Nanami Sushi Diner & Onigiri — Restaurant in New Orleans

I've been for lunch and for dinner; both times were absolutely delicious and delightful! Service is always A+ and all staff were so attentive and nice about answering any question. Both times I sat at the bar and the chef/owner would periodically ask how things were going with a smile. This place is currently BYOB and I wish I brought sake to toast the wonderful chef!

(Pictures are only of dinner) We started off with the shishito peppers and eggplant dip. Peppers were not as spicy as I hoped (I typically love the burn!), but the ponzu sauce and bonito were nice tangy, salty additions to the peppers. The eggplant dip was surprisingly light with a sweet/salty taste. Lovely soft texture with a nice airy crunch from the rice paper chips.

We came towards the end of the night, so the tuna cripy rice was actually topped off with salmon. Outer rice was chewy but soft on the inside as was the salmon. It's more on the sweet side since it's topped with eel sauce; personally I would rather a ponzu based sauce since the overall texture was soft but it was still delicious.

For the raw items, we got toro sushi, Hokkaido uni sushi, and amberjack crudo. The crudo is a MUST! That herbaceous oil, the two-day aged fish, the fresh tomatoes! Highlight of the meal! The toro was buttery, fatty, topped with wasabi-green onion (just the rigth of wasabi to cut balance the richness).

We also got the Earl Gray teacake, which the server told us is made in-house! The tea flavor is strong and you can even see the specks of tea in the cake. A lovely, fragrant end to a...

Only people who truly appreciate what a sushi chef/owner does will truly understand what a gem this place is. Just for example, the amount of different fish this place has is so amazing. Anyone who has eaten at a Japanese sushi bar has experience the same ol fish “tuna, salmon, yellowtail, snapper, halibut, amberjack” well not here. This place has OVER 10 unique fish to serve. Even the surf clam is fresh here. 100% of restaurants get that frozen in a box. The chef here makes sure to get the top quality fish even if he has to pay top dollar for it. That’s something I have to respect. I’ve seen some people comment about how it may be little pricey but still fully enjoyed. YES!! That’s what sushi is, top quality fish that the owner paid for for you to enjoy. Most sushi bars around the area serve frozen fish and still charge you like if it was fresh. I was very impressed. Even the crispy tuna rice appetizer. Made with fresh blue fin tuna. This is a place Where sushi is actually made right. I have high praise for this place. New Orleans finally has a true sushi bar...

I'm thrilled to share my incredible dining experience at Nanami Sushi Diner and Onigiri! As someone who loves food but isn't a 'foodie,' I was blown away by the freshness and quality of their dishes. The Tempura Shrimp was like a taste of heaven, and the Gyoza was incredible. My son, who's been searching for authentic Japanese cuisine since his time in Japan, raved about the Japanese Karaage Chicken, saying it was just like he had it in Japan. My personal favorite was the Shrimp Tempura roll - it tasted divine! Reservations are a must for weekends, but trust me, it's worth it! Take the time to try Nanami Sushi Diner and Onigiri if you love Japanese cuisine - you won't be disappointed, and it'll become your go-to spot! BYOB for now, with no corking fee until they finalize their alcohol permit, but that's just a bonus - the food is the real star...