So let's get this started by saying this is nothing close to authentic Japanese omakase, but who cares! The food was absolutely great and creativity on brining life to sushi was on another level. It goes without saying the food quality is superb. These Chefs are essentially sushi mixologist/baristas that add their personal flair to each piece of sushi the my serve. With added salts, sauces, citrus, spices, and other fresh ingredients, each piece of fish has a flavor bomb waiting for your mouth. Highly recommend for the traditional sushi lover, and even more so for those looking to love sushi. read more

See all

Absolutely amazing. Our chef Ryan was very nice. The Saki flight didn't seem worth it. Just get a bottle of Saki. We will be coming back every year. read more

My review is probably biased because being Japanese & having sushi be a huge part of my heritage, I just felt insulted by this place. This is Crudo with rice, under no circumstance is this sushi. If you're okay with that, then you may have a different opinion of this place. I don't think they deserve one star. The service was fine & the quality of ingredients was good, but to advertise this as sushi is extremely incorrect & insulting. Also, they asked us to come 15-20 minutes early (and we did). Then asked us to wait in a lobby for the entire 20 minutes because they were running late. They then gave us some drink that tasted like spiked lemonade. Regular sake would have been fine and preferred. They have everyone wait in this hotel lobby, then gather everyone and walk them to the restaurant. I felt like I was in kindergartener being shuffled into a bus. Very un enjoyable for me. It felt like their goal is to get you drunk before the end of the night with their pairings. One of the staff went up to my boyfriend half way through the dinner and said "this is where it gets fun" as everyone become more and more drunk. There was just so much else they were focused on other than the food and especially claiming to be a sushi restaurant, doesn't feel right. The sushi chef then began to hit on one of the girls sitting at our seating. Giving her free drinks, ignoring everyone else, free sushi, etc. About as unprofessional as you can get. He was not friendly to us when we were there, we were sitting right in front of him. At no point did they follow any traditional Japanese customs that come along with being a sushi restaurant, which again, insulted and hurt me. We had friends considering coming here and steered them far away. The prices are also ridiculous. Save your money and go to your favorite sushi restaurant - probably owned and run by people who respect this art form. To give an idea, expect to pay 200-300/person. read more

We booked a month out to get in and boy was it worth the wait! Every bite (except for the Uni) was incredible. I liked 4 out of the 6 drink pairings. The atmosphere was quiet and calm. Definitely what we needed as parents of 2. Next time I will skip the drink pairing and order more bites instead. They offer mocktails if you don't drink! And the night is ended with a desert (bite of course). read more

Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Montecito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Montecito, California

See all

Wow! Impressive and unique seventeen course nigiri dining. Well-deserved Michelin star restaurant. This is not a dinner but a full and personal experience with original flavors and beverage pairing. Very knowledgeable, professional, and fun chefs that create a fabulous night out. I love the details in the service and the small-group vibe. I highly recommend this experience to any sushi lover, it's worth every penny. read more

See all

It's not just a dinner, it's an experience!! Very knowledgeable chefs and drink experts. Quality ingredients and very willing to work on food allergies with you. Pricey but you get what you paid for. The entire menu was delicious, the atmosphere was fun and relaxed and just a great time. We were told to come by for final seating as the chefs can drink and relax a bit more, we will definitely be doing this again. Cannot recommend this enough! read more

We went here to celebrate my birthday and we're amazed! This is a dining experience. The team was awesome and super interactive during the entire 17 courses. Each course was unique and well thought out. Can't wait to make another visit! Thank you for having us! read more

See all

My husband and i got a last minute reservation and we were very excited to try sushi by scratch. This was our first Omakase experience and my first restaurant with a Michelin star. There are 17 "bites"/courses and the pacing of the meal was perfect. They have a great cocktail menu as well. My husband and I each tried two cocktails. I really enjoyed the "bees Japanese." The flavors of each bite were fun and unique- all nigiri. Per the chefs, 6 of the sushi pieces are standard across all their sushi locations and the rest are up to the chefs to create. I'm knocking a star for two reasons. One, they started serving the sushi courses prior to getting drinks out. Two, at the end of the meal they offered two additional bites but they were not transparent that this would cost additional money (2 "bites" per person = $75 added to the bill). They should do away with the extra bites for extra cost ASAP. Overall, this was a fun experience for a special occasion. Next time i would ask for the seats in front of the chefs as we were on the side and could not see the prep! read more

See all

The best sushi experience ever. The atmosphere is lovely and intimate. Omacase selections are plentiful, simple, clean and delicious. Especially when paired with a Sake or wine flight. read more

First off, congratulations on the Michelin Star, well deserved. We've been fans from the beginning and we were especially grateful for their beautiful to go meals during the pandemic. As Coast Village Road continues it's modernization and beautiful growth spurt, Sushi|Bar has become a beautiful crown jewel. I always recommend attending any omakase experience with an open mind & open heart, as it is, "chef's choice". Prepare to be delighted! read more

Great time eating here. A cozy and welcoming atmosphere here. I am very lucky to sit with few super friendly ppl and chit chat while enjoying food and drink. So I only took few photos, since I was so busy to social and enjoy food and drink. I will say the sake selection is really good, and nigiri is above average. The custom service - 5 The food - 4 The drink - 5 The restaurant environment- 5 read more

Used to be my favorite spot in town and try to go every couple of months. Went back for the first time in a few months tonight and couldn't believe the steps backward. Much smaller pieces of fish and inconsistent from person to person. Mistakes on allergies and preferences on multiple bites for the group of 10 there. Still some amazing food, but just not what it used it be. Losing a lot of what made it a premium spot read more

Really awesome experience - delicious food and the service was top notch. And Chef Ryan was awesome! Will definitely be coming back. read more

Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Montecito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Montecito, California

5 stars aren't enough. Best meal of any kind I've ever had, not just sushi. Just shut up and eat here if you're lucky enough to even get a res. read more

Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Montecito - Sushi Bars Near Me - Montecito, California

See all

This was one of the best dining experiences I have ever come across! The chefs were engaging and friendly. The food was delicious! Still dreaming about the piece with bone marrow melted onto it. We did the cocktail pairing and all the flavors of the food and drinks were amazing. We will definitely return! read more

One of the most amazing dining experiences I've ever had. This was pre-covid but we ended up being the only couple as they'd had two cancelations which was to our benefit as all eyes were on us. The fish experience was amazing. So many different flavors, all of them exquisite and "clean" (ie not fishy tasting nor questionable quality). This place has blown up since then and understandably so as its an experience I still rave about 3 years later. I can still remember some of those pieces of fish too. We will get back to treat ourselves again soon! read more

Genuinely one of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had! The sushi was unprecedented; the skill accomplishment, the quality of ingredients exceptional and the flavors sublime. Lastly the ambiance was amazing and the service throughout was exceptional. Thank you all for a truly memorable culinary experience. read more

After seeing five alarms for the 1st of the month, we were able you snag s rez. Service was great, ambiance is intimate and good delicious.

Great food- great Chefs- an overall fantastic experience. The drinks were great the conversation was great- a unique Omakase experience

The sister restaurant to Sushi Bar LA recently opened in Montecito, CA on the grounds of the Montecito Inn. Both the inn and the restaurant are top notch and we highly recommend both. Just like the place in Encino, CA, the sushi experience is wonderful. It's not your typical Japanese fare, so if you're into an authentic Japanese experience and not open to other presentations, this place probably isn't for you. The drink concoctions are fantastic. They offer a pairing or a la carte options. Both are nice. You can't go wrong with either. Highly suggest having a nice dinner here, if you're in the area. read more

See all

This is the best restaurant in Santa Barbara. I feel so confident saying that after our meal this week. Incredible food, intimate service, personalized experience. I do like sushi but there are definitely items on most menus that I probably wouldn't order so I was a little nervous about a fixed menu out of my control. I shouldn't have been. All the items were amazing and I would have trusted them to serve me pretty much anything. I can't say enough about how great this was. Three days later and I'm dreaming about it. Can't wait to return. read more

Michelin star Sushi Bar in Montecito Inn, Santa Barbara and their chef Richard ; sous chef Jaime plus two more sushi preparers gave us an extraordinary Omakase Sushi experience tonight. My husband and I together with our three sons book a reservation at nine pm. Our family of five opted for their 17 courses Sushi. We were seated around the bar with the other five guests ( only ten seating capacity for this restaurant). and the high quality SUSHI were served in intimate setting and served individually. Chopsticks were not an option. We were given hot towels to clean our hands and enjoyed each high quality Sushi using our hands. They gave excellent customer service. The average cost of $200.00 plus per person is worth the experience. We highly recommend this amazing sushi bar. read more

Short and simple review. Amazing Sushi experience. Expensive but well worth it. We chose the pairing the menu offered for cocktails. read more

Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Montecito - Welcome cocktail. This was fresh, flavorful and peeked your excitement for taste to come. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Montecito, California

See all

Let's be real. I loved the setting, the intimacy. It was perfect for date night. However: -1 star for the rice. It was terrible. I did not know one can undercook and overcook rice at the same time. It was so grainy, yet so mushy. It was very confusing, made it so hard to enjoy the nigiri pieces. It must have been a BAD sushi rice night for them, but it's not like we could've stopped and told them "hey the rice sucks" and have them redo it on the fly. It doesn't work like that. -1 star for the cuts. I've visited other Omakase style restaurants before (at least 10), all around the same pricing if not more, and I've had a bigger cut of fish on each piece. Some cuts were inconsistent as well. Also, being at a restaurant where the customer can see the chefs make your food, it hurts to see the chefs throw away ends of the fish. It goes against Japanese tradition. Overall, the rice and the fish, the two main/major components of an omakase meal, made my birthday dinner a huge disappointment. I almost always order a la carte after the menu at other omakase restaurants, but this time I didn't. I couldn't even do it for uni, and I LOVE uni; the rice was just too terrible. I was way too excited, this being 5 stars on yelp. Chefs need more training and practice with their cuts; you can see the hesitation. I'm sorry, I cannot give this restaurant any more than 2 stars; the night I went was not worth it. Pros - Service was superb. Chefs were very accommodating to allergies. Loved our sake recommendation. read more

Great -7 course meal with excellent drink pairings and service you would expect from a Michelin restaurant.

Realistically I'd say this place is 2.5 stars, but rounded down given the price and value (or lack thereof). We did the 16 piece nigiri takeout (because of COVID-19 shelter in place) for $95 per person and did not think it was quite worth the price. Pros: The staff here is very nice and friendly. The space also looks nice and was very clean. Cons: Food is par to sub-par. From eating at many great sushi restaurants over the years and talking to some of the best sushi chefs in the world, one thing that I hear all the time is that you can tell good sushi based on the rice. With good sushi, you can taste the texture of each grain of rice (i.e. it is not mushy). That said, the first thing I noticed about Sushi Bar Montecito was the texture of the rice and how mushy it was. The mushy texture reminded me of sushi you find at all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants. Aside from this, the style is very non-traditional. Sushi Bar Montecito provides the standard soy sauce, but also spicy ponzu and ponzu sauce, which I have never experienced before at any sushi restaurant. Call me traditional, but I believe the best way to eat sushi is simply with wasabi + soy sauce (similar to a good steak with just salt + pepper). As a side note, the soy sauce also didn't taste like your typical soy sauce and was a bit sweeter. Overall: This isn't a place I would recommend personally. However, given that there aren't many great sushi options in Santa Barbara this isn't a horrible place. Just not quite up my alley. read more

been here a lot with friends, we are regulars there, love the sushi, it is an experience and worth the price. The best Japanese old-fashioned I have ever had. It's awesome. read more

See all

Excellent Sushi made with the finest fish and wagyu. The staff was both gracious and informative. It's a very interactive seating and anyone with a taste for the best sushi and drink should check it out. Three options for wine, sake and cocktail pairings at $110 supplement. We opted for a bottle of Negori and it didn't disappoint. The staff sommelier/Mixologist was fun and very knowledgeable. Keeping everyone's glass filled and answering their questions. The main chef directed the bites and the counter chefs prepped the fish in front of us. There are no chopsticks. The chef described the sushi rice as delicate and prone to fall apart if handled with them. There is no soy or wasabi condiments either. Every taste was expertly crafted with the right ingredients and didn't warrant any additional flavor. There was a small pickle and fresh ginger condiment that you take pieces from in between the bites to cleanse your palate. We did enjoy every bite and would gladly come back for another seating. read more

See all

Lots of hype, not worth to price or the effort. Life is way too short to spend your time at this place

Just had a lovely dinner with my wife here. The service is fantastic! You are greeted with a very unique cocktail to get started. The food is amazing! I've eaten a lot of sushi all over the world and this place has to be top 5 for me. The fish is prepared very well and seasoned to perfection. Each small bite is the perfect explosion of the ocean in your mouth. Those white boys have sushi nailed! read more

The whole experience was amazing! The host was wonderful and the chefs were active with the guests and explained everything so well. And the food was AMAZING! Would give 10 stars if I could read more

See all

Most of these reviews are fake. Our experience was absolutely terrible. Waited 45min at the front desk of a hotel for our reservation they charged us $20 to make a week in advance. Served us warm lemonade and tequila out of an old wine bottle while we watched people checking into their rooms. This place is not fine dining, it's a slap in the face. They are somehow having negative reviews removed from yelp. This is the 3rd time I've written this. read more

This was an incredible dining experience. My palate was challenged and expanded by the passionate flavor combinations served up by some proper *cooks* who clearly love the food they are serving. read more

Amazing sushi dinner. But honestly the highlight was their cocktail program, which itself is out of this world.

If you'd like a place to share one of the best dining experiences you will ever have in your life with a special someone, or a group of friends, then look no further. It's not just place that has the best fish I've ever eaten in my life, the performance and environment are what make it so much more than just a dinner. I followed Chef Lennon from the Sushi|Bar location in Encino, to the new one in the Montecito, and I can say it was more than worth the drive from LA to Santa Barbara. Chef Lennons talent and personality are really what make Sushi|Bar one of my favorite places I've ever had the pleasure to dine at. I look forward to the next time I'm able to visit! read more

See all

Ive been looking at this menu for two years wanting to go. What Im reviewing today is their decision to raise their prices FIFTY PERCENT in the two years they've been open. Omakase menu started at $125 in 2021 and now it's $185. In two years. Has the price of fish gone up 50% in 2 years? Has rent? Has the staffs salary? Nobody should support this kind of unwarranted inflation. It's not about the money - I eat expensive meals - it's about the insanity of this. I know inflation is through the rough and the cost of everything is up but this is gross. read more

Honestly can't imagine a situation where this restaurant doesn't get a 5 star rating. It. Is. Amazing. I had recently heard about this place as it's one of the few restaurants in the area that has a Michelin star. I wanted to go there for my birthday but it was booked up. But lucky for me, there was an opening for an anniversary dinner for me and my hubby the following week. We arrived outside 15 mins before our reservation, as they requested, and bumped into one of the sushi chefs (though we didn't know it at the time). He saw us poking our heads around looking confused so he asked if we were there for a sushi reservation. We said yes and he graciously walked us into the hotel lobby and pointed out the guy we were supposed to check in with. After we checked in with the host, he brought out cute little sake cups and dishes for our complimentary beverage. It was so refreshing and delicious. The host also wished us a happy anniversary, which I thought was so nice. We waited in the area for about 15 mins waiting for the rest of the diners to show up and once everyone did, we were all guided into the quaint little sushi bar. They have assigned seating once you get inside. Every seat has the guest's name written on a blackboard slab. I was so pleased to see they sat me and my husband front and center in front of the head chef, it was truly a treat! Now, I've only had omakase one other time before this time (at Yoichi's, which I was unfortunately not impressed with) so I'm not super experienced with the whole omakase culinary experience. BUT every piece of food I had there was just phenomenal. For drinks, we did the house pairing with our food. It was fun to do once but certainly wouldn't do it again as it was quite pricey and not sure it made a huge difference to the overall experience of our food. I'm generally not a nigiri or sashimi type of sushi eater. I'll admit it, I generally like sushi rolls with cooked fish, I know that's like blasphemy but most places where I've had a huge hunk of raw fish, the texture of the cold chewy fish sloshing around in my mouth just really grosses me out. I say this because I think it means even more coming from someone like me that their raw fish is just so top notch. Some pieces were so soft and fresh it just melted in my mouth. I'm getting hungry just thinking back on it now. There's been very few places where the meal was so good that I go back in my mind and fantasize about it. That's what photos are for and I normally do take pictures but chose not to this time because it felt a little rude. So I guess I'll just have to relive this experience through my mind only, and trust me, I often do. I can't wait for future special occasions to come up again so I can come back here. It was quite a pricey meal but trust me, it's worth every penny! read more

Believe the hype! Expensive yes, but well worth it! Top 3 restaurants in the 805!!! Nocciola in Ojai and Pacific by NoRu in Ventura being the others. read more

I was a bit nervous after reading some reviews that it wouldn't live up to the expectation. It was wonderful, very worth it and a lot of fun! The chefs and bartender were all very accommodating and friendly. The sushi was delicious and its a nice evening out for a special occasion or an indulgent night of sushi. read more

Hesitating between 3 and 4 stars. (4 stars for the effort to risk it in Santa Barbara and the mostly pleasant attitude of the staff) In short : too much drama, too little portions, too few exceptional items So wanted to like Sushi|Bar, as Santa Barbara needs more good additions to the food scene. Waited a couple of weeks to let them get over the installation and difficult first services. Went there on May 23rd, six weeks in. Upon online booking we were asked to arrive 30 minutes early to assemble the group, yet waiting in the entrance lobby of the Montecito Inn is just a waste of time. Choice of the house cocktail or water during the wait. I understand that they want all guests to be on time and start together, but feels patronising and overly dramatic. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays they have two services (6pm and 8 pm), Fridays and Saturdays three services (5pm, 7pm and 9pm). This is tight, tight, tight timing. We were promised at the beginning of our meal that we could order individual add-ons after the standard 16 course sushi menu. When the moment came, the chef then told us "no time, the next service arrives soon, next time book the latest service, which makes it possible to order additional courses". To the food : 16 different sushis ($110/person), including mineral water, plus a desert. Add either the house pairings or à la carte alcools. I stayed on water, with the exception of small glass of the Alsacian Edelzwicker, which was a disappointment and its only value was to smooth the spicyness of that particular sushi course. Main criticism : tiny, tinier, the tiniest food. Imagine half the size of your (slim) pinky finger for each sushi. Yes, the fish and seafood was fresh. No, nothing was "exceptional". Yes, the spices and sauces were interesting, but also overwhelming. No need to put lemon oil on all fish dishes. Couple of suggestions, if I may: - allow more than two hours between the services, so that you can add the "additional courses". Or don't talk about it. - acknowledge that you have intelligent mature clients and tell them that they need to be on time, rather than ordering them to come 30 minutes early to a useless and awkward cocktail gathering - reduce the menu to 12 normal size portions. Generosity is the key to success. I get it that profitability is needed, but don't make it so obvious. - add one or two truly exceptional courses that change regularly. Going through your Instagram and other publications, also the LA ones, all seems repetitive. - keep that amazing desert :) There is room for improvement, but I am a bit doubtful when reading the LA Yelp reviews that the management wants to go that route. Let's hope they do and we'll reevaluate in a few months. read more