Came for the Tonari 45 minute omakase. I happened to be a little late due to the location being a shared plaza with other businesses. Be sure to find it pretty close to the entrance! Luckily I texted ahead and was caught up quickly without missing a beat. Parking is abundant as well! Now what makes this place 5 stars? First off, the price. Per person sits at about $85ish. The omakase might be short in duration, but they don't skip on any bites. Instead, the prep time is a lot shorter which means the wait time between each bite isn't going on for way too long like some other places. The bites consist mainly of nigiri (which seems like a given, but nowadays many places tend to include a terrible ratio of fish to other kinds of dishes). The bites aren't just sushi rice and the fish either. Despite the short time frame, there are still great food combinations. My favorite of the night happened to include a really refreshing cherry tomato in a caprese salad inspired way. The end includes a little free dessert. You can also include a sake pairing to go with the meal. The chef is also quite humble. Out of the 6 people there, the pair right next to us (they seemed to be visiting Austin) spoke over him with their own conversation a bit too often as he explained the origin of his ideas and the fish itself, but he never tried to shush them. He takes thanks with appreciation and seems like a nice person. No snobbishness here! Overall, this place made me change my mind about omakase prices. You can have an phenomenol experience for under $100 without skipping on any bells and whistles! This is a must-go-to spot for anyone and I HIGHLY recommend taking someone here that has never experienced omakase before if you don't want to break the bank! read more

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If you're looking at this review, you're probably hunting for a great sushi dinner in Austin, and if that is the case, you can stop searching now: Uroko's omakase dinner is everything you want, and it is everything you need. My wife and I were fortunate enough to have a late evening dinner during which we were the only two at the chef's table, and we were treated to a remarkable evening by the staff and restauranteurs. The sushi preparation was exquisite, and we appreciated the chef's every detail about the fish's flavor profiles, origins, and regionality. We are looking forward to coming back again! read more

I ate here in November 2022 with my mom and little sister. It would be my first time having an omakase experience, so I was excited but came in with realistic expectations. Writing this 7 months later, and with another omakase experience under my belt, this didn't compare to that one. However, it was not a bad experience so I'm giving them 4 stars. They were recently opened and it was during a holiday so I am grateful for them offering such a dinner. It was so cool to see the chef do what he does best and to savor each bite with the other parties for that time slot. The last nigiri they brought out with their name on it was so cute! read more

Uroko - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Always a favorite meal for me. I love the shrimp tempura roll. Easy for grab and go!!!

Uroko has become a favorite treat when I want sushi but in a more casual and less splurge risky setting. While you may be trading in table side service for ordering at the cash register and choosing a spot from the indoor/outdoor communal seating areas, you are not giving up on quality or flavor! Every and any hand roll option you choose is going to leave you feeling satisfied. 2-3 rolls is the perfect order size for most, for which I highly recommend the ebi roll (so perfectly crisp and always a nice size shrimp!), the marfa, fatty salmon, and spicy tuna. read more

A new date and I met here for some rolls. We both are gluten free. I am also dairy free. This place is very accommodating and helpful for those dietary needs. I got three rolls to include beef, tuna, and salmon. I loved the fish ones and the beef one was just okay. Plenty of seating in the common area and some seating in the restaurant. They have alcohol to include red wine in a can. It's infinite monkey theorem wine which is my favorite. Overall good eats read more

Dropped in for a a quick lunch bite and got a few handrolls. They're definitely a good size (not skimpy). Got the salmon skin, hama toro and the Ahi tataki. All of them were pretty tasty with crisp nori if you eat them fast enough. Order was pretty quick to complete. If you get water, you'll need to walk around the corner to the public fountain - but it's the filtered water (you can even fill up a water bottle if you bring one). To note - the Omakase they used to do has moved to the space right next door and renamed Tonari. read more

Uroko - Temaki! - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

This restaurant nails both taste and efficiency. Ordering online via Toast was smooth. The hand rolls are simply fantastic with fresh fish and delightful flavors. Highly recommend the chef speciality options! read more

Uroko - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place is exactly what we desperately needed. I'm hesitant to even share this place because it's a small operation and I don't want it to become too crowded or for the prices to increase... This was the best hand-roll I've had in Austin and the price point was fantastic. I enjoyed two rolls: the house cured saba (with shizo!) and the maguro. Both were succulent AF but the saba stole the show as the best handroll I've had in the region hands down. I'm not exaggerating when I say: it may be the best handroll I've had in the United States. read more

i love this place, and i wish i lived closer. Uroko is tucked inside the Springdale General collaborative along with some other small eateries and shops. It's mostly geared towards to-go but it does have a seating area that is shared with its neighbors, and i often see people studying/working here on their laptops...since it's usually pretty quiet here. Uroko specializes in temaki (aka hand rolls), and boy do they make some amazing ones! We got the sake toro (fatty salmon), bluefin tuna taku, hama toro (fatty hamachi (yellowtail)), and a special of the day the kauai which had yellowtail, amberjack, and tobiko (if i remember correctly..!). They were all super fresh and delicious and paired very well with the additional toppings inside. i want to give a shoutout to the kauai special--it was so good with cucumber, shiso (perilla), and carrot and also shoutout as well to the crispy quinoa in my hama toro temaki. The chef really knows how to work magic with the textures and the cronch of all the fresh ingredients! Aside from temaki, we also ordered the veggie croquette and the matcha latte slushy. The slushy was tasty and not overly sweet...but it was a little difficult to drink from a regular sized straw lol. Croquette was small but perfect, they gave us some tonkatsu sauce to pair with it, but it was flavorful enough without. The one thing that would have been nice would be to offer non-packaged sauce, ginger, and wasabi for dine-in. They only had the to-go packets when i went. Some fresh wasabi would have paired so well with the temaki! read more

Uroko - Croquette, Matcha Latte Slushy Temaki (left to right): kauai, hama toro, bluefin tuna taku, sake toro - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Came here on a Saturday late afternoon and it the area was pretty empty. I ordered the sake Toro (fatty salmon) and the spicy tuna. It was delicious and flavorful. I personally love Wasabi, so I added a bit of Wasabi and it was perfection. I think two hand rolls was perfect for me today, but could maybe go for 3 if I'm really hungry. read more

Uroko - Sake Toro and spicy tuna - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing Omakase experience. 10/10 would recommend it. The sushi chef was very friendly and answered all the questions I had. As for the sushi, wow, I am truly speechless. Each piece of the 12-course meal was unique, full of flavor, and highlighted the freshness of all the ingredients used. This experience is 100% worth it and a steal at this price point! They also have delicious handrolls during the day! read more

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Great spot for simple, fresh, hand-made temaki handrolls. The service is quick and the ingredients are high quality. Worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

Uroko - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Fresh, delicious and light. Perfect midday lunch. There was a bit of a wait but it was no issue knowing they're making everything on the spot. Similar flavor profiles with the perfect amount of differences. This is the next level of food court options. I haven't tried the omakase option but would love to go back and try it! And I will, of course, come back to indulge in more hand rolls! read more

Uroko - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I read about this place in Mpact magazine. I've never been to an Omakase experience. It was amazing! 6 people at a bar watching the sushi Chef CREATE delicate, beautiful and amazing delicious bites to enjoy. Lots of flavors and textures to explore. The setting is also beautiful in every way. read more

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Delicious sushi hand rolls that are tasty and fresh. Uroko doesn't make you wait very long after you order, prepping orders quite fast. The staff is courteous and the menu has many options, including vegetarian options. The location in East Austin, near a good coffee shop, tea shop, apartment buildings and offices, is also well chosen. The only downside is the portion size. These rolls are quite small. Perhaps it is traditional. But Americans tend to have big appetites, so I can't imagine someone being satisfied eating less than two or three rolls in one sitting. And that means a large bill, making this a financially unsound option if someone is looking for bulk. So I'd recommend Uroko as a light lunch or a snack. It's not a place to visit if you're hoping to feel full. Great to lose weight or maintain a thin figure. read more

Some of the best sushi to go on the East Side with reasonable prices and excellent quality fish. The make your own roll kit is the way to go and perfect for a hungry mom and adventurous kid to split. There's so many amazing sushi places in Austin, but in the last year or two many have gone back to dine in only. Not Uroko. They are my go-to too exhausted to cook, treating myself dinner in front of the TV. read more

This review is for the AYCE. I love Uroko's hand rolls and their omakase when I can snag a slot. But you can't miss out on their all you can eat sessions. It was created as a way to thank their regular customers but was so popular they bring it back monthly I think. So many fun options and it's easy to get carried away because so many different pieces. Their soup of the day is always delicious and my favorite pieces are the oysters and the uni pieces. read more

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Omakase? 45 minutes? High quality and fun?! I'm in! I heard about this spot after hearing a combination of those magical words and Uroko delivers. So if you're in for a high quality food experience with an intimate vibe with a friend and a few strangers, look no further Atmosphere: Charming small Japanese theme, the closing of the curtain really helps the escapism of the place, complete with soothing music. In a way feels like an escape from Austin. Food: Chef Také really takes the cake on this one. Even though this all happens within 45 minutes, all the dishes are given their time to shine with no feelings of being rushed. Také goes through what he is giving as well as his ideas and inspirations on why he made the dish. They're all notable, but as far as a star standout I'd have to say the Wagyu. Melts like butttter. Service: Owner/chefs Masa and Také are such a delight to have along the experience. They make sure everyone is served well and attended to in an orderly manner without having to be too overbearing for the experience. The only thing I would note to say is that your party MUST have at least 2 people, so unfortunately if things happen and one if your party isn't able to make it there is not really any alleviations, also makes it an experience you can't just pick and go solo for. Certainly not a detrimental factor given the experience and uniqueness of this spot. Easily I would recommend this to a friend to go again. read more

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Urology is located in the unique Springdale General development in east Austin and is a fun little quick bites sushi hand roll joint located within the "food hall" at the front of the development and paired alongside the Front Page bar and Medici Coffee. Urokos options are all masterfully crafted and what id consider some of the best sushi you can find in Austin. There are very few hand roll (Temaki) focused places in Austin and Uroko provides an opportunity to try over a dozen options ranging from staple basics that feel like your california roll (krab, avocado, cucumber), strong fatty fish cuts (toro), and creative experimentations (yuzu with quinoa, crawfish tail). Every roll I've tried has always been phenomenal and the quality of ingredients is top notch. Expect 2 rolls to be OK for a light meal or 3 rolls for more of a standard dinner meal portion. They also have omakase and take home offerings available that I have not tried but heard good things about. Hope to try them soon and expect great things given the quality of their Temaki. read more

Great sushi rolls. A bit light on fish, but priced appropriately. For dinner, I'd recommend getting two. However, the seasoning on the pure rice part of the rolls is outstanding, and is what really differentiates this spot. read more

Connected to Uroko is Tonari--the space for Omakase. Omakase with Chefs Masa and Take is the most artful, compelling food experience you can have in East Austin. This is so far beyond just having a great meal out. With only a handful of seats allowed at any time, you are talked through each course by the chefs who make it right in front of you. Each time you attend an Omakase at Uroko the menu is completely different, which is why we go about once a month or so. Chef Masa, who was with Uchi for over 15 years, designs each course and creates them one at a time across the counter from you while you eat. He will tell you what the fish is and which market in the world it came from that morning. He will answer questions about the food, the process, even his chef experience. Reservations open a month in advance on the Tock site and are made with a deposit that is applied to the final cost, which is $84--This also happens to be the most affordable Omakase in Austin. Elsewhere in Austin I've paid over $300 for an un-individualized experience. They just can't capture what Chefs Masa and Take can. For another $48, you can have the sake pairing--5 of the best sakes you can have. Each sake in the flight comes with a name and description. Chef Take will talk you through the sakes and answer any questions. Parking is plentiful and free because it's evening at Springdale Station. The local shops have closed leaving the parking open for the few businesses that serve into the night. They also offer classes in niche design topics and sushi making that can be booked in the Experiences section of Tock. read more

Review is from February 2023. We had managed to snag a reservation at TONARII, which is Uroko's Omakase place next door. Chef Masa was honest, skilled, and very funny (had previously been a chef in Japan, then Uchi, then created Uroko). We had an excellent time, and the ambiance was superb. It is clear that the establishment's owners are very passionate about sushi and spend a good amount of time on education as well. The studio doubles as a classroom for making sushi on the weekdays apparently. Fish was very fresh, tasty, and creatively presented- there were even some nice surprises that I won't spoil for you here. Even the water was charcoal water, and somehow tasted better than normal water?? (The photos will spoil your experience though, so be careful if you don't want to know!~) Excellent value omakase and great quality experience. Go if you're in Austin and you want a legit Omakase experience! read more

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I love this restaurant! They have the best hand rolls I have ever had. Friendly staff, lots of outdoor seating and usually very easy to find parking. This is a regular stop for me! Thank you! read more

If you want a high-quality, aesthetic sushi course experience. Please come here. No, wait, don't come here since I don't wanna compete with my reservation whereas already so many competitors! Jk. Overall, it was most wonderful meal course that lasted 45 minutes. My parent and her brother and I all enjoyed it so much. The chef, the manager, both were high-end service provider. Throughout the whole time, they treated customer very respected, relaxed and calm; makes whole experience a jewel. Loved the design of whole room, the background music was promptly at a good level of ambience, the classic music choice was just perfectly creating a peaceful, enjoyable atmosphere. We shared out conversation at a low volume, we could still hear each other ver well and clear. The sushi... omg.. I can't really describe the beautifulness in a text, so please let yourself give a gift, try their food, the excellent service, just.. have a beautiful time at here. I thought 45 min was quite a short time for having a 12-meal course but sushi chef from this place knows what they do. They both are 25-yrs of experienced chefs so they know what to do for sure. Love their own recipe, I can say it for sure this was a high-quality sushi I ever had which I cannot find a comparison rival to this place. I love sushi, love Japanese food, food in general is a big part of my life. So I have a long history of visiting many kinds of Japanese restaurants, sushi places from all over US, this marks the very top rank. The dessert they served at the end was beautiful as well. Just a pure perfection. Thank you for letting my family and I have a best moment for this year. I would definitely bring many people that I love to gift them a special time which I had from here and definitely share it with them. read more

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Came here for the 45 minute omakase and due to getting stuck on the other side of the pride parade, was going to be 20 or so minutes late. But we called the restaurant and they said they would catch us up, which was greatly appreciated. 45 minutes honestly would've been perfect for this sort of omakase, they told us we didn't have to rush but we felt embarrassed that we might be messing up the experience for the chef, so we did eat pretty quickly. That being said, I was also very hungry so it worked out well. This is my kind of omakase, private with only 6 seats, mainly nigiri with a few exceptions. I didn't take a picture of everything and I honestly can't remember what each piece was but the whole experience was delicious and intimate. The chefs made everything right in front of us, and explained to us what everything was. I would 1000% come here again for the omakase - hopefully show up on time next time though. read more

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What a great starter omakase experience! 12 courses, 45 minutes, 6 people, 1 chef. I enjoyed the fusion and fun culinary techniques used by the chef - smoking the fish with Texan woods, flavors infused in foam, bbq sauce with the wagyu. You can see the passion and love in the food :) We had a lovely sake pairing too - highly recommend. Highly recommend especially if you haven't had omakase before and see if it's something you enjoy before spending the big bucks on something fancier. read more

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Kind staff and clean space- prices were reasonable and the food was great- thank you for having vegetarian options :)

Our new favorite sushi place in Austin. The quality of fish is exceptional. We had the Omakase and it was phenomenal. We'll be back for sure. They have a small restaurant next to the omakase restaurant. We'll definitely be stopping by for sushi. read more

Consistently amazing. I'm fully dependent on these hand rolls. I get two and a miso soup after class and it's always perfect

Uroko is a really great spot if you are looking for handrolls with fresh ingredients. The handrolls range from $6.50 for basic rolls to $9 for the specialty ones. I got the Spicy Tuna, Hama Toro, and the specialty one with uni! All were really good but my favorite was probably the Hama Toro because of the texture from the crispy quinoa. There was plenty of parking around the building but I will say the ambiance was pretty sad because there were maybe 4 other groups in the entire food court area. At least there was plenty of seating! They have cups for water but you have to fill it yourself at the water fountain all the way in the back of the building. read more

Uroko - a person holding a piece of food in their hand - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Chef Také serves up a delightful 45-minute omakase experience with 12 delicious pieces (which is surprisingly filling)! Each piece has a very distinctive flavor, and he does a great job of bringing out the best of the fish without relying too heavily on sauces to create taste -- I also appreciated that the amount of wasabi used wasn't noticeable/overwhelming at all. The best piece was definitely the salmon, for the melt-in-mouth texture alone. Easily the most delicious salmon I've ever eaten. Other standouts included the piece that was smoked in front of us (hamachi?), the fourth piece which had a citrusy sauce which was very appetizing, and the piece with truffle foam. While some of the crowd-pleasers (uni/scallop piece, wagyu/foie gras piece) were still delicious, I actually felt that the other pieces better showcased Také's skill at pairing flavors with the fish -- for example, the very first piece, which featured yuzu bubbles, seemed pretty typical initially but we found that it had a delicious and impressively long-lasting aftertaste. Thoughtful cooking at a cozy 6-person table with attentive service. At about $100pp, it costs a pretty penny, but it's more reasonable than many other omakase experiences. Dined: November 26, 2022 read more

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I had come back from Houston and had Handies Duozo and that was delicious. Unfortunately, Uroko doesn't quite meet my standards. The rice was ok, the fish portion was small and it was basic with no hidden flavors with each bite. The staff were really nice and there was a nice collection of sake, they listed the price so it was helpful to pick one based on how much you want to spend. It's a quaint little place with plenty of spaces and there are other shops and restaurants in the area. They also collaborate and always have events going on - so def check it out! read more

45 minutes of omakase nigiri heaven. Chef and sous chef are punctual and have everything prepped for the session. We were lucky enough to sit at the counter right in front of the Chef as he prepped every nigiri. Overall, service was on point. Food was scrumptious! Nonstop mouth flavor explosions. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a very intimate, omakase experience. read more

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If you want to authentic Japanese sushi, this is definitely a place to go! Their ingredients are always super fresh, seaweed wraps are flavorful, and rice is perfectly on point. Their regular temaki (hand-rolled) sushi is absolutely delicious. But if you are looking for another level of sushi experience, try OMAKASE. I have tried OMAKASE twice. Both experiences were phenomenal! There are only six seats at the counter table and the service is for 45 minutes. We got total 12 freshly created nigiri in front of us. Each nigiri was very creative and beautiful. I was entertained with the chef's amazing art work. It was fun to watch the process how each piece was made. The chef was very experienced and definitely knew what he was doing. Of course, the sushi tasted sooooo good!!!! The perfection! Moreover, the atmosphere was nice and cozy. The chef and his assistant were very friendly and accommodating. I also loved their draft beer and sake. Next time I would love to try their OMAKASE All-You-Can-Eat! read more

My favorite place for hand rolls in the ATX. These hand rolls run between $5-8 each. The basic hand rolls are around 5.25 with vegetables and 6.50 with fish. The more fancier ones with fattier cuts of fish are 7.50. When I was there they had a special with uni which I gladly ordered. Love uni. The sushi rice is just perfect and it was lightly seasoned and had the right texture and temperature. I normally get about 3 rolls if I'm hungry. 1-2 is enough for a snack or light lunch. Ordering was quick and it didn't take too long to pick up my order. There's plenty of shared seating in the food court of Springdale general. I suggest coming in person as using the delivery apps adds 1-2$ per hand roll. read more

Uroko - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Temaki or handrolls are a subset of the sushi universe. Pretty much any kind of sushi roll can be made temaki style; imagine an ice cream cone made from nori (dried seaweed) and filled with rice and other goodies and you'll have the idea. These encourage you to pick them with your hands and eat them as you would other finger foods. Uroko is located in the Springdale General creative community mall off of Springdale Road in east Austin. The temaki at Uroko are outstanding. You can get them with maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), or any number of other proteins or veggie temaki. My personal favorite is the zarigani, a creamy and spicy crawfish salad handroll. A couple of temaki make a good meal and there are also side dishes such as miso soup, and shumai, a Japanese-style steamed dumpling. They even have what I'd call peasant food, their vegetable croquette. Mom used to make these at home when we had leftover mashed potatoes and she'd mix them up with kernel sweet corn and bread and fry them. I like Uroko's version, nicely fried and tender to the palette. Service here is friendly and fast and a nice choice for a quick lunch meal. This joint is just another great example of authentic Japanese cuisine served unpretentiously. Chef Masa came to Austin from Japan about twenty years ago, originally as a chef at Uchi and is now serving up great food with his culinary partner Take in their own cool restaurant. Uroko's primary offering is temaki but they also serve omakase next door at Tonari (which, cleverly, means "next door" in Japanese LOL) on the weekends. You'll have to make a reservation for the omakase experience and those slots appear to fill up quickly. Can't wait to try it. This place is recommended. read more

Perfect lunch spot! Spacious area with multiple choices of food. I ordered three hand rolls and they are delicious. I got toro, bluefin tuna and eel with cream cheese. All of them are so delicious and fresh. I love how much wasabi they put in the hand roll and it's so refreshing. I was told they have omakase at night, will definitely try it out next time. Everything in this store is just sooooo cute! read more

This meal was definitely something different. Not sushi but not...not sushi. I don't know what you call this to be honest but the flavors were there and the drink was bomb. A little pricey though so it will probably just be a once in a while thing for me read more

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The $120 (previously $95) DIY temaki kit is (still!) where it's at! I've ordered it 3 times so far and found it to feed 4-5 eaters comfortably. You must order at least 1 day in advance through their website. It's packed up with everything you need including a step-by-step printed guide, home brewed soy sauce, wasabi and ginger packets, and chopsticks. Very picnickable! The handrolls they sell are just as great, ranging from $5-8 each. The downside of buying them premade is that the seaweed loses its crisp. It's in a great location within Springdale General with plenty of outdoor and indoor seating options. read more