My go-to sushi spot in North County. I always get the Grandview, Moonlight, and Sunset rolls & the crispy rice now and then as an extra treat. They did also once have Chicken Kaarage available on their seasonal menu & that was also fantastic. I've never had anything here that I didn't like. I always prefer sitting inside as opposed to outside, but if you have to sit outside and are by yourself or on a date, the seating on the side of the building is surprisingly nice & intimate. read more

Nothing bad to say about Kai Ola - I've been here a few times as I'm right in the area, and everything is always so delicious. This past time, we ordered miso soups and edamame to start, hamachi kama, and the rainbow, spicy tuna, and tempura rolls. Chefs kiss. It's a cute, cozy lil spot and the food comes out fast as everything is made fresh to order. I'll probably be back as many times as I can in the future :) read more

See all

Amazing gourmet sushi and awesome service and chefs! My daughters love sushi but this was their first time at an authentic sushi restaurant. So delicious and great atmosphere! read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Such a great little spot! Not a lot of seating but good pricing for the rolls. Love the Hawaiian vibe

Host was not friendly. Told us there was a 20 minute wait for inside seating when there was an open table, so we sat outside. An older couple came in and said "Table for two, and there's an open table inside so we'll take that one" then got seated inside. The lady serving us was nice until we asked for a few more minutes then forgot about us outside. Peaked inside and she was seated at a table having a conversation with someone. Wasn't until I made eye contact with the guy server that she came out because he asked her if she's taken our order yet. Afterwards, food came out fast. The spicy edamame was good. The sunset roll was about a 1/10. The scallops on top were good on their own. Could've been seared more. The spicy tuna on the inside is ruined by this sort of truffle sauce that's it's soaked in. It's super strong and you can smell it as they're putting it in front of you. Overall, the options here aren't that great and they're on the expensive side (obviously, given the area). Takoyaki -- 4 pieces for $9 is criminal --as well as $5 for miso soup -- and $12 for a maki roll with so little fish The guy server's demeanor towards us was bland and questionable considering about a week ago, he was very upbeat and happy to help. Hoping it was just an off day and not because we didn't have any people of a certain demographic with us like last time. read more

Outstanding!!! Sushi Fresh and unique flavors..... local flavor and charm. Just be prepared $$$$$ and a "freshness" tax added to the check.. read more

Not sure why it took me so long to write a review on my favorite sushi spot- EVER!! If you are a sushi connoisseur like myself, you're going to fall in love with everything Kai Ola! The food is amazing, the staff always warm and friendly and the ambiance is sooooo Encinitas!!! Plus we get to go with our ever so popular Mr Cooper (our adorable sheepadoodle) and we get to sit on the patio with him!! Thank you Kai Ola for always delivering the best sushi around!!! read more

Place was fairly empty upon arrival. First appearance was cute, Hawaiian style and really good music like sublime. It did take a little while to get our drinks started and our sushi. The cook was handling both online orders and our orders. He was really friendly though so made the wait chill. The sushi was delicious we tended to eat quickly. It was fairly expensive which we aren't used too since we have decent priced sushi restaurants in Long Beach. It's a nice experience but I don't think we'd return just because the price. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - I think this was the rainbow roll yummmm! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is a Sushi restaurant in Leucadia. It claims to be laid back and Hawaiin style but they actually have a grungy vibe and play loud metal and rock music. I don't know if having half naked Hawaiin women art on the wall makes it Hawaiin. I doubt it. Depending where you sit, you may find the music too loud. The first time ""I tried" to eat here, I left without ordering. It was too loud and had a weird vibe. This time I stayed and tried the food. We started with vege tempura and edamame. They tasted good. We ordered rolls. Well, I tasted something weird in the Grandview roll. I thought it was some bell pepper in the roll, which wasn't on the menu. I pulled it out and looked at some green thing. If it was cucumber, it had gone bad. I don't know what it was. Not a good feeling. I looked up the description and bell pepper was not listed. So I pulled out the hard green things and ate the rest of the roll. The food tasted mostly good. However we both woke up to stomach issues in the morning that continued all day. Michelle The waitress took our order, but then other staff dropped off the food and pulled dishes, so there was a lack of continuity there. It felt like you were being served by everyone but looked after by no one. Kinda weird. So when I had issues with the food, I didn't see our waitress around to ask. They claim to have premium sushi, but both our stomachs say different. Very uncomfortable and unfortunate. Not going back. read more

See all

poor service from Grayson, who had my friends wait over an hour to place an order. Sushi was not fresh, waited 80+ mins for 2 rolls. he sat around and ignored us. When we asked to order. There was only 4 tables, restaurant was empty! He stil ignored us. food was not fresh. Grayson did this intentionally, choosing not to serve young women. unacceptable and nasty. read more

Sushi was really fresh, really good. However the wait staff were sitting at a booth when we got there and had us sit outside while they took up a booth inside. They all got up and actually started working when we arrived after making us stand at the host stand for 5 minutes. They had a larger table inside and the place wasn't busy either but I guess they thought a bigger party would arrive at 8:45. We got a big Omakase and the Spanish tuna app as it was our anniversary and wanted to have a nice meal. We had to ask for our appetizer as they forgot it. We never got our soup, salad or dessert. The waitress tried to give us the bill without them and by then it was 5 minutes til closing and we just wanted to go home. We were seated at the door and saw customers leave when eventually it was just the wait staff left. We could hear them standing around socializing. And like I said we never received the soup, salad or dessert, what were they doing in there? Another note, a waitor/busboy/staff member guy was out there sweeping while we were trying to eat. Just overall... It felt like they wanted us to leave/we felt very unwanted and like the staff couldn't wait to leave. We don't go out all that much anymore and this was really disappointing. I spent over $200 and honestly it wasnt worth all that. I don't think we will be back. read more

First time visit to Carlsbad Village and decided to try this corner sushi restaurant ... so glad we did ! Greeted so kindly by our server Nate who gave us good menu tips and everything we ordered was excellent ! Portions for our lunch were very adequate and the presentation was very nice ! We had Hamachi Kama , a Rainbow poke bowl , Shrimp and Veggie Tempura plate . Just want to highlight this restaurant for Nate's kind and efficient attention to us and kudos of course to the chefs . If we ever chance to be back to the village , we would not hesitate to return here for a wonderful , fair priced sushi restaurant ! Try it for sure !! read more

Make a reservation (by phone). This place is always busy and for good reason. Came on a Saturday night (with a reservation.) We were seated in one of their alleyway tables, which was a surprising hit. I liked it out there because it is covered, has heaters, is way quieter than inside, and cozy for tables for two. I wouldn't recommend this place for parties of more than 4 people. Ask for the craft sake menu; it's fascinating! We ordered a carafe and really enjoyed it. Takoyaki appetizer was really delicious and something we had never tried before. I'd get it again just for the sauce! Hangover noodles were even better this time than the last (tender pork). I had the Beacon roll. I wasn't so sure after my first bite because it has tempura inside, which I don't normally like. But the salmon on top was so fresh and the SuMiso sauce was so light and tasty, that overall I enjoyed it. Service was friendly, but food took a long time to get (which our server warned us about). I'd recommend planning on sharing everything, otherwise one person could be sitting there for 15 minutes with nothing. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Hangover noodles - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Visit #2 consisted of The sashimi combo, special Hawaiian, scallop hand roll and some fresh wasabi. Once again, amazed with the quality of fish and more the quality of location and service. We got lucky to have Michelle once again as our sever, which suggested some things that turned about to be life changing when eating sushi. Well worth our 45 min drive from OC. read more

See all

Awesome spot. Love the sushi and people. pricey though! Fresh fish you could tell! Obviously will return read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Ponto - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

My son picked Kai Ola for his birthday dinner. With it's prime location in a gentrified block of Funky Leucadia this restaurant is a hip and cool restaurant catering to the local youth, hipsters, and surfers. I love the way they named the rolls on their menu after local surf spots. Our table of 4 sat outside and had a great server who brought us water immediately and let us ask questions about the menu which you pull up on a phone. I have a hard time reading small print and scrolling down many pages so I inquired about the hangover noodles which I ended up ordering. Others at the table tried the sunset roll which ended up being the hero of the night, a vegan roll, agedashi tofu, and the famous Beacon's roll. When my noodles arrived I was surprised that the tempura shrimp were already submerged in the broth. As I looked into the lens of my camera I noticed pork on the bowl so I had the server take it back. I felt kind of bad about this, the server did not mention it however I should have double checked that there were no pork products but I did not even think of it and thankfully our waitress said that people have to return this dish all of the time because of that cha shu. I am grateful that they let me replace it. The sunset roll starts out with a delicious spicy tuna and tempura shrimp roll topped off with decadent, thickly sliced scallops, avocado and masago. The fresh, clean flavor of this specialty made it my favorite of the night. Kai Ola is a great spot for a casual dinner and people watching. I appreciate the limited menu which is the right size for a small restaurant serving primarily locals. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Hangover noodles. I knew it was shrimp broth and asked the server what was in it but she did not mention pork. This never got tasted. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Great local spot for fresh sushi. Great selections, big variety. Ramen Great on a cloudy coastal day. The roll options are creative and delicious. Matt is the best sushi chef. Grayson always provides friendly and efficient service. So happy to have this spot in my hood. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

By far the best sushi I've had in north county. We always get the Special Hawaiian, Kook, and 2 Moonlights because one isn't enough. The sunset roll has truffle oil so it can be an intense flavor but it's delicious to try when in a group. read more

Paid $30 (not including tip) for 2 salmon rolls. Not even a specialty roll. Each "roll" had 6 pieces in it. Slices weren't even a finger width either. Go to Sushi Lounge for double the food and half the price. read more

The best sushi I've had! What a pleasant surprise. I've been to Nobu and this was still my fave! Fantastic!

One of my favorite sushi places in North County. Great menu and food. We dined during CoVID and sat outside on the side patio. Moonlight roll and the special sashimi are my go to. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Special menu as of 9/24/2020 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Was craving sushi today and came by here for lunch. We ordered 2 spicy tuna rolls, crispy rice, won ton min, gyoza, and a miso soup. The sushi itself was delicious. Spicy tuna was fresh! The win ton min wasn't very flavorful but I just added some Siracha and it was fine. The gyoza, my cousin and I both agreed, was the best gyoza we've ever had. I loved the little hall with seating. Only issue is I think we were forgot about a few times lol. I'll definitely sit inside next time! Food is 5/5 - service was just 4/5. read more

Service was slow and I was hungry, however, the night became infinitely better when our chef Matthew started whipping out roll after roll. He single-handedly saved our night when he handcrafted our glorious rolls. They were incredible. He then gave us an orange dessert surprise that changed my life. T'was a lovely experience and I would go back for sure. (Only if Matthew is making my roll - give this man a raise) read more

Tiny sushi spot on the 101 but you can't miss it! My friend and I said we're able to snag a table for 2 on a busy Friday night luckily with no wait! We sat on the outside side portion of the restaurant under a heater so we wouldn't get cold. Service was fast and attentive too! No long waits at all and they were busy too! We grabbed the spicy garlic edamame- 10/10, the Swamis roll- 10/10, some yellowtail nigiri-10/10, spicy tuna roll-10/10, and I think the moonlight roll? Also 10/10 Everything was amazing and satisfied our sushi craving! Sushi was fresh and nicely presented too! Highly recommend:) read more

So a follow-up. After going back and forth a few times, Kai Ola reversed the charge and refunded me. I appreciate that this was finally done. Thank you Ryan. read more

Food was great! All of us loved our food so much! Only things I would comment on is that the Host/sever questioned us for a very long time about our ID's even though we are of age and made the situation very awkward. Additionally we felt that many of the workers were extremely awkward when approaching our table and would stand in silence for a few seconds before talking. We often felt uncomfortable when people would approach our table. We enjoyed our experience regardless. read more

Located on PCH and Leucadia Blvd. plenty of street parking, super easy to get to. Jumped on the waitlist at 5pm, arrived 10 Min before our 5:30 reservation. Beer on tap, super cold, hit the spot after a long day at the street fair and nice afternoon stroll on the beach. Vibe: super chill, beach/island music blasting, gives off the impression that you are at a local Hawaiian bar. Staff: host was friendly, seated us right right away, servers are super friendly and prompt with the basic necessities. The place was about 70 percent full, some tourists, some locals, lots of first timers drawn to the reviews of great sushi and cool atmosphere. The lite omakase, sunset roll, two Sapporo, and veggies/shrimp tempura were ordered. Chef looked a bit tired and overworked. Small pleasantries was shared but the lack of response and the small physical cues showed that maybe he didn't want to interact. Miso soup came out within 4 minutes, Sunset roll came out 12 min later, the roll was quite tasty, recommend it to anyone. Staff suddenly realized the salad didn't show up, promptly got that out for us. First course of omakase was plain tuna roll, rice, seaweed, plain tuna. We scarfed down the salad, the tuna, the the sunset roll. Tempura came. I was taught that the quality of the tempura can tell you a lot about the rest of the food. The batter did not have enough air and crisp. It was not piping hot when received, some of the vegetable were stuck together. It could be a personal preference for me, I like the airy crunch. I felt like I was eating the awesome blossom that was slightly above lukewarm. The omakase experiences was less than stellar, we received the nine other courses of the omakase all at once on a large plate more suitable for a California roll. Would it be nice that the chef reached out and ask for preferences? Of course. Would it be better to experience omakase one course at a time and inform the eater what each dish is versus guessing based on my experience? Absolutely! Perhaps we came on a bad night. If you are looking for a simple on the go sushi, come here. It's loud and fun and kid friendly. Not your place if you are picky with Japanese food. One and done. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Sunset Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great service at this small restaurant on the 101. It was about 2pm on a Sunday so it wasn't busy anyway. The ambiance is similar to most sushi restaurants around north county but they don't have many tables in their small restaurant. The price does not reflect the quality or portion sizes. We were severely disappointed with the veggie tempura and the specialty roll. We also had a crunchy shrimp and spicy tuna roll that were ok. With so many sushi restaurants around, I'd opt for a different place with better prices or better quality or larger portions. read more

A rare gem great atmosphere and stellar food. You can really taste the love and pride put into the food. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Hawaiian Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Hands down the best sushi spot in North County! I love the vibe, the waiters are so sweet and make us feel at home. This is a very casual place, they play music , the chefs talk to you, the staff. Our favorite rolls are the beacon, moonlight, grandview. This place is nostalgic to us thanks to the warm greetings from all the staff. They also have really good tuna! read more

Amazing! Had one of the coolest sushi chefs who hooked it up with the furakaki seasoning to sprinkle on our food! Got the yellowtail belly and hands down pretty tasty with no fishy scent! Loved how this place was more mellow and service was so good! Next up was the special dragon roll with scallop. The chef seared my scallops a bit longer as I don't like raw scallops but loved everything else in the roll. Definitely will come back to try more! read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

See all

Came here not knowing what to expect, loved the sushi and the sake. The servers were ok; they were beelining from the back to the front and it took us a LONG time to get something from the servers themselves. Until I'm able to get back out to Encinitas to try Kai Ola again, I will chalk it up to it being a busy night... From the way the owner behind the counter put together his rolls though, it looked like he had been doing it a long time and that he cared. It's really cool to see that up close; sit at the bar once if you can! I really recommend it stopping by if you've driven by and wondered how this place was like I did. read more

Service by Kristen was awesome. Food was fantastic. Never disappoints. Had the large table for 7 of us.

Thanks Matthew for a great dinner! We enjoyed everything you served and your company! We'll be back soon for some more of your favorite nigiri :) read more

Kai Ola Sushi - Moonlight (no mayo) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

The sushi here is great! We tried at least six (6) different rolls and each one was better than the last! The service was fast and courteous. The atmosphere was cool and upbeat. Would definitly return! read more

I was charged $15 for a glass of plum wine. Unreal. Plum wine is very inexpensive generally and it didn't even look like a full pour. I'll never go there again! read more

Scrumptious! I have only been here twice and both times have been really great. I've tried a few rolls and my favorite so far is the Moonlight beach roll. The Shishito peppers are fun as well. Very small but has outdoor seating. read more

Kai Ola Sushi - The Moonlight Beach roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Fresh, beautiful sushi that exceeded my expectations. These guys are doing it right. The counter cases show off how gorgeous and fresh the fish is. Look at the blue fin on this roll! We came for lunch and had no problem getting in, we had the toro hand roll special with fresh wasabi; the Moonlight roll and the Beacon's roll. I recommend both and will be back for more. The sea salt served with the Moonlight roll was something I had never seen before. Very classy and definitely worked well with the hamachi. The staff here were great, punctual and attentive. read more

See all

We arrived just shy of 8:30pm on a Sunday knowing we might get turned away because it was so late, I was craving sushi, and another place had already closed their kitchen. We were pleasantly greeted and asked to select a table--they were happy to serve us. We quickly ordered shrimp and veggie tempura (light batter, great flavor), eel nigiri (high quality and dressed nicely), the Las Vegas Roll daily special (nice combination of toppings, lightly deep fried to a point where the salmon was cooked; wish it were a bit more raw), and Hangover noodles. Noodle broth was light, with all listed ingredients over ramen noodles--enough, but not overly done. Overall, I'd definitely come back and would be interested in trying more of their sashimi and sushi, as this seems to be their specialty. read more

This place may look small but it is the perfect sushi restaurant if you want the Japanese vibe. After living in Japan for six years this is the first place that I have gone to that made me feel like I was back there. Both rolls were absolutely refreshing and filling as well. Although the gyoza didn't taste as they usually do they were still very crispy and delicious. Loved everything about this place - the rolls were made very quickly, the service was excellent and all decently priced. Worth checking out. read more

See all