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Food & Dining > Silhouette Restaurant & Bar718 Congress Ave, Austin, TX | Directions 78701
30.269685 -97.742200 View Website
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Cruising down Congress you might miss Silhouette. But make it point to spend a lax Friday night with your friends here sometime: it's located inside the 100 year-old Bremond building (complete with creaky stairs and gorgeous old crown molding), and lets you order sushi in your own private performance room.

Silhouette feels like you are in East Village. Great ambiance & great sushi. Hit up their HH for sushi deals & check out their karaoke!
I bought a Groupon and tried to use it at Silhouette. When I got there, I was told that I could only use the Groupon in evening time. So my friend and I decided to give a try at lunch. We were very disappointed with the food there. We did not finish it and decided not to go back.
A Jewel in Downtown.
My husband and I stumbled on Silhouette one evening when we were looking for a quick bite before a show at the Paramount. We now make Silhouette a part of our theatre nights.
The service has always been quick, especially for a sushi restaurant. We've been several times and the service varies from adequate to great. Never had any complaints.
The atmosphere is great. Very cool and calming. I love the cozy booths!
The food is yummy. I travel to Tokyo often for work and I've had some fantastic sushi. The sushi at Silhouette isn't fancy, just straight forward, fresh and satisfying.
I was sorry to read reviews that people had some bad experiences. I've always enjoyed Silhouette and plan on going back...soon! Oh, and they do have more than sushi...just check out their dinner combos!
P.S. The Monday "All Day Happy Hour", Tuesdays "Ladies' Night" and the Saturday "Late Night Happy Hour" just sweeten the deal!
Best sushi ever!!!. I love the atmosphere, friendly waitstaff, the bartenders Trent and Nate ae very attentive and funny, and the sushi is fresh, flavorful and absolutely amazing! There is a huge variety of both cooked and uncooked sushi, and they have a sushi and drink happy hour all day Monday and every day from 5 to 7. I highly recommend the Lychee Martini.
Worst Sushi I Have Ever Had.
I have been to Silhouette several times over the years. Generally, the sushi was below average but it was close to my work. It had been at least a year since I last stopped by but I decided to give it another shot (I had a sushi craving). It was the worst sushi I have ever had.
I ordered the Sushi Combo A, 7 pieces chef's choice nigiri and a california roll. The avocado in the california roll was so ripe it squirted out of the roll as I bit into it. The nigiri included fake crab, the first time I have ever seen fake crab on top of a piece of nigiri. The 2 pieces of white fish had been splashed with some sort of sour liquid (Rice Vinegar?). The taste was overpowering. One of the pieces of white fish was as tough as a well done steak (possibly chemically overcooked by the sour liquid?). The piece of tuna was cut ninety degrees to the grain of the fish. I have never seen a piece of tuna nigiri that even showed the grain. The rice underneath was falling apart, what little there was. Each piece had a round ball of rice underneath.
I would highly recommend getting your sushi fix elsewhere. I just hope I don't end up sick from giving this place one more try.
I eat sushi on a regular basis and have had everything from the freshest sushi at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo (where the majority tuna is sold) to the local HEB. I have never had sushi that looked and tasted as poor as this.
Terrible Sushi. The sushi here is not great by any means. For the price I thought it would be awesome or even just okay...it was not. The rolls were nothing special and they were incredibly small. the fish in all of my rolls was almost non existing. The atmosphere was okay, pretty desolate though. I will never go back.
Not much. Maybe in 2009 the sushi was worthy of a Best of City Search, but not now. It wasn't awful just not that good.
A Hidden Jewel in the Open.... My wife and I have driven by this place many times and never knew it was there. We were walking downtown and stumbled on to it and decided to check it out. The restaurant is small and narrow in the front with tables for two, and towards the back opens up for tables with 4 or more guests. It has a very chill eclectic vibe to it but not too trendy. We sampled their baked mussel clams (very good; ask for the spicy version), seaweed salad, and miso soup - all good. I had the 15 piece sashim combo and my wife had the Spicy Tekka Don (spicy sashimi tuna over rice) and split an order of spicy tuna roll. The Spicy Tekka Don was fantastic and very filling - we were very surprised by the portion (enough for two). The sashimi combo was good but not the best Ive had (Musashino). The spicy tuna roll was bland after having the tekka don. Overall the experience was great. The wait staff was prompt and courteous. We have been back since and really enjoy. I would recommend this place for a casual first date or dinner with friends. Its a place where you want to go and enjoy the company you are with.
So So. Service has been lackluster, but it depends on which waitress you receive. One seemed absolutely clueless and provided the poorest service I have ever seen, but the waitress with glasses was prompt and knowledgeable. She took orders quickly and brought food in a short amount of time. The sushi itself is generally served warm, which is not very good. The rice doesn't seem fresh. I also discovered a bone in my salmon role, which is a first for me. The price is nice, especially on Monday happy hours. Not one of the best restaurants in Austin...
this place.
this place is definitely not for everyone! it's an eclectic atmosphere, and requires a certain kind of attention to be fully appreciated for what it is. from the walls to the people this place is beautiful, however i have been selective about who i invite to join me here for dinner. it's not a suit / tie place.
downside- they literally only serve sushi. it's very simple and traditional, and there are little to no other meat or fusion dishes.
upside- they literally only serve sushi! and i would guess that's the reason the fish has been amazingly fresh everytime.
note- i would definitely go for the server/bartenders personal recommendations. i have yet to be let down.
they tend to have up to an hour wait during weekends. i would call ahead.
Best sushi I've ever had!. I don't know what it is about the sushi at Silhoutte, but it is the best I've ever had! The atmosphere is very warm with great artwork on the walls. The waitstaff is awesome! All very attentive, helpful and friendly. I highly recommend Silhouette for an enjoyable dining experience.
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