Overall very bland and not much going on in terms of food, especially for the price. There's a lot of sushi options in Houston so you have to be very competitive with what you serve. We were not impressed by the omakase or items we ordered a là carte. The interiors and service are nice, we just wish the food mirrored that. read more

added some more pics! I love aiko and always love everything that I order. always delicious, amazing service and cozy ambiance. read more

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Little last minute dinner planned with some friends and definitely did not disappoint! Donald was our server and had great energy to be around. read more

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The ambiance was just right for the tornado that blew in downtown this May. My boyfriend and I celebrated our anniversary and it couldn't have been a better experience. The service was great, as we were trapped in the restaurant during the storm, they were very accommodating and gave us some free nigiri. Sushi was bomb, blue fin tuna crudo is a must. read more

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Aiko is associated with the Hando's franchise so if you've ever tried Hando you know to expect fresh AF cuts of fish. This does not disappoint. The great part is they have variable prize Omakase to fit your budget and your appetite. The service is really great (helpful and have solid recs), nigiri is really good, and ambiance is great for a nice date night. Not a place I would go on a super regular basis for sushi (it's not super filling) but good for an occasional elevated sushi experience. read more

Service was great. I enjoyed the omakase offerings and the multiple price tiers. However, the food didn't wow me, it wouldn't be my top choice. read more

Aiko - Oyster shooters - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Was excited to finally get to try this place but left a bit disappointment. The one piece I really only liked was the foie gras bc you can't ever go wrong with foie! Do not get the miso duck nigiri. It was extremely dry and tough to chew luckily our waiter didn't charge us for it. My friend had the wagyu as well but she said it was ok since it was also a bit tough to chew. The hamachi crudo had good flavor with the tom kha sauce but was missing a tad bit of salt. Also make sure you double check your receipt. We were accidentally charged for a bottle of sake that I noticed after we paid so had to get our waiter to do a refund for us. read more

We came for HH but ended up ordering everything other than our Kirin Light from the original menu. The nigiri and hand rolls were great! I will say the hand rolls were really similar to Handies Douzo, almost too similar... -Nigiri: Sametoro Aburi, Engawa, Kanpachi, Hirami, Chutoro, A5 Wagyu, Chutoro -Rolls: BGB Salmon, Spicy Tuna read more

Aiko is the spot for that special date night or just to catch up with friends over drinks! Ambience is very modern, trendy, and comfortable, hallway to bathroom was like walking through a bamboo forest. The service was good and attentive. Parking was easy, they have complimentary valet in the side parking lot (just bring cash for tip). The food was delicious! My favorites were the Saketoro Aburi (seared salmon belly), Kani Handroll, Kinoko (king trumpet mushroom), and A5 Wagyu Tartare- all 10/10! My friends also loved the Spicy Tuna Handroll and the Foie Gras. I normally don't prefer raw seafood (nigiri/sashimi), but Aiko for sure changed my perception of it. Glad I was able to try new, surprising things and enjoy it all! Make sure to order some sake too, you'll definitely have an impressive, wonderful dinner here! read more

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I was so excited to dine here on Sunday night, but unfortunately the service and almost everything else fell short. We arrived for our 7:00pm reservation and were not sat until 7:25pm. From there, the disappointment only grew. We sat at the table for almost 20 minutes before being greeted by our server. We ordered everything at once and it still took over TWO HOURS for everything to arrive. There were four of us and at no point did our handrolls or nigiri arrive at the same time. In fact, one of us received and ate four handrolls and two pieces of nigiri before the other two at the table got their first roll. Nothing was timed properly and, in my opinion, was not worth the wait. Our waiter did not come to check on our table once since he came to take the order. When we told him how disappointed we were at the end, he did not apologize or offer any remedy whatsoever. I hope they can work out these issues, but in the meantime will just go to Handies instead. The menu is almost the same. read more

Aiko - Salmon crudo - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is Bomb dot com. Heard of this place from Handies Duozo a while back. This was first saturday it was open. And let me tell you - the food is on point !!!!! Unbelievable nigiri. We ordered the omakese for $55 - came with a crudo, edamame, and several nigiri pieces ( forgot number) and hand roll. We LOVED the madai, engawa, and trumpet mushroom. Each piece was buttery and perfect. Melted in our mouth. Just every item was exquisite. Price is reasonable. We will be back very soon ! Very highly recommend. The vibe is so cool inside and path to bathrooms is incredible! Service was fantastic toO!! read more

Aiko - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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---Dearest Reader, A-last, your culinary narrator has returned. It has been a long (but not perilous) journey. My latest destination AIKO "eye-ko" (for proper pronunciation). Opening Night (5/3): -Service: Considering the place was packed, it was above exceptional -Fish: honestly an 11/10, yea, that good. The Omakase thoroughly impressed me. (Which is hard to do - @Uchi still has a hard time getting the job done). The nigiri was hands down the best I have had in the last 2 years. Every piece was buttery, sweet, salty and savory - everything you wish for from a flavor standpoint. ---until next time, I'll be back. read more

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Hi Houston, I recently went to Aiko, a new sushi place in Washington avenue. It is the child of Kokoro and Handies. Their fish was fresh and you're actually able to see how the chefs prepare the sushi. Their yellowtail is from Hokkaido and ugh you can taste the freshness. My favorites were the A5 wagyu tartare & foie gras. I will definitely be going back just for those two. Ambiance 8/10 Service 10/10 Food 8.5/10 Price 6/10 read more

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The food here is fantastic priced well for what you get in the omakase - it should have a 5 star rating! The nigiri pieces and the hand rolls are all melt in your mouth delicious. It's our new fave! Ambiance is kind of casual but the food is definitely very gourmet - on par with Kata Robata, MF Sushi etc but with a better price tag. read more

Best sushi experience in Houston! Everything I ate was fresh and AMAZING! Do yourself a favor and make reservations to Aiko right now! Pro tip: sit at the sushi bar! Love Chef Patrick Pham and will forever support him and all of his restaurants! read more

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The ambience in this spot is very nice, the service was on point and if you're into traditional sushi. I would recommend going here, but if you are new to sushi in general the menu can come off confusing. read more

The nigiri here are so good! Fresh and yummy. Go during happy hour and get the omakase set. I didn't get to take a picture of my omakase because my mouth was faster than my phone... Definitely will come back and take a picture next time. To be full: $90/person read more

Aiko - Yellowtail handroll - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Aiko was only a bit confusing to find, but just know it is right next to Taco Deli. The place is very cute and extremely similar to Handies Douzo, but it's much more accommodating for groups :) I took someone here that is extremely picky about raw fish and wasn't fully sold on trying the restaurant because of that. I assured them that everything they'll eat here will not have that issue at all, and I was right! Aiko nailed it, as does Handies Douzo. Our absolute favorite is the Spicy Tuna hand roll. The flavor combinations are just exquisite. Simple, yet profound. Our other hand rolls which were also excellent include the following: Yellowtail, Avocado (they have this at Handies Douzo but not on the menu at Aiko, but they were able to make it for us! So good) Crab, Salmon For Nigiris, we got Salmon, Yellowtail, Tuna, and Mushroom (all amazing, especially the mushroom! If you go to Uchi and order the mushroom nigiri, you will love this too!) We also got a couple of apps like the Oyster Shooter and edamame. Edamame was great, but the oyster shooter was a bit too gulf tasting for my liking. That's my only complaint, otherwise everything was outstanding! Finally, an interesting selection was the Matcha Beer. It's even green, and really has a great flavor that compliments the meal. Thanks for a great experience, Aiko, will definitely be coming back :) read more

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Decent sushi spot, had better at a lower price point and then I had better at a higher price point. I'm just not sure where they stand in the sushi market. Omakase HH - small pieces, good taste. The fish was sliced fairly thin. Hand rolls were good! HH raw bar - Oysters - skip. It was missing acid taste Wagyu tartare - the seasoning overwhelmed the beef flavor. Scallops - super super thin but good flavor Yellowtail roll - overly smoked and couldn't taste the yellowtail. Spicy tuna roll - tasted sooooo good, the highlight of the evening. Overall - 3.5 stars but rounded up cuz the service was great! I feel like there are other sushi joints I would pick over this and very willing to pay for it too. read more

Treat yourself to a lux omakase experience for only $45 during happy hour everyday 5p - 6:30p at Aiko in the Heights! Sit at the sushi bar and witness the artistry firsthand as the chefs craft each bite of deliciousness. ‍ Bonus points: $10 lychee martinis (because a lil liquor makes everything better) Friendly & attentive service (you'll feel like you're private dining) Fresh, mouthwatering sushi (truly chef's kiss) read more

Fresh and tasty sushi. The salmon roll was excellent. Service was good. Cozy place. Will come back.

I couldn't wait to try this place!! Even though they are brand new, they have a good thing going! I went two nights in a row (GNO and date night with the hubs)!! The fish is delish!! So beautifully presented and well done! Words don't do this place justice! Thé Omakase options are great and informal compared to others I've been to (Mako in Chi-town) as well!! Get your reservations fast! Arron D was our waiter and did a spectacular job presenting each dish!! He was so knowledgeable and very personable as well. read more

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Delicious and fresh! I really enjoyed it. The hamachi nigiri was outstanding!!!

Came here for my husbands birthday and this place did not disappoint. We came at 5pm right when they opened and fun fact happy hour is from 5pm-6pm. We got the $45 happy hour omakase set which comes with 5 nigiri pieces, edamame, 2 hand rolls, and mochi. What a steal !! Not only was it a great deal but it was absolutely delicious. My fav things of the night was the muki hotate crisp (probably the best crudo I've ever had in my life) and the kanpachi (smothered in truffle oil yum). We also ended up ordering a couple more items that were on the happy hour/regular menu and even with splurging our bill ended up being a little over $150 for two people which to us was a steal and we were both quite full. Definitely great value without sacrificing the taste. We also got to try their black sesame mochi which wasn't on their menu cause it's seasonal but it was a great way to the end the night. Chef Young and Jessie were also hilarious, easy to talk to, and of course talented sushi chefs who just made the experience even better. read more

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Amazing service, great ambiance. The food is delicious. We experienced omakase and the wine flight to go with it. I also had a cute lychee cocktail. It was tasty. The path to the restroom is photo worthy. read more

I travel all over, this is hands down my top 3 favorite sushi spots in the US. The $175 omakase experience was just simply amazing, where expense and quality was not spared in the making. Paired your experience with a bottle of Kyoto White Yuzu and you have yourself an experience of a lifetime. Service is top notch here, ambiance is group friendly. I'm a fan and will be back. read more

Aiko - Scallops - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Sadly, a friend and I decided to try this restaurant during Houston Restaurant Weeks. I will start out by saying this is the only restaurant at which I have dined this year that has cut their portions significantly to serve on the HRW menu. I'm not complaining about the quality of the food, which was quite good, but the portions were not even, large enough to sample each other's dish. The table next to us ordered extra food off the main menu because they were starving after finishing the HRW menu offering. Our server was disengaged... although she wasn't rude, she really could've cared less if we were there dining at the restaurant. Neither so us have any desire to return. read more

Great food and drinks. We sat at the sushi bar and loved seeing the sushi made in front of us. The restaurant was beautiful and chic.

Let's start with the food we had. It was great we enjoyed all the food. Sushi was fresh and I really liked the ambiance. I've been here twice and even celebrated my birthday here with our close friends. Everything was amazing and we all had a great meal per usual. Of course, until I went through my receipts and saw that we were charged for things we did not order. We had 4 people in our group and our mutual friends knew the owner and server so we figured that's why they kept bringing out more and more dishes. Our friends have been here countless times and we've been told they've done this in the past so we thought it was normal. They just told us it was an off-menu item or a gift from the kitchen. We found out afterwards that we were charged for every extra thing they brought out. The only thing they comped us was the Sake. Our friends never checked their receipt from previous times and had no idea they charged for all the stuff they voluntarily ordered all the other times. I don't know if this was a miscommunication between the chef and the server, but we were told countless times those items were compliments from the Chef. They asked us if we liked scallops and they kept bring different dishes with scallops, then charging us for it. They even brought out mochi as my "birthday desserts" when we did not ask or order it (I'm not a big fan of mochi, I know I'm weird). Of course, the mochi was also charged on there. Basically nothing was comped besides the extra sake they brought out. This was really disappointing because I actually loved this place and so did our friends. It wasn't even about the money (obviously because I did not see this until weeks after) it was about the principle. Not to mention, I came here to celebrate for my birthday and got charged for the birthday dessert I didn't even order lol. We haven't been back because honestly we feel like they knew what they were doing. I really hope someone looks into it and doesn't do this anymore especially to their known customers and friends. The food was at least 3-4 stars but my experience was more like 1 star. read more

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Came with a party of four on a Sunday night. It was my first time trying omakase style dining and I was very impressed with the flavors and textures of my food. We all opted for the $95 option and added two extra order of the king mushroom nigiri. Our meal consisted of two crudo plates spaced in between a handroll and nigiris. The seared wagyu nigiri in the middle of the course and the chopped wagyu with quail egg in the end were surprising to me. We closed off our meal with chocolate chip, pistachio, caramel and lychee mochi ice cream. Overall had a very pleasant experience. This was also my first time not needing to dip any of my pieces in soy sauce. Will definitely try again when I feel like splurging. read more

tips before you go: reservations are recommended. the inside also tends to get pretty cold so bring a jacket if you get cold easily. parking: they share a lot with tacodeli & there's valet parking available. there are three tiers of omakase to choose from-- $35/$55/$95. we went with the $55 per person & were given 8 courses along with edamame. you'll get a variety of dishes, from nigiri pieces, hand rolls, to crudo. read more

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Aiko is very underrated. The sushi is all very fresh and flavorful and not too prI had the 3 nigiri piece of omakase (edamame, crudo, salmon handroll, 3 pieces of nigir) in addition to 1 trumpet mushroom nigiri, 1 crab handroll, 1 tuna crudo, and 1 egg plant nigiri I cannot say enough good things about the quality of the sushi. Everything is very fresh and well dressed. The tuna crudo was by far our favorite as well as the 3 pieces of nigiri. Next time, I probably wouldn't get the crab handroll but it was still good. This is a perfect spot for a date night, it is very intimate and very sleek. Also I would highly recommend the Saldo wine, it goes down very easily. read more

Incredible hospitality and service combined with high-quality sushi. My go to sushi spot in H

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! This is the Best Japanese restaurant in Houston! My husband and I have been to a lot of restaurants but when it comes to Japanese food, this is extraordinary! The service is excellent,! They go above and beyond, we were celebrating my birthday and I can say it was the best! We got served by Donald, he is amazingly pleasant, knowledgeable about the food and drinks! The atmosphere is the best you can ask for no doubt! If you are ever in Houston, you have to try it. Everything is fresh and delicious Thank you Donald for giving us such an amazing and memorable dining experience! read more

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The flavors were **excellent** but I'm docking a star because the portions were small. We realized this was more of a place for a special occasion, because you're bound to spend a pretty penny on this meal. My friend and I each got the $45 omakase, which came with edamame, crudo, two hand rolls, and a mochi dessert. That alone somehow made us hungrier, and I felt as if I could eat two omakase orders by myself to feel full. Because we were still hungry, we ordered karaage (also a small portion) and chirashi bowl (which was actually SO delish but expensive for the portion size). I will say I loved the flavors of everything I tried. Everything was so fresh. I just wish there were more. For drinks I had two rounds of the saketini. Now this was a good value. $9 each for happy hour, and I enjoyed it so much that I got it twice. The service was great and the atmosphere was romantic. Parking situation: on-site read more

Yes, yes, yes! Sisters night out and everything was exceptional! Aaron took great care of our table! Everyone enjoyed their items. Not to forget the scenic pathway to the restrooms. These are just pictures of what I had and everything was melt in your mouth. Mini omakase for $35 was just right for me. Starts off with edamame, crudo, 3 pc nigiri, a hand roll and mochi for dessert. I also added 2 pc a5 wagyu tartare. Wow level 100. Cozy dining area and restaurant offers complimentary valet parking. Will def come back for date nights. read more

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We went for NYE and it was a great time! It reminds of the Devil wears Prada when Andy was going to all these cool and Qwaint NYC restaurants. The staff was knowledgeable, the drinks were sake based , I enjoyed them ! We ordered the omakase which allows you to try a variety of items ! It was fun being out of my comfort zone and everything was good! The portions are small BUT the quality of the food is amazing and flavorful! I did DEFINITELY come again!! read more

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Everything about this place was great. Fresh sushi great service I do highly recommend you RSVP they get really busy. The hostess really accommodated us with a table after coming late past 15 min sorry the traffic. But we really appreciated her working us in for a table and not a bar. The restroom is very zen and pretty! read more

The most delicious food! Big fan of handies duozo and had to try this place out. I was so impressed by the decor and ambiance as well as the amazing service. I tried so many dishes and every single thing was truly mouth watering. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Great sushi, great service. Food was fresh and perfectly seasoned and staff was friendly! Knocked a star because the valet experience was terrible and even having a valet with a massive parking lot is POINTLESS. The guy was like, which car is yours? And I said, it's the one ten feet away, and he pulled it back 10 feet. The worst part was, he left my brand new car smelling horrendous of BO the whole ride back, it really knocked the good vibe. Like, why does a restaurant with a massive parking lot have a valet? I will never understand. Good food though. read more