Uchiko Houston will debut a lunch menu this fall, marking the first time an Uchi concept will open its doors for lunchtime service, according to a Sept. 17 news release.

The details

Lunch at Uchiko begins on Oct. 7 and will be served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., per the release.

The Japanese eatery belongs to Austin-based restaurant group Hai Hospitality, which also includes sister concepts Uchi, Uchiba, Oheya and Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar, a new location of which opened on Kirby Drive in September.
The lunch menu will include cool and hot tastings, vegetables and tempura. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
The lunch menu will include cool and hot tastings, vegetables and tempura. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
According to the release, Chef de Cuisine Shaun King and the kitchen team looked at the dinner menu from a different point of view, and the result was a balance of lighter and heartier fare to appeal to all appetites and timeframes.

“I think our style of food translates easily into lunch,” King said in a statement. “The wagyu short rib sando from our hearth is perfect for those who are craving something heartier, while the chirashi bowl is fresh and lightly filling. We had fun rediscovering our menu through the lens of lunch.”
The wagyu short rib sando is a new feature of the restaurant's lunch menu. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
The wagyu short rib sando is a new feature of the restaurant's lunch menu. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
On the menu




Guests can expect dinner items to be translated to lunch, such as nigiri and sashimi dishes, according to the release. Uchiko takes smoke and char from its yakitori grill alongside the clean favors that officials said are a hallmark of sister concept Uchi, per the release.
The new lunch menu will include some dinner favorites, including nigiri and sashimi. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
The new lunch menu will include some dinner favorites, including nigiri and sashimi. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
Other lunch items include vegetable selections, which include the chirashi bowl with tuna, salmon, avocado, green onion, cucumber and rice. Hot tastings include steak frites, roasted oysters and tempura. Customers can also get dessert dishes, including a chocolate tart and a coconut sorbet sundae.

Specials will include the Ko Lunch, comprised of hamachi, maki, soba noodles and two chef's choice nigiri, along with a protein option of karaage, the wagyu short rib sandwich or salmon.
Highlights from the beverage menu include a curated selection of sparkling, red and white wine, sake, beer and cocktails, according to the release. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
Highlights from the beverage menu at Uchiko include a curated selection of sparkling, red and white wine, sake, beer and cocktails. (Courtesy Uchiko Houston)
Looking for a libation?

Highlights from the beverage menu include a curated selection of sparkling, red and white wine, sake, beer and cocktails, according to the release.

Cocktails include Hachi No Hiza, made with gin rosemary and yuzu honey and a lychee martini.




Nonalcoholic options include Fever Tree sodas, nonalcoholic beer and zero proof housemade mocktails, such as the jasmine honey, made with jasmine tea and yuzu honey.