I'm a big fan of the Santa Cruz location but in aptos Akira is an embarrassment. I just tried to take a friend here and we walked in, there was about 8 staff behind the counter. Nobody greeted us. We stood in the minuscule dining room next to the host table for 5 minutes without being acknowledged. Almost all the staff was chatting amongst themselves behind the sushi bar. There was one server who looked at us from across the room but appeared stoned and made no contact, just walked behind the bar and disappeared. We ended up leaving. I can't believe that in 5 minutes not one staff member even acknowledged us. I've had poor customer service at this location before (extremely long wait to get my check, not being checked up on by my waiter), but this takes the cake. I will not return to this restaurant and I would never recommend it to anyone, ever. read more

Super awesome local sushi place! Definitely love the modern look of the new location and the overall friendliness. Awesome unique menu items and great service. My go to whether it's for dining in or take out. Highly recommend checking this place out. read more

Akira Aptos - Kogan (top) and red dragon (bottom) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aptos, California

The servers and cooks are on point! Good camaraderie and dank music Vincent and Katherine are the best

Came in about a week ago with some friends and my 4 yr old. You know it's a good night when your all about to eat some sushi. They were busy and the wait was about 20 mins...not too bad. It's our first time here so I'm excited to try it. The wait ended up being about 40 mins long. Once we got in and sat, we quickly ordered. My son is small but he loves his fish and we all pretty much order non cooked items. A while goes by and I'm one of those moms that can tell time by the behavior of my son..lol...he's hangry now...that way beyond level of just hungry. As were all chit chatting and catching up, I'm looking at the table next to us, they also have two small kids and can right in after we did. It's been 40 mins since we ordered and only one salad had come out. We get attention from our girl and ask what's up, she goes and checks and reply's their out of one of the dishes we ordered, what do we want to do about it and the food is on it's way. Sadly, another 20 mins went by before we got our raw fish.....a whole hour we waited...not sure why. Besides the wait...the fish was fresh and had that yummy sushi taste....unfortunately when you wait that long, anything is edible, so I can't even give you an honest opinion because I didn't really get to taste anything. The dishes seemed rushed and thrown together. My sons rolls and bento box was adequate for the situation. I did take home most of the food brought to us. They did discount our check and that was a nice way to make amends. Maybe not 100% the experience we were hoping for but, we're all human and let's be honest, &@IT happens and we all have off days...We'll be back for a second try another day...I'd like to sit down and really enjoy what I'm eating. Here's a few tips, in my humble opinion.... Communicate honestly with customers...let us know what's going on without us having to ask. When there are children present, and their waiting for food...maybe offer some rice to keep them happy. When asked a question about your order and you need to go and check...try to comeback with a solution or way to comprise if your just going to give bad news. read more

This is the second time I've gotten some really bad nigiri from Akira in aptos. The service was good, but they don't know what they are doing when it comes to nigiri. I ordered the nigiri plate with 7 pieces of nigiri. 3 of the pieces weren't even nigiri. One of them was tamago, which is typically something you order on it's own, not on a chefs choice nigiri plate but nbd. Another two were just spicy tuna and fish eggs. Every piece on the plate was way too big and falling apart. The 4 pieces that were actually something you would expect for a chefs choice nigiri were thick, chewy, and way too big. This is by far the worst sushi I've had in Santa Cruz. Not trying to nag, but get it together Akira! Pleaaaase read more

Came here on a Sunday night and we had EXCELLENT SERVICE! Gade was our waitress and we had the best service, best food, and BEST EXPERIENCE. 100/10 will be coming back! read more

Such GOOD sushi and lots of fun people working here :)

As a Japanese person, I'm appalled. Miso soup is not served with a spoon. Bento box is supposed to be served in a bento box, not on a serving tray. We take our food, presentation and service seriously. I would hate for anyone to think this is Japanese because it is not even close. read more

Amazing food and a very creative and fun menu. Everyone who works there is happy to be there. I love Sake (salmon) and they have great deals on sashimi. Big meaty slices. Not sure why anyone would complain about this place. They allow dogs on the patio. Fun atmosphere inside. My favorite sushi place right now in all of the coast and the South Bay too. Will be coming here often. read more

This place is amazing! I went here for the first time a few months ago and was totally blown away by all the interesting roll choices on the menu. I've been back several times since and have experienced excellent service and scrumptious food each time. The Akira roll and Silence of the Yams are my favorites, but all the ones I've tried have also been fresh and delish. So far this place has been consistently awesome. Go, eat up! read more

I come here every time I'm in the area and the rolls are always bomb! Servers/sushi chefs are friendly and very knowledgeable. Definitely my favorite sushi spot in Santa Cruz/Aptos read more

California King roll (baked) was phenomenal. Overall, tons of gluten-free options. Wait was long, but totally worth it. Staff was friendly and efficient, given how popular the place seems to be. Will definitely come back next time we're in town! read more

Still my favorite sushi in the area but we had an experience tonight that left a sour taste in my mouth. We were a party of 6 but they couldn't accommodate so we sat at the sushi bar. We were so spread out we couldn't talk, and we were splitting checks so a party of four, and a party of two. Their policy is to charge 18% gratuity on a party of 6. I understand this policy and how it might apply to one table of 6 people who could actually sit with each other and talk. I called to ask about it and the manager was basically saying sorry that is our policy. So next time I won't be telling them we are together because we didn't even have a conversation (my elderly parents couldn't hear us at all sitting in a line). Not a pleased customer. read more

Please train your staff to understand what constitutes vegan & vegetarian options and mark them correctly on your menus. None of the wait staff were on the same page when I asked them about ingredients! They all had different answers and were giving out incorrect information. It was amateur hour, please do some staff training. The Akira Teriyaki sauce is NOT VEGAN/VEGETARIAN as there is fish/bonito in it- yet it states that NOWHERE on the menu. Vegetarians are ordering the tofu teriyaki bento thinking they are eating a fish free option! Please mark "not vegetarian" on the menu and put a "V" next to options that are actual animal ingredient free. Oddly enough the "Unagi" sauce IS VEGETARIAN (makes no sense to label the sauces in this way as unagi is literally the Japanese word for "fresh water eel"). One of the wait staff said the MISO SOUP is vegan, that was a lie as well! There is also fish in the miso soup therefore not vegan friendly. It's really not rocket science, not sure if we will be back, sad as we thought we found a place where we can all eat regardless of dietary restrictions read more

Signed in and were told we would have a 30 minute wait. Not problem, we are patient people. We ended up waiting for over an hour and a half-nearly two hours, outside in the pouring rain with two kids-one of whom was a 3 year old (and two adults). It's not like we had a big party. They apparently take "reservations" and the customers waiting for a table don't have to actually be there; they can just go drink wine at the wine bar across the parking lot while they wait for their table to be ready. We didn't have that option due to having our children with us...and no one told us what was going on. So we sat there, outside in the cold and rain, waiting for a table, as drunk people kept strolling in from enjoying their wine date and sat immediately. We didn't understand why these people kept showing up out of nowhere and being seated immediately when we had been waiting patiently for so long. I'm a patient person who used to be a waitress, so I am very understanding and patient. However, as time went by and people kept strolling in after their wine bar date, and my children sat in the cold, I began to get quite frustrated. I eventually lost my cool and explained to the hostess that it was a bit ridiculous (and asked them to turn the heaters on for us), and she apologized. Eventually, around the 2 hour mark, we were finally seated. We then waited for someone to come and take our order and I believe by then, the waitress was not very happy to have us, as she seemed put-out by us. I ordered a vegan roll- which came out non-vegan, so I couldn't eat it, and by then, I was pretty much done with this place. I ended up actually eating very little because I was so far beyond hungry that I was just over it. They tried to make up for our wait and ordering troubles by offering us a free appetizer and a free dessert for the kids, which was a kind gesture but it was so upsetting and bizarre that unfortunately, it was too little too late. It's a shame, because we really enjoy their sushi (though not as good as Imura, in Watsonville), but we have not been back. It's been almost a year and I don't think we will ever go back. That's how bad it was. Very disheartening. Children should be seated (especially when waiting outdoors in the rain, waaaay longer than we were told it would be) prior to adults who can entertain themselves with alcohol next door. We now stick with Imura, as it is always a good experience. read more

One of the best sushi spots in the Santa Cruz area. I'm a regular here and love the innovative sushi rolls and excellent service. You may have to wait for a table most nights, but it's worth the wait. read more

What a cool looking place inside. The services here is very slow it took like 30mins to get our sushi. But it was worth the wait. The sushi is huge they give you more then 6 rolls. The rolls are beautifully displayed. read more

Akira Aptos - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aptos, California

Love all the vegan options! This is my first time coming to this location, and I was happy to see that the menu is the same as their Seabright location. They have a whole page of vegetarian rolls, many of which are vegan, and get very creative. I've had non-vegan friends who thought they were bored of sushi come to Akira and get reinspired by the vegetarian rolls menu. The setting is a bit more posh and well lit than their other location, but still hip. I came in for lunch and there was plenty of seating, including some outdoor seating. read more

Akira is amazing! Their fish is very fresh and all the different rolls are amazing. I've never been disappointed with the food there. Their service is great. I'm not understanding some of the other reviews. Maybe they were short staffed at the time. I think it's the best sushi in Santa Cruz County. Some of their food reminds me of dishes I have had at Nobu. That is a huge compliment and well deserved. We go there at least three times a week. Love the place! read more

So stoked to see our favorite sushi restaurant, Akira, open a second restaurant in Aptos. This one has a bit more upscale feel but the same bomb menu. My daughter always gets basic cucumber avocado rolls and tempura mushrooms and they always hook it up exactly how she likes it. Their macho tuna and melting albacore are my favorite dishes which are both are on the starter menu which I find can be overlooked but has some of the best menu items. Seriously amazing sauces and flavors. The menu is very vegetarian friendly, and fish is always fresh, I hope to be back soon. read more

Started off with ordering an appetizer of tofu agedashi and ended up with numerous very small breaded chunks of tofu on a plate with the sauce on the side. Not true Japanese style. Then ordered a veggie bento box with the teriyaki tofu and was again disappointed because I received the same breaded tofu chunks now with just a drizzle of teriyaki sauce on top, a pile of rice, a pile of salad and a small yam sushi for $17.50? Overpriced and a bad attempt at authentic Japanese food. read more

We walked in right before they were closing and were lucky enough to be seated. The staff is super nice and accommodating. The sashimi was delicious and artistically plated. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Akira Aptos - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aptos, California

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As others have said--this location needs better training. We were told a 50 minute wait time (okay yes you're understaffed cool) but we ended up waiting an hour and a half because they forgot parts of our orders twice. Oh and our boxes were mislabeled. Make sure you check your order before you leave!! There is a 6% takeout fee which is Ridiculous... save your time and go to the Seabright location instead, we've never had problems there. read more

Went there for dinner around 5:30. We got the Akira and Soquel Avenue rolls which were both excellent, but the service was even more excellent. My date and I were both very impressed with Chase, who was clearly short handed but still managed to take care of us and every other table around us incredibly well. Great food and service, can't ask for much more. read more

Stay away from the bento box. I have ordered salmon teriyaki 3 times and it burnt every time. Worst service!!!! Don't know how to do the job. read more

The food is good. Hard to get through at times. I hate that there's a 6% take out fee and a to go box fee. We want to support our restaurants but geez, it's not so great when they nickel and dime you to death. read more

Best sushi in the Santa Cruz area! Very authentic and will be back! Great service too.

I don't remember the chefs name but he is Korean. BEST experience ever. I heard talk around town that the Aptos location wasn't as good as the Santa Cruz one but everyone was wrong. I had the best time. The best sushi. It's a great atmosphere and the sushi is bomb. read more

So this bugs me: The other day I went in to pick up a to-go order, and there was an almost $5.00 "packaging fee" on my bill. Who does this? How am I supposed to get my order home, with my bare hands? I found this to be a sneaky charge, especially since the restaurant incurred zero operating costs from my order--I did not sit in the restaurant, order water, utilize their wait staff, use electricity, or any of the other costs associated with running a brick and mortal establishment. There was also a line automatically added for a tip, with tipping guidelines starting at 18%, 20% and 25%. Do you really expect a 25% tip for someone to hand me a bag of boxed up sushi? Again, sneaky. On the plus side, the sushi is good and the hostess was delightful. I have no complaints about the actual food or the atmosphere; however, the experience made me re-think my next visit. All of it was just awkward. I hear there is a Sushi Garden opening up soon in Rancho Del Mar. I look forward to having more sushi options in Aptos. read more

Finally a great sushi restaurant in Aptos. Favs include the Akira fries (the dipping sauce- a Miso-sesame aioli is AMAZING), Akira roll (a house fav), and a surprisingly delicious roll recommended by our sever called "Natural Bridges" was delightful and I'll order again. Great quality sushi. read more

We had the worst restaurant experience last night. We had been glad when Akira opened a new branch in Aptos and dined in this restaurant fairly frequently. Last night we were mistreated so badly that we had to leave after waiting for about 40 minutes and before we had a chance to order any food. We were patient and polite but nobody out of three people we talked to offered any acceptable resolution or apology until we were completely upset and leaving. The manager's belated "I am sorry" came too late. We are not going back to Akira in Aptos until the owners/management replaces the rude and obnoxious reception/maitre d' staff. read more

How do you place an order? No one answers the phone called like 20 times. This wasn't the first time I have tried to order with no luck! I won't try again ever. I'll go somewhere else. Waste of time! This place is losing so much money because there ordering system is horrible. read more

I love this place. I just wish there were more space in between tables but it's so small, I guess I get them trying to get as many as possible in there. Bella is awesome - food was yummy! read more

I went on a date at Akira Aptos last night and had a completely different experience than usual. The past few times I've gone, I've had disinterested servers that seem to have a little bit of attitude. Make sure to ask for Sarah for great service. She suggested her favorite roll, Bacon of the Sea and I was not disappointed. Glad I decided to give it another shot. read more

Sushi was good. Wait was over an hour long for a table but I noticed there was an outside table which was not offered to me so I had to request it. Long wait for food. Rolls did not come out together but separately. The most annoying thing was having to watch three young girls who were maybe the hostesses texting our entire meal. Maybe they should help bus a table or refill a glass of water. read more

Annie and Greyson are amazing chefs! We have a tradition of going to Sushi every Saturday, every time it gets better and better. I am so happy they now have two locations, now more people can experience the amazing rolls and great employees at Akira. You all have to try the Akira Roll, Soquel Roll and the Santa Cruz Roll. Amazing flavors, fresh fish, savory sauces. You will never be disappointed! read more

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I'm a student at UCSC and came here initially on the recommendation of a friend over the closer Soquel location and enjoyed it. Went in for lunch on a Sunday with new friends and we absolutely adored our server, Sarah, and loved the Bacon of the Sea roll that she recommended. Wonderful food all around and a great wait time and ambiance. Spent a bit more than I originally intended but it was worth it for the great service and food! Thanks Akira and Sarah :) read more

First time to this gem- would give Mikuni in Sacramento region a run for their money - will definitely go to Akira again! Fantastic

Food came 2 hours and 15 minutes after already waiting for a table for 50 minutes. Four people. No offer of comping any part of our meal. One tiny appetizer with five small portions was brought to out table about ten minutes before we got our food. It becomes challenging to decide to stay or go when you've invested time waiting and want to offer the benefit of the doubt. But if you're a busy restaurant, either hire more staff or have your service people take care of hungry customers who are doing their best to be patient. Maybe we were too nice. But when you spend nearly $200 you expect timely service and some sort of appreciation for being patient. Most restaurants are good about checking in and offering something to munch on if you've been waiting for 40 minutes. Receiving our entrees after three hours and having to pay full price without amy offer of a discount for the wait seems pretty insensitive as quality customer service. They could also install a sound buffer to extend the partition between the dining floor and the kitchen. It could go to the ceiling in order to alleviate the kitchen noise bouncing off the ceiling which permeates the dining floor. Poor acoustics amplify customer conversations making it a very loud space where you have to almost yell to be heard by your friends at the table. read more

Love Akita Aptos! This location rocks! Ordered a 3 item dinner bento and oh boy it was packed! Definitely worth the price and the food was delicious. I would drive about an hour out of town to get bento boxes from here. That's how good it is! Yum! read more