I've tried quite a few different sushi places in Goleta and Sushi Ai is hands down my favorite! I always get my favorite roll, the Rainbow Roll and it never disappoints. The quality of fish that they use is just immaculate. It's always very fresh and delicious. I also really enjoy the side salad that comes with it. read more

Sushi Ai - Rainbow Roll with side salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

What is the purpose of eating out? Convenience? Tasting foods that you can't make? Experiencing a different culture? Sure! All of those are valid reasons to go out to eat. Well those reasons become instantly INVALID if the restaurant can't provide any of those. And yes, this place does indeed fail to provide any of that. Let me elaborate. Today's special. "Hot Spicy Ramen" + California Roll + free soda was absolutely dogshit. First, I do have to admit that the California roll was at least okay. Average at best. Then, the free soda really was mislabeled as free because I had to pay for the daily special to get it? Then came the final straw. The "Hot and Spicy Ramen". Yeah guess what that fucking was? Shin Ramen (aka prepackaged instant noodles) + a little bit of vegetables. How can you call yourself a restaurant? I don't consider cooking up instant noodles (and not putting an egg in) to be something that offer any cultural value, nutritional value, nor convenience at all. What an absolute shame. 16 dollars sent down into the abyss. Maybe they can buy a few more packs of instant noodles with that to scam customers with. read more

Sushi is basic..fine but don't stray off the sushi . Chicken katsu is a nightmare. Just crappy chicken tenders w no.sauce awful read more

Sushi Ai - Allegedly katsu...kids meal chicken tenders.dry and bland - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

This is a simple sushi place which is a nice stop for lunch on Sundays during the farmers market. Sit outside and enjoy the sun and outdoor area with yummy sushi and other Japanese food options. The prices have gone up a little, but it is relative to everything else. The combos are fantastic with lots of options for anyone in your group. I enjoy the basic California, cucumber and tuna rolls. The teriyaki chicken bowl with veggies is also a great choice. There is always a small amount of people in line which goes quickly and they also deliver on grub hub! read more

Sushi was pretty mid ngl. I got their shrimp tempura crunch roll and it was average. Service was good though and there's lots of parking.

I bought a special today, number five Bulgogi bowl and California roll plus I added to my order which came to $27 and I I also added a gratuity. We were not happy with the Bugolgi bowl so I attempted to bring it back and they denied me . all I wanted to do was exchange it for a chicken bowl and a kid who barely spoke. English said no I cannot do this . I am never coming back.! Poor customer service left a bad impression read more

I ordered the beef bulgogi bowl. Beef was very dry. It came with California roll pieces and miso soup. The soup was really good. It was a basic miso. Something was off with my rolls I could not figure it out. I was not a big fan of everything else besides the miso soup. The service was quick. read more

Oye my fiance and I went here today for the first and last time. I felt bad for the girls trying to run the dinner rush because they were so overwhelmed. There was only two people in front. We ordered two bento boxes and edamame. We got the boxes fast but my fiances was wrong. The girl took it back without giving me any utensils. We finally got my utensils and his food and she walked away without giving him utensils. We also purchased edamame, reminded the girl and still never got it. (We did get a refund for that). But while I was waiting for 10 minutes for the refund, 1 person came up to say 3 things were missing for their order and another woman came up saying her teriyaki was cold. There was also a ridiculous amount of togo orders that they were super behind on. The manager/ owner needs to pay more people to work. I dont know if someone just called out or they are extremely under staffed but be careful coming here on a rush. read more

ZERO STARS IF I COULD!!!!! I was craving their sushi for a while so I went today.. HUGE MISTAKE!!! The cashier with the red highlights in the front of her hair (didn't get her name) decided to pet a dog (because God Forbid anyone in Santa Barbara goes to eat without their dog), and she had gloves on, she decided not to change her gloves after touching the dog goes in the restaurant and starts packing food. She did that before she packaged my food and the rest of the customers for the rest of the day. So disgusting. Sushi Ai please teach your workers how to be sanitary! Or hire people who don't have attitudes because she had one as well along her lack of cleanliness. I threw out the food I drove 20 mins for to get that I was looking forward to away. I WILL NEVER EAT HERE AGAIN. I will order from the much cleaner and nicer sushi restaurants in my area. read more

Lots of different little restaurants near by and good outdoor seating with a few tables inside. Their peanut salad dressing they put on the salads taste great! Sushi rolls are huge. As long as your appitite isn't too big one roll could be all you need! Their premium rolls come with a side salad. They offer normal drinks and a few beer options. read more

This is a very casual sushi spot where you order and pay at the counter. There's some seating indoors and outdoors. Overall, the sushi is decent but for the high prices compared to other local sushi spots, I'm not wow'ed. read more

Sushi Ai - Outdoor patio - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I picked up a TO-GO order from Sushi Ai a few nights ago. The girl that helped me at the register was kind and helpful. The wait was not too long to receive my food as well. I did get the sense that the workers were confused on some of the orders and to me it seemed like there was a lack management. I got a Bento box. Everything tasted okay in it, it was not excellent but it was okay/mediocre. I got tempura which didn't come with the sauce that I usually have had at other Japanese restaurants. Overall I would say the food should've been better quality for paying $12-15 dollars for it. And the establishment itself could use some updating, some of the displays on the walls have a run-down look as well as cob webs hanging from them. I think this place has potential but needs some work to be more presentable and better managed. read more

Was really craving sushi and it was perfect because we were in the shopping center that this place was located. You go inside to the counter to order, then you choose where you would like to sit (inside or outside), take a number with you, and then they'll bring out your food. We ordered the number one roll and the dragon roll. I also ordered a side salad because I wasn't aware that you would already get a salad on your plate. So that would have been nice to know. Our food came out relatively fast. I ended up not even touching the side salad I had ordered. Finished the one on my sushi plate. The dragon roll was really good, I just wish it had a little more crunch, like from a jalapeño or something. My boyfriend got the number one roll. It had a little too much onion, we thought it would've been better with a fried onion rather than grilled. And that one needed a crunch as well. Still good though. read more

See all

such good sushi and service They are always busy which means it's a good place. I came today and got the wrong roll but it was a mutual mistake over the phone and they fixed it no problem when i came back. Customer service makes the sushi taste better. :) read more

I came back to this location years after, to see if I would still like it. And it's as good if not better than I remember! Food is great; we loved each of the eight rolls we ordered to sample as a group. Kids enjoyed the Japanese soda selection. Price felt quite reasonable for the quality. Service was fast and polite. The ambiance is relaxed and comfortable; I noticed groups of folks sitting at their tables outside as the store was closing, continuing their conversations. Glad to find not all of Goleta has changed! read more

My sushi was served hot...I think that's enough said. I ordered the dynamite roll and it just wasn't good. I understand this is americanized sushi but the scallops were overcooked and it was covered in a heavy layer of spicy mayo. For $15, it's really not worth it. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

I open go to box and shrimp Tempura sushi looking sad on this plate:( It doesn't have shrimp inside either. Dragon roll looks great but no this one unfortunately..:( read more

Sushi Ai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

The food is the best I love the California role. if you are in town you must try! They are so nice there, A must try!

Delicious sushi! you just have to order right! their fried tempura roll is delicious and very big! the roll itself only comes with a few pieces however they are large and filling! it comes with a salad that is pretty mid but a nice touch! restaurant is in a nice location in the marketplace plaza and has indoor and outdoor seating! read more

This place was a good place to start off on my trip to Cali. The portion was huge and it tasted really good. I don't eat fish or seafood, reason why I ordered the chicken Katsu with pork fried dumplings. The dumplings were great! And the salad that it comes with was exactly what I needed and desired. The dressing was like a sweet sesame mustard that went extremely well with the salad and even the chicken. I will definitely will be coming back. Oh and I didn't see any Asians cooking. So that goes to show you that you can be from another heritage or race and cook any food type just as good as the next person. read more

The only times I've eaten at Sushi Ai is for their Monday hand roll special. While the consistency in quality could be better, the taste and value is pretty good. I've tried the California, Salmon Skin, Fish Tempura, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon, and Spicy Scallop rolls, and they were all very good. At $2 per roll, you're not gonna find super high quality, super fresh fish, but it's not of suspicious quality and seemed appropriate. There's a good fish-to-rice ratio, and the rolls come with ginger on the side for you to cleanse your palate. I would say the Spicy Tuna and Spicy Salmon are good sushi fixes. I was introduced to the Salmon Skin roll and the first time I had it, it was amazing. Super savory, super crunchy, and seemingly bigger than the other rolls by a smidge, too. The second time I had it, there was less of a crunch, and the sauce wasn't even on top like the first time. If you aren't a fan of oily foods, this roll isn't for you. Both times I got it, there was quite a bit of oil inside and around the roll, which is understandable since salmon skin is fatty already, and they need to essentially fry it to make it crunchy. Sushi Ai is never too busy, but food preparation still takes at least 10 minutes. If you're trying to grab some rolls really quick, I would recommend calling in and ordering to go. read more

Great food, their teriyaki chicken bowl is so much food for cheap, the california roll is also great ! nice place

I came in as a customer at Sushi Ai on 4/18/23. A short woman took my order and she began talking to the gentlemen in the back. They started laughing and debating each other on whether or not I was a man or a woman. Then they started talking about my body. I'm sure they thought I didn't understand because they only said it in Spanish. This is unacceptable and disgusting behavior. I spoke to the manager and he did apologize for their inappropriate comments. I have been coming to this restaurant for about 4 years now and never had an experience like I did last week. Do better. read more

My friend got the chicken teriyaki bowl and the California roll combo and there was a piece of chicken that was pink... The food is decently portioned but really poorly made. It honestly tasted like frozen teriyaki chicken from Trader Joe's. The sushi was ok but also tasted like it had been bought from the grocery store and replated. The wasabi was like a brick, the rice was mushy, the only ok thing was the pickled ginger (but how do you even mess that up??). The cashier and waitress were both really nice but the food was overpriced and underwhelming. read more

Sushi Ai - a piece of meat on a fork - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

It was amazing! Good quality food for a great price! I ordered the salmon skin hand roll and 2x combo and I loved it!

Ordered thru Uber eats for my son who is sick at ucsb. Food came in time that was stated. He said it was delicious and I thought the prices were fair. We didn't get any sushi but for comfort food- rice and chicken and udon - it was perfectly adequate. read more

Went to there locations and staff was okay. As a person who normally doesn't write reviews I felt the need to explain my experience yesterday. Sushi is something I love and I acknowledge my order is slightly complicated. I told staff I wanted a salmon, avocado, and cucumber roll with soy paper. When the food came out and everything looked good until the first bite. Their was something oddly crunchy to the point of concern. I looked in the roll and found pieces of carrot inside each roll. My first thought was how this restaurant was scamming people out of fish by adding ingredients that look like salmon. This place was too expensive to be skimping on the fish. Do better! read more

Sushi Ai - Carrot inside salmon roll to look like salmon. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

Food was absolutely terrible. The ahi from the roll was old and mashed up. There was nothing homemade about the ramen. I would've been better off getting a cup of noodle from 7-11. I never right reviews for places but had to because it was such a waste of money. You'd be better go going next door. read more

I ordered tempura shrimp and veggies. First off, the tempura was soggy. It almost seemed undercooked. Second, the vegetables were so thin that the tempura breading doubled their thickness to the point it tasted like greasy, soggy bread. Absolutely gross. I also ordered the shrImp crunch roll. The rolls were aa nice size as tasted pretty good but they were poorly rolled and began to fall apart when I picked them up. Overall there was no care taken in the preparation of my food. This was my first and last time eating at this establishment. read more

See all

I have eaten at Sushi Ai more times than I can count, and I'm always happy with my experience! When you want sushi fast, and in a casual setting, this is the perfect place. It's conveniently located in the Camino Real marketplace. My favorite roll is a vegetable tempura roll, which can be hard to come by among sushi restaurants. They have it on the menu here, and it is consistently delicious. All their rolls come with a salad on the side. They have daily combo specials for $11.99, and on Mondays they have a selection of rolls for $1.99. The restaurant is always clean, and the service is fast too! read more

Sushi Ai - 16. Vegetable Tempura Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

I used to eat here quite a bit in 2012 and 2013, after first moving to Goleta. Not too long after, another Japanese restaurant moved in across the street and we had not been back for some time. My wife and I decided to give Sushi Ai a try since it had been a couple years and stopped in for lunch. The menu was a bit confusing this time around and not all items had a visible price. My wife ordered a large Bento combo plate and I ordered one of the daily specials. The chicken in my wife's entree was practically rubber, as if it had been reheated numerous times. My chicken teriyaki bowl was about the same, nearly inedible. The California roll that came with my lunch special was your standard Cali roll, nothing to write home about. In all, we left about $30 poorer, both humming the same tune about never going back. The stomach ache we ended up with about an hour later as a result of poorly prepared food sealed our decision. Sushi Ai doesn't appear to be prospering well in the Camino Real Marketplace these days and probably should not be serving food to the public, as the quality and cleanliness of the establishment is due for some scrutiny. read more

We had a positive experience all around. We ordered to go so we didn't experience dining but the staff was very friendly. Everything we ordered tasted great and the prices were very reasonable. read more

Regular pick up order but was really odd energy tonight and they are never good at accommodations, I always hear them sort of saying no or not being sure of how to help people with any problem or special request... This woman was asking for more avocado on her roll as she expected from the description and instead she was getting an argument or discussion and the embarrassment of having to wait to have a college girl ask the kitchen as if it's their up to them instead of just allowing this woman to get more avocado on top of her roll. It's a shame what places have come to lately here, no one takes responsibility no one understands they have the clout to approve anything and no one knows what to do about anything because they've never really worked before, and it's really disappointing to see a grown woman being given a hard time over a simple request. It's part and parcel of living in a college town where people are ill trained and too quickly put on the floor before they have any idea what they're doing and they have to learn on the fly but it's really too bad that there exists this animosity between kitchen staff and young college girls so they feel like they don't have the power to make request on behalf of the customer anymore in the way that my generation did all the time. Making a hard to be the customer now and all the work is on you when you're paying for what supposed to be good food and you watch as they give a grown woman a hard time and a mother shouldn't have to explain over and over why she wants to get more avocado even if she had to pay for it, is shameful have to listen to something like that knowing it's fast becoming the norm. read more

Sushi Ai - Beautiful day to try a patio seat! So perfect! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

Sushi Ai is alright.... just alright. Ai'ght? It's not the typical sushi restaurant where you're seated and served by a waiter. Instead, go right up to the counter to order and they'll give you a number and bring you your food, similar to Los Agaves next door. I'd rate the food as 4 stars - good taste at a fair price. One of my favorite rolls (forgot what it's called) has eel and avocado and the eel was quite delicious! Also on Mondays, they have a deal where a lot of their hand rolls are $2 each, about half off their regular price. However, I'm not convinced about the freshness of the fish in these rolls because I recently got food poisoning the last time I came on a Monday. Overall Sushi Ai is an easy choice if you want sushi in the Goleta area. I'd probably come back, but I am hesitant about their fish quality at the beginning of the week. read more

Sushi Ai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

We waited 30 mins for two simple rolls and edamame and watched plenty of other tables who came after us be served before us. When we finally asked where our food was, we were given the wrong order! In addition, the rolls themselves were not particularly tasty. Certainly not worth the wait. Will not be returning, money terribly spent. read more

Horrible experience! Took over an hour to receive food. There were items from our takeout order missing. Would not recommend! Food isn't great either. The rolls completely fall apart when you pick them up. I know it's a convenient place but literally go anywhere else....plus they leave their phone off the hook so you can't get ahold of them. read more

Good for a quick bite. Their combo specials are a great deal. And Monday is hand roll specials day. All the staff were super friendly :)

These guys put the "artificial" in AI! (get it?) Anyhoo ... this is basic the most generic "Japanese" food available in the area. It is to Japanese food, what Panda Express is to Chinese ... a slew of comforting names, huge portions, and bland flavors that will cater to anyone craving a taste of Japanese food, but with little authenticity. However, I have to give them at least three stars because the food was solid and not too expensive. The food was out extremely quickly and my dad and I both enjoyed the chicken teriyaki platter (with salad, soup, and rice) for ~$9 and a sushi platter that didn't skimp on the portions. Again, if you go to UCSB, and want Japanese food, it's either this place or that other pseudo spot in IV. read more

First time we came here, i was told the miso was made vegetarian. Today, I was told its made with fish skins. I ordered the veggie plate and asked for something other than miso soup or soda. I was offered a scoop of rice or nothing. I even suggested some endamame for an upcharge. Nope. My son told me that his chicken teriyaki had the flavor of how dog smells. My food all tasted ok but I had to stop eating because I was hit with a terrible stomach ache. My son is feeling sick too. Now I know why Los Agaves is so busy and this place has such a short line. Bad service with sour stomachs... not worth it at all. read more

Sushi Ai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Goleta, California

Love their salmon sashimi salad! It comes with 12 huge pieces of salmon, salad, and rice, which is pretty worth the price for $10.95! Their bulgogi bowl, however, was not as impressive. Although it comes in a huge portion size, the sauce they use to marinate the meat tastes different from the one used in authentic KBBQ meat. Overall it is OK, if you're craving korean bulgogi, but don't expect too much from it. read more

See all