Despite the large space, clean environment, and attentive staff, I would say this place is "just okay". Portion sizes were good, and presentation appealing... but the flavors and pricing left much to be desired. The "corn ribs" were overly salty, the dumplings tasted like it came straight from a Sam's club bundle, and the "vegetable curry" was mostly potato (which, I love, but expected more) with not enough sauce for all the rice. Don't get me wrong.... it wasnt AWFUL. But for the price theyre asking for, I expected better quality. I'd eat here again if someone wanted to, but I don't think I'd ever recommend it. read more

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Great food and quick service! The decor/ambiance of the restaurant is so modern with plenty of table seating and bar seating. This would be a great date night spot. I got the vegetable potstickers, crispy rice with tuna, and spicy tuna hand roll. Every dish was amazing! Lots of sauce and super fresh - I highly recommend each dish. read more

Baru - crispy rice with tuna, spicy tuna hand roll, vegetable potstickers - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I came back with some friends since they have never been. The espresso martini changed since I was there last. Very sweet and not as creamy as before. As for the sushi, the quality has gone down since I was last there. The salmon nigiri was not fresh and did not taste very good. The crispy rice with spicy tuna was not what I was expecting. The fish on top almost seemed fake to me. The value for this was not worth the price and I would not order this again. The server was nice but I kept having to as for my water to be refilled and our food came out quite slow and the restaurant was not even full. My experience this time was not worth the value. I was dissappointed to see the quality had gone down. read more

It was Movie and Food night. After leaving the Esquire theater early, to make it to our reservation on time, we walked in and discovered that there was really no one there, and we probably didn't need a reservation - but isn't that what reservations are for? LOL. Anyhow, Baru is a very classy and upbeat spot with great ambiance, lots of seating, and very hospitable guests. Music was bumping too! She didn't want any alcoholic beverage, so she opted for the tonic water instead. I, on the other hand, had the "Spirited Away" Cocktail. It was excellent. We shared: Miso Butter Potatoes Gravlax Roll (smoked salmon roll) Karaage Chicken (chicken bites that came with a sweet chili vinaigrette that was amazing!) All totally hit the spot! I'd come back! You should too! read more

Baru - Miso Butter Potatoes Gravlax Rolls Karaage Chicken - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Baru was a hit the moment it opened its doors, but lately its quality has very much declined. Its wagyu sushi was top notch, now the sushi is quite basic but still on the expensive side. I love the interior, but not sure if I'll go back if the quality doesn't improve again. read more

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Pretty good! The ambiance was nice inside but I was not overly impressed with the food. It was good but nothing worth raving over. Service and drinks were good too! read more

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Great service and several vegetarian options! We enjoyed the corn ribs, yasai sushi and vegetable curry (add tofu and extra curry sauce). The curry could use a bit of a punch of flavor but overall tasty! The tofu is crunchy on the outside soft on the inside. Wasn't too busy on a Thursday evening, pretty decor and overall great dinner spot read more

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Stopped by for a girls night before a show at Taft and the experience met expectations but didn't blow me away. We ordered 4 items to share and the best was definitely the edamame which is a must try. I would recommend skipping the karaage chicken and tempura shrimp and loading up on sushi which seems to be what they do best read more

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Really good and flavor. Really enjoyed all the appetizers. I had sushi but it wasn't a fan. But that could just be me. read more

Baru - Wedge salad and beef appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Wow, I'm actually still sitting here while I'm writing this review. The service is atrocious. It should not take 2.5hours for sushi. Drinks dropped off at wrong table. This place would for sure not recommend. Now the food, shrimp tempura was average. Edamame was good, but how do you screw that up. Crispy rice was meh. Friend got the wagyu and scallops. Again, average. I got the rodeo drive roll. It was so salty. I know it had caviar on it but that wasn't it. Talked to a lady next to me and she said this place has gone down hill. People just handing waiting to be seated. Highly Don't recommend!! read more

The vibes here are on point. It definitely feels like a restaurant you would expect to see in New York City or other similarly sized cities. They have really cool moving lights over the bar which were pretty mesmerizing. Our server was excellent! We had a reservation and were promptly seated. The server went through the menu and gave us some recommendations! We ordered drinks, a few small plates, and the chef's choice sashimi. One of the small plates we ordered they realized they didn't have that tonight so they gave us a few complementary lobster shots! We got the corn ribs and tartar small plates. Both were incredibly delicious. The chef's plate sashimi has a great selection and is beautifully prepared. We got two sushi rolls as well which were well prepared and tasty. The price is on the higher side here but I think you get what you're paying for! read more

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AVOID this place. Service is 1 star because I couldn't give it a zero, it was so atrocious. The hostess did a good job seating us quickly, but it took 20 minutes for wait staff to some over and greet us, and another 10 just to get some water. We ordered alcoholic drinks and it took a full hour to get one cocktail and one draft beer. We received our entire meal - appetizer, entree, and sushi - before we even had our drinks. For food we ordered the vegetable curry - which was good, but had mushrooms in it which were not listed on the menu. I don't like mushrooms so I had to pick them out. Good thing I wasn't allergic or that could have been a lawsuit. Also ordered a couple of sushi rolls. Traditionally they give you some soy sauce when you order sushi, but it took 15 minutes and 3 attempts to hound our waitress just for some basic soy sauce. Another couple was seated next to us and they were not greeted by wait staff nor given water for a good 30 minutes, so they left, and I don't blame them. The restaurant is pretty open concept, so I was surprised that the waitress didn't realize I could look straight through to see her standing at the bar doing nothing except chatting instead of bringing us more water, checking on our food, etc. She had no concept of multitasking and it was very frustrating. If you sit down and are unfortunate enough to get the girl with the slightly pink hair - leave immediately. For the price we paid, this restaurant was not worth it. read more

Food was fantastic! Drink was average. Service was okay, a little slow but overall good. read more

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Half-off Sushi Rolls and Sake on Monday nights!? Count me in! My friend wanted to try Baru for the first time. Same as my first experience, the staff is ultra cool and hospitable and provide excellent service. Also, the scene is modern and beautiful. Really, Baru is a wonderful spot for either a date or girl's night. I updated my rating because my rolls and sake were delicious and I enjoyed the Monday night deal. Cheers! read more

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As I explore downtown Cincy I am repeatedly delighted by what I find. Culinary and atmospheric razzle dazzle! Baru is fantastic for a girl's night, date night or even a solo love myself night! Excellent selections of seafood, sashimi, nigiri and rolls. The lobster shot - AMAZEBALLS and I wish I had ordered more than one of that buttery mouth treat. Christopher was my server and he was attentive and went above and beyond making sure my hot herbal blueberry tea was steeped to perfection. The lights above the bar make a fun distraction and made me wish I sat at the bar so I could imagine batting at them like some humanoid cat. Yes, I will be back. read more

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This place has an awesome happy hour on Monday. Love half price sushi and love that they keep it quality. Fun interior with a party vibe and dancing lights. read more

Baru - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Service was INCREDIBLY slow. The price of the food is off putting. Especially the sushi. I'm happy that we went during restaurant week so it didn't hurt as bad. Thoughts on what we ordered: Drinks - The Makers Smash drink was very good. The espresso martini came out with chocolate syrup coating the glass. Nowhere in the description was there a mention of chocolate. I asked for a new glass since I despise chocolate syrup. If you order an espresso martini, it will not look like my pictures. My husband ordered Sake with our drinks and it took an hour before it came. Appetizers - For starters we ordered the Brussels, which were delicious. So crispy and a little kick of heat. The salad was pretty plain but I enjoyed the crunchy texture of the toppings. It took 60+ minutes to get through this course. We sat with empty drinks for a long time. Sushi rolls - For sushi, we ordered the Ebi roll and the Truffle roll. The Ebi was a little too spicy for my liking (I'm a bit of a wuss with spicy), but the truffle is the best sushi roll that I've ever had. Entrees - I ordered the Chicken Katsu. The rice was sooo good and the chicken was nice and crunchy. The sauce is a little plain. I enjoyed it all around. My husband ordered the sashimi entree. He kept saying how great quality / tasting the salmon was. Dinner took nearly 2 hours and when I review what we ordered, it is strange. Mind you, we were there on a Tuesday evening and it was not busy. read more

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What a unique experience. The vibe was elevated and sophisticated but also chill. Every server and worker was friendly. Our server knew the menu so well and gave great suggestions. Now let's talk about the food. What a combination of flavors. This menu has something for everyone. Even for me, someone new to sushi. I truly enjoyed the combination of soy with ginger and tomatoes in are beef tartine. Please come here no matter the day or time. Street parking only. read more

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What a fun place! Sat at the counter (sushi making view), but would probably reserve the bar or table (mostly high tops) next time for a comfier seat. Needed a reservation for the Saturday dinner time we booked, but seemed a bit emptier for walk-ins as the night progressed. We were recommended the corn ribs, and they did not disappoint! What a fun way to do corn, and sauce was great. I went for a sake flight (love the milky sway-unfiltered sake), while my friend had a cocktail. The scallops were yummy in sauce (a bit over but those buckwheat noodles were so good), and we loved the hamachi (yellowtail and jalapeño go together so well!). Probably could have passed on the fried rice (crab was good but didn't feel worth the $10+ upcharge), and the tiramisu was mostly whipped cream (very mild matcha flavor). All in all a good time and fun menu. read more

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Oh. My. Word. My husband & I are heading home from Baru now from my birthday dinner & my, oh, my!! It was absolutely fantastic! There was a parking garage conveniently located across the street, with many surrounding options as well. We walked inside & were greeted by the hostess. The first thing that caught my eye was the lighting - the rustic-style bulbs were on fixtures that made them rise & fall. The restaurant had a very sleek modern vibe with pops of eccentric art, which is right up my alley. The music was lo-fi versions of different hits, which I also really enjoyed. The women's room had two very private stalls, more great decor, & was clean. Our waitress was pleasant & had several excellent suggestions, which we took. For drinks, my husband had a draft beer & I had...a couple of things I started with a Caramel Apple Sake-Tini (Grey Goose, green apple sake, caramel & crushed peanut rim - $14). it had the perfect balance of sweet/tart/salty. It was hard not to drink it all at once. For my dessert beverage I enjoyed an Espresso Valen-Tini (shot of espresso, Ketel One vodka, Lazzaroni maraschino liqueur, Irish cream, topped with a strawberry-infused whipped cream & a red sugar dusting - $12). This one I did practically chug. Strawberry, cherry, chocolate, espresso - what more do you need? Now let's talk about the food. We started with a small plate - Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna (spicy tuna tartare, smoked soy, seared rice, Serrano - $18). I have always wanted to try crispy rice & this did not disappoint! It was three good portions. You could taste the smokiness in the soy, it gave it a bit of a sweet flavor. The crispy rice had the perfect amount of crunch & the tuna tartare was so smooth. The Serrano gave it a nice little bite. My husband & I shared two of the house maki rolls. His choice was Rodeo Drive (lump crab, avocado, cucumber, caviar, truffle mayo - $28). It was so elegantly simple and tasted like the ocean in the best way possible. I ordered the Fallen Angel (spicy tuna, asparagus, torched escolar, tobiko, spicy mayo & unagi sauce - $20). This roll is definitely one of my top five rolls I've ever had. There were so many flavors & everything just melted in my mouth like butter. It's everything you want sushi to be. We ended our meal with dessert - Coffee & Donuts (coffee mousse, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar red velvet ricotta donuts - $10). My husband said he thinks it's his favorite dessert he's ever had. I also loved it. The mousse was smooth & creamy. The bitter with the sweet was a great ending to the meal. Before tip, our bill came out to just a little over $120. For a celebration dinner, we were perfectly happy with paying that for the quality of food that we received. I wouldn't hesitate to come back. read more

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Great Happy Hour deals, service, sushi, and sake. More people need to come here! They were nearly empty when I came in for Happy Hour on a Friday. Happy Hour had some apps and drinks about half off. I sat at the bar and had Rae as my server/bartender. Rae was phenomenal! Great suggestions for sushi and sake. Rae even had me try some of the mushroom shoyu, which was great with my nigiri. Drinks: Happy Hour Old Fashioned - made with Bulleit Bourbon. A classic. The Celebrity Sake - dangerous! Very smooth almost light like water. Has a soft smell. This was a great recommendation from Rae! Food: Crispy Brussels - Rae said "I don't usually like brussel sprouts but these I like." Sounds good to me. The sprouts did not disappoint. I loved the flavor. They were cooked through and crispy. Lots there too--definitely for sharing. I took most of this to go with me. Lobster and Yellowtail Maki - really loved this roll! The slices themselves are huge and not because of the rice amount. The lobster was cooked perfectly (coming from a Mainer). The Serrano pepper on top was a great bit of heat to each bite. The spicy mayo was great too. Quail egg nigiri - my plate had 2 pieces and they came with both salmon roe and flying fish roe. The pieces themselves were humongous, like I barely could eat it whole. The flavor was great: salty, mellow. It went really well with the mushroom shoyu Rae brought me to try. 3-piece mochi - for dessert I went with my fallback of mochi. It was not on the menu, but Rae said I could mix and match the 3 flavors they had: mango, green tea, and espresso. I went with the first two. The mochi was just OK. I should have just ended on the high of the dinner options! Next time: I'll try another Sake and more sushi. and bring some people! read more

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We came here for dinner service on a unassuming Monday with friends and family. We had a reservation and we're immediately seated. Order and the food came out in segments over a long span of 1 1/2 hours (slow) and other customers got their order before us even though we ordered first. The sushi can be pricey but we went on Monday and it was half off of their fresh and beautifully prepared maki rolls. It was great, but not exceptional that honor belongs to Ando in blue ash. The ambiance was amazing with moving ceiling lights, good ambiance music, and vibrant lighting and decor. If the service was was better this place would have been an easy 5/5. Id recommend this place as a sushi date night. read more

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Not a ton to add to this review. Food was still fresh and the sushi had great flavor. Love the half off maki Monday special, a great way to try several items. Service was friendly! read more

Baru - Strawberry Maki and Rodeo Drive - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We stopped in Baru after a matinee show at the Aronoff. We were just looking for a drink and an appetizer on this visit. We are looking forward to returning for a full meal. The place is gorgeous and the seating at the bar was really comfortable. However, getting in and out of your seat with people next to you is an exercise in flexibility. The service was lovely at the bar. We were seated right in front of the glass washing station, so everyone who stopped to wash a glass talked to us. We ordered the a beautiful Rose wine, the Hamachi Jalapeño, and the Spicy Tuna appetizer. Both dishes were very fresh and lovely. However, we thought the presentation could have been neatened up a bit (see pics). We look forward to having a full meal next time we return. read more

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Full disclosure: I'm not a sushi fan. But I have lots of friends that are, so I love places with good sushi and plenty of other dishes on their menu. Baru fits the bill AND they have a happy hour, which I'm always a fan of. HH is from 4-6 with both food and drink specials. During happy hour, I tend to go for wine and their Nori Fries or Chicken Katsu. Other times I've also enjoyed their cocktails and Tempera Asparagus and Brussel Sprouts. They take reservations, but if you go around happy hour, they can probably seat you without one too. The atmosphere is clean, classy, and bold. After the sun sets, you'll even get a little show over the bar as the bottle lights move up and down. Even though I'm not personally a sushi fan, Baru is becoming one of my go-to spots. read more

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The newest Japanese style restaurant in the heart of cincinnati. This place offers a unique layout within its doors, with a very spacious dining area and exotic lighting within (the lights literally move around the whole time) We started off noticing our reservation was somehow now booked, but we're still seated in a timely manner (there is a waiting area and a bar) Got espresso martini's and a straight up espresso shot for me! both were pretty good while we waited. We started with Crispy Rice which was AMAZING! the server comes and sprays it with soy spritz? not sure what it was suppose to do but the app was great. Jalapeño on the top set it off. Also got edamame which was actually reallly yummy with a unique flavor and a standard above regular edamame. For our main meal we got seasonal seared Scallops that were out of this world good! There's plenty to share and it comes with noodles! The wagyu stove was the shining star though, this was an experience that we didn't expect! We had a flaming stove and raw wagyu with salt seasonings and sauce to cook it to our taste! Super fun. The Chefs choice shashimi was pretty good as well all the fish was really fresh and hit the spot. 10/10 go here if you're looking for a new spot! read more

Baru - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Jenna was the best! Very attentive and friendly. Was knowledgeable about the items on the menu. The food was top notch. I ordered the fallen angel which was a little bit spicy but worth it. The overall vibe of this place is very trendy! read more

Great service and food! They have a good selection of hand rolls and sushi to choose from and the atmosphere is great.

After seeing the interior of Baru on instagram, then checking out the menu, knew I had to try out one of Cincinnati's newest sushi spots. We went in with a party of four and our server Christian was prompt in greeting us, and getting us cocktails. He was super helpful the whole time with any questions we had and made sure our table stayed clean of dishes/glasses. Management also checked in multiple times to make sure everything was going well. Starters: The drink menu was really fun, with a lot of twists on classic drinks. I started with the wasabi margarita, which had the perfect amount of wasabi spice. For an app we decided on the crispy rice spicy tuna. Good flavor to it, but definitely glad we upgraded on the house wasabi ($5) because it elevated to flavor Meal: For my second drink, I ordered the cucumber mojito on special. It was so refreshing, especially for a hot summer eve. We ordered the King Crab Fried Rice and I recommend this to anyone who likes crab. They gave us solid portions of the crab meat, and the rice was amazing. Easily my favorite dish of the night. Desert: Ended the evening with an espresso martini which was quite sweet, so it was best for desert. Overall our meal was about $200 for two people (including tip),which I feel was a fair price for everything we ordered. Highly recommend checking it out for some of their unique sushi rolls and dishes! read more

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Vibes: trendy, hip, spacious, "Insta-worthy" sushi joint; can bring a friend or two to sit at the bar or mixed booth seating Tasting notes: - Brussels sprouts: crispy, savory and tender; fairly addicting and shareable - Hamachi jalapeno: fresh slices of fish; generous amount of sauce; light appetizer for two - Trifecta: loved the variety of textures; decent rice to filling ratio; held up well to the chopstick - Chirashi don: thick cut slices of tuna, yellowtail, maybe swordfish? as well as tender snow crab, shrimp, and lightly seared beef; rice was well seasoned; not impressed with the salmon, seemed lox-like - Empress Negroni: pretty to look at, not as stiff as a traditional negroni Other thoughts: - Very cool that they offer fresh wasabi, which I have not experienced in US. - Above meal was satisfying for two hungry adults Impression: would come back for the vibe, a bottle of sake and rolls! read more

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Was in town for a concert. My man and I were hungry so we stopped here. 1. they charged $20! apiece just to come tf in! 2.!the music was so loud, I couldn't hear myself think! 3. All they had was 3 types of fried rice and it was $25-35!! 4. After ordering, there was nowhere to sit!! we mentioned this to the person at the front, of course they don't care. Said they weren't changing their rules for us. We weren't really asking for special treatment, we truly just wanted to order our food and go, but since we were told we couldn't even come in w/o paying I figured we'd at least sit there to eat the food! Nah! So we end up canceling the food and leaving because...wtf?!? In summation, if I'm ever in this city again (which I hope to never be) I won't be stopping here! read more

This place has some of the best sushi I have had in a very long time. First this place looks amazing inside. It has the best atmosphere. The staff is also so nice. We got some amazing appetizers. They have really got flavor down. I knew the moment I bit into my maki I was in for a treat. When the rice and fish are the same temp and just blend together I know I'm eating amazing sushi. Also the cocktails were great! I will be back for sure. read more

Baru - Beef tartare and edamame. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I was extremely underwhelmed by this place tonight. I know they are newer so I'll give them some grace but the fact that our apps came out way way after our sushi rolls was odd to me. The espresso martini was not good. My friends like their drinks tho. They had plenty of stuff but there was a decent wait between ordering & receiving items. Items came out in weird batches and the server didn't note why which most places do. Two people ordered the exact same roll & one got it 15-20 mins later. One roll matched the menu's description and one didn't. One also had a significant amount more of fish than the other. Seems like they have some kinks to still work through. The edamame was the show stopper with whatever sauce they use. I like the space a lot and the noise level was perfect even tho it's a large open space. Not sure I would come back after my experience & the prices. I think other high end sushi places in town do a better job. read more

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The ambiance was one of a kind. The bar lights were very cool. It is also super convenient to have the parking garage next door. The drinks were "ok". Nothing too special for the price. (Will remember that next time and just get a beer $7 vs 16 for a drink) The food was delicious, and the service was phenomenal! Would we be back? Absolutely! read more

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Sushi is just ok- definitely not worth the cost/role. Vibe was good but otherwise probably not worth going.

Wow. Just, wow. Everything we ordered was absolutely amazing. I took my wife for her birthday, in search of an elegant plate of sushi somewhere we could dress up. After eating, I'll say this is the best plate of sushi I've had in the tristate area, and i feel comfortable saying that. The place itself is nice, in the heart of downtown on race by sixth. It's nice enough that you could dress up, but modern enough that you don't necessarily have to. My wife ordered a couple cocktails. She started with a caramel apple sake-tini, which she really liked. She also had their special drink, which was an espresso valen-tini, which had espresso and maraschino cherry liqueur. I tasted the second one and then tasted it a couple more times, you know, for science. It was amazing. I will say it was an incredibly balanced drink, you could taste the coffee flavor from the shot of espresso, but it didn't overbear the Irish cream, and the sweetness of the cherry liqueur was perfect. And honestly, that's really how I felt about the entire meal: balanced. Every flavor was used to the perfect degree; nothing overpowered the rest. Even the strong flavors like the truffle oils and the Serrano and espresso were balanced so perfectly by the other flavor components in their dishes, it was really just a pleasure. Our appetizer was crispy rice spicy tuna and was a great start. The crispy seared layer of rice was the crunch you wanted, to give it that bite, with the tuna tar tar smooth and delicate and that little piece of Serrano gave it exactly the right amount of heat. When this was the opening, we knew we were off to a good start and were headed somewhere special. We ordered two sushi rolls, the first being my wife's choice: the Fallen Angel roll, spicy tuna with a torched piece of escolar on top that basically melted on your tongue with the consistency of foie grois. I felt like you could taste each flavor individually, one on top of the next. It was one of the best pieces of sushi I have ever had in my life. The second roll was my choice, the Rodeo Drive. It had a truffle mayo that lined the top and they had just the right amount of truffle oil that you got a kiss of that umami, earthy flavor. It had lump crab, and you could just taste how fresh it was. It just tasted, clean, so to speak. Again, one of the best sushi rolls I've ever had. We finished our meal with dessert, red velvet cake, cinnamon sugar donut balls and coffee mousse with fresh whipped cream. Goodness, it was so delicious. Again, so balanced. You could taste a note of every flavor. Our whole meal- one appetizer, two sushi rolls and dessert, two cocktails and a beer came out to just over $120, so honestly not too bad. Everything just tasted so clean, so fresh, and so balanced. Highly recommend. read more

Baru - Coffee and Donuts Coffee mousse, whipped cream, red velvet cinnamon sugar donuts - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Not quite sure it's worth the money - It was good but nothing special. Dead at 7:30, but picked up as we were finishing. Would recommend coming later in the night. Staff was aloof and talking to each other the whole time and it made me feel like I was bothering them to order another drink. Edamame was delicious. The lobster shot was very good but I feel like they're trying too hard to make it cool. Got the tuna tuna tuna and the rodeo drive. Fresh but fine. Laughable amount of caviar for the rodeo roll and the presentation was a little sad. But I finished my plate satisfied with the taste. Just not quite there for the price and what they're going for. read more

Baru - Rodeo Drive Roll - sad amount of caviar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Food was very good. The Lobster shot was delicious. Drinks good. Ambience is cool; love the lighting. Bar service was good, if just a tad slow. In fairness, the bar is very large. Good experience; we'll be back! read more

When you walk in you're welcomed with decor that gives off a modern, sophisticated vibe. This spot is really perfect for any occasion and the staff were so friendly and really helped elevate our experience. There was an extensive drink menu and some really unique sushi options. We started with two drinks off the seasonal menu: the Christmas espresso martini ($12) and the caramel apple sake-tini ($14). For an app we got the crispy rice spicy tuna ($18), which was served soaked in an addictive smoked soy sauce. We also decided to have a little old fashioned ($12) between that and our sushi. For sushi we got the Shabu roll ($21) which is shrimp, avocado, spicy baked crab, and asparagus. And the Truffle Crunch ($18) which is shrimp, tempura, cream cheese, truffle Mayo, and unagi sauce. We didn't have a single bite or drink we didn't absolutely love. And what made it even better was being there together. read more

Baru - Caramel apple sake tini and peppermint espresso martini - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Baru has big city elegance and vibe. It is an absolute must while in Cincinnati. The nigiri sushi is a limited selection, but after cautiously trying the Hamachi, we ordered an order of Sake and Unagi as well. All were excellent. In fact, they were so good I wondered why other reviews seemed underwhelmed at the quality of the food! The quality was extremely high. The Tokyo Wedge Salad is divine. I will never eat at Baru without starting with this salad. The dressing is perfect, the melange of ingredients is deft. For those who do not care for raw fish, the cooked specialties are also excellent. The salmon plate with ginger greens was very good, as was the scallop fried rice. Next time, I plan to try the New York Strip Steak. The bar is excellent. There is a huge selection of sake, whiskey, and other spirits. Chris, the bartender in charge, is a master of his craft. As a side note, the stemware and glassware are solid quality, which makes a huge different in the cocktail experience. Baru's ambiance is totally fun without being obnoxious. The lighting, seating, and glass box esthetic are all brilliant, making Baru a wise choice for any occasion. The acoustics are great, the sound system is top notch, but the music does not overwhelm. Very notable are the moving light sculptures throughout the room. This is an excellent choice for a date night, a group event, a business dinner, and also would be an enjoyable solo experience. Going back again Friday and will update! read more