35 Best Japanese Restaurants near El Cajon

“The workers were very kind to us. When I paid, he gave me a free water. When I asked for a medium, he gave me a large, and he spoke in a very gentle manner. The lady that took my order would point towards the menu to make sure that I knew what I was ordering.

The place seemed very orgainized, and the counters were spotless.

As for the food, it was high quality and delicious. We ordered the Udon, Caterpillar Roll, and the Green Dragon Roll.

The crab in both rolls was creamy and soft on the inside and out. Along with that, The udon was rich with flavor along with garnish. The noodles were bouncy and gummy, and the broth would have a rich, deep, brown color that made it feel like I couldn't leave my table without finishing.

Overall, I would come here again, being one of my first food options at this mall.

(I didn't get their names)“

“Yi Sushi Review

Today I stopped in at Yi Sushi for a quick bite and ended up staying for an experience! I was greeted by a young lady with such a kind spirit, which set the tone for the visit.

They had plenty of specials and happy hour deals that immediately caught my attention. The Shrimp Consomé soup intrigued me right away, and there was also a Salmon Kama special that sounded amazing. I had originally planned to get my food to go, but since the salmon was dine‑in only, I decided to stay—and I’m so glad I did!

I sat at the sushi bar, where the chef served each dish directly to me, fresh from his hands. Let me tell you, that Shrimp Consomé soup was chef’s kiss! The flavor, the texture, and the crunch of the patty with the green onions on top—it was absolutely perfect. I could have easily gone for a second bowl.

Next came the Unagi, served as a pair. Fresh, rich, and so satisfying. Then came the star of the night: the Salmon Kama. I didn’t know what to expect, but it did not disappoint! The salmon was grilled to absolute perfection—tender on the inside with just the right amount of char. Honestly, all it was missing was a side of rice, which I’ll make sure to order next time.

I was so full by this point that I had my Crunch Roll packed to go. But before I left, I couldn’t resist trying a piece of Yellowtail tuna. It was exquisite—soft, delicate, flavorful, and not fishy at all. That’s definitely on my list for my next visit!

Special shoutout to my server, Anne, who was an absolute darling—kind, attentive, and made the whole experience even better.

I came for a quick sushi stop, but Yi Sushi turned it into a memorable meal. I’ll definitely be back!“

“We do love Hana! However they do a few things that irk us. The first is they RUSH you. You sit down and they ask you a million times if you’re ready to order. Then your food comes way too fast. No separation of appetizers and meal. It all just comes out. They also put the rolls too close next to each other. And the rolls usually fall apart wince they smash the roll into the warm or cold plate interacting with the temperature of the roll. Their sushi making is just inconsistent.

Other than these specific annoyances which I will just start addressing when I come; we really do love Hana. The sushi is good but it has gone way down hill over the last year for some reason.“

“Fast and friendly service, Great tasting food my favorite is the honey walnut shrimp💜“

“personale gentilissimo. qualità del pesce ottima e.menu molto vasto e di qualita“

“Eaten here numerous times. Excellent quality food, and service. Equivalent to San Francisco Bay Area Japanese restaurants..which are outstanding.“

“The sushi was amazing! We tried the power roll, energy roll, and Mexican roll, and each one was delicious. Sara was super helpful with recommendations since it was our first time visiting. The sushi tasted really fresh, and the rolls were well-made. The atmosphere was also great—very chill and welcoming. Definitely recommend checking this place out!“

“Our server seemed to be the only front-of-house employee for most of our visit yesterday, and she dealt with call-ins, walk-ins, sit-downs, and pick-ups gracefully and without faltering for a moment yesterday. Husband & I were very impressed with her customer service skills, the food, the drinks, and the atmosphere (especially the pretty string lights on the ceiling)!“

“good food, friendly staff and atented“

“The food is amazing, as is the service. My family have eaten there since they opened in 1986. They were small then, when Swenson's ice cream used to be next door. My favorite dish was the champon noodles. It still tastes the same!!“

“I don’t know what happens in SD, but some restaurants (Good restaurants) look empty. This place is nice, good vibe , and good service. I like see restaurants half full, people enjoying food and flowing service and this one has potential for that! 🫶🏼“

“We love Chiba! We lived here 8 years ago and we’re back. I am glad to see the food is still as delicious as I remember! The food was fast and I recommend the sushi! Also, our waitress was great!“

“Sushi was very good 😋 edamame green beans also ! Great service 👍🏼“

“Great prices! While everything seems to be getting more expensive it's good to know there are some places putting out delicious food for a decent price. The rice is good thats what makes or breaks a sushi spot. We had the Red Dragon roll, Rainbow roll, Philly roll, California roll and some orange chicken all were really good. If you live in National city and want to stay in the area and have goid sushi this is a place worth stopping at.“

“First Time great. Second time even better because the man in charge remembered me and he was not even working.Awesome tasty food and portions are worth it by far. I buy what I buy from other places in San Diego- no comparison they are on top of their game.“

“Oishii is such a hidden gem! Very clean, and the insanely friendly and attentive staff make you feel right at home. The highlight for me was the pork noodle soup—seriously, it’s the closest thing I’ve found to authentic street noodle soup from Thailand. Such a rare find! Everything we tried was fresh and delicious. I’m already planning my next visit. Highly recommend!

Also 50% off apps and some rolls, beer and Thai tea for happy hour. Can’t beat it. Everyday from 2-5pm.“

“Sushi is DELICIOUS! Customer Service is Awesome! Place is Mellow and Relaxing and very Enjoyable!“

“Our favorite spot for sushi and sashimi😍“

“I'm from the east coast, where this chain is most popular. And I'm so glad there is at least one location in San Diego. It is the best chicken teriyaki plates I've ever had for less than $10. I go out of my way, about 28 miles, just to eat here, at this spot, in a mall food court. Willingly.

Parking: It's at a mall so parking can be difficult but no worse than any other busy mall.

Kid-friendliness: This location is inside of a mall food court so it's perfectly suited to bring your loud kiddos that can't sit still.

Wheelchair accessibility: There are ramps and automatic doors.“

“Their pork gyoza is the best! We went for sushi and enjoyed everything. Their hand rolls are large and stuffed. My only complaint was that my spicy scallop hand roll had sand or rocks or something in it, I thought I was going to bust out a filling, so I would skip the scallops next time. Lunch was pretty reasonable and wine pours are awesome“

“Great place. have been here a few times now, staff is attentive, friendly and the food it great. We will be back for sure and highly recommend it!“

“Pleasantly surprised by this place. First time trying it as I’m looking to make 2023 a year I explore new food places. This was my first new place of the year and I’m glad I found them! Friendly people and don’t be fooled by the small frontage. Hole in the wall places are the best. I also liked their happy hour menu….I was there for lunch but will be going back for happy hours and dinners😃“

“the bestttttt japanese food!“

“I don't usually give out 5 stars unless it's deserved but, wow this place made me feel like I was living in Japan again! The food tastes exactly the same! I had the teriyaki ribeye steak, my wife had the chicken katsu, and we got a side of tempura & mixed veggies. Will definitely come back again to try something else!“

“I moved away from San Diego in 2017 and their salt and pepper tofu is the one meal I miss the most 😂 Sooo good“

“The food was great. Mango-Mango roll was exceptional!!“

“Food already great here 💕 🍣 🍱“

“San Diego’s best sushi! Get the CATS roll!“

“I’ve been to this sushi spot several times and always appreciated their variety and freshness. However, during my most recent visit, the rice was noticeably stiff and tasted as if it might have been old. Hoping this was just an off day, as I’ve usually enjoyed their food!“

“We ordered food to go from Sushiman and it is one of the best sushi that I have ever had in a long time. The price is also very affordable. This will be my new go to sushi restaurant. The shrimps were extremely fresh and tasty. Just writing this review now days later is already making me hungry. Maybe I'll go there again tonight!“

“Amazing food while we were visiting the area. Best service and the food presentation was perfection. Portions and pricing are both outstanding. 10/10 recommend.“

“One of the best Japanese Restaurant in town, highly recommended!“

“I got the 'Chef's Choice Sashimi Bento Box' with a salad. My boyfriend got 'Katsu Don'. We also shared a bowl of Garlic Edamame and the 'Dancing Tuna' sushi roll.

The bento box was good. The fish was fresh, the gyoza was the perfect consistency and tasty, the side salad was marinated well with the dressing.

The Katsu Don was also really well put together and was super filling and tasty.

The garlic edamame was like no edamame Ive had before. The sauce they put on the edamame made it the best I've ever had and well portioned out.

The sushi roll we shared was the perfect balance of flavor and textures. Not to spicy. It enhanced the fish flavor with accentuation and made it blend well together.

I think I found another top sushi place.“