Updated September 2026. Dinner for two on a Tuesday night on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, on the day I flew in for work. The bill is at the bottom.
I had landed in Southern California that afternoon with meetings the next morning. A colleague of mine lives out there, about a ten minute walk from the Santa Monica Pier, and he knows how much I love sushi. So the plan was simple. I took an Uber to his place, we walked down to watch the sunset, and by the time the sun was gone we were both starving. He said, there is this really cool sushi spot, I think you will really appreciate it. That spot was Noma.
Quick note so nobody gets confused: this is Noma Sushi in Santa Monica, a neighborhood Japanese restaurant. It has nothing to do with the famous Noma in Copenhagen. And one more thing before we sit down. Since our dinner, Noma has moved across the street, so the room I am about to describe is not the room you will walk into today. The fish is the reason to go, and I will get to that.
From the outside, you would never guess
When we went, Noma was in a little parking lot on Wilshire with a couple of other spots, and there was almost no parking in it. It is not a big restaurant. It was a Tuesday and the place had a fairly decent crowd, which I took as a good sign.
Inside, it felt stuck in the eighties. Wood paneling everywhere, and for some reason it reminded me of the Brady Bunch, even though I know the Brady Bunch is the seventies. It looked like it had not been renovated since, and it just felt older. But there was something really nostalgic about it, and I liked it. Honestly, you would not walk in there and think you were about to have amazing sushi. That is exactly what happened, though.
I ordered the bento because I was hungry, and it did not disappoint
It had been a long flight and a long day, and I wanted to try a bunch of different fish. Noma does a combination bento where you pick three items for dinner, and it comes with miso soup, rice and salad. I went with sashimi, three pieces of nigiri and a spicy tuna roll. My colleague got his own three item bento with steak teriyaki, stir fried shrimp and vegetables, and a spicy tuna roll. We added two large Sapporos.
When mine came out, the first thing I noticed was how generous the cuts of fish were. These were not thin little slices. I have to be honest, I do not remember much about his plate, because I was pretty focused on mine.
The rice was fantastic, and the fish actually tasted different from each other
Let me start with the rice, because that is where a lot of sushi places slip. It was the slightest bit warm. It was fresh, not stale, and it had the right amount of vinegar and sugar in it. Zero complaints there.
The fish was extremely fresh. You put it on your tongue and you could taste all the flavors. You know how sometimes you go to a sushi place and the salmon and the tuna kind of taste the same? I always figure that fish has been in the freezer too long. That was not an issue here at all. The salmon tasted like salmon, the tuna tasted like tuna, and it was a really pleasant meal.
We finished by splitting a tempura ice cream. I did not take a photo of that one, or of my colleague’s plate, so you will have to trust me on those.
Service was attentive without being in your face
Our server was great. Very attentive, without being in your face. That is exactly what you want after a travel day, and it is also exactly what you want at a work dinner.
Not my top three, but I want to go back
I will be straight with you. I would not put Noma in my top three sushi places. But it is definitely one of those spots I want to come back to, to have more sushi, and I think that says a lot.
I would bring Vika and the kids here, no question. Vika would think the sushi is delicious. The menu is big, so Emily would find plenty of things to eat, and Josh would really like the sushi. The looks, the smells, the sounds, all of it is right up our alley.
I would even take a client here. This is not one of those fancy places you pick to impress someone. It is the place you go when you want to sit down, have a good meal without any kind of show, enjoy the food and leave satisfied. That is Noma.
What dinner for two cost at Noma Sushi
Here is what we ordered, straight off the receipt. My colleague’s three item bento dinner was $30.20, and mine was $34.95, because the sashimi and nigiri cost a little extra. Two large Sapporos were $17.90 together, and the tempura ice cream was $9.95.
The subtotal was $93 and tax was $10, so dinner for two with a beer each and a dessert came to a little over $100.
Noma Sushi location and hours
Address. 2020 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, California 90403. That is the new spot, right across the street from 2031 Wilshire, where we ate.
Hours. Their Google listing and their online ordering page both show them opening at 11:30 am, and they serve lunch and dinner.
I have not been to the new space yet, so I cannot tell you what the room or the parking is like now. The reason to go was always the fish, and I would expect that came across the street with them.
Is Noma Sushi in Santa Monica the same as Noma in Copenhagen?
No. Noma Sushi is a casual neighborhood Japanese restaurant and sushi bar on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. It is not connected to the Noma in Copenhagen.
Did Noma Sushi move?
Yes. Noma used to be at 2031 Wilshire Blvd, which is where we ate. It has since moved across the street to 2020 Wilshire Blvd.
Is Noma Sushi good for families?
I think so. The menu is big, with bento boxes, teriyaki and tempura alongside the sushi, so a kid who does not eat raw fish still has plenty of options. I would bring my own family here.
Is Noma Sushi good for a business dinner?
Yes, if you want a good meal and a real conversation rather than a show. The service is attentive without hovering, and I would take a client there.
What should you order at Noma Sushi?
If it is your first time, get the three item bento dinner and build it around the fish. Sashimi, nigiri and a spicy tuna roll gave me a little of everything, and it comes with miso soup, rice and salad.
More sushi we have written up: Sushi Roku in Las Vegas, Black Pearl in Glenview and Kaido in Arlington Heights. Flying out of Los Angeles on United? Here is our look at the United Club at LAX.
Nothing was comped at Noma, and the restaurant didn’t know I was going to write about it. Prices come from our own itemized receipt on the night.
