Saturdate Night: Ichiban PB

Since Shaun's been back in town we have yet to do a proper date night. We were set on sushi, so it was Yelp to the rescue and we decided on a new-to-us place in Pacific Beach, Ichiban PB.

Ichiban PB

1441 Garnet Avenue, San Diego, CA 92109

(858) 270-5755

When you walk in, you place your order at the counter and they bring you your food. We were in luck because we were there during their happy hour (5pm-7pm Mon-Sat, dine-in only) which meant a couple dollars off certain rolls and beers (aka my kind of deal!). Their decor is nothing to write home about, it was pretty casual and you just seat yourself after ordering.

 

Seaweed salad + beer

 Vegetable tempura

We ordered the seaweed salad ($3.50), vegetable tempura ($3.95), and 3 of the specialty rolls on the happy hour menu:

• Mango special roll: Inside-mango, asparagus, avocado. Outside- salmon, mango. ($8 something $6 something hh price)

• Diego roll: Inside- jalapeño, spicy crab, spicy salmon, cream cheese, chili powder. Outside- tempura. Served with salsa. ($7.75, $6.25 hh price)

• Eel roll: Inside- eel, sauce, seaweed, avocado. ($6.25, $4.95 hh price)
  

 

Mango special roll

And a 16oz Kirin draft ($2 hh price) for me!

So. Much. Food. For how cheap the prices were, all the food was great in both quantity and quality. My seaweed salad hit the spot. The vegetable tempura was so-so, not bad but not great. The Mango roll was unique and really refreshing. By contrast, the Diego roll was spicy and so different than any roll either of us had tried before- served with salsa? The eel roll was pretty standard in my opinion.

I'd definitely go here again and Shaun agrees. The prices were right up my alley, and although I can be skeptical of a sushi place that are too cheap, the food was surprisingly good quality and much better than expected.  The service was quick too, but we also may have beat the rush a little.  If you're in San Diego, on a budget, and looking for some good sushi, I'd highly recommend Ichiban PB.  I'm adding it to the list of places I need to go back to!