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Kemuri Tatsu-ya

$31 to $50

Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 57 times today

Experiences are available.

Innovative
Lively
Good for special occasions

Recognized by the James Beard Foundation, Michelin Guide and named one of the best restaurants in the U.S. by Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, GQ and more! Japanese izakaya and Texas barbecue are arguably the two best cuisines to enjoy while imbibing. Kemuri Tatsu-ya offers a mash-up of the two, plus an excellent selection of booze—including a ‘whisky bible.’ Guests are welcomed into the space with an enthusiastic “irasshaimase!” from the staff. The experience only gets better from there with creative dishes like Taiyaki Cornbread, Brisket Tsukemen and Guaca-Poke. Bright, innovative cocktails, including super-chilled Toki highballs cranked out from a machine, are
an essential part of the experience. Reserve a table today to get a taste of this iconic Austin
restaurant, brought to you by Tatsu Aikawa and the team behind Ramen Tatsu-Ya.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Tatsu Aikawa

From the OpenTable editors: When it opened in 2017, this MICHELIN Bib Gourmand quickly racked up accolades—including a spot on Bon Appétit’s best new restaurant list—for chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto’s innovative Japanese izakaya-meets-Texas smokehouse mashup. That looks like smoked chicken wing yakitori, brisket hot pockets, and chili cheese takoyaki chased with beer and whisky in a cozy, wood-lined tavern.

Additional information

Location
2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702-4715
Phone number
(512) 803-2224
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Japanese, Izakaya, Barbecue
Hours of operation
Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa

Experiences

Reservation-First Available
Multiple dates available
During peak times, reservations can be held for up to 5 minutes and there may be a wait even with a reservation. Take an Uber--you'll thank us!
Hightop Bar
Multiple dates available
Hightop style counter seating. Full menu available!

What 101 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Austin
Innovative
Austin
Japanese
Austin
Innovative
Austin
Japanese

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Kemuri Tatsu-ya offers an exciting fusion of Texas barbecue and Japanese cuisine, creating a "unique, cool restaurant" experience. Guests rave about the "amazing food and wonderful service," with standout dishes like brisket and innovative cocktails. While some mention the lively atmosphere, others appreciate the "fun vibe" and decor.

101 Reviews

M
Marcellous VIP
New York City3 reviews
5.0
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our experience was just outstanding from the moment we arrived. We did not know what to expect as we were just exploring options around the city of Austin. We were greeted at the entrance and taken to our table and were greeted in Japanese by the staff as we walked in to our table. We decided to try the skewers, and have to say our most favorite was the short rib and mushrooms ones. Another favorite was the Brisket and Bento box! Both are a must! I had the House margarita they serve, which was really good, not too sweet. My boyfriend had the sake and it was also great. Matt was our server and he did a fantastic job guiding us over the menu, service was excellent and fast. Overall we had a great experience and will definitely go back when we come visit Austin again.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined today
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food, service, and very unique concept and menu which really shines and puts this restaurant above others. The staff really made our night special with thoughtful touches to celebrate our anniversary which we really appreciated. This restaurant has been stellar every time we go and we’ll definitely be back.
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M
Madeleine
Central Coast7 reviews
4.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Always a fun experience. Great service, great food, great vibe. No duds on the menu.
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K
Kevin
Austin5 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very well run and the food is off the hook. Very impressed with the staffs knowledge of the menu. Thanks for a great experience!
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J
Justine
Austin2 reviews
5.0
Dined on March 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
From start to finish everything was great! We appreciate how fun and nice everyone was!
Is this helpful?
A
Aubrey
Austin9 reviews
4.0
Dined on February 24, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
Food is always consistently mind blowingly good here. Fish collar, hot pockets and the ramen were highlights. We also tried the chicken skewers this time and those were shockingly good too.
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K
Kevin
Austin5 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
always a unique pleasure. I'm always impressed by the depth of knowledge of the wait staff
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T
Tricia VIP
Houston1 review
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Honestly was extremely that I picked an inside reservation and was seated basically outside. Glad I brought a jacket because the heaters outside weren’t enough. However, the food make the experience 10x better. All the food we got was some of the best food we’ve had in austin. Will definitely come back for the food but want to sit inside next time
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J
Joon
Salt Lake City1 review
5.0
Dined on February 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience and service. Helped make my partner’s birthday special.
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j
jennifer
Seattle2 reviews
3.0
Dined on February 18, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
The food was pretty good but is also seems a bit complacent. The service was barely present, walking passed multiple times with no engagement or checking in to see how our table was doing despite never having dined there before. They also offered no real description or instruction with the food despite the opportunity to create a more complete idea of the intention of the dishes. For what we paid and the hype of this restaurant it was disappointing.
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FAQs

Kemuri Tatsu-ya is rated 4.6 stars by 101 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 57 times today

Experiences are available.

2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702-4715

Additional information

Phone number
(512) 803-2224
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Japanese, Izakaya, Barbecue
Hours of operation
Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa

Kemuri Tatsu-ya

Make a reservation

Why they're an Icon

Additional information

Experiences

Reservation-First Available

Hightop Bar

Menu

What 101 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Kemuri Tatsu-ya restaurant rated?

Is Kemuri Tatsu-ya currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information