"Dining at Kira in River Oaks is like witnessing a well-rehearsed play in a black box theater. The 15-seat counter focuses on handrolls, and you’ll want at least two placed in your palm. Chefs casually ask about your favorite bite from the previous course, or how you like the hollandaise on your lobster handroll. And when you aren’t watching kakigori getting assembled from imported ice blocks, you’ll nod along to a Mitski record playing through the professional sound system. Every minute feels intentional, and dinner at Kira should make your shortlist for the best show in town. Seats at Kira fill up quickly, and there’s typically only a day-of reservation at 5pm or 9pm on most days of the week. If you’re interested in a primetime spot, online reservations open up three weeks in advance. But if you recently won the lottery and want to test your luck further, you can show up right when they open and check if there’s a free seat." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene