A piece of curated sushi from one of Austin's Omakases

In the Field

Your Uncut Guide to Austin Omakases

By: Veronica Meewes

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Over the Counter Observations

Over the past several years, omakases have taken over Austin about as fast as the luxury lofts rising to meet the rest of the skyline. And in a city of young residents with expendable income seeking exclusive experiences, this trend checks out. Not only are these dinners difficult to book (most of them feature just 10 seats or less, and fill up as soon as they are released), but they typically come with a substantial price tag. On average, you can expect to pay $150 to $300 per person just for the food, and some of these spots offer upgrades like foie gras and caviar, or bonus pieces at the end of the meal. Factor in drinks— à la carte or paired to each course—and one could easily ring up a quadruple-digit tab for a party of two.

In Japanese, omakase translates to “I leave it up to you.” Diners forgo menus to trust in the “itamae”, or sushi master, to craft each artful piece using the freshest fish and seasonal ingredients. In Japan, these intimate dining experiences are gracefully performative and reserved, while the spectacle and indulgence of modern Western omakase is a phenomenon former restaurant critic Pete Wells dubbed “bromakase” in 2020. Austin has a little bit of everything—more traditional omakases, others that embrace over-the-top decadence or entertainment, and others that have created something entirely original.

Uroko photo credit Richard Casteel — Image courtesy of Richard Casteel

Note: There are some Japanese restaurants around town (Uchi, Soto, KANE, and Sushi Junai, to name a few) that offer an omakase option in addition to regular dinner service; this piece, however, is focused on omakase-only restaurants.

OTOKO: Best Place to Raise a Glass and Thrown Down

OTOKO AndrewReiner June — Image courtesy of Andrew Reiner

OTOKO launched inside the South Congress Hotel back in 2016, which makes chef Yoshi Okai the godfather of Austin omakase—if that godfather happened to be a fun, wacky creative genius. His 12-seat dining room is an architectural masterpiece, with illuminated walls that flow seamlessly into the ceiling, creating the feeling that you’re in some sort of space-time continuum. Best of all, your experience will be backed by a soundtrack that spans from Brian Eno to Fugazi (chef Yoshi, a musician himself, will even give you his Spotify list if you ask for it).

OTOKO offers a Tokyo-style omakase featuring nigiri and sashimi (the 20-course sushi omakase) or a Kyoto-style kaiseki featuring a variety of dishes (the 20-course classic omakase). After a few exquisite pieces of nigiri, you’ll move onto dishes like When Texas Meets Japan: Yoshi’s take on barbecue (seared hamachi and smoked tamari, sprinkled with Jacobsen’s salt and bronze fennel) and Japanese “fish and chips” (madai and kabocha tempura), plus a number of gorgeous dishes meticulously adorned with herbs and flowers, like the hirame (Japanese flounder) with yuzu, sal de chapulín, Mexican marigold, and blueberry.

While some of the omakases I visited only offer a little palate cleanser at the end, or a tiny sweet bite, Yoshi presented a cold, savory-sweet, summery shirumono (soup) with refreshing tomato, watermelon, and mint. I considered this a palate-cleanser before not one, but two desserts: blueberry ice cream with yuzu curd, followed by a terrarium layered with azuki red bean tiramisu, yuzu, saikyo miso, and kinako shortbread, served with matcha syrup and a tiny shovel for eating. Call me a sweet tooth (I am), but I think two desserts make for a very reasonable finale to a multi-course feast.

The service at OTOKO is top-tier and it’s clear both the front and back of house staff are passionate and knowledgeable. Be sure to try Revenge of the Third Son, the restaurant’s private label sake created by Yoshi at Higashiyama Shuzo, a sake brewery located in his hometown. End the night at Watertrade, OTOKO’s dark, sultry cocktail bar, where guests start the omakase experience with either sake or sparkling wine. They feature a compelling cocktail menu, inspired by the Japanese microseasons, and boast the biggest collections of both Japanese whisky and shochu in town.

SushiBar ATX: The Bar That Launched an Omakase Tsunami

SushiBar Akami Photo Credit Sushi Bar — Image courtesy of Akami

You could say SushiBar is the one that really started this omakase tsunami—with some help from Joe Rogan. The controversial comedian tweeted a rave review after visiting in early 2021, when SushiBar was just a pop-up. Los Angeles-based chef Phillip Frankland Lee had come to Austin so he could keep operating during the pandemic, but went on to establish a location after Rogan’s tweet instigated an instant waiting list. He ended up splitting off from his partners and opening Sushi by Scratch (more on that below), but the original concept remained the same.

You begin with a welcome drink before entering one of two intimate black-box dining rooms. An omakase at SushiBar includes 17 pieces of nigiri, with fish changing out every few weeks. A board behind the bar lists the source for each fish with most of the seafood making the journey from Japan or destinations like Baja California, Canada, Spain, or New Zealand. Each piece is gussied up with various accoutrements (the details of which are rattled off quickly and often hard to catch—a menu would go a long way here!), and blow torches are used liberally.

While SushiBar has been criticized for using too many embellishments, I thought the creative elements enhanced the fish on this visit (perhaps they embraced the criticism). Some favorites were a hachibiki (Japanese rubyfish) with golden raisin chutney and curried quinoa; katsuo (skipjack tuna) with ramp kimchi, sesame oil, and green apple; and chu toro with Urfa biber chile, wasabi, Madeira-compressed grape, and house-cured foie torchon. They are all about the upsells, and supplements like foie, black truffle, and osetra caviar will pad your bill quickly. You can also opt to repeat any of your favorite selections or add a “chef’s choice” piece at the end. As far as beverages go, skip the sake cocktails to focus on the well-curated wine and sake selections like a bottle of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012 or Kanbara Ancient Treasure, a yamahai junmai genshu aged for 12 years.

Sushi by Scratch: An Unexpected Lost Pines Omakase

After chef Lee split off from his SushiBar partners in 2022, he went on to open Sushi by Scratch in a most unexpected location: inside the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Cedar Creek, closer to Bastrop than Austin. Now, I love an unexpected setting, and entered into this experience prepared to be surprised. Once you valet at the hotel—which bills itself as a family-friendly luxury resort, but gives somewhat stale corporate retreat in its design—you’ll be guided up to the space being used as the waiting area for Sushi by Scratch. It was a strange scene: country music piped through the speakers while we were served canapés at a western studded table with big industrial armchairs that let out comically loud sighs when compressed.

But once we were led inside the dining room, the vibe completely shifted, its black walls and soft 1920s Japanese jazz welcomed us in with a hug. With a set-up that is virtually identical to SushiBar, Lee has succeeded in replicating his original concept. Like SushiBar, the team uses many different housemade salts and there is ample use of smoke and fire. The bites were very creative, while letting the high quality fish shine.

Some favorites were the Hokkaido scallops with toasted poblano chile kosho, house soy, and Balinese sea salt; Ora King New Zealand salmon with local Texas olive oil, matcha salt, lemon, and salmon skin furikake; and Canadian albacore cured in sake-soaked nori with garlic confit, then seared and topped with ponzu, wasabi, and crispy fried onions. Like SushiBar, Sushi by Scratch ended on a piece of unagi with torched bone marrow drizzled on it, then offered for guests to enjoy additional pieces. The sake pairing started and ended with two deliciously different Heavensake selections (junmai and junmai ginjo), and the toasty, caramelized notes of the Hakuto tokubetsu junmai made for a great pairing for the savory, meatier pieces. We tried the Akashi ume whisky, and the experience ended with a delicious makrut lime sesame shortbread ice cream bonbon from Margarita Kallas-Lee’s (Lee’s wife) bakery Wolf and Wheat.

Toshokan: A Sushi Speakeasy Where Social Butterflies Thrive

Speaking of omakases in unexpected locations, Toshokan is tucked inside Holey Moley, a modern mini-golf course on East 4th Street. Look for the bookshelves (“toshokan” translates to “library’), which slide open to reveal the most precious omakase.

And that’s not the only thing that sets Toshokan apart. First, the chefs highly encourage guest interaction, beginning by asking everyone to state their name, zodiac sign, and last concert they attended. A map on the wall has three different colored dots: locations where the fish is sourced, places chef Saine Wong has visited, and cities where Wong has seen Taylor Swift perform. (Wong is a proud Swiftie, so there are tributes to the performer throughout the space, and he even hosts T. Swift theme nights.)

Personally, I wanted to hear more about the destinations that inspired the menu! The plump-grained “dragon rice” he uses comes from central Japan, and Wong is the first person to bring it into the US after meeting the farmer in Japan. Silky sliced Hokkaido scallops are presented over a vibrant salsa verde Wong learned to make in Peru. And another favorite dish featured Alaskan king crab, chanterelles, crispy shallots, and a crunchy whole sawagani river crab, nestled in a khao soi curry inspired by Wong’s Thai travels. And Toshokan doesn’t skimp on the decadence either, with bites like A5 Miyazaki wagyu topped with Périgord black truffles and applewood-smoked unagi melted with foie gras.

Because they are in such a tiny space, the beverage options are very limited—only sake at the moment. However, beverage director Nadia Hernandez has created some really complex and delicious sake cocktails, and I loved her selection of sake, from the Amabuki Gin No Kurenai made with black heirloom rice to Brooklyn Kura namazake. And the last course—a generous scoop of Hokkaido uni over rice, served with creamy nigori—may as well have been dessert. Toshokan’s soundtrack features throwbacks from the likes of Dr. Dre and Ja Rule, but the party doesn’t stop there. Wong took out a guitar to serenade a birthday girl, and proceeded to play acoustic Britney Spears, encouraging a singalong. In short: social, fun-seeking foodies will likely love their experience at Toshokan, but introverts should prepare to step outside their comfort zone.

Craft Omakase: Best Celebratory Date Night Destination

Now, this superlative may be a bit biased because I did happen to celebrate an anniversary at Craft Omakase. But it truly felt like the best place to do it, and I’ve since recommended this spot to others looking to celebrate. The vibe at Craft Omakase is tranquil, classy, and elegant. You’ll begin in the sleek, minimalistic lounge area for a welcome drink (a light sake- or cava-based cocktail) before entering the earth-tone omakase dining room, which can accommodate up to 12 guests. This dining room is considerably brighter than a lot of the other black-box omakase experiences, but the lighting is still soft and warm. As someone who likes to take photos and see every detail of each dish, I really appreciated this.

Craft was opened in December 2023 by Charlie Wang and Nguyen Nguyen, both Uchi alums, and you can see that Hai Hospitality influence in both the mindful menu and artful techniques. You won’t see blow torches or smoke domes here (at least I didn’t on my visit), but you will be mesmerized watching the chefs slice and shape each piece of fish. The nigiri is kept simple here, with just a brush and a dab of other flavors to spotlight the starring seafood. Think dishes like Japanese scallop with ponzu, akakosho (a red pepper yuzu kosho), and lemon zest and kurodai (black snapper) with house ginger fish sauce and salt. Then, they let more creativity shine in composed dishes, like punchy pink shrimp aguachile with leche de tigre and Japanese sweet potato (which was perfectly complemented by the cooling effects of Sasaichi Dan Junmai), hamachi crudo with honey yuzu and Thai chili, and sakana no nitsuke: ocean trout with an unexpectedly delicious duo of celery and chimichurri. And one of the most memorable dishes was vegetarian: cubes of miso daikon stacked with soy-braised shiitake and genmaicha and topped with miso aioli. This elegant umami bomb was perfectly paired with Bieler Pere et Fils Bandol reserve rosé.

This 22-course feast of the senses ends with three very luxurious bites: Hokkaido uni over ikura nigiri, bluefin chu toro with wasabi soy and black truffle, and bluefin otoro with a generous dollop of caviar. (I like that these more premium products, like truffles and caviar, are just wrapped into the total price, rather than upsells.) A refreshing tasting of coconut lime sorbet, pear granita, ginger, and yukari (shiso rice seasoning) was our dessert, alongside smooth, fragrant Konteki Tears of Dawn daiginjo. And I love that the chefs present you with a signed menu at the end of your experience, to commemorate an occasion—whether you came in celebrating anything or not.

Sushi Endo: The I-Don’t-Think-We’re-in-Texas-Anymore Omakase

This past spring, Sushi Endo opened a 10-seat omakase in West Campus. Chef Endo Yasuhiro, the namesake behind the restaurant, has an intriguing background story. He worked as a truck driver for Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market in order to save up money to move to the United States, where he hoped to become a professional blues musician. When he got here, he found himself drawn to sushi, and he went on to work in Chattanooga, Seattle, and then New York, where he trained under chef Nakazawa at Sushi Nakazawa. He then returned to Tokyo to apprentice at famed Midori Sushi and Kiyoyasu-tei before landing in Austin.

Endo’s omakase experience begins in their spacious lounge, where you can order cocktails from a short list. They’re all simple and well-executed spins on classics (like an old fashioned made with Japanese whisky and a highball made with strawberry gin and peach liqueur). Charcoal and black couches and potted plants give the space a welcoming feel and the vintage Japanese vinyl spinning softly in the background was a nice touch. At the counter, chef Yasuhiro starts off by explaining that this omakase isn’t sushi-only, like most of the others in town are. He incorporates other styles he’s learned throughout his career, like edomae-style, where the fish is cured or cooked, and kaiseki-style, which features small, seasonally-focused plates balanced by flavor and texture. His 20-course menu leans more traditionally Japanese, even starting with goma dofu, creamy sesame tofu with dashi, and ending with a humble bowl of red miso soup. This is the only other omakase, besides OTOKO, where tempura was served (whiting and mushrooms, with green tea salt for dipping) and the only one that served silky chawanmushi bathed in crab gravy and sprinkled with ikura. And when chef Yasuhiro did take out a torch, it was to quickly sear fish (bluefin tuna and golden eye snapper) for aburi-style nigiri.

I also experienced a significant amount of firsts here. I’d never tried sakura masu, succulent “cherry salmon” caught in the spring (cherry blossom season), or aori ika, tender raw squid, served as nigiri with a simple dab of ume paste. It was also my first time enjoying fresh hot tamago (I’d only ever had it cold) and watching a chef smoke Spanish mackerel over hay in an Ibushi Gin donabe smoker. Chef Yasuhiro is at the advantage of working with a much bigger kitchen than a lot of the other omakases, and it feels like you are right there in it. (That said, I did find the fluorescent kitchen lights to be a bit abrasive!)

The meal ended with a lightly sweet matcha anmitsu for dessert (with agar jelly, mochi, red bean, mango, and strawberry), but lately guests have been getting an additional course—chef Yasuhiro playing the blues on his electric guitar! I’m glad to see him combining his two loves, as sushi-chefs-who-play-music is becoming a certified category in this city.

Tare: Sushi with an Inspired Texas Twist

There’s a lot to love about Tare. First of all, it’s the most authentic speakeasy omakase in Austin—mainly because it doesn’t call itself one. It’s hidden in a most unexpected place, not for novelty, but because that’s just the opportunity that presented itself to chef Michael Carranza. When you arrive at the nondescript white office building, someone will greet you at the door and lead you upstairs, through the brightly lit kitchen of a law firm and into the vibey, black-and-bamboo, 12-seat dining room behind it, energized with a hip hop soundtrack.

Carranza and pastry chef Danielle Martinez grew up in South Texas and gained experience at Uchi and Musashino, among other places in Austin, before founding Osome ATX, which provided private omakase experiences in guests’ own homes, and opening Texas Sushiko, a hand roll trailer outside Texas Sake Co. And in launching Tare (the word for an umami-rich dipping sauce) at the start of 2024, the chef has created one of the most innovative omakases in town by marrying the flavors and ingredients of South Texas and Japan. This theme even carries through to the cocktail menu, with options like the thoroughly unique and delicious No Mame Whey, made with whey-washed tequila, junmai sake, and edamame, and an A5 fat-washed old fashioned.

Carranza has a dry aging cabinet that he utilizes for a lot of the fish, playing with flavors and textures (with 15 to 25 days of aging seeming to be the sweet spot). Some of my favorite bites included a 16-day aged amberjack with salsa macha and negi; shima aji with jalapeño serrano salsa verde; and Hokkaido scallop torched with shiro dashi aioli, Texas chorizo, and XO sauce. And a seasonal aguachile dish featured dry-aged ocean trout with honeydew, cucumber, cantaloupe, mint, serrano, and a tamarind-watermelon sauce. It was delightfully balanced, spicy yet cooling, and perfect with Yuki No Bosha “Cabin in the Snow” junmai ginjo. And, you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced bluefin tuna with guajillo chili vinaigrette served on a chicharron with a squeeze of lime. There couldn’t be a sweeter ending to this omakase than a cube of Martinez’s matcha tres leches with a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.

I’m so glad I happened to ask about the dishes at the end of the meal. It turns out Carranza has a friend with a kiln, so almost all the sushi plates, bowls, and cups were made by him and the rest of the team. Now that is commitment to the craft!

Tonari by Uroko: Best Place for Dinner Before a Show

Uchi veteran Masazumi Saio and Kome owners Takehiro “Také” and Kayo Asazu teamed up to open Uroko, a casual hand roll shop inside Springdale General, in 2019. On Fridays and Saturdays, they started serving an omakase out of the tiny space, and during the pandemic they offered a take-home omakase set. They eventually grew the omakase concept and, in 2022, expanded into the adjacent space, launching Tonari, which fittingly translates to “next to.” Chef Saio is the sole chef behind the six-seat counter for now, as chef Také is out on sabbatical for a year, and he impressively serves 12 courses in just 45 minutes, with four seatings a night. This abbreviated omakase costs just $84 a person, which is significantly less than many others. This was also the only omakase where a three- or five-glass sake flight was offered. This allows you to mix and match the sakes with the different courses, and each selection is detailed on a card for you to reference. (The juicy Dassai 39 junmai daigingjo and clean, mineral Namano Jozen nama junmai ginjo were my two overall favorite pairings.)

Though no-frills, chef Saio’s offerings were all beautifully crafted, using the same high quality fish and traditional methods made modern with innovation. Some of my favorite bites include a kombu-jime hirame (kelp-cured flounder) over shiso leaf with fried quinoa and yuzu kosho; Scottish salmon with lemon miso, grated ginger, and shiso; tuna with nagaimo (a little bubble of marshmallow-like japanese sweet potato) and fresh wasabi; and a super flavorful Argentinian red shrimp brushed with uni-reduced soy and topped with salmon roe. This was also the first I’d seen of mushizushi, which Saio described as a creamy sushi rice risotto, topped with Hokkaido uni. And a piece of anago (sea eel) braised with sake, soy, and mirin, then finished with orange juice and fresh ginger, tasted like dessert before we were presented with a surprise daifuku (mochi filled with red bean and a fresh strawberry).

Calm, soothing piano music set the scene, but by contrast the experience did feel slightly rushed at only 45 minutes. I would prefer a full hour, but also understand this is part of the reason they’re able to offer this lower-priced seating. I liked Tonari’s efficient set-up, with little baskets for oshibori towels and a wooden box with tiny tongs for storing pickled ginger (which must keep a lot of it from going to waste!) The simple space features shelves displaying some sake bottles, tea sets, and tchotchkes, and there are a few tables in the back of the space, which they use for classes in sushi-making, ikebana (Japanese floral design), sake pairing, and more.

Best of all, we left the experience satisfied, but not stuffed, and with enough energy to carry on with the night. If you want to experience an omakase without having to stress over making a reservation or emptying your checking account, Tonari is a great pick.

Tsuke Edomae: That Unreachable Golden Ticket

I was hoping this article could examine all the omakase experiences in town, but there was one I was unfortunately unable to book. I’ve been trying to get a reservation at Tsuke Edomae for three years now, but the restaurant has an interesting booking system akin to a private club. Early adopters who have been able to make three reservations on their own (which were surely easier to obtain in the restaurant’s very early days) have been granted status as a “VIP regular,” which allows them to directly book four seats a month through chef Mike Che. Considering there are only eight seats in the place, that doesn’t leave many open to new customers, and they vanish immediately when they’re released every three to four months. Maybe one of these years I’ll get lucky… or befriend a regular!