Neighborhood Sushi, the MML Hospitality sushi bar tucked off South Congress and now firmly in the ATX favorite column, is getting ready to double up. The team is planning a second Austin location on South First, in a space directly across from Elizabeth Street Café. Permitting documents indicate the roughly 4,000-square-foot storefront would be transformed into a full-service sushi-and-seafood restaurant, a sizable build-out for what started as a neighborhood concept. For regulars, that likely means another nearby spot for high-quality nigiri, rolls, and late-night bar service.
MML Hospitality, the group behind Perla’s, Clark’s Oyster Bar, and other well-known Austin restaurants, has been steadily turning several of its one-off hits into broader brands, according to CHRON. With the company’s footprint growing outside Austin, a second Neighborhood Sushi in its home market starts to look less like a surprise and more like the next logical step.
Permitting paperwork filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and reported by WhatNow, details renovation plans for a 4,000-square-foot unit at 1417 S. 1st St. The remodel is pegged at about $500,000 by the Austin Business Journal, as cited by WhatNow. The outlet also highlights several standouts from the original South Congress menu, including Yellowtail Scallion, a Legacy Farms Wagyu roll ,and a Snow Crab roll, all of which are strong candidates to anchor the new dining room’s lineup.
Where on South First
The planned site lands in a sweet spot across from Elizabeth Street Café, a fixture on the South First corridor that regularly pulls in crowds for its French-Vietnamese menu and strong street presence, according to neighborhood guides like Do512. That stretch of South First is already dotted with well-regarded independents, a built-in audience that could feed a steady stream of diners and foot traffic to the new sushi outpost.
Menu and vibe
The original Neighborhood Sushi on South Congress has built a reputation as a polished but approachable sushi bar, with a small-plates focus and an intimate, dimly lit dining room, reviewers note at The Infatuation. Fans can likely expect a similar formula on South First: lean, precise nigiri, shareable plates like grilled edamame and yellowtail tartare, and a cocktail list designed to play nicely with all that fish.
Timeline and outlook
There is no official opening date yet, and permit activity suggests design and construction are still in the early stages. The project lines up with MML’s broader expansion push, including Neighborhood Sushi locations outside Austin, a trend the Dallas Morning News recently covered. For now, locals eyeing a new South First sushi option will have to keep an eye on permitting records and MML’s announcements while the build-out takes shape.
