Masa Japanese Restaurant, San Diego, California Restaurant Details

Food:

It's a staple for date night with my boyfriend. They have some unusual items on the menu but still really tasty! Highly recommended!

Food:

I highly recommend. It's a small place but the food is great and they are open late.

Must gets: ramen and their masa's fried chicken (make sure to squeeze lemon over it).

They are popular for their ramen but also do very well with their sushi and bento boxes. It feels like an authentic Japanese restaurant. Make sure to head their early before their dinner rush or you can expect at least a 45 minute wait. They have parking but the lot gets pretty packed and Mission Hills street parking is not the greatest, but well worth the hunt.

Food:

I went to this restaurant based on the great reviews, and it was terrible. I've lived in Japan, and was with 2 Japanese people. It was embarrassing. I am always suspicious of an ethnic restaurant with nobody from that ethnicity in it. All non-Japanese patrons. I suspect this is run by Koreans, because there was kimchee on the menu for one, and Japanese food normally has very delicate flavors, which is overpowered by kimchee. I have never seen kimchee offered in a real Japanese restaurant. I have also lived in Korea and love kimchee, but then it goes well with Korean food. At any rate, the tempura was soggy and greasy. It was inedible. The ramen was horrible; tasted like package ramen. Again, inedible. Good thing I wasn't too hungry. The gyoza was blah. The sushi was okay, but not spectacular. The food was presented very well, and they had some unusual things on the menu, but if you can't get the basics right...

Food:

Easily best ramen in San Diego, although there isn't much competition here.

The broth is perfectly salted with hints of miso- nice and hot. The ramen is always cooked to al dente and just the right amount of chewiness for the broth. It is always worth adding an egg to the dish. Deal breaker. Char siu is the best component- fresh, filling, and subtle hint of sweet.

Other dishes worth nothing: agedashi tofu, miso soup, tempura.

Service is excellent here. You'll be greeted cheerfully by the whole restaurant crew upon entering/exiting. Strong cultural influence, which is awesome. It's like being in Japan...in San Diego.

Food:

My friends are I were craving Ramen around midnight last Friday so we first tried Tajima. The wait was ridiculous so I suggested we try Izakaya Masa because I had heard good things. It did not disappoint. I had their fried chicken and their Hakata ramen. I would probably kill to have that meal again at this very moment. The flavors were excellent. I also really liked the service and the decor - both are friendly and inviting. Definitely a hidden gem, can't wait to go back.