Love Boat Sushi

We came here on a Monday afternoon and the place was quite empty. We got seated immediately. We ordered the takoyaki, Spicy salmon cut roll, El diablo crunch roll, and the Mango mango roll. The moment we sat, we were asked what we wanted to order when we hadn't even had a chance to look at the menu yet. We weren't given any bowls for the soy sauce and wasabi. Through the meal, there seemed to be two servers who managed all the tables but didn't talk to each other to see if they had already taken care of the table. We gave our order to one server and 1-2 minutes later, the second server came by asking if we wanted anything more. So service seemed a little off. Onto the food: the takoyaki was ok. I don't it was made in the traditional way because the balls were very uniformly round. We also didn't find a piece of octopus inside so we imagine that they used an octopus meat paste or something. The yogurt based sauce with it was delicious, especially the seasoning powder on it, and we enjoyed that a lot! Among the rolls, the spicy salmon roll was a good solid roll - decent size, made to be compact and tasty. The Mango mango roll was just ok. It mentioned avocado, wasabi and siracha but the mango overwhelmed everything and it was quite sweet. The El Diablo roll was good but too big! It was NOT spicy even though it is supposed to be one. The tempura shrimp was nice but a little lost in all the flavor. We ranked the rolls as spicy salmon > El Diablo > Mango mango. The wasabi was not fresh but had a kick to it. The ginger didn't have much heat. All in all, this is a decent place but nothing to rave about. Ambiance is quaint modern. Lots of parking since this in the outdoor mall area. Parking in front of the restaurant is on 30 mins so you might have to park a bit away and walk.

Such a clean and fancy sushi place! Their sushi rolls are like works of art. When I eat them, I experience creative and unique flavors. You definitely have to enjoy the adventure. They have so many amazing sushi rolls to try. I love this place and have visited many times, but I still haven't tried all the rolls. I highly recommend the 'Spring Fling.' It looks like an afternoon tea set, but with dessert changed to sushi! It's so fun. It looks beautiful and tastes amazing. You must try it!

I visited this sushi restaurant with a friend, and the place was incredibly clean, with a much tidier menu than other sushi places. We ordered three dishes: the lettuce roll tasted very fresh, and the lemon roll had shrimp that tasted freshly fried. But above all, the standout dish was the “Stand” menu, which felt like attending an afternoon tea party. I’ve never seen sushi presented this way before. I highly recommend trying the “Stand” menu!

Stopped at this sushi place ordered steak hibachi it was ok. Came with salad that looked like no effort was made to make it. 2 gyozas they were ok but only got two. Rice was good. My boyfriend ordered the lunch combo I will say tempura was delicious. Overall it's ok place to eat if your hungry just passing by.

Really great spot. Looks like they have fresh wasabi, I should have asked for! Try the different sake creations. Seared albacore salad was so tasty. Had like creole blackening seasoning. The French kiss was also great. The rice is replace with crab Mayo mix. I wish the menu had more options, more steak nigiri options, etc. but was tasty overall. Great service and got quite busy during lunch time.

It's all fancy now since they remodled, but the fun seems to have left the building. The service was pretty bad, and the place wasn't even busy! The food was just ok. Overpriced for what you got.

Awesome sushi spot in San Marcos! Service was top notch and the food was perfect! Plating and presentation was superior and artistic. Tempura was crispy and edamame was warm and not to salty. The chef was able to do a california roll on cucumber instead of seaweed for me (i do not like seaweed) . Most places wont do that, so I was super pleased. The French Kiss was fresh and thick and wonderful colors. The place was clean and tidy. The decor was attractive. It was moderately crowded at dinner time, but service was prompt. Parking is plentiful but crowded.

The rainbow roll had to much rice and had a fishy crab stuffing. The Philly roll was good. The Geisha roll was not good at all. It was to much crust, it was very thick. I couldn’t really taste anything else. The blue crab appetizer had a rotten fish taste. Had to send it back. The atmosphere is nice, they just need to get a trained sushi chef.

This is my go to local sushi spot in San Marcos. Their service is great, everyone is so friendly and upbeat. Every time I order 'to go' they are so so fast! I order the same roll every time: yellowtail mania. Trust me, this is by far my favorite. The fish taste is light but just enough, plenty of flavor, and just the right amount of crunch with the jalapeño!

Good: Service was great. We were greeted and seated fast. Server was on point and friendly! Presentation: Great overall. Atmosphere was cushy and ethnic. Bad: Sushi. My wife has the spider and the geisha. Spider had a mushy texture. Geisha she felt was very breaded. I had the surf and turf and I'm not sure if it's the juices from the beef but it also tasted mushy and not balanced. The Spider was probably the best but it tasted very bland. We're sushi lovers and have ate everywhere from Hawaii, Japan, East and West Coast. This wasn't it. The sushi rice is supposed to hold its shape and texture and not "mush" by a slight touch. Not very flavorful. We must have came in an off night because of all the stellar reviews. We just didn't enjoy.

My family comes here often. Nice little sushi restaurant with good food and decent prices. I usually got for the dinner combination with sesame chicken. Very yummy, even my picky 6 y.o. loves it. They seem to have short term wait staff so we have had mixed experiences with service, but we will surely be back.

Honestly, the best fresh sushi I've ever had anywhere. My wife and I will not go anywhere else. We always know we're gonna get the most delicious fresh sushi or a wonderful, hot steamy bento box and the food is delicious every single time. The salmon asparagus roll is awesome!

Not my favorite, I won't be coming here again. I was dissatisfied with the quality of fish it was not good. The sushi was really just not up to par. They even brought out my roll with a piece of hair on it so I had to send it back.

My partner and I decided to have an early dinner at Love Boat Sushi since my friend had recommended it to me a few years ago. We arrived when it was fairly quiet, and we were given the option to sit inside or in the patio. We opted for the patio even though the interior was clean and well-designed. The server was attentive and kind. Typically, for these types of sushi places, we find there is much more value in ordering rolls instead of nigiri. I noticed the pricing of the rolls is similar to what it was before inflation hit, about $6-12 for house rolls and $13-20 for specialty rolls. We decided on getting two house rolls (California and spicy tuna) and a specialty roll (caterpillar). The house rolls came out first and the first thing I noticed was the ratio of rice to filling. These rolls had more filling and less rice compared to other places I've been, and that was a pleasant surprise. The spicy tuna was delicious (albeit pretty standard) and the California roll was made with real crab meat. This was a first for me - everywhere I've been always used imitation crab meat! The caterpillar roll came out as we were eating, and it was good (again, pretty standard so no complaints here). All of our rolls were balanced and seasoned well, and the textures were spot on! We really enjoyed our experience and would visit again.

Ordered via DoorDash. ETA for pick up was 30. Dasher waited 60. Still wasn't ready. 2nd dasher delivered and all the hot items were cold and soggy and the sushi tasted fishy. Will never order again.

Strictly on Service or lack there of. Upon sitting at the Bar I inquired on who I order sushi from, the wait staff or the sushi chef? I was informed to order through the sushi chef. I received my first and only order of a spicy scallop hand roll. And then the sushi chef disappeared. Close to 15min I waited. Two other chefs were on the far right corner discussing and working. I was approached by the wait staff near the 15min mark asking if I was waiting for food that I ordered. I said that I wasn't and informed "nobody has helped me in nearly 15min." I quickly got an apology, "Oh I'm sorry." I then asked for my bill. I received another apology. Wouldn't it have been better to assist me in ordering more menu items? All this right after 12pm on a Saturday. I was the only patron sitting at the bar. This review is for anybody who wishes to hear my opinion...

Best sushi I have had in a long time. Great service too! Highly recommend Apparently I need 85 characters for Yelp reviews. But I stand by the above sentences

Delicious Japanese food on a date night with my beloved:) Fresh, yummy sashimi, amazing wasabi sauce, decadent Brussels sprouts and saved room for Mochi ice cream!

My daughter and I came in to get a quick bite because we love sushi. Waiter took our order and then 2 parties of 4 came in AFTER we ordered. ALL 2 tables got their food. We still had not a bite nor had anyone checked in with us. Finally asked if the waiter forgot our order? He was no where to be found. I told them to cancel our order after waiting over 30 minutes for 1 roll and 4 nigiri pieces. They said they were "working" on it. I have worked in the restaurant industry for years so I have patience but if something like this happens you comp the meal. Especially if it's such a low cost. I WILL NEVER GO back to this place. Plenty of other delicious sushi restaurants. If I could give 0 to this restaurant I would!

My friend brought me here last night after a day out. Small place. Good food. I didn't take pics...oops. My friends had a couple of rolls and I had the salmon Kama, cucumber salad, miso soup and baked mussels. The star of the show was the service. Dalton was amazing. Very nice. Very attentive. There was a delay in the kitchen with the mussels and he was very apologetic. Took care of everything we needed promptly. His team mates were also good helping each other out. A+++

Delicious place with good service. I came here on a mother son date with my 5 year old. The service was quick and the food was tasty. So good that my son asked to come back. I've been a fan of this place for years, the only negative is that I don't get to visit as often as I would like to.

I just ordered $135 worth of sushi. They charge you $4 for a cup of rice. Four dollars. And yet how much rice do they give you? Less than half a cup. Absolutely absurd. They won't see another dollar from me.

I like NEVER write reviews...but I had to with the level of service I got from Marissa this last visit. I just recently tried this place a couple times - the roll I tried and continually get is the Summer roll (excellent, flavorful, and very fresh). I've only ordered to go. Staff has always been pleasant - but this most recent visit I had my 10 month old and I'm pregnant, so going into a restaurant for a to go order is definitely an event in itself! I spoke/ordered with Marissa and asked if she would be willing to walk the order out to me. She totally did which was so very kind of her and I SO appreciated it!! Service like this is not common anymore and it definitely didn't go unnoticed! Thanks again, Marissa!! I'll definitely be coming back!

This is a family favorite and staple! During the pandemic we got really desperate and ordered for delivery and it was still good but for the best taste, going in person really is the best choice. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. I finally had a chance to take photos for a proper review before the vultures descended on the food Their sashimi plate is delicious, fresh and melt in your mouth! The portions for the dinner and lunch entrees are generous and filling. Another cute detail is their udon is served in a boat shaped bowl. It really makes for a great dining experience!

We love loveboat! We sit at the bar and order a few rolls, french kiss roll is super bomb. I also love their gyoza and miso soup!

Definitely mediocre sushi. It's not the worst ever. But it's also not that good. We had the spicy tuna roll, crunch shrimp roll, scallop roll and dragon roll. The bonito flakes on the dragon roll was weird, had too much imitation crab in it and not enough eel. The scallop roll was bland AF. Definitely no. The spicy tuna was as expected but too big. The crunchy shrimp roll had way too much tempura flakes loaded on top making it overly greasy even after we scraped it all off. Service was good and friendly though.

The ambiance is adequate for any sushi restaurant. It's not over the top it's quaint and comfortable. The sushi is exquisite. I have never had bad sushi here I try almost everything and they have great cuts of fish, nice and thick. It always tastes fresh and I have no complaints. Service is too notch. They are typically busy and very attentive. If you find yourself in San Marcos stop by.

Quality has dropped. Ordered a California roll for my daughter that fell apart. The rice also didn't have a good flavor to it, I think it dat around a little too long. Salmon roll was sloppily made and it's clear the chef preparing the food was rushed.

Good food, reasonably priced. This is our favorite sushi restaurant I feel like it is the best sushi place to go to

Food (5/5 stars): I highly recommend Love Boat Sushi's Padres Roll. That soft shell crab hit the spot--very crunchy and flavorful Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: a tad pricey but worth it * Wait Time: minimal on a Sunday for lunch (party of 2) * Service: good and friendly * Parking: there's a parking lot * Ambiance: it's a nice and modern restaurant

Unfortunately the quality of their food has not met expectations. Sushi rolls are loosely rolled with uneven rolling of the rice which appears to be slightly uncooked. Specifically, the Summer Roll segments look good on the plate but the cucumber outer ring quickly unravels and the roll falls apart. The rice base for sushi pieces lack consistency in size although the fish tastes freshly cut that day. Eel sauce was missing from my order of eel pieces and had to settle for diluted soy sauce. Disappointing.

All of their sushi is amazing and super fresh. Love the staff attention to detail and the summer roll. So delicious.

First time here and all I can say is, Great staff members and great food. We(wife) and I enjoyed our dinner night there as we celebrated our 8 year anniversary. Plenty of space to sit. We chose to sit at the bar. And Carlos was such a great staff member asking if we are doing well. Overall 10/10

Food was excellent as well as service. The dinner combo meal was scrimpy on the teriyaki salmon compared to my wife's chicken protein. Portion size should be improved only two small bites of the teriyaki salmon and it was gone.

Great lunch spot. Been here twice. Will come back again! Sushi was fresh service was Fast highly recommended this place

We ate there for dinner without a reservation on a Tuesday evening 6:30 . We were able to get seated after we walked in . Definitely less busy than I've seen it on a weekend. Waitress took our order and severed our drinks and dinner within 10 minutes so quick. The shrimp crunch roll was different to me since it tasted sweet like there was a honey drizzled on top of the crunch . I ordered a beer but it no wasn't very cold , they may need to offer more beer selection to the menu too . The crab wontons was the most delicious item I tried . Prices were reasonable too .

Soooo sketchy, they do not answer their phone. Do not complete orders. There's a possibility that they might be privately owned so buyer beware. Spoke to Daisy at the Oceanside location who said they were not part of their sister restaurants anymore. Been trying to call them for 3+ hours from multiple phone numbers. Did not provide product, but took our money.

The food was not very good. The service was spotty. Our water arrived in styrofoam like cups filled to the top. When the cups are picked up, they squeeze together and water spills all over. We asked the server if we could have real glasses, as we saw them on some of the tables. The response was, "I'll have to check." Go figure.... Our server was not the one who delivered our food. Nobody came to check to see how things were. When we were all finished, other servers cleared our table, and then our server showed up and asked us if everything was OK. We used to go to love boat sushi quite a bit before Covid and haven't been there since. But now with the way things have changed there, I doubt we will ever go back.

The sushi was delicious and the cucumber salad was the best cucumber salad I've ever had. Our waiter, Dalton, was definitely one of the most friendly, attentive waiters ever. The same night as my first visit there, I contacted a friend who lives nearby and made plans to go there the following week. I couldn't wait to go back!

Our favorite sushi restaurant! The Hawaiian roll is our absolute favorite. The ambiance is nice and as is the service.

Excellent sushi and staff! We regularly get take out from here and it doesn't disappoint!

Great service and delish sushi, with many different rolls to choose from we enjoy the Mexican roll, perfect amount of spicy!

Surpassed my expectations. Big menu choices. I don't eat seafood, but my family loves sushi. And I was blown away of all the choices there were. Definitely coming back.

My husband and I came to this location for the first time. Our usual spot is the one in Oceanside. Here i had the sushi mango mango. It was really good. Our waitress was kind and quick with our food. The ambiance was okay. I expected it to be a bit nicer inside. Great customer service though. The walls of the booth need to be cleaned, and one of the tables in the middle is not balanced. Overall great experience.

This location is better than the Oceanside location. We decided to get sushi again because we love it & we thought we'd stop here for dinner since we were in San Marcos. Not realizing this is the same chain place as the Oceanside location. Staff was nice & atmosphere very kid friendly. First, we wanted to order soju... so the waitress said she'll check on it, and then she said they were out of all soju... which was a bummer because y husband really wanted it. Anyway, we proceeded to order, got the shrimp tempura for app, which was okay... not the best especially for pricing. Next we ordered the kids mixed tempura for our daughter because we're trying to get her to try new foods... of course she didn't want anything but the rice... but all well. But let me just say that was a lot of good for a kid. Which is great. However it said it came with miso soup and we didn't get it, when I realized that bowl was just tempura dipping sauce haha. But all well. We had already boxed our food and payed the bill. Next I got the summer roll because it's one of 3 that had no rice... it okay tbh... I've had better rolls with no rice for a way cheaper price. Next my husband got the crunch shrimp and geisha roll and he liked them both, but gave the geisha to his friend later. Overall not a bad place, like I said bigger and better location than Oceanside.... I've just had better sushi for cheaper pricing. Pros: great portion for kids menu. Friendly staff & clean presentations on good & restaurant. Good variety on menu. Cons: some rolls & foods are way overpriced for what they are. Didn't get everything in meal, out of popular drinks.

I have been wanting to give this place a try as it has been 10+ years since I last went here. We went on a Saturday evening, there were tables available, and the three of us were seated quickly. Our server was friendly and happy to make recommendations. We ordered garlic chili edamame, while I would not order this again it was decent. We had a few rolls, summer roll, Albacore delight roll, and crunch scallop roll. Nothing for any of these rolls stood out, while not terrible, not good. Something tasted a bit off on each, not like bad fish but possibly whatever sauce was being used. As one who tends to "overdo" it at sushi, this is the first time that I can remember leaving and still being hungry. I left feeling that maybe I should not have revisited again after all these years.

Plenty of crunch to it ! Called the order in before I arrived said it would be done in 10-15 but I got there in 3 min and it was ready right away ! The place is in a nice area and it's a great place to get lunch !

The sushi was delicious! We ate sashimi, a sunshine roll, and a hurricane roll. All were amazing. The only thing that is preventing me from giving a five star is a combination of the back-to-back crying baby ambiance and aloof staff. The girl who brought our food almost plopped it on top on another plate when she was in a rush and didn't look. The only check-ins we're to see if plates were finished. Moderately busy for a Tuesday night. We were in and out in 40min.

I had dinner there yesterday, I spent last night and today at the hospital for food poisoning. We called to speak with the manager of the restaurant, no one called back. STAY A WAY don't be fooled by the number of reviews they have.

Absolutely enjoy this place. My friend said I see about once a month. This is our go to spot when there is no space and we get to sit at the bar. It's probably our favorite because It's the crew is super funny super gray chatty giving the best recommendations it's such a good time. The food is delicious.

I ordered via Yelp and picked it up as they don't deliver. Our order was ready when we arrived. Ordered... Yellowtail jalapeño roll PGA roll Chicken teriyaki I had requested and paid for extra eel sauce but it wasn't in the bag. Both sushi rolls were very fresh and tasty. The chicken was a bit dry with very little teriyaki sauce drizzled over part of the order only (came with rice, miso soup, and salad). I'll probably be back to eat at the restaurant but will only stick to sushi/sashimi.

Great food! Sushi chefs are on point. We always sit at the sushi bar and get great service and sushi. Thank you

The food was DELICIOUS, I tend to get the albacore delight and it never disappoints. I also really like their yakisoba it's very flavorful. The servers are attentive and the food comes out fairly quick.

Great restaurant! My favorite place for sushi! Always come here or the Love Boat in Oceanside! Get the Chef Specialty roll!

Still our favorite sushi restaurant. We even compare sushi restaurants when we travel back to 'is this as good as love boat?' Staff are always super friendly. Love the remodeled sushi counter. Very clean. The dynamite roll and playboy roll are always on our order. Love mixing up with different rolls as well. Can't go wrong, highly recommend!

Food was great and the service was even better 10/10!! Loved the energy in the restaurant!!

Found Love Boat on Yelp and went for it. Lots of parking, located in a plaza. We were seated right away. The bathrooms and dining area we clean and the decor was simple but nice. Staff was prompt and our food came out at a decent time. I really like the edamame!! My partner had the Hottie roll and was also very happy with it. We paid around 50 for what's pictured plus the hottie roll. Including tip.