Akira

Rolls and appetizer were “OK”. Server was pleasant, but service was off with rolls showing up well before the appetizers and check getting swapped with another party. Unsettling ambiance - a bit on the louder side with hockey game playing on the TVs behind the sushi bar accentuating the early evening draft coming in from entrance doors propped open to allow customers lined up at the door to peer over your meal as they wait for your table.

Sushi pieces are a bit larger than I prefer, but quality and taste is very good. Service is also decent. I have been to their Aptos place a few times and wanted to get their help for a catering event, so I called on two different occasions and spoke with someone in the restaurant, left my information and explained what catering options I needed, and the person I spoke with both times assured me that someone would call back to discuss the options. Well no one called me back. I really wanted their food for my event so I stopped by the restaurant, spoke with someone who said they were the manager and again left my information to be called back, didn't happen. I still visit the place for good food though.

Pretty terrible experience here. Our server was slow and unattentive. He also delivered our cups and plates with his fingers inside and all over everything. Our dishes would sit on the counter by the sushi chefs for up to 5 minutes before he noticed and delivered them. The other wait person would notice but she would not help and deliver his tables. You guys really need to work together. They were not busy by the way. The sushi chefs worked fast and put out a good product but the servers ruined the experience. The music was loud and terrible. Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne and Guns and Roses was blaring the whole time. 🤮 The "happy hour" does not include any sushi or sashimi but the Sapporo beer was nice and cold. The Dark Side roll and Poke Nachos were decent. I would not suggest this place, you can find much better authentic sushi places in Capitola and Santa Cruz.

What a nice gem we found on our way south to Pacific Grove. We were hungry and ordered way too much. Our child ordered the kid’s bento box with skirt steak, generous portions. Our child really liked the miso soup, vegetable tempura, gyoza, and rice. The steak was too charbroiled for his liking. For starters, we got the karaage which was okay, interesting sweet, sour, and spicy sauce it was served with. Also, we ordered the edamame and cucumber sunomono which were both good and light. We ordered the namesake fries which were okay but probably could have done without. We ordered 3 rolls and uni. The uni was delicious! The rolls were also very good—ebi tempura roll, stormtrooper crisp, and veggie dragon. We would definitely return on future trips.

We came here back because liked the food first time. Good sashimi, a nice variety of rolls, very tasty dragon rolls. I really like the place but I saw something: they make rice in huge tanks, and then transfer it to smaller jars and while it's still hot, cover it with plastic wrap... common! Can you use met or glass lid? Other than that, a good place. Recommended. Oh, and they have plum wine, I remember.