Really delicious rolls! The stardust, the pink roll and the orange crush were all so good. There are so many rolls I'd love to try. The service was really quick and on it. The restaurant is small so there may be a wait but it's worth it! read more

Ikiru Japanese - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Stopped by as we were in Liberty Station and very glad we did! We had their 8 piece lunch special which was chef's choice, an avocado roll, gyoza and the karaage. The gyoza was PHENOMENAL. We had it pan fried. The karaage was more like chicken nuggets and we LOVED Them too. The rolls were all top notch. We are picky about our rolls (one of us lived in Japan for a hot second) and the rice was perfectly cooked and the seaweed was fresh. The cuts were each tasty. It's a small place with a few tables and a sushi bar. The service was exceptional! Very lovely people wanting to ensure you are having a good experience. For parking there is always easy parking in Liberty Station. I recommend either parking in front of the Trader Joe's (there's a walkway between Trader Joe's and Chick Fil A. Go through there and the moment you pass the math tutoring place it is on your right). Or you can park on the corner of Decatur and Womble (from there you can go the walkway to the left of the Navy Fed and at the first opening go left and it will be there). We will definitely be returning! read more

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It is thoughtful, fresh, and prepared by people who clearly care about the details. We started with the hamachi special and it set the tone right away. Lightly seared, topped with jalapeno, and paired with real wasabi root instead of that green dyed horseradish impostor. Clean heat, real flavor, no shortcuts. The salmon skin hand roll was another standout. Generous, crisp, and cooked to order. Too many places hand you salmon skin that has been sitting around at room temp which is still enjoyable but not the same thing. Ikuru does it right. Wrapped with radish sprouts and cucumber. My wife ordered a roll with spicy tuna. I tried it to be fair. And look, I respect the genre, but spicy tuna is just not for me. It is mushy paste that is a spicy mayo vehicle IMHO. The crunchy spicy roll... so I asked if they could swap the spicy tuna for fresh loin. They said yes without hesitation for $3.50. That substitution turned the roll into something genuinely delicious. Clean fish, great texture, and the crunch actually meant something. If there is one downside, it is the special roll menu leans heavily on spicy this and spicy that, or imitation crab in almost every option. I do not mind an upcharge and I do not love making special requests of the chef. I would just appreciate a more varied selection so the creativity of the kitchen can shine without needing edits. Ikuru Sushi is still the kind of place that respects ingredients and respects the customer. Fresh fish, thoughtful preparation, and a willingness to customize without attitude. A very solid spot and absolutely worth returning for another round. read more

Came here today and I was pretty impressed at the food quality. Seafood was fresh and the service was good. This environment was chill but I do feel as if the location does itself a disservice being that it's tucked into liberty station. Albeit I would absolutely comeback read more

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Great food, great ambience, great service! Thank you, Ikiru Japanese! Highly recommended read more

YOU WANT TO DINE HERE!!!!! Best quality sushi in San Diego! Enjoy all that Liberty Station has to offer! IKIRU offers toro and LIVE UNI, watch out for the spikes!!! Priced conservatively for the QUALITY, go enjoy!! read more

Ikiru Japanese - SUSHI & SASHIMI LUNCH SPECIAL - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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It's really good highly recommend there tuna and there other foods as well. So good so good

This is located near Trader Joe's in liberty station. Plenty of street parking. You might not notice that this exists since their location is in an alleyway. I didn't know it till someone recommended this place. Very small space. Maybe can fit 40-50 people. We were seated at the bar right away. My friend did recommend to get here when they open, and they were right. It got real busy real soon. Their menu is stackedddd. So much to choose from. Spicy calamari- 2/5 not spicy at all. It needed to be little bit more crunchy. Side salad- 3/5 can't go wrong with basic salad. Special poke- 2/5 too much sesame seed oil. That was all we could taste. Sunset- 4/5 this is what spicy tuna should taste like. This was our favorite. Stardust- 1/5 nobody wanted to finish this up. Service was ok. I just wish the combination of their sushi was better. read more

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Sushi and tuna hand roll was the great, I really liked the Special real crab roll it was so good and my spicy miso ramen was so good also We like our food tonite. It's a small but quaint Service was good. But the wasabi wasn't hot the ginger was good tho But loved my Spicy Miso Ramen I was what I needed It's good for the soul. read more

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Had the lunch special combo today; sushi and sashimi with miso soup green salad included. I also ordered garlic edamame and it was cooked and seasoned perfectly! I will be back soon for dinner! The staff is so friendly and helpful. The location in Liberty station by Fig Tree is easy to access, parking on all sides available and the cafe is authentic Japanese interior with Japanese sushi chefs! read more

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It's small inside but intimate and cozy. Reminds me of Japan! The sushi is so delicious. I got the Liberty Roll and it was gone so fast. They have fresh wasabi root you can order and it is delicious! The tempura was really good! The beef is super tender. I have no complaints here. Service is fast and everyone I came in contact with was very kind! read more

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First off, I must say this is some of the best sushi I've ever had. We ordered a few orders of nigiri with different types of fish - albacore, blue fin tuna, salmon, and yellowtail belly. Every single piece was buttery and delicious and with some of the freshest sushi I've ever had. The service was good. The ambience was very traditional and the employees were kind and welcoming. I highly recommend this place if you enjoy amazing sushi read more

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Decided to stop in for a take home order right before they closed after lunch around 230pm. Really pleasant customer service. Always fresh fish every time I've visited though I never realized they had fresh wasabi, so I made sure to order this time. A little on the pricier side but I feel is well worth it. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Sashimi 3x3 and Salmon Belly. Side of fresh wasabi and soy sauce - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food here is amazing super fresh delicious fish. The service is good. The restaurant is small inside but definitely worth it. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Wanted a light lunch--swung by at 12:10 PM on a Sunday and we were able to be seated immediately for two people. There's a good variety of options on the menu--I decided to go with the Orange Crush roll after scrolling through reviews. It was delicious--salmon sashimi was fresh with the creamy scallop filling and crunchy cucumber, and the rice was well cooked. Space is no frills, service is fast, and food is authentic with fresh fish. Great option for sushi in SD--would love to come back and try more items on the menu. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Orange Crush - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

We love the sushi at Ikiru. We have tried sushi at many restaurants over the years, and Ikiru remains one of our favorites. The food is consistently fresh, delicious, and worth the wait. The staff are generally friendly, respectful, and hardworking. We don't mind waiting for a table because we genuinely enjoy coming here. The only reason for this review is one recurring issue. Dining out is an experience for us--we come to relax, enjoy great food, and spend time together, not to feel rushed. Unfortunately, there is one gentleman whose attitude often makes us feel uncomfortable. During our last visit, while we were still eating and had food on the table, he brought the check and made it clear that he wanted us to leave. We had not been sitting there excessively long and were simply finishing our meal. It was disappointing because the food is excellent and the rest of the team is wonderful. We hope management will address this issue because Ikiru is a special place, and every guest should feel welcome from the moment they arrive until the moment they leave. read more

We stumbled upon Ikiru while searching for a different restaurant at Liberty Station. Whew, were we glad we did! We were met with well prepared, generous portions of fresh sushi, the most delicious miso soup, and the feeling of home. The place is small and clearly a local favorite (it was packed!). Even so, the service was friendly and attentive. The perfect find after a long travel day! Bookmarked. read more

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Love this restaurant. Usually get the same two servers and they are amazing at their job. Small restaurant but lots of seats as well as sushi bar seats. Have never had to wait. I've tried all their lunch bentos as well as their spicy miso ramen (yummm!), no complaints here. Their prices are fair as well. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Spicy miso ramen - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Such a delicious sushi spot!! Tucked away behind Trader Joe's in Point Loma, is such a gem! We were lucky to be seated right when we walked in, but the place was packed! We got greeted and served right away. There was always someone coming up to us asking if we needed anything. Great prices and even better quality fish. We really enjoyed all of our meal. Highly recommend the Lemon roll. So fresh, and the salmon was seared to perfection. Will definitely be back!! read more

After any day I always crave sushi and on a Sunday when many places close early we had a hard time finding a new spot to try until ikiru. Located behind the Trader Joe's in NTC in Point Loma. Parking was amble as most places were already closed. If you see the sign for Tender Greens or Fig Tree Cafe it's behind them both in the hallway. You won't see it from the street until you walk past both restaurants. It is a smaller restaurant but the decor and staff have welcoming and warm vibe for the intimate setting. We ordered the special jalapeño hamachi sashimi, hamachi otoro, hamachi sashimi, stardust sushi and gyoza pan fired. As you can see hamachi was on our minds lol. The fish was very fresh. The mixture of lemon, jalapeño with hamachi when done right is my absolute favorite. The hamachi otoro melts in your mouth. Ahhhh those bites can't be any more perfect. The prices of sashimi ranged from $9-$25. The roll was $17 so it quickly added up to just under $100. The sushi satisfied my craving, but the otoro was the winner in the meal. Look forward a return visit to try more of the menu. read more

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Old review from 4/2023 that is long overdue. Was at a painting class in Liberty Station Market and got so hungry afterwards and found this place within walking distance and they weren't allowing anyone to dine inside cause it was almost closing time so had to get it all to-go. Food was quite delicious and presentation was nice for it being in a takeaway container. Can't believe this place has been here for 15 years and looks so new. For sure will come back to dine in next time. read more

Service was really good. Very helpful with recommendations when we let them know it was out first time. Place is small and cozy. Got our rolls. One was way over sauced and the second was sauced with the same 2 sauces as the first. They were nothing to write home about. read more

This place was amazing! The ambiance is Tokyo vibe! The food was really good! Customer Service was A++, I highly recommend this place.. it's little hidden but it's worth a try! read more

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Finally, a must-return-to sushi place. We loved every bite--the ikura being my personal favorite. Salmon skin hand roll, spicy scallop hand roll, and yellow-tail with jalapeno coming in close second. The folks who run this cool little restaurant are conscientious, quick moving, and cheery. All things ran smoothly and we left there satisfied. Will surely return! read more

My boyfriend and I love Ikiru with all our heart and stomach. The service is 10/10. The vibe is 10/10. The food is 10/10. This is a go to spot that I've been enjoying for the past few years and cannot recommend it enough. If you're looking for sushi and you're reading this, look no further, you've found the spot. read more

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Food is decent. Family got a chicken teriyaki bento and I got the pizza sushi roll and a side of a 2pc tuna nigiri. Sushi is definitely what you want to go for in this place. The chicken bento was okay but not amazing. The pizza roll was really good, but the baked fish on top is pretty overwhelming that you don't taste the rest of the roll. That being said, the baked fish is really good. Service is pretty quick here and looks like a lot of couples and people come here. read more

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Stayed at a hotel nearby and while walking around we found this little gem. It was packed inside so we added ourselves to the waitlist. Walked around a little more while we waited. We were sat down within 20 min. Servers were extremely friendly and attentive. The food was quick and packed with flavor. The rolls were fresh and ramen was yummy. Got the miso ramen (for our son) - we usually get spicy. But everything was a hit. Definitely would come back. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Jalapeño yellowtail hamachi - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Review not showing was very unhappy with service when I came here with family . Seemed unmotivated to help and not kind

Their sushi is on another level, everything tastes fresh and authentic, and they have the best Salmon Skin roll out there! I used to have this every day for lunch and it hasn't disappointed once in all these 10+ years!! They have a small eating area, so it can be pretty noisy, but honestly it's intimate and lovely and the servers are very sweet! read more

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I've been here 3 or 4 times now on date nights, and it's been consistently delicious. The restaurant is small (maybe 10 tables and a little sushi bar), which gives it an intimate vibe. The servers are both friendly and great at what they do. We've tried a bunch of their rolls and sashimi, and enjoyed them all, but I'd have to say that the Hawaiian roll is my favorite. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Salmon nigiri and jalapeño hamachi sashimi - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Favorite sushi spot in San Diego. The nicest staff and a great place to recenter yourself with nigiri.

I have been coming here since college and have loved the sushi and service but this most recent time the service was not great. When we got in, there were a couple tables that were empty and we had a party of 4 and the waitress told us we could not sit until the whole party was there which is 100% fine but there were a lot of empty tables. Then when we did sit down and ordered miso soup our waitress said "since you took a table you need to order food". We were all so confused when she said that to us we had no intention of not ordering more food. Then when my friend went to the bathroom the waitress was knocking on the bathroom door 4 min after she had gotten in asking her to get out. But the food was great! read more

Cute little spot. Good for smaller parties because it's a very small joint. Was good but but nothing special. We were seated fairly quickly after putting our name on the waitlist but our rolls came out like 15 minutes apart, we thought they had forgotten one of our orders. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Ikiru was delicious! It's a small hole in the wall place (a lot o great sushi places are) and it did not disappoint. The appetizers were great and all of the special rolls were awesome. They had big meaty cuts of fish and weren't the same rolls you can get just anywhere. We had a big group which can be a little difficult but they were totally accommodating. read more

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OMG I am so pleasantly surprised at how much I loved their food!! It's such a small incognito place but you def will not regret it!! Not only that was the sushi fresh and ramen was cooked to perfection, the wait staff are really on top of it, fast, kind, and polite. Thank you sm :) read more

Ikiru Japanese - NTC roll - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Lots of parking and cute quaint place, food was quickly served and high quality. The service was very friendly and helpful, I would return. Very cheap California rolls as well which wasn't expected but appreciated. The location is very clean and pretty read more

Ikiru Japanese - Sushi platter - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

I understand why this place is always packed. The fish is fresh and the service is friendly and fast. One caveat is if you want an intimate date night, this is probably not the place to go to. The space is quite small. You could literally hear other people's conversation cause you're only 3 feet away from them. The price is average $14-15 per special roll. Chirashi is $37 for a generous amount of thick cut fish. I love the the orange crush roll. The lemon slice with salmon taste citrusy but not overwhelming. The pink roll consist of spicy tuna and salmon which is one of my favorite protein combo. We left feeling satisfied with smiles all around. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Pink roll and orange crush - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing sushi!! Came here after searching Yelp for a new sushi restaurant. The place is small so large groups aren't really a good idea. We got salmon skin salad to start and I loved that it came with different toppings like seaweed salad and avocado - definitely made it worth the price. For sushi we got the orange crush and liberty. I love scallop in my sushi and they definitely did it right! The pieces were hefty and all the flavors worked well together. Honestly one of my top sushi places so far! Service is nice and attentive :) read more

Ikiru Japanese - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in San Diego, truly, and I have tried quite a few. They have extremely fair pricing for amazing quality of fish and I've never had a bad experience with them. All of their roles and nigiri are fantastic. So good, in fact, I get Ikiru almost every Friday. This small business deserves all of the hype. read more

Ikiru Japanese - Stardust roll, bluefin tuna nigiri, salmon belly nigiri, and poke roll. - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Ikiru Japanese is without a doubt one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. Although I initially saved my draft with 4 stars, my memory of the experience is truly five-star worthy, and I have nothing but positive things to say about what I remember from my experience. I've tried several sushi places around SD- I wouldn't have expected this restaurant tucked away in Liberty Station to be one of my favorites. It's the one I want to keep coming back to. Maybe because it is in Liberty Station vs a more difficult-to-access part of town like Gaslamp. One standout dish for me is their uni, which is incredibly fresh and practically still moving on the plate. It's the only place I've found in San Diego that serves uni this fresh and delicious. It's a hidden gem that deserves to be discovered, and I can't wait for my next visit. I can't wait for my next visit, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves sushi and wants to try something truly exceptional without feeling like you need to dress up and head downtown or battle parking closer to the coast. read more