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Wa Dining OKAN
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
3860 Convoy StSte 110
(between Aero Dr & Linda Vista Rd)
San Diego, CA 92111
Neighbourhood: Kearny Mesa
(858) 279-0941
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Wed 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Thu-Sat 5:30 pm - 11:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
315 reviews for Wa Dining OKAN
Review Highlights
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"The kabocha and gobo salad was amazing." In 60 reviews -
"black honey) is perfect, just absolutely perfect." In 37 reviews -
"Try their beef tongue, it's so juicy & delicious." In 36 reviews
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315 reviews in English
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Review from Monika C.
5/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Had lunch here and it was amazing!
So hard to pick a good asian place in the area with so many options! My friend chose this place for lunch during the week and it didn't disappoint! The restaurant was pretty small but the food was great and the service was fast. Only downfall was that they only took cash, but the little asian supermarket next door did cash back on purchases. (And now I have hello kitty chopsticks and random asian chocolate.. but anyways..)
I would totally come back here again. Good food, good service, good prices, friendly service. Thumbs up! And peace sign + smile ;o) -
Review from Greg H.
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I thought I knew Japanese food... but wow! This place really sets the bar high for Japanese food; it was impressively delicious and was just the right amount of food. At first I was really skeptical that the amount of food that they served on each plate would fill me, but it actually worked out just fine. The quality is amazing but the quantity seems to be lacking on some dishes; I had the salmon sashimi (6 med sized slices) which had a smooth texture that melted in my mouth for $8.50. But my friend who ordered the mackerel sashimi for $9.50, came with about 4-5 small slices. My best advice would be to order at least 2-3 dishes per person.
If you're looking for a high quality Japanese restaurant with a reasonable price, then this place is definitely the top pick. But if you're looking for just sushi with a lot of bang for your buck AND serves sushi rolls, I'd advise to look elsewhere. -
Review from Wesley H.
San Diego, CA
5/20/2012
This place is legit, yo.
First thing's first: cash only.
I was recommended this place by a friend, so we bounced on over for a lunch special. I'm talking full real Japanese-style lunch for $8 or less. This place is tucked in a corner next to Nigiya Market, and the space is rather small.
Their karage (fried chicken) is phenomenal. Get it. It comes with three small side dishes, a bowl of rice, and miso soup. Brown rice will run you an extra $0.50, and you get some . It's a good portion size for the price tag.
The style of food is very reminiscent of Japanese lunches, and it had the stamp of approval from a Japanese friend of mine that recommended this place. Word.
Here's a cool anecdote about service. I went over to Nijiya Market next door to buy something and get cash back so I could pay. Obviously I bought a dessert pastry to eat before my meal (because I'm a fatass). I busted it out while we were waiting for our order, but tried to be discreet when our waitress came by. She went out of her way to let me know it was cool, which was awesome. So I busted out my other dessert pastry and stuffed my face before my meal.
Dessert before meal. What? Don't judge.
Head on over to this place for awesome authentic affordable lunches. I'll be back for dinners, fo sheezy. -
Review from Emme F.
San Diego, CA
5/8/2012
Was missing Tokyo.... and was hoping this restaurant would bring a bit of Tokyo back into my life. I was right. It was a great little spot!
Service was great and attentive. The space is small so it's great for an intimate dinner.
Here is what I had:
-Salmon scallop carpaccio: this was amazing. great flavor. The salmon and scallop just melts in your mouth
-Beef tongue skewer: this was particularly good. it was tender and flavorded perfectly.
-Udon soup with crispy tempura: I love udon, and this was nice. the crispy tempura gave it the needed kick.
-Asparagus wrapped in pork: my husband absolutely loved this dish. the asparagus was crisp and the pork extremely tasty.
-Salmon rice ball with broth: this was good as well. but certainly nothing to write home about -
Review from Sock M.
San Diego, CA
4/14/2012
I'm full Japanese and have lived in Japan my whole life.
My gosh, this restaurant just made me feel like home. Their food is hands down the best Japanese food I've had in the US. It is a little pricey but definitely worth it for me when I am feeling homesick or just in need of good Japanese food! The sake was great too. I can't forget the service; service made me feel comfortable and welcome!
The atmosphere is great for a date or a dinner with a friend. The lights are dim so it's very calming and moody but in a exotic way. :)
If you go there definitely get the KAMAMESHI. Get the Unagi one! You won't regret it , I swear ;)) -
Review from Maria C.
I've been here several times and decided to come take advantage of another event WDO was hosting.
Luckily, reservations were made because the restaurant was busy. Ordered the following:
-2 Sapporo cans ($4): Reg price $7.50
-Garlic Edamame ($3.50): Served warm and loved the garlicky flavor! MMMM Great appy to order and share. Note: If you're on a date, wait to kiss your date post-dinner! ;)
-Chinjao Rosu, Green Pepper and Beef Stir Fry ($5.50): I thought this was a noodle dish, but it was bamboo shoots with green pepper and beef stir fry. Caught me off guard as I don't care for bamboo. The beef was good, however.
-Udon Noodle with Crunchy Tempura ($6.50): Nothing you can't get anywhere else. It was OK.
-Beef Rib with Sesame Miso Sauce ($8): My FAVE of the night. Only 2 skewers come with the dish. VERY FLAVORFUL, moist and delish!!
-Green Tea Ice Cream and Mochi: Tasty!!! Perfect happy ending!!!
Although the portions are small, the service was attentive and personable. Make sure you make reservations or else you may not be able to dine. And if you're late 15 mins for your reservation, they will give up your spot.
Because it was St. Patty's Day and we were wearing green, we were able to pick out sticks from a box for prizes.
Being on their email list you get to take advantage of their various events - from sake tastings to special occasion festivities. Fun little restaurant!
P.S. Check out the bathroom. LOVE the heated toilet seat :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/8/2010
Decided to come here after all the rave reviews from my fellow Yelpers. This is a true hole in the… Read more »
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Review from Jim L.
4/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
OKAN has a very limited lunch menu so I decided to go with the crispy chicken in a green onion sauce. Glad for the limitations because the chicken was excellent!! Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The meal was served served with miso soup, a vermicelli noodle and white rice.
Had a bite the beef tongue and while that seems to be the staple here, sorry to say that I wasn't impressed. While it seasoned well, it wasn't hot and a little bit chewy for my liking.
Small little restaurant tucked back in the corner of a strip mall, OKAN can be a little difficult to find. Perhaps 6-8 tables as well as the bar to sit it. There seems to be much more seating available at the bar than at a table.
Service was good (although the server was comparing me to her child because of my limited use of chop stix) and price was great (in the range of $11 including tip for the meal including drink).
Other items on the menu looked interesting and the next time back, I will give something else a try. -
Review from Jayson N.
San Diego, CA
4/4/2012
Absolutely adore this place. One of my favorites in San Diego. When I have friends who want Japanese food, I take them here. Most people have never heard of it, and it's kind of hidden in the corner of this shopping plaza.
The place is tiny. If you have a big group, they might limit your time to 2 hours. I've been able to walk in with two people on a regular basis though.
My favorites and must-haves include the gobo salad, which crunchy fried gobo that you break into the salad, the tempura mochi that offers a nice contrast of textures with crispy and chewy (the broth it's served in is also delicious), a perfectly cooked hamachi kama, fantastically crunchy ika geso, divine sliced pork with green onion, and the comforting rice ball (take your pick) in broth. We always try a few of the rotating list of tapas in the giant bowls on the counter. Anything with lotus root or kabocha is generally pretty good. Also try the braised pork dish, it's so tender and delicious.
For dessert I can't get away without ordering the pudding with black honey, which is actually more like flan. The black honey is honey with brown sugar melted in, and it has an incredibly deep flavor. This dessert is so good that I'd go there just to eat this after another meal. We've had some other desserts that my wife also liked, but I prefer this one.
Definitely try this place. With a group of more than 2, call for a reservation, but know you can make same day reservations in most cases. Also, beware of the expensive plum wine! I think we paid $100 for "their best bottle" that was available for $30 at Ninjiya next door. -
Review from Yutaka M.
San Diego, CA
3/31/2012
I like "Wa Dining OKAN" a lot!
If you wanna eat real home-style Japanese food, you should go to "Wa Dining OKAN"! You see traditional Japanese mom's cooking dishes in this place that other Americanized Japanese restaurants do not have.
Look inside of the restaurant! There are many Japanese people eating there!!! :) It means "Wa Dining OKAN" serves real Japanese food! Seriously!!! Some of Japanese business men love to go there after work tho! :) I am sure they miss Japanese food... :) On the other hand, I feel that this place is not for poor students... because it's pricy!!! Damn! :( And also please DO NOT be upset about their tiny food! LOL You can have "OKAN healthy lunch" during the lunch hour. It's only $6.50, so hungry students would be happy too! :)
I recommend you to try these items-
Appetizer:
-Cold Steamed Egg Custard with Shrimp and Vegetable
-Boiled Wild Chicken Skin topped with Green Onion ~Spicy Ponzu Sauce~
Side Dish:
-Braised Pork Nagasaki-style
-Thinly Sliced Grilled Beef Tongue
-Egg Omelet with Eel
Grilled Dish:
Beef Tongue Steak (2 skewers)
Drinks(Sake):
-Kubota "Manjyu" (Junmai Daiginjo)
-Otokoyama (Junmai)
I am very picky about Japanese food. I always prefer to go to Japanese restaurants which are owned by Japanese make real Japanese tastes, NOT TOO Americanized Japanese food. This place is one of them! :)
"Wa Dining OKAN" and "Robata-ya Oton" are owned by the same owner. "Wa Dining OKAN" is a very small restaurant, so it's good for small groups. "Robata-ya Oton" is for big groups.
Food : 5 Stars
Service : 4 Stars
Price : 4.5 Stars
Wa Dining OKAN Menu:
English
http://okanus.com/?lan...
Japanese
http://okanus.com/?lan... -
Review from Nida K.
With it's outstanding reviews and high popularity, I was excited to try OKAN especially since I just had izakaya style dining for a first time at Nobuo (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) in Phoenix, AZ. It was an amazing experience and I was hoping that OKAN would deliver the same amount of satisfaction.
We had 8:15PM reservations on Friday night, and we were doing a double date with two good friends. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table, so I headed to to restroom first. Let me just say, that I would've been impressed by the restroom alone. The toilet is awesome! It must've been transported back from the future with its' nifty control panel on the wall. The sink had a nice touch of design with stones piled up in it.
When we got seated, the menu was a little overwhelming. There were so many options of things to try. Our server came by with a hot towel to wipe our hands. Ahhhh, it reminds me of being on an airplane on a long, international flight. When we finally decided on some items, they all came out quite quickly after we ordered them.
Marinated Tuna and Avocado Spring Roll ($8.25) - It looks a lot better than it tastes. The tuna cube is so tiny that the other veggies in the spring roll overpower it. Not worth getting if you ask me, especially for the price.
Sliced Roast Pork topped with Green Onion ($7.50) - Tasty slices of pork and green onion. Not my favorite thing of the night and could've done without it, honestly.
Gobo Salad ($6.50) - Now, this is one tasty salad. It's pretty big to share amongst two people. The dressing has a nice tang and the gobo stacked on top gives the salad its' crunch. One of the most delicious dishes of the night.
Quick-seared Beef ($8.25) - Almost like eating sashimi. It was tasty and thinly sliced. It had a nice flavor to it, but it wasn't amazing.
Beef Tongue Steak Skewers ($7.00) - Very flavorful cubes of beef tongue. It reminded me of filet mignon in a way. Tasty, but the thought of it still kinda weirds me out.
Stir Fried Udon Noodle ($8.00) - One of the better dishes of the night. We even ordered two of them. The bonito flakes provide some entertainment when the dish first arrives because it makes the dish look alive! It's definitely very good and probably a good serving for one or two people.
Udon Noodle Soup with Deep Fried Bean Curd ($6.50) - I love soup so I decided to see if there udon was any good. Ehhh, it wasn't. It was bland and not even worth mentioning.
We also got this Tuna and wasabi mayo appetizer. I can't recall its' actual name, but my friends really liked it.
I was a little disappointed in the food. I was thinking 4.5 starts meant that nearly everything I ordered would be truly amazing, however, I only enjoyed a couple things. Did I get the wrong items? Or maybe my perspective was shattered since I just had the best first time izakaya experience in Phoenix? Either way, OKAN will have to remain at 3 stars for me right now. -
Review from Christine S.
Carlsbad, CA
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I thought I knew what japanese food was. I've had the usual sushi, sashimi, udon & soba noodles and ramen. But I've never really had japanese food like this.
My husband and I walked into this cozy little restaurant where we had made a reservation- good thing because it was still filling up at 7:30/8pm. We were the only white couple in the room- everyone was japanese and speaking japanese for the most part. I can totally see how some other reviewers forgot they were in San Diego!
We had the following:
gobu salad- large portion as others describe- tricky to eat the long crispy strands of gobu ;-)
Tuna sashimi- very nice texture- very fresh
pork goyza dumplings- fresh, handmade- warning- they are very hot when they first come out!
Deep fried baby octopus- (I know that someone in PETA hates me) but these were perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and chewy on the inside
Roasted Duck Udon- nice flavored broth and good balance of meat/onions/noodles
Black Honey pudding- this really isn't pudding as most americans think of. It's more like vanilla flan with a light maple/molasses sauce. Very light and creamy.
We sat next to some japanese businessmen who kindly shared some of their sweet potatoe sake. I forgot the real name- it is served with hot water and takes a bit like cognac, but not as strong.
Service was great-- I highly recommend OKAN for anyone who wants to take a step out of the typical "japanese" fare. -
Review from Connie M.
This place is a super AUTHENTIC.
After shopping at Fashion Valley for what seemed like MANY hours we decided to go to find some nice NOT chain place in SD to eat at and the boyfriend found this place on Yelp.
Coming to Convoy was great (seeing how I frequented the asian area all the time when I was at UCSD). I was surprised at how I never knew about this place before. The place is pretty small and has an extensive sake menu/tasting.
The boyfriend and I looked over the menus and opted for numerous tiny dishes. We ordered Baby fried Octopus, sake clams (asari), salmon sashimi, yaki udon, beef tongue yakitori, and one of the izakayas from the bar napa cabbage with some tofu in broth.
I have to say the Sake Clams were delicious! In fact everything we ordered was delicious! If you do decide to go, I would ask the waitress to give you one or two suggestions on dishes because when we did, we had great results.
The only drawback was this place is super tiny and therefore our table and our sitting situation was a little uncomfortable. Aside from that, DELICIOUS food! -
Review from Jonathan W.
2/22/2012
Very traditional and small. This really doesn't cater to the Westernized appetite. The seasonal/special menu is always interesting.
The menu is extensive and has things you just can't find anywhere else except maybe Japan. Don't go looking for your teriyaki chicken and california rolls.
Bring only a couple friends and prepare for some authenticity. -
Review from Jonathan T.
La Jolla, CA
3/31/2012
There is a certain rustic and pure charm to Japanese food.
The foremost philosophy is to present a food ingredient in as unaltered of a state as possible in order to highlight the natural qualities of the highest quality and freshest material.
Wa Okan Dining does JUST that.
I've had a variety of raw meat/seafood dishes here, ranging from raw shrimp and scallops, to quick-seared beef (of which the inside is pretty much raw). The above have always tasted fresh and full of flavor. The key here, of course, is that everything has JUST enough flavor.
There is JUST enough seasoning or JUST enough pairing, to emphasize, say, the sweet and creamy aroma and texture of raw scallops. There is JUST enough sweetness to the unagi so that when it is in a clay pot with the rice, the infused flavor is not the artificial sweetness of unagi sauce, but of a clean and pure seafood savoriness. There is a word for it in Chinese cuisine that expresses the idea "xian".
I've had a variety of dishes here and I think every single one has stood out... so nothing stood out because it was all fantastic -- although, I was especially impressed with the mochi for dessert because it appeared hand-made in what I THINK was a traditional japanese method. But this is just from tasting it so I'm not sure.
The place seats probably around ~45 and is usually full enough to be comfy but not overcrowded. There is intimate bar seating (~15?) for those who really want a very Japanese izakaya experience, but also table seating as well. The ambience is very nice -- not anything fancy or pretentious, but very very comfortable and intimate. The lighting is dim, but floor lighting makes it so that you can always comfortably see.
While I generally don't like to talk about prices in relation to food unless it is either outrageously cheap or expensive, I do think this is probably the best food you can get for your money. A dinner for two, including some plum wine, cost (with 20% tip) just over 60$. While fine sake can set you far over, I do think this is very very cheap for the grade of food you are getting.
A must-go for those in San Diego. -
Review from Gene W.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
2/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is amazing!!@#!@#!@#!
We had miso soup with clams, seared beef with garlic ponzu, and kamameshi (essentially, rice in a clay pot with pork, egg, green onion, and other good stuff). Everything came out very quickly, the *flavor* was superb, and to end the night their black honey pudding was one of the best desserts I've had in recent memory.
Tiny little restaurant...it's worth the wait! -
Review from Lana R.
2/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
OMG!
Some menu items in this restaurant (such as Foie gras and scallop + salmon carpaccio) were of a quality of some Michelin Star restaurants.
I cannot express enough how excellent the food was!
It is expensive, but not as expensive as those Top Rated restaurants. Of course you don't get white linen on your tables or valet parking. But the food! If you come for food, this is the place to go to.
Their menu items are tapas style: small and expensive. One or even two aren't enough to feed a person. Each one of those plates ranges $6-$18.
Yeah, it's on Convoy. And yes, it comes with everything that Convoy st has to offer. -
Review from Steve O.
Los Angeles, CA
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Another great izakaya. I was in SD for shopping and stumbled upon this place on yelp. I am so glad I came. The food was decently priced, portions were good and the waitress' were very sweet.
Get the sitr fry Udon, beef tongue and duck. -
Review from Leonard L.
San Diego, CA
4/3/2012 12 photos
Wa Dining Okan
SD: Kearny Mesa
Friday March 30, 2012
Five Stars
We walked into Okan and was greeted by a very Japanese lady. She asks "Do you have a reservation?" I thought .."well that sucks, this is a reservation only type of place." I dejected said "No," she said "Let me see what I can do." Five other parties without reservations walked in and she turned them all away. We were seated at the bar with an hour time limit to eat and get out. The waitress brought us a nice hot towel to clean our hands. We ordered Mizuho Kuromatsu Kenbishi, a slightly dry Bottle of Junmai Sake ($63). It was extremely drinkable.
It began with Stir-Fried Green Peppers and Ground Beef with a side of White Rice. The meat was tender and juicy and the rice was cooked perfectly to that almost sweet consistency. The sliced beef tongue had a good flavor but was a little on the chewy side. The Fried Squid Legs was the best dish that I have had in a long while. The texture was firm but not rubbery; the seasoning and breading were simple and light; the bed of greens complemented the meat with sense of freshness. The Tempura Eel was super interesting. It came with three distinct flavors to dip them into: Wasabi Salt, Soy Sauce, and Micro Daikon. These little balls of eel were packed full of flavor. Next, we had try both the Pan-Fried and the Deep-Fried Pork Dumplings. I preferred the pan-fried but the rest of our party disagreed and felt the super crispy outside made a better vehicle for the juicy pork inside. The Tofu was delicious but I have never been a fan. The Finale: Udon with Duck. This dish was out-of-this-world good. The noodles were thick and had good bite to the texture; the Broth was both sweet and unctuous; the Duck just soaked up all the flavor from the soup - Making it AMAZING.
Our Hour was Up- so we paid and placed an order of fried gizzards to-go. We ate them on the hood of the car - Some of them were perfectly tender while other were a bit tough.
Overall, a great meal with great friends after a belligerently drunken round of golf. -
Review from Danny W.
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
With over 275 reviews and a 4 and half star average you know it's a pretty amazing restaurant, so I'm gonna speak on aspect that gets largely overshadowed...the bathroom. It's f**king sick, and by that I mean awesome...not gross.
The sink has a pleasant assortment of stones that add a wabi-sabi aesthetic, and the toilet traveled back in time from the year 2090. An auto seat lift and several buttons that I can only fathom what would happen if I pressed them...all I can really say is the Japanese sure know their shitters. If it weren't for the food being so delicious or the servers so adorable I probably would have ordered an ice tea, brought some magazines, and just made myself right at home.
The menu is incredibly large especially for such a small place. Noodles, meats, sashimis, and Japanese casseroles...there's something for whomever you decide to bring with you. I highly recommend it be a date though as the combination of atmosphere, cuisine, price point, and overall satisfaction will almost certainly make you look like you know what's up...even if you say a bunch of stupid stuff.
One of my new favorite spots in the world!!! -
Review from Teresa N.
La Jolla, CA
4/21/2012 1 photo
Lunch entree: grilled beef tongue that came with white rice, miso soup, and two sides was very yummy! My only complaint was there were only 5 small slices of beef tongue and I wish there was more.
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Review from Shing C.
San Diego, CA
2/13/2012
Kuromitsupurin (coo-row-mee-su-poo-ring- is the bomb.
It's their black honey pudding. The black honey has a brown sugar infused with honey taste and the pudding gives a very home-made texture. It's thick, creamy and a mild sweet taste. This is the best pudding I've ever had. I grew up on pudding too!
Also order Oki Opai (Oh - Key Oh-Pie)
This is their large red bean pan fried crisps.
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. It's seasonal so ask if the servers have it first.
Actual food we ordered
Shrimp with mayonnaise - very juicy shrimp (puri-puri). It's lightly breaded and deep fried and layered with japanese mayonnaise. It's mild and a meaty-seafood taste.
Stir-fry Udon - Delicious. Homemade. It's cabbage, thin sliced carrots with pork and udon noodles. The udon noodles aren't soft and just flattens. It's very squishy and has a soy sauce taste with fish flakes on top.
Grilled Yellowtail cheek - The best dish I had tonight. Grilled perfectly with a side of lemon and minced daikon and ponzo on the side.
The not sooo amazing but still good.
The grilled duck with green onions
The dish worked. Very tasty but the duck was too meaty tasting for me. It had the blood taste but when matched with the green onions it was good.
Also had a calpico sour which had very little alcohol taste. It was basically a calpico soda to me.
The atmosphere is like a small japanese bar. The waitresses were extremely friendly and taught me the japanese names of the dishes. The whole restaurant was filled with Japanese locals. It made me feel like I was in Japan. -
Review from Richard M.
Riverside, CA
2/7/2012
Had a wonderful dinner here the other night. Everything about the place was enticing. It had a very relaxed feel to it, and quite inviting. The menu was filled with an assortment of appetizing treats: The following dishes where devoured in minutes after arriving at the bar:
.Salmon and Scallop Carpaccio,Thinly Sliced Grilled Beef Tongue,Radish and spinach wa-fu salad, Shitake mushroom skewers. A few beers and a large bottle of ice cold sake and it was ALL GOOD.
I'm definitely looking forward to coming back, probably this week. Its a long drive from shits creek but worth it. -
Review from Takeo T.
La Jolla, CA
1/11/2012
Forget teriyaki bowls or california rolls. If you want real Japanese bar food, this is the place to go. (For teriyaki bowl lovers, there's a yoshinoya's down the street. Don't get me wrong, I crave me some teriyaki bowl sometimes, but Okan is NOT the place to go for that type of food).
First impression as you walk through the door is the space (or lack thereof). I think the place can accommodate about 20-30 people max, so if you're planning something for a big group, this is not the place to go. However, the size of the place creates a small yet cozy environment where you and your friends can enjoy an intimate dinner in a dimly lit place. Being a big fat Japanese guy, the small-ness of the restaurant made me feel even fatter, but that's the same effect I feel whenever I go back to Japan :)
The food here is phenomenal. I've been to a lot of Izakayas both in Japan and in the States, and this is definitely one of the best. The meat were grilled to perfection.
Recommendations:
Pork/Ikura Kamameshi
Negima
Dessert (not typical desserts, but still really good)
I'll definitely be back, once my pockets start feeling heavy again. -
Review from Valerie L.
San Diego, CA
12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okan is a Japanese bar aka izakaya. The restaurant is small so make reservations if you're coming during dinner times! I recommend sitting at the bar. I really like their "kama" kettle rice dishes. They have a regular menu, and a seasonal/special menu so make sure to look at both! They have unique izakaya items that you won't find at regular sushi/ Japaneses restaurants.
Recommendations:
Seasoned Deep Fried Baby Octopus
Sashmi and Seaweed Salad
Sliced Roast Pork topped with Green Onion
Thinly Sliced Grilled Beef Tongue
Roasted Duck with Green Onion
Rice Ball in Broth -
Review from Way F.
San Jose, CA
3/2/2012
The skewered beef tongue was pretty good - slightly chewy yet tender and tasty. Udon was rather basic, simple - nothing special, just soup and noodles and one piece of fish cake. The grilled chicken thigh was pretty tender. I think their grilled dishes are much better, but for the price...I left feeling rather unsatisfied.
Recommendations: Pretty good grilled meat but expect to pay more ($7-$16 per plate) for very little. No sushi rolls or bento boxes available. Mostly small expensive plates of food to go with alcohol. I would come here to try the beef tongue or for a small snack but it's not a place to go for a satisfying dinner. -
Review from Ss S.
Redmond, WA
3/1/2012
Gem on San Diego. Hardly would you expect a Little cozy restaurant in a strip Mall to dish out such tasty food.
Every dish we ate here was really of great Quality . It was japanese at the same time mordern . Lobster in Plum sauce , Tempura , Salmon hot pot all were delicious , fresh and very well prepared with lots of flavor.
One of the best japanese food I ever had . -
Review from Lee P.
San Diego, CA
3/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great meal!
Authentic Izakaya. Just like Japan: noisy, tiny, attention to great service and food. In some sense, it's like eating at someone's house, especially at the counter and the service is just as if you were a dinner guest in a private home, except you get a bill at the end. All staff great every entering diner and thank each diner as they exit - just like Japan. The food is Izakaya-style, meaning a meal consisting of lots of little noshes like tapas in Spanish cuisine, and lots of beer, sake or shoju (Japanese vodka).
We started with kabocha, a cold whipped squash and scallion salad, light and fluffy like mashed potatoes. Yummy. We then had boiled potatoes sautéed with thin sausage slices. Nice. Next was asparagus with sesame served warm. Good. Next was essentially poke with avocado and wasabe mayo. Delicious. We had scallop & salmon carpaccio. Delicious. Both the scallop and salmon was incredibly fresh and tender. We followed that with scallop with puréed uni (sea urchin) sauce. This was incredible. In parallel we had clam in sake broth. This was basically a Japanese take on classic boiled mussels. It too was very good. Our final dinner course was broiled duck with scallions. It was served with an accompanying yuzu-pepper condiment. Very, very nice. Last up was dessert. We had the 'pudding with black honey'. What was this in reality? It was a very light & delicate flan type custard scooped out on a plate and drizzled with what we think was a mixture of honey and molasses. Absolutely unbelievably good, a must have.
This nice feast, shared between two adult diners with a draft beer each and hot tea with dessert, ran a total of $68 less tip. Great meal, good value. The place is tiny, with only 7 tables and seating for 14 along the horseshoe counter, so reservations are strongly suggested. I think the service is better on the counter, but the tables were by no means neglected. The waiting area is outside this strip mall restaurant, so there were people standing around outside who were trying to get a drop in seating. We made a reservation and arrived on time and received immediate seating.
I'll be back! -
Review from Courtney S.
San Diego, CA
12/5/2011
This little gem definitely lives up to it's name; Okan means 'mother' and I sure am babied here!!!
I have to admit, the reason I didn't give a review before is because I didn't want people to know about my place. It's mine, not yours!!!... ok ok, I'll share... Okan takes me back to my Japanese countryside with my friends extended family I stayed with when I was 14. The smell of home and comfort for me. (I'm NOT crying..I just have something in my eye..) So back to what matters to everyone else...
SERVICE: I love the adorable ladies who work here! They know us, every Sunday I'm there, usually in the same seat. They are all very helpful and welcoming. (a whole different world from Oton, check that review!) I look forward to seeing them every week, hmmmm I'll have to rename the place 'Kanpai' since it is like Cheers, hehehe I'm so creative!
FOOD: Ok white people, don't embarrass me here. There's no teriaki chicken bowls, Yoshinoya's is down the street, and if you are not open to new tastes, that's fine, maybe this isn't for you. My mother is with you on this. She doesn't like her fish to look like a fish I guess, or have bones like one(I would tell her to man up if she wasn't my mom...) She also jumbles up even the simplest of foreign words, so she calls it "the roots restaurant." And she's somewhat right, mmmm burdock and lotus roots! Another thing to realize is the portions are good size, but small for fat ass American's. I hate hearing people complain about this. They have two menus, a larger daily menu and a smaller year round one.
GOOD THINGS TO EAT:
Daily Tapas: get your veggies in! stir fried veggies, anything in broth.
Happy Hour: amazing prices for tasty eats!
Basically everything but if you are still unsure, just have the waitresses help you, they definitely know whats tasty!
FOR NEWBIES: This place is small, not that great for parties over 6, and ALWAYS make a reservation. I have been turned away when I didn't have one and they know I am a dedicated customer.
There's 4 tables and a U-shaped bar so you have a good chance of sitting very close to another party. So for the love of god, remember to keep your voice down no matter how many beers you've had, do something about your golf BO before you walk through the door, and even though you are trying to impress your date, keep your Ralph by Ralph Lauren perfume light lady.
I could but I won't go on and on. Go there, eat real food, and your stomach will thank you! -
Review from Amy L.
San Diego, CA
12/19/2011 1 photo
The kabocha and pudding were the main things that really stood out as being really good. The tea's good too. I wouldn't really recommend it for lunch, seems it was better when we went for dinner. It's too dark and they don't take credit cards for lunch.
The waitresses were snobby towards me. And they kept trying to take my tray away even though I kept saying I wasn't finished. I don't know why they were being so rude. I guess as long as you're not a whitie with a Japanese boyfriend you should be fine. -
Review from Gabriella J.
San Diego, CA
3/18/2012
This was two years ago, so maybe things have changed? But from what I remembered, the servers were rushing us throughout our meal and for the price we had to pay, I felt that the portions were TOO small to satisfy a meal. Also, recommend making a reservation beforehand.
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Review from A Y.
San Diego, CA
12/9/2011
Our newfound gem! We come to this part of town nearly everyday for all the fabulous restaurants all up and down the street. In fact, we've seen this place more than quite a few times when we went to Sage and Pho Mignon but never thought to stop by here. The fateful day came when we allowed the smartphone to dictate our dinner for the night.
Upon entering, we were struck by the small size and limited seating. The decor is very traditional as oppose to fusion and that was reassuring. The japanese waitress asked us in heavy accent if we have reservation and seated us.
We sat down with 5 min of HH left to go and immediately ordered 1/5 of the discounted apps. Monkfish liver, sliced beef tongue, veggie sticks, and raw tuna cubes. Boy had a Sapporo and I had the white peach cocktail. All this came in under 5 min and everything was surprisingly delicious. Even the unassuming veggie sticks managed to surprise as it came coupled with japanese cupid mayo and miso paste. As diners that truly love to complain, we had nothing but praise.
As we finished the dishes the place begin to fill up and our subsequent orders took much longer to come out. We added orders of Fried Chicken Gizzard, Tempura Eel, Beef Tongue Steak, Gobo Salad, Salmo and Scallop Carpaccio.
Surprisingly, the only dish that failed to disappoint is the much lauded Gobo salad. With the exception of its size novelty, it's not incredible at all. In fact, there're so many other dishes that should be filling up the precious room in your belly.
Incredible incredible place, but not much space so either make reservations or go early! -
Review from N V.
Salt Lake City, UT
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Loved our first Authentic japanese food experience!
We were a bit hesitant upon walking into the small and noisy restaurant and was a bit intimidated by the menu. The waitresses were very nice and made some great recommendations.
Gobo salad was light and refreshing with the perfectly fried burdock roots and the sweet and tangy dressed mustard greens.
Sliced pork with onions was juicy and perfectly seasoned.
Chicken udon had a wonderful flavored broth that was slightly on the sweet side.
The mackerel in soy sauce was also surprisingly very good. The fish melts in your mouth.
The only con about this place was that the one big group of customers that was annoyingly noisy.
We would definitely return to try other dishes if we have a chance. -
Review from Misha M.
San Diego, CA
1/3/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Not your typical Japanese restaurant, as far as I remember no sushi rolls here (or teriyaki bowls). If you're not willing to try food that is a little different from the standard fare, would not recommend this place to you.
We were lucky to stumble upon here while visiting the Nijiya market. The restaurant is quite small, I cannot imagine that more than 15-20 people can fit in there comfortably. If you're a couple, expect to sit at the bar.
Pretty much everything on the menu is really good especially if you're willing to be a little adventurous.
Some things which we often order:
Gobo Salad.
Scallop in uni sauce.
Fried chicken giblets.
Braised pork.
Pudding with black honey. -
Review from Christina C.
San Diego, CA
2/12/2012
Honestly, it's been a really long time since I've been to a restaurant in SD that has blown off my socks. I've been to some good restaurants where I was perfectly happy with everything, but just missing that certain something. I read some reviews about this place a few weeks ago and just randomly decided to check it out last night. I highly recommend reservations. We lucked out by getting there right when they opened but they soon started turning people away without reservations.
This place is pretty much like Japanese small plates. Be adventurous, try new things, especially their daily specials. Portions are small, but it's so you can share various small plates. It's not the cheapest, but I thought most things were fairly priced, plus, who really wants to eat "cheap" food? Everything we had was great and some items really stood out for me.
We started with the Gobo Salad, just crush the gobo down into the salad when you get it. Nice bitter greens with the fried gobo and goes well with other dishes you will probably get. I absolutely LOVED the Kabocha Salad. This was an extremely simple dish, mashed kabocha, but with the addition of cucumber and a little japanese may, it becomes something fantastic. The grilled pork cheeks were to die for as well. Tender, crispy on the edges with a little lemon juice and green onion. I also loved the omlette with eel, so good with a little dip in the ponzu sauce. Hamachi Kama always good. The fried tofu, ok, I'd pass on this one in the future. The kettle rice with pork and poached egg. Flavor wise, this is like Japanese comfort food. Warm, savory, and porky, all mixed together with that egg. Yum. We also tried the happy hour scallop and spicy tuna sashimi, both very nice. We finished off the meal, and I advise saving some room for this, with the black pudding. It's similar to flan in texture and kind of taste. Not to sweet, but drizzled with a little sweet sauce and some extra on the side.
This place was wonderful, it's small inside and I think both sitting at the bar or tables is pretty cool, I like the bar when it's just two of us, plus I get to ask the servers questions as they are serving out the daily tapas that are layed out.
I definitely plan on putting this on our regular rotation.
Tips: Make a reservation if you go during prime times, this place is pretty small.
If you want teriyaki bowls, bento boxes, sushi rolls, or ramen, go somewhere else.
Have an open mind and try lots of stuff.
The Cassis Orange drink is flippin' awesome. -
Review from Mike V.
San Diego, CA
3/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I've lived in San Diego for about a decade, and when I first came here I considered it a culinary wasteland. Literally. People standing in line to eat at Red Lobster? What? The saving grace has always been "ethnic" food (whatever that might be to some people) with Asian and Mexican fare the best, IMO.
We've eaten at OKAN twice in the last couple months and I can safely say that this is in my top 5 best restaurants in the city. It's a relative bargain given the very high quality all the way around from staff to the food. I love the cozy atmosphere and the outstanding small plates/tapas that are meant to be ordered in numbers and shared.
They put a limit on busy nights for 2 hours per table. At first, given the speed with which they bring the little plates out, you think that the check will come in half that time. Wrong. This last weekend, we were right up against the clock by the time we finished our amazing deserts - green tea ice cream with mochi and the pudding with black honey - and out the door with a couple minutes to spare.
Not to be missed: gobo salad, pork cheeks, seared beef and the stir-fried udon noodles. But everything we have had there has been enjoyable, expertly prepared and presented.
5 big stars, two big thumbs up (and two more from my wife, I know) for this gem. -
Review from Tim M.
3/17/2012
This is a great traditional Japanese restaurant. A good alternative to Sushi It's.
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Review from Ching-yun L.
San Diego, CA
Keep in mind that my 1st visit was yesterday & I'm already thinking about how I can find someone to go with me again. I'm a fan of this place!
I'm not sure what to label this this Japanese restaurant because it's not a sushi bar or a ramen place or an all-you-can-eat...it's just...different. In a refreshing kind of way. I guess if I had to label it, I'd say it was a Japanese tapas place (based on only 1 lunch I had here).
I came in for lunch & ordered the following with my boyfriend (I mention my bf to clarify that I wasn't being a fatty & ordering all this food by myself ok!):
-1 order of Cold miso noodles w/ ground beef ($7.50)
-2 orders of Crispy chicken ($3)
-1 order of Spicy kimchi & pork ($3)
-1 order of Mackerel ($4?)
If you order either the noodles or the boxed lunch combo ($6.50), then the Japanese tapas I listed above are only a few bucks each. If you order them separately, they are about $1.50 or $2 extra per item. But I wouldn't order the boxed lunch set b/c it only comes with tiny plates of assorted vegetables, miso soup & rice I think.
Total bill total for 2: $21.50! We were SHOCKED at how inexpensive our lunch was. We were expecting it to be in the $30s or $40 flat with tip & tax.
Cold miso noodles were aiight, but there just didn't seem to be enough flavoring/sauce to go around. Too many noodles, not enough of the good, tasty stuff to go around in the bowl. Kind of plain at some parts, but perhaps that's how it is "supposed" to taste. Not too overpowering. I dunno but I needed to eat something with the noodles. Having them on their own would have been to bland. Not to mention the beef was a tad salty.
CRISPY CHICKEN IS A MUST-ORDER! It resembles crispy chicken from Cha for Tea or Tapioca Express, but it's more like a Tempura Chicken & it's very crispy on the outside and once your teeth sink in to the moist, delicious chicken on the inside, you're gonna be hooked. Yes, hooked. All of a sudden, you will feel yourself having TUNNEL VISION for the bowl of crispy chicken and not want to eat anything else you ordered. The other dishes will melt away before you, become fuzzy, blurred, a bit less tasty. Yes, you risk all those side effects happening to you, but trust. It will be worth it. You will be in a euphoric state with your taste buds as you continue to devour the entire bowl of chicken. I know this from personal experience, you know. My bf had to order a 2nd order so that he could actually have more than 1 piece. Whoops! hehe.
Spicy kimchi & pork was pretty good too. Not crispy chicken status, but good. If you like kimchi, then you'll like this dish. Although I'll admit It was weird having a steaming hot bowl of kimchi & pork at a Japanese place, but it somehow worked.
The mackerel tasted oddly familiar. It reminded me of my mother's home cooking. It's steamed & drenched in a delicious, sweet ponzu-esque sauce. Love it.
To top off this whole experience, my bf kept bugging me to use the restroom. I wondered if I had food stuck in my teeth, but to stop his incessant nagging, I eventually used it. My first impression was that it was a clean, tidy restroom w/ a zen quality to it due to the cute little pebbles in the sink. I closed the door, turned around & was OVERJOYED to find one of those high-tech JAPANESE TOILETS!!! They're the type with the awesome built-in bidet functions. You can get warm water splashed into your beeehind, or ur...uh...other urinary cavities...if ya know what i mean. And you can get all ur parts air dried too! It was amazing. Life changing even. I NEED ONE OF THOSE! Now I know why everyone left the restroom with a grin on their faces...and I thought it was due to relieving themselves but no, it was much, MUCH MORE than that simple act.
THE ONLY REASON I had to take off 1 star was because they did not accept credit/debit cards during their lunch hours. As I've mentioned in other reviews of mine, I don't like businesses inconveniencing their patrons/fans by excluding the use of certain types of payment. Honestly, I can't help but think that they may not be best friends with IRS...it's just annoying, especially since this business accepts credit/debit during dinner hours...hmmmm. It bugs me that certain businesses may be trying to save a couple bucks at the expense of their customers. Just sayin.
***TIP: Get cash back from Nijiya market (located next door) by buying a 79cent Hi-Chew or something. max cash back allowance is $40.***
Bottom line is: I HIGHLY RECOMMEND WA DINING OKAN (it's totally worth it, even if it's just to use their UH-MAZING TOILET)! Take your mom, bf, sister, cousin, neighbor, or drop in by yourself (yes, have no shame)! Will be coming back again soon! :D
PS pictures of my meal are posted if you need further convincing. -
Review from Alexis Z.
San Diego, CA
9/16/2011
Being a native from Japan, I thought this was good representation of Japanese food outside the mothercountry. It was surprisingly and refreshingly delicious; catering to the asian stomach where the food isnt about quantity but QUALITY and TASTE. So yeah it's a little pricey based on the amount that's given to you, but the flavor more than makes up for it.
Note: This is Izakaya style where the food acts as a compliment to the drinking/socializing atmosphere. It's not full on dinner courses because it's meant to be shared amongst the people you come with.
We ordered:
Deep fried baby octopus - YUM
Rice Ball in broth (Salmon) - YUM
Udon with tempura crunchies - Nice Flavor
Roast Pork Slices w/ Green Onion - AMAZING
Croquette with Crab and Cream - DIVINE
I want to go back and try the Grilled Pork Cheek. -
Review from Thu T.
San Jose, CA
10/19/2011
If I rated this based on food, it definitely deserves 5 stars! The food is sooooooo good, except the wallet isn't quite happy. Expect to pay minimum $30+ for two, that is if you order 2-3 dishes. And of course you would want to order more than 3 dishes because first of all, the food is excellent, and second of all, they give very very very little. 3 dishes are barely enough to fill one person.
When we went here, we tried:
-Gobo salad -- YES SO GOOD! I have never tried anything like it!
-Beef tongue skewers (i think) - It was pricey but the flavor is definitely there.
-Pork belly - it was thinly sliced, and I remember there were only 5 pieces? The dish was roughly $8-9.
I heard they have a Happy Hour time (not sure when). I think we will revisit that during those hours because we cannot afford to go here without it. -
Review from Jenny K.
9/23/2011
I realized that I have never had real home-style Japanese food until I tried OKAN. The place is very small, but cozy, and despite the small size, I felt very comfortable and "at home." The waitresses were very kind, and they DO accept reservations! The parking situation is very ideal as well.
Keep in mind that each plate is pretty small, so you'll end up ordering a lot of dishes to get full. It's totally worth it though! The sashimi was good, but the best dishes were the very unique plates such as YellowTail Collar. A bill for 2 came out to $60, but I didn't have to pay so it was all good ;)
