5Kinokawa

The 18 Best Restaurants in The Heights - Houston - The Infatuation

"Mash up the show Tool Time with a sushi restaurant, then add some infomercial salesman charm, and you’ve got 5Kinokawa. The omakase-only spot in the Heights, open from Friday to Sunday, has a dining room filled with just as many carpentry tools as species of fish. Not only are you here to eat expertly sliced no-frills nigiri, but you’re also learning about different types of wood or how to perfectly de-shell a Santa Barbara spot prawn. At some point, it’s hard to tell whether you’re just eating through an omakase, being pitched an investment opportunity, or about to take a quiz on different varieties of mackerel. Suddenly, two hours and thirteen courses pass by, and, like stepping off a roller coaster for the first time, you wonder if anyone will notice you’ve jumped the line to ride again." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi