Arigato is one of our favorite sushi spots in Santa Barbara. My family and I go there often, and we always have a great experience. We especially enjoy sitting at the sushi bar. The owners are wonderful, the chefs are amazing, and they're always friendly and helpful. One of the things we really appreciate is how willing the chefs are to create something to your liking or come up with a one-off based on what you're in the mood for. It makes every visit a little different and special. The sushi is consistently excellent, the atmosphere is great, and we always enjoy our time there. If you haven't been to Arigato yet, I highly recommend giving it a try. And if you're already a regular, keep supporting this great local Santa Barbara restaurant. We certainly will read more

Very average food the night we went. Lots of "different" kinds of ingredients. Not the traditional rolls for the most part Ordered a hot dish hoping to get something my wife loved. I asked "it's as good as Roy's?" And was nowhere near The server we had- she as very nice and friendly. read more

The highlight of the meal for me was the Chirashi Bowl Premium. The assortment of fish was fresh, beautifully presented, and offered a nice variety of textures and flavors. Every bite tasted clean and high quality, making it a solid choice for anyone looking to enjoy a range of seafood in one dish. I also ordered the Ultimate 10, which features ten pieces of premium nigiri. While the fish itself was certainly fresh, I found it difficult to justify the $80 price tag. There was nothing wrong with the quality, but the overall experience didn't quite feel proportionate to the cost. If you're looking to maximize value, I'd probably steer toward some of the other menu offerings instead. I love uni (sea urchin) and it was particularly fresh, creamy, and rich without being overly briny. Another surprise was the Gold Shot, featuring quail egg, uni, chives, and ponzu. The combination works beautifully, delivering a burst of creaming, savory, and bright flavors in a single bite. The Popcorn Rock Shrimp was also a winner, crispy and satisfying without feeling overly heavy. The Wakame salad (seaweed) was also refreshing making it a great palate cleanser between some of the richer dishes. The Wokked Edamame was also quite yummy with the garlic chile sauce. The restaurant was bustling during my visit, creating a lively atmosphere that reflected its popularity. Despite how busy it was, the staff remained friendly, and welcoming, and attentive. Be sure to make reservations. Overall, Arigato delivers on freshness and quality, which is ultimately what matters most at a sushi restaurant. While I wasn't completely sold on the value of some of the higher priced items, there were enough standout dishes throughout the meal to make it a worthwhile visit. I'd happily return and explore more of the menu on a future visit. read more

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Love the food, love the ambiance, and the service is great! Nice place to stop if you're in town and touring State St. Highly recommend! read more

Arigato Sushi - Best food in town! - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Took a stroll down State St with my husband Could smell all the different aromas of cultures in the air . So many restaurants to choose from. Ene-menie-miny-Moe which place shall we go? First stop Arigato Sushi. The restaurant is small snug seating . Inside and outside- a street corner of coveredyyyyyytttt patio cart . I mean they used what ever space they can fit a table in . I didn't get our servers name but she was a Caucasian petit female with a bob cut blonde hair . Very sweet ! She recommended the Swinging Roll which I adored ! Hit the spot it was fulfilling read more

Arigato Sushi - Swinging sushi rollmops - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I've tried giving this place multiple chances because, as an SB local, I know it's been around for years and I really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, compared to sushi spots in LA, the food here is just decent at best. I will say the edamame was delicious and packed with flavor. However, the rolls were very disappointing and lacked the freshness and flavor I expected, especially for the price point. For what you pay, I expected a much higher quality sushi experience. I tried the ahi and asparagus roll and the jalapeño hamachi roll. The service was great, and the restaurant itself has a nice atmosphere and interior. But ultimately, the sushi is the main reason to come, and it just didn't stand out enough to make me want to return. read more

Arigato Sushi - Jalapeño hamachi roll - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Arigato Sushi has a beautiful interior, and the staff were very friendly, attentive, and provided great service throughout our meal. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to our expectations. The sushi rolls lacked flavor and were just okay overall. Considering the price, I expected a much better dining experience. While I appreciated the atmosphere and excellent service, I probably won't be returning. read more

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Our family didn't have any reservations on a busy night, yet they were able to take us in. We went upstairs to the second floor dining area which I think is great, since there was less of a crowd and not as noisy. My kind of vibe. Both the service and food were great! If my kids were happy with their meal, bonus points! read more

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We were lucky to get a table without a reservation. The food was delicious and service, excellent! Street parking was a challenge but there's a couple of parking lot and garage a few blocks away. read more

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Was quick to be seated without a reservation on a Friday night, and loved getting to enjoy the privacy but outdoorsy feel of dinner on the back patio. Started with the Local's Only which is impressive already just from presentation alone. The scallops are cooked perfectly but my favorite part was the buttery flavor of the rice beneath. Loved their unagi and anago (grilled and freshwater eel), Pacific Rim roll was a refreshing counter flavor, then the Sea Eel Goes to Hollywood was filling. The pricing matches the presentation quality and the amount of fish you get read more

Arigato Sushi - Pacific Rim - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Such a great spot for sushi and a perfect date night! The rolls were incredibly fresh and beautifully made--you can really taste the quality of the fish in every bite. Everything we ordered was flavorful and well balanced. The service was excellent: attentive, friendly, and never rushed, which made the experience even better. On top of that, the ambiance is super cute and cozy--dim lighting, warm vibes, and just the right amount of buzz for a relaxed but special night out. Highly recommend for a casual date night or anytime you're craving fresh, delicious sushi with great service. read more

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This place definitely hit my craving for sushi but I felt like it was quite overpriced. All the items tasted good but were not exceptions for the price they were charging. But maybe it is because of their location. I did really enjoy both the Kumamoto and the pacific oysters. I felt like they were worth the 5.5 an oyster compared to other places who charge $3/$4 each. The otoro was $22 for two pieces which were good but I have had better otoro for $10 for two pieces which melted in my mouth. Overall the service was nice a and the waiter was always there when we needed her. The place was decorated very elegantly. read more

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In Santa Barbara for the night, and my wife couldn't have picked a better spot for her birthday. We brought Odie, our dog, and even he loved it. Daryl, the manager, is outstanding, the service, the attention to detail, and the food were absolutely fantastic. read more

Arigato Sushi - Sitting outside enjoying - everything! - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Excellent quality sushi in downtown Santa Barbara. I had to try the local uni and also picked up some classic favorites like the Amaebi sweet prawns. Sweet, fresh, umami! Was happy with everything that I ordered and also had no problem with wait time which was surprising considering I was walking in on a busy evening near Christmas holiday time. Definitely go here if you want a more elegant, refined option than cracking open live uni yourself at the pier (which is also a worthwhile experience in and of itself!) read more

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This was one of the few places we noticed that stayed busy even during the week, so while we were in town, we decided to try it for dinner. We didn't have a reservation, and since we had our dog, we could only be seated outside -- but we were lucky and were able to get a table for three right away. The restaurant was very busy, even with plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, so I'd definitely recommend making a reservation if you can. The prices are on higher side but probably normal for the location. We ordered a few of their specialty rolls, and everything was fresh and well made. The food came out quick and our server was very nice. Overall, it was a solid meal, and I'd come back again if I'm in town. read more

A huge Arigato to this place because my family and I genuinely enjoyed everything -- from the dining experience, service, and delicious food. We wanted to have a nice dinner for my sister's college graduation and reserved this place a month in advance. We even confirmed the day before and they picked up the phone relatively quick! I'd recommend reserving, especially if you're a large group. We were immediately brought to our seats and asked for our drinks. Waters and tea were brought within minutes. The menu itself has both simple and unique options. They have the familiar rolls like the Tiger Roll and other options like the crusted sushi called Bonfire Roll. They also offer Sashimi combinations and a good amount of fish available -- from Bluefin Toro to Yellowtail. There's even more filling options like their Yakitori (barbecue chicken) and Poke Bowl. I will say that the prices here on the steeper side, but they do make up for it in the quality of their fish and service. Our waiter made us feel like we were never forgotten despite how busy the restaurant was! I haven't experienced that in a while, so it was so nice whenever they would fill our waters or refill our tea with hot water. One thing we couldn't stop talking about was how fresh their fish was. My dad's fancy poke bowl had melt in your mouth salmon and the ratio of fish to rice in the Tekka Maki was just chef's kith! Notable Favorites: - Bonfire Roll: flavorful, I miss her - Poke Bowl: a bit too much rice, but beautiful presentation and good amount of salmon - Yakitori: tender, just a small amount of two sticks - Tekka Maki: look at that fish amount read more

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Arigato Sushi never disappoints! Huge thanks to Daryl, the maître d', who runs the front of house like a fabulous orchestra conductor--everything flows smoothly, effortlessly, and with genuine warmth. The service here consistently shines. The food is outstanding across the board. Our favorite is the mushroom veggie roll, which is absolutely crave-worthy. They also offer an incredible tofu steak and a miso cod that even non-fish lovers rave about--truly something for every kind of eater. The quality of the wasabi and ginger is exceptional and will honestly spoil you for most other sushi restaurants. It's that good. Be sure to make a reservation--they offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and the outdoor heaters keep things comfortable even on cooler evenings. The food is excellent, the staff are lovely, and the overall experience is consistently top-notch. Highly recommend. read more

The host was by far the most unfriendly person I've met in a long while. We came around 5:30 as a walk-in, but the host said they were fully booked until 7:30. The restaurant had just opened and maybe two parties total had been seated. Fair enough. We asked to put our name down in case something opened up (a.k.a no shows) and did a stroll around the area. We checked back in 30 minutes later, over 4 empty tables + 6 seats at the bar remained empty. But, alas we were told "they are fully booked" served with a side of snark. We even asked why the tables were still empty and he said their confirmed reservations will surely show up (They didn't when we checked again an hour later). At this point, I feel he wouldn't seat us or another party who walked in purely to protect his pride. Don't even bother coming as walk in, because Arigato Sushi is an airgat-no for me. read more

They replace fish such as tuna with escolar which is much cheaper and can cause severe digestion issues in certain individuals. Be warned.

I stumbled upon this local gem in my first year of college (which let's be honest was a long time ago). So happy to see it's still firing up the best sushi in town. Be different and order the veggie roll with pine nuts. Absolutely killer. Eat outside on the patio if at all possible. Eat some ginger for me. I'm addicted. Bon apetito y kompai. read more

So I myself have been coming to Arigato for well over 24 years now, however, I met the love of my life and my current hubby at Arigato exactly 16 years ago today. It kind of amuse me how Arigato isn't at a 5 plus on the yelp charts by now. But my assumption is that everyone who goes to Arigato goes because it's so delicious so amazing. The fusion is amazing. The fish is impeccable. It's never fishy is always fresh and melts like butter in your mouth every-time.. The Uni is on point and the people are family, the fish is mine blowing, and the fusion options are to die for. Why I've been coming here for over 20 years and my baby and I have been coming here for 16 years plus. I'm pretty positive the reason why this place hasn't reached a full five star rating is because no one takes the time to write a review because it's just so great and we all just assume that anyone who's anyone knows how amazing it is and why would we waste the time. For those of you who don't try to come in here because you think it just doesn't live up to the hype... that's totally OK I swear to God there's some great sushi restaurants in Santa Barbara who will satisfy some very Sushi needs for all of you. If you want the best of the best south coast to San Francisco you couldn't go wrong. You just have to to love the classic basic melt in your mouth, salmon sashimi to fusion scallop mind blowing-ness die hard. The fusion options are phenomenal as well. Sunny side scallops, spicy, yellowtail sashimi, or yellowtail Caraccio, and so many many more like the Miso eggplant are just a few favorites among so so many!! Welcome to Santa Barbara and eat your hearts out!! read more

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It was pretty busy when we got here, but they were able to find us a table in the back. Service was great - friendly and attentive. Quality of the food was good, but the portions were really small. Overall we enjoyed our dinner. read more

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I have traveled extensively, and I am married to a Japanese lady who loves sushi as well and this was delish. Prices are a little steep, and it can sometimes be hard to get a table but overall this place delivers. You can sit outside or inside and the service is good wherever you sit. Even though it was a cool night, they were able to turn on the heaters for my family and I to enjoy the meal. This is a must go restaurant if you can afford it. read more

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Arigato Sushi was a welcoming place that left us feeling disappointed. While the flavors were good, the value was not matched in its pricing. My friend and I have been wanting sushi for a minute and decided to try somewhere new. Because of the rave reviews and nice pics, we headed over to this spot. We were quickly seated and go to take our orders. We got a tiger roll to share, my friend got the banzai, and I got the jalapeño hamachi. When the first roll came out, we were visually shocked. It was so incredibly small! For $19, we got a sad 8 pieces of sushi that I wouldn't even consider an entire bite per piece. From the sizing, we would have to eat 2 pieces at once to equal your typical speciality roll sized piece. The flavor however was good, but this shared roll vanished in a matter of 2 minutes. When our second rolls came out, it was the same situation; small size, good flavor. Both our rolls had hamachi in them. Fresh fish, but the searing of fish again was not work $18. Again, the rolls disappeared quite fast. We were in and out of the restaurant in 20 minutes, and had to go somewhere else after to get full. For over $60, we were honesty upset and still starving. If you are actually hungry for a meal, do not come here. Again, good flavor, bad portions. read more

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This place is great. My partner and I have walked by it a bunch of times and always thought it was a spot catering more to tourists than locals but that is very much not the case. There were so many guests there tonight on a first name basis with the staff which is so cool to see. The sushi was top notch, the service was great. I highly recommend this place. read more

Cute ambiance, in a very touristy spot. Very pricey, the sashimi was paper thin. Kinda disappointed in the portion size. Flavor was good. Several of the rolls were weird. Texture, flavor off, I would not go back. read more

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Absolutely my favorite sushi in the continental United States. Hands down! Fresh uni (always), scrumptious rolls, excellent ambience, top notch. read more

Have come here a couple of times, the outdoor patio has a great atmosphere right along state street but I continue to be disappointed with the quality of the sushi. The potstickers were great, savory and crispy. However the spider and shrimp tempura rolls fell short for us. The crab meat was grainy and overall had a strong fishy odor, while the shrimp was rubbery and not appetizing. Wish we had better experiences here, but there are plenty of other options on the menu depending on your preferences. read more

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We have been loyal customers for over 3 decades and keep coming back for the excellent quality and service they continue to provide. Last Thursday we were excited to get our Arigato fix, since it has been several months since our last visit. Unfortunately, this dining experience was way sub-par. We always eat sashimi, and the quality and portions have always been generous. This time the portions served by our chefs were tiny compared to other portions we saw being served to other patrons. One of our orders of 4 pieces of salmon sashimi was so small, that the lemon on the plate overwhelmed the fish. And the person next to us had 1 piece of sushi which was 4 times larger than our order. After spending over $120, we were extremely disappointed and still hungry. How sad and I hope this is not a trend for this restaurant that has built a special reputation with locals. read more

Celebrated our three year anniversary here! Did not make a reservation but was able to get seated very quickly. We were seated outside and it was pretty cold so we had asked to have the heaters turned on. They were having trouble with turning on the heaters but kept working on it till they got it on. The sushi was so delicious and the ingredients were so fresh. Such a nice place to celebrate a milestone. All of the workers were very attentive and made sure we were taken care of. read more

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I see a lot of reviews mentioning thst the price and quality was a bit if a mismatch and I would agree. The service was great. I do feels like it took a while to get the rolls. So much that we couldn't remember what we had ordered. The food was okay. I think I was expecting more from this compared to the prices. Our hotel had made the reservation for us. We told them, probably not the best place to reserve for future guests. read more

Arigato has a well deserved reputation as the best sushi spot in SB. The fish is always fresh, the service is friendly, and the vibe is cool. Like every other sushi restaurant in town, you'll want to bring your wallet, but since you're going to spend some dollar bills anyway, go here. There are numerous rolls I could recommend, but I'm pretty sure they are all good. I would suggest the miso with mushrooms as an appetizer if you like mushrooms. Keep in mind that the reservation system is wonky and you'll need to call after 4 on the day you want to eat, but you can usually get in. I also wish they had a more diverse beer selection, but Japanese restaurants aren't brew pubs and that's ok. I would definitely suggest checking this place out. read more

I hadn't been here in a few years but it continues to be my vote for the best sushi in Santa Barbara County. Excellent food, attentive service, great downtown location. Now, it can get noisy and crowded on Fridays and Saturdays but, generally, the ambiance is pleasant. All in all definitely worth a visit. read more

We pulled into Santa Barbara late but Arigato was more than willing to accommodate us. Loved that they had Sapporo Black, miso soup was super flavorful as well. What really stood out to me though was the mushroom roll. I'm a big fish person and usually don't bother with the vegetarian rolls but this had exceptional texture and flavor, very different and felt like I was still eating a traditional sushi roll. Also had a few spicy rolls that were just as good. We only had one night but we will be back! read more

Arigato has my favorite sushi in Santa Barbara. The service is great, the food is consistently delicious and fresh, and the vibe of the space is perfect for a date night or group. I highly recommend the Bonsai Roll, the Grilled Miyazaki-Guy A5, the Rock n Roll are all so good! read more

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Darryl and Emma made our experience last night really great. I have been wanting to take my husband here for years and glad we were finally able to make it up to Santa Barbara! We got the: Wiki wiki roll Tiger roll Toro sushi Miso glazed black cod Green tea mochi ice cream And loved it all! we sat at the sushi bar and the chefs were very accommodating. Great service! read more

This is one of the most popular sushi restaurants in Santa Barbara. I am a local who lives within a few blocks of this place and I am unfortunately only able to come here on special occasions due to their pricy menu. I personally find a lot of the rolls to be very unique and sometimes I tend to lean towards liking more traditional sushi. The last time I ate there it was about 30 minutes before closing and I was told I would have 5 minutes until last call. The waitress proceeded to come over in about 2 minutes and wait patiently as I scanned the menu as quickly as I could. For a restaurant I am coming to most likely spend over $100 at I wish i didn't feel like my experience was rushed. Some of my favorites on the menu would have to be their snow crab cut roll and salmon carpaccio. The indoor sushi bar is a great dining experience with great vibes and the outside patio is very nice as well. Always a very packed restaurant! read more

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I don't really understand the hype. The sushi is good, but nothing exceptional. For the price, I expected more, there are definitely better options out there. read more

This place is soooo good. Been to Arigato a few times now (incl tonight) during visits to my home town. Excellent food (Otoro as good as I've had outside of Japan), service and vibe. read more

Arigato Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Arrived on Saturday a few minutes after they opened at 5:30pm, & saw plenty of tables. Asked for a table for 2 but the host said it was fully booked. I looked around to see 90% of tables empty & asked if he was joking, but he wasn't & said they could maybe sit us at 7:30pm. We just gave him our number to call us for if any reservations didn't show. We walked back at 6pm & there was still about 10 open tables, & I asked if we would be able to be seated since there was plenty of open tables. The host said no the reservations all showed up, but I was so confused since many tables were open. I then asked if there were any other good sushi spots nearby & he said a few places but with the tone that none of them are as good as Arigato, & said something along the lines of these places being "more casual", but Arigato is not the fanciest restaurant on the block. Ridiculous service & glad I didn't eat here anyway read more