Japanese · Sushi
A Pacific Beach sushi counter Roger calls the most authentic Japanese spot in town, praised for reservation-only demand, sushi-bar seating with the chefs, and standout sashimi, chirashi and uni.
Start with chirashi bowl or sashimi or uni or sweet shrimp (grilled head after), and check the restaurant’s current menu before you go.
From Roger’s camera roll
From Roger’s Foursquare
Live Amaebi! Get it while in season!
Posted
On Roger’s lists: Guide to San Diego's best spots, SD Sushi Joints!.
Source-backed notes
Checked in 6 times on Yelp and Swarm, most recently Jun 18, 2015. See the check-in log
“The sashimi is probably some of the highest quality cuts I've had just about anywhere and tastes damn fresh.”
Review received a Yelp Review of the Day badge (per source note, dated Sep 30, 2014). Roger recommends sitting at the sushi bar, booking ahead since it's nearly impossible to walk in, and ordering the chirashi bowl, sweet shrimp and daily specials.
Stay in the neighborhood
Roger rated this 4 stars, admitting he'd passed this Garnet Avenue breakfast spot for years -- by car, skateboard, and on foot -- always wondering about the long line, before finally trying it for breakfast.
Roger rated this 4 stars, calling it decent pho with quick service and, at the time, the only spot in PB for it.
Roger tried the Pacific Beach location of this SoCal taco shop chain for the first time, waiting in a long, bar-crowd-heavy line; his carne asada fries were decent but too soggy, with bland meat that didn't measure up to the chain's El Cajon location.
Keep exploring
Browse the Japanese page, or continue to another place with a matching cuisine.
One of the two omakase counters Roger named when asked where to take a visiting friend for sushi in 2022.
Roger's University Heights omakase recommendation from 2022, paired with Tadokoro as his two go-to sushi counters.