How a Top 100 restaurant generates word of mouth and repeat business
Discover how Tatsumi Sushi built a loyal following through resilience, authenticity, and word of mouth.
Photo of Tatsumi Sushi’s Sumi Ika Nigiri, a traditional type of sushi made with golden cuttlefish
Tatsumi Sushi in Austin, Texas, ranked #25 on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2025.
Check out the rest of the eateries that made this year’s list, and catch up on stories of past winners.
Launching a restaurant in September 2020 would have been unthinkable for many business owners, but Chef Elvin Jin was determined to defy the odds with Tatsumi Sushi in Austin, Texas.
Photo of Chef Elvin Jin
“Had this restaurant been open anywhere else, I think it would have gone under [with] all the closures and reopening,” Elvin said, recalling what little reassurance small businesses had during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With high operating costs and no safety net, Tatsumi Sushi’s early days were defined by grit and persistence. There were weeks when Elvin threw away fish and wondered how long they could keep going, but he refused to cut corners.
“If you can go to sleep thinking that you tried your best and tried to do everything you could to make it work and it doesn’t work, then it’s not meant to be,” he said.
Tradition as a differentiator
Through difficult times and continuing today, Tatsumi Sushi stands out with its commitment to tradition. While many sushi restaurants lean into trendy rolls and fusion dishes, Tatsumi stays grounded in authentic Japanese cuisine, emphasizing using fresh fish and perfectly seasoned rice.
“We lean towards the more traditional side,” Elvin said. “We don’t do any of those modern sushi menu items… We fly in a lot of fish on a weekly basis, almost 60 plus fish a week.”
That devotion shows up in the details, such as a seasonal menu that provides a fresh experience for customers. “Each summer month and winter month is going to be different because there’s going to be fish that shine better in winter months, and there’s going to be months that are better for other fish. So these are very seasonal things,” Elvin said.
The power of word of mouth
Tatsumi Sushi has its own philosophy for growth, emphasizing relationship building over traditional marketing channels. “Word of mouth is the most powerful thing,” Elvin said. “It just has a snowball effect… one [review] becomes two, two becomes five, five becomes 10 and 15.”
In Elvin’s view, delivering a consistently special experience to each diner is more powerful than any press release. “If you make them feel special, if you make them feel something, they’ll come back and bring others with them,” he said.
Elvin’s strategy worked: Word soon spread beyond Austin, and customers began coming back week after week. “Chef Elvin really gets to know his guests,” one Yelp reviewer wrote in 2024. “This restaurant has an elegant feel—perfect for date nights, but you also feel relaxed, like you’re family. It’s a place [where] you would become a regular.”
Top 100 success and beyond
In 2025, Tatsumi Sushi’s devotion to quality and hospitality earned it a coveted spot on Yelp’s Top 100 Restaurants, shining a national spotlight on Elvin and his team.
“It was actually a huge surprise and an honor. Being recognized in that way gave the team a little extra boost of pride,” Elvin said. “More than anything, I think it’s a reminder that our hard work is reaching people… Finally, there’s some recognition that the expensive rice and vinegar that I imported didn’t go to waste.”
The recognition brought a wave of new diners—some traveling across state lines just for a taste. “Many of them traveled just to dine with us, or came to Austin to visit and told us they traveled from Indiana or New York as a family and wanted to eat here,” Elvin said.
Even after five years of growth, Tatsumi Sushi continues to innovate. Next up: a Japanese soft-serve and dessert concept featuring flavors like ube, matcha, and strawberry cream, all served in house-made cones and a chewy, mochi-waffle hybrid Elvin calls a “moffle.”
While it’s not sushi, this new project carries the same spirit of quality, joy, and tradition that defines Tatsumi Sushi. “Everyone loves ice cream, and I think it’s a new thing that people don’t know of yet,” Elvin said.
Photos from Tatsumi Sushi