Azuma-Downtown

(713) 223-0909

909 Texas Ste E
Houston, TX 77002 29.7605 -95.3632

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Downtown, Central

azumajapanese.com

Hours:

Mon-Wed 11am-9:30pm

Thu 11am-10pm

Fri 11am-12am

Sat 5pm-12am

Price:

$

Last updated 1.19.12

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Lunch Spot

Cuisine:

Japanese, Sushi

What People Are Saying About Azuma-Downtown

Featured Review

Joshua Hinsdale

Contributor

In Short – With a chic location in the Rice Hotel and a modern Asian-inspired decor, the second Houston location for Azuma caters to hustling downtown hipsters who visit at lunch for their weekly sushi fix or saunter in during happy hour to try something new. Fried noodle soups, tempura and teriyaki augment a traditional sushi menu, ensuring non-fish eaters don't feel left behind.

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
The chef from the original Azuma location oversees both restaurants, so diners can expect the same high level of quality at Azuma/Rice as they do at the original Azuma in the Village.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. The decor is wonderful and the service is nice, but the two times I have eaten here I wasn't impressed.
  2. Ambiance and atmosphere is very nice.
  3. Nice decor, great cocktails.
  4. highly recommend Azuma for food, drinks and atmosphere.
  5. raved about Azuma, because I had always enjoyed their Kirby location.
  6. The sushi is freshly prepared, and the atmosphere is both pleasant and serene.
drinks
87.5% positive
  1. Sit at the sushi bar, have a drink and enjoy the food.
  2. Azuma's is a great choice for fresh sushi, drinks, crowd watching, and Japanese Udon noodles (which i love.)
  3. The bartender Leon kept my friends and I entertained the whole night with fabulous drinks and excellent service.
  4. We started off somewhere else with a bad start and happened to wander in here to have a drink.
  5. Nice decor, great cocktails.
  6. There are all of the requisite Japanese beers and quite a sake and wine list to accompany the good food which was a plus.
  7. highly recommend Azuma for food, drinks and atmosphere.
  8. Sunday evening at the bar - as usual the staff was very friendly, accomodating to us soccer fans by changing the TV in the bar to allow us to enjoy a match with our mojitos.
food quality
84.16999816894531% positive
  1. The waiter had disappeared for a long period of time and when he finally returned to the table, and I was able to point this issue out, the chicken was cold and mushy.
  2. Wow the food is great.
  3. Sit at the sushi bar, have a drink and enjoy the food.
  4. This is the best sushi restaurant in town, hands down!
  5. The food is a bit expensive but totally worth e.
  6. The food was cold by this time so I just told him to take it away.
  7. I'm a huge sushi eater and lover and have tried numerous sushi bars.
  8. They guy came in with this huge, fresh fish and they unwrapped the fish, cleaned it and began to slice it up for sushi.
  9. Well, the sushi here is pretty tasty.
  10. While the food is pretty good, the service is not.
  11. Azuma's is a great choice for fresh sushi, drinks, crowd watching, and Japanese Udon noodles (which i love.)
  12. Now I am addicted because the sushi was so amazing.
  13. Rice is served with cold teriyaki sauce.
  14. good sushi, service is lacking
  15. highly recommend Azuma for food, drinks and atmosphere.
  16. This is absolutely the best sushi in town.
  17. Sushi is very fresh.
  18. Great food, bad service
  19. Azuma - Downtown is Open and is my favorite sushi n sake lounge!
  20. But anyway I recommend this restaurant to any sushi lover.
  21. never realized there was such a good sushi restaurant downtown.
  22. Very personable, friendly, great sushi
  23. The sushi selections were very fresh and wonderfully presented.
  24. It is a beautiful place with a lot of different things that I have never tried before, although I only tried their sushi which was great.
  25. The best sushi good service.
  26. This waiter didn't even bother to check the other guest's Azuma beef.
  27. However, to bring out food for 2 out of 6 people and leave the rest of us waiting for our meals for 10 minutes is not only terrible service, but lacks any sort of common sense for a restaurant in the United States.
  28. I'm so sorry I won't go back because the food is great, but the service is worse than bad.
  29. Much to my dismay, we discovered that rolls' fish and rice tasted dry.
  30. However, the past two times that I have been to Azuma's the service has been mediocre at best and the kitchen's attention to detail on the food has been poor.
  31. There are all of the requisite Japanese beers and quite a sake and wine list to accompany the good food which was a plus.
  32. haven't had sushi for 2 years and this was the best sushi I have ever had.
  33. love the White Angel & Red Devil sushi plates.
  34. The sushi was pretty good.
  35. have experienced excellent sushi in Las Vegas, Chicago, LA, NOLA, NY, Atlanta, Dallas, Minneapolis, DC, Portland, Burlington, Miami, Orlando, Indy, Philly, San Fran, San Diego, and the list goes on and on.
  36. This is the best place to bring your "virgin" sushi eaters!
  37. Unique rolls but I kind find unique rolls at other small sushi restaurants and have great service.
  38. The sushi is freshly prepared, and the atmosphere is both pleasant and serene.
  39. The fish is always fresh and I actually witnessed a delivery of fish once.
  40. good sushi.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. The bartender Leon recommended another one that is not on the menu and fell in love with it.
  2. The sushi selections were very fresh and wonderfully presented.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. This is the best place to bring your "virgin" sushi eaters!
  2. This is the best sushi restaurant in town, hands down!
return potential
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. I'm so sorry I won't go back because the food is great, but the service is worse than bad.
service
87.11999893188477% positive
  1. The service was excellent and helped to make for a great evening.
  2. Great food, bad service
  3. good sushi, service is lacking
  4. This waiter didn't even bother to check the other guest's Azuma beef.
  5. The bartender Leon kept my friends and I entertained the whole night with fabulous drinks and excellent service.
  6. Very personable, friendly, great sushi
  7. The decor is wonderful and the service is nice, but the two times I have eaten here I wasn't impressed.
  8. Unique rolls but I kind find unique rolls at other small sushi restaurants and have great service.
  9. Talk about great service.
  10. However, the past two times that I have been to Azuma's the service has been mediocre at best and the kitchen's attention to detail on the food has been poor.
  11. Food was good (had tastier tuna elsewhere), service excellent (we were drunk and a bit outrageous, yet our server remained polite and courteous and agreed to our every request).
  12. Sunday evening at the bar - as usual the staff was very friendly, accomodating to us soccer fans by changing the TV in the bar to allow us to enjoy a match with our mojitos.
  13. The best sushi good service.
  14. The bartender Leon recommended another one that is not on the menu and fell in love with it.
  15. The waitress, Michelle, was very attentive and pleasant.
  16. The waiter had disappeared for a long period of time and when he finally returned to the table, and I was able to point this issue out, the chicken was cold and mushy.
  17. I'm so sorry I won't go back because the food is great, but the service is worse than bad.
  18. Normally, I take people to Azuma's because of its great service and it is one of the more entertaining eating experiences in Houston.
  19. However, to bring out food for 2 out of 6 people and leave the rest of us waiting for our meals for 10 minutes is not only terrible service, but lacks any sort of common sense for a restaurant in the United States.
  20. The big downer was the service.
  21. This is not the most expensive restaurant in Houston, but it is not cheap and the bill for two people often tops $65.00.
  22. While the food is pretty good, the service is not.
value
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. I'm a huge sushi eater and lover and have tried numerous sushi bars.
  2. The price is reasonable for what you're getting.
  3. The place was inviting and good value can be found (Chirashi Sushi for $15!)
  4. The food is a bit expensive but totally worth e.
  5. They guy came in with this huge, fresh fish and they unwrapped the fish, cleaned it and began to slice it up for sushi.
  6. This is not the most expensive restaurant in Houston, but it is not cheap and the bill for two people often tops $65.00.
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. However, to bring out food for 2 out of 6 people and leave the rest of us waiting for our meals for 10 minutes is not only terrible service, but lacks any sort of common sense for a restaurant in the United States.
  2. The waiter had disappeared for a long period of time and when he finally returned to the table, and I was able to point this issue out, the chicken was cold and mushy.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/18/09

Azuma Downtown is OPEN

by seamrippstress

Azuma - Downtown is Open and is my favorite sushi n sake lounge!

  • Pros: Excellent Sushi and Azuma is OPEN
2 Star Rating: Below Average

03/16/09

Stick with the Original

by AnaTHouston , Citysearch Contributor

I went to their downtown location and took some newcomers from Michigan. I raved about Azuma, because I had always enjoyed their Kirby location.

Much to my dismay, we discovered that rolls' fish and rice tasted dry. I was embarrassed because my guests were first-time sushi eaters.

  • Pros: Atmosphere
  • Cons: Food was dry; parking in DT
1 Star Rating: Poor

10/14/08

Ehh

by rawlikesushi

The waitress, Michelle, was very attentive and pleasant. The sushii was second rate at best. I have had better at shopping mall sushi stands.

  • Pros: Great service
  • Cons: Mediocre food
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/25/08

Best Sushi Dishes

by mochanik31

I'm a huge sushi eater and lover and have tried numerous sushi bars. Azuma D/T is my favorite, hands down. I love the White Angel & Red Devil sushi plates..they are awesome! The fish is always fresh and I actually witnessed a delivery of fish once. They guy came in with this huge, fresh fish and they unwrapped the fish, cleaned it and began to slice it up for sushi. Ask for a Melon Rita..those are great too! I like RA too on Westheimer and their lobster & shrimp roll is to die for but to me, Azuma has better rolls overall and their sushi taste fresher.

3 Star Rating: Average

06/05/08

Better Sushi elsewhere

by kattywhompas

It's nice having a sushi restaurant downtown, but it's not very impressive. The decor is wonderful and the service is nice, but the two times I have eaten here I wasn't impressed. I've had fresher fish at other sushi restaurants in town.

  • Pros: location, decor
  • Cons: not the best sushi

The Details on Azuma-Downtown

Place Categories:

  • best great sushi
  • good food
  • beautiful place
  • recommend sushi restaurant
  • very nice atmosphere
  • huge fresh fish
  • recommended highly
  • very fresh sushi selections
  • very attentive michelle
  • nice decor
  • cold chicken
  • unique specialty rolls
  • fabulous drinks
  • great sunday evening
  • very attentive waitress
  • love azuma
  • best red devil roll
  • huge sushi eater
  • dry fish
  • very creative chefs
  • love sashimi
  • not even bother waiter
  • great service
  • expensive e
  • cold teriyaki sauce

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