I’ve been dining here for years. I’m not a regular but I do come back once a year to introduce their exquisite cuisine to a close friend or family member. Their staff is always working hard to serve you as you deserve. They give you a warm welcome and are always polite to everyone. The food which is their key to success is top notch. It’s simple but delicious. Too many dishes to recommend but I love their soups and appetizers the most. I’m glad they have good business despite the pandemic and lack of staff, keep it up team! Arigatō

Had the tempura udon. I got to say that the broth was delicious and the noodles were perfect. Service quick and calm. A very welcoming environment.

Everything was so delicious. I ordered spicy miso ramen and kanpai special. The ramen was very good, and the pork had so much flavor, I added some bean sprouts. It was a big bowl! The kanpai special had teriyaki chicken sushi and tempura veggies, all of them very good. The service was friendly and welcoming. I had a great time, definitely will come back again and try different dish!

I’ll start by why I did not give Kanpai a 5… Absolutely nothing to do with the food. The staff has always been super friendly. But; if it’s about honesty, and I truly love this place…. More than once I’ve had to remind them about orders not being brought on time. The last two times we were there they have also brought out to our table the wrong order; which means some other party was waiting on their food. We also made reservations and they were not ready and got them confused with another party. But please do understand the food is amazing, I guess it also comes with understanding it’s a small place with a lot of demand.

First time eating here came during lunch and felt very comfortable being here. Service is really great with friendly and attentive staff which makes it a nice quiet place to enjoy a great lunch. Tried the curry udon and it was absolutely amazing, perfect thick noodles in a rich flavorful curry broth. Highly recommend to come and give a try. Will surely be back another time for dinner.

Superb small restaurant with authentic food, not only cooked extremely well (as well as nice sized portions), but also served by real Japanese people. Oh and other diners were also Japanese, so you know that generally is a good thing. Menu had a nice varied selection, and we weren't kept waiting for any unnecessary time and food was served promptly and from a very nice experienced server. I would highly recommend dropping by for a meal if you are in the area and like the cuisine.

It's so good that you will probably eat the menu. I really want to try tasting the entire menu

Visited Friday and then came back to lunch this afternoon! Wonderful both times. Service is excellent, the food is authentic. I highly recommend this if anyone wants to have true Japanese fare.

Although this restaurant is located in an older part of Chula Vista, the service and food do not disappoint! We’ve been to this restaurant many times over the years and the quality of the food is always consistently outstanding. If you want some good tasting Japanese food, and you happen to be in the San Diego area, I highly recommend you stop in for a bite to eat. There is a wide selection of dishes ranging from ramen, sushi, sashimi, and even Japanese soul food dishes. Give it a try!

An authentic Japanese food location, with all the convenience offered by American size seating and tables. The food is oshee (delicious) and the price is no more than a burger meal...no comparison in quality!

Authentic, high quality, welcoming and family friendly atmosphere. Excellent curry, ramen, and my first jellyfish dish. We also really enjoyed the service and an excellent customer experience.

I just came back from living in Japan for 3 years a few months ago and I miss Japan and the food so much and this place is the best Japanese restaurant in San Diego I’ve been to a few in Kearny Mesa area and they do not campare. The Japanese waitresses make it that much more like actual being in Japan. So glad I found this place will be going back often.

Was a nice surprise the food was good the atmosphere was great. Nice Japanese restaurant down south if you live in Chula Vista and want to avoid the drive up to Kearny Mesa.

This Japanese restaurant has been here for so long. I absolutely love the friendly staff and the food is good. Love coming here cause it was a favorite place my parents used to come in to eat. Just brings back their wonderful memories for me.

Friendliest restaurant in San Diego County! Staff is beyond kind & food is so tasty! They are so accommodating to my family of 6. They love my little kids every time we eat there. My kids devour the sushi, soup & edamame!

I have been coming to this restaurant with my family since I was 4 years old in 1994 after my dad retired from the Navy following his last stint of service in Misawa. While I don’t remember being four eating there, I can tell you every experience I have eaten there has been incredibly enjoyable despite not remembering the first. Beside the food always being amazing including the last time a month ago, they are always incredibly consistent. Misako, more often than not was the one serving our table for at least 20 years( probably have eaten here with my family 300+ times). The other reviews stating their amazing hospitality are not wrong in the slightest. To the other familiar and long time faces of the staff, I’m sorry I don’t remember your names but you have always provided the same amazing service and food! I’m pretty sure the man behind the sushi bar and grill has been there as long as I can remember. While I no longer live in Chula Vista anymore I always look forward to visiting two places when I come back: Kanpai(“Cactus Butt” we called it lovingly, as it had a great sign logo of a raccoon with a spikey looking tail in the past holding a lantern, I was sad to not see him the last time I was there, but that didn’t change anything about the experience, food or service!) and home. Thanks again for being the best Japanese restaurant I’ve ever been to (including a few in Japan!)

Flavorless and pricey for what you get. I had to add flavor at home to even eat it. Our family loves three other ramen places, one of which is right down the road from this one, but we stopped just on a whim and nope- the high rating for this place must not be for the ramen, it must be their other menu items :(

If you love traditional Japanese meals, this is the place for you. I have tried all their ramen, and they are delicious. Whenever I come to the restaurant, it has never been crowded, and that's a plus if you are with someone to enjoy the meal with. The staff is friendly and attentive. They answer any questions you may have on any item on the menu.

My wife and I had heard really good things about this place from many people. We finally had the chance to give it a shot. We ordered to go, and the wait was kinda long. It was close to closing time, so I understood and waited patiently. However, when we got home ,we were highly disappointed. We ordered 2 rolls, a salad, and a sushi combo b. The sushi looked like it came from a 7-11, and tasted as much. For $60, you're probably better off going to a grocery store and getting their sushi there. I've been to a lot of Japanese restaurants, and I'm sorry, but this place was highly disappointing.

A nice local spot. I love their spicy miso ramen! It’s delicious! The staff are very friendly! I will definitely go back to this place again! 😋

I'd like to give 5 starts, but... My husband and I used to love this place. Great food and great people. We were fairly regular and really friendly with the staff. Then one day one of the main servers refused to serve us, she was obviously mad about something. We were confused and hurt and didn't go in for a while, then tried again. Same thing. She clearly thinks we did something wrong, but we didn't! And I miss being able to eat here. Sad.