Really great. Better than uchiba. Maybe on par w uchi for me 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 read more

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This restaurant got away with murder. 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. read more

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Popped in for happy hour on a Monday! Plenty of seating inside and outside. Outside is a bit noisy as you are on S Lamar but a nice option for HH. The HH menu running from 4-6 pm offers a great selection of food and drink options at very competitive prices. We had a few bites, all of which are delicious. There is a $65 HH tasting menu that I plan to come back and try. The service was fast, friendly and knowledgeable. Tons of parking in the Lamar Union garages. read more

Soto South Lamar - Mini Tuna Taco Lychee Martini - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Soto Austin has one of the best happy hour deals in town - great value considering how exceptional the quality is. The fish is always incredibly fresh, and the chefs have a real talent for pairing unique flavors that enhance, rather than overpower, the delicacy of the seafood. Honestly, I'd take Soto over the Uchi chain any day. The balance, creativity, and precision here are unmatched. Their truffle risotto and uni pasta are must-orders - rich, elegant, and deeply satisfying. For anyone who appreciates refined Japanese cuisine without the pretension, Soto truly stands out. read more

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Soto on South Lamar is easily a 5 star experience every time, one of those spots that just nails both the food and the vibe. The sushi is incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and the flavor combinations are next level, you can tell a lot of care goes into every dish. The space feels upscale but still comfortable, perfect for a date night, or a nice dinner out without feeling stuffy. And yes, the famous flaming salmon dish is fun and delicious, but definitely get more than just that, the rest of the menu deserves attention too, especially the specialty rolls, nigiri, and seasonal fish selections. There is a lot of depth here beyond the showstopper plate. Andy is great, attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely makes you feel taken care of without hovering. Service like that really elevates the whole night. Between the quality of the fish, creative menu, and standout service, Soto continues to be one of my favorite sushi spots in Austin. read more

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We made a reservation to celebrate while we were in town. The location was easy to find, and parking was not an issue. We had a great sever and she was attentive and kind all night. Everything we ordered was really good. Not one thing was bad. It is expensive. Expect to pay $150 plus for two if you're eating and drinking. If we didn't get drinks we probably could have spent $100 plus tip. The quality of everything was impressive and the environment was relaxing and quiet. Perfect date night. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Personal favorites: Giant clam nigiri, ebi nigiri, Uni sushi (forgot the official name for this one) - The giant clam is refreshing and sweet. Not fishy or slimy at all. It's a thick piece so you can really feel the chewy and crunchy texture! - Uni is on the small side. They taste creamy and sweet, exactly what I expected. - The ebi one has some nice citrusy flavor to it, again very nice texture and flavor. Overall the food has very exquisite taste, fresh ingredients, and beautiful plating! We enjoyed everything we ordered. If I had to share one feedback, it's the uni pasta - I think they use something like instant noodle, not the Italian pasta kind. Still delicious though. I'd like to mention the creative seasoning pairing choices. I've been to Japan many times, but Soto surprised me with some unexpected combination of fried garlic, yuzu, truffle, etc. It's very delightful and unique. Will definitely come back. read more

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I had the pleasure of dining at Soto for Valentine's and their omakase did not disappoint!! Our server was incredibly friendly and did a great job at explaining each item and drinks to pair with them! It's such a fun dining experience, and it's so classy- you'd almost forget it's across the street from Gibson! Definitely recommend and will absolutely be coming back read more

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We were visiting from out of state and wanted to try something local in Texas. The restaurant is beautifully decorated -- classy, warm, and elegant. Perfect date night vibe. The service was amazing too; our server was super knowledgeable and made the whole experience enjoyable from start to finish. We started with the miso soup, which was delicious and had a unique touch with mushrooms added in. For rolls, we got the Soto 2.0, and we loved it. The toro was rich, savory, and just melted in your mouth. Under the cold section, the hamachi chili was one of our favorites -- the bite was perfectly balanced with fried jalapeño and scallions on top. The massugo maguro was another pleasant surprise, especially with the crispy rice underneath adding the perfect crunch. For nigiri, we had the seared sake toro, which was good but not as standout as the others. The hamachi toro (fatty wild yellowtail), though, was beautifully presented with smoke -- it had a rich, smoky flavor that paired perfectly with the fish. We also tried the housemade potato chips, which were a fun and crunchy snack. From the seasonal menu, the bafun uni was fantastic -- buttery, custard-like, and honestly comparable (if not better) than the Santa Barbara uni we've had before. The kama toro with caviar was incredibly rich and delicious. And the highlight of the night was the truffle masuter -- our server recommended it, saying the chef won an award for it, and we could absolutely see why. It was one of those "Ratatouille" moments where the flavors just come together perfectly -- an unforgettable bite. We ended with the uni pasta, which lived up to the hype. The creamy sauce and the egg on top tied everything together beautifully. All in all, Soto was a hidden gem for us and made our first visit to Austin even better. We'd definitely come back next time we're in town! read more

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I've lived in Austin 15 years now and this place continues to be my favorite sushi spot. Their menu is diverse, always a great fresh selection of fish and there really is no bad dish here. Love the ambiance and the service is 10/10. Love Soto! read more

It's becoming an annual tradition for me to celebrate my birthday here. We always opt for their omakase course, which comes with 18 bites. They also have a premium option that comes with 20 bites and includes more selections from their specialty menu but we're pretty content with just their standard omakase. You're also able to tell your server your preferences which is a huge plus for me because I'm not a fan of shellfish so they were able to customized their omakase selection a bit to exclude things we don't want. It's hard to pick a favorite dish because everything was plated delicately and also tasted superb - definitely very close to the quality you'll get in Japan. One of most memorable dishes for me was the wagyu on the hot stone. It definitely reminded me of Japan. Their homemade potato chip, which left me craving more, also deserves an honorable mention. They have a fantastic drinks selection as well. All in all, Soto is a great place for a celebratory meal. I'm already looking forward to my next visit. read more

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I popped in to grab HH before my movie at Alamo. The HH menu is great! My bartender was Son. He was helpful and friendly. He told me his favorites. I got the Chili Hamachi, Mini Sushi Tacos, Hamachi Nigiri, and Masu Nigiri. There were all fantastic. I was even surprised with a little extra sushi from the chef. Lucky me! Sorry Alamo, this food is way better than yours! ;) Happy Hour: M-F : 4-6 S-S : 3-6 In the words of A.S., "I'll be back." read more

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First time here and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We opted to sit outside since the weather was beautiful and we loved every minute. Our waitress was sooo sweet and made my daughter feel so special. We tried so many different things from their happy hour menu along with some from their regular menu. The sushi was phenomenal and I'll def keep them in mind for another Sunday fun day adventure. read more

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The food is incredibly fresh and full of flavor, with a great assortment that makes it hard to choose just one thing. Everything we've tried has been consistently excellent, but the nigiri really stands out; simple, perfectly prepared, and lets the quality of the fish shine. You can tell a lot of care goes into every dish. It's become one of our go-to spots when we're craving top-tier sushi in Austin, and we'll absolutely keep coming back! read more

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Great service and quick too. Modern place located by other small restaurants too. Plenty of garage parking. Menu was thorough. Sushi was tremendous and best one was hamachi apple. White tiger was good but the arugula was best part of the Apple one. Appetizers the crab cake was delicious with the sweet sauce, the pork pot stickers had a spicier sauce which was worth keeping for the sushi. Dessert the matcha was surprisingly great. We had a great server as she tossed in a free dessert mango one at the end. She was quick and gave great recommendation. Will be back read more

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Have now been here twice. The first time we didn't order much & went to a different restaurant for the second half of dinner. We came for my sister's birthday & it was a lovely experience all the way through. We got two of their rolls, several nigiri, and two hot plates (classic uni pasta & truffle risotto). Everything was delicious except one of the nigiri's I felt was either not fresh or under seasoned. It may have been the scallops. They gave us their two signature desserts for free as well (due to the birthday) - Each course came out quickly, especially because my family doesn't really get lost in conversation when we eat out; we fully invest in eating our food! Service was great, we had two different servers take our group photo and the valet person outside also delivered quality work. read more

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The staff was absolutely wonderful here. Everyone was very helpful and constantly made sure our water was filled. They made recommendations and checked in regularly. All of the rolls we tried were great but the nigiri was terrific. I would love to swing by again and load up on nigiri! read more

Soto South Lamar - Nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We had came here to celebrate my birthday because I love the sushi nigiris here! The service was impeccable and we were seated promptly with our dinner reservations. We ordered the following: * 1/2 dozen oysters $34- 1/5 the ponzu sauce was over powering and you could not taste the oysters. It was not enjoyable at all. * crispy rice $23- we must have went on an off day because for some reason the tuna mixture had oil leaking out of it like something was melting. It was greasy and the tuna was not cold but warm. The crispy rice was delicious. * chili hamachi $21- 5/5 taste exactly like how we remembered it when we came last time! * 4 nama hotate- Hokkaido scallop nigiri $7x4=$28.00: 3/5 not the best scallop nigiri I've ever had. It was a bit fishy but the yuzu helped . * 2 Ora king salmon nigiri: $6x 2=$12.00: so good! It just melts in your mouth! * 2 chu toro nigiri : $9 x 2=$18.00: 5/5 so good! You can taste freshness. The tuna melts in your mouth ! * 2 house made potato chip $9 x 2=$18.00: 3/5 it didn't taste like last time we had it. It was a bit bland and the potato chip wasn't as crispy. * 2 spicy hotati gunkan scallop $8x 2=$16.00: 5/5 so yummy! I actually preferred this one over the scallop nigiri! Last visit I ordered something off menu and I found out during this dining experience that the Mystery item I had that was life changing was the toro wrapped oyster! Each oyster is $25 but it's loaded and so good! It's an oyster with caviar, toro, sea urchin, salmon roe, and gold flakes! I should have went with this one instead of the half dozen oysters. Do I recommend this place? Yes! Nice place for special occasions. It's gonna be an expensive meal but the quality is too notch! read more

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In Austin's very lively sushi scene, I have always been curious about Soto, so some friends and I tried it this past week. They have some good happy hour deals, they were able to sit to our large party, and some of the regular nigiri's really shined. However, for the happy hour items, they seemed to all be fried, they also were slightly fishy (not in a good way), like they were using the things that were going bad because it was discounted. Also, despite having around 10 servers working and not a lot of patrons, it was very hard to get service. After happy hour ended our server was no where to be found (for about 30 min) we had to flag others down to get our check. Lastly, they charge for wasabi / ginger which was extremely abnormal read more

5-star outstanding service and sushi in Austin! A must visit. Went for lunch as a group of four and loved their delicious nigiri lunch specials. Every delicious item we tried was excellent...fresh and creative and a great value for the money. Our server was helpful and attentive and the entire experience was a delight. Highly recommend for lunch or dinner. Creative rolls and their omakase looks amazing. read more

Loved all of the food and ambiance about Soto! I would recommend for a fun date- although it can easily get pricey. The food will absolutely be mind-blowingly good. Saki, our waitress, was so great on her timing and service. I highly recommend her but it also looked like all of the other staff were just as good. read more

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Soto is hands down the best slomakase sushi menu I've had. It's always an evolving opportunity to have18+ perfect last bites. Exceptional quality paired with unique servings, and an incredible service experience. read more

Stopped in for a weekend dinner, had a reservation and they seated us immediately. Service was great, waitress knew the menu up and down, with a passion for it. As for the Sushi itself, really nice presentation and flavors complemented each other nicely. On the flip side of things, extremely noisy, not the cleanest, and drinks had repeated opportunity to say it nicely. For the price point would have expected more. read more

Soto South Lamar - Sushi prep bar - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

Soto has been a go-to of mine for a few years now. I'd rank them in the top 10 sushi spots in Austin due to the quality of food and service. The best bang for your buck would be to visit during the lunch hours. They have fantastic lunch specials! My favorite things on the menu are: spicy or truffle edamame, chili hamachi and kanpachi sashimi! Soto usually has a lot of diners when I visit so, I'd recommend getting a reservation to avoid a long wait! read more

Soto South Lamar - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Randomly went here after leaving ACL on a Sunday. We were the only people on a Sunday at 9:00pm. Food quality, cleanliness, and service were great. I usually don't order the specialty rolls at sushi places because they are cost prohibitive but I decided to try their Soto2.0 roll since I was so tired and hungry after 3 days of ACLing. It was absolutely delicious. I'm thinking to get it again on my bday. read more

Service was strange. We also wandered in on a Sunday cause the last three stops were closed. Food was good. Garage to park in was around the corner. Ambience was strange pumping loud club music on the middle of a Sunday with a light crowd while serving up 100$+ pp meals hah Overall, it had some unique dishes that were tasty if you're feeling like a lunch on the pricey side but at that price point there are also better options, maybe not in Austin tho? I don't know but certainly in LA or the Bay. I liked it and if nothing was open and I was in the area again I'd probably pop by again. read more

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Overpriced for the quality/execution. Overall, we were underwhelmed by their dishes. I did, however, enjoy their enoki soup. Their uni pasta was the dish I most looked forward to. However, I found it to contain way too much butter. And for the rest of the 5-6 dishes (rolls/niragi) we ordered, none were memorable to call out here. read more

This was our first time at Soto and will be our last. We are frequent Sushi eaters. Uchi and it's variations in Austin are our usual go-to restaurants but we wanted to try something new. Let's start with the ambience. When we arrived for our reservation, we were greeted by a very hectic staff. We were seated in about 5 minutes and realized quickly how this reataurant lacked the romantic vibe that Uchi, Uchi-ba and others have. It feels like a bistro. 4 out 10. Next, we met our waittress. She was nice but took forever to take our order and once we ordered and ate our plates, she took forever to pickup dirty ones. We had to ask multiple times for her so we could order more to drink. 6 out of 10. The food. The sushi was ok but not anywhere near to quality of creativeness of Uchi and other high-end Sushi restaurants. The A5 nigiri was cheewy. It should melt in your mouth but instead, both my wife and I cheweed it down like a raw piece of meat and it being the last course, it left a very poor aftertaste for us. We flushed it down with whatever was left in our wine glasses. We talked to the front staff about this one since our waittress was nowhere near to be found. They confirmed that something was not right about the food, asked us where we sat and that was it. Nothing was done to make it right. We wanted for this to be a great experience but after spending $300 on an experience that was just meh, we'll stay with our favorites like Uchi and Uchi-ba. read more

Sushi and nigiri were delectable! Everything exploaded with flavor. Wish I would have taken a pic of the nigiri! Service was wonderful, very attentive. Highly recommend! read more

Soto South Lamar - California Roll Temaki - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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First off-they have free parking and a great location! The happy hour menu and even regular menu had diverse options, especially for gluten free since they were able to have a dedicated frier for gluten free-and even do tempura and rolls on there! Some of the dishes were amazing, the Tuna Tacos and happy hour maki were delicious. Unfortunately not all the food was up to expectations. The land and sea roll we tried was super spicy and citrusy. We couldn't taste the meat/fish as it was covered by the overbearing lime jalapeño flavor. Additionally, the nigiri left much to be desired especially given the price. We did have a giant bone in one piece which I've never had happen in a nice establishment, but the sushi team did give us a replacement piece when they discovered this. There were tons of staff around, but not doing anything. No one ever asked our opinion on the food and we never received a drink after being told the "ticket was lost" but still never received it after they said it would come again. We ended up cancelling it after 30 minutes of not receiving it. Our water glasses were empty often and there were large pauses between dishes coming out, especially for it not being busy. Our waiter was friendly when he was there and very knowledgable on the menu, but would have large periods of being unavailable which was discouraging when none of the other staff assisted with any refills/orders. It was a very spend 5 minutes flagging someone down if you need something vibe. The ambiance was average. A typical sit down restaurant, but there was a kid present who kept screaming. This wasn't a toddler or baby and the parent did nothing. Every 5-10 minutes there would be a loud scream that would cause everyone to pause in concern. The host and guests kept giving nasty looks but nothing was done. I feel the host or wait staff could have addressed the parent asking them to step outside or get their meal to-go if this continued as it was a huge disturbance. Dropping $100+ dollars a person I expected more on all accounts. Uchi and Neighborhood sushi are better choices. read more

Soto South Lamar - Happy Hour Sushi "tacos" - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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One of my favorite sushi places ever. But definitely in Austin. I recommend the omakase just so you can get a taste of everything. I forgot what the tuna sampler thing is but get that too lol read more

Best sushi I've ever had! I definitely recommend. We got the wagyu rolls, Soto 2.0, and the white tiger + appetizers. All were outstanding read more

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This is a Happy Hour Review (4/5 Stars) for Soto South Lamar Great happy hour spot with an impressive menu! Parking is easy in the Lamar Union garage. I hadn't been back to Soto in years, and this HH menu was a great reason to return. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the HH menu online (hopefully, they add it to their website), so here it is for those planning ahead. We tried: Softshell crab tempura, mini sushi tacos, chef's choice, all of the nigiris, draft beer, hot sake, and the lychee martini. I love spicy sushi, so I had the Pari Hama Maki (serrano) and Spicy Tuna Katsu Maki--both solid picks! From the regular menu, we added shishito peppers, salmon over fire, and more nigiris. Service started slow but improved and felt well-coordinated. Dishes were cleared promptly, and we even got a surprise hello from a server who recognized us from another restaurant--such a nice touch! We sat outside, and the weather was surprisingly pleasant. Only hiccup: OpenTable marked my reservation as missed even though I was clearly there. Not a big deal, but something to note. Overall, an awesome visit--Soto HH is officially back in my rotation! read more

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Came here for date night and it was incredible!!! One of my favorite sushi spots in Austin!! I loved all their truffle dishes and my favorite was the Hirame truffle!! The flavors are so umami I loved it and am still dreaming about it!! I also really liked the truffle risotto it was so creamy and delicious!! The service was amazing and our waitress was so knowledgeable!! The one thing I didn't like was the green tea tiramisu, the rum flavor was way too strong and not enough matcha flavoring. read more

Soto South Lamar - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My new favorite restaurant in Austin!! Went for a dinner date and had the best service and help with the extensive menu. It was such a great experience that we came back for lunch the next week. A great lunch deal in my opinion! $28 for soup, salad, vegetable tempura, 5 nigiri, and one roll. Can't wait to come back and treat myself during a busy work week. Interior is clean as well with very kind staff. Everything has been amazing and so fun to try new foods. Haven't tried their bar yet but the drinks have looked great. Can't wait to come back and continue to explore more of the menu!! read more

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Grabbed a last minute Friday night reservation. The place was popping off! Very lively ambiance, and loud. Our waitress was amazing and walked us through the each of our menus. They had a separate vegan/vegetarian menu for my vegan boyfriend which was amazing!! Made our night very easy. We both loved our nigiri pieces the best, would come back and just get that vs rolls. My personal favorite was the CHU TORO - MEDIUM FATTY BLUEFIN TUNA. Nigiri. Didn't know fish could melt like that in your mouth. Wow! Overall was left surprised, as I went in with low expectations. Can't wait to come back again!! read more

Soto South Lamar - CHU TORO - MEDIUM FATTY BLUEFIN TUNA - Japanese Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I like the food here but had never been to this location. I had time to spare yesterday after running errands so I decided to drop in at around 12 pm. When I walked in the hostess/bartender was so unfriendly that it really threw me off but I brushed it off. I understand we all have bad days but you could at least greet your guests and smile. She made me feel super unwelcome like it was an inconvenience that I was there! I had a spicy tuna hand roll and masago with quail eggs which was delicious but the server was half asleep and just those two items took waaaaay too long to come to my table. I was the ONLY one in the restaurant and I let them know that I had somewhere to be by a certain time. as for the interior , I really like the aesthetic and will probably try this location again. Cheers! read more

Ok, everything here was AMAZING! The huge downside is that it was also incredibly expensive for the small portions. It was one of the few places open Christmas Eve night. We came for a family meal but definitely still left a bit hungry as the portions were for the most part so small! We went with the shishito peppers, miso soup, lobster tempura, wagyu and salmon sushi rolls, fish and wagyu dumplings. Everything was a hit! The dumplings and the lobster tempura was phenomenal with so much flavor and cooked so well without being overly greasy or fried read more

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Came to Soto for dinner before catching a show at Alamo Draft House. We had a reservation for inside at the "kitchen bar" but the host asked if we would be open to sitting outside (July in Austin - no thanks) otherwise we'd have to wait 30 minutes for a table. I was confused given we had a reservation and this put me in a mood (getting hangry), but we waited 10 minutes max for our table so no biggie. The food itself was okay - not the best, but certainly not bad. I'd place this in the middle... Many people I work with speak highly of Soto but I didn't see the hype - HOWEVER - anything blue tuna was a winner. It stood out amongst every other fish so would definitely recommend getting blue tuna Nigiri and/or the rolls that have blue tuna. read more

I made a reservation for dinner and happy hour. We got seated right away (but there was plenty of open seating). We all got some nice hot towels to wipe our hands with before eating, which was nice. We ordered a few items but they were all pretty small. Now I don't really mind small portion sizes, but some of the items weren't particularly exceptional, especially the Maki Rolls and King Mushroom Nigiri Roll. Not only were these rolls small, but they tasted pretty plain too. The Chicken Kara-age was good, but it tasted like any other Chicken Kara-age. I did like the Tuna Truffle, Soft Shell Crab Tempura, and Madai Crudo though. I did want to rate this place higher, but overall I felt like this place was just alright. Not terrible but not superb either. read more

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