Arigato Sushi

Bustling, Irresistible Japanese Cuisine in Santa Barbara

Review by Zoe Silverberg

‘The fish was so incredibly fresh, it melted in my mouth.’

Arigato Sushi in Santa Barbara

Arigato Sushi is in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, which has always been a destination for lively night life. The restaurant opens at 5:30 daily, so it’s ideal for dinner, especially if you have a yen for tasty Japanese food with amazing flavor, presentation and service.

Even though I arrived at 5:35 p.m., there was already a line out the door and an hour-long wait for indoor dining. Bear in mind that Arigato does not take reservations, so it can be hard to get a table thanks to its popularity. I recommend arriving before 5:30 to guarantee an inside table. However, dining outside is comfortable thanks to powerful heaters that keep even the outside tables reasonably cozy.

Service was great. Waitstaff checked on us often to see if we wanted to order more and to keep our water glasses topped up. Our sushi and entrees came quickly, considering how busy the place was. After ordering, we waited only 10 minutes before being served our first dish.

For a starter, I ordered salmon and halibut nigiri sushi. Nigiri, the simple preparation of an expertly cut ribbon of fish over a pad of seasoned rice, is wholly dependent on the freshness of the fish to shine. And here, it was just right. Both the salmon and the halibut were gleamingly fresh, sweet smelling and melted in my mouth like the finest butter. (The salmon was served ungarnished; the halibut came with a sprightly tangle of spicy sprouts, which contrasted the gentle-flavored fish.)

For an entree, I ordered the grilled garlic Arigato beef, served thinly sliced in a ginger soy marinade. The beef was perfectly cooked, and extremely flavorful. It was accompanied by soft slices of potato which also shone in the ginger soy marinade, and played gentle counterpart to the more strongly flavored meat. Bok choy with chives, the third component on the plate, added a necessary astringent balance to the richer meat and potatoes, and were as fresh and healthy as they were tasty.

I was dining with my mother, and we wanted to sample as many dishes as possible. So along with the sushi and beef, we ordered an unusual-sounding shiitake salad. This warm salad was a melange of mushrooms, sautéed with greens, robust with flavor.

Arigato is a wonderful restaurant. Even though it’s so busy, the service is great and the atmosphere feels good too. There are beautiful lights strung around the space, both inside and on the patio, and everything is scrupulously clean and artistically decorated. If you like Japanese dining, you can’t go wrong at the bustling, ever-so-popular Arigato.

Location: 1225 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101   map
Phone: 805.965.6074 
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