This place was so good, I had to take out my phone to take notes. Each dish blew me away, and I started texting my friends about it before all 9 courses were done. Had reservations for 7 pm dinner on Friday. The place wasn't busy during our entire dining experience. Aside from a larger table of ~10 people and 2 smaller tables, the place was empty, which was nice and quiet for date night and anniversary celebration. The 9-course Kaiseki was plate after plate of flavor. Highlights: - Course 4: Somen with sweet broth, grilled beef, and grilled green onion. THIS. The beef was so good, I refused to swallow, so I could savor the flavor. Fatty in flavor. Lean in cut. Somen cooked to perfection. - Course 7: Chilean sea bass simmered in bonito chicken broth with daikon and green beans ~ THE SEA BASS WAS GAS. Marinated in miso before grilling, the tenderness and juiciness of the sea bass is locked in prior to simmering in the broth. Chicken broth with the bonito added depth to the dish. - Course 9: Black sesame pudding with tangerine jelly ~ THIS. This dish embodied the level of black sesame I expect for any dish. Tangerine jelly cuts through as a nice refresher for the next bite. Perfectly not too sweet. All in all, I had the best experience. Each component of a dish adds its own flavor that completes the dish as a whole. Ultimately, one of my favorite culinary experiences that took my taste buds on a journey! Would return! read more

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This was one of my best omakase experiences in the US and I'm glad we found this place! The owner was extremely nice and makes you feel like you're eating at his house, which is an apt feeling since the restaurant is in a small house. All the dishes we had were flavorful, had perfect texture, and the seafood was all very fresh. read more

I went for the first time last night and I have to say I had high expectations and left disappointed. Of the 8 courses I only liked these 4. The food was just not that good honestly. It was $600 for my husband and I, it was not at the level. They only had two white wine options which were both Chardonnay. The service was a 10/10. The ambiance was odd, super bright and no one else in the restaurant after 7:45. read more

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This was a really amazing experience. The staff here were so attentive and friendly. The food was also extremely fresh. The presentation for each dish was amazing! Not everything was exactly my thing but you could tell all the ingredients were high quality. It was also very clean inside the restaurant and bathroom! It's definitely pricey but if you're visiting or celebrating something this is definitely a nice spot to do so. read more

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Excellent food, very intimate experience and great service. There were a lot of courses and they were actually quite filling. A superb place to visit for a sushi/Japanese food enthusiast. read more

Yoichi's - Appetizers - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I had a wonderful dinner at Yoichi's. I am usually a more flavor, more spice type of person. Yet, I was able to thoroughly enjoy all the delicate flavors, as they were presented elegantly in very thoughtful ways. The meal was comforting, fun, and unique. Highly recommend! read more

Yoichi's - Sashimi course - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Beautiful dining experience. On par with kaiseki we've had in Kyoto. Wonderful, friendly staff and an overall indulgent experience. read more

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Found this great place on our road trip to Santa Barbara. Cute little place with great attentive service. Not a very uptight kind of restaurant with a well built kaiseki set. Food was all on point with really fresh ingredients. Flavors were clean and crisp. Would recommend to folks coming to Santa Barbara. read more

Best omakase experience due to the variety of dishes, the quality of ingredients, service was spectacular, and we left feeling very full! read more

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An incredible experience worth every dime! I'd go every day if it weren't so indulgently filling. I struggled to have most of each my eight courses, but the quality and flavor of each item was so fresh and perfect I couldn't resist. We had excellent service and really enjoyed the lovely, cozy dining room. All items were explained to us at each course and the servers were very approachable and knowledgeable. I can't wait for their new menu to come out in the new season! read more

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The food was incredible. I went back in August 2025 and it was one of, if not the, best dining experience I've had in my 29 years of life. Our waitress was beautifully knowledgeable and equipped with an answer to every question we had. read more

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The food was amazing, the service was impeccable. I wish more people knew about this place!

The ambiance reminded us of Japan. Clean, well spaced. The service is flawless- each dish prepared so it looks and TASTES amazing right down to the tiny greens and flowers. The seafood was the highest quality and nothing was overpowering, everything was complimentary to the dish prior and after. It's an 8 course meal - and timed so that no one table is on the same course at the same time. We never felt rushed and could chat comfortably through courses. It was a memorable experience where the chef demonstrates his love of food through his work and the staff supports this by explaining the intricacies of each dish. read more

Muchrooms in almost every dish for me lacked variety in the experience. I won't be coming back to this restaurant

The 8-course meal we had was absolutely incredible. Food was presented and explained by the most friendly waitstaff, making the experience unlike the overly precious prix fixe meals we have had in other restaurants. Standout items for me included ika nigiri which was so uniquely creamy, a swoon-worthy corn bechamel atop sea bass, baby octopus with seaweed and vinegar, but everything was delicious and beautifully presented. Unfortunately I forgot to photograph several of the courses. We will definitely come back. read more

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Yoichi's is super special! The service and food are amazing. The best kept secret restaurant in Santa Barbara. A must for all Japanese food lovers! read more

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(Overall: 89% | B) - Overall, this $150/pp Kaieski experience was definitely a worthwhile first experience for me. I love the atmosphere in that its very cute and upscale, and most of the food was natural and very upliftingly tasty. The service was pretty nice for the most part, although I was actually pretty bummed when they neglected to ask if it was a special occasion, unlike the rest of the tables, because it was indeed a special occasion. (Zensai Appetizers: 97.5% | A) - The first course consisted of an assortment of appetizers including washugyu beef, miso squid, yuba tofu, and pickled root vegetables. The washugyu was intensely marinated in a soy and pepper-forward marinade that started the meal on a high bar. The squid paired with a sweet miso that highlighted tenderness and pureness of Japanese flavor. The tofu was silky smooth and held texture which was pleasant to eat as sashimi. Finally, the pickled daikon and carrot is always a favorite of mine and helped clear the palette between appetizers! (Owan: 92.5% | A) - The second course is a soup course, featuring a clear broth containing a large sweet fish cake full of fresh crab. The dish looks very majestic with natural colors derived from the pumpkin and spinach. Personally though, despite the high quality ingredients, I do not find that fish cake is a very good way to highlight the ingredients as it hides the beauty of the crab. (Mukouzuke: 102.5% | A+) - Course three is the sashimi cours! The selection I had included fresh hokkaido uni that highlights the sweetness of the sea. Not expecting anything less, the hamachi belly, maguro, and otoro were all cream of the crop, and expressed the luscious butteriness in highly desired sashimi. The red snapper was also fresh and delightful with the skin on, and all of the freshly grated wasabi root in abundance added a fantastic zing to lift this set. Finally, I felt that the ume was a great palette ender for this set of fish! To complement this meal, we got this sweet sparkling yuzu wine that was low in alcohol content and extremely pleasant to drink! (Mushimono: 97.5% | A) - The steamed dish is an egg custard with eel and mushrooms, topped with an abundance of ikura. The salmon roe is a magical addition to the custard that adds sweetness and an umami burst, as well as a beautiful presentational feel! I love the mild yet soothing flavors. (Yakimono: 105% | A+) - The grilled dish consists of a miso marinated Chilean sea bass served on a bed of scallion puree and topped with trumpet mushrooms and a spoon of caviar. The sweet miso marinated for the sea bass is endearing and adds fantastic flavor to carry the dish. The pairing of the scallion puree is smart in that it adds fragrance to complement the earthiness of the shrooms. Finally, the caviar and edible flower really elevates the presentation to the next level. (Shiizakana: 70% | C) - This simmered dish involves sea bream, shrimp, mushroom, and chive? in a sweet dashi-like broth. I love the natural colors and simplicity of the presentation, but unfortunately found the broth to be a bit too sweet and the fish to be a bit too dry. (Shokuji: 97.5% | A) - The sushi course contained three pieces: hokkaido scallop, sweet shrimp, and mackerel with a generous serving of fresh wasabi root to give the sushi a zingy sweet kick. The scallop was naturally sweet and very silky. The sweet shrimp was tender and bursting with sweet freshness from the sea. Finally, the saba was flavored well and incredibly tender. I loved this pairing of sushi to highlight the best of what Japanese cuisine has to offer. (Kanmi: 67.5% | D) - The dessert course featured a red bean and orange jelly, which I personally found strange as the tangerine had a stark contrast to the red bean in flavor and texture that was quite jarring. The matcha jello had better flavor, but similarly had unappealingly coarse texture. read more

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A little bit different than your typical omakase. This place serves a bit of the different types of way to cook ingredients. Overall, I feel like the price tag $150 is quite hefty for the service and menu items. The restaurant has several tables, so the service is not a 1:1 intimate setting with the chef. The food is served from the back kitchen. The food was alright overall (3.5/5). The raw fish was fresh, but I think the appetizer and dessert is quite lacking in terms of flavor. The best dish would probably be the sashimi and the steamed egg dish. TL; DR Overall, if this was a little cheaper, I think that would be closer to what this place is worth. Service was standard for a sit-down restaurant. Won't be coming back but it's an experience :) read more

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Yoichi's is an experience that I keep taking my friends and family to. They are a small, intimate-setting, multi-course restaurant. The menu is seasonal, chef prepared so the only choice you need to make is what to wear and what to drink. The wait staff are friendly, attentive, courteous, and knowledgeable. I have enjoyed every meal I've had here over the last few years. It is worth a try if you love fine dining experiences, Japanese food, and a gentle, soothing atmosphere. read more

Where to start .. amazing home made Japanese style food !! very fresh, very traditional, very authentic.. the chef goes above and beyond with the presentation and ingredients brought from Japan itself ( real wasabi, real soy sauce, real ginger ..etc). The service again very upscale relax ambiance.. listen it is pricey but a top quality food and top service it is worth it.. thank you for such an amazing food to celebrate our birthday! read more

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My husband and I came here for our anniversary and it did not disappoint. We just came back from Japan and were longing for experiences and food reminiscent of our time there. We had reservations and upon walking in, we were seated right away. It felt warm and inviting as they were expecting us. The place is quaint, the design is simple, clean, elegant which which matches perfectly with Japanese touches. The place seating was set up great and the pieces were art itself. The chopsticks were the best chop sticks I've ever used. Very much like our experience in Japan, this restaurant anticipates everything and provide everything for a smooth experience. The service was impeccable. The staff waited on us attentively and our server explained the menu, provided knowledge about the sake brewing process which helped inform our decisions. The server was also upfront about the pricing which we very much appreciated. The food was phenomenal from top to bottom. The dishes were amazing and each course was crafted with such a carful balance that would enhance certain flavors. Our server continued to provide us knowledge as she presented each visual stunning piece. She also answered our questions with ease and told us how best to enjoy our course. I'm not usually a red meat eater, but I ate this plate as part of the appetizer. To not have tried this dish which absolutely melts in your mouth would be a crime! All the fish was fresh. I've our grilled fish was red snapper and was light, flaky and grilled to perfection. The tuna sashimi REALLY stood out to me and was the best tuna I've ever had in my life! So buttery, fresh, and flavorful. The desserts with drink pairings were so unique, light & lively and well-balanced. We absolutely loved our experience at Yoichi's and will come back in heart beat next time we are in the Santa Barbara area. Worth every penny! read more

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Delighted, what a wonderful memorable experience and 8 course meal . Highly recommend you treat yourself to Yoichi Make sure you have a reservation, they don't take walk ins and it's easy to understand why. read more

Yoichi's - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The service and 8-course tasting menu were fantastic. What a perfect evening in Santa Barbara.

Amazing traditional Kaiseki style multi course restaurant. Service is amazing. It's quiet and refined and the owners take their art seriously. It's not a cheap night out but always a special one. A gem in Santa Barbara read more

Yoichi's - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Our first experience with kaiseki - it was a unique experience. Food all prepared with great attention and delicious. Service was impeccable. Ambiance is also good. Selections were made by the chef. However, we had an option to pick between meat or fish on a couple of courses. Good experience but not for someone who doesn't have a wide ranging taste bud. read more

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Truly one of the best meals I've had. Each dish was perfect and flawless. I left so full and happy. read more

Now I've been to a couple of Omakase experiences, and you're paying quite a hefty sum of money for these type of experiences. So you're expecting a bougie meal experience with tested flavor profiles, this wasn't my impression of Yoichi's. To start we really enjoyed the Chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), the nigiri selection (scallop, sweet shrimp, mackerel), and the sashimi (Blue fin chu-toro, akami, and hamachi), a dashi based soup (fish+crab cake, topped with snow crab and egg ribbons) and the dessert (a orange jelly over a matcha custard topped with red bean). All these dishes were great, fresh seafood, none of the flavors overpowering. Dessert was unique, flavors surprisingly worked well! But this is only half the meal, the appetizer dishes we started with were all just okay, nothing special. Now the grilled dish and the simmered dish were the ones we were most excited for because that's the bulk of the meal, but they all had issues. The grilled dish was overly salty from the scallion sauce, the seaweed, to the marinade of the fish, they were all strong flavors that clashed hard with each other. For the simmered dish, the sea bream and shrimp in the dish were all rubbery and dry sitting in an overly salty broth. That being said though, the service was very good, the servers were kind, and happily provided us with descriptions of each dish as they arrived, even going as far as walking us out after our meal. The ambiance is quiet, good for a date or anniversary celebration. But overall for the price tag, I would say you can find better places for omakase with a drive to LA. But if you aren't willing to go that far, have money to spend, and just want an adventurous experience, this place could do it. read more

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If you're looking for a phenomenal traditional Japanese multi-course experience, unquestionably come down to Yoichi's. This high quality eight course meal experience will blow you away. I came here for my friends birthday dinner. There were four of us total and I would recommend not to exceed that, because it can take away from the experience. This place is reservation only, they do not accept walk ins. They have street parking which makes it convenient. read more

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Such a spectacular dinner and overall dining experience! The service was phenomenal and so kind and the food was simply delicious. Everything is quite simple and the flavors and quality of the food really speak for themselves. Yoichi is such a gem of a place near downtown SB! Very unassuming exterior but their kaiseki is truly delicious. Will definitely dream about coming back one day. read more

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築石料理 Kaiseki Eight course for $150 Service was great, portion sizes were decent, and the pacing of the courses was perfect. 前英zensai (Assorted appetizers) -Washugyu no Sansho yaki (Sansho pepper marinated grilled Washugyu) -Namasu (Pickled vegetables) Konbu Maki to Hime Ebi (Konbu Seaweed roll and Baby shrimps simmered in sweet broth) -Japanese sardine with miso paste Owan (Soup) Kani Shinio no Hakuhyo jitate (Clear soup with Crab fish cake, Freshwater eel, picked cherry blossom, Fava bean Mukouzuke (Sashimi) Uni from Hokkaido Bluefin toro from Spain Local Goldeneye Snapper Japanese Striped Jackfish Chawanmushi (Savory Egg custard w/Hokkaido Ikura) 烧物Vakimono (Grilled dish) trumpet mushroom, Sturgeon fish caviar, ships flower stem) Ginmutsu no Saikyo Yaki (Saikyo miso marinated Chilean Sea bass, koji, green onion, seaweed paste) 強考 Shiizakana (Simmered dish) Tai no Kaburamushi (Sea Bream with grated turnip) Baby chives , shiitake mushroom 食事Shokuji (Sushi) Spanish Mackerel, Hokkaido scallop, sweet shrimp Kanmi (Citrus jelly and mochi Dessert) read more

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DIVINE! Hard to find a traditional kaiseki restaurant in Southern California, so definitely wanted to try this place. Service was amazing and thoughtful. We came here to celebrate my husband's birthday and they offered a yuzu sake on the house. Each dish was flavorful, delicate, and unique. The restaurant was intimate and the dining experience itself lasted 2 hours. Costs $180/person but well worth it! read more

Yoichi's - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I have had Yoichi's on my radar for a few years and finally went for dinner last weekend. It is STUNNING! I've been to Japan and live in LA where we have no shortage of amazing Japanese restaurants, from sushi to omakase, izakaya to kaiseki, and Yoichi's is up there with the very best of them. Each course of this seasonal tasting menu (aka kaiseki) was unique, incredibly well conceived, detailed, and utterly delicious. If we could've licked every plate without looking like total heathens, we would have. Service was attentive and warm and the chef's wife is the main server. Sake and wine list is wonderful (we had the Dassai 23) and some unique Japanese beers are available too. We loved every bite (and sip) and will be back soon. Don't overlook this little gem-- make a reservation and go. It's a set menu but they were very accommodating about dietary restrictions and aversions which is a refreshing change from some other spots. Highly recommend!! Arigato Yoichi-San for the very special and oishi dinner. read more

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The food and waitstaff are AMAZING. This is not only a quality restaurant but a phenomenal experience. I went for my birthday with my wife and we had the absolute best time! You must get the sake paring!! I can't wait to go back! Each plate has a story! read more

Absolutely loved Yoichi's. Can't recommend highly enough! The Central Coast dining scene needs more variety and high-quality options - Yoichi's is definitely pulling its weight. The owners are super friendly and passionate, many of the ingredients are flown in from Japan, and the Kaiseki itself was beautifully executed, from preparation to presentation. Will be back! read more

Everyt time we go to Santa Barbara we try our best to visit Yoichi's! We just ate there for our 4th or 5th time and it has never disappointed. The food is always amazing and the service is beyond reproach. read more

Yoichi's - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. I really enjoyed the food and the service there. The food quality was superb! It could not be matched by any Japanese food I have had in the US over the last nice years. read more

Few dining experiences will compare to the Kaiseki you will experience at Yoichi's. If you are adventurous with food and you consider yourself a "lover of omakase", this place will not disappoint. The familial service, attention to the little details, and the taste of every dish is methodically planned out to ensure that you leave satisfied and wanting to come back. My wife, infant son, and I had a wonderful experience dining at your establishment, Yoichi-san. Thank you. We hope to be back soon, as my wife requested dining here again for her birthday dinner! read more

Yoichi's - Japanese Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Low key venue HIGH QUALITY FOOD! Only kaiseki spot in Santa Barbara, $150pp and 1000% worth the cost for the 8 course meal. We were very very full by the end of the meal. Most courses are chef's choice but you do get to pick a meat/fish option for both the grilled and simmered dishes. I went with a friend and we picked a different each so we could try both. Best recommendation - always pick the fish dish! The meat dishes were also delicious but fish choices were spectacular! Even something simple like the pickled radish was incredibly delicious. Black CodCourse TastingEgg Cake SoupGrilled CourseKaiseki DinnerKing CrabNigiriSweet ShrimpYellowtail read more

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Great service! Server explains everything they bring out even where the fish comes from how it's cooked. It's a set menu, an eight course dinner. Every dish is nicely presented in beautiful ceramic bowls and plates. The food is pure. There's not one fried item in those courses. read more

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Quick Summary Cozy Japanese restaurant that offers Kaiseki (prix fixe) with excellent service. Try to book reservations a few weeks in advance. The service and atmosphere were excellent. Appetizers were excellent. But the entrees and dessert were average. Was very excited to try this restaurant, but was disappointed, probably due to high expectations Food- 4 stars The Kaiseki was 7 courses. Started out well with the appetizers but flounded towards the finish line The appetizers prior to sashimi were all very good and thought out. I would give it 5 stars to start The sashimi and sushi that came before and after the grilled and steamed dish were good and fresh. Slight compliant that the fish was slightly colder than desired The grilled and steamed dishes (which you have 3 options each) was when things began to somewhat unravel -Grilled lobster with tama miso sauce- the lobster was cooked perfectly, but the miso sauce was overly sweet. The balance was pretty off, which was disappointing because the lobster tail was cooked perfectly -Wagyu- I can see why a few reviewers mentioned it tasted like sausage. It was pretty disappointing -Seafood steamed in citrus bowl with miso bechamel sauce- it was interesting seeing this plate served in an orange bowl. However, the sauce was so gelatinous and heavy that it was not an enjoyable experience -Fresh water eel and monkfish liver- was really disappointed that there was bones in the eel and that the monkfish liver lacked any flavor. The whole dish was overly sweet Dessert- it was a mochi crepe with fruit sort of dessert. It was good, but would've better if served hot or warm Service- 5 stars Phenomenal service. Very accommodating without being too overbearing. Ambiance/Value- 5 stars It's a small neighborhood restaurant that makes for a great date night Bottom Line Perhaps Yoichi's catered too much to Western tastes, as the food ventured towards Fusion Japanese and didn't satisfy. The appetizers were great, but it went downhill when it got to the grilled and steamed dishes. Will add an extra star for their service and ambiance read more