Nori Japanese Restaurant

We booked a table for a Thursday lunch, thank goodness we did, because the place was absolutely packed! But after that first bite, it was instantly clear why Nori has such a devoted following. Even with the crowd, our food arrived quickly, and the staff kept our water and green tea constantly topped up. Service was efficient and genuinely warm, making the busy atmosphere feel lively rather than hectic. As a Mill Bay local, I can confidently say the drive to Nanaimo for Nori is 100% worth it. I always hear people raving about their sushi, and they’re right to. The menu offers a huge variety, yet every dish tastes fresh and carefully prepared. The fish was incredibly fresh, the miso soup had a distinctive, comforting flavor, and the warm sake was the perfect finishing touch. Everyone at our table left happy, full, and already planning our next visit. Nori easily earns an 11/10 from me, absolutely worth the trip and highly recommended!!

Stopped at Nori Japanese Restaurant for a quick lunch in Nanaimo while driving from Tofino to Sidney, and wow — what a gem. We went with the chef’s special 3-course menu, and every course delivered. The starter was delicious , the main course was full of flavour and expertly prepared, and the dessert was the perfect finish — light, creative, and absolutely delicious. Even on a tight schedule, the quality and care really stood out. Can’t wait to come back with more time to properly dive into the rest of the menu. We ordered the chicken karaage for the kids, and it was delicious as well. Despite the place being super busy, the service was excellent — no long wait for food, and the servers were incredibly attentive.

Reservation highly recommended, we went on a Saturday. There was a line up around the building when they opened up. Once you eat the food, you'll understand why. They were busy, but our food still got out to us in great time! Our beers we ordered didnt for some weird reason, but all good we had water, and green tea that were always full, so that was really nice. I dont think the owner is Japanese, but they still hold the Japanese custom of shouting Ireshaimasen! When customers enter the restaurant. Which I really loved and really brought me back to actual Japan and added to the amazing atmosphere of this restaurant. As a local I see this place immediately raved when someone new to town is looking for good sushi; and rightfully so. The wide variety of options and still have everything taste amazing is so awesome. Love their holiday promo on their gift cards, I bought it and got a bonus card to use in the new year. They would have been cool to know before hand, it was just an asterisk* on their poster, but nevertheless I still got one. Our whole table left happy and full. 11/10 always recommend Nori.

We had an opportunity to come to Sushi Nori 2 time during our visit to Nanaimo. The sushi were super delicious especially everything with lobster. We liked the atmosphere in the restaurant, everyone was super friendly and polite. The only thing it was a bit noisy. Highly recommended place in Nanaimo!

The food was genuinely delicious, with each dish full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere added a lot to the warm, lively, and welcoming, making it an ideal spot to relax and enjoy a meal. I’ll definitely be returning because the overall experience was impressive. Just a tip: make sure to book in advance, as the place gets busy and you might end up waiting if you walk in.

Amazing experience at Nori. The food and service were both amazing. The food came out quick and all members of the staff were attentive and friendly. Their attention to detail really made for an elevated experience. We will of course be back.

First time visitor here from Vancouver. Will I come back? Most likely yes. Food: really good overall. The negikura roll was unlike anything I've had before. It was heavenly. Transcendent, dare I say, and only because it combines two of my favourite aspects of any sushi: ikura and negitoro. Unfortunately, the yosenabe udon (not pictured) was not flavorful at all and mostly just spicy. The regular spicy tuna roll (not pictured) was very good. The D.A.M. good roll was nice, but the rolls aesthetics were better than the taste. Nothing crazy, just simply good. Service: overall, good. A little inconsistent on the speed, maybe because of a busy lunch hour. Between placing the order and getting three rolls was around 10 minutes, but it felt like 5, it was so fast! But the yosenabe took about 30 minutes which felt like a long time. Each server was friendly and made sure our tea cups were full. Price: decent, maybe a bit on the high side. Two specialty rolls costed $42 before tax. They were, however, filling and delicious. Portion size: good. They don't cheap out on the portions here. Presentation: all the food was presented nicely, especially the specialty rolls. Nothing was sloppy when it comes to presentation. Final verdict: a gem to visit in nanaimo if you're craving good sushi. I would love to try some of their other items next time. The negikura was definitely a game changer for me and I will be ordering that one again for sure. Whoever came up with that idea deserves a raise!

Everything was absolutely delicious and fresh! The portions are big, and the service is quick and attentive. The staff are kind and welcoming — you really feel cared for here. They also serve complimentary green tea, which is very tasty and refilled as much as you like during your meal. The atmosphere is cozy, especially if you book a table by the window. It can get quite busy and a bit noisy on weekend evenings, so it’s not the most private place — but if you want truly good sushi, this spot is definitely worth it! 🍣🍵✨

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE If you've a hankering for Asian cuisine in Nanaimo and there's only one place you could go to, Nori should be one of your top picks! Good food, good service, and in a place with good vibes. === 2. FOOD When dining at lunch, the lunch specials offer incredible value; each option includes 4-piece California roll, small green salad, 2-piece gyoza, 2-piece prawn tempura, a miso soup, and a side dish ("okazu") of the day. Some thoughts: - The portions are decent even if you're hungry! - The prawn tempura (at least today) feel more batter than prawn. - The okazu (at least today) was fried - a fancy spring roll - which is interesting as side dishes in Japan in this context are often fish-based?). - Overall, the food quality is good. Buta Shoga Lunch Special ($22) Shoyu, ginger-marinated pork on rice - a good heart-warming combo as any! Sashimi & Sushi Lunch Special ($23) 6 pieces of sashimi (salmon and tuna) and three pieces of sushi (also salmon and tuna) make this lunch special one of the healthier options on the menu. Chashu Miso Ramen ($18) My little guy loves noodles, even if it comes in piping-hot pork bone broth. Depending on your little one, kids 6 and under in age may need a grown-up to help finish this dish! === 3. SERVICE The place is POPULAR and so be prepared to wait. One the most recent visit during lunch, we were lucky to slide in fairly quickly and the servers were fairly prompt and professional. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It's basic, yet has a modern open-view environment with a view of the bar/kitchen from across the restaurant. It's similar in vibe to its sister restaurant nearby (Horang) but the service is better and diners with small children will find more appealing seating options here. Wheelchairs and baby strollers would fit just fine and your chance at finding a place to park in the shopping complex lot outside is pretty decent!

Not to be dramatic, but I think eating at Nori permanently altered my brain chemistry. I knew it was going to be good, but it ended up being some of the best sushi I've had in my life. The restaurant itself was pretty small, but they were able to accommodate our party of 8 (with a reservation) at a large table. The ambiance was casual, and our server was enthusiastic and welcoming. We got complimentary Green Tea, and the refills came around frequently. For food, we definitely over-ordered, but I wanted to try everything. The two of us shared the BBQ Tuna and the Chef's Raft, which was an assortment of sashimi, nigiri, and oshi sushi for 2 people. The BBQ Tuna came out first and the presentation alone was super exciting - they cook it right in front of you with flames, which is so fun. It was also delicious, especially the sauce it was marinated in. The Chef's Raft was also insane, between the beautiful presentation and the sheer amount of food. All the sashimi and nigiri were so fresh and tasty, but the aburi oshi sushi blew my mind. I've never seen it anywhere before, but it's basically pressed sushi made with miso aioli. We had two varieties of this on our Chef's Raft - the Tuna Pesto and Hotate with jalapeño. I don't even know which of these I liked more, they were both incredible. The Chef's Raft also had prawn heads on it, which our server offered to deep fry. We went for it, and it was cool to try and eat them like a cracker, although I can't say they tasted great. Somehow we managed to finish the entire raft, but it definitely would've been enough food on its own, without the BBQ Tuna. Overall, Nori was amazing - would love to return!

I walked in to eat for lunch, I was seated, was not approached to order drinks or food, another couple walked in after me was offered drinks and had their order taken, they seemed to be friends with the employees, sat for another couple of mins and after nobody came to my table I just got up and left, TERRIBLE!!!!

They forgot one of our rolls (my favourite) and the Man who answered told me I didn't sound like my name, and then told me to hold, so I didn't talk and then he hung up on me. So I called back and he told me it was because I "wasn't talking" but he told me to hold? So I wasn't talking? Then, after this long, he told me the kitchen was closed and we couldn't pick up our forgotten roll.

Wow, what a great selection of food as I couldn't decide I choose the Beef Teriyaki Bento Box (though the called it by a different name) each dish was a taste explosion. We had a new server and if this is the beginning of her serving career she will do amazing. The food was so good I honestly didn't notice the ambiance, the food is great get there early.

Our go to restaurant when tired of our kitchen. Take out varies... sometimes excellent sometimes meh and cold. Best in the area for dine in.

Food portions were very generous with kind service! Be sure to make reservations ahead of time.

the staff is theeee worst on the island I got my usual but it fell short. the 1/2 booth they squished 4 of us in was ridiculous and that's after we called for a reservation a week in advance I think I'll be looking for a new place

Very tasty and never disappointed.The food is very creative.The service is very attentive and decent, the environment and atmosphere is very nice.

Best sushi in Nanaimo. High quality sushi, fresh, and delicious. Even though I've only tried a handful of the items on their menu, I don't think you can go wrong with anything. You could literally close your eyes and point, and still get delicious sushi. A couple of items that stood out: karai chirashi don ($22) - surprised at the generous portion, and island fever roll ($14) definitely got me having island fever. Food presentation was 100% on point. Unfortunately, it seemed like service was negatively impacted as they were busy. We didn't get any tea refill until the very end. Overall, I would definitely visit Nori again!

My wife and I are on the island for a few days on holiday from Vancouver. Nori was a random choice I made, and I'm so glad I did. The restaurant is bright and welcoming. The staff were always there at our table at the right time when we needed something. We looked around at other tables, and saw the rolls were huge, so we split two between us - the Roll 911 and the Flaming Viper. The Flaming Viper was the one we finished second. I'm a big sucker for eel rolls, but I don't think I've ever had one on fire! It was slightly sweet but a great choice to have as our final roll. The star of the show was the Roll 911. I was not prepared for the flavour journey this roll would take us on. It's really hard for me to describe, but each piece brought such a smile to my face as I worked my way through it. I am from California and have had my fair share of sushi up and down the west coast. I am not kidding when I say this is easily one of the best rolls I've had in my life. When we're back in Vancouver, I am still going to be thinking about this place. I'm probably gonna feel like I'm cheating on it with other sushi places. This place is incredible and you owe it to yourself to go there.

This was our #1 place to visit on a trip to Nanaimo and we made it in time for lunch giving me an opportunity to try out their lunch teishoku! I chose the Sushi and Sashimi Teishoku which came with 6 slices of sashimi, 3 nigiri as well as their standard Tei Sho Ku including takoyai, gyoza, tempura, salad, 4 pcs california roll and miso soup. My favourite part of this set was the VARIETY as I got a little bit of everything! All of it tasted good, was well prepared and for this price, it is hard to find anything like it in Vancouver. My dining companions ordered 3 special rolls and the fruit sake flight. The rolls were pricey but HUGE and when they came to the table, they knew it was way too much! Overall, when people say food here is good, they are right. The prices seem high when looking at the menu but the portions are quite large so it is reasonable.

The best sushi place I've ever been to hands down. The chefs are artists and make the food as beautiful as it is tasty. They are always busy and have been for years for a reason: because they are the best. Definitely try Nori Sushi.

We decided to try this place out after it was recommended to us by a local. This restaurant is located in the same shopping complex as Costco, on the North end of Nanaimo. The food here is reasonably priced and the portions are generous. The sashimi fish we got was fresh and tasted good. However, none of the items were memorable. In fact, the California roll tasted quite mediocre. Perhaps, this place is the best Japanese that Nanaimo has to offer, but compared to the top Japanese restaurants on the mainland, this place is a tier lower.

Like to come here on special occasions, food is delicious and staff are welcoming. 100% willing to pay a bit more than usual for the great quality and experience.

Well, this is no hidden gem. But , wow this is great. For the incredibly responsive service, the the fresh takes on different rolls; Nori deliver slow on every front. Their take on a bento box is a nearly too much food to eat platter with everything you could want to eat. I went with a colleague and we had an amazing lunch. Definitely a return visit from me.

Very nice food presentation and great tasting food. A little expensive, but worth it. It's been over 5 years since I have been back to the Nanaimo but Nori is still here . Sushimi very fresh and they only use wild salmon now..

We always order our sushi from Nori! Fresh, great service and love the food presentation. Highly recommend!

Worth a try, but kind of forgettable. Small dining room. Tea was good. Sushi passed muster.

5 stars all the way. Excellent food and service. Best sushi I've had in all of BC! Every visit is an absolute delight.

Always a great evening out. Fun for a date night at the sushi bar or a large party to celebrate birthdays.

If you ask anyone in Nanaimo what is their favorite restaurant 9/10 people would say Nori!!! All the fish was super fresh. Food was fantastic and service was great. Will visit next time we head over to the island and share pictures! This place is a must try if you're craving some good Japanese.

Amazing meal. The Omakase B was delicious and surprisingly filling. It's rare that I ever want to repeat restaurants when travelling and I plan on coming back for lunch in a few days because it was just that good.

Fantastic selection of Asian fusion dishes! Best in Nanaimo for sure! I've never had a dish I didn't love from the simple avocado rolls to the decadent platters it all hits all the right notes!! Five stars, two thumbs up!!

Consistent quality Pleasant servers & Owner Over many years have enjoyed suppers here. They have always met my expectations. I consider Nori Restaurant my "go-to" restaurant for Japanese fare. Try it. You will return.

We were visiting the area and had an amazing meal here. The portions were very generous and the rolls were delicious. My son had the salmon cheek and said it was his favorite salmon ever.

Wow! So much fun. Awesome sushi. Chef walked us though every dish. You could tell he loved what he was going enjoying what he was doing. Made the entire experience great

Unreal sushi. So good! Their dancing scallop roll made me want to dance a jig. The gomae is oh so my tasty?

Stopped here for dinner when in the area. Excellent fish quality, creative rolls, good fish:rice ratio. Enjoyed the grilled meats as well - excellent flavour that went nicely to the onions. Complimentary green tea. Had Philadelphia rolls, a delicious strawberry/avocado/crab roll, negitoro roll, spicy salmon cone, sushi sampling (salmon, toro, unagi), and grilled short ribs. Dropped off a star for the atmosphere. It is *really* loud and crowded here... some staff also dress like they're working at Cactus Club/Browns than a sushi place. Nothing like what I'm used to when going for nicer sushi. Spent $100 for 2 so very reasonable prices compared to bigger cities.

I've never had a complaint. Wonderful and beautiful food and great staff. Just top notch

Nori is unmatched in its sushi in North America. I've eaten in NYC, Las Vegas, Chicago and all over. Johnny is a master and this little spot in a Costco parking lot is packed (get a reso days in advance). We had the dancing scallops, hamachi, a sashimi boat, red dragon, and a few other delectables. Sadly they were sold out of black cod which is to die for. My daughter loves sushi and has heard me talk about Nori for a few years so when she visited the island there was no stopping her from eating and it didn't disappoint. 5 ate for ~300 all in including drinks l. Wait staff were awesome, sitting at the bar watch the artistry in motion was the best. Search on line as many of the items served are off menu so you need to ask for them.

This is our go-to sushi place. Always a great meal, a bit on the expensive side but it's honestly worth it. My favourite is the avocado berry crunch roll, it's delicious! Very interesting atmosphere. It's nice when you sit at the bar because you can watch the chefs work as you wait for your food. The only downside is that it is loud in there, and pretty small. But the food is so good that it evens it out. The Matcha Cheesecake is the best desert I've ever had. Definitely will keep coming here for years to come!

Stopped here for lunch on our drive and was amazed by the delicious food! Generous portions, high quality sushi, beautiful presentation, and very friendly staff. Highly recommend and would stop here any time I'm in Nanaimo! We got the vegetarian lunch bento boxes, a DAM roll, and the sashimi salad. Would order them all again!

High quality Japanese restaurant - excellent service, fresh and delicious food! I enjoyed everything we ordered except the Pork chasu bibimbap, which is actually a Korean dish, that's too greasy and over spiced.

So good!!! I had the strawberry crunch roll and enjoyed every bite. Each piece was a bit too big to put in your mouth, but it held together really well when you took bites. Loved the texture and flavour in each bite. The sauce was yummy too. Will definitely be going back!

Fusion korean and japanese cusine. Very busy and lively restaurant, if you happen to be travelling to nanaimo, do give a try, reservation highly recommended

The food here is excellent. Fresh fish beautifully presented. A great selection of tools, not your average sushi joint. Premises are clean as well cared for. Staff are friendly and efficient, happily answering any menu questions, quick to refill your teacup and check in to make sure everything is to your liking. The house made spicy sashimi sauce is delicious, I always order this condiment when I have sashimi (and often with sushi). The restaurant is busy, reservations often required for a table, but you can often get a seat at the sushi bar as a walk in. The noise level is high, all those hard surfaces bouncing the sound around, and the sushi chefs and wait staff communicate by yelling to one another, often across the restaurant, but the food is worth putting up with the auditory chaos. The Tei-Sho-Ku lunch box is outstanding. Nice selection of items, and I can never quite finish it so get to enjoy the remainder later at home. I've tried several of their premium rolls, and enjoyed them all, Tropical Punch, Island Fever, T.H.C., and D.A.M. Hood.

Best sushi I've ever had. I have ventured across this pale blue dot trying to find a better sushi place for years. I've gained scars. I've lost family members. Yet my journey was a waste. No one has beat Nori. No one will.

I will venture out to say that this is probably one of the best if not THE best sushi I've ever had. My boyfriend and I visited Nanaimo for a couple days and wanted to enjoy a nice dinner out. Here's what we ordered: -Gyoza -Scallop explosion -Kussi half dozen -Dynamite combo -Roll 911 -Salmon belly sashimi-spicy sashimi -Island fever Seems like a lot of food, right? It was, but worth it? ABSOLUTELY! First off, we got to the restaurant at about 5:30pm and the place was already packed! We had to wait about 15 minutes to get seated. We decided to sit at the sushi bar which I thought was really fun because the chefs were interacting with guests and genuinely seemed to enjoy what they're doing. You can tell they have regulars...a few people said they would see them again next week. I loved that because that means the restaurant has good food and good service to make people want to come back again and again. Now back to the food--everything came out and the presentation was just impeccable. Each piece of fish just melted in your mouth. The balance of flavors was great and we were just all around impressed with the friendly service and the amazing food. Really wish we had a place like this back in San Francisco!

I lived in Japan for years and finding authentic and excellent sushi and Japanese food (try the curry!) in Nanaimo was a very nice surprise. The customer service is also excellent and they do such a great job considering how busy it is all the time there! Omedeto Nori!

So many great and tasty vegetarian options! Some of the most exciting flavours we have tried so far for sushi! Huge portions, although prices are a bit steep, you definitely get a lot for what you pay. Highly recommend!

Taste: 10/10 Value: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Wow this sushi restaurant was actually really really good. 1) scallop explosion - avocado and scallop wrapped in fish skin. Very very tasty. 2) prawn tempura - very good, crispy 3) 911 roll - spicy very tasty 4) island fever roll - amazing piece of tuna on top of the roll! 5) wild salmon sashimi -8 pieces, extremely fresh Overall would come again if I'm ever in Nanaimo!!

waited forever with a reservation Then waited ridiculously long for Mediocre sushi... (ok for Vancouver Island), but as far as city grade sushi goes not that great

I love Nori so much, I've been eating here for years now and the food has never been a disappointment. The only reason I'm rating 4 stars is because I've had a couple orders where I've ordered Uni, but it never came and I never got a refund for it :( But other than that, food and service is always impeccable!!

What a pleasant surprise! My team and I were in town for a quick work trip and stumbled upon Nori at lunch. The decor and staff were very impressive and the food was a match. I am not surprised at all they've got almost a perfect 5 stars! Highly recommend!

This is seriously some of the best sushi I have ever eaten! Having lived in Asia for over seven years and having travelled all over the world, I was blown away by the quality of the sushi here. It is the freshest, tastiest fish presented beautifully. Not only was the food amazing, but our first dinner at the sushi bar was easily one of the best experiences we've ever had eating out! The owner and his staff not only made us feel so welcome, but made sure we had an incredibly memorable evening. I've been back-and-forth to Nanaimo from Ontario six times over the last eight months and now can't imagine visiting without getting into Nori at least once! It is always a highlight of my visit to the city. I'm Back next week and you know I'll be there at least once. There are few restaurants doing what they do, as well as they do.

Everything I have tried on the menu has been well prepared. I enjoy the ambience of the restaurant; however, it is a little overpriced

Amazing sushi. I would definitely go back for the fresh assortment of sashimi and nigiri. They had just received the uni prior to my lunch and it was amazing

The food is excellent, period. The acoustics are hideous. My daughter and I could not hear the waitress while she was standing at hour table. The music was too high, and the bright room acoustics amplyfied both the music and the conversations of virtually everyone in the room. So, if you're wearimg hearing aids, I definitely recommend ordering your food to go. Before taking our order, the waitress told us that the kitchen could not make hot food, if you can imagine that, but the sushi was terrific.