I am only giving three stars because of our waitress - she was great. Other than that, the food was meh. The veggies in my mixed tempura were not ripe so the veggies I had were raw/crunchy - when they should be soft and tender to consume. This is basically a date night place or where Influencers go to hang out. Definitely not going back because you also have to pay for parking. Spend your hard earned dining dollars on a mom and pop shop where parking is free instead! read more

Came here for my birthday celebration back in April when my parents were visiting. It was honestly perfect! I loved everything from here and cannot wait to go back. It's a small place so highly recommend putting a reservation down. I started with the Katana Collins, which was very light and refreshing. For appetizers, we got Garlic Edamame and Miyazaki Wagyu Dumplings, which just melted in our mouths. We got a few things between the 4 of us and we all loved our food. I ended up getting the Bluefin Four Ways and it was TO DIE FOR! I didn't even know you could get toro 4 different ways and I honestly enjoyed every way. I also really enjoyed the Unagi (Eel) Nigiri as it was perfectly cooked and such good quality fish. The dessert they brought out for my birthday was very cute and light. I thought it was exactly what we needed after the delicious meal we had. I honestly don't think you could go wrong with anything you get from here. This is definitely my new fave fancy sushi place! read more

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I've been coming to Azuki about once every three months for years and have always recommended it to friends, family, and guests visiting San Diego. I genuinely love the restaurant and the quality of food, which is why today's experience was especially disappointing. I came in today without a reservation, so I completely understand that there may not have been availability. My frustration was more with the way the waitlist process was communicated. I was trying to understand how the waitlist worked and had questions, particularly regarding what happens after the 8:30 reservations and how the waitlist is handled afterward. Unfortunately, the hostess I spoke with was scrolling on an iPad throughout our interaction and barely engaged with me while I was asking questions. I completely understand that she was likely checking availability or managing the waitlist on the iPad, but there was essentially no eye contact, explanation, or effort to make sure I understood the process. I was left feeling like I was bothering her simply by asking for clarification. I don't expect a restaurant to accommodate me without a reservation, and I understand that availability is limited. What I do expect is clear communication and basic attentiveness, especially from the person representing the restaurant at the front door. Azuki has such a great reputation, incredible food, and so much talent behind the restaurant. That's what made this interaction feel particularly out of place. I'll absolutely continue to recommend Azuki for the food, but I hope the front-of-house experience receives the same level of attention and care as the rest of the restaurant. read more

I'm so sorry to write this, because I love this place and I love their sushi. Very professional cooks and very nice ambiance. Unfortunately, their business hours don't reflect the true. Why writing on your website and online that you close at 10 pm, when your last call is 9.30 on the dot, not 9.31 not 9.32 pm. If you state that your place is open until a certain time means that you serve food untile then, otherwise change the business hour, as people might walk-in at 9.35 and expect to receive food. I possibly might go back, but before 9.30 read more

Their food was so fresh and their service was amazing! They were friendly and accommodated more people to my reservation last minute. Their food was fresh and authentic and the outdoor seating was very nice. I did notice the tiny bugs started coming around when the food came out but not a lot. Very yummy and would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting San Diego. read more

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Met up with some friends at Azuki We ended up with a late reservation since it was all that was available and were seated on the front outdoor patio. The sushi was good, fresh and well-made, but nothing really stood out or wowed me. Service was the biggest letdown. Our server took a long time to check on us, and when she finally did, the interaction felt both rushed and a little pushy. Parking can be a bit tricky. There's paid street parking and a nearby paid lot, so give yourself a little extra time. Overall, the food was solid, but between the service and the overall experience, I'm not sure I'd go back. I'd give it a 3.5/5. read more

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It was our first time at Azuki Sushi and we were thoroughly impressed. We were able to get a reservation upstairs, which is quaint, feels more private, and just a cool vibe - think of almost a sushi speakeasy. The food was delicious and fresh, you could tell they used high quality fish for all their dishes. We started with spicy garlic edamame, which was the best I have ever had, and hamachi Kama which is also a must. For mains I enjoyed the By the Border roll and spicy hamachi, and my husband had the nigiri plate. We were not disappointed. The sushi was so fresh, the flavors were stand out, and you could taste the quality. All in all we would definitely go back and can't wait for another date night! read more

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Such an amazing experience. The staff was so welcoming, friendly, and helpful. Parking can be kind of a challenge, but it's well worth it. Definitely, a treat yourself place, but the food was worth it! It has a great energy, and you can really just have a blast with your friends. The fish is fresh and the lobster was some of the best I've had. Creativity and care goes into everything they serve. read more

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Food: Overall the food isn't bad but I didn't find anything mind blowing or special as it was made out to be because I know how popular this spot is. Although, it was still enjoyable! Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna (9/10) - loved the crisp and the flavor. it wasn't too spicy and the spice was more for a little kick of flavor Stardust (7/10) - wasn't as citrusy as i thought with the lemon but tasted fine. it was basic in flavor but still good Spicy Salmon Hand Roll (8/10) - it was made well and it was good but nothing too special either Super Dragon (9/10) - the sweet potato was such an interesting and nice touch. really good flavor combination Service: Service is a bit slow since the beginning even to seat you even with a reservation but they remained very kind throughout the experience. Ambiance: It's a bit small but we were sat upstairs in another room with seating and since it's small, when it's packed it can get really loud with everyone talking. The vibes of the place is dimlit and not too upscale but also not too casual. It's just a very nice restaurant vibes read more

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Man, these guys are consistently producing high quality dishes in a modern, chic ambiance with friendly service. We were lucky to snag a table on Thursday night for two without any resy's. We were offered a two person table upstairs, which I prefer. Started with the Azuki salad that's perfect for sharing. The dressing is light and lots on the plate including avocado, taro chips, cucumber, and apples. Textures and flavors go so well together. I also got a spicy tuna hand roll, the Kobe Roll, and a few nigiri's including Hamachi, Chutoro, and Salmon belly. All were delicious but the Chutoro was the fave. Finished dinner with a burnt butter mochi cake complete with ice cream and some strawberry sauce. Def glad we stopped in and will def be back for more. read more

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This is my favorite restaurant everrrr! I've only ever dined upstairs, and the vibes are great. There's a skylight for natural lighting. The food is even better than the ambiance, though! Amazing quality on everything. The sashimi is so soft and not fishy at all. Karaage is juicy and umami. Only thing I'd recommend avoiding is the soft drinks. It's quite pricy and they charge for refills. read more

Azuki Sushi - sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is a really cute trendy sushi place. It is small and intimate so be prepared for that. They have indoor, upstairs, and outdoor seating with heating lamps for comfort. I showed up around 530pm on a Tuesday and they open at 5pm. It was people waiting to be seated which is a good sign if you ask me. Lol. However I realized it's because they have literally ONE happy hour from 5pm-6pm so if you're looking for that show up when they open. The sushi was AMAZING. I had the By The Border Roll and the Stardust roll. I also had a gimlet and a whiskey sour. They have an amazing selection of Japanese Whiskey. 10/10 would recommend. Worth every penny. Also, my bartender Matt was really cool and had great customer service. read more

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Went here for a girls' night and it was the perfect spot! The ambiance was beautiful, the food was delicious, and the whole experience was amazing. The sushi was fresh and flavorful, and it was the perfect place to catch up with friends. read more

Azuki Sushi - Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I came here to celebrate my sister's birthday. I reserved a table for us right at opening time, 5pm. Seating: We chose to sit on the upper floor. Upper floor was more intimate and quiet, whereas bottom floor was more busy and loud Service: Our server was attentive, and they were quick to bring out our dishes, refill our waters, and take our finished dishes. We even received a complimentary birthday dessert! However, maybe because it started to get busy, it did take a little while longer to get the bill and check out. Food: We ordered: Spicy Garlic Edamame, Oysters, a few handrolls, Albacore Tataki, and a specialty roll. We came during happy hour (M-F til 6pm) which was so worth! Hand rolls, edamame, and tataki were discounted. The spicy garlic edamame was so good, not too salty and perfect baby pinch of spice. Oysters were fresh! The hand rolls and specialty rolls were to die for, not too salty or overpowering in taste. Our dessert was red bean and black sesame flavor ice cream. Perfect ending touch, light ice cream without being overly sweet. Only thing to note is parking. There is no designated parking lot. Outside street parking is available but may have to drive around a few blocks to find a spot. There is meter parking on streets as well. We only had to park down the street luckily! Overall, I'd most definitely come back for a special occasion or dinner! read more

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We came to Azuki Sushi Lounge for a birthday dinner. Luckily we had a reservation, because when we arrived at 5pm, just about every table was full. I had debated whether to reserve upstairs or downstairs and ultimately chose upstairs and I was happy with that decision for the two of us, as it was a bit more relaxing and I liked the decor. There was however, a large table of about 8 people in the center of the room that were quite noisy. Downstairs definitely had a more 'hustle bustle' atmosphere with large booths and a long sushi bar. (There is also some outdoor 'Covid' style seating). We ordered sake, a couple of sushi rolls and negiri. They were kind enough to supply a complimentary birthday ice-cream dessert with a candle. Service was very attentive and as we passed the sushi bar on the way out, staff behind the bar waived goodbye. Parking: We were able to park near First and Laurel streets for free on a Saturday afternoon. A very classy sushi place. I definitely recommend a visit for a special occasion or perhaps if visiting nearby Balboa Park or the Old Globe Theater. Helpful? read more

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Phenomenal! I'm not a big fan of salmon but the salmon here was amazing! I also had a strawberry matcha gin drink and it was so good, even my bf liked it and he's not a fan of cutesey drinks. read more

Azuki Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Seriously??? It's been 10 years???? I can't believe it!!! But when you need to meet up with the one friend who worked with you when you first got to San Diego, this is the place to go! He was also familiar with the place and knows the owner. Azuki is one of the more interesting and innovative sushi bars in San Diego. They did change the interior which I loved! The menu has changed but they still prepare some of the most interesting rolls. I can't tell you what we ordered because JD did most of it. Our one non-sushi friend ordered the delicious chicken teriyaki. Their preparation is one of the best! If you are looking for somewhere special to go to for sushi and Japanese food, this is the place! They also have outside seating. The staff is great! I do look forward to coming back much sooner than before! read more

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I love Azuki! My friends and I will come here for bday dinners or fun girl dinners because it's some of the best sushi with the best ambiance! The service is really great and friendly as well. Would recommend sitting upstairs over downstairs if possible, but both are cute and comfortable. The handrolls are a great size as well & the "By the Border" specialty roll is a lot of our go-to! read more

Azuki Sushi - By The Border - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The quality of the sushi here is so good! Our favorite is the chef's selection nigiri and the Azuki Chirashi. There is lots of indoor seating inside at the bar, upstairs, and outside on the patio. The service is friendly and they have a lot of staff available. They have a nice selection of cocktails too. I like the ambiance! read more

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Best sushi in SD hands down. Perhaps the best I've had in the states... Japanese owned and the omakase sister restaurant 'Kinme' is arguably the best meal I've had in my entire life! What's also great about azuki is the price... it's fairly priced unlike some other high end and hyped sushi places (like Sochi and tokodoro - while great, are not as good as azuki and way pricier). I can't say enough about this place, the quality of ingredients, the service, the vibe etc.. I'm so lucky to have this in my backyard! Thanks Azuki! Please don't change! read more

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I was very excited to try Azuki sushi as I have seen a lot of hype about it online. Its a very small restaurant and you will most likely need a reservation. Their service, especially the host, was very good. However, the food was average and overpriced. Their eggplant had too much sauce for my liking, their rolls with aioli just tasted like plain mayo, and the handrolls were lacking in flavor and spice. I will admit that their bonsai roll was very good but that was the only good thing we ate. Edit: just want to make note I got terrible food poisoning shortly after eating here.. was vomiting and on the toilet for a couple of hours.. there are some reviews with concerns about chefs eating and preparing food at the same time as well which only adds to my distaste for this restaurant read more

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Stopped by randomly on a Thursday and got really lucky to get a table upstairs. Place is absolutely awesome. Service is fast and friendly and their nigiri is all so fresh and tasty. Standouts were the toro for sure. The mochi cake was soooo good too! Fun cocktails as well. Will definitely be back here for more! read more

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I've had Azuki Sushi bookmarked for a long time since so many people say it's one of their favorite sushi spots in San Diego. When I saw that they brought back their happy hour, we figured it was finally time to go. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 5 to 6 PM. (I included the menu because I couldn't find it anywhere). The menu was limited, and while a few items were slightly cheaper, the price difference from the regular menu wasn't significant. Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna: The rice was perfectly crisp without being burnt or greasy, which is how I like it. The spicy tuna, though, was pretty bland and could have used more flavor. Bluefin 4 Ways: The leanest cut was my second favorite, not super melt in your mouth but not chewy either. The chu toro, for being the second fattiest cut, didn't melt much and needed a little effort to chew. The otoro was the clear standout of the night. It was rich, buttery, and absolutely melted in my mouth. Kobe Roll: It was good but didn't wow me. The A5 wagyu on top was tender and easy to eat, but overall it wasn't a memorable bite. Hand Rolls (Spicy Tuna and Spicy Albacore): My husband got these for five dollars each during happy hour, which was a great deal since they are normally around nine to ten dollars. They didn't skimp on the fish, which was a nice to see. Miso Soup: Simple and classic, nothing out of the ordinary. Overall: The sushi was fresh and good, but nothing particularly stood out compared to other sushi spots in the same price range or even cheaper ones. I'm glad we finally tried it, but I wouldn't say it lived up to the hype for us. read more

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I'm upgrading my review here from best Sushi in San Diego, to better sushi than I had in Japan. Seriously I think it's that good. I am obsessed with this sushi spot, I'm always trying to pop in whenever I'm in bankers hill. It's definitely busy, and usually booked out on reservations. I try to come later at night around 8:30 or 9:00, and they're always really cool to still serve us even at the end of the night. The bluefin tuna 3 ways or salmon 4 ways is for sure some of the best sashimi you can possibly get. These are my two favorite fish, and I love being able to get a selection of just that, rather than going for omakase where I'm getting a lot of pieces I don't particularly want. The nigiri plate is also bomb striking the perfect balance between price and chefs selection for the day. The kobe roll is just fun too if you want to try a bit of a5 wagyu. Attentive staff across the board. Great bartenders. Many sushi chefs. Everything is prepared orderly and timely. Look no further for your new sushi go to. read more

Azuki Sushi - Nigiri plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I love this place! The bluefin sashimi is very fresh. The fried chicken is perfectly crispy. The sunshine roll is light and fresh. The r u kidding me roll is earthy with the truffle oil complimenting the tuna. I hate eggplants and I actually liked their miso glazed eggplants. I got the momo uzu and thought the sesame oil in it was a nice touch. read more

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I was in Japan last year and this is the closest sushi I've had that tasted like it did there! Super authentic. The hamachi was perfect and the portions were actually huge, so you really get your bang for your buck. The edamame was average, tasted like any other edamame I've had, but still good. The crispy rice and spicy tuna is ALWAYS a must and was a favorite at our table! The nigiri was perfect with big portions of fish, which I appreciated since so many sushi places are expensive for tiny cuts. The wagyu nigiri was perfection! Service was polite and fast, and the manager even stopped by to check on us. It's a cozy, smaller restaurant that genuinely reminded me of spots I visited in Japan. Overall a solid 10/10 and I will 100% go back! read more

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I've seen this place all over Tiktok and I finally got the opportunity to try it! My girlfriend made a reservation online and we were able to snag the last outdoor seating. Parking is a little bad since the place is located in downtown. Did a couple circles, but was able to find street parking a couple blocks down thankfully! When we arrived at the restaurant, the place was packed!! We checked in with the host and got seated shortly afterwards. They have heaters at each table to make sure everyone was comfortable. It seems like they tried to fit as many tables as they could outside because the tables were very close together. The ambiance is quite nice though! Definitely a nice place for a date night! The lighting is quite low and they give you a light that you can tap to adjusting the lighting. Our host was very nice, attentive, and took our order quickly. The wait for the food wasn't very long as well. We ordered the nigiri chef selection, r u kidding me, the crispy rice and spicy tuna, california blue crab hand roll, and an additional sea bream nigiri. My girlfriend and I love trying out new sushi and omakase places so we ordered The nigiri chef selection. I know it's not omakase, but we do love nigiris and the conclusion was that it was pretty good, but I wouldn't say amazing. The fish was fresh, LOOKED AMAZING, gave great portions for the fish, but i wish they did something a little more with the taste. Same could be said with the sea bream nigiri I got. Overall, it was still pretty good and fresh! The r u kidding me roll was the best out of everything that we got in my opinion. I didn't think i'd like this roll as much as i did, but it was SO GOOD. I would definitely come back and order this again. 10000/10 would get again! The california blue crab hand roll was also quite good. It was nice and warm and they give you a good amount of filling in the hand roll. The crispy rice and spicy tuna was also good! I feel like we've had something similar to this in the past, but still enjoyed the experience overall. Tuna was nice and creamy and the crispy rice gave nice texture. Overall, i think this was a great experience and the food was very tasty. Would definitely like to come back again to get the r u kidding me roll and to try out the rest of their menu! Great service and great food! read more

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Such a delicious place! We came after getting one of the last reservations late at night, and were seated at one of the high tables upstairs. This place is very well decorated and has such a nice ambiance. I got the spicy scallop and negihama roll, as well as the spicy tuna crispy rice as an appetizer. Everything was absolutely delicious! The crispy rice paired so well with the soft tuna, and both rolls had such fresh fish. These are definitely high quality rolls. My friends got the nigiri platter which was also a super generous portion for the price, and they all said it was delicious as well. Overall, great spot! read more

Azuki Sushi - Spicy Scallop Roll and negihama - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Just when we thought our trip to SD couldn't get any better, it did! I treated my fiancé here as an early Bday present and they did not disappoint. We were fortunate to be seated upon arrival since there were open seats at the bar. Personally I think this was even better for us since we got front row seats to see all the rolls being made which was a cool experience. We started with the Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna, Chicken Karaage, Kakuni (braised pork belly), and hamachi kama which were all fantastic! We enjoyed how the soft spicy tuna balanced the crispy rice. Both the chicken karaage and the kakuni were so savory, tender, and juicy while the hamachi was light and clean. The Vertigo came with yuzu ponzu and Fuji apple that complimented the fish and the cucumber well. The Kobe was extremely decadent with the insanely tender A5 Miyazaki wagyu and truffle aioli that literally just melts away in your mouth. My favorite was the Bonsai because the shrimp tempura and spicy tuna paired well with white truffle aioli and was topped with the crunchy lotus root and sweet potato chips that added the perfect contrast in texture in every bite. You can tell the quality is top notch and each roll was a unique tasting experience! The service is great, the ambiance is relaxed yet elevated, and the food is outstanding and presented beautifully. Of course this comes at a higher price, but honestly it was worth every penny and I'd love to come back for more. Highly recommend! read more

We ordered the crispy rice with spicy tuna appetizer, spicy garlic edamame, chef special sashimi, and the by the border roll I'd say for 2 people, order the chef special to have a fun tasting experience of various sashimi, along with your other choices What surprised us was how much we enjoyed the spicy garlic edamame.... it's a must order for the table Overall great sushi with a warm ambiance and gorgeous interior design read more

Azuki Sushi - Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing. New favorite sushi spot in San Diego. Was fortunate enough to grab a spot while in the area and was seated upstairs promptly at the bar area. The servers was awesome - both were helpful and enjoyable to converse with. Food was amazing, I have nothing but great things to say about the experience. My girlfriend and I had plans for a later dinner which we ended up scrapping due to food here! Def a staple, be back soon! read more

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Service 10 Food 10 Ambiance (upstairs) 10 Our favorite spot second time celebrating our anniversary Simply the best! read more

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Came here for dinner with a friend and wasn't disappointed. The ambiance at this place was great! Such a cute date night spot but also a nice place to get drinks with friends. The restaurant is dimly lit and aesthetically pleasing. Our waitress was very nice and I will say, all of the staff is very nice too. As we were walking to our table, every staff member we passed by acknowledged and greeted us. My friend and I were there for a light lunch. We got the Kobe roll, the uni toast, and the crispy rice + spicy tuna. - Kobe roll: 10/10 I thought this was really good and even got another to go - Uni toast: 9/10 really good and definitely unique, but small portions - Crispy rice + spicy tuna: 8/10, great taste and quality but average flavors There is also an "omakase" drink you can get, where the bar will whip something up for you of their choosing. Though the vibes were great and the food is delicious, this place is a bit pricey so not a place I'd go to on a weekly basis. Will be back eventually to try more as all of the rolls sound really good! read more

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Tried coming here and walking in a couple months ago but they were completely booked out. So I returned with a reservation. The Kobe roll and Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice were phenomenal and would definitely order again. I would want to try a different Chirashi bowl but we got the original to start. The only note that I have is that the food did take a bit to come out. We sat at 7:00pm, ordered by 7:15pm, and the appetizer came out fast but the miso soup didn't come until 7:45pm and main entrees came closer to 8:00pm. The waiter did let us know the sushi bar was backed up that night. Other than that, we did thoroughly enjoy our food. Perfect for date night! read more

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Hands down my favorite sushi spot in San Diego and probably my favorite restaurant in SD, topping Himitsu, wrench and rodent, etc. (both of which are very good, but they don't compare to here.) the fish is very fresh and the rolls aren't doing "too much" in terms of all the extra toppings and flavors that sometimes mask the freshness and quality of the fish. The service was great and quick, yet everything was freshly prepared in front of us (we sat at at the bar, which had a lot of leg room and counter space to enjoy the ambiance, the people, and the food). Can't wait to come back here again! read more

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Wow, this place blew me away. In terms of food, that is. I think it quite possibly was the best sushi I have ever had. I don't claim to be a sushi connoisseur, but I've had a lot of sushi and it's one of my fave foods. EVERYTHING we had was good: uni toast, o-toro nigiri, Wagyu Roll, R U Kidding Me, Toro Chirashi and our drinks - Momo Yuzu and Roku Gin and Tonic. EVERYTHING was fresh, never fishy. And while they provided soy sauce, I never felt that anything needed the extra seasoning. The o-toro melted in our mouths, as did the uni. The fried leeks on the R U Kidding Me was a delish accompaniment to the roll. And the Toro Chirashi was simply delicious. The rice was seasoned with some sort of vinegar, and paired well with the fresh cuts of Toro. Again, everything was seasoned so well, and never overpowering, and on top of that beautifully presented. Major compliments to the chef who created such an amazing menu. I would never think to pair proscuitto or truffle with uni , as they did on the toast. Seriously, chef's kiss. Why not 5 stars? Our hostess was friendly, but never cracked a smile. May not mean much to others, but for me it goes back to first impressions. And our wait was long. We had a reservation and waited in the cold outside for about 20 minutes. At that point, the hostess was kind to offer us a seat at the bar to get out of the cold and have a drink, maybe an app. We were at the bar for for at least half an hour, maybe even 40 minutes. We ordered drinks and a couple of apps. Our server didn't seem to even know that we were still waiting for our actual table, so we mentioned it and she had to look into it. By the time we were offered our table, we almost asked to remain at the bar. We didn't and made our way upstairs, but it made for a fractured experience. Overall, I would definitely return, and I will! These are small issues that could easily be taken care of with a little training and more clear lines of communication. Maybe next time will be a 5-star experience. read more

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Azuki Sushi came up on many a list of top eats in San Diego. In addition to that, this restaurant stood out due to the high Yelp reviews, and the fact that it was sushi (as we wanted to check out the city's sushi scene). That being said, we decided on Azuki and booked a table for our second night in the city. Azuki is located in a relatively quiet area - at least it was quiet when we were there around 8:30pm. The exterior is welcoming with a host stand outside and a few tables; the main level of the interior houses a few tables as well as the sushi bar - but we were seated upstairs in a spacious dining room that contained a bar and scattered tables. The decor was nice, albeit a little generic - nothing really stood out. Lots of medium to dark woods which was inoffensive. We decided to get a couple of apps, and then a couple of rolls and nigiri. We decided to start with the salt and pepper karaage, dumplings, and shrimp fried rice. The dumplings were the tastiest for me - good flavor and paired with a tasty sauce. The karaage was pretty good but the pieces of chicken were too big to handle - I needed to break them down before consuming. They provided a large helping of the rice, but it was a little on the bland side without adding soy sauce - it also wasn't sticky which made it hard to handle with chopsticks. We then moved onto the rolls and nigiri - I got the Kobe roll which contained prawn and A5 Wagyu. The roll was good, it tasted super fresh and looked meticulously crafted. We also shared the o-toro (fatty tuna) nigiri; this was also very good - the toro was flavorful and, again, tasted super fresh. The mains definitely redeemed the meal as they were superior to the apps we ordered. Service was okay - everyone was friendly but it felt more transactional than anything else. Like yes, I get that this is a transaction but the entire experience lacked soul. Overall, I think the sushi at Azuki is good, but not superior to other places I've been to. That, along with the unremarkable service and aesthetics land this at a 3 for me. We didn't have bad meal here per se, but I would explore other options in SD before returning. read more

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Azuki is bomb. I'm actually allergic to shellfish, so I couldn't have their most popular sushi roll (the "R U Kidding Me?") yet I still would come back here again. We ordered a ton of apps and some rolls and everyone else did say the R U Kidding Me roll (not pictured) was hands down their favorite thing on the menu. For me, the buta & nira steamed dumplings were my favorite. Ambiance is clean and I definitely recommend sitting at their outdoor patio (which is covered). The vibe up there is cute and less busy than the first floor. I'd come back for the food and would recommend this spot to check out. read more

Azuki Sushi - (From left to right) Appetizers: Buta & nira steamed dumplings, Salt and pepper karaage , and Crispy rice + spicy tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Excellent food and excellent service. Selections for ocean and land lovers. Premium Japanese whiskeys and sake. A must when in San Diego. Reservations recommended as it does get busy. read more

Azuki Sushi - Salt & Pepper Karaage, Miso Glazed Eggplant, Assorted Tempura, Tartare special, assorted sushi. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Azuki Sushi is no secret - Nobu Malibu Vibes it's one of San Diego's trendiest sushi spots, and for good reason. The energy is lively, the space has a modern yet comfortable feel, and the food hits every mark. The sushi is exceptional: fresh, beautifully plated, and full of balance in every bite. Rolls and nigiri are on point, but what surprised me most? The eggplant. Yes, the eggplant stole the show. Perfectly cooked, packed with flavor, and so memorable it might just be my favorite dish of the night. Service matches the food--attentive without hovering, and always ready with great recommendations. Azuki isn't just dinner; it's a full experience that leaves you excited to come back. If you're looking for trendy sushi done right (with a few unexpected stars on the menu), Azuki is it. read more

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