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This place has really good negi toro rice bowls! It reminds me of Tsujihan from Tokyo (I know they have a location in Taipei too). I think the price is higher and portion size is smaller compared to that in Tokyo :'). If you like uni and shrimp, get the Tokujo kaisen don $35. The uni pasta $20 is also pretty good. I wish they put more uni on top though! Not on the menu, but you can order extra masago (tiny orange eggs) $2 or sashimi for $8. They do not do take out. They accept credit card. There's only a few tables and counter seating, so they fill up quickly. But the rice bowls also come out really quickly. The uni pasta took a while. Service is good. I like that some of them are actually Japanese and speak Japanese :') I would come back next time I'm craving kaisen don in San Diego.
Yum! If you're looking for a bomb sushi bowl, swing by! This restaurant is attached to a big lot, so there is lots of free parking. The wait can be long, and my only complaint would be that service was a bit slow and we had to ask our waiter for the same thing multiple times. But otherwise it is a great Japanese dinner experience.
Adding the uni pasta in this review: Uni Pasta - B Tier - Really heavy and honestly only good the first couple of bites. I would definitely recommend sharing this with a table of 4.
Great combination of food! Tried the tokujo kaisen don. Great quality sashimi. The egg yolk was a great touch and made everything silky creamy! I would recommend adding the togarashi and more soy sauce to the bowl. the yuzu seafood soup was refreshing and a great palate cleanser at the end! I also tried the uni pasta. It has plenty of uni flavor and the udon noodles were perfectly chewy.
Ok, ok, ok...don't pew pew me, my fam and I might be one of the few that thought this place was mid. (We all agreed - we liked the old Toro sushi place at this location more) First off, there were other reviewers that said this place really smelled fishy and unfortunately, we totally agree. They were right. I mean you think that you're stepping into a sushi/raw fish place so it should smell a little bit on the fishy side, but man, it was strong. We've simply had better tasting ones in San Diego. Our go to in 4s, for cheaper too. Other reviewers posted how they felt a little bit rushed, and I also agree there too, we arrived before 5pm on a Monday and it was already filling up. So by the time my husband finished bowl, it was gone, then my son and his was gone, literally as each person finished the bowl was cleared. By time we paid our bill the table was cleaned as we stood up. We came, we tried it, now we know. We agreed as a family we probably won't be back. We all left saying 'meh'.
Arrive early to beat the crush of customers for this place! The 1 hour plus wait for dinner on a Saturday was well worth it. Don Maguro specializes in a limited menu highlighting 3 kaisendon bowls consisting of rice, a variety of well matched sashimi (raw seafood) and seasoning. I had the Tokujo Kaisen Don that came with negi-toro (tuna belly), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), and a variety of sashimi. I'm pretty confident that this included not only toro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), and hotate (scallop), but also harasu (salmon belly), toro (tuna) and hokkigai (surf clam). Refer to the picture. The waitress suggested blending all the ingredients including an egg yolk that comes in a separate small bowl. To my surprise, even after doing so, I was still able to discern and appreciate each ingredient. This quaint space reminds me of neighborhood restaurants in Japan. Despite all the tables being filled, the wait staff came across as calm, pleasant, and helpful. Clearly, with just about 2 months after opening, this place is a hit. I'll be back again to try other dishes.
This restaurants been receiving a lot of hype through social media because they specialize in kaisen don which wasn't represented at all in San Diego up until recently. Be prepared for a wait as I came on a Saturday and probably waited around an hour to get seated for two (the restaurant is pretty small). Overall once you get seated though the food comes out really quickly. They have a limited menu so far so me and my partner just ended up getting an uni pasta and the kaisen don that includes everything. The uni pasta to me was not bad but there wasn't enough uni flavor for me (it was creamy though)! On the other hand the kaisen don was excellent; every piece of sashimi tasted clean and the pairing of the dashi broth, nori, sweet shrimp, uni and pieces of other fish all worked great together. Price wise it is up there (the tokujo kaisen don was close to 35 dollars) but I will say I felt it was worth the experience and taste!
We came at opening time, there was already a line and we waited 45 mins. After we were done I think it slowed down just a little bit. Service was fast and the food was decent, of course I've had better in other cities but for San Diego's first seafood don, it'll do. We also ordered the Uni udon and it was pretty bland. We finished quickly and left just as fast.
Well my son and his wife told me about this new place in Mira Mesa it took over from Toro Toro. Actually, I think they pivoted. It was in a great direction! The menu is simple, yet very powerful and interesting. I love the instructions and everything is simple and easy. Extremely delicious! Last time I was there I ordered additional nori because the combo in the nori was incredible. I ordered the bowl with the uni because I just love the flavor of fresh uni. This place is fun and interesting give yourself some time as they always have a wait list and the restaurant is small.
BROOOO... did I just eat in San Diego or teleport to Japan?! Don Maguro is LEGIT. They opened this new concept in July, and I'm telling y'all now: GET HERE BEFORE EVERYBODY FINDS OUT!! Same owner as the previous sushi spot, but they switched up the concept after being inspired by Japan and brought these incredible kaisen-don bowls here. My wife and I shared the Tokujo Kaisen Don with extra sashimi AND extra uni because apparently I make financial decisions based on raw fish. ZERO REGRETS. The fish was incredibly fresh, the uni was creamy, and even the wasabi had me like, damnnnn craaiigggg And the UNI PASTA?!!!! Sheesh! Don't sleep on it. We shared it, but halfway through I started questioning why marriage requires this much sacrifice!! I also love how simple the menu is. No Cheesecake Factory novel with 147 rolls covered in spicy mayo. They know what they do and focus on QUALITY. Great service, beautiful ambiance, amazing fish. We waited about 30 minutes after putting our name down, and it was 100% worth it. COME HERE QUICK. Once San Diego catches on, that 30-minute wait is gonna turn into we'll text you sometime tomorrow. I'll definitely be back... probably sooner than my bank account would like.
Had a great experience here! The food was absolutely delicious and everything we ordered came out fresh and tasted amazing. The service was just as impressive--everyone was friendly, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of throughout our visit. Great food and amazing service. We'll definitely be coming back!
Came 15 minutes before they opened and wrote my name down on the reservation sheet. I was 3rd on the list but a lot of people came shortly after. So I'd suggest coming 20 minutes before opening. When they opened I was sat at the one of the counter seats. I ordered the Tokujo kaisen don ($35) and shared the uni pasta($20). The Tokujo kaisen don came with sweet shrimp, uni, ikura, and sashimi on a bed of rice. It came with a few sheets of nori so that you could mix it and make it into a hand roll type sushi. The sweet shrimp was as fresh as could be without being live. The chopped pieces of fish and sashimi were scallop, tuna, salmon and yellowtail. They were fresh enough; not as fresh as omakase sushi, but a good deal for the price. I added shoyu, yuzu pepper and ground sesame seeds found on the table. I made them into hand roll type sushi. It also came with an egg yolk that you could dip the fish in if you wanted to. There's a placard on the table with suggested instructions on how to eat it. I found the egg yolk didn't add anything. I did eat most of the bowl then added the broth to the bowl as the placard instructed. It was ok but I preferred just the rice and raw fish as the warm soup sort of cooked the fish. The uni pasta was very creamy and had some cheese. The thin udon noodles were soft and chewy but I wish cooked a little less. I'd say the bowls were worth it but maybe not the uni pasta for $20. But it's an El Niño year so I hope they have plans to pivot. Last time there was an El Niño all the kelp in San Diego died and so the uni had nothing to eat which left San Diego without uni for a few years. This place is small so maybe not good for groups. There's a large parking lot so no worries there. It's still rather popular as it's quite a deal for the quantity and quality of fish in the bowls. To avoid the long wait arrive 20 minutes or more before opening and write your name down on the waitlist. I think one of the bowls is enough for 1. I hope they do something with all the egg whites. Maybe have a tempura option to use up the egg whites.
I got the tokujo kaisen don and uni pasta. Unfortunately, the uni pasta was underseasoned. It seemed bland in comparison to the flavor bomb that was the tokujo kaisen don. The restaurant provides guidance on how to eat it which I recommend you follow. Eating was a journey that was well enjoyed. Each bite was different. Fish and uni were fresh. I would come back just for this. Highly recommend stopping by on a weekday as the line can get long on the weekends. Service was fantastic.
6 days ago
Highly recommend this spot! I came with no expectations and left with a full belly and feeling genuinely welcomed. We tried the Negitoro Don and Tokujo Kaisen Don both were fresh, flavorful, and satisfying without being too heavy. Their soy sauce was especially delicious: savory with a subtle sweetness. I really want to know which brand they use cause the soy sauce litterally the highlight!! My friend can't eat green onions, we can not change the negitoro that already make, but they accident put onion into the soup, however, the staff recognize without us asking, and kindly offer to replaced and even gave us free dessert. They truly didn't have to, but that thoughtful service meant a lot. We've already visited twice, and this is now one of our favorite spots. We'll definitely be back! read more
Fresh, high-quality kaisendon! The fish is always fresh, and you can tell a lot of care goes into each dish. The menu is pretty limited. I find the negi-toro don (the most affordable option) lacking in flavor, but I love the other two options! The uni pasta is a yummy udon dish but lacks any noticeable uni flavor. It makes it hard to justify the price, definitely a skip. The overall vibe is clean and nice. A place to be in and out, no frills. Service is good, and I never waited to long when I came at opening. read more
Expensive? Yes Yummy? Yes Worth it? Yes This place is expensive if you're comparing it to what you can get in Japan. Yes of course, the same dish is cheaper in Japan. But given San Diego's expensive cost of living, I think the price is actually really fair, especially for the Tokujo Kaisen Don because the quality of fish is really high. You're basically paying for a nice sashimi bowl. Although I was surprised that the raw scallop still had the foot attached. Since I do not live in Japan, this is the next best thing to eating fresh fish. read more
This place has really good negi toro rice bowls! It reminds me of Tsujihan from Tokyo (I know they have a location in Taipei too). I think the price is higher and portion size is smaller compared to that in Tokyo :'). If you like uni and shrimp, get the Tokujo kaisen don $35. The uni pasta $20 is also pretty good. I wish they put more uni on top though! Not on the menu, but you can order extra masago (tiny orange eggs) $2 or sashimi for $8. They do not do take out. They accept credit card. There's only a few tables and counter seating, so they fill up quickly. But the rice bowls also come out really quickly. The uni pasta took a while. Service is good. I like that some of them are actually Japanese and speak Japanese :') I would come back next time I'm craving kaisen don in San Diego. read more
Yum! If you're looking for a bomb sushi bowl, swing by! This restaurant is attached to a big lot, so there is lots of free parking. The wait can be long, and my only complaint would be that service was a bit slow and we had to ask our waiter for the same thing multiple times. But otherwise it is a great Japanese dinner experience. read more
13 days ago
Adding the uni pasta in this review: Uni Pasta - B Tier - Really heavy and honestly only good the first couple of bites. I would definitely recommend sharing this with a table of 4. read more
Great combination of food! Tried the tokujo kaisen don. Great quality sashimi. The egg yolk was a great touch and made everything silky creamy! I would recommend adding the togarashi and more soy sauce to the bowl. the yuzu seafood soup was refreshing and a great palate cleanser at the end! I also tried the uni pasta. It has plenty of uni flavor and the udon noodles were perfectly chewy. read more
Ok, ok, ok...don't pew pew me, my fam and I might be one of the few that thought this place was mid. (We all agreed - we liked the old Toro sushi place at this location more) First off, there were other reviewers that said this place really smelled fishy and unfortunately, we totally agree. They were right. I mean you think that you're stepping into a sushi/raw fish place so it should smell a little bit on the fishy side, but man, it was strong. We've simply had better tasting ones in San Diego. Our go to in 4s, for cheaper too. Other reviewers posted how they felt a little bit rushed, and I also agree there too, we arrived before 5pm on a Monday and it was already filling up. So by the time my husband finished bowl, it was gone, then my son and his was gone, literally as each person finished the bowl was cleared. By time we paid our bill the table was cleaned as we stood up. We came, we tried it, now we know. We agreed as a family we probably won't be back. We all left saying 'meh'. read more
Arrive early to beat the crush of customers for this place! The 1 hour plus wait for dinner on a Saturday was well worth it. Don Maguro specializes in a limited menu highlighting 3 kaisendon bowls consisting of rice, a variety of well matched sashimi (raw seafood) and seasoning. I had the Tokujo Kaisen Don that came with negi-toro (tuna belly), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe), and a variety of sashimi. I'm pretty confident that this included not only toro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), and hotate (scallop), but also harasu (salmon belly), toro (tuna) and hokkigai (surf clam). Refer to the picture. The waitress suggested blending all the ingredients including an egg yolk that comes in a separate small bowl. To my surprise, even after doing so, I was still able to discern and appreciate each ingredient. This quaint space reminds me of neighborhood restaurants in Japan. Despite all the tables being filled, the wait staff came across as calm, pleasant, and helpful. Clearly, with just about 2 months after opening, this place is a hit. I'll be back again to try other dishes. read more
This restaurants been receiving a lot of hype through social media because they specialize in kaisen don which wasn't represented at all in San Diego up until recently. Be prepared for a wait as I came on a Saturday and probably waited around an hour to get seated for two (the restaurant is pretty small). Overall once you get seated though the food comes out really quickly. They have a limited menu so far so me and my partner just ended up getting an uni pasta and the kaisen don that includes everything. The uni pasta to me was not bad but there wasn't enough uni flavor for me (it was creamy though)! On the other hand the kaisen don was excellent; every piece of sashimi tasted clean and the pairing of the dashi broth, nori, sweet shrimp, uni and pieces of other fish all worked great together. Price wise it is up there (the tokujo kaisen don was close to 35 dollars) but I will say I felt it was worth the experience and taste! read more
We came at opening time, there was already a line and we waited 45 mins. After we were done I think it slowed down just a little bit. Service was fast and the food was decent, of course I've had better in other cities but for San Diego's first seafood don, it'll do. We also ordered the Uni udon and it was pretty bland. We finished quickly and left just as fast. read more
Well my son and his wife told me about this new place in Mira Mesa it took over from Toro Toro. Actually, I think they pivoted. It was in a great direction! The menu is simple, yet very powerful and interesting. I love the instructions and everything is simple and easy. Extremely delicious! Last time I was there I ordered additional nori because the combo in the nori was incredible. I ordered the bowl with the uni because I just love the flavor of fresh uni. This place is fun and interesting give yourself some time as they always have a wait list and the restaurant is small. read more
BROOOO... did I just eat in San Diego or teleport to Japan?! Don Maguro is LEGIT. They opened this new concept in July, and I'm telling y'all now: GET HERE BEFORE EVERYBODY FINDS OUT!! Same owner as the previous sushi spot, but they switched up the concept after being inspired by Japan and brought these incredible kaisen-don bowls here. My wife and I shared the Tokujo Kaisen Don with extra sashimi AND extra uni because apparently I make financial decisions based on raw fish. ZERO REGRETS. The fish was incredibly fresh, the uni was creamy, and even the wasabi had me like, damnnnn craaiigggg And the UNI PASTA?!!!! Sheesh! Don't sleep on it. We shared it, but halfway through I started questioning why marriage requires this much sacrifice!! I also love how simple the menu is. No Cheesecake Factory novel with 147 rolls covered in spicy mayo. They know what they do and focus on QUALITY. Great service, beautiful ambiance, amazing fish. We waited about 30 minutes after putting our name down, and it was 100% worth it. COME HERE QUICK. Once San Diego catches on, that 30-minute wait is gonna turn into we'll text you sometime tomorrow. I'll definitely be back... probably sooner than my bank account would like. read more
25 days ago
Had a great experience here! The food was absolutely delicious and everything we ordered came out fresh and tasted amazing. The service was just as impressive--everyone was friendly, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of throughout our visit. Great food and amazing service. We'll definitely be coming back! read more
Came 15 minutes before they opened and wrote my name down on the reservation sheet. I was 3rd on the list but a lot of people came shortly after. So I'd suggest coming 20 minutes before opening. When they opened I was sat at the one of the counter seats. I ordered the Tokujo kaisen don ($35) and shared the uni pasta($20). The Tokujo kaisen don came with sweet shrimp, uni, ikura, and sashimi on a bed of rice. It came with a few sheets of nori so that you could mix it and make it into a hand roll type sushi. The sweet shrimp was as fresh as could be without being live. The chopped pieces of fish and sashimi were scallop, tuna, salmon and yellowtail. They were fresh enough; not as fresh as omakase sushi, but a good deal for the price. I added shoyu, yuzu pepper and ground sesame seeds found on the table. I made them into hand roll type sushi. It also came with an egg yolk that you could dip the fish in if you wanted to. There's a placard on the table with suggested instructions on how to eat it. I found the egg yolk didn't add anything. I did eat most of the bowl then added the broth to the bowl as the placard instructed. It was ok but I preferred just the rice and raw fish as the warm soup sort of cooked the fish. The uni pasta was very creamy and had some cheese. The thin udon noodles were soft and chewy but I wish cooked a little less. I'd say the bowls were worth it but maybe not the uni pasta for $20. But it's an El Niño year so I hope they have plans to pivot. Last time there was an El Niño all the kelp in San Diego died and so the uni had nothing to eat which left San Diego without uni for a few years. This place is small so maybe not good for groups. There's a large parking lot so no worries there. It's still rather popular as it's quite a deal for the quantity and quality of fish in the bowls. To avoid the long wait arrive 20 minutes or more before opening and write your name down on the waitlist. I think one of the bowls is enough for 1. I hope they do something with all the egg whites. Maybe have a tempura option to use up the egg whites. read more
28 days ago
I got the tokujo kaisen don and uni pasta. Unfortunately, the uni pasta was underseasoned. It seemed bland in comparison to the flavor bomb that was the tokujo kaisen don. The restaurant provides guidance on how to eat it which I recommend you follow. Eating was a journey that was well enjoyed. Each bite was different. Fish and uni were fresh. I would come back just for this. Highly recommend stopping by on a weekday as the line can get long on the weekends. Service was fantastic. read more
If you're a fan of fresh seafood and Japanese food, Don Maguro is definitely worth checking out! Their Kaisen Don is so good, with a delicious assortment of seafood served over a bowl of rice. Every bite is satisfying, and it's the kind of meal that makes you want to come back for more! We also ordered Uni pasta and Salmon curry fried rice- which were also good. Service was great- they serve the food fast. The staff was friendly. Definitely adding this to my list of spots to revisit whenever I'm craving a good Kaisen Don! read more
11 days ago
We got the uni pasta and the tokujo kaisen don. The uni pasta was delicious, definitely more cheesy and garlicky than other uni pastas I've had. The tokujo kaisen bowl was also delicious. Super quick service, was in and out in under an hour. Fairly smaller establishment, but really nice place to go on a solo dinner. read more
1 month ago
The fish and seafood were fresh and not fishy at all! I'm not big on uni so negi toro was the only option. The clam (?) broth provided a nice saltiness. The salmon curry fried rice was good but might just get another don next time lol. I showed up 15 mins before opening on a sat and was 4th in the wait list and got in the first seating since they have ~30 seats total. Things can move pretty quickly though since it's such a small menu. read more
13 days ago
unfortunately mid! i've tried different kaisen dons in japan, hawaii, and cali. i would rank this one at the bottom :(. it was soooo much smaller than typical kaisen dons and i was still hungry at the end. i also disliked how the dashi was served with bowl. it's typically served to you at the end so it's hot and fresh. by the time i finished most of my bowl, the soup was already cold. the egg yolk was a nice touch, but the soy sauce needed more flavor. the rice was also just ok! to me, a kaisen don is good when i barely need to add soy sauce, yet i had to add it with every bite. i did like the freshness of the fish and uni though! i'd come back to try a cheaper bowl and the uni pasta read more
2 months ago
I'm sorry to say, but this just didn't hit the spot for me... Don Maguro is allll over socials right now and has the wait to show for it. They specialize in kaisen bowls which are rice bowls topped with raw sashimi-grade seafood. We went for dinner on a weeknight and the wait was 1+ hour for a party of 2. It's a small shop and everyone wants a seat at the hottest spot in town. We got gyoza to start and the Negi-Toro Don. The gyoza was pretty standard- always a solid choice. The Negi-Toro Don was a bit underwhelming to me. It's a set served with a raw egg and a side of broth. Toppings included a mixture of tuna, scallop, squid, salmon, yellowtail, clam, and cucumber. I think I prefer kaisen bowls with bigger cuts of fish and a bit more flavor. While the seafood here was fresh, the way that they minced and mixed everything together wasn't my favorite. I got tired of the taste after a while. Another thing, I reallyyyy wish that the seaweed was crispy :( read more
I'm giving Don Maguro a full 5 stars purely because the food is just that good, even though there are definitely some trade-offs to eating here. But heads up, the line is hella long, so be ready to wait. The service is also not friendly at all, but you don't really come here for the customer service anyway lol. One quick note on the menu: the uni udon is kinda hit or miss. It was fire the first time I got it, but the quality definitely wasn't the same the second time around. Even with the unfriendly vibes and the crazy wait, the food absolutely makes up for it. Still highly recommend if you want some top-tier seafood! read more
The place opens at 4 PM, but people were already waiting outside. For the four of us, we waited about 35 minutes before getting seated. It's a small place, so I'd recommend coming early to put your name down. You can't order to-go, and the menu is pretty simple, so we were able to order our food right away. We all ordered the Tokujo Kaisen Don. The broth was flavorful, and the sashimi was fresh. We also shared the curried salmon fried rice, gyoza, and uni pasta. I have to admit, I did a little happy dance after taking my first bite of the uni pasta . This is definitely a must-order. The fried rice was just okay for me. The curry flavor was a little overpowering. I personally liked the gyoza, but the rest of the table thought it was pretty mid. Overall, we had a good experience, especially for a soft opening. I'd definitely come back for the uni pasta! read more
So worth the hype! We ordered a Uni Ikura and a Tokujo Kaisen Don and both were so delicious! Ingredients were super fresh and the staff were also so informative and attentive. Came on a Wednesday night around 6:30 and was nervous about the like but only waited for about 15 mins. The restaurant is small with limited seating but their service is quick and they turnaround tables really fast. So don't be intimidated by the line! Definitely will be back soon! read more
Tora Tora Sushi has been rebranded into this new concept featuring premium seafood bowls. Don Maguro is currently in a soft opening phase with limited hours between 4 and 9 pm. You must dine-in, and you also should write your party name on the waiting list next to the entrance upon arrival. At my first visit, I showed up around 7:30, and they had already closed the list because the items were sold out for the day. When I returned a few days later, I arrived five minutes after the opening, and there were just three parties seated ahead of me. There is only enough space for thirty diners between the tables and the countertops so you will likely encounter a wait during peak dinner hours. The soft opening menu featured three main bowls, six sides, and two drinks (Coke, beer). The selections will expand after the full grand opening next month. I picked the Gyoza as a starter that came as six pieces and a dipping sauce for $8. The size of the dumplings was small, however the pan-fried quality was very good. I also chose the Uni-Ikura Don which was a bowl of original negi-toro with uni and ikura. A bowl of broth and a raw egg were provided as sides. The serving vessel also contained white rice, four sheets of seaweed (nori), and a shishito leaf. For the price, the amount of rice should have filled the entire bowl as shown in the menu photo. It was barely half full and wasn't a good ratio to the amount of protein. The uni was creamy while the ikura provided bursts of salinity to the mix. I had no issues with the seafood quality. The service from the staff was polite and prompt. I look forward to seeing the expanded menu after the kitchen gets up to full speed. For now, I gave a four star rating for my dining experience at Don Maguro. read more
3 months ago
Note that this is a soft opening so I'm sure things will change when this place officially opens! But I will say that I didn't expect such a long wait especially on a Wednesday evening. It's in a plaza but parking can be a slightly tight due to other shops around. We signed up at around 6:40pm-ish but didn't get seated till 7:50pm. The place is pretty small so it makes sense of the long wait but I definitely didn't expect for that long of a wait especially for just two people. We eventually got seated inside and was able to order and everything. The menu is a bit limited but this is due to soft opening from what they mentioned. I got the bowl along with the beer and they were both very delicious, especially with the bowl having some fresh sashimi! Was very pleased with it but I didn't quite like the nori as it was very tasteless and somewhat dry too. And for the price of it, it was quite a lot in my opinion. I'd still want to come here again especially since there isn't a lot of premium Japanese bowl places out there in San Diego. But I'm really hoping they'll have more on the menu along with more sides and main dishes. But definitely come here before it opens so you don't have to wait as long as I did. And I do hope when they open they open during lunch hours too! read more
3 months ago
FYI: Everyone's just finding out about this place and the wait times can be long if you have a big party. We arrived at 4:30 pm (30 mins after their opening time) and waited an hour for a party of 3. Luckily target is right next door and we could hang out and browse in there. Food wise we ordered: Salmon curry fried rice: could have used more salmon pieces - 7/10 Gyoza: pretty standard didn't think it stood out much - 8/10 Uni pasta: AMAZING execution on this. Flavor was on point and noodles were nice and bouncy with a good chew - 11/10 Tokujo kaisendon: this was the middle set on the menu and while quite pricey it was incredibly filling. Quick tip on this, the broth on the side is really good at the end of the meal with your left over rice / fish pieces. This is how they did it in Japan but we were not instructed to do so here. Many patrons were just sipping the soup on the side. - 10/10 Overall I'd come back even if just for the uni pasta!!! read more
2 months ago
Paid by card. Don Maguro is located a plaza towards the end corner and offers a lot of plaza parking. I went on a Thursday at 4:30 pm with a part of 2, and had to wait about 15 min. with 4 people ahead of us. I got the Tokujo Kaisen Don, uni pasta, and fresh lemon sour. The Tokujo Kaisen Don was amazing!!! Uni pasta was good, but very little uni. The fresh lemon sour was ok. I would definitely recommend this place and go early! By the time we were done eating, there was a long line and the waitlist page was full. There is also a sign that warns items may run out. read more
2 days ago
Was able to try this place after my girlfriend learned about it from social media, and it did not disappoint. There's not many places that do this type of food in SD, and it was well worth the visit. The quality was good, I think it all packed a ton of different flavors. Moreover, the hot dashi and egg was nice touch. I'm not sure why some people are saying the restaurant smells fishy, I did not get that at all. I also disagree with people saying they felt rushed. Having the finished dishes being taken away swiftly is great service and for a small and popular spot like this, having my bill being given to me quickly is another nice touch and it only makes sense with it being a popular and small spot. I would definitely come back again as this is one of the better spots in SD. 5 stars read more
3 months ago
Reminded me of Japan!! Very fresh and flavors were there. We came during soft opening around 4:30 and there was already a wait. We had about 10 parties ahead of us and it took about 45 mins to be seated. When being seated the server was extremely nice and explained the menu. They do not have the full menu yet! The negi-toro was soo so fresh and loved all the different flavors in the bowl. Since they give so much meat, I honestly felt like I could have had more rice. The egg was yummy and they give 3 pieces of nori which I think is great! I didn't like the broth as much but I saw maybe adding the shrimp head to it would be better. The broth was a little too fishy for me. The restaurant itself is cute and on the smaller side. Cant wait to go back when they have the full menu! read more
21 days ago
Two years ago I visited Japan and ate at the viral Kaisen-Don Tsujihan, and I loved it. I was stoked to try and kaisen-do restaurant in SD. These types of restaurants live or die on the quality of the fish and I was really nicely surprised by the quality of the fish. Bad uni really can ruin a dish, but everything was fresh and not fishy. I was glad they gave you a shout container, since I often find the sauce some places give isn't quite enough. The restaurant is a tiny little spot, but had enough bar seating, however I can imagine it getting crowded during rush hours. read more
30 days ago
This place is lovely! Small, clean and simple, fresh and simple menu. Service was so warm and friendly, and the food came out quickly, made to order, as beautiful as it was delicious. I will definitely be back. read more
Super excited that this place opened up, I've been missing this kind of bowl as I haven't had it since I went to Japan. Presentation is perfect, fish is fresh, the broth on the side is very yummy. Our server was sweet, but we did feel rushed as there was a line outside and they tried to take my food away before I was finished. Small restaurant but cozy inside! read more
1 month ago
2nd time here since they opened a few months ago. The wait was short, only 15 minutes. We came around 4:20ish. Great food, great service. Food still so fresh. I got the same thing I ordered last time. Om nom nom. The resto didn't smell like how it did my first time in my initial review. Highly recommend it here. read more
I've been dying to go here and so happy I was able to stop by. The menu is simple and small but everything was so good. The restaurant does have limited seating but the food comes out quick. They were quick to take our order and quick to come out. We got the gyoza, tokujo kaisen don, and the uni pasta. The uni pasta was the star of the show. It was SO good. Portion was a little small on the kaisen don but I would get it again! read more
This place is amazing, love that their menu is so simple, fish is super fresh and rice is cooked to perfection! Uni was so sweet and not fishy at all! The soup that comes with the meal was flavorful, I love it with rice. I would definitely frequent this place. read more
Critique on the service: We were seated at a shared table next to a couple who had been sat before us, so naturally some of their food came out first. Our Gyoza appetizer came out, then a different food runner came around minutes later with two Uni pasta bowls in hand. We naturally assumed, these are ours--nope. The server places one Uni pasta in front of my fiancé, then places the other bowl with the couple next to us who seemingly also ordered an additional Uni pasta on top of their own separate entrees they had already started eating. My assumption was "surely my bowl is ready, he just doesn't have enough arms" Wrong I was. My bowl wouldn't come out for another 10-12 minutes. We got a few apologies from our server who noted the awkward timing, seeing as we ordered the same exact thing, but it seemed to make more sense to give an additional bowl of food to a party who had already been serviced their first entree? We were a little bothered that we couldn't dig in together. Above all, we were just utterly baffled that their system of running food out to tables doesn't seem to prioritize bringing food out to people dining together--especially when we ordered the same exact thing! I understand that this location recently had its grand opening, but I have noticed others comment about the timing discrepancy when food is brought out, so I feel validated in sharing this. The best part of a meal in my opinion, is when that meal is shared with others... As for the food: The Uni pasta didn't quite meet the mark either. We were originally drawn in by mouthwatering photos of some signature bowls. The pasta was pictured as a thick creamy Japanese fusion, but ours had a thinner consistency, which didn't stick to the noodles very well. Instead of carrying creamy umami in every slurp, we were left with a bowl full of watery sauce and salmon roe floating around. We asked for spoons, which helped transport a lot of flavors that otherwise would've stayed uneaten at the bottom of the bowl. I strongly believe that every bowl is prepared fresh to order--you can't deny the quality of ingredients; however, I think the method of preparation is not consistent across the board. This first impression did not warrant a visit in the future unfortunately read more
2 months ago
Dining Experience at Gone Fishing - Tuesday, 8/4 Gone Fishing, the Japanese-style seafood rice bowl spot in Mira Mesa, recently reopened after a brief closure. My friend and I had been looking forward to trying it for quite a while, so we made plans to come check it out. We arrived just before 5 PM, and there was already a long line outside. They were taking handwritten names for the waitlist. We didn't dare go too far in case we missed our name being called. My friend even joked that it would be much more convenient if they could take down our phone number and text us when our table was ready. We finally got seated at around 6:30 PM -- over an hour of waiting. The restaurant itself is pretty small, which honestly isn't necessarily a bad thing. There were about five or six people working in the kitchen, plus two servers, but the overall food service was still quite slow. Once we sat down, we ordered right away. The menu is very simple, with only three seafood rice bowl options. A few of us all chose the second option, which had the widest variety of seafood, and we also added a bowl of uni noodles. 6:36 PM -- Ordered 6:56 PM -- Food arrived 20-minute wait A little hiccup along the way One of my friends doesn't eat shrimp, so we asked if the shrimp could be replaced with another seafood item of equal value. The server checked with the kitchen and confirmed that it was possible, so they replaced the shrimp with an equivalent amount of uni. However, when the bowl arrived, there was almost no sashimi in it -- just one extra piece of uni. We also weren't informed beforehand that the substitution would be handled this way, and the receipt showed an additional $6 charge. We had to go back and forth with the staff to get the issue sorted out, which definitely took away from the overall dining experience. I guess this is one of the downsides of the soft-opening stage -- when the staff is overwhelmed, little mistakes and miscommunications can easily happen. Overall taste The seafood was fresh, and the combination of fresh seafood rice wrapped in seaweed was definitely enjoyable when eaten in big bites. But honestly, it wasn't particularly impressive or mind-blowing. After waiting that long, I probably won't be coming back anytime soon. If you're craving seafood, you can definitely find some good alternatives at poke bowl spots or other restaurants without having to wait nearly as long. read more
1 month ago
I got the Tokujo Kaisendon and it was so good i almost considered another one. The fish quality, the soy sauce, and the dashi broth were amazing i could eat it everyday. The Uni Pasta was also very good, creamy and we always love a poached egg on top. Also got the gyoza, I originally wasn't expecting shrimp, but it still tasted very good nonetheless. Staff were amazing, friendly, and attentive. The restaurant was small but the decorations were very cute, and giving a modern Japanese feel to the restaurant. Giving the size of the restaurant, they were still able to seat a good amount of parties. 10/10 would recommend! read more
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8155 Mira Mesa Blvd
Ste 3
San Diego, CA 92126
Mira Mesa
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