In a city that isn't really heavy on Japanese population in comparison with other coastal states like Washington, California, or New York, it's hard to find authentic Japanese restaurants owned and managed by Japanese owners. Teppay is one of such restaurants, and the fact that it was not using a commonly/overly used Japanese name (your Tokyos, Kyotos, Hanas, Sakuras) should be a good first indication. We were first introduced to the restaurant a few years ago when my sister, who's much more food-savvy and knows the Houston restaurant scene much better than we do told us to try Teppay when we had our constant Ramen craving. Located on Westheimer, pretty much the restaurant road of Houston, its location doesn't scream out something that is heavily decorated (it's next to a Skechers, a comic book/novelty shop, and a Pizzeria). But as you get close, you could definitely tell it is a Japanese restaurant. The waiting area right behind the entrance is very small, and if you look into the interior you can definitely see it is because the spaces are really limited. A table by the window, a sushi bar to the left, a semi-narrow walk way with tables leading all the way to..... Oh, what's this, not one, but two Tatami Rooms!? Tatami are heavy, sturdy, and traditional Japanese rush grass mats used in Japanese homes' living area or sleep quarters, and in fact, are often used as units of measurements of a home's size. The fact that this restaurant with such a small footprint has managed to make two banquet rooms (elevated, remember to take off your shoes before going in, no chairs) speaks volumes without anything being said. There is a reservation fee for using one of those rooms, but that is beside the point. One can't really learn to appreciate the comfort of tatami mats until you sat, meditated, dozed off, napped, or slept on one of those. A restaurant making those as kind of a centerpiece or specialty piece is someone who truly appreciates this or deeply rooted in the Japanese culture. Teppay isn't budget sushi, and it shows in their prices, but Sato san and this family owned business does it right. Sushi is fresh, made to order, and their other menu items are unique and tasty too. So back to the ramen for a bit. A few years ago, ramen would've been seen as a low-budget, add-on menu item that is more gimmicky for the hardcore fans of Japanese food that typically don't get looked at in the same light as other Japanese dishes, namely sushi rolls, nigiri sushi, sashimi. Now all these ramen bistros started popping up, and Teppay has been doing it for years. One taste on the Tonkotsu ramen and you will know why it is a long time resident and a popular item here. The pork bone marrow broth isn't oily or salty and is very flavorful. Whenever we visit, at least one of us in the family will always order the ramen. It is so good. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try the sushi, Sato san has been standing behind the counter for years and he shows no signs of slowing down and his long time customers really appreciate that. Other items that we often order are the Gindara, Nabeyaki Udon, and to a lesser extent the Kitsune Ramen. They also have an off the menu (more like lunch menu only but you can still sometimes order if they have it) Katsu (Pork Cutlet) Curry Rice. If there is something I have to complain about Japanese curry, it's that their style of curry doesn't have a lot of "stuff." The curry rice we are used to eating are home cooked ones that we often add loads of carrots, potatoes, onions, and diced chicken so it is more like a stew, the Japanese style got its influence from French cuisine where it is often served inside a gravy bowl (means you aren't getting lots of ingredients) and poured onto a bed of rice. Now, a slightly different story if Pork or Chicken Katsu are involved. A true lunch time favorite for Japanese white collar workers. Teppay is a family restaurant, according to the Obaasan there, the family was originally from Hokkaido, and opened Teppay over 20 years ago, but there is no guarantee that it will stay open once they decide to retire. So sad! If it weren't for the distance, I'd certain go there much more often. Go try it out, and remember to call and make reservations for any party size because space is limited, you don't want to be sitting/standing in the little cramped waiting area waiting to be seated. read more

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This is definitely my favorite Japanese restaurant in Houston. Sushi is the one food I can't get enough of and it's becoming a problem, because good sushi is expensive. So be prepared to spend a lot here. In my opinion, it's worth the price. You can taste the difference. You get great quality, fresh seafood and a sushi chef that knows what he's doing. I've been on a search for the place that makes the best ootoro (fatty tuna) and I've finally found it! It pricey but it melts in your mouth and it's so, so good! I've never had a problem with the service here, maybe it's because I don't go when they're super busy, but the waitresses are always very friendly even though they might be a little hard to find sometimes. I honestly couldn't imagine coming here and not trying the sushi. It's so delicious! But don't come here expecting any creative, crazy rolls. They are a very traditional sushi place. read more

It's pay day! Ordered Seared Salmon, Fatty Tuna, Uni, Chopped scallops, Shrimp, Salmon Skin Hand Roll, Gindara / Seared Cod fish marinated in miso soup (appetizer).. The best splurge I had on sushi so far and it was well worthy! read more

Teppay - fatty tuna, yellow tail, chopped scallop - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is a very good restaurant. They have Japanese food and Japanese staff and the majority of the customers there were Asian which is usually a good sign that it is authentic and good. The sashimi was fresh, well prepared, and well proportioned. They even had mochi which most places don't have. (Most only have mochi ice cream). I liked that they had gluten free soy sauce available and the server knew what GF was. She was also fluent in both English and Japanese and she was kind enough to practice speaking with me in Japanese despite my poor ability. It is a great place for authentic Japanese food ( and also if you want to practice your Japanese :). read more

Pricey but yummy. Some of the cuts on the sushi weren't ones of what you would expect from a sushi chef from Japan. I also had a piece of bone in my yellow tail. I was pretty disappointed since Japanese are known for their attention to detail. Tempura - 5 stars. I love how the dashi had some ginger. Agedashi Tofu - 5 stars. Very yummy. The tofu was soft and the batter wasn't too thick. Sushi Combo - good variety including unagi, salmon, yellowtail .. I wasn't a huge fan on how some pieces fell apart. The quality was there, just not the precision. Salmon skin roll - 5 stars. I absolutely loved this roll. So refreshing! Beef udon - a bit strong of a broth but the noodles and beef were very yummy. 4 stars. read more

Everything here looked fantastic. The california rolls were very tasty and you could tell it was fresh. Standard sushi place prices. $6.50 for a california roll They had a lot of, what I would consider, exotic meats. Reservations are highly recommended for this location. read more

Teppay - California roll $6.50 great food. bad picture skills on my part :( - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Might be my favorite sushi restaurant! Not super fancy, but it's traditional layout and true sushi master behind the counter makes for an awesome dining experience! Always ask for the special rolls! They have group seating in private rooms in the back. This is a must try! It always seems to get packed in the evening! read more

Yummy REAL wasabi! A bit expensive. The seaweed salad was on point. The fatty tuna, ok, wish I would of tried the salmon instead. Very prompt good service. Cute ambience. read more

Teppay - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Come here as often as I can afford to. The sushi is supurb--I normally get the chirashi, but literally everything is amazing here. The only thing I've ever had that I wasn't a fan of was their miso ramen, and as I've never had miso ramen before it could have just been me trying something new. It can't be their miso because their miso soup is awesome. The atmosphere feels authentic, the fish is fresh, the service is good for the most part, and while it's a bit pricey, it's worth every penny to me. This place will destroy your ability to eat sushi and sashimi just anywhere, so if you're a routine cheap sushi eater, trying the sushi here might just ruin your life. read more

This place might hold up as one of the better ramen places in Houston but for a Japanese restaurant as a whole, maybe not. Came on a Saturday evening with a party of 7. Unfortunately, they only have tables (which can't be combined) that sit 4 at a time and the sushi bar. Or we could opt for the Japanese style sitting at the back but that would cost us $20 extra. Nope. So we just sat in a line at the sushi bar. A little hard to have conversations but not too bad. As for the food, I ordered the Tonkasu ramen and a Dynamite roll. Beware that the prices are on the higher end of the spectrum. The Tonkasu ramen was pretty good. Light broth but with just enough flavors. The noodle was a little tough and it only came with 1 slice of chachu and no egg, but overall, pretty decent. However, the Dynamite roll was a huge disappointment. $11 for 6 tiny rolls that didn't even taste like Dynamite roll? Wow. I tried to take a pic of it to make it look more appetizing but it didn't work. As a high-end Japanese restaurant in Houston, I expected better. There are so many better Japanese restaurants available that I really can't recommend this place to anyone. Worst of it all, they somehow miscounted the number of ramen orders and mine was left out. So I got my ramen 20 min after everyone else in my party =( I think I've said enough. read more

Teppay - sitting at the bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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My recent adventure to this restaurant was to fulfill my boyfriend's ramen craving. I came here in a group of 6 and we were seated at the bar. Kinda odd because in such a big group, we wanted to sit in a more personal setting. There was a back room where we saw, but you are charged $20 for using it. Nevermind us then! We came during prime lunch hour and it was packed. A lot of families were there, so it was definitely a sense that the restaurant is doing something right. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen and a spicy salmon roll. The ramen was the reason why I came there, and I was satisfied for my meal, but not thoroughly impressed. I thought that the broth was tasty, wasn't bland, and I loved the noodles. But only one small piece of meat was left to be disappointing. Maybe this is how ramen is supposed to be, but for the price, I think I deserve another slice of meat. The sushi chef was a very nice man, looked very friendly and I think the sushi was delicious. I was still a bit hungry after the meal, and a few hours later I was already thinking where I should eat next. The service on the otherhand was lacking, I would probably give the food a good 4 stars because I believe it's very traditional, you can't hate on that. But we sat down for almost 7 minutes ... without menus. That's the best way for customers to get their food.. to not have anything to order from. The only reason why I wouldn't come back here is because the service and the price. Yes, the price. It is a little pricey and for what you get, it's not something you want to keep coming back to or your wallet will fall short. read more

Huge amounts of super fresh high quality fish. Quite astounding actually. And cheap! UpWho ever chooses the cuts of fish knows what he/she is doing as the flavor texture and quality is second to none. I have many sushi joints near me but drive 12 miles to get here . Stumbled on it read more

The restaurant was not at all crowded on a Tuesday evening around 7PM, I had expected it to be but it was very chill and slow. Service was great as it should be since we were pretty much the only folks dining there. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen here and just like everyone has reviewed, it's mediocre. I'm probably comparing it to amazing ramen I've had in San Francisco and San Diego but this place perhaps comes close to good ramen in Houston. The one portion size of meat was a bummer, I was hoping for some more because it was pretty good. read more

Teppay - Mini free veggies - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Me and my wife decided to go to this place as my wife really enjoyed their sushi last time. We ordered miso soup, tempura, sushi combo, tonkatsu dinner and additional salmon sushi. It was one of the best sushi and best tonkatsu i have had in houston. I must say that i was little worried about the taste of the food when i tried bland taste of miso soup, but as soon as we tried sushi and tonkatsu, worries were all gone. Portion is not too small as well. Food comes littler slower that other location, but since we had time, that was fine for us. However, at the end of the meal, we found a hair in tonkatsu, but they corrected by giving us ice cream as a service. I had no complaints and I would visit this place again. read more

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Food is delicious but very slow service . It took an hour for the first order to come . We were not even offered water :( read more

Teppay - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Teppay is one of the few places you're going to get the most authentic and no-frills sushi in Houston. (We've been going here for probably the last 10-15 years or so?) No weird mayo sauces, no tempura crumbs aka "crunchies", no rolls with a mincemeat of the fish you ordered inside or ten different fishes rolled together. The sushi rice is top-notch and the cuts of fish are always fantastically done. Green tea is great and hardly ever bitter. Prepared dishes like grilled mackerel is always cooked to perfection. (Haven't had my own bowl of ramen but seems decent.) Tips: - Make a reservation on peak nights. The place IS tiny and therefore can get full quick, plus the waiting area is equally tiny. Save yourself some stress and call in a few hours before opening. - Don't expect gushing waitstaff who can't wait to chatter about food with you. Again, tiny place, and they usually have two people max working the tables. Considering the piecemeal nature of sushi, yes, they are extremely busy with a full restaurant, going back and forth. Be patient, and ask if needed. Prepared dishes usually need time to cook. - Probably don't expect to chatter on with the sushi chefs, either. They're busy. If you just expect to enjoy some of the best sushi in Houston and enjoy your party's company, then go here. If you want a ton of frills and extras, and having an "experience" is more important than eating good food, then probably go to some neo-modern place in Montrose or downtown. read more

The best and freshest sushi in Houston. Our new favorite sushi place. Negatives- dated atmosphere, clutter in the corners, under staffed. With all that said it is still the best sushi! The sushi chef is a master at flavors and omakase 'chef special' is the way to go! Family owned and very friendly. read more

Teppay - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

The most authentic Japanese restaurant in Houston! Their fresh is incredibly fresh and does not get enough credit. Their menu isn't huge, which makes it easier to decide what to eat. Everything is so incredibly fresh. It's definitely one of those hidden gems compared to all the fancy Japanese restaurants that are known for having fresh fish flown in (kata, MF, uchi). I've heard service is sometimes slow, but we didn't have a problem. read more

Teppay - $45 omakase 8 pieces for lunch - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

My friend and I went to Teppay for lunch; I've been to this restaurant numerous times the past 10 years. Food was pretty consistent; however, the sushi rice today was half cooked. The waitress was super nice, checked on us a few times, even though it was during lunch hour. Fish was inconsistent in size and thickness, but fresh. Overall, it was a pleasant visit, but food wasn't up to par or as I hoped for quality. read more

We found Teppay on a quest for real wasabi. This is on our list for top sushi spots in the city. A small place, so it is always pretty packed, but the sashimi and sushi are always very fresh and tasty. We usually go with the Omakase so the chef can introduce us to fish we've never tried. We've enjoyed pretty much everything they've sent, though if you have a budget in mind, say it because in the past we didn't know and got a bill for more than we expected because of some rare fish we received. The green tea is fantastic and their sake selection is adequate. The staff is friendly as well. read more

Teppay - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was a little bit disappointed by the sushi in this restaurant. I found this restaurant in a Japanese restaurant recommendation list, but this restaurant is Sushi rice was hard to bite and the fish had a very strong fishy taste. I saw a lot of Japanese customers in the restaurant but overall it was not a good experience for me. read more

Teppay - Otoro, sake, uni and unagi. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The food here was pretty good. Beers are pretty cheap. Nice small restaurant with a more personal feel. I really liked the black cod a lot and the sushi quality was good. Food takes a little while to come and they bring it out as it is prepared so prepare for a string of food to slowly come out. read more

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We really enjoy it here. Everything we've had was good. The atmosphere feels right. Give them a visit. Only small complaint is wait staff on refills, etc. They take some reminding now and then. read more

This is one of my go to Japanese sushi restaurant. The sashimi over there is great, fresh. I love their chirashi, and you can try their omakase too! Atmosphere is great! I have even shoot a video on this restaurant! Please check it out and share it if you like it :) Video link:https://youtu.be/UQvwBszymyM read more

We waited at the door to open exactly at 6pm. We got seated as we walked in by a waitress. Walking in, restaurant was looked just like traditional Japanese sushi bar. Casual, friendly atmosphere. wall was full of Japanese cat figures / Japanese frames .., it was overall really artsy. With the dimming light, and calming music brought out the relaxing feel while we were waiting for the food to come out. 5/5 for the atmosphere Waiters and waitresses were really nice. They serve from authentic Japanese sushi to home style jap foods. It was my third time eating at the place, and there are still so many choices which I have not yet tried. Foods are amazing and my favorite is their beef udon noodle soup. Between two people we ordered two entree and three orders of nigiri 1. Pork cutlet - 3.5/5 pork was really stiff and it was smaller than what I had thought. 2. Beef udon noodle soup 4:5: little bit too salty but it was flavorful. Noodle was just plain boiled noodle from any market but qualify of beef was really good 3. Sake sushi : 4.5/5 fish was really fresh with right amount of rice 4. Uni sushi : 4/5 fresh and flavorful 5. Spicy chopped scallop : 3.5/5 wasn't so spicy or tasty. But scallops were really fresh Between two people we didn't leave any food behind. Over all food quality I want to give 3.5/5 read more

Teppay - Nigiri - Uni / chopped scallop - Sushi Bars Near Me - Houston, Texas

Been coming for over 20 years. The quality, presentation, and experience is consistent. This is the best and most authentic Japanese restaurant in Houston 10/10!! read more

You could not justify Teppay's average 3.5 star rating to me... I felt as though I'd been transported to Japan - a small nook of a restaurant, simply decorated with little maneki-neko and mini-sushi figurines at the sushi bar, a real Japanese staff that gently greets you with a "moshi moshi"... not like Miyako's abrasive "MOSHI MOSHI!!!!", and most notably, the incredibly well-done, authentic food. My experience was pure peace and comfort, and I couldn't have gotten a table-for-one at a better place. Per recommendation of my Teppay addicted friend, I ordered the clam miso soup, the 6 piece omakase, and 2 pieces of torched salmon belly sushi topped with lemon and sea salt... Yes, you just read right. Wipe the drool off your chin and keep reading. The clam miso (not on the lunch menu) came out in a bowl with a bowl shaped lid. Steam floated up upon the unveiling, and fresh clams filled the bowl, swimming in a beautiful miso broth. The bowl-lid was the perfect receptacle for my clam shells, and I made sure there wasn't one drop of soup left. Next came the torched salmon belly - which includes a little fire show if you sit at the sushi bar. The slightly charred taste on the outside, with the raw, cold, buttery inside, and that pop of citrus and salt make this one of my favorite sushi of all time. The omakase was an obvious mix of salmon, mackerel, yellow tail, red snapper (I think), flounder or trout, and amaebi (sweet shrimp). Each sushi was adorned with high quality seafood. The mackeral was unlike any I've tried - not that crazy, pickled mess you get at every other sushi joint. The amaebi, a perfect finale to my meal, was presented with two halves of a fried sweet shrimp head, making it much easier to eat than when fried whole. Don't pay attention to that 3.5 star nonsense. If you're here complaining about the price and the portion size, then maybe you should be going to Tokyo One or something. This is how Japanese food is supposed to be done, and definitely something to try at least once when your wallet isn't empty. If you find yourself next to a large Skecher's shoe store on Voss and Westheimer, know that you are actually moments away from Japan... or at least the most Japenese experience you will have here in the H. read more

Over pricey, tasty is so so, nothing special. Service was okay, but I won't go again because of the food. read more

Very slow and inattentive service. I don't know if this was just a bad day or what, but the service was terrible. Everything took forever to get and that's with asking someone about it. Even after getting someones attention it still took forever before they did anything to address it. I waited 10 mins before someone took my order, 20mins for my sushi, and another 25 mins after my sushi before my ramen came. As others have mentioned, water and tea was never refilled and I had to flag a waiter down to get anything done. I know it was a busy Saturday night but other restaurants in Houston can manage just fine. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen and some sushi. The saka sushi was very good, almost melted in my mouth. The maguro was good but nothing to write home about. What I was really here for was the ramen. I heard this place is supposed to have some of the best ramen in town; it does not. It's decent ramen, but not the best in Houston. Broth was an OK balance, but a bit on the light side. The meat was good but they needed to give more. The egg was under cooked but again not terrible. Overall nothing impressive about their ramen. Honestly with so many other good Japanese restaurants and ramen joints in Houston now there really isn't a need to waste your time here. I'm disappointed because I wanted to love this place and I've been meaning to try it for so long, too bad it was a let down. read more

Sushi is good, service not so much We were asked to " change our seat" after we sat down at the sushi bar . We were told our seats already had " reservations for them " They never showed. When I pointed it out to them, I was told "they have a patient". Are we in a hospital here ? Took 30 minutes for a simple green tea refill. Never accommodated us for our initial inconvenience. read more

Wow, wow, wow. So for lunch i had a real hankering for ramen, but most joints Houston don't serve it till the evening. So remembers a friends recommendation, i went to Teppay with all due haste. I stepped into a cozy and quaint eatery, no frills, no fluffs, no loud techno music, or anything of sort. just tables a sushi bar and a screened off room. Because I believe in letting the food speak for itself. SO, back to business, i got myself a Tonkotsu ramen and my sister got a shoyu ramen. Service was fair, order was taken and everything was received at a good rate. Within about 5 minutes i got my beautiful bowl of ramen. The pork belly was nice and tender, the broth was rich and flavorful. The ramen was firm and still had a bit of bite to it. I personally believe THIS IS the best ramen in Houston. I would love to visit for another ramen run and next time SUSHI! I can't wait to return and i totally recommend this place for anyone wanting a good bowl of ramen. read more

Review number two-fiddy! Gotta make it count. So in compiling my list of sushi restaurants (shameless self-promotion link here: http://www.yelp.com/list/sushi-itumi-houston), I realized that while I had 5* joints in other regions (Re: Uchi. YUM.), I've settled on 4 stars for my Houston reviews. Yeah, I've tried a lot of solid places that I wouldn't mind visiting again, but none have been SPECTACULAR. That is, until Teppay. First of all, ignore half the reviews on this page. Not because the reviewers aren't good, but instead because they were focused on a quest to find ramen in Houston. You can get ramen at Teppay, but that's not what they're about. Here, they focus on making sushi, and making it well. This is my dad's favorite Japanese restaurant in Houston, and he came from good sushi bloodlines (aside: his parents are Taiwanese, and got substantial exposure to Japanese influences during WWII). You'll usually also see Japanese businessmen dining here, always a good sign. The quality of their cuts of fish is unmatched in Houston. Moreover, they focus on the entire presentation, putting your fish of choice onto a bed of rice perfectly compacted and seasoned. Seriously, get anything here and you will be pleased. They also put a focus on authentic Japanese items, and some menu offerings are written ONLY in Japanese. One example is the futomaki (or "big roll"), which contains imitation crab, tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette), pickled daikon (radish), carrots, tofu and greens. We used to make this all the time, and in my childhood, when I thought of sushi, that was all I knew. I also suggest trying inari (tofu wrap), another one of my longtime favorites. Oh yeah, and the ramen: solid, but unspectacular. Now, the bad news. This place isn't cheap (case in point, the futomaki costs $14). It's open only during dinner, so none of those "lunch specials" or "happy hours" that the trendy sushi joints like to entice you with. And finally, the service is slow. During non-peak days, there's usually only one sushi chef responsible for everyone's orders. The waitresses, while nice, are also very likely the owners or relatives of the owners and not the most proactive. But be patient, spend a couple extra dollars, and a little slice of sushi heaven will soon make its way into your mouth. read more

Service was great. Made a reservation at their opening time for dinner and they only had two tables that were not reserved left as well as the bar. -Ramen is extremely good! I wish my bf ordered his own bowl LOL. -Fried cuttlefish (squid) was a bit bland -Spicy chopped scallop. Not so great. Pretty bad actually. -Uni wasn't bad. It wasn't as fresh as I expected and I didn't like the wasabi placed on it. -Chirashi was pretty good. -Spicy tuna roll wasn't fresh as expected. read more

I actually had a really great experience the first time I came here. The sushi was fresh and the service was on point. There's a lot of traditional charm at Teppay, and the space is very cozy and authentic. I had zero complaints. Unfortunately, the next couple of times I came here, the service had diminished significantly. The second time I was here, the waitress misplaced our order twice and there was little concern to rectify the 45 minute wait on our food. And then third time I came during lunch, I kind of realized at $6 per piece of sushi, it was a bit absurd that I was shelling out that much for spotty service. I am not sure if I would come back because the food has never been bad, but I feel like I can get just as great of sushi at Kata or Uchi for the equal or less the cost, and superior service. I live in the city so this location is a little out of the way. Have yet to try the ramen. read more

I was looking for a little sushi after a long afternoon of shopping at REI and Yelp steered me here. I am glad it did. First of all the service was super friendly. Everyone was so nice! Our waiter really made us feel welcome. The sushi was very good. Lately spicy tuna rolls all seem to have the shredded tuna. This one did not. Instead it had the large chunks of tuna which I greatly prefer. We were very pleased with our meal. The prices were reasonable and the food was good. This really is a hidden gem in a little strip mall. read more

Over the weekend, my friends and I were doing a food crawl around the west side of the Galleria and Sushi was on our mind. After a little Yelping, we found this gem!! If you enjoy authentic Japanese fresh sushi, this place is for you. If you like heavy American sauce loaded sushi, this may not. The restaurant is owned by Japanese peeps so they keep the place very traditional! It's been here for over 20 years (at least from what the signs said on the door). Squeezed in between a Sketcher Outlet store and a T-mobile store, if you were to drive by the plaza you wouldn't even notice it. That's until you park next to it and realize that their restaurant entrance is constructed in a Japanese style (must see pictures). The interior continues the traditional Japanese restaurant theme. You can tell the owners really paid attention to the looks of the restaurant. Overall, the restaurant is fairly small and it does get crowded but once you sit down you'll enjoy your experience. The menu is in Japanese with English translations. The menu selection is large but again it's more on the traditional side of rolls that you'll see. So no american style sushi here (e.g. no special spicy mayo sauce). You are there to taste the fresh fish so there are no distractions!!! Because this was our third stop that night, we had a small order. We had their fatty tuna roll, avocado roll, and their traditional fried chicken (can't remember the name for the life of me - and not the tonkatsu). The sushi tasted fresh and simply melts in your mouth!!! It was a great way to close our food crawl. Things that we will try in the future is their sushi combo (essentially a selection of their nigiri) which looked so fresh when other patrons ordered it. Their ramen also looked super delicious! In the end I would definitely go back and have a nice dinner in the near future :) Overall Restaurant -- 4 stars Food -- 5 stars Selection -- 4 stars Location -- 3.5 stars Wait staff -- 4 stars Feel and look -- 4 stars Price -- 4 stars read more

Whenever I visit Teppay, I feel like I am visiting Japan again. The atmosphere and decor are very intimate and traditional. There always seems to be a group of Japanese people hanging out and having a good time in a corner of the restaurant. Atmosphere alone really provides a lot to the experience of eating here. On my most recent trip, I ordered the Sushi Special: 10 piece sushi + 3 piece California roll. The California roll was the best I have ever had. The sushi pieces were also quite delicious, and I can tell that the sushi chefs at Teppay are skilled in presentation and food preparation. However, as fresh and tasty as the sushi was, I feel like I've had fresher sushi at other restaurants, but I can't quite pinpoint it. I'll need to visit other sushi restaurants again for comparison. During other visits, I have tried Teppay's Ramen, and that is especially good; definitely tastier than other ramen in the city. No matter, Teppay is quite a gem of a restaurant in Houston. read more

Definitely make a reservation, because the restaurant is quite small. It's actually run by Japanese people, which adds to the authenticity. The sashimi is indeed very fresh, and the premium pricing reflects that. The torched salmon belly, in particular, is pure joy in your mouth. Unagi is killer, too. On a scale of 1-5, the service is borderline atrocious. My friends' water cups were completely empty more than once during our meal. We had to flag down another server just to beg for water. When everyone's food came, I was still missing my caterpillar roll. I could tell my friends were trying to eat slowly to stretch it out for as long as possible, leaving that last piece of sushi untouched. I waited 10...15...20 minutes, asking about it periodically, and it was always "being made right now." LIES. I wasn't born last night, and I can see the sushi chef from here. It came 30 minutes after all the other rolls. They probably forgot I ordered it, but no apologies were offered. Not even the salmon belly is worth the agony. read more

I came here soley on the reviews for ramen. I was seeking some really good ramen a few days ago and decided on getting assistance from Yelp reviewers. I'm glad I did. The signage for the establishment is not very visible and tucked away in a Plaza in between Skechers and Bedrock City Comics. First, be warned the restaurant is extremely tiny. There is very limited seating and it does get busy. I started off with the Ebi Tempura appetizer. It was fried and coated to perfection. The shrimp came out golden. The Tonkatsu Ramen was my choice for a nice hot soup. I was so glad I made the choice. The broth was heavy, rich and the meat was tender when you bit into it. It was a nice helping, so try not to over order on the appetizers and sushi. Overall, great ramen, nice ambiance and great service! read more

This sushi restaurant is right near my favorite comic store but I had never been here before. I had heard good things about it from others, so I decided to give it a try. It was a pleasant surprise for me actually. I ordered many of the typical nigiri, a spider roll and a spicy hamachi roll. I ordered a few other items but overall, I thought it was pretty authentic and a little different than any other sushi joint in town. Maybe because there are so many Japanese employees working there? Prices are reasonable for the quality you get and I will definitely be back to try other dishes, especially the ramen which many other patrons seemed to be ordering that night. read more