I loved sitting at the counter watching the dishes and cocktails being created. I'm a flawed creature and don't love raw seafood. They had plenty of options for me and the raw seafood was well done and my spouse appreciated them. I did a sake flight and enjoyed the descriptions and the wine. The service was excellent. The peach sorbet with fig leaf powder was exceptional. read more

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Big win in Ashland! Fun to sit at the chef's counter and chat with the team. Intimate and friendly vibe - you'll find yourself chatting with other diners in this cozy venue. Both cocktails and dishes were inspired - presentation and taste. You could sense the thought and skill behind each creation on the menu. As sushi fans from the Bay Area we were delighted to discover new flavors with each bite of the subtly "dressed" sashimi. We more or less ate our way through the menu - no disappointing choices. Pricey but worth it for a memorable meal. read more

Dude...so unbelievably well-crafted & creative without being ridiculous or pretentious. Staff is genuine and doesn't put on a fake show/performance/schtick -- which I appreciate and respect. The other thing...but it's just wild to me that a town like Ashland, with only 20,000 residents has restaurants of this caliber and genre. We moved here after living in Austin TX for 15 years, and NAMA would've given Uchi a run for their money. *Absolutely try Uchi if you've never been. read more

What a wonderful way to start the night such flavor such attentive service with absolutely beautiful layout! Loved the delightful fresh oysters from the shell super sauce for topping can't wait to come back for a full meal. Great vibe! read more

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Oysters in Ashland? We were in Ashland for a weeklong bike ride arranged by Bikes Rides Northwest that included loop rides around Ashland, a ride from Ashland to Klamath Falls and back ( whew!) . We happened upon Nama Oyster Bar on our final day in Ashland- WOW! (I think) Nama should be listed under Must Enjoy/Must partake restaurants in Ashland. Unadorned Oysters were fresh and delicious! Nama's prepared Oysters were out of this world! Nama's staff was knowledgeable. The staff were eager to educate us on the nuances of Oysters preparation and enjoyment. We also had the privilege to chat with Nama's James Beard nominated chef/owner. Service was fast, friendly and efficient. read more

This visit was my second time here. I remember thoroughly enjoying the hearty miso soup with the black truffle oil in it, so I went for that again after coming in from the cold. I enjoyed the miso as six oysters that were a part of the happy hour special menu made an appearance alongside the salmon hand roll, and both were delicious. I chose counter seating as I dined alone this time again, and it was neat to get to interact with the server, hostess, and the chef, who are all stationed in the center of the u-shape counter that serves as the outer border for the food and beverage prep area. I was the first person to arrive once this restaurant that reminds me of izakaya style dining opened on a Sunday and I enjoyed being the only person there for the entire meal (there was a group of four or five coming in any moment though, and I know they get busier as the evening goes on. read more

Nama Oyster Bar - Salmon Hand Roll - Live/Raw Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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every employee from the chef to my server, truly has passion for food and taste. I was welcomed with friendly faces and encouraged to ask questions regarding the menu and food. every question that came to my mind was answered in detail and explained the intricate flavors that made up each dish. the oysters were FABULOUS! fresh and paired with a fermented celery, shallots, and white wine vinaigrette. the toro sashimi was a highlight. high quality and fatty, melting in your mouth, while filling your belly. even when full, i couldn't skip out on the miso pana cotta dessert. the unique flavor of the soy sauce drizzled on top is a must! If you are looking for a dinner with experience, Nama is the place! read more

Delicious food and excellent service! An explosion of unexpected flavors! The devise taco was a stand out! read more

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Excellent experience! Friendly and attentive service. Started with the oysters, which were phenomenal. The Nama hotdog was great but when I tell you this Panna Cotta changed my life, I'm a better person now. I'm not a desert person to start with and now I might never have desert again because this pan acotta was so delicate and yummy. I would bring my family here when we visits Ashland again read more

Nama Oyster Bar - Sake - Live/Raw Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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Phenomenal every damn time! Great service and high quality delicious and creative food. read more

Nama Oyster Bar - Live/Raw Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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I would so love to give 5 stars, but read on to here my issues and why I can't. For the most part, my experience here was great. They put out some wonderful sashimi and oysters on the half shell. I had their blue fin tuna, aged hamachi, 2 dozen oysters, a California roll sandwich, a bowl of seasoned rice and a jumbo shrimp cocktail. The sashimi dishes were top notch and I'll be back for that. It's hard to find such fresh fish in the valley, so for me it made the trip worth it. The CA roll sandwich was unimpressive with brown spotted avocado slices inside. The jumbo shrimp cocktail was comprised of only the tail portions. Really? Where did the rest of the shrimp go? Ah, the big portions probably went to Josh nextdoor at MAS. Not cool IMHO. But perhaps the worst faux pas and why I can only give 3 stars was how they manage their fresh, raw fish. It's sitting right up on the counter in front of the patrons who sat there. Seriously? That's no place to leave your fish loins that will be cut raw and served to guests. As I was eating, I noticed a guy cough and sniff right over the raw fish! Understand, there is no kind of "splatter screen" like a glass shield between the customer and the fish. It's just right there, about 10" away (see pic). I'm kinda surprised the health department allows this. I hope the management fixes this unsanitary situation. Truth... read more

Nama Oyster Bar - Fresh raw fish loins right under the nose of customers. No "splatter screen". No bueno! - Live/Raw Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

We had an exceptional night out at Nama! Pork Yakisoba and Waygu Donburi were our favorite dishes, and we loved trying out their various sake offerings with tiny tasting portions. The service was great-- everyone was friendly and we saw the head chef checking in with all the diners individually to make sure they were having a wonderful evening. It's become our "must go" restaurant whenever we're in Ashland. read more

The food is amazing. Our overall dining experience was delightful. Food was exquisite. Perfectly prepared. This is an "experience" and all should try!!! The ambience is quaint and simple. Service is personable. read more

Had such a great meal with a buddy over at Nama in Ashland. Plenty of pretentiousness with the clientele but the vibe seems to embrace it. The presentation and flavor is absolutely incredible. Honestly if my wallet could survive it I'd be here every day. New menu every time I've come which is always welcome. This time it was a chirachi bowl, some blue fin tuna and a dungenous crab sandwich roll. All. Accompanied with their libation du jour. Could have added more to our plates if we stayed longer. Two hours and $300 later (2 people) and it was time for the Lebowski movie. Yes I know a few folks while whine and bitch about the price. But we need places like this to balance out the crappy food that exists locally. Can not wait to come back. read more

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What a huge disappointment it was yesterday night, on Sunday.... I was looking forward to all different options with oysters but... the restaurant was completely out of it! How could you call it an oyster bar where there is NO oysters? They were out of other dishes as well. Sous chef was in charge and constantly mixing up orders. That was the last straw, will never be coming again. read more

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Nama is a great addition to Ashland's fine dining scene. I was greeted by name on arrival and Sarah helped me chose a sake to my liking. Food was terrific, fresh and delicious and the staff were very attentive. The hamachi was my favorite especially since I added the caviar option to it. the caviar really made it pop. The Aphrodite oysters were a really great start. will definitely be back. read more

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This place was an amazing experience... the food is prepped in front of you, and it is delicious art. The servers and chefs explain in great detail the flavors and why they go all together. We highly recommend- and Sarah is a treasure. Much appreciated, Jules from UK and Heather from the Oregon coast. read more

My husband and I had wanted to try this place since one of our friends knew the previous owner, but never got around to it until our Anniversary - we came on a Sunday afternoon around 4:00pm when there was just one other guest and we had the pleasure of meeting the new owner, Sarah, who made our plates right in front of us - she explained the various seasonings added to each one as she presented it. We learned she has a very niche cuisine of working with Japanese style seafood and recently moved from Austin to work with the owners at MAS next door (which we haven't tried yet but will some day!) Although there is potential for about 20 people in there we found ourselves in a very intimate (yet casual) early dinner setting that really made our experience feel very personal. Each bite we had was especially flavorful and gratifying. We started with a Tuna appetizer and a Wagyu beef appetizer which each had four pieces. The pairing of the herbs with the texture of the fish/beef and the marinade was really well balanced. This is a place to come to if you like to appreciate the orchestra of bright flavor combinations in each individual bite rather than heaping mounds of comfort food full of fat and salt. We also tried the mixed seafood entree and the trout entree. The herbed rice was very fragrant and floral and complemented the fish well. Mine was more of a poke style whereas my husbands was a very tender and silky cooked piece with a savory crust (like a fish steak). We finished with a trout nigiri off of the secret menu topped with an uni butter - it was just two pieces so one bite for my husband and I each, but was absolutely rich, fatty and wholesome with the right amount of sweet and saltiness. I would definitely consider this place a very high end and posh experience...it's rare finding dinner places in the Rogue Valley that really have that special "let's go on our anniversary" charm to them and this one hit the nail on the head. If you really appreciate good seafood this is a must in Ashland. read more

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Chef Hez, Maggie, and the rest of the NAMA/mäs crew are just incredible humans. Despite going in a super busy Friday, my father and I were treated to attentive and friendly service. Per usual, special care was put into each of our dishes that we were served. The presentation is always so impressive and I love that every garnish has a unique purpose and meaning behind what it brings to the dish. Nothing is just carelessly strewn onto the plate, but instead placed with intention. The yumminess factor is out of this world- I appreciate that every time we go, we can order something new and exciting from the constantly rotating menu and we can have trust in knowing that Chef will make us something ridiculously tasty to nosh on. Their mindful attitude doesn't end at food offerings, but instead also extends into their drink menu too! My father enjoyed a mezcal negroni and reported that it was one of the best drinks he's had in a long time. I don't drink alcohol, so I was glad that they provide a reasonably sized nonalcoholic menu as well. Tonight I was given a special girlypop drink for my birthday by Maggie and it was such an incredibly kind gesture from her. NAMA has a very unique izakaya bar vibe to it, and I would recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to sit at the high tops where you can watch your food be made in front of you. It feels kind of awe-inspiring to watch the staff here do their job so well. Thank you guys for being wonderful :) read more

Ambiance, presentation, and the quality of their oysters in beyond compare and the only thing that prevents this from being a 5 star is that the lead chef is rather somber and not very personable which given the open bar style of this restaurant and immediate proximity to all the staff, makes for an awkward experience. We're locals and have been here about 6-7 times and can attest this isn't an isolated experience. Given the price point everything should be exceptional, but alas. read more

Delicious Cava sparkling wine offered at happy hour. We came for oysters on the half shell and they didn't disappoint. Staff was very friendly but it was loud, difficult to hear and carry a conversation with anyone not immediately adjacent. And this was at opening with few people. We came with a well behaved 7 yo child and the staff didn't bat an eye, and another family with a toddler arrived soon thereafter. So it's family friendly, which could be a pro or con depending upon your preferences. The prices are too high for the portion sizes. But the taste was on point. read more

Amazing seafood and presentation. Drinks and service by Jill were perfect! So delicious!

Possibly a good place for a drink and a small snack but disappointing for dinner. The staff is great, the oysters were good, the miso soup with truffle oil was incredible, but the sashimi was extremely disappointing. $44 dollars for a small bowl of over-salted rice and 4 pieces of poorly cut and oddly tasteless fish left a bitter taste in my mouth. The portions are very small and the prices are inflated. We spent a small fortune then had to go out for dinner after our "dinner" at Nama. I guess to be fair they call themselves an 'oyster bar' so perhaps the expectation of dinner was misplaced. read more

Nama is far and away the best sushi place in Oregon. They have freshly shucked oysters and ramen too, but it is the chirashi and similar fish dishes that shine. Their sashimi and chirashi with blue fin tuna (unlike any other that I have ever had) and cedar plank aged trout and upper crust hamachi (all served in their Chirashi) are far superior to every other sushi place in Oregon, (and I have eaten at nearly all of them). There is a freshness and obvious special sourcing of their fish that makes this place special. the atmosphere is also superior to every other sushi place in southern oregon and even in Portland (except maybe Miratugei in PDX). The staff is totally professional too. Great location also, next to MAS (same owners I think), which was listed a few years ago on the New York Times top 50 restaurants in America (in Ashland!!!) I hesitate to write this because i do not want to have to fight crowds to get in! But these folks deserve the kudos. read more

This lived up to our every expectation! The oysters and mignonette were delicious. Everything tasted fresh, delicate, and packed a lot of flavor. We went in August and aside from the oysters, the other standout for me was a black cod dish that was messier to eat than makes me comfortable in a fancy setting, but so worth it. read more

You won't be disappointed Very friendly, clean and wonderful. The place is great and we will be back! Happy hour hour 4-5 you get 6 oysters and a glass of wine read more

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Very pricy but this place is one of the kind that hard to find fine dining options. Happy hour menu available on Tuesday. read more

Nama Oyster Bar - Sashimi - Live/Raw Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

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If you love oysters, you gotta come here. Finally there's an oyster bar in Ashland! Love their happy hour, interior design and the variety of fresh oysters. We couldn't stop at a dozen oysters. Would definitely go back. read more

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I love all the creative fresh seafood dishes and fresh and best oysters to eat almost everyday !!! Its foods, ambience and customer service definitely a 5-star!!! Best place to try raw seafood and new kinds of oysters all the time. I've traveled around the world and found nothing like this pThe chef Luke is a genius for his young age!! Please don't change too much and stick around forever in Ashland!! It's the best adventure (well next to MAS) in Ashland for me!!! Highly recommend this place!!! read more

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My boyfriend and I stopped by because we were craving oysters and our earlier dinner plans fell through. Needless to say, nama's delivered ! Everyone was so kind and attentive from the moment we walked in. We're locals and will definitely be back for happy hour. read more

Nama Oyster Bar - Live/Raw Food Near Me - Ashland, Oregon

Visited the restaurant on a Friday with reservation but were disappointed to find out that they had run out of four items from their already limited menu by 7:45pm. Presentations were elegant. Flavors were good. Portions on smaller side. read more

Sarah and her team are a bunch of briney magicians, bringing big city seafood quality to a grateful town. Pairings, service, environment -- all perfect. Oyster happy hour keeps things accessible; the ever-changing menu keeps us coming back. read more

THE place to for sushi in the area. Warms my heart when I drive by and see seats filled. Let's keep this impeccable establishment in business, Yelp community!Food is exquisite and forward-looking but approachable... will convert anyone who thinks they don't like seafood. read more

Disappointed! Very small potions for very high prices. As a couple willing to pay top dollar for exceptional food, Nama fell short in a big way. read more

Just, wow!! Best food and experience we've had in a really long time. Small menu of nicely curated items, great variety of raw and cooked, the most attentive staff and nothing we ate was like anything we've ever eaten before. Go! read more

My husband and I came here based on other reviews, so we had high hopes. I ordered a cocktail which seemed take forever to make and be served, then I wasn't impressed it's it - very simplistic and a weird flavor. My husband tried to order a glass of red wine, and they don't carry red wine, although they serve a meat dish... who doesn't have red wine as an option? Hubby had a rice bowl, which he said was good. I got the Toro - and got 2 thinly sliced pieces - that's it. Overall, unimpressed, and would definitely not return - especially for the price. read more

This place is a gem in southern Oregon. If you are an oyster fan you won't be disappointed! The oysters are all so fresh and delicious. The small plates are very creative and full of flavor with Japanese influence.. The chef loves what he does and his passion comes through in his flavors.This is a high end high quality restaurant and I high recommend. read more

this was a truly odd meal. we are from Southern California and before that the bay area so eat a lot of fish, especially sashimi and other Japanese food. we thought we would love it but were very disappointed. the menu is tiny with little in the way of vegetables or anything to eat to fill you except rice. there are a couple of oyster things, a few other snacks, a few sashimi and cold items, and a few hot items. we wanted to order a crudo with gazpacho along with sashimi since it was dinner time and we were hungry, and there were no salads or anything extra other than fish or meat on the menu. But we were told they were out of it, and that they were also out of their halibut ceviche. Then there were only a few things left on the menu. We ordered one sashimi with rice, and one Wagyu beef hot item, we knew it was 2 ounces of beef because they tell you on the menu, but we didn't know it would be a very tiny dish smaller than almost anything you would get in the snack category. We thought the other ingredients might make it more than a snack since it was in the mid 30s and not classified as a snack. we have had wagyu beef a lot and no one ever charged in the mid 30s for 2 ounces of it and almost nothing else. move it to the snack category to be honest. it is a $35 tiny snack. the sashimi was decent but nothing to write home about and in LA or Sf or san diego they would charge you no more than $18 for the highest quality of what you are getting here for the mid to high 20s. the sake was good and so was the cocktail. come here for hand rolls and drinks and you might be happy. come here and split a snack nit called a snack, a sashimi, and a drink for $130 and you will probably be sad unless you have money to burn or never had decent raw fish in your life. they need to rethink the menu if they hope folks will eat dinner here. And not run out of 2 of the 10 things by 6:15 pm. Afterwards my partner and I got a half chicken at the co op and with that added on to our $130 "dinner" finally felt we had a meal. read more

Amazing !!!!!! Great music , chill vibe. The oyster tender was the greatest accompaniment to the myriad of dishes I tried . He was attentive but not pushy . He moved as a modern dancer would move onstage - with the greatest of intention . Simply , he moved about the restaurant as if he came with the foundation , fortified by his craft as not just a driver but he offered partnership in my quest for a good meal and finally accepted . Let This review read as a ringing endorsement for this new restaurant . May all restaurants in the Ashland area aspire towards greatness. Nama is hurling fast towards the suns ever perfected light read more