An Omakase Restaurant Is Now Open in Downtown Austin

A new Japanese restaurant focused on omakase is now open in downtown Austin. Sushi Junai Omakase, from local Japanese restaurant Sushi Junai, took over the vacant space at 315 Congress Avenue, Suite 100, which had been the home of high-end spot Counter 3.Five.VII. It is open as of early October.

Based on the name and the Yelp description of the restaurant, Sushi Junai Omakase serves a 24-course omakase, which is essentially a sushi tasting menu centered on freshly sourced fish, for dinner at $150. During lunch, there’s an a la carte menu available.

The focus of Sushi Junai Omakase could also be interpreted as a nod to the space’s predecessor, since Counter 3.Five.VII served three-, five-, and seven-course tasting menus. That upscale restaurant closed in 2018 after three years because owner Eric Earthman wanted to sell the space.

Sushi Junai Omakase owner Jaewoo Jang opened the original location of Sushi Junai on Lavaca Street in 2014, with an emphasis on all-you-can-eat sushi. That was followed by the West Parmer Lane location in 2016.

Sushi Junai Omakase’s hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and then from 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner.

Sushi Junai Omakase joins the same building housing New American restaurant Swift’s Attic and jazz bar Elephant Room. Next door to the address will be the first Texas location of Southern California seafood chain Ways & Means Oyster House, which is expected to open in the late fall.

This article has been updated to reflect that Sushi Junai Omakase is now open.

• Sushi Junai Omakase [Instagram]
• Sushi Junai Omakase [Yelp]