Sushi Roku sits in the Ocean Avenue Seafood building in Santa Monica. We ended up here on a regular weekend night out when it was just the three of us: Brad, me, and Madeline. Charlotte was at a friend’s birthday party, and since she isn’t a sushi fan and Madeline is, a night with only Madeline usually means sushi. The fish was fresh, the service was warm, and Madeline has been asking to go back ever since.
Getting to Sushi Roku Santa Monica
Street parking on Ocean Avenue is metered and competitive. We park instead at Santa Monica Parking Structure 4 on 2nd Street near Arizona Avenue. It’s a short walk from there to the restaurant. Our server was warm and attentive all night, and honest with us about the menu (more on that below).
One honest note: ask for an interior table or booth, away from the street-facing windows. Ocean Avenue traffic (buses, trucks, motorcycles) gets loud enough to interrupt conversation if you sit near the open windows.
What to Order at Sushi Roku
1. Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice
The Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice is a menu staple everywhere at this point. Sushi Roku’s version is well executed, fresh, clean, with a warming heat that doesn’t overpower the fish. If we go back, this is the one thing we’d order every time.
2. White Lotus Roll at Sushi Roku
The White Lotus Roll is the dish to order here, full stop. The fish is pristine and buttery. Every element of the roll lets the seafood’s natural sweetness come through instead of covering it up. Pair it with the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice for a good contrast in textures.
3. Yakumi Roll
The Yakumi Roll is solid and dependable, with clean technique and fresh fish. It isn’t as memorable as the White Lotus, but it’s a roll I’d happily order again.
4. Popcorn Shrimp Tempura Roll at Sushi Roku
Our daughter had the Popcorn Shrimp Tempura Roll from the regular menu, customized: we asked them to leave out the asparagus, add cucumber, and wrap it in soy paper. The kitchen was happy to do it, and she loved it. It’s a good crunch, with approachable flavors for a younger palate.
What to Skip at Sushi Roku
5. Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp
The Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp at Sushi Roku was a miss. Credit to our server, who told us upfront the shrimp weren’t especially “jumbo”. We ordered it anyway. The shrimp came out underwhelming, with bacon that hadn’t rendered enough. Skip it.
6. Tokubetsu Roll at Sushi Roku
The Tokubetsu tries to pair black truffle pesto with a yuzu vinaigrette. The two fight each other more than they blend. The fish underneath was fresh, but it’s not a combination we’d order again.
7. New York Cheesecake
For dessert, we tried the New York cheesecake. It arrives under a dome of spun cotton candy that the server mists tableside, a fun bit of theater the whole restaurant tends to watch. The flavor itself doesn’t quite work, though: cloying cotton candy sugar against dense, tangy cheesecake.
Is Sushi Roku Good for Kids?
For a sushi lover like Madeline, yes. She liked it enough that it’s now her request whenever we decide to have dinner in Santa Monica. Her favorite was the customized Popcorn Shrimp Tempura Roll from the regular menu.
We haven’t brought Charlotte yet, only because we haven’t had another night with just Madeline. She’d be fine here, though. There’s no dedicated kids’ menu, but Sushi Roku is a very family-friendly restaurant, and there’s plenty on the menu that isn’t sushi. If your child won’t eat sushi, they’ll still find something: chicken, filet mignon, chicken fried rice, popcorn shrimp tempura, and vegetable tempura are all options.
Would We Go Back?
Yes, though it isn’t on constant rotation for us. We live on the Westside, and there are so many places to eat nearby that we don’t feel the need to come here all the time. But the next time it’s just Madeline for the night, or she talks us into Santa Monica, this is our order: the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice, the White Lotus Roll, and the Yakumi Roll. We’d skip the Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp, the Tokubetsu Roll, and the cheesecake.
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