Niban Japanese Restaurant

First off, Tina deserves a shout out. She and the other staff there are too sweet and personable! They were so welcoming and friendly! As someone who was visiting from South carolina, Niban's hospitality puts "southern friendliness" to shame. Second, the food! Omg! Some of the BEST Japanese I've ever had! I don't eat seafood, but my friend i was with said her dragon roll was one of the best she ever had. My chicken teriyaki though?? Omg! The flavors!! It was so good I could cry 😭 if I lived in town, Niban would be a weekly treat for myself. 🩷 Prices are fair and portions are HUGE. This is definitely a must stop if you're visiting or live in the area. Next time I'm in San Diego, I'll definitely be stopping by again!

Food was great. I'd been jonesing for oyakodon for months; when I saw it on the menu, I was happy. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The egg wasn't quite as sweet as in other places. It certainly filled the bill for me.

Myself and my husband came in for a sushi date. Nice, quiet and traditional. It is a pay first then they bring everything to you, which was nice. Service was great, the cashier Kelly super nice and friendly. We had the Hawaiina Sushi roll, Caterpillar roll, Miso, Sapporo & cold Nigori Sake. Everything was great! Thanks guys!

This restaurant is the site of the most abominable, poisonous, hideous food eating experience I've ever had the monstrous pain of experiencing. The rice was hard as a bag of bricks, day-old and microwaved to a radioactive husk for us to eat. The sushi roll was alright. We didn't receive empty plates at all, only given plates that things were already on. The fried dynamite roll was absolutely mutated beyond recognition into a grotesque and frankly macabre eyesore. This is most egregious in the form of the 'Dynamite Roll' not even being a roll, taking on the form of 'slop' instead. It was served in a tinfoil boat of sorts, and reeked entirely of fish and no other flavor. This is because it had the flavor of fish and no other flavors. Not to mention it was chock full of fish bones. I'm convinced that they have a net in the garbage disposal that they use to gather the ingredients for this.

I rarely give low rated reviews. It wasnt a busy night. We werent greeted or helped. We were just looked at without smiles. Actually, they were laughing at us and the kitchen staff was called to look. They noticed I noticed thats probably why we weren't approached or greeted. *(my date was way taller than me.) We sat ourselves. We were only helped when I stared at 1 server and raised my hand. The food was okay. Very affordable but not much flavor. Some dishes you get a lot for how much you pay compared to most places.

Came here with my wife, she doesn't like sushi so when we go for sushi somewhere I need to be able to get a bento. She got the chicken terriyaki and shrimp bento. To quote her "Best Bento I've had in a while." We ordered the fried gyoza and garlic edamame, both were good. I got the orange blossom, fried calamari, and rainbow roll. The rolls were good but the sushi rice could be seasoned a little bit more. There wasn't very much rice on the rolls and they were big so they were really a great value. Servic was crazy fast. I'll definitely be back.

Food was amazing. I got the steamed goyza and it tasted great. I also got the green tea ice cream and it might be a new favorite.

The service, prices, and atmosphere were all great. The woman at the cash register was so kind and offered us table service since we had our dog and baby. She made the experience special. My husband got the bento C and he really liked everything. Unfortunately, I got the sushi lunch and didn’t love it. Typically I love ahi nigiri, but I found theirs chewy. All the other fish were good.

This is my favorite sushi spot !! The service is fast and friendly! My go to is the lion king roll and seriously it hits the spot every time! The restaurant is a little smaller and sometimes you have to wait for seating but it is always worth it!

i love niban it's my favorite sushi place. rainbow rolls are one of my favorites. But I really like the bento plates. Unfortunately tonight I had a not too nice dry patch of mustard. Tea was luke warm..other than that, food is some what consistent. And enjoyable.

I have been dining about once a month at Nipan and stopped in about 6:30 PM today and ordered the mixed vegetable and shrimp tempura. As I sat at my table, I could see the kitchen staff working. It looked like one was microwaving frozen food and didn't give it much thought, however, when my tempura arrived, it was all mushy. That was my frozen tempura dinner being microwaved. All it takes is one bad cook one time to loose a customer forever. Why would they risk that and getting this review.

I used to be a regular here when I was growing up but I stopped coming as much once I moved out of San Diego. I revisited the place today for memories sake. The portion and quality of the food has gone down. This place used to be packed with customers. The sushi would fall apart easily, making myself question the quality of the food. The rice was dry as well. Additionally, the portion of the food used to be a lot larger than it is now. As for outside and inside the restaurant, I would say parking is fairly easy to find. It seems decently clean outside and inside the restaurant as well.

Its their udon noodles, just different toppings. The stamina is broth is light. I believe its their mushroom broth. Comes with chicken, slice of fried sweet tofu,shrimp,2 fried gyoyas, 3 pieces of imitation crabs, half boiled egg, white sliced onions, chopped green onions with a few little pieces of choped broccoli. Great choice if u want noodles that aren't heavy. I gave a 4 star instead of 5 bcz its not as good as their curry version or the tempura udon.

I recently dined at this sushi restaurant and was thoroughly impressed. The service was quick and efficient, ensuring that I didn't have to wait long for my delicious meal. Despite its swift service, the prices were surprisingly reasonable, making it an excellent choice for those on a budget. The staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating, adding to the overall pleasant dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great sushi in a welcoming atmosphere.

We used to go to this place not only for their rolls but also for their Pork Katsu Curry. We were not disappointed. It has one of the best Pork Katsu Curry in San Diego. The Pork Katsu Curry with 3 rolls almost fit our $50 date budget except that we ordered an additional Calamari appetizer. So our total bill reached $60. Why did we order extra Calamari, because the pork in their Pork Katsu Curry was not enough to finish all the rice that came with it. Perhaps they should add more meat. So I'm giving our total experience 4 stars only.

This is a great spot to come for their daily/lunch specials. Japanese food for around 10 dollars. It's pretty much the same price as fast food, but much more like a meal. Their service was really nice too. This is more for the price than the quality.

Delicious food at a reasonable price. Bentos here are the best in San Diego. Definitely recommend.

Check out Niban Japanese Restaurant YUMMIE TASTY AFFORDABLE Yum yum Sushi Night Embarking on an Exquisite Gastronomic Journey at Niban Japanese Restaurant! Step into a realm of #JapaneseFlavors at Niban Japanese Restaurant in Clairemont, San Diego. The miso soup and hot tea greeted my senses like a warm embrace, preparing me for the culinary delights that awaited. Feast your eyes on the Dynamite Dragon and Paradise Roll - a fusion of tradition and innovation that danced across my palate. The intricate details of each roll were a true work of art, reflecting the mastery of Japanese culinary craftsmanship. As I indulged, it felt like a symphony of flavors performed by an orchestra of taste. The balance of textures and tastes was a true homage to the essence of Japanese cuisine. The ambiance transported me to the heart of Japan, and the staff's graciousness elevated the experience to perfection. At Niban, every dish tells a story, and I can't wait to immerse myself in this culinary narrative once again. #JapaneseCuisineMagic #SushiSensations #UmamiAdventure #ClairemontEats #NibanJapaneseRestaurant

pretty good prices but don't expect spectacular sushi. the menu states some rolls come with anywhere from 10-18 pieces but it's really the same standard roll size, but cut into smaller pieces. everything is pretty reliable so it's just a nice place for a sushi fix if you don't want to pay crazy prices or wait in long lines. they were nice to offer extra sauces free of charge with my takeout order. the hawaiian roll was probably my fave. the baked sushi was actually not a roll, it was rice stuffed in a tin foil bowl and topped with fish and crab then baked. lol. I prefer the version with pieces instead.

10/10 super nice staff and really good food!! Their specials are really affordable and the quality is great :)

Post workout and Convoy was too crowded with no parking. This was an easy place to park with no wait time. If you've never been here you order first then take a seat. Had the Combo C that came with Miso soup and it was filling. Combo C had chicken katsu, shumai, shasimi, nigiri, California roll, salad and a little noodle thing. I liked it. They have a nice selection of special rolls but after the gym I didn't want to overload. What I ordered was good enough. The workers were great. Helpful and attentive. I'll be back to try some of those special sushi rolls. Mel M Yelp 22:23

I remember coming here for a weekday lunch and there was a line out the door. This time I came at opening time Saturday and there was one party in front of me. Nice employees took my order and were quick getting it out. Fried gyoza had a thin crunchy won ton wrapper with delicious meat and veggie filling. Loved it. Shrimp tempura had a crunchy tempura coating with tender juicy shrimp. Very good. The 2 appetizers made for a good size lunch. Looks like opening time on the weekend is a great time to visit Niban. 2nd visit. Fried shrimp came with a crunchy panko batter. Loved the flavor and texture of the light and crumbly batter. Shrimp were fresh and tasty. My fav shrimp dish here. Mixed yakisoba was a mix of chicken, shrimp, cabbage, and broccoli. Egg noodles had a nice mild flavor enhanced by the classic yakisoba flavor of the sauce. Chicken was tender and plentiful. Shrimp were small and plentiful. I enjoyed this dish and appreciated how there was alot of chicken and shrimp. Staff were friendly and got my order quickly.

Our server Tina was a delight She was friendly and came over a few times to see if everything was perfect with our meal and saw to see if we needed refills for our drinks Thank you Tina

This is your basic order then find a seat place with EXCELLENT chicken Katsu that is juicy and crispy. They serve generous portions for every thing on the menu! Sushi is super fresh and the bentos are great combinations The dinners always come with a green salad with the most excellent ginger carrot dressing ever! (I've been seen often licking the portion cup and lid clean...) Eat the orange slice! I've never had one that wasn't sweet and juicy. I frequent Niban at least once a month for take out. The only thing missing to make it as authentically Japanese as possible are the little salted plums in the sticky rice! Will never not eat here!

Our favorite japanese restaurant. Great food hot or cold. Staff always nice and welcoming.

We stopped by this place on a whim, on the way back from Mexico. Oh my goodness... what a gem! CHEAP prices, esp for the amount of food you get, and the fish is fresh! There are also daily specials for money off certain items on the menu. It ain't fancy, but we loved it. My only gripe is I wish the thickness of the fresh fish, on top of the sushi was thicker. We'll back back.

Ok so I have gone to Nibans for YEARS. Unfortunately the last SEVERAL times it's just disappointed. We get a mix of sushi and non seafood options as a family. The sushi is usually correct, the beef for the teriyaki beef bowl has been consistently weirdly chewy, or just rather gross. I went yesterday at lunch time, it was very slow. The woman taking the order I THINK is new, or I hope so. She was confused on alll the pricing and I think she I putted things incorrectly bc people would come and clarify repeatedly. The food came out at odd times, such as one dish came out when most of the items were already eaten, I had to ask if it had been made, if not to cancel it. The shrimp tempura appetizer was soggy on the outside and cold on the inside. The avocado rolls had less then green avocado, the steak was ok but we received a bento box and not the bowl we ordered. Overall it was not great, again. Here is the thing PLEASE go to Ichibans in PB! It's the same owners but the food is significantly better!! When we Grubhub ( which is often) it comes from Ichibans and it's consistently delicious!!!!

They've been around for some time and have created a following. Good fresh sushi and Japanese cuisine at a reasonable price.

Was a little skeptical at first because we saw the restaurant has an overall B grade... as it definitely needs to do some remodeling. I really wish I could've given this restaurant more... but unfortunately their soft shell crab roll was not a hit for me. I wasn't exactly expecting the crab roll to have its actual shell in it, along with its claws? Maybe that was the point but it just didn't taste the best. When I eat crabs, I typically stray away from eating the shell AND it's claws. Other than that, my boyfriend and I shared the special of the day which had teriyaki chicken and fried gyoza... fried gyoza was okay, but we enjoyed everything else included. Also shared some stamina noodles and that was good! Other than that, gonna stay away from that soft shell crab roll...

Been our fave since the 90's! Spicy grilled yellowtail, chicken teriyaki and all the sushi is always so fresh! Love this place!

Good place for sushi, bento and bowls! The girl at the counter was super nice and since it was our first time, she took the time to explain the menu and specials for the day. Food was tasty, definitely will be back!

Another restaurant I've been coming to since I was a kid, so review is long overdue. For the most part this restaurant has been consistent with their flavors over the years. I've ordered here for lunch and dinner and have found that the rolls that I ordered during dinner (months ago) was so skinny and small compared to the roll I ordered during lunch (months ago on a different day). When I ordered 4 rolls for dinner for my boyfriend and I, we ended up having to drive over to McDonald's across the parking lot for a second dinner /: it wasn't always like that... But due to that experience, I only come for lunch or I only order bentos. I love the bentos here because it provides a mix of sushi and something fried. I'm a fan of their bento B and C. Bento B has some fried seafood (shrimp and fish), fried shumai (I substitute the steamed own for my own preference), California roll, sashimi, cooked salmon (pretty small/thin slice that's normally over cooked but I'm ok with that lol) and rice. They used to provide a bean sprout salad and a noodle salad but no longer do :( but there's a lot of food provided so it's ok! Bento C has chicken katsu as the fried item and different sushi items. I also really like their crunchy roll. It's different than other crunchy rolls because it has salmon and eel inside instead of tempura shrimp! This is my fave roll here. They also have daily specials! I normally call ahead for to-go but I have dined-in. Another aspect that's different when you dine-in, is that you order and pay before you find a seat.

Excellent food! I had a delicious Baja Roll, and my hubby had the chicken teriyaki bowl.All of it was very good,service was great too!I highly recommend checking this Japanese restaurant out!

Been going to this restaurant for over 20 years. Still AWESOME and delicious as always, same great service and quality Japanese food reasonably priced. I'm sure I have a lot of their food pictures from the past but this place knows consistency and quality food. They have always made sure their food is fresh and that they hold high value what they serve to you. That's why they have been around for such a long time. Like us, they have many loyal customers that would travel a good distance just to get their food. Highly recommend!!! ! Make sure you check the restaurant hours as they are closed for a few hours in between the day.

My family and I used to come to niban often when I was younger. It was always so crowded, there was usually a line to wait. It's not like that nowadays. The amount of sushi shops now is a lot more than what it used to be. Also the quality of Japanese food has gotten better over the times so neon is no longer one of the top dogs. I still do enjoy their food though. I've never really been disappointed with them. I know I can always come here for a good meal. Plus the staff always treat you with kindness and willing to help you when needed. The decor hasn't changed over the years it's just very simple but feels nostalgic. some of my favorite dish throughout the years was the katsu don with pork, the baked roll, pork katsu Curry, and the dynamite roll. Nevine was where I first started to love nigiri. I learned how to eat raw fish with the salmon here. One bite and I was hooked!

Not as good as I remembered it growing up, but still worth eating at if your in the area looking for a bite. They have daily specials they write on the board near the cash register with trying. There's plenty of seating indoor and outdoor and it's a very kid friendly. The sushi is okay here we got the Hawaiian roll, Shrimp tempura and a rainbow roll, nothing out of the ordinary here. We really love the chicken Katsu here and is our go to meal. Staff is still friendly and service is still good.

Their food writers the review. We drive from Vista, the restaurant hasn't changed over the 20 years we have been coming here. The only bad thing I can say about niban is that they are not open until 5 pm on Sunday

This sushi place is my exclusive go-to option--consistently my top choice. They go out of their way to accommodate my allergies, and the staff is unfailingly pleasant. The presentation of the food is aesthetically pleasing, and, most importantly, it's incredibly delicious. In my book, it deserves a rating beyond the usual scale--10 out of 5 stars.

Best place for sushi and bento box!! The is always fresh and good . We get the dragon roll it's delicious. We also get the teriyaki chicken and shrimp tempura bento box .. the bento box portions are great I can never finish it all .. such great food mr and the hubby love this place !!

Great food, consistent over the years. One of my favorite lunch spots. Fast and polite service

Great food and great service! Reliable place and consistent every time we went. Will sure be back.

Pretty good Japanese food. Lunch special recommended was the chicken teriyaki special. Just under $10 with plenty of food. I could not finish the salad or rice, however, the chicken was probably one of the best teriyaki dishes I can recall. Good food and good prices. Plenty of sushi options as well to try next trip.

Niban was the first place I tried sushi....seems like a lifetime ago. I remember my 1st visit where I mistakenly ordered a Philadelphia Roll (not knowing it had raw fish) I thought the Wasabi was avacado and my nostrils really felt the burn. I used to love getting the Chicken Katsu and Fried Seafood mix here. Fast forward years later I came back to try Teriyaki Beef with a side of Seafood Mix . The beef was fine and loved the little noodles on the side where I haven't seen anywhere else. I missed the taste of little zingy noodles. I think that was one of the reasons why I wanted to come back. The Seafood Mix made me sad. It was overcooked. One piece was so tough it had the consistency of an eraser. I couldn't even bite into it. I tried the Yellow Tail and it tasted just okay. It was nice to come back but the food wasn't as good as I remembered.

Down hill. Been coming to this place for over 20 years. Last two visits took over 40 min to get my food. Sushi just isn't the same. Must be a new owner. Tonight my server was wearing pajamas and walking around with a spray bottle. Last time I'll eat here ever again.

Dude stay away from this place!!! They are unprofessional and liars. They did not answer their phone from opening. And then lied about it. The girl at the counter attempted to force me to take my order after I requested a refund. I'm not going to wait 30 minutes because you chose to send out first the food people which are dining in. And then waste more time refusing to give me a refund. This is appalling.

Been coming here for years. They do an amazing job with the service. The sushi is very well priced and delicious. I usually get the fried calamari roll and my wife gets the dragon roll and they are delicious but we've tried a number of other rolls and they were delicious too. Their katsu curry is also next level, we love it and also the seaweed salad. Would recommend 10/10.

This used to be my go to spot but it's been years since I've visited! I recently had time to stop by to pick up some lunch before work. I got the orange blossom roll, dragon roll, salmon hand roll and the calamari appetizer. The food still taste the same after all these years. Definitely will be giving them another visit soon!

Had dinner there last night with some out of town friends. The food as expected was delicious and good as usual. But the table and floor were sticky. The table was still sticky after the waitress kept wiping it. Does not seem to be as clean as before.

We've been coming here for over 2 decades. Located in a small strip mall just in front of Walmart in Clairemont Mesa. Affordable, great service and especially great food! One of our fave sushi restaurants in San Diego. Be conscious about their operating hours because they close at 2pm and reopen again at 5pm.

Our go to quick and easy sushi restaurant. Definitely not high end or fancy but definitely has great and affordable sushi. They have great service and their Japanese curry is wonderful!

The food is great for the price, been coming here for like 15 years...place is awesome

This use to be a good place but come-on $15 for this sad looking orange blossom!!! I just don't understand, this place used to be so delicious and their orange blossom was the bomb. Now it's sad, falling apart and there's hardly anything besides rice in this thing. I'm so incredibly disappointed!

One of our favorites when we are in San Diego. The Bento box and potato croquettes are the best! Sushi is good as well with real chefs preparing the food. Prices are very reasonable.

The shrimp curry is one of my favorite dishes. They are open for business during Covid19 and you can dine outside on the patio, although most people order to go. Call and ask about seating if you're dining in.

Niban has been one of my goto spots for both dine in and takeout for a long time. I love that they always have their daily specials. You can call ahead to ask what the specials are as they are usually busy and it will take a while if you order togo at the restaurant. Normally I like dining in because I feel that they give you more in the combo bentos with the little salmon and bean sprout side dishes that they don't include in takeout. The quality of food has stayed the same for 5+ years now. I enjoy this type of no fuss japanese food and will continue to support this business!

This use to be my favorite sushi place in San Diego but since COVID it is not the same. The restaurant was either purchased by someone and kept its name or they lost the staff that made it good. Almost every time I call they don't answer. I've had to drive there to place my order. I come here at least every 3 months and spent $60-75 on my to go order. One of the times they gave my food to someone else and I had to wait an additional 30 minutes for new food to be made. Fine. I get it people make mistakes. But not answering the phone? Or having call waiting or two lines for a business in 2021? Come on. The final straw was tonight. My husband and I both got really sick. This has happened to us before but thought it was a fluke. I'm done. This is a disappointment but what can you do? The staff is clueless and the quality is gone. Sad day for me to say goodbye to Niban.

Not sure how I've missed this place for so many years! Just recently found it and have already been back four times. Reasonably priced chicken teriyaki bento box that is much better than some other bentos nearby at much higher prices. My current favorite bento. Tried the chicken katsu curry tonight and it was also good and reasonably priced. Definitely recommend that you give them a try.

We love coming here for sushi. The servers are very nice and friendly.