Austin omakase team opens much more casual South First Street sushi bar

The team behind Austin's highly regarded Craft Omakase has debuted another sushi restaurant built for a more casual crowd. Craft Nori is open now at 3715 S. 1st St., Ste. A.

The restaurant's website promises, "High standards, good prices. No reservations."

Guests at Craft Nori will have to locate it in the Tree Apartments building. Parking is available on the bottom floor of the building's garage; from there, guests will have to go up one level, and can do so without entering the apartment lobby. They can also park at LifeWorks across the street after 5 pm and enter at the restaurant's level from South First Street.

The dining room is long and shallow, largely taken up by a sushi counter covered in calm blue tiles. A curved ceiling in a natural wood finish wraps over the bar like an awning, increasing architectural interest as well as the feeling that the restaurant is just squeezed into a convenient space — a stop on a larger night out. Some small tables are also available past the bar. Frosted windows block out much of the street while letting in light.