Restaurant in Houston, United States
Strong Japanese cooking, skip the hype.
Uchi Houston is a reliable special-occasion pick on Westheimer for Japanese-inflected cooking at the $$$ price point — technical, precise, and easier to book than its omakase competition. With a 200-selection wine list, OAD recognition, and a room that works well for dates and late dinners, it delivers consistent quality without requiring the $$$$ commitment of Hidden Omakase or March.
If you want serious Japanese-inflected cooking on Westheimer after a show, a late dinner, or a date that warrants more than a casual sushi roll, Uchi Houston is one of the cleaner choices on Houston's near-west side. It earns its place as a special-occasion anchor for the Montrose corridor — not because it chases trends, but because it delivers consistent, technically considered food in a room built for the kind of evening where the setting matters as much as the plate.
The physical space at 904 Westheimer reads as intimate without being cramped. Seating is configured to serve both pairs and small groups, with bar seating available for solo diners or couples who prefer the counter energy over a table. The layout rewards a two-person booking , the room is close enough to carry a conversation without effort, which makes it a reliable date-night or business dinner pick when you want somewhere that feels considered but not stiff. Larger groups can be accommodated, though the room's intimacy works leading at four people or fewer.
Uchi Houston operates under chef Stephen Conklin and is part of the Landry's Inc. portfolio , the Houston iteration of a concept that originated in Uchi in Austin. The kitchen's approach is Japanese in structure: precise, restrained, built around clean flavour separation rather than maximalist layering. The wine list runs to around 200 selections with 3,500 bottles in inventory , a serious cellar by any local comparison , and wine pricing sits at the $$ tier, meaning you can find bottles across a meaningful range without committing to triple-digit spends on every selection. Wine Director Sachin George oversees the list. For the food, the cuisine pricing sits at the $$$ mark (expect $66+ for a typical two-course meal before tip or drinks), which is consistent with what you'd pay at comparable Japanese fine-dining addresses in Houston.
Uchi Houston holds an Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in North America ranking at #569 (2025) , a credible third-party signal that the cooking clears a bar that most Houston Japanese restaurants do not. General Manager Brian Slawson and Chef Robert Garcia round out the senior team.
Uchi Houston's location on Westheimer places it well for late-evening use , the stretch is active after 10 PM and the restaurant has historically been a post-theatre or post-concert option for diners coming from venues nearby. If you are planning a late dinner in Montrose, this address performs better than most for post-9 PM bookings: the room doesn't feel like it's shutting down around you, and the bar seating makes it practical for diners who arrive without a hard reservation. That said, confirm current hours directly before committing to a late arrival, as kitchen close times can shift.
Within Houston's Japanese category, the closest direct competitor is Hidden Omakase, which operates at the $$$$ price tier and is a harder book , suited for dedicated omakase seekers willing to spend more and plan further ahead. Uchi Houston at $$$ gives you similar technical rigour at a lower price point with more scheduling flexibility. Against the broader Houston fine-dining field , March and Musaafer both operate at $$$$ , Uchi is the more accessible entry point for a high-quality special-occasion meal without full tasting-menu commitment. If you want Japanese precision in Houston without the omakase format or the $$$$ price tag, Uchi Houston is the cleaner choice.
For other considered dining options in Houston, see our guides to March (Venetian, $$$$), Musaafer (Indian, $$$$), Le Jardinier Houston (French), BCN Taste & Tradition (Spanish), and Tatemó (Mexican / masa-focused). For the broader picture, browse our full Houston restaurants guide, hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences.
Further afield in the same Japanese fine-dining category, Nobu London is the reference point for Japanese-international crossover at scale, while for US fine dining at a comparable or higher register, Le Bernardin in New York, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Smyth in Chicago, The French Laundry in Napa, and Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg set the national benchmark. For New Orleans, Emeril's remains a regional touchstone.
Yes. Bar seating at Uchi Houston is available and is one of the better options if you arrive without a reservation or prefer a counter-style experience. It also makes the restaurant a practical late-evening choice , you're not locked out if a table isn't available. Solo diners and pairs tend to find the bar a more comfortable setting than waiting for a full table on a busy night.
Groups of four or fewer are a natural fit for the room. Larger parties are possible but the space's intimate layout means it works better as a small-group venue than a party destination. If you're planning a group of six or more, confirm directly with the restaurant whether a private arrangement is available. The Westheimer address and Landry's Inc. backing suggest some flexibility, but verify before booking.
The kitchen follows the Uchi approach established in Austin , Japanese in technique, with a menu that rewards ordering across multiple smaller courses rather than a single large plate. Chef Stephen Conklin leads the culinary direction here. Given the OAD ranking and the wine program's depth, pairing food with the wine list is worth doing , ask the floor team for recommendations based on what you're ordering, since Sachin George's list is built for that kind of interaction. We don't publish specific dish recommendations without verified current menu data.
Hidden Omakase is the direct Japanese alternative if you want a full omakase experience at $$$$ , it's a harder book and a higher spend, but purpose-built for the format. For a completely different cuisine at a comparable $$$ price point, Theodore Rex (New American, $$$) is a strong Montrose-area alternative. If budget is the priority, Nancy's Hustle ($$ New American) delivers quality at a lower price point. For full-scale fine dining above Uchi's tier, March and Musaafer are both at $$$$ and represent a step up in ceremony and spend.
No published dress code is on record, but the $$$ price point and special-occasion positioning mean smart casual is the sensible call. You won't be turned away in clean jeans and a collared shirt, but the room's feel , intimate, date-night-friendly , makes overdressing in one direction less awkward than underdressing in the other. For a business dinner or celebration, treat it the same way you'd dress for any Houston fine-dining address at this price tier.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uchi Houston | Sushi - Japanese | Easy | |
| Musaafer | Indian | $$$$ | Unknown |
| March | Venetian | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Nancy's Hustle | New American, Contemporary | $$ | Unknown |
| Theodore Rex | New American, Contemporary | $$$ | Unknown |
| Hidden Omakase | Sushi | $$$$ | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Houston for this tier.
Yes — the room at 904 Westheimer includes bar seating, which is generally the easier get if the main dining room is fully booked. Bar seats work well for solo diners or pairs who want flexibility without committing to a full table reservation. It is also a practical option for late-evening visits, when the Westheimer stretch stays active and counter spots are more accessible.
Small groups of three or four are manageable; larger parties require more planning. The room reads as intimate rather than banquet-scaled, so groups of six or more should check the venue's official channels to confirm configuration options. For a group celebration at the higher end of the Houston Japanese category, Hidden Omakase is a tighter, counter-only format — better suited to pairs or fours than to larger tables.
Uchi Houston runs Japanese-inflected cooking under chef Stephen Conklin, and the format rewards leaning into the kitchen's direction rather than ordering conservatively. The wine list carries around 3,500 bottles with a range of price points across California-leaning selections, so pairing is a real option here rather than an afterthought. Beyond that, specific menu details are best confirmed with the restaurant directly before your visit.
For Japanese specifically, Hidden Omakase operates at the $$$$ tier and is a harder reservation — right choice if you want a dedicated omakase format, less practical for groups or spontaneous bookings. For a broader shift in cuisine, March (Venetian, $$$$) and Nancy's Hustle offer contrasting formats at different price points. Theodore Rex is worth considering if you want something more casual. Uchi sits in a useful middle ground: more considered than a neighbourhood sushi spot, less commitment-heavy than a full omakase counter.
No strict dress code applies, but the room and price point at Uchi Houston sit above casual — polished but relaxed is the practical read for most diners. Think what you'd wear to a serious dinner on a date rather than a night out at a sushi counter. The Westheimer location draws a mixed crowd, and the vibe is consistent with that: put-together without formality.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
