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    Kuma

    4.3 (436 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Waitlist - Kuma

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    KUMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Loud
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Kuma

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    Mai T.

    This place has decently good sushi. I tried their edamame, sashimi, Spanish Bay roll (riceless), unagi roll, and salmon skin hand roll. Fish tasted fresh and was presented well. The place does't have a typical restaurant layout. The front part is rather dark and feels like a bar lounge. When you enter the back, it is a large airy space with plenty of tables. The tables are far apart so there is no crowded or intimate feeling. While a bit on the pricier side for sushi, it is on par for its downtown location.

    The rolls just kept coming
    Pamela F.

    Two friends/colleagues and I skipped out of a nearby conference to chow down on sushi and were so stoked on Kuma! We had good service and even scored some free sake when one of the wait staff misunderstood a request (likely because the dining room is so loud! not great acoustics because it's so cavernous, but bright and welcoming, too). I have to admit that I was a little intimidated by their extensive menu, but we loved pretty much everything we ordered. Left stuffed and satisfied!

    Stephanie C.

    Really friendly service, but kind of slow with the food. Got the platter with 8 rolls. To be honest, they all tasted kind of the same. It wasn't bad, but it was a lot of California-roll flavors. And there's a lot of sauce, so you're tasting the sauce more than the fish. Will try their chirashi next for something a little simpler.

    Andrew B.

    Since my last visit the food quality and service has improved. We came to love the simple cut rolls.

    $65 Love Plate for 2 with an add on of fried squid (Ika)
    Cindy N.

    If you're ever in Monterey County, be sure to check out my absolute favorite sushi bar called Kuma! This is our 2nd time coming to this restaurant and we will keep coming back. The "Lover Plate" for 2 is an especially good deal that features Chef's Choice of a special roll, 8 pieces of Nigiri, 2 hand rolls, 4 pieces of gyoza and wakame seaweed salad -- all for $65! You let the server know what you like and don't like and they will customize the meal for you! Kuma gets 5 stars for SAFAV: Service Ambiance Food Alcohol Value for Money For more food recommendations of restaurants rated 5 stars for SAFAV, check out my IG: https://www.instagram.com/cindythechomper?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

    Bella N.

    I finally went inside after only ever ordering their sushi from the wine bar next door, and the inside was not at all what I expected. The space feels more like a multipurpose ballroom than a traditional restaurant. It is one big open room with very high ceilings, tables and chairs spread out across the floor, and the sushi bar set up along the back wall. There is even a disco ball on the ceiling and a projector, so I am guessing they host other events or maybe karaoke nights that I just did not know about. Aside from the surprise of the interior layout, everything else was great. Our server (I think his name was Ridley (I don't have the receipt anymore sadly), though I might be butchering that) was friendly and on top of things. Drinks came out quickly, the sushi quality was exactly what I am used to from past orders, and I really have no complaints about anything we ate. Just updating my review to share some photos and give a better sense of what the inside looks like, but the food itself is still consistently good.

    Delicate hamachi belly and hamachi sashimi
    Lizzie L.

    We don't get to Monterey enough from San Francisco, but when we do, Kuma is ALWAYS on our list of where we have to eat. We were in Japan for 2 weeks in October and we just didn't get enough sashimi. Kuma came to the sashimi rescue. The sashimi is incredibly fresh. No fishy smell here. No sirreee. Most importantly, our compliments to Sushi Chef Mike for his sashimi and sushi artistry and skills. He puts the WOW in our eyes and tummies. We always look forward to his chirashi bowl paired with cold Dasai 45 sake. Kanpai! If you're not sure where to dine while in Monterey, checkout Kuma for great Japanese food.

    BEEF TERIYAKI
    Julia V.

    Kuma is a pretty good spot with good service overall, and we're usually seated quickly when we come in. First dine-in experience, we ordered some sushi and the beef teriyaki. What stood out to me about the beef teriyaki, was that it had a darker color and looked nicely caramelized, like it had cooked down into the sauce, which gave it great flavor and presentation (pictured). On return visits, though, it hasn't quite looked the same. The cut of beef always seems different and it doesn't appear as caramelized or cooked into the sauce the way it did that first time. It's still good, but I wish there was a little more consistency or made it how was my first time, because that first experience set the bar pretty high. Service is decent overall, although drink orders tend to come out a bit slow -- even on quieter evenings. The space itself is clean and modern, but the dining room feels a little sparse for how large it is. A bit more warmth in the decor could make it feel more inviting.

    Menu, Jan 19, 2026
    Stella K.

    3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Staying near downtown Monterey and looking for a light dinner. Searched Yelp and Kuma Sushi jumped out at me. They have a no frills website. I mean really no frills. The home page shows their name, but no other info like address, phone number, location, contact, etc. You know, the usual stuff you'd find on a business website. You only see one link to their PDF menu, and it looks like an outdated menu ... since it has older (lower) prices and also doesn't like some of their newer more current offerings. It was challenging looking at Yelp page for any uploaded photos of their menu because many photos are years old (and you can't sort the photos by date to see the newest ones first). And many of the photos were uploaded sideways, so I have to turn my head sideways to try to read it. This is definitely a place that is better for dining in or ordering take out in person. I came up with a few things that looked interesting and did it the "old fashioned" way by calling the restaurant to place my take out order. They gave me an estimate of 45 minutes. This was a surprise, since it's a Monday night. Would have thought Mondays were slower. Anyhows, I was looking forward to trying this place, and was disappointed by a mix up with the order. Read on. I ordered these : -- Mixed Tempura appetizer $13 -- Whole Hearted Roll $18 Inside : Salmon, Avocado, Micro Cilantro Outside : Hamachi Toppings : Carpaccio Sauce, Green Onions, Garlic -- Rainbow Roll $17 Outside : 5 Assorted Fish Inside : Avocado, Crab, Cucumber Toppings : Green Onion, Masago The Whole Hearted Roll ($18) was excellent! It was so fresh tasting and unique. It was delicious and I would order it again. The Rainbow Roll ($17) was solid, and pretty standard. I probably should have taken a bite of this Rainbow Roll before the Whole Hearted Roll. LOL Because the Whole Hearted Roll outshines the Rainbow Roll by a lot. The menu offered 3 types of Tempura appetizer : Vegetable ($8), Shrimp ($13) and Mixed ($13). I ordered the Mixed Tempura and was surprised to find ZERO shrimp. Not one piece of shrimp in the Mixed Tempura. It was all veggies, 6 of 7 pieces of Veggies. Yet I was charged for the Mixed Tempura. I was definitely charged $13 for my mixed tempura appetizer that had no shrimp. The rolls were $17 and $18. The Tempura was $13. $17 + $18 + $13 = $48. Add 3.5% credit card payment fee brings it up to $49.69. And 9.25% Monterey Sales Tax added, to the combined cost of food + credit card fee, makes the order total $54.27. See photo of my receipt : order amount $49.69 + $4.60 tax = $54.29. It's 2 cents off, but close enough. Other than the tempura mix up, the food here was good. I may give them another try next time. I was also eyeing the Chirashi on the menu. Perhaps next time. Parking in downtown Monterey can be a challenge at times. I had to circle around before I found street parking.

    Ahi poke with wonton chips
    Bea C.

    I had the poke and an old fashioned. Both were amazing! Honestly, I can't wait to go back. My wife also enjoyed her rolls immensely!

    Dragon roll, hotate scallop nigiri, and chirashi bowl, yum!
    Christine N.

    Had the opportunity to dine here recently, and tried their: Dragon roll, hotate scallop nigiri, and chirashi bowl with choice of side salad (or miso soup). It all tasted fresh and delicious! Service was quick and friendly as well. The chirashi bowl was huge and had thick cuts of sashimi on top of a bed of rice. Would stop by again!

    Nigiri
    Shania ..

    My very best friends first introduced my partner and me to this sushi spot on Alvarado Street, and we've been loyal customers for a couple of years now. The manager is always so welcoming and even recognizes us when we come in for our double date nights, which makes the experience feel extra special. We usually start the night with either the Clean Linen cocktail (which sadly is no longer on the menu, but we still ask for it!) or the Japanese cocktail--both are excellent--plus a sake bomb to kick things off. The Dancing Shrimp appetizer is an absolute must. It's so good that my partner and I used to share one, but now we each order our own because we just can't get enough. For entrées, our go-to favorites are the chicken katsu, unagi nigiri, salmon nigiri, maguro, hamachi, and a few of their specialty rolls. Everything is always fresh, flavorful, and consistently satisfying. Honestly, we never worry about the prices because we always leave full, happy, and already excited for our next visit. As for the ambiance, the high ceilings give it an almost old-church feel when you look up, which adds some unexpected charm. The servers are usually attentive and keep the night flowing smoothly, making the whole dining experience that much better. This place is a must try on Alvarado st.

    Sashimi Platter and 2 Teka Maki Rolls
    Devin M.

    10/10 Absolutely amazing sushi super fresh and easily my new favorite local spot! Let me start with the sashimi: all of it was a perfect 10/10. Every piece melted in my mouth, incredibly fresh with flawless cuts. I honestly couldn't even pick a favorite because they were all that good. The Tekka rolls were also excellent rolled perfectly with nothing falling apart, just fresh and flavorful in every bite. Hands down, the freshest sushi I've had locally, and I truly savored every bite. Service was fast and efficient. Our server was very attentive and made sure our waters were always filled, which I appreciated. The ambiance was nice too loved the venue, and the disco ball at the front was a fun touch. The only minor drawback was the seating layout, which felt a little too open, almost like people were watching us. But that's just nitpicking, because the sushi was the true highlight here. If you're in the area, this place is an absolute must-try!

    The salad that comes with the beef teriyaki bowl

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    20 days ago

    Sushi was fresh and the takeout order was ready really quick. The worker who took our order was really kind and friendly

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    Kuma Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kuma

    Do they take Reservations?

    Yes, I made a reservation a few weeks ago.

    What days are they open? Are they open for lunch?

    No, I wish they did though, because I would be there for breakfast. They open at 5 pm.

    Is this place dog friendly?

    No they are not. There is no outdoor seating.

    View All 6 Questions

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    Nura Sushi & Island Grill

    Nura Sushi & Island Grill

    4.3
    (183 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Finally catching up on all the reviews…read more Spent the eve of New Year's Eve here, celebrated my birthday. I imagine it gets pretty crowded in this cute restaurant. It was packing up as we were getting ready to leave. I put a lot of faith in our servers. When we go to sushi, we pick 2, then we usually say what we like, and then ask for them to surprise us. This is what they brought out, and we were not disappointed. Everything was awesome. This is a go-to when we stay in Pacific Grove. We will come back again when we visit town.

    Nura is an interesting place. Not quite Japanese, not sure "island" they're referring to. We came…read moreon Sunday night. It was busy but there were pletry of tables. Servers were fast and effecient. The soups and salads came first and they were OK. We ordered the gyoza udon, chicken teriyaki, chiarshi and a tempura roll. First of all the udon offerings included kimchi udon which I've never seen in a Japanese restaurant. It's obviously some Korean-Japanses concoction. The udon included a couple of diced carrots and brocolli. So kinda an American-Japanese concoction. 1* The chicken teriyaki was chewy and flavorless. Tasted boiled, not grilled. Rice, salad ok but really kind of hard to screw up. 2* The chirashi and tempura roll were a little better. The tempura roll was at least edible but I noticed the pieces were not evenly cut. One was 1/3 the size of the others. If you know sushi, that's a cardinal sin. Also, no wasabi or ginger served iwth any of the dishes. 3* So if you're looking for something resembling real Japanese food Nura ain't it. Won't be back.

    Photos
    Chef's Special with scallops, tuna
    Chef's Special with scallops, tuna
    Feast for eyes and taste buds!
    Feast for eyes and taste buds!
    Nura Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, and Lovers Point Rainbow Roll

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    Nura Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, and Lovers Point Rainbow Roll
    Toribashi

    Toribashi

    4.0
    (468 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$
    Healthy dining
    Established in 2018

    We had a craving for ramen while on vacation in Monterey, and Toribashi came thru for us!…read more This restaurant was located in a downtown area, so there wasn't a dedicated parking lot, but it was fairly easy to find street parking. I ordered the Shoyu Ramen which was flavorful with a rich broth. I also know my kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves because there was nothing left in their bowls :) Thank you, Toribashi!

    Welp.. We finally had the chance to return to Monterey.. As we were squeezed for time, we chose to…read morecome to Toribashi tonight. Parking was only mildly challenging, as a space opened up after only a single lap around the block. Inside here, you'll find a busy place with a few tables and individual bar-style (partitioned!) paired seating along the walls adjacent to the kitchen in the middle part of the restaurant. Order up at the self-serve order kiosks, tap in your table/counter number, and they bring out your order in a couple of minutes. We had six of us in our party, and most of us kept it simple by ordering the default Tonkatsu Ramen with different customizable options. Most all of the ingredients in this order were on point - The Chasu Pork Belly was tender, thick and delicious, ramen noodles nothing special, but generally stil on point, as were the bamboo shoots. However, the co-star/centerpiece of the Tonkatsu Ramen other than the Chasu Pork slab should be the broth, but sadly the broth was far far TOO salty which overpowered the other flavors in the broth. Chasu Pork 4.8/5, Tonkatsu Ramen 3.1/5. Service was good as everyone was hustling hard in the kitchen, along with attentive bussers/waitstaff to quickly turn tables. They take good care in wiping down the tables here. If I return, I'll just get the Paitan Ramen like I did in years past, as that seemed less salty. Then again the Paitan soup base begins with the same chicken+pork soup base as the Tonkatsu Ramen. I hope Toribashi will step back up to their former glory.

    Photos
    Beef Rice Bowl
    Beef Rice Bowl
    Tan Tan
    Tan Tan
    As ahi for the win

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    As ahi for the win

    Kuma - japanese - Updated June 2026

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