Tsuke Edomae
Sushi restaurant · Austin
4600 Mueller Blvd #1035, Austin, TX 78723
Highlights
Edomae-style sushi emphasizing purity, freshness, and meticulous preparation.
Edomae-style sushi emphasizing purity, freshness, and meticulous preparation.
"Reservations at all of Austin’s omakase-only spots are tough to come across, but none is as tough as Tsuke Edomae, a tiny sushi bar in Mueller that gets booked out many months in advance. It’s a bare-bones space, with an entryway that feels a bit like the lobby of a dental office that spent some time picking up zen gardening tips from an Ikea catalog, and a small, minimalist sushi counter with eight seats. Expect around 21 course of small plates and edomae-style sushi, in which the fish goes through an aging process to further develop umami flavors. This is nigiri in its simplest form—dressed in nothing but soy sauce and wasabi—and sets the gold standard in Austin for sushi purists. Of all the tough reservations to secure in Austin, this is easily the toughest, so don’t be too disheartened if it takes a few rounds to get one. Tickets are released twice a year—this usually happens on a Sunday at 9am (follow along on Instagram for updates). Once released, they go extremely fast. Set your alarm, then get ready to hit that refresh button until tickets go live. If you’re not able to secure a spot, get on the waitlist. Just be ready to drop everything and book a spot the second you get a notification." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"Verdict: A meal at Tsuke Edomae might ruin sushi for you forever. Expect about 20 courses made up of a mix of small plates and classic edomae-style sushi. This is nigiri in its simplest form—dressed in nothing but soy sauce and wasabi—and sets the gold standard in Austin for sushi purists. Of all the tough reservations to secure in Austin, this is easily the toughest, so don’t be too disheartened if it takes a few rounds to get one. Tickets are released twice a year—this usually happens on a Sunday at 9am (follow along on Instagram for updates). Once released, they go extremely fast. Set your alarm, then get ready to hit that refresh button until tickets go live. If you’re not able to secure a spot, get on the waitlist. Just be ready to drop everything and book a spot the second you get a notification." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"With only one seating per night at the 21-course omakase restaurant Tsuke Edomae—and only eight diners at a time—securing a reservation is not easy. Other places in town might feel more celebratory or provide more value for your dollar, but you’re here to try classic edomae-style sushi in its purest form. Each piece is served to one guest at a time, and when your turn comes, it’s just you, the nigiri, and seven curious people attentively waiting their turn. Just be warned—that first bite is like a Matrix red pill/blue pill moment, and it’s difficult to go back to sushi anywhere else, especially because the miso soup and other small-plate interludes are equally good. Of all the tough reservations to secure in Austin, this is easily the toughest, so don’t be too disheartened if it takes a few rounds to get one. Tickets are released twice a year—this usually happens on a Sunday at 9am (follow along on Instagram for updates). Once released, they go extremely fast. Set your alarm, then get ready to hit that refresh button until tickets go live. If you’re not able to secure a spot, get on the waitlist. Just be ready to drop everything and book a spot the second you get a notification." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs, raphael brion
"A more traditional, serious-style omakase that emphasizes education and the pure flavors of fish, where tasting menus are treated as unique, handcrafted 'fingerprints.' The chef-driven service aims to create small masterpieces for each guest, focusing on technical precision and the contemplative enjoyment of each bite rather than overt entertainment." - Erin Russell
"A meal at Tsuke Edomae might ruin sushi for you forever. This is nigiri in its simplest form, dressed in nothing but soy sauce and wasabi, and sets the gold standard in Austin for sushi purists. It’s also the toughest reservation in the city to secure. Tickets are released twice a year—usually on a Sunday at 9am—and once that happens, they go extremely fast. So don’t be too disheartened if several SXSWs go by before you get one. If you’re not able to snag a spot, get on the waitlist and be ready to drop everything the second you get a notification." - team infatuation
