Sushi OTA

I have no idea how the food is because despite having made reservations a week in advance for a birthday dinner, confirming the day off, arriving 10 minutes early, they were not prepared and kept seating parties that arrived after us! We asked three times what was going on, each time we were told they were very sorry, but it would be another 5 to 10 minutes! No explanation as to why others were being seated before us that had arrived after us and after a half hour of waiting and then still being told it would be another 5 to 1o minutes, we left! They either have the most incompetent hostess or are prejudicial, meaning our party included other minorities besides Asians, as I noticed that the only patrons in the restaurant and those being seated before us were whites and Asians! I don't care how good the food is, I will never even give them a try again! Thanks for ruining our birthday dinner! more

Went for first time for lunch on a weekday. It was impossible to find parking, even in the lot behind the strip. Once I got to the restaurant, I was promptly seated. The service was very quick, and impeccible. I tried several pieces of sushi and a roll. The sushi was slightly disappointing, after all the raves this place has had in the past (and after having eaten at Sasabune in Honolulu last month). The sake and hamachi I ordered failed to overly impress. The roll was good. I will definitely come back again, and try more things. Pros: Quick service, good food Cons: Parking more

The food was average, nothing special. However, the staff was most unprofessional. Our group of 6 arrived for our reservation on time a 6:00 PM on a Wednesday. The staff immediately warned us that we had to be finished by 7:30, or else!!! You would think they were giving it away for free. Also, they kept on forgetting items we ordered. If we would have had a bad memory, we probably would have never received all of our food.\r \r Cons: Poor Service more

This place is crowded and I agree with some of the other posters, waiting for a table even with a reservation can be very annoying. However the sushi and sashimi is great! Pros: Great basic sushi!! Cons: Wait, service just okay more

Took my wife here after reading rave reviews on this site. First impression upon entering the restaurant was very good. It was very crowded and full of Japanese customers, all good signs. What I noticed as we were waiting to check in for our reservation was that Japanese people definately got preferential treatment. I was in line just to let the front know that we had reservations (not even waiting for our table yet) when a group of Japanese would come in and would be greeted with hugs and seated right away!! Ok, I thought, as long as the food is good, no problem. So after we got seated at the sushi bar, we ordered some rolls and omakase dinners. Sushi was very unspectacular (small portions may I add). Hey, maybe that is ""real sushi"". Well, if it is, then I dont like the real deal. One reader went as far as to say that this was one of the best sushi in all of southern CA.....no friggin way. For really good sushi, try your luck with Happy Sushi in Mira Mesa or Sushi Ono in Hillcrest. Sushi Ono surprising had one of THE freshest and tasty sushi I had in a long time. Avoid Sushi Ota....unless you're Japanese. Pros: nice atmosphere...feels like you're in Japan Cons: sushi not good more

May be these guys are just uneven. May be these guys are just full of themselves. Either way, I had a horrible experience there. The sashimi did not taste fresh. The servers were surly and seemed put out that we were not people they recognized. Too bad for them. We had just moved to San Diego from San Francisco. We love sushi and were looking forward to Sushi Ota because it was on the top five sushi restaurant list for San Diego. After that experience, we haven't been back and, frankly, Sushi Ota would not even make it on a top twenty list in the whole San Francisco Bay Area. more

Don't let this place fool you. Though it's tucked behind a convenience store, and a Thai restaurant, it is a hidden gem. The fish is fresh, and some of the specials they have are amazing. My wife and I went here on the recommendation of a friend and were pretty happy with all facets of the food (sushi, tempura, etc...). There was a LONG wait though, even after we had made a reservation, and the place was pretty packed (we were seated right next to another couple which we didn't mind, though other people may find intrusive). Overall, a decent experience. Pros: Good selection of food Cons: Long wait for seating, Hard to find if you don't know where it is, tight quarters more

Up to par with decent sushi places in LA, but by far the best fish in SD. There's really no other place to go in SD for good sushi. Pros: good sushi Cons: not much more

This unassuming strip mall location has the best sushi in San Diego by far. The experience is about as authentic as it gets. Much of the clientele is Japanese and the restaurant can get very crowded. However, you won't find a better selection or quality of fish anywhere. Be sure to try the oototo! Pros: Great fresh fish Cons: Crowded more

Summary: To tell myself Sushi Ota was delectably delightful would only begin to scratch the taste buds as my mouth exploded in delight when the otoro (fatty tuna) touched down. They have some of the freshest fish you'll find from both sides of the Pacific, the chefs are all knowledgeable, professional, and talkative. We went omakase (chef's choice) style as well as picked up a baked scallop dish, proving that both cooked and uncooked made the grade. We went on a Monday (I believe the chef mentioned they get their shipments in on Monday) for lunch and had to wait about 30 minutes for the sushi bar which serves about 12.\r \r \r \r Recommendations:\r - Make a reservation for the sushi bar if possible. If you are going for a table on a busy day I'd probably recommend it as well, it seems to have a following.\r - Careful on the parking. The strip mall's parking is small and tight, but there is a convenience store which should have a decent amount of people churning in and out.\r - Try the otoro (fatty tuna). It was $12 for 2 pieces when I went and worth every penny. Even a friend of mine who has sushi very infrequently was blown away by the taste.\r - The chefs cut and move between orders at a blinding pace, so you may have to be slightly aggressive (depending on your chef) if you want attention. (It was the only reason I dinged Ota a star, but it is also understandable considering the ratio of tables to sushi chefs.) more

Even with reservations you can expect a wait, but you have to be there on time in order to get the table. However, the sushi is fantastic. I would definitely say that it is on par with great places I've been to in LA and New York, and among the best sushi I've had in the US. It doesn't quite compare with the sushi in Japan, but is not bad for the States. I would recommend the sashimi omakase, we once had that there and it came with a live lobster and lobster sashimi which is not even readily available in Japan. I would also recommend trying to get seated at the sushi bar. I usually get the chef's recommended sushi and sashimi, which is excellent. Pros: delicious fresh sushi (the freshest in san diego) Cons: expensive compared to other sushi restaurants, need to make reservations ahead of time more

You know this place is the best when it's standing room only and you can't get a reservation for the same day. And when you see this many Japanese people in one place, you know it's authentic, too. The spider rolls are awesome! more

Located next to a Planned Parenthood Express and a 7-11, you wouldn't suspect that the finest sushi... more

Located next to a Planned Parenthood Express and a 7-11, you wouldn't suspect that the finest sushi restuarant in San Diego would be nestled in the... more

You can't do much better in San Diego than this place for sushi. Angelenos may find the sushi here merely average compared to what you can find in LA, but for San Diego it is pretty good. They do rolls well here. Daily recommended appetizers are usually fresh and tasty as well. The decor is rather hip. The service is good. Likely wait due to high popularity. Pros: good rolls, good appetizers Cons: likely wait more