A nitride semiconductor laser element, comprises a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer in which a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer are laminated in this order on the substrate, wherein recessed and raised portions are formed in the first semiconductor layer and/or the second semiconductor layer, a semiconductor layer that embeds the recessed and raised portions are formed on the semiconductor layer in which said recessed and raised portions are formed, the semiconductor layer in which the recessed and raised portions are formed is equipped with a side face having a first region extending downward and a second region extending farther downward continuously from the first region, and the second region has a greater slope with respect to the normal direction of the substrate than the first region.