A-Ru Japanese Restaurant

Being fans of Sushi we decided to try the only place in town that we could find. We found it on the Chamber of Commerce map. The waiters were very good and helpful with the menu. There were a lot of different rolls offered as well as I believe nightly specials. We had the Miso Soup, That had Nori and Tofu in it, the misu was a nice smoky flavor. I ordered the appetizer Green Mussels, The were excellent and nicely spiced. We had a Rainbow Roll and a Soft Crab Roil. while they were excellent in flavor and textures, they were a little on the small size, this coupled with the higher than average prices, made me wanting more roll for the amount spent. I also had a order of Ebi sushi, very nice.

What a great experience. Chef Gina created our meal and it was amazing. I’ll see if I can post pictures of her creations.

I have to admit that I was apprehensive about having dinner at a Japanese restaurant out in the middle of nowhere. The reviews were pretty decent but it’s located in a strip mall and the restaurant itself has dark windows.
We stepped in and were greeted immediately. While there were no tables available, we lucked out and were seated at the sushi bar. Menus were presented and drink orders taken.
The menu is small. Sushi and sashimi and rolls dominate. There are a few hot mains such as chicken teriyaki, kalbi beef ribs, and nabeyaki udon. There wasn’t the usual plethora of bento boxes and I missed seeing Hamachi kama on the menu.
On the other hand, we were extremely pleased with what we did order.
Nigiri — Toro, Hamachi, Sake — beautiful slices of fish laid over perfectly seasoned rice.
Natto Roll — 5 stars — or so I was told. you won’t get me to eat that.
Rock Shrimp Tempura — absolutely delicious. perhaps a smaller portion than some restaurants might serve but portioned properly for an izakaya.
Agedashi Tofu — served hot, hot, hot! possibly the best flavored and most attractive presentation that we’ve seen for such as simple dish.
Kalbi Beef Rib Dinner with Miso Soup, Rice, Salad and Pickled Veg.- I took a sip of soup and a piece of Kalbi and both were well above average in flavor. My biggest gripe with most restaurants is that the Miso Soup has either reduced on the burner and gotten very salty or is served at a lukewarm temperature. No such problem here! Very delish!
Nabeyaki Udon — The broth was clean and clear, the udon had a nice chewy texture. There was an assortment of kamaboko, mushrooms and two tempura prawns.
Our overall experience was delightful. The staff made sure that my tea and water were filled throughout. Yes, I agree that pricing might be somewhat higher than a typical sushi-​ya but so was the quality of the food and service. Sometimes you do get what you pay for!

This lady is a maverick. In a male dominated world of fish buyers, she goes toe to toe down at the L.A. fish market to acquire the freshest fish to bring to Buellton (of all places). I have been reading about her for 6 years online and in the L.A. times. We finally were able to visit her place last week. She is the chef and controls the bar. I would love to come back sometime for omakase. This first visit we stuck with the favorites we have heard so much about– A Ru roll which is a tempura lobster roll, halibut carpaccio, albacore sushi which she tops with crispy shallots and a special for the night, scallop and enoki mushroom dynamite. It was unique and delicious. The mushrooms had the texture of thin pasta, and the dynamite sauce was spicy and flavorful. I almost want to ask her the what the heck she is doing on Buellton. But hey, it’s only an hour and a half away from home, so I hope she stays put.

Japanese food is and has always been comfort food to me. This place has good Japanese food (considering its location is in a very non-​Asian area). The sushi is good, tempura is delicious and overall the food is pretty good. I definitely recommend people stopping by for dinner.

I’ve been eating here for 13 years and it’s been consistently good. The ambience is peaceful and inviting, the owner and staff are very friendly, and sushi is very good.

Best Japanese food I’ve ever had! Been coming here with my family sense it first opened and am never disappointed by the menu or the specials. And am in a love affair with the cheesecake!

the food taste good, but the portions are small. If I am going to pay $ 13.00 for a roll, I dont want it to be the diameter of a quarter. we would of been better off spending $ 7.00 for the tuna roll. But the service was good.

Best sushi eva!!}:D
Everything here rocks. Beautiful atmosphere, clean, friendly, professional, and fresh. The rock shrimp appetizer is our favorite. Gina also happens to make the best vanilla bean cheesecake I’ve tasted in my life. Save room!

One of the best Sushi bar in CA. You never miss it. Great sushi and Tempura and Galbi.

Gina very passionate sushi chef women very sweet!
such an amazing Experiance. thank god for this place in such rule area!!!
it’s a great place to catch a bite of really yummy sushi!
defiantly if your looking for a sushi restaurant in the area this is your place!!!
they serve SAKE & Wines as well!
ENJOY!!!

This is the best sushi place in the Santa Ynez Valley. The rock shrimp tempura is amazing. I’ve also tried the salmon teriyaki and many sushi rolls — consistently great every time. Like most places in the valley, it is pricey.

Excellent sushi, you get what you pay for and I don’t mind paying for great service and great food! Even the water is filtered and tasted great! Dont forget dessert, the cheese cake is made in house and is amazing!

Staff were friendly, sushi was good, fresh and artistically presented. The meal was a bit more pricey than we are accustomed to in Fresno. The toro was good and we had not had toro in ages. They serve Orion, from Okinawa which is our favorite beer and sushi pairing.
The ambiance was comfortable and the waitstaff were attentive. We would definitely go back again!

The sushi tasted fine… But over priced for the portions and quality of it. I usually go out for Japanese food once a week. I won’t be going back to this place. The portions were too small; we went to Ellen’s (one of the best places for breakfast) after.

Wonderful! Always great food good service
David makes you feel at home and Gina. Wonderful chef always love talking to her

Quiet, nice place. Excellent service, delicious food. Highly recommend. Staff is friendly, but not overly friendly. They are polite and kept quiet so you can enjoy the simple, elegant quiet atmosphere.

Service was in attentive.
Portions were small and nothing to write home about. I’ve had better sushi in a Japanese convenience store.
We won’t be going back.

The atmosphere was very elegant and simple, had kind of dark lighting so it sets some kind of romantic tone. The food however, wasn’t up to par. A $ 20 roll which tasted like it came from the packaged grocery store boxes and was extremely small. The pot stickers were good, ill give them that. The sauce that came with it was very spicy and I didn’t care for it.
For the 30 min drive it took us to get there and the overpriced food, I am not returning for another visit.

What a hidden treasure!
Came here with my boyfriend on our vacation because he was craving sushi however, I’m not a huge fan of sushi.
I ordered the chicken teriyaki.
O.M.G. It was the best chicken teriyaki I have ever had. They use range-​free chicken and the taste was unbelievably amazing!
My boyfriend really enjoyed the rainbow roll and would also recommend it.
The ambiance is really nice and the service was excellent.
I highly recommend A-​RU and will definitely come back again.