Uchi is Austin's landmark Japanese restaurant, opened in 2003 by James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole. The menu blends traditional Japanese technique with bold global flavors — from delicate nigiri flown in from Tokyo's Toyosu market to inventive hot tastings like A5 wagyu with maitake and wagyu hollandaise.
Signature items
Yellowtail, ponzu, thai chili — Uchi's most-ordered cool tasting
Takeout sushi box for 1-2 guests
Takeout sushi box with premium additions
Luxury takeout box with caviar service
Available during happy hour only; check current hours with restaurant
Uchi changes a portion of its menu daily based on seasonal seafood and market availability. Ask your server for tonight's specials.
A look at key dishes across categories to plan your spend at Uchi Austin.
| Item | Category | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado Nigiri | Nigiri | $5 |
| Edamame | Yasaimono | $10 |
| Mapo Dofu | Hot Tasting | $15 |
| Kinoko Usuzukuri | Cool Tasting | $18.50 |
| Sake Tom Kha | Cool Tasting | $21 |
| Hama Chili | Cool Tasting | $23.50 |
| Pork Belly | Hot Tasting | $24 |
| Lobster | Hot Tasting | $35 |
| Bluefin Tartare (special) | Daily Special | $36 |
| A5 Wagyu | Hot Tasting | $95 |
| Kaluga Caviar 1 oz | Caviar | $95 |
Like-for-like comparison across fine-dining Japanese and sushi concepts.
| Category | Uchi Austin | Morimoto | Omakase by Korami | Nobu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest single item | $5 (avocado nigiri) | ~$7 (edamame) | ~$8 (nigiri) | ~$6 (edamame) |
| Signature nigiri (2 pc) | $6.50–$18.50 | ~$8–$22 | ~$10–$20 | ~$9–$25 |
| Chef's tasting / omakase | Price on request | ~$150+ | ~$175+ | ~$200+ |
| Vegetarian tasting menu | Available (price on request) | Limited | Limited | Not standard |
| Happy hour tasting (2) | $120 (9 courses) | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
Uchi opened in 2003 on South Lamar Boulevard in Austin, Texas, quickly earning a reputation as one of the most inventive Japanese restaurants in the United States. Chef and owner Tyson Cole trained under sushi master Takehiko Fuse and spent years refining a style that honors Japanese discipline while embracing the eclectic, ingredient-forward spirit of Texas cooking. In 2011, the James Beard Foundation named Cole the Best Chef: Southwest — a recognition that cemented Uchi's place on the national fine-dining map.
The restaurant sources premium seafood directly from Tokyo's Toyosu Market, the world's largest and most respected fish market, ensuring that its nigiri and sashimi reflect the best available product on any given night. The menu is deliberately fluid: a core of beloved signatures like the Hama Chili and Walu Walu anchors each service, while a rotating slate of daily specials showcases whatever the season and the market deliver. The omakase experience — whether the full ten-course Omakase or the more playful Somakase — offers the kitchen's fullest expression of this philosophy.
Uchi's success spawned a growing family of restaurants under the Hai Hospitality group, including Uchiko in Austin, Uchi Houston, Uchi Denver, and Uchi West Hollywood. Despite its expansion, the South Lamar original remains the emotional center of the brand — intimate, dimly lit, and reliably excellent. A daily happy hour program brings the same kitchen's quality to a more accessible price point, and the takeout Sushi Box program has extended Uchi's reach to home dining without compromising on craft.
Reserve a table, explore tonight's specials, and confirm current hours and pricing on the official Uchi website.
Reserve at Uchi AustinA typical dinner at Uchi Austin runs $80–$150 per person for food alone, depending on how many tastings and nigiri you order. Adding sake or cocktails can push the total to $150–$250+ per person. The ten-course omakase is priced on request and typically sits in the $150–$200+ range per person.
Yes. Uchi Austin offers a nightly happy hour with a dedicated menu that includes discounted tastings, nigiri, handrolls, sake, cocktails, and wine. The Happy Hour Omakase — a nine-course tasting for two guests — is priced at $120 and represents one of the best values in Austin fine dining. Check the official website for current happy hour times.
The Omakase is a fixed ten-course daily tasting menu in which the kitchen chooses every dish based on the best available ingredients that day. The Somakase is a curated variation that allows for some customization — your server can explain the current options. Both are prix-fixe experiences priced on request.
Yes. Uchi offers a dedicated Vegetarian Tasting Menu (ten courses), plus a substantial selection of vegetarian nigiri, cool tastings, hot tastings, rolls, and agemono available à la carte. The Kinoko Nabe, Mapo Dofu, Kabocha tempura, and Kinoko Usuzukuri are all vegetarian-friendly highlights.
Yes, reservations are strongly recommended at Uchi Austin. Walk-ins are accepted when space permits at the bar or communal seating, but popular evenings book out quickly. Reservations can be made through the official website or OpenTable.
Uchi sources premium fish directly from Tokyo's Toyosu Market, the world's largest seafood market and the successor to the legendary Tsukiji Market. This ensures the Toyosu Selection nigiri menu reflects the freshest, highest-graded product available internationally on any given night.
The Hama Chili is Uchi's most iconic cool tasting — thinly sliced yellowtail (hamachi) dressed with ponzu, Thai chili, and orange supremes. It has appeared on the menu since the restaurant's early days and is consistently ranked among the best dishes in Austin. It is priced at $23.50.
Yes. Uchi Austin offers a curated takeout menu that includes Sushi Boxes (Ichi $95 / Ni $195 / San $295), selected cool and hot tastings, nigiri, makimono, and desserts. The Fried Milk Ice Cream Pint is a popular takeout item. Order directly through the Uchi website.
Uchi was founded by chef Tyson Cole, who trained under Japanese sushi master Takehiko Fuse before opening the South Lamar location in 2003. Cole won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2011. He is the culinary director of Hai Hospitality, the group that operates Uchi, Uchiko, and their sister restaurants across multiple cities.