From Sushi Pop-Up to Brick-and-Mortar, Houston’s Norigami Finds a Home in West U

Norigami, the monthly sushi hand roll pop-up that launched at Hidden Omakase in 2021, is opening a permanent location in West University, near Rice Village, on Thursday, September 21, according to a release.

Norigami’s first brick-and-mortar at 2715 Bissonnet Street will be a two-part experience, with a Japanese sushi restaurant and a speakeasy-style bar, both of which seat 24 people.

Jenn Duncan

Norigami’s hidden bar is framed by colorful cranes.

Diners familiar with Norigami’s roots will find some of its popular dishes. Chef Jimmy Kieu, who recently opened Sushi by Hidden, a 30-minute omakase restaurant also in Rice Village, will oversee the menu, serving Norigami’s signature hamachi and salmon crudo dishes, and its steak and eggs dish, beef tartar that’s paired with pickled red onions, quail egg, and caviar and toast. Signature hand rolls, including its spicy scallops rolls served with chili garlic aioli yuzu tobiko, and avocado, and its toro, served with jicama and fried leeks, will be a main fixture of the menu, with the option of ordering them as a set or individually. The bar, helmed by bartender Hao Mao, formerly of restaurant Bludorn and Wooster’s bar, will offer a menu of creative cocktails, plus beer, sake, wine, champagne, and snacks.

Michael Anthony

Similar to its sister restaurants Hidden Omakase and Sushi by Hidden, Norigami will also have a speakeasy-style entrance. Inside, the speakeasy will take on a more minimalist approach, with rich wood tones, an Ace of Spades champagne wall, and decor illuminated by colorful LED lights that pay homage to Tokyo’s busy cityscape. The ceilings and decorative shelves will be filled with crafty origami cranes, a nod to the restaurant’s playful name Norigami. The restrooms will also be a highlight, with mesmerizing infinity doors that lead into monochromatic rooms.

Jenn Duncan

Norigami will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays, and 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Reservations can be made online.