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Zenbu Sushi Bar and Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
7660 Fay AveSte F
(between Pearl St & Kline St)
La Jolla, CA 92037
Neighbourhood: La Jolla
(858) 454-4540
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
109 reviews for Zenbu Sushi Bar and Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The Johnny Roll was, as always, awesome." In 8 reviews -
"sapporo reserve is excellent and $4 on the happy hour menu." In 17 reviews -
"...things up with the Wind-N-Sea, which includes freshwater..." In 5 reviews
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109 reviews in English
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Review from Caitlin S.
San Diego, CA
2/27/2012
I've only been here once about a month ago but the food was pretty damn good when I went. I had the Volcano roll and it was like a 1970's disco dance party.... in my mouth. It was so yummy that it was actually deserves at least 10 extra m's... yummmmmmmmmmmy.
Atmosphere and overall vibe was decent. The place is kind of small and cramped, though. I also didn't like how it was decorated - it's way too dark and the walls near the restrooms had these weird fish figurines popping out of the walls and random pictures scattered of these dudes on boats with fish...it was quite strange. I mean, I know it's a fish place but really? Do we need reminders of the whole fish theme everywhere to realize that?
Also, the host took very long to turn on the heater outside. I had to remind her several times which was kind of annoying. Other than that, Zenbu is a pretty good sushi place in beautiful La Jolla. -
Review from John G.
Ramona, CA
5/19/2012
I had some excellent meals in here a few years ago and decided to drop in for Happy Hour and some 1/2 priced rolls.
Well, I'm glad they were half price, actually, I would have been happier if they were 1/4 price, which would have been a reasonable value. I just could not even imagine paying $19 for a so-so roll. But, for $9 it's reasonable, not a value, but reasonable.
If they were fantastic, then I would be glad to pay the half price, but they were just average.
The service was suspect. I think if you are an attractive, young female, you should not get a pass on not knowing anything about serving. I would much rather have someone who is knowledgeable, positive and professional. Others may disagree and just want something nice to look at.
Calamari was decent, tempura was good and hot, the rolls were decent and the service was the main issue. That can be fixed. -
Review from Sheena S.
San Diego, CA
4/26/2012
The boo and I took a trip here for a Friday night date. We look forward to our date nights, so when we experience a less than stellar place it's unfortunate. I really wanted to like this place. I drove past it almost everyday for two years while working in La Jolla, and it always looked local and quaint, but in actuality it just felt "sad":(.
The first, and biggest fail, was the atmosphere. Now I'm down for a little mood lighting, especially when I'm looking to be wooed on a date night, but this place was just dark...dungeon dark. However, not dark enough to hide the dirty, dirty floor and booths covered with food remnants and dust particles. Hmmmm...maybe that's why we were one of about four groups here on a Friday night; definitely did not come across as a Friday night hot spot, or even a Friday night spot. The lack of people and extra staff standing around (the sushi chef looked bored out of his mind) really added to the "sad" atmosphere.
The second and third fails were the food and drinks. While the food was not bad, it was average and overpriced; two words that should never be used together to describe something. The drinks on the other hand were just an overpriced disappointment. I ordered what was listed as a specialty cocktail, but tasted more like a poor twist on my usual vodka-soda water. I ended up finishing the night with a standard Japanese beer out of fear of ordering another overpriced disappointment and being left "sad."
On a positive note, our server was pleasant! -
Review from Pat t.
San Diego, CA
2/4/2012
We were invited to come out to Zenbu this last week to try some new beers and see what the place was about. zenbu has a great atmosphere, cool imports and awesome happy hour. we didn't get around to trying any food but we still had a great time. Check out our video review here..
http://thebeersgonebad... -
Review from Julia C.
3/20/2012
Saturday nights at Zenbu are the best - From drinks to sushi to DJ playing sexy house beats to fun atmosphere. I typically come around 8:30pm to have dinner and stick around till late because the music is so good. Sushi and HOUSE MUSIC - what else can you ask for?!
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Review from Fifi B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/27/2012
A few months ago I'd have given them 3 or 4 stars, because some of the dishes rival my favorite sushi restaurant. Some, not all. I decided to have my private party there, and it was cancelled without my knowledge. No one took the time to call and give me proper information, or even try to reschedule my event at the other Zenbu location. Private event or regular dining, I can't say I'll ever go back. The service was very disappointing in that regard.
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Review from Jordan F.
San Diego, CA
2/15/2012
Check in on Foursquare and receive a free pot sticker appetizer (for now at least). So delish, and who doesn't like free appetizers?
Sushi is not the kind of food you want to trust to just anyone. Everytime I eat at Zenbu, I never question how fresh the fish is.They have plenty of roll and sashimi options on the menu - but the sushi chefs will also make custom creations for you. Be specific, or let them do their thing and surprise you. The sushi bar staff is always entertaining. I definitely prefer sitting there to one of the tables.
Joseph the bartender is awesome. The Huck Finn has got to be one of my top favorite drinks, but if that's not your style, he can create anything under the sun, and I don't doubt it would be tasty. Not to mention, the happy hour is great.
Great drinks, great service, delicious food. If you're looking for sushi in La Jolla, this is the spot to be. -
Review from Lisa P.
San Diego, CA
4/11/2011
If you're into overpriced "sushi," frost bitten Mochi, and earsplitting live music being performed by two men going through their midlife crisis, Zenbu is the place for you!
My boyfriend and I were craving sushi and wanted to try out a new place, so we picked Zenbu hoping for a fun change. When we arrived, the place was fairly busy for 8 pm on a Thursday night. After waiting only a few minutes, we were seated at "the only available table" in the corner one foot away from two 45 year old men wearing wigs playing some type of "music." We asked to be moved because my boyfriend and I actually wanted to be able to talk to each other, and were moved to a table on the other side of the room, still loud, but at least we were able to yell at each other and understand a few sentences across the table. After we ordered our drinks and some edamame, a table cleared up right next to us and we were able to sit next to each other on the booth and finally be able to talk.
We ordered the Mexicali roll, the Koi roll, and 1/2 a TDF roll. Generally after eating our edamame, we are able to split two rolls for variety and be completely full. After the two and a half rolls ($18 per roll) later, we were both still hungry, all the rolls tasted exactly the same even though ALL the ingredients were different and we mixed in two huge chunks of wasabi into our soy sauce, and the "music" was still going.
Not wanting to go through the extra calories by ordering a few more rolls, we decided to end with some Mochi...pretty standard, shouldn't leave any room for error when preparing the simple dessert (aka taking out of the freezer and putting in a glass). WRONG. We received our Mochi and it was covered in frost bite all the way through as if it was left in the freezer during the Ice Age. We sent it back, and received another order from a "new package" that wasn't quite as "bitten" for $9.
We will never be coming back to Zenbu if we're ever craving sushi, paying for sushi, are slightly hungry, or are wanting to have a conversation with each other. -
Review from Mike M.
San Diego, CA
12/30/2010
Let's put it this way:
- Go hop on a bus that takes you down to the Seaport Village pier
- catch your own fish or two
- head to the library and check out "Sushi for Dummies"
- learn how to make sushi and fillet it all yourself
This will likely take less time than it would to visit Zenbu and actually get your food. And there's a 50/50 chance it'll taste better, too.
Zenbu's seems to think that 1 HOUR & 15 MINUTE wait for food is reasonable. Unfortunately, that exceeds my attention span by nearly an hour, and my stomach's threshold for patience by two hungry cycles (its a unit of measure, Google it). Or dinner lasted 2.5 hours total, between ordering drinks, ordering food, and waiting for our change.
For the record: I visited last night with a group of around 12 people, we had reservations days in advance, and we had reservations for 15. No excuses Zenbu, you could have staffed accordingly!
The 12 of us were seated by 7:05, some of us having been there since 6:45pm. Our waitress was nice enough, but visibly stressed out. She took our drink order around 7:15, and returned with most of our drinks around 7:45. I ordered a small hot house sake, but was told they "we're out of the house sake, but I can do a _____ instead". I agreed.
30 MINUTE WAIT FOR DRINKS...bad start.
The "hot" sake I ordered was cold upon arrival, though the waitress noticed before I did and told me she would go heat it up. (JUMPING AHEAD 2 HOURS TO THE FUTURE, this "small hot house sake" showed up as $14 on my bill! I was under the impression that any sushi establishment would substitute a house sake if the "real" house sake was out. Not Zenbu. After complaining, she charged me the $6 for sake...lucky me.)
After receiving our drinks, the waitress was getting straight up DEMORALIZED by a single male patron behind us for LITERALLY 5 minutes straight. She sat there and took it. He seemed to be a snooty La Jolla resident that didn't like the service. He was nice enough to delay our food order by at least 5 minutes.
After her colonic from the La Jolla d-bag, we caught her attention and placed our food order, which was relatively small considering our group's size.
1 HOUR & 15 MINUTES WAIT FOR FOOD...and it trickled in from there.
My fiance and I had ordered one special roll and one Philly. The sushi was unremarkable. I'd take ANY roll from Sushi Deli over this place, hands down.
So all in all, for 1 small sake, 2 rolls and a large Kirin, our bill was $46 without tip (would have been $54 had I not complained about the sake debacle). You could have a better meal, in a third of the time and a HALF THE PRICE at Sushi Deli.
With so many other good sushi places in San Diego, I will not be visiting Zenbu again. -
Review from Beth A.
6/1/2011
I must admit something: sometimes if a restaurant has a great interior design I will overlook otherwise sub par food. Zenbu fits into this little weakness of mine. I mean how often do you run across a sushi bar that has an enormous crystal chandelier, silk hangings, and a great color scheme? Not often.
On to the food: Not so awesome. Just really average. I got the Lily Alexandra Roll, the Spicy California Roll (not spicy), and the vegetable tempura. I'm glad I paid happy hour price for all of it because I would not have been happy to spend over $15 on these rolls.
Our waitress was otherwise very nice and attentive, but she was ignorant of the sake basics. I think that this is almost unforgivable in a Japanese restaurant because sake compliments sushi so well. I ended up just ordering the house hot sake, and I regretted that when the bitter beverage made it's way to my table.
Stick to happy hour for decently cheap sushi but otherwise Zenbu just isn't worth it. -
Review from Roberta R.
San Diego, CA
12/9/2011
Ridiculously overpriced!!! $19 for a rainbow roll!!! Are they kidding?? Definitely paying for La Jolla rent. The food was very average on top of it.
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Review from Jennifer M.
San Diego, CA
6/28/2011
Here is the good:
A good quality sushi! The fish tastes fresh!
Here is the bad:
The lighting on this place is not the greatest so for dinner good like trying to read the menu! The price is definitely more like $$$++. Last time I paid such a high price for fish when I was in japan & it was a business trip so I had to expense it
Here is the ugly:
The service was a but overbearing, in some sense I felt that they were trying to sell us stuff & up charge our bill, it was really a weird feeling & I never felt like that before at any other restaurant. -
Review from Jane S.
San Diego, CA
8/29/2011
this place is so incredibly overpriced. the quality of fish&service was good, but not THAT good...i just can't justify going back here because when we went our total was through the roof, and we left still hungry.
not a fan, but i'm also a college student, so can't afford to splurge like this. if i felt like this place was unbeatable, then i would go back, but it's not. the food was not mind-blowing, the ambiance was not anything special, and the location, while in dt la jolla, is kinda whack. in my opinion, it's just not worth it. -
Review from Rita A.
10/4/2011
Dark, intimate and great food slash drinks. The secret Johnny roll is the best. If you didn't know about it, you do now. ;) Get a group together & check out the Sushi lounge next door. There is a DJ Sat. nights and it's great for lounging, eating and drinking. All my favs.
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Review from Eddie L.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 11/13/2010
Don't ever go to that restaurant. THat's my recommendation. I rather go Ralphs buy a plate of nice eel roll for $6.
This restaurant is extremely overpriced.
Food taste horrible. It's not real sushi. It's sushi for people who never knew what's real sushi.
For those who rate it 4 or 5 stars below, they are probably employee or employer in this place.
DO NOT GO TRY. IT'S BAD1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/29/2009
When me and my gf just stepped into this place , we felt something wrong.the place was all dark and… Read more »
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Review from Myhang H.
11/5/2010
Terrible Service.
Overpriced Sushi.
Lukewarm watered down Miso Soup.
Fishy oversauce sushi.
Martinis have more flavored syrup in them than alcohol. -
Review from Jacki W.
Escondido, CA
5/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
SERVICE: Good. She checked in to make sure everything was good. She was very nice. Granted, I don't remember the name of the server's name, but she's good.
FOOD: Eh-Good. Some of it was bland, & some had some over-powering flavor.
PRICE: It was expensive side, so it wasn't entirely worth it. -
Review from Ryan M.
Indianapolis, IN
12/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
Full disclosure: someone else bought my dinner here on business in San Diego. It was good business - Zenbu definitely has a cool Japanesy atmosphere.
I didn't sit at the sushi bar, but service was great. I was impressed with the variety on the menu, especially the fresh stuff. Halibut and shrimp nigri went fantastically with possibly the best soy sauce I've had. The soy was definitely NOT overzealous, but very tasty. Finishing off, the vanilla bean gelato was good but underwhelming.
The menu is probably appropriately priced for someone with discriminating taste. Otherwise, you can definitely get good sushi for less. They were out of the Napa Valley chardonnay that we ordered, which is disappointing especially in California.
I'll be back at Zenbu whenever I make it back to the area. -
Review from Greg B.
Pittsburgh, PA
4/23/2009
They brought out the Spicy Tuna Hand Roll, alone, on the plate. No presentation whatsover. Just a cone of spicy tuna, sitting there like a turd.
"We didn't order a hand roll, we wanted a cut roll."
It took about 3 tries, and she goes, "oh, right, I'm sorry. Cut roll." Other food comes out. A small plate of tempura, again, without presentation. Just tossed on a plate like french fries. Then comes the Spicy Tuna. "Okay, here you go." It's still in a cone. Now there are two pieces of sashimi on the plate, too. We give up.
We also ordered the "Zenbu Dynamite" which I assumed was a roll, but was actually some strange, baked seafood salad. Right. Seafood Salad. Like the thing that Anthony Bourdain tells you to never order.
Granted, it was happy hour, so maybe we didn't get the A-team service. But service was weak, rolls were bland, and the ambiance was less than optimal. Many other places to get good sushi. Go there. -
Review from Carol K.
8/11/2009
According to the server, Zenbu means "All". Hmm . . . .I wonder if that means we all will have a great time (which we did) or all the sushi will be amazingly fresh, innovative and delicious (which it was) or that all of your money will be needed to pay the bill (which was the case)
No matter.
Zenbu is high on my list for sushi in the La Jolla area. It's got great atmosphere (dark and intimate) a varied list of sakes (this is where all our money went) and servers who can put up with even the craziest bunch.
I was surprised to see it as busy as it was on a Monday night at 7:30. We got a table in the back by the sushi bar- great to people watch and our food had a very short path from being prepared to being put on the table which was fine with me as I was starving!
The sushi and sashimi were beautifully plated and presented. The specialty sauces decorated the plates and the garnishes were fresh and appetizing. There wasn't a thing that was brought out that wasn't delicious from the Johnny Roll, to the Volcano roll (liked the fire effect) to the Nigiri and Sashimi.
I think the only thing that kept Zenbu from getting a perfect rating was the price. I never opened a menu as the people I was with had been there before and were doing the ordering, but whether it was the cost of the sushi- or the sake, tequila and Sapporo we were consuming- our bill came to over $550 for 5 people! And that was before tip. Crazy for a sushi place. Just crazy. I better check out the price of that sake on my next go around. It was good . . . .but not $550 good.
Free street parking is easy in downtown La Jolla after 6 and there is also a free lot for the restaurant.
So if you are looking for it "all"- give Zenbu a try. But be sure to take "all" your money with you as you are going to need it!Listed in: California Dreamin', San Diego "north"
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Review from Joe M.
Located in the less touristy areas of downtown La Jolla, Zenbu is a swanky little restaurant in the corner of a small shopping center. Our large group would not fit in the regular dining room so we were escorted to a private dining room at the other side of the center and was even provided our own server. With the interesting people to chat with and the high end decor, I looked forward to a really classy meal. Unfortunately, I was totally wrong about the food.
The table started off with edamame which were surprisingly small and extremely dry. A little taken aback by such a beautiful restaurant, the little soybeans would be only the beginning of the food woes. I went with their salmon hand roll and scallop hand roll. For $5 each at happy hour, they seemed like a sensible choice for a small bite before shooting off to the next event. Both rolls were really tasteless and uninteresting and the rice was poorly seasoned, and I had to add quite a bit of soy sauce and wasabi to make them taste like anything at all.
The food here is obnoxiously expensive and it's ludicrous how much it costs to order even the simplest rolls. Their simple hand rolls ranged between $4-10 for happy hour and that's laughable anywhere and, near as makes no difference, $20 for a spicy tuna roll? No thanks. The service was uninterested at best and our orders took all night to receive, and even then there were many mistakes. My glass stayed pretty much empty the whole night and without the stimulating conversation, I would have been completely unamused with the experience. In fact, I kind of felt like Zenbu was a total poseur restaurant and definitely don't plan on coming back.
Food: 3/10
Service: 2/10
Price: $$$
Atmosphere: 7/10 -
Review from Karina G.
Updated - 2/9/2010
Meh. Things have gone downhill.
I still think this place is good for:
1) toro
2) live uni
3) wind-n-sea roll - OK, so not authentic japanese but tempura banana with eel is seriously good
But it's hard to justify paying zenbu's prices when there are other sushi joints serving the same quality toro for 1/2 the price (wedding + bad economy, budget is tight man!). Not to mention that the wind-n-sea roll will run you $20 for a simple roll. Granted, I've never seen anyone do that roll but I rarely go to a sushi place thinking "oh man, I can't wait to eat banana."
If you don't want to deal with the slow service - head straight to the sushi bar. But you really shouldn't have to go to the sushi bar to not deal with bad service right?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/1/2009
Usually, I feel like restaurants like Zenbu are all kinds of wrong. The super fancy decor that… Read more »
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Review from Jason A.
San Bruno, CA
2/12/2009
Zenbu is like one of the pretty ladies that look really good, but once you get to know her, she is pretty shallow. The ambiance is perfect for those romantic dinners and the service is attentive and friendly.
Once you get past the looks and the happy hour (which we just missed), then reality sets in and you realize the menu must have several typos because if doesn't then your wallet is in for a real hurt'in. Being a Japanese food fanatic, I don't mind paying top dollar for fresh quality fish. But when you start charging $15 for a appetizer plate of tempura or $16 for a half portion of a "complicated named" sushi roll, then that's going too far. It was great to hear that the ingredients are fresh, local and organic. Unfortunately, it just didn't translate to better food found at other Japanese restaurants with far cheaper prices.
The Uni was top notch and so was the tuna in the Tartare, so I'd have to say, "If you do plan on coming to Zenbu, try coming for Happy Hour!" Otherwise if you have to have Japanese food in La Jolla, go to Sushi Ota! -
Review from ken w.
San Diego, CA
6/18/2008
Great place for the young and wealthy. Or those that like to feel that way. I usually come here when someone else is paying, when higher maintenance friends from LA or NYC visit, or when money falls from the sky into my lap.
In spite of that intro, the place is one of my favorites. The fish is among the highest quality and freshest in san diego and the local selections are always tasty and fun to learn about. They have their own boat and it really shows in the quality of their fish. Their yellowtail cheek is prepared well, and their toro is 100% oily gobs of glistening goodness. Not bad for a sushi place that doesn't have any Japanese people working there (I don't think)
I really enjoy the bathrooms. And no it's not because you can be alone with your thougths of how wonderful it is to be young and wealthy while you snort coke in private in there. Who in this crowd would ever do something like that? It's because the walls are lined with really great shots of fishing, which will inspire you to eat more and more sushi. Great sales improvement tactic guys, it really works!
Yeah it's expensive. But so is the car that you'll roll up in, and the girls you'll bring here. So is La Jolla. So is all of Southern California. If you can spare the cash, go out and eat some fine fish!! -
Review from Nadiah G.
La Jolla, CA
11/14/2011
The prices are high for what you get. The vibe is cool and service was good.
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Review from Charlie L.
Seattle, WA
8/24/2007
Zenbu is one of those places, you either love it or hate it... I too had mixed feelings about it, and I initially gave it 5 stars based purely on the food during my first visit. Unfortunately, my second visit to Zenbu (just 2 weeks later, during happy hour) was sub-par, and therefore, it's being down graded to 3 stars.
I do believe that at least one sushi chef knows his fish-- because the first time I went, the rolls are fantastic and the fish are fresh. Even the all too cliche salmon nigiri, which is a staple sushi, was bursting with flavor the first time I was there. Wow.
My second experience was less than expected.. the salmon was limp and glossy, but still good... the chicken katsu was a complete disaster. The rolls were the thing that saved the meal. The food was simply not worth the price I paid for it.
The decor is quite interesting, I can imagine the atomosphere being really fantastic if it weren't for the lighting (way too dark). Then there's the small matter of the insanely loud and "I'm too sexy" hipster crowd. I'm a business person, and I would never dream of bringing clients here. They really should have a policy of corking the ditzy ritzy blonds who like to scream their lungs out... they make it impossible for me to hear myself think.
No matter, I'm never going back.
Expensive, with hit and miss sushi.
Not sure I can recommend it with good conscience. -
Review from Reenel W.
La Jolla, CA
2/12/2012
First visit, food was good but we waited about 30 minutes after ordering to get it. Went back last night and we were seated right away. Ordered appetizers right off and when we got them 30 minutes later they were terrible!! After ordering our rolls and waiting another 45 minutes, we asked two servers where our food was and got several different excuses. (There's a party of 12 here...yes, but they haven't even ordered yet) We asked for our tab and instantly our rolls showed up! I still don't know why we left 15%.
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Review from Julie C.
San Francisco, CA
8/10/2006 1 photo
If this restaurant were in NYC or LA, it would be making Nobu Matsuhisa nervous. IMHO, this is the best sushi in San Diego. The brain child of the Rimel's guy, Zenbu stocks the freshest fish around. Sit at the sushi bar and just trust the chefs.
Or, go for happy hour: you won't believe how well you'll eat for so cheap. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday: all night. Wednesday and Thursday: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.Listed in: SD Dining
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Review from James C.
San Diego, CA
6/23/2008
How do you define Foo-foo?
I'll get to that in a sec. Let me transgress a little about the reviews here. I'd say most of the people that reviewed Zenbu have high marks for Zenbu for its food and general service. And I would say, on the whole, the food meets better than average marks. But that's the rub, its better than average, but its still in the average range, not shifting outside the boundaries that make it extraordinary.
Ok, now for the Foo-foo part.
Foo-foo is a phenomenon that describes a certain demographic or the ambiance of a place that pertains to the high-end scale. A counter example or anti-thesis would be a place like HTB (Hometown Buffet), what comes to mind?
For me (speaking objectively) HTB could be summed up with key words and choice phrases:
Production line
Welcome to Gluttony-Land!
People from the East County who sweat a lot when they eat
Developed Diabetes Early
Have kids that are crying with chocolate smeared all over their mouths
Have an old ass Bush-Cheney 2004 sticker on their Tahoe.
Get it? Yes. I'm stereotyping, but there are patterns. Now back to Zenbu.
I think the people blowing up the Zenbu to 5 star ratings fit a certain demographic as well which some of the reviewers have astutely pointed out: high paying sushi customers who are under the illusion that they are paying for the best their money can buy.
Part of foo-foo is the environment. The place carries itself as hip and uber-modern that lends itself as a social dining meetup for the cliquish gatherings (a ratio 5/8 of chaps/dames respectively- mostly single, have jobs, and dressed to party after). Admittedly, this can be fun the first three or four times...but after that it gets tired and the experience plummets. (Excerpt: "Where are we going? What!?! Again?)
Overall, you can say that it caters to the "in-crowd" that closely matches place like Nobu or the many sushi spots that punctuate the L.A. in decor, lighting, ambiance and most notable, price. So, make sure you have your credit card ready if you have a festive crew.
The only thing that tempers Zenbu from other uber hotspots is its location where the surrounding area is relatively quiet. This makes the Zenbu the spark of La Jolla (besides Jacks).
The service is a little schizophrenic. Sometimes the waitresses are cool and attentive, other times they can be neglectful and a tad rude (no tip for you! ), but I'm convinced the makeup of your group affects the dynamics of the service, so I'm going to give a blind eye to that.
The sushi is delicious and the menu is pretty much matches what you can find at other sushi bars with the differences being their own custom rolls with their own name attached to it. Just the like food, the drinks are standard as well, but not in price.
All in all, when you go to Zenbu, expect to pay more, not for the food, but just for being around and experiencing the Foo-foo. -
Review from Kinsee M.
San Diego, CA
8/30/2006 1 photo
I've been refraining from using the big, scary "F" word, but here it goes; Fuck this place. I asked the waiter to suggest a sake and I took his suggestion and ordered a small one just for me. When the bill came, I discovered he had suggested the most expensive sake on the menu. It was $15. Jesus. That's a whole new outfit at a thrift store. Fuck that guy and fuck Zenbu.
The roll I had wasn't that great either. It was the grilled veggie roll and it was near tasteless. The vegetable tempura was greasy and gross, too. -
Review from Christina L.
Del Mar, CA
1/18/2011
Zenbu is tight! Really cozy, you may even make friends.
I give them love for the best hirame I have had in like, forever. Super fresh. Just the right amount of wasabi under, not to hot, not too mild. They know from wasabi.
When I asked the chef if the hirame was fresh, instead of answering "oh yeah, sure" he sliced me a sashimi of it, prepped me a little shoe-plate and let me decide. That is pretty elite. It didn't show up on the bill. More elite. -
Review from hannah m.
San Diego, CA
7/31/2007
I went to Zenbu last night with a couple friends. The Johnny Roll was, as always, awesome. The downsides:
-bad service
-bad service
-bad service
Not only did one of the busboys wait at the door until I opened it for him, the waitress gave me the wrong bill, causing much confusion and delay. The sushi is unbeatable, but when you pay as much as Zenbu charges, you want anticipatory service, not youngsters who think it's all about looking hot. This is a restaurant, not a club. Come on now!Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Robyn X.
San Diego, CA
7/2/2010
Bad service, average rolls, high prices.
My parents are in town and wanted sushi.
I thought Zenbu was one of the best in town so I took them there.
We waited 1 hour for 2 rolls. We were starving. We got another 2 rolls 15 minutes later. The ahi poke & volcano were delicious.
The miso soup was watery and salty.
The rolls were good, but IMHO not worth $20. I left feeling hungry.
The service was nonexistent. She never came back to check on us or ask if we wanted more. We had to go find the host for our check.
The sushi chefs were doing tequila shots with some friends of theirs (who were sitting at the sushi bar) so I think service would be good if I was a buddy of theirs. The rest of us were ignored.
And the place was not full.
Don't know what the fuss is about - yes the sushi is good, but the overall experience not . Try Sushi Ota, Sushi on the Rock, Umi Sushi. -
Review from Scott H.
Los Angeles, CA
11/10/2007
This place has a really cool lounge. Its great if you are looking for someplace to chill with a big group of people and eat some good sushi Zenbu is it!
It was my friends birthday and the DJ was really cool, he came over and introduced himself and asked her if she had anything that she wanted to hear on her big day, so she liked that.
I didn't get anything exciting myself, but what I did have, edemame, miso and a cucumber roll was really good. Everyone in the group commented on the price, but I don't think you go to La Jolla and expect a deal anywhere! -
Review from Eszter H.
Evanston, IL
2/22/2010
I'm shocked to see all the low ratings here. I went to this restaurant on Saturday and absolutely LOVED the experience. We ended up paying $100 for the three of us (including a 20% tip) and were beyond full by the end.
I started with some miso soup (that was okay, nothing special) and some edamame (fine, nothing special, but how special can one expect edamame to be?).
Next, we had some yellow tail fish prepared with rice on the side that was a whole new experience for me when it comes to fish. Seriously, it was amazing. I have never had fish this soft. It practically melted in your mouth. I'm sorry to say that I don't see this on their online menu so I cannot say what it was called, but ask about it as it's worth it.
We then proceeded with four different sushi rolls (two of them just the split - or half - version as we were told this would likely be plenty). They were all wonderful. The Volcano had come recommended so we tried that. It didn't disappoint, especially its presentation. We also had the Lily Alexandra and the Salbacore Roll. The pear in the latter added something really nice to the taste.
We wrapped things up with the Wind-N-Sea, which includes freshwater eel, tempura banana, avocado, cucumber and sweet eel sauce. I'd never had anything like it. It was the perfect "dessert" component.
Some others have complained on here that the service is slow. This may be the case, but with the food being so delicious and the amount we got, I was happy about that, because we needed a break between dishes. Plus the company was great so it's not as though we were in a hurry.
I highly recommend this place. The staff was friendly and the food divine. -
Review from Steph L.
San Diego, CA
4/9/2007
I've been here several times, and the food has been pretty decent (rolls, entrees, appetizers -- some creative stuff on the menu), but nothing has been outstanding, and I went with people who knew the sushi chefs.
Anyways, the crowd is a little pretentious for me, and a little older, so I haven't gone there for over a year now. But if you're into that kind of crowd, go for it. -
Review from C.J. R.
La Jolla, CA
5/17/2007
Probably my favorite restaurant in town.
Their food, service and ambience... it is a lil expensive but it is good.
Long live the Johnny Roll!
Related- to sushi restaurants (out of 5 possible stars)
Venue- 5
Service- 5
Food factor- 5
Overall exp- 5 Stars
Drawbacks- Like most things in life that are good...it is expensive. If it was just a lil less $$ I could eat there every week. -
Review from Danielle R.
San Francisco, CA
4/5/2007 3 Check-ins Here
I owe my appreciation of sushi to the superb sushi chefs at Zenbu! Sit at the sushi bar and you will not be disappointed! (Who knew that it was the seaweed that turned me away from the stuff?)
This fish is so amazingly fresh - whether you have the sushi or a cooked option it is the best. Even the non-fish lover would be happy here - there is a great prime sirloin app. that you "grill" to your liking on a hot volcanic rock. Crazy good!
Very hip setting with a great bar and lounge. Great beverages - love the 'Gigi' and the 'Pink Lily' cosmo!
When are you guys opening a restaurant in San Francisco? (Oh - and to those yelpers who think it is too expensive. A question for you - You do realize you are dining in La Jolla, right?... ) -
Review from J P.
San Diego, CA
7/24/2007
The place is awesome. It has great, extremely fresh fish. The Johnny Roll is unique, and Tyler has one of the most imaginative sushi-heads there is. Let him prepare one of his famous creations, like the Mars Bar, or try the Foster Roll in honor of Mr. John Foster - a regular "regular". Sushi here is delicious and they have happy hour Mondays and I think Tuesdays or Wednesdays (not really sure).
The place is dark, true, but it gives it a decadent air, and yet the atmosphere is cozy. It is an absolute stop for any so called sushi-lover. The Toro is just absolutely fantastic.
I see complaints all over the board regarding price, which could be true, but I believe it's worth at least a try.
I give it five stars because it is one of my favorite places - so much so that I popped the big question here. I proposed. -
Review from James R.
San Diego, CA
10/11/2006
Don't go here if you can't foot the bill. It's expensive.
That said.. it's my fav sushi place in SD. I feel like I can't go there too much if I ever want to buy property in SD (j/k).. but the rolls are such high quality.
