Kinme Omakase

Love love love this restaurant!
I love the ambience and the professionalism of chefs. Food quality and presentaion is excellent.
They are very creative and flexible in accomodating my dieraty restrictions.

It was such a joy to watch chefs preparing our meals.
It was a nice surprise to see chefs standing at the door on our way out and greeted us. Felt so special:)

Our daughter was visiting and we were lucky enough to be able to get a reservation at Kinme for dinner.

My wife and I have been to Kinme a few times - but this is the first review that I've written. Our experiences were always amazing - and since my daughter is such a foodie, we were happy to be able to get a reservation.

We were greeted warmly by Yumi and Akiyo when we entered the restaurant. The decor is warm and calming - and really helps to enhance the experience.

My wife really enjoys wine and sake - and she decided to participate in the wine and sake pairing. She was really very impressed by each of the selections - and how well they paired with each of the courses.

Chefs Nao san, Kevin and Andretty were behind the counter - and were busy preparing dishes for the meal.

We were sitting with Chef Andretty - who really showed amazing skill with his knife while slicing fish for the meal - and it was really great to watch him work. He was also great to speak to - and was happy to share great knowledge about the ingredients and how they were being prepared.

Chef Kevin did a wonderful job in explaining the sourcing of the ingredients, how and why they were being prepared in specific ways - and was really a master in preparing some of the cooked dishes that were part of the meal.

We really loved the tail end of the winter menu - as the team has slowly begun adding some spring features as the ingredients have become available locally.

Each dish was better than the last.

And a great touch - we were greeted and thanks by all of the Chefs as we left the restaurant - and they also provided a copy of the menu in a beautiful envelope.

We look forward to the upcoming Spring menu and will be back to experience it!

Excellent special occasion omakase. While there is a heavy emphasis on raw seafood, their cooked dishes are also excellent. At $250/pp ($195 + gratuity and tax at time of booking on Tock) this is not a cheap meal but there is definitely value in that price with the generous use of "upscale" ingredients like toro, A5 Miyazaki wagyu, or caviar to name some (in truth, the kinmedai among others is also up there but people don't equate that with the same level of deference compared to the aforementioned products). My spouse and I left belly bursting full - perhaps even too uncomfortably so. Service was attentive yet also unobtrusive. Ambience is a minimalistic presentation. Highlights include the hay smoked king salmon belly sashimi and the seasonally adjusted cooked dishes which did take on a bit of a more western feel (eg choux puff with wagyu tartare or braised wagyu with pommes puree and root vegetables). Some sushi pieces were the (relative) low point surprisingly. Least favorite was the toro sushi - not because it wasn't good but because it was 4 layers of varying tuna and too much to eat in one bite (felt like I was cramming 2 pieces of sushi all at once). Only complaints are that it seems like that some pieces are not allowed to shine on their own enough or that the pieces become too unwieldy for this reason. I'd give this place a 4.25 overall rating which unfortunately rounds down to a 4 in my book. Definitely worth trying out especially if you've given the other omakase experiences in the city a whirl already.

of them at sushi

Definitely one of the best kaiseki omakase spots in SD! The atmosphere is modern and minimal, and each dish is super creative.
I was worry about the portion size but , it's just right, which is rare for omakase. My favorite dish was Radish with miso that was perfectly cooked and delicious. Only downside was having to catch the server's attention for drinks, but hey, maybe I just drink too quickly!

I had an incredible dinner experience at Kinme Japanese restaurant!

The combination of entertainment and top-notch food quality made it a fantastic evening. Miyazaki A5 beef: you can cut the meat with a fork! So juicy and soft. Worth the money to try the meat. Sashimi and sushi fish were also fantastic. All melted in my mouth.

Witnessing the chefs skillfully prepare our dishes right in front of us added an extra layer of amazement to the dining experience. Finishing with matcha tea they traditionally made in front of us was awesome.

The service was excellent. Calming relaxed setting with just the right amount of service at the right moment, the whole experience made enjoyable.

The attention to detail and the delicious flavors truly set this restaurant apart. I highly recommend Kinme for an unforgettable Japanese culinary journey!"

Love omakases, so looked forward to my time here. It appears their menu changes depending on the season. We dined in for their 5pm seating. Parking wasn't too bad this time for the city. We parked about 1 block down at a meter for 2-hr parking, which worked out because after 6pm, it was free. The whole dining experience took about 2.5hrs. The doors opened about 5min before 5pm. We were seated right away. The ambiance was great too. Very fitting.

3 chefs and 2 assistants present. They were on the quiet side, but did converse with the guests intermittently. The chef assigned to our group (younger), was very friendly and personable. We enjoyed our time here, and the food was delicious and tasted fresh. They pay attention to the details based on their preparation/presentation of each item on the menu. Overall, a great experience! Yes, it is costly, but not out of the norm for an omakase at a more intimate setting vs at a sushi bar or restaurant where you can order a la carte. We didn't order any alcoholic beverages, but I don't think you really need them anyway. The course ended with hot ceremonial matcha tea, which was perfect. They prepare each item on the spot also.

As we left, the 3 chefs were standing outside to greet each guest off, and provided the menu for the night in an envelope. Will return hopefully soon!

We were recommended Kinme by one of the other omakase chefs, and so we figured a late Valentine's Day dinner would be a nice reason to treat ourselves.

The service is impeccable, and the courses themselves are numerous. The presentation is spectacular, pulled in further by the environment and decor, which comes off as a sleek and modern, yet intimate space.

The flavor combinations were delicious, and not a far fetch from competitors. The fish was, predicably, perfectly prepared and served. However, among the standout aspects, other than the design of the space and the unique tableware, were the matcha service, the wagyu courses (hands down the absolute best wagyu preparation we've had to date), and the use of unique ingredients (a point we love at another frequented omakase in town).

While old favorites like aji, kinmedai, sapa, and of course toro, were repeats from other omakase restaurants, it didn't diminish what Kinme has to offer. In fact, it's the cumulative nature of these amazing preparations of recognizable fish, sprinkled in with unexpected flavors and dishes throughout the service, that make Kinme one of what I'd consider San Diego's best omakase.

So far this place has raised the bar for best Omakase in San Diego. Been to so many awesome and amazing Japanese places but this has really set them ahead of the rest.

Quality ingredients, presentation, seafood and beef from Japan, and the way they explain each and every item in a professional manner.

It was difficult getting reservations here as it took months to get the right time. So happy I did and can't wait to come back after the New Year to see what the new menu will bring.

For sure will be back!

Had the pleasure of dining here this weekend and it was amazing!! Everyone was so nice and welcoming and knowledgeable about the food and drinks. It was so fun to watch the chefs prepare our food and tell us about how it's sourced and prepared. It's my new favorite omakase in San Diego and I can't wait to go back!

When it comes to $$$$ restaurants, I review on a stricter criteria. Because if you are going to be taking hundreds of my money for a meal, it better be dang worth it!

Unfortunately, Kinme is a one-and-done for me. I'm a sucker for omakases, but Kinme falls short. Flavors were too bold & much too heavy. Some dishes were too sweet, others were too salty. Even how they seasoned their fish, something tasted off. They use quality ingredients, I will give them that! Otoro & A5 wagyu, of course with fine ingredients like this, it will automatically up the baseline. But it's more than just quality ingredients. The flavoring is key. The balancing of flavors is even more critical.

[I also found that the oyster in one of the dishes did not taste very fresh (it was *fishy*), and there was very minimal uni.] But that's an aside...

Don't get me wrong, this was a very unique meal. Diverse array of dish types. Beautiful presentation. But that's what it was... an experience. An experience that I personally would not repeat again. Not for $250+ per person. It simply wasn't worth, in my book. I'm glad I tried! But it's a one-and-done.

Across the board, we all said it was okay. Not great. Not a place we would re-visit.