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Kuma

4.3 (429 reviews)
Open • 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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Live Current wait: 0 mins

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KUMA ATMOSPHERE

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Loud
Casual
Trendy
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Kuma

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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.

Andrew B.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

The salad that comes with the beef teriyaki bowl
Bena W.

Nice little restaurant with friendly staff and service! We got the salmon skin roll, beef teriyaki bowl, and Phoenix on fire roll. It was cool seeing the Phoenix roll on fire, quite entertaining. They were very accommodating to our little toddler. The salmon skin roll was a little bland, small, and had a cardboard stale texture, it was probably our least favorite. The Phoenix roll was not bad. The beef teriyaki bowl was our favorite and most yummy of all the food we got. We enjoyed eating here, it was quite busy and it took a little while to get our food. But the service was great.

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!

Panko Crusted Calamari
Kat A.

We were in Monterey for Spring break and was checking out where to eat. This place was one of the few restaurants that was open pass 8 and we weren't disappointed . The place was pretty packed for a Monday night. There were only 3 servers which is why there was a little wait. But they were very accommodating specially Dylan! He made sure we were well taken care of. The food was amazing and tasted fresh. Our favorite was the Yama Roll and the dancing shrimp! It blew our minds!! We've never tried anything like that before. The place was family friendly. We hope to come back the next time we visit Monterey.

Interior
Sonu N.

Came for date night on a Saturday night and this place was hopping! We put our name down and waited ~35minutes for our table. The bar and restaurant were packed with people having lots of fun (go elsewhere if you want a quiet dinner). They continued to check in with us while we were waiting to give us live wait time, and the waitstaff were also friendly and attentive. My vegetarian friends! There are 4 vegan/vegetarian sushi options (dra-vegan, shroompa loompa, vegan spicy tuna roll, vegetable tempura roll), plus of course miso soup, vegetable tempura, inari, edamame, vegetable udon, salads. I love starting with miso soup-- theirs is a bit larger portion and super flavorful! Next we ordered the vegetable tempura (it actually came after all the food-- but the apologized and brought us mochi ice cream)-- nice variety and crunch, not oily. I went with the Dra-vegan-- I liked the savory eggplant, perfectly cooked tofu, creamy avocado, comforting sweet potato. There is Street parking.

The Japanese cocktail: cognac,]
Stacey F.

Service was fantastic! Our host was warm and friendly, our server was very knowledgeable of the cocktail & sake menu and made great recommendations, and a third employee (maybe a second hostess or a busser?) was so kind to my daughter and brought her a small pink origami crane that completely made her night. We had had a long, exhausting day at the Boardwalk in SC and weren't feeling so great, so we opted for simple fare to make us feel better. Edamame was on point, the miso soup calmed my tummy, and the sake make and avokyu rolls were clean, fresh, and just what I needed. Also ordered the Japanese cocktailamd it was great! We will definitely be back to try more stuff!

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3 months ago

Fresh sushi and food service! We would visit again! I got the Tiger roll and enjoyed it!

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10 months ago

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2 months ago

Love love LOVE this place.. best sushi I've tried in Monterey! Definitely recommend their Phoenix Roll!! Oof *chef's kiss*

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9 months ago

Great vegetarian sushis, we like the non-spicy ones more. Low wait time and service was great.

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7 months ago

The food was awesome, the hostess and waiters great. 1st time there and everything was fresh.

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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.

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Crystal Fish

Crystal Fish

4.1(1.5k reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$
Wheelchair accessible
Sports on TV

Legit . I'm sitting…read morehere right now writing this review because it is SO good!! The fish is so fresh, it's so smooth, it's so EVERYTHING you want sushi to be! I added cream cheese and macadamia nuts to my roll and it's just amazing. Quick friendly service. My food came out fast! The combo of the lemon and cilantro is killer! Can't wait to come back

IN THIS ECONOMY DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY…read more Every single roll tastes the same. The udon soups are bland. The teriyaki sauce is too sweet. The beef ribs and beef and chicken teriyaki came out cold. Makes you wonder if all they do is try to reheat it gross! The appetizers were also bland and full of soy sauce. You're better off going somewhere else to spend your money. The service was subpar. No one acknowledges you when you walk in the door. They make you stand there and wait to eventually get unflavored food and terrible service. This review is written in February 2026. There's better places in the area just go there. At the end after over a $350 bill they refused to give us a plastic bag to go home. I offered to pay for it, but they had an attitude about it. They don't even know how to make spicy edamame. It's just soy sauce and grilled onions. The only waitress that was actually helping people was the Hispanic lady. Everyone else just stands and stares at you like they are a statue. You're better off going to Kokoro in Salinas. At least they give you better service and some flavor.

Photos
Crystal Fish
Crystal Fish - Chirashi- very fresh!

Chirashi- very fresh!

Crystal Fish - Veggie tempura, firecracker roll, tuna poki bento box

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Veggie tempura, firecracker roll, tuna poki bento box

Toribashi - Tonkotsu Ramen

Toribashi

4.0(464 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.

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Toribashi - Beef Rice Bowl

Beef Rice Bowl

Toribashi - Tan Tan

Tan Tan

Toribashi - As ahi for the win

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As ahi for the win

Kafe Toribashi - Outside, view, taiyaki, ice cream

Kafe Toribashi

4.5(42 reviews)
0.4 mi

On a rainy afternoon in Monterey, we were wandering around Fisherman's Wharf looking for something…read morewarm, coffee or tea, and a cozy spot with a view of the water. After lunch at Sand Dabs, we stumbled across this really cute café, and it ended up being the perfect stop. When we walked in, the first thing we noticed was that they were making fresh taiyaki, those sweet, fish-shaped pastries. The fillings offered were red bean, Nutella, and Oreo. There's a small discount if you order two, so we started with the red bean and Nutella, and honestly, they were so good that wished we ordered the Oreo too...warm, freshly made, and really delicious. I'll admit, I've had Taiyaki desserts before and was never a huge fan, sometimes they're bland or overly sweet. These were different. Even my friend said the same thing, we were both pleasantly surprised by how good they were. We both ordered hot teas, which felt perfect for the rainy weather, and I was totally intrigued by their ramen vending machines. You pick your ramen, choose your toppings, place it in the machine, and it fills with hot water and cooks right there. A few minutes later, your bowl is ready. It felt very Asia-inspired and not something you see very often around here, especially in a café setting. This spot is the café version of their main restaurant, which I believe is on Alvarado Street (I haven't been there yet). The service was genuinely great. The guys working were friendly, patient, and took the time to explain everything to us without rushing. You could tell they enjoyed what they were doing. Because it was raining, it wasn't crowded at all, which made the experience even better. We ended up hanging out for about an hour, just chatting, sipping tea, enjoying dessert, and looking out at the water. They also carry Marianne's Ice Cream, so I'm already planning a return visit on a warmer day. And honestly, next time I'll probably try the ramen too, if only for the fun of it and all the topping choices. Parking around the wharf is paid. We parked in a nearby lot and walked over, which was pretty easy, just something to keep in mind. Overall, the vibe was fun, cozy, and relaxed. Great desserts, a unique experience, kind staff, and a really nice place to spend a rainy afternoon by the water. I'll definitely be back.

I thought the cafe name was super cute. After browsing the menu, I decided to give this place a…read moretry. It's the only place that offers matcha/taiyaki so I thought it was worth a go. I ordered the mango matcha latte, which was a whopping $8.75 ($9.55 after tax). I gulped pressing the "pay" button; part of me wanted to swallow the doubt and see if it was any good. TLDR: it was bad. I'm not sure what the mango is made out of, but it is not smooth like a mango jam or puree. The texture is like blended up unripened mango meat. I will say, matcha taste is there, but the entire drink was just extremely sweet and there was little to no mango taste, besides chewing on the chunks in each sip. It's as if the drink was purposely made extremely sweet to hide the quality of the matcha and fruit. I tried finishing the drink since I paid nearly $10 for it but I couldn't, and had to throw the rest away. However, the worker who made my drink was kind and seems very friendly. The interior is very simple and cute, and there is a nice view of the ocean from the outside seating. I just wouldn't recommend the matcha here. Especially for what I paid for, I am pretty disappointed! :(

Photos
Kafe Toribashi - Lovely place to stay

Lovely place to stay

Kafe Toribashi - Ramen with a view at the patio

Ramen with a view at the patio

Kafe Toribashi - Prepare your own ramen

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Prepare your own ramen

Kuma - japanese - Updated May 2026

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