Located at 7905 Engineer Road in Kearny Mesa, Ju-ichi announced its impending closure through an emotional Instagram post, thanking customers for supporting the restaurant through birthdays, family dinners, happy hours and everyday meals.
"Serving the Convoy District has been an absolute honor," the restaurant wrote. "Your support, loyalty, and friendship mean more to us than words can express."
The restaurant has not publicly disclosed a reason for its closure, and it remains unclear whether the decision was influenced by rising operating expenses, lease considerations, declining business or other circumstances. Ju-ichi is encouraging customers to return for one final meal before its last service on November 21.
Ju-ichi was founded in 2021 by executive chef and owner Nghi Dao, who initially developed the business as a sushi catering operation during the pandemic, when restrictions on indoor dining forced restaurant operators to rethink how they reached customers.
Rather than immediately opening a traditional restaurant, Dao focused on bringing high-end sushi directly to people's homes through private dining, event catering and elaborate sushi boards.
The business became known for its luxurious sushi presentations, sometimes described as "Charcuterie of the Sea," featuring carefully arranged combinations of nigiri, sashimi and specialty rolls. Other catering offerings included Wagyu beef, seasonal vegetables and accompanying sauces.
Ju-ichi initially operated from a shared commercial kitchen in Old Town before announcing plans in early 2022 to transition into a permanent restaurant in the Convoy District.
The move represented an ambitious evolution for a business that had developed its identity around private events and delivery-style dining during an exceptionally difficult period for the hospitality industry.
By bringing the concept to Engineer Road, Dao sought to combine the attention to detail of private sushi catering with a more approachable neighborhood restaurant atmosphere, offering contemporary Japanese cuisine without the formality often associated with high-end sushi counters.
The restaurant's menu developed around traditional Japanese preparations and modern interpretations, with dishes ranging from carefully composed nigiri and sashimi to more elaborate seafood creations.
Among the restaurant's featured specialties were Hokkaido scallop nigiri with black truffle, yellowtail crudo with spicy ponzu and crunchy garlic, Japanese sea urchin panna cotta, broiled oysters with herb and garlic ponzu butter, and colorful chirashi bowls featuring assorted raw fish and seafood.
Ju-ichi also developed an intimate Sunday tasting menu experience centered around its 11-seat sushi bar. The approximately two-hour, 11-course experience was previously advertised at $145 per person, with an optional sake pairing for an additional $35.
The tasting menu allowed Dao and his team to showcase more specialized ingredients and techniques in a setting that emphasized interaction between the chefs and guests.
Beyond its higher-end offerings, Ju-ichi also served more accessible lunch and dinner dishes, including sushi combinations and other Japanese specialties, while promoting happy hour as a way to introduce customers to the restaurant without committing to a full tasting menu.
The restaurant continued experimenting with its offerings throughout its operation. As recently as April 2026, local food writers documented the return of lunch service, suggesting the business was still actively adjusting its dining program to attract additional customers.
However, signs of another operational transition appeared in September, when Ju-ichi announced that it would suspend lunch service beginning September 24 and temporarily discontinue its Sunday omakase and tasting menu while restructuring its menu and services.
Less than two months later, the restaurant has announced that it will close permanently.
Ju-ichi's departure comes as San Diego's Convoy District continues experiencing substantial changes in its restaurant landscape.
The neighborhood, which developed over decades into one of Southern California's most concentrated Asian dining destinations, has long attracted independent restaurateurs specializing in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese and other Asian cuisines.
In recent years, Convoy has seen an influx of new restaurant concepts, national and international chains, and increasingly ambitious dining establishments, creating a highly competitive environment for smaller operators.
Ju-ichi occupied a somewhat distinctive position within that landscape, bridging the gap between a casual neighborhood sushi restaurant and a chef-driven destination offering elaborate tasting menus and specialty seafood.
Its closure will leave another vacancy in a dining district where independent businesses frequently compete with larger restaurant groups and well-financed newcomers.
Although rising food costs, labor expenses and commercial rents remain significant concerns across San Diego's restaurant industry, Ju-ichi has not attributed its closure to any particular financial or operational challenge.
For Dao, the restaurant represented a business built during one of the industry's most uncertain periods, beginning with private sushi catering and eventually establishing a permanent presence in one of San Diego's best-known culinary neighborhoods.
For customers who discovered Ju-ichi through its creative seafood dishes, intimate sushi bar or neighborhood happy hours, the remaining days offer a final opportunity to revisit the restaurant before its doors close.
Ju-ichi will permanently close following its final service on Saturday, November 21, 2026. The restaurant is located at 7905 Engineer Road, Suite A, in San Diego's Kearny Mesa neighborhood. For additional information, visit juichi11sd.com or follow @juichi11sd on Instagram.
Originally published on November 13, 2026.