Uchiko

About

The sibling restaurant to Uchi doesn't coast on family name. Uchiko on North Lamar runs its happy hour daily from 4 to 6pm, and the current format is as simple as sushi pricing gets: everything is $3, $6, or $9. Three-dollar oysters and soba noodles, $6 temaki and double fried chicken, $9 bluefin gunkan and market fish nigiri.

The drinks follow the same tiers. Sake and Sapporo at $3, wines at $6, cocktails like the lychee martini at $9. It's the rare happy hour where you can order without ever checking the right side of the menu.

North Austin doesn't have a ton of places operating at this level, which makes Uchiko happy hour feel like something you lucked into. The space is calm and precise without being stiff. Show up at 4, sit at the bar, and let the kitchen do its thing. For anyone chasing a serious sushi happy hour in Austin, the tiered menu is the current high-water mark.