This fresh upscale sushi restaurant is a MUST for celebrations in 30A! This dinner was a highlight of the bachelorette trip I attended this weekend. They pulled out all of the stops from a gift bag for the bride, a handwritten card, an extra appetizer, etc. Alex was an incredible server, he was fast and attentive but also especially personable. Vibes of the restaurant were lively, and you will likely need to make a reservation early when it's busy season. We ordered a few different dishes but the standout for me was the salmon appetizer. Highly highly recommend! read more

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We kept seeing this place all over TikTok, and after so many rave reviews, we had to give it a try. In the end, about half of the hype lived up to expectations, while the other half didn't quite hit the mark. Let's start with what was outstanding. Service: 5/5. Our server, Matthew, was excellent. He was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and did a great job guiding us toward the restaurant's popular dishes and local favorites. He made the experience much better. Atmosphere: Absolutely beautiful. The ambiance is energetic and lively. There was so much excitement, conversation, and laughter throughout the restaurant that you couldn't help but feel the energy. It's definitely a fun place to spend an evening. Now, the food: * Fried Grouper: 3.7/5. The fish itself was good, but the tartar sauce tasted more like chopped boiled egg than tartar sauce and was pretty flavorless. The fries, however, were outstanding--an easy 5/5. Still, you don't come to a restaurant like this just for the fries. * Blazing Saddle Sushi: 4/5. Enjoyable and one of the better items we ordered. * Oceanside Roll: 2.5/5. It had a very strong fishy taste that just wasn't for us. * Crispy Rice: We had heard this was one of the restaurant's signature items, but unfortunately it was surprisingly flavorless. * Rocking Shrimp: This was our biggest disappointment. It arrived only slightly warm. We asked if it could be remade, and while they gladly took it back, it seemed like the shrimp were simply tossed quickly in warmed sauce and reserved again rather than being freshly prepared. We'd give it a 2/5. Ironically, the flavor itself was actually good--it just wasn't served the way it should have been. Overall, they have a unique menu, and I appreciate that they're trying to do something different with sushi. If you're a sushi lover, it's worth trying at least once because everyone has different tastes, and you may absolutely love it. For us, though, it was a one-and-done experience. Great service, beautiful atmosphere, but the food just didn't consistently deliver enough for us to come back. read more

Food is really good but service was rather slow. We came in late on Saturday afternoon. Place was empty and the hostess decided to sit up next to the bathroom. We were moved because I asked for one of the other many tables that were away from the bathroom. We really enjoyed all the dishes but I have to say the otoro temaki was outstanding. I would definitely come back for the food. Highly recommend making reservation ahead of time, especially for dinner. read more

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Absolutely phenomenal experience and the best bites of our whole trip (and we ate real good!). The ambience is unbeatable, offering patio spots in addition to indoor seating. Our waitress was wonderful. We ordered several items so let's review: -Sake Dreams: 10/10, go ahead and get 2 -Crispy Rice: 100/10, best we've ever had -Pork Belly Buns: also 100/10, the buns are so supple yet flavorful and the pork belly melts in your mouth -Blazing Saddles, 10/10: interesting but works. Reminds me of a Lomo Saltado roll -Black Magic, 8/10 for me and 10 from my bf -Firecracker, 7/10 (I'm not a huge fried roll fan but bf loved it, too) -O-Hah-Yoh cocktail, delish and perfect for the food Amazing Amazing amazing and I truly can't wait to have another O-Ku experience. Everyone raved over it! Make a reservation and enjoy! read more

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We were in this restaurant a year ago and was looking forward to it again. But this time we had a different experience. Horrible service! Waited for our food for 40 min to an hour. Don't want to get in to details but not going there no more. Very dirty. The wall had very nasty stain and area where we were sitting was very dirty. read more

O-ku is a beautiful restaurant. Service was detailed and attentive- William was the waiter for our Valentine's Day dinner and he went above and beyond to add to our experience and make great recommendations. He actually explained the entire menu to us and helped us make the best choice. We ended up ordering the Kaisen fried rice- PHENOMENAL! Such a flavorful dish. The lobster is cooked to perfection with a sweet touch in the coconut miso. This is a shareable portion. We also shared a Blazing Saddles Makimono: 8 pieces of sushi. The steak used to top our roll was tender and delicious. Can't wait to come back and explore more of the menu. read more

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Literally had the most incredible dinner. The food was so amazing... but the best part of dinner was the service. Our server Trey made the experience so enjoyable. Always there when we needed him and always responded with quickness and a smile to all our requests. My favorite dish was the sake usuzukuri. The salmon literally melted in my mouth. The black lava salt was the perfect touch. My second favorite was the Oceanside makimono roll. Tasted incredible and so unique. For dessert, the soft serves are sooooooo good too! Would highly recommend this restaurant and def ask for Trey. Your experience will be top notch! read more

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I always seem to be somewhat intimidated when looking at a menu from a place like this. When the server mentioned it is kind of like tapas, I guess that's the connection I never really made before. So, forgive me on that front. However, with that said, the pacing here was off. Sure things come from different "kitchens" depending on what you ordered, but we found that things we would expect to be at the table all at once took odd amounts of time. Anyway... The place itself is amazing. Great seating. Large mirrors to see the activity at the bars. Overall, large, welcoming, and modern. The first thing to hit the table was the SAKE DREAMS - salmon belly, truffle aioli, ikura, chive. Small, but memorable. Maybe worth the splurge I normally wouldn't do. The SHISHITO PEPPER - bonito flakes, ponzu was super tasty. I loved the "main" I had of the SPICY TUNA CRUNCH - spicy tuna, cucumber, eel sauce, crispy onion. The real surprise was dessert. I usually pass on dessert completely and I' glad I didn't here. The SATA ANDAGI - okinawan-style donut holes, peanut sesame sugar, miso caramel, were truly amazing and a great way to end the meal without being too heavy. read more

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Thank you so much for the best date night my husband and I have ever experienced!! The restaurant is absolutely stunning. The host staff was super sweet but our server knocked it out of the park!!! Cassie was so knowledgeable and attentive. We can wait to return for the nigri flight next time! read more

Beautiful ambiance , creative menu, and large selection of fresh fish options, O-Ku is definitely a must visit. The Otoro spoons were delicious!! The tuna, uni, caviar combo was an amazing way to kick off dinner. The cocktails were also delicious. We shared a few nigiri's and also a few rolls. I've also never seen a sushi roll with black rice! How cool. The crab is flown in directly from Japan and was so fresh, I just wish our roll had a little more of it for the price is my only complaint on the Hokkaido King roll so for $65 wouldn't get this again. read more

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11/10 If you're looking for one of the best restaurants in 30A this is where you should come. Everything from the food, the service, the atmosphere and to top off an already incredible experience the Ube soft serve ice cream dessert was out of this world. read more

O-Ku - Ube Soft Serve Ice Cream - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

When we were recently in the area, I was excited they opened a location here. We have previously been to the Nashville location and enjoy it there. The overall experience was not great. When we were waiting to check into our reservation, some ignorant couple without a reservation stood there trying to figure out what to do and going back and forth with the staff then talking on a cell phone. None of the 3 people working up front asked them to step aside or assist us. It was ridiculous. After being seated, we ordered drinks which were pretty good. Then when going to order- they were out of like 4 items we wanted to try. That's crazy considering it was a weekday and not super busy. We adjusted to other items and ended up ordering a lot. Spent over $400 with tip. We found the nigiri sushi to be lackluster and did not taste particularly fresh. They also served us on these massive pieces of wood that left us no room on our table. The black magic tasted good and consistent to when we have had it in the past. Service did not align with the price point. I went very long periods of time with no water. All the staff didn't seem pleased to be there. Just not a great vibe. Restaurant is attractive inside but overall just not on the level. read more

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Combine Alys Beach vibes with Sushi and Japanese specialty cuisine, and you've got O-Ku! Service has always been incredibly knowledgeable and open to sharing their recommendations. We've always ordered for the table, family style, it's the best way to ensure everyone has the chance to get a taste of each unique plate option. No lie, we typically choose 1-2 items from each menu category--no regrets ever. I'll begin with my personal recommended food options--first off the Japanese fried chicken is to die for. This does sit heavily, so it is easily shared amongst a table of 3-5. The crunchiness and level of seasoning outshine even the best of any fried chicken spot, in fast or fine dining. The house salad with ginger dressing is what you'd expect, with the exception it's enough to feed decent sized portions to 4-5 people! The homemade dressing was great, with a little kick of ginger spice in it. The Black Magic special was absolutely incredible and recommend it to everyone for a nice sushi treat. The Oceanside roll was also good, I'm just not the biggest fan of salmon in this form. Last but not least for the grub, the fried rice entree is by far the best I've ever had in my 35+ years. The flavor they achieve between the lobster and the fried rice is perfection--balanced to where you can taste every ingredient as they are but together the fusion will blow your mind. I'll end with our last visit's server, Nathan. He knew every item in and out--granted his descriptions didn't make our decisions any easier. Very well attentive and not too frequent as we chatted and caught up with our family we were visiting in Florida. Water was never low, check-ins after each plate was dropped off. Friendly to the max, and couldn't have asked for someone better! For those who are locals and travelers, I highly recommend this place but with warning: Make a reservation in advance and if you must drive, be sure to arrive a tad early as parking is very very limited especially if you don't reside in the connected residences.-This is my only note that affected a perfect 5-Star review. This will always be a go to for when it visiting my in-laws in Alys Beach--definitely a staple for this community. read more

Another Sushi-Bomb in Santa Rosa Beach area, specifically Ally's Beach. Many people rave about this place. Once again, we were sat at the worst table, (4 adults dressed for dining) RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DOUBLE DOOR ENTRANCE. We arrived at 4:40 pm without reservations on a Thursday. There were many open tables and no one at the sushi bar. I guess, I should be thankful we weren't sat near near screaming children. The temperature of the restaurant was very cold. Since we sat near the entrance, I was able to hear a lot of patrons walking in commenting on the ice cold air conditioning blowing. That was one advantage of sitting near the door; there was a bit of warm air mixing every time someone opened the door. The best on the menu that we enjoyed was the Pork Belly on a steamed roll- not sushi. Second bes,t was the yellowtail carpaccio with the sliced fresh serrano chili on top- this sashimi is remade to be capaccio to conceal the fact that it is translucently thin. In fact, all the over priced sushi rolls had very thinly sliced fish with yesterdays sticky rice that resembled a mochi consistency. The most insulting that no respectful sushi master would use was the FAKE CRAB inserted in one of their prized local favorites. When I mentioned to our charming server, of my disappointment to find they used a hunk of fake crab in their rolls her response was, "Next time, ask for real crab." I informed her FAKE CRAB was not noted in the menu description. of the roll... so how would I know???.... and what makes her think I was planning on returning? 3 stars for the the service, the pork belly rolls and having our favorite bottle of Chardonnay available. However, this is epic failure as a sushi or Japanese restaurant. read more

O-Ku - FAKE CRAB with no mention in their menu description - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

Excellent, fresh and tasty sushi. Service was fantastic. Especially loved the crispy rice and oceanside roll. Would have loved to try the blazing saddles roll-please bring back! read more

Five stars, without a doubt! Joseph was very attentive and engaging. Wagyu hot rock was the highlight- melts in your mouth. O-Ku Rock Shrimp is a must. Usuzukuri, Blazing Saddles, and Black Magic were fantastic. If you like passionfruit, you need to try Sugar & Spice. The restaurant is decorated very well. Feels like a high end hotel- well kept and clean. If you are in the area, you have to come into O-Ku. We will be back and we will ask for Joseph. read more

Sushi was outstanding and our server was incredible. So sweet and excellent service. Also great atmosphere.

This place is phenomenal! Located in Alys beach, this restraunt is stunning. The vibes are immaculate and the atmosphere is beautiful. I got the sugar and spice cocktail and it was the most delicious drink I've had in a while. Every meal was extremely tasty! On top of this beautiful and delicious restaurant, the staff is super friendly and our waiter was AWESOME! Will definitely be back!! read more

O-Ku - Lobster fried rice - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

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I came to this place when it first opened and previously ordered a bento box for lunch. The prices were alright and the food was pretty good! This visit I wanted to actually try the sushi. The space itself is really lovely. We sat at the bar, and their non-alcoholic cocktails were amazing. The bar staff were very talented. I will also say that it must be illegal to be ugly and come to this place. The staff were beautiful and so were the customers! That's Alys beach for you The sushi itself id say was quite disappointing. It looked the part, don't get me wrong. But the quality of the fish was not all I was hoping especially for the price. I think if the value was there I'd be more willing to forgive because expecting good sushi in this area is a big ask. But it $100 for 7 bits of slightly jazzed up sushi, you can get better value down towards Destin. The dessert, my boyfriend enjoyed but it was dry and felt like a eating a sponge (not in a good way) In reality I will go back, there are other things on the menu which looked good! And it's so close to where I live read more

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Uncommonly fancy place just off the beach. The sushi is impeccable and the desserts are over the moon. Our server was helpful with the order and not pushy. She did a fantastic job. read more

This was my second time coming to O-ku and again, left smiling. This place serves fresh / tasty food with excellent service... consistently! I highly recommend 10/10 read more

O-Ku - Salmon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

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Party of 5. Birthday dinner for my wife. Ambiance was very upscale, modern, busy and trendy. Service was exceptional. Food was stellar. Beverages on point. We did a mix of sake, wine and cocktails, and tried a dozen different items from the menu. All presented with elegance and class. I spoke with Jess the manager prior about the birthday and they delivered a truly memorable experience. Our waitresses name was Bre, and she did an outstanding job and was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The staff even all signed a card and wrote personal well wishes and gave her a small gift bag. 5 stars. Great job O-Ku staff! read more

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Great ambience, music and amazing selection of sushi and Japanese cuts of meat, the food is a great assortment of the Japanese culture, and the service is up to par with other restaurants. I've been to throughout the US great choice if you come over this way towards Panama City Beach/Alys Beach for the person that's trying to escape the die force and have some luxury amazing food. read more

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Amazing nigiri options and the sides were wonderful aswell. My server showed us through the menu and gave great recommendations. I would 100% visit again. Their seafood was definitely fresher than mine read more

Best atmosphere on 30A. Sit at the bar, let them guide you, enjoy the food and drinks.

O-Ku was a wonderful experience! It has a very modern feel to it, with a bit of luxury feel as the servers were very attentive and everything was thoughtfully planned. The food was incredible and you get a generous amount for the price, making it all the more appealing. We had a great experience here and I would highly recommend. read more

O-Ku - Sautéed vegetables, Lobster and Crab fried rice, and pork belly bao buns. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

The food here is amazing and I go here every time. The Bao buns were so good and the steak was also amazing. The waiters and ambiance were great and a great outside view. It's a must try at least once. read more

The atmosphere, service, and food made this restaurant one of the best we have ever been to. The menu had a variety of items where anyone can find something they could enjoy. Zach, our waiter, made us feel so welcomed and recommended some of the best sushi we have had. He spent a lot of time explaining the menu and knew the answer to any questions we had. The overall experience was incredible! read more

O-Ku - Firecracker - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

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The food was good but the service was horrible! it took a while for the server to come to take our drink order, she never asked if we wanted more drinks, delivered the food and then never came back. After 30-40 minutes of finishing, Had to go to the bar and ask the bartender to get our bill so we could pay. Will not go back. read more

Wow, we had the BEST time here!! Brayden was the MVP of the night. He was so kind, attentive, and genuinely made our whole experience amazing. When we got a little chilly they even brought us blankets!! Every dish we tried was incredible (the hamachi collar was unreal), and TRY THE HUGO SPRITZ!!! The Gulf Pearl was so fresh and delicious. They really care about the guests and everyone working there was so beyond kind and friendly. Honestly the best dining experience of my entire life. Can't wait to come back, especially if Brayden's our server again!! Thank you O-Ku team!!!!! read more

O-Ku - Gulf Pearl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

The food was delicious but we all had higher expectations for the price. We went all out and bought the wagyu rolls at $20 a slice. The black magic came out cold. The first half of our meal was great then it took another 30minutes for the second half. It was bad timing. The waiter knew they messed up so he brought us free ice cream but by then it was too late the romance was gone. The firecracker roll is great with goat cheese. read more

All around amazing. The restaurant was clean and moody, perfect for an early evening dinner. Leslie served us, and did a wonderful job explaining the menu and providing recommendations since it was our first time. She was super attentive, conversational, and went above and beyond. We enjoyed everything we tried, and walked away feeling full but not disgusting because it felt quite healthy Here's what we tried and loved: Cucumbers and Avocado - Healthy and clean Crispy Rice - One of the best apps we've ever had! Chicken Yakatori - The chicken was so tender. Perfect. Sake Usuzukuri - Odd texture at first, but the flavor is salty and unique. Skeptical but ended up really liking it. Oceanside - Such a great roll. Plain tasting at first, but then you taste the savory smoky salmon flavor as it goes down. Super nice progression. Blazing Saddles - Great texture. Little bit of crunch and flavor was great. Firecracker - Our favorite for sure. Everything about it was perfect! 100/10! read more

Do not skip the Tuna Tuna Hakozushi!!!O-ku comes highly recommended on social media so it was top on my list of places to eat in 30A, and I am thrilled we didn't pass it up! Some dishes are easily recognizable and worth the hype, such as the otoro spoons, hamachi and signature firecracker roll. For the rest of our experience we kind of just let our waiter take the reins and he did not disappoint. One of those locations where you can try new things and leave with an expanded pallet kid friendly, we had a 1.5 year old with us and everyone was so sweet keeping him entertained and full. read more

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Everything was wonderful -- the food, the service, and the atmosphere. Everything we ordered was delicious and very fresh. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the whole experience was great. My kids loved it too, which is always a big win. We will definitely be back! read more

Ambiance and service were nice, but I've had better sushi. We were also served raw chicken yakitori. The lighting in the restaurant is very dark, so check your meats before consuming! read more

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Ambience was 10/10. Food was 10/10. Service was 10/10. Truly a great dining experience. We will be coming back. read more

O-Ku - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

This place is absolutely amazing!!!! And our server Joseph was outstanding! He brought joy to our experience from the first hello! This was absolutely amazing read more

The BEST sushi restaurant I have ever been to! Great service, food, and atmosphere. I Yelped dog friendly spots and this was one of the top restaurants that came up, and I'm glad I took my pup here!!! We had Ashley as our server tonight and she was excellent! She was kind and made sure everything was taken care of - she knew the menu so well and gave great recommendations - truly the best example of going above and beyond. For apps we did Fried Rice, Corn Robata, and Hotate Temaki. Fried rice had a super unique texture and great quality tuna, it was basically just a regular sushi roll but a fried rice cube as the base! All of their temakis are like a taco which was fun to eat - and the Hotate had a super unique texture! Love!!! As for rolls, we got Blazing Saddles and Firecracker. BS had a great smoky flavor and Firecracker had goat cheese, which gave it a unique and rich flavor. AMAZING!!! We also got the Black Magic Hakozushi, which was a roll but without seaweed. That made it a bit tricky to eat because it would fall apart, but great for people who eat sushi with a fork instead of chopsticks. This one was def my favorite! Lobster wasn't too intense or spicy, it was light and crispy and everything you would want for a lobster roll. It's too bad this place is 12 hours away from home because I would be coming here every day if I could. Next vacation to Florida I'll do whatever I can to get back here! Highly recommend for a nice night with friends, family, or your dog :) read more

O-Ku - Blazing Saddles (L) and Black Magic (R) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Alys Beach, Florida

This place is amazing! The food was incredible and the ambiance was beautiful! But the absolute best part was the service! Our server Dakota was incredible he gave us the best service that really added to our overall experience! I highly recommend this place! read more

O-Ku was the one of the BEST meals we had while staying in 30A! My favorite roll was the Blazing Saddle and the Pacachi Krudo was delicious. Not only was the food 10/10 but our waiter, Dakota, was fantastic. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and made our experience top tier. read more