Serves meat, vegan options available. Est. Nov 2019. as San Diego County’s first all-vegan Japanese restaurant. In 2021 introduced a new concept to the restaurant which offers meat but still has a separate vegan concept sharing the space. Offers a plant-based spin on classic Japanese dishes. Headed by Chef Junya Watanabe, of Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen fame, dishes include fresh preparations created in the Japanese tradition. Menu includes a wide variety of classic and specialty sushi rolls, ramen with hand-crafted triple-thick noodles, salads, and a variety of starters/small plates such as gyoza, crispy gobo, Brussel sprouts skillet, made-in-house tofu chawanmushi, and more. Vegetable sources include Chino Farm. Open Mon-Fri 5:00pm-9:30pm, Sat-Sun 12:00pm-9:30pm.
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4646 Convoy St, San Diego, California, USA, 92111
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Last update on 29 Feb 2024 by LittleBam
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Added by bettywouldgo on 19 Nov 2019
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46 Reviews
First Review by lucytrue
Lisa
Points +409
Legit amazing - Edit
Wow and wow. Party in my mouth. Brilliant attention to detail, flavor combinations, textures. Truly a treat.
Read morePros: Beautiful food presentation, Delicious food
Cons: Parking lot was insanely packed, No take out
Guest
SusanG70
Points +25
Best vegan Bao! - Edit
The vegan ramen is excellent. But the mushroom based Vegan Bao - no words. Go get some.
Read morePros: Great food, Clean and bright
Cons: Usually busy, Loud
Guest
sg27
Points +288
So good!!! - Edit
The cream cheese, fake shrimp and tuna were my favorite pieces of the sushi. I really enjoyed it!
Read moreCons: Expensive
Guest
BrianFitch
Points +26
Exciting, tasty meal - Edit
Great flavors with inventive combinations made this vegan take on an izakaya an absolute delight. I can’t wait to go back. Furthermore, there was an aspect of the evening that was a little less than perfect, but the way the matter was handled pleased me greatly.
Read morePros: Food/flavors, Range of menu options, Service
Cons: Parking
Guest
ap1st
Points +298
Some of the best vegan sushi! - Edit
This is some of the best vegan sushi I’ve ever had. It was amazing! I loved the ambiance and atmosphere of the restaurant. Make sure to ask for the vegan side of the restaurant, because the meat-eater side is loud and noisy.
Read morePros: Food tasted fresh
Guest
NicoleParks
Points +1649
incredible vegan sushi - Edit
the vegan sushi was delicious!! the fake shrimp, fake crab, and fake tuna are all amazing. I tried the Believer roll and the King Minato roll and they were both incredible. the Believer comes with 8 pieces and a sweet creamy sauce, while the King Minato comes with 6 pieces and is more smokey and citrusy
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-12-02
Pros: delicious sushi, creative menu
Cons: very expensive, $24 for one roll w/tax+tip and still hungry, parking is tough
Guest
AlixAmu
Points +738
Come here for the bao buns and ramen - Edit
I recommend the bao buns and ramen although be prepared to feel heavy after eating ramen here.
Read moreThis round we skipped the ramen and got their specialty sushi rolls and honestly we have had better sushi at the Village in north park. The sushi has interesting combos but overpriced. The most expensive roll was very basic. Don’t pass on the bao buns 😮💨 probably the best buns I’ve ever had out of any Japanese V restaurants. They use mushrooms and real plants no fake meats in it which is really nice to see.
Updated from previous review on 2023-10-22
Pros: 2 locations , Get the bao buns!!!, Low wait times even when busy
Cons: Overpriced sushi , Heavy ramen feels
Guest
HCun4KL
Points +16
Vegan Japanese menu - Edit
Delicious food with a separate vegan menu in addition to regular menu. Several vegan ramen dishes as well as vegan sushi choices
Read morePros: Delicious vegan ramen, Attentive helpful waitress helped choose items
Cons: Unfortunately out of vegan ice cream
Guest
Nikkig124
Points +144
Good food bad service - Edit
The wait staff has to host, take orders and run food. Our waitress could not handle everything. It took over 30 minutes to get our food out. Another server brought it too us but we didn’t have soy sauce or wasabi. So we had to sit there for another few minutes. I had to call the waitress over. It was 45 minutes from when we sat down to when we could actually eat our food. Meanwhile the people who were sat after us checkout before we started eating.
Read moreGuest
danihella
Points +28
amazing vegan ramen - Edit
I always get the same Kyoto Shoyu ramen when I go and it never dissapoints. It has tofu, kabocha squash, fried garlic, and other veggies. super super good.
Read moreI had their inari pockets for their first time and they were so good, especially the sauce served with them
Updated from previous review on 2023-07-24
Pros: They have a fully vegan menu, ambiance is good
Cons: The wait can be long sometimes especially weekends
Guest
shvnine
Points +86
Great experience, great food - Edit
Got the triple tomato ramen and the king oyster scallops 😋 everything was sooo good
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , You can see food being made, Friend service, customers get greeted by everyone
Cons: A bit claustrophobic, Parking lot is packed, had to park elsewhere
Guest
Besmacary
Points +170
First time trying vegan ramen - Edit
Very yummy and when I went the restaurant was fully vegan.
Read moreGuest
ltracy
Points +74
Disappointing - Edit
Finally tried this spot and I’m so sad to say it was disappointing. In their quest to be creative everything seemed really overdone, with the result being a chaos of flavors.
Read moreOf our four items, we enjoyed one— the scallops appetizer. The 2 rolls and other app was honestly not even palatable.
They were out of three wines, leaving one option.
Our waiter left our dirty plates at the table twice, finally removing them after we stacked them in the middle and he dropped the bill.
Also the ambiance was more rowdy indoor food truck. This was also a bit lacking giving the price of the food.
:(
Pros: Loads of vegan options, Attempts at creativity, Food and presentation looks good
Cons: Taste, Service , Price
Guest
andyjng
Points +4717
Creative Sushi in SD - Edit
For those unaware, "yasai やさい" means "vegetables," and I can't think of a more proper name to represent a vegan Japanese restaurant serving up some unique sushi rolls and plant-based dishes.
Read moreMy friend and I ordered to-go their Hanzo Sword and Believer Rolls, both with forbidden rice for those extra nutrients and pop of color. The HS Roll had wonderful textures from the mushrooms and the lemon zest made it pop, but I was definitely a Believer with its fantastic torched salmon/tuna on top along the avocado and crunch inside.
We also ordered their kaarage which was essentially five pieces of tofu/seitan nuggets with two dipping sauces - one which was a fantastic cilantro mayo that I would dip anything into to enjoy. These were fine but I would stick with the sushi the next time.
While I did really enjoy the sushi rolls, my biggest gripe was the pricing and ever-changing menu. In the span of what appears to be a few months, prices for rolls have shot up from around $15 to $19, making this quite a pricy spot. The menu seems to have shifted so there are a lot less rolls to choose from, and the website doesn't list prices which is a pet peeve of mine.
Parking can be a nightmare here so be prepared to find street parking or order to-go and take your food somewhere else like we did.
Pros: Creative sushi rolls
Cons: Limited parking
Guest
KellyHudson
Points +515
Amazing Sushi & Amazing Raman! - Edit
I can’t wait to go back! The vegan sushi roll was so amazing! The best I’ve ever had. The edamame was tasty. I came back and had the Dream Come True Bento box. So delicious! I had the red rice sushi roll. Everything tasted delicious and fresh. I’ll be back again and again. Highly recommend. They have a special vegan menu.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-08-27
Pros: Lots of vegan rolls and delicious Raman , Great atmosphere , Beautiful sushi rolls with flowers
Cons: Expensive , Parking (park around the block and walk)
Guest
EthanThao
Points +44
Go to spot on the Convoy - Edit
Best ramen I've ever had!!
Read moreSince the Convoy doesn't offer much vegan options, this one beats them all!
Guest
Nyasa
Points +176
Such good sushi, so expensive - Edit
The ramen was delicious and fairly priced but the sushi rolls are waaay expensive! They’re delicious and very unique but so pricey. For me, just because of the price I don’t go here often at all. But it is very good!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-06-15
Pros: Mostly vegan options, Incredible food
Cons: Very expensive sushi
Guest
Sierradawnd
Points +66
MIND BLOWING RAMEN - Edit
Amazing and mind blowing ramen I had it when I was sick (had someone pick it up) it felt like it instantly revived me. I haven’t been able to find quality vegan ramen and here it is. Also the sushi is pretty good and interior is excellent. I’ve only ever gotten takeout and it’s a 20 minute wait.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-05-01
Pros: Delicious food, AmaZing vibe
Guest
hellzzbellzz
Points +20
Amazing vegan sushi! Best I’ve had, and we go every time we come to SD. - Edit
We went to the one in little italy and they have a full vegan menu so with so many options!
Read morePros: Loads of vegan options , Creative and beautifully presented , Freshly prepared
Guest
Bushtitty
Points +501
Underwhelming - Edit
We had high hopes for vegan sushi but we’re thrown off that they also serve meat here. We had the pretzel sliders which were good, but the sushi was just ok. We shared the Hanzo sword and Spyder rolls, beautiful presentation but I feel like I’ve eaten better vegan sushi. We were also not seated in the Yasai portion of the restaurant and it was really noisy. Sorry, not my favourite place!
Read moreYoungBui
It’s seems like this place was losing money…I was there when they did divide the two restaurants(vegan side to non vegan side) I guess it’s really hard to maintain a vegan restaurant in a mostly non vegan area…tears*
Read moreBushtitty
I agree, it’s sad to hear. One of our fave spots near Denver closed earlier this year and we were crushed!
Read moreGuest
DrMichelle20
Points +483
Bad service - amazing sushi - Edit
Absolutely loved the sushi - tried 4 different rolls that were all delicious. We were taking our friends out for their first vegan restaurant experience and I was embarrassed by how bad the service was! The two people who ordered ramen got their ramen a full 30 mins before those of us who ordered sushi and the staff didn’t stop by our table once during that whole time. Then they forgot our 4th roll and made the wait even longer.
Read moreGuest
Kirsses
Points +642
Good Food but Service Sucks - Edit
Our server was the only nice part of our experience other than the food itself. The hostess seemed annoyed with us from the moment we walked up, the “30 minute wait” was actually an hour, it took 45 minutes from ordering to get our food, and the rolls are very overpriced for the overall experience. The rolls themselves are great! But the wait, service, and expense just don’t add up to make a positive experience.
Read moreCons: expensive , long wait
Guest
AgnesIriszKatona
Points +81
Great food, bad service!! - Edit
I was in love this place for the longest time, so obviously I decided to organize my first post-COVID bday dinner with friends at this place!! My friends are not fully vegan, but they were really really excited to try the food here, cuz I couldn’t shut up about how yummy it was, and how vegan food will absolutely blow their minds!
Read moreWe were a party of 6, so I made sure to reserve the table a week in advance!
Yet, when we arrived, all their tables were taken, we were literally standing there for 45mins with gifts, cake in our hands waiting, til someone finally left. Even after that they weren’t really eager to make up for our discomfort, which felt bad personally, since I have been a frequent visitor, and generous tipper thru the years, even during tough COVID times
Have to mention though, that their kitchen is truly amazing!!! Anything on the menu will please your taste buds to the max!!
Updated from previous review on 2021-10-08
Pros: Best flavors
Guest
MelMo
Points +28
Time to remove a star. :( - Edit
Time to remove a star. The Yasai serves meat now. Why can’t we have nice things?? This place has been a favorite to me and my family. Now, I don’t know what to think.
Read morePros: Beautiful presentation, Awesome flavors
Cons: No longer Vegan, Expensive
Guest
life_alive
Points +30
An Absolute Must - Edit
Delicious vegan alternatives inspired by popular and classic Japanese recipes. My wife and I loved their appetizers. I’ve been craving their crispy Gyoza. Their Karaage will “wow” you. Incredible Sushi & top notch Ramen.
Read morePros: Entirely Vegan Menu, Nice Atmosphere , Quality Service
Guest
mac2jeter
Points +68
Come to Utah! - Edit
This place was amazing in every way. We had sushi, ramen, and the brussel sprouts. Everything was amazing in every way. You must go here and we need one of these in Utah!
Read moreGuest
The Gay Vegans
Points +351
My favorite ramen plus! - Edit
Plus so much more! The Tantanmen ramen was packed with flavor. We loved every bite. Lots of sushi options, our favorite of those we tried was the Stressed Out. Great service. Beautiful space. We will be back.
Read morePros: Ramen, Vegan sushi
Guest
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