Our City’s Food Puts Tustin on the Map
Tustin, California may not have the cachet of other Orange County cities but we pride ourselves on our selection of great places to eat. For those who don’t know Tustin, we like to think that our eateries are one of the best-key secrets in O.C. Whether you have a hankering for sushi, Chinese, seafood or good old American fare, Tustin has just about anything you could want. We’ve compiled a list of what we think are Tustin’s best restaurants which you can choose from.
- Sushi Damu
13962 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 505-3147
https://sushidamu.com/
If you’re in the mood for sushi this is the place. Diners rave about the food here calling it “a must.” Their jen jen roll gets high marks as does the rest of the menu including the Super Burrito, Alaska roll and California roll. Another patron says he’s “never dissatisfied.” Give it a try and make it your go-to sushi restaurant.
- TANAKAYA
654 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(657) 231-6245
https://www.tanakaya-soba.com/
Tustin patrons keep coming back to Tanakaya for its excellent food and service. One guest calls their lunch combo the “best in Orange County in quality and price.” Recommended dishes include hot Kitsune Soba with Katsu Don. They call this restaurant a “quiet local gem.”
- THH Sandwiches
14081 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 731-1366
https://www.thhsandwiches.com/
Not just sandwiches but Vietnamese sandwiches which includes items like the egg and chicken sandwiches as well as egg rolls and other Vietnamese delicacies. Diners say this is the best THH around and keep coming back again and again. One diner said he couldn’t get enough of the food and just had to keep ordering more and more. It’s THAT good.
- BBQ Chicken – Tustin
13681 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 852-3430
https://www.bbqchickeneats.com/
This Korean chicken restaurant does not disappoint. Tustin residents have been going to this eatery for years. It’s part of a chain but the Tustin location exceeds expectations. Try the original crispy or honey-garlic chicken among others. Diners go crazy over this restaurant saying that it’s the best Korean fried chicken around. We read exclamations like “Thank God” and “It’s SOOO good!”
- Chaak Kitchen
215 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(657) 699-3019
http://chaakkitchen.com/
Looking for something new in Mexican cuisine? Chaak Kitchen is it! This new Mexican (as in new style) restaurant serves up food that Tustin diners keep coming back for. It gets high praise for drinks, service and as one eater says, “don’t even get me started on the food!” Dishes include chliaquiles, asada and cochinita pibil. If Mexican dishes tickle you fancy you have to give Chaak Kitchen a try! It’s been named a “discoveries” restaurant by Michelin in 2020.
- L’uxweet
12932 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 884-3108
https://www.luxweet.com/
This tiny Taiwanese breakfast/brunch restaurant is another Tustin hidden gem. Located in a strip mall on Newport Ave., it has developed quite a following. Diners go nuts over the House BBQ pork egg pancake and other items. Patrons say this place needs to be on your bucket list. Other superlatives include several OMGs and “magical.”
- Roma D’ Italia
611 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 544-0273
https://www.romaditalia.com/
Want outstanding Italian food in Tustin? Look no further than Roma D’Italia. This place has legions of fans who say this is simply the best Italian food around, hands down. Praises include “absolutely delicious” and “large portions” (including the tiramisu). Other favorite dishes include the eggplant sorrentino and of course delicious pizza and pasta. One diner didn’t even wait to leave the restaurant before posting his glowing review online.
- New Taste
608 E First St
Tustin, CA 92780
(657) 266-0088
If you love Chinese food (and who doesn’t?) New Taste is for you. This Hunan-style eatery is a Tustin favorite. Diners rate it five stars consistently and give it good marks for service as well. Try the pork belly buns (they get an OMG) and the cilantro spicy beef. It’s hard to find a review that’s less than five stars for this place.
- The Black Marlin
560 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 929-7427
http://blackmarlinrestaurant.com/
The Black Marlin is Tustin’s seafood restaurant of choice. It’s highly regarded by diners in our city for many reasons. One is the “buck a shuck” promotion for oysters on the half shell. Other faves include the lobster mac and cheese. Diners praise the service and say that this place is consistently good, “super fresh” and that they “absolutely love” it.
- The Soup and Noodle
807 N Tustin St
Orange, CA 92867
(714) 602-6000
https://the-soup-and-noodle.business.site/
This Asian fusion restaurant is getting raves from Tustin diners. One woman says a single order take out box is so heavy it can feed two (or one if you really go at it!). Aside from the generous portions people love the flavors like lomo saltado fries and rib eye steak with garlic noodles. According to one Yelper “this is the spot to satisfy all your soup and noodle needs!”