O-Ku - Charlotte

I had an incredible experience at this restaurant! From the moment we arrived, the service was outstanding. It was my birthday, and every staff member made a point to wish me a happy birthday, which made the evening feel extra special. They even surprised me with a custom menu that had “Happy Birthday” printed on it—such a thoughtful touch. The food was phenomenal. Every piece of sushi was fresh, beautifully presented, and featured unique flavor combinations that really stood out. What truly impressed me was the extra effort the staff made to accommodate my dietary needs. My partner had arranged ahead of time for a dairy-free lava cake, and not only did they deliver—it was delicious—but they also brought it out as a surprise and didn’t charge us for it. From start to finish, the experience was flawless. Amazing food, exceptional service, and truly memorable hospitality. A+ all the way!

Went in for my bday treat from my wife and loved it from start to finish. One of the best service in Charlotte with a mix of some of the best Sushi around with unique flavors & lovely ambience. Situated in the happening neighborhood of South End, O-Ku won’t disappoint at the least. Tony, our server was great and recommended some of the most flavorful dishes to us.

I booked a reservation for my best friend‘s bachelorette weekend and it was a 10/10 experience! Not only worthy food and drinks amazing, the staff was absolutely incredible. They were very attentive, answered our questions and even decorated our table with “bride to be” goodies! This team really went all out for us, and it was greatly appreciated by each of us! Thank you so much!

Went on a date a few days ago with my fiancée and we had a great time. Beautiful place with great service. We ordered the Volcano Roll and the Red Dragon Roll and both were amazing. We also ordered the Duck Buns (😅) and the O-Ku Crispy Rice and they tasted great too. Cocktails were really, really good! Definitely a place we’ll come back very soon!

I had the pleasure of having the omakase at O-Ku recently. From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was a special guest. The hostess and waitstaff (I believe my waitress’s name was Jasmine; I wish I had asked again) were beyond welcoming and wonderful. I had seven amazing courses over about 2.5 hours. Every dish was thoughtfully created and beautifully executed. I loved learning about the seafood in each dish and that a surprising amount comes from Tsukiji Fish Market in Japan. I could not sing enough praises for this experience. The atmosphere, the staff, and the food were beyond incredible and out-valued the cost of the experience tenfold. I will visit O-Ku every time I’m in Charolette. Thank you for a truly wonderful experience.

For quite a few years, our favorite Charlotte sushi restaurant has been Baku, in Southpark. I can’t say that O-Ku has become our new favorite - YET - but it is most definitely tied for that spot! The ambience is on the dark side overall, but once we sat down, it didn’t feel like we were sitting in the dark. The music also seemed a little on the loud side as we walked in, but once seated, we could talk easily without shouting. The food? OH, MY, as George Takei likes to say! Subtle yet rich flavors, a hint of heat but never overpowering, incredible fish, with creative additions. We had the Salmon Usuruziki, Bluefish Carpaccio, A5 Wagyu Tartare, and Lobster Temaki from the Chef’s Specialties, while our daughter chose the 8 Piece Nigiri Platter and Salmon Usuruziki. HIGHLY Recommended!

We opted for the local legendroll, get in my belly roll, duck buns, saba, queen city carpaccio and everything was amazing! Madison provided excellent service by explaining the menu, checking on as frequently, and making sure we were well taken care of for our time there. I've been there twice in one week and will be bringing more friends friends back.

Great sushi & service, the happy hour is pretty good. The price is $9 for six different rolls. There was enough variety that the three of us were able to order something we would enjoy off of the happy hour menu. They have a good drink selection as well though we did not drink. Good for a date night or a ladies night out. The cost depends on how much sushi you eat - I love sushi so I eat more.

Wow! What a great experience. Reggie was our server, and he truly brought the energy. The food was phenomenal, and the ambiance was incredible too. Dim lighting with music at the right volume. As for the cherry on top- Wil the manager was the key to our experience. We went to check in and had a great experience upfront, without even knowing that Wil was the manager. He was beyond friendly and inviting, definitely set the tone for the rest of our stay. We were celebrating a birthday and he brought over a birthday menu and birthday headband that we got to keep. Even towards the end we still didn’t realize Wil was management but he was so wonderful we will be back. We even got pictures. Overall 10/10 experience. Thank you!

WOW. Probably the best overall dining experience I have had since moving here! My sister and I made a res at 8 but they were busy and tables were sitting longer than anticipated. They accommodated us (within 10 mins) with seats at the sushi bar incase we didn’t want to wait. Justin took care of us and he was AMAZING! Good energy, wonderful recommendations and kept the wine glasses full! Also, Lauren (manager) heard it was our first time dining with them and made an effort to share a story or two with us. The time they took to talk with us during busy hours was unexpected and SO refreshingly NICE! But the FOOD!!! Seriously SO good. 100% recommendation this place to any and all who are in the Charlotte area. 10 Stars!

My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary here and OMG we have been sleeping on this place! What an outstanding experience from beginning to end. The staff was very friendly and our server, Mehling was very attentive as well as thoughtful with some anniversary gestures. Even the GM was personable with us. You can tell they had their systems down as you watched the staff calmly move around the restaurant. We are still talking about the food days later, drool!! Now it did take a good bit to receive our meal since they were packed out but being in that atmosphere we really didn’t mind. Can’t wait to come back.

The hands down best sushi and places to eat in Charlotte! Every time we go we have the best experience. The food, the drinks, the atmosphere, the service.... So great! Our most recent visit was a birthday dinner for my son and his friends, and everyone agreed it was literally the best eating out experience they've ever had! We have been, and will continue to be, frequent customers.

Food was unbelievable. The atmosphere was amazing. Wasn’t a single thing that we ordered. That wasn’t absolutely fabulous. Sushi rice was extremely fresh which is sometimes not as common as what you would think at a high-end sushi establishment the fish absolutely top quality you would not mistake going here for sushi. Full Stop. I will go back over and over again.

I’ve visited O-Ku for my birthday and now as a surprise after my engagement! The staff went above and beyond to make my special day even extra special. Thank you so much for a wonderful time.

I've heard that O-Ku is the best Sushi in Charlotte, and it did not disappoint! Our server also had amazing recommendations and gave us our Chef's Specialty/appetizer on the house since it came about 30 minutes after our sushi, even though we placed our food order all at once, which we did not expect but were thankful for! We ordered the Mermaid roll, Red Dragon Roll, and Spider Roll. If I could recommend one thing to anyone, it would be the O-Ku Nori! It has so much flavor and was my favorite part of the meal. The only disappointing aspect was that both of our martinis came barely half full for $36. Other than that, I will be back! (Make sure to make a reservation in advance!)

Had such an unbelievable experience at O-Ku in Charlotte NC. I read some of the reviews and was a little nervous but so happy I still went. We went for the sushi happy hour which is half price rolls from 5PM to 7 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays. All of the rolls were half price except the three specialty rolls that were over $20 each. That was completely fine. We actually still ordered the hot and heavy roll -even though it was $28 because it was lobster and shrimp and so worth it. The service was impeccable. Our server Iris was outrageous, amazing, super fast and accommodating. She gave us a lot of recommendations that were killer. They also had a pretty good beer, wine and sake list as well. It took us awhile to get a reservation, but the restaurant was probably a quarter full. If you want to take advantage of the happy hour, I would just walk in. It was a Monday though. I’d definitely go back but probably only for the happy hour. The prices were expensive for Charlotte.

O-Ku is an experience every time we attend. For the past 3 years, our anniversary tradition is going to one of the O-Ku locations. This was our first visit to the Charlotte location and we couldn’t have been more impressed. Reggie, our server, was bubbly, attentive, and extravagant. Justin brought us some vibrant cocktails and gave us a great recommendation for plans after dinner. The carpaccio, usuzukuri, and Toro roll were unbelievable. The fish melts in your mouth, the vegetables are fresh, and the sauces compliment everything with sophistication and grace. I didn’t know I liked “sushi” this much until I visited O-Ku. Please give them the opportunity to impress you.

I’m obsessed, idk why I’ve never left a review but here it is. Oku hands down has the freshest sushi in Charlotte. The quality speaks for itself. The food is always amazing as well as the customer service. I normally sit at the bar when I dine here and the bartenders are all amazing. My only complaint (more of a plea) is that they took away the south end shrimp. Hopefully that’s not a permanent menu change, I’m crossing my fingers. Otherwise 10’s across the board!

Really great service and setting, a great place for a date or a business lunch; the food itself was amazing, fresh and I relied mostly only on my servers recommendations and everything was immaculate; my favorite was the get in my belly roll. The drinks I had were also very well made cocktails especially for a Charlotte area restaurant, can’t recommend it enough And to Justin; know your win rate is still 100 percent my friend

Top notch sushi in a very stylish space. We were a party of four and sampled several things, all excellent. The hakozushi (box style) entrees were truly exceptional (we tried both options). Drinks were creative. Service was excellent. A real 5-star experience all around.

Took my boyfriend here for his birthday dinner! Had amazing experience! Our server Angel B was great & all the staff said happy birthday to him and made our first experience memorable!!! Food was great and refreshing! Definitely will be back !

O-Ku is definitely one of my favorite Charlotte restaurants, especially for high-quality sushi. We took a risk of showing up on a Saturday night w/ no reservation, but luckily there were seats open at the sushi counter so it was perfect. Tonight we had Carson as our waiter and he was absolutely amazing. He was so gracious and never let us feel forgotten. Will definitely be coming back to sit at the sushi counter, & hopefully have Carson as our server again! Thank you to the whole crew for a wonderful night out.

My experience here was impeccable! My waitress, Ming Lee And she was absolutely wonderful. She told me to try her favorite Which was the Lychee Martini. I highly recommend that as well if you’re gonna drink this one, will get you there by drink two! lol. In all the food was amazing. The manager also was very delightful. I didn’t catch her name, but she brought me out the Rock shrimp salad which was also very good and spicy. For my meal, I had the Lobster Temaki which was a 10/10! Overall, I rate O–Ku a 10/10!

Came here last night for the second time, and I’m so beyond glad that I did! Last night was very special, as my best friend had just broken up with her abusive boyfriend of 5 years the night prior. We wanted to celebrate her and her new found freedom, so we decided to head back to o-ku and have some sushi and cocktails. Before arriving, I had wrote in my reservation notes about her breakup. I wasn’t expecting much to come of it, just that they might mention it to her and bring a smile to her face. Well the staff at o-ku charlotte went above and BEYOND. Everyone that came by our table, including the hostesses were congratulating her and hugging her throughout the entire night we were there. She got a congratulations menu, and they gave us complimentary champagne to cheers to her big win. But that wasn’t the end of it, by the time the check came, we had to pass it back and fourth about 5 times to make sure we were seeing it correctly.. that they had not only done all of this, but also comped our ENTIRE meal in celebration of her. We couldn’t believe it, and it brought on a lot of tears. So THANK YOU o-ku charlotte and THANK YOU TO OUR SERVER BRYAN!!! For not only a memorable night, but for making my best friend feel so special on this big day! We will most certainly continue to be patrons, and sing your praise!

We booked the Omakase experience for a special birthday celebration. It could not have been more perfect! They accommodated a number of special requests - to be fair we did make the requests in advance. But, everything was seamless. Very careful about dietary restrictions. The food was amazing and creative and delicious. And, everyone on the team who interacted with us from our server Anastasia to all the folks who brought wonderful food or drinks to our table were wonderful. They all made the point to say Happy Birthday to the person celebrating. You can certainly enjoy their regular menu without breaking the bank which we have also done. But, for a special night with people you enjoy - this was truly exceptional.

Extremely lively night!!! Reggie took exceptional care of our part. He even did the sideways glass on the tray pour! We were greeted with smiles and positive energy from Irma and Wil took the extra care making sure the birthday girl was appreciated and valued!!! Food was perfect. We’ve tried the Charleston location but this one was even better. Thanks!!!

I celebrated my birthday at O-Ku Sushi and had the best experience! They made the night feel so special — I was given a birthday tiara, a birthday menu, and every birthday appetizer, which was soooo thoughtful and they were absolutely wonderful. Super attentive, friendly, and made everything feel effortless. BiG SHOUT OUT to MEi-lyn and her assistant TRey for making my day special

We went to O-Ku to celebrate my wife on her new job. At check-in the staff asked us if we were celebrating anything and when we told them it was a celebration for my wife, 5 or 6 different people came to our table congratulating her. They also comped both a dinner meal as well as a dessert for our table. Very small gestures that many restaurants won’t do. Very much appreciate them, but we also enjoyed the food, drinks, and general service.

Yooooo when I tell you this place was amazing, believe me. I have never had true sushi before and I used to think it was disgusting. This was my first time actually trying sushi in this way before. The experience started at the door. Awesome service man i swear i haven't seen anything like it before. The host was attentive, helpful, and had really positive energy I wish i could remember her name but she was mad dope. We waited about an hour to be seated felt like only 10 minutes and it was worth it. Mei-ling (sorry if i butchered the spelling) was THE BEST server!! Hands down! She guided me through the menu gave me suggestions and everything she suggested was a hit! Her energy was really refreshing. I dont have many fine dining experiences, but this was definitely a 10/10. She made the experience for me and my friend that much better. Mei ling was having me try things that I never imagined i would ever try😂. As far as the cost of everything.... more than worth it no questions asked. It was a little intimidating looking at the prices, but once that first peice of Sushi hit my mouth I forgot about the rest and just enjoyed the experience. Restaurant is amazing, great energy, hardworkers, creative menu, tasty food. Shout out to the pastry chef too dessert was amazing the flavors are different but they tasted delicious. When my wallet isnt mad at me anymore im gonna slide through again😂mei ling deserves a raise for that, cause i never ever ever ever thought that I would love sushi the way I loved it last night!

My husband, daughter and I had an amazing experience! Second time dining here and it’s the best quality sushi in Charlotte. They also bought my husband a lakers coffee cup as a birthday gift after asking what his hobbies and interests are when I made the birthday reservation. Service and food are top quality. Would definitely recommend to anyone who has not been there before. My cocktail was also one of the best I’ve had in Charlotte. Amazing experience, will return!

Oku doesn’t just serve food—it commands your attention. Perfectly executed, beautifully plated, and packed with flavor, every visit reminds me why this restaurant is consistently worth a return. The lychee martini deserves a special mention, as carefully crafted and delicious as the dishes themselves. This was just one of several times my family and I have dined here, and each experience has been reliably exceptional.

We went for sushi happy hour. The rolls were good, but a bit salty. The decor is pretty and it’s always crowded whenever I’ve gone here. The servers are great. The miso banana cake is so yummy!

We went for my wife's birthday and she got both a custom menu and a custom stemless wine glass. Cool touch. The food and service was good. Attentive service, full glass. Just know what you're ordering. Otherwise what kind of loud where we are at and cold by the windows.

We enjoyed the dining experience here, and our server Kayla was excellent. The menu was a little pricey but all of the dishes - including the veggie ones for our vegetarian guests - were enjoyable. All in all, a fun night with quality ingredients used throughout. Parking can be a hassle for sure, but would likely come back next time I want something fancy.

We went to have dinner last night after a friend recommended it to us instead of my usual fav for sushi. We got seated and were welcomed by the GM and the entire staff was so accommodating and helpful and kind. I enjoyed the CHERRY-YUZU SODA which is a twist on the classic Shirley temple. I also loved the lobster fried rice, it was smoky but rich and very loaded with lobster. The seaweed salad was ok, it wasn’t as crunchy as I’d hoped it would be but it was ok. The sushi I ordered(I believe it was a specialty) was not as great, but the presentation was beautiful. The overall aesthetic and ambiance was outstanding, it’s definitely a MUST try in Charlotte.

First, the sign for O-Ku was easily obstructed, so we ended up walking around the Sola Salon building to find it...when you see the field of glowing mushrooms, walk straight ahaed and yoi'll eventually see the sign on the corner of the building. O-ku have a warm atmosphere, and the staff was super friendly and accommodating. The food was good, but it wasn't the best. For example, we had the fried sweet and spicy shrimp at O-ku and Midnight diner and to me, the midnight diner shrimp was better. The food and drinks were good and if i was going with a group of people who wanted sushi, I'd recommend O-ku because the food is solid and it has a good vibe. We didn’t have to wait for a table because we made a reservation, and because it was a special occasion for me, they gave me a special menu which was dope.

It was my first time at this restaurant, and I have mixed feelings. I came by myself after an event, craving a drink, and was drawn here for their wide choices of sashimi and their lychee martinis. The hostess at the front desk was, I guess just literally doing her job. She wasn’t too friendly. Told me that I can either sit at the bar or the sushi station. When I said the bar, she said OK, it’s first come first serve go ahead. For a place like this I would think she would be kind of more welcoming and escort me to the bar like other places I’ve been to, but whatever that’s just me being nitpicky. Thankfully, the bartender was very kind and offered great recommendations. I tried the Queen City Capriccio, which was flavorful and melted in my mouth, but at nearly $30, I expected it to come with rice or a salad. I likely would not order it again as I feel like I could’ve gotten something just as flavorful, but at a more decent price. The lychee martinis were fine, though a bit weak. I ended up having four, but they were still enjoyable. I also took home the lobster fried rice, truffle sushi roll, and seaweed salad. They were decent but nothing extraordinary. I was a little annoyed at the amount of wasabi they put in the to go container lol . The atmosphere is very dimly lit and cozy, so much so that reading the menu felt like needing a flashlight, but it was a cool vibe. Overall, I would consider coming back for a special occasion, and to try other items in the menu that I’m very interested in, but probably would not just drop in casually.

The vibe was great for Valentine’s date night! The appetizers were pretty good, one note would be the duck buns didn’t have much flavor without the sauce. We were not a fan of the spider and red volcano roll as the tempura batter had a weird bitter taste, along with straying from crispy to rock hard 😅. The rainbow roll was delicious and will definitely stick with non-fried rolls here going forward (didn’t have this issue with the Raleigh location though). The Valentine’s pavlova was a miss for us as we were not a fan of the “crust” that made up most of the dessert, along with the jam tasting generically sweet (like one note but super sweet).

I really, really wanted to like this place. The space and vibe seem cool when you enter. However, they had a lot of strikes on a not so busy Tuesday night. They said they could t move a reservation up :30 even though when we got there it was 1/2 empty. The drinks were pricey but good. The food ranged from bad to delicious. The special was a king crab hand roll and it was great. So was the Fuji roll. The South end shrimp and red dragon were good. The teriyaki chicken was mid and the truffle toro was terrible. The toro was tough and rubbery. I would have sent it back or complained but a) we waited over an hour, again on a not busy Tuesday night, for our food and b) our waitress disappeared for a while. 5 people ate, 2 drinks and 1 appetizer was over $260 with tip. I won’t go back.

Meal and service were really good, we sat right at the sushi bar. Unfortunately as we were paying the bill a cockroach came up onto the bar and then crawled back down before we could get anyone’s attention. Not what you want to see after you finish your meal at all, especially sitting next to the sushi bar! Manager told us this is not common at the restaurant, but left it at that.