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Sabuku Sushi
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
3027 Adams Ave(at 30th St)
San Diego, CA 92116
Neighbourhood: University Heights
(619) 281-9700
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 12 pm - 9 pm
Thu 12 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
121 reviews for Sabuku Sushi
Review Highlights
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"The bacon and scallop roll is just awesome." In 3 reviews -
"So sit back with a Red Devil drink and enjoy." In 3 reviews -
"...of their menu, including the "not-so-miso" soup that Amy N." In 5 reviews
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121 reviews in English
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Review from Anna G.
San Diego, CA
4/30/2012
I have been a customer at Sabuku since they opened last summer!
I absolutely love the sushi and sake here! I have even brought at least 6 different friends and all have loved it; in fact, most of those 6 are now Sabuku Club members. If you don't know about their club deal it's worth checking out for sure!
The fish has always been fresh, tender and exquisitely flavorful. The creativeness behind the rolls is unlike many generic sushi places in SD.
I would give this business a sixth bonus star if it were an option. By far my most visited sushi restaurant, ever!
Aside from the amazing food this business is locally owned and the owner, Bob, is a really nice, really upbeat guy.
I completely recommend Sabukus and will continue to return... I might be going on my 30th dine-in...maybe more?! :) -
Review from Deb R.
San Diego, CA
well, I've been back to Sabuku about a half a dozen times now and I can honestly say they've improved to deserve a 3 star review.
If I were only reviewing their sushi, I'd probably give them a 4...maybe even a 5 (and I don't give out 5's very easily!) but unfortunately service plays a big part in the experience.
So, the sushi. YUM YUM YUM! They've got some super creative rolls, which I love. Even better, when they say their rolls are spicy...they mean their rolls are SPICY!
Just this last week I went with a friend and we got their spicy special combo. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the combo, but it included the Naughty & Nice roll along with another spicy roll (again, can't remember the name). Both came with their triple X sauce, which is flamin hot and I love it! Just a drop is all you need for some seriously good heat.
Their cucumber salad always needs extra dressing. Actually what I think it needs is to be made a little ahead of time so it has time to soak up the dressing, because it always just tastes like the cucumber has just been sliced and the skimpy dressing drizzled on. Adding extra dressing always helps, but I think if it were allowed to pickle even just an hour it would be so much better.
Overall, I have not had a bad roll yet. They are always full of flavor and delicious. My only complaint on the rolls is that some are quite expensive, which is a deterant to even try them.
Now for their service. Its definitely gotten better, but it still can be hit or miss. Sometimes the server is very attentive, and othertimes its like pulling teeth to get their attention. Haven't quite figured out a pattern yet, because its not like its always super busy when I've been in their, but that part of the restaurant could still use some improvement.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/28/2011
I think for now, the jury's still out
Like a lot of other yelpers, I was very excited to have a Sushi… Read more »
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Review from danielle v.
San Luis Obispo, CA
Updated - 4/15/2012
Still Solid sushi, but unfortunately of the 10+ times we have been there, service is a bit hit or miss. We usually sit at the bar which i found avoid this mishap since i just order from the chef's or Bob himself. If it is a tad busy then the server seems to not make enough passes to make all your requests needed.
The intro of Bacon has been a great little mix and the fish is still as fresh as ever. Worth it and I am hoping that the servers will get a hang of it soon1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/8/2011
-Something New to Try: Nachos on the menu with the tuna and sauces
these were crunching, spicy, and… Read more »
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Review from Anh N.
San Diego, CA
4/5/2012
Food was good - though not spectacular and I have definitely had better at those prices. $14 dollars for a caterpillar roll? It wasn't a particularly exciting one either.
Two good things - the nachos were very different and very "fusion" and the rocky boku sake fruit cocktail was VERY good. If it were only those two things - this place would definitely have scored a bit higher. but just a bit.
Gave this place a try - though a lot of the reviews complained about service - I always figure service is one of those hit or miss things so you couldn't completely not try a place based on it. However, I'll have to add another review to the poor quality in service.
Server was never rude, but for a place that's not too big and not too crowded - it took an inordinate amount of time to get our orders in (about 20 minutes), our food (another 30 minutes). Our rolls did not come with wasabi and ginger...so we had to ask for them. Strange. I guess I missed that "fusion" aspect to the place. Nonetheless - it took about 10 minutes for the server to bring one small spoonful of wasabi and an even smaller amount of ginger - certainly not enough for 4 rolls.
Since the drinks were so good - we practically had to beg for a second one. Yes - beg, because it was clear we weren't getting anything without constant prodding. We even joked with the sushi master (I'm thinking he's the owner) for a refill since the server was too busy - and he says "of course - for ten dollars," I think it was meant to be funny - but it hit a wrong nerve and came across like we were asking for a free refill. No, dear sir, we simply would like you to actually act like you want our business. Um -- yeah, like free refills ever happen with alcohol. Prick. -
Review from Dustin O.
Oceanside, CA
4/6/2012
OK, I'll make this as short as I can: paid $65 for one of the worst sushi dinners my g/f and I have had in recent memory. Ordered the 10-15pc $25 "Chef Special Sashimi" plate - supposedly the best cuts that the chef chooses for you, etc - it comes out to us and they put shrimp as 1/4 of the plate? Seriously? The only time I ever eat shrimp at a sushi place is in Tempura rolls. On top of that, the fish was kind of warm and the salmon was falling apart before we could even eat it.
Ordered a Tuna Tuna roll, and get this - the avocado on top of the roll was BROWN. Every piece. I've never seen this happen at a sushi restaurant. Technically, brown avocado isn't BAD, but at a high-priced sushi place like Sabuku - I expect green avocado for sure. It just ruined the roll altogether.
The service was lackadaisical and spotty. Girl had trouble working the fancy iPod Touches they use to place orders. Go figure.
Avoid. -
Review from Colleen c.
San Diego, CA
5/4/2012
Tonight was the first night I have been here and I was definitely disappointed. I am vegetarian and they have many different veggie rolls, but out of the two I tried they both were VERY bland. Their not so miso soup was also extremely bland. BTW they charge you a dollar extra for wontons that are supposed to go in the soup and don't let you know about the charge until you get the check. My girlfriend got three other rolls. She said they were good, but she has definitely had better elsewhere. Also their prices are out of control. We definitely will not be back here and feel gypped for wasting $70 on food that was mediocre.
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Review from Toni M.
San Diego, CA
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Had a great time tonight, staff is friendly and sincere...truly want you to have a great time. Wide variety of sushi and sake, fairly priced for the quality..more than satisfied, thanks all!
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Review from Leo I.
3/19/2012
Really just a comment on service.
We got none. So we left.
Came here with Teh Rog since Tao was closed and we were seated in the very back in this really small and tight area, facing away from the bar. We never got helped and after 5-10 minutes of sitting there we just up and left. Where to? Anywhere but here. -
Review from Allyson M.
San Diego, CA
3/10/2012
If I could give it zero stars I would. Everything is wrong about this place. The two orders of nigiri (salmon and yellowtail) were warm and took 30 minutes to arrive, and our 2 main rolls took 45 minutes to arrive. To make it worse, the place was only half full and the sushi chefs were busy doing everything but making rolls (mainly chatting with each other) Our rolls were mostly mayo sauce with a strange assortment of fish and uncooked veggies. The rice was undercooked, the menus were filthy with crusty sauces. They are trying way to hard and achieving way too little.
Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else where the fish is fresh, the service is quick and mayo is not the main part of the meal. -
Review from TONY C.
San Diego, CA
4/24/2012
I was soooooo excited when this place opened up. I live close by and tend to eat sushi at least once a week. Lets just say that i have tried to like this place (especially because I think Adams ave needed a good sushi restaurant) and after this last weekend I believe Ive been here around a dozen times. The rolls are ok but I always order sashimi and its just not very fresh or lacking in flavor. We all know that a doctored up roll with fried shrimp and some fancy sauce is always going to hide the quality of a good fish. I hope the owners read this and make some changes.
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Review from Tina E.
San Diego, CA
3/21/2012
I am so happy that there is finally a sushi place in my area, it is across the street from Antique Row Cafe. Overall this place deserves 3 stars mostly because service is very so-so. The first time we went there the place was packed and needless to say service was not so great but it was busy so I was sympathetic. Second time we went the place was practically empty and in my opinion the service was sub par considering the amount of customers that were there. I don't ask for much in terms of service, I waited table for three years so I know the job is tough. I do expect though that a pile dirty plates on my table be picked up by an employee who is walking by that has nothing in their hands. Parking is also something to contend with as they do not have their parking lot so you are forced to look for street parking which can be a challenge.
Food wise it's pretty good. I am a huge fan of the chicken teriyaki roll and the not so miso soup. They have a cucumber salad which is also nice and light. My hubby had the chicken teriyaki plate which was also very good as they used chicken breast and what I think is a house made teriyaki sauce. I've had plenty of good and bad teriyaki sauces in my time and this one is one of the best. The regular rolls are nothing special, we had the salmon roll which was good but not amazing in my opinion. They also have a special bacon menu which has an assortment of rolls that have bacon in them. I have not tried any of them but I told myself I would order one next time we go in.
Overall it is a decent place, I hope the service does get better though. We will continue to frequent this place because honestly it is convenient and the food is pretty darn good. If it were not so close however, I don't think I would be singing the same song. If you are in the mood for nuevo sushi and happen to be in the area then I say swing by and try it out. It's worth a first date and then after your experience you can decide if it's relationship material. -
Review from Erin D.
3/6/2012
Their menu is quite extensive page-wise, but the selection is nowhere close to being amazing. I also find it weird their house sake is served in a communal cup rather than the usual sake set. This made it really incovenient to share, and virtually impossible to do sake bombs - not that we wanted to, but having the option would have been nice. We were there on a busy night, but the service was unreasonably slow. When we finally got our food, I wasn't too impressed. At the prices they were charging, I was expecting fireworks. But it was so-so at best.
Overall, this place did not give us incentive to come back. I was really hoping this would be my neighborhood walk-to sushi spot but after our experience, I think I'd rather drive somewhere to get better sushi and service. -
Review from Sean D.
San Diego, CA
4/19/2012
Only sushi place I will go to now. Always fresh fish which is good because I usually order sashimi or nagiri. But this place has converted me to some more..let's say..San Diegan style sushi. They have a whole menu right now for bacon inspired roles, an every one I've tried so far has been amazing (bacon really does make everything better, even sushi). Then there the buku Nachos, wonton chips with raw tuna, fresh guac, and a bunch of tasty sauces, most definitely a good way to start. I also love that they always have $5 TALL beers, makes drinking affordable, which is nice at a sushi place. Keep up the good work Bob!
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Review from Danielle M.
San Diego, CA
2/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been wanting to try this place since it opened! Here are the highlights.
-modern/minimalist decor
-neat metal chopsticks
-great service and our food came out very quickly!
-'not so miso' soup was good, I love jalapenos!
-lots of yummy sounding specialty rolls, I tried the tuna tuna roll and the red dragon
-had the tempura ice cream, wow! (definitely share this dessert, it is huge)
-I think the prices are pretty average for what you find at nicer sushi places around San Diego, not cheap but not overly expensive
Oh, and they have delivery! Sweet! -
Review from Alessa S.
La Mesa, CA
2/6/2012
I went here for sushi last week and loved it. I had actually just had sushi the night before at a much smaller strip-mall restaurant. Absolutely no comparison to Sabuku.
As soon I stepped foot inside the restaurant I knew this was going to be an entirely different experience than that of my neighborhood sushi joint. It's very modern and clean inside, with huge tables, ceramic soy sauce containers and fancy metal chopsticks at every place setting. This fresh approach was affirmed when we started with the buku nachos. Nachos at a sushi place?! Yes, won ton chips and tuna nachos, complete with avocado and yummy sauces. I couldn't stop munching on these, even though I wanted to save ample room for rolls. We tried some sashimi, then a decent selection of rolls, which were all delicious and unlike any that I had enjoyed the night before. Their spicy aioli was very tasty, especially in their naughty nice and everything spice roll.
Overall, this isn't the place to stuff yourself full of cheap California rolls. Instead I'd recommend Sabuku to anyone looking to savor unique, quality rolls in a fun environment. Plus they have sake flights, how can you beat that? -
Review from Angel A.
San Diego, CA
2/1/2012
I should of wrote this review months ago... There is so much I love about this place and I've been to busy to get to it.
Started with a friend picking up sushi late at night and bring it home. It was the best to go sushi I have ever seen. So fresh and well put together like art. Always looking forward to the magic white container with the mouth watering sushi.
I was hearing the buzz in the neighborhood or what we call it "The Hood", of this new sushi place in walking distance. One thing I love about the hood, everything is in walking distance because I hate driving and even worst I hate drinking and driving!!! And having a drink is a must or two... Wink
For a best friends birthday the place for dinner was set for Sabuku! Ahh it has a name... LOL I'm ready let's do it! I could eat sushi everyday so I've been to all the sushi places but now that Subuku is here, I can't seem to remember any of the names to the other places.
With a room full of all my crazy friends, I order Miso soup but was told they didn't have any. What?...... They had " Not So Miso Soup" ok fine, I'll have that and a 50/50. This is a test because I lived in Japan and a 50/50 was my drink. NO sushi place in San Diego has ever known what I was talking about. To my jumping up and down clapping surprise the owner Bob knew what I was talking about and already had a drink on the menu kinda like it. He asked me to try the one on menu but it was a little to sweet for me, so he brought me what the Dr. ordered my 50/50. Ahhhh... Yo Bob your to cool!!!
Now for the meal. The Not So Miso Soup, to die for!!! How Can I ever have reg miso soup again? The salmon sashimi so fresh I felt like a happy kitty and started to clean like a cat. Not like a real cat but I fun, happy just being silly cat like. Also Had my fav a caterpillar roll which melted in my mouth, we had to order another. Not sure if I could be any happier, then they brought out two different fried ice creams rolls. Put a stick in me I'm done!!!
I'm here all the time. So yes please try Subuku and ask for their late hour XXX menu. It makes me giggle. The passion did meet the sushi... -
Review from Janelle J.
San Diego, CA
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
First thing I thought: for this price, this sushi better be close to epic.
It was not.
For one, I got the crunchy roll and it was drenched in the sauce. It made it too sweet. The Rainbow Roll is average, and the fish didn't have the "melt in my mouth like butter" effect. The Caterpillar Roll was again, average.
It's a cute place and all. Very modern. And I guess they're innovative with their American sushi?
But I'm a sushi snob. And for the price I paid, it wasn't worth it. I always do a test visit with the modern rolls before I give a place the true test of trying out their nigiri or sashimi. Sad to say, I'm not convinced to spend that money here on the real stuff. I'm probably better off going to one of the Japanese markets in Kearny Mesa and doing it myself for this price.
However. I would still go back here if invited by friends, and I'd probably enjoy myself even. I'd stick to the moderate rolls though...tuna roll, spicy tuna, etc. -
Review from Sylvea W.
La Jolla, CA
2/6/2012
The truth is, sushi is everywhere. Especially cheap, average quality sushi. There are new sushi bars opening up everywhere and on a random given day, they will probably have decent sushi. Read yelp reviews, and the best line a sushi restaurant can get is " great for it's price".
Sabuku Sushi really goes beyond that line. Their taste is not dependent on another factor, and it is definitely not just "decent". The sushi itself is great; there is no doubt of that. But, it is the originality in their rolls that make it amazing. If you're here, don't just try the same Caterpillar roll that every other sushi place offers, try something different! Their naughty and nice roll is SO GOOD. It's nice to see a different kind of sushi place around. -
Review from Joannie L.
San Diego, CA
4/4/2012
The decor was modern and clean. It was very welcoming. The food was ok. The best roll I had was the bacon roll. Anything tastes amazing with bacon in it! The one thing that threw me off was the service. The waiter had a fancy hand held computer to place all the orders in, which i think is pretty cool, first time I saw this was in LA, but the guy didn't really know how to use it. So we had to repeat our order a few times. They also have a lot of different sake and sake flights! Sounds pretty awesome, right? but when I asked the server about the different sake, he said it was his first day at work and didn't know. Later, we found out he had been working there since January. Would I go back? Probably not, unless I'm craving a bacon roll!
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Review from Gina C.
Chula Vista, CA
1/29/2012
The sushi is good, they have interesting choices and I havent been disappointed with the food itself.
This place gets its low rating for the service we had tonight. We were attended quickly at first and ordered some drinks. Then the waitress was nowhere to be found for 20 min. Finally she came back to take our food order. 30 min went by, she was definitely avoiding us, and as we were going to just ask for our check and leave, a chef finally comes out with our order and a small appology of our food taking so long and tried to joke that since we were in the corner we were a bit forgotten. Waitress finally came out after the chef, asked if we were fine and needed anything else, so we just asked for the check. Ate our food quickly and left. Owner didnt even look our way. Needless to say, we probably wont be coming back. -
Review from Danielle S.
San Diego, CA
4/19/2012
This is my FAVORITE sushi restaurant I have ever been to. The sushi is very creative, there is never a wait and the staff if friendly and knowledgeable. This is a great place to take someone who is a sushi novice because of their rolls that have chicken and steak or someone who has been eating sushi for years and is in the mood for something a little more exotic. Keep up the great work and Ill see you guys soon!
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Review from Q M.
San Diego, CA
2/12/2012
I love this place, me and my bf have been going like once a week. He loves the bacon and scallop roll and I'm in love with their oysters and Rainbow roll. I highly recommend the bacon.garlic.halibut roll its SO good, especially if you like bacon haha One thing that I usually don't do is try the chefs specials at any restaurant, but here I do and they ALWAYS turn out to be a new favorite of mine.
Their decor is modern, very nice, and their place is clean. Not like these old sushi places where the bathroom looks like a truck stop. hahaha.
Will be returning VERY soon, or maybe order for delivery since they do deliver which you definitely don't find from a sushi place :) -
Review from Troy B.
Imperial Beach, CA
12/30/2011
I had a horrible experience here. My girlfriend was very excited to take me out to dinner and wanted to try Sabuku since she moved nearby and wanted to check it out. The sushi was ok, but afterward she and I both had stomach pains and diarrhea. I called several hours later and left two message explaining my concern and letting them know what we ate. My messages were ignored. Over the next two days I called 2 or 3 other times, either getting a busy signal or no answer. I finally got through to the owner more than a week later and expressed my concern.
He claimed the answering machine was on "the fritz.".....who uses answering machines anymore? He never even apologized, only admitting it was possibly the restaurant's fault. He told me how serious my report was to him then tried to push me off the phone. I told him about how upset my girlfriend was that we both got sick and how she wasted $60.
He then explained Sabuku was 50% responsible for us getting sick and he offered 50% off your next dinner. I was appalled by his attitude and lack of concern for our health. I think he was untruthful about not receiving any messages. I would NOT recommend giving this place any business. -
Review from Marchela P.
San Diego, CA
3/28/2012
Going out to dinner is my favorite thing to do, especially when you get lucky and hit a good restaurant. I love going out for sushi, and although I have been to a couple of great sushi restaurants in San Diego, I loved Sabuku. It is not too far from my house since I am in Bankers Hill. The decor was modern, staff friendly and helpful about the sake flight that my boyfriend and I tried. I usually like more traditional sushi, sashimi and nigiri, but loved their fusion rolls too! We tried the surf n' turf roll with filet and sweet mandarin sauce. What a unique roll?
We also had the seared ahi salad. I love ponzu sauce, and liked the combination with the spicy ginger aioli.
Although I love edamame...I think all sushi restaurants should have shishito peppers on the menu. When we went, they didn't have them. Hopefully they will add some to the menu.
We will definitely go back. We had a blast. -
Review from Lupita C.
San Diego, CA
4/3/2012
This place is great! And the fact that it is around the corner from where we live is an even bigger plus!!! We went this past Saturday night, late night which is another plus , especially for my boyfriend who has a late night ironcast digestive system! We fell in love that night over and over and I'm not talking about with one another...first with the not so miso soup, then the ahi tacos, and finally with all the rolls we ordered which included the Passion, Red Dragon and one with Naughty in the name....all I can say is Delicious! We don't remember the waitresses' name but she was great!!!! So sorry for the ones who haven't had an awesome experience.
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Review from Sean D.
San Diego, CA
5/8/2012
Ok. Let me start by saying that I love the food here. I've been eating here since the place opened and they have some of the best sushi in San Diego. The owner is friendly and attentive and tries to talk to all of his guests. I have only had one bad experience here and it was when the owner was out of town. That meal was kind of a comedy of errors on what not to do while working in a restaurant. The hostess didn't greet us when we walked in and seemed to be engrossed in her cell phone with her long black hair not tied back. Also, one of the sushi chefs appeared to be there on his day off and seemed to be a bit stoned. He was walking around behind the bar with his long blond hair not tied back. He kept hovering over the food, touching his nose and touching the food.(Gross right?) I waited twelve minutes before finally having to ask for a drink refill during the meal. The moral of the story is if you walk in and Bob isn't there you'd probably be better off getting back in your car and driving to Umi. But normally a very good spot.
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Review from Dria P.
La Mesa, CA
4/13/2012
I sat at the sushi bar with two of my friends. We were well taken care of by the chef, who even went out of his way to make special dishes for one girl who didn't eat fish. (I know, what is she doing at a sushi restaurant? Long story.) Anyway, everything was very tasty and prompt. I loved their "not so miso soup" as a starter, and their tempura fried green tea ice cream was a great dessert. The only complaint I had is that we ordered two bottles of plum sake from a server, and she brought us one full, new bottle, and one that had been opened and was half full! After we brought it to her attention, she removed the half bottle entirely from our bill. All in all a very fun experience - the owner was even there helping to make rolls, and he made sure to greet and thank every person that walked in and out of the restaurant.
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Review from Melissa B.
San Diego, CA
4/7/2012
Great location, cool ambiance, huge sake selection, really tasty sushi and friendly people! Totally recommend their sake flights :)
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Review from Mia L.
1/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
12.23.11 have u ever got schooled at sushi restaurant? Well this is the place to b schooled on Sushi. Chef Jason, yes the white boy, gave us all types of information about who gets first pick of fish, fresh wasabi, culinary school and etc..
I on the other hand was hardly listening.. I was mainly gawking at the rolls he was making.
The Asian Sushi Chef is more helpful when it comes to recommendation. He focused on the food.. That's what I'm here for ..
The rolls are fancy, there are a bunch of sauces that goes on the rolls. I'm not much a fancy person but their rolls did impress me. Got the naughty and nice & Everything Spice, some yellowtail special roll on the board, and edamame.
Next time I will have to stop by and just try the sashimi. You don't know if a fish is fresh unless u have sashimi.
Until next time.. -
Review from Kathleen M.
San Diego, CA
12/14/2011
We ate here on a Saturday night around 8:30 and sat at the bar. I was impressed with how clean and sleek everything was, but worried that the menu didn't seem very "traditional".
Speaking with the chefs and the owner, I was soon won over. They were warm and welcoming, easy to talk to and very accommodating. My husband had the cucumber salad appetizer, while I opted for the grilled mahi salad. Both were excellent. We particularly loved the delicacy and layering of flavors, from the toasted sesame seeds to the wasabi vinaigrette.
I ordered the spicy salmon roll, while my husband tried 3 pieces of sushi as well as the big-eye tuna sashimi. We were both very impressed with how perfectly prepared and fresh everything was. I also enjoyed the special "holiday" sake - it was like a fine glass of sauvignon blanc. We will definitely be back. -
Review from Chantal F.
San Diego, CA
11/15/2011
I was so excited to have a sushi bar open right down the block from me. My husband and I decided to take advantage of their delivery service and order sushi in. Let me just start by saying that each star is for the 2 delightful people who helped me with our order. Very nice hostess and friendly delivery man. Now for the disappointing part, the sushi. The sushi was very bland and even when ordering 4 distinct tasting rolls, they all managed to taste the same.
Everything was topped with the same roe, no sauces were used to liven anything up and considering the menu is so detailed with what they put in their rolls, you would expect a parade in your mouth. It was quite the opposite for us and with the money spent we expected a little more flavor and flare.
Because this is a new place and we are forgiving people and my husband and I will try it once more and this time were dining out. Hopefully it's was just because we ordered for delivery but the bottom line is taste and texture, and it just wasn't there. -
Review from Frank D.
San Diego, CA
11/24/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Great local sushi bar, the owner is super nice and he is very attentive.
I see mixed reviews on here and people really need to chill out.
The food is amazing, not cheap but good quality.
I wish they had miso soup. Last time i went there was no miso.
Owner said they were adding things to the menu, he really
listens to his customers and takes pride in his restaurant.
FINALLY - a sushi joint on Adams.
Prayer works. -
Review from Jeff L.
San Diego, CA
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
With a tagline like "where passion meets sushi", they had better not be messing around. I was pleased to find that they lived up to it!
This relatively new sushi spot has a passionate, knowledgeable, and hands-on owner who makes rolls and mingles with customers, while keeping a positive and engaging attitude that's refreshing to find. The staff was very accommodating and friendly as well. They helped us find a good spot for my friend's 2 month baby and were quick with suggestions on the menu. The owner even gave us some free soju-tinis that they were trying out. There were some mix-ups in what we ordered, but they were quickly corrected. The rolls were great and reasonably priced. It's a somewhat small place, so I'm not sure how crowded the restaurant or parking is on a weekend, as we were there on a Tuesday.
The owner came by several times, including after our meal. He gave us suggestions on what to try on our next visit, and he was also helpful to point out other sushi restaurants that we should try.
Overall, a very positive experience. One that leaves me wanting to come back to try more of their menu, including the "not-so-miso" soup that Amy N. mentioned. -
Review from Jeremy A.
12/11/2011
Got some takeout from this place and it was pretty fresh and tasty. The protein roll was fantastic and a must order!
The only negative part if there was a bone in the sashimi that I ordered, I understand that mistakes can happen I just hope the chef reads this and is a bit more careful next time :)
The prices are very good and id definitely go back again. -
Review from Lloyd M.
San Diego, CA
3/25/2012
When I read some of the reviews here, I just don't get it.
This place is down the street from where I live and I was psyched to have a sushi bar on this side of the world (i.e. not University). But as psyched as I was, I was also a bit scared. Sushi? Adams? Pshaw.
HOWEVER! The service was exceptional (and when you hit a place that's got a line on a Friday night, OF COURSE they are a little slower) and the sushi was fresh (and I don't get the other comments that talk about it being bland....did you order fish and rice, 'cause really, they all taste the same if that's what you ordered).
Listen, I don't necessarily want to convince you to check this place out because frankly, now that I've discovered it I want it all to myself. That being said, if you want reasonably priced sushi that's also fresh, this place can't be beat. -
Review from Amy N.
San Diego, CA
10/26/2011
My friends and I have a "sushi tour" going on so look out for some more sushi reviews from this girl. This was my first stop on the official tour though and I had a blast!
We went on a night where we were some of the only people there (late on a Tuesday), so staff were fantastically attentive to us--going so far as to give us all several rounds of free shooters because they were doing some experiments with the next sake cocktail (I think ours were called Red Devil or something like that...sake + cranberry juice + somethin' else, but pretty good!) and to let us stay well past closing time, shooting the breeze and recommending places for our next stop on the sushi tour.
I will say that they brought out the wrong sushi roll for our vegetarian, but they were apologetic and had no problem letting the non-vegetarians eat it and bring out the real deal for her.
I also recall having a conversation with the owner about their "notsomiso soup" which I regret not trying. He explained how most other places let their miso soup sit all day long in a warmer but that at Sabuku, they add ingredients right before it is served (like the seaweed) so that it's actually fresh. -
Review from Karen V.
San Diego, CA
3/12/2012
Finally a sushi place in 92116. Inventive menu, perhaps a little too much do if you're a traditional sushi lover. But-- outstanding quality fish. Look out Ota!
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Review from Peter W.
San Diego, CA
3/2/2012
Excellent service and excellent food. We live nearby, and have driven by it lots of times, and finally stopped in. Not at all disappointed! Love the decor. Penthouse roll (special tonight) and Red Dragon roll were both primo good. We got sashimi of both tuna and yellowtail - both fresh and tasty. Service was spot on, friendly (without being too much) and timing was perfecto. Did I mention the sake? Great selection, mostly chilled versions, including sparkling sake! I'm hooked now. So glad to have a good sushi joint near home - we will definitely be back.
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Review from Susie G.
3/2/2012
I love this place! Sabuku has some of the best vegetarian sushi I've had in the city. The Negi roll is my favorite; a super-weird, delicious combination of spicy ginger aioli and tempura sweet potato and avocado. Yum, I could go for some right now! It's not cheap and we've only ever ordered carry out so I can't speak to service or decor, but in terms of food it's my favorite sushi spot in San Diego...and thankfully it's just down the street!
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Review from Danielle C.
San Diego, CA
1/16/2012
Really? Seriously? We live RIGHT down 30th just past Howard but nooo they can't deliver to us because we're in the 92104 zip code NOT the 92116 ohh! How friggin pretentious is that??? They seriously need to change that policy. I'm so disgusted right now I'm not sure if I will EVER eat there!
