Kisser in East Nashville serves up expertly crafted Japanese comfort food—from milk bread sandwiches and onigiri to rich curry and ramen—in a cozy, bustling café with a hip, communal vibe.
"Sure, it might seem hard to get a table at Kisser—this walk-in-only Japanese spot is roughly the size of a two-car garage and is only open four days a week for lunch. But the experience of waiting for some cod roe-stuffed onigiri is far from that of hanging out in Ticketmaster purgatory. You’ll probably only have to wait a few minutes amongst the crowd of families, folks studying in Vanderbilt hoodies, and people who probably name Cheers as their favorite sitcom. But after that, you’re in for a near-tranquil lunch fueled by those aforementioned rice balls and grilled 24-hour, sake-marinated yellowtail collar that’s so good you’ll murmur expletives under your breath at how tender it is. Wash everything down with some sushi rice ale made in collaboration with Harding House Brewing Co. and finish your meal with blissful spoonfuls of miso creme brulee." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak, adam sloan
"A Japanese restaurant in Nashville which was a finalist for the Best New Restaurant category last year." - Missy Frederick
"Lunch is the only option at this East Nashville spot that serves exceptional Japanese comfort food. Owners (and husband-and-wife team) Brian Lea and Leina Horii have created a cozy, personalized dining room in which to enjoy their menu of small plates like onigiri with snow crab or egg salad on homemade milk bread; try larger plates like a warming Japanese curry with gravy or spicy miso ramen. Japanese breakfast is served on the weekend, a classic combo of miso-marinated fish with sides, rice, and a salad dressed with carrot-ginger dressing — a recipe borrowed from Horii’s sushi chef father. The always-present wait for a small number of tables can be daunting, so get your party on the digital waitlist (available via QR code at the host stand) ASAP." - Ellen Fort
"The brick-and-mortar location of Brian Lea and Leina Horii’s pandemic-born pop-up has made quite the splash with its 25-seat cafe in East Nashville. Situated in Highland Yards, the space is only open for lunch Friday through Monday, but manages to pack a crowd that clambers for its milk bread sandwiches, chicken katsu, and rotating udon, soba, and ramen dishes. Many of the items are also vegan and gluten-free friendly. There are no reservations here, so keep that in mind if you’re in a time crunch. —JGJ" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Ellen Fort
"We find it hard to use restraint when talking about Kisser, a lunch-only Japanese spot in East Nashville. Seriously, this caption could just be a voice note of us shouting “Yellowtail collar! Katsu sando!” and the rest of the menu items. But alas, we’ll control ourselves. Restraint is just not the natural response when item after item on the menu is so delicious and checks all the boxes for a dream lunch. Nice cold appetizer? Enter a red snapper crudo with chilled dashi-marinated eggplant. Something hearty to warm us up? Hello, Japanese curry gravy over steamed rice with a crispy katsu cutlet. One does not casually discuss this restaurant in civilized conversation. You loudly banter back and forth like overly passionate football fans at a tailgate. " - jackie gutierrez jones 2, carlo mantuano, ann walczak
