Uchi Austin Menu — What to Order & Prices
Published
The verdict. Book the bar at Tyson Cole's South Lamar original, order the machi cure — still Austin's most reliable Japanese meal after 20 years.
What the Uchi Menu Actually Is
Uchi is chef Tyson Cole's non-traditional Japanese restaurant in a converted bungalow at 801 South Lamar Boulevard, open since 2003 and the room that rewrote Austin dining. Cole won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2011. The menu works on two tracks: order à la carte from the sushi, sashimi and cooked "hot" sections, or take one of the multi-course signature tastings — a market-driven progression that runs about six courses, or ten on the chef's tasting. Our Uchi review and scores rate it a 9 for food.
What to Order at Uchi
Two dishes define the kitchen. The machi cure — yellowtail with dried miso, smoked bacon and honey over crispy rice — is the plate longtime regulars cite as the whole philosophy in one bite: Japanese discipline with Texas irreverence. The hama chili — hamachi with Thai chili, orange segments and cilantro — shows the opposite register: clean, bright, with heat that builds and fades. Add nigiri from the daily selection, the technical spine of every visit, and finish with the warm donuts, an Austin dessert classic that predates the city's sweet-tooth moment by a decade.
On price: the signature tasting starts around $50 per person and the ten-course chef's tasting lands near $115; a full à la carte dinner runs $100–$150 a head. The value play is the daily happy hour from 4pm to 6pm, roughly $40–$70 a head for the same kitchen. Order the machi cure, a hama chili, two or three nigiri and the donuts, and you have Uchi's argument in five plates.
When to Go and How to Book
Reservations open one month ahead on OpenTable and prime weekend seats vanish within hours. Our how to book Uchi guide covers the release window and the first-come bar seats, which are the finest walk-in fine dining in the city. For the lowest outlay, arrive for the 4pm happy hour on a weekday; for the full progression, book dinner and take the chef's tasting. There is no formal dress code — smart-casual suits the room.
The Smart Play
For a first visit, sit at the bar and let the chefs guide the order; for a milestone, book a table and take the chef's tasting. It is Austin's most reliable table for a first date and the best seat in town for solo dining at the counter. Uchi anchors our read on the world's best sushi counters and the wider field of Japanese fine dining. Compare the ordering logic with what to order at Le Bernardin and the Mikla menu before you commit the evening. The full Austin dining guide ranks it against the city's best rooms.
View Uchi on Restaurants for Kings →
Related Reading
- Our full profile: Uchi review and scores.
- The wider city: Austin dining guide.
- How to reserve: booking a table at Uchi.
- Menu-guide sibling: what to order at Mikla.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you order at Uchi?
Order the machi cure and the hama chili first — the two dishes that define Tyson Cole's kitchen. The machi cure layers yellowtail with dried miso, smoked bacon and honey over crispy rice; the hama chili is hamachi with Thai chili, orange and cilantro. Add a few nigiri from the daily selection and finish with the warm donuts. Our Uchi review scores each section if you want the full read.
How much is the omakase at Uchi?
As of 2026, Uchi's signature tasting starts around $50 per person and the ten-course chef's tasting lands near $115, both before drinks, tax and tip. A full à la carte dinner runs roughly $100 to $150 a head. The daily happy hour, from 4pm to 6pm, offers the same kitchen for about $40 to $70 — the best-value way to eat Cole's cooking.
What is the Uchi happy hour?
Uchi runs a happy hour daily from 4pm to 6pm, offering a focused slice of the same kitchen at a much lower price — roughly $40 to $70 per person versus $100-plus for a full dinner. It is widely considered Austin's finest luxury bargain. The happy hour is served at the bar and first-come tables; arrive right at 4pm on a weekday for the best shot at a seat.
Do you need a reservation at Uchi?
For a table, yes — reservations open one month ahead on OpenTable and prime weekend seats go within hours of release. The bar seats, however, are first-come, first-served and are the best walk-in fine dining in Austin. Our Uchi booking guide covers the release window and the walk-in strategy. Weekday happy hour at 4pm is the easiest way in without a reservation.
Is Uchi worth the price?
For a benchmark Japanese meal in Texas, most diners say yes. Uchi has operated at a high level since 2003, Tyson Cole won a James Beard Award in 2011, and the South Lamar original remains the definitive version even as the group expanded to Houston, Dallas and beyond. The happy hour makes it genuinely accessible; the chef's tasting is the special-occasion play.