Uchi Austin — Restaurant in Austin

I am not the type to leave reviews, but as a first time patron of Uchi and one of my first time experiencing fine dining I had to comment. First, on the drive to the restaurant, I began having a horrible nosebleed that did not stop until I parked in the restaurant lot and sat there for ten to fifteen minutes. I understand that the restaurants policy with reservations is to wait until the entire party is there, so my friend entered (which it also happened to be her birthday) and informed the host stand of the situation. The host stand would not seat my friend which I understand, but then mentioned that the table wasn’t even ready, so that set the tone for the night.

Once we were seated, our waiter stopped by and introduced themselves, and asked if we had dined there before. My friend said yes but I said no. I work in the service industry too, but the waiter did not seem like he wanted to be there or explain parts of the menu. We ordered drinks and he left. It is also important to mention that our reservation was for 9:45pm and the restaurant closes at 11:00pm. Throughout the whole evening it just felt like we were getting rushed out. I understand the frustration of having customers stay later than intended, but the restaurant should probably just not seat customers after a certain time to prevent this (apparently the latest reservation was at 10:30pm).

The waiter returned with our drinks and I mentioned that I do not eat raw fish or meat, I asked what would be a safe option on the menu. The waiter honestly just seemed annoyed to have to explain the menu, but did so and then asked for our order. I will say that from what I ate, it was incredible but however between the amount, price, and service it was not worth it. I mentioned to the waiter that I would not be able to eat raw foods, and my friend and I both did a version of the Omasake. My friend paid close to 150$ for over 8+ dishes and a drink, while I paid $100 for 3 or 4 items and a drink. While I understand this is fine dining and the portions are going to be smaller, it just felt very underwhelming considering the amount I paid. I would like to shout out that our food runner was AMAZING, they gave amazing explanations of the food and best ways to eat it, and answered by questions without making me feel dumb.

As I mentioned previously, it was my friend’s birthday and she had mentioned it to the waiter. We had already paid the bill and were getting ready to leave when our waiter suddenly rushed over and told us to hang back. They then brought out a tapioca like dessert for my friend’s birthday. The dessert itself was very bland and boring (but free so I can’t complain) but my friend got the feeling that this was an after thought on our servers part, as she mentioned to the host and to the waiter earlier in our meal that it was her birthday. Additionally, the bill was brought out to us, not split, which I understand but before we could ask the waiter for help discerning, what items or on the receipt they were gone.

Overall, from what little I was able to eat it was delicious, the walu walu in particular. However, the service was just subpar given the cost of the meal. I understand we all have bad days, but I went to chilis the next day with my friend and we honestly got better service from our server for a tenth...

WORLD CLASS! Very few opportunities to witness a culinary experience like this, and the best one to date. Everything from walking in the door, until i left was top notch. I will never forget the food here, and more importantly, i’ll never forget how the dining experience here made me feel. Coming from Manhattan with a first class sushi scene.

Food: 10/10 We ordered the 10 round chefs tasting menu which is their version of Omakase. I’ll add that you this is a menu for two people so it comes out to about $100/person. The food was incredible. Everything was so thought out, unique, and well designed. Every round offered a new set of unusual ingredients to deliver a myriad of different flavors. My guest and I found us discussing to great lengths each dish and how it made us feel. While there was one or two dishes I wasn’t a fan of flavor wise, everything was an absolute treat to try. The food here offers a unique take on traditional sushi, but not in the sense that steps on or tries to revamp the traditional japanese sushi culture. The fish was fresh, uni was fantastic, the bbq eel was some of the best i’ve had, the dessert sushi was phenomenal.. the list goes on. Bluefin was up to par. While i will say you aren’t going to get the freshest fish in the states as you might find in world class restaurants in SF and NYC, their use of quality ingredients delivers a punch to the mouth you’ll remember forever. Menu: 5/5 The menu is huge! There are still so many things i’d want to go back and try since I was left so darn impressed with the chefs tasting menu. They made dishes that didn’t seem appealing to me, taste fantastic. That alone opens the rest of the menu up for my desires! Service: 5/5 Impeccable, world class, efficient, professional. Amber was our server and she did a fantastic job making us feel at home. The food runners which may or may not be other servers were also world class. Something you don’t see even at fine dining restaurants from their top servers. The way they present the food, engage with their guests adds to the memorable experience. While we didn’t have any special requests, they made it overtly clear that they were willing to accommodate us in any way possible. Value: 5/5 $100 for a 10 round Omakase in Austin might sound on par, but this wasn’t any ordinary one. The portions on half the dishes were that off maybe Omakase rounds at other restaurants. Not to mention we got a dessert wine with our dessert! Some rounds were 6+ pieces of sashimi! Not to mention their happy hour offers VERY affordable classic menu items including alcohol! I would consider myself a heavier eater, and one hand roll for an appetizer + the chefs tasting menu left me feeling happy and full. Experience: 5/5 No words for this, all the other categories would supplement any lack of experience this place could have. The valet drivers were awesome. The outdoor dining spaces were cool. The bathrooms were.. great haha. This place is good enough for just the experience alone, as it would be good enough for the food alone. Having this powerful combination has led me speechless at times while trying to describe this establishment.

Will be back, no doubt about it! Austin...

Had the privilege of dining at Uchi Austin on the weekend and it was outstanding! From the moment I spoke with Melissa on the reservation line, I knew it was going to be an enjoyable dining experience. She took down our preferences and when I asked for the must haves, she made a few recommendations (which couldn't have been easy, because everything is a must have!), and made notes on our reservation so we didn't need to remember them. She had us covered! We wanted to be seated at the sushi bar, and even though they didn't have anything available at the time of booking, when we arrived, we were delighted to know that two spots had opened up. We were greeted by friendly and gracious hostesses.

Once seated, we were introduced to our sushi chef, Sebastian, who already knew our preferences and he took it from there. Delectable plates started showing up for us, and each item was as satisfying and delicious as the last. He kept them coming until we had to call it, and he served an amazing, one more, on the house. Dave was our beverage server who helped us select the perfect sake, to pair with our perfectly chilled Asahi. He was personable and friendly and fun! Hannah also graced our corner of the sushi bar and she was lovely as well.

During the meal, which was in a relaxed and warm atmosphere, the owner and founder of Uchi, Tyson, and his wife, Yvette and family, entered the restaurant, to a welcoming shout by the sushi chefs.

We had the opportunity to meet Tyson and family, and took a moment to thank him for cultivating the kind of environment, with the menu, quality food, staffing, training, and everything that goes into creating a fabulous and memorable dining experience. We had an enjoyable visit with them and from that few moments we could see why the restaurant and staff emanate such a welcoming and warm environment.

Even though it was our first time there, we felt as though we were coming back to a familiar haunt, with people that truly cared about us and our dining pleasure. Would give them 6 out of 5 stars, and would recommend making a reservation well in advance (like we happened to do). We were informed that they have many locations around the country and understand that they all keep to the same high standard as Uchi Austin.

Thank you, Tyson, for creating and implementing such a first class culinary experience for your guests!! (Sorry, no photos to accompany this review. We were too busy devouring our meal) NOTE: We did not use (and absolutely did not require) any wasabi or soy sauce. The flavors of the plates served were perfect...