Seabutter - Laguna Beach

Yukino is one of the kindest, most hardworking people I’ve ever met. She and the team at Sea Butter Laguna Beach treat me like family every time I visit. The quality of the sushi is amazing, but it’s the warm, welcoming atmosphere that keeps me coming back. Yukino goes above and beyond for every guest—she’s attentive, gracious, and genuinely cares about the experience. Sea Butter is lucky to have her. Highly recommend this spot—not just for the food, but for the heart. ❤️

Just wanted to share my awesome experience! The place is amazing – they've done a fantastic job with the restoration, it looks incredible. And the food? Seriously delicious! Plus, the staff were all super friendly and welcoming. Definitely recommend checking it out!

Absolutely outstanding food. One of the best sushi experiences I've had. The service was great, though our dishes were served in a fairly random manner. The staff was great and the atmosphere was too. Would absolutely recommend to anyone staying in Laguna Beach.

Left confused I have been wanting to try Seabutter for quite sometime. However, the sushi was quite underwhelming. I’m not sure if take out ruined the experience? Perhaps the elevated plating with dine-in adds an illusion to the subpar sushi? There was a Lack of flavor in nearly everything we ordered. Dry, falling apart, and not fresh. The Price did not reflect quantity nor quality. The additional cut rolls were slithers and disappointing. Grocery store sushi is more generous with their portions. The Sauces for the sushi were a bit artificial tasting. The truffle salmon was decent but I’m sure it was solely because the truffle compensates in flavor. Lastly, the wait to go was unusually long for non-peak hours. I genuinely wanted to love Seabutter but I am unsure where all the stellar reviews come from.

one of the most impressive, butteriest sushi spots I ever had the pleasure of visiting is Seabutter Sushi in Laguna Beach. The service was a little slow, but the sushi made up for it both in quality and in flavor. The only thing I didn’t care for was the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, there was just too much mayo. Now the best bite of the night was the Kampachi in Yuzu, the fish was delicate with some yuzu bringing out the extra bright flavor, and we ended up ordering another round of it, unbelievable. A classic sashimi combo I’ve seen being served is this albacore with crispy onion, Seabutter did a great job on this too. The otoro nigiri just melted in your mouth, could’ve bankrupted myself on these easily. The wagyu nigiri had a dragon-like presentation, and the Seabutter Handroll is pretty self explanatory in its madness of ingredients: uni, toro, and ikura. The negitoro handroll was buttery, and my favorite out of the two.

Great staff and customer service! Huy and the manger were extra attempts when we asked to move away from the garage. They accommodated and the experience elevated. Delicious and fresh sushi - so good!

Great start for this new place with great service, food and ambience. Nice location on top floor secluded from PCH with ocean views and indoor dining room, sushi counter and patio to choose from. Very varied selection of dishes, though as of writing (July 30) their alcohol license hasn't come through - however they rang to notify me and didn't charge corkage for my own bottle of sake. Food was excellent, especially the top of line Toro Medley, though the veggie tempura and hand roll were a bit stodgy.

The sushi at SeaButter is not good. Their sushi rolls were messy. Ordered sweet shrimp nigiri, and the fried shrimp heads were served cold and soggy. The salmon skin roll was more like cooked salmon roll with some skin. Unagi nigiri were drenched in sauce. Their uni nigiri was smelly. I'll have to continue to find good sushi around here. The staff were friendly and attentive.

to the surprise of nobody i am back at seabutter, one year since my first visit to their laguna location. mr crab roll stuns as always, warm and delicious like coming home to your wife after a long day of work. the sunset roll is also there as a perfect citrusy compliment to the sweet savory of the mr crab roll we tried something new today, the salmon avocado pressed sushi. it looked interesting and had a flavor very similar to the salmon truffle, so i highly recommend! we also tried the naked salmon which was really good and if you like the sunset roll you'll like it too. Another successful day at seabutter

Outstanding quality, very fresh fish. There is several locations in the Los Angeles country as well as a new experience. The Bar by Seabutter it's a must to try this sushi concept. This is a must to experience

We were craving sushi and Seabutter did not disappoint. We got a reservation within an hour and sat outside in the semi enclosed patio - when the sun is shining its actually quite warm out there. They also have indoor seating and bar seating if you want to see the sushi be made. Our server was a cool dude and gave us good suggestions in terms of how much food we should order. We started with the spicy salmon and spicy tuna crispy rice - 2 pieces come in each but they were quite large with a decent amount of fish. For our mains we ordered the 911 role, the sunset role, and one spicy tuna handroll & one spicy tuna cut roll. The fish all tasted super fresh, the portions were nice and filling, and the flavors felt fun and fresh. The view was gorgeous, the sake was well priced, and service was fantastic. A definite stop in Laguna beach next time around!

Seabutter is without question our favorite sushi spot. We happily drive over from San Juan Capistrano just to eat here. The ambiance is beautiful and relaxed, making it the perfect setting for our favorite date night. The quality of the sushi is always outstanding. Every dish is fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and full of flavor. We cannot stop thinking about the Kanpachi Yuzu. It is absolutely unforgettable and one of the best bites of sushi we have ever had. Jacob and Erick always go out of their way to make the evening special, and the entire team is warm and welcoming. Special shout out to Sebastian, who brings great energy and attention to detail every time we visit. If you are looking for top-tier sushi in a laid-back and elegant setting with a staff that genuinely makes you feel at home, Seabutter is the place.

Nice spot, hidden away from the busy street so no crazy street noise, great menu and service! The Mr Crab roll is amazing! I'd definitely come back again!

10/10 loved this place it was so fresh and delicious. All our food came out so fast and was mouthwatering. Our server was amazing and so sweet. We sat on the patio deck which was perfect because the weather was great. Everything just melted in our mouth and honestly was top tier sushi/fish. Would definitely come back.

The fish gets an A+ for freshness! Very smooth and indeed buttery. The rolls can be rolled tighter and cleaner. A few were unraveling and some were not cut well. The rainbow rolle crab stuffing I was not a fan of but the rest of the sushi had great flavor, no discoloration, and was soft. Great service and didn't feel rushed at all. Enjoyed our night.

Have been meaning to try this place. We came on a saturday night and all the staff was so friendly as soon as we got there. We requested an outdoor table so we could watch the sun go down. We were honestly so indecisive so we ended both ordering the taste of seabutter for 99/pp I'd say that's honestly a LIttle steep BUT we enjoyed everything and we did not leave there hungry. i'm so sorry aside from the tuna and salmon and yellow tail i forgot what everything else was. 11/10 GO HERE ASAP

First time going into the restaurant and had an amazing experience. Food and service were amazing. Our waitress Summer and manager Yukino had great customer service. They made sure we were satisfied with our food and had great recommendations.

I had another great dining experience at Seabutter this weekend. We decided not to fight the Valentines crowds and go a week later. We started with miso soup and the shishito peppers followed by the Hamachi. The shishito peppers were a great way to begin and were very light and flavorful. The miso soup is always excellent, creamy and comforting. And the hamachi quality was fresh yet smaller portion than I'd prefer. Next time I'd skip the hamachi and get more sashimi and sushi that I ordered below. Onto the stars! We started with the salmon trio - if you're a salmon lover I'd recommend getting one of these and then deciding your favorite bites. Seabutter has many truffle sushi options that melt in your mouth but they can all be slightly different. Left to right we enjoyed the salmon, king salmon and salmon truffle. The salmon truffle used to be my favorite but I'd never ordered the king salmon here before. I have to say the obvious winner is the king salmon. While truffle is not in the name, I'm pretty sure they use a small amount of truffle oil and sea salt to top it. The salmon truffle is delicious but it also has citrus on it so I didn't love it as much. I'm not against citrus flavors on my sushi but I don't prefer it. So, you can guess what we did from there....ordered more kinds salmon of course! All of them were equally as delicious as the first. We also ordered a YTJ roll. It was satisfying and delicious, not as mind blowing as the king salmon. Additional sushi orders: Emma: I'd skip this - minced and seared toro is not for me. I like it raw. Hye: I wish I'd placed an additional order of this earlier when I wasn't so stuffed. The yellowtail belly was so flavorful - another order with the amazing flavors of sesame oil, truffle and sea salt! Snapper: order one and see what you think - it's fresh and flavorful for a unique bite. I hope to visit again very soon. I had an excellent night here with fantastic service. My only complaint is that the past two times I've been here I requested a seat for special occasion - my birthday in the summer and tried again on the reservation this visit to sit by the window to enjoy the sunset. They were not honored either time. That was disappointing. They put a lot of 4 person tables by the window and no 2 person. I'm not sure if it can be done or if it was just me but if Seabutter is listening I'd really like to come back and dine at a window seat and see those beautiful orange and red hues over the pacific!

I'm always happy to come here, especially on holidays! Mother's Day was great and we sat at the sushi bar as usual. I love the Marilyn monroll. I'm glad to see that they're doing so well! I always ask everyone to get me a gift card so I can use it here! The chilean Seabass was amazing!!!

Update: Still totally epic. Nailed down a reservation about 4 hours before arriving. Locked in on many great dishes, all distinct and full of flavor. House music and semi dressy fellow customers...classy, yummy and sincere. Yep, still popping!

Very cute spot that looks like a traditional sushi restaurant with modern touches, right off of PCH. The service was great, everyone was extremely quick and kind. The food was solid as well, but nothing extraordinary. I think it's a bit overpriced for what it is, but I'd come back again

Laguna Beach, CA The Japanese owned restaurant we normally go to was closed so we decided to try this one. We found out after sitting down this is not Japanese owned rather a Russian owned Japanese fusion restaurant with several locations in So Cal. Definitely on trend with the LB hipster to middle aged crowd. To be honest, I prefer a more traditional experience. While our meal was satisfactory, service was outstanding. My favorite taste of the night was the miso mushroom soup. I would return just for that delicious soup. I ordered a low carb no rice marylin roll wrapped in daikon. I was so excited to try this but quite surprised at the miniscule size and the cloying sweetness of the roll and the sauce drizzled over it...not a fan at all. I even tried to save this with chili oil to no avail. We ordered salmon collar and pin bones were not removed and I did not realize this until I may have accidentally consumed some. We let the sushi chef know and he said they should have been removed by the kitchen cook...I found at least 5 or 6, possibly ate a few as well. Collar was overcooked as well. Tried a salmon skin salad with beets, the beets are very thin strands versus pieces of beet. This was OK. We were curious and tried a pressed roll, which is like a sushi roll but no seaweed, rather items are pressed together in layers. Honestly it was mostly rice, so not a fan of this at all. I picked off albacore sashimi and mushrooms from the top, spicy albacore was negligible. I am sure there are better items, but not overly impressed with fish portions of the sushi items we tried, especially at the menu price. Parking validated 2 hours in garage.

The BEST sushi place in OC! Fish quality is consistently amazing, my favorite is usually the nigiri especially the o-toro and salmon belly. All of the rolls I've tried were great too and you have to try the avo crispy rice! It's a cute restaurant set-up too with a nice view from the windows. Dining there is always fun, but I'm glad they're on doordash for times we don't feel like going out and they always put a cute note with the takeout order too!

I tried seabutter for the first time and it will definitely not be my last! I got take out (vegan medley, miso soup, and agedashi tofu) - everything was delicious. I especially appreciated the excellent customer service and the handwritten thank you note attacked inside my bag. I can't wait to check out their dine in service next time!

Seabutter is a hidden Japanese sushi/sashimi type food place. It is a hidden gem but is definitely a must visit! They have inside, bar seating, and outside seating if weather is well. The place is small and quaint on the second floor of the plaza. Parking is validated in a garage below it or on the metered street parking. The service was good but the food was better. Verdict - certainly try it and come back.

I loved this place! It's tucked away in a small complex with other businesses and restaurants. The ambiance is so cute and allows for a close knit vibe. Dishes were well made, beautifully plated, and delicious! Our favorite was the salmon medley, specifically the seared salmon and crispy rice :). I wouldn't recommend the yellowtail carpaccio as that one has a very very strong truffle flavor. Their rolls were amazing and really worth the price point. Service was kind and so helpful, we initially had a reservation at 8pm and they managed to seat us an hour early!

Good food and good service. I've been here a few times in the last couple years, and food is consistently great. The only thing that has changed is the size of the food. I mean shrinkflation, right?! (See photo for comparison) Overall, we liked all the nigiri and rolls we've ordered. I was not a fan of the pressed sushi- the fish and rice ratio is off for my taste. Service has always been good and attentive. Patio seating was not large but cozy.

Heard this place few years ago and finally tried this place last weekend. We went on a Saturday at 6:30 PM, and the place was almost full, so having a reservation is advisable to avoid waiting. The atmosphere is quite traditional, with typical sushi bar decor and a cozy, authentic vibe. The service was decent, with friendly staff, but perhaps due to the busyness, they almost forgot one of our hand rolls. The wait time between each course was a bit long, which was slightly frustrating. However, the servers were attentive and apologized for the delays. The menu had a good variety of options, from classic nigiri and sashimi to creative specialty rolls. The ingredients were fairly fresh, but the presentation of the dishes was mediocre. You can also ask them for fresh wasabi, which adds a nice touch to the food. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience with room for improvement in service efficiency. Parking is very convenient as you can park directly in downstairs structure, and the restaurant will valid it.

A solid sushi option in Laguna Beach! Food is really good and fresh. Also some delicious crispy rice options that I haven't really seen and def recommend (I like the classic spicy tuna, but also albacore is really good)! If you are stuck you can't go wrong with the sunset roll, daddy long legs, or a blue crab hand-roll. The people who work here are also very nice. Also they have outdoor seating if you want to bring your doggo!

Love Seabutter! Everything is so fresh and delicious. Atmosphere is cool and clean, sushi chefs are spot on. The hostesses are always a little slow, I think they are kind but need a little more experience, but the staff is welcoming and knowledgeable. We eat here often and it is always great!

We got here at 6 pm on Sat night (we made the reservation). Not busy as yet. Seated right away. The food was decent . The quality of the sashimi was good. Above average. One of us got a course (picture 1- ) and we ordered several more and a bottle of sake. Everything came out within 30 mins. Real (too) fast. The table was not enough to put all the food so they had to put on another table for the time being. We had to hurry up and eat what in front of us so that we could place the rest of the plates on our table. We were thinking if they offer the course menu, they should have paced out. Once we were able to put all of our plates on our table, then we slowed down our pace eating. By that time, my friend who is Japanese disliked it. It was just too rush first 45 mins to eat. The service was alright. Attentive enough.

We ordered take out - it took a little longer to come than estimated but everything was tasty and fresh. We did the tempura veggies, tuna crispy rice (good portion size), and daddy long legs. That was a good roll- I liked that it was wrapped in daikon radish. Would return.

Wow!! Fresh fish!! Sunset our fav. Erick best sushi chef Polar bear to die for What a find!! We will definitely be back!! Until next time I will be thinking about Seabutter!!!

First time visiting and decided to try this place out. We ordered the dragon, YTJ, and the naked salmon roll. Everything was absolutely delicious! Service was amazing, the hostess was very sweet and attentive. We got our drinks refilled without asking. Overall everything was really great. :)

Pretty view from the patio. Food was excellent, and staff was very quick and helpful. We asked for recommendations and were very satisfied!!

The food lives up to the restaurants name: the fish and all the sushi tasted like butter, especially the salmon in the pressed salmon avo. The sushi rolls were surprisingly big compared to the sushi rolls at other sushi restaurants, which explains why the rolls were around $20. Food is very high-quality and I would recommend this place for a nice meal. Service was friendly and helpful. There is seating both inside and outside, and both give a view to the ocean. You can also sit by the sushi bar.

Tucked upstairs in mid-Laguna Beach, this place delivers solid and consistently quality sushi. And the service matches that as well. Who leaves little hand written notes even on some orders of sticky rice? Seabutter does!

The unagi is orgasmic! Definitely going back! Went here on a date with my gf and she loved it.

Another great experience at seabutter Laguna. Everytime we come to Laguna we definitely come eat here. Sushi was great tonight. We sat at the bar and chef Jacob recommended special fish for us. Service was quick and friendly as always. The restaurant was clean and sushi bar chairs are always so comfortable. Thank you for another great experience. Can't wait to visit again!

Checked out this place for Monday dinner. Made reservations just to make sure we got a seat. This place has been nicely redone from what it was before as it was a lot brighter inside. Not all food pictured but enjoyed their sashimi dishes. Was so hungry I didn't take pics of everything I ate. The oysters were large even at 3 pieces. Will be coming back to try other items

Came here on my birthday for a date dinner. I must say the place is really cute and cozy, and service was above average. We ordered few rolls and sashimi and everything we had was very fresh and tasteful. We liked their Sea weed Salad, I can easily say it's best I've had in OC. Another favorite was their Yellowtail Carpaccio. It was infused with truffle soy sauce and topped with the crispy onions. The only thing that this places lacks a good selection of desserts, other than that it's one of my favorite sushi spots in OC

Seabutter is a hidden gem. I am so glad I found this place! The restaurant itself is cute and some of the tables have a view of the ocean. The service was great - our server gave wonderful recommendations and was very thorough in describing everything. Every single thing I order here was delicious and 10/10! I would recommend all the items that I ordered but my personal favorite was the Mr Crab roll. My order: Salmon Truffle Mr Crab Salmon Avo Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice Garlic Edamame Spicy Salmon Hand Roll Salmon Medley Side of yuzu sauce

Super delicious & fresh sushi in Laguna Beach. Really cozy vibes upstairs with a modern layout inside. Jacob was a great help to go through the menu & find out what's best to eat. Very quick service. Each roll or item came out fresh in lightspeed fashion

Yeah really great spot in Laguna. We were at the rooftop across the street and thought we'd give it a try. Loved their no rice rolls. Very flavorful. Also had some sake and Sapporo of course. Overall I'd come back again when I'm south laguna!

Absolutely amazing sushi here. It's a must try if you're in Laguna. Located on the second floor of a medium sized suite of businesses, it could be easily missed if you're just walking down the street. Sea butter has an extensive amount of options from sashimi, sushi and handrolls. The waiters help you by giving plenty of options to choose from. Between two peopoe we split two sushi plates and were plenty full. You can't go wrong no matter what you try. Don't miss out!

Very fresh seafood. Great options. Friendly & quick service. Small restaurant so if you have a large party definitely would recommend making a reservation.

Just had dinner at Sea butter restaurant in Laguna Beach. This is on the third floor of the building with Gina's Pizza. They have been open for four years now, but this was my first visit. I simply had not noticed it had reopened under a new ownership. The food is excellent, and the weight staff very, very good and attentive. We started with edamame beans, add baked scallops roll. We had a 911 roll, which was excellent. We finished our meal with the blackened cod. I am fussy about fish so I was reluctant to try it, but it was excellent. This is a hidden jam in Laguna Beach. As many locals know, Laguna Beach has not known for having great restaurants. But here is a very fine restaurant, with prices that are reasonable given the level of food quality. Highly recommend you give it a try. They have indoor dining and a nice outdoor patio that is covered.

AMAZING SUSHI! definitely super fresh and lives up to its name as said in the other reviews, my group and I love to find new sushi spots and we were pleasantly surprised at how yummy everything was. the crowd favorite was the sunset roll! we would've ordered a second round of it if we didnt want to try a variety of rolls their carb friendly rolls are also really good too! honestly i recommend if you're in the area. our group isnt local, but we had a fun staycation in laguna beach and we were trying to figure our a good sushi spot. look no further because seabutter trumps every other spot with their taste, portion sizes, and fair pricing

Super long wait for each sushi roll. My table never got to eat a single roll together. Quality is great but not worth the wait.

It was alright but nothing to phone home about. Sexy garlic albacore - avocado was browning, insane amount of onions, sushi itself was good but heavy on the sauce Baked lobster crispy rice - very good Edamame - pretty standard Mr. Crab - needed a vegetable for some texture. Very soft, lacked a bite to it. Very creamy as well, just needed something to cut the richness. Overall was pretty good but would likely skip if visiting the area.

Amazing sushi rolls; the best in my life Especially "Dragon" roll Friendly stuff Convenient parking on the street

Our waitress Yukino was extremely rude and rushed us to finish our meal. Not to mention she seemed sick because of how often she was sniffling, which is extremely unprofessional and put my baby at risk of getting sick. The table we sat at was covered in dried soy sauce and the menus were sticky....food tasted great but this place is honestly disgusting. Would not recommend AT ALL!!

Best sushi! Sexy Albacore is delicious. And the service is top notch. We go every week.

We cannot say enough great things about this restaurant! We have a celiac/gluten free and vegetarian in our group and they did not disappoint. Staff was incredibly knowledgeable and also friendly and attentive! Food was so wonderful!. Followed with black sesame ice cream. So good. We had Mr crab, polar bear, green goddess - so good. Plentiful and tasty. Service was just fantastic! We will definitely be back. Thank you for accommodating our gluten free diet.

Always delicious!! Reservations recommended, especially if it's nice weather. Ask your server for suggestions, they are well informed.

Good food, pretty, clean and comfortable furniture, good service. It's worth a visit.

Left confused I have been wanting to try Seabutter for quite sometime. However, the sushi was quite underwhelming. I'm not sure if take out ruined the experience? Perhaps the elevated plating with dine-in adds an illusion to the subpar sushi? There was a Lack of flavor in nearly everything we ordered. Dry, falling apart, and not fresh. The Price did not reflect quantity nor quality. The additional cut rolls were slithers and disappointing. Grocery store sushi is more generous with their portions. The Sauces for the sushi were a bit artificial tasting. The truffle salmon was decent but I'm sure it was solely because the truffle compensates in flavor. Lastly, the wait to go was unusually long for non-peak hours. I genuinely wanted to love Seabutter but I am unsure where all the stellar reviews come from.