Matoi

Matoi sits in San Diego's Convoy District, in the middle of the neighborhood's dense strip of destination Japanese restaurants. The sushi counter format here comes with its own set of expectations for how the meal is meant to unfold, and the chef's particular approach to running that room has become something diners tend to have strong, divided opinions about. Fans point to the quality and consistency of the food as the reason they keep returning; others have walked away with sharper reactions. Either way, the tension between devoted regulars and pointed critics is part of what people talk about when they talk about Matoi.