Teru Japanese Cuisine - Santa Barbara

Amazing food!!! We loved it!!! Rio gave fantastic service!!!The shrimp tempura and the edamame were fantastic!!!!

Highly recommend dining here! Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot ?)Food: 10/10. Here’s our standouts: bluefish trio (special) melts in your mouth. So fresh! oyster uni (special) one of the best things we’ve ever eaten! baked eggplant toro taku roll: toro uni welcome roll: topped with salmon and a basil truffle oil. So good!Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with anything in the specials menu. It changes each day with what’s fresh!They also have a rotating sake on their specials menu, which is fun to try new ones!

Very disappointed. Came in group of five.First, the waitress did not ask all of us what we want to drink and some of us didn’t even get a cup of water until we were about to leave despite we’ve told her. She was disinterested throughout with a poker face.Second, the food came is really small portion and we ordered $150ish food and we were still hungry at the end. There were limited choice for food too, as there were only sushi/rolls/sashimi available. The taste was of mediocre quality.The worst thing is that they tried to charge us mandatory 20% gratuities while suggesting more on the receipt. I asked why mandatory tip and she answered it’s required for a certain number of people. I asked how many is certain number? She’s like ahh three or four or five something. There were completely no signs anywhere and we weren’t told that when we sit in. This is terrible.Save your money and go elsewhere!

Okay, so here's the question... What sushi experience are you looking for? If you're looking for something fancy, don't go here. If you want to overpay, don't go here. But if you want some classic rolls and some incredible sake without breaking the bank, go here. Friendly service, rarely crowded, and you won't leave disappointed.

I had the pleasure of dining at Teru and was blown away by the quality of the food and service. From the moment we walked in, the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. To start, I tried the crispy rice and spicy tuna press box special. The tuna was almost like a puree, and the flavors of mango, avocado, and serrano pepper were a perfect complement to the spicy tuna. We also had albacore nigiri, which was incredibly fresh, and the welcome roll with fresh salmon and yellowtail was a standout dish. The basil truffle sauce on top was a delicious surprise that elevated the roll.To accompany the sushi, I ordered the sake tasting and was impressed by the light flavorful sake that Teru offered. The Oka sake had a light hint of cherry and pear and was my favorite, while the Genji had a refreshing touch of cantaloupe. The atmosphere of the restaurant was open and inviting, making for a comfortable experience.Overall, I highly recommend Teru Sushi to anyone in Santa Barbara looking for exceptional sushi and a welcoming atmosphere. The food is fresh and flavorful, the service is top-notch, and the sake selection is impressive.