Sushi Standout Nobu Now Has a Second Home on the Strip

Nobu may have closed at the Hard Rock Hotel while the resort converts to Virgin Hotels, but that’s not stopping chef Nobu Matsuhisa from having two restaurants in Las Vegas. He temporarily relocates his restaurant at Bally’s Las Vegas in the former Sea: The Thai Experience space next to BLT Steak.

The intimate space opens tonight with black cod miso, the dish that really put Nobu on the culinary map, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, and, of course, sushi. Classic dishes including tuna tataki with tosazu and rock shrimp tempura with creamy spicy sauce or ponzu sit beside new renditions such as king crab with yuzu brown butter and Australian wagyu rib-eye with garlic pepper sauce. Three omakase options make the move as well.

Nobu closed at the Hard Rock Hotel on February 3 while the resort renovates to become the Virgin Hotel. The original Vegas Nobu opened in 1999 and became a cornerstone of the Hard Rock dining experience. The restaurant plans to return to the resort with a larger, invigorated space later this fall, once the new operators completely re-brand the resort footprint as Virgin Hotels.

The surprise move to Bally’s was initiated by Nobu-san, as the staff respectfully refer to their mentor. Since the Virgin Hotel space planned to close for at least nine months, he decided to open a temporary location so his staff could remain employed before returning to Paradise Road.

The Bally’s location sits across Las Vegas Boulevard from the Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace and the largest restaurant within Matsuhisa’s global Nobu empire.

• Sushi Stalwart Nobu to Make Surprise Pop-Up Move from Hard Rock to Bally’s [ELV]

• Virgin Hotel Keeps Some Restaurants After the Remodel, Adds Hugh Jackman to the Mix [ELV]

· All Coverage of Nobu Restaurant & Lounge [ELV]