Was here back in early January 2026 for our family trip. The sushi was fresh! The server was attention to detail. We had a time crunch to drive to BC ferry before leaving the last ferry. The server was honest about the time it took to prepare the food. I would come back to this place again when I could. The price is affordable. read more

We had a great experience overall! The service was incredibly fast, and everyone was friendly and welcoming throughout our meal. We tried several rolls, and the Chubby Daddy was definitely the standout. It had a great balance of flavors and was easily our favorite. The Lucky Strike Roll was also very good- I think it would be a fantastic introduction to sushi for someone who's new to it or a little hesitant, since the smoked salmon flavor is approachable and familiar. The tempura avocado wasn't quite for us, as it was a bit too mushy, but that's more of a personal preference than a criticism of the dish. We also ordered another roll to share, but it wasn't particularly memorable compared to the others. Overall, the fish tasted fresh and was clearly high quality. Combined with the excellent service and a beautiful patio that's perfect for summer dining, we'd definitely come back to try more of the menu. read more

Walked in with no reservation and were delighted they agreed to accommodate us. The menu is large and offers a great selection of cocktails, nigiri, sushi, bowls and more. Everything we tried was so fresh and flavorful. The tempura vegetables and California roll were standouts. read more

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Decided to give this place a try during our first trip to Victoria and we weren't disappointed! Great service, amazing staff and the food was delicious! read more

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Sushi was very good, one of the best places I've tried in Victoria! The Japa roll and the Eeelinois were our favourites! Service was a little bit slow but they were friendly. Restaurant is nice and clean inside as well! Definitely give it a try! read more

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Nubo Japanese Tapas (Douglas & Blanshard Location) 739 Pandora Avenue, Victoria,BC we had a short trip in Victoria and my cousin sent me a message asking us to try Japanese Tapas restaurant and the name is called Nubo Japanese Tapas. As a matter of curiosity, we would like to know what is the Tapas in a Japanese offered? It ended up having a good meal although it was raining so heavy, we still went there! Tapas is similar to Izakaya are the go-to choice for after-work dinner parties. Similar to an Irish pub or a tapas bar, they are informal, inexpensive and a lot of fun. The typical izakaya serves ice-cold beer and a variety of other spirits and soft drinks. They do have a good pub and they are just serving a typical Japanese restaurant does. That's ok as long as the food is fresh and delicious. I don't need to know what is exactly the Tapas in a Japanese restaurant. I can see a lot of customers who come in to the restaurant on their own , I can find only one table which looks like they are talking about business! Due to the rain was so heavy , we decided to leave earlier to prepare the check out by tomorrow morning read more

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So disappointing... ordered this vegan sushi roll with fried yam on top to go. It looked totally unappetizing and tasted weird. They also put this green smashed avocado topping on top which I think is a big mistake for to-go. It turns brown and they should've put it in a to-go sauce container on the side. It was a huge disappointment. Can't review on the other stuff but I actually wish I got my money back. If the owner sees this review, I'm willing to do another review and delete this one if I get a refund. Such a disappointment because their lunch special is actually amazing. But def not this. It was a hit and miss. For $13 this should be scrapped from the menu for sure. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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amazing service and food all around!!! we finished all our sushi rolls and ordered another set and finished that sushi set too!! that's how good the sushi rolls were!! my favs were the lucky strike and oppor tuna ty rolls!! a notable mention is the victoria's secret roll which was a interesting taste with the pesto sauce incorporated with the tuna we love our server too!! she was so sweet and accommodating!! making sure we have everything we need!! read more

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Understated excellence! We visited from the U.S., wanted a nice light meal, and walked from Hotel Rialto. I can't say enough about the quality and freshness of the Sushi. We tried a flaming role (yes, they fired it on the table side) and miso soup. I know this sounds boring, but when you've been eating rich food, this is just what we need. The staff was outstanding, and the meal was one of our favorites. Try the house hot tea because this is the first time we've had something like it. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Simple decor - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Everything here was so incredible! The staff and chefs are all so friendly and helpful! All the dishes tasted amazing & so fresh. All the sushi rolls were some of the best I've ever had. The curry udon was probably the best curry udon I've ever eaten. The drinks were so pretty and yummy. I absolutely loved it here and cannot wait to visit whenever I'm in Victoria again :) read more

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First time in Victoria and this was our first place for dinner, it was delicious! It's a smaller spot but very cozy and good vibes overall. The servers were really nice and efficient. We got the takoyaki to start which was delicious. I got the sukiyaki nabe (beef udon) and the broth was so well flavored and the noodles were perfect. My partner got the lucky strike roll, he said it was the best sushi he's ever had outside of NYC. Would definitely recommend this spot! Happy we came read more

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So yummy and unique! My dad of all people found this spot for a late weekend dinner. He was very motivated (hungry) while we walked all around the touristy areas by the waterfront. I don't usually count on my pops to find restaurants for us, but in the case of this one, it was a win! We ordered several items to share and each was more delectable than the previous item. Of course I had to order the monkey brains. No question! Service was good and the food was prepared quickly. Everything was plated nicely and we had a great meal. I will definitely return on my next visit. Parking after 8pm on the weekend was easy - though it is confusing on the map where it shows 3 Nubo restaurants. read more

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We were told to wait 20 minutes for a table, which we agreed to since there were four of us and it was lunchtime. However, two people who came in later were seated before us, while we ended up waiting 50 minutes just to get a table. Even after sitting down, no food was ready. The seating arrangements were unfair, the service was extremely poor, and the staff gave us discriminatory looks the whole time. Not a single apology was offered for the long wait. Very disappointing experience -- no tip will be given. read more

I was concerned showing up without a reservation but we were seated immediately. Everything we got here was sublime. From the calamari to the nigiri to the rolls. Soooooo good. Ate until we were stuffed and then ate some more. This has definitely been moved to a must-go in Victoria. read more

We only had 24 hours in Victoria and this place came highly recommended by a friend who was there the month prior. We love Japanese food so that was all we needed to give it a shot. Hands down the best meal of our trip. Unique and interesting menu items. Everything was prepared to perfection and full of amazing flavor. Staff was kind, attentive and knowledgeable. Wish we could have gone back a second time! read more

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Based on other yelp reviews we tried this great sushi place. A bit of a hike from the ferry stop but well worth it. We had 3 lunch specials. Amazing sashimi very fresh and generous cuts. My husband had the most incredible seafood udon. He kept pulling out more and more goodies. We arrived at 11:30 when they opened ,and were able to secure the only table not reserved for lunch. Great prompt service. Would go again for sure! read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Sea food udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Love the wide variety of options! Including vegan mayo. The service was great. We went around 2pm so we were the only ones. My fav was the body & soul roll. There was 20% gratuity for 5+ ppl. read more

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We found this listing on yelp and we weren't disappointed. We got the TEISHOKU, which is the lunch special. I had mine with karaage don, fried chicken karaage with Japanese butter mayo on rice and my husband had his with sashimi and sushi. Great variety in the meal and the service was wonderful. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Sashimi and sushi TEISHOKU - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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yum, yum, and did I mention, YUM! not to be mistaken for Nobu but equally delish. papa, mi want more miso soup. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Edamame shells, empty miso soup, rock n roll remnants - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Nubo Japanese Tapas is excellent! We didn't have a reservation. However, the host greeted us and had a table for us which was very much appreciated, considering it was around supper time. Our server was lovely and provided excellent service. Great ambiance. The food's where it's at. We got a miso soup, the tofu teriyaki bowl, ebi al ajillo with bao buns and the kaisen donburi. All of the dishes were delicious and of great value. I've also heard that their lunch menu is amazing and I shall check it out next time. Highly recommend! read more

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Excellent! Line out the door and had great, quick service. Fun menu, which included sushi and a few other dishes.

Absolutely wonderful!! THE most scrumptious sushi. They torch the tuna rolls right at the table. The house sake is fantastic! Order it the warm way. Yuzu cheesecake for dessert is delicious. Had a fantastic birthday dinner for our son there. Great service. Couldn't have been better. read more

From my 10yo: Oh my gosh this was the restaurant with the best service I have ever experienced. They were so good to me: they brought me gluten-free soy sauce, they were super attentive, and it was a whole team effort. Even the people that weren't our servers came to check on us. It was incredible. I felt so at home and comfy there. It was fancy but not too fancy, prices were great. Overall this was just the best restaurant ever and the food was incredible!!!! From me: Truly, they went above and beyond to accommodate allergies. So kind and helpful. And the food was incredibly fresh. Would definitely return. read more

Favorite sushi spot in Victoria, the gyoza is a personal fav but the sushi is amazing! Highly recommend!

Update to previous review / this place is out newest favorite place in Victoria / amazing food with predictable high quality. Was perfect for a long drive & romance filled night! read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Newly married & stoked to find food we truly enjoy and agree on for a change. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

You might speed by this unassuming sushi shop in Victoria but do yourself a favor and make the trip just for this restaurant. With dark walls and modern decor, it's a laidback bar that exudes a sense of classy and cool. Cool at least until the server comes by and TORCHES your "Tomahawk Roll". Oh my, what a delicious combo of flavors they have in their sushis, unlike anything we have in the states. Never would have expected that the pesto and guacamole of the "Victoria's Secret Roll" would be my winner of the night. Seems kind of sacrilegious to put those ingredients in a sushi roll, but damn does it work and I suppose well deserve its name Tempura was simple yet satisfying The Ceviche wasn't something I personally found all that amazing but props for including it on the menu Motoyaki were jumbo sized and delicious! read more

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Hard to get menus of sushi restaurants in this town. We could for this place, but almost didn't go as a lot of the rolls weren't pure avocado but had cucumber instead or in addition. We ordered from the avocado-only selections. Gyoza (3/5) hit the table first and while crisp, it was served with the sauce underneath it, rather than on the side. Over the Rainbow roll (4/5) had avocado and mango on two of the pieces. While that's nice for presentation it's also two less pieces of fish. Tomahawk roll (5/5) was fantastic with the baby scallops, seared with an industrial strength blowtorch right at your table. Spicy tuna had good flavor but wasn't spicy, so don't let that stop you. Saba nigiri (4/5) was good, and great to see on the menu as it's not always there. Also nice there was a hazy IPA on tap instead of the Kirin and Sapporo that you always see. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Over the rainbow - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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We came into Nubo at 8:00 PM on a Friday night with a group of 6 with no reservation. We were lucky to get a table right away! It was hard to narrow down what to pick to eat and drink here-their sushi menu has some wonderful flavor combinations, including some that we have not traditionally seen with sushi! I enjoyed two cocktails: The Spicy Ume Margarita-This was SPICY, tangy and sour. For a margarita, I wouldn't anticipate that plum would be such an excellent pairing. This margarita was one of the most creative drinks I've enjoyed for awhile. Empress Yuzu G+T - Herbal and citrusy. Loved the yuzu with the gin! This was a great spin on a classic. The color of this drink also was gorgeous. For the foods, we enjoyed: Kabocha croquette -flaky fried potatoes. Simple, good and a great way to set the stage for the other foods. Puff daddy-this was creamy and sweet and savory all at once. The imitation crab works really well here! Buta Gyoza-this was my favorite of the opening dishes. Deep fried pork in a simple savory sauce. It looks simple but the flavor is outstanding. Karage-who doesn't love fried chicken? this was more juicy than fried. This was a fried lemony but not too oiled chicken. Served on a fresh bed of greens and lemon aioli to the side. I didn't think I would ever use "fried chicken" and "refreshing" in the same sentence, but there you go! It was filling but still light. Nagano Tuna Tartare- very fresh and creamy with the avocado on the bottom. The Taro chips were delicate and For our mains, we shared these: Victoria Secret- this was an unconventional choice we made but a welcome one! For those of you who wouldn't think pesto couldn't work in a sushi roll...think again. The pesto was lovely and it did not overpower the rest of the roll! Negitoro maki-this roll is simple, but tastes so good. This was a good roll to have inbetween some of the wilder flavors. Tomahawk roll-Jalepenos plus spicy tuna fish eggs on the side. Also plus FIRE! This sushi was spectacular to see presented. We really enjoyed the food and the service here. Our waitress gave us outstanding recommendations and we all were impressed by their flavors and quality of service. read more

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There comes a time on every trip that I start to crave Japanese food. After a week and a half of dining out, I needed some Japanese comfort food. I ordered take-out from Nubo and got a few sushi rolls. They were delicious and hit the spot. Take-out was the way to go as the restaurant was very busy and there were many people waiting for a table. Must be popular! read more

Came here for dinner and there was no wait. I kind of wanted to try it for lunch so maybe I'll go back and try it again. Got the lucky strike roll and the sanuki udon. The lucky strike roll was decent but didn't really stand out and the sanuki udon was good but also didn't really stand out. I think I want to try their non sushi offerings next time and see if they are more special. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Lucky strike roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Attentive, friendly service and clean. Loved the Kung Pao cauliflower. Delicate presentation. read more

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Located in the heart of Victoria. This small restaurant has a great vibe. The decoration is similar to a Japanese sushi bar. The menu is not too big but intriguing with a variety of options both bowls and sushi. The service was decent but by the end of our meal it was slow and inattentive. Prices are decent and food quality is great. Definitely a place to try. read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - Tofu teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Had an amazing experience here! The teishoku lunch special is truly unbeatable in terms of variety, quality, and value--so much to enjoy in one set! The spicy set was great, though the rolls were a bit too saucy and creamy for my taste. However, the sushi and sashimi were fantastic--fresh and flavorful. The atmosphere is intimate, and even on a weekday, it was getting crowded, so I'd recommend coming either right when they open or closer to the end of the lunch rush. Service was very prompt and the food came quickly. Overall, this spot is a gem, and I'll definitely be back! read more

Nubo Japanese Tapas - TEISHOKU - SPICY SET AND SASHIMI & SUSHI - Sushi Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

This place is bustling! Expect a wait for dinner time. It will take some time to get a seat, order and get the bill as I experienced. So come with a patient attitude. Otherwise the waiters/resses have their hands very full. Otherwise the food is great! My favorite dish was the tomato curry karage. The curry was mildly sweet and they were generous with the karate. I also recommend the Tofino - an assortment of scallop, shrimp and white fish tempura. It was absolutely delicious: crispy on the outside and so flavorful and tender in the inside. read more

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Visiting from LA and Tapas was recommended to us. The sushi was fresh and the ambiance was nice.

We stopped in for lunch as it opened. We went for the special and had sashimi and nigiri as our mains. The 3 tempura pieces were very good, shrimp and sweet potato. I enjoyed the small salad and the sashimi pieces were very good. I highly recommend this place just get there early or expect a little wait. Fish was very fresh. read more

I've had quite a bit of excellent Japanese food and this place ranks amongst the top with outstanding sushi, kaarage, bao buns, and seafood pancake. read more

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I ordered the Seafood Takarashi, I tend to like things spicy, but this dish was over the top too spicy. I couldn't eat it and the server knew, after asking me a few times. She told me to order rice. Be careful of this one dish. read more

I got the Lucky strike roll which is smoked salmon, seared tuna, spicy tuna, prawn tempura, avocado, fish eggs. It was delicious! Service is very fast and staff is friendly. This was 5 minutes from my hostel and came highly recommended. I did have to wait on a table but it's not so bad since they will text you once a table frees up. read more

Best sushi and cocktails I've ever had. Great service, great little spot, highly recommend if you're in the area. I will dream about this spot once we leave Victoria! read more