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    Kitsu Nori

    4.4 (66 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Kitsu Nori Photos

    KITSU NORI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Kitsu Nori

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    Nida A.

    You guys this place is absolutely unreal and their happy hour is literally the absolute best in all of Austin. There isn't a single place that offers a better deal than these guys do and now that they have a reverse happy hour it's game over. First of all, their ambience is absolutely killer. They have a really sexy intimate, indoor space and a very beautiful casual outdoor seating for larger groups. They also have misters to temperature control the heat. Let's talk about the food. All of their hand roles on happy hour or half off. And I knew they're not even that expensive to begin with full price. Every single thing was so fresh so amazing. The Toro role was absolutely everybody's favorite. It was fatty. It was creamy with melting in your mouth. My second favorite was the Hamachi. It was extremely flavorful citrusy, and a total party in your mouth. The spicy tuna and the mushroom rolls were also very good. However, the best bites on the table were the Hamachi Crudo, the Toro cashew. And the Ube Tres Leche. You have no idea how freaking amazing this Desert was. And I could easily eat three of these at a time. And the service here is literally impeccable. Everybody recognized me the second time I went around give me high-fives and told me how much they appreciated me. Tell me what other place in Austin does this. Totally stole my heart. Literally cannot wait to come back here and do this again every week.

    Salmon Butter
    Joy C.

    I made a reservation for Kitsu Nori on my trip to Austin. We decided for bar seating since it was so humid outside. We were placed by the register which was interesting. Maybe I'm not used to Austin weather, but there were a lot of flies in the restaurant in front of us where they were prepping the food to the point they had to put a fan in front of us to prevent them from touching our food. We started our meal off with the chip and dip which on the menu made it seem more blue crab. It came and maybe 3/4 of the cup was sour cream. It was a little off putting for us and they ended up removing it off our bill which was nice. We also got the hamachi crudo which was wonderful! It was great with the supremes and the sauce! Would recommend this. We were hungry still so we got the Salmon Butter ($24) which we assumed would be enough to supplement our hunger. We were kinda shocked at how small of a portion it was for the price. The inside wasn't fully cooked but considering the place, we thought it was fine to eat. The flavors all worked well together and we enjoyed it. Again, sour cream made it on this plate despite not being on the menu. For hand rolls, I got the fatty tuna, salmon and scallops. All of them tasted good and had unique flavors to each. I would say they're missing just a little something to elevate the flavor. I didn't love having to make my own hand roll though I understand why it was designed like that since they give it all at once and don't want it to get soggy. All of our servers were incredibly kind throughout our meal and very attentive! I enjoyed aspects of our meal but next time I might stick to more of the cold fish/menu.

    Ellie N.

    You won't even notice this place when you drive on south lamar. The entrance is the very underwhelming, but inside and the backyard is very upscale and nice. The hand rolls are delicious. Happy hour prices make is very reasonable. I'll be back

    Aruni G.

    A friend and I checked out their Happy Hour this Monday and had a great time! The parking situation was a bit challenging, but I ended up finding a street spot not to far away. Jayce was our awesome waiter and Phil was one of the sushi chefs and we had fun chatting with both of them and the others. They have 1/2 off certain rolls and items. And $10 cocktails. Unfortunately, no sake specials. They were out of their junmai by the glass so they offered a discount on a similar one which was delicious. They served up the handrolls in a unique way and show you how to wrap each with seaweed paper. So yummy and such a cozy, fun experience! The salmon was so buttery!! Phil gave us a couple of tasters on the house, which we really appreciated! They turned on the US v Belgium World Cup soccer game after the customers thinned out after HH ended. We got there at 5pm and left close to 8:30 pm! I hope to make it back here again soon!

    Side of caviar for our rolls
    Cayley V.

    Everything tasted good! Hamachi was the best dish. Not a lot of indoor space. Our server was very helpful

    yellowtail
    Rachel B.

    We arrived right at opening time (4 PM), and the restaurant wasn't quite ready for guests. The entry door in the back is so dimly lit that you can barely see through it, and the host swung it open and hit my hand when we tried to enter. Inside, the layout feels off. The dining room tables are packed so tightly together that getting into the booth requires physically moving the table. You're essentially seated inside your neighbors' conversations. Between the noise level and the cramped spacing, it felt more like a loud club than a restaurant that's supposed to feel intimate or upscale. Even at only about half capacity, it was difficult to hear both our server and the person sitting across from me. The handroll concept looks fun in theory (sliding the fish and rice onto fresh nori yourself), but in practice, it felt awkward and messy and made me feel stupid not being able to follow their verbal instructions. The rice sticks to the wooden serving surface, so instead of feeling elegant or interactive, it just felt clumsy. The pricing also felt wildly disconnected from the actual quality of the fish. Most of the handroll fillings are minced, which came across more like a way to disguise mid-tier fish while charging premium prices. The whole experience felt more focused on novelty and presentation than quality. There were also several minor issues throughout the meal. Our server forgot 2 of the 12 hand rolls that we ordered, and we were initially charged incorrectly for the happy hour miso soup. After we mentioned it, they removed those charges from the bill. That said, there were a few highlights. The miso soup had a rich, hearty flavor, the nori was impressively fresh and crisp, and the seared wagyu handroll was easily the best thing we ordered (HH pricing $25 for one). Overall, this felt like a gimmicky dining experience that's relying on trendiness and presentation to justify luxury pricing without delivering the quality or atmosphere to match. Even at happy hour pricing, I wouldn't recommend it.

    Hamachi crudo
    Lianna T.

    Interior is lovely - it has seating around the bar as well as tables around the perimeter. Outside seating is tucked away from South Lamar and is also a very nice setting. We came for the happy hour with half-off hand rolls (except the lobster), as well as half off the crudos. We ordered both of the crudos, the hamachi and the sake. The crudos were not my favorite part of the meal. While the ingredient combinations were creative, the fish did not seem to be of very high quality. We also ordered the tuna, crab, salmon, and scallop hand rolls. The concept, as many have mentioned, is quite fun and makes for a fun experience. I agree that portions of fish are not so generous. Our favorite was the tuna, as the crab was a bit overwhelmed with the heavier sauce and the scallop was a very small portion. For happy hour it is a fun experience though!

    Monica Q.

    Good food, but tight indoor seating on a rainy day The food here was good, but a rainy day forced everyone indoors, making the space incredibly packed. Because our outdoor reservation had to be moved, we were seated at the bar, which made it pretty awkward and difficult to socialize with our group. As for the menu, the hand rolls and cold appetizers were the highlights and very tasty. However, considering the price point, I'd honestly prefer to go to Soto for a similar meal. I'd still be open to coming back, but next time I'd aim for happy hour to get a better overall experience!

    Ly N.

    The happy hour is amazing! Hand rolls are 50% and from 4:00-5:30. There is limited parking in front of the restaurant and more parking in the neighborhood. There are more veggie handrolls here than I've seen at any other restaurant in Austin. The servers were very attentive and nice too.

    Vindhya G.

    Unbelievably delicious sushi and great ambiance. We felt extremely cared for by our server, who was knowledgeable about the menu and helped us choose the most flavorful dishes. Will definitely be back again. Posh atmosphere with a local flair.

    Ube Twinkie dessert of the day
    Karson S.

    Went to kitsu nori for a date night. The experience was well crafted, with high quality food, but was on the pricier side. Before we arrived we made a reservation & got a text a few hours before about where to park. Made it easy to find since it's a bit hidden. Parking was no problem for us, and we entered through the courtyard in the back. Once inside, the place is intimate & cozy - it was a squeeze to get back to our 2 person table with other diners already eating. Once seated we stared ordering & food started to come out one at a time. We just got soup, hand rolls and dessert. Soup was much needed because had we started as hungry as we were on the hand rolls, we wouldn't have appreciated them each as much. We shared 7 hand rolls (each of the premium ones, minus the caviar one due to price), but I'd recommend 5 or 6 rolls to yourself. Best rolls were the wagu, scallop, and lobster. Dessert was the best! They one have 1 daily dessert & we were lucky enough to get the ube one! So good. It was the only part of the meal that we got more than 2 bites out of & really enjoyed it. Overall it was delicious & vibey, but not a lot of food unless you're ready to send around $400 (our meal was right around $200 and that was sharing each roll between 2 ppl)

    Salmon yellowtail and tuna
    Tyler W.

    I really wanted to love Kitsu Nori, but my experience landed squarely in the middle. On the positive side, the hand rolls are absolutely the highlight. The fatty tuna and Maine lobster were easily the standouts, both rich, fresh, and perfectly balanced. Honestly, those two alone are worth ordering again. The other rolls: tuna, salmon, and hamachi were solid as well and could easily hold their own. That said, the crudos were a letdown. The hamachi crudo in particular looked more like escolar, which was a bit off-putting, and overall the dishes lacked the same freshness and punch of flavor as the hand rolls. For the price point, they felt pretty underwhelming. Service was another issue. With only two people running the floor, things already felt stretched thin, but Jared in particular made the experience worse. He seemed far more focused on bussing tables than actually taking care of guests, and his attitude came off as dismissive, snapping at both customers and coworkers rather than being attentive or welcoming. It put a noticeable damper on the meal. Overall, great hand rolls, but inconsistent food and lackluster service make it hard to justify a higher rating or a return trip with other (better) options scattered around town.

    Tiffany M.

    I highly recommend making a reservation first since it's such a small space. We were lucky and got seat seats at the bar where you can see the chefs making the food. The hand rolls were all amazing and they have such an interesting way of presenting them that I have not seen before. I love that the sushi rice is pink-- the chef uses beet juice to make it that color. The cocktails were also really good and really strong. Everything about this place was great. We'll definitely be back again. I also highly recommend the mushroom salad. It was so good.

    Mushroom handrolls

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    Ask the Community - Kitsu Nori

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    Toshokan

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    4.9
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    Toshokan is one of those Austin gems that feels like you've stumbled into another world. Luckily I…read moresnagged a reservation a few weeks in advance. Tucked away inside a mini golf course and hidden behind a bookshelf, the whole experience has this playful speakeasy energy before you even sit down. Once you step inside, the interior immediately transports you to the late‑night streets of Tokyo--moody lighting, intimate vibes, and that cinematic feeling like something special is about to happen. There are 6 seats. My boyfriend and I had such a fun, personal experience. The staff were incredible--warm, engaging, and genuinely excited to guide us through each course. The food itself was delicious, beautifully crafted, and felt customized in a way that made the night feel unique to us. It's the kind of omakase that doesn't take itself too seriously while still delivering seriously good dishes. I also highly recommend the sake and cocktail pairing. The bartender customizes it based on your preferences. I told her my favorite drink is an espresso martini and she made this really fun espresso, strawberry latte concoction. There is also a special house sake with an homage to the owner's cat. I love those personal details. It's always a great time at Toshokan, and I'll definitely be back again. PS it's a great place to celebrate your birthday or special occasion! They broke out a guitar to serenade me lol

    Love a good omakase and love a good speakeasy, but the two together? Amazing. Second time here and…read moreit took a hoooot minute to get the first reservation, second one not too challenging. Helps that it's always a reservation for one...vs multiple people. This is tucked inside the Holey Moley in the rear....reservation for 8:30 and they come out to welcome everyone before ushering into the restaurant. Nice, quaint chefs counter space inside and I believe the idea is to give a traditional Japanese local restaurant feel so the space is designed to just be big enough. This used to be a bedroom when the building was a hostel. I was pleasantly surprised when Nicole, upon checking me in remember who I was and welcomed me back. Not only that the chef did as well! They are both amazing and so full of knowledge. After being sat they go through several things about the history, items in the restaurant, and then drink service is offered and the meal begins. You get to select the chop stick holder and chop sticks you'd like to use. I asked, they have at least a dozen I believe different chop stick holder options. They also do s personalized wood coaster with your name burnt into it. The selections were amazing with each one having a unique flavor that melted in your mouth. I added the sake and cocktail pairing which Nicole does amazing. I let her know I still kept the origami crane she last time was still on my counter at home. They are toooo damn cut to just throw away. I mean look at them! Anybody during the service they are interactive with everyone engaging in different conversations. With such an intimate space it's great to get introduced to others and's have as great evening.

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    TenTen

    TenTen

    4.3
    (567 reviews)
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    We had a fantastic night and savored every dish that was served. To our lucky surprise we came…read moreduring happy hour, so we ordered many things off of the happy hour menu. Both of the sandos were perfect. The wagyu beef sando had a little bit more flavor but it was slight and both are worth trying. Every roll was enjoyable and I felt like each had a little twist that really made the flavors explosive, like a shaved onion or a crispy puff on the side of the roll. The service was stellar and they were easy to book on OpenTable I also tried the green tea mocktail and found it to be light and refreshing and I was happy that it wasn't super sweet My two favorite items were: 1. The Edamame - which were charred in a way that I feel like I've never experienced it before and had such great flavor. 2. The scallop roll had a thinly sliced shaved truffle on top that made the roll simple yet out of this world. Shout out to the manager who came by just to check in. I always think that is such a sweet gesture.

    Went back to tenten and had an incredible time with the girls. We wanted to go find a happy hour…read morebut none of the girls could make it before six which is when all Happy hours are over so we have to get creative and figure 1010 on a Tuesday is the perfect spot to be because they have $10 rolls all night. I've been here recently and really enjoyed the Hamachi and the spicy tuna, however, this time around they both felt a little too fishy. They're to roll on the other hand was absolutely mind blowing and did not disappoint. Everybody's absolutely favorite role though was the truffle scallop. It was creamy. It was velvety. It was clean and such a burst of flavor without overwhelming your taste buds too much. Overall, a very good time great service and as always, great food

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    Soto South Lamar

    Soto South Lamar

    4.3
    (744 reviews)
    0.9 mi
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    Really great. Better than uchiba. Maybe on par w uchi for me…read more Overall recommendations: chili hamachi, hamachi apple, soto 2.0 and uni pasta, risotto Chili hamachi-5/5 must get. So good the chili flavor is nice and has depth to it and not very spicy. More flavorful and goes so well together w the crunchy scallion texture on the soft fish Hirame usuzukuri- 4/5 - it was good but i could skip it. Flavor was really nice and light. The plum flavor was very distinct. But based on personal preference liked the hamachi more Ora king salmon- 4.7/5- very good the lemon flavor was so nice. The only thing is i felt the nigiris had too much wasabi at the end and the sizes are quite tiny Salmon toro (belly)- 4.7/5- really good. Same as above a little too much wasabi at the end and small size. Like the ora king more Hamachi Apple- 5/5 nice sweetness in the beginning from the apple and then a little bit of spice later on. Really enjoyed this one a lot lighter Kudamono 3/5- the banana is interesting and pleasant in texture but i would say overall compared to the other rolls. Tastes more average and familiar to a typical roll youd get elsewhere Soto 2.0- 5/5 really good had a nice depth of flavor.This and the hamachi were the favorites Uni pasta- 5/5- really enjoyed the depth and flavor. Less on the uni side and more a creamy and thick taste that is really good Risotto- 5/5 - very good and freshly warm

    This restaurant got away with murder…read more Sat down to eat. Our order was taken graciously... But only 3/4 of it ever came to the table. My husband's $30 roll never arrived and neither did the edamame he ordered.... Yet, I do believe we paid for both. In the moment of paying the bill, I was in far too much shock over HOW EXPENSIVE IT WAS to even realize that my husband didn't even get half of his dinner. Also, I paid HOW MUCH FOR 6 slices of Anago Sashimi**. I'm NEVER going to get over how insanely priced this restaurant is. And it really isn't much better, or even better at all, than a HOLE IN THE WALL spot that's all you can eat... Call me "trash" if you want but I have eaten at THOUSANDS of sushi spots, high end, low end, Michelin star rated, food poisoning inducing (lol) and this restaurant falls into the category of "wanna be" fancy but you can tell it's trying too hard. Was the fish good? Sure. Was it worth the $450 I wound up spending... For 2 people... NOT EVEN A LITTLE. **THEY CHARGED ME $64 for 6 slices of Anago sashimi, even though on the menu it was $7 per slice. ** They also charged me $110 for a sashimi platter, and I have absolutely NO CLUE where they came up with this number. Truly pissed off at this restaurant. ALWAYS TRIPLE CHECK YOUR BILL BEFORE PAYING!!!!! This restaurant stole from us.

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    Koriente

    Koriente

    4.4
    (2k reviews)
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    I usually don't like leaving bad reviews, but wow--that was FOUL. I ordered the rice medallion…read moresauté with the recommended pork belly as my protein and asked for no mushrooms. The girl taking my order was friendly and even double-checked if it was an allergy--I told her no, I just really don't like mushrooms. But when I got home and started eating, everything in that dish tasted like mushrooms--or at least had that same gross, slimy, squishy texture. Even the pork belly (I think?) was soft, squishy, and honestly disgusting. Pork belly can be amazing when it's grilled or fried and crispy, but this was the total opposite. I don't get the hype around Koriente at all. The only good thing was the friendly and honestly super fast service.

    I've ordered from Koriente through Uber Eats before and have really enjoyed the food--it's…read moreconsistently flavorful and satisfying. I recently visited in person and got my usual order, the shiitake tofu, which was just as delicious as I remembered. That said, the overall dine-in experience could be improved. I tried the tea for the first time and, unfortunately, it wasn't quite to my taste. That was the main reason my rating is a bit lower this time. Also, a small note on the bento box: it typically comes with a tea included, but this wasn't made very clear during ordering. My friend didn't realize it was complimentary until someone else in our group ordered, which led to some confusion. It might help to clarify that more up front to avoid any misunderstandings. Still, I really appreciate the quality of the food and will definitely continue to order again!

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    Sushi by Scratch Restaurants

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    4.6
    (15 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Went for my birthday and it was awesome. We opted to get there early for a complimentary drink and…read moreapp - both were delicious. Every single course was to die for, I honestly could have eaten two bites of each lol but I felt full and satisfied. We left with extra bites, if you want to purchase, we all did! And a yummy dessert. My drink stood out - the madam butterfly. Try her!! My only thing is the restaurant itself is hidden, no lights so it can be hard to find but we didn't have any trouble. I saw someone else's review about how hidden it was so I was ready for it. Quite an expensive dinner but absolutely worth it, very exclusive and delicious.

    Sushi by Scratch delivers one of the most intentional, thoughtful dining experiences you'll ever…read moresit down for. Every single course shows an incredible level of detail and care, from the way each piece is seasoned to how the chefs explain the story behind the fish. The standouts for me were the kanpachi, toro, saba, and unagi, each one was ridiculously fresh and perfectly prepared. The kanpachi was clean and bright, the toro melted instantly, the saba had the perfect balance of richness and acidity, and the unagi was possibly the best I've ever had. Yes, the prices are high, so go in prepared, but the quality of the food and the craftsmanship behind it absolutely justify the cost. The drinks were phenomenal as well, pairing perfectly with the progression of the meal. If you're looking for a special, high-end sushi experience with unmatched attention to detail, this is it. 10/10. Highly recommend.

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    Seating

    Kitsu Nori - japanese - Updated July 2026

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