Great place with very good food quality Seating is spacious and great atmosphere Full bar and large win selection Service is excellent read more

See all

Great sushi and happy hour all day on Sunday! Great pricing and I liked the environment when we sat at the sushi bar.

This place is the bust sushi restaurant in Austin. I'm a sushi lover/addict so since moving to Austin I was on a quest :) For your first experience, sit at the bar near the sushi chef. Trust me, you'll learn a lot about the fish (imported from Japan) and it's a great experience. Ended with green tea ice cream! read more

Mikado Ryotei - Sushi Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Excellent sushi and food but what really made the experience was our waiter Nelson. He went out of his way to make us feel special and interact with us, and he is the reason that we will be returning!!! Definitely keep an eye out for him if you stop by. read more

Food was delish. I ordered the shrimp tempura lunch meal and everything was great. I ordered a mixed drink and it was also delish. This place never disappoints. They have a new menu with vegetarian options which is super awesome! read more

Best sushi in Austin!!! Get the flaming dragon if you want your life to be forever changed!!!

Finally my girlfriend and I found an amazing place that serves delicious Miso Soup. After going to different restaurants all across Austin, this is our top fav! Service 10/10- very friendly staff! Food 10/10- Miso soup with Philadelphia roll and Rock n' roll was a perfect match. Price 10/10- Miso Soup was $3, Rock n' Roll was $9 and Philadelphia Roll was $6. Clean 10/10- very tidy place. I will definitely come back very soon and recommend this amazing place! read more

We went there on Saturday because they had an hour and a half wait at kome. We got immediate seating at mikado. I had forgotten about this place. The goyza was one of the best I have ever had. The blue fin tuna nigiri was also spectacular . We had tuna and salmon nigiri and several rolls. I would strongly recommend this place. I will be back for sure. read more

Have been coming here for bday parties for 10yrs now, always the same Thurs every year & up to a usual crowd of 30 guests! Food is great as always, but this year we were treated horribly by one of the hostesses! We have had this reservation for months, we walked the facility on May 17 & took pics with the owner Mark escorting us around the restaurant because of new construction, we have also kept him informed via email, this year per his request we kept it to under 20 people (18 to be exact!). Party went great, nothing wild, in fact no kids or anything too wild this year. (previous yrs were definitely more!) Guests left & we helped to clean up as usual for every year! Hostess made several rude comments during & throughout, even had guests leave early due to her attitude. We brushed it off & never stooped to her level. We said 'thank you' as we left & she even stated 'not welcome' on our way out! Another waiter taking trash out started talking to us outside (a waiter we know & love), the hostess came out to purposely interfere. She then proceeded to follow us & harass us in the pkng lot! (Video proof will be posted online!) **NOT acceptable for ANY business!!! read more

Absolutely terrible and RUDE service. I've been the only one in this restaurant for the last 45 min and there are no other orders but my 3 rolls took over 1.25 HOURS TO FINISH?! I highly recommend AVOIDING AT ALL COST!!! read more

Save your $30 go somewhere else. That had to be the blandest and flavorless sushi rolls I've ever had. I regret walking through the door.

I love going to Mikado even though I live South now. It's in heavy rotation as a happy hour spot with my group friends as there is rarely ever a wait and the food is delicious. They used to have an awesome sangria on the menu, but have taken it off fairly recently. It's hit or miss if I am able to get one whenever I ask the server, which is a bummer. read more

Unagudon lunch special is served in a stone bowl so the rice gets crispy around the edges. Mega dank and worth the 12 bucks. Comes with salad and miso soup. Lunch rolls are also generously portioned. Will be back. read more

Mikado Ryotei - Sushi Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Stick with the specialty rolls and small plates here!! Sushi is my favorite food of all time. I've tried sushi from across the country and all around the state of Texas. My go to orders are mainly nigiri and sashimi. Stick with what the restaurant is known for: rolls. They're specialty rolls are what make this place worthy of the stars. I tried their salmon roe (ikura), blue fin tuna (toro), and salmon sushi. Salmon roe was disappointing and frozen. The blue fin tuna is $10 but was the same quality as kula revolving sushi who charges $1.50 for theirs.the yellow tail collar was the best product I ordered, it's laiden with meat and the sauce they bring w it is exquisitely savory. Despite that, it's truly my opinion that if you are a sushi restaurant you should guarantee the quality of the fish meat most other sushi restaurants also offer. read more

Mikado Ryotei - Sushi Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

We love this place! Happy hour specials, attentive staff and tasty sushi! Do you need to be anywhere else? I think not! Sunday is all day happy hour!!! Our favorite rolls are Fiery Kiss, Hottie Susie and Chorishis Fire. Fish is fresh - flown in from Japan. read more

Mikado Ryotei - Sushi Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

I Spent $80+ for a Hap Hazardously Prepared, Low Quality Japanese Lunch @ Mikado I love well prepared Japanese food. I have been taking the crew to Mikado since they opened. Up until about 2.5 years the food was really well prepared, using traditional techniques and high quality ingredients. I stopped going there about a year ago when I noticed the food quality deteriorating. Today my friend who liked Mikado asked me to go so we returned and although the quantity of cheap food on the binto boxes has significantly increased, the food we were served was of very low quality. We ordered an $80+ dollar lunch with teas that consisted of: 1 - steak binto @ $12 2 - salmon binto @ $11 1 - duck breast bento @ $14 1 - spider roll @ $10 1 - tiger eye @ $9 1 - rock n roll @ $9 My salad was wilted and had two tablespoons of water in the bottom of the bowl. The steak portion was maybe 2 oz. and was tough and grainy - definately over cooked. The salmon portion was also meager, being no more than a couple of ounces. It also had been grossly over cooked. The teriyaki sauce was out of a bottle. The binto boxes were over flowing with rice, and included a fried egg roll and a fried piece of cheap filler they called a "Gyoza" The 4 pieces of california roll on the binto looked disgusting! The other rolls were poorly assembled. To be blunt, HEB's sushi shows more attention to detail and higher quality ingredients. My recommendation - find another place to eat Japanese food. ....... Update1 My friend who asked me to take her Mikado sent me the following message Sat. Nov. 11, 2013 which I posted as an update to the prior review... Sept 30, 2013 Mikado Ryotei at 9033 Research Boulevard failed its September 30 health inspection with a score of 58. Critical problems spotted by the inspector included: - No sanitizer or towels at the hand wash sink. - Shelves were discovered with black pitted stains. - Toxic items were improperly stored - Mold was found in the ice machine. Within a few hours, i received the following response to post from the owner.... Hi L, Sung-Mo K. has sent you a message on Yelp: Dear LJ "Hello. My name is Mark Wang and I am the owner of Mikado Ryotei. I have read your recent post about our lunch special when you gave us a one star. We will take that as a constructive criticism and we will try our best to improve our lunch special. Today, you have written yet another review about our health inspection score. What you have claimed was true, but not is no longer valid. I just wanted to bring to your attention that most points were deducted as a result of documentation and record-keeping violations instead of sanitation ones. Through out my 18 years in the restaurant business I've been trying my best to provide customers with quality food and service in this town but your recent post on Yelp was just a huge blow. I do not know what I did to deserve this from you but I assure you, after that "58 score" I got the wake up call and corrected everything that health inspector asked me to. You will see that our score went to 86 to soon after that for re-inspection and I hope you post that in your recent post as well to be fair to us. I do not know you but it's as if you're trying to sabotage my life deliberately for no apparent reason. You say "on a mission to improve Austin Restaurant food quality". But I think you're just trying to close everyone down. I am not going to ask you take down the post because what you said was true. But please add the point that our score was changed to 86 soon after if you would like to be fair and just. I honestly think that I am an honest man and I am trying the best I can to be a good restaurant owner. So, please give me a chance to prove that I can improve and prove you wrong that Mikado is not so bad after all. If you'd like, I will take you on a tour inside of our kitchen. I am quite confident that you will be pleased with our level of sanitation. Please, reconsider this. My life and many livelihood of my employees may depend on your very hand. Thank you. Mark Wang read more

Subtlety is an art. We had 7 in our party to include two kids and one infant so we were seated just behind a screen wall giving us our own semi private space. Babies can be distracting. We ordered edamame to start so the kids were happy and it is served in a dish that the lid doubles as the discard dish. It was like a little edamame kit. We ordered drinks and were allowed time to settle in to catch up on conversation without feeling rushed to order. Wine expands the stomach. We ordered Maki, Nigiri, and Sashimi, all of which was presented on a wooden boat artfully displayed with orchids. Sushi is celebration. We had our glasses filled without request, and dishes removed without notice. A simple nod of the head brought me another glass of wine from a watchful waitress. We each had a single piece of Super White Tuna Nigiri and I have to say it was the best thing I have eaten at a sushi restaurant ever. It was placed at the bow of the boat. We each had a single piece of Unagi Nigiri for dessert and it was prepared perfectly. The presentation of Unagi looks like a Japanese Christmas present. We were the last to leave and still did not feel rushed, sushi chefs waived goodbye and said thank you. We tipped the sushi chef separately as our thank you. Sushi in an edible art. read more

My group of six walked into Mikado on a quiet and empty Monday night at 8:30. I had an immediate and overwhelming feeling that I would like Mikado, that I was about to embark on a special journey. The place has a clean and warm Zen-like minimalism, a lovely and calming vibe that makes Musashino look like a rambunctious derelict ship of Japanese pirates. Much of my positive feeling came from the small armada of sushi chefs standing at attention and smiling at us from their island of exotic fish components. These half-dozen sushi men stood there like compassionate guardians, like they had been happily waiting for us in timeless perpetuity, ready to prepare treats of the ages. Do you remember the scene from Silence of the Lambs when Clarice Starling walks into the underground asylum where she first meets Hannibal Lecter? He is standing at attention in his cell, waiting for her, eerie and powerful, like some hidden bastion of unspeakable evil and cruelty. This situation was much like that one, except instead of walking into an underground insane asylum, we had walked into Mikado. And instead of wanting to eat our livers, these sushi men wanted to give US something to eat. I put extreme confidence in these men--feeling they could do me no wrong--and opted for the chef's choice sushi plate plus a shared Ben roll. Moments after ordering, I turned with glee to see the sushi men fly into a frenzy, surgically-precise yet dervish-like in its manic intensity. Within twenty minutes, there came a feast of succulent super white tuna, spicy eel, buttery salmon, and the Ben roll, a delicious concoction whose ingredients I cannot guess, drizzled in both a spicy orange pepper sauce and a dark, chocolate-tinged plum sauce. (Highest recommendation on the Ben roll; it's not on the menu, so ask for it by name). Put simply, Mikado gave me one of the best meals of this year. But when I think of it, I think of those sushi men, smiling, inviting, reassuring, efficient, ready to work their sorcery at the drop of a pin. read more

Woe. Nearby, kind staff, nice ambiance (inside): check. But the long, silky black strand of hair I pulled out of my mouth, and the evident disbelief from our waitress*, will make this low on the scale for repeat visits. I like my hair cooked proper, thank you. *the hairy roll was subsequently removed from our bill. read more

We were on our way to Musashino, but got sidetracked when we saw Mikado. Why not try something new? Two hours and $75 later, I was sorry we made our little pit stop. The sushi was bland and was too much of a mouthful. The rice tasted like it was straight out of the rice cooker, sans vinegar and sugar and all the other treatment that should be given to rice to be used for sushi. There was too much ikura in my hand roll, making it a mushy mess. Also, there was so much oil in this special dish that we had ordered that everything on it was basically inedible. It was a mix of different types of seafood: pan fried scallops, pieces of cooked fish wrapped in seaweed, grilled shrimp, and a fish fillet on a bed of vegetables. I could barely swallow down the fish fillet, it was so greasy. The fish in seaweed was just dry and tasteless and the grilled shrimp was beyond rubbery. The only thing that was decent were the scallops. I will definitely not be coming back here again. read more

Fun fact: I love sushi - I mean I really love it. Somehow, though, despite the fact that I love sushi, my experience with sushi was limited to what I'd purchased at H-E-B, some random roll I bought from a Korean market, and the one roll I had at Kona that one time. Yeah, I'm not even kidding. I still can't believe that I'd never eaten anything better despite my love of all things fish. Well, last night was determined to be sushi night because sometimes you just need some sushi, you know? I was pretty darn excited to be eating the real deal because oh, man, if I liked what I'd been eating from H-E-B, then this place was probably going to blow my mind. Consider my mind blown. My friend recommended we get the love boat for two. The name is corny as hell and I was unsure if we could eat all that food. It comes with 8 pieces of sashimi, chef's choice, 8 pieces of nigiri, chef's choice, a Mikado roll, and a Hottie Susan roll. "Are you sure that we can eat all of that?" "Yes, I'm sure." "Does it really come out in a boat?" "Yes." "Oh, my god, how embarrassing." Before the sushi arrives, you are given a small bowl of miso soup and a small salad. I have discovered I'm not a huge fan of miso soup and I wasn't a huge fan of the salad. It was pretty much just iceberg lettuce with some carrots and cucumbers and a few other things. I ate a little of each, but didn't finish anything. They have a decent selection of wine and I tried sake for the first time. I went with the fuji apple sake - it smells like a green apple Jolly Rancher and it is delicious. (I was informed that it is a cold sake - I know nothing about sake, so this doesn't mean much to me, but that might be a deciding factor for you.) Despite my apprehension at our food being brought out in a boat, the presentation was lovely. There were small flowers adorning the fish and they even cut a butterfly out of a piece of carrot. Adorable. Like I said, this was my first time with real sushi and I had never eaten sashimi or nigiri, so I was unsure what those terms meant. I had rolls down and knew what that entailed, but I was pretty clueless as to the rest of it. If you're anything like me and you don't know what those things are, either, let me help you out just a little - nigiri is when there is a piece of fish placed over rice and sashimi is just the fish by itself. Pretty simple, right? Now you know what all those pretty things are that you see in stores! Unfortunately for me and anyone reading this review, because I am so inexperienced with sushi, I can't really tell you what kind of fish I ate. My friend did tell me most of them - we had tuna, salmon, escolar, yellowtail, and red snapper. I loved everything, with the red snapper being my least favorite out of everything I tried. It was still tasty, I just happened to like everything else better. What I was told was yellowtail sashimi I really loved, and there was some kind of nigiri that I really loved, too, but my friend and the waitress did not know what it was. (A quick Google search leads me to believe it was fatty tuna. I could point it out if I saw it again.) The rolls were also delicious. The Mikado roll is crunchy whereas the Hottie Susan is what I'm used to eating. I preferred the Hottie Susan, but I love all things spicy and it had slightly more spice to it than the Mikado roll. Basically, I tried everything and didn't find a single thing I did not like. I'm still a fan of rolls, but now I know that I'm a huge fan of sashimi and nigiri and I feel like those will be my go-tos when I eat sushi again. I like the simplicity and I love that you really get the taste of the fish. I will admit that two people can definitely finish the boat and not be uncomfortably full. I left without feeling hungry, but without feeling like my pants were too tight around the waist. The service was fantastic - our waitress was absolutely adorable and I really, really liked her. I wish I had gotten her name because I want her to get all the best tips ever because she was so sweet and attentive. I have no idea why it took me so long to try all of this deliciousness, but my friend opened the door and now I can never go back. Like I said, I already loved sushi and now my friend has created a sushi fiend. Just give me all of the sushi, please and thank you. read more

We wanted sushi. We were tired of Maru and we wanted a long lunch. So, two down-towners ventured north of 45th. Wow. That's a different world isn't it? I don't think I've ever seen more blue, khaki and bluetooths other than gate 16 at the Austin airport waiting for the Nerd Bird to San Jose. All that aside, these two sexy, cool lookers walked in and were seated after a short wait. We had the calamari to start. It wasn't like any calamari we'd had before as it wasn't the rings and tenticales, but the steaks cut into small pieces and tempura fried. Yum. I had the Tamari roasted scallop bento box, she had some spicy tuna thing. We both declared them good, hers, better than mine. $20 bucks each with tax and tip, but hell, it was bonus day. I'd go back for sure. read more

Sushi is one of those foods that I could eat every day and never tire of it. And if I could get my daily sushi fix at Mikado, I would be a very happy girl, indeed. While there are other places in town that offer a more "authentic" experience (Musashino comes to mind), Mikado's rolls are head and shoulders above any others that I've tried. Try the Chorishi's Fire or the Crunchy Kazi - both are amazing and HUGE. And the mushroom packet appetizer is to die for - buttery and hot and delectable. Another big plus about Mikado is that their cooked entrees are standouts, as well - a good thing for a person like me who happens to be married to non-sushi-lover (I know, I know; what is he *thinking*?!?). The restaurant itself is lovely, too, despite its rather bizarre location in a strip mall that also houses a Black Eyed Pea. The atmosphere is always subdued and the decor is beautiful. And, there is a private room available for special occasions. So if you've got a craving for some wonderful sushi in a serene and welcoming atmosphere, head to Mikado. It's wonderful! read more

I first discovered this place my freshman year of college. I recently returned when a friend and I were dying to go to a sushi happy hour, and I was unimpressed by recent visits to my ex-favorite sushi restaurants. All of my favorite downtown sushi destinations just aren't as good as they used to be, so we decided to venture out a bit farther to Mikado. That's when I remembered how attractive and enjoyable Ben is. Ben isn't just any regular guy, nuh uh. He's beautiful - he has the figure of an Olympic athlete, has so many layers to his personality, and he just understands what I really want and what I'm looking for. He never fails me. He has a hard exterior, but he's such a great person inside. And ladies, he's pretty damn endowed. Trust me. Sometimes I can't even fit that sushi roll into my mouth. That Ben's Roll was delicious. I'm not a hundred percent sure what is in it exactly, but it has all of the goodies that you could ever want - avocado, various sauces, etc. When something is that good, it doesn't even matter what's inside of it. I'll take it. It's a bit pricey (~$18), and not on special during HH, but it's so worth it. It's big enough for two people to share, and I've never had anything else like it. What I love most about Mikado is the quality of their fish - you can tell it's fresh. I used to frequent Imperia, but I've just noticed the quality of the sushi is not as good as it used to be. This is one thing I love that Mikado hasn't skimped on, even during HH. Other than the Ben's Roll, I'd also recommend the Chiroshi's Fire and Hottie Susan, both of which are really good. They also have the standard options of Spicy Tuna, Avocado Roll, etc. if you don't want to be too adventurous. The place is nice, service is good, and if anything isn't up to par (which is always is), Ben always makes up for it later :) read more

This is my favorite sushi place in Austin. It's not cheap, as is to be expected when discussing sushi...but then again, you could've guessed that already. The prices are comparable to Musashino. Here's why I like Mikado, though: 1. Great ambiance. I don't personally go for the pseudo-authentic vibe of Musashino because I like to actually have some elbow space and hear some dinner conversation...which is why Mikado rates better in my book. Modern, clean decor and intimate environment is how I prefer to eat my sushi versus rustic, cramped, and loud. 2. Good, attentive service. Our waitress was extremely helpful, answering questions about different types of fish and providing suggestions. 3. High quality grade fish. Admittedly, I'm not an "expert" and, therefore, have a hard time distinguishing between great and absolutely great. But I can tell when the quality is low. I've had enough bad sushi to know that much, at least. Didn't have a single bad roll or slice of sashimi there. That's good. Overall, the combination of quality and setting makes this place tops in my book. read more

So there are days when time softens or enhances your your brightest brights or your lowest lows; while some collective experiences are brought to bear over a lifetime, it is entirely plausible that a singular experience connects (or doesn't) in ways that resonate. Point is, it's a moving globe and you catch your vignettes when they happen. Case in point being our stop into Mikado tonight: both parties famished, eager to try something new, but in the ripe leap of spring angling for something that felt both like a interesting and elegant dinner happenstanced with something light enough to make us feel like we had at least an eagle eye's view of our waistline. I mean, hey, it's spring, and we each do the best we can. There's a little to be said for taking a deep bite into a new place without figuring that it'll take three weeks to burn off. All that in place, I absolutely had one of the singularly best sushi meals in my trips round the marble here. Shorthand version included what the dessert lover and I came to refer to as the 'meat martini' (good lord, try the sauce), some sort of cucumber snow crab offering, fatty salmon, yellowtail tuna, and a tuna roll that were to die for. Our service was spot on, and the ambiance was relaxing and the ideal antidote for what had turned out to be a looong day. Thanks Mikado. You've not seen the last of us...and one of my favorite things is that even as well as you guys do things, we can't see all of much. Sometimes dim light gives way to shimmers of hopeful flavor. read more

Mikado is the best sushi place in Austin, full stop. The servers are always friendly and the sushi is unbelievable. I've often gone here with work-related groups, usually vendors taking us out in an effort to sell us some extremely expensive "enterprise" gadget. The waitresses are always willing to put up with their banter with quiet aplomb. They will stand quietly with a smile and a chuckle at every lame joke while patiently awaiting our order as I try to kick the loudmouth vendor rep under the table to get him to shut up and order already. If you order enough sushi, it comes on a big wooden boat. The presentation is excellent, with every piece clean and colorful. The taste is amazing, every bite full of flavor. Hell, even their wasabi and soy sauce are somehow better than everyone else's. Whenever I go there I end up eating far more sushi than I would have thought possible, and I stay full for hours afterward. Be sure to ask your server about her recommendations. She'll almost always recommend specialty rolls that aren't on the menu but are, without exception, magnificent. Go here with a big group and experience the sushi boat, or go with a date you want to impress with your excellent taste and ability to not ogle the cute waitresses in front of her (that part might be a challenge). Either way, just go. You won't regret it. read more

This used to be the fancy/expensive place back in college where we went to splurge on a meal. I must say that it has certainly aged well over the years and quite honestly, it's still sort of pricey. The decor is classy without trying too hard, the servers are attentive without being overbearing. They have some good combos for lunch, a private room in the back for parties, and all-day happy hour on Sunday. I recommend the crab puffs, Ben's roll, and Chiroshi's Fire. read more

I have only been there once, and my recollection is not as detailed as I would like--but could I afford it, I would be making this my regular sushi spot. The menu is, so far, the most creative and expansive I have come across in Austin. I was eating with two other people, and it was a tragedy that we couldn't eat any more than we did, because there was so much we wanted to try! The gyu-tataki we ordered was exquisitely presented, with a delicate citrus vinegarette accenting each tender morsel. Fresh cracked pepper playfully laced the clean meat--and this was just an appetizer. The sushi was nothing less than spectacular. The ingredients were fresh, crisp and clean-tasting. The fish to rice ratio was beyond generous--we went for lunch, but we were so stuffed that we had to push back our original dinner time. The service was not imposing, but attentive. I am counting down the days I can go back here. Sigh...it was a beautiful, exotic atmosphere that I would love to dine in again. read more

Wahwahwah. First GREAT sushi place I visited in Austin this past year. Then again when do college kids in Austin have the chance to do sushi all that often anyway? Went with a group of 7 friends because myself and 2 or 3 others in the group were real sushi fanatics, others wanted to live a little, and two among us happened to be ballers. [Neither of which was myself, but I digress...] I can say truthfully that the price was no biggie for ME, but then, for you to be able to say the same, you might need some gracious, and loaded, and graciously loaded friends to foot the rest of the bill after politely requesting only $15 from the rest of the group. I think we were at around $275 for all 8 of us. Not a math fella here, but you can give it a shot chief haha The entryway is really inviting, albeit if a little dim. They had lowlight lanterns and some places to sit a bit off to the side. Getting to the bathrooms is a bit dark, and where we were sitting, it was quite dim. I think they encourage a quieter feel to this place, or maybe they're just inviting people to get lost in their own conversations at the table, unconcerned with other peoples' goings-on at other tables. Who can tell when it's that dim, right? Our waitress was very nice and attentive. As far as service and getting your food out is concerned, I'd recommend doing what one of my baller friends did [honestly, this guy's name is Bentley for cryinout loud!!], and ask that they bring out only one or two trays of sushi at a time. Errh that is...if you're like us and had 14 orders coming out during your visit haha. It will make the ENJOYING aspect of sushi a lot easier if you're not worrying about "the last two pieces!" until that last shipment. The Eats. The squid salad was really good! Hope you like salty, because the little dish they bring out is enough comfortably for two as a small appetizer, and is loaded up on flavor. The sushi itself was REALLY good. Bentley and myself both ordered their nigiri sushi, which was suuuper fresh. Like yea. It felt like the sea slapped me in the face man! The clam in particular was just MASSIVE. I highly recommend the Seabass and Clam varieties if you're considering sushi nigiri. As for their rolls, the Spider, Spicy Crawfish, Corishi's Rage [yea...took me forever to get that just by verbal communication], Rock n' Roll [props for WITTYYY], and Tuxedo Roll are all notably superb. We also tried the Rainbow Roll, Ben's Roll, and Unagi Maki which were great. Everything was fresh and in large-proportion as sushi goes, but if you're operating under a budget, try a few of dem apples! Dessert was pretty varied fare for each of us. I went with the sake ice cream. Not bad at all, but I haven't really acquired a taste of sake. Should have ordered the nonsake'fied version haha. My friends got some amazing sweet ends to a meal though: a Passionberry Mousse, light and tart edged with sweet and cold, and a Molten Chocolate Cake, which was basically the same as Chili's, but without ice cream. I took a stab at it though, and the chocolate that oozed out of it was really good and really rich. I think the structure that rested behind our table pretty well describes the general feel of Mikado Ryotei. It was a modern take on a sword stand. You know..without sounding nerdy, one of the things that Hattori Hanzo would have kept his gear in [like in Kill Bill], or one of the racks of swords that the black dude pulled his blade out of at the end of Equilibrium? They had interpreted it instead with straight edges and heavy, black rectangles instead of curves and steely metal. A meeting of old and new. The place feels dark, but once you're under the spots of light hovering right over your table, you feel a bit more at home. The experience of an old world sushiya complemented by the many new tastes gliding across your palette. This place feels like good cologne. read more

I love this place. I am a loyal Mikado fan. I love the hamachi with mango, caterpillar roll, sashimi...all of it. I took one of my non-sushi eating friends and the cooked food is great too. The smoked Tuna collar, sea bass and tempura are awesome. The presentation there is always impressive and the food has been consistently wonderful to eat. I wish I had more sushi eating friends! I also love the big guy that yells something indiscernible as you leave the door. Super cute. read more

Nowhere on the menu does it say there's wasabi on the nigiri. I am allergic to wasabi and had to have my food refunded TWICE on DoorDash. I put instructions both times to not include wasabi because I have an allergy. So thanks a lot guys. I didn't get to eat dinner tonight thanks to you. Put your ingredients on the menu, and honor allergen warnings on DoorDash orders. Screw you guys. read more

I have the Fearless Critic to thank for considering Mikado. If you haven't gotten that handy little book yet, pick it up. It will be the best $13 you've ever spent. For starters, their Miso Soup is excellent. Usually, miso just tides me over until dinner gets there. But Mikado's Miso is a gift unto itself: it is rich and flavorful, with shitake mushrooms and large, tasty nori. Mikado excels in rolls, and being an American, I like rolls. The Crunchy Kazi is large and spectacular and usually my husband and I fight over the last piece ( I always win- hey, I married him for a reason). Next time we are getting all Crunchy Kazi. We also like the Hottie Susan. Their fish always tastes very fresh to me. For more traditional nigiri, definitely head across the road to Mushashino. I don't usually get anything but sushi. The ambiance is lovely- soft, understated and warm. Lovely lighting. Great place for a date evening, I think, and great to hear it is good for parties. The servers are sweet and always attentive. Definitely my favorite place in Austin for sushi. read more

Yay! Another good find since my 1.5 yrs of stay in Austin. I live close by to Mikado but seemed to have overlooked this place all the time when it comes to restaurant choices. Sushi bar, Japanese tapas, I used to be really confused about what exactly Mikado offers until I went there and tried it myself. Basically it is a sushi restaurant with fusion Japanese cuisines. I ordered a piece of uni (sea urchin) sushi followed by a grilled jumbo scallops entree. Oh-So- Yum-Yum-Good. The sushi was fresh and the entree portion was perfect and almost a little too generous. The scallops were very flavorful. The jumbo scallops were skewed and grilled to perfection, paired with tamari sauce, grilled asparagus, mushroom, carrot and the Mikado roll. I would recommend this dish to others who like scallops. All my friends like their meal including the dessert. Everything on the menu is reasonably priced. Sushi and sashimi are very much the same price when compared to other restaurant, so please don't let the modern, cozy, classy interior scare your wallet away. However, the sake price is a little ridiculous. For sake, save your $ and buy it at the grocery store or wine store, a big bottle of Sho Chiku Bai is only $7 compared to a 300ml mini bottle at $15 at Mikado. Weird. I love their fusion entree, it is refreshing and wonderful. Definitely will come back again in the future. read more

It pains me to give this place 4 stars. Like others who've reviewed Mikado, the atmosphere & food are spectacular. Every dish we tried was banging. BUT..... The very first time I came here, I had the worst experience in a restaurant in my life! I called ONE WEEK before to set a reservation for a friend's birthday party in Mikado's private room. The reservation was set in stone as far as I was concerned. Mikado called me the day before to confirm for that Friday night reservation. On Friday night as my party rolled in to Mikado (10 minutes early), we were told that another party had just been seated in Mikado's ONLY party room. So of course I protested that I not only set a reservation, but confirmed the day prior.........they did NOTHING! I'm a pretty defiant person so after talking to the manager we arranged some tables by the back and got some free food. (note: really damn good sushi and the best in the city without a doubt). I can still never get that ugly taste out of my mouth. Every time I even think about Mikado I get semi-pissed because as defiant and stubborn as I was, I couldn't help LOVING their food. That is why my friends, Mikado gets a defiant 4 stars. read more

We found popular prices and better-than-average sushi at Mikado. There are some pricier items - a Hottie Susan specialty roll and Sea Bass appetizer in our case - but both proved worthy of their slightly elevated price tags. My Super White sashimi was pleasant with its sprinkling of pepper spice, but a piece of Toro sushi did not taste quite ready for the big leagues. Indeed all of the sushi fish seemed fresh and well-presented, but short of the melt-in-your-mouth magic that I associate with elevated sushi nirvana. The decor was sleek and modern without being the least bit forbidding or pretentious. Service was smart and unobtrusive. I confess that I can't share the same five-star love that some of my Yelp friends seem to have found here, but it was an all-around solid experience nonetheless. read more

Admittedly I'm not a sushi expert but I've had it more than a few times, and I was impressed with the sushi at Mikado. I can't quite give it 5 stars because I haven't tried the dinner entrees or any of the nigiri, plus none of the food we had was completely earth-shattering. The rolls and appetizers we tried were extremely yummy and well-prepared, however. I got a chef's special roll that isn't normally on the menu, the "crunchy spicy scallop maki," and I have to say it was probably the best raw scallop preparation I've ever eaten! I was in scallop heaven. I don't believe they have a roll with scallops on their menu regularly, so I may even ask if they can do this one for me again next time I come in. We also tried the Hottie Susan (yummy, and BIG--you get what you pay for with the specialty rolls) and the Beni Toro (simple and smaller, but fresh and tasty). We had two appetizers, both of which were well above average: the snow crab crisp maki, which was SO YUMMY--I wish it had been bigger!!--and the pan-fried gyoza, which tasted just like the gyoza some Japanese acquaintances made for me once--very good! For 3 rolls and 2 appetizers, NO drinks (just water), we paid $45 before tip. If you add drinks and assume somewhere on the order of 2 rolls per person, it's very hard to get out of here for under $30 a head feeling full. Then again, "budget sushi" may not be everyone's cup of tea. I'm definitely going back for the Crunchy Kazi, the spider roll, Chorishi's Fire and some nigiri! One of these days I might make it past the sushi to the entrees... I'm not one to judge a restaurant by its decor (I care about the FOOD, what else do we live for?!) but this is a clean, dim, modern place that would be a nice date spot. read more

We've been to a bunch of sushi places around Austin and Mikado does have a couple of exceptional rolls, but some were just average. We prefer Koreana more. Full review..... (6/10) Crunchy Kazi This roll has spicy tuna, avocado, and smoked eel with crunchy flakes and eel sauce on the outside. It is decent but lacks slightly in flavor. Also, the individual pieces are huge so it is a tad frustrating trying to fit it all in one bite, but quickly falls apart if you attempt anything else! (7/10) Hottie Susan Includes spicy tuna, cucumber, topped with salmon, avocado and spicy sauce. This is a solid roll and had a little kick to it due to the sauce. (4/10) Negihama Roll This is a simple yellowtail roll with scallions and cucumber rolled in the seaweed. The amount of rice trumps the amount of yellowtail - so we couldn't taste any of the other flavors too much. This one definitely needs to be dipped into soy sauce or dabbed with wasabi. (8/10) Chorishi's Fire This roll consists of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado and spicy sauce. This was the yummiest roll here... the tempura and tuna went well together. Mikado added more spicy sauce on this one (as opposed to the Hottie Susan) which gave it a bigger kick to it because it brought out the other flavors in the roll as well! (7/10) Spicy Crawfish Roll Includes crawfish tail, avocado and spicy sauce. It pleased our palates...we would probably try it again. (5/10) Molten Chocolate Lava It's a chocolate cakey exterior is filled with warm, dark chocolate truffle. The outside cakey part is kind of thick and hard. The molten insides made up for it a bit. (6/10) Tempura Ice Cream This dessert consisted of deep fried vanilla ice cream and coated with tempura crunch. Again, the exterior was kind of thick and hard and didn't flake off easily. The ice cream ball on the inside is delicious. The presentation was nice - it comes in a martini glass instead of a bowl. Service (6/10) The waitress was nice but not attentive enough. It wasn't busy either, so we were curious as to why service was on the slow side. When we asked for our water to be filled, we also had to wait a bit. Overall, for a fancy restaurant the service could have been better. Ambiance (8/10) Mikado has a swanky, clubby yet romantic, dimly lit interior. There is table or bar seating. The booths are huge so it can work for groups as well as couples. We went on a weeknight and they played 80s music and a little techno/trance as well. There is ample parking because Mikado is in a little strip mall area. read more

Blah. Again, not Japanese. Stop playing me. Don't think you are snowing me over by saying "i-ras shai mase" when i walk in, because you CAN'T EVEN PRONOUNCE IT!!!!! that really pisses me off. That immediately sets the tone for the authenticity of the food. another shitty attempt at butchering Japanese food with an overplayed American " asian dining experience" decor in a strip mall. Food is not that fresh, they fuck with rolls to hide poor quality fish (like ALL spicy Tuna rolls). Absolutely nothing original. read more

Mikado has been my steady go-to for years now -- their fish is delicious with generous cuts, and the rice consistently prepared. If you've ever sat at the sushi bar at Mikado you've definitely seen a nameplate with either my nom de plume, my stage name, an alias, my maiden name, a pseudonym, my handle or perhaps my summer name. You see, I travel with very exclusive company that require me to engage in noms de guerre and expense copious amounts of sushi. I start every meal at every sushi bar the very same way: a glass of water, a bowl of miso soup, and a traditional negihama roll. This simple order is an amazing indicator of how the rest of the meal will turn out. If the broth in the miso soup is overly cloudy or tastes too strongly of nori, then it is likely that the rest of the meal will also be as unrefined. The miso soup at Mikado is delicious with a nice balance of savory broth, hints of nori, tofu and slices of mushroom. The negihama, a traditional roll with yellow tail and scallion, is a subtle indicator of attention to flavor and tradition. Many upscale sushi bars do not offer the negihama roll, but I have never had a problem ordering one (except from Uchiko!) as long as the chef has been around for a while. If the negihama is served with nori on the outside (my preference) I envisage a tightly wrapped roll with a delicious balance of hamachi chopped with scallions. If served with rice on the outside (not traditional) then I expect the sushi chef to up the ante with either something delicious or visually compelling on the outside. The negihama at Mikado has a wonderful balance of hamachi and scallion bound tightly in a nori wrapper. For nigiri sushi it is difficult to go wrong with salmon anywhere in Austin these days. Mikado is no different, serving very large slices of beautiful salmon whose buttery notes pair perfectly with a touch of soy and wasabi. A controversial favorite of mine at Mikado is the super-white tuna. It comes topped with deliciously toasted bits of minced garlic. I swear I could eat spoonfuls of that stuff. But the bad news is that there is no super-white tuna. That, folks, is escolar. Many will not go near the stuff, but if escolar is the only path to those magic morsels of garlicky gold then I will brave the waters. After my soup and roll opener and a few pieces of nigiri I solicited Chef Benny's whitefish recommendation between the red snapper, flounder, and the sea bass. How a chef fields this question is make or break as to whether I will place the order at all. I am looking for eye contact, then the recognition that he understands what is at the root of my question. I want to watch the expression on his face as he mentally catalogs the three fish options I've given him. I want the chef to champion one fish whose quality surpasses the others. If he offers a lukewarm recommendation, I will pass. If he doesn't understand that I am looking for his endorsement, I will pass. Chef Benny wholeheartedly recommended the red snapper. I requested it prepared as sashimi with ponzu sauce. The presentation was outstanding with large beautiful slices arranged as large petals meeting in the center of the plate and twisting upward until they resembled an adolescent rose bud. The texture was beatific and the flavor bolstered by the ponzu; however the preparation was not perfect. Almost every other piece of sashimi had a lingering fish scale. There really is no elegant way to recover from a fish scale or four, but just as I finished my sashimi, Chef Benny suprised me with two complimentary items. The first was an interesting tuna preparation with crunchy bits of tempura and the familiar spicy mayonnaise with the thousand island coloring (make that, crayola!). I always crave the spicy mayo but can't bring myself to order anything with it, so this is a welcome gratuity from the chef. The second item was a piece of peppered tuna nigiri -- it was loaded with flavor, but the peppering also changed the texture of the fish making it less unctuous than I prefer. Since I started eating sushi in the mid-nineties I've developed a habit of consummating my sushi meal with a sweet note. I've tried tomago, unagi nigiri, unagi temaki, but lately I've been on a Rock'n Roll hand roll kick: tempura-battered fried shrimp with slices of avocado, sprouts, and a slathering of the deliciously sticky eel sauce. Beware: while in Austin it seems most sushi bars have settled on the ingredients above for what constitutes a Rock'n Roll, a quick googling turned up such abominations as cream cheese, imitation crab meat, bits of Mick Jagger, and Elvis satin. Remember, if you spot an exquisitely dressed individual at the bar with a noticeable avoirdupois flanked by an entourage of Armani assassins a simple touch of the top hat will confirm my presence. I said, "good day, sir!" read more