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    Artifact At Mingei

    4.1 (200 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Artifact At Mingei Photos

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    ARTIFACT AT MINGEI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Beef choripan burger
    Joyce R.

    Great place for a date night! We went to balboa park for an event at the NAT. There weren't that many options to eat at the park and we found this new restaurant. It's a bit on the $$ side but it's totally worth it esp for nice occasions. The server was great, and they have plenty of wine selection. The seats are a bit uncomfortable and too close to each other but the ambience of being able to have dinner inside a museum late at night was truly special. The food add that perfect romantic vibe to it. We just wish there are more options on the menu. Menu also is always changing so it's hard to predict what they have. Always check the website before going.

    Leilei Z.

    The only thing we could accept is the flat bread , even the bread is just so so. The presentation looks great, but the flavor is so bad! We were wondering how could be so salty, the weird flavor doesn't match each other, fish doesn't taste like fish, just plain. We feel like the food is from the fridge premade, then warm them, decorate the plate. Very disappointing!

    Appetizers on left a fava bean dip with pickled cauliflower, carrots etc. On right are Vietnamese meatballs.
    Robin L.

    I took my son for dinner to celebrate his visit from Spain. The service was impeccable from start to finish. Being open room and in the middle of the first floor of the museum I thought it might be noisy; it was not. We had two appetizers that were spectacular. My son had the burger which he devoured. I had the beet and Asian pear salad which was perfect and light. I would definitely recommend and can't wait to try the Dan Dan soup.

    1st course was good
    Michelle F.

    I came here for a friend's birthday dinner, so of course I said yes to the experience -- but honestly, the best part was the fact that it's inside a museum. That was the vibe. Everything else? Meh. We started with drinks, which were pretty underwhelming across the board. Nothing memorable, and definitely not what you'd expect at these price points. It was a three-course meal, and unfortunately none of us at the table (party of eight) were impressed. My first course was actually good -- probably the highlight of the meal for me. But it went downhill after that. The second course was brisket, and let me tell you -- I didn't even know brisket could be bad until I had it here. Super disappointing. Dessert was a bourbon cherry cheesecake. It was alright, but very heavy on the bourbon -- like, almost overpowering. The cheesecake base itself was decent, though. The menu just felt uninspired and flat. For a place located in such a cool space, I was hoping for a much better culinary experience. So no, I wouldn't recommend it -- unless you're just stopping in for the aesthetic. Otherwise, save your money and go elsewhere.

    Yueming Q.

    We wanted to try this place for a long time but we only had several times drink at here before. Mingei is my favorite museum in SD and a restaurant at here, it is gonna be good! Plus their drinks are pretty nice as I remember. And yes, I'll say here's food is worthy to try. We ordered a Vietnamese pork meatball and a choripan burger, they are all fusion style food, which I like - A lot of different culture inspired cuisine. Meatball is flavorful and burger is juicy and tender. I would like more Vietnamese flavor in the meatball like fish sauce I guess, now I feel the Vietnamese flavor is not enough. The service is nice and the atmosphere is great. I'll definitely recommend you come to try.

    Menu
    Jemiah J.

    Located at Balboa Park inside the Mingei International Museum, I visited this restaurant with friends after exploring the park. The space is thoughtfully designed and customer service was great. The interior had a modern art vibe, with soleil ceiling accents, warm wood details, and industrial touches. Beverage: Lychee and Black Tea. Refreshing and unsweetened, just what I wanted. Appetizer: We shared the Crispy Green Bean Pakora with Garam Masala, Cilantro, and Mint Chutney. I really enjoyed it and would order it again. Meal: Crispy tofu, king oyster mushroom, gai lan, Chinese eggplant, green onion, fermented black bean sauce, and chili crisp. The flavor was fantastic, though a bit oily. Dessert: Coconut tapioca, roasted pineapple, strawberry, and mango granita. Absolutely delicious, 5 out of 5. I would definitely get this again. I would come back to try their Rock Shrimp Gyoza next time.

    rock shrimp gyoza
    Allison P.

    In theory and in concept, this would've been the perfect date. I mean, what's cuter than a museum date followed up by a dinner at a restaurant on the Michelin Guide? Located on the bottom floor of the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park, Artifact is a trendy upscale restaurant with an open concept. Amazing food, amazing vibes, not-so-amazing service. They have a pretty good course menu deal- 3 courses for around $90-$100 if I'm remembering correctly. TLDR- the food is pretty great! We ordered the rock shrimp gyoza, short rib + egg noodles, yassa cornish hen, and basque cheesecake. All great choices with generous portion sizes. Onto my qualms. The service here was exceptionally slow, but only for our party. We had made a reservation, were prompt with arriving, AND were quick to order, yet we sat for over an hour watching everyone around us, many of which arrived after us, get served, eat, and leave. It was ridiculous! Our waitress was nice and respectful, but we just weren't getting served. I don't know if she forgot to put in our order or if we were getting discriminated against. If it was the former, I would've really appreciated it if she owned up to it and offered some sort of compensation.

    Lamb burger and side salad
    Maurice A.

    My friend and I were at the park walking around on a Saturday and got hungry. Although I do love the Prado the wait for it was hours and the other places you had to wait in line, then find a seat and there were none because there were thousands of people on the park on a sunny Saturday. So...what a lovely surprise when we found this option to be seated and served on with absolutely no wait to be seated! Yes please! We had a nice simple table in the middle of the museum and gift shop so there are people walking by, but the hustle and bustle never bothered me. The service was prompt and kind. They explained the food and alt options. My lamb burger was simply delicious and my friend loved her dish as well. We were very happy and continued to walk through the park and found some great art in the Spanish Village! I loved it and highly recommended it.

    Short Rib with Egg Noodles
    Jenny V.

    The place inside is very nice. Staff was friendly. My lemonade was delicious and refreshing. I gave them a 3 star because my food was salty. The green beans had a lot of salt and my short ribs were also salty. The food would had been more enjoyable without all that salt. Wish I would had known I would had asked for no salt. Overall is a cute place.

    Dumplings
    Diane S.

    Along with the outstanding service and exemplary food choices we had, I forgot to mention it was our anniversary lunch celebration! Kelly generously brought us each a glass of champagne to toast our 35th year of marriage! It was an unexpected and generous gesture! We lingered through closing and left the beautiful venue happy and satiated. We will return very soon for dinner!

    Rock shrimp gyoza
    Rebecca C.

    I wish I could give this place 5 stars because the food is excellent and it's one of my favorite newer places in San Diego. The service is slow though, and I've been maybe 4 times and it's consistently been slow. I also wish they would leave a carafe of water because their water glasses are on the smaller side. They did not fill them unprompted, and whenever we would request refills it would take a while. On my most recent visit, I had the rock shrimp gyoza which I thought were excellent. The person I was with thought they were on the saltier side, especially because of the sauce they were in, and that they were too fishy. I could see both of those criticisms, but as someone who loves both seafood and salt I quite liked them. The avocado bowl was fantastic and probably one of the best things I've eaten so far in 2025. I'll definitely get this next time again. The roasted beet and pear salad was nice, but it seems like every restaurant has a beet salad on the menu right now so it didn't feel as exciting. It's definitely a little sweeter because of the pear and I would maybe order it is a dessert, actually.

    Chris Y.

    Had a wonderful lunch at Artifact at Mingei today, and it was a total delight the refined flavors, artful presentation, and a calm, beautiful setting right in Balboa Park. We started with the shrimp mandu dumplings, perfectly delicate with a juicy filling, brightened by sweet-sour soy, ginger scallion oil, sesame, and just the right kiss of gochugaru heat. The roasted beet & Asian pear salad was stunning so fresh, vibrant, and layered with creamy whipped feta, crunchy pistachios, watercress, and a fragrant orange blossom vinaigrette. Every bite felt so thoughtfully composed. For the main, the California sea bass moqueca was exceptional sooo tender, flaky fish in a silky coconut broth with roasted tomato and piperade, lifted by culantro, lime, and peanut for depth and brightness. Comforting yet elegant. We enjoyed everything with a crisp French Rosé, which paired beautifully with the entire meal and the museum setting. And we couldn't leave without dessert. We shared the mousse and the Basque cheesecake, both beautifully plated and absolutely delicious so light, silky, and the perfect sweet note to end a gorgeous lunch. T'was a lovely and serene dining experience with attentive and excellent service combined with very flavorful, creative, and visually gorgeous libations. Perfect pre or post museum indulgence. Will happily and definitely return when we visit SD again.

    "Hostess Table" with non existent host. Happy Hour: Friday & Saturday  & Sunday (not listed on website) 2:30 - 5:00 pm AT BAR ONLY.
    Michelle F.

    It's not the food that is not great. The food is delicious (+1 star) It's everything else. I've dined at Artifact once before. This review is strictly for the bar part of Artifact. My biggest complaint from both experiences is their pretentious and elitist seating arrangements. Here you have a restaurant inside a museum with seating that wouldn't accommodate an above average sized individual. Get rid of that long couch as soon as possible people. If you are 6 feet, over 200 lbs., with any kind of muscular, or bone issues this place is not for you. If you are 5'5 (average height) relatively fit (no fat belly) this places seating might work for you. As we mentioned this to the bartender she said "yeah our seating is supposed to be uncomfortable" so there you have it folks you are supposed to be uncomfortable, potentially in pain while dining at Artifact. That's some horseshi* So who do you blame? Tracy Borkum, the restaurateur? Tim Kolanko, the chef? Jennifer Luce, the architect? Jessica Hanson York, museum CEO? I'm going to go with Jenniger Luce and Tracy Borkum, they must have been the ones seating on that awful couch when they decided it would work- because they were comfortable. It's quite funny how one couch can create such frustration in one's life. So much so I find myself writing a yelp review about a bar/restaurant seating options- especifically a couch! I hope this review helps someone tall and or overweight or someone's family member before dining here. Several things triumph food quality; comfort I believe is one of them. This is a sticky situation, I would hate to find myself in it.

    Roasted chicken

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    Love this menu!!! Will go back!!! Staff and food are fantastic!!! If you like cocktails the choices are so unusual and good.

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    Ask the Community - Artifact At Mingei

    Do you need reservations?

    Yes and no. I have been there several times without a reservation on non - busy days for example after the lunch rush. But a reservation was required on a busy day in between going to the Old Globe. It's not a fast food service kind of place... so… Read more

    Are dogs allowed outside? In patio seating?

    Do you serve wine, or have corkage fee?

    They have wine, beer and a craft cocktail menu

    Two questions Do you need to have tickets for the museum to go to the restaurant?…

    It's all indoor seating in the ground floor lobby of the museum. You don't need tickets to dine there.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Finally got to try this cute Japanese cafe we saw on TikTok, and it did not disappoint!…read more Service: [5/5] The two girls who helped us were so sweet and made the whole experience. We were seated at the bar, which ended up being such a vibe--we got to chat with the girl behind the bar and watch her make lattes and desserts right in front of us. That kind of interaction really sets this place apart. Price: [4.5/5] It's on the pricier side, but honestly it feels fair given the quality of food you're getting. You can taste where your money is going. Food/Drinks: [5/5] Matcha Latte -- We shared one, extra sweet at my request, and it was perfect. Exactly what I was hoping for. Chef Soichi's Karaage -- We had this as an appetizer and my boyfriend made a point to say this is the closest he's had to traditional Japanese karaage. High praise from someone who's passionate about his Japanese culture. Hayashi Omurice -- This is their most popular dish and it's easy to see why. The demi-glaze has a really unique flavor that ties the whole dish together beautifully. This was my pick and I'd order it again without hesitation. Guratan -- My boyfriend's order, and it was incredibly creamy and delicious. We were both too stuffed for dessert by the end, which says a lot about the portion sizes. Ambience: [5/5] The restaurant is small, but honestly that's part of what makes it so charming. Pink everywhere with wooden accents and cherry blossoms throughout (very fitting)--it's cozy, homey, and just really well put together. The intimate size adds to the appeal rather than taking away from it. Overall Experience: [5/5] Hatsuzakara was such a wonderful first experience. Yes, we waited about 30 minutes to be seated arriving at 7:30 on a Friday night but for a waitlist-only spot this small, that's actually a pretty reasonable wait by San Diego standards. The food, the atmosphere, and the staff more than made up for it. Already looking forward to coming back to try the curry and work through their dessert menu.

    This Japanese restaurant is so cute and pretty!! The servers also add to the Japanese vibe~…read more The menu is pretty easy to navigate. I feel like everything looked really good, so it was hard to decide what to order. The dishes have small portion size despite the price. I think this kinda helps in that you have room to eat dessert! The brown sugar Okinawa tea was good but the after taste of the sugar was not good. They kept the tea pot warm, and they served oat milk on the side. Karaage had too much chicken skin for my preference. Guratan was penne pasta and not macaroni as specified in the menu. Yakisoba could have used more chicken. Omurice had the more flavor and the egg was really good. I want to try naporitan next time because of the tomato based sauce. Of the desserts I tried, the parfait was most enjoyable because of the fruit with ice cream. The mushi pudding was good; it was the thick and "hard" type of flan. I want to try kakigori next time because I saw their shaved ice machine was legit. Parking - free street parking only. Be prepared to walk up/downhill. Credit card/apple pay accepted Bathroom is only one room in the back. THE SEAT IS WARM. This was a nice gem to find in this part of town.

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    Interior view from front to back

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    Guratan with Asahi Beer

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    DASHI - Point Break

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    4.6(150 reviews)
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    I went here for dinner to meet up with a friend on a Friday evening and did have a reservation…read more There was a modest wait time of about 15 - 30 minutes, but didn't mind since you can leave your number and they'll call you while you visit a bar down the street. Ambience: the restaurant itself is moderately noisy, but I didn't really have to speak up in order to hear my friends. There's always going to be people moving in and out of the restaurant since the restaurant is also moderately small for this part of town. But it's very stylized to to a wooden Japanese aesthetic. Service: service was also great. The waiters knew the menu pretty well and we're able to customize recommendations to our taste preferences, which was really great. Food: the food itself was also really great. Portion sizes were a lot bigger than I was expecting, so we did have to take home some leftovers between the two of us for the four items that we ordered. The things that we ordered include: - The Hillcrest Roll - The Miso Butter Mac and Cheese - The Sashimi Salad (*would order again!) - The Sashimi Omakase The Sashimi Omakase was an overall pretty standard array of raw fish from the chef, and I thought that was pretty solid. Honestly, I was very surprised by the Sashimi Salad because there was a lot of raw fish in that, and the dressing and the salad itself were really nice. I wasn't expecting the size, and so we were barely able to finish it amongst the other things that we ordered. The miso butter mac and cheese is something that I've heard about from everyone, and it was honestly up to par with everyone's praises. It is also a little bit big, and it can get a little bit rich and heavy given the dairy, so keep that in mind. I would share this with someone to have room for other stuff.

    Finding good sushi in San Diego can feel like a gamble... this place was a very welcome surprise…read more Everything we ordered was fresh, well-balanced, and actually thoughtfully put together, flavors that that worked. The Calamari was light and crispy (not greasy), and that dipping sauce was one of those "don't waste a drop" situations. The sushi itself hit that perfect middle ground between creative and classic... nothing gimmicky, just really solid execution. Atmosphere was clean, relaxed, and easy to settle into without feeling rushed. Service was friendly and attentive. Adding it to the regular rotation!

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    Partial view of the sushi bar

    DASHI - Spicy salmon crispy rice

    Spicy salmon crispy rice

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    Tabu Shabu - North Park - Upgrade to their famous porridge!

    Tabu Shabu - North Park

    4.6(716 reviews)
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    Loooooove this place. Introduced several of my friends to this place and they are converts!! The…read moreplace is not that big, with U-shaped bar seating and the servers in the middle which makes for quick and attentive service. When checking in be aware your whole party must be there to be seated and it is likely that you will end up next to another party as there are no separate tables. They have premium meats and know that it is NOT AYCE like some other shabu shabu places, so beware it will be a bit pricy depending on what you choose. You pick a broth, a rice, a noodle, a protein and you get a plate of veggies and sauces. You get an individual pot to mix your food to your liking. It is SO GOOD. I have never had a bad experience here. My go-to order is a mix of the tonktosu and spicy miso broth along with double wagyu shortrib and extra udon noodles. It's rich and filling and the veggies are fresh. I like to sub out certain veggies to get extra of others I like better (like mushrooms). I would eat here every single day if I could. If you don't finish your rice and broth they'll put it in a to-go container for you so you can have your "porridge" later. Drink menu is good too, they have rotating selection of drinks available, as well as sake, wine, and beer on tap.

    Japanese hot pot? Ok…read more Driven by the place many many times and always assumed it was a ramen spot. We decided to give it a try after realizing it was hot pot. We walked in and just one other couple was dining. Happy hour from 5-6. Our waitress immediately explained how the menu worked and gave us cooking tips. I ordered the miso broth with pork and toro. We also had the chuck roll and brisket. The chuck roll and the pork were delicious. Would definitely skip the toro and brisket next time. The veggies they served were all great (mushrooms, emoji, bok choy, carrot, spinach, kabocha squash, with the exception of a bit too much cabbage). The experience can a little a bit of an endeavor if you've never done it solo, as you solely have to pay constant attention to the pot while trying to eat at the same time. It can be hard to hold a conversation when your food is boiling boiling hot! Definitely a laborous experience but a fun one!

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    Tabu Shabu - North Park - Mural outside the restaurant

    Mural outside the restaurant

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    Azuki Sushi

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    Man, these guys are consistently producing high quality dishes in a modern, chic ambiance with…read morefriendly service. We were lucky to snag a table on Thursday night for two without any resy's. We were offered a two person table upstairs, which I prefer. Started with the Azuki salad that's perfect for sharing. The dressing is light and lots on the plate including avocado, taro chips, cucumber, and apples. Textures and flavors go so well together. I also got a spicy tuna hand roll, the Kobe Roll, and a few nigiri's including Hamachi, Chutoro, and Salmon belly. All were delicious but the Chutoro was the fave. Finished dinner with a burnt butter mochi cake complete with ice cream and some strawberry sauce. Def glad we stopped in and will def be back for more.

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    Azuki Sushi
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    I've lost count of how many times we've had dinner there, and each visit is just as wonderful as…read morethe last. The food is consistently incredible - seriously, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. And the team working there? Absolutely lovely! They're super efficient but also incredibly warm and welcoming, which really makes a difference. You absolutely, positively *have* to try their sushi rolls if you go. They're truly next-level good! On my most recent visit, I decided to try the Gyudon Bowl, and oh my goodness, it was such a delightful and comforting dish. So flavorful and perfectly prepared - definitely a new favorite of mine! Just a little heads-up though, finding parking in that area can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, but I promise you, the delicious food and fantastic experience are well worth the minor hassle. Hope you get a chance to check it out soon!

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    Izakaya Masa - Green tea mochi

    Green tea mochi

    Izakaya Masa - Green tea mochi

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    Between Us - Cookie Crunch French Toast

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    4.4(251 reviews)
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    $$

    Went around 1030am on a Sunday and only waited about 30 minutes for a party of 2. Service itself…read morewas a bit slow as it was prime brunch hours, which was understandable. Food was good! Got the beignets, shakshuka and curry hamburg. Shakshuka and hamburg were great. Beignets themselves weren't anything special, but the matcha and black sesame dipping sauces they were served with were fire. I'd say they're worth trying since they're one of the popular items, but you aren't missing much if you skip out on them. I also got the black sesame latte, which I thought was really good. It wasn't too sweet and had very good black sesame flavor. Parking is pretty standard for North Park. Lots of available free street parking in the surrounding neighborhood/residential areas.

    Such a cute brunch spot!…read more Came here on a date and was not disappointed. The space is open and welcoming and nicely decorated. The food: we ordered the beignets, duck waffle, fried maitake, mango matcha and hojicha latte. The beignets were very good and I am obsessed with the matcha and black sesame cream it comes with. The duck had great flavor and I loved the guava syrup, the waffle was a miss. The fried maitake was delicious!! Perfect batter coating on the outside. Overall a solid 7.5/10. The drinks: mango matcha was creamy and tasty! Hojicha was alright, not the best, not the worst. Service: we got sat immediately and our waiter was super friendly and helpful with questions we had

    Photos
    Between Us - Matcha Latte Tiramisu, love it

    Matcha Latte Tiramisu, love it

    Between Us - Beignets and Matcha Latte Tiramisu

    Beignets and Matcha Latte Tiramisu

    Between Us - Mushroom Toast added poached egg

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    Mushroom Toast added poached egg

    Pizza Kaiju - Pepperoni

    Pizza Kaiju

    4.3(47 reviews)
    2.2 miBarrio Logan
    $$

    Pizza Kaiju is like no other pizza! Chef Eric has an incredible talent for flavors! Besides the…read moreincredible pizzas, their menu has a variety of wonderful options. The brunch menus on the weekends are insanely creative and delicious! Sunday I had the Shrimp po-boy, wow! Just wow!

    Super frustrating experience…read more The aesthetic Instagram marketing caught our eye. The adjacent pop-up matcha shop lured us in. But we were in for a rude awakening inside. We drive down eager to try a myriad of different flavors that they had on their menu. Thankfully, they have ample parking nearby. But it was deeply cluttered with homeless people, one of which we saw actively taking a dump in the bushes nearby. The sidewalks were sticky, wet, and stained with miscellaneous fluids of questionable origin. A decade ago, I used to regularly bike through here and stop by the coffee shop across the street. I don't know what happened since then, I see some failed hints of failed gentrification. We brush it off and walk to the storefront. Immediately we see what looked like an empty pizza cabinet. Confused with how the place operated, the cashier said "oh we only serve cheese and pepperoni pizza by the slice right now". Uuhh ok, it's 11:30am, lunchtime on a weekend and we didn't want a whole pizza. So I just order a side of ube cheese bread, gotta represent my culture. It took nearly 30 minutes to get our order. We almost thought they forgot our order, none of the workers acknowledged or reassured us that it was on its way. In fact they seemed to have ignored all the customers entirely, being too concerned with hanging out in the makeshift plywood room, which looked like a daycare filled with playing kids. If left a lot of people just standing around confused and unsure what was happening. The interior felt minimal and spacious, but unfinished. We finally got our food and left, not at all eager to come back. There are too many other, better pizza options out there.

    Photos
    Pizza Kaiju - Lots of inside seating

    Lots of inside seating

    Pizza Kaiju - Chocolate Donut

    Chocolate Donut

    Pizza Kaiju - Napolitan Pasta with Egg

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    Napolitan Pasta with Egg

    Harumama Ramen + Sushi - Little Italy

    Harumama Ramen + Sushi - Little Italy

    4.0(2.2k reviews)
    1.1 miLittle Italy
    $$

    046/2026/FEB Decided…read moreto try this other location ! So lucky we got a table of 5 without reservation! This location has capacity of 56 diners only ! A stellar service from Matthew ! Food was great ! So famished that when food came didn't get to take picture! Crab Wontons had generous filling and very delicious as well!! Grilled Salmon served on a sizzling plate with rice and topped with furikake and teriyaki sauce!

    The first time we came, there was an empty table, but we were told it would be a 20-minute wait. We…read morewaited, came back, and it was still the same table sitting empty, which was a bit confusing. That said, the waitress we had was very kind and attentive, and the food was decent, so we decided to give the place another try. After a long day at Legoland, we returned around 6pm and I had called ahead to make a reservation for four. The person on the phone took my name and number, so I assumed we were all set. When we arrived, the restaurant wasn't even full, but no one greeted us for several minutes. Eventually, a waiter came over, and when I mentioned our reservation, he seemed confused and said they don't take reservations for parties under six. I tried to explain that someone had taken my information over the phone, but he interrupted me multiple times and didn't let me finish. He then walked over to another group behind us and asked if they were there first, even though we had arrived before them, which was frustrating. We were eventually told there was space available at the bar seating (bar stools) instead of a table. At that point, we were tired and hungry, so we accepted. Unfortunately, the service didn't improve. The waiter seemed rushed and disorganized--he couldn't remember our order and had to ask us which dish belonged to who when the food came out. As for the food, it was okay but not memorable. My ramen was just average--the pork was dry and the egg was overcooked. Overall, the food is decent, but the service really needs improvement. This particular waiter clearly needs more training, or possibly a different role, as the level of service did not meet basic expectations for a restaurant. Our second visit left a bad impression, especially since it was our last night in San Diego. Sadly, we won't be coming back.

    Photos
    Harumama Ramen + Sushi - Little Italy
    Harumama Ramen + Sushi - Little Italy
    Harumama Ramen + Sushi - Little Italy

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    Baikohken Ramen

    Baikohken Ramen

    4.3(211 reviews)
    1.3 miHillcrest
    $$
    Kid friendly
    Large group friendly

    Amazing weekday lunch special! $15 will get you a ramen, fried chicken or chashu rice, and a drink!…read moreMy coworker made this great pick for a workday lunch. I got the shoyu ramen, chashu rice, and a cold oolong tea. The ramen was fine in texture and al dente. The broth was flavorful, without being oversalted. I was very impressed by the chashu: it was carefully cooked and just melts in your mouth. Extra tender. The oolong tea really hit the spot too. The food came quickly, and service was good. I just came back from Japan last month, and this place in San Diego did not disappoint. I would definitely come back again to try their other items. Sorry no pictures this time, as I was famished. Parking lot was small, but we were able to find a space at 1pm on a Friday

    We tried the spicy ramen, tonkatsu ramen, curry, and while all were tasty and good, I'm not sure…read morethis would be at the top of our ramen list. The serving was a bit smaller than what we are used to when we order ramen but overall we enjoyed our dinner and our 9 year old gave it a 6/4 stars. Service was very nice once we were seated and the wait for the food was not bad. It is a really cute place, feels authentically Japanese inside, but also authentically small, so I recommend reservations for a larger group: we were a party of 7 on a Saturday evening around 5:30 with no reservation and we had a wait of around 40 minutes. Definitely worth trying at least once.

    Photos
    Baikohken Ramen - Heart Melt Ramen - Valentine Special 
Stretchy torched cheese over rich miso broth.
Limited time only!

    Heart Melt Ramen - Valentine Special Stretchy torched cheese over rich miso broth. Limited time only!

    Baikohken Ramen - Shoyu Ramen- It is classic Ramen in our restaurant.

    Shoyu Ramen- It is classic Ramen in our restaurant.

    Baikohken Ramen - Hand rolls are here! Pick your base & topping--tuna, salmon, scallop, ikura, or tako wasabi. Build your perfect bite!

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    Hand rolls are here! Pick your base & topping--tuna, salmon, scallop, ikura, or tako wasabi. Build your perfect bite!

    Artifact At Mingei - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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