O-Ku - Nashville

4.8

2071 Reviews

$30 and under

Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 25, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 47 times today

Good for special occasions
Romantic
Lively

O-Ku's menu provides a fresh and innovative take on traditional Japanese sushi and cuisine. Located in the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville, the restaurant offers rare and unique dining options with traditional sashimi and specialty rolls, highlighting seafood from the finest fish markets in Tokyo and Hawaii alongside local and seasonal ingredients. Reminiscent of traditional Japanese culture, O-Ku's menu is comprised of signature starters, contemporary Japanese entrees and seasonal traditional sushi that reflect the uniquely designed space.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Mon–Wed, Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
Phone number
(629) 900-0021
Website
https://www.o-kusushi.com/location/o-ku-nashville/?y_source=1_ODE4NDQwODQtODYwLWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU=
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Chef Kevin Kobayashi

Location
81 Van Buren Street, Nashville, TN 37208
Neighborhood
Germantown
Parking details
Park along the restaurant side of Van Buren and Adams St towards the Griff Apartments. The lot outside of the restaurant is metered and not operated by the restaurant.
Additional
Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access

Featured in

Popular dishes

Kung Pao Cauliflower$18.00
tempura cauliflower tossed in firecracker sauce, crispy onion, scallion, peanuts
Tuna Tataki Crudo$28.00
togarashi crusted tuna, mixed greens, pickled red onion, sesame vinaigrette, micro greens
Shishito Peppers $12.00
furikake aioli, radish
Hamachi Carpaccio$22.00
yuzu miso, serrano, togarashi salt, chive
A-5 Wagyu Poke$32.00
shallot, chive, salt & vinegar lotus chips
Tebasaki$20.00
Joyce Farms chicken wings, choice of: char siu BBQ, yuzu salt & vinegar
Poke Tuna Tacos$24.00
avocado, crispy shallot, sweet soy
O-Ku Rock Shrimp$19.00
spicy aioli, chive, mixed greens Nashville hot style available
Usuzukuri$24.00
thinly sliced Scottish salmon, black lava salt, wasabi stem, truffle ponzu
Black Magic **limited availability
squid ink rice, tempura lobster tail, spicy aioli, chive, pickled red onion

Hot Dish

Yakiniku Short Rib$32.00
slow braised short rib, cauliflower puree, charred broccolini, chili butter
Tokyo Chicken$20.00
house-made teriyaki, chili butter, swiss chard
Lobster Spaghetti$30.00
lobster, gouhujang cream sauce, pecorino, chive
Hamachi Kama$26.00
kimchi sweet soy, pickled red onion, lemon

Robata - Yaki

Tomorokoshi$9.00
sweet corn, kewpie, togarashi, parmesan
Kamo-Negi$14.00
cured duck breast, citron glaze, sesame
Candied Sticky Ribs$15.00
char siu glaze, sunomono
Surf and Turf$40.00
1oz A5 wagyu, lobster tail, chile butter

Signature Makimono

Playboy$20.00
crab, CAB flank, asparagus, avocado, goat cheese mousse, herb aioli, truffle soy
- Add Wagyu Beef $15.00
Nashvegas$19.00
crab, goat cheese mousse, avocado, tempura, spicy tuna, sweet soy glaze, spicy aioli, chive
Shogun$20.00
spicy tuna, yellowtail, cucumber, avocado, yuzu miso, serrano pepper
Titan Up$20.00
lump crab, cucumber, tuna, avocado, yuzu kosho miso
Eel of Fortune$20.00
eel, cucumber, salmon poke, sweet soy, house rayu
Green Goddess$18.00
crispy sweet potato, cucumber, roasted red pepper, avocado, yuzu miso
Tennessee Two Step$20.00
shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy tuna, salmon, spicy aioli, sweet soy glaze, chive

Classic Makimono

California$12.00
crab, avocado, cucumber
O-Ku Rainbow$18.00
carb mix, avocado, cucumber, salmon, maguro tuna, hamachi
Spicy Tuna$12.00
tuna, sriracha, togarashi, chive, cucumber
Shrimp Tempura$12.00
avocado, sweet soy, spicy aioli
O-Ku Philly $16.00
salmon, cucumber, goat cheese mousse

Tobanyaki

cook w/ your guests on a hot Japanese stone grill

A-5 Wagyu Beef
pickled wasabi, confit miso onion, sencha salt
- 2oz$50.00
- 4oz$100.00
Lobster Kinoko
lobster tail, fried oyster mushrooms, yuzu miso butter

O-Ku Nigiri

Maguro$10.00
aka yuzu kosho, truffle ponzu
- 1 Piece$9.00
Hamachi$9.00
lime zest, black lava salt
- 1 Piece$8.00
Salmon$9.00
oburi-style, charred lemon, ikura, citrus aioli
- 1 Piece$6.00
Unagi$9.00
soy glaze, shallot, chive
- 1 Piece$7.00
O-Toro$21.00
caviar, chive
- 1 Piece$18.00
Wagyu$19.00
pickled wasabi, maldon salt, chive
- 1 Piece$16.00
Hotate $11.00
charred lemon aioli, togarashi

Nigiri / Sashimi

Maguro
yellowfin tuna
- 2 Pieces$8.00
O-Toro
fatty blue fin
- 2 Pieces$20.00
Sake
scottish king salmon
- 2 Pieces$7.00
Sake Harami
salmon belly
- 2 Pieces$7.50
Hamachi
yellowtail
- 2 Pieces$7.00
Hamachi Harami
yellowtail belly
- 2 Pieces$7.50
Ikura
salmon roe
- 2 Pieces$9.00
Uni
sea urchin
- 2 Pieces$20.00
Hotate
scallop
- 2 Pieces$10.00
Unagi
broiled eel
- 2 Pieces$9.00
Tako
octopus
- 2 Pieces$8.50
Wagyu Beef
A-5
- 2 Pieces$18.00
Specialty Fish
- MP

What 2,071 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

O-Ku Nashville promises an exceptional dining experience with "amazing sushi" and "fantastic service." Guests rave about the personalized touches for special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, making it a perfect spot for celebrations. The restaurant's attention to detail and consistently "delicious dishes" make it a standout choice for sushi lovers in Nashville.

2,071 Reviews

K
Kerrie
Cincinnati
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
First time trying Ok-u. The Otoro was stellar! The shrimp roll (Tennessee Two-Step) was good but tasted like fried chicken. I’m not sure if that was intentional. The lobster spaghetti was the biggest let down. It was supposed to be lobster with pasta and a gochujang cream sauce. I didn’t taste any gochujang in the sauce—it was pretty bland, and the lobster was overcooked and rubbery. I ended up taking it home to my dogs. The service was OK. Our server had to be reminded about things after we asked a few times, which was disappointing. Not sure I would go back just for the nigiri.
1 person found this helpful
D
Debra
Nashville
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Surprised that the restaurant knew it was our anniversary! We enjoyed the special and complimentary flute of champagne for the entire table so very much. It really topped off the excellent food. Thank you O-Ku for making our night so very special.
Is this helpful?
L
Lisa
Nashville
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Oku is our favorite sushi restaurant in Nashville. The food is amazing, the bartenders are exceptional, and the atmosphere is great.
Is this helpful?
T
Talia
Los Angeles
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Sushi was just okay. Not special enough for the price IMO.
Is this helpful?
N
Nick
Western NC
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Our waitress Haley was fantastic. She went above and beyond to help us celebrate our anniversary. Couldn't be more thankful for her. Food was great like always, everything was good besides getting the table right next to the register. Normally wouldn't say anything but third time in a row being shoved in the corner with staff walking right next to our table every 20 seconds.
Is this helpful?
M
Mary
Oklahoma City
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 9, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We absolutely loved O’Ku Nashville. And our server was fabulous.
Is this helpful?
K
Karen
Nashville
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 7, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
It’s a very loud restaurant. The food is amazing, but the noise negatively impacted my overall experience.
Is this helpful?
C
Carol
Washington DC
27 reviews
vip
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on November 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Seth was terrific! Noise level was very loud, difficult to hear one another at the table. Delicious food
Is this helpful?
J
Jenifer
Charlotte
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Went to O-Ku for a business meeting while in Nashville. Seth was an amazing server, walked us through the entire menu and gave us recommendations for each section. The Playboy roll was excellent along with everything else we ordered. Will most definitely be back when in town!
O-Ku - NashvilleResponded on November 9, 2024
Jennifer, thank you so much for dining with us and taking the time to leave us this 5 star review! We appreciate you and hope to see you back next time you are in town. Elena Grayson Restaurant General Manager
Is this helpful?
N
Nick
Nashville
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food. Waitress very informative. Will be coming back soon!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

O-Ku - Nashville does offer delivery in partnership with Chow Now.

O-Ku - Nashville is rated 4.8 stars by 2071 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 25, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 47 times today

Order delivery or takeout

81 Van Buren Street, Nashville, TN 37208

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Germantown
Hours of operation
Mon–Wed, Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi, Cocktail Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Park along the restaurant side of Van Buren and Adams St towards the Griff Apartments. The lot outside of the restaurant is metered and not operated by the restaurant.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Kevin Kobayashi
Additional
Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access

Website
https://www.o-kusushi.com/location/o-ku-nashville/?y_source=1_ODE4NDQwODQtODYwLWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU=
Phone number
(629) 900-0021

O-Ku - Nashville

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

12 Nashville restaurants that our local editor loves

The 12 most beautiful Nashville restaurants to visit right now

Chocolate cake

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Poke Tuna Tacos

For The Table

Kung Pao Cauliflower$18.00

Tuna Tataki Crudo$28.00

Shishito Peppers $12.00

Hamachi Carpaccio$22.00

A-5 Wagyu Poke$32.00

Tebasaki$20.00

Poke Tuna Tacos$24.00

O-Ku Rock Shrimp$19.00

Usuzukuri$24.00

Black Magic **limited availability

Hot Dish

Yakiniku Short Rib$32.00

Tokyo Chicken$20.00

Lobster Spaghetti$30.00

Hamachi Kama$26.00

Robata - Yaki

Tomorokoshi$9.00

Kamo-Negi$14.00

Candied Sticky Ribs$15.00

Surf and Turf$40.00

Signature Makimono

Playboy$20.00

Nashvegas$19.00

Shogun$20.00

Titan Up$20.00

Eel of Fortune$20.00

Green Goddess$18.00

Tennessee Two Step$20.00

Classic Makimono

California$12.00

O-Ku Rainbow$18.00

Spicy Tuna$12.00

Shrimp Tempura$12.00

O-Ku Philly $16.00

Tobanyaki

A-5 Wagyu Beef

Lobster Kinoko

O-Ku Nigiri

Maguro$10.00

Hamachi$9.00

Salmon$9.00

Unagi$9.00

O-Toro$21.00

Wagyu$19.00

Hotate $11.00

Nigiri / Sashimi

Maguro

O-Toro

Sake

Sake Harami

Hamachi

Hamachi Harami

Ikura

Uni

Hotate

Unagi

Tako

Wagyu Beef

Specialty Fish

Featured Items

Omakase$140.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does O-Ku - Nashville offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is O-Ku - Nashville restaurant rated?

Is O-Ku - Nashville currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout