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Kemuri Tatsu-Ya
Japanese-Texas fusion where bold flavors meet smoky barbecue in Austin.
4.4(5 reviews)
Restaurant
$$
Japanese-Texas fusion where bold flavors meet smoky barbecue in Austin.
Kemuri Tatsu-Ya offers a unique dining journey blending Japanese izakaya-style small plates with Texas barbecue techniques. Located in Austin, this restaurant features creative fusion dishes like Hot Pocketz, funky seafood specialties, and smoked meats infused with fragrant grill flavors. The upscale dive bar ambiance, innovative cocktails, and adventurous menu cater to those seeking spicy, flavorful experiences. Kemuri Tatsu-Ya provides a memorable exploration of Japanese-Texas cuisine in a vibrant setting.
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Creative tapas-style dishes blending BBQ smoke with Japanese flavors, such as Hippie Bone Marrow and hot pocketz.
Expertly crafted drinks like the Shukaku Moon and Jiji Negroni, plus a curated selection of sake and spirits.
Delicious plant-based dishes including eggplant, mushroom skewers, and lotus salad for diverse dietary needs.
Unique offerings like jellyfish salad and squid marinated in its own guts for bold, exploratory diners.
Ideal setting for social gatherings with eclectic seating and a vibrant, upscale dive bar ambiance.
Two of my favorite foods are takoyaki and unagi and when I saw they had some Texas fusion versions of these two I had to order them. And they were the best two things I had. The seaweed shooter and taiyaki cornbread were also up there. I couldn't stomach the eggplant dish but my mom loved it so it's probably good just not for me. The rest was good.
Overall: good food, friendly service but food service was very, very slow, not what we’d expect at a small plates restaurant. For one of the dishes we waited 50 minutes, asked the server for an update and the ultimately had to cancel as it was going to take even longer. Ambience: Upscale dive bar vibes, eclectic decor and funky seating with mismatched chairs and a unique mug that held napkins and cutlery in every table. Service: our server (Anthony?) was wonderful - polite and friendly and helped with our questions about the menu! While the service overall was good, we felt the communication in general could have been better in terms of menu items that take way longer than expected, as well as giving us an update on areas of the kitchen that were backed up. Menu: wonderfully unique menu, Japanese style tapas so you have to order multiple small plates. We got 2-3 dishes per person and it was plenty for a good meal. Drinks: we got the Jiji Negroni (it was good) and the Shukaku Moon. The Shuhaku Moon was absolutely delicious, one of the best gin cocktails I’ve tasted in a while. I could have had several of those, was considering it came in a cute, tiny glass. Vegetarian: if you’re a vegetarian, you won’t be disappointed! The eggplant (Hippie Bone Marrow - perfectly smoky with sesame, miso flavor) and the mushroom skewer (truly incredible, you might at first think they’re meat, they were so yummy) were delicious. The lotus salad was also great. And the dessert (Matcha Banana Pudding) was amazing. Food: rayfin jerky was interesting, served with a mini grill on the table; bluefin carpaccio was fresh and wonderful; the cheesy takoyaki we had to cancel after waiting almost an hour for it; the short rib was sold out which was a disappointment; the hot pockets were good.
Very high quality fusion of BBQ and Asian cuisine. Honestly, everything I tried on the menu was fantastic. Bar tender was quick to make sure my order was taken and my water was full! If you just can only get one thing, get the hot pocketz. They're incredibly tasty and filling!
I haven’t been to Kemuri in years. It’s far (especially in traffic). But we went on a date night and wow, how I miss this place! They’ve enclosed the back patio now so it’s nicely cooled - no more sweating our butts off when we eat. They did shrink the puff puff pass (maybe costs have just increased too much for them) but the flavor is still great. There is mezcal in it now (I can’t remember if the old version had it). It wasn’t overly smoky and was well balanced. Of all the dishes I had, which were very delicious, my favorites were all the funky dishes and the grilled fish collar. There is something so fragrant about their grill - it seeps into the fish. So good. The funky dishes included jellyfish salad, squid marinated in its own guts, tako wasa, and monkfish. If you’re even slightly adventurous, try them all! It’s so fun to try flavors that typically aren’t in American cuisine. I can’t wait to go back to Kemuri - it is such a fun dining journey.
Fascinating Japanese-Texas fusion concept with bold flavors! 🤔 This restaurant offers a truly unique dining experience with creative Japanese-Texas fusion dishes. The menu features an impressive variety of innovative options that are visually appealing and inventive. However, be prepared for serious heat! Nearly every dish we tried packed significant spice, which unfortunately made it difficult for me to fully enjoy most of the meal 😅 The spice level was quite intense throughout the menu. That said, if you’re a fan of spicy food, Japanese fusion cuisine, and sake, this place will be perfect for you! 🍶 The creativity and quality are clearly there - it’s just important to know your spice tolerance before visiting.
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