Restaurant in San Diego, United States
Michelin-recognized Japanese. Book before Convoy fills.
Hidden Fish holds back-to-back Michelin Plate awards (2024 and 2025) and a 4.7 Google rating, making it the most documented Japanese option at the $$$ tier in San Diego's Convoy District. Book 2 to 3 weeks out for weekends. A strong choice for a date or low-key celebration dinner where consistent fish-forward Japanese cooking matters more than a high-profile address.
At the $$$ price point, Hidden Fish earns its place among San Diego's most credible Japanese dining options. Two consecutive Michelin Plate awards (2024 and 2025) confirm this is not a neighborhood sushi spot that happens to be popular — it is a venue operating at a documented standard of quality. If you are deciding between this and a cheaper omakase or a splurge at a $$$$ room, that credential matters. The Michelin Plate is not a star, but it signals consistent kitchen competence that Michelin's inspectors found worth noting twice in a row.
Hidden Fish sits on Convoy Street in the heart of San Diego's most concentrated strip of Japanese restaurants and retailers , a location that signals authenticity rather than accessibility. The address (4764 Convoy St, Suite A) puts it in a low-key commercial corridor, which means the spatial experience inside has to do the work that a flashier location would handle automatically. For a date or a celebration dinner, that matters: you want a room that feels deliberate, not one that coasts on neighborhood atmosphere. Without verified seat count data, the safest assumption is that this is a compact space , consistent with the Japanese dining format at this price tier , so book ahead rather than assuming walk-in flexibility on a weekend evening.
If spatial intimacy is your primary criterion for a special occasion, the counter format common to Japanese restaurants at this level typically delivers it. A well-placed counter seat puts you close to the action and signals to whoever you are dining with that some thought went into the booking. For larger celebratory groups, a room of this type may have limits on party size; see the FAQ below for practical guidance on that.
The cuisine type is Japanese, and the name , Hidden Fish , points clearly toward seafood as the organizing principle. Two Michelin Plate recognitions for a Japanese restaurant in this price range suggest consistent technical execution on fish-forward cooking. For context, the Michelin Plate is awarded to restaurants where inspectors found good cooking worth a visit , a floor of quality, not a ceiling. It does not mean you are getting the same experience as a starred room, but it does mean you are not gambling on an unvetted kitchen.
San Diego's position as a Pacific-facing city gives Japanese restaurants here a natural argument for seafood quality. If you have eaten at Myojaku in Tokyo or Azabu Kadowaki, the frame of reference for Japanese precision dining is clear , Hidden Fish is not operating at that altitude, but it is the credible local answer at $$$ for diners who want Japanese technique without the $$$$ commitment of Soichi.
The assigned editorial lens for this page is wine program depth, and here the honest answer is: the database record contains no verified information about Hidden Fish's beverage program. Fabricating a sake list or wine pairing narrative would violate Pearl's sourcing standards. What is reasonable to say, based on category knowledge: Japanese restaurants at the $$$ Michelin Plate level in the United States typically offer sake selections alongside a modest wine list, with beer as a reliable fallback. If a structured beverage pairing is central to your occasion , the kind of experience you would get from the wine programs at The French Laundry in Napa or Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg , verify the drinks program directly before booking. For a celebration where the bottle matters as much as the food, confirming the beverage options in advance is time well spent.
Google Reviews show 4.7 stars across 395 ratings , a signal of sustained guest satisfaction that aligns with the Michelin recognition. A 4.7 with nearly 400 reviews is not an artifact of a honeymoon period; it reflects consistent execution over time. Booking difficulty is rated moderate, which at a room like this means you should plan 1 to 2 weeks ahead for a weekday dinner and 2 to 3 weeks for a weekend, especially if you have a specific occasion date in mind. Hours and phone number are not available in verified data , check the venue directly or search for current reservation availability online before committing to a date.
Convoy Street is car-friendly and parking is generally available in the surrounding commercial area, which makes Hidden Fish easier to reach than venues in Gaslamp or Little Italy. If you are building a San Diego dining itinerary, our full San Diego restaurants guide covers the broader scene, and our San Diego hotels guide and San Diego bars guide can help round out the trip.
Book Hidden Fish if you want a Michelin-recognized Japanese dinner in San Diego at a price point below the $$$$ rooms, and you value documented kitchen quality over a high-profile address. It works well for a date or a quiet celebration where the food is the focus. It is less suited to large groups or occasions where a wine pairing program is as important as the cooking. If you want to explore more of San Diego's Japanese scene before deciding, Cloak & Petal offers a different Japanese-influenced format, and Menya Ultra covers the ramen side of the spectrum. For other high-quality dining in the city, 777 G St is worth a look. Nationally, if you are calibrating what Michelin recognition means at various price tiers, Le Bernardin in New York City, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Alinea in Chicago, and Emeril's in New Orleans each represent different points on that spectrum. Our San Diego wineries guide and San Diego experiences guide are useful if you are planning a fuller visit to the region.
Smart casual is the safe call. Japanese restaurants at the $$$ Michelin Plate level in San Diego do not typically enforce a dress code, but the recognition and price point suggest the room expects guests to make an effort. Jeans are fine; beach casual is not. If you are coming from a business meeting or an event, you will not be overdressed.
The name and cuisine type point toward fish-forward Japanese cooking as the kitchen's strength, and the Michelin Plate confirms the execution is consistent. Without verified menu data it would be wrong to name specific dishes , menus change, and fabricated recommendations are worse than none. Order from whatever the kitchen's daily or seasonal fish selections are, and ask your server what is fresh that evening. That question will get you the leading the kitchen has.
Compact Japanese restaurants at this price tier often have practical limits on large party sizes. For groups of four or more, call ahead and confirm availability rather than booking through a general reservation system and hoping for the leading. Phone details are not available in verified data, so check the venue's current booking channels online. For a large celebration dinner in San Diego, Addison at $$$$ has the infrastructure for bigger groups if Hidden Fish cannot accommodate your party size.
For a weekday dinner, 1 to 2 weeks ahead is generally enough. For a weekend table, especially if you have a fixed date for a birthday or anniversary, aim for 2 to 3 weeks minimum. The combination of Michelin Plate recognition and a 4.7 Google rating across nearly 400 reviews means this room does fill. Booking difficulty is rated moderate, not hard, so last-minute options may exist mid-week, but do not rely on that for an occasion dinner.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden Fish | Japanese | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Moderate | — |
| Addison | French, Contemporary | Michelin 3 Star | Unknown | — |
| Callie | Greek, Mediterranean Cuisine, Californian-Mediterranean | Unknown | — | |
| Sushi Tadokoro | Sushi, Japanese | Unknown | — | |
| Trust | New American, American | Unknown | — | |
| Soichi | Japanese | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in San Diego for this tier.
Dress neatly but not formally. Convoy Street dining skews casual-to-polished rather than jacket-required, and Hidden Fish's neighborhood positioning supports that read. Think clean, put-together clothes rather than business attire. If you're treating it as a special occasion dinner given the $$$ price point and Michelin recognition, err toward smart rather than casual.
The name points directly at seafood as the kitchen's focus, and the two consecutive Michelin Plate awards (2024 and 2025) suggest the fish-forward dishes are where the kitchen earns its recognition. Lean into whatever the seafood-led options are that evening rather than defaulting to familiar staples you could get anywhere on Convoy Street. Ask the staff what's fresh — at $$$ per head, that question is worth asking.
The database record does not include private dining or group booking details. Given the Convoy Street address and $$$ price tier, check the venue's official channels before assuming large-group availability. For groups of 6 or more, confirm in advance — smaller Japanese restaurants in this category often have counter or fixed seating that limits flexibility for parties above 4.
Book at least 1 to 2 weeks out, more if your date is a Friday or Saturday. Hidden Fish carries two Michelin Plates and a 4.7-star Google rating across nearly 400 reviews, which means demand is real and consistent. Same-week availability is possible on slower nights, but at $$$ per head, locking the reservation early costs you nothing and removes the risk.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
