Sushi Bar Montecito Santa Barbara Yelp Reviews - Sushi Bar Montecito Santa Barbara - Buy Reservations
Getting a Reservation at Sushi Bar Montecito Santa Barbara for Today or Tomorrow is Easy!
Buy a verified reservation at Sushi Bar Montecito Santa Barbara from someone who doesn't need theirs anymore.
If there is nothing that fits your schedule, you can bid on your preferred time.
We only list verified Reservations!
All listed Reservations are reviewed by our team before appearing in the calendar or being allowed to answer a bid you place. That's why AppointmentTrader comes with a included Money Back Guarantee for each transaction.
Santa Barbara's Best Prepaid Restaurants that are most frequently booked by customers of Sushi Bar Montecito Santa Barbara
Ranked #10 in Santa Barbara's Best Prepaid Restaurants.
Sushi Bar Montecito Santa Barbara Yelp Reviews
Latest Reviews On Yelp
23 Reviews
0 Replys |
It seems like stating the obvious, but this is the best
It seems like stating the obvious, but this is the best sushi we've ever had. It is far and away better and more thorough than the best of the ordinary sushi. I highly recommend the house drink pairing. There's some magic here. They should advertise the two extra bites as two menu options in advance so it doesn't become a hidden end cost though.
Be the first to ReplyI had been wanting to try this place for while and was
I had been wanting to try this place for while and was taken on my birthday. The whole experience was great front start to finish. I would highly recommend coming here. The whole experience is outstanding. It's omakase style and every pick was exceptional. At the end you do get a choice to get extra pieces made by the other chefs which will be their choice on how to prep the fish you pick.
Be the first to ReplyLast night three of us went to Sushi Bar Montecito.
This was my second time, having gone a few years ago after they newly opened. The core concept was largely the same (16-17 pieces of nigiri over a few hours) but the experience was very different. They still have to meet in the lobby of the Montecito Inn for a welcome drink. This time they were ready and offered a non-alcoholic option. Last time, we had to call in a special request and it seemed kind of out of their way to specially make this drink. They also had mocktails available for dinner which I think shows how progressive the industry is becoming. One complaint I had about my first visit was how over the top and "car salesman-y" the dish presentations were. I was glad they shuffled some people around and now the descriptions are still fun and energetic but toned downed and shortened a lot. We also had new chefs this time and the one that served us was great and struck a good balance between letting us converse but also interjecting with questions and comments.The meal was overall very good. I love all types of sushi so I am happy if I am served very traditional pieces or super fusion-y nigiri. I think if you are a purist, you might be turned off by the different accompaniments to the fish. But that's the thing, I think this is what works in SB an what people think of when they think of expensive sushi places (you can blame Arigato, Sakana, etc for that). I don't think there was a single bad bite except with one piece I experienced a really strong bitter flavor. I am not sure if it was the powder they topped it with or because I had a sip of my shiso lemonade before the bite and it interacted poorly with an ingredient.The meal lasted over two hours which is both surprising and not. 17 bites sounds like a lot but each piece of nigiri is tiny. I didn't leave hungry but I certainly wasn't stuffed. I could have probably eaten the entire menu again. The pacing was pretty good too. Some periods between bites kind of went long but never terribly so.What left me with a really bad taste in my mouth was how they chose to handle their price increase. My friend made our reservations almost 20 days before our meal. On Tock they announced they would raise the price of the meal 18% on March 1st. Our meal was exactly on that day. You would think they would charge the new price for reservations moving forward, not ones that were made pre-announcement, nearly three weeks prior. But no, they charged all of us an additional 18%. We emailed them before the meal, but they didn't make any adjustments. They also had just one seating that night (the late seating was canceled or people just didn't book it). So they could have easily done the right thing and honored the original price. It would have affected ten seats?It's hard to say if the experience was worth it at the original price of $140 but it's an even harder pill to swallow at the new price. I enjoyed by food but I am not sure if this is a place you visit yearly or even every 3 years. Or not at all? With Yochi's and Ama in town offering omakase/kaiseki there's stiff competition at a lower price point. If you just love rolls and nigiri and like the interesting flavor combinations, you can eat a lot of it by going to Arigato and spending less money.
Be the first to ReplyThe sushi here was amazing.
Every single piece was made to perfection and I enjoyed every bite. Besides the spectacular food, what makes this place one of the best is the service and ambiance provided by the staff. Every one of the chefs and the bartender made this experience fun and worthwhile. Not only were they amazing chefs but they were personable and descriptive. I will definitely be coming back again when I visit Santa Barbara.
Be the first to ReplyMy first Michelin star experience!! My partner reserved
My first Michelin star experience!! My partner reserved seats for our anniversary through their website. You were required to deposit $25 per person that gets reduced at the end during check out.Sushi by Scratch is a part of the Montecito hotel, but across entrance of the hotel lobby. When you enter, there is someone in front that does valet for your car. It is recommended to get to the restaurant 15-30 minutes before your reservation. A worker welcomes you into the hotel lobby across the bar and presents you with a small story and cocktail. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, your choice! I opted for the alcoholic drink, which was ginger, lime, sake, and whiskey and it was so interesting! I tried my partners non-alcoholic cocktail, which was similar but the alcohol was replaced with honey. Once everyone trickles into the hotel lobby, the worker brings us into the sushi bar! We started our 16 course meal, and ended with one dessert. Each piece was fresh and curated interestingly, but packed with a bunch of ingredients. There were so many ingredients on each piece, I can't recall anything LOL. The ones that definitely stood out to me was the Spot Prawn, Kanpachi, Shima Aji, , and the King Salmon. Best presentation goes to the unagi piece.. this had bone marrow juice melted on top, which looked so cool!! Drooling just thinking about it... One of the details I liked about this sushi bar was that the menu/fish was displayed on the wall, so we can keep track of what we were eating. I always forget what I eat, and it's always great to have a menu to see what we're eating! Overall, this is a more modern approach to omakase, but still delicious!
Be the first to ReplyI enjoyed every moment of my experience and the sushi was
I enjoyed every moment of my experience and the sushi was "beyond"! Every single bite had me doing a little happy dance - amazing flavor profiles. Chef Ricardo, Chef Ryan and Chef Ryan and bartender Jamie prepared our eating & drinking "experience" with the utmost care and attention. The atmosphere was relaxed and approachable, which is something that appealed to me - not stuffy or intimidating - just relaxed, delicious and fun. I personally enjoy engaging with the people who serve me, and I found everyone to be very friendly and accommodating. And let's not forget the sake pairings - coming from someone who is not typically a sake fan - they were delish!Overall - thank you Sushi by Scratch for giving me a memorable evening with delicious food and kind, attentive associates! Bravo!!
Be the first to ReplySushi by Scratch is an innovative, decidedly untraditional
Sushi by Scratch is an innovative, decidedly untraditional sushi restaurant. Matt B. and I went for a late dinner the night after Christmas and had an absolutely wonderful time.We booked our 9:30 Monday night seating almost two weeks in advance. The place is small and popular, one of only two restaurants in Santa Barbara with a Michelin star, so plan ahead if you want to visit. Reservations are through Tock and require a deposit of $25 a person, which gets applied against your check. The meal itself will cost you $145 a person plus alcohol and a nondiscretionary 20% service fee with no additional tip line, a model I always appreciate.Dinner takes about two hours, and it's a delightful experience. We were told we could arrive up to a half hour in advance and enjoy a welcome cocktail in the lobby of the Montecito Inn. This served as a pleasant waiting area for the restaurant, which is a tiny space on the hotel grounds, across the valet stand from the lobby. We were greeted with a fragrant, refreshing cocktail of Japanese whiskey with yuzu and sake, then led to the restaurant when it was time to for the show to begin.The sushi bar was lively and intimate, with ten seats arranged along a counter, behind which three guys named either Brian, Ryan, and Brian or Ryan, Brian, and Ryan prepared our dinner. A fourth guy named Jaime served as host and bartender, and everyone was super friendly and energetic.The food was all omakase, sixteen pieces of sushi with optional add-ons at the end of the night, plus one dessert course. The main decision we had to make was what to drink with our food, and Jaime strongly suggested the beverage pairing, a combination of sake, wine, beer, and cocktails for $110 apiece. This was fun. We got a junmai sake, a creamy dry nigori, an Alsatian white wine, a Japanese-style lager from Goleta, and three cocktails: the Bee's Japanese with smoked honey, yuzu, and Japanese gin; a drink with pomegranate juice, Japanese whiskey, and Portuguese port; and warm sake and matcha tea steeped with umeshu. The pours were so teeny tiny, though, that the pairing ended up feeling like a rip-off. I liked trying different beverages throughout the night, but the total amount of alcohol was about two full drinks. I don't regret doing the pairing, but I'd probably skip it in the future and just order a bottle of sake.The sushi was fantastic, each bite a thoughtful, delicious little creation that highlighted the main ingredient with interesting combinations of supporting flavors. First, there was a neat little tessin hand roll, made with the tail cut of bluefin tuna, ponzu, matcha salt, lemon, and wasabi, with ikura, avocado, and scallion on top. Then, hamachi with sweet corn pudding, sourdough crumbs, and wasabi. Buttery otoro came with pineapple brรปlรฉed with brown sugar, as well as a brushing of house soy and wasabi. The scallop with yuzu kosho, poblano peppers, and ponzu was phenomenal. The madai was simple and elegant, finished with sesame chile, ponzu, and scallions.I loved the prawn and the shima aji, which played with the flavors of al pastor and aguachile: the Canadian spot prawn was torched and served with pickled pineapple and ponzu, the shima aji with pickled red onion, lime, and jalapeรฑo kosho. Ora king salmon was meltingly good, with lemon juice, ponzu, matcha salt, and kizami, or pickled wasabi stem. Albacore was dry aged in nori and garlic then topped with crispy onions and ponzu. Kanpachi came with tamarind chile jam, garlic chip, and ponzu. Akami was dry aged and served with soy, salt, wasabi, and a bit of caviar.Matt doesn't eat uni, so I got a double portion of the beautiful Santa Barbara uni with lemon juice, wasabi, and nori. Team Brian/Ryan noticed and gave Matt a nigiri with nori and caviar on the house, which was really nice. Escolar got a hit from the blowtorch and a topping of house-cured ikura and wasabi.The omakase ended with three meatier bites, starting with lightly torched A5 Hida wagyu draped over rice, with pickled white asparagus and chive on top. Then a glistening glob of bone marrow with soy, salt, and kizami. Finally, there was unagi with soy, ponzu, matcha salt, Bali salt, and poblano kosho, as well as a coat of that bone marrow melted on top.This was plenty of food, but we decided to keep it going, letting the chefs try out a couple of newer nigiri instead of revisiting favorite pieces. There was salmon with chili, ponzu, fried onion, yuzu zest, and pickled serrano, then kanpachi with jalapeรฑo, ponzu, serrano powder, jalapeรฑo relish, Bali salt, and lemon juice and zest. Dinner ended with a nigiri-sized dessert of makrut lime ice cream with sesame shortbread cookie, and coconut in a white chocolate shell.Sushi by Scratch feels like a special occasion place, but I'll be tempted to go whenever we're in town and have someone else to watch our kids. It's an extraordinary spot with excellent food and a zestful energy, and I can't wait for our next visit.
Be the first to ReplyMy husband and i got a last minute reservation and we were
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!
Be the first to ReplyWonderful experience! Extremely fresh fish with well
Wonderful experience! Extremely fresh fish with well prepared sushi by excellent chefs. The 16 courses plus dessert was perfect amount for us, will definitely go back again.
Be the first to ReplyLet me first start off by saying I am not a novice omakase
Let me first start off by saying I am not a novice omakase go-er i basically go to one every month in different states because i travel for work. I've been to other Michelin star'd omakase and this seemed kind of mediocre to the award. Me and my bf went to the Santa Barbara location for a NYE dinner and he was extremely upset about our seating (there are 2 seats to the right side that basically face the chefs backs) so there's that to look out for. And on that note they weren't as attentive to us like the others. The lighting in there really sucks and they apparently won't allow flash which wasn't stated on their tock or email. When it comes to the quality of their food, most things i thought were good but nothing was actually that special or mind blowing. No rare ingredients were used just the basic dishes and ingredients you'd find at any other omakases. Also i didn't come starving but i definitely didnt leave full, me and my bf were already planning what to eat after half way in.What i thought was cool though was that they put the courses on the board and put the price for a la carte.Its unfortunate I can't give a better review because this is apparently the best in the area and I was doing hard research for a special Nye dinner.
Be the first to ReplyGreat -7 course meal with excellent drink pairings and
Great -7 course meal with excellent drink pairings and service you would expect from a Michelin restaurant.
Be the first to ReplyThis wasn't my first omakase experience and the first one I
This wasn't my first omakase experience and the first one I had was absolutely amazing. With that plus seeing the price per person, I had extremely high expectations. Let me tell you, Sushi by Scratch surpassed them. Oh my goodness. I'm actually speechless just thinking about an accurate way to describe this restaurant.The description when you reserve advises you to come 15-20 minutes early. We arrived around 4:55 and it wasn't until 5 pm that we were greeted with the complimentary drink. So don't bother coming so early. There's complimentary valet parking and we wait in the hotel lobby, across from the restaurant.First of all, it's very intimate. They only allow 10 people in total to seat and we're all located at the sushi bar. Up close and personal with the chefs. They write your name where you sit so it's quite nice and welcoming when the chefs and bartender address you by your name. The menu of fish they serve is posted on the wall so you don't lose track. The chefs get to know you and the other guests. Because it's only 10 people, even you get to know each other.You eat with your hands here. No chopsticks! Which is actually how they do it in Japan. They provide a nice hot towel before serving so you can clean your hands.Okay now the good stuff... this was probably the best omakase, let alone sushi experience, I have ever had. The rice was the perfect texture. Each fish melts in your mouth. The flavors added, for example: cherry blossom salt (yes I was shocked too), roasted matcha salt, house soy, lemon, sweet corn, and so forth. Flavors and toppings you would've never thought of. We were served unagi coated with the oils of bone marrow. BONE MARROW. Truth be told I teared after almost every bite because it was delicious. Happy tears. I ordered a cocktail. I don't remember the name of it but it was the first one listed with yuzu. 10/10 recommend. So delicious! The bartender, Jaime, is what the chef described as a "whiskey nerd", so if you like whiskey, he can compare their Japanese whiskey to one of your faves. It comes with 17 servings and we got lucky. Our 17th one was a choice of either choosing one of the 16 fishes we had OR A5 wagyu. You best believe we got the wagyu and you best believe it tasted just as amazing as everything else.The dessert which is supposed to be 17th, but 18th dish for us was an ice cream that I wish we had more of. I forgot the description but it was also the best mini treat I've had. The dinner was concluded with a matcha beverage mixed with whatever lovely ingredients the bartender mentioned with some Japanese sake.My oh my if you're still here, stop wasting your time thinking and go for it. I was already looking for the next reservation and we still haven't left the restaurant. It's extremely pricey but well worth it. You're paying for excellent food and service. There's really no place like this. I really do believe the closest sushi experience I'll get to this is visiting Japan itself.Side note: the complimentary welcome and farewell drinks are alcoholic but they do offer non alcoholic options, as well as mocktails. They do it all!
Be the first to ReplyShort and simple review.
Amazing Sushi experience. Expensive but well worth it. We chose the pairing the menu offered for cocktails.
Be the first to ReplyWe booked a month out to get in and boy was it worth the
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).
Be the first to ReplyDrove up from LA for this amazing experience! Easily the
Drove up from LA for this amazing experience! Easily the best sushi we've ever had (leaps and bounds better than any we've had in Japan even). Wonderful ambience, great atmosphere, excellent service...can't wait to go back!
Be the first to ReplyTruly innovative sushi is hard to find, but you'll find it
Truly innovative sushi is hard to find, but you'll find it here along with a totally unique experience shared among the ten or so diners who get to indulge in this show of amazing technique and manipulation of flavors. ย The service is incredibly entertaining from the moment you're served a little aperitif over in the Montecito Inn to the minute you leave. ย We actually got in for the 9:30pm seating which is the last of the night and I actually highly recommend it as it becomes the most relaxed finish - Chef was very happy to hang out and continue making additional rolls on request, and the incredible selection of Japanese whiskey is just waiting there to be sampled. ย We chose the house pairing to go with the meal which flowed between sake, wine and beer depending on the course - it was all excellent. ย To find a Michelin restaurant with such a fun and flowing atmosphere is quite unique in itself, it's absolutely worth seeking out.
Be the first to ReplyBelieve the hype! Expensive yes, but well worth it! Top 3
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.
Be the first to ReplyI would say this battles for the best dining experience
I would say this battles for the best dining experience I've had in my life. My date and I came from a few drinks at the Miramar, waited in the cozy Montecito Inn lobby where we were able to meet some of the other diners who were all as excited as we were. Initially greeted with a welcome cocktail consisting of some whiskey/sake concoction, it went down smooth and made the wait for our 7pm seating fly by. Once inside the setting was very cozy and intimate, we both splurged for their sake pairing and I did also sample a pour of some nicer Japanese whiskey. We were able to converse with the very friendly crew, who were eager to explain every plate as it was being prepared. Each dish paired perfectly with the sake selections and all 16 sushi pieces had my date and I looking at each other with wide eyes. With the option to revisit some favorites a la carte at the end, we simply couldn't resist diving back in to savor our individual top picks to enjoy one last time. Don't walk, run here. Worth every penny.
Be the first to ReplyHonestly can't imagine a situation where this restaurant
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!
Be the first to ReplyMy boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try since
My boyfriend and I decided to give this place a try since we heard it has one Michelin star. Reservation is $25 deposit per person and the omakase is $145 which consists of 17 courses including dessert.We arrived on time even though it is recommended to arrive 15 minutes ahead of time. We still end up having to wait for about 10 minutes in the lobby of the Montecito Inn. The hostess asked us if we wanted drinks while we were waiting.There were no chopsticks. Everyone ate their food with their hands and there was a hot towel to clean your hands. The food was delicious except the rice was a bit mushy. Fish was high quality and fresh. I didn't drink, but everyone else were drinking. As someone here has mentioned, I also felt that their goal was to get people drunk. In the end, the chef asked if anyone wants to try the wagyu or any of the previous nigiris again. Overall, the service was great but expect to pay about $200 per person.
Be the first to ReplyMy partner and I ate at this restaurant a few months ago
My partner and I ate at this restaurant a few months ago and were disappointed. While the food was okay, the service was very poor, and members of the staff shouted the drinks options to patrons. Additionally, the chef made some very crude remarks. It did not feel like a Montecito experience and rather something rough-and-tumble in Los Angeles. Based on my experience and the high price tag ($500 for two people), I would not recommend it.
Be the first to ReplyCongrats on the Michelin Star We enjoyed the 17 courses
Congrats on the Michelin Star We enjoyed the 17 courses with drinks pairing ! Cozy welcoming atmosphere and fresh tasty nigiri ! We loved our experience and hope to come back on our next road trip up Santa Barbara! Apologize for the dim pictures
Be the first to ReplyWe went here to celebrate my birthday and we're amazed!
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!
Be the first to Reply