Endo

TL;DR - I've done almost all the omakase in town (glares at Tsuke not taking solo diners). This has been by far my favorite. If you like actual fish not buried under a mound of miscellaneous goo (looking at you Sushi Bar ATX) this is your spot. My wife doesn't sushi, so I took advantage of her being out of town to try out the new omakase at Sushi Endo (west campus, across from the burned-out Texas French Bread next door to Counter Culture). The space is minimalist and cozy. I was greeted by an impeccably-dressed staff that made me wish I'd ironed my shirt :). I started off with a delicious Manhattan - other diners were offered a free glass of sake. After a bit of time to drink, we pulled up to the counter and got started. I'm not going to break down every single course. I will say that I absolutely loved all of them. The fish, and the preparation technique, were completely on point. I got the sake pairing (four 3 oz pours distributed across the 20-ish courses). I found a couple of new sakes that I really like (particularly the Heiwa Shuzou Kid Junmai). I will call out a couple of unexpected highlights. The Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard with crab, ikur & kinome) was absolutely delicious, as was the Akadash (red miso soup with okra). I skipped the caviar addon to the Wagyu - I'm a beef purist - but did add on the Uni, which was also great. I missed the picture for the hand roll, but everything else is there in order according to the menu. It's a small counter, and a very social dining experience. Chef has worked everywhere and knows everyone, we had a great time chatting. As a bonus, I met an amazing couple there celebrating a new PhD, and they're on the magic 'been three times+' list for Tsuke. I was bemoaning the fact that I can't get into there because I don't have a dining partner, and they offered to add me as a +1 later in the year. So I will finally cross the last omakase off my list in 2024! The only comparable meal I've had in Austin was a Hush Omakase popup in 2022. While the food (and bottomless sake) were good, the atmosphere was nowhere near as nice, and the chefs were not in the same room as us, so there wasn't as much back and forth. My total was $280 before tip, and I consider it a fair deal for the quality and vibe. I will definitely do it again.

This was not only the best sushi in Austin, but the best meal I’ve ever had. Service, food, atmosphere incredible. The team at Endo goes above and beyond to make sure you are having a great experience. Drinks are great, food is fantastic, and the team there are the best part. Definitely tell them it’s your birthday for a surprise. Thank you so much and can’t wait to come back

We were able to reserve a counter seat for two of chef Endo’s new omakase restaurant in west Austin. It was a fabulous experience not just for food but also the people. Chef Endo is affable and incredibly interesting which made for a wonderful atmosphere. Between the 10 customers pretty much all walked out with some new friends. Chef Endo hand-sculpted sushi was delightful. 2 sessions per night at the 10 person bar. You can relax early in their lounge with several cocktail opinions listening to some great music overhead. Chef Endo made our night enjoyable with not only a great omakase experience but also making us feel relaxed while enjoying conversation about sushi and his journey to Austin. And his love of SRV and Texas blues made for fun conversations. 20 course omakase Highlights- Lotus tempura great texture crisp Sesame tofu starter light and flavorful Butterfish nigiri creamy and rich melts in your mouth Aji excellent My favorite was the smoked trout nigiri. Not just the usual smoked/cured fish but actually smoked right at the counter with smoldering Canadian hay in a closed ceramic container. Perfect. Never had that flavor in a fish before. Chu-toro bluefin tuna nigiri followed by a toro temaki roll - decadent goodness. Ended the coarse with their mochi dessert with this Nikka coffee malt whiskey but they have several Japanese whiskey available off menu presented by their wonderful manager.

10/10; Endo is my new favorite sushi restaurant in Austin. The omakase leans towards the nigiri vs. hot/cooked dishes. Every bite was delicious. The Toro and Wagyu truly melted in my mouth - free from gristle! The service throughout the night was excellent. Thank you Chef Endo and team!! We will be back!

Foods was amazing. The experience was so enjoyable throughout thanks to Chef Endo and staff. We arrived a bit early and we're able make use of the lounge area to have a drink and do a bit of unplanned mingling with fellow guests. The staff pays attention and tries to make your time there as good as they can, including checking which hand you eat with.

Technically perfect sushi. Chefs are very nice and fun to talk to. Odd location and decor but you are there for the fish!

Chef Endo is so sweet and the staff are all so personable and welcoming. The sushi was prepared very traditionally which makes the fish and other light ingredients the star of the show. The fish was easily the most tender I’ve had in memory and the flavors were exquisite. The interior was a chic vibe with lively music going to keep the mood up. The drinks were very light and tasty and complimented the meal overall At $180 a person, it’s definitely top of market but I can’t confidently say I’d check it out again and plan to next month!

We ate here on a Tuesday evening and enjoyed the entire experience so much. Can’t recommend enough. The service is fantastic, friendly and welcoming and the food was out of this world. Delicious drinks made special by the bartender. It would be perfect for a date night, party, girls’ night - great value for an unforgettable experience!

Sushi Endo's omakase offers a unique dining experience with a fun Speakeasy vibe to the restaurant & lounge. From Chef Endo himself to the expert wine / cocktail pairings, every detail was handled with precision. The host was welcoming and engaging. He kept us entertained the whole dinner service contributing to the lively and happy atmosphere. The wine pairings were enjoyable, albeit a tad pricey. Note: they give out personalized coasters which we missed out on because our reservation was under one persons name. It was a lovely touch. The menu rotates and you can take home the menu for the night so you'll remember the tasty bites you had. Overall we had a fun time!

It pains me to write this review given the quality service we received at Endo, but the quality of the food we received that evening was unfortunately not up to snuff for a $200+ pp omakase in Austin. Endo and his staff were friendly and attentive, but about half the dishes from the omakase were disappointing. Most of the actual sushi bites used very subpar, dry and crumbling rice. Considering the amount of omakase's available in Austin, this is almost an elementary mistake that's painful to take at this price point. The conversion of the old ramen spot here was done well, but some of the exposed kitchen equipment is also a dampner on the ambiance. Endo and his team seem to be hard at work at trying to make this a go-to spot in Austin and given how new they are I'm rooting for them to make that a reality.

Absolutely fantastic. The ambiance, drinks, staff, and sushi were a delight to indulge in! We started off casually seated around the restaurant, where we could order drinks and make small talk with the parties. After everyone trickled in, we moved to the bar and began the gastronomical journey of Endo. Too many highlights to run through, but it's really something to experience for yourself. The evening began with homemade tofu; it was dense with sesame flavor, almost peanut-like. The dashi was ultra rich and perfectly balanced with the nuttiness, and the sharp cuts of wasabi woke me up with each little addition. The eggplant and shishito dish was a textural surprise-- goopy, delicate, perfectly salted, lots of fun. I ended up slurping up the dashi at the end, even if the bowl's design did not want me to. Chef's Tamagoyaki was one of the best I've ever had. I am rarely drawn to the eggs of an omakase, but this one was a true masterpiece. Out of the nigiri, I was blown away by the sardine. It was packed with flavors that shapeshifted in my mouth; I had no idea a sardine could taste so complex. The Cherry salmon was one of the richest pieces of salmon I'd ever eaten, and the skin of the golden eye snapper was heavenly. The otoro was definitely a wagyu of the sea, and the wagyu with caviar was otoro on land (truly elevated surf and turf lol). The crab and egg stew transported me to a wintery evening under the blankets in a cozy nook. Dessert provided a comforting yet refreshing conclusion to an eventful journey of a meal. I could not recommend the omakase enough. The chef and staff are extremely charming and make their jobs look easy. It is the perfect opportunity to unwind and watch skill unveil itself (and eat :D).

It's very difficult to write this review, and it took me a long time to get to it. Similarly to some other reviews, I think lists are the way to go for me: ****Things I loved**** 1. The space - really well done. Dark and mysterious. 2. The Service - fantastic. Speaking to the chefs, the care given to each plate, all was wonderful. It felt like a hang out with (very talented) friends 3. Some bites - Some of the bites were very well done, I LOVED some of the seared pieces, the beef, and everything with a good heft of salt. The tempura portion came with a beautiful salt to dip in, one of my faves 4. The concept - It was definitely unique! They seat you in a little lounge area first, get you drinks (or sparkling water in my case) as you wait for the seats to be ready 5. The layout - Everything is one giant bar. Each section kind of has a section leader, someone to talk with you and explain each dish. I really loved it, it felt very special, like you were in a unique place ****Things I loved less **** 1. Flavor - I think everything needed more salt. I will confess, I am a full salt-obsessed person, but truly it would've made the flavors pop. Things fell a little flat. I'm not sure if it was the fish quality or the salt level, but something just didn't hit 2. Textures - This may very well be my western palate, but some of the textures of dishes were super hard for me to handle. There was an eggplant dish here that was a little slippery and cold, definitely not one of my favorites. However, I'm going to stress that this is probably just because it was a new texture for me, not something I could really understand from my experience. 3. Cost -This is obviously a controversial one, because an omakase demands high cost - from the difficulty of sourcing the ingredients, to the immense cooking, slicing, preparation prowess needed to execute flawlessly. However, in this city, I believe you could do better for the same amount of money. I might chalk this up to relative newness, and I sincerely hope this changes - but this was my experience ****To the Chefs**** Please keep going! I wish all the best for you. Truly, it was a great night with friends, and a delight talking to you all.

They have two service seatings: 5:30 PM and 8 PM. We chose the 5:30 PM and were just leaving the restaurant as the next seating was arriving. As we arrived we were brought to a lounge/seating area and given a complimentary glass of sake. The sake was a nice touch but we didn't have time to savor it as we were immediately brought to the counter to start our Omakase experience. I wish they had told us we could arrive earlier so we could enjoy our surroundings for at least a few minutes before being sat. I wish I was also told that they were going to make a custom laser-etched coaster because my partner and I both got one but they only etched my name on each. For the 10-person seating, I felt a little crowded by staff as there was a host, a bartender, the Endo chef, and 2 other people working for him, as well as another member of staff. The staff mostly came from behind us on the counter to clear plates and ask questions and this felt awkward and interrupting at times. There was also a lot more conversation than I had expected but it kept the experience lively and made it seem faster-paced. The Omakase started soon after we sat down. They had menus for the evening at each place setting so we had a preview of the upcoming bites. The sushi itself was phenomenal. I've only ever had such good quality fish one other time. It was also nice to try fish I might not normally order. My favorites were the hay-smoked trout, medium fatty tuna, and sea eel. This was a unique experience (we commemorated our 5-year anniversary). If this kind of thing is in your budget, then I would recommend Sushi Endo. Our total bill came to $425.41 after tax with the uni and Wagyu with caviar add-ons.

From the exterior the wood slats distinguish this restaurant from the other storefronts located on this small strip just off N. Lamar. Doors open in and showcase a comfortable couch sections in the space where you can enjoy a drink and listen to the music from a stereo system on the back side wall of the space. A long bar dominates the back of the restaurant moving from libations to 10 seats in front of the chefs. (That old fashioned is one tasty drink). Service was fantastic - attentive, courteous and informative and above all appreciative of the patronage. The Chef has impressive background (read about it on his website) and those skills are evident in his food. Chef Endo curates a seasonal menu of qualify fish sourced primarily from Japan (for our meal). All prepared with a nod towards centuries old Japanese techniques. There is a focus on the neta and enhancing those flavors versus more modern fusion style sushi (for which powerful flavors adorn the neta often overwhelming the delicate flavors of the fish). The shari is made with a Hokkaido rice - which gives it more firmness and chew versus some of the more common sushi rice used these days. The meal is itself is a 20 course omakase style and you won't leave hungry (although if you're itching for a little bit more there are a few options available as extra pieces) Our meal consisted of: * Goma tofu - house made sesame tofu which had a creamy soft texture and delicate flavors. This was in a broth with some fresh wasabi, tomato and edible flower * Tempura - a corn fritter and a chicken stuffed shitake cap with a matcha salt dip * Hirame - flounder with a little shisho and edible flowers, served with fresh wasabi and a sugar/soy cured square of kombu * Nasu - Japanese eggplant with Japanese mountain yam puree, garnished with thin bonito flakes and micro greens. (substitution for one guest was an agedashi tofu and shishito pepper) * Akami - lean tuna (East coast) * Zuke Akami - so cured tuna (East Coast) - torched * Sawara - Japanese mackerel cured with a brush of soy * Shima Aji - striped jack * Kinmedai - golden eye snapper - torched to bring out the umami of the fish oil from the fat * Hotate - fresh scallop from Hokkaido - simply prepared with such sweetness * Madai - sea bream with a brush of soy - very delicate flavors * Umi Masu - Tasmanian ocean trout smoked with applewood in a traditional Japanese earthen bowl. Never have had Umi Masu smoked but enjoyed this far more than regular Umi Masu - there's more depth of flavors in this preparation * Botan Ebi - torched with a miso glaze * Chawanmushi - silky steamed egg with dashi, shredded crab, Ikura and delightful * Toro - medium fatty tuna (East coast) * Wagyu - Japanese wagyu (a dollop of caviar is available as a supplement) * Temaki - a toro handroll * Uni - Hokkaido (this was an add-on supplement) * Akadashi - a red miso soup which included the botan ebi head from an earlier piece of nigiri to give the soup a bit more flavor * Dessert - dessert was a mix of match green tea jello, a round of mochi, pineapple cubes, a ball of red bean and a syrup made from matcha Wine and sake pairings are also available for your meal.

We had a truly amazing experience at Endo. Extremely high quality fish with a chef that is truly passionate and knowledgeable. It was so special and memorable.

The Good: :: it's a local business! :: parking wasn't challenging to find a spot :: service is very friendly and extremely attentive :: sushi chef is very nice and was chatty with diners :: cocktails were very good--I recommend their old fashioned, which comes out very smoky and smooth on the finish :: Japanese whiskey selection is quite high-end :: the dishes lean on the side of more traditional Japanese omakase is what we were informed :: all dishes and fish are very fresh :: the dishes that stood out to me were the radish/toro steak/shiitake/ikura, akami, tamago yaki, and tamaki The Bad: :: the entryway inside the restaurant was a little smelly :: music was a bit odd--made for a weird vibe when we were waiting to be seated and during the meal. i can't explain it...parts of it felt like 70s music instrumental waiting room and other parts sounded like Japanese pop :: i feel bad saying this because everyone was so great and the chef was so nice...the flavors from some of the dishes didn't click with me. i don't know if they were just different to the point where my Western palate didn't appreciate them or if they were just underwhelming. my dining partner also agreed with me, though, so i don't think it's just me. dishes that normally are incredible at other omakase places (e.g., madai, scallop, ocean trout, and more) just fell flat here and i'm not sure why :: the roasted rice cake for dessert was a bit like a powder-covered jellyfish blob...wasn't a huge fan of the texture (taste also came across as a bit neutral) The Ugly: :: none Would I go back? Possibly later when they have had more time to be operational and work off of feedback from folks. They are still quite new as they just opened a week or so ago at the time of this review, and it may take them some time to work through some of the kinks. This place is IN (but not entirely enthusiastically).

Perhaps the best Japanese restaurant in Austin at the moment. Expensive but the ingredients are the best of the best. And service is flawless and friendly. Chef Endo trained with the legendary Shiro-san in Seattle and furthered his skills in New York at Nakazawa. He serves a very traditional Edo style menu of well-prepared dishes, mainly fish. The hay smoked sea trout was subtle and complex, the aji nigiri and kinmedai as good as anything I've had in Tokyo. Not one of the 20 dishes I had wasn't anything less than perfect in flavor and conception. The cocktails were good (try the espresso martini with matcha) and the wine pairing I had with the menu perfectly matched the food. This would be a top restaurant in any city - we are fortunate to have it in Austin. I'll be back as soon as my bank account allows it (lol).

Great location - I can walk from my place at 21 Pearl straight to Omakase and then walk off the soosh on my way back to Perry Castenada Libary to read books. Again, it's a great location.

Chef Endo is so likeable and funny, and the sushi he prepares using ancient techniques is incredible. What a lovely experience!

Service and food was absolutely fabulous. I highly recommend and can't wait to go back!

A 20 course wonderfully curated omasake experience. Truly every piece of sushi and dish are heavenly. Yasu (head chef) and the entire team are beautiful souls and make incredible food and such a perfect experience. From the first course- I was sold and it only got better from there. The fish is flown in and sourced from Tokyo fish markets, where Yasu worked for a period of his career. I can't go on to say more about this special place. It has the makings to be an Austin Japanese staple.