Sakana Sushi Bar & Japanese

10/10 sushi, the fish was incredible and the sushi chef was so sweet♥️

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We ate 2 guests at Sakana Sushi Bar & Japanese Restaurant in Santa Barbara on May 13, 2026, and spent $275.31. No wine.
Very disappointing.
The menu is ridiculously complicated: five double-sided pages, plus more items on the walls. The food is heavy, greasy, overloaded with sauces, and often tastes more Mexican than Japanese.
Confused concept, poor execution, not refined, not authentic, and absolutely not recommended.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Awesome place to get sushi! They have a HUGE menu! Very friendly and knowledgeable service! Great atmosphere with tables inside and outside, also great opportunity to sit at the sushi bar an get recommendations from the chefs!
I have really enjoyed everything I have ordered here! I will visit often!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This place was absolutely phenomenal. The Habanero Yellowtail Melt and the Japanese A5Wagyu Beef box rolls were out of this world. New favorite sushi spot. Food was on point. The service was on point. The atmosphere was on point. 10/10.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great sushi, chef Nao is fantastic. He made us his own tasting menu - every single item was excellent. We will be back 😊🙌

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very nice. Great food and atmosphere

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Every time we visit Santa Barbara this place is always on our list of places to visit.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Quality isn’t very good. The sushi rice was too vinegary and mushy, and the flavor of the fish was bland. You’re better off getting sushi from Gelson’s at a better price.

The food tasted good, its presentation overall was good but when I ordered a simple Tuna Roll 90% of it was cut well while the other 10% was a little messy and the second order of Tuna Roll did not have the excellent presentation as the one before.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Sat at the bar, received amazing service from the sou chefs and we ate Art!!❤️❤️❤️

A very big menu list of sushi with local & exotic marine and wide range of combined ingredients. As a family of four out on a celebratory moment, it was great that even our most food-shy member found and enjoyed a combination he could & did wolf down in delight.
Looking forward more visits to sample some of the other curious ones.

Amazing service with great taste! The food was well-portioned and tasted extremely fresh! I would definitely recommend coming here when looking for a sushi spot. The ambience and atmosphere were also amazing as well! 10/10 experience!

March 27
Service is indifferent and too fast.
Good sushi restaurants focus on the customer. The service was on their phones or giggling behind the counter, childish indifferent.
Edemame very tough, maybe old?
My fresh water eel was mushy, should be wrapped tightly, but not.
My Hawaiian roll was mediocre.
My husband liked his Shusani (sp?)
dinner with fish, noodles cucumber salad and miso soup.

Excellent chefs and great staff

sushi too sour. We are on a road travel from LA to SF, ordered three entrees here to go. When we arrived at our next stop, opened the food box and find out they did not packed our sushi inside. I was so angry and called them. They told me no refund, just sorry. Food is just ok, but kids don’t like the sushi. Sushi should be his favorite food but he does not like this one. Not to mention they forgot to pack what I ordered for him. He can only have my order.