Soto

Great service. My tech was prompt and professional. I had three garage doors that needed servicing and he gave me the internet discount without any problems. Also let me know that I should have the doors serviced at least twice a year which I did not know.

Very nice find in a shopping center, unassuming but excellent food quality. They obviously take it seriously. Beautiful presentation and freshness. Great service, knowledgeable and helpful server.
Décor is ok, not amazing and not bad. The focus is definitely and fortunately on the food. Prices ok. will definitely want to come back soon and I recommend it.

Everything was great here. Loved it.
We had two appetizers — one on menu and one off. The risotto was the best I’d ever had.
We also had the sea bass and the chef’s choice sushi for mains. Both were great.
Two desserts and one cocktail were also on the menu and all were tasty. The balls were a little sour — be prepared for that.

Soto is such awesome sushi. Very fresh & good.
I love the atmosphere. Lots of neat/​fun cocktails too.
I love the Lemon Balls, and the other desserts.

This exceeded my expectation in every possible manner. An absolute gem of a resturant with a quiet and elegant atmosphere.
We had the snow crab and wild salmon sushi, the california roll and a cheesecake and whip cream infused with beer. All of it spectacular and one of my best sushi experiences in my 20 years in Austin. Thank you.

Just had my first experience at Soto. My server had an intimate familiarity with menu items naming every ingredient without pause in a free and easy style. He guided me through Sake selections and every other step of my experience.
As a solo diner, I found the bar atmosphere and comfort to be excellent and interaction with the chefs is a key part of the experience. They guided me to many wonderful appetizers and dishes and I soon let them have full control over my selections. It is going to cost you some, but you get more than full value for your money.
Not bad for an unassuming exterior in a suburban strip mall. I’m glad I didn’t let that dissuade me when I arrived. I live very close to this restaurant and I am very very afraid I will become addicted. For those who want details, read on.
My experience began with a gelatin amuse-​bouche that prepared me properly, quite flavorful and refreshing. Next was a ceviche that was bold and creative, including several kinds of fish, a variety of citrus fruit, and a little bit of jalapeño that complemented in phenomenal ways. It wasn’t the first time I thought of just ordering more of a dish.
I prefer sashimi when I’m dealing with a good sushi restaurant, and began with an o-​toro that melted into a blast of flavor and texture. This is a tough act to follow, and while it may be unfair, the Uni and Saba combination in this unfortunate position was a letdown, but still fresh and prepared well.
Kinmedai came next, and got everything back to the wow-​zone. Kumamoto oysters with a mignonette that was an excellent complement. Finishing was a delightful fresh California Uni served in a nice sashimi presentation with a tiny spoon appropriate to the task.
Yuzu balls were the graceful ending to this wonderful meal. I tend to think that you would not go wrong with anything that your server or chef recommends, as long as you let them know your preferences, so choose your own adventure!

I really enjoy this place. I have a few go to Sushi places, but this one always delivers and there is little to no wait most times.
It’s sort of strange it’s tucked in a shopping center right between Party City and Hancock Fabrics. Parking isn’t too great during Halloween but other wise it’s not bad at all to find a spot. You can make a reservation if you feel like there will be a wait. But I haven’t experienced any issues. It’s seemingly large on the inside compared to the outside. It’s pretty dark inside but it’s very clean.
The service is always spot on. There are a ton of choices and great choices for non sushi eaters as well. I really enjoy the lunch as well as dinner. There are some lunch specials but you can also order from the regular menu as well if you find something you like on there.
I would highly recommend this as a Sushi go to place if you are up North and in this area. Or if you don’t feel like going downtown or waiting for some good sushi and service.

4.5 to 1 star.
If you have a large party, don’t bother having it here. The staff cannot handle it. I really like this place. But it’s disappointment after disappointment. We came at 6:00. My aunt ordered a salmon teriyaki. The whole family of 20 got their food before she did. Granted we were a large party, but she didn’t get her salmon teriyaki till about 8:00. (After we made a big deal about it.) The uni pasta is good. But not good enough to make up for bad service. This was suppose to be a happy family event, and it dampened everyone’s mood. I do applaud the manager for trying to remedy the issue. But the damaged was already done. When you’re spending 900+ on food, you should have better service than that.
…
In my opinion, the food was 5 stars, but the service was 2 stars. The waitress spilled a drink on the BIRTHDAY girl. Instead of getting a towel and cleaning it right away, she took her time and my friend had to take our towels and clean it ourselves. But let’s not focus on the negative.
The food itself tasted fresh. The flavors compliment each other. Very similar to uchi and uchiko where they use various ingredients to enhance the flavors of the fish!
Hamachi special with jalapeño: menegi and dry miso sprinkled on top. The fish itself tasted very fresh. It has a citrus flavor with a kick to it.
Kobe Beef Carpaccio: fried shallots, micra greens, soy and Jalapeño chips on top. This is one of my favorites. The flavor was delicious! Only thing is, the slices are as thin as a piece of paper!
Uni pasta with truffle: the BEST uni pasta I’ve had in a very long time. I went to New York and tried it at two different places (Basta pasta/​dieci) and it was not as good as this uni pasta! Be sure to break the egg and mix it all together to get the full flavor! All my friends love it as well! This alone deserves a five star!
Foie gras nigiri: I can’t say this was my favorite. I think foie gras would taste better on toast then it did on rice.
Ankimo: monk fish liver! One of my favorite! I like it drench in ponzu sauce with green onions. I asked the waitress to bring it out, but she never brought it out.
All in all, I would definitely go back to try some other dishes!

This restaurant is very long on the inside. There are many separate seating sections. The place is nice and staff was friendly. Food is good but there are so many options when it comes to sushi so I will probably be back if some friends wanted to come here.

Soto is easy to miss — and dismiss — as it has a small storefront footprint between two large retailers, but the spacious, romantic interior with simple, elegant, tasteful touches — in true Japanese tradition — set the stage for one of the best restaurants in the area.
Uchi remains my favorite restaurant in the world — so far — but Soto is hot on its heels. My wife and I were thoroughly impressed by the Omakase menu: a 10 course journey of Soto’s best offerings that delighted our palate, filled us perfectly, and left us longing for our next meal there.
The wait staff was friendly, well informed of each dish — including origins of the main ingredients — and went out of their way to ensure we had the most memorable experience possible.
Omakase is expensive — $ 120/​person that evening — but more than well worth the splurge. Other dishes are expensive relative to other sushi restaurants in the area. That said, if their attention to quality is as high as their Omakase, I’m sure the price difference is worth it.

My fiancé and I drove to Austin exclusively just to try out this place for a lunch date around 2 PM. One of my friends referred Soto to me at work. I believe Y-​vi was taking care of us for the afternoon. She was very energetic and up-​beat. Very knowledgeable about the menu items and special fish for that day. She recommended us what to get and we listened to her. We ordered appetizers and fish we wouldn’t get at other sushi restaurants. Everything was awesome. We splurged and tried almost everything. It was a lavish lunch indeed. We left with happy bellies, but I can’t say my wallet felt the same way. :P lol

This place is def the place to go to for a fancier sushi night out. We’ve been here a handful of times and my favorites so far are the oysters (except the last time we ordered them, they weren’t as decorative as they usually are with the toppings) the lobster tempura roll and the green tea tiramisu! For our anniversary one year, I ordered the wagu… omg…melt in your mouth… worth every dang dollar. If I could afford it, I would order it everytime but if it’s a once in a lifetime experience… do it! Why not? The one thing I absolutely must order is the grilled black cod. Had a bite and oh my it was a heavenly one!

Best sushi joint in Austin. Get the fire salmon.
The atmosphere is great, service is great, and the food is on another level!
Place is a little hard to find but worth the trouble.
While the rolls are good, I come here for a little more exotic sushi.

I can’t think of one possible negative thing to say about Soto! Obviously, I have a lot of positive things to say… long! So, if you want just read the second paragraph and trust my 5 star rating. ;P
As many of you know, Soto and Chef Andy et al. have developed quite the «cult» following. There are many regulars, including me and the hubby of course. For those of you who have never been, please go now! You’re late to the party, but better late than never. Soto just celebrated their 3 year anniversary on March 9^th. Congrats!
After relocating to Austin almost three years ago, we were on the hunt to find the best sushi in town. Yes, we had already tried both of those «U» establishments and a few others. One day I was shopping in the Cedar Park area, while also looking for a place to eat, and as I drove through a parking lot Soto beckoned me. Nestled between a huge Party City and Hancock Fabrics, Soto’s storefront looks very quant and interesting. My hubby and I are both sushi lovers so I called him and he drove from LakeT to meet me.
Décor: Lovely. The store front makes it look really small, but when you walk in the restaurant is really deep and quite wide with a nice sized sushi bar area. Great color scheme and traditional type Japanese décor. There’s also a private dining area (the Moon Room) in the back that seats about 10 – 12 for parties or business meetings.
Service: Always great no matter at table or sushi bar (always the bar it is when just the two us of; table if with more fellow foodies). The service is like 5 star dining, but relaxed and homey at the same time. The staff is very professional and well-​informed. And Chef Andy (and others)…simply one of the nicest guys around and a true master in his craft.
Food: If they are not out of it, your meal will typically start with an amuse bouche of edamame purée. I like it so much that I have actually purchased a bowl to take home with me (think Japanese hummus). If you’re into the raw, be sure to talk to the chefs (or servers) about what is the freshest in the house during your visit. After 40+ visits now, I have yet to be led astray once: maki, sushi, or sashimi.
I have never had anything that I did not enjoy eating at Soto; however, there are a few specialty dishes that must not be overlooked — especially if it’s your first visit or are there for a special celebration: The Fire Salmon (151 Rum soaked coffee beans lit under a rack of hanging salmon = a great presentation and adds subtle flavor to the already delicious fish); Tuna Tartare (served in huge block of lit up ice = very flavorful and just cool); Avocado Salad (served in a large ball shape, spread open with chopsticks and it transforms into an amazing Lotus flower shape filled with tons of sushi = absolutely wonderful!); Salmon with Seared Foie — the proof is in the pictures. ;)
If raw is not necessarily your first choice, or you just feel like mixing it up a bit, Soto also offers up many great cooked dishes including: Grilled Chilean Sea Bass, Squid Ink Somen with Gold Foil, Tonkatsu Soup, Uni Pasta wiith Shaved Truffle, Salmon Kama, and more! Be certain to ask about off menu and seasonal items as well, such as the Flaming Kumamoto Oyster Shot and the super refreshing Spring Ceviche. Did I use the word amazing already?
Not all items are strict, traditional Japanese, but that doesn’t bother me a bit. The innovative, unconventional items are just as delicious as simple cut of fresh, raw fish.
Oh, I almost forgot! Desserts: Yup, a few stellar ones at a Japanese restaurant. White Chocolate covered Yuzu Balls are the perfect bite to cleanse your palate after the meal, the Green Tea Crème Brulee is pretty great, and the Green Tea Tiramisu is NOT to be passed on — very creative and delicious.
In short, after trying several sushi places in Austin and having found only one other that has inspired me to become a regular at (no, it’s not an «U» place), Soto is my favorite. The downtown big boys are alright (some hype), but Soto is closer to home, parking is a breeze, you don’t have to fight for a table or spot to sit, and the fish is just as fresh. And, you can’t get Chef Andy’s charm anywhere else. That’s worth the trip alone.
I foresaw us becoming regulars at Soto half way through our first visit. For once, my husband can say I was correct without any argument. Dining nirvana… every time. Domo arigato gozaimashita Soto!
Tip: Sake Social (happy hour) — great prices on sushi, apps, and drinks! 7 days a week! ALL DAY ON MONDAY! Tues thru Fri 5 – 6:30, Sat 3 – 5, & Sun 3 – 6:30.
[Note: I pulled a rookie move when applying my 2016 update and accidentally «edited» my 1^st updated review with this new content. Trust me, the other one was good too. Lol! Merp. :/]

After years of searching for good (not even great) sushi in Austin, I’ve found it! Soto — a shining star in what is a drought of good sushi in Austin.
Service: We were sat at a two-​top near the bar — quiet and out of the way from the main dining area, which we liked. The server was very knowledgeable and attentive. I ordered one of their new drinks, and after I mentioned I didn’t like the flavor, it was replaced with a different one that I really enjoyed — their take on an old-​fashioned.
Food: As with any first time at a new (to us) restaurant, we ordered the omakase /​tasting menu — the ‘give me your best shot’ request to the chef. We were not disappointed. I was actually pleasantly surprised. The omakase was wonderful. The sashimi ‘carpaccio’ plate was amazing. The yuzu dressing atop the selections of sashimi were delicious. The salmon and tuna with truffle were a pleasant surprise. I can’t say there was a single item of the omakase that I did not enjoy. The dinner was finished with a green tea tiramisu that was a perfect finishing touch to the meal!

Great place to take that special someone for an experience they will remember. The interior is somewhat dark, but that adds to the atmosphere of the place. As you are seated you realize this is not a normal strip mall restaurant. Your water glass is filled and a puréed edamame is presented to you as a palette cleanser. That was a first for me, but I’m very new to the sushi/​Asian dining scene.
Our waiter was very knowledgeable regarding the menu and he expertly explained the dishes and made recommendations when we asked. The most memorable part of the evening was when our Fire Salmon appetizer arrived. We didn’t know what to expect, and we were definitely «wowed». There were four thin slices of lightly seasoned King salmon draped over a lemongrass stalk, suspended over a flame of Bacardi 151. What a presentation! The flavor of the salmon was wonderful. It was the best salmon I have ever tasted. It also came with a raspberry sauce that complemented it perfectly. We also had some delicious sushi rolls including the soft shell crab and the rock shrimp feat. A truly wonderful dining experience.

Best sushi in town. Love this place. It is a hidden gem in the area nestled in a shopping area. I wish this place was displayed more prominently to attract more visitors, but they hardly need any tricks or gimmicks.
After multiple visits, I find the cuisine carefully selected and consistent. The sushi is super fresh and masterfully crafted by an experienced hand. Why are you still reading this? Go get some of this sushi? Why am I still writing this? Now, I am hungry for sushi. See you at Soto!
TIP: Try the foie gras sushi. (I forget the Japanese name)

REALLY!!! Drove all the way to Corona del Mar for our 4^th visit (22 miles) and the closed sign was still in the window. Went around back where an employee was prepping for dinner and asked why they were closed and was told the electricity was out. Everyone else on the block must have had electricity because they were open. Went to Nigasa down the road and it was fresh and delicious! I guess Sota didn’t want our 135 bucks.

The start of something special…
First, I can’t believe this is the first time I dined here. It’s right around the corner from where I live and somehow I never been, until now. I didn’t try the sushi this time. I was in the mood for some ramen and ramen I had! I had the Tonkotsu (Pork Bone) Noodle Soup with roast pork. It was flavorful, satisfying, and the pork was perfect. What I would change is to add more ramen in my soup and some bean sprouts would be nice. Our waiter, Chris, was very attentive and pleasant. The ambiance was very nice: Dimly lit and with a high-​end feel. I’ll definitely be back, this time for date night!

Very exquisite presentation and food was spectacular.
The interior ambiance is great too. We were very impressed by the service too.
Too bad they do not have a second restaurant in downtown Austin.

The food is excellent but the service was poor. Our waitress lied to us that the Amuse-​Bouche runs out when we asked why people that came later than us got some.
As far as our food some of it was brought to the wrong table and here were long gaps between when our food was brought to the table even though all was ordered at same time.
Luckily the food taste and quality made up for the crappy service.

This place might just be my new favorite sushi restaurant for lunch. I took my boyfriend and we shared the sashimi Kawasaki and pork katsu. The miso soup was so good he ate mine too. We liked how fresh and smooth the Sashimi was and the fried rice was light and not too oily. The smoked salmon and the shu Mai were nice additions to the meal. Would highly recommend and service is really nice.

Randomly found this place on Unilocal post workout in the area. Saw that they have sea urchin on the menu and decide to try. It did not disappoint! We had sea urchin in Tokyo Tsukiji fish market for the first time so our standard is pretty high from the start. We ordered mostly off of the sushi/​sashimi list (where you select by the pieces) and a nabeyaki udon. All very tasty and fresh. The fish eggs especially. Waitress was helpful and the chef also greeted us.
The price was a steal for me as I’m used to the prices here in NYC. The only odd thing about the place was its located in between some party supply retailors, though the interior is pretty nice.
Oh another thing, I saw some earlier comments about asking for veggie rolls… its like going to an authentic Chinese restaurant and got upset that they don’t have the general tsao chicken. Try to be more cultured please.

Wow what a disappointment. Went during happy hour and the service meh. But the worst was the sushi. Tiny, tiny, tiny sushi. I’ve seen such tiny slices of sushi… are you kidding me. It was smaller than my pinky finger. The rolls are the size of a nickel and the seaweed is chewy. So many better places to go in Austin area. Pure disappointment.

Every sushi place in the universe has some vegetable roll options. Not so much here. It is extremely pricey for the mediocre taste. The confused looks on the waitstaff when you order veggie rolls indicate they are either new to sushi, new to Austin, or new to waiting tables.
But I guess I’m just not accustomed to upscale fish smell wedged between a Party City and a Hancock Fabrics in a strip mall.

In my opinion, the food was 5 stars, but the service was 2 stars. The waitress spilled a drink on the BIRTHDAY girl. Instead of getting a towel and cleaning it right away, she took her time and my friend had to take our towels and clean it ourselves. But let’s not focus on the negative.
The food itself tasted fresh. The flavors compliment each other. Very similar to uchi and uchiko where they use various ingredients to enhance the flavors of the fish!
Hamachi special with jalapeño: menegi and dry miso sprinkled on top. The fish itself tasted very fresh. It has a citrus flavor with a kick to it.
Kobe Beef Carpaccio: fried shallots, micra greens, soy and Jalapeño chips on top. This is one of my favorites. The flavor was delicious! Only thing is, the slices are as thin as a piece of paper!
Uni pasta with truffle: the BEST uni pasta I’ve had in a very long time. I went to New York and tried it at two different places (Basta pasta/​dieci) and it was not as good as this uni pasta! Be sure to break the egg and mix it all together to get the full flavor! All my friends love it as well! This alone deserves a five star!
Foie gras nigiri: I can’t say this was my favorite. I think foie gras would taste better on toast then it did on rice.
Ankimo: monk fish liver! One of my favorite! I like it drench in ponzu sauce with green onions. I asked the waitress to bring it out, but she never brought it out.
All in all, I would definitely go back to try some other dishes!

I really really really love their lunch special here. Their sushi & sashimi much combo comes with a tiny portion of fried rice, a slightly seared salmon piece with salmon roe on top, 4 pieces of sashimi, one dimsum, a couple of teeny fried shrimps, a tiny miso soup, a tiny salad, and your choice of one type of roll. This comes at the low price of $ 17! Most places would probably charge you like $ 25 for the same thing and would not taste as good either! I love their presentation and the interior is also very nice. They are clean and have a contemporary feel to their furnishings. The only downside to this place would have to be the slow kitchen staff. The service has always been great and their food tastes wonderful but if you are in a hurry then you should NOT come here. We usually spend at least 1.5 hours here when we are dining since the kitchen takes such a long time to prep the food. As much as I love the presentation, I would still rather it be a little less pretty in order for it to come out a little bit faster but it is what it is so now we just come when we have a good amount of time on our hands to enjoy a nice … slow. leisurely meal. hehe Their signage is quite terrible since it is teeny tiny so just look out for them to be BETWEEN PARTYCITY and HANCOCK FABRICS. They have lots of parking available since it is a huge plaza with lots of different places to shop so no worries there.
Sidenote: we tried their Uni pasta today and it was quite good, too. The pasta is not actually «pasta» but the noodles are actually ramen so be prepared for that, though. It had truffle flavor in it so we shared the tiny portion between a handful of people to get a taste and it was just perfect since it was quite potent. It is definitely worth trying if you like that kind of thing!

If I could give this place 10 stars I would. They have never disappointed with anything I’ve tried.
Their sashimi cuts are very large and always fresh!
So as wonderful as everything is, their highlight of the menu is ANYTHING that has truffle in the title. Their combinations of ingredients with the truffle oil is just amazing!
We’ve been at lunch and they have great sashimi combos for great prices. Dinner options are definitely a higher price point but it is worth every penny! We don’t go anywhere else for sushi!

Always come for their lunch specials! They’re so worth it! I’ve been here multiple times and I’ve always had an amazing experience. On the weekends, I would recommend getting reservations just in case.
I always get the sushi and sashimi which has a variety of different types of sushi and you get to choose a type of maki to go with it. I normally pick the Alaskan maki. I’ve tried the shiitake maki and the mango maki but I still prefer the Alaskan maki. You get all of this for $ 17 which is a steal for the quality of the fish.
Their dessert options are to die for! The green tea tiramisu is delicious! The texture of the tiramisu is super smooth it just melts in your mouth and the hint of green tea just makes it the perfect treat to end your meal.
I’ve taken my parents here and they’ve recommended it to their business partners as well. I totally recommend coming here if you’re craving some quality sushi!

Soto is worth the drive & yes — I got lost while getting here. Came here over the weekend for dinner and I was definitely in my happy place. Impeccable service and really good quality food.
We started off with a btl of Hana Sake — White Peach, it was unlike any other other sake I’ve had. Literally tasted like a Japanese candy, but of course it only had 8% alcohol content.
We ordered a bunch of nigiris, which all were really fresh. Our favourite would be the hokkaido uni! YUMMM! The soto maki was also quite delicious, love the flavours of the torched white tuna, bonito flakes and just a touch of spicy mayo. The rolls here are the perfect size, the rice to ingredient ratio is what all rolls should be. The soft shell crab tempura was good, but the skin could be a little crisper.
And the dessert, Green tea tiramisu… it was divine, absolutely delicious & the presentation is pretty too!
Well done Soto, I will be back again. Next time with a bigger stomach to try more items!

It’s been almost two years since I’ve been here because chef Teddy doesn’t work here anymore.
Decided to go with a friend for our birthdays.
Spider tempura — decent size portion of soft shell crab, not disappointing
O-​toro sashimi — with risotto, perfect melt in your mouth and the risotto was creamy and delicious
Jalepeno Hamachi — 4 pieces of sashimi with a fried jalepeno slice. Fish was fresh.
Ceviche — one of the specials, was good not great. Three different fish and crab with cucumbers.
Not sure of the name for this dish, it was dry ramen with uni and poached egg. No soup. A bit rich/​heavy for me.
Also ordered a few pieces of individual sushi– salmon, octopus, unagi — nothing disappointing.
The ambience, too dark. Hard to take photos of the food and to even see your food. No complaints on the service. Our server was knowledgeable. We did have to ask for a few things twice.

Soto looked like a small place from the view outside but once you walk further in, it’s actually large. We received a couple of edamame cleanser appetizer as we were first greeted by the server. He told us we were lucky we got the last two… evidently I saw other servers bring out the same thing to several other tables minutes later. Caught red handed server!!! We ordered seaweed salad. I assume it was good because my husband ate it all and didn’t save me a taste. My son ordered chicken katsu. That was very delicious! Then we ordered the chef special and a special roll (sorry forgot what it’s called) everything was delicious. On the pricey side for sushi but it was filling and really good. The best item was the hamachi kama. That was right on point and awesome! Dedinitely worth the $. We had a really loud group sitting across from us so it was hard to hear my husband from sitting cross the table… that kind of sucks but oh well. We had a few drinks to loosen us up to careless about noise. Service was okay… kind of on the weird side (that explains «keep austin weird!») Great place
Highly recommend!

One of the top sushi restaurants in Austin with such fresh fish! Excellent service– our party was even taken into a private dining room because there was no space left on this Saturday night. The inside of this restaurant was a nice sushi restaurant atmosphere– darker lighting and fancy dishware (apparently $ 50 for one of the tiny plates!). The location is pretty inconvenient and random (in the middle of a plaza between a party city and fabric store), but the food made up for this journey to north Austin.
White tiger roll: mmmmm the flavors were not too strong in this roll so you could still taste the generous portions of fish. Just how I like my sushi.
Sushi (nigiri): toro and white salmon were my picks of the night, based on chef/​waiter recommendations of what was the freshest, aka delivered to the restaurant just a few hours prior. The fish was topped with just a pinch of seasoning/​decoration, which paired well with the melt-​in-​your-​mouth taste. Portions were smaller than that of musashino or other sushi restaurants, however.
Also worth a try: fire salmon! Such a beautiful presentation and the taste was just as good.
Overall, worth a trip up north and definitely worth frequently emptying your wallet if you live in the area. For the price though, I may prefer the closer musashino for the same quality of sushi.

ソトはナンバーワンです！
Wow, this place’s strip center exterior is deceptively modest. What lies behind the door is an impressive composition of quiet, elegant, and entertaining dining. They have a good selection of maki, hand rolls, sashimi, sushi, and other Japanese fare.
The staff are very friendly, and even though they are a full service sushi bar, the experience would not intimidate a first timer.
This place is dark and quiet, and for the first time in my adult life, I wish I had dressed nicer than shorts and flip flops.
Great custom cocktails and sake selection, though the beer selection was somewhat limited. All in this place hit the nail on the head and we’ll definitely go back.

I have been to Soto several times, but for some reason, it has been about a year since my last visit. After tonight, that seems hard to understand. I forget how much of a treasure it is to our little town of Cedar Park… or to Austin, for that matter.
Tonight I experienced Soto a little differently than normal. Every time I have been here in the past, I have brought someone else with me and we have had dinner, sitting at a table. We have shared some sushi or sashimi, then each ordered an entrée or roll. Tonight, I was flying solo and what better way to dine alone than make your dining companion a sushi chef!
I sat at the counter and chose one or two pieces of sushi and was pleased at how special each presented piece was. Each was served with just a small portion of rice, not the thumb size glob you get at most restaurants. The fish, foie, or kobe (I ordered some of each) was perfectly bite sized, seasoned, garnished and presented like a special little gift. Recommendations were given as to whether or not to use soy sauce, although I wouldn’t have dared spoil the taste of O-​toro or white salmon or Japanese uni by doing such a thing. My palate was dancing with each bite and suggestion. Each better than the last. If you’ve ever watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi, this is what I imagine it is like. There’s no rush, just heavenly bites of nirvana.
Wednesday, BTW, also turns out to be the best night to pay a visit as it is when the more exotic and special fish is delivered fresh from Japan, including 400+ pound bluefin tuna. The most spectacular dishes were the uni, which just dissolves in your mouth and the live scallop. Amazing!!! If this was my last meal, I’d die content.

I’ve been here twice now, both times for lunch and both times I’ve been impressed by the service, quality and preparation of the food, and by how they have such a well designed and classy sushi joint sharing the same space/​parking lot with an Old Navy, Best Buy, and Party City to name a few. When you walk through the doors you are transported somewhere completely different. That’s impressive.
Both times I got the sushi & shashimi lunch special which comes with Tuna & Salmon Sashimi, Unagi & Hamachi Sushi, Salmon with Ikura, Super White with Ginger Sauce, Mini Crab Cake, Rock Shrimp, Fried Rice, and your choise of Maki (I got the Alaskian with salmon, cucumber and avocado). The pieces of shashimi are a good size (unlike at Uchi). This lunch special also comes with a soup and salad. My friend and I shared the Tuna with Truffle Oil appetizer which was by far our favorite dish of all that we ate. I highly recommend this. The tuna is just the right temperature, extremely fresh, has amazing flavor, and melts in your mouth.
The service excellent (I’ve had Mika both times and she is awesome), décor chic, and real wasabi is available upon request. My friends who have been here love it and I really need to follow their suggestion and sit at the sushi bar and let Chef Andy work his magic by doing the Chef’s Selection. I could see my rating going up to 5 after that experience.