Used to Be My Favorite Japanese Charcoal Grill

Yokohama Yakitori Koubou 📍 3904 Convoy St Consumer Studies, San Diego, CA 92111 🕔 Mon–Sat: 5 PM–12 AM | Sun: Closed 🌟 The Yokohama I Remember was unforgettable—every skewer kept the ingredient’s natural flavor while carrying that distinct charcoal aroma. Back then, beef tongue was a daily limited item—if you weren’t there right when they opened, you’d miss out. Without a reservation, even arriving early meant waiting over an hour because they were always fully booked. ‼️ But this time, I booked ahead to avoid waiting, hoping to enjoy the tongue and melt-in-your-mouth chicken liver I used to love—only to be hugely disappointed. ‼️ We ordered 24 skewers as soon as we sat down, planning to enjoy them fresh off the grill. But everything arrived in under 10 minutes—already a red flag 🚩 I thought maybe it was early and we were the only order… but no. 😳 The skewers were barely warm, with no charcoal aroma at all—clearly just reheated. Before leaving, I peeked at the grill: one small net, one chef handling all orders for the whole restaurant. No wonder—they’re just tossing pre-cooked skewers over the flame before serving. ‼️ Even the once-tasty and affordable karaage now had a tough, hard shell. Their soba noodles cost $14.50—way overpriced for what it is. 🌟 We had no desire to order more after that. The bill came to around $200 for a meal full of disappointment. Another favorite spot lost to post-pandemic decline—so many once-great places have lost their heart and flavor. #FoodDiary #SanDiegoEats #Yakitori #JapaneseBBQ #DisappointingExperience #LALife