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

The Hard Rock Hotel closed after 24 years on the eastside, but fans of its acclaimed dining destination Nobu will only have to wait a few days before they can reunite with the same staff and classic Nobu Matsuhisa menu at a new pop-up home on the Strip.

Hoping to debut by mid-February, the temporary restaurant is swiftly moving to Bally’s Las Vegas, taking over the tucked away former site of Sea: The Thai Experience, which closed without fanfare earlier this year.

The new temporary home faces BLT Steak a few steps from the soon-to-be-renovated Indigo Bar. No paperwork for a design makeover suggests the Thai restaurant's light wood interior, pond, water feature, and informal, bench seating in the center of the room will all remain in place. Missing will be an open-plan kitchen and separate bar area that Nobu had at the Hard Rock Hotel.

The original Vegas Nobu opened in 1999 and became a cornerstone of the Hard Rock dining experience. Nobu is already promised to be headed back into 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 himself, as the staff respectfully refer to their mentor. The restaurateur was concerned his team might drift apart during the long hiatus before they moved back to Paradise Road.

On the Strip, details have yet to be officially announced and the project is self-described as a pop-up, not a permanent venture, but diners can expect a number of Nobu favorites, served and prepared by the majority of the Hard Rock employees.

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

· All Coverage of Nobu Restaurant & Lounge [ELV]

· All Coverage of Nobu Matsuhisa [ELV]