50 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…“

“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“

“Exceptional omakase. One of my favorite restaurants in Austin. The chef is extremely personable and kind. Made me feel incredible comfortable throughout the whole experience. My girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. The food itself was absolutely delicious. Every single nigiri was exceptional, with wonderful rice texture. The fish itself was always excellent quality and the sauces lightly coated on each fish were excellently paired with the flavor profile of the fish itself. Drinks: I did the sake pairing which had two options, a standard pairing for $80 iirc, and prestige pairing for $100. I did the pairing for $100. It was outstanding. My friend opted to do the prestige wine pairing ($110); she thoroughly enjoyed that pairing, as well. After the 22 courses, we went back the bar/lounge area and opted to finish our night with a glass of or Born Gold sake. The service team was incredible throughout the meal. Their presence was very low-key, but they were informative and really kind. Will absolutely be returning in the future.“

“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!“

“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!“

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

“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.“

“18 delightfully creative courses. Traditional technique mixed with Texan flair. So unique and tasty. Sushi master Dan put on quite the show for us. Absolutely worth it. Brings something to omakase that I’ve never experienced before.“

“Everything about this place is amazing..“

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

“This is your sign to visit Nabe.
If I could, I’d give them 10 stars. delicious and fresh sushi, exceptional service (special shoutout to Anna) and beautiful ambiance - l it’s not so loud and you can have a convo with your party.
I have some sushi-snob tendencies and let’s just say I don’t like going anywhere else lol“

“Cannot recommend this place more! Everything was absolutely amazing, from the bites to the atmosphere, this might honestly be my fave new restaurant in Austin. I had the miso soup, the crunchy salmon handroll, and the fried mochi, which had such great dipping sauces: strawberry yuzu, black sesame, and a caramel one. Everything was very tasty and service was good too, 5 stars all around!“

“Awesome meal as always Great rolls Great service“

“This place is a solid 3.5 star but the service takes it up to 4. It’s the most reasonably priced omakase and they are quite efficient but shouldn’t come as news that some pieces are amazing but others are just ok. Obviously you’re getting what you pay for. I do like that they do a $30 sake flight it’s such a fair price and add a nice touch. Ended up trying the hand rolls after as I was still hungry and I must say they are so generous with the fish and the portions are just right. The only problem was that it’s only 1 person working and a ton of people ordering so it kind of beats the concept of a hand roll place if you have to wait 15 mins for a roll.“

“This place is cute. Lol I don't know how to say this in another way. But! Best way to explain it. The food is delicious, bought the Spicy Chicken Sando, Mini Chirashi box, and fruit Sando(strawberry). Everything I ate was very delicious. One note though. I wish the spicy chicken fando had just a little more heat or spice. Keep the side sauce that comes with it, just make the breading of the chicken a bit more spicy. The sauce that come with it is delicious and sweet. Thats it, just one downside. Everything else is freaking good!!!!!!!! Good job guys. I see why yall run out. Anyways, great place to grab lunch, and eat outside like a picnic. Side note: this place is popular and runs out quick, so.... you gotta be fast to get it. Oh, and service is great, the people there are great. Thats a very good plus, thank you.“

“The food at Umi Sushi Bar is excellent! It’s one of the best casual Japanese spots in Austin. I 100% recommend it. The prices, the food quality, and the freshness of the protein—everything is delicious. I recommend the spicy edamame (amazing!), the Hawaiian roll, the rock & roll, and the gyoza—they’re all so good! Plus, they have 2-for-1 deals. It’s my favorite restaurant—we visit weekly. Also, the sunomono salad is delicious, and the staff is super kind and attentive. If you visit often, they even give you cash back—so take advantage!“

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

“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.“

“We love Yanagi! They have great Happy Hour prices, the food is all excellent, and the staff is amazing!“

“Korean review: really inexpensive and one of the only places in South Austin to get your Korean food fix. I know other reviews had some service problems but experienced NONE of that. Greeted immediately when walking in, we picked our seats and had multiple staff during our hour and a half stay check up on us even with a crowd of others arriving after us. We got the Kimbap appetizer split it for two (was delicious didn't need anything else like a sauce - perfect on it's own!). I got the beef bulgogi and my friend got the Rock Bibimbap with spicy pork (like regular Bibimbap but in a hot pot!). YALL LEMME TELL YOU THIS WAS SO GOOD. I was having an emotional experience with these flavors. Banchan selection was good too. Got 6 of them and one of them kimchi. I'll be back for take out and eventually try out the Japanese and Sushi portion of the menu.“

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

“Absolutely the BEST vegan sushi, noodles, red rice, fried eggplant, & Chive pancakes!! My new fave!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

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

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

“Highly recommend as this is truly the ultimate culinary experience! Not only that but Chef Saine is adds a personable touch to the service and is also super entertaining. TJ does phenomenal recommending drinks with the dishes. Truly a unique experience.“

“My husband first brought me to Ramen Tatsu-ya when we were dating. Years later, now that we’re married, we still keep coming back.

My name is “Mi,” so he always orders the “Mi-So-Hot” ramen with an extra “Spicy Bomb”. It started as a joke when we were dating and somehow became our tradition.

Thank you to Ramen Tatsu-ya and the amazing staff for being part of so many happy memories over the years. ❤“

“Excelente staff 💓 very friendly“

“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!!“

“es la primera ves que estamos aqui mi esposo mi hijo y yo todo estubo delicioso un poco de tiempo la espera pero valio la pena esperar.. nos encanto definitivamente regresaremos. El personal super amable. lindos. muchas gracias“

“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!“

“Delicious food, amazingly quick and polite service. We will be back again soon!“

“Food was great we will definitely be back.“

“Great food good prices very large portion size. I order from here for the first time today. I was craving some katsudon while searching I stumbled across this place. So glad I did! I now have a new go to for work lunch. The flavor was spot on I got the pork belly spicy bowl. The portion was almost over whelming and I am a big eater. So I will wrap this up by saying great place give it a try if you haven’t. Your welcome now good by I need a nap.“

“Great place! Love the peppered Tuna! Great happy hour!“

“If you looking for good Japanese food! friendly waiter!i“

“this is one of the first restaurants I went to in Austin. 5 years ago and its still a favorite. love the vibe, it's never too busy, the food is delicious and the owners are nice. Today my pregnancy baby brain kicked in and I forgot my purse there and didn't notice for over 2 hours, they set it aside for me at their reserved table so no one would take it. Love drunk fish ❤❤“

“First time visit, we had combo #1 for about $15, includes a boba for an additional $1, Large Boba drinks, either rice roll or ball, both are good, fair price and fast service. My daughters liked it, it's in a shopping mall with other Asian establishments, great variety of Asian food .“

“We came here for the Japanese crepes but saw they had a whole burger selection so we ended up getting those for our entree and the crepes for dessert.

I would highly recommend the Luck's Loaded Wagyu Fries, which had teriyaki wagyu, serrano aoli, and spicy mayo. The fries are thick-cut, had a pillowy texture, and surprisingly crispy for loaded fries. The meat was crunchy and had a sweet touch to it, kind of resembling bacon. The sauces were savory and tangy, making the perfect combination of 3 flavors with the perfect crisp and crunch.

For the burger, I got the Tokyo BBQ, which is Japanese wagyu with tempera onion rings, miso mustard, and Japanese BBQ ketchup. First and foremost, it was super bland. The meat itself had no seasoning and the potato bun was so thick that even after absorbing all the sauce, there wasn't any flavor. The onion rings were coated in oil, so much so that it was dripping out.

One of my friend got the Wagyu Katsu Burger, which was worse than mine. Hers was drenched in grease; she could not finish it. The potato bun was soggy from all the oil and the coleslaw did not help balance out the thick layer of oil.

My other friend got the Chicken Katsu Sando. The chicken patty was so thin it was laughable. I didn't get a picture but the batter was thicker than the patty. Luckily hers was not as oily, but she did get the Hawaiian bun which was more dry so it may have absorbed it nicely.

Last and foremost: the crepes. I got the fresh fruit and my friend made a custom crepe with custard cream, strawberries, and vanilla bean gelato. The crepe itself wasn't crispy like I expected for Japanese crepes. It was very soft but it was thin and held up well with the cream and fruits. I have to give it to them: the gelato was really good. I also enjoyed the whipped yogurt in my crepe, which helped balance out the sweetness.

Overall, I wouldn't get their burgers, especially the fried ones, as they are super greasy and unsavory. However, perhaps because they are newer items, they have not perfected them yet. As we were dining, we saw that the other customers were ordering bowls, so we will probably try that next time.“

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

“I’ve been going to this Sarku Japan for the past 10+ years and it’s my favorite spot in the mall. The chicken teriyaki flavor is mouth-wateringly delicious. Portion size is filling. Ordering is quick, especially with the app. Definitely recommend!“

“Food/vibes are great. I’ve visited Sushi Roku about 13 times now. Although, male servers are lazy and terrible at their service. The girl severs work twice as much harder than the guys. If you want the best of the best experience or handling your business here, ask for the girl servers. Gay servers are okay though 🐬“

“The food was delicious and the service was great!!!“

“The food was good and the presentation was clean and creative. The sashimi and nigiri pieces were quite large—I ended up cutting them into bite-sized pieces with my chopsticks. The handrolls were a good size and easy to eat. The menu doesn’t offer much variety, but now I know: if I want more options, I’ll just go elsewhere. Still, a solid spot if you know what to expect.“

“Very warm and welcoming vibes.

Chef Mike and Nhi are lovely humans.

Chef Mike’s skill is obvious—his precision and craftsmanship clearly reflect his passion.

We’ve been to Craft, Uroko, and Sushi by Scratch, and this was the best omakase we’ve had in Austin so far. It’s also the toughest reservation to land, which isn’t surprising once you experience it. Definitely worth the experience.

Nigiri are very fresh and taste very balanced (sauce, rice, temperature, etc). Price is typically for an omakase.“

“Hand's down, our favorite sushi place around! We always sit at the sushi bar and Drew is amazing! I highly recommend the Big Bang roll. Has a little bit of everything and is a flavor orgasm in your mouth! LOVE!“

“Not only was the staff super nice, the food was amazing! Great quality all across the board!“

“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.“

“Elvia is awesome sushi is fantastic I’ve been there 3 times this week“