Matsu

Review summary

1. AL

   AnLe

   New York City

   12 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   12 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 2

   It was alright. The restaurant had a strange smell. The foods overall was okay. Nothing amazing. Felt underwhelming between the value and price point for San Diego standard
   

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2. C

   Cindy

   Las Vegas

   4 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on 4 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Guest Chef Mike was amazing! Great food. Great service. Great restaurant
   

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3. M

   Mark

   San Diego

   20 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   20 reviews

   Dined on 1 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Their 10 course Omakase is very, very good. Almost to Michelin star level. Need to work on a bit more consistency from course to course. The Abalone course was amazing. A couple of courses after that were good, but not quite to the same level. A bit more focus and they could get a star. Price does seem a bit high since they don't have a Michelin star. Dinner for two with the wine pairing and a 22% tip was over $700. It's more reasonable if you don't do the wine pairing. The pairing was an excellent mix of white and red wine, plus a couple saki. They could do a better job in explaining the wine and sometimes the dish. We're pescatarian and they did a good job of adjusting the menu. While in a neighborhood of mixed use ( housing, auto repair, bar, etc) Matsu is quite nice inside. Bespoke wood tables/chairs/trim and minimalist decor make for a very pleasant ambiance.
   

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4. J

   Jon

   Detroit

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 27 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Matsu really is a hidden gem! The service under their general manager Kim is amazing. The food is absolutely heads and tails above any other restaurant I have been to. Chef William creates amazing combinations and wonderful depth of flavor without ever losing the essence of the ingredients. Their monthly tsuki night is an amazing chance to try some of their wonderful food and interesting new test dishes as well! How Michelin have overlooked this gem for so long is beyond a mystery for me.
   

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5. S

   Sean

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 26 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We had the 10 course tasting, not only was the food great, but the overall experience was very enjoyable. Staff was knowledgeable of the items, readily available, and cognizant of the time they spent within our meal. Perfect place to celebrate our anniversary.
   

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6. M

   Mark

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 19 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Totally worth the hype, came in for my Wife's birthday and was blown away. No words I could post would really do this place justice, just know it's as good as it seems, if not better than expected.
   

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7. J

   Jocelyn

   San Diego

   2 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 16 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Every single aspect of this place was thoughtfully and meticulously designed with great quality--all the way down the table setting. Matsu's carefully-curated interior design starkly contrasts its unassuming exterior (and location). The modern take on Japanese aesthetics can also be seen in their creative, textured tableware--which were each uniquely chosen to enhance the experience of each dish. For example, the Amberjack (sashimi) sat in a mini porous tidepool rock, as if we were presented with the freshest catch right by the ocean. To reflect the kitchen's subtle use of pine flavoring--like in the Senbazuru cocktail--there was just the perfect amount of quiet emphasis of pine designs/imprints throughout the place: on the countertops, on the menu cover, in the bathroom candle. All the staff were professional, courteous, and quick to fill our cups. Coltrane welcomed us into our seats with a gracious smile so warm that we didn't mind when he told us the wagyu supplier that night was stuck in traffic. The food was impeccable. They first surprised us with warm towels and an amuse-bouche, which was a cute take on sushi: sashimi on taiyaki! Our drinks were strong without being spirit-forward, and I had the cutest little micro-crane with it too! Ebi (shrimp) tempura had a great soft crunch. Kakuni (pork belly) paired so well with the freshest wasabi and cilantro. The skin crisp off the Sakana (fish with oil-boiled skin) was densely tasty. Don't be fooled by Tsukune's appearance; yes, it is a glorified fancy cheeseburger, but it is the best glorified fancy cheeseburger. Take it from me: we were so blown away by this phenomenal experience that we are fully ready to sit in another hour-long northbound traffic the next time we come back.
   

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8. D

   Dai

   San Diego

   10 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   10 reviews

   Dined on 13 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Chef William is truly a culinary visionary. I’ve been several times and I am always surprised by his continued trying to wow his guests with new creations. I also rave over his master bartender - he too crafts exceptional cocktails. I encourage all to go and go often. Even sitting at the bar is an exceptional experience but the ultimate is the chef table!
   

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9. S

   Sharon

   San Diego

   28 reviews

   5.0

   28 reviews

   Dined on 13 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   A special dinner with Chris Lobo’s Native Wines paired with Chef Eick’s yummy creations. Me enthusiastic consumption of the offerings prevented me from taking pictures of all the dishes and the paired wines . Don’t hesitate to visit- Great Staff and wine!
   

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10. R

    Rupa

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1

    The experience was beyond disappointing! First, there are no markings outside the restaurant, so it took us a while to find it. Instead creating intrigue or mystery, this just caused annoyance. Second, the decor was neither elegant nor comfortable -- wooden tables and chairs around a square room with the chef's bar on the side. No cushioning on the chairs made the 3-hour experience very uncomfortable. Third, all the fans were running even though it was 45 degrees outside; we asked for the one above our head to be turned off but were told all fans ran on one switch and the rest of the guests/staff wanted them on. So, our party of way shivered throughout the dinner. Fourth, a few of the courses were excellent but the rest were not good at all -- there wasn't enough fish in the courses, there were random courses with duck, corn, sunflower seeds, etc. The two dessert courses were inedible. Fifth, the waiters kept interrupting us at every course to give a pretentious description of what we were about to eat, and because we were not enjoying a communal Omkase at a sushi bar -- as we expected -- it was always a surprise to have them sneak up behind us in mid-conversation. Finally, the drinks were so-so but pricey and green tea was not even lukewarm. Will never go there again and do not recommend it; it was a WASTE of time and money (though the company of our friends made it a nice evening).
    

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