Hillcrest lists 16 Asian restaurants in 92103, from the affordable sushi sets at Sushi Deli 1 to craft ramen at HiroNori and yakitori at RAKITORI Japanese Pub & Grill. Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese kitchens fill out the corridor along University Avenue and Fifth Avenue.
501 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-960-2045
Verified928 Fort Stockton Dr Unit101, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-955-5777
Verified3803 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-241-2856
Verified928 Fort Stockton Dr, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-542-1354
Verified420 Robinson Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-230-5666
Verified1790 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-295-2232
Verified4015 Goldfinch St, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-705-9759
Verified1449 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-299-7203
Verified530 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-501-4091
Verified228 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-231-9597
Verified3614 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-542-9942
Verified527 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-291-7525
Verified3865 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-738-8539
Verified3807 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-260-3555
Verified414 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-296-4119
Verified3871 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
+1 619-291-9449
VerifiedSushi Deli 1 has been the affordable sushi anchor in Hillcrest for years, with lunch combination plates and rolls priced well below most sushi restaurants in San Diego. The portions are generous, the fish is fresh, and the no-frills counter-service format keeps the line moving. It is one of the reasons Hillcrest ranks among the better sushi neighborhoods in the city for value.
Izakaya Masa takes a more refined approach — a full izakaya menu with nigiri, sashimi, and cooked dishes alongside sake and Japanese beer. Yoshino's Japanese Restaurant and KOMATSUYA round out the traditional sushi side, while Ichiban serves a broader Japanese menu with sushi and teriyaki options.
TASTE OF THAI on University Avenue is the primary Thai restaurant in the neighborhood, with a menu that covers pad Thai, curries, and stir-fries alongside a dedicated vegan section that swaps tofu and vegetables into most dishes. The kitchen runs lunch and dinner service, and the portions are sized for the price point.
What De Health Thai takes a health-focused angle on Thai cooking with lighter preparations and more vegetable-forward dishes. Between the two, Hillcrest covers both the classic takeout Thai format and the lighter adaptation. For a larger Thai scene, Underbelly North Park in North Park pushes Thai-inspired ramen and noodles into more experimental territory.
HiroNori Craft Ramen is the clear ramen anchor in Hillcrest, with rich tonkotsu and shoyu bowls built on long-simmered broths and house-made noodles. The shop runs a focused menu — ramen, a few appetizers, and drinks — and the lunch and dinner lines confirm that the broth quality holds up against any ramen shop in San Diego.
The neighborhood's ramen options are more concentrated than most San Diego neighborhoods outside of Convoy Street, and HiroNori carries much of that weight. For variety beyond ramen, Dumplings N More handles the Chinese noodle and dumpling side of the Asian dining category, and Goi Cuon serves Vietnamese spring rolls and rice plates.
Beyond sushi, Hillcrest runs several Japanese restaurants with distinct formats. RAKITORI Japanese Pub & Grill specializes in yakitori — grilled chicken skewers served alongside beer and sake in a pub atmosphere. The menu extends to Japanese bar food including edamame, gyoza, and rice bowls, and the late-night hours make it a post-bar dining option on the Fifth Avenue corridor.
Izakaya Masa runs a full izakaya format with small plates, sashimi, and sake service. DASHI brings a more refined approach to Japanese cuisine with a compact menu. The concentration of Japanese restaurants in Hillcrest is notable for a neighborhood this size — the sushi, yakitori, izakaya, and ramen formats each have at least one dedicated spot in the 92103 ZIP.
Phở Fifth Avenue is the dedicated pho restaurant in Hillcrest, serving beef and chicken pho with the standard herb and condiment tray alongside vermicelli bowls and banh mi sandwiches. The location on Fifth Avenue puts it in the middle of the bar corridor, and the soup-heavy menu makes it a practical option in the rare stretch of cool San Diego weather.
Goi Cuon covers the Vietnamese spring roll and rice plate side of the menu, offering a lighter alternative to pho when the weather is warmer. For a broader Vietnamese selection, the Convoy Street area east of the 92103 ZIP runs a denser concentration of pho restaurants, but Hillcrest's options handle the neighborhood demand without requiring the drive.
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