Kumi Ko

Kumi ko is a Japanese restaurant in San Luis Obispo across from the Damon Garcia sports field. I ordered the spicy ramen bowl and the broth had a slow-building heat with good flavor. We came for my brother’s birthday and the staff actually made it feel like a celebration. They brought a complimentary dessert with a sparkler candle and the whole place joined in to sing. The service moved quickly without feeling rushed, and everyone was attentive without hovering. The food felt thoughtfully made and the atmosphere worked just as well for a special occasion as it would for a simple dinner. It stands out as some of the best Japanese food and sushi in SLO.

Had lunch at Kumi Ko in SLO and it was a great experience! We ordered several rolls, an entree, salad, and some sashimi—and everything was fresh and flavorful. The rolls were well-made and didn’t skimp on the fish, and the sashimi was clean and nicely cut. The lunch portions were generous, especially for the price. Service was friendly and quick, and the vibe was casual and relaxed—perfect for a midday meal. Definitely a solid lunch spot if you’re in the mood for Japanese food!

Kumi ko is any typically sushi restaurant but there are a few reasons it's my go to first off the fish is very fresh and very tasty, secondly there is not a single item on their menu that I have heard to be "bad" or had any bad experience with. Additionally there deserts are delicious and they also provide these delicious coffe candies with your bill and the waiters are typically very nice. Would recommend out of all sushi places.

Awesome food, friendly and attentive service, clean environment. Easy parking. Fresh sushi.

I expected Japanese ramen in a Japanese restaurant, but I got Korean ramen, which was instant noodles. I think they even made it directly from Shin Ramen, because they tasted the same. Udon noodles are too soft, and soup is flavorless.

nice place to go for sushi, i haven’t tried anything else yet

Grabbed some lunch on a Saturday afternoon, no wait time and not too busy so it was nice. Waiter and food was very quick! Ordered some edamame, shogun roll, baby lobster roll and udon. Super delicious and would be back again if in town. I recommend for others looking to fill a craving.

The bento box lunch special was a great deal, and the spicy pork was hot but the spice didn't overpower the other flavors! I liked the salad and the crunchy roll as well. Again, excellent balance of food in the bento box lunch special!

We stopped here on our way home after a weekend in Pismo, and it was such a nice, quiet lunch vibe. The place is cute, clean, and relaxing, perfect for a casual meal. The service was welcoming and friendly, and we even got complimentary miso soup--yum! For starters, we ordered the seaweed salad, which was a good portion for sharing and really fresh. The garlic edamame was tasty, though nothing out of the ordinary. The Shogun roll was good, but had that "classic sushi roll" taste. The real star was the Crazy Roll--a cooked roll with snapper that was absolutely amazing. We devoured the entire thing without hesitation. If I'm in the area again, I'll definitely be back!

Above average, not the best, but sets a standard. A lot of places have a small menu with a few sushi options. This place does justice for having various options with various fishes and making sushi correctly. However I also had some Beef Udon soup that wasn't too good. The noodles were meh, the beef were like tree bark, the broth was unflavored and I had to pour in a LOT of soy sauce. I can tell they put effort in but it's still far from great. The server was one dude always in a hurry, I didn't get sauces or the tea I asked for (it wasn't charged). Needs some work, won't try here again unless improved or all other options are worse

Kumi Ko Sushi in San Luis Obispo is great! The sushi is always fresh, tasty, and well-made. The staff is friendly, and the place has a nice, relaxed vibe. Definitely a solid spot if you're craving good sushi in SLO.

Go there once a week for fresh oysters. Their sushi are amazing too. The service was excellent.

The food here is so good! Everything cooked came out pipping hot and the sushi was fresh and delicious. The Kumi Ko roll is by far my favorite. The Yaki Soba is great and I definitely recommend the creamy shrimp!

Oh my gosh this place did not disappoint. The lunch special came with soooo much food and was a good price. Everything was fresh and yummy and the portions were large. Lots of seating, nice music and good customer services. I will be back!

Was recommended to try Kumi Ko while wine tasting at Baileyana. I always test a new-to-me Japanese restaurant by ordering the chirashi and this one did not disappoint. A plentiful variety of fresh sashimi, tuna, salmon, scallop, ono, tamago and even some ikura! Beautiful presentation, I got to take more than half of it home to enjoy for dinner. Just a bit annoyed to see my chirashi sitting on the counter for over 5 minutes as my husband's bento wasn't ready at the same time. Then he gets his meal first! I'll get over it and be back again!

Kumi Ko instantly had a very inviting ambiance when me and my girlfriend walked in. We both were coming to the area to explore and we decided on sushi and I'm so grateful we did. The food was a 10, the fish was very fresh and the menú had plenty of different rolls to choose from. The service was what really made it fantastic, our server was wonderful and really took care of us. I recommend this spot to anyone who's in the area, definitely worth the price.

Staff was very accommodating, neatly kept decorations without being overly done. Large party and the food came out in a timely fashion

Kumi Ko is my new favorite sushi spot in San Luis Obispo. We ordered three rolls, including two from the specials menu, which came with a miso soup and salad--making it a great value for the price. Each roll averaged around $20, a bit pricier than other local spots, but the quality and presentation made it well worth it. The fish was fresh, and the presentation of each roll elevated the experience. The miso soup was warm and comforting, while the salad with a ginger dressing offered a refreshing start to the meal. If you're looking for high-quality sushi in SLO and don't mind paying a bit more, Kumi Ko is well worth the visit.

Wow! We were told how great Kumi Ko was, and they exceeded all of our expectations! The food was fresh and flavorful, and the only thing better than the food was the service!!! The weather was perfect so we decided to sit outside and our waiter was attentive, thoughtful, funny, and left handed (I'm biased lol) and he made our experience that much better! I would be amiss if I didn't mention we had a second waiter who was equally delightful! Hats off to Kumi Ko! We will be back...soon!!!

We love this place. When we think about where the best place to go for sushi in San Luis Obispo. It is this restaurant. The fish is always top-quality. We are always welcomed when we come in the door. The restaurant is always very clean. The lunch specials are the way to go if you're trying to save money.

Best sushi in SLO--hands down. The sushi is delicious and authentic, the service is always great, and the place stays busy for good reason. They're also super accommodating with our young kids, which we really appreciate. Bonus: parking is easy (which is saying a lot for SLO). It's a bit out of the way for us, but totally worth the trip whenever we're craving sushi.

Food: decent sushi for slo, definitely not the best though. Decent prices as well Service: polite and quick! Ambiance: clean, lots of seating, calm and quiet but good music too

Great atmosphere, food and service. Portions and price are well balanced. Food was flavorful.

Visiting SLO stopped here based on reviews plus I was craving sushi. Did not disappoint! When you walk in it smells very clean, nice light atmosphere. Service was impeccable. The young gentleman that took care of me was very young, but polite, attentive I was impressed! The food was delicious!

Where to begin.... Kitchen items are ok. The fried rice lacks flavor. Soft shell crab is ok as well. Sashimi and Rolls were good. I would it again if I ever come back. Service is not bad at all. Our server was attentive and pleasant. The only thing I don't like is the automatic gratuity in our bill for a party of four. I must have missed this notice. It was not on the menu or anywhere in the restaurant posted. I don't like the auto gratuity especially we were only a party of 4.

Service is friendly. The ambiance is welcoming, clean and seating is well placed in order to chat with one another. Finally, the food was promptly served and delicious. I would highly recommend this restaurant to others and will be returning.

Kalbi was good as well as the rolls. We also had the garlic edamame which was amazing. My only feedback is they were out of ginger and wasabi.

we always enjoy Kumi Ko. The kids, as well as the adults, always look forward to eating there. Food and service are excellent .

Jose is amazing! Love this place. Fantastic quality of fish, beautiful rolls and especially love the Korean spicy sashimi bowl, which is comically large and insanely fresh!

The wait staff 10/10 so kind and on top of everything! Food 8/10 I didn't care much for my Salmon Nigiri the salmon seemed warm and my Tiger Roll was yummy just a little sweet? Idk. Nice atmosphere. I'd for sure go again!

This place has great sushi and friendly staff. I really enjoyed the garlic chip spicy tuna roll special and it was fair priced with the soup and salad. The teriyaki dishes there are also super good! Vibe was great, we love sitting at the bar while watching a sports game.

Kumi ko has wonderful food and really nice wait staff they are always so kind. It's hidden away in the corner of Vons shopping center but if you haven't found it do so.

This is the second fail in as many visits...almost as if every decent eatery has turned in on itself. First, let me clearly state that the service is A-Number One...always has been. The college students working there are the best (wish I could get one or two of them for my business). Last night was a peculiar combination of managerial carelessness or ignorance and total lack of care on the part of the cook staff. The cook staff was either shoveling stuff out the door under pressure, or just didn't give a damn. True, the place was busier than usual of a Sunday night, but thats no excuse. Some of my dinner seems to have been cooked ahead, like fast food, some of the side dishes may have been leftover from lunchtime, and were it not for the server, one of my dishes would have never arrived, and ended up being fresh-cooked. This is certainly the second to absolute last chance, and if the owner or management wants to discuss my review, I'm more than willing. I have worked at a couple of high-end Japanese restaurants in ages past, so I actually know what I'm talking about. Call me.

weak on the sushi rice, lots of imitation crab, too much heat with jalapeño, not the best combo of flavors for their rolls such as seared tuna -- could be done better. super summer, crunch red fox, need balance. guess people in the area like it

Idk expensive but really good, and you get what you pay for, delicious fresh quality food. I've been here with multiple parties and nobody has ever been disappointed with their food taste or quality. They have a great lunch special as well. Will continue to come back ! Service is attentive and prompt. Ambiance is great as well, and restaurant is in good location for those on the edge of town.

The sushi here never fails to be flawless and the other items I've ordered (fried rice, edamame, etc) have been equally great. Very extensive menu and quick delivery every time I've ordered!

Craving sushi on our way back home from our weekend central coast trip and found ourselves here. Quickly seated and ordered the crazy red fox roll, Hawaiian roll, and gyoza to share. Was too excited to eat and didn't snap pictures of the full rolls, but that speaks to how delicious the sushi was. Very fresh and tasty! Will definitely be back the next time I'm in the area!

First time here. Service was great and the food was excellent! My wife and I had the shrimp tempura roll and a California roll. Will definitely be back. Saw the table next to us ordered the teriyaki chicken. It was sizzling and had a ton of chicken on the plate! Can't wait to try that!

Food was great and excellent! But $14 per sushi (yellowtail) and $22 to a rainbow roll is outrageous prices. If I hit the lotto I will be back, but for now I won't.

Amazing food! If you are looking for the best sushi in town then this is the place to go! Friendly staff and very attentive, ask for Cinthia if you go! She's great and her serving experience shows for it!

Met up with a friend on a cloudy day at Kumiko for a celebratory lunch. It is never too crowded at 1pm, and the service is great. They never seem too crowded, as a lot of their business seems to be Take-Out. We got a nice table for four in the back of the dining room (I love to make reservations) and settled in. I homed in on the Bento box for my Mom, who loves variety, and my friend also chose one. Mom got the Teriyaki Beef, my pal got the Butter Chicken. I got my favorite Lobster Roll and we were good to go. We all really enjoyed the miso soup, which comes first, and it was a great warm up on a cold day. My Lobster Roll arrived first, so we each sampled that. It was the perfect foil for the crisp glass of Tangnet Sauvignon Blanc I ordered. Then the colorful and generous Bento boxes were served, with a bit of all that is great in Japanese cuisine. We chatted and updated our lives and doings while dining on refreshing fresh food. Mom got a huge scoop of ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce for desert as the end to a fun meal!

Kumi Ko is my frienemy. They're so redonkulously expensive for what they offer - but their food definitely doesn't suck. And since they're right by the ONLY EV fast-charging station in SLO, I'm stuck with them. Every time I'm stuck charging my car, I end up in Kumi Ko, wolfing down their food, loving it, but hating myself a little for paying so much money. They're good. But they're not THOSE prices good. I mean, $19 for 2 pieces of uni? $18 for a couple of oysters? $13 for a couple of pieces of mackerel? Who even likes mackerel for sushi? Okay, I guess some people do but I've never met those people. But again, they don't suck. Their fish is almost always very fresh and well-prepared. I don't leave feeling sickened with myself for paying too much for bad food, but I do leave feeling a little sickened with myself for paying too much for food I can mostly make at home for a fraction of the price. So, yeah, it's an unhealthy, maybe even toxic relationship. They take, take, take, and I eat, eat, eat. If they could just slow down on the constant upping of prices so that they're more in line w/ other sushi joints of equal quality, that would be great. But I need to stop hoping they'll change. They won't. I need to accept that I'm the co-dependent in this relationship.

Our server was very sweet. Food was okay, not great. The terriyaki chicken and miso soup lacked flavor, but we liked the volcano roll. My partner and I both left with a stomach ache, not sure if that came from this spot or not.

Loved my lunch here! I have been here 4 times and looks like I will be here even more. It is a very clean restaurant with very well trained staff. The sushi chefs are serious and work in complete silence, and you know the food is going to be good. I had the Unagi bowl for lunch, it's sweet, tender, melts in your mouth like fine chocolate. I also had their sushi and sashimi salad in the past, both are very good!

Kumiko is located in the Marigold Shopping Center, southeast of downtown SLO. The restaurant offers many types of sushi rolls with fresh ingredients, as well as Japanese appetizers and tapas, and a small sampling of entrees such as teriyaki, cutlets and tempura offerings. There is nice sushi bar seating as well as many tables and a few booths. They offer very good quality food in a quiet & relaxing atmosphere. In the past, a complimentary bowl of edamame was delivered upon being seated. However on our last couple of visits they just handed us menus and returned much later to take our order. Although the service can be slow, the food is delicious.

The worst sushi I have had in a long time. Came in on a weekday during lunch. Ordered the rainbow crunch roll and what a disappointment. The fish on top mostly consisted of shrimp, and the little bit of fish that was on there was not fresh and sliced so terribly thin. Definitely not worth the $22. Service was just as bad and I can't even blame it on a lunch rush. Once brought my food, I was never checked on, asked if I would like a to-go box for the rest of the roll that didn't get eaten (over half, and no I wouldn't have wanted to take it home anyways), or brought a check. I waited and waited all while I see everyone else being helped, drinks refilled etc. Poor service and terrible sushi, how in the heck is this place 4/5 stars?

Love coming here! Great food and service. Staff is always friendly and the hand rolls are packed with fish! The yellowtail hand roll is the best! Definitely becoming a regular here! Thank you Kumi ko!

I got tired of waiting to be seated even though seats were available. They also could have cleaned up the dirty table, the time I came in from the time I walked out.....They didn't clear or cleaned the table!! I ended up at Arrigato's. and highly recommend

We arrived yesterday for a Valentine's Day lunch at around 2:45pm for their Bento Box Lunch Special and was politely waved away then shown 5 fingers to state they re-open at 5pm. Restaurand Host finally opened the door and told me restaurant closed at 2:30pm. I mentioned the Website states they are open for lunch M-Sat 11am-4pm. "On Google website?". "No, on your own website". He said he'll let the manager know. I just checked and their website lunch hours haven't been changed at all. Our Valentine's Day was completely ruined due to the misinformation.

While the food wasn't bad , it really didn't stand out and for the price and high reviews on here we really expected something yummy. We did notice most of the tables did not order sushi/ nigiri and stuck with cooked dishes and fried rolls. Maybe those are better tasting than the sushi. Service was great though! Both the hostess and our server were attentive and had no problems splitting our check up.

OMG - it was just DELISH! The Sashimi Salad was so fresh and with plentiful portions. It was probably THE most tender fish we've ever had! We went for lunch, and the staff were very pleasant and timely. The salad was HUGE with layers & layers of ingredients. We probably could have shared it for $17.95. I kept digging in & in and finding more & more cubes of tasty salmon, tuna & albacore all the way to the bottom. Yum! Our son had the Udon Noodles, which were also top notch. Hot & steaming soup with a ton of fresh ingredients - had to take the leftovers home on that. We also has a very nice glass of local sparkling rose to accompany our meal. We are definitely going to make Kumi Ko a weekly meal. Cheers!

The sushi is amazing and very reasonably priced compared to any other restaurant right now. Fresh, friendly service, and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend it!

Really beautiful cozy spot in SLO town. Upscale service by my waitress and great food prepared by the chef with a beautiful artistic presentation. I couldn't have asked for more. Even though they were very busy with to go orders they were on top of making sure the guests were being taken care of. Their brown rice green tea was amazing. Great quality fish and a full belly made me want to come back again!

Great experience at Kumi Ko! The waiter was super friendly and made a bunch of recommendations. We ended up getting the teriyaki salmon which was sooo soft it was pillowy, tonkatsu was crispy and sauce was good. The roll is long btw I was not expecting that much of the red fox roll. But it was very tasty, it tasted very fresh good amount of spicy mayo! We also got the crunch roll not pictured, it was just okay, not much crunch to it, just seemed like a spicy crab roll. Overall, great experience!

I often come here because it's right by my house. Nothing in the US will compare to the sushi I've eaten when I lived in Japan. It's all whitewashed here. But I enjoy eating at Kumi Ko's. They have everything to sashimi, and domburi's, and honestly it's not that bad. The price is reasonable. I don't have anything bad to say about this place. If you want decent sushi and live nearby then this is the spot.

We just had lunch there, ordering 7 different dishes. The food was five star quality. The most delightful seemed to be the bento box and udon with tempura. I had a salmon roll that was generous, fresh, and met my taste for the proportion of fish to rice. The food also came out quickly enough, but the place was not very busy. I am taking off a star because our server was inattentive, spending more time than expected somewhere out of sight. It was a warm afternoon in SLO, and had to ask for ice-water three times. I got my hot tea quickly enough, but did not get any water until just before my food arrived. Also, I asked for the mussels appetizer and a salmon-skin salad. Most of my companions were happily sampling their soups and other starters, but I got nothing. My dishes both came out with the main courses. I admit to feeling peevish at being hungry when my companions are already dining. Parking was plentiful and access was easy. Bottom line - service matters to me, and Kumi Ko needs higher standards.

In all honesty this is the best sushi place in San Luis Obispo. It beats goshi's and yangi's out of the park. It's delicious quality food, the staff are always friendly, and great prices. i've been coming here for years and years I can't believe it's taken me this long to write a review. If you're a slo 805 local don't miss out on this spot. It's in the marigold shopping center so it's kind of tucked away and hard to see.