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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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The setting is intimate and the Japanese cuisine is pretty authentic.
While the sushi here is really good (some of the best in the city) I can't say that this place is as good as it gets as of late.
It seems like the last couple times the quality of the rolls has been lacking. The quality of the fish is still there, but the execution just isn't there anymore.
The only other downside is that it's downtown.
Over all its worth trying, very pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff, and I probably would have rated it 5 stars, except I just feel that the quality has slipped slightly.
I stopped by Ichiban while on a road trip. I wish I went elsewhere. While the food, service, and atmosphere were ok, I was not too impressed. The waitresses talked loudly in the background, the TVs were pointed to FOX news, the food was not too terribly exciting. I had a vegetable roll as the appetizer and a noodle soup for my main course. The sushi was ok, while the soup was nothing but a microwaved water with some veggies in it. I am not too familiar with the downtown scene in Nashville, but I am sure that there is better food to be found.
The quality of the food has been a little uneven over my past couple of trips. I am not sure if they have had some turnover in the kitchen or sushi bar, but it always seems like something is a little off. On one trip the sushi was not very good, on another the bento seemed a bit sloppy. I would still recommend it, but Ichiban is no longer a sure thing.
Excellent Japanese restaurant in the heart of downtown Nashville. Sushi is pretty good, but the… Read more »
one of the best Japanese restaurants in Nashville. Solid sushi, great atmosphere, 2 for 1 sake happy hr 5-7. I was really surprised to see Tonkatsu ramen on the menu...so nice to have in Nashville!
beware of the chicken teriyaki...it isn't traditional japanese style...more americanized execution.
definitely worth a visit.
Excellent Japanese food. Sure lots of reviewers mention sushi and they have that too. But you owe it to yourself to try the authentic Japanese dishes. Come for dinner and bring an appetite. I recommend getting a combination so you can try several items without accidentally putting together a bunch of incompatible tastes (however unlikely that may be). I also highly recommend the roast eggplant as an appetizer. Make the experience more authentic and skip the coke or ice water, and have some green tea. The service is efficient and friendly without being annoying, and the prices, though a little high, are very reasonable for the area and quality.
oh, ichiban, how i love you.
if you like sushi, you absolutely MUST spoil yourself with a visit here. the fish used for the sushi here is absolutely next level. i'm not really the type for "atmosphere" at a restaurant, as i go to eat, but i love the vibe of this place. it does a great job of isolating you from not only the other patrons, but the fact that you're in downtown. this place is great, easily one of my favorite restaurants in nashville. you must try it!
eric b
I love Ichiban. Apparently, Ichiban means "number one," and I think the owners named their little restaurant appropriately. It is, without a doubt, one of (if not the) most authentic sushi spots in Nashville. The restaurant itself is quaint and beautifully decorated, and I personally like dining upstairs.
Unlike Ru San's, Ichiban does not strive to be a hip, modern sushi bar. They merely make high-quality Japanese cuisine and serve it in a traditional manner (without blasting techno or screaming at their customers). Though my personal favorite sushi restaurant is Sam's (because of the sheer enormity of portions and cheapness of his sushi), Ichiban is "number one" as far as experience goes. They may be a bit pricier than Sam's, but the staff is very sweet and attentive, and it's a pleasant spot to have dinner with a few friends.
Ichiban also offers several very tasty Japanese beers. The restaurant is on Second, meaning it might be crowded and you might have to fight your way through loads of tourists, but I say it's worth it. Best sushi experience Nashville has to offer.
On a cold winter afternoon, it's hard to beat a hot bowl of soba at Ichiban. It's one of the cozier little restaurants in downtown. Dishes are reasonably priced and competently prepared. Often crowded, but never full, the atmosphere lends itself to a jovial, comfortable experience. The staff is friendly and attentive -- most of the same people have been working there for years.
The building is not big, so this is not a place you want to bring a large party. Bring a date or some good friends, grab a booth and a bottle of sake, and relax.
Ichiban is the place I go to sit down for sushi downtown, if you want something fast to go, you can go to Sam's but the dining experience at Ichiban is much better. They have cozy booths, seating at the sushi bar or tables further in the back. They are always accommodating and the staff is very kind. It is a quiet local place. Every time I have visited, even if the restaurant is full it is still not too noisy. They fortunately do not play any muzak or anything like that. The place is also pretty casual not really fine dining or anything but a relaxed atmosphere with good food.
The sushi rolls are made with care so the presentation is always very appetizing and the tastes meets expectations. The fish is fresh and delicious. They have a great beer and sake selection here. So you can imbibe the traditional drink along with your sushi rolls.
In my opinion, the perfect chirashi would contain the following ingredients:
*multiple slices of sake, hamachi, saba, hotate, maguro, unagi, amaebi, tamago, white tuna
*ikura (salmon roe)
*slices of sweeten braised shiitake mushroom
*pickled radish or daikon
*seaweed salad (optional)
This restaurant's chirashi had the following pros and cons, relative to my notion of the perfect chirashi:
Pros: Terrific variety. Surprisingly fresh. Has most of the desired elements.
Cons: Missing unagi, hotate, marinated shiitakes, seaweed salad
Food was pretty good but it wasn't the absolute best I've had. I had the ramen soup while hubby ordered various sushi. The tables in the restaurant are little too close together. We overheard two tables with absolutely bizarro conversations that were hard to tune out.
As mentioned in other reviews, I am a self-identified sushi snob, and have been lucky enough to go to Japan several times, and eat the most toe-curlingly fantastic sushi there. So my sushi bar is set high. Ichiban is the only sushi place in Nashville which I'd describe as excellent, and equivalent the better restaurants in Tokyo and New York City. Its sushi is authentic, fresh, and expertly prepared. Ichiban also offers a wide array of traditional Japanese dishes beyond sushi. If you want a true Japanese cuisine experience, as opposed to Americanized rolls with tons of cream cheese and deep fried crunchy things and random cooked things stuffed in the rolls, then check this place out.
Very good quality japanese food in a most unlikely locale. The menu is quite extensive, and I was especially impressed by the dinner combo platter which includes a bento box with your choice 2 entrees and 2 choices of rolls or sushi on the side. They also have a very good selection of sake. A must try is the banana fried green tea ice cream, which also comes in large portion, perfect for sharing and an appetizer whether it be the gyoza or the beef negimaki (thinly sliced broiled beef rolled over green scallion in teriaki sauce). Its one of the rare restaurants that offer a lot for your dollar.
last night i had the pleasure of dining at ichiban... it was freezing outside in downtown nashville and the warm cozy authentic atmosphere of ichiban was a nice escape from the cold weather...
they have cozy tables downstairs and booths... we were seated pretty promptly and out drink order taken, they have an extensive sake list... foodwise we started out with some vegetable tempura which was quite yummy and hit the spot, then it was on to sushi.. they have signature sushi rolls... i was in the mood for some rolls so i tried *the nashville roll* which was yummy with shrimpy and crunchy panko wrapped in cucumber and then i got the crunchy shrimp roll... my friend got two rolls which she loved as well ...
i had been hearing about ichiban for years and am so glad i finally checked it out.. i will definitely go back... my whole meal was under $20, can't go wrong there!
Excellent sushi, and in Nashville! Relaxing, dark atmosphere a big contrast to the awfulness outside on 2nd Ave (tourists). Very friendly staff... one of them stopped short while rushing past our table when she heard us talking about beer, and told us to try the Orion, which ended up being a really smooth and tasty surprise; maybe one of the best "light" beers I've had. Spicy crawfish roll was memorable, rainbow roll was excellent --with so many sushi flavors in the rainbow, the high caliber of fish really makes a difference. Sashimi also surprisingly top-notch. Open late on the weekends (11 pm).
Nashville, TN
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sushi Bars
Nashville, TN
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Belmont/Hillsboro
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Demonbreun
Category: Sushi Bars
