Head-to-Head · San Diego
Addison vs Soichi
San Diego's only three-star against its best-value omakase counter — book Addison for the milestone, Soichi for a brilliant neighborhood night.
The Verdict
Addison is the grand occasion. At the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, William Bradley cooks a California tasting that has made Addison the only three-Michelin-star restaurant in San Diego County. The 55-seat room reopened on 19 May 2026 after a 52-day renovation that lightened the space and added a champagne lounge, all in its twentieth-anniversary year. It scores a perfect 10 for food and 10 for the room, and it is the pick when the night calls for ceremony and the city's highest rating.
Soichi is the value masterclass. In University Heights, on Adams Avenue, Soichi Kadoya runs a 14-seat counter where an eight-course omakase has held one Michelin star since September 2021. The sushi is straightforward but exact, and the chef works the room as he serves. It scores 10 for food, 9 for the room and a rare 9 for value, and it is the pick when you want a starred meal that feels personal and costs a weeknight budget.
Scores, Side by Side
| Score | Addison | Soichi |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 |
| Atmosphere | 10 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Value | 7 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
Which One for Which Occasion
| Occasion | Editorial Pick |
|---|---|
| Milestone dinner | AddisonThe only three-star in the county, freshly renovated, is the room for a once-in-a-while night. |
| Impress a client | AddisonA Fairmont Grand Del Mar three-star and a champagne lounge close the evening with weight. |
| Best value Michelin meal | SoichiAn eight-course one-star omakase near 135 dollars is the city's smartest fine-dining spend. |
| Sushi night for two | SoichiThe 14-seat counter and Kadoya's hands-on service make an intimate, high-skill evening. |
| Anniversary | AddisonThe longer, formal tasting and the new lighter room suit a milestone better than a counter. |
Price Comparison
The gap is wide. Addison's tasting runs around 395 dollars a head before wine, with the new champagne lounge offering its own mini prix-fixe, so a full evening is a serious spend. Soichi's eight-course omakase is about 135 dollars, among the best fine-dining values in San Diego. Addison is the special-occasion ticket; Soichi gives you a starred meal for a weeknight budget. Pairings and sake widen the difference, but the headline is clear. Weigh both against the wider field in our guides to the best fine-dining restaurants worldwide and the best omakase counters worldwide.
How to Book
Addison is a 55-seat three-star, so prime weekend tables go far ahead through its own site and OpenTable, while a weekday is more reachable on shorter notice. Soichi seats only 14, so seatings sell out quickly and you book online the moment dates open. Plan Addison weeks out for a Saturday, and grab a Soichi place as soon as its calendar releases. Start the wider map from the San Diego dining guide.
For occasion fit beyond this pairing, weigh them against our guides to the best restaurants to impress clients and for an anniversary. For more San Diego match-ups see Addison vs Cesarina and Addison vs Lilo, and browse the full set on the compare index.