Food was okay, but expected better for the price. It was fairly loud and th service was mediocre. Had to ask twice for lemon for our water and had to ask multiple times to get our water and other drinks refilled.
Jackie
Really fantastic experience! Everything we ate was delicious. The cocktails were unique and tasty. Can't wait to return.
LeAnn
We were in Charlotte for just one night and found Baku on Open Table...and what a find it was! From the start, we experienced 5* service. I had booked the upstairs “bar” thinking it was the sushi bar, but it was just two seats at a bar upstairs. She saw our disappointment and quickly moved us to a cute high top. We loved the ambiance, music and whole cool vibe. We were focused on sushi and sake, but started with a super yummy cocktail and pork belly app. Delicious! Our server was attentive, professional, and just the perfect mix of checking on us and letting us enjoy our date night. We ordered the tuna tasting, chef's choice sashimi platter and a roll. Everything was incredibly fresh and highest quality. Superb! We eat sushi regularly and in many cities...this was one of the tops! We live about two hours away from Charlotte, but would return just to experience Baku again!
Mary Beach
Very very over rated priced compared to what food you received. Overall very salty. Not impressed at all. Service was good the waiter was very nice. Wine selection was ridiculously limited.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 3
Steve L
Went for Wife's Birthday and was thrilled with the service and quality of sushi. Charles was fantastic with recommendations, even some off-menu items. Tarot root chips were a highlight, and finishing off with the key lime pie is a must. Pricey, but worth it for special occasions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mattie
We have been here a few times now and the food is always amazing. We had their Japanese Oysters special this time and they were the best I've ever had. Also tried the Sea Bas nigiri which turned out to be a new favorite.
Jan
Excellent food and service! Ambiance is ok albeit a bit dark (feeling sort of icky sticky). Was treated to a birthday dinner and went back 6 days later it was so good!
Kathryn
Overall, our experience at Baku was okay. The edamame, sushi rolls, nigiri and duck were excellent. Drinks and wine were good. The reason for the poor score is the service was not great. Our server was very nice but obviously new and not attentive. We had to ask for utensils, and plates. We didn't get water until after we finished our appetizer. The low value score was for the Lobster, which at $85/MP was extremely disappointing. The tail was small with little meat, which was dry and overcooked. The atmosphere was also scored poorly as my shoes stuck to the floor as I walked through the restaurant. The table was not wiped down and the temp was quite warm in the room.
Jim
The best sushi, sashimi and nigiri anywhere. Gotta try the Tuna Tasting...melts in your mouth.
Beth
Baku is just incredibly overpriced. The food and drinks are fine, but certainly not worth $30 for a roll or $22 for a cocktail. Our server was good, although we waited a very long time for the manager to handle a gift card when paying. Also, they seemed to be moving furniture upstairs for a while, which was annoying. This was my first time back in a few years, and now I remember why I stayed away.
Although we only eat here once a year when we visit Charlotte, this has become a must stop. The food is excellent, among the best sushi we have had anywhere. I highly recommend you rely on the servers recommendations (true of all sushi restaurants) as they know what is most fresh and what the chef is recommending that particular night. We had a chef platter for two and an appetizer and all was outstanding. We highly recommend. A note on only 4 stars for service - on previous visits, it was 5 star; on this visit our server spent a little too much time socializing with other staff members and missing cues that attention was desired.
Glenn Springthorpe
My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner before a concert and there were highs as well as lows.
Let me start by saying that our server was absolutely phenomenal. He was personable, knowledgeable and attentive without being a nuisance. I can't remember his name but from observing the diners around us, his level of service seemed to be the standard. You couldn't ask for better service from the server.
The atmosphere is outstanding as well. They really went to great lengths to create a dining room that pays homage to Japanese design while obtaining a level of sophistication expected in the Southpark area. It's well suited to dinner with clients while also being romantic enough for an anniversary dinner such as ours.
Their wine list is extensive with options ranging from $30 - $2000+ and they have a full bar upstairs in case you want a cocktail. Their non-alcoholic beverage selection left something to be desired (No iced tea of any kind) with Coke products being served in small cocktail glasses that empty in no-time.
The food was VERY good in my opinion. Everything is served either tapas or family style so everyone can share which is a refreshing change every once-in-a-while. We started with the soft-shell crab roll which was excellent, after which we had their signature dumplings that were also very well done. While we waited for the duck breast we ordered their BB Noodles which left something to be desired in our opinion. After waiting for almost 45 minutes for the duck breast we finally had to ask for it to-go because we were going to be late to our concert. Our server was very professional about the wait, as was the manager and we were surprised when the check came and they had comped it. The table next to us (which was already enjoying an appetizer when we were seated) had just received their duck when our to-go bag arrived so we weren't the only ones who waited for it. Something like that is never as good at home so I can't really give an honest opinion about the dish as a whole but the breast itself was cooked to medium-rare (before microwaving, of course) and had a decent flavor. I'm sure when enjoyed there it's outstanding.
Overall, we enjoyed the meal despite the setbacks. The prices are reasonable for the level of service they provide, the atmosphere and where they are located. Would I drive an hour and a half to eat there again? Probably not. However, if I was already in the Southpark area I would certainly try them again in hopes the wrinkles would be ironed out. If you like sushi, I would absolutely give BAKU a shot.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Amy Yoney
I rarely leave negative reviews, but our experience at Baku was extremely disappointing. The service was awful from start to finish—unfriendly, disorganized, and completely unaccommodating. Everyone seemed new and untrained, and we waited an unreasonable amount of time for everything, including basic requests that were never fulfilled despite asking multiple times. The food itself was just okay—not worth the wait. For a place that emphasizes “sharing plates,” they never even brought us clean plates to share. Our sushi order took forever, and when we asked for accommodations—like a mocktail for my pregnant niece—they flat out refused. Overall, the lack of hospitality and poor service completely overshadowed anything positive. I would not return and wouldn’t recommend it to others.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Fred
Great food and fantastic service. Our favorite place for sushi in Charlotte. We highly recommend Baku! Only comment is that the interior needs to be remodeled/freshened up.
Robert Taylor (US)
1) the restaurant has never been updated over the past 10+ years and is dark and tired.
2) prices are well above most comparable restaurants and quality is pretty average if you know Japanese restaurants in the area.
Just not worth it - average food / experience at above market prices.
Food was okay, but expected better for the price. It was fairly loud and th service was mediocre. Had to ask twice for lemon for our water and had to ask multiple times to get our water and other drinks refilled.
Really fantastic experience! Everything we ate was delicious. The cocktails were unique and tasty. Can't wait to return.
We were in Charlotte for just one night and found Baku on Open Table...and what a find it was! From the start, we experienced 5* service. I had booked the upstairs “bar” thinking it was the sushi bar, but it was just two seats at a bar upstairs. She saw our disappointment and quickly moved us to a cute high top. We loved the ambiance, music and whole cool vibe. We were focused on sushi and sake, but started with a super yummy cocktail and pork belly app. Delicious! Our server was attentive, professional, and just the perfect mix of checking on us and letting us enjoy our date night. We ordered the tuna tasting, chef's choice sashimi platter and a roll. Everything was incredibly fresh and highest quality. Superb! We eat sushi regularly and in many cities...this was one of the tops! We live about two hours away from Charlotte, but would return just to experience Baku again!
Very very over rated priced compared to what food you received. Overall very salty. Not impressed at all. Service was good the waiter was very nice. Wine selection was ridiculously limited.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 3
Went for Wife's Birthday and was thrilled with the service and quality of sushi. Charles was fantastic with recommendations, even some off-menu items. Tarot root chips were a highlight, and finishing off with the key lime pie is a must. Pricey, but worth it for special occasions.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We have been here a few times now and the food is always amazing. We had their Japanese Oysters special this time and they were the best I've ever had. Also tried the Sea Bas nigiri which turned out to be a new favorite.
Excellent food and service! Ambiance is ok albeit a bit dark (feeling sort of icky sticky). Was treated to a birthday dinner and went back 6 days later it was so good!
Overall, our experience at Baku was okay. The edamame, sushi rolls, nigiri and duck were excellent. Drinks and wine were good. The reason for the poor score is the service was not great. Our server was very nice but obviously new and not attentive. We had to ask for utensils, and plates. We didn't get water until after we finished our appetizer. The low value score was for the Lobster, which at $85/MP was extremely disappointing. The tail was small with little meat, which was dry and overcooked. The atmosphere was also scored poorly as my shoes stuck to the floor as I walked through the restaurant. The table was not wiped down and the temp was quite warm in the room.
The best sushi, sashimi and nigiri anywhere. Gotta try the Tuna Tasting...melts in your mouth.
Baku is just incredibly overpriced. The food and drinks are fine, but certainly not worth $30 for a roll or $22 for a cocktail. Our server was good, although we waited a very long time for the manager to handle a gift card when paying. Also, they seemed to be moving furniture upstairs for a while, which was annoying. This was my first time back in a few years, and now I remember why I stayed away.
Restaurantji Recommends
Although we only eat here once a year when we visit Charlotte, this has become a must stop. The food is excellent, among the best sushi we have had anywhere. I highly recommend you rely on the servers recommendations (true of all sushi restaurants) as they know what is most fresh and what the chef is recommending that particular night. We had a chef platter for two and an appetizer and all was outstanding. We highly recommend. A note on only 4 stars for service - on previous visits, it was 5 star; on this visit our server spent a little too much time socializing with other staff members and missing cues that attention was desired.
My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner before a concert and there were highs as well as lows.
Let me start by saying that our server was absolutely phenomenal. He was personable, knowledgeable and attentive without being a nuisance. I can't remember his name but from observing the diners around us, his level of service seemed to be the standard. You couldn't ask for better service from the server.
The atmosphere is outstanding as well. They really went to great lengths to create a dining room that pays homage to Japanese design while obtaining a level of sophistication expected in the Southpark area. It's well suited to dinner with clients while also being romantic enough for an anniversary dinner such as ours.
Their wine list is extensive with options ranging from $30 - $2000+ and they have a full bar upstairs in case you want a cocktail. Their non-alcoholic beverage selection left something to be desired (No iced tea of any kind) with Coke products being served in small cocktail glasses that empty in no-time.
The food was VERY good in my opinion. Everything is served either tapas or family style so everyone can share which is a refreshing change every once-in-a-while. We started with the soft-shell crab roll which was excellent, after which we had their signature dumplings that were also very well done. While we waited for the duck breast we ordered their BB Noodles which left something to be desired in our opinion. After waiting for almost 45 minutes for the duck breast we finally had to ask for it to-go because we were going to be late to our concert. Our server was very professional about the wait, as was the manager and we were surprised when the check came and they had comped it. The table next to us (which was already enjoying an appetizer when we were seated) had just received their duck when our to-go bag arrived so we weren't the only ones who waited for it. Something like that is never as good at home so I can't really give an honest opinion about the dish as a whole but the breast itself was cooked to medium-rare (before microwaving, of course) and had a decent flavor. I'm sure when enjoyed there it's outstanding.
Overall, we enjoyed the meal despite the setbacks. The prices are reasonable for the level of service they provide, the atmosphere and where they are located. Would I drive an hour and a half to eat there again? Probably not. However, if I was already in the Southpark area I would certainly try them again in hopes the wrinkles would be ironed out. If you like sushi, I would absolutely give BAKU a shot.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
I rarely leave negative reviews, but our experience at Baku was extremely disappointing. The service was awful from start to finish—unfriendly, disorganized, and completely unaccommodating. Everyone seemed new and untrained, and we waited an unreasonable amount of time for everything, including basic requests that were never fulfilled despite asking multiple times.
The food itself was just okay—not worth the wait. For a place that emphasizes “sharing plates,” they never even brought us clean plates to share. Our sushi order took forever, and when we asked for accommodations—like a mocktail for my pregnant niece—they flat out refused.
Overall, the lack of hospitality and poor service completely overshadowed anything positive. I would not return and wouldn’t recommend it to others.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Great food and fantastic service. Our favorite place for sushi in Charlotte. We highly recommend Baku! Only comment is that the interior needs to be remodeled/freshened up.
1) the restaurant has never been updated over the past 10+ years and is dark and tired.
2) prices are well above most comparable restaurants and quality is pretty average if you know Japanese restaurants in the area.
Just not worth it - average food / experience at above market prices.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
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