Uchi Restaurant
(512) 916-4808
801 S Lamar Blvd
Austin,
TX
78704
30.2575
-97.7602
Neighborhoods: Zilker, South Lamar
Reviews & Ratings for Uchi Restaurant
89 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 89 reviews
After Uchi, now home making mac & cheese
by jt8
May 17, 2006
We just went out with another couple and put down a ton of money at Uchi. The food was very good, but the portions were insultingly small for the price. It was like in the cartoons where they bring a guy a big platter, uncover it and present him something like a single bean. I don't mind that we had an hour wait, but generally after such a long wait, people are ready to eat - not pay $17 for three tiny little slivers of fish. I left there starving, and tried to go to the McDonald's down the street. It was closed, so now I'm home with the Mac & Cheese. Also, the service was not good. They brought out our first roll, and we had to wait quite a while to get some wasabi and ginger.
Loudy non-chic place
by luludheir
July 04, 2009
I went to Uchi to celebrate my wedding anniversary, and this was the mistake.
The place is very loudy, as if you were in a street market, everybody shouting.
Food: sushi is good, but everything that is fusion is terrible. I´ve been eating in some of the best restaurants in the world and their raw tuna & goat cheese (which they are so proud of) makes no sense at all.
Their chocolate sorbet was also made of very poor chocolate quality.
- Pros: Sushi
- Cons: Salads and fusion
Too Expensive
by KMCATA
May 24, 2009
Good atmosphere, but that was the most expensive place for the amount they serve. Great Service, nice waitstaff, but the food is extremely expensive. Reminded me of an over priced Hollywood hangout adhering to rich celebs. I used to live in Vancouver and for the meal we had tonight, would have spent 1/8 of the amount. We wont go back for this reason...
- Pros: The cooking stone
- Cons: The price of Sushi
Great food
by tpogue
May 08, 2009
A few weeks ago I went to Uchi for the first time after hearing about it from a few other friends that are sushi fans. I took a date out to the restraunt and there was a wait so we hung out for a bit before being sat. When we were sat our waitress came up to us and took our drink order. When she came back I decided I wanted a seaweed salad with octupus 1 for each of us. She proceeded to ask me if I've ever had this and go on to explain very poorly how their seaweed salad is different from the seaweed salad we are used to (it seemed she was trying to talk us out of getting it) anyways we sat for a few minutes before someone came by and dropped 1 seaweed salad off at our table. I looked around and it sat in the middle of the table for a few minutes because we were'nt going to start eating at different times. After having to flag our waitress down she said she thought we only ordered one and ran to get another one. While she was in the back someone brought us out 2 delicious soups and when our waitress returned with the 2nd salad (the other one by this time was not fresh like it should've been and I could taste it, I gave my date the fresh 1) she said "Enjoy those soups that are on us I guess?" so someone made another mistake but this time it benefited us so thats a plus. After the salads we were brought the most delicious appetizer. I believe it was called an avocado bake. Trust me and try it if you go but the huge problem was that we were'nt giving any utensils to eat it with. The amazing looking appetizer sat in front of us for at least 3-4 minutes. By this time I was really feeling just ignored. The only person who was taking care of us was this AWESOME server assistant. He was tall bald and older than myself (sorry if you read this s.a. just wanted to include you in this and i dont know your name so i thought i'd describe you lol ) anyyyways I didnt want to complain because my date was in town from Cali. and I wanted to have a nice evening. She did point out the poor service though. By the end of the meal I just expected more to go wrong. Our waitress didnt talk to us and I'd of rather tipped the S.A. A BIG positive was when our sushi was dropped someone who looked like a manger dropped our sushi rolls off to us and explained all the food with great detail, I was impressed. I'd like to close saying I am a waiter at a very nice restraunt that I won't name for several reasons. Great food not a great waitress. I hope to never give service like the service that was given to me here.
- Pros: Food
- Cons: Waitress
uchi thinks it super cool
by austinfooddork
April 14, 2009
uchi has really gone down hill from the heights they once were. the portion sizes get smaller each time i go, and don't bother ordering off the specials page. i had a truly horrible lobster dish there the last time i went.
it just seems like this place has lost its sheen. maybe its because the head chef is NEVER there. the waiters seem pretty full of themselves, and honestly kind of put out to even be at work.
fav menu items:
carpaccio, crunchy tuna roll, great toro, and a yummy peanut butter dessert.
- Pros: excellent fish...most of the time
- Cons: snobby, loud, don't bother with the cooked food
Best restaurant I've ever been to... REALLY!
by ankurbhai
December 03, 2008
Amazing restaurant with amazing food every time. Try everything when you go (not just the stuff that doesn't scare you). The people watching is fun when you have to wait outside and the servers and cocktail waiters are awesome.
I highly recommend going before you get hungry as you'll probably have to wait a long time for a table. If you are with a significant other, SIT AT THE SUSHI BAR. It's a great experience. Let them put together the meal for you. The goat cheese and apple sashimi is amazing.
- Pros: The food is amazing. The servers are very nice. Fun atmostphere.
- Cons: Bar and sushi bar are both too small. Long wait.
Very good sashimi and hot/cold apps
by shaft28
October 27, 2008
Uchi is very good - I mean the hot rock beef and the cold tuna apps were amazing as was the individual sashimi and sushi - scallops and ells were amazing. The rolls were good but not the best I ever had. Although the sauces on the roll plates were pretty awesome.
Service was very friendly and pretty funny although with the loud clientelle we did have to repeat ourselves and one dish I ordered at the end was forgotten (and I know he heard me when I ordered it). Not a big deal as at that point one of our friends was quite drunk and obnoxious...(we won;t be going out with them again!).
I think for the price it was worth it and I looks forward to going back with my wife to really try more end enjoy teh experience.
P.S. of the rolls the Zero Roll was amazing. Skip the Mustang.
Best place to eat in Austin
by dlsomers
October 26, 2008
The food here is simply spectacular! The atmosphere is quite, yet modern and elegant. However, the food is unique and bold, offering parings and combinations that are surprising and delicious! Try the brie sencha, it was one of the best plates I have ever eaten. All the other plates also we tried offer a delight for the diner. Highly recommended!
- Pros: Great food, service, ambience
- Cons: a little pricey
Spectacular!
by Ming83
July 25, 2008
I ate here for the first time when my folks flew into town and I was blown away by everything! I had always heard good things about Uchi in the past but never went to check it out myself. I conceptualized in my mind a large sushi restaurant for some reason, but I'm glad to say that it wasn't-- which to me equals a great atmosphere paired with unique dishes.
We ended up ordering the Omakase, although it says it's designed for two, it was perfect for a table of three because the multi-course was seemingly endless. My dad even had to ask how many more dishes were still coming; we were getting so full! Every dish was explained before it was dropped off at our table and all of them were exquisitely prepared.
I had such a great experience with Uchi the first time that I took my fiancee there for his birthday. I fell in love with the 'Hot Rock' and 'Ocha Zuke' soup. Some of the rolls we ordered weren't that impressive but the dishes from the daily special were out of this world! Even though I didn't mention it was my fiancee's birthday, my server was intuitive enough to notice the card on the table. We ordered dessert but he added a candle and "Happy Birthday" with it. I was pleasantly surprised and my fiancee thought I had planned it all. Uchi definitely delivers.
- Pros: Daily Specials
- Cons: Some of the rolls weren't that distinguished
Awesome Awesome Awesome by Kimberly H. at InsiderPages
Contributor
June 08, 2008
This place is amazing!! Their chef has even been on Iron Chef! I totally recommend getting the chef's tasting menu. You can tell them how much you want to spend and they create a menu based to fit that. The chef changes his menu to reflect the market's best ingredients that day and the wine pairings are perfect. The wait staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is beautiful, modern and elegant. You have to check it out!
My favorite sushi splurge!
by lizlovestoeat
May 16, 2008
Sushi is my favorite type of food, so I enjoy Uchi once or twice a year to treat myself. Be prepared to savor your food - don't rush the kitchen or the sushi chefs, and you won't be disappointed. Take advantage of the attentive waitstaff to order just one dish per person at a time. The sushi (both nigiri and rolls) is lovely, always just what I'm after. I don't usually order sashimi, but this would be a great place to do so - the fish is impeccably fresh and expertly prepared. I order the buttery-rich maguro with goat cheese every time I visit, though I also make a point of enjoying a couple of the daily specials as well. The grilled mackerel is also always particularly succulent and satisfying. I hope they never take the Valrhona wasabi fondant off the menu - it's an indulgent finish for a chocoholic. Uchi gets a bad rap for being pricey, but everything needs perspective. Frankly, it's not expensive on the same scale as, say, New York or San Francisco sushi; and Austin IS a landlocked city, after all. A leisurely hour-plus dinner for two (with 3-4 cocktails) usually comes to about $100 before tip.
- Pros: Perfect for intimate dinners and small (3-4) groups, excellent food, consistently good service, quality cocktails and great wine/sake list, hip ambience but still relaxed
- Cons: Parking is limited, reservations available only before 7 pm, impractical for groups larger than four
