O
O-Ku
Modern Japanese cuisine meets vibrant nightlife in the heart of Raleigh.
4.8(5 reviews)
$$
japanese
japanese
cocktail-bars
Fresh, high-quality sushi including specialties like O’Toro Nigiri and Hamachi Nigiri, with options for gluten-free soy sauce.
Creative appetizers such as O-Ku Rock Shrimp and edamame with truffle oil, perfect for sharing.
Curated selection of cocktails, hot sake, and premium sake like Amabuki, enhancing the dining experience.
Intimate settings with countertop or table options, ideal for celebrations and romantic evenings.
Accommodations for dietary needs, including gluten-free menu items and dedicated soy sauce.
Seasonal and signature dishes like the Chef Specialty Usuzukuri, offered complimentary for special occasions.
Modern Japanese cuisine meets vibrant nightlife in the heart of Raleigh.
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O-Ku in Raleigh offers an upscale dining experience blending fresh sushi, creative Japanese dishes, and a lively bar atmosphere. Known for its stylish interior with orange lighting and wooden accents, it's perfect for date nights, celebrations, or a night out. With a focus on quality ingredients like Bluefin Tuna and gluten-free options, plus attentive service, O-Ku provides a memorable fusion of food and entertainment. Rated 4.6/5 by over 1,100 reviews, it's a top spot for adventurous and conservative palates alike.
I was completely blown away by this restaurant!!!! The food was incredible!!! If you are gluten-free you must stop by and visit OKU in Raleigh! The atmosphere is wonderful, I was greeted as soon as I walked in the door! The music, lights (just right) not to dim is the perfect backdrop for dining, also the branched on the columns have to be a nod to the City of Oaks, nice touch. My waiter was BOMB! Very knowledgeable ensured what I was eating was not only delicious but gluten free, they had gluten free soy sauce that hit you in the mouth! Fresh and potent. So many options for appetizers, small plates, and sushi! The duck breast was incredibly cooked with a sweet raspberry sauce. Everything I had here was excellent the GM is doing the thing! Bathrooms were super clean, modern, and well assembled, wasn’t expecting that! Thank Oku! What a night
Food was okay overall. We ordered the octopus and the o-toro spoon for the appetizers — both were fine. Sushi was okay, nothing bad but nothing that really stood out. One thing that was surprising is the sushi didn’t come with ginger or wasabi, which feels pretty standard for a sushi restaurant. The wait for sushi was quite long, but they did bring out a complimentary appetizer while we were waiting, which we appreciated. Nice gesture, though the long wait definitely affected the experience. Overall, it was decent, just not memorable.
Really good experience, the sushi was fresh and tasty, the server did an amazing job! The desserts had a nice presentation, but the flavor wasn’t the best. Got a 8.5/10
Recommended dishes: 1) O’Toro Nigiri - Melts in your mouth since Bluefin Tuna belly (otoro) is the prized piece of the fish. Garnished with a smidgen of Kaluga caviar (understandable but a tad disappointing … maybe I had 2 1/2 pearls of sturgeon roe) chives and volcanic salt. 2) Hamachi Nigiri - Flame seared salmon (aburi) with a smidgen of uni (sea urchin gonads) and truffle chili. Delish but … I wanted more Japanese uni! Still, all flavors blended sumptuously. 3) Ikura nigiri - Salmon roe - While the name says it all, it leaves out how firm and delightfully saline these little egg pearls were! This is a more economical choice for those on a budget and highly nutritious. 4) Negihama Temaki - Japanese amberjack also referred to as “yellowtail” is accompanied with red tobiko (flying fish roe) and is wrapped like a taco rather than a cone. This is ideal for such a beautiful fish! While I ordered and enjoyed the house hot sake in a generous 9 oz carafe, my server gave me a sample of Amabuki: Pink Junmai Rose Lady. I’m pretty sure I will enjoy a glass of this in the not-to-distant future. That and the Chef Specialty “Otoro Spoons” and the signature temaki “Creme de la Creme.” Absolutely wonderful dining experience. Exotic and satisfying although quite light at the same time! Highly recommended dining experience for adventurous and conservative palates.
Incredible experience. My girlfriend and I were walking by this Restaraunt a couple weekends before and were absolutely mesmerized. The ambience of orange lighting mixed with the wooden architecture looked beautiful. When making the reservation, we had a counter top option only, and while we thought it would not be as good as table experience; we had the same (potentially more) attention from the waitress who was both friendly and informative. Not only that but we were able to sit right next to each other which arguably is more an intimate setting perfect for date night. Our waitress was very understanding of our allergies and checked multiple times with us and the chefs about them. We ordered for starters the edemame with pink Himalayan salt and truffle oil along with the O-Ku Rock Shrimp; both were great. We then got the Cali Crunch and the Dillon; and since we were celebrating a new job offer they gave us the Chef Specialty Usuzukuri on the house! We had a lovely time; a perfect setting for date night and the food was memorable. Will surely return again and order the famous Kurama!
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