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February 2024 by Kaz R.
Well stocked except on New Years! I wanted Sweet Mochi but they always running out. Workers are very helpful and polite.
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February 2024 by Chuck D.
I like this Mitsuwa location in Costa Mesa on Paularino a lot. It has a big enough grocery section without being too big. It's much larger than the Irvine location. The food court inside is SOLID. Whenever we stay in CM or Newport, we always end up here to grab lunch before we check in to our hotel. We like Santouka for ramen or minced beef bowls, Don Don Tei for sukiyaki rice bowls and Sanuki Mugimaru for self-serve tempura. As far as the market part, we tend to buy Calpico, bottled water and juices for the hotel stay and Japanese snacks like gummies and shrimp chips. There is a decent section for vegetables and meat. There are kitchen knives from Japan and various rice cookers from Japan like Zojirushi and Tiger brands. So you know the quality will be top notch. There is also a Daiso inside this Mitsuwa which is great browsing and inexpensive buying. There is also a fine mochi shop (J.sweet) and a stationary/bookstore. Customer service from the folks in the food court and from the checkout personnel in the market section have always been friendly & hopeful. Needs more restrooms, food court seating and parking can be difficult on weekends, especially around lunchtime.
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February 2024 by Stacey P.
I love this place. You have market and food court. You can't go wrong. I do miss the old location with the old restaurants they had at the old one.
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January 2024 by Caleb K.
This place is a wonderland for those who love Japanese cuisine! Featuring all kinds of foods like udon, katsu, and tempura, we got the chance to try several of their foods. I don't remember exact names, but the restaurant that served us this "Special Katsu-Don" was very good! We also had the chance to try J's Sweets (their mochi), which was amazing after letting them thaw for ~15 minutes -- I will say they are more richer and bitter than I had expected, so keep that it mind. We also got the chance to try the onigiri in the general marketplace, which was pretty good, but it was obviously left in the fridge for a while because of the hard rice. Overall, I would go again, but would just stick to a simple udon or rice dish. It's nice having a hot meal and then taking a few steps to the other side and doing grocery shopping for the week! :)
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January 2024 by Peter D.
A highly organized and clean Japanese Market. No different from any other Mitsuwa. They always have a good selection of to choose from and I love getting their bento boxes and ramen. Whenever I am here I always have to stop by the food court to get some ramen. Sometime I double dip and get some ice cream too.. Every worker here is super polite and service has always been spectacular.
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January 2024 by Sammy L.
Served FAST, FRESH and HOT!! Very AFFORDABLE!! We loved Mitsuwa's food court with lots of choices. After staying at Carlsbad Village for few days we were still craving Japanese food. We had to stopped by Mitsuwa on our way home. We have been frequent here since late 90's. Love the scenes and vibes of busy food court. Lots of noise and action. There are plenty of tables! About 3 or 4 bussers cleaning up very fast. We will always eat here when passing by. GO EAT!!
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January 2024 by Akiko Morgan
A clean, well-stocked Japanese market with a food court. They also have a few shops inside the building (one had cute stuffed animals and other Japanese stuff). The grocery store itself had a good selection and had some things that Mitsuwa in San Diego doesn't carry.
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January 2024 by Nhue G.
I love Mitsuwa Japanese marketplace, especially their food court. The food here is so good and there is a variety of choices to choose from udon and ramen to rice bowls and Chinese food. It gets pretty crowded, so it's hard to find seating. You can always get food to go also. One of my favorite restaurants is Sanuki Seimen Mugimaru. They specialize in udon noodle soup. I got the beef udon noodles plus the soft boiled egg. It was really yummy and decently priced. I also got the fried vegetables, but not all of them were labeled, so it was hard to tell what was what. Overall, the food was great and I would be back.
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January 2024 by Vincent L.
[Updated to add photos and edit text] What's not to love about Mitsuwa? It's the Japanese equivalent to 99 Ranch or H-Mart, complete with a massive food court and specialty sub-retailers like Daiso and a chocolate shop featuring Royce and other brands. As for the core supermarket, it's got all the bells and whistles you'd expect. Fresh produce, meats, and seafood that are not only specialized enough for Asian tastes and cooking, but is also comprehensive enough to serve as a go-to for all folks. There are also plenty of packaged snacks and items that are geared towards Asian tastes and will be interesting to all, plus ancillary sections like kitchenwares. My only nit would be that the core supermarket feels cramped compared to the huge, spacious food court, but it still has the breadth and depth of selection you need to prepare Japanese, pan-Asian, and even non-Asian meals. I wish we had more of these on the East Coast.
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January 2024 by Foodie F.
Very cute and nice. The store is organized and clean. Daiso was here and maido. As an Asian I expected the market to be small but it was very large and neat. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time for the food court, so will catch up later on that
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December 2023 by Frances G.
As Asian food grew in popularity and consumed by a wider community, this Mitsuwa has become too crowded for me. I used to shop here every weekend for years, but got to the age where I just don't have the patience trying to find parking anymore. This is located off of Paularino Avenue, between Bristol Street and the 55 freeway entrance (closer to Bristol). During busy times, the entrance/lot right off of Paularino can get backed up. There are cars lined up waiting to turn right into the lot, as well as cars in the opposing lane trying to make a left. If trying to make that left, good luck. Weekday lunch time is craaaaazy. Not sure how weekends are anymore, but it's pretty quiet weekday mornings, so there is a silver lining if you're flexible. The market side has gotten smaller, not as much produce as it once had. They do carry more pantry stuff than at Tokyo Central. I usually find stuff here that I don't see over there, but not so much vice versa. IMO, their bento and sushi here tastes much better than TC. I also love the Hamada-ya bakery here. I usually get their snack breads (big melon pan fan here). The desserts and sandwiches are good, too, but prices have increased overall so I try to focus on just a few snack breads...sniff. The nice thing about this Mitsuwa is the awesome foodcourt and shops. Currently, there's a J-Sweets on the right side when entering, which is great for giving out as special gifts. There's also a Daiso, which I think has more of a variety of stuff than the Irvine location (smaller in size, but more things to look at). The Maidō store has super cute stationary and stuff (expensive though...almost $30 for a Totoro puzzle?!). The Bandai Gashapon shop has rows and rows of capsule toy vending machines, like those in Japan. If I remember correctly, cash needs to be exchanged to coins to play, and most machines accept 4-6 coins, which comes out to $8-$12 for one capsule so not cheap. There's an Amnet, a travel agency, if planning to go to Japan (can get the JR rail pass here, too). Most eateries in the foodcourt open at 11:00a. Currently, there's Don Don Tei (rice bowls), Gyutan Tsukasa (beef tongue), Miyabitei (curry, rice bowls, soba/udon, etc.), Sanuki Seimen Mugimaru (udon), Santouka (ramen), and Sky Express (Chinese). Definitely a popular spot for lunch. Umacha just recently opened and serves boba drinks. So, I do think this is one of the best Asian marketplaces to go to as there's something for everyone...but yes, parking can be consistently a hassle and shopping here isn't cheap.
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December 2023 by Harrison T.
Mitsuwa is one of the best Asian markets in the area and I can't think of a better place to get Japanese groceries while also eating at one of the best food courts in OC! There's usually a lot of people here no matter what day of the week it is, so be ready to wait during peak hours! They have the grocery store on one side and the other side has the food court and specialty shops. (Daiso, Royce Chocolate, Shisedo) I've been coming here many times since I was young and with the recent renovations done, it's gotten a much needed facelift with lots more space! The food court has various tenants serving delicious Japanese food at very reasonable prices with plenty of options for everyone! There's so many things to try and explore here and you can easily spend an afternoon between grocery shopping, eating at the food court, and checking out the other shops! Parking can be difficult on weekends but I think it's worth it for what you get!
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December 2023 by Kim C.
Love, love LOVE the food court Japanese udon. Tastes real and authentic and just like Marugame Udon, honestly you can't tell a difference. The same place that serves the udon also serves tempura, and it is crispy and fried to perfection. Delicious sauces, tempuras, and udon at this place (I can't think of the name). The other place they have that serves Donburi is really tasty as well. They also have a Daiso I'm pretty sure, near the food court. The overall marketplace is good, as they have lots of yummy Asian snacks and ramen. In summary, I would recommend giving this place a try.
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December 2023 by Carmen L.
I love the supermarket especially the food court but the parking situation was such a pain...that's the most turn off for me to come here...
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December 2023 by Allegra N.
food is great and affordable just had limited seats on busy day but everything moves fast