Donburi Rice Bowls

Japanese restaurant · National City

Donburi Rice Bowls

Japanese restaurant · National City

1

41 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950

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Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null
Donburi Rice Bowls by null

Highlights

A chill Japanese spot in a market, serving hearty rice and curry bowls with big flavors and friendly service, perfect for quick meals or takeout.  

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41 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950 Get directions

donburiricebowls.com
@donburiricebowls

$10–20 · Menu

Information

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41 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950 Get directions

+1 619 856 4175
donburiricebowls.com
@donburiricebowls

$10–20 · Menu

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Jul 10, 2025

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@eater

"Donburi is one of the favorites from the previous lineup that continues to be part of Market on 8th." - Candice Woo

Market on 8th Food Hall Reopens With Mexican Cuisine - Eater San Diego
View Postcard for Donburi Rice Bowls

vanette godinez

Google
I really enjoyed this place. The customer service was just awesome, they really hooked me up. The flavors were so good and it was a really good value for your money. It was just an awesome place for Japanese donburi rice bowls! Would definitely recommend this place to anyone.

Neil Tantay

Google
First time trying this place out, ordered from Uber eats. Tried the Yakiniku beef bowl and I was surprised with the flavor. It's not your average bland beef bowl. This is on the sweeter side but not too sweet. Just right imo. Give it a try if you like beef bowls!

Catalina Black

Google
Donburi is such a hit in my opinion. The food is so tasty, and the portions are huge! I love the style of beef they use in their yakiniku bowl . (idk if I spelled it right lol). I order a couple of bowls from Donburi as EASY MEAL PREP . Definitely a staple in Market of 8th . The service is great, and the atmosphere is pretty chill .

H. JN

Google
Food was yummy, only complaint is that my beef was a more fat than actual beef pieces , I mean the picture looks great and don’t get me wrong the whole bowl was fire 🔥, I’m just saying I would want actual beef pieces rather than beef pieces with a lot of fat. Would I go here again ? Yeah cause like I said the Bowl’s are delicious. Vegetables steamed /cooked perfectly. We also ordered the chicken Karaage & that was good, liked the sauce on it. Again it’s located in the food hub and they give you a little buzzer that lets you know you’re order is ready. Overall rating 4.7 out 5 ⭐️

JANIE CHAMBERS

Google
Amazing! I got the short rib plate accomplices with rice, macaroni salad and kimchi! Everything was flavorful. Tender. It was one of my top meals I’ve had out in San Diego for sure. Also had the Yakiniku beef bowl which is always amazing! Veggies were done but not soggy. I loved it. Will definitely be back for the short ribs and try different menu items!

Elizabeth Cooper

Google
Great spot for an easy meal. Staff are friendly and you can customize the bowls. Vegetarian options available

Raven “Ravenous” Chwala

Google
It was AMAZING. LIKE SO GOOD! The service was excellent and it reheated well the next day. The Blueberry Pusheen soda is super yummy! This is the Karage chicken and the BBQ beef bowl with veggies! I was huge! So much rice.

Aaron Archie

Google
Felt adventurous and I bought the Sukiyaki bowl. Let me just tell you I guess it's an acquired taste because after a few bites I hated it. There were onions in the bowl so I guess that's why I disliked it... Next time I'll just stick to Yakiniku bowl.

Mikaele V.

Yelp
I wanted to express my gratitude for the fantastic meal I had recently. The Chicken Karrage, Kali ribs, and pork cutlet w/curry were all flavorful and perfectly cooked! Special thanks to Vai and the staff for the excellent service. It made my dining experience memorable.

Nat W.

Yelp
Uber Eats came very quickly and portion was great....tho a bit too much rice...not to say there was not enough meat! My picky 3-year-old ate their karaage thakfully. My husvand loved their yakiniku-don (slightly bit salty for me). Tonkatsu was good and I loved that they were not those Korean/Hawaiian super thin tonkatsu. Actually nice and thick, but because of that, I think they should use a bit fattier pork. Overall good place for a quick meal!

Coco U.

Yelp
Food was decent. I ordered the Sumo bowl with yakiniku and katsu curry. The yakiniku was pretty tasty but very fatty meat. The katsucurry was tender and very tasty.

Sharon L.

Yelp
One of the stalls at the food market, lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The food was unassuming - didn't look too great especially in the to-go packaging, but it tasted pretty good! The yakiniku beef bowl was tasty and they give you A LOT of rice. The katsu curry was decent but they don't give you enough curry to go with the amount of rice and meat. The food took a long time. They give you a buzzer and after 15-20 mins we walked over to check (in case our buzzer is malfunctioning), but they were just slow with making the food and it took another 5-8 mins. This is surprising to me since their menu is so limited. Drinks are overpriced. The yuzu lemonade is good but pretty small. Overall the rice bowls are pretty good for a quick meal!

Eric L.

Yelp
Donburi Rice Bowls was one of the food vendors at the Market on 8th food hall. There were a set variety of rice bowls with veggies if you asked for it. There are a few sides. I ordered the yakiniku beef bowl and the gyoza. The gyoza was dry. The yakiniku beef bowl was overly salted but still edible because of the plain rice. I had to mix it to ease the saltiness. I waited about 15 minutes to get my bowl and gyoza because they were busy doing lunch orders for uber eats. I'm disappointed in the food today. I usually ordered it on uber eats and they were good.

Angela A.

Yelp
The food was delicious. I ordered a sumo bowl for myself that came with the yakiniku beef and kalbi ribs. I got my boyfriend the yakiniku beef bowl. He also ordered spring rolls and the karaage chicken(I didn't get pictures). The food was great. I did order through Uber Eats but when we received the food majority of it was still pretty warm. No complaints from us. Never see this place on Uber Eats before nor have I seen it on Yelp. But I am definitely glad we found it. I will absolutely order again whether in person or via Uber Eats

Mikey H.

Yelp
When I walked into the food area, this was the first place near the door, and the worker said a cheerful hello. Well, after I had my pizza slice, I was still hungry so I went and ordered a chicken teriyaki bowl. I love the little beepers they give out to let you know when your food is done, so you can go and sit down. Less than 10 minutes later, I went and picked it up. Really nice chunks of chicken, vegetables, and drizzled in sauce. Everything was delicious! I would've preferred the chicken and vegetables tossed in the sauce and then placed on the rice, but that's just me. Other than that, I would order this again! I also got a delicious matcha cookie! Staff was really nice! Again, as part of the marketplace, great outdoor seating that's dog friendly. Cako Approves!

Trumaine H.

Yelp
I got the sumo bowl with beef and chicken. The beef was borderline slice too thin and had little to no flavor. The chicken was moist enough and covered in teriyaki sauce which should have been cooked in my opinion. It's what saved the whole dish and put everything together. The cashier was friendly and helped me with my beverage selection which I chose the lemonade that was good as well.

Jonathan Z.

Yelp
Like Yoshinoya but much better quality. Loved the flavor of the beef, rice, and I always get extra red ginger. Cute little spot with a few offerings. We came close to closing so this food hall was near empty, but made it easy to order. Plus easy parking. Not sure if this place gets much traffic though because we came on a weekend evening and seemed pretty dead. Hope they do well though!

Stephanie E.

Yelp
We loved this place! We ordered the yakiniku beef bowl with rice and veggies, and the teriyaki chicken bowl, which were both very delicious. The sauce was flavorful and probably the best I've tried! They give you big portions, which was awesome. Definitely a 10/10! The staff were friendly and helpful in choosing what to eat. If you love beef bowls, this is the place to try! I can't wait to visit when I'm in San Diego again!

Cindy R.

Yelp
My family majority of the time comes in ever since discovering the place for some curry or the other plates. Food is ALWAYS Amazing 10/10 they have never disappointed us at all. Everything on there menu is delicious. The cashier is always super nice too! Even the tea is delicious!

Xo. K.

Yelp
Saw this place and food looked so good ... when we got it we were sooo disappointed, food was pretty bland. Meat had some flavor but I had to use the calamari sauce to give it some taste. We did get calamari as well which was good & a shrimp tempura bowl which was ok. We came at night maybe it's different during the day. Definitely wasn't worth the amount we spent.

Jaime S.

Yelp
This place is inside Market On 8th kinda towards the back. The workers are very welcoming, friendly, and made a wonderful recommendation. The Kalbi Short Ribs Plate is delicious. It is flavorful and filling. I also tried the milk tea and that was yummy too. It was made just right and wasn't too sweet.

Arturo L.

Yelp
Food was amazing, love the taste. The shrimp tempura bowl was so good. Love that the tempura was nice and crispy. Chicken teriyaki bowl was also really good. The service of staff was really friendly and helpful. Ambiance of the whole Market place was nice. We will definitely be back.

Mark F.

Yelp
Was in the area and decided to swing by Market on 8th to pickup some grub... After a quick once around the food plaza, I decided on this restaurant. I'm a fan of donburi (Japanese "rice-bowl dish" consisting of fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice). Instead of my usual go-to donburi order of pork katsu, I decided to the Gyudon. I think I made a bad call here. The gyudon had too many fatty pieces that ruined the flavor of the bowl for me. I also ordered Japanese chicken wings, which is one of new menu items posted out front. It was tastier than other wings I've had but not mind-blowing. I liked the sauce they used a lot. So my first taste of Donburi wasn't great, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't try different items next time.

Reina A.

Yelp
Really tasty beef bowl and bottled Japanese iced tea. The employees were welcoming and the market location is a really cool concept. Lots of seating options and cool music playing. Side street parking was easy. All in all a great experience.

Jordan S.

Yelp
Love the rice bowls here and the steamed veggies. Rice is not overcooked and the meats are juicy and well worth the wait!

Alex H.

Yelp
Well made Japanese rice bowls!! Katsu pork curry rice (8/10): The katsu was very crispy and the breading to meat ratio was on point! The curry was thick and flavorful and the was a nice hefty portion bed of rice to absorb all the curry sauce. Gyudon bowl (9/10): the thinly sliced beef was very lean which is amazing compared to many other restaurants that use fatty brisket! Large amount of meat and reasonable price! They also serve sides like kaarage chicken and if it's anything like the katsu, I bet it's good!

Melody P.

Yelp
Amazing curry beef fries with beef. In fact the whole menu looks delicious so I'll be back. The people there are so kind!

Ed M.

Yelp
Tried this spot out tonight since I have never done a bowl here. The bbq bowl was delicious and had the right mix of veggies, rice, beef, and ginger (at least I think it was Ginger). Thoroughly enjoyed it. Good portion size.

Izzy C.

Yelp
The food here is so fresh and amazing I love it good drinks too some might call them exotic but over all love the food the ambience and the ppl very helpful very attentive Thank you over at Market on 8th come on by

Leslie G.

Yelp
Good amount of food, a little expensive for what you get, but it's was okay for me. I wasn't super impressed, but I also wasn't super disappointed either. The rice is really good, not the cheap rice. The beef was ok, pieces could be broken up a little more, flavor could've been stronger, vegetables were ok. Employee was really nice and cheerful. Utensils aren't the cheap flimsy kind either, which I appreciate. This location is inside market on 8th. I would try this place again, but probably something else on the menu.

Diana C.

Yelp
Delicious!!!! The chicken was so juicy and flavorful. Not dry at all and it was the perfect ratio of chicken to rice. I also got a milk tea and it was so good. I highly recommend this spot. What I liked the most is that it is tucked away inside a marketplace. There are more shops inside and that's where it is hidden. Parking can be taken up out front but they also have 15 minute parking spot on the side of the street which makes it easier if you ordered ahead and are just picking up. If you decide to eat there they have bench style seating inside which is great for groups.

Pace M.

Yelp
SNAP-SHOT: As a former Japanese resident, I like the short & solid Japanese menu. THE REVIEW: The Kalbi (Short rib) Beef had a delicious flavor profile (8/10). The rice was perfect (10/10). The fresh salad with peanut sauce was delicious (10/10). Kimchi seemed good, but I do not eat this enough to give an honest review. The macaroni salad was fine (6/10). The staff was so helpful and friendly (10/10). You could tell the kitchen was kept clean with pride. I recommend getting the Kalbi Beef!! MY RECOMMENDATIONS: Most foodies desire Japanese-style food because, culturally, they value quality over quantity. Please try adding a few more minutes to cooking the Kalbi Beef on lower heat toward the cook. I expected 20-30 minutes for the Kalbi Beef, not 15 minutes; well done and slightly firm. I was lucky to have a few pieces cooked medium-well, tender, and juicy. Trading off quality for speed is kinda short-sighted for one-and-done tourist customers. Given the lounge area, this is a cool place to wait for an order. I believe you easily have the luxury of trying this out. Call me a minimalist, it doesn't make sense to carry the macaroni salad on your menu. I would poll some customers and friends to save yourself from the extra workload. If you plan to keep it, please add more carrots to improve it.

Iggy G.

Yelp
A great spot for teriyaki in San Diego!! Their portions were so big. Really enjoyed their sukiyaki, yakiniku, and chicken teriyaki options (yakiniku was my favorite).

Trina I.

Yelp
The pork katsu with curry rice bowl is such a good portion for the price! I find myself craving it once in a while ever since trying it for the first time at Market on 8th! Service is always pretty quick and I love how there's tons of seating since it's located in a food hall.

Sheila C.

Yelp
Ordered the katsu pork rice bowl, with all sauces on the side. The pork was crispy and flavorful, the pickled veggie were amazing. Great, well put together bowl for a good price. Portion was good for two people. Definitely will try this place again.

Michael A.

Yelp
Food great every time. My favorite is beef and rice bowl and I always say the name of order wrong but the people always help me out lol. Spring rolls is fire. The chai tea is very good. Favorite lunch spot.

Nicole J.

Yelp
I wouldn't get the strawberry matcha latte again. Way too expensive ($5.50) and only meh. Almost half the price of the katsu. I got the pork katsu which is only $14. The food is so delicious and the portions are HUGE. The katsu is crispy and unlike a lot of other places I've tried, it's seasoned. And it comes with a salad which I didn't notice. The salad is SO GOOD (cabbage, green onions and sesame dressing) and the gyozas were perfect. I wish I had tasted them while they were hot and crunchy. But they have a delicious chicken and green onion filling. I will return here. The service is really good also.

Emy V.

Yelp
The karaage chicken with rice was delicious! The rice was very tender and fluffy. Perfect combo. Will be ordering again.

Emmett T.

Yelp
Donburi is another one of the new food vendors at the Market on 8th food hall in National City. As one can tell from its business name, rice bowls were the main items on the menu. There were six varieties listed but only five of them were available for ordering. A few sides (e.g. gyoza, tempura shrimp) were also listed. The Gyudon was my rice bowl choice. The ingredients were thinly sliced beef simmered in a sweet savory sauce with half of a hard-boiled egg, ginger, green onion, and white rice. The meat was similar to what you get as bulgogi except the cut was thinner. The sauce was lighter than soy and not overly salty, however the flavor of the mixture was rather unremarkable. The food was prepared fairly quickly which was positive. For the value and quality, I gave my experience at Donburi Rice Bowls a 3.5 star rating.

Jonathan S.

Yelp
Massive portions for what you pay, it is easily two meals in one.the pork katsu bowl is worth it, super flavorful too!

Sharice W.

Yelp
Located in Market on 8th. Food was ok. I was visiting from out of town, not a place I would eat at again. I got the shrimp curry bowl to go which was super filling but not memorable. Food was prepared in good time.

Mieko S.

Yelp
Donburi is inside the Public Market in National City. The market is nice with lots of seating options, but the food at Donburi will have me coming back. The pork Katsu was perfect, with an amazing crunchy crust, and just enough chew to the pork to offset it. Served with japanese style rice, a great spring mix salad, some red ginger garnish and tonkatsu and kewpie mayo to top it. I got extra sauce, since I love tonkatsu sauce. Takoyaki was tasty as well, with lots of bonito. Can't wait to come back or get some food delivered.

Ren T.

Yelp
high quality ingrediens, your order is prepaired as you see ,if your in the national city area of San Diego its a must to try !

Dulce R.

Yelp
Our venture back to Market on 8th had us order from this lovely establishment. Upon making our rounds we had all opted to ordering a Katsu Pork Sando with Fries and a Meal Deal (forgot the actual name of the deal) which included Chicken or Tofu Teriyaki, gyoza or a Filipino cheesecake and a drink for $17.00. Also munchkin ended up getting chicken teriyaki. The owner was very nice and friendly and after taking our order, went to go make it and told us about 10 minutes, so we went to Novo to order some drinks. Made our way outside and our buzzers started going off. The food was still steaming as we finished it. The chicken was super moist and cooked perfectly, how chicken should be cooked! My son finished his meal before we were even half way done! He did say there was too much sauce for him, but I thoroughly enjoyed the amount of sauce! The gyoza was good and the sauce had a kick with the chili in it! The katsu sandwich was steamy and stacked! Super delicious! Will definitely be back!!

James V.

Yelp
So good! Perfectly cooked chicken thigh meat (skin on) with a balanced teriyaki sauce atop a bed of white rice complimented by pickled radish. Huge portion. Super tasty - great option amidst the many choices of Market on 8th.

Wisa T.

Yelp
Everything is yummy Good quality..enjoyed the gyudon, curry fries and karaage chicken..will definitely come back!

William-James M.

Yelp
Food was awesome, service was quick, and the overall environment was homey. Katsu curry was amazing! Definitely worth going to get homey food.

Saleen D.

Yelp
Located in the National City's new food hall. Gyudon Rice Bowl: Not enough meat for how much rice they give. It was literally a couple of strips of thin beef with a drizzle of sauce. My coworker ordered another item on their menu, & same thing, very little protein.

Theresa R.

Yelp
love coming here on my lunch break!! fast service and the foods always great! Big fan of the tofu teriyaki bowl and there in house yuzu lemonade

Jonisha J.

Yelp
Located in National City's newest food market, Bonburi Rice Bowls is a hit! I ordered the chicken teriyaki bowl and gyoza. You surely get your money's worth. The bowl is packed with flavor and has lots of chicken on top of the rice. The food is obviously fresh and comes our very hot! The gyoza was okay, but I honestly ordered too much food and don't think I got to give it a fair chance. Would definitely go back and highly recommend.

Madeline T.

Yelp
Fast service and a really good gyudon bowl! The rice has flavor as well, and had a good rice to meat ratio. The quantity is a bit less than other restaurants in the market at 8th but great quality!

Amelia P.

Yelp
I'm so so excited I found this spot. Food is so fresh and delicious. And price is just right. If you're looking for simple but delicious Japanese style bowl, trust me, this is the place!

Amy A.

Yelp
Customer service was awesome and the food was even better! I ordered the pork katsu w/curry. The portions are large for a bowl. I can't wait to go back!

Linh N.

Yelp
Portion, portion, portions! Here are great! The meat was so tender and flavorful. The rice was marinated from the sauce and the pickled ginger complimented everything completely. Other gyudon bowls I have are served with a mountain of rice and very little meat, but here, you get plentiful of meat and just the right amount of rice. Definitely recommend giving this spot a try.

Kyle T.

Yelp
$13 is pricey for a rice bowl but it was pretty damn good! It reminds me of the bulgogi marinade at KBBQ spots but long and thinly sliced making it enjoyable to eat! I would definitely bring friends here to try it next time!

Emanuel M.

Yelp
I love this place, stumbled across this place during my lunch break. 2 pork cutlets with kewpie mayo and sauce, with some sushi style rice. It's so savory and filling, plus the person behind the counter that helped me is so awesome! I'm glad I found this place their food is very comforting! And to finish the meal you have a cabbage salad with a sweet and savory sauce! Perfect end to top off everything

Edward L.

Yelp
Tasty! I got the curry Tonkatsu. Great amount of food. The cabbage salad's dressing was veeeery good. Place is clean. Staff were super nice! Great food + great staff + great ambient = Happiness