More so than ever, there’s some really good sushi to be found in Houston, growing in part as alumni of Uchi spread out and open their own restaurants. And there’s plenty of money here to be spent on it; excellent sushi and sashimi are usually expensive, of course. Many of the top places fly some of their seafood in regularly from the famed Toyosu market in Tokyo and other sought-after items elsewhere, which can help ensure both quality and a hefty size to the check. Then the increasingly popular set-course omakase meals add to the sense that a sushi dinner is best for special occasions. But there’s at least one very good value option in Houston.
Listed alphabetically.
The Best
5kinokawa – The latest addition to what has become a destination for sushi, White Oak, joining Handies Douzou and Ume. From Chef Billy Kin, who help start Hidden Omakase, this also easy-to- miss fourteen-seat spot offers creative set-course omakase dinners of nigiri sushi and a good deal more – it helps to be somewhat open-minded here – with two seatings a from Thursdays through Sundays featuring ingredients flown in weekly from Toyosu in Tokyo and elsewhere that’s $150 per person. Heights
Aiko – On a section of Washington just west of downtown that’s become somewhat restaurant-heavy in recent years, chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee have opened their third and grandest well-received sushi venture following Kokoro and Handies Douzo. Offering sushi, sashimi, hand rolls and crudos, it’s somewhat a combination of both those concepts and in a more comfortable space. The restaurant also offers three options for omakase at three fixed-price points that are more affordable than most. Sixth Ward
Aya Sushi – Off the beaten path for most serious sushi fans, this nonetheless joins a few other worthy dining options in the heart of commercial Bellaire featuring a kitchen led by Chef Yoshi Katsuyama, who some might have seen behind the sushi counter at the acclaimed Soto in Montrose. Sushi, sashimi, and maki and omakase often with seafood flown in daily are draws here complemented by other plenty of non-sushi preparations in a more suburban address that, unusually for a sushi restaurant, has a good-sized patio. Bellaire
Handies Douzo – From the folks at Kokoro and now Aiko, this handroll specialist can be an easy stop for the quick raw fish fix that has certainly resonated, expanding to a second location on Montrose. Especially good nori – crisp, thin and more flavorful than usual – is first thing you’ll notice with the handrolls, the specialty. There’s also sashimi and crudos, which are worthy of attention, too. Heights, Montrose
Hidden Omakase – Led by an alumna of Uchi who’s also cooked in Spain and Thailand, this cheekily obscured spots offers only set course visits with two seatings of no more than eighteen folks nightly from Thursday through Sunday, which are $175 a head these days, for just the food, though you can add to that, too. You need to bring your own wine or sake, BYOB is $20 per bottle. It will be fifteen courses of sushi with flavors that can go well beyond Japan. The terrific Burger Chan located nearly adjacent won’t be open when you depart, unfortunately; though delicious, you might need that after dinner here. Galleria Area
Kata Robata – With a kitchen led by Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, certainly one of the city’s top chefs in the city in any genre, this restaurant still excites for its sushi, featuring a long list of seasonal specialties, and much more from its range in Japanese cuisine that’s “both traditional and modern.” An omakase from Hori is a real treat, worth the expense and effort to score a reservation at night. Sushi and Japanese food doesn’t get any better in Houston than this. Upper Kirby District
Kokoro – The first effort from Uchi alumni, which has since led to other worthy sushi stops, Handies Douzo, now in duplicate, and Aoki. A more casual counter-service place in Bravery Chef Hall that serves some serious sushi offering an array of the popular Edomae sushi, makimono, sashimi along with fun sides and other preparations like chicken fat rice and Wagyu Toast. Downtown
Kuu – This very attractively appointed, modern Japanese restaurant just in front of the Memorial City medical complex has been led since it opened about a decade by Addison Lee, a veteran of the famed Nobu chain who decamped to several well-regarded stints at Houston sushi restaurants and that experience shows. There’s plenty to entice at the sushi counter, and plenty of sushi and makimono option. You can also treat yourself to the Toyosu sashimi box or a piece or several of Seared A5 nigiri. Memorial
MF Sushi – Chris Kinjo, like Ford Fry of State of Grace, has managed to easily translate acclaim in Atlanta to the larger, more diverse and more demanding Houston market. He did that first on Westheimer near the Galleria a couple of years ago, and then in a beautiful, sleek space in the Museum District. As their name suggests, sushi is the specialty, and its impressive array of raw fish accompanying vinegared rice are among the very best in the city. A special treat is the omakase, a chef’s choice of small, mostly seafood preparations, maybe twenty or more, that is served at the twelve-seat sushi bar and might require some advance planning. Museum District
Neo – Another omakase concept from alumni of Uchi, this is more than sushi and fish and might impress even someone who is no a sushi devotee. The setting is also different, in a menswear showroom. It can be tough to get a ticket and that will cost $260 for the twenty or so courses, drinks and tip, along with something to brag about, if successful. Montrose
Nippon – Around since 1986 and unlike the vast majority of area Japanese restaurants, Nippon is Japanese-owned and -staffed. And, the comfortable dining room is usually peppered with ex-pat Japanese clientele, a sure sign of its authenticity and quality. It‘s also one of the best value Japanese restaurants in the city. Separated from the main dining room, the sushi bar of soothing, light wood and the small tables that flank it, provide an enjoyable place to enjoy some of the better sushi in Houston, for which Nippon has long been known. The sushi is reliably very good and has been expertly prepared by a friendly Japanese sushi chef; the senior one is a certified master. Nippon features a similar array of fish in the sashimi, nigiri sushi (the popular version with fresh fish sitting atop vinegared rice and wasabi) and the related rolls that is found in most area Japanese restaurants. You can order here without hesitation. Montrose
Nobu – The local outpost of the famed global chain, now with almost sixty restaurants, this might interest visitors more than locals and it’s not one of it’s star locations, but some excellent sushi can be had, lightening the wallet a fair ways in the process. There’s nigiri, mako and sashimi and omakase for $185 a pop, plus plenty more here like A5 Wagyu and famous non-sushi preparations like its Black Cod with Miso, Hamachi with Jalapeño, Soft Shell Crab rolls, and the cooked New-Style Sashimi plus the fun Nobu tacos. Galleria
Oishii – Not much of all from the outside, in a tiny older strip center, and not much on the interior, either, the sushi and restaurant nonetheless draws a lot of Japanese food fans, even occasionally attracting some students from Tokyo. This is the value choice among sushi lovers and the oft-filled dining room is a testament. Greenway Plaza
Roka Akor – Sushi shares billing with the robata-cooked steak and seafood, an expansive of nigiri sushi, maki and sashimi draws fine-dining aficionados to gorgeous local spot set in a skyscraping residential tower from this small upscale chain. A table is likely in order here, as there are only a half-dozen seats at the sushi bar. Greenway Plaza
Shun – From the son of the owners of longtime favorite of Japanese transplants and visitors, Nippon, also in Montrose, Shun is something nicer, hipper and more ambitious than his parents’ comfortable stop. A little less traditionally Japanese, too, with locally attuned flavors and ingredients make their appearance in some of the dishes. With a mix of sushi and sashimi, grilled robatayaki items, and a grab-bag of Japanese small plates, the menu might be tough to navigate for some, but the servers are helpful guides. The pricey, but large pieces of nigiri sushi and sashimi are excellent, as you might expect with the experience at Nippon, with some sourced from more exotic waters. Fun and delectable rolls like the Sun Blast filled with salmon, apple, tobiko, micro cilantro, lime, spicy aioli and topped with a piece of crispy salmon skin might have more wide-ranging appeal. Shun can seemingly appeal to a range of customers with familiar items like tempura, miso soup, pork katsu, and sushi rolls, those interested in a meal of mostly sushi and sashimi, and there’s a separate sushi counter, or those wanting something more unique. Montrose
Soto – A transplant from Austin sporting a gorgeous dark interior, this offers an approachable, well-executed, well-sourced take on the popular Tokyo-style sushi occasionally spiked with some regional favorites like jalapeño, avocado and even tacos of a sort. Truffles and foie gras make appearances, too. Some items arrive from Tokyo’s Toyosu seafood market; the uni here is from Hokkaido rather than Santa Barbara. Japan Express menu changes daily and with often about ten seasonal available as nigiri or sashimi. One of the omakase menus, at $150 and $250 a head, offers an indulgence. In that vein is the A5 Wagyu beef that’s one of the fairly numerous hot dishes on the menu that can be worth visiting even if sushi is not part of the meal. But, it’s one of the top handful of sushi purveyors in town. Montrose
Teppay – The owner has recently turned over the reigns of this longtime sushi specialist just off Westheimer on Voss, but doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. If not as flashy nor as modern as some others, it can satisfy at maybe a little lower key. Briargrove
Uchi – Serving a creative take on modern Japanese food and known for its sushi and sashimi preparations, this is a version of the most acclaimed restaurant in Austin that won Chef Tyson Cole a James Beard Award several years ago. It quickly became part of the restaurant firmament in Houston after opening in early 2012, and remains a top destination for sushi and seafood, period. Terrific service, too. Happy hour daily from 4:00 to 6:00 is way to experience some of the excellence here for just a little less. Montrose
Uchiko – “Uchiko, child of Uchi,” is likewise a transplant from Austin, if not quite a replication of its namesake there, with its full bar and grander setting. Located along a glittery stretch of Post Oak Boulevard, it is like its parent, a “non‑traditional Japanese concept,” and has an emphasis on sushi, while also “bringing smoke and char” to some of the creations. That sushi is Uchi-level, superb, in a variety of forms. The Toyosu section showcases the ten to twenty items recently flown in from that market in Tokyo, the successor to Tskuiji, and the home of the most prized pieces at sushi counters worldwide. Regardless of the provenance, the preparations here are deeply flavorful, and often creative and fun. Boquerones, rolls with soft shell crab and nuon mam, and post oak-grilled pork belly were just a few of the temptations on a recent visit. The menu is updated daily and posted on its site, highlighting the attention paid to the ingredients here, and taken with the restaurant, overall. To note, you can certainly spend some money for a meal, even without considering the bluefin tuna and caviar selections. The décor is in line with the high bar of the kitchen. It’s clean-lined and beautifully brown that’s accentuated with abstract works from local artists. With the notably adept service, too, this is a terrific addition to the city’s dining scene. Galleria Area
Ume – From Chris Kenjo of MF Sushi and his team, this quaint-for-Houston space with about sixty seats, a small sushi counter and a good-sized bar with plenty of light wood and clean lines, is very well-suited for present-day Heights: attractively and intelligently designed, bustling, and serving excellent, upmarket fare. Heights
Bluefin nigiri sushi at Uchiko
Listed alphabetically.
The Best
5kinokawa – The latest addition to what has become a destination for sushi, White Oak, joining Handies Douzou and Ume. From Chef Billy Kin, who help start Hidden Omakase, this also easy-to- miss fourteen-seat spot offers creative set-course omakase dinners of nigiri sushi and a good deal more – it helps to be somewhat open-minded here – with two seatings a from Thursdays through Sundays featuring ingredients flown in weekly from Toyosu in Tokyo and elsewhere that’s $150 per person. Heights
Aiko – On a section of Washington just west of downtown that’s become somewhat restaurant-heavy in recent years, chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee have opened their third and grandest well-received sushi venture following Kokoro and Handies Douzo. Offering sushi, sashimi, hand rolls and crudos, it’s somewhat a combination of both those concepts and in a more comfortable space. The restaurant also offers three options for omakase at three fixed-price points that are more affordable than most. Sixth Ward
Aya Sushi – Off the beaten path for most serious sushi fans, this nonetheless joins a few other worthy dining options in the heart of commercial Bellaire featuring a kitchen led by Chef Yoshi Katsuyama, who some might have seen behind the sushi counter at the acclaimed Soto in Montrose. Sushi, sashimi, and maki and omakase often with seafood flown in daily are draws here complemented by other plenty of non-sushi preparations in a more suburban address that, unusually for a sushi restaurant, has a good-sized patio. Bellaire
Handies Douzo – From the folks at Kokoro and now Aiko, this handroll specialist can be an easy stop for the quick raw fish fix that has certainly resonated, expanding to a second location on Montrose. Especially good nori – crisp, thin and more flavorful than usual – is first thing you’ll notice with the handrolls, the specialty. There’s also sashimi and crudos, which are worthy of attention, too. Heights, Montrose
Hidden Omakase – Led by an alumna of Uchi who’s also cooked in Spain and Thailand, this cheekily obscured spots offers only set course visits with two seatings of no more than eighteen folks nightly from Thursday through Sunday, which are $175 a head these days, for just the food, though you can add to that, too. You need to bring your own wine or sake, BYOB is $20 per bottle. It will be fifteen courses of sushi with flavors that can go well beyond Japan. The terrific Burger Chan located nearly adjacent won’t be open when you depart, unfortunately; though delicious, you might need that after dinner here. Galleria Area
Kata Robata – With a kitchen led by Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, certainly one of the city’s top chefs in the city in any genre, this restaurant still excites for its sushi, featuring a long list of seasonal specialties, and much more from its range in Japanese cuisine that’s “both traditional and modern.” An omakase from Hori is a real treat, worth the expense and effort to score a reservation at night. Sushi and Japanese food doesn’t get any better in Houston than this. Upper Kirby District
Kokoro – The first effort from Uchi alumni, which has since led to other worthy sushi stops, Handies Douzo, now in duplicate, and Aoki. A more casual counter-service place in Bravery Chef Hall that serves some serious sushi offering an array of the popular Edomae sushi, makimono, sashimi along with fun sides and other preparations like chicken fat rice and Wagyu Toast. Downtown
Kuu – This very attractively appointed, modern Japanese restaurant just in front of the Memorial City medical complex has been led since it opened about a decade by Addison Lee, a veteran of the famed Nobu chain who decamped to several well-regarded stints at Houston sushi restaurants and that experience shows. There’s plenty to entice at the sushi counter, and plenty of sushi and makimono option. You can also treat yourself to the Toyosu sashimi box or a piece or several of Seared A5 nigiri. Memorial
MF Sushi – Chris Kinjo, like Ford Fry of State of Grace, has managed to easily translate acclaim in Atlanta to the larger, more diverse and more demanding Houston market. He did that first on Westheimer near the Galleria a couple of years ago, and then in a beautiful, sleek space in the Museum District. As their name suggests, sushi is the specialty, and its impressive array of raw fish accompanying vinegared rice are among the very best in the city. A special treat is the omakase, a chef’s choice of small, mostly seafood preparations, maybe twenty or more, that is served at the twelve-seat sushi bar and might require some advance planning. Museum District
Neo – Another omakase concept from alumni of Uchi, this is more than sushi and fish and might impress even someone who is no a sushi devotee. The setting is also different, in a menswear showroom. It can be tough to get a ticket and that will cost $260 for the twenty or so courses, drinks and tip, along with something to brag about, if successful. Montrose
Nippon – Around since 1986 and unlike the vast majority of area Japanese restaurants, Nippon is Japanese-owned and -staffed. And, the comfortable dining room is usually peppered with ex-pat Japanese clientele, a sure sign of its authenticity and quality. It‘s also one of the best value Japanese restaurants in the city. Separated from the main dining room, the sushi bar of soothing, light wood and the small tables that flank it, provide an enjoyable place to enjoy some of the better sushi in Houston, for which Nippon has long been known. The sushi is reliably very good and has been expertly prepared by a friendly Japanese sushi chef; the senior one is a certified master. Nippon features a similar array of fish in the sashimi, nigiri sushi (the popular version with fresh fish sitting atop vinegared rice and wasabi) and the related rolls that is found in most area Japanese restaurants. You can order here without hesitation. Montrose
Nobu – The local outpost of the famed global chain, now with almost sixty restaurants, this might interest visitors more than locals and it’s not one of it’s star locations, but some excellent sushi can be had, lightening the wallet a fair ways in the process. There’s nigiri, mako and sashimi and omakase for $185 a pop, plus plenty more here like A5 Wagyu and famous non-sushi preparations like its Black Cod with Miso, Hamachi with Jalapeño, Soft Shell Crab rolls, and the cooked New-Style Sashimi plus the fun Nobu tacos. Galleria
Oishii – Not much of all from the outside, in a tiny older strip center, and not much on the interior, either, the sushi and restaurant nonetheless draws a lot of Japanese food fans, even occasionally attracting some students from Tokyo. This is the value choice among sushi lovers and the oft-filled dining room is a testament. Greenway Plaza
Roka Akor – Sushi shares billing with the robata-cooked steak and seafood, an expansive of nigiri sushi, maki and sashimi draws fine-dining aficionados to gorgeous local spot set in a skyscraping residential tower from this small upscale chain. A table is likely in order here, as there are only a half-dozen seats at the sushi bar. Greenway Plaza
Shun – From the son of the owners of longtime favorite of Japanese transplants and visitors, Nippon, also in Montrose, Shun is something nicer, hipper and more ambitious than his parents’ comfortable stop. A little less traditionally Japanese, too, with locally attuned flavors and ingredients make their appearance in some of the dishes. With a mix of sushi and sashimi, grilled robatayaki items, and a grab-bag of Japanese small plates, the menu might be tough to navigate for some, but the servers are helpful guides. The pricey, but large pieces of nigiri sushi and sashimi are excellent, as you might expect with the experience at Nippon, with some sourced from more exotic waters. Fun and delectable rolls like the Sun Blast filled with salmon, apple, tobiko, micro cilantro, lime, spicy aioli and topped with a piece of crispy salmon skin might have more wide-ranging appeal. Shun can seemingly appeal to a range of customers with familiar items like tempura, miso soup, pork katsu, and sushi rolls, those interested in a meal of mostly sushi and sashimi, and there’s a separate sushi counter, or those wanting something more unique. Montrose
Soto – A transplant from Austin sporting a gorgeous dark interior, this offers an approachable, well-executed, well-sourced take on the popular Tokyo-style sushi occasionally spiked with some regional favorites like jalapeño, avocado and even tacos of a sort. Truffles and foie gras make appearances, too. Some items arrive from Tokyo’s Toyosu seafood market; the uni here is from Hokkaido rather than Santa Barbara. Japan Express menu changes daily and with often about ten seasonal available as nigiri or sashimi. One of the omakase menus, at $150 and $250 a head, offers an indulgence. In that vein is the A5 Wagyu beef that’s one of the fairly numerous hot dishes on the menu that can be worth visiting even if sushi is not part of the meal. But, it’s one of the top handful of sushi purveyors in town. Montrose
Teppay – The owner has recently turned over the reigns of this longtime sushi specialist just off Westheimer on Voss, but doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. If not as flashy nor as modern as some others, it can satisfy at maybe a little lower key. Briargrove
Uchi – Serving a creative take on modern Japanese food and known for its sushi and sashimi preparations, this is a version of the most acclaimed restaurant in Austin that won Chef Tyson Cole a James Beard Award several years ago. It quickly became part of the restaurant firmament in Houston after opening in early 2012, and remains a top destination for sushi and seafood, period. Terrific service, too. Happy hour daily from 4:00 to 6:00 is way to experience some of the excellence here for just a little less. Montrose
Uchiko – “Uchiko, child of Uchi,” is likewise a transplant from Austin, if not quite a replication of its namesake there, with its full bar and grander setting. Located along a glittery stretch of Post Oak Boulevard, it is like its parent, a “non‑traditional Japanese concept,” and has an emphasis on sushi, while also “bringing smoke and char” to some of the creations. That sushi is Uchi-level, superb, in a variety of forms. The Toyosu section showcases the ten to twenty items recently flown in from that market in Tokyo, the successor to Tskuiji, and the home of the most prized pieces at sushi counters worldwide. Regardless of the provenance, the preparations here are deeply flavorful, and often creative and fun. Boquerones, rolls with soft shell crab and nuon mam, and post oak-grilled pork belly were just a few of the temptations on a recent visit. The menu is updated daily and posted on its site, highlighting the attention paid to the ingredients here, and taken with the restaurant, overall. To note, you can certainly spend some money for a meal, even without considering the bluefin tuna and caviar selections. The décor is in line with the high bar of the kitchen. It’s clean-lined and beautifully brown that’s accentuated with abstract works from local artists. With the notably adept service, too, this is a terrific addition to the city’s dining scene. Galleria Area
Ume – From Chris Kenjo of MF Sushi and his team, this quaint-for-Houston space with about sixty seats, a small sushi counter and a good-sized bar with plenty of light wood and clean lines, is very well-suited for present-day Heights: attractively and intelligently designed, bustling, and serving excellent, upmarket fare. Heights
Bluefin nigiri sushi at Uchiko
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