INI Ristorante

16129 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, United States
$$$ Fusion restaurant
(759 Reviews)
Price Range $30–50

Welcome to INI Ristorante, a remarkable fusion restaurant nestled in the heart of Fountain Valley, California. Here, the culinary arts intersect in a delightful blend of Japanese and Italian cuisines, representing the vision of Kei Concepts. This establishment offers a unique dining experience, combining bold flavors and beautiful presentations, all set in an inviting atmosphere.

The moment you step through the doors of INI Ristorante, you’re enveloped in a warm ambiance that is both upscale and welcoming. With cute decor and spacious seating, this is the perfect spot for an intimate dinner or a lively gathering with friends. The restaurant's vibrant energy is complemented by carefully curated music, enhancing the dining experience without overwhelming conversation.

The menu is a tantalizing exploration of flavors, presenting a diverse array of dishes that celebrate both culinary traditions. Not to be missed is the Soft Shell Crab Pizza and the acclaimed Uni Pasta, which patrons rave about for its luxurious ingredients and perfect seasoning. The Short Rib Gnocchi, a dinner exclusive, is another standout that reviewers eagerly recommend. Every dish is crafted with a focus on quality, showcasing fresh ingredients and innovative techniques.

For those dining during lunch, indulge in the well-priced Lunch Menu, with offerings such as flavorful entrées for just $55 on weekdays. The Dinner Menu is equally tantalizing, featuring exquisite options for $65 on Monday through Friday. Additionally, families can rejoice with affordable kids’ meals, ensuring that INI Ristorante is a delightful experience for diners of all ages.

Drinks are another highlight here, with a selection of sparkling wines and expertly crafted cocktails to elevate your meal. Consider the espresso martini, praised by guests for its delightful sea salt garnish, or the inventive Mentaiko Pizza, which adds a fusion twist to a classic favorite.

Despite its popularity, reviews reflect that the service at INI Ristorante remains consistently attentive and friendly, with staff eager to accommodate special requests, such as storing a birthday cake until dessert time. Guests appreciate the effort taken to ensure everyone leaves with a smile, making it clear why INI Ristorante is rapidly becoming a favorite within the local dining scene.

Whether you’re after a romantic dinner, a festive celebration, or simply a delicious meal, INI Ristorante is well-worth the visit. Please note that reservations are highly recommended given the restaurant's popularity. So, gather your friends or loved ones and discover this culinary gem for yourself!

Location: 16129 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, United States
Phone Number: +1 714-277-4046

Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Service options
Offers delivery
Offers takeaway
Serves dine-in
Highlights
Serves great cocktails
Serves great dessert
Has great wine list
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
Offerings
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves cocktails
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves happy-hour drinks
Serves happy-hour food
Serves healthy options
Serves small plates
Serves spirits
Serves wine
Dining options
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Serves dessert
Has seating
Amenities
Has bar on site
Has toilet
Atmosphere
Casual
Cosy
Romantic
Trendy
Crowd
Family friendly
Good for groups
LGBTQ+ friendly
Popular with tourists
Transgender safe space
Planning
Brunch reservations recommended
Dinner reservations recommended
Accepts reservations
Usually has a wait
Payments
Accepts credit cards
Accepts debit cards
Accepts NFC mobile payments
Credit cards
Children
Good for kids
High chairs available
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking
Openings Hours
Checking

Monday

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Tuesday

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Wednesday

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Thursday

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Friday

11:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Saturday

10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Sunday

10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

759 Reviews
SANTIKUL SILAVONG

19 Sep 2025

Simply amazing quality and great service. It was clean and ambience was just right for a peaceful dinner. When it's crowded, the noise level is a little high but tolerable. Entree was so tasty I would like order everything on the menu but I can only try and eat so much, the quality of the food is worth the price of which is reasonably catered for the average foodie. Dessert was just perfect, not only in design/presentation but flavorful to one's sweet pallette. My server "Daniel" was attentive and professional, I would ask for his services if possible for he was respectful and courteous to anything that requires attention. The only thing negative is that the tables are too close to each other, I prefer not hearing the others' table's conversation.

Lora Kim

16 Aug 2025

It was a Monday evening, but the place was still quite crowded. Even though we had a reservation, we had to wait a little while. The food was absolutely delicious, and what I loved most was that it wasn’t overly salty — it was perfectly seasoned to my taste. I could really understand why this restaurant is so popular. Everything we ordered was great, and the Uni pasta in particular was outstanding! The only downside was that after we had eaten most of our food, our server gave us the feeling that he wanted us to leave quickly. It’s not an all-you-can-eat restaurant, so it felt a bit rushed, which was disappointing.

Jojo Huang

14 Aug 2025

A very popular Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant. It’s upscale but still doable for college students for a fancy night out. The drinks are strong, the food is flavorful and upscale, the aesthetics are classy, and the service is great. We brought in a birthday cake and they were able to hold it for us and bring it out at the end of our meal. The gnocchi and poke pizza were my personal favorites.

Jacob

14 Jul 2025

Self-described as a Japanese-Italian interpretation, INI Ristorante offers both familiar dishes like Bolognese and Alfredo (a powerful combo), as well as fusion mashups like Uni Pasta. This restaurant is one of my most frequented and well-received by all the company I’ve taken here. Service is consistently attentive and the dishes are fantastic. The Short Rib Gnocchi, available only at dinner, is absolutely incredible. The vibes are simultaneously sophisticated and laid-back. I’ve hosted casual walk-in lunches wearing flip flops and also reserved celebratory gatherings late night when the ambience becomes more refined. The intimate lighting and the illuminated tree centerpiece makes for a top-tier dining environment. During the day, they have a solid and affordable happy hour menu Monday to Friday from 2 to 5pm.

Carl Wong

11 Jul 2025

Another amazing restaurant by Kei Concepts. We've tried Vox, Nep, Kin and Gem (waiting for it to reopen). Ini is an Italian restaurant with Asian fusion. The espresso martini is one of the best I've had, kinda nice to have sea salt sprinkled on top. Our friend had Lychee sour and he liked it as well. Then we ordered Mentaiko Pizza. I've had mentaiko cream on pasta but to try it on pizza sounded strange but it works. The sliced octopus adds depth to the pizza, as well as the nori on top. Everyone in our group loves it. For the entree, we ordered the scallops risotto and branzino. Scallops are well cooked and the risotto is on point. The branzino comes in 2 filets with an amazing rice pilaf. The skin is perfectly crispy and the meat not dry. For dessert, we order the corn bread and chocolate lava cake. I wish they have more exotic dessert options. All in all, a very good meal. Danny is very helpful and professional. The noise level is quite high on a Wednesday evening, I believe the whole restaurant is packed.

Max T Tran

27 Jun 2025

Food is just okay—nothing particularly memorable, and a bit on the overpriced side for what you get. That said, there’s plenty of parking, which is always a plus, and the service is excellent—friendly, attentive, and efficient. Good if you’re in the area and want convenience, but not necessarily a destination spot.

Vanessa Ochoa

06 Jun 2025

Had a girls' day with my friend who recommended this place, and I can see why it’s one of her favorites. The portions are big enough to share, and we ordered the Naraman Muroka Sake, Truffle Cheese Bread (small plate), Spicy Miso Carbonara, Mentaiko Pizza, and the Matcha Cremeux for dessert. Let’s just say it was a lot of food for two people, we ended up taking home half the pizza and bread. Everything exceeded my expectations and was absolutely delicious. The staff were friendly, attentive, and even boxed up all our leftovers for us. Prices are on the higher side, so I’ll likely save this spot for special occasions, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you like Japanese and Italian fusion dishes.

kaloni sam

30 May 2025

I came here for the first time for a friend's birthday dinner. The restaurant itself is super cute inside! Cute decor and plenty of seating. There's plenty of free parking in the lot. Definitely recommend a reservation as it fills up quickly. The menu is very interesting! Staff were all very sweet and welcoming. They were playing some good music! Definitely recommend giving this place a try! Food review: * I have a lot of seafood allergies so was unable to try lots of the dishes. I kept it simple* Chicken Alfredo (4/5): It was pretty good! I added chili oil and chili flakes and it was perfect. It was quite plain. The chicken was tender. Chicken Caesar salad: (3/5) It was OK. Probably shouldn't have ordered a salad here. Prosciutto and burrata pizza: (5/5) My friend devoured this and said it was delicious!! It's a great sharing size.

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