Nobu Sushi

If you like your cut rolls smothered with 5 different sauces, it’s not the place for you.
If you like your nigiri sushi fish cut thick & lots of rice, it’s not the place for you.
If you like huge packed, cut roll pieces of 8 to 10 pieces, it’s not the place for you.
If you have your favorite sushi bar that serves your cut rolls and nigiri sushi the way I mention above, it’s not the place for you.
If you like chicken or beef teriaki, it’s not the place for you.
If you like lunch and dinner specials, it’s not the place for you.
If you like fresh fish, traditional style nigiri, temaki’s and maki’s, some with a special twist, then this is the place for you.
Every sushi chef & sushi bar is different & feature their own style, so don’t expect every sushi restaurant have your special favorite.

Nobu is the «Cheers» of sushi bars in San Clemente. If you are a regular, you are treated well and given priority over other customers. If you are new, you are treated like, ‘hey, I’ll feed you, but I would rather you leave’.
We tried Nobu several times since friends of ours absolutely love the place. Most of the regulars order ‘off menu’ items. B Special, BLT Hand Roll, Salmon Special, etc. They should have a menu and put this stuff on it with prices. You have no idea what stuff costs. You just have to trust that the bill is correct.
It’s just Nobu and his wife, who works really hard to keep up, but the service can be lousy if they get busy. Nobu will only make one item per customer at the sushi bar at a time, so it can take a long time to eat. It’s fine if you want to drink and talk with ‘Norm’ and get some food when Nobu gets around to you. The fish quality has been very good most of the time. Nobu’s hand rolls can be messy. Sometimes they are just quickly thrown together and they come undone.

This has to be the worst sushi restaurant in California, they completely rip you off by overcharging for a small amount of sushi and on top of that offer horrible customer service

Disregard all of the positive reviews! I usually don’t leave bad reviews unless it is necessary, and this place is a complete rip-​off, and I have pictures to prove.
They were rude, when I walked in they seems like they didn’t want a customer, and rushed me. They had a terrible menu selection with absolutely no pictures or description of any of the rolls! I would ask, do you have baked scallop rolls? «No» do you have any baked rolls? «No»
Only the salmon looks good everything out what’s old and discoloured. The rolls themselves were tiny and overpriced.
For $ 33 I got basically a kids sized amount of sushi, and I’m not a big girl.

Sushi was fresh and tasty; however, very simple menu with not a lot of options for special rolls. No menu to order from. Nice, quaint mom and pop place.

Not to be confused with «THE Nobu» this little restaurant was excellent! After reading mixed reviews, we were a little apprehensive, but no reason to be. Obviously the owners have been there a long time, and to refer to them as «tired little employees» is insulting. The rolls were excellent, fresh and done properly with the correct seasoning. NO need to drench them in soy and wasabi as many of tend to do. This is no frills, basic sushi shop… if that is what you want, this is the place to get it!

Not that impressed. Sushi was okay but when you think of sushi in California you think more fusion and creative sauces. This place is very textbook, perhaps more traditional. I though it had mediocre fish quality.

I have been coming here for the last eight years and have never had a bad experience. On occasion I bring my guests from Tokyo to this restaurant and they all think it is of the best quality. Just today I brought my closest associate from Tokyo to Nobu sushi for lunch he remarked the sushi here was better than what he eats inTokyo

Hands down some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. They have tons of regulars that are welcoming and willing to give you great suggestions.

Its an awkwardly quiet little place, that bares small rolls and tired employees. I should’ve went next door to Subway. .jus saying

I’ve had sushi all over the world, Japan, Paris, Oslo, Bangkok, Sydney, London and New York. But Nobu in San Clemente is the best sushi I’ve ever had! I crave it! Best ever!

My husband I have been coming here for years. This place is so good! You just need to know what to order. The secret rolls are the best– B39 hand roll is my favorite. The best night to go is a Tuesday night. That’s when all the locals go and they’ll clue you in on the secret rolls. The owners are so nice! They gave me and my husband a bottle of sake when we came in on our anniversary. The people who gave bad reviews I’m sure just didn’t know what to order. Try this place!
Just a tip– make sure you sit at the bar on Tuesdays with the locals– they’re friendly and have the best recommendations.

I was looking for a real sushi made by Japanese sushi chef f in OC. Finally found him! Nobu and Emi is wonderful couple making real Japanese sushi!!! All customers are friendly and regulars! We are lucky to have him in San Clemente.