My boyfriend and I actually found this place through Reddit, and I'm so glad we did. It's a small blue tent on the pier, set up alongside other fishermen selling their catch of the day. And honestly? This was probably the best and freshest uni I've ever had. The uni was light, creamy, slightly sweet, and packed with umami - truly one of the best fresh seafood experiences we've had. They provide simple sauce packets like lemon juice and ponzu, and we paired ours with seaweed wraps we brought from home, plus a little lemon and ponzu - perfection! I also loved the whole reef-to-table concept. They'll shuck and clean everything for you on the spot, but if you prefer to take them unshucked, they knock $5 off each one - totally worth it if you want to enjoy a picnic on the pier or nearby beach. What really made the experience extra special was chatting with the owner, Mike. His passion for fishing, high-quality food, and serving his community was such a breath of fresh air and really tied the whole experience together. If you're into high-quality, incredibly fresh seafood, this spot is an absolute must-visit when visiting Santa Barbara! read more

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We were stoked to fine SB Uni was open on the wharf (the hours seem to be "Open until sold out"). We snagged the one of the last freshly cracked uni they were selling and it was the most fresh sweetest ones we had our whole trip! Nothing can beat scooping the uni right out of the shell in terms of freshness and quality - The spines were still moving! Next time, I hope to come earlier to try the purple uni, but the black ones were excellent. read more

Fun experience having them cut, clean, and provide free toppings to flavor the uni! I got one Red Sea Urchin for $20 and they accept Venmo!

Very tasty uni and poke! We walked from our hotel on State St. to SB Uni and was not disappointed. The uni was so fresh and ahi poke was made to perfection. Although I am used to eating my poke with chips (which they didnt carry) and uni with horseradish and all of the fixings, the quality did not fall short! Highly recommend if you're in the area. Calls for a nice walk/bike stroll too! read more

Santa Barbara Uni - Uni & ahi poke! - Seafood Markets Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Uni you want, Uni you'll get.... We notice this vendor while having brunch from above the second floor of the restaurant. They had a little spot set up along the pier which was a perfect location. I believe they have like a little pop up at different places. After brunch we stopped by to see what the commotion was all about. There was a good line forming up. Of course, the kids loved watching them being open fresh. What they had to offered was great. Plain and simple, two different kind of Uni. Purple or the red. Price wise was great too. We picked up two of the red Uni which were the bigger one. Watching them prepare it right there for you was nice. You see how it's handle right infront of you and it's fresh. There was options as well if you wanted anything extras added to them. Caviar, different sauces to name a few. There was also Uni shot already prepared if you wanted to try something small. First bite, clean and fresh with the lemon spray. We also added some caviar for the extra wow. If you haven't tried it, it maybe an acquire taste at first. It's just melts in your mouth. They are fresh, so you may notice that the urchin spine is still moving slowly but it doesn't affect the meat. Service was nice with the two gentleman handling the goods. If you haven't had a chance to try it before, theirs was amazing. They have pop up here and there so location changes. Service was excellent and very friendly. The Uni was fresh and tasty. All the extra add on did make it a little more enjoyable which is a plus. And the price was good. Definitely recommend. read more

Overall: C // 3 stars This sea urchin is as fresh as you can get, being cracked and cleaned to order, even still moving! I really enjoyed the condiment table with ponzu, wasabi, among others to help enhance your taste buds. If you have never tried this, I highly recommend doing this once in your lifetime if you are a big fan of uni; they are open until noon so no need to wake up at 6am! In practice, I found the price point of this sea urchin to not be less expensive than the markets nearby, and since its cleaned off the shell, there is a residual blood and sea water taste that is not the most appealing. Food: E Presentation: E Price: E Overall: 3 stars Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats read more

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Fresh Uni!!! So yum!! We purposely came for that! It was just beyond delicious! Everyone should try it!

We went to Santa Barbara for a weekend trip and wanted to try some fresh Santa Barbara Uni. We found the spot here! Fresh live sea urchins! Mike dives for them and sells them on the wharf. We went on a Sunday around noon. They had 3 different uni (small purple, large red, and XL red). We got all 3 to try and they were all really good! Mike opened them for us and they had a variety of sauces and toppings. Next time, I wont be impatient and will pick out the kelp more before eating the uni because it made it taste a little bitter. They accept Venmo if you don't have cash. Would definitely go back again if we're in Santa Barbara again! read more

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Loved the rare "purple uni" freshly harvested by the diver and his partner. Great condiments accented that and an uni shooter perfectly, and fun conversation as well. A must-do for uni lovers. read more

Arrived around 11am on Sunday and were warmly welcomed. Both red and purple uni were available, so we picked up one of each. Mike (diver) opened the uni professionaly and the taste was so fresh and savory! I especially loved adding the ponzu finger-lime sauce prepared by River, it elevated the flavor perfectly. The price is just marginally higher than nearby restaurants, but for the authenticity and quality, this spot is absolutely worth it!I read more

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FRESH UNI IN THE SHELL at 9:00 am! We took an early morning drive up to Santa Barbara for these little slivers of joy! Santa Barbara Uni is one of the pop-up shops at the Santa Barbara Fisherman's Market on Saturdays from 6 -11 am on the Harbor. I would suggest to get there early or bring your own condiments if you are picky as they ran out of lemon juice. We ended up using Wasabi sauce and ponzu (which overwhelmed the uni) as it has a delicate flavor. We usually only squeeze a bit of lime or lemon. The addition of the Wasabi sauce was yummy! Another reason to get there early is to ensure they have what you're looking for. Some of the other pop-ups ran out of their products. We ended up getting the Special with 1 Red Urchin and 1 Purple Urchin. Both were delicious and the purple had a slightly sweeter flavor. They have a few tables set up to enjoy the samples. Service was quick and friendly. Cash or Zelle/Venmo were accepted. Parking is plentiful in the SB Harbor area. Definitely recommended! read more

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A must if you are ever in Santa Barbara!! Uni is always delicious and the perfect treat. read more

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This is THE BEST fresh Uni you're going to get in the area - the reds are Massive, and high graded for top quality condition. I recently got to try a purple urchin also - they are typically less desirable since they're so much smaller, but I didn't realize how sweet and delicate the flavor would be - I am now a big fan of both varieties. The owners are kind, knowledgeable, and patient with the many questions that come from so many visitors who have never tried or maybe never even heard of Uni. Thank you to the fishermen for the hard work it takes to dive and retrieve these treasures, and for making our beautiful local resources AVAILABLE to LOCALS - so much of this product is shipped abroad and I just love to see it stay and get eaten right here in town. The whole Saturday Dockside market there is a fun vibe and they recently started doing Sundays too for the after church crowd (doesn't start so early ;) conclusion: don't sleep on these Uni, you're missing outttt read more

Omg amazing taste and experience, Mike and river are really nice and they'll show you how to do it too! read more

Santa Barbara Uni - Uni and uni shooters - Seafood Markets Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

If you know, you know! Fresh uni straight from diver Mike and served right at the dock by River. Nobu level flavor! Doesn't get more delicious than this. They're there on weekends and it was absolutely worth it. Sweet, briny and bright flavor that melts in your mouth!!! They crack it open, clean it, and serve it in the shell with just a spoon. I tried both the red and purple urchin. DELISH! Just pure Santa Barbara gold!!! Parking can be tricky but the views, the vibe, and the uni...AMAZING! Already dreaming about next visit. See you soon! read more

Santa Barbara Uni - Santa Barbara Uni - Seafood Markets Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Located on the pier of Santa Barbara, this freshly caught Uni is a set up tent that is only available on the weekends. If you visit this pier from the early morning to around 12PM, you'll be able to eat some freshly caught Uni here! They crack open the uni for you, you venmo or zelle them, and then you can enjoy your uni with either some soy sauce, hot sauce, or lemon juice. Don't be alarmed at the moving spikes from the Uni, they don't hurt nor is poisonous. The Uni itself doesn't consist of too much meat, but you can't get much fresher than Uni cracked right in front of you caught in the morning. Highly recommend checking this place out on the pier if you're here in Santa Barbara during the weekend! read more

Santa Barbara Uni - Uni - Seafood Markets Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The whole set up here is fantastic. The uni was so fresh and was presented beautifully. Mike and River were super chill...loved it, thanks. read more

Santa Barbara Uni - Seafood Markets Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The freshest uni I've ever had! Amazingly friendly and informative staff, a 10/10 experience! read more

Santa Barbara Uni - Seafood Markets Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Absolutely amazing experience! Santa Barbara Uni is on a completely different level. The sea urchin is incredibly fresh -- they open it right in front of you, and the flavor is sweet, clean, and super creamy. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and really know what they're doing. You can tell they care about quality. The whole vibe on the dock is great, everything is organized and easy. 100% worth the visit. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Delicious uni cracked right in front of you! Worth every penny! What a treat! You can get the uni from here and rice from the sushi shop next door, it is so fresh read more

The best! Uni was fresher than anywhere we had on our trip to SB - Devin was so sweet in conversation and gave us history that made us appreciate the uni all the more. Thanks Devin! read more

one of a kind experience to eat Uni this fresh. Prepared in many different ways and with passion for their craft.

This is our absolute favorite stop to hit any time we're in town. Delicious, fresh uni that they open up right in front of you. Uni shooters are delicious and the get the purple uni too if they have it read more

They rock and the uni is delicious. They'll teach you all about the urchin as well. Creamy, perfect!