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O-Ku’s menu provides a fresh and innovative take on traditional Japanese sushi and cuisine. Located in the Warehouse District of downtown Raleigh, the restaurant offers rare and unique dining options with traditional sashimi and specialty rolls, highlighting seafood from the finest fish markets in Tokyo and Hawaii alongside local and seasonal ingredients. Reminiscent of traditional Japanese culture, O-Ku’s menu is comprised of signature starters, contemporary Japanese entrees and seasonal traditional sushi that reflect the uniquely designed space. The beverage program is built around quality ingredients that celebrate Japanese culture .
Modern, industrial interiors in an elevated dining room with inspired Asian fare focused on sushi.
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Raleigh – Hours & Location | O-Ku Sushi in the USA
Visit O-Ku Sushi in Raleigh, NC at 411 W Hargett Street. Open Sunday through Tuesday: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Wednesday & Thursday: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM, …
Raleigh Menu | O-Ku Sushi in the USA
See the menus for O-Ku Sushi in Raleigh, NC. Offering sushi for outdoor seating, kerbside pickup, no-contact delivery, takeaway, and dine-in!
O-Ku – Raleigh Restaurant – Raleigh, NC | OpenTable
O-Ku’s menu provides a fresh and innovative take on traditional Japanese sushi and cuisine. Located in the Warehouse District of downtown Raleigh.
Reviews
Riley Mongoven
Amazing customer service & food. The atmosphere is very sophisticated and restaurant is clean. Asked right away about any dietary restrictions and provided lemon/cucumber for waters. Sarah was our waitress and she was very knowledgeable about the menu and friendly! I highly recommend the white spider roll. Will definitely come again!!!
… moreNook H
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.
… moreThe 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.
Yusuf Buxamusa
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!
… moreMy 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!
Nee Alston
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
… moreThank Oku! What a night
H L
I hesitate so greatly to make this review. We had the best server that I could’ve asked for. Thank you so much to Eric for making our day a little bit better when the experience that we had at Oku was less than desirable.
Let me start with the fish. For the price that you pay at Oku, you were expecting quality fish, the way that Sushi Mon or Shijiri would be able to provide you. The fish had incredibly fishy after taste, which is not supposed to be a thing with Nigiri or sashimi. Granted, they were short staffed this night for the kitchen, so I am wondering if the fish handling was not the way that it normally was. Either way, I was not impressed with the quality of the fish. The other thing I judge sushi places on a lot is the rice. I am unsure why this rice was so mushy and had a lot of vinegar flavor. Normally sushi rice is supposed to have a sweeter vinegar flavor, but not mashed up together in a ball the way that the Nigiri was served. I am not impressed. We even ordered a salmon appetizer that was called usuzukuri. The amount of salt that was on these raw pieces of salmon should be illegal. Honestly, it would be better if the dish had no salt at all. It was better that way when it came out a second time. I couldn’t eat the first one. I was so shocked by the amount of soy sauce that was given – it felt like the whole piece of sushi could drown in it.
We tried to order the A5 Kagoshima Tartare, and they were out of that. Thank goodness, because we were originally warned that it would take 20 extra minutes. We were in this restaurant for 2 hours waiting on food for around 30-45 minutes per course.
The main thing that made the night, funny enough, was the dishes that the server Eric was nice enough to provide us. The Shishido peppers were delicious and grilled to perfection. Dessert was also provided, and those donuts? Best thing ever.
Overall, it is thanks to the service that this place even gets two stars at all. I am expecting better from a sushi place that is this highly rated and this expensive. our server explained to us that the kitchen was incredibly understaffed this night, but it just doesn’t make up for the actual quality of the food that they were sending out. By the end of the night, I actually wanted them to cancel my two rolls that I had ordered, but they said it was coming out in the next two minutes. I really wanted to be out of that restaurant. The dessert was to-go.
If you want to get Omakase, go to Omakase by Kai. If you want nice sushi, go to the places recommended above. This is not worth it for a chain.
I will not be spending this level of money again to be so disappointed in a sushi experience. We chose to spend our 10 year anniversary here and went home exhausted and over the night.
… moreLet me start with the fish. For the price that you pay at Oku, you were expecting quality fish, the way that Sushi Mon or Shijiri would be able to provide you. The fish had incredibly fishy after taste, which is not supposed to be a thing with Nigiri or sashimi. Granted, they were short staffed this night for the kitchen, so I am wondering if the fish handling was not the way that it normally was. Either way, I was not impressed with the quality of the fish. The other thing I judge sushi places on a lot is the rice. I am unsure why this rice was so mushy and had a lot of vinegar flavor. Normally sushi rice is supposed to have a sweeter vinegar flavor, but not mashed up together in a ball the way that the Nigiri was served. I am not impressed. We even ordered a salmon appetizer that was called usuzukuri. The amount of salt that was on these raw pieces of salmon should be illegal. Honestly, it would be better if the dish had no salt at all. It was better that way when it came out a second time. I couldn’t eat the first one. I was so shocked by the amount of soy sauce that was given – it felt like the whole piece of sushi could drown in it.
We tried to order the A5 Kagoshima Tartare, and they were out of that. Thank goodness, because we were originally warned that it would take 20 extra minutes. We were in this restaurant for 2 hours waiting on food for around 30-45 minutes per course.
The main thing that made the night, funny enough, was the dishes that the server Eric was nice enough to provide us. The Shishido peppers were delicious and grilled to perfection. Dessert was also provided, and those donuts? Best thing ever.
Overall, it is thanks to the service that this place even gets two stars at all. I am expecting better from a sushi place that is this highly rated and this expensive. our server explained to us that the kitchen was incredibly understaffed this night, but it just doesn’t make up for the actual quality of the food that they were sending out. By the end of the night, I actually wanted them to cancel my two rolls that I had ordered, but they said it was coming out in the next two minutes. I really wanted to be out of that restaurant. The dessert was to-go.
If you want to get Omakase, go to Omakase by Kai. If you want nice sushi, go to the places recommended above. This is not worth it for a chain.
I will not be spending this level of money again to be so disappointed in a sushi experience. We chose to spend our 10 year anniversary here and went home exhausted and over the night.
Eric Finkelstein
We mentioned to the waiter that we had just moved into town, and at the end of the meal he handed us a card from the staff that we now have on our fridge. Another highlight is they offer fresh wasabi (costs extra). Happy with each dish we had and we’ll be back.
… moreFilipp Nesterov
Last week, we went to this restaurant to celebrate my wife’s birthday, and it turned out to be a pretty nice experience overall.
Let’s start from the moment we walked in — the atmosphere was great, really beautiful spot. I also appreciated how attentive the hostess was. We originally had a high-top table booked, but since we had our six-year-old daughter with us, they offered to move us to a regular table, which was thoughtful. The only issue was that the new table they gave us was right by the passage to the patio, so there was a strong draft every time the servers walked by. At first, my wife and daughter were freezing, and when we switched seats, it was me getting the breeze. So, points for caring about comfort, but minus one for seating us in such a windy spot. Honestly, it was warmer outside than it was sitting there in that draft — I think the high-top would’ve actually been better.
Service-wise, our waiter was polite and friendly. One thing that really stood out — after they brought us water, they came back with a tray of cucumber, lime, and lemon slices for the water. I’ve never seen that before, and I loved it. It’s such a small touch, but really classy — other restaurants should totally copy that.
Now about the food. My wife ordered the nigiri set, and since it was her birthday, they brought out some complimentary shrimp tempura, which was really good. For our daughter, we got chicken wings and a couple of rolls — the Tsunami Roll and the Rainbow Roll. I ordered a Donburi bowl.
The donburi was solid — tasty and well done, but nothing mind-blowing. A good 5/10 for what it was. My wife, though, said the nigiri were some of the best she’s ever had — super fresh and flavorful. The rolls, on the other hand, were disappointing. They had way too much rice, so you couldn’t really taste the fish or the other ingredients — just a mouthful of rice every time.
The chicken wings were amazing — crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Our daughter devoured five out of six, which never happens, so that says it all. The shrimp tempura was also excellent — light, crispy, and full of flavor.
As for drinks, I ordered a Mexican Old Fashioned, which is half bourbon, half tequila. I explained to the waiter exactly how it’s made so he could tell the bartender, but when the check came, I noticed the cocktail was $7.50 more than the regular one. Turns out they charged me for the extra tequila, even though the total amount of alcohol was the same as a regular Old Fashioned — that didn’t sit well with me. My wife had another cocktail (don’t remember the name), but she said it had too much ice and not enough actual drink.
So overall, I’d rate the food and drinks 3/5 — the nigiri, wings, donburi, and shrimp were great, but the drinks and rolls missed the mark. The service gets 4/5, and the atmosphere is a solid 5/5.
We’ll definitely come back — at least for the nigiri, wings, and donburi, because those were fantastic.
… moreLet’s start from the moment we walked in — the atmosphere was great, really beautiful spot. I also appreciated how attentive the hostess was. We originally had a high-top table booked, but since we had our six-year-old daughter with us, they offered to move us to a regular table, which was thoughtful. The only issue was that the new table they gave us was right by the passage to the patio, so there was a strong draft every time the servers walked by. At first, my wife and daughter were freezing, and when we switched seats, it was me getting the breeze. So, points for caring about comfort, but minus one for seating us in such a windy spot. Honestly, it was warmer outside than it was sitting there in that draft — I think the high-top would’ve actually been better.
Service-wise, our waiter was polite and friendly. One thing that really stood out — after they brought us water, they came back with a tray of cucumber, lime, and lemon slices for the water. I’ve never seen that before, and I loved it. It’s such a small touch, but really classy — other restaurants should totally copy that.
Now about the food. My wife ordered the nigiri set, and since it was her birthday, they brought out some complimentary shrimp tempura, which was really good. For our daughter, we got chicken wings and a couple of rolls — the Tsunami Roll and the Rainbow Roll. I ordered a Donburi bowl.
The donburi was solid — tasty and well done, but nothing mind-blowing. A good 5/10 for what it was. My wife, though, said the nigiri were some of the best she’s ever had — super fresh and flavorful. The rolls, on the other hand, were disappointing. They had way too much rice, so you couldn’t really taste the fish or the other ingredients — just a mouthful of rice every time.
The chicken wings were amazing — crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Our daughter devoured five out of six, which never happens, so that says it all. The shrimp tempura was also excellent — light, crispy, and full of flavor.
As for drinks, I ordered a Mexican Old Fashioned, which is half bourbon, half tequila. I explained to the waiter exactly how it’s made so he could tell the bartender, but when the check came, I noticed the cocktail was $7.50 more than the regular one. Turns out they charged me for the extra tequila, even though the total amount of alcohol was the same as a regular Old Fashioned — that didn’t sit well with me. My wife had another cocktail (don’t remember the name), but she said it had too much ice and not enough actual drink.
So overall, I’d rate the food and drinks 3/5 — the nigiri, wings, donburi, and shrimp were great, but the drinks and rolls missed the mark. The service gets 4/5, and the atmosphere is a solid 5/5.
We’ll definitely come back — at least for the nigiri, wings, and donburi, because those were fantastic.
myonghui o’dirling
What made this place amazing was the service! It was a friends 50th birthday and they went above and beyond!! They had personalized the menu with the birthday girls name and they made her birthday card! And our server Nicole, WOW! We all just loved her! She is the reason why I would come again! The food was good but not the BEST sushi I’ve had, but the presentation was 10/10!
… moreHayaa Hyder
came here for my anniversary and loved everything!! our server sam was amazing and gave the best recommendation, every single thing she recommended was 10/10. our fav items were the crispy rice, the salmon sashimi starter & the akira roll.
… moreHaydn Thomas
My fiance and I came on Friday night before Valentine’s day– we were celebrating our first date, which was at Oku just over a year ago. And celebrating our recent engagement! Gerry was our server and was so kind and conversational. Food was 10/10 and service was 20/10. They made us feel so special and even had a special dessert for us at the end, with a signed card from the staff. Truly a beautiful experience, and can’t rave enough about it!!
… more