Hidden Omakase — Restaurant in Houston

Took my husband here for his birthday with very high expectations and I'm sad to say we were truly disappointed.

This was by no means worth the $400 price point.

We started about 30 minutes late. The food was good. Nothing terribly wrong, but nothing terribly right, which for a place that refers to itself as an omakase—where the experience should be intimate, personalized, attentive, and thoughtful—was very much a miss. The first half of the menu was marked by very small (I get it's a tasting, but this was another level) non-traditional sushi and plates with a lot of pickled fish, torching, and garlic. Good? Sure.

The best dishes were the wagyu and the duck which were delicious, but cold (I don't think intentionally, but I let it pass as they were also served sushi style). My uni pasta at the end however was not hot, not even warm, but quite literally COLD. Why am I paying to eat cold pasta? At that moment I felt really let down. It's truly disheartening to drop $400 on something that feels so far from the "exclusive" elevated experience you think you are receiving.

And why cold? The explanation is right in front of you. They prepare most of it in front of you in an open kitchen, bringing out the just-cooked beef or just-boiled pasta to plate up and serve to you. The problem is they prepare all 20 first before serving it and then explain the dish to you, which although appreciated, only adds more time in which the item is getting cold before your eyes. (It didn't help that the room itself was very cold too.)

After the dinner service, anyone who had ordered anything extra "a la carte" was served first while the rest of us waited 30+ minutes to get our dessert.

The dessert at the end was kakigori (shaved ice with a scoop of ice cream at the bottom), again, "good", but so incredibly underwhelming for this price point. As it was my husband's birthday, the chef came around to offer us a second dessert, I thought "wow this is so nice!" but it turns out they had two extra of the same shaved ice (a couple of people had left early) and wanted to give it to us. We politely declined.

All in all, we were quite disappointed. I have lived in NYC and LA, travelled all over, and had the privilege of trying many tasting menus, Michelin-rated restaurants, etc...all this to say that I don't mind and rather enjoy spending my hard-earned money to celebrate milestones, eat well, and have a good time. This unfortunately was not that. And for what people are paying, it should be a lot more. I hope they will continue learning and improving for their customers — I do think there is talent and potential there, but it didn't feel like it was...

I went to Sushi by Hidden a few months ago and had an unforgettable experience there. When I got my bonus and felt like a big spender I decided to splurge on the $175/person meal at Hidden. Everyone there is so nice! I saw they had last minute cancellations, so I sent a DM on instagram and asked for a seat. They responded quickly and I was in the restaurant ready to eat two hours later. I went alone, but there was no shortage of conversation and laughter.

The service is amazing. There were two people who came to check on me for water or just to see how I was enjoying myself. I didn’t bring any alcohol, so they served me free sake. Chef Marcos is very funny and personable, and you can tell he really enjoys what he does by how he explains what he’s making and his techniques. Chef Niki was also very attentive; she came by several times to ask how things tasted and give more details about the dish. I think she takes pride in seeing people enjoy her dishes, and everything she serves is perfect!

I was seated next to another guy who came alone and a couple who was there for a birthday. It was really fun to start conversation over the food, and some of us even did the “okay we all eat it at the same time on 3” for the items that were a little strange to us.

With tip and taxes, my total came out to $220. Would I justify spending that much on just myself anywhere else? No. Am I gonna be here the next time I get my...

Good Food, But Lacks the 'Wow' Factor for the Price We tried the omakase ($225/pp) and had an enjoyable meal, but it's one I'd recommend with a few caveats. The bottom line is that while the food is good, the overall experience doesn't quite align with the premium price tag. What We Liked: -Solid Food Quality: The fish was fresh, and most of the 15 courses were skillfully prepared and tasty. -Variety: The 15-course format provided a nice range of flavors and ingredients throughout the meal. -Fish show and tell. Where There's Room for Improvement: The Price-to-Value Mismatch: This is the main issue. At $225, you expect a truly exceptional and memorable meal. This felt more like a "very good" dinner that was priced as a "spectacular" one.

Dish Consistency: While most dishes were good, a few didn't quite land. A brioche course had too much butter, and the final soba dish didn't feel like a nice final dish.

Pacing & Ambiance: The service dragged near the end as a la carte orders seemed to take priority, and the lack of a cocktail menu felt like a missed opportunity to elevate the experience.

Final Thoughts: If you're looking for a good, high-quality sushi meal, you will likely enjoy the food here. However, if you're seeking that immersive, educational, and unforgettable omakase experience where every detail feels curated and special, you might find that this doesn't quite hit the mark for the...