- delicious food, lovely ambiance, amazing staff - reservation made, don't think they'll be free enough for walk-ins for a while! - would love to come back and have already planned our next visit I rarely turn on "post notifications" and do the whole sign-up for info thing, but I was so excited to try Nakama that I had to do it all to make sure I wouldn't miss out! It felt like I had been waiting for their reservations to open for what felt like forever, but the wait was well worth it! We had an amazing time trying all of the food Chef Jason and the kitchen had prepared and absolutely loved his knowledge and the passion he had for it all. He made each course feel specially curated and like the "highlight" ingredient of every course had a story to tell. My favorite dishes of the night had to be the Hokkaido Uni and the Madai Escabeche. I have had uni a few times on special occasion and never understood the hype after each one. The uni selected for this bite had to be the creamiest and most full of flavor I have ever had and truly wowed me... I felt like I finally understood uni. The escabeche was such a pretty dish and quite refreshing, would love a nice big bowl of this. My birthday pookie's favorites were the Shima Aji and Hokkaido Hotate. This was a nice piece of fish that was also Chef Jason's favorite lean piece of the night. She was a big fan of the lil flowers on top and the spice they added to the course, making for a pretty unique sushi bite. The scallop was a nice slab on top and the added compound butter was already tasty, but the extra torch made it even tastier! Big fan of all the special toppings on top of the already special dishes. Really really happy with our visit and it made for an excellent birthday meal for my lovely lady. The food was so so good and the whole experience felt specially curated for the night, especially with the music being carefully tended to and adjusted at every moment. I do wish that they had a paper menu as a sort of keepsake, but also to know what I was looking forward to (and I hope I captioned everything correctly!). Chef Jason was great and supported by a great team, I am excited to see where they'll all go as Nakama continues providing awesome services. I've already booked our next visit and I am super excited to try out the a la carte menu! read more

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​This was probably one of the best Omakase experiences I have ever had, it was absolutely memorable. We were lucky enough to grab reservations for my boyfriend's birthday, and since it was his very first Omakase experience, I was so thrilled that he got to have such an amazing introduction to it. I don't think anything else can top it. ​The entire staff was super welcoming and personally came over to wish him a happy birthday, which was very sweet. Chef Jason Morimoto created a very comfortable, conversational atmosphere that allowed us to talk and ask questions. A lot of Omakase places I have experienced don't talk much or explain anything about each piece beyond the name of the fish. But Chef Jason walked us through the process of every single piece he curated for the 14 course menu. It was enlightening to see the level of care and passion put into his work, and to hear just how much thought goes into everything he makes. Brandon, the mixologist, was also incredibly knowledgeable and crafted some insane drinks to pair with each course, which definitely elevated the entire evening. He even came around to show us the bottle he used for one of the drinks and chatted with us about his inspiration and how he came to create each pairing. ​Chef Jason started our course with the Chawanmushi, and right off the bat, we were blown away. The silky texture of the egg custard mixed with the burst of roe and umami sauce was unimaginable; each bite had us craving more. The Madai escabeche was also visually stunning. Chef Jason created a refreshing piece that beautifully combined his Puerto Rican heritage with Japanese citrus, shiso leaves, and blossoms. It was an amazing bite and easily one of my favorites of the night. ​Course after course carried the same level of thought, creativity, and execution. Everything tasted amazing and truly melted in our mouths. It's not every day that you get to see and hear about the deep emotional investment, relentless drive, and tangible joy a person finds in their craft, and we felt incredibly lucky to witness that passion firsthand. ​Overall, this was an absolutely unforgettable evening. I still can't stop thinking about how wonderful everything was, and I already look forward to the next time I'm able to score a table. If you can manage to grab reservations for this Omakase Experience, I HIGHLY recommend it! Thank you to the entire team for such an incredible night. read more

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My first omakase experience ever and oh my gosh.... it was AMAZING! I was a little intimidated by the price tag at first- i didn't even book the drink pairing because I knew it was already expensive for me without. However right when I walked in, the environment was very welcoming and I felt like I could talk to the staff and other guests there very easily. One of the waitresses approached me before the meal and was asking me if I wanted to know about the drink pairing, which I did and she sold me on it! I figured I might as well maximize the experience and I am so glad I did! Throughout the night chef Jason as well as the Mixologist did an amazing job at storytelling around their creations as well as educating us on the history or origins of everything. Aside from that, they invited it casual conversation with them as well as the other guests that really made this experience feel like a kitchen party with some close friends (I was there by myself, did not know anyone, and I am new to the city!). You could tell everything was very thought out and the service was impeccable without feeling like I was in an uppity environment. I absolutely would recommend this amazing experience to anyone that is looking to learn about the culture of omakase, eat amazing food, or even just feel connected to strangers for 2.5 hours. read more

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Magnificent food and service! We did the à la carte menu but will definitely be back to try their omakase. Everything we ordered was amazing. Fresh fish, awesome flavors, and just the coolest vibes ever. read more

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Just wow what a night! We had a friend graciously snag a reservation in their listening room which allows for à la carte style ordering compared to their omakase experience. We enjoyed this atmosphere as a cool place that reminded us of the record bars in Japan we recently visited. If you bring a record they will even try to play about half of the record. They partner for their cocktails which really adds an elevated experience and have a large offering which is nice and reasonably priced. The crew was amazing walking us through the different offerings and helping us understand the entire concept and what the chef would like you to gain from the experience. My star of the evening for shared dishes would be the escabeche which is the chef blending his Puerto Rican background with a Japanese twist which was really cool and I also enjoyed the Chutoro as a close second. My favorite hand roll was the maguro hands down that I even ordered an extra one because it was so good. I also enjoyed the hotate. read more

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Damn Nakama, we're all glad you're here! I had the pleasure of dining in recently (an honor, because have you seen how hard it is to get a reservation!?), and wow did this team do an incredible job. The space, previously a coffee shop, has been completely transformed into the most welcoming, modern, stylish, Japanese bar. From the craft woodwork to the paint choices, lighting, and wall decor, you can tell how truly thought out everything was. Our table of four sat in the upstairs dining room (also known as the listening room), which is vibey and intimate. We all noted the place settings right away, and the menus, which slide out from inside vinyl covers. So many small, notable details. I know pretty little about Japanese fair, or how to properly order dishes like this, but wow was ever bite enjoyed! Our sweet server was so knowledgeable and helped share details of each item on the menu, and how best to go about ordering. In the end, we requested a few shareables from the 'otsumami' side of the menu, and then individual handrolls (temaki). Everything offered so much flavor! With ingredients you don't necessarily eat on a regular basis - things like green sesame sauce, ajitsuke shiitake, and kanzuri - your tastebuds are sure to have a great experience here. I'm still thinking about that nola shrimp to be honest. And let's not forget the craft drinks, because those were so standout. We all vowed to choose something different from the next person so we could not only see how the cocktails looked, but could all get a little taste of the different options. Similar to the food here, the beverages are clearly well thought out and nothing disappointed. Definitely fan of their brilliant take on the spicy marg. The takeaway? A lot of love and passion was poured into this small, neighborhood restaurant and it shows. These are the kind of local businesses that make our city special. Very happy it's finally here, and can't wait to return for an omakase experience next. read more

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Dined in the listening room with my husband at 5:15pm on a Friday. We felt fortunate to get a highly coveted reservation. Everyone we came into contact with was welcoming and helpful. We had 2 staff members helping the 5 tables in the listening room and they were both fantastic. The shrimp hand roll and yellowfin tuna hand roll were our favorites, but everything we tried was balanced, beautiful, and fresh. We do want to experience omakase at some point, but the listening room allowed us to have some space and choose what we wanted to try. The space is so pretty. Dark wood, thoughtful decor, and great music. All details have been carefully considered and curated. Parking is within the neighborhood, but we found a spot easily. You can tell they are putting their heart and soul into this restaurant, and they are so proud of the space they have created. read more

I can't say enough great things. We had a delicious meal here. We sat in the Listening Room (hoping next time to get the Omakase experience). So we ordered off of the menu. I'm not a huge fish person so I had mainly the vegetarian pieces which were amazing!! I did try a few of the dishes with fish and everything was exceptional. The staff was great. They even brought out champagne after the meal to celebrate my husbands graduation. The entire space was well thought out with the records. The menus were in vinyl sleeves too which was such a cool touch. This is a great date night spot. I highly recommend the visit. read more

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This was my first Omakase experience and it exceeded my expectations. I went solo and the staff made me feel so welcome and comfortable. The drinks were delicious and each course was better than the next. Chef Morimoto did an excellent job explaining each dish and answered any questions that came up. I loved the decor and the seating at the bar was so comfortable. I can't wait to go back! It's a great place to celebrate a special occasion. read more

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Nakama is an absolute standout! From the moment you sit, you can feel the experience. Each course was intentional and elevated with fresh flavors, balanced notes, and decadent delivery. Highest of quality with every bite. Nakama is next level and hands down the best Japanese omakase in the area - stretching far beyond fine dining, it's an art filled experience. read more

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This restaurant is going places. It's with with the maitre'd greeting you upon arrival. Tonight, we did the Omakase experience. A coursed meal put on by Jason Morimoto. The omakase experience seats you at the bar. There is an optional cocktail pairings add on. Overall, the experience is very interactive with the chef explaining each course. He invites questions and discussion. The service is stellar. In the cherry on top is the music vibes. There is a record player playing really good music the entire evening. read more

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Really great experience here for my husband's birthday. We ate upstairs in the "listening bar". There were around 6-7 tables total up there - so, pretty small. When you walk in, you walk past the omakase / sushi bar, to the right, and upstairs. The decor is calming and very Japan meets Milwaukee. We had a variety of hand rolls and appetizers, as well as drinks and then dessert. The drinks were surprisingly VERY good. We each started with a different sake (I appreciated options a little outside the standard fare), and then went for cocktails. Well balanced, and I really wanted to try more! The standouts for me were the scallop handroll, the shrimp handroll, and the DESSERTS. Loved the creme brulee cooked in a sweet potato! Makes me think eating dessert can be healthy and tasty at the same time. We are looking forward to snagging a reservation at the omakase bar when we can. read more

10/5. One of the best meals I've ever had. Every bite is perfectly curated, staff is super knowledgeable and it's such a cozy space. I see why this is such a hard to get reservation - it's worth every penny and more. read more

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If 6 stars was an option, this would get it! We went with a group of 10 and enjoyed the Omakase experience with the cocktail pairing. Chef Jason was an amazing host, teelong us stories of how the restaurant came to be, his experience winning the Sushi Master TV show and the history behind each portion he served. If you want to experience a truly unique and special dining experience and you love Sushi, this place is a must for anyone in Milwaukee or the Midwest. Plus the record player behind the counter was an awesome touch of ambiance! read more

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