After looking up some mochi places in the SD area on a whim, my boyfriend and I decided to stop by Hogetsu Bakery whilst in Chula Vista! Located within a plaza of stores, it was pretty easy to find the bakery. My boyfriend and I parked right outside then walked in. It's a cute shop with a glass case displaying all of their mochi flavors - there was a lot of options! I knew immediately it was going to be difficult to make a decision. I asked the lady working at the counter about their most popular flavors and she gave me some direction. From there, I picked out which flavors I wanted to try the most! I got chocolate, strawberry, mango, strawberry daifuku, and red bean with soybean powder on the outside. They have some instructions on how to maintain the integrity of the mochi, so as soon as I got home I put them in the fridge, That night, I was finally able to dig in! The mochi was very soft and had the perfect texture. I made sure to sample each flavor and was so stuffed. My favorite had to of been either the mango or the red bean with soybean powder. However, there were all very delicious! If you find yourself in the area, it's definitely worth giving this cute mochi shop a go! :) read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Assortment of mochi! - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

If you're looking for Hogetsu, theyre still here! They just changed their name to Thank You Very Mochi! It's still the same, delicious! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

They have the best mochi in town. It is so soft and silky! For me, this place is out of the way, but worth the drive. They are super friendly and helpful. There is a new owner, but the mochi is still the best around. I especially enjoy the one with the strawberry in the center surrounded by azuki bean or white bean. read more

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**February 2024: Saturday Afternoon Visit** I was exploring San Diego and found this little mochi spot. The shop is nested in a plaza with several other asian restaurants. Upon entering the shop keeper welcomed us and showed us the mochi in the display cases. They were very coloful and the price ranged from $2.30 - $3.00 a piece. My friend and I decided to each get a box of mochis to try at home. I picked 8 since I loved the colors. Taste-wise it ranged for each item as some of the mochi texture had a nice firm chewiness to it while there was one that just didn't hold its shape and seemed as if it was melting. I do agree with one of the reviewer here that after refrigerating it the mochi's held up better. Among the mochis I enjoyed the Suwama (the tri colored one) the most and the strawberry daifuku the least, mostly because the strawberry was pretty sour. The mochi's with bean paste all tasted the same, but were artfully crafted. Overall, I think this is a good San Diego option, that I would come back to if I'm in the area, but probably wouldn't come to San Diego specifically for this. Enjoy! read more

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Cute little mochi shop, down in Chula Vista so took a while to get here but was craving mochi and wanted to try! The mochi itself is super soft and great texture, I like the strawberry daifuku one - the strawberry was a little hard but that's because it was in the fridge. The mango was soooo soft and squishy and perfect texture!! The mango flavor tasted a tiny artificial. Loved the red bean inside the mochis. Easy parking as it's inside a lot. Service was really nice too! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Hogetsu Bakery has been renamed as "Thank You Very Mochi" but is overall the same! One small case of mochi with decorated, plain, fruit-filled, seasonal, and bean-filled delicacies. I visited today and was helped out by very kind staff! Ordering was easy and the labels made it easy to understand what kinds of mochi I was getting. My personal recommendations are their daifuku and matcha mochi. So delicious! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Mochi selection - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Previously called Hogetsu Bakery, Thank You Very Mochi has the SOFTEST mochi that you can find in San Diego. It's clear that they've perfected their recipe/technique since opening in 1983 when the pillowy mochi melts in your mouth on your first bite . Over 20 different flavors, fillings, and cute designs for you to try! My favorite are the strawberry daifuku and the green tea mochi. While I've never been to Japan, my friends who have been agree that this mochi is bomb af and soooo affordable! Best part is that they stay super soft even after being refrigerated, so you can enjoy them for multiple days. read more

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It's a small little shop with plenty of shared parking space. I don't usually come down to this area but had this place booked marked. All the mochi look really pretty and they have a lot of flavors. They don't really sell them as a set, you just choose whichever mochi you want. The lady that helped me, told me which ones were popular. The mochi wasn't too sweet and it was super soft. My favorite was probably the green tea mochi. I will definitely pick some up again when I'm in Chula Vista. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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A very small mochi specialty bakery in a small plaza. The service is excellent, only one lady there who makes the mochi, helps customers out,...she does everything. Since it's small, it makes you feel cozy. Needless to say, the mochi are pretty good. I have tried many of them. Will come back again. read more

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Glad to have found a place in San Diego that makes mochi. The shop can be found in Chula Vista. Pros: -free parking in front -lots of flavors to choose from. Everything I tried was tasty -accepts credit cards -friendly staff Cons: -n/a Other: -this is a small grab and go business, so there are no tables to enjoy your mochi read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Visited my cousin in San Diego and Hogetsu was in my list of places to visit. Seattle doesn't have many mochi bakeries that you can just walk in and order a box while there the two that exist you have to order ahead. There were a few fancy looking ones but everything else was no frills which was a good thing. Sometimes things look pretty but often don't taste that great. Cute space pastry case with a variety of mochi, a little bench definitely a place to grab and go. Was about a 20 minute ride from where we weee but worth going. Friendly and helpful service. Patient as we tried to decide what to get. i'm say we got a good variety. We selected a dozen prices ran $3-2.30 a each. We got three of the full strawberry in mochi with white bean, an apricot mochi with white bean, one of the pretty ones with red bean inside, an oreo mochi which one of my cousins wanted to try he said it had a whole oreo inside. i think our favorites were the full strawberry ones and the mochi squares which were in various flavors we got chocolate, lemon, mango, matcha and peach. The mochi was so soft even after being fridge-rated which was a wonderful surprise. They say they'll stay good up to 2-3 days in the fridge. You can tell they are made fresh each day. Would definitely return as a Japanese American I loved it especially the fruit flavored ones. read more

Cute little spot in Chula. Parking is pretty easy. They have a wide variety of mochi to choose from. The mochi is super soft, so much better than grocery store mochi lol. They also have a chewy version if you want something more chewy. Everything we've tried was good. They're pretty generous on the fillings. The person working the front was very nice and helpful! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

So happy I got to try this place! Their hours can be hard when you work full time, but I had the day off and knew exactly where I wanted to go. These mochi are beautiful!! Each one is hand made and decorated beautifully. I wish I could tell you which ones I got, but honestly I got basically one of each. The mochi is sweet but not overly sweet, just the right amount. They are chewy and bouncy, just how I like it. The shop itself is small, just a grab and go place. If you're looking for authentic mochi, highly recommend stopping by! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

An absolute treasure in Chula Vista!! I've been meaning to try here for a while. This unassuming storefront in a strip mall was borderline life changing haha Service was extremely kind and respectful. The mochi selection was vast. The quality and presentation were unreal. The mouthfeel and flavors were absolutely perfect. I genuinely cannot wait to return to try more, as well as share this gem with my friends! read more

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I found a Mochi/Manju shop in San Jose and I was determined to find one in my hometown, I didn't have to search far because luckily we have Hogetsu in Chula Vista! A cute little shop with just one fridge with tea and a display case with their Mochi. Friendly service, a little pricier than the shop in San Jose but you can tell they are made with care and love so definitely worth it. I ordered a lot because I was ordering for myself and a couple friends. I tried a few. Grape Mochi with white bean: loved the grape flavor of the Mochi and the subtleness of the white bean. A lovely surprise of having an actual grape in the center. Apricot Mochi with white bean: same same as the grape, good apricot flavor and loved having the apricot in the center. Mocha: wow. I loved it. I need to go back and try all the non filled mochi. I loved it. Subtle coffee flavor, so much chewiness. Red bean traditional mochi: you can't go wrong with a red bean mochi. The filling was robust, I loved the texture of the beans and how it wasn't fully blended. A solid red bean mochi. Definitely a must stop when you're in the area (or if you're like me you go to Chula Vista for Hogetsu). read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Top row: Apricot white bean, white bean, red bean, grape white bean Bottom row: lemon, peanut butter, mocha x2 - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Tucked away in a little strip of stores is this HEAVENLY mochi place. I wish I had taken pixes of my goods but we demolished them as soon as we got them! The lady that worked behind the counter was very kind and the prices are very good for fresh mochi. We got the strawberry daifuku both white and red bean. I wish I had gotten more the strawberries were so fresh, sweet and delicious paired with the smooth melt in your mouth mochi! I will definitely be getting my mochi fix from there. If you've had store bought mochi and you like it, you have to try this place! It's like night and day the difference between fresh and store bought mochi! And it's also much cheaper as well! read more

I finally tried this place after hearing and seeing so much about it on social media and I can't wait to come back! The mochi were pillowy soft and sweet without being overly sweet. Just perfect! I tried a couple of the red bean and white bean filled mochis as well as the matcha, peanut butter, and chocolate flavors. So good! I want to come back and try more of their flavors! The shop itself small and is located in a small plaza, so parking could be tough. Also, it is kind of far south and may be out of the way for some, but I think it's worth the drive! They also accept credit cards now so that's nice! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Yummy mochi! - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

I wanted to check this place out since my family are mega fans of mochi. I thought, what better to have than soft homemade mochi?!? This place is not close to where I live so I had to leave right after work and I made it just in time before it closed. I did call beforehand to confirm if they would be still open if I showed up 5 minutes before closing and they confirmed they would be. The shop is very small, but once you're there you will see a beautiful display of different kinds of mochi. There were different flavors like milk, peanut butter, strawberry, Grape, chocolate, orange, lemon, green tea and of course the traditional ones. Some of them had red bean paste inside, white bean or red bean (whole). I was very excited to bring these home to share with my parents. Here are a few thoughts of the ones we got: -Strawberry: soft but too sweet -Chocolate: soft and surprisingly not bad -Chofu mochi: (mochi wrapped in pancake), did not care for the pancake part -Milk: soft and delicious, one of my favs -Coconut: Soft and delicious as well -Green Tea: Soft and the best!!!!! I got 2 boxes of mochi so I definitely gave this place a go. I think the red bean ones were pretty good, (did not really prefer the whole red bean ones over the regular) However, I was not a fan of the white bean ones. One thing I like to add, these mochi are very fresh and made daily. They contain no preservatives so you have to eat them probably within 2 days so they don't spoil. 3 things to say about this place: 1. Mega Variety 2. Uber SOFT mochi! 3. Probably the prettiest mochi I have ever seen. Ambiance: 4.3/5 Service: 5/5 Food: 4.5/5 read more

Hogetsu Bakery - nom nom Mochi! - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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A rather humble hole in the wall mochi shop. Although they had a vast selection remaining my afternoon visit, the dessert quality itself was middling. The parking lot was quite compact but it wasn't difficult to find a spot. There wasn't any indoor seating and upon entering, we were greeted with a glass display with the available mochi and various Asian candies and beverages to our right. Notably, most options were simple flavored squares, with a few containing dried fruit. Credit cards were accepted and everything cost around $2. =MOCHI= *Vanilla: surprisingly my favorite of the bunch. Gentle sweetness and fragrance that went well with the chewiness. *Green Tea: not overly sweet and despite the dark green color, the green tea flavor was subtle. Wished there was greater intensity to differentiate it from other mochi. *Hazelnut: similar to vanilla but a bit sweeter. Equally as great in texture and flavor. *Strawberry: tasted artificial and too sweet. *Orange: also tasted artificial with a strange aftertaste. *Apricot: least favorite because of the texture and filling. Contained a dried apricot that was almost impossible to bite and chew through. The mochi itself was very dry and overly powdery. Although my visit was very short, the person helping us was very efficient and polite. I loved the simple packaging with taped instructions saying that everything was made with no preservatives and best enjoyed within 3 days refrigerated. With that said, I wished the mochi texture and sweetness was more consistent. Some flavors were almost stale and notably harder than others. Considering fruit flavors are usually my favorite, I was underwhelmed by how strange everything tasted and would have preferred fresh fruit fillings as opposed to dried fruit. I wouldn't mind coming back to support a family business but it would be best if the products weren't so variable. read more

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I was so excited to hear that there was a mochi place in San Diego. We missed authentic mochi since moving from Los Angeles. This bakery is a little bakery, in a small plaza, and their shop is too cute! The ladies working there are super sweet and they talk about their best sellers and what they recommend. the mochi taste AMAZING and they make a great gift or dessert for a party. Definitely recommend. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Love this little hole-in-the-wall bakery. Information needs to be updated: they now accept apple pay/credit cards/etc. I appreciate the added convenience. All their mochi is hand made with love and I love taking visitors from out of town here. Definitely recommend. read more

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Softest mochi ever! It's in a small strip mall and definitely looks like a hole in the wall. They didn't have many flavors that were made in special designs, but the employee was really patient and helpful when answering questions about the flavors. Devoured all of them before I got back to the car and will definitely be back. Parking: small plaza lot read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Strawberry and two other flavors that were really good - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

They now accept credit cards! This makes coming here on an empty stomach a bad idea! I left with two dozen delicious mochis - a box for my family and a box for me and my friend! The girl working here was super friendly and did not rush me as I was deciding what I wanted. I got there just before closing on a Friday and they still had a great selection. What a treat! I'm so glad there is a bakery dedicated to selling only mochi as they are one of my favorite desserts! Mochi is definitely something I can eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! And this place makes them so fresh you can taste it! I look forward to my next visit to this area as I will definitely be back! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Pineapple, Milky, strawberry, coconut, hazelnut, PB, and chocolate! - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I was super impressed by this little mochi shop! The shop in in a smallish plaza and can be easily missed, the inside is also super small. Each mochi is $2.20 and $2.60 for a special flower design. The staff was very nice and explained all the flavors well. They were also selling packs of mochi "past its prime" for cheap! The coconut mochi was super soft! They also had a less sweet/more rice flavored one, which is good for those who aren't too into sweets. We also got red bean & red bean with soybean powder. Definitely recommend coming here if you're a mochi fan!!! It is the softest mochi I've ever had. read more

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Cute little mochi shop in Chula Vista. I don't live nearby so I personally would not make the drive, but if I was in the area I might stop by! We just ate a big lunch before stopping by, so we only got a handful of flavors. The filled mochi seemed to be a bigger hit amongst the crowd. Overall, we wished the texture was a bit more chewy, but that seems like a personal preference! After refrigerating them, I think I did enjoy it a bit more as it firmed up a bit. read more

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BEST MOCHI IN SAN DIEGO!!! Growing up in Hawaii, Mochi is a local favorite among the Asian community. Bookmarking dessert places in San Diego, Hogetsu Bakery popped up and seeing the pics and reading about their history (38 years in business!) I knew that I had to visit this Mom and Pop shop in Chula Vista. They have a wide variety of flavors available and the majority of them are only $1.85 a piece (CASH ONLY!) The first time we visited, we only got a tray of 8 pieces and regretted not getting a box of 12! We've tried all the flavors over two different visits and I can honestly say that Hogetsu ranks among the best I've tried. Nakatanidou in Nara is at the top for me, but Hogetsu is right up there with 2 Ladies Mochi in Hilo on the Big Island. Standout flavors for me were: MILK VANILLA PEANUT BUTTER GRAPE MATCHA MATCHA WITH AZUKI BEAN COCONUT BUTTER KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: CASH ONLY GET A BOX...THEY'LL DISAPPEAR FAST MADE WITH NO PRESERVATIVES MUST BE CONSUMED WITHIN 3 DAYS OF PURCHASE CAN BE FROZEN(WRAP TIGHTLY) DEFROST FROZEN MOCHI 30 MINUTES BEFORE CONSUMING This is a local landmark and is most definitely worth a visit if you LOVE Mochi. ALOHA!!! SHAKA METER: \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ 5 read more

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I was originally looking for doughnuts, and the results that came up were less than compelling. I revised my search to bakeries instead, and Hogetsu Bakery caught my attention. It's a little gem in such an unassuming location, a strip mall. The young person who was working was so helpful and kind. They answered my question regarding the sweetness level of white bean in comparison to red bean. I'm so glad I went with the peach apricot with the white bean filling. It wasn't as sweet as my past experience with red bean. The consistency of the mochi was just perfect. I will definitely stop by again in the future. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Top left, clockwise: Strawberry, Green tea, coconut, and peach apricot mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Growing up Japanese, there's an expectation you'll love mochi but it's never really been my favorite- until having the mochi from Hogetsu. It is so so good. My biggest problem with mochi is how sticky it is, but the mochi here isn't really sticky. Each bite is clean and there's something about it that just tastes so great and so delicate. You can tell it's hand made carefully and there's a lot of intentionality in how it's made. I prefer the white bean filled mochi. All of their mochi has such beautiful designs. This place is such a gem and I can't believe it exists here in San Diego. read more

We love a small business!!! Owned and operated for almost 40 years, this is the freshest mochi in all of San Diego. The green tea and grape are my two favorite flavors! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Assorted flavors - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

I have been a loyal customer to this place since moving to Southbay back in 2019. Hogetsu continues to be consistent. The older couple has now retired and passed the torch to the owner of the neighboring sushi+ramen shop next door. They passed the knowledge successfully because the mochi remains delicious, soft, chewy, perfectly sweetened and so good too pair with tea! You really can't over complicate an explanation for this mochi shop. short and simple - they are pillows of delight. how la little tokyo has fugetsu-do, this is san diego's equivalent!!! ps: since the turnover from old generation ownership to a younger gen, they now accept credit/debit, apple/samsung pay, aside from cash payments! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - peanut butter mochi milky mochi kinako mochi with whole adzuki beans lemon mochi orange mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

I was researching for some artisanal mochi stores near San Diego, and found this one online. So I went to visit it. I got a full box with 12 mochi, one of each flavor. They had more options, but I can't eat them because they have dairy. They have different flavors, like peanut butter, mocha, orange, lemon, and strawberry amongst the more traditional ones. So you'll probably find something you like! The taste is very mild, as the sweetness; just like it should be. You can tell they were made with care. It's delicious and I really recommend it! The store is small and cute, and the woman that helped me was very helpful. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - A box with 12 mochi, one of each flavor - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

super delicious mochi made daily!!! the mochi is ultra chewy and the flavors are all so delicious and fresh tasting. the grape mochi was an unexpected favorite with a whole fresh grape inside. the workers are very sweet and knowledgeable. very small storefront but ample parking since it is in a larger plaza. definitely a hidden gem, it's a must go if you like mochi! read more

Hogetsu Bakery - various mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

This is the BEST FRESH JAPANESE MOCHI I've ever had! And definitely hands-down the best in San Diego. The softest, chewiest mochi that practically melts in your mouth. My favorites were actually the plain-flavored mochi w/o filling because I'm not a fan of red bean/white bean. However, I purchased some of those on my recent visit bc of how beautifully decorated they were! Like works of art! The plain ones look understated but taste fantastic. Simple, subtle flavors and not super sweet like most desserts are. Just delicious. Service was amazing. Owner was so polite and sweet. Answered all my questions. Definitely coming back to support this hidden gem! read more

Truly a hidden gem. Now they take card!! It's very homey and lowkey. I love this place so much especially the sticky and egg ones. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - (multiple) - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Beautiful assorted mochi! The quality and detail in each piece amazed me. The shop owner was working the last time we were here and she was so patient and sweet with my kids. The quality of the product vs the price you pay is a steal: we come back every time we're in the city!! read more

Very cute shop, most of the mochi were too soft for my preferences. The strawberry filled with cheesecake was my absolute favorite and the others I had were okay. My least favorite was the cookies and cream, it just had an oreo inside which was kinda disappointing to me. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Mochi - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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Come to Hogetsu and you won't be disappointed! Absolutely love that this is a mom and pop shop, the customer service is so homey and warm and the mochi is made in-house and SO SO soft. They're $2.30 - $2.70 each, but they're worth it. The flavors are not overpowering which make them perfect for tea time or just a tasty snack. So glad I made the trek from San Diego here & plan to do it again. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

This place is a hidden gem, I am obsessed! You can't find this kind of pastry everywhere. The mochi here is so soft, so cute, and I couldn't resist buying six of them at once. They're usually a little over two dollars each, but it's worth it! They're so much better than the packaged ones you can buy at the grocery store! The grape flavor is particularly delicious, and there's a whole grape inside so you get a burst of flavor when you bite into it, haha. The red bean filling is a bit too sweet, but still delicious! The staff here was very nice and helpful. She gave us good description of how each mochi would taste, and she recommended the grape one, which imo is a must-try! read more

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San Diego hidden gem for mochi! I am a personal fan of soft mochi and this was probably the softest mochi of my life! I had the matcha mochi and the uguisu. Both had good flavor and were not overly sweet. My friends both had the fruit mochis and I thought it was cute they included a slice of fruit inside each of them. Definitely would come again but wish they were open during more convenient hours. read more

Hogetsu Bakery - Matcha, uguisu, and apricot - Bakeries Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Probably the best mochi I've ever had. So soft yet so flavorful. The lady helping me was so kind. Will definitely be getting my mochi here.