Makino Sushi

Affordable all-you-can-eat sushi. Presented beautifully. Right next to John Wayne Airport. What could possibly be wrong with that?

Opened in 2012 and closed by early 2022, Makino Sushi combined a serve-yourself Japanese buffet with chef-prepared sushi and sashimi, though the concept was forced to pivot during the pandemic. Even after buffets reopened, most of Makino’s buffet stations remained in a state of flux, and AYCE items needed to be ordered from menus.

Some of the items (including sushi) came out looking fantastic, while others (such as desserts) looked like they were made on an assembly line and served from trays. But though nothing served here tasted as great as it looked, the prices were pretty reasonable compared with most a la carte sushi restaurants.

Makino unfortunately joined earlier seafood restaurants Russell’s Seafood Palace and Moon Palace in vacating the spacious building, which is right next to Brazilian steakhouse Galpao Gaucho (formerly Agora Churrascaria) and across the street from Paderia and Poke Dot.