O-Ku

Reviews

• MR

  Madi Ross

  3 days ago
  5.0
  Nicholas was amazing! We've been in a few times, & it's always great but he has by far made this our best experience here. We will ask for him again!
• KK

  Kendall

  Jan 2, 2026
  2.0
  I chose O-Ku to celebrate my birthday (12/30) and made sure it was clearly noted multiple times, including in the reservation. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely underwhelming and did not come close to the birthday celebrations this restaurant advertises and routinely provides for others. The food was disappointing. I ordered the Tennessee Two Step, Eel of Fortune, Titan Up, and O-Ku Rainbow rolls, and while they looked appealing, the flavors were not what I expected and ultimately unenjoyable. I also ordered the Machida drink, which I disliked after only a few sips and gave away. Service was equally lacking. Our server, Justus J, did little beyond taking orders. He never asked if anyone wanted another drink, did not offer a birthday dessert, and provided nothing beyond a quick verbal “happy birthday” at the start of the experience and when dropping off the check. Instead, he attempted to upsell a dessert, which felt inappropriate given the situation. After leaving, I returned to retrieve the receipt and saw multiple OpenTable reviews describing elaborate and thoughtful birthday experiences—custom menus, gifts from O-ku, and desserts. This made it clear that my experience was not only disappointing but inconsistent with how O-Ku treats other birthday guests. I spoke with the manager, Tiffany, who admitted that they typically reach out in advance for birthday reservations for the birthday menus but failed to do so for mine. While she offered a round of drinks and a dessert as a correction, the dessert should have happened during the actual reservation—not after the fact. The only positive part of the night was the manager, Tiffany, and the bar staff, Jimmy and Thomas. They were attentive, professional, and genuinely kind. Thomas ensured I immediately had a lemon drop martini, and Jimmy brought out a matcha KitKat dessert with a candle, allowing me to make a birthday wish. Their effort was the sole reason this review is not one star. Unfortunately, having to return inside to salvage what should have been a celebratory dinner disrupted the rest of my birthday plans. O-Ku failed to deliver a basic birthday experience, let alone the elevated one it promotes. I would not return, and if I ever did, it would only be for a lemon drop martini and the matcha KitKat—and only if Jimmy and Thomas were behind the bar.
• EG

  Emily Gurklis

  Jan 1, 2026
  5.0
  I don’t usually write reviews but our NYE’s visit to O-Ku warrants one! The food was incredible (especially the crispy rice), ambiance was super vibey but our server, Chris, was the highlight! He was super accommodating of my annoying gluten/dairy sensitivities & went above & beyond to make options work. So appreciative. We can’t wait to go back!
• RS

  Rachel Shanks

  Dec 29, 2025
  5.0
  I made a reservation for my best friend’s birthday through the website and was contacted by management asking if the guest of honor had any favorite colors/hobbies etc, so I was immediately impressed before we even arrived! When we got there for our 5:30 reservation, the hostess immediately acknowledged the birthday girl and we were given personalized happy birthday menus which was SO sweet. At 5:30 most tables were empty, but the place quickly filled up and there were people waiting to be seated when we left around 7:30. The happy hour deals were great, and we got a discounted but very large portion of the kung pao cauliflower which was SO good. We were brought multiple birthday treats including the shishito peppers (yummy, and our waiter thought to hold the bonito flakes since I had said I’m vegetarian!) and another small plate for the birthday girl. I had the green goddess roll, and my friend got the Nashvegas roll as well as a raw fish dish that she said was delicious. We finished with a surprise birthday mochi ice cream trio—all very yummy. Service was great and our waiter was super kind and knowledgeable about the menu. I really appreciated his understanding of my dietary needs. The atmosphere is very nice and it was a little noisy but I could always hear my friend. Some of the smaller tables are pretty close together, but that seems typical of all restaurants now, and there were several other seating options like the bar, larger tables, booth seating, and maybe some high top tables too. Parking was par for the course, AKA it sucked. $22 for 3 hours in the attached lot, or you can attempt the limited street parking. Overall recommend for a fun sushi night especially if it is a birthday!
• JN

  Joe Nelson

  Dec 22, 2025
  1.0
  Walked in for a reservation at 7:15 and the host asked us if we wanted to sit at the bar. We said no because we had a reservation. We didn’t get sat down at the table till 7:30. Once seated we didn’t get greeted till 10-15 min after that. Asked a basic question about the menu and the server responded very rudely. The food was not up to par either. Made one of us feel sick. Do not recommend this place at all. There’s plenty of better sushi places in Nashville.

Frequently Asked Questions About O-Ku