Make sure to make a reservation!! This place gets packed since it is a smaller restaurant with limited seating. If you drink alcohol or have never tried sake, please try their sake here. It comes in the shot cup in a box, which is so fun to try with friends. Their skewers are also made to order, so everything comes out piping hot. I really liked their pork belly and green onion, their beef skewers plain, with wasabi, and also with the daikon radish. Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of their skewers here. read more

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We had a wonderful experience here, from the friendly service to the amazing food. We tried a little of everything but our favorites were the beef, squid, octopus w/ potato's, and shiso pork belly. The spicy powder at the table was perfect and we liked it on almost everything. The heat builds up really nicely and added some flavor to some of the more mild meat like chicken breast. The restaurant itself is small, but lively. We enjoyed the intimate setting, watching the chefs, and being a part of the bustling restaurant. I'm already thinking about my next trip! For two people, our meal was around $100 plus tip (one drink, rest was food) read more

Yakitori Taisho - Squid, Quail Eggs, Mushrooms - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Small, intimate place to get some yakitori in SD. Great service, and food was really good. I am bookmarking this place for my future yakitori needs. read more

Very friendly staff, explained all the menu questions we had. We didn't have a reservation and we're still seated. Everything we had was amazing and reasonably priced. I will definitely be back when I visit. read more

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A great little yakitori spot in an unsuspecting strip mall. Weirdly tucked in the back beside the Smart & Final, this little shop has an authentic and extensive menu. Love the wings, garlic, edamame, chicken heart, and quail eggs! It gets busy so try to call ahead an hour or two for a reservation. Definitely worth hitting up! Update: Came back tonight with my mom after a two year absence because my mom was craving beef tongue. Everything was even better than I remember. The wait staff was super friendly and accommodating. I loved the quail eggs, chicken wings, beef tongue with wasabi, and brussel sprouts. This is by far one of the best yakitori spots in San Diego. Highly recommend! Remember to call and make a reservation the day before! Update 2: Still insanely good. Call before for a reservation. Top items: Brussel sprouts, beef tongue, fried garlic, smashed fresh wasabi. This place is the gift that keeps on giving! read more

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Wow! This place is equal or better than the yakitori I've had in Japan. They grill the yakitori perfectly with the aroma of charcoal. Literally everything was good including the braised wasabi beef that was so tender and flavorful. We had everything on the yakitori menu except the vein and again nothing disappointed. The beef skewers were good but the chicken skewers were the stars. Although the bacon wrapped pork belly was exceptional and my wife's favorite. The customer service was fantastic. They would come by to drop off or take our order. Make sure you make reservations because this place is very busy. read more

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Excellent yakitori - not a single bad bite to be had. Our favorites were the beef tongue, pork collar, scallops, and anything/everything chicken (the skin, thigh, meatballs and liver were each wonderful in their own right). Service was attentive and pleasant. Despite the size of the space (tiny!), you do not feel cramped while dining. What took this down from a 5 to a 4 star for us was the rice - it was weirdly soggy/wet, with no distinctive grains (I would characterize it as gloopy). And no, we did not order the ochazuke - this was supposed to be "dry" rice! That all being said: we will return (and only order the skewers this time :) read more

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Everything we ordered was good, but the standout was one of their specials: Mexican Bluefin Tuna Sashimi. Super fresh and melt-in-my-mouth, and memorable. The chopped wasabi deserves its own shoutout too; it actually has a real kick, which is rare these days when most chopped/kizami wasabi is basically green-colored lies. The beef tongue was also good and tender. My brussel sprouts and chicken skin were a little burnt on the edges, but I'll take slightly burnt chicken over undercooked any day haha. It's a great place to hang out, grab a beer, and snack on skewers and appetizers without feeling rushed. They also have a few outdoor tables with heated lamps, which is a bonus on cooler evenings. Good food, chill vibe, and an easy spot to post up longer than you planned. read more

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What an experience! It reminds me of the cafes in Japan. it's delicious and cooked perfectly. Everything is seasoned well and moist. You cannot choose wrong. Yaz and the staff here is so friendly. Make sure you call for reservations. It is worth it! The tongue, pork belly and shiso along with the meatballs are to die for. read more

Yakitori Taisho - The co-owners/chefs with extremely happy customers. - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Hands down best yakitori in San Diego! My friend and I ended up spending $200+ for our early dinner but thought it was worth it. read more

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Yakitori Japanese food Small bites Sake Reservation is highly recommended Quaint place Not ideal for large groups Small seating inside 2 tables outside (not recommended) Amex accepted Restroom inside One plate is to receive skewers Cup for discarding Parking available Japanese coals used read more

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Quaint little yakitori restaurant in the Clairemont area of San Diego. The restaurant is small so recommend making a reservation. We were lucky they had a set for 2. The prices are a bit high but the food was delicious. I love that they have takowasa which goes great with beer. The sashimi plate had a good dressing which went well with the fish. Parking lot is also a bit small and tight. There are also 2 tables outside as well but it has a view of the parking lot. read more

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I had the spicy miso ramen and cow tongue skewers. This was my first time eating cow tongue and I was pleasantly surprised. It had a nice marbling and flavor to it. It also had a little bit of char which I liked. You can tell it's a popular spot because every table was filled. Thankfully, we only had to wait like 1-2 minutes before they seated us. Our table felt private even though the place was full. My ramen had the right amount of spice. They also have extra spice on the table if you wanted to add more which I really liked. It's my friend's favorite ramen spot and I can see why. The only thing I wished they did was add a little bit of char to the chasu that came in my ramen. read more

Yakitori Taisho - Spicy miso ramen - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

For what it was, a purely yakitori joint, it was very good for the price point. The other places are quite pricey not, charging the same amount for only one skewer. The skewer types were also quite unique. The flavoring was not too salty and also not burnt to a crisp. The service was also very quick and welcoming. But it is a very small joint so it's hard to get seating. read more

Yakitori Taisho - Beef with ponzu radish - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Great service and amazing food! My partner and I came on a whim and luckily we didn't have to wait. However, we had to be seated outside because of the reservations inside. Luckily, they had heaters outside. The only downside was that it's fairly pricey and I could taste some sort of chemical from the cooking process with every bite, which I haven't experienced with other yakitori places. read more

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This place is really underrated... food was amazing, stafss are so friendly, good atmosphere and nice draft beer. But I think smoked mackerel and fried shrimp couldbe improved... just my opinion. Except for those, It was really really nice as I said. read more

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Made reservations a couple days in advance, which made it easier to get seated as a large group. All the workers are so nice and attentive! They would always check in on every table and make their rounds picking up empty plates. Waited about 10-15 minutes for the yakitori sticks we ordered. All were cooked great! They do run out of chicken skin and it was only 7:30. If you want to order that, try to order early or come in earlier! read more

Yakitori Taisho - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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I NEED TO GO BACK!!! ...The Best food I have ever tasted seriously! Everything was so delicious and wanting you to order more! The Service was amazing. The restaurant is small, but it's cute and cozy. Reservations are a must! ...next time I'll mention what we tried, just know...nothing did not disappoint us. read more

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I recently tried Taisho and loved it. Customer service is good. You have a 2 hour time limit but that was plenty of time to eat and relax. Good sake selection (beer,wine and sake only). Not a huge menu but has some more traditional yakitori like chicken vein (was really good!). Perfect place for a casual supper with friends. read more

Yakitori Taisho - Sake! - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Thankful our friends made reservations to have dinner here! It made me miss Japan so much. Great yakitori, sashimi, and lots of sake and beer!! Can't go wrong here. Also thanks to chef and all staff for their amazing service. Arigatou! read more

Yakitori Taisho - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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QUICK TAKE// One of my personal, somewhat more hidden Yakitori spots in San Diego. Due to very limited seating, calling ahead to make a reservation a few days in advance is a must. Moody spot that feels comfortable and quality skewers. FOOD// I love coming here for their Yakitori - definitely take advantage of their specials they have! This time around on their special I got the BRAISED BEEF TONGUE WITH WASABI SAUCE and wow it was SO tender and delicious. I started with their TAKOWASA (RAW OCTOPUS WITH WASABI) which is a nice refreshing appetizer. Come here expecting to drink some kind of Sake combination - really makes the Yakitori taste better. My favorite is the PORK NECK, PORK SHISP and BEEF TONGUE. This time I added CHICKEN GIZZARD to my list of rotations! I am big fan of interesting meat textures - I only wish they had cartilage as well. I tend to get a side of the YUZU CITRUS PEPPER SAUCE as well as their PLUM PASTE SAUCE for extra flavor when I feel like it for my sticks. SERVICE// Very nice attentive waiters and checked in often. No complaints! VIBES// Very cozy and intimate. There probably is like 10ish table/booth spots in all. ETC.// Reservations ahead of time is pretty much a must for this spot read more

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Taisho is definitely a must go in San Diego and I believe they set the standards for yakitori. The flavors are immaculate and their service is on point. I particularly enjoyed the wasabi beef skewers and karaage. I also really enjoyed their selections of sake. They have selections of dry, aged, clean and floral types of sake. It may be a good idea to try a smaller quantity of diverse selections. Overall a great experience and will definitely come back again. read more

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I have been here a few times. Everything is absolutely delicious. If you can get a table looking at the grill, it is quite mesmerizing to watch the chef grilling the food. The place is small but cozy and has a very fun vibe. It does get booked up quickly and is not easy to walk in, so I recommend making reservations before coming. It is a little odd that they require reservation by phone and yet does not pick up the phone until the time of opening. read more

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First time here. Ever since moving to SD it's been tough finding a really good Yakitori place that can compare to my favorite one in LA. I didn't mind some of the items we tried but it still didn't quite hit. Sour: we made reservations for this restaurant. Our plans had changed so we ended up coming right when they opened. Thankfully we did because when we tried to cancel they never had our reservations. We sat outside which wasn't our favorite option. A lot of the yakitori we had lacked flavor. I wish they would cook some of the items a little longer so you can get that crisp grilled taste. We did try a variety of items but I kept forgetting to take pics. Quail egg is hands down always a favorite for me to order. This one had no flavor whatsoever so ever. It needed a bit of salt. Chicken karage wasn't anything special. We ordered chicken wings as well. Unfortunately, they were all drums. Flavor wasn't bad but not my favorite. I wish the chicken skin was cooked a little longer for it to more crispy. Sweet: my favorite items were the shisto peppers . At first I thought I wouldn't like it because of how it's prepped but the dressing it's in is so light and refreshing. Loved the kimchi definitely one of best I've ever had. I think they add sesame oil to it. It had extra flavor and a little nutty. We ordered the rice bowl that comes with chicken meatball and chicken thigh skewers. It was pretty good. The best yakitori item was probably the beef steak plain and pork belly. Simple salt and pepper but it was cooked decently and flavored. read more

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The staff is very attentive and friendly. I enjoyed my dinner tonight. The seaweed rice soup was refreshing. Will definitely come back soon! read more

Food was good, but the service was disappointing. We waited 30 minutes for skewers and only received a part of our order (did not receive chicken or pork skewers). We were then charged for the food that never showed up. I don't mind mistakes, but there was no apology or acknowledgement of the mistakes. Unfortunate bc many reviews praise the service. read more

Came here on a whim while visiting the area in the area. Very small and dark restaurant. The employee told us that we only have a certain amount of time to eat before their reservation customer arrive since we do not have reservations. That alone felt rushed and not a good customer experience. Skewers were good but I had better skewers. We also ordered takoyaki and fried calamari tentacles. Appetizers were good. Smoked carpaccio was my least favorite. Not sure if the food was worth the price and would not come back. read more

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Great spot for yakitori as their offerings are plentiful. Never thought I'd be a fan of having chicken veins. According to the server it takes about 10 chickens to have a 1 full skewer/order of it and it was delicious. The texture was tender and had a nice bite to it. The customer service was great. We arrived without a reservation and was seated outside. It was a bit cold and they were very helpful in having the heat lamp turn on for us. This is definitely one of my favorite eats when i visited SD read more

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I am soooo glad we decided to come here and listened to the reviews. Even same day, ask if they have any openings for reservations. They squeezed us in at 7p, although outdoors, they do have heat lamps. It was a little chilly but not too bad. Service was very attentive. We thought we ordered too much but it was just right actually. We were not there to stretch out the night, we came to eat and we were done in 30 mins. HAHAHA anyways, skewers - everything was TASTY. well grilled and just satisfying. We ordered 3 sauces to try everything with and it was all a perfect combo. The chicken skin was a standout...the beef....all were quite yummy. Everything came out in a timely manner, they even asked if we wanted to space it out, we were like HECK NO. keep them coming. Pickles and cabbage were good palette cleansers for in between. I think this place is our favorite yakitori spot out of what we've tried, but also we didn't really order drinks, so it seemed well priced LOL we would love to come back if we visit SD again! read more

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This place is located in a small little stripped mall. Hubby stumbled upon this place and really wanted to try it. Definitely make a reservation because it's very limited seating. The service was fast and efficient. I do recommend when coming here to not be starving because the portion sizes are smaller. Nonetheless the smoked scallop yakitori was really good and beef tataki. This is place is a cool concept for date night. read more

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This place is a hidden gem!! It's a small restaurant with plenty of parking, but inside is pretty tight so there isn't much space to leave your coat or purse other than your lap. We tried several dishes, including beef, chicken, pork, scallops, takoyaki, shishito peppers and spring rolls. Our favorite was the beef skewers but all other dishes were very delicious as well. The meats had really good smoky flavor and well seasoned. We also ordered yakitori sauce (sweet/liquidy), which was more than enough to share with my partner. The service was on a bit of a slower side but we didn't mind it at all because we were catching up with a friend. read more

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Best yakitori I've had since I've been back from Japan! Everything I had here was a delight. You can really taste the quality of the meat, and I loved the smokiness from the grill. I wasn't able to sit inside but the ambiance of the restaurant took me back to Japan. Sitting outside was not bad either, they have heaters and it is pretty private. Although a little pricey, I think it's worth paying for. I spent a little over $50 and left feeling very full! The stars of the show for me were the pacific oysters and the pork belly with shiso leaf. Shoutout to the waitress who recommended it! The pork belly had a yuzu and plum sauce on top which added a tanginess to the savoriness of the pork belly. It was amazing! The oysters were very fresh and delicious. We also had beef with wasabi, beef tongue, quail eggs, scallop, chicken heart/liver and gizzard. Everything was perfect. The only thing I wouldn't get again is the shochu cocktail. I definitely recommend giving this restaurant a try!! I will be back :) read more

Yakitori Taisho - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Can't believe I haven't written a review for my number 1 Yakitori spot!! I live in OC and I would drive to SD for this. All the skewers are seasoned and grilled to perfection. They have a great selection of sake and drinks here too. Our favorites are: * Wasabi Beef (Best) * Pork Belly with Shiso leaf (Best) * Beef Tongue (Best) * Chicken heart * Chicken gizzard * Japanese sausage * Shiitake mushrooms * Bacon wrapped asparagus Staff are super friendly and service is great. Place is small so reserve ahead of time. Easy parking. I have yet to find a place like this in OC. read more

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My friend raves about this spot and was very eager to share a favorite Yakitori spot. I've never had Yakitori before so coming here was a nice experience. We all have our preferences (not a fan of "exotic" meats-- heart & liver, fatty, raw, anything with strong gamey/iron taste) but I also have never had some of the items on the menu which is why I asked my friend to recommend. We shared the food which turned out perfect because there was a few things that I wasn't a fan but he enjoyed. We reordered things that were yummy as well! I enjoyed the Chicken Wing, Chicken Thigh, Japanese Smoked Sausages, and Plain Beef. The chicken was cooked perfectly and not dry. The sausages had a bite to them (not spicy) and nicely burnt. The beef was cooked medium and seasoned-- with a tad bit too much salt. I would recommend ordering the Japanese Eggplant Yakitori--it had good flavor and was well cooked without being overly mushy or having tough skin. In addition, the Grilled Miso Black Cod was so flavorful and it was really tasty. As normally, I don't like cod or eating skin of fish. This was really well made although it was ~$14 and the size of it was basically 2 fingers worth. Also ordered the Fried Calamari with House Sauce. These tasted amazing!! I loved it with lemon juice and the mayo/sauce was light and creamy. It was hot (temp) and the fried portion was light and crunchy with a nice amount of salt on top. I would have ordered another plate! We also had the Pork Belly with Shiso Leaf/ topped with sour plum, it was good, but I couldn't really taste the shiso leaf. Also ordered the $6 Kimchi with Sesame Oil & Shiso Peppers in Dashi. My friend enjoyed the kimchi a lot especially when paired with the Yakitori. The Shishito Peppers came out cold (not grilled like I imagined them to be) and texturally, it wasn't pleasant for me. We ordered Beef Tongue, Chicken Skin, and Quail Eggs. The Chicken Kara-Age with House Spicy Sauce (and it came with a side of house salad). The house spicy sauce was vinegary and thin. It wasn't spicy and I don't think it paired nicely with the chicken. Although I really did like the chicken karaage because it wasn't overly cooked, had a good crisp, and was a nice portion. They have much more than what we ate but the variety was great. Something for everyone. We just had water but they offer sake and other alcohol. Our dinner was $98.45 plus taxes $7.63 so $106.08 (plus tip too). The prices are a bit high, but perhaps that's the norm for Yakitori? The small eats can add up fast. Service was great and they checked in often to see if we needed anything and how it tasted. Anyways, I would still recommend coming by and trying it out just be sure to make a reservation beforehand! read more

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The cozy yet lively ambiance reminds me a bit of Japan. I've been here a few times and while all the skewers and small plates that I've had are overall good, it's easy to rack up the bill if you're trying to get full. I personally enjoyed the gizzards and chicken thighs the most. Other ones were good but not memorable. Overall, not bad place to have casual conversations over some drinks and small plates. Just don't expect to get full without spending a pretty penny. read more

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The next new thing that I'm going to try is the simmered daikon with Wagyu in savory soy broth...the beef yakitori with fresh wasabi is so damn delicious. The strong flavors contrast with the juicy beef. It clears the sinuses with sweet notes distinctly nuanced to reset the pallet and nose. read more

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This is a stalwart of Yakitori in San Diego. I great little place where you know you will get a lot of flower in every bite. What I was surprised by is the non-takoyaki offerings. They server pretty decent bowls that are big, delicious and are good value. Let me put it this way - i don't even eat meat, but I still recommend this place. read more

I am so uplifted after eating here for the first time. It took me a long time to choose from the enormous menu. It seems like every offering was enchanting. read more

Came right when they opened so they sat us right away at the counter. We got a view of them grilling the yakitori. Service was great. We didn't even have to ask them to refill our waters, they were already there to fill it once it got empty. I didn't realize they don't put any sauce on your skewers, but u do have to order sauce if you want any. Everything came out good and fast. Good deal on the scallops and squid legs. The shrimp spring roll was good and crunchy with the melted cheese oowey goowey goodness, but I didn't like the shio leaf in there, just my preference. read more

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Yakitori Taisho is a local yakitori spot in San Diego and wow was it delicious. This spot is probably my favorite yakitori spot outside of Japan, and I highly recommend it. This unassuming spot sits in the corner of a small plaza. There is a lot of parking, but not that much seating, so make sure to call ahead of time to make reservations! Each skewer comes out meticulously cooked, and you can definitely taste the attention to detail. The service was also spectacular as the day I went was drizzling and we had been seated outside, so the server constantly checked in to see if we needed to adjust the table to avoid the rain. Overall, Yakitori Taisho is an amazing yakitori spot that I highly recommend people to come try! read more

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