TL;DR: the concept of this restaurant not only has already been done in another Austin restaurant but is also poorly executed and confusingly done from the kitschy Asian inspired decor to the Asian fusion/ southern food concept. The decor of this restaurant looks like it would have been cool and trendy in the early 2000s but today seems outdated. From the red lighting to the metal chain curtain, the hanging paper umbrellas and the 5+ TV screens playing anime, it’s extremely overkill. The names of the dishes such as “harajuku girls fried wontons” and “ninja shredded red cabbage & carrot salad” not only make zero sense but are also borderline racist. On to the food. Overall, the presentation was lacking and the flavor of each dish was very one dimensional. The curry sauce that the duck empanadas came with did not complement the empanadas well, leaving me very confused about the taste. The udon cashew noodles did not look appetizing when they came out and the noodles were very soggy and over cooked while there was no element of crunch in that dish. Lastly, the Mongolian beef was incredibly salty to the point where it was inedible. We were told by one of the owners to eat it with rice but even still it was way too salty and we were only given a tiny portion of rice while a extra bowl would have been $4. The prices of the dishes are already astronomically high and the poor quality of the food makes it even less worth it spend your money here. I got the overall feeling that this restaurant is trying extremely hard to fit in with the trendy Austin food scene and it really misses that mark. Whoever runs this restaurant seems to be making a desperate move of drawing on overt stereotypes of Asian culture to sell food, further perpetuating these stereotypes such as exoticizing Asian culture and by not focusing on one Asian cuisine, enforcing the belief that all Asian cultures are the same. Leaving the restaurant, the overt racism and poorly executed food figuratively and literally left a salty taste in my mouth.

This is my second time here and both times have been really enjoyable. The food menu changes with seasons, but is really creative without being kitschy or trying too hard. The brisket tacos are really good, though they have changed a bit since the first time, which I enjoyed more. The food overall is excellent and it manages to straddle some different lines in terms of cuisine without being annoying or really in your face about it. I hope that this place does good business and can stay open in a quickly changing downtown food scene.

Have dinner here and thank me later. I'm not kidding the food is amazing. The Hamachi and the Bay scallops will rock you. This place will make you look cool too. Oh and go grab a drink and dance upstairs at the Summit after.

If I could recommend any place to eat in Austin, it’d be Tanukisan. My husband and I found them via Instagram and got a reservation for their chef’s table. It was fun, intimate, and so delicious. We were treated to 5 plates of whatever Chef Adam and Chef Leichliter wanted to serve. It was such a delight to the senses, and the Chefs were so giving of their time and very engaging. Before starting, we had a chance to look at their standard menu, which was incredibly punny as well as appetising. They cover vegan, vegetarian, and meat lovers with great pricing, an excellent happy hour menu, and a fun and artistic atmosphere. I highly recommend the Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo, “Cabin in the Snow". The best sake I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to make it back in to visit.

Tanuki is a unique and vibrant addition to the Austin food scene! I can’t believe it took me so long to come check it out. I’ve been here for happy hour, and also for the Chef’s Table which was better than anticipated since we left everything up to the Chef, but I loved every dish. The food was INCREDIBLE. I’m in love with the shrimp dumplings (Texas Gulf Shrimp Shumai), and also the Shiitake Mushrooms are a must-have and come with an incredible sauce. Can’t forget about the scallops that were cooked to perfection... I’m still dreaming of those! The whole experience was wow-worthy and definitely made me want to come back. I was impressed, and will continue to keep Tanuki on my list as one of my favorite restaurants in Austin! Knowledgeable and helpful wait staff as well. Highly recommend.

It was decent but a little underwhelming. With the name I was expecting Japanese not Asian American fusion. Lunch menu felt a little hodgepodge. I would have been really excited if the burger was a bogogi burger but it sounded like just a burger with kimchi so passed. Brisket egg rolls were pretty good although fairly one dimensional since the brisket overwhelmed. One person in our party loved the Mongolian beef. Another seemed not too happy with the crispy chicken sandwich and dismembered it. I had the sweet and sour shrimp which was pretty good but different is a slightly unsatisfying way. I would like to come back and try the tom kha and chicken stir fry. The plating was fabulous and I really appreciate a place that presents food well. I’m somewhat sensitive to smell and the building had a lingering construction site odor that I hope goes away with time. All in all I would have it a 3.7 if I could. Very close to a 4+ but wasn’t quite there for me today.

I'm so glad this spot opened up because it is SO DANG DELICIOUS. They're creating super unique, fun fusions like their Korean burger and spicy clams in a pho-like broth. The charred asparagus were incredible, too (with a gooey egg on top mmmm). Oh and their bison wontons are addictive. The space is super dope too. Highly recommend it for a date night, HH with friends, or even a casual lunch (once they open for lunch!)

My boyfriend LOVES Asian food. I was excited to surprise him with a restaurant pick for our date night. (I don't live in Austin so he usually picks the place. ) I read some decent reviews about this restaurant on Yelp so I picked this restaurant. The hostess was friendly, and we were seated quickly. There were other patrons in the restaurant, but I would not consider it busy at the time we visited. We started by ordering drinks: Strawberry Fields and Oaxaca Nightcap. I anticipated my drink, Strawberry Fields, to be a little more on the sweeter side but it wasn't. It was not bad...just different. I did take a sip of my boyfriend's drink, the Oaxaca Nightcap, and it had a very smoky taste. On to the appetizers! We ordered the shishito peppers and the brisket spring rolls. I absolutely love shishito peppers! I was disappointed with two things: 1) the flavoring used was a thinner sauce (soy?) so it didn't stick to the peppers. The sauce was delicious, but unfortunately, it was all at the bottom of the bowl. 2) The dipping sauce was a mustard, which did nothing to enhance the flavor of the peppers. It was not to our liking so we did without. I was not able to try the spring rolls since i'm allergic to shellfish. ( The same grease is used to fry the foods. ) I read the udon noodles are delicious so that's what I wanted to eat. However, the restaurant was out of noodles and soup! Since I have a shellfish allergy, that left me with about two options. Needless to say, I paid the bill and we ate elsewhere.

Great ambiance, amazing drinks, friendly staff. This new hot spot lures you in with it's great decor and keeps you happy with the amazing bespoke cocktails and great conversation with the bartenders. Definitely a must see!