OKU

4.8

1785 Reviews

$31 to $50

Asian

Make a booking

2 people

21 Jan 2025

19:00

Booked 67 times today

Good for special occasions
Great for outdoor dining
Great for scenic views

Tina Takaya, proprietor, welcomes you to our newest two story restaurant on the water. We feel the key to success is our passion for creating the highest quality food and warm friendly service.

We hope you will enjoy your experience as much as we enjoyed creating it for you.
"We want Locals to feel like Family and Visitors to feel like Locals"

Our menu draws from Asian favorites that inspire and excite such as Wagyu Steak, Japanese Sushi, Chinese Dumplings, Garlic Noodles and fresh local seafood.

We are located in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront and Funk Zone Districts. Come enjoy lunch or dinner, soak in the sun by day at our waterfront rooftop bar while sipping on a refreshing cocktail surrounded by our beautiful ocean vista and by night, enjoy lounging by the fireplace after a delicious meal and a great glass of wine.

Our chef uses the freshest ingredients from central coast farmers and local fisherman to create dishes with the best of what California has to offer.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Asian, Contemporary Asian, Sushi
Hours of Operation
Lunch Fri 3:00 pm–4:00 pm Sat, Sun 12:30 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(805) 690-1650
Website
http://www.okurestaurant.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Felipe Barajas, Jose and Felix Alonso
Catering
Available when Coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
Private party facilities
Please email aubreyb@okurestaurant.com for more information

Location
29 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Area
Santa Barbara
Cross Street
Cabrillo Blvd and Helena Street
Parking details
Complimentary Valet service available Friday thru Sunday in the back parking lot, enter from Anacapa Street
Public transit
Complimentary Valet service available in the back parking lot, enter from Anacapa St.
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining

What 1,785 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

California Central Coast
Hot spot
California Central Coast
Most Booked
Santa Barbara
Best Food
Santa Barbara
Best Value
Santa Barbara
Good for groups
Santa Barbara
Healthy
Santa Barbara
Hot spot
Santa Barbara
Great for outdoor dining
Santa Barbara
Great for scenic views
Santa Barbara
Good for special occasions
Santa Barbara
Lively
Santa Barbara
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

OKU delights with "amazing fresh sushi" and an "exceptional location" offering stunning ocean views. Guests praise its "attentive service" and "lively atmosphere," perfect for celebrations. While the sushi is a standout, other dishes like wagyu gyoza and unique cocktails also shine. A must-visit for sushi lovers in Santa Barbara.

1,785 Reviews

A
Ali
VIP
Seattle
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Server was really good and personable (forgot his name) and rolls were great! Will be back
Is this helpful?
S
Sarah
VIP
Denver
49 reviews
3.0
49 reviews
Dined today
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Just ok. No local fish. The majority of the rolls had shrimp tempura in them. Not a creative menu. Nothing special, which was a bit disappointing. Service needs improvement as we were there over 20 minutes before asking for our drink order and not busy. Small two top tables are not conducive for multiple plates.
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M
Miguel
VIP
San Francisco
23 reviews
5.0
23 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A delicious dining experience, with a wide menu of Sushi, Asian Fusion Cuisine, and tasty cocktails and wine.
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L
Lady
VIP
Los Angeles
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always delicious and sitting at the bar with Tatiana was a pleasure ☆ The overall wait service and food quality was exceptional. Thank you☆
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C
Claudia
VIP
Los Angeles
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Beautiful place, amazing view excelent location . We had a wonderful dinner
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K
Keri
New York City
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Oku is a special experience, beautiful location on the beach, my dishes were delicious and the service was great. One thing to note, the indoor dining was quite cold, not heated. I was with a party of 4 and all of us had to leave our jackets on.
Is this helpful?
S
Shannon
VIP
Los Angeles
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 12 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Peter was a phenomenal server. Food was great. Was happy to get a table upstairs and outside.
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Y
Yvonne
San Francisco
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on 11 January 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Oku is normally one of our favorite places in town. We had a great table on the upper patio and today was a gorgeous day in SB. The service was just “okay”. There were two issues today that made the experience less amazing than usual. Firstly, we asked if they could adjust the umbrella as he sun was brutal on half the table. The server said she would get it taken care of but no one ever adjusted it. The second very disappointing issue was that the server added a $40 charge for a deposit on a cocktail glass that we didn’t ask to purchase. Luckily, I noticed it and it was taken off. I can’t help but wonder how many people just pay the check without catching it. No pun intended but it seemed a bit fishy. The food was great as usual and we appreciated the balcony table. Of course, we will eat here again but wanted people to beware to check the bill before paying it. Update- the manager called and apologized for the mistake and assured me that it was just an honest mistake. They have had a big problem with guests stealing the drink containers that the POG comes in (which are expensive) so in the summer they began putting a deposit on the bill until the glass is collected. They will remind the servers to mention it up front when people order that drink and make sure it is removed prior to the guest receiving the check if they have collected the glass. The manager took time to call… and as they are a busy restaurant, that says a lot. Honestly people, please just don’t steal stuff from the restaurant and then we all won’t have to deal with this type of issue.
Is this helpful?
C
Cynthia
VIP
Central Coast
51 reviews
5.0
51 reviews
Dined on 11 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server, Sarah, was excellent, as the servers at OKU are top notch……friendly, fun, serving…. This is a must do on your food venues in Santa Barbara.
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E
Ernesto
VIP
Central Coast
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on 11 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a spectacular experience. Great service team, wonderful views on the upstairs outdoor patio and as romantic as can be!
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FAQs

OKU offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (805) 690-1650.

OKU is rated 4.8 stars by 1785 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

21 Jan 2025

19:00

Booked 67 times today

Order delivery or takeout

29 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Additional information

Cross Street
Cabrillo Blvd and Helena Street
Area
Santa Barbara
Hours of Operation
Lunch Fri 3:00 pm–4:00 pm Sat, Sun 12:30 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Asian, Contemporary Asian, Sushi
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Complimentary Valet service available Friday thru Sunday in the back parking lot, enter from Anacapa Street
Public transit
Complimentary Valet service available in the back parking lot, enter from Anacapa St.
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Felipe Barajas, Jose and Felix Alonso
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Website
http://www.okurestaurant.com/
Phone number
(805) 690-1650
Catering
Available when Coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
Private party facilities
Please email aubreyb@okurestaurant.com for more information

OKU

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 1,785 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

Does OKU offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is OKU restaurant rated?

Is OKU currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information