Pretty much the best sushi in Santa Cruz / Capitola, run by a traditional sushi chef. The focus is on fish and tradition, not on snazzy rolls (although they have them). Everyone talks about how great the food is, and the sumo wrestling on the tv screens, so no need to go on about that. We did a lot of research on this. Naka Sushi has the BEST health rating of all sushi restaurants in this area, the only one with top marks in all categories across a long period of time. You walk in, and only Naka-san and his wife are working. Both have masks on to greet you. There is an entire process to receiving and paying for food. Only a limited number of people allowed indoors at the same time. All of this is incredibly important to us during covid times. I trust their professionalism, and I truly believe that this is as safe as takeout could get. Okay, let's talk about the food. I'm pretty sure Naka-san measures the sizes of the cuts of fish in 3-finger widths - that is to say, these are huge cuts of fish. You don't have to order much to get REALLY full. The Natto roll is as good as people say, as long as you like natto. I'm perfectly happy to order from here all the time. read more

Naka is the best sushi in Santa Cruz! Huge portions, extremely fresh fish and friendly service. Definitely give them a visit!

One star! Very bad customer service for mediocre sushi. Would not come back. I suggest you do not either. I did not want to say anything but my fiancé got food poisoning here and was on the toilet for a long time. Over priced and bad service, horrible quality.STAY AWAY read more

Naka sushi is hands down the best sushi you can get in the area!! The two owners are so awesome and welcoming, they give great service and even better sushi. The rolls are so huge but definitely worth the price since it's a big ass portion. Come to Naka sushi if you're looking for bomb sushi and a good time! read more

Naka Sushi - Spider roll, the rolls in general are huge!! - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

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First time visiting this place. Pricy but really, really good. New favorite sushi spot in the area, will definitely return.

Arrived a little after 5:00 because online said that was their opening time. Were told to come back at 5:30. At 5:31 all but one table was full. We were a party of 5 and the one table was set for 4, but there were free chairs. They could have seated us but turned us away--again. Clearly uninterested in our business and maybe they don't need it but everyone should know how rude they are. read more

Ordered through grub hub. Naka did not have order ready, arrived 57 minutes late. Do not order take out from this place. Our food was packaged such, that it was cold soggy, limp And basically disgusting. I can't give zero or I would, $135.00 for this trash? My dog won't even eat it. And to top it off our order is short an order of salmon! read more

Looks like a local hole in the wall - unfortunately unable to try since we had too many folks in our party (4 adults and 2 kids) - and even when we were willing to split into 2 tables, whoever in charge still objected. Nothing special, we were just made uncomfortable from the get go. Unsure if its bc of laxing covid rules? near closing time (6PM)? restaurant policy? trying to be a strict sushi-ya? because it's Sunday night? maybe watched too much JIRO? Either way - judging from the other reviewers here, seems like the inundated proud owner prefers long time local regulars, take out orders and no new customers. Also temperamental? Vibe is clearly not family/kids friendly - at least at the time of arrival. Unless you fit his/her bill as a preferred customer, just go somewhere else. Maybe their sushi is decent? however don't feel like we missed out on anything. 1 rating not for the food quality but just overall encounter. Should've checked some of the reviews on yelp and call first. Thankfully we have tons of other excellent options around :) read more

This place/owner reminds me of those restaurants Gordon Ramsay tears apart on Kitchen Nightmares. Mediocre food with some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced. Our group waited more than 2 hours to get served food and got no check ins from the staff or apologies while we literally sat there waiting and hungry. When we asked for an update after 90 minutes of waiting we were told they hadn't started making any of our sushi rolls yet. Beyond the fact that service was slow, the most upsetting part of this experience was that the staff was not apologetic at all for our wait and did not give us updates. In fact the staff (waitress and owner) were quite rude when we asked them about the long wait, and acted very defensive and said we shouldn't have come to their restaurant then. In fact, if you want to see for yourself how this owner handles criticism of this restaurant, look at all the 1 star reviews of the place on yelp and his responses to them. Not a good look! This is the first yelp review I've ever left and I just would hate for anyone else to experience this! read more

The two of us that had the tuna became sick the next day. It was our first time here and the cut and quality of the fish didn't resemble their current yelp rating. read more

Pricey but very good. The unagi was . I had the sashimi plate also, thick slices ,delicious .I will definitely be going back and highly recommend. read more

Best sushi in town!!! 10/10 my fiancé and I travel about 45mins for this location. The service was amazing and great customer service.

Best Sushi in Santa Cruz! Portions are large, fish is high quality and the presentation is impressive.

Scared to even write this as I want to keep this place a secret, but has to be done. This place is the best. Incredible staff, amazing fish, true to Japanese style. Maybe worth the trip from SF just for a weekend sushi fix and that is saying a lot with all the options we have. Thanks for an amazing meal! read more

Love this Traditional Sushi chef. Twice I called in to order a Natto handroll, which I order in rolled form for years from other local sushi chefs When I called in a Natto roll, they said no. You can only eat this type of roll hand rolled...in-house ONLY! Actually, I order futomaki Natto rolls locally from 2 other chefs...Delicious..not soggy Customer service is very important. In Japan, I understand different standards Capitola is different ...too many choices. read more

Summary: very fresh and flavorful sushi, excellent nigiri, rolls are so big they can be hard to eat, traditional Japanese environment, friendly service, reasonable to slightly expensive Details: We were craving sushi at nearly 9pm on a weeknight and Naka was one of the few places open which had good reviews (it closes at 9:30). Multiple yelp reviews had warned of large portions and even the menu states "Beware: Our portions are big!" We started with edamame (warm and lightly salted) and a cold sparkling sake (fruity and perhaps a touch too sweet). Naka's #1 roll arrived first and we realized they weren't joking about the size. There's no way you can eat it in a single bite and it falls apart when you try. It's worth it though - the maguro and salmon inside was very tasty. The sake nigiri was some of the best salmon sushi we've ever had, comparable to what I've eaten in Japan. I also enjoyed the aji special (Japanese mackerel) but my wife found it too aromatic. We ordered a spicy maguro roll but we didn't need it. With so much food, we didn't even have room to go get Penny's ice cream. There's both low sodium and gluten free soy sauce. The decorations are traditional Japanese plus a signed photo of Clint Eastwood. The next time I'm back at Naka, I want to try the unagi and kani. read more

Fresh ingredients, ample portions, nicer on the inside than the strip mall location would suggest -- in California the best sushi restaurants are often in strip malls. The word has gotten out so get there earlier to be sure to nab a table. read more

So delicious! After searching for real, craft, traditional Japanese sushi - we found it!! The kappa hamachii, unagi, magueo and torro we're so fresh and generously portioned. Service was gracious and helpful. THIS is THE spot for sushi!!! read more

Warning! Don't come here if you think Yada Yada Whatever Rolls are Sushi! You have been misled by 35 years of Blah Blah Throw Anything Leftover and Add Jack in the Box Secret Sauce to make a Roll non-Japanese can Relate to Rolls that started with the invention of the California Roll. This has been powered by Korean's taking over retiring Japanese sushi shops, not knowing how to make sushi rice (they leave that to their Latino kitchen staff), not knowing how to cut fish for sushi (So why not just roll it all into rice, add mayo and hot sauce, and call it sushi!), but do know how to market to clueless Americans who have never been to Japan! Plus they know they can't make a lot of profit per guest with Korean food, not with all the side dishes Koreans expect, so why not increase the tab/patron ratio with Sushi? That's the formula! But this is not Japanese sushi! Naka-san has owned this shop for 22 years, with his wife Keiko with him all the way. They have a couple of people in the kitchen for hot food and clean up, but there is only Naka-san making all those Rolls all the Surfer Boyz who don't know real sushi from a Burrito order, and that he has to provide to survive with this area's diners. And his wife has to wait all the tables, sushi bar, and be the cashier. She has no time for smiling and small talk! Just like a New York Sandwich Deli at lunch time; just order and move on! You want food, or service? You talking to me? Naka-san has been making sushi on the Monterey Peninsula for close to 30 years, originally working in a Carmel shop before that closed down long ago. They are from Nagasaki, in the large south island of Kyushu, which ironically, is the closest to Korea. He is generally quiet, she is tough and no nonsense, which is the reputation of Kyushu women, perhaps because of the story of Atsu Hime, the princess from humble beginnings in Kyushu who rose to marry into the powerful Tokugawa family that ruled Japan for 250 years in the Edo period. Or maybe they are that way because Nagasaki is only the second city ever to be bombed by the atomic bomb, where 100,000 people were killed instantly, and many more suffered radiation for decades? I do not know. But they opened up to us, because we ordered Nigiri, and understood sushi. Naka-san is a proud sushi chef. He has good fish, and being Japanese, he wants to serve great fish Nigiri style, like in Japan. But being in a hippie-surfer town with shell buying tourists, he has to make Yada Yada Whatever Rolls to satisfy a generation raised on Korean Rolls, not Japanese Sushi, to stay in business. Come here for the Nigiri, particularly Aji, Hirame, Uni, Maguro, Hamachi, Mirugai. There is no other real Japanese Sushi-ya on the Monterey Peninsula that is Japanese owned and operated with a Japanese owner/sushi chef that I am aware. There are at least 30 choices, 95% Korean owned. Ironically, Naka-san's wife, that brusk, strong lady from Kyushu who is working her derriere off for 20+ years to keep her husband's Sushi-ya afloat, loves Han Ryu Drama, or Korean Dramas. And Naka-san is actually from Sasebo, the home of a large U.S. Naval base. I brought my Mom and Sis here for my Mom's Birthday. Her parents owned a Sushi-Ya in Japan, where they ordered the best tea from Kyushu, the finest rice, the freshest fish, and exquisite sake. And there wasn't a drop of Thousand Island, Sriracha, or Mayo, on any of the Sushi. They housed the staff and trained the Chefs-to-be for years. That was before it was destroyed by US bombers during the war. So come to Naka Sushi for what they do best, Nigiri sushi, and you will be happier, and you will make them very happy too. If you have to order a roll, try the Naka #2, only $9.95 with Unagi, Maguro, Avacado, and a couple of other ingredients. If you don't like fish, don't call yourself a Sushi lover. Call yourself a Yada Yada Whatever Roll lover. read more

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Huge portions of fish. Rolls were large too. The menu was small but we didn't mind. Service was good. They were all very friendly there. read more

Naka Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Nigiri here has the biggest pieces of fish!!!!!! read more

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I'm going to keep this short and sweet. This place has some of the best nigiri I have ever eaten. The fish is super fresh and cut into large generous slices. The rice holds together very nicely and has the perfect amount of sweetness that sushi rice should have. We ordered the hamachi, uni, toro, and aki. I've gotta admit, but half of those were new to me, but I still liked it nonetheless. This had actually been the second time I tried uni and for those who haven't tasted it before, it is an acquired taste. That being said, the uni here tasted 10x better than my first experience, maybe because of the little speck of wasabi that the chef puts in it. The thing about nigiri is that it isn't entirely filling, but if you're looking for quality, this is definitely the place. read more

Naka Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

We went with friends for the first time. Wow it was great! They go all the time and ordered their regular favorites. The hamachi was like butter. This is our new favorite sushi spot! read more

Naka Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

I gave this place another try. This is my update: Fish quality was better than the last time The customer service was terrible! We were the only ones at the bar and there was only one table. We waited a really long time for the sushi to be made, which didn't bother me much, but if I were hungry I would've been antsy. I requested the sushi chef read more

I don't doubt that Naka is probably one of the "better" sushi restaurants in Santa Cruz but that's not saying much. I would rather just not eat sushi here but sometimes you have to satiate a craving. The boyfriend surprised me with a weekend on the beach for my birthday. We drove down from San Francisco and planned to buy and eat live sea urchin in our adorable cottage. Unfortunately, the supermarket we wanted to stop at was sold out. Knowing how much I love uni, the boyfriend suggested a plan B. Since we eat out so often and still wanted that "eat at home" feeling, we decided on take out. Unfortunately, the selection of fresh sushi is very very limited in Santa Cruz. We found Naka's and stopped by around 7pm on a Friday night to pick up food. The restaurant was pretty empty which... probably should've been our first warning. We ended up spending around $90 for a couple of items. -Sashimo combo ($35) -- 2 stars 12 pieces of actual fish and then little cuts of squid. This means that each piece cost around $3 dollars. The nigiri's are 2 pieces for $6 and more worth it. The pieces were pretty typical -- hamachi (decent), salmon (decent), tuna (inedible), octupus (too chewy), squid (overpowered by the citrus that they squeezed on top). -Toro nigiri ($13) -- 1 star $13 for two large pieces of toro (fatty tuna) is not unreasonable. What's unreasonable is when the advertised toro is NOT toro! It was just lean tuna with maybe one sliver of fat. Barely edible. -Uni nigiri ($13x2) -- 3 stars Too much sea brine. -Edamame ($5) -- 4 stars This is probably the best thing we ordered... sadly. While we were waiting for our order, I asked if I could have a cup of tea. The cashier lady reluctantly told me 80cents for a cup. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind paying for tea but after spending almost $100 dollars and having already paid for our order, I found it just a bit stingy to charge us for tea. Tea literally costs 2 cents for a restaurant and the tradeoff in customer goodwill is totally worth it. While this is not BAD service since if they charge for tea, they charge for tea. It's just not exceptional service. Update -- the manager is so rude. Look at his responses, he insults any customer that does not leave a positive review. I recommend that you do not support a business like this. read more

Naka Sushi - That is not toro! Uni was decent - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Japanese cuisine near UCSC, not a bad idea...until we got here. The place was dimly lit, predominantly white people who ate here. For us Asians who came in, we didn't get any service until the white people left. Obviously this restaurant isn't getting 5 stars! Opened the menu, and HOLY $H*T!!! Everything on the menu is over $20 for dinner! WTF?! San Francisco Japantown is more accommodating than this! Ugh.. Food: Don't get me started... We went with a Bento, a roll and Chicken Teriyaki. Of course, we all shared our food. Total bill was $55. My wallet is kinda unhappy at the moment. Soup was lukewarm and not even hot. No steam = no good. Then we got a salad; not bad but did this place wash the vegetables? I see dirt. No bueno. They didn't serve us tea, just some ice water that sorta looked drinkable. Service: SUCKS. Overall Experience: NEVER COMING BACK. TOO EXPENSIVE!!! read more

Naka Sushi - Chicken Teriyaki & Sashimi Bento. Eat at your own risk.. - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

HUGE portions of fresh fish. If that's what defines your hallmark of a good sushi restaurant, then Naka is your place! I was very pleased with the thickness of the sushi and sashimi. Each 2 piece order of nigiri was the equivalent of four pieces of sushi at any other sushi restaurant I've ever been to! Huge value and excellent quality! And as a huge fan of amaebi - I was delighted with the fried shrimp heads (perfectly crispy, not overly battered, and a hint of sweetness even fried that only comes from the freshest of shrimp)! The rolls were monstrous so plan carefully - we over ordered and Naka laughed at us as we worked our way through his meal! Presentation points were lacking a bit but given the quality/quantity of fish I was served, I'm ok with it not being the most artistic. All other reviews capture the sentiments around service accurately: When you walk in, the hostess will brusquely tell you how long your expected wait time for sushi is - and if you indicate that's fine with you, they will seat you. Then they will efficiently bring you water and take your order. Honestly, Naka is short staffed so expecting many pleasantries is a little unrealistic. This said, if you stick around until later in the evening as the place empties out - Naka and his wife do spend some time joking with the regular customers (but they are absolutely no nonsense until they are through their peak period). read more

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After reading Naka's had the "freshest fish in Santa Cruz," I had to check it out because I LOVE raw fish, and I never eat mine with soy sauce or extra wasabi. Quality fish doesn't need sauces. You may look at the menu and think "gosh, this is expensive," but the prices make sense after you see the portions. DANG. That is a generous fish to rice ratio for the nigiri. I've tried the aji, sake, hamachi, baby octopus (on the special menu that night), and hirame nigiri. Everyone raves about the hamachi, but I think I've actually had better hamachi elsewhere. The aji is what really stood out to me. It's quite wonderful here. As in 3 orders wonderful, and that's on top of all the other fish I ordered ^. I feel bad for giving it 4 stars, because I really want to give it 4.5 for the quality of the fish and the value. The atmosphere is amusing. It's kind of dimly-lit and... modest, and the bathroom looks like the one in my grandma's house that's been around for decades. My dad and I were trying to figure out what kind of building used to be here before Naka's was established. We think it was two shops, and one of the shops might have had a porch, which is now the front of the restaurant where we usually sit. There is clearly a wall with window panes and vents in the middle of the restaurant. There is also a Western light hanging from the ceiling. The waitress (the sushi chef's wife, I think) is really friendly and cheerful with the customers. She'll take your order and bring your food like she's having the best day ever, and then later you'll see her behind the counter looking totally pissed and stressed. I guess I would be, too, if I was the only waitress working there. She works hard, though. She always looks like she's rushing. I like her (: read more

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I love you yelp and all you savvy yelpers who led me here! I have found the ONE! Yes I have! The best FISH hands down in the bay area. I eat sushi almost everyday, as my friends could see from my check ins. This place is definitely for raw fish lovers, if you're a fried roll drowned in sauce type of sushi person you will not like this place. So stay away! That explains the one star reviews who also complain about service. For me, food comes first and service is second. I'll give you a pass on mediocre service if the food is phenomenal and price is right. I found the wife who was serving me quite nice, though a little dry and not too chatty. I had the maguro, sake, and unagi nigiri...All were hot damn so divine and portions are huge! You people weren't lying. I'm not a big unagi fan at all, but other people's reviews compelled me to try this and it was nothing like what you get at a typical sushi joint. It was luxurious! Sweet, savory and flavorful. I also had the dynomite roll with hamachi and the naka #2. Totally hit the spot. read more

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This restaurant is AMAZING. I love it with all my heart. The people here really pay attention to their sushi. They put lots of care and thought into their food which I really appreciate. What I really like about this restaurant is how they carefully put together their sushi unlike some restaurants that just throw their sushi together. read more

Maybe we caught them on a bad night but the service was very slow, our food order was incomplete and took forever to be served and a little soup was spilled on me. read more

Unforgettable sushi. Excellent quality sashimi and sushi. No cooked food though. Not sure chef is back to work due to the pandemic. But the raw fish is top notch and it should be all every one should come here to eat. read more

I wanted to give this place 4 stars, but the service was terrible. Food: the fish is fresh and they give you large portions. We ordered two rolls- the #2 roll (salmon, tuna, avocado, cucumber, kani kama crab) and a roll with fresh water eel, cucumber and avocado. We also got three pairs of sashimi- salmon, tuna, yellowtail. the sashimi is LOADED with wasabi. Service: Naka sushi is run by a husband and wife, it seems, with the husband rolling sushi and the wife waiting (ALL!) the tables. So the service was slow. I've gone to a lot of sushi, and Naka seems like the most authentic. Go if you want good sushi. Don't expect fast, good service. read more

Naka Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

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Try the Uni nigiri and Blue Shrimp special with deep fried head. Their other nigiri cuts are generous, very fresh and awesome. This place is legit and we *just* had sushi in the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. It's run by a Mom and Pop. The mom takes the orders and does drinks and cleanup while the Pop is an old sushi chef whose been working Naka Sushi for 20+ years. A fairly traditional sushi place. Lots of nigiri, sashimi and not a lot of rolls. They don't really have much else (no soba/udon, no yakiniku etc...). We were there on a Saturday night and the Mom was busy and stressed so don't come if you're in a hurry. Awesome decor from local artists and lots of loyal customers. Definitely the best sushi in Santa Cruz/Capitola. read more

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Freshest max grade fish in town! The unagi is unbelievable -- smoked to perfection. Naka is a master at bringing out the finest qualities of each fish and expressing sushi as art. The chirashi is stunning and mouthwateringly delicious; Naka's choice of fish compliment each other both visually and in taste. For appetizers, I would recommend gyoza and edamame as the standard, croquettes are always amazing, takoyaki if you're in a festival mood or just craving it, and oshitashi if you want a healthy (and delicious) spinach dish. All in all, Naka sushi has a relaxing familial atmosphere upheld by the wonderful duo that is Naka and Keiko, and is a must-visit spot in the area. read more

At last. Naka Sushi, having been closed for relocation for 8 or 9 months reopened in their new location. I went as soon as I found out they had opened. Wow! They were busy. I don't eat generally eat rolls, I stick to Sashimi or Nigiri generally, occasionally I'll have a simple hand roll. Tonight was Nigiri night. 2xHamachi, Maguro, Aji, 2xSake, and Hotate. The sushi was fantastic, portions large, fish fresh, the new location is nicer than the last. The service was slow, as they were busy, but given the choice I prefer that pace myself. They even offered, and I accepted, to deep fry the Aji carcass that was used as a garnish for my second round of Nigiri. So glad they reopened it was worth the wait, tonight was the best Sushi I ever had anywhere anytime. read more

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Pros: big sushi pieces, fresh, all garnish like scallions are real fresh, saba has this interesting smoked dried flakes on top that taste great. Cons: Naka San (owner) makes sushi like he's on the back of a box truck on the west side highway. Total mess and does not hold together. Basically a neighborhood place, no frills and fast service read more

Naka Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

They are nice but unfortunately sort of lazy. They substituted shrimp for fake crab without telling or asking us. We're allergic to shrimp. That's just the kind of thing you'd let someone know ahead of time. Also beware the rolls are huge and messy/ sloppy. Not my style. Agedashi tofu was good. Salmon undercooked. Sorry to say all this but that's what we got. read more

Pros: the fish is very fresh, the rolls are delicious, the variety is great, and the wait staff is very friendly & accommodating. Cons: there is no soy paper, the rolls are too wide (hard to eat), and the pacing of bringing food out is inconsistent. Most of the table had several dishes before I received my only dish. Also, they were out of hamachi at 6pm on a Saturday. read more

Came here a few weeks ago on a Friday night around 8pm and it was completely packed so I didn't get to try it. Went there today, Saturday around 6:45pm and it was completely empty. The waitress wasn't very friendly but the the sushi chef made up for it! Not only was he friendly but the sushi was pretty good. Fresh fish and its definitely different than the other sushi places in the area. Small authentic menu as well, no long list of Americanized rolls. Got the Naka #2 roll and it was four large rolls. People started pouring in around 7:30. This place is worth a try. read more

Naka Sushi - Naka #2 - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California