Seriously Devine Experience. From the drinks to the dessert. Every dish was unique and you were not too full by the end. Can't wait to go again! read more

Made reservations three weeks out for a party of four at 7pm. Arrival was smooth and we were seated immediately. Blake was attentive at the start and throughout our experience. The menu is simple and even though printed in paper it's the same that was in place upon opening. We each made an effort to order different items from each course but everyone but me selected the artichokes. I went with the uni and it was disgusting soupy/gelatinous orange gruel hidden under micro greens if some sort. Second course was the best course with the the crab and scallop choices both proving excellent. The chef likes to bury the food under veggies so it's an odd presentation causing you to disperse the carrots or greens them to access the crab/uni. My wife didn't enjoy the chawanmushi. The mains were a mixed bag. I had the sablefish and it was unremarkable and dull. The duck and wagyu were well done. The bright spot was the final course. All we excellent. Honey was everyone's top pic but I loved the pineyness of the matcha. Service was on point if not odd. Beverage service was precise. The bartenders/bar manager use jigger pouring so proportions are exact (if not weaker than one is used too). They even jigger pour the wine which is a first in my experience. If you order wine don't expect more than a 4oz pour. Water flowed easily throughout with different people refilling the glasses (everyone from server assistant to whom I assume was a manager). When they brought out the courses from the kitchen sometimes two or three people would bring our four dishes. It was not quite synchronized, and I wondered why not have one of the three leaders assist in the delivery to make it smoother since most dishes require a dashi drizzle, so it's a bit awkward. Not once did a manager touch our table aside from to clear cocktails glasses/plates. Not one inquiry on our experience. The first two courses were well timed but then something happened and we waited over thirty five minutes for our mains without explanation. We rushed the team to get the desserts out as we'd been there over two hours and needed to depart. The prix fixe menu pricing is now $75 and an additional $45 for the wagyu main. Drinks were $20'ish. I feel that there are better values out there for your dining dollar, but it was a fun experience and was obviously very intentional and thoughtful. I doubt I'll return. read more

This restaurant and experience was just fantastic. The dishes were beautiful, creative and delicious. The service was wonderful, well timed with some personality. I have been at other tastings that take too long between each dish, but this was perfectly timed . Also, their cocktails were quite the pleasant surprise 1) because it's rare to offer cocktails at a tasting , but hugely because they were fresh, light and a slight twist on classic drinks like margarita. HIGHLY RECOMMEND read more

I went to Matsu with my fiancé and our wedding officiant to discuss our wedding. The setting could not have been better we had plenty of time to discuss our plans and the service was excellent. We did the tasting menu and every single course was amazing. My favorite course was the waygu, but everything was delightful. read more

Matsu was truly amazing! Over the top creativity, quality of both food and service and their cocktails pair beautifully, well crafted and swoon worthy. The owner/chef and bartender are well matched and elevate the whole experience together. We love to travel for great dining experiences and the evening did not disappoint at all. The building is very unassuming from the exterior but open the door and you are welcomed into a truly magical and memorable time with them. Most deserving of a Michelin Star!! Even overdue. Hopefully this will happen before long and totally deserved on every level. Congratulations to the entire staff!! You have created a very special place! read more

Matsu, is an amazing place, although it is not for everybody. I am a foodie, and a decent chef, and I just love what they do. The creativity and attention to detail here are second to none. This is not a regular restaurant, this is food as art. You pay for it though, so that should be what you are looking for. I love it. I wish I lived closer. They have Omakase or a la carte ordering. The drinks are great too. read more

Amazing culinary experience ! Every course of Omakase 10 that were skillfully sourced created and plated artfully by chef William was a unique unexpected visual seduction and tastebud triumph. Having lived in New York and the Bay area I grew up as a food snob spoiled by the likes of Le Bernardin, and for too long San diego has had a dearth of remarkable restaurants. Matsu is a breath of fresh air with Chef William passionately embracing Japanese culture with exceptional ingredients paired in ways that inspire the wow factor creating this Oceanside dining experience . Matsu is not just a dinner at a raved about hyped new Japanese Restaurant ....... There is definitely a warm passionate respectful unpretentious vibe between staff and chef in this small intimate restaurant . Everyone smiles and is genuinely loving their work which makes this experience even better . As lifelong foodies we seldom experience tastings menus that inspire and delight with such consistency course after course. Dining at Matsu is really a culinary LOVE AFFAIR that delivers and goes the distance on every course . The servers skillfully kept the pace of courses on point with each delightful young face describing in detail what the chef had made clearly with great awe and respect for Chef William . We are in love with Matsu ! We couldn't even choose one plate over another as the best as 9 of10 of the plates were 5 star memorable standouts if we remember the details correctly Omakase standouts were ... Hamachi first course with the juxtaposition of salty almonds crunchy lettuce and sweet kumquat my favorite was the squid prepared 3 ways as a wrap , tentacles and mystery sauce reduction we think paired with sunflower hearts and roasted seeds. when it arrived we were afraid to ruin the presentation not knowing if we should use a fork and knife or chopsticks . puzzled ...... Roland said just stuff all the squid and sunflowers in the flat piece of squid and use your fingers like you are eating a fish taco ......and what a mind blowing fish taco it was ! my partners favorite was the pork which he voted the best and a large satisfying portion for a tasting menu . the standout visual presentation and melt in your mouth ocean scallop blew me away with a shimmering crispy sheet I thought had to be some sort of fish skin but was a shiitake mushroom fruit leather dried for 2 days then fried to a paper thin roof atop two perfect divers scallops and a sauce of some amazing flavor i didn't even ask about to lose the mystery ..... just exceptional .....so sometimes it's just great to be satisfied and mystified . their exceptional signature goyza delicate and amazing cabbage dumplings had a spicey kick that sort of overpowered the caviar so that's a tossup love the kick of spice but wanted to savor the caviar more . would love it with or without the spice the shrimp course was flawless as was the Sable fish flown in from Alaska . Creative sauces complemented both of these in innovative and unexpected ways . the 2 desserts were creative and delicate but powerfully delicious first one was a sorbet on a miso waffle with macha and some other salt to balance the sweet Okinawan brown sugar .... only critique was that the waffle was a little tough to cut and as we were trying to cut it the sorbet melted too fast so if you make the waffle to spongy you will give up the crunch of the caramelized mochi so that's a tossup ... i would humbly suggest a bite sized base that is already cut into pieces or a larger scoop of sorbet . that doesn't melt as fast . The piece d'resistance was our final desert to end the night with caramelized white chocolate assemblage (another roof" to peak curiosity ) around a sorbet or ice cream tasting with salty almonds counterbalanced with tangerine citrus segments The BEST Birthday Valentine's day splurge. Well worth the price when you think you could waste money by spending half as much for a mediocre meal and leave Meh ..... Or go to Matsu and Love yourself and a dinner partner and treat yourselves to an extraordinary memorable culinary experience and life time memory . We chose extraordinary whenever we can. Life is too short not to . We left full from ample portion sizes and can't wait to return just to Love Chef Williams creations once again . in our opinion Matsu is 2 Star Michelin caliber . Doesn't have to be Valentine's day for a remarkable culinary experience . well worth the price to be wowed ! read more

We just had one of the most amazing dining experiences of our entire life! We were mesmerized at the level of skill from the Chefs and the staff as a whole. Their teamwork and communication was astounding. The Chef's prowess behind the wine pairing, throughout the eleven courses, and the intelligently designed gastronomics of their creations was phenomenal. The flavors and textures of the dishes were combined with perfection and managed to a tee. The humbly-experienced staff brought a warmth to the table I haven't seen in a long time. David and William, you made our EXPERIENCE more than just delightful! Thank you and your staff and thank you for your efforts! read more

Our dinner experience at Matsu was brilliant and masterful with each course, cocktail and wine pairing from beginning to end! The food creativity and mastermind of Chef and his staff was nothing but pure opulence for the eyes to see and the mouth to taste. The service was attention to detail with a friendly and well informed staff sharing their expertise towards having a memorable dining adventure. A relaxing and natural setting with elements of wood, stone and muted colors feel's like an elegant and serene environment all around you. Matsu is a definite special dining experience you must try. read more

I had such and amazing experience at Matsu. We git our food paired with great wine. The food and service was excellent! I'll definitely be back. read more

Matsu is a great date night place! My boyfriend and I loved the food and presentation. The service was different. Two waiters would bring out one dish. Omakase is the only thing you can have which is preordered and prepaid. However there is an option to add on a wagyu course. We ordered cocktails but here is an option to add wine tasting. Overall great experience although the decor was sparse and not inviting. read more

All around just amazing! The food, the care, beautiful plating, fantastic drinks, so well worth !

Had the 8 course Vegan Omakase-what a treat! Every dish is inspired and treated with care. Our favorites were the cabbage, carrot, and Japanese sweet potato. I might be alone here but I'm not a huge fan of matcha. Having said this, it was only included in a couple of dishes which I still found tasty. I agree with the reviews here- not pretentious, excellent service and atmosphere. Yes, we were full after the 8 courses and a cocktail So glad Matsu has a Vegan Omakase and is in north county read more

Went to Matsu for date night on Saturday evening. We had an earlier reservation so we didn't have trouble finding street parking. The restaurant is dark with modern decor. They were unable to offer gluten free for my husband but he's just gluten sensitive so we enjoyed the courses as prepared which was no problem. We opt for the 6 course. The servers were always keeping an eye between our courses to ensure the next one was ready right on time. Everyone was nice but I did find it strange that there were four different servers that served our courses through the dinner. Starter was a bone broth which I didn't find particularly special. First course was blue fun tuna with cantaloupe which was good. Second was my fav it was a sunflower octopus dish with a kick to it. So delicate and intricate. Then it was eel with squash on a bed of miso cashew paste which I found a little overwhelming with lots of strong flavors, then the black cod, and the fifth course was my husbands favorite, rabbit with wasabi mouse which pared perfectly together. The dessert was amazing I could have had four of those. For drinks I had the whiskey brown sugar cocktail which was very enjoyable. My husband had sake which he really liked. Overall it was a pleasant dinner and a good meal. At their price point I feel like there is room for improvement and wow factor as there are many other great restaurants abd options. We did full pay in advance to reserve our reservations. read more

Matsu - Six course - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Living in North County you only have a handful of amazing places to get great food and great service. Matsu tops the list and is a great a great Michelin 1 star like experience. I'm not familiar with Japanese food outside of Sushi and Ramen and going to Matsu was a new culinary experience that was delightful. I would recommend anyone go to Matsu and you will love your food and service experience. Well done chef! read more

Wow and wow again!!! This was an excellent dining experience. I feel like I've eaten in some amazing places....(French laundry for example). The service, the food, the presentation all Micheline star worthy. It's an unassuming location in Oceanside with a bang of fabulous- ness!! This place is noteworthy and go soon. Support it so it stays where it is. The chef and his partner are young, talented and so worthy of your support. Make a reservation today. You won't be disappointed. We fell in love with the place. read more

Have been to Matsu several times. Each was exceptional from the chefs table to the regular meal. Every aspect of my experiences was exceptional. Hard to read some reviews that are negative but that is more of a sign of the times than the restaurant experience itself. Having gone several times the experience and food quality have been consistent and very good. In todays world when people focus on the negative they are sure to find it anywhere. Bottom line is its unique, good and you get a sense of caring for the craft of fine dinning. read more

Wow! The food here is unbelievable. A very simple atmosphere, but great service. Loved how intricate each dish was.

Came to tsuki night for a date night. Ordered the pork belly "nachos, which were a bit too greasy and smokey flavored for my liking. The katsu curry and spicy fries along with the kakiage tempura were great. The two female waitress' working tonight were a bit rude and non attentive to our table, the one male waiter was nice. It was also disappointing that we came here to try the samurai burger only to be told they had sold out but then halfway through our dinner we see one samurai burger come out. Left a bad taste in my mouth since we came here before for the chefs course and were delighted with the food and service. read more

Matsu - Japanese Near Me - Oceanside, California

Last night, we had the pleasure of feasting on a collaborative 8-course tasting menu prepared by Chef William Eick and Special Guest Chef, Sean Macdonald. Each of the eight courses was a revelation, including caviar served on a black squid ink nest of sorts; a tempura eel preparation; and courses that featured uni, short ribs, blue fin (which was called a palate cleanser despite being a generous serving), duck breast, and two spectacular desserts: one showcasing plums and the other sweet potato and a vanilla infusion. Our party of 6 was enthralled with the flavors, the presentations and the sheer mastery we experienced. The unique use of ingredients was awe-inspiring; the preparation and technique applied to familiar ingredients such as the short rib elevated the dishes to a level nearing perfection. Oceanside is lucky to have Chef Eick and Matsu, and SoCal is blessed that Chef Sean Macdonald has chosen to relocate here from Toronto. Don't miss the cocktails and the varied sake offerings, either. Matsu's take on a Martini included a pine-nut infused syrup--wonderfully nuanced yet transformative. read more

Incredible dinner! All 11 dishes were amazing. Wagyu add is a must for meat lovers.Highly recommend

Matsu is an interesting pan-asian cuisine experience that remains exciting on a second visit. Strong flavors sometimes overwhelm otherwise sophisticated dishes that are new and innovative. The wait staff are friendly and accommodating to non-alcoholic and dietary restrictions. The ambience evokes fine dining in Japan, but is a bit dark. Between our first and second visit, they raised the lights which made it a more warm atmosphere. Matsu is a fun addition to the Oceanside dining scene. read more

Pretty amazing experience here. You can choose 4 or 8 course, which you can choose 2 appetizers, 1 entree and 1 dessert from the set menu for 4 course, and it will be a omakase for 8 course. We did 8 course dinner. My favorite is the cuttlefish dish, with sunflower seeds, the whole flavor is insanely delicious. I also love a tempura style shrimp dish, it has a little bit Chinese flavor, it's not too complex but really flavorful. 8 course is not too much, we felt right good after the whole meal. We also tried 5 cocktails and one sake, which are all good. I am very happy to have a wonderful experience for this Michelin style omakase Asian foods. It is very creative and modern but based on traditional ingredients and Asian taste profiles. My only suggestion is the dessert, which is more like a French dessert, nothing related with Asian inspiration. Why not to change the French chocolate to Japanese raw chocolate, or the ice cream to green tea flavor? We have so many good desserts in Asia, which Matsu can bring into their meal experience. Examples like Japanese Soufflé, cheesecake, Korean Bingsoo, Chinese rice cake with sesame fillings.... There are so many better desserts to end a perfect meal, also can be more fun. Go get your Michelin star! read more

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Absolutely excellent in every way! We had a chance to try matsu and had a fantastic experience. Let's start with the food.. first of all 3 of our 4 people in our party are vegetarian which is not always an easy pivot for restaurants. They had no problem adapting all of our choices to give us excellent and delicious options from appetizers through dessert. Highly suggest the mushroom appetizer was excellent, as was the artichoke appetizer. For main dish, the satsuimamo sweet potato was amazing. Our non veg person loved the unagi and also the duck. Our server was so knowledgeable. He described everything in such great detail and made tons of recommendations which were all fantastic. The wine and drinks are excellent and lots of choices. Service was great Allaire round from server, bartender, management and literally everyone who helped us. I love the simplicity of the restaurant as well. The atmosphere is very open, simple but with lots of fantastic little details and accents. I highly recommend matsu and will be going back again soon! read more

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Would definitely go back for food, ambiance, service, and much more. Totally worth driving 60 miles read more

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Chef William Eick and his team have done an amazing job to bring the fine taste of Japanese cuisine to SD county in a simple yet modern space. It may not look like much from outside, but once you enter, are greeted with the calm and professional staff and take that first bite you're immediately transported into a world of flavor and technical artistry. Next time, we shall definitely sit at the chef's table. read more

A great experience and a welcomed establishment in Oceanside. My boyfriend and I made plans to come here for our anniversary as we enjoy finer foods and haven't been to fancy place as such together. Made the deposit in advance which they refund when you arrive. Place was packed when we arrived for a Sunday 6:30 reservation, four course. The interior is nice and cozy, wooden tables and mixture of booth and low four top tables. Literally only bummer of the night was we were sat next to the door but the host Spencer was incredibly friendly and attentive, two other servers(food runner young guy and darker haired young guy) were also attentive- our water cups didn't reach half way the whole night. Our waiter Joe was knowledgeable and helped bring the menu to life. We ended up both choosing the sunflower cuttlefish appetizer and it was amazing. Sunflower four ways! Second course, boyfriend had the giant shrimp. Nice and similar flavors to a tempura shrimp. I got the mushroom egg custard which was amazing. I don't enjoy eggs usually but I love shiitake. This was like eating a truffle cloud- my second favorite only to the ... Third course, I got the duck breast. Absolute fire! Pork belly like crust and the juiciest and tender bird I've ever tasted. I seriously didn't know birds could be that bomb. Boyfriend enjoyed the Waygu he nicknamed 'meat butter'. For dessert, I enjoyed the Matcha Waffle and my boyfriend got the chocolate and ice cream dish. Both were great and not too sweet. The drinks were phenomenal and cheap considering how expensive it is to have even a mediocre well cocktail around Oceanside. The spicy margarita is a must try!!!! Boyfriend liked the walnut brown sugar whiskey too. They were so busy they ran out of the frozen glass for the Kaku-Hi. Def didn't make it out cold. A small bummer cause both of the waitstaff had talked it up as the best palate cleanser. Overall a great experience, worth the $$$ and please do yourself a favor and try this spot at least once. read more

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Food: excellent!!! Bravo to a chef! Flavors and presentation was divine. I have to say the desert was just amazing, surprisingly good, probably best ever! We had 4 course menu. For 1st course we had sunflower and uni. We found sunflower was much better choice then Uni. Sunflower flavors and combination of texture were very complex, loved every bite of it. For 2nd course we had Chawanmushi and Scallop. Both were excellent but I preferred Chawanmushi to Scallop for its flavor and texture. 3rd course we opted one entry for A5 Wagyu and it was absolutely worth every extra $$. Perfect stake, perfectly cooked, melts in your mouth. You have to try it. Another great choice was Sablefish, cooked perfectly with crunchy skin and soft flaky juicy meat. For Desert we had Matcha and Persimmon chocolate- both are to die for, the best. Drinks: Cocktails were ok. Glass was filled with fine size ice up to the top with not much of the cocktail to taste. We had daiginjo sake with dinner and Tokaji with desert. Sake was served perfect temperature in wine glass, we could really smell the fragrance and truly enjoyed drinking it. Ambiance: this is where I feel they could do better. For the price this didn't meet our expectations. The restaurant was rather casual then upscale. It was dark, there was a fan blowing right to my back from a ceiling, but I guess there is not much they can do with the building it's in. Our waiter felt like reading the script for the menu, wasn't personable and we felt rushed to order something. Everyone was very nice and attentive but we felt while food was excellent it missed the mark on experience overall. read more

Amazing. Best special occasion place in North County. Highly recommend. Great service and unique offerings.

I was very happy that I got to celebrate my birthday at Matsu. The food was well cooked and creative. The service was exceptional. Certainly a luxury/special occasion kind of spot given its price point, for us at least. We appreciated whole dining experience the Matsu team provided. read more

It was my first time at Matsu, unfortunately our food experience wasn't great and my friends agree too Except for the first two courses all the dishes turned excessively salty. The duck arrived at our table super cold due to which its gamey flavor was intensified . One of my friends could hardly eat more than a single bite. We also paid $55 each for the Wagyu beef, hoping for a premium quality meal. While the meat itself was decent, the saltiness of the sauce overpowered the entire dish. The only highlight of the experience were the desserts read more

What a fantastic dining experience! The 10 course tasting menu is a great introduction into modern Japanese cuisine. Chef William's creations are flavorful and visually appealing. The service was very attentive and efficient. And yes, for each course you'll will get fresh set of silverware. It's definitely more on the pricey side but worth every penny. read more

While visiting our son in the San Diego area, my wife and I wanted to find an extraordinary dining experience. Matsu was highly recommended so we made the drive to Oceanside with great expectations, and were rewarded with a superlative and immensely enjoyable dining experience Matsu's ambiance is intimate without feeling at all cramped. Tables are well spaced, and to our eyes, the decor perfectly captured the Japanese style and form of earthy materials in subdued and natural colors which evoked a calm and relaxing atmosphere. It is understated in the very best way. The vibe is only enhanced by the exceptional staff in it's entirety, from greeters to waitpersons to the amazing and talented chef cadre. The three of us elected to do the 10 course menu, which actually turned out to be at least 11 courses. Each course is segued by new cutlery and serving ware, making each course it's own distinctive story. I personally found this profoundly appealing. I truly wish I had gotten around to this review while it was fresher in my mind as I had intended, because it's been several months and I cant remember the details of all the courses nor do justice in naming or description. The meal began with a lone portion of ice fish, small slender translucent fish, centered in a simple shallow bowl. As incredibly flavorful as it it was striking in it's simple presentation and a wonderful beginning. Salmon roe on egg custard with pine nuts and delicious tiny white flowers followed, the roe fresh and crisp and bursting in contrast with the creaminess of the custard...a wonderful flavor and textural experience. One of my faves was a grilled cabbage Gyoza in a surprisingly flavorful cabbage broth (dashi?). I had an enlightening conversation with one of the chef staff who shared that the broth alone , a cabbage reduction, is an exceptionally delicate and time consuming process requiring constant vigilance and precise temperature control or it will cloud and be ruined. This to me speaks volumes on the amount of care, preparation and attention to detail that goes into the entire menu, and also it's service and presentation, down to the seemingly simplest element. Squid wrap with sunflower and (I think) wagyu. The squid wrap another very interesting prep intensive subject. Sable Fish with potato mochi. Scallop in egg yolk sauce (described as a kind of Japanese Hollandaise) with incredibly beautiful fall "leaves" cut from mushrooms. Pork Jowl with Rose Hips/jam in a caramel sauce...amazing. Wagyu and ancho on caramelized onions and popped grain (I think it may have been buckwheat) and wasabi. My son monopolized this one. Pine sorbet (made with locally sourced pine needles) on a mochi waffle with matcha. I don't have enough superlatives for this one. Loved it! Caramelized white chocolate ice cream with tangerine. My wife's favorite. Fantastic... I do know that the menu is regularly changing. Each of the three of us in our party had significantly varied preferences and opinions throughout the courses, and I think that is the beauty, and the very point, of the tasting menu. Each course was a new and singular experience. Some courses featured very complimentary flavors, textures, temperatures etc... and some were hugely contrasting or opposing in these ways and were appealing and interesting to me for that very reason. Some were purposely very simple in presentation and some very elaborate, but each one artistic and aesthetically pleasing in it's own way. The constant was that the entire experience was enormously fun and engaging, the food incredible, and the service unsurpassed in our experience. We will certainly be back on our next visit. read more

I bought my parents here as a last minute decision, but I wish I read through all the reviews so I would know it was not worth the hype. The decor was lacking and one of the servers looked at me as if I was an idiot when I said I wanted to see the menu and made it a point to explain to me that it was an omakase and the chef picks the dishes...I knew that of course, I just wanted to know what I was paying for and what to expect and reference when writing a review. 1. Yellowfin/Tomato/Ponzu This was the highlight of the 6 course menu. This fish tasted fresh and paired well with sauce and tomatoes. 2. Sunflower/Squid/Rayu The matcha(?) powder on the squid did not pair well and left a strange taste and texture. 3. Anago/Squash/Cashew The anago (salt water eel) skin smelled a bit burnt. Other than that not too memorable. 4.Black Cod/Curry Imo Mochi/Matsuyaki Mochi was much warmer than the cod, and the sauce overpowered the dish. The curry mochi conflicted with the cod in flavor, it seemed like all three components were fighting each other. 5. Duck/Carrot/Wasabi The carrot sauce was too bland to add anything to the dish. The duck was cooked well, and it paired fine with wasabi. 6. Caramelized White Chocolate/Blonde Miso/Honey Punch Pluot I loved the use of pluot in dessert, but the white chocolate and blonde miso ice cream drowned its flavor. read more

This place did not disappoint! Everything was delicious and the service was great. My husband brought me here to celebrate my birthday on Sunday and I already want to go back. I've been telling all my friends about it and plan to return with a few of them soon. We did the 8 course dinner. It was worth the price but I think I'll try the 4 course next time, now that I've tried a good amount of what's on the menu. Definitely recommend this spot! read more

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We just moved to Oceanside from LA and have been missing the food scene in our old neighborhood. We came here for our anniversary and were so impressed by the food and by the vibes. The restaurant is dark and moody in the best way and the food was fun and flavorful. The food is (obviously) heavily Japanese inspired which includes a lot of fish and some raw fish as well, which we loved. The duck was also delicious. read more

Dinging this restaurant to 3 stars as it is NOT a Japanese restaurant as was expected, and the Chef has zero experience as far as working in Japan. Please update your advertising. The full tasting was good overall - though the squid dish was very strong with the pepper, overpowering any taste to the protein. The duck was also over cooked. There was no suggested wine pairing menu, nor was it suggested by the servers. We ended up ordering what we felt we wanted. It was pretty empty on a Sunday evening. Another suggestion for the restaurant - please tell your one service person (female, forget name) to stop asking 'what's your favorite dish' like 3-4 times through the night, very annoying, not sure if she just did this on her own or was asked to do this. read more

My wife and I dined here last night, and we were treated to an absolutely sublime experience. The entire waitstaff are extremely attentive and incredibly knowledgable about each dish and each cocktail and the motivation behind them. We elected to have the 4 course omakase which features 2 appetizers, a main, and a dessert. My wife started with the cabbage dashi with caviar while I had the cuttlefish which featured an incredible mix of flavors. She then had the ebi while I had the fresh crab with caviar...extraordinary! For her entree, she had the rockfish while I had the waygu (rare) which just melts in your mouth. She completed her meal with the butter mochi while I had the sake lees. Throughout the entire experience, we never felt rushed as the staff deftly knew when to clear our plates or refresh our cocktails. (The Trapeza sake and Kaku-Hi are very refreshing.). We've had the good fortune of dining at numerous exceptional restaurants around the world from French Laundry to Hawker Chan in Singapore. The San Diego restaurant scene is finally getting a renaissance, and we're thrilled to have Matsu in the hood. If they continue at this pace, they most definitely will get 1 if not 2 stars from Michelin. read more

If you're looking for a great Japanese tasting menu experience look no further than Matsu! definitely high end quality deserving a Michelin star! I've been here twice now visiting from Sonoma County and have eaten at Single Thread and Cyrus, but I feel that the dishes I had at Matsu last night will in some ways be more memorable long term. Please check this place out it's well worth the expense, Chef Eick is inventive providing umami in every bite! read more

This little Oceanside gem won't be a secret for long. My best friend was in town and we accidentally stumbled in here last night. The host/general manager was very accommodating and even though we didn't have a reservation sat us immediately at the bar. The bar tender was cordial and very knowledgeable of the menu and offered a great sake recommendation. Food was spectacular and atmosphere made the experience feel exclusive while the staff made it feel inviting. Can't wait to take more friends here for a memorable evening. Recommendation: Try the A5 waygu beef. A $35 add on, but delicious! read more

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