We were in Santa Cruz in June and my grandson and husband are huge sushi lovers. This sushi restaurant is located in a building with a few other vendors. There is no indoor seating, but they do have a lot of outdoor tables that opens up to a public area where people perform. My husband and grandson loved their sushi and their presentation was great. Although we do appreciate that it takes time to make sushi, it took quite some time to get our food. Definitely worth a try! read more

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I had a very disappointing experience at Daisuki Octagon Sushi. My order still took about 30 minutes to prepare. While my food was being made, I noticed unsanitary handling practices, including raw food being touched with bare hands and the worker's shirt touching the sushi roll during preparation. It is making me feel sick to the stomach as I'm writing right now. On top of that, the sushi burrito looked completely different from the picture shown. It did not match what I expected based on the menu/photo. It is pretty cheap though so you get what you paid for, but I'd rather spend it somewhere else. I would not recommend this place. read more

My wife and I have lived in SF Bay Area for ~10 Years and eat sushi weekly. This place has some of the best sushi we've ever had - Hands down. Whenever we're in Santa Cruz we will be stopping by. 100% would recommend! read more

Pretty average sushi roll. They cut the roll into smaller than average pieces which made it a little nicer to eat. Some pieces of avocado were too big which resulted in a really small amount of tuna. Not very spicy roll, but I would say the sauce on top was flavorful. Fish freshness could be slightly fresher, but considering the location and style of the restaurant, the quality was decent overall. Service was quick and the area was clean. Lots of variety of drinks to choose from, and a free water station in the back. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Spicy Tuna Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Food: excellent selection of sushi and sushi bowls if you wanted too. The sushi is plated nicely and the portions are big enough for sharing. Service: great service fast and friendly. You order at the counter, they give you a buzzer and then you retrieve it. If you haven't been here they do provide recommendations of what to order depending on your tastebuds. Ambiance: the inside is small. It is shared with another business. Can't eat inside, but they have plenty of seats and tables surrounding the building. It's very nice to sit outside, of course when the weather is lovely. read more

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We ate at Daisuki Octagon Sushi when there's lived show in the weekend. We love Sushi and the place is nice and the foods so delicious.

Sweet little sushi spot in Abbott's Square Octagon. The people are super friendly and the prices are super reasonable. Fish is always fresh and plentiful. Love grabbing a roll or two and then enjoying the Abbott's Square patio. Lovely ambiance and food. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Sushi Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Amazing food, rich flavors, good price for what I got (about $17 for each of these rolls), food came out in a reasonable time, really nice staff, very homely, and a lot of options of rolls and other food. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Ooh-la-la roll and spicy rainbow roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Horrible service!!! Took 40 mins to get our food. 5 people after us got their food before we did. Don't waste your money and time here.

Tried this place for first time today and was not thrilled. I ordered "Cali Maki" in picture 1 and received Cali Maki from picture 2. Somehow they have downgraded the fish from picture one to picture 3 and the lady tried to explain away how I ended up with a California roll with some salmon on it. It was utter b.s. How do u have two different postings for the same roll? The woman and man making the sushi were also arguing a lot while we were there. I felt like I was in an episode of Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares". I will not be returning to this establishment. read more

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For Santa Cruz sushi, I was very impressed! It is located near a very quaint and pleasant food court and dining area with indoor and outdoor seating. We went on a Sunday afternoon and there was a live band and people dancing in the area. I recommend the "Oo la la" roll and "spicy dynamite" roll. The fish was super fresh and tender - and expertly sliced!! I liked the micro greens they added to each roll, more dimensions of flavor. The ocean plate was pretty fresh as well, which came with a few pieces of fresh sashimi. The salmon teriyaki was decent, and came with a miso soup and side salad. I watched the chef cook the salmon fresh, which is a plus! They have a huge selection of canned cold beverages - even canned boba drinks! It took about 20 mins to get my order, as they hand make everything and there are only 2 people working. I would definitely visit again! Check it out sushi lovers! read more

I am fairly certain that the shrimp tempura was not made by the restaurant but rather, frozen shrimp tempura from Costco. I buy the Costco frozen shrimp tempura at home so I know the taste, shape, and size. I think it is wrong for a restaurant to serve frozen packaged food. The orange chicken is heavily battered, mostly batter and little chicken. Panda Express serves better orange chicken. read more

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i waited 30 minutes after ordering and paying, went up to the counter to ask when it might be done, and they hadn't even started it. they claimed they didn't get the order but they picked up my ticket which was there the whole time. i wish they had been more attentive. i got a refund and went somewhere else for dinner instead. read more

Daisuki is a decent sushi spot here in Abbott Square for those that are really craving some standard Japanese-American food. No, it will not be the best tasting sushi or Japanese you've had, nor should you expect it here. However, they were fantastic in offering some very affordable party platters that not only looked pretty, but satisfied our entire group that was gathering together for an event. I called the restaurant a week prior to my event to place an order for two Vegetable Trays ($42 each) and the California Mix Tray ($69 each). The two trays were plenty in feeding roughly 20 individuals as appetizers. Each plate was presented beautifully in large platters and they even included actual dishes and utensils to use as we were dining right in the square. If you are looking for an affordable sushi caterer, then I definitely recommend the team here at Daisuki. Again, it won't be the most mind blowing sushi you've ever had, but it gets the job done for events. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - a variety of sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Sushi quality is kinda mid and probably about what you expect to get from the grocery store. Not worth the price. I would probably go elsewhere like Akira or some better place in SJ. read more

Ok place to have quick meals Had chicken teriyaki bento box and chicken katsu bento box. If you are in downtown area, want to have Japanese foods, you can try this place. But I am not sure to go back there again. read more

California roll is pricey at around $7 for imitation crab meat and $14 for real crab meat. When you walk in your realize that this is NOT authentic Japanese food, but Japanese food that is more like something from Safeway or a local mall. Their bento boxes are reasonably priced. Got their salmon bento box for $13 and their chicken bento for about the same price. Comes with gyoza a small (think one bite) salad, a super small miso soup about 25% full, and small portions of salmon and chicken for both bentos. They give you a pager and beep you when it's ready. This place would be good for budget students who desperately want Japanese food, but if you're expecting really good quality then this place isn't your best bet. Average 3 stars. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This has been my favorite sushi spot in Santa Cruz since I transferred to the UC two years ago. It's a highlight of the Abbott Square food court for me and always has super friendly service. The sushi is some of my favorite in the area, and the prices are ridiculously low! Highly recommend to anyone going for sushi, my favorite roll is the Dynamite, which has tempura shrimp and spicy tuna. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Dynamite Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

decided to finally give it a try and I would say it's a once and done for me. The menu looks like it has many options, yet upon looking at it closer, it was pretty basic. Prices are definitely a perk here, not too expensive. I placed an order of a rainbow row and miso soup and it took over 25 minutes to get. The roll was good and a good size, but not noteworthy. I love visiting Abbott Square and trying the different option of food, but considering the wait time for one roll, I don't think I'd be returning. (My table had ordered a pizza and a burger from the other joints and everyone had ate/finished their drink by the time I got my roll). read more

We ordered a platter(I think it was called the California Roll Platter, but there were several other types of rolls as well) for a party & it was not only beautiful, but really good! It didn't last long! I'll be ordering more for parties, for sure. Also, we ordered in person & I thought the people we spoke to were very nice & helpful. Highly recommend! read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - This was taken a few minutes after we put it out...lots gone already. The crunchy topping stayed crunchy the entire time. Very good! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Great place to eat wonderful attitude good food about as much as you could ask from a two-person operation as I've seen happy to be one of their customers read more

Love this place! The tempura shrimp bowl is my favorite. Staff is so sweet! I think it's family owned!

GET THE TEMPURA RICE BOWL! Super delicious with tons of avocado, very good portion size, and its only like $13! I will need to come back to try their sushi but it kinda looks like Costco Sushi....But then again, you cant expect much if you take Santa Cruz Asian food standards into consideration. I will say though, that their party platter looks like insane value. For $99 you can get a platter that looks like it has 100+ pieces and can feed more than 10 people. I might try this one day but you may have to order hours in advance since its literally only a old couple working the entire shop and our orders took a while themselves. Regardless, the tempura rice bowl is enough for me to be a regular here for my lunch break! read more

We decided to try this place out after seeing all the great reviews. We were not disappointed! Its part of Abbott square but on the outer corner so u miss all of the crazy tourists & drunken college kids. Which is always nice! The service was amazing. Both chefs had a smile on their faces and you can see them make all the food which was entertaining. Were huge sushi people and trying to find a good fresh AUTHENTIC sushi spot in santa cruz is very hard to find. My boyfriend and I both recomend this place. Our sushi/fish was so fresh and made perfectly that it didn't break apart even with my bfs horrible chopstick skills . I can't wait to try more things off their menu! read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Ocean - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Been wanting to go there since we pass it all the time and it has good reviews. Went in to order and tried to order and was greeted by an extremely rude elderly lady. I asked for Maguro and she got frustrated right away she said which one, Nigiri, sashimi or teka maki something, I am no sushi expert so I said the one with tuna on rice roll. She pointed to all the pictures and I said this one please. She snapped at me saying maki or nigri? I said sorry this one. She shook her head. Then started entering it into the POC, so then I said and one California roll too please. She stops entering the Maguro order and snaps and say which one Maguro or California roll! I am at this point thinking is this really happening? She shakes her head one more time. Then I order the tempura plate but at that point, I was done and walked out. Who has the luxury of treating customers so badly these days? read more

Warning. This place is part of a big food court (Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History). You have to order your food and find a table in the food court area while you wait. I would say they serve average sushi and average bento boxes at normal sushi restaurant prices. This is not a full sushi place, they have very limited fish and seafood items. That being said, if you need a sushi fix this place will do just fine but don't expect to be wow'd. Not because of this sushi place, I would add a forth star because you have many other food options in the food court, if you're with people who don't want sushi, there are many other options to please everyone. FULL BAR INSIDE TOO! read more

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The sushi there is always fresh and the portions are good and people are really nice.

The taiyaki (red bean stuffed waffle fish) are frozen and then microwaved, for $3.50/piece.

Came here on a whim because I was craving Asian food. We ordered an avocado fried shrimp sushi roll and an chicken teriyaki bento box. Honestly wasn't expecting anything great since there were not many reviews here on Yelp. Both items were decent meals and I would defiantly come back. Staff were friendly and quick, and they have a cute outdoor eating area shared with other venders close by. Would recommend if you are here downtown Santa Cruz. read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Shrimp tempura avocado roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I come here after class and always get their chicken teriyaki meal. It comes with chicken teriyaki, rice, salad, gyoza and miso soup. It's an amazing deal at $11. I haven't had their sushi so I cannot attest to that, but they have a good selection of items for how small a space they're running in. They also have a decent selection of Asian drinks. The employees are nice and quick to the point. I'm slightly amazed at the high expectations for a place in a tiny corner of the food court at Abbott Square (from other reviews). It's wonderful for what it is, a quick bite with some friends. and the high prices (which are not high at all, but maybe I'm used to SC prices) are what I would consider normal. Especially countering in rent. read more

Dishonest. Purchased and paid for a real crab roll but it was made with imitation crab instead. A piece of imitation fish stick fell out of the roll and you could easily see what it actually was (the fake pink line and white color). When I approached the man behind the counter who made the roll, he was very straight faced and insisted it was real crab. He even brought on a piece of parchment paper the fake and "real crab" side by side. Both piles looked exactly the same, only one had more soy. I know that the snow crab industry has taken a beating, but in that case, would it not be best to take the real crab option off the menu and not charge customer's a premium for imitation? To that point, I have also had real crab rolls at other restaurants recently who do not pose imitation crab as the real thing. The charge was $3-4 more than a California roll (imitation crab) for the supposed real thing. Personally, I do not like the dishonesty. It has to make you wonder what else they are being dishonest about. Santa Cruz is home to dungeness crab, so I am not sure what they are thinking. It is a sure fire way to get caught being dishonest. I would personally stay away. Red flag. read more

Best fucking shrimp tempura bowl out there they have taken around $200 dollars out of my bank account only due to this one meal it is absolutely phenomenally delectable. Please give it a try (and you get a free miso soup) read more

Great dynamite sushi! miso soup is like home. Chicken kastsu was good for price, but just okay. Friendly staff making food! Will prob come again. read more

I brought people that don't normally eat Sushi. Everything was fantastic. Everyone loved what they had. I will definitely be back. read more

Something off about the sushi. Did not taste fresh and I have been ill all day. I will not return.

Really good place in Santa Cruz The kids and I had the teriyaki chicken combo and it came with salad, miso soup and 2 gyozas. We also had a couple of sushi rolls. Hawai'ian Spicy tuna and California rolls. But the best part was the sashimi. Really fresh. Our only complaint is that it took a little while to get our food, but we understood that there are only 2 people in the kitchen. The drink selection was limited but adequate, luckily there is a brewery nearby that sold a good draft beer. I would have liked a Sapporo or Kirin beer to pair with the food. I'll be back soon to try something else in the menu read more

I've only been here once and visited for lunch. I liked that they had signs on tables that were clean that we would turn over when we leave. I think the sushi was okay but not as fresh as I have had and I live much farther from the ocean. One thing that bothered me is the lady inside had her mask on when we ordered but when I went back inside to ask something she had her mask down while making our roll. She was surprised to see me come back I guess. I don't know, I know things are hard right now and keep a mask on all day sucks. But when you're preparing someone's food you should def have it on... read more

After living here 8 years, Daisuki Sushi is easily my favorite place to eat in all of Santa Cruz. Recently opened by a very kind and genuine Japanese man who lets me practice my terrible Japanese with him and his family and gives me lessons with a smile. the quality of the food is iNCREDIBLE, and something I'd never expect- especially with downtown's inflated pricing, Daisuki's pricing is UNHEARD of. you will get more for your buck at Daisuki Sushi. with downtown pricing being so inflated, where on earth could you get a restaurant quality delicious-as-can-be California Crunchy Roll W/ Miso soup to fill you up for 6.99!? with no tax either! :O (I also tried to give him a good tip from how cheap it already was, with no tax, but he couldn't accept it stating no no he doesnt want my money" where will you find this value+quality+customer service? Not at mobo, not at Totoro, DAISUKI SUSHI. IS THE PLACE TO BE. [[[imho such a glorious addition to downtown Santa Cruz! im downtown on a budget and hungry alot, so now I know exactly where I want to go! my favorite place to eat in Santa Cruz, is, Daisuki Sushi!!]]] read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - the 6.99$ no tax California Crunchy Roll comes with all of this. Exceptional. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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This spot in Santa Cruz is amazing!!!! The staff is friendly and helpful , the sushi is delicious ! We will be back when we will be in downtown! read more

Today is my second time having Daisuki sushi this week. The sushi is fresh, flavorful and beautifully plated! The dumpling (Gyoza) is amazing! Complementary miso soup is a plus! Amazing customer service. This place is a new little gem located close to the MAH in downtown Santa Cruz. I highly recommend you treat yourself to Daisuki. You won't regret it! read more

Daisuki Octagon Sushi - Spicy Rainbow roll; dumpling (Gyoza); Unagi roll; and miso soup. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Santa Cruz, California