Home of Houston's Most Beloved Sushi Chef: Aya Sushi

Houston has a lot of quality, delicious high-end sushi spots. That being said, Aya does a terrific job of delivering quality food while curating a great experience. They’re the whole package! From the beautiful interior, the fun-loving eclectic chef, and the extensive wine and sake selection, we’d say Aya Sushi in Bellaire is definitely worth the try. When you arrive, we’ll be the first to admit that the outside is very unassuming. However, as soon as you step foot inside the actual restaurant, it’s hard not to be enamored by its beautiful architecture. There are arches of light that guide your gaze to the heart of the restaurant, the sushi bar.

If you are able to, we’d recommend getting a seat at the sushi bar. In another life, we swear Chef Yoshi San is a performer because interacting with him is such a delight. You can really tell that he loves what he does and has fun doing it. Not only is he a great showman, but he’s also classically trained in Tokyo, so he knows his stuff. 

I’ve definitely experienced dishes where the chefs get “lost in the sauce,” and the add-ons end up overpowering the fish. But from the dishes we’ve tried, we’re happy to report that Chef Yoshi did a fantastic job curating his dishes so that each component complements one another, adding new depth rather than fighting for your attention. We went for Happy Hour and were able to try the Tuna Verde, Midai Crudo, 401 Maki, Chilled Shrimp, Lobster Harumaki, Gyu Katsu (they’re the first and only place to serve this dish) and for drinks, we tried their Lychee Hime, Rokudenashi, and Hanami. 

Note: not all items we tried are on the happy hour menu.

While we visited for the happy hour and ordered a la carte, Aya Sushi also offers an impeccable omakase that we recommend trying at least once! It makes for a great date night!

P.S. I am in love with their ceramics and need to shop from their supplier ASAP.

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