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Discover the Joys of Japanese Pub Grub

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Cocktails at Kuu

Image: Chuck Cook

Aka Sushi House

When: 3–7 p.m. and 9–10:30 p.m. Mon–Thu; 3–7 p.m. and 9–midnight Fri; noon–midnight Sat; noon–10:30 p.m. Sun
What: Daily specials like half-priced bottles of wine and sake on Tuesday are great, but not as impressive as the weekend all-day happy hour at this Upper Kirby hot spot. Stake a claim to a table for a marathon of $2.50 brews, $3.25 kurobuta sausage and $10 combo sushi plates.

Blue Fish

When: 5–7 p.m. daily
What: Nothing exceeds $5 during the Red Sun Hour at this sushi bar in downtown’s Bayou Place. That means rolls, mixed seafood tempura and $4 wines and Japanese beers. $3 desserts include mochi ice cream and chocolate-filled spring rolls.

Kuu Restaurant

When: 3:30–6:30 p.m. Mon–Fri
What: Small plates may be inexpensive at this upscale Memorial City spot’s “social hour,” but there’s no skimping on ingredients. Foie gras mousse with apple jam is just $5, while maki—including the soft shell crab Spider Roll—come in at $7. Cocktails are all $7 too, including the sake-splashed Osaka Mule.

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Maki rolls and cocktails such as the Osaka Mule are both $7 at Kuu Restaurant.

Image: Chuck Cook

Oishii Japanese Restaurant 

When: 3–7 p.m. Mon–Fri; 3–6 p.m. Sat
What: This great-granddaddy of Japanese happy hours in Greenway Plaza offers 23 different $4 buy-one-get-one-free items, including a variety of rolls, but also French fries. Domestic beers are $1.25, Japanese imports are $1.75, and wine clocks in at $4.

Soma Sushi

When: 4–10 p.m. Mon; 4–7 p.m. Tue–Sat; noon–10 p.m. Sun
What: Ambitious cocktails such as a strawberry-and-cilantro-infused vodka concoction and a wasabi-spiked gin martini are $6 at this Washington Avenue stalwart, as are fun kitchen bites including Korean wings, a pair of shishito pancake–battered corn dogs, and Japanese oxtail curry with roti.

Uchi

When: 5–6:30 p.m. daily
What: Like the rest of the intensely seasonal Austin import’s offerings, the happy hour menu at the Montrose location changes daily. What’s always there for the taking? $3 hot or cold sake, $6 maki (add wagyu to the avocado one for another $3), and a sense of adventure.

Published in the The Local's Guide to Super Bowl Houston issue of Houstonia Mag.











Alice Levitt
Alice Levitt
Alice joined Houstonia in November 2015 and has been relishing exploring the city’s vibrant food scene ever since.  She began her journalism career at age 13 with a cult film criticism ’zine. As an adult, stints with WWE Magazine and EatingWell led to her job as senior food writer at Vermont’s alternative newsweekly, Seven Days, in 2008. In that capacity, she became one of the state’s most well-known TV and radio personalities. Her first book, Vermont: An Explorer’s Guide, was published in 2015. Alice has won an AltWeekly Award for Best Food Writing, two Daysies for Best Print/Online Journalist, and two "Top Social Foodie" awards from Burlington Social Media Day.