Kemuri Tatsu-Ya

Kemuri Tatsu-Ya is a Texas izakaya and smokehouse that blends Japanese bar food with Texas barbecue. The menu pairs skewers from the grill with smoked brisket ramen, chilled sashimi, barbecue eel and whiskey highballs, and dishes are meant to be shared. Chef owner Tatsu Aikawa, who was born in Japan and raised in Texas, built the restaurant inside a former barbecue joint. It has earned a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand.

The restaurant is on East Second Street in Austin, and the kitchen serves dinner Monday through Sunday, with later hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations can be made online, and gift cards are sold through the website. Diners tend to settle in for the evening and order another round as they go.