Ordered fried rice, wagyu, and egg plant. Wagyu was overcooked, while fried rice was too salty.

Food is great, service went well. We ordered est $612 worth of food. The server was kind enough to take off the, extremely late arriving, shrimp fried rice off the bill. Split the bill three ways. Everyone was charged $204 each. We checked all the receipts and signed. Found out two days later, that one of us was billed the entire bill PLUS THE $204 (x2). Funny because all three receipts clearly said $204 each. Update: Management was able to reach out and will resolve the issue. read more

Food was good and the fish tasted fresh. Enjoyed all that we ordered. Service was not great. Our server, Kelly, was very inattentive to our table but would constantly check up on all her other tables multiple times. It was not a busy night at all. Got the check and waited 6 mins before I spoke up and asked a different worker for help with the bill. During the 6 minutes of waiting, I saw Kelly stand around and talk to the other workers although she told us she would be right back to help us. When the other worker brought our bill to Kelly to inform her we were waiting, she was not apologetic at all instead we noticed her get upset towards him. Overall, the food was great unfortunately because of the service I will not be returning. read more

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Came here for a quick lunch. We were seated very quickly since it was mostly empty on a weekday. The inside is beautiful and well furnished. The service is top notch. They will get you in and out in record time with their efficiency. The food, in my opinion, was nothing really special for its price. I came out not really feeling great about what I ate in perspective of how much I paid. I feel like for the same type of money, I could get a much better meal elsewhere. read more

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Tried out this new(ish) restaurant at Westfield UTC mall La Jolla. We ordered the tomahawk short rib ($46), the lobster mentaiko pasta ($48), and the beef bop ($32 bibimbap dish, not pictured). At these prices, I would expect the food to be phenomenal, but unfortunately nothing I tried tasted particularly good - definitely not worth the steep price point. The friends I was with also tried some of the sushi rolls and were not big fans. On a more positive note: The service was great, the presentation of the food was nice, and the interior was spacious! read more

Katsuya Ko - Tomahawk short rib - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Nice service, sleek ambiance, cool spot in UTC. Walked in without reservations on an early Friday evening. Definitely on the pricey side. Drink selection leans light and adventurous- lots of lighter sake/soju based cocktails. Small portions for appetizers (i.e. $29 for wagyu katsu sando with 4 bites). Didn't try anything off the mains menu since we were looking to snack. Food tasted good but nothing stood out significantly other than cost value. Enjoyed the mochi donuts at the end - but would probably come back with a larger group to split more items and cost. read more

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My friends and I have been wanting to try this spot for a while now, it's right across from Ramen Nagi in UTC. Service was friendly and as coordinated as you could be for a party of 8. The standout items we ordered were the yellowtail sashimi, the miso cod, and the wagyu sandwich, all so delicious. I loved the lychee martini, but the spicy orange blossom was a bit less flavorful than I was expecting for a spicy cocktail. They're still working out some new restaurant kinks as they didn't have a dessert menu for us at the end of the meal, all they had available was gelato. That was a bummer because I was really hoping to try their mochi donuts. All in all, I'd definitely like to return, but maybe after some time when they've had a chance to get fully established. read more

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We went when it had just opened! So there wasn't much people inside yet (most had opted for outside seating but we didn't want to as it was hot out). Inside is lovely and the table seat up is asesthically pleasing. The staff was attentive with options to suggest us, check in, water refills, etc. They were nice and personable. Everyone looked like they enjoyed being there! For food we got the: - Albacore Onion (refreshing but very oniony topping) - Miso Cod (my FAVE!! This is what I wanted to go here for and it melted on the tongue) - Rock Shrimp Tempura (nice coat on it) - Butterfly Ginger (Tart and refreshing) - Crispy Tuna Rice (different from the average. More smooth in texture) - the ice cream came as we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. 10/10 would go again! Might go with some friends and see how they like it. I suggest making a reservation in case you go when it's busy! read more

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Service: 10/10 Food: 10/10 Katsuya Ko is the perfect blend of elevated and casual. We went on a Friday night with a group of 4 and got sat within 10 minutes. Star dishes: Tomahawk short rib- super soft and tender, perfectly flavored Steak with chimichurri sauce: perfectly cooked medium rare and the flavor profile was so good with the steak Lobster pasta- large chunks of lobster - def a good value and the sauce was perfect Mochi donuts- black sesame coated was perfect crunch and chewy texture Favorite drink: although it's sake and wine only, everything was delicious. Dragons milk- curated by the GM Lionel- this was one of my favorite cocktails of my life, a mix between pina cola, horchata and key lime pie with a quick smoke- sooo delicious. Service by Oscar was excellent and the girls at the front podium quickly adjusted our table when two of our friends stopped by for a drink. read more

Katsuya Ko - Yellow tail jalapeño - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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For the high prices, I would expect great food ambience and service. Some of the food is quite good, but the ambience is kind of plain, and the service definitely needs work. Service was spotty, especially right after opening at noon and they didn't seem ready to start their service. The order taker got some of our orders wrong too, which we didn't find out until things didn't come out. Went here for lunch, and the best foods were the miso cod and the mochi donuts for dessert. The donuts were particularly good and I really liked the black sesame dip. The sushi and rolls were decent and fresh, nothing to write home about. The green tea was disappointing - it was a teabag. This place has potential and has recently opened, so hopefully they can improve things. But currently the impression I'm left with is overpriced food at the mall. read more

Thursday solo night 6:30pm walked in , able to score a table . The restaurant located on upper area of Westfield shopping center. There are plenty of parking, but it gets busy during dinner time. The restaurant has outdoor seating and indoor seating, simple and up to date decoration, around 7pm , the inside light dimmed and the mini warm lighter on each table, makes it cozy and welcoming. Ordered the premium dishes here: the nigiri omakase of the day and the short rib. Both dishes are five stars, agreeed with my taste buds. Definitely it is too much for one person even without lunch, but finished. That explains how tasty it is. The service is a bit of too much, constantly check ins ( 5 + check-ins in less than 30 mins), which gave me tons of pressure. Highly recommended for some quiet personal food tasting time especially for solo foodie journey. A little pricey, perhaps due to the dishes I tried. Recommended for the food. Dishes more tailored for adults. read more

Katsuya Ko - Front door - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food is really good. The sushi is divine. They never paid the artist who created the large artwork. Such a shame, I'll never go back to a place that steals from artists. Pretty shameful. read more

Katsuya Ko - This large scale art piece is quite beautiful but sadly they've never paid the artist. - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

We were celebrating a friend's birthday and after seeing so many social media posts surrounding this restaurant, we finally got a chance to try Katsuya Ko out. - PARKING - First hour of self-parking is free. After that initial hour, it costs $2 per hour, up to a $15 daily maximum. - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - There are outdoor tables with heaters and a decent amount of indoor tables as well. I thought the inside of the restaurant would be bigger, but the kitchen areas cut into the space diagonally, leaving less room for seating. Staff was fairly attentive until the end, when we were continuously looking around to get our check. After we ordered, food came out item by item rather than all at once, which did allow us to enjoy most of the food fresh without rushing. - FOOD - Highlights: Miso Black Cod ($34.00): SUPER tender, so buttery smooth, and well-seasoned! Definitely my favorite dish of the night by far, and it left me wishing we had two! Wagyu Denver Steak ($42.00): Also very tender, nice lean to fatty ratio, and the chimichurri sauce was delicious. Chicken Kushiyaki ($14.00): These skewers were surprisingly juicy for chicken! Nicely grilled and seasoned. Hotate Nigiri ($9.00/2): Very smooth scallop, good ratio of rice to fish. Just OK: Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($16.00): The pieces were crispy, but they also tore off individual leaves of the brussels sprouts, leaving you with a lot of air/space. The Original Crispy Rice ($16.00): I prefer my crispy rice to be fully fried, whereas the crispy rice here is soft/soggy in the middle. Salmon Citrus ($24.00): Really nothing too impressive, and after trying it I wish we had something else in replacement. Lobster Mentaiko Pasta ($48.00): I felt like the sauce wasn't strong enough, and at times almost felt like I was eating plain pasta. They do give a decent amount of lobster meat though! Beef Kushiyaki ($16.00): Usually I like beef more than chicken, but the beef skewers were on the drier side unfortunately. - OVERALL - A nice fancier dinner spot if you're celebrating something - definitely get the Miso Black Cod! read more

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The hottest new sushi restaurant at UTC!! I came here with my family as we're continually on the hunt for the best sushi spot. With the upscale yet casual vibes, it's good for date night & special occasions but just know you're paying more for the name/experience. We booked a last minute reservation, so we weren't as dressed up & didn't know what to expect going in. I wish we had looked at the menu beforehand too because we quickly realized just how expensive their food is, especially for how small their portions are. We felt like we had to keep ordering more just to satisfy our tummies. Don't get me wrong, the food was delicious but just not worth the price. Overall, an ok experience & pretty overhyped imo! read more

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I came here and sat at the bar top Where they cook the food and it was insane. I'm familiar with the LA locations but this one taste wayyyyy better. Ron and Ryan gave so many recommendations and every single one was . Honestly I like this place better than Nobu now. Located in the UTC mall close to the Javier's side . read more

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Was very excited to get a table at Katsuya Ko. Dined as a group of three on a Saturday evening. Arrived at 6:00 and it was 80% full and completely full shortly after. The whole staff yells "Irasshaimase" whenever anyone enters. Kinda cute when you enter but gets annoying after a few times. One group entered as our waiter was pouring our water and he stopped to stand upright and yell. For me, this doesn't add to the experience. Service was curt and perfunctory. And a bit slow. I ordered the Dragon's Milk cocktail, and another ordered the pea butterfly mocktail. Both were creative and delicious. However, they were very small pours and were about two-thirds ice. The food really excels here. We shared all of the plates, and all were very good to excellent.; - Edamame - Very good though nothing special. - Beef Tenderloin Kushiyaki - Delicious and very tender. - Wagyu Sando - Very good, nice tonkatsu sauce. Beef could have been cooked a bit more to make it more tender. - Two Timing Tuna - Fabulous. Wasabi aioli makes it special. - Tomahawk Short Rib - Fabulous. Excellent sauce and fall off the bone tender. - Crispy Rice Tuna - Disappointing. When it came out the rice was quite hot and falling apart. This is their specialty and I wonder if they were pushing so many out of the kitchen that there was no time to cool the rice. So hot it wasn't crispy. - Nigiri - We shared a few nigiri and all were traditional and very good, especially the o-toro. Super tender, melts in your mouth. BIG RED FLAG: They add a 5% service upcharge that is not mentioned on the menu. The receipt mentions that you can ask to have it removed. I don't come to restaurants to argue about the check, so I just deducted it from the tip. A pretty good dinner in a nice atmosphere but I'm not sure I'd return. read more

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Honestly such a cute restaurant. They all greet you the minute you walk in. Additionally, ALL their dishes are flavorful and unique in their own ways. I really loved the Beef Bop and Miso Black Cod. Make sure you also get some dessert - the mochi donuts were great! read more

Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 My coworkers came here for an early dinner this week. Although we had a reservation, there were plenty of open tables for our table of 5. It took some time before the hostess checked us in to our table, but once we were seated, the service was great! We started with a round of some of their cocktails. 3 of us had the Coral Lotus which we all agreed was dangerous... it's one of those drinks you can keep drinking because it's so good but deceptively strong. To eat, we tried a few plates and shared them all. The favorite of the table was the Wagyu Sando. The wagyu was melt-in-your-mouth tender and the milk bread made it the perfect bite. The lobster pasta was also delicious with big chunks of lobster claw meat. Yummm. Definitely worth trying! read more

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While wandering around UTC one day, my husband and I came upon Katsuya Ko, which at that time had recently opened up. We tried to just walk up to see if they had a table available, but unfortunately they were all booked up. This is pretty typical for a newer restaurant, so we weren't terribly surprised - plus it was visibly busy. So, we opted to make a reservation for an early evening in the coming days. Come reservation day, we opted to put our kids at Gyminy Kids at UTC, which offers a "Kids Night Out" on the weekends. This is a great opportunity for us parents to have a meal together sans the kids. We arrived and were seated immediately on their outdoor patio. It took a moment for our server to reach our table, but it wasn't a bother considering how new the restaurant was and the pickup in diners at that time. Eventually we were seen and placed a sake order and a few sharable bites. Surprisingly, our food arrived before our sake, which was interesting. Looking around, Katsuya Ko operated very efficiently (hence our food arriving so quickly). Eventually our drinks arrived and we enjoyed a casual dinner, overall. The reason I am giving just 3/4 stars has a lot to do with the food just being okay. Food is very subjective and everyone has different tastes, but as a self-identified sushi lover, I found everything we ordered to be quick-service sushi. Not bad, just nothing that stood out considering the price of our meal and the upscale atmosphere it was giving. All in all, it's a great place for a casual bite, but for sushi I would lean towards other locations such as Ken Sushi or even Moment Sushi. Glad we tried it, but unlikely we'll be back. read more

Tried out this place with a friend since it just opened, and we were curious about the hype! We made a reservation so we walked right in and decided to sit outside under the shaded trees to soak up the beautiful San Diego weather. The vibe is super cute and laidback. Our server, PAUL, greeted us right away and was absolutely fantastic throughout the whole meal. Super attentive, friendly, and the food came out quickly too. Service was definitely a 5/5! We ordered a bunch of things and here's the rundown: Miso Black Cod 4/5: Beautiful presentation on the dry leaf and the fish was really tender with great flavor. It does run a little on the greasy side so I'd definitely recommend pairing it with rice to balance things out. Original Crispy Rice 4/5: Good flavor but I was expecting it to be a bit crispier. Also feels a little pricey for just four small pieces. O-toro Nigiri 4/5: Solid but I've had better. Nothing to write home about. Unagi Nigiri 5/5: You really can't go wrong with this one. Soft, flaky eel with great flavor. A must order! Salmon Carpaccio 5/5: Light, fresh and refreshing. Loved this one! Yellowtail Jalapeño 5/5: Super fresh fish with a really well balanced flavor. Another standout! Overall it was a really enjoyable Sunday lunch! The food was good but not quite as memorable as I was hoping. You're definitely paying for the experience, ambience and service here, but sometimes that's worth it too!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

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Good to try but will not return at my own choice. Overall, the food combined with the experience was lackluster. I see the potential, but we ended up needing to go to Marugame Udon on the other side of the mall, after dropping hundreds of dollars here, anyways. Wagyu Sando: the wagyu was very chewy, I was chewing to the point I had to stop and didnt eat it because it was too chewy. Crispy Rice: not crispy Lobster Mentaiko Pasta: fantastic, but the portion was teeny. Crispy Rice Salad: also fantastic, no complaints besides the portion size again. *There was more food ordered, but nothing to write home about. It is a very nice restaurant and I'm sure people will enjoy Katsuya Ko. Personally, I think there are better places in UTC. read more

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I really enjoyed my experience here. The sushi rolls were all really good as well as all of the appetizers that I tried. I will say however that the nigiri I had was kind of whatever and were kind of pricey. Having said that, I would definitely come back again for the Katsuya Roll and the Rock & Roll. The surprise hits were the appetizers. I really liked the Cucumber Sunomono, but the best thing I had there was the crispy Brussels Sprouts. Normally Brussel sprouts at most restaurants are basically mini cabbages that they bake, however it feels like they peeled all of the Brussel sprouts and then baked the leaves separated. It may mean that you get less Brussel sprouts than you were expecting, but every bite was crispy and flavorful and I did not feel slighted at all because of it. What made the experience really great was the kind and friendly bartender Natalia who really made me feel welcome as a solo business traveler. She knew her stuff about the food and also was able to give me some recommendations for the local area as well. Hard to find a good bartender like that these days where they barely ever talk to you. Really appreciated as a person who travels for work often and has to eat/drink solo. read more

Katsuya Ko - Rock & Roll and Cucumber Sunomono - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

A nice new option at UTC for good quality sushi. We were able to snag a last minute reservation online for a late weekday lunch same day and got checked in no problem and seated at the sushi bar. I really liked the greeting entering and leaving the restaurant. And throughout the experience we were checked in on plenty of times to make sure we had water and that our food was tasting good. Overall, it's certainly not quite a casual lunch spot as the price point is slightly above that. And generally the taste and quality was good but maybe not a favorite in terms of other options around town. The standout for me wasn't actually a sushi item and was actually a grilled item: the eggplant. It was savory, sweet, and richly smokey, really good! We also really liked the maguro nigiri. Otherwise what is touted - the crispy rice with tuna and wagyu sando were pretty and made for cute photos but certainly not standout in my mind flavor wise. read more

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Was nice trying the new Katsuya Ko in UTC. Stopped in for lunch, no wait for a table inside or outside. The restaurant is clean, nice and new. The waiters were very attentive. -- beef yakitori a total of 7 small pieces of beef, was a little burned on the edges which sort of took over the flavor in a bad way, expensive, and would not get again -- sweet potato appetizer was actually quite good, well cooked and seasoned sweet potato with some chili on top and a nice yogurt sauce underneath, this would get again -- "yakitori" chicken, not what I expected ended up being a sort of Cornish game hen flattened out. The chicken was actually cooked quite well just wasn't what I was expecting having had yakitori elsewhere. Would consider getting again -- mushroom yakitori, same problem as the beef, burned fairly significantly therefore the flavor was just of burnt. Would not get again Overall, the prices are high (plus a 5% surcharge tacked on at the end), the food is average, and the service and ambiance are excellent. It's worth a try, but perhaps sticking to the more sushi side of the menu and seafood might be a better bet. Would not particularly recommend the yakitori portion read more

Katsuya Ko - Sweet Potato - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Felt like getting Japanese food, so ended up here! The service was awesome and so was the food! At first, I just got the miso soup and salmon citrus roll. But then I still felt hungry so I ended up getting the crispy brussels sprouts. OMG, I thought, oh I won't finish these. Well, I did! I definitely want to try other items, so I will be back! read more

Katsuya Ko - Crispy brussels sprouts - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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In their defense, they have only been open for 7 weeks and it takes time to work the kinks out. That said, this was a rough experience. We placed our order, expecting the edamame to come out first, not third and the small plates to come out first, not 5 minutes in advance of the hot entrees. The edamame was over steamed and mushy. The crispy rice with tuna was a small portion for price point but more importantly the rice was greasy and chewy, not crispy and the tuna barely had any taste. The crab hand roll was fresh tasting but one dimensional and needs some crunch. Ken's Sushi in Del Mar has a similar roll and puts shrimp tempura in it (hot mama- it is off menu - get this!). The bibi had a great presentation and has potential but was a little too garlicky and greasy. The black cod is a classic preparation and was done well. The service was attentive and friendly. We sat inside and it had more of a cafeteria feel to it. Not sure where they were going with design but missed. read more

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lobster mentaiko pasta was SOOO YUMMY, definitely the star of the show and would get it again despite breaking the bank citrus salmon was good too but tbh there wasn't anything super special about it, you could definitely find something similar for cheaper somewhere else the mocktails were also rly yummy and i feel like it was decently priced ($8) & the mochi donuts were soo crispy buttery amazing omg i really liked the dips it came with ambiance was really cozy since we got to sit in a booth and servers were very nice and friendly read more

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Came back to Katsuya Ko for the second time and was seated promptly outside. Outside has a clean vibe and our server Sebastian was attentive. I think the food is definitely missing something. Last time I was here I gave them 5 stars giving them leeway as it was the first day they opened and it was beautiful inside, and the service was nice. There were hiccups with more than a few dishes in taste but every restaurant deserves a fighting chance. Everyone I went with has said they thought the restaurant was mediocre, and they just don't see themselves coming back again. I ordered different dishes for myself this time. I kept it simple with a miso soup and a shrimp tempura hand roll. For the table we shared a rock shrimp tempura appetizer and sweet potato. I would give the food 2/5 and the service and ambience overall a 4/5. The food tastes like you could honestly get it at Whole Foods. It's not horrible by any means, it's just not great. Because it's pricey I do expect a bit more. Perhaps it was an off day, as the restaurant is so crowded. So maybe I'll come back if I see a change in their menu or whispers of improvement. read more

Katsuya Ko - Rock shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Katsuya Ko was delicious. The portions are small. It's a bit pricey. Good for a special occasion. Our favorite was the lobster mentaiko pasta, citrus salmon, and wagyu sando. I wouldn't order the crispy rice again. And the sweet potato that everyone raved about was unfortunately undercooked. The food came out very quickly and service was very tentative. Definitely make a reservation. read more

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The restaurant is pretty from the outside. The outdoor patio looked nice but it was a very warm day so we opted to eat indoors. The ambiance is a sleek modern sushi restaurant. Nothing really stands out other than how new it looks. We ordered some sushi and stir fried veggies. We didn't order much but everything took awhile to come out. The timing didn't work very well with a hangry toddler. For the price, we were expecting better quality sushi. We love restaurants like Sushi Exchange off Camino Del Sur for their high quality sashimi. We were hoping that Katsuya Ko would at least offer better sushi quality than sushi buffets such as Little Sakana. The yellowtail and salmon we had here were subpar to Little Sakana. We were surprised; I guess we were expecting more since the restaurant is nice and located in UTC. One more thing to look out for: Pay attention to your receipt. They include 5% surcharge on all receipts. I believe it's called a hospital surcharge. So rather than pay their staff a fair wage, they add a surcharge. Overall I wouldn't visit here again. read more

soo good i got take out from this place! it was fast and easy. FYI make sure for nigiri if you don't like wasabi inside you let them know. i definitely want to dine in and try more. I got four pcs of nigiri sushi (yellowtail and tuna), wagyu sando, and cracker roll. These are all so filling and so tasty. read more

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Made reservations for a friday at 6pm for the outside patio about a week in advanced. We were seated right on time, and they were denying walk ins at the time- so make sure to make a reservation! They were unfortunately out of a few things such as the brussels sprouts which we had really wanted to try. We got several things to share: Crab handrolls- this was ok, a bit mayo- forward. Probably not something I would need to order again for the $21. Crispy rice- this was good, but the rice actually could have been a biiiit crispier. Negi toro roll- this was good, fish was fresh, no complaints here! O-toro and Chu-toro nigiri- I usually like o-toro the best, but the chu-toro was my favorite here! Both very fresh. Waygu sando- small and pricey but the meat melted in your mouth, such a great bite. Tomahawk short rib- This was also incredible. Each piece of meat melted off the bone. Would come back for this. Wok fried greens- fresh and good flavor, a good side to get the veggies in. Miso eggplant- loved the eggplant! So simply but so flavorful. Mochi donuts- I wish it had a bit more chewy mochi texture as it was a bit dense. Overall, service was pretty fast, but did get slower at the end when we had ordered the o-toro and chu-toro and dessert. Otherwise, very friendly! Would come back. read more

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Stopped by for a light lunch and was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. The service was top tier from the warm welcome by the hostess to the attentive and friendly server throughout the meal. We ordered the tomahawk short ribs, yellowtail, and edamame. The short ribs were tender and packed with flavor (favorite dish there thus far). The yellowtail was fresh and well-prepared, and the edamame was a perfect, simple complement. The overall aesthetics of the space were also cute, creating a relaxed yet elevated dining experience. read more

Katsuya Ko - Yellowtail - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Went here for dinner, and food was overall tasty but price is not to the right scale for the quality. The wok fried greens were a bit too salty. The sushi rolls were great but could use more fish again for the price. Service was very good and aesthetic inside is quite nice. read more

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Came here today and was greeted by Hector and the rest of his staff. Everyone here was super friendly and knowledgable. Walked in and loved the interior artwork at the end. My sister and I both got the lychee martinis, which was flavorful. We both split the salmon carpaccio and the lobster mentaiko pasta -- both were flavorful and delicious. The crispy rice, honestly, we could have done without it. Would I come here again? Yes, to try other things on the menu. read more

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Everything is amazing per usual! Tried some other dishes and will definitely be back. The spicy tuna rice is.... BOMB. We always order two lol read more

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We came in on a whim. Reservations for 3 at a newer spot. Among the various items we tried, the Brussels and the Denver steak were standouts. The other items which included the shrimp tempura, rock and roll, crispy tuna rice, and steak sandos were not memorable. Wait staff are friendly and attentive. Vibes and plating were nice. Just wish the taste matched! Nice to try, but will not return read more

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The "son" of Katsuya, an Asian chain restaurant from the LA area, has landed in the Westfield UTC Mall at a corner where a lot of eateries have set up. The space has been in development for well over a year so it was nice to see it finally open for business at the beginning of this month. There were several tables arranged on the outdoor patio in front of the entrance. The inside had seating at a central bar and enough tables to hold close to 100 diners. I made an OpenTable reservation for the day before the official public debut which came with a set of pros and cons. Despite arriving ten minutes ahead of our scheduled time, a table was not ready for us until another 20 minutes. I could tell that they were short staffed on servers and bussers for the evening. Hopefully, that situation has improved over the past few weeks. We sat at an inside two-top near the entrance. I had not dined at the LA area locations and was not familiar with their menu. It turned out the cuisine was pan-Asian as opposed to pure Japanese. The right column of the page did have nigiri, sashimi, classic maki rolls, and specialty maki rolls. We skipped these and focused on the other categories that included snacks, appetizers, small bites, and noodles/rice. The dishes were all designed to be shareable. Our choices were the following.., * Chicken Negima Kushiyaki * Chicken and Kimchi Gyoza * Beef Bop * Crispy Ling Cod The food took a while to come out, and one item was mistakenly brought to our table. The main waiter was very pleasant and apologetic to the point in which he offered each of us a complimentary bowl of miso soup. The kushiyaki was two chicken skewers marinated with yuzu kosho. I thought it was expensive at $14 for the two pieces. There were five dumplings in the gyoza order. A black garlic ponzu sauce was provided for dipping. Again, it was a bit pricey at $3 per piece. The Beef Bop was their version of a Korean bibimbap which is a classic dish made up of short rib, jidori egg yolk, pickled vegetables, and white rice in a hot stone bowl. A server mixed the contents at tableside for us. It was hearty and had a good flavor. I do wish the serving size was larger for the $32 price tag. Last but not least was the cod which was my favorite. Several pieces of fried fish were neatly stacked in heap with cucumber, frisse, and toban jan mint sauce. The batter was light and delicate. The risk of dining at a restaurant when it's this new is that the kinks need to be worked out. The biggest issue during the evening we were there was that every area could have used more hands (hosts, chefs, servers, etc). They tried hard, but the operation could have benefitted from a longer soft opening period. I gave a 3.5 star rating for our initial experience at Katsuya Ko. read more

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The service and food were not great. Ambiance was ok but I enjoyed looking at the mural. I probably won't be coming back here.

Katsuya Ko opened last week at the Westfield in UTC La Jolla, across and adjacent to Ramen Nagi. I would have liked to visit during its opening week but The Del Hotel in Coronado for a Valentines weekend was already planned. Post Valentines, was a perfect time to visit and have lunch. There's indoor and outdoor seating. It always to your benefit to have reservations, as I have seating preferences with my furbaby Fendi in tow and the restaurant was crowded inside and outside with diners. There are two areas with high bar stool seating which overlooks the cooking area and bar. The hostesses, servers and manager were cordial, attentive and helpful. The interior decor was simple but lacked the geisha heavy white makeup face and red cherry lipstick lips murals as seen at other Katsuya locations. Being from Beverly Hills most of my life, I have dined at Katsuya locations in Hollywood and Brentwood. Not a fan of Hollywood area so Brentwood was my preference. 'Ko' means child, so this restaurant is an offspring of Katsuya in a more casual setting. The menu listed many selections, as it points out the signature dishes as: the spicy tuna crispy rice and the crab hand roll, which I'm sure you've had a version of many times, like I have and I didn't have interest in trying here. The menu offers sushi as well as other dishes considered Asian fusion, hot, cold and some shareable or not. Their website showed lunchtime offerings ie Bento Boxes and other dishes offered in a set to include miso soup, salad and edamame which to my dismay were not on the menu and no longer offered as my server informed me. Perhaps management should reconsider and make lunchtime specials available again. Ordered a mocktail; the Ginger Butterfly which presented as an ambient purple and blues and so refreshing with the Fever ginger beer. The eggplant miso glaze was elongated, impressive and tasty starter...good thing I wasn't with a date or I would be blushing and giggling ;) The Salmon Carpaccio was presented nicely and it tasted better than it looked...simple but the salmon pieces were fresh and buttery soft with citrusy flavors. The final dish was the Mentaiko Lobster pasta which I was looking forward to. The presentation was nice, nothing over the top but upon the first and second tasting of the pasta, which seemed dry and flavorless, I was so disappointed. After finding the two small pieces of lobster which I ate, the rest of the pasta, I found to be unimpressive and inedible. I summoned the server and rejected the plate as inedible. I wanted to order something else but the server seemed to have disappeared and I couldn't wait longer. The lobster pasta dish was removed from my check and the manager was apologetic. My palate and expectations on that dish were beyond disappointed. Perhaps you're not as picky and might like this dish. There are at least half a dozen selections I am interested in trying and plan to return. Worthy of your visit. Recommend read more

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