Disappointing. Service was poor to borderline horrible. Food was nothing unique or even good by any stretch. We went home and ordered pizza. We ordered the waygu, the sea bass, the lobster toast, and the amberjack. Don’t recommend any. The sea bass was okay but overdone.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Emily K.
One of the best in SD/convoy. Chef John owns both hidden fish omakase and this elevated Japanese izakaya and it hits the spot. You can order a la carte here and also get alcohol. They have everything seafood from scallops to pork belly rice bowl!!! The atmosphere is super calming and professional. The servers were very attentive and seemed like they knew what I needed at all times. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants a fancy date night or with friends who want an ELEVATED IZAKAYA experience and for those who have good taste. 10/10 would come back again, & I heard they have a chef's course menu coming up so keep your eyes peeled!
Isaac C.
Food was exceptional. Great date night spot, service was spot on and very attentive to making sure we were accommodated. 10/10 would go again
Agustin H.
ATTENTION COUPLES!!! The place is great. The food is good but a bit overpriced for an a la carte version of Hidden Fish. Aside from the food, there needs to be more attention to detail regarding guests. For example, in our case in particular, we arrived at opening to avoid the dinner rush with a reservation, and no one was in the restaurant(absolutely empty). My wife and I took a seat and were assisted. All good.... Only....(keep in mind the entire restaurant was unoccupied) the next guests were seated right next to us(2-3ft away) when the ENTIRE restaurant was still empty. It may sound a bit picky, but why not seat the next guests in another area when you notice a couple having a date? I understand if the place gets busy, but why seat another group next to other guests when the place is not busy? By the way, the guests sitting next to us were the loud mouths from hell. Thanks for ruining our dinner, not only for us, but also for those around us who arrived later.
Taylor N.
We came in on a Friday evening and were greeted with the fun and intimate ambiance of Hitokuchi, we were able to request a "chef's tasting menu" when we found out that they don't have an omakase tasting just yet (it's coming in April, so we'll be back). We had several courses with a sake pairing and it was the best meal I've had in San Diego, highly deserving of its accolades in Esquire. Each dish was cooked with a lot of talent and precision. Starting from cold dishes to hot dishes, we really got to taste incredible Japanese food with hints of Chef John's background from Korea/France sprinkled throughout the dishes. My favorites were the scallops, which literally melted in my mouth, and the sea bass, which I am still wondering how Chef John prepared it because it was the most moist and juicy fish I've ever had! We ended the night with their version of dessert, uni and rice, and it was the perfect way to wrap up the meal. Special thanks to Jenny for being so kind and warm, and sharing her immense knowledge with us about each dish. We will definitely be back.
Asaf Benhaim
Food, Service, and Atmosphere was top notch - so why 3 stars?? Simple we walked out hungry! Portions are ridiculously small. 6 people over $1k bill and we left unsatiated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennifer C.
Everything tasted good but nothing very memorable and the price is way too high for the quantity you get. We got the scallop on 1/2 shell, shrimp and crab pan roast, miso sake Chilean sea bass, creamy lobster basil, pork belly rice bowl and the tofu somen salad with the Korean chili sauce. My favorites were the scallop and the tofu somen salad. The scallop was really fresh and all the flavors were well balanced. The tofu salad was a nice mix of textures and very flavorful. Service was friendly and everything came out well paced. This is definitely more of an upscale place but there are many other upscale places I'd recommend before this. I probably wouldn't come back.
Vanessa De Leon
Great food, great atmosphere, friendly staff! Everything was delicious! Will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mariel Castorena
It was my first time trying this place. Everything was set up when we got there. Jenny and Ximena were so kind and ready to have us there. We were introduce to the chefs of the day, Chef Earvin and Chef Pete. The food was amazing! We were told all about where the head chef gets all of the fresh fish and every plate was explained as we received it at the table. Every plate was switch out in order for our palettes to remain intact, to not mix sauces and ruin the taste of the next plate. We even had the owner come to the table and say hello! We had a delicious sake at the table.The food was so delicious, tasteful and fresh. Of all the plates we ordered, it is hard to decide on a favorite when they were all amazing. Thank you Jenny and Ximena and the chefs again, Chef Earvin and Chef Pete!You made our experience amazing and memorable.
I came in not knowing if I would like the food, but everything was delicious. Our servers were very friendly and professional. And the place looked very cool and stylish. I really enjoyed my visit there.
We came here to start our wedding anniversary celebration! It was really empty when we came! Hubby got a bottle of kitaya kansansui (sake) and Kagua beer to start with. For food, we got almost everything on the menu! We ordered the amberjack & jumbo scallop and snow crab legs to start with. Both appetizers were light and cirtrusy. Our server recommended a side of soy pickles, so we got that too. We also had the shrimp and crab pan roast as well as the king crab and uni toast. I liked the flavors and textures of both! We also tried their bone marrow special, which was nice and buttery! It came with a couple slices of toast. In the hot bites section, we chose the A5 wagyu tataki and the creamy lobster basil. The wagyu melted in my mouth and had a side of garlic green beans that paired well together. The lobster basil dish was our least favorite. It was lacking in flavor. We mentioned that to the chef, so now he knows haha. The uni and caviar was brought out last and it was a great ending to our meal. Overall, the service and food was phenomenal! I would love to come back, but be forewarned that you will probably still be hungry afterwards.
Janette A.
Another restaurant to check off on my list of San Diego restaurants. Everything from the minimal Japanese decor, limited seating, low-key ambience, with the nicest staff and most importantly the amazing food, was exactly the vibe I was going for for my birthday dinner. Everything we ordered was chef's kiss and melted in our mouths. The owner, Chef John Hong , was so welcoming and so dope to chat with. Thanks for thinking I was 26 and for the bottles of sake. I won't refuse next time, I swear. Can't wait to try the omakase menu in April.
Joy L.
We had scallop on the shell, shrimp and crab , pork belly rice bowl . Rating is 4.5, 4. , 5,respectively. Service is really attentive and professional Overall , good ambiance for foodies . Will comeback to taste their wagyu .
Shayda M.
Wonderful service and great food. Highly recommend! We went for a celebratory dinner and it was a great time
Yue Leng
The Wagyu beef at this restaurant was excessively greasy, primarily because there were no other flavors to complement it; it felt like drinking oil. Just two pieces made me feel nauseous. Besides, during checkout, they confused our bill with another table's. Had I not noticed in time, we would have been overcharged by more than $400.
Disappointing. Service was poor to borderline horrible. Food was nothing unique or even good by any stretch. We went home and ordered pizza. We ordered the waygu, the sea bass, the lobster toast, and the amberjack. Don’t recommend any. The sea bass was okay but overdone.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
One of the best in SD/convoy. Chef John owns both hidden fish omakase and this elevated Japanese izakaya and it hits the spot. You can order a la carte here and also get alcohol. They have everything seafood from scallops to pork belly rice bowl!!! The atmosphere is super calming and professional. The servers were very attentive and seemed like they knew what I needed at all times. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants a fancy date night or with friends who want an ELEVATED IZAKAYA experience and for those who have good taste. 10/10 would come back again, & I heard they have a chef's course menu coming up so keep your eyes peeled!
Food was exceptional. Great date night spot, service was spot on and very attentive to making sure we were accommodated. 10/10 would go again
ATTENTION COUPLES!!! The place is great. The food is good but a bit overpriced for an a la carte version of Hidden Fish. Aside from the food, there needs to be more attention to detail regarding guests. For example, in our case in particular, we arrived at opening to avoid the dinner rush with a reservation, and no one was in the restaurant(absolutely empty). My wife and I took a seat and were assisted. All good.... Only....(keep in mind the entire restaurant was unoccupied) the next guests were seated right next to us(2-3ft away) when the ENTIRE restaurant was still empty. It may sound a bit picky, but why not seat the next guests in another area when you notice a couple having a date? I understand if the place gets busy, but why seat another group next to other guests when the place is not busy? By the way, the guests sitting next to us were the loud mouths from hell. Thanks for ruining our dinner, not only for us, but also for those around us who arrived later.
We came in on a Friday evening and were greeted with the fun and intimate ambiance of Hitokuchi, we were able to request a "chef's tasting menu" when we found out that they don't have an omakase tasting just yet (it's coming in April, so we'll be back). We had several courses with a sake pairing and it was the best meal I've had in San Diego, highly deserving of its accolades in Esquire. Each dish was cooked with a lot of talent and precision. Starting from cold dishes to hot dishes, we really got to taste incredible Japanese food with hints of Chef John's background from Korea/France sprinkled throughout the dishes. My favorites were the scallops, which literally melted in my mouth, and the sea bass, which I am still wondering how Chef John prepared it because it was the most moist and juicy fish I've ever had! We ended the night with their version of dessert, uni and rice, and it was the perfect way to wrap up the meal. Special thanks to Jenny for being so kind and warm, and sharing her immense knowledge with us about each dish. We will definitely be back.
Food, Service, and Atmosphere was top notch - so why 3 stars?? Simple we walked out hungry! Portions are ridiculously small. 6 people over $1k bill and we left unsatiated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything tasted good but nothing very memorable and the price is way too high for the quantity you get. We got the scallop on 1/2 shell, shrimp and crab pan roast, miso sake Chilean sea bass, creamy lobster basil, pork belly rice bowl and the tofu somen salad with the Korean chili sauce. My favorites were the scallop and the tofu somen salad. The scallop was really fresh and all the flavors were well balanced. The tofu salad was a nice mix of textures and very flavorful. Service was friendly and everything came out well paced. This is definitely more of an upscale place but there are many other upscale places I'd recommend before this. I probably wouldn't come back.
Great food, great atmosphere, friendly staff! Everything was delicious! Will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was my first time trying this place. Everything was set up when we got there. Jenny and Ximena were so kind and ready to have us there. We were introduce to the chefs of the day, Chef Earvin and Chef Pete. The food was amazing! We were told all about where the head chef gets all of the fresh fish and every plate was explained as we received it at the table. Every plate was switch out in order for our palettes to remain intact, to not mix sauces and ruin the taste of the next plate. We even had the owner come to the table and say hello! We had a delicious sake at the table.The food was so delicious, tasteful and fresh. Of all the plates we ordered, it is hard to decide on a favorite when they were all amazing. Thank you Jenny and Ximena and the chefs again, Chef Earvin and Chef Pete!You made our experience amazing and memorable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hitokuchi Soy Sichuan Pork Belly Rice Bowl, Ahi Toast, Hitokuchi Tofu Somen Salad, Bluefin Tuna Poke Toast, Creamy Lobster Basil, King Crab & Uni Toast
I came in not knowing if I would like the food, but everything was delicious. Our servers were very friendly and professional. And the place looked very cool and stylish. I really enjoyed my visit there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We came here to start our wedding anniversary celebration! It was really empty when we came! Hubby got a bottle of kitaya kansansui (sake) and Kagua beer to start with. For food, we got almost everything on the menu! We ordered the amberjack & jumbo scallop and snow crab legs to start with. Both appetizers were light and cirtrusy. Our server recommended a side of soy pickles, so we got that too. We also had the shrimp and crab pan roast as well as the king crab and uni toast. I liked the flavors and textures of both! We also tried their bone marrow special, which was nice and buttery! It came with a couple slices of toast. In the hot bites section, we chose the A5 wagyu tataki and the creamy lobster basil. The wagyu melted in my mouth and had a side of garlic green beans that paired well together. The lobster basil dish was our least favorite. It was lacking in flavor. We mentioned that to the chef, so now he knows haha. The uni and caviar was brought out last and it was a great ending to our meal. Overall, the service and food was phenomenal! I would love to come back, but be forewarned that you will probably still be hungry afterwards.
Another restaurant to check off on my list of San Diego restaurants. Everything from the minimal Japanese decor, limited seating, low-key ambience, with the nicest staff and most importantly the amazing food, was exactly the vibe I was going for for my birthday dinner. Everything we ordered was chef's kiss and melted in our mouths. The owner, Chef John Hong , was so welcoming and so dope to chat with. Thanks for thinking I was 26 and for the bottles of sake. I won't refuse next time, I swear. Can't wait to try the omakase menu in April.
We had scallop on the shell, shrimp and crab , pork belly rice bowl . Rating is 4.5, 4. , 5,respectively. Service is really attentive and professional Overall , good ambiance for foodies . Will comeback to taste their wagyu .
Wonderful service and great food. Highly recommend! We went for a celebratory dinner and it was a great time
The Wagyu beef at this restaurant was excessively greasy, primarily because there were no other flavors to complement it; it felt like drinking oil. Just two pieces made me feel nauseous. Besides, during checkout, they confused our bill with another table's. Had I not noticed in time, we would have been overcharged by more than $400.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3