My daughter and her fiancé invited me to Kuma while they were attending Cal Poly SLO. They had been raving about this restaurant and said it was their favorite sushi & ramen place & a favorite with the locals. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a cute hidden gem in Los Oso's with indoor & outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is under a beautiful tree with a fire pit and space heaters which feels very cozy, laidback, & can also be a great place to take someone for a date night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had the salted edamame & vegetable tempura for appetizers, & shared the itchy dragon & firecracker rolls. I had the shoyu ramen with pork and shrimp tempura which was wonderful since it was a cool evening. Everything was amazing and the ramen was absolutely delicious! During dinner we were discussing booking a restaurant venue to celebrate their graduation & our server overheard us & told us they had a small banquet room. It was a no brainer, he gave us (Niko) the restaurant managers number & after speaking to him I booked their banquet room. We were a small party of twenty and I wanted to surprise my daughter & fiancé by decorating the place with some flowers, simple decor, & a cake. I was worried since I was arranging everything from 3 hours away, but Niko and the entire staff at Kuma made it easy. I would highly recommend booking them for any occasion the food, service, and staff are amazing! read more

Kuma Sushi - Kuma's banquet room - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

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If I could give 0 stars, I would. We decided to come back after several years, hoping things had improved, but unfortunately it was a very disappointing experience. The overall vibe felt like the employees didn't want to be there. Service was extremely slow, and it seemed like they were short-staffed. At one point I went inside for a soda refill and saw one of the employees with her purse out counting cash tips. A few minutes later she was serving food, which wasn't something I expected to see. Our food came out in 15-minute intervals instead of all together, so some of us were finished eating before others even received their meals. We also got drink refills with no ice, which was just another odd detail. To top it off, everyone in our group developed diarrhea just a few hours after eating there. I can't say for certain what caused it, but it was enough that none of us will be returning. Very disappointing experience overall. read more

Kuma Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

Chose ramen with shoyu broth and pork. Ramen broth was very dark and bit salty. I have been to many ramen houses and this was the first time seeing dark broth. The broth had oil pools as the three slices of pork were fried. I have never seen fried pork in ramen. Other contents of the bowl were 1 tiny slice of the fish cake, 2 slices of the hard boiled eggs, overcooked noodles, several strips of the colored ginger and a flood of chopped green onions. Maybe green onions were on clearance that day. I have had their ramen a few years back and liked it. What happened? To top it all, the lady cashier/order taker wasn't in a good mood that day. The dining experience starts at the greeting station and if the front service folks do not seem to want to be at work, everything starts going downhill. Will not risk a return visit. read more

We stopped here as a final pit stop before heading home after seeing the positive reviews and noticing that it was dog-friendly. We ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen, Vegetable Tempura Combination, and Pork Gyoza. Unfortunately, the ramen--which seemed to be the restaurant's signature dish--was disappointing. The broth lacked depth of flavor and was overly salty. The pork gyoza was also unexpected, as the filling tasted heavily seasoned like chorizo, which felt unusual for a Japanese restaurant. The vegetable tempura was the highlight of the meal and was prepared well. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm giving this place two stars primarily because of its dog-friendly atmosphere and the restaurant's pleasant aesthetics.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] While the environment was enjoyable, the food did not meet our expectations read more

Great sushi and ramen happy hour deal! The spicy miso ramen with beef had a nice kick, flavorful broth, and was very satisfying. The sushi was great, and staff were friendly! read more

Kuma Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

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I ordered the chicken tonkatsu ramen and garlic chip sushi as part of the happy hour deal. Wow, ramen broth was very flavorful and the ramen noodles had a great chew to them. The sushi was amazing, they were very generous with the amount of fish. It was very fresh tasting. Couldn't asked for a better combo and for a very reasonable price. Customer service all around was excellent and super friendly. Definitely will be coming back here again on my next visit into town. read more

Kuma Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

Bowl and a roll special is amazing. Actually enough for two (I did not share). Also tried the tempura veggies. Solid food and great taste

Gave them another try because people we were with wanted to try it out. I don't know how they did it, but it got worse! Service was terrible, prices are OUTRAGEOUS for the quality, and the quality was just bad. Such a disappointment and embarrassment that this is the only sushi option in Los Osos. If a sushi restaurant doesn't want to do table service, the prices should reflect that. Dishes were never brought, the temperatures were strange, staff were indifferent, food doesn't taste good. This restaurant hasn't been good since they got rid of the poké. Maybe bring that back and things will be good again?... read more

Short summary of how my visit at Kuma Sushi: We were a party of 6 and had family from out of town and so before spending time at Morro Bay, we decided to have lunch at Kuma Sushi during their Ramen/Bowl + Roll deal (11 am - 4 pm). For food we ordered in pairs: - Ramen with Spicy Miso + Pork = 4/5 - Ramen with Tonkatsu broth + Pork = 3/5 - Teriyaki Bowl = 2.5/5 (it was a little bland) - Garlic Chip Roll = 4.5/5 - Kiki Roll = 2/5 - Morro Bombay = 4/5 - Matcha Creme Brulee = 5/5 (the main reason we came) - Stuffed Crepe = 3/5 - Kuma Cale = 2/5 The service and system organization could have been handled better. The receipts didn't print for our table, another one which took longer for our food to come. Our order was also forgotten by the waitress multiple times. Then, we had to grab ourselves extra bowls and had to wait extra for utensils and to get our table cleared of dirty dishes in order to have more space. It was also a little confusing, we didn't know if it was a self service or a proper sit down restaurant and served by someone. After the mishaps, they did offer us a gift certificate of $25 and two free desserts which was really appreciated and they were really nice afterwards as well. read more

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Kumar is a unique place to grab some great Japanese bites and drinks. They have an amazing $20 deal for a small bowl of Ramen and 1 full roll which is hard to beat. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The seating is plenty and comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is fast, friendly and prompt read more

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I haven't been to Kuma in a while and ended up there for my birthday lunch this week. All the servers were friendly and attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The layout has changed a bit and they now have an option to order from a screen, but they will also take your order at the counter or at your table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We chose to order at the counter. The menus has quite a variety of choices and they offer "roll and a bowl" for $20 daily between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. We ordered two appetizers - the halibut ceviche and poke nachos. The ceviche was served quickly and was very tasty - fresh and generous. The nachos took a LOT longer and several other tables ordered and were served while we were waiting. The server came out and offered us something to eat while we waited while apologizing for the delay so we got some edamame. The nachos were very good when they arrived and the server again apologized for the delay. We were told that a new sauce for the nachos had to be made, and the kitchen had gotten backed up. All in all, I would say the service is very good and I wouldn't think the delay in our food is a common issue. I will have to go back again to see. Kuma is a great spot is looking for sushi in Los Osos. read more

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Regarding payment: Since when does a place add a 4% Operations service charge and then include it the total amount for TAX. ? And then add a tip of 20% of that total. My food cost $20 X 2 of us, that's $40. Add a drink for $6 and tax of $3.34. Some how the total out the door was $58.08. Someone, like the manager, better tell the customers what is being added to their bill before they sit down. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was overly packed, loud, and barely a place to park.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Be prepared before you go. read more

We returned for the second time this week. February 9-15 One trip was early evening and we had wonderful tasting food. Even the drinks were good. This meal this evening, (we had to return later this evening due to them being busy) the February special was most unsatisfactory. As pretty as it was the food was tasteless. The ice tea tasted more like matcha than tea. Very dirt tasting. The chicken teriyaki bowl was more broccoli than anything. Our little town is really lacking any nice places to have a bite. read more

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Bowl and a Roll deal (weekdays 11-4, $20) is the BEST deal in town, possibly the county. High quality ingredients, super friendly staff. read more

Kuma Sushi - Garlic chip roll and ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

We were heading home from a weekend camping in Big Sur when the sushi craving hit hard. A quick Yelp search led us to Kuma Sushi, and I can honestly say I'm so glad it did. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The moment we walked in, we were greeted by a warm, inviting ambiance that felt like exactly where we were meant to be.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The ramen broth was rich and soul-warming--perfect after a few chilly days outdoors--and the sushi was outstanding: fresh, flavorful, and plated with care. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Midway through our meal, it started to rain. Instead of making us want to leave, it only added to the charm--watching the misty, sleepy beach town outside while enjoying comfort food inside felt magical.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We didn't know what to expect when we rolled into town, but Kuma won us over completely. This will be our every-time stop after camping in Big Sur. read more

Kuma is back on point! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Counter ordering and choice of indoor or patio seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We discovered their awesome loco moco this visit- recommend! Also enjoyed the chicken teriyaki bowl, and shoyu ramen (the "small" is still a generous portion). Oh, the fried kimchi ($3.50) is on the add-on list for ramen but it's a snack in itself - a revelation! I keep forgetting to go for happy hour but it's a good deal. Check it out. read more

Came across this gem while visiting the area. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat on their beautiful patio, and thankfully, they had heaters as it was a cooler evening. They also had blankets available if you got too chilly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We enjoyed their Ramen selection, sushi, and tempura vegetables. There is a walk-up counter where you can order, and you can take your number and select your seating. I would have much preferred table service, but since it was a walk-up experience, nothing was missing. read more

Kuma Sushi - Vegetable Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

The service is awesome, the sushi bar guy has amazing manners and makes you feel important. The sushi is also really good, and very professionally sliced and rolled. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place isn't too grunge as I said before, but its dark inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service even treated the ipad kid with respect, who was sitting at a near table. Respect. read more

Have been here quite a few times as I would categorize Kuma as one of the best Sushi and Ramen places in SLO County. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The relaxed atmosphere, outdoor seating, and location off the main downtown, makes this place a go to stop for locals![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outdoor patio seating area is also dog friendly which is always an added bonus.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered the Spicy Miso with chicken and the Tonkotsu with pork belly - both were phenomenal and very flavorful. Be prepared as the Spicy Miso is very spicy, but I love spicy so thought it was amazing! The ramen's come in small and large which make it great if you want to order ramen and a sushi roll. We ordered the two small ramens and also ordered two sushi rolls, the red eye and the baywood (deep fried). Both were delicious and we were quite full at the end but finished everything we ordered. Service is always quick, efficient and everyone working here is extremely friendly. If you are looking for a local spot for sushi and ramen, you will not be disappointed with Kuma! read more

Do not order from here with DoorDash. Grocery store sushi. No flavor, undercooked vegetables in teriyaki bowl without any teriyaki sauce. Sad, dissapointing and underwhelming. We have ordered plenty of sushi via DoorDash and this was the worst ever. $120 for garbage. read more

Good food, good service one more could ask for! Went there for lunch recently and was pleasantly surprised by their lunch specials. The sushi was very fresh and delicious. read more

My new favorite sushi restaurant by the sea. Kuma is a little hidden gem found on one of the back streets of Los Osos and is more than a restaurant, it is an experience. The staff and chef's are friendly and helpful. The food is rich and quality. [[HIGHLIGHT]]And the atmosphere is quaint and colorful.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I think I'll have to become a regular here. read more

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The best ramen i have ever had. I'm from las vegas and i would fly here just for this bowl of ramen. my friend lives in slo and i make a point to come here every time. service isn't anything crazy but the food makes up for it. the broth is phenomenal, the noodles are perfectly cooked, egg is the right consistency, so many topping options. 10/10. read more

Kuma Sushi - Ramen Bowl Small - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

Really really disgusting. Not a single redeeming factor. Insanely expensive for the most grotesque sushi I've ever endured. Order at counter and service is terrible. $19 for a teriyaki bowl that contains overcooked rice, slimy onions, bell pepper, and two pieces of broccoli, and absolutely no flavor. Also no sense of food safety standards; one employee was scooping rice into a bowl with his bare hand after touching various non food related items. Sushi chef was also wiping his hands on his dirty sweatshirt and grabbing items at the register before continuing to touch the food. He was pawing at a frozen block of fish with his bare hands. Fish was still frozen in rolls. Also just plating prepackaged gyoza. Spent $159 and left before the rest of our food came out it was so abysmal. read more

Kuma Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

I had lunch here earlier this week and my mind was blown because of the awesome bowl and sushi deal for lunch and the high quality of my ramen and sushi roll! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'm also very entertained by the name of this restaurant because it's located in Los Osos, which means bears in Spanish and the name of this restaurant is Kuma, which means bear in Japanese. So smart![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I got the spicy miso with pork (pork belly) ramen and the Killer Shrimp Roll. [[HIGHLIGHT]]My data plan had almost no bars and limited while sitting here so it was nice that the restaurant had a sign with their wi-fi info right at the register.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The "wow" factor here is they have complimentary hot tea if you order hot tea. read more

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Half the time I come, items are left out and I have to drive back. Happened twice in the last four visits. They're never that busy so unsure why it's a problem. It's worth the drive to head to SLO for another sushi restaurant read more

Love Kuma! Chase and Tim always rock it at the sushi bar! We live in Osos and walk down to the sushi bar once a week to enjoy the food a beer/saki and their company. Service is top notch Thanks guys! read more

Amazing sushi. Beat I have ever had. Staff is friendly and especially Isabella. Love this place!

what can I say? I am addicted to this place!! They have the best Ramen in the county! The menu is excellent. Pick your base first, and then your add-ons the selection is huge and every one of them is amazing! If you're in the mood for comfort food and you enjoy Ramen this is your place read more

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Sick to my stomach by the time I got home. I even left before we received all the food we ordered. Understaffed, under qualified, and overpriced. The entire meal was lukewarm and mashed to oblivion. read more

I used to love this place. Now it's basically overpriced fast food. I was so disappointed when they took away table service! If I go out to sushi I don't want to order at a counter. Huge disappointment. Honestly, I'll drive into SLO for a better dining experience. read more

This was a hidden place in a city with no street lights. It is the best Japanese place in Los Osos, at least that is what the locals and Yelp thinks. The parking lot was full, yet the signage was not there for me to see where the entrance was until I went back to the car and saw other customers and followed them in. It's the Asian place in the middle of nowhere that after you eat their food, you swear that you will never go to another Asian place in the middle of nowhere. Maybe if I was a local, I would think that this place is good as well. Yet, on a recent visit, even some the locals were upset with them with their slow service for takeout orders. Not feeling too confident about this place, I ordered a small chicken bowl, and a large beef teriyaki bowl with spicy tuna as an add on. It took over 30 minutes for them to prepare my teriyaki bowls. This restaurant is kind of nice, once you figure out where the entrance is. It is like a fast food restaurant where you order first. You can either sit indoors, outdoors in the patio or in the sushi bar. The restaurant I thought was nicely decorated. They had plenty of heaters for those wishing to sit outdoors. Over 30 minutes later, both my small chicken and large beef teriyaki bowls were ready. They came in the same sized container and had the same amout of food. You would think a large bowl would be bigger or have more food with the extra cost. But, neither was the case. The chicken was not Yoshinoya quality. The chicken was cut into weird shaped chunks. The beef seemed like bulgogi meat that was grilled. The meat had a great smoky flavor. The "teriyaki" sauce they used had an odd taste. Both bowls had bell peppers and mushrooms. The spicy tuna was minced tuna and did not have much flavor. Let the locals enjoy this place. If you want good Japanese food, try a city with a larger Japanese population not located in the middle of nowhere. read more

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I haven't been in awhile, a visit overdue! The seating is the same but now you order as you walk in, grab a seat and they'll bring the rest to you. We ordered too much food! There is a ramen happy hour special going on 1/2 off We took advantage of that and a few appetizers some other sides. And a couple of iced matcha. Everything was delicious I recommend you try everything! Just to note I didn't take pictures of the inside decor as there were others seated nearby but there is art for sale by locals on every wall. read more

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Our sushi chef Chase made our experience extra special. Mr. Charisma! So friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Food was delicious! Tried new things based on his descriptions. So many flavors! YUM! We'll be back! read more

good food but not great service. asked for here bowls but got plastic ones which we understood at first as they may not want to do extra dishes but we saw a couple that came after us receive bowls, which again not a big deal but we didn't appreciate it. read more

The food is consistently delicious, service is efficient and I enjoy the service. My favorite is the roll and bowl lunch specials.

Fantastic build-your-own ramen bowl, and terrific sushi rolls. Fresh and high-quality ingredients make everything taste superb. They will help you make a gluten-free order (if needed). Indoor and outdoor seating available, as well as takeout. read more

Kuma Sushi - Ramen bowl - spiced vegan base, vegetables, plus fried egg, tofu, and extra noodles. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Los Osos, California

Damn. Really bummed at this place because it used to be decently priced. Tried to give it another shot after not going for a while, but it's still just not worth what you pay for. The rolls have shrunk. There is 0 service. You're paying sit down sushi restaurant prices for a shitty fast food-like experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They don't even have silverware or bottles of soy sauce anymore, just disposable chop sticks and packets.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The whole place feels so cheap.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] And the size and quality of the rolls show it. It feels like they scaled back for Covid times, didn't return to being a full service restaurant, and then still kept/raised the prices as if it were still operating as a full service sushi restaurant. The staff try, they really do. It's not their fault. It's just a poorly ran restaurant. Sushiya has same quality rolls for half the price. The busser even suggested we go there instead. Will do. read more

Kuma's Tonkotsu was my favorite in the past. I brought family yesterday ordered this dish for everyone, big mistake. The pork was all fat, so much fat that we had to remove all the meat, and eat the ramen only. I was so disappointed. :( read more

My husband and I live in Osos and have been here a few times. The food has always been amazing and the service is just as good. We recently went and sat at the bar and were served by Tim. He was amazing!!! Ask about Tim's roll- sooo good and should be on the menu. So funny and attentive. Cam was also awesome (no competition here). The vibe was great and we felt right at home. Highly recommend! read more