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

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 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

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

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

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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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

Bluefin...heavenly. Uni...sublime. Service...impeccable. Sashimi sorcery. Chef Levi, we're not worthy. Thank you! read more

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

Amazing experience at Dark Magic Sushi this evening. Omakase at Dark Magic was beyond better than expected from start to finish. The buttery mackerel was unreal, and the sea urchin was absolutely delicious-- easily surpassed higher priced restaurants. Every course looked & tasted intentionally and expertly executed. I will bring my friends and colleagues here because of the ambiance, energy, service, and overall dining experience. Levi, the owner & head sushi chef, along with his partner, made the dinner even more unforgettable by checking in with us throughout the evening. Best sushi in San Clemente! Can't wait to come back. read more

I just tried Dark Magic Sushi in San Clemente and I'm obsessed. From the moment you walk in, the vibe is just right.. stylish decor, and a calm, elevated atmosphere that makes you want to stay a while! Chef Levi is truly a master. The attention to detail blew me away, and the quality of the fish was as fresh as it gets. You can tell he puts love and creativity into everything he makes. The sushi rolls were insane (in the best way). So much flavor, and the quality of everything was top tier. Honestly, everything we ordered was a 10/10. The staff was amazing too, super friendly and on it. And I have to mention the wine list... SO good. Great selection, and the pairings really brought the whole experience together. Everything about this place just hit. The food, the vibe, the service.. all of it. Definitely one of my new favorite spots in South OC. Can't wait to go back again (and again)! read more

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

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Went last night for our anniversary dinner! We had Bluefin sashimi, the Batman roll, and the Salmon Carpaccio. Everything was amazing. Staff was friendly, service was quick. Old Town almost feels like a hidden gem of San Clemente. Will definitely be back! read more

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

Came in the other night with my sisters to try it for the first time. Dana was our server and she was very kind & knowledgeable about specials & helping us make choices on our orders. The fish was so fresh, everything we ordered from nigiri, carpaccio, & rolls was incredible!!! 10/10 recommend. And don't skip out on the mochi, if you've never tried the black sesame give it a shot! 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

Service was so ridiculously slow, and hostesses were rude and the sushi tasted like bait. So nasty.

One of my favorite sushi places like everrrrrr I love the spicy tuna crispy rice and the OMG roll! The yellowtail sushi is so yummy and softttt and i love the hirame with the ponzu sauce. Yum! Love the service read more

Tried again but got the same result. Service was better still kind of slow. Sushi was generally good but rolls still have too much rice, it overpowers the fish. It would be nice if the drizzle a little sauce on top so it's not so dry and hard to chew. Sat inside and it was a nice atmosphere except the door was open and flies kept coming in. Standing by a solid 3.5* read more

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

My sister and I arrived and was seated at a table within 15min. No problem at all. We sat down and Sarah approached us and asked if we wanted anything to drink. We each ordered a glass of wine and at that same time we ordered edamame and a roll. We waited over 30min for our roll while others around us that were seated after us getting their food. We had to ask Sarah 2x where our roll was. She said it's coming. We still waited. She was pretty snippy and at one point we wanted to ask her a 3rd time but she was no where to be found. We finally got our roll and then ordered albacore sushi. We were extremely disappointed with it. Being our favorite type of sushi we were very dissatisfied. At one point when I went to try and find Sarah, with no luck I went to use the restroom. I waited for 10min along with a gentleman behind me. The person in the restroom was taking forever. He finally couldn't wait any longer and left. Finally the door opened and it was the hostess of the restaurant taking up all this time. The whole experience was extremely horrible. Between Sarah, the wait time, the quality of food, the hostess, horrific service and representation of the restaurant. read more

Truly magical sushi...great atmosphere, servers and Levi the sushi king... chef's kiss!

Hallelujah! If you were a fan of Muse on Del Mar then you will love this place! Featuring the very talented and creative chef Levi who worked at Muse. When I first saw him I basically yelped from joy! So I guess I learned the true meaning of this stupid app. The service was on point, kind and welcoming! But sushi was delicious. And the ambiance was boutique and chic! Dark Magic abounded haha.. Chef Levi is serving up gourmet authentic sushi like they serve in Japan, but at good prices! Warmed rice sushi is life changing magic for sure. I recommend dining in, so that the seaweed is crispy, and the temperatures perfect! Or getting takeout and driving really fast. read more

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THE BEST EXPERIENCE! I had the dark magic sashimi special "Chef Levi's Selection" and it was the best sashimi I've had in a while, no soy sauce needed. The staff and Levi were also welcoming and hospitable, it made my girlfriend and I's trip for my birthday memorable! read more

Dark Magic Sushi - Dark Magic Sashimi Chef Levi Selection - 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

Met with friends last night to try out this new spot. Everything about it we LOVED. The ambience was so relaxing and really enjoyed that they had outside seating, the fresh ocean air felt so nice accompanied with the warmth we got from the Soto Sake which may have been the best Sake I've personally ever had. The sushi and sashimi was so fresh and tender. The rolls were so flavorful there was no need to dip in any soy sauce. I love that some options were lighter and some more on the richer side. Don't sleep on the spicy miso soup either, just trust me. The service was great, very attentive and friendly! Already looking forward to taking more friends back next week (: read more

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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

I can't say enough good things about Dark Magic Sushi! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with such warmth and hospitality -- and sitting at the sushi bar made the experience even more special. Chef Levi, the owner, is truly a gem. You can tell he pours his heart into every single dish. He's kind, genuine, and takes the time to talk to guests. He also explained each dish with passion and pride. The sushi itself was absolute incredible. Every bite was so fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented -- you can taste the quality and freshness of the fish. The nigiri practically melted in our mouths, and the specialty rolls were perfectly balanced. I am so happy San Clemente has this new sushi spot! read more

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Chef Levi is absolutely incredible. This is the best sushi in San Clemente now hands down! Everything is so fresh and delicious. It's so nice to have this quality in San Clemente! The place is also really cute and intimate and I love bringing friends here. Will be back ASAP x read more

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The only reason we chose this place was because our 3 year old granddaughter was with us and we wanted a family oriented place to eat but what a surprise, they had great service and even better food, can't wait to go back. read more

Head there before you can even finish reading my review because it's that great and that's not an overstatement at all. The staff, the selection, the creativity and the freshest sushi in OC has made this my go to spot from here on out. Make sure to try to the toro, baby yellowtail and the haikado scallop oh and get two orders of the crispy rice spicy tuna read more

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

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BEST SUSHI by chef Levi. Amazing food!! There's a special twist to how chef caters to each and every order. Always perfection!! read more

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When your travel takes you to San Clemente this is a must! It's a step above most of the sushi restaurants. Small intimate & friendly staff. Can't wait to go back ! Chef Levi returns to town and opened this restaurant recently. read more

Place is awsome ans the food is great! Amazing staff . Go go go!! This is my third time and everything super consistent and they have a very tight crew! read more

We've been a few times, including on Valentine's Day, and the servers and hosts are super attentive and wonderful! Definitely recommend the "Night in San Clemente" roll. read more

The sushi here is delicious and such high quality! It is seriously amazing every time. Chef Levi has done such a great job curating the menu! I love love love this local spot. It was an instant fave. read more

Food is excellent and Dana provides awesome service. We always enjoy a night out at Dark Magic!!

What an absolutely fantastic sushi experience... highly recommended if you are in the area, a must spot for dinner (or anytime). I will be back by next week! read more

Wow! So good!! Everything was incredible! Our server Jenni was so knowledgeable and excited, she had amazing recommendations and such amaxing energy! The sushi chef (I didn't catch his name) was so sweet and extremely skilled! We will be coming back very soon! read more

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Tucked away in a charming little plaza with some old world charm, this modern sushi spot served up refined and thoughtfully prepared sushi. Each plate was delicious, staff was super friendly. Will definitely be back. read more

Excellent! Treated like family, delightful food! Its difficult to find places like this. dont rush perfection read more

Delicious FRESH sushi and good service. Super cute presentation and truly good menu. Only thing they are missing is highchairs but we were able to borrow one from the next door restaurant We can't wait to come back and try more sushi! read more

This place is the best ever! Dare I say best in San Clemente. It's so cute inside, and the service is amazing! Everyone is so nice and you can tell love goes into the work they do! Will come back here soon! read more