Published November 20, 2024

At This New Houston Restaurant, the Sushi Travels to You By Houston Eater

Written by Eli Torres

At This New Houston Restaurant, the Sushi Travels to You By Houston Eater header image.

Diners at Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera in West Houston get to secure this Michelin star-level sushi from a conveyor belt

Sushi Ginza Onodera, a Japanese restaurant group that has been awarded 15 Michelin stars, has brought its acclaimed sushi and its nifty delivery method to West Houston.

Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera officially opened to the public on Saturday, November 16 in the West on West retail and dining development, delivering its sushi — flown in from Japan twice weekly and prepared fresh to order — on a conveyor belt.

Kaiten Sushi, a name that in Japanese refers to the “revolving sushi bars” popular in Japan, keeps the focus largely on its Edomae sushi — a type of sushi evolved from street food that involves lightly cooking, pickling, or curing the ingredients first to preserve the freshness and flavor. The decor, thus, is minimalist and sleek with natural woods and a mix of 84 seats at booths and individual counter-style seating, all of which are situated close to the conveyor belt for easy access. Touch screen tablets placed at each table allow diners to place their orders, and while sushi makes its way to the table through a conveyor belt, servers will deliver other dishes and drinks to the table.

A slice of tuna served over rice at Kaiten Sushi. — Tuna nigiri is a specialty at Kaiten Sushi, as is uni.

A roll of uni at Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onadera.

Along with sushi priced between $3 and $13 depending on the type of fish, Kaiten also serves other dishes like shoyu ramen, Japanese egg custard with shrimp and mushroom, and desserts like strawberry parfaits and black sesame ice cream.

The restaurant officially opened on Saturday morning in conjunction with the grand opening of the West on West NewQuest development located on Westheimer Road in West Houston. The area features numerous Asian-owned restaurants and dining establishments, including Lady M, which is located next door, Gen House BBQ, Somi Somi, T-Swirl Crepes, the Alley, Paris Baguette, and Gen Korean BBQ House.

Helmed by executive chef Akifumi Sakagami and head chef Kotoro Soto, Kaiten Sushi is a more casual offshoot of its sister restaurant Sushi Ginza Onodera, one of the most recognized and Michelin-celebrated restaurants specializing in sushi and raw seafood dishes.

Launched in Ginza, Tokyo, the Ginza Onodera restaurant group operates 20 restaurants in total across Japan, China, and the U.S. Stateside, it operates Sushi Ginza Onodera in Los Angeles and Hawaii, and most recently opened a location of Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera in Honolulu in April.