In Humboldt, we love the rain, the mist and the fog. But when the sun makes its appearance, we bask in its rays all we can. At Rooftop in Old Town Eureka, chef Joe Tan is serving classic and inventive sushi, with a dose of vitamin D.
The fourth floor patio affords a panoramic view of the historic waterfront district, with its Victorian storefronts, bookshops and quaint streets. It’s almost enough to distract you from the plates coming out from the sushi counter. There, Tan and his crew craft the day’s five-piece omakase nigiri offerings ($26), which might include delicately sweet scallops from Hokkaido, Japan, that have never seen a freezer. Fresh salmon, thickly striped with fat and barely seared, is topped with a miniature “egg” and black caviar, while creamy uni (sea urchin) pairs with the zing of fresh wasabi.
Putting yourself in the staff’s hands to order sake is a solid bet, too, as the options are broad, from flavored to nigori. The overwhelmed can opt for Premium, Playful or shochu flights ($16-$18).
Share the kampachi (amber jack) and American wagyu carpaccio if you’re of a generous disposition ($20, $24). The former is lightly dressed with sesame oil, green onion and citrus ponzu sauce, a hint of heat from togarashi chile and chile oil. The beef, marinated and seared, gets a spicier ponzu and crispy fried onion. Pro-tip: The beef shows up in the Surf & Turf roll ($22) with tempura shrimp, too, for those can’t get enough. The popular Gaijin Fries are a fun split, too, tossed with nori seasoning and drizzled with spicy mayo ($10).
A refreshing switch from traditional maki rolls is the Naruto ($18), with fresh ahi tuna, avocado and crab rolled in a ribbon of cucumber, further brightened by ponzu and topped with tobiko. But the diva order is the aptly named Ocean Queen ($26), wearing her lobster tail crown. It’s a sumptuous roll with the aforementioned lobster tail, snow crab, crab and avocado, sprinkled with tobiko, wrapped in soy and sweetened with unagi sauce and a mango aioli.
The 14-ounce ribeye steak with yuzu-cilantro butter ($35) might be the most tender in town, marbled and sigh-inducing. A more whimsical option is the sushi “taco” ($14) with its fried nori shell around layers of spicy tuna, shrimp, salmon, avocado and tobiko, all drizzled with spicy mayo.
As the sun sets — if you have a no-selfies rule at the table, you might want to suspend it — overhead heat lamps will keep the bay chill at bay, and fruity cocktails and mocktails keep the summer vibe going. A nostalgic Ramune Japanese soda is a must for the kids (of any age), who’ll enjoy forcing the glass marble into the bottle’s neck to open it ($6).
Tall shochu cocktails are shaken with fresh fruit purees from blackberry to mango ($14), with an optional shot of flavorful, emerald green house-made jalapeno syrup. (Go for it — our shy side shot order ended with us downing it all anyway.) Not drinking? The zero-proof versions are also wonderful. And there’s no better vantage point from which to toast the town.
This article appears in Humboldt Insider Spring / Summer 2025.