Sushi Deli 2, San Diego

When you first walk by the place, you'd think that it's a fast food diner of some sort, but then you see the sushi chefs behind the display and you know that you've got to try it. Service is very good and the employees are very friendly...the owners even say hello when you enter. The food it top notch and the price is very resonable for a downtown location. Overall, I'm going back!!!

Favorite Dish: If you are hungry, you can't go wrong with any dish on the menu. The portions are enormous for the price that you pay and you will go home stuffed.

I decided to try one of the Bento Boxes (a traditional Japanese meal where you get to sample many things in a box). I chose the B-Bento which comes with teriyaki chicken, sushi (California roll and Shrimp), gyoza (pork and vegetable dumplings), tempura (shrimp, chicken and vegetables), fruit, edamame (steamed soy beans), rice, salad and Miso soup. One of the other guests who dined with us offered me a taste of the Eel Roll (eel, avocado and cucumber).

LJ had the California Sushi Roll (avocado, crab surimi and cucumber inside) and the Rainbow Sushi Mixed Roll (cucumber, crab surimi inside and tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp and avocado on the top).

To wash this down we ordered Sapporo Beer (1 Pint/4.3 ounces)...and as luck would have it, since they messed up our order, the offered us free hot/cold Sake.

After the college student working the desk at the Hyatt Islandia recommended Sushi Deli 2 and read me some wonderful reviews , I headed downtown for lunch with five guests from Japan who were craving Japanese food after weeks of traveling without it.

If you are starving and on a budget, Sushi Deli 2 might be a appropriate choice; eating all the sushi on your plate might even become a challenge, but the sushi rolls are so clumsy--the opposite of Japanese cuisine, even US Japanese cuisine; they were more like onigiri rather than sushi given the amount of rice used (possibly the appeal to customers). So much rice was used in fact that several sushi were just unappealingly toppling over. My guests were gracious, but I had made an error in taking them here.

This should be promoted as a nice place for a snack or drinking, but really, there is nothing artistic (as described) or unique about the food or space (the decor is a bit dank in the afternoon light). Although the waitstaff were charming, it took us over a half hour to be seated because the restaurant does not take reservations, and no tables were available for more than three . . . The one seven-year-old we had in tow was exhausted. I ended up having to place my own name on a list, and we watched as 10 couples slid in ahead of us, as the apologetic host ended up seating us in two different booths, behind a cash register that beeped into our ears. I can justify waiting for a good meal but not a mediocre one.

By the way, your directions to the restaurant might specify taking the Sixth Ave. exit off of the 5--keep in mind there is no Sixth Ave. exit off of the 5. Also, when we arrived, there was no parking, so factor in paying for a lot.

Favorite Dish: Vegetarian combo.

One of my favorite restaurants is Sushi Deli. They have excellent sushi and it's not to pricy. Yummy, yummy
Casual atmosphere, reasonable prices.

Favorite Dish: Everything!!!