Nomu Izakaya — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Premium food, premium price, but not so premium service.

Ya'll, as an ex-waiter, from the deepest, bottom of the barrel of sincerity: Please re-train your staffs. Like, I get second-hand embarrassment just by witnessing the services today, which my mum who work in another service field remarked with me after tonights dinner.

Although we came in without reservation, we were seated just after a few minutes of waits. However, after we declined alcohol menus, we were never asked for any options for drinks, but instead were immediately given two styrofoam cups of water with ice, which one of us cannot drink due to having a sore throat that day.

After getting the entree which are two skewers of nicely grilled and delicious pork belly and prime beef (shoutout to the grillmaster, I pray you are not running the grill by yourself the whole shift non-stop), my bowl of Wagyu-don was served first, to which my mum who was with me that day had to wait for an extra 10 minutes before her bowl of Unadon was finally delivered.

Dude, back at my old place, my head chef would have someone hanged if the ticket has two main courses but not delivered to the table at the same time. Ya'll are new and upcoming restaurants, reviews are raving and ya'll supposed to have the old guards running for their money, how the hell ya'll losing on such basic 101 of service efficiency 😭🙏

The straw that broke the camel back has to be when I decided to order a dish of grilled octopus (to compliment my remaining bowl of rice which has an overwhelming ratio between rice and beef), I was left waiting for a solid 10 mins. But before I decided to call it quit, I asked a bro if he could help us order, he declined due to him being the table cleaner, to which he continued cleaning other tables....

You could've just asked someone else to assist us, you worked here bro..

When I finally was able to ask someone else, whom the maitre d'hotel of the front desk, I decided to just call it and asked for a check. So ya'll ended up lose on a sale of another dish a table could've ordered, briliant work.

But I guess that just our fault for coming on a busy Saturday, and being sat at the stall next to the restroom doorway. It is what it is.

The food is good though, really like the doneness of the grilled beef, even medium-well done pink in the middle. Sauces were great and effectively helped clean the rest of the rice bowl. I would recommend adding more microgreens at the very least to the bottom of the bowl to aid with finishing of the huge amount of rice given with the Gyudon and...

Cool new Japanese spot with great vibes and a standout mentaiko udon.

Nomu just opened recently and has already started drawing a crowd — and for good reason. It’s got that modern izakaya feel down pat. Right when you walk in, you’re hit with the lively energy: there's a grill station up front where you can watch skewers being fired, a sushi bar, and a full alcohol bar. The booths are cozy, and the ceiling is covered with daruma lanterns that glow warmly — seriously, 10/10 ambiance.

We went as a group of four and tried a little bit of everything: apps, mains, skewers, and dessert. The service was great — super attentive, fast, and friendly, even though it was packed. For a brand new place, they’ve got things running smoothly.

Starters: We kicked things off with the takoyaki, which are fried octopus balls drizzled with sauce and usually topped with bonito flakes. These looked right but were a bit bland — needed more punch in the batter or sauce. The karaage (Japanese fried chicken) was juicy and crispy, but again, could’ve used a stronger marinade. Still enjoyable, just not wow-worthy. Scallop crudo was beautifully plated but drowned in soy sauce — kind of overpowered the natural sweetness of the scallop, which was a shame.

Mains: The mentaiko udon was the real MVP. Creamy, savory, and rich with that perfect umami flavor from the marinated spicy cod roe — mentaiko. The sauce clung to every noodle and had a nice kick. Could honestly eat that again and again. We also had a couple of sushi rolls, which were fresh and solid. I got the chirashi (a bowl of sushi rice topped with assorted sashimi), but it was a letdown. Not much fish, and I was kind of hoping for the warm soup or tea to pour over it at the end like they do in Japan (a little ochazuke moment), but that wasn’t part of it here. For the price, I get it — just not what I expected.

Skewers were great — small portions, but well-seasoned and cooked perfectly. The steak, shrimp, and chicken were all hits around the table.

Dessert: We ended with the matcha tiramisu, and wow — it was small but packed with flavor. Not too sweet (our favorite Asian compliment), creamy, earthy matcha taste, just really well done.

Overall: Would I come back? Definitely — especially for that mentaiko udon. Just skip the chirashi next time. The place has serious potential, fun energy, and a menu that’s only going to get...

Nomu’s is literally my Family’s Favorite Restaraunt in Jax. The food is absolutely AMAZING!!! We have been dining here since here since they’re soft opening And everything has been consistent since day one. The owners of Vincent and Edward are extremely accommodating and very present and the day-to-day operations of the business. This fact alone says apart from most restaurants in this area. They go above and beyond to make sure every customer has a great experience and their food quality is great. I literally dine with them a minimum of twice a week and I have never had a bad experience. The Hamachi Kama is to die for!! Their sushi rolls are literally the best in Jacksonville from the dynamite row all the way down to the sweet potato roll every bite is bursting with flavor! The Salmon Don is one of my husband’s, Big John Henderson of the Jacksonville Jags’s, favorite! He literally orders two bowls EVERY time we go! My kids love this spot, my family , and all of our friends share the same sentiments. So if you’re looking for a modern Japanese spot that has a super amazing vibe with great quality food this is definitely the spot for you!!! When you walk through their doors, you literally leave Jacksonville and walk into Tokyo…. Our favorite waiter is Aria, he has the coolest personality and is such a light, he literally makes my day every time her serves me.. EJ, the bartender makes the most amazing drinks and is a true Mixologist that enhances the evening vibe with his DJing skills! Nomu Uses high quality, non-GMO, and organic ingredients. They have something great for every vegan and pescatarian diet. They are one of few places that our entire family can dine and everybody walks away satisfied. I almost forgot to mention that they prepare the food in such a timely manner, it will literally blow your mind! They are fast and efficient without compromising the flavor! We are so thankful they open their doors in our community and look forward to expanding throughout...