Ordered through Grub Hub. Food showed up without chopsticks, napkins, or soy sauce. Fish quality was good. The rills were a bit small, but the fish portions were good. The miso soup was really delicious, not salty like some. The salad was also good. The dressing seemed freshly made. It's tough to rate against Hooked on Sushi. read more

This is our new favorite sushi place! We've been here a few times and really enjoy everything they have. Our favorites are the Brave Jaiden, Golden California (sauce on the side), and the Crunch Roll. Only reason I say sauce on the side for the golden California is because it either is perfectly done or swimming in the spicy mayo (ew). We also like to get their garlic edamame and gyoza. The garlic edamame was changed the last time I went. I really like the new way they make it. Before it had waaayyyy too much garlic and sauce. You were just constantly scraping off the insane amount of garlic and the sauce made it a little too salty. The way they have it now it's just done light and perfect. The gyoza is always a favorite of mine and is done well here. Overall, this is one of the cheapest sushi places I've ever been to. They also have such amazing sushi that it's hard not to keep coming back here and trying out new rolls. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Waraii Sushi - Their new garlic edamame. Love it better than the old one they had and it's insanely good! - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

We came here for my daughter's birthday (Christmas Eve) and I'm so happy we did! Not only was the good great but the service was good and I spent less than I originally expected... thank you for the great dinner, we will definitely be back again!! read more

Waraii Sushi - Beef bulgogi, crunchy roll and beer! - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

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One of our favorite local sushi places. They have a sushi bar, but most of the places is table service. Very child-friendly, even when our toddler isn't being restaurant-friendly; the staff are always accommodating. The sushi is good and consistent; most of what we've had were special rolls, which are well-pictured and described on their menu. They also have some Korean entrees, and bizarre inventions like bulgogi sushi pizza. One or two rolls per person is usually plenty. (And there's Baskin-Robbins across the parking lot. Speaking of which, getting in and out of this parking lot is a chore!) read more

Always great service and food. Recommend the Aloha roll but you really can't go wrong. I've liked all the rolls I've tried.

4/29/19: 5/6 years after I wrote my first review of this spot, I STILL love it as much as day 1... I've always had prompt service, good quality food at fair prices! Still an A+++ in my book!!! Can you truly name another local (under 6miles) sushi spot that's better?!? If so, pls DM me as I'd love to check it out!! read more

Great service, fresh ginger,great sushi,never crowded and love the artwork on the walls with the music in the background

I tried the food here a couple times, and thought most of what I had tasted pretty good. The store is in the strip mall with a horrible parking lot, so I recommend parking toward the Baskin Robbins and just walk over. The first time I had the beef bulgolgi and spicy pork combo from their Korean part of the menu. I thought the bulgolgi tasted good, but the spicy pork pretty much tasted like bulgolgi but with pork. It wasn't spicy at all. The sushi was a lot better, especially the salmon. If you get the sashimi type, then you get some pretty good sized and thick pieces of fish. I had a combo plate that had 5 pieces of the chefs choice and one of my choosing (Sushi Combo B). Everything I had tasted good, it tasted fresh and no fishy smell to it. I was glad they had salmon for one of my 5 pieces was salmon too. I liked the food here, the wait wasn't too bad both times I went. If you're into sports, they usually have something playing on one of the tv's. read more

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I'm a little upset so I'm changing my review. Here is my previous review: "Really good sushi. I always get the lovely Gloria. Good service, small but clean. Lots of good sushi rolls here and love the green tea ice cream " Here is my new review: the food is still really good but this is the SECOND time I've ordered delivery off of Yelp and the delivery guy has been over an hour late both times. I live literally 5 minutes away. I could have walked there and back in that amount of time. I couldn't drive down there to pick up due to a medical condition so I pressed the delivery button on Yelp. The first time I thought it might just be a fluke but now it's happened again! My kids are starving! I called the store and the guy said that a place called Grub Hub is actually the delivery place. I didn't order through Grub Hub, I ordered through Yelp. If Waraii doesn't deliver, or outsources their delivery, then they shouldn't have the button on Yelp. The guy on the phone didn't even offer me a discount on my food or anything. This read more

Can't believe I'm saying this but it's the best sushi place I've been to in north county. I feel like a trader by feeling this way and admitting it tops my favorite oside place (the fish J****). We were in the area, found it on yelp & decided not to judge it by the cover. It's currentlu in a non description location with just SUSHI on the front of the building in a strip mall. However, THEY ARE MOVING THIS WEEK. They will b open @ the new place by next week (October 6th, 2014) on college and oceanside Blvd in Baskin Robins parking lot. Clean=A health rating, great service (although we came late n were the only ppl there)-she was very friendly and great about everything, each roll had a complexity of flavors that was distinguishable but blended together so well, and the rolls are 50% off which made our entire meal (gyoza, edaname, 5 rolls, and 2 ice teas) for under $50!! This discount may change when they move...don't know for sure. We will be huge fans for a long time to come :) read more

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Delicious sushi and affordable. I wasn't a big fan of sushi from trying it years ago and I decided to give it another try and they are amazing! Wait can be a little long however its worth it. read more

The sushi here is amazing! Can't beat the great pricing as well as the awesome customer service.

Came here for a surprise birthday party for my cousin the other night. Her boyfriend reserved the whole restaurant for us-party of 50 I think it was. She was definitely surprised-it was cute too...story time...Angelica was blindfolded, lights were off, Randy took off her blindfold she was surprised and started crying (lights were still off) some cousins started singing that John legend and Megan Trainor song (everyone was crying-lights still off) he confessed his love for her, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him and her reply was "of course" lights finally on...everyone was happy even the staff haha Now on a more serious note...it was my first time here... The food: I ordered the sashimi and man oh man each type of fish was cut perfectly and each piece was so fresh to taste. The presentation was also impeccable-it added a nice touch to my dining experience. My niece ordered their house ramen and she devoured that huge bowl-I didn't get a taste of it but she said it was delicious. It was so crowded there was sushi everywhere and every order I saw looked absolutely mouthwatering so I'll definitely be back to try out some more menu items. The staff: they were pretty overwhelmed I'm sure, there was a ton of us but they did an awesome job and really did cater to our needs. The sushi chefs were so quick too. Kudos all around. read more

Waraii Sushi - Sashimi boat. #fresh - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

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This place should be called Eel Sauce/Ponzu Sauce sushi because 21 of the 50 special rolls have Eel, while almost the entire other half have ponzu sauce. Ask for it on the side, they don't mind too much and they are aware of the over abundance (diabetes can't handle the sugar, not be but an excuse you can use) I liked the old location because it was quaint, perfectly staffed and just a hair closer to my house. Now it's much bigger which makes food coming out slower. Parking is probably a little worse, but much better visibility. The change did not have an effect on the quality of food though. The rice isn't overly sticky or acidic, maybe a little loosely packed. Chef's are happy, but not overly friendly. The new larger space demands more attention, but they haven't figured out they need extra staff with all the phone in orders they get. I saw a lemon roll take 3 minutes to go while my 2 HR's and 2 specialty rolls took 20 minutes, and they order to go after me. Normally it's not that long, but the new location has new problems. All 3 of the waitress will inevitably ask if you've ordered while you wait for your pick up, while you may wait 4 minutes to see a menu. They need sugar on the table since they offer iced tea Yellowtail is rich and buttery, salmon is firm and fatty, good color. Oysters were not memorable. Scallops are a tad watery and a bit too firm. I've asked where they procure their fish, but they've declined to ask. Shrimp used in tempura are on the small side, not as much crunch as i'd like. Sushi bar could use 1 less seat, a little cramped. Rather than go through half the menu my favorite rolls are I love you, fire cracker, hot temptation, lemon flush and amazing and popular green tender (something about the cream cheese, shrimp and avo combo) This place is still a great value if your willing to wait, even with the "discount" I'd eat here out of proximity. I've eaten at the best and no they don't compare, but there are things we have to overlook. We can't always live in the clouds. read more

Haven't been here for a while, but came back after not being here for about a year. I came with a few friends, and we ordered a bunch of cut rolls, and a salmon skin roll. *Hot Night: Spicy tuna on top of a roll. Me and all my friends loved this roll. Try it if you are into spicy rolls. *Albacore: This was good, and the albacore tasted fresh. Love fresh tasting Albacore. *Salmon Skin: This hand roll was "Meh". I have had better out there, so I probably won't be getting this one again. There were a few others we tried out, but I didn't try them out the write about them. Prices, service and quality are fairly good, more than enough to satisfy the sushi fix. read more

Waraii Sushi - Hot Night and Albacore Delight rolls. - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

My friends found this sushi location and I was excited to try some where new. It was a huge disappointment. First Impression: Cute place, actually. I had high hopes for this little place. It is a small place so I wouldn't bring a big group here. What went wrong: The menu is kind of lack luster for me. There were a lot of rolls with the California Roll as it's base. Not only am I not a big fan of that roll, but I have always thought that it was to sushi what peanut butter and jelly is to sandwiches. It was a big disappointment for me. I tried the lemon roll - I tasted more lemon than fish. tried the "Sexy" roll, which was fish with cucumber wrap - The fish was not flavorful and tasted old. My friend got the Beef ramen and he said that it was delicious. I didn't try it, Had I reached over for a taste, I think that he would have smacked my hand. Lastly, our server came with a heap of attitude and lack of any personality. Maybe she received some bad news before her shift, but she was not at all pleasant. I don't know if I would be back. Only if someone else really wanted to go. Otherwise it was a miss and with so many other options in San Diego.... why go back? read more

Waraii Sushi - Entrance - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Dude, all the rolls are half off and dirt cheap and we didn't get sick lol. The seating area is not clean so better order to go. The rolls are all decent! I mean, you can't expect to eat top quality sashimi here, but if you want the regular American Japanese rolls, then you have come to the right place! I'll def go back for dirt cheap sushi! Yes, order out, don't dine in, unless you're OK with unclean tables and dirty floors! hahaha read more

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If you're looking for a decent place for sushi rolls in Oceanside, Waraii is a good option. Note that I said in Oceanside. For Oceanside, Waraii is pretty good. In general for a sushi place, Waraii is pretty average. I never went to their old location across from Temple Heights Elementary School, but I've been to the current location a few times and it's not bad. Service seems to be a hit and miss, but I guess that depends on who your server is. The lunch special is a pretty good deal. For $11.95 you can get one basic roll and one specialty roll. For an extra $2 you can get two specialty rolls (6 pieces each), which also comes with a miso soup and salad. The sushi rolls are pretty decent. They're often drenched in a sauce of some sort, but that's what you come here for. If you're looking for high-quality sashimi or nigiri, I'd probably go somewhere else, but for specialty rolls Waraii will do the trick. read more

Waraii Sushi - sombrero roll and dragon roll (August 2016) - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

I was skeptical of this place. Occasionally, when visiting neighboring Thai Garden or stopping at the adjacent liquor store, I would gaze disdainfully at Waraii. "A scummy strip mall sushi joint? I'm above that," I would think to myself, pretentiously. I finally went yesterday, and it's great. It may be in a shady strip mall sandwiched between a pho place and a... questionable... massage parlor, but this is the best sushi I've had in North County so far (I haven't been able to get to Yoshino early enough yet). Small dining area, one chef, one waitress. Sign on the door says "All rolls 50% off!" but the prices listed are about $15 average, so a roll ends up being about $7.50. Not the cheapest sushi I've had, but very likely the best quality I've had at that price outside of Japan. Girlfriend and I had a large Asahi each, and split an Alaska roll, some kind of hot & spicy roll that I forget the name of (sorry), and a baked dynamite roll. All were phenomenal. The scallops on the dynamite were cooked perfectly. Alaska roll was delicate and topped with sesame oil. The hot one tasted good, but it was more like something you'd get at a Guy Fieri chain place honestly. Strong flavor, overpowering. The whole meal was generally an umami explosion, which I love. Oh, and baseball on the TV which was great. I noticed the chef was distracted by the game, but I didn't mind, I was pretty glued to it too. Will be returning. read more

Waraii Sushi - Alaskan Roll. Delicious. Delicate flavor, the sesame oil makes it. - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Great place! As always its busy, unfortunately it had a few very disgusting customers today (a first my multiple times of being here!) with absolutely no manners whatsoever. As you know, the place is cramped when you first come in, whether you're waiting to dine in or out, you wait by the register to be seated! Which is of course, by the sushi bar - quite frankly, a simple excuse me would suffice so room can be made *** instead of having a chair pulled over your foot where you're standing! What a classy couple! Lack of manners, we need less of that here Watch out for this wonderful couple if you ever encounter them, don't let them spoil your meal or your experience here. Waraii is fantastic and I always recommend it to whomever I encounter looking for an inexpensive but warm/comfortable experience Go for it! read more

Waraii Sushi - Mr. Classy - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

I've ordered take out from here for my family on multiple occasions and have never been disappointed. They have a lot of rolls to choose from and they have all been super tasty! The fish is really fresh, prices aren't bad, and service has always been great! I will Definately be coming back for more :) read more

I'll start with the positive, cause this is gonna go down hill fast... The quality of the sushi, was really great, nice thick cuts of EVERYTHING. Most places skimp on the fish that tops the roll..not here...I pretty much had sashimi thick slices on top of my lemon flash roll, and was really excited about that. Do yourself a favor and try the Hanoi roll...you won't regret it. (Only down side is that with other rollls on the menu that only have 6 pieces instead of 8, it's noted in their description, this one did not say that so I was kinda disappointed when I got home and discovered this) Now here we go. Ordered over the phone for pick up and was told it would be about 25 minutes. I showed up 25 minutes later and was told it would just be a few more minutes. 30 minutes later my order was ready after 75% of it had sat there for about 15 minutes. I know being busy is great for the business, but be realistic with the customer about how long it's gonna be. I think the main issue here is their cater to:postmares, grub hub, and Uber eats. The reason I know this is that complete orders for all 3 of these services were completed and handed off before mine seemed to have even been started (non of it had been started when I'd gotten there, because I watched it all get made) Really wish it was a better first experience since it is down the street from our house. The customer service definitely does not do the quality of ingredients and skill of the chefs justice. read more

I obviously loved this place! The place is small, maybe about 20-30 people can fit? Or maybe be less? Customer service was great, there was only one waitress and she was helping every table. If you're going to the restroom the switch is outside lol. I thought that was cute, I would totally be a punk and turn the switch off on someone lol. They offer sodas, but the best part it's not from the soda fountain, its actually from a can but they dont give you the can they serve it on a glass lol... I thought that was cool. Their menus look like they barely survive a hurricane, and I see that some people didnt like that... haven't you heard dont judge the book by its cover? I would definitely come back!! And get the I love you rolls again! They were amazing and delicious as well! read more

Waraii Sushi - The top roll is something tropical, the bottom one is I love you roll - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

My husband and I absolutely love this place, and come here a couple times a month. The sushi and rolls are great. The waraii roll and crunch dragon are delicious - basically anything with eel sauce is amazing. The sushi chefs are passionate, and it shows in their food. This place has it's quirks - like running out of tea cups and forgetting to being salad or miso soup. It's almost part of its charm. Best place around. read more

my brother and i decided to eat here, because we were starving and it was on our way back. i ordered the baked dynamite roll and it was actually quite good! my brother's poke bowl tasted alright, nothing spectacular. the staff was also generally nice and welcoming. i forgot to take a picture of the roll i got, but here's the free green tea ice cream i received :) read more

Waraii Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

I have been coming to this restaurant for years. even when it was at the old location. I never questioned the bill but today when I ordered takeout and looked at the reciept the waitress totally padded my bill! I ordered the tonkatsu Ramen and she asked me how spicy I would like it. I said level 2 and she charged me 1$ for the spice level. That is just laughable. She then charged me 4$ for the meat that's supposed to come in the soup. I asked her about it and she removed everything. Does a restaurant really need to do this to make money ? They just lost this customer. My family goes there at least twice a month. I guess I'll have to find another sushi place in oside. I attached my reciept so y'all can see im not bullshitting. read more

Waraii Sushi - Take out reciept - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Teriyaki, sushi and gyoza was pretty good! Yakitori was misleading, ended up being a teriyaki chicken salad on a stick, which was disappointing. read more

Excellent every time! Very small, only 6 tables but they are moving to a larger location. The sushi is always fresh and always delicious! My one and only wish/want...more rice-less options... read more

Food was ok. It wasn't worth the 20 min wait of online ordering plus the 20 min wait we had to do at the restaurant to get our food. I would recommend not ordering it during your lunch hour because it's not going to be ready in time. The last (and first time) I ate here, both of my coworkers got sick actually so I should've known not to order from here again, but I wanted to give the business the benefit of the doubt. However, the people working in the front did little in terms of customer service. There are better sushi establishments within a mile radius of this place that I'd stick to. read more

My favorite sushi restaurant in Oceanside! Everything we ordered is always very good. Always order takeout and food is always ready fast.

Used to luv eating here. However last visit was when all other food establishments were reopening after the covid quarantine with restrictions. The waitress was very careless, as she impatiently took off her face mask while she was still serving customers. With trepidation, we thought it would be safer to eat outside as the booths inside appeared unprepared and dark. The waitress took our orders and answered the phone without her mask. She even told us to take our masks off while we waited for our orders at the patio outside. She didn't appear to really care about the ordinance regarding covid. We finally decided to have all our food to-go instead. While waiting, we used the restroom as patrons. The bathroom had no toilet; no paper towels; no soap; no toilet seat covers; no hand sanitizers. Really like this place, but health and safety conditions (particularly during this covid epidemic) need some serious improvements. read more

First when you walk, if you are looking for a traditional Japanese establishment, you aren't going to find it here. With the loud music upbeat music and contemporary art, it is catered to more of a younger crowd. Nevertheless it is definitely worth giving it a try!! Food: We got the Gyoza: typical run of the mill "potsticker" but 6 for $4 it's not a bad starting app Sushi Lovely Gloria: I really enjoyed this roll. It was mostly sweet and slightly spicy, no fishy taste. Complexity of textures with the avocado, tempura shrimp, and the rice. I would say definitely give this a try. Pork Ramen: I would say this would have been the weakest link. The broth didn't have much flavor but spicy, the overwhelming amount of vegetables made it difficult to enjoy the noodles. I wouldn't prefer bell peppers in my ramen, however that is my opinion, but regardless, there was too much cabbage. Side Tempura: 5 pieces for $3.50 wasn't a bad deal except one of the pieces was a small little onion. The sauce was more sweet than I am used to but I actually enjoyed it. It complimented the sweet potatoes and shrimp very well. read more

Waraii Sushi - An aerial view of the always lovely Gloria, tempura, and gyoza - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Oh how I love this place, their lunch specials are so cheap for what you get. Yummy in my tummy I'll be back soon Waraii *winky face*

I've been by this place so many times and just dismissed it because I've always came to the little strip mall to get pho next door. I finally came around to giving this place a try and I've totally been missing out on a pretty decent sushi spot. Now what makes this place appealing is it's price. Of course the gimmick is the sushi is 50% off but why not just price it that way to begin with if it is always 50% off right? Well Now to the food... overall it was slightly above average. The Waraii sushi roll was pretty awesome and i'd definitely get that again. The sashimi on the other hand was not very fresh and they don't give you very much, but hey you get what you pay for right? Service was friendly and attentive, but what can you expect since the place is so small. read more

Waraii Sushi - Sashimi combo - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

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I'll start by saying that we've been customers here for a long time as we live right up the street. The merchant put our order in wrong. We paid for a Dragon Crunch Roll and received a regular crunch roll. 3 out of the 5 rolls we ordered were supposed to come with spicy tuna inside. NONE of them did. When we called back about the order the guy on the phone was cold, unapologetic and unhelpful. We had to ask him, "So, what are you going to do to correct this" and he stayed silent. Offering nothing. We asked if the roll we paid for could be made and he responded with a short "Ok". Never in my life have I received such bad service. Even McDonalds is extremely apologetic when they make a mistake. Now my husband has to drive all the way back for the roll we should have received in the first place. This is the last thing I wanted to have to deal with on my birthday. Not to mention that when my husband initially arrived to pick up the order he was greeted with no hello or warm welcome. The guy who packed our food didn't even say "have a nice day" or include a single soy sauce!!! We will NEVER give them our business again and I'll make sure to turn friends and family members far away from here. read more

Waraii Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Impressive sushi for the low price. The same quality would cost 50% more in Carlsbad. See you tomorrow ! read more

024 / 100 - 2018 YELP 100 CHALLENGE. FINALLY, a good sushi place near Vista! Ever since we moved further up North County, we've been itching to find a sushi spot that we liked. When we had a lot of expendable income, Mat and I used to buy delivery all the dang time. We can't do it as often as we used to, but every now and then we like to treat ourselves. As Vista & Oceanside don't have super amazing options (lol), we are limited in what we can order. Thank goodness for Waraii!!! Whenever we want take out (delivery or pick-up), we typically order from Waraii. Their rolls are always great. The fish is fresh, they're well put together, and you can definitely tell that they were made with a lot of love! The times we have been there to pick-up, it's been good. Most of the time they are quick and prompt with their orders, but there was a time that I went and they worked on someone else's to-go order that came much later than our's - hence the 4 stars. The restaurant is small, but very clean and modern from what I can tell. Everyone who works there is incredibly friendly and polite, quick to help you with any questions you may have. The parking lot can be a bit of a b, though, so please be aware of this when you go during lunch or dinner rush. Waraii is located in the same plaza as Rubio's. We've only eaten the rolls thus far, but they offer a bunch of other stuff on the menu. Great options to choose from. I don't think we've run into a roll we haven't liked yet. Overall a great restaurant and a definite must try if you're craving sushi in the area! read more

My friend brought me here and I was not expecting anything special because well.. Oceanside isn't well known for their food. To my surprise, this place is amazing! I don't really eat fish, but when I do I eat salmon. We got the Alaska, Philadelphia, and rainbow roll! They were so fresh and good! The baked mussels were the best I've ever had. So delicious! Definitely will come back here for my sushi fix. The staff are also very friendly which is always a plus! read more

Waraii Sushi - Baked mussels, Philly roll, and cute spicy mayo art! - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Great food, great service! This is me and my wife's go-to sushi restaurant. Very well priced and consistently fresh ingredients. Service is always good, if you disagree then you're not taking into account when they get super busy and are short staffed. Lots of people order out so they get bombarded more than you think. Young families love this place so be prepared for some loud babies, my advice; have some beer and/or sake...helps drown that out. Our top picks: 1. Sombrero 2. White house 3. Soft shell crab appetizer 4. Tuna blossom If you're hungry and want variety, get the sushi boat, you won't be disappointed. read more

Waraii Sushi - Soft shell crab appetizer with Sushi boat - think pieces of sashimi and 2 choices of rolls; Sombrero and White House. - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

We've ordered take out from them a couple of times already and they never disappoint. Great service, always on time, and friendly service. We'd like a chance to dine-in when they're completely open and try more items on the menu. read more