Incredibly sushi joint! We were so satisfied with how fresh the sushi was. If you are in Santa Barbara this is definitely the go to spot for sushi read more

Sun Sushi - California Roll - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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(Overall: 87% | B) - Overall, I found Sun Sushi to have pretty reasonable sushi options that are on the more affordable side for Santa Barbara standards. The place is very crowded so be sure to make a reservation in advance. The service and atmosphere is fine, and the food quality is fine too, but there are areas of improvement that could be made, but seems reasonable given the price tradeoff compared to other options like Oku. (Omakase: 90% | A) - The omakase runs for $65 at Sun Sushi and comes with 10 pieces + 1 bonus. This is a reasonable price for Santa Barbara and comes with a good variety of fish including uni, scallop, and yellowtail belly. I found the toro to be kind of broken based off hows its cut, and less enjoyable, but all the other fish is fantastic! I do wish I was given an explanation of the fish as well as the flavor pairings. (Uni: 92.5% | A) - I love the ini this time of year. Its large, fresh, and creamy! Simple and elegant. (Chicken Karaage: 92.5% | A) - The chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The spice works great with the sriracha mayo as a creamy balancing dip. (Salmon Kama: 75% | C) - This is a large piece of fried salmon cheek for only $7 which is a great deal in terms of quantity. However, fried fish does not work with a warm soy sauce and lemon.. although I'm not exactly sure what would be a better pairing. The palette is searching for something to soothe the friedness but nothing is ever found. (Salmon Six Step: 92.5% | A) - The lower steps are uninteresting because I think the salmon might be the ocean trout or a leaner variation which makes it less rich without some additional flavor pairing. The higher steps add some interesting notions of charred flavor which adds textural plays. The salmon belly is also interesting due to the natural marbling and fattiness that carries its own! (Ikura: 60% | D) - Unfortunately, this was way oversalted and that is the only note of flavor I'm tasting. The salmon roe is hopefully fresh otherwise. (Salmon Belly: 85% | B) - I love the extra fattiness of the belly and a $1 upcharge to the regular order of salmon is well worth. The seaweed is an interesting pairing, but I think there is more room to improve the presentational and flavoral pairing of the fish. (Tuna Six Step: 97.5% | A) - This tuna set is fairly priced under $40 and already comes preseasoned with wasabi and other flavors that make it very well prepared. While the albacore step was completely overshadowed, the bluefin tuna is very tender and fatty. The scorched version adds great texture and the toro melts in my mouth! I also like the cut roll that is paired with some type of pickle jam. (Lobster Roll: 80% | B) - This roll follows the yellowtail roll in that the primary taste is spice with both sriracha and sriracha mayo. The roll tastes fine as an elevated shrimp tempura but is bewildered by strange presentational choices like spy paper that actually detract from the look the roll. Further, I don't think this is a good way to highlight the beauty of a lobster. (Red Dragon Roll: 95% | A) - This roll combines a good mixture of flavors of spicy mayo and a sweet unagi sauce to provide a nice complement to the spicy tuna and california roll. (Yellowtail Delight Roll: 87.5% | B) - The selection of ingredients in this roll is really nice as I find the yellowtail from sum sushi more buttery than other places, which pairs even more well with the creamy spicy mayo. This roll is quite delightful in flavor overall, though it perhaps leans into the spice component too much as its jalapeno on spicy mayo on spicy yellowtail when other tastes can help create a better balance. (Rainbow Roll: 90% | A) - This is a nice and beautiful rainbow colored assortment of fresh sushi on top and a california roll on the bottom. Its a simple roll that glistens but leaves room for presentational or textural improvements. (Tempura Ice Cream: 95% | A) - We tried both the green tea and black sesame variations and this dessert is definitely always the highlight of the meal. I love the crispiness on the outside and the tenderness on the inside. Black sesame is a flavor that's very hard to find for ice cream these days, so it was great to see that on the menu. On the other hand, the green tea ice cream I found to provide a more interesting flavoral contrast. Birthday Ice Cream - this depends on the server, but I heard past experiences provided tempura ice cream! During the two birthdays we celebrated recently, we got regular ice cream once and mochi ice cream another time. Still very kind of them to give a sweet treat to end off a celebratory meal. read more

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AMAZING especially if you want hot food in an air conditioned place to enjoy your sushi dinner. Reasonably priced if not a DEAL for the quality you will receive in quality food & service. Everything was exceptional. Flash fried Tempura lightly battered, Fresh cold Hamachi Sashini! Their rolls are delicious pack with fresh fish not overdone with thick rice! read more

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I really enjoy the food here. I'm a salmon and tuna fanatic. I like it raw. When we've come we get the steps. The salad is delicious. The dressing on it is so yummy. It's been super busy lately and parking can be tricky. It's a fun place but noisy and more cramped now. Service is always great! read more

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I love Sun Sushi! I've been here a couple of times with different people and the food never ceases to please. Their prices are reasonable and their quality is great. Some standouts that I noted were their toro, sea urchin (uni), salmon roe (ikura), sweet shrimp, and salmon skin hand roll. While their salmon six step was enjoyable, some pieces tasted the same to me and it wasn't all that worth it. I would say to skip the hot foods and enjoy the quality of their raw seafood. Make sure to look at the sushi bar for additional items and specials that aren't on the menu! I'll definitely continue to return for quality sushi, outstanding service, and the comfortable feel of the restaurant. read more

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Super fresh sushi and the sushi six step was something new we never tried before! Everything tasted great and the service was quick and attentive. I even gave uni another shot after having not enjoyed it in the past and now I'm a fan! Would definitely be back if I'm in the area Note - parking lot is a little small so may be difficult but there are lots of surrounding streets read more

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Fantastic food and excellent service. Go early because it gets crowded if you wait too long. Loved the State Street roll.

Absolutely unacceptable experience. We were told the wait would be about 30 minutes. Half an hour later, they even called us to confirm if we wanted bar or table -- we said table, and told them we'd be back shortly. When we arrived, they had crossed off our name without telling us, and we ended up waiting over two hours in total. What really stood out was the attitude -- especially the Mexican female waitress. She watched as countless people who came after us were seated right away, and didn't say a single word to us the entire time. Not even a "let me check" or "sorry for the wait." Just ignored us like we didn't exist. The way they manage their list is a joke, and basic customer service doesn't seem to exist here. If you enjoy being treated like furniture, this is the place for you read more

Sun Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Had a great food experience there recently tried sashimi, sushi and others too long to list read more

Sun Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Love Sun Sushi! We come to Sun Sushi at least twice to four times a month. This is our favorite sushi in all of Santa Barbara, not only for the freshness of the fish but for the people that serve it make it! this is a must go to!!! read more

This is the best sushi I've ever had but it's expensive and the portions are tiny these were not normal size sushi they were like have the size of normal sushi and not filling at all. Because of this i will never come here again read more

Sun Sushi - Mexican sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This place was super packed, not just because the restaurant was really popular (which it was) but also because the restaurant itself was really small. When we walked in, we were immediately squished into a small waiting area as we waited for the hostess to come to the front. The service was surprisingly quick, as even though they were busy we were seated almost immediately. In addition, our orders were taken quickly and our food came out within a few minutes with the exception of the shrimp nigiri. The sushi itself was average. We got the box sushi roll and the tiger roll. Nothing special stood out to us, and if anything, the shrimp nigiri was a little concerning. For whatever reason this item came out of the kitchen ten minutes after we had already finished our rolls, and after having asked twice if we were still getting the rest of our order. When it finally did come out, the shrimp was slimy and had a funny smell. If you plan on coming here, be cautious with the quality of the raw fish. Other than that one dish though, everything was fine. Again nothing amazing, but nothing terrible, just average sushi. read more

Best sushi in Santa Barbara no contest. $$$$ pricey though. They often have otoro and uni which are premium! read more

Sun Sushi - Toro, otoro, scallop, unagi, yellowtail, and uni sushi ! - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Freshest sushi! Every aspect of flavor was explored! Great friendly service. Food was priced reasonably. More bang for your buck! Inside was simple and clean. We selected this place randomly and glad we did. Every single thing that went to our mouths were delightful. Simply delicious. Highly recommended! read more

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We love Sun Sushi! We order pick-up and have loved every roll we have tried. Their edamame and miso soup and classic and delicious. Every roll tastes fresh and delicious. We order from here once a week and are always pleased! read more

Sun Sushi - Red Dragon Roll, Rainbow Roll, and State Street Roll. - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Visited this sushi place in Santa Barbra! Really recommending this place. Everything here is very fresh here! I love their Toro and Uni! I think all sushi here is very good! Also their sushi chief was very kind and provide wonderful service. He recommended some sushi to us which taste very good ! The place very quiet and clean. There is parking lot for guest as well read more

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Sun Sushi is a hit or miss depending on what you order, but there are more hits than misses. The Hits: Salmon 6 Step, Red Dragon Roll, Volcano Roll The misses: Chicken Karaage, Takoyaki The quality and value of the rolls are superior to other restaurants in town at the same price point. The salmon 6 step had a nice variety of subtle flavors that pair wonderfully with each cut and was my favorite by far. The fried appetizers, not so much- the Takoyaki was deflated and soggy and the Karaage was crunchy, but dry. The restaurant gets busy quickly and the parking lot is shared by other equally popular restaurants, so plan accordingly. read more

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This outwardly unassuming sushi spot is a gem! We arrived on a weekend night and it was pretty busy. We put our names down with the person in the front and were seated within 15 minutes. The food was all super fresh and tasty! I wish we could've ordered more. The fish came in big, thick pieces, which is definitely nice as I've noticed more places serving thinner slices recently. As a salmon lover, the Six Step Salmon was awesome. There was a little bit too much wasabi inside some of the nigiri pieces (I also saw some other tables picking a little out), but that wasn't too big of a deal because of the real wasabi they used - which is a big factor in what makes a good sushi joint for me. Overall, we had a great experience here and would definitely come back for sushi in Santa Barbara! read more

Sun Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Sun Sushi was a great experience. Their quality of fish was very good and everything was extremely tasty. I sat at the sushi bar and service left a lot of be desired unfortunately. Taking nearly 20 minutes before my order was taken by the sushi chef. I ordered shrimp tempura, salmon nigiri, toro nigiri, salmon rolls, and the red dragon roll. The shrimp tempura and salmon rolls are on my list to not get again. The salmon rolls were reverse rolls with the rice on the outside and for whatever reason the salmon didn't feel as fresh in the rolls. The shrimp tempura was nothing special but is not a bad deal at $1.50 a piece. The red dragon roll was very good and I highly recommend it. The salmon nigiri was also quite delicious. The toro was good... but maybe this is chu toro instead of oh toro. So it wasn't quite the fatty melt in your mouth meat I was hoping for. Other than the slow start service from the sushi bar, I had a great experience at Sun Sushi. Pricing is pretty moderate so expect to spend some money but the quality is on par with the price. read more

Sun Sushi - Nigiri and red dragon roll - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Solid fish and quality for all items. Sushimi had some thick's cuts and was even on all the rolls. House rolls had great flavor and a lot of options to choose from! They were able to accommodate to some requests we had and no questions asked. Great spot and only thing to say is they are quite pricy, not pricy enough to say it's worth the cost read more

Very tasty! I would say the hot rolls are better for dine in so they don't loose their tender texture! Everything was delicious.

All the premium sushi is amazing. Fish is fresh and high quality. Drive all the way here when in need of a special treat all the way from San Fernando Valley. I have not tried the rat of the menu but sushi and sashimi is great!! read more

WE LOVE SUN SUSHI We continue to get the yellowfin roll, crunch roll, lobster roll and then we mix up our 4th roll. We have tried the sun roll- if you like cream cheese, this is a good roll for you! Really can't go wrong with this place! Friendly staff. Great service. Great food. read more

Drove by and the open sign was on! I had a lunch special with salmon and a California roll. Delicious, hot miso soup arrived and shortly after my bento box. Very fresh food and great flavors too. Gracious, attentive service and the price was fair. read more

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Very good service and food. Reasonably priced lunch specials. I enjoyed seating at the sushi bar.

Had to stop by Sun Sushi to try their super popular 6-step salmon and was not disappointed! Whooo man, that was some of the best salmon I've tried! It was 6 different cuts and kinds of salmon. I honestly can't re-name all of them, but I know there was salmon belly & Atlantic salmon somewhere in there. Just trust me when I say all of it was delicious! The way it was presented is also really instagram worthy. I also tried their hamachi (yellowtail) [$7.95 for 3 fat pieces] which was really good too. The price, in my opinion, is pretty cheap for quality fish. Service was good, place is nice and tidy. I'd say come right at opening 5PM cause this place gets busyyy and rightfully so. 5 stars all around! read more

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Let me start off with saying just WOW!!! This place is truly gem . I ordered the sushi bowl and a beer with the girls night out roll. The food was beautiful !!! The service was so kind and sweet. It really made my day .I cannot wait to return . read more

As you may know, the best caviar in the world comes from the Black Sea in Russia. Similarly, the best sea urchin, also known as Uni comes from Santa Barbara. I know this because I was born and raised here. In fact, uni was my baby food source. I loved it! I still love it! I've never been to Japan, but i do know that they go beyond to make sure they have SB uni. When I do eventually travel to Japan, I know i'll have a strong connection because of our Uni and have a taste of home. I know I'm making a lot of points right now... like a sea urchin's exterior, the MAIN point is that Sun Sushi is the BEST source of Uni in the BEST uni destination in the WORLD! Their uni is buttery, delicious, and sublime. So when you eat here, just know you are eating in a world renowned 5 star Michelin style restaurant and that is a fact. Enjoy your uni day! read more

Sun Sushi - This uni is one my friend caught off the coast. - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Food was fresh and good vibes was a perfect meal for 5 people . The waters was very kind helping us with all .

Such delicious salmon roll that we ordered another. Service was amazing as usual and she read my mind bringing my doggie a bowl of water. Such lovely people in a lovely atmosphere. read more

not my first time @ Sun Sushi but first time remembering to take a photo of anything ordered - look at this salmon step, stunning stunning display. just so fun that it makes it a million times better to eat. definitely an in house meal though - the quality of the fish here is wonderful but the ambience is pretty run down soooo I would say unless you're on a sake and salmon stepper grind it may be best for a (good!) sushi take out - I ordered the special of seared albacore carpaccio. never had (or could pronounce) carpaccio. there was a sweet soy sauce and some cucumbers and jalapeño. fish was absolutely so tender and flavorful - got a miso soup, $2, decent normal miso soup. - seaweed salad was like $5 for the smallest portion I've ever seen. definitely ignore this section of the menu. salad the salmon came with was like 4 leafs read more

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This place was packed! Very popular spot. Despite that,we got fast and friendly service. The rolls were very tasty. Our server also recommended something I really liked:) read more

Sun Sushi is the absolute best sushi in Santa Barbara! While I have come here many times, I recently had the pleasure of eating here twice in one month, a real treat. It's located uptown in our little Ontare Plaza of good stuff (with the Tee Off, Baskin Robins and Jeannine's). The inside is smallish and intimate, with a number of tables and long sushi bar, cleanly decorated with concreate floors and light wood tables/chairs. It's family owned and feels very homey, striking a perfect balance between causal and upscale. Come dressed to the nines or in jeans and skate shoes, you'll feel right at home. Service is superb with what appears to be a "hive mind" model; every staff member being able to assist any table at any time. Good selection of local and Japanese beers and several sake offerings. You will find a solid selection of excellent sushi, many rolls, dinners, appetizers and traditional Japanese fare such as udon and donburi. There is also a rotating specialty menu. I've had teriyaki dinners, tempura shrimp and veg., miso soup, just about every type of sushi on the menu, volcano roll, spider, rainbow roll and spicy toro hand rolls. The sushi is, well, out of this world and better than anything I've had in SB: perfect cuts of wonderfully fresh fish, with just the right ratio of wasabe and rice. You can't go wrong; keep asking more more and the food keeps coming, and you are destined for go-backs of your favorites at the end of the meal. The spicy toro hand roll was something new and truly decadent. The spider roll has a wonderful mix of warm, fried softshell crab and veggies. I could go on...you get the idea. Such a great experience and a good value too, considering the ambiance, service and quality and variety of food. Third times a charm?! read more

The whole experience was a nightmare. Except for the nice host that sat us down. Took a while for someone to get it to our table and the restaurant had very few customers. ( usually packed). Finally got menus and we placed them down waiting for service when we knew what we wanted. A couple of women that were regulars came in and got excellent service, chatting them up as we waited and then the waitress took their orders before us and gave them drinks before us and we sat there for about 15 minutes. When I addressed this, no one apologized. Sushi didn't seem fresh. Bluefin tuna and yellowtail. Things were below average. Next day woke up with food poisoning. The worst I have ever had. A week of being sick with intense stomach problems. We've come a couple times before, wasn't our first time but definitely our last. read more

DELICIOUS. Everything was amazing. Small menu but amazing. Service was great - attentive, quick. Casual. Chill. A must each time in Santa Barbara. read more

Sun Sushi - Halibut fin. (The best) - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I have been to this restaurant 10+ times. We have done take out and dine in. This is probably one of the best sushi restaurants in town. One time, they messed up our order and brought the wrong roll. They gave that roll and our original order to us for FREE! The mistake roll has become one of our favorites. I highly recommend this LOCAL GEM!! read more

You must try the salmon ladder! Good service, delicious food, and typical sushi restaurant vibes. Strongly recommend! read more

I went twice in a week to Sun Sushi and had I unlimited funds, I would eat here every other day. Best fish in SB other than Arigato and Sakana (I don't like Arigato: it's expensive and pretentious and a bunch of people go there to be seen). My friend told me to come here but parking is rough on weekends (you can park next door, which I didn't know). They spent nothing on the interior so overhead isn't that high. For the quality, it's well-priced. This is really high-end (along the lines of the place in Marina Del Rey named after a city in Japan which I reviewed this spring but need to look up). Scallop is to die for. As is the Ikura. The rice is incredible: that's one of the things that separates your average local sushi joint from a truly outstanding restaurant. The employees are all terrific, from the servers to sushi chefs to hosts. NOTE: You will wait 20 to 25 minutes on weekends from 6:30 to 8:30. It's worth it. I can't believe I didn't try this all the years I was in SB (and 5 minutes away). P.S. They have a regular menu for lunch and dinner plus very long list of specials, along with an Omakase and a premium series of dishes. But Omakase starting at 65 is extraordinary. read more

Sun Sushi - Yellowtail Delight - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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If you have never been here before, you need to come try this place. No matter where you are, if you're asking yourself if is this place worth it, the answer is yes. This may very well be the best sushi restaurant in Southern California. The people are so kinda and the restaurant itself is beautiful. I have driven 40 miles one direction just to keep eating here after I moved away from the area - yes I drove 80 miles that night just for dinner and it hasn't been the only time. I miss my weekly meals from here, but I will never turn down the chance to come eat here when I can. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here for dinner because we were craving some rolls. We ordered the rainbow roll, some uni (sea urchin), a philadelphia roll, and the box sushi. The fish tasted very fresh, and the box sushi was so interesting! It's seared tuna with some crab meat over rice, and the sauce they use for it complements the fish soo well. My absolute favorite has to be their uni-- it was sooo fresh that day and had that golden sweet flavor that i love love love. read more

Sun Sushi - rainbow roll, uni!!!!, philadelphia roll, box sushi - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California