Encore Sushi Solana Beach: Go Before the Grand Opening
A brand-new sushi bar just filled the gap between the Cedros galleries and the Belly Up. The ribbon-cutting is next Friday — which makes this weekend the smartest time to go.
Every good hunt starts with timing. Encore Sushi is open right now at 112 S. Cedros Ave in Solana Beach, but it won't be quiet for long: the official grand opening celebration lands Friday, October 23, with a Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting at 4 PM, drinks, and chef's samples. That gives you exactly one weekend — this one — to eat there before the crowd arrives.
Here's the other thing. Yesterday we published our ranking of San Diego's best sushi rolls, and the sushi beat is running hot. A new sushi bar opening in North County right now? That's not a coincidence worth wasting. That's an assignment.
What Is Encore Sushi?
The basics: 42 seats, a sushi bar built for watching the work, and a location that tells you the whole strategy — the entrance to the Cedros Design District, steps from the Belly Up Tavern. The galleries, the boutiques, the music venue: there was a stretch between them where the night used to go to eat, and it never quite existed. Partner Chris West is plain about it — this is meant to be the first stop where a night on Cedros begins, whether you're headed to the beach or a show down the street.
The chef is James La, 25 years into the craft. His line about the room is the whole operating philosophy in two sentences: "Sushi is a live performance. The counter is our stage, and every piece is cut the moment it's ordered." He reads each day's catch and adjusts to it, every service — the weight of the rice, the thickness of the cut, a single drop of sauce. If that sounds precious, consider that it means your dinner changes slightly with the day. I'd rather have that than a menu carved in stone.
The Menu Reads Like a Setlist
This is the part that got me. The rolls are organized under "The Setlist," running from Opening Act to The Encore — and the names hold up past the joke:
- The Crowd Surfer — hamachi, fresh salmon, krab, jalapeño, lemon. The entry point.
- The Ring of Fire — bluefin tuna, shrimp tempura, torched jalapeños, chili oil, sweet soy glaze. The loud one.
- The Encore — seared albacore, real crab, spicy tuna, avocado, mosh pit sauce, shichimi togarashi. The closer you're supposed to stay for. The menu's sign-off: "The Encore is where it gets good."
Cute names can be a warning sign — usually they paper over average fish. But then you look at the sushi bar menu, and it's not messing around: B.F.T. chu-toro nigiri at $18 for two pieces, sea urchin at $22, A5 Japan wagyu nigiri at $25, plus Hokkaido scallop, New Zealand king salmon, and bluefin tuna. That's a serious bar hiding inside an upscale-casual room. Sushi and music and art all sharing the bill, with work by Cedros Design District artists on the walls and, per the plan, the occasional artist dropping in for an impromptu set.
Why This Weekend, Not Next
Two visits, two different restaurants:
| This weekend (Oct 16–18) | Grand opening (Fri Oct 23) | |
|---|---|---|
| The room | Freshly open, quiet, full attention | Ribbon-cutting at 4 PM, drinks, chef's samples — a party |
| The play | Sit at the bar, work the Setlist, judge the fish | Show up for the celebration, graze, people-watch |
| The DishCue move | First badge on an untagged menu | Second badge, victory lap |
Both are worth doing. But only one of them lets you walk in and say you were there before the ribbon was cut. That's the entire point of The Hunt.
A Quick Word on Money
Let's be honest about what this costs. Chu-toro at $18 for two pieces, uni at $22, A5 wagyu at $25 — this is premium sushi-bar pricing in a casual room. Roll prices aren't published yet, which tells you the check has some elasticity depending on how you order. The smart first visit: the sushi bar, three or four nigiri pieces, one roll with a name that made you grin. Judge the fish, not the decor.
Encore Sushi FAQs
Is Encore Sushi open now?
Yes. Encore Sushi is open now at 112 S. Cedros Ave in Solana Beach, with its official grand opening celebration — including a Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting — set for Friday, October 23, 2026 at 4 PM.
Where is Encore Sushi located?
Encore Sushi is at 112 S. Cedros Ave in Solana Beach, at the entrance to the Cedros Design District, steps from the Belly Up Tavern. The 42-seat room sits between the galleries and the live music venue — which is exactly the gap it was built to fill.
Who is Chef James La?
Chef James La is the chef behind Encore Sushi, bringing 25 years of sushi craft to the counter. His partner is Chris West. La is known for reading each day's catch and adjusting the menu to it, and for cutting every piece of nigiri the moment it's ordered.
What is on the menu at Encore Sushi?
The menu is organized like a setlist, from "Opening Act" to "The Encore." Signature rolls include the Crowd Surfer (hamachi, salmon, krab, jalapeño, lemon), the Ring of Fire (bluefin tuna, shrimp tempura, torched jalapeños, chili oil, sweet soy glaze), and the namesake Encore roll (seared albacore, real crab, spicy tuna, avocado, mosh pit sauce, shichimi togarashi). At the sushi bar: B.F.T. chu-toro nigiri at $18 for two pieces, sea urchin at $22, and A5 Japan wagyu nigiri at $25.
What happens at the Encore Sushi grand opening on Oct 23?
On Friday, October 23, 2026, Encore Sushi celebrates its grand opening with a Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting at 4 PM. Drinks and chef's samples will be available. The restaurant is already open for regular service before the celebration.
How much does it cost to eat at Encore Sushi?
Premium sushi bar pricing with a casual room. Reported prices: B.F.T. chu-toro nigiri $18 (two pieces), sea urchin $22, A5 Japan wagyu nigiri $25. Roll prices aren't published yet, but the 42-seat room is built as an upscale-casual dinner, not a white-tablecloth omakase temple.
Related reads
- Best Sushi Rolls in San Diego (2026), Ranked — our five-roll verdict from yesterday, sushi beat in full swing
- Best Dishes in San Diego Right Now: The Thumbs-Up Leaderboard — what the DishCue community is actually badging this week
- The Ocean Beach Pizza Pop-Up That Sells Out in 30 Seconds — another Hunt story: the hardest reservation in SD is a text message
Tag It in DishCue 📱
Not a single Encore dish is tagged in DishCue yet. The menu is brand new, the badge board is empty, and the first Must Try of the whole setlist is sitting there for whoever gets to Cedros first. A star rating can't tell the next person whether the Ring of Fire actually rings — but your badges can:
Tag the dish, not the restaurant. Earn points, climb from Newbie to Legend, and stake your claim on the Encore roll before the ribbon-cutting crowd even shows up.
So: this weekend or next Friday — who's hunting it first? 👇