Hinotez

I recently tried this Japanese chicken skewer place and really enjoyed the experience. Ordering is very simple because you can do it directly from your phone, which makes the whole process quick and convenient. Once I arrived to pick up my food, everything was ready on time and nicely packaged. The menu has more variety than I expected. In addition to the skewers, they also offer sushi rolls, rice bowls, and even noodle dishes, so there is quite a lot to choose from depending on what you’re in the mood for. The highlight for me was definitely the yakisoba noodles. They used chewy noodles that had a really good bite to them, and the flavor was savory and satisfying without being overly heavy. It tasted authentic and comforting, almost like something you’d find in Japan. The chicken skewers were also delicious. They were grilled just right with a nice smoky taste and tender meat that paired well with the dipping sauce. Overall, I think this is a great spot to grab Japanese comfort food at a fair price. The portions were generous, the flavors felt authentic, and the convenience of ordering straight from your phone made the experience even better. I’ll definitely be going back!

Have been going to Hinotez for years. Love the food. Good sushi rolls, excellent grilled salmon (especially with the lemon garlic sauce), tempura, very tasty fried oysters and tried the grilled shirito peppers this time. Yummy all around and I've lived in Japan and can tell you the food is on par. All of this and the prices are reasonable. I recommend!

Ordering is done through an app for individual or group ordering. The beers was tasty. The food and service were great. Definitely coming back

A hidden Balboa gem I don’t even know where to start. Prices are incredibly fair and the food is fresh, piping hot, and delicious. The skewers came in two and actually tasted like they were cooked over a charcoal fire. The ramen was your typical SD $15 bowl and was satisfying. Not the best in town, not the worst, but solid. The Sapporo seemed to be the only thing on tap and was about $6 for a pint. They also had a 33oz and a 60oz I think. The staff was fast, attentive, and kind. My friend and I sat and talked for a really long time and not once did they push the check on us. The ambiance makes me feel like I’m sitting in a cozy neighborhood Izakaya full of locals and regulars. The menu is digital and so comprehensive and well done that I read it three times before selecting my dishes. You place your orders through a web app and food comes out as your order. You pay your server at the end. I think this is the perfect addition to the prices, hours, and ambiance because it creates a space where you can order as you go - each thing coming out hot and fresh as you catch up and drink with your friends. I haven’t checked out the hidden speakeasy half of the restaurant but I heard you have access to the full menu. I think I have found my after work Izakaya and am excited to try the rest of the menu! P.S. It is next door to an amazing car mechanic. Quality Automotive, ask for Thanh, fair prices and honest mechanics. They don’t work on Volvos.

Great food, though I would have preferred less sauce on the chicken. My favorites of the evening were the garlic edamame and the katsudon. The only downside of our experience was the computerized menu. It was hard to navigate, though the staff was very patient in helping us.

My go to place for Japanese food. They have big variety of Japanese food. My favorites to order are the Yakitori, spicy Jellyfish, Any of the ramen, and the curry plates. Plus they are open pretty late. I have been going here for years and will continue to when I crave Japanese.

Definitely a good choice for dining late at night! The restaurant opens until 0 am as a truly Izakaya restaurant. Plenty of parking and seats are available. I tried the Zaru Soba with mixed tempura. The soba is great with the given sauce and the wasabi! The shrimp seems to be little in size. Tried several different Yakitori as they were cooked under my eyes. The pork neck is juicy while the lean and fat part could easily split. The Eggplant is soft and juicy. The Beef seems to be not tender enough. The Chicken Liver is just all right. The meal is really great after I finished my workout. Spicy Sesame Maze Soba is the hot soba with the pork belly, too much fat inside! The Chicken Momo is just all right. The scallop is a little bit strange from my side.

Yakitori was great, excited to finally have The Premium Malts again on draft after having it in Japan a few years ago.

Love this Japanese restaurant where you find your cravings fulfilled . Whether it be sushi, ramen , yakitori , curry , they have it all My personal favorite ( only when the grill master is in ) is a few skewers of yakitori. My 3 go to's are; Chicken momo ( thigh ) try it with sauce Beef yakitori - plz pay the animal respect and choose the salt option Last but not least the pork shiso - the ume paste on top just explodes the bite with flavor

After seeing family and friends coming here so often especially for late night eats, finally got a chance to try this place. Came for happy hour (M-Th, 5-7pm) with a friend and was pleasantly impressed. They have plentiful parking in the back. Huge booths and an iPad with seran wrap for items not included on the happy hour or weekly deal menus. I hope they change the wrap after every table because that'd be superior in my books. They have a small section for happy hour of appetizers, drinks, and basic sushi rolls. Of course wanting to try a lot of things at once, I over order. We ordered the avocado tempura, a Philadelphia roll, seaweed salad, another fresh roll I forgot the name of that's not on happy hour, and an assortment of yakitoris such as bacon wrapped asparagus, chicken thighs, squid, scallops, beef, pork belly, and some other pork with basil wrap. I brought home leftovers and my son loved the yakitoris. Will definitely be going back for some late night eats whenever I'm in the area.

I really love this spot and am shocked that they don't have higher reviews. Everything we have here is amazing. Some of our favorites: * Spicy jellyfish salad * Gizzard Yakitori * Chicken Heart Yakitori * Spicy Miso Ramen Although, everything we tried was really good. Love the dark ambiance. Fast service. They no longer do ordering through the tablets. I wish they did yakitori to-go! They even gave us free ice cream and mochi for a birthday celebration, and that exceeded our expectations. The matcha with the syrup on top -- 10/10

If you are a large group, good luck being seated! Once waited over an hour. We were gonna leave but the food made up for it! I went a few times with only 2-4 people & got seated within 10 mins. Great servers, we didn't have to get their attention. I get the same thing almost every time.

This is one of those places IYKYK. I don't understand the 3.5 rating. Maybe you are all just bougie. We come here generally for the yakitori. Pork shiso is the move...maybe these 3.5 star reviews eating the basic b*tch menu items you normally get at Japanese joints. Cmon man The staff are always accommodating. First time we had cocktails and the sake flight was legit. Come here...enjoy yourself and the great Japanese food

Huge selection of dishes, all were fresh, hot and tasty. Very helpful server with descriptions of dishes and answering questions

I love how this is such a chill place to go out with friends! Unlike most places in this area, they have a a parking lot available on the side. I also really enjoyed the drinks, my personal favorite was the Southside. Anytime I have someone visit me in San Diego I like to take them here since it's such a lowkey vibe.

We came right at opening at 5pm on a Wednesday and were the first ones so we were seated right away. Certain appetizers and sushi rolls were $2 off for happy hour so we got the fried gyoza and crunchy roll. The gyoza was perfectly delicious and crispy and the crunchy roll was yummy as well! We also ordered the chicken thigh and pork skewers and both were so tender and flavorful! Lastly we got the karaage don, which was a pretty big portion so we shared, and it was great as well. Overall, everything was delicious and service was fast and attentive. I would definitely be coming back!

Been wanting to come here for a while! My sister and I were the first ones there and seated right away at opening time (5PM) on a weekday. Select appetizers and sushi rolls were $2 off for happy hour so we got fried gyoza and a crunchy roll. The gyoza was delicious and perfectly crisp and the crunchy roll was great! Also ordered chicken thigh and pork skewers which were super tender and flavorful. Lastly, we also ordered a karaage don bowl, which was huge for the price! Service was fast and kind as well. I will definitely be coming back!

We were introduced to this place by my brother and his girlfriend. We enjoyed drinks and small plate items and they were all delicious! I especially liked the plum wine, quail eggs wrapped in bacon, and pork skewers. The four of us had a great time and my boyfriend and I plan to return on our own. We look forward to trying other items including their sushi, other small plates, and maybe dessert. Service was friendly and at a good pace. We had a few servers helping us on rotation. The ambiance was cozy and nicely themed. Menus are on a small screen at your table, otherwise scan their code on the table or business card to view the menu on your phone. We were here on a weekday night and it wasn't crowded nor was there a wait.

Twenty minute wait for a Saturday night, not bad. We had three different servers all apparently had a good memory since they brought everything we asked for. *impressive* Had ramen, edamame, fried gyoza, some chesse balls (not a fan of octopus so I opted out), the sushi was really good, forgot the name of it but it's the only baked roll and it's spicy 10/10. I was thrown off by the iPads with the menus on every table covered in plastic wrap. Aside from that inside is cute and cozy, would come again.

Hinotez has been my go-to spot for years when it comes to yakitori. I haven't been in a while and see that they have changed a few things. Including menu iPads at each table and inflated prices. Total cost for 3 people: $150 (including tip) Give or take, it was about $50 per person. We were pretty full afterwards. Recommend skewers: - Brussel Sprouts - Chicken thigh - Bacon wrapped asparagus - Pork Shiso (with plum sauce) Overall: If you're craving a late night yakitori experience I highly recommend stopping by hinotez. Some of the prices for the skewers were crazy expensive. I believe the beef skewer was 2 for $11. So crazy! Keep track of what you get because it can add up quick but this is a great place to go with some friends and if you want to share food and drink. The plus about hinotez is they not only carry yakitori but sell traditional homemade Japanese meals you don't normally find in a restaurant such as omurice, ochazuke, and more.

I was craving Japanese food and I wanted a place with a lot of options. I stopped by Hinotez, it was a solo trip. Parking was easy to find since they got a whole lot for their facility. It was a busy Sunday night, which is a good sign. The host greet me and sat me fairly quickly because I was eating alone. I sat at the bar area near the entrance, they have a tablet as their menu. It's easy to read and follow. I really wanted to try something different I order a spicy sesame maze soba and it changed my life. It was delicious, I never had dry ramen that is topped with sauce, it was so savory. I order chicken liver yakitori which is so tender and yummy. An order of beef tongue which was good. Service was really quick and easy, all the employee were attentive and made the experience worth it.

Came here on a Friday evening with 2 of my friends. We did have to wait for maybe 15 minutes which wasn't too bad. We were seated and after putting in our order, the food started arriving. In addition to the photos we got below, we also order the fries that had some toppings, curry, and udon. The general comment we all had was that the food was extremely salty. Maybe we came on a bad night or something. But it was a lot. Also, for the skewers, the options are to top it with a sauce or salt. One of my friends ordered hers with salt and it was really salty. The Tako Yakisoba noodles were good -- not overly salted, however the takoyaki tasted like they were predominantly the flour than any other filling. Ultimately, I'm not sure if I would return, like maybe try it again because, like I said maybe I came on a busy and off night.

I love getting the gyudon here, it's one of the only places that serves it and stays open late. Their chashu fries are pretty tasty as well. I'm not a fan of their ramen but it doesn't matter much since I always want the gyudon anyway!

Very cool speakeasy close to Convoy! Delicious food and drinks! Loved the Yakitori menu and variety. Great service even though it was busy. Will be back for the omurice which was sold out.

This place has three different names. It's quite confusing. I think we went to the OG location, but since we wanted to order online one of the waiters told us we have to come to this location which has the same name. USA Yakyudori, but when we arrived it was actually called Hinotez. Anyways, hopefully it can get sorted out because we drove around for a while. We ordered online around 8:30ish and they said to come pick it up around 9:15pm. It was a big order.. I ordered the takoyaki and steamed dumplings. The takoyaki cooled down on the drive back to the house. And I can understand why they wouldn't dress the tops of it. But it was disappointing to see. The usual toppings weren't all there, just a packet of mayo and the other brown sauce. I wouldn't order these again unless I'm eating in. The steamed dumplings were small and lacked flavor, the ponzu sauce didn't help much. It was decent tasting inside my spicy tonkatsu, but other than that I'd wouldn't order it again either. The spicy tonkatsu was really delicious. I have only had the instant one and it doesn't even reach the level of a real one. This flavor had depth, and the spice crept up on you while you ate. I love that it came with sweet corn and the pork (I think) was melt in your mouth. I omitted the green onions. The gooey egg was so delicious!! I wish I ordered more of it. Overall, I'm sure it's a lovely restaurant to sit down in. If I get the chance again I'd do that for the full experience. We ordered food for 5 people with two appetizers and the total came out to be about $75. 4 tonkatsu (2 spicy and 2 regular), steamed dumplings, and takoyaki. 3-4 stars!

It's 2023...and the Great American Labor Shortage is causing most restaurants to have to open later and close earlier due to staffing issues...its touch finding a non-chain restaurant meal after 9pm. Hinotez, however, is the one single Japanese restaurant in San Diego that is open until MIDNIGHT!?!? Say what??? Gawd Bless! $5 Fish Skewers...not filling, but fun and tasty! $8 Meatball Skewers...I think these are chicken? Who knows, juicy, meaty, and tasty! $12 Karaage Don...I've had better Karaage, not too much crunch here, but still satisfying. $10 Mixed Tempera...a nice sized plate of crunchy happiness, and it included four shrimps! $13 Tonkatsu Ramen...disappointing! It was very average in taste a quality, and the bowl was rather small! Nowhere near as good as a dedicated Ramen shop. Best to stick with the other food items. You order food through a touchpad, but the waitstaff were all friendly and helpful. Also Hinotez gets popular after 1030pm...there were over a dozen people waiting for table by the time we left. Come to Hinotez for quality late night food!

I used to come here for years and the food quality dropped drastically. I'd rate the food a 2/5 but bumping the overall rating to a 3/5 because staff was friendly/attentive. Highlights - Authentic Japanese interior (makes you feel like you're in Japan) - Order from an IPad - Staff is attentive - Open late Low lights - Yakitori here is seriously just skewers on a gas stove. Overpriced and inauthentic. - Ramen is just okay (3/5) there's other places that have better ramen in the area - Overall food quality isn't great Used to be my go to spot but unfortunately I won't be coming back.

All from the greatest of recommendations, I had dinner with a friend right when they opened at 5pm. It was actually a perfect time to go because happy hour was until 7pm and there was tons of available seating (loved our booth with high seats to make it more private). You order everything through their iPad and it made it super convenient and easy to order whenever you wanted and the food came out pretty fast. Even so, the staff was very attentive and checked up on you often. I've never had jellyfish or soft shell crab and they were both so good!! I was really tempted to keep the orders going but had to stop myself from going overboard. The variety on the menu is extensive and I really want to try the ramen and rice dishes next time. Based on what we ate, I know the quality of meat and fish is going to be amazing with anything on the menu. Thank you for having us!

Late night snack and this place was still pretty busy, we ended up waiting 30+ min before we were seated. We stopped in to get something light and left stuffed. Pork and asparagus skewers are always a staple and the fries alone could have been an entree itself. Will definitely come back to try more items from the menu.

Tried the steak and chicken skewers from here at the Taste of Japan event. They were tender and flavorful but small for the price (came out to $18 for 4 skewers). Service was decently fast and can't speak to the restaurant's ambiance.

Just a heads up- I'm writing this review for the bar that's in back, not the restaurant. I like being able to relax and talk with my friends when I go out, so usually lean towards the "speak-easy" types of bars. Hinotez's bar fits this bill. It's not super big, but the seating is laid out perfect to avoid overcrowding. There's bar seating and then couple smaller tables and couches. The staff is very friendly and attentive (but not too much so), and they have a HUGE selection of different Japanese spirits. The menu is pretty straightforward, but he bartenders are also willing to make requested cocktails if they have the correct ingredients. I'll definitely be back.

Ambiance: a taste of Japan in SD! Very Japanese forward aesthetic and taste. Great casual dinner spot. Recommend going on a week night early on as my friend has been here and it's busier on weekends. How to's: - You can ask to sit in the traditional tatami mat room (shoes come off, there are cushioned seats for you to sit around the table floor style) which only has two tables or most of the other tables are normal dine in seating with dividers. -Get there early if you want to sit in the traditional seated area! -We went on a Monday night at opening (5 pm) so everything came out fast and we found parking easily + sat in our preferred area -Parking: has its own lot and easy to park -order drinks with servers but otherwise.... There is an iPad with plastic cover that they change out every day or perhaps every few table turns at each table. Touch screen works great, and you can keep ordering and submit multiple orders until you are ready to pay, which is when you can ask your server to finalize the bill that they will bring to you. Food: All great quality and amazing! Went with a few friends for a casual dinner so we ordered a few dishes each. The rolls are yummy, typical specialty rolls like a similar dynamite roll, California rolls, tempura rolls etc just may have diff names. The touch screen iPad menu does not tend to describe what is in the roll so you may want to prepare to ask your server when they come by. Otherwise, there is a variety of Japanese food from yakitori, appetizers like takoyaki and edamame, specialty rolls, nigiri, don bowls (rice bowls), and ramen (both udon and soba noodles). You cannot wrong with anything here. Service: our servers were very kind. Our main server was the best; she checked on us enough but not too much. She was able to split our check for our friend for business expenses which was very nice of her to ask the manager and figure out a way for us to get that payment. Appreciate her great service! All servers were nice and food came out much quicker than expected. Overall, definitely support this local business. It's great for friends and family and is a nice dinner spot.

I thought it was okay. The udon and the katsu curry were not fillingC and didn't stand out in any way. Go elsewhere.

I've been coming here for years, a lot has changed but one thing that stays consistent is the ambiance. I was actually a bit disappointed this time with the food as I feel like a little bit has changed such as the portion for the takowasa or even the noodle and broth for the Niku Udon. Not 100% sure if it changed but I think it did. The service was fast though.

My friends and I love the matcha sochu!!! Sooooo good. Service is great and food is so good too

I've been a regular customer here for at least the last 6 years. We used to love this restaurant but over the last few months we have noticed a decline in food quality. This was my wife and I's favorite date night spot. We would go to the bar area, and order food and drinks. We can no longer do this as the bar side is now drinks only. We ordered food on the restaurant side, no problem, but the food quality has dropped off. The pork cutlet curry rice had the driest piece of pork cutlet I think I've ever had. I've had juicier microwaved pork cutlet from the nijiya market down the street. They've cut back on their drink menu and many of our favorite drinks are gone. The rice was overcooked and is no longer Japanese short grain rice. It was dry. Everything felt like microwaved leftovers. We considered this restaurant one of our top 10 San Diego restaurants, potentially only being beat by their sister restaurant Hino, but now we are labeling it under "Stay away". Severely disappointed. I don't know if it's because there is new management or the existing management is neglecting this once great restaurant. Service is great, the workers are doing everything they can, they deserve better. . Ambiance is great, hip and urban.

Atmosphere: nice. Music not too loud. More like background noise. Service : prompt and friendly. Wait staff apparel looks more like they work at whole foods or trader Joe's. Food: takoyaki was tastety 5 out of 5 . Black garlic ramen had a strong garlic flavor,which was awesome. 4 out of 5 Spicy kontasu ramen was good. 3.5 out of 5 Recommendation: yes give it a try.

Very quick to get a seat and a server was to us right away to get our drinks.. a dirty plate did not sit long on the table and our glass was never empty.. sushi was delicious and the rice was hot! My husband loved the sashimi and the crunch roll was nice and crispy.. it wasn't too loud so we were able to have a nice conversation.. great for a date night!

I came her with my cousin. She told me she loved this place for ramen and since it was raining, it was the perfect time to go! Once we got there, the line was LONG! But we decided to eat at the bar and there was seating! I ordered the pork ramen spicy (delicious), a California roll, and the teriyaki chicken. They ordered some meat skewers, another roll, and drinks. I tried everything and NOTHING WAS BAD! It was sooooo good! The bar is also so beautiful with lots of Japanese bottles.

There are lots of young folks eating here especially college students. Price is right for the style of fusion Japanese food. I liked the Keto sushi using cucumber instead of seaweed and rice sushi. Service was a little slow but they tried.

I didn't know this place existed! what? it's not located in typical Convoy street but it was a hidden gem. We were here for late dinner and was able to be seated right away on Friday. They have a fairly large parking lot right behind the restaurant. Service was top notch! the lady explained each of the drinks to us and gave us recommendations. There's a screen you use to order anything you want and even call for service. However, some buttons didn't work on the screen so we had to call for service for some things. We ordered some sushi, yakitori, drinks. Honestly I thought food was meh. Nothing really special but it was pretty pricy. I could've eaten more if I wanted. One great thing about this place is there are a lot of options besides sushi and yakitori and they open till late!

One of my favorite places for Japanese skewers and drinks! This place has a great ambiance with comfortable booths. It is pretty dark in there but I think it makes a great vibe for dates and hang outs. Their yakitori is in the expensive side and they don't have that many varieties to choose from. I especially liked their scallop yakitori. It was perfectly seasoned and not too salty! Their nigiri was not bad, however, the sushi rice was really mushy. It stuck to my mouth like glue. Overall, their service was good and quite attentive to our needs.

Came in on a Friday night with a pretty long wait time so my friends and I sat at the bar for a bit to waste time! The bartender was very helpful with our questions. The lemon hi drink was really good and basically tasted like lemonade. Once our table was ready, I enjoyed how easy it was to order on the tablet! Our food came out pretty quickly and was super yummy. The bacon asparagus yakitori was a big hit with our table!

Beef tenders were inedible... what happend? I've been coming here for the last decade and it's been going downhill for awhile now. I usually order the beef tenders and another yakitori item with rice. These are usually the best items on their menu. Unfortunately the yakitori was over cooked and I didn't even finish my order. Such a shame, this place was always good back in the day. If management is listening, please make sure whoever is cooking the yakitori that they have proper training.

LOVE Hinotez's spicy miso ramen and loaded fries but I cannot eat their sushi rolls. Either fish is not fresh but twice it tastes odd to me. As a frequent customer I know well enough to get my ramen (cheap and fairly fast made) and fries and stay away from rolls. Hope this will help you with food selection.

Had a great experience here despite it being a very busy night, they sat our large group relatively quickly. No reservations sadly but it all worked out. Food was great and service good. They had some issues processing our payment but it got sorted after a bit. Allowed us to stay longer and chat with each other while we waited :)

This is my go to spot for amazing Japanese yakitori and drinks. The bar is fantastic and the food is delicious. They make great old fashioneds! I go there at least once a month :) if not more

I love their cocktail options and got the Kyoto Sour which I definitely recommend! We got a lot of yakitori options which were great, but the pork neck was my personal favorite. They have happy hour options from Sunday to Thursday from 5-7pm. We were able to catch the tail end of the happy hour and ordered the takoyaki, which was delicious! I look forward to coming back to try their sushi menu!

It's been a couple years since I last reviewed and it's definitely changed a bit and is now one of my favs for my family. There's something for the entire family to eat. Kids love the ramen and the pork katsu while mom and dad can get some sushi and yakitori! A win win for all! Kids like the iPad ordering as it makes it fun and easy to order without having to wait for a server. Great spot for dinner and late night eats!

Food is a hit or miss but you can't beat that it's open so late. Also the wait time is pretty quick. Docked a star because I always order the tonkotsu curry, and it took a while for it to get to our table.. just for the meat to be super super chewy. This is like our 6-7x coming here so yeah it wasn't the best that night. On the other hand I tried their lychee alcoholic drink and that was sooo good! (: will still be back!

Usually when I see an establishment hovering around the 3.5 mark it gives me pause, but I have since learned many yelpers have given places 4.5 stars that most definitely didn't deserve it.. So on a friends recommendation, (which in this case I do trust) I tried out Hinotez. My usually spot is YAKYUDORI, but it is smaller and can be hard to get into. I find as long as I go fairly early and during the week I have no issues. As far as the food the two places are similar in ways, with some exceptions. Hinotez is not as aggressive with the salt, so I can actually taste the nuances of the food. Pretty much all the skewers are hits and I have tried MANY. I would prefer a ordering system that sits at the table, instead of the wall, because depending on the table it's a little high for my short stature. Also the ordering system can be tricky, and sometimes you end up with a double order of something, so be careful. One must know that if you like your bank account to have money in it, this may not be the place for you. It can get expensive quite fast, especially when trying different small plates. It is fun that you can have a variety, and share among your guests, but it also has a price tag. Parking here is easy, but the place can be easy to miss from the street... Again I can't say anything for Friday nights or weekends though but I have heard it gets packed All in all I think the place deserves more than it's rating reflects. I have been several times now, and it will be my go to place for skewed goods. I haven't had a poor experience yet.

Came here with a friend in town looking for yakitor. They do have happy hour on week days and had a sizeable selection of drinks and appetizers. HH prices are pretty good and we loaded up but as mentioned we wanted to try the yakitori. Everything came out piping hot which was great, not overly salty which is a plus. They have several beers on tap made it a great experience. Service was very attentive and we were able to order additional items. I'd say it's a 3.5 star based on our experience. HH definitely worthwhile. Do go early as there was a line forming before opening time.

I love the floor seating in this restaurant! So cool! Restaurant is clean, small lot in the back and super attentive servers. You order everything through an iPad which is fun! I loved the yakitori and the miso ramen i got! Sushi was tasty here too!

It was about 10 pm and since a lot of restaurants were closed by this time, my friends and I were looking for a spot to grab a quick dinner. Hinotez happened to pop up and we decided to check it out. Since it was around 10:30 pm when we got there, there were only a few parties and we got seated immediately. Something cool about this place is that you can order through an iPad; however, we quickly realized that they only limited us to ordering two servings at a time. The wait staff here was super nice and took our orders. I got a combo tempura udon. The udon itself wasn't anything special, but it was good. It reminds me a lot of a home-cooked meal and feels very hearty. The tempura was pretty good, however, my one gripe was that it was a bit greasy. Service was quick and we were in and out of there within less than an hour. TLDR: homey cooked meals, great for late night, and does the job.

This place has been a staple for my group to go eat after Comic Con on the last night. This year we went and it was a welcome treat after not going for so long. I missed it! They have a great amount of yakitori and most us delicious. I felt like the squid had no flavor, but the liver, asparagus wrapped in bacon, and quail eggs were delicious. I also had the mixed tempura which had a light battery and a wonderful dipping sauce. There is quite a bit of parking in the lot. Be patient on the wait to be seated as they are usually very busy.

The service is always friendly, quick, and helpful! There are so many different vibes within the restaurant to choose from. Sitting in a booth, at a bar, or shoeless on a raised floor. The kimchi was super good, the bacon wrapped asparagus is delicious, but the sushi was a 1/10. We got the Hinotez and iron man rolls, they were both drenched in ponzu to the point where it just tasted like salt, the rice was falling off, and the rice was dark dark brown. Both rolls were also sitting in a puddle of sauce. Maybe ask for the roll to have no sauce cause that really was the only problem. To end on a more positive note, get the fruit sandwich dessert because OMG so good!

Pros: 1. The prices are reasonable for the main dishes. 2. The fried chicken karaage bowl was very tasty - chicken and batter were just right. This was my favorite item on the menu. 3. Overall our group had a good time eating there. Cons: 1. Wasn't a fan of the fried brussels sprouts. Normally I love this dish when it is peeled and then pan fried, but this one was the entire whole vegetable that was coated in batter and fried, so when you eat it it is still quite hard. 2. I didn't like my yakisoba, which is normally my must-have dish at every restaurant. I can't quite pinpoint why... if it is the noodles, or too much cabbage that is too large and not cooked enough, or because the chicken was a little bit dry... maybe all those things adding up. 3. The ramen was just OK to me, the flavor wasn't that strong and the noodles were not my favorite. 4. Some of the dishes took a long time to come out (although some came out quickly, so it was inconsistent).

This place is def at least a 4.4 rating. Way better than some of the other 4.5 stars restaurants that serve yakitori. I don't know why they're at 3.5 stars bc I come here on a biweekly basis and absolutely love their yakitori. I agree that some of their Japanese dishes aren't the best but they have many options and the good ones far overshadow the bad ones. Because I'm a regular, I feel the need to do them a justice. It's my favorite place to be in at late night. Service has always been good and consistent for the past year I've been here. They play good Japanese pop songs as well.