Uchiko

The Japanese sushi restaurant Uchiko, an Austin import, is sort of the younger, slightly more hip sibling of Uchi, which also comes from Austin. The restaurant menus between all the various locations, including the Uchi in Montrose, are nearly identical, with some more experimental flavors happening at Uchiko. This particular restaurant, located near the Galleria in Uptown, looks and feels exactly like every other one. It has dim lighting, lots of dark wood, and splashy modern wallpaper. It’s the kind of place where everyone might be wearing jeans but also $400 shoes. However, it doesn’t really live up to the patented Uchi experience. 

The expectation is impeccable service with exciting and tasty food that together create a memorable meal worth repeating until your wallet hits a breaking point. And while this spot might have the same menu and general vibe as the other locations, it’s lacking in delivery. Service can be spotty. During a recent experience, the server floundered when asked specific questions, forgot to bring out a number of dishes, and was generally MIA. Many dishes are tiny, even during Happy Hour when tiny is expected. Nigiri pieces are a stand out, however, even if the yakumi flavor placed on top sometimes overpowers the fish.

While everything is good, it’s never great, and neither the food nor the service live up to the standard set by Houston’s original Uchi in Montrose. While you can go to Uchiko for a special occasion, to ball out on an omakase, or to hit up the Happy Hour after a Galleria shopping spree, we suggest heading to Montrose for a more seasoned experience. 

photo credit: Uchiko

photo credit: Uchiko

photo credit: Uchiko

photo credit: Uchiko

photo credit: Uchiko