I have heard amazing things about Azuki. So was super excited to final it try it! We had…read morereservations at 6pm. We showed up on time but still had to wait 20 mins to get out table, which wasnt really ideal. But they did offer us free nigiri to make up for it was a nice touch. We sat at the sushi bar which was cool to see the chefs in action. They also had seating outside and a second floor as well. I got the strawberry matcha cocktail. This had to one my favorite cocktails in SD! The strawberry flavor was so fresh. And the fact that there wasn't an ounce of green but the matcha flavor still comes through was amazing! For sushi, I got the bluefin four ways. If your a fan if tuna I would highly recommend, it was delicious and a nice way to try the different cuts of tuna. We also got 2 nigiris, sake toro and scallops. Both also amazing. The rolls we got were the Rainbow Roll and the Super Dragon. Both delicious. One thing I do appreciate is that they use real blue crab instead of imitation crab. Will definitely come back! And highly recommend anyone to try it out!

Came for our anniversary dinner. Food was great! There were some hiccups in service but they did a…read morenice job trying to make up for it. We made a reservation at the sushi bar so we could see them making all the rolls which was fun. We ordered the bluefin four ways, rainbow roll, super dragon and the sake toro and scallop nigiri. We got two of their cocktails as well. My favorites were the rolls and the sake toro. I usually prefer salmon so I didn't try the bluefin but my partner enjoyed it. The rolls were a good size and all the flavors were well balanced and tasted fresh.

Excellent food , great service . Sushi Ota has been a…read moreclassic Japanese restaurant in Mission Bay of San Diego . Reservation is a must even if you dine in a weekday . We ordered the OTO B set , one order of the Tokusen nigiri, 3 pc shrimp tempura and Matcha ice cream . To be continued...

Very good sushi in an unsuspecting spot near a 7-11 off the freeway. Service was solid and food…read morecame out very quickly. The o toro sashimi melts in your mouth. Worth every penny. Overall, this place is pricey like most sushi spots in San Diego. Ambiance is nice, it looks nothing like you'd expect from the outside.

Amazing and yum! Line and wait wasn't too bad at all for us. Service was also excellent. We will…read moredefinitely be returning for future visits.

Definitely one of the best AYCE sushi spots. The price you pay compared to the quality and variety…read moreyou get is definitely worth it. I always opt for the umami oil salmon nigiri, it's simply the best. I always get the spicy edamame, miso soup, and baked mussels as appetizers. Not a big fan of their regular or smoked salmon nigiris because if you have the option to have it flavored, why not get it? The sushi rice is also definitely on the more sour and vinegary side They have chef specials so be sure to ask your server about it. I loved the salmon belly, yellowtail belly, and seared salmon they had. Their drinks are also delicious and they even have mocktail versions of it. My favorite is the lychee or the Mango Tango. Extremely busy on weekends and nights, so if you have a large party definitely get there early and make a reservation.

This place is a little hidden gem. I wouldn't have found it, if it wasn't for yelp. The service is…read moreawesome! They were really nice, fast, and attentive. You can call ahead to book a reservation. We sat in the little patio area. I really liked the crispy tuna appetizer. That was so good! Crispy rice, tuna and avocado. I wanted two orders of that lol The Chilean sea bass was also a hit! The miso sauce went perfectly with the bass. Little sweet and umami with flakey sea bass. The chirashi bowl was a huge portion! The sushi is pretty good quality and fresh. I'll definitely be back to check out more dishes

Been wanting to come here for so long! I always drive by on the way to Costco. Feel like I…read morediscovered a hidden gem. We ordered the chicken gyoza (not pictured), Crispy roll, Avati roll, and the Hawaiian roll. The gyoza was a small portion (maybe 6 pieces). It was okay. To me the stand out was the Avati roll, with seared tuna. It had a kick but it was delicious. You could tell the roll had quality ingredients and it felt very delicate. The Hawaiian roll was also very good, with tuna and shrimp tempura inside. The green kale tempura flakes on top was a nice touch, it felt very elevated. I will be returning and hope to try their lunch menu during the week.

Adequate street parking in front and a huge ACE parking lot right in front if you're down to pay a…read morelittle extra. Easy to miss the door but theres a small wooden plaque by the front. Super small and intimate service, never felt rushed and very attentive staff. Extensive sake list and more than the usual options for beer. Chef Maru recommended to take photos upside down to get a better angle and he's so right lol The nigiri was great and I loved how the menu switched from fresh snappy bites to buttery melt in your mouth pieces, never felt like the last piece was competing with the next. I loved that crab was used in multiple dishes, like the warm dish and soup. I wish the nigiri was bigger in general, on the smaller side compared to other spots. Tuna lovers will appreciate how many dishes had tuna. The warm dish (seabass w hairy crab sauce) was one of my favorites, the hairy crab sauce consistency reminded me of banh canh cua. Tuna is from Mexico, most veggies and fruits were from Chino farms.

I was really looking forward to Sushi Maru omakase. I made reservations for the late seating at…read more8pm. Once arrived we were seated about 5 minutes later. They were still setting up. My first impression of the restaurant was, it was beautiful restaurant with a counter that seats 14. First off, Chef Maru and his entire staff was absolutely fantastic and professional. They were all attentive on refilling water and tea. Chef Maru himself was absolutely awesome, he explained each course that was served. Which was the right way to do it. Omakase: Omakase 20 pieces at $180. It's a great price, but in my head there had to be a catch to it. The starter and appetizer started out strong. Everything (fish) were all fresh, so when the nigiri course started that's when everything went south. The nigiri that chef served was really small and it's not your standard size nigiri .There's barley any shari ( sushi rice) and fish. If felt like I was sampling each nigiri. You can't really enjoy it when it's that small.The only highlight was the Uni from San Diego. That felt like a month full, other than that everything just felt like a tease. Don't let my photos fool you, it was all zoomed in. My wife and I had many omakase before and lelf happy and satisfied. This was the first time that we ever left after an omakase meal and was still hungry and a little disappointed. I would love to give Sushi Maru more stars but I just can't after this vist.

We celebrated our anniversary here and had a wonderful experience! The food was beautifully…read morepresented, fresh, and thoughtfully prepared, with each piece of sushi showcasing the chef's attention to detail. The service was very warm and attentive, making the evening feel extra special. The vibe was amazing, creating an intimate and welcoming atmosphere perfect for a special occasion. One of the highlights was when the head chef played guitar for a customer celebrating a birthday and even came over to wish us a happy anniversary. Those personal touches made the experience truly memorable. We really appreciated the hospitality and would love to come back for another special occasion!

Came back for my 3rd visit here since they've opened and am thrilled that the business is doing…read morewell and has continued to hold it's Michellin star. I've ordered the Omakase each time and while I still love the atmosphere and the energy from Chef Soichi and the staff, I do have to say that this last go round was not quite as good as the last two. This is meant to be opinionated criticism to help improve but I think the dishes could use more diversity and depth. Having done a fair share of omakase from places like Kinme and Matoi, I feel like this isn't that much more memorable or special and I'd hate for it to follow the same path Tadokoro did where they were absolutely my #1 choice and fell after they got their star (which they later lost). Still love that Chef Soichi continues his tradition of birthday serenades with his guitar and the place still has that mom and pop charm so I hope they continue to thrive!

If you're looking for a unique, intimate omakase experience and love trying unexpected flavors,…read morethis is absolutely worth it. We initially couldn't get a reservation, so we joined the waitlist and were thrilled to get a Friday afternoon call offering us an 8 PM opening. The sushi bar has only about 10 seats, making the entire experience feel incredibly personal. The fish is flown in daily from Japan, the menu changes every three months, and you get to interact with the chef as each course is prepared. There are two omakase options: $145 or $165 with additional nigiri. If you're worried about leaving a tasting menu hungry, get the nigiri. I lost count of the courses and was completely stuffed by the end! The highlight was getting to try fish I'd never even heard of and some genuinely creative flavor combinations. You do need to be an adventurous eater--think oysters and fried shrimp heads--so it may not be ideal for someone hesitant about seafood. But if you're willing to trust the chef, that's part of what makes it so fun. The entire experience lasted about 2 1/2 hours, and because the setting is so intimate, we even ended up chatting with the diners next to us. And the sweet potato ice cream at the end was absolutely divine. We left full, happy, and feeling like we'd been briefly transported back to our travels in Japan. Such a special experience. We will absolutely be back!

The omakase started off alright with complex appetizers that I didn't love, but fit Crystal's…read morepalate better. However, when the sushi started coming out the omakase got better and better and the fish selections included both classics as well as some unique options that we had never had before.the flavor combinations were also quite strong. Additionally, the price point was very affordable at around $160 per person.

What a little gem in Little Italy! Shino Sushi was recommended to us by a friend, and since it's so…read moreclose to my brother's apartment, we decided to give it a try. Such a cute, intimate spot, and everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! What really stood out was the hospitality. The chef personally went out of his way to accommodate us, which made the experience even more special. We ordered the Wagyu sushi, which is traditionally served raw, but he kindly seared it for us so we could enjoy it the way we preferred. We had so much fun stepping outside our comfort zone and trying new things! Delicious food, thoughtful hospitality, and a wonderful overall experience. Definitely a little hidden gem we'll be coming back to!

An extra star for the thoughtful and child-friendly service…read more I brought my 6 year old here for sushi after trying to get into Sugarfish and then Azuki. There was no wait here but parking was a nightmare and there is almost no street parking right around the restaurant which is near the trolley tracks. I recalled coming here for a light dinner with my husband many years ago and thinking it was good, but expensive. I asked if they had Japanese soda for my daughter because it was not on the menu, and they said no, but after we came back from the bathroom the host had found one for us. They gave us chopstick helpers and were very nice. We ordered braised pork belly as an app and wagyu nigiri, albacore, hamachi, salmon belly, 2 salmons, and unagi. I think that was all. They nicely split the order so half had no wasabi for the kid. They were very considerate and I appreciated it. The food however took a while to come out. The braised pork belly was ok, but the fat had not rendered as well as at some other places so we ate around it. The flavor was good though. The hamachi was probably the best item-tender and tasty. The albacore was standard and a generous piece, but the salmon was a bit tough and my kid who usually inhales salmon tasted and then left the salmon. The wagyu had good flavor but was surprisingly chewy. For $26 I would expect it to melt in your mouth but it was not easy to bite through. The eel was very tender but had a weird taste, and was disappointing. I found myself chewing on a scale from maybe the salmon and was overall underwhelmed by the food. The bill for a soda and the sushi came to almost $150 after tax and tip for me and a 6-year old. Usually my husband and I and my kid go to places with better quality and pay the same price for the three of us. Will not be back.

Some of the best sushi I've ever had!! Incredibly creative menu where every roll looks delicious,…read moreand good setting. Service is amazing, Irvin is fantastic! So glad I got recommended this because it's tucked away but once you find it you'll be going back.

Ambiance..cozy place.. Service..friendly and great ideas…read moreFoodm.amazingm.liked the hot sake..miss soup..habenaro oil..katsu chicken curry with rice. They make their own curry sauce

My husband and I came here for dinner and really enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere. The…read morerestaurant has a modern rooftop vibe in the heart of Downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, making it a great spot for date night. We ordered the miso soup, spicy edamame, Den Miso pork belly skewers, tamarindo tuna ceviche, seabass serrano, crispy karikari tuna, and mochi ice cream for dessert. To drink, we had the Taiyo Margarita and the Clouds of Matcha cocktail. The spicy edamame was probably the only dish that fell a little short for us. It wasn't bad by any means, but we were hoping for more flavor. The absolute standout was the Den Miso pork belly skewers. My husband and I both took our first bite at the same time, looked at each other, and immediately said, "Oh!" We were genuinely surprised by how juicy, tender, and flavorful they were. There were only two skewers, but they packed so much flavor that we instantly wanted to order another plate. The tamarindo tuna ceviche was fresh, light, and refreshing. The taro chips added a nice crunch without overpowering the dish. The seabass serrano was enjoyable, though it wasn't a stand out for us. The crispy karikari tuna (spicy tuna over crispy rice) is one of my go-to orders whenever I visit a sushi restaurant, and this version was up to par. The only component I wasn't crazy about was the long, thin slice of avocado on top--I personally could have done without it, though my husband actually liked it, so that's just a matter of preference. We finished the meal with mochi ice cream, which was the perfect sweet ending. Overall, we had a great dining experience. Between the rooftop ambiance, attentive service, and several delicious dishes - especially those unforgettable pork belly skewers - we'd definitely come back and would happily recommend it to anyone looking for a great dinner spot in the Gaslamp.

This is a hipster restaurant for after-work drinks and sushi, where the crowd is relatively young…read more The rooftop bar and open air is great for a breezy summer evening. The music is a bit on the loud side, but you can still have a chat with a group. I ordered the Akira Back Pizza, Mango Bongo Roll, and Super Spider Roll. Akira Back Pizza was my favorite, as the crunchy chip base and truffle drizzle made it extremely craveable. The rolls were pretty good too, and they use real crab! By the way, Lumi's AI answering service says they do not do take-out, but they do. Their receptionist is difficult to reach to confirm, but I have ordered take-out from their bar without any issues. It's just that they may not be able to allow call-ins for to-go orders.