An Insider’s Guide to Austin’s Best Sushi Restaurants

Welcome to the colourful and numerous culinary scene of Austin— a metropolis with no scarcity of distinctive flavors and revolutionary culinary delights. While this metropolis is widely known for its barbecue and Tex-Mex, Austin’s culinary scene is aware of no bounds—boasting an array of outstanding worldwide cuisines. When I moved to Austin practically three years in the past, I made it one in every of my first duties to seek out the most effective sushi in Austin. What I realized? Whether you’re a seasoned sushi connoisseur or a curious first-timer, Austin’s sushi scene has one thing for each palate.

After in depth analysis and loads of tasting, our group compiled a listing of the most effective sushi spots in Austin that exude distinctive high quality, inventive culinary aptitude, and impeccable service. Each restaurant on our checklist maintains each the timeless talent of conventional sushi strategies and the flexibility to push the boundaries of creativity. Because isn’t that what Austin is all about?

Featured Image of Sushi by Scratch Restaurants by Chad Wadsworth.

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Best Splurge: Otoko

Otoko—a 12-seat Japanese kaiseki omakase-style spot discovered within the South Congress Hotel—is an expertise you don’t wish to miss. Chef Yoshi Okai leads you thru a 20-course meal stuffed with nigiri, sashimi, and different conventional Japanese favorites. We suggest making your reservation three months upfront to make sure you get a spot at this fashionable restaurant. Trust us—you gained’t wish to miss out.

• Price: $$$$
• Specialties: This Omasake expertise is one you don’t wish to miss right here in Austin. Translating to “I leave it up to you,” you’ll get pleasure from quite a lot of distinctive flavors with out having to decipher by a menu of mouth-watering choices. The hamachi with smoked tamari and herbs is a fan-favorite a part of the expertise, the place the fish is grilled in binchotan coals proper in entrance of you.
• 1603 S Congress Ave | (512) 994-0428 | web site | instagram

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Where Texas meets Japan, Neighborhood Sushi—positioned within the bustling South Congress neighborhood—options quite a lot of native and worldwide components on its menu. Enjoy a Legacy Wagu nigiri with beef from La Grange, or go for a Japanese favourite with BBQ Fresh Water Eel nigiri or sashimi. Whatever you select, we are able to guarantee you your style buds gained’t be left unhappy.

• Price: $$
• Specialties: While there are many distinctive choices for lovers of a conventional sushi roll at Neighborhood Sushi, there’s additionally a sizeable menu for vegetable-only nigiri. Opt for a hon shimeji with crispy garlic or candy corn served with togarashi and serrano for a scrumptious meat-free chew.
• 1716 S Congress Ave | (512) 580-1390 | web site | instagram

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You’ll have a really genuine sushi expertise at Fukumoto. This restaurant is understood for among the finest sushi in Austin due to each its appetizing menu and gorgeous inside. Sake barrels will be seen surrounding the eating room, the place you’ll get pleasure from quite a lot of contemporary fish, corresponding to yellowtail and bluefin tuna, and yakitori specialties, like miso-glazed pork stomach and Brussels sprouts with honey tare.

• Price: $$
• Specialties: The spotlight of this sushi spot is certainly its yakitori—skewers grilled over Japanese charcoal—that are finished of their open kitchen. If you’re searching for leisure with a high-quality meal, you’ve discovered the best place.
• 514 Medina St | (512) 770-6880 | web site | instagram

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Another omakase favourite right here in Austin is Sushi by Scratch Restaurants. Located within the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa in Cedar Creek, this 10-seat eating expertise includes a 16-course meal stuffed with every part from Hamachi to Wagyu beef. The variety of the programs is what makes this eating expertise stand out essentially the most. Note that this spot can’t accommodate vegetarian requests or mushroom allergy symptoms.

• Price: $$$
• Specialties: While the omakase expertise is a specialty in and of itself, the variety of components from each land and sea makes this sushi expertise one that’s completely price the fee and wait.
• 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road | (512) 360-8601 | web site | instagram

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Most Popular: Uchi

If you’re an Austin native, native, or only a well-informed customer, you already know Uchi as among the finest and best sushi eating places this metropolis has to supply. For their omasake, Chef Tyson Cole takes you on a ten-course meal stuffed with among the freshest and best-prepared sushi you’ll ever style. Additionally, their common menu is stuffed with the best high quality dishes that vary from scorching plates to caviar to nigiri and sashimi. If there’s wherever you strive on this checklist for each the expertise and the meals—that is your spot.

• Price: $$$$
• Specialties: What you see on Uchi’s menu is not like what you’ll discover at your typical metropolis sushi spot. While the omakase is arguably the popular splurge and specialty right here, we additionally suggest virtually all the common menu objects, together with their hama chili—a contemporary minimize of yellowtail with ponzu, Thai chili, orange supreme, or the smoked trout roe with yuzu creme fraiche, black garlic, raisin relish, and taro chips.
• 801 S Lamar Blvd | (512) 916-4808 | web site | instagram

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Best Light Bite: Komé

This first-come, first-serve sushi spot options a number of completely different menus—lunch, mid-day, dinner, and drinks—all of which have sufficient choices to maintain everybody full and glad. Enjoy a rice bowl for lunch or Hosomaki mid-day. Whatever variation of this traditional delicacies you select, it’s sure to be ready to aesthetic perfection.

• Price: $$
• Specialties: Think tapas, however Japanese. The izakaya right here at Komé is a bar-style Japanese delicacies that consists of quite a lot of small, usually cheap dishes served with quite a lot of specialty drinks. If you’re searching for informal good eats, that is your spot.
• 5301 Airport Blvd #100 | (512) 712-5700 | web site | instagram

Best Main Dishes: Soto

Located near Zilker, Soto is the most effective of each worlds. There’s an intensive number of nigiri and sashimi choices, in addition to loads of makimono rolls to suit everybody’s requests. They additionally supply omakase at $175 per individual should you’re searching for an upscale night.

• Price: $$$
• Specialties: If you’re seeking to department out past sushi, Soto’s cold and warm menu options dishes like their chilihamachi with garlic chili ponzu, fried jalapeño, and scallion, and grilled Chilean sea bass marinated 72 hours in candy miso sauce and scallion.
• 1100 S Lamar Blvd Ste 2115 | (512) 531-9142 | web site | instagram

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Classic and contemporary, this Edomae-style sushi restaurant is a type of particular locations that can fulfill your sushi craving with out going overboard. The nigiri is far greater than what you’ll discover at most sushi spots round Austin, making these eats undoubtedly price their price. Enjoy a view of the town to accompany your meal at this second-story restaurant. The bonus is the climate is good sufficient to eat on the patio!

• Price: $$$
• Specialties: Without having the entire omakase expertise (and value), Musashino’s sushi deluxe is paired with a miso soup and a chef’s selection of a number of items of sushi.
• 2905 San Gabriel St Suite 200 | (512) 795-8593 | web site | instagram

An extended-standing Austin favourite is Tomodachi sushi, located on Parmer Lane. Their menu isn’t overly elaborate, and also you’ll seemingly discover the spot stuffed with locals who’ve loved their contemporary fish for years. The nigirizushi and sashimi are made with care by Chef Steve Raid and his spouse Tina Son, each of which foster a welcoming and cozy eating expertise with out being overly conventional and stuffy.

• Price: $$
• Specialties: A couple of of the highly-acclaimed favorites at Tomodachi are the contemporary aji (Japanese horse mackerel) simply in from the Tsukiji fish market in northern Japan, or kampachi, wild yellowtail from the Honolulu fish market.
• 4101 W Parmer Ln | 512) 821-9472 | web site

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A sister restaurant of the beloved Uchi, a James Beard Award-winning non-traditional Japanese joint, Uchiko’s menu is without doubt one of the most unusual. From their gyutoro—a 72-hour quick rib—to their beau soleil oyster served with strawberry chutney—the menu spans far past what you’ll discover at your native sushi spot.

• Price: $$$$
• Specialties: Similar to Omakase, Uchiko provides a Somakase choice for his or her eating expertise, the place the server has the accountability of curating your menu. It’s undoubtedly one thing to strive should you’re seeking to spice it up with out sitting down for a ten-course meal.
• 1801 Post Oak Blvd Suite 110 | (713) 522-4808 | web site | instagram

Another spot beloved by Austin locals is Ichi-Umi, positioned on Research Boulevard. They persistently ship nice service, giant portion sizes, and reasonably priced costs. If you don’t wish to commute to the busier areas like South Congress or Downtown, Ichi-Umi doesn’t disappoint.

• Price: $$
• Specialties: While their sushi is nothing out of the peculiar, there are just a few must-haves on this menu. The honey wasabi sauce is nice on nearly every part, and the Matsu combo is a big portion of sushi meant for multiple to get pleasure from for under $45.
• 9503 Research Blvd #500 | (512) 795-8666 | web site | instagram

Best Bang for Your Buck: Ichiban

Ichiban is among the finest sushi in Austin for serving a crowd. While their glad hour is strong and runs Monday-Saturday from 4-6 pm, their regular-priced menu is simply pretty much as good. The restaurant inside is strictly what you’d count on when eating on Japanese delicacies. In my opinion, it’s among the finest choices within the metropolis to get pleasure from with out breaking the financial institution.

• Price: $$
• Specialties: It’s not usually that I discover a restaurant that serves a scrumptious bento field and a full sushi menu, however Ichiban checks that field with ease. Served with rice, soup or salad, gyoza, vegetable tempura, and a California roll, should you’re hungry, it could be your subsequent order.
• 7310 Burnet Rd | (512) 458-3700 | web site | instagram