I love coming back for the Carbonara Udon! It's cozy, creamy, and consistent with its simple flavor. Service was alright and my food came out at a reasonable time. Ambiance is pretty intimate as seating is fairly close to one another. Always happy to come back here. read more

Okan Diner - Carbonara Udon, Karaage, Takoyaki/Octopus Ball - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

My go to place for udon in San Diego! I always get their sukiyaki udon. The udon itself is always the perfect chewy consistency and broth has the right sweet and salty balance. Service can be slow at times because they're short staffed but the food makes up for it! read more

Okan Diner - Sukiyaki udon - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been a consistent customer and I'm sad to say the quality of food has gone down immensely. I always order sukiyaki udon and the last 2-3 times it looked like it was sitting there dried up. When my friend got the carbonara udon, he was unhappy because of how flavorless and watery it was. The service is also extremely slow, which I understand because of shortage of staff during the pandemic. However the male server was so slow to come to my table that he made me miss happy hour LOL. When I asked if I could still order off of it, he said no. Mind you we were like 6 mins past! I would've complained about that if I wasn't with friends I hadn't seen in a while. read more

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I make it my mission to try out all types of Japanese cuisine--Okan Diner is homestyle Japanese food and has unique menu items that I haven't seen at other restaurants. I believe they do have a sister restaurant in Kearny Mesa but I prefer this location. I came here on a Saturday evening and it wasn't too busy which was surprising. We were promptly seated and the two waiters helped us out throughout the evening were very friendly. Their kamameishi is their claim to fame and I highly recommend trying it out. One thing to note though, is that it does take 20 min. for the dish to cook but it is worth the wait! Every single grain of rice is perfectly cooked--individual grains without being overly mushy, flavored with the toppings of your choice. We ordered the chicken and mushroom kamameishi and the hotate mentai--there are about three servings of rice in each dish so definitely filling. Both dishes were fantastic, the chicken and shimeiji mushroom was seasoned well and the hotate mentai had the perfect balance of flavors in the dish. For appetizers we had the agedashi tofu and the dashimaki. Both were delicious--the portions were a bit on the smaller size but I feel like the price does reflect the portion size. I have never had dashimaki (rolled egg omelet with dashi stock) before, and it is just what the name is. Their agedashi tofu was piping hot, and reminiscent of a childhood favorite. Overall, one of my favorite spots for cozy Japanese comfort food! read more

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I am so sad to say the food and service at this restaurant are absolutely horrible. The karrage was soggy and I asked for spicy Mayo and they did not bring it. It wasn't even served with a lemon. The fish in the sushi roll was crumbled and smelled fishier than normal. The other thing about the sushi roll is it was about 75% rice. The server also brought 3 out of 4 entrees out and we had to ask her twice to bring the fourth entree! The servers were bland and had zero greetings or small talk. The toilet was heated which was super random and unpleasant on a hot summer day. A disappointing experience to say the least. read more

I was very disappointed with this place. Everything we order wasn't good. Harami (skirt steak) was so tiny like left over bbq, yakitori (we ordered thigh) was so dry, I got confused if that was thigh or chicken breast, I couldn't eat more than one bite. Lastly my main, Unagi kamameshi had too much eel sauce on it, I had to ask them to make it again with sauce on the side other wise there was no way I could eat that salty and sweet rice. They told me that was standard amount for eel, trust me that's not a standard. I don't know if this place is related other Wa Dining Okan, the other one is so much better. read more

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Is this place related to the Okan Diner next to Nijiya? Well, we liked that place a lot so we decided to try this out because it had a similar name lol. We enjoyed most of their dishes here! First, their tempura was bomb! Crispy, hot and tender veggies/shrimp inside, good seasoning too with the tempura dipping sauce. It's one of the better tempura out there! Also I highly recommend their takoyaki, very delicious! I was super excited when I saw ankimo (steamed monkfish liver) on their menu and just had to order it. It was very buttery but I think their ponzu seasoning could be a little more flavorful. The pork katsu curry was pretty good but nothing too special. What I wouldn't recommend was their negi toro handroll. The toro was far from what I expected; it's quite flavorfless, much like a maguro than toro. Their agedashi tofu was quite slimy and soggy too, and the sauce wasn't that good. Next time I'd definitely skip these two dishes. Service was quite attentive and the food came out pretty fast. You'd wanna get there before 6pm for dinner to score a table otherwise you'll be waiting for a little. read more

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The service was great however the food was honestly really mid. The onigiri had no meat in it and the meat skewers were so tiny for being 10$... no flavor to the gyoza and honestly would not recommnd read more

Okan Diner - Miso Soup Yakko( Cold Tofu )Age Gyoza/Deep fried Dumpling Edamame Onigiri - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

Got takeout here as I was craving udon. Originally tried their sister restaurant but their ordering closed right as I was trying to order. We got chicken karaage, a ramen, and the tempura udon with another of veggie tempura. When my husband got there he texted that they had accidentally given our order to someone else, so they had to remake it. ARGH. Ok. They comped out two appetizers to make it up to us which was nice. The food was...meh. The tempura itself was super hot and crispy and fresh, but not well drained as they were probably rushing. It was so oily that I was sick that night and until I threw up (repeatedly), the oil just sat in my stomach like a nauseating rock. Third time in my life I experienced this, and I eat an unhealthy amount of fried food. I enjoyed the udon noodles and soup, but the ramen was disappointing says my husband. Also, it didn't list in the description that it was going to come full of bean sprouts, which ruined the flavor of the soup in my opinion. We spent too long fishing them out. The chicken karaage was not at all crispy. It was rather heavy and the flavor was not good. I also didn't like the dipping sauce. So yeah...after all these years we tried Okan (after boycotting Wa Dining Okan for literally leaving us out in the cold and rain), only to find out we should not have wasted our money. The extra star is for them decently comping the apps. My being sick was a mix of my own fault for eating so much tempura (I was hungry after the wait and it WAS nice and crispy and fresh), but I do maintain I wouldn't have gotten sick if they had properly drained said tempura. read more

This is one of our favorite neighborhood HH or late night dinner option. As a Japanese "gastro pub" like place, skip the hand rolls and sushi and go for their hot dishes. HH is a great deal and runs on M-Th from 4-7 and 10-11. I enjoyed the grilled mackerel set and also the sukiyaki soba. I love that they also have Orion. read more

Okan Diner - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

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yummy sukiyaki and unagi rice stone pot bowl (not the add on). mentaiko and uni udons were solid, although could be richer instead of just heavy. good service, but we were charged when we asked for a lil bit of mayo w our geso karaage:0 these things usually come with at least some bit of sauce so that was slightly sad read more

Okan Diner - Sukiyaki udon - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

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Cute little Japanese diner with delicious food at a reasonable price. This plaza also has lots of parking, which is always a plus. They have a large menu selection of appetizers, noodles, sushi rolls, sashimi, and lunch/dinner sets. - Mixed Tempura ($12) Crispy and light, says it comes with 3 pieces of shrimp but we got 4 which was nice - Nankotsu Karaage/Chicken Cartilage ($7.50) I thought the portion for this was a *little small*, but you don't find it on menus that frequently and it was delicious - Carbonara Udon ($13) Creamy and had good flavor, especially mixing in the poached egg on top - Sashimi Combo Dinner Set ($18) This came with a salad, soup, rice, and some small pickled vegetables. Thought the value was pretty good for the amount of food! Also comes with fresh wasabi which is awesome The service was a little slow since they only had 2 servers for all the tables, but it was definitely worth it! read more

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I am so sad because I used to love this place. We returned recently and I don't think I'll ever go back. We ordered the sukiyaki, and it tasted watered down. There was hardly any flavor and only 5 pieces of thin beef. The chicken kettle rice (kamameshi) is terrible and completely flavorless. The only redeeming dishes were the yakitori, but there was a sign out from that the chef is leaving in May. Our bill for 3 people was $100 and not worth it at all. read more

Came in at 7:30pm on a weekday and they had lots of space. I got the Pork Katsu Curry Dinner set and it was ok, the meat was a bit tough and breading too thick. Curry was good. Service was fine. read more

Okan Diner - Katsu Curry - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

My husband and I usually stop by for dinner when we visit San Diego. Food changed and maybe the chefs too. I ordered the mixed tempura the batter did not look like tempura. My husband ordered chicken katsu curry which was his favorite the chicken burnt and the miso soup is thick and overly pungent flavor. We were disappointed and I didn't finish or enjoy my dinner. Very disappointed. read more

Okan Diner - Mixed tempura - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

Arrived on a Friday night after 7:00 PM with a party of 3 and there were still plenty of empty tables. I was craving curry udon and was insistent on having it and Okan Diner most definitely delivered. While I can't speak for the other menu items, the udon dishes arrived at the table within ten minutes of ordering. Carbonara Udon (4.5/5): This may sound like a strange combination or a gimmicky fusion food, but trust me, it's insanely delicious. The bouncy udon noodles coated in the creamy, fatty carbonara is surprisingly a match mad in heaven. Deluxe Curry Udon (4/5): The curry is really thin, closer to soup than the thick sauce you may be expecting. The flavor is there though and I would recommend eating the fried shrimp first as those become soggy in the soup before you know it. Again, the udon is cooked nicely and still has that bite, but this is basically exactly what you would expect. Homemade Black Honey Pudding (4.5/5): Fresh pudding that is just silky soft with some black honey syrup is sooooo good. It isn't overly sweet; it's just subtle sweetness paired with textural perfection. Even my friends who aren't huge fans of dessert loved this one. Green Tea Mont Blanc (2.5/5): I'm pretty sure these are purchased from elsewhere and simply plated at the restaurant, which is totally fine, but you can just tell this isn't fresh. The texture of the green tea paste(?) at the top is super grainy and ruins the eating experience. read more

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My go-to Japanese comfort food in SD. Okan Diner also feels more comfy and spacious than Wa Dining Okan, so this has my vote if you're deciding between the two. I also believe Okan Diner has a bigger menu. The food never disappoints, and the menu options are extensive (kamemeshi kettle rice, udon, grilled dishes, sushi). I always gravitate towards the creamy mentai udon or the blue crab kamemeshi. I'd give this place 5 stars for food alone, but service can be a bit slow when it's packed hence the 4 stars... read more

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This restaurant is quite unassuming and located in a strip mall area. I honestly just chose it because it was 8 minutes away at the time, but I am so glad I found this gem! We walked in around 8:30pm on a Wednesday and were seated right away. A gentleman immediately took our order and talked us through the extensive menu/his recommendations. This place is also very affordable and a good bang for your buck. We ended up getting an assortment of items, and the total (including tip) came to around $52 (fed 2 people!). Tea -- Note: the oolong tea ONLY comes iced, so if you want hot tea you have to order the green tea. We got both, and there are free refills! Chicken liver appetizer -- they actually seemed to have forgotten we ordered this so I had to remind. But once it came out, it was lovely! I am a huge fan of liver and have it all the time at home, cooked in an indian curry. I was excited to try a different spin on it. It was served cold and and in a delicious slightly sweet/tangy sauce with green onions sprinkled on top. I highly recommend. Deluxe Curry Udon -- there is an extensive udon menu, and I would like to try all of them at some point. I wasn't in the mood for something creamy, and the curry udon was perfect. The broth was light yet super flavorful with umami. The meat is beef and tempura shrimp, both of which were cooked to perfection. And the actual udon noodles...so thick and just the right texture! Scallops -- I think this was on their specials menu; basically 4 scallops on spoons with some sort of fish. These were definitely an appetizer, and tasted very fresh. If you enjoy seafood, I highly recommend. Dessert (Homemade pudding) -- Perfect way to end the meal. It was a creamy pudding with brown sugar on top. Next time, I plan to trie their mochi ice cream. read more

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Was craving some real Japanese food. Found this spot and was so excited to find a place I can go to now when I want just good Japanese food. The menu had a lot of choices. Wanted to order all. They also have yakitori and izakaya plates. Service was awesome as well. Seems like it was run by a Japanese family. Inside felt homie. Will definitely come back again. read more

Okan Diner - Mixed Temp Combo and Beef Udon - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

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Okan Diner hits me all in the feels. The cozy atmosphere and delicious food reminds me of a small restaurant I used to go to when Chun P and I were in Japan. The other night we were both craving curry katsu and decided to drop by. Katsu was perfectly crispy in texture and the curry was like a warm hug! Service is friendly and efficient - this place is always busy. I've also had the salmon dinner set here before many times and enjoyed it. read more

Okan Diner - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

We made reservations for 10 with a last minute add of 3 people at 11:30am on a Sunday. Our table was ready at about 11:35am. Service was a little slow and disorganized- Given the dinner menu when asked if we could order the set dinner meals we were given a one sheet menu for Lunch Set meals. We weren't sure if we could still order off the big menu like appetizers and sides Never got the last glass of water and 13th pair of chopsticks we asked for 3 times Never got the lemon sl8ces for the water Plates trickled out one by one with one of the dishes completely forgotten about. When we pointed it out it took another 15 min for the dish to arrive. Just before it arrived we tried to cancel it because the rest of the party was done with their meals. The server we spoked to said it would be coming right out and basically blamed us for being a large party. They hace a sign in the window that they charge a mandatory 18% tip for parties over 6 but the waiter says its not really a tip it's a service charge, implying we should still full tip on top of that.... Honestly I wouldn't write this place off completely. I wouldn't do a large party again but I dig the traditional Japanese dishes. The food did taste good. Best pan fried gyoza I've ever had. They could be a little more generous with the salad serving size and the miso salmon was a bit over cooked but I'd give them a 2nd chance because I'd like to try a kamamenchi bowl. read more

Be ready to be transported to '70's Tokyo - such a cool vibe! City pop playing in the background w/ delicious udon completes the picture. Waiter was so kind, offering me fresh tea because my cup had cooled down - that's consideration you don't see everyday. Reasonably priced was the icing on the cake. read more

Okan Diner - Carbonara Udon w/ matcha beer - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great food and service. I recommend their Kamameshi. We really appreciated they had NA beer options for us.

Food: 3.5/5 Service and Setting: 2.5/5 Value: 3/5 When I was younger, Okan Diner's sister location, Wa Dining Okan, was a special treat. All these years later, the stars aligned and it was time for me to try their more casual concept. Located in a busy strip mall, parking is a bit tight but nothing too serious. It is a busy plaza so expect to wait around or park somewhere else. Going in, the restaurant had a design that embodies mid 2010 style. This sort of mix between modern and Japanese motifs with strangely dirty looking would checked all of the boxes. The restaurant felt a bit dingy and dirty but most people are coming here to eat and not enjoy a masterclass in interior design. We came right when they opened for their dinner hours and were seated right away. There were only 2 servers so service was kind, but it was very hard to ask for things as they only seemed to come out when bringing out food. It was just all pretty mid. Geso Kara: 3/5 Geso Kara are deep fried squid legs in a crispy batter. The coating was very dark and had a distinct oily flavor. It was served on top of some greens. The squid itself was not overly tough but did have a good bite and chew. The squeeze of lemon and I believe ponzu sauce that it was served with helped cut the oil. The biggest negative of the dish was that it was very salty. Not inedible, but definitely detracted from the experience. Karaage: 4/5 The Karaage was pretty good. More "traditional" karaage, from what I understand, has a softer coating with distinct blistering and a darker color. Okan Diner's karaage seemed to be more gently fried and was more texturally similar to Taiwanese popcorn chicken. The flavors were strong and unique, I picked up on lemon, ginger, and sesame as the main points. The dipping sauce was also interesting and tasted like a cross between Japanese sesame and onion vinaigrettes with an extra kick of black pepper. For me, the texture could have been a bit crispier and the chicken pieces larger, but overall a solid dish to get. Oroshi Hamburg: 2.5/5 To start off, know that oroshi means that the dish is served with grated daikon radish to give it a refreshing taste. The hamburg patty itself was fine and was not phenomenal, but was juicy and well seasoned. The true travesties were the salad and rice. The salad was totally wilted and I am sure that they put the greens in the serving bowl to "prep" them. The rice was the greatest disappointment. Overcooked, clumpy, and just sad, Okan Diner surely served me and my family yesterday's rice that was not even respectfully stored and reheated. Rice is the heart of the dish and the lack of respect shown to it made me feel not respected as a customer. The corn that came out on the same plate as the steak was mushy and not very sweet at all. The miso soup was good. I enjoyed the fried tofu and it truly is really hard to mess up miso soup. Wit hall things said, I really liked their broccoli. It absorbed so much butter and caramelized just a bit to make it one of the tastiest bites I had. Pudding: 4/5 This was a great way to end the meal. The pudding itself was not too sweet and had a luxurious silky texture. A bit eggy and milky, the pudding also gave me fresh tofu vibes. The brown sugar syrup they put on top makes it taste like Filipino Taho a bit. This was probably my favorite item from my meal. read more

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Thoroughly enjoyed the beef tataki and coming here prior the kettle rice is astonishing. The flavor is well worth the wait. Order some appetizers first before getting the Kettle Rice. The Chicken cutlet curry was delicious and dare I say best in SD. As much as I want to keep this place to myself I just have to share how delicious this place is! read more

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Yum!!! I haven't been to many udon places in the San Diego area, but Okan is definitely a solid choice!! The restaurant has a big parking lot and is located next to Aladdin Cafe. I ordered the Nabeyaki Udon, it came really fast and was served at the perfect temperature. The serving size was the perfect amount too! Overall okan has great service and food! Would definitely come again!!! read more

Okan Diner - Nabeyaki Udon - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

Okan is a small Japanese diner just off the 805 freeway and Clairemont Mesa Blvd. The Chicken Katsu Curry was delicious. The Salmon Yaki was excellent as well. We also had the six piece Tuna sashimi. It was nice, thick and melted in our mouths. Service was good. read more

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One of the only Japanese restaurants I take my family. A good variety of food for everyone. The service is quick and the people are very friendly. Gives you a vibe of old Japanese diner, and we love the selection. read more

I came here with a friend on a Thursday evening. We were seated immediately as it was still early in the evening. The servers were really eager to take our order even though we were still clearly looking at the menu. We ultimately ordered the fried squid as an appetizer and then we both ordered a kettle rice as our main. I specifically ordered the scallop one. The food took an extremely long time to come out, probably close to 30 minutes. The food itself was tasty, although the majority of it was just white rice, with maybe five scallops and some corn and mushroom. I think paying 10 to 12 $ for this would have been fair but 18 is quite steep. They also never checked on us again throughout our meal, and then it took another 30 minutes just to get our bill. Overall, I feel like I missed out on the hype of this place. It was good but far from great. read more

I've been wanting to try Okan Diner for quite some time now, and I'm so glad I finally took the time to stop by! If you're looking for an authentic Japanese restaurant that serves quality food, then Okan Diner is for you. Sukiyaki Udon 9/10 ($16.16 with 15% tip included): Sukiyaki udon traditionally known for its sweet and savory broth seasoned with shoyu, sugar, and mirin. Typically it also includes slowly simmered meat as well. Okan Diner's sukiyaki udon is delicious! They serve such a flavorful broth and the noodles are perfectly chewy. The meat, tofu, and assortment of mushrooms also compliment the broth very well. Great service! Waiter was polite when suggesting what I should order next. Will be stopping by again and looking forward to trying out their lunch menu items. read more

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The food is good and the salmon was delicious and the chicken karage, sashimi salad rolls read more

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I don't know of too many udon spots around San Diego, so when my friend told me about Okan Diner, I was super excited to come try it out. While the food wasn't as good as some of my favorite udon shops in LA, I do think they serve as worthy competitors due to the lower prices offered here. Tempura: great texture, flavor, and variety of vegetables. We shared this between 2 people as an appetizer, and ended up being feeling stuffed after finishing our own main dishes too. I feel like you could easily share this among 3-4 people. Carbonara Udon: this is obviously a very heavy dish. It was calling out to me, but I was hesitant since I knew I'd feel terrible after such a heavy meal. I still ordered it anyways, and even though I felt guilty afterwards, I enjoyed every bite of my meal. The bacon bits were delicious at first and added some nice texture, but started getting old towards the end, so I ended up picking them out later on. Deluxe Curry Udon: my boyfriend ordered this dish and said it had a good curry flavor and generous portions of beef and udon. His only complaint was he felt it was a bit too salty, but he still enjoyed it overall. Good service and friendly staff. The food did take quite a while to come out, but not a huge deal. Can't wait to come back to try their other dishes! read more

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The Miso Saba was delicious: homey and very authentic. The price for lunch was very reasonable too at $14 for miso saba, rice, and salad. I also ordered their homemade pudding and it was great! Not too sweet!!! (if you know, you know!) Service was friendly and responsive too; lunch really hit the spot! read more

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I'm very surprised that I have not left a review for Okan since I've dined here many times..my bad. Food is great here. My favorites are the udon nabeyaki soup, fried geso, and the pudding. You gotta end your meal w the pudding. Best darn pudding EVER.. silky smooth and right touch of sweetness. I believe they sprinkle some peanuts on top so if you are allergic tell them to hold it. They have HH Monday - Thursday 5:30pm to 7pm. Just come check them out. Support a local small restaurant. You will not be disappointed. read more

Okan Diner - Blue crab n mushroom kettle rice w side of uni..yum - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

Food was good. Service was disappointing. We had a waiter who at no point came to check on us after we ordered. Besides flagging him to bring some spicy flakes, our waters were never filled till after we finished our meal and we by then asked for our check. This isn't the first time either. I came here about a month ago and had a similar issue with a different waitress. It's truly unfortunate because the food is great. But I can't be expected to tip anything for subpar service. Refilling water is the bare minimum. read more

Came back again for the curry udon and it was just as good as the sukiyaki but unfortunately the egg yolk wasn't runny :( I came on a Friday night around 6 with a reservation and the service was still so good + quick considering that they were short staffed! read more

Okan Diner - Deluxe Curry Udon - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California

Located in a small plaza, I can understand why it's not a well known place. But the service is good and the food is delicious, which is why they deserve some recognition. When we visited, we found parking pretty quickly. But there isn't much space and I can see it being difficult finding one. The restaurant was empty, got seated immediately. Mixed Tempura - came with at least 3 pieces of shrimp, variety of vegetables. Fried perfectly, eat it while it's fresh! Unagi Kama-Meshi - eel rice cooked in a stone pot. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare so get an appetizer to hold you off. When it comes out hot, I'd recommend not stirring the rice. Let it cook even more so you get that crispiness at the bottom. The meat is super tender and it just melts in your mouth. Grilled Salmon Kama - came out around the same time the eel rice came out. If you considering this for an appetizer, order early on so it can come out before your main course. A little dry in the ends but when you start digging closer to the bones, the meat gets really juicy. Will be back to try more of their food! read more

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Finally an authetic Japanese place that has more then sushi, teriyaki and tempura. Things that makes this place unique are the appetizers/small plates. When I say small they are tiny but packed with flavor. Serving size is for 1-2 people, or two to three bites, depends on which one. We had the tongue skewers, good flavor but a bit chewy. Also the octopus balls and monkfish liver, i did not pick them, but hubby enjoyed. As an entree, my husband had fish roe Udon noodle. It had a slightly fishy flavor, he liked it.. I had a Okonomiyaki, which was a small puffy pancake. You could add toppings, I added beef sukiyaki, crunky pieces and spicy mayo, very different. The portions seemed small but with the sharing and flavors we were pretty filled. But I was intrigued by the Monte Blanc cake so had to try. It was a cookie bottom with a creamy center, covered in a green tea like paste. It was very tasty with whipped cream on the side. They also have the usual sushi,a bento boxes and soupy dishes. Pricing was fairly reasonable,,will keep this on our short list of places in town. Somehow my pictures did not post and I deleted them read more

Me and my dad were in the area and we weren't sure what to have for dinner. I found this restaurant on yelp and after reading the reviews we decided to check it out. Service was good and the restaurant felt cozy and friendly. There is a good variety of food options. I ordered the okonomiyaki with a poached egg and I thought it was yummy. I tried the tororo soba and it was so refreshing and delicious! I would definitely revisit this place to try more! read more

One of my favorite places to go whenever I am feeling down or want good food. Thwy have a parking lot but it can get pretty full at time but there is also street parking available as well. They changed some thing since I first went such as the interior design, bowl design for some of their food, and removed happy hour. Nonetheless, the food quality is still how I remember and recommend it. read more

Okan Diner - Carbonara Udon - Noodles Near Me - San Diego, California