I have high standards for sushi spots and this one met them! The salmon nigiri was generous and buttery and the garlic edamame was great too - not too much sauce. The rolls were all great. Some we liked more than others but only because of personal preference. Wouldn't steer anyone away from any in particular. We were seated quickly and our server was great. They use a Yelp waitlist. Loved the vibe of the place and will be coming back. read more

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I had probably the best sushi ever at this spot, and I came because of the ratings on Yelp and they were not wrong. It was located in the cutest little bustling area, next to a great Indian restaurant and friendly Mexican restaurant. The waitress at the sushi restaurant made excellent recommendations/ black cod?!?! So good. And even their hamachi was the best I've ever had. 100% coming back. I think Levi, was the owner, and at the sushi bar taking to us adding the most delicious and unique flavors! (Altho sometimes when they try to be too unique it changes it from traditional sushi to something else/ this wasn't the case- it was the perfect blend of unique and traditional good sushi that you came to eat) Please try it! read more

I often have to commute from San Diego to Los Angeles, and I am always looking for good sushi. Usually, I cannot find it. This is the first time during my commute. I found exceptional sushi. Everything was exceptional! The food, the ambience, the merch, and the service was outstanding. I complimented the owner Levi on their aprons, it turns out that his father used to work for Levi's and it's a tribute to his family. Every single touch of this business is a work of art and has so much intentionality behind it. All the sushi was incredibly tender, and it was so beautifully placed on top of its original taste and feel. As a brand ambassador, I rarely wear brands at all outside of work. Their merch was so cool that I got the beanie and the sweatshirt. I've never done that at any business in my life. The ambience is gorgeous both inside and out, and the crowd are mainly locals. It's such an awesome place, and I would probably go to any of those places outside and try them all. I can't wait to have an excuse to go back to dark magic sushi, it's one of the best sushi places I've ever been to read more

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Super popular Sushi spot in San Clemente located in Old Town. Do yourself a favor and join the waitlist on the Yelp app before arriving :) it's a small indoor outdoor spot with a fresh menu and lots of regulars. Loved the tuna carpaccio, OMG roll & sashimi. Two parking lots it's much easier to park in overflow lot. read more

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The ambiance was good! The place was really nice and really clean ! I was looking for other sushi places and it lead me here... I didn't know that the old ramen place was gone and was replaced by this sushi restaurant for now 9 months! The service was good and we liked the ambiance it wasn't too loud or anything! It has 4 tables and more outside. It was cold so we ate inside but outside is really nice too! I wish they had more in the menu such as Ramens and Bento boxes. They mainly serve sushi and sashimi but their selection of sushi is very limited to tempura's and imitation crab though the sushi rolls were very fresh they were mostly smothered with sweet sauce. We got the miso soup which was really good!!! The vegetable tempura was also delicious along with the shrimp tempura! Then we had the California rolls, caterpillar rolls and the Omg (Shrimp tempura) rolls which was good as well! read more

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Awesome food selection, the host/server were attentive, as first time visit they recommended good sushi items. Place was not nice and cozy. Highly recommended when your around this area. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Came here with my family at 5pm on a Tuesday. The indoor area is very small, only about 16 seats. Unfortunately, it was extremely hot inside, easily around 85 degrees. I'm not sure if the air conditioning was broken or if there isn't any, but it made the environment uncomfortable for both guests and staff. While we did enjoy most of the food, the temperature was concerning, especially for a sushi restaurant. The salmon came out warm, which didn't feel safe to eat, so we left it. Overall, the food had potential, but the lack of proper temperature control really impacted our experience. read more

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I walked in and ordered 6 rolls to go, took them 35 minutes to prepare, restaurant wasn't even full. Food is ok, but the wait was too long.

Absolutely the best Sushi in San Clemente. Third visit affirms their tempura is so close to perfect and their rolls are consistently fresh, tasty and put together by a properly trained chef. Going back soon to keep trying other offerings on an extensive menu. Service is good - but get on the waitlist quick during busy periods! read more

This sushi place is amazing, we've been there twice now, and wow is my best description. We've tried 6 different rolls now, all very different, every one uniquely different from the others. Keep in mind, we drove an hour each way, the first time we ate there was because we were there taking class, the second time was to eat there again. We've decided to drive there once a month now for sushi. read more

Service, sushi, and atmosphere was so on point!!!! Grateful this gem has been added to San Clemente's repertoire of restaurants! It's cozy and not over the top with pricing, yet feels like a lovely intimate date night spot. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Roll, sake, and Kirin - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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There is definitely some dark magic going on here because this was the best roll I've ever had in south OC (and for a place with countless amazing sushi spots that is a high compliment). This place is usually packed but even though I came in around 6pm I was dining solo so got seated quickly. I recommend getting here a little before dinner service starts at 5 because it is a small parking lot. I got the delicious sesame dressing house salad to start which was pretty big for one person so it'd be great to share with another person or two. The star of my dinner was the Nine One One roll - a delectable spicy tuna roll with smelt egg, avocado, and green onion. There was soooo much complexity and depth of flavor in this roll it seriously blew me away. Service was so friendly and still attentive even though I was sat outside in a corner! I will be back again soon with friends and family!! What a great spot for a date night read more

Dark Magic Sushi - House Salad (it's big for one so good to share!) - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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This place is cute for an average neighborhood sushi restaurant. I probably wouldn't come here unless I was in San Clemente and not overly impressed with the presentation. I don't like sauce or mayo so maybe it's great would have enjoyed it more with all the pizzazz. They are heavy handed with the rice in all the rolls but generous with fish portions and not exorbitantly priced. Summary... The portion sizes are pretty substantial and the fish is fresh, but I thought it was bland probably because I didn't have any sauce on it. They do have gluten-free tamari upon request. read more

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Amazingly delicious sushi, it's obvious why there tends to be a line. Chef Levi is friendly and masterful at his craft--ask for his recommendations and you won't be disappointed! Some of the freshest sushi I've ever had, and the venue itself is small enough to be intimate but not cramped. read more

Great little spot with friendly chefs. Fresh clean tasting fish every time we've been. The food is good and the atmosphere friendly. Great date spot! If you're looking, just do it. You'll not be disappointed. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner on a tuesday night and was expecting to walk right in, but to our surprise they were super busy! No problem as they had a waitlist and you can even check in via yelp within 2 miles. We have a tesla so just sat in the car while we waited. We had 7 people ahead of us and waited maybe 30 minutes. It was a bit of a wait but that's not their fault they're busy Ambiance - it is in old town san clemente so the vibes are so cute. i generally don't like that parking lot to begin with but not their fault. they had maybe 4 tables inside, a few bar seats and maybe 5 tables outside. It seemed like it was a mix of locals/regulars and people coming for the first time. Service - personally our waitress was amazing she was so sweet and friendly. I don't think they were ready for it to be as busy as it was on a random tuesday night so service was a BIT slow overall Food - very fresh, large portions of fish AND they make it easy by having "set" platters to order. We got the 6 set which was a combination of 6 hand rolls and the dark magic sashimi platter which was 18 pieces. 48 for 18 pieces of sashimi 35 for 6 hand rolls 3 for a bowl of spicy miso soup (excellent) drinks - huge bottles of beer, i ordered the soju sunrise $16 and it was delicious although i couldn't tell if it was strong or not also ordered a glass of PLUM wine which was a bit on the sweet side but good paired with the fish Overall I would recommend this place. The slow service is explainable and I am a sensible person. I feel that patron's these days have gotten too spoiled. It is also nice they don't take reservations and don't focus too much on take out because according to the waitress, the goal is top tier service for seated patrons. They delivered thanks guys! enjoyed my birthday dinner read more

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Felt at home during our first trip to Dark Magic. Delicious sushi, wonderful service, huge portions. Thank you Jamie and Levi for having us. Will be back again read more

We found this restaurant and popped inside right when they opened. We were met with such kind service, and a wide variety of sushi-selections that left us wanting more. The specials...WOW! We enjoyed a few rolls, but the fresh nigiri was the standout here. I still look back on this exceptional dining experience as one of the best sushi spots in town. A shame this is so far from us, but if ever in the area, Dark Magic Sushi is worth a stop if you're looking for tasty and quality sushi. read more

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Good news: Chef makes great rolls, their Miso is delicious! Bad news: they put sugar in many dishes, including edamme, fancy rolls, and their sauces. Additionally, there are staff members needing to learn how to manage restaurant guests more efficiently. If you want a great sushi dinner, go for miso soup and unfancy rolls. read more

New(ish) sushi spot in Old Town that's apparently been open since July and OMG... how am I just finding this place?! The food was amazing, the atmosphere was fun and chic, and the staff was fantastic. Total bummer I didn't take any photos because everything looked as good as it tasted. Definitely order the garlic edamame -- BEST ever. You will not be disappointed. Already planning to go back next week read more

We've eaten at many sushi places around then world and this whole in the wall is one of our favorites. Amazing melt in your mouth sushi with unique flavors. Friendly staff with a local vibe. Sit at the bar and ask Levi for an Omakase meal. You won't regret it! read more

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High quality sushi, definitely a hole in the wall gem. Trying new sushi spots is something I don't usually do since I stick with my favorites, but after so much talk about Dark Magic, we were pleased to confirm that they had a friendly vibe, great staff and experienced chefs. Beautiful presentation and fresh cuts of fish that melt in your mouth. We went for lunch and it wasn't too busy, and they seem to have a crowd of regulars which is always a good sign. read more

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Spontaneous trip to San Clemente from SD to try somewhere new and it did not disappoint! Food, wait staff and the whole vibe was a 10/10. We'll definitely be back. read more

I loved our first dining experience at Dark Magic, it's certainly one of our faves. We luckily didn't have to wait too long to be seated, but as with other reviews, the wait time for service was quite long, however, it was very friendly and attentive when the waitress took our order. We were told that the delay/slow due to a table of the owners being there; I should think of the owners were there, their primary concern should be the customers getting preferential service ‍ This won't hinder us from returning, but definitely only on an evening when we're not already famished. The quality of the sushi was fantastic, the chutoro being our top pick. The sushi rolls were all very creative combinations. Hint: put an order of edamame in as soon as you can in case service times a slow. read more

The food- best sushi in town. Ambience- true San Clemente vibe. Service- spot on. It's always great supporting San Clemente! We will definitely be regulars. read more

Amazing sushi and team here! Chef Levi is super personable, and goes above and beyond to make sure you are pleased. We tried the Crispy Tuna Rice which had a generous amount of tuna on top. I was surprised the tuna had a good spice level to it! The special for the day was a Tuna Truffle Carpaccio which was amazing! The tuna was so fresh and the sauce had so much flavor. My favorite sushi roll was the Sunrise in Heaven. The cocktails are sake/soju based, so I tried the Love at First Sip, which was similar to a strawberry margarita. For seating, there is a sushi bar to sit at, as well as indoor and outdoor tables. Highly recommend coming here and trying some daily specials. I'm looking forward to returning! read more

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The black cod was amazing and our server Jamie was so nice. She gave me really good recommendations . read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Black cod was excellent - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Recommended by a friend and it didn't disappoint! Fun vibe. Indoor or outdoor seating. Short wait, but that just means the sushi is worth coming for. Definitely coming back. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - The Krab. 10/10 - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

So stoked to have Dark Magic and Chef Levi in SC - hands down the best sushi in OC - he and his team kill it! read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

CHEF LEVI IS THE BEST! He's back everyone, and we missed him SO MUCH! Best sushi in town! Plz get the magic hand roll, dark knight roll, omg roll, bluefin.. just get it all! We had the best sushi tonight and I can't wait to go back once a week lol. The plates were so cute and although the restaurant is small, it's adorable and perfect. Thank you for opening this spot!!!! So so happy! read more

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We arrived at 7:45. 4 tables were sitting open and set. 5 spots were open at the sushi bar. An iPad was sitting out front indicating a wait. Two parties of 2 on the waitlist. We went inside and went to sit at the bar. We were rudely told there is a wait. Poor management or understaffed, essentially both. Plenty of chefs in the kitchen. Don't try to create demand using inefficient systems. This was our second visit. First time we arrived 45 minutes before closing and they rushed our order. Sushi was average at best. read more

Quality fish, good service, very early on a Saturday Good attitude from staff , generous read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Albacore - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

We arrived at 8:20 PM on a Friday, and the staff from Dark Magic Sushi told us that they were doing last calls and could not give us service even though they close at 9:00 PM. I then kindly asked a lady who works there if we could do a to-go order, and she also refused to take the order. To be honest, this has never happened to me, especially since they had 40 minutes until closing time. I have worked in restaurants, and the #1 rule has always been our clients, and in the restaurant industry, this is unthinkable, especially with the amount of time they had until closing. I hope this gets to the right person in restaurant management. Locals recommended the place to me and my friends, and we were excited to try it, but unfortunately, we had this experience. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

The sushi was amazing! We typically drive to Sea Butter in Laguna and are so happy to have something amazing here in town. We ordered the tuna crispy rice, yellowtail, salmon and tuna sashimi, salmon handroll and the magic roll. The sashimi with serviced with nuanced sauces that brought out the flavor and texture of the fish. The service was excellent and the chefs were very inviting. We accidentally stumbled in on their soft opening night and even though it was special reservations only they offered to seat us. We will definitely be returning soon! read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Tuna - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

This is a great find in San Clemente. The staff is very nice and the food is very good. We make it a point to eat there every time we are in San Clemente. Limited space so go early to beat the crowd. My family cannot wait to go back. read more

Amazing spot!!! Good service, the staff was so sweet and engaging. The ambiance is perfect for a casual date night or quick solo bite. It really speaks for itself in the food how much the chef has put into this restaurant. Get the hand rolls if you can, the sake menu is also great. Going into the rotation for weekly sushi night, definitely recommend. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Kanpachi sushi (baby yellowtail) - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

Great addition to San Clemente and nice new build out. Rolls were fresh and good value for the quality of food. This will be a regular stop for us. Have the 911 roll if you like just the right amount of heat. read more

The best sushi place I've had in San Clemente!! Fresh fish, amazing drinks and even better service!! Mai and Dana took very good care of us. Felt like vip. The sushi was amazing. I had the Batman roll, fresh bass on top. Also had gyoza and cucumber salad. Big portions. To top it off had sake cheers for boyfriend's birthday. 100% will be back again. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

The food is very good. Tough to get a table. But the name is a turn off. I don't won't take my family back there. It has demonic name in my opinion and I don't like eating places like that. read more

Best sushi in town!!! Levi is such an amazing chef and the kindest man ever. Walking in the door feels like home, and the sushi is nothing short of the best I've ever had. The dark knight roll is my favorite! Such great quality fish and service. Bonus points for the amazing playlist they play. read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - San Clemente, California

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