Sushi On the Rock
Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
Neighborhood: La Jolla7734 Girard Ave
Ste A
(between Kline St & Silverado St)
La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 456-1138
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
67 Reviews for Sushi On the Rock
I dinned here several years ago I was probably 17 or so... I had doe eyes for the head sushi chef... a tall, halfer, soft spoken, sushi making machine with tattooed baseball player arms.. I wrote my number on a napkin, slid it across the bar, looked at my feet, told him I thought he was cute and ran out the door.. he never called. :(
*let me know if he still works there, thanks.
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The good:
HAPPY HOUR! :) good deals and never too crowded (5-6:30pm)
Tempura fried ice cream!!! :) :) :) AMAZING. you have to try it at least once in your lifetime. your life just wouldn't be complete without it. truuuuust me.
The bad:
Service isn't tip-top, very mediocre actually.
One bad roll choice and you'll be MSG-ed out to the max. Sometimes the flavors are a little too overwhelming - too much sauce/too much oil/too much sodium.
It's no Sushi Ota but you gotta give them mad props for coming up with innovative creations.
My favorites are:
-sweet thing
-Incredible hulk
-monkey balls
Come for happy hour from 5-6:30pm daily.
I ordered Maguro and Sake nigiri. Both were below par. The tuna tasted old and the Sake was barely passable. I was surprised because I've had good sushi at another Sushi on the Rock. I also got the Maui Zowie and it was just OK as well. I sort of feel sick to my stomach. Maybe I caught them on a bad night.
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Came here for lunch and I thought the food was just "okay". Nothing to rave about. We ordered a chicken katsu bento, shrimp tempura, and two rolls. The chicken katsu was different from the chicken katsu I've had before. The meat was dry and bland. The shrimp tempura was different too, but in a good way.
The service was really slow. The place wasn't even packed or anything but our rolls took forever to come. The rolls come last too, so before our last roll came out we were stuffed. We just packed it to go. I don't think I'd go back, at least not anytime soon.
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We had dinner here last night and had such a great experience! The salmon and toro sashimi were the freshest I have ever had and the rolls were really tasty. Service was way above par and our server was so fun and we were having such a good time with him! We dine out often and I honestly can't see myself eating sushi anywhere else again..thanks for great service(hard to find these days) and great FRESH sushi!
SUSHI ON THE ROCK. Luv'd it. It's a dark and sleek restaurant. Very chic. Luv the dim lights and minimal decor. There are glass walls hanging from the ceiling to create a more private feeling in different parts of the dining room. There's a sushi bar, too.
The sushi --- delectible. Delicious. I want more!!! We ordered Seaweed salad, Sushi galore, Seafood plate, Tempura, Sake and enjoyed all of it!.
Just loud enough to bring my baby girl and not worry about messing up anyone's good time.
It's on Girard. Trust me. You've driven by it a hundred times and never even noticed it. Look for it. Search it out. You won't be disappointed!
Also, make reservations. It's packed! Buzzin' with people. There is a nice white leather seating area outside if you must wait BUT it's better to go in and enjoy right away!
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For the most part, I'd give Sushi on the Rock 5 stars. I think the food here is actually pretty good. Nice atmosphere, good service and friendly staff. Good all around place for a nice sit-down dinner.
So why'd I give it 4 stars? First, very long wait. Been here 3, 4 times now and I've had to wait 20-40ish minutes each time. Second, very expensive. Nothing out of the norm, really, but it's in La Jolla, and they charge like it -- but you're getting pretty good food for the price along with a very nice atmosphere.
If you like great atmosphere and good sushi, Sushi on the Rock is a good place to go.
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went here before setting up my Yelp account when I was visiting San Diego.... anyways.... this was some of the better sushi I've had in a long time. Plus they brought the plates out one at a time so you could enjoy each flavor on its own with out having a big boat in front of you to choose from. the service was great, the food was great, I'll go back there next time I'm in San Diego
Best sushi in San Diego. I never understood why Ota got such great reviews? Ota always smells like rotten fish. Sushi on the rock however is delicious. Never scales on the slices. Great roles. Bruce lee and 911 and the kitchen sink are my faves.
Great sushi chefs as well.
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Well, where should I start.....
I came to sushi on the Rock on a Saturday night with a special Lady friend of mine. Upon arrival the hostess greeted us in a very friendly manner. With Big Smiles and warm eyes she led us to a great table and assured us our server would be with us momentarily to take our drink orders and food to come. The Table was nice, and the restaurant was quite full. In Contrary to the other reviews, the music was enjoyable and at a perfect dining volume.
Within a few minutes, Our server arrived, happy and smiles as well(these people obviously enjoy working here). We asked her opinion on some traditional Sake and within a few minutes had 2 large beers along with an awesome server recommended tasty bottle of cold Sake!
As we continued to peruse the menu, there were so many tasty and unique options to choose from. The server was well versed, knowledgeable with every roll, and even was wise when we told what we don't like. We decided on three rolls, a baked item, a few appz, and 2 miso soups to keep us satisfied in the mean time. We don't need to go into full detail upon each item, but I can tell you the restaurant along with the sushi chefs, take time, pride and delicate care into each and every item on their menu. We enjoyed every bite, thanked our server and were happy to choose this great restaurant!
With an overall rating, Sushi on the Rock was awesome! The Food was great, service was helpful and friendly. The ambiance was perfect for La Jolla, very nice, yet don't be afraid to dress comfortable if you want to make it casual. Sushi is good as if not better then other places in San Diego.
When your in La Jolla, don't pass it up, and if just looking for some good sushi, don't be afraid to make the trip to Sushi on the Rock!
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Not bad...been a few times and would return...
nothing outstanding (foodwise), but still not bad.
It's a fun place to go with friends.
I would come here again but I do think there are other places where you can get better, fresher sushi at less of a price. Prices here are the norm for La Jolla though :wink wink:
Each time always sat at the Sushi Bar (lunch and dinner) Ambiance is cool, nice setting.
Service from the waitstaff is ok...and the Chefs are nice...
Again sushi taste is average., nothin special (I Think ONO's is better though tastewise)
*** The best thing here is the mochi dessert and its pretty cheap! I've dined at many sushi restaurants and this place has the lowest price, they give you 4 whole pcs of which you can select which 4 flavors you want (or double up) and it's arranged very nicely with some lemon sauce? berries and some mint leaves in the middle, very pretty =) (I've uploaded the picture here so check it out)
That's my most memorable thing from all my visits there
Kampai
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I wouldn't say the best sushi I ever had...but, it's pretty good. I would recommend checking out there specials. It's usually the freshest cut. Also, try going on a week night. It's not a huge place and you will definitely have to wait a while for a seat on the weekend!
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I haven't been here since. A pal reminded me of why. Just don't do it. Edamame was soggy. Sushi was fresh, but presentation lacked as it was cut unevenly. My salmon skin hand-roll was soggy which means it sat for awhile. Miso soup was oh so flavorless.
Granted it was busy, staff was non-existent. We promptly paid our bill and was out. Cattle call it was.
If you're a glutton for punishment, I'd pick the lesser of two evils and choose their La Costa location, but even then, you're gaining 1 star which is really only for me because I live near it.
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They serve monkey balls?! I could never order those -- that's hitting way too close to home.
Overall - pretty good. I wouldn't say it's amazing or anything like that. This place seems really gimmicky like Ra Sushi. Gimmicky meaning they have whacky combinations of fish, crab, tempura, etc. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my sushi and the girl really liked it too. We tried some of their funky rolls and their traditional sushi. They didn't have any toro (BOO!).
I still prefer Nobu and Sushi Nippon. Yes, those places are expensive... but I'm a baller. It's a hike from downtown where I live, so I doubt that I'll hit this place again anytime soon.
Staff was VERY NICE AND HELPFUL!
Kitchen sink roll is absolutely amazing!!!!!!! Happy hour there is rockin!
the monkey balls is delish!
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By far, best sushi experience I've EVER had...
I wasn't sure what to expect (and actually went in with average expectations) based on several of the reviews on here. To say I was pleasantly surprised was an understatement.
I went with a girlfriend (who goes EVERY Sunday night with her fiancee), which is why I think we kinda got special treatment - they all knew her and were excited she brought someone new in...and because she was such a pro with thier menu, she knew all the best things to order - it went something like this...
--Bruce Lee roll to start - soooo fresh and delicious! I've had great sushi before, and I remember thinking after the first bite, wow - I thought I knew what good sushi was - I've officially been schooled!
--Marinated Black Cod - like m&m's baby - melted right in my mouth.
--Monkey balls - cool, unusual, fun...not my fav but still pretty good.
--Seasame Tataki - seared ahi with a mustard sauce - again, call me schooled. I thought I'd had what was the best seared ahi before - um...not so much. This takes the cake fo' shizzle. Hands down. Bar none. (Ran out of catchy lil phrases, but if I could think of more, they would be warranted to use here.)
We sat at the sushi bar, and had great service, both from the sushi chef (Brandon?) and from the server. Really nice atmosphere, great crowd, and we were able to find parking with no trouble (coulda been a fluke, as parking on that street can sometimes suck.)
All in all, I have officially become a sushi snob and will try to limit (as much as possible) my sushi intake from other sushi establishments...
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STAY AWAY!! Err--or just GO NEXT DOOR to spice and rice, like we did afterwards!
Our wait was more than an hour, while the hostess kept saying our table was almost ready. Then she GAVE OUR TABLE AWAY to a group who got there much later than us!! That was just ridiculous! WTF??
THEN, the food was not worth the wait and fuss.
1) presentation was lacking, sushi was cut unevenly in large and small pieces, some just strangely shaped.
2) much of the rolls were drenched in sauces - like mayo or ranch or teriyaki sauce
3) tempura ice cream was the worst i have ever had in my life - inside the ice cream was practically soup and it was falling apart by the time it arrived at our table
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Monkey balls...sick. Why pay top dollar for tempura fried slop? Go to Zenbu...it's right down the street and the fish is fresher.
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Excellent sushi, not terribly expensive, but a little on the pricey side. Nice atmosphere and good service. Especially loved the Tijuana Tataki Sashimi.
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I ended up having Japanese twice this weekend. Sushi On the Rock was the first venue. Afterwards, I couldn't decide to give it 3 or 4 stars. Well, after my Sunday night experience, I came to the conclusion that this place warranted 4 stars.
Started out with the Monkey Balls. Due to that bad name and the fact it had mushrooms, I wasn't keen on getting them, but one of my companions insisted on getting them. I followed her wishes since she is Italian, and well, you don't want to argue with Italians when it comes to food. And turns out she made a good decision: they were delicious.
As for the sushi itself, it was quite fresh. The reason I was debating on giving it 3 stars was the roll I got was on the bland side.
That being said, the ambiance was great (albeit loud) and the service good. It was also pretty reasonably priced, so the place deserves 4 stars.
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Food good.
Food more $ than other Sushi establishments.
BUT...
They need to use far less disinfectant.
Sushi is cold food, no aromas to cover them making their place clean, so it is overpowering.
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I don't love it, but I like it. I do want to go back to try happy hour which seems like a great deal. My favorite part has to be the atmosphere, small-ish, dim and hip on a weekend night. Outdoor seating also available.
the "Monkey balls" were ok, but I think they could have been better, the stuffing, in my opinion was under-seasoned and rubbery.
The "Don" roll wasn't at all worth the $19 dollars, rather boring, but a nice heap of yellowtail sashimi on the side.
The "Maui Wowie" was terrible! After first bite I wanted to send it back, but everyone at my table wanted to taste before such drastic measures - all agreed with me, but it would have been too rude to send back something half eaten. It was very rubbery. The menu lists that this is cooked sushi, but there was nothing savory about the dish. The only thing with taste was the citrus-y sauce. Of that I had only one bite. However the portion was large.
If you're looking for a nice atmosphere in La Jolla, not too spendy sushi or especially, a great value happy hour, this may be your place. The food at neighbor Zenbu, is better, but you'll definitely pay much more for it.
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I heard so much about Sushi on the Rock... all the hype made me not sure I'd want to actually eat there. I had this image of an overly hip, rockin' space peppered with overly hip, rockin' peeps, finished with an overly priced, not so rockin' bill.
But I finally broke down and went there on a blind date - I figured, what the heck, I'm already taking a big gamble, might as well as make the whole evening a gamble.
The date was not such a hit, but the venue did salvage the night.
I was pleasantly surprised by the place, which was not overly hip, but definitely rockin'. It was cozy and a little ghetto behind the counter (exactly as I think a sushi joint should be). I was even more pleasantly surprised by the food. Loved "Slippery When Wet" (which is originally invented @ Sushi on the Rock and copied by others) and the Monkey Balls (the name is a terrible injustice for the dish).
I loved it so much that I went back a couple of times back to back. The second time we sat in sushi chef Brian's section, and he made the most delicious off menu item called the Montage. We also tried (and loved) the sashimi stack. Heavenly.
I highly recommend sushi on the rocks.
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This place definitely has good quality fish as far as the nigiri. The don roll and ashley roll, while expensive are very good as they come with some extra sashimi and the sesame seeds are a nice touch. Another good roll is the slippery when wet. The monkey ball appetizer was quite good. As far as the atmosphere, it is quite noisy and definitely has the trendy La Jolla feel to it, but that doesn't really bother me. It was a little on the pricey side but not enough to keep me from coming back. The one annoying thing was that my friend ordered a coke. The waitress asked if he wanted another. He said yes and she brought it. And on the receipt, there were two $2 coke charges. It bothers me that a nice place like this would do that. I don't order soda so it doesn't affect me, but just I let you all know.
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This place really knows how to get me excited. Looking at the happy hour menu makes me wonder... is this too good to be true?
Yes, sushi in La Jolla can be a bit pricey; however, sushi between the time frame of 5- 6:30 is excellent. The prices for different hand rolls and apetizers vary from $1.00 - $2.00. (Don't forget about sake and beer). I would love for others to discover this happy hour extravaganza.
Me and my friends usually arrive right at 5 when they are opening the doors for dinner and there is always a crowd waiting outside (good sign).
The service is top notch, well atleast mine has always been. Very attentive, very friendly and attractive wait staff. My server was Ryan, and he did such a great job last night.
The sushi is incredibly fresh and presented wonderfully, but not over the top. The oyster shooters are also on the HH menu, and in my opinion... to die for! Fresh fresh fresh and very large!
The decor is nice, I personally love it.
So why 4 stars and not 5? La Jolla Village is not so much my cup of tea, and the place really has to cater to a trendy and ritzy crowd... and the prices really do show this. I am not a fan of spending over 50 bucks on just sushi and no alcohol... this is why you must must must go for Happy Hour. I know, sounds a bit cheap and rude to take advantage... but hey, what can I say?
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i am not a dessert person, but their fried ice cream is so so so good!!!
the price of their sushi is on the high side but it's ok.. i think it would be a cute date place.. light is so dim..hahaha
Great service and nice atmosphere. The sushi is very good for an ok price. Great place to take a date or a friend.
I recommend it for a sushi guy. You are paying more for location than for the food. The desert is good as well.
The location is a 5 for sure. The food is a 4...barely. The bill is rough, glad I could expense it! Service was pretty weak. The sashimi is not the only eye catching treat; single men in the area should swing by here from time to time.
Being in La Jolla makes me want to buy a pink A&F shirt and pop the collar. This place was every bit a preppy as you'd expect in that area. Can a restaurant ban sunglasses indoors? I digress.
Hip place, awesome location and trendy crowd. The rolls are pretty standard. Make sure to order a Kirin to wash down the sticker shock.
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I loved it! I have been to many sushi places and this one has the taste and the atmosphere. Staff was excellent.
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To be brief: Sushi on the Rock is one of the few hidden gems of restaurants in La Jolla Cove. If you're down here in La Jolla and feeling adventurous, or would like to take someone on a special date, you should definitely try out this place!
To further explain, Sushi on the Rock is an Americanized-sushi restaurant/bar with delicious sushi rolls and appetizers. I took my friend to this place, and the first thing we both noted (and approved) was the tastefully done decor of the room. Though the restaurant was dimly lit, there were enough lights so you didn't feel like you'd gone blind. A waiter immediately took us to our seats and promptly served us drinks. He was very friendly and explained the various sushi on our menus, and took our orders in a professional but still genial way. One thing that kept me from giving Sushi on the Rock five stars was that there was alot of people and conversations tended to get rather loud. The noise kind of killed the ambience of the place, so I'd suggest going to this place for lunch or before the dinner crowd.
Then came dinner!
Our appetizer of "Monkey Balls" came first. It's basically stuffed mushrooms cooked in a soup-like sauce, and despite its rather questionable title this dish was actually quite tasty. Our sushi rolls came next; I'd ordered the Rainbow roll (I test out sushi restaurants by their rainbow rolls) and my friend had ordered the special (sushi+mango). The fish was very fresh and of pretty good quality, and although the portions weren't that large both my friend and I were pretty satisfied. We ordered a dessert of mochi to top it off, and though it was rather sweet (it had chocolate AND whipped cream on top) it definitely served as a highlight of the evening.
Overall, I found Sushi on the Rock to be rather pricey so I wouldn't come here every time I had the crave for sushi but I'd definitely say it is much better than Tadashi sushi (another sushi bar in that area) for two reasons: the better quality of their rolls/fish and their service was much more friendly and open.
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My roomies and I (4 of us) went there the other night for dinner. The decor is nice.. very.. American. It's a very posh sushi bar. For what you pay and what you get.. I knocked off a star. Miso should come with your meal instead of $3 for a teeny tiny cup. The edamame was good but you can't really mess up edamame. The sushi we ended up ordering was pretty good, but again I found it a bit pricey. The service also left something to be desired. After desperately hailing down our waiter, we had to remind him to bring some green tea, and some lemon slices.
Good date place. But if you want what you pay for, go to a real japanese restaurant.
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I would give this place 2 stars, but I think the Ashley Roll(?) and the seaweed salad is good enough for 3 stars. In other words, the tuna, hamachi and yellowtail are fresh. All the other fish is mediocre. If you want salmon sushi, go to Ota.
I LOVE Sushi on the Rock. I like the other location better (Encinitas), but I've been here a few times. I have something against all the poor places that can't get liquor licenses & serve soju. The Encinitas location has liquor so that's mainly why I like it more.
On to the food: the sushi here is really fresh and delicious. I love the "everything but the kitchen sink" and "chronic" rolls the most. I once ordered a surf & turf roll thinking that the lobster/filet would be lightly seared, but I was very wrong. I'm adventurous, but raw lobster paired with beef carpaccio just wasn't that good, so be warned. This is one of my favorite sushi spots in the city.
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I came here because my (former) roommate raved about how good it was. She has no taste when it comes to Asian food. I came at happy hour; that menu was so small. The sushi wasn't good enough for the price you pay. And like all expensive places, they can't afford decent lighting. (I ate here in 2005, so things could be different now.)
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I usually go to the Thai place next door and always see a long line outside of Sushi on the Rock. So, finally I decided to give it a try. The sushi was pretty decent, but I've had much better for the same price. Some of the items like "monkey balls" are tasty and I'd get them again.
The only reason I'd come back is to introduce someone to an alternative, more Americanized sushi menu.
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Seemed like awesome sushi too me along with a cool, clean and sophisticated dining room. If it was closer to me, I'd revisit here for sure. Reasonable prices even, considering the neighborhood.
The Sushi here would normally get 4 stars if it wasn't for a few things:
1) Lighting: I know this area is ultra hip but really I would like to be able to see my date 3 feet from me...or perhaps read the menu!
2) The music: umpsha umpsha umpsha! i half expected the sushi chefs to start jumping at me with glow sticks and pacifiers!
3) The Price...it is a bit on the expensive side to be putting up with 1 and 2 above...
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I took my mom here for her Bday one year, and she begs me to take her back every year!!! So, it's our favorite little sushi spot.
I would highly recommend the Balboa Roll and the Don Juan Roll. You will NOT be disappointed. The lava cake dessert is soooooo delicious and pretty with all the fruit!!!
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I've gotten to-go here a couple of times and haven't ever been to the restaurant, so this review is just for to-go orders.
They have an awesome selection of vegetarian rolls. My favorite is the eggplant tempura roll, I think it's called Baby Conehead or something like that.
The Rainbow Warrior has tofu, cucumber, avocado, gobo and some other vegetables. The Vegetarian Hand Roll had pretty much the same veggies.
Also tried the Picante, it had tempura green beans, cilantro, avocado and serrano chilies and served with salsa. It was tasty but those chillies made the roll so hot, I couldn't eat it and had to pick out the chillies.
It's great that they're so innovative with their vegetarian rolls. It's the most I've ever see at any sushi place.
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