Service here is AWFUL. Believe the other reviews. We finally walked out after 1 1/2 hours. We had only received our nigiri. We were still waiting on rolls when I finally threw in the towel and left. I tried speaking to our waitress (who is also the owner). The sushi chef jumped in and said she was the only one working and she was going as fast as she could and she was slammed and sushi takes a long time. I would understand if they had been busy but there were five tables occupied. Also, why would the sushi chef (an employee) jump in with an attitude when I was already speaking with the owner? And, why would the owner let an employee cop an attitude with a customer. I love the sustainable concept and would readily support it but cannot get past the service and attitude. read more

Let me start by saying that the sushi rolls at Geisha are truly phenominal. SO delicious every single time, and the staff is super friendly. The huge issue that I and others have with this place is the insanely long amount of time that it takes from the point that you order your food to the point that your food lands on your table. I've been here for both lunch and dinner, week days and weekends both. It literally doesn't matter what time it is, you will be waiting far past the point of comfort, I wouldn't suggest going if you're starving. I was there for dinner recently and it took so long to receive our food that the sweet waitress brought us a bowl of edamame to snack on while we continued to wait. It took 45-50 minutes to receive our dinner. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this place. I just really wish that they would listen to the customers and maybe hire one more person to help with the sushi roll making. The restaurant itself is a great experience, but the wait kills it every. single. time. I understand that you can't just crank out a million rolls in a few minutes, and I'm not asking you to "slave away" on my food. I'm just pretty positive that most customers at Geisha would agree on the wait issue. So, check it out.. It's delicious! Just don't go on an empty stomach or you'll be oscar the grouch by the time your food hits the table. read more

This is easily my favorite sushi place in Capitola, and it's sort of hidden right in the village upstairs above an ice cream shop. But if you know where The Brit is it's the building right next to that. They serve really good, really fresh, sustainable fish. And the portions are large. I don't tread too far from the traditional fair, but what I've had has always been quite good. The service is always great as well, with miso soup and water arriving almost as soon as you're seated. If you want something special just ask, and they'll most likely be able to take care of it, they did for me. read more

Okay so Im not pretentiously seasoned in sushi eating but as a person who's alive you know, I eat it here and there. I really like this place. Ive been here 3 times. We get our food in the amount of time it takes to make food and run a job. Its fine! My favorite is the philly and Lemon Drop, pretty rich and interesting. The portions are decent for my taste and I always have leftovers. The prices are on the menu so theres no surprises when you get the check. The staff is really decent; we don't need our hands held to eat. They come as needed and let us eat and its just all around a decent eating experience. If, like me, you are pretty sensitive to cacophony like noise, its a little overwhelming. Nobodies fault just the acoustics. Just get it to go next time! Eat by the beach, perfect! read more

Such a fabulous vegetarian experience. If I lived in Capitola, this could become a problem. Staff is super friendly - food is delicious and creative. I love restaurants that openly acknowledge dietary restrictions. After trying to make Japanese food at home, I've realized how labour intensive it really is - so although dinner was pricey, I have a great appreciation for it. read more

I've been here dozens of times and I still don't know what all the complaints are about. Sure, waitresses come and go, and it's a been a mixed lot, but the core of the business (David on sushi and Rin running the floor) have always been top notch in their service, knowledge and kindness. For a vegetarian this place is a must try. The meat free menu is huge. I'm also allergic to fish and I've never ever had to worry about cross contamination or hidden bonito flakes. Believe me, if the knives and boards weren't clean I'd know right away. Now on to the food. The lunch bento box ($11) is a crazy good deal. You get miso soup, two items from the list, a killer salad with ginger dressing (ask for it, it's awesome), brown or white rice ( get brown, it's mild and nutty, really delicious), a couple orange slices and sometimes a dollop of seaweed salad. You will be stuffed. My partner usually chooses a yam central roll and yaki soba and can easily get filled up AND take the yaki soba home for dinner. Two meals! The hot Japanese chai is delicious. Try it if you like chai. Spicy enough to satisfy my taste but sweet and mild enough for my partner. I usually double down on the teriyaki tofu for my choices. Soft tofu wedges covered in teriyaki sauce and resting on a bed of grilled vegetables. If you like eggs, the tamago is to die for. The best I've ever had and David makes it fresh from scratch. No pre-packaged cubes of rubbery egg. The ginger is is how it should be, white, tender and lightly sweet, because they don't use artificial colors and sachharine. The veggie goyza are excellent. I like them steamed. The rolls are fanciful and they have seasonal specials. If you have specific dietary needs, and the menu items are lacking, ask David and he'll figure something out. As one reviewer said, he really does approach sushi like a jazz musician. He's got a solid foundation and a naturally creative and easy going disposition. Improvising is in his blood. So take advantage of it. read more

This is not a review on how the food tasted, because, well, we never got our food. That's the problem. My husband and I went out for our first date night in almost a year. The semi-stoned host guy told us there would be a 20 minute wait for a table and that we could order drinks at the bar. 25 mins later we checked back with him and he said "oh, yeah, I should put you guys on the waiting list. Ok, you're first now." :0 We were seated at a table and waited another 10 minutes before our waitress made an appearance. She was cold, unfriendly, and seemed impatient to get our order. I get it, it was busy, but come on we just waited over 30 mins just to get our order taken. It didn't help that every time we asked if they had a very basic fish like yellowtail she said "no, we focus on sustainability but you can try X," and would proceed to recommend a fish that was nothing like what we asked for. We waited another 30+ minutes after our order was taken, still no food. I basically just walked out, belly filled with nothing but one cheap beer and miso soup, still hungry and terribly disappointed at the failed, rare night out away from the kids. My husband went to pay for said cheap beer, and the waitress didn't apologize and said it would have been another 25 mins for the sushi anyway. Glad we walked out when we did, but what a huge disappointment. Terrible customer service! read more

While I'm happy they focus on serving only sustainable seafood and vegan rolls, that does not excuse their terrible quality and poor execution, as evidenced by our roll that just fell apart... If you like sushi that is even vaguely similar to authentic Japanese sushi, I'd steer clear. read more

Geisha - Rolls falling apart :( - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Pros: great sushi roll options. Great Japanese items on the menu that we can't find in other "Japanese" restaurants in Santa Cruz Cons: the cook does not know how to make proper sushi roll rice. The rice we were served was long grain, grainy and fell apart. read more

Bought a Groupon and went there for lunch. OMG - it was fantastic. Everything was fresh and tasty. The decor is tasteful and the view of downtown Capitola fun. Our waitperson was delightful and at one point, the chef came over to visit. We felt welcomed and that they all cared about us. The restaurant is on the second floor and normal access is via a long staircase on the side of the building. I scouted the place out first and discovered the wheelchair ramp access around the back of the place - on El Camino Medio. Although I usually use my wheelchair, this time I used my crutches to walk up the wheelchair ramp. No problem but entrance is thru the kitchen. If you use a chair or need access without stairs, I'd suggest calling ahead of time to let them know what time you'll be there. Because the wheelchair ramp access is through the kitchen, and the kitchen isn't very large, they'll probably have to move a number of things out of the way to get the chair through. I'm recommending this place to everyone. read more

Geisha is now my favorite sushi restaurant in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area. The food, atmosphere and service were fantastic and go beyond any basic sushi restaurant. Although I do not eat fish, I greatly appreciated and was proud of the fact that they serve only sustainable seafood and offer a background explanation for their choice to do so. They also include the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Sushi pocket guides at each table which help to inform diners on their choices. Ordering only off of their vegetarian sushi menu, I was SO IMPRESSED with the amount and breadth of choices that were available to me. They had a large list of complex vegetable rolls which is a rare occurrence in most other sushi restaurants. If you wanted to stick with someone more simple such as a cucumber roll, they had that available for you - but if you wanted something more complex without fish, they had that for you too. All in all fantastic - I will go there again and again! read more

Not totally impressed. I loved that they are all about sustainable seafood- actually really admirable. However, when you have to wait a super long time for your meal- who really cares, anymore? OK, I'm half-way joking, but we were soo hungry by the time our first roll came out. It's very fun to watch the chef put it all together, but since there was only ONE chef during the dinner hours, we were probably drooling while we watched. Was really excited, but the long wait and the high prices turned us off. Give us a reason to come back, Geisha! read more

Going to Geisha is a fantastic way to spend and evening. The decor in the restaurant is classic and staff are dressed in kimonos. They serve a good variety of teas which is pleasing. They have a great selection of sushi rolls and offer a dinner bento box that has a nice selection for the items. The sushi is well made and very tasty, definitely will need more time to try the different rolls, challenge accepted! Geisha is certainly the best choice of restaurant down in the Capitola Village. read more

Great overall. Has best vegan Japanese menu ever. The veggie rolls are magical, and David is the wizard. The soups are great too. Absolutely the best for plant-based Asian fare in Santa Cruz county. Check it. read more

I've actually been coming here for years and always forgot to check-in in the past. Not only is the food always amazing, but the sushi chef is always very pleasant, kind , and accommodating. It brings me great pleasure to be able to enjoy exquisite food and support a wonderful business. I highly recommend coming here. read more

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As an avid Pink Godzilla fan (though lately they've been a bit off) I was initially hesitant to try Geisha--but having eaten there several times now I have to say that they are quite good. While the prices are higher than some other sushi joints (buy the Groupon when you can!), the quality, freshness, preparation and atmosphere of the restaurant is quite nice. I really enjoy the complimentary miso soup, and the service has always been above-average. Overall, a great sushi place! read more

I was so shocked to read that people were unhappy with Geisha sushi! I've written a review before of this place and ranked it pretty high (I think it was 4 stars) however I feel compelled to go back and be more detailed about what I find awesome about the restaurant in light of what other individuals have said. Granted not all their rolls are perfect, but they have some really really good sushi. Rolls that you absolutely have to try include: The Latin Slant , The Cherry Coke, The Art Attack, the Troppi Maki with Tombo (as a choice of fish), and their spider roll (I can't remember the name). If you are looking for a good substitute for salmon they recommend arctic char, which I find to be a quite delicious, melt-in-mouth type experience. The tombo is another favorite - a Hawaiian fish, white and buttery and oh so good. We sometimes get an appetizer of vegetable tempura and boy, each time they come out with a tempura'd mushroom (of genus and species as yet undefined) that absolutely delights! Complimentary Miso soup? Yes please! I would talk about the other items on the menu except I haven't gotten to them yet! The waitresses are smart, knowledgeable, and very friendly. They will tell you what would be good substitutes for the sushi you are accustomed to. Additionally if you aren't too into one type of fish, my boyfriend for example isn't too crazy about their unagi substitute - the o-nagi (catfish), you can have it switched out of your roll, no big deal. Each time I go to Geisha sushi, I make sure my favorites are in the rolls I order. Must have's are albacore and arctic char or either one. Tempura'd rock crab is another love of mine. The reason it doesn't get a full five stars is because I have encountered one or two rolls that didn't whet my appetite. Having said that, my technique for picking out the best rolls has not steered me wrong. Geisha sushi is my go-to sushi place in Santa Cruz County! read more

If I could give this place zero stars i would. We sat for 35 mins and not one time did a server come over and acknowledge us. It was busy but being busy doesn't allow any place of business to ignore the customers. Hands down the worst experience i have ever had in such a small town. Highly not recommended not good for groups or for kids. read more

Most people have touched on these things already but I have to agree: The sushi is good, the service is sweet, but the wait is interminably long. Way too long to consider going again. And I was there at 2pm when there were only 3 other tables in the whole place. And I'm very, very patient. It took 30 minutes from placing order (at the sushi bar) to receiving the first thing we ordered....and 70 minutes to receive the last. That's not from walking in time.....that's from ordering time. Again - good sushi - but I can't even imagine what it would be like if it were prime time. read more

Not sure how this place has 3.5 stars. The only reason I'm giving them 1 star is because the server was nice when we told her about the issues with the food. The rolls were falling apart, weren't even rolled right. There was even bones in the rolls. The salmon tasted like it was old. They even forgot to bring one person salad. They brought the soup without spoon. The server didn't even come to check on the food, we had to call her twice to come. Overall, slow service and not great food. Don't think I'll be back. read more

I usually go to Otoro in Scotts Valley, it is my personal favourite, but I was looking for something close by that I hadn't been to before. I found Geisha on yelp, I have driven by this place for years when it was Paradise Sushi, but never came in to give it a try. Well, I had a very good experience. We were seated promptly and the service was very good throughout the evening. Libation-wise, they only have wine (sustainable white or red are your choices), plum wine, beer, and sake, and no cocktails. If this place had a nice cocktail list (I guess they don't have a full liquor license), it would make the experience all the better. While drinking an overfilled box of sake for luck looked really cool on yelp, I found it a little obnoxious to drink. No harm done, they still get points for creativity. Next time I will try the soy matcha latte, it looks too good to pass up! They do have an overwhelming selection of rolls. I ended up ordering the fish taco, and that roll was very tasty, perfect balance of flavours, I would order it again. I also ordered a spicy tuna hand roll, which was also good. I thought it was cool how they brought out miso soup with our drinks on the house. Next time I come back, I will explore the menu more. Be careful, their special rolls, at least what the waitress offered, were $17.50 a roll, which I find to be pricey. I don't know if one special roll = two regular rolls off the menu, but I opted to go with less expensive rolls, so I could taste a little more. The special rolls did sound very tantalising. The atmosphere is nice. It is a small place and it was noticeably stuffy, and they could improve the ventilation, as I noticed that the smells of the restaurant were trapped inside this upstairs restaurant. Overall, it was a very nice experience, and I will be back!! read more

Wow.... this place was amazing. As a vegetarian this is the best place you can go. Looking for sushi with dietary restrictions is tough, you are pretty much limited to avocado rolls But this place had such a wide array of vegetarian options! I literally took some to-go. I can't wait to visit again! If you go try these rolls: I am Siam, The Green Man, and Geisha Street. You won't be disappointed (: read more

Still sort of new, but I like the niche they are trying to fill with providing only sustainable seafood. The renovation made the place beautiful. Lots of nice plateware for the food. Menu is huge, I can't wait to go through it and try lots more things. A plus is they have a lot of seafood you dont really find at other sushi restaurants. Highly recommended. read more

Geisha - Tuna, bass, albacore, and salmon sashimi in the center. Beautiful plateware! - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Had another Groupon (thank you! They really do help people get to your place!) so we had an early dinner. Ordered the Hanalei Way - yummy and the coconut wasn't overpowering. Smokkin Salmon - good with cilantro and lime, kinda on the small side. One of the special rolls with Kampuchi? Some "new" fish. The texture reminded us of giant clam; but I thought it was good. Nigiri Arctic char - good and the makerel was also very good. They had very fresh Uni, so the BF ordered that. I took a couple of small tastes and while there isn't much flavor to it, I can't help but make funny faces while eating it. There was maybe one other table there so it was nice and quiet. The server was attentive and it was a great experience. We were there quite early; but it made for a great dinner. We were told the menu changed, however, since it had been awhile since we were there last, I wouldn't know. Without reading my last review I wouldn't have the foggiest idea what we ordered. Rolls are on the small side and a bit pricey; but since it's all sustainable seafood I guess that's valid. Thanks for the Groupon. I'll be back again when another one comes out. read more

We just moved into town and wanted desperately to love this place. The interior was nice and clean, and the waiter tried very hard to take care of us, but the entire experience was just hectic and subpar. To look on the bright side, the agadashi tofu was delicious, but that's about where it ends. The special roll we ordered was also pretty good, but I would hardly call it sushi. It was tempura-ed and doused with sauce and a bunch of super non-traditional sushi ingredients like macadamia nuts, Thai basil, heavy sauces, etc. The rest of the experience was lackluster. In the second roll we ordered, they didn't properly clean the shrimp so there were pieces of shell in the roll. To their credit, they did comp is for the roll. So that was nice. And in general, I dislike the huge sushi rolls doused in overwhelming sauces and mayo that seem to be quite popular in this area. I can't fit them in my mouth! Bigger is not always better. The service was hectic although I could tell our waiter was trying very hard. So I'll give him that. But it was just not the experience we were hoping for. Whomp whomp. read more

This place is a great place to get fresh sustainably sourced food. What I like most is that there is always something great on the special menu. A lot of the rolls can be made or altered to be gluten free and also dairy free. The sushi chefs and wait-staff are friendly and knowledgeable. We've had lunches and dinners here several times, and it's always been a great experience! Our favorites are; the California Roll (it has real crab, not faux), the Smoked Salmon roll, the Prettiest Day of the Year roll, and the Satan roll (warning it is has a lot of heat but not insanely hot). Tonight's dinner could have been at several places - but we're so happy that we picked dinner here -- perfect amount and combination of foods! read more

Geisha - Great presentation and tastes amazing! This is by far one of my #1 choice for fresh food! - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Amazing! I had their beef soba and my partner had the onagi plate (that's catfish, not eel). The beef in the soba was really dry, but the rest of it was a-maz-ing! The broth they use was magical, both sweet and savory in just the right combination. The onagi was kind of meh, but that might be our taste rather than their fish. We will definitely be back, if not for their soup, then definitely for their sustainable seafood! Also had chrysanthemum tea, which was delectable. Service was solid. I don't think I've harped enough on how amazing that soba was. Damn. So good. read more

This is my boyfriend and my favorite sushi restaurant in the county. The rolls are tasty and have a huge variety to them, they have hands down the best udon I've had anywhere (I love me some udon) the atmosphere is beautiful and the service is top notch. I've noticed some of the simpler rolls can be a bit small, but the larger ones tend to be very filling. Also, worth noting that this is a small restaurant that can get very busy. They only have a couple sushi chefs, so if you don't want to wait, make sure not to come at peak hours, or it can take a while to get your sushi. Everyone here is super nice, and the sustainable menu makes the whole thing guilt free. I come back here often. Highly recommended. :) read more

Came here for my birthday awhile back. First thing I noticed was how nice the atmosphere was. We got seated right away. The food came at a reasonable time (there were a lot of orders as we were a large party) and I loved that I was able to watch them make it. Everything was delicious. Both the waitress and the chef were very nice! Left there feeling full and satisfied read more

Geisha - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

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This is one of the greatest, most delicious, melt in your mouth and wonderful sushi restaurants in Santa Cruz county. Love that they only serve sustainable seafood. The renovation is lovely and peaceful. The serving pieces are stunningly beautiful. The food is divine and service was timely, friendly and spot on. We were treated to complimentary miso soup which was delectable. Every sushi roll was more delicious than the next. Reasonably priced sushi very affordable. I love sushi and have my favorite restaurants in town which Geisha is now at the top of my list. Fabulous and love the sustainable aspect of the experience. Wishing more of the sushi places in town follow suit. read more

The lemon drop roll is great! Also had the green monster and the fire goddess and both were also good. Service was fast. Will definitely come back! read more

A cute sushi place on the second floor. We were wandering around capitola on a Saturday night, already pretty late, trying to find dinner, and found this place was still open to our delight. They have an extensive menu, actually two menus! One entirely devoted to sushi, the other just for Japanese cuisine. It ended up being really hard to choose what we wanted to get. We settled on one of the large combo plates of sushi and sashimi. All of it was really delightful. We even brought our own bottle of wine and they opened for us, no fee! I'd definitely go back here. read more

The only reason i give this place two stars is not kind, nice and apologetic our server was. She was awesome. This was the first date my hubby and I have had in around 3 months. i wanted Godzilla because they are my fav, but he insisted we try out Geisha having been such lovers of Paradise. The restaurant was not half full. They sat us dress up nicely next to a loud table of girls wearing bathing suit with coverup, they were very loud and obnoxious. We ordered miso and received the tiniest little miniature one i have ever seen. Our small hot sake didn't even fill our glasses twice so i ordered a large after. around 30 minutes after we ordered our food the server came over and apologized saying they would comp our NEXT sake. i just wanted to grab my purse and head home hungry. I might as well have because the nigiri that arrived about 15 minutes later was nasty. the rolls were not amazing. The special roll we ordered was not even a roll it was nigiri style which we were told it'd be a roll was the one delish thing we had that night. We wold them we did not want another sake, seeing as tho they just assumed we'd want one and to take the ones we had off our bill. 40$ after tip i went home unhappy and still starving. made myself a sandwich, it was ten times better than anything there read more

Ohhhhhhh the box nigori. So good. I really liked the Fire Goddess roll and the roll my partner got, the name of which I can't recall; however, while I like their veg tempura, I'm not a fan of their tempura dipping sauce. I tend to prefer it a little sweeter. read more

Good service. The waitresses and bussers are all super friendly. They help you with any questions you have on the menu and even recommend their favorites too. Fun place to take the family. My tot loves being greeted by a bowl of jelly beans haha The food is amazing. read more

I would give this place 4.5 if I could. I love their sustainable mantra, and love their food. It's always empty when I go, so service is fast. I love the lemon drop roll and the coco loco roll. Both amazing. Also, the hibiscus heaven tea is sooooo good. They have such a large selection of teas and food, you can always find something if you're a picky eater. I'll be back many more times. read more

My boyfriend and I went in for dinner on Saturday night, anxious to check out the sustainable menu and we were thoroughly impressed! I love the new spin on the old space -- cool pinks have replaced the green paint that was used when it was Paradise. The dining room layout feels more open and in general, the decor feels more intentional than haphazard, as it did before. Complimentary bowls of miso soup were brought out for us right away while we waited for the crab shumai that we ordered to start. These fresh crab dumplings were beautifully cooked and presented, resting in a bath of sweet ponzu kicked with the perfect amount of heat. For dinner, my boyfriend ordered a bento box with beef teriyaki and a california roll. The beef was tender and moist and the sauce was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. The california roll, made with fresh rock crab (not that crappy imitation stuff), cucumber, and avocado was delightful and they gladly held the masago since he's allergic. read more

Went last night for dinner.... They automatically bring you water and miso soup while your looking at the menu which was nice. The miso was good. Then decided to order a bento box with shrimp tempura roll and tofu w vegetables and brown rice. It was so-so, the roll wasn't the greatest and the tofu was to soft (they should use firmer tofu) the veggies and the salad were the best tasting. My dinner companion got Inari and the VLT which were not the tastiest either. I don't think I would return in the future and would look for another sushi place in the area. read more

Okay wow! We now have a favorite sushi place right in our backyard so to speak. The fish is extraordinarily fresh, local, sustainable. Great service (thanks to Kelly who guided us though our meal). Reasonably priced in a good location. Certainly any of the special rolls. My new favorite is the Rocket Monkey. We will certainly be back again, and again. Only thing that I would change which really cannot be changed is the noise level is a bit on the high side. read more

If I didn't have to give this place at least one star I wouldn't. The atmosphere was nice and the waitress was a sweetheart... Unfortunately that didn't reflect so much upon the food. describing it as "small bland portions" would be giving it too much credit. The most appetizing parts of the evening were the ginger after each roll, the jelly beans on the way out, and the gyro fries/ lamb my buddy's girlfriend gave us from her work (which were amazing). I will be taking my business to Naka Sushi or one of my favorites Sushi Garden. read more