O-Ku

Went for my 32nd birthday wanted to do the sushi tasting but the chef was on vacation which was understandable so was I. Still went because the menu looked and sounded absolutely amazing and did not disappoint. Ordered 10 dishes and 2 desserts everything was majestic. Will be coming back the octopus was my all time favorite out of every dish we got and the Ube butter mochi brownie was to die for 😍

This is one of my favorite restaurants here in Raleigh and I always come back. The sushi, service, location and vibe are all spot on. If you like Salmon, I highly recommend the lemon Salmon. The Salmon Roe Nigiri is also one of my favorite items. Aside from sushi, they also have really good entres like the noodles and salmon dish. They have a large drinks menu with warm and sparkling Sake, wines, and delicious cocktails. I will definitely be coming back - thank you guys!

Updated Spring 2025: Our favorite sushi restaurant and dining experience in Raleigh. Emily and the team are amazing. We even had the pleasure of attending their tasting event. The lobster is my favorite!!! Everything is so good ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Updated Dec 2024: Nestled in the heart of downtown Raleigh, O-Ku offers an exceptional dining experience that blends modern sophistication with authentic Japanese flavors. From the moment you walk in, the ambiance sets the tone: warm lighting, sleek décor, and an inviting atmosphere perfect for both intimate dinners and lively gatherings. The menu is a standout, with a wide range of dishes that cater to both sushi aficionados and those new to Japanese cuisine. Our favorite go-to appetizer is the O-ku rock shrimp. The hot dish entrees are just as delicious as the sushi. This time around I had the pan seared salmon and my husband enjoyed the hanger steak. The drink menu is equally impressive, with an extensive selection of sake, craft cocktails, and wines. Loved the seasonal cocktail, Sugar & Spice and I also had a cucumber gimlet with gin. Service at O-Ku was impeccable. The staff was knowledgeable about the menu and eager to offer thoughtful recommendations. Zach was spot on with recommending the dumplings! The pacing of the meal was perfect, allowing us to savor each course without feeling rushed. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in a refined dining experience, O-Ku Raleigh delivers on all fronts. We're quite pleased with the value of the experience. Thank you, Emily and everyone! October 2024: The decor is contemporary and sleek- Instagram worthy. Our server, Eric was very nice and gave us a tour of the menu and gave his recommendations. Every dish we tried was amazing including the desserts. I also loved my cocktail. Every aspect of this menu was well thought out and executed. We'll definitely dine here again. Monday through Thursday they have happy hour from 5-7 and the weekends are busy so be sure to get a reservation!

I don’t even know where to begin. Hands down the best dining experience I’ve had in Raleigh. From the food, to the drinks, to the ambiance and service, everything was 10/10. Paul is one of the managers and made me feel like the Queen that I am! And Zach, my waiter, was just delightful, attentive and personable. The food was delicious, and the drinks were great. I was not planning to even eat dessert but it was a delicious surprise! I had the best night because of Paul and Zach and will forever cherish this evening. Thank you Oku for an amazing Valentine’s Day! ❤️

Came here for a solo food outing and it happened to be Mother’s Day so the restaurant was packed. I was able to secure a spot at the bar and had a great experience. The salmon & lemon roll was incredible, super fresh and light, the lemon was not overpowering. The edamame had a good balance of sweet and spicy and was a great addition to the meal. Unfortunately 2 menu items I tried to order were out of stock due to the busy night but everything I had ended up being good. I ended the night with the sesame donuts and was very satisfied. They were super fresh and pillowy, thanks to the ricotta in the batter. Overall great value and experience, also they had an interesting selection of alcohol at the bar. I had a yuzu Japanese beer that was the best beer I’ve ever had.

Food is divine! Service is attentive and punctual. Sushi was super fresh and the music was great as well. Bathrooms are clean too.

Nicole was an amazing server and everything she recommended was delicious! It was one of our birthdays and she brought dessert and a gift. We were very impressed and will be back!

⭐ Flavor ⭐ Food quality ⭐ Vibe ⭐ Service 🌑 Value for money Detailed review: ⭐ Flavor Flavors were good and clean. Nothing was too overpowering or bland. I could have used more punch in some things, but I think that's personal preference. The curry noodles had a very nice tumeric flavor with a good level of heat. I like spicy spicy food, so this could be hot to others. The specialty tuna (?) nigiri was very good. The avocado mousse amplified the sweetness of the fish. The doughnut holes were surprisingly good, and the unique caramel had good flavor that cut the sweetness down. ⭐ Food Quality All the food was fresh and well cooked/prepared. None of the rice or fish was dry. Everything was cooked perfectly. ⭐ Vibe The vibe is modern and upscale. The dining area is well lit with warm lighting, has lots of dark colors, and is accented by natural wood. The staff is dressed in all black. Do not come dressed down in sweats. ⭐ Service Service was friendly and attentive. They said the kitchen was busy, and I didn't feel as tho we waited very long at all. Nicole was our server, and she was lovely. 🌑 Value for Money This place is pricier than other sushi restaurants in downtown. I can't say that the overall quality of everything was significantly better to justify the higher price. Would I go back? Sure. Is it my new, favorite sushi restaurant? No.

I loveeeeee O-Ku In Raleigh! Any chance I get I invite out of town guests to dine at the restaurant! Austin is the best server ever! No worries, if you can't make up your mind about the menu! She has the best recommendations! She made my wedding anniversary dinner so special! I hope to celebrate my 50th birthday there in Aug! Wink wink Paul Natasha

Me and my fiance ate dinner there 05/25. The food and service was outstanding. Paul the GM made us feel super welcome and Eric our server answered any questions we had about the menu in a timely manner. Great atmosphere in there as well. Some of the best sushi I've ever had!

My partner and I make this dining experience part of our weekend at least once a month, and sometimes it is a bi-weekly treat. I look so forward to these special Friday evenings because I know I am going to be dining on some of the most delectable foods that have crossed my palate, met by some of the finest and most friendly staff, and treated to exquisite ambiance and the beautiful back-drop of a downtown Raleigh street. I love this restaurant so much! A special shout out to our requested server, Ginah who provides service beyond expectation, is the most friendly server I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and is certainly deserving of this special shout out, and many, many other accolades. I am a creature of habit, but my partner is not, and I have experienced many enjoyable menu items thanks to his progressive palate and foodie spirit. I am grateful for that. As a result of this, I must make recommendations for food. We start each dinner with a drink, the Zone 2983 (Suntory Whiskey, scotch, plum wine, peychaud bitters), 2 orders of the dumplings, the O-ku Shrimp, and Edamame. The dumplings are some of the most rich flavored I have had, so tender and just so very tasty tantalizing, the O-Ku Shrimp are always spot on delicious in the O-Ku sauce, and the Edamame comes in different flavors, with every single flavor being worth a try, but I personally recommend the Pink Himalayan Salt & Truffle Oil. Recently, we were treated to the Scallops and they were mouth watering, tender, bright flavored and fresh. We will be adding these to our Friday's evenings going forward. For dinner, my partner and I share the best of our meals now. He enjoys the sushi, and I mean all of them. The Dillon, and the O-Baby seems to be his go to though. There is none that are single standouts to me because they all are just a standout, period, end of story. They are amazing, they are fresh, appetizing and deliver what the stomach ordered. Every bite is a flavorsome, appetizing, little bite of heaven. The fresh ginger is also stellar. I, however, ALWAYS, and I MEAN ALWAYS get the Curry Noodles/w Chicken. The light spicy coconut curry over the ramen, cabbage, mushroom and red pepper is TO DIE FOR, AMAZING! LITERALLY, tongue smacking brain delicious! There is also enough food in that bowl to enjoy at home, and I do, willingly. The only thing I dislike about this dish is that eventually it runs out and I have to wait another two weeks, to one month, before I have it again. This dish cannot be beat! Last, and just when you think, how do they eat more than what he has already shared, we have tried, and continue to try several of the desserts. The Sara Andagi (donut holes , sesame sugar, miso caramel) and Mont Blanc Cake (dark chocolate mousse, chestnut cream, yuzu raspberry oculis, raspberry) are delightfully delicious, delectable, a true finale to a wonderfully delicious experience. The ambiance (a little loud sometimes but worth it as it is always a packed house), is also notable and to be mentioned because I love the city vibe, the candles, and the trendy little atmosphere, and most of all, to be seated at the hightop looking out at the city street. When dusk starts calling, the flicker of the table candles and the dark, mysteriously intriguing atmosphere inside, with the roar of the outdoor patio flames in the window, all adds to the experience. I will end this by stating again, the service is impeccable. Ginah is our first request, but I must also admit that I have not had one bad service experience at all from any server. The manager always makes rounds whether helping his staff, or just making acquaintance, and is such an outgoing and pleasant guy, and even when we have been tended to by the bartender herself, she was beyond stellar....and let me tell you, she was hustling and had her hands FULL. Overall 10 out of 10, 100 out of 100, an A+ on the report card, and a big ol' MS for More than Satisfactory. Go downtown Raleigh and dine at O-Ku...Okay!

O-Ku is fantastic!! I wanted a few trips under my belt before I rated it on Yelp. Now that I've gotten to go both during the week and on the weekend, as well as with just two of us dining versus a larger group, I feel very confident in giving O-Ku a 4/5 stars. My biggest complaint is the music volume. Before anyone thinks I'm not hip (which might be true) or I'm old (I'm closer to 40 than I am 30), every person I've gone to O-Ku with has commented on the volume of the music. I get it, loud music is fun, but the building is mostly hard surfaces and there are speakers everywhere. Going with friends, it's hard to hear the person across the table from you. Going on a date, it's hard to say sweet things to one another. The music is great, the building is great, the decor is on point, the entire space is fantastic, but lower the music by about 10 decibels and the entire experience would be on point! The inside is super comfortable and the restaurant is clean with great lighting. The food is fantastic!!! One of my favorite sushi places in Raleigh. They also have a ton of options for folx who don't eat sushi or who have to be mindful of allergens. The service has always been top notch. I'll probably continue to visit just between the service and food alone, but if the music was a hair lower, it would be an even more enjoyable experience. Parking isn't bad for downtown. There are a ton of free spaces nearby and there are several close lots that are reasonably priced. Must try items: Sushi: salmon and lemon roll, angry salmon roll Drink: white dragon Dessert: sata andagi

I'm a big fan of O-Ku, I went twice over the holiday season and while they were slammed, service was still pretty great. Love that they let you pick citrus or cucumber for your water, just a nice touch. The happy hour is a plus, it's definitely paired down a bit from when they first opened. My favorite roll here is the salmon lemon roll and that is on the happy hour menu. I'm not usually a huge salmon roll person, but this one is just so tasty! The usuzukuri is also delicious, my friend suggested it and the sauce the salmon is is straight amazing. Love dipping my sushi in it. On one occasion we were there for a birthday and they brought out a dessert with a candle in it. Such a nice and appreciated touch! There is street parking, a paid outdoor lot, and a much cheaper garage around the corner from O-Ku!

Atmosphere: O-Ku is a modern and lively restaurant, great for a fun night of sushi in downtown Raleigh. There is a decent amount of seating inside, but it's probably safest to go with a reservation on busier nights. Service: Our server was friendly and gave us menu recommendations. We were served in a timely manner. Food: We started off our meal with the Rock Shrimp, which was crispy and sweet! For sushi, we ordered the Angry Salmon and The Dillon. The Angry Salmon wasn't that spicy (minus the little serrano chilis on top), but the salmon was fresh. We enjoyed The Dillon, which had a nice crunch from the tempura shrimp and chewiness from the ebi. Overall: While O-Ku was a fun date night experience, we think that it's a bit overhyped. For the overall ambiance and location downtown, O-Ku is a nice place, but the sushi did not particularly wow us. We may come back for the occasional celebration!

Good sushi! I've been to a few other O-ku locations; however, this location had gnats. a few flew in our food. The service was great and the manager waived our food ticket due to the gnats. I hope they fix that point problem bc I love this place.

I was visiting from out of town with coworkers and we decided to come here after work, for drinks and food. As soon as you walk through the door, you were immediately greeted by a modern and upscale Japanese establishment. I started off with the spicy tuna roll, and they were absolutely divine. This happened to be a busy night, so the wait to get the roll was a little long, which was a little disappointing, but when they did finally come out, I was very happy with my choice. For my entree, I elected to go with one of their hot dishes, the donburi chicken. I am so happy that I went with this choice because there was not one ingredient in this dish that missed. Everything was seasoned, so well, I could not recommend this dish more! I'm choosing to give this place 4/5 stars, not because of the food, but because of the service. Again, this could've been just because it was an extremely busy night, but I felt like our waiter wasn't as attentive to us. Additionally, the music was blasting in here, which made it a little difficult to hear what the person next to you was saying. This unfortunately, did take away from the experience a little bit. I felt like I was in a club at certain times, not in an upscale Japanese restaurant.

Ambiance was so modern and inviting. The service was impeccable!! We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary and the staff was so sweet with celebrating with us. They had a sweet card waiting at the table for us when we arrived. Our server was so nice and helpful when deciding what to order. My husband is not a fan of sushi but he thoroughly enjoyed his food. He ordered the wagyu steak sushi. I ordered the cali roll. So good and worth every bite.

Phewww! This place humbly knocks your socks off. This place can bring any vibe you're lookin' for: * Girls night out * Date night * Group get together Inside is super cute, service is spot on, and the flavor that bursts in your mouth is to die for!

Great quality and service it is pricey for NC but excellent for, beautiful presentation, each dish was better looking than the previous one. Great bar as well so I will be back.

I've tried O-Ku twice now. It's a semi upscale sushi spot. The sushi is definitely good but I would not want to go there on a regular basis. However they do have a decent lunch menu which I'd go back for!

Such a great spot! I made a reservation for Friday night and was immediately sat! I noted that I was there for an anniversary and they took that into detail. The inside was a tad loud so we sat outside and it was perfect! Jinah was our server and went above and beyond with service! She catered to our every need and was extremely kind. Jinah ensured that our anniversary went well and deserves amazing things in life!!

My third time at O-Ku Raleigh and finally they got everything right! The Lychee Mai Tai was so good and the uni so fresh! We also had a few rolls made well.

It's been a while since I've had a meal that was worth the price, but O-Ku has hit it out of the park! We went there for my husband's birthday and were wowed by the creativity of the Signature Nigeria and the creativity of the rolls. We ordered the Black Magic hakuzushi, the Ha Ha Maki, and the white spider roll. Even our daughter's chicken Yakitori was juicy and flavorful with a light glaze and the perfect char. We ordered the Okinawa style donuts (no donut should be this light and soft on the inside and crispy on the outside!) and the yuzu Pavlov. They also brought out mochi ice cream and a chocolate mouse cake that were delicious. They even signed a birthday card for my hubby! Service by Clint was exceptional! Thanks for a memorable meal!

It's a heck yeah for me! Food, service and atmosphere was everything! I took a few co-workers

Our Server was Xian, from the moment we were seated, she was fabulous. Xian was attentive, informative and kind throughout the entire experience. We at no point felt rushed or as if we were an inconvenience. Xian went over and beyond to make the night memorable. Checking in consistently and Ending our night with a delicious Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cake. Thank you Xian and O-Ku for a date night to remember!

Food amazing The ambience wonderful Wait staff kind I went to meet up Food was fresh and delicious I really enjoyed my time there the food was great! I can wait to be able to go to this restaurant again.

On a drizzly Wednesday night, we made reservations before heading to see a play nearby. We were seated at our preferred seating, a high top table next to the window. We had the best server, Mirna. She was super friendly, super helpful and took great care of us. We started with appetizers, Miso Soup, Duck Breast Skewers and M Street Wings. Everything was so delicious, I was literally dancing in my seat. We both ordered signature cocktails, and they were perfect. We both ordered a sushi roll, we both enjoyed every bite. I ordered the Salmon and Lemon Roll. There was an amazing option to substitute imitation crab for real lump crab for an up charge, I jumped on it. Everything was so good, I can't wait to go back again soon. Everything was fresh, presented beautifully and so delicious. The atmosphere is perfect! The lighting, the music, the seating arrangements. I see why it's always crowded.

We love this place! The food is amazing, it's got a great vibe, and the service is above and beyond

Likely the best sushi roll I have ever had. I would highly recommend this place. The service is awesome as well and the sake is decent.

We absolutely LOVE this place. My boyfriend stumbled across it with his cousin and he immediately brought me back. Everything we have tried on this menu is fabulous. We find a new item to try every visit and end up loving it just the same. But our FAVORITE!? The Wagyu roll. MY GOODNESS. That roll is by far the best sushi roll I have ever had in my entire life. No exaggeration. The char of the wagyu mixed with the flavors is truly sublime. And Eileen. Ask for Eileen. She really really REALLY caters to her customers. I will only go there to have her serve us because it is always prompt and personable. She has such an infectious personality and has never messed up our order. Keep her on staff, she's phenomenal.

The food in this place deserves a solid 5, but there were a few things to mention that resulted in the 4. Our waiter was attentive and really helped answer our questions and make recommendations. Nothing he recommended steered us wrong! I think the main thing to note about this place is that the sushi is fresh, the cocktails are flavorful and unique, and the sushi offerings are creative. To begin we had the Usuzukuri. We are big salmon fans and always just get the salmon nigiri or sashimi, but this was the salmon on another level! The flavors just all went together. We really enjoyed this. We were between this one and the Carpaccio so the waiter offered to get us a sampler. It was small but perfect and that carpaccio was so delicious. Next, we wanted otoro and he suggested to get the otoro spoons that is more bang for your buck than the otoro sashimi. The otoro spoons were so yummy! It had caviar on it with the minced otoro and it was a perfect bite. I felt like I was on Top Chef! We also ordered the 8 pieces of Nigiri, Chef's Choice. TO be honest, we were worried it wasn't going to be the best selection of fishes but we wanted to try it so that we would get out of our comfort zone. By golly, the chef sent out some amazing fish! There were a few different white fishes that were like butter, they just melted in your mouth. It also had salmon and otoro. Hands down, the best choice we made. If come again, we will definitely be getting it again. Then, we got 3 rolls: The Angry Salmon, the Rainbow and the Tsunami rolls. All were so yummy! The Tsunami roll was different in a good way. Lastly, we each had two cocktails. I had 2 Clouds of White. It was so yummy! But they sneak up on you! My husband had a Sugar and Spice. That was flavorful, and a hit in the back of the throat with the habanero. It was delicious. He also saw a mocktail he loved and he added liquor to it. Now the constructive feedback. We came here to celebrate our anniversary. Prior to choosing this restaurant I saw a review of another couple that came for their anniversary and the received a card and a free glass of champagne each. We didn't get anything. No one even acknowledged it was our anniversary. It felt like such a different experience based on what that couple stated in their review. Small things like that go a long way so I was truly disappointed to not have received a similar experience. Another piece is that the couple next to us were offered a tray of cut fruit to add to their water. The review I read mentioned that as well. We were not offered that at all. Even the sampler carpaccio which I thought would be on the house was charged as a"Gift" for $5. This place is yummy but the fact that customers can't expect a similar experience, is disappointing.

Food...fabulous! Drinks...delicious! Atmosphere...amazing! Highly recommend, the outdoor eating area is wonderful and super cute. They do get busy so be prepared, reservation is highly recommended.

I have to start by saying great great food. The tuna sushi was very good, and so was the hanger steak. The rock shrimp was also really good. The server was attentive, knowledgeable and kind. I had a reservation for outdoors but we got sat indoors in the corner of the restaurant, but it was a busy night so I did not make a big deal out of it and stayed indoors. My only problem with the restaurant is the ambiance. The interior design is gorgeous, however the music playing is very anticlimactic, it was just radio pop and 2016 bangers (which I usually like but it did not fit the restaurant). O-Ku would really benefit from playing some mellow jazz or at least something more toned down. Furthermore, it was very loud, I could barely hear what my partner was saying. Overall, great food but could improve in the ambience aspect.

This Place is AMAZING!! The staff went well out of there way to make me and my wife's !st year anniversary dinner sooooo special! Food was on time and on point! taste was incredible, and ambience was outstanding! There's not a place in Downtown Raleigh that can give you the service and quality of food than this spot! will be going back very soon!

I rarely get really pissed off after dining out but today was an extraordinarily rare freaking letdown. I don't know why people rate this restaurant so highly when their food is so effing bad!!! I ordered the pork belly buns, and tuna and salmon maki. Wife ordered the seaweed salad and cali crunch roll. The sushi items were so awfully tasteless. Didn't they even season the rice?! Good God! Not even after drenching the whole damned maki help it taste any better. Grrrrr!!! And another major annoyance was the pork belly buns. Come on! It is soo dry and bland the shredded pork tasted like cardboard. It was so horrible! What a f*cking waste of money. Never again... If you want to pay for overpriced yet disgustingly mediocre food, come here. Otherwise go somewhere else. Yuck! P.S. the service was great and the ambiance was nice, albeit noisy. These are the only satisfactory aspects of my experience dining here. Besides that I hope this place changes chefs. Bad food.

O Ku sushi in downtown Raleigh... ever been ??? No??? Why not ???? This place is awesome and has a awesome vibe with great staff and food ! It's a sexy intimate place for sushi and drinks ! Had dinner here and ordered enjoyed the following dishes .. Otoro fatties of the tuna cut and always a treat ... Bluefin Tuna Crudo which is Bluefin tuna, avocado mousse, lemon, wasabi soy, and crispy shallot such an awesome dish with different textures and flavors .. Black Magic Hakozushi is rectangular nigiri style sushi .. this one had lobster, squid ink rice, spicy aioli, masago, chives, and shallots. So freaking good and lobster on top was poached where it just melts in your mouth .. all the flavors in this was amazing . Ube cheesecake with crumbles and chocolate Pearl's and drizzle .. so freaking good... Major shootouts to Clint who was the server for recommendations and awesome service !

Excellent food and service !!!! Authentic Japanese fusion in Raleigh Good wine selection

There's good sushi places and then there's *great* sushi places, and O--Ku is the latter. The food itself is what sets O-Ku apart - their sushi is top-end with ingredients and combinations one doesn't regularly see at an average sushi place. (e.g., hakozushi) In addition to the standards: maki, nigiri, and sashimi, etc. - There's other Japanese dishes as well and more adventuresome fare to be had The atmosphere was upscale-casual, nothing over-the-top one way or the other. And the service was fast and friendly. Very much recommended.

It was a GREAT meal. The food was so good. The service was just superior. The manager on duty, Paul Francl, is a class act. He makes patrons feel welcome. Our waiter, Eric, was experienced and service oriented.

We went here for a 1 year wedding anniversary. The service was great and our waitress was so nice! She gave us a free app because our sushi took long and gave us champagne to celebrate our anniversary. The food itself was good. I wish they had more sushi combination like we wanted a more specialty roll with eel but all they had was a basic eel roll. The restaurant inside is super pretty and a great place in downtown Raleigh. Overall good food, great service and cool vibes.

I cannot say enough amazing things about O-Ku! This place is definitely an experience worth having. The food is delectable. Freshly made, unique flavorings, and so beautifully presented. Our favorites were the Waygu bites. I tend not to drink, so I also appreciated the equally adorable mocktail menu. The service was standout. We had a large birthday party and were never left waiting for drinks or food. The ambience was also gorgeous. Amazing all-around.

O-Ku is a nice spot under the Dillion apartments. I went with a group of girls after our book club at VV downtown. Austin was our server and she was AMAZING. She had great recommendations and was extremely accommodating. The drinks were great - I got the sugar & spice and loved it (I'm not typically a vodka gal but this was good). The shrimp app was delicious and similar to a bang bang shrimp but a little creamier. Chili oil edamame was 10/10. Everyone enjoyed their rolls (pictured). This place is definitely for the sushi lover and if there is someone in your party who does not enjoy sushi, I would probably choose a different place as there are little options here for them. I would definitely come back as everything was delicious and the service was great! This spot would also make a great date night spot

My wife and I had our 1 year anniversary dinner here and the O-Ku staff made it even more special for us! Mind you we did not ask for this, they just asked if we were celebrating anything. We know about southern hospitality but this was NEXT level! Our server, Eileen, was so kind and spoiled us--starting us off with complimentary champagne. We were debating between two small plates and asked Eileen for recommendations. We went with Usuzukuri, based on her recs and it was a fave of the evening! We shared 3 speciality rolls, each different, unique, and wonderful! We had a blast sitting at the counter watching the sushi chefs work their magic! The ambience is everything we were hoping for. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! You can't go wrong with anything on their menu. We can't wait to go back!

Meh. I scheduled a reservation for my birthday and was so excited. The fish was less than ok for the price. We did the truffle salmon app, overly salty but we were like "ok, one dish no problem." Then we did the 8 piece nigiri,three of them were inedible. The uni, which they "only had from Japan" and was almost $30 was made insanely good! Ikura tasted super fishy, no good. The wagu with foie gras, skip it for the price, underwhelming to be kind. Our server, she was serving the entire bar, fish bar and restaurant- incredible all around- she is amazing but like, no. Don't do it, go to m sushi in Durham.

Are you looking for a place that offers food with the freshest ingredients, impeccable service, and ambiance? THIS is the place. We have been there a handful of times & they consistently exceed expectations. We can recommend every menu item we've tried, from small plates/appetizers to the Tobanyaki tabletop grill for A5 Wagyu and yellowtail cheek/collar. The fish is extremely fresh for sushi & sashimi. Everything is presented with a twist, and everything is well seasoned. Their service has been excellent everytime. On this occasion, they spoiled us for our anniversary with an intimate booth, complete with flowers & card, signed by the staff. They also offered us some special treats based on our food preferences from previous visits! What! We would especially like to thank Erica & Emily, FOH Mgrs, as well as Austin & Zach, our most recent servers. They have treated us like royalty each & everytime! Thank you!

This was our first time here, and I thought the food was very fresh and tasty. If you get here between 5-7 they do a happy hour, which includes several of their Sushi Rolls. The atmosphere was very trendy, and our server Nicole was very helpful with sharing some of her favorites.. we will definitely be back..

Rolled in at 10pm on a Saturday night because O-Ku was one of the only restaurants still open at that time. I've heard of O-Ku in DC but never went so I was pleasantly surprised to find a location down here. The sushi is very good. Not quite as good as the other high end sushi places in DC, but def one of the best in the triangle area. High quality nigiri, well seasoned rice, lots of delicious rolls, and pricier ingredients like Otoro available. Unfortunately they were out by that time, but the Otoro spoons came highly recommended by our server so don't miss out! There is a well varied menu with hot food and tapas style dishes available. Our drinks were great as well. Our server was very helpful and we overall had a good experience. We had the Usuzukuri (like a salmon crudo), 8-piece Nigiri, Emperor roll, Kurama roll, and Rock Shrimp. Clouds of White is your standard vodka lychee cocktail, delicious!

Came here for my birthday dinner and Nicole was our server. She was very nice and attentive. Everything we ordered was very well presented and tasted amazing.

Adam was an incredible waiter. The sushi is UNLIKE any other sushi restaurant in Raleigh. And THATS coming from a NYC girl who's been spoiled with amazing fresh seafood. Every detail was spectacular from being treated like royalty at the host stand to the surprise dessert which added a special touch to the already amazing meal. Tried the Akita roll and it was SO fresh. Highly recommend!

At $10 for a single piece of regular tuna sushi, this is as expensive is the finest NYC sushi venue. I don't usually post about pricing but this has somehow crossed a line in the sand for me. Perhaps fresh fish is hard to bring to Raleigh, but still.

Service was 10/10, Jerry was amazinggggg, so helpful with the menu, so personable, made our experience 10/10, I told the manager how amazing he was. Rolls were 20/10, Akira roll was probs my favorite

The food here is very tasty and the wait time was so quick! Our waiter was knowledgeable and she was able to give us very great recommendations as we asked questions about the menu. The ambience of this place and the outdoor seating is not only cute, it's pet friendly! The drinks are a little pricey, but they are unique and very delicious. This place would be good for a date, dinner before going out, or a good place to take yourself on a solo date.

The food, service and drinks were fantastic! Everything we ordered was so delicious and our server, Gina, was fabulous. Overall, a great experience and we will definitely be back very soon! A new Raleigh fave!

This place is AWESOME. The sushi is outstanding and super fresh. The salmon on the appetizer menu is a must try. So delicate and smooth with a hint of truffle. Amazing. The cocktails were great. I'm a fairly simple sushi fan, so the salmon lemon roll was one of my favs. The black magic hakozushi was very unique and worth it for the gram. Come ready to spend money, but it will be well worth it. Top notch sushi.

Food was delicious. We loved the sushi selections and the service was impeccable. We will definitely return.

Fun Night Out in a Beautiful Restaurant. It was a friends birthday, and it was our first time at O-Ku. Service was friendly, and the food was tasty. As with many restaurants in that area, the prices were definitely on the high side. And I would not go often.

Favorite spot of all time. The sushi here is a dream and I bring everyone that comes to visit to this spot and everyone falls in love with it. The black magic roll is a must try and enjoy a cocktail. For more recommendations follow @raleighunlocked on Instagram.

First , second , and , third ... great food and the kindest staff . You get great food, elegant ambiance, great decor and great service. My boyfriend took me for my birthday and he couldn't have picked a better place ! The food and drinks were amazing and everyone was so welcoming . I even got a birthday card that was signed by most of the staff there with kind and genuine messages That took the cake for me ! We also were GIVEN sata andagi and Prosecco for a bday toast! We had the O-Ku rock shrimp, dumplings , curry noodles with salmon , and the salmon , lemon and orzo . Our drinks were the Clouds of white (x2 so yummy) and the sugar and spice . For dessert complimentary sata andagi and we got the chocolate miso torte. All photo worthy and the taste was pure perfection ! Such a wonderful night and great upscale Asian cuisine experience . I regret not trying any sushi but we will be back for sure .