Nobu Restaurant Palo Alto

Took my wife here for her birthday. Let them know it was a birthday celebration with the reservation. They followed up with a text asking for name of the birthday person. The waiter even asked if we were celebrating anything special. Then they forgot all about it when we ordered our dessert. Food was delicious, ambience is chic cool, but they let me down when it mattered.

An Unforgettable Culinary Experience at Nobu Palo Alto My wife and I had the most incredible dinner at the bar last night at Nobu Palo Alto. From start to finish, everything was flawless. The chefs behind the bar weren’t just masters of their craft—they were passionate, engaging, and truly made our night memorable. Watching them prepare each dish with precision and pride added such a unique and intimate touch to the experience. Every bite was exceptional—from the toro topped with caviar and gold leaf to the perfectly seared wagyu served sizzling on a hot stone. The hamachi jalapeño, crispy rice, salmon nigiri, and matcha dessert were standouts, both in flavor and presentation. They even surprised us with a custom dessert to celebrate our special occasion—just one more reason why the service felt so warm and personal. Dining at Nobu is more than just a meal—it’s an experience. If you're in Palo Alto, make sure to sit at the bar, trust the chefs, and enjoy the ride. We'll absolutely be back.

I had dinner here this past Sunday and I was excited to eat the food since it was my second time at the restaurant. I was looking forward to the crispy rice tuna and the uni shooters because they were my favorite dishes when I first tried the restaurant. Unfortunately, this second time around was pretty unsatisfactory. The crispy rice tuna and the uni shooters still highlights but the other food was mid. I felt like the sushi rice in the nigiri was not fresh and a bit hard. The ribeye taco was underwhelming and basic. The most glaring issue was the service. We were seated outside for dinner and our server was slow and not very attentive. Inside, I could hear one server going above and beyond for this one upper class family - he was explaining the menu, recommending dishes, and it sounded like he was really taking care of them. We didn’t get any of that outside. It was getting cold and all the other heat lamps were on except ours and we needed to wave down the server to turn it on. We were also deciding on dessert to order but the server took too long to get back to us and we didn’t want to wait additional time for the dessert come out to the table. We decided not to order dessert and get our leftover tempura rock shrimp to go. The server took the leftovers to the back to package it for to go, but he never gave it to us. When I remembered that we forget to ask about our leftovers, it was too late. Overall, this was a disappointing experience. For the amount of money you would spend at this Nobu location, you could find a better place with higher standards.

The service here was absolutely amazing and the food here was great. I didn’t capture pictures of everything but everything was amazing. The piña martini was amazing as it had a slight pineapple acidity and wasn’t too strong. The sake we had (Devil Killer) was absolutely amazing. Very smooth and has a slight spicy finish to it. My family got the prime filet tobonyaki and the black cod miso and they were both outstanding. The filet came out on a hot sizzling platter and the texture of the steak was buttery and perfect. Some of the best steak I’ve ever had. The black miso cod had this sweet glaze to it and flaked off perfectly. A slight salty taste to it that meshed well with the sweet glaze. The crab tempura was fried perfectly. It came with some sauce that was slightly sweet and paired very well with the crab. The tempura sushi roll I had was pretty good. Very straight forward. The snow crab nigiri, unagi nigiri and tuna nigiri were okay. I’m a bit harder on sushi as it’s hard to compare to Japan but it’s very good. The meat on the nigiri was a bit dry, taking away some of the flavor from it. The tuna was a bit fishy but the unagi was pretty good. The xurros had a lemon filling on the inside but it was very light and had subtle flavors. Great way to end the dinner. The coconut ice cream was also light and creamy with a slight crunch to it. The zen garden dessert was refreshing and the fruits and matcha all mixed together very well. Really good place to go to !

Had an amazing dining experience at Nobu Palo Alto! The on rock shrimp tempura is an absolute must-try—perfectly crispy with a deliciously balanced sauce. Among the rolls, the eel and shrimp tempura stood out the most, though I also tried the spicy tuna, salmon, and a few others, all of which were incredibly fresh and flavorful. The ambiance was elegant, and the service was top-notch. Definitely a spot worth visiting for an unforgettable sushi experience. Highly recommend!

3.5 to 4 stars. Black cod miso is nice! It’s very tasty and has a lot of umami. However, some parts of the fish is not as moist and a little dry. Nevertheless, should give it a go! I really love the lobster tacos. It has an interesting flavor profile - sweet, fresh, sour flavors which all combines well. However, the only down side is that it’s small.

I celebrated a special occasion here. 10 days prior, there was no availability, but I found availability 6 days prior. I wish I could specify indoor seating as OpenTable only had standard seating as the choice online. If I knew I would be outside, I might have call to request indoor. We got promptly seated at tables next to the outdoor garden. The small garden has the zen look. May evening is not cold at all. The server and waiting staff were friendly. I enjoyed the food overall. I would recommend coming back for special occassions.

I had a mixed experience. While the food was good, the overall experience was just okay. I understand why many people consider this location their least favorite. We had reservations but ended up waiting 45 minutes at the bar for a table. While at the bar, we ordered lychee martinis and asked to replace the vodka with tequila, as we've done at other Nobu locations, but the bartender said it was against "company policy." It felt like a stretch, as we’ve always enjoyed that drink at other spots. Additionally, the atmosphere here is quite casual—I've seen people working on laptops and wearing sneakers. While there's nothing wrong with that, it didn't match the upscale vibe most would expect for a special occasion so just fyi I’d recommend looking elsewhere for celebrations. Valet option is super convenient ($35 + $10tip)

First time dining here for my anniversary and was a very pleasant experience the food was pricey but decent. The atmosphere is subtle and the waiters are nice. Would not recommend dining here if you are on a budget because the food portions are generally small you do have to order quite a few items to get full.

My first time at the Nobu Palo Alto location, I'd go to the NYC one years ago. We loved it! I went to tik tok for some ideas for what to order and they were a hit! Hojicha Tea $10 for one teapot and 2 cups for us each to have some. They even added more hot water to the teapot for us later on which was nice. Delicious flavor and a great lil kick of caffeine. Lychee Passion $12 my friend Adriana opted for this non alcoholic lychee/passion fruit drink. I tried some of it and it was very tasty! We go the Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce. Delicious! I don't usually like shrimp but loved this, soft inside crunchy outside, good flavor and filling! $33 Yellowtail Sashimi Jalapeño $34. Pricy but so tasty, worth a try! Wish it had more on the plate but is worth it. Forgot to take a pic but we also enjoyed a maki roll. The Spicy Big Eye Tuna Roll $14. It was tasty only 6 pieces though. Zen Garden Dessert $17. This is only offered at the Palo Alto location so we had to try it. It is delicious and unique definitely try this one! Congratulations Ice Cream was free on the house, since we were there to celebrate me qualifying for a state competition for my schools business club. It was very nice they gave us the bonus ice cream with cheesecake on the bottom, tasty too. Ultimately we enjoyed having dinner here and would definitely recommend it! It's a beautiful small restaurant (so make your reservation ahead of time on open table) and if nothing else you must get the Zen Garden Dessert! We will definitely come back. Would love to try the afternoon tea here sometime or other dishes for a nice lunch or dinner. Everything came out to $132 before tip and we walked away full. So if you order the right items it's not too bad price wise. Split it in half and it was only $79 each with tip.

It was our first time at Nobu and Nobu Palo Afternoon Zen Tea Garden was an absolute relaxing experience! They allow you to select from 8 different teas and I chose the Sabacha and my partner chose the Gyokuro! The $75 per person tea experience comes with two courses and a selection of tea. Mostly the everyone aside from one table was a couple's table. The ambiance was peaceful aside from the noisy big table which threw off the vibe a bit hence the 4 stars instead of 5! Our waiter was attentive and addressed all our concerns and needs. He even took multiple pictures for us and didn't remind us of the time limit (1.5 hours for 2 people). We can't wait to try their dinner!

Went for my birthday! Waiters were very attentive of our needs and were super helpful regarding any menu questions we had. Everything tasted great, my personal favorite were the mini tacos we had. I would come back, but only for special occasions due to budget. Beautiful, lively area to walk around before or afterwards as well.

I've been to Nobu for both afternoon tea and dinner; I found both experiences lacking for the price point. Afternoon Tea: The presentation is beautiful; the bites are unique; but the breads were stale. Every savory bite had some sort of bread component to it and they were all stale: the white bread, taco shell, etc. It was oddly off-putting -- especially when Nobu prices their afternoon tea as a nicer experience. Dinner: The service was off-putting for our dinner. Immediately as I sat down, my servers kept trying to up-sell me. First for their still water, then for their drinks. The food and drinks themselves were ok. Nothing really wow'd or stood out to me. I think you can get more exciting and delicious dishes in the Bay Area for the same price point, or even cheaper. The only dish I found unique and truly enjoyed was the Lobster with Honey Truffle Aioli; it had a nice creamy sauce and they cooked it perfectly. The only dish I would consider "worth it" is the Black Cod with Miso. Pretty Good dishes: Toro Tartare with Caviar, Uni Shooter, Crispy Brussel Sprouts OK, but would not get again: Shiromi Usuzukuri, New Style Sashimi - Salmon, Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Sauce Didn't like: scallops with jalapeno salsa (scallops were big and well cooked but the seasoning was just straight up pepper) I would have enjoyed my dinner experience enough to come back if there weren't so many off-putting experiences with the service. I will not come back for afternoon tea because wdym every bread was stale? Still baffled by this.

This review is for the afternoon tea only served indoors overlooking the zen garden. I do wish they were able to block the street as that ruins the ambiance of the zen garden. Had a lovely time at afternoon tea with my cousin. We celebrated our joint birthdays and our hostess was the loveliest. The ice cream birthday dessert was a really nice special touch. Food was great both savory and sweet and I liked that they had fresh fruit to cleanse the palette. Really nice way to spend a carefree afternoon with a loved one!

Such a beautiful and memorable time at Nobu! I went here to celebrate the end of the school year with some friends and we couldn't have had a better experience. The outdoor garden was jaw dropping and the cocktails were so delicious! I tried the lychee cocktail and it was so refreshing. For a luxury restaurant, it is expected there will be small portions for a high price. Though, the overall experience with my friends made it fun. The intimate and quiet outdoor seating was great. The staff was very attentive and the food came out in a timely manner. I would definitely eat here again, but I can justify the price point to come as often as I would like. Nobu is great for a date night or an occasion to celebrate!

This was our second visit to Nobu's Palo Alto location, and it was yet another memorable evening of exceptional dining. Nestled in a chic and modern setting, the restaurant exudes a luxurious yet welcoming vibe. The dim lighting, sleek furnishings, and minimalist decor create an atmosphere that's both elegant and serene--a perfect blend for an elevated dining experience. Parking in the area was a bit challenging, but the valet service made it hassle-free. Upon check-in, there was a brief wait to be seated, but the anticipation only heightened our excitement for the evening. Once seated, Gil, our incredible host for the night, ensured we were well taken care of. His attention to detail and warm demeanor set the tone for the night. Knowing my love for the Japanese peach they serve, Gil thoughtfully incorporated a couple into the Toro Tartar--a personal touch that truly elevated the experience. Big shoutout to Gil for his efforts!! Our order consisted of the following: 1. Toro Tartar A masterpiece of flavor and presentation, the Toro Tartar featured finely minced fatty tuna with a luscious texture that melted in the mouth. It was served over ice bed along with a couple of peaches adding a subtle sweetness that beautifully complemented the richness of the toro. The dish was finished with a delicate garnish that enhanced its visual appeal and added a hint of crunch. Each bite was a harmonious blend of creamy, sweet, and savory notes--a true indulgence. 2. Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna This dish was an explosion of textures and flavors. Perfectly fried cubes of rice provided a golden, crunchy base for the spicy tuna topping. The tuna itself was flavorful and packed with just the right amount of heat, while the drizzle of sauce tied everything together. Each bite was a delightful combination of crunch and spice-- our favorite, and for a good reason. We ended up repeating this one. 3. Whitefish Tiradito A dish that truly highlighted the artistry of Nobu's chefs. Paper-thin slices of whitefish were arranged elegantly and drizzled with a vibrant yuzu and soy sauce blend. A dash of chili added a gentle kick, perfectly balanced by the citrusy tang. The fish was incredibly fresh and delicate, practically melting on the tongue while delivering a burst of refreshing flavor. 4. Rock Shrimp Tempura Phenomenally delicious and a standout dish of the evening. The tender rock shrimp were perfectly battered and fried to a crisp golden brown, then coated in a creamy yet tangy sauce that was utterly addictive. What made this dish even more delightful was the bed of fresh greens salad it was served over. The crisp salad provided a refreshing contrast to the rich shrimp, enhancing the overall balance of flavors and textures. Served hot and fresh, this dish was indulgent, comforting, and visually appealing. 5. Yellowtail Jalapeño (YellowTail Jal Cut) A signature Nobu dish that never disappoints. The buttery yellowtail slices were laid out with precision, each topped with a thin sliver of jalapeño and a splash of citrusy ponzu sauce. The freshness of the fish, the subtle heat of the jalapeño, and the bright acidity of the ponzu came together in perfect harmony. The simplicity of the dish allowed the high-quality ingredients to shine, creating a symphony of flavors with each bite. 6. Warm Mushroom Salad This earthy and aromatic dish was a comforting addition to our meal. A variety of warm mushrooms--each with its unique texture and flavor--was tossed in a light, savory dressing that complemented their natural umami. The mushrooms were cooked to perfection, retaining a satisfying bite, while the warmth of the dish made it feel hearty and grounding. 7. New style Salmon Sashimi Thin slices salmon with ginger juliens , scallions/chives finely cut along with white sesame seeds and all of this soaked in a remarkably amazing sauce. This dish is easy, flavorful, and like much of Nobu's food, memorable. This has a perfect balance of salty and sweet to it as well. As a surprise to celebrate my wife's birthday, the team brought out a Brown Butter Caramel Cake ( i could be wrong with the name as it had more ice cream vibes to it with caramel tasting crystals on top) , and it was the perfect sweet ending to a wonderful evening. This thoughtful gesture from the staff made the evening all the more special , memorable and showcased Nobu's commitment to creating unforgettable experiences. From start to finish, this visit to Nobu Palo Alto reaffirmed why it remains one of our top choices for elevated dining. The ambiance, with its understated elegance and tranquil vibe, paired beautifully with the impeccable service and outstanding food. Each dish was a testament to Nobu's mastery in blending Japanese and Peruvian flavors, creating a dining experience that is both sophisticated and memorable. Highly recommend!!

Bestie and I did some serious damage for a table of 2, but to be fair we hadn't seen each other in nearly a year so it was a special occasion! Despite a rather unwelcoming, stated time limit of 1 hour, 45 minutes per reservation which the hostess reiterated upon arrival, our server Andy kindly let us blow through it (likely because we were ordering all.the.things/enough for multiple seatings...) so we could take our time catching up in the restaurant's peaceful courtyard. Food highlights were the fresh AF off-menu specials - Bluefin Toro, Scallop Carpaccio, and Yellowtail with Truffle - and beautifully executed desserts. Unable to decide between the Zen Garden (Panna Cotta, Passion Fruit Gel, Matcha, Black Sesame, Raspberry Sorbet), Banana Soy Toban (Soy Carmelized Banana, Candied Pecan, Malaga Gelato), Whiskey Cappuccino (Cardamom Custard, Cinnamon Crunch, Espresso Gelato), and "Xurros" (Pate de Brick Cigarillos, Green Apple Mousseline, Okinawa Sugar), we ordered them all, plus Assorted Mochi Ice Cream (we went with ube and mango) because why not? :D Can't go wrong with Nobu signature items like the Wagyu Tacos and Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, but we were disappointed by the Uni Tempura which was way more vegetable than uni! We remedied that by ordering Uni Nigiri, and added Snow and Soft Shell Crab Rolls because again, why not? :P Cocktails had their ups and downs as well - Bestie and I loved the flavor profiles of the Akashi Ume Sour (Akashi Ume Plum Whisky, Umepon Plum Liquor, Lemon, Dehydrated Plum, Honey Syrup & Angostura Bitters) and Montana Mana (Meill Vodka, Cherry Tomato, Falernum & Lemon & Soy Salt), and enjoyed the Piña Martini (Ciroc Pineapple Vodka, Giffard Crème de Peche, Pineapple & Lime), but thought the Ryokan Rickey (Awayuki Strawberry Gin, Strawberry Monkfruit Syrup, Lemon & Yuzu), and Mango Passion (Ciroc Mango Vodka, Passion Fruit & Pineapple) were less inspired.

Great ambiance, quality food, 5 star service. First time here and it did not disappoint, you're here for the vibes and the quality food. And everyone makes sure you're well taken care of! If you're looking for a place to treat yourself, this is the place to go. I'll definitely be coming back. Tip: Make a reservation and ask your server about any questions you have on the menu!

Outstanding services Decent food. Menu changes seasonally. Good for special occasions. Couldn't tell you what I ordered bc I just pointed. I liked the wagyu tacos the most and typically I'm an all sashimi lover. I know everyone's talking about the miso black cod fish but personally I felt like it needed rice to balance the sweet sauce out (reminded me of ca kho)

Everything we had was a musssssst! Miso cod Wagyu beef tacos Spicy tuna roll Jalapeño Yellowtail Cauliflower Asparagus Edamame's Crispy rice tuna Chocolate lava cake with matcha ice cream Date cake!!!! I lied I will def pass on the xurro dessert Great service! Delicious food. Beautiful restaurant. We were seated in a separate room from the main restaurant- pass the beautiful garden that lead into a private room. We had the bessssst time! Valet service was great as well!

Yeah, I'd say that the Nobu Palo Alto location is one of my favorite locations. Although I must say I have enjoyed the New York City location and the Cape Town South Africa locations. First of all let me just tell you I love the sea bass and the rock shrimp appetizers. The drinks are always the bomb as well as the salads and desserts, depending on when you go you can sit outside in Palo Alto. They have one of those bonsai gardens and or you can sit inside near the bar. Your server will stay close by just in case you need anything and they'll keep it coming. They have sushi chefs. They are ready to make whatever you desire and they have really fresh ingredients like the tuna!

We came last minute, sat at the bar. Great service, I had Pinot and my gf had a cocktail. All of the food we got was either recommended by the bartender or my friend-and it was all AMAZING!! Well, I take that back, the one dish my gf recommended (I think it was the King crab tempura legs) was only OK, but the 2 dishes the bartender recommended were on point!

This review is for patio dining and the answer is: don't. The patio is nice, heated with ceiling-mounted heat lamps but, but, but our dinner was interrupted and effectively ruined by a noisy, aggressive, threatening homeless person who apparently frequents the neighborhood. He started out just being weird and noisy across the street but that escalates into him crossing the street, approaching the patio, screaming, pointing, and ranting. The staff took too long to figure out what to say and do but eventually we were offered a seat indoors in the back room. But at that point -- happily near the end of the meal -- we were done. The food was quite good otherwise and it works quite well family style. I know this is more of a Palo Alto problem than a Nobu problem but you cannot reliably have a nice meal on the patio here. I believe I had a similar experience here years ago (per one of my guests) so I will not be patio dining here again -- particularly in the winter when there is no one on the street.

The food was good but the price was not it. I felt every bite I took was a bite an out of my wallet. The service was good and we got seated right next to the sushi chefs. We got the yellow tail hamachi, nigiri, and two rolls which came out to 250 dollars . The ambience was very cozy even though the price wasn't. Overall we would go back again but only for special occasions.

We ordered the crispy rice with spicy tuna, lobster tacos, rock shrimp tempura, squid pasta, miso cod, prime filet tobanyaki, bento box dessert and the zen garden dessert. Everything was so delicious but my favorites were the squid pasta and the zen garden dessert. Service was wonderful even though they were busy. The garden looks so nice and we can't wait to go back.

The miso cod here is very good here. It was soft, buttery, slightly crispy on the outside. We enjoyed the cod better than the nigiri and that is saying a lot since we love nigiri and raw fish. For the nigiri, the best cuts were the toro, sweet shrimp , scallop, uni and ikura. The wasabi was not real wasabi , it was also not spicy enough. The lobster was already removed from the shells so it was very easy to eat. We brought a baby and mentioned it while making the reservation so they sat us in an area with extra space in the patio which was nice. Trendy restaurant. Clean bathrooms.

Nobu restaurants provide a consistently great experience. The location in Palo Alto is no exception. We've dined here over the years and love both the omakase experience and a la carte menu. We hadn't been since 2021 though and came for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were seated quickly. Very busy and loud but fun energy! All of our food and drinks were delicious! My only complaint is our lobster dish was over salted and maybe over sauced for my liking. It was a lively experience. Excellent people watching too.

Discovered that @nobupaloalto offers afternoon tea on Open Table Cozy tea time with friends in a serene, beautiful Japanese garden setting--perfect for a relaxed chat! Open from 2:00-5:00 PM. 180 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto. The menu consists of four courses: Tea: Everyone gets to choose a pot of tea. I went with Hojicha (my favorite). It has a sweet, mild flavor, and there are multiple options available. Snack Platter: This was the highlight for me. The presentation was flawless, with six different snacks. The crab sandwich topped with caviar was a standout, the salmon taco was tasty, and the avocado ball was super creamy! Each bite had its unique charm. Fruit Platter: I was captivated by the attention to detail. The fruit slices were uniformly thick, with all the stems removed for a smoother texture and a melt-in-your-mouth experience. And yes, the sweetness was just right! Cake Platter: The macarons and cream puffs were average, but the lemon tart and chocolate cake were quite good! Overall, considering the ambiance, $70 per person is reasonable. The food was satisfying, and while it might not look like a lot, it's filling! Worth a try. The service is ok. #japanese #foodie #afternoontea #yummy #tea #teagarden #japanesegarden #california #paloalto

I see why NOBU is popular and fancy. Yes it is an urban hotel, one of the few fancy ones near Stanford, it is a bit noisy but the hotel and restaurant felt like a real calm, retreat. Delicious food (high quality beautiful delicious fresh sushi nigiri, bento, miso cod). Expensive but actually quite impressive. The beautiful NOBU branded (literally branded) TAMAGO is delicious and tastes more like a sponge cake. It is unique and picture perfect. The highlight was definitely getting room service sushi. It is just insanely cool and unique. The other highlight is how neat, Japanese, serene and indoor outdoor the room is. Though the street can be noisy, there's a terrace in the room for some fresh air, or shut the shade for some time away from the sun but still get beautiful light permeates through. The valet parking service is phenomenal. They are so fast and so timely, it really helped us with conference and busy work schedules. They even interpret your habit a bit. I see why people seek a retreat style ryokan hotel now. It was calming during a time of much anxiety and time, career related stress. I am a fan now. The cast iron tea pot and NOBU water in reusable aluminum bottle in the room are wonderful too. It is unique, pricey but worth trying. Noise is a bit hard for some. But we rested well.

I visited for a company team holiday dinner and we had a reservation in the back private room. It was dimly lit to create a more intimate ambiance. We had a party of about 15 and they had circle 3 tables set up for us. We wished it was a long shared table but were told that is always set like that in the private room. This wasn't a huge issue just wished we were all on one table. Andy was our head server/sommelier and he was great! Andy and his team delivered top tier service from glasses never empty to continuous food service. Beverages: I had the Mia Margarita. It was good, a bit sweet for me. Probably should have just asked for a regular margarita or been okay with the 3 other glasses I had in front of me haha. Someone in our group was ordering different wines and I believe Andy was discussing with him the best pairings with the food we had on the set menu. Well done! The food, all I can say is WOW! We had a set menu and each item was plated beautifully and while each bite was seasoned to perfection. Chefs kiss! Edamame - simple and nothing special Shishito peppers - I was scared to try these because I know some are spicier than others but luckily I didn't come across any spicy ones. They were delicious! Kampachi yuzu kosho - seasoned perfectly! Each bite was amazing and the fish was incredibly fresh Japanese Snapper dry miso - also delicious and seasoned perfectly. Selection of nigiri and sushi rolls - perfect fish to rice ratio. I appreciated that there wasn't a wasabi in each piece but I do wish each nigiri piece was seasoned but nothing a little soy couldn't fix. The fish quality was top tier. My absolute favorite was the Toro nigiri. Talk about melt in your mouth freshness! Scallop corn sauce with crispy thyme - cooked to perfection. The corn sauce sounded weird but paired perfectly with the dish Ribeye - seasoned perfectly, was a bit too rare for me but I did enjoy a few pieces! We also ordered shrimp tempura and the popcorn shrimp because a few people at our table didn't eat raw fish. The popcorn shrimp was good but the tempura was mid. Also the bathrooms are very clean and modern with bidet toilets like in Japan! Great service and food! I would return if it were a special occasion but likely wouldn't make this a regular place to visit because of the price tag.

Came here for pre dinner drinks and really loved the vibe. Classy, intimate ambiance. Well balanced and delicious cocktails. Great drinks spot for dates or a small group.

What a beautiful restaurant! It's very modern and what you would expect from a high end Japanese restaurant. I learned it also has a Peruvian influence, very cool. One complaint from the get go is my friends and I made a reservation on open table and it didn't specify outdoor or indoor. We were seated next to their cute little zen garden outside. It was so cold and windy on an August evening!! We assumed we would be seated indoor since we didn't request to be outdoors and they were completely booked up that evening so we had to put up with the cold. They did offer us blankets. I guess be prepared for possibly being seated outdoors. Our waiter was great and gave us good recommendations. Portions are very small and although they say it's family style and enough to share, sharing means each person gets a small taste LOL. We shared the spicy miso eggplant, spicy edamame, and the cauliflower. Loooved the edamame, very tasty flavor and only a little kick of spice. The eggplant was my favorite! The cauliflower was good but a little bland, probably wouldn't order this again. I was impressed with the many vegetarian options! For sushi I had the vegetarian roll, cut. Is it the best veggie sushi I've had? No, but it was still enjoyable. I wish they incorporated tofu into their food. My friends enjoyed their sushi as well. For dessert we shared the date cake. Omg! So good! You have to try this. The cake was moist and chewy and the walnuts paired nicely. For birthdays the restaurant gives complimentary ice cream. Nice place for a special occasion or a date :-).

The food here was amazing. We got seated right outside of a beautiful garden, which was very pleasant to gaze at while eating. The food portions were pretty small and expensive, but it was incredibly high quality. I probably would not come here again, but it was still a good experience overall.

Pricy but overall experience was great. Food quality is better than Malibu location. We visited here on Sunday night for my B-day. Host guided us to our seating outside patio, heater was on enough to heat us although it was cold. Server were friendly and nice. Good recommendations. Food - we ordered fluke sashimi, tenderloin, miso black cod, nigiri sushi. Main and appetizer were amazing, but what I didn't like about nigiri was their sushi rich was super salty. U won't need soy sauce for the nigiri, u actually need to drink a lot of water after. Overall, my experience here was very smooth and nice. Price can be high, but you won't get disappointed.

Always a phenomenal experience at Nobu! Service is always great and food is always even better! My favorite is the black cod. I tell everyone who will listen... if you haven't gotten the black cod at nobu then you haven't been to nobu!

Looking for a high class restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or a date night? Do you love Japanese cuisine ? This is the place for you! I've heard many great things about Nobu for awhile so when my husband and I were looking to celebrate our wedding anniversary, I knew just the place!! Reservation process: Reservations were super simple. You booked online. FYI they do charge you a prefix fee on your card when you book. This does NOT mean that you are stuck with paying the full pre/fix menu. It just holds the reservation for you. We learned that upon arriving at the restaurant! Location: It's nestled inside the Nobu hotel in the heart of downtown of Palo Alto. Your best bet is to street park (which we did) unless you want to do valet. As soon as you enter the hotel the restaurant is right there. Ambiance: You walk in and it's pretty beautiful. The decor is simple and elegant. You see the sushi chefs at the back preparing the food which is a nice touch. The lighting is pretty great too, great for photos! Food: Now for the show starter! The food is pretty INCREDIBLE! I didn't know what to expect from this Japanese American fusion but man was it ever good! You can choose to do an omakaze with a curated menu or you can just pick and choose the dishes which we did. Highlights & memorable dishes: -The salad with the crispy shiitake mushrooms. Typically salad portions at such type of restaurants are so small but this one is HUGE! And so flavorful! I loved the Unami flavor and crunch. Highly recommend. -The fish! The sashimi were spot on. It was so fresh and melted in your mouth. We got the tuna, the yellowtail, the sweet shrimp and the salmon -The wagyu! Soooo I warn you it is super pricy for 1 ounce of this beef. Is it worth spending that much on a small piece of meat you say? Yes it really is. If you've never had it I would certainly do this dish. We did it flambé style and it was quite a show. It really was super tender and just melted in your mouth like butter. This is a must if you haven't tried it yet. -the tuna mouse with potato cracker bites: these were incredible! It was a taste explosion in my mouth. I actually had to order another order as they were SO TASTY. Service: Now this is where the restaurant lacked and why it was not 5 stars. Service was OK. You would think for a such a high end place that the waiting staff would be more friendly, attentive, but nope. Our waiter totally missed the ball on that so I took out 1 star. Overall 4/5 stars for this place. I definitely recommend you coming here for a special occasion as it is a bit on the pricy side. The food in itself is pretty amazing!

Went on a date with my wife and we have wanted to try Nobu for years and we finally had a chance. Definitely the miso cod is to die for. Would really recommend that the miso cod is a must get! The other food was decent but I've definitely had better sushi elsewhere.

Whole Foods level sushi at quadruple the price, and very slow service. Highly don't recommend.

We got the yellowtail sashimi jalapeno, wagyu tacos, rockshrimp tempura, soft shell crab roll, and house special roll. Everything was super fresh. Wagyu melted in the mouth and was my favorite. Both sushi rolls looked beautiful and you could taste the simplicity and freshness of the ingredients. Rockshrimp tempura was crispy and not overly oily. The food is delicious and the flavors are simple. It's quite expensive and I think there are restaurants of equal quality for cheaper. Either way, I enjoyed dining here.

Don't come with the expectations of being full as the portions of Nobu are what is expected for a high class Japanese restaurant. They do offer an excellent dining experience with amazing presentations to their food. We went for dinner and we got the earliest reservations as I saw that they have slots for the hour. One thing they mention when you do go, is that they will need the table back an hour and 45 mins for the next slot of reservations. The food was very good but portions are smaller than regular sized food. The price is also similar to what you would expect for a sophisticated restaurant. Definitely a place for special occasion as the atmosphere was very elegant and sophisticated, while most were dressed for the occasion. The food that we ordered: Tai Agave (5/5): very fresh and great pairings with garnish they place on tip Brussel Sprouts (3/5): sauce was overpowering as the taste could get a little heavy Rock Shrimp Ceviche (4/5): great appetizer to start with as it has bursting citrus flavors Wagyu Tacos (3/5): meat was very tender and juicy but for the price to size I would not order again NY Steak (5/5): cooked rare medium, sauce was amazing and the portion was great! Toro & Scallion Roll (3/5): nothing really too special, a bit overpriced if you ask me Bento Box Dessert (4/5): from pictures it looked a little bland but the matcha gelato was to die for! Xurro (3/5): I didn't really like it as the strawberry filling was a bit too sweet for me

Came here for drinks with coworkers before dinner. Loved the cocktail and ambience!! Would definitely come back and try the food

Nobu was just ok overall. There were some mixed reviews on Yelp noting that other Nobu locations are great, and Nobu Palo Alto is an outlier. I personally would not come back to this location. FOOD: It was just fine. Not horrible. The thing is I can get this same tasting food elsewhere, and in some cases cheaper. There is no shortage of Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area haha. The crispy rice spicy tuna was a ridiculous $10 per piece, though it was my favorite part. The eel roll was fine. The squid was overcooked, that dish was whatever and boring. The shrimp tempura was good. The birthday dessert was a fresh mint and strawberry ice cream which I liked. Also we were both feeling major indigestion after!! We don't know what happened and I felt like this. EXPERIENCE: Looks-wise it was sleek and modern. But it was as loud as an early aughts Abercrombie, we couldn't hear each other across the table . The tables were too close together, servers looked like they were struggling to pass through, they knocked my purse onto the floor! My chopstick rest had dust/debris on it. The workers seemed rushed. Our hostess didn't walk us to our table, just pointed to it from afar. We were disappointed, as we expected more given their reputation as a celebrity hot-spot. But glad we got to try it!

Although the valet was unnecessary, they literally moved the car a bit forward from where we had already parked. The food was lived up to the name! The salmon was so good. Everything was flavorful and the perfect texture! The staff was kind and constantly checking on us! Overall would definitely come again!

The reviews here are all over the map which may be at least somewhat because not everything on their now-huge menu is a winner. But here's what is: the Wagyu! It's priced by the ($39) ounce, and I think it has a 2 oz minimum. But honestly 2 oz is about what this wagyu obsessed foodie needed. We also got a bunch of sushi and a couple drinks, but I didn't take notes on what was good. I think one drink was exceptionally tasty and the other was a dud. What I did remember is that I want to go back just for the wagyu.

The ambiance is plush and high end. The service is impeccable. The food is fresh and portions small. Highlights for me was the Miso cod and yellowtail sashimi. Brilliant ! We were a large group, and still got attended to well even with dietary restrictions.

Tried the chefs omakase, and it was probably the best meal of my life. We sat in the indoor garden seating which had a lovely romantic vibe. Our servers Andy and Brian took some notes on our food preferences and delivered a wonderful tasting menu and phenomenal service!!

Long overdue, but my lunch here was so good that I remembered to come back and leave a review months later! I absolutely LOVE their tuna crispy rice. They nailed the texture, flavor, and freshness of the fish. There isn't a thing I'd change about this appetizer. She's the moment for sure. The tuna tartare was also delicious but I wish it had a crunchy thing to bring the textures together. It was like mush just eating it with a spoon. Oh well. Miso cod.. I think about you all the time. No wonder that's their signature dish. It's soooo juicy and tender, and full of flavor. I actually am not a fan of cooked fish but I absolutely am a huge fan of Nobu's miso cod. It's just that good. Assorted nigiri's - I tried uni, kanpachi, unagi, and toro.. and hamachi I believe? No complaints on any of these, all were great. My personal favorite is their uni. It was sourced from Japan and super fresh! Service was great as always. Parking might be tricky due to the busy area. But we lucked out and found street parking. Hope that will be the case for others reading this too. I was really hoping Nobu wouldn't be overrated and luckily I was not disappointed. Good job, Nobu Palo Alto.

What an amazing evening! My dad came into town, and of course we had to have dinner here. Tracy was our server and she was so pleasant, my dad had never been to Nobu before and she did such a good job explaining the menu and recommending their most popular dishes. Our dinner was so tasty, and the drinks were phenomenal. Nobu has always been a favorite restaurant of mine, but Tracy made it one of my favorite times that I've visited.

Oh man. First off, everything we ordered was great. Rock fish tempura with spicy cream sauce was so good. The tacos were so good too; we ordered the lobster, sea bass and ribeye. I have to say, the service needs work. We were sat at our scheduled reservation time at 5:15pm upon arrival they were sure to remind us of the time limit. Fine. At the time of booking ON THE SAME DAY they were sure to tell us that there would be a $50 charge per person if we cancelled within 24 hours. This isn't Vegas, chill. But fine. We sat, and waited, and waited and waited. Tables sat after us got served and had their drinks before we got our food menus. A random floor supervisor took our drink order after I said something to my husband about noticing people being served before us that were sat after us. Honestly, they did their best to reconcile the issue AFTER I went to the host stand to express my distrust with the service but they never really acknowledged the fact we were over looked by the server that clearly was avoiding us, serving literally everyone around us. Do yourself a favor and go to an authentic Japanese's place for good sushi, go to a good Peruvian place for good Peruvian and skip the over priced, arrogant service that the name Nobu offers. There is better food and service for a better price. We still left feeling shit on for a lack of better terms and will never be back nor recommend this place to anyone.

We stopped in yesterday for the afternoon tea experience. Overall, we really love Nobu and were looking forward to trying their afternoon tea. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess who seated us right away. Unfortunately, once seated we waited about 10 minutes to be acknowledged by the server and given a menu. Not a great start. He was also very unfriendly and inattentive throughout. The ambience was lovely and very calming. The food was delicious and some of our favorites were: 1. egg salad tacos 2. lychee cream dessert 3. strawberry matcha cream puffs Overall, food and ambience were a 5/5 but service was a 1/5. We expect more from Nobu as we have always had great service at other locations.

Had a chance to visit Nobu for a friend's birthday and overall it was an okay experience. Given how famous Nobu is I was excited to try it, and worth trying once if you want the experience. This place is certainly fancy and ambiance was nice. Service was also top notch and folks did come back to check in on us multiple times. Once we were seated of course I was excited to try the food. We tried: * yellowtail sashimi - this was delicious and buttery, you could tell the fish was really fresh *Salmon sashimi - this came with a really yummy sauce that I really enjoyed *mushroom soup - this was light and refreshing but nothing spectacular * rock shrimp tempura with aioli sauce - this was yummy and the quality of shrimp was good. However nothing I haven't had before * miso cod - this was really yummy and well made, everyone enjoyed this * seabass tacos - these were extremely small but they were tasty, but I wouldn't say worth $10/taco * strip steak with veggies - this was really yummy and well made, our group gobbled this up! * brussel sprouts - this was yummy and enjoyed how crispy they were *shrimp tempura roll - this was yummy and standard, enjoyed this though *chocolate cake with matcha ice cream - this was yummy and there was gooey chocolate coming out of the cake which made it fun. Matcha ice cream had strong flavor so get if you enjoy matcha Overall decent experience!

I'm giving Nobu a 5-star bc my server Justin made it a memorable first time experience. He went over the drink and food menu intensively, and gave some delicious recommendations that did not disappoint. I would definitely come back for occasions or a dinner with the girlfriends type of night. The lychee and pina martinis were delicious and refreshing (good amount of alcohol). The cold and hot places were delicious. & the dessert put the icing on the cake. My family doesn't really like overly sweet dessert but was a huge fan of the unique Zen Garden dessert. Ambiance was nice especially on a beautiful day. I would just say parking can be difficult on a busy day since it's street parking. There is valet available though.

Bigeye & Bluefin Toro Tartare w/ Caviar 4 soaked in salty ponzu sauce King Crab Tempura Ama-zu 4 seaweed, sour dressing Chilean Seabass w/ Dry Miso 5 flaky, juicy, crispy crust on top, yuzu olive oil on bottom Lyre Liar 3 coconut cream, pineapple, strawberry calpico, light flavored water, not sweet

JT and Noah took care of us and were absolutely perfect, service and explanations were good, recommendations were great, and just overall vibes were excellent. Would recommend

We have been to Nobu restaurants all over the world. We have been to this Nobu in Palo Alto 3 times. The hot lobster was so awesome. I also loved the yellowtail with ponzu. My husband likes Miso Black Cod and it's our standard order at Nobu. This time, the cod was watery and not firm. It was just not cooked enough. His cod was blackened and over cooked. We waited 30 minutes for just the cod. We were highly disappointed. The other thing that was strange that they gave us the wine list and didn't provide menus for 15 minutes. We brought a bottle of wine and we bought a bottle. They charged us a $50 corkage fee still, For a restaurant like Nobu I expected more.

This was my and my boyfriend's very first time in Nobu. We were celebrating my birthday for the 20th time in the month of January. LOL Make sure you get a reservation. It is almost impossible to get a table here, especially on a weekend. They have a 20-minute grace period, so if you're running late, keep that in mind. Valet ($35)- They have a valet right in front of the hotel. It is $35, which I feel is pretty steep for a 2-hour dinner, so keep that in mind. It is very convenient since you don't have to worry about parking. You either pay on the link they send you or upstairs in their hotel lobby. When we entered the lobby, to the left was a hotel bar, which appeared to be very crowded, and to the right was the Nobu restaurant. Remember that this restaurant is attached to the hotel, and the hotel itself is upstairs. We checked in for our reservations, and we were seated immediately. Our server, Dennis, greeted us immediately once we were seated. He gave us the drink menu first and explained to us what it consisted of. The sake drinks, the wine drinks, the beers, and then the cocktails. I ordered the cucumber refresher cocktail with lychee I forgot the actual name of it and my boyfriend ordered the woodsman cocktail. Their drinks were phenomenal. I really enjoyed their cocktails. They were really pricey, but they were really good Appetizer: Fresh Oysters (3pc) $18- This was definitely fresh, it was very tasty. Shrimp Tempura (2pc) $16- I knew this came 2pcs per order, but Jesus Christ. I wasn't sure why it was only 2 pcs. I thought there was something special about the shrimp, that's why the price was like that, but this was just any other shrimp tempura. There was, honestly, nothing special about it. Seared Salmon $30+- This was really good. I really enjoyed this dish. The sauce and how the salmon was seared was just perfect. Entree: Squid 'Pasta" with Light Garlic Sauce $28- This was honestly the best dish we had here at Nobu. The seasoning was great. The amount of squid was perfect, and the veggies were cooked perfectly. Ribeye with Truffle Butter Sauce $55- We ordered this medium. I do agree that medium is a temperature that is hard to perfect, which was the case with this meal. It was still really good, and it matched perfectly with the squid pasta, it wasn't cooked to my boyfriend's liking, but we still enjoyed it. Hand California Roll $19- We needed a last meal because we still weren't full, so this was our final order, which pretty much put the icing on top of the cake. This roll was good, it came with 6pcs of roll and it was perfectly enough for me and my boyfriend. Dessert: Panna Cotta Garden Something- This was good, I've definitely had better panna cotta. I think this was more for the presentation. I also received an ice cream birthday dessert, and it was really good. The birthday dessert was better than the panna cotta. I also had a cappuccino for dessert, which I'm glad they have coffee. Bussers- They are very attentive, and they make sure they clean your table promptly and they make sure it is ready for your next dish. They fill up your water quickly and clear out your empty glassware right away. They are also very respectful and would ask you first before they touch anything. We ordered edamame, which we never received, but it was still on our bill, so we had to ask our server to remove it. We also ordered non-alcoholic drinks, a Coke, and an iced tea, and I had to remind our server a couple of times that we didn't get the Coke or the iced tea. We eventually got it, but I wasn't sure why they were forgetting it. First, I'm glad I was finally able to experience Nobu. It was a good experience. The service was okay. Our server, Dennis, was very knowledgeable of the menu and explained to us very well their specialties and how the menu worked. I do want to experience their bar, but honestly, you pay the price for the name. I say this because Nobu has a high-end connotation attached to it. Their dishes are definitely small, which forces you to order more if you want to be full. But that is what they are known for.

How can you be elated and sad at the same time? Yellow tail sashimi, lobster and sushi were divine. Their signature miso black cod was burnt for one and sloppy for another. Chocolate bento was sad. Waitress was lackluster but bar and bus staff were great. Bought a very nice expensive bottle of wine and the still charged us corkage and were only two of us. The most irritating was being told we had to eat in 1 hour 45 minutes, it took half hour just to get our black cod, and when we left the restaurant was over half empty. Bonus $35 charge for valet since there is no parking! Hint: Try Flowers restaurant in Saratoga for better Miso Black Cod (and other food), better service, great priced wines and no corkage! Ask for Timmy as your server!