O-ku never fails! This has got to be one of my favorite restaurants in Nashville. My only complaint is that I wish they had more rolls to choose from. The rolls they have are great, but only a select option for specialty rolls. I definitely recommend making a reservation, but they can still take walk ins if a table is available. APPETIZERS Kung pao cauliflower- a great starter, especially if you are looking for a vegetarian option. Rock shrimp- this is tied for top tier with the uzusukuri. The rock shrimp is perfectly battered, crispy, and flavorful. Uzusukuri- salmon sashimi with a refreshing citrusy ponzu sauce. Shishito peppers- a pretty sizable serving edamame- I recommend the kimchi glaze! ROLLS Shogun- slight heat, very fresh flavor. Tennessee two step- a go to for me. Crunchy tempura, but still has fresh raw fish on top. Rainbow roll- a classic, great for beginners. playboy- pretty good, interesting profile, but no raw fish on this one. That might be a plus for some! Nashvegas- very large rolls, I always forget they are tempura fried and order them- I prefer my sushi cold but Im not surprised that this is a fan favorite DESSERT The miso lava cake is a great way to end your meal. read more

Extraordinary experience! You can't miss, the whole menu is delightful. If you're going to come here, you've got to sit at the bar with Talon. The food is incredible, but he truly made the dining experience memorable for us. If we could give him 6 stars, we would. Next time we're in Nashville we'll be back in! read more

Met a small group of friends who are regulars here & spent 3 hours catching up & enjoying the vibrant atmosphere, stellar service, & wonderful food at O-Ku. I'm not picky when it comes to sushi (or most food) so let me start by saying that I would have been just as happy on a Thursday night taking down Sushi Train's all you can eat for 24.99 alright? However, this place is upscale, lively & very very good & I'll try to cover a few reasons why. Thursday night 6:30 & the place is popping. Ryan Tannehill walks out with family as we are walking in (cool) & we find out friends anxiously waiting in the corner for use to arrive so we can start the fun. Another Titans player is seated behind us (very cool). We order the cauliflower, edamame, Usuzukuri, & chicken wings along with some drinks to start. Everything is excellent but the chicken wings are without a doubt THE BEST IVE EVER HAD. Never would have expected it but it's true & if you don't try them it's your fault & I'm sad for you (order them mixed & you get all the flavors btw). Next round we go with an assortment of nigiri (walu being my favorite) 5 combos of 4 pieces each for a nice variety. Exceptional quality & consistency with each one. My mouth is watering just remembering it now. Also we try some rock shrimp around this time & it is good also but not worth the hype given on here in other reviews imho. If you're looking for an app I'd go with the wings or cauliflower over the shrimp unless you just love . For the main sushi feast we go with two Titan up rolls, predator, hamachi, tanuki, two step & the yama. All of the rolls are good, but I think the tanuki & hamachi are my favs based on the ingredients & flavors. Lastly we choose the chocolate lava cake & mango sorbet for dessert. I'm not the sweet eater & both are okay but to be honest I did just help eat a large portion of everything I listed above so my body is done with food. Service here is exceptional, I want to think it's because who we are with & that may have been some of it but looking around the place all of the staff are busy & engaged with each table & guest. The place is clearly well managed. Eat here if you can! read more

O-Ku - Sushi rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Would highly recommend getting the warm sake with the meal. The apps were amazing and sushi rolls were good! Server was very attentive and helpful with explaining the menu. read more

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My husband and I went for our 2 year wedding anniversary and had a wonderful time! As a vegetarian, it can sometimes be hard to find accommodating japanese restaurants but there were so many options to choose from. I got the shishito peppers, sweet corn, and green goddess roll and everything was so tasty. Their cocktails are also extremely unique and very very good. We were also given glasses of champagne to celebrate which was such a sweet gesture. We will be back! read more

Go here to the best sushi in Nashville! We got there when it's opened at 5. There are seasonal drinks and cocktails so get excited for changes. This location is different from the others giving that Tennessee flare! Everything we ate was delicious! Have Amirah! She's such a great server and calm! Must have place to try in Germantown! read more

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Great date night spot! Just recently moved to Nashville and have slowly been exploring the city. Went on a Friday night early around 5:30/6 were told no tables were available but we could sit at the sushi bar or the regular bar. We opted for the normal bar. We received excellent service from all the bartenders. Ordered the kungpow cauliflower, sticky ribs, and two rolls. The sticky ribs were a surprising highlight for me. Definitely save room for dessert! The bartender recommended the apple tart and it was delicious! read more

O-Ku - Drink the bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Horrible. We spent $250 for tasting menu and sake. See photos of the food. We had 3 nigiri, a 3 inch roll taco with a single shrimp, 3 more nigiri (creative masters right?), fettuccine Alfredo with 5 shrimp, a poor man's crème brûlée. And you will be a poor man... correction a skinny hungry poor man if you eat the tasting menu here. Shameful to even have a tasting option that shows no passion, no creativity. I'd even go for just giant sushi boats and that would be fine. But the menu is boring, unimaginative and radically overpriced. The server literally said our sea urchin is bad tonight but you may like it with a lot of sauce. Ha. Sake was fine. Pace incredibly slow. But don't serve fettuccine Alfredo at a sushi restaurant and then be surprised to get a trash review for a trash meal. Be better. Nashville deserves more than this. read more

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Had an absolutely fantastic dinner here. Great service, sushi bar seating, and a very well-rounded menu to choose from. We got 2 rolls and a salmon appetizer and they all had so much depth and flavor and were so fresh. read more

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Our meals at O-Ku are always phenomenal. No need to worry about that. This time, our service was even better thanks to our server Chris, who was so kind and genuine. Thanks O-Ku and Chris! read more

The cocktails are banging! The food is out of this world. I usually sit at the bar because the bartenders are awesome and the bartenders are great. When I have family in town we sit at a table and get pretty much all the different rolls. read more

My husband and I came here last week to celebrate our anniversary. We were excited to find a restaurant that had an omakase option and had been wanting to try it for awhile. The food was delicious and it offered a good variety of fish and both raw and cooked courses. The courses we got were: tuna sashimi; chirashi bowl with tuna, salmon, escolar and octopus; duck breast and beef skewers; tuna tataki hand roll; uni hand roll; mushroom risotto; and assorted nigiri. We had initially felt that the size of each course was small, but by the end, we appreciated that we weren't overwhelmed with larger dishes at the beginning so that we could enjoy all 7 courses. We were both very full at the end and had to pack our dessert to go. For our last dish, the chef personally came over to introduce the types of nigiri on the plate and told us in which order to eat. He was very friendly and it was nice to see that he was very excited for us to try the dish he created for us. After we finished, the chef came back to ask us what we thought and which ones we liked the most. He chatted with us for a few minutes and made the experience more personal. Overall, I thought that it was a great experience and we would definitely come back. read more

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Our favorite place to go for date night! We always have the same order, it's just so yummy. Rock shrimp & bbq chicken wings for an appetizer and then for rolls we do the NashVegas and Tennessee Two Step. Amazing amazing amazing always read more

O-Ku - Rock shrimp and wings! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This restaurant is tucked away in Germantown, I did street parking for free but there is a paid lot. I recommend getting a reservation online before going. Inside is pretty dark but gives a cool ambiance. The sushi was really good, ingredients felt fresh & the sushi was well made. I got the playboy which was not my favorite but it was good. I also got the Tennessee Two Step roll which was amazing and my absolute favorite! I thought the black magic appetizer was good but not worth the steep price tag. My friend who has had the black magic app before said that they changed the recipe and this time it was spicy which it was not before. Price is steep but worth it for top tier sushi. read more

O-Ku - tennessee two step roll, playboy roll, black magic - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Celebrated my granddaughter's 17th birthday at O-Ku Nashville since she wanted sushi. After I made our reservation they contacted me to find out more about the birthday girl and they customized a menu for her with her name and dance figures since she is on a competitive dance team. Zoe was delighted. Food was outstanding. We started with tuna tacos - great crunch on the taco and held up well; seasonings were superb. Next up sticky short ribs - some of the tastiest and tenderest I have ever had! I failed to get a pic of our sushi platter. But my favorite was the Nashvegas - crab, goat cheese mousse, avocado, tempura, spicy tuna, spicy aioli - beautiful flavors! We ended with mochi balls which we loved. Highly recommend for food and service! read more

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My wife and I had a great time this evening at O-Ku in Germantown. The atmosphere and the service (Thomas was our server) were excellent. The food was great also, especially the Kamo-Negi (spiced duck breast) and the two sushi rolls we ate (The Playboy and the Tennessee Two Step). Our previous favorite Nashville Sushi restaurant was Osake, but it closed during March this year. Now, I'd say it is a toss up between O-Ku and Noko. Thanks to Thomas for your service in the Army. Keep up the great work. read more

The food here is on point. So much flavor, so many options, so fresh. I wish I lived closer so I could eat here more. Our server was so sweet and on point. The kung pao cauliflower was fabulous and all the sushi we got was fantastic. I love love love it here! read more

My boyfriend and I visited O-Ku last week for a mid-week date night. Before ordering, our waitress brought out white truffle truffle edamame. It was, hands down, the best edamame I've ever had. I ordered a Sugar and Spice cocktail, which comes with a choice of tequila or vodka. I opted for tequila, and it was absolutely delicious. I usually only have one drink with dinner, but it was so good that I had another round. My boyfriend started with an Old Fashioned and ended up ordering a Sugar and Spice too because it was just *that good.* We ordered the roasted cauliflower as our starter and it was delicious and super tender. I enjoy cauliflower but had no idea it could be so delicious. For entrees, we shared the Titan Up roll and the Nashvegas roll. The Titan Up roll has mango on it. I don't always love rolls that include fruit, but this one was done right. Our service was just as excellent as our food! Our waitress was super friendly and attentive. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I would give it more stars if that was an option. Two helpful hints if you are planning to visit: 1. Get a reservation. When we were checking in, we overheard the hostess telling someone that they were fully booked all evening. Our reservation was 5:30 on a Wednesday and it was already busy. 2. There's paid parking next to the restaurant, but you could also find free street parking in Germantown that's a 5-10 minute walk from the restaurant. read more

O-Ku - Old fashioned & Sugar and Spice cocktail with tequila - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The food was delicious! We had such a great night. We started with spicy edamame - perfect as always. Our waiter was so kind and attentive although the dinner rush was so busy! It was a bit loud but we have been before and the sound varies at different times of the evening. The lighting is mostly dim but I enjoyed the ambiance. The sushi rolls were crispy and flavorful. We also enjoyed the chicken donburi, not pictured! Ube was a new flavor for us both- but it was so yummy! It paired perfectly with the coconut ice cream. read more

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This place is absolutely amazing! I highly recommend getting a reservation and or arriving when they open because this place is very popular no matter what day you go! the food is delicious and very unique! The fish is very fresh and good portioning as well! our server was phenomenal and very attentive! highly recommend! read more

O-Ku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Everything about our visit was great, the sushi was super fresh and flavorful. The atmosphere was perfect. Our server Jimmy was amazing, super helpful, and friendly. He helped us choose our meal and made sure everything came out just right. We'll definitely be back!! read more

Hands down the best sushi in the city. Went in for a weekday date night and was very impressed. Located in East Germantown between Bearded Iris and the optimist. We started off with cocktails which were made very well. Our waitress delivered us the white truffle edamame to try on the house. We followed that up with the Kung pao cauliflower starter which was delicious. Finally the Nashvegas and Titan Up sushi rolls. Highly recommended! We will definitely be back. read more

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Dined at O-ku again this week for my birthday. The food was delicious as always. My reservation was at the restaurant's opening time so it was quiet which was unusual to me. Business picked up about an hour later, giving the bustle I'm used to. The staff was exceptional and even put out their cute 'Happy Birthday' menu. read more

Food is probably a 4/10. We had chicken but it was not seasoned. However, I do want to go back to try the sushi which is their specialty. The drinks are definitely 10/10. The lychee martini is probably one of the best I've had. Ambiance is great! read more

Simply said, 'This place is off the charts!' I started eating sushi long before it became popular, so I consider myself a pretty good judge. During our 4 nights in Nashville, we had dinner here twice. Everything from the appetizers to the drinks and dessert was exquisite. He tried their O-Ku Rock Shrimp, Poke Tuna nachos, Wagyu Poke, Usuzukuri, Lobster spaghetti, Yakiniku Short ribs, several different rolls and fresh pieces of sushi nigiri, including their O-toro. We did not have a single complaint about any dish we tried. Everything was fresh and made to perfection. We also tried a few cocktails as well as dessert and they were also hits, especially the matcha brûlée. I highly recommend O-Ku. read more

I can't stop thinking about it!!! Originally being from ATL there is an Oku there but for some reason it does not compare to Nashvilles Oku. Standouts: the Bang Bang Shrimp. Absolutely flash fried to perfection and just 12/10 Truffle Edamame: hard to mess up but still great. The Playboy : holy sh!t i think about this on the daily. I often feel that the idea of sushi is better than actual sushi and this roll gives me hope The tequila drink is fabulous and ugh I'm booking a reservation as I speak because I've got to go back. Service is great. Ambiance is moody and you could easily goto the bar and have an enjoyable night or a great time at a table. You do have to pay to park. That's literally the only negative here. read more

O-Ku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I've been dying to try this place ever since it opened a year ago, but it's always been closed. I finally got to try it tonight! I've never actually been to a sushi restaurant. I've been to Japanese restaurants that serve sushi...and I regularly eat grocery store sushi, but this was a new experience. It's definitely fancier than store bought sushi, and coming here in my sweatpants was a mistake! This place is classy, and I was so underdressed! But the Playboy roll was super savory and very hearty for sushi, and the sake was top notch. I washed it all down with the Vietnamese coffee cocktail with rum. Bar service was great too. If you're coming alone or with just one person, sit at the bar for quicker service. Great experience. It was very expensive, but worth it as a delicacy. I wouldn't come here every week or every month, but I'd bring a date here for sure. This is my "end of the year" splurge for 2024. @okunashville #sushi #japanesefood #sake #cocktails read more

O-Ku - This was my after dinner dessert cocktail. I don't recall the name. It was coffee based and very sweet. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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A local Nashville friend of mine said this place was the best in all of Nashville. I'm typically hesitant to order sushi in land locked locations but took a chance given her experience and boy am I glad I did! This place was incredible! We pulled up into an industrial area with little to nothing around which seemed a bit suspicious and uninviting but don't be throw off by the location. Once we stepped in my mind was immediately changed. This place gives off industrial, modern feels but with a warm welcoming atmosphere. Touches of Japanese decor appropriately set the mood for this Asian spot. Definitely a fancier establishment, I consider flipping out those Jean shorts for a nice pair of slacks or khakis. Our server was very kind, knowledgeable and helpful in navigating the menu and cocktails. With her guidance, we ordered several rolls and the cauliflower appetizer. So incredibly good! Honestly, it's been added to my top 10 list for sushi. The flavors were bold and delicious with great number of offerings that weren't overwhelming. 100% go here if you're in the mood for sushi on a fancy night. read more

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Oku is the spot for sushi with fresh sushi. Their rolls come with lots of filling and sauce with 1-2 fish or veggies if you get a vegetarian roll. I do notice their rolls changing from different months, but they keep most of them all year round. My favorite 2 rolls were the Predator and TN Two Step rolls. Honestly they are pretty similar - both have shrimp tempura and a sweet soy glaze. The Predator roll has eel, avocado, and candied walnuts (reminds me of a good honey walnut shrimp) and the sweet soy glaze is amazing. The TN two Step comes with spicy tuna, salmon, and avocado, which makes it a loaded and delicious roll! For refreshing rolls, we tried the Yama and Shogun roll and if you love fresh fish and less saucey or fried sushi rolls, then this is for you! Yama came with the Shizo leaf that gives it that extra fresh taste. Shogun had 2 fresh fish. Lastly, the Titan Up roll was a new favorite for me. It has shrimp tempura, tuna, avocado, crispy rice, and truffle soy glaze. I love truffle so anything truffle is a selling point to me. The crispy rice made it interesting, it's not the hard crispy rice at the bottom of the rice cooker. It gives it a different texture and it works well. For the appetizers, we tried the rock shrimp and wings (ate them too fast for me to take a picture). Those were phenomenal and I highly recommend them. It was a nice day out so we opted in for outdoor seating, which was a covered patio. Indoors is a great ambience with booths, table, a bar, and sushi bar/table where you can see the sushi chefs make their rolls. read more

O-Ku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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The salmon appetizer, the hamachi nigiri, the broccolini, the service 20/10. Can't wait to come back for more!

I am always on the hunt for amazing sushi and I'm sure as you can imagine that may be difficult to find in the landlocked state of Tennessee. I recently came across O-ku and what a gem of a restaurant this is! Starting off with the ambiance, walking in the restaurant, it is set with a very inviting, romantic like setting. My guest and I were instantly greeted by our server who was nice initially and knowledgeable about the menu. My guest and I did feel a bit rushed by the server throughout our dining experience, that takes a point away from my overall rating. The food and drinks however were exceptional! This is a chain restaurant but they do have special sushi rolls based on the state you are dining in. So of course I had to pick the Tennessee two-step roll. The sushi tasted very fresh and was the perfect temperature. I also want to highlight the appetizers, we chose the rock shrimp and made it Nashville hot style, which was a great choice! As I mentioned previously, the cocktails were exceptional and you will not be disappointed with any drink on their menu. Overall I enjoyed my experience and would visit O-Ku again. read more

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I know you probably don't expect to eat sushi in this town, but this place was exceptional. The fish was very delicious and fresh! I'm not afraid to admit I eat a ton of sushi from all over the US when traveling and this is definitely in my Top 5 experiences! Sat at the bar because didn't make a reservation but it was no problem, we got seated right away. Staff were friendly and the bartender definitely took care of us. Elegant place, I'll surely be back! read more

Food and service were fantastic. We had a party of 5 and ate family style which I highly recommend to do. Lots of great food to share. Apps were delicious in particular like the Rock Shrimp. We ended up getting 2 of those for our table lol. Rolls were yummy too. It can get a little loud inside so if you're looking for a quiet dinner, it's not it. It IS a fun atmosphere though! read more

O-Ku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I used to go to O-Ku when living in Charleston, so was so excited to have Indigo Road Group presence in Nashville as well. The sushi was phenomenal, not a bad roll existed. For apps (not pictured), we enjoyed the poke tuna tacos, kung pao cauliflower, shishito peppers, and the black magic. All were uniquely made and mouth watering. The vibe inside the restaurant is elevated and chic, and our server was extremely friendly and attentive. Can't wait to return! read more

O-Ku - Titan Up, Predator, Playboy, Nashvegas, Shogun - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Delicious! Sushi, apps and refreshing drinks make this hot spot a hit! Always an amazing meal. Incredible warm and attentive staff provide friendly prompt service. Let me mention the Honey Garlic Chicken Wings to start with Truffle Edamame too. Order your favorite rolls for sure but do not miss out on the Playboy Roll (no asparagus because it's the worst vegetable ever). Super tidy clean aesthetic. A terrible parking lot and horrendous construction still can't take any stars away! It is nice that O-Ku has its own lot at $5 for 2 hours. read more

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In Nashville for my daughter's birthday and a friend recommended O-Ku. We did make a reservation for 4, we would not have gotten in without it. We ordered the rock shrimp appetizer which did have too much sauce on it and took away from the shrimp but hhw truffle oil edamame was amazing! We then ordered a few rolls to share and my husband got a chicken, bok choy & rice bowl and it was the best rice bowl we've ever eaten. The flavors were all good! Our server Amirah was the best! read more

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If you're in Nashville, O-Ku is a must-try! The sushi is delish and the drinks are even better. Go on a date night for the ambiance because the aesthetic in there is romantic! read more

The food and service were phenomenal. I wish I recalled our server's name she was terrific. Ambiance was beautiful.

The sushi here is excellent and so we're the cocktails. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu which was super helpful for making our choices. The wagyu on the playboy sushi roll is melt in your mouth awesome. Both rolls we tried were very flavorful and fresh. The cauliflower appetizer reminded me of a general so chicken -it was amazing! We also liked the salmon appetizer but it wasn't my favorite of everything we tried in terms of flavor. The margarita on the menu is a pretty purple and had some a touch of coconut flavor. Very different and delicious. Love that we have such great options for places to eat in Nashville. Ambience is great for date night or hanging out with friends. There were some very pricey options on the menu that I would consider trying with a group. Street parking is a bit of a struggle during busy hours but there were some paid parking options close by. I'd love to return and try some more rolls. read more

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Easily one of our favorite restaurants in the area, maybe all of Nashville. The best dish was the Usuzukuri, a salmon sashimi dish. It had truffle oil, radish sprouts and ponzu... it's simply amazing and very fresh! The rolls were tasty as well, my top choices being the Playboy - topped w Wagyu and very rich. The Tennessee Two Step had shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and salmon - a delicious combo. Last and best, Buckle Up Buckaroo - the crispy shallots sealed it! They ran out of Wagyu Robata Yaki, so we got their Skirt Steak. It was 'melt in your mouth' tender and we're happy we got it! I'd order this every time! We also had the chicken and duck - geez, I think I would recommend damn near everything we tried. The only 'maybe' is the Korean BBQ Edamame- it was a bit too tangy for me but my cousin loves it. Lastly, if you have the chance to sit in Sarah's section, DO IT! She was funny, made excellent recommendations and just took really good care of us. read more

O-Ku - Playboy, Buckleup and Two Step. All yummy! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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