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    Santa Barbara Uni

    4.9 (24 reviews)
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    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    Uni & ahi poke!
    Vi N.

    Very tasty uni and poke! We walked from our hotel on State St. to SB Uni and was not disappointed. The uni was so fresh and ahi poke was made to perfection. Although I am used to eating my poke with chips (which they didnt carry) and uni with horseradish and all of the fixings, the quality did not fall short! Highly recommend if you're in the area. Calls for a nice walk/bike stroll too!

    Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats
    Alex M.

    Overall: C // 3 stars This sea urchin is as fresh as you can get, being cracked and cleaned to order, even still moving! I really enjoyed the condiment table with ponzu, wasabi, among others to help enhance your taste buds. If you have never tried this, I highly recommend doing this once in your lifetime if you are a big fan of uni; they are open until noon so no need to wake up at 6am! In practice, I found the price point of this sea urchin to not be less expensive than the markets nearby, and since its cleaned off the shell, there is a residual blood and sea water taste that is not the most appealing. Food: E Presentation: E Price: E Overall: 3 stars Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats

    $20 sea urchin
    Mindy D.

    We went to Santa Barbara for a weekend trip and wanted to try some fresh Santa Barbara Uni. We found the spot here! Fresh live sea urchins! Mike dives for them and sells them on the wharf. We went on a Sunday around noon. They had 3 different uni (small purple, large red, and XL red). We got all 3 to try and they were all really good! Mike opened them for us and they had a variety of sauces and toppings. Next time, I wont be impatient and will pick out the kelp more before eating the uni because it made it taste a little bitter. They accept Venmo if you don't have cash. Would definitely go back again if we're in Santa Barbara again!

    Ponzu sauce w/ finger lime (personally liked it to cover the sea water smell)
    Sarah H.

    Arrived around 11am on Sunday and were warmly welcomed. Both red and purple uni were available, so we picked up one of each. Mike (diver) opened the uni professionaly and the taste was so fresh and savory! I especially loved adding the ponzu finger-lime sauce prepared by River, it elevated the flavor perfectly. The price is just marginally higher than nearby restaurants, but for the authenticity and quality, this spot is absolutely worth it!I

    Cracking them open!
    Angel W.

    FRESH UNI IN THE SHELL at 9:00 am! We took an early morning drive up to Santa Barbara for these little slivers of joy! Santa Barbara Uni is one of the pop-up shops at the Santa Barbara Fisherman's Market on Saturdays from 6 -11 am on the Harbor. I would suggest to get there early or bring your own condiments if you are picky as they ran out of lemon juice. We ended up using Wasabi sauce and ponzu (which overwhelmed the uni) as it has a delicate flavor. We usually only squeeze a bit of lime or lemon. The addition of the Wasabi sauce was yummy! Another reason to get there early is to ensure they have what you're looking for. Some of the other pop-ups ran out of their products. We ended up getting the Special with 1 Red Urchin and 1 Purple Urchin. Both were delicious and the purple had a slightly sweeter flavor. They have a few tables set up to enjoy the samples. Service was quick and friendly. Cash or Zelle/Venmo were accepted. Parking is plentiful in the SB Harbor area. Definitely recommended!

    expert at work
    Michelle ..

    A must if you are ever in Santa Barbara!! Uni is always delicious and the perfect treat.

    Uni and uni shooters
    Michael J.

    Omg amazing taste and experience, Mike and river are really nice and they'll show you how to do it too!

    Santa Barbara Uni

    If you know, you know! Fresh uni straight from diver Mike and served right at the dock by River. Nobu level flavor! Doesn't get more delicious than this. They're there on weekends and it was absolutely worth it. Sweet, briny and bright flavor that melts in your mouth!!! They crack it open, clean it, and serve it in the shell with just a spoon. I tried both the red and purple urchin. DELISH! Just pure Santa Barbara gold!!! Parking can be tricky but the views, the vibe, and the uni...AMAZING! Already dreaming about next visit. See you soon!

    Uni
    Dylan C.

    Located on the pier of Santa Barbara, this freshly caught Uni is a set up tent that is only available on the weekends. If you visit this pier from the early morning to around 12PM, you'll be able to eat some freshly caught Uni here! They crack open the uni for you, you venmo or zelle them, and then you can enjoy your uni with either some soy sauce, hot sauce, or lemon juice. Don't be alarmed at the moving spikes from the Uni, they don't hurt nor is poisonous. The Uni itself doesn't consist of too much meat, but you can't get much fresher than Uni cracked right in front of you caught in the morning. Highly recommend checking this place out on the pier if you're here in Santa Barbara during the weekend!

    Mike J.

    The whole set up here is fantastic. The uni was so fresh and was presented beautifully. Mike and River were super chill...loved it, thanks.

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    4 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    15 days ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Mike J.

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    4 months ago

    Fresh Uni!!! So yum!! We purposely came for that! It was just beyond delicious! Everyone should try it!

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    7 months ago

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    Mike J.

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    Mike J.

    Thanks. Hope to see you again

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    11 months ago

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    Mike J.

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    9 months ago

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    6 months ago

    one of a kind experience to eat Uni this fresh. Prepared in many different ways and with passion for their craft.

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    6 months ago

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    6 months ago

    They rock and the uni is delicious. They'll teach you all about the urchin as well. Creamy, perfect!

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    Mike J.

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    Ask the Community - Santa Barbara Uni

    Are they open everyday and when is the best time to go?

    We’re open Saturdays 6am- noon, and Sunday’s 10:30am -4pm. Mid day is always good but we’re selling until sold out. We will usually have enough to last till noon. Season wise spring is when they start spawning and the roe is smaller. The fall is the… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Santa Barbara Uni

    We ended up getting the Special with 1 Red Urchin and 1 Purple Urchin.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    4.2(531 reviews)
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    Really fresh live sea urchin prepared upon order served on a tray of ice and some lemons. Santa…read moreBarbara Sea Urchins are known around the world as being sweet, buttery and bright golden orange as you can see in the photos. They were still moving when it was handed to us. You don't need anything else but just a spoon or chopsticks since they're so delicate. Price: $18.95 + tax per sea urchin. As of April 2026. Also try the prepacked halibut ceviche $18.95/lb or ahi poke salad $25.95/lb. You can just get a small container for like $8. Parking is $3.50/hour on the main harbor, in front of the water. If you're lucky you can score free parking right before entering the lot.

    My friend and I popped into Santa Barbara Fish Market while on the Santa Barbara Harbor. It's a…read moresmall fish market with no seating inside so keep that in mind when going. We went specifically for fresh live uni, but unfortunately they did not get any in that day. So I would suggest calling first before heading over if you are very rigid in what you are ordering. The fresh uni is SO popular so best to double check first. However, if you do snag their fresh uni, it's more than $10 less than another place I won't mention on Stearns Wharf - that's a big win! We ended up getting a whole lot of cod to munch on instead. We got a whole pound's worth of smoked black cod - half candy flavored and half savory flavored for $32 with tax & tip. Absolutely loved them both and prices seemed great for such well flavored, fresh fish. We liked the candy a touch more than the savory but enjoyed both. Staff was pleasant enough, plus they have a bench outside that we sat at for a few minutes to eat. I'd love to go back in the future and try their acclaimed live uni~!

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    I had been wanting to try this place out for years! When hubby & I came to dine here in 2020, the…read moreline was insane and the wait was super long. We decided to eat next door, which was sort of a mistake. Luckily, in Jan. 2026, we were able to grab seats at the counter inside. We got to watch the dishes being prepared a la minute! What a treat! They were busy, but each person knew what they were doing and they worked efficiently! Our primary objective was for me to taste a Santa Barbara Uni (Sea Urchin) while IN Santa Barbara! I've had lots of live S.B. Uni at restaurants in the Los Angeles area. We placed an order for the Uni. There were 6 pieces, served over a piece of scallop and placed on a slice of lime. Pretty yet simple presentation! I had to first sample an Uni all by itself. So rich and delicious! Then I ate the bit of scallop by itself as well. So good! I ate the rest of them as served. Loved them! We also got Lobster Bisque, Crab Cakes, and Lobster Tacos to share. Everything was good! Worth the trip to S.B. to eat here! There's usually a ton of people waiting outside. If you have the time and patience, you should eat here at least once!

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    Saturday Fishermen's Market - Uni cracking

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    Fresh Uni straight from the fishermen at USD10 for one (pretty much have to get two) and available…read moreonly on the weekends starting at 6:30 AM. I got there just after 6:30 and there were a few people waiting already. They hadn't finish setting up yet but it was still fairly quick. The uni was obviously very fresh and very good. They only had the purple ones, but I don't know the difference between the colors. A few people there on line actually worked in the industry and definitely knew their seafood and trade. Some interesting conversations as well. The guys there prefer to be paid in Venmo. I'm guessing they can only be paid in Venmo or cash, but I could be wrong. Overall, great experience and highly recommend.

    Rain or shine, the Santa Barbara Fisherman's Market is open every Saturday from 6 am to 11 am for…read morefresh local seafood. Located at the Harbor, this pop up for local fisherman offers fresh caught seafood directly to consumers. It's located on the pier of the marina and when we were there, 4 vendors were available. My favorite, and the reason for this visit, was the fresh just caught UNI!! They have very reasonable prices for the fresh uni. After purchase, they crack them open open, you add in your condiments and enjoy! They had a few tables available. There were also some vendors with oysters, crabs and lobsters. I would have took them all home, except I wasn't going home for a few days. The beach is close so you can walk over and enjoy the waves. Parking at the Harbor is plentiful. Definitely recommended!

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