We came to Azuki Sushi Lounge for a birthday dinner. Luckily we had a reservation, because when we…read morearrived 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?

Food: Overall the food isn't bad but I didn't find anything…read moremind 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

If you are able, I would suggest getting a seat at the sushi bar (where they make the sushi). The…read morechefs are very considerate and attentive and will take care of you. Service was fast as our orders were made fresh in front of us. We were taken care of by Kei-san and Take-san. The salmon (5pc) was as buttery and tasty as I remember. We ended up getting 2 orders during our dining here. Liang was a fan of the Chu Toro sashimi. We got an order of chef's choice of nigiri (came with 1 miso soup), tokusen nigiri (came with 1 miso soup), 3 orders of the unagi nigri, 1 order of the soft shelled crab roll, and a hand roll. Cheesecake and black sesame topped it off. Presentation and taste were all on point. I recommend getting an eel and spicy tuna hand roll - combination is very tasty! And honestly never thought of combining it for a hand roll. It was easy to book a reservation through opentable. Looking forward to our next visit here (when we have some free time)

I came here on a Sunday. Parking was easy, and we ordered the chirashi bowl, two rolls, and four…read morepieces of nigiri. Honestly, I didn't find any of the fish in my chirashi particularly fresh, and the rolls were just okay/mediocre -- nothing special. I will say, though, the uni was amazing. I came here because my coworker raved about this spot, so maybe my expectations were too high, but overall the fish just didn't taste that fresh to me. The rolls were decent, but not memorable. I probably wouldn't come back unless I was specifically ordering the uni again.

The food here was absolutely delicious and we genuinely enjoyed the whole experience, but what…read moretruly made our visit special was our server, Ethan (the one with glasses). He was incredibly attentive, kind, and genuinely caring throughout the entire evening. He took time to explain the menu, recommend dishes, share his personal favorites, and made us feel so comfortable and welcomed. It's honestly rare to find a server who cares this much and makes guests feel genuinely taken care of. Ethan made the whole experience feel personal and memorable. Thank you for such wonderful service -- we will definitely be coming back!

My niece had to pick a place to eat for their graduation dinner…read more They tend to eat more raw fish than my sis and I do, so AYCE sushi seemed to be on their list. We narrowed it down to this place and 2 others. I did read this place's fish seemed more fresh than the other 2 spots. I guess this spot is pretty busy so I found a link where you could reserve a table and get on the waitlist. We went on a Tuesday night, I used the app and I had 9 parties in front of me, but while I was driving there, they cancelled my spot since there was no more wait. Once we got there, we were able to get a table fairly quickly. It was Tuesday around 7:30 pm. They give you a menu that has all of the items you can pick from. There is one small box on the menu that is extra charge, but everything else is all you can eat. Some items comes with 1 serving each, sometimes 2. Some of the speciality rolls had 4 pieces, however some of the baked items had 6. Be mindful they will charge you (by manager discretion) if you waste too much food. I have read they have charged $16 for wasting a roll. It's best to order smaller amounts and then order more if you're still hungry. The waitress took our first order, the items came out fairly slow so we ended up for round 2 ordering QUITE a lot. This is something I will remember for next time. (sometimes when you're hungry, you think you can eat much more, but you soon figure out that is not the case). I think the service was pretty good, our waitress was attentive and good and all other staff were clearing plates and dropping off food to tables. I think the food started to come out quite rapidly for our 2nd round. We got some apps (fried shrimp, tempura, Agedashi Tofu, calamari, Krab Rangoon..). I would say they came out piping out and pretty tasty. (next time I will order less, I was hurting trying to eat all that I ordered. We got some baked rolls, speciality rolls, Nigiri... I don't think the food was 'bad' by any means, but I do not think it was super delicious. I would say it was just ok. I think if you are hungry and having a sushi craving, this temporarily might do the trick. For the folks that love love sushi, I would not think this is the place you would come to, I don't think AYCE spots carry top of the line food. I will come again but not any time soon. I might try the other 2 spots before coming back. The service for sure was on point. Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 (place was pretty hopping, I think at least 4 tables were celebrating birthdays) Food: 3/5

My bestie searched up this spot and we were excited to try it out. Parking was a little tight but…read moreluckily I found a spot right away. She made a reso so that was helpful since it did seem to get quite busy. The HH was bomb we both had the Iced Green Tea which tasted a little like matcha! The roll were very unique and fresh!

I am so thankful we stumbled upon this establishment!…read more On a Tuesday morning, we initially tried to go to another sushi restaurant about ten minutes away, but unfortunately we didn't have a reservation and they wouldn't have had another table available for another two hours. Called Chef Jun to confirm if we needed a reservation here, but they said they had tables available since we were planning on being there in 10-15 minutes. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the girls up front and sat at a nice table outside on the back patio. We ordered the chef's choice sashimi, poke, beer, and green grape soju. I ended up asking for lemonade too to mix with my soju since I rarely drink and do not like the taste of alcohol lol. The food was absolutely delicious, I wouldn't have changed anything about our meal! We left satisfied and were so impressed with the sashimi variety we were served. I had no idea amberjack existed, but it's definitely up there with my usual salmon sashimi favorite! We definitely got our money's worth. Service was incredible, our server Marylyn D (that was on our receipt) was sooo sweet and we really enjoyed her energy. (We love your pikachu tattoo btw!) She made sure to check on us and give us updates on when our food was coming, which we really appreciated. Overall 10/10. Next time we visit from the Bay Area we will definitely be coming back here and recommending to our friends :)

The food is absolutely of the best quality! Their method and process for preparing and cooking is…read moreunparalleled from most anywhere I have seen in the world let alone San Diego. Truly world class! The service was amazing- I am a messy eater and dropped my napkin several times, each time they handed me a new clean napkin. The ambiance is incredible- so intimate. This is an experience!

Came here to celebrate a birthday. Timing on a Saturday evening was good enough such that there was…read morea good amount of parking out front when we arrived around 5:10 for our 5:30 reservation. We were first to enter and it was clear immediately that omakase is this restaurants institution; delicate lighting that highlighted the bar that separated diner and chef, clean lines everywhere, and just overall a beautiful place. The theme of Sushi MARU is truly attention to detail, and that extends from arrival, to service, to, of course, the food. Staff were incredibly attentive and easy to talk to, including the chefs. The food, I will comment on just generally as the menu is constantly changing (as is the case with many omakase): each dish was composed of pieces that complemented each other well and created a cohesive flavor pallette. Each nigiri was artfully prepared that emphased the quality and cut of the fish, and were complemented by flavors to further highlight that. The flow of the evening was non-traditional omakase, but it felt perfect. Price ($180pp) is not for the faint of heart, but is cheaper than others I've seen. Would absolutely visit again for a special occasion!

Finally was able to secure a reservation here. I've tried many omakases, and Soichi was always…read morementioned. Made the reservatiin online at the beginning of March for an omakase seating in April to celebrate husband's bday. They had a 5:15pm seating on a weekday at the sushi counter. Other options are the table and outside patio, however, for omakase, I always prefer the counter/bar. Unlike other omakase restaurants, Soichi offers their full vs petite vs nigiri only omakases at variable times (not limited to 2 seating times like others). You can also enjoy any of these omakases or order a la carte or both at the tables and outside patio also. The ambiance is bright and full of energy. Can get a bit loud with people talking, but didn't bother me. Parking is street parking. No designated lot. We found one a little down the street and walked over, which worked out. There is a park down the street and street parking around it. I recommend arriving earlier to find parking though, just in case. Restaurant is small inside, but clean and cozy. We arrived 15min early, and they seated us. The staff were all friendly. They all spoke Japanese to each other, which also felt more authentic. Our omakase chef was Daniel today. He was very nice, friendly, professional, and skilled. When we had questions, he answered them promptly and kindly. He also checked in with us to ensure the ratio of rice and sashimi was OK for us (of course it was). They served on unique plates too. Everything tasted so fresh and smooth. Some items were also unique compared to other omakase restaurants. The chawanmushj was also piping hot when served, so it also tasted fresh. They have barley tea here too and not just green tea. They offer a la carte at the end of the omakase course if we like, but I was too full. My husband ordered a tuna maki roll, which he thought tasted great. The dessert was also yum! Hojicha ice cream was very tasty! I recommend! They sang the happy bday song for the bday folks, where the senior chef (perhaps the owner?) played the ukelele/guitar and sang happy bday with the rest of us guests. Thought that was really neat. I recommend Soichi! Shout out to Chef Daniel!

Definitely 5 stars if compared to all restaurants, but 4 stars if compared to other omakase…read more Came at one of the first seating (4:30pm) on a Saturday for the full omakase. The service and partnership between the sushi chef and the wait staff was fantastic and every interaction was well thought out. The appetizer wasn't my cup of tea, but the sashimi, nigiri, grilled fish, chawanmushi were really good. The assortment of fish (at least for this season) wasn't my favorite (featuring sardines, mackerel, etc.) when I would have loved some yellowtail and salmon belly. We ordered a negitoro cut roll a la carte because we were still a little hungry - this was super tasty as the quality of the tuna/toro is top notch. For dessert, they had 4 flavors of homemade ice cream to pick from. The sesame was incredible and the roasted green tea really good too. I feel like most of the omakase I've been to have 2-3 seating for dinner, so all the customers for that time arrive at the same time and everyone is at the same point of the omakase. At Soichi, it seems like each party has their reservation at a different time (4:30, 4:45, 5:00, etc.) so each group is at a different part of their meal, not to mention some parties that ordered a la carte or a different omakase menu (sushi only option, etc.) As a result, the chef is bouncing around working on a bunch of different items, and we had to wait quite a bit for each of our nigiri courses. The whole meal took 2.5 hours. We also felt less of that group vibe with other parties that is common in other omakases. Overall, we still had a really lovely time and glad we got to try it!,

**5:30pm Omakase seating with Nigiri**…read more My dear friend and I came here for dinner on Monday night to enjoy Ichifuji's summer menu. Everything was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. All of the fish is high-quality, and most of it is imported from Japan. They do also source fantastic shrimp and uni from San Diego at times. Both sushi chefs are super personable, very skilled, and they have rad knife skills! Service from the waitstaff was attentive yet unobtrusive. The restaurant is diminutive and consists primarily of the sushi bar with 10 seats and an attached patio dining area. They do have a small parking lot which is appreciated! The pacing was just right, and each course was presented simply yet beautifully. I truly enjoyed this experience and give it my highest possible accolades! I loved that we were able to taste test three different sakes before choosing, and the carafe of sake was perfect for two of us to enjoy with our meal. It was also fun to choose our own special sake cup/glass from Ichifuji's eclectic collection for the evening I truly enjoyed all of the 19!! courses but the chilled chawanmushi, king salmon & all the nigiri were my favorites. When you come to Ichifuji, know that you are getting a very authentic Japanese dining experience. This is the real deal! Another fun thing that Ichifuji does is they give you a punchcard, and once you've tried all four seasonal menus, you will receive a special gift from Japan. Arigato gozaimasu!

[Food] Spring Omakase $165pp - Appetizers: 4 dishes…read moreconsisting of minced tuna, squid fly, oyster, & tempura. All delicious and wish I could've gotten seconds! - Sashimi: Chef's selection of 4 different sashimi with a side of seaweed. I enjoyed them all but my favorite are the toro and amaebi. Love that they also fried the shrimp head and gave us a choice of salt & lemon or ponzu sauce to pair with it! - Yakimono: Grilled cod with asparagus, crispy fried lotus root, and goji berries. The cod was so buttery and cooked to perfection. - Nigiri: 9 piece nigiri chef's selection. All were super fresh, melts in your mouth, and of course delicious! - Uni wrap: I'm not sure if this was part of the nigiri or its own course, but chef let us try San Diego Uni & Hokkaido Uni! Both incredibly yummy. I feel like the SD Uni has a nice sweetness while the Hokkaido Uni has a slight bitterness. My group mostly liked the Hokkaido Uni. - Chawanmushi: Very flavorful and silky as I think they added dashi to enhance the egg. - Soup: Red miso clam soup (Nagoya style) was delicious. Super comforting and savory to end the course out before dessert. - Dessert: Hojicha Panna Cotta with strawberries! I usually don't like the desserts at most omakases, but I loved this! Great balance of light sweetness of the Panna Cotta with the sweet and acidity from the strawberries. [Service] - Friendly, charming, attentive, helpful - Shoutout to our Chef, Hiro-San & server Ken-San for making sure our experience was beyond amazing! Thank you! [Ambiance] - Classy, upscale, intimate - Has sushi bar & patio seating [Overall] - Made reservations for a party of 6 for my bf's bday and they definitely made it special! I love that they took pics for us with the chefs and even gave us a print out with a stand. So cute! - Would definitely come back for the food, vibes, and great service! - Each season they have a different menu, if you had all 4 on your stamp card, you'd receive a little gift! I definitely would love to try all 4 seasons but unfortunately I don't live around the area.

Neighborhood jewel where Little Italy/Columbia District/and the Harbor meet! Calming, traditional…read moreambiance, balancing small tables, the sushi bar with two or three chefs busy at their craft. Japanese beer and sake, the freshest nigiri, sashimi, large choice of rolls and other favorites arrive, beautifully arranged on elegantly dressed tableware. A great place for a private date or fun with friends! Plenty of shareable dishes! Moderately priced and worth every penny.

Quality of fish is great and sushi is quite decent. However, I had a very unpleasant experience and…read morewould have given 2 stars but the servers' actions at the end compel me to give the establishment a pass. I was dining alone and only ordered 4 hand rolls (not on the menu but they're able to turn almost every cut roll into a hand roll). I waited 40 minutes for the hand rolls which is excessively long. I sat at the bar and was not greeted by the sushi chefs which is the norm. I alerted the server who sat me and he apologized for the experience, explaining that the chef was backed up on rolls. Though I appreciated this, my server also missed an item that I ordered which left me with 3 hand rolls. At the end, the manager comped my order and while leaving gave me my missed roll to take to go. Knowing that I had an unfortunate experience, all of the servers continued to check up on me and showed attentiveness at the end of my meal. However, in the initial 30-40 minute wait time I was not given any service -- note that I was noticeably disappointed -- and with a small store it should not have been difficult to complete a check-in in that time period. Although the gestures at the end were very appreciated, I am still wary of ever returning to this restaurant due to -- lack of acknowledgement and inconsistent service from the sushi chef, possibility of wasted time/incredibly long wait for the meal, and distracted staff that mistook my order

High quality sushi at a low-key spot! We visited during early dinner without a reservation and was…read morelucky to get seated right away! It looks like most of the other tables were reserved for reservations. The decor is modern and very clean and chic. They also had a high chair and was accommodating with our baby. Food was incredible and the quality of the fish is evident throughout. We started with the mixed shrimp and vegetable tempura - light crispy batter, really good. The sashimi champaloo came with 12 pieces of sashimi, salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and the fish of the day was albacore. For rolls, we got the Luna Lemon, Maru's Sushi Toro, and Hamachi Hiro. The rolls were a good size and I loved how each had a fun twist (but at the same time not TOO crazy with their combinations like some other sushi places). You can tell it was designed with intention and each roll had a nice balance. The Luna Lemon roll was great with spicy tuna inside, salmon outside, and the soy dressing and shallot oil put it over the top. The Maru's Sushi - Toro roll looked so good in the photos so I knew we had to order it. The negitoro was delicious and did not disappoint. The Hamachi Hiro roll was hearty and loved the combination of yellowtail outside the shrimp tempura in the inside. We were blown away by how fast the service is. The staff was friendly and on top of everything, and the food came out REALLY fast. For example, when we ordered an extra roll at the end, it came out in maybe 3 minutes and we were shocked. Highly recommend!

Hakumaru is a quality sushi spot in the beautiful 4s ranch neighborhood with reasonable prices…read more Seating is fairly limited inside so I'd recommend a reservation for dinner. We were having takeout so we didn't have to worry about seating. Food: Sashimi Champloo: ($31.95) 12 pieces of prime cuts of salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and chefs choice. The fish quality was solid and the pieces were good sizes. Chirashi: assorted sashimi, ikaru, tamago, sushi rice. This was also solid, the quality was solid but a step below the Champloo and the pieces were smaller than the Champloo. Chicken Katsu Don: delicious flavors in the curry, wonderful texture on the katsu, but had a surprisingly small volume of rice. I'd like to try the belly sampler (salmon, tuna, chef's choice) ($28.95) and sashimi bebop ($52.95) (18 pieces chefs choice) at my next visit!

Hidden gem in Gaslamp for locals. Great rooftop ambiance…read more Service was best in forever. Local menu was decent and delicious

Visited San Diego for a college graduation and we had dinner at Lumi for the post-graduation…read morecelebration! Best decision we could've made! We knew it was popular and it was recommended to make reservations well in advance which we did. When you get to the hostess stand on ground level, she greeted us warmly and directed us to the elevator that would take us to Lumi. Once at the top, you're greeted by the Lumi staff to check you in. As you get to view the roof top, there are lots of tables, a strategically placed bar, some fireplace tables, comfortable seating, a live DJ, and beautifully done murals and deco. Very tasteful! The food was amazing and so fresh! If you don't like sushi, Lumi has a lot of dishes that would also accommodate your palette. Appetizers, sushi, and drinks were all great. Prices is a little high but keep in mind that you're also paying for the experience! The staff were all friendly and our host Becky was so sweet and attentive! She checked in on us regularly and gave us great recs! Highly recommend!