Sashimi rollin’ 🍣

Ichiban offers both hot and cold sake, in addition to a delicious sushi menu. | Photo by @d_bosq

We’ve been fishing around and Austin is swimming in sushi. From trendy menus to laidback atmospheres, we’ve rounded up some top spots to score sushi.

Date night dining

Uchi, 801 S. Lamar Blvd.
No surprise here — Uchi is a great spot to take your date when you want to make it o-fish-al. The sleek modern design of this bungalow restaurant is complemented by high-end bites formulated by James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole.
Pro tip: If the prices at Uchi spook you, try visiting Uchiko, the spot’s slightly more casual sister restaurant.

Impress the foodies

Musashino, 2905 San Gabriel St., Ste. 200
Musashino has premier sushi + service. The fresh baby octopus or the Texas Hybrid Roll will have those with even the most particular of palates saying, “Oh, that’s good fish.”

Keep it casual

Tomodachi, 4101 W. Parmer Ln.
DYK: Sushi is historically a casual finger food? Tomodachi is a lowkey sushi scene for those that just want to sit back and ride the sushi wave. Try a special roll such as the Mt. Fuji or Sassy Suzy.

A cocktail next to a menu on the table at Watertrade. — Can’t get a seat at Otoko? City Editor London was lucky enough to check out Watertrade before her Otoko reservation, and recommends stopping by for a cocktail.

Celebrate with sushi

Otoko, 1603 S. Congress Ave.
Otoko is the perfect place to maki the moment special. This ultra-high end South Congress spot is an intimate dining experience, made all the more special by 10+ courses designed by head chef Yoshi Okai.
Pro tip: Reserve your seats far in advance, as Otoko often books up three months ahead of time. However, you can visit Watertrade, the restaurant’s Japanese-style cocktail bar, at any time.

Go fish-less

Lucky Robot, 1303 S. Congress Ave.
It sounds like a contradiction, but vegan sushi is delicious. (Technically the name “sushi” just refers to the rice part.) While this spot isn’t vegan-only, Lucky Robot offers plant-based options such as vegan tuna maki, veggiepilar roll, or spinach and tofu dumplings.

Drink up

Ichiban, 7310 Burnet Rd.
An underrated element of the sushi experience? The booze. Ichiban keeps the drinks flowing with a wide range of both hot + cold sakes, plus wine and beer.

Use the buttons below and challenge your friends + family to see if you can eat all six locations.

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

Cigarettes After Sex | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 7 p.m. | Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater | $149 | The El Paso-based band describes their genre as “dream pop.” 🎶
Moonage Daydream | Thurs., Sept. 22 | Times vary | Bullock Texas State History Museum | $15 | It’s the last day to see this David Bowie documentary on the big screen. ⚡️

Friday

Texas Tribune Festival | Now-Sat., Sept. 24 | Multiple locations | Times vary | $269+ | Listen to the biggest names in politics — including Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, and Liz Cheney — this downtown Austin event. 🎤
Collective Soul and Switchfoot | Fri., Sept. 23 | 8 p.m. | ACL Live at The Moody Theater | $49+ | Collective Soul’s latest album, “Vibrating,” was released earlier this year.

Saturday

Ransom Center Gala | Sat., Sept. 24 | 7 p.m. | AT&T Hotel and Conference Center | $2,500+ | Robert DeNiro + Meryl Streep will be attending this gala kicking off the Harry Ransom Center’s new endowment in DeNiro’s name.
OUTlaw Pride Fest | Sat., Sept. 24 | 2 p.m.-12 a.m. | The Rustic Tap | $15+ | Dance all night at Texas’ first queer country festival.

Sunday

Austin miniFEST | Sun., Sept. 25 | 5:30 p.m. | Vulcan Gas Company | $20+ | Support local artists at this downtown music festival.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

HEALTH

Quiz: Does autumn in Austin make you itchy, sneezy, hivey, or all of the above?

An allergy testing kit sitting on a picnic blanket in the grass.

Picnic ships plans directly to your door, on your schedule — and ATXtoday readers get 20% off. | Photo provided by Picnic

At ATXtoday, we love everything about fall — except the inevitable allergy spike. (No, it’s not just you — allergies are much worse these days.) But — news flash — you don’t have to suffer (read: sneeze) in silence. 🤧

This at-home allergy test can pinpoint your exact allergy triggers from 294 common irritants. You’ll also receive advice from a doctor on managing symptoms, or even a customized treatment plan of over-the-counter and prescription solutions so you can live your best Austin life unbothered.*

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO GET STARTED

NEWS NOTES

Weather

99º | Sunny | 5% chance of rain

Today Is

The first official day of autumn. Say hello to the new season with some locally made fall drinks or a local Oktoberfest event. 🍂

Edu

The UT tower is about to receive a much-needed spa day. For the first time in 85 years, the iconic campus landmark will be renovated + restored, although details about the process have not yet been announced. 🏗 (KXAN)

Festival

This year’s SXSW Festival contributed $280.7 million to Austin’s economy. While that’s more than the festival’s impact in 2021 — when the event was held virtually — the number falls short of the festival’s 2019 impact, a record-breaking $355 million. 💰 (KXAN)

Traffic

Three overpasses at the intersection of I-35 and US 183 are now open after more than four years of construction. The $124.2 million project aims to ease traffic on what was once deemed one of Texas’ most-congested interchanges. (Community Impact Austin)

Open

Laotian food ghost kitchen Ahhan Lao Kitchen is now open in North Loop. The takeout + delivery-only restaurant offers traditional dishes such as sai oua, kua mee, and sakoo yat sai. (Eater Austin)

Real Estate

A luxury neighborhood containing 15 multi-million dollar custom houses is coming to Lake Travis. Homes in the Hacienda Heights development will be a minimum of 3,500 sqft + start at $3 million. 🏘 (CultureMap Austin)

Civic

The city of Buda is expanding its economics incentives program in an attempt to provide more support for local companies. So far this month, the Austin suburb has granted $111,000 to two businesses, Night Hawk Frozen Foods and Meridian coffee and wellness bar. (Austin Business Journal)
The City of Austin wants your feedback on how bikeways, urban trails, and sidewalks should be built in the future. Share your input online before Sun., Oct. 23. 🚲

Ranked

We have brew-tiful news: Austin has the 20th best coffee scene in the country, according to a new study from WalletHub. The Capital City was ranked higher than any other Texas city, although Dallas did receive the No. 26 spot. ☕️

Trending

Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” broke records for new Prime memberships last week, with more sign-ups over a three hour period to view the Chiefs-Chargers game than on Prime Day, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday. Tonight’s game? Steelers vs. Browns. Join the party with a 30-day free Prime Video trial. 🏈 (CNBC)*

Biz

Can we take you behind the scenes? This little blurb is called a Text Ad, and it’s one of the many ways that brands local to ATX (and beyond) can reach you through advertising in ATXtoday. Learn more about how advertising (which helps keep this newsletter free to you) works here.
Hey, business owners, ask yourself this question: “What’s my forecasted cash flow over the next 12 months?” Can’t answer? Check out this video with Trainual CEO Chris Ronzio to learn how small businesses can take control of their finances + build a more mature operation.*

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Arts

Explore cultural narratives through art 🖼

A series of photos of paintings and artworks

The new art exhibit at The Contemporary Austin downtown features a variety of mediums. | Gif by ATXtoday

Whimsical paintings of witches climbing trees. Moving mixed-media art depicting lived experiences. An immersive, interactive alternate reality experience.

All of these art pieces — and many others — are on display now, at The Contemporary Austin’s downtown Jones Center.

The new exhibit, titled “In A Dream You Saw a Way to Survive and You Were Full of Joy,” opened Friday. The display fills the entirety of the museum’s exhibition space, and features works from eight artists, including Houston-based artist Adriana Corral and College Station-born Juliana Huxtable.

The show examines underrepresented stories, experiences of privilege, and dominant cultural narratives. In addition to the works on display, the museum will also unveil a public mural, with details to be announced later this fall.

Check out our behind-the-scenes look on our Instagram page, or plan your visit to the museum yourself before the exhibit closes on Sun., Feb. 12.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by London.

Editor’s pick: Next month is Texas Wine Month — so we’d like to highlight some local vintners. If you have a go-to bottle or bar, let us know and we might include your suggestions in an upcoming newsletter. 🍷

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Rent prices are falling in Austin.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Dayten Rose, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea, Josh Kranzberg | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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