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Kemuri Tatsu-ya, Austin, TX
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Kemuri Tatsu-ya

$31 to $50
Japanese

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 53 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
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

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • 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
  • Phone number
    (512) 803-2224
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Neighborhood
    Austin
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access

Experiences

  • First Available/Priority Seating

    Multiple dates available
    During peak hours, reservations can be held for up to 5 minutes and there may be a wait even with a reservation. Table may be indoors or on one of our covered and heated/conditioned patios. Take an Uber--you'll thank us!
  • Hightop Bar

    Multiple dates available
    Hightop style counter seating. Full menu available!

What 95 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

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Kemuri Tatsu-ya offers a delightful fusion of Japanese and Texas BBQ, praised for its "innovative menu" and "amazing food." Diners enjoy the "fun atmosphere" and "creative" dishes like brisket and edamame. Service experiences vary, suggesting room for improvement. An "Austin gem" for those seeking unique flavors and ambiance.

95 Reviews
  1. Aubrey

    Austin

    9 reviews

    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    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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  2. Kevin

    Austin

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    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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  3. Tricia

    VIP

    Houston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    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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  4. Joon

    Salt Lake City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    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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  5. jennifer

    Seattle

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    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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  6. James

    Central Coast

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love Kemuri Tatsu-ya and continue to return. The food is prepared so differently than anything we have experienced. The flavors are amazing. This is a must for anyone seeking a fun flavorful evening.

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  7. Jonathon

    Austin

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    I had a good experience at Kemuri Tatsu-ya, a Texas Japanese fusion spot that offers bold flavors and a lively atmosphere. The BBQ Boat was the highlight is an impressive spread of brisket, pork ribs, and chashu, with the way short rib standing out as especially well executed. The flavors were rich, and the presentation was on point. The drinks were great, complementing the meal well. Ambience was outstanding, with an energetic and hip hop vibe that adds to the dining experience. However, the value could be better while the food was delicious, the pricing felt a bit high for what was offered. Service was fair, with some room for improvement in attentiveness and efficiency. Overall, a solid dining experience with amazing food and drinks, if they refine the service and value, it could be even better. Looking forward to returning!

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  8. Jose

    Austin

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    We've been to kemuri over the years on several occasions. From grand opening to everything in between. In the beginning it was amazing but since then the food quality has gone down. This last time I was very disappointed. The food was not very exciting despite tryna ng some favorites. The brisket has changed and was dry. I bit disappointed considering the cost and the experience your looking for.

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  9. Christopher

    Houston

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Very good experience, best I’ve had in a long time!

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  10. Christopher

    Dallas

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Cool concept with the potential to be a great experience. They have a nice variety of imported products to try and decently tasty food. However, they fall short on the details. A good one-time experience but nothing I am rushing to return to.

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FAQs

Kemuri Tatsu-ya is rated 4.6 stars by 95 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 53 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Kemuri Tatsu-ya

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

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Austin
  • 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
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Izakaya, Barbecue
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Wheelchair Access
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