Having been to a couple of Nobu restaurants previously, I anticipated excellent food, excellent service, and a price to match. I wasn’t disappointed on all counts! Located at the start of the Gaslamp Quarter in the very cool Hard Rock Hotel, the restaurant’s decor is lovely. A minor criticism is that some of the clientele were allowed in, despite making no attempt whatsoever to follow the ‘smart dress’ criteria. Thanks to our server, David (solid name!), for his attentive yet friendly service. Overall a five star experience.

My friend celebrated her b-day there on Friday, and the experience was horrible. First off, I must say I never write negative reviews. It's extremely rare. The food was okay, but honestly, the service and the vibe was so so bad. The staff was rude. We all ordered, and it all came out on several large platters. There was 9 of us, and we all ordered different things, and we assumed it would come on our own plate and that we would have our own individual soy sauce and Wasabi dishes. We had to ask for plates and chopsticks. Additionally, it was even with bad presentation. They also tried charging us extra for everything. Plus, it was so dark in the restaurant. Just a poor overall experience. We spent well over $500 dollars trying to enjoy the evening the best we could. After dinner, we brought out a cake for the b-day girl, and they charged us an additional $50 to eat the cake there. This is poorly run and a bad look! I won't be back.

Fantastic service and delicious food. During my short wait in the lounge for my guest to arrive, the staff took my drink order and checked on me multiple times. The manager even checked in. Our server at dinner was very attentive and helpful with the menu. His suggestions were spot on. I failed to take many pictures, but every presentation was beautiful. They even dressed up my birthday dessert.

This place was incredible. I went with my good friend and we both got to experience the Omakase. Everything was amazing! The texture of the fish was wonderful and the flavors combinations were a work of art. Beautiful experience! 10/10 would recommend.

Delicious food, great service. They offer valet parking in the front. If you are staying at the Hard Rock Hotel they can make reservations for you.

Made reservations for 2 on a Saturday. I also received a call and email to confirm the reservation a day prior. There is valet parking at the hotel. This was our first time at any Nobu so we decided to go for the omakase. It is 8 courses, but it is more like 3 cold entrees, 3 hot entrees, soup, and dessert. Also give yourself plenty of time since it took well over 2 hours. There was a delay midway through our meal and waiters apologized and refilled our iced green tea (wasnt sure if refills were supposed to be free or not but we weren't charged). Food overall was delicious and we really enjoyed the sashimi/sushi/wagyu/dessert. I did appreciate the waiters explaining what each course was. Due to the long wait the portions were filling for me but my spouse was still hungry after. Overall it was a great experience, but if I come again I'd probably order off the regular menu as that food came much quicker!

We arrived at about 830pm on a Friday night and it was lively and energetic. I prefer sitting at the bar and we were lucky to get seats. Food, cocktails and service are always fantastic!

We came here for dinner. We had a reservation. Very much recommended! Our server, Terry K was fantastic! She was attentive, very knowledgeable about the menu and gave excellent recommendations. We had the Brussels Sprouts Dry Miso as an appetizer. It was so delicious. For the Entrees we shared the Black Cod Miso, Free Range Chicken with Teriyaki on the side, and the Vegetable Toban Yaki. The cod just melted in our mouths. It was hard to share that! lol. The chicken was tender and moist. The Vegetable Toban Yaki was a perfect side dish. Absolutely delicious! I definitely recommend the Black Cod Miso as the dish they are most well known for….I can see why! My taste buds want more and more and more!! All the servers and staff that we came into contact with really made our entire experience just perfect!

Although the food was exquisite, the prices were heavily misleading. I paid double for the price of one nigiri. The rice in the nigirizushi also fell apart when I used the chopsticks, so I used my hands. The sake was okay too. I won't come back. I had high expectations but they fell short. A pass for me.

Great sushi. We had a great time. The staff really put on a great presentation and were very friendly and I never had to ask for water.

Nobu is in downtown San Diego right across from the convention center. There’s valet right outside the Hard Rock hotel which the restaurant is located. Inside has a dark decoration but the atmosphere and vibe was good. Most of the food is decent but you’ll pay quite a bit for it. I consider Nobu great for groups or for special occasions. It’s not the best location for Nobu but they are consistent with their dishes.

Food was divine and met expectations. Service could have been better as the sever seemed to have a pretentious air about herself and seemed bothered when questions were asked. We had black cod in 2 different preparations, sashimi, the crab salad, crispy rice, edamame and an assortment of rolls. Of course price was insane for the portion sizes but it was an experience. The inside of the restaurant was quite loud and definitely wasn’t the ambiance associated with an upscale restaurant, but I understand it’s a tourist city so… to be expected?

It was my first time trying Nobu SD. We ordered salmon belly, toro nigiri, and Omasake signature prefix. Omasake was $135 per person, which we ordered three portions. We were told it would be a total of 7 different types of dishes, which one is would be 6-7 pieces of nigiri (what we were looking forward to). I've tried different Nobu locations and have never been disappointed EVER. I was shocked when they brought out the nigiri dish. It was cheap fish with absolutely NO FLAVOR other wasabi (salmon, yellow tail, OVERCOOKED shrimp, and tamago (eggs). Quality of fish is not what you would expect from a high end sushi restaurant ($$$$). I was beyond disappointed and would have never ordered it if I knew. As for dessert we got mochi balls not a real dessert. The service was great so the stars were for that. I don't recommend ordering Omasake here. Save it for another place if you don't want to taste disappointment and get slap with a big bill for nothing.

Omakase menu was excellent. The Nantucket scallops with the jalapeño relish were seared perfectly. The A5 wagyu beef selection was so tender and just melted in my mouth. It’s an amazing experience and it really felt like it was worth the cost.

Stopped by with a friend for the Tanoshi hour. It's a good opportunity to try some small plates for a more reasonable price. The environment and service is A+. The food was great, but nothing was particularly mind-blowing.

Flavors were amazing! Can't go wrong with scallops!

Every bit as good as advertised. Not only is the food incredible, but the experience of dining here is like an event. Dishes are gorgeous, cocktails are superb. Wait staff is fantastic. No it's not cheap but it's not supposed to be. Worth every penny.

Tried Nobu for the first time and sat at the sushi bar, it was an exceptional experience. The sushi chef gave us lots of recommendations, and was very helpful! The tuna toro, in particular, was expectational, melts in your mouth. The cocktails were very tasty and the atmosphere was good!

We went out on a Saturday night with reservations and were seated immediately for a delicious meal! I highly recommend the omakase menu, especially if you aren't sure what to get a la carte. It's an 8 course meal and you won't leave feeling hungry. The staff did a great job with timing the courses and all of the fish was so tender and delicious. They also easily accommodated my dietary restrictions (no red meat). We had a mojito and lychee martini to drink and they were delicious! Saturday night may be a bad time to go if you are sensitive to noise as it was extremely loud. It was also pretty dark inside and I felt the dessert was underwhelming compared to the rest of the meal. Otherwise, I was very satisfied with my experience.

So in town for a guys weekend. Most are huge sushi fans, I am not. But went along and wow was I amazed! There was not one item I didn’t want to devour. This place knows how to make and present their menu to you. Incredible service and Menu. You will be extremely fulfilled and satisfied from start to finish. From the novice to lover of sushi, this is the pace to go. It was good. Fun drinks. Good quality sashimi. The crispy rice was fun. Chicken wings were fatty but good flavor. It was a solid. But very pricey.

Amazing food and amazing service!

Best sushi downtown. Little pricey but worth it.

Nothing special at all. Way over priced places. Customer service was good. This is why I give 3 star. Besides that. Not worth anything. Food was not great at all.

Can't say enough great things about this restaurant. Great service, fresh made to order authentic food and great atmosphere/vibe. Stuft pasta is AMAZING!!!

food tasted as amazing as the service was. A great setting, perfect for a date. only issue we had was we had a single fish bone out of the 3 fish we ate

One of my main spots to grab some food. awesome location, clean, and very good service. I highly recommend them!

Fun place and the service is the best! If you like seafood and sushi ... Then this is for you.

The food is spectacular!! A bottle of water was too close to the edge and exploded. There were at least 4 people there to take care of the issue they moved us and the transition was seamless. Do not pass up the opportunity to experience this place. I love the food! Did I mention that? John , the manager is spectacular, and does an awesome job. Do not pass up the opportunity to visit this Nobu!

1st time at Nobu and it did not disappoint. We were hoping to enjoy an Omakase, their version of Omakase was a next level 5 course meal. We were only looking for sashimi and Nigiri, so the waitress asked us if we were open to trusting the chef to make something special. Needless to say, it was phenomenal. I’ll definitely return.

The service and food were incredible. We had a group of 4 and were unsure what to order. Our waiter helped to curate us the most amazing meal, we got to try so many delicious things we’ve never had before! All the servers and waitstaff were so friendly and helpful. We had an amazing time.

It was a wonderful experience that I got to share with my S.O. We had some Wagyu tacos, snow crab niguri, and eel nigiri to start and then ordered two Omakase Nobu Signature Menus.

Nobu is actually very accommodating to a gluten free menu and many options are either already gluten free or can be made gluten free. We've gone several times and it's always been amazing. Get the black cod, its amazing.

The service was excellent. Each interaction with the staff was good except for the greeter. The food was so so. The green salad was salty 🧂. A salty salad!??? Come on! The eggplant 🍆 was much better than the salad, and the sushi 🍣 was better. The courses got better and better than the previous. If you are vegan don't go to Nobu except for the atmosphere and service.

Every dish was excellent. This was the best sushi we have had in San Diego.

Nobu did okay but I was not blown away by the experience. We arrived early for our dinner reservation and they were able to accommodate us immediately. Their staff is attentive and nice. Their menu had items we were unfamiliar with but the staff was able to answer everything we asked. There was an emphasis of how all their dishes were meant to be shared “family style” but honestly, with their portion sizes, there is not enough to go around. The restaurant was not too busy at first but as the night progressed, so did the clientele and food coming to our table took longer to come. We enjoyed their cucumber sonomono salad, seafood tempura, and cappuccino dessert most. Their hot sake was good and the Mango Passion martini was very well done. Dangerous even, you can’t taste the alcohol haha. We left the restaurant still feeling a bit hungry but couldn’t bring ourselves to order more as we acquired quite a hefty check. Good to experience once maybe twice but know what you’re getting into. Note: they do offer parking validation if you park in the Hard Rock Hotel parking.

What an AMAZING and unforgettable dining experience! WOW! I first want to give a huge shout to one the most awesome and my favorite bartenders of all time, TOMMY! Can I just say we were blown away. Everything we had were his recommendations and each dish was better and better. Sushi was fresh, light and the pairings were exactly what we were craving. Tommy provided us with such great service along with everyone at the bar. We had great conversations with Tommy about so much ranging from cuisine to cars. We didn’t want to leave! LOL! And another added touch was I wanted to know a particular song that playing and the hostess was so nice to go and find out the exact song and title for me as she saw me trying to Shazam it. Can you say TOP NOTCH service!! John and I can’t WAIT to come back! We loved the the music, food, ambiance and cocktails! Try the N/A beers and cocktails which I highly recommend. Thank you for a beautiful dinner! Perfect way to bring in 2024 🥰❤️🎉🥳🍾🍣

This is my first time at any Nobu location. I came in expecting to pay a high price for high quality food. The high price was their but I wasn’t that impressed with the food. Given the price point I would rather eat elsewhere. The restaurant has a night club feel to it and is a good place for people watching. Food: 3.5 star Atmosphere/service: 4 stars Value: 1.5 stars I particularly found the sushi to be pretty mediocre and is really not worth the price. I also had the scallops with Brussels sprouts, which was a tasty dish. The sauce that accounting had a nice acidity to it and I enjoyed the finitely chopped accompaniments. However, the scallops needed more of a sear. They were good but not cooked properly.

Don’t waste your money here you can get better sushi at a lot of places and leave full

Worst restaurant ever! Not recommending!

Horrible service! my food was literally cold when it came out. I had a stomach ache for 2 days after eating here.

Amazing!! Per usual

visited on a thursday. the staff was very friendly and attentive.

Long wait for food to arrive! Not a food to pay sky high for it. I regret going there. I notice some of the utensils were not clean at all. Disgusting! Won't go back again. I rather go to some authentic not too flashy bashy sushi and enjoy.

Our best date nights are at Nobu

That was a lot of money for just average sushi and it had no special taste! I could Have gotten the same quality at whole Foods very disappointed $65 for three items not a value at all.

Nice location for tasty Japanese food. Very appetizing. Bring your hunger - portions are large. Kinda of like a restaurant in Los Angeles I loved to visit.

If I could give them 6 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I would !! Amazing fresh high quality sushi. Sensational flavors. Excellent service. Insider tips: entrance inside the Hard Rock Hotel (not from sidewalk). Bathrooms are in the hotel, not the restaurant. They have a great HHour that lasts until 7pm. They have great specials during SD Restaurant Week

Japanese food and service at this spot is very good. i love this place, great food & service. i had a cousin come into town and asked me to take him back here.

Japanese food and service at this location is great. you will not be disappointed in the menu and service. service is consistently good.

Everything was beyond amazing so fresh and great flavors. The best mealmi had in a long time.

Great location for tasty Japanese food. i wish there were more places like this around town. prices that are reasonable. they have a lot of positive reviews for a reason.

japanese food... excellent. super tasty. definitely worth a return trip. i can see why they have a lot of good reviews.

Excellent place for delicious japanese food. Super tasty. I'll return friends next time. This place has a cool feel to it. Feels like a place in Charlotte that I enjoyed visiting.

Ok

Good location for delicious Japanese food. Looking forward to coming back with my relatives. Prices were average for the menu. Feels similar to a restaurant in New York I liked.

One of my fav spots for Japanese food. i was so full.

Japanese food, yeah, super tasty. I love this place so much. Nothing but great experiences here. This place has a great feel to it. Feels similar to a restaurant in New York I liked.

Great spot for delicious Japanese food. I often meet people here to talk. The staff was very friendly and attentive. They have so many good reviews for a reason.

Nice spot for tasty japanese food. Got there about two, it was not packed. Service is typically great. Mood here reminds me of Colorado Springs area.

Seriously excellent food and the most incredible hospitality - they will help you forget that we are on quarantine. The people here have such a passion for their food

Extremely poor service . Reservation made table .watch out they will try to give poor table seating and do not care to change the seat !!!

Ok location for tasty Japanese food. I love this place, excellent food & service. Prices are fair.

The best in San Diego

Great scene for delicious Japanese food. Looking forward to a return visit.

japanese food, quality stuff. the place has a cool feel to it.

These are the best hand rolls I've ever had. The only problem is, everyone else knows this so it's impossible to get in during normal dining hours. Try and slip in at an odd hour and you are in for a treat!

Best culinary experience!!!

Nice site for tasty japanese food. I love visiting here. Definitely worth going back to. The place has a cool feel to it.

Exceptional and delicious food, I loved the atmosphere this place has, and the employees were helpful. I will definitely eat here again.