best meat quality of any Japanese barbecue place I've been. Costlier than other places, but for the quality of meat you get, it's well worth it