Honda Ya

Honda Ya's relaxed seating and welcoming environment is consistent, even on busy nights.

Photo by Izakayahondayda.com

 

Izakaya Honda Ya is an unpretentious, traditional Japanese restaurant on El Camino Real in Tustin. Izakaya in Japanese means “a place to eat and drink, sitting down, comfortably,” which is a perfect description of the restaurant that is covered with Japanese décor and artwork. The menu is composed of multiple sections like sushi, sashimi, grilled and stewed dishes, tempura, rice balls, soba, udon and ramen. Honda Ya Menu.

The Yakisoba with pan fried chow mein, pork and shaved bonito served in sizzling, ironlad dish.
 Photo by Matt Barg




The deceiving delicious Stinky Roll with seared albacore on a spicy tuna roll topped with garlic butter.

Photo by Matt Barg

 

 

The yakitori portion of the menu is where diners get adventurous by ordering dishes like chicken hearts and cartilage, quail eggs and beef tongue. Yakitori is skewered meats and vegetables grilled over coals.  But the real exciting part of the yakitori menu is the bacon wrapped section. The consistent favorite of diners is the bacon wrapped baby scallops. Jack Anderson, a patron of Honda Ya, said, “Every time I come here, I wish I ordered more. I could seriously eat those scallops all night.”
 

The infamous bacon-wrapped scallops
Photo by Matt Barg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bacon-wrapped zucchini off the Yakitori grill
Photo by Matt Barg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It works well for people in the industry,” Mina Sacramento, fromagerie and cook, said referencing the restaurant industry. “Stays open late and the food is reasonably priced, and quick and tasty. I like the shishito peppers with miso.”