Positives: great atmosphere great service great drinks great dancing 1/2 price sushi specials Negatives: sushi isnt that good long wait typically hostesses are not always super in-tune with everything Conclusion: Dress up & go have a drink here but get sushi elsewhere. read more

Few meals can add to your taste and smell sensory catalog. This was one of those meals. We ordered the salmon teriyaki with black rice. It doesn't look like they have this on their menu anymore unfortunately, but this was really incredible. The salmon was succulent, and the sauce was mildly sweet, but not overpowering. It was cooked perfectly, and tasted delicious, but the standout in this dish was the black rice. If O-Ku still offers a dish with the black rice, I highly recommend it. The flavor profile was a nutty like umami with a slight crunch. I wish I could have some of it shipped to me in new york every so often. We also ordered the green tea soba noodles with chicken. This was also delicious, but spicy. The noodles sat in a juicy brothy sauce, which almost made the dish soup like. Overall a great experience. Even if it's not a classic southern type of place, I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Charleston. read more

Let me start: the food was excellent. However, over the course of our over two hours at the establishment it took over 20mins for 4 drinks to be delivered on two occasions throughout the meal and over an hour before our food orders were even taken. As our party neared hour two the entrees were delivered nearly 40 minutes after the appetizers and were probably gone within 5 minutes. The portions were small relative to price for sushi but rolls were at a fair rate. The quality was fantastic and the atmosphere was rustic. Nonetheless, our party was overall displeased with the slow service but quality food is what you're looking for this is the place to be. Also don't make small requests they won't be honored the food comes out too slowly. read more

Itadakimasu - My daughter and I went after an art gallery event and got seated at the counter which was fine. The vibes and ambience were great. There was a guy playing violin at the front. And it was cool to watch the food prep. It is pricey so I will come back during happy hour. I liked the way the food was presented and the staff were cool including the Mgr. read more

O-Ku - Love the red colour pop - Sushi Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Over Hyped, Over Sexed and Over rated. While the place clearly has some great interior design work and the staff is some of the best looking in Chalreston. I found the food bland and not really worth the premium they are charging. Had a special Cruncy tuna roll. A basic spicy tuna roll covered in mound of crisy bits. The filet migeon roll came our gray. In short better places to drop money read more

While on Sullivan's Island eating dinner, one of the waitresses gave us a few suggestions of bars that we might want to check out once we got back to Charleston too. O-Ku for sushi..which was very good and though service seems to be a problem for others here on Yelp that wasn't the case for me. I like the decor which moves toward trendy, but not trashy. All the rolls were good, fresh, and didn't take long to get my food after I ordered. read more

Had a late dinner at Oku it was tasty and yes it was expensive. We had placed it to go order at 9:25 said to be done in 15 minutes I was down there in 20 in there must've been a mixup because I had to wait on my food. Not that big of a deal so I did order a drink gingers afterglow or something like that it was very tasty bartender was very pleasant atmosphere was elegantly laid back and a little quiet but it was Sunday night. I love people watching and while it was a little quiet for being a Sunday night I was not disappointed. I was still waiting on my food the manager on duty very kindly offered to comp my drink because of the wait I hope I didn't look pissed off, it was just late and was tired from a long day the drink was appreciated and the food was delicious as always read more

O-Ku - Delicious sushi I will be back in many times I'm sure - Sushi Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Fantastic Valentines Day dinner!!! Our server Kylie was awesome. We ordered a bunch of different things to try and everything was remarkable. Dumpling Dim Sum, Pork Belly, Lobster Temaki, Firecracker Roll read more

O-Ku is the stall-wart shining star of Charleston's ever changing culinary scene. The food is always top notch, for Charleston sushi. Beyond the amazing food is the service. The team there seem to be on it! Heather and Bridgette behind the bar were customer focused and super friendly. AMAZING cocktails made with precision and love. Alexis and Kayla were serving us and super sweet. Jai, the host, had the flare of a figure skater and the execution of a mid evil knight. Would definitely go back again!!! read more

Visited all the way from Virginia and Had our Bachelorette dinner and had made reservations ahead of time. The place was very different compared to other sushi places. It was decored differently with branches hanging from the columns, no usual covered up windows, but same type of lighting a bit dark, makes the mood a bit mysterious. Ordered their sushi and it was very delicious, it maybe a bit pricey than other Sushi places, but its worth it. The owner and waitress was very nice and gave a free round of shots to our table. They hold a great places for any occasion and I recommend this place, because I know that you will definitely get taken cared of and have a great experience. read more

I can't believe it took me so long to try this TREASURE of a restaurant. In true Indigo Group form, everything is phenomenal at O-Ku. Our service was perfect (thanks for putting up with our antics Daniel!) cocktails were tasty and strong, and most importantly - the sushi was fresh and delicious. Highlights were the salmon crudo and the lobster hand rolls. This place IS pricey, but bear in mind its one of the only upscale sushi restaurants in Charleston, if not the only. read more

I went to Ó-ku for a bachelorette party dinner before going out to explore all that Charleston had to offer, and I'm so glad the maid of honor picked this awesome sushi spot. It was about 8:30 on a busy Saturday and they were pretty much filled up. Our server was knowledgable, very welcoming and had great timing. I believe his name was David. He made some great sake and drink suggestions. (They have an ample and awesome selection of both.) From tartare to uni, this place is stellar. I don't think there is anything I would change. If I'm ever back in Charleston, I've GOT to go back to O-ku. read more

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Club Review This place has to do the most diverse nightclub in all of downtown Charleston. Every other place had a bunch of white boys with boat shoes and salmon colored shorts on. In here you had a little bit of color. Let's be real here -- white boys do not know how to shake their asses to hip hop music. However, it was pretty amusing seeing them attempt to do so. O-KU draws in the 21+ crowd. When I was here with a couple of my friends, I ended up having some guy come up to me and started trying to booty dance funny. He was a 21-year-old new into the scene boy who was trying to make a move. He's failed miserably. I turned around and shook his hand and thanked him for the dance. He tried to insist that we dance, but I told him I had to go to the restroom. By the time I got back, he had already moved on his next victim. It looks like he was succeeding at his goal, and so I let him be. The way it should have been from the start. This place is a breeding ground for trying to get your last call...if you know what I mean. According to my friend, it is only one of the last 2 a.m. bars to close. It is pretty packed. Drinks are decent and they are not weak. They make sure to give you enough alcohol so you're not left feeling a sense of regret when you end up going home with that guy you didn't think was cute in the beginning. The DJ played a great mix of 1990s, 2000, and today's music. I felt like I was going back to my freshman year college when he was playing Drop It Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg. I learn how to shake my ass to that music. I think my ass has probably gained an extra 80 pounds since that happened, but it still jiggles and I can still rock it out just like I did back in the day. Thank you Mr DJ for giving me that nostalgic feeling. I would absolutely come back here. I think it would probably be more hopping on a Saturday night. Regardless, it did pretty solid for a Friday night. read more

we arrived for happy hour on a friday night at 5:30. Probably only 3-4 tables were being used and they asked us for our reservation??? After we sat down the waiter/hostess (who looked like she applied her makeup in the dark) who was helping us was very rude, being very short with us. She seemed annoyed anytime we asked a question. Never once did she explain the happy hour menu, we had to ask someone else what the specials were. The sushi was over priced, the restaurant was freezing and the service was terrible. The only bright spot was when possibly the manager came over and asked us how we were doing and what we liked.... Wouldn't recommend... read more

Came here as a party of 12 and sat in the loungey section by the front. Comfy seats and low tables. It was a cool atmosphere and the service was great. The servers were very attentive and organized, and kept track of who had what and somehow managed to split the bill among all 12 of us. The food was good as well and the prices were fair. Fun drinks! read more

What a great find in Charleston! Came on restaurant week but didn't use menu. Server was attentive and the food was delicious. Took an earlier time (6 pm) and was glad that we did. Became busy quickly. Will return for the food and vibe! read more

Our party consisted of 12 people. Interestingly, they asked if we would like to be seated in the front, which was labeled a "lounge area" with black couches and large coffee tables (it could have easily been mistaken for a waiting area). Our group initially thought it was a good idea, but in hindsight it made for disjointed conversations at the table. Next time, I would definitely request an actual table. As far as food goes, the sushi was good. I had the firecracker roll and the black dragon roll. Both had a nice kick. There's nothing especially notable in regards to the flavor or freshness. An item that I would not reorder from the menu is the Yellow Fin Tuna Tataki Salad. The tuna, which was cooked on the outside, was especially "fishy" for a lack of a better word. Perhaps this dish would have been more enjoyable with the wagyu beef as the rest of the dish, including the wasabi vinaigrette, was rather pleasant. An issue I must note was the wait time for our food. Fortunately, the company at the table made for an enjoyable wait. The manager did give our table 2 rounds of complimentary shots due to the delay, one with grapefruit which was absolutely delicious and helped me to almost forget the considerable wait time. read more

This is the best sushi i have ever had and i have lived in hong kong, melbourne and soon japan. Kobe roll is the bomb, def a must try! read more

O-Ku - Mm - Sushi Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I'll start off by saying the sushi was amazing. And I'm a sushi snob. It was extremely fresh and tender. The service, however, was less to be desired. To say it was extremely slow would be an understatement. They seemed to move at a glacial pace. And by "they," I mean the entire staff down to the waitresses, bartenders and sushi chefs. BUT they did acknowledge and apologize everything was so slow & gave us free edamame and a spread of red snapper fish that was divine. If you can wait for an hour and be ok, this place is good. If not, you might be disappointed. The sushi was great though. read more

I wish the service matched the food at this restaurant. I recently came back from a southern getaway with my husband. We spent two days in Savannah followed by two days in Charleston. We both enjoy a good meal, and we both wanted to check out O-Ku. They were booked on Saturday night so we went on Sunday (11/18). We thought this would be a great way to end our culinary journey since we were both craving sushi. We walked in at around 7:35 pm for our 7:45 pm reservation. I apologized to the hostess for being early. She said it was not a problem then kept organizing what seemed to be gift cards while we stood there awkwardly. It was a little strange, but I shrugged it off. After we were seated, we were greeted by our server. She seemed nice enough. She told us it was half off bottles of wine that night, but after we didn't order wine she seemed to change her tune a little. My husband doesn't drink wine so I wasn't going to down a bottle myself. I did however order two (2) $12 cocktails during the meal, and my husband did order a beer. She seemed aloof, disinterested, and unfriendly towards us the entire time we were there. It was very odd. I would go so far as to say she may have been a little snobby. It felt like we weren't important enough to pay attention to, or maybe we didn't live up to her standards of a normal customer. The manager on the other hand was extremely attentive, friendly, and professional. He was the one that noticed I needed another drink, he even held the door for us on the way out. I used to be a server so I know a little bit about the restaurant industry. I know things can get busy quickly, but there were maybe 2-3 other small tables she was attending to. The place was not crowded at all. I should also point out that we dropped about $120 there so we weren't trying to skimp on what we ordered. The manager,the atmosphere, and the food were this restaurant's only positive traits, hence the 3 stars. The food was really good. We started with the spring roll appetizer. For our entrees we ordered four (4) different rolls: spicy tuna crunch roll, the surf turf roll, the potato roll, and another roll I can't recall. They were all nicely plated with amazing flavor. At the end of the meal, I ended up leaving a 20% tip because as I mentioned, I used to be a server. I usually tip 25-30% for great service so this was a small tip for me. In summary, I probably would not come back here the next time we are in Charleston. We had an arguably better meal with exceptional service at Indaco the night prior to this experience so check that place out. Jeni's for ice cream is another great find. We went there after O-Ku for dessert. read more

We were looking for some good, late night Sunday sushi in a nice atmosphere. We definitely found it. Erica, our server, made an excellent suggestion to try the crunchy scallop roll. Although I'm not the biggest fan of scallops, I was looking for something different with some crunch so I took a chance. She was spot on with her suggestion. We enjoyed our evening, our sushi, our service, and being seated at the sushi bar. Great date night atmosphere and everyone is quite friendly. From a traditionalist, I suggest visiting here!! read more

This is a fantastic sushi place! The service was nice. The ginger salads were great. We ordered 6 rolls and they were all really really good but our favorite was the scallop roll. We ended up ordering another one of those because it was just so good! Great place overall. Might wanna consider making a reservation if you're coming in after 7pm! read more

It's hip, chic, and trendy. Great place for a first date because the music's so loud you couldn't hear a person sitting next to you even if they were screaming. That being said, the sushi itself was just OK. The rice was over cooked & very starchy but everything else was fresh. And expensive $45 for 3 rolls & one was a California roll, which is usually the cheapest thing you can order. Guess I'm just a sushi snob, I've been to Japan & Hawaii, where the real stuff is & this wasn't even close to being in the same genre of food. read more

Out of all the amazing dinners we have had in Charleston this was my favorite. Quality sushi with a great vibe.

For starters, I am a little annoyed that the "Good Ole Boys" (aka those creepy old guys that hit on every girl and think they own the city) have abandoned Rue and adopted Oku as their new stalking ground...also think they are spilling in to Macintosh and Cocktail Club. They ruin fun places and creep me out. Aside from that, this is a Nobu knock-off-- a well executed and delicious knock-off I might add. I think it may actually be better...and cheaper (but not cheap). I have loved everything I have every ordered here. I love the simplicity of the avocado roll--also that firecracker roll and potato roll are delish. Any place that offers a "Lindsay-Tini" and has a generous happy hour (M,W,F) is golden in my book! Just wish we could keep the Sleaze Patrol out of here! read more

So, I've come to O-ku twice and each time I've left with a big smile on my face. They have the the best selection of fish in Charleston, by far. The toro is amazing, highly recommend it. Do yourself a favor and go. If you don't mind loud restaurant and attractive waitresses this is THE place to go. read more

The service at this place completely overshadows any good sushi that was served. Both waiters we had were complete ignorant, rude, and lacking any shred of good humor. Habenero martini was interesting. That's the only good thing you'll hear about the menu items from this girl. read more

We had drinks and dinner with a few good friends, and I cannot Rave enough about this place.... great atmosphere... Bridgeett the bartender made us a few delicious cocktails, and she could not have been nicer.... Great service.... / and a total babe! we than sat down and had Dinner..... I usually do not eat sashimi, but I have never tasted anything like it.... !!!! think of the thinnest filet mignon... ever!!!!! it didn't even taste like fish... dumplings were also off the chain .. lobster Temake, rock shrimp salad , teriyaki pork belly (Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot...) a .. couple of other dishes I can't pronounce,,, but all were outstanding..Our waitress Kayla was attentive, and service was quick....oh and let us not forget the SAKE.. my new favorite restaurant in Charleston... a must do if visiting,,, and we will be back definitely... read more

Absolutely love this restaurant! My personal favorite were the potato roll and scallop roll! I got the title basil lemonade which I was also in love with. I highly recommend it to any sushi lovers. Definitely recommend making a reservation! read more

O-Ku - Absolutely love this restaurant! My personal favorite were the potato roll and scallop roll! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Bring back the original Scallop Roll, please! The new version just isn't the same.

Definitely recommended!! Rock shrimp is always great. Sushi is delicious. Short rib is amazing. Drinks are great as well. No complaints! Great staff and atmosphere. Love this place !!! read more

This place has really excellent food. It's open late, so really convenient for dinner the night you get into Charleston. Special shout-out to our amazing server Jay!! read more

Good food. Good service. A little pricey for what you get but no complaints. Only weird thing was they brought us "complementary" pot stickers (we didn't order them) then they charged us $3 for them. Not worth complaining about but just tacky. read more

I'm not sure where all these other reviewers are eating but the O-Ku that I went to was definitely not the same that they seem to be reviewing. I will say that my husband and his band of ne'er do wells come to O-Ku on a fairly regular basis - one business trip they ate here 3 times in 10 days - so that may have something to do with it. They are known by name. Atmosphere: Young, hip, and extremely sexy - not college town sexy - more like young money sexy. As a married 40-something, I was able to sit back and chuckle at the blatant come-ons and ogling that takes place. Someone else said Over-sexed. Probably right and probably exactly why a group of middle-aged business travellers would go here. One guy in our party nearly gave himself whiplash ogling a 20-something as she sashayed past our table. (she was definitely whiplash worthy, though.) Service: Our service was impeccable. Sonny was our server and he was spot-on! Funny, prompt, willing to do what it takes to make things like they should be. I will go back to O-ku and I sincerely hope that Sonny is my server again. Food: I'm fairly new to sushi and am timid at best in trying new things for fear of getting something that I detest. I had the Kobe roll and a fish entree that was divine! I wish I could remember what kind of fish was in my entree but I was on my fourth Sugar & Spice martini by that point. I want to say it was Black Cod, but I'm not sure. It was tasty. The Kobe rolls were scrumptious and I was just a wee but on the pissed off side when they guy who ordered California rolls at our table decided he wanted everyone to share. Overall, I had a great experience here. Will definitely be back as I'm sure my husband and his dinner club will. BTW, the hostesses are adorable! read more

Sat at the sushi bar with my girlfriend. Amazing service, extremely friendly staff, great ambience, and great food. Would highly recommend!

I remember walking by this restaurant during my last visit home to Charleston, and I loved how it looked from the outside looking in. So I made a mental note to check it out the next time I was in town. Other than the fact that I wish you got more pieces of sushi with your order, coming to O-Ku was definitely worth the wait! We tried the roll with the oysters and soft-shell crab...first time having one like that. It was great! And the Tokyo Manhattan cocktail was good and potent. Service was great too. Adding it to the places I visit when I'm in town. read more

Beautiful place, I like the vibe a lot. Classy, but not pretentious. You don't have to dress up, but if you do, you would still fit in. For alcohol, they had a full bar, which is rare for a sushi place. The service was great, I had multiple people refill my water and ask me if I needed anything else. My waitress recommended the Firecracker roll... which was delicious, but she neglected to tell me that it was only five pieces and it didn't say it on the menu either. Maybe I'm wrong, but if they say it's a roll and it's less than six pieces, that should be mentioned. Most rolls are around eight plus pieces if small in circumference and six plus if larger in circumference. Anyway, it was still very good, as was the seaweed salad. My only hang up is I think it's slightly expensive for the amount of food you get, just make sure you ask the quantity before ordering. I will still return to this place, it was a very pleasant experience! read more

O-Ku - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We stopped in on a Friday night with no reservation and we sat at the sushi bar almost instantly. The service at the sushi bar was great by both the server and the sushi chefs. The food was amazing! Fresh, creative, beautifully presented, and delicious. The Pear Sake was also delicious read more

O-Ku - Bonus treats at the sushi bar!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Dim sum, duck tacos, rock shrimp, and braised short ribs..Loved it. Atmosphere was great, staff is friendly, and all the food we tried was superb! (See pics)Try the Okinawa Surf..there's soju in it! read more

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I was excited to eat at O-Ku. It was named one of the best 20 new restaurants in the US by Esquire. Unfortunately either that acclaim was a bit premature or this is a particularly slow year for new dining establishments. Either way, Esquire should stay out of the food critic business. O-Ku is a new restaurant in the growing family of McKee restaurants which runs the very successful Oak Restaurant in town. The head chef is Sean Park. Though he is korean, he resume is impressive and he should have enough knowledge to establish a good sushi eatery. Unfortunately the food is nothing spectacular. The night we came, the selection was limited. No toro. No uni. The waiter explained it was due to weather disruptions at the Tsujiki fish market in Tokyo. Ok whatever. The fish they did have was average. I measure the strength of any sushi restaurant on three things: 1) The rice 2) The Ikura (Salmon Roe) 3) The Unagi (Eel) Sushi rice is incredibly important. People overlook it, but you cannot have excellent sushi without properly prepared rice. It must be cleaned correctly, cooked with appropriate amount of mirin and vinger to give you a slightly tartness, and it must be short grain rice. Here the rice was 3 out of 4. The Salmon Roe came straight out of the jar. There was not additional preparation to wash off the salty brine used in the canning process. The salmon eggs were actually bitter. There were not plump nor had that sweet taste to it. I give it 1 out of 4. Lastly, fresh eel is difficult for most places to serve. Most places cheat by buying prepackaged and pre-sauced frozen eel from china. For a restaurant to make money on fresh eel, it needs to serve a decent amount. It also has to have skilled chefs, or at least one which is devoted to filleting the eels. Both of thes require high volume of paying customers (and therefore a marker of a good quality restaurant). The best things on the menu where the white tuna and the white dragon roll. I would never by the "Kobe" beef here as it probably is not true Kobe beef but just american Wagyu beef (often crossbred with Angus cattle). I would come here again for late night cocktails. But I don't think I would come here for dinner again over the many other excellent restaurants in the city. Charleston has a great food scene. And I'm happy to see local restauranteurs try to expand the palatte of the local community. Charleston needs "ethnic" cuisine to continue it's growth and development. Otherwise it will stagnat as a cheesy tourist trap where people come to stroll the old slave markets and buy crappy trinkets. read more