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    Koakai Brewing

    5.0 (25 reviews)

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    Dorayaki Chocolate | Strawberry White Chocolate Ice Cream Waffle  Sandwich
    Jemiah J.

    Friendly staff and great atmosphere. They have indoor and outdoor seating. My husband and I came here to try out their food. He got a Mexican Lager. He loved his lager. I got sparkling water and green tea. Both were great. Our food was soo good! I got a Bluefin Tuna Poke Bowl! It came with fresh tuna, avocado, seaweed salad, and delicious seasoned rice! The tuna was soo good. I'm getting this again. My husband loved his Wagyu Burger and enjoyed his Mac Salad. We're looking forward to going through their entire menu. They've got their own designated customer parking lot and also Kyoto Japanese Market connects to this brewery. I stopped by the market place and picked up desserts, both were delicious !! We'll be coming again!

    Bluefin tuna poke bowl
    Maricel A.

    Was able to swing by this morning on our way north. The sushi rice was perfect today! Thank you for the five star service and good vibes as usual. I ordered a bluefin tuna poke bowl.

    John M.

    Happy soft opening Koakai Brewing! Early on a Saturday afternoon & the word was already out. The place was packed. The small parking lot in front was full & most of the nearby streets were lined with parked cars, but I scored a spot about a 1/2 block away. Inside is a long L-shaped bar for seating. It was tight quarters with so many people. Just outside the front door are some tables in a covered patio. That area was completely full too. I did manage to grab a seat at the end of the bar by the register. Next door is the joint business, Kyoto Japanese Market, whose kitchen they are smartly leveraging for bites to go with the brews in Koakai. Service was welcoming & very attentive even with how busy it was. For beers, they offer taster pours, as well as full pints & 10 oz. I went the taster route & tried all 6 beers they had to offer on this opening day. All 6 beers tried were very good to excellent. Their XPA emerged as a fave. I was getting peckish so I also got a Smoked Pork Belly Musubi, to which I added a 10 oz of the XPA. The Smoked Pork Belly Musubi was quite tasty & the XPA washed it down nicely. Even on day 1, Koakai Brewing had a good thing going. Everything looked to be running pretty smoothly & everything was tasting good. Congrats on the soft opening Koakai Brewing! Cheers!

    Nell C.

    Just opened, Refreshing beer served at Koakai Brewing next to Kyoto Japanese Market. It's a hidden gem that is starting to explode! Order your Japanese food and have a seat on the patio or inside the brewing and ENJOY! Service is great!

    Sushi & bbq menu, available till sold-out
    James W.

    We both tried the yakatori chicken plate. It was tasty with a great sauce but wasn't really yakitori. My thigh yakatori was a single bone-in piece of thigh, well-cooked but hard to eat with chopsticks, My wife's chicken breast yakatori was slice breast meat with sauce poured over. Tasty but again not a skewer. We ordered at 12:20 & perhaps because of how busy they were, the regular yakatori was sold out. The sides of the plate were great especially the cucumber salad. This was their grand opening so crowded & our 1st time here. Seating is limited but we were able to get a table after a short wait. I tried their Takumi Rice Lager beer & it was cold & refreshing. We've been customers of Kyotos Market for decades so it's great to see the brewery bring people to one of our favorite places.

    Sashimi and bbq plate
    Loren C.

    Such a cool hidden gem in Oceanside. Next to Kyoto market; we enjoyed some yummy Japanese lagers and also had the freshest hamachi. The bbq rib plate was also really good! The food is high quality. There's seating outside and inside its bar top. The staff are very friendly and you can enjoy a game on the TVs as well. Will def be coming back.

    Water Dragon Roll and Japanese Curry with Brisket

    We've been wanting to check out this new brewery since it opened, and I'm so glad we finally did! The food was incredible and everyone working there was super friendly. I love that they offer 3 oz, 10 oz, and 16 oz pour sizes, it makes it so easy to sample a few different beers before committing to a full glass. For food, we ordered the Japanese Curry with brisket, the Chicken Karaage Plate, and the Water Dragon roll, and everything was absolutely delicious! They had a few brisket specials running, which is how we ended up getting it with the curry. It sounds like someone is out front smoking meats every weekend, but definitely get there early because items sell out fast. They were already out of the Smoked Pork Belly Musubi, which just gives us a great reason to return! A few of their beers were tapped out as well, though that makes sense since we came on a Sunday evening right before their Monday/Tuesday closure. Heads up if you want to check out their market space while you're there it closes earlier in the day, so aim to go around lunch time to catch both! Inside is on the smaller side with just the bar and a few TVs, but they have a great setup with plenty of seating on the front patio. We cannot wait to come back!

    Mike H.

    Awesome new Oside brewery! Tasty brews and what looked like amazing food (we already ate-- next time). Super friendly staff, nice interior, and a cute outdoor patio space. We will definitely be back!

    Just out of the smoker. The salmon plate was very good.
    Jim E.

    As a native San Diegan as well as a craft beer fan from day one in SD ( Especially IPAs). This " hard to find" brewery is totally worth the effort . 1st the beers. All exceptional as well as lower on the ABV so you can drink more of them and still make it home safe. The lower ABV has a second benefit. Food. Since your able to stay longer with the lower alcohol your able to hang around for some tasty grub. We did and experienced some of the freshest fish and perfectly smoked / BBQ meats and sides. All are brought to you at this brewery from the family Japanese store connected to brewery. Even if the beer was just ok the amazing food is reason enough to come here. But without a doubt. The beers we had were nothing short of incredible. Especially for the lower ABV. Perfect place? Well parking can be a challenge but it's eazy to see why it's so full. We did and very impressed. Exceptional is how we would rate this place That's our/my judgement of north countys latest greatest brewery. . . eatery.

    The menu the drink menu the food and the drink menu and then a photo of my dish

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    4 months ago

    Loved it. Everyone was really nice. Amazing brewed beer. Omg the food. Chill place to come and have fun and relax.

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    4 months ago

    This place is the cream of the crop - amazing food, beer, people. So glad it's open, welcome to the neighborhood!

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    4 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Wow! Such a find. Can't wait to come back. Expertly Brewed beer and great Sushi. Friendly Service too!! Will be back for sure!!

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

    So happy they finally opened. Their brewer is making great, true-to-style beers. You can also sushi or bbq at the bar!!

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    4 months ago

    Our new favorite neighborhood hang out spot!. pork belly musubi and chicken karate are a must try.

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    Review Highlights - Koakai Brewing

    They've got their own designated customer parking lot and also Kyoto Japanese Market connects to this brewery.

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    Mikko Sushi

    Mikko Sushi

    4.2(866 reviews)
    6.7 mi
    $$

    Mikko Sushi was such a great find! Dayana was the absolute best waitress. She was incredibly…read morepatient and attentive without ever being overbearing. Honestly, it was some of the best service I've ever experienced at a sushi restaurant. Unfortunately, we don't live in the area, otherwise this would 100% become our go-to sushi spot. The sushi itself was fantastic -- everything was incredibly fresh and full of flavor. And do yourself a favor and get an Arnold Palmer. Seriously, it was the best one I've ever had! Great food, incredible service, and an overall wonderful experience. If we lived closer, we'd be regulars!

    I've been here many times especially when living near the area. Parking can be slightly tough…read morearound the area especially on a busy lunch or dinner time. It can sometimes be busy but I come here on a weekday dinner and it's pretty open with no wait. When it comes to food, they got a lot of different varieties of sushi, udon, bowl, and more. All the food is pretty good and has a good ambiance with TV showing around, seeing the chef make sushi, and not too loud. I usually get their sushi and udon there along with other appetizers and they are really good. They also do well with takeout or as leftovers so you could always order as much as you want. Overall, a good place to eat at if you want some good sushi and want to have some good vibes!

    Photos
    Mikko Sushi
    Mikko Sushi - Spicy Chicken Breast Bento Box

    Spicy Chicken Breast Bento Box

    Mikko Sushi - Spicy Seafood Bowl

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    Spicy Seafood Bowl

    Wu Lan Ramen Tap House

    Wu Lan Ramen Tap House

    4.1(788 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    What a fantastic find! I recently relocated to a different part of Oceanside and discovered this…read morerestaurant on Yelp after getting my oil changed nearby. I'm so glad we decided to give it a try. We have several anime fans in our household, so it was exciting to recognize all the characters displayed throughout the restaurant. The kids loved them too! We were greeted immediately when we walked in, and every staff member was incredibly kind and attentive. After ordering at the counter, we took our number and found a slightly wonky--but charming and sturdy--solid-wood table. Different movies were playing on the TVs, which kept the kids entertained while we waited for our food. We ordered sushi and ramen, and my ramen was exquisite. I believe it was called the Dark Knight, and it was absolutely delicious. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Orion beer on draft. Having lived in Okinawa, where the brewery is based, it was wonderfully nostalgic and added another layer of authenticity to the experience. Everything about our visit was wonderful, and we'll definitely be dining here again. They also advertise special events inside the restaurant. I don't remember the details, but I'll be sure to check them out during our next visit!

    Had the vegan ramen with the creamy broth and my friend had the shrimp ramen. Pretty good portion…read moresize. About 20/ person Really liked that the soup base was not over salty but still flavorful. Liked that there was a plenty of other ingredients like 4 large triangular pieces of tofu as well as a piece of seaweed and some other type of vegetable/ fern/ seaweed in the meal. Owner was friendly and accommodating. 5 percent courtesy if you pay by cash. Also, has a loyalty rewards program. You pay and order at the counter ahead of time. Parking is a little hard to find. Most of the parking in the small parking area is marked 20 min so had to park by the 24 hr fitness gym parking lot.

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    Wu Lan Ramen Tap House
    Wu Lan Ramen Tap House - Miso Hot Ramen

    Miso Hot Ramen

    Wu Lan Ramen Tap House - Teriyaki Ribeye Bowl

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    Teriyaki Ribeye Bowl

    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub

    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub

    4.3(1.4k reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Went here last night for dinner and I loved it! I had a friend who would rave about this place and…read moreI totally get it. The vibe inside is cool and our server Shayla was very nice! My friend got the special that day which included figs from their tree in the back (so cool) tuna, and feta cheese. It looked amazing. We shared the Albacore ngiri/sashimi with some crunchy garlic chili and wow so good. I got the hedgehog roll and loved it. Very fresh! I cannot wait to come back!

    I wanted to like this place, but overall I left pretty underwhelmed. The sake was only available in…read moreone size, which was a little annoying. We also ordered the Kyoto Mule, but the ice was already watered down and the drink came without a straw. Ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce had to be requested, which felt odd for a sushi restaurant. The saba wasn't for me personally, although it did seem properly prepared. The cut rolls were also sliced into such massive pieces that they were genuinely difficult to eat in one bite. I do want to give credit to our server, Liam. He was nice and I appreciated him, but I do think he could have been a little more involved in guiding the experience, especially with a menu like this where some of the items may need a bit more explanation. On top of everything, the restaurant was extremely warm and the air conditioning seemed basically nonexistent. There are some good ideas here, but the overall experience lacked attention to detail. For the price point, I expected much better. They could definitely do better.

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    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub - Interior

    Interior

    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub - 01/16/2025: dish #3 - vegan nigiri

    01/16/2025: dish #3 - vegan nigiri

    Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub - 75

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    75

    Sky Sushi

    Sky Sushi

    4.3(231 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Large group friendly

    Decided to try this spot on a whim, as it's not far from my place and I'm new to the area. A sushi…read morespot for me is a MUST. My first visit I tried their Sky Sushi, and for today's visit I went with their Red Dragon Roll. My favorite is the appetizer soup that comes with your orders. Never been big on tofu, but however they make that soup really pleases my taste buds. Truly wish they had a chefs kiss emoji, because thats how good this place is. I'm all about quality and freshness and Sky Sushi delivers that. To finish off both visits of course I had to get dessert. I've tried both their matcha and coffee macaron ice cream mini sandwich thing. Dude, if I had a whole box I'd be going to town. I've had the pleasure of seeing the owner there, working hard and having a smile on her face. You can tell she truly loves her space and the food she provides. You can even see her in the video here coming around the corner with a smile. The other employees there are also very friendly, polite and quick with their service. The decor there is also super cute, I find myself looking at different subtle pieces, and (totally random) the wall colors are easy on the eyes. It almost feels relaxing in there. Highly recommend Sky Sushi!!

    Super happy we found a sushi spot close to home! The restaurant has a very open, welcoming…read moreatmosphere, and both the server and hostess were incredibly kind. The food was delicious! We ordered the bulgogi and chicken teriyaki entrées, and both were flavorful and well-portioned. Each plate came with the meat, a choice of two sides, rice, salad, and miso soup, which made it feel like a great value. Definitely a spot we'll be coming back to! And we had also ordered through DoorDash and came to pick up which was ready in about 30mins. Dining in and ordering out is great!

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    Sky Sushi - Chef Choice Sashimi

    Chef Choice Sashimi

    Sky Sushi
    Sky Sushi

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    Matsu - A5 Japanese Wagyu, BMS 12!

    Matsu

    4.2(301 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$$$

    Family brought me for early Mother's Day Dinner and I had no idea such a place existed here in…read moreOceanside. The unassuming exterior and simple but elegant interior greeted us with low lighting and quiet atmosphere. We sat at a table of 6 and immediately knew we were in for a treat. We all had the 10 course meal and although I can't do justice to describing each item- let's just say every bite is a treat for the tastebuds. You could do substitutions and add ons. I added wagyu for additional 55$ but I'm sure the duck would of been just as good. The pork too surprised me as my family raised pigs as a kid and I don't usually eat but the pork dish- with pigs that were raised with special diet and spa-like treatment/ well... the stories added to the dish. Things like pine were unexpected delights. The drinks were all amazing and we tried mixed drinks, sake, and something I rarely see and is worth noting- great mocktails. The service was outstanding and everyone was friendly, polite, knew their job, and quietly was there between each course with fresh silverware. All was completed with a sense of effortlessness. My daughter mentioned to her dad she was waiting on a drink and the manager heard and without hesitation said it was on the way/ and on the house. We chuckled as the bill of course was more than we had ever spent on a single meal, but enjoyed every minute. What struck me about ambiance is we felt as if we were the only ones there although I saw several tables on other side of restaurant. In addition although 6 of us in a circle - we were able to converse with each other with ease. Come with an open mind and be prepared for the best meal you may ever have. Pricey but worth it if you want to create a memory sure to please.

    3.5 stars We came here because they're closing at the end of…read morethe month. So, Yes it was a bit pricy but i wanted to try it before it closed. Made reservations online for the tasting menu $225. The place is in the middle of nowhere, from the outside you'd never guess it was fine dining. We started off with a trio of little bites, a tile fish gungakn roll, fried mochi threads, and an acorn cracker filled with camembert cheese. The raw tile fish gunkan was ok, the mochi threads were nice and crunchy, the camembert cheese was too pungent for me. Hamachi/Raspberry - slices of Yellow tail and raspberry in a ponzu sauce. The ponzu stood out most and gave it a salty profile i couldn't really distinguish between the hamachi and the raspberry as the textures were similar. Artichoke Kohlrabi gyoza with a bri sauce. This dish was very good though i thought it was more like ravioli than gyoza. It even looked like ravioli. I think they just called it gyoza to make it fit the Japanese theme. Shrimp tempura was delicious! it was lightly battered and fried and put in a shallow bowl of shrimp broth. They said it came with dynamite sauce but i think it was just kewpie mayo. Very good and one of my favorites of the evening. Chicken wing stuffed with scallop, part of the wing was deboned and stuffed with a Hokkaido scallop. It was very tasty, the scallop was very sweet and tender. I wish the skin of the chicken wing was crispier. It was quite charred but did not crack when bitten into it and a little rubbery. Tile fish had a very crispy skin and came with a beautiful sauce of i think apples and apricots and a walnut butter. I really liked the sauce that was spooned on the plate. another one of my favorites of the evening. Duck done 2 ways; roasted and a fried tsukune meatball. They both came in a light carrot sauce. The fat on the roasted piece was nicely rendered and the duck meat very tender. The tsukune was nicely fried and crispy and still rare inside. The palate cleanser was a pine ice cream with Aloe Jelly, The pine ice cream was quite refreshing and smooth i thought the aloe jelly was a bit strong tasting. I think flavor came from the geranium but something had a strong taste to it. The dessert was also one of my favorites White chocolate with hokkaido milk powder on top of miso ice cream and slices of tangerine. It was supposed to be reminiscent of a creamsicle. The Hokkaido milk power was magic on the shards of white chocolate, the miso ice cream was very smooth and dense and when eaten together with the pieces of manderin orange did remind me of a creamsicle. They gave us a trio of finishing dishes a trio of bites; Castella cake, Kokuto jelly and raspberry mochi. The castella cake didn't really stand out, it wasn't the sweet dense cake that im used to. The kokuto jelly had that deep brown sugar taste but was too stiff in my opinion. The raspberry mochi had a strong raspberry flavor which i loved and had a good chew to it. Service was exceptional, water was filled many times almost every time the water glass went down 1/4 it was filled to the top. Each course was preceded with the proper utensiles and were cleared after each dish. i must have had at least 4 forks and 4 spoons. Definilty 5 star (Michilin style) service. Food was very good maybe 4 stars. Value was ok maybe 3 stars. If you divided the courses by the price it came to $25 per course. If you looked at the ala cart menu, many of the items were there and could be had for less than $25, of course not all the dishes on the tasting menu were available ala cart. But i feel if you sat at the bar and ordered a cocktail and maybe 5-6 dishes you't still pay a hefty price but it would be much less than $225. I feel like thats the way to go instead of the tasting menu. Come here if you want exceptional service.

    Photos
    Matsu - Honey

    Honey

    Matsu - Pork belly

    Pork belly

    Matsu - Artichoke

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    Artichoke

    Koakai Brewing - breweries - Updated September 2026

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