Expensive food, therefore fantastic food and great reviews, but you want to know why? Is it simply the illusion that something more expensive would therefore taste better? I made sure while I was indulging in the sushi that this was not mind games so here it goes. First the service needs to be top notch. It is slightly below top notch depending on the sushi cutters because there wasn't much of a sense that they were enjoying what they were doing, except for Yoshi. Yoshi is outstanding. So much knowledge and so much care and friendliness towards everyone he pleases. Presentation, I could care less. What was it like in my mouth?? It was a symphony. Just a simple slice of fish on top of rice possessed so much complexion far beyond what you would get at almost any sushi place in town, let alone the state of Texas for that matter. What is not familiar in the flavor becomes apparent without disturbing the pallet. Looking back, it's that underlining, undermined, very rare flavor that says, "this is what truly belongs in a good slice of fish." Honestly, I would definitely come back if it wasn't so expensive. So was the experience worth it? For a first time and sharing the experience with someone else, definitely yes. I recommend for a special occasion. You are there to enjoy your time among craftsmanship, savoring flavors, and above all, having a great time. read more

OTOKO - Preparing amazing food. - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This place is amazing! The food quality is great--it was some the best sushi and such I've had, not only in Texas, but the US. The fish melted in your mouth and they had just enough flavoring to enhance the fish rather than mask it. There were some unusual ingredients but nothing too off the wall. One of the dishes featured a whole cooked small crab and the staff was really good at explaining that the crab would have the same type of crunch as a kettle chip. It was delicious. The service was great and it was fun to watch the food preparation. The ambiance is intimate and fun. We enjoyed talking to the folks sitting next to us at the counter. It took us a few tries to score a reservation and we enjoyed the condensed menu on Tuesday evening. For the quality of the food and number of dishes (15 courses) I thought I value of the condensed menu was good. Can't wait for next visit. read more

It's expensive, it's exclusive, and it's 100% worth it. Every bite I had during this omakase was a unique experience. Cuttlefish and jellyfish were new ones for me, and both were interesting and delicious. The obvious standouts are the charcoal kissed hamachi, the uni with caviar and wasabi, the bluefin, and the scallop. Basically anything that Chef Yoshi handled was pure bliss. One dish that really surprised me was the wagyu with radish mochi. The savory beef really popped with what I think was a yuzu ponzu, and the texture of toasted radish mochi was remarkable. I really tried paying attention to all the details, but when the food hit my mouth, I kinda just got lost in the happiness. My game plan of taking pictures of each course completely fell apart as well. It was like that scene in the beginning of Spirited Away where the parents just can't stop themselves. All my silly social media inclinations dissolved and my animal instincts just took over. I should also note that the cocktails from Watertrade were straight up bangers. The Nine-Tailed Fox is an absolute crowd pleaser. Sweet, light, refreshing, fun. My absolute favorite was the Ubume. I believe Awamori is the spirit of choice with this drink, and the sweet but herbal, spicy (green cardamom?) flavor was exactly what I wanted. Very flavorful, yet somehow not too heavy on the palette. Before the dessert courses (which were very refreshing, particularly the watermelon soup), I asked Chef Yoshi if consistently creating food at this level of excellence is still as fun for him as it tastes for us. He responded by saying that he doesn't think of himself of being at any level. "I don't have a goal" he said, reminding me a bit of Emmanuel Acho. Wherever he's at, he wants to be better, and since he refuses to settle this will always be exciting for him, and hopefully that gets passed down to us. Having eaten at some restaurants in other cities that were once lauded but have now become stale, I appreciated the hell out of that answer. Definitely makes me want to come back and see what else he has up his sleeve. read more

Amazing and seamless experience. The vibe and service were impeccable both at watertrade and otoko. Still thinking about the Madai and wagyu. Very impressed with all the food and the sake pairing as well. The story behind each sake pairing was really cool as well and it was a great mix. My only complaint is the wine pairing. The wine was all from the same vineyard which I thought was pretty unimaginative given the price of the pairing. I was expecting diversity similar to what they had with the sake pairing. Additionally I didn't love the wine... everyone has their tastes but to me it was very bitter tasting and more like a cider than anything. I know they wanted to incorporate something from Texas but there are FAR better Texas wines out there than this one. Would definitely go back and recommend to anyone but I would not get the wine pairing unless they update their selection. read more

When you walk in to this restaurant, you have to take a minute to just notice how great everything looks, even in the dark. The bar is gorgeous, drinks surprisingly affordable for how nice this place is, and you really feel like this is an experience crafted for -you-. When you're beckoned into the dining room, it's a visual experience. The whole focus is the "kitchen" area in front of you, and HUGE, lit stripes all around. We went on a Saturday, so we had tons of food that wasn't sushi. I'll apologize for my photos - I ate all the sushi so quickly that I never got a picture of any of it. Chef Yoshi was a delight. The essence of Japanese meets Austin, his killer tats and passion for food made for an amazing combo. My eating partner and I got the best seats in the house, right in front of the chef, and got to watch him slice fish with his long sword (ok, knife) with amazing precision, speed and delicacy. He started us out with some jelly fish and a TINY, flash-fried crab that you ate whole. You come to a restaurant like Otoko to get your boundaries pushed, so we took a leap and were pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was. After that, every dish seemed super approachable. Chef Yoshi is super into this special brand of rock salt - he places a tiny bit on each dish. I loved it - I think the salt emphasized the flavors and added a tiny, pleasant crunch to everything we had. The sushi was my favorite, SUPER fresh fish, but we one of the last dishes we had was this amazing sweet-salty mango and shrimp dish - I could've eaten 8 portions of it, it was SO refreshing. We were able to talk a LOT to the chef, and he told me that he just put things on his menu that he, himself, wants to eat. I get you, Chef Yoshi. I do. If I was richer, I'd be here more often. Expensive, but worth the price. read more

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Chef Yoshi is a master of his craft. We have tried both the Tokyo and Kyoto style tasting menus and both experiences were amazing. I was dumbfounded when I noticed the girl next to me wasn't eating everything put in front of her. I wanted to tackle the person taking away her untouched course and slap the dude that brought her there for not polishing it off himself. My point is, this experience should be shared with someone that truly appreciates this place for what it is. The quality here is as good as it gets in ATX. read more

High quality food with good presentation. Definitely ranks top in Austin. Compared to other similar omakase I had in NYC this place is also overpriced for what it offers, it's priced at $250, honestly around $170 is what I think it worths. However, the service is meh. We were instructed to wait in a crowed bar outside of the dining room for more than 20 mins of our reservation, waitress told us that the previous group were "eating slow and running late", which was kinda annoying. A tip to the restaurant, leave time in between the booking. read more

Superb quality of fish and superb creativity and execution. This is a tough one for me as It is hard for me to point something that makes me not give this place a 5 star rating. The use of olive oil to top the nigiri is genius and ballsy at the same time and I loved it. There were some dishes that blew my mind and some that should have been omitted in my opinion to secure a perfect impression on the diners and in this case myself. I love creative menus/ chefs that ho against the status quo and the mediocre play it safers, but chef Yoshi almost pushed it too much like in his last dessert which was a uni horchata ice cream topped with chipotle wasabi crickets. It was delicious in the most bizzare way, but wish I would have gotten some more predictable and delicious dessert to finish my meal. The use of printed diner names on the menu is a 3 michelin star move and I respect it and appreciated it A LOT!!! This place deserves 3 michelin stars way more than Atelier Crenn ever will (it sucks). read more

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A solid four stars for the food, but a five star total experience. Just let the yuzu & rock salt flow and enjoy the show. If Uchiko is your Mercedes and Soto the Lexus, Otoko is that bright & shiny Aston you whip out for special occasions. It's all prix fixe, Wednesday is strictly sushi, and Thursday through Saturday have less sushi but interesting kaiseki fare. You make resos online, and brace yourself for the total amount you'll prepay. I was here on a Wednesday, and Chef Yoshi must be slicing around 400 pieces of fish those nights. That's gotta be a workout. And you'll be doing your 23 reps at a pretty rapid pace. What made it a five star experience for me is its sense of exclusivity: Otoko only seats twelve, it's hidden in the SoCo Hotel, and the parking perks & mystery bar make it that much more special. Chef Yoshi may come across as Austin hip & cool - gotta love the body art - but I'm watching him watching us discreetly after each presentation, and he's pretty serious about your response. You will get to "oh & ahh" a lot here. And during the entire time, I had to discreetly soundhound each La Femme & Black Angels track playing in the background, just to know what it was. C'mon, name me all the places you know where Jiro does Austin. Then put Otoko on your list. read more

OTOKO - I'm not going to post 23 pics of the Wednesday sushi omakase. But this Spanish mackerel dish was pretty interesting. - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Oh, otoko. Oh, what a treat. Oh, I never thought I could do 20+ courses of sushi. Oh, that's a lot of rock salt. Oh, that was quite an experience! read more

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This is good culinary experience and overall high-end restaurant. But the sushi were not outstanding considering price. Other menu (seems like sides) were unique and delicious. Good to see the cooking process. read more

literally so incredible. quality of fish wise this absolutely beats probably anything else you can find in this city, and the experience itself felt a lot more special since there were so few people in the omakase room at a time. at $200ish per person its definitely a splurge, but if you're ever able to get a reservation absolutely go!!! want to come back to try the small bites at watertrade and will definitely be signing up for another omakase reservation when possible. wish i also took a pic of the menu bc i have no idea what any of the fish we ate were called lol but it was all SOOOOO good read more

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In my initial review, I said, "I'd love to see what Yoshi would do with a 20-course nigiri-only omakase in this kind of setting." Well, he now does sushi nights on some Wednesdays, and that's more or less what I was asking for. Preface: I believe Otoko deserves the highest marks regardless of which menu you purchase. This update will only evaluate how the value of the sushi night compares to the value of the normal menu, and to the city's other premium sushi omakase, Kyoten Sushiko. The menu isn't all nirigi. It starts with an uncharacteristically rich miso soup from the normal menu, followed by a bowl of Japanese pickles, also from the normal menu, but with octopus mixed in. Then comes a flight of 14 nigiri pieces (and an oyster) rather than the normal menu's shorter 8-piece flight (also with the oyster). It's followed by 3 composed sashimi-based dishes, then 3 pieces of 2 different traditional-style rolls, and finally, a fruit dessert. In both cases, the sushi flight began with the same 4 items and ended with the same 3. In the middle, instead of clam and masaba, I got 8 new pieces. The menu essentially trades a number of composed dishes of various cooking styles for 6 more nigiri pieces. On this occasion, the composed sashimi dishes were: * clam with dragon fruit * sea bass with sugar snap peas, mint, and frozen grape tomatoes * binchotan-seared hamachi slices (from the normal menu) The rolls were hamachi & scallion and uni & cucumber, both excellent (particularly the latter). The dessert, a mixture of Japanese pears and peaches, was also a delight. If you've had the normal menu first, this menu brings 3 themes to mind: * Yoshi's philosophy on nirigi, since there is more of it * the quality and variety of the composed dishes, since there are fewer of them * whether the extra $50 (plus tax and service) represents a good trade-off Yoshi uses citrus juice, oil, or zest on many pieces to add acidity. The way he applies and incorporates it is skillful and thoughtful, but it serves much the same purpose that a stronger vinegar presence in the rice serves in more traditional nirigi. He also puts big salt crystals on many pieces, which I enjoy. It's essentially a salinity substitute for stronger rice seasoning and the consistent application of nikiri (soy sauce cut with sake and / or mirin). Yoshi does apply nikiri to several pieces, but he sometimes adds salt crystals even to these. The trade-off is that the rice itself isn't as integral as it traditionally is, and the flavor profile of each piece is more finicky and lively depending on when each element hits your tongue; your taste buds go on more of a journey and encounter more surprises. Rarely (if ever) does Yoshi serve a piece of nigiri with fewer than 3 toppings or garnishes (often more). So you'll like the difference if you enjoy the "perfume" sensation of citrus zest, for example, but not if you don't like the presence of citrus tang. And you may or may not like the crunch of salt crystals and the concentrated bursts of saltiness they provide rather than a more uniform seasoning. Ultimately these matters are a question of personal preference. My main concern is the way the menu differs from the other high-class sushi omakases I've eaten and loved. There are no gunkanmaki pieces; Yoshi serves his even his uni unbounded. There is no mini-flight of bluefin tuna cuts (I don't require this, and I prefer not to eat bluefin at all unless it's sustainably caught, but it undeniably adds a degree of luxury to a meal of this nature). There is no use of heavier tsume glaze because there is no cooked eel, which the sauce is made from. There is a dearth of shellfish (in this particular menu, only the hotate): no shrimp or prawn(!). And there were no vinegar-cured pieces like saba or kohada (I lamented the absence of the masaba from the normal menu). And, finally, there is no tamago finish, which is often regarded as the single most reliable measure of a sushi chef's talent. I did enjoy getting to taste a greater variety of high-quality seafood in Yoshi's signature style (particularly the scallop, octopus, and halfbeak), but I don't feel it expanded the overall spectrum of texture and flavor variety on offer in a way that would have justified the higher price point. And the quality and variety of the composed dishes made me miss the greater number of those found in the normal menu. I'm glad I tried this menu, and if it evolves in the future to be more like what I'm looking for in a sushi omakase, I might give it another try. I just feel that the normal menu is both the better value and the optimal way to experience the best of what this restaurant has to offer; the smaller sushi flight it includes is an adequately-sized sample of Yoshi's talents and a respectable "greatest hits" representation of the longer menu. The normal menu is what will keep me coming back regularly. For now, if I want a sushi night, I'll go to Kyoten Sushiko. read more

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While the sushi and the majority of the dishes were excellent, at least on the evening when I had the omakase, I found several of the dishes too salty. In particular, the wagyu and the hamachi dishes from the Yakimono course were so salty that I had to gulp down a couple of glasses of water to get my palate cleansed for the next course. Initially, I thought maybe it was just me, but a family of 3 who were dining next to me felt the same. Likewise, 2 of the 3 wagashi were also super salty, making us wonder why the chef had used such a salty miso as a topping for the mochi. Anyway, the highlight of the meal for me were the Tasmanian trout and the escargot, which were not only creative in the way they were prepared but also flavorful. read more

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Delicious tempura, pieces were very clean and buttery. Miso soup was just OK. Sashimi apps were amazing. Yes- they did use a lot of sea salt, but it actually brought out the sweetness and tartness of other components u wouldn't of noticed on the plate. Everything was presented beautifully, tweezerfied-style. Dessert could've been better, I'm not a fan of dense donuts. Overall good food for value and effort. Only gripe was would be that the last seating near the back kitchen door was quite loud. Second half of my dinner all I could hear was dishes being washed and sink water running- the sound of kitchen cleaning. Wish we could've sat closer to Yoshi. The Old Fashion from the bar was impeccable. read more

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It has been a few months since I came here for Omakase. It was absolutely mind-blowingly perfect in every aspect. But I also feel I could not live up to the perfection of chef Yoshi when trying to explain what he does with mere words. I took pictures that night too. But again it felt like I was ruining the moment so I stopped. This is definitely an experience I will cherish, the food is incredible, along with the ambiance, the music! and of course watching check Yoshi prepare. read more

It's uncommon to find a sushi chef in the states that knows just what they're doing, and how to treat the fish. So many places try to be pretentious, fancy, and complicated. Sushi is not meant to be any of that: it's sushi rice (served at body temperature), ultra fresh fish, and that's it. No soy sauce. No extra wasabi. Every bite I had, the chef watched the reaction of every guest's face to make sure the bite was both satisfying and enjoyable. Staff did as well - very attentive, very willing to answer questions, and join in on discussions. I love the attention to detail here: nigiri served at body temperature, everyone gets a bite at the same time, and enjoys the food at the same time. There's no rush to finish, no rush to continue on to the next course. You control the pace. Truly a mind bending experience. Very simple, very elegant. Sushi done right. Delicate takes on classics, nothing done in a crazy manner. I will definitely be back, probably several times. Otoko is now the easy #1 for me to go to Sushi in Austin. 21 courses of an unbelievable journey. And chef made a true believer out of me for Uni. I used to hate Uni. I love it now. I'll be back. Again. And again. And again. read more

This was a fantastic experience. Pricey but a great value. A few more joints like this and I will have to stop saying: "in civilization...." read more

Best Sushi I've ever had, incredible Omakese!!! Easily Blows away Uchi, Uchiko, Nobu, others Ive had in New York, Japan. Simple the best flavors, imagination, style. Should be top 10 sushi restaurant in the world read more

An incredible experience. I scheduled a reservation as a Christmas gift for my boyfriend. He loved it as did I - everything from the service to the food was fantastic. We went to Watertrade before meal for a drink - it's a cozy cocktail bar connected to Otoko. Once we were seated, I was blown away by the food. Chefs would give us a description of food we were about to eat which was fantastic. Food was AMAZING. We decided to do the wine pairing and glad we did! Definitely recommend! read more

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This was quite a dining experience. The restaurant only seats 12 persons at the counter and in the entire space. This allows you to see how the food is prepared and to interact with the chefs and attendants closely. I definitely recommend the wine pairing with the course. I learned a few new ideas and enjoyed a beautifully prepared cocktail. Please see the pictures of the menu from our night. Also, our menu was printed with a personal message on the last page minus any honorific titles. The fish is flown in twice a week and the restaurant has a short weeks. So that means every couple of days. Everything was handled with care, detail, and careful execution. Service was attentive, courteous, and thoughtful. I am not writing much about the food. It is just really good and you can see from the pictures. You just have to go. Please be aware that it is an expensive meal and most likely reserved for special occasions. Otherwise, it is a pretty good reason to break into the college fund for a date night. read more

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I want to write a really long review but then it would really just turn into a novel. Suffice to say - super happy to see Yoshi at the helm of his own cuisine. I've been here a few times and each time has been special. The care given to each dish and quality and presentation are impeccable. Creative and inventive dishes pulling strongly from Yoshi's background. This is an experiential dinner. Intimate and fun. You get to interact with the chefs quite a bit. You can also pair drinks with your meal but I caution that this could lead to to call an Uber (or at least it would if Austin's city council hadn't chased them off). read more

I really wanted to like this place and had high hopes especially considering how expensive it was. However, the service was intrusive, the ambience clinical, the food way too salty, the presentation of courses was rushed. It seemed like they were more focused on turning the table than allowing a pleasant dining experience. Overall the experience felt amateurish. Save yourself a couple C notes and go to Uchi or Uchiko where they knock it out of the park every night. read more

The best omakase experience I've had in years. The cocktail lounge and drinks were excellent, the service was excellent, and the chefs were a charm to dine with at the bar. The restaurant is extremely COVID conscious, as guests are spaced and the staff takes careful measure of cleanliness (gloves, glass separation, sanitation, etc). Meanwhile, still are able to curate a personalized and intimate, fun experience. Highly recommended. read more

My goodness is this place filled with goodness. Chef Yoshi's brilliance shines and yes, he is making your food and he's doing it in plain sight, right in front of you. The restaurant is well staffed with professional yet unobtrusive service. It's a small place that is well hidden and that adds to the charm. Arrive early and get a drink at the bar. It's cool...reminds me of a scene out of a Tarentino movie. As for the food, it's all amazing. Very tasty, albeit salty at times but that goes along with eating sushi and is a part of the Japanese flavor. If you can, spring for the Sake pairings and you'll get to experience the full gambit of what sake can be. The menus are also personalized, with your name on the last page and a little thank you for stopping by. A nice touch to an elevated and elegant omazeki meal. read more

Best restaurant bathroom in Austin. Also, a transformative food and beverage experience. Do yourself a favor and add on the sake tasting course. read more

Gotta say this was one of the best Dining experiences I have ever had. From start to finish everything was perfect and I was actually upset when dinner ended. We started the night with drinks at the bar- the bartender knew her whiskey in and out and made a great mixed drink. When we walked in we were given a personalized menu of the courses we would be having from start to finish. The dining experience was incredible Chef Yoshi Okai was personable -explaining each dish as it was presented ( along with his sous chefs) and very funny. He also gave my brother some salt to take home after he inquired about it. I'll let the pictures do the talking- these were only some of the courses as I was excited to eat and forgot to take pictures. If your in Austin and can get a reservation- Go!! read more

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Spoiled​ for choices in Austin, yet this has to be the best sushi restaurants in town. First, it's a very intimate setting as the restaurant seats only 12 people and all at the counter in front of the chef's prep table. It's as much about the experience of sushi as it is about the quality and freshness. You're offered a plethora of choices in delightfully presented dishes. At times, you will have no idea as to how to proceed to eat​ what you have in front of you. Fret not, the server will tell you without prompting so you don't feel like an uncultured fool. The chef is friendly and prepares the food right in front of you including slicing an entire fish in front of you and preparing your sashimi. It does not get any fresher​ than that. All this delight doesn't come cheap. It's nearly $150 a pop without the drinks and you've to pay upfront when you make the reservation almost 3 weeks ahead of time. But trust me when​ I say, it's one of the better experiences of your life and that's what you should always pay for read more

This was the most incredible experience ... both the food and service was impeccable. Max, Maxx, Roy, yoshi, Evan and Ian are patient, friendly, good spirited and knowledgeable. They compliment the experience as much as the food. Wednesday nights are extra special as it focuses on the freshest sushi and sashimi. There is an art to consuming the raw, fresh fish over warm rice so please do eat the food when it is served. The owner is also the chef. He is amazing. Very humble and down to earth. This permeates throughout the minute you enter the restaurant, from the friendliness, attentiveness and care. read more

Heaven in your mouth while sitting on the set of a movie in which you're the star and then Yoshi is the hero and there is peace on earth.

We went there for our anniversary and this place was great. It's expensive! But really great. Great food. Service. Ambience. Overall experience. But it is the most expensive meal you are going to have in Austin. Not much to say that has not been said in all the other reviews. 20 courses. They are small. You leave full. read more

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Favorite spot in Austin. Every single bite is an experience. I wish there were more places like this. The intimate setting is spectacular. They gave us sea urchin boxes on one of our visits. My cats loved it because it smelled just like the ocean, not in a bad way. The tea pairing was delightful. We don't drink so it was outstanding that they had something like that. Not enough places cater to people who don't consume alcohol. So loved that. For all these reasons and more this is our go to for special nights. read more

Houte cuisine at its best. The food and the service - We were spoiled.. thoroughly. Chef Yoshi, his sous chef and rest of the crew made the experience a one to rememner. Also if your have a natural aversion to crowed place, you will love the intimate setting. read more

OTOKO - Houte cuisine at its best! We were throughly spoiled! - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Been there for most recent Bluefin event. Worst experience ever!! Have been there a few times for official dinner. But after this time, will never go back again. Poor arrangement for the event. Way too overly booked. Ppl came with empty stomach without any snacks served before because the event was held at dinner time and not informed how long it's gonna take until the food would be served. So one single tray was served after the chef got done the bluefin, tons of starving ppl just ran after the waiter who's holding the food tray with a few pieces of fish. Hard to believe you can watch zombie movie on live in such a "nice" and "high end" restaurant. Ppl pay to enjoy!! Not to fight for the food!! read more

This is my first review in yelp. I really want to thank Otoko for this wonderful dinner. We tried a traditional sushi omakase-style dinner. It was amazing. The blue fin tuna was like melting in my mouth. Also the service was absolutely fantastic. We can't wait to try come back to try Kyoto-style . I will post some photos of my favorites in this experience . read more

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This place was a miss for me. It all began with buying a ticket for my meal. I read multiple times about being 15mins early because you'll be seated on time and if you are late, you won't be seated and you'll have to give up your ticket, etc etc. I got like 3 reminders of this, 2 by email and 1 by text. I get it - don't be late. So I got there over 15mins early...and they showed me to the bar to wait until it was time to be seated. My ticket was for 5:30. 5:36 rolls around and I'm still waiting at the bar. I guess it wasn't that big of a deal to be super early? Who knows...I wouldn't try your luck in case you don't show up early and your ticket is revoked. --- The service was impeccable. Beyoncé flawless. Joy? Joyce? I can't quite remember her name was a bamf. I didn't even noticed I dropped some food and she was already by to clean it up. I asked her to bring some beer out with the fried course, and she delivered! Fried anything + beer = amazeballs. I know some of you are saying, "if you're paying that much, shouldn't you expect that?" Well I guess but I never go anywhere with much expectations in case I'm terribly disappointed - better to be happy and pleasantly surprised imo. --- The food - the food was beautiful. It all looked delicious and sometimes almost too stunning to want to disturb it's beauty. But alas, not all that was beautiful tasted that way. The chef designed the course to start and end with jellyfish but for me it started and ended with lots of vinegar. As my meal went into the sushi and on, everything had more and more vinegar. There was one dish with zucchini noodles that looked amazing so I demolished it before remembering to get a photo...but the broth was so vinegar heavy I couldn't bear to drink or dip more of food in it. This was the same with the black sesame goma tofu dish. Oh my gosh the tofu was so good...but the sauce/broth it was in felt like a whole bottle of vinegar. I did enjoy the actual sushi part of the meal but I can get that quality and excitement elsewhere without ruining my palate or my skin. This may apply to me but when I have a lot of vinegar it burns my cheeks and dries/cracks the corners of my mouth. Ouch! The last dish that came out put a damper on the whole experience for me. I would say that I am a pretty adventurous eater minus a few things...like I don't know...BUGS. When I think of something I don't eat or a dietary restriction I'm not thinking about bugs...and when I'm going to get an Omakase I am thinking YAY SUSHI not I should tell them I don't eat bugs. Yes yes yes they gave me plenty of opportunities to let them know if I have any restrictions. But I'm thinking of things like shellfish allergies or I don't eat fish make me only meats...not BUGS. Apparently I need to put down that I don't eat bugs of any sort for any pre-fixed meal because you know...that's a thing now. What made it worse for me is that when the waitress was explain the dish, she casually slipped grasshopper in there in the same intonation and pace as the rest of the description. I sat there and let her description sink in before I realized that she had said grasshopper. That's when I noticed them in my dessert. Sigh. I'll eat anything but bugs...and I wasn't expecting it so it was a pretty big shock. I was still in shock when I got home...so thrown off. If there's anything to take away from this, when you buy your ticket and get to the section about food restrictions, make sure to put down bugs if you're like me and will vom at the sight of it. read more

Chef Yoshi and his team knock it out of the park with this 20+ course Omakase dinner. Chef Yoshi is extremely knowledgeable in his craft and constantly has you in awe when you see and taste his food. His oyster dish is the best oyster I have ever had in my life. I seriously dream about eating at least a dozen of those bad boys. Just sit back and let the master get to work and enjoy your time there. read more

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We arrived early for our 9:30 seating and the hosts trapped in the small black torture chamber directed us next door to Watertrade where we had excellent cocktails. It was very loud but Bjorn, who was manning the entire bar and the cocktail pairings alone, was awesome. They actually rotate diners in every 30 minutes which is an interesting method. I imagine this is so the assisting chefs can work on the okazu for newly arrived guests as Yoshi tends to guests in the fish portions of their meal. Everything was delicious but nothing really stood out where I HAD to have it again. The saba with tamari was my favorite piece. The yakimono of hamachi was also delicious. I also enjoyed the red bean with strawberry ice dessert (I love a salty dessert). Use of familiar ingredients like achiote and nopales was great. Everything was impeccable and inventive with his promised "spin" on traditional Japanese food. There were 2 items I thought were too salty. Also, this is me being petty, but earlier they showed off a box of Hokkaido uni on social media, and when we received our uni they informed us that it was from Oregon. I asked if they ran out of the Hokkaido and he seemed to indicate so. I was sad. There were also times I was served my dish before my companion was served his. This isn't Jiro where timing is critical, so I think it would make for a better experience if diners eating together get their pieces together. It seems the considerate thing to do. I was also expecting more chatter from Yoshi. It might have been where we were seated (not directly in front of him) but I found it odd he only spoke to us when serving. One of the most enjoyable things about kappo-style dining is chatter with the chef. Probably because we were the last seating of the evening, but I found it odd he disappeared to the back with snacks for his staff without saying anything to the last 4 of us finishing up our meal. We essentially left an empty dining room with no farewell or thank-yous from the chefs, which seems essential to intimate counter-style dining. The design of the space is very striking when you enter. Then you sit down and start to notice small things that are off. The music is loud. And the end seams that meet on the striped light panels: this is where my designer OCD kicks in. When you start eating it suddenly becomes clear how out of proportion things are. The dining counter is too high for me (just shy of 5'7") and I'd think for most diners. My companion (over 6') didn't seem to mind but I've seen photos on social media of other diners, perhaps shorter than us, where the counter hits them inches below their collar bones. The depth of the counter is also too deep (both the prep side for the chefs and the guests' side). It was awkward for the chefs to serve you; they have to stretch (enough to where you notice) to place your food on the raised serving bar and then the diner has to reach out as well, just shy of an uncomfortable distance. I had to bring some of the deeper bowls near me as I couldn't see what was inside as the chefs were describing it. If you've ever dined at the counter at Qui, it's the same experience. The chefs are practically lying on the counter to get your food in front of you. Maybe it's a Hsu thing, as the tables at Sway are ridiculously large as well. You'll also notice at the ends of the counters (especially one end) the lighting is very dark as the light panel covers only part of the counter. There were no diners at the darker end so I'm not sure if there are lights they turn on that side when it is occupied, but it seemed too dark to dine in and I wouldn't want to sit there. I find it odd to not give every patron the same quality of dining experience (and light.) This might be because of lack of Japanese execution but similarly priced, high-end sushi counters in Tokyo pay attention to these details, which seem arcane to most but in the end add up to make a critical seamless experience. I am not one to choose a place because of service or atmosphere. I will eat at the diviest places with bad service, as long as the food is good. But at $300, I expect a very high level experience. I think it's possible to have the casual experience Paul is going for but still keep it high-level. I probably read too many articles building up to the opening, expected Tokyo-style finesse, and need to work on being more flexible with my expectations. But for such an intimate setting it didn't seem intimate to me. More attention from the chef would make the diners feel more special. However, because this is the first kind of offering in Austin that remotely resembles anything like this from Tokyo, I was pretty pleased and will come back seasonally sans alcohol pairing. Parking is free for 3hrs. A visit to Watertrade put us over so we had to pay $2 to get our car. You'd think spending over $600 in one night (more than a hotel room) that they could work out a deal with the hotel to give all Otoko diners free valet. read more

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This is a Michelin star-quality restaurant. This place will f**k up your ability to eat at any other restaurant doing anything remotely similar. Yes; my wife and I have eaten at all the places you are thinking about in this area with 4+ stars and way more reviews. Allow the full weight of our d-bag food snobbery to impart some gravity to this review. In terms of freshness of ingredients, balance of flavors, beauty of presentation, and overall experience: nothing comes close. Others may throw a bunch of marginally-exotic ingredients in a plate or rotate daily specials; but they are pretenders to the throne. A throne upon which Yoshi and crew (Maxwell and ... Andrew? Sorry) sit without worry of dethronement. We came for my wife's birthday and our 2-year anniversary. We had the the regular 20-course omakase. Every dish was unique, fresh, beautiful and - most importantly - delicious. I really don't like uni (sea urchin), despite trying it every time it appears on a tasting menu. But Yoshi's uni nigiri was one of my favorite dishes. There are grasshopper and whole-fried softshell crab in some of the dishes. But it's not for shock value. The lemon-grass flavor of the grasshopper was integral and welcome in the dish it inhabited. Yoshi and crew didn't even point it out as an ingredient. We just noticed and asked. The service was perfect. Timely, thoughtful, and unobtrusive. The time between dishes was perfect. Always enough time between dishes to debrief with your fellow diners, but never enough to notice you don't have food in front of you. A small detail, but it's the kind of thing that separates great dining experiences from something truly special. Chef interaction is whatever you want it to be. Yoshi doesn't spend three minutes on each dish telling you about the history of tuna fat content analysis or the unique properties of Japanese water that make the uni found there sweeter, etc. Just "here are the highlights of what's in your dish ... enjoy!" But if you want to know the type of Japanese hard wood they press on one of the nigiri to give it a smoked flavor, have at it - they are happy to answer all questions. The space is perfect - intimate (12 seatings) but enough space that you aren't part of the party next to you. And the lighting; oh man the lighting! Exactly right. Diffuse; behind screens so that every thing is visible - every action of the chefs, etc.- without any point in the restaurant being distractingly bright. I dislike looking around and seeing a bulb. But be honest with yourself before you blow $500 on dinner for two. If you don't often cook your own food or otherwise have a real appreciation for food and ingredients, don't come. You won't like it and you probably won't taste half the flavors. If you list a chain restaurant - no matter how expensive your favorite steakhouse or teppanyaki house is - in your top 5 restaurants, this probably isn't the place for you. I warned you about being a d-bag food snob. read more

Going to Otoko is like going to improv. You walk up unmarked stairs into a dark entry way and then go left into the bar (Watertrade) or right into the elongated wooden, copper, burnt wood and white screened restaurant which seats twelve. Once seated, the 10-act show begins (Sakizuke, Zensai, Sushi, Mukouzake, Yakimono, Mushimono, Agemono,Shirumono, Muzumono and Kanmi). For the next several hours, you will laugh (at the stories), cry (over the beauty of each dish), and be astounded (by the variety of simple and fresh tastes). The cast at Otoko (Paul, Yoshi, Sam, Alex, etc.) become your best friends as they lead you through about 20 palate changes. And you make new ones talking to the people sitting next to you. This is not a sushi bar. Your only choice is omakase, which is why you go. I found this alone to be refreshing in today's world where I find it tiring to have to always choose. Since this is chef's choice and very much dependent on what's freshest and in season, one day's meal may differ than the next, so I can't recommend any particular dish, but I can say that it is all superbly fresh - the hamachi, saba, maguro, wagyu, kanpachi, uni, etc., right down to the henbit (the pretty foraged purple wildflower that's in season now) and micro cilantro blossoms. The sushi rice was perfection, combined with the subtlety of a spritz of meyer lemon, grilled king mushroom, matcha oil, 'YO'-shirodashi or whatever was so artfully chosen to enhance the dish while allowing the true flavor of the base ingredient to come through. It took my sushi palate to a new level - especially under Yoshi's amazing craftsmanship and creative style. I think that this memorable evening could only be possible under Paul's ability to bring this idea to fruition, gather together and work with a solidly-chosen team, and to deliver an imitimate dining event that is living art. Thank you, Paul. read more

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