best food/drinks, service, atmosphere and ambiance ever! everyone is so kind and quick

Everything I have had at this place is on point! First visit was my birthday dinner earlier this year. Our server was so fun and attentive. He even gave me a delicious birthday mochi. So let me get organized with each visit I had. First visit - I had the Rosé Pearl drink. I can't remember what's all in it but it was divine! My sisters had other drinks which were not as good as mine. One had something with ube and the other something with 75 on the name. Sorry it's been a few months so I can't recall exact names. Then we had yakitoris. All of them were delicious, even the zucchini ones (I'm not very big on veggies ). Also had a sushi roll shaped in heart. Again, don't remember the name but it was yummy! Adding the pic here. I had the yakisoba and it was surprisingly a good portion for a small plate. Second visit - my husband's birthday dinner, mid March. Brought all the kids and father in law. We had edimame, more yakitoris, chicken karaage, miso creamy udon, another sushi roll. It was during prime dinner rush so our server was less attentive but got all of our needs in reasonable time. Third visit-highlight is the server. We were a larger party of 9. She was patient with all of us and remembered everything! Humored our requests for pictures. Even reminded us that tip has been included due to our large party. This time I had the emperor's crunch. I should've read the description closer because I didn't expect it to be a pork roll. It was still so good that my friend ended up ordering one for herself (I ordered mine as one of my apps). Also had more yakitoris. Someone had ruffle fries which was heaven! Each visit was satisfying for me. It's so good to see a place so busy, yet still manages to put out delicious, quality food and pretty great service. Kudos! read more

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Down and Dirty: good serve, decent food, limited menu. Not sure I will go here again as there are better Asian Fusion type spots in the area. Service/Atmosphere: Our server was great, gave great recommendations, efficient service, and friendly. We did not have reservations and, even though they said there was a 35 minute wait, we were sat in less than 10 minutes. Food/Price/Selection: We ordered a few apps/skewers and rolls. We also ordered the chicken teriyaki rice bowl. Everything tasted good but nothing special. Pricing was okay for what we ordered. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Chicken teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The prime beef skewers are savory and delicious Pair then with the shishito peppers and its a savory spicy sensation. Their happy hour is also great to try different items you might not have noticed on the menu. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Prime beef, shishito peppers, zucchini - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Delicious food, AMAZING service, and yummy cocktails! We tried this place for the first time and were very impressed with the flavors. The vibes are chill with super helpful and friendly service. The only issue is the portion sizes were inconsistent. I got yakisoba which was a perfect size. My son got beef teriyaki and the bowl was really small. It was yummy but it was a much smaller portion. The food, ambiance, service and cocktails were so good, that I'd still give it 4.5 stars. But I'd rather round up than down so in the end ...5 stars it is! read more

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I was here last month to celebrate a friend's birthday. This was my second time here. I got the trio no maki sushi and some kushiyaki (chicken meatball, beef short rib, and corn). Also had an azure breeze cocktail. It helps to come with a bunch of friends so you can order different plates and share it with everyone so they can try all the dishes. The service was great, no complaints here. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Trio No Maki sushi - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We were a party of 18 and Nomu was ready for us! The vibe is fun. Menu is straight forward including delicious sushi rolls. Staff was on point and kept tabs separated with no payment issues. I will be back to try more of the delicious menu! read more

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Finally made it to this place and it lives up to the hype. Interior is casually decorated - nothing too overstated or overdone - a little brightly lit. We ordered a lot as you can see from the pics. No pics of Karaage, Chilean sea bass, or Wagyu don which were all great but the bite of the night was the Kaiyo tuna. The Chilean sea bass was a close second for sure. Great service from the team as food came out quickly and plates were taken up efficiently as well. It was a very good group effort. Six people qualified as a large party so the gratuity was automatically added. This wasn't shared so I'm glad I checked. read more

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Delicious food, and a great atmosphere. We really enjoyed the Corn Ribs and some of the Yakitori skewers. All amazing! Our server was very attentive and prompt. read more

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Nomu is such a fun addition to the area. The ambiance is very immersive & feels like a big city restaurant. It is energetic and inviting. The food is worth going back for over and over. The creamy miso udon is a dish that stands out in all of Jacksonville, do not miss this dish! The skewers although quite small, are extremely tasty. I would suggest if ordering the skewers, at least 3 per person. The cocktails are also done well with balance in taste as well as great presentation. Considering it is open late, it is a rare gem for Jacksonville! read more

Nomu Izakaya - Seating area (booth) & cocktails - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

If you like good vibes and drinks with a few bites, I totally recommend this places. Very chill, super cute decor, and great service overall. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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We've been to Nomu so many times that it becomes our go-to place when we want to have quick bite or also a full course meal. I would like to make mention especially to our server, Steven. We've had him as our server many times and we've always gotten consistent and friendly service. He always checks up on us making sure we have everything we need during our dining experience. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Menu Happy Hour - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I came to meet a friend for happy hour and this is definitely a new favorite spot. The atmosphere is so fun! It's very vibrant without feeling like too much. We sat at the bar and just snacked on some edamame (chili crisp - quite spicy in the best way!). We also had a couple of drinks. I had a glass of wine and then I kept seeing pretty purple drinks and was curious. But after speaking with the bartender about what he was making, he made a drink that has been on the menu for Valentine's Day that was even prettier than the ube drinks (which I will be back to try for sure!). The bartender was also an absolute pleasure! Can't wait to go back. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Edamame - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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I need this place in tampa. A reservation is Highly recommended. The aesthetic brings you back to Japan. Michelle broke it down really well and gave us a tour of the menu. The kushiyaki menu is the best. We didn't picture all of them but the prime beef and the short rib were so good. The chicken thigh as well. We wanted to try their bowls, but I would say the creamy miso udon really stood out to me the most. This is a great happy hour or even late night stop. Will definitely be back. read more

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We visited during their soft opening in the first few weeks, and the staff was very receptive to feedback. However, I haven't returned since, as I wasn't particularly impressed with the flavors, especially given the high prices. The presentation of all the dishes was excellent, and the atmosphere was enjoyable, with a perfect location, but not my favorite spot in Jax. read more

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WOW! I was so blown away with the flavors of everything we had here. The unagi roll was smooth, flavorful and eel was melt in your mouth. The salmon don was small but it packed flavor and the salmon was seared so nicely. It is NOT easy to find a good yakitori place anywhere (even in NYC there's only a few) and they did it so well here! Juicy, grilled well enough to where you can get a little crisp from a bite, season well with the sauce as they grill it, you can taste that. I've never had anything like the creamy udon, it has some kind of seafoody alfredo taste and I love it. Everything was just so flavorful and good. Our server was friendly and always making sure we were okay. The decor is lovely and a very nice modern take on a Japanese izakaya. read more

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I had no idea that sushi in Jacksonville would get better and better but this proved me otherwise. I came here with a friend to grab some dinner. We were able to get some seats at the bar as we didn't have reservations, but either way the staff behind the bar was very generous to us! The interior of the place makes me want to go to Japan! I got the Black River and Spicy Tuna rolls and they were amazinggggg. I love that they have double sided chopsticks. I would definitely come back here again!! read more

Nomu Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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This place is so great! My favorite place for sushi and drinks and even their main entrees! The staff is nice. This is my second time coming here. And both times they were great! The decor is very modern yet chill and clean! We've tried almost all of their yakitori grill items and it's soooo good. Even the shrimp! Not dry at all, so juicy and flavorful. The drinks are so great too, I had their rose petals and matcha cocktail, and the matcha was surprisingly good! The rose was sweet and delicious. Overall our food was amazing! read more

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The ambiance was unusual and the staff were friendly. A little more casual than I expected but still enjoyable for a date night! The food was amazing...no notes. One of the best rolls I've ever had! Make sure you also try some of the grilled skewer options (list available at the table). The cocktails were great and we also tried the creamy lychee sake...yum. Will definitely be back! read more

Nomu Izakaya - Kaiyo tuna; Miso creamy udon; Matcha bliss - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Everyone is super friendly. The restaurant is lit well, not too dark or light. The seating is interesting, as everything is lower. It might be designed that way so you can see them preparing your food. We had several things, the scallop appetizer, takoyaki, tuna tartar app, sea urchin sashimi, a few rolls, drinks and dessert. The tuna tartar-amazing! Order it. The drink we had was so good, Rose Pearl. read more

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I visited Nomu Izakaya for the first time for a friend's birthday. James reserved the whole bar area which was good considering there were roughly 30 peeps that came out to celebrate. I first ordered the Ube Oasis which included toasted coconut rum, pineapple, and citrus. I enjoyed the drink. It was sweet but the citrus helped cut it so it wasn't too sweet. For my main course I ordered the grilled octopus. The octopus was tender with a smoky flavor. Yummy! Then my friend and I ordered a bunch of items from the Kushiyaki menu which means skewered and grilled foods in Japanese. My top favorites from this menu were the prime beef and tomatoes. The beef was tender, juicy and mouth watering good! I enjoyed the other items such as shrimp and corn. My second drink was the Matcha Bliss. This was my favorite drink out of the two. This included gin, matcha rice milk and egg white. It was sweet and refreshing and not overly matcha. I would absolutely order this drink again! I also tried my friends sushi, at least four different kinds. All the sushi was fabulous! Our server Kyle managed to keep everyone's order straight. Not sure how he did it, I think it was magic LOL;) Kyle checked in on us regularly and our food and drink items came out quickly. Service was fabulous and I look forward to trying more menu items. read more

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This is for sure a Jax hotspot and a solid go to place for late night hangs or even just a casual dinner! The vibes are amazing, I feel like just the energy here even with all the workers is so upbeat. It's an ambiance that you can't just fake with decorations and lighting. (Not saying it's not well decorated here lol, but I do really like that the lighting is bright and not always half dimmed.) The prices are also pretty decent for what you get. When I think of izakaya, I usually think of small plates that you can maybe share amongst two people, or even enough to feed just one person. But Nomu is pretty generous with their portions! We got: Dassai 45 - They offer a lot of interesting drinks, but this sake really wowed me. I'm not a big drinker at all (and low-key kind of try to avoid it) but this is kind of a game changer. Despite being 90 proof, it goes down so clean and smooth. Its pretty pleasant on the tongue and the taste of alcohol doesn't even register until after you've swallowed. Even smelling it first, it doesn't sting you like rubbing alcohol, but gives off a really fruity smell. And I know this doesn't really have anything to do with the restaurant because it's not like they make this themselves, but I just liked it, so I recommend! Plus, if you finish a bottle, your table can sign the bottle and they'll put it up on display which is a cool little tradition. Agedashi tofu - We get this basically every time we go, but it'd just so good! The tofu is so silky, but the breading is thick enough to hold it together, but light enough that you get just a slight crunch with each bite. The sauce is really light too so it's the perfect appetizer to get your meal started. Takoyaki - also really good! The balls are hot and crispy, and the insides aren't too just and have a good amount of actual octopus inside. Seaweed salad - pretty classic dish and pretty good. I do wish it came out a little colder and a little more sour, but that's just my personal opinion because I really like vinegar. Karaage - another favorite for me! You get a good amount of chicken, and there's a good mix of skinny crispier pieces and thicker juicier bites. I've had a lot of good karaage dishes, but what really sells it for me with this dish is that the cabbage it comes with isn't dry. Like the cabbage by itself is already so good and saucy. Kabuki salmon - I feel like the draw for me here are the small plates rather than the sushi, but still a solid dish for when you want a heartier meal! The fish tastes pretty fresh but I feel like the roll itself is on the smaller side. Maybe it's because I'm a nigiri/sashimi fan, but I did kind of wish that there was more focus on the fish itself. Like maybe something simpler and with a bigger cut of fish. But also ya I recognize "go to a specifically sushi based restaurant if that's what you want" so it's whatever because the roll is still decent. Creamy mentaiko udon - this was my actual top favorite of the night. I do wish there was some more of the mentaiko. But in terms of the actual portion size, it's pretty big compared to other mentaiko udons I've had. The creaminess is the perfect level without being too thick or rich so it's so easy to just eat it all up. read more

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This spot is really special. Food - 5/5 Service - 5/5 Ambiance - 3/5 First, shout out to IVY, who did a wonderful job of steering us through the menu. Since this was our first visit, we needed steering since the menu is very diverse and also to keep us from ordering everything on the menu that looked good to us. Who is us? It was me and my daughter, who got a celebratory dinner for making straight A's. She worked so hard and deserved a night out. First, parking is in a private lot and there should be plenty of parking. I say plenty because this strip center also houses V's Pizz, 14 Prime and a few other dinner spots. Second, it is located near the IKEA on Gate Parkway, so it is accessible from several main arteries. But the food, you want to hear about the food, now don't you? Seaweed Salad - delightful, nutty finish, good start Vegetable Roll - good, well prepared Nomu Blossom - sounded good, but was really disappointing. Sweet Potato Roll - loved this, so good. Kabuki Salmon - OUTSTANDING dish, definitely worth a try. Miso Creamy Mentaiko Udon - one of the BEST dishes I have had this year. Really something special. The owner came by to check on us and he was a constantly in motion, which was a nice touch. We did not try dessert, but I am guessing it would be good. There is also a Hibachi station that serves skewers, which I definitely want to try on my NEXT VISIT. And yes, there will be a next time because in need tge Creamy Miso dish and there is a lot I want to try on the menu. read more

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The service and food here are amazing , everything comes out quickly and taste amazing. The hamachi kama here is my favorite they give a generous portion with a delightful coconut sauce salad that pairs perfectly. read more

Nomu Izakaya - Miso udon - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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I was today years old when I learned that those cute little waving cat toys - you know, the little cats with a paw up that's waving at you - are called a Maneki-neko. Oh, and they're not really waving at you. The hand movement is beckoning you. Which is what the Japanese translation means - beckoning cat. Thanks internet! Why do I bring this up in a restaurant review? Well, my wife and I recently tried Nomu Izakaya, and on their menu are cute little cat pictures, which reminded me of the beckoning cat figurines, which in turn caused me to fall down the internet rabbit hole. No, there is no rabbit on the menu. I looked. Nomu is a beautiful restaurant in a brand new shopping area off of Gate Parkway. The bar is well stocked, both with Japanese beers and sake, as well as other various top shelf liquors. The menu itself is filled with lots of different types of small dishes, and they even have a Kushiyaki menu! Which has nothing to do with either beckoning cats or rabbits, but does have a lot to do with grilled meats and vegetables. Everything on the M menus looked great, and we had a lot of trouble selecting only a few things to try. Ultimately we went with the tuna tartare, Karaage, spicy tuna roll, miso creamy mentaiko udon, Japanese pork sausage and shrimp Kushiyaki. And for dessert? Some miso soup! The tuna tartare is served on a crispy rice cracker. The tuna was well seasoned and the cracker was extremely fresh. The Karaage is not a heavy metal magazine from the 1980s. The dish consists of chunks of chicken thigh that are lightly battered and fried. I really liked the chicken, but the dipping sauce is a simple Japanese mayo that didn't do much for me. The spicy tuna roll was tasty, and we think they added cucumber to the tuna mix for a little added fresh crunch. Or we were just imagining things. It was still really good. The udon was almost like a Japanese version of a pasta primavera. It was very tasty but a bit difficult to eat with chopsticks. It also is served with a raw egg on top that is mixed in. Be aware in case that is not your kind of dish. I would definitely recommend a fork with the Udon if you have mediocre chopstick skills like me. The Kushiyaki were good, but small. The sausage had a great smoky flavor to it. And why soup for dessert? Well, it was cold outside. And soup is good food. The miso was excellent and I would definitely recommend it. All in all it was a great meal and I will definitely go back to try a lot of the other items on the menu. Plus I feel like those cats are beckoning me! read more

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Nomu is the spot. Sat at the bar, bartenders were cool, food came out quick. Had the mackerel -- clean, simple, done right. They do the small plates thing which I love, so you can try a bunch of different things. The whole vibe was vibrant without being over the top. Definitely coming back. read more

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Eating at Nomu as a group is a must so you can fully enjoy the shared plates concept. This visit was made even better by our fab server Steven who brought me a birthday treat and led my friends in singing Happy Birthday. read more

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This was outrageously good! New restaurant in a new plaza, walking in it's very pretty and comfortable. I went with 3 friends, we each ordered a few things then shared everything, there was nothing I didn't like, it was like each dish was better than the last! Dishes came out very fast, as they were cooked. The sushi roll was delicious and really loved the yakitori grilled meats, and the grilled octopus, just all of it is so good! Can't wait to go back! read more

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I was completely wrong about this place. I LOVE IT! We made a reservation for 2 to sit at a booth but we decided to sit at the bar instead. The place is definitely bright and lively with Japanese city pop and video game songs. Kinda reminded me of an Izakaya-like place that we went to in Orlando. So we sat at the bar and had two bartenders taking care of us. The menu is the wide-rectangular one-sided ones like you get at some diners with lots of options. We had a plan going into to this but it kinda went out the door hahaha. Drinks: I got the Snap Pea Blossom (Roku Gin, Chinola Passionfruit, Green Chartruse, snap pea syrup, lemon, soda). I had to get it because cmon...snap pea syrup??? What is that? Veggies in my cocktail. Turns out it was really good! He got the Ube Oasis (Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum, Pineapple, Citrus). His Ube Oasis was even better with its rich creaminess from the coconut and the ube. We shared a bottle of the Yuzu Shuwah sparling sake and he fell head over heels for it. I bought another to take home. We also did some shots but I honestly don't remember what they were of. Food: He ordered the Premium Sashimi App (8 pieces of assorted fish), the Miso Creamy Menataki Udon (udon, creamy butter sauce, cod roe, ikura, chopped nori, raw egg yolk), and the Grilled Octopus. Sashimi App - The Sashimi App looked really good and we had already ate two pieces from it before snapping a photo. We didn't ask what it was so I assumed tuna belly, regular tuna, salmon belly, regular salmon, unknown whitefish belly, regular unknown whitefish. Didn't matter to me, they were delicious. Udon - oh my god I loved this! the udon was thiccc and that butter sauce was divine. the roe added a nice salty touch to it. Grilled Octopus - whatever sauce they added to it before they grilled it made it amazing. the best tasting octopus I've had to date. the dressing on the side salad was tasty too. I ordered the Golden Breeze Special Roll (shrimp tempura, sliced apples, cucumber, mango, mango drizzle) and 6 skewers (Chicken Meatball, Prime Beef, New York strip, Corn, Chicken Thigh, Pork Belly) Sushi Roll - I ordered this out of curiosity because I hadn't had apples in a sushi roll before and it turns out it works. It's has a natural sweetness that pairs well with the shrimp. Skewers - nothing much to say here. all of them were excellent. Then after all this, there was a off-menu dessert item! I was ordering the Japanese Tiramisu when our bartender told us about the Japanese Pudding. I was immediately down. I think it's called Purin? It tasted similar to a flan and that was a great way to end the meal. No way this is a one and done for me. I want to try everything. read more

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FOOD: 10/10 highly recommend. Last time I had Yakitori (not pictured but it's beef/chicken on skewers) was in Hawaii. So happy to find a local spot close to home that offers it. The Hamachi is cooked just right, crispy on the outside but not dry on the inside. SERVICE: Our server was phenomenal, we're 3 adults with 4 kids in tow, not to mention a slightly colicky 5 month old. He's very patient when taking orders and even offered high chairs. AMBIANCE: The decors and ambiance of perfect for date night or casual dining with friends or even after work drinks. Will definitely come back to try other menu items. read more

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Went for the first time and it's now a new favorite! Stopped in to check them out (unplanned). They have a bar too and tables throughout. They were busy and we didn't have a reservation, but we were able to get seats at the bar (first come first serve) after a minute or so wait. Ernie and the rest of the bar staff were great! They have an amazing menu and great prices (average cost of things is approx $12). They also have a great unique drink menu. I ordered zucchini off their skewers menu (only $3.50) and the Gyu Don (thin sliced beef & onion with rice) which was $13. My husband ordered the grilled mackerel which comes with a salad. That dish is $13. Everything tastes awesome! Each item is brought out as it's ready and it was all hot and fresh. To drink I got the Yuzu 75, a gin based cocktail that also includes Sake. It was very good and refreshing. We found out they're open later than many local restaurants so this will be a new go-to I'm sure! read more

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Service here is always great. Steven made my friend's birthday feel special. We were a small group but was he did was going beyond. The creamy udon is the best dish. I love this place and recommend it to people all the time. read more

Nomu Izakaya - The best bite - Japanese Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

This place was amazing!! Super cute interior & sushi was amazingggg!! Definitely will be coming back to try more items! Service was great, food was great! 10/10 recommend! read more

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This restaurant has been open since May 2025 so it's pretty new. What drew me to this restaurant was my craving for a hand roll and I couldn't find a place that has that on their menu. When we walked in I thought it was so well decorated! Very sleek, minimalist, well-lit Japanese decor. There is a grilling area where they make the skewers that customers can view and watch if they want. We thought the drinks were on the pricey side. Wish I had taken a pic of the drink menu but I didn't. The pricing for the food was affordable and was really good! I loved everything we got. The chili garlic edamame was probably too heavy on the garlic and I love a garlic dish. I'd definitely go back but probably wouldn't get any alcoholic drinks next time. read more

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First time here and it is my favorite Japanese place so far in Jacksonville. It feels like comfort food as I ducked into an izakaya in Japan like from a scene from the Midnight Diner. Drinks: recommend Yuzu 75 and sake Tears of Dawn. Food: recommend soft shell crabs, anything with eel. Will be back! read more

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Such a great new restaurant in Jacksonville! Everything we ordered was amazing. I HIGHLY recommend the creamy mentaiko udon and mackerel special roll. The takoyaki and skewers were amazing as well. The skewers were smoky and grilled to perfection. The decor is beautiful, and the service was prompt. We can't wait to come back! read more

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We finally tried Nomu Izakaya and I'm so glad we did! The sushi was seriously delicious and super fresh. We ordered the dynamite rolls, California rolls, shrimp tempura rolls, salmon don, and tuna nigiri--and everything hit the spot. I honestly don't think there was a single bite we didn't love. The restaurant itself is adorable--such a cute vibe and decorated nicely. Its modern, and a fun place to sit and enjoy a great meal. The only downside is the seats look cushiony, but they're surprisingly hard--so maybe not the most comfortable for a long dinner.The staff was super friendly and made us feel welcomed. read more

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The ambiance and service were really good. The food was solid. The sushi and the other items were good but quality was ok with certain dishes. read more

There's a solid crew of about 25 of us who fully admit we come here way too often. We spend way too much money--and we do it proudly. Why? Because Nomu is that girl. If you're wondering whether this is your sign to spend your money here... yes, friend. Yes, it is. lol. Want a spot where it feels like you've suddenly acquired a whole extended family of Asian aunties, uncles, and cool cousins--and they're all feeding you top-tier food? You found it. I haven't had a single thing off the menu I didn't like. Pro tip: come with a group, order a bunch of different things, and eat family-style. It's way more fun that way--plus you get to try more. Obviously grab some sake while you're at it. I'm obsessed with the unfiltered milky/rice ones, but I've tried others here that lowkey converted me too. They know what they're doing. Also... they're open late. IYKYK how rare that is in Jax these days. Post-COVID, the late-night scene kinda died, but Nomu said, "We got y'all." Huge win for this side of town. So yes--please go. Have fun. Order everything. Tip the staff well (they hustle hard), and tell me what you think. Follow them on Instagram--they recently did a killer giveaway and I doubt it'll be the last. And no, I don't work here (lol). I just genuinely love this place enough to shout it from the rooftops. Nomu deserves all the Love read more

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We ordered food for take out so I can't comment too much on the ambiance of the restaurant other than where it's located. It's a newly built plaza that has a few other stores and restaurants if you wanted to do a bit of a stroll. The food was delicious. We had the shrimp appetizer and it was huge. The only thing I was a little disappointed about was that the chicken Katsu did not come with rice, but that's just personal preference and that I love eating chicken Katsu with rice. Otherwise the food was delicious. read more

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