Not impressed by this place and will not be returning. The menu was overwhelming with too many options! It was so difficult to find anything that was on the classic side and closer to traditional sushi, everything had a random ingredient that didn't make sense. Additionally, my friend pointed out a baby silverfish crawling on our table to the end of our meal, which basically stopped our party from finishing our food. That alone gave me enough reason never to return! I can get better quality sushi elsewhere without having to worry about bugs on me or potentially in my food. It's safe to say that neither me nor my party will ever return here again. read more

Tappi Diner - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here for lunch and asked pre-order because the service takes forever. But was denied that we are able to place an order but only to go being told that it was a Friday and they were going to be busy. We came and there was about 4 tables used when we got here and asked if we could eat here. We received dirty looks from the server and the cooks. We requested to dine in but wanted to pre-order. That's all that we requested for. We were denied soup and service. read more

Very nice restaurant and good services. The restaurant has a lot of parking around so it's convenient. The food is good and not too expensive! read more

Tappi Diner - Smile Jamaica Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Poor quality, decent quantity, poor value. Overall I cannot recommend this restaurant. The quality of the food is quite poor and from experience I could only presume that this restaurant either buys really poor quality fish or doesn't cure their sashimi properly; or even worse both may be true. Although the servers were kind, the service can be improved. I truly hope that my dining experience was an isolated incident and that this is not the norm. Came here for a fun dinner based on reviews and a past positive experience at a separate "Sushi Diner" restaurant. My girlfriend and I ordered a few items and unfortunately I was severely disappointed with the dishes served. Oddly, the best dish that I had here was not even sushi, but the crab rangoon appetizer. Endless Summer: Citrus-y, mild. This roll includes spicy crab and cilantro inside with lemon, spicy mayo, ponzu sauce, and masago on top. Unfortunately, when we tried this dish I found that the crab was quite flavorless and the most discernible flavor I could taste was the lemon. The sushi was a tad bit warm also and I was overall very disappointed with this order as a whole. Bruce Lee: Wasabi-y. This roll includes spicy crab and avocado inside with salmon sashimi, wasabi oil, and masago on the outside. Upon presentation, I was excited since the roll was colorful and seemed to have a nice sizable slice of salmon on top. However, when I took my first bite, all I could taste was a strong and overpowering whiff of wasabi that filled up my sinuses. Something worse than the overpowering wasabi "oil" was the fact that I could not taste the salmon sashimi at all. There was none of the usual buttery "melt-in-your-mouth" taste expected from salmon sashimi. This inability to taste the fish is something that is unfortunately a common factor throughout my entire meal. Seared Salmon: Mild, bland, subtly limey. This roll comes with spicy crab, avocado, and seared salmon on the outside with green onion and spicy ponzu on top. Similarly to the Bruce Lee, this dish was extremely appetizing upon first glance but the actual experience of eating this dish spoke otherwise. The salmon was barely seared and looked mostly raw and upon eating the roll I could not taste the fish at all with only a mild hint of lemon. Many of the components of the roll are similar to the Bruce Lee which is an oversight of my own when ordering, but what is faulted to the restaurant is the fact that neither of these rolls taste like anything and the fishes don't have any discernible taste. Crab Rangoon: Crispy, spicy, sweet. The crab rangoon had a nice buttery and crispy exterior with such a warm and tender filling of cream cheese and crab. The star of this order was definitely the spicy creamy Cajun sauce that it comes with. It was spicy, tangy, sweet, creamy, and all the good things all at the same time. I had leftover after finishing the rangoons so I ended up using it on some of my rolls which helped them taste a bit better too. Service wise, the servers were very kind and sweet. However, they were somewhat elusive and demanded me to flag them down from afar. On top of that it took us a while to get our menus after being sat down and took even longer for them to ask us what we wanted to order. It wasn't until after we ordered that I realized that we were never given our plates, utensils, and beverages which I had to specifically ask for while it seemed like the tables sat after us received prior to even ordering. The ambience of the restaurant was very unique which was very different from every other sushi restaurant I've been to, but the issue was that there seemed to be a rancid smell that would waft in and out of the restaurant. My girlfriend and I were able to smell this and there seemed to be perhaps a mild correlation to when the door opened. Because I wasn't sure if this was the fault of the restaurant or not, I didn't factor this into my review but I wanted to make this note for record in case others have noticed this too. read more

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Updated: 04-26-24 Ordered: *Bruce Lee $11.50- creamy delicious! *Caterpillar $11.50- yummy! *Rainbow $10.95- enjoyed the yellowtail atop the roll. *Chicken Udon $9.95- tender chicken pieces. Would have liked it better if the noodles were a little al dente. The broth was overly sweet. Service: 4/5 Our server brought everything we ordered and came back to check on how the food was. Other staff also came by and picked up dishes we were done with. read more

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Amazing sushi and quick service. The 40oz to freedom roll was our fave! It had a nice kick to it if you enjoy a spicy roll. Also can't forget to mention how big the spam musubis were! They were delicious! Definitely recommend this sushi spot for affordable prices and lots of rolls to choose from! read more

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I had the most delicious, perfect Salmon skin hand roll I've had in a very long time. The Cali rolls and crunch rolls were big and delicious. Everything was fresh and very good quality. read more

Tappi Diner - Cali Roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

My Family and I have been going to this Sushi restaurant for about 7 years, When it was Sushi Dinner 2 it was AWESOME !! The best value for $$ sushi restaurant in SD. Unfortunately the restaurant changed hands about 12 months ago and boy oh boy have things changed for the worst .. Now the sushi still tastes good and fresh but they've increased prices and the rolls are HALF the size ..Now there's NO value for $$ and it's just another overpriced sushi restaurant.. Tonight was the last night we ate there and we won't be going back ...It's just a bummer what happened here, The new owners have just ruined one of SD little gems .. Sucks , read more

Wow! Today's service: Two tables served prior to my order of a simple rainbow roll and spam musubi. Mistake with the order. Not busy. What is going on? Fish quality has dropped immensely. Tip: whoever makes the Spam Musubi has never eaten it or they wouldn't cover the outside with sauce. They don't have furakake so sauce or plain ask for the sauce inside the musubi. Unsatisfactory. read more

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I really enjoy Sushi Diner 2. The reggae music vibe is an interesting mix with insanely fresh sushi, but Sushi Diner does it well. Clean and minimalistic seating options, but always busy. The sushi rolls are unique, fresh, flavorful, and a great serving size for price. I wish they sold their cold sake by the bottle but all in all a solid meal and experience every time. read more

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Lunch menu is great! Prices are fair. Service is also good. A great neighborhood spot. read more

Tappi Diner - Chicken Katsu and Rainbow Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Since the new owners have taken over a few years ago (when it was sushi diner), prices have gone up 30%. For example, rolls that were $11.50 were raised to $12.95 and just over the last month now $14.95. Initially, their rolls at their other restaurant were $19-$20 compared to $12.95 at sushi diner, making the latter a great neighborhood place for casual sushi. Was a lot better with the previous owners but we all knew when the new owners took over the price hikes will come. read more

The sushi was good but I miss the old location. It doesn't seem to have the same vibe and I understand that doesn't affect the quality of the food but it does the overall experience for our crew. read more

I've been to Sushi Diner 1 multiple times as well as Sushi Diner 2 and so sad to know it's been closed. I love ordering here because the baked rolls are to DIE FOR!!! I always dream of sushi from this place. Definitely should try if you're thinking about it. The sushi is so high quality and the proportions are massive. You get what you pay for! My favorite thing to do is order to go and eat it at home with the fam, or on a date! FYI: only one private bathroom. read more

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It was one of the most disappointing Asian Restaurants I've been to. The Udon broth was watery with no flavor, the vegetables were undercooked, skimpy, not much in the Udon bowl, the edamame was undercooked and swimming in a sauce that had no taste. So sad to try a new restaurant that did not deliver. read more

Bob Marley themed restaurant that serves sushi! Why not? Definitely a cool casual vibe. We enjoyed their specialty rolls and the many options. There's really something for everyone. read more

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Called it in for some sushi and Bridgerton! We called ahead and it took around an hour. That's fine by me. When I got there - they had a single window for take out orders and my order was really close to being done. No worries at all. We enjoyed the baked mussel and the fried calamari. I can't remember what I had ordered, but I think some rolls had a ton of rice - but that's fine. I still enjoyed the food and it's relatively on the the cheaper side but portions are good. Not bad and I would suggest getting there early or calling ahead! read more

I'm so bummed that Sushi Diner 1 closed but I'm grateful that this location is still open. Even though I don't live by this one I would drive across town just to come here. Sushi Diner has been my favorite sushi spot in San Diego for YEARS and they never disappoint! Even with all the inflation going on their prices have stayed lowed and quality of their food was always consistent. Not to mention the rolls here are MASSIVE. Usually 2 rolls is enough for me and my boyfriend. We always leave stuffed after. I'm a huge fan of California rolls and this place hits the spot every time. My favorite rolls are any of the baked rolls, the spicy jawaiian, bruce lee roll and any no rice rolls. Their miso soup is also a must get! They have a huge extensive menu with your favorite Japanese comfort foods and they even have a great happy hour as well. The service here is fast and friendly. I am a fan of this place for life! read more

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Fresh and affordable sushi! We ordered take out and our food was ready upon arrival. It does take a while to get your food when it's busy, but it's tough to beat their pricing at another sushi place. The rolls were huge and they don't skimp out on ingredients. I enjoyed my rolls and would come here again for take out. It's unfortunate that they close their Linda vista location. Also, the theme of the restaurant is very laidback and cool. read more

Tappi Diner - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

There's a waitlist system that requires you to write your name down. Being solo and on a slower day, I thought this'll probably be quick. Well an hour of waiting I look at the waitlist and realize they left my name off when they started a new page! I knew those people came after me. After confronting the host they found me a seat and I tried not thinking about how early I could've been inside. Tried the Smokin Jamaican, baked salmon, dragon roll, and salmon belly nigiri (seared). Out of all of them I would say the baked salmon was the best roll, but I wouldn't come back for the rolls. With the exception of the baked salmon, there was so much cream cheese packed into all the rolls it was sickeningly sweet. I asked if they could sear the nigiri and they were very accommodating. It's what I should've ordered all along, but still, I don't think the wait is worth if I can easily get this at Marukai. If you love sushi rolls with lots of cream cheese priced on the lower side, then this is what you're looking for. read more

Many years have passed since my first meal at their original location in Kearny Mesa, and this is still my favorite sushi restaurant in San Diego! My go-tos are the Spicy Jawaiian and Rude Boy. There are plenty of combinations of flavors (sauces, toppings, fillings) to try and having tried so many of them, I honestly don't think you can go wrong with whatever you order. I'll always have love for the charm of their first location but the expansion here (including a parking lot with way more availability) is appreciated. In addition to the sushi, I also like their kalbi - if you check their menu, this is offered with some of their combos as well! read more

Tappi Diner - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is my favorite sushi restaurant by far. I've been coming here for 8 years and have been amazed every single time. I drive 2 hours from LA just to eat here. At this location, parking is not an issue. The lot is shared in a big plaza. Sushi Diner 2 sushi is mesmerizing. Either you come here for the Caribbean vibes or the food, neither disappoint. The sushi is humongous and packs a flavorful punch. Each roll is uniquely delicious and colorful. The service always leads with a customer first mentality and always takes care of us. I'm always so excited to see what others are ordering while I wait for my food. The only negative thing I have to say is that they don't have a location in LA. It saddens me to say that they have closed the original location and moved. So many memories made there. At least they transferred the same quality into this new location. read more

Tappi Diner - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I loved this place!!! The atmosphere was fun, the service was friendly and great and the food was fantastic! Everything tasted very fresh and flavorful and there wasn't a thing I ordered that I didn't like! I liked the option to create your own roll too!! I will definitely do that next time. Highly recommend and I will definitely be going here again!! read more

One of my go-to causal sushi spots. Good prices and tons of options to choose from, almost too many though in my opinion. Service is usually good. There were a few times I've had so-so waitresses but haven't seen them since. Love the Bob Marley themed decor and music playing while you eat. It promotes a calm, relaxing environment. Seating is somewhat limited, so wait times can get a little long during the usual peak times (Friday/Saturday nights). They offer bottled beer and canned soda; so be mindful when it comes to ordering your drinks. I love ordering the sushi bento box, comes with 12 pieces of sushi, and a handle roll. Along with tempera veggies and shrimp, salad, and a very small seaweed salad. It's a great value and I'm also satisfied afterwords. On my recent visit I also ordered the Hawaiian roll, which was okay. In short, it's a great spot if you're craving sushi and I'd highly recommend. read more

Tappi Diner - Sushi roll bento box - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Sushi DIner is always a place I want to go to but because it's so small inside timing can be off and there could be a wait. We tend to order to go instead and even then there are times the phone can be busy all the time. I do like their lunch specials. I realized I don't have photos from our most recent visit but instead photos from out previous visit during lunch time. I just love how the rolls are fairly priced and good quality in taste. That's hard to come by nowadays. I have been a long time fan of their first location and we fell in love with that place although alot smaller. We love that these two restaurants are Bob Marley themed. Their menu is online making it easy to figure out what to eat ahead of time when we get there or for ordering to go. I have yet to have a bad tasting roll. So it's good in my book. read more

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Sushi is my favorite food and trying tappi diner was one of the best experiences that I had recently the service is on pointe and the sushi is super fresh highly recommend read more

Really enjoyed this sushi spot for a last min dinner with some girl friends. We all go rolls except one of us got bento boxes! The waitress was super friendly and helpful and the vibe was great!! We all loved our rolls and the prices for them were literally amazing. 12 bucks for a roll?! You don't see that anymore. Fish tasted fresh and not frozen and not fishy flavor either. Definitely will be returning!!!! read more

They have a nice lunch special. Excellent service. The menu is mostly cooked and fried rolls. If you're into that, you'll be swell. They have great beer specials too with fun imported options. Check the special board before you order. There's nothing like starting to eat and seeing something you think you would have preferred. read more

Tappi Diner - Lunch special with chicken katsu and a crunch roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Different take on typical sushi menu. Noisy and fills up quickly after 4:30. Very friendly and good service.

Service was good but other areas need improvement. The edamame came out luke warm and overly salty. The beef yaki soba had really tough meat that couldnt be chewed but the noodles were tasty. Seaweed salad was good. The rolls were well priced but came out so fast it was odd- guessing they pre make multiples ahead instead of fresh to order? You also have to request ginger a d wasabi which was odd. Most likely wont go back since they are not convenient to where we live. read more

Consistently fresh! Love the Ziggy combo and Peace combo. The tempura mix veggie fish is a generous portion and always prepared fresh! Very casual atmosphere great for a quick meal in house or to go! I usually skip the fried tempura on to go items as I prefer it piping hot and crispy! Try it out ! The sushi rolls have their own unique taste! Unlike some places where every roll tastes basically the same! read more

The lunch specials are great & totally worth it. We got two lunch specials, which came with one roll, one regular item, miso soup, edamames, salad, & white rice. The service was not great. The lady was rude to us, I said "hi how are you", got no response, no how are you, no are you enjoying your meal, no "is there anything else i can get you". Just "what do you want to order", then "is that it" then just put our stuff down on the table without saying a word & walked away. She was conversing quite fine with the party of three white ladies a couple tables down though. Quite interesting to observe. read more

Tappi Diner - lunch special - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

A good friend of mine and I needed to get together for a quick meeting and decided every meeting is better with sushi. I had never been to this spot before but he had recommended it multiple times. Him and his wife go once a month and have been doing so for a long time. It was a small, intimate setting with a very cool island vibe all around from the pictures on the wall to the Bob Marley on the stereo. I am not an adventurous sushi guy, so I went with a standard spicy tuna roll, and it did not disappoint. I also went with the chicken teriyaki dinner because I was extra hungry that night and between the two of those, I left with a happy tummy. What stood out the most was how fast we got our food. Part of it is because they have to turn tables quick because of the small space in the restaurant to get as many people in, but if you like getting your food fast, you'll love every second of that. We were not pressured at all to leave, but there was a subtle expectation, after finishing our food that it was time to go. That said, I would not hesitate at all to go back again. As a matter of fact, I think I will. read more

Tappi Diner - Island vibe sushi spot. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I was a little confused on the reggae sushi bar, service was friendly but extremely slow. Partners food came out ~15min before mine did. Food tasted not fresh and super bland? I'm not sure I'll ever go back. read more

The cutest hole in the wall sushi spot. Walking in, I admired the wall art and it was full of rich Hawaiian, island reggae culture which I appreciate so much. It definitely spiced up the dining experience here. They seem to always be busy but you must wait before you're seated. We were greeted by the workers and started off with Plum wine, lychee sake, & green apple sake which was a hit! We had so many rolls. I completely forgot the names but I'd say the menu can be overwhelming. My friends who are regulars here, guided me through. I chose the chicken udon--best udon noodle soup I've ever had. The roll I got was bomb, & the fried gyoza + crab rangoons--to die for! Whenever I'm in the area I'll be sure to come thru. I enjoyed everything we ordered. I wish there was more places like this in the Bay Area read more

Tappi Diner - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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We're jammin! Fantastic sushi, great draft beer, totally chill atmosphere with reggae tunes. Tiny little joint with excellent service. Huge menu and daily specials. My new favorite sushi spot. Every little thing gonna be alright!! read more

Affordable, and good! The sushi was good for its price, definitely affordable. It still tasted fresh and the portions were large. Seating can get a bit hectic so make sure you get there at a good time. It's a fun little shop and the service was well! read more

Tappi Diner - Bob Marley roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

What an amazing local spot. Walked in and felt like I was in Jamaica. Pictures of Bob Marley all over reggae playing. Super cool VW buses all over the wall. Select Ables. The sushi is amazing with a Jamaican twist. It's delicious well priced. We had the Jamaican roll and the one love they were both totally delicious . read more

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When my friend brought me and my bf to the OG sushi diner we were HOOKED. Now my bf is based in SD and so I visit often and I have to find a good sushi spot that I can frequent and tbh it was love at first bite here *chefs kissu.* When my homie told me the OG one closed I was punching the air, cryin, thwowin up tha works yawmsayin? BUUUT I didn't know they had a second one (I ain't from SD mb). The price, the quality is just 10/10 each time. I know it ain't no gourmet sushi but tbh, when I know that my food is affordable and tasty, it tastes gourmet to me. read more

Tappi Diner - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

No customer service! people that works here are not friendly. We greeted the cooks when we entered and they just looked at us. No servers outside they are on their phone at the back. Food was bad. Tastes like they were practicing the food they were cooking. The beef tasted really bad and gave us upset stomach. The sushis are not good at all. The sushi rice they used looks like overnight rice and it's hard. Do not recommend at all read more