"Robin Anthony flies Toyosu fish to a six-seat Carolina counter, a 2026 James Beard nod behind him — book it for sushi obsessives."
About the counter
Six seats face a hinoki counter on Providence Road, and twice a week a box from Tokyo's Toyosu market lands behind it. Robin Anthony works the room alone, building Edomae omakase (the chef chooses; you don't) one piece at a time. Charlotte was not a sushi city when he opened, and the Michelin inspectors who reached the American South in 2025 noticed before most locals did. The room is small enough that the fish, not the design, has to carry the night — which, on the evidence, it does.
The Kitchen
Anthony runs the counter as a two-act argument. The nigiri is restrained Edomae: aged tuna, fish brushed with nikiri (a soy-and-mirin glaze painted on so you never reach for the bottle), rice served warm and loosely packed the way the Tokyo purists insist. Then he breaks character. A round of toasted brioche arrives under wagyu tartare, sea urchin and shaved truffle; a hand roll of grilled eel is enriched with foie gras. This is the maximalist register a Ginza traditionalist would frown at and a Charlotte room rightly loves.
The seafood is flown from Toyosu twice weekly, and Anthony, a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast and one of the only sushi chefs the Michelin Guide flagged in its inaugural 2025 American South selection, picks and ages it himself. He is also a serious sake hand, and the pairing is where the bill climbs. Lunch is a ten-course sitting at $175 a head; dinner runs longer, starting around $300 and past $600 once the sake and champagne flight is poured. Against New York's Toyosu-sourced counters it reads as a relative bargain; against anything else in the Carolinas it has no peer.
The Room
The room seats six, and that is the whole architecture. There is no printed menu to consult and no second seating breathing down your neck; the pace is set by Anthony's hands, not a turn-time. Conversation stays easy: six people at a counter make a dinner-party hum, not a sushi-bar roar, and the lighting is low and warm against pale wood. Dress is smart-casual, and nobody will turn you away in a blazer or without one. For a louder Charlotte evening, the seafood-led Peppervine is the natural pivot. This is a sit-still, pay-attention seat.
Best for the meal that is the event
Book this counter for the dinner where the food is the occasion and the table is for two. It is Charlotte's strongest seat for a milestone anniversary, for a guest you want to impress who already knows otoro from uni, or for a first date where you would rather watch a craftsman work than fight a loud room to be heard. The six-seat format makes every booking feel private without a private-room surcharge. Come hungry and curious, let Anthony lead, and ask him about the sake.
Not for
Not for a group, a vegetarian, or anyone who wants to order from a menu — it is six seats, a fixed chef's sequence built around flown-in fish, and the only vegetables are garnish.
Frequently Asked
Is Omakase by Prime Fish worth it?
Yes, if you treat it as the meal rather than a meal. The fish is flown from Tokyo's Toyosu market twice a week and handled by Robin Anthony, a 2026 James Beard semifinalist — sourcing you cannot get elsewhere in the Carolinas. At $175 for the ten-course lunch it is the gentler way in; dinner with the sake flight is a genuine splurge. Go for the craft, not the calorie count.
How hard is it to book Omakase by Prime Fish?
Harder than most Charlotte tables, because there are only six seats per service. Reservations run through Tock at exploretock.com/primefish, and dinner slots go quickly; online booking closes 72 hours out, after which you email the counter directly. Aim a few weeks ahead for a weekend dinner, and consider lunch — same chef, same Toyosu fish, easier to land. More options sit in our Charlotte dining guide.
What should I order at Omakase by Prime Fish?
You don't order — that is the point of omakase, where the chef chooses. Anthony builds a fixed sequence, but his signatures are worth knowing: toasted brioche under wagyu tartare, sea urchin and truffle, and a grilled-eel hand roll enriched with foie gras, set against restrained Edomae nigiri brushed with nikiri. Add the sake pairing if the budget allows; Anthony's sake knowledge is the quiet reason to splurge.
What is the dress code at Omakase by Prime Fish?
Smart-casual, no jacket required. This is a counter, not a white-tablecloth dining room, so a collared shirt or a nice top is plenty, and you will not be turned away in a blazer or without one. The focus sits squarely on the food and the chef in front of you. Dress comfortably enough to sit at a counter for roughly two hours.
How much does dinner cost at Omakase by Prime Fish?
The ten-course lunch omakase is $175 per person. Dinner is the bigger commitment, starting around $300 and climbing past $600 a head once Anthony's premium sake, wine and champagne pairings are added. That price buys fish flown from Toyosu and prepared in front of you at a six-seat counter. For the experience at a lower entry point, book the lunch sitting.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Omakase Experience by Prime Fish
Reservations through Tock (exploretock.com/primefish) or by phone. Seats are very limited; book well ahead, especially for dinner.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address2907 Providence Rd, Ste 101
NeighbourhoodProvidence Road
CuisineJapanese · Omakase
PriceLunch 10 courses $175; dinner from ~$300, to $600+ with sake pairings
Dress CodeSmart casual
SeatingIntimate omakase counter, a handful of seats
ReservationReservation-only via Tock; book well ahead
