Bang Bang Sushi - Review
Come for the sushi and vibe, stay for the whimsical cocktails and popping nightclub!
Written by Ashley Dunn
The Entrance - Photo courtesy of La Jolla Mom
The Atmosphere
Slip into Japan. Enter within a subway station for an experience like no other in San Diego!
Not many of us look to “get out” of San Diego. Why would we? Don’t get me wrong, a little international trip is fun, but expensive. Thus, one of our goals is to find amazing international getaways, right in the heart of our own city. Ever dreamt of visiting Japan? Well, Bang Bang Sushi does just that by transporting you from San Diego to the heart of Japan! The entrance to Bang Bang acts as a portal, taking you from downtown San Diego, to a subway station in Japan. With retro subway signs, white tiled stair cases, and some great lighting… be ready to disappear into the Japanese night club ambiance.
The main dining room ceiling was covered in massive black and white lanterns, with the Bang Bang logo hidden all around. It’s also only a few steps away from the fresh sushi bar, serving up some of the most delicious food. Oh and look out for the live DJ, only just a few feet away from the tables!
Take a step over into the next room and you’ll see a dance floor lit up with a massive disco ball, ready for a fun Friday night out with friends. They have everything you are looking for - a party, a dinner, a chance to escape!
The Cocktails
I feel bad for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.” – Frank Sinatra
Bang Bang is definitely known for their wide variety of cocktails! We were lucky enough to have Charles, the bar manager, send over wide variety of their cocktails for us to try! Here is what we loved…
GARDEN SNAKE - Blanco Tequila, Green Chartruese, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, and Soda
TOKYO GAMES - Spiced Strawberry & Watermelon Margarita, Blanco Tequila, Spiced Agave, Lime, and Japanese Red Chile
BANG BANG G AND T - Nolets Gin, Lemon Grass, Japanese Fig, Cimchona Bark, and Black Cardamom
ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK -Maker’s Mark, Agave, Cardamon, Cinnamon, Clove, and Lime
The cocktails at Bang Bang are definitely for showing off - beautiful, fantastic garnishes, often on fire, or bubbling with dry ice. However, there is some serious thought behind them. We appreciated how they were not only stunning, but equally delicious!
The Cuisine
“I'm not making art, I'm making sushi.” - Masaharu Morimoto
The Sushi Boat
An EPIC foodie adventure! The Sushi Boat is an off menu choice of a plethora of Bang Bang’s favorite rolls. From some classics (California, Spicy Tuna) to wild (Kill Bill, Gosling), you can expect flavors that will satisfy all members of your group!
We highly recommend getting this with a few friends, as it is HUGE! The Sushi Boat is made to be shared, so you can taste a little of all the different rolls and find your favorites.
Our Favorites:
KILL BILL - Spicy yellowtail, cilantro, and cucumber topped with tuna, fried onion, chive, Japanese chili powder, garlic soy dressing, and eel sauce
HELLO KITTY - Spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado wrapped in pink soy paper. Topped with bay scallops, tempura flakes and served with house chili aioli and eel sauce
THE GOSLING - Spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, jalapeno with yellowtail, chive, and house chili aoli
There are so many good choices here at Bang Bang, so its hard to just say “order this one thing”, but if you are going to order one dish, we recommend getting the Sushi Boat!
Summary
Overall Review: 9.4/10
Awesome vibe, solid sushi, and a great selection of cocktails!
Food Review: 8.5/10
Sushi was great! If you love fancy custom rolls then you are in luck!
Cocktail Review: 9.5/10
All very delicious! The bar manager, Charles, hooked it up and showed the true variety of Bang Bang’s cocktails. Very showy and cool cocktails, but with lots of depth.
Atmosphere 10/10
We think the coolest part of Bang Bang is bringing people who have never been and seeing them react to the amazing decor, entrance, and fun atmosphere.