41 Best Japanese Restaurants in Austin

“I would like to respectfully start with; I’ve been to Uchi multiple times over the years and will never forget my first experience (which will always be the best in my mind.) That being said — tonight might have been the closest to first I’ve ever had. Chance, our server was attentive, knowledgeable, easy going, brought some of the best plates when we asked “bring us what you like/anything you think we missed” literally 12/10 would recommend. Ask for Chance, he knows his shiiiiiiii* and made our night absolutely amazing and something we will never forget!“

“Everything was good, but best brisket ever…“

“Only next level Japanese dining enthusiasts would be able to immediately recognize that they have chosen well. If you are lucky enough to discover the Happy Hour menu then you’ve hit the jackpot. Do yourself a favor and go because ain’t nobody have dry aged fish! What?!? Yes this separates Lucky Robot from the rest of the Japanese places in Austin. Put it on the bucket list folks!“

“This is hands-down, my favorite restaurant in Austin, if not honestly, the world. We come at least once if not twice a week the menu is extremely diverse in the staff are just absolutely delightful. We love Carmen, jasmine, Enrique, anola, Luis, BZ, Jacobi, and Adam. 10/10 reccommend“

“Tonight, my husband and I tried Uchiko for the first time. We had the Okamase. Everything was absolutely delicious. They put so much creativity and detail in every dish. We had a wonderful waitress. I would definitely recommend it.“

“Incredible food. loved the salmon. ice cream very rich and creamy.“

“Absolutely delicious omakase meal (and great value at just $99 for a 16-course menu), but what stood out most was the excellent service from the entire team at Endo. The warmest, friendliest people. They put so much love and passion into their craft and truly seemed excited to answer our questions. Really loved the entire experience from start to finish.“

“First time here. Excellent service; very friendly wait ataff. Great selection of sake. Also beer & wine. Very good selection of sushi & sashimi. Very reasonable prices. My only suggestion would be to make the spicy sushi a bit spicier. If I lived in the area, I’d definitely be back!“

“Everything about this place is amazing..“

“There are a LOT of gluten free options, and the sushi is incredible!“

“Yael made our night at Umi Sushi in Austin. From the moment we sat down, she was warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming without ever hovering. She knew the menu inside and out, gave thoughtful recommendations based on what we liked, and timed everything perfectly so our meal felt relaxed and seamless.

The food at Umi was outstanding—fresh, beautifully presented, and paced just right—but Yael is what made the experience feel special. She checked in at all the right moments, kept our table taken care of, and handled a busy dining room with total calm and professionalism. If you are dining at Umi Sushi, ask for Yael. We will absolutely be back.“

“The omakase was in my top 3 culinary experiences in Austin. I dream of the O Toro and Hokkaido Scallop. The Chicharron Negi Toro & Tostada blew my mind & taste buds. The flavor combos were innovative & supremely tasty. Even if you've been to high end omakases in Austin, I doubt you've seen a blend of cultural flavors as you can experience here.

The variety of flavors & techniques used to embellish certain dishes was impeccable. If I had to give a score, all dishes were at least an 8.5/10 or above. Some even reached a 9.5 or 10 in my mind. You would think that fusing the essences of such distinct cuisines can be jarring or strange, but the cohesion/balance of the flavors & textures were just right.

The atmosphere was very laid back and the space was well sorted despite the nondescript location. It felt upscale but casual as all the patrons were chit chatting a bit. They had some good tunes playing in the back as well. You can tell the crew was enjoying themselves as well.

Though the price is high as with any premium omakaze experience, it was 100% well worth the money. I do hope to come back in the near future.“

“we love Yanagi! food, atmosphere, service. it's all A1!!“

“Came here for lunch and the food was absolutely delicious. I ordered the lunch bento, which had generous portions and was very filling. Service was great, and the interior was beautiful. We also ordered the yuzu cake, which was excellent. Prices were fair for lunch, though I’m not sure how they compare at dinner. Overall, I would definitely come again.“

“FANTASTIC FOOD. First time and not the last. We are putting this restaurant in our rotation. Leslie, our server, was so helpful in helping us choose the perfect dinner. This blows any Pho restaurant in Austin away. Highly recommend the #4. Mi-So-Hot with the Yuzu bomb, only if you like it a little spicy. Great environment and the staff is super attentive. Leslie made our evening Special. ❤️❤️❤️“

“Great experience! The chef definitely has years of experience in his craft. The food preparations are a work of art. The flavor combinations are impeccable. The chef explains each dish with great detail, including the process of aging certain fish. The flavor can't be explained. Try it for yourself. We'll deserved Michelin star. Will return.“

“A wonderful date night with Fred Dingerson!❤️❤️“

“Fantastic meal tonight NYE 2021. Best sushi 🍣 in town in my opinion.“

“I have been dying to try Chef Choo's shop for a while now and I am so sad I didn't stop by sooner! The chef's special box that I chose today was truly an amazing experience! The cuts of sushi are so soft and delicious, with meticulous handcraft going into preparing them. The owners were on-site whipping up new masterpieces in the back, with a clean dining area to enjoy this box! If you get the opportunity to stop by, please do!너무 맛있었어요. ^^ 감사합니다. 다시 먹으러 올게요. ㅎㅎ 화이팅!“

“I’ve tried so many sushi, sashimi, yakitori, and tempura dishes here and it’s always five stars. Everything is fresh and delicious.“

“An upscale 12-seat Japanese restaurant offering a unique multi-course tasting menu that combines Tokyo-style sushi with Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine. The dining experience here is unique and memorable (The Texas Tasty).“

“My friend and I were craving some sushi so we decided to get some for lunch. We had no place in mind, so when we were driving we came across this place. Never heard of it and thought we would try it out. Best decision ever. Great service and yummy sushi.“

“Redefines *fusion*. Miso and a BYOB of double salmon add tofu, Buddha mix, teriyaki and brown rice. They're green tea is to die for, too. It's just too bad that they stopped making sushi, or a visit here would still be a perfect experience.“

“Food was great we will definitely be back.“

“Review is for Tonari by Uroko.
I think there needs to be more concepts like this — 12 course omakase that only lasts 45min. (You simply don’t need to be at an omakase for 2-2.5hrs) Excellent dishes for the price point and glad to have still had time on my hands. The scallop, Wagyu, and fish bone soup were the stand out dishes for me. Would do this again and prefer it over a lot of overpriced omakases in town.“

“Everything was perfectly done. Outstanding flavors. Will be back!“

“Finally discovered Sosu’s new location and couldn’t be happier they’ve moved from ghost kitchen to a full restaurant! The space is great - big seating area with a real izakaya vibe that makes you want to stay awhile. Service was super attentive from the moment we walked in.
We came for the rice bowls and tried the Garlic Buta Toro and Truffle Cream Gyupasta. Both were absolutely delicious - so good that we ended up ordering more to take home! If you love Japanese food, this place delivers. Plenty of free parking, which is always a win in Austin.“

“Brand new hand roll bar officially open inside Texas saké Co. There's limited seats, 10 total, order at the bar only. Great quality fish with dynamic profile of flavors for handrolls. Counter service, great attention to detail with the menu. The chefs are bar service are awesome. Enjoy some handrolls and sake pairings or flights. I enjoyed the 3 piece combo“

“Awesome meal as always Great rolls Great service“

“I absolutely love this place!! the people that work there are so nice, i really enjoyed this one woman’s vibe in particular, she was dancing to the music and just really positive. the food was great too. i had the shrimp rice ball with light mayo, the bacon avocado the first time i went was great too. highly recommend!!“

“ohhhhh my - I think this is my new favorite sushi spot in Austin. the sushi is incredibly fresh, flavorful, the miso soup is 🤤 and the rice is perfectly seasoned. it's not the cheapest option, but definitely one of the highest quality and most delicious 🍣🍱“

“I ate here while in town for Afrotech! I started with the Sunomono Salad (Cucumber, green onion, crab stick, octopus, radish sprouts, sesame seeds with ponzu sauce). I then had two rolls: 1. Who’s Your Daddy? (no rice) (Deep fried crab, cooked shrimp, cream cheese with special sauce); 2. I Love Tuna (in: spicy Tuna, cucumber out: Blue fin Tuna, green onion sauce: Garlic ponzu, green onion, masago) EVERYTHING was amazingly good, the staff was very friendly, efficient, and ensured you had a great dining experience. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!“

“Believe it when I say this is the cheapest version of “hibachi” you’ll get! Every chain location I’ve gone to (in Texas & California) has been delicious! The chicken and shrimp plate will ALWAYS be tasty and worth the price! 10/10 Definitely recommend!

SN: PLEASE build one closer to the North Austin residents- driving down south is a DRAG!“

“The neighborhood sushi restaurant is an absolute gem! It was my second time there, and I couldn't resist choosing it to celebrate my birthday. My husband and I had a fantastic time there. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly and attentive, and the ambiance was cozy and inviting. To top it off, they even surprised me with a delicious birthday dessert and a polaroide picture, which was incredibly thoughtful and made my day even better. The only downside was the parking. There are only a few spots available at the restaurant, so you'll need to find another place to park nearby. To avoid any hassle, I recommend arriving a little earlier than planned.“

“Fantastic personal, great food. 5 Star place.“

“I go here about once a week and I love it! To all the people giving this place low reviews I would say two things:1) it seems like a lot of people are buying their premade bowls instead of their made to order bowls. The premade are good when you're in a hurry but it's much better right off the grill.2) I would agree that the portions are pretty skimpy on the skewers (they are very reasonably priced, so I'm not mad at it). What I always do is get their fried rice and then get the Brisket from True Texas BBQ in the food court and make some brisket fried rice.I don't order their sushi but a lot of other people do and they love it.“

“Delicious food (especially the fried pork dumplings), good service, great variety on the menu. Will definitely be back!“

“Definitely worth a visit at least once! Soulful meal and service experience.“

“Great deal for great food Love how it taste it! And fresh very yummy“

“yummy! would go there again!“

“I love the flavors, and the creativity of the chef's for making the chef's specials so pleasing to the eye as well as delightfully satisfyingly delicious. Yumm !! I ordered the dynamite, and the spicy shrimp roll this time. So good!!“