Craft Omakase: An Elevated Sushi Journey in the Heart of Austin

It’s a crisp evening in Central Austin, and the hum of anticipation pulses through 4400 North Lamar Boulevard. Inside Craft Omakase, the city’s most talked-about new dining destination, you’re not just walking into a restaurant—you’re entering a living work of art crafted by former Uchiko chefs who’ve redefined how omakase unfolds.

Salmon Roll With Cream Cheese Cheese
Salmon Roll With Cream Cheese Cheese

Opened in December of 2023 by alumni of the acclaimed Uchiko—Charlie Wang, Nguyen Nguyen, and Tim Boyer—Craft Omakase presents a stripped-back, profoundly thoughtful approach to omakase, one that’s earned it a coveted Michelin star in Texas’s inaugural guide (2024). This same restrained elegance even landed it the top spot on Texas Monthly’s 2025 list of best new restaurants.

A Culinary Symphony in 22 Movements

Here’s what sets Craft apart: a seamless, unpretentious embrace of tradition. Diners move through a 22-course tasting menu that embodies the five pillars of Japanese omakase: seasonality, tradition, technique, balance, and comfort. Each piece is a whisper of flavor—most delicate, none extravagant—allowing ingredients to breathe and speak.

Salmon Roll
Salmon Roll

The Experience, Minus the Show

No flash. No bromakase theatrics. Instead, it’s refined execution: expect flavors that simply are—from the texture of ocean trout adorned with furikake to nigiri that lets fish sing with minimal intervention.

Chef and co-owner Wang hinted at the vision: “We don’t want to make the food to a point where we’re losing the essence of what Japanese cuisine is.” That ethos speaks volumes, especially in a time when culinary experiences risk being overshadowed by theatrics.

Sit Close. Feel the Craft.

At Craft Omakase, seating places you at the heart of creation. You witness chefs build each course, engage intimately, and create a quietly electric connection between kitchen and diner. It’s this closeness that elevates the experience—quiet, focused, and undeniably memorable.

Press Recognition in Full Bloom

For a restaurant so new, the accolades are dizzying—and well deserved. Beyond its Michelin star, Craft is Texas Monthly’s “Best New Restaurant” of 2025. The New York Times praised it as an antidote to flashy omakase trends—authentic, purpose-driven, and real.

Practical Details & Reservations

Want in? Here’s how:

Reservations are typically made via online booking platforms like Tock—and they’re released on a schedule (new slots open regularly; for instance, as of early September, bookings were available through October 5, 2025).

Why Austin Must Visit

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