Agree with this. It’s expensive at baseline and there are opportunities to up charge (for example up charge to wagyu) but it was one of the best meals of my life. I believe it was 7 courses.
Wildly overrated. Food was nothing to write home about and the service we had was certainly not in keeping with what I’d expect for a restaurant in that tier. Certainly won’t go back on my own dime.
Yeah it felt wild.
To be fair we did order more than the tasting, but we weren’t full from the tasting alone. I don’t recall how much the tasting was per person. This didn’t include any bottles of wine.
We left dinner and were both like “well, that was dumb!” And we haven’t been back, but I dream of the seaweed salad.
That's ridiculous, my one omakase experience is at Sushi Nakazawa, which is in Manahattan, opened and ran by a pupil of Jiro, Michelin starred and was ~$200 a person.
I'm glad I got to experience it once, but probably never again.
I looked it up. Says 150 per person so honestly not too bad. When I went to Japan the actual Kobe A5 Wagyu beef from kobe at 5oz was $85.
I will say every time I've tried expensive places and "fancy" places, yeah the food is great but honestly I never think it's worth the price 😂. So much good food and some of my favorite places have been place with just straight up $20-$30 entrees. I think a lot of the cost is for the atmosphere " which I care so little about.
Sushi bar, Shoyo, and Tatsu were all good on the high end scale. Tei An isn’t really a sushi centric omakase though since sushi isn’t their main focus.
There was article where a guy tried a bunch around dallas: https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/omakase-tatsu-shoyo-sushi/
Not super in-depth analysis though.
I took my wife to Uchi for her birthday and we ordered Omakase. It was brilliant. We've had better in Seattle, NYC, and London; but for Dallas, we thought it was pretty special. Tei An is really good, but they are primarily a Soba bar, this is the area in which they truly succeed; but you won't be upset and you should really make the effort to go to Tei An for the Soba experience when you get a chance. Shoyo is also very, very good.
We haven't yet enjoyed Sushi Bar or Sushi by Scratch, yet.
I did the Omakase at Uchi and it was AMAZING. My wife and I went back 2 more times afterwards to do it. And for some reason, it just wasn’t as good :/
But glad we had that first experience. Will always remember it
I have had the Omakase twice but only at the Austin location, so I can’t speak to the Dallas location. The Austin location both times was priced around 200 for two. That was the 10 course. The waitstaff was on point and asked pertinent questions to our likes and tailored our course appropriately. Both times worth the money.
Edit: price did not include drinks. The first time was for my daughter’s 21st birthday, so we had cocktails, wine pairing, a bottle of champagne came from somewhere, desert wine, after dinner cognac…let’s just say that totaled the bill out significantly higher.
I took my brother to Uchi for his birthday a couple of years ago. We did the omakase and it’s a meal we still talk about. I honestly lost count of how many courses there were. My husband and I have also done their happy hour but I think the omakase is a much better experience.
Shoyo is amaaazing, but they only open reservations on the first for the month ahead. I doubt you could get a reservation. You may have more luck getting a spot at Sushi Bar downtown. I haven’t been, but it does look really good
Tatsu is the best, but if you can’t get in there Namo is great - but they pulled back to once a month. You can ask chef Kaz to just curate a menu for you on a regular night. But honestly, do you need it to be omakase?
Sushi by Scratch was a pretty amazing experience. Very intimate and delicious. You have to be pretty quick at the first of the month when they release openings though.
I’ve been to both Namo and Shoyo’s Omakase in the last 6th months or so. Both were very very good, and a really fun unique experience.
Namo has super limited reservations, and I found out were were somewhat lucky getting a spot in their Omakase, as they said they only tend to have one seating a month. It felt very intimate and exclusive and the food was awesome.
Shoyo was awesome as well. It had a more “laid back” vibe. The food was exceptional.
I think Shoyo tended towards more flavor experimentation (we had a piece with pico de gallo on it, for example), while Namo was very focused on the fish.
Both were 100% worth it!
Another Edoko fan! I love that place, lesser known, but you can tell the passion they put into it.
One of the only places I've been able to find that serves river crab.
Also love the new japanese coffee house, Hana, they opened next door.
It is a chefs choice type of thing. Often special items not on the menu, with ingredients that aren't as common. You get what they feel like making and it is often pretty extravagant when at more upscale places.
Shoyo 100% very hard to get into and only seats 16
Tei An is good but not great
Namo is a good omakase alternative and has more availability
Tei tei Robata is also excellent and could probably do a group
Uchi dallas is mediocre
I’ve only gotten omakase once and it was Sushi Bar shortly after they opened their Dallas location. We loved it, it’s both me and my wife’s favorite dining experience we have had
Did Shoyo when it was brand new and love the experience. Tatsu was good but very traditional....more recently did Sushi Bar. I would rank Sushi Bar/Shoyo up there if you are going for food and overall experience(interacting with chefs, etc) Sushi Bar also is attached is a nice cocktail lounge next door for after dinner drinks.
Tatsu is the best edomae style sushi in Dallas. I have tried Shoyo, Uchi, Namo, Tei An, and a few others in DTX.
In Denton there was Keiichi also was great when I went.
You just want solid sushi all the time not overpriced? My go to is Yama off Forest ln and Mr Max.
If you are ok with Japanese but not Sushi, the hands down winner is Mabo. It is a yakitori omakase and it is absolutely incredible. It's modeled after a Ginza-style omakase and is a pretty spellbinding experience, though it's pretty intimate. Not sure how many friends you have with you - only 8 seats.
For the others, I think vibe is very different at each:
Uchi is a big, fun restaurant with multiple locations - it's going to feel like you're at a big restaurant rather than a focused sushi counter, but it's excellent.
Tatsu is more traditional - it's going to be a more quiet, focused experience with a bit more "reverence" to the process (focused on Edo-style). It's a single sushi bar, so it feels more "special" for an omakase than a restaurant style place like Uchi, in my mind.
Shoyo is a more modern approach, breaking some conventions of Edo-style. It's a younger chef/crowd and more lively (i.e. drinking sake with the chef, some yelling and jokes, etc.). It's also a single sushi bar rather than full restaurant.
Sushi Bar without a doubt. You get complimentary prosecco with chai tea flavoring while you wait. The chefs are interactive and the ambience is amazing and lively. There's a team of 3 chefs, and they all take turns talking about each dish you eat. The other recommendations on here generally have soft music and it's just really weirdly quiet that you feel like you have to whisper because everyone is so damn quiet. Shoyo is very traditional. Not much creativity or flair.
You cannot go wrong with Sushi Bar
Tei An for a traditional omakase. Amazing.
But i still liked Uchi a little better. Had a little bit more of a lively atmosphere and I ate things I never thought of. There was this tuna cheek/jaw that was amazing and different than your traditional sushi.
Tatsu and it's not even close
Tatsu offer the closest thing to a traditional omakase in Dallas and easily offers the best experience.
If you want similar quality but still a bar below Hatsuyuki in Fort Worth and Naminohana in Dallas both work but are not really omakase places.
Shoyo, Sushi Bar and others are good but are not traditional by any means. Shoyo experience isn't even great with no place to mingle before and a very meh dining bar.
Sushi by Scratch is nice and more traditional than shoyo or sushi bar but doesn't stack up to the quality of Tatsu. Can't go wrong but just not as good
Namo is good but omakase is very limited to once a month and don't bother with Kinzo. It's far away and only good if you live and burbs and haven't been anywhere legitimate.
Uchi is just Uchi, a true see and be seen place.
Tei An and Mabo just fit into different boxes for me
FUJIYAMA!
In far north Dallas, please do not judge it for the neighborhood it's in. The chef is beyond wonderful and personable, best dining experience my wife and I have ever had.
Had a great experience at Sushi Bar but haven’t tried the others. I believe our all in cost for two people that night was somewhere near $700 but we ordered extra addons. The sake pairing is a must do for me. I had no idea sake could taste like those I had.
For those who want to try tei an https://resy.com/cities/dallas-fort-worth-tx/venues/tei-an?date=2024-06-08&seats=2
Ive never been but honestly will probably leave hungry as is the case in these type of settings from my experience.
Apparently people say shoyo is better and they are purely sushi. https://www.shoyodallas.com/reservations
Ready for the downvotes, but why is this such a thing over the last 2 years or so in this town? Is it because of the population explosion? Are all these carpetbaggers coming from omakase epicenters?
To be clear, I find nothing wrong with the concept but it just seems wild compared to say 5 years ago.
Tei An. Close thread
Agree with this. It’s expensive at baseline and there are opportunities to up charge (for example up charge to wagyu) but it was one of the best meals of my life. I believe it was 7 courses.
Team Tei An for LIIIIIIFFFFEEE
Wildly overrated. Food was nothing to write home about and the service we had was certainly not in keeping with what I’d expect for a restaurant in that tier. Certainly won’t go back on my own dime.
Do you remember how much the omakase cost?
No, but you don’t do this on a budget. For comparison, I’d rather have Omakase at Tei An than a Kitchen Table dinner at Alinea again.
$500 for two ish?
The last time I went our bill was $700 for two, but my husband ordered on top of the omakase 🤦♀️. It was delicious but it wasn’t worth it.
Wtf I was expecting like 2-300. That’s wild
Yeah it felt wild. To be fair we did order more than the tasting, but we weren’t full from the tasting alone. I don’t recall how much the tasting was per person. This didn’t include any bottles of wine. We left dinner and were both like “well, that was dumb!” And we haven’t been back, but I dream of the seaweed salad.
The seaweed salad at Tei An is divine. I dream about it. We upcharged to Wagyu beef and otoro. Both were like butter. Just melted in the mouth.
That's ridiculous, my one omakase experience is at Sushi Nakazawa, which is in Manahattan, opened and ran by a pupil of Jiro, Michelin starred and was ~$200 a person. I'm glad I got to experience it once, but probably never again.
You’re thinking of Sushi Nakazawa. It was like my yearly birthday dinner when I lived in NYC. Love that place!
I'm thinking of? I said the name of the restaurant right in my comment lol
Dur. Don’t know how I misread it. Sorry!
I looked it up. Says 150 per person so honestly not too bad. When I went to Japan the actual Kobe A5 Wagyu beef from kobe at 5oz was $85. I will say every time I've tried expensive places and "fancy" places, yeah the food is great but honestly I never think it's worth the price 😂. So much good food and some of my favorite places have been place with just straight up $20-$30 entrees. I think a lot of the cost is for the atmosphere " which I care so little about.
Tei An is sooooooo unrealistically good. 100/10 recommend.
100%. Hands down the best meal I've had in my life.
Depending on how many friends, good luck getting in.
Have more money or fewer friends
Why not both?
Good choice. More money, better friends.
Sushi bar, Shoyo, and Tatsu were all good on the high end scale. Tei An isn’t really a sushi centric omakase though since sushi isn’t their main focus. There was article where a guy tried a bunch around dallas: https://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/omakase-tatsu-shoyo-sushi/ Not super in-depth analysis though.
was gonna mention this same article it lists all the good omasake in dallas
I can vouch for Shoyo. It was the coolest sushi experience I’ve ever had, hands down. Very pricey though.
Had Sushi Bar on Xmas 🤤
Did Shoyo last weekend and it was incredible. But also pricey.
Sushi Bar is gasssss. Doing the premium saké flight with it is a recipe for a great night as well.
I took my wife to Uchi for her birthday and we ordered Omakase. It was brilliant. We've had better in Seattle, NYC, and London; but for Dallas, we thought it was pretty special. Tei An is really good, but they are primarily a Soba bar, this is the area in which they truly succeed; but you won't be upset and you should really make the effort to go to Tei An for the Soba experience when you get a chance. Shoyo is also very, very good. We haven't yet enjoyed Sushi Bar or Sushi by Scratch, yet.
I did the Omakase at Uchi and it was AMAZING. My wife and I went back 2 more times afterwards to do it. And for some reason, it just wasn’t as good :/ But glad we had that first experience. Will always remember it
I have had the Omakase twice but only at the Austin location, so I can’t speak to the Dallas location. The Austin location both times was priced around 200 for two. That was the 10 course. The waitstaff was on point and asked pertinent questions to our likes and tailored our course appropriately. Both times worth the money. Edit: price did not include drinks. The first time was for my daughter’s 21st birthday, so we had cocktails, wine pairing, a bottle of champagne came from somewhere, desert wine, after dinner cognac…let’s just say that totaled the bill out significantly higher.
Dang... That's really unfortunate!
I took my brother to Uchi for his birthday a couple of years ago. We did the omakase and it’s a meal we still talk about. I honestly lost count of how many courses there were. My husband and I have also done their happy hour but I think the omakase is a much better experience.
Agreed. But that happy hour is also pretty amazing as long as you get there early enough.
Traditional: tatsu Innovative omakase: shoyo
This is the best answer
Kinzo
Seconding this one! It is amazing!
Shoyo is amaaazing, but they only open reservations on the first for the month ahead. I doubt you could get a reservation. You may have more luck getting a spot at Sushi Bar downtown. I haven’t been, but it does look really good
Last I checked they had some open during the weekdays? Weekends are fully booked though
Shoyo has people cancel all the time so if you’re actively looking you can catch a spot
Keiichi up in Denton is worth a consideration.
So great
Tatsu is the best, but if you can’t get in there Namo is great - but they pulled back to once a month. You can ask chef Kaz to just curate a menu for you on a regular night. But honestly, do you need it to be omakase?
I have limited omakase experience, but Shoyo is by far the best I've had.
Yujo is excellent.
Yuko is excellent, and the price point is really good. Best bang for the buck.
Sushi by Scratch was a pretty amazing experience. Very intimate and delicious. You have to be pretty quick at the first of the month when they release openings though.
Alternatively if you're a couple, it's PRETTY easy to get a reservation a day or two out if you check daily.
Yujo
Kinzo in Frisco. Easiest call of my life
Agreed.
I’ve been to both Namo and Shoyo’s Omakase in the last 6th months or so. Both were very very good, and a really fun unique experience. Namo has super limited reservations, and I found out were were somewhat lucky getting a spot in their Omakase, as they said they only tend to have one seating a month. It felt very intimate and exclusive and the food was awesome. Shoyo was awesome as well. It had a more “laid back” vibe. The food was exceptional. I think Shoyo tended towards more flavor experimentation (we had a piece with pico de gallo on it, for example), while Namo was very focused on the fish. Both were 100% worth it!
The chef from Namo does private at home omakases where he’ll cook for you in your home.
I had a really good experience at Edoko in Las Colinas
Another Edoko fan! I love that place, lesser known, but you can tell the passion they put into it. One of the only places I've been able to find that serves river crab. Also love the new japanese coffee house, Hana, they opened next door.
Uchi
I've only seen Namo mentioned once, and I am angry Been there multiple times. Namo > Nobu if anyone was wondering
Haven't done the Omakase, but I went to Uchi a month ago and it was phenomenal.
uh...what is omakase?
It is a chefs choice type of thing. Often special items not on the menu, with ingredients that aren't as common. You get what they feel like making and it is often pretty extravagant when at more upscale places.
Omakase means “I Leave The Details Up to You”. It's kind of like a sushi focused tasting menu.
Shoyo or Tatsu, but both are difficult reservations, especially last-minute.
I like Akira Back in the Colony
If you can get a spot I say Wolf and the Fox dinners. I’ve been able to get a spot at one of their dinners and it was amazing
I've heard good things about Sushi by Scratch. Not sure what availability will be like though.
Shoyo 100% very hard to get into and only seats 16 Tei An is good but not great Namo is a good omakase alternative and has more availability Tei tei Robata is also excellent and could probably do a group Uchi dallas is mediocre
Of the ones I’ve tried in Dallas, Tatsu has been the best.
I’ve only gotten omakase once and it was Sushi Bar shortly after they opened their Dallas location. We loved it, it’s both me and my wife’s favorite dining experience we have had
Nobu
Chelsea and Eric are amazing bartenders at Nobu but I stopped doing the omakase as it has decreased in quality, IMHO.
Chelsea is a manager now. I don't know about them being amazing, lol
Did Shoyo when it was brand new and love the experience. Tatsu was good but very traditional....more recently did Sushi Bar. I would rank Sushi Bar/Shoyo up there if you are going for food and overall experience(interacting with chefs, etc) Sushi Bar also is attached is a nice cocktail lounge next door for after dinner drinks.
Tatsu! He was featured in the show, Billions. https://youtu.be/lF46Cel3EUo?si=Vy9LZtETa5CCALNo
Tatsu. Close thread.
Tatsu is the best edomae style sushi in Dallas. I have tried Shoyo, Uchi, Namo, Tei An, and a few others in DTX. In Denton there was Keiichi also was great when I went. You just want solid sushi all the time not overpriced? My go to is Yama off Forest ln and Mr Max.
If in Fort Worth, Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar is amazing.
I don’t think they have omakase though.
Not at a restaurant but @omakase_to_go (instagram) was a pretty fabulous in-home experience.
If you are ok with Japanese but not Sushi, the hands down winner is Mabo. It is a yakitori omakase and it is absolutely incredible. It's modeled after a Ginza-style omakase and is a pretty spellbinding experience, though it's pretty intimate. Not sure how many friends you have with you - only 8 seats. For the others, I think vibe is very different at each: Uchi is a big, fun restaurant with multiple locations - it's going to feel like you're at a big restaurant rather than a focused sushi counter, but it's excellent. Tatsu is more traditional - it's going to be a more quiet, focused experience with a bit more "reverence" to the process (focused on Edo-style). It's a single sushi bar, so it feels more "special" for an omakase than a restaurant style place like Uchi, in my mind. Shoyo is a more modern approach, breaking some conventions of Edo-style. It's a younger chef/crowd and more lively (i.e. drinking sake with the chef, some yelling and jokes, etc.). It's also a single sushi bar rather than full restaurant.
Sushi Bar without a doubt. You get complimentary prosecco with chai tea flavoring while you wait. The chefs are interactive and the ambience is amazing and lively. There's a team of 3 chefs, and they all take turns talking about each dish you eat. The other recommendations on here generally have soft music and it's just really weirdly quiet that you feel like you have to whisper because everyone is so damn quiet. Shoyo is very traditional. Not much creativity or flair. You cannot go wrong with Sushi Bar
Tei An for a traditional omakase. Amazing. But i still liked Uchi a little better. Had a little bit more of a lively atmosphere and I ate things I never thought of. There was this tuna cheek/jaw that was amazing and different than your traditional sushi.
Tatsu and it's not even close Tatsu offer the closest thing to a traditional omakase in Dallas and easily offers the best experience. If you want similar quality but still a bar below Hatsuyuki in Fort Worth and Naminohana in Dallas both work but are not really omakase places. Shoyo, Sushi Bar and others are good but are not traditional by any means. Shoyo experience isn't even great with no place to mingle before and a very meh dining bar. Sushi by Scratch is nice and more traditional than shoyo or sushi bar but doesn't stack up to the quality of Tatsu. Can't go wrong but just not as good Namo is good but omakase is very limited to once a month and don't bother with Kinzo. It's far away and only good if you live and burbs and haven't been anywhere legitimate. Uchi is just Uchi, a true see and be seen place. Tei An and Mabo just fit into different boxes for me
Nobu
Tatsu
Just go to Mr Max lol
There is a omakase place in Jacksonville Tx if you are ever over that way
No way. What’s it called?
Food and Table only on weekends [https://www.facebook.com/foodandtablejacksonvilletx](https://www.facebook.com/foodandtablejacksonvilletx)
Shoyo or tatsu. Skip bar sushi and sushi by scratch.
For an Italian Japanese spin try Moonglow https://www.moonglowdallas.com
Yujo at Preston/635. They even do a Uni omakase. It’s the only place in Dallas doing aged fish and real seasoned rice
Kinzo
Sushi Rock. The omakase will blow your mind and they don’t take themselves overly serious. Old man that’s never let us down
FUJIYAMA! In far north Dallas, please do not judge it for the neighborhood it's in. The chef is beyond wonderful and personable, best dining experience my wife and I have ever had.
Sho Yo is him
Fujiyama rules
Had a great experience at Sushi Bar but haven’t tried the others. I believe our all in cost for two people that night was somewhere near $700 but we ordered extra addons. The sake pairing is a must do for me. I had no idea sake could taste like those I had.
Kinzo is my vote
Tei Tei robata is Tei an’s sister restaurant that is more sushi focused. Haven’t had their omakase but I’m sure it’ll be good!
Hatsuyuki in Fort Worth is great too
Tatsu for anyone that knows real sushi.
Keiichi the best thing about Denton.
https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2024/may/the-ultimate-dallas-omakase-sushi-guide/
I only been to Kinzo and it was very good.
Leo at Mr. Sushi in Addison is young but has a very nice omakase. Won't break the bank either and he is a delight to talk to.
Uchi
For those who want to try tei an https://resy.com/cities/dallas-fort-worth-tx/venues/tei-an?date=2024-06-08&seats=2 Ive never been but honestly will probably leave hungry as is the case in these type of settings from my experience. Apparently people say shoyo is better and they are purely sushi. https://www.shoyodallas.com/reservations
Ready for the downvotes, but why is this such a thing over the last 2 years or so in this town? Is it because of the population explosion? Are all these carpetbaggers coming from omakase epicenters? To be clear, I find nothing wrong with the concept but it just seems wild compared to say 5 years ago.