AKA San Diego

Amazing dinner! The dishes are flavorful and unique! I had the scallion appetizer and it was the best. Savory and a little bit sweet with an amazing crunch. I will come back next time I am in town. The bartender Teagan was also very kind and guided my meal well. I appreciate her hospitality as another service industry professional.

Amazing service! Late Post, but we went for my sister's birthday on a Saturday after 530pm during St Patty's weekend. We made reservations and we were seated very quickly for it being during a holiday weekend. The food, service, and ambiance was phenomenal! We loved the service so much we stayed for the night scene and even got bottle service with Stephanie. I would definitely recommend this place. It may be a little pricey as others have commented, but you pay for good service and good food!!!

What a great place and let me tell you our server james fantastic made it a quite memorable experience. Whatever we need. James was there for us. I highly recommend him in the establishment he works for.

First of all, I must give my thanks to James (our server) who was wonderful and very attentive to us. We came late due to traffic and I called ahead and said it was alright. Came in and everything was ready, our table, the menu, the Atmosphere. We ordered drinks and appetizers and received them in a timely manner. We ordered our main dishes a few minutes later and when we did a big party 15 came in so I knew things were about to get busy 🤣 James apologized in advanced and even told us before hand and we greatly appreciated that. Even though it took more time for our food to come in, we still enjoyed our time. Music was awesome and very vibrant and up lifting. Everything came out great, the drinks, appetizers, main course, dessert and we even recieved two shots at the end. Overall it was a great experience and we'll definitely come back again! Loved the theme of the whole restaurant, everything was clean and well organized, service was on point, kitchen was great.. no complaints here. Thank you for treating us to a wonderful place in the heart of downtown. See you again soon!

Atmosphere is as good as the food. Careful not to fill up on apatisers, it's easily done. Main courses tasted as good as the looked. Later dinner crowds get to experience a transformation to a night club - enjoy dinner and dancing in one location.

This was our first time here and we were delighted with everything from the service to the delicious food! We sat on the patio which has about 8 tables or so. We went in during happy hour which runs from 5pm to 7pm . The food on the happy hour menu is really affordable! $11 for a plate of sushi, we tried a plate of salmon and avocado rolls and a plate of spicy tuna rolls. Both delicious and also came with a side of wasabi and some fresh pickled ginger and soy sauce was also available. We had to ask for more ginger because we liked it so much which was promptly brought to us. Also had a glass each of Pinot noir which complemented the meal perfectly! The service was great! Promptly greeted and sat, the server arrived shortly thereafter. A wonderful experience, we will be back!

We heard about this place in a new restaurant article for San Diego and decided to check it out. It's like an Asian fusion in the spot where seersucker used to be downtown San Diego. The food was really great, the service was decent and the decor was fine as well. I will say they had these horrible spotlights above every table that made you feel like you were in an interrogation room and depending on what side or angle of the table, it could be shining right down in your face or in your eyes. They could do better with ambiance lighting, possibly something small at the table or some additional floor lighting or having the spotlights hitting somewhere other than right in the faces of the people dining. Other than that it was good... Pricey for what it is, but still in experience!

Thursday night, my group of 5 from Kansas City wanted to try this restaurant and were glad we made this choice. Food was great and service was amazing. Our server Martin was great and the wait staff were as amazing. We ordered a variety of appetizers and each an entree and wasn’t very expensive. Very nice selection of drinks and the inside ambiance was very nice seemed very fine dining experience. 10/10 experience

Robert, Was the best! Can't ask for any better. Great energy and highly recommend !!! Food was incredible and vibes matched !

The food was so amazing! The service was so friendly and incredible made us feel like home! Rob was so friendly and courteous.

Roberto was incredible so was Andrea! black cod was insane! Great ambiance will def go back!!!

The atmosphere is very nice. Laid back, chilled. Happy hour is great with good portion. Roberto was an absolute delight. Fast, friendly, and prompt. Food is great! The Pork Belly Bao Buns is delicious! The pork belly is tender and has a great smoke. Highly recommend. Filet Mignon potsticker just melts in your mouth. Drool worthy. The Geisha-rita is very balance. Not too strong or overpowering. Just enough to give it a good kick.

So I have to say my friends and I stumbled into this place, stumbled as in dodging the large crowd during comic con yesterday. There were five of us and fortunately we were able to get a table immediately. All of us enjoyed our meals. I ordered the pad Thai and I expected it to be just really expensive and mediocre, but it was actually quite delicious. The vibe inside the restaurant is awesome. The music was great. There was a live DJ music and the colors were nice. Bathrooms were clean. Servers were friendly and dressed up for comic con. My friend ordered a chicken finger type of appetizer and it came with double what we thought. Like entre sized. Had we known, he would have probably shared that with one other person.

Pros: The staff is all very friendly The environment is beautiful The sushi was good Cons: The music was so loud I couldn't even talk to the person sitting right next to me The sound system was not mixed properly so the loud music was grating at certain parts The chairs by the window where we were seated are so uncomfortable to sit on because they are rounded that I kept feeling like I was going to slide off. I am short also, and with no good foot rest that lined up for me. It was incredibly difficult to stay in my seat It's pretty expensive for what you get This place is getting two stars from me because I really have no interest in going back ever. I would give it one star except for the staff was really great and attentive.

Made reservations here for my girlfriend's bachelorette during the July 4th weekend and it was a blast! The food was delicious and plenty for us to share. Our favorite was the scallop crudo and rock shrimp tempura. The drinks were enough to get us feeling something but still tasty! During the dinner, they had complimentary photos which was nice! They did give you a small photo and asked if you'd like to purchase the nicely framed ones so beware of that! This location gives me the vibes of TAO back in Los Angeles! Very cute and instagramable :)

Celebrated a friend's bday recently. First time trying this new place. Aesthetically, the place was amazing, lots of photo ops, upbeat and classy. Can't miss the meditating Buddha as it greets you as you enter the place. And that Torii gate arch to the right is an eye contact catcher as well. Definitely a nightclub-trendy vibe. Fridays and Saturdays entertainment starts at around 10 p.m. When we got there, the place was still pretty empty. The place was full when we left. Menu has a variety of different types of Asian food from Japan, China, and Thailand. We ordered quite a few dishes to share. The whole group liked the food. Blue fin poke bites 5/5 Pork belly boa 5/5 ordered 2x. Shrimp pad Thai -3/5 Filet mignon potstickers 3/5 - on the salty side. Main lobster garlic noodles - 1/5- noodles were tough, this was a missed on the flavor. Skip this one. Mango yellow tail - 3.5/5. Yellow tail scallions - 4/5. Cocktails/ mocktails- watered down Service- our server was nice. First few dishes got to our table pretty fast. The rest of the food, we had to wait longer and had to follow up on the status of our order. Noticed though at the far corner side of the bar next to the Torii gates arch, birthday celebrants, staff brought sparkles with the birthday dessert. When my friend got her bday treats, the staff that brought the sweets were holding their phones with the flashlights on. Not sure, but I did not like that part. Disappointed. Small Bathroom, was a little dark, few stalls 3-4 stalls. There was a bathroom attendant in the ladies room. Being that the bathroom was already small, it made it a bit crowded. Parking-it's in the gaslamp area. Parking is challenging. Better to Uber/Lyft, carpool. Place is pricey. It's more for aesthetic, decor, lay out of the place. Not because of " amazing food".

Wow! Wow! Wow! This restaurant is beautifully decorated. I should have taken more pictures of the ceiling, because the decor changes from section to section. The food is equally beautiful in presentation. This place is pricey, but worth it I think. The garden salad, for example, is not just a garden salad. It has sushi, avocado, wasabi, etc. It may be the best salad I have ever had in my life. I thought it was a bit over dressed. I ordered the fillet mignon potstickers and they were ok. Not bad on their own and delicious with the dressing from the salad. The Blue fin wasabi sushi was delicious and tasted better and better with every bite. The Yuzu Beignets with the mango sauce were ridiculously good. The service is top-notch . If you are in the area and you have the funds, treat yourself.

My friend and I always passed by AKA and wanted to try it out. From looks outside and inside- the aesthetic is 100%. Super pretty and instagrammable and that's what drew us in. However, the experience inside unfortunately didn't match. I mean if you're ready for a Vegas style dining experience this is your place. However, the music is so loud, tables are so small and so close together that you don't have room at the booths. Overpriced craft cocktails and Asian food. On a busy day even the waiters forget you, and only service those who ordered bottle service or the birthday celebrations with the sparklers. I tried the ube matcha horchata and it was a waste of $18+ drink. I had to return it because it was really gross. We ordered the filet mignon but I think that was the best on the menu. It was an 8oz steak for decent price. However, it was slathered in a lot of sauce but it didn't really have much flavor. I really wanted to like this place, but I guess it's just not my type of vibe. For an Asian fusion restaurant I expected more than just aesthetic and vibe.

This place was a little strange. They claim on the website to be the best Asian fusion restaurant in San Diego, it wasn't that great. We started with cocktails and mocktsils. I must say that the mocktail was excellent. We ordered the Thai green papaya salad, Maine lobster garlic noodles, and the miso black cod. Of the three, the black cod was the most successful dish. The lobster was seasoned but the noodles were extremely bland and overcooked to the point of being gummy. The salad was fine but very basic. The service was good and they ended up comping the noodle dish as we couldn't eat it. The ambiance is where the strange part came in. Midway through our meal some seemingly geisha girls appeared and began dancing. It was odd. While the space is beautiful, I wouldn't come back here given the sheer number of excellent restaurants nearby.

Had a great time celebrating our friend's birthday here last night. Food and drinks were good.. but most esepcually, the staff here were great! Our server, Martin took great care of us... and just want to say thanks to him for making our night extra special!

We'll jump right into it with the food: We had some apps from the happy hour menu and found them to be the best part of our meal. The potstickers were outstanding - the meat was so flavorful and the sauce was perfect. The rock shrimp was fried and seasoned well. The entrees were just okay. We got the miso cod - the fish itself wasn't very tender, and the sauce was too thick and leaned a little too sweet. That said, it wasn't bad by any means. Just nothing spectacular. We also got the albacore roll - the rice wasn't gummy and the fish was fresh, but I wish the sauce was more ponzu forward instead of the Dijon. Service started off great. Roberto is super charismatic and very fun. He came over right away, and the apps came out surprisingly quick. Unfortunately it fell off in the second half of the meal. It took about 15-20 mins after our apps were all done for us to get entrees, then another 15-20 to flag him down for our check. Ambiance is modern Japanese - very eye catching and it was what drew us here to begin with. Great decor and seems like it would be a really lively fun place on weekends.

AKA just opened in November and finally had a chance to stop in. I got a seat at the bar at the tail end of happy hour, and ordered the, garlic edamame with butter soy ($5) - it was very flavorful and generous portion. Then salmon and avocado roll ($11) - did not love this - was a bit slimy and too fishy. I initially ordered the Geisha Rita, but it was just too acidic for me today, so my friendly bartender let me switch it out for the dirty chai martini, which was very tasty. Liked the kind of funky but still comfortable ambience. Wish the sushi had been better.

Went on a Friday around 6pm. We had a reservation, but it wasn't needed at that time of the evening, as it was pretty quiet. The hostess was very sweet and took us right to a table. Our server came over pretty quickly and got our drink order. Even though it wasn't busy, it probably took 10 minutes to get a cocktail. When he came back he offered some suggestions about items we were considering. The two of us opted to get a 4 plates and share everything. As far as the wagyu, yellowtail, and tuna, all were pretty good, but I feel like they shaved them smaller than anywhere I have been before. The dan dan noodles were ok, but I think they were supposed to have a poached egg that didn't come? I felt they were also lacking in flavor, but seemed to be the best portion size of any of the items. The first 2 food items came really quickly, and then there was quite a wait between each of the other two items. We were still finishing the last and had to wave down our server because we had a show to get to. Our server checked on us once during the time we were eating, but he seemed to disappear for long periods of time. He was nice, but not as concerned about long wait times as maybe he should have been. We left around 7:30, which was good, as a DJ was starting. The music was super loud. I felt like it was a little early for the music to be that loud, as that is prime dinner time and it would have been hard to have a conversation. Just something to note if you are thinking about going for a nice dinner vs evening cocktails. While the experience wasn't terrible, and it's a beautiful space, it's just not a place I am interested in going back to. We left with a large bill, but I didn't feel full. We probably needed another dish or two, but the cost or wait wasn't worth it.

we went here for the first time for my birthday weekend and everything was fabulous. The ambience was great very upbeat and vibrant energy. The service was excellent. The food was excellent and everything was good. We'll definitely be back next time we come to San Diego. Roberto was an extremely good waiter very attentive, great personality very friendly. We loved him. He made our experience extra special. We will definitely be back.

Had dinner here last week. This place was formally LAVA. I like the new decor and vibes. Food was good. Service was good. I really like that they had a dj and they do a whole bit for birthdays. I would recommend.

Food great! Shrimp appetizer had light and therefore perfect tempura. We were the first for lunch today during the start of Comic-con, and got excellent service. The filet mignon potstickers were nice. Grilled teriyaki chicken had both white and dark meat that I appreciated with a few vegetables. Rice cooked nice. Overall it was a very nice lunch and I would definitely have the shrimp appetizer again. Ambience very cool. Definitely worth the stop!!!

Aka was indeed 'Zen' experience! We've been planning to go for a while now, but finally managed last night. As they say was worth the wait. The place has a great vibe, the service was good and the food looked as superbly presented as it was to eat. The desserts are superb! Well worth a visit to enjoy with family!

Decor was fabulous... Definitely a fusion vibe with a restaurant that seems to be quiet until it mysteriously turns into a club type scene with DJ ( outstanding) & two stunning dancers backing him up while I eat my sushi. Bathrooms were clean. Music gets loud. This is a photo shoot atmosphere with bottle service and intimate celebrations all around. Servers were kind until they ask ( at the end of the dinner if I was happy with the tip & bill amount. I thought that was interesting. $400 plus for 4 adults & a 13 year old. Sushi was delicious and done well. Popcorn tempura shrimp was great Mary's farm chicken was in a curry sauce ( very good) . Miso soup fabulous Best fish we've tasted in a while. Salmon was good. Main lobster garlic noodles were perfect. Beef tartar was ridiculously fabulous. Grilled prawns were done nicely Presentation was on the money! Very nice bar scene!

One of the coolest atmospheres in the Gaslamp, but with the food and drinks that can hold their own. I wanted to take my cousin for a girl's night out for her birthday, and this was the perfect spot. They took such good care of us the moment we walked in. Roberto made all the best suggestions for an epic meal. We tried: Geisharita Ming Sling Cream Cheese Rangoons Fillet Mignon Potstickers Pork Belly Bao Lobster Noodles Cali Pac Roll Creme Brulee The drinks were nice and strong, and the food came out fresh and prompt. We were impressed by the quality of ingredients they use. They use actual big chunks of Maine Lobster, not slipper lobster or langostino, and you can really taste the lobster flavor infused into the actual garlic sauce. I'm already planning a date night here with my hubs because their menu needs more exploration ASAP

I feel like you pay for the ambiance here . That's about it. Service wasn't bad, other than the fact the waiter gave free shots to the couple next to us. The food though, was sad it was a set menu as when I booked it there was no saying it was a set menu. The food was just ok. The filet was sweet with the raspberry sauce and the chicken the bf had just tasted like any other curry butter chicken. The deserts tasted like they were just reheated You could get certain sushi rolls if you did ask, but not their entire menu. Not worth it at all.

We had our reservation Thursday night. We were walking around the area that afternoon so decided to check out the place before our dinner with friends that night. We spoke with a host who confirmed our reservation at 8pm. She was friendly and offered to reserve a good table for us. Dinner time comes, and no reserved table at all. It was fine since there were still available tables anyway but kinda discouraging and staff felt unorganized. Decor is cool, instagrammable. For me, it is the only part that is impressive. Food is mid quality. Lychee martini did not even have a faint taste of lychee. It is a decent place.

I've seen instagram posts of this restaurant and was excited to visit and take photos of the decor, specifically of the shrine (pillars) from Kyoto. We arrived at 6pm on an early Friday evening, and there were only 2 tables aside from ours. As the night progressed, the restaurant was starting to get somewhat busy. We ordered a bunch of items to share. Ming Sling drink (3/5): tasted alright, but my drink had soo much ice and wasn't filled all the way (see photo, as I hadn't even taken a sip). Yellowtail scallion (3.5/5): good and fresh, but overly priced. Rock Shrimp COCO MAYO (3/5): not bad, but the shrimp were small and also quite pricey. Chicken Kara-Age (3/5): alright. Australian Wagyu drunken noodle (1/5): beautiful presentation, but super bland and flavorless. The meat didn't taste like Wagyu... Would NOT recommend. Dry dan dan Noodle (2/5): better than the Wagyu drunken noodles, but still bland. Kung pao SSC Roll (1/5): so dry. It tasted like store bought sushi. Also would NOT recommend. Fatty tuna (Sashimi) (2.5/5): mushy; didn't taste fresh. The following are some of the better items compared to what's been mentioned. Black Cod (4/5): super tender, per usual. I love black cod for its rich and buttery taste. This dish was sweet and flavorful. Lamb Chops (3.75/5): pretty good. I also enjoyed the green curry it came with. However, one of the chops I had was very tough and inedible. Filet Mignon (3.75/5): pretty good. Quite tender. 20% gratuity was automatically applied to our party of 8. They also added a 3.95% service surcharge. I made a reservation online 6 weeks in advance, and they emailed me asking to select a pre fixe menu and to provide my credit card information to secure our res. I replied to their email 5 TIMES (not exaggerating) and didn't receive a single response! TERRIBLE COMMUNICATION. I was worried we wouldn't have a secured dinner reservation due to their lack of communication... hope they get it together. Anyways, nice atmosphere and decor, but substandard food. Pricing is what you'd expect for downtown. Our server, Mando (?) I believe was his name, was awesome.

Awesome atmosphere with the DJ spinning relaxed but catchy music. Food was average. the pad Thai was way too sweet and the truffle roll had zero truffle flavor. Drinks were good but the wait time was obnoxiously long. Overall, fun place for drinks and simple snacks but I wouldn't do a full dinner.

We finally came last Friday. Since we were going all over Gaslamp we just. Same for drinks and an appetizer. We've been coming to this location for many years. Since it was Searsucker and Lavo. They have an outstanding location and bar. We get there close to 5:30 and sit at the bar. We ordered a Azaela mocktail and Geisha-Rita. The mocktail had an apple sort of taste to it. My wife liked it. The Geisha-Rita tasted just like a jalapeño Rita that Searsucker used to serve. It was very delicious and had a good amount of heat to it. We ordered the Filet Mingon Potsticker's. I am used to Boston/NY style which have a thicker dough. These are thin dough but are very good. The filling reminded me of exactly on how a potsticker filling should be. Couldn't taste the Filet Mingon however it was delicious. The bartenders were great and very informative. Pablo took care of us and was very nice and quick to serve. We were there for about an hour and it was still kinda dead. They told me it picks up later in the night. That makes sense since it's nightclub oriented. The place is very well designed. It will remind of you of Tao in Vegas. It is very instagramic lol. The bathroom was beautiful as well. Almost didn't want to leave. The damage for a couple drinks and Potstickers was close to $60. We will be back for sure.

Came on a week night and got the Karaage, Dan Dan noodles, Braised short ribs and miso black cod. The karaage was very crispy and juicy, the ponzu aioli was a tasty dip. The Dry Dan Dan noodles were my favorite item of the evening. The noodles were very chewy (in a good way) which I've found only in a handful of restaurants. it came topped with a flavorful ground pork, the noodles were coated lightly with a cream (maybe mayo) based sauce. The cucumbers added a nice freshness and crunch which was a nice contrast to the chewy noodles. The short ribs were very tender and delicious, and the mashed potatoes were creamy, but I didn't really feel it had much of an asian influence despite the black bean curry sauce. Short ribs are usually my go to dish, I'd still recommend them if you're craving short ribs but they don't have a strong asian influence. Maybe if it came on some sort of rice like asian influenced risotto or something. The miso black cod was also good, very tender and moist. Pretty standard at any high end asian place these days. AKA did a good job of it. The place is modern and new, AKA means red in Japanese and the place has a red backlit shelf which reminds me of TAO in Las Vegas. The hallway to the restrooms look like the gates of the iconic Fukushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. Its a definite photo op that's IG or FB worthy. Service was friendly and attentive, the place is new and modern. Being downtown parking can be tough and the prices a little higher than normal but not unexpected in the Gaslamp.

Last night we were excited to celebrate a special occasion and opted for the chef's $250 platter and other appetizeHowever, as soon as the platter arrived, it had an unusually strong and unpleasant fish odor that none of us had ever experienced before. Unfortunately, things got worse--every one of the girls at the table has been sick since early this morning, with symptoms of food poisoning including vomiting. This has not only ruined what should have been a memorable evening, but it's also caused real distress and discomfort for all involved. The service was not horrible but we did have to ask 3-4 times before getting anything. Gave 2 stars bc the music was good lol Waste of $950 ........ will not be coming back

Fun vibe upon entering. The restaurant is dim with lively music playing. Comfortable booths to sit in while watching the open kitchen. We started with the rangoons, they were tasty! Then shared the small sushi sampler. It came with 3 rolls and 6 pieces of nigiri. Would definitely go back when visiting the area again!

Went here for my early birthday dinner & it was perfect! Delicious food & drinks, amazing ambience with Asian inspired decor & live DJ, and fantastic service by our server Rob (Roberto)! Thank you for teaching us some Italian and showing us such great energy ! They even do sparklers & music with a Happy Birthday dessert for your bday! Thank you! Will definitely come again with more friends & family

Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk how does this place have above 2 stars on Google and Yelp??? The service here is awful, drinks are watered down, and food was salty AF. But the music was bumping - we warped back to the 90's with Jagged Edge and Montell Jordan. As soon as I walked in, I thought: OMG SO CUTE!!!!!!!! But that's the only reason this spot gets a star - ambiance is aesthetically pleasing to the eye! Walked out with cute pix to post on the gram, haha! I sat down with my friends to celebrate my friends birthday! The place was empty since we arrived pretty early to avoid the FriNightKids! The birthday girl has an allergy to dairy, so she ordered a plain salad with a side of lobster. She specifically asked that it doesn't have dairy in it. The salad had a white dressing and she definitely tasted the dairy! The salad had zero lobster even though the server was INSISTENT that the salad had no dairy and lobster mixed in. She wanted us to believe her over our own eyes. My friend didn't want to order an alternative item in fear they'd fork it up again + plus it was past 10pm by the time the food arrived. Also, they gave her ice cream based in dairy as a birthday treat My other friend ordered a sushi with charred salmon - it was so exceptionally salty. It felt like I was eating spoonful of salt. I ordered the Mango Yellowtail, and well, NGL - it was phenomenal. The combination of yellowtail mixed with mango puree or light mango sauce was a celebration in my mouth. Now, why did the waitress get a $17 tip? Because she followed us to the dance floor to close out the tab versus meeting us at the table - I mindlessly clicked some buttons on her little pad just to get her to go away..... Needless to say - I will not be coming back to AKA - there are waaaay too many amazing sushi spots to go back to a 1-star spot!!!!!

An upscale Asian fusion restaurant has opened in the Gaslamp Quarter courtesy of the owners of Zama which is another high-end fusion spot down a block on Fifth Ave. The decor of AKA had vibes of TAO Las Vegas with a buddha statue in the middle of the dining area, a painting of a geisha girl on the wall next to the kitchen preparation area, and plenty of red to match the business name. The central bar was to the right when you walked in. We came during the soft opening period which will end later this week. The place was not very full, and all of the diners were seated at the semi-round booths in the middle near the buddha. The menu sheet was divided into appetizers, dim sum, and salad in the left column; protein entrees, noodle/rice dishes, and sides in the middle column; and nigiri/sashimi, maki rolls, and desserts in the right column. The prices were on the high side, perhaps a few dollars more than what I had expected for each item. Our meal was made up of the following that was shared... * Chicken Karaage - Japanese fried chicken served with spicy ponzu aioli * Dry Dan Dan Noodles - Thin noodles served with minced pork, spinach, cucumbers, scallions, and poached egg * Black Cod - Roasted fillet that was marinated in sweet miso with shishito peppers and roasted cipollini onions on the side * Short Ribs - Slow cooked beef seasoned in a black bean curry sauce over mashed potatoes and vegetables There were six pieces of fried chicken that had a nice crunchy batter. I didn't need to use much aioli as the meat was brined. The noodles were surprisingly good with the fine bits of pork. I wish there was more for the $24 price. The cod was plated with four blistered peppers surrounding the fillet. The black sauce for the beef was a tad salty which made it my least favorite of our courses. The service was pleasant and efficient as there weren't many occupied tables. I hope AKA can regularly fill its large dining area as the capacity was easily over 100. Our dining experience was worthy of a four star rating.

beautiful japanese themed bar/restaurant, reminds me of john wick 4 vibes. love the red lit bar the bathrooms are very well done, beautiful decor. very chill bar before the music turns up

On the best corner in the Gaslamp, comes AKA. I usually avoid restaurants the first 2 weeks because I know there are kinks to work out, but I just couldn't wait to try AKA! Beautifully designed, it's your new it spot for your social media reels. I loved the Torii gate leading to the bathrooms, it makes you feel like you were just teleported to Japan. It tries to be upscale but could also be very chill, which is a San Diego thing. Service was fantastic, Kristyn has such a positive uplifting vibe. Great energy, friendly, and communicative. The food is Chinese Japanese Thai fusion. I tried some appetizers, they were okay. But I went back a second time for the sushi, now that's another story. The nigiri was fresh and amazing quality. Riley was really great and got them to make me a spicy tuna roll off menu. It was pretty solid! Easily top 3 spicy tuna rolls I've had! Give it a shot, the decor alone is enough to check it out!

We had reservations at 730pm and there was a wait when we arrived. It was about 10 minutes. You can see everything that we ordered (pictures provided). Everything tasted regular. Nothing really "wow" us here. I understand that it was the first weekend opening but they had a soft opening, friends and family, then an industry night. If that didn't prepare you for your grand opening then I don't know what will. The service was so slow and the waitresses were doing their best. When our food was coming out the waitor was delivering food from behind us! It was actually insane. We were sitting at booth and it was delivering food from behind us in between my gf and I. The restaurant is a wanna be TAO in LA if you ever been. Obviously it can't compare to what's in LA but nice try though! The ambiance is super dark and loud. If you're going into for drinks that should be fun. Just don't come for food. Ana and McKell(or Raquel) I couldn't hear her but they were the best thing to this place lol. Don't waste your time or money guys.

I came here to celebrate my birthday, and unfortunately, it was a huge letdown. It felt like every other table celebrating a birthday got the full experience -- sparklers, personalized music, attention from the DJ. But when we asked if we could request a song for our table like everyone else, our waitress shut us down and said the DJ had a fixed set -- no exceptions. When they came to our table, there was no special song, no singing -- just the same background music playing. It felt completely flat and impersonal. On top of that, I had clearly told the waitress I don't eat dairy -- yet they brought me ice cream for the birthday treat. It would've been nice to be asked if I'd prefer something else instead. Worse, I ordered a salad with lobster and no dairy, and what I got instead was a plate covered in dairy, no lobster, and four sushi rolls filled with some mystery red paste. I had to send it back, and by the time it was dealt with, it was already 10 PM -- so I ended up not eating at all. The worst part? While we were dancing -- with all our belongings (phones, purses) still at our table -- the waitress literally followed us onto the dance floor with the card machine, asking us to pay. That was incredibly unprofessional and made us feel like we were being treated as if we might walk out on the bill, even though it was clear we were still very much present. Overall, the service was cold, dismissive, and inconsiderate. I left feeling like my birthday experience was completely ignored while other guests got the celebration I was hoping for. I don't usually leave negative reviews, but this felt too unfair not to share.

Came in for dinner and loved the atmosphere and friendly service. The food and drinks were delicious and great sharing platers. 10/10 would recommend!

Stopped by after a Padres game and enjoyed a little cocktail and appetizers. The tuna was so fresh and the shrimp tempura was easily my favorite! Teagan was the bartender and server during this hour, she was so friendly and kind. I also met the Chef in passing and he was so nice. The music is always a vibe, especially after game days! 10/10 recommend this place!

This place is horrific. Let's start by saying the ambiance/decor is nice. So is the bar. Everything else is terrible. Starting with the manager, rude unprofessional and not attentive at all. This isn't Italy buddy, relax. The food is mediocre at best. So many other GREAT options in that GasLamp to even fathom the thought of returning. F -

If you go to Aka and don't get Miguel as your server, did you even go? This man isn't just a server -- he's a full-on experience. Hilarious, smooth, and somehow remembered our entire order without writing it down. Legend. His food recs? Spot on. His timing? Impeccable. When I asked what was spicy, he said, "Me." Enough said. By the end of the night, I wasn't sure if I should leave a tip or follow him on tour. 10/10 -- Aka, give this man a raise before Netflix does.

Personally I wouldn't come here again. The food was alright but nothing spectacular for the price. They were also constantly very busy and seemed short staffed so it took them a while to serve us and took a while to even get water. We actually had to ask for water since they never served us it. The mood is cool considering it's the gaslamp area but there's definitely other places I would rather go to for the price.

Get ready for a dining experience that is bold and vibrant! AKA Restaurant in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter serves up creative sushi, craft cocktails, a unique lively ambiance and a side of sass in every dish. The menu features Asian fusion flavors with modern twists and surprises. Our server was so knowledgeable and accommodating. From signature sushi rolls to savory small plates, every bite at AKA is a flavor bomb waiting to happen! What we had: Filet Mignon Potstickers Whipped Cream Cheese Rangoon Chicken Satay Mango Yellowtail One Night Stand Shrimp Pad Thai Short Ribs

Roberto was Amazing Gracias for your hospitality!!!!!! Definitely recommend Happy BDay Justin Let's rock n roll

I was brought here for my birthday, first time visiting AKA. James our server did a great job. The service they offer id pretty amazing. They constantly check up on you without being a bother. The food menu isnt the biggest but yet have tasty dishes. I tried their fillet mignon with wasabi mashed potatoes and it was a solid meal and something new to try with the mashed potatoes. Their Mango sushi is also a favorite, melts in your mouth and has a fresh taste and marble texture. The vibe inside the place is definitely great. They have a DJ and cool lighting and fixtures all around. I definitely appreciated the way they celebrated my birthday with music, sparklers and dessert!

What is not good about this place? None!!! Everything is amazing at AKA from the vibe the servers bartenders all amazing! Food all amazing best ones we think that was extra amazing was the filet dumplings and baby back ribs ! I can just go there and just order this 2 apps with 2other gf and be so happy! Amazing and strong drinks But the service and the vibe is the most amazing of all The servers and bartender really went way above and beyond to make our dinner the funnest ever Also the restrooms so clean and very modern Will be coming here couple a times a month

No Complaints! Wife, daughter and I stopped in for dinner while in So Cal. Checking out colleges and watching my son play a few games on the road. AKA has a funky vibe to it and some sweet decor things going on. We had some sushi rolls and steak and everything tasted great! I feel the pricing was pretty darn reasonable too so happy there on the wallet. Our server made all the marks and when we ordered a couple glasses of wine and it tasted a little old we let her know and she had the tender open a new bottle and pour us some new glasses no questions asked. Appreciate the level of service we received and would recommend AKA to others! Ps. This place is within walking distance to the WestGate hotel.

Another overrated, overpriced spot in San Diego where you're paying outrageous prices for five little bites of food on the plate. One of those "paying for the experience" type of places that San Diego has far too many of already. Yummy? Yes. Left with a $500 tab and still hungry? Yes. Also, be aware, they charge taxes on total after automatic 20% gratuity for a party of 6+ rather than on the subtotal. Just an extra little dig to make you never want to go back.

The vibes, the shishitos and the service are excellent! Ask for Emily she is amazing!!!

If you want not to be able to hear a single word the person sitting next to you is saying - even if they are shouting directly into your ear - due to crappy music being blasted, come to this establishment and stay for the annoying birthday celebrations that happen every three seconds during which they turn the music up even louder. Food is ok but bring earplugs.