We stopped by for happy hour while using the laundromat down the street. The happy hour menu offered a nice variety of appetizers, rolls and drinks! Our server was so friendly and brought out menus quickly since it was self seating. The outside seating was the perfect spot for some people watching and generally enjoying the weather. Now in terms of the food.. we enjoyed the little pickle platter. Unfortunately it came out much earlier than the rolls and we were quite hungry so we ate most of them before our rolls came out. They would have been great pairings with the rolls themselves. The kabocha squash roll was so unique and surprisingly tasty. A sweeter creamier roll for sure. The salmon skin roll was a nice savory balance to the squash roll. I'd have to say the salmon skin roll was my favorite. We'll definitely be back to try some of the other rolls! read more

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My husband and I stopped in for lunch on a Tuesday and realized they have happy hour all day! We were able to sit right away and found parking on Newport. They do get really busy on Wednesday evenings during the farmers market and on the weekends but you can always walk and grab a beer across the street while you wait! We love sitting inside at the high top tables but there's also outside and bar seating available. The food is always good and fresh. We loved the pickled veggies! They were a perfect addition to the Karaage chicken. And the wine/local beer selections are awesome. read more

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Came to The Joint based on a recommendation from my cousin's friend, who said she comes here often. We arrived during Happy Hour, & the place was packed. I took that as a good sign. Nope... Our waiter was very friendly, & the tables were kept clean. So, a couple notes to start out in the positive. We ordered the Maple Miso Brussels Sprouts, the spicy salmon & salmon skin cut rolls, & the Mary Jane roll off the Happy Hour menu. Also ordered the Veggie Tempura. The Brussels came out first. They were more burnt than crispy fried & next to no flavor on them. My cousin's Salmon Skin roll came out next. The presentation looked pretty, but I'd never seen a salmon skin roll so doused in sauce before. She couldn't even finish it. Next was my kiddo's spicy salmon roll. Again, very soggy, but this time, the rice was also soggy. Honestly, my kiddo's roll looked more glazed than the Brussels. The Mary Jane arrived next. How on earth is the rice in a tempura roll soggy? This one was also covered in sauce. We genuinely couldn't taste any flavors in the rolls outside of the sauces, which was incredibly disappointing. The veggie tempura arrived last, 20 minutes after the first dish arrived. I am understanding when it comes to Happy Hour being a little slower, but we had nearly forgotten about it. I hoped something off the regular menu would be more palatable at this point. Wrong again. The tempura was heavy in some spots & light in others. We had an odd array of "veggies," including half a jalapeño, lotus roots, strips of onions, & shrimp. We left feeling hungry & unsatisfied. Speaking with a couple locals that same evening, we learned The Joint has apparently gone downhill as of late, which is disappointing, because I love being able to check out & recommend local spots to people. Unfortunately, I won't be putting this one on my "visit again" list. read more

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love this neat little restaurant in the heart of OB. they have a great happy hour and service is really good too. i may have fumbled my wine glass onto the floor but they were so sweet in helping me get it cleaned up. they also have outside setting for a good people watch session 10 stars read more

The Joint - pork belly - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

We were greeted with a warm Smile and seated immediately. It was happy hour (every day before 6) so we ordered a couple of drinks, two cheeseburgers and truffle fries plus a pork belly appetizer. My oh my. The food was great. The medium rare burgers were a cooled excellently and the pork belly was amazing. Everything was tasty and our service team was right on the spot when we needed them. A great place with a real retro vibe read more

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Every thing here is primarly what i expected! What surprised me was their salads, esp the kale!!! This is huge and definetely the best SALAD in Ocean Beach by far. Go 4 it, you will not be dissppointed! The atmosphere is perfect, the service was very prompt. I will always come back for more read more

I remember when this cool corner spot was Happy Chef, you know, the Chinese takeout next door. I met up with one of my friends and the wait at where we planned to go was 20 minutes. We came up to the hostess and was seated at one of the outside picnic tables. Wyatt came out and introduced himself and took our drink order. The menu has a variety, much like Happy Chef back in the day. I decided to go Japanese. They were out of karaage, so I got a seaweed salad instead...perhaps the universe needed me to eat healthier. I ordered the Lemon Basil Salmon roll which was very good, and the Dr. Eel Good which was good too though I like more panko dusted all over. My only complaint was there was no wasabi or ginger on the plates. Daveed ordered the classic cheeseburger. Yes, they have some sandwiches for that finicky eater you might have. He said it was cooked perfectly and the fries were nice and crispy. They were out of Asahi, so I said a Sapporo would be fine. However, another beer had come out and I just took it. The staff is great! Friendly and attentive and just a really nice vibe. It has been a while since I've had dinner on Newport but it's great to know I have somewhere to come back to that is dog friendly. Cako also laid down which she only does when she's comfortable. Cako Approves! read more

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Can't beat the joint for some delicious sushi and sake bombs. This spot is my go to in OB whenever I'm craving some sushi. read more

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Happy hour prices are solid!! The service was really good. We got oysters, salmon nigiri and albacore nigiri. All three dishes were delicious. Will be returning! read more

The Joint - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

The Joint is a quirky funky sushi and tapas place in OB. Quirky funky menu with a SoCal-esque fusion of sushi and tapas. It's evidient that this place is a converted bar but with the red painted walls, red curtains, crystal chandeliers, the place looks like a brothel. In a good way. There was some noisy folks at the bar cheering the Padres game on TV. The menu is huge! Lots of options to choose from. Truffle fries were excellent. Perhaps some of the best fries I've ever had. Perfectly cooked and a perfect amount of salt and truffle flavor. We ordered a second serving as the sushi was taking a while and it was gone in a minute! Pork belly appetizer was also delicious. Served with sliced pickled cucumbers that made a perfect pairing! Four sushi specialty rolls. The specialty rolls here are extra-special in their creativeness. Even for SoCal. Had a roll with green apple, cucumber, etc. We also ordered a few nigiri that were of very good quality and prepared in the traditional manner. Service was professional and friendly. The only slight room for improvement is that it took quite a while for the sushi to be served. But it was well worth waiting for. There is some paid public parking on the same block with The Joint as it's difficult to find street parking in OB. I'd give this place my highest recommendation! read more

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Shayna was great! Food suggestions were great! Her customer service was great! My drink was also.... GREAT! Will def go back to see my fav bartender and enjoy the environment! read more

The Joint - Pineapple Express - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

The best Rainbow Roll since they use real crab which is rare to find. All the other sushi I have tried are also good. They are on the higher price side for Ocean Beach but the great quality. The mini tacos are also my favorite along with the burgers and french fries. read more

The Joint - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

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Enjoyed the casual atmosphere at this restaurant! The server was so nice even though she was busy. The food did arrive promptly and the sushi and tacos we ordered were yummy ! read more

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We came here for happy hour on a Sunday night. We got seated outside right away. The price is very reasonable for happy hour. The food and service were ok. read more

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Fun and consistent but not without annoyances, see picture. We've eaten here a lot over the years, great happy hour, which lasts all afternoon seven days a week is a plus. First time eating here late night on a weekend, can't say I recommend it. Very kind people and great service except for super long wait on sushi.. server did inform us of this in advance, though. Overall, a great Neighbourhood spot! read more

The Joint - Got this cryptic message after we got home a half hour after restaurant had closed and it was half empty. Weird, could live without it. - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

Erin was our server and she was so friendly and helpful. Very smiley!! Vibe is giving pirates of the Caribbean. Prohibition era mixed with dark Japanese wood. A drop of Great Gatsby. Am in confused? Yes. Did I like it? Yes. The best sushi in OB!! read more

The Joint - LEMON BASIL SALMON ROLL - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

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Went here for a Friday night date and the atmosphere was great. This place is always packed and for good reason. The menu can feel a little overwhelming at first since they do both tapas and sushi, but there are so many good options. Tons of Japanese small plates, sushi apps, sashimi, nigiri, and rolls, plus a main entrée section with steaks, burgers, and seafood. Everything we ordered was fresh and really tasty. We tried the karaage, edamame, spicy tuna, and hamachi carpaccio. The spicy tuna was classic and well done. I wasn't a huge fan of the sauce on the hamachi carpaccio, but that's probably just personal preference. Our server was friendly and attentive even though the place was super busy, which we really appreciated. Overall a great experience and I'm definitely looking forward to coming back. read more

When I came here the first time over a year ago, it was amazing. However, when I came last night it wasn't the best. Service was OK, food was pretty good, but the drinks were all terrible. We realized we won't ever be getting cocktails here again. We lucked out with parking right out front, but in general it can be difficult to find parking. Luckily we made a reservation for Friday night because it was pretty packed and the restaurant is a tight squeeze. There is also outside patio seating available. Food & drink review: Highball: (1/5) omg this was the worst drink. Literally just tasted like watered down whisky. Horrible flavor. Difficult to drink. Yuzu margaritas: (3/5) this was decent, tasted like a straight up margarita, but wouldn't order it again here. Flower power sour? (I don't remember the name exactly.... (2.5/5) But also no. It had a very weird flavor, nothing how it was described. 10 piece mixed nigiri: (3/5) Idk if it was an off day or what, but the fish was chewy and didn't taste fresh at all. I wouldn't order it again. Lemon basil salmon roll: (4/5) this was a unique roll, the basil oil was interesting. I enjoyed the roll more than I thought I would! Hakuna of Tuna roll: (3/5) ehhhh. It was really spicy, but it didn't have the greatest flavor. The description sounded way better than it actually tasted. Bomb-o-Licious roll: (5/5) this was by far my favorite roll. The crab tasted very fresh, shishito peppers added a great flavor. Although I'm not a huge cilantro fan, it added a nice touch to this roll. I'd definitely order this one again. read more

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Love the food!!! Pretty noisy and crowded inside and super uncomfortable seats outside on the sidewalk.... And the heaters outside did not work (it was cold) so we sat indoors and couldn't hear each other at all. But the food is good. Pricey !!!! A nice variety of sushi and sashimi and other yummy things read more

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Service was great, our server was super bubbly, cheerful and friendly. The rolls were pretty good, the only thing was that they took an incredibly long time to come out. The first 2 things were pretty quick, after that it was a very very long time for all the other items and they came out at separate times with big gaps in between. As mentioned, the service was great but I wouldn't say the food we had was above average so I don't think I'd come back especially since the food took so long to come out. read more

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My partner and I came here for Valentine's day after a lot of research and were very pleased with the food. We made reservations for 4:30 to come a little early and try the happy hour menu (ends at 6). The hostess was great even though she was battling the Valentines crowd. We got sat at a pretty busy area next to the bar, close tables and a little noisy in there just to keep in mind. Drinks were amazing, we tried a Mojito and the Pineapple express, I recommend both. Service was fine, nothing amazing but the food was great. My partner fell in love with the buffalo cauliflower (which is pretty spicy and heavy in buffalo so be warned) and we also got the Wagu burger and a spicy tuna roll. The tuna was fresh and delicious but that burger will have us retuning. Paid about $70 after tip for 2 drinks and 3 shared plates. Not bad we will probably go again. read more

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Sadly The Joint seems to have really dropped off. The roll I ordered is advertised to contain "Albacore, Salmon, Yellowtail, Shallots & Mushrooms" but you'd never know because it was 85% rice and that's the only flavor showing up. Congrats on taking the crown for skimpiest amount of fish on/in a roll read more

The Joint - Rice roll, barely any fish :( - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

Great sushi and burgers. Sushi made just right and the 8oz wagyu beef burger and fries was meticulously made and delicious! Servers and bartenders were very friendly and attentive. read more

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I always have an amazing time here. I often dine alone and the staff is amazing. Whether I'm on my own with friends it's always lovely and the food is so good. Thank you read more

The Joint - I forgot to take a photo before I ate most of it! - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

It was overall really good - ESPECIALLY for people who are vegetarians. My fish loving friends loved the sushi - super unique and fun rolls.

The Joint for me is a combination of a fun neighborhood spot, cheap grubbing food, and fine dining. Fantastic beer, wine, and cocktail selection. It's been our go to spot for the 9 years we've been in SD. The staff are exemplary as well. Deanna is an absolute superstar waitress and bartender among a staff of superstars. She's thoughtful and kind. Highly recommend you give the Joint a whirl if you haven't already and do note they have happy hour specials daily from noon till 6pm. read more

Lorec made the best tasting rolls. He is an absolute artist. Tia gave great recommendations and we enjoyed many different flavors! read more

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It is close to the ocean and a no-nonsense place. Menu is Japanese inspired, i wouldnt come here in my 20s, but when you are parent, they have quite tasty and quite extensive menu. Service was slightly slow and cold, or may be our server was like that. But the OB vibe makes up for it read more

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One of my absolute favorite sushi spots in all of San Diego! If you come, you have to try my go-to--the Lemon Basil Salmon Roll--it's always fresh, flavorful, and never disappoints. The staff here is fantastic--from the manager to the servers and sushi chefs--but a special shout-out to our server, Justin. He always makes our visits extra special. He knows the menu inside and out, gives amazing food and drink recommendations, and always goes above and beyond to make sure we're well taken care of. Thanks Justin! If you're in Ocean Beach, do yourself a favor and check this place out--you won't regret it! read more

Decent food, service and vibe on the patio. But prices are so expensive for what you get! $30 for a chirashi bowl that legitimately came with 5 slices of fish is insane. It was just loaded with veggies... where does that $30 go?? read more

The new happy hour is amazing! Best cocktails in OB, freshest sushi in town. Always good music and good people at this place! read more

The Joint - Happy hour - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

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My sister was able to make a reservation for The Joint on a Sunday during their happy hour (12 - 6 p.m. every day!!!), and our group was seated inside. We only ordered off their happy hour menu and we absolutely loved everything we got. Our favorites were the maple miso brussels sprouts, karaage chicken, salmon nigiri, and The Joint handroll. We left so stuffed but so happy with everything we ate. I look forward to eating here again! read more

They've got something for everyone here, the variety is much appreciated! My stepdad and I came for sushi, and my mom isn't that big of a fan of sushi, so she had these delicious truffle fries and buffalo wings that we all kept picking at. She was satisfied with her meal as my stepdad and I enjoyed shareable sushi dishes like the Trainwreck, the Rainbow Roll, and the Caterpillar roll. I also had seafood salad to start. Everything was super tasty and the fish was very light and tasted really fresh! The lava cake was smaller than we anticipated, but the fruit consome and super soft ice cream absolutely made up for it. So good! The place has a dimly lit stylish ambiance and I personally thought the ceiling was really neat, lol. Tons to look at in here. Our server Daisy was super nice and was very attentive, always on the look out for water refills. A bit pricy, but would visit again for the quality and variety of food. read more

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If you have no idea where to go, this is the place for you because they have EVERYTHING! Happy hour heaven and waiting at those pearly gates is great service and food! Christina is the master at driving the bus to flavor town! She brings the energy, has the best suggestions, and is just great at her job. Ambiance is pretty good whether you're inside or outside. I've mostly had sushi here, but nothing is a miss! Salmon belly and yellowtail belly is my go to along with sake and a beer. Fish is fresh like they walked out to the pier to catch it that morning and delicious which means they probably hugged it before they cooked. Overall a great place and I highly recommend it. read more

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10 of 10. Amazing Sushi and Tapas It's been awhile since a sushi place shocked me... this place is frick'n GREAT!!!! Every bite was fresh and delicious. I couldn't get enough. Specialty rolls are a little pricey but worth every penny. The tapas were so flavorful. Service was excellent. The decor was cool and they played great music. Overall amazing place that I will definitely come back to. read more

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I picked this place randomly because it was close to where my friend was staying when she was visiting and it ended up being a hit. We got a good amount of food and the service was solid. We were outside so sort of out of sight out of mind, but we still got checked in on, and despite being right off the street it was a good spot to grab a mid afternoon bite. They had great specials and we ate very well. For a random pick based on what was close by, this was a great and lucky find. read more

The Joint - Giant beer edamame sashimi and fun. - Gastropubs Near Me - San Diego, California

Our sushi rolls were very good but the server forgot about us for way too long. We eventually got the host to help us and the rest of our experience was good. It's a great place for people watching. read more

Good food. Fun friendly service. Loved the outdoor area and the atmosphere. The shishito peppers were to die for

Back in the day this place got me out of the house because of how great the food was. Unfortunately, I went back yesterday and I feel as if ownership has changed. The food wasn't as great as I remember. However, the atmosphere has remained the same, giving "dive bar secret gatekeep." I wish I could say I enjoyed it as much as I have in the past, but I don't think I'll be headed back anytime soon. read more

My boyfriend and I ate here last night and both woke up in the middle of the night with food poisoning, it was the only thing we ate in common all day so have to assume it was the fish. We shared a crunchy roll and edamame, ruined our experience. read more