We made reservations to try this restaurant on a Thursday evening. It is conveniently located in front of Vedra in a strip mall with plenty of available parking. walked into the restaurant which seemed romantic with dim lighting. The noise level was average and the restaurant was full at 6:30 PM. We were promptly seated. Our waiter was very polite and explain the menu. We decided to try some cocktails, followed by appetizers, including one bread dish with amazing butter. We tried a lamb pasta dish and a seafood pasta dish. Desserts were awesome too. The food was tasty but it was hard for me to categorize to one genre. I'm fitting it into an upscale Japanese Italian hybrid category . I would recommend this restaurant for a date night. read more

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For Mother's Day, we decided to try Black Pearl after hearing it's a new Japanese restaurant and I absolutely love sushi and overall I'd say the experience was very mixed. First off, if you're expecting sushi in the main dining room menu like we were, just know there actually isn't sushi unless you book the Omakase experience separately. Just for reference; the 20 course Omakase is around $260 per person before any sake pairing, and the additional sake pairing is another $100. The ambiance was absolutely beautiful and probably the highlight of the evening. The restaurant itself feels very upscale, dark, moody, and luxurious with gorgeous presentation throughout the meal. Service was good, and every dish came out looking stunning. As for the food, it started strong. The potatoes were honestly one of the best things we ordered they flavorful, and served with a spicy aioli that was delicious. The Hamachi Crudo leaned a little sweet for my taste, but it was still good. The Tuna Carpaccio was probably my favorite dish of the night and definitely something I'd order again with the crispy bread! We also tried the Mother's Day special version of the Nero Mare prawn dish. Normally it's around $60, but the special included an extra prawn and caviar for $50 more, so we figured why not. It was an okay dish, good flavor and fresh fish. My husband ordered the Wagyu Short Rib, and while the meat itself was tender and flavorful, the overall dish was just okay nothing particularly memorable. Dessert was another miss for me personally. The chocolate dessert with matcha and sea salt was decent, but the blood orange sorbet was also extremely salty, which completely threw off the flavor. Overall, I'm glad we tried it once because the atmosphere and presentation were beautiful, but the food didn't really live up to the price for us. I'd maybe come back one day specifically to try the Omakase experience since that seems to be what they're truly known for, but I probably wouldn't return to the regular dining room menu. read more

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The food was quite good. Smaller portions which is what I expected but the waiter described otherwise so we went light on apps. The cocktails tasted great, but I still question if I was served one of the mocktails as the alcohol was lite. Dessert was excellent. Upon entrance you are transported away from the strip mall, so the window coverings are working. i'm not convinced a fine dining establishment is sustainable in this space but we will see. Ambiance was comparable to most, no issues speaking or hearing at regular volume. read more

Awesome food, beautiful interior, chic environment. Never mind that the restaurant is located in a mini mall. Don't let that deter you either. Walking into the venue is like walking into a chic night club. Service is friendly and quite stellar. I appreciate a knowledgeable waitstaff. Don't be afraid to try something new. I had the chocolate mousse for dessert and decided to add the caviar. No, it's not "fishy"...Bad caviar is fishy. This was like adding sea salt to enhance the chocolate. Delish!!! The chef/staff are brilliant! Can't wait to try the Omakase next! read more

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Dinner Jan 30, 2026 ~ We dined at Black Pearl during the week their speakeasy opened--just one week after the restaurant's soft opening--and it truly felt like a special experience. We initially tried booking the omakase room/experience, but it was fully booked, so we opted for an early Friday night reservation at 4:30pm, which ended up being perfect. The restaurant was so calm 30 minutes after being open on a weekend night. We loved this. Highly recommend an earlier time slot if you can - it's completely unrushed and nice & quiet. Black Pearl is located in a shopping plaza in Ponte Vedra. Parking was fairly easy at that hour. I could imagine it filling up quickly during peak dinner times on weekend nights, so plan to carpool or circle the lot a few times before finding an available spot. Service from the moment we walked in was excellent--warm, welcoming, and attentive. Before food or drinks even arrived, we were given fresh warm towelettes, which was a nice elevated touch. We started with: Warmed bread ($8) Scallops ($28) Sakura Knees cocktail ($18) Aka Tsuki cocktail ($18) Every cocktail we tried throughout the night was outstanding--creative, smooth, and clearly made with premium ingredients. I would absolutely make the drive just for the cocktails alone. Bonus points for offering mocktails as well for those of you who want a spirit free experience. The bread was warm and delicious, served with an incredible butter that we quickly finished (and were happily given more). The scallops were beautifully plated and packed with flavor, though there are only two per order--something to keep in mind if sharing. One for me, one for my better half. We loved them so much we were hoping for more than just one bite per person. Can't wait to come back and try more. For entrees and dessert, we ordered: Carbonara ($36) Pescatore ($38) Poached Pear ($16) Both pastas were cooked perfectly and well-balanced--not overly sauced, overly cooked or undercooked. The poached pear was a standout dessert: warm, comforting on a cold January night, and beautifully done. It's rare to see pears prepared this way in Jax, and I'd order it again in a heartbeat. What really elevated the evening was the hospitality. The GM and several team members stopped by our table to introduce themselves and check in, which made the experience feel personal and special. Bonus~Since we had an early reservation and there happened to be a last minute cancellation of 4 in the speakeasy , the GM kindly invited us to visit Omotenashi, (their speakeasy) after dinner--such a kind gesture! We were so elated. The speakeasy was the perfect ending to the night. Tucked down the hallway on the right before the restrooms at the end of the hall,, entry involves dialing an antique phone (fun touch!). Drinks there were just as impeccable, with some incorporating chocolate as part of the tasting experience. My better half ordered a drink in the restaurant prior to the speakeasy which came with salted chocolate - this wow'd me so much we politely asked if we could have an extra piece of chocolate and they immediately accommodated. It's those little things that really make the overall experience extra special. Final note: Everything we had was excellent, but portions lean on the smaller side for the price point. Not necessarily a downside--just something to be aware of. I'd recommend not coming super super hungry like we did or just plan to enjoy multiple courses and cocktails to round out the experience. Overall, Black Pearl is worth the try. Make a reservation for both the restaurant and the speakeasy though. If you are making the trip, make it worthwhile and experience both! Signed, sealed, delivered - @hey9oh4 read more

Black Pearl - Complimentary champagne - Japanese Near Me - Palm Valley, Florida

Service is impeccable. Everyone was very attentive and helpful. I especially enjoy how quickly they clean off your table as you move on to the next dish or drink. Food was absolutely amazing - melts in your mouth. I highly recommend the tuna carpaccio. The flavors were perfect. The restaurant is gorgeous and elegant - upscale and classy. It is dark but for the right vibes. read more

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We started our evening at the speakeasy, which set the tone for a truly memorable experience. After checking in for our reservation at the hostess stand, we were given an entrance code for the phone in the wall. Once entered into the phone, the hidden door popped open revealing an intimate, tucked away space. Inside, there are only about 12 seats and two bartenders, both incredibly talented and clearly passionate about their craft. Every cocktail felt like a performance. My personal favorite was the Kiko martini, their take on a lychee martini, and I also loved the mango rice drink, inspired by mango sticky rice which was creative and perfectly smooth! They offer a small selection of appetizers, and I went with the tuna carpaccio, which was easily one of the best I've ever had. The combination of truffle and tuna was exceptional. The scallop crudo was also very unique (my favorite bites were the ones topped with pickled blackberries), something I had never experienced before but haven't been able to stop thinking about since. After spending a couple of hours enjoying the speakeasy, we made our way to the main dining room. I started with the salmon tartare, which was just as beautifully presented as everything before it, and for my main, I had the miso sea bass which was absolutely delicious. By the end of the meal, I was too full for dessert, but they surprised us with complimentary champagne, which was a thoughtful and elegant touch to end the night. Overall, this was a unique and elevated dining experience, with incredible attention to detail, creativity, and hospitality from start to finish. read more

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We absolutely enjoyed our time at black pearl! It was a great place for a celebration. They gave us complimentary champagne since we mentioned it was our anniversary and dessert on the house. The food was a very creative combination of Italian and Japanese. I loved my miso cod and my boyfriend enjoyed his braised ribs. The cocktails were also very creative and we loved our appetizers, the table bread and tuna carpaccio! We just went and tried their speakeasy as well and it was a very cute and fun vibe! We will definitely be going back for the Omakase! read more

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Having a Michelin star chef serve 20 courses of Omakase, may be the highlight of my culinary journey. Having eaten all over the world, how rare is it to find one of your best meals very close to home. Black Pearl is one of the most unique restaurants that I've been to in a very long time. Kelvin and his designers have created a masterpiece, with not one restaurant but three under one roof. First, there is a speakeasy that requires a code to enter. Once you press in the code at the phone outside the door, you were here at click and you will gain entrance into what you feel is a secret place that you have been given access to. Once inside they're seating for 25 or so people, but the highlight clearly is the cocktails that they manufactured inside. Using smoke, blast, chillers, unique ingredients, you're going to have a drink here, but you're not gonna find in too many places. If Kedwin is there, ask him to make you something special, it is one of his superpowers. The second location is the Japanese - Italian fusion restaurant, that is at the very front of the building. It has its own bar, it is beautifully laid out, and if you take some time, you can see some hidden items that you can ask your server about that reveal some things about the owners and their vision In the third piece of this triangle, is the Omakase room. There's room for eight people, and you're served by a team, including Michelin star chef Wie Chen, and his staff. Now I have not eaten Omakase before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, and my wife planned it for my birthday and she's not the most adventurous eater, so I was a little worried going in. I didn't need to be the food was fabulous, the chef and the staff were entertaining, explaining the food you're eating and giving stories and tidbits about the Omakase process and how the chef worked his way up to Michelin star. The staff works so well together it's like a performance, food appears and disappears, grills come in, fire, swords, plates, and dishes, and drinks all in what seems like an effortless manner. If you follow me in the past, you probably know that I like to give you details about the food so that you can maybe cater your order to your likes and dislikes. I can't really do that with Omakase, because the chef is the one who makes the menu and you don't have a lot of choices other than to sit back and enjoy a great meal. What I can say about the food is that it was inventive, delicious, and quite filling. Here are some examples: File Fish - aged, then served with black truffle chips that were delicious together. Tile Fish with Salmon Caviar - so delicious, a picture in a plate. White truffle ice cream with black truffle shavings - I don't know how he came up with this idea, but it was simply fabulous. And a great way to end the dinner. I know Omakase may not be for everybody, but if you want to be adventurous and want to try something different, I really encourage you to give it a try. And if not, make a reservation for only the speakeasy, or just the fusion restaurant, you won't be disappointed. read more

Pretty upscale and modern restaurant. Japanese and Italian cuisine, which is different and new. I was surprised that they didn't have any sushi options on their menu. I believe they serve it during their omakase experience but not in general dining. Relatively small and intimate spot and beautifully decorated. Service was great and attentive. Food was made with quality ingredients, just a bit pricey for the amount and for what it is. Ordered the warmed bread, Tuna Carpaccio and King Salmon tartar for the apps and each were very good, especially the carpaccio! For our entrees, we got the Wagyu short rib (very tender and delicious) and the Miso Sea Bass (flakey and soft). Great place for date night or special occasions. read more

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After much anticipation, this weekend I finally tried Black Pearl which lived up to its hype. While it was located in a strip mall, the interior decor felt like you were in NYC or Miami. We started with the Warmed Bread and Tuna Carpaccio, both of which were delicious. For my entree, I had the Pescatore, which was an Asian/Italian fusion pasta topped with shrimp. The flavors mixed wonderfully, and it was a great dish. I also had a bite of my friend's Carbonara, which was also tasty and a great mix of the Asian and Italian flavors. It was our servers first night, and she did not miss a beat. I can't wait to go back and check out the Omakase room and speakeasy. read more

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Went for the omakase Such a special experience I would recommend for a special occasion. A lot of it was wasabi heavy but I enjoyed everything very much and would come back read more

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Incredible beautiful space and delicious food. Fish was tender and fresh and lamb was robust and flavorful read more

Black Pearl - Black cod - Japanese Near Me - Palm Valley, Florida

Took my wife on Tuesday to finally check out Black Pearl. We ate in the main dining as my wife is pregnant and can't do the omakase experience yet. Bryan was our server and he was phenomenal. Extremely knowledgeable, recommended every single item we picked out, including my cocktail and my wife's mocktail. We had the karaage chicken and scallop appetizers, A+. The miso sea bass and octopus risotto entrees, another A+. And ended with the panna cotta for dessert, again A+. The interior was visually stunning, and was surprised at how reasonably priced everything was for the quality you got. Will definitely go again. Highly recommend Bryan for your Black Pearl experience as we'll request him again. read more

Black Pearl - Japanese Near Me - Palm Valley, Florida

If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I 100% would! Service, food, and ambiance was 10/10. Each bite of every dish was carefully crafted by the chef so that every bite was "the perfect bite" with every ingredient complimenting the others in the dish. Nothing was too heavy or rich but everything was bursting with flavor and fresh. You can tell a lot of time and energy was taken creating and preparing each dish. I would recommend this place to anyone. On top of the food service was amazing. Our server was attentive and friendly but also knew when to leave us alone to enjoy our date night. The chef took time to introduce himself to us as well as many other tables. Talking to him you can feel his passion for his craft. He truly speaks through his food. Also if you go try the caviar on the chocolate dessert... yes I know how strange that sounds we thought it was crazy too but we trusted the chefs recommendation and I will now be eating caviar with my chocolate from now on. read more

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Really nice decoration but it still feels like a large space in a strip mall. Service was ok a lot of memorized blabla not unfriendly but not warm or personal at all either. Mumbled something about Michelin star but the experience was far from it we had to get our first course plates out of the way when mains came. Food - we had the scallops as appetizer they were on the rubbery side. For mains we had the carbonara. Sauce was ok, noodles slightly overcooked but most important they were cooked with no salt. And waguy short ribs - meat somewhat on the dry side but the sauce was so sweet it overpowered everything, the puree was really nice. We skipped dessert. The cocktails were good. All in all it just wasn't what we expected it to be. And having been at many Michelin star restaurants it was far from that experience in all aspects. read more

Did the Valentine's Day menu. Absolutely loved the experience and the staff was very helpful in helping us explore every dish! read more

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This restaurant is refreshing! The menu selection is not as extensive as I would like. However, the concept of Japanese and Italian fusion is interesting of some sort, a cultural melting east meets west concept. The ambiance is classy with moody lighting. The wait staff was attentive and food service is fast. The bread was good and it's not free... it's part of their appetizer menu ($8)... I still would pick French Pantry's free bread anytime! The scallop was Devine! The main course short rib was good not great as compared to Biscottis. The dessert panna cotta was delish... was disappointed that they don't have coffee on their menu. Our waitress Meredith was great and made excellent recommendations! Now all that for $200? Was it worth it? Absolutely! Although they will have to do some fine tweaking to compete with the likes of 14Prime. Sayōnara-ciao! read more

What an incredible dinner at Black Pearl for their Valentine's day tasting menu! As soon as we walked in, we were greeted warmly by the staff and given a rose which was such a thoughtful touch for the holiday. The interior is beautiful, tall ceilings and an upscale ambiance, I especially appreciate how the lighting is moody but not too dark, no flashlights required to read the menu! We were given complimentary champagne before our meal and our server Sebastian checked in on us frequently. He took our cocktail orders and both me and my husband's drinks were beautiful and delicious. For the meal, each course was perfectly spaced, unique, and delicious. I loved the scallop crudo with the salsa verde, the creaminess of the scallop and the kick from the salsa was such a nice combination. I loved the short rib pasta with edamame, definitely an unlikely combination to have soybeans in your pasta but it worked! The duck and the wagyu were also cooked perfectly and had their own unique flavors, I enjoyed the blackberries on the duck. Lastly, I loved the combination of cold sorbet and creamy chocolate during the dessert portion and it paired great with the port wine. Twice during the meal we were given the gluten free/vegetarian option by accident and we had to ask for a new dish, but the staff was prompt and very apologetic. Overall the meal was incredible and innovative and I am so happy we were able to get a table during their Valentine's day dinner. I hope to be back to try more of their menu, specifically their omakase where I hope to try their sushi! read more

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So I know they just opened and have to get things all set but for what the prices are and the hype around it they need to work on service. We had a speakeasy reservation at 9 pm. The place is cool when you walk in an have to dial to unlock the door when it opened quite a few guests blocking the area. This area seats maybe 25 ish people. We sat and were greeted she was nice but her and the other two bartenders in jackets could not really answer a single question about anything on the menu. We asked about the antipasto served in the speakeasy what's in it cheeses meats etc. one of them said "it's antipasto " the other said oh meat and cheese. She did say one cheese was truffle but that's it. I asked if they could go identify each item and they came back with quince jam as the smears on The plate. They couldn't tell me if something was celery or lemongrass and kept saying I'm not sure. Which is fine for most places but if your antipasto is 32$ the servers should know what is included. I hav allergies and asked about the chicken she confirmed it was ok and the chicken was really very tasty. My martini (Niko martini) was good! the place has potential but they should have more knowledge of items and especially when the bar menu consists of 5 things in total. We may wait a bit and then go back to see how they've progressed. At this price point they just have to pa more attention to those details everywhere not just in the omikasse or the regular dining area. read more

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Black Pearl offers elevated cuisine with impressive technique and carefully chosen ingredients. The attention to detail in both flavor and presentation really stood out, and every dish we tried was excellent. Every dish and every cocktail were some of the best I've ever had. I look forward to returning. read more

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Food, cocktails, service were all excellent and the restaurant is beautiful. Our table ordered warm bread, chicken, tuna and salmon appetizers. With miso seabass, short rib, and carbonara entrees. Everything melted in our mouth! A special callout for their glassware too - very long stems and thin glass! A delightful experience all around. read more

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We unfortunately are unable to rate the food or dinner experience. The reason for this review is that the restaurant needs to clarify things on OpenTable when making a reservation. As mentioned in previous reviews, they have the Omotenashi room, or speakeasy, in addition to the dining room, and you can make a reservation there. We cancelled another nice reservation to make this on a Friday night, only to get there and be told they don't serve dinner in the Omotenashi room. After looking at OpenTable it does say this, but it's buried at the bottom of the "experience" description which you have to actively click on and read. It's pretty easy to make a reservation not knowing this. The couple in front of us was receiving the same explanation to which they were also disappointed, so it's clearly not just us. Additionally, the staff wasn't particularly polite in their explanation, almost to the point of being prickly and annoyed. It sounds like this wasn't an isolated incident. By then were unable to get another reservation where we had previously booked (or anywhere else we wanted), so it kind of crushed our night out. We'd love the opportunity to try the restaurant at some point, but they need to clean up their administrative issues and host staff service. read more

Great service, it was a little loud when we went on a Tuesday night surprisingly. The food was absolutely delicious and the waiter recommended an excellent cocktail. Unfortunately didn't get any pics of the entree or dessert read more

Black Pearl - Geisha cocktail - Japanese Near Me - Palm Valley, Florida

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Very cozy place with Japanese and Italian cuisine, we try oakmakse was amazing, ,fish very fresh , we will coming back more read more

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Visiting from out of town and friends mentioned there was a new place they wanted to try. Amazing meal. My husband had the sea bass and I had the short ribs. Both were delightful. Staff were very attentive, the warm bread with truffle butter was a great way to start the meal. read more

On a lazy Sunday evening we decided to try the dining room. The food and the cocktails were on point and equal to what we have enjoyed in SF, NYC, Napa and European establishments. The fusion of Italian and Japanese was executed perfectly. It's so cool having this establishment in our backyard we can't wait to try the speakeasy and the omakase experience read more

There is no way that I will go to an "up scale" restaurant that packs customers in like cattle. We had a reservation for two people. We got to Black Pearl and the first thing that struck me was the noise. A 10 plus on my noise scale. The restaurant was packed and the hostess wanted to seat us at a very small table wedged in between two larger groups of diners. Thankfully, we all have choices. My choice was not to stay. Truthfully, I don't care how good the reviews are. If I can't sit comfortably in a restaurant and be able to have a conversation with my wife while dining, you can keep the place. read more