Keeping it Local... What a great example of a small business serving big bites full of yummy goodness in old town Goleta. Ask for the owner Vinh, she's been there for 14 years and loves to chat. :) read more

This place is a hit. Cant wait to come back. I really enjoyed the Pizza Roll and the Dynamite Roll. Next time i will try the Pink Panther Roll. People were talking about it and it looked so good! Glad i found this place. read more

Came here with friends and we ordered the Eel Roll, Rainbow roll, Hollister roll, Dynamite roll, salmon skin roll, cucumber roll and vegetable rolls. The deluxe rolls are definitely much larger and worth the extra dollars!! Their fish tasted really fresh and they did not skimp on it. I would totally recommend the rainbow roll, as you get the variety of different fish and the classic California roll! The dynamite roll was a fan fave- you should definitely try it if you like fried sushi. The Hollister roll tasted very "fresh" and healthy, and was not the favorite of the group. But, if you are looking for something without the heaviness of rice, then this is a good choice! I don't recommend the cucumber roll, and my friend called it "basic" and not anything special. The vegetable roll was actually really good in the opinion of a vegan- she ordered two!! In all, come here!! read more

I'm sorry to have to leave a bad review but this place was extremely disappointing in terms of sushi quality and EXTREMELY overpriced. The entire meal for myself (ONE PERSON) was almost $40 after ordering one roll, 2 pieces of nigiri, and a California roll. The flavors were off and just left me wanting much more. They also need to be more transparent on pricing for the rolls as it's nowhere to be found on the menu, they don't tell you your total when you're calling in your order, and the receipt isn't itemized. read more

What a pleasant place to be. If you ever need some great sushi in Goleta. The owner is so sweet and truly cares about her customers. read more

Goleta Sushi House - My brother and the owner! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

Doesn't look like much when you drive by it. But when my friend and I went inside we immediately got seated on a Monday night. The space is super cute and clean. And a stand-out product to me was their salmon sashimi -- as it was so rich and buttery. Their portions were pretty large (at least 2-3 inches wide with 6 slabs) for a reasonable price of $12.95!!! They offer other kinds of sashimi fish meat as well like tuna, yellowtail, uni, etc. I also ordered their snake role and it did not disappoint! Just wished I could have asked for less unagi sauce. Nonetheless, our experience was great and I would definitely go back for their fresh sashimi and ngiri. read more

The prices were a little high for sushi and beer. But the sushi was good. The plate sizes are a big, my friend ordered the curry and got a huge portion of food. I give it 3 stars just due to high prices. read more

Sushi was alright though I don't recommend the SB cucumber roll. I would've given it a four but had an odd experience where the waitress asked if we wanted soup and we said "oh, does it come with some of the rolls as a set?" because we thought it was a meal deal. She said "yes" and then after charged us all for the soup. Then she said she didn't remember saying "yes" which was even weirder so we just paid and left. That was such an odd experience and the soup was pricey for tasting like they made it out of dried broth packets. Overall, the food is a bit pricey in general for what you get and the service seems inattentive. read more

Fast, friendly service. The rolls we got were all really good (pink panther!) the sunanono salad was a bit odd: no dressing on the cucumber.

Best sushi take out in Goleta! We love this little spot! They've got something for everyone and even the kiddos can find something.

Good sushi with really big portions. The waiters were very nice and quick to sit me and bring out food

It's a little hole in the wall but a Diamond in the rough! Stumbled across this place and were thrilled with the food. My husband ordered the chef's choice sashimi and we shared a dragon roll, a snake roll and a pizza roll. All were excellent!! The pizza roll is baked with excellent sauces. None of which are pizza related! lol. Very yummy! We met the owner - Vinh. A lovely, warm hostess. Can't say enough about this place! read more

This place was amazing. From the second I walked in I was greeted genuinely and seated right away. I ordered some nigiri, rolls, and some sake. The fish was delicious and fresh. I had asked for something that was not on the menu, and the owner was very accommodating. She didn't hesitate once, and I was left 100% satisfied when I walked out the door. I'd recommend this to my mother if she ever asked for my suggestion, but she doesn't since she's the one who cooks my food. 10/10 everyone come here read more

I am a specialty roll kind of gal and this is my favorite place! I love their rolls, always taste fresh and the female owner/server is ALWAYS so nice, she always has a smile on her face and goes the extra mile for her customers. They are often busy when I go and I have ordered to go several times for large parties of folks. I would recommend them over several of the others in the area. read more

I went just for a quick bite while in town. Upon entering you are greeted by a small yet well lit and clean dining room. Once seated, you are brought a plate of REAL ginger and a healthy amount of good wasabi. I ordered the salmon sashimi and the pink panther roll. The sashimi was cut thicker than almost anywhere I've been before. The roll was great and the spicy tuna had a good heat level. The staff were very nice and attentive. The man making the sushi was also fun to talk to. My bill for the sashimi and roll ended up totaling at about $24 which is pricy but nothing out of the ordinary for sushi in this area. TLDR: If you're looking for good sushi this place is perfect. Just be ready to pay for what you get. read more

You know, for a sushi house run by a Vietnamese family, Goleta Sushi House is pretty dang good. The fish is fresh, the wasabi and ginger are plentiful, and while the seating is limited, the rolls are massive. The prices are fair for what you get -- between the four of us, we got a dynamite roll and banana roll as our specialties, and the yellowtail, spicy scallop, spicy shrimp, and salmon with cream cheese as regular rolls. This was more than enough to keep us comfortably full. By drizzling the eel sauce and spicy mayo on the side of those specialty rolls, they put together a pretty presentation. The spicy scallop and banana rolls were by far my favorites, as the sauce wasn't overbearing while the seafood presented had clearly been treated well. I learned that the snake roll is essentially the same as the banana roll, except the eel placement is switched to be on top, rather than in the roll. Either way, get one of them. It's super tasty. They also have other Japanese eats if you're not a sushi person! Think rice bowls and noodles. Didn't get any of those fancy extras or the chance to connect with the owner, but hey, I'm here for what I pay for. It was indeed a good eat. read more

See all

Delicious and innovative rolls coming from a really unassuming location in downtown Goleta. If you love a mix of vegetables with your sushi the Hollister Roll is really creative and delicious. Put the chopsticks down and enjoy that with your fingers. Pizza Roll? in a sushi house....what a delicious concoction and if your wondering what a Banana Roll could look like just think of avocado wrapped sushi roll shaped like a ...you guessed it a Banana. What a great roll for sushi from the Goodland. read more

Pink Panther Roll - Miso Soup Wow. Its a tiny hole in the wall, but wow. Miso soup, is on another level. Tasty and not salty at all. Pink Panther roll was flavorful, filling, and the fish was tender and well portioned. The owner was the one behind the register and was so friendly. I will continue to frequent and hope to taste the rest of the menu. read more

So I'm out here for work and staying at a nearby hotel. I wanted sushi and found this spot. Bomb!!!! So good I'm coming here the next day!

Great Sushi!!! Friendly service and fair price. Wife and I saw google reviews, people were rating 5 stars. I was like, yeah right. So we went tonight, it was great, I liked everything we had. The Sunshine roll, Shrimp tempura roll and The chefs sushi combo#2. I do not normally post reviews, but Goleta Sushi deserves it! Go check them out, you will be glad that you did! read more

Excellent service, great food. I'm a vegetarian and I have a hard time finding tasty veggie sushi in SB... this place is an exception. I've eaten here many times and have never been disappointed. read more

I don't usually post negative reviews because I've never found it to be necessary, but tonight I went to goleta sushi house for dinner and I was incredibly disappointed. The fire roll, the snake roll, and the deluxe roll were incredibly fishy. Each piece on the sushi sashimi combo plate was cut way to thick and it felt like I was biting into cardboard. I spoke to the owner about the fire roll because I couldn't eat it and she accused me of lying about it's fishy taste saying "sweetheart you just don't know the taste of spicy tuna" and then said I was returning it because I was full. I eat sushi regularly so i am quite familiar with the the taste of fish, and these rolls were not up to par. Terrible customer service on her part. On the other hand, the server was very nice.. but that's about the only positive part of my dining experience there. If you are picky or used to eating high quality sushi I suggest you go somewhere else. read more

My friend & I were craving some sushi and the one place we usually go to was closed. So we decided to give this spot in Old Town a try. They have a good menu of the basics and a few special rolls, we decided to try out their pink panther roll & a couple other rolls. I called it in & was told the order would take 15-20 minutes. I went around 17 minutes and walked in, no one acknowledged me until I walked all the way inside to the cash register and said I was here to pick up. It felt a bit awkward since the place was empty with all the tables and chairs against the wall. And the woman helping me was in the middle of a conversation the whole time with another woman just off to the side. But I was able to get my order and pay for it. They bagged the containers right in front of me and I was on my way. The sushi rolls were delicious, their portion size for the pink panther was large and they are generous with their fish. The reason I give it 3 rather than 4 stars was due to the customer service I experienced, in the new take-out age the limited interactions with customers make all the different. read more

As a visitor from the Bay Area, we have a bunch is sushi spots back at the bay. So expectations going this place was honestly not that high. Ordered 3 rolls and two appetizers for pick up to try it out between two people. We don't eat much, but the rolls back home are kinda small and I assumed it would be like that here as well. Calling in the person who took my order was very nice. While picking the food up, the lady who took my order was super nice and very attentive. Typical sweet old lady, kinda like everyone grandma. She even threw in two free miso soups! As we got back home and took food out I realized I made a mistake. The rolls are super thick and fat. Very big portions!!! The appetizers tasted like every other fried food, however their chicken gyoza was very good. The sushi was honestly not that bad. It was nicely rolled, portions were big, and the fish was pretty fresh. Definitely going to be the best sushi spot around here. Will be back next time I visit. read more

See all

The service was okay but the sushi tasted horrible. I don't know why I trusted Yelp on this one.

If you are picky about sushi do not go here. I had lunch there. Awful. Didn't even give me a menu. Had to ask twice for water. Miso soup tasted fishy. I ordered a special roll with Tempura shrimp, crab, yellowtail, asparagus. The roll was so huge I could barely pick it up with chopsticks without it falling about. Way too much rice and fake crab. The only tempura was two tails sticking out of only 2 pieces of the roll. with no shrimp It was revolting. $20.00 for just that. Never again going there. read more

This is my go to spot for sushi. Great quality and great price! The older woman who works here is such a sweetheart, as well as the other staff. I highly recommend the deluxe shrimp tempera roll !! I have been coming here since March and I have yet to find a better local sushi place. As much as I love them, they take forever to charge for the food. Other than that small little detail, everything else is great! -update : They've started improving on checking us out. Perfect! read more

Goleta Sushi House - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Not worth the money. I have yet to find a great Japanese restaurant in SB, and this place was alright. If you're dying for Japanese food, this place might be a bit better than the other places, but you'll be paying a lot for average quality food. During lunch, my bf and I ordered three dishes (chicken katsu, one baked roll, and vegetable udon) and it came out to $50. There was nothing special about these dishes, so it was a bummer that the cost was so high. I won't be coming back, unless I really really craved some Japanese food. read more

I've been craving sushi ever since we moved out here and i'm happy to say that i've found THE place i'll go to every time I want sushi. So we are used to the small 4-6 piece per roll type sushi places but Goleta Sushi House is not like the others (each roll was 6-8 pieces big!). Ryan and I ordered FIVE rolls, by far my favorite were the two yellowtail rolls we got. The yellowtail pieces were HUGE, fresh and so flavorful! We also ordered salmon/avocado roll, our usual salmon skin roll and a specialty shrimp roll. The salmon skin roll was so tasty, they really packed in the freshly cooked salmon skin in there. I think i would have enjoyed it more if i wasnt already full! I cannot wait to come back- i'm already dreaming of that yellowtail! read more

My partner and I were visiting Santa Barbara from the Bay Area. We were craving sushi and found this cute little hole in the wall place from Yelp. It already had such amazing reviews so we decided to try it out. We order the Spicy Tuna Roll, Hamachi roll, and the pink panther roll, along with one miso soup. We arrived to pick up our order and the owner was incredibly kind to us! She gave us an extra miso and a dessert for free!! Also the sushi was so fresh and delicious! I highly recommend the hamachi roll and the miso soup! It was the best!!!! read more

I ordered the Chef's Special ($16) for lunch which included miso soup, a spicy tuna roll, and several generous pieces of sushi. The photo I took shows nice looking food, but I thought the fish was dry, slightly warm, and not particularly pleasing to the mouth. On the other hand, the woman that served me was polite, very personable, and obviously liked her customers, me included. If I were to return, it would be almost entirely because of her. They offer cooked dishes, too, so don't let my review discourage you from giving them a visit. read more

Goleta Sushi House - Chef's Special ($16) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

Well, looks like this is my new sushi spot considering the huge decline in quality for Ahi and big price hike for Yume. This is like the Hilary Clinton of sushi joint, eventually settling here because the lack of choices. The owner is always friendly, and the portion size is gigantic for a Japanese restaurant. I felt satisfied and it wasn't too expensive. Husband and I usually share 4 sushi rolls, but the portion was so big here that we can only shared 3 rolls. I am not a fan of the fried rolls at other restaurants because the inside gets overcooked, however, Goleta Sushi House did a good job of lightly fried the roll, so the fish stayed fresh and raw. I also like the huge ikura nigiri. Purists would scoff at the lopsided seafood to rice ratio. It was sloppy, but the portion size made it so satisfying. I feel almost guilty for the Murican excess. read more

See all

The main reason for the low rating is the service here. They are extremely slow and we had to wait for very long periods of time to get the server's attention for anything that we needed. We also asked for separate checks and the server agreed. A different lady later said she couldn't do it (I think there just wasn't good communication between the two ladies and she just didn't want to deal with it). We told her that we already used separate papers that only selected our specific items. She agreed to do the separate checks after that explanation. So I guess if you really want separate checks, fill out separate sheets of paper (the one where you mark which items you want). Just write in any items not on the list at the bottom. The food here isn't bad and the prices are typical ($10-13 specialty rolls). I might come back to try other things on the menu like the Chirashi Don. I came here for lunch from work and definitely didn't like the slow service because of that. They do have pictures of some of the rolls in the wall but not in the menu itself. Here's what I ordered: 1. Pink panther roll - not too bad There was a bit too much rice. The spicy tuna overwhelms the salmon taste, but the roll was still pretty tasty. 2. Hollister roll - needed more ponzu I always love cucumber wrapped rolls. it's always nicer not to get full off of rice and to actually taste more fish. They give you a good amount of fish in this roll too. It's supposed to come with ponzu sauce but they didn't put much on for me. 3. Spicy yellowtail roll - I'd rather have regular yellowtail This was my first time trying spicy yellowtail. I typically love to eat yellowtail and I didn't really like the taste of spicy yellowtail. 4. Salmon teriyaki lunch combo - not up to par The teriyaki sauce actually comes on the side, which I did not like. So you have plain salmon and you can pour it on top. The salad that came with it was pretty good. California rolls were eh (I'm never a big fan of plain California rolls). Side note: I don't usually order any of these kinds of dishes at sushi restaurants because I just like eating raw fish. However, the person I was sharing with wanted to try it. read more

Goleta Sushi House - Hollister roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Chirashi don, $13 for lunch! The dish is fast to serve up, filling, well-priced and no complaints about the chef's choice of fish. It's simply a bowl of sushi rice, topped with an assortment of sashimi. My fish were very ample cuts, too big sometimes and I had to cut them in half. Two slices each of four fish (salmon, maguro, yellowtail and some other white fish), two shrimp and some avocado and krab salad. Effectively 10 very large nigiri, once you doled out the rice amongst the toppings. It also comes with some miso soup. The fish assortment is perfect for a typical sushi eater, nothing crazy and obscure. And for being "scattered sushi" it was nicely presented in a pretty bowl. I uploaded a photo. Very pleased with this. read more

Goleta Sushi House - Chirashi don, $13 lunch. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

This little sushi house in Old Town Goleta is memorable because of the good food, but especially the friendly family that runs it. They treat you like family and keep the sake flowing. Try the "golden shiso" appetizer! read more

Santa Barbara is an anomaly. It's suppose to be known for its fish and ocean location, yet there are zero -- count zero -- awesome sushi places. Before you all start naming out the expensive places, I've been to them all. They ain't that awesome. If anything, the lack of decent sushi makes the expensive places "seem" better. I decided to branch out of SB and Yelped Goleta for ideas. I happened upon Goleta Sushi House and decided to give it a shot. The restaurant is a tiny hole-in-the-wall establishment that was nearly empty at 7:00 PM on a Monday night. I sat by myself at the bar and was greeted by two Asian servers: a younger lady and an older lady who I assume is the owner. The sushi chef and assistant were Hispanic and spent most of the time making fun of people in Spanish who couldn't understand them. My initial order was: (1) tuna sushi; (1) yellowtail sushi; (1) red snapper sushi; (1) spicy tuna cut roll; (1) spicy scallop cut roll. My mistake here was I meant to order hand rolls but forgot to specify and was stuck with cut rolls -- no problem, my mistake. The nigiri sushi was huge. I don't think I've ever gotten that large of pieces before. Unfortunately, it was flavorless. The red snapper was waterlogged, the tuna and yellowtail tasteless. Believe me, I'm a fan of big pieces of fish, but if you have to take two bites to eat nigiri, it's too big. Towards the end of my first order, I noticed that the servers had taken my menu. I asked the younger server if she could bring me a menu and she obliged. A few moments later, the older lady came out with the menu flipped to the page with the rolls and held it in front of me, asking which one I wanted. Well first, thanks for assuming I want a roll. Secondly, thanks for putting me on the spot while you hold the menu and wait for me to make a decision -- awkward. The older lady then mumbled something incomprehensible. I politely nodded without a clue and asked her what her favorite roll was. She pointed at the dry erase board on the wall and said "that one, the Dynamite Roll." I said sounds good, if you recommend it, I must try it. She nodded and as she walked away said "and that'll be it...that's your last order...that's enough food." Huh? Did she just cut me off? I hadn't even ordered that much yet. Probably 25% of my normal sushi intake right there. The Dynamite Roll came out and was basically yellowtail, salmon, tuna and asparagus, tempura'd and served over a bed of spicy mayo and eel sauce. To me, all tempura rolls served with eel sauce taste the same and this one was no exception. As I was eating the roll, I began to scroll through my Instagram, because well, what else are you going to do when eating at the sushi bar alone? The older lady then came over, put her hand on my shoulder and told me to put my phone away and eat. I nodded politely at her but she wouldn't leave me a lone until I put the phone away -- rude. Synopsis? The sushi is bland and nothing special. The service is attentive, but strange. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here and I doubt I'll ever be back. There are equally as bad of sushi spots here in SB, closer to home. 2-stars: "Meh. I've experienced better." read more

See all

Tiny hole in the wall but what an amazing sushi restaurant ! We enjoyed a Pink Panther, a rainbow roll, spicy yellow tail, and tuna and salmon sashimi and an amazing Sunomo salad(3 types of seaweed). Everything was fresh and delicious and the service from the owner herself, Vinh, was absolutely first class. We have a new sushi par in Goleta! read more

Goleta Sushi House - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Really good sushi at a great price! It is a hidden gem. I think this may be the best sushi spot in Goleta!

used to be a real nice spot to get a nice roll of sushi but we just got back from our dine-in dinner and it was an awful experience. the supposed sushi chef there seemed to have a problem with our group bc every roll sent to our table was a sloppy overstuffed mess of roll and the awkward waitresses seemed to have better places to be than be there having to wait on anyone. when it came time to pay the nice lady came to help us split our bill which seemed to anger the sushi chef because he kept on glaring at us and shaking his head. we told the lady and she kept trying to make up excuses for him. honestly just an incompetent establishment all around. read more

My husband and I were visiting Santa Barbara last weekend and found this restaurant on Yelp. It is a quaint restaurant with some tables outside that were occupied. Our server who I think is the owner was very friendly. The service was fast and we enjoyed our sushi. We'll definitely come back when we are in town. read more

Goleta Sushi House - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all