Kobe Sushi

The positive is that grocery store sushi is no longer the worst. We ate here years ago and when I saw it was still open had to imagine it got better or it would have been closed by now. Horrible then and horrible now. I have no idea how people like this unless they are fans of grocery store sushi. I shoulda guessed when no one was in the place. I won’t be back to try Vietnamese food.

Sticky rice is a craft, I should know, I’ve tried to replicate it at home with limited success. The sticky rice here is also having some issue. I ordered three rolls and none of them held together on their way to consumption. I can understand an issue with one sneaking past QA, but all three. When I mentioned to our server there is an issue, I was given a blank stare and a shrug. Hardly appropriate in any situation, especially with a long-​standing customer. I’m probably going to look for a new favorite sushi place, as there are 45 listed in the phone book, not really a challenge.

NOW CALLED «SUSHI PHO SURE»
Simply put, 4 out of 4 people at our table agreed this was absolutely the worst experience any of us have had at a restaurant. And sadly, nothing was done to rectify the situation when it was mentioned to the owner.
If you’d like to read details of why, it’s actually quite entertaining and we highly recommend you do:
Unsure as to whether it is new ownership or just a name change, but my review is for the current establishment, and I visited with another couple last week.
This is my first negative Unilocal review for a restaurant but reason being that I fear for the well-​being of potential customers.
Visually upon walking in, there was no one in sight and no sense of a greeting/​welcoming. This should have been a red flag but we wanted to remain unbiased until the end. If ambiance matters to you, this place feels like a tacky rec room or high school gym; very blasé & there are actually strips of paper hanging from the air vents.
In response to the actual «service», once we were greeted my boyfriend ordered a Kirin to which the waiter replied «Are you sure you don’t want Kirin light, sir?» Slightly off-​put by the implied insult, he politely said «No, just a tall Kirin please». Our male friend ordered a bud light to which the waiter replied «We do not have any light beer». Once the beers came they both received Kirin lights. Something doesn’t add up… at this point we are quietly chuckling amongst ourselves.
We still hung on. Upon ordering our appetizer of edamame (which were fine, pretty hard to mess up) and shumai, we were presented with soggy gyoza. We immediately signaled the waiter for the error & he argued «That is shumai». My boyfriend worked at a sushi bar for about 4 years hence he replied «This is gyoza». Waiter’s response? «It’s the same thing» and walked away. SERIOUSLY?! Growing slightly pissed at this point, but EVEN STILL wanted to give another chance.
The rest of the meal consisted of various rolls including the pizza roll (which he was very disappointed with and in my opinion, it was one of the redeeming aspects of the meal) and the spicy tuna roll (which was a chunk of tuna rubbed with a «spicy sauce» but not spicy tuna). I have included a picture of my salmon-​scallop roll. The salmon was very fishy (which is always scary) and there was not a scallop in sight, however a heaping serving of imitation crab meat all slathered in a mayonnaise based sauce.
Up until this point we were trying to keep the air light by cracking jokes, but we could no longer stomach the food and mentioned something to the server. He continued to argue with us until we said «WE DO NOT WANT YOUR FOOD, IT IS INEDIBLE.»
The owner aka chef came out and proceeded to go over the bill with a fine tooth comb of what he was willing to comp and what he must charge for.
The whole ordeal was embarrassing to say the least, and I have never in my life hoped so much for a restaurant to go under.
Between the service and the quality of the food, there is not one reason for a person to dine here.

I loved the spicy tuna and salmon rolls. Very good service. Friendly and very attentive. I will be back to try their phu!

I went to this shopping strip for a sandwich at the place next door, but spontaneously decided to get some sushi instead. I made the mistake of not looking at Unilocal until after we had sat down at the sushi bar and ordered.
A couple bad signs right off the bat: the bathroom was filthy, the sushi «chef» was wearing a stained, dirty t-​shirt, and there were fleas flying around the sushi counter. Not kidding. We ordered anyway… a few sushi rolls and a couple pcs of salmon.
The sushi was the worst I’ve ever had. Not the fish, but the rice. It was disgusting. Sticky, mushy, smelly, yuck. So gross. I picked one roll up with my fingers and the warm rice left a sticky, yucky residue on my fingers. My dining partner had only had sushi twice before, so I decided I couldn’t let him eat this crap. I paid the bill (only $ 20 for 3 sushi rolls and 2 pcs of fish… way too cheap) and we went next door.
The «chef» and waitress didn’t seem surprised or concerned that we were leaving after just a couple bites of food. The cashier at the sandwich shop next door said she’s heard how bad it is.
That’ll teach me to try a place without looking it up first. Wow. Disgusting.

This place should not be open. I’ve never been to a sushi bar where you couldn’t see the fish that was being used. I only took one bite of their namesake roll and left the other 7 pieces for the trash! This place will be out if business within a month. Don’t waste your time or $$$.

Good service, gross food.

I enjoyed it very much. Me and my boyfriend have been looking for a good cheap japanese restaurant. I got a Shrimp tempura roll, white rice. The bf got Chicken Teriyaki which came with a salad, rice and some other side dish. It was good, very flavorful! We also got two egg rolls which were also delicious. We dont like going to crowded places, which is pretty much everywhere in san diego, so this place is a rare find. Take advantage of it!!!
The owner was very nice and attentive. Give it a try!

Just OK. There is a reason the place is empty all the time.

They have edimame! I know a little too excited but i love the stuff. that however is all i ate there. The person inside seems very nice (just 1 peerson) and the food I got for others looks good. They dont seem to have a very busy lunch today. I am a newbie to the sushi scene and will tred cautiously.

Atmosphere — Little place set on the side of a strip mall. Sat at the bar and the service was decent. Have only eaten here once, but have walked by numerous times.
Food/​Beverage — Small bar and I didn’t get anything alcohol here. The food was not great nor was the selection… to be honest I am not sure how places like this stay open… and as close as it is to my crib i would LOVE for this place to be good.
Cost — Not as cheap as you would expect… but they do have some decent specials/​HH.
Summary — Not much to say. With sushi joints popping up on every corner this is one to pass. Never very full and for a reason. One time is all it took me to continue going to other nearby places with superior quality at similar prices. Save yourself the trip.

This place is not very good. I had a simple California roll and could not eat all of it. The rice was mushy, my roll kept falling apart, and it did not tast good at all. I would never come here again. Its pretty BLAH!!!

After reading all the reviews on Unilocal I was prepared for a mediocre meal and that is what I got. was it good? No. Was it bad? No. It was just ok. I don’t think I would ever go back even if I lived near by.
My friend who I ate with didn’t care for the food at all and complained that the rice was too thick and that she didn’t like what she got even though she liked everything that went into what she got. So it seems like it is ether kind of hit or total miss.

Overall it is okay. Place needs to be updated. Tables, chairs needs to be replaced. Walls needs to be paint. Sushi is okay. Service is friendly. Small restaurant. 7 – 8 tables and sushi bar area. If u r in the neighbor why not. Nothing special

Kobe sushi is OK. The service there is ok… I had to ask them to clear the plates since we were a big party and didn’t have much room. There were freash but not the freashest I’ve tasted as far as the fish.
Lastly, did anyone see the sign outfront? who printed that sign for them and do they not have SPELLCHECK??? gezzz.

I really like this place. I don’t know why it gets such bad reviews. I usually get a combo platter with the terryaki chicken, sushi, comes with a small tangy salad, a slice of orange, and some other things. It tastes great to me. My kids and everyone I take there love it too. I usually leave an extra tip there because I really do not know how the place stays open because there are usually not many people there.

Wow I have to say, I am really surpised at these reviews — I couldn’t help but to respond. This place is right around the corner from where I live, and because we love Sushi, naturally it was one of the first places we tried when we moved to the area. I have no idea where these comments are coming from about the place being «flithy» and the service being horrible; that makes no sense to me. I’ve visited there 3 times so far, and even called in food for takeout and I am always greeted very politely and my orders are alway exactly as I requested and very tasty. I don’t consider myself a sushi «expert» (I think some of these reviews are border-​line pretentious) but I do know good food when I taste it, and the half a dozen times I have ordered from Kobe, I have been satisified. I do have other sushi places that I prefer, but Kobe is just great when I am running short on time.
PS — i edited this review due to a recent visit to Umi Sushi in Shelter Island. Such superior service and food distances itself from other sushi joints, including Kobe. Sorry.

Not horrible is how I describe this spot… it’s close to where I work and as I was ambling from store window to store window I saw a couple groups walk in all talky and excited. I took this as a good sign and followed them in.
Sat at the bar and it’s then that I saw the fish inside the fridge. Aren’t I supposed to be wowed by the presentation? Impressed by the cuts, by the variety? By the meticulous cuts and arrangement?
I shrugged my shoulders and went for a spicy tuna roll and a california roll. Safe stuff. Stuff that moves, ensuring as best I can its freshness.
The rolls came to me fast, and they weren’t horrible.
I’ll be back since it’s close to work and I’m just not that in to all the other fast food alternatives around.

I had to post this as I had such a HORRIBLE experience at this sushi restaurant yesterday.
First of all the Miso soup tasted like salty water– we complained and our sushi chef/​owner/​waiter took it away — at that moment we should have just cut our losses –canceled the rest of our order and left. We unfortunately did not, so the nightmare continued. We got the tempura vegetables which were fine– I guess. Finally the Salmon Nigiri came. I put it in my mouth and I almost gagged. It felt and tasted like a fishy tongue, My husband complained, and got the nigiri taken off the bill as well. We paid and left.
When we got into the car (feeling sick to my stomach) the sushi chef/​owner/​waiter came out and wrote down our license plate number. My husband went back in to ask what he was doing, and he informed us that HE CALLED THE POLICE on us!!! Well that was enough for me. I pretty much lost it — I mean what was our crime? We had our receipt –we had paid our bill. I am still furious!
NEVER EAT HERE! You will regret it, and probably get sick.

I first went to Kobe because it was within walking distance to my home and I was feeling lazy. Walking in, the place was dead and the chefs were watching some type of sporting event.
After looking over the menu, I decided on the dragon roll and the point loma roll. The chefs were friendly and whipped up my to-​go order fast. They were done before I returned from the Longs around the corner with my cheap wine.
Satisfied with what I paid, I walked home and began to eat. The rolls are larger than usual rolls, with an extra layer of rice. The rice is mushy. The teriyaki sauce is thick and almost syrupy.
I finished my meal and vowed never to return.
Note — I broke my vow and returned whenever I was feeling lazy. Thank god I finally moved away from it.