I've complained about this place in a Facebook post once or twice, but I've learned to really love and appreciate this place. I must admit, there was a time when I thought that the food came out a bit slow, but I now realize that good food takes time and the yummy sushi is definitely worth the wait! Wonderful Sushi has become me and my bf's go-to spot when we can't decide on where to eat for dinner and also when we're craving sushi. We go there pretty much once a week! I always tend to order nigiri and find that their slices of fish are always fresh and prepared very nicely...and the fish slices are huge! @groovapooh (my bf) usually orders rolls and they're always beautifully plated and delicious. He also loves their chirashi bowl. It comes with this incredible hot sauce that tastes good on everything! The hot sake specials are also a nice touch! I do recommend getting a little appetizer and some booze while your food is being made. Wonderful Sushi has earned itself a top spot as one of my favorite sushi restaurants. Which comes to show first impressions and glancing at someone's 1 star "bad first experience" shouldn't deter you from trying the place out yourself and giving it a try. I'm glad I came back a couple times and the place won me over even more and more. See you in a couple days Wonderful Sushi!
(5)
Ian X.
I found this place quickly after moving to Hillcresh a year ago. I was reluctant at first because of the prices - it runs on the higher side for what I wanted. Others have noted that recently they've revamped their menus and some prices have changed, but evidently what I ordered (the Sushi variety) is now a lunch special and is $4 _cheaper_ than what I used to pay for it. Their presentation, quality, atmosphere, and service is superb. I get checked on enough when they aren't overwhelmed (and that happens sometimes as they only have one server on typical lunch periods). They usually have EDM or pop playing over cable radio, the place is clean, there's a patio, and it is decorated nicely. The food is always flavorful, and the su chefs put a lot of detail and effort into their work. I often sit at the bar to watch them arrange and rearrange the roll pieces to get them perfect or delicately place just the right amount of soy sauce under the rolls. Sometimes they give you a desert of some lovely fresh fruit - deliciously ripe strawberries, or a delightfully artistically prepared sliced orange stack. I always walk away full, more than pleased and tip well when I leave Wonderful Sushi. I'd recommend this place to anyone who enjoys sushi and can pay a little more for quality and presentation in their meals.
(5)
Xia P.
In the last few weeks they have totally redone their menu & pricing. Before the change I absolutely 100% LOVED this place, and now I just love it..... not because the food quality has gone down or anything, but because their prices have gone up and this was my go-to "cheap food" spot. Aside from my gripes about pricing, I have enjoyed literally everything I have ever had here. Meals ranging from simple rolls, to speciality rolls, to salads, bento boxes, tempura & bulgogi..... its all super fresh & tastes good and isn't exorbitantly expensive. Parking can be kind of annoying in this shopping center but eh, that's San Diego! I'm just stoked they even have a parking lot.
(4)
Cindy D.
Nice, low-key spot to grab some sushi. They have a cute patio to enjoy your sushi on a warm summer night. I absolutely LOVED the Hawaiian roll! The Taka Taka roll was good too- It had a nice smoky flavor to it. I couldn't put the garlic edamame down! Will definitely be stopping by again.
(5)
Skyla G.
I always enjoy coming to Wonderful Sushi! While I've occasionally had small issues with service (wait staff being slower than I'd like to bring the check or other little details), everyone is always super friendly and the sushi is consistently good. Plus, sitting at the sushi bar you'll sometimes get a surprise!
(4)
Vyacheslav T.
Amazing sushi, high crab roll is a must have! Confused on why it was rated a 31/2 star on yelp...
(5)
Georja N.
Great quality fish. Service is good. Parking lot available. Ambiance is great for families, hanging with friends, or even going out on a date. There are two flat screen tv's (sports) and the music is fun. It's kind of like Ono sushi but without all the hipsters running the joint. I come here at least once a week. Love it!
(5)
Eva T.
I love this place. It was among the first sushi places I tried when I came to San Diego. Everything is super fresh. The service is great and the servers are especially courteous. Not to mention everything is really cheap! Only $2 hot sake and drafts!
(5)
M D.
I always judge a sushi place on getting the basics right. I have been coming here for five years +. I live in the neighborhood and order out at least twice a month. I always order at least one California roll and a few big ones to share. They must have changed owners! The sushi rice has gone down and the California roll (used to be a favorite) is disgusting. I had a sliver of avocado in each slice. It was literally no thicker than a few pieces of paper. The cucumber was cut very thin in many pieces and it felt like I was eating a crunchy salad. The crab was very dry. Their fish quality looks sketchy. The salmon isn't so easy to chew and the tuna was very fatty. I feel such a loss!!! First they put up their prices and now the quality has been lowered. I guess I'm on to find a new local sushi place :(
(1)
Amanda R.
Always a favorite! Started coming here over 3 years ago and has been my favorite sushi restaurant ever since. They have a wide variety of rolls and are happy to accommodate any alterations you can think of! I have never waited more than 10 minutes for a table in the busy hours and the service is great!
(5)
J R.
We dined here and had a great time. The sushi was good, the staff was friendly enough and the atmosphere was nice. We ordered the lemon and the ahkida (misspelled) sushi with wine. Everything was was done well. The wait wasn't too long for our food once we placed our order. We'll definitely come back again.
(4)
Victoria K.
I have been going to Wonderful sushi for years and I am truly remiss for not writing this review sooner. They have a great selection of sushi and I have always appreciated the fresh selection of sashimi. My favorite rolls are Rising Sun, Alba Alba, Scallop Dynamite, and the Yummy Salmon roll. The staff is super friendly and attentive. Best sushi in Hillcrest IMHO.
(5)
Joe T.
Pretty good sushi. Nothing that was spectacular. Nothing bad also. A nice place to go for sushi. I gave it a try based a friends recommendation. Sashimi was pretty good. Rainbow roll decent.
(3)
Herbie H.
Walking distance from where we were staying in San Diego. Probably not the best sushi San Diego has to offer, but perfectly acceptable for a quick, easy Sunday evening. I ordered a sweet & sour pickled cucumber salad, which was a great little starter. I don't see it too often on other menus, so I gave it a try. I ordered the tuna salmon special roll, and a spicy tuna roll. Both rolls were fresh and packed with flavor. Service was decent. All of our food was delivered, except one person's, which came about 5 minutes later, which was odd, but overall it was fine.
(3)
MyBarPass ..
I love this place! The sushi is tasty and reasonably priced, small beers and small sake are $2 each ALL THE TIME not just on happy hour, and you never have to wait for a table. Oh and I forgot to mention that the staff is super nice! I give Wonderful Sushi two thumbs up! -Mr. BarPass
(5)
Carlos C.
Wonderful service. Our waitress was super funny and very personable. Two dollar draft beers. However, not so good food. Reasonable prices. Open late.
(3)
S S.
We have been coming here 6 plus years, and was one of our favorite sushi spots in San Diego. Don't know if they switched ownership or what but the quality of the food and service has been going downhill. Today we stopped to get sushi and we always have our own plate when we order. This time we had everything combined in one plate which was the Philly roll and the Salsa roll, The salsa roll had lemon draining onto the Philly roll and some of the ingredients I'm allergic to. The waitress said that they have been combining rolls in the same plate for years however i don't think she knew that we have been coming here for six plus years. We have also had take out a few times a month. To top it off one of my rolls had certain ingredients (cilantro) in it and they never mentioned to me that they ran out of that ingredient until the end when i brought it to their attention. Now to me that is very poor customer service! And i still get charged full price. I hate to do this because we have been loyal to them and the food was good but the last few months they have been slaking off and the rice does not even hold on the roll. So we are never coming back here and we will let our friends know!
(1)
Ry S.
Neat spot for sushi. Prices and portions are fair, and the food is on par with fancier more expensive spots. The build out is pretty average, and this restaurant is part of a strip mall. I've never had to wait for a table here, and I've never seen Wonderful Sushi full up. Don't let that fool you, it's definitely a spot I'll come to again for sushi.
(4)
Lelio Xiangde L.
Nothing to say. And it's a good location. Good place to meet up for a quick meal
(3)
LeeeAnn T.
No complaints. Sushi was great service was great clean and nice decor. bonus: our 3 year old doesn't eat sushi and they let us bring in food for her.
(5)
Ashley B.
My husband and I absolutely love this place! Right when you walk in the door, you're greeted with a warm and excited staff who are over-the-top accommodating throughout your meal. The food is delicious and creative, always a good value. Our favorite fish to order is Toro and they almost always have it in and it's fresh and tasty. Would definitely recommend!
(5)
Ryan H.
Not bad sushi. Actually quite good. The fish seems to be quite fresh. Service is pretty good. Can't beat the draft beer prices; $2. All in all, good place.
(4)
Kamaryn P.
My family and I have been enjoying great sushi here since 2007. Quality, affordable, excellent sushi. The fish is fresh and the staff is extremely friendly! The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the choice of music isn't my favorite. It doesn't stop me from coming back though! My favorite item on the menu is the house salad. Best, most refreshing, dressing ever! Pair it with miso soup and a spicy girls roll, NYNY roll, stuffed jalapeños, Hawaiian roll, and/or salmon nigiri and you're dinner party is sure to walk away full and happy!
(4)
John A.
Absolutely fabulous...AB FAB darling.. Sweetie! Great sushi, fantastic drinks. Excellent staff!
(5)
Bob A.
There was only 1 server for a Saturday evening, backed up on to-go orders and the kitchen was abruptly loud that we can hear his voice carry out to the restaurant. An un-attentive restaurant staff of 1, loud kitchen staff that messed up on 2 orders. Unacceptable.
(2)
Frankie M.
Wasn't as wonderful as I thought it would be. The staff was friendly, and helpful. Although the sushi wasn't all to my liking. Probably would not go back. But you should try it out for yourself, and see what you think.
(3)
Jason H.
Still love this place. One of the better sushi places in San Diego. Staff is always friendly. Sushi is great! Yak isobar is also pretty damn good!
(5)
Rogelio K.
Spicy Tuna was good. Snowball rolls was bomb Spicy tuna crunch roll was bomb Friendly service all around. We'll be back.
(4)
Daniela W.
Horrible service, I came here on a Tuesday afternoon about two months ago and this young girl who helped me out gave me the worst service ever. I asked her if the Miso soup had tofu and she replied "whats Tofu?" and she laughed. I ended up ordering a Miso Soup to-go and I asked her for a spoon, and she told me they don't have any utensils! The Miso soup tasted good, but the service was awful.
(2)
Kazumasa K.
I sit sushi bar at lunch time n got kalbi bento n hillcrest roll. Kalbi was really good. I enjoyed the lunch with the master Hang Soo Tip:They have some big TVs!
(5)
Bryan S.
A nice little sushi bar in Hillcrest. It's a bit on the pricier side. Their sushi is great but the bento lunch box specials and appetizers leave much to be desired. I enjoy the sashimi and sushi above all else. The wait times are a little longer than would be expected as well.
(3)
Sally D.
It was my first time here... The sushi was alright.... But damn its so expensive. My bf work at a sushi bar too... Sushi was hela there but ain't the pricy. I have order a sashimi salad. When they brought it to me... It wasn't what I was expected. It was not even a salad and they charge me $14 bucks for it. It was just a portion of it. I don't think I'll be back for awhile. Lesson learn... Oh, and the reason why I don't go to my bf restaurant even though its better its becuz its always pack and it a wait.
(3)
Ruth R.
Living in North Park, if i think sushi i think of Wonderful Sushi as a great stop. On nights when we head out to the bars along University Ave in Hillcrest, we usually make a stop for a sushi snack here. Service is always great, food is fresh and the price is just right. This place hasn't dissapointed so far after coming here for a few years. Grab a friend and have a NY NY roll. Good stuff.
(5)
Eli H.
Food was ok but service was abysmal! Me: "I've never been here before, what do u recommend?" Server: "I don't eat sushi so I dont't know." The service only went down hill from there.
(2)
Bethany B.
This is a great little sushi gem. We usually go in for quick sushi and it's always tasty. This place has great daily deals on rolls! We always get seated right away.
(4)
Jessica L.
Go to sushi place in Hillcrest. Excellent options, good prices. Maki rolls for $3. Very nice waitresses. Be careful about speaking in privately in Russian, some of the waitresses will understand you. Outside seating is parallel to a semi-busy street, so you may hear some street noise (on one occasion I listening to two macho guys fight over a parking spot and threaten to hurt each other, they got out of their cars and everything!)
(5)
Aileen S.
This is our go to sushi place always consistent with the food. Lunch n dinner both good. My fav roll is the wonderful dynamite. I usually get extra spicy mayo and eel sauce.
(5)
Sarah D.
Five stars for the value, and best service! When you walk in, one of the staff randomly cheers for you - that is fun. It's the main reason my husband likes going, in addition to the everyday $2 beer special. It's our favorite cheaper sushi option in town - for less expensive sushi this is done very well and the staff are pretty great.
(5)
Stephen H.
The sushi was average. The ramen tasted like the 25 cent package you get in the grocery store. The mussels were excellent but it took forever to get them. Everyone was ordering their 2nd rolls, so I placed another order of mussels. Everyone else received their rolls, finished eating, the waitress brought the check, and I still had not received my order. I ended up canceling the order and leaving feeling not so wonderful.
(2)
Paul P.
Simple rolls are CHEAP! $3 California $4 spicy tuna and more. Good for happy hour. Never too crowded. Some delicious specialty rolls for $6. Fancier stuff as well. My only quam was that 1 of my rolls was the loosest sushi roll I've ever seen and it came apart completely. But no biggie, I'd go back!
(3)
Chelsey W.
Great sushi and reasonably priced. Some things are better then others: el fuego is amazing, the monkey balls are delicious and the simple spicy tuna roll is awesome!
(4)
Shawn C.
Been here twice and they have everything you could want! We got excellent service, the fish was fresh, presented beautifully, definitely our new sushi bar of favor! June our sushi chef was masterful in his work, Shawn our server was super friendly, very attentive, and remembered us from our previous visit. This place should be busier than it is, but most of the clientele who is here are Japanese (what I like to see in a sushi bar!). Loved it, Loved it, Loved it. If it gets real busy, save us two seats at the bar!
(5)
gerg g.
Alright, all these negative reviews are just silly. This place is great and a roach on your friend ? I hate to break it to that person and anyone else but as a former pest control technician, let's just say, "you'd be shocked and perhaps grossed the ef out if you knew what lived in most restaurants". I need not say more but... I will. As a matter of fact, I think most people don't realize how many bug parts we consume on a regular basis and I'm talking even from the packaged food you buy at Henrys, Whole Foods or Ralphs. What ever your shopping or dining preference, you are eating bug bits all the time so get over the roach in the sushi place ! OK, so back on topic. WONDERFUL SUSHI is pretty up to par with my other favorite places and certainly nicer and tastier than Ichiban across the street. I like that Wonderful has your usual rolls i.e. Philly and spicy tuna but they also have their own unique creations that look tasty as hell. I had some fresh nicely presented albacore sashimi and some awesome roll with avo, yellow tail on top, tempura shrimp inside, magical red fish eggs on top, and spicy mayo. "Fab" is what I call it or, more like, "give me another one of those rolls roll !" which is much better than a " just shut the f*!k up and eat it roll" (inside joke with my sweetheart). The gal and I shared a spicy tuna and one other roll and she had a noodle dish that was very yummers. We declared that this would be our "special sushi spot " . Since we are raw fish addicts, we have a couple of regular places in the hood we frequent who's prices are a little lower but you have to wait quite a while most times (I won't drop names but I'm sure those who know, know). Anyway, if you live in the Hillcrest or North Park area and DON'T want to wait at any of the above mentioned anonymous sushi joints, why don't you give Wonderful a try and then go grab a movie or two a few doors down. Great for a date night and it won't break your cheap ass ! :)
(4)
Ronald T.
BY FAR MY FAVORITE SUSHI RESTAURANT IN SAN DIEGO! Sorry, Sushi Ota, but you're just too expensive! Been here a few times, haven't met a sushi roll that didn't please me. The sushi chefs are very methodical and definitely have their trade down Service is FANTASTIC! Ask for Ben, he exhibits high quality service!
(5)
Casie B.
Really, really good rolls. Fresh fish, good ingredients and tasty combos. Prices are fair but the specials are great! $3-$4 basic rolls and $2 beer! Miso soup was just the standard premade mix that you normally find anywhere, but this place should definitely be one of your stops. Plus... they have TV's at the sushi bar :)
(5)
Toby B.
Awesome! Delicious food and the happy hour is one of the best. Two dollar beers. Service was very good. Waiter was nice and fast. Good place for a relaxed date but if your interested in a first date or something very romantic this probably isn't the best choice.
(4)
Ann E.
best miso soup ever. went here on a sat night and they were super busy but service didnt lack because of it. lots of great roll options sake is served in a cool glass bottle! little outdoor seating area is small but still nice to enjoy a meal out there!
(4)
K P.
We love this sushi restaurant. First, the people making the sushi and serving you are actually Japanese and not just Asian. Second, service is always friendly and great. Third, fresh and affordable prices. We like that they have a lot of variety to choose from. They have creative rolls and not only the usual ones you see at every sushi place. The rolls are decent in size and usually 3 rolls are enough for the two of us. This may be our go to sushi spot for now.
(4)
Peter N.
Wonderful? That might be pushing it. I'm leaning towards the "acceptable" end of the spectrum on this one. Funny how it didn't even seem that long ago when I had reviewed the previous establishment (Ichiban), which I don't mind saying sucked some serious ass. Not as much as Ono Sushi though, because that place sucks so much that I actually believe this might be the third time I've referenced how awful it is in one of my reviews. F*CK YOU ONO SUSHI. You and your dry ass fish and trendier-than-thou hipster bastard waiters/bartenders/servers!!!!!! Anyways, this place was ok. I highly stress the ok. It's slightly better than the Ichiban, and miles better than Ono Sushi. The atmosphere, eh. Felt like somebody just wanted to open up a sushi place and bought some asian looking crap at pier 1. Well, maybe not even pier 1, lets go with LOWE'S. The service was likewise so-so, they were nice enough folks but nothing stuck out as LT outstanding or Tyra Banks annoying. The food was *suprise* ok. The seaweed felt constantly chewier than my prefered consistency. Minor thing really, but it didn't go unchecked. The fish was also on the ok side, as it was semi-fresh but not orgasmically tender and scintilating. So what's to like about the place in general? The beer and sake got me just as drunk, and it takes me about 6 minutes to walk to from my residence. And of course it's not Ono Sushi the Syfy Channel Movie equivalent of all sushi places. So yeah. Just eh. It's aight I guess.
(3)
Jared W.
Recently tried this place and enjoyed it. The sushi was good. Better than Sushi Deli downtown. Was priced a bit higher, but worth it I felt. Our server, Jennifer, was very nice and friendly. The place wasn't crowded, even on a Friday night, so we got seated right away. Sushi came out quickly and fresh. I ordered some skewered meat as well, and because it took a bit longer for it to be ready, they brought out an extra skewer for us! We also used Groupon here as well, so that might have affected how I view the price. Overall, we would definitely eat here again!
(3)
Lola Z.
$2 Sapporos and sake every night-great deal! Super nice owners, servers & sushi guys. Its casual. Lots of good rolls for around $7, specialities are a little more. I love the wonderful albacore roll, garlic edamames, tuna poke-like appetizer and the Kalbi beef lunch/dinner boxes. Yummm!
(5)
Armin G.
In the mood for sushi, we decided to try out this place in Hillcrest today. Sitting inside during the day is a gloomy affair due to the dark decor and dim lighting. Rap music and NASCAR on several flat screen tv's absolutely spoil the atmosphere and are misplaced in any sushi restaurant. Service was prompt and attentive and the menu appears to offer a wide selection of items. Tried some sushi that looked like it was bought at Ralph's down the block and tasted, well, indifferent. I had the Chicken Katsu, which was nicely presented, included miso soup, a smallish salad and rice. The chicken was well done and the sauce that came with it nicely flavored. What is an absolute no-no is when I order a diet Coke and get a can on the table - zero points for that $1.75 can. The zero stars for this place (if there were zero stars) are deserved for one simple reason: the food will give you the absolute worst stomach cramps. After lunch, we strolled down Hillcrest and my partner complained of a suddenly upset stomach followed by cramps. Half an hour later I was leaning against a light pole and could barely walk because my stomach cramps were so bad. We barely made it home and both of our stomachs are still upset and cramping. Not how we had envisioned to spend Saturday afternoon. So, to wit, I hate this place and will never set foot in it again. You may, if you are so inclined but be forewarned - unexpected cramps may come your way.
(1)
Sarah C.
Wonderful Sushi IS indeed WONDERFUL. I have eaten here twice now with Rebecca H. We've split the Philadelphia Roll, Spider Roll, Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll, and Eel Roll - PLENTY for 2 people! Definitely go during happy hour - 30% off a TON of their rolls and sushi. They have other non-sushi offerings as well. Nate had their Orange Chicken binto box and enjoyed it. Decent prices; not as cheap as Ichiban, but not to shabby either. Service is great and pretty quick. Have a WONDERFUL time!
(4)
Lena C.
My boyfriend and I wanted to try a restaurant we've never tried before. We were driving around our neighborhood when we spotted this place. I'm surprised I haven't seen this place sooner. Up side: the staff is super friendly and helpful. Great start, isn't it? Their spider roll was yummy, but the best thing we ate was the seafood butteryaki. Yes, butter-yaki. It's shrimp, calamari, mussels, scallops, and an assortment of veggies cooked together on a sizzling plate with a butter sauce. It was phenomenal! We cleaned out that platter! Best thing I've eaten in a long time. Down side: which isn't too terrible, actually. I ordered a scallop hand roll and it just wasn't as good as I've had it at other places. I couldn't tell you what it was lacking, but it just didn't wow me. Honestly, someone else who's had it here before might love it. I'm just saying that one thing wasn't fantastic. Prices were reasonable for a decent sushi place. No surprises there. Great place! My bf and I will be back!
(4)
Danielle G.
Wonderful????Hardly. We asked the waiter if the Chef's choice (which costs $37) would feed two people, at first he had no idea, and then after asking the chef, he said that it would. We then got 25 small pieces of fish on a plate with no rice or seasoning or anything telling us that it is considered a meal, let alone a meal for 2. We ate our "meal" with empty drinks and no one even asked us if we enjoyed it or if we would like anything else, we just simply got a check dropped off at our table. $41.75 later and VERY disappointed.
(1)
Tianna T.
It's called Wonderful Sushi for a reason! Despite the awkward location, this place has great sushi! My boyfriend and I have tried a lot of sushi restaurants around Hillcrest and Wonderful Sushi is in my top 3! This place is busy on the weekends but we are always able to get a seat at the sushi bar. I tend to order either the spicy tuna crunch roll or the rainbow roll. My boyfriend tries something different every time ranging from quail egg to salmon sashimi. We have never been disappointed! This place is a gem! :)
(5)
Suzy S.
I have to admit I was a little bit wary of this place, which has been open for quite a while and STILL has its "Grand Opening" special for 30% off everything, all day every day. But... we had a coupon (buy 1 roll get 1 free from the "Uptown" magazine) and were looking for something quick and good. We found that at Wonderful Sushi. Nothing fantastic, nothing that would really draw me back nor suggest it over other sushi spots - but I left feeling full and content. Really bland atmosphere... TVs that give it a sports bar feel, and top 40s music...from five years ago. We heard Britney Spears TWICE in the short time we were there. On the upside, the rolls were much better than I expected, and the Sapporo drafts were $3. We tried the Alba-Alba Roll, NYNY, Spanish Roll, and the White Tuna Roll. That last one was amazing - spicy tuna, crab and avocado with seared tuna and a delicious sauce on top. The seared fish on top was sooooooo good. NYNY was also good - I know some people think it's like sacrilegious to put cream cheese in sushi but it cooled down the roll to create a nice lil' feeling in my mouth. And THAT'S what she said.
(4)
Alexandra S.
I have to say I was sadly disappointed. I ordered two rolls and only ate one because the second just not good. I ate one bite of it and I left the rest. The server never inquired as to if everything was ok and when they asked if I needed a box and I responded no thanks I didn't like it he just shrugged his shoulders and left. Had he offered to refund the roll I'd have been a happy camper. It's overpriced in my opinion. I'm used to paying $25-30 for two at sushi deli and other places not nearly $60! I won't be coming back.
(2)
Emily D.
Pretty good sushi spot which is walkable from my house. I don't know why they have 30% off rolls "all day every day" when they could just change the price. Doesn't taste as good as Ichiban across the street, but much nicer atmosphere and open later. We got tipsy on the Korean wine so ordered way too much sushi - crunchy rolls, spicy tuna, random nigiri. All in all a fun start to Saturday night and not too expensive.
(4)
Adam G.
I've probably eaten here 10 times. My wife loves this place. Wonderful Sushi is not a gourmet experience. In other words, you wouldn't take a classy date or a client here to impress them. No one is going to claim this is "the best sushi place in the city." It doesn't have that indefinable polish that makes a restaurant seem "together". But it does have really good food. So even if it isn't the "best", it might become your favorite. Food - This is the real highlight. Everything I've had here was delicious and above average for a Japanese restaurant. You aren't limited to sushi, either. They have a good selection of non-sushi entrees. The veggie yaki soba is great. They have several vegetarian options. Service - The service is impossible to predict. The waiters all seem nice and pleasant, but sometimes they go missing for extended periods of time or are slow to come back. Other times, they are great. It is just sort of mixed. You won't be bothered as long as you aren't in a rush. Music - WTF? For some reason, they play the worst pop music ever in this restaurant. It is just terrible. Luckily the music isn't too loud, so you can try to tune it out. But it is really the worst music ever. It is like a running soundtrack that sounds like a generic version of Cher's "Believe" that never ends. Overall, this place is really more than the sum of its parts. The food is good enough to outweigh the minor negatives. Just don't set your expectations too high. This isn't the place you go to on a weekend to "be fancy". This is the place you go on Tuesday when you are hungry and don't feel like cooking.
(4)
Jana J.
Very simple, if you want a good happy hour, good sushi in a casual location go to Wonderful Sushi. They are great, cheap (at Happy Hour) and they aren't as trendy as Ono Sushi. And not as hole-in-the-wall as Ichiban. A very happy medium. Waitress took about 12 minutes to charge our bill. For two visits...in a row.
(3)
James L.
Hhmm, slowly losing my business. No more 30% off, they say it's already built into the prices, unfortunately I dont see it, especially with Ichiban only a block or so away! Service was super friendly, but also super slow! Not bad, not great, just ok!
(3)
Eve L.
Im hesitant about sushi places cut its hit or miss but this was definitely a hit! My first time going there the staff were super friendly and attentive. I recommend the tempura californian roll and chicken yakisoba was a good portion good taste. Must have green tea ice cream! The location is easy to miss or doesnt look appealing from the outside but the inside is clean amd nice. Cant forget $2 select sake and beer all day everyday! Def my new fave. spot reasonable prices
(4)
Barbara M.
I came here with the bf one day for lunch while on a quest to find new and delicious Sushi. We were pleasantly surprised at the freshness of the salmon and the octopus balls (can't remember the name) were delish! Best roll we had though was the Spanish roll. It had a perfect balance to it. My go-to place is still RK but I would never turn down an invitation to Wonderful! It really was... well... wonderful!
(4)
Pj B.
SUSHI Quest 2010. So then, looking for a place to get some quick food *i was starving* we kept coming up with this Wonderful Sushi place and this coupon for buy 1 Roll and get 1 free. I myself was a bit timid about a place that offers 30% off everything ALL DAY every day. But really anything has to be better than Sushi Itto. The interior was nothing fancy, and I'll agree with the gf, the Tv's gave it a bit of that sports bar feel. Here comes the food. Oh wait first the BEER! $3 a glass for some Sapporo OK!! We decided to order up the Alba-Alba Roll, The NYNY Roll, the Spanish Roll & finally the White Tuna Roll. I do believe the NYNY Roll & White Tuna Roll were both our favs. None the less all the rolls were pretty delicious.
(4)
Jon L.
Wonderful Sushi makes great, fresh, artistically prepared sushi. They have reasonable prices and really nice owners. The entire staff is very friendly and work hard to give you an enjoyable dining experience from the moment you are greeted at the door. My favorite dishes include the Scallops Dynamite, and Red and Black Dragon Rolls. The miso soup is very tasty and not too salty. Also really like the seaweed salad. So, take a night out to enjoy Wonderful Sushi. Drinks are pretty cheap. If you liked the meal, there is a tip jar on top of the sushi bar. I will be back and continue to bring friends. Cheers!
(5)
Steve V.
I've been here 4 times and it's always been great! Service for 3 of the visits was excellent, but once I was served by two people and both of them looked like they didn't want to be there (my most recent visit), but they were on top of their service. All of the rolls were excellent and the large sashimi platter was better than expected (both in quantity & variety). I don't know why some of the other reviews say it's on the expensive side. Have you been to Ota, Hane, etc...? (I'm not comparing them to those places as they are on a level of their own) Maybe they are used to Sushi Deli. I'm not knocking the Deli, it's good for what it is, it's just that sometimes you have to pay a little more for higher quality. This place is very reasonable for the great quality and quality equals taste.
(5)
Adolfo M.
Very good rolls and a nice place to have a few beers with sushi.
(4)
Noelia A.
Good sushi , okay prices, but horrible service , even with only three tables in the restaurant. Don't stop here if your in a rush.
(3)
Mary S.
The sushi chefs were the best! Damian, Sam and Alex along with Ben and Edwin and Luke! Had the best time. Do try the Rasberry wine but be careful of the Soju it is 80% proof and will knock you on your butt within the first couple sips. I can't wait to come back and try the Korean BBQ. They gave us a sample and it was yummy!!!
(5)
Jay C.
I was a little worried when I saw this spot. You know, kind of tucked away on the corner, the words "Wonderful" on the sign. A plastic banner waving 30% off. It just screams food poisoning all over. However, there also was a sign that said 50% off on beer. Hmmmmm...... ok I guess I can give it a shot. Sushi was great. I think they actually went and caught the fish for what I ordered though, took sooo long. Waitress appeared to be lost. Sushi chef didn't seem like he was having a good time. But I guess that's not apart of his job description. Beer that I got was not 50% off. That's why the three star you see. I missed the little word on the sign that said draft beer. But as I was ordering with the waitress I kept saying, " Wow, 50% off that is great. I'll have another." And she would just reply, " Yes, yesss, I bring you one more Joe." She could have told me the stuff I was ordering wasn't 50 off. I mean ya I guess the fact that her english wasn't the best and she was calling me and all my friends by the name "Joe" should have sent up a red flag that communication might be off a bit. But it was good. I'll go back. Next time going for the draft and expecting to wait around a while.
(3)
alexandria m.
I love this new place that use to host another sushi restaurant! I went for a late lunch on Tuesday and came back last night and brough my friend and 11 year old son! The staff is outrageously courteous, they gave us a few freebies on house, and the pride was evident. My son ordered a scallop hand roll which he consumed in seconds, MR Sam the sushi chef was so impressed that he had the appreciation to enjoy raw fish. My son raved and raved and took his left overs for breakfast! Give this place a try, they have a special for 30% off right now which makes this cozy dining establishment truly affordable! I wish them the best...
(5)
Esther H.
Definitely recommend the lunch special. $9 for a bento that is yummy in my tummy. 1 star off for being a bit pricey for what it is (Americanized-Korean owned Sushi place) and slow take out service.
(4)
Cy N.
Ate here over the weekend for the first time and definitely will be going back next time I am craving sushi. The prices are fair for the quality and different selections of sushi you can choose from, along with other Japanese style dishes. The rolls were fresh and the rice covering the surrounding the rolls are thin allowing you to enjoy the best part of the rolls; the fish. Amazed they provide gluten-free soy sauce for non wheat eaters like us, which I have not seen at other sushi restaurants. Our server was not as knowledgeable but the other staff members were able to answer the different questions we had on their sushi. Throw in $2 Sapporo's all day long along with small sakes and you have a great recipe for a happy customer.
(4)
Deirdre B.
Just went for the first time and LOVED this place! The special rolls were amazing, in particular the Taka Taka roll and Crazy Crunch. Service was quick too! I would definitely go back there! Can't beat $2 for a beer either!
(5)
Tony L.
After reading the reviews here on Yelp I decided to stop and give this place a try, I ordered exclusively off the sushi menu and it was just average, another Korean run sushi bar in Hillcrest. The fish wasn't top notch, it was good, and edible, but not the quality that I prefer or am accustomed to at the better sushi bars. Service was fast and friendly. Also I don't get the big screen TV's tuned to ESPN in the Sushi Bar.
(3)
Fernan B.
OK sushi. Waitstaff is very nice, but very slow, even if there are only two tables used in the restaurant.
(3)
Shayna D.
I've been here twice, and both times I had a great experience. The sushi is great, as are the drink prices--$2 for a small sake or beer. This is a great dinner/pre-party location if you're going to go out to a club in Hillcrest or Downtown later in the evening. I think the loud, obviously (and comically) drunk girl seated at the bar would say that you wouldn't even need another bar or club for the night after coming here. Our server (I didn't catch his name, but he seemed to be the only male server) was very polite and attentive; he did everything a good waiter should do, I was very impressed.
(5)
Ayaka H.
I went in to here to grab a quick lunch after yoga and enjoyed myself. There was parking to be had in the lot (it was 2pm on a Tuesday though). The server was very friendly and I sat right down at the sushi counter. I ordered a hot green tea which came in a large serving pot enough to serve 4 people so the tea was free flowing. The water could've been a bit hotter in my opinion, but I like things near boiling. I ordered the sushi combo for 8.99 which they serve from 12pm - 3pm. It came with four nigiri (shrimp, salmon, yellowtail, maguro) and 8 pieces of either a choice of spicy tuna or california - I opted for the spicy tuna which was indeed spicy. The nigiri were just okay...nothing special but not bad. The combo also comes with miso soup and a salad that had a delightful orangy sesame dressing going on. No issues with service. I left a happy full customer.
(4)
Jen D.
Do I have a sign on my forehead that says, "PLEASE please please let me wait FOREVER for my sushi!" ??? I swear I have been having the worst luck in this past week. First Sushi Deli 3, and now here. There were six of us dining, and we were starving!! Three of us decided to order a bunch of rolls while the others ordered their own meals. And you guessed it...the other three got their meals while the rest of us just sat there and waited. Ok, so we did get one item pretty quickly, but that one item split by three starving girls was devoured so fast!! Two of the girls were pretty much done eating by the time our sushi rolls finally arrived. The restaurant wasn't busy, so I really don't understand what the hold up was. The first item we got, the monkey balls (spicy tuna stuffed mushrooms) was probably my favorite and I hate mushrooms. Or maybe I just think I liked it because I was so hungry! ;) The other rolls we ordered were just ok, the other two girls enjoyed them much more than I did. And the meals that the three remaining girls ordered looked pretty tasty. The waiter offered a free dessert to the birthday girl, but by the time we got our check and paid, we never saw him again...not sure what happened there.
(2)
Mai P.
service was not bad. food was not bad at all. pretty glad we stopped by here to try even after seeing the low reviews cuz the food was not as bad at all. fish wasnt bad. the chef rolled the rolls pretty nice. i dun mind returning. some rolls seemed expensive to me from $13-$16 for the special rolls.
(3)
Jessica L.
Service and food was delicious! Saw some reviews that spicy meant spicy...totally agree! El Fuego was BOMB
(5)
Mark M.
Best sushi in town! Top quality, very affordable, and excellent service. Get the lemon salmon roll and the halibut nigiri. My friends and I are regulars and we get treated like family. They have 3 flat screens so its a great place if there's a game on. Jimmy, the head sushi chef has excellent presentation skills. They have $2 beers all day too!
(5)
Erik M.
I live in the area and have been here many times over the years. However, last night, (3/18/14) was the worst service I've ever had here. I work at a busy local coffee shop myself, so I feel I know customer service. Yes, it was "Tuesday Night Out", which means many Hillcrest establishments are busier and have specials. But there were a few issues I had with the waitress. First of all, we were seated at a table. We waited about ten minutes. She walks over, "Has anyone taken your drink order?" No. We ordered two sakes and our other friend got water. None of the rest of us received water for the entire night...Really? On to the food. The waitress brought over a tiny plate of ginger and wasabi (I love pickled ginger) and I asked her for extra ginger. She never brought it... We ordered two veggie rolls, a scallop roll, and a caterpillar roll. However, after about 25 minutes, I realized we weren't getting the scallop roll. Somehow it was never put into the system? I didn't understand. Then after we got our rolls (minus one) we were ignored for about half an hour!! It was insane! Finally another man who works there asked if he could clear our plates. I asked him, "What about my scallop roll? I wrote it down and ordered it..." Waitress then asked me, "Do you still want it?" No kind of apology or any explanation. Just do I still want it. No, I have to leave now. There was another moment when the waitress asked "is everything ok" to some other people...I thought she was talking to me. She says, "Oh no, not you." No refills on water, no extra ginger I requested, no scallop roll which I ordered... it wasn't a good night for them I guess. :-/
(1)
Zenas K.
I come to this place in San Diego for my sushi cravings to be satisfied. Family owned and operated, The hospitality, atmosphere, and service is superb. The prices are good and the quality of the food whether it is rolls, sashimi, salad, tempura, and/or soup is just awesome (salivating now as I'm writing this). My personal favorites here are the black dragon roll due to the unagi and avocado on top with the smooth dichotomy of shrimp and albacore inside the roll. Also the rainbow roll and the dynamite scallop are musts! PS the hot green tea complements the food well and aids digestion by speeding up the metabolism. Oishiii!
(5)
Tyler L.
I stop by at least once a month for lunch. I'm always in a rush and by myself. The service has always been fast and the servers are nice. The food is great. For Sushi Places I give this place an 8.5/10. For restaurants overall I give it a 9/10. I will be back again and again ;-)
(5)
Korkem E.
This place is pretty good. Over all good service, very friendly and prompt and they will inform you of better deals. Food was good and about what one would expect for a sushi joint. The sashimi looks expensive on the menu but the cuts if fish are plentiful and large which makes it worth the price. A note to the wise spicy means spicy and the salmon tuna roll just about burned my mouth. TLDR. Decent price, great quality, have the blue fin tuna sashimi.
(4)
Sara Bella R.
Better than the PQ location.
(4)
Aron W.
If I could rate this place less than 1 star, I would. Not only is their sushi mediocre, but I had the pleasure of sharing the bathroom with one of the employees who just took a massive dump, and then proceeded directly out to continue making terrible sushi. Seriously nasty stuff.
(1)
Phelan R.
This is our all time favorite sushi place to go. We double up on the Groupons whenever they are available. Yes there are some high end sushi shops but this is our casual get out and chow down on sushi place. The pricing is reasonable compared to some overrated places. The owner is cool and is always fun to talk to. I'd list off all the sushi dishes we've had but you'll have to try this place out for yourself.
(5)
Korina S.
Have come here a couple times and it is good. The thing that I love is the flavored soju! They have so many different kinds and it seems to be hard to find at other places. The prices are pretty good and so is the service. I would say it is your average sushi place, with better drinks!
(3)
Justin C.
Every time we said the word "Yelp" our waiter came rushing over to check on us. It was a fun game. So no complaints about the service but we were served the wrong roll (something with a carrot in it that I certainly did not order). The quality was OK, portion sizes were rather small. Went with a Groupon, not likely to return considering the superior competition in Hillcrest.
(3)
Kathleen P.
I had a bento box and my sister had some kind of eel roll, which were solid. Nothing really stands out except that it was pretty good.
(4)
Ashley Z.
Wonderful sushi? More like mediocre sushi...or not bad sushi. The fish wasn't the freshest as we ordered the sashimi sampler and I couldn't bite through the fish. It was very tough and chewy like a piece of steak almost. The rolls were decent but not the best. I had the rainbow roll and it was actually kind of spicy i'm not sure why. Crunchy roll was standard and we had another baked roll I believe was the scallop something or other. It was doused in mayo and my least favorite of the night. Price and miso soup was good.
(3)
Charlotte O.
Great Garlic Edamame...and that's it! The Ahi Tadaki roll was horrible and the High Crab roll was bad...made with what seemed old and dry tempura! Would not recommend it at all! At $16 a roll, I expected more quality and freshness!
(1)
Artie L.
Served up stringy fish. Maybe that day was an off day? Needs a second try.
(1)
Monica D.
Carpaccio Roll!
(5)
Courtney R.
In my never-ending goal to find the perfect local inexpensive yet decent sushi place, Wonderful Sushi was my next stop. The prices here are OK, they are run of the mill with their roll prices, expect to pay about $3-6 for a basic, general roll and $7-13 for the special rolls. I have a couple of gripes: I ordered a few different rolls on this visit and it was what I expected to pay, and I preface I chose take-out, and every fish in all my rolls were not very cold, they were perfect safe to eat, but you always feel better it the fish is a little cooler than the rice in rolls. Secondly, the salmon was not great quality cuts at all. The pieces I got were all fatty, and because of that, felt slimy, and not tasty at all. The tuna, as well, wasn't the red coloring you've come to expect from decent tuna. It was a much lighter shade of red, really disappointing. When you have several quick sushi options in one neighborhood, it's hard to make this the stop on a regular basis.
(2)
R. B.
The sushi here is awesome, we had a rainbow roll, a cucumber roll, 3 spicy tuna rolls which were only $4 each, garlic spicy edamame, miso soup and everything was super! The beer was also ice cold and the service impeccable! I will be coming here for my sushi fix in San Diego from now on!
(4)
Anna W.
I have accidentally found this place. Usually we go to a different sushi bar, but it was very busy that night and my friend offered to try wonderful sushi. It was a good decision to do so. Now I have a new favorite sushi place.
(5)
Mark K.
Delicious! Great service and friendly staff. Server even brought an oyster shot on the house. Will definitely be back! Ask for Olivia! Fresh and great menu!
(5)
Frank F.
Dynamite roll the best roll in SD. Attentive service, great sushi, excellent ramen, and the bomb yakisoba. I live in east county but wonderful sushi is my go to Japanese restaurant.
(5)
El R.
The food is amazing!! We come here several times a month. Great rolls, great quality! Good prices. Service, sure, not the best, but they get the job done and you always get your food in a timely manner. BUT THE SUSHI IS SOOOOO GOOD!!
(5)
CassieRenee R.
Absolutely wonderful! We had spider roll, unagi on a hot plate, and shrimp tempura all delishous!!
(5)
Hannah A.
The lemon salmon roll was delish! Fresh tasting salmon on top. Small pieces of lemon layered in added a burst of freshness. Filled with creamy crab mix offset by crunchy carrots. Although the flavor of the carrot wasn't my fav with this combo, I really liked the crunch it added. For this explosion in my mouth I paid $13. Enjoy!
(4)
Aimee N.
Consistently great sushi, service and hospitality. We eat here at least once a week, often times twice and we are always met with friendly smiles and delicious sushi. We keep it simple on a regular basis: spicy tuna, hamachi maki, spicy salmon and seaweed salads, but the speciality rolls are always delicious as well. Wonderful sushi is always open and there for us when the sushi craving strikes!
(4)
Jena V.
Great quality. Great service. Good prices. I've always happy when I leave wonderful sushi.
(4)
Alicia B.
Isn't the best sushi I've ever had, but it's not bad. Pricing is normal. The staff is nice. I like coming here because it's near my place and has a large parking lot and outdoor seating.
(3)
Leia M.
Sushi was good but shellfish allergies beware! I ordered a roll that did not have crab in it but when it was delivered to us they had made it with crab! So glad I saw it! They were nice to make me a new one but maybe they should read their menu ingredients before making their rolls!
(3)
Frank W.
Good sushi, ok prices. I will keep going back.
(4)
Katia K.
Absolutely love this place! The owner is so nice and friendly. The food is great! We never go to any other sushi place now after we tried Wonderful Sushi. I also go there for lunch when I am close.
(5)
Angie O.
I would give them three and a half stars, but since I can't, I'll round up because the lack of service didn't bother me much. Maybe it was the sake. Or the company I was with... ANYway, as other reviewers mentioned, we were seated quickly but then the menus and drink orders came s l o w l y... The photos on the menu showed many of the rolls had tons of sauce (bleh) so we decided on a combo and a couple of specialty rolls (lettuce and the other I don't recall the name) that didn't appear to have a lot of sauce on them. My date also ordered the seaweed salad - which never came. So yeah, the service here could use improvement. However, the fish was fresh and the rolls were very tasty. A-OK, I'm a fan!
(4)
Lisa N.
I like this place, I've been wanting to go here ever since I saw it on Yelp. I never knew the location is just right there. The sushi is pretty good. The prices aren't that bad unless you get one of their rolls on their last page that's dedicated to the special section. The service is good, the food comes out pretty quick. and the food is good.
(4)
Sydnie E.
By far the best sushi in Hillcrest for the price. They always have amazing customer service. I love that they don't stuff their rolls with fake crab to save money. It's always fresh and they can create whatever you want. I can't eat here enough. Also! For those who are gluten free they carry the GF soy sauce. They also understand it and will let you know what rolls you can't have.
(5)
John J.
I went to Wonderful Sushi with my roommate via Groupon, and that essentially halved the price of all the items. This is a small business and I genuinely want them to succeed because the chefs and the waitpersons all look very determined and hardworking. Dinner went by really quickly and there wasn't really a dull moment. We had the White Tuna Roll and the Rising Sun Roll. Since the rolls didn't come out at the same time, I told my roommate to do it family style. Maybe it's an Asian thing, but I think it's better to pass the time eating one roll at the time than to have one guy wait on their entree. I liked the White Tuna Roll slightly more than the Rising Sun Roll, but both of them were very fresh and the presentation was quite appetizing. The menu was a bit pricey. 8 pieces for $14+ is rather high, but it's OK because I had Groupon. Also the $3 Peach Juice (no refills) tasted great. It tasted wholesome like a glass of Ceres, my favorite brand of juice. Other Yelpers have said that the restaurant is decorated in traditional Japanese style. I'm not sure about this point since I've never seen upside-down paper umbrellas hanging from the ceiling when I was in Japan, but I'll let that slide. In short, I like Wonderful Sushi, but as to whether I would go back, that depends on whether I can get another Groupon deal. :P
(4)
Sandra C.
We've had better, we've had worse. We had 4 rolls (average about $9.50 for one) -- crunchy roll with shrimp tempura; another one but with eel (didn't care for the ginger in there), el fuego (spicy tuna) roll, and alba alba (ie. albacore) roll. They were fine, but not out of this world. The salmon kama was EXCELLENT and only $5! It is a grilled, juicy collar bone of the fish that comes with a small dipping sauce. This came at the end because cooking too a while. This was the best part of the meal.
(3)
Chris B.
Great sushi at great price. My friends and I are regulars, once a week! The lemon salmon roll is the best. The people that work here are very friendly, Jimmy is the man behind the sushi bar! The fish quality is high and always fresh. Don't forget the Japanese beer on tap always $2 a glass!!!
(5)
Keesy S.
They have a pretty limited sushi menu, lots of specialty rolls. But the prices are good and the sushi tasted fresh. Happy hour seems legit. No specific roll I'd like to shout out. Just validating the solid OK-ness of this place.
(3)
Linda S.
I had a horrible experience at Wonder Sushi today. Before sitting at a table I went straight back to the restroom. The Manager followed me back, sternly saying, excuse me as I walked. I turned around and she stepped in front of me and blocked my entry into the ladies room. It was unbelievable. I told her I was going to use the restroom and then order. She said I couldn't use the restroom. Today was Pride day so she must have been on guard for 'non-customers' wanting to use the restrooms. She was so aggressive. Wow! How does this place stay in business when there are so many great sushi places in the area?
(1)
wiz z.
Visited as a birthday party guest and we were pleasantly suprised. Family run place in a strip mall, food suprisingly good. We could see the Japanese folks creating our dishes - I always like to see that! I had two fabulous main courses, the soft crab shell roll and the spicy tuna roll, both large. So much so that I had to share with the other guests or I could not have finished it. Dessert was a new marvel ... a "Miko" ice cream, which is a chewy rice casing with our choice of mango, strawberry or green tea ice cream. Unusual and delicious, I recommend it highly and will be bringing to my next event. As noted elsewhere, the service is either decent or wanting. I recommend that you just walk up to the counter when the server doesnt show in a reasonable period of time. Eventually they get the hint...(otherwise I would have given more stars....) Parking in lot in front was easy, establishment is a few minutes east of 163 freeway. Yes, we will definitely go back. Gosh, now I'm hungry, where are the car keys? Lets go back!
(4)
Jordan K.
The food here is awesome! No it's not super fancy and the rolls aren't the most creative I've seen...but you can't beat the happy hour deals ($2 sapporo, $2 sm sake) or the $5 price on their salmon roll! The service has always been friendly and prompt enough for me and I've been here many times.
(4)
Jon N.
I've been to this place twice now and both times the sushi was amazing but the service was lacking. Wonderful Sushi has a good menu with great choices and a nice casual atmosphere. The service here depends on the night honestly; both times we ate here the service was pretty average to below average which is the biggest problem with this sushi restaurant. Once you get the food it is really amazing sushi, the Dynamite Roll is the best I've had in San Diego if you like the baked style rolls. Overall the food is great but the service needs serious work. The service is below average.
(3)
Nico F.
I love this place. I've lived in Hillcrest for 1 year now and have come 5 or 6 times. The service is impeccable and the sushi is delicious. I've yet to have a bad experience. I don't know the woman's name, but she's here all the time and eventually came to recognize me and my boyfriend. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)
Royal E.
To be fair I have only been here once. I think all places should only be reviewed by someone who has had a least two separate experiences at one establishment. I have not had that chance to go back, but since we are able to edit are reviews I will for the sake of not forgetting post my thoughts on this place now. Place: Strip mall corner, decent looking place inside but just kinda of boring and in a mall yuk. The only good thing is that that does lend itself to potential parking spaces. Service: I took way too long for them to get to me, over 15 minutes with no crowds at all. Dud. Prices: Kind of high, especially for the quality of the food. Food: The sushi I ordered, none of it seemed fresh and all of it was tasteless and bland. For now its a 1 star place. Thumbs down.
(1)
Amiee L.
I've been to this place a few times and it's pretty good. I like the space and the lighting, and the atmosphere alot. It's somewhat shaded and private. Very nice. First, the things I don't like (because they are the exception, not the rule). #1 item I always avoid here...the lemonade. I think they make it with some type of powdered mix. One day it will be uber-sweet and syrupy; like they added to much sugar or powdered mix, and the next time it tastes watered down, like it's been sitting in ice while it melted. Really horrible stuff. Also, the salmon skin they use in their salmon skin handroll (aka my favorite type of sushi and a staple I always order); it's never crispy and fresh and the entire roll just doesn't work because of it. Last but not least, the order the food comes out. It never comes out with any rhyme or reason. Last time we went with my boyfriends 12 year old son, and the sushi started coming out before the appetizer, then everything came except the boy's roll. A little proper planning and preparation could fix that issue easily, so it's really unacceptable. Now, on to the great things about this place. The service is always very accomodating and nice. I really feel relaxed when I eat there, which is a must. As for the food, they have some really great rolls. The dynamite roll is slap yo mama good! I personally always go for the rainbow roll and appreciae immensely that the sushi is not dry and crusty. The mixed tempura is also the bomb.com . Honestly, I've never had anything bad foodwise here. And to end the meal, grab a dum dum sucker from the bowl as you leave. Charming! I would definitely recommend this place to anybody and everybody. I know that I for sure, will be back! PS: Did I mention plentiful onsite parking in Hillcrest? Loves!
(4)
Evan M.
Went here on a whim with a friend one night. We arrived around 8:00 and the place didn't seem that busy at all. Only half of the restaurant was occupied. We sat at the sushi bar. We were given two menus to look at and then weren't spoken to until about 10 minutes later. I noticed that this place is quite proud of their sushi prices. I ordered El Fuego sushi roll and it was pretty good. Wasn't $9 good but very tasty. I also got a bento box with a fried chicken breast, a soup and small salad. It was just ok. Again nothing amazing in flavor. I would have given this place 3 stars based on the food but the service was horrible. They were very non-attentive. They weren't quick to fill up drinks and it just seemed like they were mis-managing their tables. Seemed to be more busy than they really were. I wouldn't go back to Wonderful Sushi. Their customer service is horrible and they don't make you feel welcome at all. Big bummer because their food is decent but a little overpriced.
(2)
Kyle J.
I am honestly not a huge fan of this sushi place... I don't know what it is... but the sushi just doesn't have that quality taste I get at a couple other places that I like. It is in a convenient location though. I still prefer Loveboat sushi... so far I haven't had any issues there.
(2)
Lana R.
#NAME?
(3)
Carisma A.
The wonderful albacore roll and the nyny roll are so good! And they have unbeatable drinks specials: $2 small beer and hot sake. Sake it to me! This is a solid place to grab some decent sushi.
(4)
Kaelin T.
Came in here after our first choice for sushi was closed. Waitresses were nice and the service was good. The decor was nothing special but the actual bar itself was huge. The rolls were fresh and good but nothing to brag about. The sushi was good and it was very cheap. Around 10 bucks for a specialty roll and a small salmon roll as well. The meal itself wasn't very "wonderful" and I probably won't come back anytime soon.
(3)
Swarley K.
I'm not going to pretend like I'm an expert of sushi but i know a thing or two about sushi bars. First off, the service was severely lacking. The joint was nearly empty when we came but it took them 8 minutes to get us water. We sat at the sushi bar and even though there were 3 chefs there, no one really talked to us. THe rolls and sushi we had were average at best. For the rolls, they put way too much sauce. Drenching things in ponzu does not make it taste better, i'm sorry. The sushi was okay but the cut was so small. Now that i think of it, the rolls were also very small and the presentation kinda sucked too.
(2)
Heather W.
octopus sashimi! ...my first time ever. and i enjoyed it, so there you go :) my friends and i dropped in here after the most recent yelp event at eden. arriving a bit after 10 pm on a week night, the place was emptying out and quiet, but we were welcomed in. we chose to sit at the bar and got to enjoy the jovial company of the friendly sushi chefs which is always fun. my friends had been here before, so they were trusting in asking the chef to prepare a "chef's choice" sashimi - which included the aforementioned octopus....and a bunch of other delicious items (yellowtail, salmon, tuna, etc, i believe). my prior thoughts of the 8 legged creature being chewy and gross have melted away with the flavor comparable to butter. i was a bit tipsy but we also got -- i think -- the spicy tuna crunch roll, which you really cant ever go wrong with. this may have been the first time it never even crossed my mind to take photos :-/ -- quick casual decently priced filling and delicious... this is a nice economy sushi restaurant in hillcrest.
(4)
Norma W.
I spent 6 months in 2012 in France. And after that, just about any sushi makes my head spin with wonderful feelings. I had taken for granted cheap California sushi, that you seem to be able to get well.. almost anywhere. But I had really forgotten about this place and how awesome it was. I've stuffed my face here twice in the past week and was pleasantly surprised to have some good cheap sushi. First of all, it's super cheap. As in ridiculously so. You can get some pretty standard rolls (salmon, tuna, California) for about $3 or $4 for 6 cut rolls. That's a deal. And their special rolls are pretty great for the price. I like the Alaska Roll and some of the other salmon special rolls. Also the cucumber sunomonu is cheap and simple and a good enough portion for two people. Everyone here is usually friendly, the service is fast, and the sushi is pretty darn good. This place gets a 5-star rating for what it is: cheap sushi. It's pretty fab.
(5)
Sarah H.
My boyfriend and I love coming here! My favorite rolls are the Scallop Dynamite and the New York, New York! Always friendly service, and consistently delicious.
(5)
Chrissie O.
Wonderful? I think it's name should be "A-OK Sushi." Searched for a place to eat and ended up seeing this sushi place. It's located in the corner of it's shopping center. They have a great menu. Lots of rolls to choose from. I think my eyes were more hungry because I ended up ordering two rolls knowing I usually am only able to finish one. Im terrible at remembering the names of the rolls I try also. The first roll that came out was a crab ball roll. I really liked that roll the best out of the two I ordered. It was cooked with cream cheese inside. I usually like anything made with cream cheese. The other roll I ordered had crab in it as well but it was baked. It took a little longer to come out. It was just okay. Nothing really special except for being baked and one of the more expensive rolls. This is why they should be "A-OK!" instead of "Wonderful." Food = A-OK Service = A-OK Overall experience = A-OK!
(3)
Dale W.
i apologize for my 1 star rating... this rating is specifically for my experience with the poke salad. it was pretty much a seaweed salad with minimal .25 square inch pieces of fish.. the seaweed itself was cold and slimy, as if it had just been pulled from the freezer and not thoroughly thawed. ridiculous.
(1)
Ann H.
This is my regular go-to sushi restaurant in San Diego. When you want sushi, tempura, maybe an entree, and you don't want to spend a fortune, this is the place to go. The fish is very good, service is good, there is plenty of room, and they are family friendly. The sushi menu includes a mix of complicated rolls and simple rolls, as well as nigiri.
(4)
Andrew D.
Went for lunch on Saturday and the place was completely empty! No reservation needed, which we weren't sure about before going. Ordered the Crunch Roll and thought it was OK. My favorite roll we ordered was the deep fried California roll if you like warm rolls. I prefer the sushi at Sushi Deli, but overall it wasn't too bad. The waiter service is mediocre. We kept having to ask for water refills, and one of the waiters spilled one of our rolls onto my Grandmother. They gave us a free roll which was nice, but she still would rather not have had spicy mayo down the back of her shirt.
(3)
Iriz L.
Food is decent but GOD FORBID you need to split a check.... Because I love to drink and do math. Get it together !!!!
(2)
Kanae K.
A-OK. We had: White Tuna Roll - 4 stars Spider Roll - 3 stars NY NY roll - 3 stars and Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll -3 stars May come back again.
(3)
Danielle M.
-I love their rolls! Try the Spanish roll and the El fuego roll!! -$2 draft Sapporo -consistently good food -love the spicy miso -the waiter service can be iffy...sit at the sushi bar and get your food directly from the sushi chefs.
(4)
Joey D.
Rolls and Sashimi were awesome and at the end of the meal I was stuffed and almost needed to puke. I am a fan of this and will be back. Sit at the bar and you will not have to worry about service. The Monkey Balls and Taka Taka Roll, White Tuna Roll are my favorites.
(4)
Giselle W.
This place is legit! If you want some authentic Japanese food in San Diego, you have to try this spot!
(5)
Danny W.
It's pretty annoying when sushi places advertise things like 30% off all day everyday to get you in, and when you arrive you find only a small portion of the menu is discounted from about 30% too high of a price to begin with. Fortunately for Wonderful Sushi their food rocked it enough to make me forget how annoyed I was. With a sign that resembles a surf shop this place hung 10 on some tasty waves of fresh fish. I had a spicy tuna roll and probably the most delicious specialty I've ever had. It was like they knew I was contemplating Mexican before entering because one of their rolls of the day was the spicy tuna with jalapeño salsa...the best of both worlds! When this baby came out it was visually a masterpiece. Massively proportioned, I scratched my head for a few contemplating how to go about tackling it. After strategizing a system it wasn't long before I concluded that this was one of my favorite rolls ever experienced. The flavors complimented each other like Sonny to Cher leaving my taste buds singing. It was $14 but when they bring it out you'll see why. Overall Wonderful Sushi was just that...pretty wonderful. Don't let the irritating 30% hustle get to you. Their food does this run-around justice.
(4)
Peter V.
Food was good but did not wow me. I thought the portions were small. This is a real no-frills place, which is fine if that's what you want. I only went once (tonight) so I should go back and try it again. But I will also keep looking.
(3)
Cody N.
Wonderful Sushi is simply wonderful. I suggest trying the lemon salmon or el fuego rolls. They each are a delightful combination. This place is definitely becoming one of my regular stops.
(5)
Nicholas H.
Not the best, but not the worst. Sashimi very average. Rolls are interesting. Kobe beef roll way overcooked (TOUGH). Service needs improvement but staff us nice. Music little loud and too dance oriented to hold conversations.
(2)
leahnora r.
Sushi with a SNORE.... Location in a strip mall, kind of a buzz kill for me. The music was "Top 40's" From the early 2000's....(why torture me) The staff is afraid to approach your table, for some reason, they like it when you flag them down. The actual sushi was...so-so...at best. However, 30% of rolls, and cheap beer and saki made up for its deficiences... I think wonderful is more like "good"...But hey in this economy we're all trying to make it right?
(3)
Anna B.
I love Wonderful. They have one of the best rainbow rolls in SD for sure. Their fish is fresh and tasty and they have a plethora of rolls to choose from. I wish my stomach was bigger so I could try more kinds when I go! Also, they are very fair priced, me and my boyfriend can get a feast (app, and 3-4 rolls) for under $40 easily. Try these guys......
(5)
Yummy J.
good sushi, decent price.. They have baked mussels which is why i come back.
(4)
Denise M.
My boyfriend and I came here some time ago and I had ordered a volcano roll and sake. The service was good, but extremely slow. When my volcano roll arrived, it was completely worth it. Google "volcano roll" and you'll see pictures of a beautiful roll, piled up to look like the shape of a volcano, with dynamite (?) sauce trickling from the top as though it were lava. It was beautiful. I've gone a few times since that time and ordered different things. Today I went again, and ordered the volcano roll. It took forever again, but I was already expecting this, thinking of the beautiful volcano I was about to get. When it arrived at my table after waiting all that time, it was only four tiny pieces flat on the plate. When I asked the waitress if she was sure this was a volcano roll, explaining my expectation based on previous visits, she said that this was it and it has always looked like this. I looked at it, confused and disappointed, until she finally offered to ask the manager if she could let me order something else off the menu. Still confused, I googled "volcano roll" and showed her a photo of what the one I had ordered before looked like. She looked at it and said something along the lines of "that's not our restaurant," and "we don't do it like that." The service was okay. I was going to give them one star, but because of the service I'm giving them two. We had three servers, one of them, a guy, was very pleasant and helpful. The other two girls were also nice but rushed, including the one who helped me with my order. No blaming them, they were very busy. I am very thankful that they let me change my order, because my expectation based on previous experience was not met. That time I got a beautiful volcano roll, and this time I got four small pieces of their version. It looked good and very edible, but for $12 and four small pieces only? Seriously? No thanks. I would have absolutely recommended this place after my first visit, but now I wouldn't really recommend this place anymore.
(2)
Alessandria R.
Eh, this place should be called "Average Sushi" not wonderful. The service is SOOO painfully slow & they are really bad at checking up on your table even though it was not busy! Geez. Well, you get what you pay for. The Pink Roll was good, but still missing something. Everything else was okay. I would NOT recommend this place. The food is not up to par with what I consider "good, fresh sushi".
(1)
Emily W.
A roach was crawling on my friend as our shrimp tempura roll was being delivered. Our waitress scurried away like the roach and returned with the sushi chef and argued over who was going to kill it. Luckily our friend smooshed it. No apology, no acknowledgement, NOTHING! Skip this roach coach...
(1)
Keridwyn R.
I got a $15 for $30 Groupon for this place, so boyfriend and I decided to give it a shot. Within walking distance and guaranteed air conditioning unlike our apartment. We were seated immediately but had a oddly long wait before we received menus. Not like, 10 minutes, but enough to go hmmm. We ordered edamame, miso, a hand roll for each of us, and 3 special rolls to share. I was expecting to get the edamame and miso, then the rolls. Our miso ($2 each) came out first. It was nice and hot, had good flavor, I just didn't like how large and chewy the seaweed pieces were. Boyfriend was fine but I left them in the bowl. Next started coming the rolls. First one cut roll, then the hand rolls, then the last two cut. Our edamame never came (but honestly it was enough food that we were all right with that). Note: usually the wasabi at places is too bland for my boyfriend to bother with it but this he said was actually spicy and I could kind of see it on his face that it had a kick to it! He got the snow crab hand roll and really liked it, found it filling and had a hint of a creamy, like cream cheese flavor. I got the salmon skin and it was delicious. I don't usually do hand rolls because of the large ratio of seaweed but it was sweet and crunchy and flavorful and not dry. So we got a very special roll, the salmon katsu ($12). It was weird. It had sliced onion all over the top and this kind of goldenrod colored sauce around the plate. Something gave me, I can't believe I'm writing this, a hamburger vibe, like a pickle flavor. It was just a hint of that sour-tart-pickle taste. Then we got the shrimp tempura eel roll ($9.50). Our first bites were full of surprise, disappointment, and ginger. SO MUCH GINGER. After picking out the ginger from each piece, so there was just a hint of ginger flavor, much better. Last and by far the best was the "wonderful dynamite" ($13). It was a baked roll with I can't remember what in it, but it was bomb. Super hot but really delicious. Definitely recommend this roll. When we got our check, the edamame was on it ($3), but they were very apologetic and fixed it really fast. It's like the service at first was really lazy and it picked up during the meal, when they brought out the plates and refilled our water. A lot of other people in there had the Groupon too I could see. Overall, the service wasn't amazing or the food mindblowing, but both were better than some of the reviews I've seen here. I don't know if I'd come back and pay full price, but it was a yummy casual dinner. Oh, and they automatically added a %15 tip which was odd cause it was 2 of us but that's what we were going to give anyway.
(3)
Rosy F.
This place is yummy!! Lady at the door greets and seats you, she was very polite and never let my drink get low.
(4)
Deb R.
Yum Yum Yum Yum Yum!! I absolutely LOVE sushi. And not just your standard California Roll or Spicy Tuna Roll. To me, a great sushi place has great 'specialty' type rolls. This place has it. Its now become my regular Thursday night dinner with a friend. We've tried a number of the specialty rolls, and most have been good...several are absolutely outstanding! The "White Tuna Roll" is my absolute favorite. Followed closely by the "Taka Taka" and the "El Fuego". Fabulous combination of fishes, and just the right amount of sauce gives all of these rolls exquisite flavor! Their "Kobe Beef Roll" is delicious too, but a little on the pricey side so that's not something we get on a regular basis. They also have Tamago, something not every sushi joint carries...and they do it well! Service is typically fantastic, but that might be because we get recognized when we walk in the door. A few times, when its been busier, we've had to wait a little for our order but no more so than at other restaurants. Give it a try..I think you'll like it. Oh, and order the sweet chili Edamame! A little messy but SOOOOOO good!!
(4)
Brad M.
Updated 12/11/12 I once rated this place 4 stars but must update to just one. I come here weekly with my friends and for the last three weeks we've visited, we have had horrible service. Last night's service was truly terrible. I didn't even get my food. My friends finished their meals before I could flag down a waiter to ask where my food was. The two times before this, they have left off items on our order and still charged us. I am done with you.
(1)
jermaine s.
Grabbed some delish sushi today, this spot has easily became my fav sushi spot. Great prices on rolls and brew!!
(5)
Mike C.
Very well priced for a sushi place. Great food, good atmosphere, and a very good staff. I have been here quite a number of times to eat and have never been dissatisfied. It's a well hidden spot, so it's not crowded like other sushi spots in this area. Considering it took over another sushi restaurant, and they replaced the staff, it appears they didn't skip a beat. Semper Fi!
(4)
Christine A.
30% off all rolls! With that said, we ordered three rolls to share between the two of us - Shrimp Tempura Eel Roll, Wonderful Albacore Roll, and Smoked Salmon Roll. I loved all of them, but my favorite was the albacore. The fish literally melted in my mouth! I thought the sauce on the Shrimp Tempura Eel Roll was a bit overwhelming, but the tempura was still really good. Smoked salmon roll... delicious. And of course, the discount made it taste even better, haha. OK but the review down there about "a roach crawling on my friend as our shrimp tempura roll was being delivered" is quite disturbing. Luckily that didn't happen to me...
(4)
maryjane c.
To-go I ordered a couple different rolls and the terriyaki plate. The place was packed, with more people coming in to be seated. As soon as I told the hostess it was a to go order she ignored my presence while seating other people that came in after me. I had to speak up to let her know I was ready because she wouldn't even look at me. When I got home the miso soup that came with the meal was half full which I thought was tedious for them to jip me on, the tempura philadelphia rolls were chewy and soggy not crunchy, and the teriyaki chicken was fresh (well it better be) but a little dry, the chicken wouldn't have tasted nothing like teriyaki without the sauce. It didn't help I had to wait 30 minutes for my food. The only reason I fancy this place and gave it two stars is for my bf who has an ulcer and likes the bland $3 California rolls (8 pcs).
(2)
Bianca F.
Food was well worth the price. chefs and waiters are friendly!
(4)
W C.
Sushi is delicious. Cooked food is delicious. Service STINKS! I've been there three times, first two times because of Groupon, third to test their MANDATORY 15% GRATUITY. First, two meals with Groupon they ADDED a mandatory 15% gratuity. Third time without Groupon NO ADDED gratuity. This is another Groupon BUST! Groupon buyers BEWARE!
(2)
Ally P.
Cute place, came here after my DMV visit, super fast and tastey! not raving about it, but it was good!
(4)
Ali J.
AH, so wonderful! Delicious, friendly and affordable!!!!!! Spicy tuna crunch roll is amazing!!
(5)
shatoya o.
Love this place! I don't have any complaints. I never have to wait for service. Maybe because I'm a regular? Don't know. Even for take out I receive great service. It's not five star sushi, but it's still really good. Especially for the price. Chances are if I'm eating sushi, I'm here. Great deals, great happy hour- all day!
(4)
Darcie S.
Food was decent for sushi, not the best I've ever had. The staff was really nice & understanding about our food allergies. Our server was nice at first, but disappeared & we had to go to the register to ask for our check. I think in a city full of good sushi, this place really needs to step up it's service.
(3)
Monika C.
To all the servers in the world: If you are the type to forget an order in between hearing it and walking back to the kitchen .. Write it down! Nothing irritates me more than a server who just takes your order to memory, then forgets part of your order. What is the benefit to not writing it down? To impress me? No, you just worry me that I'm going to get the wrong food. Okay, rant hat off. My friend and I had dinner here last weekend and were drawn in by the "30% off sushi rolls everyday" sign. Oddly though, why not just change your price? Did they mark them up 30% higher before opening? Weird. The food was pretty good and the prices were okay, but the server forgot my friend's wine, forgot what she had ordered for her entree, and I asked for Sriacha and it wasn't until I'd finished eating and we got our bill that the waitress came by to apologize for not bringing it. :o( I'd probably go here again since the food was okay and often times bad service could be related to the server having a bad day or it could just be bad luck. Food: Good Prices: Moderate Service: Not great
(3)
James M.
I really don't know why this place does not have five stars. It is one of the best sushi places in all of San Diego. The service is great. I truly love this place. The fish is superb!
(5)
Marvin H.
Wonderful Sushi is my favorite neighborhood sushi bar. With decently priced sushi rolls, great service, and never a wait for a table, this slice of fish heaven is easy on the pocketbook and keeps my tummy satisfied. I'm definitely a fan.
(5)
Tanakorn T.
This place was pretty good. Unfortunately, there was also nothing special about it. I went there with 3 of my friends and the bill came out to be about 40$. This is with 30% off. *shrugs* Ordered two sushi orders and 4 rolls. It wasn't a lot, especially since there was 4 people. Overall, the flavor wasn't bad, but like I said before, there wasn't anything that I said WOW... but the best dish was the dynamite scallop rolls? The service might have been a BIT sketchy. The food took kind of long to make especially since when we got in, there was like NO ONE there. For the food and service, it was okay, thus the three stars.
(3)
Rachel E.
Yummy! My husband and I have been here twice and both times we were very happy with our food. Service can be a little slow, but the fresh sushi makes up for it .
(4)
Charlene E.
Loved it!! Went in with a party of 11 on a Saturday night and other than our server bringing the wrong beer to one person, everyone got what they ordered, as they ordered it. The sushi and sashimi was fresh and really delicious and the beer was ice cold. It doesn't get any better!
(4)
Angela A.
I bought a groupon for this place because of the reviews, however I regret it. The previous reviews were all positive, yet my experience with the food was less then satisfying. We ordered: 1) Seaweed Salad: pretty good, the seaweed wasn't too stringy and the sauce was light, I liked it- it was a good introduction. 2) Fried Jalapenos: would have been great if the fake crab wasn't soaked in mayo. Came with a side of dynamite sauce, which wasn't spicy at all. 3)Alaskan roll: salmon, avo, cream cheese, cucumber with soy paper. Not horrible, probably the only thing we ordered that wasn't covered in sauce or mayo. Though there was more fake crab then salmon, which a disappointment. 4) El Fuego Role: we love spicy stuff, we ordered it because it had jalapeno on top, however that didnt matter because it was SLATHERED in sweet & sour sauce. I have no idea what was in the role because all you could taste was the sauce. 5) Taka Taka: this role had baked tuna on top and a sweet vinegar taste, not very fresh tasting. I don't recommend this restaurant, while the service was great and the place was clean and cute, the food did not hold up to par. I am emailing Groupon and letting them know to better check their restaurants before advertising them. Someone compared this place to Sushi Deli, and I know SD isnt high quality either, but at least they do not put the name "wonderful' in their name, knowing very well, the food isn't that 'wonderful'
(1)
Jess T.
It is more like a 3.5-star place. The food was good (We got 3 sushi rolls: Alaska, Tiger, and Smoked Salmon & the tempura udon) and the beers were cheap!! ($2) The only thing that wasn't awesome was the service. It wasn't bad or anything but it wasn't great. The sushi chef seemed very friendly. Maybe next time we will sit by the sushi bar.
(4)
Amanda V.
I enjoy going here to eat sushi for lunch or dinner it really doesn't matter just as long as I'm in the mood for it. The drive isn't time consuming either it only takes about 10 min to get there from where I live. The emloyees there are nice and it usually doesn't take them long to have my order ready. The sushi there is delicious but a bit overpriced since there are a few on the menu that cost up to about $14 for only an 8 piece roll. However, I do understand that it all depends on the type of roll you're ordering. The only thing I don't like about this place is that you have to order the miso soup because it doesn't come with the sushi but at sushiman they include it with the sushi that you order and for me I always love me some miso soup so that's a bit disappointing. Overall, I enjoy going here.
(4)
Janice J.
my friend and i are not impress with their service at all and its our first time there and will be our last. i rate them below zero star for customer service! foods are great but service sucks ass hell! the waitress/waiters arent attentive at all! simply horrible!
(1)
Cheryl H.
I really had to revise my review of this place...it has improved a lot. This place is pretty great. Everyone shouts "Hi!" when you walk in, and they really have the best mussel appetizer of anywhere I've gone to. They have a wide variety of rolls, and their menu is organized really well by the type of fish so you can easily find what you want. Great service, great rolls.
(4)
andrew d.
Horrible service - incompetent, uncaring, and slow. Very average sushi. There are much better sushi places in Hillcrest and SD! We arrived as a party of two on Friday night. The place was packed and we saw servers walking in circles all night looking lost. We were told 20 minutes for the wait but it ended up being about 30, even though 5 tables opened up and sat dirty for over 10 minutes. People that were eventually seated still had to wait another 10 minutes to even be greeted and receive water. We watched two girls next to us get fed up and walk out because no one even came to their table. They were smart to do so. We ordered the drink special "bucket of beer" which they advertise as 5 Japanese beers served in a bucket of ice for $10 - a great deal, right? They brought out 5 barely cooled beers in a cardboard 6-pack carrier. No bucket, no ice, and no chilled glasses for our almost room temperature beer. We asked for chilled glasses and they said they were busy tonight and ran out. They made no attempt to chill some and bring them out later. There was no teamwork, no communication, and no sense of urgency, and definitely no attempt to take care of the guests. Very unorganized...Servers had tables everywhere, sometimes they bussed, sometimes they delivered drinks, sometimes they greeted guests at the door...and sometimes they stood around laughing and having fun while people were being ignored. You may think by now I'm forgetting to talk about the food but that's exactly what it was...forgettable. Nothing special. We ate our food, drank our cool beer, and paid our bill thoroughly disgusted and angry with the whole experience. Needless to say we left $0 tip (which I rarely do) and will not be back.
(1)
Larry C.
First of all, there is nothing wonderful about Wonderful Sushi. I went there a few months ago, and not only was I aphalled at the prices, but I was trying to figure out why the menu was such a rip-off, especially after tasting the mediocre sushi there. I don't consider myself a cheapskate, but when I see a price of 14 bucks for an 8 piece sushi item that is usually 8 bucks or less, but also tastes much better. Another issue is this place is so stuffy and small. It didn't feel like a premium experience at all. The sushi here was okay, but did not taste fresh at all. I had ordered a combination of spicy tuna roll, and another similar sushi roll that consisted of what tasted like canned salsa. I've never paid this much for so little, and at the cost of eating food that didn't taste that good at all. Sorry Wonderful, but you're not so wonderful.
(2)
Lynn H.
I really enjoy Wonderful Sushi and its one of the sushi places that I really enjoy that is located in Hillcrest. The pricing on the sushi here is very affordable but kinda pricey at times but its worth it! The service here is very friendly and they get out their rolls really fast. The atmosphere is very calm and welcoming and I would really recommend this place to my friends.
(4)
Kevin M.
Went here a couple times on different nights before passing judgement. Not a horrible place but we won't be going back. Food: Taste isn't bad for the rolls or nigiri. Presentation is a joke; I think Japanese people would be pretty offended that a place like this calls itself a sushi restaurant. We watched the head sushi chef making rolls all night and to say he was sloppy would be an understatement. No attention to detail. No respect for the food. Ambiance: Cheesy Japanese decor. No surprise here since it's a discount sushi place and not pretending to be classy. Service: Not horrible but not not very good either. Every single staff person we've interacted with has been rude and had an air of superiority. You definitely don't get the feeling of the customer coming first here. The interesting thing is that I don't believe they're trying to be rude on purpose, I think they're really just oblivious to it and somehow think that their attitude is totally acceptable. Again, if you're looking for a Japanese style "The customer is God" experience, you won't find it here..actually, quite the opposite. No, this isn't a real Japanese run restaurant but still, even American service standards are (usually) higher than this. The fact is that this is a discount sushi restaurant so many of the complaints about presentation, ambiance and service can be forgiven but only if the price matches the low expectations. It does not. There are plenty of similar discount sushi places in the area with a much better value; either cheaper price or a better quality experience for the money. Not so Wonderful.
(2)
Ryan D.
I don't know why the reviews for the place aren't higher. My wife and I discovered this place by accident 3 years ago and have been back at least once a month since. THIS IS THE BEST PLACE FOR SUSHI IN SAN DIEGO REGARDLESS OF PRICE!!! And they have $2 Sapporos for happy hour. What else do you people want!? The sushi is super fresh. The service is great. The prices are affordable. Yeah, its in a strip mall, but that shouldn't really matter anyway. We have tried several other sushi places in San Diego... many more expensive. None of them even come close to Wonderful Sushi. If I had one complaint it would be the name... Wonderful Sushi? Come on. But it really is wonderful.
(5)
Rebecca G.
YUM! When Iciban left a few months ago I was sad. I love sushi for lunch and this location is extremely convenient to work. I was driving by recently and noticed Wonderful Sushi had opened. I came in for lunch on Monday and had a salmon roll, a spider hand roll and a miso soup. So good! The miso is especially flavorful. I went again a few days later on Wednesday and ordered the same thing. Consistently delightful. The sushi makers were pleasant and chatted with me and the waitress was quick. Of course I was about the only person in the restaurant but it's nice to have such quick service when you only have half an hour for a meal. I intend to go there again, even when the 30% sale is gone (maybe I'll try for happy Hour though).
(5)
Chris G.
Had the spicy sashimi salad and rising sun roll tonight. Both were great, just get it, you'll love it.
(5)
eugenius w.
I come here all the time and I'm finally taking the time to right a review. I'm really disappointed that this place only has 3 1/2 stars! This place is 5 stars all the way. It's my number one Sushi place in Hillcrest. Service is excellent, everyone is so nice here. I love, love the sushi here! I come here for the Spanish Roll, it is so delicious! Every-time I come here I make sure to order this roll. The cilantro and lemon with salmon just makes my mouth salivate when I think about it! I'm actually going to have to make my way there after I write this review (seriously, no joke, I'm going there after I write this review). If you've never been to Wonderful Sushi, I highly recommend it. The rolls are fresh, the service is refreshing, it's moderately priced, and absolutely fulfilling. I don't know what else to say about Wonderful Sushi... it's Wonderful!
(5)
Nately R.
I LOVE Wonderful Sushi because it is reasonably priced and tastes REALLY good. It is a place where I don't care about the service. I just know the food is so good that I want to go. I love the Sweet Chili Edamame... all the specialty rolls are good! Anytime I want sushi, I go to Wonderful Sushi...
(4)
Georgie A.
I didnt like it here.. ..next question please..
(2)
Nora F.
This is the second time I've been here and I think this experience was much better than the first one. I really enjoyed the food. The service was good but not excellent. The ambiance is fun. There is something about the food that deserves a 3. it's not amazing but it is really good.
(3)
Lauren P.
Some co-workers and I go here quite often because of the location. We really enjoy coming here. It's never busy so we can be pretty loud, and take our time. I will have to say the blue fin tuna IS THE BOMB!!! I could eat an entire meal of this fish. It melts in your mouth! All the fish I've had here is very fresh, and a good-size portion.
(4)
Vanessa I.
Ordered Seafood Yakisoba ($9), Taka Taka Roll ($13) and Snowball Roll ($6) and Peach juice ($3)- No refill The Yakisoba was good compared to other places. The Taka Taka roll was not worth the price at all, it was tasteless. The Snowball roll was good. What did not help was that I had to ask for ginger, wasabi, and chili sauce. The wasabi and chili sauce seemed to be "watered down" I expect for my wasabi to make me cry but this one didn't. I was not amused by the service from the waitress. They have Wi-Fi but it was secured with a password, I don't know how that works. The staff is Korean and they have a lot of korean dishes on the menu. In Conclusion, I would not go back again, it's not worth the price or travel.
(2)
Thomas H.
Went here for lunch yesterday to use their coupon out of the Uptown Coupon book. We eat out a lot, sometimes using coupons so that we can try new places, and a lot of times we don't use coupons and pay full price like normal, non-coupon clipping people. I'm just telling you this to set up the framework for my gripe with "Wonderful" Sushi. Their coupon says (and I'm paraphrasing here) "buy one entree or sushi roll and get one free entree or sushi roll of equal or lesser value." Standard stuff. So we looked at the menu and both decided we wanted a $16 sushi combo, thinking we would get one free. We were mistaken. When the server came by to take our order, she explained that the coupon means LITERALLY one "entree" or "sushi roll." So any "entree" that is not in their "entree" section is not eligible. (Their "entree" selection is not sushi- just some standard katsu plates and stuff like that.) Here's my beef people: you put the damn coupon in the book to get people in there; why do you have to interpret the thing so damn literally? To me an "entree" is a main plate of something that you order for your meal. To be so literal so that you don't (God forbid) give away three dollars more of food than you need to just seems petty, inhospitable and bad business. Truth is, I actually kind of liked what we ended up ordering from the official "entree" section (salmon teriyaki combo). But I will not go back there, because I do not like spending my money at establishments that are petty and downright un-neighborly. So my question to you, owners of "Wonderful Sushi" --- is the following; you may have saved about $3 by not comping the sushi platter rather than the salmon teriyaki platter. Is that $3 worth losing what could have become a repeat customer? Anyone with a head for business will answer NO to that question. And for the record, I used a similar coupon at Nami Sushi in Hillcrest a few weeks ago and they were not concerned about interpreting the coupon so literally so as to save themselves a few dollars. I am going back there, but not to Wonderful. Because I know Wonderful. Wonderful has always been a friend of mine. And you, sirs and madams, are NOT WONDERFUL. Harrumph.
(1)
Tiff W.
Uh-Mazing! My boyfriend introduced me to this place one day for lunch and I haven't looked back. I usually get the chicken teriyaki meal, which comes complete with chicken, perfectly cooked rice, tempura, a small salad, AND four pieces of sushi! The perfect combo of foods and just the right amount to leave you full but not bloated. All that for $10, you can't really beat it! The staff is adorable and very friendly and always polite when serving us. If you want to splurge, get the Red Tiger roll. Don't ask questions, just DO it! You won't regret it.
(5)
Emy R.
The soft shell crab roll was off the charts. Scrumptious that I wanted to order another roll. Spicy tuna crunch roll was great due to I am a total fan of spicy tuna and crunchy roll. To put the two together was heavenly sunshine in each bite.. Sapporo and hot sake for $2.00 now that my friend was a bargain.. Absolutely wonderful sushi indeed!
(4)
Eric G.
My favorite midweek lunch destination. I get two rolls and a nice cold bottle of Asahi for ten bucks. The service is friendly, and I've always been happy with the food. Good atmosphere and TV's to keep you occupied if you're flying solo.
(5)
Kris S.
This is by far one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE sushi restaurants ! The environment is great-although I can always do without the large screen t.v's with sports always playing-then again, I AM a chick. In fact tonight there were 2 very drunk men sitting up at the bar practically screaming and cursing and laughing so loud that I couldn't focus on the menu and I asked the waitress to please address the noise level and she handled the situation quickly and efficiently. The food is PHENOMENAL. I have been there over 100 times and the food has consistently been fresh, NEVER been sick and the pace varies. When it is busy, the wait obviously can be lengthy but it is WORTH IT. Try it, you will NOT regret that you did !
(5)
Dr. Beau C.
good food. good service. I had the yakisoba and it was a solid 4-star meal.
(4)
Priscilla K.
We really wanted to try this place. The food is OK (3 stars), but what really made me give 2 stars was that the waitress gave us the bill BEFORE we've gotten our food. I told her that I want her to take the bill back and would like to eat first. She did... BUT 5 minutes later she gave us the bill again before the food!!! We didn't say anything.... ate the OK food, paid and took off. Not coming back.
(2)
Camille G.
This place is true to its name as it is wonderful. The service is quick, the fish is fresh and full of flavor, and it's nicely decorated inside. The servers are constantly checking to make sure everything is okay and the food comes out quickly. The fish always tastes fresh (been here about 6 times in the last year) and melts in my mouth. The interior decor is nice with the black and red paint, nothing like what you'd expect from looking at the outside. They used to have a huge sign outside that said "30% off all day, everydayS" which always made me laugh. The sign wasn't there the last time I went (a week ago); I asked if they stopped taking 30% off and the hostess said yes but they also reduced their prices (you can see the white out on the menus). We did not notice an increase in our bill total which means we will still be going here. This place is definitely worth a try.
(4)
Brianna F.
The first roll I got was the Alaskan Salmon roll which is just a basic roll with salmon, avo, crab, and rice. I say "basic" ingredient wise, but the taste was truly amazing! The ingredients were fresh and the sauce was delicious. The second roll I got was baked scallop and it was decadent. With cream cheese, eel sauce, creamy baked scallops on top of a roll. It was absolutely mouth watering amazing! The service was great. They were really attentive to our needs and came by the table no less then ten times to ask if we needed anything and to fill our drinks. We didn't wait very long for food either (keep in mind it was a Wednesday). Also, the decor is really nice. The only thing is my husband said his food was really bad. He got seaweed salad and some other non sushi entrees. So maybe just stick with the sushi? But either way, this place is worth the try!!
(5)
Dee E.
$2.00 sake!, Ok.. I admit, this was a tip..hadn't really planned on doing a review because the ugly truth is, I know little to nothing about sushi..I know California roll and Philly roll..I also know that anyone who knows sushi will say that those rolls aren't really sushi..Oh and I have a friend who comes into town and we go to a sushi place on Mission Gorge and have a dragon roll, don't ask me what it is, I just eat it. But, I joined the Yelp 100 Challenge so I'm somewhat motivated to turn tip into review. My partner, who prefers meat and potatoes..surprised me by pulling up in front of Wonderful Sushi with a smile and a Happy Birthday! Color me surprised! We happened to get there during Happy Hour. . and we took advantage of it! Beer and Sake, my partner decided she like Japanese beer and had a couple. I know I like sake! I had a Benito with the usual teriyaki chicken, california rolls, tempura (I feel like I'm making a dirty confession). It was good. The tempura was crunchy and not greasy. I love tempura when it has that crunchy yumminess. Anyway, I can not with any kind of expertise speak to the quality of their sushi because the ugly truth is..I know nothing, nothing! Order the tempura and the $2.00 sake Oh have to add the service was great!
(4)
Telan A.
I'm really surprised at all the high reviews here. Maybe people are just looking for cheap, crappy sushi? I'm on a quest to try every sushi bar in San Diego, and this ranked near the middle-bottom. The decor is the usual vaguely-modern-Japanese-ish decor. Sushi menu is primarily California rolls, with anything else being subpar. (And really, if you're going to a sushi bar, why are you eating anything but sushi and miso soup?) If you're looking for really creative, delicious American-style rolls, go to Sushi Diner. This place doesn't have anything in particular to recomend it. This is a good place to go if you want cheap sushi for a party - in which case I suggest the variety of tempura rolls. If you're going on a date, it really isn't going to impress anyone.
(2)
Phil Y.
Lots of great rolls and friendly service. My favorite is the El Fuego roll. The sauce is spicy and sweet, and works well with the rest of the roll. I'll definitely be coming back!
(5)
Monica L.
Since this place changed it's name, the food has been great. I don't know if it changed ownership when the name changed, but the menu is great! They have a really great variety of specialty rolls at really great discounted prices! Sushi can be ridiculously priced at some places, so the 30% discount is great!
(4)
Joe J.
The location of Wonderful Sushi is a bit of a turn off for me...in a shopping center. I have always associated shopping center restaurants with either fast food chains and/or mediocre food. My spouse and I ordered various sushi rolls and Udon soup and we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. My only gripes about the experience are 1) the price: the bill was rather pricey for sushi and soup and 2) the service: the waiter never checked on us during the meal to ask how everything was and we received no water refills. The personalities of the people working in the restaurant was a bit cold for me as well. The restaurant offers lunch specials and I would be willing to try this place again. Overall experience...not great...but ok.
(3)
Lucia T.
I usually go to a restaurant at least two to three times before writing a review for consistency. And man, is this sushi place not consistent at all. The first time I went with my bf for early dinner, they had just opened. Even though it was crowded, we got seated right away, and promptly served drinks. The sushi rolls were good, not spectacular, but good enough. Our waitress was very attentive and enthusiastic, and all our orders arrived in less than 10 minutes. Happy with our experience, my bf decided that this was going to be our go-to sushi place in Hillcrest (we live about a block away). The second time we went, it was late dinner, and again we go seated right away. This time, it took a while for anyone to come up to us, and the place wasnt even crowded! After about 10 minutes, the waitress finally comes by and perfunctorily asked what we wanted to drink and if we knew what we wanted to order (it seemed like she was having a bad day). After she left, it took another 15 minutes for us to get our drinks, another 15 to get our sushi rolls, and another 10 for our appetizers to get to our table (note that our sushi rolls arrived before our appetizers). Oh, they also got my bf's order completely wrong, but he was tired and hungry that he went ahead and ate it anyways. Suffice to say, we ate as fast we could, gave very little tip and vowed to never come back. The third (and possibly last) time we stopped by was this past Monday. We figured it had been about four months since we last went, and hopefully they had improved. NOT. We got a waiter this time, same bland attitude as the previous waitress. Food arrived in about 15 minutes, but the fried tofu appetizer was more like jelly tofu (really gross!), and the fried calamari honestly tasted like breaded chicken! Sushi rolls were good, nothing super tasty to report about. Worst thing, my water had run out in the beginning of the meal, but the waiter seemingly ignored the empty glass/my attempts to catch his eye to request for more water. My bf had to finally get up and go ask the sushi chef for water. We ate as fast as we could, left little tip. Three stars for convenience and location, but sushi not worth it to come back here, plus their service stinks.
(3)
Sam K.
We've been here a couple of times and the service is sketchy. Sometimes it's over the top fantastic, and last time we waited for an hour for our rolls, with 5 people in the restaurant. Sake and beer are on the pricy side if you don't catch happy hour, so my recommendation is to catch happy hour, and you won't be disappointed. Miss happy hour, and you'll wish you went somewhere else. 30% off...but their normal price is over what you would pay for the same roll elsewhere so the discount is more like 10% off other places prices...and the happy hour rolls are pretty skimpy. All in all a solid 3. (A-OK) Go Monday - Friday and rock it out. Sunday the place smells a little fishy.
(3)
Su I.
I really like this place. They greet you when you come in - and leave. Not much on checking back on you throughout your meal though. I've been to this place many many many times. The prices and specials are great. I have just discovered the Taka Taka roll ($14) and I was shocked. Oishidesu. Very tasty! The past few times I've been in at night and they still have their draft special for $2. Last week it was Sapporo and this week it was Sapporo Light. After my Taka Taka, draft beer ($2) and hot sake ($2) I figured I should order another roll. Just a standard Crunchy Roll ($7.50) You can get out of there for less than $30. I'm for sure a fan. When I leave I smell like a Benihana - all smokey / foody type. Is that because I was at the sushi bar??
(4)
Ashley S.
Simple review: Good sushi, great service (from waitstaff and sushi chefs), pleasant enough ambiance/environment, normal pricing. I would definitely go back again. I heard that they have a really great happy hour special, too.
(4)
William M.
This is absolutely the best place to grab sushi in Hillcrest. The staff is awesome... SUPER FRIENDLY!!! The food is sooooo good, I would give my first born for it. Try the tempura Philadelphia, wonderful dynamite, and taka taka rolls. Also go for the baked muscles!!!
(5)
Collen K.
I've been here several times and the last 2 times the service was awful. This last time, on Tuesday 7/3, was the worst. We ordered beer, they brought bottles of beer, glasses, and a bottle opener. The service was very, very slow...we received appetizers after the rolls started coming out...we didn't receive part of the order, but it sure was on the check. After this last experience, I will never go back. I'd rather pay more for better service.
(1)
serina c.
Nothing spectacular but it was decent. The teriyaki chicken was very typical and the scallop dynamite roll was average, but the tempura was very crispy and hot and I think its one of the best I have ever had. Loved the fact that they use alot of soy paper in their innovative rolls. All in all, in my opinion this is just another cheap sushi place to me. It is tucked away in a little strip mall with very hard to find parking. I would come here again but one day but it probably won't be anytime soon.
(3)
GHADA Y.
Friendly and fast service. Ambiance is nice too! I think the prices here are very reasonable. Although it is not the best or most imaginative of sushi restaurants, the basics are always alright with me. I think it's great for lunch and take out.
(3)
Lovely C.
I had a groupon for this place so we stopped by. We ordered the dragon roll, shrimp tempura, shrimp tempura California roll, Korean meat bento and masago rolls... all of the food was pretty good but the service was slow. They did take our order quickly but it took them a while to refill our water. It seemed only one waitress was working. Overall, this place would be a nice restaurant to stop by if you are in the area.
(4)
Penni P.
The sushi & beer specials are cheap. The sushi is pretty good and the size is OK. Don't go here if you like to sit at the sushi bar and interact with the chef...it doesn't happen. Our chef said maybe 2 words, hello & bye. You order off a checklist. The staff is very nice, but slow on drink rounds. Basically sushi, good price and gtasty. Service not fast. Chef interaction....almost none.
(3)
Pilita B.
Great food...and great prices! We don't drink...but $2.00 Sake and beer tends to get our friends excited to try it for the first time. We eat here at least once a week and we bring all of our guests from out of town here...it's sort of a tradition now. When they ended up on Groupon, we bought up as many as we could. Our favorites are the Wonderful Albacore Roll and the Spanish roll. Yummmm!
(4)
Brandon L.
Taka Taka roll was the best. Not saying its bad quality sushi, but I've had better and this place lacked serious selection. Good drink special though ($2 for sake or beer)
(2)
Matthew C.
Worst service ever!! I sat at the restaurant for 30 minutes after the waitress took my order. I started getting impatient, so I asked the waitress how much longer it was going to be before I got my food, and she responded that she had forgotten to put in our order!! Are YOU serious!? Left the restaurant pissed, and the manager offered NO apology or any sort of compensation for my wasted time. Won't be going there again.
(1)
Katie N.
I found Wonderful Sushi because we had a groupon for $15 for $30, and I'm so glad I bought it! I went there on a Friday night with my boyfriend, and I was stoked that it wasn't crazy busy. The atmosphere was small, cozy, and clean, and the staff was friendly and attentive. What amazed me was how inexpensive it was, especially because it really was wonderful sushi, haha! They have some really creative and delicious items on the menu, definitely try the monkey balls if you like mushrooms! Back to how inexpensive it was...when the bill came, even without the groupon our bill was under $60, and we both had an appetizer, 2 rolls each, a bottle of nigori sake, and a beer. We had a really great, quiet dinner, and I will definitely go back. If you are not trying to drop a ton of $$$ but want quality sushi, go to Wonderful Sushi in Hillcrest!
(4)
Vu N.
It was getting kinda late and this looked like one of the few sushi options available, so you take what you can get at 9pm on a weekend. Service was decent, not great -- we were seated promptly, order taken quickly, but it took a bit of effort to get our water refilled. No complaints otherwise. Plates seemed a bit too small (maybe 1.5x bigger than the soy sauce tray). The sushi just seemed to leave a bit to be desired. Most of the rolls seemed to taste pretty similar. The beef galbi was good. Probably wouldn't go back, unless we're in San Diego and its 9pm on a weekend and someone is desperately craving sushi. Why is it considered a special if the rolls are always 30% off all day every day?
(2)
Meagan C.
Tried this place the groupon. Enjoyed the japanese kabos favorite were the bacon covered asparagus. The fried yellowtail kama was delicious and crispy skin. Had a pink roll with salmon, avo, n cilantro cucumber crunch fresh. Planning next visit soon
(4)
Jeff M.
So I have to start off by saying that the "Spicy" Miso is so spicy that when Chuck Norris ate it, the Miso Soup cried. The Sushi here is pretty decent quality and they have gotten to know me and how picky I can be with Sushi.
(4)
Wheat K.
Slowest service ever... Sushi is so so. I wouldn't come back.
(1)
nancita D.
This is really a wonderful place! great sushi, very nice staff & cool music :-)
(5)
Diane B.
I've been coming here for over 2 years. Used to be "Ichiban's" now Wonderful Sushi. Their prices are the cheapest around......$4-$8 for rolls. I HIGHLY recommend the Snowball, $6. It's the yummiest roll eveerrrrr! And how can you beat $2 Saporros??! I have friends that come from out of town and the first place they want to go is Wonderful Sushi! If you want GOOD sushi, GREAT prices, casual dining, and you're not "hung up" on whether they are Japanese, Chinese, or Korean......than come check out Wonderful Sushi!
(5)
Caitlin C.
I really like this place because they offer spicy scallop hand rolls and spicy tuna hand rolls that are tasty! The staff is friendly, and i really like the hot tea here! I usually don't come here to try their specialty rolls, but they do make really good hand rolls and it's affordable! The hot sake is not bad either. I guess the most important thing is, the entire staff is helpful and nice- I think it's traditionally korean owned? You won't find young/hippy type waiters here, which i like sometimes- straight to the point when they take your order, quick and fast, good food and good price!
(4)
Tadas M.
Great Sushi, the Soja is super tasty.They have $2 bottles and $2 hot sake!! Affordable prices for all. Friendly staff and great quality sushi.
(4)
Miss N.
this place used to be ichiban on the rocks. it's tucked away behind some BBQ place. we were pretty happy w/ the food & the service was great (provided by luke). for their grand opening everything is 30% off so the prices were comparable. we were there for a birthday party w/ about 15 people. everyone (except for 1) was pretty happy! all the food looked great. they didn't skimp on the salmon portions. i also heard quite a few other customer from different tables leaving & saying they were happy as well. they seem to be working for your business & the paint's still fresh! they have a small patio for people who would prefer to sit outside. a couple of weird side notes: the green tea tasted like plain cheerios & their condiment plate design looks like something nasty, i posted a pic, you'll know what i mean.
(4)
Osly P.
My salmon was a little firm and a bit unfresh. Needless to say, I did not finish my meal. My friends' sushi, by the way, was just fine. I think they order the tuna and crab. They loved it, but I did not. I don't think that I will be trying it again.
(2)
Emily S.
This place is good. It is not the best sushi you will ever have, but it's GOOD. It makes up for the average sushi in that its 1. easy parking, 2. never crazy busy, and 3. doesn't close during the day between lunch and dinner (so you can go for a late lunch). I typically come here because I don't feel like dealing with the drama of some of the other sushi places.
(3)
Dan K.
It's sushi. Easy on the wallet. Decent portions. Quick service. TVs that play sports. Pretty nice. My party had a few rolls and a couple bowls of udon. They were kinda busy but the food came out super quick. Decor is standard Japanese theme. Very chill atmosphere. Not noisy. There is some outdoor seating too. Staff was courteous. Nothing extraordinary. But definitely a pleasant, positive place.
(4)
Monica M.
We used to come here when it was Ichiban on the Rocks and loved it then, but Wonderful Sushi is just so-so in my book. Kudos on changing the decor though. I agree with some of the other reviews about the slow service. I just try to remember to ask for my check when the last roll is delivered. Happy hour's good and not usually too crowded. Overall, an okay place.
(3)
EJ S.
The gramatically incorrect "Everydays 30% Off" banner cracks me up. The special seems like it just discounts the order to an average price. There are better options almost next door and accross the street. If I am looking for a nice place to hang out with friends, Ono Sushi is a much better selection. If am looking for a quick and cheap sushi meal, Ichiban would be a better option.
(2)
roseanne k.
I liked this place better when it was Sushi On the Rocks. For some reason I keep finding myself back here. I guess mainly because it's familiar and they have good happy hour deals.
(3)
Mary W.
The people that work here are nice and the price is good but the sushi leaves A LOT to be desired. I will not be making a return trip
(2)
Sparrow T.
I got just 2 words for this place : Go Here I've been here a handful of times already and I've never left disappointed. Here's a place you can walk into dressed in your house clothes. You know those low key nights when you just wanna get sushi - hassle free, don't wanna get dressed, don't wanna see or be seen, don't wanna wait in some horrific line for some mediocre college budget sushi and definately don't wanna get sushi made by some white dude wearing a bonzai bandana tied across his forehead Karate Kid style! I know there's a million great sushi joints in this town, but well hey- here's another one for you! I learned the best time to hit up Wonderful Sushi is between 3-5pm, and on a Saturday even better. I guess that's an odd time to eat, is that late lunch or early dinner? But while everyone's out there trying to soak up San Diego rays, you can take advantage of the specially priced and very fresh sushi. Between 3-5pm they offer 50% off almost all of the nigiri & sushi rolls on the menu. I can always tell the quality of a sushi restaurant's fish by first ordering the hamachi (yellowtail). The color is that perfect pale almost transparent pink hue and it just melts in your mouth...aahh. One of my favorite rolls on the menu is the Albacore Dream. The combination of flavors is so fresh & unique and then the pop of the tiny red fish roe on top adds that fun texture. Don't ruin this roll by dousing it in a bunch of soy sauce & wasabi, instead ask for some ponzu and just dip a little. The ponzu just adds that little bit of tang to an already delightfully fresh bite that sets your taste buds a-tinglin'. If you like spicy, try the En Fuego, it's spicy tuna with a jalapeno kicker, but tell them to go light on the sauce, too much sauce kills the true flavor of the fish. The authentic sushi chefs are generous with the portions and don't fill the rolls with too much rice. Another reason to come during the off hours, you may even get a complimentary sample of something off the menu because the chefs are not so busy, plus they take a little more time & care in preparing your food and everything comes out just perfect. They also offer daily specials so you have more to select from than the regular menu. The staff is friendly, although when it's busy they do get back logged, but the food is always good so I can deal with a little neglected service. Some of the servers have limited English so make sure they understand what you want, generally they are eager to please. I love how when you walk in, the sushi chefs all look up and call out some Japanese greeting to you, like yelling "Norm!" on an old episode of Cheers. And when you leave they all look up and salute you again on your way out, this is true Japanese hospitality. This place truly is Wonderful Sushi, so you can go ahead and let the name fool you.
(4)
Rochelle B.
Wonderful sushi makes me wonder why I chose this place. Why did I choose this place? Because, sadly I trusted the yelp reviews for this establishment. Sushi combo lunch: miso soup, salad with a dressing so strange I could not finish the salad, 4 pieces of nigiri and 8 California rolls with imitation crab. Sushi rice was not up to par. Will I ever find a Japanese restaurant that will make me swoon in SD? Wonderful is more like wonderless IMHO.
(2)
Jhoana C.
Great place to grab sushi and sake on any night. Excellent friendly service and reasonably priced sushi. $2 Sapporo drafts!
(5)
Marnie S.
Very good and relatively cheap! I had their spicy tuna roll and it was delicious. Plus it is 30% off all rolls. It's also open later than most sushi joints in Hillcrest so that's great for those of us who enjoy eating late.
(4)
S A.
Everytime I eat here, it's Wonderful!
(5)
Kristin M.
Wonderful sushi....ummm, no. It's pretty good sushi for sure but definitely not wonderful. We went to this place shortly after it opened so maybe it has improved. I don't think I'm giving it another chance though. Let me preface this by saying I hate cucumber. That being said we were promptly sat being that we were literally the only people in the place. The service was slow, which is kind of unacceptable when there are no other customers. We finally ordered and I requested my rolls with no cucumber. It seem like it took a ridiculous amount of time to get the food which of course was riddled with cucumber and I had to send it back. I was really hungry and incredibly grumpy as a result, maybe that's why I have such negative feelings towards this place. The sushi was pretty good, not great, just mediocre. For the prices that were charged it should have been better. I also ordered an $8 drink that was tasty but grossly overpriced for the amount that was there. Overall, I'd say I won't be going back.
(2)
Matthew G.
Damn good sushi. Flavorful seafood, nice rice, everything made from scratch. My favorite is the wasabi--they actually make it themselves! A light, dreamy, delicious green gem on the plate. Not that generic gob that even good sushi places all seem to settle for around here. Friendly waitstaff too. Salad dressing's a little too sweet for my taste, and they put too much of it on, but nobody's perfect. Can't wait to take a date there. Oh, who am I kidding?
(4)
David Z.
Hit it up for the first time. Great prices. Monkey balls are great! En fuego roll hit the spot. Def will be back for more! Happy hr next time for sure!
(4)
Joann S.
Fresh, friendly, clean, cheap, and an incredible happy hour deal of 50% off of beer and sake.
(4)
Pablo Z.
I come here twice a month. I enjoy their food but their service is always slow even when there is no other people in the restaurant.
(3)
Jonathan P.
This place was good. Me and a party of 20 ate here for a friend's b-day. We practically shut the place down. The interior was really nice with the dark colors they used, and the 4-5 Vizio tv's surrounding the restaurant, playing sports on the screens. Our waiter's name was Ben. He took good care of us and made sure everyone got their order. Usually when you have a huge party, it gets pretty difficult in the end when it comes to breaking up the bill. Their system here was simple. Since 5 tables were put together, it was one bill per table. There was also a checklist per table, and you just checked off what you wanted. I ordered some Chicken Yakisoba and the girl ordered a Tempura Roll, both which tasted awesome. If there was one thing to complain about, it would probably be the amount of time it took to get everyone their plate. Each plate was slowly straggling out, and there were still some people in our party who didn't receive their orders after others got done with their plates. Kinda sucked seeing them watch everyone else eat while they waited..but I understand, we had a huge party. Reasonable prices, and the damage to the bill wasn't bad between me and the girl. I'd take another trip to this place again.
(4)
Brandon B.
The food here was good, but nothing was terribly impressive. Well, I take that back--three stars alone for the albacore dream roll, that was delicious. But with the dim decor and the TVs playing random shit, the experience was just alright. The neighborhood's awesome, so if you want sushi in Hillcrest, it wouldn't be a bad option, I guess.
(3)
Lynn F.
I took my daughter and her boyfriend there this weekend. Staff was very attentive, but most of all the sushi & sashimi was extremely fresh and tasty! I'm a hard-sell on sushi, but really enjoyed our dinner. Luke waited on us and made sure we didn't need for anything. I'll definitely be going back there again!
(4)
Tom E.
I love Japanese food but am not enamored with cold fish on rice (sushi). That said, a friend and I tried Wonderful with a two-for-one coupon that was not honored for lunch specials. So we paid four dollars more for the same sesame chicken as non-specials. Surprise, the chicken was deep-fried little dried up chunks, served with deep-fried vegetables and rice. The iced tea was tasteless brown water. Service was minimal. Don't waste your time on this place.
(2)
Jessica M.
This Sushi Restaurant is really close to where I live and the food is really good. I can't say that this is the best sushi I have ever had, but the sushi is really good for the price. Their customer service is a bit inconsistent, but I go for the food not the service. I have been to other restaurants that charge more for less quality sushi, so overall I love this place for the wonderful taste, convenience, and pricing. Good for groups of four people as it is very small, though I do believe they have outdoor seating that may accommodate larger groups.
(5)
Barry L.
My wife and I have eaten there twice, last night being the second, once to check it out and once to make sure we weren't hallucinating the first time. Yes, there is a 30% grand opening discount on almost the entire menu, but that's not the reason to eat there. The fish is extraordinarily fresh, the portions very large and their special items are wonderful, no pun intended. I had a spider roll the taste of which is still on my mind and the eel was something special. The ambiance is very nice and, yes, sports plays on HDTV, but the sound is OFF. The service is attentive, if possibly a bit over-attentive, but it's clear they want you to have a truly positive experience.
(5)
Khyla B.
YAY For Wonderful Sushi! I especially like Monkey Ball. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
(5)
Jenny J.
Wonderful Sushi really is wonderful! It is reasonably priced and the fish is very fresh. In particular, I enjoyed the seaweed salad, the eel roll and the catapiller. Luke makes you smile. This places isn't well known yet, but it will be soon. . . cannot wait to go back!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Carlito P.
I've complained about this place in a Facebook post once or twice, but I've learned to really love and appreciate this place. I must admit, there was a time when I thought that the food came out a bit slow, but I now realize that good food takes time and the yummy sushi is definitely worth the wait! Wonderful Sushi has become me and my bf's go-to spot when we can't decide on where to eat for dinner and also when we're craving sushi. We go there pretty much once a week! I always tend to order nigiri and find that their slices of fish are always fresh and prepared very nicely...and the fish slices are huge! @groovapooh (my bf) usually orders rolls and they're always beautifully plated and delicious. He also loves their chirashi bowl. It comes with this incredible hot sauce that tastes good on everything! The hot sake specials are also a nice touch! I do recommend getting a little appetizer and some booze while your food is being made. Wonderful Sushi has earned itself a top spot as one of my favorite sushi restaurants. Which comes to show first impressions and glancing at someone's 1 star "bad first experience" shouldn't deter you from trying the place out yourself and giving it a try. I'm glad I came back a couple times and the place won me over even more and more. See you in a couple days Wonderful Sushi!
(5)Ian X.
I found this place quickly after moving to Hillcresh a year ago. I was reluctant at first because of the prices - it runs on the higher side for what I wanted. Others have noted that recently they've revamped their menus and some prices have changed, but evidently what I ordered (the Sushi variety) is now a lunch special and is $4 _cheaper_ than what I used to pay for it. Their presentation, quality, atmosphere, and service is superb. I get checked on enough when they aren't overwhelmed (and that happens sometimes as they only have one server on typical lunch periods). They usually have EDM or pop playing over cable radio, the place is clean, there's a patio, and it is decorated nicely. The food is always flavorful, and the su chefs put a lot of detail and effort into their work. I often sit at the bar to watch them arrange and rearrange the roll pieces to get them perfect or delicately place just the right amount of soy sauce under the rolls. Sometimes they give you a desert of some lovely fresh fruit - deliciously ripe strawberries, or a delightfully artistically prepared sliced orange stack. I always walk away full, more than pleased and tip well when I leave Wonderful Sushi. I'd recommend this place to anyone who enjoys sushi and can pay a little more for quality and presentation in their meals.
(5)Xia P.
In the last few weeks they have totally redone their menu & pricing. Before the change I absolutely 100% LOVED this place, and now I just love it..... not because the food quality has gone down or anything, but because their prices have gone up and this was my go-to "cheap food" spot. Aside from my gripes about pricing, I have enjoyed literally everything I have ever had here. Meals ranging from simple rolls, to speciality rolls, to salads, bento boxes, tempura & bulgogi..... its all super fresh & tastes good and isn't exorbitantly expensive. Parking can be kind of annoying in this shopping center but eh, that's San Diego! I'm just stoked they even have a parking lot.
(4)Cindy D.
Nice, low-key spot to grab some sushi. They have a cute patio to enjoy your sushi on a warm summer night. I absolutely LOVED the Hawaiian roll! The Taka Taka roll was good too- It had a nice smoky flavor to it. I couldn't put the garlic edamame down! Will definitely be stopping by again.
(5)Skyla G.
I always enjoy coming to Wonderful Sushi! While I've occasionally had small issues with service (wait staff being slower than I'd like to bring the check or other little details), everyone is always super friendly and the sushi is consistently good. Plus, sitting at the sushi bar you'll sometimes get a surprise!
(4)Vyacheslav T.
Amazing sushi, high crab roll is a must have! Confused on why it was rated a 31/2 star on yelp...
(5)Georja N.
Great quality fish. Service is good. Parking lot available. Ambiance is great for families, hanging with friends, or even going out on a date. There are two flat screen tv's (sports) and the music is fun. It's kind of like Ono sushi but without all the hipsters running the joint. I come here at least once a week. Love it!
(5)Eva T.
I love this place. It was among the first sushi places I tried when I came to San Diego. Everything is super fresh. The service is great and the servers are especially courteous. Not to mention everything is really cheap! Only $2 hot sake and drafts!
(5)M D.
I always judge a sushi place on getting the basics right. I have been coming here for five years +. I live in the neighborhood and order out at least twice a month. I always order at least one California roll and a few big ones to share. They must have changed owners! The sushi rice has gone down and the California roll (used to be a favorite) is disgusting. I had a sliver of avocado in each slice. It was literally no thicker than a few pieces of paper. The cucumber was cut very thin in many pieces and it felt like I was eating a crunchy salad. The crab was very dry. Their fish quality looks sketchy. The salmon isn't so easy to chew and the tuna was very fatty. I feel such a loss!!! First they put up their prices and now the quality has been lowered. I guess I'm on to find a new local sushi place :(
(1)Amanda R.
Always a favorite! Started coming here over 3 years ago and has been my favorite sushi restaurant ever since. They have a wide variety of rolls and are happy to accommodate any alterations you can think of! I have never waited more than 10 minutes for a table in the busy hours and the service is great!
(5)J R.
We dined here and had a great time. The sushi was good, the staff was friendly enough and the atmosphere was nice. We ordered the lemon and the ahkida (misspelled) sushi with wine. Everything was was done well. The wait wasn't too long for our food once we placed our order. We'll definitely come back again.
(4)Victoria K.
I have been going to Wonderful sushi for years and I am truly remiss for not writing this review sooner. They have a great selection of sushi and I have always appreciated the fresh selection of sashimi. My favorite rolls are Rising Sun, Alba Alba, Scallop Dynamite, and the Yummy Salmon roll. The staff is super friendly and attentive. Best sushi in Hillcrest IMHO.
(5)Joe T.
Pretty good sushi. Nothing that was spectacular. Nothing bad also. A nice place to go for sushi. I gave it a try based a friends recommendation. Sashimi was pretty good. Rainbow roll decent.
(3)Herbie H.
Walking distance from where we were staying in San Diego. Probably not the best sushi San Diego has to offer, but perfectly acceptable for a quick, easy Sunday evening. I ordered a sweet & sour pickled cucumber salad, which was a great little starter. I don't see it too often on other menus, so I gave it a try. I ordered the tuna salmon special roll, and a spicy tuna roll. Both rolls were fresh and packed with flavor. Service was decent. All of our food was delivered, except one person's, which came about 5 minutes later, which was odd, but overall it was fine.
(3)MyBarPass ..
I love this place! The sushi is tasty and reasonably priced, small beers and small sake are $2 each ALL THE TIME not just on happy hour, and you never have to wait for a table. Oh and I forgot to mention that the staff is super nice! I give Wonderful Sushi two thumbs up! -Mr. BarPass
(5)Carlos C.
Wonderful service. Our waitress was super funny and very personable. Two dollar draft beers. However, not so good food. Reasonable prices. Open late.
(3)S S.
We have been coming here 6 plus years, and was one of our favorite sushi spots in San Diego. Don't know if they switched ownership or what but the quality of the food and service has been going downhill. Today we stopped to get sushi and we always have our own plate when we order. This time we had everything combined in one plate which was the Philly roll and the Salsa roll, The salsa roll had lemon draining onto the Philly roll and some of the ingredients I'm allergic to. The waitress said that they have been combining rolls in the same plate for years however i don't think she knew that we have been coming here for six plus years. We have also had take out a few times a month. To top it off one of my rolls had certain ingredients (cilantro) in it and they never mentioned to me that they ran out of that ingredient until the end when i brought it to their attention. Now to me that is very poor customer service! And i still get charged full price. I hate to do this because we have been loyal to them and the food was good but the last few months they have been slaking off and the rice does not even hold on the roll. So we are never coming back here and we will let our friends know!
(1)Ry S.
Neat spot for sushi. Prices and portions are fair, and the food is on par with fancier more expensive spots. The build out is pretty average, and this restaurant is part of a strip mall. I've never had to wait for a table here, and I've never seen Wonderful Sushi full up. Don't let that fool you, it's definitely a spot I'll come to again for sushi.
(4)Lelio Xiangde L.
Nothing to say. And it's a good location. Good place to meet up for a quick meal
(3)LeeeAnn T.
No complaints. Sushi was great service was great clean and nice decor. bonus: our 3 year old doesn't eat sushi and they let us bring in food for her.
(5)Ashley B.
My husband and I absolutely love this place! Right when you walk in the door, you're greeted with a warm and excited staff who are over-the-top accommodating throughout your meal. The food is delicious and creative, always a good value. Our favorite fish to order is Toro and they almost always have it in and it's fresh and tasty. Would definitely recommend!
(5)Ryan H.
Not bad sushi. Actually quite good. The fish seems to be quite fresh. Service is pretty good. Can't beat the draft beer prices; $2. All in all, good place.
(4)Kamaryn P.
My family and I have been enjoying great sushi here since 2007. Quality, affordable, excellent sushi. The fish is fresh and the staff is extremely friendly! The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the choice of music isn't my favorite. It doesn't stop me from coming back though! My favorite item on the menu is the house salad. Best, most refreshing, dressing ever! Pair it with miso soup and a spicy girls roll, NYNY roll, stuffed jalapeños, Hawaiian roll, and/or salmon nigiri and you're dinner party is sure to walk away full and happy!
(4)John A.
Absolutely fabulous...AB FAB darling.. Sweetie! Great sushi, fantastic drinks. Excellent staff!
(5)Bob A.
There was only 1 server for a Saturday evening, backed up on to-go orders and the kitchen was abruptly loud that we can hear his voice carry out to the restaurant. An un-attentive restaurant staff of 1, loud kitchen staff that messed up on 2 orders. Unacceptable.
(2)Frankie M.
Wasn't as wonderful as I thought it would be. The staff was friendly, and helpful. Although the sushi wasn't all to my liking. Probably would not go back. But you should try it out for yourself, and see what you think.
(3)Jason H.
Still love this place. One of the better sushi places in San Diego. Staff is always friendly. Sushi is great! Yak isobar is also pretty damn good!
(5)Rogelio K.
Spicy Tuna was good. Snowball rolls was bomb Spicy tuna crunch roll was bomb Friendly service all around. We'll be back.
(4)Daniela W.
Horrible service, I came here on a Tuesday afternoon about two months ago and this young girl who helped me out gave me the worst service ever. I asked her if the Miso soup had tofu and she replied "whats Tofu?" and she laughed. I ended up ordering a Miso Soup to-go and I asked her for a spoon, and she told me they don't have any utensils! The Miso soup tasted good, but the service was awful.
(2)Kazumasa K.
I sit sushi bar at lunch time n got kalbi bento n hillcrest roll. Kalbi was really good. I enjoyed the lunch with the master Hang Soo Tip:They have some big TVs!
(5)Bryan S.
A nice little sushi bar in Hillcrest. It's a bit on the pricier side. Their sushi is great but the bento lunch box specials and appetizers leave much to be desired. I enjoy the sashimi and sushi above all else. The wait times are a little longer than would be expected as well.
(3)Sally D.
It was my first time here... The sushi was alright.... But damn its so expensive. My bf work at a sushi bar too... Sushi was hela there but ain't the pricy. I have order a sashimi salad. When they brought it to me... It wasn't what I was expected. It was not even a salad and they charge me $14 bucks for it. It was just a portion of it. I don't think I'll be back for awhile. Lesson learn... Oh, and the reason why I don't go to my bf restaurant even though its better its becuz its always pack and it a wait.
(3)Ruth R.
Living in North Park, if i think sushi i think of Wonderful Sushi as a great stop. On nights when we head out to the bars along University Ave in Hillcrest, we usually make a stop for a sushi snack here. Service is always great, food is fresh and the price is just right. This place hasn't dissapointed so far after coming here for a few years. Grab a friend and have a NY NY roll. Good stuff.
(5)Eli H.
Food was ok but service was abysmal! Me: "I've never been here before, what do u recommend?" Server: "I don't eat sushi so I dont't know." The service only went down hill from there.
(2)Bethany B.
This is a great little sushi gem. We usually go in for quick sushi and it's always tasty. This place has great daily deals on rolls! We always get seated right away.
(4)Jessica L.
Go to sushi place in Hillcrest. Excellent options, good prices. Maki rolls for $3. Very nice waitresses. Be careful about speaking in privately in Russian, some of the waitresses will understand you. Outside seating is parallel to a semi-busy street, so you may hear some street noise (on one occasion I listening to two macho guys fight over a parking spot and threaten to hurt each other, they got out of their cars and everything!)
(5)Aileen S.
This is our go to sushi place always consistent with the food. Lunch n dinner both good. My fav roll is the wonderful dynamite. I usually get extra spicy mayo and eel sauce.
(5)Sarah D.
Five stars for the value, and best service! When you walk in, one of the staff randomly cheers for you - that is fun. It's the main reason my husband likes going, in addition to the everyday $2 beer special. It's our favorite cheaper sushi option in town - for less expensive sushi this is done very well and the staff are pretty great.
(5)Stephen H.
The sushi was average. The ramen tasted like the 25 cent package you get in the grocery store. The mussels were excellent but it took forever to get them. Everyone was ordering their 2nd rolls, so I placed another order of mussels. Everyone else received their rolls, finished eating, the waitress brought the check, and I still had not received my order. I ended up canceling the order and leaving feeling not so wonderful.
(2)Paul P.
Simple rolls are CHEAP! $3 California $4 spicy tuna and more. Good for happy hour. Never too crowded. Some delicious specialty rolls for $6. Fancier stuff as well. My only quam was that 1 of my rolls was the loosest sushi roll I've ever seen and it came apart completely. But no biggie, I'd go back!
(3)Chelsey W.
Great sushi and reasonably priced. Some things are better then others: el fuego is amazing, the monkey balls are delicious and the simple spicy tuna roll is awesome!
(4)Shawn C.
Been here twice and they have everything you could want! We got excellent service, the fish was fresh, presented beautifully, definitely our new sushi bar of favor! June our sushi chef was masterful in his work, Shawn our server was super friendly, very attentive, and remembered us from our previous visit. This place should be busier than it is, but most of the clientele who is here are Japanese (what I like to see in a sushi bar!). Loved it, Loved it, Loved it. If it gets real busy, save us two seats at the bar!
(5)gerg g.
Alright, all these negative reviews are just silly. This place is great and a roach on your friend ? I hate to break it to that person and anyone else but as a former pest control technician, let's just say, "you'd be shocked and perhaps grossed the ef out if you knew what lived in most restaurants". I need not say more but... I will. As a matter of fact, I think most people don't realize how many bug parts we consume on a regular basis and I'm talking even from the packaged food you buy at Henrys, Whole Foods or Ralphs. What ever your shopping or dining preference, you are eating bug bits all the time so get over the roach in the sushi place ! OK, so back on topic. WONDERFUL SUSHI is pretty up to par with my other favorite places and certainly nicer and tastier than Ichiban across the street. I like that Wonderful has your usual rolls i.e. Philly and spicy tuna but they also have their own unique creations that look tasty as hell. I had some fresh nicely presented albacore sashimi and some awesome roll with avo, yellow tail on top, tempura shrimp inside, magical red fish eggs on top, and spicy mayo. "Fab" is what I call it or, more like, "give me another one of those rolls roll !" which is much better than a " just shut the f*!k up and eat it roll" (inside joke with my sweetheart). The gal and I shared a spicy tuna and one other roll and she had a noodle dish that was very yummers. We declared that this would be our "special sushi spot " . Since we are raw fish addicts, we have a couple of regular places in the hood we frequent who's prices are a little lower but you have to wait quite a while most times (I won't drop names but I'm sure those who know, know). Anyway, if you live in the Hillcrest or North Park area and DON'T want to wait at any of the above mentioned anonymous sushi joints, why don't you give Wonderful a try and then go grab a movie or two a few doors down. Great for a date night and it won't break your cheap ass ! :)
(4)Ronald T.
BY FAR MY FAVORITE SUSHI RESTAURANT IN SAN DIEGO! Sorry, Sushi Ota, but you're just too expensive! Been here a few times, haven't met a sushi roll that didn't please me. The sushi chefs are very methodical and definitely have their trade down Service is FANTASTIC! Ask for Ben, he exhibits high quality service!
(5)Casie B.
Really, really good rolls. Fresh fish, good ingredients and tasty combos. Prices are fair but the specials are great! $3-$4 basic rolls and $2 beer! Miso soup was just the standard premade mix that you normally find anywhere, but this place should definitely be one of your stops. Plus... they have TV's at the sushi bar :)
(5)Toby B.
Awesome! Delicious food and the happy hour is one of the best. Two dollar beers. Service was very good. Waiter was nice and fast. Good place for a relaxed date but if your interested in a first date or something very romantic this probably isn't the best choice.
(4)Ann E.
best miso soup ever. went here on a sat night and they were super busy but service didnt lack because of it. lots of great roll options sake is served in a cool glass bottle! little outdoor seating area is small but still nice to enjoy a meal out there!
(4)K P.
We love this sushi restaurant. First, the people making the sushi and serving you are actually Japanese and not just Asian. Second, service is always friendly and great. Third, fresh and affordable prices. We like that they have a lot of variety to choose from. They have creative rolls and not only the usual ones you see at every sushi place. The rolls are decent in size and usually 3 rolls are enough for the two of us. This may be our go to sushi spot for now.
(4)Peter N.
Wonderful? That might be pushing it. I'm leaning towards the "acceptable" end of the spectrum on this one. Funny how it didn't even seem that long ago when I had reviewed the previous establishment (Ichiban), which I don't mind saying sucked some serious ass. Not as much as Ono Sushi though, because that place sucks so much that I actually believe this might be the third time I've referenced how awful it is in one of my reviews. F*CK YOU ONO SUSHI. You and your dry ass fish and trendier-than-thou hipster bastard waiters/bartenders/servers!!!!!! Anyways, this place was ok. I highly stress the ok. It's slightly better than the Ichiban, and miles better than Ono Sushi. The atmosphere, eh. Felt like somebody just wanted to open up a sushi place and bought some asian looking crap at pier 1. Well, maybe not even pier 1, lets go with LOWE'S. The service was likewise so-so, they were nice enough folks but nothing stuck out as LT outstanding or Tyra Banks annoying. The food was *suprise* ok. The seaweed felt constantly chewier than my prefered consistency. Minor thing really, but it didn't go unchecked. The fish was also on the ok side, as it was semi-fresh but not orgasmically tender and scintilating. So what's to like about the place in general? The beer and sake got me just as drunk, and it takes me about 6 minutes to walk to from my residence. And of course it's not Ono Sushi the Syfy Channel Movie equivalent of all sushi places. So yeah. Just eh. It's aight I guess.
(3)Jared W.
Recently tried this place and enjoyed it. The sushi was good. Better than Sushi Deli downtown. Was priced a bit higher, but worth it I felt. Our server, Jennifer, was very nice and friendly. The place wasn't crowded, even on a Friday night, so we got seated right away. Sushi came out quickly and fresh. I ordered some skewered meat as well, and because it took a bit longer for it to be ready, they brought out an extra skewer for us! We also used Groupon here as well, so that might have affected how I view the price. Overall, we would definitely eat here again!
(3)Lola Z.
$2 Sapporos and sake every night-great deal! Super nice owners, servers & sushi guys. Its casual. Lots of good rolls for around $7, specialities are a little more. I love the wonderful albacore roll, garlic edamames, tuna poke-like appetizer and the Kalbi beef lunch/dinner boxes. Yummm!
(5)Armin G.
In the mood for sushi, we decided to try out this place in Hillcrest today. Sitting inside during the day is a gloomy affair due to the dark decor and dim lighting. Rap music and NASCAR on several flat screen tv's absolutely spoil the atmosphere and are misplaced in any sushi restaurant. Service was prompt and attentive and the menu appears to offer a wide selection of items. Tried some sushi that looked like it was bought at Ralph's down the block and tasted, well, indifferent. I had the Chicken Katsu, which was nicely presented, included miso soup, a smallish salad and rice. The chicken was well done and the sauce that came with it nicely flavored. What is an absolute no-no is when I order a diet Coke and get a can on the table - zero points for that $1.75 can. The zero stars for this place (if there were zero stars) are deserved for one simple reason: the food will give you the absolute worst stomach cramps. After lunch, we strolled down Hillcrest and my partner complained of a suddenly upset stomach followed by cramps. Half an hour later I was leaning against a light pole and could barely walk because my stomach cramps were so bad. We barely made it home and both of our stomachs are still upset and cramping. Not how we had envisioned to spend Saturday afternoon. So, to wit, I hate this place and will never set foot in it again. You may, if you are so inclined but be forewarned - unexpected cramps may come your way.
(1)Sarah C.
Wonderful Sushi IS indeed WONDERFUL. I have eaten here twice now with Rebecca H. We've split the Philadelphia Roll, Spider Roll, Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll, and Eel Roll - PLENTY for 2 people! Definitely go during happy hour - 30% off a TON of their rolls and sushi. They have other non-sushi offerings as well. Nate had their Orange Chicken binto box and enjoyed it. Decent prices; not as cheap as Ichiban, but not to shabby either. Service is great and pretty quick. Have a WONDERFUL time!
(4)Lena C.
My boyfriend and I wanted to try a restaurant we've never tried before. We were driving around our neighborhood when we spotted this place. I'm surprised I haven't seen this place sooner. Up side: the staff is super friendly and helpful. Great start, isn't it? Their spider roll was yummy, but the best thing we ate was the seafood butteryaki. Yes, butter-yaki. It's shrimp, calamari, mussels, scallops, and an assortment of veggies cooked together on a sizzling plate with a butter sauce. It was phenomenal! We cleaned out that platter! Best thing I've eaten in a long time. Down side: which isn't too terrible, actually. I ordered a scallop hand roll and it just wasn't as good as I've had it at other places. I couldn't tell you what it was lacking, but it just didn't wow me. Honestly, someone else who's had it here before might love it. I'm just saying that one thing wasn't fantastic. Prices were reasonable for a decent sushi place. No surprises there. Great place! My bf and I will be back!
(4)Danielle G.
Wonderful????Hardly. We asked the waiter if the Chef's choice (which costs $37) would feed two people, at first he had no idea, and then after asking the chef, he said that it would. We then got 25 small pieces of fish on a plate with no rice or seasoning or anything telling us that it is considered a meal, let alone a meal for 2. We ate our "meal" with empty drinks and no one even asked us if we enjoyed it or if we would like anything else, we just simply got a check dropped off at our table. $41.75 later and VERY disappointed.
(1)Tianna T.
It's called Wonderful Sushi for a reason! Despite the awkward location, this place has great sushi! My boyfriend and I have tried a lot of sushi restaurants around Hillcrest and Wonderful Sushi is in my top 3! This place is busy on the weekends but we are always able to get a seat at the sushi bar. I tend to order either the spicy tuna crunch roll or the rainbow roll. My boyfriend tries something different every time ranging from quail egg to salmon sashimi. We have never been disappointed! This place is a gem! :)
(5)Suzy S.
I have to admit I was a little bit wary of this place, which has been open for quite a while and STILL has its "Grand Opening" special for 30% off everything, all day every day. But... we had a coupon (buy 1 roll get 1 free from the "Uptown" magazine) and were looking for something quick and good. We found that at Wonderful Sushi. Nothing fantastic, nothing that would really draw me back nor suggest it over other sushi spots - but I left feeling full and content. Really bland atmosphere... TVs that give it a sports bar feel, and top 40s music...from five years ago. We heard Britney Spears TWICE in the short time we were there. On the upside, the rolls were much better than I expected, and the Sapporo drafts were $3. We tried the Alba-Alba Roll, NYNY, Spanish Roll, and the White Tuna Roll. That last one was amazing - spicy tuna, crab and avocado with seared tuna and a delicious sauce on top. The seared fish on top was sooooooo good. NYNY was also good - I know some people think it's like sacrilegious to put cream cheese in sushi but it cooled down the roll to create a nice lil' feeling in my mouth. And THAT'S what she said.
(4)Alexandra S.
I have to say I was sadly disappointed. I ordered two rolls and only ate one because the second just not good. I ate one bite of it and I left the rest. The server never inquired as to if everything was ok and when they asked if I needed a box and I responded no thanks I didn't like it he just shrugged his shoulders and left. Had he offered to refund the roll I'd have been a happy camper. It's overpriced in my opinion. I'm used to paying $25-30 for two at sushi deli and other places not nearly $60! I won't be coming back.
(2)Emily D.
Pretty good sushi spot which is walkable from my house. I don't know why they have 30% off rolls "all day every day" when they could just change the price. Doesn't taste as good as Ichiban across the street, but much nicer atmosphere and open later. We got tipsy on the Korean wine so ordered way too much sushi - crunchy rolls, spicy tuna, random nigiri. All in all a fun start to Saturday night and not too expensive.
(4)Adam G.
I've probably eaten here 10 times. My wife loves this place. Wonderful Sushi is not a gourmet experience. In other words, you wouldn't take a classy date or a client here to impress them. No one is going to claim this is "the best sushi place in the city." It doesn't have that indefinable polish that makes a restaurant seem "together". But it does have really good food. So even if it isn't the "best", it might become your favorite. Food - This is the real highlight. Everything I've had here was delicious and above average for a Japanese restaurant. You aren't limited to sushi, either. They have a good selection of non-sushi entrees. The veggie yaki soba is great. They have several vegetarian options. Service - The service is impossible to predict. The waiters all seem nice and pleasant, but sometimes they go missing for extended periods of time or are slow to come back. Other times, they are great. It is just sort of mixed. You won't be bothered as long as you aren't in a rush. Music - WTF? For some reason, they play the worst pop music ever in this restaurant. It is just terrible. Luckily the music isn't too loud, so you can try to tune it out. But it is really the worst music ever. It is like a running soundtrack that sounds like a generic version of Cher's "Believe" that never ends. Overall, this place is really more than the sum of its parts. The food is good enough to outweigh the minor negatives. Just don't set your expectations too high. This isn't the place you go to on a weekend to "be fancy". This is the place you go on Tuesday when you are hungry and don't feel like cooking.
(4)Jana J.
Very simple, if you want a good happy hour, good sushi in a casual location go to Wonderful Sushi. They are great, cheap (at Happy Hour) and they aren't as trendy as Ono Sushi. And not as hole-in-the-wall as Ichiban. A very happy medium. Waitress took about 12 minutes to charge our bill. For two visits...in a row.
(3)James L.
Hhmm, slowly losing my business. No more 30% off, they say it's already built into the prices, unfortunately I dont see it, especially with Ichiban only a block or so away! Service was super friendly, but also super slow! Not bad, not great, just ok!
(3)Eve L.
Im hesitant about sushi places cut its hit or miss but this was definitely a hit! My first time going there the staff were super friendly and attentive. I recommend the tempura californian roll and chicken yakisoba was a good portion good taste. Must have green tea ice cream! The location is easy to miss or doesnt look appealing from the outside but the inside is clean amd nice. Cant forget $2 select sake and beer all day everyday! Def my new fave. spot reasonable prices
(4)Barbara M.
I came here with the bf one day for lunch while on a quest to find new and delicious Sushi. We were pleasantly surprised at the freshness of the salmon and the octopus balls (can't remember the name) were delish! Best roll we had though was the Spanish roll. It had a perfect balance to it. My go-to place is still RK but I would never turn down an invitation to Wonderful! It really was... well... wonderful!
(4)Pj B.
SUSHI Quest 2010. So then, looking for a place to get some quick food *i was starving* we kept coming up with this Wonderful Sushi place and this coupon for buy 1 Roll and get 1 free. I myself was a bit timid about a place that offers 30% off everything ALL DAY every day. But really anything has to be better than Sushi Itto. The interior was nothing fancy, and I'll agree with the gf, the Tv's gave it a bit of that sports bar feel. Here comes the food. Oh wait first the BEER! $3 a glass for some Sapporo OK!! We decided to order up the Alba-Alba Roll, The NYNY Roll, the Spanish Roll & finally the White Tuna Roll. I do believe the NYNY Roll & White Tuna Roll were both our favs. None the less all the rolls were pretty delicious.
(4)Jon L.
Wonderful Sushi makes great, fresh, artistically prepared sushi. They have reasonable prices and really nice owners. The entire staff is very friendly and work hard to give you an enjoyable dining experience from the moment you are greeted at the door. My favorite dishes include the Scallops Dynamite, and Red and Black Dragon Rolls. The miso soup is very tasty and not too salty. Also really like the seaweed salad. So, take a night out to enjoy Wonderful Sushi. Drinks are pretty cheap. If you liked the meal, there is a tip jar on top of the sushi bar. I will be back and continue to bring friends. Cheers!
(5)Steve V.
I've been here 4 times and it's always been great! Service for 3 of the visits was excellent, but once I was served by two people and both of them looked like they didn't want to be there (my most recent visit), but they were on top of their service. All of the rolls were excellent and the large sashimi platter was better than expected (both in quantity & variety). I don't know why some of the other reviews say it's on the expensive side. Have you been to Ota, Hane, etc...? (I'm not comparing them to those places as they are on a level of their own) Maybe they are used to Sushi Deli. I'm not knocking the Deli, it's good for what it is, it's just that sometimes you have to pay a little more for higher quality. This place is very reasonable for the great quality and quality equals taste.
(5)Adolfo M.
Very good rolls and a nice place to have a few beers with sushi.
(4)Noelia A.
Good sushi , okay prices, but horrible service , even with only three tables in the restaurant. Don't stop here if your in a rush.
(3)Mary S.
The sushi chefs were the best! Damian, Sam and Alex along with Ben and Edwin and Luke! Had the best time. Do try the Rasberry wine but be careful of the Soju it is 80% proof and will knock you on your butt within the first couple sips. I can't wait to come back and try the Korean BBQ. They gave us a sample and it was yummy!!!
(5)Jay C.
I was a little worried when I saw this spot. You know, kind of tucked away on the corner, the words "Wonderful" on the sign. A plastic banner waving 30% off. It just screams food poisoning all over. However, there also was a sign that said 50% off on beer. Hmmmmm...... ok I guess I can give it a shot. Sushi was great. I think they actually went and caught the fish for what I ordered though, took sooo long. Waitress appeared to be lost. Sushi chef didn't seem like he was having a good time. But I guess that's not apart of his job description. Beer that I got was not 50% off. That's why the three star you see. I missed the little word on the sign that said draft beer. But as I was ordering with the waitress I kept saying, " Wow, 50% off that is great. I'll have another." And she would just reply, " Yes, yesss, I bring you one more Joe." She could have told me the stuff I was ordering wasn't 50 off. I mean ya I guess the fact that her english wasn't the best and she was calling me and all my friends by the name "Joe" should have sent up a red flag that communication might be off a bit. But it was good. I'll go back. Next time going for the draft and expecting to wait around a while.
(3)alexandria m.
I love this new place that use to host another sushi restaurant! I went for a late lunch on Tuesday and came back last night and brough my friend and 11 year old son! The staff is outrageously courteous, they gave us a few freebies on house, and the pride was evident. My son ordered a scallop hand roll which he consumed in seconds, MR Sam the sushi chef was so impressed that he had the appreciation to enjoy raw fish. My son raved and raved and took his left overs for breakfast! Give this place a try, they have a special for 30% off right now which makes this cozy dining establishment truly affordable! I wish them the best...
(5)Esther H.
Definitely recommend the lunch special. $9 for a bento that is yummy in my tummy. 1 star off for being a bit pricey for what it is (Americanized-Korean owned Sushi place) and slow take out service.
(4)Cy N.
Ate here over the weekend for the first time and definitely will be going back next time I am craving sushi. The prices are fair for the quality and different selections of sushi you can choose from, along with other Japanese style dishes. The rolls were fresh and the rice covering the surrounding the rolls are thin allowing you to enjoy the best part of the rolls; the fish. Amazed they provide gluten-free soy sauce for non wheat eaters like us, which I have not seen at other sushi restaurants. Our server was not as knowledgeable but the other staff members were able to answer the different questions we had on their sushi. Throw in $2 Sapporo's all day long along with small sakes and you have a great recipe for a happy customer.
(4)Deirdre B.
Just went for the first time and LOVED this place! The special rolls were amazing, in particular the Taka Taka roll and Crazy Crunch. Service was quick too! I would definitely go back there! Can't beat $2 for a beer either!
(5)Tony L.
After reading the reviews here on Yelp I decided to stop and give this place a try, I ordered exclusively off the sushi menu and it was just average, another Korean run sushi bar in Hillcrest. The fish wasn't top notch, it was good, and edible, but not the quality that I prefer or am accustomed to at the better sushi bars. Service was fast and friendly. Also I don't get the big screen TV's tuned to ESPN in the Sushi Bar.
(3)Fernan B.
OK sushi. Waitstaff is very nice, but very slow, even if there are only two tables used in the restaurant.
(3)Shayna D.
I've been here twice, and both times I had a great experience. The sushi is great, as are the drink prices--$2 for a small sake or beer. This is a great dinner/pre-party location if you're going to go out to a club in Hillcrest or Downtown later in the evening. I think the loud, obviously (and comically) drunk girl seated at the bar would say that you wouldn't even need another bar or club for the night after coming here. Our server (I didn't catch his name, but he seemed to be the only male server) was very polite and attentive; he did everything a good waiter should do, I was very impressed.
(5)Ayaka H.
I went in to here to grab a quick lunch after yoga and enjoyed myself. There was parking to be had in the lot (it was 2pm on a Tuesday though). The server was very friendly and I sat right down at the sushi counter. I ordered a hot green tea which came in a large serving pot enough to serve 4 people so the tea was free flowing. The water could've been a bit hotter in my opinion, but I like things near boiling. I ordered the sushi combo for 8.99 which they serve from 12pm - 3pm. It came with four nigiri (shrimp, salmon, yellowtail, maguro) and 8 pieces of either a choice of spicy tuna or california - I opted for the spicy tuna which was indeed spicy. The nigiri were just okay...nothing special but not bad. The combo also comes with miso soup and a salad that had a delightful orangy sesame dressing going on. No issues with service. I left a happy full customer.
(4)Jen D.
Do I have a sign on my forehead that says, "PLEASE please please let me wait FOREVER for my sushi!" ??? I swear I have been having the worst luck in this past week. First Sushi Deli 3, and now here. There were six of us dining, and we were starving!! Three of us decided to order a bunch of rolls while the others ordered their own meals. And you guessed it...the other three got their meals while the rest of us just sat there and waited. Ok, so we did get one item pretty quickly, but that one item split by three starving girls was devoured so fast!! Two of the girls were pretty much done eating by the time our sushi rolls finally arrived. The restaurant wasn't busy, so I really don't understand what the hold up was. The first item we got, the monkey balls (spicy tuna stuffed mushrooms) was probably my favorite and I hate mushrooms. Or maybe I just think I liked it because I was so hungry! ;) The other rolls we ordered were just ok, the other two girls enjoyed them much more than I did. And the meals that the three remaining girls ordered looked pretty tasty. The waiter offered a free dessert to the birthday girl, but by the time we got our check and paid, we never saw him again...not sure what happened there.
(2)Mai P.
service was not bad. food was not bad at all. pretty glad we stopped by here to try even after seeing the low reviews cuz the food was not as bad at all. fish wasnt bad. the chef rolled the rolls pretty nice. i dun mind returning. some rolls seemed expensive to me from $13-$16 for the special rolls.
(3)Jessica L.
Service and food was delicious! Saw some reviews that spicy meant spicy...totally agree! El Fuego was BOMB
(5)Mark M.
Best sushi in town! Top quality, very affordable, and excellent service. Get the lemon salmon roll and the halibut nigiri. My friends and I are regulars and we get treated like family. They have 3 flat screens so its a great place if there's a game on. Jimmy, the head sushi chef has excellent presentation skills. They have $2 beers all day too!
(5)Erik M.
I live in the area and have been here many times over the years. However, last night, (3/18/14) was the worst service I've ever had here. I work at a busy local coffee shop myself, so I feel I know customer service. Yes, it was "Tuesday Night Out", which means many Hillcrest establishments are busier and have specials. But there were a few issues I had with the waitress. First of all, we were seated at a table. We waited about ten minutes. She walks over, "Has anyone taken your drink order?" No. We ordered two sakes and our other friend got water. None of the rest of us received water for the entire night...Really? On to the food. The waitress brought over a tiny plate of ginger and wasabi (I love pickled ginger) and I asked her for extra ginger. She never brought it... We ordered two veggie rolls, a scallop roll, and a caterpillar roll. However, after about 25 minutes, I realized we weren't getting the scallop roll. Somehow it was never put into the system? I didn't understand. Then after we got our rolls (minus one) we were ignored for about half an hour!! It was insane! Finally another man who works there asked if he could clear our plates. I asked him, "What about my scallop roll? I wrote it down and ordered it..." Waitress then asked me, "Do you still want it?" No kind of apology or any explanation. Just do I still want it. No, I have to leave now. There was another moment when the waitress asked "is everything ok" to some other people...I thought she was talking to me. She says, "Oh no, not you." No refills on water, no extra ginger I requested, no scallop roll which I ordered... it wasn't a good night for them I guess. :-/
(1)Zenas K.
I come to this place in San Diego for my sushi cravings to be satisfied. Family owned and operated, The hospitality, atmosphere, and service is superb. The prices are good and the quality of the food whether it is rolls, sashimi, salad, tempura, and/or soup is just awesome (salivating now as I'm writing this). My personal favorites here are the black dragon roll due to the unagi and avocado on top with the smooth dichotomy of shrimp and albacore inside the roll. Also the rainbow roll and the dynamite scallop are musts! PS the hot green tea complements the food well and aids digestion by speeding up the metabolism. Oishiii!
(5)Tyler L.
I stop by at least once a month for lunch. I'm always in a rush and by myself. The service has always been fast and the servers are nice. The food is great. For Sushi Places I give this place an 8.5/10. For restaurants overall I give it a 9/10. I will be back again and again ;-)
(5)Korkem E.
This place is pretty good. Over all good service, very friendly and prompt and they will inform you of better deals. Food was good and about what one would expect for a sushi joint. The sashimi looks expensive on the menu but the cuts if fish are plentiful and large which makes it worth the price. A note to the wise spicy means spicy and the salmon tuna roll just about burned my mouth. TLDR. Decent price, great quality, have the blue fin tuna sashimi.
(4)Sara Bella R.
Better than the PQ location.
(4)Aron W.
If I could rate this place less than 1 star, I would. Not only is their sushi mediocre, but I had the pleasure of sharing the bathroom with one of the employees who just took a massive dump, and then proceeded directly out to continue making terrible sushi. Seriously nasty stuff.
(1)Phelan R.
This is our all time favorite sushi place to go. We double up on the Groupons whenever they are available. Yes there are some high end sushi shops but this is our casual get out and chow down on sushi place. The pricing is reasonable compared to some overrated places. The owner is cool and is always fun to talk to. I'd list off all the sushi dishes we've had but you'll have to try this place out for yourself.
(5)Korina S.
Have come here a couple times and it is good. The thing that I love is the flavored soju! They have so many different kinds and it seems to be hard to find at other places. The prices are pretty good and so is the service. I would say it is your average sushi place, with better drinks!
(3)Justin C.
Every time we said the word "Yelp" our waiter came rushing over to check on us. It was a fun game. So no complaints about the service but we were served the wrong roll (something with a carrot in it that I certainly did not order). The quality was OK, portion sizes were rather small. Went with a Groupon, not likely to return considering the superior competition in Hillcrest.
(3)Kathleen P.
I had a bento box and my sister had some kind of eel roll, which were solid. Nothing really stands out except that it was pretty good.
(4)Ashley Z.
Wonderful sushi? More like mediocre sushi...or not bad sushi. The fish wasn't the freshest as we ordered the sashimi sampler and I couldn't bite through the fish. It was very tough and chewy like a piece of steak almost. The rolls were decent but not the best. I had the rainbow roll and it was actually kind of spicy i'm not sure why. Crunchy roll was standard and we had another baked roll I believe was the scallop something or other. It was doused in mayo and my least favorite of the night. Price and miso soup was good.
(3)Charlotte O.
Great Garlic Edamame...and that's it! The Ahi Tadaki roll was horrible and the High Crab roll was bad...made with what seemed old and dry tempura! Would not recommend it at all! At $16 a roll, I expected more quality and freshness!
(1)Artie L.
Served up stringy fish. Maybe that day was an off day? Needs a second try.
(1)Monica D.
Carpaccio Roll!
(5)Courtney R.
In my never-ending goal to find the perfect local inexpensive yet decent sushi place, Wonderful Sushi was my next stop. The prices here are OK, they are run of the mill with their roll prices, expect to pay about $3-6 for a basic, general roll and $7-13 for the special rolls. I have a couple of gripes: I ordered a few different rolls on this visit and it was what I expected to pay, and I preface I chose take-out, and every fish in all my rolls were not very cold, they were perfect safe to eat, but you always feel better it the fish is a little cooler than the rice in rolls. Secondly, the salmon was not great quality cuts at all. The pieces I got were all fatty, and because of that, felt slimy, and not tasty at all. The tuna, as well, wasn't the red coloring you've come to expect from decent tuna. It was a much lighter shade of red, really disappointing. When you have several quick sushi options in one neighborhood, it's hard to make this the stop on a regular basis.
(2)R. B.
The sushi here is awesome, we had a rainbow roll, a cucumber roll, 3 spicy tuna rolls which were only $4 each, garlic spicy edamame, miso soup and everything was super! The beer was also ice cold and the service impeccable! I will be coming here for my sushi fix in San Diego from now on!
(4)Anna W.
I have accidentally found this place. Usually we go to a different sushi bar, but it was very busy that night and my friend offered to try wonderful sushi. It was a good decision to do so. Now I have a new favorite sushi place.
(5)Mark K.
Delicious! Great service and friendly staff. Server even brought an oyster shot on the house. Will definitely be back! Ask for Olivia! Fresh and great menu!
(5)Frank F.
Dynamite roll the best roll in SD. Attentive service, great sushi, excellent ramen, and the bomb yakisoba. I live in east county but wonderful sushi is my go to Japanese restaurant.
(5)El R.
The food is amazing!! We come here several times a month. Great rolls, great quality! Good prices. Service, sure, not the best, but they get the job done and you always get your food in a timely manner. BUT THE SUSHI IS SOOOOO GOOD!!
(5)CassieRenee R.
Absolutely wonderful! We had spider roll, unagi on a hot plate, and shrimp tempura all delishous!!
(5)Hannah A.
The lemon salmon roll was delish! Fresh tasting salmon on top. Small pieces of lemon layered in added a burst of freshness. Filled with creamy crab mix offset by crunchy carrots. Although the flavor of the carrot wasn't my fav with this combo, I really liked the crunch it added. For this explosion in my mouth I paid $13. Enjoy!
(4)Aimee N.
Consistently great sushi, service and hospitality. We eat here at least once a week, often times twice and we are always met with friendly smiles and delicious sushi. We keep it simple on a regular basis: spicy tuna, hamachi maki, spicy salmon and seaweed salads, but the speciality rolls are always delicious as well. Wonderful sushi is always open and there for us when the sushi craving strikes!
(4)Jena V.
Great quality. Great service. Good prices. I've always happy when I leave wonderful sushi.
(4)Alicia B.
Isn't the best sushi I've ever had, but it's not bad. Pricing is normal. The staff is nice. I like coming here because it's near my place and has a large parking lot and outdoor seating.
(3)Leia M.
Sushi was good but shellfish allergies beware! I ordered a roll that did not have crab in it but when it was delivered to us they had made it with crab! So glad I saw it! They were nice to make me a new one but maybe they should read their menu ingredients before making their rolls!
(3)Frank W.
Good sushi, ok prices. I will keep going back.
(4)Katia K.
Absolutely love this place! The owner is so nice and friendly. The food is great! We never go to any other sushi place now after we tried Wonderful Sushi. I also go there for lunch when I am close.
(5)Angie O.
I would give them three and a half stars, but since I can't, I'll round up because the lack of service didn't bother me much. Maybe it was the sake. Or the company I was with... ANYway, as other reviewers mentioned, we were seated quickly but then the menus and drink orders came s l o w l y... The photos on the menu showed many of the rolls had tons of sauce (bleh) so we decided on a combo and a couple of specialty rolls (lettuce and the other I don't recall the name) that didn't appear to have a lot of sauce on them. My date also ordered the seaweed salad - which never came. So yeah, the service here could use improvement. However, the fish was fresh and the rolls were very tasty. A-OK, I'm a fan!
(4)Lisa N.
I like this place, I've been wanting to go here ever since I saw it on Yelp. I never knew the location is just right there. The sushi is pretty good. The prices aren't that bad unless you get one of their rolls on their last page that's dedicated to the special section. The service is good, the food comes out pretty quick. and the food is good.
(4)Sydnie E.
By far the best sushi in Hillcrest for the price. They always have amazing customer service. I love that they don't stuff their rolls with fake crab to save money. It's always fresh and they can create whatever you want. I can't eat here enough. Also! For those who are gluten free they carry the GF soy sauce. They also understand it and will let you know what rolls you can't have.
(5)John J.
I went to Wonderful Sushi with my roommate via Groupon, and that essentially halved the price of all the items. This is a small business and I genuinely want them to succeed because the chefs and the waitpersons all look very determined and hardworking. Dinner went by really quickly and there wasn't really a dull moment. We had the White Tuna Roll and the Rising Sun Roll. Since the rolls didn't come out at the same time, I told my roommate to do it family style. Maybe it's an Asian thing, but I think it's better to pass the time eating one roll at the time than to have one guy wait on their entree. I liked the White Tuna Roll slightly more than the Rising Sun Roll, but both of them were very fresh and the presentation was quite appetizing. The menu was a bit pricey. 8 pieces for $14+ is rather high, but it's OK because I had Groupon. Also the $3 Peach Juice (no refills) tasted great. It tasted wholesome like a glass of Ceres, my favorite brand of juice. Other Yelpers have said that the restaurant is decorated in traditional Japanese style. I'm not sure about this point since I've never seen upside-down paper umbrellas hanging from the ceiling when I was in Japan, but I'll let that slide. In short, I like Wonderful Sushi, but as to whether I would go back, that depends on whether I can get another Groupon deal. :P
(4)Sandra C.
We've had better, we've had worse. We had 4 rolls (average about $9.50 for one) -- crunchy roll with shrimp tempura; another one but with eel (didn't care for the ginger in there), el fuego (spicy tuna) roll, and alba alba (ie. albacore) roll. They were fine, but not out of this world. The salmon kama was EXCELLENT and only $5! It is a grilled, juicy collar bone of the fish that comes with a small dipping sauce. This came at the end because cooking too a while. This was the best part of the meal.
(3)Chris B.
Great sushi at great price. My friends and I are regulars, once a week! The lemon salmon roll is the best. The people that work here are very friendly, Jimmy is the man behind the sushi bar! The fish quality is high and always fresh. Don't forget the Japanese beer on tap always $2 a glass!!!
(5)Keesy S.
They have a pretty limited sushi menu, lots of specialty rolls. But the prices are good and the sushi tasted fresh. Happy hour seems legit. No specific roll I'd like to shout out. Just validating the solid OK-ness of this place.
(3)Linda S.
I had a horrible experience at Wonder Sushi today. Before sitting at a table I went straight back to the restroom. The Manager followed me back, sternly saying, excuse me as I walked. I turned around and she stepped in front of me and blocked my entry into the ladies room. It was unbelievable. I told her I was going to use the restroom and then order. She said I couldn't use the restroom. Today was Pride day so she must have been on guard for 'non-customers' wanting to use the restrooms. She was so aggressive. Wow! How does this place stay in business when there are so many great sushi places in the area?
(1)wiz z.
Visited as a birthday party guest and we were pleasantly suprised. Family run place in a strip mall, food suprisingly good. We could see the Japanese folks creating our dishes - I always like to see that! I had two fabulous main courses, the soft crab shell roll and the spicy tuna roll, both large. So much so that I had to share with the other guests or I could not have finished it. Dessert was a new marvel ... a "Miko" ice cream, which is a chewy rice casing with our choice of mango, strawberry or green tea ice cream. Unusual and delicious, I recommend it highly and will be bringing to my next event. As noted elsewhere, the service is either decent or wanting. I recommend that you just walk up to the counter when the server doesnt show in a reasonable period of time. Eventually they get the hint...(otherwise I would have given more stars....) Parking in lot in front was easy, establishment is a few minutes east of 163 freeway. Yes, we will definitely go back. Gosh, now I'm hungry, where are the car keys? Lets go back!
(4)Jordan K.
The food here is awesome! No it's not super fancy and the rolls aren't the most creative I've seen...but you can't beat the happy hour deals ($2 sapporo, $2 sm sake) or the $5 price on their salmon roll! The service has always been friendly and prompt enough for me and I've been here many times.
(4)Jon N.
I've been to this place twice now and both times the sushi was amazing but the service was lacking. Wonderful Sushi has a good menu with great choices and a nice casual atmosphere. The service here depends on the night honestly; both times we ate here the service was pretty average to below average which is the biggest problem with this sushi restaurant. Once you get the food it is really amazing sushi, the Dynamite Roll is the best I've had in San Diego if you like the baked style rolls. Overall the food is great but the service needs serious work. The service is below average.
(3)Nico F.
I love this place. I've lived in Hillcrest for 1 year now and have come 5 or 6 times. The service is impeccable and the sushi is delicious. I've yet to have a bad experience. I don't know the woman's name, but she's here all the time and eventually came to recognize me and my boyfriend. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Royal E.
To be fair I have only been here once. I think all places should only be reviewed by someone who has had a least two separate experiences at one establishment. I have not had that chance to go back, but since we are able to edit are reviews I will for the sake of not forgetting post my thoughts on this place now. Place: Strip mall corner, decent looking place inside but just kinda of boring and in a mall yuk. The only good thing is that that does lend itself to potential parking spaces. Service: I took way too long for them to get to me, over 15 minutes with no crowds at all. Dud. Prices: Kind of high, especially for the quality of the food. Food: The sushi I ordered, none of it seemed fresh and all of it was tasteless and bland. For now its a 1 star place. Thumbs down.
(1)Amiee L.
I've been to this place a few times and it's pretty good. I like the space and the lighting, and the atmosphere alot. It's somewhat shaded and private. Very nice. First, the things I don't like (because they are the exception, not the rule). #1 item I always avoid here...the lemonade. I think they make it with some type of powdered mix. One day it will be uber-sweet and syrupy; like they added to much sugar or powdered mix, and the next time it tastes watered down, like it's been sitting in ice while it melted. Really horrible stuff. Also, the salmon skin they use in their salmon skin handroll (aka my favorite type of sushi and a staple I always order); it's never crispy and fresh and the entire roll just doesn't work because of it. Last but not least, the order the food comes out. It never comes out with any rhyme or reason. Last time we went with my boyfriends 12 year old son, and the sushi started coming out before the appetizer, then everything came except the boy's roll. A little proper planning and preparation could fix that issue easily, so it's really unacceptable. Now, on to the great things about this place. The service is always very accomodating and nice. I really feel relaxed when I eat there, which is a must. As for the food, they have some really great rolls. The dynamite roll is slap yo mama good! I personally always go for the rainbow roll and appreciae immensely that the sushi is not dry and crusty. The mixed tempura is also the bomb.com . Honestly, I've never had anything bad foodwise here. And to end the meal, grab a dum dum sucker from the bowl as you leave. Charming! I would definitely recommend this place to anybody and everybody. I know that I for sure, will be back! PS: Did I mention plentiful onsite parking in Hillcrest? Loves!
(4)Evan M.
Went here on a whim with a friend one night. We arrived around 8:00 and the place didn't seem that busy at all. Only half of the restaurant was occupied. We sat at the sushi bar. We were given two menus to look at and then weren't spoken to until about 10 minutes later. I noticed that this place is quite proud of their sushi prices. I ordered El Fuego sushi roll and it was pretty good. Wasn't $9 good but very tasty. I also got a bento box with a fried chicken breast, a soup and small salad. It was just ok. Again nothing amazing in flavor. I would have given this place 3 stars based on the food but the service was horrible. They were very non-attentive. They weren't quick to fill up drinks and it just seemed like they were mis-managing their tables. Seemed to be more busy than they really were. I wouldn't go back to Wonderful Sushi. Their customer service is horrible and they don't make you feel welcome at all. Big bummer because their food is decent but a little overpriced.
(2)Kyle J.
I am honestly not a huge fan of this sushi place... I don't know what it is... but the sushi just doesn't have that quality taste I get at a couple other places that I like. It is in a convenient location though. I still prefer Loveboat sushi... so far I haven't had any issues there.
(2)Lana R.
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(3)Carisma A.
The wonderful albacore roll and the nyny roll are so good! And they have unbeatable drinks specials: $2 small beer and hot sake. Sake it to me! This is a solid place to grab some decent sushi.
(4)Kaelin T.
Came in here after our first choice for sushi was closed. Waitresses were nice and the service was good. The decor was nothing special but the actual bar itself was huge. The rolls were fresh and good but nothing to brag about. The sushi was good and it was very cheap. Around 10 bucks for a specialty roll and a small salmon roll as well. The meal itself wasn't very "wonderful" and I probably won't come back anytime soon.
(3)Swarley K.
I'm not going to pretend like I'm an expert of sushi but i know a thing or two about sushi bars. First off, the service was severely lacking. The joint was nearly empty when we came but it took them 8 minutes to get us water. We sat at the sushi bar and even though there were 3 chefs there, no one really talked to us. THe rolls and sushi we had were average at best. For the rolls, they put way too much sauce. Drenching things in ponzu does not make it taste better, i'm sorry. The sushi was okay but the cut was so small. Now that i think of it, the rolls were also very small and the presentation kinda sucked too.
(2)Heather W.
octopus sashimi! ...my first time ever. and i enjoyed it, so there you go :) my friends and i dropped in here after the most recent yelp event at eden. arriving a bit after 10 pm on a week night, the place was emptying out and quiet, but we were welcomed in. we chose to sit at the bar and got to enjoy the jovial company of the friendly sushi chefs which is always fun. my friends had been here before, so they were trusting in asking the chef to prepare a "chef's choice" sashimi - which included the aforementioned octopus....and a bunch of other delicious items (yellowtail, salmon, tuna, etc, i believe). my prior thoughts of the 8 legged creature being chewy and gross have melted away with the flavor comparable to butter. i was a bit tipsy but we also got -- i think -- the spicy tuna crunch roll, which you really cant ever go wrong with. this may have been the first time it never even crossed my mind to take photos :-/ -- quick casual decently priced filling and delicious... this is a nice economy sushi restaurant in hillcrest.
(4)Norma W.
I spent 6 months in 2012 in France. And after that, just about any sushi makes my head spin with wonderful feelings. I had taken for granted cheap California sushi, that you seem to be able to get well.. almost anywhere. But I had really forgotten about this place and how awesome it was. I've stuffed my face here twice in the past week and was pleasantly surprised to have some good cheap sushi. First of all, it's super cheap. As in ridiculously so. You can get some pretty standard rolls (salmon, tuna, California) for about $3 or $4 for 6 cut rolls. That's a deal. And their special rolls are pretty great for the price. I like the Alaska Roll and some of the other salmon special rolls. Also the cucumber sunomonu is cheap and simple and a good enough portion for two people. Everyone here is usually friendly, the service is fast, and the sushi is pretty darn good. This place gets a 5-star rating for what it is: cheap sushi. It's pretty fab.
(5)Sarah H.
My boyfriend and I love coming here! My favorite rolls are the Scallop Dynamite and the New York, New York! Always friendly service, and consistently delicious.
(5)Chrissie O.
Wonderful? I think it's name should be "A-OK Sushi." Searched for a place to eat and ended up seeing this sushi place. It's located in the corner of it's shopping center. They have a great menu. Lots of rolls to choose from. I think my eyes were more hungry because I ended up ordering two rolls knowing I usually am only able to finish one. Im terrible at remembering the names of the rolls I try also. The first roll that came out was a crab ball roll. I really liked that roll the best out of the two I ordered. It was cooked with cream cheese inside. I usually like anything made with cream cheese. The other roll I ordered had crab in it as well but it was baked. It took a little longer to come out. It was just okay. Nothing really special except for being baked and one of the more expensive rolls. This is why they should be "A-OK!" instead of "Wonderful." Food = A-OK Service = A-OK Overall experience = A-OK!
(3)Dale W.
i apologize for my 1 star rating... this rating is specifically for my experience with the poke salad. it was pretty much a seaweed salad with minimal .25 square inch pieces of fish.. the seaweed itself was cold and slimy, as if it had just been pulled from the freezer and not thoroughly thawed. ridiculous.
(1)Ann H.
This is my regular go-to sushi restaurant in San Diego. When you want sushi, tempura, maybe an entree, and you don't want to spend a fortune, this is the place to go. The fish is very good, service is good, there is plenty of room, and they are family friendly. The sushi menu includes a mix of complicated rolls and simple rolls, as well as nigiri.
(4)Andrew D.
Went for lunch on Saturday and the place was completely empty! No reservation needed, which we weren't sure about before going. Ordered the Crunch Roll and thought it was OK. My favorite roll we ordered was the deep fried California roll if you like warm rolls. I prefer the sushi at Sushi Deli, but overall it wasn't too bad. The waiter service is mediocre. We kept having to ask for water refills, and one of the waiters spilled one of our rolls onto my Grandmother. They gave us a free roll which was nice, but she still would rather not have had spicy mayo down the back of her shirt.
(3)Iriz L.
Food is decent but GOD FORBID you need to split a check.... Because I love to drink and do math. Get it together !!!!
(2)Kanae K.
A-OK. We had: White Tuna Roll - 4 stars Spider Roll - 3 stars NY NY roll - 3 stars and Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll -3 stars May come back again.
(3)Danielle M.
-I love their rolls! Try the Spanish roll and the El fuego roll!! -$2 draft Sapporo -consistently good food -love the spicy miso -the waiter service can be iffy...sit at the sushi bar and get your food directly from the sushi chefs.
(4)Joey D.
Rolls and Sashimi were awesome and at the end of the meal I was stuffed and almost needed to puke. I am a fan of this and will be back. Sit at the bar and you will not have to worry about service. The Monkey Balls and Taka Taka Roll, White Tuna Roll are my favorites.
(4)Giselle W.
This place is legit! If you want some authentic Japanese food in San Diego, you have to try this spot!
(5)Danny W.
It's pretty annoying when sushi places advertise things like 30% off all day everyday to get you in, and when you arrive you find only a small portion of the menu is discounted from about 30% too high of a price to begin with. Fortunately for Wonderful Sushi their food rocked it enough to make me forget how annoyed I was. With a sign that resembles a surf shop this place hung 10 on some tasty waves of fresh fish. I had a spicy tuna roll and probably the most delicious specialty I've ever had. It was like they knew I was contemplating Mexican before entering because one of their rolls of the day was the spicy tuna with jalapeño salsa...the best of both worlds! When this baby came out it was visually a masterpiece. Massively proportioned, I scratched my head for a few contemplating how to go about tackling it. After strategizing a system it wasn't long before I concluded that this was one of my favorite rolls ever experienced. The flavors complimented each other like Sonny to Cher leaving my taste buds singing. It was $14 but when they bring it out you'll see why. Overall Wonderful Sushi was just that...pretty wonderful. Don't let the irritating 30% hustle get to you. Their food does this run-around justice.
(4)Peter V.
Food was good but did not wow me. I thought the portions were small. This is a real no-frills place, which is fine if that's what you want. I only went once (tonight) so I should go back and try it again. But I will also keep looking.
(3)Cody N.
Wonderful Sushi is simply wonderful. I suggest trying the lemon salmon or el fuego rolls. They each are a delightful combination. This place is definitely becoming one of my regular stops.
(5)Nicholas H.
Not the best, but not the worst. Sashimi very average. Rolls are interesting. Kobe beef roll way overcooked (TOUGH). Service needs improvement but staff us nice. Music little loud and too dance oriented to hold conversations.
(2)leahnora r.
Sushi with a SNORE.... Location in a strip mall, kind of a buzz kill for me. The music was "Top 40's" From the early 2000's....(why torture me) The staff is afraid to approach your table, for some reason, they like it when you flag them down. The actual sushi was...so-so...at best. However, 30% of rolls, and cheap beer and saki made up for its deficiences... I think wonderful is more like "good"...But hey in this economy we're all trying to make it right?
(3)Anna B.
I love Wonderful. They have one of the best rainbow rolls in SD for sure. Their fish is fresh and tasty and they have a plethora of rolls to choose from. I wish my stomach was bigger so I could try more kinds when I go! Also, they are very fair priced, me and my boyfriend can get a feast (app, and 3-4 rolls) for under $40 easily. Try these guys......
(5)Yummy J.
good sushi, decent price.. They have baked mussels which is why i come back.
(4)Denise M.
My boyfriend and I came here some time ago and I had ordered a volcano roll and sake. The service was good, but extremely slow. When my volcano roll arrived, it was completely worth it. Google "volcano roll" and you'll see pictures of a beautiful roll, piled up to look like the shape of a volcano, with dynamite (?) sauce trickling from the top as though it were lava. It was beautiful. I've gone a few times since that time and ordered different things. Today I went again, and ordered the volcano roll. It took forever again, but I was already expecting this, thinking of the beautiful volcano I was about to get. When it arrived at my table after waiting all that time, it was only four tiny pieces flat on the plate. When I asked the waitress if she was sure this was a volcano roll, explaining my expectation based on previous visits, she said that this was it and it has always looked like this. I looked at it, confused and disappointed, until she finally offered to ask the manager if she could let me order something else off the menu. Still confused, I googled "volcano roll" and showed her a photo of what the one I had ordered before looked like. She looked at it and said something along the lines of "that's not our restaurant," and "we don't do it like that." The service was okay. I was going to give them one star, but because of the service I'm giving them two. We had three servers, one of them, a guy, was very pleasant and helpful. The other two girls were also nice but rushed, including the one who helped me with my order. No blaming them, they were very busy. I am very thankful that they let me change my order, because my expectation based on previous experience was not met. That time I got a beautiful volcano roll, and this time I got four small pieces of their version. It looked good and very edible, but for $12 and four small pieces only? Seriously? No thanks. I would have absolutely recommended this place after my first visit, but now I wouldn't really recommend this place anymore.
(2)Alessandria R.
Eh, this place should be called "Average Sushi" not wonderful. The service is SOOO painfully slow & they are really bad at checking up on your table even though it was not busy! Geez. Well, you get what you pay for. The Pink Roll was good, but still missing something. Everything else was okay. I would NOT recommend this place. The food is not up to par with what I consider "good, fresh sushi".
(1)Emily W.
A roach was crawling on my friend as our shrimp tempura roll was being delivered. Our waitress scurried away like the roach and returned with the sushi chef and argued over who was going to kill it. Luckily our friend smooshed it. No apology, no acknowledgement, NOTHING! Skip this roach coach...
(1)Keridwyn R.
I got a $15 for $30 Groupon for this place, so boyfriend and I decided to give it a shot. Within walking distance and guaranteed air conditioning unlike our apartment. We were seated immediately but had a oddly long wait before we received menus. Not like, 10 minutes, but enough to go hmmm. We ordered edamame, miso, a hand roll for each of us, and 3 special rolls to share. I was expecting to get the edamame and miso, then the rolls. Our miso ($2 each) came out first. It was nice and hot, had good flavor, I just didn't like how large and chewy the seaweed pieces were. Boyfriend was fine but I left them in the bowl. Next started coming the rolls. First one cut roll, then the hand rolls, then the last two cut. Our edamame never came (but honestly it was enough food that we were all right with that). Note: usually the wasabi at places is too bland for my boyfriend to bother with it but this he said was actually spicy and I could kind of see it on his face that it had a kick to it! He got the snow crab hand roll and really liked it, found it filling and had a hint of a creamy, like cream cheese flavor. I got the salmon skin and it was delicious. I don't usually do hand rolls because of the large ratio of seaweed but it was sweet and crunchy and flavorful and not dry. So we got a very special roll, the salmon katsu ($12). It was weird. It had sliced onion all over the top and this kind of goldenrod colored sauce around the plate. Something gave me, I can't believe I'm writing this, a hamburger vibe, like a pickle flavor. It was just a hint of that sour-tart-pickle taste. Then we got the shrimp tempura eel roll ($9.50). Our first bites were full of surprise, disappointment, and ginger. SO MUCH GINGER. After picking out the ginger from each piece, so there was just a hint of ginger flavor, much better. Last and by far the best was the "wonderful dynamite" ($13). It was a baked roll with I can't remember what in it, but it was bomb. Super hot but really delicious. Definitely recommend this roll. When we got our check, the edamame was on it ($3), but they were very apologetic and fixed it really fast. It's like the service at first was really lazy and it picked up during the meal, when they brought out the plates and refilled our water. A lot of other people in there had the Groupon too I could see. Overall, the service wasn't amazing or the food mindblowing, but both were better than some of the reviews I've seen here. I don't know if I'd come back and pay full price, but it was a yummy casual dinner. Oh, and they automatically added a %15 tip which was odd cause it was 2 of us but that's what we were going to give anyway.
(3)Rosy F.
This place is yummy!! Lady at the door greets and seats you, she was very polite and never let my drink get low.
(4)Deb R.
Yum Yum Yum Yum Yum!! I absolutely LOVE sushi. And not just your standard California Roll or Spicy Tuna Roll. To me, a great sushi place has great 'specialty' type rolls. This place has it. Its now become my regular Thursday night dinner with a friend. We've tried a number of the specialty rolls, and most have been good...several are absolutely outstanding! The "White Tuna Roll" is my absolute favorite. Followed closely by the "Taka Taka" and the "El Fuego". Fabulous combination of fishes, and just the right amount of sauce gives all of these rolls exquisite flavor! Their "Kobe Beef Roll" is delicious too, but a little on the pricey side so that's not something we get on a regular basis. They also have Tamago, something not every sushi joint carries...and they do it well! Service is typically fantastic, but that might be because we get recognized when we walk in the door. A few times, when its been busier, we've had to wait a little for our order but no more so than at other restaurants. Give it a try..I think you'll like it. Oh, and order the sweet chili Edamame! A little messy but SOOOOOO good!!
(4)Brad M.
Updated 12/11/12 I once rated this place 4 stars but must update to just one. I come here weekly with my friends and for the last three weeks we've visited, we have had horrible service. Last night's service was truly terrible. I didn't even get my food. My friends finished their meals before I could flag down a waiter to ask where my food was. The two times before this, they have left off items on our order and still charged us. I am done with you.
(1)jermaine s.
Grabbed some delish sushi today, this spot has easily became my fav sushi spot. Great prices on rolls and brew!!
(5)Mike C.
Very well priced for a sushi place. Great food, good atmosphere, and a very good staff. I have been here quite a number of times to eat and have never been dissatisfied. It's a well hidden spot, so it's not crowded like other sushi spots in this area. Considering it took over another sushi restaurant, and they replaced the staff, it appears they didn't skip a beat. Semper Fi!
(4)Christine A.
30% off all rolls! With that said, we ordered three rolls to share between the two of us - Shrimp Tempura Eel Roll, Wonderful Albacore Roll, and Smoked Salmon Roll. I loved all of them, but my favorite was the albacore. The fish literally melted in my mouth! I thought the sauce on the Shrimp Tempura Eel Roll was a bit overwhelming, but the tempura was still really good. Smoked salmon roll... delicious. And of course, the discount made it taste even better, haha. OK but the review down there about "a roach crawling on my friend as our shrimp tempura roll was being delivered" is quite disturbing. Luckily that didn't happen to me...
(4)maryjane c.
To-go I ordered a couple different rolls and the terriyaki plate. The place was packed, with more people coming in to be seated. As soon as I told the hostess it was a to go order she ignored my presence while seating other people that came in after me. I had to speak up to let her know I was ready because she wouldn't even look at me. When I got home the miso soup that came with the meal was half full which I thought was tedious for them to jip me on, the tempura philadelphia rolls were chewy and soggy not crunchy, and the teriyaki chicken was fresh (well it better be) but a little dry, the chicken wouldn't have tasted nothing like teriyaki without the sauce. It didn't help I had to wait 30 minutes for my food. The only reason I fancy this place and gave it two stars is for my bf who has an ulcer and likes the bland $3 California rolls (8 pcs).
(2)Bianca F.
Food was well worth the price. chefs and waiters are friendly!
(4)W C.
Sushi is delicious. Cooked food is delicious. Service STINKS! I've been there three times, first two times because of Groupon, third to test their MANDATORY 15% GRATUITY. First, two meals with Groupon they ADDED a mandatory 15% gratuity. Third time without Groupon NO ADDED gratuity. This is another Groupon BUST! Groupon buyers BEWARE!
(2)Ally P.
Cute place, came here after my DMV visit, super fast and tastey! not raving about it, but it was good!
(4)Ali J.
AH, so wonderful! Delicious, friendly and affordable!!!!!! Spicy tuna crunch roll is amazing!!
(5)shatoya o.
Love this place! I don't have any complaints. I never have to wait for service. Maybe because I'm a regular? Don't know. Even for take out I receive great service. It's not five star sushi, but it's still really good. Especially for the price. Chances are if I'm eating sushi, I'm here. Great deals, great happy hour- all day!
(4)Darcie S.
Food was decent for sushi, not the best I've ever had. The staff was really nice & understanding about our food allergies. Our server was nice at first, but disappeared & we had to go to the register to ask for our check. I think in a city full of good sushi, this place really needs to step up it's service.
(3)Monika C.
To all the servers in the world: If you are the type to forget an order in between hearing it and walking back to the kitchen .. Write it down! Nothing irritates me more than a server who just takes your order to memory, then forgets part of your order. What is the benefit to not writing it down? To impress me? No, you just worry me that I'm going to get the wrong food. Okay, rant hat off. My friend and I had dinner here last weekend and were drawn in by the "30% off sushi rolls everyday" sign. Oddly though, why not just change your price? Did they mark them up 30% higher before opening? Weird. The food was pretty good and the prices were okay, but the server forgot my friend's wine, forgot what she had ordered for her entree, and I asked for Sriacha and it wasn't until I'd finished eating and we got our bill that the waitress came by to apologize for not bringing it. :o( I'd probably go here again since the food was okay and often times bad service could be related to the server having a bad day or it could just be bad luck. Food: Good Prices: Moderate Service: Not great
(3)James M.
I really don't know why this place does not have five stars. It is one of the best sushi places in all of San Diego. The service is great. I truly love this place. The fish is superb!
(5)Marvin H.
Wonderful Sushi is my favorite neighborhood sushi bar. With decently priced sushi rolls, great service, and never a wait for a table, this slice of fish heaven is easy on the pocketbook and keeps my tummy satisfied. I'm definitely a fan.
(5)Tanakorn T.
This place was pretty good. Unfortunately, there was also nothing special about it. I went there with 3 of my friends and the bill came out to be about 40$. This is with 30% off. *shrugs* Ordered two sushi orders and 4 rolls. It wasn't a lot, especially since there was 4 people. Overall, the flavor wasn't bad, but like I said before, there wasn't anything that I said WOW... but the best dish was the dynamite scallop rolls? The service might have been a BIT sketchy. The food took kind of long to make especially since when we got in, there was like NO ONE there. For the food and service, it was okay, thus the three stars.
(3)Rachel E.
Yummy! My husband and I have been here twice and both times we were very happy with our food. Service can be a little slow, but the fresh sushi makes up for it .
(4)Charlene E.
Loved it!! Went in with a party of 11 on a Saturday night and other than our server bringing the wrong beer to one person, everyone got what they ordered, as they ordered it. The sushi and sashimi was fresh and really delicious and the beer was ice cold. It doesn't get any better!
(4)Angela A.
I bought a groupon for this place because of the reviews, however I regret it. The previous reviews were all positive, yet my experience with the food was less then satisfying. We ordered: 1) Seaweed Salad: pretty good, the seaweed wasn't too stringy and the sauce was light, I liked it- it was a good introduction. 2) Fried Jalapenos: would have been great if the fake crab wasn't soaked in mayo. Came with a side of dynamite sauce, which wasn't spicy at all. 3)Alaskan roll: salmon, avo, cream cheese, cucumber with soy paper. Not horrible, probably the only thing we ordered that wasn't covered in sauce or mayo. Though there was more fake crab then salmon, which a disappointment. 4) El Fuego Role: we love spicy stuff, we ordered it because it had jalapeno on top, however that didnt matter because it was SLATHERED in sweet & sour sauce. I have no idea what was in the role because all you could taste was the sauce. 5) Taka Taka: this role had baked tuna on top and a sweet vinegar taste, not very fresh tasting. I don't recommend this restaurant, while the service was great and the place was clean and cute, the food did not hold up to par. I am emailing Groupon and letting them know to better check their restaurants before advertising them. Someone compared this place to Sushi Deli, and I know SD isnt high quality either, but at least they do not put the name "wonderful' in their name, knowing very well, the food isn't that 'wonderful'
(1)Jess T.
It is more like a 3.5-star place. The food was good (We got 3 sushi rolls: Alaska, Tiger, and Smoked Salmon & the tempura udon) and the beers were cheap!! ($2) The only thing that wasn't awesome was the service. It wasn't bad or anything but it wasn't great. The sushi chef seemed very friendly. Maybe next time we will sit by the sushi bar.
(4)Amanda V.
I enjoy going here to eat sushi for lunch or dinner it really doesn't matter just as long as I'm in the mood for it. The drive isn't time consuming either it only takes about 10 min to get there from where I live. The emloyees there are nice and it usually doesn't take them long to have my order ready. The sushi there is delicious but a bit overpriced since there are a few on the menu that cost up to about $14 for only an 8 piece roll. However, I do understand that it all depends on the type of roll you're ordering. The only thing I don't like about this place is that you have to order the miso soup because it doesn't come with the sushi but at sushiman they include it with the sushi that you order and for me I always love me some miso soup so that's a bit disappointing. Overall, I enjoy going here.
(4)Janice J.
my friend and i are not impress with their service at all and its our first time there and will be our last. i rate them below zero star for customer service! foods are great but service sucks ass hell! the waitress/waiters arent attentive at all! simply horrible!
(1)Cheryl H.
I really had to revise my review of this place...it has improved a lot. This place is pretty great. Everyone shouts "Hi!" when you walk in, and they really have the best mussel appetizer of anywhere I've gone to. They have a wide variety of rolls, and their menu is organized really well by the type of fish so you can easily find what you want. Great service, great rolls.
(4)andrew d.
Horrible service - incompetent, uncaring, and slow. Very average sushi. There are much better sushi places in Hillcrest and SD! We arrived as a party of two on Friday night. The place was packed and we saw servers walking in circles all night looking lost. We were told 20 minutes for the wait but it ended up being about 30, even though 5 tables opened up and sat dirty for over 10 minutes. People that were eventually seated still had to wait another 10 minutes to even be greeted and receive water. We watched two girls next to us get fed up and walk out because no one even came to their table. They were smart to do so. We ordered the drink special "bucket of beer" which they advertise as 5 Japanese beers served in a bucket of ice for $10 - a great deal, right? They brought out 5 barely cooled beers in a cardboard 6-pack carrier. No bucket, no ice, and no chilled glasses for our almost room temperature beer. We asked for chilled glasses and they said they were busy tonight and ran out. They made no attempt to chill some and bring them out later. There was no teamwork, no communication, and no sense of urgency, and definitely no attempt to take care of the guests. Very unorganized...Servers had tables everywhere, sometimes they bussed, sometimes they delivered drinks, sometimes they greeted guests at the door...and sometimes they stood around laughing and having fun while people were being ignored. You may think by now I'm forgetting to talk about the food but that's exactly what it was...forgettable. Nothing special. We ate our food, drank our cool beer, and paid our bill thoroughly disgusted and angry with the whole experience. Needless to say we left $0 tip (which I rarely do) and will not be back.
(1)Larry C.
First of all, there is nothing wonderful about Wonderful Sushi. I went there a few months ago, and not only was I aphalled at the prices, but I was trying to figure out why the menu was such a rip-off, especially after tasting the mediocre sushi there. I don't consider myself a cheapskate, but when I see a price of 14 bucks for an 8 piece sushi item that is usually 8 bucks or less, but also tastes much better. Another issue is this place is so stuffy and small. It didn't feel like a premium experience at all. The sushi here was okay, but did not taste fresh at all. I had ordered a combination of spicy tuna roll, and another similar sushi roll that consisted of what tasted like canned salsa. I've never paid this much for so little, and at the cost of eating food that didn't taste that good at all. Sorry Wonderful, but you're not so wonderful.
(2)Lynn H.
I really enjoy Wonderful Sushi and its one of the sushi places that I really enjoy that is located in Hillcrest. The pricing on the sushi here is very affordable but kinda pricey at times but its worth it! The service here is very friendly and they get out their rolls really fast. The atmosphere is very calm and welcoming and I would really recommend this place to my friends.
(4)Kevin M.
Went here a couple times on different nights before passing judgement. Not a horrible place but we won't be going back. Food: Taste isn't bad for the rolls or nigiri. Presentation is a joke; I think Japanese people would be pretty offended that a place like this calls itself a sushi restaurant. We watched the head sushi chef making rolls all night and to say he was sloppy would be an understatement. No attention to detail. No respect for the food. Ambiance: Cheesy Japanese decor. No surprise here since it's a discount sushi place and not pretending to be classy. Service: Not horrible but not not very good either. Every single staff person we've interacted with has been rude and had an air of superiority. You definitely don't get the feeling of the customer coming first here. The interesting thing is that I don't believe they're trying to be rude on purpose, I think they're really just oblivious to it and somehow think that their attitude is totally acceptable. Again, if you're looking for a Japanese style "The customer is God" experience, you won't find it here..actually, quite the opposite. No, this isn't a real Japanese run restaurant but still, even American service standards are (usually) higher than this. The fact is that this is a discount sushi restaurant so many of the complaints about presentation, ambiance and service can be forgiven but only if the price matches the low expectations. It does not. There are plenty of similar discount sushi places in the area with a much better value; either cheaper price or a better quality experience for the money. Not so Wonderful.
(2)Ryan D.
I don't know why the reviews for the place aren't higher. My wife and I discovered this place by accident 3 years ago and have been back at least once a month since. THIS IS THE BEST PLACE FOR SUSHI IN SAN DIEGO REGARDLESS OF PRICE!!! And they have $2 Sapporos for happy hour. What else do you people want!? The sushi is super fresh. The service is great. The prices are affordable. Yeah, its in a strip mall, but that shouldn't really matter anyway. We have tried several other sushi places in San Diego... many more expensive. None of them even come close to Wonderful Sushi. If I had one complaint it would be the name... Wonderful Sushi? Come on. But it really is wonderful.
(5)Rebecca G.
YUM! When Iciban left a few months ago I was sad. I love sushi for lunch and this location is extremely convenient to work. I was driving by recently and noticed Wonderful Sushi had opened. I came in for lunch on Monday and had a salmon roll, a spider hand roll and a miso soup. So good! The miso is especially flavorful. I went again a few days later on Wednesday and ordered the same thing. Consistently delightful. The sushi makers were pleasant and chatted with me and the waitress was quick. Of course I was about the only person in the restaurant but it's nice to have such quick service when you only have half an hour for a meal. I intend to go there again, even when the 30% sale is gone (maybe I'll try for happy Hour though).
(5)Chris G.
Had the spicy sashimi salad and rising sun roll tonight. Both were great, just get it, you'll love it.
(5)eugenius w.
I come here all the time and I'm finally taking the time to right a review. I'm really disappointed that this place only has 3 1/2 stars! This place is 5 stars all the way. It's my number one Sushi place in Hillcrest. Service is excellent, everyone is so nice here. I love, love the sushi here! I come here for the Spanish Roll, it is so delicious! Every-time I come here I make sure to order this roll. The cilantro and lemon with salmon just makes my mouth salivate when I think about it! I'm actually going to have to make my way there after I write this review (seriously, no joke, I'm going there after I write this review). If you've never been to Wonderful Sushi, I highly recommend it. The rolls are fresh, the service is refreshing, it's moderately priced, and absolutely fulfilling. I don't know what else to say about Wonderful Sushi... it's Wonderful!
(5)Nately R.
I LOVE Wonderful Sushi because it is reasonably priced and tastes REALLY good. It is a place where I don't care about the service. I just know the food is so good that I want to go. I love the Sweet Chili Edamame... all the specialty rolls are good! Anytime I want sushi, I go to Wonderful Sushi...
(4)Georgie A.
I didnt like it here.. ..next question please..
(2)Nora F.
This is the second time I've been here and I think this experience was much better than the first one. I really enjoyed the food. The service was good but not excellent. The ambiance is fun. There is something about the food that deserves a 3. it's not amazing but it is really good.
(3)Lauren P.
Some co-workers and I go here quite often because of the location. We really enjoy coming here. It's never busy so we can be pretty loud, and take our time. I will have to say the blue fin tuna IS THE BOMB!!! I could eat an entire meal of this fish. It melts in your mouth! All the fish I've had here is very fresh, and a good-size portion.
(4)Vanessa I.
Ordered Seafood Yakisoba ($9), Taka Taka Roll ($13) and Snowball Roll ($6) and Peach juice ($3)- No refill The Yakisoba was good compared to other places. The Taka Taka roll was not worth the price at all, it was tasteless. The Snowball roll was good. What did not help was that I had to ask for ginger, wasabi, and chili sauce. The wasabi and chili sauce seemed to be "watered down" I expect for my wasabi to make me cry but this one didn't. I was not amused by the service from the waitress. They have Wi-Fi but it was secured with a password, I don't know how that works. The staff is Korean and they have a lot of korean dishes on the menu. In Conclusion, I would not go back again, it's not worth the price or travel.
(2)Thomas H.
Went here for lunch yesterday to use their coupon out of the Uptown Coupon book. We eat out a lot, sometimes using coupons so that we can try new places, and a lot of times we don't use coupons and pay full price like normal, non-coupon clipping people. I'm just telling you this to set up the framework for my gripe with "Wonderful" Sushi. Their coupon says (and I'm paraphrasing here) "buy one entree or sushi roll and get one free entree or sushi roll of equal or lesser value." Standard stuff. So we looked at the menu and both decided we wanted a $16 sushi combo, thinking we would get one free. We were mistaken. When the server came by to take our order, she explained that the coupon means LITERALLY one "entree" or "sushi roll." So any "entree" that is not in their "entree" section is not eligible. (Their "entree" selection is not sushi- just some standard katsu plates and stuff like that.) Here's my beef people: you put the damn coupon in the book to get people in there; why do you have to interpret the thing so damn literally? To me an "entree" is a main plate of something that you order for your meal. To be so literal so that you don't (God forbid) give away three dollars more of food than you need to just seems petty, inhospitable and bad business. Truth is, I actually kind of liked what we ended up ordering from the official "entree" section (salmon teriyaki combo). But I will not go back there, because I do not like spending my money at establishments that are petty and downright un-neighborly. So my question to you, owners of "Wonderful Sushi" --- is the following; you may have saved about $3 by not comping the sushi platter rather than the salmon teriyaki platter. Is that $3 worth losing what could have become a repeat customer? Anyone with a head for business will answer NO to that question. And for the record, I used a similar coupon at Nami Sushi in Hillcrest a few weeks ago and they were not concerned about interpreting the coupon so literally so as to save themselves a few dollars. I am going back there, but not to Wonderful. Because I know Wonderful. Wonderful has always been a friend of mine. And you, sirs and madams, are NOT WONDERFUL. Harrumph.
(1)Tiff W.
Uh-Mazing! My boyfriend introduced me to this place one day for lunch and I haven't looked back. I usually get the chicken teriyaki meal, which comes complete with chicken, perfectly cooked rice, tempura, a small salad, AND four pieces of sushi! The perfect combo of foods and just the right amount to leave you full but not bloated. All that for $10, you can't really beat it! The staff is adorable and very friendly and always polite when serving us. If you want to splurge, get the Red Tiger roll. Don't ask questions, just DO it! You won't regret it.
(5)Emy R.
The soft shell crab roll was off the charts. Scrumptious that I wanted to order another roll. Spicy tuna crunch roll was great due to I am a total fan of spicy tuna and crunchy roll. To put the two together was heavenly sunshine in each bite.. Sapporo and hot sake for $2.00 now that my friend was a bargain.. Absolutely wonderful sushi indeed!
(4)Eric G.
My favorite midweek lunch destination. I get two rolls and a nice cold bottle of Asahi for ten bucks. The service is friendly, and I've always been happy with the food. Good atmosphere and TV's to keep you occupied if you're flying solo.
(5)Kris S.
This is by far one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE sushi restaurants ! The environment is great-although I can always do without the large screen t.v's with sports always playing-then again, I AM a chick. In fact tonight there were 2 very drunk men sitting up at the bar practically screaming and cursing and laughing so loud that I couldn't focus on the menu and I asked the waitress to please address the noise level and she handled the situation quickly and efficiently. The food is PHENOMENAL. I have been there over 100 times and the food has consistently been fresh, NEVER been sick and the pace varies. When it is busy, the wait obviously can be lengthy but it is WORTH IT. Try it, you will NOT regret that you did !
(5)Dr. Beau C.
good food. good service. I had the yakisoba and it was a solid 4-star meal.
(4)Priscilla K.
We really wanted to try this place. The food is OK (3 stars), but what really made me give 2 stars was that the waitress gave us the bill BEFORE we've gotten our food. I told her that I want her to take the bill back and would like to eat first. She did... BUT 5 minutes later she gave us the bill again before the food!!! We didn't say anything.... ate the OK food, paid and took off. Not coming back.
(2)Camille G.
This place is true to its name as it is wonderful. The service is quick, the fish is fresh and full of flavor, and it's nicely decorated inside. The servers are constantly checking to make sure everything is okay and the food comes out quickly. The fish always tastes fresh (been here about 6 times in the last year) and melts in my mouth. The interior decor is nice with the black and red paint, nothing like what you'd expect from looking at the outside. They used to have a huge sign outside that said "30% off all day, everydayS" which always made me laugh. The sign wasn't there the last time I went (a week ago); I asked if they stopped taking 30% off and the hostess said yes but they also reduced their prices (you can see the white out on the menus). We did not notice an increase in our bill total which means we will still be going here. This place is definitely worth a try.
(4)Brianna F.
The first roll I got was the Alaskan Salmon roll which is just a basic roll with salmon, avo, crab, and rice. I say "basic" ingredient wise, but the taste was truly amazing! The ingredients were fresh and the sauce was delicious. The second roll I got was baked scallop and it was decadent. With cream cheese, eel sauce, creamy baked scallops on top of a roll. It was absolutely mouth watering amazing! The service was great. They were really attentive to our needs and came by the table no less then ten times to ask if we needed anything and to fill our drinks. We didn't wait very long for food either (keep in mind it was a Wednesday). Also, the decor is really nice. The only thing is my husband said his food was really bad. He got seaweed salad and some other non sushi entrees. So maybe just stick with the sushi? But either way, this place is worth the try!!
(5)Dee E.
$2.00 sake!, Ok.. I admit, this was a tip..hadn't really planned on doing a review because the ugly truth is, I know little to nothing about sushi..I know California roll and Philly roll..I also know that anyone who knows sushi will say that those rolls aren't really sushi..Oh and I have a friend who comes into town and we go to a sushi place on Mission Gorge and have a dragon roll, don't ask me what it is, I just eat it. But, I joined the Yelp 100 Challenge so I'm somewhat motivated to turn tip into review. My partner, who prefers meat and potatoes..surprised me by pulling up in front of Wonderful Sushi with a smile and a Happy Birthday! Color me surprised! We happened to get there during Happy Hour. . and we took advantage of it! Beer and Sake, my partner decided she like Japanese beer and had a couple. I know I like sake! I had a Benito with the usual teriyaki chicken, california rolls, tempura (I feel like I'm making a dirty confession). It was good. The tempura was crunchy and not greasy. I love tempura when it has that crunchy yumminess. Anyway, I can not with any kind of expertise speak to the quality of their sushi because the ugly truth is..I know nothing, nothing! Order the tempura and the $2.00 sake Oh have to add the service was great!
(4)Telan A.
I'm really surprised at all the high reviews here. Maybe people are just looking for cheap, crappy sushi? I'm on a quest to try every sushi bar in San Diego, and this ranked near the middle-bottom. The decor is the usual vaguely-modern-Japanese-ish decor. Sushi menu is primarily California rolls, with anything else being subpar. (And really, if you're going to a sushi bar, why are you eating anything but sushi and miso soup?) If you're looking for really creative, delicious American-style rolls, go to Sushi Diner. This place doesn't have anything in particular to recomend it. This is a good place to go if you want cheap sushi for a party - in which case I suggest the variety of tempura rolls. If you're going on a date, it really isn't going to impress anyone.
(2)Phil Y.
Lots of great rolls and friendly service. My favorite is the El Fuego roll. The sauce is spicy and sweet, and works well with the rest of the roll. I'll definitely be coming back!
(5)Monica L.
Since this place changed it's name, the food has been great. I don't know if it changed ownership when the name changed, but the menu is great! They have a really great variety of specialty rolls at really great discounted prices! Sushi can be ridiculously priced at some places, so the 30% discount is great!
(4)Joe J.
The location of Wonderful Sushi is a bit of a turn off for me...in a shopping center. I have always associated shopping center restaurants with either fast food chains and/or mediocre food. My spouse and I ordered various sushi rolls and Udon soup and we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. My only gripes about the experience are 1) the price: the bill was rather pricey for sushi and soup and 2) the service: the waiter never checked on us during the meal to ask how everything was and we received no water refills. The personalities of the people working in the restaurant was a bit cold for me as well. The restaurant offers lunch specials and I would be willing to try this place again. Overall experience...not great...but ok.
(3)Lucia T.
I usually go to a restaurant at least two to three times before writing a review for consistency. And man, is this sushi place not consistent at all. The first time I went with my bf for early dinner, they had just opened. Even though it was crowded, we got seated right away, and promptly served drinks. The sushi rolls were good, not spectacular, but good enough. Our waitress was very attentive and enthusiastic, and all our orders arrived in less than 10 minutes. Happy with our experience, my bf decided that this was going to be our go-to sushi place in Hillcrest (we live about a block away). The second time we went, it was late dinner, and again we go seated right away. This time, it took a while for anyone to come up to us, and the place wasnt even crowded! After about 10 minutes, the waitress finally comes by and perfunctorily asked what we wanted to drink and if we knew what we wanted to order (it seemed like she was having a bad day). After she left, it took another 15 minutes for us to get our drinks, another 15 to get our sushi rolls, and another 10 for our appetizers to get to our table (note that our sushi rolls arrived before our appetizers). Oh, they also got my bf's order completely wrong, but he was tired and hungry that he went ahead and ate it anyways. Suffice to say, we ate as fast we could, gave very little tip and vowed to never come back. The third (and possibly last) time we stopped by was this past Monday. We figured it had been about four months since we last went, and hopefully they had improved. NOT. We got a waiter this time, same bland attitude as the previous waitress. Food arrived in about 15 minutes, but the fried tofu appetizer was more like jelly tofu (really gross!), and the fried calamari honestly tasted like breaded chicken! Sushi rolls were good, nothing super tasty to report about. Worst thing, my water had run out in the beginning of the meal, but the waiter seemingly ignored the empty glass/my attempts to catch his eye to request for more water. My bf had to finally get up and go ask the sushi chef for water. We ate as fast as we could, left little tip. Three stars for convenience and location, but sushi not worth it to come back here, plus their service stinks.
(3)Sam K.
We've been here a couple of times and the service is sketchy. Sometimes it's over the top fantastic, and last time we waited for an hour for our rolls, with 5 people in the restaurant. Sake and beer are on the pricy side if you don't catch happy hour, so my recommendation is to catch happy hour, and you won't be disappointed. Miss happy hour, and you'll wish you went somewhere else. 30% off...but their normal price is over what you would pay for the same roll elsewhere so the discount is more like 10% off other places prices...and the happy hour rolls are pretty skimpy. All in all a solid 3. (A-OK) Go Monday - Friday and rock it out. Sunday the place smells a little fishy.
(3)Su I.
I really like this place. They greet you when you come in - and leave. Not much on checking back on you throughout your meal though. I've been to this place many many many times. The prices and specials are great. I have just discovered the Taka Taka roll ($14) and I was shocked. Oishidesu. Very tasty! The past few times I've been in at night and they still have their draft special for $2. Last week it was Sapporo and this week it was Sapporo Light. After my Taka Taka, draft beer ($2) and hot sake ($2) I figured I should order another roll. Just a standard Crunchy Roll ($7.50) You can get out of there for less than $30. I'm for sure a fan. When I leave I smell like a Benihana - all smokey / foody type. Is that because I was at the sushi bar??
(4)Ashley S.
Simple review: Good sushi, great service (from waitstaff and sushi chefs), pleasant enough ambiance/environment, normal pricing. I would definitely go back again. I heard that they have a really great happy hour special, too.
(4)William M.
This is absolutely the best place to grab sushi in Hillcrest. The staff is awesome... SUPER FRIENDLY!!! The food is sooooo good, I would give my first born for it. Try the tempura Philadelphia, wonderful dynamite, and taka taka rolls. Also go for the baked muscles!!!
(5)Collen K.
I've been here several times and the last 2 times the service was awful. This last time, on Tuesday 7/3, was the worst. We ordered beer, they brought bottles of beer, glasses, and a bottle opener. The service was very, very slow...we received appetizers after the rolls started coming out...we didn't receive part of the order, but it sure was on the check. After this last experience, I will never go back. I'd rather pay more for better service.
(1)serina c.
Nothing spectacular but it was decent. The teriyaki chicken was very typical and the scallop dynamite roll was average, but the tempura was very crispy and hot and I think its one of the best I have ever had. Loved the fact that they use alot of soy paper in their innovative rolls. All in all, in my opinion this is just another cheap sushi place to me. It is tucked away in a little strip mall with very hard to find parking. I would come here again but one day but it probably won't be anytime soon.
(3)GHADA Y.
Friendly and fast service. Ambiance is nice too! I think the prices here are very reasonable. Although it is not the best or most imaginative of sushi restaurants, the basics are always alright with me. I think it's great for lunch and take out.
(3)Lovely C.
I had a groupon for this place so we stopped by. We ordered the dragon roll, shrimp tempura, shrimp tempura California roll, Korean meat bento and masago rolls... all of the food was pretty good but the service was slow. They did take our order quickly but it took them a while to refill our water. It seemed only one waitress was working. Overall, this place would be a nice restaurant to stop by if you are in the area.
(4)Penni P.
The sushi & beer specials are cheap. The sushi is pretty good and the size is OK. Don't go here if you like to sit at the sushi bar and interact with the chef...it doesn't happen. Our chef said maybe 2 words, hello & bye. You order off a checklist. The staff is very nice, but slow on drink rounds. Basically sushi, good price and gtasty. Service not fast. Chef interaction....almost none.
(3)Pilita B.
Great food...and great prices! We don't drink...but $2.00 Sake and beer tends to get our friends excited to try it for the first time. We eat here at least once a week and we bring all of our guests from out of town here...it's sort of a tradition now. When they ended up on Groupon, we bought up as many as we could. Our favorites are the Wonderful Albacore Roll and the Spanish roll. Yummmm!
(4)Brandon L.
Taka Taka roll was the best. Not saying its bad quality sushi, but I've had better and this place lacked serious selection. Good drink special though ($2 for sake or beer)
(2)Matthew C.
Worst service ever!! I sat at the restaurant for 30 minutes after the waitress took my order. I started getting impatient, so I asked the waitress how much longer it was going to be before I got my food, and she responded that she had forgotten to put in our order!! Are YOU serious!? Left the restaurant pissed, and the manager offered NO apology or any sort of compensation for my wasted time. Won't be going there again.
(1)Katie N.
I found Wonderful Sushi because we had a groupon for $15 for $30, and I'm so glad I bought it! I went there on a Friday night with my boyfriend, and I was stoked that it wasn't crazy busy. The atmosphere was small, cozy, and clean, and the staff was friendly and attentive. What amazed me was how inexpensive it was, especially because it really was wonderful sushi, haha! They have some really creative and delicious items on the menu, definitely try the monkey balls if you like mushrooms! Back to how inexpensive it was...when the bill came, even without the groupon our bill was under $60, and we both had an appetizer, 2 rolls each, a bottle of nigori sake, and a beer. We had a really great, quiet dinner, and I will definitely go back. If you are not trying to drop a ton of $$$ but want quality sushi, go to Wonderful Sushi in Hillcrest!
(4)Vu N.
It was getting kinda late and this looked like one of the few sushi options available, so you take what you can get at 9pm on a weekend. Service was decent, not great -- we were seated promptly, order taken quickly, but it took a bit of effort to get our water refilled. No complaints otherwise. Plates seemed a bit too small (maybe 1.5x bigger than the soy sauce tray). The sushi just seemed to leave a bit to be desired. Most of the rolls seemed to taste pretty similar. The beef galbi was good. Probably wouldn't go back, unless we're in San Diego and its 9pm on a weekend and someone is desperately craving sushi. Why is it considered a special if the rolls are always 30% off all day every day?
(2)Meagan C.
Tried this place the groupon. Enjoyed the japanese kabos favorite were the bacon covered asparagus. The fried yellowtail kama was delicious and crispy skin. Had a pink roll with salmon, avo, n cilantro cucumber crunch fresh. Planning next visit soon
(4)Jeff M.
So I have to start off by saying that the "Spicy" Miso is so spicy that when Chuck Norris ate it, the Miso Soup cried. The Sushi here is pretty decent quality and they have gotten to know me and how picky I can be with Sushi.
(4)Wheat K.
Slowest service ever... Sushi is so so. I wouldn't come back.
(1)nancita D.
This is really a wonderful place! great sushi, very nice staff & cool music :-)
(5)Diane B.
I've been coming here for over 2 years. Used to be "Ichiban's" now Wonderful Sushi. Their prices are the cheapest around......$4-$8 for rolls. I HIGHLY recommend the Snowball, $6. It's the yummiest roll eveerrrrr! And how can you beat $2 Saporros??! I have friends that come from out of town and the first place they want to go is Wonderful Sushi! If you want GOOD sushi, GREAT prices, casual dining, and you're not "hung up" on whether they are Japanese, Chinese, or Korean......than come check out Wonderful Sushi!
(5)Caitlin C.
I really like this place because they offer spicy scallop hand rolls and spicy tuna hand rolls that are tasty! The staff is friendly, and i really like the hot tea here! I usually don't come here to try their specialty rolls, but they do make really good hand rolls and it's affordable! The hot sake is not bad either. I guess the most important thing is, the entire staff is helpful and nice- I think it's traditionally korean owned? You won't find young/hippy type waiters here, which i like sometimes- straight to the point when they take your order, quick and fast, good food and good price!
(4)Tadas M.
Great Sushi, the Soja is super tasty.They have $2 bottles and $2 hot sake!! Affordable prices for all. Friendly staff and great quality sushi.
(4)Miss N.
this place used to be ichiban on the rocks. it's tucked away behind some BBQ place. we were pretty happy w/ the food & the service was great (provided by luke). for their grand opening everything is 30% off so the prices were comparable. we were there for a birthday party w/ about 15 people. everyone (except for 1) was pretty happy! all the food looked great. they didn't skimp on the salmon portions. i also heard quite a few other customer from different tables leaving & saying they were happy as well. they seem to be working for your business & the paint's still fresh! they have a small patio for people who would prefer to sit outside. a couple of weird side notes: the green tea tasted like plain cheerios & their condiment plate design looks like something nasty, i posted a pic, you'll know what i mean.
(4)Osly P.
My salmon was a little firm and a bit unfresh. Needless to say, I did not finish my meal. My friends' sushi, by the way, was just fine. I think they order the tuna and crab. They loved it, but I did not. I don't think that I will be trying it again.
(2)Emily S.
This place is good. It is not the best sushi you will ever have, but it's GOOD. It makes up for the average sushi in that its 1. easy parking, 2. never crazy busy, and 3. doesn't close during the day between lunch and dinner (so you can go for a late lunch). I typically come here because I don't feel like dealing with the drama of some of the other sushi places.
(3)Dan K.
It's sushi. Easy on the wallet. Decent portions. Quick service. TVs that play sports. Pretty nice. My party had a few rolls and a couple bowls of udon. They were kinda busy but the food came out super quick. Decor is standard Japanese theme. Very chill atmosphere. Not noisy. There is some outdoor seating too. Staff was courteous. Nothing extraordinary. But definitely a pleasant, positive place.
(4)Monica M.
We used to come here when it was Ichiban on the Rocks and loved it then, but Wonderful Sushi is just so-so in my book. Kudos on changing the decor though. I agree with some of the other reviews about the slow service. I just try to remember to ask for my check when the last roll is delivered. Happy hour's good and not usually too crowded. Overall, an okay place.
(3)EJ S.
The gramatically incorrect "Everydays 30% Off" banner cracks me up. The special seems like it just discounts the order to an average price. There are better options almost next door and accross the street. If I am looking for a nice place to hang out with friends, Ono Sushi is a much better selection. If am looking for a quick and cheap sushi meal, Ichiban would be a better option.
(2)roseanne k.
I liked this place better when it was Sushi On the Rocks. For some reason I keep finding myself back here. I guess mainly because it's familiar and they have good happy hour deals.
(3)Mary W.
The people that work here are nice and the price is good but the sushi leaves A LOT to be desired. I will not be making a return trip
(2)Sparrow T.
I got just 2 words for this place : Go Here I've been here a handful of times already and I've never left disappointed. Here's a place you can walk into dressed in your house clothes. You know those low key nights when you just wanna get sushi - hassle free, don't wanna get dressed, don't wanna see or be seen, don't wanna wait in some horrific line for some mediocre college budget sushi and definately don't wanna get sushi made by some white dude wearing a bonzai bandana tied across his forehead Karate Kid style! I know there's a million great sushi joints in this town, but well hey- here's another one for you! I learned the best time to hit up Wonderful Sushi is between 3-5pm, and on a Saturday even better. I guess that's an odd time to eat, is that late lunch or early dinner? But while everyone's out there trying to soak up San Diego rays, you can take advantage of the specially priced and very fresh sushi. Between 3-5pm they offer 50% off almost all of the nigiri & sushi rolls on the menu. I can always tell the quality of a sushi restaurant's fish by first ordering the hamachi (yellowtail). The color is that perfect pale almost transparent pink hue and it just melts in your mouth...aahh. One of my favorite rolls on the menu is the Albacore Dream. The combination of flavors is so fresh & unique and then the pop of the tiny red fish roe on top adds that fun texture. Don't ruin this roll by dousing it in a bunch of soy sauce & wasabi, instead ask for some ponzu and just dip a little. The ponzu just adds that little bit of tang to an already delightfully fresh bite that sets your taste buds a-tinglin'. If you like spicy, try the En Fuego, it's spicy tuna with a jalapeno kicker, but tell them to go light on the sauce, too much sauce kills the true flavor of the fish. The authentic sushi chefs are generous with the portions and don't fill the rolls with too much rice. Another reason to come during the off hours, you may even get a complimentary sample of something off the menu because the chefs are not so busy, plus they take a little more time & care in preparing your food and everything comes out just perfect. They also offer daily specials so you have more to select from than the regular menu. The staff is friendly, although when it's busy they do get back logged, but the food is always good so I can deal with a little neglected service. Some of the servers have limited English so make sure they understand what you want, generally they are eager to please. I love how when you walk in, the sushi chefs all look up and call out some Japanese greeting to you, like yelling "Norm!" on an old episode of Cheers. And when you leave they all look up and salute you again on your way out, this is true Japanese hospitality. This place truly is Wonderful Sushi, so you can go ahead and let the name fool you.
(4)Rochelle B.
Wonderful sushi makes me wonder why I chose this place. Why did I choose this place? Because, sadly I trusted the yelp reviews for this establishment. Sushi combo lunch: miso soup, salad with a dressing so strange I could not finish the salad, 4 pieces of nigiri and 8 California rolls with imitation crab. Sushi rice was not up to par. Will I ever find a Japanese restaurant that will make me swoon in SD? Wonderful is more like wonderless IMHO.
(2)Jhoana C.
Great place to grab sushi and sake on any night. Excellent friendly service and reasonably priced sushi. $2 Sapporo drafts!
(5)Marnie S.
Very good and relatively cheap! I had their spicy tuna roll and it was delicious. Plus it is 30% off all rolls. It's also open later than most sushi joints in Hillcrest so that's great for those of us who enjoy eating late.
(4)S A.
Everytime I eat here, it's Wonderful!
(5)Kristin M.
Wonderful sushi....ummm, no. It's pretty good sushi for sure but definitely not wonderful. We went to this place shortly after it opened so maybe it has improved. I don't think I'm giving it another chance though. Let me preface this by saying I hate cucumber. That being said we were promptly sat being that we were literally the only people in the place. The service was slow, which is kind of unacceptable when there are no other customers. We finally ordered and I requested my rolls with no cucumber. It seem like it took a ridiculous amount of time to get the food which of course was riddled with cucumber and I had to send it back. I was really hungry and incredibly grumpy as a result, maybe that's why I have such negative feelings towards this place. The sushi was pretty good, not great, just mediocre. For the prices that were charged it should have been better. I also ordered an $8 drink that was tasty but grossly overpriced for the amount that was there. Overall, I'd say I won't be going back.
(2)Matthew G.
Damn good sushi. Flavorful seafood, nice rice, everything made from scratch. My favorite is the wasabi--they actually make it themselves! A light, dreamy, delicious green gem on the plate. Not that generic gob that even good sushi places all seem to settle for around here. Friendly waitstaff too. Salad dressing's a little too sweet for my taste, and they put too much of it on, but nobody's perfect. Can't wait to take a date there. Oh, who am I kidding?
(4)David Z.
Hit it up for the first time. Great prices. Monkey balls are great! En fuego roll hit the spot. Def will be back for more! Happy hr next time for sure!
(4)Joann S.
Fresh, friendly, clean, cheap, and an incredible happy hour deal of 50% off of beer and sake.
(4)Pablo Z.
I come here twice a month. I enjoy their food but their service is always slow even when there is no other people in the restaurant.
(3)Jonathan P.
This place was good. Me and a party of 20 ate here for a friend's b-day. We practically shut the place down. The interior was really nice with the dark colors they used, and the 4-5 Vizio tv's surrounding the restaurant, playing sports on the screens. Our waiter's name was Ben. He took good care of us and made sure everyone got their order. Usually when you have a huge party, it gets pretty difficult in the end when it comes to breaking up the bill. Their system here was simple. Since 5 tables were put together, it was one bill per table. There was also a checklist per table, and you just checked off what you wanted. I ordered some Chicken Yakisoba and the girl ordered a Tempura Roll, both which tasted awesome. If there was one thing to complain about, it would probably be the amount of time it took to get everyone their plate. Each plate was slowly straggling out, and there were still some people in our party who didn't receive their orders after others got done with their plates. Kinda sucked seeing them watch everyone else eat while they waited..but I understand, we had a huge party. Reasonable prices, and the damage to the bill wasn't bad between me and the girl. I'd take another trip to this place again.
(4)Brandon B.
The food here was good, but nothing was terribly impressive. Well, I take that back--three stars alone for the albacore dream roll, that was delicious. But with the dim decor and the TVs playing random shit, the experience was just alright. The neighborhood's awesome, so if you want sushi in Hillcrest, it wouldn't be a bad option, I guess.
(3)Lynn F.
I took my daughter and her boyfriend there this weekend. Staff was very attentive, but most of all the sushi & sashimi was extremely fresh and tasty! I'm a hard-sell on sushi, but really enjoyed our dinner. Luke waited on us and made sure we didn't need for anything. I'll definitely be going back there again!
(4)Tom E.
I love Japanese food but am not enamored with cold fish on rice (sushi). That said, a friend and I tried Wonderful with a two-for-one coupon that was not honored for lunch specials. So we paid four dollars more for the same sesame chicken as non-specials. Surprise, the chicken was deep-fried little dried up chunks, served with deep-fried vegetables and rice. The iced tea was tasteless brown water. Service was minimal. Don't waste your time on this place.
(2)Jessica M.
This Sushi Restaurant is really close to where I live and the food is really good. I can't say that this is the best sushi I have ever had, but the sushi is really good for the price. Their customer service is a bit inconsistent, but I go for the food not the service. I have been to other restaurants that charge more for less quality sushi, so overall I love this place for the wonderful taste, convenience, and pricing. Good for groups of four people as it is very small, though I do believe they have outdoor seating that may accommodate larger groups.
(5)Barry L.
My wife and I have eaten there twice, last night being the second, once to check it out and once to make sure we weren't hallucinating the first time. Yes, there is a 30% grand opening discount on almost the entire menu, but that's not the reason to eat there. The fish is extraordinarily fresh, the portions very large and their special items are wonderful, no pun intended. I had a spider roll the taste of which is still on my mind and the eel was something special. The ambiance is very nice and, yes, sports plays on HDTV, but the sound is OFF. The service is attentive, if possibly a bit over-attentive, but it's clear they want you to have a truly positive experience.
(5)Khyla B.
YAY For Wonderful Sushi! I especially like Monkey Ball. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
(5)Jenny J.
Wonderful Sushi really is wonderful! It is reasonably priced and the fish is very fresh. In particular, I enjoyed the seaweed salad, the eel roll and the catapiller. Luke makes you smile. This places isn't well known yet, but it will be soon. . . cannot wait to go back!
(5)