If you want to know what upscale Japanese food used to be like in Nashville, consider this: In 2016, when the Nashville Scene gave an award for the city’s best sushi, it essentially apologized for its winner, noting “Music City will likely never have a top-flight sushi restaurant.”
Less than a decade later, the desert has become an oasis. In 12 South alone, diners can find outposts of nationally recognized spots like Sushi|Bar and Sunda, and just a few blocks away, Chicago staple Sushi-san is about to open its first out-of-state location. Throw in locally owned places like Punk Wok in Sylvan Park and Black Dynasty Secret Ramen House in East Nashville, and there are plenty of Japanese options that deserve acclaim.
