The location of this place isn't what you'd expect. A small shop next to a Subway in a neighborhood strip mall is not where I'd think I'd find a great omakaze sushi spot. The inside also seems a bit unassuming but when you sit at the sushi bar and start your journey it's fantastic. The staff greets you warmly, asks for a drink order and confirms if you have any allergies or things you don't like. Then it's sit back, relax, and enjoy the food, the environment, and the people you came with. The meal is structured in courses. It's not just sushi or sashimi though that is much of it. There are appetizers, soup, cooked fish, and dessert. All of them make you wish you had more because they are so good but when you leave, you are satisfied and full. I've been here a few times and it's always a great experience. read more

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Highly Recommend This Place! Food: - Omakase includes: 9 different nigiri, sashimi pieces, soup of the day, appetizers, miso soup, green tea and a dessert Sushi: - blue fin tuna 5/5 - mackerel 5/5 - cuttlefish 5/5 - eel saltwater 5:5 - hand roll tuna shiso leaf 5/5 - salmon egg 5/5 - etc don't recall the rest but so good! Sashimi - hamachi - yellow tail - desert panna con a so good 5/5 and red bean waffle 5/5 - octopus So much more Appetizers - scallops 5/5 - fried fish forgot the name - spinach and mushrooms Customer service Beautiful and wonderful, One Executive Chef feeding a lot of heads! Price today was $135 per person Sake was good too! Would highly recommend! Abundant parking! Will be back! Thank you for a beautiful experience! read more

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3.5 stars for Kokoro. I really wanted to love this place. The restaurant is very traditional, and the service was impeccable. I really enjoyed the udon soup. The noodles had a nice chew to them. The broth was simple but delicious. While the fish in my nigiri was fresh, it wasn't as buttery as I would have liked. Several pieces of my nigiri were just "okay" and didn't have much flavor. Unfortunately, none of the pieces of fish really stood out to me. Upgrading to the udon instead of the miso soup that it came with was definitely worth it. I don't think I would have been full only eating the nigiri with miso soup. Overall a decent value for the price. read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Chirashi bowl - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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We usually come here for omakase dinner but stopped by for lunch on a Sunday. I wish this place were closer to us so we could come often. We were seated promptly by the very nice hostess. We ordered a lunch chirashi and a lunch sushi at $30 each. IMO this is what standard sushi should be from a mom and pop shop: no frills, good cuts, perfect sushi rice, friendly service in a clean, comfortable setting. Enjoyed our lunch very much. read more

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We enjoyed the lunch specials! I got the udon + eel bowl and my wife got the udon + chirashi bowl and they were both delicious. The quality of the ingredients were all fresh and very tasty! I like the thin udon noodles too! The atmosphere was very nice and the service was friendly. We will definitely be back for more next time! read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Udon and eel bowl lunch combo - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here at 7pm on a Friday night and was able to get seats at the bar for omakase for 3. There was only 1 other couple in the restaurant so we got a private omakase experience!! All the food was so fresh and the fish pieces were incredibly soft. The chef had let us know that he cures the raw fish through a 3-day ice bath instead of using salt in order to create the melt in your mouth, buttery texture of all the nigiri. Salt will shrink the fish whereas the ice baths hydrate and expend the fish meat. Suuuuper informative, I really loved the experience and the quality of fish, and overall I would definitely recommend trying this quaint mom and pop shop in the Serra Mesa neighborhood! read more

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What a wonderful omakase experience! The restaurant is nondescript, in an odd location, but has very charming and authentic decor. The five of us sat at the counter and were served directly by the chef. We had a 3-part appetizer, two soup courses, a sashimi plate, and 8 nigiri. The sashimi plate and nigiri really shone from the freshness of the fish. Be aware that if you want the omakase, you must notify the chef 3 days in advance. read more

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Excellent food and service! I usually just order the a la carte nigiri menu. Fish quality has always been fresh and melt-in-your-mouth. Their chicken karaage is super hot, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. The hours don't seem to be as consistent as posted, so I recommend calling before going. It usually looks closed from the outside. read more

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great spot for lunch. the udon was good. best udon for the price around here. fish and rice were good for the chirashi. miso soup was great

Kokoro Restaurant was mentioned a long time ago by a friend as one of his preferred places for sushi. It's a little off the beaten path next to Subway in a Serra Mesa plaza. They have reduced their lunch service to Thursday through Sunday while dinner was offered from Tuesday through Sunday. We were the first ones to arrive for dinner recently and had our choice of seats from the eight person sushi bar and the tables in the dining room that could hold another 16 customers. A sushi order slip was provided along with a booklet that contained pages for Omakase or Dinner courses, preset sushi and sashimi combos, side dishes, dessert (panna cotta), saki, and other beverages. The two courses were customized for the month of July and cost $150 per person. I was tempted to try the Omakase but decided on an assorted sushi combo. We also ordered three side dishes... Nori-Ten (layer seaweed tempura), Eggplant with Miso, and Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura. Ten pieces of sushi, an appetizer (spinach and tofu dish), chawan-mushi, and miso soup made up the $67 combo. The sushi consisted of... * Toro (tuna belly) * Hamachi (yellowtail) * Tuna (bluefin) * Mejina (opal eye) * Ebi (shrimp) * Ika (squid) * Sawara (king mackerel) * Hotate (scallop) * Ikura (salmon roe) * Anago (sea eel) The Sawara stood out because it was much softer and had a less gamey taste than the mackerel I have eaten at omakase-only restaurants. Perhaps it was because this cut was king mackerel versus Aji which is horse (or Spanish) mackerel used by some places or even Saba mackerel which was listed on the order slip. I also liked the Hotate as the scallop meat was delicate and soft. The chawan-mushi was loaded with more ingredients (ginkgo nuts, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp) than usual for this egg custard dish. The service was fine because we were the first party of the evening and placed our order before those that came after us. There was nothing flashy about our dining experience at Kokoro Restaurant, just solid quality sushi at a reasonable price. read more

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Ordered chirashi bowls for takeout and they were delicious. Really good mouthfeel that I don't often get with other sushi places, even the top ones in SD. Great service too for offering something not usually offered at night. This place has been pretty great since it first landed. It's not in a busy spot, which can impact the restaurant in different ways good & bad. It's mostly upside for me though. Did you know they served some of the MLB teams recently? Pretty cool. read more

100% a hidden local gem in the San Diego community. I love their unique and calm ambiance, truly bringing you to Japan! Their staff are THE BEST, super considerate and attentive. For those interested in their omakase experience or weekly speciality platters, make sure to call ahead of time to place your order and put your name down. The head chef usually takes a week to source and pick the best fish to present to you and your party. It was such a cool experience to learn about, I will def RSVP next time for that! I did a walk in order for my party of four, we loved ordering their speciality rolls and sashimi platters to share. They complement every lunch bento with miso soup and a side salad. In short, this experience was one of my favorite Japanese meals in San Diego. I look forward to coming back! read more

Great sushi! Family owned! I came for lunch and it was delicious. We only ordered sushi. Sweet shrimp is a killer deal! Miso soup was very good. Tea is very good read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

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Adorable traditional sushi spot, very tranquil inside. Sushi chef is an incredibly talented professional. No loud annoying TVs (yay!) Assorted nigiri set for lunch, fresh, and melt in your mouth, so delicious! Love that the chef includes a nice amount of wasabi in each bite! Beer is served draft, nice and cold, service is sweet. 10/10 can't wait to return! read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Lunch nigiri set, highly recommend! 10/10 - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

We went to Kokoro on Valentine's Day for their omakase and it was uh something. I thought the appetizers were ok and the fried food were cold. All the fish quality were exceptional with sushi and sashimi. However, what really took a hit for me was the scallops and lobster where both were very overcooked and the sauce almost tasted burnt. Also, something happened with the kitchen or something because other people stayed for 1.5 hours to 2 but we had super long waits between courses and had to stay for over 3 hours. Not sure what the issue was exactly but for one of them we had to wait over 30 minutes after we were done with a course. read more

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Excellent authentic Sushi restaurant. The location is not the best but the food here is exceptional. The inside of the restaurant is cozy and the staff are all friendly. Highly recommend to get the omakase sushi. I have been here many times and regular sushi is also good but omakase offer better type of fish. Regardless of what you order, all fish here are very fresh and flavorful. read more

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reeaall fresh fish so goooood and hot hojicha was freeee I LOVE it was so yummy! such a cute place it felt so homey :) a bit expensive tho because i wouldnt say the portion is crazy big 4.4/5 pretty authentic spot read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Chirashi lunch and mini chirashi and udon set - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

We came here 3 friends to eat fresh nigiri. This place has an authentic Japanese style , the service here is wonderful and the food is delicious. This is not our first and not our last time read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Salmon nigiri, tuna blue fin nigiri, yellowtail nigiri, toro nigiri, grand nigiri, tuna maki - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

I want to keep this place a secret lol. This place is absolutely amazing. I love the traditional Japanese vibe. We eat here at least twice a year. The Omakase meal does not have all the pretty Instagram pics. But it has the tradition taste and feel of Japan. The sushi chef is funny and has amazing energy. The sushi is is phenomenal. The Japanese panna cotta is next level. It is the best I have ever had. read more

I can only speak of the Omakase offered here. Unfortunately, at $150 per person, I felt the omakase here fell short and was my least favorite of any other omakase I've had. The sushi (sashimi and nigiri platter) was fresh, and the panna cotta dessert was good. Everything else was subpar or not even worth mentioning. I should've ordered a La carte. Wasn't worth it in my opinion. =( read more

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Solid sashimi and and sushi. They accommodated us just before opening for same day 4 person reservation. read more

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I met my friends here for dinner a couple of times lately. Both times I had assorted sushi 10 pcs and some a la carte items like miso eggplant and assorted tempura. The nigiri sushi rice has a stronger vinaigrette taste compared to other places, which I like and I think makes the sushi here tastes better. Sushi is good overall but the fish here is a bit dry and small. I prefer a little larger sushi pieces, both fish and rice. Jazz is nice but got a bit louder than we wanted at times for having quiet conversations. You know those high trumpet and saxophone tunes... The waitress was courteous and checked on us. This place is tacked away from the crowdedness of Convoy and has easy parking that is definitely a plus in the area. It's a nice place if you want an intimate setting for Japanese cuisine with the Chef's personal touch. read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Assorted Sushi 10pcs - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

Attention to detail, fresh seafood, competitive prices, and great ambiance, serving great Japanese fanfare.

Authentic Sushi experience and ambiance. I enjoyed tasting the fish without western sauces covering the flavor. A slow paced meal.

This omakase joint is rather unassuming, but it is absolutely the experience you need to have. I was instantly transported back to Japan after walking in the door. Everything is prepared meticulously. You'll enjoy some traditional items like sashimi toro, high grade uni (sea urchin), and tamago. You'll also enjoy some items you likely haven't had, unless you're a Japan fare aficionado. A word of caution for my fellow westerners: this is traditional Japanese omakase. It is not going to be like what you've had before. I can promise you, though, that this is very similar to an experience you'd have in Japan. If you're looking to be pushed outside your comfort zone, this is the place to do it. read more

Called the restaurant for late omakase reservation for 2 for 9pm The place was dead esp it was late on a Monday night The place feels very authentic Japan to me The server was super attentive The sushi chef did not speak much. We think coz he only spoke Japanese The food was not pretentious very fresh and served mostly in their natural state meaning no sauces so u can really just taste how fresh and the quality of the meals Overall amazing experience will come back again read more

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After a long day working - the team wanted some real sushi and Kokoro delivered. We called 20 min before arrival and they were able to seat us so I would recommend calling beforehand since it's a smaller shop but so worth going there. We enjoyed squid tempura, chirashi bowls and assorted nigiri. The negitoro was also so good and we LOVED the panna cotta (not pictured because it was inhaled) All items met our expectation. The fish was super fresh, the service was great and my only regret is we didn't do omakase (next time for sure)! This was seriously a last minute find that is an absolute gem. I loved that it was so traditional as we were not looking for dragon rolls or anything of that sort. The sake menu was smaller but a bunch of gems. We went with one of my favs since it add available and priced so reasonably! I honestly can't praise this place enough. Pricing is so reasonable for what you get and I'll definitely be back if I'm in the area in the future!! read more

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Absolutely fantastic. Authentic Japanese - high-quality excellent service. I can't wait to return. It's wonderful that there are still people devoted to excellence without the hype. Don't let the strip mall location for you. Once you enter, you are in an outpost of Japan. read more

Delicious food! This local spot was our first time and we loved it! Can't wait to go back!

The food and the service were incredible! The environment was very peaceful and calming. The fish quality was top-notch! Overall a very pleasant experience. Definitely a must try! read more

A great little sushi place. We loved the food and the service. Highly recommend it to those who enjoy sushi. The selection is not big, but it's prepared with care and skill. You won't find here some over the top American style rolls that don't fit in your mouth. Instead - fresh, high quality fish, perfectly prepped (and of the right temperature for sushi). read more

The restaurant is beautifully decorated with a traditional sushi bar where you can see the chef creating your rolls, and slicing into cuts of fish. The fish was incredible, melt-in-your-mouth quality and one of my favorite dishes was the kama / yellowtail collar. They are very much a traditional Japanese spot, down to the moist towelettes, and a somewhat limited menu. A hidden gem and super cute spot with A+ service! read more

This place is great! I was browsing some articles about the best omakase places in San Diego and this restaurant came up. I didn't go for their omakase but I went for their lunch specials and loved it! This restaurant is tucked away in a plaza. A very unassuming location. I arrived right at 11:30AM when they open for lunch. My friend and I were promptly greeted and sat. A sweet older woman took care of us through the experience. This is a very small restaurant so come early or make a dinner reservation. I ordered the sushi lunch and my friend got the sashimi lunch which came with miso soup. We were both still hungry so we ordered a spicy tuna roll to split. Everything was top quality and the portions were perfect. Can't wait to come back for their omakase experience some day! read more

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Excellent food and service. Nice ambiance, light jazz tunes, and encouraged to take your time and enjoy the fresh, delicious sushi and sashimi menu. Will be back! read more

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I did the sushi/omakase tasting menu with my boyfriend. It costs $125 a person and includes an appetizer round, various nigiri, marinated cod, steamed egg, miso soup, and your choice of dessert (panna cotta or red bean wafer) and green tea. I also tried the sparking sake. I'm not sure I would get it again, but I'm glad I tried it. This hidden gem was truly an experience. We went on a week night and there was only one other person in the restaurant, so we basically had our own private chef. This is the type of spot that you go and take your time, so be prepared to take about 2 hours for your meal. It is a simple restaurant with a few tables and seats at the sushi bar. I recommend sitting at the sushi bar. My favorite items included the toro nigiri, red snapper nigiri, and marinated cod. The nigiri truly didn't need soy sauce. It had wonderful flavor on its own. read more

My boyfriend and I came here after seeing an amazing review on Yelp about their yellowtail. Tucked away in a shopping mall in Claremont, this cute restaurant has amazing fish! This restaurant is a traditional Japanese restaurant, with options of omakase, ordering numerous pieces of nigiri or sashimi, a good amount of appetizers, grilled dishes, tempura, etc. Let me tell you, the yellowtail here is the best yellowtail I've ever had! We decided to go with the Omakase which was delicious and lots of options (I forgot to take photos of each dish). The sushi chef was really nice, and the chef in back was so friendly and courteous! Overall the food was delicious, very fresh fish, staff were friendly and the restaurant had a nice calm ambiance(not loud). We will be coming back soon! read more

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My friend and I sat down at the bar and enjoyed an evening of wine and Omakase. Kokoro is a very small restaurant tucked away in a plaza in Serra Mesa. You probably would typically pass this place up because it's not screaming to come inside and eat, but it was a lovely evening in which we left the menu up to the sushi chef. There are other options on the menu if you don't want to do Omakase or sit at the bar. I'd give this place a try to support the local community and check out what all they have to offer. read more

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Absolutely incredible! Who would have thought this little place in the Crunch Fitness and CVS plaza could serve up such high quality and delicious dishes! I love that it's tucked away in Serra Mesa and had a very chill atmosphere. A large tent with heat lamps is set up for outdoor dining. Since this is the first sushi dining experience since COVID hit, we went to town. Sadly they were out of the beef tataki, but our substitute choice of kamo-wasa (sliced duck with wasabi) ended up being my favorite bite of the night. We were also lucky to snag the last hamachi kama (yellowtail cheek), which is something I always order when it's on the menu. The meat is just so tender! Every dish came out with a nice flow to the meal and I was blown away by the flavors. Pair that with house hot sake and we were satisfied. Next time, I want to try the omakase read more

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Overall, this restaurant was great but not amazing. I came here for lunch for their chirashi bowl and it was not bad. The server was very kind and accommodating. Ambiance was intimate and quite, which I enjoyed. I wish the restaurant served hotter, more vinegary and sweet sushi rice. The rice had no distinct flavor or any value that stood out. It was authentic Japanese flavors but I would honestly rather spend the money else where for not so authentic sushi for more bang for the bucks. I may give it one more try for dinner but would be very considerate on what I get. While I appreciate the boutique, cute, and intimate setting of the restaurant, I wish the food were better! read more

Kokoro Restaurant - Sushi bar - Japanese Near Me - San Diego, California

This is as authentic as it gets. Chef Akiyo is a master at his craft. Sushi is his art form. He takes pride in his food and service. It's very much like what you would see and enjoy in Japan. He enjoys talking to his patrons the most. The place is cozy and chill. There are many omakase places nowadays but none like this. Stop searching for a go to sushi spot. This is the one. PS: His homemade panna cota is a must for dessert. read more