This place has been on my to-go list for a while and it did not disappoint! We started off with age…read moretakoyaki and toro carpaccio, which were both recommended to us by our server. The age takoyaki was creamy and good to share amongst a group. The toro carpaccio was amazing as well and melted in your mouth. We also ordered chicken curry udon, chicken karaage, and tantan noodles. All had really great flavors but my personal favorite was the tantan noodles which came with poached egg, sauce, and garnishes that you got to mix into the noodles. Super creamy and nutty! I really loved the vibe of the restaurant too, it's small but has a homey vibe that would be great for either a small group hangout or a date. There's a lot of bars to visit nearby too. Our server was also so sweet and brought us a baggie of Japanese candies & sweets after our dinner since it was Valentine's Day. Only complaint was parking. Very small lot and very packed! Get there a bit before your reservation to figure out parking.

Solid Japanese cuisine in Houston that I'm sad I just tried out! Their lunch menu options are great…read moreand reasonably priced. Nigiri was fresh, tempura was hot and crunchy. Staff were friendly. It feels more casual and a good place for a quick dinner or just a casual grab with friends when you don't want to cook for the night. Would definitely come back. The parking can be a little tricky since it's pay to park. About $2

The food and service here were absolutely amazing. This was my first time having sushi and I felt…read moreso comfortable and welcomed by the staff. We had Shirley as our waitress and she was hands down the most remarkable server I have ever had at any restaurant. She was incredibly kind and attentive and was constantly checking in on us and doing everything should could to improve our experience. We went for Houston restaurant month and got the spicy garlic edamame, soup, summer roll, the chicken hibachi, pork and beef gyoza, mango and green tea ice cream, and more. It was all great! There wasn't a single dish that we didn't think was very good. I would highly recommend this place, not only for the great food, but also because of the incredible staff. I truly cannot emphasize how memorable the employees made our experience!!

sooo good! i love this place and the staff is so nice and accommodating, really good nigiri flightsread more

My parents have been bringing me to Uchi since I was in high school and now at 28, I have the joy…read moreof coming here with my own family. After all these years, Uchi genuinely feels like a second home to us. Of course, the sushi is exceptional, but what has kept us coming back for so many years is the entire experience. The service has always been warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. They've treated our family like their own from the very beginning and that kind of hospitality is something we never take for granted. The ambiance is equally special: intimate, vibrant and always the perfect setting for a great meal. As for the food, we have quite a few favorites that we almost always order: -Cool Tastings: *Hama Chili - bright, spicy, and always a favorite *Hirame Usuzukuri -Nigiri: *Engawa | flounder fin muscle -- our absolute favorite and a must-order every time *Madai | Japanese sea bream *Sake Toro | salmon belly *Gyutoro | 72-hour Wagyu *Hokkaido Uni *A5 Nigiri + Caviar *Masu | ocean trout *Kinmedai | golden eye snapper *Suzuki | striped bass *Kurodai | black bream *Bluefin Chutoro | medium-fatty tuna *Kani | crab -Makimono: Zero Sen -Dessert: Fried Milk - because you simply cannot leave without it! We also love ordering the specials and letting the chefs surprise us. That's part of what makes Uchi so fun, even after all these years there's always something new to discover. If anyone asks me where to go for sushi in Houston, Uchi is always my first recommendation!

Definitely a place where you want to go there full. Why? First, you can savor the flavors more when…read moreyou're full--if you're starving, everything will taste good undoubtedly. Second, the bill can add up QUICK. My kid and I actually ended up eating a pizza and hot dog at the theater afterward because we were still hungry after busting the $200 mark. A5 on the hot plate -- melt-in-your-mouth delicious. 18 seconds on each side, then pop it in your mouth. And Uchi is a place where I can believe the A5 quality. (@ $65 for 6 pieces, it better be genuine!) Fatty Bluefin -- I love tuna, but I'd never had the chance to indulge in this particular species. One nigiri piece was $18.50. But it was the best $18.50 piece of bluefin nigiri I've ever had--and will probably ever have, because I can't afford another piece. Pork katsu -- This was supposed to be our filler dish, kind of like the fried rice at the end of a Chinese wedding banquet to fill you up if you aren't already full. Well, it didn't quite fill us up, but it was damn good. The 3-day-aged Australian Wagyu was also delicious. And for dessert, the milk ice cream stole the show. The black sesame with mango was pretty good too, although it had a bit of a sour taste. The two-piece candy on the happy hour menu is basically like a Snickers ice cream bar. Speaking of happy hour: every day from 4-6 pm, and you can order from the table--you don't have to sit in the bar area. Also got the Takara Sho Chiku Bai sake from the happy hour menu, which washed everything down nicely. Looking back, I might suggest doing the $120 nine-course Omakase for two from the happy hour menu. We would have saved about $100 doing that, and maybe we would've actually been more full too.

First of all we tried going to the one in the Heights last night on a whim but didn't realize that…read morea reservation was recommended because they are full. So note guys you can walk in but it's better to make a reservation. So we tried again tonight but the Montrose location with a reservation this time! Love love love the concept of an open table/bar situation (especially when others around you are also social butterflies). Service and staff all smiling friendly extremely helpful, and because you are at eye level with them it's like having a one on one conversation. I think we got the 5 roll combo and 2 crudo. We asked for all the sauces/ toppings. Everything from the ginger to every ingredient was beautiful and fresh. We ended up having an enjoyable conversation with strangers who contributed to an extremely enjoyable experience.

FOOD: 5/5 I ordered the 5 Handroll set and a melon cream…read moresoda. The variety of flavor combinations and textures are really satisfying. Fantastic value for the amount and quality of food. SERVICE: 4/5 I dinned in at 9pm on a Friday, party of 1. Host was welcoming. Door- to -table in 5 mins. Order- to -first roll on table was 3 mins at most. The rolls are made in front of you and served one at a time; each serving was spaced out well. Servers were attentive periodically checking on me. I felt a bit rushed at the end given the queue of people waiting for a spot. AMBIANCE: 2.5/5 Neurodivergent overstimulation warning - the music volume plus the added patron conversations is an attack on the senses. The server and I had trouble communicating and the distance between us was less than a foot. Bring earbuds! Short person warning Sitting arrangement is bar stool style and for a short person (5'-1") this was quite uncomfortable. To reach the foot rest I had to scoot to the edge of the stool, and the stools have no back support so I was hunched over the table for support. The decor is minimalistic, the lighting is warm and inviting, and AC was on full blast (if you run cold, bring a sweater).

Since Zen Izakaya opened in 2016, it has continued to provide authentic and excellent quality of…read morefood. Our favorite is their bento, which are only available during lunch service. However, we've tried many other dishes and we've loved them as well. Their appetizers such as Ebi mayo, karaage, and ikageso are always delicious. Highly recommend this restaurant.

This restaurant is a cozy, authentic gem for Japanese small plates. The space is intimate with a…read moresmall dining area. Reservations are highly recommended. There aren't many tables, and it fills up quickly. Service was incredibly friendly and attentive. This is what we ordered: 1. pepper tuna tataki 2. hamachili 3. hijiki 4. karaage 5. agedashi tofu 6. Rock N Roll roll 7. Zen Mega Dragon roll 8. hamachi sashimi 9. hamachi roll 10. Extra Picante roll 11. Yakisoba noodles 12. Brussel sprouts Almost everything was absolutely delicious. The pepper tuna tataki and hamachili were fresh and flavorful. The karaage was crispy, tender and juicy, and the agedashi tofu had that perfect texture in a savory broth. All were sooo good. The Zen Mega Dragon roll, hamachi hamachi roll, and Extra Picante roll were all fresh and excellent. The only two dishes that didn't quite wow us were the hijiki and the Rock N Roll roll. Both were a bit basic compared to everything else on the table. The yakisoba noodles did take a little while to come out, but wow... they were soooo worth the wait. Savory, hot, and incredibly satisfying. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and portion sizes, which makes it even better. There is free parking, but the lot is small. When it's busy, finding a spot can be a little tricky. We will definitely be back to explore more of the menu.

Amazing all around! Decor was refined and modern throughout the entire dining floor…read more Fish were all super fresh and delicious! Also had to highlight their house made soy sauce which was extremely umami, very unique and sets this place slightly apart from the many other sushi joints in its range Truffle crab chawanmushi was certainly a top highlight for me as well - rich truffle oil with the perfectly light steamed egg and sweet crab chunks, just an incredible dish and I could have easily eaten several of these The uni was also extremely fresh and buttery and was nice even for someone who doesn't usually like uni In the same class and range as places like Kata Robata and I would say it's a strong rival! Would come back again!

Started off with Toro Amaebi Tartar which was interesting the taro chips mixed with everything…read moretasted light and creamy with everything mixed together. The Chawanmushi was decent but it was a little different than I expected. It had a little bit more liquid at the top of the egg custard. The flavor was fine nothing overpowered and it was soft and had that gelatin mush to it. The carbonara udon pasta was creamy and tasted exactly how I imagined it would which was smooth and creamy with a little crispiness from the pieces of bacon. Just make sure you mix the egg into the pasta to give it that rich creaminess. The only dish I would say that was underwhelming was the crispy rice. I guess my expectation would be a little less rice and a balance of the crispy rice around it. It reminded me more so of a thick fried outer crust. However, I did like the fish and meat they used on top of the crispy rice. They all had their own flavors. The Handroll tasting is probably the most interesting dish I ordered. It seemed to have a good portion of fish and they try to keep the seaweed nice and crispy by leaving the plastic film over the seaweed. The flavors of the Handrolls were subtle. They did make a nice presentation. The salmon flight was pretty good you definitely could tell from the different cuts and fattiness of the salmon. My favorite was the aburi cheese the scorched cream cheese gave the salmon a melted coating of cheese and made it silky and smooth. The nigiri platter was almost like a flight of nigiri. In the order I ate them they got progressively better. My favorite was the scallop and tuna. The only roll I tried was the royal chutoro. The portion was a good ratio of rice to fish and the tobiko gave it a slight crunch. as service and parking. The parking costs $10 and it's only Valet. If you decide to park on the curb somewhere you will get a parking ticket (I saw a guy placing tickets on cars). The atmosphere was upscale and you can tell they try to emulate Japan with the decor(zen inspired). Overall, the fish was tasted fresh and the vibes were there. However, I do think everything was a bit overpriced compared to competitors.

Looking for a top tier sushi experience? Katami is the spot. All the way from the drinks, to the…read morefood, to the service, to the ambiance, to the experience. Curated to a perfection. There's not a piece of fish you'll have here that isn't made which such intention and flavor. To speak on the star of the show, the salmon crudo which was part of their daily special, was rich but subtle all at the same time. Intense flavors and quality fish. The chili crunch roll was a perfect touch of spice while the Texas hamachi roll had a hint of sweetness. To add, the service here was great. Our waiter was thorough and helpful throughout our entire experience tonight. He was well thought out and made great recommendations. Lastly, this restaurant was an overall vibe. We sat in the sunroom which was nice as the sun set throughout our meal. A sweet ambiance for date night!!

Celebrating a family birthday with a group of 7... our second time at Katami ... Lovely as always !…read more Friendly extremely professional & knowledgeable staff, great food & cocktails. The table we were at was a bit stifled regarding airflow... we all became pretty warm which stole some of the enjoyment from the food/experience. August in Houston... and no option to move a table of 7 to somewhere with better circulation. We understand.

Amazing food! The vibe is top tier and Chef Andy was so fun ! I highly recommend! The staff, so…read morefriendly and the ambience is also beautiful!

Chef Andy is amazing! I highly recommend the premium omakase experience. Chef Andy made the whole…read moredinner experience so wonderful and the food so tasty. Would definitely recommend!

I went for Brunch and had great company. I had a basic breakfast, eggs, bacon and biscuit. But I…read moremust say the eggs were scrambled perfectly with a little cheese and that biscuit was so delicious it was to die for. The service was great our server did not have us waiting so I appreciate it that. The atmosphere was light and it was family friendly.

Food1: The eggs, potatoes, fruits, and biscuit were delicious. 5 Stars…read more Food2: Their house coffee has sweetness baked into their coffee. They don't have any coffee that is not sweet. Their biscuit gravy didn't do it for. They added stuff into it that I didn't like. And their Tabasco sauce was too salty. 1 Stars Service: Friendly and warm, from the valet parking, the hostess, and the server. 5 Stars Ambiance: Trendy and hip. 5 Stars Overall: 4 Stars

The food is the best in Houston (except for my grandma's) and the customer service is also good,…read moreand the vibe. ELITE. 5 stars

I had a great experience at ramen Tatsu-ya. It was my first time here & I was very impressed…read more I ordered the "mi-so-hot" & it was amazing. First - the ramen came out super fast. I was very surprised. And my broth was so delicious. It had such a rich umami flavor due to the miso & I thought the spice level was perfect. Honestly - I could eat jhst that broth for a whole meal. Unlike buldak or some other spicy ramens - the main selling point wasn't the spice. You could get an additional "spice bomb" if you wanted some more heat. The ramen toppings were good but not outstanding - same with the noodles. I thought the "mi-so-hot" was easily 3x better than "the og". The broth in "the og" was pretty interesting and more unique tasting. It felt like the main notes were just umami, pork, and oil. Not bad, but felt like it was missing a little something to make it truly good. If I had just got the OG, I'd rate this place a bit lower - but as it stands I'd 100% come back here for the "mi-so-hot" The interior was pretty nice. It was more "communal style seating" with a couple of big tables. There is also some smaller booths. It's an "order at the counter" type restaurant as well. I saw several comments about parking & was a bit concerned when driving over. I know that part of westheimer is always packed! But there is an attached parking lot & at 3pm on a Sunday, there was plenty of parking! Also - there is some street parking in the neighborhood north of the shop. Overall - will 100% be coming back for some more spicy ramen. Would recommend