Ichiban Japanese Restaurant   

A popular -- and authentic -- Japanese sushi bar restaurant, Ichiban scores a hit with tourists and locals alike due to its prominent location on Second Avenue in downtown Nashville's historic district. While the full bar in the front room may be tiny (the plum wine and Japanese beers are highly recommended), the restaurant and the menu are quite large, with several booths and a sushi bar downstairs and a large area of tables upstairs. The menu features a basic array of fresh sushi, with colorful additions such as barbecued eel, squid entrees and yellowtail collar, a delicacy of the fish throat. The staff is both gracious and knowledgeable, and the chefs will prepare special request sushi rolls -- just make sure you know what you're asking for before ordering. Weekends can be quite crowded, so reservations are recommended. -- Sandra Schulman