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    Himitsu

    4.5 (676 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:45 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Himitsu Photos

    Business Info

    HIMITSU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Himitsu

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    Reviews With Photos

    Kinmedai
    Ryan M.

    They are normally closed on Sundays, but on some Sundays they are open for a special omakase only. It's usually the last Sunday of the month but recently they've been experimenting with 2 Sundays a month. Check on Instagram or call and ask. Reservations for the omakase are almost a must as they start and end at a certain time and limited to 10 people. We started with a pumpkin soup which was very creamy. There were a few unique dishes and preparations. I liked the lobster sashimi which I haven't seen at other omakase experiences. I of course liked the nodoguro and kinmedai. But what surprised me was the ika which I normal don't like was torched and gave it a better more firm texture. I also liked the unagi. It was much smaller but I had not had it torched to that extent before. So good. I also liked the Wagyu that was slow braised with the chipotle sauce. It was quite a unique blend of Japanese and local flavors. There were a lot of servers so a lot of attention was paid to the few diners around the sushi bar. The restaurant is basically closed except for the omakase. A sign out front says closed for private event. Himitsu provides quality fresh sushi under normal business hours. Their special omakase was no different.

    Lunch Menu as of 12/12/25
    Rana R.

    Starting off the new year with a bang! Found Himitsu on Youtube on the Gareth Eats channel, check him out for recos in San Diego (& southern Cali) and it did not disappoint. Himitsu catapults into the #1 sushi spot in SD for me! Although this place is a little more expensive than other sushi joints, the quality of the food is undeniable. The service was also really great and everyone was friendly. Loved that they provide a basket for your bags so they're not on the floor or hanging on your chair. The place itself is small so make sure to grab a reservation. We got seated on the outside patio, cute decor, super clean. They also had outdoor seating near the small parking lot. The lunch and dinner was a bit different & we opted for options on the lunch menu (dined around 12 and could order from both menus). Their sandwich board of specials were actually brought to us so we can see the options. Ordered the Nigiri Paradise [$39] & it did not disappoint. Came w/10 1 pc nigiris and everything on that plate was soooo fresh. The toro, tuna & yellowtail were all melt in your mouth goodness. Their motto is "no soy sauce" and definitely did not use any throughout the whole meal. Also got a bite of their Matsu Roll [$24] which was really good too. The thing about Himitsu is that they focus on the fish and nothing else. With that being said, the sushi roll was light on the rice and heavy on the fish. Loved thaaat! Typically, we're so full of rice we don't enjoy the fish enough, but it's opposite of that here. We also got the Buri (one of their specials) which is a winter yellowtail [$8.50/pc] as well as the Hokkaido Scallop [$8/pc] w/yuzu salt. Both were delish! So manyyy good things to say about this. Try it out!

    Local uni
    Stephanie N.

    Well, this was perhaps the best sushi of my life. Fell in love with a sweet early March local uni, sweet and flavorful scallops, and so many other things (everything with some fattiness was downright buttery ). It was an honor sitting at the counter watching the chef expertly cut the fish while chatting with us at the same time. The wait staff was also so welcoming and lovely. So special we had to come back a few days later, and we will certainly be back the next time we're in SD.

    Seared Scallop
    Mimi T.

    really fresh fish!! loved the service and really vibes. theres a small parking lot w free parking too which is clutch for the trenches of la jolla. lunch deal sushi dons are a steal for the amt you get and comes with miso soup and spinach salad too. would recommend. i love the corn puree in the scallops too

    Ryan I.

    Went here today for lunch for my birthday. First time trying Himitsu but seeing it on social media, I really had to give it a try so wife and I stopped by this afternoon. It did not disappoint. Food: Had various dishes which included the sando, miso cod, hand rolls, kaarage...the list goes on and EVERYTHING was delicious. A++ Service: They automatically charge a 20% gratuity but even with that, the service was deserving and they did not lack on attention whatsoever. They even gave us a free bday ice cream for my bday lunch. A++ Ambiance: Loved the look and feel of Himitsu. If say this is now one of my too 5 sushi spots in San Diego after giving it a go. A+ Thanks again for making my bday lunch so delicious. We WILL be back for sure!

    Himitsu Roll
    Jeanie P.

    Came here to celebrate a friends birthday and it was my first time here. It's in a cute location in a small complex next to some other small shops. The decor is a vibe. Very aesthetically pleasing. You can even hear the birdies chirp. Our server was Michelle. SUPERRRR NICE and informative. We opted for the secret Nigiri which was a great portion for me. Came with I believe 10 pieces. Miso and salad. Only $55! Great quality fish and presentation. Also real wasabi!

    Susannah C.

    We were able to book a reservation easily on Open Table for a party of 2 for lunch. Treasure Bowl: loved the uni, octopus, and salmon in the bowl. Tokusen Chirashi: well balanced and fresh, the scallops and uni was the most memorable parts of the dish Each bowl is Hokkaido Scallop (not pictured): so light and buttery, melt in your mouth goodness The staff were welcoming, pleasant, and had great recommendations on the menu. My friend and I were celebrating our friendship anniversary and our waitress brought out a scoop of matcha ice cream! We sat outside where there were a bunch of small tables on a covered patio and staff is able to pull down the windows to protect from what looks like rain/sun. There is a small parking lot that is shared with other businesses and ample street parking.

    Appetizer
    Aarti P.

    Really fresh sushi. Very knowledgeable staff. Great options for celiac. They have GF soy sauce and ponzu sauce. Almost the whole menu is GF.

    Rating / scoring methodology
    Tommy C.

    Himitsu : "C," with a final score of 60%, meaning "Mediocre. Not coming back, but not yet angry." Executive summary: good vibes, but mediocre food and poor value makes me question how Himitsu made it to the "Michelin recommended" status, and in my books, "not recommended." ------------------------------- Before the restaurant review, I created a new rating system. Of course there is always subjectivity in reviews, but taking inspiration from Car & Driver head-to-head car reviews, I'm hoping a more systematic way of analyzing different restaurants can help lessen subjectivity. The final grade will be determined by a weighted score of 3 factors - food (70%), vibe & decor (20%), service (10%). The scores will be added, then multiplied by a "value" factor that can improve or reduce the score by up to 20%. See photo for elaboration. Himitsu, I first tried about two years ago, and had a fairly good experience. So on my wife's birthday, who's actually out of town, I decided to celebrate it anyway, but without her. I got a 5:45pm reservation, and excitedly told my daughter "let's go to good Japanese!" Note to self: never set high expectations! The restaurant has very limited inside seating. About is inside, in a "covered tent" and another on the "patio" (err...sidewalk?) beside the parking lot. Despite sitting on the patio, the weather Gods cooperated and it felt quite comfortable. A cheerful waitress greeted us, and shared the "tonight's specials." Nothing popped out, and I was quite happy about the standard menu, most dishes served in small plates, allowing us to go for variety. We ended up starting with 6, and I figured we'd continue to order as we ate, depending on how we felt. Ribeye katsu sando (B ) : This was the meal highlight. Beef was tender, juicy, and nicely seasoned. The breading wasn't as crispy as desired, but understandable since it was in between two slices of soft white bread. The ginger dressing was a little too tangy, overpowering the beef, but the weakest link was the cold au jus. Dipping the sandwich meant it became cold and soggy. So I only dipped once because I'm a fast learner. "Today's special" soft shell crab roll (C ) : The weakest dish of the night. I originally ordered the "regular" soft shell crab roll from the menu, but the waitress mentioned they had "fresh crab" off the special menu, and I simply said "sure." In hindsight, I should have asked about the price but I never would have expected it to be double! The worst part, it didn't taste anything special. The lettuce conflicted with the crab that didn't taste particularly fresh, and it really didn't taste much better than something from a Japanese supermarket. Salmon hand roll (B ) : I didn't try this, but my daughter says it deserved a "B". Anago (eel) nigiri (B ) : This was quite nice, very light seasoning, reminiscent of how they're served in Japan. The good, I could taste the sweetness of the eel. The bad, the eel wasn't fatty enough, so given the quality of the eel, the North American style with a little more char and more sauce would have improved the dish. Salmon belly nigiri (C+ ) : It was a generous slice of salmon belly, but not enough marbling and rather tasteless. Ebi (shrimp) nigiri (C ) : The shrimp was overcooked and rather tasteless. My original intent was to keep ordering, but even my daughter, especially after eating the soft shell crab roll, said "nah, the quality is not there." I asked about desserts but they sounded all French based, like creme brulee, and ultimately, nothing appealing. So we stopped, and asked for the bill. At $122 for the quality and amount of food served, especially $39 for the soft shell crab roll, plus the auto 20% gratuity, the value certainly wasn't there. Finally score: "C" at 60% or "Mediocre. Not coming back, but not yet angry." Food: C+ (65%) Vibe: B (70%) Service: B (70%) Weighted total: 45.5 (Food) + 14 (Vibe) + 7 (Service) = 66.5 Value factor: "Not worth it" so reduced score by 10% for a final score of 60% (rounded).

    Catalina G.

    The fish here was very good and very fresh. It was so smooth. You can taste the authenticity here. Would I say it's the best sushi restaurant in San Diego, no. But it's pretty good. My few complaints would be, they could expand their menu a bit. The portion sizes are pretty small. The sashimi peppers could've had more flavor. The parking lot was full but granted it was a Saturday night. The service was decent. The ambiance was nice.

    Sashimi omakase
    Anthony T.

    Just randomly strolled in here today for lunch and it was phenomenal. I had the full portion omakase. Each dish was executed with flawless precision. Started off with the Spiny Lobster Miso soup and 15 courses later, ended with a nice tiramisu. Chef Mitsu was awe inspiring to watch. The attention to detail was amazing. It's a little pricy, but it was worth every penny. I would definitely come back in a heartbeat. Lunch was $355 with the auto gratuity. Be prepared to spend a little bit of change here, but also be prepared to be completely satisfied.

    nigiri paradise set
    Kay L.

    My family and I celebrated my sister's birthday at Himitsu on 11/15/25. The quality of the sushi is top notch and the service from the staff was amazing. This is the second time my husband and I have dined here and the first time for the rest of our family. My personal favorites were the lobster miso soup and the Nigiri Paradise set. The vibes are immaculate when you sit at the sushi bar and can interact with the chefs which was what I experienced when I went for the first time in 2024. However, there were 5 people in our party this time around so we decided to just get an outdoor reservation to avoid hogging the sushi bar. It was super windy on the day that we went and unfortunately, the tarp was flopping around but the employees went above and beyond and found a way to contain it so we can enjoy our meal. It's in Downtown La Jolla where parking is typically far and few in between (especially on weekends) but it wasn't difficult to find a spot on the day that we went due to rains. I suggest getting there a bit earlier to find a spot if you're going on a nice sunny day.

    Taylor L.

    My husband and I tried their once monthly Omakase held on Sunday evenings. It did not disappoint. Ambience was intimate with seven other guests. The staff service and all cooks were friendly and got to know the customers very well. Chef Mitsu and his team's preparation was delicious and the non sushi dishes were different yet refreshing. Quality of fish was great and we always appreciate a no soy sauce sushi establishment. We were unsure of how much food the omakase would provide, but were pleasantly surprised (and full). No add ons needed for us. We will be back for sure.

    Treasure Bowl (lunch)

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    Himitsu Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Himitsu

    Are there GF sushi options?

    Yes they are very good at gluten free. The staff are knowledgable and they have GF soy sauce. Some have said their fryer is GF but others haven't, so you should confirm that when you go.

    Vegetarian menu options or can we ask for veggie rolls?

    Yes many options

    Do we need a reservation or do they take walk-ins?

    Reservation

    Is there outdoor seating?

    yes, there is a patio with seating

    What is the typical price range for omakase for 2 people?

    It is $85 per person for the basic omakase (which comes with a ton of food but no sea urchin). If you want sea urchin, then the price increases to $120.

    What time does their lunch start and end?

    11:30 am-2 pm

    Do they offer omakase/chef's choice sets for lunch?

    I believe they do. I’ve been there for dinner but I think so at the inside bar seating

    View All 10 Questions

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    $$$

    Molly is the best server we have ever had, anywhere. The food was incredible thanks to her guiding…read moreus. So glad we finally got to eat here after so long. Thank you all!

    TL;DR: Great seafood, great service, great vibes! What an awesome pocket of North Park for whatever…read moreoccasion! Must visit in SD! Stopped by after coming home from a work trip to get a late night meal and was so glad we did! Service was top notch! From the minute we walked up to the door to the dish recommendations, everything was so warm and welcoming. Drinks, both alcoholic and NA, were well-balanced and refreshing. Really opened our appetite to crush a bunch of fresh seafood ...speaking of... Wow. Just wow. Everything was so fresh and you could taste the ocean in each bite. - Oysters were freshly shucked and delicious without any of the add-on sauces/dressings - Carpaccio: not to say that it wasn't delicious. It's just that compared to everything else, this was just good. skippable tbh - Sardines on toast: another banger! such thick whole pieces that just melted away with each bite. yum. - Mussels (MVP app): wowwwww so good. Underrated. So glad our server recommended them. If I had to redo our meal, I'd have ordered 2 and skipped the carpaccio. MUST GET MUSSELS. - Beets were a refreshing change from the seafood. Open to other salads but def order one as a palette refresher from all the ocean - Octopus: perfectly cooked and not chewy at all - Potatoes: too heavy to end with. Not bad in any way but I'd skip this next time. Really only want a half bite. All in all, Mabel's smashed it and we'll be back 100%. Cheers, Mabel's!

    Photos
    Mabel's Gone Fishing - Restroom

    Restroom

    Mabel's Gone Fishing - G+T drink and swordfish dip

    G+T drink and swordfish dip

    Mabel's Gone Fishing - Basque cheescake

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    Basque cheescake

    Juniper and Ivy

    Juniper and Ivy

    4.1(3.6k reviews)
    9.9 miLittle Italy
    $$$
    Wheelchair accessible
    Private events

    My wife and I had a wonderful dinner at Juniper and Ivy. Delicious food impeccably presented with…read moreoutstanding service. Truly, our service was what one always hopes for in fine dining for but so rarely receives these days. Our primary did an excellent job helping us select our meal. She was attentive, supportive and a pleasure to talk with, yet also discreet. Plates were well-timed. Our water glasses always seemed to be full although I rarely noticed it happening. All of our entrees were delicious. Favorites? Probably, first, the Hokkaido Scallop starter. The scallops themselves were huge, perfectly cooked with a crusted chili crunch topping and served with a delicious miso butter sauce. Not overly spicy, the flavors meshed perfectly. I also loved the Miso Black Cod (especially because it's a dish one can rarely find near the East Coast where we live.) Any misses? Not really, although the Pâté de Campagne was prepared as very rustic. It was tasty but I found it difficult to eat with the bread, Overall, I recommend Juniper and Ivy as a great place to celebrate an event, enjoy a date, or just have an excellent evening dinner away from the house.

    1/2 Juniper & Ivy is…read morethe kind of restaurant that reminds you why you seek out places like this, the food is genuinely exceptional. It's just a shame the experience came with a few caveats. We requested the patio, drawn in by descriptions of a vibrant, lively porch. What we got was four tables, a persistent wind tunnel, and a front-row seat to the San Diego flight path, meaning every few minutes, conversation came to a full stop for a low-flying plane. No warning from the restaurant, which felt like a miss. Inside next time, without question. The menu itself was a little overwhelming at first, but our server stepped in with confident suggestions that completely redeemed the experience. And then the food arrived. The house sourdough with Mikolich Farm honey butter was the kind of bread course that makes you reconsider every other bread course. The shio tang oysters with mojito foam and cucumber relish were playful and precise. The three cheese tortellini, wild porcini, english peas, aged parm brodo, was the standout of the night: rich, deeply layered, and deeply comforting. The saffron bigoli and miso black cod were both beautifully executed. We paired everything with a Russian River Valley Pinot that was an ideal match for the table. Bottom line: the kitchen is firing on all cylinders. Sit inside, trust your server, and order the tortellini. You won't regret it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

    Photos
    Juniper and Ivy - Whole Duck

    Whole Duck

    Juniper and Ivy
    Juniper and Ivy

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    Himitsu - sushi - Updated May 2026

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