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    Neo

    4.8 (69 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJapanese
    Open 5:30 pm - 11:00 PM

    Neo Photos

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    Roe
    Riel S.

    Neo was a great experience from start to finish--chill vibe, super friendly staff, and food that really stood out. The dry-aged fish was a highlight, with a deep, clean flavor that made you appreciate how much care goes into their process (which they actually take time to show and explain in the back room--very cool). The dessert was unique, though the flavors didn't quite hit for me on this tasting menu. Still, the complimentary drinks, the knowledge the team shared, and their genuine hospitality made the whole night feel special.

    How close you are to the experience.
    David G.

    This was an absolutely fantastic experience. The food was spectacular and the wait staff were friendly and attentive. They put the dinner on at an alternate location due to having their place remodeled, but it was a great place with a great vibe.

    Elaine D.

    Very innovative omakase that the texture and flavor were so delightful. I wasn't a fan of the dessert but their fish was fresh. I wish I was able to go to their original Neo but they were able to host at an interesting place.

    Desert
    Sa'Rah H.

    Amazing! I'll just start there. I attended my bestie's birthday dinner at Neo. The moment you walk through the first entrance you're in this minimalist, chic space and promptly served a glass of bubbly. After a quick moment of chatter, we were led to the main dining space which also served as a fashion boutique. We were all seated around a half moon dining counter and served more champagne. Next we were served 16 courses of the most delicious and perfect bites ever. So much thought and consideration was put into each course to create a truly special dining experience. I had a menu to refer to for my review but my dog literally ripped it to shreds so the menu was meant to be kept a secret. The Chefs and staff were absolute amazing, kind and patient with us while explaining every detail of each dish and what made it unique. You will absolutely need to book this omikase dining experience in advance and expect a hefty price tag.

    1
    PJ M.

    Really enjoyed our okakase here. Wish I could remember what everything was but suffice it to say everything was delicious, fresh and gave you that "oh crap that's so good" feeling. I think my friend says it best, it's so good. It pisses you off because you can't have it every day.

    Diana J.

    Excellent service, good ambiance. Definitely a top tier omakase in Houston. They explain where everything is sourced. There's also a dry aging tour at the end if you have time.

    Diep L.

    Holy bananas!! I cannot recommend this place enough. All the reviews are totally accurate. So first of all the location is so cute. The fact that it's inside a clothing shop is so unique. You're greeted by champagne and can look around the shop. The bar itself seats 10 people. The chefs greet you in the beginning and are very knowledgeable. Everyone who worked there is so nice. There is a sake or wine pairing included. For sake there were 2 sakes poured throughout the meal. They give you options to add supplements like caviar to one dish. I got to try fish I've never had before and I've had a decent share of omakases. The atmosphere was absolutely amazing!! I already cannot wait to be back.

    Sandra S.

    A unique and delicious neo omakase experience. This omakase is not just the traditional sushi, but a mix of that along with a tasting menu of a few bites of cooked dishes and dessert to follow. There's a bit more of a mysterious feel as you enter what looks like a newly renovated home in a neighborhood. Street parking. When you enter, the waiting room is a boutique clothing store. And then as you walk inside that, the seating is around a home kitchen island counter. 10 ppl max. One of the differences between this one and some of the other omakases that I've tried is that the price of this includes wine and sake pairing that continue to be served during the meal. You are greeted with Cava wine as soon as you enter and wait in the reception room and topped off. Then you are given 2 other sakes during the meal. The sushi portion was delicious. I would say maybe have a few pieces that don't have the wasabi. Don't get me wrong I love a good fresh grated wasabi but I think a lot of them tasted the same because it tasted like the wasabi. Menu: MADAI KINILAW | Heart of Palm, Coconut KAMPACHI | Japanese Amberjack MUKI HOTATE | Hokkaido Scallop MANAGATSUO | Butterfish HOKKAIDO UNI | Sea Urchin AKAMI | Lean Bluefin Tuna CHUTORO | Medium Fatty Bluefin Tuna OTORO | Fatty Bluefin Tuna BLUE LOBSTER | Seaweed Hollandaise ANAGO | Salt Water Eel BADGER FLAME BEETS | Abalone Emulsion, Kimchi VENISON | Stinging Nettle TSUKUNE | Hibiscus Tare, Sansho GUNGOGU | Grapefruit, Hazelnuts COULANT | Sicilian Pistachios MIGNARDISE | Yamamomo, Golden Berry, Fruit Leather I couldn't bring myself to get this but they also sold a quarter of Miyazaki mango for $35. It looked really good. Bonus: I got 1 free scoop of caviar for my birthday along with a cute Polaroid photo. Everyone was super friendly. Although pricey, it was a wonderful birthday dinner.

    Hayley S.

    I've been to Neo nearly 10 times since they first opened, and I plan to return many more. From the very beginning, this place has stood out as something truly special. While I miss the smaller, more intimate seating and the like-minded foodies from its early days, Neo still delivers an unforgettable experience. The vibe has shifted a bit lately, with the crowd feeling less personal and friendly, but I'm hopeful future visits will bring back that sense of connection. What hasn't changed is the sushi--it's absolutely to die for. Each of the 18 (or so) perfectly crafted bites is prepared right in front of you, with detailed explanations that make the experience incredibly special. I always find myself getting full about halfway through, but I happily power through every bite because it's just that good! My favorite is anything dry-aged! A quick tip: Arrive a little early to grab one of the limited parking spots, or be prepared to park along the road. Despite the minor shifts in atmosphere, Neo remains one of the most unique and delectable sushi experiences in town. Highly recommend it for anyone who loves artfully prepared, unforgettable cuisine! I just remembered that we also attended their special seatings in partnership with 13 Celsius which included a wine tasting of which we upgraded to premium of course! It couldn't have been a more perfect collaboration as we also frequent 13 Celsius... going on at least 15 years now... and adore Harold and Adele. They do the most wonderful and carefully curated events and collabs.

    Ara A.

    Neo is without a doubt top tier in Houston for Japanese Omakase. Luis Mercado and the team always deliver such inventive, deliciously fresh dishes with the perfect execution. We have been to new since they first started their pop ups at Glass and it has been so exciting to see how much our city continues to support them. I look forward to every new iteration of their seasonal menus. Michelin better give you all the stars!!

    Fish of the night
    Haley G.

    Wow wow wow. This is my second time here and I love it! Food is mouth watering. Definitely worth the cost! Service is great, walking around re filling drinks the entire dinner, along with cleaning the table. Ambiance is a men's small clothing store. Really unique and fun experience!

    Surya U.

    So so so good. We loved this experience so much. Each bite was something special. Yes it's a pretty penny but worth it.

    Nette T.

    This is in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and in a clothing store. In the back, through a door, is the omakase 10 seat counter experience. The itamae made a short speech and our service began. The knife skills were on point, service was on point and our meal was outstanding. Our menu for the night was: Maguro Crudo ~ Green strawberries Madai ~ Japanese Sea Bream Kampachi ~ Hokkaido Salmon Roe Sawara ~ Japanese King Mackerel Chutoro ~ Medium Fatty Bluefin Tuna Maine Uni ~ Sea Urchin Sepia Salae ~ Squid Garum Kinome Norwegian Blue Lobster Unagi ~ Fresh Water Eel A5 Wagyu Maitake ~ Hen of the Woods House Fermented Kombucha Cappalletti ~Butternut Squash, Pecorino Truffle Sando ~ Jamon Mamey Ice Cream ~ Pecans, Pixtle Oil Goma Dofu ~ Wasanbon, Sesame Seeds Everything tasted fresh and it was an interesting fusion of flavors near the end of the meal. We paired our meal with Joy Junmai Ginju Genshi sake. I really enjoyed my meal here. Who knew that this clothing store had such an astonishing omakase in the back? Highly recommended!!

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    Izakaya Wa - River Oaks - #YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

    Izakaya Wa - River Oaks

    4.3(312 reviews)
    0.6 miRiver Oaks, Montrose
    $$

    Went for dinner since we were in the area. For a Thursday night, it was still pretty busy. All the…read moretables were full but we ended up being seated pretty quickly at bar seating. Opted for the salmon trio sashimi, tontoro skewers, and one of their new appetizers, the yuzu ageimoono (?). The taro potato balls were delicious, smooth with a nice light crispy shell covered in a salty, light yuzu dressing. The tontoro was delicious, well roasted, not too fatty, and tender. The salmon trio was also great, coming with king salmon, regular salmon, and smoked salmon. To be honest, I could tell there was a difference between the king and regular salmon, but I couldn't really tell which one was which. I also had a bite of my friend's tantanmen, which was basically like the Japanese version of dandan noodles and it was delicious, great nutty flavor with a touch of spice. It has a pretty nice menu. While it is a touch higher in price point, it is pretty reasonable for Houston. The quality is pretty equivalent to what I had in Japan, although as expected, more expensive. Will definitely need to be back to try their other items!

    Yummy, quick, and decently priced…read more You can make several of the rolls into hand rolls if you ask the waiter Waiters are friendly and knowledgeable I like that they have real wasabi Vibes are pretty casual, I'd come here during the day or if you wanna grab a quick bite with someone after hanging out in river oaks

    Photos
    Izakaya Wa - River Oaks - Sushi bar

    Sushi bar

    Izakaya Wa - River Oaks - #YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

    #YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

    Izakaya Wa - River Oaks - #YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

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    #YelpElite #Yelp #sushi

    Uchi Houston

    Uchi Houston

    4.4(2.6k reviews)
    0.6 miMontrose, Fourth Ward
    $$$
    Takes reservations
    Fine dining

    This place is still my fav. The inside is a casual vibe for a sushi place but the prices and taste…read moreis by any means casual. This is actually one of my favorite sushi spots in Houston. The service is great and the servers are similar with the dishes. There's a parking garage where you can park and it does cost money. I think I saw valet too but i don't think it is complimentary. They change up the menu every once in a while or try new things out. They have daily special on the menu. They have plenty of drinks and even zero proof. Their Brussel sprouts is truly one of the best I've ever had. They were like marinated and drenched in sweet chili and lemon. I tried the a5 hot rock waygu and that was very tasty. Flavors and texture was there I could taste the quality. My favorite was the a5 Uni nigiri. This just melted in my mouth. I tried the waygyu tartare and the bread it came with made this dish it was buttery or milky soft and tossed. The actual meat was grinded up like you'd expect and it was okay just the bread really made this dish. I also loved the kanpachi crudo. It was just the right amount of sauce that leveled up the amberjack and the pineapple brighten the dish. I tried the flounder on the daily special menu and that was not it. This had to be the worse thing I tried. The cilantro broth was too heavy and the cilantro flavors were overpowering. The flounder even tasted dry. I received a free crab roll and this was tasty. Had the hamachi chili which the hamachi is always my favorite with the chilis and pineapple. The blue fin otoro was also one of my favorites. I just love the melt in your mouth textures. The salmon belly was okay. I tried the collar bone fish (Hama Kama) and that was fire. You're suppose to scoop out the fish. It's very easy to pick off the fish it was so soft and fall off the bone. The sauce it came with reminded me of nuoc mam but its sesame vinegar. It paired really well with the fish.

    Had a great experience at Uchi! Service was quick and every dish came out at a good pace. The…read morekinoko nabe with gyutoro was definitely my favorite bite of the night -- so flavorful and comforting. We did the happy hour omakase for $120 for two people and it was absolutely worth it. Such a perfect date night spot! There's a parking garage at the Montrose Collective that you can park in for a fee!

    Photos
    Uchi Houston - Bites of love: foie gunkan (seared foie gras)

    Bites of love: foie gunkan (seared foie gras)

    Uchi Houston - Zero sen - didn't love the sauce but the sushi was graet!

    Zero sen - didn't love the sauce but the sushi was graet!

    Uchi Houston - Special: a5 + uni temaki - looks delicious and tastes phenomenal!

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    Special: a5 + uni temaki - looks delicious and tastes phenomenal!

    Zen Japanese Izakaya - Bluefin Tuna Special Bowl

    Zen Japanese Izakaya

    4.2(334 reviews)
    0.6 miMontrose
    $$

    This restaurant is a cozy, authentic gem for Japanese small plates. The space is intimate with a…read moresmall dining area. Reservations are highly recommended. There aren't many tables, and it fills up quickly. Service was incredibly friendly and attentive. This is what we ordered: 1. pepper tuna tataki 2. hamachili 3. hijiki 4. karaage 5. agedashi tofu 6. Rock N Roll roll 7. Zen Mega Dragon roll 8. hamachi sashimi 9. hamachi roll 10. Extra Picante roll 11. Yakisoba noodles 12. Brussel sprouts Almost everything was absolutely delicious. The pepper tuna tataki and hamachili were fresh and flavorful. The karaage was crispy, tender and juicy, and the agedashi tofu had that perfect texture in a savory broth. All were sooo good. The Zen Mega Dragon roll, hamachi hamachi roll, and Extra Picante roll were all fresh and excellent. The only two dishes that didn't quite wow us were the hijiki and the Rock N Roll roll. Both were a bit basic compared to everything else on the table. The yakisoba noodles did take a little while to come out, but wow... they were soooo worth the wait. Savory, hot, and incredibly satisfying. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and portion sizes, which makes it even better. There is free parking, but the lot is small. When it's busy, finding a spot can be a little tricky. We will definitely be back to explore more of the menu.

    this was a very tasty spot. the flavors of the sushi were so good i ended up not needing any soy…read moresauce at all. the service was very friendly and attentive which was nice. the ambiance was dark but welcoming. it was nice having dessert on the menu that was more unique than usual and i had to try one of their options you just don't see on others menus. it was nice getting something more earthy and authentic. presentation was very pretty as well. overall it was a great experience that made me want to go back.

    Photos
    Zen Japanese Izakaya
    Zen Japanese Izakaya - Fish from Japan

    Fish from Japan

    Zen Japanese Izakaya

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    Katami - Osaka Decadent roll

    Katami

    4.6(304 reviews)
    0.7 miMontrose
    $$$

    This is my third time at Katami and I enjoy it just as much as the first and second time! My…read moreboyfriend and I were here for our anniversary date night this time and we had a blast. The chill ambience, the delicious food and the laughs were top tier. We had Alex (I think, I'm so bad remembering names but he had Japanese whiskey pins on his apron) as our waiter and he was attentive and so knowledgeable! He gave us great drink recs and was descriptive with the flavor profile for the nigiri choices that we were unfamiliar with. For food, we ordered plenty of appetizers, some of the daily nigiri and our usual go-to's nigiri + some random ones. Apps: toro tartar (amazing flavor profile), goma tofu (good and nutty in flavor), tomato somen salad (refreshing and nice) Daily: squid (a fave for me), purple uni (we both love this), Sakura sake (yes), rockfish (bf got this and really liked it), a tiger prawn app (it was ok) Nigiri from regular menu: totoro, chutoro, scallop, hamachi, barracuda, shiitake mushroom, clam, and mackerel. Roll: the southern smoke roll (so good). We should've tried more rolls. Dessert: my bf noted a dairy allergy so the chef made us a light and sweet non-dairy dessert out of coconut milk and fruits to celebrate! It was very thoughtful of them. Also got the apple caramel bread pudding (the only cooked fruit dessert I eat b/c I'm a cooked fruit hater) I didn't get pictures of everything since I got distracted w/ eating but it was a memorable night. I highly recommend coming here for a high quality dinner with friends or a date. Katami is easily a favorite on my sushi restaurant list!

    At Katami, the flavors arrive like fragments of memory before they become a whole sentence. This is…read morethe strange pleasure (and occasional frustration) of fine dining when you cook enough yourself to recognize the building blocks. You spend half the meal trying to identify each note before the dish moves past analysis and settles into feeling. The shrimp toast came first, and it read almost plainly at first bite: cultured tang from crème fraîche, sweet fruit, the faint richness of butter soaking into impossibly thin milk bread. A small herb scattered on top sharpened everything just enough. Then the caviar arrived not as luxury punctuation but as structure, binding the sourness and sweetness into something quieter and more deliberate. At home, these flavors would sit beside one another. Here, they dissolved into each other. Several dishes moved unmistakably toward Vietnamese flavors without ever becoming literal reproductions. The branzino tempura carried the familiar push and pull of nước mắm and sugar, maybe shrimp paste somewhere underneath, though softened into something more restrained. A brown sauce alongside it tasted almost startlingly recognizable: peanut butter, grainy sugar, the kind of sweet-savory depth that recalls satay sauce made in a home kitchen. The flavors are not hidden exactly, but compressed. In home cooking, especially in Southeast Asian food, flavor often announces itself clearly: fish sauce is fish sauce, herbs remain bright and separate, sugar lands directly on the palate. At Katami, those same references are blurred at the edges. Sometimes the dishes communicated more through texture than taste. The rockfish, paired with yuzu kosho, had a peppery structure that lingered longer than the citrus itself. The sakura salmon tasted like a spring time promenade, cherry blossom petals scattering in the bright, breezy sky. Overall, I recommend this sushi spot for a contemporary perspective on fine dining sushi. I was surprised to see other cuisines blended in compared to restaurants that are distinctly Japanese. Katami focuses on a story with each individual course, instead of all the plates flowing together. Each dish has a start and finish, it felt like reading a book compiled of mini poems!

    Photos
    Katami - Fresh flowers.

    Fresh flowers.

    Katami - Foie Scallop

    Foie Scallop

    Katami - Roasted cabbage

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    Roasted cabbage

    Ramen Tatsu-Ya - Smoked Shoyu Brisket Ramen Bowl

    Ramen Tatsu-Ya

    3.8(1.3k reviews)
    0.3 miMontrose
    $$

    While I was first introduced to this place over three years ago by my sister, I had not returned…read moresince then. However, since crawfish season is one of my favorite times of the year, I had to come back to try their limited edition ramen. Just like my first visit, the staff were extremely friendly, the food came out incredibly quickly, and the overall experience felt comforting and welcoming. I ordered the seasonal bowl, The Crawmen, which came with crawfish tonkotsu broth, andouille sausage, bayou butter, corn, and peppers. While the bowl was clearly inspired by a crawfish boil, I felt like it could have leaned even further into those flavors with more crawfish and a stronger boil seasoning overall. The ramen was definitely delicious, but the broth did not quite have enough crawfish boil flavor to fully separate it from their standard tonkotsu ramen. At times, it mostly tasted like the original broth with andouille sausage added in. Even so, it was still an enjoyable bowl of ramen, though I would probably stick to one of their regular menu options over this seasonal special. My mom and I also shared the Karaage, which arrived very quickly while still being piping hot, crispy, and juicy inside. On the other hand, I would personally skip the Sakura Sweet Tea and Strawberry Yuzu Lemonade in the future since they mostly tasted like their regular counterparts without adding anything particularly unique. Overall, I still really enjoy the welcoming atmosphere and reliable quality of this place, especially the ramen and karaage. While the seasonal bowl did not fully live up to its concept for me, the experience itself was still enjoyable enough that I would gladly return again.

    This place was yummy . I got the spicy ramen and its was 9/10 ! The ambiance was great and…read moreintimate. Service was great as well. The only thing is it was extremely hot and for someone eating spicy ramen lol it's uncomfortable turn air on please

    Photos
    Ramen Tatsu-Ya - Dining area

    Dining area

    Ramen Tatsu-Ya - Chashu Rice bowl

    Chashu Rice bowl

    Ramen Tatsu-Ya - Gyoza & Munchie Katsu Slider

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    Gyoza & Munchie Katsu Slider

    Neo - japanese - Updated May 2026

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