What makes it fun
Neighborhood Sushi is a trendy, modern Japanese restaurant serving up the best sushi, nigiri, and more. Tucked in the South Congress neighborhood, this restaurant is an Austin gem.
Google Reviews
Love sitting at the bar here and having a date night. The staff are so friendly and great at suggestions. Highlights are the mushroom tempura and crab hand roll
Rating on a curve, given the $350 subtotal for two. Sushi was about on the level of what you'll get at a mid-end establishment in Tokyo with equivalent ambiance. Initially seated in a corner at the smallest table on earth like a couple of flea-bitten mutts, which is odd because not only did we have a reservation but the place was also nearly empty and there was ample space for us to spread out. The second seating location was also uncomfortable, and stools were uncomfortable. I'm sure they went to a lot of effort to effect a certain aesthetic, but they missed the mark on comfort which I dare say is kind of important at any price point but I digress. Alcoholic beverages were great and I'd say fairly priced for the quality of both the flavor profile and the presentation. Mixologist apparently has a rotating menu of cocktails and all 3 my friend and I tried became topics of conversation. If you want my opinion on the way to order fish at this place, you go with the nigiri not the sashimi, because while the visual presentation of the sashimi is excellent, the flavor is too subtle to be noteworthy. The sushi rice is prepared so beautifully, and basically made the dish no matter which piece we tried.
For certain, one of the best sushi restaurants in Austin, TX and comparable to any sushi I have had anywhere. We came early afternoon and it was pretty quiet. Although the restaurant faces the main street, the entrance is around the back and can be easily missed. Once inside, we were seated right away.
They have booths, tables and a sizeable sushi bar. Never having been here before, I wanted to try a few things different than my traditional sushi orders at other places. We started off with Miso soup and the Neighborhood salad. The soup was good but it's kind of hard to make bad miso soup. The salad was okay... there are better ginger dressings.
As an appetizer, we had the Miso glazed Sweet Potato Yaki. It is good and I do recommend. I just don't know what makes this a Japanese dish. To check the quality of the fish we had Yellowtail and Fatty Tuna Nigiri. The fish is incredible and you would have a hard time finder fresher fish. To finish, we had the Salmon Avocado Crunch hand rolls.
I know we are in Austin where they seemed to make everything look like a taco... this place is no different. They even served them in what looked like taco serving platters. I did a Google search for a "tuna hand roll" and after looking at hundreds of photos... I never saw a single one that looked anything like theirs. So, before people start their attacks, when I read "hand roll" on the menu, I had a certain expectation and this was not it. The ingredients are good... but I did not want to eat something that is going to fall apart like a taco. And if I wanted a taco, I would have gone somewhere and ordered a taco. I wish I could have at least had the option; the server could have asked if we wanted it as a traditional hand roll. And before you tell me it's the chef's creation.... the chef is not paying me to eat this. I am paying, so yes, I do have certain expectations.
There is another popular sushi restaurant down the street that is not nearly as good when talking about fish quality. But we do know of some other sushi spots in Austin that have equally as good fish and about half the price and more traditional. Good quality fish, but too expensive and I prefer my sushi served in a traditional manner.
My fiancé and I dined in for the first time 2 nights ago. We had an amazing time & that was mainly due to our outstanding server, Paisley. She was so kind, bubbly, attentive, and knowledgeable. We really enjoy going on omakase/nigiri dates (in general) so this restaurant was perfect. I even like this place more than uchi. The atmosphere was lovely & chill too.
We ordered the pork app, variety nigiris, and crudo. All were delicious. The temperature & taste were on point for all dishes. Drinks were great too, but probably would need an extra shot of liquor & less ice. All in all we had an amazing experience & can’t wait to come back! Thank you, Paisley, for making our first experience everything and more!
(Disclaimer: forgot to take a pic of our other nigiri plate)
Wow just wow!
First time experience was unbeatable, I was truly impressed with the way Neighborhood Sushi operates.
We couldn’t find the entrance at first and as soon as we found out you had to enter through the back of the building we fell in love.
We never experienced anything like this! Down to the amazing hand crafted dishes and cocktails.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
I cannot express how delicious this sushi is! First of all, the restaurant is located on S. Congress and the patio area is so cute. You enter the restaurant through the back door in the parking lot. All of the waiters are so knowledgeable and help guide your meal if you aren’t sure what to order. Trust me, everything is so good!!! All of the sushi is fresh and mouthwatering and the presentation is fantastic! If you haven’t tried this yet, what are you waiting for?!
One of the best in Austin. A Must Try!
Came for NYE Omakase dinner (Photos are from this dinner) but I've also been 2-3 times for Happy Hour/Dinner. Every time, I enjoy high quality food, a beautiful atmosphere, and friendly/attentive/knowledgeable staff. This restaurant is run right and is a must go to! They have a variety of dishes for the more advanced foodie and also those, like me, who are newer to Japanese cuisine.
I would highly recommend Happy Hour as a great deal! You can try a bunch of different things!
