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The people who work here are SO FUN. It was legitimately enjoyable chatting with the server and the water guy -who was so charmingly funny. The food was amazing. There was not a single role you can find anywhere else on that menu. I really don't want to give too much away about what we had because you cannot go wrong with anything and I don't want to be like, 'omg, try the _____' because really... you should be having one of everything. But I have to say... the salmon skin wasn't just crispy- it had a full on chip crunch. Also, that fireplace is stunning.
Our good friend Jake recently started working as a server at Oto Sushi and asked us to drop by. Unfortunately, he wasn't working on a Friday afternoon at 4:00 when my wife and I stopped by for the first time. This is a beautiful sushi spot in downtown Laguna Beach. The restaurant has a very comfortable vibe and is beautifully decorated. There is also outdoor seating and a second floor space we didn't check out. We took a seat along the rail at the long bar. We were greeted by our server, Christy, who was very pleasant, professional and gave is the low down on the restaurant and its philosophy. This place has Happy Hour every day from 3:00 to 6:00. Keep that in mind when you are in the area at this time and want a break from the crowds and hungry for some delicious food. I noticed the two guys sitting next to us ordered an incredible looking platter of sushi. I asked Christy what they ordered and she said it was one of their Signature Sashimi platters ($40). This one came with 12 pieces with a selection of seasonal sashimi and sushi rice. It looked incredible. And they weren't finished. They ordered a bunch of other stuff too. It made me wish I was much younger and could eat a lot more than I can these days. My wife isn't much of a sushi person so we don't go to these places together very often. I on the other hand was craving some good sushi and with Christy's recommendation opted for the Chef's special hand-roll of the day ($17). She explained the chef creates a special roll for HH each day. I'm afraid I don't remember exactly what was in my roll except for spicy tuna and some sort of seared fish but let me tell you it was awesome. If you don't believe me, just check out the picture. It tasted as good as it looked. Very creative and super tasty with a nice crunch. I would definitely order it again if I could ever remember what was in it. I also ordered the Chicken Karaage ($11), jidori chicken, miso aioli with some dill. This came out piping hot, extra crispy and very tasty. I would definitely order this dish again. It was one of the best versions of Karaage I have ever had. I ordered for the wife and went with the Nikko Groove ($3 off during HH), Tempura green bean, green onion topped with avocado and a sweet chili aioli ($15 normally). I thought this was well made and had a nice crunchy texture. Christy mentioned that anther "Go to" vegetarian order is the Artichoking Me ($17) which is made with cauliflower, roasted carrot, mushroom Karaage topped with avocado and sweet chili aioli. Very different and tasted great. I will definitely come back, hopefully when Jake is around and can serve us. 5-Stars. Highly recommended.
Had a beautiful dinner with my husband and son after a long day in Laguna Beach. Welcoming customer service. Our waiter was also friendly and attentive. We asked to sit outside to enjoy the beautiful summer evening but the inside looked very beautiful too. Hard to choose. It was a bit loud for us inside. Maybe next time The food was interesting here. Very tasty and unique flavors. The chili edamame was delicious so was the poke bowl. The cauliflower was served warm and tasted amazing. The rolls we got were ok some better than others. The crispy rice tuna was delicious. The spicy tuna hand roll was a hit with all of us. Overall a great place to eat while in the area. We love sushi so we always end up at a sushi spot when out of town.
I have so many amazing things I can say about Oto! I post reviews and recommendations around Orange County on social media and Oto always would interact on my posts and eventually invited me to come in and dine with them! When I came in the first time, we got to try so many items and we were genuinely blown away, first by the gorgeous ambience that makes it feel like you are entering a Michelin star dining experience, and then again with every bite of food! The owner, Ash, is so incredibly lovely, and I look up to her success so much! She has done such an incredible job and I cannot wait to visit the San Diego location once it's open! As a hospitality mgmt major myself, she is the embodiment of stellar hospitality! We continue dining at Oto often and she always remembers me when we come in and as someone who now works in social media, I always appreciate brands that interact with other restaurants and businesses in the town online, making Oto truly feel like a part of Laguna Beach despite being fairly new. As someone who until just recently had been gluten-free for 12 years, finding a sushi restaurant with all gluten-free options, including tempura, and every sauce, was life changing for me! It allowed my boyfriend and I to come in and share everything and allowed me to not have to deprive myself of some yummy crunchies on my rolls!!! I also don't know if I'm allowed to curse on here but holy **** that chocolate ganache bar is absolutely incredible!!! You have to try it I can go on and on because I truly love dining here! If you're looking for a spot for date night, a celebration, a happy hour, & somewhere to bring friends visiting Laguna- it should always be Oto!!!
Delicious quality sushi and veggies. We got an assortment of roles including Laguna heat , Apollo, and artichoky. Amongst other delicious pieces. Annie was a wonderful host for us (thank you!). Thank you Oto for making my sister's birthday dinner a success!
Tried Oto out for the first time the other evening, came away very impressed and immediately wanting to go back. OC either has lower-end AYCE type sushi places or ultra high-end $$$ sushi places...both have their time and place, but there is a lack of high quality places in the middle of all that. Oto is filling a niche that is lacking and they are doing it so well. Location and space are perfect, great atmosphere. Staff is very helpful and friendly, providing great service. I'm pretty picky with quality when it comes to fish and the quality here was outstanding with everything we had. For drinks, I tried the Seafoam Bees Knees and the Wagyu-washed Old Fashioned...both very creative and tasty. For food we tried a variety of stuff, but as far as rolls go...The Laguna Heat roll and the Apollo roll were so delicious! The entire menu, from cocktails to the food is very unique and you won't find any other place that has the creativity and detail that they do here at Oto. I want to try everything on the menu and can't wait to come back Prices are fair for the high quality, but if you start getting out of hand trying everything on the menu it will add up quickly...but to be expected and will gladly pay for the quality!
Oto is hands-down our favorite sushi restaurant in Laguna Beach. The fact that it is gluten-free is an extra bonus for our family, because several members are severely allergic to gluten. We often go for the happy hour specials although we've sampled widely in the menu. Yesterday we enjoyed four delicious Nigiri, the Chef's special role, and the chicken Karaage. The Nigiri were fresh and included salmon, steelhead, Hamachi, and another fish that I can't remember, but it was delicious. Each was served with the perfect amount of garnish and required absolutely no tamari. The chef's roll had a tempura bean in the middle and then Hamachi on top with a beautiful lemon aïoli. It sounds odd, but it was scrumptious. The chicken karage is always crisp and delicious and served with a nice aïoli on the side. We have been to this restaurant probably 15 times sometimes just us and often with a large family group. It never disappoints. The service is super nice and friendly with a lot of expertise. The management is impeccable. Highly recommend.
I love sushi but I just don't know about this place. It's very close to the beach but can be hard to find given the GPS and area it's located in. (I would love it if they were more specific on how to find the location on their website!) We walked in and the hostess was nice enough to seat us right away although we didn't have a reservation + we were only allotted 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to their next reservation which was doable for us. We ordered a few rolls and to be completely honest they were just weird. One roll had fish eggs on top (which can be normal for sushi) but it did not pair well with the flavor profile of the roll. The chicken karaage was definitely just slightly breaded and tasted very bland although it can be very tasty + juicy at other restaurants I've been to. The only thing I loved out of everything we ordered was the sauce that came with the shrimp tempura- it was savory plus creamy. I almost wanted to have the sauce with the chicken! According to the server, this restaurant makes the majority of their items in house. Could possibly be the reason why everything wasn't the best. The restaurant is a little pricey as well!
I wish I could give this place more stars! The restaurant itself is beautiful and our service from Slade was attentive, helpful and warm. And the food was all fantastic! It's such a relief to be able to celebrate my daughter's birthday here without worrying about cross contamination with gluten since she's has celiac. Even the dessert was safe! We enjoyed absolutely every dish we ordered. The tableside wasabi was cool. The fish was extremely fresh. The edamame was a huge hit. Just an awesome experience all around!
There's a reason why this restaurant was voted 2nd place winner for best sushi in Orange County. What an incredible experience. What made it this great though had to do with our waiter Wes, his knowledge from living in Japan that he brought to our dinner was so unique and he really just went above and beyond. He was so attentive and engaging and if you haven't given him a raise, well now is the time The vibes are so chic, yet casual too. We had the lovely lightning as the sun was setting and sushi menu that is made to order you can taste the freshness of each bite as if you'd caught the fish yourself. We took advantage of their daily happy hour from 3-6pm and ordered some edamame, chicken kaarage and a sushi roll, then.. we went for it.. we ordered the sushi board and shared among the 4 of us which is $430. It was well worth it, along with the award winning burger. We ordered every single dessert, even the vegan one (and I'm not vegan) but ended up being my favorite surprisingly. I have no complaints other than wishing my stomach could expand when food tastes this good and you truly feel like you've known the waiter your entire life, especially as he table grated our wasabi and told us how they are grown in Japan next to waterfalls. Thank you for such a core memory that I'll forever hold dear
We are so thankful this is our local/walkable sushi spot because it's DELICIOUS and their happy hour is worth it. They have ample seating but would recommend booking before as they do get busy during peak hours/days. We loved sitting outside and dining al fresco during summer. We love getting the chef choice of nigiri where the fish is super fresh and delicious or the hand roll trio (lunch special) which is packed with fish and the tuna poke bowl is super refreshing with the watermelon. The robotayaki is worth it, we have had the wagyu and indoor chicken multiple times and each time the flavor packed skewers have hit the spot.
Dined here last night since I was craving some good Sushi for an early Dinner. This was my Second time dining here this month. My family loves this place. I sat at the Bar and ordered a glass of Kubota Senjyu Sake These Rolls had just the right amount of spice I liked and they tasted Delicious! * SCORCH* Snow crab, cucumber, avocado, topped with spicy tuna, spicy aioli, tempura crunchies * AKARI COVE* Spicy salmon, tempura green onion topped with hamachi, roasted jalapeno ponzu, miso ginger, ikura, negi * SALMON SOCIETY* Salmon skin, spicy salmon, cucumber, topped with spicy aioli seared salmon, anago sauce, crisp salmon skin, ikura, lemon Service was great with Friendly Servers Chefs were friendly and made the best tasting Rolls Ambiance was nice, many others were enjoying Sushi I'll definitely be returning for the nice atmosphere and their delicious choice of Rolls.
we stopped by oto sushi after a long day at the beach and we were greeted and sat immediately, on the grounds that we left within 2 hours (due to a reservation i guess?) the interior was quite clean and there was a decent amount of people sat. our server introduced himself and told us about the foundation of the restaurant and its dedication to sustainability. he also told us that soy sauce is available upon request, since it wasn't on the table, and the rolls were meant to be enjoyed with no soy sauce on top. i was a bit hesitant at first because i like my rolls drenched in sauce for lack of better word but it didn't end up being a problem! we started with the oto salad, the lotus crisp and tomato were my favorite parts, and then we started with the rolls. first was the salmon society which i was a big fan of. the apollo roll was the best one by far. it was covered in crispy seaweed and some kind of lemon pesto-y sauce that was very good. the laguna heat roll had the most mixed reactions from our table: the jam on top of the roll really overpowered the other ingredients inside and just reduced it to a sweet roll for me. the scorch roll was also pretty spicy but you can ask for the sauce on the side which was nice. none of the rolls were overly "dry" to me. we ended with the chicken karaage which was actually one of my favorites i've ever had! overall i had a good time here, im happy i tried this place out! the atmosphere is a little elevated so i probably would not come back for casual pop-in dining
Reviews are largely positive. Many highlight the fresh, creative sushi, attentive, knowledgeable staff, and an inviting modern ambiance. The gluten-free options are also appreciated.
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1 day ago
This is the sushi spot Laguna Beach needed. The space is modern and bright, high ceilings with skylights, a long sushi bar where you can watch the chefs work, and a mezzanine up top. It feels upscale without being stuffy. We started with the oysters, served on ice with cocktail sauce and lemon. Ice cold & super fresh. The sashimi platter was the real test and it passed. Thick, clean cuts of salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and white fish, all glistening fresh with zero fishy smell. You can tell the quality the second it hits the table. The Fuji Silk roll was my favorite. Salmon and crab with thin slices of crisp apple on top and a little lime zest. The apple sounds unusual but it works, it adds a sweet crunch that cuts through the richness. We also had a roll topped with seared albacore and avocado with crispy seaweed flakes, plus a hand roll with white fish and apple that was simple and clean. The staff were super helpful, walked us through the menu, and made great recommendations without rushing us. Plenty of lighter, healthy options too if you want to keep it clean. Definitely coming back, next time I am sitting at the bar. read more
Oto Sushi is a refreshing departure from the typical sushi restaurant, with a stylish, inviting atmosphere and a creative menu that puts a unique spin on Japanese cuisine. (There's even a burger on the menu, surprise!, need to try it someday). The restaurant has a very cool vibe and great atmosphere, with a slightly different, more creative approach to Japanese food than your typical sushi spot. The lunch menu has some interesting and reasonably priced items, including sushi bowls, hand roll sets, and bento boxes. The full menu is offered for lunch as well. I went with the three-piece hand roll sampler featuring hamachi, Hawaiian tuna, and snow crab. All three were delicious, and I really liked the presentation, with each hand roll served upright on a wooden stand. My wife ordered the vegetarian bento box and loved it. The presentation was excellent, with a colorful assortment of dishes arranged in individual compartments. The mushroom karaage was especially amazing and probably the highlight of the meal. The chili garlic edamame and other vegetables made for a really nice variety of flavors and textures. Overall, a great lunch spot with thoughtful presentation, interesting flavors, and a menu that feels a little different from the usual sushi restaurant. We're definitely looking forward to coming back for dinner and trying more of what they have to offer! read more
27 days ago
Wow! I was sold reading their website about their sustainability but coming in and them really emphasizing it truly made our meal special before it even came. The service was impeccable!!! (From every single staff member we encountered). Music & scenery is a vibe too. All around GREAT place!!! Would HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking for great quality sushi & hospitality!! Can't wait to bring some friends here. Our server was Jake, & we won't come back without making sure he's our guy. He truly made our first visit here. read more
The people who work here are SO FUN. It was legitimately enjoyable chatting with the server and the water guy -who was so charmingly funny. The food was amazing. There was not a single role you can find anywhere else on that menu. I really don't want to give too much away about what we had because you cannot go wrong with anything and I don't want to be like, 'omg, try the _____' because really... you should be having one of everything. But I have to say... the salmon skin wasn't just crispy- it had a full on chip crunch. Also, that fireplace is stunning. read more
2 months ago
Our good friend Jake recently started working as a server at Oto Sushi and asked us to drop by. Unfortunately, he wasn't working on a Friday afternoon at 4:00 when my wife and I stopped by for the first time. This is a beautiful sushi spot in downtown Laguna Beach. The restaurant has a very comfortable vibe and is beautifully decorated. There is also outdoor seating and a second floor space we didn't check out. We took a seat along the rail at the long bar. We were greeted by our server, Christy, who was very pleasant, professional and gave is the low down on the restaurant and its philosophy. This place has Happy Hour every day from 3:00 to 6:00. Keep that in mind when you are in the area at this time and want a break from the crowds and hungry for some delicious food. I noticed the two guys sitting next to us ordered an incredible looking platter of sushi. I asked Christy what they ordered and she said it was one of their Signature Sashimi platters ($40). This one came with 12 pieces with a selection of seasonal sashimi and sushi rice. It looked incredible. And they weren't finished. They ordered a bunch of other stuff too. It made me wish I was much younger and could eat a lot more than I can these days. My wife isn't much of a sushi person so we don't go to these places together very often. I on the other hand was craving some good sushi and with Christy's recommendation opted for the Chef's special hand-roll of the day ($17). She explained the chef creates a special roll for HH each day. I'm afraid I don't remember exactly what was in my roll except for spicy tuna and some sort of seared fish but let me tell you it was awesome. If you don't believe me, just check out the picture. It tasted as good as it looked. Very creative and super tasty with a nice crunch. I would definitely order it again if I could ever remember what was in it. I also ordered the Chicken Karaage ($11), jidori chicken, miso aioli with some dill. This came out piping hot, extra crispy and very tasty. I would definitely order this dish again. It was one of the best versions of Karaage I have ever had. I ordered for the wife and went with the Nikko Groove ($3 off during HH), Tempura green bean, green onion topped with avocado and a sweet chili aioli ($15 normally). I thought this was well made and had a nice crunchy texture. Christy mentioned that anther "Go to" vegetarian order is the Artichoking Me ($17) which is made with cauliflower, roasted carrot, mushroom Karaage topped with avocado and sweet chili aioli. Very different and tasted great. I will definitely come back, hopefully when Jake is around and can serve us. 5-Stars. Highly recommended. read more
Had a beautiful dinner with my husband and son after a long day in Laguna Beach. Welcoming customer service. Our waiter was also friendly and attentive. We asked to sit outside to enjoy the beautiful summer evening but the inside looked very beautiful too. Hard to choose. It was a bit loud for us inside. Maybe next time The food was interesting here. Very tasty and unique flavors. The chili edamame was delicious so was the poke bowl. The cauliflower was served warm and tasted amazing. The rolls we got were ok some better than others. The crispy rice tuna was delicious. The spicy tuna hand roll was a hit with all of us. Overall a great place to eat while in the area. We love sushi so we always end up at a sushi spot when out of town. read more
3 months ago
I have so many amazing things I can say about Oto! I post reviews and recommendations around Orange County on social media and Oto always would interact on my posts and eventually invited me to come in and dine with them! When I came in the first time, we got to try so many items and we were genuinely blown away, first by the gorgeous ambience that makes it feel like you are entering a Michelin star dining experience, and then again with every bite of food! The owner, Ash, is so incredibly lovely, and I look up to her success so much! She has done such an incredible job and I cannot wait to visit the San Diego location once it's open! As a hospitality mgmt major myself, she is the embodiment of stellar hospitality! We continue dining at Oto often and she always remembers me when we come in and as someone who now works in social media, I always appreciate brands that interact with other restaurants and businesses in the town online, making Oto truly feel like a part of Laguna Beach despite being fairly new. As someone who until just recently had been gluten-free for 12 years, finding a sushi restaurant with all gluten-free options, including tempura, and every sauce, was life changing for me! It allowed my boyfriend and I to come in and share everything and allowed me to not have to deprive myself of some yummy crunchies on my rolls!!! I also don't know if I'm allowed to curse on here but holy **** that chocolate ganache bar is absolutely incredible!!! You have to try it I can go on and on because I truly love dining here! If you're looking for a spot for date night, a celebration, a happy hour, & somewhere to bring friends visiting Laguna- it should always be Oto!!! read more
2 months ago
Delicious quality sushi and veggies. We got an assortment of roles including Laguna heat , Apollo, and artichoky. Amongst other delicious pieces. Annie was a wonderful host for us (thank you!). Thank you Oto for making my sister's birthday dinner a success! read more
1 month ago
Tried Oto out for the first time the other evening, came away very impressed and immediately wanting to go back. OC either has lower-end AYCE type sushi places or ultra high-end $$$ sushi places...both have their time and place, but there is a lack of high quality places in the middle of all that. Oto is filling a niche that is lacking and they are doing it so well. Location and space are perfect, great atmosphere. Staff is very helpful and friendly, providing great service. I'm pretty picky with quality when it comes to fish and the quality here was outstanding with everything we had. For drinks, I tried the Seafoam Bees Knees and the Wagyu-washed Old Fashioned...both very creative and tasty. For food we tried a variety of stuff, but as far as rolls go...The Laguna Heat roll and the Apollo roll were so delicious! The entire menu, from cocktails to the food is very unique and you won't find any other place that has the creativity and detail that they do here at Oto. I want to try everything on the menu and can't wait to come back Prices are fair for the high quality, but if you start getting out of hand trying everything on the menu it will add up quickly...but to be expected and will gladly pay for the quality! read more
2 months ago
Oto is hands-down our favorite sushi restaurant in Laguna Beach. The fact that it is gluten-free is an extra bonus for our family, because several members are severely allergic to gluten. We often go for the happy hour specials although we've sampled widely in the menu. Yesterday we enjoyed four delicious Nigiri, the Chef's special role, and the chicken Karaage. The Nigiri were fresh and included salmon, steelhead, Hamachi, and another fish that I can't remember, but it was delicious. Each was served with the perfect amount of garnish and required absolutely no tamari. The chef's roll had a tempura bean in the middle and then Hamachi on top with a beautiful lemon aïoli. It sounds odd, but it was scrumptious. The chicken karage is always crisp and delicious and served with a nice aïoli on the side. We have been to this restaurant probably 15 times sometimes just us and often with a large family group. It never disappoints. The service is super nice and friendly with a lot of expertise. The management is impeccable. Highly recommend. read more
I love sushi but I just don't know about this place. It's very close to the beach but can be hard to find given the GPS and area it's located in. (I would love it if they were more specific on how to find the location on their website!) We walked in and the hostess was nice enough to seat us right away although we didn't have a reservation + we were only allotted 1 hour and 30 minutes prior to their next reservation which was doable for us. We ordered a few rolls and to be completely honest they were just weird. One roll had fish eggs on top (which can be normal for sushi) but it did not pair well with the flavor profile of the roll. The chicken karaage was definitely just slightly breaded and tasted very bland although it can be very tasty + juicy at other restaurants I've been to. The only thing I loved out of everything we ordered was the sauce that came with the shrimp tempura- it was savory plus creamy. I almost wanted to have the sauce with the chicken! According to the server, this restaurant makes the majority of their items in house. Could possibly be the reason why everything wasn't the best. The restaurant is a little pricey as well! read more
18 days ago
I wish I could give this place more stars! The restaurant itself is beautiful and our service from Slade was attentive, helpful and warm. And the food was all fantastic! It's such a relief to be able to celebrate my daughter's birthday here without worrying about cross contamination with gluten since she's has celiac. Even the dessert was safe! We enjoyed absolutely every dish we ordered. The tableside wasabi was cool. The fish was extremely fresh. The edamame was a huge hit. Just an awesome experience all around! read more
There's a reason why this restaurant was voted 2nd place winner for best sushi in Orange County. What an incredible experience. What made it this great though had to do with our waiter Wes, his knowledge from living in Japan that he brought to our dinner was so unique and he really just went above and beyond. He was so attentive and engaging and if you haven't given him a raise, well now is the time The vibes are so chic, yet casual too. We had the lovely lightning as the sun was setting and sushi menu that is made to order you can taste the freshness of each bite as if you'd caught the fish yourself. We took advantage of their daily happy hour from 3-6pm and ordered some edamame, chicken kaarage and a sushi roll, then.. we went for it.. we ordered the sushi board and shared among the 4 of us which is $430. It was well worth it, along with the award winning burger. We ordered every single dessert, even the vegan one (and I'm not vegan) but ended up being my favorite surprisingly. I have no complaints other than wishing my stomach could expand when food tastes this good and you truly feel like you've known the waiter your entire life, especially as he table grated our wasabi and told us how they are grown in Japan next to waterfalls. Thank you for such a core memory that I'll forever hold dear read more
2 months ago
We are so thankful this is our local/walkable sushi spot because it's DELICIOUS and their happy hour is worth it. They have ample seating but would recommend booking before as they do get busy during peak hours/days. We loved sitting outside and dining al fresco during summer. We love getting the chef choice of nigiri where the fish is super fresh and delicious or the hand roll trio (lunch special) which is packed with fish and the tuna poke bowl is super refreshing with the watermelon. The robotayaki is worth it, we have had the wagyu and indoor chicken multiple times and each time the flavor packed skewers have hit the spot. read more
Dined here last night since I was craving some good Sushi for an early Dinner. This was my Second time dining here this month. My family loves this place. I sat at the Bar and ordered a glass of Kubota Senjyu Sake These Rolls had just the right amount of spice I liked and they tasted Delicious! * SCORCH* Snow crab, cucumber, avocado, topped with spicy tuna, spicy aioli, tempura crunchies * AKARI COVE* Spicy salmon, tempura green onion topped with hamachi, roasted jalapeno ponzu, miso ginger, ikura, negi * SALMON SOCIETY* Salmon skin, spicy salmon, cucumber, topped with spicy aioli seared salmon, anago sauce, crisp salmon skin, ikura, lemon Service was great with Friendly Servers Chefs were friendly and made the best tasting Rolls Ambiance was nice, many others were enjoying Sushi I'll definitely be returning for the nice atmosphere and their delicious choice of Rolls. read more
3 months ago
we stopped by oto sushi after a long day at the beach and we were greeted and sat immediately, on the grounds that we left within 2 hours (due to a reservation i guess?) the interior was quite clean and there was a decent amount of people sat. our server introduced himself and told us about the foundation of the restaurant and its dedication to sustainability. he also told us that soy sauce is available upon request, since it wasn't on the table, and the rolls were meant to be enjoyed with no soy sauce on top. i was a bit hesitant at first because i like my rolls drenched in sauce for lack of better word but it didn't end up being a problem! we started with the oto salad, the lotus crisp and tomato were my favorite parts, and then we started with the rolls. first was the salmon society which i was a big fan of. the apollo roll was the best one by far. it was covered in crispy seaweed and some kind of lemon pesto-y sauce that was very good. the laguna heat roll had the most mixed reactions from our table: the jam on top of the roll really overpowered the other ingredients inside and just reduced it to a sweet roll for me. the scorch roll was also pretty spicy but you can ask for the sauce on the side which was nice. none of the rolls were overly "dry" to me. we ended with the chicken karaage which was actually one of my favorites i've ever had! overall i had a good time here, im happy i tried this place out! the atmosphere is a little elevated so i probably would not come back for casual pop-in dining read more
I love this place. They have outdoor seating. Our server was excellent and very knowledgeable about their menu. He was also super helpful to a couple seated next to us, giving them detailed tips on how to navigate Laguna. The food was absolutely delicious. I liked my chirashi, which is a bowl of sashimi with rice. It might change every day depending on what's fresh. We also ordered the garlic albacore. It was very garlicky with chili sauce, which was a big departure from a traditional Japanese dish, but it was okay. I saw other tables order the Wagyu burgers--their buns were black, probably with squid ink. They looked very interesting, and I want to try them next time. Overall, great service, great location, and great food. read more
Sushi was so delicious! No sauces needed yo be added because of how flavorful each roll was, we got seated very quickly on a Sunday night. Our servers name was Matt and he was extremely kind, gave menu recommendations and told us his favorites. 10/10 recommended! read more
Came in for a little sushi lunch and was delighted with great service and even better food + drink. The strawberry marg had real strawberries which was a great touch and tasted delicious. I forgot the roll I ordered but it was bomb. Perfect from looks to taste and was on the spicy side which I liked. Perfect location right by the beach! read more
Oto Sushi prides itself on sustainable sourcing. They source their fish worldwide, and they have a unique take on their dishes. I decided to dine here on a Sunday afternoon as it had an outdoor patio suitable for my dog. We ordered several nigiri pieces and a chirashi bowl. The food was okay. I think they really tried to substitute soy sauce with garnish and salt/sauces complementary to the fish. The chirashi bowl was a bit disappointing, there was not a lot of variety, and it was pricey. Service was excellent and very friendly. The outdoor patio was very nice on a sunny afternoon only a couple blocks from the ocean. read more
8 months ago
Hands down the best sushi around--the fish, uni, and seafood are incredibly fresh. My husband's Wagyu burger was excellent, and the duck skewers are a must-try. Don't skip their house-made cocktails; the lemon raspberry custard was the perfect light, refreshing finish. Just a heads up: the tables are quite small and it gets very noisy, so it feels more like a lively casual spot than a romantic date-night vibe. Still highly recommended for the food alone! read more
24 days ago
Chicken karaage was a fat NO. But the sushi was actually decent?? Didnt have high hopes but it's sustainable. They didn't have any toro but they comped us more tuna! Which was nice of them. Service was good and we even got a second roll of the chef special! It had yellow tail and salmon and a citrus sauce. MY FAVE TYPE OF ROLL so made up for a lot! The aesthetic inside was very cute!! read more
2 months ago
While visiting Laguna Beach, we went to Oto Sushi for dinner. We made a reservation a couple days beforehand, and recommend doing so if you are planning to dine here. We were seated promptly on arrival. The inside is small but cozy, and dining is split on two different floors. There is some bar seating right in front of the sushi chefs, as well as a small patio just outside the restaurant with heaters. They offer happy hour EVERY DAY from 4-6pm, which gives specials for some drinks, rolls, and other food options. We started with nigiri, and then tried the Scorch, Hoke Poke and Chef's roll. The food is brought out as prepared, which helped pace things a bit and let us savor each roll on it's own. The sushi was very fresh. The scorch roll, as the name implies, did have a pretty good kick to it. My favorite was the Chef's roll, and my wife really enjoyed the Hoke Poke Roll. They pride themselves on the flavoring and seasoning of the fish, and sway you away from adding soy sauce. Side note: Oto was recently voted 2nd Best Sushi Restaurant in Orange County by the OC Register. read more
What a disappointment this time around! We ordered the cucumbers and poke, and both were good. I ordered the scorch roll and the fish tasted not fresh. My friend ordered the nigiri and said three out of the four pieces didn't taste that fresh. We had good service at the beginning of towards the middle and at the end, no one was coming by. I went for happy hour and it was not a very busy time but there was more than enough staff to help us. They just didn't. Probably won't return. read more
Business owner information
Ash C.
Hi Aalia,…
9 months ago
Oto Sushi in Laguna Beach was good overall, but nothing really blew me away from the sushi side. Everything tasted fresh and well prepared, but the rolls were just okay--simple, solid, and nothing extra or particularly memorable. What actually stood out more than the sushi was the yakitori. That was the highlight for me. It was flavorful, nicely cooked, and had way more impact than the rolls we tried. If you're looking for dependable sushi, this is a good spot. But if you go, I'd definitely recommend ordering some of the hot dishes like the yakitori because that's where this place really shines. read more
13 days ago
5 months ago
Dessert was our favorite part of dinner! The actual sushi was ok but the rolls a bit too experimental. Got the rice washed martini which was ok and it was fun to have the lemon twist, brine and pickled peach on the side to personalize it but overall I would not go back. Service was good and parking overall fine. read more
2 months ago
5 months ago
I love that this restaurant makes everything in-house (including their sauces) and sources seafood sustainably. As an avid seafood eater and former pescatarian of over 15 years, I really wish I liked the food more than I did. The chicken karaage and shrimp tempura were a bit mushy, the hamachi nigiri was served warm, the sauce on the cauliflower was way too sweet, the rolls were uninteresting and lacked a good balance of flavor and texture, and the eggplant was under-seasoned. The sushi roll selection was also very limited. The only dish I would return for is the crispy garlic edamame, which was cooked perfectly and seasoned with a delicious sauce. Our server was friendly at the start but didn't check on us with any frequency throughout our meal. The restaurant itself is nice. We were seated on the second floor, which was quite far from the restrooms. read more
4 days ago
19 days ago
This was my first time at Oto Sushi! Everything was so good from the appetizers to the rolls itself. You can make any fish type into a hand roll too. read more
2 months ago
Oto Sushi in Laguna Beach is by far the best sushi and quality in SoCal. The owner, Ashley, is at the top of her game, and her amazing staff make the experience five star. You can tell she cares about the details, from the quality of the fish to the pace of the meal, and that care runs through the whole restaurant. Our server, Slade, matched that energy perfectly. He was attentive without hovering, knew the menu inside and out, and made a handful of smart recommendations that made the meal even better. Gavin, the manager, did a great job checking in on the table to make sure we had everything we needed. read more
Husband surprised me and brought me here on a date night as we had really been looking forward to trying it . It looked decently occupied so that was a good sign. It was last Tuesday night and we had gotten a sitter so we didn't have a ton of time to spare. We were walking in and did not have a reservation, but we asked how long the wait was (as we only had a couple hours) and the hostess at the front told us "just a couple minutes." 20 minutes go by and we're still waiting (no update on wait time) Another ten minutes and we're still waiting (no update) My husband walked up and asked for an update and she said they had reservations which is fine and I understand reservations get seated first. But please don't tell us it's only a couple minutes and then have us wait almost 40 minutes because our time is very limited. 37 minutes later we were sat. Our waitress was very sweet and made our experience a bit better. She checked on us a lot and had a very warm personality Drinks were also were taking a while. We look over at the bar and the bartender is chatting and not making any drinks for about 15 minutes as we waited. 20 minutes later we got our drinks. Besides that he was very kind and came over to check on us and see how we liked our drinks which we did appreciate. For dinner, we ordered the combination skewers which were scallops, Wagyu and duck. My husband loved the duck, and I love the Wagyu. The scallops were OK. They were a bit soft and seemed undercooked and a bit bland. We also ordered the Yuzu truffle Hamachi. That one was very good and definitely recommended! For sushi rolls, we went with Laguna heat and scorch. As they state in their menu no soy sauce or wasabi is needed. These rolls were so fresh and tasty. I like that the filling is snow crab, and not imitation :) Big plus Also, also another lady was checking on us and running around helping out a lot. I believe she is the owner? She was very kind, inviting, and personable. Definitely worth trying out as far as food and back staff, but maybe make a reservation because wait times seem really long if you're planning on walking in. Even on a weekday. read more
Dim lit lighting for an intimate experience if that's what you're looking for (my group ate outdoors). The sushi was phenomenal and left an unforgettable taste compared to other local Japanese cuisines . Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and made several good recommendations. The group sampled their tempura shrimp, garlic edamame - these were good starters, but our favorite was the Apollo roll which I highly recommend. The spicy tuna was good but a bit on the hotter side if that's your thing. read more
Tried this Japanese place for happy hour. The dishes were all pretty good. All the sushi was fresh and delicious, they don't really provide soy sauce, which I think would have tasted better 7/10. The fried oyster mushroom was really good, crispy and seasoned well 8.5/10. Karage was tasty but did not have the flavor or texture of Japanese Karage 6.7/10. Service was excellent. It's definitely not your traditional type restaurant. read more
2 months ago
Wonderful service today from the moment we arrived until we left- and incredible happy hour prices! Sat outside at a nicely appointed patio but indoors looked incredible and completely full on a Thursday. The specialty cocktail today was a spicy margarita, and it had a delightful Tajín rim, fresh jalapeños cut inside and was reasonably strong! The hot sake was only eight dollars for a nice portion and the food was delicious and a very good value. Considering the quantity of food we received for a check that came out to just $90 and the lovely service we will 100% be back. It's also conveniently located. Just a block off the Coast highway, so it's in the heart of town, but not in the busy congested area it's slightly tucked away so the outside atmosphere is not marred by constant traffic it's tranquil. read more
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370 Glenneyre St
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
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(949) 306-0279
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https://otosushi.co
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