50 Best Japanese Restaurants in San Diego

“Great chefs, great staff, great food, great sake… what’s not to like when everything was great!?!?“

“Amazing omakase, friendly and knowledgeable staff“

“First of all, it is extremely difficult to make a reservation. ???

It took us TWO YEARS to finally dinning at this exquisite restaurant.??

I deeply appreciate this waitress to allow me to record this video. ❤️❤️❤️

The service is absolutely excellent! And it is not bad at all to enjoy your omakase on the patio. They have an under table heater so you won't feel cold.???

Parking is only street parking.

This humble looking Japanese restaurant is actually a Michelin One Star.

The only way to make a reservation is via their reservation partner. They will send you an email notification like two hours ahead of your reservation.

However, you have to really "fast hand" to confirm your reservation. If you are like a sloth, you will never be able to complete your reservation.???

And, they will charge a despite of $50/ person when the reservation is confirmed.“

“Happy Hour at Artifact is the highlight of my week! I always look forward to those afternoons when I can wrap up an early day at work and walk over to unwind.

Kendra and Kelly are the best—they always greet me warmly and, knowing sparkling rosé is my go-to, pour a glass right after saying hello. The ambience is light and relaxing, and the conversation is consistently pleasant and entertaining—it’s the perfect way to transition from work mode to relaxation.

All of the food here is absolutely delicious, but the ahi crudo and beet salad are my favorites. They’re fresh, flavorful, and never disappoint.

Artifact has mastered the art of creating a welcoming, delicious, and enjoyable happy hour experience. Highly recommend!“

“Inspiring, creative menu that rivals the best menus in the world. Surprising affordable and unforgettably crafted cocktails. Entire staff is friendly, approachable and highly knowledgeable.“

“The shrimp head moving scared the crap out of me but everything was delicious and awesome“

“@kinmesd delivered a memorable experience for us. From beginning to end I was in awe with the attention to detail, precision and heart they put into every bite. There was never a moment we weren’t taken care of by the chef’s assistants. It was beautiful to watch a group of people work together, harmoniously, and the reflection that had on the food.

@kinmesd I will be thinking about this meal for a very long time. Thank you for making our anniversary dinner such a special experience.“

“Fantastic food quality. Purist food.“

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

“We dined at their SM North Edsa branch. Good food. 👌 Crews were accommodating. 💯“

“this is clearly one of my favorite Japanese markets in San Diego is not that big but I has enough stuff to make you happy in the dinner place is really good the ramen is amazing and I love you decoration because it makes you feel like you're in Japan looking at the samples you should totally go here will never regret it. prices are there regular has another Asian market but when you think about these being products that you don't get every where it is kind of cheap.“

“Hatsazukara is a very intimate restaurant located in a quiet neighborhood in University Heights. When driving to the place, at first I thought I had the wrong address but it’s just a little hidden. Once you enter, you’ll see how amazing the decor and ambiance is inside. Our party of 2 ate here for lunch on Thursday and there were still many seats available, though I can see how a long wait can form during dinner/busier times. There were a few 4-person seats, a few 2-person seats, bar seats, and 1 bigger table on the patio that can maybe seat around 6 people.

Our server was very attentive and our food came out fairly quickly.
There’s a separate tea menu that featured milk teas (all iced) and loose leaf tea (hot or iced). I opted for the Okinawa Brown Sugar Milk Tea ($8.50) and it was delicious! My friend ordered hot Matcha Latte which also tasted great. We ordered the Full Set + $7.50 for 1 entree, soup, salad/rice, and 1 small dessert.
-Guratan ($17): creamy baked macaroni casserole that was bigger than what we had seen in the pictures. It was so creamy and delicious and was pretty filling
-Yakisoba ($15) + sub shrimp ($3): it was filling and had a generous amount of little shrimps in the dish though I think it could used just a tad bit more flavor
-For the small desserts as part of the full set, you get an option for either regular mochi or mochi ice cream. We opted for Matcha Mochi Ice Cream which had 1 piece cut in half. It was pretty delicious!

Absolutely loved the vibe inside this restaurant and would come back again for their teas and to try out more things on their dessert menu!“

“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. 🤙🤙🤙“

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

“We came here to celebrate my birthday and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. The dining room is intimate but well appointed, with obvious care given to the sensory experience. Every dish was meticulously prepared, and the Chefs were friendly and knowledgeable. Their love for food and the culinary experience was evident in every dish. We can't wait to go back and see what else Chef John has in store for us!“

“The best you can find stateside without a doubt and better than most in Japan too and I lived in Japan for 10 years. �. Can’t go wrong and the atmosphere is awesome. �“

“For the price, wait time, service and meat quality during our first visit; Kanpai is our new spot for Japanese AYCE BBQ!

We were there right before opening on a Saturday so there's still spots for parking.
We did the BBQ. You can also have the option for Shabu experience. The assorted meats are to order. Service was quick, got our additional meats in 3-5 mins. There's 4 dipping items/sauce available.

We ordered the following:
Prime Cut Steak- the most tender meat that we ordered so we requested it twice. Recommended!

US Wagyu Brisket - it was tender also and only took couple of minutes grilling. I like the amount of fat in the meat. It was delicious. Recommended!

M8 Wagyu Steak - another meat that we're satisfied for its tenderness. Recommended!

We weren't a fan of the Wagyu cubes..I had it medium rare hoping to be more tender but it was chewy same as when I cooked it well done.

Also ordered chicken karaage; it was crispy and well seasoned Sriracha Mayo.

Sides, "free" assorted drinks(soda), soup were available in a corner that you can keep going back. All the sides that we tried were all good; seaweed salad/cucumber salad/edamame.

Definitely will come back if we're craving for Japanese Boq.
Our server asked if we need anything multiple times which is great. Great customer service!!!“

“We picked this place randomly and we were not disappointed! The curry was delicious and prices reasonable. You can pick your own spice level. This place was also kid friendly! The kids meal came with a small toy. I love a restaurant that keeps the children in mind! The service was also good, kind and friendly. I will definitely be back for more delicious curry!“

“Everything was delicious and fresh. I really enjoyed the Tonkatsu Curry and spicy garlic edamame (not pictured because I immediately dug in lol). My mom really enjoyed the Crispy "no rice" roll, and she's not as versed/adventurous as I am when it comes to Japanese food/sushi.

The staff was great, attentive, and efficient. So glad I finally made it to try out. Will definitely be back soon to try more of the menu! ☺️“

“Ichifuji is hands-down one of the best dining experiences I've had. The chefs are great conversation as well as great at making delicious, beautiful dishes. The service was very attentive and professional. There is a patio but I'd highly recommend sitting at the bar to see the dishes being prepared and to chat with the chefs - you'll have a wonderful time.“

“Really busy store but I really enjoy the food!
The place is a little crowded. The portion of the food is similar to what you get in Japan, and so is the quality. So far I feel like this place resembles what you might get in Japan, small portion but higher quality.“

“Had my birthday there, and you can absolutely taste the good quality of the food there. Recommend their premium family combo, I’ll say it’s a good amount for 1-2 people. The regular beef tongue is also a great option. Really nice service, the only problem is it’s a little pricey, but fair enough for what you get.“

“Ordered for takeout and the staff were nice. The restaurant is clean and I love the mural! The food is super fresh and tasty. I highly recommend. The baked sushi is the best baked sushi I've ever gotten and their nigiri is soo good it melts in your mouth.“

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

“Did not know this location was here but they said they'd been here for a while! We walked in on a Sunday evening and were seated right away, it was not busy at all.

For appetizers we ordered jumbo crispy gyoza and Chicken Karaage. And for ramen I got the shabu shabu ramen and my friend got the chicken ramen. The gyoza was pretty good; nothing special honestly and there is better more flavorful gyoza out there but this is the standard for them at all their restaurants so the lack of flavor didn't phase me. The chicken karaage was a bit over fried and cut along the chicken grain so it was hard to bite into. The shabu shabu ramen was good but usually at the other location, it’s actually shabu shabu.. raw meat thrown in the hot breath to cook, here, they torched the top of it which made the meat touch because it was sliced so thin.. that was a bummer.. my friend said the chicken ramen was good. The noodle quality is A+ though, it is authentic Japanese ramen noodles they really have that down to a science!

Overall good food. Not great food though. But the best ramen you’re going to get in the area for sure. Also this location is pretty small inside but decorated very neatly and welcoming when you walk in.“

“Fantastic fresh food; great sushi bar. Wonderful service from Kaz. I highly recommend..best sushi and sashimi around!“

“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.“

“I just came back from my japan trip and been on a mission to find Japanese cheese cake, I've tried a couple places but none are the same or even close, uncle tetsu's strawberry one was pretty close on the texture , and the flavor was pretty good!“

“Dropped by this little shop while waiting for our daughter to finish her nartial arts class in Mira Mesa. The shop was very clean with a charming owner. Sh is very helpful in advising what to order. Since we were a little hungry and knew our daughter would be starving as well, we ended up ordering the party pack with an extra side of mash potatos. We waited for our food for about 10 minutes. The chicken was freshly fried and delicious. We chose the yuzu aoli, sweet and spicy, and spacy mayo sauces. Each sauce was great with the chicken. Mash potatos were creamy and delicious. Fries were tasty as well. Party pack was enough for 3 people with leftovers for my daughters lunch tomorrow. Budget friendly and a tasty place to eat.“

“This place is wonderful....Good Japanese Traditional Sushi and Modern American Rolls for the Non Japanese. good service and quality is good.“

“everything I’ve tried so far has been delicious.

got the salt & pepper tofu bento for lunch at medium spice level — it was delicious & had a good kick.

tried several of the milk breads & pastries - love the classic cream, matcha, and the spicy curry roll.

also got a strawberry matcha drink that was delicious but a little bit too sweet.

can be a little chaotic sometimes as they’re still setting things up, but a nice spot to have in the neighborhood & very friendly owners.

Vegetarian options: Salt and Pepper Tofu“

“Though under the same ownership (I believe) as Yakitori Taisho, Hino has more of sushi bar feel whereas Taisho has more authentic Japanese Izakaya. I felt Taisho had a bit more yakitori selections than Hino. But, Hino had better sake options including sake flights.“

“The fish is the freshest I have had in all of San Diego!!! Rodrigo was amazing and Hane commanded an amazing line. Don’t waste money on Samon collar there is no meat but everything else
Service and fish was the best!!! Will be back to try more! A great upbeat place with amazing quality fish and service!!!!!! I am kinda a sushi snob so it takes a lot to impress to thank you !!!!! Lina was the best server who brought the coldest beer in town!!!! Ty“

“Very fast service, friendly people. Delicious food especially the ramen.“

“Outstanding and not "fusion". Mostly. Almost everything tastes just like you were back in Japan's izakayas, down to the cucumbers. The pork belly, chicken thigh w/ negi, boneless wing, short ribs were my favorite. Each kushiyaki was juicy, tender, bursting with flavor - even the tiny wedges of lemon had more juice than a half lemon. Speaking of lemon, they make the lemon sours by hand instead of only offering canned chuhais. AND they have Asahi super dry draft! AND get the desserts - the deep fried cheesecake was wonderful.
Service is either really good, or just... disappointing. It depends on who's working that night whether we have a blast or regret going.“

“Makai Sushi offers a cozy, casual dining experience where the focus is clearly on the freshness of the ingredients. I tried their hapa roll, featuring Aji tuna and crab, and was impressed by how fresh everything tasted. The venue itself is small, with just four tables inside, but the patio provides a more spacious alternative. It’s a counter-service spot, so you order up front and they bring the food to your table—perfect for a relaxed meal. When I visited, the place wasn’t busy, allowing for quick service. A word of advice: the rolls are generous, and the large pieces make it a challenge to eat in one bite. I’m eager to return and explore their sushi burritos next time!“

“This was a gorgeous downtown sushi place with top notch happy hour sushi deals Mon-Fri from 4-6 PM. Me and friend started off with miso soups which were yummy and different to any i’ve had before. They had these small balls inside the soup, and used green and red algaes alongside the tofu which gave the miso a richer and more complex taste. So much so that after the rolls we doubled down on an extra miso each. For appetizer we had these kaarage green beans and I kid you not they were some of the best appetizer snacks I’ve ever had. The green beans were fried to perfection and seasoned perfectly and had the most amazing umami taste that complemented so well with the aioli they come with. I never knew I could love the taste of green beans, but this had me munching hard on them. Finally we got our rolls and decided on the Saucy Boi, Kamikaze, and a Classic Spicy Tuna to make sure the meal was satisfying. We’d had a long day at UCSD, so it was well deserved. From those, the Saucy Boi was definitely the standout for joe absolutely delicious it was. It was almost remindcidnt of Mexican style sushi and I thought it was amazing. The kamikaze and spicy tuna were definitely more underwhelming, and I just didn’t love that the kamikaze had some fishier flavors as well as a ponzu/citrus base to it which I’m personally just not a huge fan of. Sam with spicy tuna, I don’t mess with it but my friend does and she said it was yummy. But being big backs, this was the point where we doubled on our miso soups, and also ordered the sticky fingaz ribs as well as some off menu sweet potato fries. Shoutout to the kitchen for whipping us up some sweet potato fries because they are literally so amazing, similarly to the green beans they have a je no se qua umami flavor to them and the spicy mayo pairing makes for a delicious crunchy fry. The pork ribs were also amazing and had a sweet glaze to them although I think the flavors were very Korean Spicy Sweet BBQ flavor and they weren’t the most notable option, although a good one nonetheless (the slaw wasn’t good tho). The decor was what really set he vibe though, and I just couldn’t get over how absolutely stunning the whole place is, especially with the ways they use lighting. We washed everything down with some diet cokes, and this place is also very much a bar so feel free to try out the cocktails, the people around us sure seemed to enjoy them??. Anyways, this place is straight gas and I recommend anyone from Daygo to pull up on a weekday from 4-6 and see what this gem has to offer for some really honest and humble prices. DAYGOEATS CERTIFIED✅✅“

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

“We are visiting from Mexico, and the food at Moment was absolutely delicious. The sushi was one of the best I’ve ever had. The quality of the food is exceptional, but what truly stands out is the extraordinary service. Everyone was incredibly kind and attentive. I made the mistake of ordering a roll without asking about the ingredients, and when it arrived, I realized it had truffle oil, which I really dislike. Without me saying anything or asking for a replacement, a young staff member noticed when I leaned in to smell the sushi and came over to check if everything was okay. I explained that I hadn’t asked about the ingredients and wasn’t a fan of truffle. They replaced it immediately, no questions asked. It was an incredible experience with top-notch service. Highly recommended!“

“The sushi is amazing...baked salmon roll and Philly rolls are my go to!“

“I have visited two times now. The egg sando is delicious, slightly sweet, and is very large and filling. The vegetarian katsu is okay. I think that they need a denser sauce to go with it, since the watery sauce soaked the bread and made it kind of soggy. Also the katsu itself had a very oily taste (like the oil it was fried in wasn't cleaned recently?)

It's a very small hole in the wall place that you can't see from the parking lot. You're better off parking and then wandering around towards the back to find it.

It is also pretty pricey for a sandwich. I believe I paid $12 or so dollars per sandwich. But, I did see that they offer happy hour, so I'll have to plan for that next time!

That being said, the egg salad was so good that I came back a second time. It's not quite like the famous ones in Japan, but the bread is fluffy and delicious and you can tell that it was made with care.

Parking: It's very hidden. Park in front of subway or the Indian restaurant and walk towards the back.“

“My family and I have been dining here almost weekly for the last 7 months. The food is phenomenal. It’s fresh, the dishes are innovative yet they offer traditional rolls. Honestly, their ribeye is my favorite dish. Ask for extra mushrooms and sauce- you’ll thank yourself for it. The owners are working there daily and are the sweetest people. My kids are sushi connoisseurs and have declared this their favorite place.“

“Some of the best Japanese food in San Diego. I wish I had known about them sooner.“

“Absolutely wonderful food and service at Ju-ichi! Each piece was beautifully plated and the food was up to par. Didn’t have one bad piece of nigiri, each dish was fresh and some of the most outstanding I’ve had. To top it off service was great! Water was attentively filled and the sushi chefs were friendly and funny. I was truly impressed with the level of attention and skill each piece was made with, even the dessert.“

“We arrive at 5 and the dine-in was closed but the sir was really kind and he let my boyfriend and I stay and have a really good dinner there, the place is amazing and the food was really good and the rolls have a really good size, he even bring us entrees and he give us some fruits and candy’s at the end. I’ll return back and I recommend this place.“

“One of the best restaurants in gas lamp of San Diego. Living in San Diego, we rarely have occasion to come to the area. Most restaurants are over priced tourist traps with mediocre food. You will not find that here.

This is a high quality sushi restaurant. The fish is always delicious. The omakase is quite good with interesting selections. The staff is knowledgeable and courteous, and they aim to give you the best experience.

Definitely recommend Taka sushi for locals and travelers.“

“Went for lunch on Friday 12:30pm and waited 30min on their digital reservation system to be seated and was finally given a table only when we asked the hostess because there were no other people ahead of us and we were showing 0 min for the last 10min on the digital reservation system until your table is ready.
The sushi chef made up for the delay as he acknowledged us and was very kind to recognize we had waited more than we needed to. The lunch specials are delicious, flavorful spicy tuna and California rolls with fresh ingredients that you can tell were just brought in and prepared that morning. Texture melted in your mouth and again the sushi chef was very kind to rush our lunch orders because of the unnecessary wait to get a table. Sushi was 10/10!“

“Covid-19 take out can be a hit or miss with food tasting like it's container. This place did not disappoint. I ordered the Vegan Ramen for a late lunch. Inside the restaurant is following proper protocol and is very clean. I have always ordered Vegan Ramen anywhere I visit outside of California, and have ordered all over San Diego. This by far is the BEST Vegan Ramen out there. The coconut milk, chili and miso broth is well balanced and buttery, the noodles and added ingredients are well proportioned, the tofu is not at all mushy or greasy..The noodles are fresh and delicious. for a couple dollars more you can add more noodles.. Definitely a stop for some comfort food!“

“We found this place thanks to Google Maps and their high ratings. It's in North Park, around the block from City Tacos (highly recommended).

My wife and kids were tired, hungry, and over stimulated. Needles to say, we were ready for good food and quick service.

It took them a while to get us seated with a lot of tables open. The lady serving us came and left whenever she felt like it. They were mopping the floors right next to us, and it smelled like chlorine a lot. The whole combination was putting my wife over the edge, and I just walked outside with our kid.

When I came back, food was served and ready. Very good, but a tad overpriced (probably the area). The food was a good experience, and everyone started to calm down a bit after eating, thankfully.

Will we be back? Probably not because we have much better sushi places around us. But, if you're around, food's good there.“

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