Roppongi Asian Bistro at Pier South: Oceanfront Modern Asian Dining in Imperial Beach

There are restaurant comebacks—then there’s Roppongi. Once a defining name in San Diego’s Asian-fusion scene, Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge helped set the tone for modern, upscale Asian dining in La Jolla from the late ’90s through the mid-2010s. Now, founder Sami Ladeki has rekindled the magic with Roppongi Asian Bistro in Imperial Beach, a breezy oceanfront revival that blends coastal ease with cosmopolitan polish. (If you remember the original on Prospect Street, yes, an encore in La Jolla is also in the works later this year.) 

A name with roots—and a new view

“Roppongi” means “six trees” in Japanese, a word that first caught Ladeki’s ear during a month in Tokyo. What began as a melody of a name became a vision: a modern, grand, distinctly American take on Asian flavors; elegant but lively, upscale yet approachable. That ethos carries into the new seaside bistro, where every table faces the water and the expansive patio sits just steps from the sand. Roppongi’s Imperial Beach home is inside Pier South Resort (Autograph Collection by Marriott) at 800 Seacoast Drive, making it one of the rare places in the county where dinner truly feels beachfront. 

Opened in May 2025, the Imperial Beach chapter arrives as South Bay’s dining profile continues to rise. Alongside sister concept Sammy’s Restaurant & Bar, Roppongi anchors Pier South’s two-restaurant lineup and gives locals and hotel guests a reason to turn sunset into a standing reservation. 

The room: modern Asian meets Pacific calm

Inside, it’s “upscale meets the beach”: clean lines, coastal textures, and an airy dining room that slides open to ocean breeze. The patio is Roppongi’s calling card, panoramic surf, salt air, and that Imperial Beach hush you can’t fake. It’s where date night stretches into a second drink, and where out-of-towners realize how serene San Diego’s southern shoreline can be. (Locals already knew.)

The kitchen: a familiar name at the helm

Executive Chef Alfie Szeprethy isn’t new to Ladeki’s orbit. A San Diego culinary-school alum, he cooked at the original Roppongi before rising through the ranks to become a corporate chef within Ladeki’s restaurant group. That history matters: Szeprethy knows what made Roppongi resonate the first time: precision, flair, and a willingness to color outside the lines, while steering the menu toward today’s palate. 

The menu: modern Asian, built for sharing (and the camera)

Roppongi’s culinary point of view is modern Asian, drawing on Japan, China, and Thailand with an emphasis on vibrant flavors and presentation. Think share-friendly plates that reward passing and lingering: clean acidity against rich umami, just-enough heat, and textures that pop. The team describes the menu as “unique,” and it reads that way; precisely the sort of dishes that land in your camera roll before your fork gets there.

If you’re celebrating, ask for the Messy Sundae, the kitchen’s joyfully over-the-top dessert that’s quickly becoming a tradition for birthdays and anniversaries.

 

Roppongi Asian Bistro for ilovewine readers: what to drink (beyond the obvious)

Roppongi’s bar leans into wine, craft cocktails, sake, and beer, but the signatures skew delightfully East-meets-West:

• Tea Ceremony: Japanese whisky, white crème de cacao, coconut water, matcha. Creamy, roasty, whisper-sweet; it’s a natural with richer appetizers or anything glazed and char-kissed.
• Ume Old Fashioned: Two Japanese whiskies and stone-fruit depth; match it to soy-caramelized notes or grilled proteins.
• Lychee Martini: Fragrant and bright—aim it at chili-forward plates to cool the palate or at clean, raw preparations for contrast.

Wine lovers, you’ll find the spectrum you need: aromatic whites (Riesling, Albariño) for Thai-leaning spice; textural Chardonnay for richer seafood; and Pinot Noir or cool-climate Syrah when umami and smoke enter the chat. The patio’s salty breeze practically begs for something mineral and chilled.

Guests first: hospitality with a shoreline soundtrack

From the start, Roppongi Imperial Beach set out to be a community place for Imperial Beach and Coronado locals, for hotel guests discovering the South Bay, and for anyone who chases ocean sunsets with good food. Service aims for warm and celebratory, and the team leans into life’s milestones- birthdays, anniversaries, the “just because” nights—with an eye for detail and a knack for keeping the vibe relaxed.

Happy hour runs daily from 4–6 p.m., and there’s a “locals special” mentality baked into the programming; little incentives that make it easy to become a regular on the patio.

Reservations & the fine print

You can book online at roppongiusa.net; walk-ins are welcome as space allows. The address is 800 Seacoast Dr, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, and yes, parking is easier than you’d expect for a true waterfront location. If you’re staying at Pier South Resort, you’re already there; if you’re not, it’s still worth the drive for the view alone. 

A legacy, continued

Part of what makes this comeback compelling is the backstory. The original Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar opened in 1998 and closed in 2015 after a long run as one of La Jolla’s marquee addresses. Its return, first to Imperial Beach in 2025, then back to its La Jolla home later this year, feels less like a reboot and more like a brand living its second life, shaped by what San Diego diners love now: shareable plates, serious cocktails, and a view that does half the talking. 

If You Go

• Name: Roppongi Asian Bistro
• Where: 800 Seacoast Dr, Imperial Beach, CA 91932 (inside Pier South Resort) 
• When: Open daily; Happy Hour 4–6 p.m.
• How: Reserve at roppongiusa.net or call (619) 934-9595; walk-ins welcome as available. 
• Good to know: Designed for celebrations; ask about the Messy Sundae.

Roppongi’s newest chapter reads like the best kind of seaside story: familiar, a little glamorous, and wide-open to the horizon. On this stretch of sand, “six trees” has found a second life among the palms.