Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Austin

I was in town for the week and really wanted to try omakase in Austin. There were so many options, but I'm really glad I chose Sushi by Scratch!
Everything from the ambiance down to the food and drinks was perfect. We had 17 courses (including dessert) each with its own description on where it was from as it was being made in front of us. With the excellent service and personalization with our name written down in front of our seats it was truly a great experience. If I am back in town, I will definitely be going back!

---Dearest Reader,

This message is long overdue. If you ever find yourself lost in the pines at the Hyatt in Bastrop, do yourself a favor and book a reservation at SbS.

Not kidding about booking a reservation, this is very intimate omakase dining experience - I want to say that it is 12 patrons per session, 3 sessions an evening. I will get cost out of the way, it was roughly $165 with an option to pair truffle and caviar with a select dishes for an additional $50.

I will let the pictures (which really are worth more than a thousand words speak for themselves).

What I really loved was the thoughtfulness that went in to the order of the servings by the chefs. Started light and transitioned in to darker cuts and then ultimately an A5 nigiri.

Staff, ambiance and value were all there. I hope you find yourself there soon.
---Mitchell

Sushi + chasing Eclipse

Snuck an amazing meal in at Sushi by Scratch as we chased the solar eclipse

Sushi by Scratch has several locations including in Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, and Chicago but we luckily had a location at the remote but lovely Hyatt Lost Pines outside of Austin, Texas

It's a hidden entry in their main Stories restaurant and the intimate seating and secret entry add to the unique dining experience and service

There is an ample selection of sake and Japanese-inspired cocktails and the sushi is exceptional, albeit non-traditional

It's a creative take often adding Texas touches such as pecan shavings and torch to the 17 made to order nigiri, including dessert

I loved the shima aji and botan ebi but also love the creativity of the A5 Wagyu and bone marrow offerings

All in all, a superb meal with other fellow food lovers showcasing the level of Japanese inspired cuisine in Texas

Omakase $165 per person: Tessin / Hamachi / Toro / Hotate / Shima Aji / Madai / Botan Ebi / King Salmon / Alboacore / Akami / Hirame / Escolar / A5 Wagyu / Bone Marrow / Unagi / Uni / Dessert

Sushi by Scratch (Lost Pines, TX)

Seating is indoor only and reservations are recommended on Tock

I had the pleasure of dining here while at a company event. It was only myself and another colleague so the environment was pretty cool, basically a private dining experience.
We did the 16 course paired with their Saki recommendations.... WoW!
I didn't know food could not only taste amazing, but also art. The chef took time to craft each piece with extreme attention to detail. We would get a brief explanation prior to eating, in an attempt to prepare your mind for the explosion of flavors.
I enjoyed watching something simplistic completely surprise my palate.
If in the Austin area, I highly suggest making the drive out to Scratch. You won't be disappointed!

Stunning. Food, drinks, service, ambiance, artistry, and freshness. Everything was wonderful.

I had an exceptional experience here at Sushi by scratch kitchen! The restaurant is located inside the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, and includes a free valet. The grounds were extra beautiful as it was around Christmas time.

When we showed up, we were greeted with a yuzu, ginger drink which greatly refreshed the palate and kept us excited for our Omakase experience to start!

The Omakase had 16 courses + dessert, and then the chef allowed us to order additional items including chef specials!

Of the 16 courses, my favorite bites were the toro, wagyu, hotate, uni, ebi, and the king salmon! My least favorite bite was the unagi, which I wish they had replaced with a different fish. I love how they have all 16 different courses laid out in front of you behind the sushi chefs. Each fish was cut perfectly, and the chef dressed up the fish in unique yet spectacular ways. While it was not the most traditional Omakase experience, it was something that definitely lived up to our expectations!

We were definitely spoiled with the Valentine's Day omakase menu! Very good quality. Every piece was made with such care and thoughtfulness. My favorite was the toro, hotate and wagyu. There was also one piece that tasted like pho!! So creative! Will definitely be back. Excellent service. Everything was thoroughly explained. There were a total of 10 seats so the experience felt very personal. Love the ambiance!

An absolute must try for sushi lovers and for foodies in general. An omakase experience that is crafted with excellence in every dish that is served. You get about 18 different servings of sushi and each one was incredibly delicious. You are in a small room that only serves about eight. So you will have to make reservations because they do sell out. Our sushi chefs were excellent and got amazing service. If you are coming here for birthdays you get a special birthday treat and a picture with the chefs. They really make you feel special with their truly out of the world dining experience. It is pricey but totally worth this absolute great experience.

Late Entry - 12/2022

Decided to tryout this sushi spot as it had many promising reviews. Our last Omakase dinner was one in Tsukiji fish market (Sushi Dai) pre pandemic and Cagen in NY. So we had pre high standards going in.

The restaurant itself was tucked away into the Hyatt Hotel Resort in Cedar Creek. It was very festive and well decorated as it was close to Christmas Holiday. The restaurant is located upstairs leading to an open loft with seating where the host welcomed us with a pre dinner drink (green tea)

When it was time to go in, we were greeted by the chef, his sous chefs and the mixologist. If I recall, the counter that encompassed the chef's working area consisted of about 14 seatings. They do about 3 services per night with various times (1700, 1915, 2130). The mixologist was very informative and knowledgeable. I can't remember what I had but it was light, crisp, citrusy and it complemented the sushi well.

Now onto the sushi...
They started off with their pickled cucumber with toasted black sesame seeds that acted as their palate cleanser rather than ginger. I thought it was different but was not a fan about it cause maybe I'm a ginger lover.

The sushi overall was good, some better than others. Wish they had better variety of fishes. It looks like their menu rarely changes from looking back at the reviews but after talking to the chef, it appears that its a standard menu across all scratch sushi places per the owner. The only thing that changes is the different flavor profile used by the chef, ie different sauces, citrus zest and salts. I love myself some fresh scallops and those were good. Can never go wrong with Toro. Our Wagyu unfortunately was overcooked :/
Uni is my wife's favorite. Last time we went to Japan, she bought a whole box and didn't even share any. What stood out the best aside from the sushi was the dessert. I could have literally eaten 10+ cubes of that delicious goodness in one seating.

Out of all my Omakase outing we've been to, this was the least memorable due to the couple sitting next to us. We could tell they were not in it for the sushi, it was more lets just get sh*t faced and enjoy ourselves. The girl next to me was belligerent, drunk by the end of the night, spilling beer all over the counter and the best part trying to order margarita at a sushi place, really???

I'm not gonna knock Scratch down for other people's behavior but it sure left a bad first impression because that's comes to mind now when I think about this place.

Came here to celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary and very glad we did. There wasn't one bite we didn't adore.

This is an omakase experience, which translates to, "I leave it up to you" (chef's choice). There are no decisions to make other that what to drink for the evening. The Japanese whiskey pairing was tempting but we got the sake pairing ($125 per person). Each sake they served was amazing. You can also skip the pairing and just order drinks by the glass or bottle. Our favorite sake was the unfiltered, full-flavored, Harada Gengetsu but they were all absolutely amazing.

The place only seats ten guests and there are four staff members in the restaurant and a host outside. You couldn't be better attended. You watch up close as each dish is prepared, plated and served. And each dish is described to you in detail. If you're doing a pairing, the bartender will introduce each beverage.

At the end, you can buy more, a la carte dishes, or move to dessert (included), which is a matcha cake bite that also amazed us.

No silverware. No chopsticks. Eat with your fingers. Each dish is eaten in a single bite. There's a warm, damp towel to wipe your fingers as needed. Good times.

I've honestly never had a better meal in my life. And the A5 (highest grade there is) Wagyu was out of this world.

Dishes are finished with a variety of light ingredients that enhance the flavor without overtaking the protein, the most common of which are ponzu, soy sauce, smoked sea salt, olive oil, and wasabi. Nothing was spicy.

The sushi rice itself is the unsung hero. Absolutely perfect.

The place can be hard to find. You can't see the restaurant from outside and there are pretty much no signs. Just pull into the main entrance to the resort and tell the valet you're there for Sushi by Scratch (they validate) and they'll park your car very close by. Enter the lobby and turn right. Walk until you reach carpeting and take the stairs to your left. Up the stairs is a lobby where they'll check you in and offer you a non-alcoholic aperitif until they're ready to seat you. The restaurant itself is behind two beautiful, unmarked doors, just inside the door to Stories restaurant. They keep the doors closed until they're ready to seat everyone.

You owe it to yourself to try omakasi sushi at least once. Splurge a little. And this place does it right. It's the most I've personally spent on a meal. But much cheaper than flying to Japan :-) We're very glad we treated ourselves to this for our anniversary (32 lovely years, thank you!).

We've also been to this same hotel for a massage at their spa, which was also wonderful. They know how to pamper.

The food here is sourced globally, inspected in Japan, then shipped here three times a week. Very high quality. Very fresh. Unbeatable.