Family brought me for early Mother's Day Dinner and I had no idea such a place existed here in Oceanside. The unassuming exterior and simple but elegant interior greeted us with low lighting and quiet atmosphere. We sat at a table of 6 and immediately knew we were in for a treat. We all had the 10 course meal and although I can't do justice to describing each item- let's just say every bite is a treat for the tastebuds. You could do substitutions and add ons. I added wagyu for additional 55$ but I'm sure the duck would of been just as good. The pork too surprised me as my family raised pigs as a kid and I don't usually eat but the pork dish- with pigs that were raised with special diet and spa-like treatment/ well... the stories added to the dish. Things like pine were unexpected delights. The drinks were all amazing and we tried mixed drinks, sake, and something I rarely see and is worth noting- great mocktails. The service was outstanding and everyone was friendly, polite, knew their job, and quietly was there between each course with fresh silverware. All was completed with a sense of effortlessness. My daughter mentioned to her dad she was waiting on a drink and the manager heard and without hesitation said it was on the way/ and on the house. We chuckled as the bill of course was more than we had ever spent on a single meal, but enjoyed every minute. What struck me about ambiance is we felt as if we were the only ones there although I saw several tables on other side of restaurant. In addition although 6 of us in a circle - we were able to converse with each other with ease. Come with an open mind and be prepared for the best meal you may ever have. Pricey but worth it if you want to create a memory sure to please. read more

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3.5 stars We came here because they're closing at the end of the month. So, Yes it was a bit pricy but i wanted to try it before it closed. Made reservations online for the tasting menu $225. The place is in the middle of nowhere, from the outside you'd never guess it was fine dining. We started off with a trio of little bites, a tile fish gungakn roll, fried mochi threads, and an acorn cracker filled with camembert cheese. The raw tile fish gunkan was ok, the mochi threads were nice and crunchy, the camembert cheese was too pungent for me. Hamachi/Raspberry - slices of Yellow tail and raspberry in a ponzu sauce. The ponzu stood out most and gave it a salty profile i couldn't really distinguish between the hamachi and the raspberry as the textures were similar. Artichoke Kohlrabi gyoza with a bri sauce. This dish was very good though i thought it was more like ravioli than gyoza. It even looked like ravioli. I think they just called it gyoza to make it fit the Japanese theme. Shrimp tempura was delicious! it was lightly battered and fried and put in a shallow bowl of shrimp broth. They said it came with dynamite sauce but i think it was just kewpie mayo. Very good and one of my favorites of the evening. Chicken wing stuffed with scallop, part of the wing was deboned and stuffed with a Hokkaido scallop. It was very tasty, the scallop was very sweet and tender. I wish the skin of the chicken wing was crispier. It was quite charred but did not crack when bitten into it and a little rubbery. Tile fish had a very crispy skin and came with a beautiful sauce of i think apples and apricots and a walnut butter. I really liked the sauce that was spooned on the plate. another one of my favorites of the evening. Duck done 2 ways; roasted and a fried tsukune meatball. They both came in a light carrot sauce. The fat on the roasted piece was nicely rendered and the duck meat very tender. The tsukune was nicely fried and crispy and still rare inside. The palate cleanser was a pine ice cream with Aloe Jelly, The pine ice cream was quite refreshing and smooth i thought the aloe jelly was a bit strong tasting. I think flavor came from the geranium but something had a strong taste to it. The dessert was also one of my favorites White chocolate with hokkaido milk powder on top of miso ice cream and slices of tangerine. It was supposed to be reminiscent of a creamsicle. The Hokkaido milk power was magic on the shards of white chocolate, the miso ice cream was very smooth and dense and when eaten together with the pieces of manderin orange did remind me of a creamsicle. They gave us a trio of finishing dishes a trio of bites; Castella cake, Kokuto jelly and raspberry mochi. The castella cake didn't really stand out, it wasn't the sweet dense cake that im used to. The kokuto jelly had that deep brown sugar taste but was too stiff in my opinion. The raspberry mochi had a strong raspberry flavor which i loved and had a good chew to it. Service was exceptional, water was filled many times almost every time the water glass went down 1/4 it was filled to the top. Each course was preceded with the proper utensiles and were cleared after each dish. i must have had at least 4 forks and 4 spoons. Definilty 5 star (Michilin style) service. Food was very good maybe 4 stars. Value was ok maybe 3 stars. If you divided the courses by the price it came to $25 per course. If you looked at the ala cart menu, many of the items were there and could be had for less than $25, of course not all the dishes on the tasting menu were available ala cart. But i feel if you sat at the bar and ordered a cocktail and maybe 5-6 dishes you't still pay a hefty price but it would be much less than $225. I feel like thats the way to go instead of the tasting menu. Come here if you want exceptional service. read more

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I learned that Matsu will be closing at the end of this month and possibly reopening at another TBD location. We decided to come for a weekend dinner. To my surprise, there were plenty of time slots available for this fine dining establishment located in a former neighborhood corner bar and grill in Oceanside. There was a small parking lot to the south of the building which had dedicated spots reserved for this establishment. A copy of the tasting menu was posted outside next to the entranceway. I took a picture for future reference because little did we know that we would not be seeing a list of the preset offerings during our visit. The inside was a dimly lit open dining space with a bar in the back left corner. The decor was minimal with some greenery and figurines along a couple of the walls. After mentioning that I had made a reservation, a worker guided us to one of the round tables in the middle of the room. The reservation required that we pre-pay the cost of the entire meal plus tax. Our server asked if we wanted any enhancements like caviar or wagyu. After declining that and any wine or sake pairings, the staff began to bring out a procession of courses in the following order... * Otsumami - Gunkanmaki, Mochi Fry, Acorn | Camembert * Kanpachi | Raspberry * Artichoke | Kohlrabi | Brie * Ebi Tempura | Dynamite | Tentsuyu * Chicken Wing | Imo | Scallop * Tilefish | Apple | Walnut * Duck | Carrot | Wasabi * Pine | Aloe | Geranium * White Chocolate | Miso | Tangerine The dishes were each beautifully plated. The chicken wing was partially deboned and stuffed with a mix of potatoes and scallop. That was my favorite item of the group. The dessert was also very good with the citrus from the tangerine paired with the pieces of white chocolate. Locally caught tilefish was the replacement protein for the pork neck course. The fish was cooked well, however I would have liked to try the pork preparation as it had been listed on the tasting menu. An aspect that confused me was the number of courses for the $229 price. I had expected ten, but when we declined the wagyu upgrade for the beef course, there was no lower tier of meat served as a substitute. Therefore, we only received nine courses but still paid as if there were ten. That should have been explained by the waitstaff because the value of the dinner became less with one fewer protein serving. Not providing the actual menu for the evening was a major faux pas and oversight. Every high-end restaurant where we have enjoyed a pre-fixe dinner always furnishes the menu du jour. The top-notch service was the reason why I rounded up my rating of our Matsu experience to a four star level. read more

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I came here with a friend to try a few of the dishes on their menu. We had the following: - Tsukune (cheeseburger) - Hamachi tartare - Pork neck - Sunflower If you've never had pork neck, I highly recommend it. The meat was incredibly tender and the sauce was perfection. They had beef tartare, but I'm not a huge fan, so they offered a white fish (hamachi) that was flown in overnight. The dish was very light and refreshing, definitely can taste the freshness! I wasn't expecting to eat a cheeseburger at this fine restaurant, but our server swore it's the best burger he has ever had in his life and insisted that we tried it. I admit it was delicious, but I wouldn't say it's the best I've ever had in my life. It's good, but I wouldn't recommend it. $23 for a "naked" burger is a bit pricey. At least give me a few strands of fries or some lettuce and pickles. The Sunflower was interesting and tasted a bit funky. I couldn't make out what it tasted like, or what it was. If I had to guess, the outside was a lightly cooked piece of squid heavily coated with coarsely ground matcha filled with "something mushy" and sunflower seeds and sunflower petals. I wasn't a huge fan. I had wanted to try the A5 Wagyu but at 6pm on a Saturday night, they had run out. I was somewhat disappointed. While I enjoyed some of the dishes, the experience did not meet the high expectations that I had set. I had tried Matsu when they were one of the participating vendors at the Wine & Food Festival. They were one of my favorite vendors, but this experience for me was just average. The restaurant was dark and cozy, barely lit by the few overhead lamps. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

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We came here for their famous monthly izakaya nights. We had seen them on social media and heard about them elsewhere, and decided we must check it out. We got there early, like we're having a glass of wine down the block before they opened because we had heard the seating is limited and the izakaya nights are super popular. Good news is, that worked because we got sat right away and it wasn't super busy. The second time we went for Tsuki night we were a little more relaxed and showed up maybe 20-30 minutes after opening and we're not so lucky, we had to wait about 45-60 minutes. Both visits were so delicious. We end up ordering a bunch of things on the menu and sharing them all (the first time we got one of everything). It's hard to choose a standout dish or dishes when they were all so good. Also since they were the Tsuki nights they aren't always available, but in case they are: Kampachi Sashimi - very simple in appearance, but it let the flavor of the fish and sauce shine. This was a great start to our meal. Potato Salad with Sesame & Katsuobushi - not my cup of tea but it had good flavor and my BF loved it. The presentation was cool with the bonito flakes on top. They fluttered in the breeze. Kakiage with shrimp - this was the a new dish for me as I have never had it before. It looked like a little tempura bird nest with shrimp. Very cool texture wise. Smoked Gyoza - fried crisp in the pan with the slurry. Had a unique taste due to the smoke. Jbox Tacos with Sukiyaki - these are a crowd favorite I hear and an homage to more non authentic home made taco. Really fun. Karaage Nuggets - these meat was tender, juicy and then crispy. The sauce was so flavorful. Keiko's Curry - flavorful and not at all what I expected to come when we saw curry. I really liked the flavors and the minced/ground meat. Duck Pho with Rice Noodles - duck was prepared perfectly and the broth had good pho spice flavor. Nice change of pace in the meal as well. Omurice with Squid - one of the most unique for me since I've never had this dish either. Never thought of pairing egg with squid either On or next trip, we had: Pork Belly with corn, sorghum & sumac - I loved the creamy corn with the little pieces of popcorn. I need to know how that was done. So unique and I could have eaten a whole side of it. The pork belly was good as well. Pork Chop with Mustard Seed, Currant, Beurre Blanc - flavors were so unique really nice combo Shrimp and Grits served with Andouille & Benne Oil - head on shrimp on a bed of grits Chicken Fried Steak made with Wagyu and covered with White Cheddar Gravy was good, but was one of our least favorite. Not because it wasn't good, but because even though the wagyu was super tender it was sort of lost in all the other flavors. It was still good, but the other dishes were so much better, so it was our least favorite. And by that we still ate the whole thing happily. Fried Chicken served with Cornbread drizzled with Honey, Jalapeno and some Potato Salad - one of my favorite because the chicken was so flavorful and moist with the crunch from being fried. For dessert we had the Shortbread Cookies, which were kind of like a cookie fluff sandwich. Both times we got the Tanuki cocktail and then some wine. All quite tasty Service was good. The first trip when we got everything, they coursed it out for us and had the flavors and the intensity build only bringing 1-2 dishes at a time. It felt deliberate and created a wonderful experience. The second time, the server was still nice, but even though we asked if they could course it for us, it was not. The 5 dishes we ordered came out with seemingly no particular order. Starting with the heaviest fried dishes first with the chicken and steak coming out together, and the other 3 dishes arriving 2 minutes later. It just felt a little less curated and our food got cold while eating other dishes. In hindsight I would have coursed it for us by ordering at different times. I was just lulled into thinking that it would work out since the first time when we asked they did it perfectly and when we asked this time, they said yes as well that they would do it. read more

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I forgot how amazing Matsu was until I went back here last week to celebrate my birthday. Their coursing menu is so unique and I love how different the dishes are but how much everything ties into "Matsu" Staff was great. They started us off with a cava from Mexico. Which was actually probably the best sparkling I've had in a while. Hats off to the sommelier there. From star to finish, you know that every dish had its place. Sometimes I always get nervous that I'm never gonna be full enough because the portions look small, but the richness in flavor always tops me off by then. My favorite courses this time were the shrimp tempura (something that'll always stay on the menu), and the lobster course. The homemade ice cream at the end are amazing ! read more

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I dined here on Saturday night with a group of 6, and I must say it was a lovely experience!! Everyone got the 10 course meal (which seems to be the default... à la carte is an option but you must speak up quick if that's what you want.) Everyone got served at the same time (3 servers for every course) and I thought the meals were perfectly portioned as well as served with impeccable timing. I enjoyed everything that I was served. My water glass stayed full, but not in that annoying way where you take one sip and they are right over your shoulder. I ordered a mocktail and a cocktail-- both were delicious! The server helped me choose my cocktail and I'm so glad he did! I'm sure every drink on the menu is good, but he helped me find just the right drink. I went into this night skeptical because $$$$ four dollar sign restaurants aren't usually my thing, but if you have the money and want to experience an awesome 10 course meal, I would definitely recommend Matsu and hope to return someday! read more

Matsu - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Thoughtful gracious service Excellent food Inventive and memorable High attention to detail Elegant atmosphere Loved the cocktails and mocktails Highly recommend !!!!! For Date night Or Special occasion Or just drop by for the amazing wagyu burgers There is bar seating too for a more casual meal read more

Matsu - Fried sweet potato! - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Dining at Matsu was a truly unforgettable experience! We did the chefs tasting with bespoke sake/wine pairings and every dish was beautifully plated and perfectly paired! Every dish was excellent but our favorites were the sheep brain fish and the lobster bisque! Our waitress was incredibly knowledgeable and every dish was presented elegantly and with extraordinary culinary detail and flavor. This restaurant truly deserves a Michelin star! read more

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We again came back for a casual Tsuki night (must sign up for their mailing list to know when these happen) and had a lovely meal. We started with the beef tartare with crawfish/garlic oil and aged parmesan and were surprised at how bright and fresh this tasted. The seasoning tickled our taste buds and we only wished it came in a slight larger quantity. The pork belly was tasty and tender. The accompany corn and sorghum was alright- we would've preferred the sorghum 'popcorn' just a bit less hard and difficult to eat. The pork chop with mustard seed and currants was perfectly cooked and the most generous dish of the night. The chicken fried steak was made of wagyu but like many more complicated versions of steak, the wagyu meat quality for a bit loss in the preparation. The fried chicken with cornbread, jalapenos, and honey was hands down the favorite of the night- crispy, sweet and salty and shareable. We finished with the shortbread cookies with cheesecake mousse (think moon pie) and were a bit disappointment at the undercooked (cookie dough-like) texture of the shortbread cookies themselves. read more

An incredible experience in this hidden gem. The staff here is IMPECCABLE and the experience is 10/10. It's a great place for an upscale night, expect a bill upwards of $200+ and if you want to experience the 10 course, $550+. Another big plus is they have a lot of locally sourced food. This was my second time here and would go again! read more

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We used Matsu to cater most of the meals for an 11- day feature film movie shoot. We had celebrities on site and quality and flavor were really important. Chef William and team knocked it out of the park. The food was amazing and that was what he could do quickly and en masse. Not only does he have a natural flair for combining flavors, he is a pleasure to work with and made my life as the person responsible for crafty services so easy. I highly highly recommend Matsu, as do the entire cast and crew. read more

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Matsu in Oceanside is simply amazing. I had eyed going for some time and we finally had a free weekend evening to try their 10 course tasting menu (they also have an à la carte menu of tasty items, if you prefer that route). When we arrived, we were welcomed into a warm, cozy and welcoming intimate restaurant experience. The sensibility and presentation was Japanese but the food and wine pairings were interesting fusions of Japanese, local seafood and international elements. Each dish was a well crafted concept that was tasty and evoked a particular note and fusion flavor highlight. The wine and sake pairings were incredible - while I usually do enjoy wine pairings with a meal, this series was especially noteworthy. Separately, each dish and each wine/sake was well chosen in progression and tasty on its own. But what was notable here was how each food -wine sake pairing transformed the experience of both the food and the wine or sake. The food progressed from an opening "snacks" dish thru tartare, a type of artichoke gyoza with a cheese based Dashi that was light, melt in your mouth experience. Followed by a n innovative shrimp tempura that was not like any tempura I've had here or in Japan, accompanied by an amazing synergizing broth. The stuffed deboned marinated chicken wing with crispy skin-all I can say-that disappeared quickly from our plates into our bellies. Followed by a series of fish, duck and desert dishes- the sauces and broths were light and amazing throughout. See our pictures for hints of the incredible evening and food that we experienced. Attention to detail in ambiance, plating, dish progression, service and attention to us was simply exemplary. Service was friendly, attentive, leaned into when & how much we wished to be interactive or discuss more the dishes, wine/sake or general concepts about the food and experiences. Matsu watched how we progressed through each course, and the service matched the timing. Matsu is a treasure like no other read more

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The 10 course tasting menu with bespoke wine pairings was amazing. The service was impeccable. Dishes were brought to the table and placed in front of us in coordinated fashion with description of dish and prep afterward try the staff. Everything was excellent. Ambiance is romantic and great for date night. The bespoke wine pairings were excellent. Mix of primarily unique white wines and Sake pairings. Can't wait to return. read more

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I would give this place 4.5 stars but since there isn't that open, let's give it a 4. I've been wanting to try this place since 2 years ago, but I was pregnant. My husband and I agree this place is good, but we were just expecting to have a little bit more sushi or sashimi given the restaurant is categorized as Japanese. We got the 10 course meal. I have to say I liked everything except the 3rd dish that was the spicy rice paper roll and the fish dish. I'm not a fan of Indian type of flavor and it seems strong and over powering. I wish the fish did not have such an overpowering sauce. My favorite was the duck dish. The duck was cooked perfect and the sauce matched the flavor perfectly. I would come back for the duck dish any day. The service was top notch. The waitress / waiter filled out water cup as soon as it's half full. We got sake too. When my husband stated that he wanted the sake more chilled, the waitress provided us with a option to pour us a new glass with chilled sake or chill the sake we have in a ice and bring it back to us. We opted the latter. The option and gesture was very thoughtful. The restaurant is modernist feel, not really Japanese feel, which is what I was more expecting. Parking can be difficult because the only parking option is street parking. Would I come back again? Most likely not because it a far drive for us. But, definitely a nice restaurant to get an amazing food. read more

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Wowie wow. First time ever doing a tasting menu type of deal. Oh me oh my. Everything from the service to the drinks to the food 9.9/10. I'd show you my pictures of the food but I believe it is better to keep it a mystery, so you are unsure of what you are going to be eating next, as each dish has their own very unique characteristics. But wow what a lovely time it was, service was incredible and I enjoyed almost all of the food items! The only thing I found strange was pork. It was very tasty I just didn't understand why the walnut butter was part of it. Sure it might sound good because it was an apple walnut sauce, but from my taste, I feel it did not compliment the pork. The first one with the kanpachi and raspberry sauce and the 5th one with the rockfish with scales and the sweet potato chowder were absolutely unbelievably divine! I will cherish those forever. And that drink, I'm forgetting the name, but it is the first one on the mocktails, with honey, yuzu, and togarashi. Impeccable! Thank you so much! If I was wealthy, I'd be back in a heartbeat! P.s. from the outside I thought 100% that this place is closed even though a booked a non refundable reservation haha! Just open the door, you won't regret it! read more

Matsu - 10 course tasting - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

I hate leaving bad reviews, but also hate the thought of others spending their hard earned money on such a terrible experience. Came in for the 10 course menu. 4 out of 10 courses were bad. As in, inedible bad. The greasy wing stuffed with scallop and drenched in gravy (why, why, why??), in particular, will haunt my nightmares. Thinking about the chewy pork still makes me want to gag. My friend got Wagyu for an extra $55 -- the worst Wagyu steak we've ever had; I think it's fair to say it's a feat to ruin Wagyu! Also astounding is the apparent fact that the tempura is so popular. Ours was just gross. Service was sweet but strange; we learned for example that the menu's quality standard is set by the chef's 5 and 7 year old daughters, which was unfortunately not the flex the manager thought it was... Again, I would quickly just forget about this whole experience and simply never return but for the fact this horrible dinner was over $300. Per person. Truly embarrassing for all parties involved, including the author of this review. read more

I have been blessed to travel the world (71 countries to date) for business and enjoyed great meal, at both Michelin-star and highly rated restaurants for 40+ years. This restaurant where we ate our New Years Eve dinner is now my favorite restaurant, . . . . maybe in the world and certainly in San Diego! This was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life and definitely the best meal I have ever had in San Diego!! I just keep saying, "AMAZING!! JUST AMAZING!!" We had the 10-course tasting menu with the optional A5 Waygu. Service was exceptional if not perfect at every level of engagement. Every dish was carefully presented, often by the chef himself, and perfectly described and explained. And every dish was pre-served with appropriate silverware for enjoying. I cannot wait to come back!! read more

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This restaurant is a true gem in the San Diego area - it's so good that we drive down from Irvine to eat here. The dishes are extremely creative and unique, made with seasonal ingredients. There's a couple of different dining experiences available - we have tried the a la carte menu twice now. The prices are quite reasonable given the experience. We loved numerous dishes, but our favorites include their takes on tempura, lettuce, sunflower and ika (one of their signature dishes) and their wagyu cheeseburger. Some of the dishes are shareable for two - just ask your server for guidance. The service is attentive, but still casual. The dining room makes ample use of wood and other minimalist materials, which makes for a more relaxed dining experience. Definitely Japanese-inspired. Highly recommend Matsu for a date night, special occasion or even just a normal night out. There aren't many Japanese restaurants like this in the SoCal area. read more

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A terrific meal and dining experience. Honestly, if we didn't live 500-miles away we would dine here every week. The effort that went in to each dish shone thru. We chose the chefs tasting 10-course menu and were not disappointed. I only wish I had the foresight to photograph the menu so I could more properly describe each image. A nice variety of proteins that were well balanced and delicious. The staff were amazing and so welcoming. The Chef was kind enough to drop by our table and chat with us. We loved that the background music was not too loud; the ambiance was very nice. The dashi broth variations were clean and fresh. So much work went in to each dish; well selected ingredients, nice sake selection. We really enjoyed this dinner! read more

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Came for a birthday dinner and opted for a la carte menu. The decor is sparse and was somewhat reminiscent of dining in small home style restaurants in Kyoto. We were seated immediately and provided with a celebratory drink of champagne. We ordered 3 appetizers (1 each and two to share), 2 mains, and the 2 dessert options. But first the cocktails - a true mixologist painstakingly prepares each cocktail. They are scrumptious delights. We were treated to complimentary amuse bouche of tiny pancakes with tuna - delicious! Next came the a Sunflower, which is apparently a set item. This needs to be picked up to eat but one needs to get a taste of everything to fully grasp the complex flavors. The tempura is a must with the most perfectly cooked shrimp one can ever eat, in the most scrumptious sauce which must be slurped up. The Lettuce was interesting but not what we expected - low on filling. The Sakana is a perfectly cooked lobster tail in a saucy concoction. Wagyu was like butter. Desserts are interesting and different. The pine/cherry/chocolate definitely has bitter notes; the white chocolate/miso/citrus is punchy. Another plate of complimentary bites - including a buttery cake were offered. Service was attentive and friendly. We were treated to a delicious orangy complimentary cocktail. A thoroughly delicious experience! read more

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Matsu has been on my list to try for a while and we finally stopped in, early on a Sunday without reservations, and were able to do the 10 course omakase. Overall, the service was excellent and some of the standout items were the tartare, sunflower, tempura, oyakodon (chicken) and miso (dessert). I was not a fan of the lobster, duck, or the pine dessert. At $225 per person, it's pretty pricey compared to other options in the area. We travel internationally regularly and the quality is on par for this type of restaurant, but price point is high considering they do not have a Michelin star. They should look at a 6 course option, or something smaller than 10 course (which has 3 desserts). We will come back to try the a la carts items for sure though. read more

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I'm sad to say that I was disappointed coming here. At this price point, every dish needs to be executed perfectly and I want to feel blown away by each dish. However, I personally did not feel this way at all. Some of the bites we had were barely edible like one of their fish dishes was so mushy fishy, it felt like the fish they used was weeks old. Many times the cook on a certain thing was great but they tried to add too many other flavors and it took away from the dish itself. Overall the meal had good bites and not so good bites but if you're paying this much, they should all be good. read more

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Marsh is totally a top notch dining experience located right in the heart of coastal Oceanside, of all places... This place has amazing service, unique sushi dishes and beautifully done cocktails! From the outside, you'll be thinking "no way" but on the inside, there's a modern, yet dark ambiance that'll keep ya intrigued! It's not cheap, but totally worth it! read more

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Food - 5/5. The food was amazing and thoughtful. We did the tasting menu. The ebi tempura, kanpachi, pork, and desserts were some of my favorites. The plating was also beautiful. Service - 5/5. The waiters were all so nice! Would highly recommend this place. read more

Note: this review is a bit late, I had prepared it but hadn't published it for several months as I lost access to my old Yelp account. To start, my review is three stars because the price simply doesn't match the quality. The food is good - but in my opinion would be more fitting for a meal that is a quarter of the cost. None of the courses were particularly exciting for me, though they weren't bad. The temperatures often weren't ideal in my opinion, with some of the sauces and the waffle being lukewarm. Of course it comes down to personal preference, but I found the waffle to be a somewhat disappointing accompaniment to the pine ice cream. It was a bit mushy and did not taste fresh out of the press. The pine ice cream was delicious. The service was good and the staff was friendly. I did like the darkness of the restaurant and found the lighting was good for highlighting the food. The open view into the kitchen was somewhat lackluster though. While I wouldn't say it was dirty, it was messier than I would like for a restaurant at this price point; if it were fully out of sight this wouldn't be an issue, but it was in open view. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner. You prepay when you make your reservation ahead of time which is convenient, anything extra like drinks you pay after the meal. Matsu is a small cozy place in Oceanside. There's only street parking but we didn't really have issues finding parking. The menu changes with the season so you do get something different depending on time of the year. I did see a lot of reviews talk about how dark the place is and how slow the service was but we didn't have that issue at all. We were probably in and out within 1.5-2 hrs. Definitely a great place to try if you're wanting Japanese/asian inspired without necessarily wanting sushi/omakase (nigiri's and sashimi) read more

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Like a speakeasy, it's so unassuming on the outside. Slightly hidden but in an excellent area in Oside. We arrived for our 8PM reservation for the 11 course meal. I had so many insights with each dish. Memories flashed back to my time in Okinawa. Hearing the waitress describe the ingredients sourced from a place I lived as a child made my dining experience extremely healing. I imagined this is the theme of the concept. To be the poet in an epic, like all was written for you. That's divine. Cabbage with caviar was my absolute favorite.The dish with raspberries transported me to a different time and place. Desserts were heaven touched. Some plates are indescribable. I felt 30 years younger. I had time to talk and sit in comfort. The cutlery also shared stories of healing. Choosing a knife was my therapy, thank you. I appreciate every gift from this kitchen. My ancestors came alive through your dishes. Some even as close to Mother's fusion. Brilliant magical and emotional. Mahal Mahal. And the moon was setting so beautifully as we exited. What an unforgettable gift to be served and an honor to receive from your chefs. read more

This place is amazing! We love the ambiance of the place. Great for a date night too. Coltrane was our waiter and he is very friendly and knowledgeable. This place is pricy BUT worth it and you get what you pay for, the quality is amazing. They offer a lot of locally sourced items and Chef Will really put his heart n soul into this menu. Soooo good! read more

A very pleasant experience. First tim here and not to be my last. I had a Japanese style beer and some Wagyu. Nice and knowledgeable staff, relaxing environment, clean establishment, street parking, nice whiskey selection, fresh and delicious food read more

Matsu - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

What an experience! Next level service and a transcendental food experience. Every dish builds upon the next, and if you get wine pairings, the flavors take you on a wonderful journey of the senses. The vibe lends perfectly to their mantra of honoring Japanese cuisine with a California influence. Thank you to everyone at Matsu for such an amazing experience! read more

Every single aspect of this place was thoughtfully and meticulously designed with great quality--all the way down the table setting. Matsu's carefully-curated interior design starkly contrasts its unassuming exterior (and location). The modern take on Japanese aesthetics can also be seen in their creative, textured tableware--which were each uniquely chosen to enhance the experience of each dish. For example, the Amberjack (sashimi) sat in a mini porous tidepool rock, as if we were presented with the freshest catch right by the ocean. To reflect the kitchen's subtle use of pine flavoring--like in the Senbazuru cocktail--there was just the perfect amount of quiet emphasis of pine designs/imprints throughout the place: on the countertops, on the menu cover, in the bathroom candle. All the staff were professional, courteous, and quick to fill our cups. Coltrane welcomed us into our seats with a gracious smile so warm that we didn't mind when he told us the wagyu supplier that night was stuck in traffic. The food was impeccable. They first surprised us with warm towels and an amuse-bouche, which was a cute take on sushi: sashimi on taiyaki! Our drinks were strong without being spirit-forward, and I had the cutest little micro-crane with it too! Ebi (shrimp) tempura had a great soft crunch. Kakuni (pork belly) paired so well with the freshest wasabi and cilantro. The skin crisp off the Sakana (fish with oil-boiled skin) was densely tasty. Don't be fooled by Tsukune's appearance; yes, it is a glorified fancy cheeseburger, but it is the best glorified fancy cheeseburger. Take it from me: we were so blown away by this phenomenal experience that we are fully ready to sit in another hour-long northbound traffic the next time we come back. read more

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We had an amazing time at Matsu! The 10 course tasting menu exceeded our expectations, every single dish came out perfect and SO GOOD... our server gave a perfect description of each dish. Staff are friendly, great service! The atmosphere was perfect dim and relaxed which makes the whole experience even better. read more

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I will start by saying I enjoyed my experience here. My friend took me for my birthday and I think we did the 7 courses. To be fair, I could see how this menu might not be for everyone but I also expected there to be a fair amount of raw food since it is Japanese so I wasn't surprised. If you don't like raw this is not the place for you. Each dish was pure art and by looking at it I could tell the food was about more than just taste, but also about texture, and color. I was also surprised to see specific drinks and wine selections were suggested for certain courses and the wine even tasted different after certain courses. Overall, I liked the atmosphere, but thought the minimalist decor was a little too dark and could use a little more flair. Our server was attentive and I didn't feel any of the staff were rude when I was there. I'd like to come back for a la carte items but can't justify the trip during the week after work due to traffic. If you are an open -minded foodie, who also appreciates art give it a try! read more

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After years on the forever growing Yelp Bookmark list, I finally got to try Matsu for their 10-course Omakase dinner experience. We booked our table via Open Table (highly recommended) for an early seating during a weeknight. We were greeted respectfully and got sat right away. The ambience in the restaurant is very moody and dark with just enough lighting at your tables. They played soothing Japanese music in the background as you enjoy your meal. Now onto the Omakase. They give you the list of courses at the start with the name of each course. It doesn't tell you exactly what you are getting so the element of surprise is exciting. The order of the courses follow a traditional meal - from appetizer like courses, a soup course, a meat course, and dessert. But obviously with a couple of extra treats in there to fill the 10 courses. My absolute favorite was the Sunflower course, which consisted of the chef using cuttlefish as a "wrap" which was filled with fish and a sweet component. It was an immaculate bite for me. One of my other favorites was the Abalone course, which was like a reimagined clam chowder using abalone meat and sweet potatoes. So good! For the "meat course" the standard choice was the duck breast, but you could only upcharge to A5 Japanese Wagyu for an extra $55. Pricey but sometimes, you just gotta say YOLO lol. The wagyu was smooth as you would expect, but I could have done without the sauce that they poured onto the beef. For me, it took more away from the qualify of the meat, rather than add to it. The slice of duck breast was top notch though. My favorite of the dessert courses was the Miso course, which consisted of Miso ice cream (with hints of vanilla) surrounded by white chocolate bark. Still thinking about it haha. I will say that I expected more sushi-like courses... I'd say add 1 or 2 nigiri courses and that would have taken it over the top. But I do like that each dish brought something different. For pricing, it was $235 for the standard 10-course Omakase (again $55 add on for the A5 and additional cost for anything you add from the menu). read more

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I went for the first (and last) time in June 2025 and it was one of the most disappointing culinary experiences to date. My partner and I did the tasting and if it had been $150pp, I would have been mildly disappointed but quickly forgotten it. The fact that it was nearly $300pp - only $100 less than Addison!! - made it so memorably overpriced that my partner and I joke every time we've had a terrible meal that at least it wasn't as bad as Matsu. We were wary of the price and lack of a star (honestly, we should have known better, with how easy it was to get a reservation), but the a la carte menu was so sparse in its descriptions and the staff so unhelpful that we just gave up and did the tasting out of confusion, really. My partner wasn't crazy about any his courses, and my vegetarian courses basically all tasted the same - spicy. I ate only 1/2 of each course and the staff never asked why my plates weren't coming back clean, or if everything was okay. Needless to say, we will never go back. I really don't understand what I'm missing with all these rave reviews I've seen! read more

Great ala carte menu selections we especially loved the squid sunflower dish with green tea on top. The beef is so tasty and done to perfection. We also enjoy our interactions with our waiter who explained to us every dish in detail. Don't get fooled by the outside of building which may lead you to think twice about dining in. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of food and service ! read more

I've traveled all over the world. The food at Matsu is beyond words. The staff takes great care in everything they do. read more

Matsu - Matsu - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

My husband and I were impressed by Matsu! We love Omakase so much. But recently we are a little bit tired of Omakase and decided to try something different. Matsu caught our eyes and impressed us! First of all, their plates are quite outstanding. Display was beautiful. (Better than some Omakase in town) Second, The amount of food and the variety of food were both satisfying. Besides 11 courses, they gave us one amuse-bouche in the beginning and one in the end. It felt like 11 courses got extended. They just kept bringing out delicious food. I felt like in food heaven. Third, all the ten courses and amuse-bouche were delicious, elaborate and inspiring. My husband and I have Omakase very often. We love Omakase, but we got tired of some flavor or some dish. Recently it lost the sparks for us. Matsu's tasting menu is unique, creative and eye-opening. They had some flavors, texture and aroma that we never experienced before. Fourth, their dessert was solid. They gave us two dessert dishes and one plate of free petite fois which contained three kinds of small bites. (most Omakase in San Diego are weak in dessert). It was my first time trying Pine needle& yuzu sorbet and Miso ice cream. I would never imagined pine needle and miso as sorbet/ ice cream flavor. They did it and did it right! Fifth, their ingredients are high quality. Meat and seafood were great. Fruits were packed with flavors. Highly recommend to have Wagyu add-on and caviar add-on. So worth it! Sixth, their wine / sake pairing was perfectly executed. They have one pairing per course. We got to try at least 11 different wine/ sake. They were different and tasty. The combination of food and drink was just perfect! It brought the whole dining experience to another level. In the end, just want to point out a few things for improvement. 1) we were seated 30 mins after our reservation. The previous table spent more time talking after the meal. It's not restaurant's fault. But the restaurant could space out the time of reservations. 2) Taiyaki of the amuse-bouche was stale. That's the only issue with food. All other food was extraordinary. 3) sweet potato dish was delicious. But it's a pretty big piece. Very filling. To me, half is a good size. Overall, my experience at Matsu is definitely 5 out of 5! We will be back! read more

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Matsu was recommended to me by a friend and we went for my husband's birthday. It's a bit pricey, but well worth the cost. The service was impeccable and the dishes were a delight. Each course had a surprising element and we left satisfied not just from the food, but the entire experience. Pics of the dishes were from May 2022 menu. We can't wait to go back! read more

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