48 Best Sushi Bars near El Cajon

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

“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!“

“Right as I walked in, the person was already there! I said, table for two because I went with a friend, they sat us down and they took our drink order and after that they took our food order, and them we ate and it was amazing! Overall, this a great place for sushi, definitely recommend going.“

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

“I particularly enjoy Taboo for its easily accessible location to Cuyamaca College, the food quality and the portion size. I have been 4 or 5 times at midday, and my favorite dish is the salmon bento lunch special The very adept wait staff helps ensure an enjoyable experience.“

“I have eaten Vietnamese cuisine throughout California, and Grandpa Tao ranks among the best. In addition to the amazing tastes, the casual restaurant is friendly and comfortable. Ingredients are fresh, the environment clean and relaxing. I particularly recommend the Pho, the Rice Vermicelli (try it!) and the Shaking beef. You'll like it.“

“We got the Tonkatsu soup, the spicy Miso with extra egg, a dragon roll, and a yellowfin poke bowl.

You do have to order and pay in advance which while, unusual isn't a deal breaker. With my poke bowl I picked the yellow fin tuna as per the cashier's recommendation and it was pretty good, including the seaweed salad (new to me). The spicy miso soup was also good, the broth taste was interesting (in a good way) and I came to like it; also, the chicken is delicious. The tonkatsu soup was creamy and the broth tasted better overall initially, but I prefer spice and would choose the spicy miso next time. Lastly, I got the dragon roll as per the cashier's recommendation as well -- she noted that while many people don't like eel, she thinks it's very good and recommended it.

My wife thought all of the food was great and wanted to put more than 4 stars but maybe not quite 5 so I would say 4.5 stars here. The only thing to mention is that there's no real server here so if you want water you have to ask for it and they aren't constantly checking up on you like one may would expect in a traditional setting. Not a bad experience at all, may ended up going back if we're in the area again.“

“Upset...this place had quality sushi, great prices, and awesome service! I am not happy I don't have a sushi place near me thay checks these boxes and more.

Down at SDSU on move in day and after the move in we wanted something fresh and light that would not put us to sleep on our 2 hour ride home. We found this place with a basic search...glad this popped up.

Walked in to this low key location, greeted right away and seated. There were quite a few people here already, but a couple open tables. Server was attentive, gave suggestions. We chose 4 different rolls, nothing basic, large sashimi plate, even some chicken and rice. We all had drinks, they brought us appetizers. The server continues to check on us verified our food was good, drinks were filled, etc. Spent about 45 minutes here... Time for the bill...for 4 of us...barely at $100!

This will be our go to for our SDSU trips when visiting“

“Best sushi ever!!! Umami roll is the most amazing roll I’ve ever had with tofu in it!“

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

“Great food...would definitely recommend this restaurant 😍“

“The food is delicious! I love their chicken kelaquen and the pork ribs. Their food is always nicely presented! Highly recommend if you're craving Chamorro food!!“

“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😃“

“Very simple, casual Japanese dining. The food and service are great. It has a wide selection of Japanese meals, and one of the larger and varied sushi roll menus in town.“

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

“Food already great here 💕 🍣 🍱“

“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.“

“Love they're food and prices are reasonable. Especially with discount of you eat in the restaurant. My favorite sushi restaurant!“

“I stumble across this place while running errands in National City and I really enjoyed the sushi!

Staff were great and friendly, my order was prepared in a timely manner and the prices were great!

Will definitely come back with my husband here often.“

“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!“

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

“Sei Sushi: Fresh Fish, Local Brews, and a Friendly Vibe
Sei Sushi is a genuine neighborhood favorite. When it comes to the food, the quality is undeniable: the fish is consistently fresh and delicious, making every order excellent.
Beyond the sushi, they keep a great selection of local beers on tap, which is perfect for unwinding. The best part, though, is the service. The staff treats patrons like a comfortable extended family, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that keeps you coming back.
Check out Sei Sushi for quality food and a great crew. I'll be sure to share pics of my next meal, but in the meantime, it’s 😋!“

“We got there around 800 or so. At about 830 we were told that they would be closing soon so we needed to order anything we wanted and close the bill. Oops, our bad. There was 4 of us and we just got the bill and paid in order to be out at 9pm. The food was great. The staff, were trying to get out of there so they probably weren't as friendly as they would have been had we come earlier. Overall the price was great, food was excellent and fast plus you get a discount if you pay with cash. Can't beat it. This was my first time here, although my kids have eaten here numerous times.“

“We've enjoyed every roll, every appetizer, every visit. Left this afternoon planning a return trip on Friday.“

“I dont eat sushi but I came here on a whim to check out the other options. Ordered the katsu chicken, cream cheese rangoons, and my boyfriend got a poke bowl. Would've ordered an appetizer too but thats doing too much. Everything was delicious! My boyfriends poke bowl came with a soup, I tried it but I dont like soup. He said it was good though. My rangoons were crisped well and my katsu was breaded so good, and it was a lot of food so we were both able to eat half and save the other half for lunch the next day. Next time I come here ill try the Thai tea and a vegetable roll (again, I dont like traditional sushi with fish). My server made good recxomendations and I spoke with 2 employees who were both very helpful. I love this place. Giving it a 3 star for atmosphere as I came here on a weekend night and it was busy and seemed a little small. Ill try again on a weekday and come back to update.“

“Always great food when I stop by #HWMYTastins #HWMY“

“We had my dad’s retirement party here at JJ’s Island Grindz and our host was Ellis I cannot speak highly enough on the service he provided for us it will be unmatched. He treated us like family, very attentive, very respectful, on time with everything very professional. I just want to thank him and his crew for providing excellent customer service love and care to our family and friends. The food was amazing the drinks were delicious and had a great presentation. JJ’s Island Grindz is a good vibe. Thank you again for hosting our event.“

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

“I have been eating here for years and it's always good.“

“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.“

“Don't let the rating fool you. This place is great! The staff always takes of me when I go in. I was there tonight.“

“Came by when I saw they had a happy hour menu from 3-6pm for $5-6 standard rolls and appetizers. For a smaller additional cost, you’re able to test out a selection of their premium rolls for $9. Restaurant is clean, service was passable but the highlight was the food - the quality of the appetizers and sushi was outstanding, fresh, and creative. The BOGO 50% off draft beer paired well with the delicious meal. Overall excellent value for both the happy hour and also the lunch menu.“

“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!!“

“Es primera vez que pruebo este sushi y la verdad esta fire 🔥 lo recomiendo al 💯“

“good food, friendly staff and atented“

“Great spot for sushi, the food was good, the vibes were there although they could have a better music selection, the servers were super sweet and personable, I would definitely go back especially that the prices are very reasonable and the quality is there.“

“This is my go-to sushi spot near SDSU. I’ve been here over 20 times. It’s always packed with college students, and for good reason. The service is consistently friendly and fast.

The sushi here is much better than what you’ll find further west. This area has some of the best. Their rolls are creative, and they really load up the Crunch Roll. The garlic edamame and miso soup are always solid, and the carpaccio sashimi is surprisingly high quality. You can tell the fish is fresh.

A typical tab for 3 to 4 rolls and edamame runs about $70 before tip. Even though I’ve moved over 20 minutes away, I still find myself coming back.“

“Our favorite spot for sushi and sashimi😍“

“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!“

“Definitely surprised to see so many one star reviews. If you’re looking for succulent, juicy tacos on a taco Tuesday, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE. All the staff was friendly and nice. But if I’m grading, I’m grading. It’s hard to maintain perfection in a dine in setting.
Juicy fish and shrimp tacos. Chowed down 4 big tacos with the delicious salsa that comes w the chips.
If I was paying. I would have definitely grabbed 6. Next time. Sigh….. next time.“

“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.“

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

“Ordered a bento with pork katsu and ahi poke in addition is a miso soup. The soup came AFTER the Bento. The pork katsu is fried so well to the point that is came out dry. I like the free appetizers. The ambiance. Its a sports bar that serves Japanese cuisine.“

“the bestttttt japanese food!“

“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! 🫶🏼“

“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 🥰“