Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    CinKuni

    4.3 (358 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order CinKuni Takeout or Delivery

    CinKuni Photos

    Business Info

    CINKUNI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - CinKuni

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Jane L.

    I've heard lots of mixed opinions on this place so thought it was finally time to see for myself. It's conveniently located walking distance from home. I honestly couldn't see how Japanese + Italian fusion could work. The vibe was great upon entering on a Friday for dinner. Our server Archer was new and so sweet and friendly. We opted for Burrata Allegra, Vegan Crunchy and Vegan San Diego with no Sriracha and sweet sauce on the side . My friend got the Tokyo Mule cocktail. Our Burrata dish came out without the fig jam, which was an easy fix, Archer grabbed us a small scoop. Our sushi rolls followed shortly behind. I found them very creatively tasty for being vegan. Since it was my birthday, I got a small slice of Tiramisu which was definitely homemade. It was served with strawberries, unsweet unnecessary garnish. As we were finishing up dinner, they were setting up for Karaoke Night. We which decide to partake in. Great crowd with a few talented singers. They have some kind of entertainment almost every night, be sure to check out their events. The serve was attentive and the vibes were good, so I'll be back to check out more events.

    Rigatone Salsiccia
    Hannah B.

    I have to say we were skeptical when we saw Japanese and Italian food in one spot. It was super yummy. We got a ton of food and just ate family style, which seems to be the way to go. The San Diego roll and master roshi roll are yum. My pasta was great, big chunks of Italian sausage. What was underwhelming was the goku roll, it was good at first and then had a weird aftertaste. My friend also ordered the ebirah ramen and it was SO fishy. Like fish is to be expected as it had scallops and shrimp in it, but it smelled so fishy and had an interesting aftertaste. Tho it was loaded with shrimp and scallops which was nice, but the scallops were were a turn off as they had a bad fish smell. Very hard to move past. Everything else was great and would eat again. The issue we had with the place was we got there at 7:30 and needed a minute to decide what to order, it was like every 3 minutes the waiter was asking us if we were ready, so we ordered drinks and appetizers. Then immediately he came back and asked if we were ready for food. We ended up ordering rather rushed. As we are eating he kept asking if we wanted the check or if we were done. There were other tables and they weren't closing at this time, so what is the rush. Just a little bit of a turn off to be so rushed through a meal with friends. Overall the food was good, service was attentive and the vibe in there is so fun. Gonna go back and check out their night market!

    California Roll
    Ryan B.

    Definitely loved everything we tried here! Staff was amazing and the happy hour deals were excellent. The decor was super cool and I love that everything was anime themed. Somehow Japanese-Italian totally works! Get the flatbreads, gnocchi, and sushi for sure!

    Getting ahold of someone for a reservation is beyond ridiculous
    KaiXi Z.

    I'm not convinced this restaurant is even open or what the deal is. They don't respond to Yelp messages in a timely manner and they don't answer their phone. I've been trying to call through to make a reservation for at least 17 minutes at this point. Can't speak to their food nor the vibes of the place. However, if that changes and I can get through to make a reservation and have a chance to surprise a friend for his birthday, I'll update my review.

    Godzilla Ramen
    Justine H.

    The fusion of Japanese and Italian is one I never see. The sushi was good and the ramen tasted like Italian soup. My friend loved it and that you could really taste the Italian sausage. The service was nice and checked in regularly. It wasn't very busy when we came in on a weekend at dinner but a great local spot to hang out.

    December events posted near the restrooms
    VICTORIA C.

    Service and staff are great & kind. Tonight was karaoke night the have once a month so far. Very nice intimate or average loud music & people singing & having a good time. It was like a house party They seve food Ramen dishes, pizza, pasta, appetizers, burrata and salads, entrees & sushi. My daughter had the Ghidorah Ramen which she ate up so fast & recommends 10/10, I ordered Yakitori to go, which was sautéed chicken breast glazed in spicy honey garlic sauce with sesame seeds served with stir fry vegetables & steamed rice $24. Nice place to come for happy hour or a meal & drinks. Family oriented & great place for date night as well. Food was great & just the right heat on the spicy without overtaking the flavor of the meal. Definitely recommend as a nice spot to check out after work when you don't feel like cooking.

    Yellowfin carpaccio
    Craig R.

    CinKuni is a total vibe! The fusion of Italian and Japanese flavors is executed flawlessly. The yellowfin carpaccio was a standout--it literally melted on my tongue. A huge shout out to the sushi chef for the incredible precision, and kudos to John (aka Juan) for providing such attentive and excellent service. On the kitchen side, the salmon miso plate was on another level, and the sausage pizza tasted like it was handmade by ama herself in Sicily. Highly recommend!

    Wendy R.

    Food was delicious. I got the San Diego roll and the poke tacos. So good. The sushi roll i felt was so filling! Definitely would order it again. Overall everything i ate i would order. The place was clean and neat. My food was ready when i was told as well. No complaints.

    Gnocchi Urbino and Yakitori
    Jocelyn V.

    Came here for dinner last night, the ambience was great. They had trivia at 7pm which is always fun. I've never been to an Italian/Japanese fusion restaurant before, I'm so glad we gave it a shot. I had the gnocchi that was served in a bread bowl, it was incredible. My friend had the Yakitori, which she also loved. We both agreed we'll absolutely come back. Service was great. We met the owner and her son, she was incredibly sweet. Her love and passion absolutely translated into the food.

    Umami Formaggio pizza
    Kalian L.

    We tried CinKuni for the first time Saturday and my parents liked it so much that we came back the next day lol. The food was delicious, the pizza was thin and crispy. The sushi was also really good. The staff was friendly and accommodating. I like the ambiance of the place and the theme of Japanese-Italian fusion is unique and fun. If you're into Asian fusion, Animal or just want to try something unique, yummy and fun come check them out.

    Master Roshi sushi roll and Sanji sushi roll
    Nicole R.

    This place has a lot of potential. I like the amount of space this restaurant provides. We came in on a Thursday evening which was cool because they hosted a free comedy show that night inside which we were able to check out. Food-wise, we only had sushi rolls here, but they were both good. Our server was really nice too. I liked that they have a calendar of events because some events actually seemed fun to check out, but I don't know if I'd come back just for the food.

    Happy hour menu
    Yesenia H.

    I love the ambience and the service was exceptional. Our waitress was very attentive and was very patient with my nephew who has Down syndrome, he definitely enjoyed the gyoza and the pizza. The food was amazing and I would definitely go back again.

    Sailor moon flight
    Amory R.

    Everyone was super nice here, everything was delicious, and the decor is so cute. We got the sailor moon flight, goku roll, and godzilla ramen!

    See all

    27 days ago

    Service was quick. Food was definitely as unique as it sounds. Fun free events! Tuesdays are free trivia day!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Absolutely amazing sushi and service My husband had the best birthday. Definitely coming back! This is probably the best sushi in SD!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 4

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jocelyn V.
    229
    27
    52

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kalian L.
    133
    26
    51

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 hours ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yesenia H.
    173
    113
    313

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 days ago

    The food was amazing and I was able to have a great time with my friend! I really appreciate the hospitality and support.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Grace C.
    639
    133
    70

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 days ago

    Awesome service great and creative food names like goku. The server went above and beyond to help us. And ambiance is cool and chill.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    21 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 9

    CinKuni Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - CinKuni

    Do they have high chairs or booster seats?

    Yes! We have high chairs and booster seats.

    When is bingo and what time?

    Bingo is usually every other Thursday! Upcoming bingo is 12/15!

    Hows parking? Was it hard to find a parking spot? Or is there a designated parking spot?

    Yes, hard to find parking. Best bet is one block back of restaurant. The parking in back is only for businesses next door.

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Italian 67,508 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

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

    Tabu Shabu - North Park

    4.6(716 reviews)
    0.7 miNorth Park
    $$

    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!

    Photos
    Tabu Shabu - North Park
    Tabu Shabu - North Park - Mural outside the restaurant

    Mural outside the restaurant

    Tabu Shabu - North Park - Pork broth

    See all

    Pork broth

    Hatsuzakura - Ichigo Daifuku - Original and Matcha flavored

    Hatsuzakura

    4.4(567 reviews)
    0.9 miUniversity Heights
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Hatsuzakura - Interior view from front to back

    Interior view from front to back

    Hatsuzakura - Guratan with Asahi Beer

    Guratan with Asahi Beer

    Hatsuzakura - Eggs salad sandwich

    See all

    Eggs salad sandwich

    Between Us - Cookie Crunch French Toast

    Between Us

    4.4(251 reviews)
    0.2 miNorth Park
    $$

    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

    See all

    Mushroom Toast added poached egg

    DASHI - Point Break

    DASHI

    4.6(150 reviews)
    1.8 miHillcrest

    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!

    Photos
    DASHI - Partial view of the sushi bar

    Partial view of the sushi bar

    DASHI - Spicy salmon crispy rice

    Spicy salmon crispy rice

    DASHI - Salmon Crispy Rice

    See all

    Salmon Crispy Rice

    Azuki Sushi

    Azuki Sushi

    4.4(3.6k reviews)
    2.5 miBanker's Hill
    $$$
    Takes reservations
    Vegan friendly

    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.

    Food: Overall the food isn't bad but I didn't find anything…read moremind blowing or special as it was made out to be because I know how popular this spot is. Although, it was still enjoyable! Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna (9/10) - loved the crisp and the flavor. it wasn't too spicy and the spice was more for a little kick of flavor Stardust (7/10) - wasn't as citrusy as i thought with the lemon but tasted fine. it was basic in flavor but still good Spicy Salmon Hand Roll (8/10) - it was made well and it was good but nothing too special either Super Dragon (9/10) - the sweet potato was such an interesting and nice touch. really good flavor combination Service: Service is a bit slow since the beginning even to seat you even with a reservation but they remained very kind throughout the experience. Ambiance: It's a bit small but we were sat upstairs in another room with seating and since it's small, when it's packed it can get really loud with everyone talking. The vibes of the place is dimlit and not too upscale but also not too casual. It's just a very nice restaurant vibes

    Photos
    Azuki Sushi
    Azuki Sushi
    Azuki Sushi

    See all

    Tanuki - Exterior

    Tanuki

    4.4(522 reviews)
    1.5 miKensington
    $$

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

    Arrived around 6:30pm and were seated at an outside table. Table for 4 and we ordered quite a few…read moredishes to share. Based on reviews, the Sake Wasa appeared to be popular so we gave it a try. I'm not a big fan of wasabi but this one was good. The crispy rice, salmon carpaccio, roasted striped bass, spicy scallop roll, spider roll . . . All good. The fish was fresh and they were all light. Also ordered a panna cotta and matcha cheesecake - both were good as well and nice way to finish our meal. At no time did we feel rushed. Service was friendly and they checked on us often.

    Photos
    Tanuki - Exterior

    Exterior

    Tanuki - TANUKI

    TANUKI

    Tanuki - Interior

    See all

    Interior

    CinKuni - italian - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...