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O-Ku, Charleston, SC
O-Ku, Charleston, SC
O-Ku, Charleston, SC
O-Ku, Charleston, SC
O-Ku, Charleston, SC
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O-Ku

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Visa Dining Collection

$30 and under
Japanese
463 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

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2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 p.m.
Booked 35 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Hot spot
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
  • Neighbourhood
    Downtown Charleston
  • Cross Street
    King Street & Radcliffe Street
  • Parking details
    O-Ku is located on Upper King Street which offers ample on-street parking.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Menu

O-Ku's menu was last updated 2025-04-09.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,830 people are saying

O-Ku reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Charleston

    Best Overall

  • Charleston

    Best Food

  • Charleston

    Best Ambience

  • Charleston

    Best Value

  • Charleston

    Healthy

  • Charleston

    Hot spot

  • Charleston

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
O-Ku offers an exceptional dining experience with "amazing service" and "top-quality sushi." Guests praise the "creative sushi" options like the salmon-lemon roll and nigiri flights. The ambiance is "stylish and welcoming," perfect for special occasions. Outstanding hospitality includes thoughtful touches for celebrations, making it a "must-visit" in Charleston.
2,830 Reviews

  1. Chris

    Charlotte12 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Overall O-Ku was decent. The food was fine, nothing to call home about. The service was lacking. It took over 70 mins to get an appetizer. Not the best not the worst. They were very busy.

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  2. Pamela

    Unspecified5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful rolls and a beautiful evening. The salmon roll was wonderful!

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  3. Jacqueline

    Charleston10 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The plates didn’t come out together so certain people had to eat without others which is awkward for friends and couples. Maybe the kitchen was backed up? I had to wait for my friends and my food got cold and we finished at different times as a result.
    O-KuResponded 4 days ago
    Hi Jacqueline! Thank you so much for your feedback. Our food comes out tapas style, meaning it comes out as it is ready, and we do not course out our items. We apologize for your food getting cold and the inconvenience. Please let me know next time you are coming in to dine with us and we promise to take good care of you. -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

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  4. Kelly VIP

    Indiana28 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant is nice, but the entree portions are super small.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    New Orleans4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Atmosphere, service, and food was outstanding!! Great great night

    Is this helpful?

  6. Carly VIP

    Cleveland6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Was very pleasantly surprised with the overall experience here! Our server Kat was kind and helpful. We followed her recommendations and were pleased. Definitely recommend the spring rolls, Playboy Roll, and blackened cod dish. We almost never order dessert, but I am so glad we tried the dark chocolate matcha tart. It was divine! Give this sushi bar a shot!
    O-KuResponded 4 days ago
    Hi Carly! Thank you so much for choosing to dine with us and thank you for the kind feedback! We are so glad you had an amazing experience with Kat, she is such a crucial part of our team. We look forward to seeing you again soon! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

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  7. Rodrigo

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was awesome and sweet. She took the time to chat with us about The college of Charleston. Highly recommended this restaurant.

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  8. Zoe VIP

    Charleston8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was delicious our server was very knowledgeable and kind ! We tried the soft shell crab spider roll it was amazing! Cocktails were so tasty we will be back!
    O-KuResponded 7 days ago
    Hi Zoe! We are so glad you were able to try our spider roll, it is one our new favorites on our menu. Thank you so much for the feedback and we look forward to seeing you again! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

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  9. Sarah

    E. Tennessee2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    O-Ku went above and beyond to make my birthday dinner special! We loved every dish we ordered and the drinks were very well balanced. The ambiance is gorgeous inside, as well. I highly recommend!
    O-KuResponded 7 days ago
    Hi Sarah! Thank you so much for choosing to celebrate your special day with us! We look forward to seeing you again soon for many more celebrations! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  10. Marsha VIP

    Key West45 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent choices of creative sushi. California rolls and salmon-lemon rolls had 6 pieces each. Tamaki was generous size and delicious. Service very good.

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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 2830 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
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 p.m.
Booked 35 times today
Google Map for O-Ku

463 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    King Street & Radcliffe Street
  • Neighbourhood
    Downtown Charleston
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Sushi, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • 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
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

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