It's been a couple of years since my last visit and I'm glad I came back. My last review found only one bone of contention, rice. I had two delicious rolls and did not notice the same thing that I did last time. So I have added the 5th star. The food was excellent, the service was attentive and personable, even the vibe was nicer. The standout was my wife's Tonkastu Ramen. The broth is heavenly, the flavors rich and satisfying, it was a meal for four. We will so be back. read more

Went here my first time in downtown Salinas. Waiters and staff were very friendly and attentive. I ordered the bento box around lunch time. $12.95., plus an additional dollar because I ordered sashimi. It was a goooood portion. I had to take some of my combo tempura home. Miso soup was one of the best I've ever had. Restaurant was clean and busy (but not too busy) during lunch time. Would definitely recommend! read more

Sushi Daruma - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Was visiting the area and craving Asian food so decided to give this place a shot. Location was downtown, pretty small but clean. Service was fast and friendly. Menu selection was huge. I got the mango madness roll (with shrimp tempura, spicy crab instead of salmon, avocado, mango, crunch topping, spicy Mayo) as well as the tonkotsu ramen. The roll was pretty good, very refreshing with the mango and everything complimented together well. However the ramen was where it all went downfall. Coming from SoCal, I have pretty high standards on ramen but this was legit the worst ramen I've ever tasted. The broth was SO watered down and didn't taste like the traditional ramen broth at all. The egg wasn't cooked properly as well as the chashu pork had a weird funky flavor to it. The only decent thing was the ramen noodles itself. But the broth was seriously questionable. Overall I would recommend the rolls but not the ramen. With the limited amount of Asian choices in the area, it's just okay. read more

Food was amazing! The service is excellent and was surprisingly quick for a Friday night. This is our go to place when in the area for ramen! read more

Sushi Daruma - Tonkatsu ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Terrible. The server kept trying to take my plate with it still half full. The miso soup was deep brown in color and very salty. The tuna jalapeño bomb was mushy and within minutes of eating the tempura roll I ordered I had to run straight to the bathroom. Quality here has certainly hit an all time low. Will never return again. read more

Sushi Daruma - Tuna Jalapeño bomb - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Nope...no...just NEGATIVE!! I was visiting for the weekend so I didn't really know what to choose, I chose this place because it was Door Dash's Trending Top 10. I ordered spicy edamame, deep fried Spicy Tuna roll and Hamapeño roll. The edamame wasn't spicy at all and had a thick layer of butter?? at the bottom of the dish. There was something "off" about the Hamapeño couldn't really tell what it was. The Spicy tuna roll was very bland, had no flavor whatsoever and was not spicy. Neither of the rolls had any flavor...all I could taste was the cucumber. Within 10 to 15 minutes of taking a couple bites out of the rolls I was throwing up I got sick! Idk how this place was in the top 10. I'd rather eat rolls from a grocery store than to ever come back here... read more

Sushi Daruma - Spicy edamame...not that great - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

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Unfortunately I have to post this being this was hard to believe it was made and sent this way being all the times my wife and I eat here the Nori Tacos have never looked like they need the main ingredients! Where's the sushi that goes on top!! The tacos are pricey to begin with but worth it when they are made with actual sushi on them. So I called and spoke to Ashley and she can't even get me a manager or someone that can help me with this, I asked for a manager or someone in charge and she couldn't even give me that! she asked what's this about and I tell her about my order I just received and then she says hold on and comes back and said can we call you back when we have time! WTF kinda service is that!! I know this isn't the service that should be given out or food that should be delivered! Total joke and sad!! I received a call from Dennis the manager and he listened to my issue that I had and just by him listening and understanding the customer service end of it I have to update my review for a more positive one! Thank you Dennis! And remember the Nori Tacos are read more

Sushi Daruma - Plain Nori Tacos by Darumi!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

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It's a Must in salinas! fresh every time! Customer service A1 the fish is fresh my fav is yoshi roll with crunch read more

Sushi Daruma - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

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Mehhh.. but what can you ask for in the middle of a small town. This location is located in the heart of downtown Salinas. My husband and I decided to take the kids out for a staycation for the long weekend. We thought the food would be good because the restaurant was packed when we got there. Had to wait 40 mins for our table. To be fair, the only "sushi" we got was a hand roll. I'm the only one that can eat raw so I didn't want to over order. We got udon for my two year old and he gobbled it up. The udon and the edamame were probably the best things we ordered. My hubby got the ramen and he says it's worse than instant ramen... and my hand roll was just so-so. The service was great though. We really liked our attentive server. Ambiance was very casual. Lots of small groups for dinner but the place wasn't too loud since they don't play music, which was nice. read more

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If you want great service, nice ambiance and the best sushi in town? Go to Sushi Daruma! We usually sit at a table but this time we sat at the bar! Great choice! The servers are friendly, our sushi chef was engaging and the sushi was amazing! We usually get ramen or udon and some rolls when it's cold out. But last night we decided to try some new rolls, the Grease monkey , Sunshine roll, Torro and unagi nigiri (sorry forgot to take photo they were too good). It's a small place with a good amount of tables but all the locals know about it and it fills up fast. They always have a line outside the door but the wait is good. If you don't want to wait, get there early. Enjoy! read more

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Wow, I loved this place. Ordering via the phone was a surprisingly pleasant experience. The team member answering the phone was upbeat and kind. Understood the variations I asked for and levelset expectations for when the order would be ready. Upon pickup, the order was ready at the time specified, payment was fast and contactless, and the facility was set up perfectly for social distancing. Now for the best part, the Mango Madness (In: shrimp tempura, mango, avocado, cucumber. Out: salmon, mango, sweet sauce, spicy mayo, macadamia nuts) was out of this world delicious!!!! A wonderful surprise and reward for trying a new location. If you are in the area, give them a try. read more

Sushi Daruma - Christmas decorations in place of the removed inside seating area. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

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A solid 4 star and my choice for Japanese food in Salinas. Our waitress tonight was Stephanie who was attentive and quick. Great job. Our ramen was really good, not the best I've had but I'm not driving 45 miles north either. All our other food we had was flavorful and well presented from the takoyaki to all the sushi. The fresh wasabi was a treat. This place is full for good reason, it's good food. Last words...I'm 7 minutes away, walking. read more

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Daruma is a nice spot for a quick lunch or dinner. Their food is good, nothing out of this world. Staff is kind.

The service was very attentive and timely. Their sushi selection was very good and tasted fresh. The staff was very efficient and the food arrived promptly, even though it was very busy. I appreciated it! I took off one star only because the bathroom was disgusting. They may want to close the open back door to the alley. read more

I'm so upset that I didn't take pictures! Came in Saturday evening after the freestyle explosion concert. We were sat right away we ordered a few appetizers and a couple of rolls. Food came pretty fast, it was extremely delicious and the staff was pretty nice. We had a fried and baked roll I had asked for no cucumber( due to allergies) in my baked roll I feel they took up the space with extra cream cheese so it made it a little too cheesy for me and my hubby but we figured we should've known better than to think they would've put extra crab LOL other than that no complaints. Their goyza is delicious- definitely worth ordering. We definitely will return to try more and I'll absolutely take pictures. read more

Such a great place! My friend and I had a feast. We had the gilroy roll, mango madness, tropical roll, and the omega.. also the personally crafted tako and escolar sashimi ALL AMAZING. Also the sushi chef brought me a complimentary Ice cream for my bdayso nice.. will definitely be coming back! Dennis and William are the best. read more

Sushi Daruma - Tako and escolar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Fish was deliciously fresh, everything was great! Service was attentive and the rolls were great. Highly recommend! Also, prices were amazing! read more

I think I'm just spoiled because I have had some pretty good ramen. I didn't try the sushi here so if you're looking for a review of sushi, this isn't it..sorry. Back to the ramen...I got the miso ramen and I just wish it was spicy and had a "crunch" like garlic chips that most ramen places offer. The broth was pretty good and the flavor wasn't bad. So why a three? Well the noodles just weren't doing it for me. Tasted like cup-o-noodles. read more

Sushi Daruma - Miso ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

I enjoy good quality Japanese food and a good wait staff and Sushi Daruma has both. I've been meaning to leave a comment for a long time because I absolutely love their food but their staff is another reason my husband and I ALWAYS come here for date night. We have gotten smarter - we order separate orders of takoyaki (which to my surprise is even good as takeout). I love a good takoyaki that is not soggy and has a good amount of bonito flakes & this is probably one of my favorite takoyakis I've eaten. We get a variety of rolls. I am not a huge adventurous roll person - I love sashimi (maguro, yellowtail, etc). They have such a good variety for people like me who aren't big on spicy tuna or eccentric rolls, but they also have a lot of fun exciting rolls for people who are way cooler than I am. They have good bentos & good options. My kids love their katsu and various meats. Their wait staff though is the bomb. Always super nice, food always arrives on time (even for pick up). Favorite place for date night read more

Sushi Daruma - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

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Upon entering the restaurant on a sat night, we were greeted by the server Thu. She had a great smile and welcomed us with some water. This is a new restaurant in Downtown Salinas. Beautiful decorations and comfy seats. There are street parkings available or a garage at the end of the street. Lots of selections on the menu that Sushi Daruma offers. I ordered the Old Town and Spicy Lovers roll - both were so delicious and fresh. The unagi in both rolls melted in my mouth. It was so cheap considering the big portion of rolls. I also got to tried the other rolls from my friends and those were really tasty as well. Even though I got a deep friend roll, it didn't feel greasy or overcooked. Can't wait to try the other rolls next time. read more

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This is the best place for tofu and katsu. Excellent service, reasonable portions and prices.

First time here and t was amazing! Ordered the Tiger roll and it was so good I ate it all. Will come back for the good service the lady gave me and my husband. She asked how we were doing only a few times which is appreciated since I don't like when people constantly ask how I'm doing lol. Ambiance has a good feel of a real Japanese food restaurant. Will bring my family here as soon as possible! read more

Sushi Daruma - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Mango Madness was absolutely amazing , instead of salmon i got avocado. Then dipped it in the sweet sauce. It just needed more Nuts crumbled . My boyfriend got the original Mango madnesss . 10/10!! read more

Sushi Daruma - Mango Madness and Mango Madness replaced salmon for Avocado. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Went to Daruma yesterday, and I can't wait to go back! My sushi and sashimi were wonderful, tasted very fresh and delicious. I have to add that while I always enjoyed pickled ginger, this was also the freshest I'd ever tasted! Never imagined it would make such a noticeable difference, but it did. I also looked at what other customers were ordering; Daruma's presentation is great! Wonderful food, served by a pleasant, cheerful, attentive server, in one of my favorite parts of town - oh yes, I'm definitely coming back soon! read more

Walk in and got a to go order with dragon roll and takoyaki, both are great. Food was ready around 10 mins.

Sorry Sushi Druma but this is the second time in last three orders of the Daruma Deluxe that I have not received what I would expect for the eight pieces of sashimi that come with the order. While the sushi was great and varied the sashimi was thin, the same fish, and thrown into a pile. I don't like writing negative posts and only hope that your establishment will improve. I have consistently ordered from your establishment for the past couple of years, since you opened, but... I am a bit tired of being disappointed with the sashimi being delivered. read more

Sushi Daruma - Great sushi, terrible cuts of sashimi. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Dined here on 6/28/23 and it was total disappointment! Service was great but food was bleh .. First time ever this has happened . We used dine at least once a week when they owned Harumis in Seaside then when they sold it and opened Daruma in Salinas we followed . The owner Dennis was always there whenever we went and food and sushi was always perfect but this time he was not there and total disappointment. The miso soup was very salty , my daughter ordered the teriyaki bento and she said " this is not teriyaki " She noticed a difference because the sauce was so watery . I ordered this pancake appetizer Okonomiyaki and it was so bland . Hubby ordered the Darumi deluxe and the fish didn't look fresh . Also ordered Orange is the new black roll which tastes more like smoked mackerel Instead of smoked salmon . Next time we call first to make sure the owner Dennis is there before we go. Food was always perfect when he is working. read more

Sushi Daruma - Okonomiyaki .. bland - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

Food was delicious and service was great! I would definitely recommend their tonkatsu ramen since winter season is starting to creep in. Give this place a try if you're in town read more

I typically love this place. I highly recommend the food. However, I came here on a Friday night and arrived there around 8:40pm. There was no wait and open tables. I told the waiter I wanted a table of 3. He told me he can't sit us until my whole party has arrived. Again, there was no one in line and open tables. He gave me such a hard time about it and eventually had us seated but when our friend showed up he started to harass her. I get making a joke but he just wouldn't stop. I love the food and typically love the staff but this was just inappropriate and maybe they should be a little more flexible with people when there isn't anyone in line. read more

The best sushi place in Salinas! The staff were friendly and the food was great, price was reasonable. When we went, it was packed and it wasn't surprising because everything was great. Will come back again! read more

We love coming here. Our weekly date night. Good people, service, and sushi! The nigiri and sushi tacos are a must! The spicy edamame and calamari are also worth a try! read more

Nice queit place on main St, nice people, takes a little bit for food but appetizers make up for it. Good portion for price, Mainly the lunch is the best read more

A local #1. Tried other places but the quality, portions & service always have one coming back.

First time at Sushi Daruma. I was very happy with their service. The waitress was kind and professional. The sushi was delicious. It was fresh. I really enjoy their Nori-Taco. You have to try it! The Nori-Taco was wonderful. The restaurant was clean. Will I go back? DEFINITELY YES!!! read more

Freshest yummiest sushi around. Here is a picture of the hamachi Kama, very thick and tender. Great sashimi, ikura nigiri, hot tea! read more

Sushi Daruma - Hamach Kama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California

The food and service is here is amazing. This is a weekly lunch spot for us when it's not to busy. read more

Delicious food and fast for lunch! Great waitresses. (Bring a jacket maybe, it was cold inside this day)!

Excellent service! Even better sushi! I recommend the Grease Monkey Roll! Great ambiance read more

Been coming here since it opened. Always get an excellent meal with excellent service. My wife loves this place. One thing we always get is their appetizer shumai. Absolutely incredible. A real palate tease. My only issue is that there is an odd amount (5) and there is two of us. Place gets busy every evening of the week but the wait time is not bad and so worth it. read more

Excellent experience, kind staff and good food. Service is well timed. Good saki selection to choose from. read more

Sushi Daruma - Dinner special - Sushi Bars Near Me - Salinas, California