Ah, yes, Norigami, crafting the hand rolls and nigiri of my dreams! Located in the West U area, the 24 seat restaurant does sushi classics with care and a creative twist. My friends and I love to go for their once a month $5 nigiri night and never leave disappointed! When it comes to sushi, the limit does not exist, right? All of their nigiri and hand rolls can be ordered a la carte or if you're feeling a bit in decisive, they have several hand roll sets that come with 3-5 preselected options. On nigiri night, announced a few days in advance on their socials, almost all of their nigiri is $5. Chutoro, otoro, hamachi, all melt in your mouth quality, all included in the special. That's a yes from me. As I mentioned, my friends and I love to do this deal every month and every time the staff have all been super friendly and make you feel more than welcome, providing recommendations and stopping by frequently to take more orders. Norigami does have a hidden speakeasy, Hidden Bar, which can be accessed through an unmarked door at the front of the restaurant. Drinks, and most of the food options can be ordered at either the restaurant or the bar which caters to whatever vibe suits you best - dark, intimate cocktail bar or more traditional sushi restaurant where you can watch each roll being prepared fresh to order. Overall, an excellent spot! Definitely check them out! read more

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The service was awesome and spot on! The decor and ambiance were super cute -- definitely a great date night spot. As for the sushi, it was a bit hit or miss for me. The salmon tasted a little too fishy, and the hamachi hand roll fell short since I could barely taste the hamachi. However, the kanpachi was the standout of the night! It was buttery, flavorful, and easily the best fish I had there. The pricing was fair overall, and despite a few misses, the atmosphere and service made for a nice experience. read more

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Went for Happy Hour for my birthday around 3 on a Tuesday, nice and not too busy. Bluefin crudo was fine, nothing special. Chutoro and otoro sashimi were good. Handrolls were the star of the show, especially the toro which was the best. Kinkoko, hamachi, bluefin, and hotate were all great too. Drinks were solid. Painkiller was good and the Kubota sake was dry and smooth. Added the menage foie gras from the dinner menu and it was worth it. Service was quick and attentive. Will be back. read more

Norigami - Toro Handroll - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Food was amazing. Drinks were impeccable. Vibes were high. Make sure to bring your own good company read more

Norigami - Food stellar. Drinks impeccable. Vibe unmatched! Just bring your own good company - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

I had a great time at norigami! The atmosphere was really calm, giving my fiance and I plenty room to eat, chat, and enjoy ourselves. The restaurant had all day happy hour on sundays and Mondays so if you're looking for a good sushi spot that's open on a Monday, this is it! Everything we got was great. The handrolls were great quality, easy to eat, and had a nice ratio of fish to rice and toppings. The only menu item I ordered that wasn't that great was the crispy rice but otherwise I'd strongly recommend the chutoro, engawa, and king salmon nigiri read more

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Food was delicious! Ambience is casual, great people watching with the chef's table (there are no dining tables, you will be sitting on a bar stool next to people you don't know). So glad we found this place in our neighborhood. Love the restaurant bar as well (called Hidden Bar, accessed from inside the restaurant through a "hidden" door). We'll be back! read more

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Norigami absolutely delivered. We went on a Thursday night and the place was pretty crowded, but we were seated right away even though our full party hadn't arrived yet which was such a great first impression. We ordered a variety of dishes and every single one was amazing. Standouts were the scallop with foie gras, spicy scallop, chu toro, otoro and the foie gras with truffle -- rich, perfectly balanced, and melt-in-your-mouth good. The flounder fin was delicious, and the pork belly skewers were flavorful and cooked perfectly. Even the edamame was solid and well seasoned. Service was fast, attentive, and smooth despite how busy it was. Overall, everything from the food to the pacing to the hospitality was on point. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to! read more

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The vibe reminds me of Handies Douzo, you sit around the sushi bar, which makes it feel intimate and perfect for date night. Probably not ideal for groups bigger than 3 since seating is mostly in a line. There's also a connected hidden bar that looked super cute, but it was packed when we went. Servers were very nice and gave solid recommendations. What we ordered: 3Some hand roll set - All three were well-balanced and thoughtfully put together. 9/10 Wagyu skewers - Flavorful and very tender. 9/10 Crispy rice w/ masu - Loved the crunch, nice addition to the meal. 8/10 Engawa nigiri - A must-order. Literally melts in your mouth. 10/10 Masu crudo - Light, citrusy, great before heavier dishes. 9/10 A5 wagyu hand roll - Super rich and melts in your mouth. A bit too many crunchies and on the pricier side, but still really good. 8.5/10 read more

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Have been eyeing this place, and saw that sometimes they do collabs with other small businesses which is pretty cool! Aka Sandoitchi, enso...etc. Theme is cranes, and loved the decor. There's a speakeasy where theres a door separating it from the main seating area which has so much of the vibes going in there with music, drinks, and you can order from the same menu. We opted for the 5 handrolls set and the Wagyu skewers and each bite was super delicious! I did notice some rolls were left open, and some were rolled which I didn't understand why but I am sure there is an explanation on that. I loved the bluefin, blue crab and hotate handroll. The Wagyu skewers were delicious!!! The only thing I can say is that the handrolls were a bit pricier than other contenders. Still solid handrolls nonetheless. read more

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When you walk in the seating is kinda like a bar style, don't expect tables. They have a speakeasy bar hidden in the back. I'm not going to lie I was a bit disappointed in the service here. First of all,I don't feel like the staff was attentive. It wasn't a busy night and I got my food late and some pieces were actually forgotten but they did quickly address that. I felt like they were more attentive to a certain demographic vs me. The waitress was actually decent at her job. She explained the menu and suggested a few popular dishes. However, I think I was overlooked with the sushi chefs. Whenever I received the dishes it was not throughly explained-what was in it and how it was cooked. Usually higher end sushi places they do that. I will say they did explain a few and if I asked. Another thing that kind of rubbed me the wrong way was drinking on duty, the staff took a shot. I understand it was someone's birthday but please don't do it in front of customers. It comes off as unprofessional. I tried some of their hand rolls and the wagyu skewer(which was my favorite it was tender and melt in your mouth). Overall, the food was decently priced and tasted okay. However, the service missed the mark for me. read more

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I visited Norigami with some fellow Yelp friends after we heard about their secret cocktail lounge and reverse happy hour. Upon arriving, tell a server you're there for the lounge and they'll lead you to it! The lounge itself has limited seating, but the artful light fixtures and hundreds of delicate paper cranes suspended from the ceiling are something to behold. Their reverse happy hour is available after 9 pm and features several signature cocktails and bites. We opted for the Periscope - their take on a gin & elderflower cocktail. It was light and balanced! We enjoyed the ambience but the bar did become progressively more crowded and noisy as the night went on. We visited on a Thursday, so I'd imagine weekend nights are even more packed! I'd recommend getting there early to get a good seat if you aren't worried about prioritizing the happy hour menu. read more

Norigami - View of the bar - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Went for happy hour after work. Got the spicy tuna crispy rice -- so good we ordered 2. Also not too spicy. Got the hamachi, shrooms, tomato and coconut shrimp. They were all soo good. It was nice they had vegetarian options -- the shrooms and tomato really surprised me. Service is quick and they check in all the time and make sure you ordered everything you want before happy hour ends Through a hidden door is their speakeasy -- we didn't go in but saw some groups go in. read more

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Stopped by Norigami for dinner and drinks with my boyfriend and had a really enjoyable experience. I ordered the Can't Elope cocktail, which was delicious and a great way to start the meal. We tried a variety of dishes, including the 4Some Combo hand rolls with bluefin, sake, hamachi, and blue crab. My favorite was the blue crab hand roll, but all of them were fresh and flavorful. We also ordered the bluefin crudo, masu crudo, and a few other appetizers, and everything tasted fresh and was beautifully presented. The service was excellent and attentive throughout the meal. One thing I really liked was that they have a speakeasy called Hidden Bar, which is a fun bonus if you're looking to grab a drink after dinner. Overall, we had a great experience and I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu. read more

Norigami - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Handies Douzo on steroids ... Yes, because they have a speakeasy (hehe!) (smirky face) Good music, GREAT fish quality, and delicious drinks. I mean - ORDER THE TIRAMISU COCKTAIL ASAP. That's a command I'll demand from ya. read more

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For my record 2nd time: Bluefin hr-no Hamachi-yes Masu-yes Hotate-yes Wagyu skewer-YES still the best Kinoko-yes Bluecrab-no Amaebi-yes Engawa-yes King salmon-yes Menage foie gras-yes Scallop foie-yes Madai-yes Seaweed is better this time. read more

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Everything was delicious and the service was fantastic. Our favorites were the flounder fin, sweet shrimp special, and hamachi hand roll. There's plenty of parking . Since it's a small sushi bar, reservations are recommended. read more

Norigami is one of my favorite sushi places in Houston. The Nigiri is so well seasoned and perfect temperature that I could eat it all night long. The food comes out fast and you can see everything get made right in front of you. The seating is a bit interesting, sushi bar style, something to keep in mind if you have a large group but makes it more social for small groups as well read more

Norigami - Chutoro and Otoro - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I've come here a couple times for their sando itchi pop ups (Jan & Nov) and for their own sushi menu. The sando itchi pop ups had a set menu that you order/pay for at the hostess stand and everything comes packaged neatly in a to go container/bag (you can choose to eat at Norigami or take it to go). As for the sushi, the hand rolls did not impress me. Some of the flavor combinations of the fish and toppings/dressings didn't mesh well together and I thought the seaweed was hard to chew through and some fell apart. The stand outs here were the appetizers (crispy rice and Wagyu skewers stole the show) and the nigiri (the engawa was literally the most decadent bite I've had all year). I would definitely come back to complete the menu of the fish I didn't have and skip the handrolls altogether. Service was great (the girl explained the menu, what was popular, and her personal faves). read more

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We went here for the speakeasy to have after dinner drinks. My guest & I enjoyed ourselves. It is a small bar & seating is limited when busy. I really enjoyed seeing all the origami birds hanging from the ceiling. The restrooms have a bidet, bathroom doors were cool also...they had infinity mirrors for doors. As the night got later, service got slower & drink orders took awhile, but overall nice lil vibe. read more

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This rating will be dedicated to Ensō Matcha since I literally can't find their Yelp account. But, they had a pop up at UH for Wolf Fest, and omg. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to try Ensō's matcha, it was worth every dime. I got the Pandan Matcha and it was sooooo good! Very smooth and not overly sweet. The Pandan flavor paired really well with the rich matcha. And the original was so good as well! 10/10 (I will definitely come back and rate for sushi, but I'll leave the matcha review here for now ) read more

Norigami - Original and Pandan Matcha - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Came for the HRW dinner menu and it did not disappoint. Of all the hand roll spots in houston, I think norigami has the best tasting hand rolls. I loved all of them and they all rate 7.5-8.5/10, my favorite was yellowtail, tuna, salmon, scallop. However, I will say the crudos did not stand out to me something just felt lacking flavor-wise, but presentation is there. I also love their cocktails and tried out the matcha/pandan one 7/10, can't elope 8/10, and side the sun rises 8.5/10. All of them were so yummy and delicious, they were strong but not overwhelmingly. The restaurant is a bar-top, and our party had a great time celebrating an occasion. The staff are super friendly and amazing too! read more

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I stood in line for the Sando-Itchi pop up that they're having until the 25th of this month. The wait was about 20 minutes outside before actually getting inside of the establishment. I ordered the spicy truffle katsu, and the strawberry cream sando. I had actually tried the spicy sando last year at Foodieland, so I was familiar with the taste. Once you got inside of the restaurant, it was pretty tight as far as space. They offered bar-style seating. The pricing of each sandwich was a little steep for the amount of food that you got. $11 for the strawberry sando, and $13 for the chicken one. They were both delicious, but my favorite was probably the chicken. I also received my sandos with the crust still on them (just constructive criticism lol). If I visit again, I'd definitely love to try some of the drinks. read more

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Went for the Sando-Itchi pop up. We had the katsu chicken, cheeseburger, spicy truffle katsu and strawberry sandos. We also had an horchata hojicha which was good too. My favorite were the spicy truffle and the strawberry! read more

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We happen to be in town for a show and we're looking for a bite to eat. So glad we found Norigami. We picked our order based on the waiters recommendation. So glad we did the pork belly and the Kobe Beef for absolutely amazing read more

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It was a small quiet location perfect for date nights. It was entertaining watching them make the sushi and the hand rolls. It felt like we were watching art. It's bar style sitting so I wouldn't recommend for large groups or gatherings as you can't really have a conversation. The server was very articulate and was friendly when describing the menu to us. Everything we tried tasted amazing. read more

Norigami - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Made reservations for belated Valentine's Day dinner with my boyfriend and was pleasantly surprised they have a Valentine's Day menu/still offer it past Valentine's Day. The vibes inside the restaurant was immaculate. We opted for the Valentine's Day special because it was such a good deal and was able to try a little bit of everything. We started off with the crudo and it was delicious. Next came out the wagyu skewers. The skewers are not the same skewers on their normal menu. Handrolls and nigiri are heavily topped with seasoning and masks the taste of the fresh fish. Dessert was good but nothing spectacular. Employees were nice and attentive. Plenty of parking in the lot in front. Overall was disappointing. I would not of opted for the Valentine's Day special if I knew the Valentine's Day special Wagyu skewers weren't their normal skewers. Additionally, I like my sushi more simple and able to taste more of the fish over the additional add ons. read more

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Sandoitchi had a pop-up at Norigami and it did not disappoint. We tried a couple of things like the ebi shrimp, spicy truffle, strawberry cream sando, and the matches. Ebi shrimp was our favorite. It had a good bite to it and was not over powering. The spicy truffle katsu wasn't spicy but had a nice kick, however we did not taste the truffle. Strawberry cream was unexpectedly fluffy than I thought. We thought it paired well with the matcha and horchata latte. The venue doesn't seat a lot, but it was a nice area to have quick bite. The staff was great, had great conversation with everyone and was super friendly. read more

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Amazing vibe during special Lunar New Year celebration. Lion Dance in the parking lot before being treated to warm and personal service and the freshest high quality sushi. Lucky to live nearby! read more

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I'm so impressed by Norigami! Went with friends for Happy Hour before Thanksgiving Break and the value is so good. We got 3 mixed drinks/cocktails, a ton of nigiri, hand rolls, and even stuff off of their a là carte menu and the bill was under $200 for an awesome experience with great quality sushi. - Parking is so easy with their own lot along the strip - Make a reservation ahead of time! The happy hour starts at 3 PM but for some reason their official opening hours on their site states 5 PM - If you arrive early they'll have you hang out in the speakeasy before you are seated together - Ambience is so fun. What I appreciated is that there's not much "show", just great sushi - Service was just alright but the food is so good it outshined almost everything I will be back! And taking more folks with me next time! read more

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Very cute place. A hand roll bar with a speakeasy on the side. The bar was quiet and intimate for a couple. The rolls were very good and everything was very clean. Went with my husband and got norigasm a 5 roll combo and everything was very good! The bathroom doors are quite interesting. And the speakeasy being next door was quite a cute concept read more

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We decided to go on a dinner date and wanted to check this place out. We'd heard good things but it was finally time to try it for ourselves. The staff was very friendly and had some really helpful recommendations. Overall everything was very fresh and creative. A few standouts were the wagyu skewers (must try), steak and eggs, chutoro (medium fatty tuna), and the engawa (flounder fin). Definitely looking forward to going back to try some of the other dishes! read more

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Came here for their limited lunch pop up today. The options were a box of sashimi (I believe 8 or 10 pieces) and something else. I was looking forward to the sashimi! I was kinda confused since it was my first time there ever. There wasn't reservations, it was first come first serve, but two people in the front both had the little handheld registers. Neither of them said anything when I first came in, so I kinda just stood there until I felt really awkward. The man to the left let me know he was selling Matcha and showed me the menu. He made some really good recommendations and was very excited about both of the flavors I was stuck between. Jasmine tea matcha and banana pudding matcha. I ended up getting a jasmine tea matcha because I figured it was the safe bet. After I ordered that I stepped back. I didn't know what to do after that because he didn't mention food lol. My friend ended up coming and was more vocal than me. The other person with the hand register took our food order (they were both about 6 feet away from each other). We then just went and grabbed whatever seats were available while we waited. It wasn't loud in there, my friends and I were able to still hold our convo without screaming. The wait wasn't long. Matcha came first. We all loved our choices! Sashimi came out and out of all the pieces, only a few were delicious. The rice was a little over cooked and the sashimi was a little tough with most pieces. We all ended up ordering the banana pudding matcha and were very disappointed. It was very bitter matcha with banana pudding scooped on top. All in all, I think I would give them another try! Either during regular business hours or at the start of the pop up, not a month in. Staff was VERY friendly!! read more

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Omg! This place is fabulous! My friend and I stumbled upon this place and their hidden bar! Instant new fav place to go! I sampled so many drinks and food items and they were all sooo good! One of the co owners was working the bar and threw together a special drink for my friend! Come on customization! We ordered like 3 rounds of the edamame because it was so good! As you can see from the pictures the interior is sooo cute! It's very chill vibe in there with an asassortment of drinks to choose from. Overall this is a great place to stop in for a drink and a light bite! Good attentive service at the bar too! read more

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Came here for late lunch/early dinner after a day at MFAH, and we were shocked at how delicious everything was! Service was attentive but not smothering, and the team operated with efficiency and a clear respect for each other. Their camaraderie created an easy atmosphere for us as patrons. We ordered the Hamachi Crudo (excellent!), the Wagyu Skewers (as good as everyone said they are!), a bunch of the nigiri (fantastic, but the Scallop Foie was a standout), and some hand rolls (great quality fish and seaweed). Cocktails were perfectly balanced, as well. I'll put it this way: we got there and weren't super hungry, but once we started eating we wanted EVERYTHING! We're already plotting our return to try everything we didn't get to the first time. Lovely staff and the food was so, so good! read more

Amazing, in for a work trip and yelp restaurants and this came up. So happy it did. I'm actually sitting here still eating but had to write a review. Food is so good! The nigiri's are the next. Drinks are good. Ambiance is really good even for solo dinning. Update to my review- came here twice! That good! I need to find a place like this in FL!! read more

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OMG I am from Hawaii so I know my Japanese food and let me tell you this place is outstanding. I came with my parents and my father cannot eat spicy food. Not only were all the recommendations spot on but the one dish that was too spicy was redone. Fish and Uni were top quality and tastes were unreal. Coming again next time we are in Houston. Plenty of parking out front, happy hour was insanely affordable and our server was Tammie was exceptional! read more

I came to Noragami for happy hour on a Sunday afternoon. The place was not that busy and we were seated immediately. Of the rolls. I ordered the tuna was my favorite. The crispy rice was also a nice appetizer. The rolls here are very heavily seasoned and very flavorful, so I would not recommend ordering rolls if you are looking for more fish forward / simple flavors. The music was also quite loud, maybe not the best spot for a quiet date night. Five stars for the bathroom, which featured a heated bidet and toothbrushes. They also have a secret bar next-door, which I didn't get the chance to visit but would come again for. read more

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My goodness. Houston sushi scene is blowing my mind! I never would've thought. Norigami was not just a great vibe. but the sushi was so good as well. I had so many dishes and different items. These are the same guys who did Sushi By Hidden. Another spot I love. And a variation of the famous engawa sushi. The hamachi was delicious. The different tunas all melted in my mouth. I don't think there was a tough piece all night. Next door is also a hidden bar. They had a DJ playing R&B music all night. The service was on point as well. The team very friendly and attentive. Will totally be back! read more

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When I find restaurants like this, I'm always torn between telling everyone and keeping it a secret so I can still get a table without a long wait. But honestly, a place this good deserves the spotlight. Everything we ordered was amazing, fresh, filling, and full of flavor. The drinks were excellent, the service was delightful, and the overall experience from start to finish was top-notch. A small tip: come with a date or keep your group to four people or fewer. The seating is arranged in a semi-circle, which makes conversation easy and adds to the experience. From appetizers to desserts, it was all outstanding. I just wish there were more than one location. If you go, try as much as you can you won't be disappointed. Highly recommend read more

Small intimate counter only seating. Excellent service. Happy hour offered a large selection of food and drinks ranging from $ to $16. Tried the Hamachi, bluefin, sake, toro and blue crab hand rolls. Loved them all. The pork belly skewers were tasty, however the wagyu skewer was average. A must visit when in town especially during happy hour where you can sample various small bites. read more

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