Otoro Sushi

Everytime I have gone to this restaurant, it's always pretty full of people. Which in this case doesn't really bother me much because they are friendly, they are so fast that you're never left waiting, and the food is AMAZING. If you become any sort of a regular.. they BLOW your mind with knowing what you want to drink, or if you prefer the soup or salad. I love this place and prefer it over any other sushi place around!

I did not know that the lunch bento box came in such a big plate lol. Food was good, it was a little cold inside for me so bring a jacket just in case. Servers were helpful. Atmosphere was a bit noisy but bearable

Absolutely amazing, food, service everything!! Thoroughly enjoy sitting at sushi bar and talking with the chefs. Highly recommend!!!

I don’t know where to start. Sushi is really top notch in this place. They serve you actual shredded wasabi on the side (not only the colored horseradish paste). I have visited many sushi places and this is the first place doing this. Fish is perfectly cut. I visited this place twice in two days (Friday and Saturday) and tried different fish and all of them were delicious and fresh. Chefs are very kind and smiled, you can tell they love what they do :) it was great to chat with them a bit while sitting at the „bar”. Place can be crowdy, so during peak hours expect a little bit of waiting time. Yakisoba was OK :) but I have to admin - I had a better one in Tucson, AZ. I definitely recommend visiting and trying on your own! Well done guys!

My favorite sushi restaurant. Always fresh and delicious. Quick and super friendly staff. We do large family dinners and they always accommodate us. The protein roll is magnificent

So, I like this place, I think in the area it is some of the best Sushi you can grab, but consistency has been a big issue for me. Last trip the gyoza came out cold and the sushi came out warm, that is not how those foods are supposed to be served. It was not peak hours, and I just have a hard time with that level of care, or lack there of. I can't give a three because I have had five experiences here, but they can't get a five, because this isn't the first time consistency issues have happened.

Good service for only two server that was very efficiently working together to taking order and deliver the orders! We ordered a Sashimi combo, two different rolls and a bowl of hot Udon soup! Food was very quickly served to our table and they all tasted very good! Specially the Sashimi combo, all four different fishes were very fresh and delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant if you on your way to Santa Cruz or Scott Valley area. You would not be disappointed!

Came in during lunch hour on a Friday and was seated right away. Very pleasant and clean indoor seating areas. The sushi quality was excellent and the price point is great! They have some creative rolls as well as the classics. Very pleased with everything and will definitely be coming back!

Great Friday night dinner! Food always the best! And special attention to my sweet granddaughter...very sweet!

With most restaurants skimping on portions these days, Otoro stands out with food that is both generous in portion and flavor! Rolls were both fresh and delicious. Chicken teriyaki was juicy and accompany miso soup was some of the best I have ever tasted! Plenty of indoor seating with friendly service.

Hidden gem in Scotts Valley! Tucked away in a plaza full of fast food, this spot totally surprised me. The sushi here is so good -- the fish was super fresh, rich, and fatty in the best way. Every roll we tried had great flavor and balance. Definitely an unassuming little place that delivers way beyond expectations. Highly recommend if you're in the area!

Very good at Otoro! I always love the miso soup and salad. The katsu was very good, the salmon roll was also good. The gyoza was par for the course and everyone had a nice time. The ambiance here is higher than most restaurants!

Decent sushi for this part of Santa Cruz, but a little less good than expected given the high reviews. Ambiance was nice and service was superb though, but some of the sashimi was not as fresh as I had wanted. Their miso soup stood out - quite above average for the Bay.

What a deal! Generous, delicious portions. We were a party of 18 and we're seated and served super quickly. They even offered to split up the checks!

Otoro Sushi's restaurant design has an expansive open dining area with an airy, inviting interior. The service was quick, friendly and efficient. Their offerings are generally mainstream sushi/rolls, noodles & tempura. The sushi rolls we ordered were of high quality and were attractively plated. Our meal arrived within a very short time after ordering, even though it was during the busy lunch hour. One suggestion would be to not use such a thick batter on the Lobster Tempura and Chicken Karaage. The batter should be thin, allowing for a light, airy, and crispy texture. Overall, Otoro Sushi is quite inviting with its appealing atmosphere, excellent service, and quality offerings.

OK so the last review I did on Otoro's was in 2021 and I can say they STILL ARE THE BEST sushi bar not only in Santa Cruz County but Northern California. Where else in the County can you get fresh Mirugai, Aji, Ankimo and Ama Ebi! You would have to drive over the hill or head to Aka Oni's in Carmel. My first review was in 2015 and O'Toro's has gotten BETTER over the last 10 years! Yelp needs to add a sixth star. My honey and I do sushi and a movie most Friday nights and we always seem to be able to get an EXCELLENT dinner and make our show. I hope this review does not end that winning streak haha!!

Tucked away in the redwood town of Scott's Valley near Santa Cruz is a sleepy little Japanese restaurant serving up excellent sushi and other delights. The ratings and reviews don't lie! Otoro is located in a strip mall and so unassuming. Yet, you step inside, and are greeted by wonderfully friendly people and the interior is fresh, clean and orderly. They know what they are doing here for sure as the table we were guided to was already clean and set for dining. No waiting around here. The restaurant filled up to capacity in an instant after we arrived. I thought my fans were following me, but alas, no, they were here for Otoro Sushi... The menu is extensive with lots of sushi offerings, and they all looked beautiful. We like bento box dinners, and theirs was exceptional. You get the standards, miso soup, salad and two items. We added an order of Cal Rolls as our appetizer. The Cal Rolls were fresh and tight with lots of crab (real or not), and the rice/seaweed was just thick enough to hold it together without being either too thick or so thin it would fall apart when picked up with sticks. Our bentos were also spectacular with a teriyaki beef that literally melts in your mouth. The tempura for the shrimp/veggie combo was light and airy with a great flavor. We were quite happy with all of it from beginning to end. Our servers came by to check in on us throughout which was nice since the floor was completely full of patrons. Note, it was quite loud so just be prepared. But definitely go go go to Otoro.

Wow. The. Best. Sushi. We were seated quickly, approached by multiple team members to get drink orders and food orders in. Had our miso soup, beer, and first roll in less than 10 mins. The rolls were so fresh. The rice was soft and perfect. The fish pieces big and flavorful. We had miso soup, beer, and 3 rolls, normally that would fill us up to the point of exploding but they don't juts out filler rice in, it was the perfect rice to fish, to filler combo. We even had room for the dessert which we did the Japanese homemade cheesecake which was glorious. Prices were so reasonable, service so fast and friendly! The interior was medium sized and decorated for Christmas with all the employees stockings which was so cute. Wish we could do 10 stars, really the best experience all around and best sushi we've ever had!

We went to a weekend retreat at Mt. Hermon and needed lunch on the way back home so this is where we ended up. It was pretty busy on a Sunday afternoon but we were able to be seated immediately, which was nice. The menu had a nice mix of sushi rolls and cooked food. I got a 2 item bento with teriyaki salmon and teriyaki chicken, we also got a tempura udon. My bento was good- good quantity and reasonable price. The udon was so-so- lots of bean sprouts put in as filler. Overall, decent Japanese food for a place you might not expect to see it.

Suited our needs perfectly. We wanted to grab lunch before heading back to South Bay. Our picky toddler likes udon/noodles so here we are. Arrived pass noon and was seated promptly. They have a combination of booths and regular tables. Mid way through our meal 90% of the restaurant was full. We ordered veggie udon, tempura udon x1, and 3 rolls. Everything was sizable and good. Nice bathrooms in the back - stalls and clean. Although no toilet seat covers. We will come back if we are in the area.

I am sooooo happy we decided to stop here and try out one of their premium rolls. The roll itself was one of the most amazing, fresh, flavorful roll of sushi ever. We were so impressed with the Playboy Roll that we want to come back again tonight and try a different one. The service was phenomenal, we were seated quickly, waters to the table right away, and the roll came out in less than 5 minutes!! Ambiance was spot on, I love how open the dining room is and that you can see how the chefs are working. 5/5 would highly recommend this sushi restaurant in Scotts Valley!

Genuinely the best sushi experience I've ever had. We walked in and thought it would be a long time before we were seated let alone served, since the place was pretty busy. Nope. We were seated immediately, and offered drinks. We ordered a couple minutes later, and our first rolls arrived in LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. Sushi was amazing, and the waiters/waitresses were very polite and quick. 10/10 experience, I cannot recommend it more. If you're in Scotts Valley, this is the place to dine.

Came for a birthday dinner and it was surprisingly pretty good! The portions were decent and the fish tasted fresh. Only downside was that it probably had lots of sauce with salt so I was super thirsty after. Service was nice and our waitress sang happy birthday!

Amazing food and desserts!!will be definitely coming back again. Must try everything!

The best sushi outside of SF. I am a bit on the fence to write this review as Otoro is already well known and constantly full. We've tried all the sushi restaurants in the Santa Cruz area and many over the hill. Otoro sushi has constantly delivered quality above the others. The sushi is reasonably sized but, as some mentioned, not as large as other places. The fish is always cut correctly and not mangled. Their Nigiri sushi is good and their rolls are great. I lived in Japan for quite some time, so I am not expecting the same level, but they do get closer than others outside of SF. Also, Japan does not make rolls like American sushi joints, so that's where Otoro shines. Overall, we are always happy after we go there and I hope they keep it up!!!!!

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. Seating is quick. Service is fast and attentive. Food is great quality and ingredients are fresh. Portions are good for the price. Came here based on the recommendations seen from google search "best sushi in santa cruz" and the internet was spot on. This place is impressive! Highly recommend.

Rather busy on a Saturday evening, would recommend calling ahead if you don't want to wait for a table. We ordered the agedashi tofu, salmon skin hand roll, tuna belly, yellowfin belly, tarantula roll, and diablo roll. All of the dishes came out super fast, and tasted great. Would recommend ordering some of the nigiri, as it comes with a large portion of fresh wasabi that really upgrades the whole meal. Overall great experience despite how busy the restaurant was, and great service as well.

Great variety, quality, and staff! We will definitely come back here for sushi when we're in Santa Cruz. Very friendly and fast service.

I know this is unfair but driving in the parking lot and seeing all the fast food restaurants definitely made me question how good the food will be. However, I'm happy to announce that this place was a case of how you should never judge a book by its cover. Such an amazing meal right after a long day on the beach - huge selection of sushi rolls, bento boxes, nigiris, etc. All the rolls we got had great presentation on top of them being delicious. The bento boxes we got for the kids to share were a hit. They demolished it even though they're usually picky eaters. Service was great - they even provided chopstick training contraptions so one of the older kids could practice!

food is pretty good, you might be a bit overwhelmed by the million drawings, paintings, and photos all over the walls but it is a cute little spot to have sushi with your family or a lowkey sushi date with a special someone. Service was a little slow, but we still got our food and were satisfied with our meals.

I don't know what we ate but it's not sushi. It's not Japanese but different. Unique.

The sushi was outstanding and hella fresh. I will go here again and again. I ordered take out but would definitely dine in. The dining area was lively, clean and inviting. And it was pretty busy for a week night but the service was fast and the employee at the front was efficient and welcoming.

Otoro is hands down the best sushi in Santa Cruz County. Service is super quick and the staff are always so attentive and friendly. You cannot go wrong with the Baja Roll, protein roll, crispy tuna rice, and fresh sashimi. Simply mouthwatering! And for lunch, bento box portions are generous and delicious. 10/10!!!

Everything was fresh and tasted magnificent !! I highly recommend. We ordered octopus and mackerel sashimi and two rolls.

This is a super clean, spacious spot for a large group. In the heart of Scott's valley, this place has a great location and peaceful vibe. The owners are locals that are super involved in the business. Our team of servers were wonderful given the last minute drop in. They accommodated our group of 22 and served us excellently always meeting our needs. The portions were huge, and definitely more than enough. The bento box and the protein roll were too memorable meals.

Been coming here for 7 years. Not one bad experience yet. Super fast service, kind staff, air conditioning is perfect for a hot day, honestly could t ask for more. Price point, quality, and location all are perfect. Five stars easy.

First time here and I overestimated this place. The atmosphere was really nice inside. The service was pretty quick and the servers were all nice but the thing that threw me off was the sushi itself. I wouldn't come back here and I feel as if the reviews and pictures are really misleading.

Pretty random spot in Scotts Valley. The exterior was so appealing that led me very curious. We sat at the bar and was greeted by the super friendly staff. We ordered two rolls and demolished them very quickly. The fish was super fresh and the price was insanely low for the quality of the fish. It happened to be a birthday/anniversary celebration and the chef/owner got us a free dessert. The cake was great too. Strongly would recommend this place as it's quick, high quality, great service!

This sushi spot is fantastic, friendly professional staff work hard , they did not disappoint. Sushi was delicious, lobster was fresh , rice was steamed to perfection. Place was comfortable, great for groups and big families.

Residents of Scotts Valley are so lucky to have this as their local sushi joint. I drive over the hill from San Jose just to eat here. Their quality is always on point which is a big issue for me with most sushi restaurants. I always get the protein roll. Today I also got the Otoro Maki and Sashimi which as listed on the specials board. Everything was fantastic as usual.

We were passing through, decided to stopped by for lunch, and were pleasantly surprised by their sushi quality. Protein roll: our favorite. I'm not one to usually go for no rice rolls but this was surprisingly very tasty, light and refreshing. The dipping sauce in the middle was also tasty. I found myself dipping sushi pieces from the other rolls we ordered in the dipping sauce until they took the plate away lol. 5/5 Playboy roll: my second favorite. Another tasty roll. The raw fish tasted fresh and the shrimp tempura added a nice crunch. Could have used a little less sauce toppings in my opinion. They were very generous with the spicy Mayo and eel sauce. 4/5 Surf n turf roll: personal preference but I would have liked the angus beef to be more tender. When I think of a seared protein, I usually expected it to be lightly cooked. The beef was well done which is probably better for health safety concerns but it made the texture more chewy then tender. The overall flavor of this roll was slightly underwhelming compared to the other 2 rolls. 3/5 Would definitely be open to going back next time I'm in the area!

This is the best sushi restaurant I've been to in California! You absolutely have to try the protein roll and thank me later! It's worth the 45 min drive for me! No other sushi spot compares to this one

I've been visiting Otoro sushi for a well over a decade and it remains the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to in any state or any country! Everything they have is wonderful. The staff are the kindest and most professional you'll ever meet. Charles and Joanne are the owners and are some of the best people Ive met. Not only are they great business owners and wonderful parents, but they are community minded and have always supported local charities. The feelings I have about this restaurant are echoed with all my friends and family and acquaintances. It just doesn't get better than Otoro sushi! Thank you, Charles and Joanne for all the years of fantastic connection through amazing food! If you haven't tried Otoro, please do!

My new favorite sushi place EVER! We walked in at 7 pm after a Target run and was quickly seated. The spider and playboy rolls were delicious! A must for next time. The service was speedy and food came out so quickly. Whenever we finished a plate, that plate was quickly cleared. It was so good we ordered even more tuna! Total was super reasonable. Can't wait to come back.

Was I skeptical going to a sushi spot in the woods? Absolutely. Hahah. First time here today. Pretty good quality for the price you pay. Sure there are some items that are more expensive than others but even those items are generally priced less than other sushi restaurants in the bay. Service was great and the restaurant was quite busy and we still received good service. Some of the fish was definitely a little fishy but some items were really good like the Uni & ikura.

Otoro is truly an "Outstanding" sushi restaurant! Extremely clean, great service, and very high quality sushi. Every item was beautifully put together and flavors complemented each other so deliciously! You didn't need to use soy sauce on any of the rolls. We will come back very soon! Many thanks to the chefs and our kind server!

The food here is okay. I'd give it a 3.7 or 3.8 rating. I like the idea of a bento box with many different options. There are all kinds of great rolls to choose from to. Maybe I have high standards but the sashimi was okay. One of the rolls was meh. Definitely a family friendly environment and options for picky eaters. Our waiter was very friendly and nice despite it being really busy.

Another great meal at Otoro. Bento Lunch Box with chicken teriyaki and pork katsu (some already eaten) with LadyKiller sushi appetizer. Bento Box at $15 great deal and delicious.

We have been here many times. This is one of 3 japanese food restaurants at Scott Valley if I am not mistaken. It has a sushi bar. This is a pretty famous restaurant in Scott Valley and I can see many regular customers. Sometimes, the owner works at the sushi bar. This place is good for a big group. There are plenty of items in the menu, to be honest, sometimes it is not easy to decide what yo order. They have bento box on lunch menu , hand roll, sushi roll, nigiri, sashimi, and other dishes. They also have a kid's menu. Their sashimi is fresh and yummy. Every time I visit japanese restaurants, I always order tempura. The tempura is just ok here. The sushi roll is good. The bento box is ok. You can choose a couple of combinations. We have beef teriyaki and the other one spicy pork. The spicy pork is kind of like Korean spicy pork. The spucy scallop handroll is good.

As soon as I walked I was immediately able to sit down. The service was great and on point. I had 2 rolls, miso soup and unagi. All were very delicious and would recommend them. The place was small but it seemed like everyone was enjoying themselves. Definitely would recommend coming here.

Honestly better than a lot of South Bay/San Jose sushi spots. Everything we tried was great. We will definitely be back.

A true gem way up among the redwoods. The fish is always very fresh, service always very good. The proprietors and wait staff have known us for years, they provided the best food even through the pandemic. They never forget us. THIS is how a restaurant should be, this is the kind of place you want to support.

The food is fresh and delicious... the service fantastic! We mostly do take-out, but also really enjoy eating in because their booths are comfortable and have high backs, creating a cozy and comfortable experience.

The BEST sushi restaurant in our area. We have been going here for years and have always been treated well as we enjoyed amazingly fresh fish. Even when the restaurant is at its busiest - and it does get really busy, be prepared for a wait - the servers are always smiling and pleasant, taking the time to answer questions without rushing. It can get loud but that jjust shows how much people are enjoying their meal. The rolls are creative and tasty, and the bentos and other menu items are consistently good. My go-to items are the Hamachi Kama, perfectly broiled yellowtail collar so moist and juicy, and the Oishi Roll, delicious bites of fish with just enough sauce to enhance the flavor. They also have a nice selection of sakes and the standard Japanese beers and serve big mugs of genmaicha tea. A fantastic restaurant loved by locals and tourists alike!

Wow, I didn't expect to find such delicious sushi at a great value in Scott's Valley. Came here during lunch on a Friday at 11am and were immediately acknowledged by one of the servers who pointed us to sit a a booth. This set the tone for the entire meal service, which was speedy and very friendly. The ladies and the younger guy working there are delightful. I spotted their uni special on the board and of course had to add it to our order which consisted of shrimp tempura appetizer, Sushi Deluxe entree, and Sashimi Sampler entrees. -Uni: Fresh, sweet uni from Hokkaido. At $17.50 well priced. The rice was beautifully seasoned and definitely one of the best in the Bay Area. -Shrimp tempura: perfect batter to shrimp ratio. The shrimp was fresh. The accompanying sauce was very flavorful. -Free miso soup and salad: I was surprised to see that the miso soup was rather large (more of a bowl vs cup) with a generous amount of tofu. We it was also more flavorful compared to other places. The complimentary salad was also delicious and included tomato and cucumber slices which you won't find at other places. -The sushi: yes, the rice was the star. Perfectly seasoned with just-the-right sticky texture to ensure successful plate-to-mouth delivery. Most of the fish slices (with one exception) were very fresh and tasty. I highly recommend this place for the value, service and food to anyone looking to enjoy a lovely sushi meal.

One of our new favorites - everyone was very friendly, and there was a very happy, energetic vibe in the restaurant. The menu is a bit overwhelming, as there's a plethora of options here. We got a variety of items, all of which were great. Everything was also very reasonably priced, I see why this place was so strongly recommended.

Good deals on lunch bento boxes. Nice service and good quality ingredients. I tried the spicy pork, which was nicely seasoned and tempura was spot on with the batter and crunchiness. They have a spicy tuna roll as a bento box option and it was very good too. Everything was satisfying and an extra star for playing the premier league games on the television.