Rickshaw Bambu

(713) 942-7272

2810 Westheimer Rd
Houston, TX 77098 29.7423 -95.4213

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Afton Oaks/ River Oaks, Central

Price:

$$$

Last updated 12.27.10

Category:

Restaurants, Catering, Bars & Pubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, Brunch, People Watching, Lunch Spot, Business Dining, Date Spot, Group Dining, Live Music, Happy Hour, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Asian, Sushi

Smoking Permitted:

Yes

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Rickshaw Bambu

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – A young, hip crowd frequents this spot, so expect the scene to come alive late at night. Dim lighting and thumping house music from adjacent Bambu Lounge fills the room. Decor is crisp and modern. High-backed booths provide a cozy nook while the sushi bar hums with activity. – – The Food – An expansive menu calls forth the flavors of China, Thailand and Japan. Tuna tataki starter is a must: Ginger-crusted tuna over plantains topped with tuna tartar and wasabi cream. Sesame-battered chicken is a crunchy treat, as is silky miso bass with blackberry reduction…

Editor's Tips

Look Good:
Call ahead and reserve the Emperor's Niche for your private group (seats up to 8). Ask about fee details.
Parking:
Parking is tight. Consider the complimentary valet.
The Extras:
Bambu Lounge (inside the restaurant) features Djs Wednesdays-Saturdays. Enjoy the hip scene on weekends and sushi served until midnight.
Know Before You Go:
Lunch is more subdued. The menu includes sandwiches, wraps and salads (like the unique curry Caesar). Noodle dishes and entree-sized soups round out the options.
What to Drink:
Explore the ample wine list (including a number of noteworthy sakes) or sample the specialty cocktails.
ambiance
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “Sure, the atmosphere is nice (you get a good mix of the hip hop crowd and buxom blondes and their dooshbag boyfriends) and the music is really fun, but the food is AMAZIN' and Melvin can make a mean drink.”
  2. “It's fresh food, fish, and great ambiance.”
  3. “This place has the most friendly staff, the best food, and a wonderful atmosphere!”
  4. “Its got great atmosphere for after work dining.”
  5. “It had great sushi and a great atmosphere.”
  6. “The parking is horrible”
  7. “also love the trendy decor and the food presentation is awesome!”
  8. “Great atmosphere.”
  9. “Great ambiance makes this a place to hang around in after dinner.”
  10. “Service was up to par the food was excellent ambiance couldnt have been nicer.”
  11. “Overall the atmosphere and service were great and except for the salad mine was great.”
  12. “How exciting is it for ambiance to meet up with great drinks and awesome food.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “PS the best desserts in town.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “The bar's fantastic and with rights to brag!”
  2. “The drinks were good (we had Mohitos all night).”
  3. “Sure, the atmosphere is nice (you get a good mix of the hip hop crowd and buxom blondes and their dooshbag boyfriends) and the music is really fun, but the food is AMAZIN' and Melvin can make a mean drink.”
  4. “We started with martinis and mixed drinks that were superb.”
  5. “All the food was great my drink was FAB!”
  6. “How exciting is it for ambiance to meet up with great drinks and awesome food.”
  7. “The entire restaurant experience was fantastic -- the music, the food, the service, the cocktails (GINGER APPLE MOJITO!)”
  8. “How unusual to be able to get a great bottle of wine and an excellent filet while the sushi lovers are RAVEING about their selection.”
food quality
87.93000221252441% positive
  1. “The have the most fresh sushi ever and very innovative cuisine ideas.”
  2. “This was not good sushi - I travel all over the country and a great gage of a sushi rest.”
  3. “Having not been overly impressed with the meal we had selected, we decided to ask our server for her best suggestion.”
  4. “It's fresh food, fish, and great ambiance.”
  5. “The entrees come with salad, soup, and a very interesting condiment plate.”
  6. “Lively DJ spinnin', hotties everywhere, great food, phenomenal service & genuine appreciation.”
  7. “Amazing sushi and lots of delicious non-sushi items available too, so everyone will find something they like.”
  8. “Lighten up though, they have great noodle bread and it's still one of the great places to get rare tuna and seabass!”
  9. “All the food was great my drink was FAB!”
  10. “As for the salad, I like mine green like most Americans, not yellow so that was a little disappointing but the light asian soup was tasty.”
  11. “The food is delicious here.”
  12. “How exciting is it for ambiance to meet up with great drinks and awesome food.”
  13. “I'm from Atlanta and travel a lot and I'm always looking for the best sushi (salmon especially) in every city.”
  14. “This place has the most friendly staff, the best food, and a wonderful atmosphere!”
  15. “Reccomendations inlcude the Tuna Tataki and summer rolls The miso bass is the best dish in town with a delllicious sauce.”
  16. “If you are looking for authentic, traditional sushi and sashimi, your search will certainly not end here.”
  17. “have experienced good food with poor service at Rickshaw 3 times.”
  18. “My fav is the Rickshaw Crunch roll (spicy yellowtail and crunchy noodle rolled up and wrapped with avocado and tuna).”
  19. “The bread is delicious, and the Kung Pao chicken is wonderful as well.”
  20. “had the manderin beef which was great.”
  21. “Overall the atmosphere and service were great and except for the salad mine was great.”
  22. “OOOH, and the delightful soft bread served with herbed-oil dipping sauce (it used to be a complementary appetizer, now on the menu $$) Still, all worth the price.”
  23. “have been to many sushi restaurants and this hands down is the best sushi restaurant in the Houston area.”
  24. “Appetizers are delicious, but portions are small so not enough to share.”
  25. “If you are looking for a good sushi restaurant, this isn't it.”
  26. “Sure, the atmosphere is nice (you get a good mix of the hip hop crowd and buxom blondes and their dooshbag boyfriends) and the music is really fun, but the food is AMAZIN' and Melvin can make a mean drink.”
  27. “Oh the Pad Thai noodles is another great dish!”
  28. “highly recommened to anyone who enjoys asian cuisine.”
  29. “Be warned, as for us, our search for good sushi and sashimi in Houston continues.”
  30. “Good food, reasonable, use to be responsive service.”
  31. “Sushi is fresh and creative, but can be a little spicy even more than expected for spicy tuna rolls.”
  32. “The sushi had a nasty fish smell.”
  33. “heard the beef skewers were good though.”
  34. “The last time we were there, the food was not as good as before.”
  35. “The food was fabulous, the service excellent and the owner was on property to ensure the wonderful servi.”
  36. “But it's the menu that really provides the memorable experience: Complex and flavorful Kung Pao chicken and mild wasabi mashed potatoes were a great combo!”
  37. “But it was so close to our house, very convenient, and i also love Japanese food, so we tried it again on Monday.”
  38. “Well, having gone to Nobu, I'm no stranger to expensive sushi.”
  39. “How unusual to be able to get a great bottle of wine and an excellent filet while the sushi lovers are RAVEING about their selection.”
  40. “I'm not a big sushi eater so i cant tell you about that but they have plenty of other stuff on the menu to choose from.”
  41. “Service was up to par the food was excellent ambiance couldnt have been nicer.”
  42. “also love the trendy decor and the food presentation is awesome!”
  43. “On top of the food, the music, energy and crowd are amazing.”
  44. “It was the worst spicy salmon roll I have ever eaten and the selzer roll was horrible.”
  45. “They offered up everything from interesting liquor concoctions to intricate sushi rolls.”
  46. “After soup and salad they brought out the coolest condiment tray which had a dumpling, salmon bite, a spicy relish, and a awesome looking fried potato that was shaped and garnished to look just like a small pear (wowie!)”
  47. “As the portions were small, we had to order an additional roll, which provided us the lone bright spot for our meal.”
  48. “The salmon was very tasty with the right amount of spice.”
  49. “So, I was relieved when I found more than 2 pieces, which makes this place a great value for the DELICIOUS sushi they serve.”
  50. “If being seen in your new obnoxiously over-sized sunglasses and designer jeans matters more than eating good food than this spot is for you.”
  51. “Good atmostphere, but can be chaotic and lively area, good food.”
  52. “Good Atmosphere, Terrible Sushi - Wouldnt recommend for sushi:)”
  53. “This is one of my top two favorite places to eat sushi in Houston.”
  54. “It had great sushi and a great atmosphere.”
  55. “The appetizers are excellent and the food is average.”
  56. “The entire restaurant experience was fantastic -- the music, the food, the service, the cocktails (GINGER APPLE MOJITO!)”
  57. “Callies Crunch was divine as well as our hamacchi carpaccio (thinly sliched yellow tail with ponzu sauce and jalapeno) If you haven't tried this anywhere I would HIGHLY recommend it you will not be dissapointed.”
  58. “advice people wait to order their main dish after they are done with the appetizers.”
menu variety
88.88999938964844% positive
  1. “How unusual to be able to get a great bottle of wine and an excellent filet while the sushi lovers are RAVEING about their selection.”
  2. “Nice variety for everyone to find something they like.”
  3. “But it's the menu that really provides the memorable experience: Complex and flavorful Kung Pao chicken and mild wasabi mashed potatoes were a great combo!”
  4. “love all the options delivered to me.”
  5. “The cooked menu at this place is outstanding.”
  6. “OOOH, and the delightful soft bread served with herbed-oil dipping sauce (it used to be a complementary appetizer, now on the menu $$) Still, all worth the price.”
  7. “our server was great and knew the menu well.”
  8. “I'm not a big sushi eater so i cant tell you about that but they have plenty of other stuff on the menu to choose from.”
  9. “normally i would get the vegitarian cleveryly but they redid the happy hr menu.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “This is my absolute favorite restaurant.”
  2. “have been to many sushi restaurants and this hands down is the best sushi restaurant in the Houston area.”
service
87.5% positive
  1. “The service was horrible.”
  2. “our server was great and knew the menu well.”
  3. “Overall the atmosphere and service were great and except for the salad mine was great.”
  4. “We had good service.”
  5. “Lively DJ spinnin', hotties everywhere, great food, phenomenal service & genuine appreciation.”
  6. “It's too bad that my other favorite staff members- Kelly, Karla and Angie left, because then I would have 5 reasons to hop at this joint, but 2 is good enough for me.”
  7. “Good food, reasonable, use to be responsive service.”
  8. “Great service.”
  9. “advice people wait to order their main dish after they are done with the appetizers.”
  10. “loved the staff mainly and everything was right on the money!”
  11. “have experienced good food with poor service at Rickshaw 3 times.”
  12. “The service is friendly, helpful and attentive, especially if you ask for Beau.”
  13. “Having not been overly impressed with the meal we had selected, we decided to ask our server for her best suggestion.”
  14. “Our waitress was so attentive and knowledgeable that we let her make all of the ordering decisions!”
  15. “The waitstaff could be more attentive.”
  16. “This place has the most friendly staff, the best food, and a wonderful atmosphere!”
  17. “The service is very slow at this restaurant.”
  18. “The food was fabulous, the service excellent and the owner was on property to ensure the wonderful servi.”
  19. “The service was fast and smart.”
  20. “The entire restaurant experience was fantastic -- the music, the food, the service, the cocktails (GINGER APPLE MOJITO!)”
value
70.0% positive
  1. “OOOH, and the delightful soft bread served with herbed-oil dipping sauce (it used to be a complementary appetizer, now on the menu $$) Still, all worth the price.”
  2. “The Service could be improved, and the price ranks mediocre to high.”
  3. “Appetizers are delicious, but portions are small so not enough to share.”
  4. “loved the staff mainly and everything was right on the money!”
  5. “It is a small restaurant seems very trendy with overpriced entrees.”
  6. “So, I was relieved when I found more than 2 pieces, which makes this place a great value for the DELICIOUS sushi they serve.”
  7. “suggest this place for a special occasion, it is a bit expensive!”
  8. “Best value during offered happy hours.”
  9. “As the portions were small, we had to order an additional roll, which provided us the lone bright spot for our meal.”
  10. “Well, having gone to Nobu, I'm no stranger to expensive sushi.”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “The service is very slow at this restaurant.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/14/09

Good Atmosphere, Terrible Sushi - Wouldnt recommend for sushi:)

by cleetusredus

This was not good sushi - I travel all over the country and a great gage of a sushi rest. is the unagi and mine was undercooked. Trust me, undercooked unagi is not a pleasant experience. The miso soup had a especially gamy oyster in it. Overall if you just want atmosphere it is fine but dont come here for a sushi experience.

  • Pros: slim
  • Cons: many
2 Star Rating: Below Average

10/16/08

Good food, reasonable, use to be responsive service. HORRIBLE SERVICE! and HORRIBLE NEW STaFF!

by liss337

I love this resturant.. and I have been coming here for 6 years. I loved the staff mainly and everything was right on the money! I have also seen a lot of the stff come and go and everytime they have a turn around I always seem to manage taking a liking to another server. I am pretty forgiving when it comes to service being in the industry I know how it is when it is busy and all that. All i ask for is to get my order right in a promptly matter.. I went Friday (October 14th) to realize that non of my waitresses or waiters are there anymore. Yes, the hostess was unatttentive, she sat as all the way in the back (literally) next to the bathroom. The waiter came up and greeted us, like normal and took our order you could obviously tell he was brand new, he took our order. which consisted of our usual:spicy tuna roll: alvacado on the side my husband is allergic to it crazy maki roll: with regular seaweed paper and no vegtables Chicken lettuce wraps no bean sprouts and a buffalo roll. normally i would get the vegitarian cleveryly but they redid the happy hr menu. and it is not on there anymore. and I admit i like to change the order.. but when our food came it didnt have anything i asked for the wraps had bean sprouts the tuna had alvacado on it and the crazy had veggies in it.the tuna tasted old and i had food p0is0ning! we had our lettuce wraps we werent even done eatting yet.. i was getting impatient for my sushi when the manager asked if we were ready for our check. I looked at her. and "NO, bc we havent even had our sushi yet" she looked at me and was like.. ohh.. well he bring it out now.. after it was bought out he didnt even bring bowls for the soy sauce. That didnt bother me, even going up to the counter to get it myself didnt bother me.. what did bother me was when i went up there the manager ANDREW saw me walking up and after i asked for it myself he asked me ohh did you need anytihng. This was a bad exp. after 6 yrs. It will be a while till we go back.

  • Pros: Wonderful atmosphere, reasonable, not traditional
  • Cons: Bad service, staff is nice, but not attentive, and got sick!
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/27/08

Where the party starts and never ends!

by KniceKnockers

I come to this place for 2 reasons: The Cleverly Roll and Melvin the Bartender. Sure, the atmosphere is nice (you get a good mix of the hip hop crowd and buxom blondes and their dooshbag boyfriends) and the music is really fun, but the food is AMAZIN' and Melvin can make a mean drink. He's super cute and super muscular too. It's too bad that my other favorite staff members- Kelly, Karla and Angie left, because then I would have 5 reasons to hop at this joint, but 2 is good enough for me. Viva la Rickshaw!!!

  • Pros: Melvin
  • Cons: early closing time.
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/14/08

Worst Restaurant IN TOWN

by Janet2367

This place was absolutely terrible. Our waiter's name was Fernando and he was just awful. The hostesses were unattentive and it took forever to seat us and the place was hardly packed. As soon as we entered both girls were on their cell phones completely ignoring us. When we got our food after waiting nearly 45 minutes it was cold and the wrong order. We requested to talk to the manager, Jeremia, and he was ridiculous. He did not listen to anything we said and then we saw him go straight to the hostess area and laugh at us for complaining. This guy has got to go! DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE!

1 Star Rating: Poor

07/02/08

Never come back...

by leam86

We used to come there every Monday night. The first time, every thing was great. My boyfriend had grey goose martinis and he said it was very good. We went back there on weekend and the guy asked for $20 for valet parking. It was ridiculous. So we left, and hadn't come back there for a long time. But it was so close to our house, very convenient, and i also love Japanese food, so we tried it again on Monday. This time was good. We had seabass and we both loved it. We got special price for happy hour. Then we kept coming there every week. We also liked the waitress named Kubo, so we asked for her every time we came there. The last time we were there, the food was not as good as before. My boyfriend ordered the chicken. Instead of the chickens on their menu, he just want blank grilled chicken breast with steamed rice and gai lan (come with the entree). It was okay, nothing was special ( just frozen chicken breast). I had Rickshaw crunch. It was small and tasteless. When we got the check, we noticed that she charged $15 for the "Rickshaw chicken". It was really over priced, because we came there during happy hours. Even in regular menu, it is just 12.95 for all chicken entrees. We didn't understand what she charged us for. We asked her and she explained something that we couldn't understand, either. Then she told us she would ask her manager, but we never saw she did...We were disappointed, because we treated her very well. She made us feel that we were being tricked. Never come back.

  • Cons: parking, overpriced, sushi

The Details on Rickshaw Bambu

Place Categories:

  • great service
  • good food
  • great traditional sushi
  • great place
  • great atmosphere
  • amazing music
  • favorite sushi restaurant
  • great main dish
  • delicious appetizers
  • just fabulous entire restaurant experience
  • great rickshaw crunch roll
  • loved staff
  • attentive waitress
  • great noodle bread
  • fresh fish
  • great value
  • authentic sashimi
  • great ambiance
  • divine callies crunch
  • outstanding cooked menu
  • fantastic ambiamce
  • wonderful kung pao chicken
  • mediocre price
  • great drinks
  • expensive sushi
Advertisement

Lists In Houston

Recent Reviews In Houston

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Fuzzy's Pizza & Cafe

823 Antoine Dr, Houston, TX

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Tila's Mexican Restaurante & Bar

1111 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX

1 Star Rating: Poor

Angus Grill Brazilian Steakhouse

6106 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX

3 Star Rating: Average

Uptown Sushi

1131 Uptown Park Blvd Ste 14, Houston, TX

Advertisement