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    Sonobana

    3.9 (406 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Sonobana Photos

    SONOBANA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Sonobana

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    Reviews With Photos

    Yellowtail, Salmon, Salmon Belly, Shrimp Tempura Roll
    Daniel S.

    If you're looking for truly fresh sushi in Nashville, Sonobana is the hidden gem you've been searching for. The manager told me he's been there for 27 years, and you can tell this place is built on pride and tradition--the owner personally picks up the fish from the airport and breaks it down in-house. After living in Nashville for four years and trying all the flashy new downtown sushi spots, this is by far the best combination of quality and price I've found. I ordered my usual test lineup--yellowtail, salmon, and salmon belly nigiri with a shrimp tempura roll--and everything was fresh, clean-tasting, and perfectly cured with no fishiness. The menu is traditional and no-frills (no seared fish or jalapeños here), but that just adds to its authenticity. Most rolls are under $10, which is rare for this level of quality. There's also a charming Japanese market attached to the restaurant. It's clear why there's always a line and why this spot has been a West End staple for decades. Highly recommend--five stars.

    So fresh and such a good price! Amazing sushi and appetizers. Love the market next door too!

    JJ Roll
    Hailey A.

    Went for sushi rolls and was pleasantly impressed with how busy it was. This made me assume the rolls would be great but I've had better rolls for around the same price. The fish wasn't the freshest and the rolls were on the smaller side. The JJ roll was pretty good but the basic tuna rolls were not the best. We also received a dirty water glass with lipstick stains that was replaced when we told our waiter about it.

    Angela K.

    The sushi here is not special and for the price I paid for such a small quantity and subpar quality, it's not worth it in my opinion. The meal wasn't filling nor satisfying. The spicy tuna hand roll was close to $9. It was my first time seeing asparagus in sushi. Just stick to the cucumber please. The sweet shrimp was unique, and it had hints of wasabi. The rest of the fish were okay, nothing memorable. The service was good and all, but I had higher expectations for the food.

    Fried soft shell crab

    I've been going here since early 2000s and my husband introduced it to me as his family staple sushi spot since the early 90s. It is family oriented, service is always friendly (feels like "Cheers"), consistently fresh sushi and I dare say the best sushi in Nashville. Their prices have been some of the lowest in the city but the quality has not declined. Again quality is consistent for all these years. Their recent renovations are beautiful, modern and don't take a way from the history of this place. I Highly recommend them to all of my friends. Even though we moved from the area we still come back whenever we can because there is no place like it.

    Dylan P.

    Really blown away by Sonobana. I was recommended to go here because of the authenticity and recently going to Japan I felt like it would be difficult to get that feeling anywhere in TN. They've nailed this place and I can't wait to go back. There is a reason it's tougher to get into this place and seem to always be busy. Food was fresh and properly prepared. They put a ton of effort into their food here. Sushi is pretty good too.

    Rosie roll, Nashville roll, fresh salmon roll
    Audrey H.

    Great food and great service! I loved all three of my roll, but especially the fresh salmon and Rosie because I'm simple and just love fresh raw salmon. Our server, Aya, was delightful and went above and beyond. Can't wait to go back!

    Mistake roll
    Sarah H.

    This is definitely one of my new go-to sushi spots! I got three different rolls, and I loved their salmon and tuna rolls! The mistake roll kind of tastes like the name, but I think that was up to personal preference. I definitely want to try more of their speciality rolls in the future! The real star of the show was our waitress Aya who was so kind! She checked in on us, and made sure we were well taken care of while waiting for our rolls to come out (the kitchen was a little behind which was a stressful moment for the servers with several customers waiting). Can't wait to come back and try other rolls!

    Dailoc N.

    I've been here a number of times, but first since the renovations. I keep going back because this is probably my favorite Japanese place in the whole area. The new interior is now as great as their food. Had a large group so we were in their new private room, super nice with a huge long table for 16 people. Food was delicious as always. Service was fast and kept cranking out the food for us. Will continue to frequent this great establishment.

    Fried cheesecake
    Reeta B.

    Sonobana is and will continue to be my favorite place to get sushi in Nashville. As someone who loves sushi and is allergic to avocados, this is a great place to go. They are always careful and I have never once had an issue. This time I got the Blake roll, Tempura dinner, and the fried cheesecake. The Blake roll was good, although I like sushi without cream cheese better. Tempura dinner is one of my go tos and always very yum. The fried cheesecake was a new one for me. It was good although I'd say I prefer regular cheesecake to the fried version. Also the little soy sauce pot that was at the table was made by the owner! Incredible! Finally, our server was wonderful. We probably bothered him a little too much with jokes (not about him obviously), but he was very sweet about it. Sonobana has a large parking lot in the front which is always easy to park in

    Lots of sushi!
    Jennifer H.

    A decent option for sushi in Nashville. Pretty extensive sushi menu but kind of some strange combos. The spicy salmon and crunchy shrimp were my favorites (although the spicy salmon weirdly came with asparagus?). The broiled salmon skin was probably my least favorite. Service was great though and it's still a good option when craving sushi in Nashville!

    Yakiniku (sautéed beef) was good and ample portion for the lunch menu.
    Jordan G.

    Tried this spot for lunch and it did not disappoint. Had the Yakiniku (sautéed beef) lunch portion which was tasty and ample portion. Also had the Crawfish roll which was good also. Def recommend.

    Spider Roll, Pork cutlet bowl, temporary roll, Eel Roll, Scallop with smelt roe & mayo
    Annie W.

    Reviews are overhyping this place. The sushi rolls here are a solid 3/5 at best. The flavors and textures are very 'meh'. The pork katsu was so dry and overcooked. The sweet shrimp nigiri and scallop with smelt roe & mayo were delicious and my favorite part of the order. For a nearly $80 order, I hoped for better quality sushi rolls and pork that was not overcooked.

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    Longtime Nashville staple with amazing sushi and traditional Japanese dishes. Delicious every time.

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    Ask the Community - Sonobana

    Reservations? We saw Yelp's button saying Sonobana takes reservations. Found out it does not. (No criticism here, except of Yelp.)…

    You are correct. Sonobana does not take reservations and the line for a table can get quite long at times.

    Is there Japanese curry?

    Yes, during lunch they have katsu curry.

    View All 3 Questions

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    Sonobana - japanese - Updated May 2026

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