Extremely delicious fresh fish with traditional but very unique pairings. Completely blown away and the chef was so fun to talk to! Super worth the visit.

An amazing experience all around. The chef was spectacular and the service was terrific. I ordered the Omakase, and the presentation of everything from the first dish to the ice cream at the end was nothing short of special. It was my 3rd Omakase but felt like the first real one I've been to. Would definitely recommend!

Easily one of the best sushi experiences I’ve had in Southern California—period. From the moment you sit down, Matoi delivers a curated, thoughtful omakase that’s all killer, no filler. Nothing farm-raised, nothing phoned in—just wildly fresh, high-quality cuts that let the fish do the talking. And the value? Ridiculous (in the best way). Easily the best bang-for-your-buck omakase in SoCal. You’re getting an elite sushi bar experience without the ego or the four-figure bill. It was so good I forgot to take photos… and I never forget. That’s how locked in I was. Just me, the fish, and pure happiness.

A delicious omakase in San Diego! Shoutout to our cousin for taking us here! We had a reservation at 7:30PM for a Saturday evening meal. I believe we were sat on time and we got right into drinks and the course. Staff was friendly checking in on us and Chef TJ was fun, positive, and created a great omakase environment! I won't go into too much detail of each fish (as the menu can change with each service), but for the value, I thought it was an amazing meal! Parking is relatively easy to find in the plaza. I'm headed back to San Diego next week...so I'm going to have Matoi again :D twice in 2-3 weeks is my kind of vibe!

Truly a wonderful omakase experience! Coming from LA with tons of great Japanese options, I’m thrilled San Diego’s sushi scene has picked up its game with more great omakase options in the past few years. I’ve been to most in town and this is the best—amazing rice, really fresh seasonal fish, and that fresh wasabi will spoil you for life.

This place deserves all the stars! The quality of fish/ingredients was superb and it was such a fun experience, overall. We felt like we were part of a dinner party, where we were the chef’s special guest. Chef kept it relatively traditional to an omakase, but he included his own twists on the flavors and ambiance (90-2000s hip hop music) that were served. Thanks to chef TJ and his team for an amazing dinner - Can’t wait to be back soon!

Such a wonderful meal and experience - the food was exceptional. Only bar seating - 3 parties with 11 people total. All the sashimi and nigiri were prepared by TJ right in front of us. He never left the area the whole time! TJ’s insight and honesty about his experiences were very educational (and hilarious) and one of the highlights of the night. I’ve had omakases where the chef didnt speak more than a few words to describe the food. Be prepared though we sat for the 7:30 seating, didn’t start eating until about 8 and then finished around 10:30. Definitely get the hand roll add on if you have room! We were all full just with the base omakase but squeezed in a handroll!

Chef TJ is the only one in town who will bring you the freshest fish and the most authentic experience. I’ve stopped going to other omakase places in town because of Matoi… oops. I’m a regular here, and I have high stands. That itself should leave a strong message, right? Give it a try; give yourself a relaxed window to enjoy an amazing experience. I hope to catch you here someday.

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had! The restaurant is small and intimate. Every guest sits at the sushi bar, which I loved. It was a very interactive experience where you got to know both the chefs and the other diners. Chef TJ was hilarious and clearly takes pride in his craft. All of the courses were fresh, thoughtfully presented, and absolutely delicious. I was very full from the omakase course alone (and I can eat 😄). The dinner took almost three hours and was WELL worth the cost. Most certainly will be back and bringing friends!

If you want to eat the best quality and the most delicious Japanese cuisine, this is the place to be. Hands down the best in San Diego. I have been to all the San Diego sushi restaurants and even in Tokyo. TJ, the owner serves the food with so much love and pays attention to every detail meticulously. Matoi stands out amongst all anywhere. It is not just an amazing Omakase, it is a mind blowing experience for me. This one should really be a Michelin star place.

James Camacho

After visiting Shan Xi Magic Kitchen for the first time, I am loooking forward to the next time! The food is delicious and packed with flavor. We ordered the dumplings, the crunchy chicken, and the hand ripped noodles with beef. Everything was well seasoned, cooked well and plentiful. The crunhcy chicken plate was like popcorn chicken but had a definite kick to it! It seems like there is no wrong menu choice when eating here. We (party of 2)came on a Saturday nigh and we waited between 30-45 minutes. The parking is challenging, so if you want to eat on a weekend night, please plan accordingly. I can't wait to come back. Eat up!!!

Wenhui Liu

The biangbiang noodles were excellent — thick, chewy, and full of flavor. Everything tasted authentic and comforting. Definitely a place I’d come back

yuzhu sun

I was so happy to find such authentic Xi’an food in San Diego. We ordered the liangpi (cold noodles), lamb offal soup, and the roujiamo, and everything was delicious. The liangpi was perfectly refreshing and flavorful, the roujiamo was crispy on the outside and juicy inside, and the lamb soup was rich, comforting, and not gamey at all. It really reminded me of the street food in Xi’an. The portions were generous and the food came out hot and fresh. If you’re craving real northern Chinese flavors, this place is definitely worth a visit. We will absolutely come back again.

Samuel Welker

I went here yesterday and had a great experience overall. I ordered both the #10 (biang biang noodles) and #2 (spicy lamb burger) and both were very good tasty dishes. The #2 was definitely more on the spicy side as well. The service was fine although they don’t really wait tables here-instead you place your order on your phone and they bring the food out to you when it’s ready. Wasn’t a big deal for me but it’s nice to have a waiter to refill drinks etc. Atmosphere wise it’s a smaller restaurant with roughly 10 -15 tables. I got here at 4:30 when it opened and it was full with a wait within 15 minutes . Would definitely be eating here again in the future.

Victoria Fick

The food was great! We loved the biang biang noodles, and the mapo tofu was some of the best I’ve ever had. I also highly recommend the cumin lamb.

stephen loudon

Delicious dumplings and lamb cumin noodles. The ox throat skewers had very little flavor, but that is the nature of that protein.

Sophia Louise

Was craving some authentic and delicious Chinese food and this place never disappoints. The hand pulled noodles are insane and the dumplings 🥟 are so good too. Portions are big and service is fast! Give this place a try if you haven’t!!!

Justin Fan

Crispy Stewed Pork Burger: 4.5/5 Crispy and moist pork. I wish the pork was a little less greasy, but other than that it’s very good. The bread is very similar to a paratha with more structure and no butter. Hand Pulled Noodle with Cumin Beef: 6/5 My absolute favorite. Crispy veggies with delicious cumin beef. It’s a flavor I only associate with Chinese food and it’s intensely savory. I’m usually great at describing how things taste, but this one I’m a bit at a loss for. A must try for sure. Spicy Hot Oil Stewed Pork Hand Made Noodle: 4.5/5 During the height of the hype, an easy 5/5 but eh, a good noodle can only take you so far. I think it sounds dumb to say these taste too oily, but there’s a difference between chili oil and lard and I felt like the meat just sort of overpowered it all. A must try once, but I can skip it next time. The flavors are balanced and yummy though, the noodles unmatched. Ambiance: Casual and, Chinese? I’m not sure how else to say it, but it has that energy. I saw some people treat a little more fancy though, so why not. Service: You order online, but the service was very pleasant for a Chinese restaurant. Parking: Super busy plaza during peak times, say a quick prayer before going.

regis kwong

A great find from my son! This place serves some seriously authentic Shan Xi noodles — the kind you usually only get back in China. The food was amazing, especially the spicy biang biang noodles — chewy hand-ripped noodles tossed in a perfectly balanced spicy sauce that hits all the right notes. That’s the dish I’d come back for again and again. Service was great, and the food came out fast. You order right from your phone, which makes it easy. Parking can be a bit tricky, but once you taste those noodles, you’ll forget all about it. Definitely a fantastic place for noodle lovers!

V J Wang

Modern, Efficient, and Delicious – A Must-Try Spot in SD! This place nails the modern dining experience with its open-concept layout and convenient contactless QR code ordering. While this setup might not be for everyone, I love it – it’s simple, fast, and efficient. You can still request traditional table service, but when it’s busy (which it often is), expect to wait a bit for staff attention. I started with the cucumber salad – super refreshing, crunchy with just the right amount of tang and a little kick of spice. It was the perfect light appetizer to wake up the palate. Dining solo meant I had to hold myself back from ordering the whole menu (my eyes are always bigger than my stomach 😅). I finally settled on the “Dip in the Sauce” hand-ripped noodles with tomato fried egg and the spicy hot oil seared sauce. Instead of dipping, I split the dish into two mini portions – both versions were so good. Rich, flavorful, and spicy in the best way. The portion is generous – definitely enough for two. This spot is consistently great and always bustling, which is a good sign. It’s officially made it to my San Diego favorites list. My tummy is happy, and I’ll definitely be back to try other options.

JUSTIN CHING

Excellent food and excellent service. I noticed the duck poop lemonade tea and they were nice enough to let me taste it before drinking. It wasn’t too sweet and I ordered one for myself afterwards :)

Christina DLP

Delicious Chinese food. According to friends that have gone to China, the food is very authentic. I loved the biang biang noodles. I am a wimp when it comes to spicy food, but this was really good and I could handle it. Dumplings were flavorful and juicy. The beef skewers were cooked medium rare and delicious. Parking can be a pain depending on the time of day.

Andrew Brown

The best Chinese food I have had in San Diego. Their hand pulled noodles are chewy, thick, and absolutely delicious. I would recommend their spicy hand torn beef noodle soup. The cumin flavor is prevalent, the beef is tender, and the broth is perfectly salty and spicy. We also got the garlic eggplant and were immediately enamored. Though on the oiler side, it was one of the best Asian eggplant renditions we have ever had. The service is transactional, and the ambience is simple - though very clean. We will be back to try more!

Mullen Teodoro

We decided to have Chinese food tonight but not your typical Chinese food. We decided to dine at Shan Xi Magic Kitchen, which is known for their delicious hand pulled noodles The dishes were ordered were delicious, and yes, they were all quite spicy. The staff was friendly and very helpful. Ordering was easy since you ordered from your phone. Overall, this was a fantastic experience. 1. Spicy Hand ripped noodle soup 2. Spicy hot oil hand ripped noodle with tomato and egg. 3. Spicy Chili Dumplings 4. Eggplant with Garlic Sauce 5. Crispy Spicy Chicken

+3

Rosita Chang

We waited about 20 minutes for both the seats and the food. The noodle soup was good, and the spicy cumin lamb burger was really spicy. The hand-pulled noodles with cumin beef were pretty oily, and the noodles themselves were a bit disappointing—kind of hard and didn’t seem properly rested.

D&B

We ordered the liang pi (cold noodles), eggplant and potatoes (di San xian), and spicy lamb Biang biang noodles. Overall, the biang biang noodles are pretty tasty. The spicy lamb was good too. The cold noodles is just so-so since it was cut too thick. The di san xian (eggplant and potato) is good too. There is a mixture between the sweetness and oiliness. Definitely try the hand pulled noodles if you are the first-time comers as we are.

Sue Duong

04-26-2025 The food took a long time to come out. Worse part, they brought out our rice 7 min before bringing out our food. A rule of thump, food and rice need to be served at the same time, food taste better coupled with hot rice. Overall, I enjoyed my meal. Ordered: see pic I especially liked the Fried Pork Intestine. Crispy and tasty! Enjoy your meal y'all!

+3

homelesspwpw

The food itself was decent, though a bit too salty for my taste.What really ruined the experience was the service. The staff were noticeably unfriendly and impatient, and there was a subtle sense of condescension in the way they spoke—not through explicit words, but in tone and attitude. Being far from home, encountering this kind of treatment from someone who shares your cultural background is especially disappointing. It leaves you with a lingering sense of discomfort that has nothing to do with the food.

Josh Baltazar

My partner and I really like Biang Biang Noodles so once we figured out this restaurant served it, we had to try it. We come on a Thurusday around 8:45 pm and we were seated quickly. We ordered the Spicy Cumin Lamb Biang Biang Noodles and Pork "Zha Jiang" Hand Ripped Noodles. We also got the Rou Jia Mo or the Stewed Pork Burger. The service was great here! Unfortunately the food missed the mark. The noodles didn't taste fresh, the stew flavoring was ok but the portion of meat was good. Also the Pork Burger, the flavor for the meat was quite light. Overall might not return here.

+3

Willa Severson

My partner brought home takeout from here and I was so excited to try it since it had been on my list to try for some time. He ordered ox throat skewers, some kind of gizzard dish topped with cilantro, a ramen dish, dumplings, biang biang noodles and a smashed cucumber side dish. I was very underwhelmed by all the dishes. I did appreciate the hand pulled biang biang noodles and hand made dumpling wrappers. But the flavor was lacking in all the dishes. The ramen noodles were like spaghetti noodles and the broth tasted good but so oily. I couldn’t eat the skewers bc they were too chewy and over spiced with what I think was cumin. The gizzards were ok for a few bites. I ended up mostly just eating the cucumbers as the other items were not tasty enough to eat much of. Plus, he waited 45 mins for the takeout, and when he went to check on it, they told him 3-5 more mins and he let them know he would be waiting just outside. No one notified him the food was ready to pick up so when he came back inside 8 mins later to check again, the food had been sitting there getting cold. I won’t be returning. There’s just too many better options available.