Teppay

Very beautiful restaurant, I felt like I was back in Japan again. I have to point out how nice the bathrooms were… they had a bidet! Anyways, the food here was delicious. All raw fish options tasted fresh. The agedashi tofu was crispy, and its broth was nice and savory. The beef udon had nice thick noodles with tender meat. The scallop looked a bit underwhelming but the flavors were all there! As for the gindara, it had a nice char on the edges and the miso flavor was great! This place would be a great date night spot for sure!

We had a reservation at 7pm, and someone took appt and had 2 free dishes. Upon we arrived, the owner realized that there was wrong peoples taking our place. Then they rearrange our table quick and apologized for the little booking issue. The food is good and authentic. The atmosphere is relaxing 😌. Will come back

I finally had time to write this review. We went this past April and I was really excited to try this place after living nearby for 10 years and seeing a few food bloggers recommend it—but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype. The decor was warm and inviting, which set a nice first impression. However, the service left a lot to be desired. Our server wasn’t very attentive, and we often found ourselves wondering where our food was. It seemed like a larger party in the back was getting most of the attention. The agedashi tofu was a highlight—hot, crispy, and flavorful. But the sushi was, as the kids say these days, pretty “mid.” While the fish was sliced decently, the rice was poorly molded—thin and falling apart easily. We also tried the beef tataki appetizer, which was supposed to be charbroiled. Instead, it seemed like it had been oven-seared and served cold, which was disappointing. I don’t think I’ll be back, but at least now I can say I’ve tried it.

We came right when they just opened for lunch. The restaurant is very beautiful and traditional. All the food dishes were amazing; I had the sukiyaki and just wish the beef was a little more tender. Bento box options were very generous and yummy.

Beautiful restaurant. They have very delicious Unagi, and decent tasting sushi. The downside being, everything takes too long to be served, the waitresses even forgot to bring our waters, and check out tickets.

Tucked away on Westheimer, Teppay is a hidden gem for purists in search of traditional Japanese sushi. This isn’t your flashy, fusion-heavy spot—it’s a quiet, unassuming restaurant where the focus is on craftsmanship and quality. The sushi is consistently excellent. Highlights include silky otoro, creamy uni, and pristine hamachi, each cut with precision and presented without gimmick. The Omakase Kaiseki is a must for those who trust the chef’s instinct—it’s thoughtful, balanced, and deeply satisfying. The space is intimate, almost austere, with an ambiance that mirrors the simplicity of the food. Service is respectful and efficient, allowing the meal to take center stage. In a city full of trendy sushi bars, Teppay stands apart by staying true to its roots. A place for those who know and appreciate the real thing.

I did NOT expect to be blown away by the food in such a random location in Houston. Rel authentic japanese restaurant design - beautiful. Attentive service and the food was perfect. Nigiri are prepared perfectly - very fresh fish, wasabi seasoning, small rice bed. Katsu Curry has great flavor depth and pork is crispy. Caramelized eggplant taste is on point. And even the dragon roll, although not authentic by nature, was delicious. Can highly recommend this spot for true japanese restaurant experience

Teppay is a hidden gem in Houston, tucked away in a pretty deserted strip mall, but don’t let the location fool you! The food here is solid, especially the sushi and curry. Both are fresh, flavorful, and definitely worth coming back for. However, the sukiyaki dinner beef was a bit underwhelming—it wasn’t bad, just didn’t quite hit the same mark as the other dishes. The atmosphere is humble and unpretentious, which adds to the charm. It’s a cozy, down-to-earth spot that doesn’t try to be flashy. Prices are very reasonable for the quality, and the staff are super friendly and welcoming, making you feel right at home. Overall, Teppay offers a solid dining experience at a good value. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!

Unfortunate situation because I was really looking forward to this. Made a reservation over the phone 5 days ahead of time for an omakase dinner. Spoke with a gentleman who confirmed that we would be seated on Saturday at 6:30 for their more expensive kaiseki option. Saturday comes around, we arrive and are seated in the omakase room. We're halfway through the second course when the hostess informs us that they seated us by accident and have no record of our reservation. To make matters worse, they say that another party has arrived and we have to leave. No offer to rebook us for another date or to seat us in the regular dining room. Just asked us to leave. Very embarrassing for my wife and I to be kicked out of a restaurant that we committed our Saturday night to.

Finally got to try this restaurant last night with my friend and had a great experience. We came on a Saturday evening and were seated right away. It's located in a plaza so there is plenty of parking. Service was quick, attentive & great. The ambiance of the restaurant was good, it was modern but traditional at the same time. There's tables, bar seating and two private rooms with traditional floor seating. The bathrooms also had bidets and the whole restaurant was overall very clean. We ordered the Agedashi tofu, Scallop butter, Gindara, Beef udon, Spicy tuna roll, Spicy salmon roll, Tuna hand roll and Salmon hand roll. The only things I didn't care too much about were the spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls. The fish tasted good, but it wasn't a standout. Absolutely loved the scallop butter, beef udon, gindara and the salmon hand roll. The seasonings and flavors for appetizers and udon were perfect and the hand roll was filling, fresh and satisfying. Overall loved the ambiance, service and food and will definitely come back.

Very polite staff. The sushi rolls were delicious. My favorite was the dragon roll. The Japanese design was cool.

Very beautiful restaurant, I felt like I was back in Japan again. I have to point out how nice the bathrooms were... they had a bidet! Anyways, the food here was delicious. All raw fish options tasted fresh. The agedashi tofu was crispy, and its broth was nice and savory. The beef udon had nice thick noodles with tender meat. The scallop looked a bit underwhelming but the flavors were all there! As for the gindara, it had a nice char on the edges and the miso flavor was great! This place would be a great date night spot for sure!

Use to be a lot better. Not sure what happened to the food but it doesn't seem like it's authentic Japanese ramen any more. The whole color and taste tastes completely different than it used to be. Tastes like Chinese restaurant's ramen now.

I ordered the ten Zarusoba which are called dipping noodles that come with a side of tempura. Portion was not huge, but not small either. My table also ordered the calamari karaage as an appetizer, but note that it came with only three pieces. Would recommend just ordering noodles or sushi if you are here. The fish is quite fresh. The restaurant had bar and table seating options.

I came here so many times and today I ordered Shabu. The meat was over cooked and old. Inside the pot literally just vegetables and old frozen beef that still stick together and just water for the soup. It was horrible and I could just cook that a lot better at home, it cost $30 for that dish and it was way too over price for what it was as especially the quality of the food. The service was worse and worse every time we came. Some of the servers have attitude when we let him know that the food was bad and this same guys forgot my order last time I was there too. I was so disappointed because it use to be one of my favorite place to go but now not anymore. I can literally pay less for better quality food somewhere else.

My friend referred me here so I celebrated with a couple friends for my birthday. We ordered many dishes including ramen, sushi, sashimi, fish head, etc. I love this authentic Japanese cuisine but my favorite dish was the fried prawn heads! 10/10 so crunchy and delicious! I love how the ambience is traditional Japanese and would bring other guests here to experience this. The waiter is so kind and friendly as well. Thank you for the great service!

A solid spot for Japanese food! My boyfriend and I had a reservation on a Friday night at 7 pm so we were seated right away when we arrived. For drinks I ordered the lychee martini and this is a must get. I personally prefer cocktails that taste like juice and this hit the spot. I not only loved how there was a citrusy/sweet sugar coating on the rim but the cocktail was also really boozy! Definitely dangerous but I enjoyed every sip haha. For appetizer we ordered the Ika Sugatayaki and the Hamachi Kama. I appreciated how the squid was cooked just right so it was soft and the soy sauce glaze on top was perfect. As for the Hamachi Kama, this is a must get! The fish was very light, moist, and tender and when you squeeze lemon juice on top and pair it with the daikon oroshi, it's fantastic. As for the main course, I had the Tempura and my boyfriend had the Tonkatsu. I loved how Teppay did the tempura batter right. Many places have a super thick/dense coating but Teppay does it very light which gave the tempura that airy crisp texture when you bite into it. I also loved how they put daikon oroshi in the dipping sauce! The portion is pretty big so I ended up taking some home- popped it in the air fryer the next day and it tasted just like when it was freshly served. As for my boyfriend's tonkatsu, he said it was just okay. If I recall correctly, I believe he said something along the lines of how the meat was a little too dry. But he really enjoyed the potato salad that came on the side. Aside from the hot dishes, we also got nigiri's. The star of the show was the ama ebi (sweet shrimp). Although it costs a little extra, it also comes with the shrimp's fried head so it's worth it! We weren't able to explore the interior since we were seated right near the door but from the pictures I saw online, there should be a traditional seating style in the back with the tatamis. As for our server, she was sweet but also a little all over the place. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here and will be coming back!

So fresh! Big pieces! Friendly service...nice and quiet in the early afternoon...affordable too!

Excellent food. I've eaten so much sushi in Houston, and Teppay ranks pretty high. Quality fresh sushi and other great Japanese dishes you don't find at other local restaurants. The restaurant is very small and a bit uncomfortable and the service is a bit hectic. They do their best considering how busy and small of a place it is. If you can get past that you're in for a great experience.

Tried out this unassuming izakaya after seeing it on social media, we really liked it! We came on a Friday night and while we did make a reservation, the place wasn't that packed and we were seated right away. Service: 4/5 it did take a while for us to get utensils, and our water didn't come until after our food came, but otherwise they were friendly. Food: 5/5 everything was delicious! Some of the specials were a bit pricey but I thought it was worth it. They apparently have a secret menu that's in Japanese, if you're adventurous you can give it a try. Ambiance: 5/5 the restaurant reminded us of izakayas in Japan, they even have a tatami mat room that you can reserve for larger parties. Overall was a good experience, we'll definitely be back!

My husband took me to Teppay as a surprise for our anniversary! The staff and chefs are so nice and welcoming and always tried to make sure we were doing great and if we needed more drinks etc. the food was to die for! Very delicious and beautifully displayed! The vibe was nice and I enjoyed it so much! As we asked for the check the staff/chefs surprised us with free desert and congratulated us on our anniversary. They made us feel so special and grateful! I definitely recommend this place! Sorry if the photos aren't so great, I was too invested in my surroundings and on the food and drinks!!

The old Teppay has gone, and in comes a new management, new chefs, new menu, and new ambiance. The menu has almost doubled in price, and the sashimi slices have gotten smaller, but the taste remains excellent. There were some new menu items: lobster sashimi with miso soup, and basque cheesecake, both of which I thought were excellent and well-worth the price (miso soup can use a bit less MSG though). The main sushi chef who prepared all of our food this evening, Yuta, mentioned that he has only been here for a few weeks, so I believed that the negative reviews must have been before his arrival, because our food looked and tasted solid. However, I think the new management should learn how to take constructive criticism considering all the responses to recent reviews have been rather rude and dismissive. Teppay was a hidden treasure for many of us for many years, filled with friendly staff and delicious memories. If you're going to carry the torch, don't tarnish the name.

My three friends and I had a very weird experience here and I'm still sort of scratching my head over it! We dined here on a seemingly very understaffed Friday night, and no one bothered to check on us for over 15 minutes after we sat. Like might have honestly been closer to 20 minutes. We made intense eye contact with a couple of the servers and even waved, but they just stared beyond us. It was really bizarre. Didn't even bother to come take our drink orders. When server finally approached us and we inquired whether the tempura was prepared with egg and he said he would check, and we reminded him a second time, but like. . . it was never answered. Anyway, we were finally able to put our food orders in and they slowly arrived as expected. Everything was pretty decent, nothing amazing, and we somehow received someone else's appetizer order? No way to actually confirm with the server as we pretty much ever saw him or her again. Like there were rather overt attempts to wave down a server, and it was just really strange how we were repeatedly ignored! Really puzzling! On an interesting note, I finally tried natto! Granted it was in a sushi roll, so it wasn't like full-on natto, but it was interesting - I can see why it's an acquired taste. As far as vegan option at Teppay, there are indeed some, but it's not the most plant-based friendly as you can imagine, so just bear that in mind. There was a couple dining at the sushi bar close by us and we noticed that the man was visibly becoming more and more agitated because of the service. They were trying to get the servers attention too and they were also being ignored. His partner was trying to talk him through it, but he was clearly becoming more and more flustered, and white knuckled throughout the night and looking like he was on the verge of flipping out. Reading the other reviews, seems like this isn't a common occurrence with Teppay - the really awful service. But yeah, probably will not be returning here!

I think im adding this restaurant to my rotation, i really like everything about the place is small but cozy and peaceful. All the food was great, my only wish it that they had more drinks available, they have a big alcohol menu but for non acoholic beverages nothing stands out as special

Yummmmmy love this place ! Loved it so much came back 2 other times in a week! Weird location but it's great & fresh

If I could, I would rate this place a 3.5. I was excited to try Teppay after seeing it on social media as I love Japanese food. We came on a weekday and did not have to wait. It was very cute and cozy, I'd consider making a reservation if you're planning to go during the weekend. I saw they also have a private room for larger parties. From the kitchen we ordered chicken karaage, beef tataki, chicken yakitori and beef udon. The chicken karaage portion was smaller than I expected and a little dry. The beef tataki was tough and needed more flavor. The chicken yakitori did not have the authentic charred flavor I look for when I eat Japanese skewers. Beef udon was decent but not my favorite in Houston. For nigiri we got an assortment of eel, seared salmon, madai, chutoro and a few others. They were decently priced and pretty tasty. We ended the meal with their cheesecake, which was definitely my favorite dish of the night. It's one of the best I've had in town. Overall, the meal was decent and I saw a lot of unique items that I wanted to try. However, I was left mostly unimpressed by their cooked food especially for the price we paid. When craving Japanese food I'd probably stick to my usual favorite spot vs this one. However, if one of my friends wanted to come here I wouldn't be opposed. Especially, just so I can eat their amazing cheesecake again.

Great sushi - Uni is amazing and I enjoyed the agedashi tofu. Service sucks - waitresses and confused and half don't speak English. They often get the order wrong and can't explain the specials. I'll be back because the sushi is great and they offer an omakase. Also no one comes here so you'll always get a spot :)

I really wanted to like this place but at the end of the day it was just okay. This restaurant is tucked in an area we don't go to often so we were excited to explore. I love the look and feel of the place. The ambiance brings me back to Asia. Specifically Japanese restaurants in South Korea and also Thailand. Service was excellent. I loved my lady server, she was very kind, understanding of my terrible twos child throwing a tantrum from waking up, and provided prompt service and refills. The food... I ordered all different types of salmon (my favorite so of course I wanted to try them all). I'm not sure if I came in on a bad day or the end of the week for their shipment (opening day Friday), the salmon was fishy and left a slimy taste on my tongue. Their smoked salmon and salmon belly was a tad better. The best one was the seared salmon (but maybe because it was just partially cooked, the smell disappeared?) Salmon sushi: 2/5 Smoked salmon: 3/5 Salmon belly: 3.5/5 Seared salmon: 3.9/5 Salmon onigiri (super dry and on the saltier side): 2/5 Unagi: 4/5 Anagi: 5/5 (omg this was my favorite of the day). My husband ordered the ramen (he rated it 3.5-4/5). We ordered their special dish of the day in bento box form and I'll give that a 4/5 because the side dishes, and tempura were actually good. Overall, I'm sad to say that this place is just average. Come for the experience but not the food.

I love this place. Excellent sushi. The quality of the food is spectacular. Excellent service and great atmosphere.

We made reservations here and were so excited for authentic Japanese food! There was even a name plate in Japanese for my boyfriend (who made the reservation). Sadly, the service was slow, and there was one waiter just standing there. It took a good 10 minutes to get water and they weren't busy. I think they might be understaffed. The staff were nice though. As for food it wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing. The best part was the udon! I did order sashimi, and my salmon came out frozen. I will say the unagi was great though! Overall our food items were hit or miss. We were looking forward to their burnt cheesecake but they were out.

Came here on a Friday night and it was packed but not too packed. We got sat down pretty quick but at the bar but I'm glad we did because the chefs were so nice and funny! The decor was nice and reminded me when I was in Japan. The ambiance was cozy and the service was great! The food was fresh and came out fast. This will probably be my favorite japanese/sushi restaurant. Things I ordered: Japanese Cheesecake and Melon combo (5/5) - the melon was so juicy, reminded me exactly of the one in Japan Sasha dango (5/5) - unique but also good Daifuku strawberry (5/5) Sashimi special (5/5) - came with toro Caterpillar roll (5/5) - perfect amount of rice and protein ratio Spicy chopped scallop (5/5) Otoro (fatty tuna) (5/5) Sake smoked salmon (5/5) Sashimi chef special (5/5) - Hamachi, tuna, salmon, octopus Shaggy roll (5/5) - perfect amount of rice and protein ratio

This place is truly a hidden gem! I didn't expect this place to have food of this quality because of the location. Everything we got tasted phenomenal except the soba noodles (the broth was bland). Each sashimi bite was melt in your mouth worthy. However, the food was pretty expensive compared to other places. The service was unsatisfactory. There were only 2 waitresses when we went. It was pretty packed since we went right when they open. The staff was slow to take our order, bring our food, and never checked up on us. All in all, the food is great but service is lacking. It's still worth a try to come and experience it for yourself.

Great sushi place. High quality at reasonable prices. The service was quite good, but I think the seating in the narrow dining area is a little tight if you have a party of 3 or more.

Teppay seemed unassuming on the outside, but the minute I stepped in on a Friday night, it was filled with people in a small, intimate area. I believe it also has some of the best and affordable sushi in Houston. During my second visit to Teppay, I ordered the sushi special, two pieces of chopped scallop, katsudon with curry, and the tonkotsu ramen. The sushi special my favorite. It was fresh, and great for the price. The two pieces of scallop were also delicious. The katsudon with curry was huge and also came with miso soup. I think it is one of the best curry in Houston. I thought it tasted great and would definitely get it again. I have been to Teppay before in the past, but only ate the tonkotsu ramen. I got the ramen again this time, and it was a little bland even after adding seasoning. I think their ramen is alright, and that you should definitely eat their sushi or katsudon instead. They also have small rooms where you can book, and they looked super nice. I think having a small, intimate party in those rooms would be great for a special occasion. Overall, the sushi and food were great, and I would definitely come back!

My boyfriend was craving some refreshing cold soba in the Houston heat and this place did not disappoint. Sushi was fresh, hamachi and buttered scallop were flavorful, atmosphere was cozy, and service was attentive. Our first time here and definitely not our last!

Teppay Japanese restaurant is my top 3 favorite Japanese restaurant in Houston. The sushi chefs are classically trained, the sushi is fresh and diverse, and they serve real, freshly grated authentic wasabi (available upon request). I often see Japanese patrons frequent there which is a sign of a good Japanese restaurant. I like that they even have two private dining rooms where you sit on the floor to eat. Also their daily specials highlight sushi dishes that most common Japanese restaurants don't even carry - a sign of a true sushi restaurant in my opinion. The other night I tried a mushroom appetizer and a mushroom soup on their specials list - divine!!! I did not take photos during my second visit. This place also offers non-sushi options for non-fish lovers such as katsu (breaded cutlets), udon noodles, soba noodles with their savory dipping sauce, and two pages of appetizers! I have now been here twice and cannot wait to try everything else on their menu.

A great little find for authentic Japanese sushi! If you're on the hunt for a nigiri/sashimi sushi spot with a more traditional (vs modern feel), this is definitely the place to go. Fresh fish, solid technique, and good sushi rice! I sat in the bar and it was fun watching them masterfully slice everything. I also got the tempura which was light, crispy, and delicious! Would recommend making a reservation, especially during peak hours. Food can take a bit of a wait, but is definitely worth it for the quality. Also the staff working (seems family owned) are very nice!

I really liked the small quiet and quaint ambiance of this place. The fish was fresh and prices were not unreasonable. I can see this place being difficult to get a table at if it were any more crowded. Overall, I would definitely return.

Is the new owner trying to cut down the cost? Quality decreasing badly. The fish, the wasabi paste taste no different than cheap Chinese sushi delivery however the price is not cheap. This place used to be my sanctuary and now it's a big disappointment. P/s those are old pictures.

I took myself on a solo date and sat at the bar at Teppay. The staff was friendly and welcoming. I ordered edamame and two roles. I enjoyed everything. I will definitely return in the future.

Highly recommend what I ordered and I don't remember the name but it was a box of sushi and it's delicious. Really nice staff, tiny restaurant. I like to go here for lunch. I know that it's pretty full for dinner. Some of the best fish in town

We ordered the omakase set, and 2-3 pieces on the plate did not seem fresh and they were VERY heavy handed with the wasabi on all pieces. The sea urchin sushi in particular tasted like it was bad/rotten and we notified staff discreetly that they may want to check the quality of these fish. Staff did not offer an apology and insisted it was fine because it had been delivered the day before and because their fridge quality is up to standard. They did not bother to re-check fish quality themselves. The lack of accountability and the poor quality of the food made this a disappointing experience, unlike my previous visits to Teppay.

Ever since the owners changed, I found the quality to be lackluster. Nigiri is not presented the same as in years past nor is the quality for the price charged. Although the increase in price can be due to inflation. But if you're going to minimize any aspects of your business, let it not result in an increase in price as well. However, appearance of the food has never been an issue. I hope management improves, as I witnessed a waiter running after customers for a "better" tip.

Got take out from here last night and I just really wanted to reiterate how much I love their sushi!! I really think they give the best, thick cuts of fish. I also did not see katsu curry on the menu, but asked for it and they said they can make it! So I was really happy about that - and it was delicious too, $14 and came with a miso soup. Only 1 star off because there was a small bone/something hard in one of the sake sushis, which was a little odd/unusual as that has never happened before.

The food is very good. The environment is nice , enjoyable pretty experience . The servers are great , polite , an effective team.

Wow i have been ignorant to authentic Japanese. Went looking for lunch special sushi like other places but menu didn't have. They do have a la carte tho. Service was fine. Cozy place. Ordered a salmon bento box and it came with so much food, things i have never tried but were tasty and interesting. Also came with a salad and a miso soup. I heard what sounded like Japanese spoken throughout the entire restaurant by diners-something you don't find at other "sushi" restaurants. Will go back and brave the long a la carte menu next time.

Terrible service. Maybe it was because of our age, they didn't take us seriously. Waited forever for a table, and they let two people ahead of us first. Waited forever for water, and had to ask for it. When we did get water, one of them had plastic in it. Asked for a replacement and they took forever to replace a glass of water! Waited forever to order, and at least three tables who had been sat after us had their order taken before us. Waited forever for our food and they fucked it up. I waited so long that my friend finished her entire meal before I got mine. Didn't get two of our rolls. Terrible service, and a pathetic waiters who didn't know what they were doing.

Decent sushi restaurant with kind services, will come here again soon. Only thing is not convenient for foot-injured people in the restroom.

Dined in on a Monday at 12:00pm and was seated immediately. Every thing is so fresh and delicious! Definitely a hidden gem! I ordered: Chopped scallop nigiri: perfectly seasoned and you do not need to dip with soy sauce Tempura appetizer: crispy and warm! The tempura dipping sauce came out steaming. I drank it like a soup! Unagi nigiri: huge pieces and so good Salmon skin hand roll: super crispy salmon skin Spider hand roll: crispy and perfect

New favorite restaurant. Truly feels like an izakaya in Japan. The food is delicious. Authentic food ranging from sushi, soups like ramen, udon and miso, curry dishes and so much more. Great service the staff are very nice and welcoming. Great sushi bar and so fun being about to converse with the sushi chefs while they prepare your sushi. Beautiful space, so warm and quaint. Highly recommend.

Don't let the location of the restaurant fool you--the food is delicious! I went here for a small meal with a group of 4 after being recommended this place for their sushi. We arrived at around 7:30 PM, and although we were asked to wait, it did not take long for us to be seated. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side and you can tell that it is well maintained and very clean. The prices are more on the pricey side but the quality of fresh, raw fish (most especially their salmon) they serve is excellent. Their new menus don't seem to include this, but they do also serve a Japanese curry tonkastu dish that I ordered, which surprisingly ended up being the star of my meal! This is one of the best seasoned curry tonkatsu dishes I've had since I went to Japan with its steaming rice, crispy pork cutlet, and savory curry sauce. Overall, this restaurant is definitely a hidden gem and a bit pricey but definitely an experience you must try at least once in Houston!

After reading the reviews about how authentic Teppay is, I have to say, they're pretty on point. It was an afternoon weekday, a few customers shy of it being too busy for the two servers working to handle. I got sat promptly at the sushi bar and was able to order immediately. The ambience is what made it so special for me. It was quiet, and yet calm and peaceful. Fellow diners were enjoying their meal while making conversation here and there. Now, I've been elsewhere where it was quiet, but awkward. Painfully so, that I had to plug in my earphones to avoid the sound of people munching. Very stark differences in atmosphere when compared to how much a vibe Teppay was. Pretty sure if I wanted to, I could've brought a book or a journal with me and not find myself the least bit disturbed, because everything there was so subtle. I could tell the server and head sushi chef were Japanese from the split moment of conversation they had in front of me. And that was reflected not only within the service I received, but also within the food as well. I got Otoro (fatty tuna) and Bincho Magura (white tuna) as sashimi. Bincho Magura was a solid appetizer for the Otoro, the real powerhouse of the two. The Otoro was like diving into a pool of pure umami, so soft and melt-in-your-mouth. I was enamored after the first bite without any soy sauce. Rarely have had fatty tuna on that level. And damn, looks like I'm still thinking about it even now. Besides the sashimi, I also order Tamago, Unagi, and spicy chopped Hotate nigiri. Then there was my order of cold Zaru Soba. The nigiri was good, the hotate were in big chunks and had that firm textural bite I enjoy. The Zaru Soba was refreshing, and much needed on these hot summer days. Only thing was my glass of tea didn't get refilled when it got down to ice, and the check didn't come promptly as requested, but that's fine. Not really a huge deal to me considering it was getting a bit busy, and the service prior to it picking up was pretty on point. Wasn't that long of a wait either. All in all, a solid choice for some authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine. I'll be back for some more of that Otoro!

Maybe the most authentic little Japanese restaurant we've got in Houston. You'll walk in to find yourself transported to Japan as you gaze around and see the bustling sushi counter with chefs moving quickly and precisely, the shoji, and quiet ambiance that falls over the dining area. The menu is varied with everything from soba/ramen to small bite plates and sukiyaki to what we came here for... the sushi. Speaking of which is of really impressive quality. The menu may not be as exotic as some of the heavy hitters in the Houston sushi scene (chutoro, yellow tail belly, akamutsu, barracuda etc) but it has all the staples along with some fun guest stars like the engawa. However what they do have comes in good proportioned portions, fresh, and done really darn well. Some of the stand outs for me were the chopped scallop which has maybe the best sauce in Houston due to the perfect spice to mayo ratio , lean tuna, and torched salmon. Not to be ignored, the maki is tasty and well done and includes all of the staples. The hand rolls pull their weight too, especially the spicy tuna. They also have a decent sake/Japanese beer selection that would make this a great place to have a long dinner with friends and a few drinks. The service may not be MF sushi level but it gets the job done. The price for all of this is very reasonable considering the outstanding quality. Prior to the price increase I could have myself and a second person eat like (fat) kings and leave with a $100 bill. Come on down if you're looking for authentic without the odd hours and hour plus waits that another unnamed place has.

After several wonderful experiences at the restaurant, i decided to reach out to order a few trays of sushi and rolls for my private event. Saeka reached out and made the entire ordering process easy. She knew what i wanted and worked within my budget. The presentation was beautiful and it was a hit with my guests. The restaurant even gave us a good amount of wasabi, ginger, soy sauce packets, chopsticks, and napkins which was very much so appreciated. The sushi and rolls were fresh and absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for making everything easy and creating something memorable for my guests!

Went lateish on a saturday night (7:45) and was surprised by the ambience and how busy it was! The ambience makes you feel like you're not in Houston and maybe somewhere in Japan. They had the QR menu but we asked for a printed menu since most of it had no description. We ordered more than we could eat and everything was so good! The nigiri was thick and couldve easily been 3 pieces each. The rolls were good. The freshly toasted sesame seeds were a great addition. The age dadhi tofu was very crispy. We also ordered a burdock roll which was interesting (my companions love burdock tea and was hoping it was similar). Service was ok and we had to call for a server multiple times but the food made up for it. Its a fairly small restaurant and only two people making sushi for the whole restaurant. Theres even space in the back for private dining!

I just visited Japan and upon trying this place, this is the closest to how good Japanese sushi is. The clientele are Japanese also.

This is a quaint lil spot for Japanese food ! We started the meal with fried oysters & beef tataki which were both just ok. For our mains, we shared a dragon roll, a bunch of nigiris, and ten-zarusoba (cold soba noodles w tempura) which we really enjoyed. Most of the nigiri were quite exceptional with nice big pieces of fish on the rice. Get the torched salmon, otoro, & whole scallop nigiri ! Service was good, maybe a tad bit slow but it didn't bother us. The restaurant has an intimate atmosphere & would make a good date spot !