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We had an incredible experience at Soto. We went for their 10-Course Happy Hour Omakase. Our waiter was super friendly and provided great insight about each course. The meal consisted of 3 Crudo (2 pieces each), 5 Nigiri, Wagyu Sashimi (2 pieces) cooked on a hot stone and 2 desserts. Every dish had a unique flavor profile and was so satisfying. Both desserts were creamy and refreshing. This was one of the best Omakase experiences we've ever had and a great value at $55.
A great sushi find! We stumbled upon Soto for a sushi dinner one night and really enjoyed it. The nigiri and rolls were both delicious, and it ended up being such a great spot for a night out. We're glad we found it and would definitely go back to try more of the menu!
One of my favorite omakase experiences so far. Pace, timing, selection, aesthetics, quality, and flavor on point. I went ahead and indulged in the $250 premium omakase and did not regret it. If you like uni and a luxury experience with caviar, foie gras, and all the good things, go for the premium. They do not skimp on ingredients. My uni toast (5+/5) was loaded with uni, but it was not so simple with just uni. No, it was topped with caviar and a honey truffle drizzle that complemented the richness of the uni. I was in uni heaven. But let me start at the beginning, where chef started us off with the most luxurious bite (5+++/5). It was an oyster wrapped in o-toro, topped with two pieces of uni, then topped with two types of caviar, and then with the gold flakes on top for presentation. I felt like I ate $50 in one bite, and I knew I was about to have a great experience. I couldn't figure out how to eat it elegantly, so I went savage mode and just shoveled the entire thing into my mouth. All the different flavors exploding at different times was a delight. After that, it was course after course of nigiri, so much so that at one point I was afraid I was getting full, but as I said, the pacing was great because when you think you've had too much, it suddenly slows down a bit for your last 4-5 courses. The wagyu rock was 5/5 amazing - I do recommend putting it on the full 5 seconds per side so that the meat is hot. I mean, it's wagyu - it's hard to overcook. And then the wonderful surprise at the end... the dessert course. We sat at the bar, so I got to watch all the prep. I was wondering what our dessert course would be, imagining some sort of unique dessert twist. But then I saw a new chef come out and immediately start torching giant pieces of foie gras. I stared intently and was sad that wasn't part of the omakase experience. But never fear!! The foie gras (5++/5) turned out to be our surprise dessert because it had a dollop of dark chocolate on it. The meal could not have ended any better. Forget the typical sweet dessert - I'll take foie gras any day. All in all, it took about an hour, which I appreciated. Some of the other omakases take 2 hours or more, which I don't mind, but I did like that this wasn't rushed, but it also wasn't drawn out, since it was just us. Apparently you can get the omakase at any time - went at noon on Sunday. I did put it in my Open Table reservations, so it seemed like they were ready for us. They do have their own parking lot, but it is small, with maybe 10-15 parking spots available. We had no issue getting parking, but by the time we left, people were camped out waiting for a spot. I won't go into all the different dishes - I called out the standouts above, but all the nigiri was fantastic. For those that are underwhelmed by the HRW menu, based on what I had in omakase, it doesn't seem like the HRW is really a good representation of their sushi. I want to go back just to try some of their other non-omakase items. Everything we saw being prepped was chock full of ingredients - they really do not skimp on ingredients, whether it's omakase or regular menu. We also tried the lychee margarita, and man, that was a smooth drink. Pro tip - soak the lychee and eat it at the end. It was so good. The lighting was good and bar seating is spacious. Music was playing but not so loud that we could not hear each other. By the time we left (~1:20 pm), the venue was about 70% full. Service was great - plates removed as soon as we were done. Definitely recommend sitting at the bar to watch the prep if you're doing omakase.
10/10 sushi in Houston. We went for Houston Restaurant Weeks and it was so good that we're going back to try their Omakase! The sushi is super high quality and the service was great. The interior was so cute with very high ceilings inside so it felt good to sit there. Highly recommend for high quality sushi
I went during Houston restaurant week for dinner ($55) I tried two 3 course meals. For the first course I tried the chili hamachi it had a spice to it and the ponzu sauce gave it a zesty flavor. The other one I tried was the medai dai and the mandarin oranges on top of it gave it a tangy flavor. For the second course I tried the sashimi. The king salmon was my favorite. The texture of it was buttery smooth and melted in my mouth. The sashimi also had medium fatty tuna and yellow tail. The third course I tried the mango maki which if you like mango or fruits in your sushi you will enjoy this. However, for me it does taste a bit weird when you mix in sweet and savory. The mango did taste refreshing. The Negi toro maki was a nice bite sized sushi roll. I actually preferred that one over the mango maki. The last courses I tried the beer cheeecake which reminded me of the flavoring from the top of the flan cake and coconut flavors. The other dessert was mango cheesecake and the mango tasted fresh. I tried two rolls that were not apart of the restaurant week special. The first roll I tried was the hamachi apple and the flavors would've been fine if the apple wasn't in there. The apples did give it a good crunch but the tartness from the apples I feel like did not mesh well with the rest of the roll. The second roll I tried was the white tiger with Yuki kombu. It had a thin wrapping on the outside and the inside reminded me of a spring roll except with tuna. The tobiko popped and gave it a little salty flavor to it. The atmosphere of the place was fine. It has a sushi bar, a drinking bar, and other small table around. You could tell the server was familiar with the menu and was knowledgeable on the dishes.
I tried Soto's $25 HRW menu and really enjoyed it! The interior is modern, elegant, and intimate. The Brussels sprouts were crispy with a sweet yuzu soy flavor, although the goat cheese is strong if you're not a fan. The Kaiseki Bento was beautifully presented with thick cuts of sashimi. My favorites were the delicate olive flounder with truffle, Japanese white salmon, and crispy rock shrimp tempura. The lychee mocktail was refreshing with a nice sweet-and-sour balance. Great service, beautiful presentation, and very skilled chefs!
5/5, had a great experience at Soto! Came in for the Houston Restaurant Week (HRW) lunch and had the Sunomono, 5-piece special nigiri, and Yellowtail maki. Pros: - Fresh, high-quality sushi - Excellent natural flavor of the fish and ingredients - Didn't rely on additional sauces - Friendly staff Cons: - Small parking lot with tight spaces - Only one bathroom stall That said, the cons were just minor details and not a big deal at all. Extremely satisfied!
Lovely happy hour spot! They have a happy hour omakase which I was intrigued by but we ultimately just ordered off the menu itself. The 5 piece nigiri was very fresh and $20, which I think was reasonable. Other hits were the toro hand roll and sushi tacos! Not pictured but I got a Shiso lychee margarita which was the daily cocktail on the HH menu and it was delightful. Enjoyed sitting at the sushi bar for a more casual happy hour!
One of the best happy hours in Houston? Probably! The chef's choice 5 piece nigiri is outstanding. Each piece was a delight, with each nigiri bringing a new flavor. Really well crafted and inspired sushi, which isn't normally what you get during happy hour. My favorite piece was the salmon cheek nigiri topped with caviar and gold flakes. Made me feel like I was celebrating my birthday. We ordered 3 rounds of the chef's choice and were stuffed. 10/10, bring ya bae.
Great sushi spot. Been here twice in two weeks. Their rolls are amazing!!! Please get the mushroom risotto!! The service was great, explanations on anything you ask for! Great for date nights or chill girl dinners. Reservations maybe needed on weekends. Valet parking and free street parking available.
I had the pleasure of visiting Soto for their Houston restaurant week lunch special, and I was very satisfied with my meal! I particularly loved the flavor of the Chili Hamachi. The size of the meal was decent too considering it was a 2-course meal. Service was kind and helpful with menu choices. Definitely recommend this spot to anyone craving Japanese!
I finally got around to trying this highly recommended sushi spot and I am happy that I did! A friend and I went for happy hour on a Wednesday night and sat at the sushi counter. Service was attentive and the happy hour menu was a great deal. I loved the tuna w/ truffle and the chef's choice 5pc nigiri. There was a gentleman sitting next to us that was doing the premium omakase and it looked like a banger. He said that it was worth every penny. Looking forward to coming back for the whole shebang!
We tried the Happy Hour Omakase and it did not disappoint. The flavors and selection were amazing and so tasty. Our waiter Tommy was so fun and friendly, super helpful and on point with his recommendations and really made this experience memorable. The restaurant was also very nice and clean. It's clearly a popular spot so very glad we made reservations. We will definitely be back!
4 months ago
4 months ago
We came out to celebrate a birthday in style. I had never been here, and she had never enjoyed an omakase before. In looking around, and listening to some friend's suggestion, Soto was the best bang for my buck at this price point. I had intended to reserve a bar seat, but apparently bungled that attempt. Even so, they were able to find us a corner spot to post up at the and watch the action. I am truly grateful for that, thank you! It really is a fun experience to see how the pro's make the magic work. The chef's are masters of their craft. I highly suggest the bar-side if you want a show with your meal. The experience is worth it. Parking is valet. Just do it, it's worth it. The vibe is light, and upscale. Definitely a go-to for dates, anniversaries and special things. The staff were very quick, snagging plates in between courses. We had a variety of folks delivering food and telling us about each dish. We selected the 18 course Omakase at $150/person. They do have a higher tier option; it has 5 more courses I believe. Our courses consisted of (excuse inaccuracies, hard to hear some items): - Shima Uni w/ Yuzu Foam - Thinly Sliced Flounder - Murotsu Oyster In Ponzu Sauce with Cucumber and Watermelon - Lobster Tempura w/ Sweet Mustard and Edible Flowers - Smoked Aburi Hamachi - Roasted Salmon Belly - Sea Bream - Golden Eye Snapper - Akami - Chutoro - Otoro - Yellowtail - Butterfish Brushed with Miso - Hotate Scallop - Scottish Salmon w/ House Made Potato Chips & Aioli - Beef Wagyu over clay cooking pot - Chocolate Fois Gras & 12 year aged Sake - Tomago Sponge Cake (Birthday) I could eat this every day and die blissfully ignorant of the rest of the world's cuisine. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to die that way and must continue to forage accordingly. We liked everything. Items we both melted for: Smoked Aburi Hamachi, Butterfish, Otoro, Scottish Salmon, and I finally got her to eat the Murotsu Oyster and she loved it. She was unable to partake in the dessert items on the menu, so the chef made an off the menu tamago sponge cake. We really enjoyed that. -The service is impeccable, the food was amazing, and the night was absolutely wonderful. Watching the food being prepared was a fun experience. I will be back, I highly recommend if you're a fan of sushi, omakase, and good food. read more
4 months ago
Got the $150/pp omakase for the girlfriend's birthday. We got seated at the bar and let the chefs take it from there. ==Food== I'm not the best person to evaluate sushi, but overall I felt there was a variety of seafood, in various preparations. The lobster tempera was very very good, if you can order this a la carte, do it! There's a little bit of flair, like the strips of salmon cooking over fiery coffee beans (you can smell the espresso!). There's the 3 kinds of tuna, from leaner to more fatty. There's mackerel, uni, shaved truffle, wagyu, and a chocolate fois gras dessert. It's not going to be a traditional sushi omakase but it's definitely a culinary journey, alternating between creative, fusion, flavor, nostalgia, luxury. The chefs took some time to engage us, but not too much, they also said happy birthday. The servers were okay, I think a few of our conversations were interrupted as they wanted to set the food down immediately. One note, apparently there was a party at 8pm that booked the bar. Fortunately my reservation was for 6pm but it didn't sit well with me knowing there'd be a time cap and that I was informed right as I checked in rather than earlier in advance. At least they offered to move us to the main dining room if needed. By the way, main dining room has high ceilings and a nice ambiance when the sun dips down and the dying sunlight pours through the large windows! Parking is limited, there is valet, but there's also free parking in street behind the restaurant in the neighborhood. I'd say the omakase was worth it; lots of premium ingredients at a palatable price-point! read more
1 year ago
Chef Andy and his entire team are amazing! Such a great environment and delicious omakase bites to celebrate some May birthdays. Our waitress, Michelle was the sweetest. read more
1 year ago
service was great from start to finish. the fatty fish was delicious. risotto very good. everything was yummy from here. the lighting is nice inside. passion fruit tart very flavorful. the lychee melon sake was great. the red bean mochi were a little too frozen. read more
My new favorite sushi spot in town ! The quality and flavors are next level! Food: I can't wait to come back and try more ! We mostly ordered sushi from their regular menu and their extra menu. All 9f their sushi selection was extremely fresh and flavorful- not overpowered by any of the toppings but working together with everything each piece came with. The chef is clearly very knowledgeable and great at his craft Seating: There's bar seating, table, and booth seating. We opted for the bar and loved being able to talk to the chef. Unfortunately for us, we found the bar stools to be a bit uncomfortable. They weren't really the right height for the bar. This may be a personal preference but the discomfort for me was quite noticeable. This is the main reason for less than 5 stars. Parking: They have a very small lot and it seems to be only valet parking. Overall we had a great experience and can't wait to come back to explore more of the menu. read more
2 years ago
Always GREAT service here! Seafood is always fresh and delicious Always a great experience here! read more
4 years ago
I had a craving for sushi and saw that Soto had outstanding reviews. Not so spoiler alert: the food is EXCELLENT and the service is IMPECCABLE. Now that we have that out the way, let's get into the details. Parking: valet (cost is tips) There is both indoor and outdoor seating. It's gives a very intimate vibe but not in a way where you feel you have to be on a date. I sat at the sushi bar, so I recommed Soto for a date, meet up with friends, or solo! Michelle was my server but it was definitely a team effort. The service was great! Michelle gave the best recommendations! What I tried: *Chili hamachi--fresh and so delicious! *Chef's choice 5 pc nigiri--incredibly fresh, the different fish were like butter, it just melts in your mouth *Negi Hama Maki--delicious and fresh *Soto 2.0 (chef recommended)--filling. Tasty. It has Serrano pepper in it but not very spicy though very flavorful! *Housemade potato chip--a very unique spin on a chip *Daily cocktail (on the happy hour menu) was a mimosa. I could tell the orange juice was fresh. It was great! *House white wine (on the happy hour menu). At the time I'm writing this, they have a daily happy hour from 5-6:30pm. Seriously, I really enjoyed my dining experience. I can't think of an experience that has made me want to book a trip to origin on the cuisine I experienced. 10/10 or more appropriately, on Yelp 5 stars! read more
6 months ago
Top notch, 10/10! Soto is truly an exceptional experience. I was so caught up in how delicious everything was, I didn't manage to snap a photo of all the incredible dishes. This review includes photos from a couple different visits (trust me... you'll go back more than once!). We spoke with our server and shared our sushi likes/dislikes. They crafted a series of recommendations for us and hit it out of the park each time. We also selected a few items that caught our interest. Drinks are divine, service is impeccable, and the sushi quality is superb. Would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a sushi fine dining experience. Looking forward to visiting again! read more
2 years ago
Amazing restaurant! I went here for the first time and was thoroughly impressed by the food, ambiance, and service. We ordered a handful of dishes and were impressed by all of them. We think the whole Aji fish, uni pasta, and Sea bass are the most memorable dishes here. The staff were amazing- our chef, Christopher, made us special sushi dishes and curated our meal. Additionally, our waiters, Alec and Will, were really hospitable and welcoming. Highly recommend- this is a must-try sushi spot in Houston! read more
2 years ago
I loved this place. I can't believe I didn't know about it for 4 years. But their customer service was great and prompt. The empty plates were picked up so quickly I loved it. Sushi is amazing!! We had a private lunch here so it was almost omakase. I left so full! It is a very cute restaurant decorated in a chic minimal way. Definitely great for any occasion. I will be going back soon with friends! read more
4 years ago
I came here on New Years Day hoping and, grateful they decided to open for lunch service. Service- top notch. There was only 4 total at the sushi bar and no one else in the place. Despite that, I was still impressed. I love having places to myself! Food- Uni Pasta, heaven. All of the best things you want in a dish. Great noodle texture, saucy, unami flavor, rich but not over powering, Uni bits. Food memory made. It comes with a small lunch salad, and nice flavored soup, but the pasta is the star of the show. Come for this pasta, stay to enjoy the rest of the mneu. Wonderful first meal of the year. Looking forward to enjoying more amazing food in 2023. read more
3 years ago
What a FUN experience!! The top chef was so fun and nice! Loved how he explained everything to us and gives us that private chef experience. I love the truffle risotto it was so yummmm! All the sushi was delicious and melted in my mouth. I was pleasantly surprised about the mochi oreo ice cream because i'm not a fan but it was yummy! I also really liked that they ask you about any food sensitives and then recommend things based on that . All the staff were very helpful and kind . I sat with a date at the sushi bar and would definitely recommend! I will say the ambiance isn't amazing but the food makes up for it . read more
Such a cute place for dinner! My friends and I met here on a Saturday night, luckily in time for happy hour. We ordered a BUNCH of things to share: -chicken karaage -chicken wings -chef's choice nigiri -king mushroom nigiri -dragon roll -crunchy salmon roll -crispy sushi rice -a5 wagyu truffle risotto -passion fruit tart -oreo ice cream mochi Truly sooo much food, but for the most part, they were all good! I highly recommend their nigiri, truffle risotto, and oreo mochi (made in-house!!). Service is top-notch - staff is friendly, quick and most importantly, take care of their patrons. I can't wait to come back to try their omakase! read more
We (group of 4) went for lunch to celebrate at Soto! We were greeted when we came in and escorted to a table right away. Here's some highlights! Chili Hamachi, really good! Able to taste the chili sauce which complimented the hamachi. Lobster Tempura, came as two pieces per order, felt like we didn't have enough! Truffle risotto with A5 wagyu, heavier dish. We were thankful the server suggested that we have it last after all the sushi we ate, gave a filling end to our meal. Chu Toro and Otoro delicious and melt in your mouth! The A5 wagyu nigiri was a little chewier but also so good! Housemade Potato chip, one of the many stars of the show, the textures all came together and was a delicious treat! Favorite of the dessert was the stout cheesecake. Cheesecake had a hint of coconut in it though if that's your thing. Green tea tiramisu was ok! Parking: we came for lunch so there were enough spaces for self parking! I hear it's complimentary valet for dinner service though. The servers and waitresses were really nice and gave us a description of each dish as it came out. Wish the sushi was a biiiiiiiiit bigger (like Kata Robata) but we will take what we can get. Thanks for having us! read more
This place is now the bar that all sushi establishments are judged against for me. We've eaten here at least four or five times, and each time, the experience was perfect. Each member of the staff is pro-level in service, communication, and general awesomeness. The ambiance is very modern and clean. Sitting at the bar is a treat, watching the chef work his magic. Speaking of magic, the Omakase is worth every penny. We have had it every time we've been to Soto, and every time, we think there's no way we will be as impressed as we were the time prior, but they keep raising the bar each time. They know we've been in before, so the chef always does new things and challenges himself to be more and more creative. The quality of all the ingredients is impeccable. The tastes are delicate, varied, and nuanced. The melding of textures and flavors are like a symphony of delicious magic. Sometimes, the magic includes smells which alter the taste and heighten the experience. If anyone asks me what the best sushi in Houston is, I will always say, "Soto." It's not just amazing: it's an event you'll always remember for all the right reasons. read more
Weekday lunch. It was nice to see that they are open, it's usually so busy here for dinner or weekends. First little thing I noticed is paper menus, this just needs to be fixed. I understand that the availability of different fish changes each day, but get a menu holder or real menu. We order mainly from the sashimi plates here. Tried a bunch of different types, and honestly there were some hits and some misses. Kind of a mixed bag. But regardless of whether it was a good dish or not the presentation was fun and interesting. I though it helped the experience more than the taste, but food is just something for us to enjoy so why not have some fun with it. I'd say you have to visit Soto more than once just to find out what's good. Then come back and make sure you get the things that are worth your time (and money). Parking lot is small so prepare to valet on busy nights, and something I like to mention when it calls for... the bathrooms are nice. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
Soto is my top three sushi restaurants in Houston. Not only do they have exceptional service and a nice presentation, the food will never disappoint. I've tried their omakase which was very delightful ranging from many options. For today, I tried their Houston restaurant week menu. Their selection had a variety of sashimi and nigiri selection. We started off with my favorite, the chili hamachi and madai Dai, which. were both equally refreshing. The madai Dai was particularly rich with both sweet and savory due to the truffle honey vinaigrette and orange. Our second course consisted of the wagyu and six nigiri set from chefs choice. Cooking the wagyu pieces was definitely a unique experience which allows you to cook to your perfection. The chefs choice nigiri couldn't be more perfect as they were seasoned so well that we didn't need any dipping soy sauce. Our third course was the negi toro maki and the salmon mango maki. The salmon mango maki was my favorite as it had both the sweetness of the mango and this spicy avocado sauce on top. Before dessert, we ordered a la cart the albacore since it was our first time wanting to try. It was very good but slightly less tender than eating normal fish. The chef recommended the sawagani which were the cute lightly fried baby crabs they picked from the rivers in Japan. Those were very crunchy yet soft once you get to the inside. Might not be everyone's cup of tea though. Lastly was the green tea ice cream and passion fruit tart which were both delicious. Not too sweet at all. Throughout our meal we had the uni shooters mixed of sake, quail egg, ponzu, Tabasco, ikura and sea urchin. This drink has so many moving parts to your pallet that it's just bursting with flavors that mesh so well together. We also had daiginjo sake which made the meals even more enjoyable. Very smooth and as a person that is a light weight, this was very good quality sake that did not make my head hurt. My gratitude goes to Erick, who was our very kind waiter and made sure our experience was near perfect and assured us of our wait times after every meal. And my appreciation for all these creations I've eaten goes to Moto-san, the sushi chef, who made such beautiful presentations. read more
Went to Soto for lunch on a Friday afternoon and had a great experience. The host and waiter were very friendly and attentive. The lunch specials are a great deal. Ordered the sushi sampler special with chef's choice of 5 nigiri and the Alaskan roll. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Will definitely be going back soon! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
I happen to be around and came here to dine myself. It was absolutely perfect! Every plate had a different taste and they started your sushi with refreshing ones to the more stronger flavors. I got the premium omakase and it consisted of 18 courses that made me super full but just wanted more! Everything was just super fresh and the dessert was a foie gras chocolate ~ super good pairing and their cocktails are on point ! The service is a little on the slower end to let you enjoy your food and the hosts were really nice so that really made up for it. They sat you down and ask if you had any dietary restrictions and moved on their way to create lovely dishes! Inside the venue is nice with gorgeous chic decor and I sat at the bar for a nice experience and I love how I can see the chef do their magic! i would definitely come back again ~ read more
7 months ago
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4 years ago
Ugh. What a disappointment. I absolutely love Soto and frequent the Austin location a lot. So when I was in Houston for business, I was excited to check out this location. Yet, it fell super short. I came with my team and we had a decent dinner. It wasn't nearly as accommodating as Austin; dishes that they normally do gluten and dairy free in ATX, here they said they could not. It was a bummer, but still a good dinner all around and decent service. I don't like the atmosphere nearly as much though--much colder and darker. Well, the next night I decided to spend my per-diem on another sushi dinner after my work was finished. I ordered takeout and asked to make sure everything was gluten and dairy free because I have an allergy. I went to pick it up and again asked to check it was all allergen-friendly and was told yes. So, I thought I was safe. After I got back to my hotel and began scarfing down some sush, a few bites into the rolls I started to feel sick. I had thought I tasted tempura (and normal taste different than gluten free variations), so I examined my rolls. Lo and behold, they were full of tempura still. So I spent a hefty sum of money just to get sick and throw it all up. It was awful and I still feel sick a day later. I tried reaching out to the restaurant but have yet to hear back. It is really disappointing when food allergies are not taken seriously by a restaurant of this par; luckily for me it is not life or death, but it could've been really bad for someone with a more severe allergy then me. I'll be sticking to the Austin location. read more
Celebrated my wife and I's one year wedding anniversary here, happy to say we were extremely satisfied by the experience! Food: 5/5 all the nigiri and appetizers were amazingly fresh and tasty, I don't know if it's because I haven't had sushi in almost a year but this hit the spot. We got the premium omakase ($250 /person) and IMO totally worth the price tag! Chef Andy and team were all super nice and attentive, get a seat at the sushi bar if you can you won't be disappointed Service: 5/5 never had an empty water glass or sake cup, servers were all knowledgeable and attentive, definitely top class service! Ambiance: 5/5 you wouldn't know how classy this place was by looking at the surrounding area, but the decor is high class! I can see us being regulars here, thank you all for a great meal! read more
This place is great! I came on a Friday night at 6pm with a reservation for 4 people and we were seated immediately. Our server, Cindy, was great! She was very knowledgeable about all of the items. Service was very quick to pick up plates and refill drinks throughout the entire meal. The restaurant sorts the order of your meal for you based off of what you order. Hot foods come last, truffle dishes just before that. I thought that was interesting and very thoughtful towards the customer's entire experience. Also, Soto serves the sashimi with the sauce, wasabi, etc. already on the sashimi so you don't need to alter the bite in any way once you take it off the plate to get the intended flavor. As someone who doesn't like wasabi or ginger and has been known to scrape off garnishes I don't like, I want to insist that you keep all of the sauces, pastes, garnishes on because it completely enhances the flavor of the dish. They know what they're doing here. There wasn't anything that I wished I'd scraped off, which was very impressive to me. I left wasabi on! And I liked it! It was unfathomable lol btw you can ask for ginger or wasabi and they'll bring you some on a small dish if you really want extra on the side. Now for the good part--the food! TUNA W/ TRUFFLE: good, exactly what you'd expect. You can taste both the tuna and truffle in harmony. CHILI HAMACHI: this is meant to be served with 3 pieces, but they adjusted the dish/price so we could get 4. I was really excited about this because everyone seems to love it. Unfortunately, I immediately forgot what it tasted like after I had it. Maybe I was distracted, but it wasn't good enough to capture my attention while I was eating it. The other people at my table said it was good though, so idk. GRILLED CHILEAN SEA BASS: if you get anything here, get this. Our whole table loved it! It's so buttery, flavorful, sweet, and rich! It's absolutely worth it. I would get this every time I come back. MANAGATSUO (butterfish): this had a strong green onion flavor, but in a good way. It was tender and lightly fatty. NODOGURO (blackthroat sea perch): you can taste the torching, which I really like. It was fatty and light. Some sort of paste on top that was very flavorful and delicious. ENGAWA (flounder fin muscle): this is only priced as nigiri, but we asked for it as sashimi, so they priced the individual sashimi pieces as nigiri. Everyone liked it. Because it's muscle, it was chewy. It was torched too, I think, so it was nice and warm. ORA KING SALMON: the sauce on it was good and flavorful. Couldn't really taste the salmon too well because of it. I'd personally get the Ivory King Salmon over this one though. BURI TORO (fatty king yellowtail): this one was very interesting. I've never had anything like it. It was surprisingly thick, dense, and meaty, in a good way. It felt more like a steak or something. We all really liked it. It was also torched, so it tasted a little smokey. KAMA TORO (premium fatty bluefin tuna): I always assume "fatty" sashimi is belly, but this was tuna cheek with caviar and gold flakes. It isn't as fatty as otoro, but it is VERY SMOOTH (can't stress that enough) and buttery. It tasted very fresh. HOUSEMADE POTATO CHIP: this was probably the most underwhelming dish we got. Had no flavor, would definitely skip. My table agreed. IVORY KING SALMON: this was *really good*. It had a strong truffle and shallot flavor, in all the right ways. One of my favorite dishes from the night! SALMON OVER FIRE: they recommend blowing the fire out in about 5 seconds, but because of all of the pics taken by everyone at the table, that didn't happen lol the fire warmed it up, and it would've been tastier if it were colder. Our fault, but if you serve an eye-catching dish, people are going to want to take a picture/video. I wish they used a taller stand so it wouldn't heat as quickly while people take pictures! UNI PASTA: its served with a poached egg that they recommend you mix in. Once mixed, the egg was the dominant flavor, followed by truffle, while the uni was nonexistent. It was good enough, but not really worth it. Other reviews said the noodles were like instant ramen, my table agreed. I didn't mind that, but it felt like the dish should've been renamed light truffle ramen with heavy egg sauce. TRUFFLE RISOTTO W/ A5 WAGYU: our server recommended the wagyu instead of the toro for this dish. The wagyu was super tender and fatty. The risotto was super flavorful and rich. This was better than the uni pasta if you're deciding between the two. It's very heavy, in a good way, to fill you up at the end of your meal if the sushi didn't do the trick. The overall consensus of my party was that we'd be returning. One person suggested we come for all future special occasions lol the sashimi goes quickly though so I'll probably focus more on rolls next time. read more
Omakase here at Soto was such an incredible experience. We dined on a Monday evening & sat at the sushi bar. It was so much fun and one of the highlights of this year. - Make sure you make a reservation. Although it was a week night, the dining space was relatively crowded. - Sit at the sushi bar! We loved seeing the sushi chefs in action. It has the best lighting in the restaurant for photos. We also got to chat with a few of them & it added so much to our experience. - Our waitress (we didn't get her name) was awesome. Efficient, quick, and always made sure our waters and plates were taken quickly to prepare for the next course. - Every single item in the omakase was life changing. Highlights were: "house" truffle potato chip, kampachi (amberjack), salmon over fire, tuna flight, foie gras... (at this point I'm listing every course lol). There were about 3-4 cooked items & the rest were raw. - They added 2 extra courses on the house to our surprise. We didn't mention we were celebrating anything and we thought it was very sweet they did this. 11/10 recommend this experience! We will be back for sure. read more
1 year ago
Came to Soto for their omakase and left in a near state of euphoria. Top five items that I tried (not in any particular order (also not an all inclusive list because everything was so delicious)): 1. Salmon over fire 2. Lobster claw tempura 3. The chutoro and the otoro (drooling writing this) 5. A5 WAGYU 6. Chocolate foie gras *****DRRRRROOOOOLLLLLL**** The chefs were so engaging and the whole experience felt as if our party of two was the only one present even though the restaurant was fairly packed. They kept us entertained while educating us of the items being served. Service is excellent just like their food. Ambience also gets 5/5. Parking is complementary valet. You can also do street parking if you don't want to valet. read more
Came here for dinner with 6 other friends and had a great time. Service was great and servers were very friendly and attentive. We all ordered the regular omakase which was 18 courses for $150. Definitely will make you full so come hungry if you do the omakase. Each dish had a great presentation and was tasty! My favorite was the fatty tuna! I also loved the salmon that you cook over fire! The pieces of sashimi were tasty but I've had better and thicker pieces, for cheaper, in other sushi restaurant around town. For cocktails I got the Sakura Fizz gin martini which was tasty and fairly strong! Parking: Valet Overall, it was a great experience and worth a try! read more
Booked reservations for a Saturday at 6:30 pm for a party of two; it was a full house. Was seated immediately. Parking is a small lot and they offer complimentary valet. There is not street parking close by. Food came out quickly for the first hour but there was a 15 minute wait when the unagi and Uni pasta came out. I think the waiter forgot about the order. Everything is fresh and memorable. We ordered: Crispy sushi rice: toro is creamy, the crispy rice and the sautéed veggies gives the dish a good balance of texture Uni pasta: very light flavors, can't taste the Uni or truffle, needs more Uni Salmon over fire: salmon is buttery but it's for the gram Chili hamachi: BOMB! The best hamachi ever! The fried scallions and garlic is Heaven! Torched toro truffle: the toro is so good! Light flavors but melts in your mouth. Hamachi apple: very tangy, least favorite roll Seared sake toro: melts in your mouth O-toro: like butter, so good Housemade potato chip: very interesting, salmon is perfect Buri toro: very good read more
Another wonderful experience! Complimentary valet parking only with tips. Seated at counter service this time and saw all the chefs working their magic in cutting fish and making nigiri. Had mirugai flown in from Japan this morning, sweet and fresh! Still love my hamachi chili and salmon on fire! I was told they started serving lunch on weekends and saw the menu. Everything was delicious and impeccable service. The server probably refilled my glass of water 10 times! There's a new bakery Kamalan (Taiwanese) opened next door selling pastries and bento box. read more
Probably my 2nd favorite Omakase experience in Houston! Leslie was our server and she took care of us well. She was super knowledgeable about all the dishes and provided great recommendations and was very friendly. We chose the $150 Omakase and also got a couple of happy hour dishes (lasts till 630pm on the weekend). Honestly, all of the dishes/nigiri pieces were melt in your mouth good and flavored nicely. My favorite would have to be the flaming salmon & the Ebi/raw shrimp. The Salmon pieces were long & thiccc and paired well with the raspberry sauce. And the ebi was sweet and fresh with the tempura Head of the shrimp. We had a great amount of Truffle dishes, which is deff a good thing! What shocked me the most was the Chocolate Fois Gras, because I typically am not a fan of fois gras as a dessert. But it worked well with the sake and chocolate. Overall, Great job Soto! Parking - Free Valet Restrooms - clean & got the fancy napkins read more
More info about Soto
224 Westheimer Rd
Houston, TX 77006
Midtown, Montrose, Fourth Ward
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(713) 485-4514
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https://sotohouston.com
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Is it kids friendly?
I'd say if your kid is mature and able to dine without causing a disturbance.
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9 reviews that are not currently recommended
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