absolutely delicious, the service was outstanding, the ambience was perfect. the sushi was so fresh!!! i want to write a letter detailing my feelings on this meal. you simply must try this place. read more

Delicious everything and amazing drinks. The services we're exceptional as well. I definitely will be returning.

I cannot exaggerate how great our experience was here. The place was full on a Saturday night but we got seated quickly. Beautiful interior, classy but not stuffy. Our waitress was fun and came by just often enough. When we asked for a sake recommendation, she brought over an expert from the bar who talked to us for 5 minutes. We ended up with fantastic sake. The cuts of fish were high quality and fresh. Highly recommend the fatty salmon, some of the best nigiri I've had. read more

We had a fantastic dining experience at O-Ku! Drinks were great, the best miso soup, and we got four sushi rolls which were all delicious (Katana, Niji, Tuna Wrap, Black Widow). The donuts, OMG the donuts, get them! This will definitely be one of our go-to dining spots in Raleigh. The service was great, one of the beers got mixed up during a keg replacement and both the bartender and manager came to apologize, above and beyond and not even needed. We will absolutely be back!! read more

This place is amazing!! We needed a place like this in Raleigh. Great food, atmosphere and service in Raleigh's up and coming warehouse district. The Robatayaki items are AMAZING, especially the Hamachi Kama. Also the sushi is really good. I highly recommend this place. read more

Really food sushi and loved the options for small plates and appetizers. I do wish their menu didn't rotate so much as I feel like we missed out on some popular rolls read more

This is a great place to dine in. Beautiful and contemporary atmosphere both in design and the cuisine. The pork buns are our favorite and so is the passion fruit cocktail. Highly recommend their noodles and their donut holes for dessert. read more

This is a great addition to the warehouse district! Half off sushi Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5-7pm! Amazing sushi with great quality fish. Super nice atmosphere and music. Our server, Jacob, was great and very attentive. We will be back often!! read more

This is an outstanding restaurant- typical Japanese as it would be in Japan. Everything is absolutely delicious. The only thing is the portions are small, so it got a little pricey. It's also noisy, but you can't get Kobe beef from Japan anywhere. read more

Not one this I could complain about other than the wait which makes sense being how amazing dinner was

I had a hard time writing this review and here's why- I've been here at least 4-6 different times (got sushi all of those times) and for half of those visits the sushi was great and half of them the sushi was bad. I thought I was going crazy bc it was such a noticeable difference, so I went again recently on a date and sat inside on a weekday and the sushi was great (to the point that I made a note of which rolls they were). Went back again this past weekend with family and sat outside, and the sushi (I ordered the exact same rolls as the last time) was awful- it tasted like something you'd pick up at the grocery store. We didn't even finish half of it. I'm not sure if there are different chefs, or if it just wasn't as fresh those visits, sat out too long, or what. The cocktails are good tho- I really liked the Shogun. BOGO / half priced rolls on Mon, Wed, and Fri. Overall - hit or miss. Would probably just suggest trying somewhere else. read more

The service was attentive - along with their gluten-free menu I need the staff to be mindful of my additional sensitivities to dairy and soy protein. Our waiter made me feel safe eating the food. Even with these restrictions our meal was outstanding. The Black Magic Thai rice roll was the clear standout among the rolls. The marinated wagyu beef was tender and had a wonderful imami flavor. The salmon had a perfect thin crust and was served with a wasabi remoulade. My sister polished off the entire bowl of short ribs (she isn't allergic to soy). Beautiful interior decoration and a well-stocked bar. read more

Very Glenwood. They charge prices to pay that new Glenwood rent. It was good but I'd prefer City Market or Sono. The shrimp appetizer was the best thing I tasted and that was just a craving because it's probably the same as bang bang shrimp or whatever your favorite "grille" chain has on its menu. read more

First visit and ever so impressed with the food, service, atmosphere, everything! Highlight of the eve was the live scallop, but not to fret, every other recommendation was spot on as well... Intriguing menu and a little bit for every taste... Recommend for special occasions & quiet celebrations. read more

O-Ku - Katana roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Enjoyed the food and great atmosphere. Actually was able to sit outside and it was lovely. Friendly greeters and servers. Fresh seafood and really good variety on the menu. Enjoyed the jellyfish and Japanese uni! Recommend read more

Delicious food, great service, and fun ambiance. The restaurant decor was nice but The place can be a little loud at times. It's a small price you'll pay for a great evening. Our server, Willow, was knowledgeable, patient, and fun. The folks who supported her were equally attentive, all making for a great service experience. All the dishes we had were delicious so I'm not sure you could get a bad item. Try the Katana roll; excellent! Would we go back? For sure! read more

We went to OK-U during Downtown Raleigh Restaurant Week AND Happy Hour for half-off sushi. Talk about a jackpot. We sat at the sushi bar which was great because we got to watch most of our food being prepared right in front of us. Even the pork belly was cooked on a little grill behind the bar! We enjoyed a sushi roll that was great except for the lemon the placed on top. That overpowered the other flavors but other than that, it was a great roll! I had the beef bulgogi which was served with white sushi rice and kimchi. It was a elegant comfort food favorite. We also ordered the resturaunt week three course meal with came with a small plate of salmon, a pork belly dish, and finally a spicy tuna roll and chefs choice of nigiri. These service was great and quick, and the food was amazing!! Definitely a must-go in Raleigh, even if you're not a sushi fan, as they have plenty of other options. read more

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Great for lunch. The seaweed salad was wonderful. Service was great, very friendly staff. My friend had the sushi and said it was fantastic! Highly recommended. read more

O-Ku is amazing. There's no two ways about it. We had the most amazing dinner. I had the hanger steak, raw scallop and salmon caviar. The drinks were incredible and the service was the best in Raleigh. Our servers name was Keith and we'll be asking for him again next week - he's that good! I showed up in a hoody and a ball cap and felt underdressed so spring for the button-up and slacks. I-Ku is a must. Make sure you have a reservation. If the word hasn't got out yet, it will be soon. read more

Great fancy location, the service was great and it was a good atmosphere. It was good for a celebration but keep in mind that the sushi is pretty standard and nothing mind blowing, I only recommend this place if ambiance is important to you, otherwise there are equal or better options that happen to be more affordable in the area read more

Amazing food and service! Went one night during the week for a friends birthday and they treated us so well!

The food here was phenomenal! It is worth it to step outside of your comfort zone and try some unfamiliar dishes. I loved everything I had. The drinks were great and the bartenders were too! Will definitely be going back read more

Best toro I've ever had. If you haven't been here, you're completely missing out. Travis was the best server, he was super attentive and really did a great job at explaining the menu to me. GREAT experience. read more

Excellent sushi. Quality of fish is very good, very high end sushi. Preparation and finish is great. We had Tuna, Toro, Eel, Yellow fin, salmon, in rolls, nigiri, spoons. We would have eaten more if we had room! read more

This would be my favorite Sushi restaurant in town if I could afford to eat here every night and didn't have a giant appetite for Sushi. Everything is crafted perfectly from the cocktails to the rolls. Our server was a little uneducated, but very friendly nonetheless. Hoping to go back soon. read more

This place was one of the best sushi restaurants I've ever been too. The server was super knowledgeable and polite, always checked up on us. The atmosphere is intimate and comfortable. 10/10 would recommend for dinner on a date night, or any time you get that sushi craving. read more

Just tried this place today and it was awesome! Good atmosphere, sushi was good, service was great! We came for the sushi happy hour. Potato roll was our fav and the wagyu fritters were so good! Also loved the donuts for dessert! Definitely will be back. read more

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I've been 3 times now! The sushi is super fresh! Anything you order is great. Cocktails are delish. I recommend the Show Gun and Sugar and Spice. Great spot in downtown to hang out with friends or on a date. Hosts, bartenders, and waiters are very welcoming and knowledgeable of the menu. Go now! read more

This place just opened in our neighborhood and it was definitely worth the wait. The decor inside is beautiful and really tasteful. It's definitely an upscale vibe and something that is great for special occasions. However, the menu is really diverse, which I really appreciated because there are certainly some items that are a higher cost smaller size dish, but amazing quality and taste out of this world. But there are also dishes like some of the sushi rolls and chef specials that are definitely a very reasonable price for as well. The shrimp and potato roll are my go to, but honestly everything we tried there was amazing and even made me branch out into raw food more than I ever have before. The speciality single piece sushis are fun to try as well. All the staff was great but we love Tanya, our server. She knew the menu perfectly and made fantastic recommendations that were so on point when we described our tastes. The menu has many different sections and she went through each of them so we understood it all. She also remembered us from the first time we were there which I love! The half off sushi happy hours are a great way for us to come back and try more. We will be back for sure! read more

Truly an amazing experience. Nothing there is subpar, everything is over the top. Sushi is fresh and drinks are fun. It was my friends birthday and they treated the table with 2 free apps, 2 desserts, and also gave her a free drink. I will definitely be back! read more

I owe this place a review after our third visit here- every time service has been outstanding! Our bartender, Ryan, was so personable and friendly he really made the last 2/3 experiences wonderful. Excellent recommendations on what to order and you can tell he and the other servers take a ton of pride in what they do! The sushi is always incredibly fresh, cocktails even better, and you can't beat the ambiance. Quickly becoming our new favorite spot in Raleigh! read more

This place has been amazing from the beginning! I first went during the preview party and immediately felt the sense of neighborhood and community that is now happening in the warehouse district. O-Ku definitely fits that vibe while offering first class foods and drinks! I also have enjoyed sushi happy hour a few times and love that it helps make sushi accessible for those of us who are budget conscious! Keep up the excellent work! read more

Some of the absolute best sushi I've had. Service has been excellent each time. Fantastic drinks as well

The sushi was so fresh!!! So good! But the real star of the show are the doughnuts with the miso caramel for dessert! They are worth the half hour drive on their own. Friendly and quick service. We will definitely be coming back. read more

Went to O-Ku on a Thursday for a business dinner. Simply put, the food is awesome. We stuck primarily with traditional Japanese sashimi, sushi, and rolls. Their fish is fresh, and very high quality. The O-Toro was melt in your mouth, the Hamachi was very good, and the Maguro - which usually tends to be a bit bland at normal sushi spots - had exceptional flavor. The Uni was fresh and buttery as well. Also, we had some sort of beef on a stick that was incredible as well. The sake list was good, and our server even asked that we never pour our own! The service was impeccable. We managed to get one of the last few reservations that night. If you are going late in the week, or the weekend, keep in mind you will probably need reservations. read more

We've been here both pre and post covid. They are following all the safety protocols. Always have great meals and enjoy friendly and professional service. All sashimi dishes are amazing. Please bring back the gyoza! read more

Dined here with friends on a Friday to take advantage of happy hour half price sushi rolls from 5:00-7:00. The selection of happy hour rolls is a short list (about 12 rolls), but everyone in my group chose two rolls that they were happy with. The truffle edamame is not to be missed. The service was fantastic. If the weather is nice, sit on the covered patio. My only complaint is that the avocado used in one of my rolls was a bit underripe, but I won't knock off a star for that because the overall experience was so good. Looking forward to returning! read more

Tonight was our second time trying o-ku and both times we had amazing service and great food, the server Nikki was wonderful as well as the manager who stopped by a couple times just to check in, don't hesitate go and try you'll be glad you did! Hangar steak is a must try read more

The sushi was decent but overpriced for what you are getting. The atmosphere is pleasant but if you're looking for good sushi there are better options. read more

My wife and I had dinner at O-Ku for the first time last night and liked it very much. This is a relatively new Japanese restaurant in downtown Raleigh that is very popular and can get very crowded and noisy. The decor is very modern and pleasing and our server was great. They have a sushi Happy Hour until 7 pm during which certain options are available for half price. We started with fried oysters, which were small but delicious. The salad was very large but we had to ask for extra dressing since it didn't come with much. The sushi was fresh and delicious. They have some signature sushi that is unique. If you like the traditional small sushi rolls that easily fit into one's mouth, they are also available at O-Ku. The saki options are on the expensive side. It is offered in 4 ounce pours or by the bottle, but the bottles are sky high in price, so we opted for the 4 ounce pours. They also have outside seating that would be very nice, and quiet, on spring and fall evenings when the temperature and humidity are comfortable in Raleigh, NC. We like O-Ku and will return. read more