It's my birthday. I am five feet of determination in 2.5-inch heels (vs my 6'3" date), already having eaten pavement twice that morning. Confidence? Shattered. but it's my birthday, spirits are still high We begin our journey: two blocks. Two. Blocks. My date is what I can only describe as a sentient boulder x redwood. A geological formation with feelings. This man covers one meter per stride while I am speed-walking like a determined squirrel in formalwear (or festive hamster?). And because I have to tilt my entire skull upward to communicate with him, I cannot see the ground. The ground, meanwhile, is throwing me curveballs. At one point, instead of warning me I'm about to trip on concrete, he just yanks me sideways with an "ahh!" Like I'm a decorative balloon at a child's birthday party about to blow away. I survive. But I make a mental note: must teach tall man how to steer small people. We are not luggage. We arrive. For sushi in America? Honestly? Pretty good. Suspiciously good. Like when you expect sad fish and even sadder rice, and instead receive something that respects the ocean. We ordered karaage as an appetizer (solid, respectable enough to make my ancestors nod, though it did come out in the middle of our meal, I could not be mad), a sashimi plate (Not fighting for its life), a San Clemente roll--because.. represent(?)--and a no-rice OJSN (ojisan, middle aged man) sushi roll. Also, a "white mushroom roll." I am seated in the corner like a tiny, judgmental raccoon with a giant bottle of Sapporo all to myself. It's my birthday. I deserve structural support. especially after the concrete declaring war? please. The no-rice sushi? Best I've had in the U.S. Except they used rice paper. Rice paper. Which is technically not, not, rice. But I'll allow it. Innovation is chaotic but smart. Now. The White Mushroom Roll--there were *no* mushrooms. let me repeat **NO** mushrooms Our server, Ary--Greek name, Mexican excellence, monk-level patience--explains that the roll is topped with a mayo cap before baking so it looks like a mushroom. I am a proud mushroom enthusiast. A fungal loyalist. I felt betrayed. But then... I tasted it... Why did it taste like clam chowder? Decadent. Creamy. Slightly illegal clam chowder. In sushi form. What coastal witchcraft is this? I was confused. I was impressed. I was emotionally unstable. At some point while chatting with Ary (probably lobbying for actual mushrooms), I casually mention it's my birthday. At the end of the meal... He returns with an ice cream platter and looks me dead in the eyes: "お誕生日おめでとう." (HBD) In Japanese. No warning. No drumroll. Just Ary, you icon. and a candle. So there I am. Five feet tall. In the corner. Singing "Happy Birthday" to myself because Tall Redwood Man is too shy?? Sir?? It is my birthday. You are 87 feet tall and afraid of melody? It's fine. It's ok. He did sing "Happy Birthday" ten times that day. (Nine times too many. but appreciated everytime, nonetheless) Overall review: Fish: surprisingly legit Mushroom: nonexistent Clam chowder sorcery: unsettling but delicious Sapporo: emotional support received Tall date: needs steering lessons Would I order the mushroom roll again, knowing it contains zero mushrooms? ...Unfortunately, yes. read more

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The food was marginal at best. I was disappointed after seeing the other reviews about this place. Nothing worth going back for. Three stars is pretty much overrated for them read more

Finally got around to having dinner here with a gf last night and it didn't disappoint - we unintentionally arrived at 5 pm when they opened for dinner service and I'm glad we did because people were already queueing out the door! Everything we ordered was delicious and amazing quality. We loved the spicy tuna rolls, deep fried crab roll, shrimp tempura roll, shrimp dumplings, and the spicy tuna crispy rice. Everything came out so fresh and quick and the service was impeccable. Can't wait to be back. What a perfect sushi spot in San Clemente! Small dining area so get there early! read more

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My husband has been coming here for 13 years...with a 10 year hiatus since we've been moving around. Tonight got the privilege of a bar seat in front of Chef Kyu. Gotta say, the hamachi kama is the largest we've ever experienced. Great start with the miso soup, and pretty delighted with chirashi bowl and the sushi plate. Definitely call to make a reservation! It gets busy very quickly. read more

9 Style Sushi - Sushi plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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We returned after 3 or 4 years due to frustrations about the service (not the food). The food is still good, but the service is now great! We arrived at 5 when they opened and had a wonderful experience. read more

I always stop into 9 style when I'm in town because it's just so good. I always get the koba clemente roll and the spicy garlic edamame, but would also recommend the eel nigiri and any of their hand rolls. 9 style just feels so cozy on the inside and the service is always wonderful. read more

Been coming here for years. Fish is always fresh. Staff is always super friendly and professional. Ambiance is exactly what you would expect from a non pretentious sushi spot. Great selection of rolls, sashimi, nigiri, and chef's specials. There's usually a line out the door so don't show up too hungry, if walking in. We recommend making a reservation if you can. read more

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Found this place while roaming around San Clemente beach area and we were well pleased. The freshest sushi I've had in a very long time! I wasn't sure about the onions on top of my salmon nigiri but they added a special flavor. They have a constant rotation of customers so you know they're well liked, and service is friendly and prompt. It's a great little authentic spot but be aware that parking is limited. read more

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This place doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside is the loveliest date night spot! Upscale, dimly lit, intimate. And the fish is so fresh and delicious! I ordered the Albacore Bowl, which comes with a bed of rice, raw albacore with garlic sauce, and a side of spicy tuna and crab. The service was wonderful as well, all the staff were super friendly and attentive. Can't wait to come back! read more

9 Style Sushi - Albacore Albacore With Bowl W/garlic Sauce - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Came here for lunch. It was decent. Not as good as first time I came. For one, I was craving ramen and they didn't have it. The sign I saw on window was only an advertisement for their other location. My poke bowl on lunch menu was good. It came with a miso soup. Good value for the size. Fried calamari appetizer was good too. Fine service and surprisingly there were several tables filled for a nice weekday lunch vibe atmosphere. read more

9 Style Sushi - Calamari - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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9 Style always delivers excellent sushi and service and a nice relaxing atmosphere. We love it and always pay a visit when we're in town.

Great food and service! Will be back! Fresh and unique approach. Thank you for a great night!

My favorite place to get sushi. Love love love it here! The sushi is always fresh and delicious, and the chefs/servers are incredible! Love you 9style! read more

Yellowtail Carpaccio was a dream. This place is great, I want to try everything on the menu. There is some interesting things on the menu, in addition to the old standbys. Service was great! read more

Amazing, got the Koba roll and it was excellent! Got it because of the reviews and it didn't disappoint!

Hands down the BEST sushi spot of all time - Do yourself a favor and order the "garlic 9" Roll - amazing - the service is also awesome and the owner, Q is typically there! Our fave spot BY far read more

A Must-Visit for Sushi Lovers! 9 Style Sushi has become a staple of my trips to California--whenever I'm in town, it's an absolute must! They import fresh fish, and in my opinion, they serve the best sushi in Orange County. Every piece is high quality, expertly prepared, and packed with flavor. Service is decent--not overly attentive but efficient enough. One important tip: reservations are a must if you're planning to visit from Wednesday through the weekend. The place gets busy, and for good reason! If you're serious about sushi, 9 Style is worth the visit. Can't wait for my next trip back! read more

9 Style Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Pretty good selection of fish for a reasonable price. They had nodoguro (black throated perch) which you rarely see anywhere, as well as a quite a few other fish that aren't standard for typical nigiri selections. read more

Lame The place adds a sauce to seemingly every type of nigiri you order That is so wrong, never going back Try good choice by the sea on pch in capo beach, that is a legit sushi joint with all Japanese staff and great prices with an ocean view read more

Was surprised to see that I had not reviewed 9 Style in the past. We have not been many times, but enough for me to do a review. We knew about 9 Style for a long time, but we were devoted to Takao for many years until it closed in the past couple years. The kid was home from college and since she can't afford sushi, she made us take her out to indulge on our dime. That was cool, the wife and I were in the mood for some sushi as we had not munched on some raw fish recently. We got there on Saturday before NYE exactly as the doors opened and that was a good thing. In fact, the wife jumped out of the car and ran in while the kid and I searched for parking. We found a spot and then had to claw our way through the line that had formed to get a table or more likely get on a list for a table. The place is just small. I mean really small. The wife had secured a table and I was surprised they seated her before we were in the place. We ordered a large Asahi beer and the kid ordered a miso soup and me the seaweed salad. By this time the place was full except for a table with a "reserved" placard**. The seaweed salad and soup came quickly and we then ordered some food. The Sophie Roll for the kid and the wife and I ordered the soft shell crab roll, and tuna, salmon, yellow tail and octopus sushi. I love seaweed salad and this one was unique. I don't really know why seaweed salad is always expensive, but I guess there are not a lot of seaweed farmers to compete against, so the price is high. Anyhoo, the uniqueness was the combo of seaweed, daikon radish and cucumber. Most seaweed salads I have had were mostly seaweed. This was different and I really liked it a lot. Finally mixed all the flavors together and it was delicious! Sorry no pics but other reviews show it. The rolls and sushi came and they were all good. Salmon had a bit too much sauce or citrus and green onions, which to me says it's not super fresh. The octopus was very good, not chewy and thinly sliced. The soft shell crab roll was OK, as the crab was deep fried in a mountain of breading. I prefer a lightly fried crab in the roll to let the soft shell crab flavors come through. Don't need to try that one again. To wrap things up we ordered another tall Asahi and a spicy tuna roll to share. The wife ordered her favorite sushi "dessert" of a shrimp tempura hand roll and I ordered my "dessert" of a salmon skin hand roll. The spicy tuna roll was fine, nothing special. The wife had the same comment about the shrimp tempura hand roll. On the other hand, the salmon skin hand roll (that took a while) came and as a bonus there was a little pile of broiled salmon skin pieces on the side. The roll and the side pieces were very good, one of the favorites ones I have ever eaten. The service overall was very good and several different people helped or brought food. All seemed happy and nice. Go. Eat Well. HAVE FUN! **The people that reserved the table for 5pm (opening time) arrived at about 5:15pm. By that time the table had been given away, as the 9 style rules are reservations held for 10 minutes. The late family was not happy and were told they could wait for a table, likely 45-60 minutes. Ooops. Be on time if you make a reservation here!! read more

9 Style Sushi - Sushi! From left to right: Yellow Tail, Tuna, Octopus and Salmon. - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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We LOVE this place. Fresh sushi every time. The Japan flight is so good and the Amber Jack is exceptional. I love the variety of decent sake and beer. I love the dark lighting and decor. It's hole in the wall magic. Love this place so much. read more

this little place is not much to look at from the outside, but it is so cute on the inside, it's small like most sushi houses. But the service is fantastic . We enjoyed many of their sushi the yellow tail was amazing. The bluefin tuna was my favorite, the salmon and the barbecue deal top-notch. We also had a San Clemente roll which we really enjoyed. However, we tried the Sophie roll. Unfortunately it had zero flavor and it had this very strange garlic butter consistency on top, which made it very difficult to finish. I always like to try in every sushi place we go to their crispy rice and I have to say, theirs is delicious. They have a $15 corkage fee (not bad at all ) we brought one of our favorite sakes . There's parking right out front or on the street ... this is a very busy sushi house. People actually waiting out front to get a table or sit at the bar. read more

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the fiiiiish... the service...the vibesss - it was amazing We frequent San Clemente a couple times out of the year and have our favorite spots we go everytime. We were looking for something new and saw the positive reviews on yelp and had to stop by on our way home. The parking is horrible. The lot is tiny with very limited spots and the street parking is in a busy area very dimly lit. It was a packed house when we walked in, but got lucky yo snag 2 seats at the bar. There are a lot of options and honestly everything was got was so good and fresh. I would sick the seaweed salad (I was expecting Hmart.. not harvest from the ocean lol). We met some really nice people dining next to us, the restaurant is dark and moody with delicious food. Overall, it's safe to say - we will be back. read more

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One of if not the best sushi spot in Orange County... My wife and I have been here many times and each time we can't get enough of how good and fresh the food is. The service is awesome, especially Kota. He has served us a couple of times and we always ask for recommendations and we are always blown away with what he recommends. Can't say enough good things about 9 Style. Great drinks, great food, no pressure. read more

Best sushi restaurant in San Clemente, great service, great servers. Always fresh fish, with excellent appetizers, terrific rolls. I actually didn't want to review it because it's already very busy most of the time so it's a neighborhood gem. read more

Kind of a hole in the wall spot that is in undercover gem. The sushi is wide-ranging and excellent... from all the rolls that you would expect to some high-end, interesting additions, like grilled salmon/yellow tail cheek. All of the rolls are thoughtfully put together and you can't go wrong with any of them. The vibe is super cool...it's another great sushi option in San Clemente. They do have a wacky limited hours situation where you could get there too late and not have a shot at eating, so my advice is to go earlier than you think you should to ensure you can get in and then it's a great experience. read more

Best sushi in San Clemente by far! Always very busy so make a reservation or put your name in and wait around 30 mins on the weekend. Koba Koba roll, salmon lemon roll, and garlic 9 roll are my favorites. Spicy garlic edamame is some of the best I've had! Love this sushi spot read more

Had dinner with my son and grandson here. My grandson (9yo) actually chose this sushi restaurant. When we arrived, we put our name on the waitlist. The waitlist gave us an ETA of 15-30 minutes. We were actually called to our table within 13 minutes. Our server was at our table, waiting and ready for us. Our drink order was taken and delivered promptly. Our server was polite and knowledgeable of the menu. He was very considerate of how we wanted our food to be delivered (soup/salad/rice). My grandson ordered the Spicy Salmon Teriyaki plate. His dinner was delicious. Salmon seared to perfection. The balance of the flavors brought the plate together very well. Very good! My Son and I ordered 4 different rolls. Koba Koba, Spicy Tuna, Philadelphia and the California roll. Our dinner was very tasty. All of the wait staff were friendly and attentive. A nice, quaint sushi restaurant. If you're ever in San Clemente, this is a sushi spot to go to. read more

9 Style Sushi - Spicy Tuna Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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ordered for pick up, didn't travel more then walking distance to eat it and it didn't taste very fresh. the fish was fishy and if you eat sushi you know what i mean read more

9 style is the move. Great selection and amazing staff! Love the atmosphere sitting at the bar! Highly Recommend!!! read more

9 Style Sushi - Off the board! - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

This place was amazing I Had the best rainbow roll I've ever had in my life here the sashimi was amazing and everything was spot on the service was great and I am definitely coming back. Too bad I live far away. And the vibe was amazing. read more

Probably up there with the freshest quality of fish i have ever had. The chefs are very attentive and the dishes were delicious, the portions are pretty small tho. Service was okay, it was pretty busy so i understand they were trying their best to accommodate everyone. read more

Best Sushi west of the Mississippi Cannot beat the service, elegance, and vibe! Most recommended in our book. You should try it immediately! read more

Just another San Clemente thing That taste like home food delicious excellent service is top notch. Custom fabricationseefood Say that 10 o, experience is amazing and satisfying read more

9 Style Sushi - 9style House Salad Koba Koba roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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The best sushi in town! They are always busy so this time I went early like around 5, we are able to sit at the bar. Everything is delicious but my favorite is salmon belly. read more

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Good food and service was great! I will say a bit crowded and lights are dim for the setting! read more

We got here all the time! The San clement roll is delicious and I love the sashimi. The spicy tuna crispy rice is also a good choice. Service is quick, the wait is never too long. The restaurant is a little small but it does the job. Perfect place to pop into! read more

Tucked away in a janky strip mall, but don't let looks deceive you. This was by far the best sushi me and my guy have ever had. And, we love us some sushi Our server, Ryuto was pleasant and there when we needed him. We ordered off the rice-less menu and left super full. The rolls were not stuffed with imitation crab, but very fresh fish. We could taste the freshness in every bite. Next time we will post photos before we devour our yummy rolls! Also had a fabulous salad, didn't get the name but it had fresh salmon, fresh tuna, and some fried 'something' maybe octopus...but it was bomb!! read more

One of the best sushi restaurants I've been too. Fish is extremely fresh and gives an awesome hole in the wall feel. When it's busy, it's busy and the servers can mess up but that's okay, Life happens. Highly recommend. read more

Went for dinner one night recently - quaint little spot that seemed to be neighbor oriented (I'm not from the area). Fish was fresh and we ordered quite a spread - from the edamame to the sashimi and cooked items everything was great and the server even took the time to answer questions from the less sushi experienced folks in my party. Will definitely be back! read more