Such a cute hole‑in‑the‑wall spot on the tail end of Kensington! I had no idea this place existed for years, but I'm so glad I finally found it. Located in a small shopping center with a few parking spaces, Tanuki is a great tapas and standard sushi spot. It leans more toward Asian‑fusion tapas with some sushi rolls and a limited selection of nigiri and sashimi. If you're looking for specialty fish, a huge roll list, or omakase, this isn't that kind of sushi place. But if you want a wide selection of sake, fun fusion tapas, and some classic sushi options, this is your spot. I love that they have a small bar and that cozy, true hole‑in‑the‑wall feel. The staff is friendly, the vibe is relaxed, and it's the perfect place to come alone, with a friend, or for a casual date night. The quality is solid, and the service is fast and welcoming. They also have some great sake and green‑tea‑based drinks. I love it here -- definitely a go‑to spot for us. read more

Arrived around 6:30pm and were seated at an outside table. Table for 4 and we ordered quite a few dishes to share. Based on reviews, the Sake Wasa appeared to be popular so we gave it a try. I'm not a big fan of wasabi but this one was good. The crispy rice, salmon carpaccio, roasted striped bass, spicy scallop roll, spider roll . . . All good. The fish was fresh and they were all light. Also ordered a panna cotta and matcha cheesecake - both were good as well and nice way to finish our meal. At no time did we feel rushed. Service was friendly and they checked on us often. read more

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We had such a great experience at Tanuki. The space is cozy and welcoming, and the food was honestly amazing. Everything we ordered was full of flavor and felt really well thought out, and the sake pairings made it even better. The staff was super friendly and made the night feel relaxed and fun. It's the kind of place you leave already planning your next visit. Definitely a new favorite for us. read more

My husband took me here for my birthday and I loved this restaurant so much. We've been to Japan and this felt very much like being in a Japanese restaurant. We ordered the tanuki roll, spicy scallop roll and rainbow roll. The spicy scallop roll was so delicious and melted in my mouth. They gave me a cute dessert with a candle. read more

A nice, no frail Japanese restaurant. Always like to get their corn appetizer. Cucumber was light and refreshing and the perfect portion. The fish was uni was decent but the cuts were a little inconsistent but still good. Good friendly service. read more

Tanuki - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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The sushi here is so amazing I can't stop thinking about it. Toro and hamachi nigiri are a must read more

Tanuki - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is definitely a hole in the wall place and love coming here. The staff is always friendly and tries to make room if they can for your party. They definitely are a sake restaurant and have so many to choose from. They always have a sample sake flight or you can choose from an array of different ones on their drink menu. They also will give you recommendations. Bonus: you also get to pick your own sake cup from a tray they bring out. The toro wasa is my favorite it which is a fatty tuna with a wasabi relish. I could truly drink the sauce too. The salmon collar was also very meaty and simple with the rice and was good. Definitely will be back. read more

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I stumbled upon this place a few years ago and fell in love! For a while I was going every week to sit at the bar and enjoy some sushi and wine after a long shift. I was going so much to the point the owner recognized me and knew my order lol. The owner is the absolute sweetest, the staff is very welcoming and sweet, and the food is amazing and fresh. I rave about this place to everyone I know. The restaurant itself is pretty small with a couple tables and bar seating. There is additional seating outside that's covered. Parking available in the residential area and about 5 spots in the lot directly in-front of the restaurant. Definitely recommend this place if you're in the area. Food review: Karaage: (5/5) The chicken has amazing texture, it's juicy, and flavorful. The spicy mayo and squeeze of lemon are a bomb dipping combo. I get this every time I come. Spicy tuna roll: (5/5) Great size roll, fish tastes fresh, not too spicy, and overall each bite is well balanced. Simple roll, but absolutely delicious. Definitely a staple for me. Salmon nigiri: (5/5) The salmon melts in your mouth, it was so damn good. Little rice heavy, but I enjoyed every bite! Sake wasa: (5/5) OMG. This is ridiculously delicious!!!! I could eat this all damn day. The fresh wasabi is everything Sake: They have an extensive menu of sake and the staff is well/versed in describing and recommending the best based on your palette. It's worth a try if you like sake! Desserts: I didn't get it today because I was very full...but they have eclairs (that are sold Fridays and Saturdays? If I'm not mistaken) and they also have crème brûlée and matcha cheesecake! yummy! read more

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Craving satisfied. It was a great experience. The restaurant has a darker and intimate atmosphere with light music playing in the background. Definitely recommend for small party and date night. The food was exceptional. The rolls were fresh and the flavor complimented each other really well. The appetizer has a savory but not overwhelming taste. The staff were very friendly. Parking is limited to small parking lot in front of the restaurant. read more

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Went here for Friday night dinner with my girlfriend and we were very excited because we haven't been here before. Just a heads up, if you're planning on coming for a visit (especially on a weekend) you should definitely call and reserve ahead of time. It's not necessarily busy but it is a pretty small restaurant. Fortunately, we got lucky and they had a table for two that was ready in about 10 minutes. We started off with the miso cream cheese and wonton chips and they were salty, sweet, and creamy - also had some ipa's to wash it down. For the entree we had the baked salmon roll and the maguro jalapeno roll. The baked salmon had a shiso leaf rolled inside for a nice herbal flavor along with the salmon. I personally preferred the maguro jalapeno roll. I'm not exactly sure what they do to the tuna to make it melt it your mouth but it was delicious. My guess is that they marinate it in soy sauce or some special marinade beforehand. Service was pretty decent especially for how busy they were. Didn't have to wait long and the servers were very nice. This place is perfect for your next date night or a nice dinner with a few friends. read more

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We have driven by but since it's in a low-key residential area, I kinda forgot about it. But one night, we decided to go in. Not a particularly welcoming vibe, since we didn't have a reservation, but she put us at the bar. Thank goodness the really friendly girl served us. We liked that there were local beers available. We sampled as much as we liked to get an idea of the quality. The chicken katsu was definitely the best we've had in San Diego. I liked my spicy tuna roll, and the karaage was good too. Our server forgot to order my eel roll, but it was good. Overall, a nice place to come to. The dining room is small. The bar is nice. There's even a small patio outside that dog friendly. I would definitely consider coming back, but first impressions when you walk in matter. read more

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Solid sushi place. Ordered the HAMACHI JALAPEÑO, MAGURO JALAPEÑO and RAINBOW rolls. All fresh & simple. The maguro jalapeño was easily the best one. Chicken katsu was also good, but doesn't come with rice unfortunately, you have to order separately. read more

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30 minute wait at dinner time on a Saturday night. We were seated at the bar and ordered 2 sake flights, 1 app, and 5 rolls. Sake flight: $15 for 3 sakes, yummy selection! Karaage: Came out super fresh and the chicken was juicy and piping hot! Tanuki roll: We got two orders of this roll and it was very yummy, but I think my one qualm about this roll and all the rolls is that they are small and not rolled very tightly. The toppings on the roll are great and very fresh, but again my issue with the base roll makes it hard to justify price and I dislike how it falls apart when you try to eat it. Rainbow roll: Simple, nothing to say Eel and avocado roll: Again, small and not rolled tightly Maguro jalapeño roll: Alright, wish it came with some sauce to tie it all together. Overall, not bad but can't say it was one of my favorites. 4 stars for karaage and tanuki roll, can't give 5 because of the issue with rolling and the rolls being pretty plain besides tanuki read more

Tanuki - Tanuki Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Locality and nourishment. They are allowed to have a dog on the patio. We'll come back!

I want you all to know that I really appreciate this place. We came here on a Saturday at 5pm with no reservation. Lucky for us, the waitress was kind enough to accommodate us because my 6 year old was HANGRY. We sat on the corner by the entrance and I got to watch how busy this place could get. Our food came quickly and by stage. I want to say the #18 from our sake flight was the best one. The Tanuki Roll is an eye rolling roll(; (u see what I did there, lol). It feels like the every time I dip my sushi in the soy sauce, it just keeps getting better at every bite. I love the atmosphere at the place, the servers were very attentive and gave me a nice compliment about my dress so they definitely got a nice tip lol. I definitely recommend this place and will try something different plus the tanuki roll(: read more

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We were on the search for a Saturday evening sushi find with good reviews. Reservations were needed but they were able to fit us in. The spot is cozy and has a great ambience. You can go across the street to grab gelato or dessert at Pappalecco! read more

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Spot is cute with yummy food AND parking! They have a pretty simple menu with lotsa sake options. :) Sushi was delish and def one of my favorites in the area. read more

I've actually visited Tanuki several times now, but finally remembered to do this review after last night. My girlfriend and I got to Tanuki right when they opened again for dinner at 5. The place itself is extremely tiny. I do see here a couple reviews mentioning that reservations or different accommodations weren't met and that's too bad, but the literal real estate for this place is tiny. Like the bar is only maybe 5-7 seats, and then after that, there's only 5 tables inside I think. Outside, I can't tell too much but just keep that in mind. This is a very intimate spot. It got busy and definitely filled up quick, so I would say this is definitely more of a quick grab and go type restaurant still, which was actually perfect for my friend and I. We did end up gabbing a little longer after finishing our meal but we weren't shooed out or anything and we were still offered water as well. They are excellent with making sure your water stays full! Lol, I feel like we'd take 3 sips and they would come around again already. The waitresses were all super attentive and truly very kind. We ordered the cream cheese misozuke (wonton chips with miso cream cheese), crispy rice (crispy rice cubes with tuna), a rainbow roll, and the baked salmon roll (shiso leaf roll with baked salmon and mayo on top). Everything was really tasty and a pretty good price point. Other items that are worth mentioning from different times I've been here is the corn and the cream cheese wonton sticks. I would've loved to have room for dessert or their flavored matcha or hojicha latte, but guess that means I just have to come back! This place never disappoints. read more

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So I felt like doing something different and getting out the house. I was in the mood for Sushi and Tapas and this place ticked all the right boxes. I called in a reservation for the bar. I was seated immediately and decided to start with the Sake Sampler. I'm not a connoisseur, but the sake options were smooth and slightly sweet, which is right up my alley. I started with some nigiri and they were delicious and large cuts of fish. I wasn't given wasabi, but I was fine without it. I was offered an off menu piece, which I've had become so I had to do it. The toro was so flavorful and a much needed treat. The waygu ponzu was cooked to a perfect temperature and sliced just right. Each bite was a flavorful treat that makes it such an iconic dish. The karaage was a far larger portion than I was expecting. The chicken was so crispy on the outside, but moist and juicy on the inside. The only request I would have is for the chicken to be cut into smaller pieces. I tried two sakes that capped of an amazing night. This place is amazing. Very intimate and welcoming. The only change I would make to the decor is a door to the kitchen. I could have done without the behind the scenes work in the kitchen. read more

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Prompt and friendly service. The menu isn't overwhelming and they have a good variety of choices. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Food was fine but I expected deeper flavors. read more

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Came here on a Saturday night at 8:30pm and I'm surprised it wasn't too busy. I called an hour beforehand to make sure they could seat my party of 5 and they were super accommodating. It was loud in the phone but quiet when we got in. I was able to get parking right in the front. We ordered cucumber salad, shishito peppers, karaage, uni roll, uni nigiri and salmon nigiri. Everything was amazing, especially the uni, which was worth the price. I'd come back if I were in the area. read more

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Came here earlier this week for the first time and let's just say it won't be my last! We ultimately just bought a variety of tapas and sushi to share amongst the 3 of us. Such a way to go!! I really had liked the sake wasa. I got it twice!! I could easily go there and just order more of that! We had their vegetable tempura and that was crunchy and great ratio of veggie to tempura. I was really shocked that I liked the Cream Cheese Misozuke. So simple but the marinated cream cheese was perfect. Very cute spot for a date night. There is a bit of parking out front but most likely it will be street parking or walking if possible. read more

Would give six stars for their hospitality if I could. Called in for a reservation and there was nothing available, but they allowed us to join a waiting list and called us back when a spot opened up. Specific shoutout to our waiter JP. We sat outside with my dog and it started to rain. JP brought out a space heater and gave my dog a bowl of water and dog treats too. Throughout our evening JP gave us various sake samples and allowed us to choose our own glass. Extensive Sake menu, and the Sushi and Nigiri were delicious. Great experience will be back soon! read more

Tanuki - Dog-friendly outdoor seating. Brought my dog a water bowl and treats - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Don't let the four stars fool you, this is a fine sushi place with friendly staff and a clean environment. I have gone here several times for lunch with my team, and they really loved it. The fish is fresh, they have decent tempura, and the options are reasonably priced. So why four stars? Honestly, I really debated this because I don't want people to get the wrong impression... It is a good place! But it's just good. I'm not particularly excited by the rolls, I don't feel like the spicy tuna has that much flavor, I'm just never excited when somebody picks this place. The ambiance also which is clean and cozy isn't very exciting, nor is it relaxing in a traditional way. It's just nice. It's just good. They will give you a solid experience, and you should definitely go here. But it really has that lunch with your co-workers sushi place feeling instead of I'm going to take somebody on a date here kind of feeling. read more

Very cute spot. Simple menu with a few daily specials. I personally think a few more items would.serve them well. Over all the experience was good. We had miso cod, edamame, rainbow roll, tempura white fish, salmon marinated in a wasabi pickle relish, fried rice cake with spicy tuna (let down of the meal read more

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What a great find! We ordered so many items here, and found that everything is a hit! Notable: Service! Salmon Carpaccio (5/5) - perfectly fresh, thinly sliced salmon Wagyu Tataki Ponzu (4/5) Crispy rice (5/5) Cream cheese wonton stick (4/5) Maguey Jalapeño Roll (5/5) Salmon skin roll (5/5) Creme brûlée (5/5) Will be back! read more

We were glad to find this place since we were craving sushi. I did feel a little underdressed since we were doing landscaping all day and stopped in to eat and you could tell that most people were on a date night and wearing something nicer. The service was really good. The inside and the ambiance is nice, like a cozy modern feel. The karaage was soooo yummy. Nicely seasoned, moist and juicy on the inside. Probably my favorite karaage in San Diego so far that I've had. Pork gyoza was good. I enjoyed the rolls and I was really excited to try the spicy scallop roll since it was listed as a popular item except when it arrived it gave off a super strong whiff of unpleasant fishiness. I picked up one piece to try it and it smelled so fishy. I decided not to eat it and asked the server if that was normal for them. They were very nice and asked if we'd rather have something else instead. My husband chose the shrimp tempura roll and there wasn't anything wrong with it as far as freshness goes but I just wasn't a fan personally and felt it was kinda bland and dry. The eel & avocado roll was good. Overall the food was good, the sushi rice was good, the place was very clean, sometimes when you go to sushi restaurants the plates/dishes aren't 100% clean but they were immaculate here and were actually warm as if they were freshly washed, the vibe was nice, the decor was nice, I liked the music, the service was very very good. We would definitely come back and recommend to others. read more

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Sadly, this dinner date was one of the worst experiences in a long time! Last min decision since we were supposed to meet friends for dinner on Valentines evening and they last minute cancelled. It was just going to be us and I wanted something quiet and casual. I tried calling ahead, but there was no answer, so no reservation. I read the reviews and we decided to go anyways. Previous reviews were correct, they are not nice about not having a reservation. I asked if the phone number was correct, she said yes. I guess when the line is busy, it just says the person you are trying to reach is not available and hangs up. Just so you know before going, bar seating is not open seating. Those were also for saved for reservations. By chance, after waiting awhile, and not knowing if we would just get turned away, we got lucky and were able to get seated at the bar. But only after being seated grumpily by the host with people who didn't have a reservations. Thankfully there was a family of four before us, two parents and two young children, (no reservation) who got seated before us. So glad we were after them cause they got seated outside in the freezing cold, at the darkest table on its own and were given a house space heater! (See picture) If that table was offered to us, I would've just left and not even bothered. I'm not that hungry! Additional things to know... Limited seating. Inside there are 5 tables inside and 8 bar seats. There are several small tables outside surrounding the building. Most outside tables have an electric heater overhead. All except for one. The music was good, one of the restaurants saving grace! A mix of maroon 5, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Bieber, Rhianna and they even played one of my all time favorite songs, Stereo love. Now to the main reason of the review, the food. Of the things we tried, I'll start off with what I liked the most (and that's stretch!) The food continually got worse. - Gyoza: was tasty. I'd like it crispier, but the sauce was very vinegary. They all seemed to stick to each other and fell apart when separated. - Chicken karaage: This was also edible and palatable. - Wagyu tatami: Do not order the Wagyu here. Honestly they should remove this from the menu! It was the toughest meat I've EVER had. Doesn't make sense since it's sliced thin and just seared. Nothing what a Wagyu should be. It was disgraceful for being called Wagyu. I even warned the couple who had just ordered it, as we were heading out! - Shrimp tempura roll: was edible but not flavorful. We tried to dip in soy sauce, but the soy sauce tasted strange. I asked if that was regular soy sauce, she responded that it was low sodium. Low sodium soy sauce it was not. It was really bad, off, watered down or mix if something weird altogether. We couldn't even finish the roll and gave up! We felt bad and decided to take it home. Regular Kikkoman soy sauce made the few pieces better. For drinks, I ordered a sprite. They are served by the can, so no refills. The hubs ordered a Wakoucha (black tea) was flavorful but it was served in a metal cup. Not ceramic, so the cup itself was scorching. Instead of being insulating, it was untouchable while hot. Other things while serving. This is a sanitary thing for me... I asked for a straw, and it was just given to me, not wrapped in a napkin. I absolutely hate improper handling of straws. Like what's the point?!? A few parking spots up front, mainly street parking. Staff is not friendly. If you don't have a reservation don't even bother trying to go, let alone trying to get friendly service. Absolutely pass on coming here, not worth it! This is your warning, beware!!! 2025: 8 read more

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My favorite place for lunch. The hamachi collar or Wagyu bento is my go to. Can't go wrong. read more

Tanuki - Wagyu - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This little spot is definitely a gem. Parking looks like it can get packed but there's enough street parking. We still manage to get a spot the both times I went. The staff are very attentive and helped us with recommendations if we were indecisive on what to get. The menu had a really great drink menu and definitely would come here for an intimate social drinking. The rolls are definitely on the cleaner side, so if you prefer your rolls that aren't heavy on sauce/dressing, this is definitely a good spot. The fish quality is definitely worth it. I would come back to try different items on the menu. read more

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Of all places, I didn't expect The single best bite of sushi I've had in San Diego to be at this place. The tanuki roll was unbelievable. The service was amazing, and the vibes are so fun. Sake bar vibes, you get to pick your sake cup. The overall experience was great. Other items are all good, but I'll be back for the sake and that Uni portion of the Tanuki roll. read more

Came here on a Saturday not even an hour after they opened shop and it was already packed and busy. Big the service was still exceptional and we were seated immediately and our orders were quick too! We sat on the street side of the outside building, where we got to people watch. We ordered a few different plates but once we got the cream cheese rolls we immediately ordered a second round bc although delicious, they are small. I ordered the tanuki roll and LOVED it. I usually opt for a rainbow roll but this one had sea urchin and I have no regrets. The chicken katsu was also exceptional. Totally coming back. read more

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Tanuki rules. We dropped in without a reservation on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. We split a bottle of sake, which was solid despite me not being a huge sake fan. What I was a fan of, was that you get to select the sake cut you want to drink from. We had the salmon wasa, the mix sashimi plate, and then a couple of rolls. Everything was excellent, and came out so quickly it was wild. The salmon wasa was my favorite; the wasabi relish was new to me and delicious. Our service was fantastic and so speedy. I think we were there for under an hour total, and it was a delightful time. read more

Tanuki - Mix Sashimi Plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Limited selection on sushi rolls but I enjoyed the salmon kama! Small restaurant spot on the corner of the street, but spots available by the bar or table. Shout out to our bartender JP for excellent customer service! Parking spots available right in front of the restaurant. read more

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The food is very fresh, most of it chosen daily from the owner, the ambiance is fantastic with an impressive sake menu, call ahead for seating, and the service is excellent. This has been our go-to for many years. read more

Love the small intimate cozy vibes here! There is some parking out front but when we arrived all spots were taken so we had to find street parking. We enjoyed most of our food from the tapas menu but our rolls were a little disappointing. I think if you come here do not come for the rolls! The other stuff we ordered was GREAT but the rolls were shockingly bad. The service was good but minimal, so it's definitely a more laid back place. read more

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Bento box is a hit for us Service is good we always do phone orders nice hot Service is super quick and pick up order always make everything in bag Eating on dude outside nice view if street read more

I may have to come here again, the place was packed so we had to sit outside which didn't bother us at all. The service was very tentative and the food came out in a prompt manner. We didn't really know what to get so we did order it a little at a time. Each little dish that came out didn't really quite impress me but it wasn't bad either. The sashimi cuts were really bad, I think I came on a off day when someone in there didn't know how to slice fish. I wasn't really full at the end of the meal it made me felt like I wanted something more. But however they still get a four stars because nothing was bad and well I did dine with others and they thought it was good. So that's good enough for me to give them a four stars. I'll definitely have to revisit this place. I might be missing something? read more

Cozy place, friendly personal, delicious food! Me and my friend had a good time there. A big sake bar and menu are good combination for nice Friday's evening. read more

Always consistently great food. Wonderful owner and staff. Highly recommend, especially when they do omakase and specialty dinners.