32 Best Japanese Restaurants near El Cajon

“Love their food I’ve been coming here since 1997, my kids love it too! Everyone is very nice and have worked there for years. I hope they never close, where will I get my teriyaki chicken bowl? My daughter loves the crazy crab roll, foods always fresh!“

“This has become a favorite spot for our family. They’re always adding new menu items, and the staff is consistently kind and welcoming to both us and our kids. It’s a great casual sushi restaurant for families who want to try different dishes without spending a fortune.

We appreciate having an affordable local restaurant where we can enjoy a fun night out without breaking the bank.“

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

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

“As a family we've been looking for a new place since our favorite Alpine restaurant had a kitchen fire and haven't reopened. After months of looking and trying new places all around East County we finally found it. The food was great with big portions, prices were very reasonable, and the service was great as well. We'll definitely be heading back soon.“

“We had a great experience at Jump Tokyo Sushi. The tonkotsu ramen was rich, comforting, and full of flavor—exactly what you want from a good bowl of ramen.

The truffle edamame was so good and addictive, and the chef’s pick sashimi platter was amazing with super fresh cuts and a nice variety. I also loved the shishito peppers—simple but perfectly done.

I was there in February 2026 and they had a happy hour (Mon-Wed) and it definitely looks like its worth checking. They had $1 off sashimi, nigiri, and special rolls, which is a great deal. Service was quick and friendly, making the whole experience even better. Solid spot for both sushi and ramen.“

“good food, friendly staff and atented“

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

“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!!“

“If you're in the mood for sushi this has got to be the place you go to. The fish was extremely fresh and melts in your mouth, the rice was perfectly textured and flavored, and the toppings/cream cheese was all well proportioned. Not to mention we were caught off guard with how large the sushi rolls were. Only got 4 rolls and had to take a few pieces home. 4 sushi rolls, a curry, an udon, gyoza, and drinks all for under 100 dollars, in California? You can't ask for better. This will be our go to spot for sushi for sure.“

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

“Our favorite spot for sushi and sashimi😍“

“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.“

“Amazing quick Japanese meal!
I stopped by Sarku Japan at Plaza Bonita and was really impressed! The teriyaki meals are full of flavor and cooked fresh right in front of you and the sauce is tasty, the chicken was tender, and the veggies were crisp. The portions were generous, and it was a great value for what you get. I also tried some of their sushi rolls, and they were surprisingly good too. Service was fast and friendly even during a busy food-court lunch, and everything tasted fresh. Definitely my go-to spot when I want a quick, delicious Japanese meal while shopping! 🍱👍“

“It is my favorite ramen place, I always come here to socialize with friends, and I love how spacious it is. Even on a busy day it doesn't feel cramped up. Their food is excellent, both ramen and sushi.“

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

“the bestttttt japanese food!“

“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 sushi , hibachi, fried rice is amazing could be bigger of a sitting for Japanese restaurant. I think they need more staff we came here for dinner and the servers, boh were confused about orders to go and the guy from boh was really loud with the lady servers in the front of house the women were very busy. Other than that the food is delicious.“

“Sai Japanese Bistro is one of those places we always come back to. The fish is consistently fresh, everything is amazing and really well done, and the service just feels genuinely welcoming. It’s an easy go-to when we want something comforting but still a little special.“

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

“Yum! Glad this inspired little joint opened up on East Plaza Blvd. We needed a Japanese dessert place close by. Just returned from my Japan trip and sure do missed it. Had the strawberry sando which was very good. I'm not sure they are the same Japanese strawberries because Japan had the best organics ones. You will know the difference but sando here is delicious. I loved the mango sticky rice blend smoothie was GREAT! You will need a spoon to eat the chunks of goodness (sweet rice and mangos). The Genmai Honeydew was good if you like roasted matcha. Look forward to trying more items next time. Oshi!“

“Food already great here 💕 🍣 🍱“

“Getting a 5 star overall for the food, since that’s the point of coming to sushiman! My first time coming here ever and the atmosphere was nice, quiet but with some nice music in the back, nice decorations and just a cute environment without doing the most, just cozy and chill type off vibes. The food was great, tasted amazing, zero complaints about it. Ordering food wasn’t an issue at all, I didn’t feel rushed by the cashier (that’s always a thing for me) but she was patient. My only complaint will be is, they should bring out the plates for customers who are dining in, I don’t know I just think it’s a nice gesture, and if a place like Carl’s Jr can do it, then they could as well for the price we are paying. Kinda of a hurry up and eat type of thing:P“

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

“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.“

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

“Bang for your buck on sushi. I always get sashimi platter and salt and pepper tofu. Ginza house noodles, orange chicken, all of it amazing.

Wait staff could use some training on service and how to look for tables that may need assistance. They seem to lose their way when they have more than 4 of 5 tables.“

“We ordered a bazooka roll, crunch roll, cheese wontons, and Aztecs wings. Over all the food was decent we ordered to go so I’m sure hot and fresh in the restaurant would be better. The rolls were good sizes and the wings were a new flavor experience definitely worth a try if you live near but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.“

“Very good service and great food. We are planing to go back for lunch or dinner. The prices are Awesome, my Salmon was delicious and the salad all our food was good.!!!♥️ Thank you Del & Dora Delgado 🥰“

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