For years the knock on Nashville was that it had no serious sushi. That is over. The 2024 arrival of Kase x Noko — a 14-seat omakase counter from James Beard semifinalist chef Dung “Junior” Vo — gave the city a sushi room good enough that OpenTable named it the most in-demand restaurant in the entire United States. Around it sits a deeper bench than most visitors expect: O-Ku in Germantown, the Gulch stalwart Virago, and the wood-fired Noko.
What follows is the editor's ranking of the best sushi in Nashville in 2026, built for diners deciding where to book this week. Each entry links to its full profile in the Nashville directory; cross-reference with our sushi cuisine guide and the Japanese dining guide for the wider picture.
Booking pattern matters here. Kase x Noko sells out months ahead and is the toughest seat in town; O-Ku, Virago and Sunda take weekend bookings a week or two out. For an omakase you reserve early and build the night around it; for à la carte sushi with a group, the Gulch rooms are the easier call.
James BeardAnniversarySolo Dining
Chef Dung “Junior” Vo's 14-seat omakase counter — a James Beard semifinalist and, by OpenTable's data, the hardest reservation in America.
Food9.6/10
Ambience9.0/10
Value9.2/10
Why it ranks here
Kase x Noko sits at #1 because it is the most serious sushi room in the city and the most in-demand: OpenTable named the 14-seat counter the single most-requested restaurant in the United States. Chef Dung “Junior” Vo — a James Beard Award semifinalist — runs a 14-course, 90-minute nigiri-and-hand-roll progression built on fish flown in from around the world, alongside a four-seat Japanese cocktail bar, the smallest in Tennessee. The tasting is $75, remarkable value at this level, and it sells out months ahead. At 707 Porter Road in East Nashville. Book the moment the window opens.
AnniversaryImpress ClientsFirst Date
Chef Eric Hill's upscale Germantown sushi room, sourcing fish from Norway and New Zealand — the city's most polished à la carte sushi and a discreet omakase.
Food9.2/10
Ambience9.3/10
Value8.3/10
Why it ranks here
O-Ku at #2 is Nashville's most polished traditional sushi room. Chef Eric Hill sources the kitchen's fish from some of the world's best markets — Norway and New Zealand among them — and the menu runs from a deep nigiri and sashimi list to a multi-course omakase for diners who want the chef to lead. The room, on the corner of Van Buren and Adams Streets in Germantown at 81 Van Buren Street, is sleek and date-ready, with a long bar and a strong sake programme. The right table for an anniversary or a client dinner. Book a week or two ahead for weekends.
BirthdayTeam DinnerImpress Clients
The Gulch's long-running sushi-and-cocktails destination — a vast, imaginative roll menu and a wrap-around bar overlooking Union Station.
Food8.8/10
Ambience9.1/10
Value8.4/10
Why it ranks here
Virago at #3 is the Gulch's enduring sushi scene, run by the M Street group at 1120 McGavock Street. The menu is sprawling and inventive — sashimi, classic nigiri and a long list of imaginative signature rolls — served in a stylish, low-lit room with a wrap-around bar and a patio that looks out over downtown and the Union Station tower. It runs louder and livelier than the omakase counters, which makes it the right pick for a celebratory birthday or a group team dinner rather than a quiet two-top. Book ahead for weekend evenings, when the bar fills early.
Team DinnerBirthdayFirst Date
The Gulch's high-energy pan-Asian room with a serious sushi and maki list — sharing plates, robata and rolls under one roof.
Food8.6/10
Ambience8.9/10
Value8.3/10
Why it ranks here
Sunda at #4 is the most versatile sushi option in Nashville. The pan-Asian menu spans Filipino, Japanese, Thai and Chinese influences, but the raw bar holds its own — a full sashimi and nigiri selection alongside signature maki and a robata grill. The Gulch room is big, buzzy and built for sharing, which makes it a strong choice when half the table wants sushi and the other half wants dumplings, short rib or pad Thai. The right room for a lively team dinner or a group birthday. Book ahead for weekends; the bar scene runs late.
First DateAnniversaryBirthday
The wood-fired Japanese flagship from the Kase x Noko team — Eater Nashville's Best New Restaurant and an OpenTable Top 100, with a raw bar worth the seat.
Food9.0/10
Ambience9.0/10
Value8.6/10
Why it ranks here
Noko at #5 is the wood-fired sibling to the city's best omakase. Founded by Jon Murray, chef Dung “Junior” Vo and Wilson Brannock — the same team behind Kase x Noko — it puts Asian-influenced proteins and vegetables through smoking, searing and roasting over live fire, with a raw bar and crudo program that draws on Vo's sushi roots. It was named Eater Nashville's Best New Restaurant and an OpenTable Top 100 in America. For a pure sushi counter you book Kase next door; for a fuller, fire-led Japanese dinner with excellent raw plates, Noko is the room. In East Nashville. Book ahead for weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best sushi in Nashville in 2026?
Kase x Noko. Chef Dung “Junior” Vo's 14-seat East Nashville omakase counter is a James Beard Award semifinalist and, by OpenTable's data, the most in-demand restaurant in the United States. The 14-course nigiri-and-hand-roll tasting is $75 and sells out months ahead. O-Ku in Germantown is the best à la carte sushi alternative.
How much does omakase cost in Nashville?
Kase x Noko's 14-course omakase is $75 per person, exceptional value for the level — most comparable counters in larger cities run $150 to $450. O-Ku's multi-course omakase is higher and priced by the market and season. À la carte sushi at Virago, Sunda and O-Ku typically lands around $60 to $110 a head with drinks.
What is the hardest sushi reservation to get in Nashville?
Kase x Noko. With only 14 seats and a James Beard-semifinalist chef, OpenTable named it the most-requested restaurant in the country; it sells out months in advance and books fill the moment the reservation window opens. Plan well ahead and set a Notify Me alert.
Where is the best sushi for a group in Nashville?
Virago or Sunda, both in the Gulch. Virago pairs a vast, imaginative roll menu with a wrap-around bar overlooking Union Station; Sunda is a high-energy pan-Asian room with a full sushi and robata menu. Both seat large tables and run lively, unlike the intimate omakase counters at Kase x Noko.
Is Kase x Noko worth the wait?
For serious sushi diners, yes. At $75 for a 14-course omakase from a James Beard-semifinalist chef, it is the best price-to-quality sushi experience in Nashville and among the best values in the country at the level. If you cannot get in, O-Ku offers polished à la carte sushi and a discreet omakase with far easier booking.
