888
This First Bite is coming along a little later than usual — 888 opened at 800 Clark Place back in September — but with the recent sushi boom around town, my planned visit kind of fell through the cracks of my calendar. Plus, 888 is intentionally a little difficult to find.
888 is located on the ground level of the JW Marriott downtown, but it’s not officially associated with the hotel. Rather, 888 and JW Marriott are both associated with Turnberry, the hotel’s developer. My Uber driver didn’t believe me when I told him to look for the red light over an unmarked door across from the entrance to Oak Steakhouse — but eventually, we got to the correct drop-off point. Not exactly a speakeasy situation, 888 is definitely a spot that feels exclusive as soon as you walk through the door.
I was already aware of the vinyl-listening-lounge element of the restaurant/bar, with its collection of more than 2,000 albums and state-of-the-art sound system. But when I walked in the door and realized the DJ was spinning one of my favorite Tower of Power LPs, I knew I was going to like this place! The wheels of steel spin behind a long sushi bar with two talented swordsmen working their knives to create nigiri, sashimi and maki rolls.
In addition to the sushi bar, 888 can seat about 100 patrons in a variety of accommodations. A small area with a few tables underneath fun Surrealist-style artwork offers a little privacy, as does the separate private dining room. A combination of booths and tables provides flexible options for reservations, and walk-ups are welcome at the central bar area. One thing I noticed and appreciated was the presence of a kitchen bar to provide service to the dining room so that the mixologists at the bar could concentrate on the clientele sitting there for drinks and/or light bites.
Site set for portion of JW Marriott Hotel property near Eighth Avenue South
The vibe is set by dramatic lighting over the sushi stage, with bulbs protruding from circles of stone that complement the natural wood and jewel tones of the rest of the decor. The DJs set the mood, but don't insert themselves into the experience so you can just enjoy the flow of the music, like at a Japanese kissa music-listening bar.
Our knowledgeable server walked us through the menu, which was quite helpful because the offerings are diverse. In addition to an extensive selection of wine, beer and sakes, 888 boasts an elevated cocktail program — although my simple Japanese whiskey highball with just enough fizz in the soda might have been the best accompaniment for what I ordered.
The dining menu is divided into shareables, raw bar, signature dishes and a separate list of offerings from the sushi bar. Our server encouraged us to put our whole order in so he could course the plates out as they came ready, a smart move since we would have covered the small table with our choices.
As I was making my way through our order, I started to think about how the meal reminded me of a typical Tower of Power album. (I’m a longtime fan!) While all their releases are noteworthy, there’s a pattern to a TOP offering. There will definitely be some bangers, from an incomplete snippet of funk like “Oakland Stroke” to the punny “Diggin’ on James Brown” or the absolute groove fest of “Down to the Nightclub.” Some songs are crazy jazz like “Squibcakes,” and there’s always a languorous ballad like “Still a Young Man” for those seeking a slow dance.
This is to say that not everybody likes every song to the same degree, and the band tries to offer something for a wide variety of listeners. I felt the same way about 888. The varied menu was thoughtfully laid out to provide different experiences for different diners based on their expectations of the evening.
Looking for a quick bite and a drink before a show? Grab some raw or broiled oysters at the bar along with a cocktail or a sake with the salinity to match the bivalves. Want dinner and a show? Sit at the sushi bar and watch the itamae at work. In for the full experience? Start with an order of outrageous A5 beef tallow fries and some triple-umami mushroom gyoza. Adding delicious eel sauce to a dish that earthy and zesty — thanks to the addition of some yuzu — is just cheating!
We ordered a couple of rolls, appreciative of the fact that crunchy fried bits were not an ingredient on anything on the list. A daily special featuring both sea bream and goldeneye snapper was particularly tasty, plus it was just fun to order the “Medai/Kinmedai.” We also appreciated the snack of tempura-fried nori with umami powder to snack on between courses.
For mains, I ordered the tempura soft-shell crab with udon because I’m always a sucker for a softie. I was surprised to discover the broth was flavored with nice autumnal spices — a completely unexpected choice that worked well with the rich crab. My dining companion’s miso black cod was also well-cooked, but not as exciting as most of the rest of the dishes we sampled. (There’s always a “So Very Hard to Go” on every TOP album, so I just fast-forwarded that dish.)
By the time we were ready to depart, the DJ had ratcheted up the energy in the dining room with a playlist that felt like a Wednesday night Wooten Brothers set. Although we were leaving just as the party started, we were already making plans to come back to 888 soon for a drink and some oysters, or maybe some natural wine and nigiri, or maybe the chef’s selection of sashimi at the sushi bar.
It’s great to have choices, and 888 definitely knows “What Is Hip” right now in Nashville.Â
