Stick Talk

Went for dinner since we were in the area. For a Thursday night, it was still pretty busy. All the…read moretables were full but we ended up being seated pretty quickly at bar seating. Opted for the salmon trio sashimi, tontoro skewers, and one of their new appetizers, the yuzu ageimoono (?). The taro potato balls were delicious, smooth with a nice light crispy shell covered in a salty, light yuzu dressing. The tontoro was delicious, well roasted, not too fatty, and tender. The salmon trio was also great, coming with king salmon, regular salmon, and smoked salmon. To be honest, I could tell there was a difference between the king and regular salmon, but I couldn't really tell which one was which. I also had a bite of my friend's tantanmen, which was basically like the Japanese version of dandan noodles and it was delicious, great nutty flavor with a touch of spice. It has a pretty nice menu. While it is a touch higher in price point, it is pretty reasonable for Houston. The quality is pretty equivalent to what I had in Japan, although as expected, more expensive. Will definitely need to be back to try their other items!

Yummy, quick, and decently priced…read more You can make several of the rolls into hand rolls if you ask the waiter Waiters are friendly and knowledgeable I like that they have real wasabi Vibes are pretty casual, I'd come here during the day or if you wanna grab a quick bite with someone after hanging out in river oaks

0.4 mi•Montrose, Fourth Ward

Sushi bar

#YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

See all

#YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

Osaka Japanese Restaurant

3.9(756 reviews)

4.3 stars! Private parking lot and space is decorated nicely…read moreand obviously very clean. Service was friendly and they give you a complimentary dynamite roll and free ice cream. Lunch specials are at a great price (note for the bento box, they don't give rice with it).

Thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Osaka on a Saturday afternoon. Don't let the outside appearance…read morefool you. We were sat immediately and attended to promptly. We ordered the Eel Roll, The Dragon Roll, Houston Roll and the spicy tuna roll. As we waited for our order imagine our surprise when we received a complimentary appetizer. It was jumbo shrimp on top of a crispy wonton. It was wonderful and very satisfying. When the rolls arrived they did not disappoint. they we bigger than your average rolls. I get why this place have there regular customers. But wait there was a complimentary dessert also (Green Tea Ice cream. I will definitely be back. Service was very attentive and friendly. The place was clean and they have me as one of their frequent patrons.

0.6 mi•Montrose, Fourth Ward

Seating area

The garlic edameand the appetizer

See all

Beef roll

Uchi Houston

4.4(2.6k reviews)

Takes reservations

Fine dining

This place is still my fav. The inside is a casual vibe for a sushi place but the prices and taste…read moreis by any means casual. This is actually one of my favorite sushi spots in Houston. The service is great and the servers are similar with the dishes. There's a parking garage where you can park and it does cost money. I think I saw valet too but i don't think it is complimentary. They change up the menu every once in a while or try new things out. They have daily special on the menu. They have plenty of drinks and even zero proof. Their Brussel sprouts is truly one of the best I've ever had. They were like marinated and drenched in sweet chili and lemon. I tried the a5 hot rock waygu and that was very tasty. Flavors and texture was there I could taste the quality. My favorite was the a5 Uni nigiri. This just melted in my mouth. I tried the waygyu tartare and the bread it came with made this dish it was buttery or milky soft and tossed. The actual meat was grinded up like you'd expect and it was okay just the bread really made this dish. I also loved the kanpachi crudo. It was just the right amount of sauce that leveled up the amberjack and the pineapple brighten the dish. I tried the flounder on the daily special menu and that was not it. This had to be the worse thing I tried. The cilantro broth was too heavy and the cilantro flavors were overpowering. The flounder even tasted dry. I received a free crab roll and this was tasty. Had the hamachi chili which the hamachi is always my favorite with the chilis and pineapple. The blue fin otoro was also one of my favorites. I just love the melt in your mouth textures. The salmon belly was okay. I tried the collar bone fish (Hama Kama) and that was fire. You're suppose to scoop out the fish. It's very easy to pick off the fish it was so soft and fall off the bone. The sauce it came with reminded me of nuoc mam but its sesame vinegar. It paired really well with the fish.

Had a great experience at Uchi! Service was quick and every dish came out at a good pace. The…read morekinoko nabe with gyutoro was definitely my favorite bite of the night -- so flavorful and comforting. We did the happy hour omakase for $120 for two people and it was absolutely worth it. Such a perfect date night spot! There's a parking garage at the Montrose Collective that you can park in for a fee!

0.8 mi•Montrose, Fourth Ward

Bites of love: foie gunkan (seared foie gras)

Special: a5 + uni temaki - looks delicious and tastes phenomenal!

See all

Zero sen - didn't love the sauce but the sushi was graet!

Handies Douzo

4.7(213 reviews)

Chefs kiss. Best handrolls in HTX!…read more Thank you guys for always making our experience so special!

Food 5/5 Service 4.5/5…read moreAmbiance 4/5 This was my first time trying handrolls, and it was amazing. The fish was high quality, and each roll was memorable. My favorite was the Masu roll, with the spicy tuna roll in second place. I usually don't like spicy tuna, but this place changed my mind. I also tried the scallop crudo that was paired with oranges, which was delicious. Everything we ordered was definitely worth the price. The service was solid, as we never ran out of anything, and the food came out quickly. The place is a little small, so I would not recommend it for large groups. Overall, a great handroll spot that I highly recommend trying out.

Negitori w caviar

Spicy Tuna

See all

Kani Roll

Zen Japanese Izakaya

4.2(334 reviews)

1.8 mi•Montrose

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.

this was a very tasty spot. the flavors of the sushi were so good i ended up not needing any soy…read moresauce at all. the service was very friendly and attentive which was nice. the ambiance was dark but welcoming. it was nice having dessert on the menu that was more unique than usual and i had to try one of their options you just don't see on others menus. it was nice getting something more earthy and authentic. presentation was very pretty as well. overall it was a great experience that made me want to go back.

0.2 mi•Midtown, Montrose, Fourth Ward

Fish from Japan

See all

Koi

4.5(284 reviews)

Kiah was a really great waitress!! She was very kind and helpful . The food was amazing and I…read morecouldn't get enough of the buttered corn

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!

Aburi roll, el Diablo roll

Crispy rice

See all

Yuzu Mojito

Katami

4.6(303 reviews)

1.2 mi•Montrose

At Katami, the flavors arrive like fragments of memory before they become a whole sentence. This is…read morethe strange pleasure (and occasional frustration) of fine dining when you cook enough yourself to recognize the building blocks. You spend half the meal trying to identify each note before the dish moves past analysis and settles into feeling. The shrimp toast came first, and it read almost plainly at first bite: cultured tang from crème fraîche, sweet fruit, the faint richness of butter soaking into impossibly thin milk bread. A small herb scattered on top sharpened everything just enough. Then the caviar arrived not as luxury punctuation but as structure, binding the sourness and sweetness into something quieter and more deliberate. At home, these flavors would sit beside one another. Here, they dissolved into each other. Several dishes moved unmistakably toward Vietnamese flavors without ever becoming literal reproductions. The branzino tempura carried the familiar push and pull of nước mắm and sugar, maybe shrimp paste somewhere underneath, though softened into something more restrained. A brown sauce alongside it tasted almost startlingly recognizable: peanut butter, grainy sugar, the kind of sweet-savory depth that recalls satay sauce made in a home kitchen. The flavors are not hidden exactly, but compressed. In home cooking, especially in Southeast Asian food, flavor often announces itself clearly: fish sauce is fish sauce, herbs remain bright and separate, sugar lands directly on the palate. At Katami, those same references are blurred at the edges. Sometimes the dishes communicated more through texture than taste. The rockfish, paired with yuzu kosho, had a peppery structure that lingered longer than the citrus itself. The sakura salmon tasted like a spring time promenade, cherry blossom petals scattering in the bright, breezy sky. Overall, I recommend this sushi spot for a contemporary perspective on fine dining sushi. I was surprised to see other cuisines blended in compared to restaurants that are distinctly Japanese. Katami focuses on a story with each individual course, instead of all the plates flowing together. Each dish has a start and finish, it felt like reading a book compiled of mini poems!

The ambiance is nice, and our server was excellent--very knowledgeable about the menu and helpful…read morethroughout the meal. The fish quality is solid, which is expected given that this restaurant is priced higher than most sushi spots. That said, the dishes felt a bit one-dimensional. Everything was good, but nothing really stood out or felt memorable. It seemed like the menu played things too safe, and we never had a moment where we thought, "this is what makes this place special." One disappointing moment was with a food runner. My sister has a severe shellfish allergy, and when she called him back--just once--to double-check potential contamination, he rolled his eyes before responding. That reaction was pretty surprising and not appropriate, especially given the seriousness of food allergies. Overall, the sushi is decent and the fish quality is good, but it didn't leave a lasting impression.

0.2 mi•Midtown, Montrose, Fourth Ward

Fresh flowers.

Foie Scallop

See all

Roasted cabbage

Soto

4.4(305 reviews)

The omakase was incredible and Andre was amazing! Food was so fresh. Will definitely come back!read more

Solid lunch special experience. The only down side is it's not that filling, you're still a little…read morehungry after the lunch special set. Fish is fresh- particularly enjoyed their salmon, tuna, and sea bream Great ambiance Friendly service Dessert was Sapporo cheesecake beer flavored ice cream. Apart from small portion it was pleasant.

Chocolate Foie Gras w/ Sake

Crispy Sushi Rice

See all

Nama Hotate | Seared Sake Toro

Neo

4.8(69 reviews)

1.2 mi•Montrose

•$$$$

Neo clearly sets out to create an exclusive experience with limited seating in a charming and…read moreintimate environment. The room is attractive and thoughtfully designed and there is an intentional sense of scarcity that makes the evening feel special from the start. That said my overall experience landed squarely in the average range. The sushi and presentation are good and competently executed but nothing truly stood out or felt memorable. For the price being charged I expected flavors or techniques that would separate it from other strong sushi options but that never quite happened. Everything was pleasant yet ultimately unremarkable. I get the sense that Neo receives rave reviews because people want it to feel special. The exclusivity the setting and the concept do a lot of the heavy lifting. Once you strip that away the food itself does not fully justify the hype or the cost. It is enjoyable but not exceptional and not something I would rush to repeat at this price point. Neo is fine for those seeking a curated intimate dining experience but if you are focused primarily on standout sushi and value there are better options available.

Absolutely loved this place. It's unique, intimate, and the staff are incredibly friendly. The…read moreexperience starts the moment you walk into the GLASS building, where you'll see aged fish on display alongside a designer clothing store. We were greeted with wine while exploring before the meal began, which was a really nice touch. Make sure to arrive early, as they start promptly. Each dish is introduced individually, making the experience feel thoughtful and immersive. Every course was beautifully done and tasted amazing, and the overall atmosphere was relaxed yet elevated. Easily one of my favorite omakase experiences in Houston by far.

0.4 mi•Montrose, Fourth Ward

Inside Refuge Bar--decorated for the holidays

Monaka.

See all

Interior

Traveler's Table

4.4(2.4k reviews)

I've been to travelers cart several times. I've actually only visited traveler's table for…read morecocktails and to go food. I actually did an in person visit this time for dinner on Sunday. Just a note they close at 2:30 and reopen again at five for dinner service...some of the brunch items like the crab samosas and the oxtail empanadas are on both menus (dinner and brunch) The crab samosas are amazing. I wish I had more even at this moment. Everyone is always so welcoming and helpful here....Everyone but the rude ass valet drivers outside. I mentioned to my dining mate who arrived before me how rude the guys were. He told me that he got into it with them also and another person almost got into a fight with them Having a nasty attitude and expecting a tip for a free service is crazy to me. So it's wasn't just me they just have attitude. They also had attitude when I went before for drinks.

Jack of all trades, master of none. Especially the Asian food…read more The dishes weren't bad but the pad see ew was not complex at all. Only tasted salt. Would be fine if it were $15, but was expecting much more for $30. I got this before the unfortunate situation with the owners so I'm not sure how things have changed.