We came on a weekday to try it out. The ambiance is nice. There are heaters outside for when it gets chilly. We ordered the salmon citrus roll, Katsuya roll, wagyu Sando, beef kushiyaki, chicken kushiyaki, original crispy rice and mochi donut. Overall the food was ok. The dishes are a bit pricey for what you get quantity and quality wise. The rolls were underwhelming for what they cost. The beef and chicken kushiyaki were a little bland. We also found a piece of plastic in our salmon citrus roll presumably from the wrapping. Our server was very attentive. Probably won't be coming back again. read more

^if i could rate this place 3.5 stars I would! I visited Katsuya Ko with my family recently, and had a decent experience overall. The food was tasty, although some were slightly overpriced. For example, the lobster mentaiko pasta sauce was good, but the lobster was dry, and the portion was small for being priced at $48. I can see from the ambiance that this place is marketing itself as trendy/sophisticated, which they are getting to, but some aspects fell short of what it seemed like they wanted to achieve. For instance, shortly after we were seated, I felt something dripping onto my clothes and found soy sauce underneath the table. We noticed this with other tables around us as well. We were seated at a table meant for 4 people with only 3 chairs; we were a party of 3, but the missing chair was a bit awkward. Our table lamp had died as well and when they dimmed the lights for dinner it was noticeable. Everything was eventually addressed, and everyone we encountered was pleasant! As I type this they do seem like small things, but the little details elevate the experience, especially when a restaurant is marketing itself as contemporary high-design, with the steep prices to match. Again, my experience wasn't terrible and the food was good! This place is very newly opened as well so they could be finding their footing. But I did feel like I spent more than expected for what I was presented with, hence why I wanted to leave this review. Nonetheless, thank you to Katsuya Ko staff! read more

Angel provided excellent service with great recommendations! Food came quick and high quality. Will be back for sure!

Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 My coworkers came here for an early dinner this week. Although we had a reservation, there were plenty of open tables for our table of 5. It took some time before the hostess checked us in to our table, but once we were seated, the service was great! We started with a round of some of their cocktails. 3 of us had the Coral Lotus which we all agreed was dangerous... it's one of those drinks you can keep drinking because it's so good but deceptively strong. To eat, we tried a few plates and shared them all. The favorite of the table was the Wagyu Sando. The wagyu was melt-in-your-mouth tender and the milk bread made it the perfect bite. The lobster pasta was also delicious with big chunks of lobster claw meat. Yummm. Definitely worth trying! read more

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Was very excited to get a table at Katsuya Ko. Dined as a group of three on a Saturday evening. Arrived at 6:00 and it was 80% full and completely full shortly after. The whole staff yells "Irasshaimase" whenever anyone enters. Kinda cute when you enter but gets annoying after a few times. One group entered as our waiter was pouring our water and he stopped to stand upright and yell. For me, this doesn't add to the experience. Service was curt and perfunctory. And a bit slow. I ordered the Dragon's Milk cocktail, and another ordered the pea butterfly mocktail. Both were creative and delicious. However, they were very small pours and were about two-thirds ice. The food really excels here. We shared all of the plates, and all were very good to excellent.; - Edamame - Very good though nothing special. - Beef Tenderloin Kushiyaki - Delicious and very tender. - Wagyu Sando - Very good, nice tonkatsu sauce. Beef could have been cooked a bit more to make it more tender. - Two Timing Tuna - Fabulous. Wasabi aioli makes it special. - Tomahawk Short Rib - Fabulous. Excellent sauce and fall off the bone tender. - Crispy Rice Tuna - Disappointing. When it came out the rice was quite hot and falling apart. This is their specialty and I wonder if they were pushing so many out of the kitchen that there was no time to cool the rice. So hot it wasn't crispy. - Nigiri - We shared a few nigiri and all were traditional and very good, especially the o-toro. Super tender, melts in your mouth. BIG RED FLAG: They add a 5% service upcharge that is not mentioned on the menu. The receipt mentions that you can ask to have it removed. I don't come to restaurants to argue about the check, so I just deducted it from the tip. A pretty good dinner in a nice atmosphere but I'm not sure I'd return. read more

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I'll start with the service: I'm very confused on its 4 star rating as none of my experience has been above average. It was never made clear in what order the food will arrive in. We came in today later during the evening / night as an alternative to the ramen spot across from them that had a line of over an hour and I genuinely think it was a mistake choosing Katsuya Ko as an alternative. I don't frequently write reviews, but my visit today deserves this one. Our appetizer that we were looking forward to I had to ask to be removed because it was taking 27 minutes to arrive (I counted 10 minutes after we ordered because we bought tickets for a movie to watch later after our meal, and no it was not busy), our "snack" on their menu came first, which was the Wagyu Sando, four pieces of wagyu meat the size of a thumb sat between some slightly overtoasted bread. It was surprisingly okay despite the portion size. Our Beef Bop was okay. It was the only other thing that arrived during this visit after the Wagyu Sando. It's essentially their version of beef & fried rice except it's made in front of you with the waiter stirring a hot stone bowl with egg, hot rice, beef, and vegetables in front of you. Our Chicken Yakitori, another thing we were looking forward to, was *also* taking too long to arrive and was *also* requested to be removed from our tab. The environment itself looks fine, definitely fits into the UTC look and looks fairly upscale. So it clearly wants to grab your attention. I hope this location makes improvements. I regularly visit UTC, I frequently eat at Javier's, Din Tai Fung, have eaten recently at Joey, been to Raised By Wolves, etc. but have never touched upon this spot. Now I understand the reason why it never stood out to me. In general, nothing stands out for it to charge more than $100 for bowl of fried rice, 4 thumb sized pieces of wagyu, and 2 refills of evian bottled water that are $10 each. I'm not a stickler for price, I enjoy spending money on food and I frequently revisit places I've enjoyed even once, because it truly is hard to find any form of consistency in upscale restaurants. Unfortunately, I would recommend skipping Katsuya Ko. Other restaurants at UTC, despite criticism, will meet consistency and standards that warrant their price points. Other locations in this mall provide free water, complimentary chips/snacks while you wait, and have much better food. I hope this review is recognized and that they improve on their service and fundamentals in order to make their food worth eating, and their prices worth paying. Nothing about this location is above average to do that for me. read more

I came here and sat at the bar top Where they cook the food and it was insane. I'm familiar with the LA locations but this one taste wayyyyy better. Ron and Ryan gave so many recommendations and every single one was . Honestly I like this place better than Nobu now. Located in the UTC mall close to the Javier's side . read more

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It was a Wednesday dinner at UTC mall. This restaurant is located on the north side of the mall, next to True Foods. We didn't have reservations but we were seated right away. Server stated they just opened a couple of months ago. We had the Spicy Garlic Glaze edamame to start with. Seasoning was very good and loved the amount of garlic it had. Then we had the original crispy rice, which was a Ko signature. This was just okay for me. Then we had the classic cut spicy tuna roll. It was just okay. Then we had nigiri, hamachi, toro, and Uni and they were fresh and delicious. The Uni was exceptional. Then we had the chicken yakitori and that one ver good as well. For me, the best part of the dinner was the mochi donuts. I think I could have ordered that alone and I would have been so very happy! Will come back just for that donut. read more

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I really enjoyed my experience here. The sushi rolls were all really good as well as all of the appetizers that I tried. I will say however that the nigiri I had was kind of whatever and were kind of pricey. Having said that, I would definitely come back again for the Katsuya Roll and the Rock & Roll. The surprise hits were the appetizers. I really liked the Cucumber Sunomono, but the best thing I had there was the crispy Brussels Sprouts. Normally Brussel sprouts at most restaurants are basically mini cabbages that they bake, however it feels like they peeled all of the Brussel sprouts and then baked the leaves separated. It may mean that you get less Brussel sprouts than you were expecting, but every bite was crispy and flavorful and I did not feel slighted at all because of it. What made the experience really great was the kind and friendly bartender Natalia who really made me feel welcome as a solo business traveler. She knew her stuff about the food and also was able to give me some recommendations for the local area as well. Hard to find a good bartender like that these days where they barely ever talk to you. Really appreciated as a person who travels for work often and has to eat/drink solo. read more

Katsuya Ko - Rock & Roll and Cucumber Sunomono - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Tried out this place with a friend since it just opened, and we were curious about the hype! We made a reservation so we walked right in and decided to sit outside under the shaded trees to soak up the beautiful San Diego weather. The vibe is super cute and laidback. Our server, PAUL, greeted us right away and was absolutely fantastic throughout the whole meal. Super attentive, friendly, and the food came out quickly too. Service was definitely a 5/5! We ordered a bunch of things and here's the rundown: Miso Black Cod 4/5: Beautiful presentation on the dry leaf and the fish was really tender with great flavor. It does run a little on the greasy side so I'd definitely recommend pairing it with rice to balance things out. Original Crispy Rice 4/5: Good flavor but I was expecting it to be a bit crispier. Also feels a little pricey for just four small pieces. O-toro Nigiri 4/5: Solid but I've had better. Nothing to write home about. Unagi Nigiri 5/5: You really can't go wrong with this one. Soft, flaky eel with great flavor. A must order! Salmon Carpaccio 5/5: Light, fresh and refreshing. Loved this one! Yellowtail Jalapeño 5/5: Super fresh fish with a really well balanced flavor. Another standout! Overall it was a really enjoyable Sunday lunch! The food was good but not quite as memorable as I was hoping. You're definitely paying for the experience, ambience and service here, but sometimes that's worth it too!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

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Was nice trying the new Katsuya Ko in UTC. Stopped in for lunch, no wait for a table inside or outside. The restaurant is clean, nice and new. The waiters were very attentive. -- beef yakitori a total of 7 small pieces of beef, was a little burned on the edges which sort of took over the flavor in a bad way, expensive, and would not get again -- sweet potato appetizer was actually quite good, well cooked and seasoned sweet potato with some chili on top and a nice yogurt sauce underneath, this would get again -- "yakitori" chicken, not what I expected ended up being a sort of Cornish game hen flattened out. The chicken was actually cooked quite well just wasn't what I was expecting having had yakitori elsewhere. Would consider getting again -- mushroom yakitori, same problem as the beef, burned fairly significantly therefore the flavor was just of burnt. Would not get again Overall, the prices are high (plus a 5% surcharge tacked on at the end), the food is average, and the service and ambiance are excellent. It's worth a try, but perhaps sticking to the more sushi side of the menu and seafood might be a better bet. Would not particularly recommend the yakitori portion read more

Katsuya Ko - Sweet Potato - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Felt like getting Japanese food, so ended up here! The service was awesome and so was the food! At first, I just got the miso soup and salmon citrus roll. But then I still felt hungry so I ended up getting the crispy brussels sprouts. OMG, I thought, oh I won't finish these. Well, I did! I definitely want to try other items, so I will be back! read more

Katsuya Ko - Crispy brussels sprouts - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was all around 5/5 for me. If you want cheaper, okay-decent sushi then this place may not hit for you. But if you want each detail and flavor to be carefully selected and you don't mind treating yourself...HIGHLY recommend. I started with a Napa Sauvignon Blanc and my second glass was a Pinot Grigio from Italy. Both were great but the Napa SB was a dream. Everything I ordered have such a good flavor profile and the quality was top notch. Servers were totally welcoming and on it. Everything came out fast. I sat at the Rabata Bar. They also have sushi bar seating and table. They accommodated me for a solo/treat myself walk in dinner on a Friday & for that I'm grateful. Will bring fiancé with me next time! Nothing has ever hit more after a long work week with OT x 2 days. Just yes. read more

Katsuya Ko - Sweet potato..stupid good, has yuzu yogurt, just try it - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Today was my second time here and it was just as delicious as my first time here! The restaurant is spacious with indoor, outdoor, and bar seating available. The service was fantastic. Every staff member was attentive and welcoming! Food was bomb! Definitely recommend making a reservations especially on the weekend. Plenty of parking available as it's at the mall. Definitely give this place a try if you're in the area! Food review: Crispy tuna rice: (5/5) I don't know what they put in this, but it's crack. We ordered 2 of them because they were that delicious. Salmon carpaccio: (5/5) Melt in your mouth delicious. It was very fresh. Albacore onion: (4/5) Super yummy! The onion added great texture and flavor. Fish was super fresh. Salmon avocado roll: (5/5) Simple but delicious. Always my go to roll. Negi toro roll: (4/5) Pretty small, but pretty tasty! I'd probably skip it next time. Beef bop: (5/5) Yummm! Great sharing portion, the short rib was tender and all the ingredients complimented each other so well. It's cool they mix it for you at the table. Salmon citrus roll: (5/5) Super refreshing and flavorful. Every bite was a perfect balance of flavors. Edamame: (4/5) Cooked perfectly and had great flavor. Last time I got the spicy garlic glaze and it was seriously too spicy for me. Today we ordered with just the garlic and it was perfect! Mochi: (5/5) This was so damn good!! It's the perfect texture and flavor. read more

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A nice new option at UTC for good quality sushi. We were able to snag a last minute reservation online for a late weekday lunch same day and got checked in no problem and seated at the sushi bar. I really liked the greeting entering and leaving the restaurant. And throughout the experience we were checked in on plenty of times to make sure we had water and that our food was tasting good. Overall, it's certainly not quite a casual lunch spot as the price point is slightly above that. And generally the taste and quality was good but maybe not a favorite in terms of other options around town. The standout for me wasn't actually a sushi item and was actually a grilled item: the eggplant. It was savory, sweet, and richly smokey, really good! We also really liked the maguro nigiri. Otherwise what is touted - the crispy rice with tuna and wagyu sando were pretty and made for cute photos but certainly not standout in my mind flavor wise. read more

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Came back to Katsuya Ko for the second time and was seated promptly outside. Outside has a clean vibe and our server Sebastian was attentive. I think the food is definitely missing something. Last time I was here I gave them 5 stars giving them leeway as it was the first day they opened and it was beautiful inside, and the service was nice. There were hiccups with more than a few dishes in taste but every restaurant deserves a fighting chance. Everyone I went with has said they thought the restaurant was mediocre, and they just don't see themselves coming back again. I ordered different dishes for myself this time. I kept it simple with a miso soup and a shrimp tempura hand roll. For the table we shared a rock shrimp tempura appetizer and sweet potato. I would give the food 2/5 and the service and ambience overall a 4/5. The food tastes like you could honestly get it at Whole Foods. It's not horrible by any means, it's just not great. Because it's pricey I do expect a bit more. Perhaps it was an off day, as the restaurant is so crowded. So maybe I'll come back if I see a change in their menu or whispers of improvement. read more

Katsuya Ko - Rock shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Katsuya Ko was delicious. The portions are small. It's a bit pricey. Good for a special occasion. Our favorite was the lobster mentaiko pasta, citrus salmon, and wagyu sando. I wouldn't order the crispy rice again. And the sweet potato that everyone raved about was unfortunately undercooked. The food came out very quickly and service was very tentative. Definitely make a reservation. read more

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Made reservations for a friday at 6pm for the outside patio about a week in advanced. We were seated right on time, and they were denying walk ins at the time- so make sure to make a reservation! They were unfortunately out of a few things such as the brussels sprouts which we had really wanted to try. We got several things to share: Crab handrolls- this was ok, a bit mayo- forward. Probably not something I would need to order again for the $21. Crispy rice- this was good, but the rice actually could have been a biiiit crispier. Negi toro roll- this was good, fish was fresh, no complaints here! O-toro and Chu-toro nigiri- I usually like o-toro the best, but the chu-toro was my favorite here! Both very fresh. Waygu sando- small and pricey but the meat melted in your mouth, such a great bite. Tomahawk short rib- This was also incredible. Each piece of meat melted off the bone. Would come back for this. Wok fried greens- fresh and good flavor, a good side to get the veggies in. Miso eggplant- loved the eggplant! So simply but so flavorful. Mochi donuts- I wish it had a bit more chewy mochi texture as it was a bit dense. Overall, service was pretty fast, but did get slower at the end when we had ordered the o-toro and chu-toro and dessert. Otherwise, very friendly! Would come back. read more

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Service was 10/10. My favorite part was the Coconut Milk Latte. The miso cod was quite bony, the sashimi tasted like it had fermented fish sauce, and the quality of the fish unfortunately wasn't the best. The atmosphere was great. I just wish the food was as good as the service and setting. I'm just giving 3 stars for the service and ambiance because was great. Food was not good. read more

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Stopped by for a light lunch and was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. The service was top tier from the warm welcome by the hostess to the attentive and friendly server throughout the meal. We ordered the tomahawk short ribs, yellowtail, and edamame. The short ribs were tender and packed with flavor (favorite dish there thus far). The yellowtail was fresh and well-prepared, and the edamame was a perfect, simple complement. The overall aesthetics of the space were also cute, creating a relaxed yet elevated dining experience. read more

Katsuya Ko - Yellowtail - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here today and was greeted by Hector and the rest of his staff. Everyone here was super friendly and knowledgable. Walked in and loved the interior artwork at the end. My sister and I both got the lychee martinis, which was flavorful. We both split the salmon carpaccio and the lobster mentaiko pasta -- both were flavorful and delicious. The crispy rice, honestly, we could have done without it. Would I come here again? Yes, to try other things on the menu. read more

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Great service. Sashimi was ok. Crispy rice was tasty but the spicy tuna topping was just average. Sando was very tasty, Beef tenderloin kushiyaki was very chewy, I definitely won't order it again. read more

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We came in on a whim. Reservations for 3 at a newer spot. Among the various items we tried, the Brussels and the Denver steak were standouts. The other items which included the shrimp tempura, rock and roll, crispy tuna rice, and steak sandos were not memorable. Wait staff are friendly and attentive. Vibes and plating were nice. Just wish the taste matched! Nice to try, but will not return read more

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The "son" of Katsuya, an Asian chain restaurant from the LA area, has landed in the Westfield UTC Mall at a corner where a lot of eateries have set up. The space has been in development for well over a year so it was nice to see it finally open for business at the beginning of this month. There were several tables arranged on the outdoor patio in front of the entrance. The inside had seating at a central bar and enough tables to hold close to 100 diners. I made an OpenTable reservation for the day before the official public debut which came with a set of pros and cons. Despite arriving ten minutes ahead of our scheduled time, a table was not ready for us until another 20 minutes. I could tell that they were short staffed on servers and bussers for the evening. Hopefully, that situation has improved over the past few weeks. We sat at an inside two-top near the entrance. I had not dined at the LA area locations and was not familiar with their menu. It turned out the cuisine was pan-Asian as opposed to pure Japanese. The right column of the page did have nigiri, sashimi, classic maki rolls, and specialty maki rolls. We skipped these and focused on the other categories that included snacks, appetizers, small bites, and noodles/rice. The dishes were all designed to be shareable. Our choices were the following.., * Chicken Negima Kushiyaki * Chicken and Kimchi Gyoza * Beef Bop * Crispy Ling Cod The food took a while to come out, and one item was mistakenly brought to our table. The main waiter was very pleasant and apologetic to the point in which he offered each of us a complimentary bowl of miso soup. The kushiyaki was two chicken skewers marinated with yuzu kosho. I thought it was expensive at $14 for the two pieces. There were five dumplings in the gyoza order. A black garlic ponzu sauce was provided for dipping. Again, it was a bit pricey at $3 per piece. The Beef Bop was their version of a Korean bibimbap which is a classic dish made up of short rib, jidori egg yolk, pickled vegetables, and white rice in a hot stone bowl. A server mixed the contents at tableside for us. It was hearty and had a good flavor. I do wish the serving size was larger for the $32 price tag. Last but not least was the cod which was my favorite. Several pieces of fried fish were neatly stacked in heap with cucumber, frisse, and toban jan mint sauce. The batter was light and delicate. The risk of dining at a restaurant when it's this new is that the kinks need to be worked out. The biggest issue during the evening we were there was that every area could have used more hands (hosts, chefs, servers, etc). They tried hard, but the operation could have benefitted from a longer soft opening period. I gave a 3.5 star rating for our initial experience at Katsuya Ko. read more

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Came here on a Tuesday at 12:00pm. There was no wait and I was seated immediately. My server, Rudy, was soo amazing! He was very welcoming and asked if I had been here before. After saying it was my first time, he proceeded to inform me about the restaurant and how the owner/founder brought up this restaurant. There were a lot of different options for everyone, which I loved. I wish I could have tried everything, but I will say it's somewhat pricey for the portion you get. But the quality of some of the dishes makes up for it. The Original Crispy Rice - Soo delicious. Probably my favorite out of everything. The rice wasn't too crispy which allowed the flavors of the rice and spicy tuna tartare come out as some places sometimes make their rice too crispy and it comes out tasting burnt and hard. (8.5/10) Salmon Carpaccio - It was amazing! I especially loved the red onion marmalade on top as it complimented the salmon and the sauce it was drenched in. (8/10) Nigiri/Sashimi - I got the O-toro, Sake, Hamachi, and Hotate. They weren't anything super crazy but were still good regardless. I think my favorite was the O-toro. But if I had to choose again I wouldn't have gotten so many nigiris as it wasn't anything special that I haven't had before. (6/10) Lychee Mocktail - I honestly thought it wasn't that good. I felt like I tasted more of a citrus/lemony taste more than the lychee flavor. Maybe it was my fault for getting a mocktail instead of including alcohol, but regardless, it was good. (5/10) Overall, the whole bill came out to $98. I would definitely come back again if I am in the area or needing more of those crispy rice! read more

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Another restaurant I've seen people rave about on TikTok, so I had to try it. First things first... the service here is wonderful! As for the food, it was just okay and didn't quite live up to the hype, especially for the price. Lobster pasta ($48) - very salty. Crispy rice tuna $16- the rice wasn't crispy enough. Beef bop $33 - decent, but a little on the pricey side. Eggplant $10 - lacked flavor. Albacore onion $20 - this was good. Wagyu sando $26 - meat was chewy. Two timing tuna rolls $25 - decent The manager came out and offered to remove the lobster pasta from our bill, but I told him it wasn't necessary. He kindly brought out a complimentary vanilla ice cream for us, which we appreciated. Overall, customer service was great, but the food was pricey and didn't meet my expectations. read more

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This place is phenomenal. Pretty much everyone is friendly, super attentive and exemplify top notch service. It's pricey, but it's high quality modern Japanese cuisine, so you get what you pay for. We (always) start w/the Yellowtail crude app. So light and refreshing. Can't remember what cocktails we got, but we've had 4 so far & all of them were unique & great. Tried a few sashimi--they are nice, thick cuts that taste extremely fresh and feel so tender. Not pictured, but the crispy rice spicy tuna is probably our favorite app now. It's not too crispy that you get all the rice stuck in your teeth. The spicy tuna is indescribable; you should just try it. Mentaiko pasta is to die for. Huge chunks of lobster. Buttery. The miso cod is so flavorful, flaky and fluffy. Let me tell you, the tomahawk ribs go crazy. I don't really love bbq sauce, but this has an Asian spin on it obviously and I couldn't stop eating it. Ended the meal with the little mochi donuts which come w/dipping sauces: coconut, strawberry and black sesame (the best one imo). SO GOOD. Of course we will be back, again and again. read more

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Katsuya Ko opened last week at the Westfield in UTC La Jolla, across and adjacent to Ramen Nagi. I would have liked to visit during its opening week but The Del Hotel in Coronado for a Valentines weekend was already planned. Post Valentines, was a perfect time to visit and have lunch. There's indoor and outdoor seating. It always to your benefit to have reservations, as I have seating preferences with my furbaby Fendi in tow and the restaurant was crowded inside and outside with diners. There are two areas with high bar stool seating which overlooks the cooking area and bar. The hostesses, servers and manager were cordial, attentive and helpful. The interior decor was simple but lacked the geisha heavy white makeup face and red cherry lipstick lips murals as seen at other Katsuya locations. Being from Beverly Hills most of my life, I have dined at Katsuya locations in Hollywood and Brentwood. Not a fan of Hollywood area so Brentwood was my preference. 'Ko' means child, so this restaurant is an offspring of Katsuya in a more casual setting. The menu listed many selections, as it points out the signature dishes as: the spicy tuna crispy rice and the crab hand roll, which I'm sure you've had a version of many times, like I have and I didn't have interest in trying here. The menu offers sushi as well as other dishes considered Asian fusion, hot, cold and some shareable or not. Their website showed lunchtime offerings ie Bento Boxes and other dishes offered in a set to include miso soup, salad and edamame which to my dismay were not on the menu and no longer offered as my server informed me. Perhaps management should reconsider and make lunchtime specials available again. Ordered a mocktail; the Ginger Butterfly which presented as an ambient purple and blues and so refreshing with the Fever ginger beer. The eggplant miso glaze was elongated, impressive and tasty starter...good thing I wasn't with a date or I would be blushing and giggling ;) The Salmon Carpaccio was presented nicely and it tasted better than it looked...simple but the salmon pieces were fresh and buttery soft with citrusy flavors. The final dish was the Mentaiko Lobster pasta which I was looking forward to. The presentation was nice, nothing over the top but upon the first and second tasting of the pasta, which seemed dry and flavorless, I was so disappointed. After finding the two small pieces of lobster which I ate, the rest of the pasta, I found to be unimpressive and inedible. I summoned the server and rejected the plate as inedible. I wanted to order something else but the server seemed to have disappeared and I couldn't wait longer. The lobster pasta dish was removed from my check and the manager was apologetic. My palate and expectations on that dish were beyond disappointed. Perhaps you're not as picky and might like this dish. There are at least half a dozen selections I am interested in trying and plan to return. Worthy of your visit. Recommend read more

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I was very excited to try the dinner service at Katsuya. I had been eagerly anticipating trying this restaurant ever since they began construction a few months ago. The day finally arrived and I was very fortunate that my wife had made a reservation for 5:30 pm on a Saturday night. The hostess had to turn away multiple walk-in parties before us since they were booked through the night. Fun fact: Katsuya means "victorious" not breaded and fried chicken or pork cutlets like I originally thought before researching the name. Chicken and pork katsu is actually not on the menu here. Service started off strong as Sebastian took excellent care of us - explaining the menu in depth, offering recommendations, ensuring our waters were always filled, checking on us regularly, and ensuring the food came out to us in a timely fashion. Overall the entire service is very strong with elements of fine dining sprinkled throughout. Food: Crispy Brussel Sprouts ($16): the Brussels sprouts are completely plucked to each individual leaf resulting in very thin crispy delicious pieces Original Crispy Rice ($16) - a solid tasty dish O-Toro (2 pieces) ($18) - very disappointing, the pieces did not look like or taste like the high quality O-Toro I am used to getting at fancy sushi restaurants. For $18 this was a huge disappointment. Unagi (2 pieces) ($9) - okay nothing special Miso Black Cod ($34) - fork tender and perfectly marinated. The veggies were unfortunately oversalted. I felt like this dish could use some rice to soak up the sodium. Lobster Mentaiko Pasta ($48) - the star of the evening, a delicious filling pasta with a lot of lobster. Note this dish is a little spicy. Overall Katsuya was a very good experience. The prices are on the high side but the experience borders on entry level fine dining. The service was spot on. However, I believe of the high end nigiri should be improved quality wise for the prices being charged. I would like to return in the hopes of trying the fried chicken (which had been removed from the menu after week 1) and the beef tenderloin skewers. read more

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Came here to celebrate my gf's bday. I believe she was able to make reservations. Newly opened at UTC, I suggest parking in the garage near DTF. I didn't realize that garage was already open and the elevator takes u the entrance where Katsuya ko is right around the corner to the left I believe when u enter the mall. We were seated at the corner where u see all the food come out, which was kinda nice cos u can see all the different dishes. Our server was friendly and was able to give us recommendations. We were party of 4 and shared everything family style. We ordered: The original crispy rice - I've had better, flavor was lacking and idk if it's a texture thing but the tuna tartare was a pate (see photo) Yellowtail carpaccio- yum Lobster mentaiko pasta - came out soupy looking. I think my friend didn't like the strong seafood smell Tomahawk short rib- best dish we had, fork tender Salmon citrus roll- yum Mochi ice cream complimentary for the bday girl read more

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The restaurant was already so busy at 5:30 PM, but luckily we had made a reservation beforehand. I highly suggest that you make a reservation before showing up because I heard that they were already fully booked for the night. The ambiance is beautiful and modern, and I like how the tables are pretty spaced out. The kitchen is an open kitchen style. We ordered: -Lobster mentaiko pasta (5/5): This was an amazing dish, and I loved the amount of tender lobster and mentaiko mixed together. Just a heads up that this dish is a bit spicy which I enjoyed. The pasta was cooked perfectly, and this was the standout dish of our night. -Crispy brussels sprouts (5/5): It was a light and crispy dish, and had just the right amount of balsamic. I liked the bonito flakes and toasted almonds on top. -Original crispy rice (5/5): The sushi rice was cooked well, and the spicy tuna tartare was a generous portion. -Miso black cod (4/5): The cod itself was tender, delicious, and perfectly seasoned. However, I did find one bone, and the greens that came on the side were overly salted. -Unagi nigiri (3/5): The flavor was good, but I feel like texture-wise, the eel could have been broiled for longer. -O-Toro nigiri (2/5): This was disappointing because of how thin the slices were, especially since it was $18 for two pieces. -Mochi donuts (5/5): This was a very satisfying dessert, and I like how it came with 3 sauces to dip it in. In order of my favorites: brown butter glaze, strawberry compote, and then black sesame caramel. Our server, Sebastian, was awesome! He was very informative and positive the whole night. He also checked in on us throughout the meal, and made sure that our water glasses were always topped off. The food arrived very quickly, and the dishes were cleared promptly. The GM also stopped by to see how our meal was. All in all, this is a nice date night place, and it feels almost like a fine dining experience. read more

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Katsuya Ko or "Son of Katsuya" is the spin off of Katsuya in LA. Came on a week night with a reservation. The place was busy so we had to wait a little. Understandable because they're still new. We ordered chicken negima kushiyaki, chicken and Kimchee gyoza, crispy ling cod, and beef bap. Most of the dishes were fusion inspired. The chicken negima came with 2 skewers, the green onion was not grilled on the skewer but rather thin strips on top. I thought it was over cooked and over priced at $14 Chicken and kimchee gyoza was rather bland and the texture of the filling was softer than expected. I didn't get much kimchee flavor. The crispy ling cod came with tobanjan mint sauce which was unique and tasty. It was fish and chips type of batter so the outside is crispy but ling cod is really tender, maybe too soft, I think I prefer a firmer fish. The beef bap was similar to Bibim Bap but with short rib and pickled cucumbers and carrots. It came in a hot stone bowl and sauce was poured over and tossed. The beef was tender and flavorful but the sauce was too sweet, or maybe too much. The rice didn't get crispy as a bibimbap in a stone bowl does, I think maybe too much sauce or the bowl wasn't hot enough. The place is new and modern there is seating both inside and out. Because they were new, the kitchen was a bit overwhelmed but the wait for food was fine. Our server, Sebastian provided great service and kept checking on us and even got us complimentary miso soup when there was a long wait with some of the items. Over all the place is new and modern but a bit pricy. The cuisine is a blend of Japanese with touches of Korean and Chinese. I think I prefer traditional Japanese. They are located in the UTC mall near Din Tai Fung, Ramen Nagi and La Colombe. Note there is a 5% service fee added to your check. read more

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My girls & I had a great dinner here! Super friendly service & food came out quick. For just opening, this place has everything pretty much figured out to a T. Spacious restaurant with seating indoors & out. Our server recommended several delicious dishes. Their cocktails are soju based & I loved the Lychee one. We got several fish dishes & all were fresh & tasty. & you must get their Crispy Rice with Tuna because this is where it was born! I recommend parking close to the SoulCycle entrances for easier access. read more

This place pleasantly surprised us. Food was amazing and service was great. It is a little pricy but def worth it for the quality. Love their popcorn shrimp, one of the best I had. Also our server Natalia & Josh were amazing. read more

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In their defense, they have only been open for 7 weeks and it takes time to work the kinks out. That said, this was a rough experience. We placed our order, expecting the edamame to come out first, not third and the small plates to come out first, not 5 minutes in advance of the hot entrees. The edamame was over steamed and mushy. The crispy rice with tuna was a small portion for price point but more importantly the rice was greasy and chewy, not crispy and the tuna barely had any taste. The crab hand roll was fresh tasting but one dimensional and needs some crunch. Ken's Sushi in Del Mar has a similar roll and puts shrimp tempura in it (hot mama- it is off menu - get this!). The bibi had a great presentation and has potential but was a little too garlicky and greasy. The black cod is a classic preparation and was done well. The service was attentive and friendly. We sat inside and it had more of a cafeteria feel to it. Not sure where they were going with design but missed. read more

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I really wanted to like this place especially with all the hype around the opening. I'd recommend to book a reservation since it's always full booked and they haven't been taking walk ins when I've tried. They are dog friendly at their patio so that's a plus especially with the UTC location. Here's what we ordered: - crispy Brussels sprouts - these were pretty good and crispy but can get a bit salty - lobster mentaiko pasta - very light pasta with a decent amount of lobster. I liked the light flavor of this dish. - shrimp tempura - I was expecting typical shrimp tempura pieces but it was more like honey walnut shrimp without the honey walnut - signature tuna crispy rice - this was okay - salmon carpaccio - I typically enjoy salmon carpaccio at other places but I didn't enjoy the sauce this time - The nigiri were about what you'd expect from a Japanese restaurant. I liked that they had otoro. The salmon nigiri had a little fish bone in it. - beef yakitori - this was pretty good and tender - chicken kushiyaki - this was too flavorless - mochi donut - the BEST part of the meal. - we ordered 3 different mock tails and enjoyed all of them Unfortunately they were sold out of wagyu sando and sweet potato, which were the 2 dishes I was looking forward to, so that was a bummer. The people who helped us were friendly and helpful when we had any questions about the menu. The cooked food came out pretty quickly but sushi was backed up so we got our sushi close to the end of our meal. I know that they just opened so there are still some things they need to iron out. They were bringing us wrong dishes to our table and no one was taking the used empty dishes as they brought out more food. The dishes were literally piling up on the side of the table and no one bothered to take them until we finally asked someone to grab them. There was also nobody checking for water refills so we had to ask someone to refill our waters. There were also no heaters on the outer part of the patio so we were freezing during dinner. Overall it was just ok, especially with prices on the higher end. Food just ok and service could be better. read more

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Ive been excited since the first annoucement and thought we were going to get a katsu place at UTC! Well its not, but i was still excited to see a niver japanese fusion here. The ambiance is clean classy, warm, modern japanese feel. It seemed like a great place for a few drinks and conversation. The operation seems new, and theyve got to get a few more things right for it to feel smooth to the diners. The food here was hit or miss. Most of them grossly overpriced for what it is. 1. Nigiri sushi and rolls - quality of the fish used was high. All pretty tasty 2. crispy rice tuna - they claim to be the inventors of this. I love crispy rice! However the minced tuna felt way too processed and the overall piece was under seasoned. I think chasing the form over flavor was the result of this. 3. beef bop - it was tasty, i enjoyed it but charging $32 for rice with a few pieces of short rib is crazy. 4. shrimp fried rice - this was sorely disappointing. The fried rice was damp.. not fried, oily, individual grains. It was mush, and way over salted. They took this off the bill but they should have paid me to eat a few bites of this. The shrimp quality was poor tiny shrimps. Overall, they have a lot to work on. Service was friendly but the food came out so slowly. read more

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4.5 stars the extra .5 came from the really good service that they had. The GM Lionel was our server and gave us the right amount of attention, direction, and welcome. We tried the core menu pieces of the crispy salmon, and the miso cod, and also we had the salmon citrus roll. All of these dishes were very delicious and we even at the end added an extra Katsuya roll. I would say overall the experience was great. The decor of the new restaurant is nice and warm despite us being outside of course you have to factor in being at a higher end mall and the type of food they're serving that the prices will be a little bit higher all in all I would say it's a four out of five but again the service really brought it up. I think they have been trying to find their footing since opening and it has taken them some time to adjust so give it a little bit of space and I would say it's worth trying out. read more

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Great miso cod and lobster mentaiko pasta! I would say to skip the crispy spicy tuna as we really couldn't taste anything and the rice was soft. The service was amazing and all the food came out quick. Overall was a good experience and would recommend to family visiting San Diego to give it a try in UTC! read more

Katsuya Ko - Miso cod, lobster pasta - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Katsuya Ko is about to become everyone's go-to spot for date nights, girl dinners, and vibey San Diego eats--here's why . Had the pleasure of dining here tonight as part of their soft opening and all I can say is WOW ! The restaurant itself is an open-concept so you can see the entire kitchen and bar which is pretty cool to watch the chefs prepare your food ! I also love the artwork --so unique and inviting . We ate so many delicious bites and I'm telling you, from the wagyu sando to short rib bop... NOTHING disappointed ! My stand outs were salmon carpaccio, MISO COD, two timing tuna roll, and sweet potato robata --these were all 10/10's to me ! So fresh, lovely presentation, and I definitely will be craving them in my near future . Overall, the vibes here are good times with good eats . Our server tonight was Rodrigo and he was top tier and took great care of us; honestly everyone we came into contact tonight was wonderful . I am 100% recommending Katsuya Ko to all my family and friends to visit and can't wait to be back to try the rest of the menu ! read more

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