O-Ku

Reviews

• RH

  Rana Highsmith

  6 days ago
  5.0
  We went here to celebrate my son's birthday. Eric, our waiter was amazing! He really went above and beyond to make sure that we had a great time! The atmosphere is excellent, and food was very good. I got a non-alcoholic drink called "Don't be salty" which was delicious!. We'll definitely go back.
• KK

  Kat

  Nov 17, 2025
  5.0
  Recommended dishes: 1) O’Toro Nigiri - Melts in your mouth since Bluefin Tuna belly (otoro) is the prized piece of the fish. Garnished with a smidgen of Kaluga caviar (understandable but a tad disappointing … maybe I had 2 1/2 pearls of sturgeon roe) chives and volcanic salt. 2) Hamachi Nigiri - Flame seared salmon (aburi) with a smidgen of uni (sea urchin gonads) and truffle chili. Delish but … I wanted more Japanese uni! Still, all flavors blended sumptuously. 3) Ikura nigiri - Salmon roe - While the name says it all, it leaves out how firm and delightfully saline these little egg pearls were! This is a more economical choice for those on a budget and highly nutritious. 4) Negihama Temaki - Japanese amberjack also referred to as “yellowtail” is accompanied with red tobiko (flying fish roe) and is wrapped like a taco rather than a cone. This is ideal for such a beautiful fish! While I ordered and enjoyed the house hot sake in a generous 9 oz carafe, my server gave me a sample of Amabuki: Pink Junmai Rose Lady. I’m pretty sure I will enjoy a glass of this in the not-to-distant future. That and the Chef Specialty “Otoro Spoons” and the signature temaki “Creme de la Creme.” Absolutely wonderful dining experience. Exotic and satisfying although quite light at the same time! Highly recommended dining experience for adventurous and conservative palates.
• AL

  Alex Ledbetter

  Nov 6, 2025
  5.0
  This was such an amazing dining experience for our anniversary! Our server, Austin, was great; very friendly and prompt. The food was delicious and could probably be treated as small plates if a group of people were eating together. I cannot wait to go back and try some different dishes. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of my dinner before I started eating. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxed but elegant. I would love to sit outside for dinner here during the warmer months. As a sidenote, the prices were less expensive than I would have assumed for a restaurant in the same area.
• NZ

  Nav Z

  Nov 3, 2025
  5.0
  Oku made my partner’s birthday an unforgettable experience! From start to finish, the service and atmosphere were incredible. Our server, Itcel, and the manager went above and beyond to make the evening special, they surprised us with a custom menu, beautiful flowers pre-set for her birthday, and even a handwritten card from the staff. The food recommendations were spot on; every dish was amazing. Easily the best restaurant experience I have ever had in Raleigh, we’ll definitely be coming back soon! Thank you Oku and team!
• FN

  Filipp Nesterov

  Oct 22, 2025
  4.0
  Last week, we went to this restaurant to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and it turned out to be a pretty nice experience overall. Let’s start from the moment we walked in — the atmosphere was great, really beautiful spot. I also appreciated how attentive the hostess was. We originally had a high-top table booked, but since we had our six-year-old daughter with us, they offered to move us to a regular table, which was thoughtful. The only issue was that the new table they gave us was right by the passage to the patio, so there was a strong draft every time the servers walked by. At first, my wife and daughter were freezing, and when we switched seats, it was me getting the breeze. So, points for caring about comfort, but minus one for seating us in such a windy spot. Honestly, it was warmer outside than it was sitting there in that draft — I think the high-top would’ve actually been better. Service-wise, our waiter was polite and friendly. One thing that really stood out — after they brought us water, they came back with a tray of cucumber, lime, and lemon slices for the water. I’ve never seen that before, and I loved it. It’s such a small touch, but really classy — other restaurants should totally copy that. Now about the food. My wife ordered the nigiri set, and since it was her birthday, they brought out some complimentary shrimp tempura, which was really good. For our daughter, we got chicken wings and a couple of rolls — the Tsunami Roll and the Rainbow Roll. I ordered a Donburi bowl. The donburi was solid — tasty and well done, but nothing mind-blowing. A good 5/10 for what it was. My wife, though, said the nigiri were some of the best she’s ever had — super fresh and flavorful. The rolls, on the other hand, were disappointing. They had way too much rice, so you couldn’t really taste the fish or the other ingredients — just a mouthful of rice every time. The chicken wings were amazing — crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Our daughter devoured five out of six, which never happens, so that says it all. The shrimp tempura was also excellent — light, crispy, and full of flavor. As for drinks, I ordered a Mexican Old Fashioned, which is half bourbon, half tequila. I explained to the waiter exactly how it’s made so he could tell the bartender, but when the check came, I noticed the cocktail was $7.50 more than the regular one. Turns out they charged me for the extra tequila, even though the total amount of alcohol was the same as a regular Old Fashioned — that didn’t sit well with me. My wife had another cocktail (don’t remember the name), but she said it had too much ice and not enough actual drink. So overall, I’d rate the food and drinks 3/5 — the nigiri, wings, donburi, and shrimp were great, but the drinks and rolls missed the mark. The service gets 4/5, and the atmosphere is a solid 5/5. We’ll definitely come back — at least for the nigiri, wings, and donburi, because those were fantastic.

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