Hinotez

Hinotez is an awesome Japanese restaurant on the eastern side of Kearny Mesa near the 163. They have a huge selection of yakitori, ramen, and rice dishes. I really like their fried gyoza, which they serve with a nice mustard. The spicy miso ramen is great too. They serve pitchers and large beers as well. They even have an interesting tempura selection, including mixed vegetables, sweet potato, and avocado. I highly recommend it! Just try to come later at night after the dinner rush—wait times can stretch to around an hour if you come at 5 or 6.

Good food, fast service, pretty good value for Japanese food, tablet order so my antisocial a** don't have to talk to people much Ordered the liver skewers, curry with pork cutlet and egg, and karaage. Liver skewers were nice and smokey, one piece was a bit under done tho but you can order them well-done if you wanna be sure. Karaage was average, from flavoring to coating, not amazing but not bad. Curry was chunky which is nice compared to some other places, the portion was pretty big, could use some more flavor tho. The egg while tasting good, was small, like eggs from Costco small. The cutlet on the other hand was hefty, nice and thick, was a bit too well-done for my taste but it's pork so you would want to be on the safer side. Ok don't order the tempura shrimp, hella flaccid.

It's close to convoy but not on convoy Street and a good place to get some yakitori. Their specialty is yakitori and that is the only thing I go for. My favorite is the chicken liver which sells out quick if you go late for dinner (say after 8pm). Then other favorites are the meatballs, scallops, bacon and asparagus. Among appetizers my favorite is the fried cartilage. Cocktails are alright . You have to order the food on the touchpad screens on each table and only the drinks are ordered with the waiter/ waitress. The tempura, ramen, udon and sushi etc. can be avoided as it's not the best here. Highly recommend for yakitori.

The yakitori items are delicious! We ordered pork shiso, pork belly, and scallop, they are all amazing, grilled to just right. We also ordered a wasabi shio maze soba, it's our first time trying it out and it turn out to be also delicious - a simple dry noodles with soy sauce and abit of the wasabi tang, we love it! Will definitely come back !