A Hidden Sushi Experience Arrives on Church Street

Charleston has never lacked for great food.
What it has lacked — until now — is mystery.

Behind a modest “SB” sign on Church Street, a new sushi experience quietly opened in December. No flashy signage. No obvious entrance. Just a subtle signal that something special might be happening inside.

Sushi | Bar doesn’t announce itself.
It invites discovery.

The evening begins before dinner even starts. Guests are asked to arrive early for Champagne in a sleek sitting room, a deliberate pause before what comes next.

At precisely the appointed time, diners are ushered into a windowless space — intimate, focused, and designed to block out the noise of downtown Charleston. Assigned seats wait behind the bar, each marked with a handwritten name tag in gold script.

As Post & Courier describes, there’s little reason to miss the outside world once dinner begins. The show is right in front of you.

Sushi | Bar offers a 16-course omakase — chef’s choice — experience, plus dessert. Each course arrives individually, placed carefully in front of diners like a finished sentence.

Hands, not chopsticks, are encouraged. Warm towels are offered throughout the meal to keep flavors clean and distinct. Conversation flows easily, helped along by sake pours and the natural intimacy of a 12-seat counter.

The progression matters. According to Sushi | Bar’s director of culinary strategy, Anthony Martin, the menu is designed to evolve thoughtfully. “It does flow in a very specific pattern,” Martin told Post & Courier.

Light, bright bites give way to richer cuts as the evening unfolds.

Each piece of nigiri is treated as a complete dish rather than a simple pairing of fish and rice. The rice itself is loosely packed, designed to amplify — not overpower — the fish.

Standout courses include Ora King salmon finished with bourbon barrel-smoked salt, snow crab gently poached in dashi butter, and golden eye snapper torched and paired with kabocha squash purée and fried ginger.

The sourcing is global and exacting. Much of the fish is imported from specific regions, with some purchased at Tokyo’s Toyosu Market and arriving in Charleston within 32 hours, according to Post & Courier.

Martin’s résumé brings serious weight: training under Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas and leading Chicago’s Tru to two Michelin stars. Sushi | Bar began in Austin and now operates in several major cities — but Martin isn’t managing Charleston from afar.

He’s present. He’s leading service. And he’s vocal about wanting to integrate into the local food community, which he told Post & Courier is among the best in the country for sourcing ingredients.

At $185 per person, Sushi | Bar is undeniably expensive by Charleston standards. It’s not a weekly — or even monthly — destination for most diners.

But after visiting top sushi restaurants in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Osaka, the reviewer concludes that Sushi | Bar “upholds the high standards its price commands,” according to Post & Courier.

The meal builds to its most indulgent moment near the end: A5 Wagyu, lightly seared and finished with kimchi beurre blanc — rich, balanced, and intentionally restrained.

Sushi | Bar isn’t trying to be accessible.
It isn’t trying to be trendy.
And it certainly isn’t trying to be casual.

It’s a focused, immersive experience designed for diners seeking something rare — a meal that rewards attention, patience, and trust in the chefs behind the counter.

In a city known for tradition, Sushi | Bar offers something quietly thrilling: a reason to lean in, lower your voice, and savor every bite.

This is a summary of an article published in the Post & Courier. Click here if you’d like to read that article.