Just a bunch
of noodle nerds
If we were any more obsessed with ramen we’d just be more obsessed with ramen – which would be awesome.
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.
From the chef & owner, Sarah Gavigan
Ramen has always been a comfort food to me. When my husband and I made the difficult decision to leave our lives in LA and move to my hometown of Nashville, we found ramen to be nonexistent- and very not so comforting. Well, I knew I was onto my next weird, wild, adventure, when I found myself boiling fifty pounds of pork bone broth in my backyard at 2am. And, after a special guest we had over for dinner, award-winning chef Erik Anderson tweeted, “COMING SOON: The best bowl of ramen Nashville has ever seen!” my life was changed forever.
From there, the sails began to set through a sea of ramen goodness. After 3 years as a pop-up shop, my husband Brad Gavigan officially joined the team and Otaku Ramen opened in the Gulch December of 2015, which became Nashville’s first dedicated ramen shop. In 2018, the group extended their reach by opening Otaku Ramen East, an all pickup and delivery model in East Nashville, and most recently a new shop in West Nashville.
From the beginning of this journey, my goal was to master the oft-secretive art of ramen making and share its history, tradition, and above all deliciousness. And, as Otaku continues to grow, expand and evolve, giving ramen to all people will be the fire that drives us everywhere.
