Kaito Sushi

One of the best experiences I've ever had. And the most entertaining dinner I'ever had - all thanks to the chef! I called to make a last minute reservation which they happily accommodated. Upon my arrival, they took me and my friend to our seats at the sushi bar where we were served by one of the chefs himself. I unfortunately did not get his name but he was so sweet and funny. We decided to play Dealer's Choice tonight, letting the chef pick our choice of sushi. He gauged my preferences, making sure nothing too out of my comfort zone. He then recommended an array of fish that I had not tried before. Oh boy, they were amazing. My personal favorites were Toro, Mackerel, and Golden Snapper. It's a small restaurant so if you can make a reservation, please do so. Otherwise they are pretty accommodating. It's definitely a family-owned business so please be patient with the chefs and waitstaff. You don't rush artist for a reason!

Really good sushi and sashimi! Fresh, clean, intimate setting and really nice staff and customers.

My go-to sushi spot in Encinitas ticks all the boxes, from the service to the food. It's a small spot but has a lot of charm. Ryan, the owner, consistently makes our visits special by going above and beyond.

This was our second visit to Kaito. The service was poor and slow despite us being there before the restaurant got busy. We ordered several different types of sushi, cut rolls, and hand rolls, along with the beef tongue appetizer and salmon collar. Our first experience was good enough to bring us back a second time, which let us down terribly. The nigiri did not seem fresh and service was very slow, in particular, the soft shell crab handroll. The crab was cold and soggy, and the hand roll was overstuffed with tamago, which also seemed quite old.

As good as it looks, I found the experience and the food not up to expectations. When they say there is avocado in a roll, it's a teensy thin sliver of avocado. Who does that these days? Too much wasabi in the nigiri. Even the sashimi roll was so-so because of the mix they put in. There doesn't seem to be much understanding of food combinations and a combined taste/food experience at this place. The service was very nice, but unfortunately it took them so long to get the rest of our food out (almost an hour after we ordered) we canceled 2 dishes and left. This place has potential but didn't hit the mark.

Great sushi meaning fresh tasting, big pieces and presented well. Simple and tasty. But the honkey waiter is an angry dwarf. Needs a BJ and a nap bad. Also the sushi chef may not hear the whole order and may just make half. Hearing is his issue. tough one.

Food was great, Service was great. The Sushi Chefs were very good and entertaining. Some exciting unique dishes

Ambiance & service was 5/5. Very authentic Japanese restaurant in North County. Saw some reviews before saying service was slow, however, my husband and I were sitting the sushi bar and we would get our order within less than 5 minutes of placing it, so definitely no concerns there. Sushi would be a 4.7/5 in my opinion. Still really good, not necessarily the best we've had, but definitely the best we've tried up in North County! We tried the caterpillar roll, rainbow roll, toro nigiri, tuna nigiri, salmon nigiri, and scallop nigiri. My favorites were the rainbow roll and toro nigiri! But overall, the fish was soft and buttery. Would come again!

I ordered two appetizers and literally got nothing. Zero stars. How can they be so busy that I don't even receive my food?!?

Great food and service. Sat outside on front patio. Nice sushi bar. Will be back! Friendly staff.