Teru Japanese Cuisine

As soon as you walk in the door you get this big stinky fish smell which the owner should know better. Next, we ended up spending $410 and barely got any sashimi. The prices are outrageous, total rip-off! We're from Los Angeles in Korea town & we know what the fish prices are like!... Remember, there was no prices on chef sashimi special plate & we asked the chef if he can give us a "Chef's Sashimi Special" with a reasonable price, we ended up with a glass bowl with some mediocre pieces of sashimi and didn't think that we're gonna be charged so much. When we saw the check, we almost fainted!....wopping $410!... For instance, 2 little round pieces of scallops were $36.....that's outrageous! We talked to the chef if he could charge a little less but he stared at us with this dirty look and said "You pay for this!" I'll never forget that face ever.... It was disgusting! We're never coming back here ever again!

Such a cute, underrated sushi spot in sb. Its owned by the nicest people who are very passionate about the food. Such amazing and unique sushi rolls that you cant really find anywhere else. Love!

The cold and eat appetizers were very tasteful. I will come back for the Hamachi collar without a doubt! After visiting Japan 2months ago, we didn’t taste the freshness and flavor of the nigiri sushi. The staff was friendly. Unfortunately, the atmosphere did not meet our expectation a for a Japanese dining experience. A more serene and authentic environment would greatly enhance the enjoyment of the meal.

Five stars all the way! We ordered off the specials board and enjoyed some fine sake. The food was outstanding, as was the service. Teru San accommodated our wishes to have three pieces of each (since three of us were dining together and wanted to eat the same food). I love that this place has the small vibe of a sushi restaurant in Japan. It's also covid safe with tables set far apart from each other and high ceilings. I'm looking forward to my next visit!

Chef Teru is from Osaka and puts so much love into his food. Not only is this the most authentic sushi in Santa Barbara, but also some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. Highly recommend ordering omakase.

Good selection of fresh fish on the daily menu. Plenty of specials too. They have plenty of local uni dishes including whole fresh uni. There's a selection of good sake to go with the fresh seafood. Food is a 5 star for variety and freshness. The beige plates don't show off the food enough and it's hard to see the daily specials menu board from some tables. I wish they have a couple more copies on the walls. The daily fish selection is excellent!

Very fresh toro, uni and other things. Great combination and tastes for all things we ordered. Loved the toro hand roll trio, uni on toro and lots of other things. We went on NYE. Like others mentioned, the restaurant seems to be a small family business (seemingly Japanese family), while they seem to be really nice and kind, it does seem a bit short on help when it gets crowded - you’d be patient. I will go again for their really authentic and delicious food!

The BESSSSSSST Sushi... not just in California, but (at the risk of sounding like Elle Woods)... like, EVER! The freshness, the flavors, the sauces-- AMAZING! There's so many options for a variety of preferences... for the pure sushi lover who just wants the simplicity of sashimi, or the "deck the halls" sushi lover who wants everything piled on top of that little roll of love, you can't go wrong. Not to mention, Teru himself is the best. He creates a friendly and comfortable environment to enjoy delicious, fresh and often local options to make up a memorable dining experience. If in Santa Barbara, this is a must go, "treat yo self" spot!

Amazing sushi! Everything was super fresh and flavorful l. The service was friendly and fast, and the ambiance was relaxing. Definitely one of my new favorite spots.

We came here after a day of exploring Santa Barbara with my family. Everyone was craving sushi and we found Teru on Yelp. The customer service was welcoming and friendly. We were seated right away cause the dinner rush hadn't started yet. The appetizers we ordered were fresh and delicious but I can't say the same for the sushi. The rolls we got were not that great, it was average I would say. Not horrible but not what we are used to either. We weren't too happy with the sushi but overall the ambiance and the service was good. We enjoyed our family time here....

Teru is the hidden gem you hope no one else finds out about. Super fresh fish, cozy vibes, and rolls that make you close your eyes and say "mmm." The Spicy Edamame? Elite. Seared Yellowtail w/jalapeño? Life-changing. It's intimate, quiet, and the sushi chef is an artist. Sit at the bar if you can--it's like dinner and a show. Or sit by the window and people watch! Pro tip: tiny place = big demand. Make a res! Will I be back? Already planning it.

4.8 stars for Teru! We ordered the Lomi Lomi, Pressbox I Love Surfing and Runner Rolls. I loved everything!! If you love salmon, definitely get the Lomi Lomi. The fish is so fresh and the flavor combinations are all amazing! We had a very attentive and friendly server, and I would definitely recommend Teru if you're craving some quality sushi.

Excellent sushi and even better sushi Chef Hiro! We alternate between here and Arigato. A favorite is the scallop and Uni. You won't be disappointed! Love love love Teru!

Teru offers a premium sushi experience. The scallop roll features scallop and avocado together. The juicy and chewy scallops provide a texture base while the creamy avocado enhance the flavor provide of each roll. The spicy chicken was surprisingly some of the best karate I've had. The generous batter coating on the outside makes for a crispy finish. The additional air pockets bring even more crunch to each piece of juicy chicken. The lomi lomi was my favorite by far. I'm used to squeezing lemons onto fish but never just putting the entire lemon on the roll itself. Combined with fresh salmon, the roll brings out the best of the savory and sweet raw salmon cut complimented by the lemon juice. The slight crunch of the lemon slice also works with the salmon's chewiness.

I wanted to like it more. Portions too small & price too high for four stars. They did have some unusual specials though, definitely not run of the mill sushi. 3.5

Food - hands down the best sushi in sb for price and quality. Oku doesn't stand a chance against this place (sorry!!). The press boxes they serve are soooooo good (get the sunny or scallop press box!)! Ihighly recommend getting the oyster appetizers. They use this sweet and lemony sauce (i think) to season the oysters and it's sooo good. They also NAILED their shishito peppers to be the perfect texture. Service - UGH THEY ARE SO NICE!!!!!!!! I can't emphasize this enough. I'm not sure what her name is but she wears the thick framed black glasses and has short hair. She helps us every time we are there and she is so sweet and attentive. Derrick (unsure if he still works there) is also always very polite and a great conversation. Love the service we get here! Ambiance - I love how it's a smaller restaurant. It doesn't feel like overwhelming. The seats and tables are nicely spaced as well. Idk the layout makes sense to me. Overall 10/10. Love this place. I went pretty often during my years in SB LOL. I would definitely make this a dinner spot if you're visiting or just want to try good sushi.

I was eager to try this place after it came highly recommended, but unfortunately, my experience didn't live up to expectations. While the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, the meal itself was disappointing. All the fish we ordered had discoloration, which l've never seen before.

Teru is a Japanese owned restaurant nestled in Santa Barbara downtown! This place is a perfect spot for date nights! The food quality is exceptional and nothing less. Highly recommend My Dream and Sora Press Box, and Hamachi Kama. Teru does offer omakase ($60-$100), and I'll try that next time when I'm in Santa Barbara!

This restaurant is a staple in Santa Barbara. They have a reasonable variety of foods to select from and they all looked very appetizing and elevated as you can see in the pictures. I felt that each dish was created with lots of detail. Ambiance was elegant and modern but still comfortable. One thing to keep in mind about this restaurant is that it's not really a place to get full off of. Most of the menu is appetizers and shareables but nothing too much like rolls. Not a good or bad thing but just depends on what you prefer.

Came here with a friend to enjoy our favorite food -- sushi! Loved the daily specials and their rolls were unique. I thought the place was really cute and wasn't overly crowded or noisy. My only "complaint" is that the service wasn't that great. They had forgotten an order of ours and gave us the bill early when we had wanted dessert. I'd still go back for the food though

food was super yummy but service was a little slow. The waiters looked overworked and tired.

Outstanding creative sushi, presented artistically. Outstanding service. I was wanting traditional small plate food, not necessarily sushi, which is what Teru is, so their sign was a little misleading saying cuisine rather than sushi but they made up for it with their sushi. The seared scallops appetizer melted in our mouths, Welcome roll was an amazing array of flavors & spicy tuna with crispy rice had wonderful crunch & taste. Highly recommend!

IF I COULD GIVE A ZERO STAR, I WOULD! My partner and I went here with our friends, and our first experience here was interesting. Our friends said that this had never happened to them before. We were seated at 5:30pm and were the first ones there. No one came to get our order in until 6:00pm while newer parties at the tables next to us (and throughout the restaurant) were seated after us and were able to order before us. 6:30pm arrived, we didn't receive our appetizer (Edamame). We did get the uni shooters, the yellowfish app, 1 roll, and the bluefin trio. One of the waitresses gave us our neighboring table's food 7:00pm arrived, we were still waiting for 4 rolls & the edamame. The tables next to us received their food right away and one of them had already received the check. Mind you, they were seated AFTER us. We ended up getting someone's attention to get the check. The lady told us "oh, but you're still waiting for some items." We informed her of the issue and only paid for what we received. We all thought they were not ready to service the volume of people in the restaurant at the time because 2 of the main waitresses looked very flustered and confused.

This is a hidden gem for sushi in Santa Barbara. Great authentic items on menu, very fresh and tasty fish, and super service. This could be the best sushi restaurant in Santa Barbara

Had a poke bowl tasted great and seemed very fresh. Didn't even mean to go here was looking for a different restaurant. Happy mistake.

Service was trash and the manager was extremely rude. It took 50 minutes to get our food. They forgot to give me my drink. My friend asked for a ginger refill twice and they added a $10 charge on the bill for that and didn't even tell us. They also added an automatic 20% gratuity with a party of five without any written or verbal warning. Oh also a homeless guy walked in and went to every single table asking for money until the workers noticed.

The fatty tuna and uni was phenomenal. Absolutely loved eating here. Best sushi in Santa Barbara.

Food is soooo delicious. So fresh. The staff is super friendly and funny too. Will definitely come back!

One of the better sushi spots in Santa Barbara--definitely a go-to when you're looking for a more premium experience. The fish was fresh across the board, and the rolls were tasty, clean, and well-prepared. Quality and presentation were on point without feeling overly fussy. A solid choice for sushi that feels a step above the everyday.

We had the eggplant tuna poke several rolls and a chicken dish Everything was delicious well prepared and fresh I highly recommend this cute place for a dinner of high quality food

We were visiting from San Diego and found this restaurant on Yelp. We came around 6pm on a Saturday night and got seated right away. It started to get more busy throughout the night. All the nigiris were huge and had the perfect fish to rice ratio. The uni was so fresh! This was my first timing having the scallop lunch box and it was really good.

This place was wonderful! Quaint atmosphere, can dress up or down. I really wish we had one in San Diego. Get the press box crispy rice sushi special! It's one of the best sushi rolls I've ever had!

Def a pricier sushi joint but their quality in ingredients are there. Their roll menu looked great and then have plenty of specials when you come in. The service was a bit slow, but I appreciate that they were able to seat my boyfriend and I without a reservation on a Friday night. It got more packed as larger tables came in. I ordered: -seared scallop press box - i don't think our scallops were seared, but I didn't mind bc it was MELTTT in your mouth good. Don't skip on their scallops. I agree with other reviewers. -toro taku - chopped toro with Uni. Good price with plenty of uni that was fresh -fiery roll - halibut tempura was good, yellow tail was seared so it's not as buttery as it could be. it had a good amount of filling and fish, but not memorable or actually spicy to me. their raw fish is good the way it is so I don't think I'll get any fish that's seared or cooked next time renkon hasami age - minced shrimp between a shiso leaf and 2 lotus root slices, deep fried. I wanted to try this out and It didn't disappoint. Comes with a dashi dipping broth. Piping hot! A good app to try. Lastly, a bottle of beer. The bottle of Sapporo was $10, which was def on the higher side but a drink accompanies sushi. I say 4.2 stars as the final rating. I'll be back to try their more of their traditional sushi offerings.

We had high hopes going in because of all the great reviews, we got 4 rolls and payed almost 80$( INSANE) The tuna roll was the best roll. Spider roll was okay but falling apart, something that happened with almost every roll. The lomi lomi roll didn't taste fresh, the salmon on top was very chewy and the lemon slices were tiny. Servers were nice and the restaurant itself looked clean and nice. The quality just isn't there for that price.

Fabulous food, attentive service and pretty good value. Been to all the over-priced joints on the strip and this is now my go to place in vegas.

Teru is a relatively new, cozy Japanese place. They have a lot of unique items and I went and tried two recently: They have an interesting sashimi appetizer; first one I've seen served on ice! I think the ice actually helps the fish keep its great texture, which is really nice. A bigger problem I have is with the albacore sashimi, that is falling apart. Also, it has a taste similar to raw beer, in my opinion, which is less than pleasant. I've had albacore before and not had this issue though. The yellowtail, salmon, and tuna were great though! The slices could be thicker, but overall pretty decent appetizer. The runner roll has avocado, asparagus, and soft shell crab on the inside, topped with seared scallop and yellowtail priced at $18. The dish is beautifully presented and the scallops are notably high quality and silkily buttery. However, the sauces do not have any taste and the dish could use a flavor lift. Also, the soft shell crab had inedible bits, which was unfortunate. Overall, their food and service is pretty good, and I think minor improvements could be made to improve for a 5 star experience.

A smaller place and a smaller menu than Arigato which is just down the block from Teru but the atmosphere is a lot more low-key and quaint. The servers are super friendly and there is a bit of a 'home' feeling to this place. Make sure you check out (and try) some of the specials that are on the board in the back of the restaurant - tip: take a picture of it before you sit down so you won't have to get up and down every time you want to order more!

Best sushi in SB county hands down. The owner and head chef does an incredible job and the servers are always showing wonderful hospitality. The combination creates a warm welcoming environment and the sushi is outstanding!! Highly recommend.

Clean, fresh flavors and savory cuts of fish. We never fail to find a dish we must order from the specials board! Chef Teru has created a great space for a truly Japanese experience

Great location. Enjoyed a calm, small dining atmosphere. Had a table right by the window...good people watching. Delicious sushi!

One of the best I've ever experienced. Service, food and joy of dining. Be sure to get recommendations from the daily menu.

Amazing food!!! We loved it!!! Rio gave fantastic service!!! The shrimp tempura and the edamame were fantastic!!!!

Deveric one of the waiters greeted every party that came in and asked if they had a reservation. No one had any reservations and each party was seated promptly. The food was very good. The ambiance is nice with some cute touches like an airplane hanging in the center. I enjoyed the spicy eggplant and the cauliflower salad. My fiancé liked the fiery roll, the chicken karaage, and the aloha roll.

Shocked to find a sushi spot in Santa Barbera I have yet to dine at, I'm happy to say it was well worth trying something new! The only thing Isa Teru is not all that new at Teru as Chef Teru is a Santa Barbara Sushi veteran having formerly been chef at Montecito's Sakana for ages! Additionally, the sushi at Teru is somewhat traditional. Do I wish there was a bit more variety- most definitely, and not surprisingly. Whenever a menu is "set", and doesn't change frequently, I tend to eventually desire more than what's offered mainly because I want to go so often! They had the usual shoshito peppers, oysters were a nice touch, and lots of fresh uni in various variations. The rolls ( tho I didn't order any other than the veggie to-go) looked standard. For dine in Sushi I always stick to nigiri. It was great despite coming in all at once. That said I did not notice a sushi bar- not sure if I saw one but hope they do! Do I wish they had desert? YES x 1000. Which Mochi ice cream balls being the only option this was a very big area for growth. Give me tempura banana with green tea ice cream and I'll shut up. When it comes to sushi though- traditional- which often means simple, is often a good thing. I don't mind the menu being very simple, with commonly ordered items Dash as long as they are very fresh! Terra sushi makes the cut, with extremely fresh seafood brought in daily and it is evident when you taste it.

BEST meal of my life!!! I've been to countless SB sushi restaurants, but this one is the best. Freshest fish expertly served by the owner himself, creative rolls, and a great new take on sauces, this place is a real treat. The grilled toro appetizer...I'm still thinking about today. It is delicious!!!

Me and my wife loved this place! Service was great, food was out fast and most importantly all our food was fresh! We had three different specialty rolls. The wagyu special, and the sautéed beef. Highly recommend!

I love this place! It was my first time coming here, on a drunk night with my roommates. We immediately were seated with no prior reservations. The waitresses were very attentive & quickly addressed our needs. My roll was great, the miso soup was perfect, and the seaweed salad hit the spot! I will be coming back as this is the best sushi place I've tried in SB so far. Don't be fooled by ambiance at other places, I like this one the most.

Surprisingly Authentic Sushi Restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara! Teri-San simply has no peers in the local area

Sushi was absolutely quality. The flavor and fish without a doubt does not need any soy sauce or anything, the flavor was more than enough there. Service was great and awesome music

Fantastic fish. Every. Single. Time. Always a pleasure to eat here. It has become our staple. Not sure why anyone waits for overpriced sushi up the street... Seriously, you sheeple need to wake up.

We went and got a variety of specialty rolls and one of the specials (seared yellow tail with jalapeño). We also got the spicy edamame as a start and it was fantastic! I liked the variety and the rolls were great. My one complaint was that the spicy (fiery roll) wasn't very spicy! I could have used more spice in the spicier rolls but I added wasabi and it was delicious.

This little sushi spot on upper state has completely stolen my heart. I don't eat much sushi in Santa Barbara because frankly coming from LA I don't love all the sushi options here. This place though has HIGH quality fish and is so cozy. Perfect go-to spot if you need a new casual weeknight place or even the perfect Sunday dinner out. There's local art on the walls, pretty quiet, a homey feel, & the freshest rolls you'll find. I basically order all the rolls with truffle So highly recommend those too personally! Though, pictured is one of the truffle rolls and the other is a scallop roll. This place is a MUST. Don't miss out!

We had a wonderful experience at Teru. The fish quality was wonderful, service was great and we will definitely be back again!

After many nights of overly rich vacation food- this is the place to go. Relaxed, lovely atmosphere- kind servers and specials. The nigiri was very good and thoughtful surprises like a small dot of yuzu Kosho on the wild halibut were so surprising. Even the green salad was so thoughtfully prepared. My only hope is that they include local uni on the menu in the future.

If you've not been, you're missing out! No pictures as we ate it too fast..... Chef- Owner, Teru, is fantastic!

Excellent sushi, decent prices, nice setting, attentive service. They have a traditional sushi menu and excellent quality fish. uni melted in your mouth and it was reasonably priced, which is rare. I hope this place catches on because it is a lovely alternative to crowded and overpriced nearby sushi place which will not be named. Hope they get more outside seating and maybe a few more salad appetizer or gyoza options. Worth a try

I tried the newest sushi restaurant in town and was disappointed by the rolls. I got lomi lomi, umi, and Caribbean rolls. The lomi lomi was the best out of the three. However the slices of lemon were way too tart to serve directly on top of the fish. All it needed was a drop or two of lemon juice like the way they season fish at Sun Sushi or Sushi Bar Montecito. All three rolls were tiny, topped with randomly shaped fish pieces that weren't big enough to cover the rolls. The Caribbean roll was also missing spicy tuna and coconut mango sauce. The seared albacore on top was dry and fishy while the shrimp tempura inside was mostly batter.