Oslo

What I wouldn’t give for a lunch do-​over to get my 2.5 hours back…
Went with a group of 11 people for an employee’s birthday lunch celebration. We made sure to call before we were heading over there to both warn Oslo that we had a bigger party coming and to see if they had room for us – we figured lunch may be busy. They warned us that they were a bit understaffed so that we’d have to be patient, but that we should definitely come over.
Got to Oslo at 12pm (on a Wednesday) and there wasn’t anyone in there — not one single guest. Our waitress had us sit down and explained rules to us right away: 1 check per party, and if we’re ordering off the sushi menu, everyone has to write on the same checklist. The checklist part made no sense, but we went with it.
Then came the part where we should have left. The waitress told us that the Thai chef was out that day so the Thai menu was limited. We were given 3 choices, including Pad Thai and some fried rice dishes, that we could choose from. The rest of the Thai menu was off limits. And if we were ordering sushi, she warned us that it would take awhile to get to our table since they were down to one chef who had to cook and make the sushi. We had already spent 30 minutes there, so we decided to just order sushi.
The first table of four received their sushi within 20 minutes. They were done with their sushi and waited another 25 minutes before the second round of sushi (for the next 4 people that ordered) even came out. Second order of sushi came out and we were finished before the rest of our party received their sushi. A lot of sitting around and a snide comment from the manager that «he hoped we didn’t have to be anywhere any time soon.»
Besides the waiting around, snide comments, and general lack of caring on Oslo’s part, the sushi wasn’t even good! Just bland.
I can see why there weren’t any guests in the restaurant when we got there — I wouldn’t be willing to give Oslo a second try for any reason.

I’m no foodie, but I know what I like and I like this place a lot. Kat is fun to chat with and the food is always on point. I probably have had better sushi but not at the price that I pay at Oslo.
Admittedly, the service can be slow but it’s not like they’ve got room for a ton of people to roll or cook. The cooking quarters are a bit on the small side.
My only complaint ever with this place is the restroom. It’s the veteran young guy in me, I appreciate clean restrooms and you rarely find clean restrooms at nightclubs. I think it’s the only thing preventing me from giving that fifth star.

FOOD:
The sushi is ok, the entrees are ok as well. The service is good. slow, but good.
Last time we were there, it took forever to be seated. The sushi chef had to go outside to tell the owner we were waiting to be sat. She sat us, and promptly ignored until we caught her attention by waving. We ordered the spring rolls for an appetizer. (the owner was waiting on us because they were busy) She told us about vegan menu options, after we had asked for recommendations. (their coconut milk options are not vegan) But then she brings us shrimp rolls instead of spring rolls. After about five minutes I was able to flag down the waitress (who was really nice and very helpful) and told her about the mistake. She was great, took the rolls off the bill and gave us our expected spring rolls. From there, she continually came back to check on us. Once we had an actual waitress, things went great. The food was ok, we got some tofu & noodles with brown sauce, broccoli and mushrooms.
CLUB:
The club downstairs used to be really cool. However, since the new owners have had it (for the last few years) it’s really lost its vibe. There’s too many lights, they close promptly at 2 (by blinding you with house lights), and the new security team is equipped with flashlights. (because you really want to have a flash light flashed in your face).
On the bright side there are definitely some great Dj nights here, like Fierce Hot Mess, among others, which usually happens on a Saturday.
BIKES: you can lock up to their gate outside.

Woah this place looks sketchy. Strange folk hanging outside, not the cleanest looking sushi bar… However, great waitstaff, great food, great saki. The lemongrass coconut saki was delicious. I had 2. The best avocado saiad that I’ve EVER had with a peanut thai dressing. Sushi was decent as well. The interior is tiny, but we got a seat right away.

Ok, Oslo… I see you now…
Grabbed lunch here the other day. The sushi was on point, they’ve definitely cut back the rice to an acceptable level (in my previous review, over-​ricing the sushi was a big bone I had to pick), everything was fresh, fast, and delicious.
However, it was myself and my friend, and only one other table (we arrived soon after they opened for lunch service)…so even though there was only one server, the two measly tables should have been no problem for her to handle (esp since she sat the other people uncomfortably close to us — like, literally right next to us, so we could not help but overhear each other’s conversations. weird.). Still, we had to flag her down to ask her for soy sauce and red chille sauce, and for drink refills.
Keep working Oslo, maybe next time you’ll earn a 5-​er. :)

I see a lot of reviews here, i’m saddened at the fact that I’m not able to share a full paragraph like the others.
From what i can remember Lol i went to a lil club downstairs music was pretty cool, i think it was alternative or techno of some sorts.
Met the bar owner and his wife… they were pretty cool
then i had a drink and left, remember some guy chasing me down telling me about how hot i was?! lol maybe i am who knew???
but anyway I’ll have to go back and try it again and see whats all the whoo-​raaa about when it comes to this place i see the potential and i love to kick it at spots where they think I’m hot.
Why not!!! :o)

Oslo is a great place to chill, grab a couple rolls of sushi (maybe some sake), and catch a local Detroit DJ spinning electronic music downstairs.
The overall sushi is around 3 stars (it’s good), but what tips the scale for me is the overall ambiance of this place, the presentation of each dish, the fact that this place is located downtown, and the awesome underground electronic music that’s spun here by some fantastic local and internationally renowned djs, really bumps up Oslo to a solid 4 stars!!!

***********************CLUB REVIEW ONLY****************
So i stumbled upon some tickets to DJ kenneth thomas’ bday bash. It was a friday night, the very first time in downtown detroit for me. The whole dining space and the downstairs look very nicely designed. It’s rare to find places with taste in detroit. so this is a gem for me.
The club has this underground niche to it since it’s downstairs, and literally underground. i love the big wood panels across the whole club creating the dimensional space with the horizontal lines. It’s not a huge place but the design definitely helped a lot.
The bartenders were nice and not douchey. There was a lot of grenades that night but the drinks were good and the music was awesome.
Although it’s a designy place, don’t come here too dressy because it’s semi casual. nice top and jeans would do.

CLUB REVIEW ONLY! Maybe eventually I will have the money to afford the sushi one day, but I don’t expect it any time soon. I went this past Friday for a monthly event, Depressing Disco (featuring the wonderful Secrets), which is every second Friday. I hadn’t been since they had rearranged the basement club kind of area, and was pretty excited.
Let me start off by saying Oslo is what some people describe as «intimate». Its not huge, but it has enough room to dance and enjoy yourself. The fact that they repositioned the bar and knocked down the one wall is fantastic. I really like what they did. Relocating the bar means you can actually get around down there now.
The bartenders know how to poor a drink. They are quick, attentive and do their job well. The prices are a little higher than «average», but on nights that they have monthly events, they generally have specials. On that Friday, $ 2 PBRs, $ 3 Coronas, $ 3 Kamikaze shots. Score. Even if they don’t have a special running, they poor a stiff as shit drink and you won’t be disappointed.
Music wise, expect nothing but electronic music down here. Everything from minimal house/​tech, disco influenced house beats, Detroit techno, hell they even have a dubstep/​DnB night if I remember correctly. The blend is great and generally free to cheap, $ 5ish.
I really want to try Oslo’s food soon, so I can post a complete review. But for now, Oslo remains a less-​douchey alternative to Bleu that has better talent. And now that Vain has become Monarch and is still under questionable management, Oslo remains the king of that little block for me. I just wish it was bigger.

Lets say finding sushi in Downtown Detroit has not been easy. Finding one that will deliver, even tougher. I was super excited for Oslo.
The rolls are pretty small and mostly rice, but I think thats to cover up the fact that the fish really isn’t that fresh. However, everything tasted fine, not great, but fine, and well they’re the only place thats willing to deliver in Downtown Detroit.
I didn’t get sick, they’ll deliver and I really love sushi so I’ll order again.

Even before going to Oslo, I’ve always thought it had a cool type of vibe sitting on the corner of Woodward and John R.
I’ve done sushi carryout on several occasions for lunch (I work downtown) and I’ve dined there twice at night. The first nighttime stop there, it was so crowded, we waited downstairs in the wooden den. The interior design was cool. It was different (for me, anyway). The music was bangin’ — if I was there to club, I’m sure I’d enjoy myself.
But I wasn’t there to club, I was there to enjoy their Thai. Not as good as Sala Thai, honestly. I kind of have Sala Thai on a pedestal. Would I go back? Of course. And I did.
After learning that Wah-​Hoo closed at 8 pm, I went to Oslo to fill my sushi craving. Well done. We got there when it wasn’t SO busy, but boy did the place fill up. There was only one waiter (the owner/​manager?) and another guy– okay, so only 2 waiters, making the wait time a little long and God forbid you needed to stop him to ask any questions. I get it though. Rapidly growing crowd + one or two people = no time for randomness.
Oh! If you have foursquare, check in and see what kind of specials they might have. Your check-​in might get you a discount on your bill. It’s also advisable to friend them on Facebook. They post daily deals and specials, so it’s good to keep up with that.
Would I go back?
Of course.

Ok, let me preface this review by stating that i know oslo has had somewhat of a ‘checkered’ past, so to speak, but since the new owners have taken over i have definitely sensed improvement and urge you (if you haven’t already) to give this place a second chance!
Since I live very close, Oslo is my go to Sunday night dinner spot (or any other night i don’t feel like cooking, for that matter).
Althought it’s technically considered a sushi joint, i have to say i’m a bigger fan of the Thai menu. Imma be real, the sushi is not necessarily the best in the city – although i do enjoy their spicy scallop rolls and some of the specialty rolls – it doesn’t always necessarily taste the ‘freshest’. But i’m also not a huge sushi fan, so i can’t hate too hard.
i absolutely LOVE the gyoza and spring roll apps. hands down, best on the menu. also, i’m telling you, you MUST try the Tom Jeadd soup. I could literally eat this stuff every day for the rest of my life, tiny little glass noodles in a wonderfully seasoned broth with crispy fried garlic and tofu, i would take a bath in it if i could.
My fave entrees are the Gang Massaman and the Oslo Udon noodles. I have an intense love for gang massaman and they do it just right. The fried rice dishes are pretty satisfying as well.
Next time you are in the area, stop in and give the Thai menu a try!

Met an old friend for an early dinner here on a week night. The sushi selection was quite impressive, but the quality was not up to par. Not bad by any means, but not the freshest. I will go back and try other things, but as for now I am not wowed. Also the service was quite slow, and they were not busy at all when we were there. I would also like to go and hang out in the downstairs bar sometime soon…

I have to analyze this place differently than others because there are two sides to this coin…
BAR/​LOUNGE: 2 stars
The bar/​lounge is in the basement of this establishment but it needs much better ventilation because far too smoky, sweaty/​humid, and just has a grimy feel to it in general. And the drinks are pretty poorly made.
RESTAURANT: 3 stars
It’s not the best sushi I’ve had, but it falls right in the middle of that bell curve of the sushi you will find in metro Detroit. The Thai dishes here are also pretty good here. The only thing that bothered me was that we went with a big group and they simply refused to split up the bill. So we had one LONG list and it was hell trying to get it sorted and the waitress was of no help, she just had a bad attitude and defensive throughout the whole process. So we enjoyed a good time with friends but then left the establishment pretty stressed and frustrated :(
Note to Oslo: Staff can really make or break an experience. Please CHECK your staff for attitude from time to time, thanks!
This place deserves about 2.5 but i’m rounding up to 3 because I’m in a good mood. :)

This is a decent hangout spot in downtown Detroit. Not many places downtown boast being a sushi bar and nightlife bar-​lounge. The sushi bar area is a little narrow and can get cramped when busy, as it’s one of those long rectangular spaces that begins with the medium-​sized bar and then proceeds deeper into the establishment with a medium-​small sized area for dining.
This venue almost always is kind of dark — giving it the underground, isolated lair type of a feel. There is usually underground techno-​house music playing, which really add to the industrial Detroit flavor. This is a plus in the uniqueness department. This place does get smoky from time to time, but I suppose once the smoking ban goes into effect, that will be remedied. The drinks are over-​priced and made mediocre. The sushi is, as Krupa U. mentioned, about middle of the road for what you’d find in Detroit. Prices on food fortunately are not subject to much downtown inflation, but at the same time, is at the upper end of pricing when compared to suburban sushi restaurants.
Overall the dining are is a kind of industrial/​cool place to eat. Feels like a sushibar that Robocop would stop in to eat at in a grimy neighborhood in future Detroit.
What this place does have going for it is that you can come here for sushi, Thai, sake, drinks, etc. in the evening — and then just head down the stairs to the dark/​underground lair lounge area. Plenty of seating down here, DJed music, another bar, and space to dance to some of Motor City’s house/​techno/​dance jams. It’s not an experience for everyone, but it definitely is a spot that you want to give a shot on a good night. If you’re with good company, you can probably expect this to be a nice backdrop of a venue, however if you are with just 1 – 2 folks and want a place that can entertain and charm you with awesome drinks and warm service — do be warned that this place has pretty brief/​cold staff, and kind of staunch bartenders typically. Again, not a problem if you’re with great and/​or plentiful company. Depends on what your focus is.
Overall, I never plan on going here, but when I have friends that invite me here for a birthday or some other occasion, I usually do end up having some good sushi and fun — and it definitely is a unique place with a Detroit flavor. Check it out!

Oslo is a nice place around the corner from where I used to work. They have a big menu of numerous Asian dishes from various countries of origin as well as a sushi bar. I stopped in with a co-​worker to have a peek as she got takeout sushi and returned the very next day to try it myself.
As you know if you read this blog on any type of regular basis, I am a sushi fan. I’m not hugely picky which works for my wallet but I can indeed tell good from the merely mediocre. Oslo is very good indeed but not stellar. The prices are about what you would expect, a bit higher than my bargains in the burbs but not anything too out there by any means.
The sushi chef is very nice and was more than happy to demonstrate for me as he made up my to go box. He works efficiently and tidily, as all good sushi chefs do. I was sad not to see knife work but I enjoyed myself at any rate. His fish was already beautifully sliced and he made quite nice tight rolls.
I had the Oslo sushi combination B which features your choice of roll (spicy tuna, spicy white tuna, california or avocado and cucumber) plus 6 pieces of chef’s choice nigiri sushi for 16.00. I added a salmon roll because I was starving. It made quite a lovely array.
The spicy tuna was quite zesty, I liked the heat a lot. The salmon was fresh, rich and buttery and a perfect foil for the spice of the tuna. The nigiri was a solid combination including salmon, tuna and shrimp. I felt quite piggish but happy at any rate.
They gave me plenty of wasabi, soy sauce and ginger with the requisite chopsticks, sending along a little cup for dipping, packing me off on my merry way. Very nice to go I must say.
Now if they had better deals or a coupon I would be here all the time.

Oslo is a sick downstairs nightclub that embodies everything about Detroit Techno. It is super dark, and super small with several nooks and crannies to the place that makes it nice in a curious sort of way. I notice something different about the place every time I’m in there.
I just wish that they had more recurring events, or just better-​promoted events. I never hear about the sweet stuff that goes down at Oslo until either the day of the event, or after it’s occurred. Parking kinda sucks on the weekends, but outside of that this is one of my favorite spots downtown.

like everyone said here… cool place… but service sometimes are questionable. I think the inconsistency of their food and drink (one time they have no hot water for green tea! wtf?) will keep people away. Cant really recommend this place… if wasn’t the atmosphere this place wont last this long.
I would just give 2 ½ star.

The atmosphere is really cool, but it stops there. I was not impressed, and I’m really glad that I didn’t try the sushi. Atmosphere just can’t save everything.
The drinks are really expensive and not well made. I asked for a white Russian, and the bar tender was like «Do we have any cream down here?» Then the other bar tender brings the cream, and she was like «Yeah. I haven’t made one since like last week.» Yes, I know cream keeps longer than a week, but that was just not something I wanted to hear. Sorry. Not only that, they served me in a plastic cup, and I HATE being served alcohol in a plastic cup. HATE. If I’m paying good money for a drink, you’d better put it in something that won’t be thrown away at the end of the night.
Maybe it would be better on a different night, but I’m not sure I would ever go back.

I actually don’t remember too much about my Oslo experience. I remember that I was with a rather large group, and that the food was pretty decent overall. I think they had some kind of white tuna going on, which was solid, and they have two kinds of Hitachino beer which is AWESOME… any color (i believe they had red & white here) is amazing. best beer ever.
But I was in town for DEMF last year, and after getting pretty drunk during dinner, i got even more drunk downstairs… there was lots of dancing involved… i believe Holy Ghost (DFA) was playing and i think i said what’s up to them, god knows what i *actually* said… or maybe it was Derek Plaslaiko? shit i don’t even really know at this point… and i also remember my friend Jessica talking about how much Moby sucks, and then tripping and falling later in the evening… only to be helped up off the floor by Moby himself.
Now that I think about it, I think I remember the bitch-​of-​a-​hangover that I had the the next day more than anything else about my Oslo experience.