Sushi and Japanese food in Laguna Beach

Where the sushi and Japanese kitchens are

Four of the six places on this page are in the Village: Oto Sushi on Glenneyre Street, Yuzu on Ocean Avenue, Miki Sushi & Sake on North Coast Highway and GU Ramen on South Coast Highway. Starfish and O Fine are in South Laguna, on Coast Highway toward Dana Point. The restaurants in South Laguna page covers that end of town.

How the menus differ

The sushi bars differ in what they stress. Miki Sushi & Sake lists nigiri, rotating rolls and sake. Yuzu lists nigiri, sashimi, special rolls and sake cocktails. Oto Sushi describes a scratch kitchen and adds robatayaki, which is grilled food, to the sushi menu; its site lists gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan choices. O Fine builds its menu around omakase, where the chef chooses each course. Starfish ranges widest, with Thai curry, Korean tacos and Vietnamese rolls next to its sushi. GU Ramen serves ramen and rice dishes.

Sourcing

Oto Sushi’s site says its fish comes from MSC-, ASC- and BAP-certified fisheries and farms, Seafood Watch approved suppliers and Smart Catch partners, and that the kitchen avoids processed ingredients and preservatives. It also calls the restaurant family-run, with roots in fishing and the boating industry.

Raw fish outside the sushi bars

Some downtown kitchens serve raw fish without being sushi restaurants. Broadway by Amar Santana lists hamachi sashimi and halibut ceviche, and Q Terrace lists ahi tuna sashimi and tartare. They appear on the seafood restaurants page, and Broadway is also on the fine dining page.

Reservations

Yuzu links to OpenTable and welcomes walk-ins. Oto Sushi and Starfish both link a reservations page from their sites, and O Fine takes Laguna Beach omakase bookings online. For Miki Sushi & Sake and GU Ramen, call ahead. Starfish also lists group dining and catering pages. Hours are not printed here because they change.

Parking and the trolley

Downtown, you will use metered street spaces or a city lot; the parking guide explains both. The free Coastal Route trolley runs along Coast Highway from North Laguna through downtown to South Laguna, so it passes the Coast Highway addresses. The getting around guide has the routes. For a plan that fits a meal into a full day, see one day in Laguna.