There are two Sushi Deli locations in San Diego, which are both known for their delicious and reasonably priced sushi. Sushi Deli One is the original restaurant located in the Hillcrest section at 228 W Washington St. (between 1st Ave & 3rd Ave) San Diego, CA 92103. Sushi Deli Two is the newer location in the Gaslamp district downtown at 135 Broadway (between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave) San Diego, CA 92101. At both places parking is all going to be on-street, and your best bet is to try and find a cheap parking lot/garage if you are unfamiliar with the area. Visitors to Sushi Deli 2 can park inside the Horton Plaza Mall, which is located adjacent to the restaurant. Parking is free up to a couple hours with validation (just buy some gum or candy at the drug store to get your pass stamped).

Happy hour is Monday-Friday from 5:30 to 7 and they offer .99 cent sake, a large Sapporo and sake for $5.95 and half price hand rolls. In addition to happy hour specials, Sushi Deli also has a monthly special which is a pairing of a few different rolls for $10-$12; this is a great way to try out some new rolls you may not have had/heard of before.

A party of two can eat very well for $20 at Sushi Deli 1 and 2. For $20 you will be able to get 4-5 rolls, or 2-3 rolls and some drinks, and do not forget the complimentary edamame appetizer served with every meal. You can find their menu here - Sushi Deli Too Menu Their fish is consistently fresh, and they also offer a number of non-sushi dishes including udon noodles, dumplings, mussels, calamari, a number of tempura choices and bento boxes. The food here is always delicious, and has great value for the price; I eat here a few times per month and have never been disappointed with the quality of food.

Now for the downside, Sushi Deli One and Two are very popular restaurants and seating is at a premium at both of these extremely tiny establishments. Be prepared to wait awhile if you do not get there exactly at 5 pm. There is usually a long waiting list, but you will have better luck getting seated if you do not select a preference of sushi bar or table. The service at Sushi Deli is also often a lot less than could be desired. I am not sure if this is due to the amount of volume coming in and out of the restaurant or if they have a policy of only hiring unhappy people, but it is a rare night indeed when I find myself with a friendly server. So if you are willing to make due with mediocre service and a possible wait in trade for excellent sushi at an affordable price, Sushi Deli is a good choice for you, otherwise you may just want to stop at the sushi counter at your local Henry’s for from fast, fresh and cheap sushi takeout.

My picks for Sushi Deli I and Sushi Deli II -

• Appetizer - Fried Gyoza

• Hand Roll - Mexican

• Roll - Hot Hot Spider Roll

• Combo - Samurai

• Bento - Vegetarian Bento