Keep in mind that you shouldn't eat here expecting to stuff your bellies while spending just a few bucks; there's a Wendy's across the street for that. Come dine at Hitokuchi for the experience of unique and flavorful dishes that won't be found anywhere in SoCal. I recently went after the menus have changed and the plating of all the dishes were dazzling. You can truly see how much effort was put into the creation of the menu with the presentation. The servers are very attentive; their timing of when to approach and leave you alone is near perfection. Plus, they are all trained to memorize all the menus in detail which is great considering most of the dishes you'll have will be your first time trying. Who you bring should also be a consideration. Hitokuchi menu is omakase composed of 7 courses. There will be brief moments in between plates where you get to enjoy the presence of your company. The dimly lit vibes with a touch of modern Japan is the perfect setting to have delightful conversations. Put your phones away (except when taking pictures, of course)! I wouldn't want to spend that much money just to stare at my screen for most of my meal. I choose Hitokuchi over Disneyland or concerts any day. (just one man's opinion) read more

Food was exceptional. Great date night spot, service was spot on and very attentive to making sure we were accommodated. 10/10 would go again read more

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I honestly can't give this place more than three stars. Let's get one thing straight first: the food is definitely good quality. And the presentation is very well thought out. However, unless you are prepared to spend well over $130 per person (no drinks obviously), You will, and I repeat,will be hungry. Some other reviews here defend this by saying quality is always more important than quantity, and this is very true in many cases. But leaving hungry from a restaurant is like leaving without a tire on your car after you took it to get the most beautiful high-quality vinyl wrap ever performed. To give you an idea, these tiny pieces of food were probably 40i-50sh dollars per dish. Service was good and the restaurant was clean. I really don't know what to say. This restaurant has almost everything except price. Even their sister restaurant, hidden fish, you will not be hungry if you spend $135, and quite frankly the experience is much more elevated than this restaurant. So, I think what we really need is a high-quality restaurant that doesn't insult you with its price. I'm not saying they can't charge $20 per dish, but they are on the complete wrong planet with the price. It pains me to write a review like this because there is very little wrong with the restaurant, but I encourage the management to think of this as a review which says there is a simple fix, rather than a complete overhaul needed. read more

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Came in for a solo dinner and saddled up to the bar. Delicious food, efficient service, and Sapporo on tap. Asian Fusion Tapas was how it was described. The dishes were inventive indeed and held to the standard of quality ingredients as Hidden Fish next door. Really a fun spot with relaxing atmosphere and tasty bites. Standouts: scallop and king crab, shrimp and crab pan roast, and the pork belly rice bowl. read more

HITOKUCHI - King crab and scallops, beer. Perfection. - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Super cute date night spot. But the food was mid and very expensive for what it was. Definitely still hungry after our dinner that costed $270+tax+tip so we went to grab tacos after. We got the lobster (not pictured) and it was the worst dish. The lobster was overcooked and under seasoned. For $38 I was sad to end our meal that way lol. I will say Jenny (our server) was great and she recommended really good sakes. But the food... damn. read more

HITOKUCHI - Toro tartare - can't believe they chopped it up like that. Can't tell it was toro. This costed us $41... broooooo - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

I definitely echo what other people have said about their prices being extremely high for the serving portions. However, for a special occasion, I think this experience was 100% worth it! We were in San Diego for vacation and wanting to splurge a little on a nice dinner and this was a great spot for that. Everything was so delicious and high quality and the service was wonderful. The wagyu and sea bass were both incredibly flavorful and you cannot go wrong with either dish. But yes, I did wish I was a bit more full by the end of the night. read more

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This was extremely disappointing. The fact that they charge $40 for a piece of toast with an ounce of tuna is ridiculous. When we got there it was empty, which was surprising due to their $100 pp cancellation fee. Loud EDM playing and our server was fine there wasn't anything wrong with him. This review is for the food. Being a chef for over 15 years myself, I was annoyed with their menu, obnoxiously small portions, and anti climatic flavors. Save your money and go elsewhere. read more

Ambience very modern Parking ample New restaurant same owners as hidden fish This place is tapas style We ordered almost everything in the menu The food is yummy read more

My first review had to be on HITOKUCHI. Not only was the service amazing and the selection of sake extensive, the food was exquisite. Initially, we ordered the toro caviar toast and the bluefin toast just to pair with our sake, but after eating that we had to try the other dishes as well. We ended up eating the A5 wagyu (when do you ever see a sake lounge serve A5 wagyu?!), the lobster basil, and finished with the somen salad. To be honest, it was a lot of food and I don't how the three of us finished it all, but how can you not when it's that good. I already knew the chef was talented from HIDDEN FISH, but the food here really showed the chef's determination to use the best ingredients and his understanding of how to orchestrate each one in the most optimal way. I noticed that people were saying it's pricey, but honestly for the amount of fish and uni in each toast and the ingredients being used in each dish, the price is very comparable to other places of equal quality. I would definitely recommend the toasts if you're going for sake. If you're going for dinner, get the wagyu or the lobster basil, but make sure to finish with the somen salad. Overall HITOKUCHI is a great place with good vibes and service and i recommend you try it if you have appreciation for quality food. read more

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Wonderful service and great food. Highly recommend! We went for a celebratory dinner and it was a great time read more

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Absolutely amazing dining experience here. The food is exceptional, service is great, and ambiance is very classy. The presentation is unparalleled with each dish looking as beautiful as it tastes. read more

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First and foremost, sorry about the terrible pictures. I can't do the food justice. Everything was excellent. I think the tar tar and the shrimp and crab toast were our favorites. The mood was really nice inside. Perfect for a date. Nice and quiet with just the right amount of lighting to set a romantic mood. The service was good as well. Michelin, recommend this place! read more

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I booked a reservation on a whim after seeing an Instagram post about Hitokuchi, and I'm so happy I did! To begin, they let you pre order drinks before you get there so you have something waiting for you when you arrive. Love that idea for a special occasion or as a surprise. The ambiance is a classic modern if that makes sense, exactly what I imagined for an intimate lounge setting. Great playlist too! Service was wonderful, and the food was the best part. We ordered the amberjack and scallops first. The amberjack was my partner's favorite dish of the night, and the flavor of the wasabi cream on the scallops was just the right touch. We ordered a couple of the shrimp toasts, those were definitely my favorite. I loved the texture and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. Last was the pork belly rice bowl and the lobster dish. Both had incredible flavor and again the meat was cooked to perfection. Hitokuchi was the ideal date night spot for us after a very long week! We hope to be back soon! read more

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I'm not one to hesitate to shell out for good food or a good experience, but I just couldn't justify it here. The food was decent and the service was great, but there just wasn't anything that was really like a "whoa" or "I have to come back for this". You're paying $30-50 (or more) per tapas sized dish - so 3-4 bites - which means you have to get 3-4 dishes per persion just to begin to fill up. The menu is pretty small, so you have to like everything they have to offer. You're easily paying $120-200 per person, and that's before you even order sake, which you have to order by the bottle because they don't do single serving orders. As for the food itself, the most "unique" of what we ordered was the crab and uni toast. It was good, but not something I felt the need to go back for seconds of or that I'd pay $13 per bite for. Best tasting was the pork belly over rice. Super tender and flavorful despite how it looked (some char or color would have made it more appealing rather than just the boiled look). Tofu somen salad would probably have been better if we didn't get the spicy sauce - it was way too spicy, my ears were ringing and I couldn't eat it, so be forewarned.. some people like that. The space is definitely well done and I love the concept... just didn't hit the mark for me. It's not really about the cost, but for the cost I do expect wow, and the taste and value just weren't there for me. There are plenty of omakase experiences around town that I'd rather fork up for. read more

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I did not know what to expect coming here. An elevated dinner experience in Convoy? I didn't realize such a thing existed! But everything was spectacular, from the food to the drinks to the service. The presentation was exquisite as well. I keep dreaming of that lobster and the uni caviar rice. And it seems like they keep updating the menu (they have a tasting menu!), so you can keep coming back to try new things. I'll definitely be back! read more

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I have been to Hidden Fish multiple times (which I loved) so when my friend told me about this place by the same owners, I was excited to try it. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much - it was absurdly expensive for such a small bite of sashimi plates. We spent almost $200 but hardly felt we ate anything. Was so bad we had to go find eat somewhere else right after. Suffice to say, I would not return here nor recommend anyone. I normally don't write yelp reviews but this one topped by limit... read more

We've been waiting for this place to open since we tried their sample menu at Hidden Fish. The dishes merge the delicacy of the Asian food and the playful spirit of an adventure perfectly. The presentation is delightful. Every bite is delicious. It feels a cooking show. The portion is very ideal for 2-4 people for tasting. If you want something more filling, you can aim for the dishes with a good portion of rice. While the menu changes from time to time as the chef insists on serving the best quality food of the day, if lobster and uni are on the menu, definitely order them! Only the prime lobsters can be served raw, and out of all raw lobster I've tried, this taste deserves its price tag. If you are hesitant with raw lobsters, you can go for the cream lobster with basil blossoms. The blossom is an excellent touch as it preserves the freshness of the basil but avoid the bitterness. As for uni, I've tried uni from many high end restaurants, Hidden Fish's uni is the best, so this restaurant carries the same uni. We also tried the amberjack, the sea bass and the Wagyu beef, every bite we can taste the quality of the ingredients and thoughts put into the meticulous preparation. read more

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This place is FIRE! Came all the way down from LA to see what the hype was about and it did not disappoint! Being a chef myself, I was impressed by the execution of the dishes and the well thought out menu. The quality of the ingredients really shine through. The service was excellent. Not overbearing. The decor was sleek and definitely gave off upscale lounge vibes. I've read a couple bad reviews on here complaining about the amount of food they're getting. Kinda sucks to see that the SD food scene still hasn't caught on to QUALITY over QUANTITY :( If you want to take your significant other out on a really nice date with great food and vibes, then Hitokuchi is your spot! A bit ahead of it's time just like hidden fish was, but y'all started to catch on right? Don't fall behind! read more

Nice date spot where the food and ambiance is carefully thought out. Recommend the Itami Onigoroshi as a sake pairing.

New favorite sake lounge . Classy vibes but also top notch customer service. I shall be back . Favorite item: Chilean- seabass*** read more

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I never leave any reviews on Yelp, but this time, I just had to. I want all sake and food lovers to go try this place. Every time I dine at Chef Johns restaurants, im amazed at how fresh their ingredients are and how the flavors, aromas, and textures perfectly balance each other. Pairing those food with chef Johns hand-picked sake was one of the most amazing food experiences I've had in a long time. Service was also top notch, as it always has been since hidden fish. Overall, it was an unbelievable experience for me that was worth every penny. read more

This restaurant was unbelievable! I was a bit confused at first whether it was just a drinking lounge but their food was better than most restaurants I have ever been to! The decor and ambiance makes you feel like you're in NYC or LA! (Dress to impress) Our table ordered everything on the menu. All dishes were easy to share and the flavors were full of flavors. The portions were a bit small but couldn't complain since everything was the best quality I've ever had. Their wagyu dish was hands down the best wagyu ever. The combinations they have on that plate paired perfectly. Uni was local and also the freshest uni I've ever had! Definitely recommend this place and can't wait for the menu to change. Server told me it'll change around June? I'll be back before that anyways! read more

We had a fantastic dinner here last night. Each small bite (larger portions than most pre-fix menus) was full of flavor and cooked to perfection (unless served sashimi style). We sat at the bar so we could watch the chefs work, dinner and a show! These chefs are so talented with their creations, and change the menu monthly based on seasonal, local selections of vegetables, meats and seafood. Some of the fish flown in over night. Hitokuchi is part of Hidden Fish, being right next door. If you love Hidden Fish, you will love the experience at Hitokuchi! read more

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My ratings are going to be based on if I would return back the restaurant. Unfortunately, my answer is no. We left hungry and paid $210 for 4 dishes and 2 drinks for two . Ambiance is a dark lounge with and it was pretty empty for the most part. We were sitting at the corner of the bar thinking all the tables were taken but there was definitely the tables available. It was a bit awkward while the servers were just standing next to us watching us finish our last bite food and quickly take the plate away. Service was good. They were attentive and quickly changed our plates, filled our waters because they had nothing else to do. It was awkward having our servers just watch us eat... They didn't engage in conversations or make recommendations with sake/sochu pairings. I did feel like our server was chatting it up more when the bill was about to come. For food, it was good but nothing that stands out. We ordered the red amber, toro toast, Chilean sea bass, and lobster basil. The portions were literally a bite or two. Again, I would expect maybe some pair recommendations, larger drink selection, or some sake or Sochu cocktails. We left hungry so we ended up going to the Mexican restaurant in front and got nachos for $15. Overall, I wouldn't be coming back. I rather just save the money to go to go to other restaurants in Convoy or get some bottles or sake or soju for a fraction of the price at the Asian grocery store. read more

I came across Hitokuchi while looking for a new restaurant to have a date night dinner. I am also in a sake phase so this restaurant was an adequate pick. It's a small restaurant with modern aesthetics and a hip vibe. For food we ordered the King Crab & Uni Toast, Amberjack, Creamy Lobster Basil, and the Miso-Sake Chilean Sea Bass. The Uni Toast was a 3/5, the flavors didn't really stand out as much. The Amberjack was a 4/5. It was refreshing and tasted great when adding all the ingredients into one bite. I liked that the fish tasted fresh. The Creamy Lobster Basil was a 3/5. I didn't get the taste of the lobster as much as I did with the added ingredients. I think they could of accentuated the flavor of the lobster better. The Sea Bass was a 5/5. It was my favorite dish and the best Sea Bass I ever had. It tasted so buttery and it just melts in your mouth. It was cooked to perfection! I like the fact that they had draft Sapporo and a variety of sake to choose from. We ended up ordering a sake bottle that was not too sweet nor too dry. In regards to service, I'd like to thank the Chef John for his hospitality. He came over and greeted us with more sake. He's humorous and very welcoming. We had a conversation about his experiences and his other restaurant, Hidden Fish. On a side note, I'm looking for a Valentine's Day reservation for Hidden Fish. Seats are booked! Help me out. *smiles* read more

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Lets start with the fact that I downloaded yelp JUST to leave a review for this restaurant. We talked to the executive chef who told us that they get all of their seafood overnighted every day from a fresh market in Japan. The chef will then go through all of the seafood and inspect it to make sure that it is perfect or he will not use it. We almost didn't come here because of the two negative reviews left on yelp but we are SO SO SO happy we did. In response to those negative reviews I previously referred to (Andrew .M & Eunice .O) the concept of this amazing restaurant is quality over quantity. We had 6 dishes that were beautiful, delicious, and worth every penny!! The ambiance is cool and modern. Great music, great service, and the best food. Jenny was our server and she was extremely attentive and sweet. She came back to check on us after we tried every dish, told us how the chef recommends we eat it, and brought us new plates in between every meal. If you're looking for cheap then I do not recommend coming here. If you're looking for phenomenal food and service, then this place is for you!! Parking is super convenient too. This is now my #1 restaurant!!!! read more

This place was amazing!!! 10/10. Ignore any of the negative reviews. This is a must try! The food was high end with top notch ingredients. The protein is flown over from Japan every night. The restaurant itself has a classy modern vibe. Perfect combination where food meets art and beauty. The presentation of each plate is handcrafted with precise detail. The service was exemplary as well. The executive chef and owner serves and oversees each dish before it's brought out. I had the pleasure of meeting him myself. Highly recommend for date nights. The portions are tapa style and perfectly shareable for two people. If you want a tasting experience that will blow your mind this is it. read more

HITOKUCHI - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Such amazing food and great recommendations! If you are looking for a fun night out for an incredible meal, course by course! read more

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I am not easily impressed and challenged by new foods but this place exceeded my expectations.To begin the simple yet sleek design of the lounge paired with great musical selection added to the remarkable atmosphere. Secondly throughout the whole night our servers were attentive and pleasant. The chef even came out to hear our thoughts on the dishes. I admire when the chefs take time to ask the guest how their food is. We first started with Kinpou Odayaka sake which paired well with our food. The raw bites we ate included the jumbo scallop & snow legs and the Uni & caviar. I could write a whole novel about how much we loved the Uni & Caviar!! Every bite was flavorful and we could not stop talking the whole night about how vibrant the flavors are!! We had the steak tartare and all the ingredients blended perfectly together. The A5 waygu Tataki glistened and melted into our mouth The last dish we ordered was the pork belly rice bowl which we couldn't put down. Overall our dinner was a full blown experience with colorful tastes and delicious sake. We are eager to go back and try the other sake and bites!! read more

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Went with my sister for a late dinner. We called and they said as long as you arrive before 9:30pm they could accommodate us. Parking was easy and in a lot with lots of other eateries. The main dining area is small, 4 tables, but the courtyard had another 4 tables. We ordered squid offals (intestines) to start which the server did caution as very popular with some guests, but not for everyone. The smell isn't strong, but the taste is very fishy, strong and slimey. I just had one small piece, but my sister enjoyed the rest. For main entrees I ordered the deluxe tonkatsu combo and my sister got the katsu curry. The combo came with a pork filet, 3 scallops, one shrimp and cabbage salad. Everything was very well fried and the pork was crazy tender. I thought the cabbage salad was a little bland. My sister's curry sauce was housemade and had good flavor. Overall great food and service. I would go again. read more

The food was mediocre at best, super small portion and way over priced. I saw a tic tok and thought it'd be a cool experience but even that was meh. Overall a giant disappointment. Don't waste your time or money. read more

Miso sake sea bass is my favorite and it's the only dish that stands out. Ingredients are fresh but still lack creativity. As an Asian it can't fool me by just adding miso, sake, kimichi etc. into westernized style dishes. As other's comment showed here, for such price you can get more quantity of food in other fine dining restaurants. read more

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We had scallop on the shell, shrimp and crab , pork belly rice bowl . Rating is 4.5, 4. , 5,respectively. Service is really attentive and professional Overall , good ambiance for foodies . Will comeback to taste their wagyu . read more

Walked in with my friend for a dinner night on a Thursday's night. The place is small and cute, nicely decorated. The music is a little too loud and not quite fitting the restaurant like I expected. The menu showcases a range of small, exquisitely crafted dishes that capture the essence of Japanese cuisine. Every dish is a masterpiece of flavors and textures. The chef's attention to detail is evident in the precision of each plate, showcasing the freshest ingredients and a harmonious blend of tastes. The price is a little bit high-end in term of portion wise. However, my friend and I were both full by the end of the meal. The staffs are really friendly and tentative. We were able to meet and talk to the Head Chief and learned that they are Hidden Fish sister restaurant. I really enjoyed the Scallops and the Shrimps & Crab Pan Toast. The Pork Belly Rice Bowl is also excellent, however I didn't like that there were a lot of oil at the bottom of the bowl when we were finishing. read more

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We used to like Hidden Fish but as their price and speed of courses increased and the size of the sushi was kept far below average - we stopped going. We nevertheless decided to try this place. I know one star is harsh, but for the egregious prices they charge and what you get - I believe it's warranted. Full disclosure, my wife and I enjoy dining out and have been to many restaurants ranging from a $50 to $1500+ check for two. TL:DR: One bite tapas ranging from $40 to $100+ (!!!) some of which are frankly bland, all served 3-4 minutes one after another, in a very basic atmosphere that's attempting to be trendy by blasting electronic music and providing mediocre service. Pretentious place that is so out of touch and is trying so hard to be something that it's not. Spent $250 (including 300ml of sake), left hungry and disappointed. Long version: We came here because the concept of well executed Japanese tapas is exciting. You typically get to try many different small bite dishes and not break the bank. We came after making a reservation that required a credit card and a threat of $100 per guest charge in case of cancellation - pretty odd for a place that markets itself as a single '$' place, and something we have not experienced even in two Michelin star restaurants. But okay. We arrive. The place gives a generic cafe vibes, electronic music is blasting, there is a sushi bar and some tables. Pretty normal for a "$" place. Then we get the menu (see attached photo). It's admittedly pretty pricey, but we see lobster, caviar, uni; we imagine that perhaps these are elaborate and imaginative courses, so we order uni and crab toast, amberjack, pork belly and lobster. The waitress sheepishly warns us that the portions are very small, but she does think that four dishes for a couple could be enough. Food: First is amberjack that did not taste particularly good. The texture was almost pasty and the yuzu ponzu did not add the flavor you would expect yuzu ponzu to add. We've had better variations of this kind of dish in many restaurants across the city. There are seven incredibly thinly sliced pieces of fish. Can't say it's a good value for $36. Three minutes later the second course comes. It's the uni+crab toast. I have to say that combination of pickled onions, uni, crab on milk bread is actually quite good. But again the portion is on the smaller side - four half bites, and for $54 you feel like you ought to get more. Four minutes later we get the third course. Creamy lobster basil. It's served with a lobster shell, to I guess, make it look more interesting than it actually is. Lobster is cooked well. It is indeed creamy. Unfortunately the overall profile of the dish is very flat. There are some mushrooms and onions in the dish but you can hardly taste them. The chef recommends taking a bite of basil as you eat it and it does help a bit, but it still does not elevate this dish enough. $42. Seven minutes later we get the pork belly dish. By far the best dish we had. Pork belly is perfectly cooked. Jasmine rice is excellent as well. The sichuan flavor did not come through as much as we would've liked, but the dish was still good despite it. The dish is also a bit larger than the previous ones - think appetizer at a normal restaurant - but it still takes us three minutes to finish. $36. Again, this is not some special pork from a local farm. It's a bowl of rice with some well cooked regular pork on it. Note on service/ambiance: If a restaurant is going to charge $30+ for a small tapas dishes - I would expect there to be a cloth napkin. I would also expect our table to be wiped after each course. I would also expect a fresh set of utensils between courses that have very different flavors. I expect the staff to know more about sake. I expect everyone at the table to get a copy of the menu - not just one person. Those are normal things that are done at restaurants that are half the price of this place. At this point we were 35 minutes in this restaurant, $250 in, still quite hungry. So we decided to leave and get an actual dinner in one of many great places on Convoy. Overpriced, pretentious with it's cancellation policy, terribly paced courses, flat flavors, tiny portions, lackluster service, and cheap ambiance. We will not be back and I can't recommend this to anyone. read more

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The service is good. The restaurant is really small so it catered to only 3 tables. Food and quality is on points but the portions is small. I did expect that coming from a high end restaurant. read more

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE Hidden Fish and was waiting for Hitokuchi to open. First off, the owner and staff were so welcoming and informative. The service here and at Hidden Fish is always over the top, you can't expect better service anywhere. The moment you set foot into the sake lounge, you get really stylish, trendy vibes. The music is very in theme with the lounge, the lighting and the interior is SO modern and chic. You can tell there was so much time and thought put into every single dish. They were amazing. PLEASE go and try it out. You get what you paid for. So fresh, so much detail... The quality of their proteins are top notch. Quality seems to be number 1 on their list. Everything is fresh and flavorful. There is not much to say but if you have tried Hidden Fish, Hitokuchi is up there. IF you haven't tried Hidden Fish, try it and Hitokuchi! There is ample parking by the street next to the plaza if you can't find parking in the lot. Service 5/5 Food 6/5 Ambiance 5/5 Theme/Presentation 5/5 read more

This place is sushi tapa restaurant, so don't go expecting a big meal. It's pricey ($25-60 per tapa and the portions are very small) but totally worthy if you can afford it. The fish is super fresh and it's an unique experience! read more

Beautiful decor, understated elegance, small menu with creative raw and hot plates that were out of this world. Quality seafood and friendly service. Definitely coming back here again to try more dishes! read more

Very upscale and pricey restaurant. The food was awesome but I prefer Hidden Fish. Would I go back again, probably not. Nonetheless it was a good place to try at least once. Glad I tried it. Would I go to theor sister restaurant Hidden Fish? Of course anytime, love that place and worth every penny. read more

HITOKUCHI - Tuna toast - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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