good sushi just stay away from the oyster shooters. oysters with quail egg in a shot of vodka is just revolting. their fresh sushi especially the toro, sashimi and delicious dragon roll is what saved our dining experience.
(3)
Rick C.
An amazing experience all around. The food was superb and exceeded only by the service. Servers Michael and Haley were great. Very personable, helpful and went out of their way to make sure our evening was perfect. By the way, treat yourself to the shaved ice desert. You won't be sorry.
(5)
Sue S.
We have been to several of chef Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurants and never been disappointed. However, this was an exceptionally pleasant dining experience with beautiful mountain views and delicious, inventive dishes. An aside to management: Sean, our back staffer, far outshined our humorless waiter. A promotion is in order!
(5)
Mindy P.
My husband and I chose this restaurant as our 'nice dinner out' while in town for business. I read the reviews and chose it because of the high praise for the food. We didn't agree at all with the hotel lobby ambiance of other reviewers. We found it to be a cool, modernish space. We sat outside where you couldn't find more beautiful views.having been to Tau in Vegas and Morimoto in Napa, we had high hopes for the caliber of what we'd read about chef Nobu. The menu is broad and guidance was required. We were trying to decide about a tuna starter but, never having had yellowfin, I asked the server how it compares to ahi. He had never had ahi. We went with the beef skewers (quite possibly the best choice we made! Fusion and flavor a in the sauce were excellent!) we also got two rolls--the house special and spicy tuna, which were okay, but not mind blowing. I had read reviews on the lobster taco and ordered it. Again, it was okay and tiny. We shared a 'new style' sashimi porcini mushroom special which was fantastic and foraged by the chef that day. However, 8 thin slices for $20 was exorbitant. We we're looking most forward to the miso black cod. It wasn't caramelized enough on the top and there was not enough miso sauce, but it was a good sized portion at 8 oz. The additional sauce it came with was delicious and it did melt in your mouth but in my opinion it was undercooked. All in all, the food was good and I would go back if the prices were lower. I don't think it compares to Tau or Morimoto.
(3)
Meredith C.
We jumped at a chance to eat at one of Chef Nobu's restaurants and he did not disappoint. Taking advantage of an off season deal, we ordered a 5-course Omakase. (Meaning from the heart, in Japan). We had two pieces of sashimi, a chef's choice sushi roll with 3 pieces of nigiri, a lamb entree, clam miso soup, and a green tea cake for dessert. The off season special was $42 and the regular Omakase is $100 for 7 courses. I would gladly pay for the regular price again. Every course was better than the last and the service was amazing!
(5)
B C.
Bottom Line: Great dinning experience in a trendy/cool atmosphere that is in a large impersonal hotel lobby-esque space; menu is a little more limited, but the food was wonderful. Service was a little grumpy at first, but helpful and responsive throughout. My wife and I have enjoyed many of the restaurants around the country and world in the Nobu empire, and decided to try this Vail edition. We showed up late (9:30) on a Tuesday night, and had to negotiate with the host/manager about being able to eat before last call...I thought this was unusually early, but they agreed to seat us. A few of the Nobu staples on the menu were already finished for the evening ( understandable since it is not a late night place in the off season), but the food was nothing short of perfect by Nobu standards: -Lobster ceviche -- large and wonderful portions (highly recommend) -Hamachi and jalepeno- fresh and wonderful -Miso Black Cod- melted in your mouth like butter -Nigiri and sashimi- were very good I personally don't recommend any of the Nobus for life changing sushi (like Sasebune or Sushi Yasuda), but the incredible Peruvian and Japanese fusion dishes are the star of the dinning experience. Do: hit the Vail Matsuhisa early in the off season; Don't: DO NOT park in the same building(Solaris?) as the restaurant...$17/Hour..Crazier than Manhattan prices...there is cheeper or free parking within a 5 minute walk.
(3)
David S.
I am a huge fan of Matsuhisa, generally, and have loved his restaurants in LA and Aspen. Our group of six was excited to dine at Matsuhisa Vail. Unfortunately, this property does not capture the charm or character of the other ones. The food was mostly excellent, with the unfortunate exception of a dry black cod (superb usually, but overcooked on this occasion). The service was not up to par, however, as we were placed at a table right next to the server station door. The decor is modern and open, but loud and unremarkable. Tables for 2 are so close to neighbors that there is no potential to have a conversation. If you are looking for great sushi, this is a great spot. If you want great service and a momentous dining experience, not here.
(3)
Shira W.
This is a Nobu Matsuhisa experience worth trying. With beautiful high ceilings and dim lighting, the scene is set for a special meal. The menu focuses on Japanese/South American fusion, a combination that explores distinct and unusual flavors. We started with the edamame and shishito peppers, which were the perfect appetizers to our delicious meal. Out of the skewers, I'd recommend the salmon ones paired with teriyaki sauce. Simple but so good. The lamp chop was also incredible - melting in your mouth with a Peruvian sauce. A must try if you like lamb. We also ordered the King crab tempura and rock shrimp tempura. Both had unique, addicting flavors and left you satisfied. My only complaint would have to be about the sushi. We got the lobster roll and shrimp tempura roll but they were underwhelming. I expected more from a Japanese restaurant and I've had more exciting versions of the same rolls. Looking forward to coming back again!
(4)
Jane S.
I really mean 4.5 stars but I will round up. The service last night was great! Everyone was very attentive and polite. Maybe it's because we went during the off season and it wasn't a packed house, but I had a great experience. We ordered the shishito peppers. Soooo yummy! I live the way they served it. Grilled and they put the miso and salt on the side to dip in. Delicious! We also had the shrimp wrap and the miso cod wrap. It was gone in seconds. The uni was so fresh and creamy! My only complaint was the Ika was a little too chewy. We also has the creamy spicy crab and it rocked my world!! We did get food coma afterwards but I'm not complaining
(5)
Taya C.
We sat outside and had a beautiful view. Our server was very patient in explaining the menu and suggesting items we might enjoy. The sommelier was very helpful and chose a nice bottle to accompany our meal. What we didn't enjoy was the constant barrage of children running around and even riding bikes right by our table. Who lets their kids do this outside a fairly expensive, upscale restaurant?? C'mon, parents. Really???
(3)
Diane G.
I am just going to list everything we ate on our fabulous visit to Matsuhisa, and tell you that (from start to finish) each and every item was incredibly unique and absolutely delicious. There were five in our party, and the kitchen prepared all items in quantities of 5 to accommodate us, which was incredibly convenient and allowed us to sample a variety of the menu items! Our servers were extremely attentive and amiable. My favorites are noted with an asterisk. Appetizers and Entrees (In no particular order): Shishito Peppers Nobu Wagyu Beef Tacos Miso Cod Lettuce Cups w/Crispy Phyllo Sea Bass Tempura Tempura King Crab* Short Rib Lamb Chops* Sashimi Dessert: Bento Box Nobu Style Shaved Ice in Strawberry* Something else that was absolutely fabulous but by this time I stopped keeping track
(5)
Alex D.
Always great. Have been three times in the last 2 weeks. Only gave 4 stars because one server wasn't great. Food is wonderful. Sit at the bar and eat. Bartenders are great.
(4)
Kurt K.
Our service was wonderful. Food was fantastic. No brainer for Vail dining. Best meal of the trip, topping Campo, Sweet Basil, La Tour, Terra Bistro, and Elways.
(5)
VK D.
2nd time was not a charm. Had kelp salad, 3 raw oysters, sashimi Saba (Mackeral), Hamachi (Yellowtail) & Tai Snapper. Also spicy tuna roll & a special salmon roll. Everything tasted great going down but 12 hours later, I spent the next 2 days with severe food poisoning. Called the restaurant to discuss, they called back only after being prompted by the board of health. I don't mind paying for quality but this was a horrible experience I would not wish on my worst enemy.
(1)
M J.
The room is gorgeous, the service was good/fine and the food did not disappoint. I had a great cocktail (spicy margarita) as well as several memorable dishes - including the lobster taco, unusual veg tempuras and the coffee pot de creme (?) type dessert - all were just delicious.
(4)
V E.
When you walk in you expect to have an incredible dining experience. The high ceilings, the decor, the music all ties together to create a great atmosphere. The food was great and the recommendation by the waiter of the spinach salad was excellent. Some reviews complained about pricing, you're in VAIL COLORADO what exactly are you expecting when you go into the village to eat? NOW FOR WHAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE. The set up of the table was decent. But I can't wrap my head around the fact that this is a pricy restaurant and I had to eat with wooden disposable chop sticks. And then there was the service. Here's the deal when your drink menu has a "table of contents" of about 24 pages and then you charge $6,000 for a Grand Cru "Domaine de la romanee-conti le montrachet" your service needs to be on point. Our appetizers did not come out at the same time. I specifically told my waiter I wanted the salad and my vegetable roll together for our main course. And I wanted my miso soup first. That didn't happen. We all had our food in front of us (all sushi) except for one person at the table who order the chicken dish (which was a bit dry). It seriously took 2 times of asking 2 different servers to check on his food and about 20mins after we all had our food for his plate to arrive. Completely unacceptable. We wanted to drink. We ordered drinks 3 different times and 2 of those times I had to call our busser to get our waiter to then be able to order drinks. We were never asked how our food came out by anyone. We had to ask for the desert menu ourselves and I had to stack empty glasses at the end of our table. Overall the worst service experience we have experienced in what is known as ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE SMALL TOWNS IN AMERICA. I know a bad review won't carry any weight or even a few, why? Because this place is one of the few "fancy" sushi places in Vail Village. The demand and diners will always be there. But hopefully the owners will make an effort to address the horrible service they are providing. As restaurant people ourselves we value our diners and providing an amazing dining experience from start to finish should be the number one priority.
(2)
Monica H.
My family always comes here when we ski in Vail because we love Japanese food, but this place is okay. They're under the same owner as Nobu and it's a similar experience: modern, overpriced Japanese food in a dark, loud and "trendy" place. The food is mediocre but it's still worth going, if you haven't been before. I've never had a bad experience here.
(3)
G R.
Chef Nobu has certainly created a fusion of flavors. Having dined in Nobu Vegas - I am definitely hooked on the miso cod, however this time, having had omakase by the chefs I was hooked on the oysters with Uni in them! The price of the meal is grossly inflated but Nobu is Nobu and $$$$$ is part of the appeal for some I guess. Overall, the best sushi / Japanese cuisine in Vail. Enjoy!
(3)
Richard S.
Outstanding food and service! This place is every bit as good as any of Nobu family of restaurants that I've been to in NY, LA, Malibu, Vegas and Athens. Our waiter was very knowledgable and made some great suggestions to go along with my normal favorites. I highly recommend this location.
(5)
Charles L.
This place is getting less than 4 *'s? Seriously? Nobu Matsuhisa is still firing on all cylinders even though he's been at it for so many years. So many seriously good sushis, sashimis, and savory dishes. Worth the visit.
(5)
Clare M.
First things first, yes...it is VERY expensive. But remember this, you are getting some of the freshest possible seafood in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Not a lotta ocean around Vail if you take a minute to look at a map. Second, they have a special list of all the Gluten Free items and it's not just a few offerings of sashimi with tamari. There are all sorts of amazing thoughtful dishes they can offer. Lastly, it's fresh...ridiculously fresh. You do not go to a Nobu restaurant and expect to get less than perfect or out of there for less than about $200 a person. Just a fact. If you cannot afford it, don't go. If you are going to complain...don't go. Yes you can get sushi much cheaper and you will enjoy it likely just as much assuming you aren't eating anything raw that will likely make you sick if not fresh. You should ALWAYS pay full price for sushi because it's cheaper than the way you'll feel for a few days later. This is more than a restaurant, it is an experience. If you go, do it right and blow a wad of cash because that is the point. Great food, trained staff and a memorable experience. Don't want to pay for it, stay home.
(4)
Jeff B.
I'm torn on Matsushita. Given the price I think it's a 3.5 as the rating suggests. It is Vail so you need to put that in perspective. The atmosphere is cool and the service is okay but I think nothing stellar. I've had more fun at Bol downstairs with a cooler vib. After a day of skiing or snowmobiling and you crave sushi and sake this is a good place. If you're going out with friends or team building with work, be prepared to spend. I enjoyed just wasn't wow'd. Menu has nice food but I didn't eat at the sushi bar. Next time I'll check that out. Sometimes eating at the sushi bar gets the best stuff!
(4)
Melissa B.
I am giving this place 3 stars because everything was good until the sushi came. My husband who lived in Japan would give this a 1 star if that because he was very disappointed with the sushi as he ordered the chefs platter and it was very minimal and not very fresh. The mushroom salad was great as well as the steak. The waiter also brought out the miso soup last which was very strange. The service was sub par. Not worth the expense we can get better sushi in MI.
(3)
Jim M.
There is only one reason to go here -- to get the omakase. If you do anything else, you're doing it wrong. Seriously. This is a celebrity chef restaurant. If you want to know what _his food_ really is, you have to do this. Everything else on the menu is there to appease _you_ not to show off what _he knows_ about food. So if you order a tuna maki and aren't impressed with the food or the prices, shame on you. Tacos? Who orders tacos in a sushi bar?! Do yourself a favor, save your pennies, and do it right. Sure they get their fish from the same distributor as other sushi places in Vail. Do you think two trucks are going to drive all the way up a mountain in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a land locked state to deliver fresh fish? But just because it all comes on the same truck doesn't mean it is all the same fish. And even if it was, I can assure you that how you handle the fish is _everything_. An amateur can _ruin_ the world's best tuna let alone something complex. Yes, the omakase is expensive. It is also a LOT of food. Seven courses and a dessert. If you're not used to eating like this, the first few courses will seem small. But by the time dessert comes out, you'll be wishing you had a hollow leg, trust. I've also done the omakase at Morimoto's place in Philly. Roughly the same price, roughly the same number of courses. Very different styles. This is the beauty of omakase. Both chefs really show you their vision for food, and if you have the palate to understand what they're doing, they both blow you away. I had dishes the night we were here at Matsuhisa that I struggled to get my mind around. I ate a raw oyster topped with sea urchin roe -- two things I tend to not like _at all_ and I found myself lamenting that there were only two of them on the plate! I had everything from raw fish to braised lamb. Also, be sure to get Nobu's signature sake. Much like Morimoto's signature shochu, this is not a hype thing. This is an excellent bottle and pairs wonderfully with the omakase. My only complaint about Matsuhisa were the other patrons who were shockingly uncouth, loud, unaware of their physical space and all seemed to arrive in groups of ten or more expecting tables. But that's my own mistake for going to Vail at all, I guess. The only people worse than the tourists in Vail are the locals. Wear a helmet, the chips on their shoulders will put an eye out. And now that Colorado has legalized weed, they're none the brighter than they used to be.
(5)
Verity N.
Hugely overrated. Terrible staff. The maitre d' could barely tear his eyes from his computer when we arrived and told us it would be a couple of minutes so go sit at the bar (which was full). 45 minutes later we went and asked again and finally go our table. We then had to close out our tab at the bar before moving to our table. I have never had to do this at a restaurant, the tab usually moves straight over. We questioned it, he told us it was 'two different revenue streams'. I have an MBA - that doesn't mean you have to have separate bills, it's pretty easy to account for them separately. I've eaten at Nobu in London several times which is amazing. The food here was average to poor. Our server asked us if we were enjoying our food, my husband said er, yes and no. The server smiled and walked off. Any half decent server would have asked what the no pertained to. We asked one guy for a refill of our soy sauce which was empty on arrival. Never happened. Asked a second guy, he took the pot at least but never returned. And finally, this is a high end place, WHY are there televisions showing sport above the bar???
(2)
David E.
****3-Star Disappointment**** Set the scene: Vail Village, Colorado at the very beginning of the ski season. It's cold and snowing and not yet crowded with holiday madness that would ensue a few weeks later. Nobu Matsuhisa is a culinary legend and for good reason. I wonder though if he is slipping. I have been to NOBU in NYC several times but must say that I was only blown away when Masaharu Morimoto was running the kitchen. Maybe this experience spoiled me but my Nobu experiences since then have been underwhelming. Enter Matsuhisa. A new restaurant bearing the restauranteur's name. The interior design is incredible, hostess very warm and we were fortunate enough to have a great seat by a cozy, modern fireplace. This is where the greatness ended. Our server while very polite and accommodating was somewhat awkward. The food overall was mediocre and uninspired. Two miso soups to start (one with clams, one with mushrooms) both were barely lukewarm. Lobster roll was unexciting. I don't need flash, but is you're going with a simple and traditional preparation the ingredients better be superb. The lobster was just okay and otherwise the roll was ordinary with seaweed wrapper, rice & avocado. Next we had two of Nobu Matsuhisa's signature dishes; Miso Black Cod and Rock Shrimp with a spicy butter sauce. The Cod was great (as expected) and the shrimp was basically a bowl of fried shrimp with a little bit of sauce which was not enough to fully coat the shrimp and balance out the strong fried flavor. The biggest disappointment came in the form of Salmon Sushi. This was my final course and I cannot remember the last time i had such a small and inferior piece of Salmon on a bed of rice that did not even hold together very well. It's the kind of sushi I would expect to get in an $8.95 bento box lunch special at some pedestrian Japanese place in any old city. I tried to stick to the basics and let the ingredients and execution do the talking but it just didn't happen for me. I think this restaurant requires some much needed improvement in execution and ingredient selection/purchasing in order to live up to the Matsuhisa name.
(3)
Tariq A.
Always amazing!
(5)
selma w.
everything was superb. service , the omakase menu of 5 items ( this was the off season menu), and the additional items we ordered were all superb. max our server was very warm and and welcome and asked us if we had any allergies or dislikes and if we wanted the scallops or the lamb for part of the omakase. we both chose the scallops and it was a great choice. the only thing i was not crazy about was the mochi ice-cream served with some exotic fruits. mochi is not for me. we also sampled a bunch of the items on the off season menu and everything was delicious and a good portion. cannot wait to come back and that was my third time there. Our omakase consisted of : Yellowtail sashimi ( kampachi, Aqua de chile, yuzu /soy) Bay scallops with mushrooms 3 piece nigiri and spicy tuna roll Miso soup with clam Mochi for dessert ( don't like mochi)
(5)
Anthony V.
Great food, wonderful service. Perfect night out. I would recommend to all my friends. Try the king crab tempura and black miso cod. Beautiful looking restaurant. Super fun evening.
(5)
Julia B.
I am definitely a sucker for restaurant decor. After all, design in itself speaks loudly and allows to in fact judge "the book by its cover" with no guilt. With a black sign right outside that says all it needs to "Matsuhisa" we enter. The place is filled with people, vibrant yet subtle colors of red and brown and it is huge to say the least. There is a separate room where you can eat at the sushi bar that is actually tucked away which I immediately judge. One of my favorite spots in any Japanese restaurant is the sushi bar. Even if I am not sitting at the sushi bar - it is the matter of seeing it. It is the center stage of the restaurant. It is where "the magic happens". The fact that it was hardly seen at this place was bizarre. We make our way to the bar and score 2 seats. The service was mediocre from the start. The bartender was either overwhelmed or merely not feeling the vibe of the night. Since I have been in the industry I can always sense the mood. I hate to ask for specials, recommendations, etc. I feel all this should be part of the greeting speech along with the friendly smile. It was pulling teeth. As we get our sake which we had to re-fill ourselves throughout the night we also started with one of my favorite appetizers. Yellowtail sashimi with Jalapeño. This is also one of my favorite dishes at Sushi Den. I took a picture. I ate it. I was, to say the least, NOT impressed. Four pieces of thinly sliced fish spread broadly on a plate with maybe 3 drops of sauce and each piece had the smallest piece of Jalapeño on top. No flavor. No spice. It was distressing. The sauce was non existent. What happened there? Was this a joke? Our depressed bartender said one of their best dishes was the crab tempura. While not a fan of tempura I gave it shot. Let me just explain, I love my fish raw, plain so it can melt at the tip of my tongue, dissolve inside my mouth so I can taste absolutely everything. My taste buds have to be pleased 100%. After we have a few bites, my boyfriend and I took another look around the restaurant to make sure we were not at P.F. Chang. Are we on PUNKD? Is Ashton Kutcher going to jump out from the back holding up a an empty box of frozen mass produced Chinese food? We left hungry and overpaying for a dinner we did not enjoy. $130 dollars for the cheapest sake on the menu along with three things off the menu. The toro was good and the lighting at the bar is amazing. I think we paid for one of them with our check. You are welcome.
(1)
Hu Lee A.
I have eaten here twice now. Exceptional. Both times I have ordered the tasting menu low price option and both times I have had the meal of a lifetime. Highly recommended. PS: I have eaten at all three Morimoto's (Philly, NYC, and Napa) and had their tasting menu. Matsuhisa blows them away.
(5)
Adam D.
This place was exceptional -- through and through a five star meal. One of the best I've ever had, from service to food. I did the a la carte and my dad did the omakase...the waiter helped me order accordingly to match the multiple courses and it worked perfectly. We got a great mix of the menu and literally everything was on-point and delicious. Great sake list too. Probably one of the best sushi/japanese meals I've ever had.
(5)
Hen A.
dinner reservations for four...vail village matsuhisa... s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com… sushi bar requested and a must...view of sushi chef's creations from start to plating...small wait to set and escorted left to light wooden bar...glass displays of fresh fish...first preparations sake and beer....one.eight ml "demon slayer" sake bottle $one-hundred-fifty....smooth and good...kirin draft $seven each...fresh wasabi roots present and requested...sharkskin grater...omakase asking...chef's best work and no limitations...questions on favoring sashimi or sushi style...natural answer being everything...starting with oysters, and seared or sauced sashimi... s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com… great mix of tangy, savory and sweet...mix of textures from smooth, pop, crunch and chew delicious...moving to traditional...sweet ama ebi..melting toro...fresh hirame and amberjack...delectable morsels... s3-media2.ak.yelpcdn.com… great order in the courses...starting fresh and tangy...moving to sweet and savory....transitioning to fresh and traditional...$one-hundred-seventy per person...$six-hundred-eighty total dinner for four omakase orders, 1.8ml sake bottle and two beers... s3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.com…
(4)
Vivian T.
Excellent. Highly recommend trying both "Omakase" tasting menus. We tried 1 of each between 3 of us - regular and grand, and it was perfect
(4)
Adam C.
We came here as a group of 25 for my buddy's bachelor party. While the food was fantastic, the service was lackluster and the portions were incredibly stingy. Another friend at the table was celebrating his 30th birthday party, and this was mentioned to the server, who proceeded to bring him a piece of cake with a candle, which was very nice. What was not nice was the 30 dollar charge that was added to the bill for said piece of cake, which should've been comped, given that we didn't order it and we had just ordered a 5k dollar meal. The manager was incredibly smug and his attitude was enough to make me never want to go back. The food was delicious, but they served us family style and didn't give us enough food. We had to eat pizza afterwards because everyone was still hungry, which is unacceptable when paying 200 bucks a head. Overall, there were enough problems that I wouldn't go back.
(2)
David C.
I was very much looking forward to dinner at Matsuhisa. I had been to Nobu many times and just assumed that his newer chain would be comparable. Wow, was I disappointed. The rock shrimp was classic Nobu and reasonably good, but everything else was mediocre, at best. The soft shell crab had a strange aftertaste, the recommended house specialty, eggplant was sickly sweet and the mushrooms were tasteless. On top of it all was the price - simply way too much for poor food. I won't return.
(1)
Tom W.
The prices are awfully high for the tiny portions they serve. The Vegetable roles tasted 'off' and all we got from the help was " well, that's how we prepare it". Yuch! The Riesling was Very Very good, but we walked out with a $50.00 bill to pay and only got an appetizer and 2 glasses of wine. If you're trying to impress someone with all the money you have to waste, this is the place for you. If you're hungry and want to eat good food without excuses, somewhere else might be a better choice. On the flip side though, it's a beautiful restaurant. Maybe they should stop serving food and give tours instead?
(1)
Charles C.
I've been to Matsuhisa five separate times and feel like I've experienced enough of it to justify my first yelp review. Let me start out by saying that I've eaten at Nobu in NYC and matsuhisa in Aspen and loved my experience at both places. My experience at Matsuhisa pales in comparison. During the initial ramp up, there were a lot of inconsistencies in the quality of the food, particularly of the sushi which I attributed to the newness of the restaurant. That being said, it didn't stop the staff from creating an air of snobbiness and all-knowingness despite a very limited sushi selection. I was "taught" when I ordered hirame that it is halibut, not fluke in the US, though this has been correctly changed to fluke on my most recent visit last month. Not what I expected at a Nobu affiliate. The quality of the sushi has always been adequate, but not superb, as I would have expected at a restaurant of this caliber and reputation. I don't mind small portions as long as the fish is exquisite, which I would not characterize the sushi here. The best bet, I have found is the omakase, which tends to ensure the freshest fish. My biggest issue, however has been with the attitude/service. Throughout its time from opening to last month, I think they have embraced the "hottest seat in town" attitude rather than trying to ensure a pleasant, friendly, customer-oriented experience. The Nobu in NYC is filled with celebs, but the staff go out of their way to make sure you feel like one too. In vail matsuhisa, the opposite is true - you will get average to poor service unless you are perceived as a celeb, and by the way, be patient as the food takes quite a long time to come out. My last and what will be my final visit consisted of a group of eight of us celebrating three birthdays. We all ordered omakase other than the three who were celebrating a birthday, who wanted the grand omakase. Our server first agreed, but halfway through taking our orders, "remembered" it would't be possible and that the whole table of eight would have to order the same omakase level as it would be too confusing to the chef serving family style. We offered to move seating to assist but were told no. I was relieved to see the manager come over, as I though he would resolve the situation, but he instead escalated it, refusing to relent, and arguing further the difficulty. After arguing with us for several minutes and ensuring we were maximally agitated, he finally agreed to the split omakase, but rest of the party was so embarrassed that they said they would take the grand omakase as well. We spent well over $4000.00 that evening and other than an offer for a free drink, the manager didn't even send over anything for the three birthdays. He did come over multiple times to make sure we were enjoying our meal with an "I told you so" attitude when we said the food was good. Overall, my wife, who has eaten at multiple michelin starred restaurants, has decreed that she will never return, and the concierge at our hotel has said that she has heard of several other issues from other guests and that all of the sushi restaurants in vail source their fish from the same purveyor. She suggested Yama instead, which I went to this week, The food was essentialy equivalent and the service was much better: the staff was friendlier, much more helpful and quicker.
(1)
Lauren F.
Exceptional food with spotty service. The new style dishes were particularly good and the specialty drinks were delicious. Omakase is the way to go... we had a bit of everything including dishes we likely would not have ordered otherwise (but which we enjoyed immensely). However, I was surprised they did not have a no cellphones policy... the table of 5 men next to us were on and off their phones continuously throughout dinner, which was distracting.
(4)
Jennifer C.
O.M.akase! My husband and I loved our first meal here so much that we couldn't wait to return! During our first trip, we chose various things from the menu based on server recommendations. For our second trip, we opted for the Omakase- a prix fixe menu with 8 courses. There are two options for the Omakase, the regular and the upgraded option (same dishes but higher quality fish and meat are incorporated). We chose the upgraded Omakase and were not disappointed! Course 1: Bluefin tuna with cilantro, jalapeño and yuzu soy sauce- Yummy! This was probably my second favorite course of the evening. The texture of the tuna was amazing and the jalapeño had just the right amount of heat. Course 2: Japanese snapper with miso Thai rub, with uni, chives, yuzu and garlic chips on a cucumber- Literally melts-in-your-mouth. Course 3: New style salmon sashimi with sesame, chives and ginger cooked by pouring hot olive oil over- very savory and the salmon had great texture. Course 4: Sea Bass with shaved black truffle and truffle oil- this was my least favorite course of the evening. There was too much fish in relation to the oil and truffles. The bites with the truffles were amazing- it was a perfect pair; however, since the piece of sea bass was so large, a majority of the bites were sort of dry and just fish. The flavors are right on, just need to get the ratios right. Course 5: Waygu beef with foie gras, enoki mushrooms and sake marinated brussel sprouts- The beef was tasty, but didn't seem to fit with the other courses. Also, I'm not a foie gras fan, so although the first bite was tasty, I struggled with the texture throughout the rest of the course. I would have been much happier with another seafood course. Course 6: 5 Pieces of Sashimi- Toro, Japanese Barracuda, Eel, Squid, King Crab- This was my favorite course of the evening. As I expected, the Toro was amazing- I could have eaten a plateful of just Toro. I'd never had Squid before and was a little leary of a chewy texture, but was surprised to find that it a great texture and flavor. Well definitely be eating more squid in the future! Course 7: Dashi Soup with enoki mushrooms and a single shrimp- I never would have thought to make the last savory course a soup, but it was brilliant! Very tasty and a nice way to sort of clear your palate prior to dessert. Course 8: Chocolate Almond Hazelnut Layer Cake, Green Tea Ice Cream and a Chocolate Cigar- Wow. Usually, I'm not a fan of hazelnut, but the cake was so good. The wafer-like layers throughout made for a super tasty cake that felt light and had great textures- it was all I could do to pace myself. After two meals here, I cannot say enough good things about the food here! One drawback was the noise, it was pretty loud and sometimes hard to hear (only on our second visit), but this is a small price to pay for the food. The Omakase should not be missed- especially if you only have one chance to eat here! Already looking forward to our next visit!
(5)
Sandra G.
Hmmmm...had a tasteless udon soup with mushy noodles. Disappointment. Also mentioned it was my birthday -- didn't even get a "happy birthday."
(2)
David H.
Let me start by saying that my wife and I are sushi fanatics, and we've eaten fantastic Sushi in many great cities like Huntington Beach, Dallas, Denver, etc. After hearing out trusted "foodie" friend lavish praise on Matsuhisa, we had high expectations. Unfortunately, we found it to be a massive disappointment. The atmosphere was amazing, but that's were it abruptly ended. We found the menu to be odd, and sparse. The waiter recommended the salmon skin roll, which was utterly disgusting. The creamy rock shrimp was descent, but not great. We were with a big party, so we got to sample several of their signature dishes. We felt they were all average (or below) tasting, overpriced, and under portioned. I feel that everyone leaving 5 star reviews, is partaking in the "emperor's new clothes" syndrome. All of the wealthy socialites say its great, so it must be. Bottom line, save your money, and go to any of the other sushi places in Vail. They are probably all better, and cheaper. Matsuhisa was a grossly over-hyped let down.
(1)
Patrick D.
Quite literally some of the best food I've ever had in my life. The service is outstanding, and the staff are some of the most knowledgeable I've ever been around. The Bass with Truffle and Spinach Salad are must haves. However, the reality is that everything on the menu that I've tried is absolutely delicious. If you can't decide, just ask the servers...they can guide you along the way. Oh, and the location doesn't get any better than this. Absolutely stunning views of Vail from the center unit in the Solaris.
(5)
Jon P.
I ate here last night and it was very disappointing. I am very particular about my sushi, a bit of a snob. I have eaten sushi all over the world and lived in Japan so my standards are high, so please keep this in perspective. The ohitashi and shishito peppers were good. I had toro, hamachi, maguro. All were not fresh, quite dry. The portions were miniscule as well. I had some rolls as well that were also very small. Restaurant was very hip but was all show IMHO.
(3)
Jeff C.
This is not a full fledge review, but came in to have a few drinks at the bar as it just opened back in mid August. Wow, I really really like the ambiance in here. Sitting at the bar was awesome. The views I'm sure are fantastic (it was dark out and kind of snowy, so could not see much) but they have the huge windows that look up towards the mountains. The bar was pretty cool--huge wooden bar made of mahogany wood (I think) looking out the huge windows. This place had 30' ceilings and was truly awesome. The menu looked great, but can't really comment as we did not eat here this time, but will make it a priority for the next time I am up in Vail. Lastly, looking at the menu, the prices seemed reasonable for this caliber of restaurant. Can't wait to come back and try it!! I am saving the 5th star for the next review.
(4)
Gertrude T.
Wow. Beautiful room. Friendly, educated but not pushy service. Pricey but worth it. Sit at bar for cocktails and faster service. Great sushi, best in Vail.
(4)
Bacong F.
This is our favorite Japanese chain. Nobu Matsuhisa is amazing! From LA, NY to Vail, it taste exactly the same. Rock shrimp, cod, yellow tail is what we always order. We sampled a few more plates. Great food. The decor is beautiful and the wait staff was great. Looking forward to trying more of their 28 locations. Milan is next!
(5)
Holly B.
One star is being extremely generous. The food is actually quite good, and the chefs are nothing short of top notch, but the service, and more importantly, the management was horrific. As group of 3, we were denied service after a local Couple complained that we were too "rowdy". This was at the sushi bar with two buddies- upon our initial order of two beers and chefs choice of rolls and sashimi. Upon the denial, the "arrogant manager" (Anthony) came out and explained that we were too intoxicated (despite not having a drink at that point). As the conversation continued, multiple patrons at the sushi bar asked if they could order for us. At the conclusion of the conversation, we were presented with our beers and rolls. Despite no resolve with management, we decided to stay and try the food. It was actually quite good, and we complimented the chefs- who then proceeded to create an additional 3 rolls- which were incredible as we'll. despite the great gestures of the chef and his team, the experience with Anthony finally settled in and we decided to leave. We asked for our check and we were presented with a $220 bill- for six rolls and two beers. wow! We didn't squirm at the tab, but rather decided to pay and leave while telling Anthony we had a disappointing experience. Upon engaging Anthony, he was as arrogant as ever and claimed that the next time he saw us, he wouldn't allow us to enter the restaurant. In my opinion, the manager completely ruined our night and actually fueled me to write this review. The food was good, but the customer service and the arrogance by the manager was truly incomprehensible considering the incredible service that we collectively experienced at so many other places- from Sweet Baisils to Larkspr to even the Red Lion- the management here was so bad that I would fuse to go to a coffee house that he managed.
(1)
Heather W.
Excellent food and only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because the portions are so small. Great drinks and large wine and saki selections.
(4)
Robert W.
My first experience with Matsuhisa was in Aspen and it was AMAZING. We did the Omakase multi-course meal and it was an event. Oh yeah. Second experience was in Greece where I had one of the most amazing salads in the most amazing location ever. So, it's hard for any other Matsuhisa experience to live up to that. But, I must say Matsuhisa Vail was still a great dining experience....just not as memorable as other locations. Drinks were tasty (Lemon Drop and Matsutini), tuna tacos were good, sushi fresh and delish. Flash-fried eggplant was the standout favorite, though. Still love this brand.
(4)
Deb N.
Unbelievable architecture and amazing service and food! Stunning restaurant , truly world class!
(5)
John M.
It's a Reality Distortion Field! If you have read the new Steve Jobs bio, you will know what I am talking about. If you have not, just think of it as the creation of an alternate reality. This is what is happening at Matsuhisa Vail. You have been to Nobu or Matsuhisa in NYC or LA or Tokyo or Aspen, and it is usually quite exceptional. So you naturally expect the same experience here, and while you are there you just convince yourself that the usual goodness has translated to this location. But then something exceptionally bad or unusual happens and you say, "Wait a minute. This place really sucks!". And you are free. We too were in the reality distortion field the first 2 times we were there. The first time we were there was when they had just opened in August. The service was WAY off, but we wrote it off to the fact they had just opened. The food was good, though a chicken appetizer was a raw. We went for round two over Christmas, and again the service was spotty and disjointed. They really don't care if one person's food arrives and is well finished before other dishes start showing up. Entree's, appetizers, cooked food, sushi, soup, etc, it just all arrives randomly and over a good one hour + period. This is somewhat true at the other Nobu's but everything is much tighter at these places. Here, there is no rhyme, rhythm, or reason. It is just evidence that they are not really there for your benefit. One dish we ordered was eventually served a good 30 minutes after everything else was eaten and cleared and after we asked about it 3 times. But again, the food was still fine, the company was good, and the drinks were good, so we had a fun night and did not think too hard about it: "It was Nobu so of course it was good!". We were in the distortion field. Our third installment was last week over President's week. We started with drinks, which were good but it took awhile for them to materialize. The distortion field started to weaken when the food ordering began. The waiter disappeared a few times in mid-order so that was odd. Then I asked for a tuna avocado roll, which is not a roll that is listed on the menu. The waiter said that he would check with the kitchen but he did not think they would make it. He checked and came back and said they would not make it. But I could have a tuna asparagus roll, a salmon avocado roll, or a simple tuna roll and they could serve me a side of avocado. Really. Really? Really! So they have tuna, they have avocado, you can get this roll at any sushi place in America including every other Nobu and Matsuhisa, but they won't make it at Matsuhisa in Vail. As my wife pointed out, we were not asking for sushi with chocolate sauce. We were asking for something that can readily be made and is served at their other locations. We were more amused than annoyed simply because it is the most ridiculous thing ever! Over dinner, the fog of the distortion field began to lift. Our friends food arrived first. They were completely done eating before our food arrived. My wife had ordered miso soup and asked for it to be served first (it later came as dessert). The waiter was either slow with drinks or forgot them completely. At some point near the end, the manager came over as we had asked for him at during the tuna roll discussion after the waiter gave us the most non-sensical answer about why they could not do it (something about the traditional differences between a Nobu vs. at Matsu, which was of course completely wrong and BS). But it did take about an hour for the manager to arrive after our request. Just one more fact that screams that they just don't care. He actually handled the discussion well. He was very apologetic about the weak service and weird arrival times (our friends 2 pieces of tempura actually arrived while he was there after it been ordered when we started!). On the tuna roll, he said that Mr. Matsu insisted on NO exceptions to the menu for the first year they are open. Now that's the way to build a loyal clientele! At these prices and reputation, this is really absurd. And thus the reality distortion field was obliterated by our flux capacitor! They do not care about you, me, or anyone else. So stop the madness. Don't go. They don't deserve your money.
(1)
Nitin M.
Gave it more than one star because it has great ambiance. Great vail village location, great views and great interior atmosphere. The bottle list is lengthy. The sushi tasted like it was from while foods. The edamame was over salted. The soups were luke warm. They refuse to alter their sushi rolls in anyway. Their sweet potato tempura was awful. Will not return
(2)
Toy W.
FINALLY - the best sushi in the world has come to Vail. Everything from the Uni to the Cod to the foie gras "sushi" is simply amazing. We are fans of Nobu everywhere from London and beyond, and of course matsuhisa in LA. (we are from Laguna Beach, and wish matsuhisa, (or Nobu) had come to the location just recently occupied by Katsuya! :( Ambiance here in Vail is fabulous including just the right music). The sushi chefs know exactly what they are doing and operate with precision. We even ventured in to the restaurant for their Apres Ski on 3 occasions during our long holiday stay - it was equally great with the best healthy food choices, prices, and drinks in the entire village for Apres. The view from the bar looking at Pepi's Face isn't so bad either! :) So happy this restaurant has arrived - we will continue to be frequent guests! Phenomenal, and only thing I differ with Jennifer C. on is I actually think Matsuhisa is better than French Laundry! :) (Two totally different restaurants so really shouldn't be compared)!
(5)
Sara W.
Wow. This place is amazing. I came here with a group of 5 on a Friday and we were seated immediately for our 8:30 reservation. The service was incredible the whole time. After a full day of skiing, everyone was thirsty and our water was always filled. Our server was also extremely accomodating: we had a vegitarian in our group and he brought out a veggie version of most dishes (for the shigoku oysters with toro salsa and caviar, they brought a meatless avocado version). The GM, Jordan, was very attentive and really brought the experience to a new level (he's definitely the main reason this dinner rocked). We gave our server/the kitchen leeway as to our orders. We kind of just said "we trust you bring us what you think we'll like" and they definitely delivered! My favorites were the roasted eggplant with miso and sesame, broiled cod (same miso sauce as eggplant), king crab tempura and the albacore with shaved truffle and yuzu. Also I'm not sure if this is on the menu, but the raw beef (I think it's wagyu) cooked on a salt rock--amazing! For sake, you can't go wrong with the TK 40. It was refreshing and like no sake I've ever had-hints of fruit and really tasty. If you're in vail and you want a fantastic dinner, I highly recommend this place! Great for groups or dates.
(5)
Shane D.
Absolutely outstanding meal and service. My wife and I were in Vail for a wedding and our anniversary and chose to go here based on some reviews and our personal taste in food. We've been to Atlantis' Nobu and I've been to another as well, this was my personal favorite so far, of course the scenery helps. What an outstanding view if you sit outside of near outside. Our server was highly attentive and well supported. The decorative bamboo the sake was served in was awesome and I've already searched Amazon to buy it. We went with several courses of mixed cold, hot, and raw plates. The black cod, of course, was amazing as was a special, hamachi collarbone. We had a fine selection of salmons, tunas, and a well-seasoned mackerel. Also of note they have a gluten free menu which is excellent and varied - as well they were able to prepare a couple dishes not on that menu as gluten free, so ask if you see something you really want, but don't think you can have.
(5)
Justin S.
I'm a huge fan of nobu restaurants. We came here twice last year and both times it was amazing. The reason I feel like this nobu is the best in Colorado is because it's way less expensive then the aspen location and the service/food quality is just as good. The sashito peppers are amazing! They are dialed in! The fish is always fresh. Make sure to get the bento box for dessert!
(5)
Joshua G.
Absolutely amazing. Food was incredible. Service was outstanding. Will definitely make it back next trip to Vail
(5)
Amber Q.
I normally do not comment on yelp, but after reading poor reviews about matsuhisa, I definitely felt the need to. For starters, yes, this restaurant is exceptionally expensive. You get what you pay for. If you're coming for a California roll, this place isn't for you. We have had sushi all over the world and chef nobu still makes the top of our list. The staff is friendly, the drinks are good but it's the food that really drives it home. If you have the extra cash and want to splurge on yourself, try the omakase. Leave your dinner in the hands of the very talented chefs- you will then see the talent this restaurant has. It's worth every cent. There is a reason I come to vail... It's not to ski, it's to eat at matsuhisa. Aspen has the original restaurant and if you're in that area, it's just as amazing. Enjoy!!
(5)
Yumiko F.
Definitely can work on some Udon Noodle dishes as if they supposed to be real Japanese restaurant joint. Base of soup always gets me disappointed! But was ok enough. And rest of it is sushi so of course nothing wrong.
(5)
Diana W.
first of all this place is located on the second floor of the shopping centers at the village. For the life of me I couldn't find it! Made reservations here on a Friday night but there wasn't really a crowd..maybe because it's September. Either way, for a Japanese restaurant, the sushi list is TINY. I know, I know we are eating sushi in the middle of Colorado but for it's $$price$$ I expected more. The desserts? 3 offerings. On a positive note, the service was excellent and the restaurant is gorgeous.
(2)
Jason S.
Excellent. Not that I would expect anything less from Nobu san's limited eponymous restos. Have considered the one in Beverly Hills (and his first in the US) among my favorite restaurants in the world for years. While the Vail location is cavernous by comparison they don't miss a beat. All of your favorite signature Matsuhisa dishes are available here (miso black cod, tiradito, etc) and better than at all of the other places you've had the knockoff. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable albeit a bit overwhelmed at times due to the ginormous space. The room itself is gorgeous. I'd definitely have an issue if I lived in one of the condos upstairs and Matsu was just a short elevator ride away. If you enjoy sushi and don't visit Matsuhisa while in Vail then you can only blame yourself. Is it expensive? Of course. But it is......the best.
(5)
Cooper S.
Always been my favorite. Very pricey, but delicious food. Nobu has always had a special place in my heart, but I'm so happy to have an extension of the wonderful small-dish wonder restaurant right here in Vail. I highly recommend the Rock tempura shrimp, the tuna-miso chips, and you can't go wrong with the tempura fried king crab. Great sake too! Food: 5/5 Service: 4 Ambiance: 4
(4)
Jorge S.
Good sushi and amazing drinks...but im a fan of Sushi Sasa and unfortunately Matsuhisa's sushi its not as great
(4)
Marilyn T.
We came back here after a great experience last time. Again, we were lucky to have a table facing the mountain as the sun was setting. Cocktails: The wine selection wasn't that great, and markups were pretty high, so we went with cocktails. - Matsutini: passionfruit, vodka, champagne; I love passionfruit, and it was a good starter cocktail - Hendricks gardener: gin, serrano peppers (loved the kick), cilantro, lime - this was my favorite - Firefly: cane rum, sake, lychee, basil - too sweet for me Dishes I liked: - Yellowtail tataki: seared yellowtail, loved the miso sauce and brussels sprout leaves - Miso eggplant: Japanese eggplant topped with miso paste and sesame seeds; slightly salty even for me, but I still liked it - Miso sea bass: a surprisingly large piece of seas bass topped with dry miso, so there's more texture and flavor than the regular miso past - Soft shell crab spring roll: crisp, tender crab meat, much better than most soft shell crab dishes - Tempura udon: good flavor on the broth, lots of tempura vegetables and shrimp that were nicely seasoned - Seafood tobanyaki: scallops, calamari, crab, clams, and tons of mushrooms in a clay dish; definitely get some rice with this. The soy sauce is sweet but not too salty, and it's a nice lighter cooked seafood dish Dishes that were less impressive: - Sauteed mushroom salad: Pricey at $20 for mushrooms. It had a good variety of mushrooms, but it didn't justify the price - Hearts of palm salad: tender shreds of hearts of palm, but i didn't love the dressing - Shrimp phyllo: I expected it to be in a phyllo shell, but it was more like crisped phyllo bits coating fried shrimp with a tonkatsu dipping sauce. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing - Mushroom tobanyaki: lots of mushrooms, similar flavor to the seafood one but a little too sweet for me Desserts: - Rice pudding fritters: more unique, balls of fried rice pudding. Wasabi ice cream sounded exciting but was actually very subtle. Still, this was a good dessert - Adzuki bean cake: whiskey toffee sauce and the pineapple on top were the best parts. I'm not a big adzuki bean fan, so I didn't really enjoy the cake. Service was ok, food came out pretty quickly. The food is more Americanized, and a lot of dishes were just very sweet. It's definitely a splurge and a more unique option in the Vail village, but I wasn't blown away this time.
(3)
SeonHee M.
Had such high hopes for this restaurant and seriously disappointed. Spicy crab app was so sour. My unagi rolls weren't even wrapped all the way with seaweed so every time I picked up a slice it would collapse. Service was good and the view is spectacular but that's about it.
(3)
Bratzo H.
Great experience, from the cocktails to the service. The waiter knew his job and recommend the right amount. Small plates and great flavor combinations . Best dinning experience in vail
(5)
Jeff N.
What a great experience we had. We visited with a party of 7 and let our waiter order for us family style. Can't go wrong when you are starting with Nobu's New Style Sashimi. We also really liked the tempura lobster and miso Black Cod. Of course the sushi was good too, although a little on the smaller side when comparing the nigiri to high end places in California. Probalby on purpose though. I have been to Matsuhisa in Los Angeles and this location is much nicer and better. Can't remember how it compares to Nobu's in NYC though. Everyone had a good time and would go back. We left all of our platters clean!
(5)
Luis R.
Definitely does not live up to hype! Service was crappy from the start. They tried to sit us in an alcove at the end of the restaurant which is hot and uncomfortable. They had crammed 11 chairs into a table meant for 8 max. When we complained to the snobby maitre d she basically said she couldn't help us. We had to point out an amity section for her to "wake up" and notice. As for the food, other than the jalapeño yellow ail sashimi everything else was as ordinary as you can get at your strip mall sushi restaurant. And please don't dare to question then food's preparedness! One person in our group got her main course of cod raw (and cold) in the center - baked mind you- and asked the waiter to have it cooked thoroughly. The waiter returned with the same plate stating the chef refused to cook it as it was prepared as "intended". Wow, never had some jerk do that to me before, much less when I'm paying $40 for a piece of cooked fish! Awful experience! Everyone at the table agreed to never return. Good thing we had plenty of drinks and good company while dining to distract us from the very un gratifying experience!
(1)
Audrey W.
My dinner here was very impromptu. We just wanted to eat somewhere nicer and somehow (probably because of me) we did the tasting menu aka the omakase. I wasn't expecting to spend 235 dollars for dinner that night, but that's just how things played out. Food was quite tasty. All the seafood is really fresh and the service is pretty on point. It is definitely a meal you need to splurge on, but I believe it is worth it to do it at least once.
(4)
Susan F.
WOW on the food. If you are a foodie, you won't be disappointed by the flavorful, fun and interesting sushi and sashimi selections. Of particular note was the tuna with the crispy sushi rice - small cubes of sushi rice that are fried crispy and put on a long toothpick - it's a deconstructed spicy tuna roll, but not spicy for the timid. The shitake salad is not to be missed and lands in the top 10 of salads that I've ever eaten. The lemony dressing and the plump, meaty shitake caps are firm, flavorful and compliment the lettuces. One word of caution - while the food is expertly and exquisitely prepared, the portions are light, and after a day of skiing, if you are starving, small amounts of raw fish may not fill you up. To fill up will be costly - check the menu first for pricing if you are price conscious. This is not a restaurant for those looking to be conservative with money as most dishes are in the 22-40 range and are small portions of raw fish (although tasty, delicate and delightful). Service was great, although there was a little confusion when a plate that we had been considering but didn't order came to the table. No one told us right away that it was a gift from our hotel - so it was slightly awkward when we tried to send it back. They should have been a little more on top of the presentation of the gift but our server was away when it was delivered - a faux pas on their part. The Matsutinis are delicious, but I don't drink often (anymore) and we both didn't sense a lot of alcohol in our drinks. Fruity and sweet - lot of ingredients but in the end, it was reminiscent of orange juice with Proseco. We ate conservatively, had one drink each (we were two people) and the bill was $135 before gratuity including two delicious desserts - the chocolate with the goat's milk ice cream and the lemon dessert - both interesting and worthwhile with a lot of interesting things going on in each dish.
(4)
Kevin S.
The Setting: group dinner w friends, 915 Friday, had res, sat after 15 minutes. The Food: 3.5 Stars The Service: 4 Stars The Vibe: 4 Stars The GOOD: 1. Uni Shooter - sake flavor is pleasantly overtaken by tje uni and quail egg. Well executed and tasty (if a bit overpriced at $11). 2. Miso Black Cod - Finally! After 3 bad outings at nice restaurants this Black Cod dish delivered. Buttery, flaky, well cooked, tasted excellent! 3. Sea Bass w Dry Miso Glaze - perfectly cooked, rave of the table! Excellent. The OK: 1. Teriyaki Chicken skewers - dry but well cooked, overshadowed by other dishes. 2. Sushi Rolls - Shrimp Tempura roll was good, house roll was ok, spicy tuna roll was disappointing. The BAD: 1. Beef Skewers - overcooked, very dry, big let down. Only dish we didn't finish. The Bottom Line: great vibe and location, knowledgable service, and reasonably priced for what it is. Stick to apps and seafood entrees and you'll have a great meal!
(4)
Mike P.
Ambiance is great and so is the service. People watching is great for Vail. Food is also great. The quality is great. But is it really worth the price you pay? Depends if you are on vacation and you want to splurge!
(4)
David J.
Overalls quite a disappointing experience when compared to other nobu restaurants. I found a bone in my sushi (which has never happened to me in my 20 yrs of sushi eating) and I did not expect it at a nobu establishment. The restaurant tried to make it right by replacing my roll but this is just inexcusable. Someone from the nobu empire needs to take note.
(2)
Jon H.
I must say that this restaurant and the one in aspen are the best out of the ones he has . I like them way better than nobu. One of my favorite dish is the creamy spicy crab. I order 2-3 of those every time. Also I love the new style wagyu beef. You wouldn't expect to have that great of seafood that far in the mountains but there is. If you love Japanese and looking for somewhere good to go come here. You won't be disappointed .
(5)
Brenda G.
Sushi is just ok. Spinach and mixed green salads have great flavors and are big enough to share. Taco appetizers are really not worth $7 each. Service was good but check your bill we were charged double for bottle of champagne. Unfortunately food does not justify their prices.
(3)
Janis F.
They are located on the second level in the Solaris and they only serve dinner. We had an early dining time after a day on the slopes so the restaurant was not packed with diners yet. We had a nice view of the skating rink. The village comes alive later in the evening. We ordered chilled sake it was served in a bamboo container. We ordered an assorted platter of sushi, pan seared black cod with miso sauce, and Wagyu beef. They offer an assortment of mochi ice cream for dessert. Their menu is more abbreviated than the other locations in L.A. but the quality of the sushi is good and fresh. Haven't dined at their Aspen location so I can't compare.
(4)
Jim M.
I am a serious sushi lover. This place is the real deal. Best tako I have ever had. No wasabi needed. He has it seasoned perfectly.
(5)
The Consumer U.
I certainly don't mind paying for an awesome restaurant when it's worth it - but this was definitely not that for me. Had a great time on a guys weekend catching up and we wanted to treat ourselves to a sweet meal. We had been advised to book this place weeks in advance, which was relatively laughable as it was off-season and I think there was one other group there when we got there. Atmosphere was anemic - I imagine this mostly has to do with the fact we were there in the off season and thus there wasn't any hub-bub in the village, which is not their fault - so not taking off points here. Food was honestly wholly unmemorable. Of course the sushi was all good - fresh, etc. Nothing even stuck in my memory though afterwards other than thinking I wished that my two buddies who live in the midwest and don't get a chance to have awesome sushi very often would have had a better experience. I wanted them to be wowed and have that crazy - mind-blowing experience of a good sushi meal - but this was not that. Proves that branding & marketing in the restaurant world sadly is just as much of a sham as it is for retail & clothing - my favourite place in Tribeca in NY which while not being cheap is prob 1/2 the price of Matsuhisa blows this out of the water, no questions. Save your $$. Imagine that the steakhouses and even gastro-pubs in Vail would be better options.
(2)
Richard N.
Great service and tasty food. We even had this dish not on the menu; it was uni wrapped in snapper and other stuff. Delicious!
(5)
Amy R.
I read some reviews here that had me concerned about their service. Fortunately, our experience could not have been more different. Maybe the management read them and made changes? The food was sublime, so was the service and we had the best view in the place...looking right out over Vail Mountain. Truly, as good as it gets.
(5)
Jay R.
Service and decor are fine. Food is overpriced. This was my second time dining here. This time, we both got food poisoning from the black cod and were sick for 2 days. Attempted to remedy with Matsuhisa and no response.
(1)
Sandra N.
We just returned from our first visit to Matsuhisa. We can't wait to return. The menu was huge. Everything our party tried was delicious, and the Wagu beef prepared on a hot rock at the table was outstanding!! The servers were attentive, knowledgeable, and so pleasant. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience.
(5)
Jennifer C.
Stopped in for a late night dessert. Sat at the bar and ordered their newest dessert, per the bartender's recommendation. The Shaved Ice is beautifully presented with an overflowing mound of the most delicate shaved ice. The server poured the green tea flavoring over it and told us to dig deep for the ice cream and red beans on the bottom. It exceeded our expectations. Of course, we couldn't sit at the bar without enjoying some sake, so we ordered the sake sampler. It consisted of the three top sakes served at the restaurant. Probably the best sakes we've ever had. Pricey, but so worth the experience.
(5)
Sarah G.
We happened to stroll by Matsuhisa and immediately knew where we'd be going to dinner the following evening. Unfortunately the only reservations they had were at 5:30 or after 9pm. But the sushi bar is open seating and full service, so even though we didn't get to enjoy the cavernous space of the main dining room, we were treated to something equally impressive: four sushi chefs hard at work cranking out some of the craziest (and likely most expensive) plates of sushi I've ever laid eyes on. As a result, we ordered a few more things based on "What's that?" conversations alone, but that's what makes sitting at the bar so much fun sometimes. I do wish someone would have told me that that sake comes in specially-carved bamboo carafes because those things looked so bad-ass. Still, that's something to save for next time, I guess. We started with the Kelp Salad, essentially four different flavors and textures of kelp. An interesting twist on the more typical 'seaweed salad' that I'm more used to ordering. Next, at the suggestion of our server, we tried the seared yellow-tail jalapeno as an appetizer. This dish was probably my favorite of the night both in terms of plating and taste... though I'm easy to sway with cilantro. On to the sushi. We had some standard rolls: California, shrimp tempura, soft shell crab, house special, and spicy tuna. And Bill also tried the Ikura (salmon roe), of which I just had a couple little individual roe... not quite my thing. When it came time for dessert, we had to opt out in the interest of self-preservation of the stomach. But everything was delicious, and the service was on par with the best in town. Definitely will return.
(5)
Matthew D.
All these people leaving 5 star reviews are crazy. This place is nothing but a glamorous facade with mediocre sushi. The restaurant interior and ambiance is incredible, the service is decent, the sushi is garbage. People see the name and immediately prime themselves to believe its the best sushi in the world, not even close. It is also very over priced, I have no problem spending 100$+ a person for good sushi, but this is a joke. The hot dishes are actually very good however, especially the black cod.
(2)
Ray C.
Pro's: the restaurant is gorgeous and we got sat right away. The sake was fantastic and the atmosphere is great. The fact that it is off the Vail bus route was a plus. Cons: The food is mediocre at best and is way overpriced. I ordered the filet for dinner which was tiny and overcooked. Our appetizer rolls were ok, but I've had the same rolls in small restaurants for half the price. The chef refused to make our sushi rolls inside-out because it's against 'company policy' which basically means they value their ego more than their customer satisfaction. The server was nice, but not as polished as one would expect in a finer restaurant. It also took them 15 minutes to take our drink order.
(2)
Bonnie R.
The food was amazing, amazing and the ambiance was much better than most resort restaurants. The staff was very attentive and accommodating (I changed my reservation time 3 different times). Our server made great recommendations. This restaurant deserves five stars but I am only giving it 4 because of the prices versus the size of the dish. I am a small girl that eats like a bird. At $80 a head I should not have left hungry (That price did include a sake and 1 cocktail).
(4)
Julie M.
I'm sorry I give so many 5-star reviews. When I REALLY love the food or if someone is really nice to me, it's hard for me to give anything less. Matsuhisa Aspen is my favorite restaurant possibly in Colorado, but since it's so far away, I've had to settle for Vail. And I've gone back several times--mainly for the food. As other yelpers have pointed out service can be great or service can be meh. Atmosphere is nice--also it's hilarious to see what people wear. Gold jeans to ski thermals to a studded fur vest (on a man) all in one evening. It's ridiculously expensive. If I couldn't afford to order everything on the menu that I wanted, it would probably appeal a lot less to me. The food though, the food for me is what makes it 5 stars. The presentation is always beautiful. And I'll just start listing what I order, so when you go there and splurge (which is what I always do, or it's not worth it) you will have delicious things too. Hawaiian hearts of palm salad--very delicate, very subtle. I love it. It may not offer enough inyourface flavor for some, but the lightness both of taste and texture make it great. Creamy Spicy__your pick____. We get the crab. It is amazing. Yes, I realize it's just hot crab slathered in spicy Japanese mayo and roe. I love it. Don't tell me it's not delicious. Miso Black Cod-- Nobu invented this dish. Lots of places imitate but can not quite capture the delicate, sweet, moist, buttery, tenderness of this dish at Matsuhisa. The fresh ginger stem garnish is lovely and delicious too. Tempura Rock shrimp in Butter Ponzu (also in creamy spicy sauce)-- just the right amount of crunch, salt, citrus and fried yumminess. Other highlights-- Limestone lettuce with Cod or Rock Shrimp, New Style Sashimi, Tiradito, Tai with dried miso, Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice. I've never had a dish that wasn't fresh or tasty. Is it pretentious? Maybe. Is it fun to stuff your face with Sushiesque delicacies whilst downing sake from a bamboo carafe? Yes. I will keep going and hoping the food remains at the quality and taste level that has been on my last 5 visits. I'll let you know, since I'm dining there this weekend.
(5)
Maria O.
As expected this is one of the most amazing food..cold and hot--absolutely. The sake was excellent but very expensive. Maybe worth the money if you are able to pay for it...I think the prices make it the most expensive in vail. Left a little sticker shocked and still hungry. Went to Nobu in NYC and spent more but that was to be expected. Food: 4 stars(for the portions and price) Service: 4 stars
(4)
Taylor N.
All around 5 stars! Great cocktails, service and food. Must try yellowtail jalapeño, crab ponzu, and miso cod! All recommendations and were well worth the price. Best Japanese we have ever had!
(5)
Lori O.
One of the best meals I have ever had. My husband and I ate at Nobu in NYC years ago, and this was almost exactly the same menu and quality of food and service. This will be a must every time we are in Vail. The new location was terrific! The views of the mountain were awesome. The atmosphere in the restaurant was vibrant and energetic.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Garage, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Christina O.
good sushi just stay away from the oyster shooters. oysters with quail egg in a shot of vodka is just revolting. their fresh sushi especially the toro, sashimi and delicious dragon roll is what saved our dining experience.
(3)Rick C.
An amazing experience all around. The food was superb and exceeded only by the service. Servers Michael and Haley were great. Very personable, helpful and went out of their way to make sure our evening was perfect. By the way, treat yourself to the shaved ice desert. You won't be sorry.
(5)Sue S.
We have been to several of chef Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurants and never been disappointed. However, this was an exceptionally pleasant dining experience with beautiful mountain views and delicious, inventive dishes. An aside to management: Sean, our back staffer, far outshined our humorless waiter. A promotion is in order!
(5)Mindy P.
My husband and I chose this restaurant as our 'nice dinner out' while in town for business. I read the reviews and chose it because of the high praise for the food. We didn't agree at all with the hotel lobby ambiance of other reviewers. We found it to be a cool, modernish space. We sat outside where you couldn't find more beautiful views.having been to Tau in Vegas and Morimoto in Napa, we had high hopes for the caliber of what we'd read about chef Nobu. The menu is broad and guidance was required. We were trying to decide about a tuna starter but, never having had yellowfin, I asked the server how it compares to ahi. He had never had ahi. We went with the beef skewers (quite possibly the best choice we made! Fusion and flavor a in the sauce were excellent!) we also got two rolls--the house special and spicy tuna, which were okay, but not mind blowing. I had read reviews on the lobster taco and ordered it. Again, it was okay and tiny. We shared a 'new style' sashimi porcini mushroom special which was fantastic and foraged by the chef that day. However, 8 thin slices for $20 was exorbitant. We we're looking most forward to the miso black cod. It wasn't caramelized enough on the top and there was not enough miso sauce, but it was a good sized portion at 8 oz. The additional sauce it came with was delicious and it did melt in your mouth but in my opinion it was undercooked. All in all, the food was good and I would go back if the prices were lower. I don't think it compares to Tau or Morimoto.
(3)Meredith C.
We jumped at a chance to eat at one of Chef Nobu's restaurants and he did not disappoint. Taking advantage of an off season deal, we ordered a 5-course Omakase. (Meaning from the heart, in Japan). We had two pieces of sashimi, a chef's choice sushi roll with 3 pieces of nigiri, a lamb entree, clam miso soup, and a green tea cake for dessert. The off season special was $42 and the regular Omakase is $100 for 7 courses. I would gladly pay for the regular price again. Every course was better than the last and the service was amazing!
(5)B C.
Bottom Line: Great dinning experience in a trendy/cool atmosphere that is in a large impersonal hotel lobby-esque space; menu is a little more limited, but the food was wonderful. Service was a little grumpy at first, but helpful and responsive throughout. My wife and I have enjoyed many of the restaurants around the country and world in the Nobu empire, and decided to try this Vail edition. We showed up late (9:30) on a Tuesday night, and had to negotiate with the host/manager about being able to eat before last call...I thought this was unusually early, but they agreed to seat us. A few of the Nobu staples on the menu were already finished for the evening ( understandable since it is not a late night place in the off season), but the food was nothing short of perfect by Nobu standards: -Lobster ceviche -- large and wonderful portions (highly recommend) -Hamachi and jalepeno- fresh and wonderful -Miso Black Cod- melted in your mouth like butter -Nigiri and sashimi- were very good I personally don't recommend any of the Nobus for life changing sushi (like Sasebune or Sushi Yasuda), but the incredible Peruvian and Japanese fusion dishes are the star of the dinning experience. Do: hit the Vail Matsuhisa early in the off season; Don't: DO NOT park in the same building(Solaris?) as the restaurant...$17/Hour..Crazier than Manhattan prices...there is cheeper or free parking within a 5 minute walk.
(3)David S.
I am a huge fan of Matsuhisa, generally, and have loved his restaurants in LA and Aspen. Our group of six was excited to dine at Matsuhisa Vail. Unfortunately, this property does not capture the charm or character of the other ones. The food was mostly excellent, with the unfortunate exception of a dry black cod (superb usually, but overcooked on this occasion). The service was not up to par, however, as we were placed at a table right next to the server station door. The decor is modern and open, but loud and unremarkable. Tables for 2 are so close to neighbors that there is no potential to have a conversation. If you are looking for great sushi, this is a great spot. If you want great service and a momentous dining experience, not here.
(3)Shira W.
This is a Nobu Matsuhisa experience worth trying. With beautiful high ceilings and dim lighting, the scene is set for a special meal. The menu focuses on Japanese/South American fusion, a combination that explores distinct and unusual flavors. We started with the edamame and shishito peppers, which were the perfect appetizers to our delicious meal. Out of the skewers, I'd recommend the salmon ones paired with teriyaki sauce. Simple but so good. The lamp chop was also incredible - melting in your mouth with a Peruvian sauce. A must try if you like lamb. We also ordered the King crab tempura and rock shrimp tempura. Both had unique, addicting flavors and left you satisfied. My only complaint would have to be about the sushi. We got the lobster roll and shrimp tempura roll but they were underwhelming. I expected more from a Japanese restaurant and I've had more exciting versions of the same rolls. Looking forward to coming back again!
(4)Jane S.
I really mean 4.5 stars but I will round up. The service last night was great! Everyone was very attentive and polite. Maybe it's because we went during the off season and it wasn't a packed house, but I had a great experience. We ordered the shishito peppers. Soooo yummy! I live the way they served it. Grilled and they put the miso and salt on the side to dip in. Delicious! We also had the shrimp wrap and the miso cod wrap. It was gone in seconds. The uni was so fresh and creamy! My only complaint was the Ika was a little too chewy. We also has the creamy spicy crab and it rocked my world!! We did get food coma afterwards but I'm not complaining
(5)Taya C.
We sat outside and had a beautiful view. Our server was very patient in explaining the menu and suggesting items we might enjoy. The sommelier was very helpful and chose a nice bottle to accompany our meal. What we didn't enjoy was the constant barrage of children running around and even riding bikes right by our table. Who lets their kids do this outside a fairly expensive, upscale restaurant?? C'mon, parents. Really???
(3)Diane G.
I am just going to list everything we ate on our fabulous visit to Matsuhisa, and tell you that (from start to finish) each and every item was incredibly unique and absolutely delicious. There were five in our party, and the kitchen prepared all items in quantities of 5 to accommodate us, which was incredibly convenient and allowed us to sample a variety of the menu items! Our servers were extremely attentive and amiable. My favorites are noted with an asterisk. Appetizers and Entrees (In no particular order): Shishito Peppers Nobu Wagyu Beef Tacos Miso Cod Lettuce Cups w/Crispy Phyllo Sea Bass Tempura Tempura King Crab* Short Rib Lamb Chops* Sashimi Dessert: Bento Box Nobu Style Shaved Ice in Strawberry* Something else that was absolutely fabulous but by this time I stopped keeping track
(5)Alex D.
Always great. Have been three times in the last 2 weeks. Only gave 4 stars because one server wasn't great. Food is wonderful. Sit at the bar and eat. Bartenders are great.
(4)Kurt K.
Our service was wonderful. Food was fantastic. No brainer for Vail dining. Best meal of the trip, topping Campo, Sweet Basil, La Tour, Terra Bistro, and Elways.
(5)VK D.
2nd time was not a charm. Had kelp salad, 3 raw oysters, sashimi Saba (Mackeral), Hamachi (Yellowtail) & Tai Snapper. Also spicy tuna roll & a special salmon roll. Everything tasted great going down but 12 hours later, I spent the next 2 days with severe food poisoning. Called the restaurant to discuss, they called back only after being prompted by the board of health. I don't mind paying for quality but this was a horrible experience I would not wish on my worst enemy.
(1)M J.
The room is gorgeous, the service was good/fine and the food did not disappoint. I had a great cocktail (spicy margarita) as well as several memorable dishes - including the lobster taco, unusual veg tempuras and the coffee pot de creme (?) type dessert - all were just delicious.
(4)V E.
When you walk in you expect to have an incredible dining experience. The high ceilings, the decor, the music all ties together to create a great atmosphere. The food was great and the recommendation by the waiter of the spinach salad was excellent. Some reviews complained about pricing, you're in VAIL COLORADO what exactly are you expecting when you go into the village to eat? NOW FOR WHAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE. The set up of the table was decent. But I can't wrap my head around the fact that this is a pricy restaurant and I had to eat with wooden disposable chop sticks. And then there was the service. Here's the deal when your drink menu has a "table of contents" of about 24 pages and then you charge $6,000 for a Grand Cru "Domaine de la romanee-conti le montrachet" your service needs to be on point. Our appetizers did not come out at the same time. I specifically told my waiter I wanted the salad and my vegetable roll together for our main course. And I wanted my miso soup first. That didn't happen. We all had our food in front of us (all sushi) except for one person at the table who order the chicken dish (which was a bit dry). It seriously took 2 times of asking 2 different servers to check on his food and about 20mins after we all had our food for his plate to arrive. Completely unacceptable. We wanted to drink. We ordered drinks 3 different times and 2 of those times I had to call our busser to get our waiter to then be able to order drinks. We were never asked how our food came out by anyone. We had to ask for the desert menu ourselves and I had to stack empty glasses at the end of our table. Overall the worst service experience we have experienced in what is known as ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE SMALL TOWNS IN AMERICA. I know a bad review won't carry any weight or even a few, why? Because this place is one of the few "fancy" sushi places in Vail Village. The demand and diners will always be there. But hopefully the owners will make an effort to address the horrible service they are providing. As restaurant people ourselves we value our diners and providing an amazing dining experience from start to finish should be the number one priority.
(2)Monica H.
My family always comes here when we ski in Vail because we love Japanese food, but this place is okay. They're under the same owner as Nobu and it's a similar experience: modern, overpriced Japanese food in a dark, loud and "trendy" place. The food is mediocre but it's still worth going, if you haven't been before. I've never had a bad experience here.
(3)G R.
Chef Nobu has certainly created a fusion of flavors. Having dined in Nobu Vegas - I am definitely hooked on the miso cod, however this time, having had omakase by the chefs I was hooked on the oysters with Uni in them! The price of the meal is grossly inflated but Nobu is Nobu and $$$$$ is part of the appeal for some I guess. Overall, the best sushi / Japanese cuisine in Vail. Enjoy!
(3)Richard S.
Outstanding food and service! This place is every bit as good as any of Nobu family of restaurants that I've been to in NY, LA, Malibu, Vegas and Athens. Our waiter was very knowledgable and made some great suggestions to go along with my normal favorites. I highly recommend this location.
(5)Charles L.
This place is getting less than 4 *'s? Seriously? Nobu Matsuhisa is still firing on all cylinders even though he's been at it for so many years. So many seriously good sushis, sashimis, and savory dishes. Worth the visit.
(5)Clare M.
First things first, yes...it is VERY expensive. But remember this, you are getting some of the freshest possible seafood in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. Not a lotta ocean around Vail if you take a minute to look at a map. Second, they have a special list of all the Gluten Free items and it's not just a few offerings of sashimi with tamari. There are all sorts of amazing thoughtful dishes they can offer. Lastly, it's fresh...ridiculously fresh. You do not go to a Nobu restaurant and expect to get less than perfect or out of there for less than about $200 a person. Just a fact. If you cannot afford it, don't go. If you are going to complain...don't go. Yes you can get sushi much cheaper and you will enjoy it likely just as much assuming you aren't eating anything raw that will likely make you sick if not fresh. You should ALWAYS pay full price for sushi because it's cheaper than the way you'll feel for a few days later. This is more than a restaurant, it is an experience. If you go, do it right and blow a wad of cash because that is the point. Great food, trained staff and a memorable experience. Don't want to pay for it, stay home.
(4)Jeff B.
I'm torn on Matsushita. Given the price I think it's a 3.5 as the rating suggests. It is Vail so you need to put that in perspective. The atmosphere is cool and the service is okay but I think nothing stellar. I've had more fun at Bol downstairs with a cooler vib. After a day of skiing or snowmobiling and you crave sushi and sake this is a good place. If you're going out with friends or team building with work, be prepared to spend. I enjoyed just wasn't wow'd. Menu has nice food but I didn't eat at the sushi bar. Next time I'll check that out. Sometimes eating at the sushi bar gets the best stuff!
(4)Melissa B.
I am giving this place 3 stars because everything was good until the sushi came. My husband who lived in Japan would give this a 1 star if that because he was very disappointed with the sushi as he ordered the chefs platter and it was very minimal and not very fresh. The mushroom salad was great as well as the steak. The waiter also brought out the miso soup last which was very strange. The service was sub par. Not worth the expense we can get better sushi in MI.
(3)Jim M.
There is only one reason to go here -- to get the omakase. If you do anything else, you're doing it wrong. Seriously. This is a celebrity chef restaurant. If you want to know what _his food_ really is, you have to do this. Everything else on the menu is there to appease _you_ not to show off what _he knows_ about food. So if you order a tuna maki and aren't impressed with the food or the prices, shame on you. Tacos? Who orders tacos in a sushi bar?! Do yourself a favor, save your pennies, and do it right. Sure they get their fish from the same distributor as other sushi places in Vail. Do you think two trucks are going to drive all the way up a mountain in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a land locked state to deliver fresh fish? But just because it all comes on the same truck doesn't mean it is all the same fish. And even if it was, I can assure you that how you handle the fish is _everything_. An amateur can _ruin_ the world's best tuna let alone something complex. Yes, the omakase is expensive. It is also a LOT of food. Seven courses and a dessert. If you're not used to eating like this, the first few courses will seem small. But by the time dessert comes out, you'll be wishing you had a hollow leg, trust. I've also done the omakase at Morimoto's place in Philly. Roughly the same price, roughly the same number of courses. Very different styles. This is the beauty of omakase. Both chefs really show you their vision for food, and if you have the palate to understand what they're doing, they both blow you away. I had dishes the night we were here at Matsuhisa that I struggled to get my mind around. I ate a raw oyster topped with sea urchin roe -- two things I tend to not like _at all_ and I found myself lamenting that there were only two of them on the plate! I had everything from raw fish to braised lamb. Also, be sure to get Nobu's signature sake. Much like Morimoto's signature shochu, this is not a hype thing. This is an excellent bottle and pairs wonderfully with the omakase. My only complaint about Matsuhisa were the other patrons who were shockingly uncouth, loud, unaware of their physical space and all seemed to arrive in groups of ten or more expecting tables. But that's my own mistake for going to Vail at all, I guess. The only people worse than the tourists in Vail are the locals. Wear a helmet, the chips on their shoulders will put an eye out. And now that Colorado has legalized weed, they're none the brighter than they used to be.
(5)Verity N.
Hugely overrated. Terrible staff. The maitre d' could barely tear his eyes from his computer when we arrived and told us it would be a couple of minutes so go sit at the bar (which was full). 45 minutes later we went and asked again and finally go our table. We then had to close out our tab at the bar before moving to our table. I have never had to do this at a restaurant, the tab usually moves straight over. We questioned it, he told us it was 'two different revenue streams'. I have an MBA - that doesn't mean you have to have separate bills, it's pretty easy to account for them separately. I've eaten at Nobu in London several times which is amazing. The food here was average to poor. Our server asked us if we were enjoying our food, my husband said er, yes and no. The server smiled and walked off. Any half decent server would have asked what the no pertained to. We asked one guy for a refill of our soy sauce which was empty on arrival. Never happened. Asked a second guy, he took the pot at least but never returned. And finally, this is a high end place, WHY are there televisions showing sport above the bar???
(2)David E.
****3-Star Disappointment**** Set the scene: Vail Village, Colorado at the very beginning of the ski season. It's cold and snowing and not yet crowded with holiday madness that would ensue a few weeks later. Nobu Matsuhisa is a culinary legend and for good reason. I wonder though if he is slipping. I have been to NOBU in NYC several times but must say that I was only blown away when Masaharu Morimoto was running the kitchen. Maybe this experience spoiled me but my Nobu experiences since then have been underwhelming. Enter Matsuhisa. A new restaurant bearing the restauranteur's name. The interior design is incredible, hostess very warm and we were fortunate enough to have a great seat by a cozy, modern fireplace. This is where the greatness ended. Our server while very polite and accommodating was somewhat awkward. The food overall was mediocre and uninspired. Two miso soups to start (one with clams, one with mushrooms) both were barely lukewarm. Lobster roll was unexciting. I don't need flash, but is you're going with a simple and traditional preparation the ingredients better be superb. The lobster was just okay and otherwise the roll was ordinary with seaweed wrapper, rice & avocado. Next we had two of Nobu Matsuhisa's signature dishes; Miso Black Cod and Rock Shrimp with a spicy butter sauce. The Cod was great (as expected) and the shrimp was basically a bowl of fried shrimp with a little bit of sauce which was not enough to fully coat the shrimp and balance out the strong fried flavor. The biggest disappointment came in the form of Salmon Sushi. This was my final course and I cannot remember the last time i had such a small and inferior piece of Salmon on a bed of rice that did not even hold together very well. It's the kind of sushi I would expect to get in an $8.95 bento box lunch special at some pedestrian Japanese place in any old city. I tried to stick to the basics and let the ingredients and execution do the talking but it just didn't happen for me. I think this restaurant requires some much needed improvement in execution and ingredient selection/purchasing in order to live up to the Matsuhisa name.
(3)Tariq A.
Always amazing!
(5)selma w.
everything was superb. service , the omakase menu of 5 items ( this was the off season menu), and the additional items we ordered were all superb. max our server was very warm and and welcome and asked us if we had any allergies or dislikes and if we wanted the scallops or the lamb for part of the omakase. we both chose the scallops and it was a great choice. the only thing i was not crazy about was the mochi ice-cream served with some exotic fruits. mochi is not for me. we also sampled a bunch of the items on the off season menu and everything was delicious and a good portion. cannot wait to come back and that was my third time there. Our omakase consisted of : Yellowtail sashimi ( kampachi, Aqua de chile, yuzu /soy) Bay scallops with mushrooms 3 piece nigiri and spicy tuna roll Miso soup with clam Mochi for dessert ( don't like mochi)
(5)Anthony V.
Great food, wonderful service. Perfect night out. I would recommend to all my friends. Try the king crab tempura and black miso cod. Beautiful looking restaurant. Super fun evening.
(5)Julia B.
I am definitely a sucker for restaurant decor. After all, design in itself speaks loudly and allows to in fact judge "the book by its cover" with no guilt. With a black sign right outside that says all it needs to "Matsuhisa" we enter. The place is filled with people, vibrant yet subtle colors of red and brown and it is huge to say the least. There is a separate room where you can eat at the sushi bar that is actually tucked away which I immediately judge. One of my favorite spots in any Japanese restaurant is the sushi bar. Even if I am not sitting at the sushi bar - it is the matter of seeing it. It is the center stage of the restaurant. It is where "the magic happens". The fact that it was hardly seen at this place was bizarre. We make our way to the bar and score 2 seats. The service was mediocre from the start. The bartender was either overwhelmed or merely not feeling the vibe of the night. Since I have been in the industry I can always sense the mood. I hate to ask for specials, recommendations, etc. I feel all this should be part of the greeting speech along with the friendly smile. It was pulling teeth. As we get our sake which we had to re-fill ourselves throughout the night we also started with one of my favorite appetizers. Yellowtail sashimi with Jalapeño. This is also one of my favorite dishes at Sushi Den. I took a picture. I ate it. I was, to say the least, NOT impressed. Four pieces of thinly sliced fish spread broadly on a plate with maybe 3 drops of sauce and each piece had the smallest piece of Jalapeño on top. No flavor. No spice. It was distressing. The sauce was non existent. What happened there? Was this a joke? Our depressed bartender said one of their best dishes was the crab tempura. While not a fan of tempura I gave it shot. Let me just explain, I love my fish raw, plain so it can melt at the tip of my tongue, dissolve inside my mouth so I can taste absolutely everything. My taste buds have to be pleased 100%. After we have a few bites, my boyfriend and I took another look around the restaurant to make sure we were not at P.F. Chang. Are we on PUNKD? Is Ashton Kutcher going to jump out from the back holding up a an empty box of frozen mass produced Chinese food? We left hungry and overpaying for a dinner we did not enjoy. $130 dollars for the cheapest sake on the menu along with three things off the menu. The toro was good and the lighting at the bar is amazing. I think we paid for one of them with our check. You are welcome.
(1)Hu Lee A.
I have eaten here twice now. Exceptional. Both times I have ordered the tasting menu low price option and both times I have had the meal of a lifetime. Highly recommended. PS: I have eaten at all three Morimoto's (Philly, NYC, and Napa) and had their tasting menu. Matsuhisa blows them away.
(5)Adam D.
This place was exceptional -- through and through a five star meal. One of the best I've ever had, from service to food. I did the a la carte and my dad did the omakase...the waiter helped me order accordingly to match the multiple courses and it worked perfectly. We got a great mix of the menu and literally everything was on-point and delicious. Great sake list too. Probably one of the best sushi/japanese meals I've ever had.
(5)Hen A.
dinner reservations for four...vail village matsuhisa... s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com… sushi bar requested and a must...view of sushi chef's creations from start to plating...small wait to set and escorted left to light wooden bar...glass displays of fresh fish...first preparations sake and beer....one.eight ml "demon slayer" sake bottle $one-hundred-fifty....smooth and good...kirin draft $seven each...fresh wasabi roots present and requested...sharkskin grater...omakase asking...chef's best work and no limitations...questions on favoring sashimi or sushi style...natural answer being everything...starting with oysters, and seared or sauced sashimi... s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com… great mix of tangy, savory and sweet...mix of textures from smooth, pop, crunch and chew delicious...moving to traditional...sweet ama ebi..melting toro...fresh hirame and amberjack...delectable morsels... s3-media2.ak.yelpcdn.com… great order in the courses...starting fresh and tangy...moving to sweet and savory....transitioning to fresh and traditional...$one-hundred-seventy per person...$six-hundred-eighty total dinner for four omakase orders, 1.8ml sake bottle and two beers... s3-media1.ak.yelpcdn.com…
(4)Vivian T.
Excellent. Highly recommend trying both "Omakase" tasting menus. We tried 1 of each between 3 of us - regular and grand, and it was perfect
(4)Adam C.
We came here as a group of 25 for my buddy's bachelor party. While the food was fantastic, the service was lackluster and the portions were incredibly stingy. Another friend at the table was celebrating his 30th birthday party, and this was mentioned to the server, who proceeded to bring him a piece of cake with a candle, which was very nice. What was not nice was the 30 dollar charge that was added to the bill for said piece of cake, which should've been comped, given that we didn't order it and we had just ordered a 5k dollar meal. The manager was incredibly smug and his attitude was enough to make me never want to go back. The food was delicious, but they served us family style and didn't give us enough food. We had to eat pizza afterwards because everyone was still hungry, which is unacceptable when paying 200 bucks a head. Overall, there were enough problems that I wouldn't go back.
(2)David C.
I was very much looking forward to dinner at Matsuhisa. I had been to Nobu many times and just assumed that his newer chain would be comparable. Wow, was I disappointed. The rock shrimp was classic Nobu and reasonably good, but everything else was mediocre, at best. The soft shell crab had a strange aftertaste, the recommended house specialty, eggplant was sickly sweet and the mushrooms were tasteless. On top of it all was the price - simply way too much for poor food. I won't return.
(1)Tom W.
The prices are awfully high for the tiny portions they serve. The Vegetable roles tasted 'off' and all we got from the help was " well, that's how we prepare it". Yuch! The Riesling was Very Very good, but we walked out with a $50.00 bill to pay and only got an appetizer and 2 glasses of wine. If you're trying to impress someone with all the money you have to waste, this is the place for you. If you're hungry and want to eat good food without excuses, somewhere else might be a better choice. On the flip side though, it's a beautiful restaurant. Maybe they should stop serving food and give tours instead?
(1)Charles C.
I've been to Matsuhisa five separate times and feel like I've experienced enough of it to justify my first yelp review. Let me start out by saying that I've eaten at Nobu in NYC and matsuhisa in Aspen and loved my experience at both places. My experience at Matsuhisa pales in comparison. During the initial ramp up, there were a lot of inconsistencies in the quality of the food, particularly of the sushi which I attributed to the newness of the restaurant. That being said, it didn't stop the staff from creating an air of snobbiness and all-knowingness despite a very limited sushi selection. I was "taught" when I ordered hirame that it is halibut, not fluke in the US, though this has been correctly changed to fluke on my most recent visit last month. Not what I expected at a Nobu affiliate. The quality of the sushi has always been adequate, but not superb, as I would have expected at a restaurant of this caliber and reputation. I don't mind small portions as long as the fish is exquisite, which I would not characterize the sushi here. The best bet, I have found is the omakase, which tends to ensure the freshest fish. My biggest issue, however has been with the attitude/service. Throughout its time from opening to last month, I think they have embraced the "hottest seat in town" attitude rather than trying to ensure a pleasant, friendly, customer-oriented experience. The Nobu in NYC is filled with celebs, but the staff go out of their way to make sure you feel like one too. In vail matsuhisa, the opposite is true - you will get average to poor service unless you are perceived as a celeb, and by the way, be patient as the food takes quite a long time to come out. My last and what will be my final visit consisted of a group of eight of us celebrating three birthdays. We all ordered omakase other than the three who were celebrating a birthday, who wanted the grand omakase. Our server first agreed, but halfway through taking our orders, "remembered" it would't be possible and that the whole table of eight would have to order the same omakase level as it would be too confusing to the chef serving family style. We offered to move seating to assist but were told no. I was relieved to see the manager come over, as I though he would resolve the situation, but he instead escalated it, refusing to relent, and arguing further the difficulty. After arguing with us for several minutes and ensuring we were maximally agitated, he finally agreed to the split omakase, but rest of the party was so embarrassed that they said they would take the grand omakase as well. We spent well over $4000.00 that evening and other than an offer for a free drink, the manager didn't even send over anything for the three birthdays. He did come over multiple times to make sure we were enjoying our meal with an "I told you so" attitude when we said the food was good. Overall, my wife, who has eaten at multiple michelin starred restaurants, has decreed that she will never return, and the concierge at our hotel has said that she has heard of several other issues from other guests and that all of the sushi restaurants in vail source their fish from the same purveyor. She suggested Yama instead, which I went to this week, The food was essentialy equivalent and the service was much better: the staff was friendlier, much more helpful and quicker.
(1)Lauren F.
Exceptional food with spotty service. The new style dishes were particularly good and the specialty drinks were delicious. Omakase is the way to go... we had a bit of everything including dishes we likely would not have ordered otherwise (but which we enjoyed immensely). However, I was surprised they did not have a no cellphones policy... the table of 5 men next to us were on and off their phones continuously throughout dinner, which was distracting.
(4)Jennifer C.
O.M.akase! My husband and I loved our first meal here so much that we couldn't wait to return! During our first trip, we chose various things from the menu based on server recommendations. For our second trip, we opted for the Omakase- a prix fixe menu with 8 courses. There are two options for the Omakase, the regular and the upgraded option (same dishes but higher quality fish and meat are incorporated). We chose the upgraded Omakase and were not disappointed! Course 1: Bluefin tuna with cilantro, jalapeño and yuzu soy sauce- Yummy! This was probably my second favorite course of the evening. The texture of the tuna was amazing and the jalapeño had just the right amount of heat. Course 2: Japanese snapper with miso Thai rub, with uni, chives, yuzu and garlic chips on a cucumber- Literally melts-in-your-mouth. Course 3: New style salmon sashimi with sesame, chives and ginger cooked by pouring hot olive oil over- very savory and the salmon had great texture. Course 4: Sea Bass with shaved black truffle and truffle oil- this was my least favorite course of the evening. There was too much fish in relation to the oil and truffles. The bites with the truffles were amazing- it was a perfect pair; however, since the piece of sea bass was so large, a majority of the bites were sort of dry and just fish. The flavors are right on, just need to get the ratios right. Course 5: Waygu beef with foie gras, enoki mushrooms and sake marinated brussel sprouts- The beef was tasty, but didn't seem to fit with the other courses. Also, I'm not a foie gras fan, so although the first bite was tasty, I struggled with the texture throughout the rest of the course. I would have been much happier with another seafood course. Course 6: 5 Pieces of Sashimi- Toro, Japanese Barracuda, Eel, Squid, King Crab- This was my favorite course of the evening. As I expected, the Toro was amazing- I could have eaten a plateful of just Toro. I'd never had Squid before and was a little leary of a chewy texture, but was surprised to find that it a great texture and flavor. Well definitely be eating more squid in the future! Course 7: Dashi Soup with enoki mushrooms and a single shrimp- I never would have thought to make the last savory course a soup, but it was brilliant! Very tasty and a nice way to sort of clear your palate prior to dessert. Course 8: Chocolate Almond Hazelnut Layer Cake, Green Tea Ice Cream and a Chocolate Cigar- Wow. Usually, I'm not a fan of hazelnut, but the cake was so good. The wafer-like layers throughout made for a super tasty cake that felt light and had great textures- it was all I could do to pace myself. After two meals here, I cannot say enough good things about the food here! One drawback was the noise, it was pretty loud and sometimes hard to hear (only on our second visit), but this is a small price to pay for the food. The Omakase should not be missed- especially if you only have one chance to eat here! Already looking forward to our next visit!
(5)Sandra G.
Hmmmm...had a tasteless udon soup with mushy noodles. Disappointment. Also mentioned it was my birthday -- didn't even get a "happy birthday."
(2)David H.
Let me start by saying that my wife and I are sushi fanatics, and we've eaten fantastic Sushi in many great cities like Huntington Beach, Dallas, Denver, etc. After hearing out trusted "foodie" friend lavish praise on Matsuhisa, we had high expectations. Unfortunately, we found it to be a massive disappointment. The atmosphere was amazing, but that's were it abruptly ended. We found the menu to be odd, and sparse. The waiter recommended the salmon skin roll, which was utterly disgusting. The creamy rock shrimp was descent, but not great. We were with a big party, so we got to sample several of their signature dishes. We felt they were all average (or below) tasting, overpriced, and under portioned. I feel that everyone leaving 5 star reviews, is partaking in the "emperor's new clothes" syndrome. All of the wealthy socialites say its great, so it must be. Bottom line, save your money, and go to any of the other sushi places in Vail. They are probably all better, and cheaper. Matsuhisa was a grossly over-hyped let down.
(1)Patrick D.
Quite literally some of the best food I've ever had in my life. The service is outstanding, and the staff are some of the most knowledgeable I've ever been around. The Bass with Truffle and Spinach Salad are must haves. However, the reality is that everything on the menu that I've tried is absolutely delicious. If you can't decide, just ask the servers...they can guide you along the way. Oh, and the location doesn't get any better than this. Absolutely stunning views of Vail from the center unit in the Solaris.
(5)Jon P.
I ate here last night and it was very disappointing. I am very particular about my sushi, a bit of a snob. I have eaten sushi all over the world and lived in Japan so my standards are high, so please keep this in perspective. The ohitashi and shishito peppers were good. I had toro, hamachi, maguro. All were not fresh, quite dry. The portions were miniscule as well. I had some rolls as well that were also very small. Restaurant was very hip but was all show IMHO.
(3)Jeff C.
This is not a full fledge review, but came in to have a few drinks at the bar as it just opened back in mid August. Wow, I really really like the ambiance in here. Sitting at the bar was awesome. The views I'm sure are fantastic (it was dark out and kind of snowy, so could not see much) but they have the huge windows that look up towards the mountains. The bar was pretty cool--huge wooden bar made of mahogany wood (I think) looking out the huge windows. This place had 30' ceilings and was truly awesome. The menu looked great, but can't really comment as we did not eat here this time, but will make it a priority for the next time I am up in Vail. Lastly, looking at the menu, the prices seemed reasonable for this caliber of restaurant. Can't wait to come back and try it!! I am saving the 5th star for the next review.
(4)Gertrude T.
Wow. Beautiful room. Friendly, educated but not pushy service. Pricey but worth it. Sit at bar for cocktails and faster service. Great sushi, best in Vail.
(4)Bacong F.
This is our favorite Japanese chain. Nobu Matsuhisa is amazing! From LA, NY to Vail, it taste exactly the same. Rock shrimp, cod, yellow tail is what we always order. We sampled a few more plates. Great food. The decor is beautiful and the wait staff was great. Looking forward to trying more of their 28 locations. Milan is next!
(5)Holly B.
One star is being extremely generous. The food is actually quite good, and the chefs are nothing short of top notch, but the service, and more importantly, the management was horrific. As group of 3, we were denied service after a local Couple complained that we were too "rowdy". This was at the sushi bar with two buddies- upon our initial order of two beers and chefs choice of rolls and sashimi. Upon the denial, the "arrogant manager" (Anthony) came out and explained that we were too intoxicated (despite not having a drink at that point). As the conversation continued, multiple patrons at the sushi bar asked if they could order for us. At the conclusion of the conversation, we were presented with our beers and rolls. Despite no resolve with management, we decided to stay and try the food. It was actually quite good, and we complimented the chefs- who then proceeded to create an additional 3 rolls- which were incredible as we'll. despite the great gestures of the chef and his team, the experience with Anthony finally settled in and we decided to leave. We asked for our check and we were presented with a $220 bill- for six rolls and two beers. wow! We didn't squirm at the tab, but rather decided to pay and leave while telling Anthony we had a disappointing experience. Upon engaging Anthony, he was as arrogant as ever and claimed that the next time he saw us, he wouldn't allow us to enter the restaurant. In my opinion, the manager completely ruined our night and actually fueled me to write this review. The food was good, but the customer service and the arrogance by the manager was truly incomprehensible considering the incredible service that we collectively experienced at so many other places- from Sweet Baisils to Larkspr to even the Red Lion- the management here was so bad that I would fuse to go to a coffee house that he managed.
(1)Heather W.
Excellent food and only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because the portions are so small. Great drinks and large wine and saki selections.
(4)Robert W.
My first experience with Matsuhisa was in Aspen and it was AMAZING. We did the Omakase multi-course meal and it was an event. Oh yeah. Second experience was in Greece where I had one of the most amazing salads in the most amazing location ever. So, it's hard for any other Matsuhisa experience to live up to that. But, I must say Matsuhisa Vail was still a great dining experience....just not as memorable as other locations. Drinks were tasty (Lemon Drop and Matsutini), tuna tacos were good, sushi fresh and delish. Flash-fried eggplant was the standout favorite, though. Still love this brand.
(4)Deb N.
Unbelievable architecture and amazing service and food! Stunning restaurant , truly world class!
(5)John M.
It's a Reality Distortion Field! If you have read the new Steve Jobs bio, you will know what I am talking about. If you have not, just think of it as the creation of an alternate reality. This is what is happening at Matsuhisa Vail. You have been to Nobu or Matsuhisa in NYC or LA or Tokyo or Aspen, and it is usually quite exceptional. So you naturally expect the same experience here, and while you are there you just convince yourself that the usual goodness has translated to this location. But then something exceptionally bad or unusual happens and you say, "Wait a minute. This place really sucks!". And you are free. We too were in the reality distortion field the first 2 times we were there. The first time we were there was when they had just opened in August. The service was WAY off, but we wrote it off to the fact they had just opened. The food was good, though a chicken appetizer was a raw. We went for round two over Christmas, and again the service was spotty and disjointed. They really don't care if one person's food arrives and is well finished before other dishes start showing up. Entree's, appetizers, cooked food, sushi, soup, etc, it just all arrives randomly and over a good one hour + period. This is somewhat true at the other Nobu's but everything is much tighter at these places. Here, there is no rhyme, rhythm, or reason. It is just evidence that they are not really there for your benefit. One dish we ordered was eventually served a good 30 minutes after everything else was eaten and cleared and after we asked about it 3 times. But again, the food was still fine, the company was good, and the drinks were good, so we had a fun night and did not think too hard about it: "It was Nobu so of course it was good!". We were in the distortion field. Our third installment was last week over President's week. We started with drinks, which were good but it took awhile for them to materialize. The distortion field started to weaken when the food ordering began. The waiter disappeared a few times in mid-order so that was odd. Then I asked for a tuna avocado roll, which is not a roll that is listed on the menu. The waiter said that he would check with the kitchen but he did not think they would make it. He checked and came back and said they would not make it. But I could have a tuna asparagus roll, a salmon avocado roll, or a simple tuna roll and they could serve me a side of avocado. Really. Really? Really! So they have tuna, they have avocado, you can get this roll at any sushi place in America including every other Nobu and Matsuhisa, but they won't make it at Matsuhisa in Vail. As my wife pointed out, we were not asking for sushi with chocolate sauce. We were asking for something that can readily be made and is served at their other locations. We were more amused than annoyed simply because it is the most ridiculous thing ever! Over dinner, the fog of the distortion field began to lift. Our friends food arrived first. They were completely done eating before our food arrived. My wife had ordered miso soup and asked for it to be served first (it later came as dessert). The waiter was either slow with drinks or forgot them completely. At some point near the end, the manager came over as we had asked for him at during the tuna roll discussion after the waiter gave us the most non-sensical answer about why they could not do it (something about the traditional differences between a Nobu vs. at Matsu, which was of course completely wrong and BS). But it did take about an hour for the manager to arrive after our request. Just one more fact that screams that they just don't care. He actually handled the discussion well. He was very apologetic about the weak service and weird arrival times (our friends 2 pieces of tempura actually arrived while he was there after it been ordered when we started!). On the tuna roll, he said that Mr. Matsu insisted on NO exceptions to the menu for the first year they are open. Now that's the way to build a loyal clientele! At these prices and reputation, this is really absurd. And thus the reality distortion field was obliterated by our flux capacitor! They do not care about you, me, or anyone else. So stop the madness. Don't go. They don't deserve your money.
(1)Nitin M.
Gave it more than one star because it has great ambiance. Great vail village location, great views and great interior atmosphere. The bottle list is lengthy. The sushi tasted like it was from while foods. The edamame was over salted. The soups were luke warm. They refuse to alter their sushi rolls in anyway. Their sweet potato tempura was awful. Will not return
(2)Toy W.
FINALLY - the best sushi in the world has come to Vail. Everything from the Uni to the Cod to the foie gras "sushi" is simply amazing. We are fans of Nobu everywhere from London and beyond, and of course matsuhisa in LA. (we are from Laguna Beach, and wish matsuhisa, (or Nobu) had come to the location just recently occupied by Katsuya! :( Ambiance here in Vail is fabulous including just the right music). The sushi chefs know exactly what they are doing and operate with precision. We even ventured in to the restaurant for their Apres Ski on 3 occasions during our long holiday stay - it was equally great with the best healthy food choices, prices, and drinks in the entire village for Apres. The view from the bar looking at Pepi's Face isn't so bad either! :) So happy this restaurant has arrived - we will continue to be frequent guests! Phenomenal, and only thing I differ with Jennifer C. on is I actually think Matsuhisa is better than French Laundry! :) (Two totally different restaurants so really shouldn't be compared)!
(5)Sara W.
Wow. This place is amazing. I came here with a group of 5 on a Friday and we were seated immediately for our 8:30 reservation. The service was incredible the whole time. After a full day of skiing, everyone was thirsty and our water was always filled. Our server was also extremely accomodating: we had a vegitarian in our group and he brought out a veggie version of most dishes (for the shigoku oysters with toro salsa and caviar, they brought a meatless avocado version). The GM, Jordan, was very attentive and really brought the experience to a new level (he's definitely the main reason this dinner rocked). We gave our server/the kitchen leeway as to our orders. We kind of just said "we trust you bring us what you think we'll like" and they definitely delivered! My favorites were the roasted eggplant with miso and sesame, broiled cod (same miso sauce as eggplant), king crab tempura and the albacore with shaved truffle and yuzu. Also I'm not sure if this is on the menu, but the raw beef (I think it's wagyu) cooked on a salt rock--amazing! For sake, you can't go wrong with the TK 40. It was refreshing and like no sake I've ever had-hints of fruit and really tasty. If you're in vail and you want a fantastic dinner, I highly recommend this place! Great for groups or dates.
(5)Shane D.
Absolutely outstanding meal and service. My wife and I were in Vail for a wedding and our anniversary and chose to go here based on some reviews and our personal taste in food. We've been to Atlantis' Nobu and I've been to another as well, this was my personal favorite so far, of course the scenery helps. What an outstanding view if you sit outside of near outside. Our server was highly attentive and well supported. The decorative bamboo the sake was served in was awesome and I've already searched Amazon to buy it. We went with several courses of mixed cold, hot, and raw plates. The black cod, of course, was amazing as was a special, hamachi collarbone. We had a fine selection of salmons, tunas, and a well-seasoned mackerel. Also of note they have a gluten free menu which is excellent and varied - as well they were able to prepare a couple dishes not on that menu as gluten free, so ask if you see something you really want, but don't think you can have.
(5)Justin S.
I'm a huge fan of nobu restaurants. We came here twice last year and both times it was amazing. The reason I feel like this nobu is the best in Colorado is because it's way less expensive then the aspen location and the service/food quality is just as good. The sashito peppers are amazing! They are dialed in! The fish is always fresh. Make sure to get the bento box for dessert!
(5)Joshua G.
Absolutely amazing. Food was incredible. Service was outstanding. Will definitely make it back next trip to Vail
(5)Amber Q.
I normally do not comment on yelp, but after reading poor reviews about matsuhisa, I definitely felt the need to. For starters, yes, this restaurant is exceptionally expensive. You get what you pay for. If you're coming for a California roll, this place isn't for you. We have had sushi all over the world and chef nobu still makes the top of our list. The staff is friendly, the drinks are good but it's the food that really drives it home. If you have the extra cash and want to splurge on yourself, try the omakase. Leave your dinner in the hands of the very talented chefs- you will then see the talent this restaurant has. It's worth every cent. There is a reason I come to vail... It's not to ski, it's to eat at matsuhisa. Aspen has the original restaurant and if you're in that area, it's just as amazing. Enjoy!!
(5)Yumiko F.
Definitely can work on some Udon Noodle dishes as if they supposed to be real Japanese restaurant joint. Base of soup always gets me disappointed! But was ok enough. And rest of it is sushi so of course nothing wrong.
(5)Diana W.
first of all this place is located on the second floor of the shopping centers at the village. For the life of me I couldn't find it! Made reservations here on a Friday night but there wasn't really a crowd..maybe because it's September. Either way, for a Japanese restaurant, the sushi list is TINY. I know, I know we are eating sushi in the middle of Colorado but for it's $$price$$ I expected more. The desserts? 3 offerings. On a positive note, the service was excellent and the restaurant is gorgeous.
(2)Jason S.
Excellent. Not that I would expect anything less from Nobu san's limited eponymous restos. Have considered the one in Beverly Hills (and his first in the US) among my favorite restaurants in the world for years. While the Vail location is cavernous by comparison they don't miss a beat. All of your favorite signature Matsuhisa dishes are available here (miso black cod, tiradito, etc) and better than at all of the other places you've had the knockoff. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable albeit a bit overwhelmed at times due to the ginormous space. The room itself is gorgeous. I'd definitely have an issue if I lived in one of the condos upstairs and Matsu was just a short elevator ride away. If you enjoy sushi and don't visit Matsuhisa while in Vail then you can only blame yourself. Is it expensive? Of course. But it is......the best.
(5)Cooper S.
Always been my favorite. Very pricey, but delicious food. Nobu has always had a special place in my heart, but I'm so happy to have an extension of the wonderful small-dish wonder restaurant right here in Vail. I highly recommend the Rock tempura shrimp, the tuna-miso chips, and you can't go wrong with the tempura fried king crab. Great sake too! Food: 5/5 Service: 4 Ambiance: 4
(4)Jorge S.
Good sushi and amazing drinks...but im a fan of Sushi Sasa and unfortunately Matsuhisa's sushi its not as great
(4)Marilyn T.
We came back here after a great experience last time. Again, we were lucky to have a table facing the mountain as the sun was setting. Cocktails: The wine selection wasn't that great, and markups were pretty high, so we went with cocktails. - Matsutini: passionfruit, vodka, champagne; I love passionfruit, and it was a good starter cocktail - Hendricks gardener: gin, serrano peppers (loved the kick), cilantro, lime - this was my favorite - Firefly: cane rum, sake, lychee, basil - too sweet for me Dishes I liked: - Yellowtail tataki: seared yellowtail, loved the miso sauce and brussels sprout leaves - Miso eggplant: Japanese eggplant topped with miso paste and sesame seeds; slightly salty even for me, but I still liked it - Miso sea bass: a surprisingly large piece of seas bass topped with dry miso, so there's more texture and flavor than the regular miso past - Soft shell crab spring roll: crisp, tender crab meat, much better than most soft shell crab dishes - Tempura udon: good flavor on the broth, lots of tempura vegetables and shrimp that were nicely seasoned - Seafood tobanyaki: scallops, calamari, crab, clams, and tons of mushrooms in a clay dish; definitely get some rice with this. The soy sauce is sweet but not too salty, and it's a nice lighter cooked seafood dish Dishes that were less impressive: - Sauteed mushroom salad: Pricey at $20 for mushrooms. It had a good variety of mushrooms, but it didn't justify the price - Hearts of palm salad: tender shreds of hearts of palm, but i didn't love the dressing - Shrimp phyllo: I expected it to be in a phyllo shell, but it was more like crisped phyllo bits coating fried shrimp with a tonkatsu dipping sauce. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing - Mushroom tobanyaki: lots of mushrooms, similar flavor to the seafood one but a little too sweet for me Desserts: - Rice pudding fritters: more unique, balls of fried rice pudding. Wasabi ice cream sounded exciting but was actually very subtle. Still, this was a good dessert - Adzuki bean cake: whiskey toffee sauce and the pineapple on top were the best parts. I'm not a big adzuki bean fan, so I didn't really enjoy the cake. Service was ok, food came out pretty quickly. The food is more Americanized, and a lot of dishes were just very sweet. It's definitely a splurge and a more unique option in the Vail village, but I wasn't blown away this time.
(3)SeonHee M.
Had such high hopes for this restaurant and seriously disappointed. Spicy crab app was so sour. My unagi rolls weren't even wrapped all the way with seaweed so every time I picked up a slice it would collapse. Service was good and the view is spectacular but that's about it.
(3)Bratzo H.
Great experience, from the cocktails to the service. The waiter knew his job and recommend the right amount. Small plates and great flavor combinations . Best dinning experience in vail
(5)Jeff N.
What a great experience we had. We visited with a party of 7 and let our waiter order for us family style. Can't go wrong when you are starting with Nobu's New Style Sashimi. We also really liked the tempura lobster and miso Black Cod. Of course the sushi was good too, although a little on the smaller side when comparing the nigiri to high end places in California. Probalby on purpose though. I have been to Matsuhisa in Los Angeles and this location is much nicer and better. Can't remember how it compares to Nobu's in NYC though. Everyone had a good time and would go back. We left all of our platters clean!
(5)Luis R.
Definitely does not live up to hype! Service was crappy from the start. They tried to sit us in an alcove at the end of the restaurant which is hot and uncomfortable. They had crammed 11 chairs into a table meant for 8 max. When we complained to the snobby maitre d she basically said she couldn't help us. We had to point out an amity section for her to "wake up" and notice. As for the food, other than the jalapeño yellow ail sashimi everything else was as ordinary as you can get at your strip mall sushi restaurant. And please don't dare to question then food's preparedness! One person in our group got her main course of cod raw (and cold) in the center - baked mind you- and asked the waiter to have it cooked thoroughly. The waiter returned with the same plate stating the chef refused to cook it as it was prepared as "intended". Wow, never had some jerk do that to me before, much less when I'm paying $40 for a piece of cooked fish! Awful experience! Everyone at the table agreed to never return. Good thing we had plenty of drinks and good company while dining to distract us from the very un gratifying experience!
(1)Audrey W.
My dinner here was very impromptu. We just wanted to eat somewhere nicer and somehow (probably because of me) we did the tasting menu aka the omakase. I wasn't expecting to spend 235 dollars for dinner that night, but that's just how things played out. Food was quite tasty. All the seafood is really fresh and the service is pretty on point. It is definitely a meal you need to splurge on, but I believe it is worth it to do it at least once.
(4)Susan F.
WOW on the food. If you are a foodie, you won't be disappointed by the flavorful, fun and interesting sushi and sashimi selections. Of particular note was the tuna with the crispy sushi rice - small cubes of sushi rice that are fried crispy and put on a long toothpick - it's a deconstructed spicy tuna roll, but not spicy for the timid. The shitake salad is not to be missed and lands in the top 10 of salads that I've ever eaten. The lemony dressing and the plump, meaty shitake caps are firm, flavorful and compliment the lettuces. One word of caution - while the food is expertly and exquisitely prepared, the portions are light, and after a day of skiing, if you are starving, small amounts of raw fish may not fill you up. To fill up will be costly - check the menu first for pricing if you are price conscious. This is not a restaurant for those looking to be conservative with money as most dishes are in the 22-40 range and are small portions of raw fish (although tasty, delicate and delightful). Service was great, although there was a little confusion when a plate that we had been considering but didn't order came to the table. No one told us right away that it was a gift from our hotel - so it was slightly awkward when we tried to send it back. They should have been a little more on top of the presentation of the gift but our server was away when it was delivered - a faux pas on their part. The Matsutinis are delicious, but I don't drink often (anymore) and we both didn't sense a lot of alcohol in our drinks. Fruity and sweet - lot of ingredients but in the end, it was reminiscent of orange juice with Proseco. We ate conservatively, had one drink each (we were two people) and the bill was $135 before gratuity including two delicious desserts - the chocolate with the goat's milk ice cream and the lemon dessert - both interesting and worthwhile with a lot of interesting things going on in each dish.
(4)Kevin S.
The Setting: group dinner w friends, 915 Friday, had res, sat after 15 minutes. The Food: 3.5 Stars The Service: 4 Stars The Vibe: 4 Stars The GOOD: 1. Uni Shooter - sake flavor is pleasantly overtaken by tje uni and quail egg. Well executed and tasty (if a bit overpriced at $11). 2. Miso Black Cod - Finally! After 3 bad outings at nice restaurants this Black Cod dish delivered. Buttery, flaky, well cooked, tasted excellent! 3. Sea Bass w Dry Miso Glaze - perfectly cooked, rave of the table! Excellent. The OK: 1. Teriyaki Chicken skewers - dry but well cooked, overshadowed by other dishes. 2. Sushi Rolls - Shrimp Tempura roll was good, house roll was ok, spicy tuna roll was disappointing. The BAD: 1. Beef Skewers - overcooked, very dry, big let down. Only dish we didn't finish. The Bottom Line: great vibe and location, knowledgable service, and reasonably priced for what it is. Stick to apps and seafood entrees and you'll have a great meal!
(4)Mike P.
Ambiance is great and so is the service. People watching is great for Vail. Food is also great. The quality is great. But is it really worth the price you pay? Depends if you are on vacation and you want to splurge!
(4)David J.
Overalls quite a disappointing experience when compared to other nobu restaurants. I found a bone in my sushi (which has never happened to me in my 20 yrs of sushi eating) and I did not expect it at a nobu establishment. The restaurant tried to make it right by replacing my roll but this is just inexcusable. Someone from the nobu empire needs to take note.
(2)Jon H.
I must say that this restaurant and the one in aspen are the best out of the ones he has . I like them way better than nobu. One of my favorite dish is the creamy spicy crab. I order 2-3 of those every time. Also I love the new style wagyu beef. You wouldn't expect to have that great of seafood that far in the mountains but there is. If you love Japanese and looking for somewhere good to go come here. You won't be disappointed .
(5)Brenda G.
Sushi is just ok. Spinach and mixed green salads have great flavors and are big enough to share. Taco appetizers are really not worth $7 each. Service was good but check your bill we were charged double for bottle of champagne. Unfortunately food does not justify their prices.
(3)Janis F.
They are located on the second level in the Solaris and they only serve dinner. We had an early dining time after a day on the slopes so the restaurant was not packed with diners yet. We had a nice view of the skating rink. The village comes alive later in the evening. We ordered chilled sake it was served in a bamboo container. We ordered an assorted platter of sushi, pan seared black cod with miso sauce, and Wagyu beef. They offer an assortment of mochi ice cream for dessert. Their menu is more abbreviated than the other locations in L.A. but the quality of the sushi is good and fresh. Haven't dined at their Aspen location so I can't compare.
(4)Jim M.
I am a serious sushi lover. This place is the real deal. Best tako I have ever had. No wasabi needed. He has it seasoned perfectly.
(5)The Consumer U.
I certainly don't mind paying for an awesome restaurant when it's worth it - but this was definitely not that for me. Had a great time on a guys weekend catching up and we wanted to treat ourselves to a sweet meal. We had been advised to book this place weeks in advance, which was relatively laughable as it was off-season and I think there was one other group there when we got there. Atmosphere was anemic - I imagine this mostly has to do with the fact we were there in the off season and thus there wasn't any hub-bub in the village, which is not their fault - so not taking off points here. Food was honestly wholly unmemorable. Of course the sushi was all good - fresh, etc. Nothing even stuck in my memory though afterwards other than thinking I wished that my two buddies who live in the midwest and don't get a chance to have awesome sushi very often would have had a better experience. I wanted them to be wowed and have that crazy - mind-blowing experience of a good sushi meal - but this was not that. Proves that branding & marketing in the restaurant world sadly is just as much of a sham as it is for retail & clothing - my favourite place in Tribeca in NY which while not being cheap is prob 1/2 the price of Matsuhisa blows this out of the water, no questions. Save your $$. Imagine that the steakhouses and even gastro-pubs in Vail would be better options.
(2)Richard N.
Great service and tasty food. We even had this dish not on the menu; it was uni wrapped in snapper and other stuff. Delicious!
(5)Amy R.
I read some reviews here that had me concerned about their service. Fortunately, our experience could not have been more different. Maybe the management read them and made changes? The food was sublime, so was the service and we had the best view in the place...looking right out over Vail Mountain. Truly, as good as it gets.
(5)Jay R.
Service and decor are fine. Food is overpriced. This was my second time dining here. This time, we both got food poisoning from the black cod and were sick for 2 days. Attempted to remedy with Matsuhisa and no response.
(1)Sandra N.
We just returned from our first visit to Matsuhisa. We can't wait to return. The menu was huge. Everything our party tried was delicious, and the Wagu beef prepared on a hot rock at the table was outstanding!! The servers were attentive, knowledgeable, and so pleasant. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience.
(5)Jennifer C.
Stopped in for a late night dessert. Sat at the bar and ordered their newest dessert, per the bartender's recommendation. The Shaved Ice is beautifully presented with an overflowing mound of the most delicate shaved ice. The server poured the green tea flavoring over it and told us to dig deep for the ice cream and red beans on the bottom. It exceeded our expectations. Of course, we couldn't sit at the bar without enjoying some sake, so we ordered the sake sampler. It consisted of the three top sakes served at the restaurant. Probably the best sakes we've ever had. Pricey, but so worth the experience.
(5)Sarah G.
We happened to stroll by Matsuhisa and immediately knew where we'd be going to dinner the following evening. Unfortunately the only reservations they had were at 5:30 or after 9pm. But the sushi bar is open seating and full service, so even though we didn't get to enjoy the cavernous space of the main dining room, we were treated to something equally impressive: four sushi chefs hard at work cranking out some of the craziest (and likely most expensive) plates of sushi I've ever laid eyes on. As a result, we ordered a few more things based on "What's that?" conversations alone, but that's what makes sitting at the bar so much fun sometimes. I do wish someone would have told me that that sake comes in specially-carved bamboo carafes because those things looked so bad-ass. Still, that's something to save for next time, I guess. We started with the Kelp Salad, essentially four different flavors and textures of kelp. An interesting twist on the more typical 'seaweed salad' that I'm more used to ordering. Next, at the suggestion of our server, we tried the seared yellow-tail jalapeno as an appetizer. This dish was probably my favorite of the night both in terms of plating and taste... though I'm easy to sway with cilantro. On to the sushi. We had some standard rolls: California, shrimp tempura, soft shell crab, house special, and spicy tuna. And Bill also tried the Ikura (salmon roe), of which I just had a couple little individual roe... not quite my thing. When it came time for dessert, we had to opt out in the interest of self-preservation of the stomach. But everything was delicious, and the service was on par with the best in town. Definitely will return.
(5)Matthew D.
All these people leaving 5 star reviews are crazy. This place is nothing but a glamorous facade with mediocre sushi. The restaurant interior and ambiance is incredible, the service is decent, the sushi is garbage. People see the name and immediately prime themselves to believe its the best sushi in the world, not even close. It is also very over priced, I have no problem spending 100$+ a person for good sushi, but this is a joke. The hot dishes are actually very good however, especially the black cod.
(2)Ray C.
Pro's: the restaurant is gorgeous and we got sat right away. The sake was fantastic and the atmosphere is great. The fact that it is off the Vail bus route was a plus. Cons: The food is mediocre at best and is way overpriced. I ordered the filet for dinner which was tiny and overcooked. Our appetizer rolls were ok, but I've had the same rolls in small restaurants for half the price. The chef refused to make our sushi rolls inside-out because it's against 'company policy' which basically means they value their ego more than their customer satisfaction. The server was nice, but not as polished as one would expect in a finer restaurant. It also took them 15 minutes to take our drink order.
(2)Bonnie R.
The food was amazing, amazing and the ambiance was much better than most resort restaurants. The staff was very attentive and accommodating (I changed my reservation time 3 different times). Our server made great recommendations. This restaurant deserves five stars but I am only giving it 4 because of the prices versus the size of the dish. I am a small girl that eats like a bird. At $80 a head I should not have left hungry (That price did include a sake and 1 cocktail).
(4)Julie M.
I'm sorry I give so many 5-star reviews. When I REALLY love the food or if someone is really nice to me, it's hard for me to give anything less. Matsuhisa Aspen is my favorite restaurant possibly in Colorado, but since it's so far away, I've had to settle for Vail. And I've gone back several times--mainly for the food. As other yelpers have pointed out service can be great or service can be meh. Atmosphere is nice--also it's hilarious to see what people wear. Gold jeans to ski thermals to a studded fur vest (on a man) all in one evening. It's ridiculously expensive. If I couldn't afford to order everything on the menu that I wanted, it would probably appeal a lot less to me. The food though, the food for me is what makes it 5 stars. The presentation is always beautiful. And I'll just start listing what I order, so when you go there and splurge (which is what I always do, or it's not worth it) you will have delicious things too. Hawaiian hearts of palm salad--very delicate, very subtle. I love it. It may not offer enough inyourface flavor for some, but the lightness both of taste and texture make it great. Creamy Spicy__your pick____. We get the crab. It is amazing. Yes, I realize it's just hot crab slathered in spicy Japanese mayo and roe. I love it. Don't tell me it's not delicious. Miso Black Cod-- Nobu invented this dish. Lots of places imitate but can not quite capture the delicate, sweet, moist, buttery, tenderness of this dish at Matsuhisa. The fresh ginger stem garnish is lovely and delicious too. Tempura Rock shrimp in Butter Ponzu (also in creamy spicy sauce)-- just the right amount of crunch, salt, citrus and fried yumminess. Other highlights-- Limestone lettuce with Cod or Rock Shrimp, New Style Sashimi, Tiradito, Tai with dried miso, Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice. I've never had a dish that wasn't fresh or tasty. Is it pretentious? Maybe. Is it fun to stuff your face with Sushiesque delicacies whilst downing sake from a bamboo carafe? Yes. I will keep going and hoping the food remains at the quality and taste level that has been on my last 5 visits. I'll let you know, since I'm dining there this weekend.
(5)Maria O.
As expected this is one of the most amazing food..cold and hot--absolutely. The sake was excellent but very expensive. Maybe worth the money if you are able to pay for it...I think the prices make it the most expensive in vail. Left a little sticker shocked and still hungry. Went to Nobu in NYC and spent more but that was to be expected. Food: 4 stars(for the portions and price) Service: 4 stars
(4)Taylor N.
All around 5 stars! Great cocktails, service and food. Must try yellowtail jalapeño, crab ponzu, and miso cod! All recommendations and were well worth the price. Best Japanese we have ever had!
(5)Lori O.
One of the best meals I have ever had. My husband and I ate at Nobu in NYC years ago, and this was almost exactly the same menu and quality of food and service. This will be a must every time we are in Vail. The new location was terrific! The views of the mountain were awesome. The atmosphere in the restaurant was vibrant and energetic.
(5)