Tanuki

Located in the Kensington neighborhood of San Diego, this Japanese restaurant has a variety of tapas and sushi options. They also have several types of sake. We had the shrimp tempura roll, avocado roll, Karaage, pork gyoza, yellowfin tuna collar, and baked salmon roll. When we arrived, they asked if we had a reservation we said no, so they took our name for party of 4 and told us 20 minutes. 3-5 minutes later, they sat us at a table, gave us water, and menus. Two minutes after that they told us our table was for a reservation, and they needed to move us. They moved us outside, then we waited quite a bit for someone to take our order. The food was good but did not “wow” us.

The service here was really good. The sushi was really fresh here. They treated us really nice and they were on top of everything that we needed. I will be coming back again. Thank you very much for the delicious food.

Unfortunate experience. I like to imagine on a different day our experience may have been different, but this was very disappointing. We were told 20 minutes wait for a table. Not an issue, we didn’t have a reservation (could not find a way to make one online or even info on how to. Restaurant was closed so couldn’t call). We were happy to be seated within 10 minutes, only to be told we had to get up!! Less than 5 minutes later because they gave us a table meant for a reservation. They shoved some tables outside together for us and then promptly forgot about us for 10 minutes. Came back, hurriedly took our order, and then never came to refill waters, see if we needed anything, or wanted to order more. Halfway through the meal someone finally came to turn a heater on (it was cold) which was the only real service we experienced the entire meal. Food & vibe was good but nothing remarkable. Disappointed by this experience. We live in the neighborhood and would have come back, but certainly will not be returning now.

Small neighborhood sushi spot with great sushi and sake! The sake specials are something to definitely take advantage of! Unfortunately the bang bang corn was not in season during my most recent visit, but we’ll be back in no time. It would be best to call for a reservation, as they do get busy.

We've been here a couple times while visiting the Kensington neighborhood in SD. The server was polite and answered our questions even if she had to double check them. The menu is fun and offers lots of options. The drink menu is respectable too. The shishito peppers are my favorite thing here.

They/owner need to update their website info Especially about desserts which I don't really care about it because I loved their Beer but my friend who doesn't drink but lv sugar...that was only reason we went... BUT I'll go back 😋our server Truree(?)she was great compared to other one😆

Tried this place on a whim and the service and food was amazing. We ordered sake and the waitress allowed us to test the 2 we were deciding between before committing to a bottle. She recommended great apps and was super attentive. The sushi was great (got 6 rolls) and its amazing that miso or edamame comes free with EACH roll. So we had soup and edamame to go even. Prices are reasonable, fish is fresh and great, rice is tasty and ratio is amazing. All around a great experience- we went back the next day.

The food is fantastic and the service was even better. It was so good we went back the next day. For each roll you buy it comes with its own miso or edamame so it is a great value. As an avid sushi eater, this is a must. Plus there are tons of sake options and get to choose your own glass.

I can't say enough great things about Tanuki--the entire experience was so impressive and I highly recommend. We decided to come here last minute on a Saturday night around 7pm, and surprisingly it wasn't as busy as other reviewers had mentioned. Our waitress was so sweet and the service was impeccable. Now onto the food--we ordered quite the assortment as we were very hungry: - Toro Wasa - Wagyu Tataki Ponzu - Shrimp Tempura Roll - Spicy Scallop Roll - Udon with Shrimp Tempura - Octopus Nigiri - Scallop Nigiri - Sake Flights - Vanilla Eclair Everything we ordered was incredible--the only thing that fell short was the spicy scallop roll in comparison to the other dishes. I highly recommend the Toro Wasa (the wasabi is incorporated very well and not overwhelming at all). This is a smaller space and I think we got lucky with the reservations on a Saturday night, so I would recommend calling in advance as that doesn't seem to be the norm.

This sushi place is in Kensington and the decor is warm and inviting. Everyone that works here is very nice and attentive, and the service is wonderful. I ordered the Softshell Crab roll and they created a roll that included soy paper, tuna, salmon, and arugula I thought both rolls were ok and the quality of fish was good, but I wouldn't drive out of my way to come here.

We called and made a reservation for 6 people same day with no issues. They were able to accommodate a nice high chair for our daughter. Our server was prompt and made great recommendations. Everything we tried including the karage, beef wagyu, rolls, sashimi, nigiri, and tea were all excellent. The fish was fresh and great quality.

Found this cute little gem in Kensington and I have to admit I didn't know it existed because where it is. However, I am glad I found it. The place has seating indoors, outdoors and bar seating. The waitstaff was very friendly was attentive. Tanuki has a large selection of sake to choose from, but they do not have hot sake per se, but can make any of the sake hot. we tried the flight which was cold and it was delicious. we started out with a vegetable tempura, and I love when the batter is light and crispy which it was. we both had a salad which was pretty big and had one cherry tomato just lettuce that could be improved a little. We got the spicy tuna roll the Hamachi jalapeño roll. Both rolls were fresh tasting. Definitely can't wait to go back to try more, if you're up in normal Heights area or Kensington definitely try this place.

My love for Tanuki is on another level. This sushi restaurant has my heart. I am there at least 2 times a week. I have taken so many of my friends and family to Tanuki and, my team frequents there for lunches as well. I want to start by thanking the owner and his team for always being so kind, lighting up whenever I'm there. They call me by name, remember my order and all of the random sides I ask for every time I go and, take such good care of us. They make me feel so special. Thank you!! It means a lot to me and, it is one of the reasons why we always come back!! Everything we order is always so fresh and, delicious. I have yet to order something from Tanuki that wasn't really good! Now, let me just say...this is not your typical sushi restaurant with the random rolls that are fried and, have cream cheese and all the random extras. This sushi restaurant has rolls that are simple and fresh. What I ordered this time around: Iced Hibiscus Tea: So refreshing and tart. You can add sugar if you prefer but, I drink it as is. Sake Wasa: I order this every single time I go because it is so addicting. It is a diced sashimi Salmon marinated in a wasabi relish. It is not spicy. This is unlike anything I have ever tried anywhere else and is delicious! I will say that the portion is small but, great to have with any meal. Whenever I take someone new with me to Tanuki I order this and they fall in love. Salmon Teriyaki Bento: All bento boxes come with a side salad and, miso soup. The salmon is cooked to perfection and the teriyaki sauce compliments the salmon nicely. It also comes with a side of mixed veggies and white rice. The mixed salad comes with a creamy sesame dressing that is so good that I always ask for an extra side. At this point I have ordered pretty much every single one of their rolls and, love them all. Again, super simple rolls but, delicious and fresh. I have also had their salmon poke bowl and, it is also delicious and flavorful. The Vegetable Ginger Soup is magical. Whenever I'm not feeling well, I have this and instantly feel better. The portion is also small but, so worth it! The Ambiance is always so inviting and clean. The music plays at just the right level and, the owner always comes out to say hello.

Had a nice sushi dinner with some coworkers here on Wednesday at 6pm. We reserved a table outside because I had a pup with us, and they were nice enough to bring him over some water. They came over pretty quickly for drink orders and appetizers. I enjoyed my wine, and my friends enjoyed their beers. The sushi menu is smaller (not a long list of lots of crazy rolls, more of the basics), but it all tasted good and fresh. Everything we got was tasty. After our sushi was served the service was a little spotty, we had to flag them down for additions and updates, but besides that great dinner!

I may have to come here again, the place was packed so we had to sit outside which didn't bother us at all. The service was very tentative and the food came out in a prompt manner. We didn't really know what to get so we did order it a little at a time. Each little dish that came out didn't really quite impress me but it wasn't bad either. The sashimi cuts were really bad, I think I came on a off day when someone in there didn't know how to slice fish. I wasn't really full at the end of the meal it made me felt like I wanted something more. But however they still get a four stars because nothing was bad and well I did dine with others and they thought it was good. So that's good enough for me to give them a four stars. I'll definitely have to revisit this place. I might be missing something?

My husband and I like to visit this location when we want to get some good sake and small plates. The service is always friendly and bar seating is great for a casual night. We never make reservations but try to come early to avoid having a wait. The food is consistently good and the toro wasa is my absolute favorite!

The service here was really good. The sushi was really fresh here. They treated us really nice and they were on top of everything that we needed. I will be coming back again. Thank you very much for the delicious food.

I visited Tanuki on a cold and rainy Thursday night looking for some Japanese comfort food to warm me back up. There was a wait to get an inside table; the inside seating is pretty limited. The wait staff was extremely kind and gave me updates about the wait time and was able to accommodate us sooner than expected. The food was amazing! I love Japanese food; I've been to Japan many times and the food here is authentic but also some creative twists. I only took a couple pictures because I couldn't wait to eat but all the dishes were spot on. We had the crispy rice w/ spicy tuna, chicken karaage, agedashi tofu, and hamachi Kama. Extremely delicious! Thank you for the wonderful food and experience. Gochisosama

My husband said he wanted sushi for dinner. I said, say less. Thanks to the Yelp community, I found this hidden gem. Overall ratings is a well deserved 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. Came here on a Monday night with no dinner reservations. The waitress escorted us to outside seats since indoor were all taken, but they have heaters outside so it wasn't too bad :) Service was quick and attentive. She took our order quick and our food came out fast too. SAKE FLIGHT: $15 yummy trio with variety. Would order again. SPICY SCALLOP ROLL: Star of the show. Melt in your mouth kind of sushi. 10 out of 10 would recommend. SHRIMP TEMPURA ROLL: it was good, not the best I ever had. Wouldn't order again. CHEESE WONTONS: 100 Out of 10. Idk how they fried the cheese, but it is so dang good. Knocked my socks off. WAGYU TATAKI PONZU: Some of the best I've ever had. Tender, tasty and mouth watering. Would definitely order this again. Ambiance; cute and quaint. I love the area. The decor is nice too. It's not super spacious. I recommend making a resection ahead of time due to its popularity.

This place was solid. Everything we had was good. We definitely had some standouts though. Sake flight: was only 15 dollars so highly recommend. Each was different and tasty. Gyoza: tasted very fresh and was solid. Truffle French fries: delicious. Not sure what seasoning was added to this but loved. Will def get again! Karaage: very good! Sauce was phenomenal with it. The pieces were nice and crispy. Chicken katsu: our favorite item! The chicken was thick and flavorful and cooked to perfection. Corn: very very buttery! Solid but not spicy. We thought it was going to be but it wasn't (but we still adored it). Cream cheese wonton sticks: cream cheese lovers rejoice! If you like cream cheese def get! Crispy rice: this was okay. Still good but everything else was just SO SO good. Unagi nigiri: great! Eel was fresh and great cuts. Another stand out. Eclairs: these are Friday only and we're going fast. Special shout out to the cookie butter one! All in all our favorites were: chicken katsu, truffle french fries, karaage, unagi. Will def be back to try more though! Service was fast and excellent. There's seating inside and outside but recommend getting a reservation as on a Friday night there was a wait. Very cute small place. Parking is street parking but they also have a few spots in front.

Tanuki is a small sushi bar in the Kensington neighborhood. Six parking spaces were available in front of the building which they share with neighboring businesses. The interior decor was nice and modern with a Japanese raccoon dog statue near the entrance to represent the restaurant's namesake. Some outdoor seating was available if you wanted to dine al fresco. At the time of my visit, it was one of the rare occasions in which the chefs were not making sushi behind the bar. All the food was prepared in the back kitchen so you couldn't view any of the cooking or knife work in action which was disappointing. I guess the area behind the bar was temporarily designated for making and pouring drinks. The wagyu roll was unavailable because they had sold out of the meat. I settled for a piece of yellowtail sushi, a piece of unagi sushi, a spicy scallop roll, and a soft shell crab roll. The quality of the fish was good, but some of the prices were high. I didn't have any issues with the service unlike a few other reviewers which was certainly positive. If you live nearby, this would be a good spot to get a fix of Japanese cuisine and sake.

The service was very good. Our server did a good job with recommending some sake out of the large selection they had available.

The service was amazing, I loved our waitress! She was super sweet, checked up on us often and even suggested desserts. The Wagyu Tataku Ponzu was so yummy. We also got the Chicken Karaage, Truffle Fries, and not pictured but one of the rolls as well. The Chicken Karaage was pretty good, the roll was mid. There wasn't anything special about it and it was very basic for the price. On the other hand, the fries were so good!!! I would come back just for the truffle fries themselves. I ate nearly the whole order. We also got creme brulee and it was so tasty. I love creme brulee and this really hit the spot.

Came here on a Saturday night with a group of 6 and had a great time! Food: A lot of options for tapas so we got a bunch of things to share. Truffle fries and karaage were really good and we got double orders of those. Had a good amount of options for sushi so will definitely be back to try more of those. Service: Didn't have a reservation but were still seated fairly soon but just had to be outside in front of the restaurant. Servers were nice and consistently checked in with us. Ambiance: We sat outside so there wasn't much to look at but the inside seemed nice! Modern Japanese-style vibes. The dining room is pretty small though so keep that in mind as it seems like it can get pretty noisy and feel crowded. Water: Excellent water service. Water quality was standard but our server constantly came back to check and refill. Even refilled my cup when I still had a pretty full cup. Explained to my friends then and will say it again here: water service can really make or break a dining experience!

Nice quaint little place. Inside seating is maybe 30 people with some additional outside. Sushi was good, and wait staff excellent. Originally told our wait would be 30 minutes but we were seated in ten. Honestly I'm not a sushi guy but admittedly I thought it was quite good...for sushi. It is also a sake bar but due to a vocal cord issue I want able to try any of the many offerings. Looked like quite a nice selection so I hate I missed the opportunity.

The food was soooo good, it came out in slow courses, we didn't feel rushed and even placed a second round of food orders! It was yummy and cozy! Definitely recommend!

Good quality sushi and large sake selection. Like this quantity spot in Kensington for a low key night out. It's not too crowded and they don't have a lot of tables so you will want to make reservations over the phone.

This place was pretty good, but a little pricey. I will say that the truffle fries don't look like much, but they are perfectly crispy, thin, and flavorful! We also had the veggie tempura, and I think I would skip on this. The hamachi jalapeño roll was light and fresh, but I'd probably try something new next time!

Great little neighborhood restaurant. Wonderful to be able to walk over, have a great dinner and have a leisurely stroll home. Service was attentive but not bothersome. Quiet enough to have a nice conversation but not so quiet you feel like people can hear everything. Love the small plates so we were able to try different things.

My third time eating at Tanuki over the past few years, after the first two good experiences this one was surprisingly bad for a sushi restaurant. I've lived in Japan so I rarely eat sushi outside because it's usually overpriced and disappointing. But I had previous rolls at Tanuki and thought they were tasty enough. The American in me does like the sacrilegious California roll, so we ordered that with sashimi and a few tapas. The sashimi wasn't cut that great but decent fish, the tapas were okay, but the Cali roll was atrocious. The first thing sushi chefs learn is to make good rice, the phrase 'making good rice for 3 years and sushi for 8' is more or less the over 10 years of training some say are needed. The rice on this roll was so overcooked and not dried properly it basically became mochi. You can see in the images where with pressure it looks smoothed out, it absolutely didn't hold its texture on the palate. My partner was more horrified than me and after the first bit said I'm not eating that. I waited for our waiter to check on us before telling her the problem with the rice. She just said Japanese rice is like this, I was like hmmmm no, it's absolutely overcooked. After a few disagreeing comments, she asked if we wanted it taken back and I said yes please. She asked if we wanted something else, but half the menu is sushi which I would've liked to get but seeing how it would all come from the same overcooked batch of rice I said no thank you. I know more established restaurants are looking for cheaper labor, but sushi is an art form. We got the check and went across the street to get pizza after.

Everything here was awesome! We also had a sale tasting which was really cool! The service is great and it is a very cute place tucked away in the Kensington neighborhood!

Wow this place was fantastic! Great food and the server was really great! We ordered a handful of items! Crispy Rice: so crunchy and flavorful Chicken Katsu: Big piece of chicken, wish it would have come with rice. Wonton Sticks: Tasty, wish there was 6 instead of 5 for easy sharing. Bang Bang Corn: AMAZING!!! I would come back just for this!! Jalapeño Roll: Super good not too spicy! Sushi rice was well made! Creme Brûlée: So tasty!!

I just wasn't impressed with this place. The sushi was just ok. Nothing great. Below average. The edamame tasted like it came from Costco frozen section and just heated up. No flavor at all. The truffle fries were delicious however. Service was really good so that's why 2 stars. The service and fries!! The other menu items I had just missed the mark and not that great.

Neatly tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, Tanuki takes you by surprise. Authentic Japanese cuisine served in a unassuming yet elegant way, the dishes were tried were excellent. I did find the prices quiet high. Some of the dishes we tried include the: Karaage - fantastic crunchy exterior and perfectly seasoned chicken Cream Cheese Misozuke - loved this, very kid friendly as well! Shiokara - appreciate how we were warned about the 'fishiness' and texture, my boys were a huge fan of this appetizer. Rolls: Wagyu roll (special of the day, fired up table side) Hamachi Jalapeño roll, Shrimp Tempura roll and the Eel & Avocado roll My hubby also tried the flight of sake and really liked it. Looking forward to our next visit!

A friend was visiting from out of state and been researching a good rated and kid friendly place and came across to this one. Restaurant was located in Kensington and they have their own few parking spots outside of restaurant. Tanuki is a cute cozy restaurant with good services. We ordered: Vegetable tempura udon which was just ok but it's not salty like some other Japanese restaurant so it was good Chicken karage and rice, it was ok. Chicken was not crispy as I liked Fries, yes fries was very good. Thin warm just right amount of salt. Cucumber salad and house salad were ok For rolls, we ordered baked crap roll and it was pretty good. I like how they don't use nasty fake crab meat. Spider roll was good as well. Shrimp tempura roll was good too. They use big fresh chunk shrimps. Wish they put more avocado and cucumbers in sushi though. Salmon carpaccio was mediocre. We ordered few nigiri and they were fresh and good. It was pleasant but I wouldn't drive my way out to come here

This is by far the best Asian cuisine I've been to in San Diego area. The quality and freshness is unmatched. It's my boyfriend's and I's favorite spot. The service is great. It's a small family owned restaurant. The ambiance is relaxing and private. Perfect a date night!! A hidden gem

Being a resident of the neighborhood, we are regular at this place. Never failed to satiate our hunger. We have probably gone through the entire menu already. All are fresh, all are tasty. Quite little quaint place. Hope they had better cocktails like other Japanese restaurants.

The service was great, food was good, and I'm looking forward to going on the regular (we've gone 3 times so far)! Finding a good sushi spot in the neighborhood has been a struggle so we're glad to have found Tanuki! Cute spot for a casual date for a couple - the space is a bit cramped and not super romantic, but for a married couple going on a regular standard date - a good spot! One other time we went, the server and cook were different people than unusual and the service/food was a bit lacking. However, I'm glad this place exists and we'll just try to go when we know it's the server/cook we like. Their karagge is good, as is their tempura. Rolls are good - what more can one ask for? PS they do have a high chair available for parents wondering! You'll just need to hope they have it available. Since it's a small restaurant, highly recommend reserving ahead of time.

Made a reservation for a weekday dinner and sat inside. Our server was very attentive and helpful. Seating was tight inside but they had seats at the bar and heaters for seats outside. Food-wise, the favorites were the bang bang corn, hamachi, and the tanuki roll. The hamachi had lots of tender meat and the corn was hot and sweet. We also ordered the mix sashimi, the waygu tartare, the special for the day (salmon and chutoro, I think), and chicken wings. From a price point, the quality of the fish was worth the price. The plates are smaller portions and felt like a tapas style. Overall, the food, service and value was great, can't wait to come eat here again.

Came in for a late dinner on Saturday and was seated promptly. It is a small, modern, and clean restaurant with tables inside, outside, and at the bar. They have a large list of sakes to order from. Appetizers is where Tanuki excels. The sake wasa was exceptionally good - I'm a huge fan of takowasa so I'm very familiar with the flavor and enjoyed it with salmon. We also ordered the wagyu takaki which was excellent. We also ordered the vegetable and seafood tempura but wished there was more vegetables, the fry could also be more crispy. You also can't go wrong with the chicken karaage. Their sushi rolls come with real crab! Which is a huge plus for us because we don't like imitation crab. The rainbow roll was great and simple. The maguro jalapeño roll was good but we would prefer there wasn't so much of the chili sauce on top and the jalapeño was sliced thinner. Service was great, our waters were topped off regularly and our food came out fast. They don't have a huge selection of fishes here so this a great for people who are newer to sushi or for someone who wants something simple.

The quality of the dish's are A+, 10/10, two thumbs up. The fish tasted so pure, the mouth feel was sublime. My favorite item was my wife's fried rice + ahi. It was delicious. My secondary favorite was the shrimp tempura. The quality of the fry was perfect. The nigiri was still strong but my tertiary pick. The fish again was good but the quantity was tiny. $5 a piece for a portion that is half of what you may be served elsewhere. Every other part of the experience is well thought out. The tableware, the seating, the service, was all stellar. The catch is the prices. Everything is premium priced. Not so much a lunch spot, definitely a date spot. Tanuki strives at being the middle ground between your go-to weekday sushi spot and the higher end places like Himitsu or Nobu.

Service: 7 stars Food: 4 stars Ambiance: 4 stars I don't just say this. JP is the best server I think I have ever had. Friendly, attentive, personable. I'd go back just to have him as my server. Sushi is a little basic, but high quality for sure. Menu is small. Sashimi was top quality. Appetizers are of nice quantity. The shishito peppers were cooked perfectly but I would love to see them available in the same sauce as the spicy garlic edamame, just because they were a little boring with no spices or sauce. Also-- beer. I personally wasn't a fan that they only carry a craft lager and a craft IPA. I want Asahi, or Sapporo, or Kirin Ichiban. To me a good Japanese lager is a staple and Harland Japanese lager doesn't satisfy that. With that said, their Sake menu is plentiful, reasonable and delicious. Definitely make a reservation. We didn't know that, so we ended up sitting outside during the recent winter storm. It was fine, but with young kids it would be much more comfortable inside. Not their fault. Mine.

SOOOOO GOOD! I can't tell you how happy I am we discovered this gem in San Diego (Kensington area). The food, the service, the cleanliness, the vibe - all superb. The place is really great. Fun and well-thought out decor. They grind their own coffee beans and have a cute dessert station where they sell homemade eclairs. The service is also amazing. Our waitress was super kind and helpful, and the amazing chef came out himself a few times. The food. WOW! Everything was very fresh and perfectly and meticulously made. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's all delicious. The sake was also amazing. They have some unique options and the flight is a great thing to try! Parking is easy - they have a few spots and there are typically spots available around on the street. Love this place! Can't wait to go back one day!

Loved it! We are visiting from out of town, and we never knew that we would find this gem just 2 mins walking distance from our Airbnb!! The space is small, but it gives such a settling and calm ambiance. We arrived on a Thursday night around 6:30pm and we got seated right away. There were only two waitresses/servers but they were moving pretty fast! If you would be able to make a reservation, we still would recommend doing that in advance just in case. The food was great! The karaage was citrusy and moist, cooked very nicely. The Udon with shrimp tempura was okay, nothing too fancy. We had also gotten the 3 sample sake (not pictured), that my husband sure loved. The spicy scallop roll took awhile to get out, and wasn't as exciting but still good. The uni nigiri, was very creamy. Last but not least, the creme brûlée was the winner for the evening. It's advertised as homemade and it did not disappoint. We will for sure come back!!

Tried Tanuki for the first time and was so impressed. Went on a Saturday night and luckily got seated right away. Service was great, they were fast and attentive. We only got tapas and everything was delicious. Salmon Sake Wasa was our favorite. Wagyu Tataki Ponzu was also delicious. They are small portions but everything tasted fresh and flavorful.

Did almost a 1 of everything with the tapas & nigiri Menu. I was impressed with simplicity & boasting flavors. Place seems to be in sync as well, I'm impressed with the organization Sake selection was better than most. Price is on the upper end. But worth it. Great date spot. Would 100% recommend a try.

Exceptional service by JP! Honestly, I've been more impressed by other sushi spots. I expected more from the miso soup and the spicy garlic edamame had sweet & spicy sauce which was unusual? but the tanuki roll is fresh and tasty! sake was sooooo crisp. I'd come back as long as JP is serving us.

We visit Tanuki regularly, especially for family events. The fish is exquisite and there are always saki specials (from a vast number). It is pleasant, relatively quiet for a smaller setting, excellent service.

Came in on a Thursday night for dinner with an old coworker and this was a total hit for me! Firstly, there is parking outside of the building but street parking was pretty open as well, though it might be a little more difficult on the weekends. But inside, it was cozy with warm lighting! The only downside of sitting at the bar was the when the back door was opened to serve people on the patio, it was a bit chilly. I ordered the cucumber salad, the sea bass, and salmon carpaccio. The cucumber salad isn't my favorite one I've had and I tend to order it frequently so that was a bit of a bummer. It didn't feel like the cucumbers had been salted enough to take in the marinade that it was sitting in, but it was pretty good. The sea bass appetizer was a highlight for me! It came with green beans that were so yummy! It felt like a small meal and the sauce on the sea bass was bright and light! The salmon carpaccio was pretty great too though also not my favorite due to the dressing on it but the salmon itself was delicious! This place is a little more pricey in my opinion but I do think that factors more into the quality of the fish. It's still relatively affordable though! I would definitely come back for a little date night!

Tanuki is hands down my favorite sushi spot in San Diego. Wonderful service and some of the most fresh sushi in town. A Kensington staple where we love to dine!

This was the second spot we tried in normal heights on a excursion for GREAT sushi. We stopped elsewhere and left after an appetizer, we arrived around 730 P.M. and were genuinely greeted. We sat at the bar and enjoyed many things. Each item was soft and melted in your mouth. Our server Nina was great! Slow service but she was one of the only one running things, she communicated that and would Check up constantly creating that "experience". I'd recommend! Again and again. I ordered two plates of wagyu it's so good

Relatively brand new sake bar that we went to for mom's birthday dinner. My family ordered A LOT of food. Trying to remember everything we had, all of it really good: Agedashi tofu Chicken katsu Karaage California roll Rainbow roll A bunch of ahi tuna French fries Waygu tataki Vegetable tempura Bang bang corn Edamame Vanilla and tiramisu eclairs I know I'm missing a lot, but yeah, a big meal. A nice plus was eating outside. Probably necessary for the kids not to get bored. Surprised this is even a restaurant. I've walked by this place a dozen times.

Super fresh sushi and great service. There sushi is heads and shoulders fresher than 90% of sushi places I. San Diego. Treat yourself and go here!

Came here for lunch. I ordered the chicken katsu bento bowl. And I got the crème brûlée and the cream puff dessert. The katsu was good but it didn't have a sauce for it. The bento box comes with a salad and soup but I didn't get the soup. The desserts were delicious. Customer service was great.

Tanuki is an izakaya, serving casual Japanese cuisine and sake. Almost everything on their menu is expertly prepared and delicious. The karaage has crispy, crunchy batter on the outside, and juicy, tasty chicken on the inside. The agedashi tofu is fried perfectly, swimming in a delicious broth. Their sushi selection, while limited, rivals any high end sushi restaurant-- the fish is super-fresh, the rice moist and sticky with just the right hint of vinegar. Tanuki features a wide selection of top-grade Japanese sake of all styles and at all price points. This isn't the "jet fuel" sake that you drink hot at cheap sushi restaurants, but super smooth chilled craft sake, with delicate flavors and fragrances, that in many cases is very difficult to find outside of Japan. If you ever had any desire to learn about fine sake, there is no better place in San Diego. And incredibly, they sell it at an insanely small mark-up, for your drinking pleasure. They offer Dassai 45, one of the award-winning sakes in the world, at only a $2 or $3 markup per bottle over what you would pay at a Japanese grocery store, just over half of what other restaurants charge. To top it all off, the wait-staff is extremely fast, friendly, and welcoming. Good food, good drink, good people, good atmosphere, good prices-- Tanuki is a little bit of Japanese heaven in San Diego.

Local favorite right here!! It's one of the very few places in San Diego that serves delicious izakaya dishes in a setting that highlights their sake bar. Their tapas menu has some unique dishes you wouldn't be able to try at any non Japanese bars such as Sake Wasa and Shiokara. Both items are raw dishes of salmon and squid paired with wasabi. While it might not sound appealing, it is worth trying at least once!! The workers are very considerate when it comes to the wait time and the comfort of your seating. They almost always honor any request as long as the restaurant isn't completely packed. This place has amazing sake flights and deals that go great with almost any dish. If you want to try something new and different, this place offers it a nice tasting menu.

Ambience and service were great. However, the sushi rolls were overpriced and very small. Would recommend going down the other side towards north park for cheaper and better quality rolls.

I don't write reviews very often. I usually only leave a review if my experience was really good or really bad. This was definitely the former. Let's start with the food. Below is everything we ordered: Sake wasa - salmon marinated in a pozu wasabi relish. The marinade was flavorful and tasty. 10/10 Chicken Karaage - panko crusted chicken with a aioli. The chicken was juicy and also flavorful. A lot of meat as well. 8/10 Seared Wagyu Tataki - this was the only dish I wasn't fond of. The Wagyu was way over seared, to the point where it was basically eating cooked meat. 5/10 Scallop Sushi Roll - I normally don't get sushi rolls but i heard this place uses real crab meat in their rolls, so i had to try. The scallop on top tasted fresh and would definitely order again. 9/10 Spicy tuna roll - ok, how good can a spicy tuna roll be? That's what I thought at first but it's actually REALLY GOOD. I think it was the tuna they used because that was probably the best spicy tuna roll I've ever had. 9/10 Uni Nigiri - Hokkaido uni. Fresh and delicious. Good price too. 8/10 Hamachi Kama - our waitress told us it was the only one left for the night so being your typical Asian, we had to order it, and so glad we did! The Kama was full of meat and extremely juicy. Served with a nice pozu dipping sauce. Would order again. 9/10 Tanuki Roll - avocado stuff roll served with uni, ikura, negi toro, salmon, and yellowtail. This was basically just an avo roll with sashimi on top. 8/10 Crème brûlée - my goodness, this was one the creamiest crème brûlées I've ever had. It was so milky and smooth. If you like crème brûlée, this is a MUST. 10/10 Macha cheesecake - I'm normally not a cheesecake fan but this was really good. Served in a small glass jar, the cheesecake wasn't too cheese and had a smooth texture. My gf loved it. 8/10 for me but 10/10 for her. Hojicha Latte - wow this was such a good drink to pair with the dessert. Not too sweet and had enough hojicha flavor. 10/10 Our server was also super nice! It was only her and another server and they had to take care of a giant to-go order while taking care of the guests I. The patio and inside the restaurant. She was apologetic that she was busy, but tbh we didn't even notice. She was attentive and quick. All and all, we loved our experience at Tanuki and would absolutely come back again.