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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48 Reviews
First Review by lucytrue
The Gay Vegans
Points +375
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
VeganNinjas
Points +427
FOOD ART - Edit
The Yasai separates itself from the crowd by making the vegetables shine in an artistic sushi rendition, as opposed to attempting plant based sushi. the ramen and sushi were all amazing and it was a really enjoyable dining experience!
Read moreGuest
THX1138N1
Points +130
Disappointing service - Edit
Was asked to wait for 10mins for an outside table. Waited 30mins and then was told they wouldn’t be seating any more “guests” for the evening. So disappointing. Total waste of our time when we could have gone elsewhere (which is where I’ll go in the future).
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options if they actually seat you
Cons: Poor customer service
Guest
MarianaFuentes
Points +418
Stunning! - Edit
The place where this restaurant is located in an incredible location to go with vegan or non-vegan friends to grab a bite. I order the spicy no tuna roll, jumbo crispy vegan gyoza (too oily for my taste) and my personal favourite the no-shrimp tempura roll.
Read moreThe Yasai is definitely a hot spot if you are looking for tasty Asian food!
Be aware that currently, they share space with the restaurant next to them so it gets packed quickly.
Updated from previous review on 2021-03-25
Pros: Nice vibe , Excellent food
Cons: Noisy (this can be a problem for some people)
Guest
JulieMorgentaler
Points +68
Incredible Sushi - Edit
I’ve been here twice now and loved every bite. The Believer is the best sushi roll I’ve ever had. The Caterpillar Roll is pretty delicious and more affordable. The pretzel sliders come with two small burgers that are tasty and hardy. Both the Original Ramen and Triple Tomato are excellent, in flavor and portion size. I understand why the Triple Tomato is their most popular ramen. It’s stellar. I highly recommend this restaurant.
Read morePros: Good portions, Incredible flavors, Quick service
Guest
anutthar
Points +765
Delicious Japanese food!! - Edit
Full of incredibly fresh flavours. The ramen was very very good. Henzo rolls, gyoza and cauliflower were yummy too! Will return
Read moreGuest
terraserene
Points +115
great value 😍 - Edit
i got the combo with the classic ramen & caterpillar roll for only $15! easily 2 meals in one & it was delicious.
Read morePros: combo for $15, delivery
Guest
jjavier543
Points +116
Good rolls - Edit
They have delicious rolls! They have 3 rolls that are gluten-free, and all 3 were delicious! They also have good ramen options. You have an option of what kind of broth you would like. There are also gluten-free noodles. Would come back again!
Read moreGuest
Hodzic_fam
Points +1754
Nothing special - Edit
The sushi was very good but the ramen bowls were nothing to rave about to me. The bowls were good size but taste was bland and boring. Otherwise, solid place to get vegan sushi.
Read moreGuest
Jaspinkgrl01
Points +64
Disappointing - Edit
I had ordered the curry ramen, Karaage, and the Brussel Sprout skillet.
Read moreFor the curry ramen, the broth seemed like they just dumped curry paste in it. The broth only had a spicy taste to it without the flavor. The vegetables toppings on the ramen had no seasoning on them, and the tofu wasn’t good.
For the Brussel sprout skillet, the Brussels only tasted burnt with no flavors.
The Karaage dish was the only good thing about this experience. The sauce that cane with it tasted great too.
I would have to come back again to try other things on the menu.
Cons: Expensive
Guest
cwl666
Points +1430
Pricey but good - Edit
Tried 2 rolls and seaweed salad. Everything tasted really good but for $30 not very full. Sadly had to take away because of covid-19. Wasn’t very eco friendly. Would like to try some ramen dining in. It’s the vegan side to an omnivore restaurant in a strip mall btw.
Read moreGuest
ToniaMoore
Points +150
Beautiful and delicious - Edit
Lovely sun-filled space with friendly, knowledgeable wait staff. Intriguing roll options with fun names that were very yummy. My friend got the Bento box, which is different each day, and it was great -- gyozas, 3 sushi pieces, seaweed salad, etc. Highly recommend the Yasai!
Read morePros: Completely vegan
Guest
WholeFoodLovers
Points +932
Amazing Food - Edit
We finally got a chance to check out this restaurant. We arrived at evening opening so didn't have reservations. We shared the delicious brussel sprouts,a stressed out roll and their triple tomato ramen. Everything looked and tasted amazing. Completely unique. This establishment really cares about food and your food experience. It is refreshing to have such an interesting menu to choose from. It will take us a while to work through the menu. They do work with Impossible meat on some dishes which does not appeal to us but it is clearly marked. We forgot to take pictures of the food until dessert. Restroom smelled some and had graffiti (why people think damaging sinks and walls is a mystery). Maybe they need to add caulk boards to the modern industrial decor?
Read morePros: Unique , Tasty, Wonderful caring staff
Cons: Loud music, Unclean restroom, Reservations recommended
Guest
verenadakota
Points +197
Amazing food - Edit
Went their for their Valentine's Day menu and the food was excellent! Definitely recommend it!
Read moreGuest
Lisa
Points +749
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
MrsStMichel
Points +82
Occasion destination - Edit
We celebrated a birthday with a delicious feast. So many options. And many tastes and textures. The Old Fashioned was delicious too.
Read morePros: Friendly staff, Fun drinks menu, Outstanding creativity
Cons: Make a reservation , Be prepared to wait , Parking can be a challenge so use the pay lot.
Guest
Cali-Vegan
Points +97
Missed the mark - Edit
I was so excited for this place and supremely disappointed that it failed to meet, in my opinion, lenient expectations.
Read moreFor starters we ordered the Karaage. This is the restaurants saving grace. Definitely well done. Haven't had Karaage in years and this was the best I've ever had, vegan or no. It was juicy and the fry was crispy and medium, not sense and oily.
We ordered the curry and original ramen. Noodles were good, not great. Almost too tough. And the broth.....it's as if the added no tare, and essential concentrate that elevates the base broth in saltiness and flavor. All I received was hot spice, no flavor. The presentation was on point though.
Also we ordered a mango roll, which they forget but I won't ding them for that, it was opening week. Again, this was so well presented it was almost a shame to eat it but it severely lacked in flavor. The rice was perfectly cooked, right amount of sticky. But the filling and mango dressing was lacking in any real depth. It was almost like chewing plain soy protein.
I will give it another go but for now this is my opinion. Hopefully that will change!
Pros: Expansive menu
Cons: Expensive and doesn't quite deliver
Guest
nicoleandalex
Points +50
Delicious, creative, and beautiful! - Edit
We were a large group and so we ordered many rolls and dishes to share which were all amazing. The ramen was super tasty with an awesome broth. The Brussels sprouts were the best we have ever had. The dumplings were tasty as well. We had the nigiri sampler and several speciality rolls, all of which were incredibly creative and had amazing flavor profiles with all of the specially prepared vegetables to mimic traditional sushi...but better! We even found ourselves eyeing all the other fun dishes people were getting around us. This place is amazing and a must try o for any vegan or non-vegans alike!
Read morePros: Amazing food and beautifully presented
Cons: Parking directly by the restaurant is tight
Guest
kenvegan
Points +13112
Superb! - Edit
i have to add this restaurant to my top favorite restaurants in the world list. Incredible vegan sushi and other Japanese cuisine.
Read moreThe interior is modern and simple, the waiting staff is very friendly and helpful, and the food is elegantly prepared, and the flavors are out of this world.
The Believer roll is not only gorgeous, but every bite is on another level of flavor.
Pros: Amazing food, Friendly and helpful waiting staff and chef
Guest
chauntelb
Points +22
Wonderful sushi - Edit
I was blown away at the flavor and creativity from this restaurant. It’s a wonderful sushi restaurant that happens to be vegan. Sushi, salad, and ramen with a selection of typical Asian appetizers like the crispy wonton.
Read morePros: Great flavor, Selection, Quick food delivery
Cons: Pricey but worth it , Slow to take our order , Will be busy
Guest
lucytrue
Points +16
Incredible food! - Edit
Many options, I got to try lots of the sushi and it was all delicious. I spoke to other customers and they all greatly enjoyed their meals too. Lovely staff as well.
Read moreI came 15 minutes before their opening time to avoid a long wait, but this might not be necessary a few weeks or months from now. It is very popular, and for good reason.
Pros: Delicious food, Good staff
Cons: Located in an area where parking is difficult, Long wait times between 5 and 8, arrive early
Guest
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