Sushi Taku - Charlotte — Restaurant in Charlotte

I visited during lunch on a Saturday for the all you can eat price of $31.99. 92.5 food health rating (a bit low).

There was plenty of parking that was easily validated when going inside. There was no wait so we were seated immediately. The waitress was always checking on us and our food came out super quickly. Overall the atmosphere and service was great.

As for the food, we ordered a lot of different things to try. First we ordered all 3 carpaccios to try. You can order each one, one time per person. They were all great but swimming in ponzu. I wish they offered a no sauce version or regular sashimi instead for those that aren't a big fan of ponzu. I think it's a huge miss to not offer a regular sashimi version of those 3 types at least, but even better to have regular sashimi options.

For appetizers, we tried to order the octopus kaarage but it seems this restaurant hasn't been able to consistently keep it in stock. The shumai was great, the soft shell crab was great just a bit more fried than I normally like, the steamed gyoza was okay, and the crab rangoons were amazing with some sweetness!

For the rolls, we tried the fire phoenix roll without mayo, the spicy tuna roll, the salmon avocado roll, and the salmon skin roll. The Fire phoenix roll was great! I appreciate having a seared salmon option on the menu. The avocado was super creamy and there wasn't too much avocado or cucumber like a lot of other AYCE places have. Similarly, the spicy tuna roll was also good. The salmon skin roll however was terrible. Instead of a traditional salmon skin roll that is fried crunchy salmon skin only, they used smoked salmon with a very very very overwhelming smokey almost bbq taste. There was actual salmon in the roll and it wasnt crunchy. They also added SO much cream cheese. It was pretty inedible. It seems that the goal of this roll was to mimic more of a bagel with slight crunch, lox, and cream cheese, but it failed. I would hope they would reconsider just doing a typical and traditional salmon skin roll. Plus, it had way too much rice and was HUGE. The salmon avocado roll also had way too much rice. It was extremely dense, the pieces were wide and huge, and overall felt like a giant roll when it should have been more like a traditional maki roll. The rice was too filling to make it worth it. The avocado was very creamy which I did appreciate.

Lastly, we got nigiri. The rice was exceptional, especially for AYCE. It was very well seasoned. I enjoyed the sushi vinegar mix they used because it was complimentary without being too sweet. The rice was also a great consistency. My favorite part of the nigiri was that this restaurant used a good rice to fish ratio. Every single AYCE place I have had always put so much rice in the nigiri that it's not enjoyable and you need to remove at least half the rice. Sushi Taku had the perfect amount with a good thick piece of fish, not something super thin like other sushi restaurants. We got the white tuna/escolar (great), yellowtail (super fishy and dry as paper), salmon (super clean tasting and buttery), scallop (not typical hokkaido scallops but instead some of the abductor muscle and just tasted really fishy and a bit sour so not great), red snapper (tasted like actual snapper and not the cheap tilapia switch but it's hard to know, I would get it again because it was good), eel (standard but not very saucy), shrimp (standard and good), ikura/salmon roe (super fishy for some reason but glad they have it on the menu), mackerel (I have only enjoyed mackerel at more expensive sushi places and this one here was super fishy and extremely dry like paper as well), and lastly sea bass (best fish I tried and I ordered a bunch more with some additional salmon nigiri several times).

Overall, I think it makes sense that this is the most expensive AYCE sushi restaurant Charlotte has considering they give you carpaccio options, a ton of different apps, more premium nigiri options, and more raw fish rolls. I would come back to try more but not go out of my way to go often until they...

A Symphony of the Sea: An Exquisite Encounter at Sushi Taku

Dining at Sushi Taku is less an act of consumption and more an immersion into an art form — a meticulously orchestrated ballet of flavor, texture, and presentation that transcends the very notion of sushi as mere sustenance.

From the moment one crosses the threshold, the air hums with a quiet reverence for the craft. The décor is understated yet purposeful, a minimalist canvas that allows each plate to become the evening’s focal masterpiece. The lighting, warm but not indulgent, caresses the lacquered wood of the counter, where the itamae’s hands perform with the precision of a concert pianist and the intuition of a poet.

The fish — impossibly fresh, as though it were lifted from the ocean mere hours before — is treated with a respect that borders on spiritual. Each cut is deliberate, revealing an understanding not just of anatomy, but of the subtle dialogue between flavor and mouthfeel. The otoro here is an ethereal experience: ribbons of marbled pink dissolving on the tongue into a tidal wave of umami, tempered by the whisper of perfectly seasoned shari whose temperature is calibrated to the human palate’s ideal.

The uni — a fragile treasure from the sea — is presented in a form so pristine it seems almost sacrilegious to disturb it. Its briny sweetness blooms in the mouth like the last light of a sunset over water, lingering long enough to stir the kind of quiet joy that can only be felt, not described.

Beyond the sushi itself, the progression of the meal reflects a rare narrative sensibility. A delicate hirame garnished with yuzu zest arrives early, awakening the senses, followed by bolder, more assertive offerings — aji kissed with ginger, anago lacquered in a house-made tare so balanced it could be mistaken for the ocean’s own seasoning.

Service here is not simply attentive; it is anticipatory. The staff moves with an almost invisible choreography, refilling tea before you notice it cooling, offering sake pairings that elevate rather than overshadow, and speaking of the menu with a fluency that suggests deep respect for the cuisine’s lineage.

In a world where the word “sushi” is too often applied to lifeless rolls and casual assembly, Sushi Taku stands as a testament to the discipline, humility, and quiet genius that true sushi demands. It is a sanctuary for those who understand that perfection is not loud, but whispers.

This is not dinner. This is pilgrimage — and Sushi...

Exciting to see a new AYCE sushi spot open in Charlotte in the bustling South End area.

As far as I can tell, Sushi Taku is still figuring out certain aspects of the customer experience. We arrived between lunch and dinner, but there was no waitlist. By the time the restaurant opened for dinner, a big crowd had accumulated in the front, so we as customers were tasked with using the honor system to determine who would be seen first. Fortunately, other customers were honest and encouraged us to move up to the front as they noticed we had been waiting. I’m grateful for the other customers’ integrity, but I do think there should be a waitlist between lunch and dinner. Things could have gotten really awkward if there were less honest people in the crowd.

In terms of the food, a handful of appetizers and my dessert never came out. Among the appetizers we did have, the Baby Octopus Salad and Octopus Karaage were really good! I liked the Soft-Shell Crab, but I wish they went a little lighter on the breading.

Among the sushi rolls we tried, the Sunny Roll was the star, with a great balance of flavors and textures. I was a little disappointed with the Mango Tango Roll—the description was intriguing, but I think the roll was missing something crunchy to offset the softness of the other ingredients.

The adorable tote bag I received free with my meal to celebrate the restaurant’s opening compelled me to give the restaurant 3 stars instead of 2 stars—even though the food was a mixed bag, little gestures like this make a difference to me as a customer!

All in all, I’d be willing to give Sushi Taku another try when they’ve worked out the seating and ordering system. There are some tasty items on the menu, and I’m intrigued to see if the food will have improved overall in a few...