4. Restaurants

Something’s Fishy Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar

500 State St, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
  • (805) 966-6607
  • Store is closed

Something’s Fishy Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Menu

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  • Joan S.

    Okay so its not the most authentic sushi place I have ever been to...(I'm sure you can tell by the name) but I am a broke college student and this will suffice. My roommate and I enjoy coming here for half-price sushi during the week. I always get the fisherman's roll and salmon nigiri. Pros: miso soup comes with your meal, bennihana style, half-price sushi on weekdays Cons: not good for groups (if you just order sushi, you have to sit at the sushi bar), sometimes it gets really crowded, not the best sushi in SB but decent (especially for the price)

    (3)

  • dave m.

    This place is kinda like a Bennihana without the show. Which was fine with me cuz i just wanted a quick lunch. The steak, chicken, and shrimp were ok. Theres so many places to eat around there i would probably try another place the next time im in the area. The lunch specials are a good deal.

    (3)

  • Charlene O.

    This place is good; good food but somewhat pricey. We had a large group, but with drinks and appetizers it was about $30.00 each. Still it is a nice place to have dinner and then walk it off downtown.

    (4)

  • angie b.

    Things I like about Something's Fishy: Half-price sushi on Weekdays. Early Bird Special for Teppanyaki (before 6 PM) - save $10 per person at least. Things I don't like: Sushi is not that great, but you get what you pay for I guess. My recommendation is to get there at like 10 til 6 so you get the Early Bird Special, and do the teppan. It's a good deal, and it's hard to go wrong with the food/entertainment combo. For sushi, unless you're broke and don't care about the quality of your sushi, skip it. Edomasa is definitely a better choice and the atmosphere is just as fun (minus the state street crowds).

    (3)

  • Aram A.

    They make a great show out of the cooking process right in front of you! Just make sure you don't order sushi or seat at the bar ;) And it's not expensive, and it tastes good! I definitely am going to this place next time I visit Santa Barbara.

    (5)

  • Austin D.

    excellent sushi, i cant get enough of it. Somethings Fishy is really easy to get to and has great service. i would give it 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Zev M.

    Half off sushi at the bar sun-thurs. Great tasting sushi!

    (5)

  • Jim W.

    We went there Christmas Eve had the fillet Mignon dinner the steak was perfect came with three prawns fried rice and vegies all was prepared at our table 20 dollars each ! we also had california roll and two others I don't know the name of but they where all half price would go there again

    (4)

  • Lewis M.

    OK, If you're in SB and you want to have sushi with a big group around a chef grill and do Saki bombs (where you put a shot of hot saki on chop sticks over a glass of Soporo and yell bonzi and you pound the table making the saki drop into the beer and then chug) this is the place to go. You can laugh, get loud and eat great sushi till you drop. I have had so many good times in this place over the years, it's rediculous! Do it!

    (5)

  • Anna M.

    Love love love. Steak and shrimp is heaven. You gotta get the fried rice well worth the extra charge. Sushi is half price on weekdays. PCH roll is awesome. And while not half off the crunch roll never disappoints. Rarely a wait unless Thursday night. You'll wanna reserve a hibachi table for large groups though. You do sit around a table with people you don't know but there's plenty of space and you don't notice. They do a fun little cooking show in front of you. Go between 4-5 for early bird hibachi and it's way cheaper. Worth going to for sure.

    (5)

  • Guillermina N.

    This is my go to place whenever I am in the downtown area. I like sitting at the bar where you can watch the chefs prepare your food right in front of you. The sushi is great and very reasonably priced.

    (5)

  • Yesenia J.

    Ahhh this place never disappoints I absolutely love the food here. I always order the crunchy roll and Mexican roll. My fave, hibachi anyone? The guys always put a great show. Bring your family here there going to love it.

    (5)

  • Makenna C.

    Probably one of the WORST experiences I've had in a restaurant :( Let me just start off saying, the food is good! Nothing wrong with any of the food, the chefs are amazing and we all enjoyed our food. The problem was with the service.... We made a reservation for 9 at 7:15 and we ended up getting their around 6:45. We were told we needed to wait because there wasn't enough chefs, which is TOTALLY fine and understandable. Then the woman at the front seats a party of 2 and another party of 3. So I asked why they were able to sit down before our group (and by this time it was about 7-7:10) and she told me because they had a smaller group.... Okay well if we had a reservation wouldn't we be first to sit down? We didn't care if the chef wasn't ready we just wanted to sit down order drinks and have some appetizers. We were then seated and our server Ivan came over very promptly which was nice. After he got our first round of drinks this is where things went down hill. We ordered some sushi, simple sushi. Salmon, and shrimp. We ordered 2 rolls, a crunch roll and a shrimp tempura roll. He brought out yellowtail, tuna and 2 veggie rolls. I kindly said that the food wasn't ours and that wasn't what we ordered. He told me that it was and that I was wrong. So I asked to see the sushi paper because maybe I marked the wrong thing. And then he said he threw the paper away but he took the sushi away with a HUGE attitude and said he would go try and find the paper. Well our group could see him in the back area and he pulled the paper out of his apron and came over and said oh yeah I guess it was my fault I brought you guys the wrong stuff.... Okay that's what we tried explaining! The stuff finally comes out and tasted perfect! So then some of us ordered the teppan and we got our miso soup and then once that was done we got our salad. None of us had forks and I'm pretty sure maybe 1 out the 9 of us knew how to use chopsticks so I asked for forks and he said yeah no problem. Well we waited out 10 minutes until we saw him again and couldn't find any other servers to ask for their help so we ended up just eating with our fingers. We finally see Ivan and asked for forks again and he said, "do you honestly need them right now? Your food isn't being cooked!" EXCUSE ME! I was so furious that he would even come back with such attitude. All of the girls needed forks and so we told him, yes we need them now. I almost got up to go find them myself! Anyways, chef comes, food turned out good and no Ivan to be found for about 30 minutes. So 2 girls in our group asked for boxes, myself included, and it took him about 15 minutes to get them so I ended up eating the last bit of food I was going to take home. So when he brought my box I said, "I'm sorry, I don't need the box anymore I finished what I was going to take home, but thank you!" (very politely) He then came back with "ok well maybe if I take your plate away you'll stop changing your mind" WHAT IN THE HELL!!!! At this point I was done trying to be nice. After2 and half hours I was so glad to be leaving! Ivan was so rude to ALL of the girls in our group! I hope if we go back, which we probably won't, that Ivan will not be there. I always try and give people the benefit of the doubt and maybe he was having a bad day, but if your day is that bad, don't come into work and be mean and rude to your customers. I work with the public and believe me, it's hard to always please everyone. But it's unacceptable to be rude to people!!

    (1)

  • Sarah T.

    Came here for a late lunch on Friday and was NOT impressed. Sushi is my favorite. I eat sushi almost once a week. This, this was bland and took forever to get. When we first arrived the host was super nice and sat us right away at the sushi bar. We ordered waters and then he went away. He brought them back along with our waiter and we told our waiter we where getting sushi and would like two green teas. It took a while to get them and I had to ask for the check and he took forever to run my card as well. As for the sushi... We ordered Fresh water Eel sushi and a salmon and shrimp roll. The eel was terribly cooked and the roll was gross. It tasted like mayonnaise. Reason I did not give them a one star is because of how wonderful the host was and how quick he brought our water to us and made sure we were happy before turning us over to our waiter.

    (2)

  • Erick E.

    It was a fairly slow day so the service was fairly fast. Our waitress Megan was on top of everything. Didn't even let my cup get lower than half empty with water. Ordered a beer and the Hibachi Steak and Chicken. Was cooked perfectly medium rare and was real tender and juicy. The chef was really good and were relating on several things, considering I'm a chef also. Great service and great staff

    (5)

  • Nira S.

    Sushi was good! Therefore two stars. But then I order the meal for my kids with the steak and shrimp, it was horrible undercooked rice and the salad was old you can tell because the lettuce was turning brown around the edges I didn't touch it. The portions are super small the veggies that I couldn't change for some odd reason tasted like dirt literally. The steak was bad just unseasoned really bad! I order a glass of wine and they brought me 8 day old wine that tasted like vinegar horrible! Over all the waiter was not attentive at all, the food was really bad! What a waist of 76 dollars never ever again!

    (2)

  • Danny V.

    It's a good deal for sushi since they do half price. I usually call in and get it to go since it's not the nicest sushi spot around. They are usually pretty quick on order prep and the service is good. The place is way over due for a remodel but if that happened I'm sure there wouldn't be anymore half price sushi. So as the saying goes "you get what you pay for".

    (3)

  • Timeo R.

    What a turn around in just a couple of weeks. I have to say I was skeptical about going in after my last visit. But I am a local that likes sushi when all the other places are closed. I enjoy talking with hiro. The sushi chef. Funny a great guy. Service was excellent and enjoyable. I know sometimes the bosses don't know what happens when they're not there. So yelps a good way telling them there experience. Looking forward in continue business with something's fishy.

    (5)

  • Ann L.

    My friends and I decided to make a reservation for Something's Fishy for my birthday. We sat down and they didn't even take our order until 40 minutes later. We ordered a variety of things like teriyaki chicken, hibachi, and sushi. The Hibachi grill took 10 minutes, the sushi took 20 minutes, and the teriyaki chicken never came until we had to ask for it multiple times. Not only was the service extraordinarily slow, while the waiter was taking away my empty sushi plate, he spilled the soy sauce on it all over my lap and onto my nice pants without offering any compensation. The waiter also messed up my sushi order and had the nerve the make crappy excuses for the overall poor quality of experience like how it was a busy night and how not enough people ordered Hibachi when clearly half our party did. My party and I were very displeased with how nonchalant the employees seemed with how we were clearly not enjoying our experience and unapologetic for their mistakes. People are always raving about their half off sushi but after this lousy experience with the slow service and attitude towards customers here, you would have to be begging me to come again. Seriously, the food is not worth it.

    (1)

  • Chris G.

    The hostess sat us down at a grill and never once mentioned that they had one chef working. There was another grill with two people sitting there. It would've made sense to sit us with them, but the manager never thought about that. After a 45 min wait and finally being told that they only had one chef working, we closed our check and left. It wasn't the waitresses fault, the hostess should've mentioned it to us when we first walked in before being seated. The hostess happened to be the MANAGER!

    (1)

  • Abby A.

    This place is just like any other Teppan restaurant where the chefs cook in front of you, and I thought it was just okay. I came an hour before closing and that was probably a big factor into why it was just okay. Our chef dropped one of his utensils in the beginning and thankfully left to get a new one! He wasn't as lively and a little messy, but it was probably the end of his shift. The food was good and there were only 4 of us at the table so I think our servings were bigger for the veggies and shared food. I would come back at an earlier time next time!

    (3)

  • Terry H.

    Food was actually really good. Sushi was creamy and the rice was cooked very well. The two missing stars were for the lousy service. Water had to be begged out of a none attentive waiter. The chefs didn't acknowledge any customer and looked like they would rather be bowling. Prices made it worthwhile.

    (3)

  • Julie L.

    My fiance' and I love our sushi and dim sum and in Santa Barbara, it is quite limiting so we were excited to see this catchy restaurant name, Something's Fishy. But when we yelped, it didn't look good. But that place seemed pretty busy so we decided to give it a chance. Well, Yelp reviews were right. We gave it 3 tries because, like I mentioned, good sushi are so limiting in this neighborhood and sometimes restaurants just have off days especially when prices are really low. In short, our experience goes like this.. * The first time we ate there, it was substandard in quality. Meaning, it didn't incite us to eat more. The waiter was punctual but the sushi maker takes off for 15 minutes and when he came back, he forgot our order so we ended up just asking for the check. No apologies were offered. * The second time at the sushi bar, the sushi maker again forgot an order, the very first one we put in. The second order was being made, we saw with our own eyes the sushi maker taking out a roll of raw fish from a counter height freezer behind him, and when he gave us the plate, it smelled like chlorine. It made me nauseous and we asked for the check. * The third time I braved myself and said ok, this is the last try and I know I've been generous in giving it a chance. Took a girl friend there and after we put in the order, a big huge horse fly showed itself in the refrigerating glass case fronting us. It was just flying around. So, we waved the sushi maker down and pointed it out to him. He grabbed a paper napkin and chased it down and killed it, and wiped the glass with it. I said that's it, I'm NEVER going there again, and I must share this or my conscience won't be clear. The manager didn't seem to care. Yuk and so unfortunate.

    (2)

  • Maeve M.

    This is my go to for affordable and pretty good sushi! I like pretty simple sushi so mine is always good, but I wouldn't come here if you're looking for something "amazing". I love that you can always be seated within minutes, they allow you to bring in a bottle of wine for only 1$ per person! And their hibachi is super fun. I'll definitely be back for my next date night !

    (4)

  • Roland N.

    I'm shocked at the reviews here. I love this place. People try to compare this place to Benihana. That's so stupid. This is state street Santa Barbara. I have so any wonderful memories of this place. This is where you go to have dinner before you paint state street with your drunken presence. Sake bombs and fresh sushi, let the teppan chef entertain you while you are slamming back beers in the middle of the best pre party spot in Santa Barbara. Whether you are a graduating ucsb student, here for Fiesta, or just looking for a fun place to eat with friends, I highly recommend this spot. Half price sushi, fried rice, and white crack sauce for the seafood. Hell yeah. Do not come here expecting some fancy fru fru stuff. Eat and enjoy the show, remember your night is just getting started, make it one to remember forever...

    (5)

  • Greg W.

    Service at this place was truly top notch. I mean they didn't rush to be friendly when I walked in but eventually it got better. I guess I'm not too picky! Seriously though the waiter was incredible and obviously local because he seemed to know about everything. I don't think I've had an individual experience with a server in my time in Santa Barbara so this is very refreshing. Sushi was good, like good, not unforgettable. The half-off thing helps bring a lot of value to the sushi, you definitely feel like you get your money's worth unlike a lot of sushi restaurants here. Bathroom is pretty decent, I don't know why I feel like this should be included but I saw someone else complain about it being dirty. There was a guy doing his hair or something though...strange. Something's Fishy is really a terrible name in my opinion but the restaurant is good!

    (4)

  • Resturant H.

    Quintessential tourist sushi: 100% farmed fish and chefs that could not identify Japan on a map. I did not think you could farm tuna but the chef said all their fish was farmed. Another chef came out later and said the Tuna was wild-caught. The manager then claimed the salmon was farmed but wild caught, though he could not explain what that meant. The sushi tasted like sushi TV-dinner. The experience had me feeling like an idiot for walking in a place that advertised "1/2 price sushi all day long"....I should have known.

    (1)

  • Megan T.

    Extremely cheap and delicious sushi rolls. Service is always friendly, the hibachi fried rice is a must! Always perfect and never mess up! I'm a local and it's a monthly must have.

    (5)

  • Jess H.

    The happy hour sushi here is amazing! The half off rolls and sushi are both fresh and delicious. The chefs are really friendly and take time to make sure the order is right as well as make conversation. There are a lot of seats at the sushi bar, but most of the times I went there was a wait. If you want sushi, you do have to eat at the bar as there aren't any other tables for that. This place also doubles as a hibachi restaurant and although I haven't had the opportunity to try this specific one out yet, it always seems full with people and the customers seem happy. I will definitely be making a trip back when I'm craving sushi, which I always am! Cheers, Jess

    (3)

  • Samuel C.

    You can hear the twang of a gunji playing while vibrant cherry blossoms dance through the spring wind in each scrumptious bite of sushi. The ice cold green tea mochi leaves you refreshed at the end of your feast that would have any master samurai loosen their tightly gripped katana sword...if only for a moment.

    (5)

  • Sophia N.

    Visited this place while at a weekend in SB. I thought it would be comparable to Benihana and my friend recommended it. However, everything was mediocre. The food wasn't bad but nothing really made me say woah. The sushi was better than the actual hibachi style entrees.

    (3)

  • Jason B.

    The sushi was pretty good, but just not the best that I've ever had. However, the food cooked on the hibachi grill was amazing. Our chef put on a great show, was very humorous, and made sure to engage us in the experience. If you want a dinner and a show, this would be a great option. Great food and a great staff.

    (4)

  • Gwen C.

    It is very cool experience and the food is great I definitely recommend it and would gladly come back

    (4)

  • Esther L.

    The quality of the sushi is terrible along with the old soggy ginger. Asked for a crunchy roll and got an avocado roll with minimal crunches on top. Seems like every year the quality of this restaurant is downgrading. They seem complacent and don't care much about a customer's happiness. I recommend Kai sushi further down on state street. Way better service and quality of sushi.

    (1)

  • Abtein J.

    Writing this review to express my disappointment that they no longer feature a happy hr on beer and saki. Seriously I come here because the mediocre sushi is well priced and its the best mediocre sushi in town in my opinion. That being said the happy hr 2 for 1 dos equis and saki was a major reason for me to frequent this place. But they did away w that. Why? No clue. Terrible Move. I may still go here for the half priced rolls - which honestly shouldn't even be called that anymore since its the normal price anyway. My visits will certainly be less frequent tho due to their terrible decision of doing away w happy hr drinks. Thanks Somethings Fishy, you just became immensely more mediocre. Out

    (3)

  • Sarah D.

    This place is bomb!! And classy as well lol. Sucks they don't have one in goleta!! I would definitely go waaay more if they did. Love their rolls. My faves r Philadelphia and Mexican sooo bomb!!

    (5)

  • Liz G.

    I've only eaten here for the rolls, and I find it reasonable. It's a great place to get half off sushi, but not life changing. Although I do have to say that their featured Homare Strawberry Nigori is something to try. Not sure if something milky should be combined with fancy rolls, but if you stick to nigiri or sashimi it'll be fine.

    (3)

  • Lillian N.

    Every single time I walk into this restaurant, I always get the best service and every single time I leave, I walk out very satisfied!! Sunday-Thursday, they have a killer deal at 1/2 off sushi rolls for a majority of their rolls. My favorite roll is the MEXICAN ROLL (cooked salmon on top, avocado, jalapeño, tempura, crab....). If you haven't tried it, it's a definite must with their delicious spicy mayo sauce! As for the teppanyaki, I'm addicted to the fried rice and shrimp and salmon that the best chef- Carlos makes!! Carlos is very fun to sake bomb with and also makes a delicious "Malibu" plate! Ask for Carlos as your chef, and Emma or Masami as your server and I guarantee you'll have a great experience with a fun cook/server!!

    (5)

  • Trent B.

    I came here with my wife and four children. The food was ok, but the service was horrible. The kids almost had a meltdown.

    (2)

  • Dianne R.

    even though they are generous and inexpensive, they just keep getting better since I became a fan over 20 years ago. My favs are the Aloha, Something's Fishy and Spicy Tuna Rolls. I've tried a few other more expensive sushi restaurants and though they were delicious, Something's Fishy is just as good. The staff is ALWAYS friendly, especially the manager who I regret still not knowing his name. Next time I'll get it :) So go and enjoy this fun, affordable restaurant and don't forget 1/2 price sushi rolls M-Th all day!!

    (4)

  • Kimberly Cameron V.

    Kimberly Cameron, Valencia, CA I'm really surprised that Something's Fishy only got an overall 3/5 star rating. I love this place!! The Hibachi is excellent, and I've always enjoyed the sushi too!! My favorite Hibachi meal: Scallops and Rib Eye, and I love the salad, fried rice, soup, and veggies!! We go here all the time for birthdays and other special occasions. It really is a treat!! And it's a lot of fun to indulge in a couple sake bombs. Expect to spend some money, but you won't regret it considering how delicious the foods is!

    (5)

  • Dawn M.

    We love and enjoy to eat here. The hibachi grill is alway great and less greasy. Love their half price special on Sushi items from Mon to Thu. The only things that bother us that the waitstaff kinda in a rush to take order without giving us minute to read at the menu or giving us any recommend on their specialty. This time, I have to mention to the waitress that she forgot to put our drink order on the bill as well as our appetizer. We almost got a free meal and free drink just right there.

    (4)

  • Rodney O.

    The only hibachi style restaurant in Santa Barbara and it is most definitely worth a visit! Great service and some of the best chicken and shrimp I've ever had! Its a great place to have a dinner party and the chefs who come out to make your food do it right in front of you!

    (5)

  • Mifa Y.

    This place saved me after a trip from Cambria. I remember asking the front desk of our hotel if there was a sushi place in town...he laughed. Much to my surprise the town closes down at 8:00pm on Saturday and Cambria only caters to hamburgers and wine tasting. Which would be fine if I didn't have a hankering for sushi. So you can imagine my delight on our way home when we stopped off at this place in SB for a bite. Not only was the sushi half off on Sunday from 2:00-5:00pm but they put the nori on the outside so you get more seaweed vs. when it's typically rolled on the inside. It was heaven! Yum! The teppan was okay, I'd rather load up on the rolls next time. Check out my pic of sheer delight!

    (4)

  • Danah W.

    This is where you go if you want sushi on the cheap. Quality is basic but "good." The teppen is tasty. It's not a gourmet experience but it is edible and reasonably priced Sun - Thurs. The fried rice is fantastic!

    (4)

  • Stephanie T.

    Last minute party of 12 very accommodating great servers and chefs food was perfect. Thanks

    (5)

  • Richard W.

    Watch out! The wait is horrendous. This is a horrible place to have a date unless you can talk for 2 hours straight complaining about the service to each other, and how the food was not worth the wait.

    (1)

  • Nicole G.

    Great stop for a quick get together. Inexpensive and good time with friends, yes. High quality sushi, no. I do not go for the atmosphere. I go for happy hour. 2 for 1 sake & half price sushi, or just takeout for half price sushi. I get the spicy tuna and PCH roll. I have never had a real problem with waiting, been lucky with this because I know there can be 45 minute waits sometimes. I find 4-6 there is no to little wait on the days I have gone. I repeat, they are not the best place for sushi, but I am always happy with these two rolls. I sometimes get avocado with the tuna. For the price, I can't beat it. I do find they are inconsistent with seating. I was allowed, with a group of friends, to sit at the hibachi tables for sushi, drinking our sake while waiting for a table because the bar was full. They then just served us there instead of moving us. Other times with different hosts we were not allowed to preorder our sake and sip while waiting, not allowed to use the hibachi empty tables.

    (3)

  • Youri Y.

    I always have a great time at Something's Fishy and they have the best sushi prices from Sunday - Thursday for half off sushi rolls and sashimi! The quality of the sushi is a little above average but still a great deal. If sushi is what you're only ordering, you have to wait for the sushi bar to be available for seating. And they do take reservations so don't be afraid to call ahead :)

    (4)

  • Tai F.

    I've been to Santa Barbara countless times. Seriously, literally, countless (not even including the two months that I lived there). And I've never really felt inspired to try Something's Fishy. I walk by it on State Street day after day and nothing really calls me in. Well this time, with a rumbly tummy and little motivation to walk any farther than the door in front of me, I was seated at the bar before I even knew what happened. The waitstaff was a little difficult to flag down and we were seated at the farthest end of the sushi bar where it sort of tapers off. Not a lot of chef contact happening. frown face. We ordered three rolls, salmon sushi and unagi. Everything was made super fast and put all onto one big plate. I know this is a weird issue but I don't like all my rolls on one big plate. It makes it hard for me to distinguish what I'm eating. Just a weird pet peeve. Not only did the big plate keep me from separating the rolls but the rolls themselves were just plain. Everything was sort of the same. And extremely mediocre. The only thing that really stuck out to me as notably delicious was the unagi. I was tempted to order another one it was so good. Disregarding the nomnom unagi this entire experience was shockingly blase. Next time, I'll kick myself in the pants and walk a few doors down to any other restaurant on State St.

    (2)

  • Marin C.

    We sat at one of then hibachi areas with our group of 7. 5 of us ordered the hibachi and shared, it was nice. We had the shrimp dinner, the chicken, the lobster & filet, etc. We also had a round of sake bombs. Most excellent. It was a fun experience and the food was good. It was Saturday evening, we had a reservation for a little before 7pm. It took maybe 5-10 minutes to be seated, not too bad. You cannot go there and expect to be in and out fast, it is entertainment and takes awhile. I'd say by 830/845 we were just working on our soup and salad (comes with some of the dinners). Our final bill was over 100$, but reasonable for group size and items ordered. Delicious. Could be the alcohol speaking, but I don't think so.

    (4)

  • Riry P.

    This place is great for kids! Happy hour prices are reasonable. Our chef had a few funny jokes and tricks and entertained kids from 4-7. My biggest issue with hibachi is that the food is either too dry or salty. Not the case. Opt for the fried rice - it's super good. We had an array of items, vegetarian, shrimp, chicken and steak. All came out as expected and tasty. Portion sizes are relatively large. The kids menu has sufficient options Wait staff was attentive and responsive Service was fast. They had several large parties there and the place was packed so I was pretty surprised at the efficiency of service. Food came out hot Honestly, it was nice to have my kid entertained so I could eat in peace, I'd pay almost anything for that type of peace.

    (4)

  • Ryan A.

    I've definitely had better sushi...much better. The rolls were sloppily made and were 75% rice with barely any sushi, if any. And they add the sauce on like it's the main ingredient! THE FISH IS THE MAIN INGREDIENT! I feel like I was being tricked into believing that what I was eating was sushi. Service was ok. I'm a big believer in good service. But 30 minutes of waiting with no water and having to ask the waitress to get us water is a big no no for me. And I was a waiter for sometime and I NEVER let my patrons go without getting their drink order. Maybe I'm too big of a snob or maybe this place isn't that great. Something is fishy alright, and it's not the sushi.

    (2)

  • Rachel W.

    I've been loving the half-price deal since I moved to SB last year, and I've yet to be disappointed. The only thing is that compared to other places I've gone to, their most affordable sushi is kind of bland....almost none with sauces. Other than that, and besides the enormous wait on weekends, this has been the perfect place for cheap sushi...except for my food poisoning last week. -_-

    (3)

  • Shelby N.

    Their sushi is delicious! They have a huge selection. I am only not as thrilled by their hibachi meals with meat. I would recommend ordering any of the fish selections, and probably their steak, but the chicken is mediocre and not all white meat. They also have an excellent calamari and jalapeno appetizer that is so tasty!

    (4)

  • Martin A.

    We called for a reservation for 10 people. Arrived on time and were seated promptly. Cold beer and good service overall. Server was a bit inexperienced but he made do the best he could. He kept us entertained and moved on past minor errors... Sushi was very good and meals were very filling. It was difficult to serve the 10 of us, but they did very well. Prices were reasonable. The restaurant could use a deep clean... many of the other restaurants in the area appeared to have higher cleanliness standards. It was fine for what it was.

    (4)

  • Lucia S.

    Amazing service, great food, fantastic hibachi showmanship. The chef we had was super friendly and gave us large portions of high quality food. The vegetarian dish was great as was the filet mignon and scallops.

    (5)

  • Clara Y.

    If you want to go to a good hibachi restaurant, please go to Benihana instead. Something's Fishy is not that fresh, very dry, poor service. Save yourself some money and time.

    (2)

  • Joyce L.

    I enjoyed the vibe here. The salmon skin salad was good as was the baked dynamite with scallops. We sat at the sushi bar and order sake with beers. we bought beers for the chefs and they in-turn made us some cool dishes to sample. We weren't too happy about the drunk guys hitting on us though. Drag....

    (3)

  • Michael L.

    This place is only worth going because of the half price sushi. Otherwise this place is total garb. #1 Not great quality. The tuna and yellowtail were edible. I, literally, had to spit the salmon out. Tasted like I was chewing on whale poop. #2 Why would I want Mexis making my sushi? Just like you wouldn't want an Asian making your menudo. #3 Slooooooooooooow #4 Check came out wrong. If Santa Barbara sushi restaurants were the NBA then Something's Fishy would be the Toronto cRaptors.

    (2)

  • Angela R.

    This is the only place in town that i know of that does it Hibachi style. My tip would be to go during the daytime for more affordable pricing. I always stick to the hibachi shrimp and chicken or scallops. I also love the fried rice!

    (3)

  • Jenn C.

    this place never disappoints and always delivers. i came here for multiple graduation dinners a couple weekends ago and even though i've come here so many times, i am still in love with their fried rice. fried rice + chili sauce with the seeds = heaven i can eat it everyday for a month and i'm pretty sure i could.. i would just get really fat. the jalapeno roll is the shit. spicy as hell because of the raw jalapeno with the seeds included and the sriracha drizzled on top... yet its as addicting as crack, but better because its legal. chicken and shrimp hibachi combo dinner is still my favorite. that mustard sauce and the ginger sauce is happiness in liquid form.. and when combined with the holy act of sake bombing, my night turns into the best shitshow to ever happen.. but of course, because its Santa Barbara.. its completely normal to walk in completely sober and crawling out, wasted. its right next to EOS, a club thats pretty poppin' and its also right next to Sandbar, Madisons, and a block and a half from my favorite club, Wildcat. This is the best place to get your party on.

    (5)

  • Ana M.

    We were writing our name on the list and the hostess was very rude! We left.

    (1)

  • Christine S.

    The best Japanese restaurant! Stumbled upon this with my family and gave it a try... Dinner and a show! I saw tricks I haven't seen in any Japanese restaurant before! And every single food dish was phenomenal. If only I lived in SB! I'd be here every night!

    (5)

  • Olivia U.

    The service is efficient. The sushi size is larger than Sushi Teri - the most prevalent sushi place in the area - the prices are average on Fri - Sun but Mon - Thu sushi is half-price! They're quick for a call in order, a little slower it seems for in restaurant orders. The place can be pleasant if it is a weekday but it can get very crowded on the weekends. Most employees are efficient and on the nice side, but not overwhelmingly so.

    (5)

  • G R.

    If only i could give zero stars. I had a friend from out of town visit and we decided to eat here..BIG MISTAKE. We made reservations and they sat us at the Habachi table. We were very excited for a fun show. When they found out only 1/3 of us wanted Habachi(other two wanted regular sushi) they made us get up and move. At this point the sushi bar was crowded and we had to wait over 10 minutes. by this time we are starving and frustrated because we are being ignored and awkwardly holding our drinks waiting around for table space when the other side (where we previously were is completely empty!!!). Then we get re-seated in the Habchi area. My boyfriend's food comes out cold and completely inedible. The meat was all fat and veins. They also made it in the back kitchen instead of in front of us. Long story short- the manager came out and started yelling that we still had to pay for it because he tried the meat off our plate in the back and said it was ok. WHAT THE... LOL. At this point two other couples there were getting upset for us and all started yelling at the owner that he was rude and needed to take the "uneaten" meal away/comp it. It was quite the show- just not the show we expected to see ;) I will never eat here again! Horrible service, bad meat, super unorganized. The sushi was nothing to brag about either. Worst experience in Santa Barbara so far.

    (1)

  • Seafood K.

    Yeah!!!! Best sushi place ever in sb!!!!!!! But the birthday drums bothered me. -_-;;

    (5)

  • Penny L.

    Pros: fun for birthdays or group gatherings. the hibachi is fun & the chefs are social and interactive. there lunch specials are also extremely cheap ($3 rolls, etc) Cons: relatively pricey (hibachi) for the quality of the food. not a fan of the sushi, the chicken teriyaki was rubbery & made me feel ill Overall: A decent place to attend parties, but don't go for the quality of the food. also who names a sushi place something's fishy?

    (2)

  • Gerald C.

    I have been here a few times , this time I felt bossed around and rushed. I have experienced better from this very restauarant, don't let me down again.

    (2)

  • Jaime D.

    I love going here for Birthday parties! The hibachi is just so fun and the food is always good!

    (5)

  • SB-local S.

    Dont be fooled by half off like we were. They are doubling the price on the simple rolls that are normally $4-5 elsewhere. Plus the portion is small!

    (2)

  • Emmie N.

    4 stars: 3 stars for food & services, 1 extra bonus star for the fun experience I had with my friends both times I've been here. First time I came with my bf, friend & her bf: there were 4 of us. Second time I came with my sister and her friends, there were 6 of us. Both times we did the whole Hibachi/Benihana deal. The food was alright, average tasting. I would say the best part of the meal was the fried rice. Our chef was cool & funny. Of course he did some tricks (flaming onion volcano) and rhythmic banging while he cooked. I had a good time with my friends here. I wouldn't come back for the food per se but wouldn't mind coming back for another fun experience.

    (4)

  • Sally Spork S.

    Sally Spork reviews Something's Fishy Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Atmosphere: Well this spot has been in SB forevaa. Very large restaurant large square tables with a man throwing knifes in the air and slicing and dicing over a skiddle so hot it spontaneously bursts into flame (how anyone walks away with their eyebrows is a wonder!) We ate at the sushi bar, packed on a Tuesday night like birds on a wire. Service: We were quickly seated, and asked to be at the bar. We were not greeted by the men behind the sushi bar, even when we tried to make a simple chit-chat over the sushi (I praised the presentation), there was no return. While the chefs don't have to entertain, I do enjoy when they are present and attentive, which is not the case at this establishment. These guys are dishing out volume of sushi, so this is to be expected. Food/drink: The sushi was good. We ate an assortment of rolls that are discounted at a happy hour of sorts. Yellow tail, eel, crab.. it was all tasty. We had a seaweed salad which was mushy as if it had been soaking in the dressing too long. Summary: Something's Fishy is the Disneyland of sushi. And some locals and tourists alike will find this place entertaining. Would I go back? Probably not. I prefer the smaller, 'hole in the wall' types of sushi places and there are several to choose from in SB.

    (3)

  • Kimberly D.

    Slow service, over prices food for what it really is, and the atmosphere isnt really that great!

    (1)

  • Armi V.

    I hate to write a bad review but this place is just not worth your money. I was here last week on Tuesday while vacationing with my kids in Santa Barbara. Walking down State St this place smelled very delicious, so I we decided to dine here. Mined you, I LOVE Benihana, figured this place would be some what similar. Well to my awful surprise it was everything BUT! First lets start with the food, the shrimp, lobster and the scallops did not look nor taste fresh. I never thought one could mess up fired rice as bad as this place does. Why was the rice yellow? On top of bad food, the waiter came to our table a total of 3 times, which at one point we were sitting for about 20mins waiting for the cook to come to our table. Not so good customer service, BAD FOOD, and pricy?!?!? Yeah, I would defiantly NOT come back even if they offered me a free dinner. Sorry....

    (1)

  • Claudia L.

    This review is for their only their sushi . I went here for their happy hour and i was not impressed. First off, I wasnt impressed because there were flies flying around everywhere and i saw a fly inside the sashimi case... Talk about gross. I also saw a fly fly onto the waiting to be delivered sushi and the sushi chef saw that i saw that so he took it off the counter and made a new one to be delivered. The sea weed in the rolls were stale . The rolls also had alot of rice and not alot of content in it js untasty rice . The price is good for their happy hour if only the sushi was decent but i would NOT come back here, maybe to try their teppanyaki and for sake bombs .

    (1)

  • Anya R.

    This place was so good to me in college. Came here at least once a month on a weekday beacuse Monday through Thur the sushi would be half price. EVERYTHING on the sushi roll menu was half off.. not just a limited menu like most places. I celebrated my 21st bday here and got a table with Tepanyaki- where they entertain you with making the food. That's always fun. Since its a college town most of the servers were college students and young so when we were doing sake bombs for my bday I asked the server to join in and she happily joined! Awesome! I love the asparagus sushi roll. Now that I'm more than a couple hundred miles away.. makes me want to make a trip down to SB! Oh and you MUST finish your dinner with the Tempura Ice Cream.. deep fried GREEN TEA. Such a huge portion. Its to die for!

    (5)

  • Gregory N.

    I'm not a big sushi fan, but I do like unagi. But the reason I go here is the Benihana-style steak and shrimp meal during the early hour dinner. For less than $20, you can get the meal, which is 4 stars, a cut below Benihana, but it's about a third the price. The miso soup is 5 stars and their salad dressing is zesty. Due to its reasonable prices, I'd rate it a healthy 4 star.

    (4)

  • Bryant S.

    If your looking for sushi on the cheap.. They do ok here. Can't beat it for the price.

    (3)

  • A. Jermaine S.

    SUPERB, food! I love the layout of the Resturant. Great Sushi bar for lunch, great staff. Need I Say more? A tad pricey but well Worth it.

    (4)

  • Kara S.

    Something's fishy here!! This place is too good, darn it. Ah the memories. You can get super wasted, pig out on BOMB Japanese food, and get a show all in one. Afterwards, you can wander around State. And it always helps when you're friendly with the servers. This place has teppan so if you're into fried and flames, check it out. Definitely a good place for groups. You can sake bomb until tomorrow and it's all good. Sometimes it can get kind of crowded, but it's worth checking out atleast once. Of if you just want to sample the food in peace, the lunch hours are always good and they have specials.

    (5)

  • Kristie S.

    If I based my review only on my meal, I'd have to give it one star. But everyone else in my party of 10 enjoyed their meal, and we had a great time. I ordered the vegetarian meal, and it was the WORST veggie meal I've ever had :( My meal came with soup and rice, just like everyone else, but when the others got their choice of meat I got a plateful of sliced red peppers. That's all. Sliced red peppers. Uh, how about some mushrooms or zuchini or squash or about a million other veggie options. Fortunately, I'd had enough sake bombs not to get too upset about it!

    (3)

  • pink b.

    I don't really like this place..I needed to find a place to fix my blood sugar with my boyfriend at the time.. and came across a Japanese restaurant in Santa Barbara..it felt like a sauna and I felt like I was at Bally's..ill totally gross..food not that great..and service slow..but Santa Barbara is a great place to shop and unwind..

    (2)

  • d s.

    Quality has gone down over the years. Service was bad, too. The chef did not say a word. Plus, the chef was wearing a headband with Japanese word "Japan [Ni-Pon]" upside down. No one understands Japanese at this "Japanese" restaurant? Unfortunately, this is the only Tepan-yaki style restaurant in Santa Barbara, I think.

    (1)

  • dale d.

    I've had better sushi, much better, but it was a nice place to land while walking the streets all day. The place was clean, and the service was good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go there though. The location is wonderful, and the prices were reasonable for what you get in return. I missed the half priced sushi, which sucked.

    (3)

  • Cliff S.

    good sushi. crap service... without a smile. oh, and a mexican sushi chef.

    (2)

  • Maryanne R.

    My husband has been "dining" at this establishment since his college days at UCSB - over 20 years ago. He used to come here with big groups of friends to launch a night of underage drinking up and down State St. and now he comes with big groups of hockey kids and their families when we pass through town on our way to hockey tournaments down south. It's a great place for a big group - even without a reservation. The teppanyaki show is great for kids and the noise level of the place on our recent trip drowned out the noise our kids were making. The teppanyaki is good here and we love the sushi (especially the Something's Fishy roll - spicy) even though you can get better sushi all over SB. The room is well worn and the atmosphere is raucous on weekend nights and you may feel like you've crashed a frat party, but we love it.

    (4)

  • justin v.

    This is basically a bennihana. You get a decent amount of food and a "show". Good for groups. Can get busy on the weekends with tons of UCSBers doing sake bombs.

    (3)

  • A. M.

    Compared to some other sushi, its not AMAZING, but its pretty good especially for Santa Barbara. Sitting at the sushi bar is fun, and the service is usually good. The half price days (M-Thurs after 5 or something) make it even better. I've eaten at the main grills once, and the food was really good. Its expensive because you pay by the meal, but worth it, and you get a ton of food. Don't go with a bunch of people expecting a seat at the bar, cause it won't happen. But do try it out sometime, its worth it.

    (3)

  • Mark D.

    You don't go here for sushi, because there are way better places in the city. It's basically SB's mom-n-pop version of Benihana...

    (2)

  • Ben L.

    The name of the restaurant more or less sums up the experience. Something's Fishy.

    (3)

  • Diana L.

    Half-price sushi specials Mon-Fri are the best feature of this downtown sushi spot. With this deal nigiri is alike a dollar plus per piece, and maki (rolls) are around $2.50. Habachi is good too (tho pricey) - the staff gets into it and sake bombs flow. Downsides: sometimes there's a wait bc the 1/2 price special is at the bar only; they never have egg cake; ambiance is not even close to relaxing.

    (3)

  • Al Z.

    decent sushi with very good price

    (4)

  • Shiho F.

    One of my all time favorite place to go with a group. I don't care for the show and the atmosphere but the teppanyaki style is delicious. They have the BEST dipping sauces for the meat and veggies! I wouldn't recommend this place as a great place for Japanese food nor for sushi but I do give it props for their grilled items.

    (4)

  • Jeff L.

    I've only been to Something's Fishy twice and I will never return again. I have no complaints about the food, but their service leaves a lot to be desired. Both times I've been there the Teppanyaki chef was rude, quiet, and not entertaining in the least bit. He did not engage or do anything special and the servers are even ruder. The first time it took over 45 minutes to receive the check and it was incorrect. The second time I ate there, the chef spilled VERY hot tea all over our table and me. No one offered an apology or even a napkin, not the chef, manager, or server. In fact, the server walked over and placed my salad in the water and just walked away. My friend had to get up and ask for some napkins and a towel. NO ONE cared and trust me, not only was it a mess, but scolding hot tea, does not feel particularly good in your lap. This restaurant has great potential, but they need better training on customer service and just basic etiquette.

    (2)

  • Charley B.

    I recently went down to Santa Barbara for my cousin's wedding. That was awesome. Our first meal however, was not awesome. We got down there around 9ish and I asked the bellman at my brother's hotel where we could get some good sushi. The first thing out of his mouth was "OH! Something's Fishy is just a few blocks away." Now this could have, and should have, been interpreted differently. I took it at first as a gut instinct to associate his idea of good sushi with my idea of good sushi. Not to act all snobbish about raw fish, but his idea of good sushi turned out to be rolls which were mediocre at best (more than 2/3's were deep fried in one way or another) and a minimal Nigiri list. By minimal I am referring to old, dry octopus and hot pink tuna. The service was slow and pretty much every bite I had made me angrier at myself for having listened to this guy's recommendation. (I should have taken it as a sign that not one of the chefs was Japanese) I seriously don't know how people can give this restaurant 4 or 5 stars unless they have never had sushi, ever, and never had any real clue as to what sushi should look or taste like. I am sorry Something's Fishy, but you stink.

    (1)

  • ken h.

    yours truly is the old weekend manager for this wonderful establishment... although its been a while since i've been there, there is no doubt in my mind that the menu is exactly the same... so what can i say about this place, if you want to have fun and get drunk, eat a good meal, and see some cool tricks, then this place is for you...if your on your first date or about to hit up a club, probably not a good idea as you will reak of cooked food for the rest of the night... definite things i would recommend: Filet and shrimp with the famous fried rice (their secret is that they steam it in butter and chicken broth) and from the sushi bar, i would recommend the house somethings fishy roll... a good combination of fresh seafood and fried tempura

    (4)

  • Hannah Hall L.

    I have only come here for the sushi and for half-off sushi this is a great spot. It loses stars for its inconsistent sushi rolls. I usually like the Tomsan roll which is a yummy eel roll with other ingredients but occasionally there is hardly a piece of eel in it. However, it's half off - so I really cannot complain. The service is outstanding and the sushi chefs are great people. I would recommend this spot more for lunch considering dinnertime brings forth the louder and more annoying crowd. It is also filled with birthdays and this restaurant's birthday song is horrid to the ears - the tambourine needs to be destroyed! If you want fast, cheap sushi then this is the place for you - you will find me here often during the day!

    (3)

  • Jenn H.

    The food is good but in the other hand they have the worst service ever. Today, the place was not busy at all, me and my friend sat at the bar and order some rolls. Then we decided to order some fried rice, I told one of the guy server if we could order that. Apparently he forgot to tell the chef about the order because one of the woman server came to me and said that he forgot to send the order to the chef. Minutes later she comes with our fried rice order, I told her that I was sharing with my friend but she didn't seem to be fully aware of that, i see no extra plate or forks. Are we supposed to eat the food with our fingers? Thanks To chef Hero he handed us an extra plate so we could eat the food. I don't understand why on a slow day and with plenty of servers working, we couldn't get a great customer service. I am guessing this place doesn't want to keep happy their constantly returning customer.

    (1)

  • Lorraine S.

    Loved this place! Nice setting, fun and friendly staff and of course great food. Only thing I didn't like was their iced tea I had to sent it back other than that great place will go again. Oh, best fried rice ever.

    (5)

  • Gerald P.

    I don't understand why ontl the web site said open from 1130am to 900pm ; we went yesterday monday March 1130 they said is gome be open untill lunch time we came back at 1205 and they said we gone be open at 400 pm . ????? If you guys planning not open at 1130 am you need to change the time on the web and don't have the business door open or have a note on front door. That way customers know about it was a birthday invitation and you guys screw up every thing grrrrr

    (1)

  • Veronica T.

    The sushi is just ok. They slice them way to thick and none of the 7 rolls we ordered stayed together. *** this is an update. I changed from 3 starts to 1 star. I am thoroughly disgusted with this place. Great location and nice staff but food and even the water was gross.

    (1)

  • Brittni B.

    I wish I could give this place more stars, considering it's such a popular place in downtown Santa Barbara. However, my friends and I were thoroughly disappointed with the experience we had. Our server was wonderful, and super attentive. She is the only reason I am giving three stars. It took almost 30 minutes just to start the hibachi, and our cook was so unresponsive. My roommate and I frequent many Teppan restaurants because we love the experience and the atmosphere that comes included. Our cook hardly spoke to us, and on top of that, my roommates chicken was still raw! Our other friends sushi dinners were terribly made, and they ended up paying over $40 for a few bites of sushi. We do want to thank the manager for giving my roommate her meal for free, seeing that we were not looking for compensation. However, we wish we had a better experience at Something Fishy.

    (3)

  • Katie K.

    I am a native Santa Barbarian and I've been going to this place for 10+ years. Rarely have I ever had a bad experience and I always recommend Something's Fishy to folks from out of town who want a fun experience. Not only is their sushi the best price in town (half off, all the time) but their hibachi is to die for! Always, always, always get the fried rice! My family is completely spoiled because their fried rice is so good. It doesn't taste as good anywhere else. Nearly every single hibachi chef I have had does a great job with entertaining, although every now and then (typically during the lunch hour) I have had a chef who is new/learning, so he didn't do as many tricks. Every now and then a chef will come up with something completely different that I've never seen before, and that's always a treat! I have had their halibut, chicken, shrimp, and steak and all of it is good. You can't go wrong. The best deal you can get is their deluxe filet mignon dinner which comes with miso soup, salad with an amazing ginger dressing, fried rice, grilled vegetables, and mochi ice cream for dessert. The filet mignon simply melts in your mouth. Exquisite. Save room for dessert because their fried green tea ice cream is without a doubt one of my favorite desserts of all time. You get the fried tempura outside that is warm and crunchy with the refreshing green tea ice cream center... my mouth is watering just thinking about it. This place is definitely worth your time, but it does get busy during dinner, especially on the weekends. So if you have a large group, I would highly recommend calling and making a reservation. They also have an early bird special with discounts off their hibachi, as long as you get there and order between the hours of 3:00-6:00 PM.

    (5)

  • Carolyn P.

    This place is wonderful for a casual dinner. The sushi is good, not great but you get what you pay for. The prices are amazing and I eat my fair share of sushi here. I recommend trying it. I don't recommend this place for a romantic dinner but a casual dinner with friends would be perfect.

    (4)

  • Heather P.

    Skip this place. There are way too many better restaurants and dining experiences in town. Service was pathetically slow. The food was only so-so. We had both sushi and Teppan table. Our teppan table chef did not do any entertaining. He did light some onions on fire. But no special knife or chopping skills. No flipping of the shrimp into patrons mouths. No spinning of the raw eggs. Nothing! Again the food was only so-so and the service was a real killer. Avoid!

    (2)

  • Ashley P.

    This is a great place... love the hibachi. The food is so great - everything is delicious. We love the service too!!

    (5)

  • TJ J.

    What a great Japanese Hibachi restaurant in Santa Barbara This was our first time in Santa Barbara this weekend and wow do i have to say it was amazing The chef Roberto really put on an impressive show and made the dining experience fun, and Entertaining for My Family and I. Once again thank you Staff and we look forward to our next visit to something's Fishy!

    (5)

  • Lupita D.

    I actually really enjoyed this place. I got the hibachi (salmon + fried rice). The performance was entertaining - our cook was friendly. I honestly really loved the salmon. I received a lot more than I expected, which is nice. The salad and sauces were pretty good as well. I recommend this place at night, it's dimly lit and has a nice ambiance. Expensive, but a nice experience. Make sure your whole party is there when you arrive, or else they can't start the hibachi. The wait was a little while, even though we made a reservation (however, it was a Friday night). Never tried the rolls, so don't have anything to say about that.

    (4)

  • Kong P.

    Too pricey compare to the quality of sushis, but rolls are not so bad. 3.25 for 2pcs of sushi. 4 for cheap roll and 10 for more fancy rolls. Kinda fine if u do desperate jap food but if u have had experiences with 5stars sushi dont expect it to be the same here.

    (3)

  • Kathleen I.

    My sister and I were quickly seated at the sushi bar on a busy Saturday night. The servers were friendly, and the menu offered half price sushi. My favorite was the crunch roll. This place is definitely a good date spot in downtown SB. They also have hibachi tables, which I will go back and try.

    (3)

  • Andrea C.

    LETS BE REAL. half off sushi...ALL THE TIME? You would be crazy to not love this place. ALL of the sushi chefs there are so nice, especially HIRO (pronounced hee-row). He is so kind and our sushi comes out to us on time, ALL the time, not to mention how amazingly neat the presentation of the sushi is. Hibachi is great for large groups, they definitely accommodate to bigger parties, and their service is no less than when you come with one other person, or ten. They're all kind!

    (5)

  • Nathaniel R.

    We arrived with a party of four hoping to all sit together & eat some half off sushi. They told us the wait would be around 30 minutes so we grabbed some sake & sat down to wait. Over an hour later we were still waiting to be seated, but at least it gave us an hour to experience the unfriendly staff. We ended up leaving & going across the street to SB brewing co, which sat us immediately without a problem!

    (1)

  • Emilie B.

    My favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. Great service, a lot of food for your money, and the staff is super friendly. Creative and fun that we can see them making food in front of us.

    (5)

  • Kevin W.

    No AYCE. They offer 1/2 priced sushi, which works out to be about the same price as AYCE. Decent quality, small selection of rolls. Nothing covered in heavy mayo sauce. Not the best waiter service. They also offer hibachi tables, but we ate at the bar.

    (4)

  • Laney N.

    You can't beat the price!!! This is my favorite sushi place to go, 1/2 off all day long.

    (5)

  • Martin B.

    Late night staff very rude and very judgemental. We asked where is a good place to go after dinner and we got attitude and rudeness

    (1)

  • Bryce M.

    I understand why people would like the prices here, but they sacrificed all other aspects of a decent restaurant. Including quality of food and especially service. I am allergic to many things and they did not really seem to care or listen when I told them, which made me concerned that there may have been things in the rolls that could have made me very sick. When we received our food it seemed as if the sushi chefs have perfected the art of making fresh sushi appear as if it had been made the day before and left to sit under fluorescent lights. When we noticed one roll had a topping on it that was not listed on the menu that I was allergic to, when we alerted the chef they seemed annoyed with us and refused to remake or replace the roll with something else. After this final slight, we asked for all of our uneaten food to be boxed and went to get Italian food up the road. The sushi was later consumed as high munchies, and it still tasted like fishy paste. Something's fishy is right, but not in the way you would like.

    (1)

  • Mike C.

    Stopped in for lunch. Sushi was sub-par, not fresh. And on my way to the bathroom I got a glimpse of the kitchen and the floor was filthy. At 12:30pm? That made me nervous. The guy making the sushi seems hate his job, he looks miserable behind the counter. I'd give it one star but I feel bad for the waiters. He was at least friendly.

    (2)

  • Shelby C.

    This place is really fun. The pricing isn't too high if you're looking for an affordable dining experience in Santa Barbara. All of the staff are extremely friendly and the service is great. Sushi is always good. The hibachi is also a safe bet. Definitely recommend.

    (4)

  • Yvette B.

    Hibachi or Sushi? Do I have to choose only one? I absolutely love this place! The food has always been delicious each time I've ventured into this hot spot. The presentation put on by the chef is an absolute treat...bouncing egg yolks, volcanic onions and juggling spatulas---I mean, really---this does not happen everyday for me! :0) Hibachi chicken and shrimp is my favorite with a California roll to share! Yum! ;0) Prices are reasonable and the staff is awesome! Try it out! You'll love it! Reviewed by Yvette L. Brownstone

    (5)

  • Maggie G.

    Honestly I was a little disappointed. I don't like sushi so I can't speak to that. But I love tapanyaki style Japanese cooking and this was not great. I don't know if we had a newer chef, but the rice was very bland and he didn't tell a single joke! No onion volcano, no choo choo! I will try again because I have to believe they can do better than that. Edit: Came back a few times. Worst hibachi I've ever had. Fried rice is...okay...

    (2)

  • Victoria O.

    NOTE: This review applies ONLY to the sushi bar, not the Hibachi tables. My boyfriend and I could find almost nothing open for dinner on Christmas. The SB Brewing Company which we love but don't go frequently (he sometimes goes for lunch as their chili is outstanding and not expensive, making for a good lunch for 8 bucks plus an iced tea and tip) was open but then we passed Something's Fishy. I went all the time in high school and college to the Malibu location on PCH. My friends and I would go for sushi and sake and they never carded us which is a real plus when you're underage. The hibachi looks great and it's very reasonably priced. However, the sushi is subpar, mediocre at best There is a perennial "happy hour": 7 days a week, no time limitations. If everything is always happy hour--half price--then it ain't happy hour; it's just cheap. The salmon was bad and we sent it back. The sushi chef is very affable and it's not his fault the fish is so so. The mackerel was by far the best, the octopus not so hot. I didn't mind the tuna but I will never eat there again for sushi. It's a warehouse which bears zero resemblance to its Malibu brother/sister restaurant. I do not know if it's the same ownership or if this is now a franchise independently owned and operated, which I suspect that it is. It's cheap: this is the best you can say for it. And the service is just fine. The cooked food looked quite good and they do have a large filet mignon and lobster special for 34.95, which if the lobster tastes good, is not bad. The bargain is the ramen and it looked fine but I didn't taste it. I think it is a THREE STAR for the cooked food/Hibachi and a 1-2 star for the sushi. You can get sushi TEN times better at Whole Foods, Gelsons or Lazy Acres, which a few years ago created a sushi section with delicacies like Ikura. Something's Fishy doesn't even sell Ikura (salmon roe eggs, fishy bundles of wonderfulness, like pink caviar)

    (1)

  • Jenn M.

    Awesome. The staff was super attentive and knowledgable and friendly! The food was amazingly delicious an reasonably priced, the restaurant was clean and ambiance was wonderfull. I will return again!

    (5)

  • Chad M.

    Ask for oscar as your chef and tip him well because he was awesome. I took my girl here for a special occasion and we asked for the chef who was the most entertaining. He was soooo great. he sliced and diced and played with the food like no body else. He really made the experience fun and ever since then we go back when ever we can. Not all of the chefs are as great at the cooking tricks but they are all ok. Ask them for a chef who is really good at the tricks and it will make your dinner much more fun. Aside from that the food is good, not great, but good. And the place seems clean. everyone is friendly. I haven't tried their sushi yet but I hear good things. Beef was very good. Pay the xtra couple bucks for the fried rice. it's worth it for sure.

    (4)

  • Cory B.

    I love that they have 1/2 price sushi everyday now. This makes it so much cheaper than other sushi restaurants. The Sushi is also very good as well. Service was good the waiter who took are check at the end was very friendly. I'll defiantly be back for some 1/2 off sushi!

    (5)

  • Rebecca C.

    We love this place. The food isn't out of this world but it's good and consistent. Great prices on sushi and the hibachi is entertaining!

    (5)

  • Anna B.

    Good nigiri and rolls. Bad service. Dirty dishes. Last time I was there, they turned away people coming to eat at the half empty sushi bar because they only had one sushi chef. Thursday afternoon granted, but you are a huge restaurant. Hostesses not very good at their job, not sure why they are getting paid. Had to get our own seats, seek out sushi order forms on the other side of the restaurant, as well as ask for our soy sauce dishes to be cleaned, TWICE. Chef was nice and accommodating, did the best he could. Pretty sure I will be finding a new spot in town for sushi.

    (3)

  • Sergio O.

    From Sunday through Thursday day night most rolls and sushi is 50% off. Hibachi is also discounted on Sundays and I believe through Thursday as well. The service is great and they make you feel at home. The hibachi chef is amazing and makes you enjoy his artistic skills when preparing your food. The sushi rolls are fresh and delicious. You can sit at the sushi bar or grab a table. The host and the people that work that do a great job. Enjoy an excellent restaurant.

    (5)

  • Ashley M.

    Awesome food! So much fun to watch it cooked right in front if you and the tricks they do. Week days sushi is half off but don't worry if you aren't a sushi person. They have lots of other stuff. I highly recommend upgrading to the fried rice. And the steak and shrimp is fabulous. Sooooo good.

    (5)

  • Danny D.

    Didn't remember my shrimp allergy, didn't remember to not add butter to my chicken, didn't remember or listen to much of anything. The server women are all really nice. Super noisy Super dirty bathrooms. And I feel really gross now, probably shrimp contamination ...

    (1)

  • Ryan C.

    If you're looking for a budget sushi place with a fun atmosphere, you found it! Sushi is very good for the price (which was very reasonable). We went here on a sat night and sat at the sushi bar after a brief wait. Service was very quick and we were able to eat, drink and make it to the movies down the street in time. I will definately come back.

    (5)

  • Markus F.

    The service is terrible, all the employees I have interacted with seem to have serious beef with life, and possibly the whole universe. The salmon sushi does not contain sushi-grade salmon, it is chewy and rubbery, nothing near the melty divinity that sushi deserves. The vibes are bunk, and the place looks dim and disheveled on the inside. They never specifically wronged me, but this is not a quality eating establishment, and the point of Yelp is to help people like you avoid these places. The only thing that makes this restaurant maybe worth it is the "half-off sushi."

    (1)

  • Kat H.

    Went to this place for the first time last night! The fried rice that is served with the hibachi is so amazing, you get so much food for what you order. I really love how they cook in front of you obviously this is entertaining and fun!

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    We had a wonderful meal here. We sat at one of the hibachi tables and had a mix of the hibachi dinners and sushi. It was a lot of fun watching the chef and the food was delicious. The sushi was okay, nothing special. High marks for excellent service and Kirin on draft.

    (4)

  • Vanessa F.

    My husband and I came here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. I must say, the place was surprising slow. I am only writing this review based off the sushi bar; there was only one sushi chef behind the huge sushi bar that day and his service was on point. However, when it came to our server, it was horrendously slow! We had to be at a wedding and were short on time. Luckily, we waved someone down (maybe the manager?) and he was able to take care of us. Not sure we'll be back again, unless we have a few hours to spend for dining. Perhaps we'll try another restaurant on State St. (btw- we had the Yellowtail Roll and the Santa Barbara Roll- both really tasty!)

    (3)

  • Othelia A.

    Great server and food was good. Miso soup was delicious, poke salad was yummy, but we saw our food for the hibachi sit out in the open for at least 10 minutes which was unnerving but the food turned out really good. Our hibachi cook was funny and cooked most things good. I got the shrimp and scallops. The shrimp was good but the scallops were a bit tough. My husband got the filet and chicken. Both were delicious. I'd recommend this place to friends and family.

    (4)

  • Julie K.

    Been here for the hibachi grill for both dinner and lunch. Dinner time is always packed but not a very long wait. Some people make reservations but I don't think it's completely necessary. The chefs are always nice and the "show" aspect is entertaining. My only complaint is that the fried rice is a little bland, but nothing that a little soy sauce can't solve. The noise level does tend to get loud because everyone is sake bombing their hearts out, but it's fun to watch people get hammered. Just think of it as another show! I love their lunch hibachi deal. It's a four course meal, complete with an ice cream mochi. All for $20 per person! Dinner is usually about $20-25 per person, which only includes the entree. Also had an assorted sashimi appetizer but apparently you have to specify which sashimi pieces you prefer or they choose it for you, even though the menu tells you the four different types of fish you'll get... A little confusing but the server was so nice that I just swept it under the rug. Overall, a good place to come with a date and friends!

    (4)

  • Chandler S.

    I was very happy with my visit to Something's Fishy ! The service was excellent and they answered all of our questions. Came on a Thursday and I must say that the prices were unbeatable. Sunday-Thursday happens to be half off sushi ! I paid $19.00 for 3 sushi rolls, the most delicious fried rice, and 2 sodas. The sushi was really good, and it was a cozy little spot on State Street. Came for lunch, but I heard that dinner is also really good as well.

    (5)

  • Justin H.

    Came here because we had a 10% off coupon. Arrived to find the place practically empty. Ordered off the lunch menu. Got the steak and shrimp along with some sushi. I won't say it was bad, but I've had a lot better. I would look for another establishment unless this was the only choice.

    (3)

  • Helen T.

    This is my favorite sushi place in Santa Barbara, hands down. I have been going here since I was a freshman in college and continue to go there whenever I can. The Santa Barbara Roll and the Something's Fishy Roll are my favorites that I ALWAYS get. Half price off regular sushi rolls all the time, great service, and great prices. What more can you ask for?

    (4)

  • Steve G.

    Cheap, fun atmosphere, subpar service, and loud people taking saki bombs. Good place to go if your looking for decent food and a relatively low bill. Embrace the rest.

    (3)

  • Corina S.

    Delicious sushi with a great atmosphere. Located right off State St. this place is easy to find and always satisfies. Great for groups or a date for two seated at the bar.

    (4)

  • Steve H.

    Even though the sushi masters are not actually Asian but they make good Sushi. The price is also cheap.

    (4)

  • Maria G.

    Where do I begin??? The place is filthy. The windows haven't had a genuine scrubbing ever. And then there's the wait. On a Tuesday night we were (party of five) sat down for hibachi...we were checked on every 15 to 20 minutes! We waited for one hour! No explanation was given-no apologies! We were asked in the form of a statement: You guys okay. As far as the food? They are clearly chasing the tail of a comet. They charge the same if not more than Benihana's for food that is a notch better Panda Express. The miso soup didn't have any soy in it. The fried rice didn't have any chicken in it. The vegetables were as hard as wood (not tender at all). The waitress seemed more and more afraid to approach our table as the night progressed. Our smiles had vanished and our dismay was obvious. But without opportunity to complain or appraise our service; A 17% gratuity was automatically added to our bill. Reading this now, I realize that we could have complained but we had a long day of sight seeing and we were exhausted. We didn't research enough. But to our defense we thought a restaurant on State Street in Santa Barbara would be at least clean and ready to tend to many customers. But the thing is: There weren't tons of people in there! So they have no excuse for their lack of professionalism. I guess Soki bombs and beers are what's keeping the lights on at this place. Something is fishy indeed.

    (1)

  • Alix A.

    While I'm sitting at the restaurant, I wonder why exactly it takes an hour for my sushi to come to me. Sure, it's 4 dollars, but that doesn't compensate for the fact I had to ask for it four times. It's consuming my entire night to eat this meal. I'm sitting here, starving, and it will probably be another hour until the hibachi chef gets to me. A tip from to the owners- make sure your food can be served in a timely manner so yelpers don't write cranky reviews when their blood sugar is low and they are starving.

    (2)

  • Elan J.

    The sushi bar is amazing I go here every Tuesday after the farmers market killer sushi made fast by the guys definitely try this place out I love it

    (5)

  • Jenna S.

    Something's Fishy was an overall excellent restaurant. I ordered the Hibachi Steak, and thoroughly enjoyed my meal along with the performance from my chef while he cooked it! This was a semi-formal restaurant, as they have dim lighting with a fairly expensive hibachi menu. The sushi however is always half-off and was extremely good. The crunchy roll was one of the best I've ever had. Beyond the food itself, the service was pretty good. Our waitress failed to notice us for awhile, and in return brought out two plates of edamame on the house to apologize. From there on it was great service. The presentation of the food was incredible. They cook your food right in front of you and even give you a show along with fairly large portion sizes that coincide with the expensive pricing of the hibachi meals. If you go here, the price greatly depends on what you order. If you go for hibachi it will be expensive, and if you go for sushi it will be a cheap comparatively to other sushi restaurants. I loved this restaurant and would highly recommend that anyone tries it! It's very welcoming to dates, large groups, and even birthday or celebration dinners.

    (4)

  • Nico S.

    We stopped by there for dinner 10 days ago. It was my wife and I and my 2 daughters. It was Monday, labor day about 7 pm. We were seated right away and everyone seemed nice. We ordered our meals and 4 glasses of water. Both my daughters glasses were "cracked".....But we never really saw our waitress again. I flagged down a different waitress who brought us new glasses of water, but one of the 2 glasses she brought out had a long crack in it also. We finally saw our original waitress and showed her the crack in the glass and she brought out another glass and it was fine. The food was 2-3 stars. I ordered the chicken which was really good, but my wife ordered the scallops which were funny tasting and smelled a bit off. My daughter ordered the Hibachi steak which was 3 stars at best. Our chef was great! He was funny, smiling and made our night! The food = 3 stars The Chef = 4 stars The service = 2 stars Overall= 3 stars We probably won't come back there because I believe there are better places for your money for dinner that offer better quality food and service for that level / price

    (3)

  • Victoria B.

    Excellent food. They recently abolished a $15/bottle corkage fee and replaced it with $1/glass. We think that is a gracious step to being customer friendly, especially in wine country.

    (4)

  • Samantha W.

    Well, let me begin with saying this has been my boyfriend and mines go to dinner spot for over 2 years. We do like the food, he loves the hibachi steak and shrimp and I love the half-price sushi. They also have great fried rice. The food is not what I have to complain about. Though it is not the best sushi, it is great for the price. Sadly, this place has just been going down hill. We frequent it often, but I am ready to stop giving them my business. For the price of hibachi, we want better service. There is something going on since it seems every time we go there are completely new waiters. Maybe bad management, I'm not sure. But the service here is plain out starting to suck.

    (2)

  • Steven W.

    The pricing is great, and the sushi is alright. Unless you buy the expensive rolls, the sushi is just alright. Since it is so cheap, it is worth it. Nice employees and cooks

    (3)

  • Irene D.

    Okay, probably the weirdest names of all the sushi places that I have been, but gee, the sushi here is cheap and also good! I'm not saying it's the freshest, the most complex or the most authentic, but the deals they have for the quality they offer for happy hour are by far the best I've seen. I live in Minnesota where eating sushi makes you raise an eyebrow (I'm how far from the nearest ocean??) and hemorrhage cash. Even with happy hour prices. When I came here, I got all the sushi I wanted for under 15 dollars. Glory Hallelujah. Of the happy hour specials, I highly recommend the spicy yellowtail. It has a good amount of fish, the fish is left in chunks (not chopped up like spicy tuna), and a delightful spicy sauce. So good!

    (4)

  • Antony A.

    The place was like a huge, crowded swap meet in Downey, with everybody screaming, and some guy is cooking meat and veggies right in front of your space. It was completely unnerving. I think the idea is to so numb your brain, soul and ears with all the cacaphony that when the (mediocre at best) "food" is finally consumed, it will taste like nectar of the holy Divine Beings. In my case, didn't work. I left with a headache and a weird colored film on my tongue.

    (2)

  • Rochelle G.

    Had dinner here on Saturday night, We asked to be seated at a hibachi table and we were seated with a young group of guys and girls who were celebrating a birthday. Anyways, we ordered sake and Sapporo so that we could do sake bombs. By the end of sinner we did about 10 sake bombs and went through about 3 large Sapporo and 3 orders of sake between the 2 of us. Lets just say I was feeling good by the end of dinner. Also the waitress and the cook, Lupe did sake bombs with us as well. Also, the manager came by to randomly talk to me and my friend, and he told us how crazy it gets in here with all the college kids, and like right after that, the group we were seated with began to act just as he described, but we had fun! As for the food, we had steak and chicken hibachi with fried rice and also a rainbow on the side. I remember enjoying the rainbow roll, miso soup and salad. By the time the real food came, I believe it was just okay, but I was like 5 sake bombs in by that point! Overall I think its a good place to go with a group to have a good time.

    (3)

  • Salma M.

    Stop by here on our way home from Santa Ynez. Wasn't bad at all. I had the salmon hibachi. It was a lot of food. It included, soup, salad, fried rice, sauteed veggies, and shrimp. By the time I got to the salmon, I was already full. The salmon was seasoned and cooked very well. I was impressed. Parking was a pain. Service was decent.

    (4)

  • Diana N.

    So me and a large group of friends went to partake of the half priced sushi deal. There were more or less about 12 of us and we all were paying for our own. The size of the sushi was slightly on the smaller side, but it was at a reasonable price. Our waitress was okay and not necessarily great. The reason for such a low rating is because the overall service was terrible. We were waiting for a very long time for our food to come out (I worked in a restaurant and even when we had big parties we still bought out the food in a reasonable amount of time. But what really put the nail in the coffin was the fact that they refused to split the bill for us. It took us over an hour trying to figure out who owed what because: A) we're a freakin' huge party that ordered over $200 worth of food B) the receipt had the full price of the items with the total discount listed on the bottom, which complicated who owed what exactly since not all the items were half off Common sense would say that a restaurant would have a system to automatically split the bill to avoid issues like this and frustrate so many patrons. Common sense would say that the waitress would not blow off said group and put the orders in for us since we are being forced to pay a gratuity. Common sense would also say that the owner of the restaurant should step in at some point and be helpful in trying to help the customers move on with their days. And common sense would say that if you are capable of charging over 12 individual cards a portion of the bill then you owe it to them to make their life easier and split the damn bill. Their excuse was that big parties normally give in and just have one person pay for the entire bill, I'm assuming they get home and go insane from trying to figure out how much they owe the individual. As a side note, their women's restroom door for some reason slams, so be careful ladies when you leave.

    (1)

  • Charles T.

    Half price sushi here is pretty amazing for the price. I honestly don't know how they afford it. Maybe it's just to bring people in but dont be hesitant to come in here because there sushi prices are low. It's quality

    (4)

  • Leslie M.

    Fantastic service and good sushi at great prices (Half off rolls Mon-Thur and 2 for 1 sake). We sat up at the counter and the sushi chefs were friendly and very attentive even though we also had a regular server. My husband and I were taking a trip down memory lane--he had gone to college in Santa Barbara ten years ago and Something's Fishy was his favorite happy hour spot way back when. The fact that the food was up to par with his memory was a huge bonus. Ten years of consistently good food and pricing is a rare accomplishment!!

    (4)

  • Mika K.

    I love this restaurant. Special rolls are so good! ( I love the Mexican Roll) and they said, they are going to do Half Price Sushi EVERY DAY!!! I can go every day!!! Especially,in this cold season, I sometimes order Hibachi instead of sushi, ( have a good warm time with my friend). I can enjoy both Hibachi and Sushi!

    (5)

  • Jen T.

    I've been coming to something's fishy since I was a small child, when it was in Piccadilly square! My husband and I and our 3 small children (all under 7) ate here last weekend. Oh man- it's become a joke! And we never get sushi here- only hibachi. Anyone who eats sushi here has a stomach of steel! We had our order in first, yet the chef showed up for the other half of the table(no small children) As we are watching the best chef there from behind- my kids start getting grumpy and asking where our food is. I'm wondering the same. Then the worst chef ever shows up to cook for us. I have always left with leftovers. This was so freaking disgusting- I left it for the trash! As stated in previous complaints, the server rarely came to check on us and could tell we were getting pissed. When he brought the check- I almost flipped my lid! He added on a 15% gratuity! Are you kidding me? A couple with three kids gets gratuity added on? We always tip 20% because we both worked in restaurants and know that servers aren't to blame for kitchen issues. When leaving, my husband had to hold me back from the front desk because he didn't want me to make a scene. I am still pissed a week later! Oh, and when we were leaving, I lost my balance and touched the chair rail on the wall- oh my god it was covered in grease! The most disgusting thing ever- a think layer on the entire wall and chair rail. This place has not been cleaned in soooooooo long. Never will I step foot in there again!

    (1)

  • Brian S.

    Love 1/2 off sushi during the week, and the rolls are pretty tasty! Comfort food at an affordable price for sure.

    (5)

  • Jenna T.

    Took my fiancé here for his birthday for a fun hibachi dinner, but was nervous since since there were so many mixed reviews about the place. Overall, it was a good experience. Our hibachi chef was nice, but wasn't very engaging and didn't give us a show, but the food was good. It seemed like 1/3 of the chefs did the whole entertainment side of hibachi while the rest just cooked in front of you. That was the most disappointing. Good food, but have had better at other places. Nice chef and waitress, but missed out on the "show" part of hibachi. If you want to have a fun event dinner (bday, valentines, anniversary), I still recommend you go.

    (3)

  • Jessica G.

    Went for lunch. Half price rolls was great, so I am almost willing to overlook the Horrible service we recieved. The waitress realized that she overlooked us at the bar, so she sent the bus boy. He was basically our server. I made sure he got the tip. :) I do wish the guys making the rolls would engage us in conversation more then themselves in Spanish. That was kind of a bummer too. I will still go back because the sushi was cheap and yummy!

    (3)

  • Megan B.

    I have to bump this rating up due to my second visit. This time I arrived at Something's Fishy I was towards the end of a day-long State Street drinking binge. As soon as I entered, the sake bombs were calling my name. There's no telling exactly how many I consumed, but let's suffice it to say that I had enough to not remember anything after they brought me my soup and salad. Not only was our group extraordinarily loud, messy and drunk but we were buying sake bombs for a group of minors across the restaurant. So thank you Something's Fishy for putting up with our drunken antics and not kicking us out. Thank you also for not carding those sweet newlyweds who couldn't have been much past 19. P.S. I hope I didn't throw up in your bathroom.

    (4)

  • Baby C.

    I get sick here almost every time so it's unfortunate that everyone wants to have their birthdays here. It's dirty and the service is unfriendly. I used to really like their half off sushi deals, but I'm not sure it's worth it in the end. They also cant split checks because of their out of date computers. So with a party of 12, with say 8 credit cards and one credit card machine for the whole restaurant your pretty much looking at an hour or so to pay the bill and leave.

    (1)

  • Shane K.

    This place has great service and awesome entertainment for a fun night on the town. I am obsessed with seafood and this is the place I always favor cause of the location on state.

    (4)

  • Henry R.

    I've been pleased every time at Something's Fishy. I took my girlfriend the other evening and the experience was delightful and romantic. They also did wonderfully to cater to her allergies. All in all, if you're ok paying 25 to 30-ish bucks a person for a full meal, Something's Fishy is a great place to go

    (5)

  • Ben J.

    It's world war three up in here, because everyone is always dropping sake bombs. It's the PLACE to BE in Santa Barbara, and with that half price deal on weekday evenings, I feel like a thief when I eat here. A sushi thief. You know what, I quit writing yelp reviews!! I'm a sushi thief for life and I don't care what you all think of me! Something's Fishy, thank you so much for opening up my eyes to what I really want to be! I'm going to quit my job, and become a vigilante, all in the name of stealing some delicious fish!! ...Shoot. I talked it over with my mom and she said no. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to GO TO THIS RESTAURANT LIKE YOU SHOULD and get AMAZINGLY PRICED shooshi. I recommend all of the ones with cream cheese. If you need me, I'll be heading to the shelter to watch out for sake bombing.

    (5)

  • Steve H.

    My wife and I were desperately looking for ayce sushi in Santa Barbara. We found this place and really enjoyed it. The sushi is good we give it a 3 out of 5... The ambience was nice it has a great feel to it. Drinks were reasonably priced for sb. Service was ok nothing special. overall it's well worth it to make this a staple eatery of state street for us.

    (4)

  • Priscilla C.

    This is obviously the best and only place to get Sushi in Santa Barbara. 1/2 sushi is the BUSINESS and even when you come on the wrong day, you can always order "all you can eat sushi" at a decent price. If you're sitting on the bar- don't forget the option to order a lunch box or dinner box. You can never go wrong with that- it has miso soup, like 3 diff. sides, sushi, and tempura! Don't forget to upgrade to fried rice cause it's friggin AMAZING. Lastly, if you're looking for a special roll with a bit of a spicy twist, please please please order the Mexican roll. You won't be disappointed. It's an orgasmic experience of salmon, crab, avocado, spicy mayo, jalapeno and all kinds of other good ish! I'm wishing I had one this very moment...too bad I graduated and moved back home 3 hours away. *tears* Anyways, for families with children, may I suggest coming at a reasonable dinner time...this restaurant does sell alchy && it IS on State st. so if you're coming after 8- expect to be bombarded with ready to party college students. Tis all.

    (5)

  • Brian S.

    Average food. Good and cheap eat for lunch!

    (3)

  • Rona R.

    Hibachi grill restaurants are definitely great places to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays. We decided to go for my roommates birthday. The service was a bit slow, but pretty friendly. They give plenty of food; soup, salad, fried rice, vegetables and your entree. For my entree I ordered the vegetarian tofu and vegetables, and boy was that a mistake. It was honestly just plain tofu and bell peppers, no flavor what so ever. They didn't even try to make an effort to make a creative or appetizing dish. The other sides were okay, very bland and lacking much flavor. Overall not the best Japanese restaurant, then again Santa Barbara does not have many options for those craving good Japanese food. I'll stick to Benihanna

    (2)

  • Heather H.

    Mexican roll was fabulous. Service was fast. Great experience overall.

    (5)

  • Alexis N.

    You can't beat half priced sushi sun-thurs. Obviously it's not going to be the greatest sushi you'll eat in your lifetime- but seriously, IT'S HALF PRICE. Great for a night out with some friends, or a casual lunch. They make a really great roll called 'The Mexican' that isn't on the menu. It has a great kick of spiciness to it! I go here about 3-4 times a month and always experience great service!

    (4)

  • Cassie P.

    My boyfriend and I try to go to Something's Fishy at least once a month.. We love the half price sushi during the week and Yosindo (the manager) is the man! It can take a while to get a seat at the sushi bar but it's ALWAYS worth it... Pitchers of Kirinichiban aren't too expensive either.. .Love this place!

    (4)

  • Denise C.

    I went to Something's Fishy on Saturday for an early, casual dinner with about ten friends. We immediately sat ourselves at the sushi bar. The service was fast and the sushi chefs immediately made our orders. The sushi was 'ok' at best. I ordered a rainbow roll and sashimi plate. The rainbow roll looked like any other rainbow roll I've ever had, but lacked much flavor. The sashimi plate was a big disappointment. It only included two types of fish. I would not recommend it! On the upside, they do make a big deal, with drums and all, if it's your birthday.

    (2)

  • Alice L.

    Heard a lot about this place while living in Santa Barbara but I never got a chance to try it, during a visit back I finally got the chance and I was kind of disappointed... the hostess got confused as to what we wanted (just sushi, not the benihana) and seated us at the table but when our waitress came by asking us what we wanted we said sushi and she got confused and we ended up having to move to the sushi bar (which had very limited seating, you literally touch elbows with the person next to you..) the sushi was ok, kind of plain, the fish didn't taste that fresh (which is a bit weird seeing as how the ocean is RIGHT there, theres no excuse for the fish not being fresh..). I've definitely had better sushi/service/seating elsewhere..

    (2)

  • Lawrence S.

    note: This review is based almost entirely on the lunch special which is usually the only times I go here. Half priced sushi for lunch? Spending just over $10 per person and getting full on purely sushi? Hells yes. Ignore the sushi-snobs, they'll drop a star or two just because the wrap wasn't perfectly tucked-in or the rice was slightly not the way they like it. It's not the best sushi in the world, or even Santa Barbara, but it's pretty tasty and for lunch prices a steal. Only had dinner here once with a group. Was drunk so can't comment on the food accurately but I liked it and had a pretty good time. A bit pricier in the evenings though, especially with the benihana-live grill-thing.

    (4)

  • Seth L.

    The sushi wasn't great, just OK. The half-price deal they have for sushi made it definitely worth it though. I'll be back for sure.

    (3)

  • Emily M.

    Something's fishy pretty much sums up their sushi. The place is already pricey, but last time I went there they charged my credit card twice and I had to come back to the restaurant 2 times in order to get it corrected.

    (1)

  • Summer A.

    Well I think this restaurant is great! :) It is a popular place to go in SB. The sushi is delicious and the atmosphere is great too. If you are sitting at a table you will be entertained by the chef's creative style of cooking. The prices are reasonable... not really expensive. Usually there is a wait, but that doesn't take long. It is worth it. If you're complaining or contemplating about the quality of food from this place (which you shouldn't :) ) then don't try it. You'll end up disappointing yourself. This is not a high end resort with superb gourmet.

    (5)

  • Jeff C.

    I don't care for sushi snobs that refuse to eat anything that's not "teh best." I love a great quality burger on artisanal bread with a high-quality local cheese and organic produce, but sometimes I just want a effin Big Mac with fries and a coke. This is not quite the McDonalds of sushi, but it isn't first rate, however, when you're eating half price sushi on a tuesday afternoon, you shouldn't expect it to be. I love the bento boxes as well, especially before they raised the prices. The hibachi thing is hit or miss, depending on the chef you get, and really is kind of for tourists, so if you're in to that sort of thing... have fun with it.

    (4)

  • William C.

    I've been eating at Something's Fishy for a couple of years now and although I'm not a "Sushi Expert" I know that when you factor in cost, quality and quantity, Something's Fishy is the best sushi in Santa Barbara. Yesterday my friend and I decided to take advantage of their "1/2 price rolls" deal and boy was it good! I had The Philadelphia, The Santa Barbara, Tempura Shrimp and California Rolls and my friends and I also ordered the "Crispy Rolls" which weren't on the menu, to split. Quick Tip: Crispy Rolls. Enough said. The service at the sushi bar was great and we had a lot of fun talking and taking our time. The food was more than filling and tasted so fresh. One really learns how bod sushi buffets are when you have fresh sushi for the first time in a long while. The waitress was always on top of things refilling our drinks and splitting the checks for all 5 of us. Another great aspect about this place is it's location. With the reasonably priced (for Santa Barbara) parking lot right behind it we were able to leave our cars and just walk up and down State St. to work the food off. I would highly recommend Something's Fishy and just one more time let me say: Crispy Rolls. Period.

    (5)

  • Eric C.

    Came here to celebrate my 6 month anniversary with my girlfriend. Of course, on the drive there, i asked her to bust out Yelp...3 stars? boo. But clearly yelp was wrong. People need to realize that this place isnt about the sushi. The Hibachi is where its at. We had a quick wait for not having made reservations, and we were seated at a table with 6 jersey-shore snobs who gave our poor waitress the toughest time ever. We prayed that she wouldn't associate us with the other group and spit in our food. All the fancy tricks were what I expected. The flaming volcano, and the constant 'melodious' tapping of the spatula, salt, and pepper shakers. Needless to say, I had an amazing dinner. The chef was courteous, funny, and knew how to work that skillet. Its not the best I've had, but its worth having a visit.

    (4)

  • Steve P.

    Poor quality. Overpriced. Tasteless food. Just say syinara to this joint. Something fishy is right.

    (2)

  • Iam H.

    Honestly, the sushi is terrible, but this place is not bad for teppan. And for happy hour, it's buy one large saki get one free, best deal for happy hour I've seen yet here in SB. Monday through Thursday sushi is half off, but it's not that good. If you're looking for a good experience at this place, go to the teppan grill and you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Travis H.

    Just did review of Gyu Kaku and made me think of this place. Many years ago this used to be a good place to get decent quality hibachi and cheap rolls/nigiri. Over the years and quality disapeared and the only Japanese working there were the waitresses. I ended back in there earlier in the summer and yes.. still the same O~some O They have a prime location, if you go to SB to shop you will walk by this place. To bad the food doesnt speak for its self anymore.

    (2)

  • Natalie Q.

    Here's the thing about this Japanese Steakhouse and sushi Bar.... I WANTED to like it, but I also wanted sushi... and when an establishment says sushi bar, I expect a LITTLE more then your run of the mill California rolls. There was one sushi option on the dinner menu and that's it. While the food was good, I would have rather them just said japanese steak house, and been pleasantly surprised to find some traces of sushi... Sorry guys, the name is decieving...

    (2)

  • Seoung L.

    This is where I had my 1st and only Sake Bombs! Something's Fishy is an awesome Hibachi Grill and sushi place in one of my favorite city, Santa Barbara. The chefs are super cool and the people that eat here are there to have fun too. The food is really but it's hard to mess up Hibachi food since it's all cooked in butter and most places like this are usually same tasting. I didn't try the sushi and I wish I did. This place is slightly pricey but any place with a chef putting on a show at your table are little bit expensive. I like the location of this restaurant as well. If you never tried Sake Bombs, ask the waitstaff about it and get one for the whole group. It's fun to drink! I miss Something's Fishy!

    (4)

  • Sandra S.

    So I went here with my mom, my sister, and my friend on half price sushi day. We ordered 2 california rolls, 2 rock n rolls, 1 philidelphia, and 1 SB roll to go. When we got home we opened the to go box and found 1 order of california rolls, 1 order of philidelphia rolls, and 2 orders of some random rolls with chicken and imitation crab stick. umm??? we payed for 6 rolls, and got 4. 2 of which we didnt even order. by then, it was too late to go back, so we just ate it. It didnt even tase very good, it was very mediocre.

    (1)

  • ki k.

    Some of my fondest memories of Santa Barbara....food. The lack of it. College allowed for only a modest meal and once in a while would splurge with mommy and daddy's emergency credit card fund. What can they say.... hey I was hungry....and I'm your son. Enough said! I loved this place. Great memories, good food, good staff (friends from school) and good sushi. Good for dates and friends. It's Benihana of the Central California Coast!

    (4)

  • Lina S.

    Rolls were decent, but the fish was not very fresh. I was quite disappointed being that we are right by the water. Overall you get what you pay for, they had lots of deals to bring people in, the rolls are cheap - but if you are a sushi snob you will be very disappointed.

    (2)

  • Marlene M.

    We like to eat here when we visit Santa Barbara either for All-You-Can-Eat sushi or half price sushi. Sometimes it can be a bit slow unless it's practically empty, but the sushi is good at a good price.

    (4)

  • Katy P.

    I've been to Something's Fishy twice. Both times were on Christmas, as it is one of the few places open. The sushi isn't BAD. The 1/2 priced rolls Monday-Thursday seem like such a great idea. They also put the tip automatically on the bill. Keep your eyes peeled! The sushi chefs aren't Japanese. Maybe this doesn't matter too much, but... What I don't understand about this place is why I always leave stinking like fish. I don't feel like this when I leave any other sushi place. I can't imagine why I would choose to go here again, but if you're broke and need some sushi downtown, I suppose that it could be worse.

    (2)

  • Nehal N.

    Following the whole Hibachi/Benihana idea, Something's Fishy is a place I've been to many a time when coming home to SB. Its somehow got a little homey attachment to it for me, but after eating here quite a few times you realize that without the whole SHOW and food Dance, the food is "Meh, ok" at best. Getting any hibachi dish will taste essentially the same, because they use about 2 spices for everything, while fancifully grilling it on a Hibachi stove. This place isn't somewhere to go for good food. Instead go for the action of the chefs, the volcano onions, and all other Kitschy disneyfied food creation. Add in some Sake Bombing, and it makes the whole experience much more fun! If you've got kids, take them here they'll love the show that puts your food, literally, on fire! My friend recalled that in his childhood he thought these kinds of chefs were "the best in the world," go here and maybe your child will think so too. If you haven't got kids, then knock back a few sake bombs and let the fresh food with a fire-y pizazz put you in a daze, while you munch on the fire's creations. Note: this place's prices have gone up quite steeply over the years, and probably will go up again. As of now, its pushing the limits of value for quality/food/entertainment, but I wouldn't go if it gets any more expensive.

    (3)

  • Denise L.

    Great monday- thursday specials, half price rolls sitting at the sushi bar. Good beer, wine, shrimp and steak if you are sitting at an actual table. Right on the State Street strip in DT SB, in walking distance to all the other cool places

    (4)

  • John S.

    Went on a Friday afternoon for lunch. We were greeted quickly and took a seat at the sushi bar. We enjoyed the spicy tuna rolls, crab rolls and a crunchy roll. Each was exceptionally tasty and well worth it. We spent about $24 for the whole meal and were very pleased. In my opinion, the reviews so far have made this place under-rated. Go enjoy!

    (4)

  • camille m.

    We always eat here when we visit SB. You can't beat 1/2 off sushi rolls on weekdays. Their Tomson and Catalina rolls are the best! Also the service is great and the sushi chef is excellent. This last time we went in, July 2012, it was the freshest and best yet.

    (4)

  • Nana B.

    The first time I came here I had just turned 18. I was literally a culinary dunce. The only thing I knew was hometown Mexican and Vietnamese food. I made the chef cook my salmon sashimi which apparently was suppose to be eaten raw. At the time I didn't know. The chef was so nice and accommodating. Now, I've been to the best sushi restaurant in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Bangkok, Los Angeles, and Miami. This place does not hold up. On a side note, a fellow Yelper thought it would be appropriate to send me a hateful message about how dumb I was. I guess he was born with sushi in hand. Cheers!

    (2)

  • Liz K.

    After a long day of wine tasting in Los Olivos I decided that we'd do dinner in Downtown Santa Barbara before the long drive home. After walking up and down State St. looking at all the dining options we finally settled on Something's Fishy after I gave up my bid for the Italian restaurant across the street. This place is a teppan and sushi restaurant, sort of in the vein of Benihana. The atmosphere is much more casual and the prices are a bit more affordable. We sat at a communal grill table with two other couples and awaited the arrival of the teppan chef and the server. The service was speedy and accurate and the chef was a jovial cool guy, flipping the shrimp tails into his hat and making jokes. We ordered fried rice with no egg, which had to be prepared in the kitchen in back which I thought as unusual. The rice was way over salted. The chicken and steak were both delicious but my boyfriend didn't care for the shrimp he ordered. I felt in the end that I would've preferred the Italian place that I was originally interested in. No one can really compare to Benihana, bottom line.

    (2)

  • Augusto A.

    Decent portions, great prices (during 1/2 off), and very tasty sushi. LOVE IT!!!

    (4)

  • Love F.

    I go to Something's Fishy about 3 times a week and it is always a great experience. I save lots of money with their 50% off sushi and sometimes i order their specialty rolls ( crunchy roll, mexican roll, dragon roll and caterpillar roll ). These specialty rolls are not half price but they are amazing and worth it. The staff is friendly and attentive so i don't see why some people write negative comments about the service. Understand that it is a busy place. Great place for special occasions too when you have a large party. I celebrated my b-day there last year with 18 of my friends and had hibachi, amazing. I highly recomend it, you will love it.

    (5)

  • Amanda F.

    Went here for dinner tonight with my boyfriend. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered 3 nigiris and a dinner box. The sushi chef was beyond rude.. and when I reminded him about our order (which he had forgotten about) he rolled his eyes and gave us a really bad fishy tuna. THEN.. we drove home and literally 15 minutes later we both got sick. REALLY SICK. This was a horrible experience. We are both SB locals and are always open to trying new places. Unfortunately, I will NEVER return to this place. It definitely DOES NOT deserve a place on State St. I hope no one else gets as sick as we did.

    (1)

  • Clau O.

    This is a favorite place for me and my friends. We love sitting at the bar and indulging on half price sushi for lunch and dinner. We love their beer selection, and the place is trendy and a lot of fun. I do not like the fact that they include gratuity on the bill, and sometimes the 50 percent off seems to be closer to 47 percent... Now, since the rolls are small, one ends up spending about as much money as one would at a place with a regular price on sushi, but one ends up getting more food and a bigger variety of rolls.

    (4)

  • Barbara O.

    I see a lot of reviews about the size of the place, I actually felt it was large for a sushi place. I guess I'm used to the small sushi bars that are in the Valley...Anyways walking in, I noticed that the inside had a semi-fancy dim lit ambiance. In terms of service: Our waitress was very nice,polite, and helpful. Food: We decided to indulge in the half-price menu: I had an eel& cucumber roll and a crab roll. I'm not so sure that the crab roll had crab or krab, kinda sketch. I liked the eel roll but they went skimpy on the eel sauce (which is my fav). To be honest, the sushi seemed a bit dry and not too authentic (almost like those prepackaged ones you find at albertsons). My friend had the 'Something's Fishy roll" which tastiness gave me some hope I'll probably visit here again for the experience and maybe some pre-drinking munchies before hitting Sandbar ;).

    (3)

  • Tina C.

    I would only go during happy hour when the rolls are half off. Even still, I've had cheaper and better sushi elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Cindy F.

    Use to go here all the time in college for the sushi specials and it was great. Came back after 3 years and it has gone downhill. The new sushi chefs are not as good and not as sociable. The hibachi made me sick because the food wasn't cooked all the way. The steak had no flavor and the rice was way too salty. On top of that I was charged 3 times was I should have paid! I called to try to resolve the situation the the female manager was super rude. Not helpful at all and did not apologize. Be careful in the future because aparently if you split the check they charge one of the cards full price and then void it (they don't tell customers this). However, in my case the transaction was not voided and I was charged the full amount while my other two friends were charged the correct amount. I will not be going back.

    (1)

  • Chris W.

    So so. Wouldn't go out of the way to eat here. Service is slow and sushi is not good. Very expensive too.

    (2)

  • Ashley B.

    Half price sushi was probably one of my favorite things to dine on when working downtown..in love with spice tuna, for some reason theirs never really did much for my taste buds, nevertheless the food is good whether your sitting at the sushi bar or doing it up getting a steak and fried rice at the group tables. Manager is friendly, staff is attentive. Just busy as hell on certain nights, but worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Robin K.

    Based on food and service this place is a 2, but because I've created so many sloshy memories here, it's gotta get an extra star. Everytime we came out of this joint our whole party would be smashed. My college friend used to work here so she'd hook us up with free food and sake from our teppenyaki chef. The best memory I can remember is doing sake bombs and then offering our chef to partake with us. And because I have a fondness for fire, I would always convince our chef to perform the onion volcano atleast twice. FIRE!! The food isn't all that great, come to think of it, towards the end of the meal I wouldn't even remember how my food tasted. The best part about the meal is the leftovers i would find in the fridge the hungover the morning after. I've also tried the "all you can eat sushi" at the counter, which was a complete mistake. The sushi was horrible. All filla and no thrilla. If I left even 1 kernel of rice on my plate the sushi chef wouln't make another roll until it was finished. I ended up having to hide 2 fistfuls of sushi rice underneath my plate. If you're lookin for good japanese food/sushi DO NOT come to here, but if you're looking for a good time with your friends/family, this is the place. And if he still works there, request Carlos for your chef.

    (3)

  • Mollie B.

    This place was 50% great, 50% bad. The problems were the service and the unexpeced mayonaise in all rolls claiming to contain "crab". It would be more accurate to have "krab mayo salad" as the ingredient. My friends and I hate mayo in sushi, so this was a big disappointment. It was difficult to get our waitress's attention after placing our food orders, so it was difficult to get drink refills. On the other hand, the nigiri was delicious. We happily devoured several pieces of albacore and yellowtail. The hibachi chef was entertaining and the hot food was delicious.

    (3)

  • Michelle T.

    Went here on a Wednesday night and wanted to get the 1/2 off sushi offered M-F. There weren't that many options for vegetarians like myself but what I got (vegetable and avocado roll) were pretty dry. My friends got real sushi with fish and they couldn't even finish there's. Its good for a cheap dinner, but only at the 1/2 price.

    (2)

  • Anna R.

    The sushi bar is quick and service is friendly. Their half off specials during the weekday are amazing! Sitting at the bar makes for a wonderful expereince.

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    This is the second time I have been here. The first time was three years ago. I remember the food getting really cold before I really had a chance to eat since I was watching the chef cook. I guess I just thought it was because our table was by the door. So after three years I went back because a friend was visiting. The chef was pretty cool and the food was pretty good except for the bean sprouts. It was like flavor-less. The waitress forgot our white rice so even after all the food was cooked I was just sitting there asking where the hell is the rice. My friend had to ask the chef and the other people that was sitting with us were kind of pissed too. The chef had to ask the waitress for our rice. So that kind of sucked. Benihana is way better. The soup at benihanas is def more delicious because here at Something's Fishy they pretty much just give you miso soup. Food is alright but you would get more at benihanas.

    (2)

  • Iris K.

    sushi is good for it's price. if you're a broke college student, it's perfect. if not, the food isn't thattt great.

    (3)

  • Vivian D.

    It was my frist time at Something's Fishy and it was a bad experience. Service was horrible. Prices were great though (for sushi; I had that Mon-Thurs 1/2 Sushi Special). The sushi wasn't that great. It took FOREVER for the food to come out. We came when there were a moderate amount of people. It took forever for the waitress to take our orders, to get our food and to get our check. We were there for practically two hours. It was like, 20 min to order our food, 1 hour to get our food or to eat and/or wait for my other friends to get their food, and 40 minutes for our check to come. We and another group were having a difficult time with the waitress that we had to talk the manager. We were suppose to get our money back, too, but I'm not sure if we every went to get it. Basically, service was bad for us, maybe because we're students. But I hope that wasn't the case. :( Food was alright; good for some, bad for the others. The genji cooking action was awesome and I think my friends enjoyed it (I didn't order it.) All I had was sushi and all I have to say is that it's okay. I had better. My other group of friends didn't like their dishes. They order a seperate side of fried rice with chicken or something. They're orders came really late. They finally got their food when the rest of us finished our food. Their food was cold. The rice and chicken was cold. Many of my friends weren't happy. I don't think we're coming back again. :\

    (2)

  • Tea P.

    A great show at the teppanyaki tables, and a nice long sushi bar. The sushi is average at best, but definitely hits the spot, and it's cheap and thus plentiful. Monday-Thursday most sushi is half-price, and you can't beat that for stuffing yourself! The waiting staff is helpful, but they are sometimes difficult to get ahold of. Get drink refills when you can.

    (4)

  • Rachael F.

    I tried going to Something's Fishy on Valentine's Day because I heard that the happy hour prices were amazing. I checked online to make sure the hours were right, then drove 20 minutes to the location. However, appearently they don't do happy hour prices on Valentine's Day. So I drove 15 miles for nothing, then had to find another place to eat. I think its ridiculous they changed their happy hour schedule without notice, simply because they knew people would be going there. Warning: Don't go to Something's Fishy unless you call ahead to see if they've changed their policies -Won't be going back because they talk advantage of customers.

    (1)

  • Jennifer H.

    Something is certainly fishy about the place.. Overpriced, check, dead fly in salad, check, dry chicken, check. You are lucky I gave you 2 stars (I didn't get food poisoning so you have that going for you). I hope there are better places to eat in Santa Barbara than this.. Unfortunately I wasn't able to visit them on my brief weekend trip.

    (2)

  • Tina E.

    I am wavering back and forth between a 2 and a 3 for this place, because the food average, but the atmosphere is great. I'm settling on 2 stars though, because it is the food that matters most! Sushi: Nice 50% off deals, but you get what you pay for! It's better to skip this low quality sushi. Hibachi: Tried all of the various meat, it's not seasoned/cooked that well - pretty plain. Chefs are average... nothing special. They try to duplicate a lot of Beni's tricks. Not much to rave about here! This is a fun place to do sake bombs and to go with large groups. If you are looking for quality Japanese food, this place will not hit the spot.

    (2)

  • Sperry T.

    This place is all about the HALF-OFF Sushi. Can't beat this sushi place ... mon-thursday. I used to come here once a week. But now like once a month since I've been working way more than usual in the later hours, but definitely an SB favorite. If you haven't tried it, check it out. The Hibachi grill is fun here too, but not younger crowd oriented to come get wasted and sake bomb.

    (4)

  • Soph S.

    great entreatment, sushi's alright not the best, good prices, but i think the best thing there is there calamari.

    (3)

  • Alana H.

    My first day off in a while took me on a day trip to Santa Barbara and a lunch at this place. My friend and I got a recommendation for this place because of its half price Sushi Monday-Thursday. I always get a little nervous when I hear about deals on sushi but we decided to try it out and boy am I glad we did. Not only was the sushi a great price but it tasted really good, we got to sit and watch the chef prepare all of our food which always makes me comfortable with what I am eating but also makes me want to make my own sushi since it looks pretty easy. Was this sushi absolutely amazing? No but it was worth paying $ 13 for 3 rolls and very enjoyable.

    (3)

  • Sarah S.

    Though deterred by the name "Something's Fishy" for a restaurant that serves fish, my friend and I still chose to come to this restaurant as it appears to be the only place with tapan tables in all of Santa Barbara and we were really craving fresh fried rice. We called 24 hours in advance and made a reservation for two for the tapan tables for the next evening at 7:30 PM. Upon arriving promptly at 7:30 we were first ignored for 5 to 10 minutes at the door before finally being escorted to our table, where we were seated with two other parties, two couples, one of which was clearly expecting a third person. After waiting for a waitress to arrive to take our order for over 20 minutes, a frowning teenager finally arrived and asked if we were all ready to order. The woman that belonged to the party of three that was still waiting for their third quickly responded that no, she was not ready to order because their third friend had not arrived and the waitress promptly put away her notepad and left the table. WHAT?! Apparently because this group of strangers was not ready to order, the rest of us had to wait to eat. After the third of their party finally arrived at approximately 8PM, half an hour after our reservation time, we were finally able to order. My friend and I chose to order both tapan and sushi, and when the waitress asked if we would like our sushi roll while we were waiting for the chef we said we would. We received no sushi in the next 25 minutes while waiting for the chef to arrive, but rather the roll arrived towards the end of our meal. Overall, the chef was very nice and the food was what I expected of any adequate tapan restaurant. After finishing our meal, we had to beg the waitress several times to finally deliver our check, at this point it was around 9:30PM, we had been at the restaurant for two hours, and were completely exhausted. When she finally delivered it, we were displeased to see that she had charged us full price for our sushi, despite the restaurant's advertisement for half-off sushi during the time we were there. I will probably return here, but only because it is the only establishment in the entire city with tapan tables. The service is horrible.

    (2)

  • Garrett K.

    Had my Iphone stolen from our table as it was being bussed. I discovered this while I was sitting at the table only moments later and I informed the management. The management suggested that perhaps my friends who I was dining with took it... and they did not believe that their staff was capable of taking my property. This is all very troubling and I can't support an establishment that takes this stance towards customer service... or lack thereof. I wouldn't trust this place with my jacket, definitely not going to trust it to make me raw fish sushi rolls!!

    (1)

  • Yen T.

    I would definitely come back. Although the chef didn't say much (which I guess is kind of a bummer for teppenyaki) but my meal was delicious! My chicken was cooked just right and the shrimp was awesome. I would like to try the sushi, especially since it's half off M-Th.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    Meh. This place wouldn't make the cut in LA but I guess when you're pretty much the only ones doing Japanese in SB, there's nothing to compare it to.

    (3)

  • Koko K.

    I've been coming here for several years. This was actually the place my now husband took me on our very first dinner date years ago. I get it, it's just like Bennihanna. I have fond memories of these types of hibachi joints because we would always go to one for my younger brother's birthday and its my husband's favorite restaurant. Food is just like any other hibachi place. Service is hit and miss. Sometimes awesome, sometimes not so much. Bummer that they stopped giving out matchbooks at the check in. But they do offer 50% off sushi sun-thursday i believe with a coupon i believe. thats always good. I will continue to go here until they really screw up big time. So far, so good.

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    I heard of this place and meant to try it for a long time, but was too poor to go. But then I heard they have half-price (select) sushi on weekdays! So of course we had to go try it out. The only thing I'd complain about is that the wait for the sushi bar is really long. You can't sit at the Teppan Yaki tables if you're only getting sushi and the sushi bar seats only a couple of people. The sushi was pretty good, although some rolls could have been made better. They were obviously in a rush since they had so many customers and so the service wasn't that great. But for $19 (not including tax + gratuity) we got 4 rolls and 4 pieces of nigiri. Overall pretty good for my sushi cravings when I'm on a tight budget.

    (4)

  • C K.

    I remember a roommate telling me that she LOVED Something's Fishy and I about died. And another friend who hates fish and sushi ate here and said it was delicious. Not gonna bye it. I remember going because it would be sushi for extremely cheap. I'm not a sushi connoisseur but I know this isn't the best quality.

    (3)

  • k p.

    I used to eat at Something's fishy in college many years ago and just recently walked down memory lane for lunch. We ordered 4 rolls thinking we can order more after but we kinda lost our appetite after the 4 rolls and left. The sushi was not fresh and bit tough to chew through.

    (2)

  • Trevor G.

    Sushi and service are good. They put all of the sushi from each sheet on same platter, so you have to only order several rolls per sheet. Kinda dumb why they wouldn't think of that already.

    (3)

  • christine and spencer n.

    Had it for dinner with a group of friends. Food is overpriced definitely for the Benihana-styled cooked food. It's entertaining to watch the chefs cook your food in front of you, but my steak was overcooked and really dry. The rest of the food was not that great. Service was also slow. The only reason we gave two stars is for the half priced sushi days, but even then it's only mediocre. The service for that was prompt, but the fish in the rolls are puny. It's filling for something cheap.

    (2)

  • Chi T.

    This is a tough one. Sometimes they get it right and sometimes they screw everything up. The first time you come here, it's a one hit wonder. Awesome presentation, good food. Other times, the servers are bored and have no personality. The food stays pretty much consistent though. Good sushi and fried rice. Get the Japanese soda! Hard to park.

    (3)

  • Mark R.

    Eh... The best thing about is place is the 1/2 price sushi deal they have. If your not going to be able to make it for the few hours that the half price deal is going on...then don't even bother going. Their sushi is above average which is why the 1/2 price deal is good. But their service is lacking in a lot of areas. Ive been here quite a few times and i find it really hard to get a server who is at the very least friendly. On several occasions ive been here with friends and our servers were just down right rude. Do yourself a favor and sit at the bar, that way you have as minimal contact with the serving staff as possible. The Tepanyaki here is OK. If you dont have more then three people in your party ordering tepanyaki, just sit at the bar, the chef won't come to your table unless he feels its "worth his time" (at least thats how our oh so polite server phrased it). The last time i checked restaurants are for the pleasure of the consumer. I will admit that im sure that their cooks work hard and take pride in their skills and are very good at what they do, but there is no excuse for telling customers that the chef doesn't give a rats ass about you. :-P Their food is far too overpriced for the low quality and flavor that they offer. Like i said before, if you aren't coming for the 1/2 price sushi, then pick another one of the many sushi places in the SB area.

    (2)

  • litho g.

    We ordered Hibachi Halibut, Samon, Steak. First of all, the chef came out looking all pissed off. He did not do any trick at all. I was thinking he should at least flip a spoon or something. All the fish were over cooked big time. They all taste salty. The fish for sashimi was so f..king thin that I could see thru it. Dont waste your money there.

    (1)

  • Serina T.

    We had a large group of 11 so the first place we were going to go to (Holdren's) there was an hour and a half wait. This place was able to accomodate us with only a half hour wait so we decided to go here instead. It was pretty fun doing the teppanyaki experience. Our chef wasn't very great but it's better than Benihana's. The onion volcano was pretty weak but he was good at flipping the bowl of rice and catching it with his spatula. We ordered the filet mignon and scallop combination and the New York Steak and shrimp combination. It comes with quite a bit of food. You get miso soup, salad, fried rice, grilled vegetables, and mochi ice cream dessert. It did take a long time for a chef to become available and come to our table. We were quite hungry so maybe that's why the food tasted better. But most of the grilled stuff came out a little overcooked. Bill for 11 was close to $400. It included a 20% mandatory gratuity which the waitress didn't really earn.

    (3)

  • Peter P.

    I've only had food from the hibachi grill here and it was pretty good. Benihana-like feel. Their sushi is also half-off on weekdays. Don't go with a big group with this place. They flake with service and you don't get very high quality food since the hibachi chefs don't focus too much on flare and more on efficiency.

    (4)

  • Jeanette V.

    Loved this place! Not to mention it saved the day......made reservations for my brothers graduation at another restaurant on state street which did not work out, didnt know what to do. We were going to come here in the first place but made a bad judgement call and decided to go to the other place. When things didnt pan out I immediately called to see if they could accomodate a party of 20 who was down the street. The manager was amazing, it was a saturday night, my party was large and hungry. The service was great and it was very busy as well. Over all I would definitely recommend this place and go there again. I see why its a fave of the students and visitors alike. Thanks again!

    (5)

  • Alyssa B.

    If you going during the week the sushi is a good deal and I thought it was pretty good. The servers aren't bad but the hostess was kind of rude. In order to sit at the hibachi area you have to order something from it. Which I can see how that makes sense but when I went they were not busy at all and I explained to them how I am a vegetarian, who loves sushi but only orders it with carrots and avocado, I don't eat fish. And sitting at the sushi bar being forced to look at fish is frankly not something I want to do while eating. So If friends want to go and order hibachi so I can sit down not at the sushi bar I would love to go but other then that I will never go to somethings fishy again. Maybe a few normal tables wouldn't kill them?

    (3)

  • Jackee K.

    I have great memories of this place due to great company, hilarious conversations, decent sushi and awesome Sake Bombs!

    (4)

  • Daisy N.

    GROSS. The name of the restaurant says it all- SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY FISHY at this restaurant. Why aren't there Japanese (or at least asian) chefs behind the counter? The fish (sashimi) reeks of oldness, and you would think everything would be fresh since they're literally a ten minute walk from the ocean. Steak was overcooked in the hands of a mediocre cook. Reinforces the fact the Bennihanna's is boss. Did no cool magic tricks, onion volcano, or even musical utensil show, I mean COME ON! Everyone knows your paying 40 dollars a dish for the show. Santa Barbara is depressing me with their claimed 'Japanese' cuisine. 2 stars because 1) they're on State Street and 2) cause their food is edible.

    (2)

  • John C.

    I've been here many times over the years and although it would never be my first choice for sushi, it's still pretty decent. The rolls are basic and the fish quality is about average. I'd definitely say that the sushi aspect of this place is much better then the grilled food. If you want to go with a group, it has a fun atmosphere at night, but the best time to go is for lunch on Thursdays for 1/2 priced sushi. THAT is well worth it. Great location too.

    (3)

  • Kristie L.

    This review is only for the sushi: Hmmm... I knew something was fishy when there was not ONE Asian chef, let alone worker, hah (j/k)! Anyway, we decided to go here only because it was a happy hour half-off deal. We sat at the bar and the service was pretty slow with two chefs. At some point, one chef was just standing there doing nothing while the other one was busy tending to a few orders. It's possible that each chef has his own section, but I don't see why they don't help each other out. Especially since the chef was working so slowly. We ordered a little at first because we wanted to try some before getting more. This took a while to come out. We gave him the second order and I swear it took another 10 minutes for it to come out. Imagine waiting, eating a little bit, and having to wait 10 more minutes to eat a little more. I feel like in addition to the chef just being a slow worker, another reason why it takes so long is because they put all the finished rolls on one plate, instead of giving us each roll one by one after each is finished. The sushi itself wasn't bad, but just okay. We did not like the rice - it had a strange texture. My boyfriend says it's most likely because they undercook the rice, then premix it with vinegar, and leave it warm to preserve it (he used to work at a Japanese market). In short, the service was slow and the rice had a funny texture. Going here for sushi is good during happy hour, but I wouldn't recommend it at full price.

    (2)

  • Greg T.

    2 Stars. Japanese food there sucks. Sushi is mediocre. Benihanna's teppanyaki has always been about the show, not about the quality of the food and the same holds true for Something's Fishy. Environment is nothing special. Pluses: Yeah you can sake bomb with friends, but that's not how sake is drunk. Plus if I'm going to sake bomb, I'd rather do it at a table where you're sitting close to everyone else, not all spread out around a grill. Race Card: (Yeah I'm pulling it). Here it is, I leave it to your own judgement. A former roommate worked there. He said that the management is biased and only hires Hispanic workers (as servers, cooks, busboys). This doesn't necessarily change anything, but I've found that places with Japan-trained sushi chefs and Japanese servers and cooks are far more authentic. Also this might tell you about how authentic of an atmosphere Something's Fishy is trying to maintain.

    (2)

  • Dee J.

    Well it has been a couple of years since I've been here, so things might have diminished. From what I remember though, the food was pretty darn good. I don't eat sushi...so can't comment about that. The teppanyaki food was really good...the fried rice is second to none, the shrimp and chicken are pretty good also. I wouldn't really care if they cooked it in the back somewhere, but whatever...I don't need eyebrows anyways. Living in the Bay Area now...this is one of the few places in Santa Barbara that I do miss on a regular basis. Yes...I have not found an equal here in San Francisco.

    (4)

  • Katy M.

    I am incredibly disappointed in the service at Something's Fishy. We have visited this restaurant in the past and sat at the sushi bar, and the experience has been fine. However we recently sat at a table because the sushi bar was full, and we ordered sushi through a waitress. The experience was horrendous. Not only did our server appear very disinterested in our group, but also she failed to take any responsibility when she gave our sushi order to the group sitting next to us, causing us to wait almost an hour to receive any food. After inquiring about our food multiple times due to the significant delay (and having to flag down our server to do so because she was avoiding our table), we were finally served some sushi, but it was not our order. We told the bus boy because our server continued to avoid us and failed to follow up on what she served us, and he told our server and the manager at the front. However, nothing was done. We again had to seek out our server and physically approach her as she fled from the area near our table. After telling her that we were sure that she served our order to the group next to us, as they were discussing everything they were served out loud and in a perplexed manner (e.g. they were confused by the veggie roll I ordered), she still refused to admit that she had mixed up the order and made little effort to correct the situation. After determining that we would never be served with the food we ordered, we left (the rest of my group wanted to eat the sushi we were served with even though it was the wrong order, but I am super picky so I refused, and I was in no mood to continue fighting with the server to get the right food). On the way out, we approached the manager, who fleetingly apologized while repeatedly saying that there was nothing he could do. When asked how we would be compensated, he mentioned that we would not have to pay for the wrong sushi order with which we were served. When we pointed out that we were of course not paying because we were not eating the incorrect order, he said there was nothing else he could do. I at least expected a better apology, if not some sort of voucher to return and be served with the right order in a timely manner. My expectations are not usually that high for restaurant service, but waiting over an hour for sushi, being ignored by our server, and not being compensated crosses too many lines for me. I will not be returning to this restaurant and hope others avoid it too until they can show a little more respect their customers.

    (1)

  • Walter G.

    For the price, the sushi isn't worth what you get. I tried 6 different rolls and had to keep asking the "chef" which was which, as they all looked and tasted the same. The people at the grill looked like they were having fun though.

    (2)

  • Albert M.

    Not worth the 50% off. I knew I had a bad feeling the second I walked in. The restaurant was a bit too hot for a sushi bar with fish sitting there behind the un-refrigerated glass all day. I should have listened to my gut but I made a huge mistake. I ended up getting so sick! Some of the worst sushi I have ever had, horrible service, and less than 1 star quality food.

    (1)

  • Ben L.

    Good food but way over priced, staff worthless if you even see them, always over crowded and way to loud.

    (2)

  • John S.

    Had lunch on Sunday and was very disappointed. we chose this place because we love Tepan cooking. This place has been in Santa Barbara for many years and I had always heard good things. So I wanted to give it a try. It we were seated quickly and we were first table of the lunch service. We did notice that for a Japanese Restaurant there was not one Asian working there. The server came took our orders and she was nice. The chef came out and he was not very personable. Now in this setting it is all about show and the food. I have to say there was no show other than him dishing out the three sauces that were not very flavorful nor spicy. We always prefer hot and spicy sauce served in several good tepan places in Fresno. How there was no show and the food was pricy but acceptable. I really think they should rethink there approach to the tepan grill. If that was my first experience with tepan service I would not want to return. There is a good Japanese restaurant in Pismo Beach Yanagi's that has a good tepan service. So now I know what is fishy at Somethings Fishy.. its the service.

    (2)

  • Arielle S.

    This place is cheap during the week but it should be all the time. Most likely you will wait for a long time and the sushi is not that good. So even though its cheaper, its because it should be. Also our waitress seemed a little drunk hahah.

    (2)

  • Yelp O.

    As a college student I was first introduced to sushi at this restaurant and haven't found a better place with tasty rolls like Something's Fishy. Whenever I find myself traveling to southern California I make it a point to stop by this place for lunch or dinner. I have yet to find a place whose Spider Roll tastes as fresh and I also love their Something's Fishy Roll too. I've never had anything except sushi here. Even my husband who doesn't like seafood very much likes Something's Fishy. I docked one star because the place is in dire need of a makeover.

    (4)

  • Gina M.

    Okay I'm giving this place a 2 star only because we weren't able to share a meal here. Cheapest was $11.95 for the chicken kabachi. I had surgery on my stomach so I am not able to eat an entire meal on my own... and the resturant didn't want to accomodate. We left and went to Wahoo's instead and I ate 1/2 a taco... YUM! =)

    (2)

  • Benjamin M.

    Choose your meat, a beer, and sit back back and enjoy the show! The food is great and the atmosphere classy (but not too classy). This place is great for groups: but it's hard to get a seat, so make a reservation. They also have a full sushi bar, which I've sat down at, but based on the rest of the food, I would guess it's pretty good.

    (4)

  • amy s.

    Excellent if you're in college and want to have a fun drunken evening w/ your friends, sake-bombing at a place just like Benihana's....not so great if you plan on taking your parents there! Noisy, and not the best environment for families:)

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Something’s Fishy Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar

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