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    O-Ku

    4.4 (521 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    O-Ku Photos

    Business Info

    O-KU ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - O-Ku

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    Reviews With Photos

    Usuzukuri. Too salty, NOT to order !
    Nataliya Z.

    I am speechless how this restaurant has a 4.4 rating on Yelp!!! I gave it 1 star just because of the lively interior and the wonderful server Mary. The food though, I don't even know where to start! The whole idea of the Japanese cuisine is to enhance the flavors and the freshness of the Ingredients and not the erase the taste by adding the salt and extra salty sauce. In my otoro spoons the taste of the fatty tuna was completely overpowered by pickled wasabi so in the glamorous dish for the price of $35 you basically taste only wasabi. Sea urchin nigiri did not have any taste at all but swimming in the very salty sauce the king salmon , I would specify the microscopic pieces of it for $24, with the lava salt on the top was on the limit of uneatable. In summary, very overpriced restaurant with ridiculously small portions and no taste of the fish! To avoid by all means!

    Menu
    Amanda M.

    I'm never disappointed with O-Ku! The food is always delicious and the servers are helpful and have great recommendations. I love the sushi rolls and the cocktails are fantastic and unique. Shout out the the Origami Lantern which was created by our Server, Thomas M. This is great place for a date or double date. You can order as many plates as you want since everything is shareable. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for upscale Japanese cuisine.

    cucumber salad
    Aubrey M.

    Amazing all around. Our waiter (I believe his name was Corey) was extremely knowledgeable about the entire menu even when not looking at it. He made the entire environment so friendly and welcoming. Loved him!!! All the food we ate was more than amazing. The peppers, tuna tacos, edamame (with truffle oil), and wings were all amazing. Highly recommend the tuna tacos (table favorite) In my opinion the best part was the appetizers entrees were. good we had the Tenessee roll, California roll, and another I can't remember but was my favorite. Great with allergies, I have an allergy yo all nuts and they helped with everything. I wasn't afraid to try anything!

    Last 2 pieces of the Nashvegas
    Lisa L.

    My SO and I came here to celebrate his birthday. We came midweek, no reservations, and easily sat at the bar within minutes (our preference). The restaurant has dimmer lighting with soft dark tones giving out lots of positive date night vibes. Bartender was amazing, very personable, knowledgeable about the menu, and gave great recommendations. Started off with kamo-negi, a skewered, charred duck with scallion, which was delicious. Duck had a wonderful charred flavor and not too chewy. We then had the nigiri flight and 2 rolls. Fish had great texture and flavor. All was so tasty, we got into the rolls and forgot to take pics! Service was wonderful. I hate that I forgot the bartenders name but he was on top of everything. Always had our drinks filled, answered our questions with patience and knowledge, and even would top off our soy sauce dishes! Would recommend and definitely go back.

    Shogun
    Noelle C.

    O-Ku was such a great date-night spot. The atmosphere is dim, stylish, and lively. Our waiter, Sam C, was AWESOME from start to finish. He had fantastic recommendations and even surprised us with an extra dish because we genuinely couldn't decide between two items, which was such a thoughtful touch. The only downside was being seated about 15 minutes after our scheduled reservation time, which was a bit annoying--but once we sat down, everything else made up for it. The food was delicious. We absolutely loved the Kanpai-chi crudo and the usuzukuri (salmon crudo) so much that we genuinely wanted more!! Our first two sushi rolls--the Playboy and Shogun--were incredible, especially when ordered together as Sam suggested. They paired perfectly, offering a great contrast between savory/rich and fresh/light. We were still a little hungry and ordered the Tennessee Two Step roll, which didn't wow us as much, but I think that's only because everything else set the bar so high. Overall, a fantastic experience, amazing service, and food we're still thinking about. We can't wait to go back.

    Edamame, spicy tuna roll, black magic roll
    Christina D.

    Sat at the bar on a Sunday evening. Started the meal with edamame which came with truffle oil. The sauce was a nice touch but the dish was rather underwhelming and bland/underseasoned even wwith the sauce. I was definitely disappointed by this as edamame is a usually pretty good, but alas. Next, I had the Black Magic roll which was interesting. I looked really good, but there were interesting textures in the dish that made me not love it as much as I would wanted. I did like the spicy tuna roll which was fresh and clean, with just the right amount of heat. overall, had just an okay experience here though the service was great. I may stop by again in the future to try more of their menu but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

    Crispy Rice
    Timorie B.

    Came here on a Thursday night. It's nice inside visually but very loud, so much so the waitress complained to us about it. It is located in a ness was and upcoming area and very walkable which is great! We had several rolls which were good. The crispy rice was ok - served with salmon versus typical tuna - soggy and mushy tasting. Edamame salted very good. The rolls were all good. The time to get our food was extremely long - too long. Our server was friendly and helpful and kept checking in regard to wait the wait our food but it was clear she had no control. Not sure the price is inline with the value.

    Menus
    Tsan L.

    Amazing experience! Atmosphere is modern,sexy and upscale. The wait was a little long but it was well worth it. Our server Nate was remarkable. We had sushi,mango chicken, and several different cocktails and every thing was soo good! This is a great date night spot,atmosphere food and drinks are sure to get you another date lol!

    Bok choy
    Summer S.

    My first time at o-ku was delicious. Started with a bottle of the grove mill Sauvignon blanc which I will definitely be searching for moving forward. We had the rock shrimp which was crispy with the perfect amount of spice. My sister and I shared the Tennessee two-step, the lobster temaki, the nashvegas, and the bok choy. The Tennessee two-step roll was the star of the show. The nashvegas was unique and I liked it but in some bites it was too goat cheese forward. I could have done with less. The bok choy was the saltiest thing I have ever eaten and I would not recommend it. Though the veggie itself had a good bite and texture the saltiness made my tongue burn. Would be a great spot for date night. Our server thoroughly explained all sections of the menu and made thoughtful recommendations. I'll definitely be back.

    Usuzukuri ($24)
    Wendi K.

    4.5 Stars - higher end sushi / Japanese fare in a stylish environment. We walked in as a group of 3 on a Wednesday a little after 5 pm - it was completely empty but the hostess very kindly stated we could only sit at the bar because the tables were for reservations. Thankfully my friend went on his phone and grabbed a reservation so we could sit at a table. A bit weird, but thankfully the rest of the meal was wonderful. We ordered drinks (loved the refreshing asian flavors like matcha, yuzu, and lychee incorporated in the drinks). I loved the lux touch of the staff coming around and asking what kind of fruit you liked in your water. Food: Rock Shrimp ($19) - amazing, fried crispy with a yummy breading and sweet aioli coating. Usuzukuri ($24) - melt in your mouth, but for 6 small pieces it's a pricey dish Playboy Roll ($21) - INCREDIBLE, the goat cheese mousse is such a excellent elevation on cream cheese Eel of Fortune ($20) - also a favorite, such a wonderful blend of flavors Shogun ($21) - our least favorite but still great - the closest to a "normal" tasting roll (spicy tuna). The serrano on too has a kick! Overall it came out to be about $160 for 3 people after tax and tip. The desserts also looked great but we were too full :) The bartender is awesome and so was our waiter - everyone was so cool and kind! I wish I had gotten their names. They are spot ON with the recs too.

    Javier B.

    First off this restaurant is very nice and esthetic for good pictures, but food was extremely poor. The crispy rice tasted more like stale hash browns. The sushi was very subpar and lacked freshness. I've been to less expensive restaurants with higher quality of food and taste . This restaurant is is overpriced and definitely not a place for a foodie looking for substance.

    Tommy B.

    Wanted to try this place out. Here on a work trip and reviews looked great. We ordered a bunch of different apps & Rolls. We were promptly seated outside on the patio. Great views and atmosphere. I believe we had 4 different rolls, the beef ribs, tacos and the Waygu All amazing!!

    Lychee martini
    Brittney W.

    Was super excited to try O-ku for the first time. I loved that we were offered lemon, lime, or cucumber for our waters. Service was amazing. Nicholas was so attentive and friendly. It started downpouring towards the end of our meal and he was in no rush to send us out into it, which we very much appreciated. The tennessee two step was my favorite roll we had! The nashvegas was second and then the spicy tuna roll. We also ordered the broccolini and found it to be too large of broccoli chunks and not super flavorful. We ordered lychee martinis off menu and they were great, as was the presentation. All in all, a solid meal. I would definitely return.

    Anniversary cake

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    29 days ago

    Love their food and the service was great. It was our second time there and we will be back.

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    1 year ago

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    3 months ago

    Delicious and super friendly and helpful staff. Not cheap however! Will go back if I'm in the area in the future.

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    Rice was a little hard and cold. Sushi was decent nothing amazing. Not sure what the best bite was, but just ok.

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    Page 1 of 14

    O-Ku Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - O-Ku

    Does O-Ku have an "all-you-can-eat" option?

    No, they do not. It is a more upscale environment. Smaller portions.

    Is there a gluten free menu?

    Is this restaurant good for a group of 8?

    It's perfect. They have great spaces to accommodate and be social.

    What can you eat here if you can't eat sushi or pork?.?

    The Tebasaki wings garlic honey are incredible!

    Do they offer soy paper as opposed to seaweed paper for their sushi rolls?

    yes.

    Is there valet?

    There's a paid parking lot right in front but not sure if there's a valet

    What should we wear is it more casual or fancy upscale?

    You can go either way. Ppl are dressed across a range from casual to fancy.

    View All 10 Questions

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    Hawkers Asian Street Food - Steamed dumplings

    Hawkers Asian Street Food

    4.4(1.6k reviews)
    1.4 miEdgefield
    $$

    I loved this place and got quite inebriated while I was loving it so much…read more Good news is that I walked here from my hotel room and could just walk back. Now... if only I could remember where I am staying. LOL. Just kidding! I made it. I got so lit in Japanese whiskey flights that I ordered enough food for two people. The "Flight to Tokyo" lived up to its namesake tremendously. That dang whiskey is wicked man. Combined with the beers that go down like water and you may be like me.... Wasted Soup dumplings are so damn cool. It's also either an engineering marvel or some sort of biblical miracle. How is the soup born inside the little dumpling?? So many questions!! I had some here and they were sure tasty!! I also had some killer crispy fried pork belly and some kick ass twice fried Korean wings!! Pork belly had tremendous umami flavors and was sticky sweet and yummy all at once! Loved it! But then came the Star.... I love chicken wings as much as I love life! That my friend, is a whole fucking lot!! I am more full of myself than you could possibly imagine. I loved these particular chicken wings a little more than life. I walked through downtown Nashville alone, on a random weeknight, just to eat these wings because I saw them on Yelp. I had already eaten dinner at Eddie V's earlier in the evening, but these wings called me from more than a mile away... Come eat me, Adam.... Is all I could hear after I saw others pictures of the wings.... Shhhh. Wings. I can't. But you must, said the wings.... I can't, I have no transportation.... You have two feet still, the wings said... Guess who won that argument? '26 - 23

    Hawkers was such a great experience from start to finish! I came in on a Wednesday evening around…read more7:30 p.m., and even though the restaurant was busy, my party was seated right away. The ambience is bright and energetic, with fun neon signs and decor. The space feels open and spacious with plenty of seating. We started our night with the Pork Belly Bao Buns, but since they were out of pork belly, we tried the Chinese BBQ Pork instead. I wasn't upset because they were phenomenal. The Soup Dumplings were just as amazing, but the Roti Canai (Malaysian flatbreads with curry sauce) stole the show. The curry was rich with the perfect amount of spice. You're missing out if you skip the appetizers here. For my entrée, I ordered the Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Soup, and all I can say is wow. The broth and tender wontons were the perfect combination. My boyfriend loved his Pad Thai as well, and the only downside was the portion size for the price. I want to give a huge shoutout to our server, Jaylen, for making the experience top-notch. He was incredibly attentive, patient, and offered great recommendations through the night. Hawkers is on my list for date nights, ladies' nights, or a casual evening out (especially for drinks and appetizers!)

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    Hawkers Asian Street Food - Love the hip, casual vibe!

    Love the hip, casual vibe!

    Hawkers Asian Street Food - Curried Raman soup

    Curried Raman soup

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    Fancypants - Deviled eggs.  Soaked in soy. Such a flavor bomb. That yolk though.....yum

    Fancypants

    4.1(80 reviews)
    0.8 miCleveland Park

    The SERVICE The FOOD the EXPERIENCE!! every single person…read moreon staff was amazing. they each brought courses out and explained in detail each of them. We did the full steak dinner, where they curate your meal for you and it was awesome. The ambience was fancy but also chill and fun! The lights were very pretty and they were playing music that was actually good and not too loud and not too quiet. Once again, I would like to say the service was impeccable.

    Had a really fun dinner at Fancypants. Hospitality was stellar- you are offered a welcome…read morecocktail/mocktail as soon as you enter. It's definitely has a scenester vibe but not in an off-putting way. The restaurant is smaller inside than it looks from outside making it feel intimate and cozy which is part of the appeal. The decor is whimsical and colorful. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable. Most of our group opted for the Chef Tasting menu as we wanted to try a lot of dishes. Standouts to me were the amuse bouche, a carrot mochi tart, the jammy egg, the tuna shiso bite, the vodka sauce macaroni and cheese and the steak course. There were a lot of other courses that had interesting flavors/textures but not exactly my taste. All of the plating was beautiful. I personally think that for some of the mid-service courses, the portion size could be reduced. It was tough to make it through to the steak course due to the size of some of the portions. The steak course is generous and served with a broccolini that evening. Also, a dessert course could definitely have replaced one of the middle courses. That being said, the Chef's tasting menu was well worth it and a fun culinary adventure. I highly recommend dining at Fancypants if you have a chance.

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    Fancypants - Inside

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    Eastern Peak

    Eastern Peak

    4.0(523 reviews)
    5.2 miSouth Nashville
    $$

    Really great casual spot for Thai food. They serve sushi too, but to be honest, I didn't love the…read moresushi as much. I highly recommend the drunken noodles and pad thai from their noodles section. The beef drunken noodles were juicy and not dry at all, so flavorful, and sooo good. My friend got the pad Thai and I tried some and it was also juicy and flavorful. The wok edamame was fantastic!! Get it! That sauce is incredible on the edamame and it's amaazing. I got the tom yum soup and it was pretty good, tangy just what a tom yum soup should be like. The sushi just wasn't my favorite. I think the rice is a little mushy instead of that crisp short gain Japanese rice, so I'd stick to the Thai food. Large parking lot so no issues with parking here.

    My friends and I got lunch here on a weekday. We were pretty easily able to get a table for the big…read moregroup of us. Our server was great and was very helpful with us choosing what we wanted for our meals. I got the Hosomaki Combo with a Salmon Roll and Spicy Tuna Roll. It's one of their lunch specials. My boyfriend also got their lunch special Shrimp Drunken Noodles. My sushi was good, but a little on the expensive side even for the lunch special. The Drunken Noodles didn't have very much flavor or any spice at all and also was a smaller portion since it was the lunch size which made it expensive as well. Not totally worth the price for everything in my opinion. The vibe and ambiance of the restaurant is great though, and it was a pretty easy place to go for a lunch in the middle of the work day. Parking is really easy with a large lot right out front which is always a huge plus!

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