Wa Dining Okan
A tiny, long-running Japanese home-cooking izakaya next to Nijiya Market — bar seats in the middle, a few tables and a covered patio, with specials taped to the walls. Known for creamy mentai udon, kamameshi (rice cooked to order in a kettle), grilled beef tongue and fried baby octopus, plus small plates, skewers and sashimi at dinner and miso-soup-and-salad set meals at lunch.
- Noodles $12–28
- Parking: Medium: fine at lunch, tough at the dinner rush and on weekends; come before 6pm or street-park
- Details checked Oct 2026.
3860 Convoy St Ste 110, San Diego, CA 92111
Wa Dining Okan is a mid-priced izakaya spot in Sunrise Towne Centre on Convoy Street in San Diego's Kearny Mesa. Regulars order the Creamy mentai udon or the carbonara udon special — the two noodle dishes reviewers rave about and the A kamameshi kettle rice — eel , salmon ikura or the beef tongue special ; takes about 20 minutes, so order it first. Parking is medium.
Parking at Sunrise Towne Centre
Medium- Cost: Free for customers
- Fills up: Thu, Fri, Sat 6–9pm · Easiest: weekdays 3–5pm
- Shared with: Karami Ramen, Yonny Mini Hot Pot, Yuki Yuki Handcrafted Beverage & Kakigori, Mekong Cuisine Lao & Thai and 9 more
Big shared Sunrise Towne Centre lot with Nijiya Market — fine at lunch, tough at the dinner rush and on weekends; come before 6pm or street-park.
Lot full? Convoy Plaza Shopping Center is rated easy and about a 5-minute walk. It's for that plaza's customers, so pair it with a stop there.
Park once, walk to
- Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai Ramen · 3 min
- Phuong Trang Vietnamese · 5 min
- MNGO Cafe Shaved Ice · 6 min
Sunrise Towne Centre guide Every lot on Convoy
Fill times estimated from Google's Popular Times for the spots in this lot. Walk times are estimates.
Lunch special
Lunch specials 11am-2pm daily: set meals with rice, salad and miso soup for $13-23; the best value here.
Every happy hour and lunch special on Convoy
Deals change often — confirm with Wa Dining Okan before you go.
Good to know before you go
Cost & paying
- Lunch specials 11am-2pm daily: set meals with rice, salad and miso soup for $13-23 — the best value here
- Small plates are small and prices add up — plan on $30-45 a person at dinner; uni dishes are market price, so ask first
Waits & timing
- Kamameshi takes about 20 minutes and at lunch must be ordered by 1:45pm
- No reservations — put your name on the waitlist; there's often a line at 5pm opening and on weekend nights, and the Nijiya plaza is good for killing time
- Service is quick but brisk when it's busy; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve
At the table
- Tiny room with bar seats, a few tables and a covered, dog-friendly patio; groups should come early
- Check the hand-drawn specials on the walls — many dishes aren't on the printed menu
Dessert or tea after Wa Dining Okan
- Yuki Yuki Handcrafted Beverage & Kakigori Get: Coconut mango kakigori — passion fruit custard and mango hidden inside
- K Bakery Get: Sausage curry croquette
Wa Dining Okan vs other Convoy izakaya
| Spot | Order | Price | Latest close | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wa Dining Okan | Creamy mentai udon or the carbonara udon special | $$ | 10pm | Medium |
| Yokohama Yakitori Koubou | Chicken meatball, chicken thigh with negi and chicken tail skewers | $$ | midnight | Medium |
| Yakitori Tsuta | The omakase | $$$$ | 11pm | Easy |
| Yakyudori | Beef skewer with fresh wasabi | $$ | 11:30pm | Medium |
Wa Dining Okan: quick answers
What should I order at Wa Dining Okan?
Regulars order the Creamy mentai udon ($23) or the carbonara udon special ($15) — the two noodle dishes reviewers rave about, A kamameshi kettle rice — eel ($23), salmon ikura ($22) or the beef tongue special ($20); takes about 20 minutes, so order it first, Tako kara (fried baby octopus) and grilled beef tongue to share.
Is parking easy at Wa Dining Okan?
Parking is rated Medium for this lot at peak times. Big shared Sunrise Towne Centre lot with Nijiya Market — fine at lunch, tough at the dinner rush and on weekends; come before 6pm or street-park.
What should I know before going to Wa Dining Okan?
Lunch specials 11am-2pm daily: set meals with rice, salad and miso soup for $13-23 — the best value here. Kamameshi takes about 20 minutes and at lunch must be ordered by 1:45pm. Small plates are small and prices add up — plan on $30-45 a person at dinner; uni dishes are market price, so ask first.
Where can I get dessert or boba near Wa Dining Okan?
Yuki Yuki Handcrafted Beverage & Kakigori (shaved ice, same plaza, 2 min walk, open until 10:30pm); K Bakery (bakery, same plaza, 2 min walk, open until 8pm).
Does Wa Dining Okan have any deals?
Lunch specials 11am-2pm daily: set meals with rice, salad and miso soup for $13-23; the best value here.
Does Wa Dining Okan take reservations?
No reservations; put your name on the waitlist; there's often a line at 5pm opening and on weekend nights, and the Nijiya plaza is good for killing time.
Wa Dining Okan hours
| Mon | 11am–2pm, 5pm–9:30pm |
| Tue | 11am–2pm, 5pm–9:30pm |
| Wed | 11am–2pm, 5pm–9:30pm |
| Thu | 11am–2pm, 5pm–9:30pm |
| Fri | 11am–2pm, 5pm–10pm |
| Sat | 11am–2pm, 5pm–10pm |
| Sun | 11am–2pm, 5pm–9:30pm |
How to find it
Details checked October 2026. Wrong hours, closed, or changed? Report a problem