Finally got a reservation at Azuki and it did not disappoint…read more Dining atmosphere: We were seated outside and it felt pretty intimate. There were a decent amount of tables outside, while inside seemed to be a bit louder. Service quality: Our server was amazing! I didn't catch her name but she recommended several dishes to us that absolutely blew us away. Must-try dishes: My personal favorites were the tuna three ways, kobe roll, and nigiris. Quite possibly some of my favorite scallop & unagi nigiris I've had in SD. Cost-effectiveness: I will say that dinner came with a larger price tag, so it may not be somewhere to go for a casual dinner but it's definitely worth it for a girl dinner, date night, or a treat to yourself. Seriously, SO worth it.

We ordered the largest plate of SHASHIMI to share, along with some other rools and appetizers, for…read more3 people. A note: Previously, this restaurant had been my favorite in San Diego and one of my favorite sushi restaurants overall. I made reservations a month out and was looking forward to this meal, bringing my daughter for her first time. We ordered and it seemed to take forever, and three other groups who arrived after us got their meals. Ok. We are patient. Then our meal came. For $130, we were supposed to get a certain number of pieces of fish. The first thing we notices is the deep fried small barramundi fish in the center, which I guess was supposed to be 8 pieces of fish since it was cut in 8 tiny pieces. We had ordered this piece as an appetizer in the past. It is ok, but it is not shashimi! Other pieces were cut small so it brought up the count I guess. We don't normally complain, as we generally never return is such a thing happens, but my mellow wife complained and we got two additional orders of yellowtail, slices very thin so you could almost wee thru them. The kind you get at all you can eat buffets. This is all the chef's fault, thinking we were schmucks perhaps or maybe he ran out of fish. To the Maitre D's and the waitresses benefit, they tried with the extra fish and a free dessert, and we tipped well, as we always do, but we will never return and we will let the many people who we referred over the years know. If you want sushi the quality of a buffet, go to Aduki.

WOW!! This place is legit! Happened to be in this area and was looking for great place to get some…read moreomurice and stumbled into this little gem of a place!! First, street parking only but don't let that deter you from coming coz every inch or foot that you spend walking to this place is all worth it. Secondly, love the ambiance. Reminds me a lot of those ikazaya pubs in Japan but a little more chic and modern. They have bar seating of about 10 and 6-8 tables inside. But they also have outdoor seating. So I came at exactly 11 am and I was the second guest and they sat me at the bar. By 11:30 am, the entire resto was full, not granting it was a Saturday morning but people prolly got smart to come here early before the lunch crowd gets bigger. So for the food, I had to order their Hayachi Omurice and Chef Soichi's Chicken karage and both were BOMB! 11/10 each! Love the flavor of the rice and nice touch of thin slices of meat and the egg was perfectly made. I just wished there were heapings of those egg. The sauce was slightly tangy but love the flavor. The other star of my meal was the karage. Prolly the Top 2 karage I've had. I liked how they sliced in lengthwise and there not too much coating. And it wasn't oily and very juicy inside. Well seasoned and it came with lemon wedges and kewpie mayo. All I did was sprinkle some Nanami Togarashi for an added umami flavor. Overall, this should be on your top 10 restos in San Diego. Service was excellent, the servers were all friendly and always smiles!! Kudos to you guys!! I'll be back for sure!!

Hatsuzakura is a cute and authentic Japanese restaurant. All of the design details are adorable,…read moreand they even have a heated Japanese toilet! Their servers are always so sweet and friendly. You can expect a bit of a wait if you're going for dinner, as the restaurant is quite small. The main thing I would recommend on the menu is the omurice. The egg is cooked well and is the perfect texture, the sauce has delicious flavor, and everything complements each other well! The dish brings me back to Japan - it is just as good, if not better than the omurice I tried there. If you're craving a pasta, the guratan is very creamy. The chicken karaage, curry, matcha latte, and fruit sando are all decent, but they don't particularly stand out from other restaurants in my opinion. I always have a lovely experience dining here, so would definitely recommend to try it out!

Food was great Service was amazing…read more Ambiance was perfect as we were able to sit outside which was perfect for me and my autistic kids where noise wasn't too much for them.

Was so excited to try this place because I saw so many good reviews, but honestly ended up kinda…read moredisappointed Food was just okay, nothing really wow. The assorted fish bowl didn't taste fresh enough, and the uni pasta was honestly not good at all so sad lol. The other dishes were okay, but the raw octopus was kinda salty for me. It's also kinda pricey, and honestly I don't think it was worth the price. The service was nice tho! And the place is small and cute, with that kinda old-school vibe.

Recently came here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner celebration. It is a small restaurant with…read morelimited seating - so it's recommended to make reservations early. I made a reservation for 5 people, just a few days earlier before going. When you get there, they give you a menu and you can write down how many orders of each you would like. We did order quite a few. I wish I had taken more pictures. Our favorites : the karaage chicken, edamame beans, kimchi (SO good), pork belly, beef skewers, chicken meatball We did order some steamed oysters - it was more like an oyster soup with 3 whole oysters in it. We were not a fan of the broth. Also ordered some chicken thigh skewers, quail eggs, bacon wrapped asparagus, and a few other items that I wish I can remember haha! Overall it was a great time and the staff were really friendly. They made it a great birthday experience for my boyfriend and even brought him out an ice cream with a candle for his birthday! I'm glad we got to try a wide variety of items on their menu, and would go back just for their kimchi, chicken meatball, and pork belly skewers! We live walking distance here, and it would be nice to walk over for a Sapporo and some skewers for a date night!

This place is sooo close to our apartment. Surprised it took us this long to visit this spot. Super…read moresmall restaurant, but the vibe is good. Make a rez if you get a chance or just go right when they open at 5 to snag a bar seat. Warning- you may be asked to be finished before a certain, which wasn't a problem for us at all and we didn't feel rushed which is a plus. Love that you get to see the chefs cook (grill) in front you at the bar. Their menu is simple which I say is always a good thing. Unfortunately there were a couple of skewers I wasn't fond of- like the beef tongue. Listen, I've had beef tongue prepared in a variety of ways including yakitori style, but this one just wasn't up to par... The tongue still tasted like tongue. I know that sounds weird, but it's like they didn't clean it very well- which in turn made it taste & smell like part of the cow still and I am not down with that. Also, the chicken thigh wasn't as cooked as I thought it would be... Maybe it's suppose to be prepared that way? IDK. That was also a no for me. The highlights were everything else! It's cute that they keep the bone in when you order the chicken wing. It's butterflied on the skewer, different. Loved all the pork items we got as well as the beef skewers. Their takoyaki [$7.50] was super good too! Skewers range from $3.75 to $7.00 each with 3-4 pcs a skewer. Everyone that helped us was friendly! Big parking lot and the restaurant was nicely kept. The ice cream dessert topped us off in such a good way. We'll be back to try more skewers and more of their menu.

Excellent food , great service . Sushi Ota has been a…read moreclassic Japanese restaurant in Mission Bay of San Diego . Reservation is a must even if you dine in a weekday . We ordered the OTO B set , one order of the Tokusen nigiri, 3 pc shrimp tempura and Matcha ice cream . To be continued...

Very good sushi in an unsuspecting spot near a 7-11 off the freeway. Service was solid and food…read morecame out very quickly. The o toro sashimi melts in your mouth. Worth every penny. Overall, this place is pricey like most sushi spots in San Diego. Ambiance is nice, it looks nothing like you'd expect from the outside.

my partner and I came for the first time and we had a great experience. it's a small place so we…read morewere put on a 45 min waitlist, it was worth the wait. the service was so quick and attentive, you can tell the staff cares. the food was great! the panko crust was crispy and delicious, simple yet flavorful. the coleslaw salad on the side balances the pork katsu perfectly. i loved the interior, it felt very intimate. overall great place, great experience, we will be coming again.

Hidden away in a plaza, this little gem is easy to miss but once you find it, the tonkatsu makes it…read moreworth the hunt! Parking is a little scarce, so be prepared for that. We came for lunch and waited about 30 minutes to get seated. The front of the restaurant is pretty small, but don't let that fool you. It opens up to a covered outdoor seating area with heat lamps, making it surprisingly cozy. Now, let's talk about the star of the show: the tonkatsu! Crispy, golden, and perfectly tender on the inside. Every bite had that satisfying crunch you want from a good tonkatsu, and the quality definitely matched the price. If you're missing Japan or simply having a serious tonkatsu craving this is the spot. The best tonkatsu I've had in San Diego so far, and absolutely worth checking out. Come hungry!

Went here after the Miramar air show. We arrived around 6pm so we knew there was going to be quite…read morea wait. We had a group of 8 but we were seated in 30 minutes. The vibes, food, and service were amazing! Ariel took great care of us and she checked on us frequently. Food came out quickly and everything tasted fresh. Shoutout to Kulani at the chef station for being so nice to the kids and taking the time to interact with them while working. The kids had lots of fun! Really impressed with customer service even during busy dinner time! Overall a great experience and highly recommend!

I never get tired of going to this restaurant, I'm a sushi fan and as a former sushiman I'm…read moreextremely picky about eating sushi, especially temakis. Rice, the main ingredient of cooking is always on point but today it overcame, probably because it is very hot, the contrast of today's air conditioning was excellent, anyway. The best temaki in San Diego because it still arrives at your table crispy. A restaurant that surprises me every day that passes because it is a restaurant with the age group of younger waiters in SD but with better service than many restaurants in La Jolla. For those who really understand modern (non-traditional) Japanese cuisine, without a doubt the best. By the way, today the yellow tail was melting in the mouth. Anyway,,, thank you Little Sakana Crew,,, you are to be congratulated.

Such a cute, intimate sushi spot! The sushi was delicious, especially the Citrus Hamachi Roll -…read morefresh buttery hamachi with bright, refreshing citrus flavors that made every bite so good. The yuzu ice cream was the perfect way to finish the meal. The service was excellent, with such friendly staff, and the restaurant was clean and inviting. A wonderful experience overall. Definitely recommend!

My friend and I went for dinner around 6pm on a Friday. Parking was easy at this time. There were a…read morefew other groups inside, but it wasn't packed. Service: We were welcomed as soon as we arrived. Everyone was very nice and very attentive. We ordered 4 items: orange ginza roll, una don, inari and the annin dofu dessert Orange ginza: oh yeah!! I usually hesitate getting citrusy rolls because they end up tasting the same as any other place or the citrus part over powers everything, but this was unique and the flavors balanced each other out. Tempura was also nice and crispy. Also love that they used lemon zest(?). Would order again. Una don: Their sauce for this is SO good and the unagi was cooked perfectly. Would order again. Inari set. I LOVE tofu and you don't see inaris in SD. We were very happy with this. Would order again. Annin dofu - this one was unique. Very almond heavy (not a bad thing). This is the only item I wouldn't get again. The tofu was tasty but I think a lot was going on with this dessert. There was a lot of texture, flavors, and color Not sure if this is normal for this dessert lots going on. there were mochi bits, tofu, matcha sauce, granola, raisins, dried strawberries(?). Fun to look at and try but kind of a lot going on. Overall: Would definitely come back. I do hope they get more employees though because I can see this place getting packed and needing more staff!

I've been coming here since probably 2016-2017, and it used to be the best unknown place for…read moreauthentic Japanese food, like if you close your eyes tight and eat your food. You feel like you're in Tokyo. Alas, right before COVID social media blew it up and now there is always a line and a wait, I'm sure the business is happy but I miss my local late night after work izikaya. None the less. I still frequent as much as possible. The wait is the biggest deterrent if I'm hungry hungry. I'd suggest, especially if a party bigger than 2, showing up early to put your name on the list. The decor- classic traditional izikaya, if you've been to Japan, you know. Beer, sake, and tons of options for small plates and sushi to share, and of course some amazing ramen. Service- we've always had great service here, the staff is Japanese so for those looking for the "American" style service, may be a bit off putting. No large smiles and how is your day, it's more what would you like to eat and let me get it for you. The food, the food always brings me back. Jelly fish salad- always a must to start Negi Hama - we ordered 2 this time to share cause it was so good Hamachi Kama- because duh, it was perfectly cooked and tasted AMAZING!! Player 2 got the Hakata ramen and I got the Shoyu. I always go back and forth, honestly you can't go wrong with either. If you like the thicker more rich broth though I'd say stick with the Hakata. Eel donburi- we are big backs and like to eat, don't skip on this one. It is amazing All and all, if you enjoy authentic Japanese food, served unabashedly in a Japanese setting, this is the place for you.

Absolutely enjoyed this restaurant! It is located in a small plaza with limited parking. We came…read morearound 9 and waited about 20 mins before we were able to get a table. We ordered drinks first. Their green tea was soooo delicious! I also enjoyed their alcohol options. Each dish is sooo delicious and definitely worth the money! A must get here is definitely the tuna carpaccio!! it's soooooo good! We ended ordering it twice. There were still a good amount of people when we finished. A lot of people catching up. Vibes were great!

Such a cute hole‑in‑the‑wall spot on the tail end of Kensington! I had no idea this place existed…read morefor years, but I'm so glad I finally found it. Located in a small shopping center with a few parking spaces, Tanuki is a great tapas and standard sushi spot. It leans more toward Asian‑fusion tapas with some sushi rolls and a limited selection of nigiri and sashimi. If you're looking for specialty fish, a huge roll list, or omakase, this isn't that kind of sushi place. But if you want a wide selection of sake, fun fusion tapas, and some classic sushi options, this is your spot. I love that they have a small bar and that cozy, true hole‑in‑the‑wall feel. The staff is friendly, the vibe is relaxed, and it's the perfect place to come alone, with a friend, or for a casual date night. The quality is solid, and the service is fast and welcoming. They also have some great sake and green‑tea‑based drinks. I love it here -- definitely a go‑to spot for us.

They only offer low sodium soy sauce, which makes no sense at all. I asked if they had regular soy…read moresauce and they said no. Weird. Our chicken katsu looked like it was breaded in corn flakes and had no flavor. My shrimp tempura roll must have been fried with fish, because it was extremely fishy. Im not sure where all of these good reviews are coming from, but this place was awful.