Blue Ocean Sushi & Grill — Restaurant in San Diego

Blue Ocean Sushi & Grill is tucked into the corner of a popular shopping mall, conveniently close to the parking lot. Despite being a Saturday night, the restaurant wasn’t too busy, providing a relaxed dining experience. The establishment combines Japanese sushi with a touch of new American style, and the modern yet simple decor creates a neat and inviting atmosphere. What We Tried

ISHIYAKI HOT STONE This dish was a showstopper! It featured premium flat iron steak sliced thinly for tableside grilling on a Japanese-style hot stone. The sizzling fire beneath the stone made grilling both fun and interactive. The steak was tender, and the provided sides—salt, pepper, sesame oil, and house yakitori sauce—offered great customization for seasoning. The yakitori sauce paired especially well with the steak, adding a rich, smoky flavor.

GRILLED KAMA We opted for the Salmon Kama, as Hamachi was unfortunately unavailable. The salmon was cooked to perfection, with a crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. However, the dish leaned on the saltier side, which might not appeal to everyone.

FRENCH KISS This unique sushi-like dish skips the rice and instead uses krab and avocado as its base, topped with albacore, garlic mustard, spicy mayo, and a chili drop. The flavors were bold and indulgent, and the creamy crab base offered a refreshing twist on traditional sushi rolls.

AMBERJACK CARPACCIO This elegant dish featured six pieces of Hamachi sashimi with ponzu, yuzu oil, jalapeño, horseradish, black salt, and puffed farro. The jalapeño and puffed farro added a satisfying crispy texture, while the combination of citrusy ponzu and creamy yuzu oil enhanced the fresh, rich flavor of the fish.

RAINBOW SPIDER ROLL This roll was packed with soft shell crab, krab, cucumber, and avocado, and topped with a colorful mix of bluefin tuna, salmon, albacore, yellowtail, shrimp, horseradish, and black tobiko. The layers of fresh seafood were well-balanced, and the horseradish and tobiko added a unique depth to the flavor profile.

Service and Atmosphere

The staff were friendly and attentive, frequently checking in to ensure we were enjoying our dining experience. The restaurant also offers an outside dining area, which is dog-friendly, making it a great spot for pet owners to enjoy a meal with their furry companions.

Thoughts

Blue Ocean Sushi & Grill impressed us with its creative menu and fresh ingredients, blending traditional Japanese techniques with modern influences. The ISHIYAKI HOT STONE was a fun and interactive dish, while items like the French Kiss and Amberjack Carpaccio stood out for their innovation and taste. The Grilled Salmon Kama, while delicious, could use a little less salt to suit a broader palate.

Whether you're in the mood for something traditional or a twist on sushi, this spot offers a variety of dishes worth trying. With friendly service and a dog-friendly outdoor area, it’s a great place for a casual, fun meal with a unique...

A Great New Sushi Spot at Westfield UTC

Had a really solid experience at Blue Ocean Sushi & Grill, one of the newer spots at Westfield UTC. From the food quality to the service, they nailed the key parts of what makes a meal memorable.

Food Rundown: •    Agedashi Tofu ($10): Best I’ve had so far. The crust was thick and actually crunchy—rare for this dish—and the tofu was cut perfectly. Broth was flavorful without being overly salty. •    Panko Soft Shell Crab ($12): Impressive size, lightly fried, not greasy at all. Honestly double the size I expected. •    Rice Crunch Spicy Tuna ($14 for 3 pcs): Perfect combo of textures and flavors—crunchy rice base, soft tuna, spicy jalapeño, and tangy sauce. Everything came together beautifully. •    Fried Rice w/ Chicken ($16): I was too full to eat much, but what I did try had big chunks of chicken and wasn’t greasy. Way better than the usual egg-and-rice mix. •    Chef’s Choice – Ocean Way ($43): A great variety of sushi. One piece had a truffle oil twist that caught me off guard—in the best way.

Drinks: Started with a sparkling wine and tried their Tokyo Peach and Cherry Blossom cocktails. Big drinks with a solid alcohol pour—definitely not watered down.

Service: The host gave us an accurate 10-minute wait time and checked in often. We were seated and helped by Jasmine, who was excellent—attentive but never overbearing. Everything we needed was handled quickly and with a great attitude.

Atmosphere: Indoor decor was on point—oceanic wall tiles and a blue whale mural made the space stand out. Lighting was perfect for dinner: dim but bright enough to read the menu without using your phones flash light. Comfortable temperature and a good mix of table sizes, including space for large parties.

Outside: limited seating but a cozy waiting area with fire pits and heaters.

Service Dog Note: We brought our service dog, and staff made no issue of it at all—we were treated with respect and felt welcome the whole time. Just a quick PSA: if you’re bringing a service animal, they should be calm, well-trained, and not disrupt the business or other diners. Ours stayed quiet and out of the way, and it helped make the experience seamless.

Overall Value: Very impressed by the portion sizes, quality, and service. It felt like a thoughtful, elevated sushi experience—without being pretentious. Definitely somewhere I’d return to.

Thanks, Blue Ocean. Looking forward...

For the clientele I believe they are looking for, they have a lot of work to do. My experience was substandard, and it has to do with several inefficiencies.

Firstly, this is a new restaurant, so if you want to encourage repeat patrons, the cleanliness and service needs to be excellent. They were not. There was soy sauce splashed on the wall by our table, and several tables which needed to be bussed. Our server seemed like he was in a rush since they were the only one on the floor, which led to oversights for my girlfriend's gluten allergy. One of her food items still came out with gluten. This is an honest mistake, and our server was apologetic, but this happened because of the rushing and disorganization.

We ordered two bento boxes, and both come with a salad. We asked if there was a gluten free dressing, and the server said there was not; no problem. They brought my girlfriend a house salad first, followed by the two salads that came on the bento box...so they charged $8 for the extra house salad, even though our meals came with them.

All in all they need to get it together quickly unless they plan to just rely on mall diners. For a restaurant that just opened, the cleanliness and service should be at a much higher level. I am unlikely to return because these problems are representative of poor training and poor operation, not any one issue. I am disappointed about my experience and could...