Every time I visit Samurai the food is so good that I make a mental note that I need to visit more frequently, and my last visit was no exception. It was my birthday so I got to pick the restaurant. Samurai has been dishing up some of the freshest catches for decades, and they still have it running perfectly. The full bar, teppan yaki room, huge sushi bar and dining area are all excellent. We sat at a table and started with cold unfiltered Sake and a stuffed red tomato, but with scallops instead of tuna inside. I had forgotten how much I love them and my mouth is watering as I type my review. Next up, Dynamite which is one of my favorites and my family loved this dish. Each of us ordered a cut roll to share and we had a fantastic dinner. Give Samurai a try and thank me later. read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Stuffed red tomato, I asked for it to be stuffed with scallops. yum. - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Wanted some really good Japanese food, other than just a bento box. So we came back for the third or fourth time. This place never disappoints. We ordered one of the big boats and again it was very impressive. The service was great and the only reason why I didn't rate it 5 stars was because the tuna wasn't as fresh as the time before. Other than that, if you want some good Japanese food in San Diego County, this is the place. read more

A family favorite spot for sushi and Teppan tables. I wish they were still open for lunch. Service here is always efficient and the staff is helpful. The Teppan table is a fun for a celebration with all the favorite items like the volcano or beating heart. I had the filet and shrimp. Was delicious. Typically sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs work their magic. read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Filet with shrimp and fried rice - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Having visited samurai sushi, one other time, with a good experience, we decided to give it another try. Our visit this time couldn't have been more different than our previous visit. We were greeted by an Asian man who spoke no words to us, I reminded him that I had a reservation, which he ignored, I asked if we could sit at the sushi bar and he tried to place us in two seats that were as far away from a sushi chef as possible, even though there were only two other patrons in total at the bar. When I objected, he tried to put us at a corner with a large structural vertical beam keeping us from you even seeing the sushi bar. When we objected again, he finally moved us to a seat in front of one of the sushi chefs. All of this without a spoken word and just an unpleasant look on his face. I have attached a photo of the menu we were handed, not so much to show the content, but to show the piece of rice or other food material stuck to the upper right hand corner. This was disgusting in our opinion. Our sushi chef was very attentive as was our server. The fish quality was moderate at best. None of it tasted fresh and was rather mushy in fact. We ordered one traditional roll and it was rolled very loosely to a point where it couldn't even be picked up with chopsticks without falling apart. We also order Nigiri and 2 hand rolls. All disappointing. The menu for sushi rolls is very limited. There are perhaps six rolls that are all have no imagination in anyway. The ambience of the sushi bar was typical and unremarkable. Overall, this is definitely not an establishment that I would recommend or that we will ever return to. It's striking how different are too experiences at this establishment were. read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Menu with rice stuck to the right upper area. - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Went to Samurai to celebrate a special occasion. There were 8 of us so we opted for Teppanyaki (cooking in front of large grill). We made reservations by phone, and they were very courteous when we had to make several changes to our reservation. Upon arrival, we were seated right away in a semi-private room facing another Teppanyaki grill so both parties are face to face, the 2 chefs are cooking back to back. Even though we were in Teppanyaki room (separate from rest of restaurant), we were able to order sushi as appetizers. Servers were nice but overextended due to busy night. Our chef appeared wearing a mask. So it was difficult to hear him and his jokes/ comments/ explanations. The chef at opposite table wasn't wearing a mask and we found him more entertaining (so your experience varies depending on your chef). Nevertheless, our chef did a good job cooking. Main criticism was that he over seasoned the meats (very salty and peppery). I had to dip each piece in water before i could eat it. Each Teppanyaki meal comes with a miso soup and small salad to start. We were also given option of white rice or fried rice for additional charge. Portions were large so we had leftovers to take home. read more

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Tried this place and we loved it !!! My wife Ate the California rolls so fast I only one lol the filet mignon was so tender and delicious it was the best !!! Also the service was nice they helped with what steaks to get, also quick with bringing food cause we were starving!! This place is nice inside with music and smelled good when you walk in.! read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - California roll was crunchy bomb - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Eric and the crew that run the restaurant and the bar are amazing. Super nice environment feel like I'm walking into the set of cheers. Their sushi is excellent and I especially love the scallops when they have them. Super welcoming and fun place and excellent Sushi. read more

We had a Tepanyaki dinner at Samura Food was very good filet mignon was excellent but prawns were kind of meh. I would stick with steak. The soup, salad, and vegetables were very good but the quantities were on the small side. We picked regular white rice but having fried rice might be a good idea for variety. Service was good. Chef Aki was very cordial and professional. Ambiance was good, but I guess it can be hit or miss depending on the groups you're sharing the grill with. read more

I have never felt so invisible in any restaurant, as I did here tonight, dining as a single person. After being seated, and given water, I watched as two waitresses attentively served all the tables around me without even acknowledging my presence. Each of them walked past me at least 5 times, while I waited order. After eating here many times (it's a 2 minute walk to North Coast Repertory Theater), and usually bringing friends, I'm not sure I will be back. read more

This place has been a solid sushi experience for us for 20 years. Been going here more recently and it's still as good as we remembered. Be careful when crafting your own rolls here though, we thought we made a pretty basic salmon roll with crab and it was personally priced for $42...for one roll...oops. Maybe will stick with the menu items next time. Very fresh and tasty though! read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Overpriced, average, definitely not authentic food. Beware of the 4% surcharge that they conveniently leave at the front instead of putting it on your table. Will definitely not be returning! The only good factor was the parking. read more

Cute atmosphere but overpriced Japanese food. just go to Teri cafe for the same quality at a more reasonable price.

The teppanyaki and sushi quality is pretty low grade for the cost. I've been here twice now as I wanted to give it a second shot, but I won't be returning again. read more

Best sushi and personal service in all of San Diego. If you're looking for the best quality sashimi and a full bar this is the perfect place. Look no further than this Cheers read more

Great food! The restaurant is very nice and well put together. I like it! The sushi was delicious. My friends and I got a bottle of hot sake and nigori which were both good. We got spicy edamame that was good. I got the Philadelphia roll, I added cucumber into it. Definitely tasted amazing. The service was great, the waiter was friendly and helpful. read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Philadelphia roll (it was dark in there) - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Did not have a reservation on the Friday before Christmas (they were really busy) and they were able to seat us at the sushi bar. They only gave us a menu for appetizers and sushi, so I'm assuming you can only order those things when you sit at the bar. We didn't get a chance to see any of the hot food items on their regular menu. Other than that, the food was delicious as always and they even gave us complimentary edamame and sliced fruit if you sit at the bar. read more

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We made a reservation ahead of time a came 10 minutes early and got our table and the man at the front desk was very personable while pointing out our table. We are glad we made reservations as the restaurant was busy. The food was delicious. We ordered four sushi dishes and chicken teriyaki and the four of us split the dishes and everyone enjoyed what they ate, and the food was all finished. And that's the good news. The service at the table was way, way below good. Water and tea were ordered and nobody ever came back to see if we wanted more and it was hard to catch anyone's eye to try to get more until we finally said we'd skip it because we had tickets to a play and needed to leave, at which time we were able to get the bill. When looking at the bill there was an extra "service charge" added, whatever that is. The restaurant is in a nice strip mall and is really comfortable and nice inside, which adds to the charm. With better service I would have given it a 5 star rating. read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - 3 sushi dishes - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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The fish quality is always amazing. The service can be wonky: last night the appetizers came out at the same time as our sushi and entrees. We literally had $450 dollars worth of food on plates in our lap. Who is expediting and pacing out the experience? It was a special occasion. Service had no sense of that. read more

SAMURAI IS THE GOAT. I have been going here with my family since I was in diapers. I have not had nigiri so good anywhere else in the US. I love Samurai with all my heart. They also have some of the best tempura. read more

Menu items are distinctive from other Japanese restaurants. We ordered Family Combination of Sashimi and Chicken Teriyaki, Samurai Dynamite and Tuna Roll. Sauce for dynamite is sweeter than other dynamite I've had before. read more

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Food good. Service good. I don't understand why they keep charging a SVC fee since COVID. read more

Came here for a birthday party, food was amazing, service was fantastic, & they gave us a private room. I really recommend this place

Our group came here for a graduation celebration and we had a small reserved room. So props for my family for setting it up. As for the meal, the menu was a little tricky to understand how to order but after asking a few questions, we settled on - The Boat! 2X combo of chicken and steak teriyaki with tempura and more, enough food for 3-4 people. The service was attentive but needed some work on table settings. We also asked for a pitcher of water which we helped out a lot. Note: I actually had a tempura banana in the meal. Which I have to say, I had never seen before. Kinda of weird, but it was confirmed by staff. read more

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My family love this place for special occasions at the cooking table. The main restaurant also has very good dishes and sushi. It is a family run and owned restaurant and you can tell there is pride and authenticity in the service and food quality. read more

Saw a nice matinee at North Coast Rep next door and stopped by after for an early sushi dinner. I'm used to going out for sushi and am aware that it's not inexpensive. I thought that this place was a bit pricey for the quality. Rarely do I see tempura appetizers with or without shrimp for $15. Seaweed salad for $13? Oh well, if it's fantastic, who cares about the price, right? We ordered mixed veggie and shrimp tempura and it was far from fantastic. Small portion of veggies: 4 green beans, one zucchini, one sweet potato and 3 shrimp.....really? On top of it, most of it wasn't crispy and it was greasy. Disappointed. We ordered the Albacore Special roll with shrimp (we had a choice of shrimp or soft shell crab) and the Red Dragon Roll. The albacore didn't taste especially fresh. The rolls were good enough but I had to add spicy mayonnaise to get some flavor. Just wasn't tasting that delicious fresh sushi taste. Each was in the $20+ range. Half way through our meal we were pretty much ignored. We never saw our waiter again and the other waitstaff serving customers around us, completely ignored us. We had finished our wine, drank all of our water, eaten everything and nobody stopped by. The restaurant was not especially busy except in the teppanyaki area. When I went to use the restroom, I noticed our waiter had moved to that area. He never told us, never introduced us to a new waiter, nothing. Meanwhile, we were waiting for our check and couldn't get anyone's attention. So, with lots of competition, mediocre food and poor service, I won't be back. read more

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Tried this place for the first time recently even though we have lived nearby for many years. We really enjoyed the food. We ordered the fried calamari, fried tofu, gyoza, sesame chicken and teriyaki beef. The calamari was very tender and perfectly fried in panko. ONe of the best we have had. The fried tofu was great and came in an excellent sauce. The gyoza was solid and perfectly pan fried. The chicken had great flavor but I wish they used white meat. The steak was awesome and very lean/tender. All the sauces were amazing. I also enjoyed the miso soup and salads. Now, the prices were quite high but the food/service is good, the portions are decent and the location is super convenient with tons pf easy parking. read more

We have been to many teppanyaki restaurants and this one was hugely disappointing. The food was ok, but the chicken and shrimp were undercooked. The fried rice contained shellfish, which was not disclosed in the menu. Someone in our party requested no mushrooms in their fried rice, the chef repeated it back to him to confirm, and yet he put mushrooms in the fried rice. Those with white rice had to ask for it numerous times and it finally came after the meals were already partially eaten. The staff forgot part of our order and brought what should have been an appetizer after our meals were done. Our chef's personality fluctuated between grumpy and nonexistent. The restaurant itself felt dirty and very cramped. Way overpriced considering the negative experience. We will not be returning. read more

I really love Samurai! Their Chef Special roll is amazing! I can always count on them for good, clean, fresh sushi!

Food consistently good. Service outstanding. Great atmosphere. Local go to spot for Japanese food.

I am so disappointed. I used to love this place. I brought my family here tonight as a treat and we had the absolute rudest waitress, overcooked mediocre food, slow service, and I had to ask for the same things over and over. I politely complained to the owners and they could care less. I will never return, or recommend this restaurant to anyone I know. Save your money and go somewhere else. Shogun is exponentially better! read more

Great food, friendly service. Very chill vibe and ambiance. We had sushi, and beef katsu. Everything we ate was delicious! read more

I've been coming here for so many decades what can I say nothing has really changed especially as far as the decor many say they need a facelift but I kind of like the old school vibe. The bar is a great place to Pony up to it's usually busy I prefer when Eric is bartending but just because he's always been my favorite. Makoson has been my go-to for so many years he just knows how to make the perfect spicy scalloped anything for me he's such a sweetheart and if I'm not in the bar I will be sitting in front of him. He's been there forever so he's winding down his schedule. The menu at least for sushi rolls is extremely limited but any chef will make you whatever you want. They did charge $27 for a real crab California roll which I thought was absurd. And a California roll that had kani crab so the fake crab but topped with Hamachi for $29 which was also absurd coming from here. I mean the quality is not bad but it's not Nobu. Or Ken's Sushi. So I'm not too sure what's going on with the pricing right now but that was crazy and frankly not worth it. They do have a full bar and sitting at the Teppan tables is always fun. They also have a traditional to Tatami room that you can reserve it's very traditional no shoes on a bamboo floor you sit on the floor and eat if you haven't tried that experience you should. read more

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My family has loved going to Samurai for years. Tonight I have never had a more disappointing experience. My steak was undercooked and I sent it back. They refused to take it off the bill. I am there at LEAST once a week, as I have a home behind restaurant. The owner was disrespectful and rude and my family will NEVER return. Sad. We have a lot of nice memories but the attitude, in my opinion , is a reflection on how they run their business. Without integrity. read more

I am long time regular of this restaurant. Usually it has good food and above average service. Last night, our group of six had Tappan Yaki. The service was slow and unorganized. The food was horrible. Maybe we caught it on a bad night. I don't plan to go back for a year. read more

We haven't been there in many years. Still the same excellent service and best quality dishes. Sushi, excellent. We plan to return many times in the near future!!! read more

Booked a surprise birthday celebration for 15 guest. The private room was perfect for an intimate gathering, the food was delicious and so easy to share and the service excellent. read more

Stopped by for a late lunch early dinner on our way to San Diego. The restaurant is tucked away in a quiet corner of the shopping center. Inside the large restaurant has an old school feel to transport you to a different time and place. We chose to sit at the counter for our sushi adventure. Many things were ordered but what really stood out was the Chirashi Bowl, start with that and then go from there if you're still hungry. Attentive wait staff and friendly sushi chef made this a great experience to kick off family vacation. read more

Samurai Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi Bowl - Japanese Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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one of the best sushi spots in san diego and definitely my go to. the service is always fast and the fish is incredibly fresh! top quality every single time. never disappoints! read more

Service was great food was amazing would've rated this restaurant a lot higher if the management was better. The only reason it's not a 1 is because of how tasty the sushi was and the nice servers/bussers. The main complain I have is how the managers or what I think where the managers being rude to other staff members and kind of just moaping around not really making us feel very welcome, it's a shame great good great workers just poor management read more

The food is delicious. The staff is friendly. The atmosphere is both cozy and electric. The prices are a little high, but the quality is top notch so just be prepared to spend some money for a great meal. read more