Kokoro means "heart" and the dishes here are true to their name with passion and precision. The sushi rolls are fresh, beautifully presented and delicious. Their bentos are well-balanced and offer a little bit of everything for a satisfying meal. Whether you're here for a casual lunch or a celebratory dinner, Kokoro offers authentic Japanese cuisine and personal service.

it has been a yearly tradition for me and my boyfriend to go here since we started dating. every time it's been a great experience -- the food here is amazing, the fish quality is topnotch, the ambiance and the customer service is everything. a hidden gem and i believe everyone should go check this place out.

Excellent food and service. Nice ambiance, light jazz tunes, and encouraged to take your time and enjoy the fresh, delicious sushi and sashimi menu. Will be back!

I did the sushi/omakase tasting menu with my boyfriend. It costs $125 a person and includes an appetizer round, various nigiri, marinated cod, steamed egg, miso soup, and your choice of dessert (panna cotta or red bean wafer) and green tea. I also tried the sparking sake. I'm not sure I would get it again, but I'm glad I tried it. This hidden gem was truly an experience. We went on a week night and there was only one other person in the restaurant, so we basically had our own private chef. This is the type of spot that you go and take your time, so be prepared to take about 2 hours for your meal. It is a simple restaurant with a few tables and seats at the sushi bar. I recommend sitting at the sushi bar. My favorite items included the toro nigiri, red snapper nigiri, and marinated cod. The nigiri truly didn't need soy sauce. It had wonderful flavor on its own.

This is as authentic as it gets. Chef Akiyo is a master at his craft. Sushi is his art form. He takes pride in his food and service. It's very much like what you would see and enjoy in Japan. He enjoys talking to his patrons the most. The place is cozy and chill. There are many omakase places nowadays but none like this. Stop searching for a go to sushi spot. This is the one. PS: His homemade panna cota is a must for dessert.

Called the restaurant for late omakase reservation for 2 for 9pm The place was dead esp it was late on a Monday night The place feels very authentic Japan to me The server was super attentive The sushi chef did not speak much. We think coz he only spoke Japanese The food was not pretentious very fresh and served mostly in their natural state meaning no sauces so u can really just taste how fresh and the quality of the meals Overall amazing experience will come back again

Kokoro Restaurant was mentioned a long time ago by a friend as one of his preferred places for sushi. It's a little off the beaten path next to Subway in a Serra Mesa plaza. They have reduced their lunch service to Thursday through Sunday while dinner was offered from Tuesday through Sunday. We were the first ones to arrive for dinner recently and had our choice of seats from the eight person sushi bar and the tables in the dining room that could hold another 16 customers. A sushi order slip was provided along with a booklet that contained pages for Omakase or Dinner courses, preset sushi and sashimi combos, side dishes, dessert (panna cotta), saki, and other beverages. The two courses were customized for the month of July and cost $150 per person. I was tempted to try the Omakase but decided on an assorted sushi combo. We also ordered three side dishes... Nori-Ten (layer seaweed tempura), Eggplant with Miso, and Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura. Ten pieces of sushi, an appetizer (spinach and tofu dish), chawan-mushi, and miso soup made up the $67 combo. The sushi consisted of... * Toro (tuna belly) * Hamachi (yellowtail) * Tuna (bluefin) * Mejina (opal eye) * Ebi (shrimp) * Ika (squid) * Sawara (king mackerel) * Hotate (scallop) * Ikura (salmon roe) * Anago (sea eel) The Sawara stood out because it was much softer and had a less gamey taste than the mackerel I have eaten at omakase-only restaurants. Perhaps it was because this cut was king mackerel versus Aji which is horse (or Spanish) mackerel used by some places or even Saba mackerel which was listed on the order slip. I also liked the Hotate as the scallop meat was delicate and soft. The chawan-mushi was loaded with more ingredients (ginkgo nuts, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp) than usual for this egg custard dish. The service was fine because we were the first party of the evening and placed our order before those that came after us. There was nothing flashy about our dining experience at Kokoro Restaurant, just solid quality sushi at a reasonable price.

Excellent authentic Sushi restaurant. The location is not the best but the food here is exceptional. The inside of the restaurant is cozy and the staff are all friendly. Highly recommend to get the omakase sushi. I have been here many times and regular sushi is also good but omakase offer better type of fish. Regardless of what you order, all fish here are very fresh and flavorful.

I met my friends here for dinner a couple of times lately. Both times I had assorted sushi 10 pcs and some a la carte items like miso eggplant and assorted tempura. The nigiri sushi rice has a stronger vinaigrette taste compared to other places, which I like and I think makes the sushi here tastes better. Sushi is good overall but the fish here is a bit dry and small. I prefer a little larger sushi pieces, both fish and rice. Jazz is nice but got a bit louder than we wanted at times for having quiet conversations. You know those high trumpet and saxophone tunes... The waitress was courteous and checked on us. This place is tacked away from the crowdedness of Convoy and has easy parking that is definitely a plus in the area. It's a nice place if you want an intimate setting for Japanese cuisine with the Chef's personal touch.