Shin-Sen-Gumi Robata & Yakitori-Fountain Valley

Shin-Sen-Gumi Robata & Yakitori is a hidden gem, delivering an authentic and intimate yakitori experience. This tiny, traditional spot captures the essence of Japanese grilling with a masterfully controlled charcoal grill and a house-made yakitori sauce that elevates every bite.The ingredients are undeniably fresh, and the execution is impeccable. The chicken cartilage is one of the best in California, offering the perfect balance of crispiness and chew, while the chicken karaage is fried to perfection -- light, crispy, and deeply flavorful.To complete the meal, finishing the night with their warm, fluffy baked potato is an absolute must. It's simple yet indulgent, providing the perfect contrast to the bold flavors of the grilled dishes.For those seeking a true yakitori experience, Shin-Sen-Gumi delivers on tradition, technique, and quality. Whether you're a first-time guest or a seasoned yakitori enthusiast, this spot is well worth a visit.

Wifey keeps raving about this small corner spot in Fountain Valley. It seats about 25 and its moving. Good and quick service and fresh and delicious food !We had Gyoza, hakata dandan men, seaweed salad and many extras....We will be returning, many times.

On pricier side but food is worth it. I love yakitori and come here with my family for special events. Didn't know how good the meat was until I went to another yakitori place Sometimes seasoning can be inconsistent. I especially love the liver, intestine and pork belly. Fun to eat at too bc they try to emulate authentic Japanese yakitori places. Kind of difficult for larger parties so I always come right at opening bc they run out of certain skewers too!

Whenever we're in the mood for really good ramen! We have to come here to Shin-Sen-Gumi! The ramen is just the right texture and the broth is so flavorful! I have tried other ramen restaurants but they fall short. That's why we always keep coming back here. We've also brought friends and family that didn't like ramen but when we brought them here they couldn't stop eating the ramen noodles, they even asked for extra noodles!! We also get the kaarage and my husband likes the fried calamari.Staff are very nice and polite! The restaurant feels like you walked into a ramen house in Japan! I mean I've never been to Japan but I imagine that is how it must feel like. When you walk in you get greeted in Japanese and when you leave they bid you farewell! The restaurant is clean and tidy with plenty of parking. Will we come back? Heck yeah!! Arigato!

I will drive miles and miles to this place. I recently brought my hubby and he has also crowned this as best of all things Ramen. It's a little hole in the wall and no nonsense. I feel like I'm in dining in Japan at one of the authentic ramen joints. What I love the most is the number of add-ins. I always get the pork cutlet, boiled egg, and spicy Takana for my Hakata Ramen. I add the ebi fry shrimp which is so crunchy and goes well with the tartar sauce. My hubby ordered the Dan Dan Ramen and couldn't stop raving about it. I come here at least once a month even though it's 30 minutes out of my way. My fav ramen spot of all time. I love how they say goodbye as you are leaving!

Delicious and worth the wait. The dining experience is very authentic and transports you to Japan. Service is great and the wait time for the skewers was relatively quick, which we appreciated. Our favorites would be the chicken gizzard, thigh, and beef with scallion. They did a great job and their side dishes such as the gyoza and dandan mein are not to be missed.

Pros: -yaki udon was very tasty and fun to share with friends-okra was good-chicken skewer was tasty, savory, cooked well-agedashi tofu was tasty-miso soup was a good portion size-nice place to catch up with friends Cons: -small, tight space-portions are small-$16 garlic steak portion was very small and the meat was on the tough side, inedible at parts-you're so close to the neighboring tables; they can hear everything you say Service was friendly enough, but I'm not dying to come back.

I absolutely love this place. Coming here at least once a week but always on a weekday since I don't want to wait at all. The place does get packed so don't expect a short wait on the weekends. Food comes out pretty quick when it's not prime time. Everything is perfectly cooked and seasoned for my taste. My favorite dish on the menu is the takowasa, it always tastes fresh. This place never fails me 10/10

The secret to a perfect night out at Shin Sen Gumi? Get there early! We rolled thru at 4:45 PM on a Saturday and only had to wait 15 minutes, but by the time we left at 7:30, the line was out the door. Food? Absolutely fire. The chicken tail, cartilage, and special heart are absolute must-orders--trust me, the special heart sells out fast, so hoard it like you're at a Black Friday sale. The Kobe beef? Meh. Save your cash, it's not worth the hype. It was mid. But the hot sake? Definitely worth the buzz. Best night ever: sizzling meats, steaming drinks, and my sexy man by my side. 10/10 would get sweaty and full with my boo again.

I have been here a number of times and the food and service are always excellent. If you can sit at one of the "shoes off" tables by the front entrance, it will add to your experience. You can have regular beef, pork, and chicken items but I suggest opening up your mind and trying some menu items you might not have ever had before. It can get expensive ordering a lot of food, but it is well worth it in my opinion. The restaurant is always busy and I highly recommend making an OpenTable reservation to skip the wait list. Our long list of items ordered included:Chicken GizzardChicken LiverChicken Thigh with Green Onion and Yakatori sauceChicken HeartChicken SkinPork IntestinePork BellyBacon-wrapped Baby ScallopBacon-wrapped Quail EggBacon-wrapped Cherry TomatosKobe Style Rib with Original Garlic SauceMarble Kobe Style BeefPrime Beef SkirtBeef TongueBeef Flap MeatBaked Rice BallShrimp