Food always excellent. Just don't have enough help waiting on tables. That poor girl worked her rear end off being only waitress and the place was full. Prices very fair especially for Gas Lamp read more

Fantastic experience with an excellent menu. Service was very pleasant and willing to provide suggestions.

I decided to try out Taka for an early dinner one evening, and was seated immediately at the bar. The restaurant was clean, and the sushi chef (Raymond) was attentive whenever I was ready to order. I started with the bluefin tuna sampler, which was beautiful (see picture) and delicious. I tried a variety of nigiri, freshly made - harami (salmon belly), toro (tuna belly), and saba (mackerel). Each was served as a pair, with a generous amount of fresh fish. The quality was comparable to some of the places I had in Japan. Each fish tasted fresh and melted in my mouth. I was really happy with my experience, although this would be a bit more a treat for myself based on the price point. read more

Taka - Bluefin tuna sampler - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Our first time and we were blown away!!!!! A huge thank you to our server Mario who took such good care of us!!!!! The quality of the sushi was amazing, everything tasted so delicious and fresh we couldn't stop ordering more. We recently went to Japan earlier this year and wanted to traditional sushi - that is exactly what we found at Taka. The chefs at the bar and the other staff who checked in on us as well were so kind and wonderful. We cannot wait to come back and show our friends and family. Thank you again Mario, who made our experience so memorable! read more

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Surprised I haven't been here before. Sushi chefs were amazing and very authentic. Cute little spot in the heart of downtown. Definitely reasonably priced for location and quality. read more

Great place for amazing fresh sushi! The salmon belly was so good we ordered a so amazing we ordered a 2nd one. We enjoyed the starters shishoto peppers abd edamame. Even their fried rice was good. The fresh Uni was soooo good! Yellow tail sashimi was really good. Great service. Only bad was the smoke nearby cigar next door as they kept the door open Great service No dress code. Would definitely go back for Great sushi and fresh sashimi. Great friendly service! Cucumber Melon Martini was amazung. read more

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Food was good. Service was horrible. It took forever for server even to come over. She brought me a glass of water then never saw her again till I got up to pay my bill before I left in frustration. I was sitting at the sushi bar so at least the chef asked me for my food order. But I drink water when I eat and my glass was empty by the time the sushi was served. Frustrating. read more

I enjoyed my dining experience at Taka. Amazing quality nigiri with fun Easter egg. I ate mostly ikura. Loveeee how they marinate their ikura with dashi. I would eat a whole bowl of it if I can. Tried their sake oyster shooter and it was delicious. So the Easter egg I found there was this snake shochu from Okinawa. I've never seen one before. I was tempted to try but it feels way too intimidating for me to drink (im not badass enough lol) but it's such a cool presentation. Personally, I love when restaurant has unique item, and this one definitely got a "wow" from me! One can tell the chefs take pride in their work here. Quality is high at Taka. read more

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We passed by and decided to give it a try. Our server seemed unfamiliar with the menu. Despite ordering three items, she forgot our yellowtail roll, and it was never served because they are out of it. This disappointed my companion. The sashimi was good, especially the bluefin tuna, and overall, the service was decent with a tranquil ambiance. read more

Taka - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I love sushi, so it was a no brainer when my boyfriend surprised me with a reservation here for my birthday dinner. From the outside the place looks upscale and modern. I thought this would be a place to get authentic sushi with good cuts of fish. A treat to my usual sushi stop. And while the sashimi was incredible, the service and atmosphere was subpar. I honestly have no idea who our server was. One person sat us, another took our order, a different person brought the food and someone else brought the check. No one came to check on us during the meal. See if we needed anything. I had to wave someone down twice just to get a water refill. It felt like the business just opened and none of the staff knew their rolls. On top of that, it felt pretty dirty. Our table cloth was heavily stained. The restroom was nasty. For the price I expected nice chopsticks and cloth napkins. We got wood and paper. Even my chair was torn up. Unfortunately, the good food only isn't enough to bring me back to this place. read more

Taka - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Absolutely fantastic every time I go there. Service great food, and incredible ambience. read more

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My husband and I just had a lovely experience and were treated like family. Service and hospitality were amazing! Highly recommend! read more

Taka - They had us try fresh fried crab!!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The sushi at Taka is incredible! It's so fresh and delicious. The toro nigiri the best I've had.

Was desperately craving sushi while visiting San Diego and remembered passing by this place while walking around the Gaslamp area so decided to give it a shot. The ambience is super cute, especially if you are seated at the sushi bar where you can order directly from the sushi chefs and watched them make your sushi! I ordered a few different pieces of nigiri as well as a dragon roll and eel roll. Everything was fresh, delicious, and presented well. The staff was also top notch. Enjoyed this place so much I actually came back a second time two days later with some colleagues. Highly recommend this spot and would definitely come back if I'm ever in San Diego again! read more

Taka - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here for a late night dinner with friends. I wasn't sure what to expect. The ambiance is nice and I love the minimalistic decor. You can see the chefs preparing your food at the sushi bar too. My friends and I ordered a variety of items, but I'll just list for what I ordered. Spicy tuna tartar- it's good. I mean it's raw tuna but they make it tartarish with the quail egg and seasoning. I really liked their take on tartar. I'd order again. Halibut nigiri- can't go wrong with nigiri and it's not breaking the bank for two pieces. Pretty good and fish tasted fresh. We also ordered a bottle of sake. It was good. Service was also pretty good. Our waitress was friendly and chatted with us a bit. Overall a pretty good experience. I wouldn't hesitate coming back here when I'm in SD again. read more

Taka - Halibut nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Always worth it to sit at the sushi bar! Some of the best sushi chefs in San Diego, especially Taka himself.

Excellent food and service. Seated quickly and the food exceeded my expectations. Garlic scallops, spicy tuna roll, and shrimp tempura.

anazing japanese restaurant. everything was so fresh and tastful. service was amazing, ambience, location everything - love it

I will be honest, this wasn't my first choice or my second choice but the other options didn't pan out. Lumi's AC blew out unfortunately so we ended up coming to Taka. We didn't have reservations but they were able to seat us inside which we appreciated. Our server came and asked what we wanted to drink and I said just water because we had plans to go out for drinks after dinner so I didn't really appreciate when she asked "that's all you're going to drink?" The tone of it made it sound like we were obligated to order drinks.... After they brought us water, we had to wait quite a bit for her to come back and take our order. While we placed our order after each item she would say "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. " and honestly it was such a tone that it didn't quite sit well with me on top of the drink comment. The amaebi came out first (sweet shrimp is one of my faves) and was surprised to see the shrimp head on the plate too. It was still live & kickin so when it twitched it definitely scared me a bit lol. After you finish the sweet shrimp they ask you if you want the shrimp head fried or miso. We both opted for miso soup which was delicious especially because I was craving for some miso soup. The scallop, uni & salmon belly were all pretty fresh. I wish we asked to sit at the bar instead so we could've interacted with the sushi chef and possibly have a better experience with the staff. I appreciated the ambience and the restaurant setting overall besides the service. I'm unsure if I'd come back tho. read more

Taka - Amaebi nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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The Sushi here is super high grade and fresh. If it's not in season, they aren't serving it. Service is prompt and personable.

Best sashimi I've ever had! The chefs and staff were so nice. Ordered the toro and king sake sashimi read more

Taka - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The best nigiri I've ever had. The blue fin tuna is as buttery as most normal toro. Highly recommend to anyone and everyone!

Freshest sashimi/nigiri downtown! I prefer Taka to the other sushi places in the Gaslamp (Lumi, Nobu) because the fish is both fresh and the establishment is unassuming. They put their focus on the food and great service. Their prices are very reason for Gaslamp as well. read more

Taka - Nigiri - albacore, toro, salmon, scallop, uni - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

The sushi is amazing. The trio of white fishes is a great way to taste the variety. The sake haro melts in your mouth! So good.

I'm an avid Yelper (even found this place on Yelp) but this is my first review and I wanted to make my first one for a special place. This is... by and far... the best sushi I have EVER had. It is so fresh and the absolute perfect ratios. Masa, is the sushi chef and he knows what he's doing! To put it in perspective for how good this place is, I was in San Diego on a five day trip and went here three times. Highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and watching them make your sushi, that's fun :) Love this place and can't wait to come back! read more

Taka - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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We weren't sure about this place but daughter was excited about sushi so we sat down. They were ok with us having our dog there too! Now onto the food -- these have got to be some of the freshest, tastiest sushi's I've eaten! We ordered Cali hand roll, sashimi, spicy tuna salad, miso soups, and a bunch of Nigiris. Everything was beautifully presented, and tasted wonderful! Our waiter Mario was super nice too, and the food came out fast! We're very grateful because it was late and we were starving! Finally, you must try the matcha creme brûlée. I've never tasted anything like it before but it was devine! read more

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We walked in about ten minutes till closing so we could only order one round of sushi . Mario was very polite. Sushi was very good. Service was great presentation was nice . Ambiance is very calm and I would definitely come back here . read more

We had a great experience dining at Taka. Our sushi chef was very friendly and helpful during the entire time we were there. Everything we ordered was great, but the toro was the front runner. Melted in your mouth. We'll definitely be back the next time we visit San Diego! read more

I don't understand why they aren't closer to a five star rating. I've been to many Japanese restaurants and sushi bars and this place is authentic sushi if one knows what to look for. The hospitality was great and friendly. Martin helped us celebrate our anniversary in great fashion. The sushi selections were great. From our live Lobster sashimi to our red bean ice cream, everything would be considered prepared in true Japanese fashion. You can see photos of our courses: Live Lobster sashimi (watch video it was still moving) Soft shell crab tempura Shishito peppers Yellowtail roll Special Battera Roll Salmon skin hand rolls Spanish Mackerel sashimi with the bones deep fried to a crisp afterwards Lobster miso soup from the head of the live lobster and finishing it off with a pallet cleanser of sweet Japanese red bean ice cream. DEE-LICIOUS! read more

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Just wow! The quality of the nigiri is top notch. This is a gem for sushi in San Diego.

The service was delightful, the ahi was incredibly fresh, the food was delicious and it was quick. Cute ambiance. A great sushi place to try if you're downtown. read more

Not as fresh as other reviews put it out to be. Expensive price range for quality received. Restaurant smelled fishy. Went here because of other positive reviews, however disappointed in fellow Yelp reviewers. read more

My husband wanted sushi after we got some dessert and we were able to dine at the bar here. We ordered a bunch of nigiris-snapper, otoro, salmon, live sweet shrimp, amber jack, Spanish mackerel, and goldeneye. Everything was so fresh and delicious. We also got a couple of softshell hand rolls that were really yummy. The live sweet shrimp came with a second course, so we chose the amaebi miso soup. It was very comforting! For drinks, we tried Kubota sake and he got an Asahi black as well. Service was not as attentive as we would have liked. There seems to be some pushy patrons that got their way when they started ordering at the bar. We would have ordered many more things, but decided to get an omakase meal elsewhere. read more

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Decent taste but really small and Overpriced. Seems like they were running low on rice or something because none of the pieces were fully covered in rice. The nigiri rice to fish ratio was way off. I've never seen so little rice on nigiri. I've lived downtown for almost 4 years and never eat in this area for this reason. Lots of tourists and drunk people giving decent reviews for a place that deserves a 3 average at best. 6 minute walk from my place but will never come back. Just not worth the cost! read more

Taka - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Came in for a quick bite after attending a conference at the convention center. The interior/vibe of the restaurant was a little mysterious to me. The sushi bar side looks like an authentic Japanese restaurant, but the table side looks odd with the white tablecloth... Kind of steakhouse-like...? I had an order of the salmon nigiri, which was thick, juicy, and delicious. The yellowtail roll was also tasty - their cut rolls are pricy but the pieces are definitely larger than typical yellowtail maki rolls. The rice is on the outside and it is 8 pieces - the size of a tempura roll or California roll. The menu is a little expensive but not too bad for Gaslamp. read more

Taka was my backup dining spot after my initial choice had already stopped seating customers for the evening. They were about to close within half an hour too, however the hostess allowed me to sit at the bar to order sushi. Some parties were still seated outside on the sidewalk, but the kitchen was no longer preparing any non-raw fish items. The left side of the menu contained all the sushi offerings. Upon first glance, the prices were higher than I had expected. For example, all the hand rolls containing seafood as a protein were at least $6 each. Normally, this is around $4 to $5 per hand roll. I ordered a few items for a quick meal... a yellowtail nigiri, an eel roll, and a spicy scallop roll. The one thing that stood out was the size of the eight pieces in the rolls. They were small in diameter to say the least, especially for $10.50 (spicy scallop) and $12.50 (eel). The quality of the fish was decent while the service was acceptable. There are other options in the Gaslamp Quarter if you want Japanese cuisine. I gave this dining experience at Taka a three star rating. read more

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For offering sushi right on the Gas Lamp, Taka deserves some credit, but holistically as a sushi restaurant this place is mid asf. I have had better quality fish at all you can eat sushi restaurants and for how pricy Taka is, definitely not worth. The restaurant design is minimalistic with white table cloth, but whatever class and refinement Taka was going for was completely foiled by the unprofessional staff and rowdy customers. The creepy old guys at the sushi bar were getting the chefs drunk while hitting on younger women. They seemed to be regulars so the servers let them do as they please. I understand that people can get loud especially on a Saturday night, but it was only 7:30 pm so a little restraint or effort on the part of the chefs to stay sober would have been nice. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant was mostly empty. I thought it was too good to be true when all the other sushi restaurants nearby had hour long waits. I now know why. read more

Taka - Salmon sashimi no better than the boxed sashimi at asian grocery stores for half the price - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Very authentic Japanese restaurant at the gaslamp. We parked about a block away not bad Service ia very good Sushi chef very knowledgeable We got the omakase with both sushi and sashimi They have 3 kinds of omakase My man and I tried and shared one and we are definitely full Food so authentic and very fresh And the sushi chefs are actually Japanese so that was very much appreciated We sat on the bar so we got to chat with our chef throughout Love it so much and we will be back frequently read more

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Excellent Authentic Japanese Cuisine. From the freshest fish to the best sake, Taka won't disappoint. Start out with the sushido peppers, then dive right in for the spicy tuna. Fantastic fresh tuna and just the right amount of kick. Then on to the sashimi. We had a custom selection of nigiri and sashimi that was incredible. Pair it with a nice sake,cans a cold Sapporo, and your night will be memorable. Be prepared to pony up when the bill comes, as it will be a shocker Your date will appreciate it. read more

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Super amazing and professional service by staff, and the food was to die for. I am missing this food as I'm writing this review. We got the Tuna Tataki, a selection of nigiri, a carafe of nigori, and the special miso soup which was very flavorful and bold. The nigiri reminded us of Japan, and we would definitely come back here! read more

Taka - Tuna Tataki - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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