Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse

Smoke and sushi share the menu here, an East-meets-West lineup that runs from karaage chicken and crispy rice topped with hamachi to a full smoker board of pastrami-brined brisket and bone-in short rib. The dining room sits right off the water downtown, with outdoor seating that catches the breeze and a noise level that leans lively rather than hushed. There's also an $85-per-person tasting menu, built by the kitchen as an 8-to-10 course tour of the menu for tables who'd rather not choose. Word around town centers on that tasting menu specifically, with reviewers calling it a standout way to sample the range in one sitting. Regulars also mention the setting, close to the intracoastal with a cozy feel despite the crowd, and more than one review talks about watching plates go by their table and asking the servers what just passed. Service comes up often as attentive and welcoming, the kind of staff that makes a first visit feel easy. This is a date night restaurant first, but it works just as well for a group willing to share the smoker plates and ramen bowls across the table. At $$, it's priced for regular rotation rather than a once-a-year splurge, and the tasting menu offers a straightforward way to see the kitchen's full range without agonizing over the menu. Between the water views, the crowd noise, and a kitchen that treats barbecue and sushi as equally serious, Ukiah reads as a smokehouse with a sushi bar's precision, not the other way around. Menu items, prices, and hours may have changed since this was written.