NUPO

My third time at Nupo, sushi is super but GUYS! WTH ARE YOU DOING CHARGING ME $8 FOR WATER? !? ! Tap water is safe and free and I can't tell the difference from that and the fancy glass bottle I DID NOT ask for. It feels like a really sneaky way to pad the bill (also $8 is just absolutely absurd, even for bottled water). This leaves me with the awkward choice between paying this weird version of a cover charge, or feeling like a cheap a-hole in front of my friends for begging for tap water.

The food and service is beyond compare. You cannot have a mediocre meal at Nupo. All of the ingredients are top tier, and the flavour combinations are delightfully unique.

The music is always overpowering, though, and makes private conversation difficult.

As of September 2023 and out of the 14 Omakase places I tried in San Francisco, Los Ángeles and New York City/NJ, this was my FAVORITE Omakase experience!
I’m going to Asia later this year and could possibly change my mind, but I truly thought this was the best Omakase experience ever.

Food - Wow. There were so many fish I ate that I never had nor tasted in that manner, but was extremely good!
I couldn’t believe for one of the dishes, I ate radish, but it was the best radish of my life. Better than my momma’s kimchi. They make all the simple dishes really well and the unique dishes extraordinarily well! I don’t take pictures of food, so I asked my friend to take pictures of EVERYTHING because it was all so memorable!

Service - One of the waitress is a doppelgänger of Korea’s top actress Son Ye Jin or IU. My friend and I were very humbled by her hospitality and graced by her exquisite presence. She always filled our water, refilled our ginger and made sure we had an amazing time!

Chef - Last, but not least, The chef was AMAZING! The chef meticulously explained every single piece and dish. He was succinct, yet knowledgeable. He was very welcoming, yet extremely focused on his art work. He also is a doppelgänger of Korea’s top good looking actor. It felt like a celebrity was cooking for me.

I will definitely come back one day! My trip of hiking in Banff was so worth it and finishing with my last meal at Nupo was PERFECT!

Thank you for a lovely evening with a beautiful selection of vegan food. I am excited to see how the vegan dishes evolve throughout the seasons. The staff is very knowledgeable and lovely.

The food was tasty, service was great and atmosphere was nice. I would give this restaurant 5 stars but for the price you pay we still left hungry.

Truly an amazing experience! Wonderful service with very knowledgeable staff. Cocktails were delicious and very complex. We did the Omakase experience and it was mindblowing! Every course was meticulously prepared with very fresh ingredients, wonderful textures and balanced flavours. Can't recommend more highly, I look forward to coming back!

This place is bit on the pricey side but the cocktails and sushi definitely are worth it! Everything was so good & the service was fantastic! I will be back soon! It’s also conveniently located in alt hotel!

Nice place, menu is a little different compared to regular sushi places. Their salmon and sable fish was amazing. Christine was a really good host. Loved her explanation of house sake.

April 21 8 pm we had dinner for my partners birthday. Unbelievable experience. We did the omikase experience and it was so so good. The waitress (I didn’t get her name) was fantastic, as was the chef leading the experience. The tastes were out of this world and the time and prep was fantastic. I loved learning about the food from the chef. Each taste was different but the best fish I’ve ever had and I’m a maritimer! My only issue was how strict it was to be there on time which we were 15 minutes early and I understand this being a tasting menu, our experience didn’t start until almost 8: 40 the reservation booked for 8. They were busy, but we had grazed most of the day knowing we were having a tasting menu so we were starving. Thank you Nupo and Chef Darren for bringing your craft to Calgary!

First time experiencing the Omakase experience at Nupo and it didn't disappoint. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was although they ask for their guests to arrive on time they were about 30 min behind but there was also one guest who was late as well therefore I would give this experience a high 4.75. The Omakase experience takes you on a culinary Sushi experience stretching your palate to experience many flavours and textures. The quality of fish was top notch and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff and service were pleasant, attentive and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend.

Very satisfied with our dining experience here at NUPO. While it is a pricy meal, the food and service quality justified the expense. Great vegetarian dishes. Highly recommend the tempura parsnip roll, spicy fresh tofu, and eggplant tostada.

Note: the tostada is extremely delicious but it is also messy to eat. Be aware of getting sauce on your nice clothes.

Also, just want to finish with a thank you note to the manager of NUPO (Emily) for making our reservation possible, and to our server (Ashley? The girl with Totoro pin & socks) and the whole service team for the wonderful service they have provided. We will come again.

Absolutely delicious probably our new favourite sushi place in the city. Quality really unmatched and the omakase is truly 5 stars

Nupo is a very interesting Japanese restaurant located in east village everyone should try. The dishes are very unique and are elevated twists on traditional dishes. The atmosphere is relaxing, and the staff are very knowledgeable of the menu.
I strongly recommend the Tempura parsnip roll with morel mushrooms, it was a very unique dish, along with the sparkling tea wines. Great service and quality food!

Mildly disappointed, came all the way from Winnipeg because our Shokunin experience was so amazing last time out here. The food quality was second to none and service was great. But everything was so slow to come out from drinks to food. Definitely left awkward luls in the meal and still hungery when i left. Which i was full and happy leaving shokunin but not here.

I don't eat sushi.

They had enough options for me. And it was all fantastic.

Cocktails are some of the best I've had in years.

Had the Omakase experience. What an incredible dining experience. Each bite was thoughtfully prepared, the flavors and textures just kept you wanting more. The aged Sea Bass and Bluefin Tuna was some of the best sushi I have ever had. Even though I had my favorites it seemed like each bite got better leading to an incredible finale at the end of the meal. We also did the sake pairing option which I would highly recommend. The service was incredible and the interaction with our chef was much appreciated. We will definitely do this again.

This is the best sushi and sashimi in town! So fresh and some wild choices so not all farmed fish. Love the atmosphere as well. Fun to watch them make intriguing dishes

The omakase experience was amazing! Kind staff and delicious sushi. Definitely worth it to try.
We also went to their stand at lilac festival and the chef remembered us We'll see you guys again soon!

Tasty food and wonderful guest experience! It was a very enjoyable dinner to have at this location. The staff is very friendly and welcoming.

Excellent variety of flavours. Portions could be a tad larger (sashimi cuts), otherwise the food and service was great!

The fish was fresh and delicious. Every plate was beautifully presented. This place is expensive but worth it if you want a treat. What I didn't like was after we paid our bill with a generous tip, we were visiting. We would have stayed for about ten more minutes. The 'manager', I guess, basically told us that they needed the table for someone else. There was NO ONE waiting to be seated. This is the FIRST time in my life that I have been asked to leave. Be prepared to have a time limit.

First off, I cannot deny that the sake and sushi is very good here and appropriately priced for the quality. However, the carrot plate consisted of 1 single carrot with some sauce at a price of around $15. I would have expected at least 3 carrots at this price. I also had the sable fish rice bowl at cost of around $30. For this I received a small bowl of rice with the equivalent of 1 sashimi piece thinly sliced into 6 parts and some sauce. I don't mind spending money on quality food but these two dishes felt like I was paying for the chef's reputation.

Nupo has sensational food. The sushi, Gindara in particular, is perhaps the best sushi in the world. But what makes this restaurant truly special, is the service. Each staff person is warm, attentive and excellent at their job. They are precise and gentle and I love eating here.

Probably one of the most sublime dining experiences ever. Had bar seating with the excellent bar manager Ashley who took the utmost care with our group. By far the best sushi cuisine we have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Memorable, a mosaic of flavours. This place is an experience in and of itself. Could not recommend more and we will surely be back and tell everyone about this place!

Delicious! Lovely atmosphere, though not a lot of room for privacy, tables are quite close together. Amazing dishes, creative food items. The fish was SO FRESH! Cocktails were easily a 10/10.

The presentation, environment of the restaurant and the service was pleasant and enjoyable. However, the food was disappointing.
We ordered the seafood tacos which were lackluster. The texture was closer to eating raw fish paste which made them taste overly fishy. The hot pot was completely absent of flavour due to the overpowering spices.
Despite this, we enjoyed the aged sable fish nigiri and the quality of the sushi rice.
Overall, I'd only recommend the restaurant for its warm and friendly staff/environment.

The food was good. It was presented beautifully. Some dishes had some nice, complex flavour profiles. Our server seemed genuinely enthused about the food and drinks. We ordered mocktails off menu and they were delightful. Fruity and floral.

No complaints about the food. My favorite was the eggplant dish. However, the acoustics were horrid. I could barely hear my friend across the table from me. And our server was very quiet and timid, barely audible. Someone with hearing issues could not dine here. The sound is overwhelming. It sounded like everyone in the restaurant was yelling.

My husband and I came here on a Recommendation. We were squished into a very tight space with 4 other people. I commend them for trying to take a unique approach to different flavor profiles with various types of sushi, however it all felt a bit bougie. We enjoy thick cuts of fresh fish. The crudo was a joke. It was sliced so thin you couldn't even see it on the plate! The aged seabass was yummy. The service was excellent, however the food for what it was, was just overpriced, over-hyped thinly cut slices of "aged" fish.

Hands down favourite fine dining restaurant in the city!
The menu changes, which keeps things interesting and I’ve yet to be disappointed in anything I’ve tried there. The staff is very friendly and professional and explain to you what you are eating. The bartender is the great, she is so passionate about her job and makes the best drinks!
They also have an AMAZING plant based menu!
I recommend this place to anyone I get the chance to!