Umami Japanese Restaurant
Sushi restaurant · San Marcos ·

Umami Japanese Restaurant

Sushi restaurant · San Marcos ·

Elevated sushi, ramen & bento with wine, sake & outdoor seating

fresh fish
friendly staff
good service
generous portions
hand rolls
parking garage
california state san marcos
takeout
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null
Umami Japanese Restaurant by null

Information

251 N City Dr #122, San Marcos, CA 92078 Get directions

$20–30

See Menu
Restroom
Accepts reservations
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Cozy

Information

Static Map

251 N City Dr #122, San Marcos, CA 92078 Get directions

+1 760 566 3671
umamijp.com
@umaminorthcity

$20–30 · Menu

Features

•Restroom
•Accepts reservations
•Popular for lunch
•Popular for dinner
•Cozy
•Trendy
•Good for groups
•Good for solo dining

Last updated

Jan 29, 2026

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San Marcos Scores Sushi Bar and Ramen Shop | Eater San Diego

"Located in San Marcos’ North City development, Umami Japanese is scheduled to grand open on Thursday, November 1 and will operate 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; it also features a pet-friendly patio. Intending to bring a legitimate sushi option to inland North County, the restaurant is run by co-owner Eric Lee, a sushi chef who’s worked at Carlsbad’s Blue Ocean and Ototo in Clairemont, and he’ll be behind the sushi bar making classic nigiri as well as specialty rolls ranging from the Ninja with spicy tuna, krab, cilantro, jalapeños, sesame seed and fire sauce to the Crunchy Vegetable Roll with spring mix, avocado, kanpyo, gobo, cucumber and fried asparagus. His brother-in-law David Sasuga, CEO of San Marcos-based Fresh Origins Microgreens, supplies microgreens and edible flowers — ingredients I expect to see incorporated into plate presentations. Lee, who recently won for best dish at Taste of San Marcos, will be supported by executive chef James Han, who after a decade at the Imperial Palace Resort in Saipan and the Hyatt Regency in Guam will oversee a full menu of Japanese dishes from chicken karaage and salmon skin salad to spicy pork bento boxes and a variety of ramen including a chicken-based shio ramen and a tonkotsu ramen made with a long-simmered pork broth." - Candice Woo

https://sandiego.eater.com/2018/10/25/18022900/san-marcos-umami-japanese-sushi-ramen-restaurant
Umami Japanese Restaurant

Julie H.

Google
My family and I love UMAMI and we’ve been coming here for years. Best sushi restaurant in town, hands down! Everything is soo fresh, perfectly seasoned, and beautifully plated. The staff were so friendly and attentive. Easily a 10/10 experience for me and my family!! Can’t wait to go back! 🍣✨

Wandering in P.

Google
Delicious Japanese cuisine at Umami Japanese Restaurant in San Marcos! Was not expecting the sushi to be so good, but it really was top class. The honeymoon uni and oyster shooter was an incredible flavor that I highly recommend. We also really enjoyed the toro roll, baked crawfish roll, mini sushi cone, sushi plate A set, and gyoza. Cool ambiance and nice dog friendly patio. Very friendly and accommodating service. Recommend!

Alex O.

Google
For an establishment that serves raw food to have a B health score is a little scary. ☺️ We ultimately spent $40 for 6 hand rolls (2 salmon, 2 yellowtail, and 2 tuna) which almost comes out to $7/roll and I have to say the experience was a little underwhelming Food is okay! Although I have to admit I expected actual pieces of fish, not mashed up yellowtail and cubed tuna. This gives me the impression they’re using leftover ingredients. To be specific, the cubed tuna was served in both lunch special and full price a la carte hand rolls, but to their credit, one of the tuna hand rolls had sliced fish, and the salmon was also sliced. What makes me question the service is that I was also told that I can’t order their lunch special if I’m allergic to avocados, because they will “not allow substitutions.” I pay the higher a la carte pricing of $8/hand roll with no avocados, only to find the lunch special rolls had no avocados in it. When I bring this up, the server and the chef discuss amongst themselves and the chef says there is no avocado in the hand rolls… so this is when I change my order to two lunch specials rather than paying a la carte for some of the hand rolls. As I leave with my takeout order, I noticed that their health score dropped down from a B to an A, (their Google photos show an A score, but the window sign currently is a B), so now I’m just sitting here wondering, if I want to even eat this? Maybe you’ll have a good time, but I personally will not return in the future and recommend all my family and friends to look elsewhere for sushi and Japanese cuisine. (Picture shows my two yellowtail hand rolls) For me, how you do the small things is how you do everything and I’m sorry Umami, this was a miss. I hope your future customers have a better experience than I did! 🙏🏻

Erin K.

Google
Located in a growing urban area near California State, San Marcos, checked it out for lunch and it's definately quite worth doing so. 👍 Great menu, some really interesting options as well as traditional items. 👍 Fair/Market prices. 👍 Great service. 👍 Great indoor and outdoor dining options.

Sharon B

Google
My friend introduced me to this nice sushi restaurant next to CSU San Marcos campus. There's a lot of construction in the area right now and we parked in the large parking structure a block away. The restaurant was pretty empty while we were there for lunch on a weekday. We all chose to order their bento lunch specials. They were about $17-$19 depending on the main dish. We were all pretty happy with our orders. Service was good. We ordered hot teas since it was a cold day and our tea cups were kept full throughout our lunch. We appreciated it!

Volodymyr K.

Google
Delicious sushi and sashimi! All fish was served fresh and presented beautifully 😀 pork bao buns were amazing, and the bento box had lots of tasty food samples including gyoza, miso soup, spring salad, and Philadelphia roll. They also have Asahi and Sapporo on tap which makes everything even better :) portions were pretty generous for Japanese restaurant, so lots of delicious leftovers.

Jeff Weber & Aurora R.

Google
We met some friends here for lunch they have many options on the menu for every type of need. I chose a Bento Box and it was delicious I brought half of it home because the portions are more than sufficient. They have options for the Bento Box such as Sushi a skewer or maybe vegetables. There is garage parking that maybe many do not know about. It is in the college area of Cal State San Marcos. It was a beautiful December day so we sat outside. It was not noisy or cold.

Lauren B

Google
I usually have a few rolls that I normally get. However, when I came here I could tell from all their different rolls that I would try something new. I got the Lemon Roll, the server let me know that the Spicy Lemon Roll was more popular but I didn't want to test out the spice. I only tried one roll this time, but it was really good. Can't wait to try more of their specialty rolls. Arrived here around 650/7pm and it was pretty packed with a line waiting to be seated, although it was July 3rd so they may have been understaffed. Overall great experience and friendly staff. Looking forward to getting a few more their menu items.
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Denise F.

Yelp
We love Umami! The food is amazing! Service is always great! We love their sushi... very fresh and always delicious! Try the Ninja, Freshman, and Gina's Choice rolls. The tempura, kimchi cucumber salad and ramen are just a few of our other favorite things here! This is one of our favorite sushi spots to go to! Side note: There is a parking structure close by so there is ample parking!.
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Mabel W.

Yelp
Passed through the area and spotted Umami for lunch. The location had plenty of parking and restaurant was easily accessible. Inside was very clean and spacious and had holiday music playing. Servers were attentive kind. We ordered some of their top specials and it was very unique and cute. Food presentation looked really good but it somehow lacked flavor for me.
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Lisa W.

Yelp
Came here for a quick lunch, husband wanted some sushi. It's in North City. My husband got some sushi and I got the chicken teriyaki bento box. It comes with teriyaki chicken, California roll, salad, rice, miso soup, veggies and some pickles. The teriyaki chicken was pretty good and plentiful, and so was everything except the steamed veggies. The steamed veggies were extremely salty, I think they blanch it in too much salt water. My husband's sushi was pretty good, he said they were bigger in size than normal. Overall a good quick lunch. Decently priced but a lot of food.
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Mikayla G.

Yelp
Moved close by to this place and finally came for dinner. Definitely a fan! All 3 rolls we got were great and the staff were all so friendly. They were even giving complimentary small desserts (half an orange) to every table. We got the freshman, spicy crunchy, and lemon rolls(not pictured). Will be back!
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Rachel L.

Yelp
Stepped in here yesterday to celebrate a special occasion. The establishment is located on a block of other restaurants and a nice place to walk around. There's a bunch of construction right across diagonally so we asked if they were new but they told us they've been here since 2018. The restaurant seemed clean, hip, and all the servers and sushi chefs behind the bar greet you as you come in. The service was great. Everything was prompt and the menu options had such a wide range. We got the chicken teriyaki dinner bento (comes with miso soup and salad), Michael's choice roll, c-set sashimi (28 pieces), the mini sushi cone, and the piggy bao buns. The raw fish to me was not mindblowing but it was solid. It didn't blow my mind but it was good. The piggy bao buns were good. The pork was savory and tender and there was a smoky taste to it. The c-set was nice because of the variety and love the different salads they put in too. The chicken teriyaki was good- portions were good. The mini sushi cone was beautiful but underwhelming for me in terms of taste. Michael's choice was good with a slight kick. In my head, the restaurant was a 4 star. The vibe was a 5 for North County. The thing that really pushed it up was the service-- we got this amazing tender juicy grilled/baked salmon belly on the house and they noticed we had a two year old and also sent over the cutest orange sliced up in the shape of a bear holding an umbrella. That kind of service really made this dinner special and we'll definitely be back.
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Murissa M.

Yelp
Umami Japanese is a not so hidden gem and know we know why! The atmosphere is warm and stylish, perfect for a casual meal or a date day, my preference now. The sushi is incredibly fresh and beautifully presented, especially the Lemon and Fireball rolls. We also enjoyed the ramen; the broth was rich and flavorful, and the noodles had just the right texture. Our food was made fresh to order and even included our custom additions, which we really appreciated. The shashimi was by far the best! The service was outstanding, attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable without being too overbearing. Prices were fair for the quality, and portions were pretty generous. The only downside is the limited parking, due to the busy complex and its proximity to the college. There is a large parking structure nearby, I know. Indoor seating is also limited, though there's plenty of outdoor seating available. The restaurant was a bit loud, but that's understandable given how popular and busy it was. If you're looking for excellent Japanese food in North County, this spot should be at the top of your list. We'll definitely be back! I'll probably order takeout.
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Julie T.

Yelp
I hate leaving less than 5 star reviews but, I don't get the hype. Maybe because San Marcos was lacking, for years, in the restaurant department that now the new places we have, people love them just because they exist. Came in to Umami Sushi after reading so many positive reviews. I have to say that my husband's and my experience was mediocre at best. I ordered a lunch bento with teriyaki chicken and a spicy tuna roll, and he ordered 2 sushi rolls. First up: the miso soup was hella bland. It was definitely made with water and not dashi stock. As well, there wasn't enough actual miso in the "soup" either. I added a little soy sauce to try and perk it up, but it didn't help. I left it 1/4 of the way finished. The tuna in my spicy tuna roll was indeed spicy, but the color of the tuna was a bright, over-the-top red that can only be achieved with food coloring. I'm talking neon RED. The chicken teriyaki was ok, but just ok. It was nothing to write my Obaasan in Tokyo about. My husband's sushi rolls were not all that either. His Couger's roll and rainbow roll were both stuffed with that shredded fake krab and mayo mixture, and the rice was not properly seasoned. The "su" in sushi means vinegar. Sushi rice is seasoned with a mix of rice wine vinegar, salt, and sugar. The rice should actually have a flavor that accentuates the fish. This was just plain, dry, bland rice. I guess the people of San Marcos don't know any better...sigh. Our service was average. And the dining room was very chique and modern. But that's about all. Our overall dining experience left us feeling very let down. We won't be returning.
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KayAnna S.

Yelp
I've been coming here for years but my most recent visit reminded why I love Umami so much! They honestly just have the freshest fish. You can tell in every bite, no matter what fish dish you order, whether it's poke, sushi specialty rolls, hand rolls, etc. I also love that they offer a vegetarian and gluten free menu. They really cater to all! Again they have so many options, you can't go wrong with whatever you choose. Their ramen options are especially exceptional too. During my last visit, I ordered their poke salmon bowl (mild) and the Freshman (spicy tuna/regular salmon) roll. My husband had the lunch special bento box with teriyaki chicken, miso broth, and the spicy tuna roll. We both agreed the freshman roll was delicious. The spicy mayo and spicy tuna definitely gave it a kick, but the all star was the buttery salmon on top of each roll. Just melts in your mouth it was so good. I had the same salmon in my poke bowl which was marinated in a mild sauce. Again so buttery it was delicious. Also the rice in the poke bowl was perfectly sticky and fresh. Everything about the poke bowl and Freshman roll were perfect. My husband really enjoyed the bento box too! We both thought the chicken teriyaki was good, but the spicy tuna rolls were the best part, besides the yummy miso broth. Just a great spicy yet fresh flavor in every spicy tuna roll. I wanted to give a special shoutout to the great service we received! Both of our waitresses (and host) were all very attentive! After ordering, our food came out quickly and we were asked multiple times how we were doing and how the food was, along with asking us if we needed anything. Our waters were never empty. Again just great service all around. I know that finding parking can be difficult here (and even more so with construction nearby limiting parking), but we have always lucked out to find the 1-hr street parking. There is the garage parking as well.
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Sharon B.

Yelp
My friend introduced me to this nice sushi restaurant next to CSU San Marcos campus. There's a lot of construction in the area right now and we parked in the large parking structure a block away. The restaurant was pretty empty while we were there for lunch on a weekday. We all chose to order their bento lunch specials. They were about $17-$19 depending on the main dish. We were all pretty happy with our orders. Service was good. We ordered hot teas since it was a cold day and our tea cups were kept full throughout our lunch. We appreciated it!
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Lam B.

Yelp
Umami Japanese offers fresh seafood in interesting yet tasty ways. Funnily enough, I placed an order for the fish tower online and was promptly called regarding how that wouldn't be possible. Even so, I would recommend the dish despite it's daunting presentation. Service was spotty but the food came out quickly. *Fish Tower: a layered tower made of yellowtail, crab salad, spicy tuna, avocado and sushi rice. There were spots of spicy mayo at the base but the ratio of sauce to fish and rice was comical. However, the yellowtail was marinaded in a savory sauce that made it tasty independent of the spicy mayo. The crab salad was creamy and sweet. The spicy tuna had some heat and it was extremely soft. The avocado was fresh and the sushi rice was pleasantly starchy and tangy. This was a fun alternative to a sushi roll. *Scallop Nigiri: tender scallop atop of the tasty sushi rice. However, the temperature was a bit too cold for my liking and it took away from the natural sweetness. The fish quality and flavors were great. Service was meh but at least everything tasted good. Lesson learned, eat the fish tower there.
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Aaron L.

Yelp
The food was plentiful and tasty. The sushi rolls were fresh and perfect in size. The service was fast and the servers were nice. We arrived around 11:30 AM on a Sunday and we beat the rush. As we were leaving, 1:00 PM, the line was out the door.
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Isabella H.

Yelp
My partner and I dined outside tonight. There were some minor hiccups with the heater but the servers were accommodating. Umami is my family's go to local sushi place but I was disappointed by the food tonight. We ordered garlic edamame, shio ramen, philadelphia roll, and a protein roll. The garlic edamame and philadelphia roll were good! However, the shio ramen was lacking and the chicken itself was not flavorful or unique. The broth did not impress me either. My family and I always get the protein roll but today's protein roll tasted a little off. This was concerning since the roll itself contains many different types of raw fish. I'm not sure what it was but the quality was not there for me tonight. Hopefully it was just an off night.
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Olivia S.

Yelp
Took my bestie here for sushi after she had her baby. The restaurant was very clean, in a hip location, and moderately sized. We were warmly greeted and seated right away. Our servers were both kind, attentive, and got our orders perfectly. For food we ordered: Garlic edamame 9/10 super delicious. I got the lunch (11:30-3pm) roll combo b with a yellowtail roll and the freshman roll with added jalapeños. That was a smart choice. For $21 that's a steal. Fresh fish, tasty rolls, great value. 10/10 My girlfriend got a super albacore roll and a fireball roll which I had bites of that were also delicious. Overall, I'm impressed. Great value, great flavor, great service. I'll be back again!
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Kymberly M.

Yelp
Hands down the best sushi I e ever had. This will definitely be my spot when I'm passing through San Marcos. They have a sunshine roll and it's exquisite. Perfect combo of flavors. You taste each one and they meld together perfectly. I wish I could remember the names of the other rolls (I waited too long to review). Show these pix to the server. I'm sure they can identify them!
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Dylan D.

Yelp
Was in the area and saw this sushi place that was highly rated on Yelp, and the reviews did not lead us astray. This location is behind the Pima Medical Institute within a row of food places of various variety. The interior is quite spacious with a lot of tables and some really interesting decoration pieces within the restaurant, they also have a gigantic multi screen panel display on one of the back walls which I thought looked really cool. Service is a little odd since we didn't have a specific "waiter" when we came in during a slow period on a Sunday. The guy who seated us said we would have someone come to us but after several minutes of looking over the menu and deciding on options, nobody came by for us. Eventually someone came by after finishing their rounds of cleaning to place our order, they then checked out for the day without any mention of a new waiter change or notifying us at all. I then had to ask the host who seated us if we had a specific waiter to call over and he said we can call over "anyone". A little disorganized in this sense but he was able to take the rest of our order and check in with us here and there but not quite as often as we would've liked considering how slow it was for that day. Luckily, the food came out quickly and the presentation was really well done. The prices also weren't too bad for the portions and amount we received and seemed on par with other sushi places. The taste was pretty fresh and the items we ordered were varied in flavor profiles. Only potential downside was the cost of the real wasabi we ordered which was $4 for a small chunk of it on the side. After everything that was said, I definitely enjoyed what this place had to offer and would definitely consider coming back to try out their other offerings, but hopefully with a more attentive specific waiter for us to work with.
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Felina V.

Yelp
Gorgeous presentation and tasty bites @umaminorthcity Fresh, unique, and delicious! Super cute spot with lots of amazing options. Quick, attentive service! Mini Sushi Cones ~ Taste of San Marcos 2019 Golden Fork Award ~ spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, creamy sauce in a crispy cone Sushi Muffins ~ Taste of San Marcos 2018 Golden Fork Award ~ IN: seasame seed, seaweed, krab meat, massago TOP: salmon, black tobiko, micro green salad, edible flowers, fresh wasabi SAUCE: house dressing, mayo, eel sauce Spicy Lemon Roll ~ IN: spicy scallop, spicy tuna, cilantro TOP: yellowtail, salmon, lemon slices, green onion, masago SAUCE: spicy mayo, eel sauce @yelpsandiego @yelp #yelp #yelpsandiego #yelpsd #umaminorthcity #umami #umamisushi #sanmarcos #sandiegodining #sandiegofood #sandiegofoodie #sandiegofoodies #sdfood #sdfoodie #sdfoodies #foodblog #foodblogger #foodbloggers #foodiesofig
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Marcos C.

Yelp
Randomly picked this sushi spot while in San Marcos and was pleasantly surprised with how good the food was. The fish was fresh and the rolls were flavorful. Prices are reasonable. Definitely recommend!
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Trevor L.

Yelp
This place is affordable and has great portions. I recommend the special plates and pairing it with one of their Japanese beers. Great big open space and feels very luxurious to eat here. Quick service and very attentive waiters.
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Darroll L.

Yelp
Definitely one of our favorite sushi restaurants in San Diego county! The staff is super friendly and the food quality is always perfect. The ingredients are always fresh, the preparation is consistent, the presentation is beautiful, and the taste is delicious. Because of dietary choices, we often request modifications. They are always receptive and deliver the dishes exactly as requested. We love this little slice of sushi heaven in San Marcos!
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Emma B.

Yelp
This place was great, super cute inside and the service was awesome. Sushi rolls were fresh and they had a great selection, their lunch specials were a great deal too. Parking in the garage is a little bit of a walk away unless you can snag a street spot but there's no charge for the first two hours. I will definitely be back!
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Pranjali S.

Yelp
We came here for lunch on a Friday. Service was a little slow but otherwise we had no issues. The restaurant menu is a mix of Japanese and Korean foods. We ordered the miso ramen bowl, the chicken karaage bao, the takoyaki and one of the rolls (either ninja or red dragon, I can't remember!). The food was great! The quantities were big. The bao was falling apart a little bit, which I don't like, but the karaage was delicious. The ramen was definitely a good miso ramen but lots of veggies and meat. We ended up taking about half of that home. The roll was good. The takoyaki was decent but I've had better ones. We wanted to finish lunch within an hour and it took us approximately that long to do it. I would recommend coming here if you're looking for decent food and want a little bit of everything (sushi/rolls/ramen/apps, etc).
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Nathan D.

Yelp
A very standard "mid-to-upscale sushi" place that, while not featuring any major surprises, lives up to the expectation for consistent, albeit expensive, sushi. The service was good both times I've been here. I can't say any of the rolls were memorable.
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Joriene M.

Yelp
Food (5/5 stars): Umami Japanese is a great spot for sushi in San Marcos. They have a wide variety of rolls to choose from and I had the Spicy Crunch because it came with spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. It tasted as good as it looked! I enjoyed the freshness of the tuna, and it went well with the spicy mayo and eel sauce. I'll be back to try more rolls! Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: reasonable * Wait Time: minimal on a Friday before 5pm * Service: good and friendly * Parking: there's a parking garage and some street parking * Ambiance: it's a nice, spacious, and modern restaurant
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Dominico R.

Yelp
I ordered to go. The place were cramp. Street Parking . Matthew's choice was good . Sunshine it's ok but not as delicious as the other one.Piggy Bao also was flavorful but tiny meat .Baked scallop was awesome. Karaage was kinda chewy.
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Century S.

Yelp
Coming from LA with abundance of great Japanese restaurants, I can tell with 100% confidence that this place does not serve good food. We went with very high expectations based on highly rated reviews. Service was absolutely great. We got a vegan fried rice. It was so so bland. I honestly make Japanese fried rice better at home even with brown rice. I think they used frozen vegetables for the fried rice, they were definitely not fresh. Uni sushi is usually expensive but theirs was a rip off because it was so bad, hard, chewy and tasteless. Vegetarian Bun was good but not the best. Miso soup was overly salty. I literally make so much better. Tuna roll was the same way hard, chewy, absolutely tasteless. We were still hungry and I was tempted to order more but none of the items we ordered were good, so we didn't want to take risk. They have really nice ambience. I wish the food matched the vibe. We will never be going back.

Angie G.

Yelp
Small place but one of the best sushi and rolls I've had. Of course I prefer seafood over steaks. Cute, clean and friendly helpful staff.
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Maureen J.

Yelp
Great food, great service, great restaurant! I came here on a Tuesday around 5:45pm. I was able to get a table for 2 right away. It's a nice restaurant good for groups of 6 or less. Servers were very friendly and prompt with clearing our completed dishes. In addition, it didn't take long for us to get our orders. I highly recommend trying the sushi cone and sushi muffin... they were delicious! Meal was overall delicious! We also got a free edamame with my Yelp check-in and a delicious orange from the chefs for a little dessert. Parking is around the corner, don't forget to get your ticket validated.
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Lumen T.

Yelp
Delicious sushi in San Marcos! Went with a party of 3 and everybody was happy with their food. You have to order the mini sushi cone. It's a wonderful experience and beautifully presented. We had the agedashi tofu and it was delicious. Large portions of silken tofu in a broth. I had the super albacore roll and one of friends ordered the bento box dinner. The sushi was fresh & it all came out quickly. Very swift & friendly service. This spot well be a regular go-to for me!

Lamees J.

Yelp
BEST veggie bao buns, BEST vegetarian ramen, BEST green tea ice cream, and of course the BEST selection of sushi and sashimi in North County. I've taken several friends and family here and they've ALL loved the food, so I highly recommend giving Umami Japanese a try if you haven't already!
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Joy G.

Yelp
Pretty decent. Parking is a little tricky. It's in a college town. But food was good. Service was good. A little small...but there is patio seating if the weather is cooperating.
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Sabrina L.

Yelp
I am surprised I have never heard of this sushi place before. This restaurant is located in a great spot near campus and it is sooo yummy! I ordered an avocado roll and a crunchy roll and I have no complaints. The price is also affordable! The service was good and the restaurant itself was clean and spacious. I would definitely come again!
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Val N.

Yelp
SUPER ALBACORE roll is so tasty!! Service is quick and they were able to accommodate our large party (14 people). I would definitely go here again because all of the rolls were so good. I would go back here to try the sashimi.
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Barbara K.

Yelp
First time here and we had to wait a looong time for a table. Good fast service. Large pour of decent Chardonnay, and good hot sake. I thought my husband's order of Bento Box was boring, but it was the best! There was a piece of great salmon on a bed of sauteed vegs, tempura, sushi roll, and a salad. All very good. . I got the Cougars tempura roll, which had tempura shrimp inside and soft shell crab on top. Couldn't really taste either, not crunchy. I also got a Bao Bun, with fried chicken, not knowing the roll would be so big! Didn't really like it, not crispy. If i came back i would stick to straight sushi or get the bento box!
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Sean G.

Yelp
Terriaki chicken was watery? No glaze just juice. Ingredients and how the chicken was cooked was spot on but no glaze just juice? Sushi was so/so although the tuna was super red after searing? Most of us that cut fish know what that means. Korean owner's need to make up their mind on whether they want to be a Japanese restaurant or a Korean restaurant. Both are highly profitable now and days, so stop trying to treat Americans like none the wiser cause we see thru the bullshit. Bulgogi and watered down chicken teriyaki bowls seems silly don't you guys think? Get back to me after the fix and I'll remove this. 尊敬

Bunny

Yelp
Whenever I come here, we get seated fairly quickly. The service is nice. Sometimes it can get quite packed and loud here. Everyone is really nice and the food is good here. Prices are reasonable. There are some items on the menu I don't like though, so I found things I do like instead. Their galbi short ribs are also delicious! Sometimes we don't get a good cut though. My mom loved to order that. This is a go to spot for me because the service is always friendly and quick.
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Kevin H.

Yelp
The rolls are great and all of the sashimi pieces are pretty large and the fish quality has been top-notch. No issues or concerns never gotten sick and I've been here over a dozen times. It's a go to spot for me.
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Shellz N.

Yelp
Amazing food! Fresh Toro so worth the scripts! Tight quarters but wait staff very attentive and friendly. Reservations are highly recommended

Steve P.

Yelp
Came here with a group of around 10. They seated us immediately. The service was very good, very attentive, friendly, and quick. The ambiance at this place is pretty amazing. They have solid wood tables, the atmosphere isn't too loud, everything is very clean, and they have some cool TV wall art on the side. Food is a bit on the pricier side, especially compared to some of the other Japanese places in San Diego. The menu was very tempting - there was definitely a lot more I wanted to try if it wasn't for the price (the pictures looked so yummy!). The food was good though - I got a baked roll and thoroughly enjoyed it. The quality was good - I personally thought it was worth the price. A couple people in our group got the dinner bento with the salmon, and they said the salmon was really good and not dry at all. One person got the ramen and said it was too salty, but I didn't try it myself. Overall, everyone seemed to enjoy what they ordered. The location seems a bit random - in the middle of a bunch of dorms for CSUSM - but it's definitely worth stopping by and checking it out!

Mason L.

Yelp
Excellent food. Service excellent! Ambiance very nice! This is a place we like to go too. Its restrooms are very clean. We believe the friendly people are great!!
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Patty J.

Yelp
I hate to leave anything less than a five-star review, especially because the staff is always friendly and the food is consistently good. However, since COVID, the in-person dining experience has steadily declined. One major change is that the sushi bar is no longer used for sushi preparation but instead serves as a bussing station and a staging area for takeout orders. A significant portion of the restaurant is now dedicated to takeout, which seems to take priority over dine-in guests. Last night, we arrived at 5 PM and waited 30 minutes to be seated--not a problem, as it was a Friday night. However, once seated, it took nearly 40 minutes for our food to arrive. When we ordered a couple more items, we waited an additional 35 minutes. In total, we spent almost two and a half hours there, despite not ordering a large amount of food. Many other tables also seemed to be waiting excessively, not because the restaurant was full, but due to the overwhelming focus on takeout orders. Unfortunately, this has been our experience for the past few years, and last night confirmed that it
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Linda M.

Yelp
Amazing! Fantastic bento box lunches and delicious Sushi rolls. Perfect amount of rice (not too much) and the fish was so fresh and flavorful. This is now one of my favorite restaurants in San Marcos!
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Addison C.

Yelp
Nice little sushi spot near the college in San Marcos. Parking was a bit of a challenge due to the Tuesday farmer's market, but otherwise plentiful. We ordered the Spicy Lemon roll at $16 and the Toro roll at $23. The rolls were fresh and delicious, but I feel like they are only a moderate value for their price point. We also got piggy bao which did not have enough pork filling, but was otherwise delicious. The service was pleasant and attentive and all of our modifications were correct. Overall a solid choice for sushi in SM.
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Stephanie A.

Yelp
Food is DELICIOUS and fresh! We got 3 rolls, poke bowl, and the FREE edimame with check in. The sunshine roll was my absolute favorite so fresh. The staff was attentive, friendly, and responsive. The parking is a bit of a pain and far from the location. They validate so that's convenient. All in all amazing experience and will return again!
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Becca S.

Yelp
Umami is consistently good and I highly recommend it. Their servers are knowledgeable and friendly
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Paul K.

Yelp
Lots of good sushi for the middle of no where Escondido. Plenty of seating from booths to tables to bar seating. The service was attentive and prompt. I ordered some rolls and the quality of fish was excellent. The size proportion was good as well.
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Catt M.

Yelp
Extensive menu and options. Cute restaurant interior and a cool location near the college. This place was really busy on a Friday night with a line out the door and servers were very friendly and handled the crowd very well. The food, however, I am sad to report was just slightly below average of what I would expect from a sushi restaurant. We ordered a take out order and everything was packaged very well including our ramen but the rolls and poke bowl just missed the mark in terms of flavor and value. They included a lot of filler and not as much fish. The crunch of the rolls was not that crunchy either so texture was a little off as well. Would definitely recommend trying other sushi restaurants. However, we are not from San Marcos and were just visiting so I am not sure how this compares for the area. But we love sushi and this was just a little disappointing.
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George D.

Yelp
Very nice place to grab a bite to eat. Servers are very friendly. Nice outdoor eating area (you can bring your dog). Food was very good
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Evelyn L.

Yelp
my go-to sushi spot in san marcos! lively atmosphere fast service lots of vegetarian options i went here for my birthday dinner and they gave me a special treat recommended dishes: - lemon roll: i love citrus! this roll is served w lemon slices on top, which is refreshing and pairs well with the base roll - dragon roll: for all the eel sauce lovers - protein roll: no rice (which is a plus depending on your dietary preferences) but still just as delicious compared to the other rolls
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Robin F.

Yelp
My family & I went there after my graduation for a celebratory dinner. The sushi did not disappoint. It was delicious. The service was very nice. Everyone working there was friendly. We didn't have to wait long on anything (drinks, food, dessert). We will be back for sure.