10 Best Sushi Restaurants in Houston

Are you looking for a high-end date night spot with beautifully presented sushi and feisty cocktails, or a low-cost izakaya with weekend happy hour? Check out these 10 fantastic sushi restaurants in Houston offering sake, sashimi, specialty rolls, and much more.

Advertising

Houston’s sushi culture is well worth exploring, with a slew of new sushi restaurants and hand-roll hot spots all over the city. As a result, there’s no better time than now to satisfy your desire for raw fish.

Best Sushi Restaurants in Houston

While most people associate Houston with Tex-Mex and barbecue, the city turns up the heat in all ways, customs, and culinary types. If you crave sushi, see our list of our top ten sushi restaurants in Houston below.

Advertising

1. Uchi Montrose

“Uchi” refers to “house” in Japanese, which befits the comfortable, welcoming ambiance in this award-winning restaurant’s Westheimer location.

Its ambiance is second only to its top-tier menu, with magnificent oak fixtures, sleek contemporary furnishings, and ornamental accents.

2. Nobu Houston

Nobu, one of the best sushi restaurants in Houston, has an incredible roster of everything. Ocean-fresh maki and sashimi will take your breath away, as will specialty tacos topped with caviar, tuna, ceviche, and crispy tempura.

Don’t forget to end the meal with a fragrant Market Margarita, since cocktails usually go well with raw foods.

Advertising

3. Kata Robata

The sushi counter at Kata Robata in Upper Kirby is always crowded on any given night. Kata hits all the right notes when it comes to sashimi, nigiri, and the desired omakase experience (which must be reserved in advance).

Sushi is all about temperature, and Kata gets it just right. The vinegar-sweet sushi rice usually comes slightly warm, and the perfectly cut fish always arrives slightly cool.

The perfect bite whether you’re sitting at the sushi bar or one of the gorgeous sunken booths across the restaurant.

Advertising

4. Kokoro

Expect a laid-back ambiance and swoon-worthy sushi from chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee at one of the many outstanding dining options inside Bravery Chef Hall.

From buttery chicken skewers to a huge selection of sashimi and nigiri sourced directly from Japan, their enthralling cuisine strikes multiple high notes.

These standout bits are complemented by luscious edamame, healthy rice bowls, and blistered Shishito peppers for a spicy punch, making Kokoro one of the best sushi restaurants in Houston.

Advertising

5. Kubo’s Sushi Bar & Grill

Kubo’s Sushi Bar & Grill is known for its extensive sushi menu and vibrant atmosphere.

From classic rolls to specialty rolls, Kubo’s offers a wide variety of options to satisfy all sushi cravings. The friendly service and lively ambiance make it a popular choice for sushi lovers in Houston.

READ ALSO!!!

Advertising

6. Aya Sushi

The former Bernie’s Burger Bus location in Bellaire has been transformed into a beautiful sushi restaurant by some of the guys behind Kau Ba, the Vietnamese hotspot.

Yoshi Katsuyama, a veteran chef who has worked at prestigious restaurants like Uchi and Soto, is at the helm of the kitchen.

He displays his impeccable skills and crafting playful takes on omakase (we’re assuming you’ll be treated to some caviar) at their 10-seat sushi bar.

Advertising

7. Oishii Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Waiting in line for sushi at Oishii is a Houston tradition. The little Greenway spot is an institution—order the same bespoke maki roll enough times, and your questionable taste might end up on the menu permanently.

Oishii dwells in a perpetual liminal region where time and inflation anxieties have vanished, with the same rock-bottom pricing for years.

Six days a week, Happy Hour BOGO $5 appetizers are still available, as are lunch combos for $10 and nigiri pieces for as little as $1. This is the future that all sushi lovers desire.

8. Handies Douzo

Kokoro’s skilled chefs Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham do it hand-MF Sushiroll style at this elegant date night favorite, which now has outlets in both the Heights and Montrose districts.

Visit either location for hand roll, crudo, and sashimi preparations ranging from really fiery tuna and nori-wrapped uni to delicate hotate (scallop) packed with an orange-ponzu punch, and you will understand why it is one of the best sushi restaurants in Houston.

9. MF Sushi

Chris Kinjo is a chef’s knife master. Magic Fingers is the nickname of the owner and chef of this modern Museum District jewel, MF Sushi (and the wonderful sushi parlor Ume on White Oak).

His skilled hands cut fresh fish at breakneck speed before delicately draping the molded, velvety marvels atop expertly seasoned sushi rice.

You’ll want to see his artistry for yourself by reserving a seat at the omakase counter, where the chef will read your mood and serve you treats like softly torched yellowtail cheek, glittering silver-skin kohada nigiri, and exquisitely cured salmon sashimi.

10. Shun Japanese Kitchen

Chef Naoki Yoshida grew up in the restaurant business (his family runs Montrose’s Nippon Restaurant, which has been in business since 1986). This South Shepherd sushi bar and izakaya is his modern-day playground.

Yoshida explores Japanese cuisine through the eyes of a second-generation Japanese American living in Houston.

Shun Japanese Kitchen serves dishes like foie gras fat uni pasta and lamb barbacoa gyoza along with sublime raw preparations like yuzu ceviche, salmon tomatillo crudo, and yellowfin tuna sashimi with candied jalapeo.

Summary

Houston may be famous for its Tex-Mex and barbecue, but the city also boasts a fantastic selection of sushi restaurants.

Whether you’re a sushi connoisseur or a newbie to this beloved Japanese cuisine, Houston has you covered with its diverse sushi scene.

From traditional sushi bars to contemporary fusion spots, these 10 best sushi restaurants in Houston are the best places you can get fresh, delicious sushi creations.

Advertising