My boyfriend and I were recommended Sushi Ota by multiple people and we opted for dinner on Father's Day -- we knew it was a risky choice with no reservation, so we showed up 10 minutes before they opened. Luckily, for a group size of 2, we got sat at the bar with a time limit of 2 hours. We ordered 2 rolls and thought it was good. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, we opted for multiple pieces of the nigiri and that was delicious. The fish was fresh, buttery, and had a good ratio when it came to the rice. We also thought that the rice was seasoned perfectly. Our favorites was the tuna belly, salmon belly, and the spanish mackerel. The restaurant is small and tucked away in a small plaza. I would opt to sit at the sushi bar again if possible, it's more intimate and always a cool experience to see the chefs work. read more

Sushi Ota - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

If you are able, I would suggest getting a seat at the sushi bar (where they make the sushi). The chefs are very considerate and attentive and will take care of you. Service was fast as our orders were made fresh in front of us. We were taken care of by Kei-san and Take-san. The salmon (5pc) was as buttery and tasty as I remember. We ended up getting 2 orders during our dining here. Liang was a fan of the Chu Toro sashimi. We got an order of chef's choice of nigiri (came with 1 miso soup), tokusen nigiri (came with 1 miso soup), 3 orders of the unagi nigri, 1 order of the soft shelled crab roll, and a hand roll. Cheesecake and black sesame topped it off. Presentation and taste were all on point. I recommend getting an eel and spicy tuna hand roll - combination is very tasty! And honestly never thought of combining it for a hand roll. It was easy to book a reservation through opentable. Looking forward to our next visit here (when we have some free time) read more

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I came here on a Sunday. Parking was easy, and we ordered the chirashi bowl, two rolls, and four pieces of nigiri. Honestly, I didn't find any of the fish in my chirashi particularly fresh, and the rolls were just okay/mediocre -- nothing special. I will say, though, the uni was amazing. I came here because my coworker raved about this spot, so maybe my expectations were too high, but overall the fish just didn't taste that fresh to me. The rolls were decent, but not memorable. I probably wouldn't come back unless I was specifically ordering the uni again. read more

I came with a group of friends and shared some rolls and chef's specials. We got the tokusen nigiri and the chef's choice nigiri. A great variety to share and the fish was very fresh and flavorful. Then we got the salmon jalapeño roll (delicious!), the double double tuna roll (my favorite) and the black pepper scallop (also good). I would say I wasn't full when we finished and the price is higher than normal so take that into consideration. Other than that, we had a great experience. read more

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This place does authentic japanese sushi which is rare in San Diego. They used fresh fish from yellowtail to salmon to sea urchin and it was all so good! we got the chef's choice nigiri which was pricey (~5 a piece) but so worth. This is definitely a place I would come back to if I was celebrating something! The staff were very friendly as well! read more

It's been a while since I've had sushi ota but thats was take out and during covid. So was excited to dine in person! We had reservations for 5 at 7:45pm. Highly recommend getting a reservation. The place gets pretty busy. But even though they were busy the service was fast and friendly. The parking lot is pretty small but we got lucky and got a spot. Would definitely plan accordingly. The food was amazing! Probably the best sushi I've had in SD! We got 3 rolls: Black Pepper Scalop, Jalapeno Salmon and the Double Double Spicy Tuna. And the chef's choice and Tokusen Nigiri. I love tuna so the Double Double was my favorite, so much high quality tuna in each bite! But literally everything was good. They also had specialty items on the white board on the wall. So I will definitely try some of those next time. read more

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Finally introduced my child to my favorite sushi spot by the sushi bar. This is classic sushi spot with clean deco. Basically ordered almost everything on the specials board since they source fresh local ingredients and from Japan. Chef's sashimi was awesome with the live spot prawn sashimi and nigiri. We had the heads two ways, fried and with miso. Amazing umami flavor. Finally got to try the limited mirugai, giant clam, that was out a few times. It's sweet and yummy easily my child's favorite together with the scallops and bluefin tuna. I'm glad to celebrate this occasion and introduce my child to the chefs. Very attentive service and on point individualized chef. Year over year my trusted spot outside of Japan. read more

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Made a reservation for a Thursday night through OpenTable and it was so convenient! We arrived and found parking outside in the small lot right outside the restaurant. We ordered: -Ota B: comes with sashimi, grilled salmon, scallop deluxe, seaweed salad, steamed spinach, shrimp tempura, miso soup and rice. This is a great option if you want a mix of warm and cold Japanese food. -Chef choice nigiri: which includes 12 pieces of sushi -fried calamari: this was only ok, the calamari was not as crispy as I would have liked. I would skip this next time. Always a great restaurant, with fresh fish. read more

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This San Diego favorite restaurant for consistently high quality sushi was again packed with satisfied customers. We came here for lunch and reservations are recommended even for lunch. The staff was courteous and fast. We loved it. The restaurant is very clean and welcoming for a great sushi experience. It felt like being in a high end restaurant in Japan. The nigiri sushi was some of the best and freshest I ever tasted. We had the double tuna roll, scallops jalapeno roll and snow crab California roll. Everything was outstanding and made with lots of special care. The sushi chefs here are high end experts. I see why sushi ota is a San Diego favorite. read more

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The sashimi was incredibly fresh--each piece practically melted in your mouth and showcased the quality and care behind every cut. One can truly taste the difference. We highly recommend the Chef's Choice sashimi and nigiri. The sweet shrimp was exceptionally fresh--so much so that its legs were still moving when it was served. The staff was attentive without being intrusive, ensuring our drinks were refilled and checking in at just the right moments. Everything made it a pleasant dining experience. It is a small restaurant so reservations is a must. Although small, we never felt cramped. read more

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Unfortunately had a below average experience with this restaurant. We came for lunch on a weekday. Got sat promptly. Service was standard and attentive. We ordered three rolls- crunch shrimp, salmon jalapeno, and double tuna. The crunch shrimp was the only one appealing. Unfortunately the squishy & slimy texture of the raw scallops was unappetizing. Along with how puréed the filling was for the tuna roll. The top of the tuna roll also did not look appetizing. Texture-wise it was not appealing or tolerable. We did not eat much of our meal. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things but I don't plan on coming again. read more

Sushi Ota - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

My daughter and I found ourselves in Pacific Beach last night and decided to try this place. First, all the patrons were crammed into a tiny restaurant space. Did not feel comfortable sitting so close to others as our table was easily 12 inches from the tables on either side of us. Plus, our table was not steady, it kept rocking and it got very annoying. Second, while the food was very expensive, what we got was 100% underwhelming. The Sashimi Sampler ($50) was boring. Fish was bland and the slices were thin and small. The double spicy yellowtail roll ($23) was basically ground up mush that had zero recognizable chunks of fish. It was actually gross and while we both LOVE yellowtail my daughter said she can't eat it because it was so slimy. I fully expected chopped up yellowtail but what we got was unrecognizable. Then there's the soft shell crab roll ($19). Huge slices loaded fake crab with a very small portion of soft shell crab. Like 90% fake crab. I've had SS Crab rolls at other places that were significantly better (and cheaper) than what I got. Lastly, we got a dragon roll ($22). Picture a California roll with thin 1-inch square slice of eel on top of each piece with barely any eel sauce. The service was pleasant and attentive so there's that but it's not enough if the food is not good. We were so disappointed with our experience as a whole that we both agreed we will NEVER come back when there are places that are so much better. I'm not kidding. That's how bad it was. read more

This is some of the best sushi I've ever had in my life... In California. I cannot wait to come here again This unassuming sushi restaurant in a mini strip mall in North PB is one of the best sushi restaurants in San Diego and wow, the sushi holds up When you walk in, it is so clean and beautiful with the nicest servers, staff and incredibly trained sushi artisans read more

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Sushi Ota is easily one of my favorite sushi spots, it doesn't look like much from the outside but once you step inside it is so cozy and welcoming. We tried the Crunchy Salmon Roll, Volcano Roll, and Diego Roll, and all were excellent. Super fresh fish, beautifully presented, and really well balanced rice/fish ratio. The atmosphere is refined and intimate, which makes the whole experience feel a bit more special. Service is always friendly, attentive, and professional without being over the top. They're usually busy (for good reason), so I'd definitely recommend making a reservation. Even if there's a wait, it's worth it. Hands down, some of the most meticulously crafted sushi I've had in the U.S. read more

So far, Sushi Ota is my favorite sushi spot in SD. They serve high quality sushi at a price that is reasonable for what you're getting. I came here with my parents who also loved it. It's authentic and does not overprice based on hype or pomp. I got the Chef's Choice Nigiri, and every piece was delicious. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Top 3 in San Diego for sure and they're not number two or three...service is great and the best quality of fish in the city hands down read more

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Been here before but never for lunch until today and, my goodness, the lunch special sushi is to die for! For $16 lunch special, I got the nigiri and noodle soup with a choice between noodle or miso soup. The nigiri consist of super fresh salmon, tuna, yellowtail, eel, shrimp and two California rolls. My partner got the chicken teriyaki and miso, and the portions for the chicken were phenomenal. I did call ahead to reserve a spot in 15 minutes, and luckily they still had some tables open because it was packed in there. It was calm and nice inside with everyone inside. Besides coming here for special evenings, I could also casually come here for lunch! read more

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My husband made a reservation to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. Wow time flies! We dined on a Saturday evening right when they opened at 5pm. Spots in the restaurant started filling up quickly! We asked to be moved to the bar seating and the host agreed. We opted for omakase for the both of us. It was fun watching the chef prepare our meal and our 3rd time having omakase. We started off with a snow crab filled cabbage roll topped with unagi, some beet and onions sauce, and gobo fried chips. It was interesting with all the different textures in my mouth. The snow crab was fresh but the roll was not my favorite. Next was the sashimi plate with lobster because it's in season, black snapper, uni, blue fin tuna snapper. It was fresh and imported from all different parts like Japan, Greece, and some were locally caught in San Diego. I would definitely come back for more of the black snapper. It was the perfect texture and had no fishy smell or taste. Next on the menu was lobster with some stir fried onions and mushrooms and some creamy sauce. I think it might have been shoyu and mayo. It was a bit tough understanding our chef but he engaged with us and made small talk. I was just fascinated watching him create all the rolls and dishes being sent to the tables. Next on the menu was tempura. There was tempura shrimp with some rice crispy balls coated in it, kabocha, and fish, and mushrooms. There was matcha salt on the side and we lightly dipped it in the matcha 3 salt. The tempura shrimp was light and crispy and shrimp was perfectly cooked. Kabocha had a nice bite but was still tender. The fish and mushroom was quickly devoured but rest assured it was delicious. After the tempura round, we had 3 pieces of nigiri and then lobster miso soup, and the other 3 pieces of nigiri. It was lobster, which was surprisingly chewy, and then 2 other types of white fish I forgot. I stopped taking notes and just indulged myself. Hehe. The lobster miso soup has incredible depth of flavor. Who knew miso soup could be elevated? The lobster taste was very prominent and added to the salty broth. After the soup, I attempted to eat some of the legs with little success. It really hit the spot because I was starting to get full. But I knew I had to push on! Back to the nigiri: tuna, uni wrapped in hamachi (my favorite) and lastly more tuna. I can't remember what type or where the tuna was from but trust, it was bomb. Lastly we finished off the meal with ice cream!! We had to choose from red bean, black sesame, or yuzu. I opted for red bean and my husband got yuzu. I wish I had got the yuzu. It was bright and flavorful packed so much flavor. The red bean was still good and had pieces of red bean throughout however. It was the perfect palette cleanser. Who doesn't love ending the meal with ice cream. The omakase was so worth it. Definitely pricey at $140/pp but great for special occasions. Make reservations ahead of time. The quality of ingredients and fish is fresh and they use ingredients that are in season. Maybe I'll return in another 5 years for our 10 year anniversary but realistically sooner than that. read more

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Deeeelightful! Omg, insert mouthwatering emoji plus a happy food dance! My friend brought me here she made a reservation on a Thursday at 1130 and it was needed! People are LINING up immediately ! She mentioned they can turn you away without a reZ or give you a limited time to eat. So be safe and make the reservation. Parking is also very limited so plan ahead for that. Place smelt a little fishy coming in but oh my gosh the sushi is mouth watering, my mouth bursting with flavor especially with belly sampler. The ginger the served felt so fresh! So juicy and delicious, I couldn't stop eating. I'm going to dream About this place and absolutely recommend ! It feels like a typical sushi restaurant, decent seating, clean restrooms read more

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I had no idea how busy this place gets for an understated place in a strip mall. I showed up without a reservation for a party of 4 for dinner and got a little nervous when they said they normally don't take walk-ins, but they were able to seat us relatively quickly, which I really appreciated. The food was amazing. The Diego roll and Albacore Sunrise were excellent. The Jalapeno salmon was also a big hit with our table. Loved the sushi here. read more

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Chef Takumi the best in the business. I found my new spot in San Diego for sushi! I was lucky that I was able to get a reservation at the sushi bar. This place is ahamazzing! The food was fresh and delicious. Our sushi chef Takumi explained each sushi with its origin, what an amazing treat. We ordered the 13 course sushi, wow! The flavors and textures of all the sushi complimented each other as I devoured each sushi! I was in heaven, I seriously cannot wait to go back! I love love this place! I highly recommend to get reservations, this place was packed before they opened! read more

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Some of the freshest fish I've had in San Diego. My go-to order is the black pepper scallop and jalapeño salmon roll. They have the perfect mix of freshness and heat without overpowering the fish. The crispy eggplant with spicy tuna appetizer was great too, crispy and slightly spicy. The o-toro was very high quality. It's definitely pricey but a great place for a special dinner. They're usually pretty busy but the service has always been great. read more

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One of the OG sushi places in San Diego and happy to report that after over a decade of dining here, its still damn good. The service is friendly as I have experienced it as a college student and its expanded in size since then but the quality has not gone down. This is up there with my along with Soichi, Matoi, and Azuki as my favorite go to spots for high quality sushi. read more

Sushi Ota - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Sushi Ota totally lived up to the hype! There's a parking lot immediately in front of the storefront with limited spaces but another lot behind it for 2 hour parking, and plenty of street parking which made arrival very easy. Arisa was the sweetest waitress!! I loved her demeanor, and she explained all of our questions to us! She made us feel so excited and confident about our choices and told us her favorites which absolutely lived up to it! Now onto the food... We started with a $15 bottle of cold unfiltered sake which I loveddd and thought was a great price! We shared the (pictured) chopped toro sushi which was buttery and delicious with a mild flavor, the black pepper scallop cut roll which is a MUST order - such a unique and fantastic roll that everyone would love, and the chef's choice nigiri. My boyfriend and I actually shared this so we just split each piece in half, some of them were harder to do that with because they were chewier but overall it worked out well. We had some amazing pieces like seared halibut, toro, salmon belly, etc. and some more adventurous options like fresh octopus and uni which I wouldn't want to do more than one bite of haha but is so fun to experience!! We added onto our order the A5 Wagyu Nigiri which wasn't on the menu but written on a whiteboard on the wall and was a MUST get. Oh my gosh it was sooo good. We also added on a delicious crab hand roll and the salmon belly nigiri. Everything was so delicious. We were totally stuffed but our stomachs still felt good which is a sign of high quality food. Cannot wait to come back!! Only feedback is a little bit of music would add tremendously to the ambiance! read more

Sushi Ota - Black pepper scallop roll (right), chopped toro sushi (top), chef's choice nigiri (bottom) - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

We came with 5 people and were able to snag 8pm reservations on a Thursday night. The parking lot is small and the restaurant is tucked away next to a 7-11. The overall place looked average but of course the sushi is what we're really here for! We ended up getting the tokusen nigiri, chef's choice nigiri, and 3 rolls to share. Every piece was beautifully crafted and the quality of each nigiri piece was excellent. The price for what we got was decent as we all felt we could have eaten more. Rolls almost hitting $30 was unexpected but the quality was there. read more

Recommend making a reservation on open table! A perfect birthday or date night spot. Parties over 10 would be hard to accommodate because the place is small, but the sushi is so fresh. A true 10/10. I got the set for dinner which was $37 and came with a miso. Every bite was memorable. read more

Sushi Ota - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place really needs no introduction. It is one of the most popular spots for authentic sushi in San Diego. While it can be pricey, like most quality sushi restaurants, I find their lunch menu generous and reasonably priced. I highly recommend their nigiri - simple and traditional sushi. We ordered the Chirashi and Ota A set, which came with sashimi, a California roll, fried calamari, fried salmon, seaweed salad, and more. While their fried items are excellent, the fresh sashimi and nigiri are the true highlights. Service is fast and friendly, and I love the unassuming and down to earth interior and storefront. One tip: be sure to make a reservation in advance, especially on weekends, since this place always gets crowded. read more

Sushi Ota - Ota A - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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We were wanting to try this place out prior to leaving San Diego and got there as it opened at 1700 on Sunday evening, they were able to get us in without a reservation and there were customers waiting for the doors to open! The service was stellar and the sushi we had was amazing. We tried the 7 piece Nigri with California roll, Dragon and Philadelphia roll and had to try the black pepper scallop roll. All were great. This was more than enough for two people to share. Would definitely consider eating here in the future. read more

best sushi in san diego, not much else to say except for if you want to have the best fish, this is the place to be !

The food was absolutely amazing! I got the double tuna roll it's was delicious! My boyfriend got the tokusen nigri and he was inlove with his meal! The service was great, we got our rolls really fast! Even checking out was very quick and easy! Also, The sushi chef Akira was very sweet, helpful and overall a bubbly personality! The ambiance was great we got to sit by the bar and it was amazing! Seeing all the chefs make the rolls was honestly great to see! read more

I was able to make a reservation a couple of days before for dinner and was seated upon arrival. Because the parking lot is small, I ended up parking on the adjacent street. Service was kind and it was awesome as a solo diner to be able to sit at the sushi bar to watch the chef's work. I got the tokusen nigiri ($37): Tuna, Yellowtail, Salmon, Toro, White fish, BE tuna rib meat, Albacore, Scallop, Salmon roe, Eel, and Tuna roll. I also added on a soft shell crab. Both were tasty, fresh, with great rice ratios/high quality ingredients and beautifully presented. Price point was reasonable and I left feeling decently full. The outside looks unassuming but the interior is cozy and very pleasant. One of the best sushi spots I've had in SD. read more

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Wonderful service, great atmosphere, and mouth-watering food. This is the only spot (so far) in San Diego that my close friend from Japan actually will eat sushi with me. If that's not a sign of the high quality fish here, I don't know what is. I'll be back specific for more yellowtail belly... highly recommend. Parking can be a pain, I'd recommend uber, especially if you have a larger car! read more

Sushi Ota - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Either my standards for sushi are very high, or this place is overhyped. I've been twice and I can say that everytime, I am pretty underwhelmed. It's incredibly pricey and the fish quality isn't that fresh to me. We oreded two orders of the 7 pieces nigiri + California roll which is $26, along with several a la carte sushi piece options which comes with 2 pieces. The total was almost $90 and it left us still hungry. Normally, I enjoy tuna but one of the pieces tasted so gross to me I questioned its freshness. Ambience is ok, the tables feel too close together. read more

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Sushi Ota looks unassuming from the outside. Who knew there was such great sushi right next to 7/11? We tried a sampler of sashimi and a few rolls. Try the albacore sunrise! Everything was delicious and the service was on point. Definitely recommended! *make sure to make a reservation read more

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This is hands down my favorite sushi spot in SD as the fish quality has never missed. Reservations are recommended but my bf and I have walked in right at opening (twice now) and have had no issues with getting seated right away! Food: If you only order two things from this place, order the chef's choice nigiri and the black pepper scallop rolls!!!! I cannot say it enough that these two items have changed my life. I have never had such a delectable sushi roll and honestly kinda rare for sushi spots to serve a scallop roll. The chef's choice nigiri also lets you explore all the fish quality they have to offer and they all hit. Literally drooling right now thinking about it. Service/ambiance: Waiters are so sweet, and I like how the inside reminds me of a traditional Japanese restaurant with their decor as it's pretty minimal. I will continue to come back whether it's for a regular craving or a special event! And whenever my friends ask for food reccs in sd, I always have this place as part of my recommendation list. read more

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We got a bunch of nigiri and they were all incredible. Specifically the Hamachi, Chu toro, and Uni. The matcha mochi was also very good but I was surprised it was only one piece. They recommended a sake that was perfectly dry and fruity at the same time so our server had great recommendations and were very kind. The ambiance is very clean and light, very busy restaurant. Would definitely come here again. read more

Sushi Ota - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The food was amazing !! All of the workers were so nice, and the space was small but comfortable. I would definitely go to Sushi Ota again!! read more

Sushi Ota - Crunchy Salmon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Satisfying sushi but a bit underwhelming! The restaurant is more casual. It felt like a very local restaurant in Japan~ I would say the seats are a little too close together, especially the booths, but it's an overall small restaurant. The staff are also so kind and attentive too! The chirashi bowl was most worth it for the price of $31! The variety of fish was fresh and filling, and sushi rice was so vinegar-y, just how I like it. It had good amount of fish. Our salmon nigiri was a bit warm, probably due to the Unagi sushi right next to it. The pieces are delicately small. Getting the salmon belly is worth the extra $1 from the regular salmon. Recommend this spot at least once if you're around in San Diego. It's simple - classy - overpriced - but pretty authentic! read more

Sushi Ota - Calamari $10 - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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First time at Sushi Ota. Has been on my list of places to try for a while and had high hopes after seeing all the TikToks, Instagram reels, and Yelp reviews. Finally decided to try it out on a date, but was disappointed with the quality of food. The ambiance and restaurant itself is very cozy and nice. Staff are very kind and create a good environment for the diners. My date and I both got the Tokusen Nigiri, which includes rolls of fish such as salmon, tuna, yellowtail, toro, etc. They served us complimentary miso soup, which was good. When it came to the nigiri rolls, we were disappointed with the quality and taste. The fish did not taste super fresh, did not taste very rich or creamy like sushi that I've had in the past. The rice also didn't taste fresh and didn't have the best quality. For a more premium experience, I was expecting better tasting and quality fish but I didn't get it. I wanted to sit down and take time to enjoy every bite, but there wasn't anything really special about each bite. The unagi roll was quite good but everything else was mid. We only spent 30 minutes there and left. Would have rather went to AYCE sushi and got my money's worth. The restaurant and staff are nice, but the sushi, specifically the nigiri, is lacking. Personally I won't be coming back. read more

Sushi Ota - Tokusen Nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Absolutely our favorite place to have sushi in the San Diego area. High-quality fish, very friendly and attentive staff. Loved it!!!!!! You can tell a restaurant is good when there are people lined up at 5 o'clock when they open. read more