AKA was perfect from the moment we walked in. The food and beverages were outstanding, and our charming server, James, made the experience even better. The vibe was upbeat, stylish, and effortlessly cool. The décor struck the perfect balance between elegant and upscale while still feeling modern, fun, and inviting. We had a fantastic experience and can't wait to return! read more

AKA - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Went here with a group of friends to celebrate my friend's birthday, and unfortunately, we had a really frustrating experience. The food was not good, and when we asked to split the checks, our server told us that wasn't possible and that he could only charge different amounts to each card. When we finally received the check, there were several drinks and food items on it that we never ordered. It took about an hour just to get everything corrected and close out our checks, which was especially frustrating because the restaurant was not busy at all. Overall, the experience was extremely disappointing. Between the food, incorrect charges, and how long it took to get everything sorted out, I definitely would not recommend this place. read more

Showed up here for a date night at 9:40pm, restaurant closes at 11pm. We had planned our day around having dinner here and were super excited and loving the ambiance of the place. Unfortunately upon showing up, the server cleaning the tables let us know that the kitchen was already cleaning up and closing up... an hour and 20 minutes early.. extremely disappointed, will not be back. read more

Celebrated a friend's bday recently. First time trying this new place. Aesthetically, the place was amazing, lots of photo ops, upbeat and classy. Can't miss the meditating Buddha as it greets you as you enter the place. And that Torii gate arch to the right is an eye contact catcher as well. Definitely a nightclub-trendy vibe. Fridays and Saturdays entertainment starts at around 10 p.m. When we got there, the place was still pretty empty. The place was full when we left. Menu has a variety of different types of Asian food from Japan, China, and Thailand. We ordered quite a few dishes to share. The whole group liked the food. Blue fin poke bites 5/5 Pork belly boa 5/5 ordered 2x. Shrimp pad Thai -3/5 Filet mignon potstickers 3/5 - on the salty side. Main lobster garlic noodles - 1/5- noodles were tough, this was a missed on the flavor. Skip this one. Mango yellow tail - 3.5/5. Yellow tail scallions - 4/5. Cocktails/ mocktails- watered down Service- our server was nice. First few dishes got to our table pretty fast. The rest of the food, we had to wait longer and had to follow up on the status of our order. Noticed though at the far corner side of the bar next to the Torii gates arch, birthday celebrants, staff brought sparkles with the birthday dessert. When my friend got her bday treats, the staff that brought the sweets were holding their phones with the flashlights on. Not sure, but I did not like that part. Disappointed. Small Bathroom, was a little dark, few stalls 3-4 stalls. There was a bathroom attendant in the ladies room. Being that the bathroom was already small, it made it a bit crowded. Parking-it's in the gaslamp area. Parking is challenging. Better to Uber/Lyft, carpool. Place is pricey. It's more for aesthetic, decor, lay out of the place. Not because of " amazing food". read more

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My experience was not great. I'm being generous with a 3/5 stars. My party received their food on time and my soup and rice came 25 minutes later. I had to keep asking for it. No apologies, no positive customer service and no offer to take it off the bill. Not going back. read more

Service started a little slow but once Cru got here the experience was elevated. He had top notch food and drink recommendation. All 4 of us were very pleased with him, the food, the overall experience. We will be back thanks to Cru and the kitchen. Cheers and happy 2026! read more

AKA - Food - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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My friend and I always passed by AKA and wanted to try it out. From looks outside and inside- the aesthetic is 100%. Super pretty and instagrammable and that's what drew us in. However, the experience inside unfortunately didn't match. I mean if you're ready for a Vegas style dining experience this is your place. However, the music is so loud, tables are so small and so close together that you don't have room at the booths. Overpriced craft cocktails and Asian food. On a busy day even the waiters forget you, and only service those who ordered bottle service or the birthday celebrations with the sparklers. I tried the ube matcha horchata and it was a waste of $18+ drink. I had to return it because it was really gross. We ordered the filet mignon but I think that was the best on the menu. It was an 8oz steak for decent price. However, it was slathered in a lot of sauce but it didn't really have much flavor. I really wanted to like this place, but I guess it's just not my type of vibe. For an Asian fusion restaurant I expected more than just aesthetic and vibe. read more

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I had the best experience at AKA. This was an accidental find that didn't disappoint. The V manager went above and beyond to ensure we were having a good time and enjoying our food. read more

AKA - The area near the bathroom is the perfect spot for photo ops - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Came in on during the week for happy hour. Restaurant is beautifully decorated and was very clean! It was early so it wasn't too busy but they have plenty of seats and take reservations. A few things that stood out was their Geisha-Rita and the orange chicken Kara-age. We also enjoyed the Bao buns. If I'm being honest, I'd skip the potstickers. I found them lacking flavor. read more

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Wow! Wow! Wow! This restaurant is beautifully decorated. I should have taken more pictures of the ceiling, because the decor changes from section to section. The food is equally beautiful in presentation. This place is pricey, but worth it I think. The garden salad, for example, is not just a garden salad. It has sushi, avocado, wasabi, etc. It may be the best salad I have ever had in my life. I thought it was a bit over dressed. I ordered the fillet mignon potstickers and they were ok. Not bad on their own and delicious with the dressing from the salad. The Blue fin wasabi sushi was delicious and tasted better and better with every bite. The Yuzu Beignets with the mango sauce were ridiculously good. The service is top-notch . If you are in the area and you have the funds, treat yourself. read more

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This place was a little strange. They claim on the website to be the best Asian fusion restaurant in San Diego, it wasn't that great. We started with cocktails and mocktsils. I must say that the mocktail was excellent. We ordered the Thai green papaya salad, Maine lobster garlic noodles, and the miso black cod. Of the three, the black cod was the most successful dish. The lobster was seasoned but the noodles were extremely bland and overcooked to the point of being gummy. The salad was fine but very basic. The service was good and they ended up comping the noodle dish as we couldn't eat it. The ambiance is where the strange part came in. Midway through our meal some seemingly geisha girls appeared and began dancing. It was odd. While the space is beautiful, I wouldn't come back here given the sheer number of excellent restaurants nearby. read more

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Came here last night for Dinner! The place is quite large and modern looking. Our server was friendly and efficient! The food was served promptly and was delicious. The Miso soup was outstanding! I highly recommend this place read more

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I came here for my birthday and my server James was amazing, the ambiance of the place is really cool and the food was delicious, we tried a little bit of everything from the happy hour menu and it was so good read more

AKA - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

We'll jump right into it with the food: We had some apps from the happy hour menu and found them to be the best part of our meal. The potstickers were outstanding - the meat was so flavorful and the sauce was perfect. The rock shrimp was fried and seasoned well. The entrees were just okay. We got the miso cod - the fish itself wasn't very tender, and the sauce was too thick and leaned a little too sweet. That said, it wasn't bad by any means. Just nothing spectacular. We also got the albacore roll - the rice wasn't gummy and the fish was fresh, but I wish the sauce was more ponzu forward instead of the Dijon. Service started off great. Roberto is super charismatic and very fun. He came over right away, and the apps came out surprisingly quick. Unfortunately it fell off in the second half of the meal. It took about 15-20 mins after our apps were all done for us to get entrees, then another 15-20 to flag him down for our check. Ambiance is modern Japanese - very eye catching and it was what drew us here to begin with. Great decor and seems like it would be a really lively fun place on weekends. read more

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we came across this place after visiting a few spots in SD and they held us outside for a while just to charge a cover fee for woman as well. it was honestly mid there is a lot of better locations with better service without a charge! keep your options open! read more

Happy hour, is the best time, trying different dishes, and you can fill up without getting a main dish. A good glass of wine, bubbles [moet], complements the dishes. Staff always attentive. Music just loud enough, such that we can carry on a conversation without having to raise our voices read more

AKA - Pork belly, garlic adamame, shrimp tempura. Ahi tuna... - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Tried out AKA recently and overall, it was a decent spot but nothing that really stood out. We ordered the Singapore Tempura Rock Shrimp, Filet Mignon Potstickers, and Salmon Avocado Roll along with drinks -- the Ube Matcha Horchata and Dirty Chai Martini. The Tempura Rock Shrimp was hands down the highlight of the meal. They give you a huge portion, perfectly fried with that light, crispy tempura batter and a spicy sauce that had a nice kick without being overpowering. Definitely the best bang for your buck. The Filet Mignon Potstickers, on the other hand, were disappointing. For the price, you only get three pieces, and they were mostly empty -- barely any filet inside. You get a faint beef flavor, but it didn't deliver the richness you'd expect from something labeled "filet mignon." The Salmon Avocado Roll was solid flavor-wise but small compared to rolls at other sushi spots nearby. Still, I'd probably order it again if I was craving something simple. Drink-wise, the Dirty Chai Martini was more like a coffee martini -- heavy on the espresso flavor, light on the chai. The Ube Matcha Horchata sounded interesting but ended up just tasting overly sweet with no real matcha or ube flavor coming through. Waiter was cool tho, he held it down as 4 other tables entered right when we sat down. He was busy but he paid attention to our table to the best he could It was relatively quiet for a Thursday at 6pm but it's nice cause HH ends at 7 Overall, AKA is fine for a casual drink and bite during happy hour, but with so many great options nearby, I'd probably try another place before coming back. read more

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Best resturant I've been to in so long! Service was splendid & the ambiance was top tier. Our server James was so wonderful and made sure that we were very well taken care of! read more

Came to Aka for my bachelorette and it was wonderful. James was our server and he was so great & really made the experience amazing. They gave us a free desert with a performance. Definitely a time to remember and we will be back! read more

Went on a Friday around 6pm. We had a reservation, but it wasn't needed at that time of the evening, as it was pretty quiet. The hostess was very sweet and took us right to a table. Our server came over pretty quickly and got our drink order. Even though it wasn't busy, it probably took 10 minutes to get a cocktail. When he came back he offered some suggestions about items we were considering. The two of us opted to get a 4 plates and share everything. As far as the wagyu, yellowtail, and tuna, all were pretty good, but I feel like they shaved them smaller than anywhere I have been before. The dan dan noodles were ok, but I think they were supposed to have a poached egg that didn't come? I felt they were also lacking in flavor, but seemed to be the best portion size of any of the items. The first 2 food items came really quickly, and then there was quite a wait between each of the other two items. We were still finishing the last and had to wave down our server because we had a show to get to. Our server checked on us once during the time we were eating, but he seemed to disappear for long periods of time. He was nice, but not as concerned about long wait times as maybe he should have been. We left around 7:30, which was good, as a DJ was starting. The music was super loud. I felt like it was a little early for the music to be that loud, as that is prime dinner time and it would have been hard to have a conversation. Just something to note if you are thinking about going for a nice dinner vs evening cocktails. While the experience wasn't terrible, and it's a beautiful space, it's just not a place I am interested in going back to. We left with a large bill, but I didn't feel full. We probably needed another dish or two, but the cost or wait wasn't worth it. read more

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Had dinner here last week. This place was formally LAVA. I like the new decor and vibes. Food was good. Service was good. I really like that they had a dj and they do a whole bit for birthdays. I would recommend. read more

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Alyssa is the best. Very friendly. Outstanding vibes and good food. Incredible venue.

We were visiting SD for a few days! Decided to come in to Aka seemed like a fun place to dine. Our server Martin was friendly and attentive. The food was served quickly and delicious we had the filet mignon potstickers, Thai green papaya salad, mango yellow tail sushi roll and salmon sashimi. Drink's peligrino and lychee martini sweet and strong. The place is popping with color a mix of flashing lights. Overall it was a fun place to dine. I wish there was a mosquito lamp or repellent to dine comfortably. read more

AKA Restaurant is easily one of the best happy hour spots I've tried in the Gaslamp Quarter. Came here with friends and it did not disappoint. We went during happy hour and the value alone is worth it--most dishes were in the $10-$12 range, which is a steal for both the quality and location. We all started with the lychee martini, and wow--it was so good. Light, refreshing, and just the right amount of sweetness. Definitely a must-order. As for the food, everything we tried was absolutely delicious. The fried cracker shrimp, filet mignon potstickers, salmon and avocado roll, chicken karaage, and crab rangoon were all on point. The firecracker shrimp was our favorite--hands down. Perfectly crispy with so much flavor. The ambiance really ties everything together. The décor is super cool with a strong Asian-inspired theme, and the vibe is stylish, lively, and perfect for a night out with friends. If you want great food, great drinks, and a great atmosphere, check this place ou We'll definitely be back. read more

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The inside of the restaurant reminded me of what people think, Vegas looks like. Everything was super flashy and in your face. Service started off slow, but the server was great. Unfortunately, the food was not! I couldn't figure out if I liked the drink. So I got it twice and I'm still undecided. I went during happy hour so I didn't spend much. One star for the server who was awesome. read more

Cru was da man! Took care of our group for my homies bachelor party. Food was great, ambience felt like a club, and service was top notch. read more

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Kelsey was fantastic! Came here to celebrate my big first job - she made us feel celebrated and accommodated! Great food and excellent place to enjoy a big life win! read more

AKA - Ube cheesecake - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Kelsey was great! Food was Delicious. will definitely come back for date night again!

I feel like you pay for the ambiance here . That's about it. Service wasn't bad, other than the fact the waiter gave free shots to the couple next to us. The food though, was sad it was a set menu as when I booked it there was no saying it was a set menu. The food was just ok. The filet was sweet with the raspberry sauce and the chicken the bf had just tasted like any other curry butter chicken. The deserts tasted like they were just reheated You could get certain sushi rolls if you did ask, but not their entire menu. Not worth it at all. read more

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We stopped by last night for a quick drink and were honestly so disappointed. As industry workers, we understand the complexity of a Friday night shift, especially at 11:30pm, but my boyfriend and I were very upset with the lack of service and hospitality this place offered. Between waiting 30 minutes at the bar for a bartender to even make eye contact, to being over charged for a single WELL vodka soda, we won't be coming in again. $21 for a well single vodka soda is insane, for any establishment. To the manager of this establishment, your male bartender in the red bandana last night made 5 random cocktails for a woman next to us and charged her $5. We respectfully tried to get his attention for 30+ minutes while he socialized with woman and ignored the rest of the bar. The only reason we were able to order was because the woman next to us called attention to the fact that we hadn't ordered. When it came down to paying, we happily paid the $21 as to not cause a scene, but when I went to click text on the receipt option- the female bartender swiped the toast handheld from under my finger. Literally. Without saying anything. Check your cameras at 11:35. Rush or not, that's so rude. I was so upset about this situation and it truly made the rest of the time spent at AKA not enjoyable. I typically don't write reviews, because mistakes happen, but no one deserves to be over charged for a beverage that the bartender doesn't want to charge someone else for. That's not hospitality etiquette by any means. read more

A unique clubby and dancy space right in the heart of the gaslamp big vibes great bartenders all around the whole staff is super cool and easy to talk to. The bar is beautiful came on the cocktail release party this July and Emily was so nice same with the rest of the bar staff. Tommy was very personable and happy to be there and miguel is super chill and level headed. Was cool to see a great team work together and handle so many people on a busy evening of course with help from the rest of the bar team barbacks and all. read more

Our food was delish! Kelsey was a great server, very attentive, friendly, and went out of her way to find a substitute for my cocktail. Definitely will come again! read more

We came to AKA as part of restaurant week and Cru provided excellent service and suggestions for a first timer. All of his suggestions were spot on especially the Surf N Turf roll as well as the Thai Me Up cocktail. We felt consistently taken care of, and had a wonderful time including the food and decor/ambience. The restaurant week menu was definitely "the best bang for our buck" just as Cru stated. I had the Chicken Kara-Age, Filet Mignon, and Ube Japanese Cheesecake. All dishes exceeded our expectations and am glad my fiance and I chose AKA for our date night. read more

AKA - Filet Mignon and Chicken Kara-Age - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Kelsey was wonderful! The food was fresh and delicious! Highly recommend The atmosphere was fun and light read more

Best sushi we've ever had! Everything we ordered was incredibly fresh and delicious, and we'll definitely be thinking about this meal for a long time. James provided excellent service throughout the evening and really made us feel welcome. As first-time visitors to San Diego, we especially appreciated his recommendations for places to grab drinks and experience the nightlife after dinner. Those local tips made our night even better. We can't wait to come back the next time we're in town! Thanks, James, for an unforgettable dinner! read more

Not really a fan of this place even though I really try to like it. Its definately on the expensive side for sushi and looks like everyone there was there for a special occasion. Regardless on the price, the food was just okay. The best thing there was the poke. The presentation looked good. The server was very nice. I couldnt see myself going here again, the price really doesn't justify the taste of the food. It is a fusion restaurant but the combination of the ingredients just didn't match up. Even the drinks were a lil off. read more

AKA - Poke - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had the miso soup and the bluefin poke bites. Both were real tasty and right amount of serving. Bluefin was nice and refreshing.

The bao pork buns were amazing! Ercole, our waiter, recommended the tempura shrimp, equally jammin!! We had it with a side of white rice. And finished off with the crème brûlée. Great service, great music, great food! read more

This place was incredible. We had reservations but it turned out to be a stormy and windy night so we didn't really need it after all since everyone was pretty much staying in after all. This was our first time here and they left a great impression on us. The inside was decorated beautifully, the dim lighting was very romantic, all of the employees were friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The food was all incredible. We happened to come during happy hour, which we didn't even know they had happy hour, so that was a plus. Bill was only around $300, there were 3 of us, all ordered cocktails, a few appetizers and a few entrees to try. Not bad at all. We will definitely be back and be recommending to everyone read more

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Pros: The staff is all very friendly The environment is beautiful The sushi was good Cons: The music was so loud I couldn't even talk to the person sitting right next to me The sound system was not mixed properly so the loud music was grating at certain parts The chairs by the window where we were seated are so uncomfortable to sit on because they are rounded that I kept feeling like I was going to slide off. I am short also, and with no good foot rest that lined up for me. It was incredibly difficult to stay in my seat It's pretty expensive for what you get This place is getting two stars from me because I really have no interest in going back ever. I would give it one star except for the staff was really great and attentive. read more