For my birthday dinner we had dinner at Uchi. After so many years, the lines are still ever present but we came early and got on the waiting list and was able to get seated while it was still happy hour. I highly recommend you do the same or make reservations ahead of time! I'm also happy to report that after so many years, the hype continues to be well-deserved. Every single item we had was fantastic. Scroll through my pics to see everything we ate. Out of everything, I have to say that the most memorable dish was a roll that was topped with boquerones. It was such a unique combo that was delicious! I can imagine it on a menu at a tapas bar in Spain. Also, don't forget to order dessert! You won't regret it! read more

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Went to Uchi for my girlfriend and I's 5 year anniversary. When we both walked in we were shocked with how cozy and lively the inside of the restaurant was. The complimentary valet was also a nice addition. It was lightly raining the night we went and we both felt as if we were walking into a Japanese lodge to shelter us from the storm. There were was a slight smokiness in the air that smelled delicious and a lively buzz in the place created from people creating and enjoying amazing food. We decided on the Somakase which was a new concept to me but so cool. Essentially I named a price point and gave our taste preferences to our server and he came up with a serving menu for us. There were a couple dishes I asked for him to include and besides that we let him take the wheel. He was extremely kind and due to the special occasion even brought us a few things on the house. Everything that came out was so unique and delicious. One of the earlier dishes was the Walu Walu which was so good; acidic, light with some sweetness and umami made this dish a refreshing treat. I was blown away with quality of the fish and some of the flavor combinations that were going on. One of my absolute favorites was the foie gras which melted in your mouth and can only be described as a true delicacy. I couldn't recommend this spot enough, it was such a fun experience and the surprise of each dish along with how delicious everything was left us with an amazing impression. It was a true culinary experience and even filled us up while not being too much. We had a desert which consisted of some sort of toast which I would probably forgo next time but that aside this immediately entered my top 3 favorite restaurants in Austin! read more

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Uchi is Austin's most popular sushi spot. It is highly awarded and recognized as you can tell by the reviews. I made it a priority to come there when I visited Austin. Uchi is not your typical traditional style sushi restaurant. When I go to a sushi restaurant I always make sure to get seats at the chefs table and do the omakase or "chefs choice" (if available). Unlike the more intimate and tranquil omakase experiences I had, Uchi is very loud and busy. I didn't mind the lively atmosphere but it was kind of hard listening to the chef as he explains what he is serving you. Also we were sitting at the end of the chefs table and the servers would just stand there (invading my space) and wait for orders to come out. That was kind of annoying. Their food packs different flavors as each dish comes with a unique taste that you cannot particularly pinpoint. It became kind of exciting to see what flavors we were going to experience in the next dish. Their fish is fresh and was complemented interestingly with various ingredients. However, sometimes these "complimenting" ingredients overpowered the dish. Some of the dishes seemed as if they were trying too hard with the flavors. On another note, the dessert pudding they served us at the end of the omakase was refreshing and flavorful!! Furthermore, they have a vast selection of sake in which they were knowledgeable about. The prices were pretty high yet typical for a fine sushi restaurant. I recommend giving Uchi a try. FYI their Foie Gras sushi is spectacular! read more

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Wow, this is my second time at Uchi and it was unforgettable! We were able to sneak in on a Saturday night and grab a seat at the bar. We were greeted with an appetizer at the hostess stand and a pallet cleanser at our seats! Both were delicious and the service was phenomenal! We opted for the Omakase experience and our sushi chef (Kyle or Zach I think) was wonderful! Each course was better than the last. My favorites had to be the yellowtail and a rice dish that we added last minute. The cocktails were also tasty and boozy. Uchi is perfect for a romantic night out or anytime you want some of the best sushi you can on the mainland. I can't wait to come back again! read more

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Meh. Nothing exciting .. rolls had no flavor, sushi chef was the only best part. Definitely not worth the hype.

Visited Uchi for my birthday and had a nice time. My boyfriend and I love sushi, and decided it was worth grabbing a reservation for this spot for my birthday. We always get omakase so that was going to be the natural decision, but we saw an option for somakase so had to go for that since most places don't offer that. Overall, the food was nice! Fish was of course fresh and tasty. Presentation for everything was lovely. Surprisingly, my favorite course of the bunch was actually a fully cooked and seasoned to perfection fish collar. I would want to just order that if we go back in the future. The nigiri courses were good as well. But some of the rolls that came out during our dinner were average, not bad but nothing special. Honestly, I was also surprised there were rolls involved. The dessert at Uchi was probably one of the best. The honey toast I believe it was called was divine! Highly recommend. We also grabbed a pint of the fried milk ice cream and that's super yummy too. Wish I had taken photos of the dessert we ate at the restaurant and the dishes we liked the most but phone was not eating first that night. Our waitress was very sweet and very helpful. Good service there for sure. The one thing we didn't enjoy as much was how noisy it is in there. It was a bit difficult to hear each other talk from across the table but it is what it is! Generally, it was a good experience. read more

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Chef Thomas created the perfect atmosphere for an excellent dinner. Super knowledgeable, friendly and quite skilled with a knife. His recommendations were superb. Uchi exceeded all expectations and left my palate aching for more. Cannot wait to be back! read more

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I first heard about Uchi when I was in Miami but didn't get the chance to try it. Was super excited to give it a try. Got to try a few things from the Happy Hour Menu (4-6:30 PM everyday) and from the regular menu. The person I went with hadn't tried A5 Wagyu so this was the perfect way to introduce it. The waitress recommended that we end with the fattier items and it plaid out so nicely. Definitely recommend the Foie Nigiri. What we ordered: Sake Toro Sashimi $18.00 Social Walu $8.50 BF Otoro Gunkan 2@$9.00 $18.00 Otoro Sashimi $60.00 A5 Wagyu Nigiri $22.00 Gyutoro Nigiri $10.50 Foie Nigiri $10.00 read more

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I have no words. I had been wanting to come here for so long and was genuinely left speechless. I wish I could remember the name of all the delicious food but I WOULD 100% COME BACK read more

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Seven years in Austin and finally made it to Uchi! Honestly wasn't sure it would live up to the hype but the food was great! Got the omakase, everything came out so quickly, got a really long intro for each one and immediately forgot what I was eating and therefore cannot actually recommend anything Just one note -- it was very crowded, we were super close to the next table and can hear their entire conversation, so wouldn't come here for a romantic date or anything. read more

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This location will always hold a special place in my heart. When i got married at the court house we headed straight here when they opened to celebrate and had a wonderful dinner. We knew that if you didn't have a reservation if you come before they open they have some tables available and we met people doing the same. It was also great because our favorite was the Hama Chili and we knew at the time that was a happy hour item. We also met a nice couple in line and told them we had just married and they bought us a round of sparkling wine and dessert. We've always been a fan of Tyson Cole and the chefs that start off at his restaurants so dining at where it all started was a great experience. My husband has since passed a way so this place will always be a treasured memory. If you are visiting Austin this is a must stop as it's located just across the river from Downtown and food is wonderful - fresh Japanese modern cuisine right in the heart of Texas and where my heart is too. read more

Excellent food and excellent service. Ordered the somakase and Meg prepared a great selection. Made for a great birthday!

While I heard so much hype and kept getting recommended I should try Uchi when coming to Austin... this place unfortunately was extremely overhyped and not that extraordinary at all... very average if you ask me. We were able to get a reservation a month in advance since it was F1 race weekend, it's a very popular spot for the locals and people who don't want Texan food. The decor inside is very date night ish or high end for Texans but in NYC standards it was very casual. The sushi was alright, but service seemed a bit confusing because we had a waiter in training and a veteran waiter, it kept switching too often. The prices were not bad but we were still very hungry afterward. I honestly would recommend going to Soto for having all round excellent experience, and it's literally down the block and across the street. read more

I love Uchi Austin. It's always special when you visit there because of their excellent service, and attention to detail, but most importantly, they serve very fresh elegantly presented food that is always consistent in its quality and taste! Don't forget their fabulous desserts! read more

Omakase happy hour!!! It is delightful in all the right ways. Their omakase HH is priced at $80 and has eight courses with a good variety - from cool & hot tastings, nigiris, hand rolls, ice cream sandwich - it's actually enough appetizers for two people. We did order a lot more items tho because some of the items in the new menu sounded scrumptious! The best item we had from the omakase tasting was the wagyu carpaccio. Service from Alexis was friendly, prompt and delightful. Good vibes in the outdoor patio which my pup always enjoy! read more

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What an amazing staff and luxurious experience . We tried to take advantage of the happy hour. The front desk were so accommodating and friendly in helping us get 4 seats. We landed the best seat in the house which was in front of chef Brad. Not only was he so detailed in explaining each delicacy but his presentation was art. For sitting in the sushi bar, they started us off with fresh blood orange soda to cleanse our palette. Then we began ordering from the happy hour menu which includes drinks and bites. Everything was just so delicious and flavorful. I appreciated the flavors being mixed with different spice and sauce, which is not your typical soy sauce wasabi. The menu consist of both hot and cold plates which was a fabulous balance. To me this was beyond a Michelin experience, but a heavenly experience rich with flavor and filled with staffs that treated you like king and queen. The must get is the foie gras and honey toast. Amazing. read more

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Popped in on a whim after seeing a show at the Zach theater. Was pleasantly surprised at the interesting take on some dishes. The staff was superb and it was a huge plus to our experience. It is a bit pricey for the quality/quantity but I will definitely go back. read more

I would of given 4 stars, but the our waitress was not the best at her job. Just by the looks of her face, and forgetting an item we ordered. I tried to make an excuse as I know it was a late reservation but not to treats patrons wrong. Maybe 2 items were a little fishy but the rest of our orders were good. Not much to say, some of the other staff were super friendly which we wished we had someone else helping us. read more

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My girlfriends and I made this place to be our first spot we ate at for dinner. We had reservations but yet they still set us outside. Thank goodness my girlfriend had sandals and was able to remove her heels since it's loose gravel on the floor for their patio. The man with the glasses and beard did not give his name but sat us and then immediately starts telling my girlfriend she can't have a water bottle on the table. She explained it was just water and the fact of being Texas how does one not carry water with them especially in a tourist spot. Then he was like it's illegal and just was very rude. I ended up putting her water in my bag but seriously tripping over a bottle water. Then the fact that our table only had one menu I had to tell him do we have to look at one menu before her brought two more. Thankfully our waitress was so nice and was apologetic of her manager (that guy being a manager should most certainly change his career path). Jenny was one of the best waitresses we had while in Austin. Helpful with the wine list, food and she even brought out a delicious dish for us to try on her. The food itself was delicious. I highly recommend the unagi! I love sushi! The edamame spicy one was more like dry spices on a edamame and it was unbearable to eat more than 2. Thankfully Jenny swaped it for their original edamame and that was more delicious. I give this place a 4 and honestly all because Jenny made the experience a 4. I would have gave it a 5 if our first interaction was with the Jenny. read more

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This place was just amazing - left me absolutely speechless. Picked this place to celebrate a bday and im so glad i did. I loved the exterior, ambiance, and vibes. The staff was also super friendly and helpful. Our server walked us through the menu in great detail and really helped us pick some amazing dishes. the food was absolutely stunning. every dish was so delicately prepared and the fish was so fresh. our server gifted us the oyster dish since it was his bday and it was phenomenal. read more

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We got the 10 course Omakase and wow, pretty much everything was off the charts and super fresh. Even the oysters (which I hate raw oysters) were good. The service was good, the atmosphere was great. I didn't see the bill because our friends kindly treated us but I believe it was in the $150pp range. Complimentary valet parking with the option to tip on Venmo! read more

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Great quality. Great service. Great environment. Make reservations and expect to be there a while. I believe we were there nearly 2 hours for our meal and it was definitely an experience. It's not a place I would go to often but I'm glad I was able to experience it while I was in Austin. My favorite items were the Ham and Egg, Shag and Honey Toast. Definitely recommend if you're able to. read more

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Our waiter Chance was phenomenal and provided the best service I've ever had at Uchi. He made our dining experience so special and was so kind. We had made reservations at Uchi and received a reminder text prior to our reservation. This dining experience at Uchi was like night and day compared to my last reviewed 3 star experience several months ago. We had ordered: 2 Wagyu carpaccio, 2 Ebi skewer (strangely the Ebi shrimps was presented very different from last time I had the Ebi shrimp and the flavor was different too), 1 Machi Cure (texture delight and consistently the best dish), 2 Fried onigiri (high recommended and made exactly like last time I've had it), 2 Sake Tom khá (sadly this dish I was looking forward to but it was lacking in lemon grass favor and there was not enough of the sauce, flat one note, maybe it was an off day because last time I had it.. it was excellent), 1 broccoli katsu (highly recommend and consistent like previously had), 1 okonomiyaki (1st time having it and pancakes was so freaking delicious), 1 pork belly (amazing and highly recommended. The pork belly was out of this world good!) , drinks: kara kyuri ( alcohol) and the best day ( nonalcoholic), 2 HOtate gunkan (ok), 1 hâma Kama (not a fan of the peanut with fish collar. Not a cohesive well balanced dish but our waiter kindly removed it off), 1 sorbet trio (amazing!! The trio sorbet was perfect for a hot texas day! Not heavy and delicious.), and key lime pie dessert (I am not a fan of key lime pie but this dessert was recommended by our waiter and honestly is exceptional!). The timing of the dishes coming out was perfectly executed! This was my husband's first time (my many times) going to Uchi and he had the best experience. He never understood the concept of tiny proportion food and $$$ but after this Uchi experience he wants to come back regularly. We were so appreciative of the impeccable service Chance provided and wrote a shout out on our receipt so he can show his manager. (We asked to give Chance a raise and raved his amazing professional service.) Thank you Chance for bringing another chance for Uchi to still be one of my favorite restaurant in Austin! ;) Would I recommend Uchi? With service provided like how Chance did, I would be glad to spend $$$ for amazing unforgettable service and delicious food! Uchi also provides Complimentary Valet parking which I did not know until recently. We are looking forward to dining with them again soon! read more

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This is easily one of the best meals I've ever eaten. The restaurant is adorable, dress is casual. The entire staff was great - not only was our waiter, Alex, welcoming, informative, and attentive but we had at least 3 or 4 other staff members engage with us in meaningful ways during our meal (making recommendations, etc.). We went during happy hour, which is an absolute steal. We were expecting our bill to be much higher than it was for four people to drink cocktails and eat. Standouts were the wagyu carpaccio, fried onigiri, and ice cream sandwich purely for the punch of flavor and uniqueness of the dishes. That being said, everything we tried was excellent. Both HH cocktails were great but the fruity one was my favorite (and I'm not normally a fan of sweet drinks). Can't wait to try their core menu. read more

Hands down best sushi experience in Austin. My wife and I eat here all the time. Try to go during happy hour and get the crab Romaine handroll, best thing on the menu!! Shout out to Yumi for being an awesome waitress read more

Uchi Austin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Sitting at the bar, it was fun to see the dishes prepared, however, it made for a more busy and hectic eating experience than I see described by other reviewers. We came to celebrate a birthday and they were kind in providing a card and being welcoming and celebratory. We ordered four dishes, all were creatively combined and none were disappointing. The standout was the Machi Cure, due to the beautiful presentation and combination of flavors, including yucca chips, almonds, pear and yellowtail. The Hama Chili had a tasty sauce, but the fish itself did not stand out. The Walu Walu was a heftier portion of fish, making for a more filling dish - but was not our favorite. Brussel sprouts we felt had a bit too much sauce and would have been better left just a little simpler. Another standout not to leave without was the Chocolate Candy Bar, whose ingredients speak for themselves. Overall, Uchi serves up on beautifully prepared dishes, all with a creative combination of flavors, some of which come together better than others. read more

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High quality, delicious sushi. Their thin wagyu slices are very tasty as well. Would recommend for a great sushi spot.

The service was amazing! Highly recommend this place! We recently celebrated my cousin's birthday and appreciate the fine touches and attentiveness. Thank you to our server for making his birthday memorable. We will definitely be coming back soon! read more

Don't be nervous by the dollar signs. Sit at the bar during Happy Hour (every day, 4-6pm) and tell one of the chefs to feed you from that HH menu until you put the breaks on. Take the recommendation of the staff, they know best! I strictly come during HH and sit at the bar because of the intimate experience it creates, but if you're looking for a nicer sit-down meal then the dining room is equally as lovely. There is also an outdoor seating area. read more

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If you're in Austin and looking for a high end contemporary award winning sushi and Japanese restaurant then this is your place. Booking ahead is essential and the place is always pact. Small bar that you can wait at if they don't have your table ready. The menu has an extremely large selection of raw fish and cooked items too. The server was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and made some excellent suggestions -- you just can't go wrong here. They also have complimentary parking if you need it. The only downside we found was that it was incredibly loud and so difficult to have a conversation. read more

Uchi Austin - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We were in Austin celebrating my birthday. the food was great but the biggest thing for Me was the customer service. It wasn't the best . No one asked us if we were celebrating anything or if we were from Austin or traveling . It was busy for a Monday however this is a fine dining restaurant, so I would think that we would have excellent customer service. The valet was very dismissive, when we pulled up he told us it was "valet only" and that there is parking on the other side of the building . I could be wrong but the sign said complimentary valet . My husband is shy so we ended up parking across the building but it didn't sit right with me for them to assume we weren't eating there or just simply didn't want to park our vehicle. I'm in the service industry so of course I tip and i understand people may have stereotypes for how some people may look, but at the end of the day we were paying customers and I really expected an amazing dinner . But overall the experience was mid and we were there for over 2 hours. The restaurant was busy, so I get why the courses can take some time , but it was a really long and spaced out time between each course. Our server was too busy to make conversation with us and honestly he didn't come up to the table much but he did go to his other tables quite often. Regardless of everything , we still tipped over 20 percent but I just really was expecting and amazing experience because of all the great things I have heard of this place , but the service was so similar to chilis or any other big corporate restaurant. Very dismissive and ignorant customer service . We drove out to Austin for this specific restaurant and honestly I don't think it was worth the drive at all. The food itself was amazing but the service was really mediocre . read more

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Firstly, overrated. With the rave about Uchi and Uchiko, I was expecting an easy 5 stars from here. I did enjoy the sushi, but I've had better in Austin at a cheaper price point. Even without prior knowledge, I most likely would've given this place a 3.5/5 stars because of the food/service quality vs. price. I was going to give 4 stars, but it is simply too expensive to excuse the issues of my experience. I got the omakase for two, with one additional dish of uni, because we found a hair in one of our dishes. Unlike other places I've been at this price point, the wait between dishes was much too long. It felt as if our server wasn't fully attentive. I saw him conversing with another employee as we sat there with our empty plates waiting on our next dish, and at one point we had to get his attention to bring out the next plate. Not a huge issue, but just not on par with other high end restaurants with multi course experiences. Most of the fish tasted great, their sauces and flavor combinations were executed at a high level as expected. They did a wonderful job putting together the courses and setting up for palate changes, and the wagyu was DELICIOUS. However, the fish was not as fresh as I was expecting. Additionally, my partner and I both felt off afterwards in our stomachs, which is extremely disappointing coming out of such a highly rated, expensive sushi restaurant. Desserts were definitely better than average for me. They were very beautiful, and even without much of a sweet tooth, I could taste the appeal for others. Overall, the flavors were great. However, the freshness and service were not up to par for what I was expecting out of Uchi. This left my partner and I pretty disappointed, and I rarely walk out of a restaurant feeling like I didn't get what I expected. I'm hoping that the other locations are better and live up to the name I've been hearing. read more

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The place is super cute inside, even when crowded it wasn't too noisy. The waiting area is a bit small but you can get a drink and they bring around snacks! We had a charred piece of mango with jalapeño and some seasoning, so delicious. Our waiter was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We tried many different things! Everything was amazing. I would go there over and over it was soo good! Not cheap, but sushi never is and you pay for quality and fresh fish, it is well worth it!! read more

Came for the first time and I was not disappointed! Quality food + service. Service: Alexis was our main server and she was warm, friendly, and very patient as we explored the menu. All the servers worked as a team to get dishes out, and I appreciated that they explained what each dish was, and how/when to eat it. Food: Plates are meant to be shared - we ended up getting 26 for 4 people (not including drinks/dessert). We ordered an assortment of handrolls, sushi rolls, cool/hot tastings, and nigiri. The rolls were good but I probably wouldn't order them next time, and focus more on the nigiri + cool/hot tastings instead (more special imo). Highlights/must order: - Machi cure - Hama chili - Hot rock (wagyu) - Sake toro (salmon belly) nigiri - Namahotate (scallop) nigiri - Bluefin otoro nigiri - Sb uni Desserts were all very good (not too sweet/heavy). My favorite was the coconut tapioca! read more

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The five stars are well earned. The entire experience from the food to the service was exemplary. We went with the Chef's Omasake and were treated to a variety of dishes and flavors that were both imaginative and top shelf delicious. The Wagyu dish, oysters with watermelon, and yellow fin sashimi were among my favorites. But we also thoroughly enjoyed the crispy tofu with mushroom Raghu. Can't stress enough what a wonderful job they did with the variety of ingredients and the execution on the dishes. Service was amazing. The staff was on point in describing the dishes, quick to refill drinks, and super friendly. Well done Uchi with the customer service training. read more

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We did it Omakase experience at Uchi and it did not disappoint! We did not have a reservation and walked right in. We sat at the sushi bar and the service was fantastic. It was great to see the food being created right in front of you. It was perfect for a date night, not too loud and not too boring. Definitely energetic inside of the restaurant. allbeit smaller, but it was a nice cozy fun vibe. read more

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Too many amazing things to say about this place that so many others have said. Quite simply, this is probably the best meal I have ever had. We split about a dozen different small plates and interspersed some Sapporos before trying a couple of desserts. We sat at the bar and enjoyed watching each dish prepared before our eyes by friendly, knowledgeable professionals. The service all around was perfect, and the atmosphere was appropriately nice without being stuffy or ostentatious. read more

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Went back towards the end of my trip for a birthday and honestly it's a consistently great restaurant and not really as expensive as I expected. I tried to order dishes I hadn't had previously but others at the table wanted to try many of their signature dishes and I can't blame them. This time I ate outside and it's pleasant. The lighting outside isn't the best for pictures but service was still good. Though they didn't bring the juice cleanser that I received the first time? Highly recommend the dessert and edamame- absolutely amazing! read more

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I have so many things great things to say about Uchi. We sat at the bar and did a omakase. The chef asked our preferences and tailored our courses to that while still letting us explore new flavors and combinations. The drinks were 10/10! The ambiance was perfect as well it was lively while still feeling intimate! read more

Hmm honestly I don't think UCHI is worth the hype. I think it is great to go for a one time experience for the sushi, but I don't think I would go back again. I would, however, try out uchiko and uchiba. I love sushi. I think the price is reasonable actually, but the way everyone was talking about it..i expected more. Overall it is okay, not bad, but not amazing. Food: 1. HAM AND EGGS MAKIMONO ($15) - juicy, tender pieces of fried pork belly crisped to perfection. Excellent egg yolk sauce garnish to add a new dimension to the bite. 2. FRIED ONIGIRI ($12) - crispy and chewy rice stuffed to the brim with vegetables and minced meat. Slightly on the blander side with its miso, cream base. 3. WAGYU SKEWER ($12) - smoky, tender, and juicy with a nice char and saltiness to give flavor to the beef. 4. SUZUKI YAKI ($19.5) - tender piece of grilled striped bass swimming in a hot tom yum soup. Slightly acidic, sour, and spicy. Also on the blander side. Not my favorite. 5. NEGITORO MAKIMONO ($17) - fresh and smoky with a hint of saltiness from the smoked trout roe. The fatty tuna was perfectly balanced with the thai chilis. 6. ZERO SEN MAKIMONO ($15.5) - another fresh and simple bite featuring yellowtail and greens. 7. TORO HANDROLL ($9) - simple and refreshing with marinated bluefin tuna and a side of spicy ponzu sauce. 8. SAKE TOM KHA ($9.5) - fresh, tender pieces of salmon garnished with a coconut dressing and dill. Service: I would say it lacked in this area. The time it took for the dishes to come out was quite long. We waited for a while, and it took a while for our server to check on our table. Ambiance: It was very loud and busy. The mood lighting is nice though! It was dim and seems good for a date night. Overall, Uchi is a good experience and for tastings of fresh sushi. I wouldn't go back, personally, but it wasn't bad! I would recommend going once at least for the experience and just to get your own opinion on how it is (see whether or not you think it is worth the hype). Let me know! Also none of my pictures would load or get attached, so feel free to check out my food instagram @the.real.lisa.h where I have a post about Uchi and other restaurants! read more