There's a reason why this restaurant was voted 2nd place winner for best sushi in Orange County. What an incredible experience. What made it this great though had to do with our waiter Wes, his knowledge from living in Japan that he brought to our dinner was so unique and he really just went above and beyond. He was so attentive and engaging and if you haven't given him a raise, well now is the time The vibes are so chic, yet casual too. We had the lovely lightning as the sun was setting and sushi menu that is made to order you can taste the freshness of each bite as if you'd caught the fish yourself. We took advantage of their daily happy hour from 3-6pm and ordered some edamame, chicken kaarage and a sushi roll, then.. we went for it.. we ordered the sushi board and shared among the 4 of us which is $430. It was well worth it, along with the award winning burger. We ordered every single dessert, even the vegan one (and I'm not vegan) but ended up being my favorite surprisingly. I have no complaints other than wishing my stomach could expand when food tastes this good and you truly feel like you've known the waiter your entire life, especially as he table grated our wasabi and told us how they are grown in Japan next to waterfalls. Thank you for such a core memory that I'll forever hold dear read more

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Oto Sushi in Laguna Beach is a beautiful restaurant with a great atmosphere, though it's clearly no secret because the place is usually very busy. This was my second time visiting, specifically to get the Laguna Heat roll. It is easily one of my favorite rolls ever, and honestly, I'll keep coming back just for that. However, I found the rest of the sushi menu to be a bit of a mixed bag. For such a wonderful location, I was expecting everything to be top-tier, but several of the other options we tried felt a little "mid." We went for my husband's birthday and, since we didn't have a reservation, they were able to seat us at the bar. We decided to treat the sushi like an appetizer and ordered two of the Laguna Heat rolls to start. After finishing those, we strolled right over to Broadway by Amar Santana--which is conveniently located just across the street--to finish our celebration. I'll definitely return for that specific roll, but I might stick to using it as a delicious starting point before heading elsewhere for the full meal. read more

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Dined here last night since I was craving some good Sushi for an early Dinner. This was my Second time dining here this month. My family loves this place. I sat at the Bar and ordered a glass of Kubota Senjyu Sake These Rolls had just the right amount of spice I liked and they tasted Delicious! * SCORCH* Snow crab, cucumber, avocado, topped with spicy tuna, spicy aioli, tempura crunchies * AKARI COVE* Spicy salmon, tempura green onion topped with hamachi, roasted jalapeno ponzu, miso ginger, ikura, negi * SALMON SOCIETY* Salmon skin, spicy salmon, cucumber, topped with spicy aioli seared salmon, anago sauce, crisp salmon skin, ikura, lemon Service was great with Friendly Servers Chefs were friendly and made the best tasting Rolls Ambiance was nice, many others were enjoying Sushi I'll definitely be returning for the nice atmosphere and their delicious choice of Rolls. read more

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I love that this restaurant makes everything in-house (including their sauces) and sources seafood sustainably. As an avid seafood eater and former pescatarian of over 15 years, I really wish I liked the food more than I did. The chicken karaage and shrimp tempura were a bit mushy, the hamachi nigiri was served warm, the sauce on the cauliflower was way too sweet, the rolls were uninteresting and lacked a good balance of flavor and texture, and the eggplant was under-seasoned. The sushi roll selection was also very limited. The only dish I would return for is the crispy garlic edamame, which was cooked perfectly and seasoned with a delicious sauce. Our server was friendly at the start but didn't check on us with any frequency throughout our meal. The restaurant itself is nice. We were seated on the second floor, which was quite far from the restrooms. read more

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Dessert was our favorite part of dinner! The actual sushi was ok but the rolls a bit too experimental. Got the rice washed martini which was ok and it was fun to have the lemon twist, brine and pickled peach on the side to personalize it but overall I would not go back. Service was good and parking overall fine. read more

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Dim lit lighting for an intimate experience if that's what you're looking for (my group ate outdoors). The sushi was phenomenal and left an unforgettable taste compared to other local Japanese cuisines . Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and made several good recommendations. The group sampled their tempura shrimp, garlic edamame - these were good starters, but our favorite was the Apollo roll which I highly recommend. The spicy tuna was good but a bit on the hotter side if that's your thing. read more

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Tried this Japanese place for happy hour. The dishes were all pretty good. All the sushi was fresh and delicious, they don't really provide soy sauce, which I think would have tasted better 7/10. The fried oyster mushroom was really good, crispy and seasoned well 8.5/10. Karage was tasty but did not have the flavor or texture of Japanese Karage 6.7/10. Service was excellent. It's definitely not your traditional type restaurant. read more

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Wonderful service today from the moment we arrived until we left- and incredible happy hour prices! Sat outside at a nicely appointed patio but indoors looked incredible and completely full on a Thursday. The specialty cocktail today was a spicy margarita, and it had a delightful Tajín rim, fresh jalapeños cut inside and was reasonably strong! The hot sake was only eight dollars for a nice portion and the food was delicious and a very good value. Considering the quantity of food we received for a check that came out to just $90 and the lovely service we will 100% be back. It's also conveniently located. Just a block off the Coast highway, so it's in the heart of town, but not in the busy congested area it's slightly tucked away so the outside atmosphere is not marred by constant traffic it's tranquil. read more

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Oto Sushi prides itself on sustainable sourcing. They source their fish worldwide, and they have a unique take on their dishes. I decided to dine here on a Sunday afternoon as it had an outdoor patio suitable for my dog. We ordered several nigiri pieces and a chirashi bowl. The food was okay. I think they really tried to substitute soy sauce with garnish and salt/sauces complementary to the fish. The chirashi bowl was a bit disappointing, there was not a lot of variety, and it was pricey. Service was excellent and very friendly. The outdoor patio was very nice on a sunny afternoon only a couple blocks from the ocean. read more

Oto Sushi - Nigiri pieces - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Hands down the best sushi around--the fish, uni, and seafood are incredibly fresh. My husband's Wagyu burger was excellent, and the duck skewers are a must-try. Don't skip their house-made cocktails; the lemon raspberry custard was the perfect light, refreshing finish. Just a heads up: the tables are quite small and it gets very noisy, so it feels more like a lively casual spot than a romantic date-night vibe. Still highly recommended for the food alone! read more

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Oto Sushi in Laguna Beach was good overall, but nothing really blew me away from the sushi side. Everything tasted fresh and well prepared, but the rolls were just okay--simple, solid, and nothing extra or particularly memorable. What actually stood out more than the sushi was the yakitori. That was the highlight for me. It was flavorful, nicely cooked, and had way more impact than the rolls we tried. If you're looking for dependable sushi, this is a good spot. But if you go, I'd definitely recommend ordering some of the hot dishes like the yakitori because that's where this place really shines. read more

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While visiting Laguna Beach, we went to Oto Sushi for dinner. We made a reservation a couple days beforehand, and recommend doing so if you are planning to dine here. We were seated promptly on arrival. The inside is small but cozy, and dining is split on two different floors. There is some bar seating right in front of the sushi chefs, as well as a small patio just outside the restaurant with heaters. They offer happy hour EVERY DAY from 4-6pm, which gives specials for some drinks, rolls, and other food options. We started with nigiri, and then tried the Scorch, Hoke Poke and Chef's roll. The food is brought out as prepared, which helped pace things a bit and let us savor each roll on it's own. The sushi was very fresh. The scorch roll, as the name implies, did have a pretty good kick to it. My favorite was the Chef's roll, and my wife really enjoyed the Hoke Poke Roll. They pride themselves on the flavoring and seasoning of the fish, and sway you away from adding soy sauce. Side note: Oto was recently voted 2nd Best Sushi Restaurant in Orange County by the OC Register. read more

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What a disappointment this time around! We ordered the cucumbers and poke, and both were good. I ordered the scorch roll and the fish tasted not fresh. My friend ordered the nigiri and said three out of the four pieces didn't taste that fresh. We had good service at the beginning of towards the middle and at the end, no one was coming by. I went for happy hour and it was not a very busy time but there was more than enough staff to help us. They just didn't. Probably won't return. read more

Oto Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Just moved here, looking for our sushi "spot". Oto is relatively new, and I found the atmosphere relaxed yet vibrant. Sushi Bar is inviting, employees are friendly and helpful, sushi is very good at not overpriced. Good go to. read more

Husband surprised me and brought me here on a date night as we had really been looking forward to trying it . It looked decently occupied so that was a good sign. It was last Tuesday night and we had gotten a sitter so we didn't have a ton of time to spare. We were walking in and did not have a reservation, but we asked how long the wait was (as we only had a couple hours) and the hostess at the front told us "just a couple minutes." 20 minutes go by and we're still waiting (no update on wait time) Another ten minutes and we're still waiting (no update) My husband walked up and asked for an update and she said they had reservations which is fine and I understand reservations get seated first. But please don't tell us it's only a couple minutes and then have us wait almost 40 minutes because our time is very limited. 37 minutes later we were sat. Our waitress was very sweet and made our experience a bit better. She checked on us a lot and had a very warm personality Drinks were also were taking a while. We look over at the bar and the bartender is chatting and not making any drinks for about 15 minutes as we waited. 20 minutes later we got our drinks. Besides that he was very kind and came over to check on us and see how we liked our drinks which we did appreciate. For dinner, we ordered the combination skewers which were scallops, Wagyu and duck. My husband loved the duck, and I love the Wagyu. The scallops were OK. They were a bit soft and seemed undercooked and a bit bland. We also ordered the Yuzu truffle Hamachi. That one was very good and definitely recommended! For sushi rolls, we went with Laguna heat and scorch. As they state in their menu no soy sauce or wasabi is needed. These rolls were so fresh and tasty. I like that the filling is snow crab, and not imitation :) Big plus Also, also another lady was checking on us and running around helping out a lot. I believe she is the owner? She was very kind, inviting, and personable. Definitely worth trying out as far as food and back staff, but maybe make a reservation because wait times seem really long if you're planning on walking in. Even on a weekday. read more

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This restaurant is beautiful! We really loved the ambiance and how bright and airy it was. The menu was also pretty extensive and our server was friendly and helpful with recommendations. We both ordered a hand roll set to start and then shared the Broly burger. The filling of the hand rolls were good but the seaweed holding them together was so chewy on all 6 hand rolls. It honestly sort of ruined the experience and my husband regretted ordering his own set of hand rolls because of this. The burger on the other hand was incredible. It was perfectly made and the squid ink bun was so unique. I only wish they had served it with more than 2 onion rings because they were so light and airy and having 1 each was such a tease. read more

Oto Sushi - Broly Burger - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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My favorite thing about this place is they go out of their way to make their collection of sushi sustainable environmentally friendly. You can also taste the difference. I'm not a huge fan on sushi rolls, but this place is definitely the exception. The desserts are very unique and very, very good. read more

Oto Sushi - Chocolate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Swanky sushi spot in Laguna. We weren't expecting it to be so good since we were able to get last minute reservations for 6 people. But everything was fresh. Lots of creative dishes and drinks. The best was that they grated wasabi for you table side. Parking wasn't terrible considering you're in the heart of Laguna Beach. Friendly staff. Maybe not as good as Miki Sushi...but a bigger menu and lots more seating. read more

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We saw their sign promoting a daily Happy Hour and decided to pop in for an early dinner. The decor is beautiful, the space is bright, open, and has a sophisticated coastal meets modern Japanese aesthetic. We grabbed seats at the bar, where Trenton, our bartender and server, super friendly and entertaining, providing genuinely great service. As for the food and drinks, we dove right into the menu: Oyster Mushroom Karaage (Pro-tip: Order this! Lightly fried, crispy, and packed with flavor, it's a mushroom lover's dream. Scorch Roll & Nikko Roll: Both were incredibly fresh and delicious. Salmon Kama: Cooked perfectly--tender and satisfying. Table-Side Grated Wasabi: A fun, theatrical touch! You get a little show and the amazing kick of fresh wasabi. Old Fashioned with Japanese Whisky: It wasn't on the Happy Hour menu, but who cares? This is my go-to, and it was excellent. Oto Sushi is a fantastic addition to the dining scene here, stylish, approachable, with quality food and genuinely great service. Planning our next dinner visit already (and, yes, another Old Fashioned). Lol read more

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So yummy rolls are skinny but delicious. The inside was very fancy love it and the service was good too. read more

I went here with reservations for dinner. We were seated within 10 minutes of checking in. When ordering our server, Wes, was very helpful with explaining any questions we had about the menu. We ended up getting the sushi board for 2 which came with skewers, the sushi board, and dessert. Everything was really good. The bathroom is located downstairs and it was nice as well. I love the aesthetics of the restaurant. Each painting of the fish is apparently served fresh at their restaurant. I just want to mention Wes again because he made the night go so smoothly- amazing service from him. Love the energy he brought. read more

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Best sushi in Laguna... and they offer a local's discount! We started with the cauliflower and cocktails. If you like yuzu, you should order the snapdragon cocktail (pictured). It's worth knowing the cauliflower small plate actually has a lot of cauliflower so it's a lot for two people. For our main we did the chef's choice 7 piece nigiri, Laguna heat roll, and the hoki poke box. If you get one thing, get the chef's choice nigiri! It's very nice inside but there's plenty of seating outside and heaters! The staff is helpful with any questions and explains the menu in detail. Everyone should try Oto! read more

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"Sushi Dave" gave my wife and I an incredibly memorable experience at Oto Sushi. We were recommended by a friend and sat at the sushi bar. We asked Sushi Dave to "keep bringing the fish until we're full". He asked for our allergies and what we don't like to eat (No Uni for us). Every 8-10 minutes came out a unique piece of food tasting better than the next. The fish was fresh. No fishy smell or taste. The flavor was explosive with the unique sauces. We honestly ate too much, but kept wanting more to see what Dave can make. The drinks were refreshing and cold. We judge many places by their cocktails and how they create an old fashioned. Drinks were done very well and not overly sweet. You can taste the alcohol and it's complimented with the syrups and flavors. We say next to someone who diss he comes only for the Burgers. I laughed and said This is a sushi joint. But the guy next to him even said the burgers are one of the best menu items. Next time we'll swing by for an early happy hour for the burgers and "non sushi items" read more

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Great sushi and service. I would recommend to a friend. Cute interior and friendly staff.

I enjoy this restaurant. The ambiance is good, especially for Laguna. The food is really good. Especially for being a vegetarian at a sushi restaurant. Would absolutely recommend. read more

Really delicious food here and great atmosphere. The seats were very comfortable it's an intimate setting. The only reason I didn't give it a five star is because our waiter did mess up our order slightly. We had asked for one order of the nigiri, instead we got two (not a huge deal it was worth it to get two and it was delicious) then they forgot our (ordered two) miso soup, we reminded them and they brought us one and comped it off the bill which was very nice of them. It was very tasty. It was also a bit difficult to get the sushi chefs attention but they seemed busy with prep work (not a big deal either, just wanted an avocado roll ) but all good the food was amazing and we will definitely be back. read more

Oto Sushi - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

My experience took place at the sushi bar during lunch. I tried their kanpachi nigiri. I loved the portion and presentation. The service staff was professional and helpful. The interior design and decor is light and airy but still intimate. read more

Hands-down, my new favorite sushi spot, especially because of the enormous amount of GF options! Everything on their menu is GF excluding their one burger on the menu. But they cater to people with gluten allergies and are very accommodating, not to mention super delicious!! we sat at the sushi bar, but also were also helped by Ashley, who was very helpful and helping to pick out their most popular menu items, which did not disappoint! We ended up getting the GF shrimp tempura, garlic edemame, Apollo roll, Nikko Groove, and Laguna heat roll. Unfortunately, I only ended up getting a picture of the shrimp tempura and the Nikko groove since we scarfed it down so fast and got excited that I forgot to take a photo of the rest lol very high-quality sushi and can't wait to come back and try more on their menu! read more

Oto Sushi - Nikko Groove roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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WEST!!! He's the best server!! Recommended a phenomenal role for me to try as someone who is not the biggest fan of sushi and it was so good! He made the dinner and was on it. So so good! read more

Response to Owner: at no point did anyone say "everything was great." Your employee spilled soy sauce all over my bf's shirt then disappeared, leaving the mess. How would we have said everything was great? We DID seek you out privately. You apologized as stated and said to send the cleaning bill for my bf's shirt. If he wants to communicate with you on what to do with that, that's his decision. This is my review of the establishment, not his. Your server did not "mishear" me. She simply said it was not on the menu once I asked, befuddled. We told her it was our first time there and she offered no recommendations. The diction in the owner's response is manipulative. What my review indicates is no different than what I conveyed when I was there. You seem to have wanted me to create a scene when there, which we did not. I don't see why it is "unkind" for me to simply tell you to do better. I have been to many small businesses and they do. read more

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The restaurant is beautiful inside with outstanding service!! The owner Ashley is so nice and helpful! The presentation of the food is beautiful. However, it's not the best sushi I've had. It was honestly a bit disappointing. We asked for soy sauce and our server politely said that the chefs would like us to try our food before using soy sauce. Well, I wouldn't have asked for soy sauce unless I really wanted it. That's nice that the chef wants it that way, but the paying customer shouldn't be told how to eat their food, especially with the prices they charge. We had the spicy edamame to start with which had good flavor, but it was too soaked in the sauce which left it too tender. My husband had the Garage Chicken which tasted oily and crunchy. He didn't taste any chicken. He said the sashimi was good. A side note...they do not serve any soda here. They really do care about their menu, quality of ingredients, environment and service. I wish them all the best. Maybe it was just an off night in the kitchen. read more

Fresh, clean, and delicious sushi! Came here for happy hour and we were very happy! Service was attentive and friendly. We had two sets of sushi rolls and a poke. The portions of the sushi rolls were generous. The Scorch, a set of spicy tuna rolls, was so yummy they melt in the mouth. It had avocado, snow crab, cucumber rolled in one topped with tempura crunchies. The Chef's Roll, a set of spicy salmon rolls, was very good. The Tuna Poke had a wonderful kick. The downside the portion was very small for its price. Overall, happy hour at Oto Sushi was very satisfying! Will definitely come back. read more

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Run, don't walk, to Oto!! I've been in love with this place since it opened a year ago. The space is bright, cheerful, and airy, and the service is consistently friendly and quick. Everything I've tried here has been nothing short of delicious. Amazingly, everything at the restaurant is gluten free, except for 3 items (burger buns & two dessert items). My mom (celiac) is able to eat everything without worry. They don't even carry the regular gluten soy sauce. Oto offers a happy hour everyday from 3-6pm, and there's something for everyone on the the HH menu. Each item is large and filling and you're sure to find plenty of items you enjoy. Our favorite appetizer is the crispy garlic edamame. We keep the sauce at the bottom of the bowl to dip our rolls into. My favorite roll is the Nikko Groove, which is a tempura green bean roll topped with avocado, green onion, and an incredible sweet chili aioli. We recently tried their Rock Fish winter special, which was a hit at the table. For the drinkers- we've tried a few of their sake flights. They come with generous pours and descriptions of each sake. Their house sake is tasty, as well as their cocktail specials. Overall, you can taste the freshness and quality at Oto. It's become my favorite restaurant in Orange County! read more

wes is the best! sushi was amazing and i enjoyed the green tea. Get the cauliflower!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Oto Sushi - Laguna Heat & Fuji Silk Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Oto Sushi is conveniently located in the corner of a small beach city corner. Parking is beach-style, mostly paid parking. Restrooms are in the back, they're a little dim but clean. We came during the week and there was no wait and we got seated right away. Customer service was amazing - great vibes, nice attitude and accommodating! We ordered the Nikko Groove with Salmon, Wagyu Robatayaki, Cod Robatayaki, Salmon Sushi, Tamago Sushi. Super impressed with everything! The wagyu robatayaki and the Nikko Groove roll are my fave, however, everything is fresh and full of flavor! I would definitely recommend! read more

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I haven't been here for 2 months and came by to celebrate Oto turning 1 year old! I gotta say, they still are slinging darn good sushi! The quality is still out of this world incredible. Namely, the tuna poke, wagyu stick and every single piece of fish. Their new Winter menu is to die for. The red kuri squash has incredible flavors and it so creamy. Truly, if you think you didn't like squash, try this one and THINK AGAIN! The chocolate ganache bar had me swooning with every bite. The lush fudgey chocolate with the chai whipped cream was such a treat. The service is great although the wait can take a bit long during peak time (6-7 PM). Our server/bartender, Mark, didn't hesitate to go the kitchen to find out what the holdup is! It's always a pleasure coming to Oto and I never stop raving about it to my friends and family. Happy 1 year anniversary Oto Sushi!!! read more

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This is the second time I've dined at Oto, this time with my wife. We decided to try the Happy Hour, which amazingly is every day of the week from 3 to 6pm. We ordered three dishes: the tuna poke, the chef's roll and the roll called Scorch. The tuna poke --- just super fresh tuna and sliced cucumber. No rice. A really refreshing dish. The chef's roll was spicy salmon, avocado and lots of other great ingredients. The Scorch roll has spicy tuna, snow crab, avocado, cucumber and tempura bits. All three dishes were delicious. The rolls, in particular, were a good size. And the Happy Hour prices made the overall meal reasonable. The main difference between this visit and my first is that the service has improved alot. Our waiter was terrific: very friendly and helpful. The restaurant itself is stunning looking, a beautifully designed space right near the center of Laguna Beach village. read more

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Love this sushi place! Definitely will be back and West was the best. Get the octopus dish. One of my favorite. Can't wait to comeback and try their other sushi roll. read more

Oto Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Stephanie was amazing. From the moment we arrived, she was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely kind, making sure everything was perfect throughout the entire night. And Oscar prepared some of the best sushi we have ever had. Every fish was incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. Thank you, Stephanie and Oscar, for such a memorable dining experience. We will definitely be back! read more

Shockingly delicious house margarita! We got there pretty early so no issues with parking or seating availability. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. Clean and roomy seats and perfect walking location. I loved this sushi spot it's a must stop if you're in the area. read more

Oto Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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