While little has been publicly announced about the project, SanDiegoVille has learned additional details directly from co-owner Dillon Berkabile, who says Neptune will be far more than a traditional sushi restaurant.
According to a California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control filing, the new restaurant will operate under Neptune North Park LLC. Berkabile confirmed the ownership team consists of himself, Michael Harrison and Justice Horden, who has also led much of the restaurant's interior design.
Leading the kitchen will be chef Taylor Preus, an experienced sushi chef who Berkabile says has spent years refining his craft.
"Our vision for Neptune is to create a space that invites unique interpretations and continual evolution within San Diego's already thriving culinary landscape," Berkabile said.
Originally envisioned as a modern temaki-style hand roll bar, the concept evolved during renovations into something broader and more ambitious. While hand rolls and modern sushi will remain at the heart of the menu, Neptune will also draw inspiration from the cuisines and flavors of Asia and Latin America, along with San Diego's coastal character.
"If I had to give Neptune a singular identity, I couldn't—because we don't want to be confined to one," Berkabile explained. "Neptune is simply going to be a place where we serve what is delicious, fresh, and creative."
Rather than adhering to a single culinary tradition, the restaurant aims to continually evolve while delivering an experience guests cannot easily find elsewhere.
"The feeling we hope to leave with every guest is, 'Wow—the only way I'm ever going to experience that again is by coming back to Neptune,'" Berkabile said.
The design philosophy reflects that same handcrafted approach. Berkabile said much of the restaurant has been built by hand using reclaimed San Diego wood and natural materials, with custom-built and carefully thrifted furnishings replacing mass-produced décor.
"Pretty much everything is either thrifted or custom built," he said.
Although ownership is keeping most of the redesign under wraps until opening day, Berkabile teased that Neptune's namesake has significantly influenced both the restaurant's décor and the layout of the subtly reimagined space.
More than anything, Berkabile said the team hopes to continually refine what they view as the restaurant's three pillars: exceptional service, memorable ambience and incredible food.
The partnership reunites Berkabile and Harrison, longtime collaborators whose portfolios have quietly expanded across San Diego over the past decade. Berkabile is perhaps best known as one of the founders of Bowlology, the health-focused fast-casual concept that helped popularize acai bowls and healthy dining throughout Southern California. He has since become involved in a growing collection of independent restaurant ventures, including Pacific Beach's popular all-day café Palmy's, which opened in 2021.
Harrison has likewise become one of San Diego's more active independent restaurateurs. A chef by training, he previously served as opening general manager and executive chef at Palmy's before partnering with Berkabile on Blue Whale, the all-day coastal café that debuted in La Jolla Village in 2023. More recently, Harrison launched The Barista Botanist, an organic café in Pacific Beach, while also operating catering company Munch and artisan dessert concept Killer Whale Creamery.
The address carries significant history within North Park's dining scene. Most recently, the space housed Tajima North Park, one of the neighborhood's longtime ramen destinations. That restaurant quietly ceased operations earlier this year after serving diners for nearly ten years, marking the end of one of San Diego's original ramen brands' most recognizable locations.
Founded in 2001 by restaurateur Isamu "Sam" Morikizono, Tajima helped introduce authentic ramen to San Diego years before the city's Japanese dining boom accelerated. While the North Park location closed, Tajima continues operating several restaurants throughout San Diego County, including its recently opened Crown Point location.
Neptune Sushi represents another notable investment in North Park, where restaurant turnover has remained unusually active over the past several years as operators continue adapting to changing consumer habits, rising operating costs and evolving neighborhood demographics. The ABC filing currently seeks an on-sale beer and wine license for Neptune Sushi, suggesting the restaurant intends to complement its menu with beer, wine and sake service.
Neptune Sushi is planned for 3015 Adams Avenue in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. An official opening date has not yet been announced.
Originally published on June 26, 2026.
