Kusa Nori

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Modern Japanese Dining on the Strip

Kusa Nori is a modern Japanese restaurant at Resorts World Las Vegas, offering both classic and innovative Japanese dishes alongside an extensive sake list. It sits within one of the Strip's most ambitious dining collections, and in 2026 it earned a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating — recognition that reflects the precision and care built into every plate.

Chef Ryan Nuqui

At the helm is Executive Chef Ryan Nuqui, born and raised in Oahu, Hawai'i, and trained across three continents. He holds degrees from Le Cordon Bleu Adelaide in Australia, the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and Monterey Peninsula College. Before joining Kusa Nori, Nuqui spent 23 years shaping Las Vegas's dining scene — as Chef de Cuisine at Yellowtail at Bellagio, Executive Chef at SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill at The Venetian, and Executive Chef at Bacchanal Buffet and Serendipity III at Caesars Palace, among others. He also orchestrated James Beard House Dinners in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and his work at Fleur at Mandalay Bay earned a place on Eating Las Vegas's top 50 Essential Restaurants list in 2012.

What to Expect at the Table

The teppanyaki grill is a draw in its own right — dexterous chefs slice, dice, and perform while cooking, and the lobster makes for an especially indulgent addition. Forbes reviewers singled out the misoyaki black cod for its layered textures: tender seaweed-crusted fish topped with arare (crunchy cracker balls) and yuzu-sake foam.

The sushi bar rewards equally careful attention. Moriawase — a chef's selection of sushi or sashimi — arrives composed with leaves, gingko nuts, lemon slices, and pink pickled daikon on a bed of ice. Even the shrimp tempura gets the full treatment: crispy-rice-crusted shrimp plated with wasabi honey aioli and kabosu gel in a precise circular pattern. The signature Kusa Nori roll brings together wagyu tataki, lobster tempura, asparagus, yuzu emulsion, caviar, crispy garlic, and truffle ponzu.

The sake list is sizable and worth exploring. Forbes's own inspectors noted particular enjoyment of the Heavensake junmai daiginjo paired with dinner — a pairing that underscores how seriously the beverage program is taken here. Presentation throughout is deliberate enough that you may pause before disturbing the plate — which, in the context of Japanese fine dining, is exactly the point.