Very rarely do I agree that the hype is worth it but for Noko, the hype is definitely worth it!…read more We came for our book club meeting without a reservation and were luckily able to get a spot within ten minutes! Our server (I believe his name was Mitch) was phenomenal! We started off with the guava girlies, anti-hero, tan lines and good times - our favorites were the guava girlies and the anti- hero. The tan lines didn't have a deep enough flavor profile for us. For food, we got the Caesar salad, the green beans, the tuna crispy rice, the hurricane fries, charred scallion noodles, and burnt end lettuce wraps! Every dish was a hit but our favorites were the green beans (we were obsessed with the sauce) and the burnt end lettuce wraps. We also tried the lipstick marks, second hand smoke (sub mezcal with regular tequila), and guava girlies with tequila - all of these were also delicious! Despite being full, we had to try the dessert and tried the brookie with ube ice cream. We were also surprised with a scoop of pandan ice cream. This may be one of the most unique flavor profiles for a brookie I've ever had and it paired beautifully with the ube and pandan gelato! This was truly a fantastic dining experience and we will definitely be back!

Had a reservation for Sunday night at 7. Arrived early and they were able to seat us by the bar…read more The ambience is nice, upscale but nothing super fancy. By the bar we got to see some of the dishes being made. Great date night spot. Limited parking. This is a tapas spot and our serve did a good job recommending how many dishes to get. The only reason Noko is not getting 5 stars is because the server said that they would time out the dishes for us, so it was best to place our entire order all at once. However, we got 3 dishes and then it took about 30 minutes for other two to come out. Maybe we were eating too fast but felt like we were waiting a while for our food. The food itself was absolutely delicious. There was nothing we ordered that I did not like. Some favorites include the burnt ends lettuce wraps and Korean chicken wings. The Sando, shrimp and tuna crispy rice was also spectacular. The tuna was so flavorful and refreshing on the tuna crispy rice. The sauce of the east side shrimp really makes the dish. I'm not a huge shrimp person but this was really good. This is a must go to spot in Nashville and would definitely want to come back.

I'm huge fan of O-Ku! Located in Germantown, it is a perfect addition considering all the changes…read morethe area is currently experiencing. So far on all my visits, we've arrived without a reservation and were able to find seating at the bar where we were able to order food and beverages. That said, considering how busy the place always seems to be, I recommend a making a reservation if you are looking to sit in the main dining area. The place has a cool, upscale, modern- Japanese feel to it and is always well maintained. The main dining area is spacious and consists of table/chair combos along with booth seating. From the staff at the door to the bartenders, service is always 5-star. Everyone is always welcoming and helpful. Everything I've had here is always tasty. Some of my favorites include the Crispy Rice, the Shogun and the Tennessee Two Step. While they do have a full bar, they have some unique cocktails on the menu which I highly recommend trying. I always look forward to visiting O-Ku whenever I'm in the area.

O-ku has a cool, upscale atmosphere, but the food doesn't quite live up to the setting or the…read moreprice. The sushi was fine, but at this price point, I expected it to be much more memorable. The biggest miss was the rice, which was surprisingly bland and lacked the seasoning and flavor you'd expect from a sushi restaurant of this caliber. The rolls were beautifully presented, but there wasn't anything that stood out. When you're paying a premium for sushi, "fine" just isn't enough.

We had so much fun!!…read more The sushi chefs were so sweet and personable, and the ambiance was incredible--suuuch a cool vibe. Every single dish was so tasty; my Fiance even got a cute little bonus platter for his birthday. We'll definitely be back!

We ordered the most expensive Omakase option, and for the price that we paid, I expected much more…read more This menu comes with something like 17 pieces of nigiri. It overall started pretty well, with a yummy and fresh yellowtail roll, however as the night continued, the rolls became more and more elaborate to the point of being too much. For example, instead of just serving the fatty tuna by itself, or with a simple topping, it comes with truffle and bone marrow dripped onto it. Those flavors overwhelmed the fish itself, which is already amazing on its own. There was another course of caviar, topped with gold flecks, which was kind of unnecessary. Also, they used the blowtorch for almost every fish which I find a bit gimmicky. I once or twice is cool but when you're pulling it out every 2 minutes, it quickly loses its appeal. What happened to just having a nice piece of raw fish on some sushi rice? Everything was just a little bit too overdone in my opinion. Also, because the previous sitting had gone a bit long, it felt like they were rushing through our sitting. The staff and service were great though - very polite and attentive. I think perhaps the basic omakase option would've been much better, and if I do come back (not sure that I will), this is what I'd opt for.

The garlic edamame is amazing! The sauce they use.... MMMMMMMM!!!!! The whole team is really nice…read moreand helpful. The vibe is very creative and super cute!! Our pad Thai was so bomb!!!!!

The interior is elegant, with lots of plants and ambient lighting. There's a more lively bar area…read moreand main dining room to enjoy. The service was prompt, friendly, and informative! Although the menu doesn't specify tofu availability, the waitress was able to direct me to vegetarian friendly options easily. They had unique, fusion cocktails that were delicious! The food was mostly good but the spice ranges were a bit off. I usually order medium spice at restaurants but unfortunately got almost no spice in my dish. I'd keep that in mind when ordering! They gave us chili oil to help the dishes after, but the original spice levels are much lower than expected. There's plenty of street parking around the restaurant. Would recommend!

5 stars for vibes and fresh sashimi…read more The other cooked dishes were either too salty, oily, or overdone. But, definitely willing to come back and try other menu items. The interior is such a good date night vibe!!! We sat at the bar and had a wonderful time. No complaints with service.

My husband and I were staying at the JW and decided to try 888. We enjoyed everything we ordered…read more Love that they offer cavier bumps- it's a delicious addition to a lot of what we had. Ambiance was perfect. Polished causal without being over the top. Enjoyed the music as well. Service was meh though. Even with reservations we felt rushed and as if our server didn't want to be there. We actually left and got dessert at the hotel because we felt so rushed. If we return we would sit at the bar next time.

The hardest reservation in Nashville turned out to be the easiest room I have ever eaten in. That…read moreis not what I expected walking into a counter with fourteen seats and a chef standing three feet in front of me. We came for my partner's birthday, which felt like a gamble for a place this small and this structured. It was the right call. The space is low lit and built out of dark wood and a playlist underneath that leans R&B and hip hop. It sounds like a contradiction and it absolutely works. Personally, I was reliving my 90s childhood and loving it. Everyone faces forward, so there is no table of strangers across from you and no lull you have to fill. You are next to people rather than opposite them. The experience is fourteen courses in ninety minutes, $75. My favorite of the lineup was the zuke maguro, the leanest cut of tuna they served, sourced from Spain. Clean and lean where so much of omakase leans rich, and the marinade does the work without covering up the fish. The salmon caviar was the other standout, those little bursts of salt and brine. Then the A5 wagyu. Its marbling is a different category of eating. Rich and fatty, which was a nice break from the line up of fish. Around course 9, they come around and ask if you want to revisit anything or order additional add on items off their menu. This is an extreme value. You get your money's worth and then some, especially measured against what a tasting menu this long costs anywhere else in town. Practical notes: Reservations release on OpenTable at midnight, six weeks out, every single night. Three seatings at 5:30, 7:00 and 8:30, and they start promptly, so arrive a little early. They cannot accommodate vegetarians or fish allergies. Parking is a small shared lot with some street parking nearby. The four seat cocktail bar next door is walk up only and is, fittingly, the smallest bar in Tennessee. Let me be honest about this one. Four seats is a harder room than fourteen. If you are the type to feel exposed standing in a space that small, skip the pre-dinner drink and go straight to the counter. One more thing worth knowing. Kase donates one percent of net profits to the Nashville Children's Alliance, which provides services at no cost to children in Davidson County who have experienced sexual or severe physical abuse. Restaurants run on thin margins as it is. A place this small choosing to give a cut of that away says something about how they operate, and it is a cause worth supporting (beyond the fantastic meal you also get).

One of the hardest tickets to get in Nashville and it is evident why for anyone who has had the…read moreopportunity to get in. They book out 6 weeks in advance; with only 14 seats and 3 seatings per night, they are sold out in seconds when they go on sale at midnight. I have lucked out twice, once even getting a duo, so not impossible, but not easy. When you enter, you walk into a small bar area, where you can order a cocktail or two. I opted for the Shibuyu Nights, which had a slight coffee note on top of the whisky and bourbon. At the prescribed time, you are led into the omekase and the experience begins. Cue fanfare music now. This is nearly the definition of perfection. Each dish was both art and culinary genius. Pacing is perfect. Chefs interact with the patrons, enhancing the experience and the wait staff is well versed on which types of sake work best with different course. At the end of the meal you can add on extras, some from the menu and others off. If you are not full, I recommend considering the add ons. Kudos to the chef for handling my shellfish allergy with wonderful subsitutions. At $75, this is a steal. WIth extras, sake, and drinks, I ran over $200 for 1, but it was worth every minute. Once of the best restaurants in Nashville.

I love sushi is a great sushi spot in West End. They have a large restaurant space including a dog…read morefriendly patio. They also do a lot of takeout service. Service was great and very attentive. The food was very fresh and came out pretty quick! Street parking outside and they also do validate for the nearby garage.

My husband and I joined my daughter for dinner here with all her friends and many of their parents…read more There were a total of 23 of us. ISushi was able to accommodate all of us at one long set of combined tables. It seemed like everyone enjoyed their meals. My husband and I split a Crunchy Shrimp roll and an order of Shrimp Fried Rice. Both were excellent. We also split an order of edamame with our daughter. They were good as well. The salt on them really enhanced the flavor. My daughter also ordered the Salmon Lover Roll which she enjoyed. Our server was super nice and checked on us multiple times. On a side note, when you leave don't miss the Hong Yuan Guava Classic Hard Candies at the host stand. They are very different and flavorful. If I lived in town, I would go back.

We dined at Sunda after a friend mentioned it was one of her favorite spots in Chicago, so we had…read moreto check out the Nashville location while in town. Since we had a group, we decided to order a mix of dishes to share so everyone could taste a bit of everything. So good! Our server did an excellent job making recommendations for food and drinks. While it's definitely on the pricey side, the food quality and attentive service made it worth it for a fun group night out. Would recommend if you're looking for great Asian fusion and solid cocktails.

Large space that was mostly empty on a Thursday evening. The appetizers were definitely better than…read moremy actual entrée. For the appetizers, we ordered Bulgogi tacos, a red dragon roll, Wagyu and spicy tuna crispy rice, and crispy brussels sprouts. The crispy Brussel sprouts is a crunchy scrumptious salad that is so good. The spicy tuna crispy rice was also amazing. Bulgogi tacos were very large and had a lot of meat, although were a bit oily. For my entrée, I ordered the salmon poke bowl, which would've been amazing except that the sauce was too salty. That's a shame, since nothing is cooked so it should be relatively hard to mess up. Would've been nice to get the sauce on the side, so that you could tailor it to your own taste. Oh well! The appetizers made up for it!

We really enjoyed this place! First off, I strongly suggest making reservations. Big ups to our…read moreserver Christian he's the best! He ensured our food, service and overall experience was top tier. The vibe here is dark, trendy and sexy. Perfect place for date night. The Maki Monday specials are a great way to try different rolls, apps, and hots.Id recommend doing the 1,2,3 with an appetizer, a couple sushi rolls and a warm shareable. We topped things off with BOGO cocktails. Everything was fresh and deliciously prepared. We can't wait to return!

This is one of the worst "Japanese" or I guess "Asian fusion" restaurants I've ever been to. It…read moreannoys me that it's masquerading as a swanky, fancy higher quality restaurant, at that. Just thinking back to my meal makes me queasy. Just check my picture to see what I'm talking about. The fried rice had literally a pool of oil at the bottom of the bowl. In general, fried rice is definitely on the oily side since it's fried, but I've never had a fried rice that had so much oil the rice grains were drowning in a puddle of it. From the timing of the meal where foods came out all at different times and horribly spaced intervals, , awkward service and a server who was hard to track down, to the 9 piece nigiri special that had 3 ahi tuna, 3 salmon and 3 yellowtail (hamachi), unfortunately this restaurant had nothing going for it. I've never been to a Japanese restaurant that has a 9 piece nigiri and has 3 of the same pieces, not to mention the 3 most common and basic kinds of fish that are out there. Don't know if it's just my expectations are different coming from California/Hawaii but that has zero wow factor. Appetizers were mid- maybe the best thing was the shishito peppers but that's sad if that's the best thing. Wasn't in Nashville long but don't waste a meal here. It's not cheap either.

An OUT of this WORLD experience. With limited seating, the people at sushi bar ensure you get the…read moreintimate experience you're looking for. You get to interact with the chefs, with the people around you, and you walk up to an engraved plaque of your name at your seat!! So cool. The chefs here are friendly and knowledgeable, but also MASTERFUL. When I tell you, their sushi is unmatched. Every bite is intentional. It is perfectly paced at 17 courses with just the right portion sizes. The fish is soooo fresh and tasty, and they also have a wide variety of different kinds! You get to try just about everything under the sun. And man, these nigiri were umami, they were decadent, they were flavorful, they were SPLENDID!! I find it amazing to get to experience the art from the masters of this craft firsthand. 100000% would recommend a visit here. I promise, I guarantee, you won't regret it.

I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!! Sushi is my favorite food, so I have had it probably…read moremore than any other food type all over from LA to Vancouver to GA to NY and Spain, and Sushi Bar wasn't just the best sushi I have ever had but it was the best dinner I have ever had! I will be dreaming about this for a long time!! Yes it is the most expensive meal we have also had, but IMO it's worth it for a very special occasion or if you have the means, definitely give it a try! Also, the sake (dream something) is very good! Hats off to the chef, the menu was amazeballs!!