My partner and I made reservations here for date night and requested bar seating--it did not disappoint! We're both pretty picky when it comes to sushi, but this place was seriously so good. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Ken was our sushi chef and he was the best--so friendly, welcoming, and clearly the life of the party. We left absolutely stuffed--I wish I could've eaten more, but I physically couldn't fit another bite! Definitely a new favorite in North San Diego. Can't wait to come back! read more

See all

The sushi here is awesome! Some of the best in San Diego. Ken, the sushi chef, is super friendly and a pleasure to talk to at the bar. My favorite roll is the one with crispy potatoes. Make sure to call and make a reaction as they are always busy! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]At 5:30 on a Thursday this place had a crowd in the front waiting for the doors to open.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Entertaining guests from out of town and for a group of 6 we were allocated to an outdoor tent which made it feel like glamping as we had sushi next to a fire huddled around a table[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . Their specialty rolls were excellent and I'll be coming back to checkout more of their special rolls and possibly the omakase read more

Went to Ken Sushi shop with friends for dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat outside on one of the tents. It was a bit cold and the acoustics was far from perfect.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was hard to hear a regular conversation with other guests taking while waiting for a table. The food was good and came out at a good pace. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I recommend you get a table inside to stay warm and hopefully the acoustic is better there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

One of the best sushi spots in San Diego hands down. Outstanding food. Quality is unmatched. Ken is the man. Take a sake shot with him when you go. read more

The best sushi in my opinion! The service is always on point! Definitely recommend making a reservation, as the place is always busy.

I love Ken Sushi whenever I need a bit of an elevated sushi experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Whether you sit inside or outside it's an excellent atmosphere, and the outdoor privacy pods are amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is always fast and helpful. The tofu steak and edamame are my regular appetizers and they are delicious, and the Sake menu is incredible and extensive. I am allergic to fish so I always do a custom roll with crab, grilled shrimp, avocado and cucumber. The roll is big enough for two people or leftovers- it's basically two rolls. I love how they don't deep fry their crab like many places do and offer non tempura shrimp for rolls. The Tamago sushi is also delicious. All their seafood offerings are great. read more

Luv omakase, and u can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The staff is very friendly. Ken makes this the best sushi spot in SD!

This was the 2nd time here, my friend and I came here last April and the food and service were just as good as the first time here. Reservations are a must if you want a prime eating hours. Ours was on a Tuesday at 7:00. When we arrived the inside seating was filled with our table awaiting us. Jared introduced himself as our server, very nice and attentive. We had ordered a bottle of Sake, Crispy Rice, Hamachi Jalapeno, Hamachi Kama, Spicy Tuna Roll and Eel, Salmon Belly, Sea Urchin, Smelt Egg Nigiri. All the dishes tasted great, the fish all fresh. This restaurant is pricey but excellent. Atmosphere: small typical Japanese decor with fun bubble seating outdoors. Service: excellent. Food: excellent. read more

See all

Amazing food - ate it so fast there wasn't much to take pics of. Have been here a few times and the service and food is simply the best. Fresh sushi, delicious desserts, great drinks and the best service and attention to detail. Love this place! read more

Ken Sushi Workshop - Crunchy rice - what was left lol - soooo good! - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

This is one of my go to sushi spots in San Diego. This place has Good Sushi, a lively environment, and their service is on point. Ken is fun and always has a smile on his face. I like how they play music at night. I usually order the Chefs Choice or the Nigiri Combination for variety. The place is very busy so it is wise to book a reservation in advance. read more

Ken Sushi is seriously so good! The bento box is super yummy and has such a great variety it's definitely one of my favorite things to order. Everything tastes fresh and flavorful, and you can tell they really put care into their food. It does get pretty busy, but honestly it's 100% worth the wait. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Still a warm and welcoming vibe even if it gets crowded.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Loved this spot! great sushi, [[HIGHLIGHT]]relaxed hole-in-the-wall vibe, and a quirky golf-inspired touch that makes it stand out[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Service was super warm and welcoming overall just a really good experience Feels like a hidden gem. read more

This has become one of the better sushi restaurants in the area. Our waitress was extremely helpful making suggestions as there are many choices on the menu and we didn't know what to order. The fish is fresh and high-quality. We should've skipped getting any Nigiri as everything else, including hot dishes have a lot more flavor that the Nigiri just seems plain in comparison. The cherry blossom roll and crispy rice were my favorite items. Desserts are not on the menu but ask your server as they have many, including a deep fried ice cream roll. Chef Ken is clearly a huge golf fan and there's a lot of interesting golf memorabilia all over the restaurant. Several flags from the Masters are particularly notable. read more

See all

Solid work!!!! This might very well be the best sushi I have had! Ordered the Omakase and each and every course was better than the last. Big fish little rice, allowing the fish to shine. Service ( thank you Kenneth) outstanding. There is the most extraordinary ice cream here, ordered the truffle/vanilla , all homemade, well let's just say IYKYN ... can't wait to return!! read more

This place is so unassuming but the food is absolutely spectacular! The service was excellent and even the owner stopped by the table to check on how everything was. Highly recommend! read more

Ken's is not your ordinary quiet intimate omakase sushi joint. He is high energy and an entertainer as much as he is a chef. Had the Omakase and good value for the price. Interesting dishes and enough food to make you full. Sorbet selection at the end has some surprising flavors you probably won't get anywhere else. We had a table but if you have a small group sitting at bar will give you full KEN experience. read more

Loved our experience here! Our server was super attentive and the food was amazing. We ordered the tuna crispy rice, tuna belly, twister roll, oh no but oh yes roll, shrimp tempura hand roll, and sweet shrimp. Would definitely come back :) read more

See all

The fish here was phenomenal! The food I would say is pretty top tier for such a small location. The prices are a bit more steep, but it is centered to a certain clientele. The toro sashimi platter is a must! This place would've gotten five stars but the service was lacking. It was a bit chaotic in my opinion haha but I would definitely return to try some other options for their nigiri! read more

Ken Sushi Workshop - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

OMG, this place is amazing and Ken is a brilliant chef! We came here for a special occasion and did the omakase experience. Ken did not disappoint! The courses were all so beautifully put together and the food was such an explosion of flavors! Probably some of the best sushi I've ever had! It's a small intimate space on the inside but the atmosphere was fun and entertaining. We will definitely have to come back! What a lovely experience! read more

See all

Blown away by Ken Sushi Workshop. We had the most memorable dinner seated at the sushi bar. Favorite bites included toro, big eye sea perch, yellowtail belly, and uni. Every bite of fish was melt in your mouth perfection. Can't wait to return. read more

See all

Food and service were really good. And the interior was really cute. Plenty of parking which is always a plus. We ordered 3 rolls: - Unagi - Hula - Workshop My personal favorite was the workshop. Will be coming back again! read more

Ken Sushi Workshop - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Quality of food was excellent. Service excellent. Small somewhat hidden location yet no wait time . 10/10 read more

Ken Sushi Workshop - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This is by far my favorite sushi spot in San Diego. We had the "love omakase." Ken and his staff are top notch and very attentive. read more

10 years later and still my number 1! I adore Janice, Ken and the entire team. All the food is amazing. read more

See all

Ken and his entire staff are absolutely incredible. This is the best sushi bar in San Diego hands down. I say that being a profound Sushi snob. The quality of the food is beyond outstanding, and it is very authentic. read more

Ken sushi is the closest thing to the type of sushi you would get in Japan. The quality here is absolutely top notch and definitely worth their price tag! The service and ambiance fits perfectly together, with a private cocoon or a seat at the omakase bar. All of their rolls and sashimi were so fresh and unlike any other sushi restaurant I have had in San Diego! Overall, there is not a bad thing at all to say about Ken sushi, everything is amazing, and definitely will visit more often!! read more

Ken Sushi Workshop - Sushi sampler - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Best Japaneese Restaurant in San Diego. You should try the package call Love ($160 per person) just amazing

Stopped by for lunch special, will come back for food, service and ambience- this place has the trifecta. Ken has been on my list of places to try for years, but I just never made it out here until more recently. My partner is a huge golf fan so we've made the rounds at some big courses for vacation. I recognized a lot of flags from our local Torrey Pines, but also Bandon Dunes, Whistling Straits, Augusta and Pinehurst. Pretty impressive. The lunch chirashi is my fave over the lunch sushi plate - The fish is so fresh and they are great cuts. It's also not been too hard to find parking. Hoping to find an excuse to come back soon! read more

I came here last night with a 5:30 PM reservation for two. We called a week ahead to reserve and I'm so happy we did. The place was completely packed by 5:45 PM on a Wednesday evening. The restaurant is pretty small and the tables are closer together. One wall has a bunch of golf flags covering it altogether. The noise volume shot up like crazy in there and it was pretty loud. The outside looks fun and relatively calmer where you can eat inside a plastic bubble tent The ambience I would give a 3.5 star for the casual vibe and how loud it is (It was hard to hear my own conversation) but the service was 5 stars. The servers were attentive and the food came out very quickly. We were impressed. We ordered the Chef's Choice Nigiri (10 pieces for $46) which was delicious, Otoro, Yellowtail, a hula roll, and an Oh No but Oh Yes roll, and an udon which comes with tempura. The tempura with the udon was fantastic. The sushi was fresh and delicious and the rolls were creative and good too. All in all, I've been wanting to try here for months and I'm so happy we finally did because we will be back! read more

See all

This Carmel Valley sushi restaurant was conveniently located between our workplaces so we met here for a meal. Ken Sushi Workshop has developed a reputation for good quality sushi which certainly piqued my interest. As we walked up to the entrance, the first noticeable feature was the bubble tents that were set up to enclose the tables on the outdoor patio. It was a reminder of how strict the dining conditions were during the middle of the pandemic. I guess the plastic structures are still useful to reduce the breeze blowing across the tables, but they seem out of place now. We sat inside which had a capacity for about 60 diners including the bar area. I didn't snap photos of the menu sheets, but I did capture the sushi order slip. While the variety was extensive, the prices were really high for the cut rolls and hand rolls. Nearly all of the latter were more than $10, and a Vegetable cut roll sold for $14!? It makes me wonder how some higher end places can sell the same types of rolls for 20-30% less than here. I selected a Lunch Sushi Combination which consisted of six pieces of nigiri and four pieces of a California Roll. The fish for the nigiri were tuna, salmon, albacore, eel, shrimp, and spicy tuna. The presentation on the plate was simple and clean. For $19, the price was a good value for the seafood quality. Our server and the rest of the staff were well-trained to the point in which I felt like they had us on a clock with their precision. Efficiency seemed to be a point of emphasis versus making the experience more relaxed and casual. I gave a 3.5 star rating for our visit to KSW. read more

See all

Came here to dine; make sure to make reservations during peak times. The quality is great here and nice to have something close by to home. The price is a bit pricey but makes sense for the quality and location. Look forward to come back. You can't go wrong with any of the sashimi or uni! My go to are usually the fatty fish, salmon belly, tuna belly and uni! Sweet shrimp if in season. read more

I have been wanting to go to Ken Sushi Workshop for years. Lets just say the hype is real. The food was impeccable and the service was nothing short of terrific. My friend and i ordered the spicy tuna crispy rice, salmon nigiri, the workshop roll, the seared salmon nigiri, the seared tuna cheek nigiri, and the off menu sexy mama handroll. Seriously no notes because everything was 10/10. read more

See all

Absolutely love this spot! They have a very cute bubble dome dining experience (kind of like an outdoor cabana) with a fire pit by each one. Excellent service and the fish is very fresh! I highly recommend any dish with their toro. read more

See all

So good! Service was amazing, our waiter was Izzy! My boyfriend got the chefs choice nigiri and he loved it. I got the workshop roll and it was DELICIOUS! My boyfriend definitely got a kick out of everything golf related! read more

Objectively pretty good. Good quality for what it is. Comparatively to other sushi places I love in SD (i.e. glassbox), its not amazing.. but pretty good. The yellowtail and albacore were good. Great service. read more

See all

Seriously one of the best sushi spots in SD. This is my 3rd time here and it did not disappoint. They were fully booked but Kumi and Regina found a way to get us a table for someone who didn't show up. This is called top notch customer service right here! On top of the great quality fish, fair prices, and lovely ambiance, JACOB our server was over the top amazing and super attentive! His level of awareness was impeccable! Thanks so much for such a great experience as always!~ read more

Ken Sushi Workshop - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

The atmosphere was immaculate and the food was just unbelievable sushi that melts right on your pallet of your tongue.

Leaving this as I'm driving home from dinner. I'm not one to leave a lot of reviews but this was by far the best sushi I've had honestly ever. That's not even why I'm leaving the review. We had a reservation and ended up having to wait about 15-20 minutes when we got there. Jason was our server and he was great, we ordered multiple rounds and were enjoying our anniversary dinner. At the end of our meal, Jason let us know that Ken was comping our whole meal. Ken himself came over and was so incredibly kind. That type of customer service is what makes a place. This wasn't my first time eating here and I am so floored and grateful. I'm incredibly picky with food quality, raw fish especially. I had already loved getting take out here but I will be a loyal customer from here on out! read more

Overall, dinner at Ken Sushi Workshop was a memorable and delicious. The quality of the sushi was excellent and we tried a wide range of dishes from the Udon, hamachi kama, various rolls, nigiri combination, chef choice nigiri combination, sashimi, etc. No complaints about the food. The ambiance is definitely not traditional Japanese and it is decorate with the owner's love for golf paraphernalia. The only draw backs are the price and service. The menu had been updated to reflect $55 for the ten pieces in the chef choice nigiri combination. We felt rushed to get out so they can turn the table. Food was removed by the staff before individuals were done eating. read more

See all