Akira Sushi - Aptos

I recently visited Akira for the first time and was extremely impressed! The sashimi, sushi, and teriyaki steak were all delicious. I ordered them in a Bento box, which came with 7 pieces of sashimi and 4 pieces of nigiri sushi. It was a great way to try a variety of dishes without having to order them separately. The chef's selection of nigiri and sashimi was excellent, including hamachi, salmon, and albacore tuna. I will definitely be returning to Akira in the future.

The service at this restaurant was excellent— I truly appreciate the servers. They were top-notch. However, the sushi rolls were disappointing. Perhaps we just made poor choices. The staff kindly removed one of the rolls from our bill because we did not want to eat it (kogan—it was overly saucy and mushy), which was a nice gesture. Overall, the atmosphere was enjoyable, and I thank the staff for their hospitality. It seems that other customers with different orders were satisfied with their meals.

The restaurant has a great location with outdoor seating, but I was not impressed with the food or service. I placed an order over the phone at 6:46 and was told it would take about 40 minutes. The sushi rolls we ordered tasted mostly of unagi sauce, with browned and soft avocado that seemed old. The heavy-handed sauce overpowered the seafood inside the rolls, making it difficult to taste other ingredients like cucumber or crab. The tempura rolls were cold and soggy by the time we ate them in our hotel room. The service was slow and I felt like a bother waiting for the servers. Overall, I would not return to this restaurant and would explore other sushi places in Capitola if I visit the area again. It was disappointing considering the restaurant's proximity to the beach. I have had better experiences in other coastal towns and hope this was just a one-time occurrence in this area.

We’ve always loved Akira, but recently their chefs have been taking their sushi game to a whole new level. Very delicious with big portions of food we have yet to have a roll that we didn’t like. Highly recommend!Food: 5/5

We went on a Saturday afternoon, about 3 pm. Thankfully, they don't close in the afternoon before dinner, as most sushi places do. I also didn't realize they have happy hr with discounts every day. They have outdoor seating with umbrellas, which is always nice when the weather cooperates. The restaurant is always clean. Our server was friendly and helpful with recommendations. The sushi was fresh and was really, really good. Portions were plentiful. Pricing is good for the quality, selection, and portions. It was worth the drive over the 152. I will keep coming back!