Yakitori Tsuta
A tiny, reservation-only yakitori counter by Nijiya Market where chef Tatsuro Tsuchiya grills nothing but chicken — heart to tail — over binchotan charcoal. Six counter seats and one table, two seatings a night, and a $120 omakase that runs from chicken consomme and chawanmushi through eight skewers to chicken paitan ramen and dessert. No sign outside, just a lantern.
- Omakase $120
- Parking: Easy: the restaurant sits between them facing Convoy, marked only by a lantern; by the 8:15pm seating there are usually spaces
- Details checked Oct 2026.
3860 Convoy St Ste 100, San Diego, CA 92111
Yakitori Tsuta is a high-end izakaya spot in Sunrise Towne Centre on Convoy Street in San Diego's Kearny Mesa. Regulars order the The omakase — about 18 courses; you get to pick one skewer of your choice among the eight and the Add a skewer or two at the end: C-toro , soft-boiled quail egg or gizzard. Parking is easy.
Parking at Sunrise Towne Centre
Easy- 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
Park in the Nijiya (Sunrise Towne Centre) or Epic Wings lot — the restaurant sits between them facing Convoy, marked only by a lantern; by the 8:15pm seating there are usually spaces.
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.
Good to know before you go
Cost & paying
- A deposit is taken when you book and refunded after the meal, not taken off the bill
Waits & timing
- Reservations only, on Tock — seats open a week or more out and sell out fast; sign up for Tock alerts. There is no phone
At the table
- The omakase takes about 2.5-3 hours and moves at the chef's pace — come relaxed, not starving
- Only chicken: no beef, pork or seafood skewers. Say up front if there is a part you don't want
- Two-person crew (chef and one server), quiet room with jazz — more tasting counter than lively izakaya
- Hard to spot: no sign, just a lantern on the Convoy side between the Nijiya and Epic Wings lots
Dessert or tea after Yakitori Tsuta
- Yuki Yuki Handcrafted Beverage & Kakigori Get: Coconut mango kakigori — passion fruit custard and mango hidden inside
- K Bakery Get: Sausage curry croquette
- MNGO Cafe Get: MNGO kakigori — mango snow ice, fresh mango and pudding inside; use both sauces
Yakitori Tsuta vs other Convoy izakaya
| Spot | Order | Price | Latest close | Parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakitori Tsuta | The omakase | $$$$ | 11pm | Easy |
| Yokohama Yakitori Koubou | Chicken meatball, chicken thigh with negi and chicken tail skewers | $$ | midnight | Medium |
| Yakyudori | Beef skewer with fresh wasabi | $$ | 11:30pm | Medium |
| Wa Dining Okan | Creamy mentai udon or the carbonara udon special | $$ | 10pm | Medium |
Yakitori Tsuta: quick answers
What should I order at Yakitori Tsuta?
Regulars order the The omakase ($120) — about 18 courses; you get to pick one skewer of your choice among the eight, Add a skewer or two at the end: C-toro (fatty thigh), soft-boiled quail egg or gizzard, Grilled rice ball ($9) — order it early, it takes time.
Is parking easy at Yakitori Tsuta?
Parking is rated Easy for this lot at peak times. Park in the Nijiya (Sunrise Towne Centre) or Epic Wings lot — the restaurant sits between them facing Convoy, marked only by a lantern; by the 8:15pm seating there are usually spaces.
What should I know before going to Yakitori Tsuta?
Reservations only, on Tock — seats open a week or more out and sell out fast; sign up for Tock alerts. There is no phone. A deposit is taken when you book and refunded after the meal, not taken off the bill. The omakase takes about 2.5-3 hours and moves at the chef's pace — come relaxed, not starving.
Where can I get dessert or boba near Yakitori Tsuta?
Yuki Yuki Handcrafted Beverage & Kakigori (shaved ice, same plaza, 3 min walk, open until 10:30pm); K Bakery (bakery, same plaza, 3 min walk, open until 8pm); MNGO Cafe (shaved ice, 7 min walk, open until 10pm (11pm Thu & Sun; midnight Fri–Sat)).
Does Yakitori Tsuta take reservations?
Reservations only, on Tock; seats open a week or more out and sell out fast; sign up for Tock alerts. There is no phone.
Yakitori Tsuta hours
| Mon | 5:30pm–11pm |
| Tue | Closed |
| Wed | 5:30pm–8:30pm |
| Thu | 5:30pm–11pm |
| Fri | 5:30pm–11pm |
| Sat | 5:30pm–11pm |
| Sun | 5:30pm–11pm |
How to find it
Details checked October 2026. Wrong hours, closed, or changed? Report a problem