A review of Something's Fishy at Santa Barbara.com

Something's Fishy
500 State St, Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 966-6607

Category: Japanese
Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-10pm, Sun 11:30am-9pm
Price: $10 - $20
Serving: Lunch, & Dinner
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Reviews by the General Public

Great find from fishin on the net, 8/10/2009
Reviewer: Crisper from Santa Barbara, CA
Just rollin thru and happened to catch John's announcement of half price sushi...nice cold pitchers of beer, fresh fish and sweet and attentive waitress (Courtney). Enjoyed a little downtime off the road and a nice early dinner!

Great value Japanese food, 7/19/2009
Reviewer: Nick Dove from England
Have not eaten Japanese food for several years but have tried top priced venues in London and the far East and Something's Fishey is on par.This place does not look great when you first enter but who can fail to enjoy the "Show" and the fresh flavours. Service and ambience were great and made me happy to be reacquainted with a fantastic style of food and cooking.Would highly recommend it to everyone and we will be back.

20 Years and still LOVE IT !!!, 7/7/2009
Reviewer: Donna from Ventura, CA
We live in Ventura (Sushi place on every corner) and we drive to Santa Barbara just to eat at Somethings Fishy. Anyone can have an off day, but I have NEVER had a bad meal. Love the 1/2 off deal on the Sushi and yes I will agree the waitress's are a little slow at times but the food more than makes up for the service. Try it you will love it.

A great deal when you go on the Half off days, 6/28/2009
Reviewer: Sid from Goleta, CA
I bought a huge plate of sushi for a friend and me for a great price. The quality of the sushi is pretty good, however I have not tried the teppanyaki. Few places in the area can beat the half off sushi deal. All in all, pretty good food for a pretty good price!

good affordable food but shitty service, 5/29/2009
Reviewer: micehlle from Santa Barbara, CA
you go there when you have a friend that you havent seen in a long time, to get away and catch up not wanted to be interupted my others, because you dont get refills on your drink, they forget to give you soup sometimes, take a long time to serve you and if you want to sit at the hibachi the chef takes for ever to come out. Granted i like the show. I have been there many time over the years and i have good service and horrible service. I do hate the gratuities and think the concept is stupid. you do need to have better service and maybe if they didnt drink on the job might not forget things all the time.

Misleading, 4/24/2009
Reviewer: Jennifer from Santa Barbara, CA
The sushi was advertised as half-price.. which was true, however you also got half-size sushi rolls. the rolls were all mediocre at best, not the freshest or highest quality fish. To top everything off, the bill had a tip already included on it! This was a party of 2, not 8 or 10. The waitress barely had time to refill my iced tea, she didn't deserve the $8 she decided she earned.

Check your bill, 4/20/2009
Reviewer: Nikolai Lambert from Santa Barbara, CA
So I had half priced Sushi and 2 glasses of wine. I had the house wine at 6.00 a glass. I got my bill and looked it over. I noticed that the wine was 15.00 for 2 glasses. So I was billed 7.50 for each glass of wine. I brought it to their attention and they fixed it. But this mistake shows sloppy service.

Times have changed., 4/19/2009
Reviewer: Tom from Santa Barbara, CA
First eaten here some 20 years ago. Times have changed and their food/service and the owners have, too, it seems. Not good any more. Today, the chef came out wearing a headband with the Chinese Character "Japan (Ni-Pon)" upside down. Well, no one understood Japanese at this "Japanese" restaurant? Chef did not say a word during the whole time cooking in front. Only because this is the only "Benihana" style restaurant in SB, this one may continue to survive, maybe next 20 years? I heard even the real Benihana is not the same as before any more. So, maybe I should not complain.

OMG...why even take reservations?!?, 3/4/2009
Reviewer: Cam from Santa Barbara, CA
I called to make reservations at 7 PM five days prior to eating there. The guy on the phone said they only have a 8 person table left as the big ones were taken so don't bring more than 8. No problem...reservation was made for 8. We show up and was told our table was being set up. Half an hour goes by when we asked about our table and we get the same response, "We're getting your table set up. It will be a few more minutes." 8 PM rolls arounnd(an hour past our reservation time) and we were about to leave when they bring out some beers for that we didn't order. Complimentary for making us wait so long, right?? We were seated around 8:30 PM at one of the big tables with another group...so we did not get our own table for 8 as told on the phone and could have brought extra guests. The hibachi chef didn't come to our table until well after 9 PM, AND we were charged for those beers. The food was okay, but unbelieveably HORRIBLE service! Too bad there isn't a Benihana's in town to put these guys out!

Omg it was wonderful!!!, 2/8/2009
Reviewer: Alma from Santa Barbara, CA
Well I've got to admit I was a little ify about having dinner here....I had read some of the reviews and wasn't exactly sure what to expect we did have to wait about 35 minutes to be seated but ended up taking a walk on State Street and coming back are waitress was very attentive everytime I needed a refill she was there with more pepsi the food is not only prepared right in front of you but it is delicious!! I have tfe filet mignon and chicken while my boyfriend had it with the sprimp I would recommend it to everyone I will definately be coming back

too bad the service is terrible., 1/18/2009
Reviewer: britney from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been going to Something's Fishy four over 9 years now, I usually go to the location in LA, but having relocated here so I started to go to this one. There is quite a difference. The service that I used to know and love is lackluster at this restaurant, I have endured it a number of times because it is the only Teppan grill restaurant in the area. The staff as a whole is generally rude, especially management. They lack people skills, orginization in seating (including those WHO DO make reservations), and take advantage the guests when it comes to adding gratuity and extraneous charges.

Stay Away, go to Edomasa, 12/11/2008
Reviewer: Nicole from Santa Barbara, CA
I have to believe the only reason Something's Fishy is still around is their location, they have a killer spot on a very busy and well traveled corner. However, of the 3 times I've been there service has been poor to terrible and their food has been lackluster. I've sat at the sushi bar once and the teppen tables twice. I am Korean and went with a predominantly Asian group. Our chef was Latino and spoke to the other chefs in Spanish. I guess he assumed we couldn't understand him but 2 of my friends were born and raised in Argentina and I am a double major in Spanish and Biology. The things they said to each other were highly inappropriate and I alerted the staff immediately. The waitress kind of chuckled and neglected to say anything to him so I told him myself as politely as possible. After that, he was understandably cold and our terrible service only deteriorated from there as the waitstaff glared at us and pointed. Another time I was there, there was a group doing sake bombs and the waitress joined in. Unprofessional to drink on the job! Plus, the boy of the hour was being loud and vulgar a table away from a very red faced family. I will not be back due to poor service and mediocre food.

My favorite place, 12/9/2008
Reviewer: Jessica Santos from Santa Barbara, CA

Pretty great!
Reviewer: kris from Santa Barbara, CA
I go here often. The food was perfect! And so was service!

Not satisfied...
Reviewer: Anna from Santa Barbara, CA
I have been to Something's Fishey twice now. The first time I attended, I had the "experience" - where the chef does his performance with the food. I have to say the fried rice and vegetables were delicious - i chose the chicken though which was unfortunately gristle-y and not too good. Yesterday, however, I had a negative experience. I went for half price sushi and the host and the waitress were very upfront with the gratuity already being included. ***BUT*** they neglected to tell us that the gratuity is based on the full price of the meal. As in, they only allowed us (a group of 6) to have one bill and they cut the total in half (for the half priced sushi) at the end... But charged the tip based on full price total. So the bill would have normally been $40 but it was $20 but they STILL included an $8 tip - that's a 40% tip! Completely unnecessary and ridiculous. The sushi rolls were small as well, very skimpy. Very disappointed.

freaking amazing
Reviewer: Jennifer from Isla Vista
i'm a student at UCSB so it's really nice that they have good sushi for an affordable price. it's better than anything i can find at a supermarket or in Isla Vista. The service was kind of slow, but it's a very busy restaurant so it's understandable. The food was delicious and the chefs were so entertaining with the onion volcano and the continuous movements with his utensils. I will definitely be going back. actually, it's the only place i go to to even get sushi because everywhere else is too expensive for what it's worth. at least at something's fishy, it's affordable AND it's good quality.

Something's Fishy Alright
Reviewer: Jay from Santa Barbara, CA
Second time dining here and it has consistently gotten worse. Party of 17 for dinner sat for 20 minutes until acknowledged. Didnt have spoons asked two waiters for them, never arrived. Finally a sushi cook saw the problem and solved it. Yeahhh sushi cook! Waitress was rude but we continued anyway. Cook forgot to serve the shrimp for our meal. So we brought it up to the manager. Manager claimed we were lying. Come to find out other people's food had been forgotten too. Manager does not care about his customers. We won't be going back.

OMG!!! Food plus the show!!!
Reviewer: Kate from San Francisco, CA
Oh my God! I just went there yesterday and it was amazing!! When I saw the 1/2 off sushi I decided to order that and they were very good!! But some of my friends ordered steak/chicken and fish, so we got to see them make it right in front of us! The meat and the fish were amazing!!! And watching the chef throw things and lit them on fire was unforgettable! I've never been to a place like that and I will definitely go there again!!!

Decent sushi, decent price, expected better
Reviewer: Tom from Vandenberg AFB, CA
The food was okay...we went on a Saturday night and did the all you can eat for ~$23 after tax. It gives you a selection of rolls of the menu that you can get. The only problem is that they don't letyou share and you can't have any leftovers before getting another roll. It's a pretty good deal overall, but still if you don't like a certain one that you get, you're kind of out of luck. The service could have been much better. Only one chef for about 8 people sitting at sushi bar.

Something is Fishy
Reviewer: Beverly from Santa Barbara
It's an okay place to go for some sushi rolls. It's not the best sushi in town, but the rolls are half price Mon thru Thursday. The list on which one orders sushi says that the gratuity is included in the bill. But the server did not mention this and when it came time to pay, I had a standard credit card slip to sign with a line for the tip. I asked her if the tip had already been included and she confirmed that it had (the itemized bill gets rather busy with multiple line items and then the 1/2 off roll discount, so it's easy to miss the line with the gratuity added). Still, I nearly had added an additional $15 as a tip without realizing that I had already been charged the gratuity. They ought to either do away with that policy (we were two adults and a child, not some large party) or else clearly state to customers at the time of presenting the check that the gratuity was added to the final sum.

GREAT 1/2 price sushi
Reviewer: Cristian from Santa Barbara, CA
I work nearby and I have been here many times and I never get tired of their sushi and lunch boxes. The price is one not to complain about, but I feel like their is a trade-off for the service witch is non-existent. Dont expect to get refills and your bill without having to ask even if the entire restaraunt is empty. A little patience is all one needs, but expect to see me there soon!

just visited but won't go again
Reviewer: Yui from Santa Barbara
I'm from Japan. I heard about this restaurant and visited there, but it wasn't a Japanese restaurant. There are many Japanese restaurant in town and of course, they don't serve the "real" Japanese meal there because they are americanized, and I understand it because it's in America. However, I think this restaurant totaly ignore our beautiful tradition and so rude. They have this "fun show" at the Teppan, but it's rude to make a sound with what you use to eat or cook in Japan. It shouldn't be americanized, and also the tools are not for fun show. It was also TOO noisy for me who was eating at the Sushi Bar. The food, I had steak which was $17 and my partner had one for $21. We both thought the steaks were "steaks" like we always have, but they were the steak cut into little pieces. I can't believe that it costs that much, with nomal teast. The young guy working at Sushi Bar also hid and was talking on the phone when we were waiting for Sushi.

Not very good anymore
Reviewer: Nicole from Santa Barbara, CA
I used to dine here often. The food was great, priced perfectly and the service was good. I decided to eat sushi there one afternoon ( I hadn't been back to eat here for a year) and sadly it was terrible. The fish was not anywhere near fresh tasting. The sushi bar had salt spilled all over it, pieces of fish were stuck on the bar and wrappers were left. I would understand if they were busy or if I had sat down to a part of the bar that had not been set up for someone to eat there. It was lunch, not more than four people were in the whole restaurant and my place was already set before I got there. It scares me that a place that has fish in their menu isn't more clean. If the bar isn't clean, then what is the kitchen like? I really hope they clean up the restaurant, or that I came on a bad day.

Loved it
Reviewer: eric from Maine
Great food, service, and entertainment!!! Try it you will like it! One of the best meals in Santa Barbara cooked before your eyes (the sushi is great too)! Priced right too!

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