A hidden gem for date night in West Austin! It's a cozy, 18-seat spot with an intimate omakase vibe…read morewhere chefs prepare the food right in front of you. Because it's first-come, first-served, you'll want to get there early because it can get packed. The food is worth it every time regardless. Don't skip the lobster handroll or different pieces of nigiri. Plus, their rice is next level and uniquely seasoned compared to other spots. A must tryyyy

OVERVIEW: 3-3.5/5 but not enough to round up! Dropped in on a Sunday afternoon for lunch and were…read moreseated right away. The hostess was also the server and she took care of drinks and checks. A more casual spot with limited seating along the U-shaped sushi bar. Menu is pretty straightforward with hand rolls, nigiri, sashimi, and blackboard specials (be sure to ask about pricing for those as they're not listed). You fill in your order with a dry erase marker and the server puts it in for you. Service is super easy and friendly! Overall it was a good experience but nothing special and I likely wouldn't revisit unless I was in the area. QUICK FACTS: - Parking? Yes, there is a decent-sized lot shared amongst the businesses in the strip. During peak hours it can be tricky to snag a spot, though. - Reservations? No, not needed. FOOD RATINGS: - Nigiri (3/5): The pro is the nigiri has giant, generous portions of fish. Easily 2 bites. The con is it's pretty average and nothing really stood out as far as the toppings and flavor add-ons. The rice was said to have a hint of matcha in it but I didn't taste any of that. - Hand rolls (3.5/5): Pretty decent hand rolls made freshly in front of you. The only one we were disappointed in was the scallop one. Because it was cooked, minced scallop it really just tasted like canned tuna. Not worth $8.

First time being here, came here for lunch. I really wanted asian food. The service was great, the…read moreserver was very attentive. My partner and I both got the bulgogi bento box. The server provided miso soup. I thought overall the the food was good. I would go there again.

I had a very nice experience overall at Izumi Sushi Westlake. The service was excellent--Ariel was…read morevery kind, attentive, and did an amazing job. Thank you for the great service. I used to come here frequently when I lived in the area a few years ago, and while the sushi is still very good, I do feel the quality has declined a little compared to before. The main disappointment for me was the bento box, which used to be one of my regular orders. It was quite different this time and not as appealing as I remembered. We also ordered several California rolls and other sushi rolls, which were still enjoyable. I also tried a Japanese drink that came with a marble in it, which I thought was a little unusual. Overall, I'd still say the sushi is good, but because of the change in the bento box and the slight decline in quality, I'm giving this visit 3 stars.

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

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

The most delicious ramen I have ever had! I love this location too because there is more seating…read moreand it feels more upscale compared to the Research location. I could eat this weekly!

Drive around until you find a parking spot. Stand in line. Order at the counter. Find a seat. Soup…read morecomes out. This is not the best ramen. It is the best ramen in Austin. OG or Sho-yu with a chili bomb and an extra ajitima. Flavorful. Filling. Affordable.

Love this place! All the food is delicious and our server Dante was super personable and…read moreknowledgeable. We'll be back soon!

I do not know how I could have managed to living in Austin for so long and not know about Sway Thai…read morerestaurant. It is located on Bee Caves Road in Westlake. Yesterday, I was invited there for a birthday party and had an amazing dining experience that feels both elevated and inviting. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere sets the tone...warm, rustic and retreat-like. Think macramé, wood, nature...Sway has both indoor, outdoor and rooftop seating. The birthday party was held in the rooftop area with spectacular panoramic views of downtown Austin. Sway Thai demonstrates exceptional skill in modern Thai culinary preparation. Each dish displayed had flare and vibrant flavors. The menu featured chicken and pork satay, grilled shrimp skewers, fried rice skewers, noodle spoons and large egg rolls, all crafted with care and attention to detail. The specialty beverages were also a highlight, curated by a highly skilled mixologist. These drinks were thoughtfully prepared and pleasing to the palate. The staff demonstrated both attentiveness and expertise, managing to be available whenever we needed assistance with skewers or plates removal without being overly intrusive. In addition, ample free parking was available. Sway Thai was an experience! The quality, atmosphere, and creativity make it well worth it for a special night out. Definitely returning...

Tried the Loro x Siete: Backyard BBQ collab at Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar and it was such a fun…read morehappy hour bar experience. Loro is an Asian smokehouse and bar featuring grilled and smoked meats with Southeast Asian and Japanese-inspired sauces, sides, and a bar that boasts craft beer, boozy slushees, and batch cocktails. Parking at this location is a bit of a challenge. They have overflow parking in the back but the spots are really small. We sat at the bar area and worked our way through cocktails, apps, and dessert. We opened a tab and the bar staff takes your order which is convenient, versus how you normally have to order by waiting in line at the bar. The bar staff was extremely busy because they have to make all the cocktails and take the line orders at the bar. They are a master of multitasking. It was $3 martini night on Tuesday, so was excited to sample the four different drink options. lychee martini, Mexican martini, and Lucky Cat cosmo martini. Lychee martini is made with new amsterdam vodka, sake, elderflower, Mexican martini with espolon blanco, olive, yuzu, lime and cosmo with vodka, blood orange, naranja, lime. The lychee was hands down my favorite of the three. We started with the Dip Sampler that included a trifecta of smoked shishito queso, smoked salmon dip and Thai green salsa with the Siete blue corn tortilla chips. We went through the chips quickly and got a second round of wonton chips which I preferred to the Siete chips. Tried the Mango Chamoy frozen Slushee with Siete Chamoy Botana Sauce & Siete Chile Lime Seasoning Rim, passionfruit, Aperol, Sake and Sparkling Wine which was refreshing. All their boozy slushies are $5 during happy hour. Ordered the oak grilled edamame from the happy hour menu and it was a flavor explosion with a dusting of serracha powder, lemon zest and white sesame. For dinner, I ordered my go-to rice bowl with coconut-scented rice, seasonal pickles, thai herbs and steak as the protein. They normally served this with Bavette, but the steak was a bit tough and chewy this time. Finished everything off with cheesecake with five spice crumble, yuzu marmalade for dessert. The vibe at the bar was relaxed and lively without feeling overwhelming, and the collab menu felt creative without trying too hard. The ingredients are very thoughtful for a fully developed flavor profile. Just what I would expect from the culinary minds of Tyson Cole and Aaron Franklin. Definitely one of the regulars in my list when craving good cocktails with a casual but elevated food menu.

This is good for a group hang since everyone orders at the bar. Which is also one of the bad things…read moreabout Loro because as soon as you get there, you have to go to the bar to order or try to grab a table and wait for others to go to the bar and order while you hold the table and then you go up to the bar. They really need to implement QR ordering like they have in movie theaters. The food was well presented and creative. All of the dishes were a little bit on the saucy side and a little bit salty but good overall. If you go for dinner and sit outside, make sure you get one of the fly fans to keep the flies at bay otherwise they descend with a vengeance. $3 martini nights (but they can't do an NA martini) so it was pretty packed but I'm told it's always packed. Parking is a little difficult since there's so many people but it wasn't too bad. Just make sure you don't park at a store that's open or you will get a boot.

New go-to sushi spot -- no notes!!…read more Ordered to-go and was picking up within 20 minutes. Fast, kind service and a really nice layout if you're dining in. The rolls are creative without being try-hard, unexpected combos like asparagus and Fuji apple that actually work. Everything felt super fresh and well thought out. What I got: The Salmonlicious Roll (M9) was my favorite of the night, I ordered it without cream cheese and it was incredible. The apple adds this perfect sweetness that I didn't know I needed. The Big Easy Roll was a classic done right light, with a beautiful assortment of fish on top. Crunchy cucumbers, tangy yuzu. Chef's kiss. The Spicy Tuna (C4) was a solid classic, good quality fish. The Buddha Roll (M7) was also delicious. Edamame (A6) to start, simple and good. Also, first time using ponzu sauce instead of soy sauce and I am never going back. Game changer. Affordable, fresh, and already planning my return visit!!

THE BIG: Asian fusion and sushi bar located in South Austin in the shopping cneter off W Ben White…read moreand South Lamar. Rustic interior with some cute wallpaper and plenty of seating if you want to dine in. Also plenty of parking outside in the lot. THE BLACK AND WHITE: I came here to try the viral deep fried japanese cream sando. Walking in, it wasn't heavily marketed but I asked the cashier and they said that they had only two flavors left, which was the strawberry and mango. I opted for the strawberry. Waiting for the sando took a while (about 20 mins). The to-go packaging is pretty nice, however opening the box, there's only one half of a sando given. The cream was really really heavy and not light. The milk bread is nice and soft, but also extremely deepfried. All-in-all, the eating of this viral sando is a ok in my book. THE FINAL BAMBOO: The damage done for one half of a strawberry sando was around $10. It seems like highway robbery for what you get

Went for lunch on a Sunday afternoon and it was delicious and refreshing! The person working at the…read moretime was friendly and let us know they were working on a big order to make sure we were okay with the wait time. We agreed and tried to get us out our food asap and was very apologetic and appreciate of our patience. The hand rolls were well worth the wait! We got the Salmon Toro, West Coast & Rainbow hand rolls. There are some benches in the area to sit and wait and enjoy your food once it's ready, with some umbrellas for shade!

Little Nishi is a sushi food truck off S 1st street and West Live Oak st. Located next to a few…read moreother food trucks including a Thai truck and a halal truck. The gravel parking lot usually has space available and there are a few benches with umbrella stands if you'd like to eat there. The selection of fish is pretty good and I ordered a toro and unagi. Food came out about 15 minutes after ordering. The presentation was solid - they came out in these cute wooden trays and stands for each hand roll. The first thing that stood out to me was how small the rolls were. After tax and tip (yes I know this is optional; I'm still torn on tipping for food trucks but the guilt is strong and I now love places that don't add a tip option) it was nearly $10 a roll and they were probably 3 - 4 small bites each. The unagi and toro itself were good, but I couldn't believe how I felt no more satiated than before I ate them but was $20 poorer. I think what I struggle with was (1) prior reviews and pictures did seem well portioned, so there may be inconsistencies in prep, and (2) if I'm going to pay fine sit down sushi prices ($60 - $100 to get full), I might as well goto a nice sushi place. Ultimately I think the product is good, but the value and niche they're filling as a sushi food truck doesn't quite make sense to me. It could just be a me thing but at least come in with the possibility of disappointment if you're expecting to get any level of satiation spending $20 or less.

I finally got a chance to visit and Uchi did not disappoint…read more Free valet parking with Apple Pay for tips. It seems they take reservations now. One of the reasons I never came before was that they didn't take reservations and I didn't want to drive 30 minutes and the wait hours for a table. Even at such an early hour on a Saturday, the place with hopping. The ambiance was a trendy one. We had reservations at 4:30. Happy hour is 4pm to 6pm and the HH menu will help keep the heft of your wallet at a good heavy level. All the food was great. Be prepared for a party to erupt in your mouth for each bite. The multitude of flavors that complement each other harmoniously in each mouthful will touch every part of your pallet. This is the only place that I have been to have this party going on for each dish. Overall I like this place better than its sister restaurant Uchiba. I'll be going to Uchiko soon to determine my favorite of the three but Uchi is at the top so far.

This was my first time at Uchi. I was here to celebrate my friend's birthday, as this is one of her…read morefavorite places. We took advantage of the Happy Hour specials and tried a few items off the regular menu. She is the Sushi expert, so please forgive me for not remembering all the wonderful selections we sampled. The service was excellent, despite it being a tad busy. We had dined during their Happy Hour, yet our wait was never long for our entrees, as we finished each. Appreciated how our server provided the details of each dish as they were brought to our table. The ambiance of the restaurant was what I expected from the fine establishment this is. It's much more spacious than it looks from the outside. We were fortunate enough to be seated where we could observe dishes being prepared by the kitchen staff which added to the experience Overall, for my first time here, it was an outstanding experience.