Serves meat, vegan options available. Newest restaurant in the Rakiraki family. Offers a plant-based spin on classic Japanese dishes. Vegan 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. This location was previously fully vegan but now shares a space with other Rakiraki concepts. Reported to use separate work stations and utensils. Open Mon-Sun 5:00pm-9:30pm.
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2254 India St (at West Juniper), San Diego, California, USA, 92101
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Last update on 04 Feb 2025 by KarenCantwell
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Added by pesne100 on 13 Jul 2020
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70 Reviews
First Review by pesne100
corrado.felicity
Points +11
Yasai Little Italy - Edit
We went for the sushi vegan option an dot was great! We loved how they can make Japanese flavors without any meat or fish! Loved it!
Read moreGuest
dea_larissa
Points +771
Best selection of vegan sushi and ramen anywhere! - Edit
We went on a Saturday night and it was PACKED! The food was well worth the wait though. They have separate vegan menus, everything from sushi, appetizers, ramen, dessert (they carry Kula Ice Cream!), and bento boxes!
Read moreWe ordered:
- garlic edamame
- The Classic vegan ramen
- Little Italy roll
- Caterpillar roll
- Queen Dragon roll
- avocado roll
Everything was absolutely delicious and if you come here for sushi, make sure you still get a ramen to share because their ramen is PHENOMENAL!
Guest
madelinek
Points +2906
YUM - Edit
such good food with a whole vegan menu! has tamari instead of soy sauce and several menu items can be made gluten free. service excellent as well! pricey but it’s sd xxxx
Read moreGuest
CamilaGalvez
Points +2163
Presentación increíble, delicioso sabor - Edit
Me encantó la presentación de los platos, muy lindo y con muchos colores. Encontré por fin nigiris veganos que es muy difícil !! Llegue antes de mi reserva y me dejaron sentarme, el servicio excelente
Read morePros: Nigiris veganos!, Bien servido, Bento box
Guest
LuckyAng
Points +76
Beautiful ramen - Edit
I ordered the tantan men, and it was the best ramen I’ve had in San Diego. So many vegan options. Spendy, but worth every penny. A new favorite
Read morePros: Vegan options galore!, Nice atmosphere
Cons: Spendy
Guest
Unclehichard
Points +22
They have a great variety of vegan sushi rolls. It is my absolute favorite spot. - Edit
They have lots of great options.
Read morePros: Great vegan sushi rolls
Cons: Slightly pricey
Guest
NicoleParks
Points +3935
great vegan ramen - Edit
i loved the sushi and the ramen! i got a caterpillar roll and the classic ramen and they were both really good. the food was reallyyy expensive but that’s what is expected from vegan sushi in downtown san diego. there were so many options with beautiful presentation, i definitely want to come back and try more things
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-10-29
Guest
sconroy
Points +518
The vegan rolls were phenomenal! - Edit
Greta choice for vegan sushi, highly recommend
Read moreGuest
mallow
Points +436
It’s ok - Edit
It’s alright. Kinda pricey and not the best. Knocking off some stars because they used to be fully veg and aren’t anymore
Read moreGuest
Nmg
Points +97
Used to be good, service is terrible & no longer vegan - Edit
The service has always been a bit mercurial (perhaps high staff turnover?), but the last time we went there, the staff member brought one out of two dishes, and then had the gall to ask us if we were ready for the check after not bringing us our dish. They served us a rush job of their little italy roll, and it was pretty mediocre. They also are no longer fully vegan. The wait staff all vape between customers as well which I consider unprofessional.
Read moreI would potentially consider take-out, but dining in here just isn't worth it after several meh to downright bad experiences with service.
Pros: Good vegan japanese, when they get it right
Cons: Expensive, Bad service
Guest
drcleavengergmail.com
Points +71
Japanese vegan restaurant. - Edit
The vegan sushi rolls are exceptional - great presentation. Also the Ramen was very good. Service was top notch and pricing was reasonable. Loved this place and will eat here again and again
Read morePros: Great food options for vegans
Cons: Outdoor dining is a bit loud. Indoors is preferred
Guest
NancyMeatlessMeetup
Points +206
Many Creative Vegan Options - Edit
We arrived well before 6:00 p.m. Our server was friendly and competent. Based on her recommendation, we ordered the gyoza and two of their best specialty rolls. The jumbo crispy vegan gyoza were very good. The rolls were very creative and nicely presented, but not especially delicious and took 45 minutes to arrive. This restaurant has a lot of creative vegan options and I would recommend it, provided you are not in a rush and not on a tight budget.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-04-25
Pros: Creative vegan options., Sizeable vegan menu., Friendly staff.
Cons: Long wait., Food was definitely fine, but not delicious., Expensive.
Guest
WholeFoodLovers
Points +1794
Tasty Meal - Edit
Delicious vegan sushi and ramen. Enjoyed prompt and helpful service. Brie was able to guide us in our menu decision. Refreshing cucumber water served.
Read morePros: Interesting tastes and menu options , GF options even for sushi, Dine in and patio
Cons: On the expensive side, No non-caffeinated tea available
Guest
guybraverman
Points +2063
Excellent Japanese - Edit
5 stars in my opinion, but HappyCow won’t allow higher than. 4 stars to a restaurant not fully vegan (understandable). The food is exceptional, tried dishes from every section on their menu and each dish was mind blowing. Service was great, everyone on staff was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend!
Read morePros: Has a whole vegan menu available , Some organic ingredients used, Ramen, sushi and the Brussels sprouts
Cons: Not fully vegan
Guest
KaleSeitan
Points +141
No Gyoza No Problem - Edit
Great taste profiles - really interesting dishes everything was really good Chicken amazing and the tofu app was a secret weapon - they were out of Gyoza so I’m going back
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-03-12
Pros: Cheap, Super fast , Amazing taste profiles
Cons: Open dining
Guest
Kirsses
Points +888
Better Location of the Two - Edit
No wait time on a Thursday night but service was iffy — took awhile to put in our order and they only came by to refill the (small) water glasses once during the entire hour we were there. The rolls are overpriced but SO good. My friend hadn’t ever tried veg sushi before and said it was the best sushi roll she’d ever had.
Read moreCons: Expensive , Poor Service
Guest
jenny495
Points +93
AMAZING!! - Edit
Service was fabulous! Waiter was so nice, the wait for food was regular (not too long or short), and the food was sooooo good. I highly recommend the classic ramen with the red sauce, the caterpillar roll, the little italy roll, and the cauliflower appetizer.
Read moreGuest
beckmolloy
Points +145
Ab Fab - Edit
Friendly service, beautiful and delicious food with separate
Read morePros: Lots and lots of options , Separate vegan menu, Amazing flavors, beautiful platters,superfriendly
Cons: On the expensive side, worth it!!!!
Guest
LorraineGadsden
Points +7766
Great Sushi! - Edit
Before going vegan, sushi was my absolute favorite food, so I was very excited to try this place, and it did not disappoint. The rolls were delicious and reminded me of some of my favorite rolls from my pescatarian days! The okonomiyaki was also good, but I’ve never had one before, so I have no comparison. The ramen was the only slight disappointment. I have had many better vegan ramens. It was oily but still had good
Read moreUpdate:
The food is delicious! I still recommend giving it a try, especially those who have never had vegan sushi or just really good food that happens to be vegan. However...
I originally gave this place five stars; however, I have eaten here multiple times, so I am changing my review. Three stars feel harsh since the food is good, but I have three significant problems with Yasai. One, the sushi is super expensive. I understand these are creative rolls, and sushi, in general, is expensive, but this is a pricey meal. The price alone did not bother me until mixed with my other two issues. Second, the service is spotty. I have never eaten in the store (which I have read is where the worst service is), but I have met friendly and grumpy workers when picking up orders. We ordered on Uber for pick up one time, and they were so busy they did not take our order. That inherently is not a problem; however, they did not cancel the order or tell us until we physically went down to the location, and they were like, "oops?" They did remake our order for us, but it was after their closing hours, and we had been waiting for a long time when nobody was even looking at it. Fine, human mistakes happen, I understood, but that has never happened to me before, and I was hangry. Lastly, they recently are no longer vegan, which was the last thing that made this place "meh" for me. If it were only expensive, only spotty service, or only non-vegan, I would let it slide and give it the full four stars; however, due to all three circumstances, I have no desire to return to Yasai.
Updated from previous review on 2022-01-18
Pros: amazing food, creative
Cons: expensive (!!), service is spotty, no longer fully vegan
Guest
Peter_James
Points +106
Will return! - Edit
We ordered the jumbo crispy vegan gyoza, little Italy roll, Stressed out roll, kyoto shoyu - black addition ramen, AND vegan pecan pie ice cream. All delicious and so worth being absolutely stuffed. Hours are short so make a reservation 🗓
Read morePros: Full vegan 🌱 menu available, Great staff, Seasonal ingredients keep the menu interesting
Cons: Not 100% vegan
Guest
GaneshDatta
Points +16
No longer vegan only 😭 - Edit
They’re now combined fully with rakiraki
Read morePeter_James
Thank you for the heads up! They are now RAKIRAKI. Very confusing, mixed up phone numbers and incorrect website.
Read morehttps://rakirakiramen.com is the new listing
Guest
robnorris
Points +260
WOW - Edit
this sushi is just great, a must have if you are in San Diego
Read moreGuest
alienvegan
Points +5035
High quality vegan sushi - Edit
I got the bento box, with an assortment of sushi. It was fantastic. I especially recommend the spyder roll.
Read moreGuest
TimNAcycle
Points +62
Simply Excellent - Edit
After eating here I feel that it is quite possible that it is truly and completely unique in its vegan options. If someone told me that every other Asian cuisine vegan restaurant started with non-vegan dishes and then simply decided what to take out and what to add I would believe you. Here they must have started from the bottom up while maintaining the character and seeming authenticity of the original dishes.
Read moreI had the tantanmen ramen, and no-spicy tuna roll, and they completely blew away any competition I have had. The sesame broth with the additional spicy additive they offered me was completely fulfilling in taste and proportion. I’ve eaten countless veggie rolls, but always felt vegan sushi was just missing something until now.
While of course I would love for their prices to be lower, I wouldn’t hesitate to come back. I felt just a little slighted as a solo diner while they were running a buy 1 get 1 of everything on the menu as long as it was the exact same (no buy a ramen get a sushi). I must emphasize regardless of the pricing or deals they were running, a return trip would be a delight.
Pros: Lots of vegan options , Supreme quality, Supreme flavor
Cons: Pricier than I’d like, Deals not kind to a solo diner
Guest
esundquist
Points +41
Fantastic experience - Edit
Was in San Diego for work, and a friend recommended Yasai. I am so glad. I had an appetizer and a roll, and they were both delicious.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-10-31
Pros: Nice friendly service , Very well executed vegan takes on Japanese fare
Cons: Outdoor seating noisy due to airport (indoors OK)
Guest
laurentravels
Points +432
Close to the Airport - Edit
Street parking is the only parking I saw that was available.
Read moreFood was delicious and with beautiful presentation. The Karaage chicken was okay, a bit pricy for the amount you get, plus traditional Karaage chicken is much more "crispy" than this one. I suggest getting some sushi rolls because those were my favorite!
I do suggest making a reservation beforehand since it was pretty busy when we went.
There is also a place that has craft beers next door so I recommend picking up some after or maybe if you have to wait for a table.
Updated from previous review on 2021-05-27
Pros: Specialty Vegan Sushi, Good quality
Cons: Expensive
Guest
jezbilinka
Points +16
Amazing! - Edit
This was the best sushi I’ve ever had! Beautiful and delicious.
Read moreGuest
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