Yakyudori

oysters (3.5/5)
they're a big size but they do the job if i'm craving oysters but they don't taste as fresh as if i were to go to a seafood restaurant. i love how there's ponzu & green onion

shoyu ramen (3.5/5)
i used to be obsessed with this ramen because i typically dislike the usual creamy rich ramens offered at ramen shops, but since i've had high quality ramen at ramen nagi, i rarely crave the ramen here anymore. i've made my own shoyu ramen at home with kits you can buy at mitsuwa/marukai and it honestly taste almost identical but if you're too lazy to get all the toppings, it's worth to get it here.

beef tongue skewers (5/5)
beef tongue is always amazing & it's grilled perfectly

beef skewer with radish (5/5)
super juicy & love the radish on top

rice bowls (3/5)
had the beef and kaarage rice bowls, both mid. too sweet and dislike the mayo on top personally.

if u come here, i highly recommend the skewers mainly & then any specials if they are still in stock (usually sell out by the evening). i've been to their sister restaurants and they are not as good as this place so don't waste ur time and money

Tried the mentaiko, chicken thigh, beef tongue, shoyu ramen, chicken heart, salmon roe bowl.

Came here again after coming about a year ago but was a little disappointed.

Ramen was the only thing I liked this time.
Yakitori does not have any char or smokey taste. I'm pretty sure they're not using charcoal to cook anymore.
Mentaiko was a nice appetizer. Torched on the outside.
Salmon roe bowl was my favorite last time we came here but tasted a lot different. The rice to salmon roe ratio was way off. Was under seasoned.

Service was great and I appreciate you guys.

Overall probably won't come back unless it's just for ramen or if they change back to charcoal grills.

It's more like 3.5....

This used to be our favorite ramen & yakitori place around Convoy, but things have changed over the years.

Food:
Ramen noodles had nice and smooth texture. The toppings were standard and minimum. The soup had a rich miso taste but lacked flavor and was way salty.

Yakitori was disappointing. They were oily on the surface and had no burnt marks at all. Obviously they were not cooked with charcoal or hibachi, and they came out surprisingly pretty quick.

A waitress told us that they now cook yakitori with an electric grill. No more charcoal and open flame.

Decor & Hours:
Things have changed over the years with the decor. No more nostalgic charm of Japanese small izakaya. The hours are also changed, and they are open only at night. Hip pop was playing.

Service:
The service was non-existent. A young waitress greeted and dropped an iPad for self-ordering. She brought food and disappeared.

I feel nostalgic about how this place used to be.

I usually come here on a weekday before the 5PM opening and find parking easily and get seated right away. The chicken thigh skewers are my favorite although prices do add up quickly. I love how you can order dishes on an iPad which is super convenient!

I've heard things about yakyudori and I cannot confirm they're true. For a while, yakyudori was the top ramen spot in SD. I've never had theirs, opting for Mitsuwa. That got me thinking, if it was top ramen, how come I only heard about it now after Menya And Nagi have opened their locations in the US.

I've had their yakitori before and the bill has lead me to shed a single tear. After my vacation to Japan, that tear became a full blown crying session. Is beef that expensive in America? Is this the price for happy cows from California? Yakitori in Tokyo is like $3 a skewer at most. I get that the conversion works for me as an American but a minimum 300% inflation? Make it make sense America.

Anyway, back to the ramen...

It was alright. I could see why it was the best ramen in San Diego because at that time, Sakura was Japanese only while Mitsuwa had quality issues. The next step was going for a little more high priced Japanese sushi restaurants over an Izakaya. As far as the ramen goes, the broth was flavorful and the noodles were nice and bouncy. However, I felt like the egg and the chasu pales in comparison to Menya or Nishiki. Again, before those two opened, it would've been the go-to but now I feel like it's a nostalgia menu item. It seems like yakyudori family of restaurants in SD have a loyal following, even spawning Ko-Li Bar next door.

Still, some friends swear by it. They live and die on the hill that is yakyudori. In the famous words of Randy Jackson, "it's just not for me dawg."

Side note: they have a Tokyo location which claims they're a San Diego ramen shop. Next time I'm in Tokyo, I'll try to visit for the culture.

This was my favorite Yakitori restaurants to visit when I lived in San Diego. It is still good as I remember except the prices and a few minor problems. The prices are 3-4x more than my last visit back in 2024. Some of the yakitori items were like $14 for two skewers while the ramen was still reasonable. The Unagi bowl was good but the rice was too mushy. Another Asian restaurant who does not cook rice properly. The ramen was still goodness but the noodles was a tad overcooked. The yakitori was not cooked evenly with one part of the skewer was charred.

I'll need to venture out on my next visit to SD and try some new Yakitori restaurants.

We were all having a ramen craving and ended up here since the other spot we wanted to go to had too long of a wait. It was nice that they were able to seat us immediately.
The tonkotsu ramen came out very fast, it was pretty good. Hit the spot but I wouldn't say it was amazing or the best I've had 3.5
Good spot for a quick bite.

The yakitori here is amazing, everything was flavorful. We loved everything we ordered & even wanted to get more. I love the concept of ordering on the iPad, makes everything easier & you can just order as you go. It does get pricey though, the yakitori ranges between $5-$15 but most come with 2 sticks. For 2 of us, we spent a little over $100. All in all, I'd still come back every once in a while when I'm craving some yakitori!

[Food]
- Pork Neck ($7): This was so good we ordered more!
- Beef Tongue ($15): Not the best I've had but pretty decent.
- Shishito Peppers ($6): Would definitely order again next time as I love the slight soy flavor. I usually get it as is with bonito flakes but opted out of bonito flakes this time around so that my vegan friend can enjoy with us
- Chicken Skin ($8): Wish it was cooked to be more crunchy than soggy but still tastes good.
- Eggplant Miso ($6.50): My friends love this. I'm not a big eggplant person but can still appreciate a bite.
- Brussel Sprouts ($5): Pretty decent, no complaints.
- Garlic ($5): Good to get to pair with other yakitori dishes.
- Pork Shiso ($10): Love the savory pork with the acidic plum flavor. It does end more towards the sour side for the aftertaste but I'm here for it! another dish I would definitely reorder next time I'm here!

[Service]
- Fast, attentive, friendly
- Order via ipad device

[Ambiance]
- Cozy place with bars and booth seats.
- Private parking but small. Best come at non peak hours

[Overall]
- Would love to come back here to indulge on beer and yakitori (:
- Love that they give 2 skewers per order

Food is as authentic as you can get for Japanese standards. The price of food is comparable to most restaurants. The staff are attentive and fast service. The restaurant is cozy and reminds me of a mom-and-pop restaurant in Okinawa. Next to the restaurant are shaved ice and Japanese desserts.