Maiko

The owners are from Houston. IT IS NOT SANDRA BULLOCKS NEW SUSHI BAR! They got one of the old managers from Kenichi to start up the place. Don't know much more

Maiko's now open (as of 3/5)...i had some sushi there last night.

i just ate at maiko...their food is great!...i urge you to try the sea bass...and the hot rock. the chef was one person away from being on iron chef..the sushi...is great...try the hawaiin paradise roll. there fish is fresh from boston everyday! you can't get fresh fish everyday anywhere else.

Thats what I was thinking. I ate their last night and thought it was great. The sushi was comparable to all the good sushi places in Austin. But I thought the rolls where over the top. The best I have had in Austin. The only bad note (which has nothing to do with sushi) was the wine list was sup par.

Beware!!! We noticed that Maiko has surveillance cameras everwhere!!! NO, these are not the security type. They are the spy type. I also found video equipment behind the mirror in the lady's room. There are small televisions and some other things we could not make out. This is too weird. Didn't anyone learn anything from Pangos?! So, if you go to Maiko, know that big brother Maiko is taping you!!! We will not go back. I suggest these guys get out of Austin and go back to Houston. We don't like to be taped and spied on here!!!

We did notice the cameras and the small TVs. I am a good friend of Dick Clark so I called over to DCA Which is the architectural firm for Maiko, Uchi, and Kenichi. Michael Hsu (senior Architect) and his associates did explained to me why there are 5" TVs embedded behind the mirror. It was the idea of entertaining the guests with Japanese cartoons or Japanese film or even "Matrix" the movie. With the contemporary decor, I think that is a great idea. And the Surveillance cameras (they are not the spy type camera. If they were the spy type I don't think you would be able to notice it) were there to ensure the safety of the customers and their staff at the Bar and in the Dinning Room. After all I don't think Dick Clark and Michael Hsu would put their names on the project if they think anything like that is going on. It's common sense, why would they put so much money into one place, and jeopardize the whole operation (Michael did told me they have 5 other restaurants in Texas). It's not a nice gesture to talk behind their back, give them a chance. And if you do have problem with them, confront them. I think they would be glad to take your advice and make adjustments. Cheers

I was there when my friend loudly questioned and shown her dismay about the cameras. These are not security cameras. The little black domes beam down on where the guests sit. There is not a camera at the emergency exit in the hallway (clearly a security concern) nor is there one pointing at the front door. Obviously, these cameras will overlap and most likely catch parts of the front door, but that is a weak excuse. Clearly, these cameras are meant to focus on the customers while they are eating or drinking. My theory is that they are used to spy on the staff. (I feel for the staff.) There can be no other explanation. If it were to be a deterrent to crime, wouldn't there be a sign clearly showing that there are surveillance cameras in the building to frighten would-be criminals? Dick Clark and his business is just an architect and an architectural firm. They design and it gets built. They get paid for this. I doubt the cameras were their idea anyway. (Last few times I was at Kenichi I didn't see any cameras.) They just did what the Maiko people wanted. As for the bathroom video equipment: That's just weird. Who goes to the bathroom to watch tv? Why does anyone need to be entertained in the bathroom? Very weak explanations. Also, taping and spying on customers is not a common practice anywhere I know of. I could see it being done at a few rough bars. I cannot think of a single restaurant in the warehouse district nor of any sushi restaurants I have been to that has cameras spying down on customers. Btw, I certainly don't feel any safer with someone watching or taping me through a camera. It creeps me out. So no more excuses for these people. If you don't mind being taped and watched without your consent, then go there. If you are like me and feel you have a right to some level of privacy, then skip the place. Someone please list the names of these people's other restaurants so I can avoid them too.

This lil debate is getting around. I heard about this while eating at a different sushi house from their server. Well, lemme weigh in. First off, mcap you do not know what you are talking about. Having been a bartender and in bar management for nearly ten years, i can say that no one has cameras up in a bar to find out if someone served too much alcohol to a drunk or to assign blame in a fight or to extablish a reason for throwing someone out! First off, bars don't need a reason to kick someone out and in most instances don't want video evidence of what is going on in the establishment. Second, bar managers and owners don't need video documentation to manage and discipline employees. The bars that have cameras up direct them at the bartenders. They are up to keep to keep an eye on them so as to catch the few who don't ring in drinks and pocket money. This is more of a 6th street thing. There is so much physical security around, that issues like loud drunks and fights are immediately taken care of anyway. I have not been to Maiko yet, but I had been to Demi and Sardine Rouge, which were at the same location, and I can and will say this, there is no reason for cameras there. Security cameras, like those at banks, are clearly marked as a deterrent. From what I read, these do not appear to be security cameras. They are there to keep an eye on the employees. Unfortunately, such surveillance walks all over other's privacy. Just because it is not against the law doesn't make it right. Other restaurants in the area have the good sense and consideration to not go that route. It makes sense in a parking garage or at the service entrance. It is inappropriate to video and secretly watch your guests. I suspect Maiko will loose a lot of business because of this. Oh, this is my first time to this site. It is very nice, but also some of the blog comments are obviously plants by either Maiko or their friends.

I'm just not sure why the cameras are sucha big deal. What's the problem with being caught on video tape? It happens almost everywhere these days. Are they zooming in on people credit cards? No. Are they positioned to look up girls' skirts? Why bother? The waitresses' skirts seem short enough. I have a feeling that the cameras are only there to ensure the safety of patrons and staff. If the dining room is being watched, so what? Many great restaurants keep an eye on the dining room to gauge the pacing of a meal and monitor the service. I'm sure they never pay attention to the identity of the customer unless its a particularly important table. Unless Maiko's management is clearly abusing the video cameras, I'm just not sure why people on this board are condemning the for using the technology.

WOW! Maiko was FULL-HOUSE tonigh by the time we got theret! it seems that Maiko is doing better and better. A+++ for everything--the foods, and the service. anyway, big thanks to you guys ( whoever worked tonight ^^ ) for taking care of us at the sushi bar! you did a great job... and good luck to all of you! i guess i'll see you guys again tomorrow at lunch! have to go to bed now.. it has been a long day... oh by the way, we really enjoyed the tamago, they tasted just like those my mom used to make for me at home when I was little in Japan, so sweet... I miss my mommy... :cry: best -- Miho & Toshi

So, enough about security cameras (i sincerely doubt that Maiko would be blatantly violately a well-known criminal law by videotaping people in the bathroom, btw)... I haven't been back to Maiko since the night they first opened....I was fortunate enough to sit with the head chef (Oshima-san?) who served amazingly good sushi, but found it strange that he was only in Austin Thursday through Saturdays (the rest of the time he spends at the Gaylord Resort in Grapevine (!))....hope this doesn't mean that the quality of the food will decline as the Chinese chefs take over (the head chef was trained on the Ginza in Tokyo) and Oshima-san spends more time in DFW (he told us that he is building a deluxe sushi place at the Gaylord...). The rest of the menu (and photos shown to my Japanese friend and I that first night) seemed pretty blase - Asian-Fusion - and not as interesting as the non-sushi offerings at Uchi. I hope these guys get their act together. They seem totally unprepared when we had dinner there (not even shoyu was out until we asked for it). No advertising yet and parking is a danger (nearly had my car towed - it was parked on the street in front of Maiko at 6.30 pm - by the overjealous valets of Oslo). I'll definitely be back to Maiko and will continue eating there as long as Oshima-san is working his magic at the sushi bar.

I dined at Maiko last night and it was great. The place wasnt that busy, but the server said they havent advertised yet and it was still an impressive amount of customers in there. I've wondering what all this crazy talk about cameras was. They are not cameras at all. They are cool little tvs inside the mirror in the bathroom. It's awesome they play tv shows or news and I heard they are working on getting some cool films to play. So whoever was getting all up in arms about cameras blahblahblah you should get your facts straight before you make you deal about it. Anyways, we had atlantic king slamon and an array of rolls and they were all taste bud pleasers. I had a cocktail that had japanese vodka in it and it was so good I may have to give up Grey Goose now!

okay let me first address just passing by....first off, dont believe everything you hear. especially from another server at another sushi bar. you havent even been to Maiko's so you're better off keeping your ideas to yourself until you actually go there. and as for the "video equipment" in the bathroom....yes there are tv's in the mirror. this is what u see at sports bars and other new and modern places. but i believe whoever (yes we know who u are) mentioned the "video equipment" in the bathrooms and were trying to imply that there were cameras in there, which is totally absurd, was just bitter because of his circumstances. so i hope this ends all RUMORS about cameras or whatever in the bathroom. and the cameras in the dining area are for security purposes. and new restaurant is gonna have them too. come on, think about it....if you were opening up a restaurant that's open late nights, wouldnt u want SURVEILLANCE cameras too? .. okay that's my 2 cents

I recently ate at maiko and had a very enjoyable time. I dont agree with some of the staff comments. Our waiter was knowledgable and experienced. Mark convinced my girlfriend to get the seabass,"the best in the city" she loved it .I got the shrimp and scallop with noodles, the fish eggs gave it a weird consistency that I had to get used to, but it was good. I was not too impressed with the loudness or volume of the music while eating. I don't understand what the big deal is with the cameras, or how you can focus that much or long on it.It seems kind of absurd, I ate there had a good time, good food, good service and if we decide to go back we will.

I think people are still suffering from the "Pango" hysteria. For those of you who don't know, a former owner of a downtown sushi restaurant, Pango's, had a hidden camera in the lady's room. He got caught. It upset many many people. So perhaps someone seeing video stuff in the lady's room freaked her out. I don't think after the "Pango" incident it will happen again. Not for a long long time anyways.

Going to give Miako a try tonight. Musachino fan and patron for ten years - best traditional sushi in the city! Stalking Tyson Cole (Kyoto, Mus.) all the way to his own place, Uchi. Beautiful surroundings, fabulous food, great staff and the coolest sushi chef's period! Cameras and video equipment? The paparazzi just won't leave me alone! I guess I'll dress up.....