Recently tried this place out after driving past it many times. You check in at the front, and then get seated by their host. There is indoor and outdoor seating available. It was my first time here and decided to sit outside as it was very nice weather. We tried their California roll, edamame, rice, and I believe it was their flying tiger roll. Everything was really good. we did find that the service was a bit slow, and it took a while to get our food. Although there is plenty of parking, it gets full really fast and can be difficult to find a spot. I definitely recommend giving this place a try. read more

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Here's the good, the bad, and the ugly... The good: Hamachi Nama saved the night! This hamachi melted in our mouths like a dream. The flavors, the cut of fish. Yum! Despite the odd choice of a flimsy plastic plate, the presentation was decent. The bad: The tofu salad was literally a handful of lettuce sprinkled on a plate with diced raw tofu. You get a small side of sauce that is way too sweet. It tasted really.... Healthy. We rubbed the tofu in the Hamachi Nama plate to get some of that sesame sauce, which tasted much better. The roll we got (forgot the frou frou name) had eel and 3 fish that we love in it, however we could not taste any of them because the roll was so small and doused in a sweet sauce. There was also a very small amount of rice in the roll that the ratio felt "off". Basically each bite wasn't substantial. This is hard for me to say because I love sushi. The ugly: The service! There weren't many people in the restaurant that we thought they were closed when we walked in. See photo. The server was not very friendly and was difficult to find to get even a refill of water (see photo). There were a few tables in the outdoor patio, so the server had to pass us to walk there, but maybe she didn't see us as a "high ticket" table to stop by? One time she asked us how we liked our food (more like a yell), but she did that while she was walking to another table and wasn't even near us! It was very awkward to respond anything, other than a nod since she was hurriedly passing us. Mobo may be good for other non-sushi roll items, like bento boxes and hot foods. But Mobo is a No-Go for me, at least for sushi. Sorry. read more

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The one time we wanted to be spontaneous and just trust our instincts to try a new restaurant, we walked into Mobo sushi. We went for a sunset walk and worked up a big appetite. And sadly, we were disappointed in the sushi we got from Mobo. The rolls were sloppily made, and the portions were stingy. I've been to higher quality sushi place and have no issues if the portions are smaller. But here, neither the quality nor the flavors were stellar, so the smaller portions just truly made this restaurant one of the worst we've been to in a long while. To make it even more alarming, I went home and had terrible stomach issue, and I still am recovering from that meal 24 hours later. I am really sorry to have to write such a negative review. But I think people deserve to know what they are getting themselves into. I can't highlight how important it is to check Yelp rating before choosing a restaurant to dine in. After this experience, I am always going to check yelp before I walk into a restaurant, as long as my phone is functioning. read more

Mobo Sushi - the sloppy sides are on the bottom. At least they knew to hide the mess. - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Went to Momo last night with some friends The service was absolutely horrible the waitress acted mad and completely uninterested in taking our order ...she never refilled our water and when we asked for missing things we ordered it took over 30 min to get them and the restaurant was empty our party of 3 and one other group of 2 Very overpriced food nothing special about it We definitely won't be going back! Buzz sushi by the red room is much better and has friendly staff read more

I've been meaning to leave a review for a really long time, I really love this place :') Mobo is like my third favorite topic to bring up ever. I bring my family here when they visit, I brought everyone from my work here for a get together. I convince my boyfriend to order here hopefully like once a week or at least when we get paid. I've been a regular for a good amount of time now. The staff is so sweet, first off. Amazing energy every time I come in, no matter how busy. They have amazing vegetarian options; they're so accommodating with adjustments. I've had multiple people tell me they love the Scooter Roll. Like I constantly rave about this place all the time. Wasabi perfect, spicy mayo perfect, customer service amazing, like 100/10. There's other sushi spots around, but this place should be number one in Santa Cruz for sure, as someone who's local to the area. I'm genuinely surprised it's not. But anyway!! Highly recommend this place, you definitely will never be disappointed. read more

Fresh sushi, one of the best in town! We celebrated our anniversary at Mobo and the staff was very quick and attentive

Hands down, THE BEST SUSHI RESTAURANT in Santa Cruz County! Mobo is the locals favorite. We have been coming for 25 years and it is always our birthday choice. It is an experience to eat and savor the sushi here. It is a flavor explosion! The combinations of ingredients in the rolls are so delicious and there are a lot of unique rolls that are my favorite that you can only get at Mobo. We just ate tonight, and it was the best meal I had in a long while! Definitely worth it! The prices are comparable to any other sushi restaurant in Santa Cruz, yet SO much better. read more

Mobo Sushi - Maui Wowi Shizo Fine Presto Maki - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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The staff are always friendly, but the tables feel sticky and smell funky, and the quality of fish is really poor. Most of their rolls are based on cheap fish (ahi and eel), and dressed up with lots of cheap stuff and sauces to make them feel fancy. Their portions are small, and their prices are very high. They have a market on prime downtown real estate, so if you want to walk from Pacific Ave and go eat way overpriced sushi and drink beer, that's what this place is for. Otherwise, there are FAR better options in Santa Cruz. read more

nice staff and atmosphere. ordered 8 different nigiri. the fish was fine for 5 of them, the others not so great. but the rice was awful. It did not seem like sushi rice. it fell apart, was flavorless. the rice people, the rice ! really I would give 2.5 stars. I am not used to giving poor reviews, but this sort of stood out. read more

Funky sushi restaurant with a wide range of menu options. They have the usual sushi offerings as well as a bunch of whimsically named specialty rolls - some of my favorites are smoke slammin, unagi, and if you're going to go all out the caterpillar roll. They also have other Japanese food, so liking sushi isn't required to have a good meal in this restaurant. read more

I have eaten at Mobo since the late '90's and seen it thru a lot of changes. (Loved the lunch special era b4 Covid.) It had been about a year and a half since we had last been to Mobo. The quality of the nigiri and rolls was great, but the cost increase was prohibitive. Our bill was 90.00 for 2 non-specialty rolls, 2 nigiri, some miso soup and saki. I don't want to single out Mobo, because this just may be the way all restaurants are in 2026. In the future, I will check the cost of menus online before deciding where to eat. (or even if to go out.) I'm thankful for all the great meals I've had in the past at Mobo. But the one I had last night maybe my last for a long time. I am getting priced out. read more

I used to love Mobo but their prices lately are just not worth it. $17 for a 6-8 piece roll (non speciality) seems really high. Their food is decent tho read more

Love this place. Came here for the first time in January and was very impressed with the quality of the seafood. Fast forward to September and I live very close now. It looks a little closed on the outside sometimes, but just go to the front door and check! The inside is actually a very cute setting and they have a small patio. The sushi bar is cool. Have been back twice and both times have been very yummy! The second time, I went with my cousin who is half Japanese and a trained sushi chef--they were very impressed. The speed of service was literally insane, and our server had true suggestions and great opinions about the menu. Everything came fast and fresh and hot. My 7 year old is very welcome there as well. So glad this place is now so close to home read more

Good food. But service has gone way down compared to the Mobo I use to love. Condescending hostess that sat us down. Place was freezing cold , glad we had jackets, and the waitress had to be asked for everything , ie extra plates etc. finally got up and got our own plates from a stack we saw after waiting a long while. When asked about a heater, was simply told "this is as good as it gets". As if the waitress was Flo, from the Diner sitcom. Not going back for a bit and will be loyal to Akira. Maybe I'll keep Mobo as a backup for pickup as the food was better than the service. read more

Disappointing and overpriced rolls that will still leave you hungry. Save your money for something else

Poor service after COVID. We have given several chances but it's clear, service is bad until further notice.

Do NOT sleep on the vegan/veggie rolls here at Mobo. Even if you're a meat eater, you will find some lovely surprises on this menu that will surprise you. Mobo Sushi was a spot that friends have often shared as being a bit bougier and pricier than other Santa Cruz sushi restaurants. On first glance, those specialty rolls reaching upwards of $20 certainly reinforces those claims. However, as someone that is plant-based, I strive to seek out spots with a variety of veggie options. Mobo does that and does it well. To start, we ordered their Salmon Ceviche ($13) and Udon in Tahini ($5) appetizers. Both dishes were very good with the former being a standout. It was a great way to enjoy a fresh salad with good pieces of salmon without the unnecessary sauces you find in most of the rolls. Speaking of rolls, ,y friend and I ordered their Calamari Roll ($9) and the Emerald City Roll ($7), the later containing avocado, daikon, shiitake, carrots, and black sesame. We both agreed that the vegan roll was FIRE and much tastier than their calamari roll. If I wasn't plant-based, I would've never thought to order this roll and am so glad I did. Seriously, give their green rolls a shot - your taste buds, heart, and wallet will thank you. Right now, they offer limited indoor seating and open up their outside patio with ceiling heat lamps. On the night we went, most of the tables were occupied but definitely spaced well apart for comfort. It did take us a bit of time to get our check and pay so you may need to flag down your server if you are in a rush. read more

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Best sushi around (and that's coming from a vegan). Delicious, fresh and great vegan options.

WORST EXPERIENCE IVE EVER HAD! my birthday is next week and i asked for a birthday dessert as they gave my other friends their birthday dessert as we are all celebrating all of our birthdays today and our server (pictured) flipped me off and said fuck you because i was upset that i didn't get my birthday dessert. As someone who worked in the restaurant business this was absolutely unacceptable & unprofessional service and she should be fired. ESPECIALLY since ALL OF US WERE CELEBRATING OUR BIRTHDAY! & my birthday is literally in 4 days while she made a comment when i told her my birthday is next week she said "oh mine is in the next 3 months" sarcastically. If you are having a bad day DO NOT TAKE IT OUT ON UR CUSTOMERS read more

Mobo Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Great fresh sushi and good atmosphere! My favorite is the Spicy Big Mac. It can sometimes take a bit for service.

Sunday night about 630pm.. not that busy.. took 50 minutes to get two small items to be delivered to our table. They got no tip. We don't give a shit if that's awful... Terrible service... Food wasn't really worth that long of await. Disaster. Rather go to Shogun next time.bye bye. read more

One of my favorite places in undergrad. Plenty of parking and service is usually great. It can get pretty crowded on weekends and nights and the pricing is more on the expensive side but the quality makes up for it. I'm not sure if they still have their sake bomb nights on Fridays but those were so fun to watch! Indoor has Japanese decor and their outdoor patio seating is also very beautiful with many plants. My favorite thing to order are their Chef's special rolls (although pricey, more than $16 but large in size) and their udon. Their udon broth is so rich yet light with a bright yet umami flavor. It comes with tempura, soft boiled eggs, tons of mushrooms, and steak. It is also served in a cast iron pot. Not very traditional but VERY delicious and something great to eat on cold winter. Surprised they have such low reviews but I've loved my experience every time I've been here. I've been here to celebrate anniversaries, accomplishments, or just a pick-me up on a random day and Mobo sushi fits the occasion for anything! read more

Mobo Sushi - Udon and special rolls - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Came there for casual family dinner. The food was good (hot box, hamachi), but not the most authentic Japanese food. Like instead of thin slice beef, they used steak chunk in nabeyaki, but my dad really enjoyed it. The portion for the hot box is very large, and very good deal. The wait is pretty and long to get a seat and for the food to come for a weekday evening. read more

Mobo Sushi - Hot box (seasonal vegi tempura) - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Love their vegetarian rolls. Even the meat eaters in my family order the veggie rolls. The Guido is exquisite! And the Crop Burning is to die for! Plus it is right in downtown Santa Cruz. What more could you ask for? Oh, they do a sake domino pour one day a week that is so much fun! read more

I have been a very happy patron of Mobo Sushi in downtown Santa Cruz for nearly 30 years, and I was very pleasantly surprised tonight when they once again out shined themselves!!! The fish was the freshest, the presentation immaculate, the flavors divine! This is one of Santa Cruz's few remaining consistent and integral eats, do yourself, your family, and all your friends a favor, and come enjoy all of Mobo's exquisite flavors! read more

Mobo Sushi - Tazuna - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

$29.95 unreal the amount of food and excellent quality with a bowl of miso soup. Great service and nice atmosphere! It's a must try I don't think you'd be disappointed! read more

Mobo Sushi - Teriyaki beef and sushi combo - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Our favorite Japanese restaurant in Santa Cruz even though it's a 30-40 mins drive away from our place. Their sushi is fresh and of the highest standard.Their food is sushi and sahimi's overflowing with great quality and reasonable price. Truly the best sushi I've had in the US. The restaurant is bustling because of its popularity, but it was worth a wait You won't be disappointed in the amount of time they put in or the good service they provide. read more

Mobo Sushi - Yummy sushi/sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Quick service eating in or take out. Lots of choices on the menu. Cherry blossom and rainbow rolls are two of our faves.

My friend recommended me to this place so we went today. Sad to say, I'm sorely disappointed. Service was slow, very slow. It took around 40 minutes to get our sushi even though the restaurant wasn't even half full. 1. Spicy Big Mac (6) : cream cheese, avocado, and spicy tuna-fried. I usually wouldn't ever get fried sushi but I saw many reviews raving about it and it was on the specials menu. It actually was kind of good but I didn't think the cream cheese paired well at all. If that was taken away, it would've been pretty good. $12.95 2. California Roll (8): My friend said it was average. $7.25 3. The Nor Cal (8): There was an abundance of small fried popcorn shrimp that was mostly batter. It came with 8 california-esque rolls that were okay as well. $17.50 4. Popcorn Chicken: It came first and piping hot. My friend liked it. I thought it was good but it would've been better as an appetizer. $11.95 5. Pork Gyoza (6): Comes with 6, hot and delicious. Small for the price of $6.95 Overall, it was a little expensive for what we got, the extremely slow service, and food quality. The food wasn't bad per se, it was even kind of good, but we all left hungry because the portions were pretty small. Rounding down because of how long we waited. I don't think we'll be back for a while. (2.5/5) read more

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The guido roll and the miami roll are the best vegetarian rolls I've ever had! I love the creativity of the ingredients.

They didn't bow out to the woke agenda of the Covid propaganda closing. They stayed clean sterile and followed the rules and serve the masses. I fell in love with Momo. I will never go to Akira again thank you Momo for kicking ass. Your food is great I recommend the death star. read more

This is the first place I've been for outdoor dining during COVID and from a safety perspective I felt ok about it. Staff were masked, tables were spread out (although maybe not a full 6 f?). Looked like they were sanitizing. Heat lamps on the patio. Fish was fresh. I thought the Death Star was the best roll I got. I wasn't blown away by the others. They were good, but I did't feel like it was anything super special. I do like the creative rolls they have though - some combos I hadn't seen other places. My friend who got a hand roll said they were very generous in the amount of fish in their hand roll. Service was medium paced - but I feel like that's pretty standard for sushi restaurants. read more

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Food was great!! Service was excellent!!we go here evey time we are in Santa Cruz fresh and clean

This place is really good. Food was on point. Everyone was very pleased with their selection and the attention was great. The sushi rolls are in the pricey side but you pay for quality. The place was nice looking and clean. The only reason why I didn't give this restaurant 5 start was because our waitress refused to split our items by couple and shared that she didn't have the computer to do it. bruh. read more

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If you're going to add an automatic 20% gratuity to all take out orders....PLEASE MAKE SURE MY ORDER IS CORRECT AND COMPLETE! Also, my estimated pick up time was undershot by 30 minutes. read more

This place used to be great. Been going here for over 10 years now. I understand COVID has changed thins for everyone, but the past 3 months, everytime I have tried to place a take out order they completely ruin the experience. Today I called to place an order to come pick up, and they tell me "we are pausing to go orders for now so if you wanna call back in like an hour and try" which makes absolutely no sense. Why not tell us it's going to be X amount of time to get it, would you still like to place an order? What you want us to call back in an hour to be told it's still too busy? Never seen a business run this way. About 2 months back, I was watching the person handling my payment write up the bill, and they tacked on an additional 15% at the end for the service I assume , but NOwhere on the doors, walls, menu, or website did it make mention of this. It was purely out of deceptive intention. Too bad the food is actually amazing because I can't even place an order during "business hours". read more

Excellent lunches Can recommend I like the bento box with tempura vegetable shrimp combo and gyoza.Teriaki salmon is also good read more

Tonight was the worst experience to which we swear to never return Raised prices $2 or more per roll - you gotta so what you gotta do Less fish in those higher priced rolls is stealing from customers Taking over 45 minutes to get our 4 rolls with one warm beer because we sat so long $70 and our waitress began avoiding us because the 3 sushi chefs ( one is an owner ) we're very slow without any explanation Friends of ours in the other side of the restaurant said it took too long and it was poor quality- never to return! So I didn't touch on the quality other than the rolls had really been minified but the eel was gross (yes I have had it before and at mobo) and the smoked sake was over smoked Overall our once weekly treat turned into overpriced fishy sushi with terrible wait times and we too (6 of us total) will not be back Pandemic was tough but you know what willl be worse without loyal customers? The recession! read more

Service is ridiculously slow. With more than 30min waiting after the order in a regular night time at 7:30pm

Food is great, but service has gone downhill. Had to wait over an hour for rolls after we ordered. Server never checked in with us to even say the kitchen was backed up, or if there was another issue. We waited so long that we had to eventually ask for to-go because we ran out of time to eat. Just asking for a little communication if there is a long wait/problem. read more