Toshokan

Cute omakase hidden behind a bookshelf inside Holey Moley, the golf course! Love the bookshelf idea since toshokan means library in Japanese. I heard that it was hard to get a reservation here and was actually on the waitlist. Luckily, I was able to snag a reservation. I had high expectations since it was listed as a recommended restaurant by Michelin and I'm a huge fan of sushi! That being said, I have tried many sushi places before and expected to be blown away. They have six seatings right in front of the chef and assistant so it is a very intimate atmosphere. It started off well, I really like the crunchy tuna dish. However, all the dishes following didn't really wow me. They are definitely great dishes but I felt that I can easily buy these from an ordinary sushi restaurant. Service was great and the chef engaged us in conversations. It's cool how he is a Swiftie and has a map showing all the concerts he's been to. He also pulled out his guitar, sang a Taylor Swift song, and sang the birthday song for me, which was super nice! I do want to note that we noticed the assistant dropping things a few times, so there was a lack of detail. There is an opportunity to add more dishes before dessert, which we are not obligated to do, but we still had to wait for others to finish eating, which I felt was unnecessary. I was underwhelmed with the mint ice cream.On the plus side, the wooden coasters in front are super cute. They have our names engraved on them, and we can take them home! It was a good experience but I feel like creativity in the dishes was lacking.

Meh. Toshokan is hidden behind a bookshelf inside Holey Moley, a golf course. I love the entrance that is hidden behind a bookshelf as toshokan in Japanese means library. The food is not bad, but there is nothing special. I don't think the price can be justified, for an omakase. Hospitality/service is great, however, the assistant dropped dishes a few times and it was a bit unprofessional. They gave us custom coasters with our names on them for us to take away. My favorite is the first dish. It was crunchy and fresh. The other 13 courses were ok. I was still hungry after the 14-course meal. The mint ice dessert was ok, you could probably get the ice cream from the grocery store. (I'm normally not a fan of mint). It was a good experience but probably wouldn't return. I think there are better omakases in Austin.

I have been trying to get in here for years and it was definitely worth the wait and the price. A 6 person Omakase is such a fun intimate experience! And wow the food is definitely going to deliver. These were some of the best bites I've had. I loved being able to ask questions about all the things. And to top this all off, I had a delicious Sake cocktail made my Nadia and we had ice cream with chocolate "raclette style." Thank you Chef, Nadia and team for a fantastic anniversary dinner!

We finally scored seats at Toshokan after reserving months in advance, and it was absolutely worth the wait! The entire experience was a blast--dinner and a show rolled into one. The fun begins with a dramatic entrance through a bookcase door where you knock loudly, and all six lucky diners in your seating are ushered into a private sushi kitchen speakeasy. Parking: Street parking is available, and you'll enter through the back entrance, diligently guarded by the building's security (the other side is the entrance to Holey Moley).The Experience: Chef Saine was the star of the show, captivating us with stories behind the carefully procured ingredients of our omakase menu tasting. He, Ian, and Zach made for a phenomenal team, serving up 14 incredible dishes. My personal highlights were the A5 wagyu topped with shaved truffles and the fish with a refreshing yuzu sauce. The surprise sushi? Sawagani on top of ultra-fresh tuna--so good!Pairing: We opted for the pairing, an indulgent $85 extra on top of the omakase price, but absolutely worth it. You get a 5 sake/cocktail pairing and an extra dish--a luxurious treat that enhanced the entire experience.Entertainment: In addition to the four flaming dishes, Chef Saine surprised us by playing the guitar, serenading us with some of our favorite songs. It added a personal touch to an already magical, mouth-watering journey that I can't wait to repeat!

Saine Wong, is the Executive Chef and Owner. Originally hails from Los Angeles and moved here during the pandemic.He curates the meal by talking you the journey of the ingredients and menu. He has a map with pins that highlight where what places he's been and another color of where the evenings omakase ingredients are from.The restaurant accommodates six people for an intimate experience. There's a sake pairing and/or sake & cocktail pairing you can add one.Chef Wong, interacts with everyone and it really was a fun experience. So glad I FINALLY got reservations. When they release openings, act fast as they fill up quickly!P.S. Bring your wallet, because you'll need it. Oh, he's a BIG Taylor Swift fan and travels to see her. You just might see him pull out a guitar and sing a song for you or with you.

Wow. What a great experience. I need to come back. I've eaten a lot of sushi in a lot of different cities and countries. I think toshokan is in my top three favorites in Austin. I'd say it's in my top ten out of all the places I've had omakase. Quality of ingredients is amazing.Everything about the space and experience feels intentional. It's small, 6 seats. There isn't anything extraneous or showy. It's just you, the chefs, the bartender, the food. If you don't like to meet new people or converse with other patrons, this is not the experience for you. It's so few people dining together, it's a really nice and friendly atmosphere between patrons and the chefs and bartender. I think if this was 8-12 seats, you could get away with not really taking part in conversation. But my dining experience included four people because two people didn't show (which is wild because these reservations are SO hard to get??) so it would've been difficult to not converse.Food is amazing, drinks are amazing. You learn about the food and where it's sourced, and the bartender is really knowledgeable about what she serves patrons. I'm definitely coming back!Parking is free in the sand/dirt lot in the back, if you can find a space. You arrive through the back, and wait by the bookcase to get checked in. You're welcome to explore the holey moley space if you arrive early.

Really amazing experience! We came here for my birthday for an omakase. I loved that it was kind of like a speakeasy vibe since the space is hidden behind a bookcase. The chef was extremely personable. I've been to a couple omakases in Austin and this felt the most welcoming. He spent a lot of time chatting with us in addition to telling us stories about where each food item came from and how he came up with some of the recipes. Everything was really delicious and fresh. Had a great time and we were lucky to snag a reservation.

Phenomenal Omakase experience.....especially this being my first time trying Omakase. Each course was a work of art, beautifully put together, showcasing fresh, top-notch ingredients. Chef Saine Wong and his staff were very attentive and such a pleasure to be around. I will admit this omakase experience was more than I wanted to pay, but I'm so glad I did it. I would love to come back for a second time!

Delightful! This was my favorite omakase experience ever. The food was great, but the service is what made it exceptional. Chef Saine is so charismatic and you can tell he loves what he does. This was worth the wait for the reservation. I'm so happy we were able to go!

Nothing to complain about here! Another great omakase choice in Austin. Casual vibes, modern and fun twists, nice people, good food, you just can't go wrong! The only difficult part to swallow is how much you have to fight for a reservation, but Chef Saine really helped me secure mine after a cancellation while honoring everyone as fairly as possible. Can't extend my gratitude enough!This 6 seat omakase experience located behind a locked bookshelf in the Native Hostel hosts a globally inspired menu for a fancy dinner with a loved one. Leave the snooty attitude at home because the staff consists of a talkative and wisecracking professionals that encourage conversation. You're greeted with a small alcoholic sipper before being escorted to your seat with a coaster you can keep. Without spoiling any surprises, you can expect every bite to be great with my favorite being the chutoro. As most do, you can choose to have a wine or sake pairing (or just order cocktails a la carte as I do) or extend the meal with some off menu options as well. Great drinks, great food, great fun (might just repeat that again and again). Getting a whole package with pairings, more food, your reservation, and tip can run you over $600 for two people, but this can be cut in about half for the standard omakase experience. Although this place is open only a few days out of the week, I suggest trying their omakase at least once if you're an omakase junkie like me! Beats at least half of the ones in Austin so far, and I can see myself coming here again (but maybe for a special celebration since we can't lie that it's on the pricier side of most here).