Another Sushi Joint? O-Ku Makes Its Case.
Maguro Tataki- seared bigeye tuna, creamy sesame ponzu, tomato, crunchy chili oil, micro shiso
The recently renovated Bayshore Gardens Building welcomed its third restaurant, O-Ku, this summer. The modern, chef-driven Japanese restaurant occupies the ground floor, joining a Tampa dining scene that certainly isn't short on places serving artfully arranged raw fish and rice.
So the question wasn't whether Tampa needed another sushi restaurant. It was whether O-Ku could bring something different to an already crowded field. Here’s the O-Ku review.
The interior is sleek and upscale, but the atmosphere is anything but stuffy. Hospitality is casual, friendly, and polished. Indigo Road Hospitality Group, which operates 12 O-Ku locations across the Southeast, has assembled an experienced team in both the kitchen and dining room, emphasizing a premium experience without the “we’re trying too hard” that often comes with it.
The O-Ku dining room is well appointed and has a modern casual feel.
The 10-seat bar offers first-come full dinner service and a creative seasonal cocktail menu
O-Ku’s 8-seat sushi bar allows patrons to watch the action and interact with the chefs.
Chef Billy Brannen got his start at his family’s sushi restaurant in Savannah. He later worked under O-Ku Executive Chef Masa Hamaya, eventually leading the kitchen at O-Ku Jacksonville Beach and assisting at O-Ku Alys Beach. He then moved to Tampa, where he helped launch Indigo Road Hospitality Group’s rooftop concept, Maru Nikkei, followed by O-Ku Tampa.
The refined beverage menu is Asian-inspired, and the craft cocktails are seasonal. There are some hits and misses, but the creativity is inspiring. An Old Fashioned-style drink called Autumn Banana made with Rum and bananas? Hmm.
The menus
The wine list covers a range of price points, with nothing at OMG-level. Sake fans will want to try the Sake Flight ($48). The menu offers a selection of five reds by the glass, but oddly, there’s only one available.
O-Ku’s menu is extensive and takes a little navigating, with a mix of small plates, raw and hot chef’s specials, robata (Japanese fireside grilling), temaki (hand-rolled sushi wrapped in nori), and nigiri (hand-pressed, seasoned rice topped with fresh fish or seafood), among other offerings. The dishes draw on traditional Japanese preparations with creative, modern twists that give familiar flavors a new spin. It’s fun to see what the kitchen has done. No worries if you don’t know your temakis from your tatakis. Staff knows their stuff.
The Food. Let’s dive in.
Cucumber and Avocado Salad ($10) is a tidy little tower of fresh cucumbers and creamy avocado, crowned with seaweed and crunchy goodness. It's a pretty presentation, and a cool, refreshing crisp bite.
Maguro Tataki ($26) is a beautiful dish of sliced, seared bigeye tuna sitting in a pool of creamy sesame ponzu, surrounded by crispy garlic and onions in chili oil, and sprinkled with micro shiso. Mouthwatering tender tuna in that magic sauce! Shut up and bring me a spoon. It’s my pick for bite of the night!
Hakozushi, or box sushi, is a traditional dish where the rice is pressed into a mold and topped rather than rolled. O-Ku’s Black Magic ($32) version is squid ink rice topped with lobster tempura, masago (fish roe), spicy aioli, and micro cilantro. The squid ink gives the pressed sushi rice a dramatic jet-black color, contrasted with that golden lobster tempura topper; it’s a good-looking dish. The sweet lobster, and the gentle kick from the aioli bring this finger food home (no chopsticks on this big bite)
Cucumber and Avocado in a pool of ponzu topped with crunchy chili oil and ribbons of nori
Maguro Tataki- seared bigeye tuna in a delish creamy sesame ponzu, with tomato, crunchy chili oil, and micro shiso
Rock Shrimp on a bed of greens, bathed in spicy aioli and topped with chive
Rock Shrimp tempura ($17) is a bite-sized, lobster-like delicacy encased in a light, warm tempura batter, served on a bed of fresh greens and topped with aioli and scallions. The jury is divided. My tablemate thinks the lobster-like texture mixed with the light tempura is divine. I don’t think there’s a lot to see here. The tempura texture is right, and the sauce brings some needed heat, but I want more from the shrimp.
We splurge on two temaki (hand rolls): Toro Taku (bluefin tuna, $18) and Lobster ($14). Other local eateries call this dish a sushi burrito. Instead of the usual cone shape, O-Ku serves them taco-style in a wooden boat. The Toro Taku combines minced tuna, crunchy pickled daikon, rice, and a brush of nikiri sauce, all tucked into a crisp nori shell. The Lobster features sweet, butter-poached meat with cilantro aioli and crunchy asparagus.
The verdict? A culinary coin toss. My co-taster declared the lobster her best bite of the night. I preferred the tuna.
Black Magic Hakozushi- squid ink rice topped with lobster tempura, masago, spicy aioli, squid ink rice, micro cilantro
Akami and Lobster Temaki- lean bluefin tuna, wasabi guac, bubu arare- and butter poached lobster, cilantro aioli, asparagus, black salt, chive, both served taco style
Dinner wraps up with a nine-item Japanese-inspired dessert menu ($8 - $16).
When you go.
On your visit, order a cross-section of the menu. Most dishes are shareable, and there’s a lot of good stuff to try. Unfortunately, dishes come out in no particular order, and some all at once. Our tiny table fills up fast, leaving no room without taking something away and making us feel rushed. Next time, I will slow my roll and break up my order over time.
O-Ku has an outdoor patio to watch the goings-on in the Bayshore Gardens courtyard. Their 8-seat sushi bar is sometimes first-come and other times reserved, depending on how crowded it is. The 10-seat bar is first-come, and it offers full dinner service.
Open Sunday-Thursday 5 to 10:00 PM. Fridays and Saturdays 5 to 11:00 PM. Reservations are strongly advised. Valet parking is available, with plenty of self-parking in the rear detached garage (free for restaurant patrons). Noise levels are moderate, service is friendly, and prices generally range from $6 to $60+ for individual dishes.
Tampa has no shortage of sushi restaurants, but O-Ku gives diners a reason to try one more. The kitchen goes well beyond the usual rolls and nigiri, mixing traditional Japanese techniques with creative dishes that aren't afraid to take a few chances. The bar is the same way. Not every dish hits the mark, but there's enough interesting cooking here to keep things exciting. Add a stylish dining room, a talented kitchen, and welcoming service, and O-Ku earns its place in Tampa's crowded Japanese dining scene.
If you’ve been or if you go, tell me about your experience in the comments!