Celebrated a birthday here with a very yummy dinner and dessert! We enjoyed the whole experience. Thanks to Brooke for the amazing service during a very busy night. We got served right away. read more

Banbu Sushi never disappoints! They always have fresh, high-quality sushi with tons of unique rolls, not just the same generic options you see everywhere else. Everything tastes great and the presentation is beautiful, usually with a little flower added to each plate. I love the decor and outdoor seating too. Their cold sake is delicious and will definitely sneak up on you if you have more than one Service is always good, everyone is friendly, and there's convenient parking right out front. Highly recommend! read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

Do not eat here!!! They sat us at a table with rat poop and I tried to pretend it wasn't what I saw until I actually saw multiple rats running around with my own eyes!!! Servers try to scare them away! We decided to leave because obviously this is disgistkng and unsanitary, and the waitress was rude and mad at us for choosing to leave and still charged us for our child's lemonade... I tried to speak to the manager who is also the bartender and still no apology, just excuses saying they have as many rat traps as they can put there ..... HORRIBLE UNSANITARY AND HORRIBLE SERVICE!!!! read more

Recently visited with a group, we all left with the same opinion - the food was good but quite overpriced. Atmosphere - Banbu did a nice job of giving a strip mall space a cute face lift. The outside patio is large and decorated well with fire pits and cute furniture. It is located next to a trolley stop and inland so, unfortunately no pretty view, it's an urban area. Restaurant and restrooms were clean and tidy. Parking - large, free, dimly lit parking lot (night) ADA - Both the property and restrooms are ADA friendly. Food/Price - The sushi and ingredients quality were fresh. Rolls were not overly sauced in my opinion. The rice to protein ratio was good on the rolls, the rice was a bit heavy on the hand-roll. Presentation was fun and above average. I like everything about this place other than the inflated prices, make it hard to think of returning when SD has so many sushi options. Service - Service was average, minimal mistakes, friendly and willing to ask the kitchen to make a hand-roll rather than just telling us they cannot accommodate. Service was a bit slow, including drink service. read more

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Friday nights are made for dinner dates!! Frst time visiting here. It won't be our last. Everything was so fresh and presentation was on point. Great service and vibes. Everything was very yummy. * Seafood Croquettes * Shrimp & Veggie Tempura * Super Crunchy Roll #DiningWithTheAndersons #TryingNewPlaces #HereFishyFishy #SushiTime read more

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Love banbu sushi for their food. The price is a little high so don't get to enjoy them too much but when I do it it's a great experience. read more

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We ordered chicken at a sushi restaurant, which I know may seem unexpected, but it was cooked to perfection. Our waitress was welcoming, friendly, and attentive, and the restaurant had a great atmosphere. The tables and restroom were also very clean, which I always appreciate. I highly recommend this restaurant, and we will definitely be returning. Next time, I plan to try the sushi. My son also wanted me to mention that the fries were incredibly crispy! read more

We were seated at 7:10 PM and ordered our food shortly after. What should have been a quick order turned into an extremely frustrating experience. It took over an hour to receive our food, and during that time we watched several other tables--who were seated after us--get their meals before we did. At one point I politely asked our server, Marlee A., how much longer our order would take. She looked directly at me and then walked to the other side of the restaurant to help other tables, completely ignoring my question. This felt incredibly disrespectful and unprofessional. When our food finally arrived, it had been about an hour and twenty minutes just to receive two sushi rolls. Instead of apologizing for the long delay, she simply said "thank you for your patience." There was no apology, no explanation, and no effort to make the situation right. The lack of communication and basic customer service was extremely disappointing. Waiting over an hour for two sushi rolls while being ignored by our server is unacceptable. I hope management addresses this, because this level of service reflects very poorly on the restaurant. Honestly I would stick to Sushi Deli. read more

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If you love Japanese food and sushi, Banbu Sushi is absolutely the place to go. My mom and I were looking for a lunch spot that offered not only great food, but also a beautiful and relaxing ambiance, and Banbu Sushi delivered on both. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and thoughtfully designed. Outside, there are calming water fountains, comfortable seating, a fire pit, and outdoor warming units that make the space feel cozy and upscale without being stuffy. It is the kind of place where you actually want to slow down, enjoy your meal, and take in your surroundings. The service was good, attentive, and friendly. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared, exactly what you would expect from a quality sushi spot. The only downside is that they do not offer lunch specials, and the prices fall in the mid to higher range. That being said, the overall experience from the food to the ambiance to the service makes it well worth it. I would also like to add they have energetic and cheerful pop music playing in the background to add to the experience. If you are looking for a spot that feels a little special and delivers on quality, Banbu Sushi is a wonderful choice. read more

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I don't know why people are giving this resto good reviews. Honestly, their food is so overpriced. The service is super slow too. Although the sushi tastes fresh but still you can get the same freshness for a lesser price... this is a one time experience for me and my family. Not coming back. read more

Aidan was the best server ever... I came from LA but SD gave me the better service . This place obtained great quality and great customer service read more

Been coming for years. Sushi is fresh and delicious. Trinity, our server, was great too! Worth the wait! read more

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I FREAKING ADORE THIS PLACE. prices absolutely have surged since the last time I was here, but where hasn't? We absolutely spoiled ourselves and got several dishes, one of the best was the crunchy spicy tuna bites! I've never had that before and they were incredible - so good I would have been satisfied stoping there! The shrimp were massive, 3 bites for one shrimp with many delicious sauces all over. Don't sleep on the shrimp, they are insane. My friend got the fried rice mixed shrimp and steak and chicken and it could have fed four people LOL. Last we got a spicy roll I forget the name, but it was amazing with fresh wasabi on the side. Overall 10/10 still will always come back to this place I'm obsessed. Super cute spot for date night! read more

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10/10 excellent service from trinity! She recommended sweet chili shrimp and they were delicious and filling. She also recommended the citrus salmon roll and it was delicious! She knew was knowledgeable about the menu she was very attentive and a joy to be around. Great night highly recommend this place will be back. read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Cheesecake and tea - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

It's more pricey but it's worth it. Always a wonderful experience and bomb sushi / cocktails

Trinity Had very good customer service and was very nice I enjoyed my time with her being my server read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Cheesecake and to go bag - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

Food is very excellent. They do a good job on presentation and the ambiance of the restaurant is like something out of a Sean Connery Bond film but if Sean Connery visited strip malls. You know what I mean? The staff is very helpful and they all wear matching outfits. Each of them has on no slip shoes so you know that the restaurant leadership values safety of their employees. McKenzie in particular is very nice and helpful. She recommended some rolls to us but I forgot the names. You'll have to ask her yourself. They were some of the best rolls I've had in San Diego. I also recommend the big fat bastard oysters. I'm not trying to be disparaging toward the oyster. That's what they're really called. But they do the sauce and the dislodging from the shell for you so it's like very little effort to eat them and they taste nice as hell. Would go again, but I didn't like the parking lot very much. There's only two rows. I guess I could take the trolley if I wanted but driving works if you're patient. read more

Excellent service! Trinity was very knowledgeable had great recommendations and very eager to give the best service!! Ask to sit in her section! Bro read more

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Love this place! Have been coming here for many years, the food and ambience never disappoints. The calamari ceviche is a must-have and tonight we had the Inferno Roll and Baked Langustino Roll, both 10/10 Our server Mackenzie was great, she had a full section but was very personable, had extended knowledge on the menu, had good recommendations and overall the service was great! One of the best interactions I've had in my many years of coming here. Will def return and recommend to anyone to try if you are in the area! read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Inferno Roll and Baked Langustino Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

This has got to be my favorite sushi place. From the food to the ambiance and the service. This time I invited friends that had never been here before and we were celebrating a birthday. It was a busy evening and I'm sure glad we made reservations prior. We got sat in the very back patio, we were the last table literally against the wall but it was fine, we were away from the bigger crowd and it was more intimate. Our waitress was very sweet and helpful with all the recommendations with the questions my friends had. We ordered cocktails and appetizers to start and she did mention it would take awhile since they were busy. It did take awhile for our drinks to arrive and 2 were not the correct drinks we ordered, she took them back but took a very long time to receive. Other waitresses brought our appetizers, everyone seemed to be helping each other I imagine because it was a busy night. We finally got our drinks and we waited for our main entrees for a long time but overall it was worth the wait because the food was excellent as per usual. The complimentary dessert for the birthday girl was delicious and they all said they would definitely come back hopefully on a day thanks not too busy like that night. There parking area is usually always busy but there's a parking structure where I always seem to find a spot in. read more

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I think the rolls here were excellent and the service was as well. The only thing is I do think this place is on the pricier end - 2 rolls for $60 is a lot. That being said, it's a nice treat and they have lots of awesome rolls to try! read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Cobe style beef roll (left), lemon cilantro roll (right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

Really enjoyed our experience. Got two different sushi rolls, forgive me, but I can't remember the names of him but one was the surf and turf and wanted halibut that was seared on top. Both were delicious. Great recommendations by our server. The desserts were awesome. The only drawback was we went on a Saturday night and it was packed. They got seated right away with reservations, but the food took a while to come out. But as you can see, the presentation was awesome. One recommendation is our son got the equivalent to orange chicken and it was out a full 20 minutes before ours is to ask for all food come out together. Otherwise five star great experience. read more

Kenzie was Our server and she is fantastic. She provided great food and drink suggestions. The restaurant was very busy and she let us know we should order the sushi so we don't have to wait forever. We had multiple rolls and chicken fried rice and shrimp fried rice. And the drinks...perfection!! read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Shrimp fried rice. - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

MacKenzie was really great and helped us make our decisions on dinner. Everything recommended was delicious and the atmosphere was great. She gave us more attention than we've had from a server in years anywhere (actual conversation) 10/10 always recommended Banbu especially with Mackenzie read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Aguachile seasonal roll, surf and turf roll, and banbu roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

Our waitress was very friendly and did her best however the food unfortunately was a disappointment as the reviews had previously appeared good. The goyza soup unfortunately had no flavor. Sushi rolls didn't have enough flavor and was also dry. read more

The good was amazing and the server was super nice and have us great recommendations! read more

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Great spot for date night. Romantic and intimate. There's a fire pit and plenty of seating. I haven't waiting more than 5 mins to be seated (even without a reservation). There's a variety of options to choose from sushi to bowls, etc. read more

Been coming here for years but lunch today was especially worthy of this review. We were blessed to have Trinity as our server on the patio and she made our experience truly 5 stars. Between the ponzu sauce she brought us, the fresh wasabi, and the exceptional service, she had us asking what days she works by the end. All of the rolls we ordered were fantastic and literally overflowing with flavor. If I could give more than 5 stars I would! read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

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This used to be my favorite sushi spot. While the rolls are amazing and a little overpriced, the food is always delicious, but my issue is I can't justify paying that much for a meal and terrible service. The last two times I was craving this place, we sat down on the patio, and after being seated, after 20mins still had no water and had been completely ignored by the servers. The most recent time I decided to time it on my watch; after 30mins we left and never ordered. I was so sad. read more

My wife and I dined here yesterday and had a terrible experience. The food was fine but the service was terrible. We arrived in the afternoon and there were 2 other tables present inside. We were excited to get a quick and good meal after the gym. We made our order after 10 minutes of our arrival and then proceeded to wait 25-30 minutes before asking if our food would be ready soon. The waitress then said "your food will be out when it's ready." It was an unnecessary tone. We had not asked prior to that. Another 10-15 minutes went by and another waitress brought us our food. It was a very unusual/awkward experience. We will not be back. read more

We loved the wonderful service, food and atmosphere. The sushi was amazing! Brooke, our waitress, was very attentive and great!

The lemon cilantro roll was awesome, the kung pao chicken was spicy delish, and our server Desiree was absolutely great! She is super attentive and friendly! read more

Banbu Sushi has a nice atmosphere and the service was friendly, but overall the value just didn't match the prices. The biggest issue for me was the cost compared to the taste and quality of the food. Paying $13 for a California roll feels pretty steep, especially when there are plenty of spots that serve a $6 California roll that honestly tastes better. We also tried a few other items. The curry was actually very good and probably the highlight of the meal. However, the duck lettuce wraps were $23, and they just didn't live up to that price point. The portion and flavor didn't feel like something that should cost that much. Overall, the food isn't bad, but the price-to-quality ratio feels off. If the prices were a bit more reasonable, the experience would be much easier to recommend. Right now it just feels like you're paying a premium without getting premium flavor. read more

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My friend and I came in for dinner the other night, and it was really busy for a Thursday night! First timers, but we were impressed! They have a lotttttt on the menu, so I would recommend checking out the menu online beforehand so that you have an idea of what you want, because the food did take a little while to get to our table, and we were hungryyyy. We were totally understanding because of how busy they were, but still. (Just something to think about). They have a nice seating area outside by a little fire place, and the lighting indoors makes it seem very intimate, even if your tables are seated a little closely together. Our server was great. Shout out to him-I forgot his name-possibly Matt? Not sure but he had long hair, and slightly resembled Ethan from Lizzie McGuire. If you know, you know! Anywayyyy, the food was good and the vibes were good. Parking directly in front will probably be hard to come by, but there is an abundance down the way. Definitely recommend the salmon skin hand roll. That was my absolute favorite from the night! read more

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This is my friends favorite sushi spot in La Mesa, now I know why! This place is so cute we sat ourside and the patio is well decorated, quiet and calm! The inside was nice! We got a bunch of rolls to share for the table and I also got a cup of miso soup! This was by far one of the best miso soups I've ever had! The rolls were really good. The service was great! Some of the best sushi I've had in awhile! read more

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Had the best date at this spot!! Trinity gave great service, made sure we were well taken care of! 10/10 would recommend. Food came out fast and service was amazing! read more

The ambiance and service were wonderful. The waitress attended to my party well l, provided us with filled water and timely service. However, coming from LA and regularly going to Katsya, the food here was subpar and overpriced. I'm used to the hamachi melting in my mouth and here I had to chew and chew and chew. Even after all the chewing I had to even spit some out. The quality was akin to any hole in the wall that is typically a fourth of the price. Don't get me wrong the chefs presented to food well but you cannot hide the quality of fish. Personally, I wouldn't come here again but the staff is great and the food is somewhat edible. read more

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we come here regularly and the food is always excellent. the Dynamite Roll is our favorite. Savannah is always helpful and we appreciate her recommendations. read more

Was a great visit, no wait on a Monday night at 5pm, Chloe was our server and she was great! She was super pleasant and attentive! Typically I get the yokisoba and it comes out behind other orders so we order it in advance of the other covers. This time though it came out very fast, it was fine though. She took it back and kept it warm while the Sushi was made. Overall a 10 out of 10 visit. PS - Bring back happy hour :P read more

Trinity was an amazing server, she was knowledgeable about the menu and guided us through our dinner for the night (which was amazing) - coming back just to enjoy her wonderful energy and presence! read more

Banbu Sushi Bar & Grill - Sushi Bars Near Me - La Mesa, California

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