How does one start when talking about the best sushi in Austin? With the recent growth of our city, amazing restaurants are popping up everywhere, specifically sushi. I still remember my first sushi experience was when I was 13 and I went to this tiny hole in the wall off Congress where you had to take your shoes off when you walked in and sat in your own private room. The waiter ceremoniously delivered these brightly colored small bites to the table that opened my eyes to an entirely new way of eating.
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The entire experience was so immersive from the moment I walked through the door creating a new food obsession that still to this day I crave. Although this tiny restaurant is no longer open, Austin doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the wide variety of options available.
I love trying new restaurants so when sitting down to write this there were multiple directions I could have gone in but to keep it concise I chose my 3 personal favorites. Taste is so relative to each person so to highlight these are just my top choices. Starting in third place I have TenTen off of West 6th. With the construction happening in this area the outside ambiance is nothing to write home about but once you enter it has a sexy mod diner vibe. Although their menu is seasonal some of their staples include the blistered shisto peppers, chicken karaage, and fresh sashimi and nigiri. The last time I went I had a steak and egg hand roll that had wagyu beef paired with a runny quail egg that was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. If you haven’t been to TenTen it is definitely worth trying. In second place is Uchi or Uchiko, they are interchangeable in my mind. Since this restaurant has locations across the country they have their aesthetic and design down from the bar to the wallpaper, although Uchi has a more intimate vibe and Uchiko is larger with more of an open floor plan. One thing is the same at both and a must have which is the hot rock. They bring out a sizzling hot rock and raw wagyu with a ponzu dipping sauce and the rest is up to you which brings a fun interactive quality to the meal. Uchi and Uchiko work with the freshest seasonal ingredients so their menu does change frequently but you cannot go wrong with their offerings. My number one sushi spot is Sushi by Scratch, which is technically in Cedar Creek at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa. This is a sister restaurant to SushiATX, which I have still yet to get a reservation at because of its popularity and intimate capacity. Chef Phillip Frankland Lee has created a traditional Omakase utilizing the best talent, ingredients and flavors. As soon as you arrive the host provides a welcome beverage to cleanse your palate in preparation for the meal. Then you are escorted into a small room with an illuminated sushi bar surrounded by 10 assigned seats. On a board behind the chefs are sixteen types of proteins listed which is the guide to the flavorful journey you are about to embark on. Patrons can choose to add a sake pairing with their meal which elevates the flavor profile to the next level. Each course has been intricately designed from a visual, flavor and aromatic perspective to provide the diner with the most immersive experience possible. My two favorite dishes were the o-toro and the spot prawn because of their clean and intentional ingredients that pack a punch to the tastebuds. At the end of dinner the guests get to vote whether additional courses are added. Our chefs actually battled against each other for the best dishes meaning we had a total of 19 courses in the end. Overall, this will go down as one of my favorite dining experiences to date. SushiATX is very similar and closer to home if you can grab one of their coveted reservations.
The sushi scene in Austin is rapidly evolving and new additions are opening at a steady pace. Although I only touched on my top three there are so many options in our city to curb your craving.
