Insanely disappointed by my experience here last evening, Thursday February 5. I've dined in Michelin star restaurants throughout the US, England, Italy and Japan and this was by far the lowest caliber of any of those experiences and I'd not only never return but given the absolute wild experience I had here wouldn't even recommend you gamble on a different experience.
Towards the end of our dinner February 5th the owners drunken wife came running in with a bottle of wine in one hand and her cell phone face timing someone in the other, shrieking at the top of her lungs like a banshee. Proceeds to turn the dining experience of every patron to all eyes on her one woman lunatic show as she runs through the kitchen and into the chefs station, all on face time, shouting at top volume to show someone on the other end her restaurant and her husband. The entire takeover of the evening took about fifteen minutes and absolutely ruined our entire dinner. I've seen better decorum in fast food restaurants. It was the equivalent of an omakase night at Dicks Last Resort. The dishwasher looked absolutely appalled by her behavior.
What an embarrassment and a waste of $500. You absolutely would not have acted that way if someone from The Michelin Guide you were trying to impress were in the house. The people spending hundreds of dollars per person weren't expecting these childish theatrics. A solo drunk diner in a Mario Kart jacket seemed to love that another degenerate was there, but the multiple other couples on dates and the group of 4 60+ in the corner all looked on in shock. Shame on you.
Food was very high quality and our servers were fantastic. The ambiance and how the owner chooses to do business were extremely disappointing. I hope this isn't something the staff normally have to deal with.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex
Sushi is my love language, and Soichi knows exactly how to speak to my heart every single time. We love it so much that after eloping, this is where we came for our celebration dinner — just us two, some sake, and Soichi doing what he does best behind the counter. We’ve been here a handful of times, and it’s perfect every time.
If you’re lucky, you’ll catch Soichi serenading guests with a song on his guitar. If you’re even luckier, you might find him there on his day off, sitting next to you, enjoying the fruits of his own labor and having the best time. The space is small and intimate, which I love, but it does mean reservations can be tricky. I recommend booking weeks in advance — or, if you’re like me and go with the flow, keep an eye on the reservation list and snag a cancellation. That’s how I’ve gotten in every time.
I love that they offer three sizes of omakase, but they also have an à la carte menu if you prefer to choose your own adventure. The quality of the fish is unreal. The staff does a beautiful job explaining each dish, and the plating is always stunning. The attention to detail is unmatched.
My favorite thing to order is the golden eye — it has become my favorite nigiri ever.
This is the perfect spot for any special occasion, or honestly, anytime you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Angie Hall
Literally the best sushi I ever had We did the mini chef’s tasting menu (still $180pp) but it was worth it 🤌
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fay M
It was good, but not great. It's tasty but expensive and the portions are so small. Each nigiri is like a 'mini' sized version of what I would get anywhere else. Each was just a small bite. Service was great. Very friendly and attentive, but I don't think I will go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Viktor S
Great meal and service. Disappointed that hot soup was served in a melamine bowl with a melamine spoon, which is hardly appropriate for a Michelin-rated establishment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Becky Tran
Food: in our group, we got the full omakase and nigiri omakase. the food was good but nothing really stood out to us. I usually love monkfish pate, but the taste of this one was my least favorite. I think all the food was done well but we've had better at other omakases (and for cheaper too). For example, their negi toro was chewy.
Reservations sell out quickly once they're released. Went at 6PM on a Friday. It's a pretty small dining area (seats maybe up to 20-30 people?). There were a couple birthdays, so the chef grabs his guitar and the staff sings Happy Birthday.
Giving this a 3 stars because while the staff was attentive while you eat (making sure to clean your plates when you're done, bringing new utensils, folding your napkin when you walk away). I used the restroom and, let's just say, it was not up to par due to a previous patron. I discretely told the staff about this and they told me they would take care of it. My partner went to use the bathroom later and it still wasn't cleaned up and had to get someone else's attention to handle it. Definitely not something I'd expect at a Michelin establishment. Also, rated this place lower because there are equally good omakases in San Diego that's better than for your buck since we didn't feel full after our full meal and ended up ordering a la carte items.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Yaniv Brick
Had the best night! Started off with letting us bring over the big tea pot from their next door sister kissaten, omakase menu was delicious, diverse, and generous, super nice staff contributing to a warm and friendly experience. So happy I got the chance to come here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bradley Messmer
Absolutely outstanding in every possible way. One of San Diego's best spots.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lora Lee
What a wonderful time we had. The only complaints was that our reservation was at 8:15pm and didnt get sat until about 8:45.
My 2 favorites were Yubadofu and the Toro. The ice cream was unreal as well. So delicious. The entire meal was pretty spectacular. We got the Omakase nigiri and it was definitely the right choice. We left full and satiated.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nigiri, Green Tea Ice Cream, Toro
Michelle M
I got a last minute reservation and they were so accommodating! The food was very fresh and delicious and the service is exactly what you’d expect out of a Michelin star!
Awesome experience Michelin star restaurant met the expectations and more. Small cozy place maybe 20 customers with 10 people attending their service. They treat you like Royal. Food was fresh and fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Li (DXLi)
Amazing omakase experience with friendly chefs and incredibly high-quality fish. Also the biggest oyster I’ve ever seen! Soichi was super fun and nice, and he even played Happy Birthday on his guitar for a couple guests. Loved the whole thing and very deserving of a Michelin Star.
Parking is the tough part. It’s mostly residential street parking nearby. Allow at least 15 minutes to find a spot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jacky
Best sushi in San Diego
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Greg Goble
Oh sweet Soichi absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. I was skeptical heading into it knowing the cost and 2.5 hour seating window, but I can definitely say that Soichi is worth every penny. We not only spent the full 2.5 hours, but the food, service, and experience were nothing short of incredible. Highly recommend for a memorable night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nigiri Omakase, Green Tea Ice Cream
Insanely disappointed by my experience here last evening, Thursday February 5. I've dined in Michelin star restaurants throughout the US, England, Italy and Japan and this was by far the lowest caliber of any of those experiences and I'd not only never return but given the absolute wild experience I had here wouldn't even recommend you gamble on a different experience.
Towards the end of our dinner February 5th the owners drunken wife came running in with a bottle of wine in one hand and her cell phone face timing someone in the other, shrieking at the top of her lungs like a banshee. Proceeds to turn the dining experience of every patron to all eyes on her one woman lunatic show as she runs through the kitchen and into the chefs station, all on face time, shouting at top volume to show someone on the other end her restaurant and her husband. The entire takeover of the evening took about fifteen minutes and absolutely ruined our entire dinner. I've seen better decorum in fast food restaurants. It was the equivalent of an omakase night at Dicks Last Resort. The dishwasher looked absolutely appalled by her behavior.
What an embarrassment and a waste of $500. You absolutely would not have acted that way if someone from The Michelin Guide you were trying to impress were in the house. The people spending hundreds of dollars per person weren't expecting these childish theatrics. A solo drunk diner in a Mario Kart jacket seemed to love that another degenerate was there, but the multiple other couples on dates and the group of 4 60+ in the corner all looked on in shock. Shame on you.
Food was very high quality and our servers were fantastic. The ambiance and how the owner chooses to do business were extremely disappointing. I hope this isn't something the staff normally have to deal with.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sushi is my love language, and Soichi knows exactly how to speak to my heart every single time. We love it so much that after eloping, this is where we came for our celebration dinner — just us two, some sake, and Soichi doing what he does best behind the counter. We’ve been here a handful of times, and it’s perfect every time.
If you’re lucky, you’ll catch Soichi serenading guests with a song on his guitar. If you’re even luckier, you might find him there on his day off, sitting next to you, enjoying the fruits of his own labor and having the best time. The space is small and intimate, which I love, but it does mean reservations can be tricky. I recommend booking weeks in advance — or, if you’re like me and go with the flow, keep an eye on the reservation list and snag a cancellation. That’s how I’ve gotten in every time.
I love that they offer three sizes of omakase, but they also have an à la carte menu if you prefer to choose your own adventure. The quality of the fish is unreal. The staff does a beautiful job explaining each dish, and the plating is always stunning. The attention to detail is unmatched.
My favorite thing to order is the golden eye — it has become my favorite nigiri ever.
This is the perfect spot for any special occasion, or honestly, anytime you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Literally the best sushi I ever had
We did the mini chef’s tasting menu (still $180pp) but it was worth it 🤌
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was good, but not great. It's tasty but expensive and the portions are so small. Each nigiri is like a 'mini' sized version of what I would get anywhere else. Each was just a small bite. Service was great. Very friendly and attentive, but I don't think I will go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great meal and service. Disappointed that hot soup was served in a melamine bowl with a melamine spoon, which is hardly appropriate for a Michelin-rated establishment.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Food: in our group, we got the full omakase and nigiri omakase. the food was good but nothing really stood out to us. I usually love monkfish pate, but the taste of this one was my least favorite. I think all the food was done well but we've had better at other omakases (and for cheaper too). For example, their negi toro was chewy.
Reservations sell out quickly once they're released. Went at 6PM on a Friday. It's a pretty small dining area (seats maybe up to 20-30 people?). There were a couple birthdays, so the chef grabs his guitar and the staff sings Happy Birthday.
Giving this a 3 stars because while the staff was attentive while you eat (making sure to clean your plates when you're done, bringing new utensils, folding your napkin when you walk away). I used the restroom and, let's just say, it was not up to par due to a previous patron. I discretely told the staff about this and they told me they would take care of it. My partner went to use the bathroom later and it still wasn't cleaned up and had to get someone else's attention to handle it. Definitely not something I'd expect at a Michelin establishment. Also, rated this place lower because there are equally good omakases in San Diego that's better than for your buck since we didn't feel full after our full meal and ended up ordering a la carte items.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Had the best night! Started off with letting us bring over the big tea pot from their next door sister kissaten, omakase menu was delicious, diverse, and generous, super nice staff contributing to a warm and friendly experience. So happy I got the chance to come here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely outstanding in every possible way. One of San Diego's best spots.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a wonderful time we had. The only complaints was that our reservation was at 8:15pm and didnt get sat until about 8:45.
My 2 favorites were Yubadofu and the Toro. The ice cream was unreal as well. So delicious. The entire meal was pretty spectacular. We got the Omakase nigiri and it was definitely the right choice. We left full and satiated.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nigiri, Green Tea Ice Cream, Toro
I got a last minute reservation and they were so accommodating! The food was very fresh and delicious and the service is exactly what you’d expect out of a Michelin star!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
It is a good place to experience Japanese food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Awesome experience Michelin star restaurant met the expectations and more. Small cozy place maybe 20 customers with 10 people attending their service. They treat you like Royal. Food was fresh and fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing omakase experience with friendly chefs and incredibly high-quality fish. Also the biggest oyster I’ve ever seen! Soichi was super fun and nice, and he even played Happy Birthday on his guitar for a couple guests. Loved the whole thing and very deserving of a Michelin Star.
Parking is the tough part. It’s mostly residential street parking nearby. Allow at least 15 minutes to find a spot.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best sushi in San Diego
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Oh sweet Soichi absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. I was skeptical heading into it knowing the cost and 2.5 hour seating window, but I can definitely say that Soichi is worth every penny. We not only spent the full 2.5 hours, but the food, service, and experience were nothing short of incredible. Highly recommend for a memorable night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nigiri Omakase, Green Tea Ice Cream
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