I just tried Dark Magic Sushi in San Clemente and I'm obsessed. From the moment you walk in, the vibe is just right.. stylish decor, and a calm, elevated atmosphere that makes you want to stay a while! Chef Levi is truly a master. The attention to detail blew me away, and the quality of the fish was as fresh as it gets. You can tell he puts love and creativity into everything he makes. The sushi rolls were insane (in the best way). So much flavor, and the quality of everything was top tier. Honestly, everything we ordered was a 10/10. The staff was amazing too, super friendly and on it. And I have to mention the wine list... SO good. Great selection, and the pairings really brought the whole experience together. Everything about this place just hit. The food, the vibe, the service.. all of it. Definitely one of my new favorite spots in South OC. Can't wait to go back again (and again)! read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Went last night for our anniversary dinner! We had Bluefin sashimi, the Batman roll, and the Salmon Carpaccio. Everything was amazing. Staff was friendly, service was quick. Old Town almost feels like a hidden gem of San Clemente. Will definitely be back! read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Sashimi platter outstanding . Fresh wasabi... yummy! Service was a bit slow but once we ate the sashimi our mild annoyance with the slow service vanished! read more

Came in the other night with my sisters to try it for the first time. Dana was our server and she was very kind & knowledgeable about specials & helping us make choices on our orders. The fish was so fresh, everything we ordered from nigiri, carpaccio, & rolls was incredible!!! 10/10 recommend. And don't skip out on the mochi, if you've never tried the black sesame give it a shot! read more

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Excellent! Treated like family, delightful food! Its difficult to find places like this. dont rush perfection read more

Very nice outside patio. Service was friendly and fast. Delicious sushi and creative menu!

Delicious FRESH sushi and good service. Super cute presentation and truly good menu. Only thing they are missing is highchairs but we were able to borrow one from the next door restaurant We can't wait to come back and try more sushi! read more

Tried again but got the same result. Service was better still kind of slow. Sushi was generally good but rolls still have too much rice, it overpowers the fish. It would be nice if the drizzle a little sauce on top so it's not so dry and hard to chew. Sat inside and it was a nice atmosphere except the door was open and flies kept coming in. Standing by a solid 3.5* read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Place is awsome ans the food is great! Amazing staff . Go go go!! This is my third time and everything super consistent and they have a very tight crew! read more

Food is excellent and Dana provides awesome service. We always enjoy a night out at Dark Magic!!

What an absolutely fantastic sushi experience... highly recommended if you are in the area, a must spot for dinner (or anytime). I will be back by next week! read more

Hallelujah! If you were a fan of Muse on Del Mar then you will love this place! Featuring the very talented and creative chef Levi who worked at Muse. When I first saw him I basically yelped from joy! So I guess I learned the true meaning of this stupid app. The service was on point, kind and welcoming! But sushi was delicious. And the ambiance was boutique and chic! Dark Magic abounded haha.. Chef Levi is serving up gourmet authentic sushi like they serve in Japan, but at good prices! Warmed rice sushi is life changing magic for sure. I recommend dining in, so that the seaweed is crispy, and the temperatures perfect! Or getting takeout and driving really fast. read more

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Impossible to place an order online and no one answers the phone? Confused and very frustrated.

Chef Levi is absolutely incredible. This is the best sushi in San Clemente now hands down! Everything is so fresh and delicious. It's so nice to have this quality in San Clemente! The place is also really cute and intimate and I love bringing friends here. Will be back ASAP x read more

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Met with friends last night to try out this new spot. Everything about it we LOVED. The ambience was so relaxing and really enjoyed that they had outside seating, the fresh ocean air felt so nice accompanied with the warmth we got from the Soto Sake which may have been the best Sake I've personally ever had. The sushi and sashimi was so fresh and tender. The rolls were so flavorful there was no need to dip in any soy sauce. I love that some options were lighter and some more on the richer side. Don't sleep on the spicy miso soup either, just trust me. The service was great, very attentive and friendly! Already looking forward to taking more friends back next week (: read more

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Tucked away in a charming little plaza with some old world charm, this modern sushi spot served up refined and thoughtfully prepared sushi. Each plate was delicious, staff was super friendly. Will definitely be back. read more

I can't say enough good things about Dark Magic Sushi! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with such warmth and hospitality -- and sitting at the sushi bar made the experience even more special. Chef Levi, the owner, is truly a gem. You can tell he pours his heart into every single dish. He's kind, genuine, and takes the time to talk to guests. He also explained each dish with passion and pride. The sushi itself was absolute incredible. Every bite was so fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented -- you can taste the quality and freshness of the fish. The nigiri practically melted in our mouths, and the specialty rolls were perfectly balanced. I am so happy San Clemente has this new sushi spot! read more

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Head there before you can even finish reading my review because it's that great and that's not an overstatement at all. The staff, the selection, the creativity and the freshest sushi in OC has made this my go to spot from here on out. Make sure to try to the toro, baby yellowtail and the haikado scallop oh and get two orders of the crispy rice spicy tuna read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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BEST SUSHI by chef Levi. Amazing food!! There's a special twist to how chef caters to each and every order. Always perfection!! read more

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When your travel takes you to San Clemente this is a must! It's a step above most of the sushi restaurants. Small intimate & friendly staff. Can't wait to go back ! Chef Levi returns to town and opened this restaurant recently. read more

I have to say that this place was awful at service. They had plenty of seats open and would not serve. I have been local here for over 30 yrs and this place deserves a 0 star rating for awful service. read more

Pretty bummed honestly.... My boyfriend told the waitress we weren't ready to order when she first came to the table and it took her 25 mins to come back and take our order. The restaurant got more and more busy and our order was the last one in, and we waited 1 whole hour before getting any sushi we ordered while every table kept getting plates.... Lesson learned, don't ever tell them you're not ready.... Or you'll never get your food. We meant we needed like a minute or 2... not 25. Then our food came all at once. read more

Wow! So good!! Everything was incredible! Our server Jenni was so knowledgeable and excited, she had amazing recommendations and such amaxing energy! The sushi chef (I didn't catch his name) was so sweet and extremely skilled! We will be coming back very soon! read more

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Safe to say this is the best sushi i've ever had and my forever favorite!!!!!! The quality of fish is unbeatable and the service from the owner Levi and the rest of the staff is always so welcoming and kind. Such amazing vibes here all around!!!! 100/10 will be a forever customer :) The crispy rice spicy tuna ap, the OMG roll & the dark knight are my favorites read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Sushi is top notch and the chef and owner Levi is the nicest guy and great to talk with at the sushi bar. San Clemente has been missing a nearby sushi restaurant if this Caliber since Muse left. So glad Levi opened up Black Magic! Excellent sushi!!! read more

Food and service was great. Love the vibe and ambiance can't wait to come back. New walking distance sushi spot from the house!

Some of the best sushi I've ever had in Ca. And the OMG roll was truly OMG so good! Chef Levi is indeed a magician.

Best sushi we've ever had! Friendly, amazing service, nice atmosphere, and the food is beyond incredible.

Amazing sushi, awesome service & great atmosphere. We are so happy to have Levi back in town making great food for SC!

Went out for sushi today and I'm so impressed! The food was amazing, the chef's skills and experience really showed, and the service was great, our server tonight was so nice. Met up with friends I don't see often, and the atmosphere was so lovely. Combine that with delicious sushi, and it just made the whole experience even better! If you're around San Clemente or nearby cities, you have to check this place out. My absolute favorite? Toro sushi--best of the best!!! Woohoo!!!! read more

Everything about Dark Magic was a 10/10. Ambiance is modern, minimal, but just enough. The service was friendly and attentive but the food.... Every single thing we ordered was amazing. The rice is so well done by Chef. You can taste to high quality fish with their care of each roll or dish. I was blown away and will be dreaming of coming back until we get the chance. read more

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I've been here a few times - twice to be exact. It's both times been fine. Nothing incredible but good. good enough I was willing to return because I love your sparkling sake which other sushi places don't seem to carry. My boyfriend and I ate with you last night. We asked for your sparkling sake which was not available - okay - fine, understandable. I asked and pointed at a different sake on the menu I **know** I like and have had MANY times but was given a different one from the one I pointed out on the menu. Nevertheless I tried it and when I told the server I did not like it, I asked for a different one in the fridge I saw and knew I liked and you guys had in stock. I kindly asked her to take the 1 off the bill I didn't like and was also, the wrong sake. Restaurants ALWAYS do this if you're not satisfied with your drink - and it has happened a few times to me but I am always apologetic and nice. I work in a bar and I too always offer customers something else and never charge them. Especially over $16.00. Our waitress said the business requires it be on our bill and couldn't be taken off. I'm sorry, but that's awful customer service. I asked for a sake that was not even brought to me. I know these bottles cost next to nothing because they cane be purchased in other stores for half the price of less. So, I think it would had been good service to remove the $16.00 bottle. On top of that, I'm sorry but the sushi roles and my nigiri were subpar. The one roll with salmon and lemon looked like someone made it at home. For the prices, the fish should come a little better executed in terms of presentation. The nigiri was not great and the rice was even a little dry. We were super nice to the server and don't blame her for the sake add on, but, whoever told her we have to do that really should consider good quality customer service. I would have no interest coming back after this experience. read more

The food was so fresh and tasty, the chef (Levi) was extremely knowledgable. We decided to let him take his pick for the sashimi plate and it did not disappoint. The fish just melted in your mouth, all the rolls were perfect and the staff was really friendly. I will be back soon and hungry for more. read more

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This place was AMAZING! The sushi selection was to die for and to be very honest... we didn't have to wait too long but it' would be worth it. If you sit at the bar you can watch sports and the kitchen! Very small and intimate, maybe too intimate for some of you, but I like being up close and personal with the cooks and the chef! We got there at 4:55 and waited all but 5 minutes. We sat at the sushi bar in front of chef Levi himself! The service was amazing but the food was even more amazing! We don't ever get the sashimi anywhere we go.. usually go from rainbow roll to whatever roll has the best looking fish but chef Levi sold us the "fish of the day" on the wall instantly and it was a must. We got the Dark Magic Sashimi which is a selection of Chef Levi's picks which were amazing!!! We got the rainbow roll obviously and the gyoza, ok BEST gyoza sauce I've EVER had! Also we got the crispy rice because we seen everyone order it, usually I'm not a follower but this time, I'm glad I did. Anyways if you live here or you're ever here in San Clemente or you're passing thru and have time! Eat here and tell Chef Levi I said hi. read more

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I just looked up a spot to go for sushi and I came across this place. Dark magic sushi. Wow! Exceeding my expectations. Service was perfect and the sushi was so fresh! I can't wait to come back read more

Wow... I'm at a loss for words. This place is incredible, the food, the service, the atmosphere. It's incredible, I wish I wasn't visiting so I could eat here weekly! Thank you Dark Magic for making my San Clemente trip memorable. read more

Dark magic, sushi and everything you would want from Service excellent sushi excellent sushi chef,,,, had a great time again. The food was outstanding. read more

The food was amazing. The service however was very lacking. There were so many negative take aways from both servers that it off put any future visit. Speaking as a local.. it's a bum out. As well the table closest to the gate should really be switched out for the waiting bench. For a person who just had recent ankle surgery, having to find the bench past some tables to sit and wait to be called was pretty strange. read more

This place was super cute, we ended up ordering the spicy tuna crispy rice, shrimp tempura, rainbow roll, and the five set of hand rolls. Everything was a solid 10/10 we enjoyed every dish and left very full. The service was good and I highly recommend this place! read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Rainbow roll, and five set of hand rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Classy ambiance with exceptional service in a historic San Clemente center. Chef is amazing with presentation and yummy sauces. Food takes a minute if its busy due to the presentation, care and preparation. read more