Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. South Carolina
  4. Charleston
  5. Downtown Charleston
O-Ku, Charleston, SC
Icon

O-Ku

$30 and under
Japanese
A photo of O-Ku restaurant

O-Ku

4.8
$30 and under
Japanese
Downtown Charleston

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 36 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Innovative
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.

Order delivery or takeout

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

  • Neighborhood
    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
Gift card

Gift card

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

Send a gift card

What 2,728 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
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Charleston

    Best Overall

  • Charleston

    Best Food

  • Charleston

    Best Service

  • Charleston

    Best Ambiance

  • Charleston

    Best Value

  • Charleston

    Innovative

  • Charleston

    Healthy

  • Charleston

    Hot spot

  • Charleston

    Lively

  • Charleston

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
O-Ku in Charleston offers a "wonderful dining experience" with "amazing food" and "great service." Patrons praise its creative sushi, fresh ingredients, and vibrant ambiance. The attentive staff consistently enhances the dining experience, making it ideal for special occasions. While some find the noise level high, the overall consensus highlights O-Ku as a must-visit for sushi enthusiasts.

2,728 Reviews
  1. Brian

    Baltimore

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went for my daughters birthday. Food was great. Service was even better! They made it special.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Lyndsey

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have never experienced the kind of hospitality that was shown to my family for my daughter's birthday last night. She felt incredibly special with the extra touch of confetti and gifts that were perfect for her special interests (including a signed basketball from the staff.) The waiters were kind and helpful and the food was delicious. We have always enjoyed O-Ku but I was blown away by our experience last night.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Cass

    Charleston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We came here for dinner last night, and were thoroughly impressed. We had a few different types of tapas/starters that were great. We then moved on to Nigiri, and for the most part got the belly/Toro which was so good. The setting inside is great, our server was outstanding as well. If you are looking for an awesome sushi experience with a great vibe, it is definitely here.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Erin

    Charleston

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    O-Ku never disappoints- service and food have always been on-point for the last decade we’ve been visiting, but this time they exceeded our expectations. The staff went above and beyond to make our son’s birthday extra special, with personalized menus, stickers, chopsticks, and birthday treat. Super memorable and thoughtful!! The same excellent O-Ku that has been a Charleston staple for years has continued to get even better. Love the extra touches, some new menu items and cocktails, and the ambiance—great music and a festive vibe for the holidays. Love love love!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Stacey

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Enjoyed celebrating a graduation. All 4 ordered at least 2 items. Very attentive staff. Downside is we've all eaten better for less, including visiting Japan and authentic cuisine. Very good, but there's better. Spent $200 for 4.
    O-KuResponded 5 days ago
    Hello Stacey! We appreciate your feedback and are glad that you felt our staff was very attentive! We love to celebrate with our guests when we can and hope to serve you again soon! -O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  6. Jennifer

    Charleston

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is both a traditional and imaginative take on a Japanese meal. I would definitely dine there again.
    O-KuResponded 5 days ago
    Hello Jennifer! We appreciate your feedback and are so glad to know you enjoyed the experience with us. We look to forward to seeing you again soon! -O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  7. Andrew

    Atlanta Metro

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 30, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely delicious! We will definitely return!
    O-KuResponded on December 4, 2024
    Hello Andrew! We appreciate your feedback so much and look forward to the next time we have the opportunity to serve you! -O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  8. Joe

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a great Japanese restaurant with wonderful food.
    O-KuResponded on December 4, 2024
    Hello Joe! We appreciate your feedback and are so glad you enjoyed the food! -O-Ku CHS

    Is this helpful?

  9. James

    Tampa

    6 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    This feels like a couple of Americans trying to reinvent what a sushi restaurant should be. Cool looking place, but seriously lacking in good sushi choices. Special rolls not very good. Blue fin tuna was good. Extremely high priced.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Tara

    Washington DC

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We loved the food! The dumplings were amazing and the sushi too!
    O-KuResponded on December 4, 2024
    Hello Tara! We are so glad to know you enjoyed your experience with us. The dumplings know how to add to the experience and we are big fans of the sushi too! We hope to serve you again soon! -O-Ku CHS

    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 2728 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.

A photo of O-Ku restaurant

O-Ku

4.8
$30 and under
Japanese
Downtown Charleston

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 36 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for O-Ku

463 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Additional information

  • Cross street
    King Street & Radcliffe Street
  • Neighborhood
    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
Gift card

Gift card

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

Send a gift card
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo