Noko is the must-visit East Nashville hotspot serving up wood-fired Asian-inspired small plates, standout cocktails, and a lively atmosphere that keeps foodies coming back for more.
"Nashville’s got a solid roster of wood-fire-focused restaurants (see: Pelican & Pig), but this Japanese-minimalist izakaya is somewhere that stands out. They serve half chicken, smoked fish dip, and wagyu brisket dusted in togarashi that are perfect for sharing on a date. It’s not quite an anniversary or engagement situation, but it feels a bit more elevated than your usual Friday night Netflix binge with some Trader Joe’s orange chicken. In a stroke of why-didn’t-we-think-of-that genius, there’s a small Japanese zen garden in front of the bathrooms to help channel some peaceful patience when a parent with a toddler “emergency” cuts you in line." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak, adam sloan
"A Nashville restaurant where chef Dung “Junior” Vo was nominated in the Best Chef Southeast category." - Missy Frederick
"You can practically smell East Nashville’s wood-fired, Asian-influenced restaurant, Noko, from the parking lot — and that’s a very good thing. Chef Dung “Junior” Vo shows off his culinary chops with standout dishes including tuna crispy rice, wood-fired 42-ounce tomahawk ribeyes, and the District Sando, a glorified grilled cheese stuffed with prosciutto, truffle aioli, white cheddar, and togarashi. Wash it all down with a wagyu fat-washed Old Fashioned. The Sunday brunch service is also a hit with its Japanese fried chicken and waffles and the ube colada — a riff off the piña colada with coconut ube cream, pineapple, and rum. —JGJ" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Ellen Fort
"Noko is our surest, most set-it-and-forget-it dinner recommendation we can make in Nashville. They serve ridiculously good Japanese wood-fired plates and crudos that have never let us or anybody we know down. It’s as good for a solo meal at the bar as it is for a birthday throwdown when you’re also trying to accommodate that picky friend who went through a “white foods only” phase. With expertly executed dishes you can’t find anywhere else in the city, a cool minimalist aesthetic, and service that’s always on-point, it’s impossible to walk away from Noko just liking it. Finding reasons to go back will become a borderline obsession." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, carlo mantuano, ann walczak
"You’re going to smell the smoke from Noko a block away from the East Nashville restaurant. That’s because they cook most of their dishes through a roasty-toasty wood-fired grill right behind the bar. The space itself is very minimalist with lots of light wood, concrete, and glass, and it’s great for bringing a small-ish group to share plates like the buttery salmon carpaccio, crunchy tuna crispy rice, moco fries topped with furikake for dinner. But brunch is pretty great here, too. You’ll find some dishes from the dinner menu on there, along with the Big Baller Brunch—it comes with a 42-ounce tomahawk ribeye, waffles (ask for the ube butter), eggs, and hashbrowns. Just know that Noko’s a pretty hot reservation around town, so you’ll want to make sure you have your tabled booked at least a week in advance. " - jackie gutierrez jones 2
