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I'm surprised at the number of reviewers saying "Best Sushi in San Diego". This place is average at best. There are MANY other hole in the wall Sushi bars that blow this away in every aspect.
Arrived at 8:30 on a Fri. night. The place was about 1/3 full. If the fact that it's in a strip mall built in the 70's didn't tip you off, the minute you walk in you immediately know. Nice try at "contemporary" but it's still a 70's style restaurant. Okay, no biggie. We were seated at the very end of the sushi bar. It would have been nice to get front row center... perhaps those were reserved for all the other guests coming in at this time... We ordered a Sashimi plate. I will say, it was very fresh and presented right, but the portions were VERY SMALL. Since we were at the end of the bar, it was a good 30 minutes before our next order. We had to walk to the center of the bar and stand there to get the attention of the sushi chef. Perhaps they let most of the staff go??? We tried the Soft Shell Crab roll... nothing to write home about here. Followed by the baked green mussel. This was exceptional (the saving grace for waiting 30 minutes to order another roll). The wait staff was attentive, refilling water and offered sake after sake.
Total for the night for two people, $98+tip. Overpriced for the amount of food and sake ordered. ATMOSPHERE: C- // FOOD QUALITY: B // SUSHI CHEF: F // WAIT STAFF: A // PRICE TO VALUE: C- // OVERALL: C-. This place is overrated due to the location and word of mouth. There are better places, you just have to find them.
What a shame. Ishihara-san, the Master Sushi Chef with 15 years of formal training under a master sushi chef in Tokyo and over 30 years of sushi and Japanese cuisine experience overall, left Samurai.
Last year I gave Samurai 5 stars for one primary reason . . . Ishihara-san. He was the only guy in San Diego county who could prepare sushi the way I get it in Japan. When he was there, everybody at the sushi bars and in the kitchen seemed to step up their game. But no more.
There's nobody there who understands Japanese cuisine like he does, nobody with enough Japanese knife skills or Japanese food knowledge to even prepare cooked foods properly. The tempanyaki is just Benihana ho-hum. Forget about the stuff coming out of the kitchen.
The sushi was so-so disappointing tonight. It had nothing to do with the quality of the fish, that was fine. But the guys behind the sushi counter are pretenders. Perhaps Samurai should consider changing its name and cooking Korean because they don't know Japanese.
With great sadness . . . sayonara, Samurai.
Beware the Special Rolls!
Having been weekly consumers of sushi in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and most recently San Diego, my wife and I consider ourselves reasonably qualified to rate a sushi joint.
We just got home from our first visit to Samurai...and we're still hungry!
We had three orders of sushi (hirame, hamachi & snapper), one CA roll, one albacore special roll and one order of scallop tempura = $60. While the fish was of adequate quality, the portions were small. By far the best thing we tried was the scallop tempura.
We were shocked when the bill arrived and our albacore special roll was $20. We have had similar rolls in many other sushi restaurants and the market value is $10-12. Unfortunately the quality did not warrant the extra price. We expressed our surprise to the manager giving him the opportunity to correct the (mistaken?) charge. He explained that the price was calculated based on a shrimp tempura roll ($9.95) plus two orders of albacore (2x$5). I have never seen rolls priced piecemeal like this, and given that the special rolls were listed without prices I feel gouged. Be forewarned.
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Wow! I have lived super close to this place for 8 months and just tried it! So freakin delicious!
My friend and I shared a Sushi combo and a roll, which I don't remember the name of (sorry!), and it was all amazing. The service was excellent- very friendly and much faster than I expected. I would definitely go back there very soon for some delicious sushi...I am already drooling!
P.S. We tried to come here for lunch on a Saturday and they are not open - just an FYI!
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Fair prices and SUPER fresh. The chefs are the friendliest, and it's great chatting to them at the bar.
Once I sat at a table, and the service wasn't that great and atmosphere diminished. So now I sit at the bar no matter what.
T
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I'm surprised that there are so many good restaurants located in SoCal stripmalls. Samurai is one of them. We tried several sushi rolls while dining with friends from neighboring Cardiff. All were excellent! The food is solid and the decor is decent. Be warned: the prices for the special rolls are not listed and cost as much as $21/roll.
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Great sushi and attentive staff, OK selection. This place is affordable, traditional, and a yummy choice if you're looking for good sushi!
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We like to go here after going to the gym as it is in the same shopping center, so that's a plus! We aren't the only ones who choose this place b/c the parking lot is always full.
We have only eaten the sushi here. That's not to say the hibachi part is not good, it's just we've never chosen that side of the restaurant. With that said, we decided that eating on the hibachi side would be more fun with a group.
Eating at the sushi bar is a good location to eat, even if you are with one other person. The sushi chefs take your orders there, but they don't interfere with your conversations during the meal nor do they act aloof when you want to place an order. The sushi roll menu has quite a few items to choose from, but it is NOT extensive. I have had the chicken teriaki meal as well here, and that was fresh off the grill. The littel sides that come with that meal make it completely filling.
I like coming here on a random Monday night because it's still busy for during the week but the service is still prompt.
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I sometimes wish I was in Solana Beach more often. I never thought I would say those words. If I happen to be in or around that area, I try to figure out a way I can fit Samurai into my schedule. The fish is soooo fresh, and if you get the Chef Special Special.....you will ascend to heaven, because there is nothing more to live for! Okay, that's not sounding so great. But seriously, it's an awesome sushi spot. Request Mako at the sushi bar, and you will get served by an OG sushi chef!
You will love this spot even if you live 20 minutes away.
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Easily the best Sushi Restaurant in the continental US, in my opinion. And this opinion is backed by eating sushi in NYC, Portland (ME), Boston (Sakura-bana's lobster sashimi, anyone?), DC, Miami, Chicago, St. Louis, Denver (what was I thinking?), Portland (OR), Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Honolulu, Kapalua, Seoul, Brussels, London, Venice, and Paris. So where is the best Sushi Restaurant in the 50 states? Saba, King Street, Honolulu. Of course I have never been to Masuhitsa in LA so maybe that one is a serious contender too.
Anyway, it all started when I was working for SAIC in La Jolla and living in La Costa. This was on my way home every night. The first week I discovered the place, I went there 3 nights in a row. Thereafter, I was a regular. So much so that Makoto-san started giving me extra portions of the freshest fish. This was where I had first learned words like omakase, ankimo, kampachi, ama-ebi, and Stuffed Tomatoes. Still dream about those Stuffed Tomatoes sometimes. Yep, this place has hosted many a drunken revelries, complete with friends and colleagues from HP, SAIC, and the one love of my life - the one that got away! :)
And if you look carefully at the paper lanterns over the sushi bar, you will see my signature there, declaring my loyalty to this gem of a sushi restaurant. So if you do go there, say hello to Makoto-san, buy him some sake, tell him that you would like the omakase, and then sit back and enjoy.
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This is my favorite Sushi place in the SD area, hands down. I'm disappointed some people had some bad first experiences there. I advise them to try again!
The sushi is insanely fresh and the sushi chef is amazing.
Prior to coming here, I had only had tried Uni (sea urchin) once before and decided it was disgusting. I tried it again here and it was actually pretty good. FRESHNESS makes a huge difference. Also, order the Toro, it is worth the price as well as the CHEF'S SPECIAL SPECIAL. I promise you will not be disappointed.
Note it is on the more pricey side, especially if you get the good stuff.
As far as the decor goes, I think it is cozy and fairly typical. I'm usually too busy "mmmm-ing" and loving life to notice my surroundings.
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Sorry, not too impressed. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was pleasant. We went on a slow weekend evening with our kids and the kids we're actually behaving.
We are from the Bay Area where we can get pretty good J-food pretty cheap, I'm not a snob by any means but I think I know what decent food is at a reasonable price.
This place was by far over priced for any Japanese restauraunt that I have ever been to with this kind menu. The sukiyaki had limited ingredients like too much zucchini and undercooked onions, a dashi that was too sweet and a coagulated broth. The tempura was full of squash and yet more zucchini and greasy. The chicken teriyaki was a gristly chicken thigh sliced up with too sweet teriyaki sauce. Maybe we went on a bad day where zucchini was all they had left! I have better luck at the Japanese supermarket's and save a lot more money and save enough money there so that I can enjoy a good Yebisu and cold sake.
Maybe we'll try it again on a busier night where the food is moving and it's not zucchini season...I have nothing against zucchini, but enough is enough!
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Last night the wife was in the mood for some sushi. Typically, we'd have Sushi Fix deliver, but we'd already arranged for a babysitter, and figured we'd make a date night.
I'd solicited recommendations for coastal sushi joints back in July, when celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary, and though I'd received an enthusiastic recommendation for this place from a Yelper whose opinion I truly respect, I was overruled, and we went to Japengo on the wife's suggestion. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
So last night, I decided we should hit up Samurai, and it's clear to me now why I have so much respect for Joseph M. This place is really great!
Low key, quality food, unobtrusive (but very attentive) service, and great atmosphere.
Wish we'd gone here in July!
very good agedashi tofu. go here for that if you're a vegetarian.
they also make really good vegi tempura roll (i think I had to order it special). almost as good as this place in santa cruz.(pink godzilla)
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This is a great place if you are in North San Diego county and want sushi. It has a huge sushi bar (50 seats) and several Japanese sushi chefs working it, including the head sushi chef, Ishihara-san, who's been there 20 years.
The sushi chefs are open to being social with you; buy yours a beer and he will please your palatte. If he offers you something special, even without charge, make sure to give him a cash tip at the bar and not just on the tab. It is a discreet appreciation for his special attention. (This is common, whether or not the owner knows it.)
I got a very fresh triple order of Uni this way. The sushi is pretty good, fresh just from the sheer volume they do. Also have Teppan Yaki and Tatami Room.
If you are near Solana Beach, or just driving north in your commute, stop here and enjoy the sushi.
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IMO, the best atmosphere of any Sushi bar in San Diego (and perhaps the longest bar, as well!). I've been coming to the Samurai for the past fifteen+ years.
But atmosphere is not all they have to offer. There is at least one private room available (which I've used twice, once for my fantastic 35th birthday party), as well as a separate room for those japanese grilling table things (that we used for a friend's bachelor party dinner).
The staff are fine, the food is good, but it's the atmosphere that you come for. Also a great first date place, if your date likes sushi or sashimi!
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I've had all types of sushi mediocre, blah, awesome and simply funfantabulous!!!!! And yup Samurai was it this place wow! I live in Chula Vista and got invited to go here by a friend. I was .....FAR ....but I had nothing better to do so I went. Wow we had the spicy tuna roll, rainbow roll, and I think the tempura roll. All 3 were absolutely amazing. The fish was unbelieveably fresh and it literally melted in your mouth. WOW!!! I will try to venture out there again one day it was amazing.
Great Food, Warming atmosphere, and Korean waitresses.
For the appetizer our waitress recommended the "special special roll" for the reason that it is "very special". For that witty recommendation, our party ordered it and...wow..it definetly is special. Ask for tempura flakes on it to make it a little better.
For the main course my party and I tried the sashimi, tempura, and teriyaki. My father said the sashimi is considered to be the best he has tasted, and he's coming from years of sashimi tasting. The tempura was golden with just the right amount of crunch. Although the teriyaki was a little on the salty side, it was still delicious.
Next time I come here I plan on strictly ordering sushi, the main menu doesn't have much selection outside of tempura and teriyaki.
Looking for Samurai? It's right behind the Blockbuster in the Von's shopping center off Lomas Santa Fe, East of I-5.
I must say - the sushi here IS top quality however you are going to want to know what you want as the menu isn't very descriptive regarding the contents of their offerings. The first time I ate here my g/f and I both ordered an entree - she had the Teriyaki Beef and I had the another one of their beef dishes. Both dishes tasted great however they weren't the best japanese cuisine I've had. I would definitely recommend this place for their sushi over their dinner menu but who knows - you may find something you like here. All entrees come with a small japanese salad and a miso soup. The prices are on par with what you would expect to pay at a place like PF Changs so if you're looking for something different I recommend you try this place out.
Looking for a great tasting hand roll? Try the chef's special.
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I was surprised at how big the restaurant is. There were so many sushi chefs! My friend and I just stuck with the sushi when we went. I didn't really bother looking at the other dishes on the menu. The miso soup was decent. The Hamachi nigiri was ok. The Aji was really fresh. The Amaebi was ok too. We ended the meal with Spicy Tuna Rolls and they were pretty good. The waitresses all wear a simple kimono. The owner/manager looked like yakuza...
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I love this place! OMG been eating here for years and it is FABULOUS. I love the sushi and terriyaki dinner........... yummmmmmm yummmm
and the seaweed salad. Got a great Special Special roll!!
Cute...and love the outfuts of the waitresses.
2 stars for its location and ambience.
None for the food and service.
We ordered several rolls, tuna sashimi, and bento combination with beef teriyaki and shrimp/vegetable tempura. The sushi was at best room temperature and were not fresh. The soft-shell crab roll was mushy and underdone. The shrimp/veg tempura was way undercooked and the batter was still wet. I politely complained to the waitress and she did not even try to compensate us for the mediocre food. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed by my experience.
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Bar tender was overwhelmed and b*tchy, droping some lame comments at my party. Other than that, the atmosphere is awesome, the private suchi experience is cool, and the sushi bar is great. Any time I can afford it, I will always return.
You have to get the Special Special roll... the scallops and the sauce are amazing.
this is as close as it get to the real thing from Japan. This is the epitome of all japanese sushi. With over 20 years serving the San Diego area, Samurai has the best sushi all around. Sushi chefs are professional chefs from Japan serving you the highest quality grade sushi possible. This is a no nonsense sushi restaurant. Obviously, if you want quality, you'll have to pay for it. Tucked away just inland off the beautiful coast of Solano Beach, this is arguably by far the best sushi restaurant in Southern California.
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I can't believe that Samurai has so few reviews so far. It is a great sushi place - the best in San Diego, I would say, if not for Taka Sushi, which shares the first place with Samurai on my list.
Sushi here are extremely creative and traditional at the same time, which is great. Definitely ask for their special - it is so good.
We had a service challenge a couple of times on a busy night, but this still doesn't prevent Samurai from solid three stars.
The owner would usually greet you at the door. He personally monitors the staff, and once I witnessed him correcting their mistakes.
Due to Andrew H's recommendation I had to go check this place out.. The restaurant is fairly large, and they were PACKED..which is a good sign. Japanese sushi chefs - another plus! (and a rarity). I still haven't found a 5-star sushi place in SD that compares to the level of detail and taste as Matsuhisa's restaurants but I would definitely say this place his hands above the rest in the SD area. 4 stars. My only gripe was that the kanpachi sushi was a little tough. Everything else was extremely tender and fresh. I will return....
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Don't be put off by its location in a shopping center. It is great local spot for sushi. Sushi chefs are very experienced. Yummy, quality Japanese food!
Great sushi, been going there for years and have never had a bad item. The service is not the greatest, well it always seems pretty bad from one or two of the girls, but all in all, its a good place. The prices are a little on the higher end, but its a more expensive location. The sushi chefs are great, fun personalities or will leave you for a quiet evening if thats what you are looking for.
Insulting. These guys will overcharge you. I have been eating here for a while, and the sushi is awesome. But out of principle, I can no longer support this place because of their unethical charging. Also, think twice about getting an ice tea refill...$3 a pop. How rude.
Love this place! I think their dipping sauces are better than Benihana's and Shogun's. I've only tried their teppanyaki table...so I can't say anything about their sushi.
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awesome sushi chefs will serve you up a feast, and even down a few drinks with you as the evening proceeds. festive atmosphere. separate bar in front.
the best dish in the house is Dynamite... cut scallops rolls... heated slightly and topped with a savory sauce, It is divine!
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Samurai is a nice Japanese restaurant, surprisingly tucked in a neighborhood shopping center. I got a gift cert from my boss, so I took the trek up the coast to check it out.
They have a huge sushi bar, and the other reviewers seem to agree that the sushi is good here. We didn't order sushi, but I did have a roll, an appetizer called Negima. It was steak rolled around onions and drizzled with teriyaki sauce, and it was awesome. Aside from that, the menu is pretty standard. The teriyaki was good, and the prices are moderate, $15-20 for dinner.
A nice option if you're in North County, but it didn't stand out enough for me to go out of my way to go back.
Service was prompt, food was tasty - but the restaurant smelled really strange... which was off putting and distracted from the food & the dining experience.
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After reading the reviews I decided to give this place a try. I was seated at the sushi bar where the sushi chef basically had his back to me the whole time....he never once looked up at me to see what I wanted. I always had to get his attention. The sushi was just okay. Luckily I asked them if they used mayonnaise (why do sushi restaurants do this?) and he said lots of their rolls used mayo. Yuck. They did make me some of my favorites without mayo, but they were pretty tasteless. Not horrible, but bad service and mediocre food.
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Del Mar
Category: Japanese
Solana Beach, CA
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Encinitas
Category: Japanese
Solana Beach, CA
Category: Italian
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