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Kemuri Tatsu-ya, Austin, TX
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Kemuri Tatsu-ya

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Visa Dining Collection

$31 to $50
Barbecue

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 57 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Innovative
  • Lively
  • Good for special occasions
Recognized by the James Beard Foundation, Michelin Guide and named one of the best restaurants in the U.S. by Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, GQ and more! Japanese izakaya and Texas barbecue are arguably the two best cuisines to enjoy while imbibing. Kemuri Tatsu-ya offers a mash-up of the two, plus an excellent selection of booze—including a ‘whisky bible.’ Guests are welcomed into the space with an enthusiastic “irasshaimase!” from the staff. The experience only gets better from there with creative dishes like Taiyaki Cornbread, Brisket Tsukemen and Guaca-Poke. Bright, innovative cocktails, including super-chilled Toki highballs cranked out from a machine, are
an essential part of the experience. Reserve a table today to get a taste of this iconic Austin
restaurant, brought to you by Tatsu Aikawa and the team behind Ramen Tatsu-Ya.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Tatsu Aikawa

From the OpenTable editors: When it opened in 2017, this MICHELIN Bib Gourmand quickly racked up accolades—including a spot on Bon Appétit’s best new restaurant list—for chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto’s innovative Japanese izakaya-meets-Texas smokehouse mashup. That looks like smoked chicken wing yakitori, brisket hot pockets, and chili cheese takoyaki chased with beer and whisky in a cozy, wood-lined tavern.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue, Izakaya, Creative Japanese
  • Hours of operation
    Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (512) 803-2224
  • Website
    https://www.kemuri-tatsuya.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Location
    2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702-4715
  • Neighborhood
    Austin
  • Cross street
    E 2nd Street at Pleasant Valley
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Public transit
    Take an Uber!
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access

Experiences

  • Reservation-Table

    Multiple dates available
    During peak times, reservations can be held for up to 5 minutes and there may be a wait even with a reservation. Take an Uber--you'll thank us!

  • Hightop Bar

    Multiple dates available
    Hightop style counter seating. Full menu available!

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 112 people are saying

Kemuri Tatsu-ya reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Austin

    Innovative

  • Austin

    Barbecue

  • Austin

    Innovative

  • Austin

    Barbecue

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Kemuri Tatsu-ya impresses with its inventive fusion of Japanese and Texas BBQ, offering a "unique, cool restaurant" experience. Guests raved about the "mind blowingly good" food, including the wagyu short rib skewers and brisket. While some noted minor service hiccups, the "amazing food and wonderful service" create a memorable dining atmosphere.
112 Reviews

  1. Margaret VIP

    Austin7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Delicious food and drinks ! Fun spot and we’ll be back

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  2. Jake

    Portland1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a great time. Perfect for a fancy dinner date that’s not pretentious. Great food. Chef Derek was a gracious host. I asked for a “great seat with vibes” and was sat at the bar next to the chefs station. Took an eclectic sampling of various menu items and not a single one was a disappointment. May possibly be the best meal I’ve ever had. The wagyu skewers, brisket hot pocket, and Kara-age chicken were some highlights. Cocktails were balanced. Can’t recommend enough

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  3. Missy

    Unspecified1 review

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a reservation and still waited about 1/2 hour. But well worth it. Good food, fun atmosphere & great service. Would highly recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Sujit VIP

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Bbq smell was great, the fishy briny smell in the back was less than great. I understand the fast pace but dishes came out a bit too fast. Have to be reasonable with the speed especially when there with kids. Wagyu short rib skewers were fire. Ramen and scallop skewers was great. Bbq boat was really great value (brisket and pork belly were better than the ribs but all were good). Overall, very cool concept and well executed but could use a bit of fine tuning with the operations and some of the flavors. Would definitely come back.

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Unagi bento box and hotate were absolutely divine. Loved it

    Is this helpful?

  6. Jesus

    Austin1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was amazing! Staff was so knowledgeable about the menu and was very helpful too. I would recommend it on a night out when you just want to try something new, definitely worth it.

    Is this helpful?

  7. JBOntario VIP

    Chicago9 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    It seems that the restaurant is inconsistent. Dined Saturday evening, two weeks in a row. Nothing was incredible. Everything was good, but no real stand outs. Very competent service and pleasant service.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Savannah

    Austin3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food and drinks were good! It’s a cool place. We sat outside on a nice day which helped. Sort of a weird spot in a neighborhood but still cool.

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  9. Jesse VIP

    Austin24 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I adore this place. It’s the perfect mix of funky and eclectic with incredible food. My only real gripe is the check in process can be a bit clunky even with a RSVP. Parking is nightmarish too.

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  10. Marcellous VIP

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our experience was just outstanding from the moment we arrived. We did not know what to expect as we were just exploring options around the city of Austin. We were greeted at the entrance and taken to our table and were greeted in Japanese by the staff as we walked in to our table. We decided to try the skewers, and have to say our most favorite was the short rib and mushrooms ones. Another favorite was the Brisket and Bento box! Both are a must! I had the House margarita they serve, which was really good, not too sweet. My boyfriend had the sake and it was also great. Matt was our server and he did a fantastic job guiding us over the menu, service was excellent and fast. Overall we had a great experience and will definitely go back when we come visit Austin again.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Kemuri Tatsu-ya is rated 4.6 stars by 112 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Austin
  4. Austin
  5. Austin

Make a reservation

Booked 57 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Kemuri Tatsu-ya

2713 E 2nd St, Austin, TX 78702-4715

Additional information

  • Cross street
    E 2nd Street at Pleasant Valley
  • Neighborhood
    Austin
  • Hours of operation
    Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue, Izakaya, Creative Japanese
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Public transit
    Take an Uber!
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access
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