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 11 Jul 2024 by ScottCarman
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Added by pesne100 on 13 Jul 2020
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58 Reviews
First Review by pesne100
WholeFoodLovers
Points +932
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 +908
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 +806
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 +7144
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 +102
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 +15
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 +4972
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
StaceyP
Points +675
Good - Edit
The Triple Tomato was good, right amount of saltiness, spiciness, and tomato flavor.
Read morePros: Friendly staff and plenty of choices.
Cons: Small portions and overly priced.
Guest
AmandaSakiye
Points +3272
The BEST. Hands down. - Edit
Everything is absolutely perfect. Such a creative fusion between Japanese and Californian food. Love it.
Read moreGuest
GingerCline
Points +972
Best sushi I’ve ever had - Edit
This place is straight 🔥. Highly recommend the stresses out and crunchy rolls. I was blown away!!
Read moreGuest
Darleneloves
Points +43
Best vegan sushi and ramen - Edit
My partner and I had the no-shrimp roll and Sakura and they were to live for but my favorite part was the Triple Tomato ramen with gluten free noodles. The service was great and we received our food quickly. Highly recommend this beautiful place.
Read morePros: Lots of choices, Delicious food, Great service
Cons: Airplane noise
Guest
arivegan2
Points +56
AMAZING - Edit
Holy crap their sushi and ramen is INCREDIBLE. Highly recommend.
Read moreGuest
619veg
Points +95
Great Vegan Sushi! - Edit
Nice atmosphere, great service & delicious food! The complimentary garlic edamame was a nice surprise. We ordered five classic rolls and felt like it took awhile for our food but brought out all rolls at once. Would recommend arriving early or making reservations as it could get busy and have a wait list. Definitely coming back!!
Read moreGuest
S...c..
Points +46
Wow! - Edit
Absolutely delicious vegan Japanese. The classic ramen was outstanding. A must-go restaurant.
Read moreGuest
Durianwalker
Points +1761
big gourmet rolls with excellent ginger - Edit
wasabi hit complete.. miso soup was basic, they should add some tofu cubes.. the brussel sprout dish had a creamy fatty sauce. loved the catapillar roll the most..
Read morePros: great food, great location, indoor/outdoor seating
Cons: need tofu in their miso soup
Guest
SamanthaKTeng
Points +1469
Incredible! A New Favourite Ramen! - Edit
Our first time having the Yasai was Dec 20 2020. We came back again and I tried The Classic ramen. I was debating whether I should try a new ramen or get the triple tomato but since everything we had last time was so good - I felt like maybe you just can’t go wrong and I’d hate to miss out on another great new menu item....I’m SO glad I tried The Classic. It was SO flavourful with a tinge of creaminess.
Read moreI will say that I preferred the kabocha squash that our ramens had last time. Today it was thinner, harder, drier and almost seemed overcooked because of the color and that it was hard to bite. The tofu slices were very different than before. Also both our triple tomato & curry ramens had steamed bok choy last time and this time neither of our ramens did and I think it’s a lot nicer with that healthier element.
But, I LOVE their gluten free noodles. My husband got the triple tomato ramen with gluten free noodles because he loved the bowl I had last time so much.
My original Dec 20 2020 review below:
Top 2 Best Vegan Japanese food I’ve ever had.
What a lovely place. The website is beautiful, the photos are beautiful, the food is plated beautifully, the food is insanely good, the restaurant is beautiful and has a very nice atmosphere.
The food did not disappoint. It was delicious, had complexity to the flavours...The triple tomato ramen...I never thought I’d enjoy a tomato broth ramen but decided to try since it’s known as their number 1. I am so glad I ordered it! It’s sweet, savoury, tiny bit sour - perfectly balanced. I loved the toppings/garnish. Next time I’d get more veg instead of tofu & fried onions and it’d be perfect for me. I also got the gluten free noodles. I was sooo surprised at how yummy they were - nice bite, perfectly cooked, slightly chewy, good flavour. I actually liked them more than my husbands regular ramen noodles. 9.5-10/10
My husband got the curry ramen with regular noodles. He Looooved his bowl as well. To me, it tasted like a mix of Japanese curry and the homemade Soto broth my mom would make. It was super tasty. 9/10
We also got the caterpillar roll. I was really surprised at how delicious it was. The rice was so well seasoned and perfectly cooked as well. I saved two pieces for the next day and shockingly the rice was still soft and sticky - not hard. So good! 10/10
I can’t wait to bring non-veg friends and family here one day and come back again to try other items. What an incredibly delicious and beautiful treat.
Guest
Bekindbekind
Points +553
40 minutes late and rude - Edit
Unfortunately I have to leave my first ever bad review for a vegan restaurant. We ordered online and it said it would be ready in 30 minutes. We high-tailed it down there and an hour and 10 minutes later it was finally ready—standing on the sidewalk in the cold for 40 minutes. This was fairly early on a weeknight. When we got it home it appeared a roll was missing because we ordered 5 rolls and there were only 4 boxes. When I called and complained the person actually hung up on me! (No goodbye, just a hang up—after they delayed 40 minutes.) I did not raise my voice. She told me the wait was because they use an “online system”. I asked why the online system didn’t just say the real time. When I called back again she actually said “are we calm now?” Again, I did not raise my voice. I finally spoke to a manager and he explained that he boxed two rolls together so we weren’t missing one. I explained to him about the wait and said it might be nice to get an apology and not be hung up on. His response? “No worries.” Yeah, 40 minutes late, hanging up on your $100 customer, “no worries”...the sushi was okay...the gyoza was not too bad.
Read moreCons: 40 minutes late—took 1:10 when said 30, Hung up on me when I called to complain, Wish I could give one star
Guest
catherinetg143
Points +140
Beautiful AND Delicious - Edit
I can’t say enough good things about this place. This is one of the top vegan places in the greater San Diego area - easily. The Yasai is a place that proves that you absolutely don’t need to eat animal products to have a fantastic meal. Every single item on this menu is so artfully crafted (yes, I’ve had everything) and delicious. The nigiri sampler is, by far, the most unique/fun/special item at this place, and I’m always impressed by it. Stressed Out is the most popular item among my friends for the taste. I feel like I am having a fine dining experience with how stunning these dishes are. In addition, all of the staff is so amazing and kind. I’ve never waited longer than I am told it will be for my pick up orders; in fact, they’re usually faster! Surprisingly reasonable pricing for the quality of the dishes, and sustainable packaging. Love this place.
Read morePros: Stunning dishes, Amazing flavors, Kind staff
Guest
zacharyzollman
Points +436
A beautiful experience - Edit
I really enjoyed this place! The menu introduced me to new and creative dishes while still being easily navigated. The food was delicious, and the presentation was remarkable.
Read moreGuest
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