The well-loved Japanese-fusion restaurant Otaku Ramen will be expanding with a location in East Nashville’s Highland Yards this spring at 747 Douglas Ave as well as opening inside The Factory at Franklin later this year at 230 Franklin Rd.
An official grand-opening date has not yet been set for either location.
Otaku loosely translates to “nerd” in Japanese. Owner Sarah Gavigan describes good ramen as a necessity to the Nashville food scene, and that the comfort food was virtually nonexistent when she moved back to her hometown of Nashville from LA in 2010. Five years later, the first Otaku location opened in The Gulch.
“From the very brothy beginnings of Otaku’s journey, our goal was to master the oft-secretive art of ramen making and share its history, tradition, and deliciousness with everyone,” the Otaku website states.
What Now Nashville spoke with Otaku public relations representative, Maddy Plaster, about the expansion.
“We’re eager to continue Otaku’s mission of bringing ramen to the ramen-less. The East Nashville flagship is set to open this spring, and the Franklin Factory location will open later this year,” Plaster said in an email.
The menu at the two new Otaku locations are expected to be similar to its other locations. It will offer Tonkatsu pork bone broth ramen, Shoyu chicken and pork belly ramen, spicy miso ramen, Tantanmen vegetable and tofu ramen, as well as Japanese-style fried chicken and boba drinks.
