Nobu Los Angeles

09/27/2008 Posted by SFgiant88

So some friends and I decided to check out the new Nobu a few nights ago and had a blast. We're not too much into the "sceney" types of places, but we've been to the one in New York and loved the food there. The food at the West Hollywood location is just as great, if not better. Of course we had some of our favorites from New York, the yellowtail jalapeno sashimi and the black cod which are to die for. The black cod, literally, melts in your mouth. We also had some of their specials which we were really impressed with. Our server was excellent and very attentive, and the rest of the staff was very friendly and helpful. We will definitely return.

Pros: Cocktails, food, service

Cons: noisy

09/24/2008 Posted by samex

I took a visit to Los Angeles last week and tried to see all the hottest spots. My impression was that nobu was going to be a celebrity hot spot in excess of teeny boppers in expensive shoes and bags. The atmosphere ended up being very chic and comfortable. I felt my server was knowledgable and he created a menu for us that paired perfectly with our likes a dislikes. The decor was aesthetically cool, not trying to hard very simple, so that I could really enjoy my experience. the only thing that was a bit off was the wait that i had for my car at valet, it was almost half an hour after i had dropped off my ticket that i finally got my car! Otherwise, nobu was a perfect place to have a fun yet cool dinner.

Pros: the observant servers

Cons: the valet

09/18/2008 Posted by sltc

i have never felt the need to write a review on a restaurant before. however, after reading Nobu's reviews, and after yet another amazing dinner experience, i decided that the restaurant deserves more than the what the current reviews have portrayed Nobu to be. i took my friend out to dinner last week. it was her first time at nobu, and my third-not including the times i have gone for drinks in the lounge. Nobu is everything that you would expect it to be, which i suppose is why it has become the name it is today. besides the fact that they serve up some delicious cocktails (tip: ask the bartender to create a drink based on your own personal likings), the food has been consistantly fresh and they have done a fantastic job at mixing up the classics on the menu with new and innovative specials. for those of you who are Nobu followers, i would strongly suggest trying out the specials that i am told are switched up from week to week (the wagu beef tacos are my new faves!!). and, for the newbies, i would suggest my usual go-to's of yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, new style salmon sashimi and black cod with miso. my friend and i just tried and fell and in love with the froyo-frozen yogurt dessert with fresh strawberries, mint and some sort of a berry sauce. it was absolutely the perfect way to end the meal. the restaurant is gorgeous whether you are sitting in the main dining area or on the outside patio, perfect for a group of friends, or a first date. our server was great, professional, informative but not over the top. overall, my experience at Nobu was exactly what i wanted and expected it to be and i will most definitely be coming back!

09/13/2008 Posted by culvercityrocks

It seems like ownership forgot about this location when they opened the doors for business. The food, service, and care for the restaurant was lacking in almost every way. I will not return as there are many better sushi options in town. Too bad.

Pros: location

Cons: no love

09/12/2008 Posted by winey1

I've been to Nobus all over the world and this location is by far the worst as far as quality of food...best being Hong Kong. The salmon sushi was mealy, the tuna tataki appetizer special with cilantro was $20 for 5 small slices and it taste like it had previously been frozen. We had an early reservation so the restaurant was virtually empty and the hostess still tried to wedge us into a 2 top between the only other couples there. The service was ok, our waitress at least was honest about the fact that the softshell crabs were frozen and hinted that they weren't great. The sea bass special was one redeeming dish but when I go to a sushi restaurant, I expect the sushi to be the main focus and not the cooked dishes. We all know going in that Nobu is WAY over-priced and I don't mind paying high prices for exceptional quality....but I think Pavillions sushi is probably better

Pros: great lychee martinis!

Cons: low quality sushi

06/24/2008 Posted by hiphophead

We just tried Nobu on a Monday night. My wife called in that same evening and an 8:45 pm reservation was provided. We got to the restaurant at 8:30 pm and the hostesses didn't seat us until 8:45, even though there were tables open. I guess this is what you get on La Cienega. Anyway, the food was actually very good. My only complaint is that it was too salty. I had to keep drinking my $12 Nobu brand beer (yup, $12 for a beer) to water down the taste of the salt. But I don't like salty food to begin with. It was fine for my wife. The Miso Cod was downright amazing and the jalapeno yellowtail was great too. The service was professional and unpretentious. Overall, I'd say it's much better than the local Katsuyas. The scene is the only negative, but we knew that going in. My wife was in the bathroom and overheard two typical gold-digger types talking about whose boyfriend spends more money! This is the part of LA I'm not proud of. Anyway, if you ignore the fake, materialistic, gold-digging types in the restaurant, a true foodie will definitely be impressed. We'll be back for more, but will definitely go on a weekday again...

Pros: Food, Service

Cons: the "scene," a bit too salty

06/21/2008 Posted by clazyjapanesefood

everything was soooo over. I had to bring my cliantss, and we had dinner. We went there at 6:30, but the restaurant was so empty. we wanted to go to patio, but hostess said it was closed! we had corner booth that is too close to sushi bar, and I asked different table, but hostess said the table is requested by other person!! and next two hours, no body seated to that table! even around 8:00pm, the restaurant looked empty! Do not go there, they charge too much and they are so rude. go to katana.

Pros: thums down

06/14/2008 Posted by martinikitty13

I’m a huge fan of Matsuhisa, although I admit that I have overdosed a little on the whole Japanese fusion thing in the last few years. Perhaps I came into Nobu LA a little biased especially since it took over the space of a much loved restaurant (L’Orangerie). The obviously took pains to eradicate any resemblance between the 2 restaurants – whereas it was previously white, airy, formal and very French – it now resembles any of the trendy restaurants popping up throughout LA, SF, NY and Miami. It’s eyecatching, especially with all the beautiful people and servers milling about, but not particularly innovative. Upon review of the menu, I noticed that it held few surprises, as it was very similar to Matsuhisa’s menu (just a few blocks away). We had the following with only a few successes: Mango martinis – I didn’t have any (since I’m detoxing), but my friends loved these; Edamame – surprisingly good, with a hint of sweet; Yellowtail Sashimi with jalapeno – a signature dish, and quite good. But basically the same as at Matsuhisa; Sashimi tacos – mini tacos with tuna or lobster – looked cute, but nothing special; Sashimi Salad – too much greens and too little sashimi or dressing; for this, definitely go to Matsuhisa instead; Scallop sashimi (sorry I forget the name) – scallops were very fresh and sweet but a bit heavy handed with the lemon juice which overpowered the entire dish; Squid pasta – the best of the evening! Plump morsels of squid braised with green beans and mushrooms – deeply flavorful with a hint of smokiness; Baby vegetables with truffle foam – pretty good, but looked more interesting than it tasted; Miso cod – good, but again, this dish is done everywhere. It still better at Matsuhisa. Miso eggplant – overly sweet; Rock shrimp tempura – very disappointing. A lot better at Katana and Matsuhisa and Koi; Spicy creamy crab – way too salty. The food didn’t seem consistent and wasn’t great enough to warrant the steep prices.

Pros: Beautiful scene and people; good cocktails

Cons: Mediocre food at steep prices

04/16/2008 Posted by foodloverdavid

I've been to many other Nobu's around the world (London being my favorite) and Los Angles was a huge dissapointment. My tuna and yellowtail sushi were tough and definitely didn't taste fresh. My table ordered a bunch of other things to share and they all seemed to be lacking depth. The dining room is ok, but a bit boring.

04/02/2008 Posted by stevewilsonmd

I live right down the street from the new Nobu and it's great. I have been to more than a few of the Nobus in this country as well as the one in Hong Kong and I have to say Nobu LA definitely sets itself apart. I've actually been twice since they've opened and both times I've really enjoyed myself. The patio is very modern with a Japanese twist but I really enjoyed sitting at the sushi bar as well. The food is delicious, fresh, and beautiful to look at. Expensive yes, very. But to be expected with Nobu. Their sashimi dishes are one of a kind, black cod is phenomenal but everything I had was truly beyond my expectation. Service is great, the waitresses I had both times were very sweet, seemed happy to help and looked the Nobu part. And finally yes their were celebrities both times, once I saw Cameron Diaz, Nicky Hilton and Jamie Pressley, the other time the famous trainwreck Lindsey Lohan. All in all great food, great vibe, great service, stargazing galore but be prepared for the bill.

Pros: Great sushi, service, and atmosphere

Cons: Expensive