Sunny Blue
A charming Santa Monica spot serving fresh, handcrafted omusubi (Japanese rice balls) with an array of unique and traditional flavors.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries
Sunny Blue
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A charming Santa Monica spot serving fresh, handcrafted omusubi (Japanese rice balls) with an array of unique and traditional flavors.
"The best quick bite in Santa Monica, perfect for a flavorful snack before the beach!"
Expect a line
Arrive early or be prepared to wait, as this popular spot often has a line out the door.
Try multiple flavors
Affordable prices make it easy to sample various unique omusubi options without breaking the bank.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Japanese
Price
$
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Authentic Omusubi Creations
Experience a wide selection of handcrafted Japanese rice balls with unique flavors like miso beef, curry pork, and spicy cod roe.
Quick Bites & Beach Vibes
Perfect for a quick snack before hitting the beach, offering fresh, flavorful, and affordable Japanese fare.
Flavorful & Customizable
Made-to-order omusubi with generous fillings and delicious toppings, offering an authentic Japanese food experience.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Menu
Most Popular Items
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Expect a line
Arrive early or be prepared to wait, as this popular spot often has a line out the door.
Try multiple flavors
Affordable prices make it easy to sample various unique omusubi options without breaking the bank.
Limited seating
Consider take-out or enjoying your meal at nearby outdoor stools due to limited indoor seating.
Spicy salmon surprise
The spicy salmon omusubi is genuinely spicy, so be prepared for a flavorful kick.
Tips
from all over the internet
Expect a line
Arrive early or be prepared to wait, as this popular spot often has a line out the door.
Try multiple flavors
Affordable prices make it easy to sample various unique omusubi options without breaking the bank.
Limited seating
Consider take-out or enjoying your meal at nearby outdoor stools due to limited indoor seating.
Spicy salmon surprise
The spicy salmon omusubi is genuinely spicy, so be prepared for a flavorful kick.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Sunny Blue offers delicious, made-to-order omusubi with a wide variety of unique flavors, praised for its freshness and affordability. While the cozy atmosphere and quick service are highlights, some diners note the limited seating and wish for a more balanced protein-to-rice ratio in certain items.
"Made to order omusubi?!? 🤯
We were still a bit hungry after a near by lunch and saw everyone walking around the street with fresh omusubi, so it was decided we had to drop in!
This quaint little shop is packing a big punch with made to order omisubi and boba drinks. We had such a hard time deciding which to try, as they all looked good, but landed on the pork belly, spicy tuna, and a boba ice tea.
Wow!! The rice was perfectly warm and the seaweed was so fresh and crunchy. The toppings brought in so much flavor as well, making each omusubi unique. You could feel the love.
Definitely will be stopping by this location more this summer, as this was the perfect light bite and their tea was hitting just right."
Hayley Di Naso
"Sunny Blue is a casual Japanese restaurant in Santa Monica, California, specializing in OMUSUBI (Japanese rice balls). This restaurant, located just a few streets away from Santa Monica Beach, is always bustling with young Americans.
They offer 15 different varieties of OMUSUBI and sides, including Yuzu Pork Belly, Smoked Salmon Roll, and Udon.
While they all have a Japanese influence, the quality doesn't quite match authentic Japanese standards. However, the variety of toppings and the convenient style of omusubi seem to be popular in the US as well."
Takahiro Koyama
"First discovered musabi’s in Hawaii and was excited to find this spot in Santa Monica. The shop is small with no seating, but the food is the real draw. Great selection, fresh and flavorful, and perfect for a quick snack. Love the Santa Monica vibe, a fun place to grab a bite before heading to the beach"
Simran Butalia
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Omusubi are savory Japanese rice balls with various fillings and sides, made fresh daily with natural, home-style Asian flavors.
Yes, Sunny Blue offers vegetarian and vegan items like miso mushroom, hijiki seaweed, and shiso ume (pickled plum) omusubi.
The shop is small with very limited seating. Many customers opt for take-out or enjoy their meals standing or at nearby outdoor stools.
Popular flavors include miso beef, curry pork, spicy salmon, tuna mayo, and ebi mayo, with many customers recommending trying multiple varieties.
Yes, it's an ideal spot for a quick bite, known for its fast service and grab-and-go nature, perfect for lunch or a snack.
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The Best Takeout & Delivery In Santa Monica - Los Angeles
Sunny Blue has gotten us through many of our roughest days both before - and during - the pandemic. This tiny omusubi shop on Main St. is open every day, and these stuffed rice balls make for one of our favorite quick lunches in the city. We usually go for the tender miso beef with caramelized onion, the curried chicken, or the spicy cured salmon, but since everything’s under $5, you can afford to try a few different things.
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The West Coast outpost of this shop featured on the TLC Network's Cake Boss show may be in sunny SaMo, but it stays true to its century-plus-old Italian…
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Keiko Nakashima runs a tiny glass-fronted shop called Sunny Blue on Main Street featuring six stools and an overhead menu dedicated to omusubi (Japanese rice balls). Staffers dust all omusubi with ultra-savory furikake, wrap with thin crispy nori and serve the results in cardboard boats. Popular offerings include earthy miso mushroom with King oyster with enoki mushrooms and ebi mayo, sweet chopped shrimp folded with creamy mayo.
12 Best Santa Monica Restaurants To Eat At In 2024 (+ What To Order)
Situated on Main Street’s restaurant row in Santa Monica, Sunny Blue is a tiny shop that offers handcrafted onigiri. Delicious rice meals are formed into different shapes and filled with the most appetizing fillings; you wish you could make these at home. Sometimes, all you need is a fresh and light musubi to get you going on your day, and Sunny Blue is the best place to get one.
14 of the Best Places To Eat in Santa Monica
Japanese omusubi shop Sunny Blue adds a dash of diversity to the restaurant scene on Main Street in Santa Monica. Open since 2010, the family owned business is the first “made-to-order” omusubi business in the United States. Offering an authentic Japanese food experience that’s budget and kid friendly, this spot is ideal for anyone looking for a quick bite.
The 10 Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Santa Monica | by Edible Project
The self-described only dedicated onigiri (rice ball) shop in southern California, Sunny Blue succeeds at providing an artisanal take on the traditional Japanese snack. They offer vegetarian and vegan items such as the miso mushroom, hijiki (seaweed), and shiso ume (pickled plum) balls. They're not lying when they say:
Restaurants - Main Street, Santa Monica
Our mission has been to create an environment where people can come together and experience fast, healthy food in a fun environment with exceptional customer service. Omusubi are savory Japanese rice balls with different fillings and sides made fresh daily. It is a grab and go meal of natural home style Asian flavors.
Reddit - Dive into anything
I’ve been to Bay Cities, Tacos Por Favor, Sunny Blue, all the pizza places, Calif Chicken Cafe, Cha Cha Chicken…is there anything new I should try?. I’m looking for something relatively inexpensive but tasty!!. I’ll add in Venice and West LA too
17 Best Restaurants in Santa Monica, LA
2728 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405Phone: 310-399-9030 Visit Website. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Sunny Blue (@sunnyblue_inc)
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