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O-Ku, Charleston, SC
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O-Ku

$30 and under
Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 31 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Lively
O-Ku, a Japanese restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, is a triumph of execution and concept. The restaurant's menu is a modern take on traditional Japanese cuisine, and it features fresh, seasonal ingredients that are prepared with care. The dishes are beautifully presented, and the flavors are both complex and delicate. Focused on incorporating authentically Japanese flavors into the fare, O-Ku's menu is comprised of signature contemporary Japanese entrées and traditional sushi of the season reflecting the uniquely designed space. Guests can enjoy chef specialties including kurobuta pulled pork don-buri, braised short rib with shiso pesto, coconut curry, and hakozushi a box-style sushi. A wide variety of nigiri, sashimi and crudos are also available. The beverage program at O-Ku is a sophisticated blend of specialty cocktails, premium sake, bubbles, red and white wines and unique beer selections.

Why they're an Icon

From the OpenTable editors: James Beard semifinalists Steve Palmer and Kimball Brienza of the Indigo Road group opened the first O-Ku in Charleston in 2010. The modern Japanese restaurant deals sushi in every form—sashimi, nigiri, rolls, hand rolls, and cones—in a sleek black space filled with twisted tree branches. Esquire called it one of the hottest openings of 2010, Travel + Leisure ranked it one of the best sushi restaurants in the country in 2013, and today it counts eight locations across the South.

Additional information

  • Location
    463 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
  • Phone number
    (843) 737-0112
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Sushi, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    O-Ku is located on Upper King Street which offers ample on-street parking.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

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Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,789 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Charleston

    Best Overall

  • Charleston

    Best Food

  • Charleston

    Best Ambiance

  • Charleston

    Best Value

  • Charleston

    Healthy

  • Charleston

    Hot spot

  • Charleston

    Lively

  • Charleston

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
O-Ku offers an exceptional dining experience with "amazing food," an "outstanding" service team, and an inviting atmosphere. Known for its "delicious sushi," creative dishes, and standout servers like Alexis, Ella, and Sam, O-Ku consistently impresses. Perfect for special occasions, it provides a "memorable" experience with personalized touches that elevate every visit.

2,789 Reviews

  1. Mike

    Charleston

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great sushi!, great time! Waitress was very attentive to wife’s gluten allergy. She took very good care of our table and made some welcome suggestions. Drinks are priced well too! Macallan 12 FTW.

    Is this helpful?

  2. robert

    VIP

    Philadelphia

    40 reviews

    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good and service was amazing. I only wish my stomach would have allowed me to eat more but I reached my limit. 🤣

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Charlotte

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was one of the BEST restaurant experiences I’ve ever had! It was my birthday and they had a little gift for me as well as birthday shots for my group! The food was incredible and service was even better. I cannot stop talking about what a great night we had!

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Cincinnati

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Friendly knowledgeable server. Delicious food. Nice atmosphere

    Is this helpful?

  5. CJ

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great spot, good ambiance, even better food. I recommend to all my friends.
    O-KuResponded 4 days ago
    Hello CJ! Thank you so much for your feedback and we hope to serve you again soon! Sam is the best and we are so glad she made you and your friends feel at home! -O-Ku CHS

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  6. Natalie

    Charleston

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on February 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was delicious. We loved everything More words to meet your requirements

    Is this helpful?

  7. Ralph

    VIP

    Charleston

    19 reviews

    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on February 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always Sam was excellent as our server with time as well as beer and saki selections.All the dishes were prepared with care. My Brussels sprouts were perfect. The sushi the best in the low country. The follow-up the next day from Jay was a pleasant surprise!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Mark

    VIP

    Detroit

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on February 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food. Great selection from high end gourmet to great sushi, sashimi and rolls. Love the vibe. And our server Kat was super as well as the whole team who brought our food. Excellent Sake selection as well.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Graham

    VIP

    Charleston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Alexis is the absolute best! 🫶🏻 Always a pleasure to dine at O-Ku.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Jon

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an incredible dinner at O-Ku before a show at the Charleston Music Hall. The service was attentive and personable. Everything we ordered was perfectly composed and seasoned. For appetizers, we enjoyed dumplings and edamame. For the main course we shared a scallop crudo special and two sushi rolls. For desserts we had a chocolate bar (do not remember the exact item). We were very pleased with all of the food. I will add that I had a drink (the name escapes me), but it was essentially a version of a Japanese old-fashioned. I could have had a few too many of those. If you are looking for an excellent meal for a special night, this place will not disappoint.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

O-Ku offers delivery in partnership with Chow Now. O-Ku also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (843) 737-0112.

O-Ku is rated 4.8 stars by 2789 OpenTable diners.

O-Ku 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 31 times today
Google Map for O-Ku

463 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Additional information

  • Phone number
    (843) 737-0112
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Sushi, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    O-Ku is located on Upper King Street which offers ample on-street parking.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Featured in

Gift card

Gift card

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

Send a gift card
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