Nama — Restaurant in Ashland

We are foodies and love trying restaurants with fresh and unique food. Yes, the seafood is high quality but you need to know what type of place this is before you go. Instead of dining tables and chairs there are only hard stools around a bar. It was not at all comfortable and made it hard to have conversation. But the strangest thing is the menu is extremely limited. This is a great place for appetizers and drinks before going somewhere else for dinner. Two of us shared 6 oysters, a small crab sandwich, and each had a rice bowl but were still hungry even though our bill was over $100. To make things even more awkward, the wait staff were not very attentive and we had to signal them several times for service. Not sure the reason for bad service when the whole restaurant only seats around 16 people around the bar. On top of it, one person in our party does not eat seafood so I called ahead and asked if they could accommodate. Josh was super helpful and said they could pull Wagyu short ribs from their sister restaurant next door, Mas. (Josh works at Mas). Our waiter told us we could not have short ribs so she was left to eat a salad and some rice with simple veggies. Nama feels like an afterthought compared to Mas. We couldn't even find where to enter this restaurant as there is no name listed outside on the street. Overall kind of a let down let down when we expected to have a special birthday...

As I sit here devouring yet another crab + lil shrimp roll after 18 oysters, I can’t help but close my eyes in such delight over the sophisticated, beautifully complex flavors of Nama. Make sure to chat with Luke about his ingredients and thought process; you’ll instantly understand how special this place is. Kelsey (drinks extraordinaire) adds such a warm touch to this spot!

Best way to experience this place is as a party of 2, sharing all iced bentos (the ikura is TO DIE FOR) and plates available on the menu. TRY. IT. ALL.

They just recently launched an oyster + sparkling wine HH. Take advantage.. it’s a great introduction to the simple, clean + modern space, but believe me when I say it’ll leave you craving EVERYTHING on the ever-changing, seasonally appropriate menu.

Extremely stoked for this place to be here and looking forward to how this beautiful place...

This place has the "Wow" factor after every first bite! A friend and I decided to head to Nama for a spontaneous dinner. She's been a few times, but this was a first for me. Every single thing we tried was absolutely amazing. Chef Sarah was excellent and explained every dish in great detail and had perfect suggestions on pairing sake with the dishes. I am not usually a fan of oysters, but hell, I guess I am now with them melting in your mouth accompanied by a delicious and complimenting sauce. The trout, "Wow!" or on the menu it's called Miso Masu was incredible along with probably the best rice I have ever had. You'll definitely be walking out with a smile and wondering how someone can create so many dishes that melt in your mouth with that...