The first thing you notice at Shokudô is the smoke—the fragrant curl that rises when fat meets heat, drifting from the dual robata grill that anchors this modern Japanese tavern on Upper King. Opened in the former Maya space last October, the restaurant hums with glowing coals and a warm, woody perfume that signals exactly what Chef Partner Masatomo “Masa” Hamaya came here to do: introduce Charleston to the heart of Japanese comfort cooking—shareable, soulful, driven by high heat, and far beyond the expectations of sushi alone.
“Charleston is definitely ready for more than sushi,” Hamaya says. “The robata is such a big part of Japanese food.” His conviction threads through every corner of the menu, where a chef’s instinct for umami yields dishes that feel deeply Japanese and distinctly Hamaya.
After joining the Indigo Road Hospitality Group as executive chef of O-Ku in Atlanta, Hamaya rose to oversee the group’s Japanese concepts. And while Shokudô includes a short list of hand rolls, they’re not meant to compete with O-Ku’s nigiri and sashimi program.
The restaurant itself mirrors the softness and restraint of a Japanese farmhouse, a look shaped by David Thompson Studio, with rich wood tones, an earthy palette and a large-scale textured wood installation suspended overhead. Dark woods, limewashed walls and quiet artwork fade into warm light…