Prime Fish Cellar
Prime Fish Cellar: Your Date Night Sushi in Charlotte
It’s no secret that I love everything this team behind Prime Fish and Omakase by Prime Fish does. From the moment I took my first bite during the soft opening of their original location, I was hooked. However, for a while, their Cotswold wine and sake shop felt a bit lost. It sold gourmet provisions, like fresh wasabi root, but you could also sit down and enjoy a glass of wine. Then you could order food from a limited menu. It lacked direction and all the components didn’t quite mesh.
That changed in November 2025. After a full remodel, Prime Fish Cellar reopened as a full-service sushi, sake, and wine bar. Now, the identity and positioning within the restaurant group is crystal clear: Prime Fish in Ballantyne is your everyday neighborhood spot, Omakase is the high-end tasting menu, worthy of a pilgrimage, and Cellar falls somewhere in between — it’s the perfect date night sushi spot.
The Menu: Familiar Sophistication with a Few Charlotte "Firsts"
There is a lot of crossover between Prime Fish in Ballantyne and Prime Fish Cellar. You’ll still find the addictive Chili Garlic Edamame, and their signature Black Truffle Salmon Sashimi appetizer. Most of the nigiri, including the nigiri tasting, and classic rolls remain the same, though the selection of Chef Specialty Rolls differs a bit (you might miss the Kar Roll here, although the chefs are cross trained and can usually make it if you ask nicely).
Where the Cellar starts to deviate is in the Chef’s Choice section. Where Prime Fish offers a 16-piece sashimi plate, Cellar instead serves a 12-piece and 18-piece option presented as a "Sashimi Box." Instead of a single platter, each variety of fish is presented in its own individual bowl, all perfectly arranged within a wooden box. It’s a very aesthetic presentation.
Interactive Dining: The Build-Your-Own Handroll Set
Prime Fish Cellar was the first sushiya in Charlotte to introduce a Build-Your-Own Handroll Service, and it is arguably the most fun you can have with a pair of chopsticks. You choose between two tiers:
Premium Service: Bluefin Tuna, Yellowtail Jalapeño, Salmon, and Scallop + Ikura.
Reserve Service: Otoro, Scallop + Caviar, Truffled Salmon Belly, and Eel with Foie Gras.
It comes with crisp nori, seasoned rice, and a palette of toppings like truffle salt and ume. They even provide a small paintbrush for your soy sauce. It’s interactive, cute, and ensures that the nori stays shatteringly crisp—exactly how a handroll is meant to be eaten.
The Sushi Jewel Boxes
Another first for Charlotte; you couldn’t find a Jewel Box in the city before Prime Fish Cellar put them on the menu. Again, there are two options:
Premium Jewel Box: Faroe Salmon, Japan Scallop, Bluefin Tuna, and Salmon Roe over Furikake rice.
Reserve Jewel Box: A5 Wagyu, Salmon Belly Truffle, Fatty Tuna, Hokkaido Uni, and Salmon Roe.
The Premium Jewel Box is my absolute favorite thing on the menu at Prime Fish Cellar. The quality is top-tier, the flavors are incredible, and the value is the best in the house. It’s so flavorful, gives you some variety, and is filling.
Celebratory Sushi for Lunch
In yet another "first" for Charlotte, Prime Fish Cellar offers Temari Sushi set during lunch only. Originally from Kyoto and traditionally served for celebrations, these colorful, ball-shaped bites are a playful, more decorative take on classic nigiri.
Only available at lunch, Prime Fish Cellar serves temari sushi sets — yet another first in Charlotte. Originally from Kyoto, and historically eaten on celebratory occasions, the colorful, ball-shaped bites essentially a more playful take on traditional nigiri. Both chef’s choice, the kitchen has crafted two six-piece sets: the Premium, which features classic, vibrant flavors like Spicy Tuna, Scallop, Yellowtail-scallion, Eel, Salmon, and Avocado; while the Reserve, elevates the assortment with luxurious touches like Salmon Belly topped with black truffle and Hokkaido scallops crowned with caviar. It’s just another fun, unique offering that you can only get in Charlotte at Prime Fish Cellar.
Final Verdict
Of the three concepts, Prime Fish Cellar has become my go-to spot. It strikes a perfect balance—sophisticated enough for date night, yet accessible enough for a spontaneous Wednesday. You get the same elite quality and technical precision that defines the group, but with an atmosphere and elevated presentation that hits the perfect sweet spot. There’s a reason I frequent it most.
Prime Fish Cellar
Address: 2921 Providence Rd STE 101, Charlotte, NC 28211
https://primefishcellar.com
