Yoichi ' s is the first "destination" restaurant to appear in Santa Barbara in many years. It's worth driving from LA or SLO to dine in this small spare space with its wonderful kaiseki menu. It's not clear that a place this sophisticated and refined can survive in a town like SB, but it deserves to do so. The décor and the wine list still need some work, but the food is exquisite: the four of us shared the various entrées (there are only a few choices to be made with this set menu) and found them uniformly excellent, with the Hokkaido king crab particularly memorable. Although it isn't cheap by local standards, it is a lot of food (consisting of small, light, carefully composed dishes) and well worth the money. We'll be back! 01/28/18 Have returned to Yoichi's several times since my first review and it has remained absolutely consistent and absolutely outstanding. The menu on this most recent visit included a pickled cherry blossom from Japan with a marvelous cherry-fruit taste, and a whole thumbnail-sized abalone liver, among many other wonders. read more

Outstanding, unique, delicious. So refreshing to have a restaurant that's not afraid to serve something out of the ordinary.

Best kaiseki i have ever tasted, their crab meat is omfg, i have been to many japanese restaurant this is one that makes a memory in my mind read more

Brilliant Japanese restaurant. Simple black and white decoration with comfortable seating. They offer a 7 course traditional Japanese menu for a very reasonable price (USD85) given the quality. We had such delicacies as king crab, oysters, sweat water and salt water eels, octopus and different types of fish for the sashimi and sushi courses. Nice selection of sakes and some Japanese wines and beers. Service is excellent - as you would expect in Japan itself. Highly recommendable. read more

Excellent and true and authentic Japanese cuisine. Came for the miso cod and left with a doggy bag in tow as serving sizes were very large and was too full to finish my sushi and rockfish which were delicious. Very clean inside and very attentive service. read more

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Not only the best sushi I've had in SB but possibly the best restaurant I've been to. The 7 course meal was full of unique dishes, each one better than the last. Great service and nice intimate setting. Can't wait to go back for another meal! read more

Went here for my birthday on Christmas eve and had an excellent time. Was treated to a sake cocktail which was wonderful. The staff were stellar and did an excellent job explaining the menu and dishes. They were very attentive and pleasant. The food was great. I enjoyed all seven dishes and many of them were a first for me. The meal was adventurous, fresh, and very tasty. read more

My husband and I just got done dining at Yoichi's. Friday night and we were one of three tables there - should have seen that as a sign. We typically love Japanese food but this was not good. Everything had an overly fishy taste, the textures were off, and the portions were small. We constantly felt like we were choking down the food vs enjoying a new experience. The grilled and steamed items were chewy while the fresh items tasted and smelled like something out of an old fish market. The other yelp reviews had me believe this would be a life changing meal and the only thing it changed was my desire to ever come back here again. I can't believe how much we had to pay for this food. Do your research before you go!!! read more

Last night we had a fabulous dinner! The food is very authentic and wonderful. This restaurant is extremely special. The waitstaff couldn't be sweeter or more attentive. Yoichi's is a gem! read more

OK, my wife and I are Japanese food experts. We live in Santa Barbara and Tokyo having residences in both places. Yoichi's is the real deal--same as Tokyo. If you want authentic Japanese food, not the Amer-Japanese concoctions of most of the Japanese restaurants in the U. S., or Japanese restaurants run by Koreans, Hispanics and other non-trained chefs, Yoichi's is the place. This is an outstanding restaurant run by a chef who simply knows his trade and prepares every dish to perfection. Santa Barbara (the whole West Coast) is lucky to have such a wonderful restaurant. If eating gourmet Japanese food is your thing, like it is to my wife and I, look no further, go straight to Yoichi's read more

Heavenly. Best Japanese food I've had in the States. Current menu was a seven course meal, or Kaiseki. Serene setting, pleasant and knowledgable staff. They said the fish changes every couple days, and the full menu changes seasonally. Great for couples, or groups or individuals. Prepare for an evening of elegant Japanese gastronomy. read more

This is a world class restaurant. We are so lucky to have a chef of Yoichi's calibre call our city home. My husband and I ate here last week and I have wanted to return every single night! We have told dozens of people about it. A part of me wants to keep it a secret so we can be assured of always getting a seat at this intimate, sublime restaurant. But a bigger part of me wants to spread the wealth. This is much more than a restaurant - it is a culinary celebration of a master chef at the top of his game. Yoichi obviously loves preparing his food as much as you will enjoy eating it. Expensive - but worth every penny. read more

We went back tonight, and if only we could give this a six star rating. Everything is done to perfection. Fresh, tasty, interesting, delicious. Please continue your excellent job. Congratulations. read more

Authentic Japanese food that may not sit well with everyones American taste profile, but this place is as close to actually being in Japan as you can get. Worth every penny (and it is expensive), but it is an experience not to be missed. read more

Come early as there may be a wait and space is limited. Come for sushi and small appetizers.Very tasty and original sushi and affordable. Service was great and food arrived within minutes. read more

It is about time Kaiseki came to Santa Barbara. The presentation is superb. The flavors are subtle and sublime. Best Japanese food in Santa Barbara. read more

Sublime food, kind, polite and attentive staff, this jewel of a traditional Japanese restaurant is well worth taking in if you live in or are visiting Santa Barbara. The other superior (5 star/red) reviews here are right on the money. Even though they are waiting for their liquor license to be approved, there is an unexpected upside to not having one. The diner gets to experience the full measure of the subtle and extraordinary flavors of the food served without the dampening effect of alcohol on the tongue. Yoichi's is an experience not to be missed. read more

My husband and I dined at Yoichi's for the first time last night. We had been wanting to try it for months and after reading glowing Yelp reviews, we went with anticipation of a wonderful Japanese kaiseki meal. And we were disappointed. Maybe it was an off night. We are adventurous eaters, we like fish prepared in many forms and my husband has actually lived in Japan. That said, we found many of the fish dishes too "fishy," the texture of some of the fish was mushy, and many of the sauces overly sweet. We were interested to learn that while Yoichi's uses some local seafood and meat (rockfish, urchin) much of their seafood is flown in from Japan and their Wagu comes from Australia. I think the ingredients may have suffered as a result of the trip. The Central Coast area is blessed with beautiful fresh seafood and cattle is raised here locally. It boggles the mind why a restaurant in Santa Barbara would fly ingredients in from Japan that would be much fresher if procurred locally. read more

It's a restaurant with great taste and best quality. Any similar food in LA will cost you more then 150.00./ person.

Kaiseki cuisine is not for the uninitiated, and it is also not for the penny-pincher. However, if you enjoy fine Japanese dining and are looking to splurge, Yoichi's is a terrific choice. The dining area itself is humble but relaxingly quiet. There were several original woodblock prints on the walls which we admired. The servers were attentive and warm. BUT... the food is the star of this show. Every mouthful was perfect, from the delicate 'suimono' soup and sweet sake to the delicate bean cake. The 'yakimono' -- I had the 'gindara' (cod) -- tasted sweet and subtle. The broth that accompanied the 'mushimono' (I had the pork belly, my husband had duck) was so flavorful, I almost had to admit that it was even better than the 'yakimono'; every sip made me feel nourished and strong. Well done, Yoichi's! I have two very small criticisms, which are only warranted because of the price point and because of the level of quality to which Yoichi's clearly aspires: First, the 'oshibori' (hot towels) served at the beginning should be real steamed towels, not throwaway paper towels. Second, the menu card which stayed at our table for our reference throughout the meal should reflect the season -- in our case, mid-summer -- and not be stamped with cherry blossoms. These are clearly nitpicks! My husband and I will remember our amazing meal at Yoichi's for a long time to come. read more

Fantastic, a steal for the price. Complex preparations, subtle and delicious tastes. Other reviewers have detailed the food. I would highlight a divine oyster in the appetizer sampler, and the salmon with ikura. Off-scale! Overall the food is perfect, with impeccably sourced ingredients. I only hope Santa barbarians will appreciate it enough to make this place a success--the chef deserves it! A few minor notes. It's a nice space but the lights could be dimmed--the high ceilings and bright light make it feel a bit cavernous. Also, Currently, they are only serving the kaiseki. According to the owners, this is on account of an unexpected departure of their sushi chef. I sincerely hope he is replaced, because the quality of the sushi and sashimi in the kaiseki makes me very curious to explore what else they might offer in that department. Anyway, here's hoping this place takes off. read more

An authentic Japanese kaiseki experience in downtown Santa Barbara with the freshest of fish and vegetables, many sourced and flown in directly from Japan. The service is attentive, the presentations elegant, and the tastes sublime. This is a talented chef and a delightful experience. read more

Having lived in Tokyo for several years we were intrigued by the Kaiseki format at Yoichi. We were not disappointed. Very attentive service, excellent presentation and authentic food much of which we learned was sourced daily from Japan. Highly recommend. read more

I ordered the seven course kaiseki, one of the most special meals I have ever had. I've traveled extensively in Japan too, so I'm not new at this. Everything was perfect, and oh, so worth the slightly high prices and off the beaten track location. Just go, you won't regret it. read more

Superb food and presentation...first time having a real 7 course Japanese dishes. It is not your typical Japanese food, so don't expect California Rolls etc.. Service and staff were superb. Not great for kids as we took out 6 and 11 years old here. The course can last about an hr or so. Atmosphere can be a bit nicer and need more decos...otherwise food is superb. Will come again. read more

We had a spectacular meal. I think that this restaurant is really destined for greatness as more people find out about it- it was recommended to me by a friend and I'm shocked that I had not heard about it otherwise. The food is exotic, fresh, and masterfully prepared. The service is spectacular, where questions about ingredients or Japanese terminology are equally met with eloquent explanations that make you understand that you are not in your average restaurant. Each course seems better than the last, and even my wife who is not a great fan of the exotic was raving. Oysters unlike any other oyster I have had. FRESH king crab with unreal flavor and consistency. Sushi and sashimi that I would prefer over Matsuhisa where we eat regularly. The menu changes monthly, with the sushi menu changing daly, and quite simply, I can't wait to go back. A fantastic addition to Santa Barbara and certainly a destination where it will soon be difficult to secure a reservation. read more

The sushi was very fresh. We had the 4 course meal. It was a great experience to try authentic Japanese Sushi and delicacy. Even my two picky teenage kids enjoyed their dinner. They were wowed on very course. read more

We heard rumors that Yoichi's was finally open for service so decided to check it out last week. I'm actually hesitant to fill out this Yelp review for selfish reasons because I want to keep this secluded, delicious little culinary escape for myself! Although if it closed that would be heart breaking so here it goes... The food was fresh and magnificently beautiful. Our whole table ordered the 7 pate tasting menu and left the plate decisions up to the chef. We were politely delivered flavorful fish dishes that I had never had in all different forms-as well as sushi. I can't remember the names of all the fish and dishes, we were all having such a great time yapping about all the different flavors - who's got time to take notes? In short, the restaurant was inviting, the staff cared for our needs, the food was delivered promptly, it was visually beautiful, and quite satisfying in regards to taste. I WILL go back again, perhaps after all these 5 star reviews I'll have to make a resi though. read more

returned raving about how great it was but was utterly disappointed, the last time I ate there it was one of the most impressive meals I've ever had this time, was mediocre at best and more expensive than the last meal which was vastly better. .. going down hill and fast, very disappointed read more

Whenever I take a trip to the LA area I make a point of going to Yoichi's. I have been there three times in the last two years. This is easy the best Japanese restaurant one can find in the Santa Barbara area. There is not many places where one can get authentic Japanese-Japanese high end cooking. The meal is Kaiseki meaning the chef offers a set menu for the day of small dishes with various customer choices within the menu. The food comes out in small dishes arranged to look like a work of art. Although the restaurant is rated $$$$ in terms of cost I think I would pay about 30-40% more in San Francisco or Los Angeles for an equivalent Kaiseki meal. read more

The food is complex, interestingly-crafted, and perfectly balanced. The ingredients are unique and creative, and I would highly recommend anything on the menu, because it is all delicious. Also, the staff is incredibly cordial and knowledgeable. Overall, the experience was wonderful and if you are ever in Santa Barbara, I definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

My husband decided to take a chance on Yoichi's for a date night and wow are we glad we did! The omakase style is definitely going to appeal to more adventurous eaters who are ready to try seven courses with limited options. I don't eat shell fish but the waitress (and kitchen staff) were very accommodating, allowing me to order sushi a la carte while my husband enjoyed the entire experience. They were (at the time of our visit) still awaiting their liquor license, which would ordinarily be a bummer for us, but the waitress was completely up front about this on the phone and we enjoyed free tea all evening. The dining experience is elegant and thoughtful, each dish comes beautifully plated. My husband raved about all of his courses and those that I tried (homemade tofu, marinated mountain veggies, sashimi) were truly a cut above. My tuna sushi was better than any I have had in Santa Barbara, hands down. I would genuinely recommend anyone interested in food to try Yoichi's. It's a gem. read more

Absolutely fantastic dinning experience! Service was perfect and the food some of the best I've ever had. I highly recommend this amazing culinary experience to anyone wanting to truly treat themselves unique and delicious food. read more

Food presentation was superb. Food was great and wait staff attentive and full of information with respect to their dishes.

Spectacular multi-course meal with amazing service. We had a very special birthday celebration and it was the perfect pick for the occasion. Each dish had very individual flavors and tastes. I think one of the best high-end restaurants in Santa Barbara. We hope to go back for more special occasions and over the holidays. A real treat. read more

I'm giving them 5 stars strictly not to hurt their reputation. This very well may be what you're looking for, but as a person that loves out of the ordinary food, this was not what I wanted. Awesome that it was 7 courses, however each course was not even close to enjoyable. Once again, I didn't know what I was getting into, I was just going in hoping for the best, unfortunately coming out with the worst. $300 tab for my girl and I, and she likes even odder food than I do. I had to prevent her from sending dishes back due to the type of restaurant this was. Bottom line, I'll never go back, but if you like what 99% of the population doesn't, this may be for you. read more

Are you kidding me?! This is one of those places i want to keep a secret so anytime I want to eat here there is an open table, but I'm not that rich so I have to spread the word to keep this place going. Opened just two weeks ago, so they are still waiting on their liquor license, which they said is coming in three weeks. We got the 7 course tasting menu and every dish blew us away. The sushi/sashimi was just a cherry on top of all the other freshly prepared dishes. You definitely get what you pay for here, amazingly fresh food with unique flavors expertly prepared. Definitely a restaurant you could find in any of the big cities, but instead SB gets this gem. read more

One of the best Japanese restaurant I have ever been to and definitely the best in town. The food is fresh and well-prepared and presented very nicely. Will revisit in the near future for sure. read more

Seriously, half full on a Saturday? Santa Barbara, you better get moving or you are going to lose this place. It should be booked up 6 months in advance. Or you can wait and have to travel to Nobu in Tokyo if they don't make it. Does that make sense to you? Far and away the best overall dining experience in Santa Barbara, if not the greater part of the coast. read more

This restaurant transported me to Japan. Absolutely great! Service great, food great.