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Baru, Cincinnati, OH

Baru

4.5
4.5
323 Reviews
$31 to $50
Sushi

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 8 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for groups
  • Great for creative cocktails
An elevated dining experience with an atmosphere to match.
Cincinnati’s prime spot for cocktails and sushi. Lit up in red and purple, Baru’s atmosphere submerges patrons into a nightlife experience awash in Tokyo aesthetics.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Sushi, Izakaya, Japanese
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (513) 246-0150
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Bob Grace
  • Neighborhood
    Central Business District
  • Cross street
    On the corner of Race & Sixth St
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

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What 323 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Cincinnati / Dayton

    Innovative

  • Cincinnati

    Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Baru offers a vibrant dining experience with inventive sushi and standout small plates like corn ribs and Brussels sprouts. The atmosphere is "fun and lively" with unique decor, including moving lights. Service is praised as "fantastic," though noise levels can be high. Overall, a "great spot" for a memorable meal in Cincinnati.

323 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Las Vegas4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a good time at Baru. Service is good and the food is great

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  2. Natalia

    Cincinnati1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were celebrating a special occasion, and Baru made it a great night! Excellent service, amazing food, and outstanding cocktails as well.

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  3. Ricolette

    Western KY29 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 3, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Always enjoy the food, service is definitely an afterthought. 

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  4. Sara

    Cincinnati4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place was outstanding. The standout was definitely their sushi rolls. But everything we had was great. Our service was amazing. He was friendly and attentive. His name was Alex. We will definitely be back.

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  5. Maeve VIP

    Charleston9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The lobster shots were so good. Great service. We love this place.

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  6. henry VIP

    Cincinnati27 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on February 22, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was excellent, nice ambiance. Kitchen out of two items ordered on the menu, shrimp tempura and hamachi were excellent

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  7. Michell

    Chicago1 review

    2.0

    Dined on February 20, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    food is decent. service was slow despite restaurant not being busy.

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  8. Greta VIP

    Minneapolis10 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Our sushi and drinks were delicious. The ambience was just okay for me…but of course it was daytime/early evening. This seems like a much better pick for drinks and late nights! A large open space with a huge center bar.

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  9. Lindsay

    Cincinnati3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is phenomenal! We got the lobster shot, crispy rice and shrimp tempura appetizers and loved them all. I’ve also had the edamame which is delicious. The sushi rolls are good but not as tasty as the other dishes in my opinion. My favorite roll was the Ebi, followed by the lobster hand roll. The shabu and truffle rolls were ok. Both the scallops and the crab fried rice were outstanding. The tiramisu was underwhelming but overall the food is definitely worth trying. I can’t wait to go back!

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  10. Joseph VIP

    Tampa4 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    I took my wife here for Valentine’s Day, expecting a special evening. What we got instead was a masterclass in disappointment. Despite emailing the host a week in advance and receiving confirmation that our special request would be noted in our reservation, the waitstaff had no idea what we were talking about. To their credit, they scrambled to accommodate us, but it was clear they’d been left in the dark—an unfortunate bit of disorganization that set the tone for the night. Then came the food. We were mysteriously served two of the same appetizers (though only charged for one, which I suppose counts as a silver lining). The sushi? A revelation in how utterly uninspired raw fish can be—bland, wrapped in dry, stale rice, and shockingly tiny. We tried the most expensive roll on the menu—$38. Waste of money. And the fried rice? Less of a dish, more of a saltwater experiment, drenched in soy sauce to the point of being inedible. The waitstaff, ever-apologetic, removed it from the bill and offered a complimentary dessert, but by then, our appetite for both food and goodwill had vanished. A Valentine’s dinner should be memorable. This one certainly was—just for all the wrong reasons. Between the service mishap, the disastrous food, and the laughable prices, it’s safe to say we won’t be back.

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FAQs

Baru is rated 4.5 stars by 323 OpenTable diners.

Baru does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 8 times today
Google Map for Baru

595 Race St, Cincinnati, OH 45202-2347

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    On the corner of Race & Sixth St
  • Neighborhood
    Central Business District
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Sushi, Izakaya, Japanese
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Bob Grace
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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