50 Best Japanese Restaurants in San Diego

“Fantastic food quality. Purist food.“

“Amazing omakase, friendly and knowledgeable staff“

“Great chefs, great staff, great food, great sake… what’s not to like when everything was great!?!?“

“It’s a large store that has a bit of everything—from Japanese snacks to cosmetics and quirky items. The place is clean, and the service is friendly and attentive; I’d definitely recommend a visit—it’s worth it, because once you step inside, you’re sure to end up buying at least one thing.“

“Cute outdoor bench area with paper lanterns, and nice roomy interior with ceiling lights. We got 5 rolls: three summer rolls (mango, eel, orange) and 2 smaller rolls (spicy yellowtail and crunchy california). The sushi was very fresh-favorite definitely either the yellowtail and mango one--but all were very delicious. Service was fast and attentive on a Friday night. Also got some sake and Sapporo. Def recommend and will visit again!“

“Overall a great omakase experience. Nice combo of both tasty traditional sushi (loved the chutoro and aji) as well as some fun courses (tartare puff and chawanmushi were great). Chefs are friendly and service was attentive. Definitely a pricy experience, but given the creativity and quality it is worth it.“

“Luke is an amazing multitasker❤ made us feel very welcome.“

“Straight 🔥 and delicious recommend for everyone“

“I had a great time over there. Delicious food 🥘“

“We celebrated my husband's birthday here. Staff are so friendly and attentive. We didn't wait long eventhough we just came. Food was awesome to my taste preference. Flavors are not overwhelming. I usually don't ask for desserts and drinks in my meal but here I felt like I wanted to experience everything. Ambiance was relaxing and inviting. It's a small space but staff moves fast without having people wait for long.“

“Fantastic fresh food; great sushi bar. Wonderful service from Kaz. I highly recommend..best sushi and sashimi around!“

“The sushi is amazing...baked salmon roll and Philly rolls are my go to!“

“The food is SO good. The chef was super friendly and nice. We can’t wait to go back. 😄“

“We had a great time here tonight. The restaurant staffs and the sushi chef were friendly and the omakase dinner course portion was generous and super delicious. :)“

“They were very busy when we got there and there was a bit of a wait for a party of 4 but once we were inside they were very friendly and quick to take our order and quick to serve our food. The rolls were really yummy. Everything tasted fresh and the veggie tempura roll was very big. We were very full by the end of the meal and took home leftovers.“

“We came here last night to celebrate my wife's birthday with our son, and the three of us had an absolutely wonderful dinner. The food was completely off the charts, and the service was excellent. We will definitely be back! Much Thanks to Kendra, Chef Tony and the entire staff!“

“Some of the best Japanese food in San Diego. I wish I had known about them sooner.“

“This place was really good. I got a to-go order and was really surprised at how many extra sides I got along with my two rolls. I didn't think I ordered that much but was absolutely full when I ate everything. The Philadelphia roll had a generous amount of cream cheese. I'm definitely going back for more.“

“Kumi has been one of my absolute favorite places to eat near my work. The prices are great and the food is even better. Josh was our server and he was attentive and kind and made us feel right at home. The quality is top tier and the place is clean and modern. I 100% recommend them❤“

“Great place. True European feel.“

“Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. Everyone was so friendly, kind, and welcoming, and you could tell how much care went into every single course. The food was honestly indescribable!!!! Every bite somehow got better and better. The quality, flavors, presentation, everything was just amazing. One of those meals you’re still thinking about after you leave. We will 100% be back!“

“Covid-19 take out can be a hit or miss with food tasting like it's container. This place did not disappoint. I ordered the Vegan Ramen for a late lunch. Inside the restaurant is following proper protocol and is very clean. I have always ordered Vegan Ramen anywhere I visit outside of California, and have ordered all over San Diego. This by far is the BEST Vegan Ramen out there. The coconut milk, chili and miso broth is well balanced and buttery, the noodles and added ingredients are well proportioned, the tofu is not at all mushy or greasy..The noodles are fresh and delicious. for a couple dollars more you can add more noodles.. Definitely a stop for some comfort food!“

“This place was perfect after a long swim in La Jolla! THE FOOD WAS AMAZING. Best handroll we’ve ever had!
Super grateful to have the best service by staff and our food prepared by the owner himself! 🙏
P.s - Whoever is in charge of the playlist is the real MVP.“

“Just went for the first time at Shabu Works!! Absolutely loved it… can’t wait to go back 😋“

“Owner is from Hawaii. Great service and great taste. Spicy Miso Broth hit thr spot. definitely will be back when I'm in town for work. 🤙🤙🤙“

“It is so delicious!! and beautiful. so kind peoples.“

“I recently visited Genki Sushi at Bernardo Center Drive with my colleague, and we had a fantastic experience! The food was great—everything we ordered was fresh and delicious. The sushi was expertly prepared, and the variety on the menu made it hard to choose!

The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring we had everything we needed. A special shoutout to the sushi chefs, who clearly take pride in their craft; their skill and passion really showed in the presentation and taste of the dishes.

Overall, I highly recommend Genki Sushi for anyone looking for a delightful dining experience. I can't wait to come back!“

“Just like Oki....iykyk 💛 🔥“

“Me & my guy come here almost once a week, it’s our favorite sushi spot! We’ve tried other places only to be disappointed and come right back to our tried & true, Riki!!! We love the staff, they’re always so kind and always running around making sure everyone is happy and taken care of! The Leo loves you long time is my favorite!!!!“

“Wonderful ambiance and even our great VP of the US came to eat there. Compliments 👏 🙌 Sashimi and homemade ice cream 😊“

“The shrimp head moving scared the crap out of me but everything was delicious and awesome“

“good food, friendly staff and atented“

“I have never experienced a restaurant near San Diego that delivers such an incredible combination of delicious flavors, sophistication, and authentic Japanese taste. This is truly a place for anyone who appreciates and loves Japanese cuisine, whether they are Asian or from any other background.
The yakitori is beyond anything I expected — honestly, it feels like it surpasses even what I’ve had in Japan. Every dish was satisfying, beautifully prepared, and absolutely delicious.
I believe this may be the best Japanese restaurant in the San Diego area. In fact, it might even be one of the best Japanese dining experiences I’ve ever had anywhere, including Japan itself.“

“This was the BEST sushi we have ever had. The entire experience was so wonderful. We left feeling relaxed and happy. Highly recommend this place and the staff were all fantastic and very attentive.“

“Best sushi in San Diego at reasonable prices! Delicioso!!!“

“Absolutely amazing food! Me and my husband are a huge fan of tempura so we got the Crazy (our favorite), the shrimp Crunch, and the Dragon. All were amazing! Do not come here if you’re in a rush, there are only a few staff (all of which are so friendly and welcoming), and the place was busy even on a Wednesday night! Everything is made to order. Highly recommended and would definitely come again.“

“Went here for my 3 year anniversary and it was amazing. My partner and I were told what to expect because it was our first time. I loved the Tom Yum broth and will definitely order that one again. I loved that everything was kinda open bar and included with the AYCE. If I were to come back I'd definitely only pick hotpot not because the KBBQ was bad, it was really good but I had more fun with the hotpot. Hoping to come back soon!“

“We arrived right before noon on a Friday. It was not busy, and I got a space close to the entrance in their parking lot shared with several other businesses. My friend and I both ordered the Friday lunch special, sesame chicken. My friend didn't expect the chicken to be deep-fried, but we didn't ask how it was prepared. The lunch came with a cup of miso soup, salad, and rice. I enjoyed my food. We also ordered fried calamari, which were all tentacles--my favorite. They weren't too big, which I prefer. I liked them. Service was great, too. I remember it was quiet, and traditional decor. Prices were reasonable.“

“Best curry in San Diego!!“

“Eaten here numerous times. Excellent quality food, and service. Equivalent to San Francisco Bay Area Japanese restaurants..which are outstanding.“

“Everyone who works there is friendly With excellent customer service food was delicious 🤤“

“Great place to get yummy gluten free sushi!! I have celiac disease and when I came in to order takeout and asked the waitress about gluten free options she was SUPER helpful. She explained which options I couldn’t have, and seemed very knowledgeable about it all, and I was able to get a couple substitutions to make rolls gluten free. The minced spicy tuna isn’t gluten free but the waitress said I could still get it with slices of tuna (and a different spicy sauce on top) instead. I loved the salmon special roll, and the spicy tuna roll was great too! I made sure to wait a day before leaving this review to be 100% sure I didn’t have any gluten reactions, and I’m happy to report I did not consume any gluten here.“

“If you're in the mood for sushi this has got to be the place you go to. The fish was extremely fresh and melts in your mouth, the rice was perfectly textured and flavored, and the toppings/cream cheese was all well proportioned. Not to mention we were caught off guard with how large the sushi rolls were. Only got 4 rolls and had to take a few pieces home. 4 sushi rolls, a curry, an udon, gyoza, and drinks all for under 100 dollars, in California? You can't ask for better. This will be our go to spot for sushi for sure.“

“I recently picked up some food to go, and it was the perfect choice for a night out by the water. Everything was packed thoughtfully, including those cute heart-shaped containers that made for such a fun beach picnic setup.

The sushi was fresh and flavorful, and the ramen had a perfectly cooked egg with a rich broth. We really enjoyed the variety in our order. It was such a great meal under the moon, and I will definitely be back for more soon.“

“Nice staff. Great food. They serve you a plate of salad w/ homemade tofu and a pitcher of lemon water with no extra charge once you're seated. At the end they serve you ice cream, no extra charge too!“

“Great restaurant with delicious, high-quality food. This was our second visit, and we enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

Michael was our server today, and he was wonderful—friendly, attentive, and always smiling. Excellent service and a great experience overall. We’ll definitely be back!“

“I came here tonight with my family, including my baby- it was amazing!!! The food was incredible but most importantly, Mike & Maria were so welcoming, so sweet, played around with our baby and made my husband a special sushi roll. We wish we lived here so we could come here all the time. The best! The type of place that has a sense of community.“

“My husband and I were able to get a fast reservation with the Quick Omakase Experience. The experience was ~ 1 hour.

This was our second visit (first one was the full omakase, several years ago).

Majority of the group was already seated for a full Omakase experience. Chef TJ served us at a great pace even though we had a slightly different menu than the rest.

Fish was fresh and there was an option to add on more nigiri at the end.

Chef TJ and staff were kind and refilled my tea throughout the night.“

“BEST JAPANESE BBQ SPOT EVER! My family have been consistently coming to this resturant for years to celebrate any special occasions or birthdays. The meat, rice, side dishes, and rice are always delicious. The staff are welcoming, accomodating, and even recognize my family now. I highly reccomend the family combo as it offers a good balance of beef variety and value, especially for larger parties. The portions are not the largest and on the pricier side but I think it's worth it for the quality over quantity. Free parking but it's difficult to find available spots especially at night, as expected of Convoy tho. The restroom is nothing special, single room, and in the back next to the kitchen. Will definitely continue to eat here !!“

“We love Chiba! We lived here 8 years ago and we’re back. I am glad to see the food is still as delicious as I remember! The food was fast and I recommend the sushi! Also, our waitress was great!“