50 Best Japanese Restaurants near Lemon Grove

“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😃“

“This is one of the best sushi spots in San Diego as far as I'm concerned, I've eaten from here numerous times and my order has always been perfect. The staff here are diligent and prompt, the menu is versatile and delicious, I reccomend this place to everyone!“

“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.“

“The food is SO good. The chef was super friendly and nice. We can’t wait to go back. 😄“

“Luke is an amazing multitasker❤ made us feel very welcome.“

“This market has a great selection of food, especially warm to-go options like onigiri, teriyaki bowls, and sushi. They also have a nice produce section, plenty of cold drinks, and a fun variety of Japanese candy. The store itself is clean, well-organized, and easy to browse.

We tried the spicy tuna onigiri, it was just okay, nothing special. One small downside: they charge 15¢ for a bag instead of the standard 10¢ most places charge. Parking was also pretty hectic and hard to find.

Overall, a solid spot for Japanese snacks and quick meals, just be prepared for the parking situation.“

“I’ve tried just about every Omakase spot, big and small, in San Diego—and this one is by far my favorite and the most delicious yet! You need to book and pay in advance through the official website. Right now, it’s $225 for the meal, plus $45 gratuity and $20 tax. Reservations are available at either 5 pm or 8 pm. When you arrive, you can find street parking nearby. The restaurant opens promptly on the dot, and once you’re seated, you can order your drinks—then you’ll wait about 20 minutes before the meal officially starts.

Food Review: The ingredients are super fresh and top-quality, and the menu changes with the seasons. The chef explains each dish before you try it. Most ingredients are sourced from Toyosu Market in Tokyo, Japan, as well as local suppliers right here in San Diego. The presentation is exquisite—every single dish looks like a work of art. The flavors strike a perfect balance of taste, texture, and aroma. Standout dishes include A5 wagyu beef served with seasonal vegetables and Japanese mackerel nigiri. My personal favorites this time were the smoked sashimi and A5 wagyu tartare puffs—they were absolutely amazing!

Service: Three chefs work in perfect harmony, preparing the dishes right in front of you. There are also two servers standing by at all times, ready to hand you plates, clear away used ones, and refill your water. They’re incredibly attentive and thoughtful—you basically don’t have to lift a finger to handle any dishes yourself. They anticipate your needs before you even ask, making for a seamless dining experience. Case in point: if you step away to use the restroom, you’ll come back to find your napkin neatly refolded for you.

Atmosphere: The vibe is elegant and cozy. It’s a high-end sister restaurant of Azuki Sushi, dedicated to showcasing the elegance and seasonality of kaiseki cuisine. There are only 10 seats in total, though they occasionally squeeze in one extra guest. All in all, it’s a really intimate spot.

As a nice final touch, the staff sees you off at the door when you leave, and even gives you a little greeting card and a copy of the menu to take home as a souvenir. It boasts a solid 4.8-star rating on Yelp and has been around for three years now. If you’re a Japanese food lover, I highly recommend this place!“

“Taka is easily one of the best sushi spots I’ve ever been to (believe me — I went to multiple sushi restaurants in Japan, Thailand and USA) I had the best amaebi of my life here — incredibly sweet, fresh, and delicate. You can truly taste the quality, especially knowing they fly in ingredients from Japan.

The Hokkaido uni was rich, buttery, and perfectly clean. Overall, the quality is superb. And, don’t forget to try Saba Buttery! A must-visit for anyone who loves truly fresh, authentic sushi.“

“Found this little gem on social media, and I must say the service was outstanding. Everyone was incredibly attentive, and the food arrived hot and fresh. We sat on the patio, I appreciate they have large baskets next to your table to place your belongings in.

The chicken karaage was exceptional (we didn’t get a photo, but it looks just like what others have posted). The batter was perfectly light and crisp. I ordered the Hayashi Omurice with brisket fried rice, and the demi-glace sauce added a rich, flavorful touch. My partner went with the curry, which was solid and straightforward.

The only minor drawback was that the brisket portions in both dishes were a bit sparse compared to what we were hoping for. That said, the overall experience more than made up for it.“

“My sister and I were craving Japanese food, so she suggested Kumi Sushi Grill. I ordered a bento box with chicken teriyaki, yellowtail sashimi, and mixed tempura. My sister also got the chicken teriyaki bento box with mixed tempura, and fried gyoza. The Bento boxes come with miso soup and we also ordered Green Tea.
All I can say is everything was excellent. They give you 3 big pieces of yellowtail sashimi that melted like butter and their tempura was awesome.The portion sizes are huge. We should split a box. You can swe hiw much food my sister had in her to-go box. Mine was just as much food but not as pretty. I highly recommend this place.“

“We had a great time here tonight. The restaurant staffs and the sushi chef were friendly and the omakase dinner course portion was generous and super delicious. :)“

“Amazing omakase, friendly and knowledgeable staff“

“Food always great, service always great, atmosphere....

There was a table that was being very obnoxiously loud with some vulgar comments and discussion. It affected the atmosphere of more than two tables and making them uncomfortable. Thankfully one of the waiters advocated and told them nicely to lower their voices. Long story short.. thankful to the waiter who told them to lower their voices as they demanded their check right away and left immediately. 5 star atmosphere maintained. Thank you!“

“Absolutely incredible! We have dined in with Chef Nghi and have ordered their Epic board for take out and every time it has been nothing short of incredible. We’ve tried just about all the high-end sushi spots in San Diego and we’re always left impressed by chef Nghi! Not only is their fish so fresh and their rolls fun and creative but the service is top notch! I highly recommend Ju-ichi!“

“Great place. True European feel.“

“As a long-time fan of Japanese curry, I was thrilled to finally visit a Curry House CoCo Ichibanya – my first time at this particular chain, though I'm no stranger to the style, having frequented a beloved (and now sadly closed) Curry House in Westwood pre-pandemic. I was so happy to find the menus quite similar, with all my old favorites present and accounted for!
We started with the Garlic Cheese Naan, which was absolutely delicious fresh and hot, though it did lose a bit of its magic as it cooled – so definitely enjoy it quickly! It was also my boyfriend's very first foray into Japanese curry, and I'm happy to report he absolutely loved it. He opted for the spicy teriyaki fried chicken, while I indulged in my classic chicken cutlet. Both dishes were just as rich and flavorful as I remembered, hitting all the right notes of comforting deliciousness.
My only minor disappointment was that they were out of iced coffee, which would have been a perfect complement. Nevertheless, the overall experience was fantastic, and I'm already planning my next visit to have my old favorite, the keema curry! I'll definitely be back when I'm in San Diego.“

“Been going to this place for over 20 yrs. Beside good excellent food , staff are always friendly never change.. love every time I’m here, it feels like my second home..“

“What a find! Completely unexpected gem in Chula Vista. Food was absolutely amazing. My garlic noodles with pork belly was the best pork belly I've ever had. By far. The cut of pork and preparation were perfect. My UK coworker gave a huge 2 thumbs up for their fish and chips. Said it was legit. Another coworker raved about their bao buns. Drinks from the bar were great as well. A must visit when in San Diego.“

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

“Owner is from Hawaii. Great service and great taste. Spicy Miso Broth hit thr spot. definitely will be back when I'm in town for work. 🤙🤙🤙“

“Started off with the soup and salad and it took me back to Japan. Generous portion of salad dressing was a bonus. The teppan show was great! Chef was interactive and funny. Food had flavor and tasted great. Steak was cooked medium as requested and lobster was not overcooked. Overall a great place especially when the price was right. Also received a birthday ice cream dessert afterwards.“

“Everyone who works there is friendly With excellent customer service food was delicious 🤤“

“Best sushi in San Diego at reasonable prices! Delicioso!!!“

“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!!“

“👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🤗👍👍👍“

“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!“

“What a hidden gem! Definitely regret not having visited sooner. As the name mingei implies, the restaurant is a carefully curated international exhibit of food and the cultures that celebrate it in their own unique ways. The staff are docents for your culinary adventure and the chefs are masters of their craft. Some of my best bites in San diego in the past couple years, came from Artifact and I cannot wait to go back with more uninitiated.“

“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)“

“Dual BBQ and hot pot tables if you have people who prefer one or the other. Otherwise I would probably stick to a dedicated place for BBQ or hotpot. It has everything and the all you can eat is pretty generous, it's just not as polished as some other BBQ or hotpot restaurants.“

“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.“

“delicious fresh tasting food, affordable prices, and great portions! I ordered the beef bowl

I stopped by here a few days ago on my lunch break. It’s a spot that joins with other food places making any sort of “food court”.“

“Awesome food. Service is great also. Prices are moderate.“

“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.“

“Curry: 4.5/5 This curry is very good. It is slightly sweet, savory, and has a depth to it. That being said, it stays within the parameters of a typical Japanese curry. The only thing that docked it from being perfect was that the texture was not perfectly smooth. There is this sort of floury grain to it that I associate with store-bought curries that took me slightly aback. I also sort of miss the flavor of having spiciness cooked in the sauce rather than just putting a powder on top. Oh, and more pickles!

Karaage: 4.5/5 The Curry Club does a phenomenal job at frying. The chicken was moist and crispy. I normally do not like karaage with my curry because it has that sort of karaage taste (ginger, soy, etc.) but this was recommended by my waitress and it was awesome.

Fried Again, great fried shrimp, almost no notes. It DOES have that slight mushy texture right between the coating and shrimp that I really detest, but I have accepted that is just part of the experience at this point. Solid choice if you want seafood.

This egg was shockingly good. It puts most of the ramen shops in San Diego to shame. Well marinated, perfectly gooey, a great balance between sweet and salty, the literal perfect egg. I’m not sure if it matched the curry, but I would just eat it as dessert to be honest.

Ambiance: The restaurant is casual but nice. I don’t see why you couldn’t make this a more special restaurant date.

Service: Service was very fast and kind. They “served” just the perfect amount.

Parking: The parking lot is a vast lot. Very easy, no pain.“

“Great food 😋 and friendly atmosphere 🥰.“

“the food was good and typical japanese cuisine. i wish they put more uni on the creamy udon and the seafood kamameshi had like 2 scallops, 3 shrimps, fish roe and it was like 30$. i feel like you can get a better deal in other japanese restaurants, but that’s just my opinion :)“

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

“I owe Shin, our waiter for tonight, a life debt for the best service I’ve ever had at a restaurant in my life. He single handedly grew our crops, raised our children, did our homework, made us laugh, and got us our food in record time still steaming. He wins a gold record in serving and if he has a boss who is reading this, he deserves a raise and also maybe a smooch on the cheek. The food was stunning and the prices were great, amazing, will come here again (mostly for Shin)“

“The service, prices, and atmosphere were all great. The woman at the cash register was so kind and offered us table service since we had our dog and baby. She made the experience special. My husband got the bento C and he really liked everything. Unfortunately, I got the sushi lunch and didn’t love it. Typically I love ahi nigiri, but I found theirs chewy. All the other fish were good.“

“We had the most amazing meal there on Wednesday night! Everything was exceptional, especially the uni! The service was fantastic! We will be back!“

“BEST JAPANESE BBQ SPOT EVER! My family have been consistently coming to this resturant for years to celebrate any special occasions or birthdays. The meat, rice, side dishes, and rice are always delicious. The staff are welcoming, accomodating, and even recognize my family now. I highly reccomend the family combo as it offers a good balance of beef variety and value, especially for larger parties. The portions are not the largest and on the pricier side but I think it's worth it for the quality over quantity. Free parking but it's difficult to find available spots especially at night, as expected of Convoy tho. The restroom is nothing special, single room, and in the back next to the kitchen. Will definitely continue to eat here !!“

“Food is amazing.
Rose lychee green tea is refreshing and my new favorite

I had the chicken pad Thai level 1 spice and it was great. Not too spicy. But it has a decent kick to it.

I definitely want to try the bbq honey pork next.“

“Stopped in here for a quick bite while I was waiting for my car to charge. Quick service and excellent quality sushi. The spicy tuna roll was great and he the service was quick and friendly. Definitely recommend stopping in if you're charging your Tesla and have some time to spare for a quick bite.“

“Ichifuji Sushi was a major highlight of our family trip to San Diego. The atmosphere is very friendly and the shop itself has a great feel to it.
The chef was exceptional—not only was he incredibly kind, but he was also extremely good at explaining the details of every dish. One technical detail I really appreciated was his use of a 30-day fermented ponzu sauce. It effectively balanced the richness of the fish and acted as a perfect palate cleanser between courses.
The food was unforgettable, specifically:
• Lobster Sashimi: This was unbelievable and easily the best thing I had. I never realized lobster could be so naturally sweet.
• Sea Urchin: The uni was my second favorite—superb quality and very fresh.
I highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for top-tier sushi and a warm, personal atmosphere!“

“Sakura's Mystery, the new hibachi food truck, offers an exceptional dining experience. Their flavorful hibachi bowls and delectable sushi platters are absolutely delicious. The friendly staff and skilled chefs create a warm and inviting atmosphere. With a variety of options available, Sakura's Mystery is a must-visit for anyone seeking a culinary adventure on wheels. Five stars without hesitation!“

“This place bangs. Disagree heavily that the food was bad. This place is not a 2 star. Absolute insanity to give it such a low review. I love the atmosphere, and I wish more people would check it out.Also, maybe it's the location? Come to Convoy guys, we'll treat you better.“

“Delicioso y excelente servicio“

“I always talk about theirs places that give you great portions of food and thats not what this place is but a place that true elegance comes in the form of a plate . The quality of the food has surpassed the standards of what most consider excellent.“

“affordable, friendly and fast service“