Restaurant in Vail, United States
Book it. Nobu's format, easier reservation.
Nobu Matsuhisa's Vail outpost inside the five-star Solaris development delivers the signature Peruvian-Japanese flavor profile, anchored by Yellowtail Jalapeño and Black Cod Miso, with panoramic Vail Mountain views. Booking is easy by the standards of the Nobu brand. The most technically grounded Japanese kitchen in Vail, and a strong choice for a resort dinner that goes beyond standard alpine fare.
Getting a table here is direct by the standards of the Nobu empire, which is part of the appeal. Matsuhisa Vail sits inside the five-star Solaris development at the center of Vail Village, and while the name carries serious weight, it does not require the weeks-in-advance scramble you would expect at a comparable Nobu outpost in New York or Los Angeles. Book one to two weeks ahead during ski season peaks, a few days in shoulder season, and you should be fine. If you have already been once and are wondering whether to return, the answer is yes, with a clear strategy: go deeper into the menu than you did last time.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa built his reputation on a specific fusion: Japanese technique applied to Peruvian ingredients, producing a flavor profile that is clean, acidic, and occasionally fiery in a way that feels considered rather than showy. At Matsuhisa Vail, that signature approach comes through most clearly in two dishes the restaurant is known for. The Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño delivers the citrus-heat contrast the format is famous for: bright, fresh fish cut against the slow build of jalapeño and a light ponzu base. The Black Cod Miso, marinated and broiled until the flesh yields at the fork, is the other reference point. It is the dish that turned Nobu-style cooking into a global shorthand for new-style Japanese cuisine, and this kitchen executes it reliably. If you ordered one or both on a first visit, your second visit should go wider: the menu architecture rewards exploration across its sashimi, hot dishes, and composed small plates.
The setting reinforces the case for a return. Panoramic views of Vail Mountain through the dining room windows make this a different experience depending on light and season. A dinner after a full day on the mountain, with that view going dark outside, reads differently than lunch does. The rustic-urban interior of the Solaris building gives it a texture that sits between resort dining and city restaurant, which is either a feature or a compromise depending on what you are after.
For comparison with peers at a similar price point elsewhere, the Nobu format sits in a well-understood tier: technically polished, globally consistent, not a place that takes creative risks but one that executes its own vocabulary with precision. If you have eaten at venues like Atomix in New York City or Providence in Los Angeles, Matsuhisa Vail is a different register, less ambitious in its progression, more accessible in its format. That is not a criticism. In Vail, it is the most technically grounded Japanese kitchen available.
Matsuhisa Vail does not operate on a tasting menu format, so the progression is self-directed. The smart approach is to build your own arc: start with the cold preparations, move through the sashimi and tiradito-adjacent dishes where the Peruvian influence is clearest, then anchor the meal in one or two hot dishes. The Black Cod Miso works as a main. The Yellowtail Jalapeño works as an opener. If you are eating with two or more people, ordering across three to four categories gives you a fuller read on what the kitchen is doing. Solo diners or couples at the counter can move through this sequence without over-ordering.
This is not the place to come if you want a guided, chef-driven tasting experience with narrative course progression, as you would find at The French Laundry in Napa, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, or Smyth in Chicago. What you get instead is a high-quality, well-paced à la carte experience in a resort setting, with a flavor logic that is distinct enough to make the choices feel meaningful.
Matsuhisa Vail is located at 141 E Meadow Dr in the Solaris complex, directly in Vail Village. Booking difficulty is rated easy relative to the category, so prioritizing reservations a week to ten days ahead during the ski season should cover most scenarios. Walk-in availability is plausible off-peak. The Solaris location means you are a short walk from most Vail Village hotels, making this a practical dinner choice regardless of where you are staying.
Dress code is not formally stated, but the Solaris setting and price tier suggest smart-casual as the working standard. Resort wear is fine; ski clothes are not. For the full picture of what is available in Vail, see our full Vail restaurants guide, our full Vail hotels guide, and our full Vail bars guide. If wine or experience programming matters to your trip, our Vail wineries guide and our Vail experiences guide are worth a look.
Quick reference: Matsuhisa Vail, 141 E Meadow Dr, Solaris, Vail Village. Book 7–14 days ahead in ski season. Smart-casual dress. À la carte format; start cold, finish hot.
Smart-casual is the reliable choice. The Solaris development is a five-star property, so the room skews polished. Resort wear works; ski gear does not. You will see everything from après-ski transitional outfits to dinner-out attire. If you are coming straight from the mountain, plan to change first.
Group bookings are possible. The Solaris location gives the restaurant physical space, and the à la carte format is well-suited to groups ordering across the table. For parties of six or more, call ahead rather than relying on an online booking system, and ask about table configuration. Vail's dining options are generally accommodating to resort-scale group sizes, and Matsuhisa is no exception by reputation.
The Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño and the Black Cod Miso are the two verified signature dishes and the clearest expressions of what Nobu Matsuhisa's kitchen does. If you have had both before, build your order around the raw and cold preparations first, then add one or two hot dishes. The Peruvian-Japanese fusion logic shows most clearly in the sashimi and tiradito-style preparations, so do not skip the cold section in favor of hot dishes only.
Yes, with the right expectations. The Solaris setting, the mountain view, and the caliber of the cooking make it one of the more occasion-worthy restaurants in Vail. It is not a tasting-menu format, so if you want a structured, paced progression for a celebratory dinner, you may find the à la carte freedom less ceremonial than you are looking for. For a birthday or anniversary where the priority is a genuinely good meal in a strong setting, it delivers. Compare it against Sweet Basil if you want a local Vail institution with more of a scene, or La Tour for a French-leaning formal register.
For Japanese specifically, Osaki's is the nearest peer at a lower price point and less resort-destination positioning. For a broader high-end Vail dinner, Sweet Basil at $$$$ and Alpenrose Vail are the main alternatives. Sweet Basil is the better pick if you want something that feels more rooted in Vail's own dining identity. Matsuhisa is the pick if the Nobu flavor profile is specifically what you are after, or if you want the most technically precise Japanese kitchen in the valley.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matsuhisa Vail | High-end destination for new-style Japanese cuisine by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, blending traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients. Located in the 5-Star Solaris development in the heart of Vail Village, it offers a rustic urban setting with a panoramic view of Vail Mountain. Signature dishes include Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño and Black Cod Miso. | — | |
| Sweet Basil | $$$$ | — | |
| Osaki's | $$$ | — | |
| Alpenrose Vail | — | ||
| La Tour Restaurant | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Resort casual is the practical standard here. Matsuhisa Vail sits inside the five-star Solaris complex in Vail Village, so guests skew toward après-ski elevated rather than formal. Think clean layers, not a suit — but avoid arriving in full ski boots if you can help it. Nobody will turn you away, but you'll feel more comfortable in something a step above slope wear.
Groups can be accommodated, though the format is better suited to parties of 4 to 8 than large buyouts. The a la carte menu makes shared ordering easy across different tastes. For larger groups, check the venue's official channels at 141 E Meadow Dr, Vail Village, to confirm private dining options in the Solaris building.
Start with the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño — it is the cleanest expression of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's Japanese-Peruvian approach and the dish that made his reputation. Follow with the Black Cod Miso, which has been a signature across every Matsuhisa location. Build the rest of the table around raw preparations before moving to hot dishes; that progression makes the most sense given how the menu is structured.
Yes, it holds up for a celebration dinner. The five-star Solaris setting with panoramic views of Vail Mountain gives the room occasion-appropriate weight, and Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's new-style Japanese cuisine is a known quantity — you are not taking a risk on an unknown kitchen. For a milestone dinner where you want a guaranteed level of execution without chasing a hard-to-book reservation, this delivers.
Sweet Basil is the go-to for contemporary American cooking and has been a Vail dining anchor for decades — better choice if you want a broader menu and strong local wine list. La Tour Restaurant leans classic French and suits guests who prefer a more formal, wine-forward dinner. Alpenrose Vail is the pick for Alpine atmosphere and traditional European dishes. Osaki's covers sushi at a more accessible price point if the Matsuhisa spend is not the right fit for the trip.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
