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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 2,829 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

4.9
4.9 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 food" and "exceptional service." Guests rave about the "attentive and prompt wait staff" and the "wonderful atmosphere." Notable highlights include personalized celebrations, standout sushi, and thoughtful touches that make every visit memorable. "Highly recommend" for a special night out in Charleston!
2,829 Reviews

  1. Zoe VIP

    Charleston8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    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!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Sarah

    E. Tennessee2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    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!

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  3. Marsha VIP

    Key West45 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    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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  4. Alexander

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had an incredible dinner. The service and food were both amazing!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Alexandra

    Charleston3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was an amazing experience! I went there for my birthday and they single handedly made us a night I will always remember! 100% recommend!!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Kristen

    New York City24 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had such a wonderful dinner there! We were greeted with a warm welcome and enjoyed every bit of the experience. The food was so delicious! We shared a few things and each was better than the next. We will be back for sure! Highly recommend.
    O-KuResponded 4 days ago
    Hi Kristen! We are so glad you had such a great time dining with us! We look forward to sharing more of our favorite dishes with you next time you choose to dine with us! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

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  7. Nichole VIP

    Grand Rapids1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The nigiri flight was amazing and the matcha tiger tea mocktail was wonderful!
    O-KuResponded 2 days ago
    Hi Nichole! We are so glad you enjoyed the nigiri flight, it is one our favorites on the menu. The matcha tiger tea is a great pairing as well. We look forward to seeing you again soon! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  8. Melanie

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service were amazing. Definitely my new favorite.
    O-KuResponded 2 days ago
    Hi Melanie! Thank you so much for dining with us and we are so glad you enjoyed it! We look forward to seeing you again soon! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  9. Jordan

    Unspecified4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a great time. Our server was incredibly friendly and his recommendations were spot on. My wife had the Playboy roll and I had the Black Magic. We also split some dumplings. The dumplings were pan-seared and the dipping sauce had a lemon twist to it, which was unique and delicious. The salmon on the playboy roll tasted fresh, and it was light yet filling. The Black Magic wad heavy, but amazing. We would definitely come back again.
    O-KuResponded 4 days ago
    Hi Jordan! Thank you so much for dining with us and for your kind feedback. We look forward to hosting you again soon! -Sam Morgan, GM of O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  10. Zack

    Houston4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Came to celebrate our engagement. Thanks again Alyssa! Great service and great food.

    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 4.9 stars by 2829 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

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

Featured in

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

Send a gift card
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