Had Poke bowl + $ avocado, so so , not worth to try! My husband had same without Avocado , worse! We paid $64 + tips total , we need much more somewhere else for our 2 nd lunch! read more

This quaint sushi restaurant in Carmel does a great job by being as authentic as a typical Japanese restaurant should be. Like I already said, this place is quite petite (yes, you can sit outside in the courtyard/patio space which might be as big as the indoor seating area) but every little touch I saw throughout the restaurant is perfectly decorating the restaurant to the level where nothing is too over the top. Our waitress, Tani happened to be someone who was born in Colorado and spent her time until she was 5. Her warm demeanor plus some nice added casualness made us feel like we were valued customers. She consistently served us even when some of our sushi was taking a bit too long to be made; she came back and told us in the perfect mid point and said it should be any moment before the food was ready. Some of the sushi didn't taste super fresh (or a bit chewy might be the best way to describe it. Not sure if it was because if the type of fish??) but it was satisfactory enough to a point where we really didn't have anything to complain about. Our favorite for the night was probably the Saba nigiri. I wanted to have Uni but listed as "market" so upon asking Tani as to how much, it was $22(ish). It sure was a bit too expensive for just two pieces of nigiri or one hand roll so it was a pass for me. We concluded our dinner with a scoop of Matcha Ice Cream. This was ordinary but not bad. Overall, we enjoyed our last dinner in Carmel at this restaurant during our short stay in this adorable city. Thanks, Toro; we will be back when/if we are in town again. read more

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8/9/25, The food was great, fresh fish and great Sake, great quality. I took my partner out here as a birthday weekend trip, coming from the bay. As it was a surprise for my partner, he wore a lot of his Oakland gear, Oakland Roots, Oakland Raiders. Yea sure, definitely a loud statement to wear to a place like Carmel, but my partner did not know, as I made this trip as a surprise for him. Our first night here, we decided to come here for dinner. There was a decent line, but we were patient, my partner saw an employee, brunette girl with winged liner, walking towards the entrance, assuming it was the hostess, he LOUDLY and CLEARLY, said "hello" very friendly. The employee gave the smallest smile and ignored him. We learned it was the server, but we still felt some form of disrespect after being ignored. We saw this same server give this white couple the biggest smile and "hello" as they waited for their table. But we got ignored. As we got seated, we waited almost 30 mins to even place our drinks and appetizers. The same server that ignored us took our orders. I specifically told her we are ready for our entrees, as it took soooo long to even get our first round anyway. The server cut me off and told me she will take just take our drinks and appetizers first and walked away right before my partner was about to say his order. Super frustrating. We waited another 40 mins to finally place our entree, by this point it was PAST closing time. They closed at 9 we placed our order around 9:15pm. Again, the food was great, but as brown people from the bay, we felt EXTREMELY discriminated against. Would never recommend our people of color here based off that. read more

We were here for my nieces' 16th and 18th birthdays and the people were super nice and welcoming! Didn't take long at all for the food to come out. The food was absolutely delicious and I seriously recommend this place to anyone. They've got outdoor heaters if you cold!! I got the salmon teriyaki and another family member got the dragon roll - both tasted so fresh and so good. My sister got the rainbow roll and it was super tasty. Overall this place is wonderful and a great place to eat. read more

Toro - Salmon teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

Came here for lunch the food was amazing and it was fresh! The service was amazing as well Annie was amazing and friendly and had some good recommendations! Sam was also friendly and welcoming! The ambiance is cute it's small and cozy it was amazing there was even a little chimney and it was turned on. Overall, I recommend this place very delicious definitely coming back to try other selection! Check them out read more

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Stopped in for dinner...the crew was helpful & very friendly! Food was sooooo awesome!!!. Good vibes here...will 100% be back! read more

Toro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

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Hands down the worst $300 meal I've ever had! The otoro was pale and looked like it had been frozen and thawed. Don't get me started on the A5 sashimi... I eat good sushi in Austin every week... this place is like the cheap sushi in most big cities. This was $120 meal... not $300k stay far far away read more

Excellent service. Friendly staff. Yummy food. Great ambience. Timely food delivery to the table.

I don't like leaving bad reviews unless it is absolutely warranted.....we arrived at 2pm and the restaurant was not packed....we sat down at 2:20 and ordered a bottle of wine and sashimi along with 2 rolls....sashimi came at 2:50, still no wine Our waters weren't refilled and we were sitting in the sun....after asking for an update on the wine, we were told the fridge was broke (ok) and they would bring out another bottle of a similar grape (they didn't know what kind of wine we ordered when they said they would bring another bottle)....then they came out with two empty wine glasses and we finally just said skip the bottle, let's just order by the glass....which should have been offered 15 mins into the wait...(38 mins for a glass of wine) - the waitress didn't seem to understand the concept of waiting tables (and I used to be a waiter) We literally had to ask for water refills (30 mins into being seated at a place that was NOT crowded) - when I asked for a water refill, it eventually came (10 mins later) The Maine Squeeze was very tasty, the toro and salmon sashimi were underwhelming for being close to the ocean, overall the food was not with the terrible dinning experience. When we got the check, I handed over my card....we waited 10 mins for her to come back....she told us she needed to grab her manager to void the bottle of wine that never came....why this wasn't done before she brought us the check, I do not know. I always tip exceptionally well....but I had to leave zero after what was an awful experience. We are literally both laughing right now, because we are beyond words....Ive had bad service before but this was an entirely new level of bad service. read more

We sat outside on a beautiful sunny day, the fish tasted very fresh. It was a cute little spot. read more

Toro - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

We had a wonderful dinner experience with our server Brad! He was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcomed. The menu items are typical of your local neighborhood Japanese / Sushi spot. Ramen, rolls, appetizers, plates were all very good, everything came out promptly and fresh. Cocktails were delicious - highly recommend the Ni and Shi - both refreshing and not overly sweet. Be aware the menu is def pricier than it should be. But won't knock them on that since we still had a great experience. It's an expensive town, so gotta expect the high price tags everywhere. Thank you Brad for the hospitality and great service! read more

So mediocre and disappointing. We came in for lunch and were the only people in the restaurant. We ordered food and took in the surrounding area - the houses and neighboring storefronts are pretty cute, so it was enjoyable for the first 1/2 of the experience. When another 2-3 groups came in, we noticed that they received their entrees before us despite coming in 10 minutes after. The sushi we ended up receiving was... subpar. Most of the fish was dry, bland, or oily; all of the pieces were generally low quality fish. Not to mention the inattentive service in the nearly empty place. For $80+ for 2, this is definitely a huge miss. read more

Went to eat here for a nice lunch and got the opposite experience. The service was terrible. For not being busy, they took forever. Forever to be seated, to order, to get our food and even to pay for the meal. We ordered miso soup, teriyaki salmon, teriyaki chicken, and tonkatsu ramen. The miso tasted like it came from a packet. Both the chicken and salmon teriyaki were underwhelming and lacked flavor. And the ramen was the worst. The broth was bland. I think they doctored up instant ramen. Definitely not worth the price, or time. read more

Toro has the best sushi ever, I think I went four times last week and it was fantastic each time. The employees are amazing and a huge part of why I love Toro so much. Tried the Shortt's Crunch recently and it was sensational, it would be my new favorite if I wasn't so obsessed with the real crab in the california roll. The salmon skin on top is delicious. They have another dining area in the back through the red door that's very nice. Recently I've been calling in my order so I have enough time to eat during my lunch and they are very accommodating. So glad I found this place and sad I'll be moving away soon but I think an occasional three hour drive is worth it :) read more

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From start to finish, Toro was incredible. Our service was impeccable from our bar seats. Jake assisted us with ordering food, along with sake flights! He spoiled us and was incredibly knowledgeable. The quality of the sushi was incredible as well. Thank you so much Jake! Thank you for making our first dining experience in Carmel amazing. read more

We made last minute reservations and were completely blown away! This was probably THE best sushi I have ever had. This place is a must in Carmel and will definitely be coming back! Highly recommend the shishito peppers, seaweed salad, uni shooter, geisha roll, Carmel roll and spicy scallop hand roll. read more

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Incredible sushi! Really fresh and flavorful. We loved the rolls and I especially loved the scallop nigiri. The ambiance was very cool and peaceful. Expensive but worth it. read more

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Fresh and tasty sushi! The fish was super fresh, and the rice was well-seasoned. Rolls were a bit small but flavorful. Would definitely come back! read more

Toro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

Was craving sushi and stumbled upon this place. Cute ambiance in such a beautiful town. Service was good, but sushi was 80% good. Some of the fish was not fresh and tasted off but overall a good experience. read more

James was our server and he was so kind and funny and our food was so good! Definitely recommend :)

Got a to go order at Toro. Garlic edamame and the Maine Squeeze. The Main Squeeze roll had Tempura Lobster, Spicy Tuna, topped with Hamachi, Unagi Sauce, Toasted Macadamia Nuts. Bith the garlic edamame and Maine Squeeze were so good. Perfection! Their wasabi was also very strong, which I love... It will awaken your senses. I will go back to Toro when in the Carmel-by-the-Sea area and dine in next time. Super fresh sushi... read more

Toro - garlic edamame... - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

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half outdoor and half indoor restaurant with plenty of skylights, and a cozy ambiance! the service is relatively quick, and they have quite an expansive menu selection. the spicy garlic edamame is a must get. i love edamame, thus i have a closely critiquing eye, but this might be the best edamame i've ever had. the spicy garlic flavor is simply addicting. not too spicy, not too garlicky, but just enough to keep you licking your fingers for more. i opted for the seared salmon roll, and toro did not disappoint. the salmon tasted very fresh, almost like it was just fished out the sea a few hours before it was presented on my plate. bonus points for the presentation too. only thing i will say is that the wasabi was an artificial green color. i'm not a fan of wasabi but the color stuck out to me. other than that, i have nothing but good things to say about this place! read more

Toro - bathroom area - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

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Toro was recommended by eater, but I found it to be quite overrated. The sushi quality wasn't that great. It tasted like any other mid tier sushi restaurant, but it was slightly more expensive than normal due to the Carmel location. The tempura was good and I'd get that again! However, the agedashi tofu couldn't be called agedashi tofu. They were really just deep fried pieces of tofu with a bit of sauce on the bottom. The method of frying was inauthentic, as well as the lack of broth for the agedashi. There weren't even bonito flakes on top, which is my favorite part. The restaurant was cute inside and service was okay but slow for getting the food out. Overall, not a bad place to eat if you're loaded but I'm price conscious and didn't feel like the quality and lack of authenticity warranted the high prices. read more

Toro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

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I went to this absolute joke of a sushi bar with two of my good friends, Smith and Clark, who I want to be very clear did nothing wrong. They were fantastic company, and we were just trying to have a nice night out. But thanks to this disgrace of a restaurant, we left angry, disgusted, and borderline traumatized. First red flag: we weren't greeted when we walked in. We stood there like idiots for five minutes while the staff blatantly ignored us. When someone finally decided to acknowledge our existence, it was with the enthusiasm of a DMV clerk on a Monday morning. No smile, no welcome, just a dead-eyed, "Do you have a reservation?" Like we were intruding. Our waiter--if you can even call him that--was straight-up the most incompetent, rude, and indifferent server I have ever encountered in my life. He rolled his eyes when we asked questions about the menu, got our orders wrong TWICE, and had the nerve to disappear for half the meal like he was hiding in the walk-in freezer to avoid doing his job. We literally had to flag down another employee to get soy sauce. Soy sauce. At a sushi bar. Do you understand how ridiculous that is? And don't get me started on the food. My God. The sushi was sloppy, poorly rolled, and the fish? Questionable at best. Lukewarm, rubbery, and tasted like it had been defrosted in a microwave next to a bottle of Febreze. The "signature roll" was drenched in some mystery sauce that tasted like expired ketchup mixed with regret. Smith's tempura was soggy, Clark's sashimi was sliced like someone used a butter knife, and my miso soup was lukewarm salt water with floating sadness. The atmosphere? Dim lighting and tacky decorations that looked like they were stolen from a strip mall karaoke bar. Music was too loud and wildly inappropriate for dinner--who eats raw fish to Pitbull remixes? And the cherry on top: they tried to charge us for an extra roll we NEVER RECEIVED. When we pointed it out, the waiter got defensive and acted like we were the problem. No apology. No correction. Just pure attitude. Smith and Clark kept their cool, bless them, but I was LIVID. We didn't just get bad service--we got disrespected. And trust me, I will be telling everyone I know to stay far, far away from this culinary horror show. If I could give this place negative stars, I would. I don't care if this was the last sushi place on Earth--I'd rather eat gas station California rolls and cry than ever come back here again. AVOID. AVOID. AVOID. read more

Very fresh fish, beers were a bit pricey, we paid double the price for the same beer we had down the street but the food was where it was at. The hostess was also our server and she was very nice. We went at an off time and took a quick seat at the bar. Very small with limited seating so I couldn't imagine the wait on a busy night. Overall it was very good. read more

Toro - Maine squeeze - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

Some of the freshest sushi I've ever had in my life! They do a great job sourcing their seafood and it shows. Such an amazing lunch here. Would definitely come back! read more

We made a reservation when we arrived the restaurant was empty but our table wasn't ready. They sat us pretty quickly but that was it. We sat for over 20 minutes no one even checked in to say they would be with us shortly. No water no nothing. There were an abundance of employees but none of them seemed to care at all. We walked out and one of the employees had the nerve to follow us out aggressively. No acknowledgment or apologies for no service. read more

Nasty, came on a Monday and fish was not fresh. I should have known it was a bad sign when the server told me that the salmon sushi was particularly fresh that day. Sushi salmon is always frozen and so what she was saying is that that was the most recently thawed item. I was a sushi server for years and have eaten sushi out many many times at restaurants of different price points and I think this ties with a California roll that I got in the early 2000s in Santa Cruz that was also pretty off. read more

Uniqueness: Sushi served with the Carmel ambiance! Wait Time: [x][x][x][x][x] Food Quality: [x][x][x][x][x] Service: [x][x][x][ ][ ] Setting: [x][x][x][x][x] Cost: [x][x][x][x][ ] Recommendation? Get the Hamachi Carpaccio as your starter and get the Shorts Crunch roll as your main roll and you won't be disappointed. I've been in Carmel for years and I can't believe I never heard nor tried Toro until recently. Service here was a bit hit or miss as it was a slight understaffed day for them but as soon as the orders were done and food finally arrived, I was highly satisfied on what we got to eat for out Carmel Lunch. We started with the Hamachi Carpaccio which was delectable and beautifully presented, and then with 3 rolls: Spider roll, the Shorts Crunch Roll, and the Seared Carmel roll. All of them were perfectly made and with fresh tuna/salmon/hamachi that I was just craving for more. The shorts crunch roll is a definite unique roll as it has dried crisp fish flakes/bits that give each roll a nice crisp crunch and a nice compliment to it. Never have I seen other places serve a roll this way before! Sitting outside was not an issue with the nice breeze from the outdoor and also heated lamps if it gets chilly. Price-wise was pretty average, not cheap but I'm not complaining on that. Tucked away in one of the small neighborhoods slightly away from the main Ocean Ave, Toro is a very small location that's located next to a bookstore and easily missable. But I must say I'm glad that I finally got to try this and definitely will be coming back for more. A two thumbs up for my recommendation for others to try! read more

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Be sure to get a reservation, they get busy! Indoor & outdoor seating. Your dog can join you outside & they even get their own menu! It was chilly out the night I went but it was fine because they had warmers on. Service was great! I'm not much of a true sushi fan, weird, I know. But the waitress surprisingly wasn't either & recommended a roll that tasted like it wasn't raw. Can't remember the name but I truly enjoyed it! read more

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In September my wife an I were in Carmel-by-The-Sea to attend a wedding of a friend's daughter and one day, we were walking in downtown exploring options for lunch while shopping and stopped into Toro. I'm a pretty picky sushi/sashimi diner having traveled the world, and especially throughout Asia and have enjoyed the freshest sushi/sashimi literally off the boat at 4:00 AM when the fishing boats are in port and the markets are open. The restaurant is quaint and the host was very friendly but, seriously, the dishes were not memorable based on a desire to return. The fish is good, but the sushi rice is a disaster as you can see from the photos I've attached. read more

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My husband and I were on a little getaway for our anniversary and booked a reservation at Toro. The rolls were yummy! We ordered the spicy tuna, Carmel, and piggly wiggly. Loved the little dog menu and got our dog the chicken and rice bowl! They gave us some complimentary sparkling sake since it was our anniversary! read more

Toro - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

very good! reaaaallyyy tiny and really expensive, but there's only two of us and we're here celebrating our anniversary so it was worth it! about $180 for two appetizers, one miso soup, two sodas, two cocktails, three orders of nigiri sushi, and two entrees. we'd recommend the gyoza, the dynamite roll, the shi and roku cocktails, and the chicken katsu! very delicious and wonderful to sit outside and enjoy the weather (they also have heat lamps for when it's chilly!!) read more

This spot is always delicious. If you're a smaller party you can usually walk in a get a seat at the bar (1-2 people). Otherwise on the weekends I'd recommended a reservation. The fish here is always extremely fresh and the cocktails are unique and very well done! read more

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Nice menu. Good mix of different foods. Would've wanted to try the ramen but ended up getting gyoza, hamachi carpaccio, and two rolls. The hamachi was in the shape of a rose and had nice garnish. Good flavor. The Gyoza was fresh. The sushi rolls were generous portions (8 pieces/roll). The Shortts crunch roll had crunchies on the top that were a little TOO hard but fine otherwise, a spice may have been nice on this roll The Carmel seared roll was perfect. The mixed drink I got was the Yubashiri - had a light sweetness to it. For my birthday they ended up giving me a sparking sake and matcha ice cream for free which was a very pleasant surprise and so kind. The server was very nice and kind and stopped by our table often to ask if we needed anything and refill waters. The atmosphere was very cozy and beautiful. Had indoor and outdoor seating. Had a bathroom outside of the restaurant. All in all would come again 100%. read more

This place was just okay. I did not enjoy the sushi, and the service was average--they even forgot to provide chopsticks at our table. That said, the restaurant does have a nice ambiance. From now on, I will stick to Kuma in Monterey, which is my go-to spot for sushi. read more

Toro - Outdoor - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

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Food was amazing best sushi I've ever tried. Service was amazing such kind people the environment and servers were amazing. read more

Toro - SEARED SALMON ROLL - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

There's not a lot of sushi spots in Carmel that was nearby L'Auberge Hotel. This was the nearest one that we can walk to that had availability for a reservation. The place was packed so it was a good thing that we reserved our seats beforehand. We had a dinner reservation as we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, but the staff made it feel like it was just another ordinary night. Most of them were occupied finding other guests seats as they fill the small waiting area. We ordered two miso soups, the main squeeze specialty roll and the Carmel specialty roll. Nothing remarkable about the food, it did what it needed to do, but we weren't very satisfied with the experience. We asked for the bill, and we left as soon as we got our receipt. For it being our wedding anniversary, it was absolutely a forgettable evening. read more

I stopped by this place on a random walk around Carmel and am glad I did! #1 because they have a dog menu #2 because the food I had was amazing - got the baked salmon roll thing... forget the exact name but it was amazing. #3 because the servers were great. My server gave a great sake recommendation to go with my dish and came around a few times to make sure I had everything I needed. And there was a bit of an uncomfortable moment because one of the other guests were making a bit of a scene but the servers were very professional in handling it while continuing to serve the other customers. If I am ever in Carmel again, I will definitely come by for another lunch or dinner! read more

Toro - Dog menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Carmel, California

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Best seared rolls I have had in a long time. Service was great. Impressive wine menu for a sushi restaurant too! Very nice and attentive staff. read more