AKA San Diego

Good experience here. Walked in with a medium sized group to eat and watch the boxing match. They were able to accommodate us and we enjoyed the food, all delicious and we ordered plenty of different items. Cocktails were also tasty. Beware that if you’re looking for a quiet spot, this is the opposite. DJ and dancing ongoing all night.

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!!!

We booked this restaurant to try out their restaurant week menu and so glad I made this choice because it is very delicious with beautiful fun atmosphere. The interior design reminds me of Tao in NYC, with a big Buddha sitting in the middle of the restaurant. The restaurant week menu is 54 for dinner for 3 courses meal. We had scallion yellowtail and lamb lollipops for appetizers, two filet mignon for entrees, Japanese cheesecake and Creme brûlée for desserts. Everything is very delicious! Especially the filet mignon, probably the best I’ve ever had in San Diego! Super tender and perfectly medium rare. The lamb lollipops are perfectly cooked with very flavorful seasoning and sides to taste along. The yellowtail is sashimi with nice seasoning, good to start a meal. The desserts also pass my expectations, the cheesecake is little thicker than regular Japanese style cheesecake, which is awesome, because I don’t typically like the spongy style cheesecake. The Ube flavor is strong, so yummy. The Creme Brûlée is different than the French version which is more like an egg custard, I like it, very eggy and creamy. Plus, the service is very nice, the waiter lets my husband had a taste of the wine before he orders it. After he makes sure he liked it, he had 3 glasses, very good wine. He also offered an extra lamb lollipop for my baby, plus a bowl of rice. My baby had a great time as well. The atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing, great for date, birthday, anniversary and parties. I’ll definitely recommend this place.

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.

Not having heard of this restaurant before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from an Asian fusion spot. To my surprise, it turned out to be an excellent experience. We started with the spicy garlic edamame and the bluefin tuna poke—both were fresh, flavorful, and well-prepared. For the main course, I ordered the filet cooked medium rare. The steak was tender with great flavor, and the sauce paired perfectly with the mashed potatoes. The cocktails were also on point, and the service throughout the night was excellent. The overall atmosphere was lively, with music and a DJ creating more of a fun, upbeat vibe. If you’re looking for a quiet, romantic dinner on a Saturday night, this might not be the place—but if you’re after good food, drinks, and energy, it definitely delivers. With such a wide variety of menu options, I’m already looking forward to going back and trying more.

Nice atmosphere. SLOW service. Very mid good. DO NOT get the pad Thai. It tastes nothing like pad Thai and was way too tangy(?). Also noodles water hard and it took an HOUR for use to get our food at 8pm at night (finally got our food at 9pm). Vibe inside the restaurant is the only good thing. Appetizer was the only good food item - the tempura shrimp.

Great atmosphere and decor!! Has dj booth inside so beware of loud music at night. Had a fun celebration for my birthday with sparklers and everything it was exciting. The yellowfin under cold apps was interesting. Orange chicken was great

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.

Such a wonderful evening under the care of James! Food and service was great, and my boyfriend and I felt taken care of from the moment we walked in, until we walked out. Highly recommend and will be back again!

Awesome, great food and great service! Tuna was amazing, drinks were amazing and ambience was awesome

food was yummy!!! James was our server and he was very nice we got spicy Dan Dan noodles and more

I highly advise against anyone thinking of coming here. This might be the worst service I've gotten. It's my boyfriend's bday and I'm currently sitting at our table now. From the beginning, we got sat and NOBODY acknowledged us until I flagged someone down. Took our order, food took forever to arrive, and after it arrived we never got checked on again. At this point, they have sang happy birthday to MULTIPLE tables even after I have flagged down 5 workers repeatedly telling them it's my boyfriend's birthday. Mind you, I made this reservation well in advanced and mentioned it was his birthday. Finally I pulled a server over and asked him if we are bothering them by dining at their place? Because nobody has cared for our table at all and I feel like we are inconveniencing them. DO NOT COME HERE. They care more about their night club than they do for people who want to come and dine here.

I really wanted to like this place, but it just didnt hit. Service was great, cute inside, but everything we order was just meh. The place was not busy so I can't blame it on that. We ordered Orange Chicken Kara-age, Pork Belly Bao Buns, Bluefin Tuna Poke Bites, and the Filet Mignon. Orange chicken was over cooked and the sauce didnt taste good. The Pork Belly was dry and the Tuna was a little funky. I stopped eating the tuna because I was afraid it might be bad. The steak was ok, ordered medium rare and it was cooked to that, but the brussel sprouts were not cooked enough. You couldn't even get your fork into them. I will say the food may have sucked, but the espresso martini was great! All this brought the bill close to $200. Definitely not work that price tag.

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.

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 :)

e best I've ever had in San Diego! Super tender and perfectly medium rare. The lamb lollipops are perfectly cooked with very flavorful seasoning and sides to taste along. The yellowtail is sashimi with nice seasoning, good to start a meal. The desserts also pass my expectations, the cheesecake is little thicker than regular Japanese style cheesecake, which is awesome, because I don't typically like the spongy style cheesecake. The Ube flavor is strong, so yummy. The Creme Brûlée is different than the French version which is more like an egg custard, I like it, very eggy and creamy. Plus, the service is very nice, the waiter lets my husband had a taste of the wine before he orders it. After he makes sure he liked it, he had 3 glasses, very good wine. He also offered an extra lamb lollipop for my baby, plus a bowl of rice. My baby had a great time as well. The atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing, great for date, birthday, anniversary and parties. I'll definitely recommend this place.

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.

Not really a fan of this place even though I really try to like it. Its definately on the expensive side for sushi and looks like everyone there was there for a special occasion. Regardless on the price, the food was just okay. The best thing there was the poke. The presentation looked good. The server was very nice. I couldnt see myself going here again, the price really doesn't justify the taste of the food. It is a fusion restaurant but the combination of the ingredients just didn't match up. Even the drinks were a lil off.

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.

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.

This is an okay place if your intent is to enjoy the vibes, maybe get a cocktail and lounge. This is not a place you go to for a great culinary experience. The food wasn't bad, it just doesn't match it's price point. At this price point I expected great food, but got 'meh!' instead. I think most people go here for the "vibes" which is fine, but I can't recommend this place for a great meal.

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.

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.

Absolutely incredible experience! I celebrated my husbands bday and it was absolutely amazing - the service is spectacular, they even had the DJ play the "it's your bday" song, meanwhile bringing delicious dessert and sparklers that made it all so so special! thank you so much for a legendary celebration!!!

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.

We came in very late to AKA and were a little worried about being a bother, but Roberto made us feel completely comfortable right away. He welcomed us with such kindness and charm that we instantly felt at ease. Even though it was late, the service never felt rushed--he treated us with the same warmth and attention as if it were the beginning of the night. We ordered sushi, including the bluefin, and everything was amazing. Roberto's genuine hospitality really made the whole experience stand out. He's the kind of person who makes you want to come back--not just for the great food, but for the way he makes you feel as a guest. Thank you, Roberto, for making our night so memorable!

I love the Asian theme to the restaurant. It's fits perfectly with their Japanese and Chinese menu. The pink lotus martini was so delicious and refreshing. You can taste the ginger and citrus. I had 3! I ordered the mango yellowtail roll. It was airy and satisfying. It has a nice kick with fresh mango topping. I highly recommend this. Their service was quick and friendly. They were patient with me while I had a payment issue. We went on a Friday. They had a camera man going around taking pictures. My guests and I were able to purchase it in a frame. Also, my waiter told us, about 10:30 or 11 they cleared the tables in the middle and turn it into a dance floor. Restaurant turns into dancing club, until 2 am!

Marco was great! We arrived during happy hour, and received our drinks and food under ten minutes of ordering! We ordered pad Thai and pork belly buns, both of which were delicious

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.

The decoration is okay. Nothing new or exciting worth driving to downtown. I'm not a big fan of restaurant week and unknowing visited this restaurant on restaurant week. Filet was over cooked and did not seem freshly done. Portion was good and waiters tried to be attentive. I would only recommend this place for a late night with DJ and music.

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!

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.

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.

Went here for a friend bday dinner James was very attentive and food was amazing most specially they made my friend so much special for a bday treat. Thank you all for making her experience epic

Would not recommend. Terribly slow service. Only 1 water refill in the 3 hours that it took for our table of 4 to be served dinner and a drink. When I went to find the restroom, half a dozen staff members were hanging out in the back despite no one refilling our water or checking on us following food being served. Food wasn't great. The salmon was syrupy sweet and crème brûlée was not torched. It seems like the place is more focused on the experience of club goers. Our reservation was for 7:15pm and halfway through our meal tables were being cleared and very loud music and dancing began. From then on we were completely ignored until we flagged a waiter down for our check. Definitely not worth the money. For the price I would expect better than disposable chopsticks. This is more of an Instagram photo or club pregame place than a flavorful dining experience.

Roberto was an attentive and kind server. We especially loved the Crab Rangoons (we were here for Happy Hour). Beautiful decor also

Great lychee drink and chicken during happy hour! Will definitely go back during the night since it's a club too

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.

Amazing service by James and an amazing cheese cake!! Ready to come back this weekend for some dancing!

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.

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!

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.

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 haven't been here since it was LAVO and this new restaurant is fantastic! We had reservations but it wasn't crowded, so we're seated immediately. We went for Happy Hour and it's everything you hope a HH to be...great selection and lots of options, plus good prices, and longer hours. Everything on the HH menu was $10. We got: Pork Belly Boa Buns - some of the best I've ever had! You get two. They are large in size and the pork belly was so tender! Potstickers - very good! Chicken Karaage - delicious and large portion Rock Shrimp - generous serving and they were great Dirty Chai Martini - their take of an espresso martini with a real espresso pour. Loved it! Geisha-rita- if you like a smoky cocktail, this is it! It's very strong and smoky! Dry Dan Dan Noodles - we ordered this based off of the servers recommendation and because it came with a poached egg! Sadly, when it was brought out it didn't have an egg. We had to ask about this and were only then told the chef decided to stop serving it with a poached egg! However, he offered to bring us a sunny side up egg. We compromised and said yes. Sadly, we were given two extremely overcooked eggs. This dish was good but underwhelming since it didn't have the poached egg. Food came out fast and everything was filling. But the servers need training...on multiple occasions they tried to take away our food while we were still eating it. They took away my cocktail before I was done! It's one of my biggest pet peeves. I paid for this food, let me finish it if I want to! We had to tell them multiple times we weren't done. We felt rushed and that never feels good! There is a live DJ and thankfully the music wasn't too loud. They remodeled a bit since taking over LAVO and the vibe is hip and sexy. The bathrooms were not tended too well and didn't have seat covers and were low on toilet paper.

James was so great the food is delicious! Highly recommend this sushi spot in the Gaslamp.

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.

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.

It started off well and we ordered and got drinks. The drinks were ok (I only got a vodka soda so I can't judge on that). The main problem with this place is that the food took over an hour to get to our table and the waiters all seem half distracted. Our waters sat empty for half an hour until we asked them to be refilled. At the end of the night our waiter seemed more interested in flirting with the table next to us than serving us our desert, which I saw several of on the counter of the kitchen waiting to be served. My food was ok, although my order was very basic. The other people at my table didn't like their food, with one person even mentioning it came out cold. The place turns into a club at 9 and they do this by blasting music to try and weed out the diners. It became so loud our table couldn't even talk to eachother anymore. I wouldn't go here again, especially with much better options in the area.

The service is extremely disappointing. Miguel, our server was rude and dismissive. Our food had an issue in the kitchen and we had to keep asking for an update and received none (we waited over an hour). Eventually canceling the order. We had to ask for the manager twice and when he came out, he explained the kitchen had an issue and he's apologizing. Which is fine, issues happen. But from Miguel we received no updates, no apology. When we were trying to bring up the issues, he completely ignored, leaning, facing the other way. Turned back when I say "hello I'm talking to you" with a smirk and extremely dismissive. Completely unprofessional and leaves a horrible taste of the service to be expected. Food is also extremely overpriced and the music is soooo loud it's impossible to hear anything. Other wait staff were also rude. Manager was professional, but needs to hire better.

Food was great! It does get loud like a club after 10ish I believe. Which it's nice but if your looking for a romantic calm dinner go a little earlier.

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!

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!

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!!!

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