Kayaba Japanese Restaurant

It can get rather crowded given its location, but worth coming to for a nice refresher of quality Japanese food at a standard fare. There’s a moderate wait time, and they’ll call your number out for you to pick it up. Staff was knowledgeable and up to par with any questions I had. I liked the visual displays to give me an idea of what I wanted so I didn’t have to browse through another menu — makes it stand out from most places around, though somewhat common for its kind. I’d only eat here if I was shopping at the mart, but not a bad choice regardless.

I love how they place artificial displays of their dishes behind a glass. Japanese cuisine truly is artwork. They offer warm noodles bowls, beef curry, Katsu curry, and more.
I love Japanese curry so I order the pork katsu curry. Fried slices of pork in a panko bread coating, so crispy and so bomb. Serve it up with a spicy curry sauce and rice, adding up to a delicious dish. My other favorite dish is the Katsu don, (Katsu with egg on top of a rice).
The seating can be bad sometimes because they share it with the ramen place right next to it. Be aware that they are cash only and do not do To-​go orders. Of course they have an ATM machine, charging $ 4 per withdrawal so plan ahead and bring cash.
After you’re done eating you can have a look around Marukai and buy other great Japanese products.

Cold udon with dipping sauce: came with udon, dipping sauce (with onion and wasabi on the side to add to taste), some pickled veggies, tamago, and four pieces of tempura (2 shrimp, 2 veggie). It was a good dish, and well-​proportioned, but not very memorable. The sauce or noodles weren’t anything special in particular. The tempura was good, a little on the oily side.
Pork katsu don rice bowl: wasn’t much to the bowl but katsu, rice, egg and a little sauce. There were some pickled veggies on the side. The katsu was sliding off of the pork. The pork was ok, but not really memorable in flavor or texture. Overall the texture of the dish was a little mushy.
The price and serving sizes were right. I would return here while shopping at Mitsuwa if I had a particular craving but would not seek this restaurant out in particular for katsu or cold udon.
Unlike the other restaurant in Mitsuwa, this one takes credit card so that’s a plus.

This was the restaurant I went to when I entered Mitsuwa for the very first time (I’ve been a regular customer to Mitsuwa ever since).
This is the restaurant where I tried Japanese curry for the very first time (I’ve watched so much animé that featured Japanese curry that I always wanted to know what it tastes like. In the end, I LOVE JAPANESE CURRY).
I like this restaurant. It’s a little pricey but it still serves great Japanese comfort food

I love the Udon here! This restaurant is inside Mitsuwa & typically closes an hour before Mitsuwa closes (around 7p).
The menu here is unique because they actually have a display of their food (although not edible) so that you know exactly what you are going to get. My dad & I ordered 2 combinations:
Tempura Udon — So delicious! I love their broth! If you get tempura, I highly recommend immediately taking it out of the soup rather than leaving it there because it will get soggy!
With Mini Oyako Don — Chicken & egg with rice. I was not a fan, the chicken had an odd taste.
Sansai Udon — Delicious as well!
With Mini Gyu Don — Beef with rice. Mmm! My dad & I could not get enough of this dish because the beef was so tasty!
No to go service & eat everything you order because they do not have to go boxes!
Cash only!

My sister and I were looking for a udon place near my home. We happen to stop in at the Mitsuwa in Kearny Mesa and saw the food display. Fortune would have it, they had udon!
My sister ordered the Kake/​Plain udon while I ordered the Tempura udon. It was what we need for a dreary and chilly day (60s and partially cloudy in San Diego).
Next time I’ll get the shrimp tempura. I’m just not personally into the veggie tempura selection. I would have loved to have more of that picked cabbage, it was yummy. Overall, it meets my expectations (yummy broth and noodle, little extra garnishes and sides, and decent price). I would love to come back again.
They take debit and credit cards which is a plus. The ramen place next door was cash only, but there is a Bank of America ATM right inside the Mitsuwa.

Ive been eyeing this place for a few years as I would get ramen next door at Santouka. I love how all the menu items are displayed in a case right next to the register. It definitely helped me narrow down my options faster by showing me what each plate looks like and what it comes with. I chose the Katsu curry! It’s pork tenderloin, but if you don’t like pork you can replace it with chicken! It also comes with a super small side of salad to balance out the heaviness.
I love Japanese curry, but what separated this dish from others was the simplicity of it. It didn’t have too much going on. I really felt like I was in a small Japanese town eating from a local restaurant– yes, eating that curry made me feel that way.
Due to it being inside Mitsuwa, Santouka and Kayaba share the same dining area, but I think they might share the same owner as well. Both places serve food that bring your taste buds to a different country and I love it! Come here if you feel like traveling!

My boyfriend and I were craving a rice bowl and we usually go to raki raki for our katusdon bowl fix but the line was long for lunch and there was no parking as usual so we decided to come here instead.
We both ordered the katsudon bowl which came with a small bowl of miso soup and pickled condiments for $ 8.64. The katsudon tasted great! It’s enough to fill you up and I liked the addition of sautéed onions on top. It tastes about the same as raki raki’s katsudon bowl, maybe even better. However the miso soup here I wasn’t really fond of. It was kind of sour.
Other than that I’m definitely coming back to try the other things on the menu. And I recommend trying this place out whenever you’re shopping at Mitsuwa!

My sister and I both ordered the hot tempura soba. It’s a very simple but flavorful broth with a few green onions tossed in for looks. The shrimp were large and crispy and then the tempura kind of starts to melt into the hot broth. The noodles are fresh and hold firm to the end. I noticed people were shaking in some read seasoning from up by the register so I did the same and it added a flavor pop to my soup… no idea what that was though. Crazy good eats for being such a simple meal.
I’m considering taking the 30 min drive back down for a bowl this weekend.

Eaten here twice. Food is okay.
First meal here was a Gyu Don (beef over rice). I wasn’t impressed with it. But it was only about $ 5 so oh well. My bf had ordered a cold Zaru Soba with tempura shrimp. I liked that better than the Gyu Don. Good for hot days also.
NOW…the reason for the one star is for their lack of customer service. Usually when there is a problem, the manager/​owner would want to solve it, right? It’s in their best interest to do so but in my bf’s case, they did not.
He ordered tempura and soba again during our second visit. He forgot to mentioned that he wanted it cold but they didn’t ask which he wanted either.
WELL, the order came out hot so he asked them if they could make a cold one instead but they won’t do anything for him. The cashier said «Sorry, we did our job.» Well miss. part of your job is to ask whether the customer wants their soba cold or hot; please don’t assume.
After that, he asked for a refund and they wouldn’t do that for him either. So pretty much it’s a «Either ya eat what we made or buy something else.»

This place wasnt always as packed as it is nowadays. About 4 years ago this place was a hole in the wall, but their food is still great.
i wish they separated the fried food from the soup like the shrimp tempura. Especially since the wait is so long now, your food gets soggy. The tempura falls off the shrimp!
I love Mitsua and how they have small independent shops around the store. It gives u plenty to do.

I’ve been going to Mitsuwa Marketplace since 1990 and it was Yaohan, but in New Jersey, near New York City.
I’ve had my share of donburi and ramen and yakisoba while crammed into a little space with not enough elbow room.
Since I’m in San Diego this week, it was easier to go here than to drive the 70+ miles to a Mitsuwa location in San Jose. I was looking for Gyudon and tried Yoshinoya today, but ended up getting Tilapia, as everything seemed fake Japanese.
I should eat more rice every day, and this donburi had plenty. The portion of meat was also good and tasty. The little bowl of miso soup was sufficient and I couldn’t eat everything – not bad for under $ 10 with UCC Green Tea.

Yes, they now accept CREDIT CARDS!
Kayaba is a good place for a quick bowl of Japanese comfort food. It is one of two places located at the front of Mitsuwa Market. The place is a bit divey (the self-​serve water dispenser is downright scary), but then again I don’t think of it as a dining destination — just a good place to grab a bite while you’re shopping.
Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of udon or ramen on a cold, rainy day. Granted, cold and rainy days are few and far between in San Diego, but when you want that home-​cooked warmth, Kayaba is a good choice.
On my last visit (yes, it was cold and rainy) I opted for the udon with beef. The broth was hot and flavorful, the beef was just alright, but the noodles (the whole reason I ordered!) were very good — thick, firm udon noodles with just the right weight and texture. Very good and definitely recommended.
Oh a word to the wise, the udon is served with two slices of yellow «something» — something I mistakenly took for cheddar cheese (because who doesn’t love cheddar cheese with their noodles?). Wrong — they were a sweet baked egg dish — YIKES! I’m sure it’s fine for those who like eggs. I’m just not one of them.
Enjoy!

What a treat! :)
I can’t really recall being let-​down by my food being too cold or not tasting right here. I’m mainly always here for curry, katsudon, or the rice bowl with the shrimp tempura. ALL OF WHICH ARE GOOD.
Today, I came with my mom and I of course got the Mini Katsudon. For $ 5 you get a mini bowl of katsudon, miso soup, and pickled veggies. Not bad really, and probably better than a burger and fries. It always come HOT, so you need to wait a bit for it to cool off. They use the perfect amount of sauce so my rice isn’t drowning, which is nice.
If you want your quick fix for something simple and inexpensive, this is a great place to stop by. You’re in and you’re out as fast or slow as you want to be. Just keep in mind that opening time is close to lunch and that’s when it’s busy. Weekends are also busy as well.
BRING CASH! As they do not take card. There is an atm off to the right by the food display if you don’t really mind paying the small fee.

Kayaba’s located in the food court-​equivalent in the Japanese supermarket Mitsuwa. And it feels like a food court experience with trays and a crowded eating area.
Fortunately, on the whole, Kayaba’s food tastes better than your Sbarros or your Mongolian grills, but not by a huge margin. In my most recent visit, I ordered their tonkotsu curry over rice. Interestingly, the excellent rice served as the highlight with a hard to describe mix of sticky and firm. The curry itself was good and had a decent kick, but the problem is that it was just boring. Beyond some chunks vaguely recognizable as carrot, there were no vegetables or other components to really make it feel substantial. In that sense, Kayaba really is the food court version of other local and more formal Japanese curry joints.
Summary: Japanda express.

This place reminds me of something you would find in a Japanese department store. I love that they have the plastic food displayed in the front. As far as food goes, the quality is good for the price, but not exceptional.
I’m a fan of the mini gyu don. For only $ 5 you get sukiyaki meat over rice, miso soup, and some tsukemono (a mixture of pickled cabbage and sometimes cucumber.) I am a bit sad that on my last visit they no longer offer the tamagoyaki with this meal. The portion is just right for this price.
Also, they now accept credit cards! Yay!

I wanted to try something new while I was on vacation, and Kayaba had caught my eye while I was in the Mitsuwa area. Even though they’re a cash-​only joint with very limited seating in the food court, their gyu-​don beef bowl combo looked good (and at under $ 6 was affordable enough), so I gave it a go.
The beef bowl was very delicious, even though I wish there was more pickled ginger on top of my order. My girlfriend had shown me how it would bring out the flavor of the beef mixture and the rice thanks to a visit to Yoshinoya up north, and as such was a bit disappointed that there was only a paltry serving of shredded pickled ginger. Still, the beef bowl hit the spot, and the sides of miso soup and picked cabbage helped fill me up. Plus, if you order a fountain drink, Kayaba gives free refills (good luck navigating the line to get one, though)!
I want to try more orders here — especially if they look and taste as good as the mockup samples — so if I’m feeling in the mood for Japanese food on the way home, I’ll be coming back!

Kayaba is a food court eatery next to Santouka Ramen inside of Mitsuwa Marketplace. It’s your typical food court eatery specializing in Japanese comfort food. It’s cash only and most of the prices are under $ 10.
We ordered at the counter and waited for our food. It came out in a matter of minutes.
We ordered the chicken katsu lunch set for $ 7.50. This was a really good deal! The chicken katsu was fried perfectly accompanied by a generous portion of rice, potato salad, tsukemono (pickles) and miso soup
I would definitely come back again or recommend you try Kayaba.

Such simple meal choices… but actually so good !
First of all, its CASH ONLY people !!
They have an awesome 3D visual menu located on the right side of the register.
Most of the items are rice, udon noodles or soba noodles ranging about $ 8 each.
They only offer fountain sodas and can of green tea. I prefer buying a drink from Mitsuwa’s actual store.
FOOD:
Hot Tempura Udon $ 8
2 piece tempura shrimp, 2 piece tempura mushroom, and 2 piece tempura green beans. Soup came out HOT, i was so hungry i kept burning my tounge. Soup base is flavorful. It was also served with a side of veggies and egg sponge rolls.
Portion sizes seem really small, but at least the soup filled me up. They should at least make the rice bowls bigger.
SETTING:
They have some cheap tables set up but it gets filled up quickly so make sure you reserve your spot !

CASH ONLY
Fast, fresh and delicious! My boyfriend is happy. Too expensive for a small bowl ($ 9) for me so I probably won’t be back anytime soon. But if you’re happen to be shopping at Mitsuwa definitely stop by!