friendly staff and fantastic service. delicious sushi (appreciated that we could pass on the white sauce and orange sauce on our rolls). the space was nice and open, but a bit on the loud side, which lead to a missed item on our order, but that was remedied very quickly! read more

The food was not bad, but the music was way too loud and the wait was very long. I also payed $200 for a meal for four, which is doubled the price of a normal restaurant. This is the first break in my five star streak so far. SO... Thank you for looking at this review. Enjoy the next 24 hours of your life. read more

Showed up to this place looking for a good dinner. The rolls are yummy, well portioned well seasoned and reasonably priced. The gyozas are amazing and the miso soup was not too hot to burn not too cold to dislike, just right. Staff was friendly and attentive, place had reggae music which I love by the way, there is a bar at the entrance with football on screen. I definitely recommend this place!!!!!!! read more

Kuma - MISO SOUP, YAKI GYOZA, polar express roll, salmon roll - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

The food was amazing, my sushi, hit the spot, and location was perfect... we wine tasted next door, enjoyed my sushi fix, and enjoyed a live music performance across the street at The Golden State Theater.... read more

The food was pretty good. Miso soup was flavorful if a little more watery than I'm used to. The edamame is good but the portion is smaller than usual. I ordered two veg hand cut rolls and they were delicious. Boyfriend ordered the maki set (very good miso soup, 8 nigiri and a spicy tuna roll) and he said it was ok. The waitress was very knowledgeable about food allergies and gave us a huge amount of extra ginger when we asked! They don't fill up your water particularly promptly but otherwise service is good. read more

Great service, calm ambiance, and good sushi, I used to come here all the time, and recently came back, but their portions have been cut down so much, that there are literal slivers of fish on the rolls now. I was left hungry, instead of satisfied. read more

Kuma - Sliver sized portions - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

I should entitle this review, "A Priceless Riceless Experience," lol. Let me first preface this by saying this is my only review on Yelp where I will say this: I would give 7 stars if I could (and just to be clear, that's a 7 out of 5). Every single item we ordered was a hit. I am sorry I can't remember them all a week later, but I think it was a ribs dish that our kids ordered and loved. I am a big fan of riceless rolls, and their Spanish Bay roll simply knocks it out of the park, easily beating every other one I've had in my life. Funny, my autocorrect wants to say priceless, and maybe that's what this item deserves, hehe. (See attached pic.) I don't even want to describe it, so as not to spoil it for you, the reader. In other words, just pay Dylan a visit and order it yourself. Who's Dylan? He's a host, server, chef, mixologist, and... the OWNER! He's full of energy, creativity, and heart. I think he engaged every table in conversation, and not just superficial chit-chat, I mean friend-level talk. Everything from his background in the restaurant business, even including the details of his recipe for my new favorite drink the Japanese Cocktail (I love almond flavor!), to giving me some practical advice that cheered me up after having had an (unrelated) negative experience earlier that day down in Big Sur. So I guess you could say he lifted my spirits with spirits lol and some therapy, hehe. I kid you not, we even shared a sake bomb together (together with the sushi chefs behind the counter!), and it was on the house! It was a priceless memory, but not priceless riceless because sake is rice wine--get it? Hahaha, oh man, that was so corny. You'll probably stop reading this now. But wait, there's more! For dessert, we had another Dylan-original creation: green tea ice cream sandwiches, using the perfect crispy white rice crackers on the outside. Another thing I appreciated was the fact that they didn't force an automatic large-party gratuity on our bill, unlike every other restaurant these days. That's so rare. Needless to say, we were more than happy to tip beyond the usual. The high ceilings made it feel spacious. But more importantly, Dylan made us feel like friends, if not family. I never thought I'd find my new favorite sushi joint in Monterey of all places, and I was blessed to add this gem of an establishment to my growing list of local gems to revisit in one of my favorite places in the world, where I hope to retire maybe. Until next time, Monterey, Kuma, and Dylan. Thank you so much. God bless you. read more

Kuma - Spanish Bay roll... it's as delicious as it is pretty - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Went here two nights in a row on vacation as a family of four. Fantastic both nights. If I were local, this would be THE spot. First of all, everyone was very friendly, considerate, and detail oriented. They certainly take hospitality seriously. Very accommodating of children with multiple high chairs available. I also saw multiple strollers both times. Great space in an older building. The lighting is well done to feel warm and inviting. Small dining room, but feels spacious with wide walkways between tables and a high ceiling. My wife had tiger roll both nights, which were sweet and fresh. The kids devoured the chicken katsu, edamame, and miso soup. I had the hamachi hand roll once and the hamachi kama (collar) the next. Both were terrific. The hamachi kama was my absolute favorite. Incredibly fresh. The smell alone was perfect. It was served with perfect ponzu sauce. I heard that they only get a few collars a day, so get it if you're early. There is a great, well stocked, small bar. Fresh beer and great looking mixed drinks. Sake bomb with yuzu sake was fire. They only have one dessert, but that's all you'll need. Green tea ice cream sandwiched in rice crackers with chocolate sauce. Tl;dr: Awesome spot. Great people. Wonderful food. Highly recommended. read more

Kuma - HAMACHI KAMA (Yellow Tail Collar) - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

I visited Kuma in Monterey on a Friday night around 9:30 PM. Even though the restaurant closes at 10, we were seated because of a waitlist. The staff made it clear they were annoyed that customers were still coming in, and their attitude showed. Before we even received our food, the lights were turned off -- clearly not an accident -- as if they wanted us to leave. The guy behind the counter then yelled, 'OK, now everybody get the f out,' trying to pass it off as a joke, but it was obvious he meant it. That same employee kept giving us looks the entire time. We ended up asking for boxes less than 10 minutes after our food arrived because the environment felt so uncomfortable. I understand it was close to closing, but the unprofessionalism and hostility were unacceptable. If they don't want customers before closing time, they should change their posted hours. I won't be returning. read more

Our first visit. The food was good. We tried several items from the menu. We especially liked the server, Jaedin. He was friendly, helpful, and efficient. We'll ask for him next time we visit. read more

Service was awesome! Staff recommended his favorite sushi roll that is not on the menu, soooo good! All of the food was delish. Found this place from reading reviews. The lighting isn't super bright in here, I love that. read more

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The service is always fast and great! Very friendly staff! The food is very good, one of my favorite sushi spots in Monterey!

Don't recommend coming here if you're in a hurry or short of time. Because they take their sweet time to seat you and also serve you food. My babies were not having it and in complete melt down mode before the sushi was served. They did get the kids stuff out first BUT here's where it gets weird. I ordered the teriyaki beef with sauce on the side and the rice came out cold. I asked the waiter if we can have hot rice and they microwaved it. Which would be ok but it turns out that it was sushi rice. So it was flavored with vinegar and salt. My babies took one bite and started wailing. Why would they serve sushi rice with a bento box order? Also after I said I want hot rice, they didn't realize they gave me the wrong rice? I ended up going to Panda Express to get the boys their regular rice since this place didn't have it. The rolls came out in 45 minutes. The table next to us were still waiting for their order and they were seated before us. I would not recommend going here unless you have time to kill. The rolls were good tho, fresh fish. And the udon had lots of veggies. Still would not come here because they gave us cold sushi rice and tried to play it off as regular rice when it was obviously seasoned. read more

Kuma - Rolls - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

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

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

Delicious sushi with incredible vegan options! I tried the dra-vegan and shroompa loompa rolls, both of which were absolutely incredible. My parents had rolls with fish and reported that they were delicious as well. My dad got the phoenix which gets lit on fire, which was pretty exciting. The little one enjoyed the udon. Our server was not particularly friendly, but the quality of the food made up for it. Prices are very reasonable especially compared to other places. Highly highly recommend, especially for the vegan sushi! read more

Kuma - shroompa loompa and dra-vegan (both vegan) - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

There was like one waitress serving the entire restaurant. She has a great attitude and all, but I do feel like it's a lot for one person! The place is nice but not sure if any of the tables there were stroller friendly. Finally, the food is really good for their rolls!!! It feels like everything has crab in it and it's a bit hard to keep track of what's in what and where in which roll. But it's hard to go wrong! They're all delicious. read more

Kuma - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

We made a reservation but arrived early and they were able to seat us. The hostess was kind and helpful. The waitress was attentive and helpful. She was overworked and was helping most of the restaurants tables but was impressively keeping up and doing a great job. She took our orders and the food was out in no time. This sushi I got was the best I've ever had in my life. The restaurant was clean and well lit. Good for date night. Would recommend to anyone. read more

Kuma - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Every single bite was outstanding, but our food took 40 mins to arrive. At the end, our server explained that half the staff collectively called in sick to go to an event together. This is why our dinner lasted nearly 2 hours, just a round of apps and our main course. That was after we waited 1 hour 15 min before we got seated. As a former server, I empathize with this situation, but I still can't give more than 3 stars given the circumstances. The staff the management chooses to hire is a reflection of the leadership, and ultimately the restaurant as a whole. However, once we got our food every single bite was incredible. The Tuna Tataki, the Dragon roll, and the Chirashi were the stand outs in my mind. Just a few more notes... We never received the nigiri sushi we ordered, neither were we charged for it. We never received a spoon for our miso soup, although the next table got spoons with their soup. I'd love to go back and give them another shot but given how infrequently I'm in Monterey, I'm not sure I'll be able to prioritize it. read more

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Visiting Monterey for the weekend and wanted some sushi! Kuma was the perfect spot and location had a nice scenery. Rolls were really good and all the fish tasted fresh! Our server/manager Dylan, gave us the best service and was really thorough on our questions about the menu! Would recommend this place and definitely would come back! read more

Kuma is our go-to sushi spot whenever we are in the Monterey area, and for good reason. They offer an expansive menu, specialty cocktails, and everything is delicious! The service has seemed to improve since we first went. Our first time visiting, some of our dishes came out extremely late and members of our group were hungry. Our second visit, however, our server made it a point to ensure that we had received everything and that nothing was missing from our order. Overall, I would highly recommend the Polar Express and Baked Salmon rolls - my top favorites! And, if you are drinking, the Buru Cocktail is a very nice gin-based cocktail. I look forward to coming back to the area just to have their Polar Express and Baked Salmon rolls again! read more

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Great food, awesome service, nice venue. Been twice so far and have another reservation for tomorrow. Had a group of 8 with kids and our server was on it! read more

Random craving of sushi led me here. Seated right away and was able to order at the bar so saw the sushi being made. The baked lango roll was really good as well as the spicy scallop hand roll. I wasn't wowed but maybe their deep fried rolls are better. Set up inside was nice and felt cozy. Not sure if I was supposed to have a waiter since I was at the bar but no water was ever offered. read more

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

Food is delicious. Ambiance is great. Service is excellent. Came on a Friday at 5pm when they opened and they were already getting busy. We were seated quickly though. Everything we ordered was good and would re-order again. This will be a top favorite for the Monterey area. read more

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Great vibe at this sushi restaurant. Classic 80s and 90s music playing. Wait staff friendly. We generally had a good experience. The pepper fin sashimi dish was fresh and flavorful. The spicy Paula and crunchy roll were great sushi rolls. The misses for our meal was the tempura shrimp and calamari. The tempura wasn't crunchy. It was soft and under fried. The calamari was chewy. These were strips of calamari battered and deep fried. Because they were chewy, you couldn't bite through the meat cleanly without losing the crispy batter. They also have a good craft cocktail menu. I had the yuzu whiskey sour. I enjoyed it. I liked my experience. I would recommend sticking with sashimi and sushi and stay away from their fried offerings. read more

Loved the vibe and the food at Kuma! Our servers were so gracious and attentive. We had some spicy tuna rolls, edamame, vegetable tempura and some drinks that paired nicely with our meal. The wait time was minimal and everything flowed smoothly. read more

I went with my girlfriend this past Wednesday , 4/16/2025 at 7:15pm reservation. I was pleased with the service & drinks, Ordered miso soup each as well as sushi for the main entree. My girlfriend roughly 1-2 hours later started experiencing severe stomach ache. I was fine up until I woke up in the morning. I woke up severely nauseous & with a terrible stomach ache/discomfort. Since then I have experienced a fever & body ache on top of diarrhea. My girlfriend also has been experiencing diarrhea. Like I said was pleased with the staff, but clearly we both have symptoms of food poisoning!!!! & we both want to make future guests & staff aware of our experience & hope no-one going has to experience this! read more

It was my daughters birthday and she wanted Japanese food. I wanted to try a place that we haven't been to (we're big fans of Zum Sushi) so we thought we'd give this one a try. I liked what I had- the Korean beef plate. I also tried the chicken teriyaki and it was good as well. My kids all had sushi and sashimi while hubby had the fish dinner plate. He loved it! The ambiance was casual and a bit cozy because of lighting. They don't have those bright lighting but it isn't too dark. Service was good but was a bit disappointed that they didn't offer anything for birthday celebrations- not even a single candle to add to the dessert we ordered. read more

Kuma - Salad that came with my meal - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

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Sushi craving satisfied! I came as a party of one & unfortunately, servers barely came by and checked on me. It was pretty busy but still not an excuse to forget about other customers, no matter how small the party. The deliciousness of the food made up for it though. The sushi tastes fresh and full of flavor. I got the Baked Salmon & Tiger Roll w/o green onions -- recommend them both! Parking is mostly street parking but there's parking structures nearby. The street the restaurant is on is walkable and gives small town vibes. read more

Kuma - Baked Salmon (left) & Tiger Roll (right) - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

Sushi was decent. Based on all the reviews, I was expecting a bit more. It wasn't bad just not as impressive as I hoped.

Extremely polite staff. The sushi was prepared beautifully and professionally. Everyone I was with was very appreciative of a great dinner at this restaurant including myself. These are a few pic of the order. read more

Just ordered food from this place took about 50 mins to finally get my order when they told me it would be 25mins. I was told that my beef teriyaki was messed up and it would take longer so I waited. Just now sitting here I didn't receive the miso soup that was supposed come with it. read more

We finally had an opportunity to try Sushi Kuma on Alvarado in Monterey. Pictured are the Nova (Torched Special Roll) and Gyoza. We did not dine in the restaurant so I can't speak to its atmosphere/ambiance, but I will say it does get quite busy especially on weekend nights. Instead we ordered at the restaurant, and the friendly servers delivered to us while we were enjoying some wine at Comanche Cellars right next door. Our food was not delivered in to-go boxes, but instead plated just as you would receive in the restaurant with all the necessary accompaniments (soy sauce, wasabi, chopsticks, etc). The gyoza were perfectly fried, not overly doughy and had a delicious beef filling. I thought the $7.95 price for 5 pieces was quite reasonable. The Nova, torched albacore outside with tempura shrimp, avocado and spicy tuna inside all topped with red sauce, unagi sauce, green onion and masago was just a delicious combination of flavors. Add a good amount of wasabi and soy sauce and my taste buds were doing a happy dance. I believe the roll was $15. One roll with the Gyoza was plenty of food for my husband and I to share. Reasonable prices and delicious food! Can't wait to try their other offerings! read more

Kuma - Gyoza - Japanese Near Me - Monterey, California

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Decided to YOLO and order the "Love Plate". You get the Chef's choice of a special roll. 8 pieces of sushi, 2 hand rolls, 4 pieces of gyoza and Wakame salad. What I meant by yolo is, you leave everything up to the chef. Similar to "Omakase" style. What you can pick though is which fish you dont want. I asked to skip red tuna. I am not sure what kind of rolls and sushi I got but it was very delicious. We left content and our tummies full. read more

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We went here for my daughter's birthday Our experience was really good! Our server Dylan was amazing!!!! Super friendly and great service~ Sushi was fresh and tasty We will definitely come back here again 10/10 would recommend read more

A host / hostess sets the tone for the evening and is the first point of contact at any establishment. Unfortunately the host at Kuna tonight fell short. Our seating time was adjusted after checking in on yelp. Then we were told our table would be ready in a few minutes at least 3 times over the next hour. He answered phones before seating in restaurant customers We believe him each time he said our table was almost ready because we waited so long and couldn't imagine that it wouldn't be since there were three empty tables. After being seated we still had to wait for our order to be taken. An endless evening of waiting at Lima this evening. The water tasted fishing and of chlorine. The miso soup a slightly similar taste. Tempura was over cooked, shrimp were tough, we did like the Agedashi tofu, edamame were okay, definitely not freshly chopped garlic the pre chopped jar garlic. More later... read more

I was in town and was craving sushi. I found this place of course on yelp. They didn't open until 5pm so I had to kill some time. I ended up next door at the wine bar (which is also a must). Staff is so welcoming and helpful. Get this, after sitting their for two hours, they said I could order sushi and bring it over! They even had all of the soy sauce avail. My go to is a chirashi bowl, no shrimp. It was yummy and fresh tasting. I walked in, told them where I was, and the brought it over. Very easy! I just brought my dishes back after. It was very busy if were to eat at the restaurant but I think I would have found a spot for myself. At the entrance, there was a small sushi bar and I think more seating in the back but I didn't walk that far. Love that they partner with local businesses to make it easy! If you can't get a resie here, go to the wine bar and eat there! Beats the wait. read more

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

The sushi is top shelf! Fresh and delicious. Presented in a hip vibe. The sushi chef friendly and creative. Tell them the ingredients you like and they'll blow you away! Best on the Monterey peninsula. read more