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Wabi Sabi

3.9 (142 reviews)
ModerateSushi Bars
Open • 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Order Wabi Sabi Takeout or Delivery

Wabi Sabi Photos

WABI SABI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Hipster
Casual

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Recommended Reviews - Wabi Sabi

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Melissa L.

Inside the SB Public Market is Wabi Sabi and this is some of the best sushi that I've had in the 805. I am still shook and thinking about this meal and how quickly I can race back here. The fish quality was exceptional and melt in your mouth. I will forever be thrown off how some of the best sushi I've had is in a food market. The perfect example of "don't judge a book by its cover." Wabi Sabi is located on the right hand side of the market halfway down. The signage is easy to spot as is their cute decor and Tokyo like feels. You first order at the register and then you can sit at their sushi bar - high top tables. I know that might feel a little backwards as you usually sit at the bar first, but still holding true to the food hall vibes, you need to order your meal first. The two different gals that were working behind the counter were very friendly and accommodating, and answered all of my questions without issue. It was a little hard just reading the specials sign as it didn't show what was in the roles, but if you take a step back and look above the register there is a description of all of the different food items. Despite this, the ladies had no problem giving me some feedback on some of the more popular roles and helping me find something to my taste. After talking to them a little bit, I narrowed down my selection to sushi and a roll. I do get the other reviews that note this place is a little bit on the pricey side. For me, one order of premium two piece sushi and one fancy cut roll did run me close to $40 but I'm telling you the sushi was so quality, melt in your mouth and just very beautiful/delicate that I do think it is worth the price. They get the fish fresh regularly and even told me that some of the big $$$$ five star sushi restaurants in Monticeito and nearby use the same vendor as them. So in some ways you are getting the same quality and the fancy restaurant for a cheaper price and an easier to snag table. For sushi I had their special Chu Toro and omg was it Heavenly! So fresh and buttery. This didn't skimp on the cut and it was such a fabulous starter bite. I'm a big raw salmon lover so naturally when feeling overwhelmed with all of the options I went for their salmon lovers roll. You can't go wrong with fresh salmon, crab and avocado. A Perfect speciality cut roll. Loved the mashed avocado inside. Super tasty and light. Wabi Sabi is definitely a great starter option when you come to this food market. The fish is so fresh and honestly, I enjoyed starting with this food stall as it is very light and gives you the opportunity to go somewhere else after. Not too filling but super flavor and 5 star bites! Lovely staff, you need to come here.

Definitely not worth the price. $16 for small rolls to go. The young worker was nice but the older lady was so rude. They gave me the table number and when I moved it towards me the lady grabbed it away. Granted it was to check something but not even an excuse me or sorry let me check something. We were waiting for our food and had drinks from another vendor and she rudely said you can't sit here with those. The least she could do was be nice about everything. I was trying to be nice and friendly but the energy wasn't returned. Not worth the energy, based on first impressions I would not come back. Sorry

Salmon bowl
Reyna M.

Every time I come to the market, I always gravitate towards this place. My absolute favorite is the salmon teriyaki bowl. It is so filling with plenty of salmon, rice, and veggies. It also comes with miso soup. It is a bit expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for. The food is very fresh, filling, and delicious!

Brandon R.

My friend reyna says she really loves this place so I wanted to give it a shot. It was slightly busy but not loud since it was a marketplace. I ended up ordering a katsu appetizer. They give you several different sauces to go with it. Food was pretty yummy I would definitely like to come here to try other things can't wait to come back.

Yellowtail and tempura roll
Erika V.

Pretty good, $45 for two rolls with tip was pretty hefty. Customer service was wonderful and the place was clean. The rolls were fresh and yummy.

Miso soup

Miso soup had a really foul taste. Ordered the beef bowl expecting a gyudon style dish, but the beef was thickly sliced and cooked poorly--grey and chewy. Veggies were ok. Quantity of food was also disappointing for the cost.

Chicken Katsu Bowl
Alexandra B.

Really solid spot in the Santa Barbara Public Market. I usually get the Chicken Katsu Bowl here. It comes on top of a bed of white rice with thinly chopped red and green cabbage, and Katsu sauce and wasabi on the side. It also comes with a miso soup! The staff is always really nice, and service is pretty quick. Regarding parking there's a paid lot at street level in the back and a lot underneath the public market as well. Plenty of seating inside too if you want to eat your food there.

Wabi sabi
Pierre C.

Service is fast and food is amazing! Sushi at a fair premium price (public market is generally a little more $$ than outside of public market) Wabi Dani roll is so good and fresh tasting- love the salty roe on top. Blue fin roll is a great plain roll - to have if you love tuna. Chu toro is always. Must for every visit. Perfect and melts in your mouth delish. Yellow dragon roll - a good sized roll to order if you're feeling a lil hungry- the yellow tail is sweet and fresh... I could eat 3 of these rolls... maybe 4 :) Thank you for the great food and friendly service!

Tempura shrimp roll
Angela P.

The rolls were so fresh and so delicious! Some of the best sushi I have had. The Cali roll has fresh crab and the tempura roll is not too heavy. Rolls were prepared quickly and they have all the sauces portioned to go as well just ask.

Tuna Poke Bowl
Eugene K.

Came here on a Monday for lunch and ordered a Tuna Poke Bowl ($22). All bowls come with complementary miso soup. The bowl looked pretty but the ratio of rice and salad was too big compared to fish. The tuna was not the best quality considering the price and the miso soup was really bland. I've had worse but I wouldn't come back considering the food options nearby.

Rainbow roll
Scott W.

The people are friendly and the rainbow roll tastes good. However, it's extremely overpriced ($21+ tax + expected minimum 18% tip) and tiny. My wife was expecting to be filled up because it said 10 pieces. In reality it's more like 5 pieces and then cut in half. They also don't give you much sushi. There is more imitation crab and vegetables than fish. Highly disappointing experience.

Yum Salmon Skin Roll
Christine H.

The quality of the sushi here is maybe just a little bit better than grocery store sushi. It was also a little pricey too for the very average quality. I got the Yum Salmon Skin Roll. It was a little spicier than expected and just alright tasting.

Yellowfin avocado roll, salmon lover roll.
Jadyn V.

The sushi quality is fantastic here. This place is a little tucked away in the Santa Barbara Public Market but easy to find. The service is fine, nothing too special but the rolls were delicious. My only thing is how pricey it was. For a small sapporo and two rolls, it came out to over $40. They were good, but Wabi Sabi is not a stand alone restaurant so the pricing confused me a bit. If you don't mind spending a little bit for sushi, this is your place to go. I like the variety of rolls and prefer the quality over Arigato.

Chicken Katsu Bowl and Crispy Crab roll

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1 year ago

We had a great experience at wabi sabi! Loved the food and the girl Jazz was so sweet! Definitely will be coming back to this spot!!

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Sittiporn T.

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Great food. Many choices. Nice ambiance. Helpful staff. Fabulous location in Santa Barbara Public Market.

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Ask the Community - Wabi Sabi

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Andreina was our server and provided outstanding service from start to finish warm, attentive, and…read moregenuinely hospitable. She made the entire experience feel elevated and personal. The sushi was some of the best we've had in Santa Barbara fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The ocean view from the second floor made it even more special. What really stood out was Andreina offering my girlfriend a blanket to keep her warm such a thoughtful touch that you don't see often these days. We'll definitely be recommending this spot and coming back with friends. Highly recommend! -Ian Lantz

My husband and I dined here for an early dinner with a reservation. I think after checking in it…read moremight've taken 5-10 minutes to be sat. Our server was really kind and on point with everything! Everything came out quickly. We ordered the otoro sushi, ikura sushi, rainbow roll, and two orders of the filet mignon. I have zero complaints about the sushi. It was incredibly delicious! I do think the filet mignon had beautiful plating, but it was very underwhelming, and didn't come out the requested way of cooking. I don't think I'd order that again, but we enjoyed our food overall. We chose to dine outside since it was a nice day and I thought that was pretty nice. We did bring our baby and had enough room with a high chair etc. we'd come back!

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Live sea urchin

Wabi Sabi - sushi - Updated May 2026

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