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Azuma
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
909 Texas StHouston, TX 77002
Neighborhoods: Fourth Ward, Downtown
(713) 223-0909
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sat 5 pm - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Jennifer N. said: "I love sushi SO MUCH that I named my dog Sushi. Yes, pathetic I know.. but in my defense, it's because she's a pug with lots of ROLLS... So anyway, this restaurant has been on my list of sushi restaurants to try since I moved to…" read more »
86 reviews for Azuma
Review Highlights
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"I went with the Crazy Irishman, my favorite." In 8 reviews -
"mmmmmmmmmmmm sooo good hot rock beef is addicting." In 3 reviews -
"And their happy hour is very good." In 9 reviews
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86 reviews in English
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Review from ari s.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
this was the best food i had during my week in Houston. fast service and some very original rolls.
they handled our large party well. they broke up the check into 2 or 4 person groups and that's a big help. -
Review from Cynthia T.
Nashville, TN
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
It is definitely busy here at Azuma during their week-day lunch hour. The business men and women buzzing in and out keeps them very busy. Their service is just OK as they rarely come by again after the food is brought out. Water refill please?
I do enjoy their sushi although the price is medium-high; it IS located downtown. I appreciate their more moderately priced lunch combos and the options available during that time suits my needs; good choice of appetizers, soups, and sushi rolls.
If you come here, I recommend sticking to the sushi/raw fish area and be ready to spend a little more, knowing you're getting something fresh! -
Review from Mark N. T.
Houston, TX
12/11/2011
Azuma has a couple of restaurants in Houston area. I went to the Azuma downtown 5 years ago.Recently, I went to the Azuma downtown location again.There aren't a lot of Japanese restaurants in downtown.They are supposed to enjoy "monopoly" of Japanese restaurant in downtown. Yes, There were a lot of people.
I could see a lot of Japanese things such as taiko, daruma, and so on.Even I saw some kind of Japanese style room, but there was no tatami mat.hahaha! It was hard for them to find tatami. I was there lunch time.I could see a typical menu of Japanese restaurant.It included sushi combo, bento, roll specials, etc.I ordered bento box.I would say, that was a typical Chinese-Japanese mixed Texas betnto box. I mean, " rice doesn't look like beautiful white Japanese one.That was Chinese fried rice. I had two rolls. It looks like some sushi roll at Chinese restaurant.I mean It was very sticky.There was tomate ketchup. I thought they asked me to dip sushi in the tomate ketchup.LOL.I put my tonkatsu in the tomate ketchup.Usually, Japanese people use tonkatsu sauce. I hope the restaurant has it. This is my suggestion.But here in downtown Houston TX,America, most guests are international attorneys oil&energy business persons, accountants,etc.The restaurant needs to cater to them.
It is Okay.I like here.The prices might be higher than some food courts in Houston center or McDonald. But if you want to eat Japanese food in downtown.Please visit Azuma. -
Review from Nichole P.
Chalmette, LA
5/4/2012
Only in Houston for one night and was craving sushi. Choose Azuma Downtown because of its great reviews and I wasnt disappointed.
Made it during happy hour and got a few $7 martini's made to perfection by the bartender Miyah. She was great and even made a suggestion of the Irishman roll which could have been the best sushi roll I've ever had. Nice atmosphere, great staff, with high emphasis on Ms Miyah behind the bar, and great prices.
I will deffinetly return here on my future trips to Houston. -
Review from Jerry N.
Colorado Springs, CO
5/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great happy hour! Go with the crazy Irishman roll! Very innovative menu and this place can't be beat!
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Review from Tommy P.
Galleria/Uptown, Houston, TX
5/8/2012
I haven't been to Azuma downtown in years and don't remember the food " wowing" me so I wasn't expecting much this time around. I was here attending a bday dinner and our party was about 25 deep. They had our table ready and everyone ordered drinks and food. Nothing out of the ordinary yet, but wame too. I've been back twice since! Enough said.
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Review from Chris O.
Houston, TX
5/17/2012 1 photo
went here on a thurs for dinner. the restaurant is located on the ground level of rice lofts near chipotle. we were seated promptly.
we ordered:
azuma roll
cajun roll
lady dragon roll
salmon sashimi
texas roll
western pepper maki roll
veggie tempura
overall the rolls were ok, but didnt wow me. the meal was very average. probably ok for a bite to eat after a game or before a concert, but wouldnt come here weekly or for a special occasion. my favs were the lady dragon roll, azuma roll, and the western pepper maki roll. the other rolls were nothing special. -
Review from Saba E.
4/11/2012
I love Azuma! I've been to Azuma several times now, and I have enjoyed it everytime! This was my first time trying their Hot Rock Beef - wow! I don't remember the last time I devoured something that quickly! I also had a caterpillar roll and their Crazy Irishman roll - yum! My only complaint is that they dimmed the lights so low that my friends and I couldn't see each other! But that really isn't enough of a reason to keep me from returning! :)
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Review from David C.
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good. Nice ambiance, they always got that izzim down. We came on a Monday night and found a solid parking spot a block or two away across from the Magnolia (Monarch?) hotel. One of the weird things about downtown is I would just be commenting about how nice the area is at night (looking at the hotel) and across from the hotel is a church with 5-6 homeless people. It's a weird feeling.
Anyway, walking the two blocks to Azuma was like a sightseeing adventure. "Oh, here's where Minuti opened their downtown location"; "Hm...Little Napoli's, I think I saw that on Groupon"
We get to Azuma, it's predictably empty, there's one waiter catering to three tables and two middle age women talking loudly at the sushi bar about their maids. Oh, to be a fly on a wall, or to sit 5 feet away from them.
We get the nab. udon, some fancy roll with soft shell crab and cooked octopus (look into it, it is a great specialty roll), another specialty roll (something with cooked tuna and crispy stuff on the outside - underwhelming), and a understandably w.a.b.by avocado roll.
Overall, the food was a solid four stars and I'll be sure to come back again. The service was a little underwhelming, and normally, I am not so annoyed about these things but as I mentioned before, there was ONE waiter, maybe two-three hostesses/bartenders, and some guy wearing a suit and perhaps sunglasses who may have been the GM. Monday night, broski.
Dinner took maybe an hour but getting our check squared up took probably 15-20 mins. Small gripe, I doubt it happens when you don't go on a Monday at 9 PM.
Overall, I think this Azuma is mad solid, as is the one in Rice Village and Sugar Land. Hated Soma, haven't tried Kata yet, will try. -
Review from Glen B.
Houston, TX
11/26/2011
I love this place.
We've just moved to Houston and a clutch Sushi restaurant was one of our first orders of business. Azuma is a cool Downtown location, very nice atmosphere (could initially be perceived as pretentious, but it's really not) and the 3 times ive been here has been busy, but never loud or packed. Delicious sushi, great prices, friendly people, definitely try the Texas roll. Never had a bad roll and have tried about 15 different ones.
The only thing making this a 4 star review instead of a 5 is their limited Saporo selection (no 22 oz cans or 16 oz bottles).Listed in: Favorites
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Review from Connie W.
9/24/2011 7 Check-ins Here
I came to the downtown location of Azuma for lunch with my team and was really looking forward to eating some good sushi. I went to their Sugar Land location when they had some promotion for their grand opening and was pretty impressed with the quality of food, so I was expecting great things from their lunch menu.
I got their Sushi B lunch combo and a salmon hand roll. The combo includes a miso soup and comes with 3 pieces of nigiri sushi (tuna, yellowtail, and salmon) as well as a spicy tuna roll. This restaurant is pretty pricey, but this time, the quality of sushi truly didn't match the dollar signs next to each item. The nigiri sushi all had thinly sliced fish, so I felt a bit gypped which my stomach definitely agreed with when it started rumbling from hunger an hour after lunch.
I think my colleagues would probably agree with the disappointment in price to portion size. Two of them ordered skewers and were shocked when two small skewers of meat came out on a plate. These were so tiny that it would hardly be enough to feed a small child. I'm not sure that I would recommend coming here again. My money could be better spent nearby at Chipotle. $6 gets me a huge burrito bowl that I can spread across two meals. -
Review from Pamela M.
8/8/2011
I love this place. Especially since it's on the first floor of my apartment complex. My boyfriend and I hit this place up at least a couple times a month. The sushi is tasty, the selection is plentiful, and their japanese foods are some of the best I've had (cough yaki udon, cough). I am not ashamed to go down there on my days off of work and sit at the bar myself and have a few rolls and a few drinks.
Not to mention, love love LOVE the mango mojitos. And please, if you come here, save room for the vanilla fried ice cream!!! -
Review from Lisa C.
Updated - 6/20/2011
I have one thing to say NABE YAKI UDON. Get it, get it now!!!! Best in Houston, hands down.
The service is still a little off from what I would like, but with food like this, I'm more forgiving.
See the previous review for more details!Listed in: Downtown Lunch Spots
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/13/2011
So, my opinion of Azuma has been rising over the couple of years I've been going here. It's growing… Read more »
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Review from Jameel Q.
Colorado Springs, CO
Updated - 7/26/2011
I went to Azuma last week. I like to sit at the sushi bar and talk with Executive Chef Harold Wong. He remembers his regulars and is always fun to talk to. He is super passionate about his work and it comes out in very creative ways.
I had a Western Pepper Maki roll made with tuna, king crab and these wonderful little crunchy eggs called wasabi tobiko. Very good.
You have to try Wong's smoked salmon! He carefully cold smokes the stuff with a combination of woods that imparts an incredible flavor.
I also love the foie gras with big eye tuna and scallops.
This is outstanding sushi. A lot of his finest sushi is best with no additional flavor from wasabi, ginger or soy sauce.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/15/2011
I ate at Azuma on May 10th. This is the best sushi I've ever had. Chef Harold Wong is super… Read more »
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Review from Kyle P.
San Diego, CA
1/19/2012
Amazing Sushi... Hands down some of the best sushi I have ever had also great friendly service.
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Review from Kimberly E.
Austin, TX
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Azuma definitely has good sushi. Its a little more upscale than some other sushi bars, especially the location downtown, and would be a great place to take a date. A tad pricey but considering the food it seems to be worth it. the service I must say, is excellent. I came with a large group and they brought food fast, didn't mess anything up and didn't even seemed to be bothered by our frequent requests.
It was pretty quiet for a Saturday night and the restaurant was not busy but, perhaps that's just because downtown Houston isn't as popular anymore. The drink selection was nice, lots of hot and cold sakes as well as a full bar. The sushi and sashimi selection was extensive as well.
I enjoyed it there and would go back if the wind ever brought me downtown again. -
Review from Alice T.
4/24/2011
Azuma's happy hour is solid. They have squid, robata skewers, sushi rolls, etc. I tried the:
Tuna tartar (~$8), which had fresh pieces of tuna sashimi buried under mounds of avocado and pepper, too much pepper
Salmon miso collar ($5), cooked tender fatty salmon
Salmon/tuna rolls ($2), california roll ($3), spicy tuna roll ($3)- all fine, each about 6 pieces
Rock 'n Roll ($4)- shrimp tempura and veggies
Crazy irishman ($8)- tons of fresh sashimi on a giant roll
Skipped drinks this time, but will definitely be back for the cheap sushi after work. Happy hour runs from 4-7pm Mon-Fri only at the bar. -
Review from Daniel L.
12/30/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Edamame, sake, sushi. The routine goes down like that everywhere and Azuma was no different. The hostess was friendly and tried to make awkward small talk on the way to the table, which I liked, because it just seems rude when the hostess is quiet and trudges along like she is walking a horse to the glue factory. The waitress was also friendly and gave us time to chit-chat and she kept her distance until it was clear we had actually opened the menu at least, at long last.
The edamame is a big big bowl. Completely eclipsed how much you get at Kona.
The sushi roll is also Texas-sized. I went with the Crazy Irishman, my favorite! One roll is very filling and it has such neato colors going on around it.
The sake: sake is sake and this was no different. The guy that tried explaining the subtle nuances of sake at Spec's Midtown is going to punch me next time I walk in I think.
The price: not outrageous. Azuma actually was second choice for "a new sushi place to try" until I realized, based on yelp reviews, that Raku was just not worth the extra bling-bling just to put on appearances. I made the right decision because Azuma was affordable and high quality all-around. We could actually talk rather than having to shout over other tables.
I am downtown often - and I will be making many repeat visits to this location for some feasting on the Crazy Irishman rolls. I walked out a happy customer. Now I want to go try Azuma Rice Village! -
Review from Phill K.
Houston, TX
Updated - 4/3/2011
You could say i'm really a 4 star fan now that i'm writing an update about the place. A group of us were making the hike to try byrd's and upon realizing we weren't interested in what they were serving.. our legs started backtracking to azuma's. It was as though we were a gang of roombas boot scooting around the block back to base.
I got the bento again this time. Chicken katsu, grilled tuna, bright green looking broccoli which tasted surprisingly sweet in addition to that hoisen sauce they drizzle on it, and some kind of square lemon creme cake which seems to fit right into my mouth with one bite. i don't remember what else i ate as this was days ago but its obvious those were the highlights. I did get the salad but i thought it was too.. umm drowned in dressing. being that i'm not a very good judge in salads since i just don't like salads in general, don't take my word for it. I will be sticking to the miso soup from now on.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/29/2011
So I come here about once a month simply for the not overly sauced fresh eel bento they offer at… Read more »
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Review from Mary P.
5/10/2011
I ate here several years ago so I could be wrong now but after dropping hundreds of dollars on sushi and the freshest of the fresh sushi (the special menu stuff) supposedly I was cleansed in the middle of the night by my first ever food poisoning episode (my stomach is a beast and it was conquered).
I didn't eat sushi for months after this restaurant. They comped us a meal of several benjamins I believe but boy I sure didn't want to go back after that. I hope they wash their hands better and keep that 'fresh' sushi actually "fresh". -
Review from Kevin H.
Houston, TX
2/15/2011
When given the choice of where to go for quick, easy and good sushi, I usually default to Azuma. The downtown location is convenient, and when the city clears out in the evening, it's generally easy to find parking and a table with no wait.
I've probably been to the downtown location about a dozen times, and I've always received good service and great food. The atmosphere is very relaxed and welcoming, so it's a perfect place for an easy dinner. -
Review from Kelly B.
Houston, TX
2/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ok, so I'm not a fan of fish or seafood but sometimes friends want to do the sushi thing. Trying to remain open minded I'm always willing to go somewhere and find something on the menu that suits my tastes.
After going to Azuma a couple times I have found myself ordering the same thing (Vegetable Tempura dinner) but have not been disappointed. The location is great and we've always had good service.
The only negative I have would be there aren't a lot of chicken options on the menu. But I understand this is a sushi place so I can't exactly knock them for that.
Good service and great location inside the Rice Lofts. -
Review from Melissa R.
Overland Park, KS
2/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ended up at a recessed table in the corner which was quiet and secluded but also provided a view of a bunch of storage boxes behind the podium/register.
I enjoyed my sushi thoroughly, the combo had a great selection of fish and I left with a full and happy tummy. -
Review from Melissa L.
Houston, TX
2/13/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I absolutely love Azuma. The boyfriend and I do not eat out much, but we go to Azuma about once a week.
First and foremost, we only go during happy hour. They even recently expanded their happy hour menu. Maybe I'm a cheap-ass, but regularly priced sushi anywhere is expensive to me. This is why we don't go other than during happy hours. And their happy hour is very good. The two of us eat for $20-25. This always includes about 5 to 6 rolls and a bowl of rice and maybe a beer and sake. It's usually relatively quick and your glass of water is constantly being refilled. I can't remember a time I had to ask for more water. The staff is also always very friendly - never had a bad experience.
I would definitely recommend Azuma. -
Review from terry t.
Houston, TX
5/11/2011
just enjoyed a wonderful dinner with my family and friends at Azuma! They never disappoint! I'm always treated great and the food and drink keeps comin! had the crazy irishmen, tartar, toro, spicy tuna and sake and it was solid.
will go again soon! -
Review from Kim N.
7/14/2011 1 photo
For some reason, this place is never really busy when I come but that just means I don't have to wait so no argument there. Ordered a ton to eat- liked the chicken yaki udon and the rolls. I tend to like the simple regular rolls over any of the more complex ones. Isn't the best or the freshest sushi and some of the items are really over priced, you have to pick and choose what you get here. My husband ordered the scallop sliders (scallops cut in half with a piece of pork in the middle) off of their specials menu and loved them. A bit too much for me, but they were tasty.
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Review from Adam O.
Houston, TX
Updated - 1/29/2009
OK, so I know that the food is decent.
And I know that the servers there are nice and helpful.
I said both of those things in the first review...
But when you have to kill a small roach on the wall next to your table so your friends stop panicking, and then another one attacks your mother in the bathroom, I think that means that the place deserves 1 star and a "Don't go here unless you are an entomologist" review.Listed in: Epic Fails of Houston
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/23/2007 First to Review
This is one of my mum's favorite restaurants downtown, and it is easy to see why.
The food tastes… Read more »
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Review from Meredith N.
Houston, TX
2/18/2010 3 Check-ins Here
For the past 2 weeks, my coworkers and I have taken long lunch breaks and headed out to the two sushi joints within walking distance of our office. If Japanese food in my corner of downtown were '80's music, Azuma would be Blondie - maybe not the greatest of all time, but still pretty agreeable and worthy of attention in its own right.
(Banzai, for the record, is the equivalent of Buster Poindexter. Nobody actually LIKES "Hot Hot Hot," and all it did was just ruin all the goodwill David Johansen built up with the New York Dolls. For shame.)
Azuma is pretty expensive for lunch, though. Sushi Combo B and a hot mug of steaming, frothing matcha set me back $15. Expected, of course, but not exactly what I am willing to pay on a regular basis - but since I pack a lunch almost every day, I can afford to spring for sushi once in a blue moon. So those on a budget ought to make note of the prices. Fortunately, their lunch combos do include a choice between miso soup and salad. Since it was a chilly day, I opted for the former - as did everyone else in my group, so I can't speak for the quality or appearance of the salad. The soup, though, was fine. I got plenty of kombu in my bowl, which added a generous amount of texture and flavor. Too many places cut back on adding it, so I was grateful to chow down on some seaweed.
My 6 pieces of nigiri were all quite good - fresh, nice texture, and flavorful - albeit not the greatest I've had. However, the unagi was the real standout of the bunch. I was served an extremely generous slice atop the pillow of rice, and it sported a wonderfully tender, flaky texture that practically melted in my mouth. As all good unagi should. I could be very content coming in here for a round or two of matcha and a few slabs of eel and rice for a light snack or dinner.
Considering I live in the same building, that's actually very much a possibility.
Atmospherically, it is a bit too flashy for my tastes in the bar area, but the section where we were seated featured an incredible melding of traditional Japanese and "Western" seating. When the hostess first walked us to our table, we noticed that the chair backs and cushions looked like they were sitting on the floor. I'm usually very okay with this arrangement, but my back has been unfortunately misbehaving quite a bit as of late. My 5'6" self would have had a difficult time leaning over that day. But appearances can be deceiving. It was actually a full-sized "Western" style table and chair set!
Extremely clever design work, I thought. Very unexpected, but very welcome. And my spinal column appreciated it.Listed in: #SLGT, Let's Show This Prehistoric…, Sushi Playlist
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Review from Jeff C.
Austin, TX
2/5/2011
Stumbled in after using GPS in search of sushi.
Very convenient to our hotel and the staff was quick to greet and seat. Martinis were delicious and strong, ideal.
On the food front, we enjoyed the edamame, some oysters on the half-shell, Japanese snapper sashimi, Crazy Irishman roll, and a wonderful, very hot miso soup. All were wonderful, as was the second martini.
I was pleasantly surprised and will certainly visit again. -
Review from Sally M.
2/25/2009
I love the street cred that you get when you tell people: "I'm from San Francisco". Immediately, you become an authority on sushi, food, & everything cool - just by mentioning your home city. This especially held true for me during my past 4 months in Houston.
Like today, at lunch. My colleague suggested we go to Azuma for a big networking lunch with our colleagues in Strategy/Supply Chain. As a dedicated Yelper, I immediately yelped the venue to assess what it was all about. Cockroaches!!! Oh no! Really?!? Am I going to this place for lunch? Aghast, I notify my friend of this discovery, but she says she's already made a reservation, and we have a group of 10 or so. Bummed, I oblige, and say I will check it out - given that she has frequented Azuma in the past.
We arrive, and it doesn't look too dingy, but it also doesn't look super clean & posh. We sit down, and I immediately decide I'm way too reluctant to eat sushi at a restaurant in Houston, TEXAS (far, far from oceans - and only cooked fish comes from the Gulf), and I'm also way too reluctant to eat sushi at a place where fellow yelpers mentioned cockroaches. Frankly, between you and me, I was hesitatnt to even be sitting down at Azuma after the reviews I read.
So, I decide to order a cooked specialty role - the Crazy Irishman. Basically it had tuna, salmon and avocado - and all the fish was cooked in some way. It also had some sauces, and by the time it came out, it was definitely in no way sushi, but that was totally fine by me. The more cooked, the better - at this venue.
I ate the Crazy Irishman, and it was surprisingly delicious. That is, at the time of consumption. Unfortunately, as I left the restaurant, on my mere 10 minute walk back to the office, upon approaching the lobby, I immediately felt a bit sick. Not to be graphic, but let's just say the Crazy Irishman definitely went a bit crazy in my belly.
So if you're a person with an even slightly sensitive stomach, and/or if you're a sushi connoisseur from one of the coasts, may I suggest you avoid Azuma.
Also, we waited over 45 minutes for our food. Unacceptable. Sure, the restaurant had gotten busy during the lunch hour, but we arrived well BEFORE it got crowded, and yet we were served AFTER the rush was finishing their meals. hmmm....
Admittedly, my experience may have been a self-fulfilling prophecy, as I was already very hesitant when ordering at the lunch, based on the reviews I'd read beforehand. -
Review from Kim T.
Houston, TX
2/20/2008
I went here for lunch with a friend of mine. We were both craving sushi and this is about the only "walking distance" place we could find. I had heard good things about it from a couple of people and, of course, it had good reviews on Yelp. I was a little disappointed.
Maybe it was because we both ordered lunch specials (she had a sushi combo and I had the hand roll combo) but, the food just wasn't that great. One of her pieces of sushi had some weird grisly piece that looked like it probably should have been cut differently, and my spider roll tasted like it had been refrigerated. The miso was good and the decor is cute, but I was underwhelmed by the rest.
Would I go back? Probably. It is still better than no sushi at all and, maybe, I just got them on a bad day. -
Review from Lindsey O.
Walnut Creek, CA
12/1/2010
A-OK.
I'd only go here only if http://restaurant.com has one of those mega sales where you can get $25+ gift certificates super cheap. This place is (as of Dec 2010 anyway) listed on http://restaurant.com. -
Review from Layla P.
Cambridge, MA
1/15/2008 1 photo
Good sushi and fun martinis. I've been here twice and both times the service was decent and the sushi was tasty. I especially like their rolls involving shrimp temura and their sushi combos. The tartares appetizer with tuna and salmon tartares was delicious and I hear the tuna pizza appetizer (classier than it sounds) was good too.
They do however, have a slight problem with a homeless/crazy man going number 2 in the men's restroom and then smearing it all over the walls...I know it sounds strange but it's true - happened twice. Not their fault of course, sometimes that's what happens when you're downtown, but boys - be prepared . -
Review from Viann B.
12/11/2008
I had high hopes for Azuma, but I was not that impressed. The specialty roll selections were a bit...odd. My roll was small and my 2 piece order of unagi was a bit undercooked. Its either cooked all the way or raw, there's no in between with sushi. Miso soup was pretty good, but I've had better. I do have to say that our server introduced us to some very good sake, which we sipped chilled. I'm not a big sake fan, but this was really good sake. Their cocktails were also tasty.
Hot rock beef, still don't get it. The smoke is unbearable and you pay to cook your own food??? Overall I think it was a bit overpriced and the roll selections and portions could have been better, only worthy of 2 stars for me. Taiko is still my fav! -
Review from Helen C.
San Diego, CA
5/15/2008
I have friends that live and die by Azuma's, but I'd say it's a pretty average, middle of the road kind of restaurant.
Like almost every other sushi place in Houston (or really, in the world), the dishes seem a bit overpriced for what you're getting. I got a Chicken Tonkatsu main dish as well as a California Roll and one other roll (can't remember what it was ... it was that non-descript) and of course, Miso Soup.
We did have a large table of people, but for some reason, they forgot to bring out just my miso soup. Everyone else got served... and I had to flag down a waiter to ask about my soup. After that, it was promptly served... and I don't really blame them. I understand it was a pretty big party to serve...
The tonkatsu was so-so. It was crispy and good, but a bit too ... dry on the inside. The sauce was also a bit too tart for my taste. I remember thinking it was pretty underwhelming, and thinking that I have friends that can make better tonkatsu than that.
The California Rolls, though, were good -- props for that! And I'd say their decor is pretty nice -- the ambience creates an intimate atmosphere. (And I remember liking their bathrooms -- always very important!)
And for our big party, they were really good about filling our water glasses and making sure we all got our food around the same time.
I'd like to go back to see if I like this place more... I've heard such good things about it that I will probably give it another try! -
Review from rose k.
1/11/2010 3 Check-ins Here
My coworker and I frequented this place when we still had time for happy hour and/or long lunches. (Sadly, those days are gone for now).
First off, yes, it's expensive. I heard somewhere that this is one of the most expensive sushi restaurants in Houston. While I like Azuma, I don't think the prices are warranted. Also, the service is pretty damn slow. Those are the reasons for the star I knocked off.
It's a good location- walking distance from my office. It's nestled on a block between Sambuca and Chipotle.
Their lunch specials are pretty good, I like their spicy combo. The bento boxes come with some surprises, and are often accompanied by a lot of staring and "what do you think that is?"- usually it's some kind of fish- or tofu-related item. I like their hamachi.
If you come in for happy hour, sit at the bar. The bartender is busy, but super courteous and charming. He makes a mean lychee martini, and apparently his mojito is his specialty. I'll be going back to try it, because mojitos are my favorite. The happy hour prices make this place worth it. It's also less packed and noisy than Sambuca, so it's a good place to relax. They have a few TVs around the bar, too, if you want a quieter, more upscale place to watch the game.
Oh, and before you leave, grab a handful of those yummy mint chocolates out of the bowl.Listed in: Lunching in Downtown Houston, Asian Asian
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Review from Sarah P.
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had been living in Houston way too long to not go to Azuma as I had been hearing nothing but good things about the place. I finally made the plans to go to Azuma Downtown before a show at Jones Hall on a Friday evening. I so wanted to love this place, but I left wondering what much of the hype was about. While the hosts and waitstaff were helpful and friendly enough, I was not WOW!-ed by the food. Between two people, we ordered an ika sansai (squid salad), chicken and short ribs from the robata, and 3 specialty sushi rolls. The ika sansai was good, the chicken came out slightly cold, and the short ribs were not bad. The sushi rolls were just ok. Over half of the specialty sushi rolls were fried--I do love me some tempura shrimp or fried softshell crab , but I was expecting a little more variety of fresh fish rolls! Our caterpillar roll (unagi with avocado on top) had just a little unagi and a TON of rice.
All in all, the food wasn't bad by any means but perhaps I need to try some of the other things on the menu. On the upside, they definitely look like they have a good variety of drinks from the bar. Luckily, I had a $25 http://restaurant.com gift certificate that I bought for $2 when the site was having a sale (which they do regularly so check it out) so it didn't feel like a total loss. -
Review from Thao T.
San Francisco, CA
Just another upscale Japanese restaurant.
You name it, we ordered it - the menu is endless. Our waitress was attentive and service was on point. Quite possibly because the place wasn't booked for a Saturday night.
You pay a price for intoxication and Hamachi to melt in your mouth. -
Review from Erik R.
San Diego, CA
Updated - 6/18/2009
Went back for lunch with some people at work and the experience was bordering "Let's just walk out" bad.
Had I not been there before and had good food, I woulda thrown down the 1 star, but felt that was too harsh and probably just a fluke bad day.
Server took 25 min to take our order even after we asked if we could order after 15 min of initial waiting. Then it took another 20 min and us asking to finally get some water. After 45 min from first sitting down we still didn't have our appetizers and after an hour we had just received our food.
We even told the manager that about how bad everything was going and she didn't even offer to take some of the items off of the bill or give us a discount.
Will, I go back? Yes. Even for lunch. But it has definitely tainted my view for now and having had 2 bad service experiences now, I'm wondering if it isn't just a fluke now...Listed in: Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/20/2008
Wow. Awesome food. I went with 2 other friends and we all agreed everything we had was great.… Read more »
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Review from Ann D.
Houston, TX
9/26/2011
We've dined here for lunch 2 times, and once during dinner. My husband and I didn't have a good experience the first time we were there, but since our friends invited us, we decided to give it another try. The food is ok. Nothing memorable besides the fact that on both visits, some of the hot items we ordered were cold when they served them to us. The 3rd time, I was forced to meet some friends for dinner. The yellowtail sashimi was good, but their specialty rolls failed to impress me again. I'm giving them 3 stars because I like their patio, but it's 3 strikes and they're out.
