Otaku Ramen West Makes Pop-Up Permanent

Like nearly all chefs and restaurant owners, Sarah Gavigan did a fair amount of pandemic pivoting in 2020. She launched at-home ramen kits back in January after opening a pop-up location in West Nashville. That spot offered both ramen and kits for pickup and delivery. She’s now decided to make that Charlotte Avenue location permanent. 

“It seemed completely bananas to open during a pandemic,” Gavigan says. “We were beyond surprised at how well the neighborhood responded to the location, so we signed a full-term lease.”

The Otaku Ramen West will be open seven days a week from 4 to 9 p.m., offering pickup and delivery. They’ve streamlined the process so ordering takes place directly from them, rather than a third-party app. (Third-party drivers will still do the delivery, but they essentially act as dispatch, and Otaku gets to keep a larger percentage of fees and can manage the process.)

“In a time where there has not been very much to look forward to, if you can make other people happy by serving them ramen, then focus on your job and make people happy.”

The kits have been popular with parents who want something easy for hungry kids at home, and Gavigan says takeout has been popular with the West Side’s population of health care workers. The additional location made delivery possible for Green Hills, Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Sylvan Park, Charlotte Avenue and The Nations. 

Otaku Ramen West is located inside Sylvan Supply at 4101 Charlotte Ave.