Ash K is a skilled magician and a charismatic showman. Thrilling to watch him in action. Five stars! read more

I'll lead with disclosure. I do know Ash K's manager, Kevin, but I didn't get to know him until AFTER I'd seen Ash, so I feel like I can be objective. Ash is just a brilliant guy, which adds an element of depth, versatility, and responsiveness to his already considerable magic and comedic skills, He can give a show in one of several languages, if it comes down to it, and has the sensitivity to adapt to his crowd. I've seen him work a casual walkaround like an old-world baker works dough, deft and dextrous in his manipulation of props and people. He can mesmerize a child and charm a dowager. Currently he has an amazing special if you book him online for an in-home show. He is guaranteed to make the most cynical child want to be a magician, and can even make adolescents laugh - and you know what a tough crowd they can be. Besides that, he's a genuinely nice guy, which can't be said about all performers. You won't go wrong hiring Ask K the Pretty Good. He's better than Pretty Good. He's GRRRRREAT! read more

Like magic mushrooms and carpets, a good magician transports you to new and unexpected worlds. If you ever get to view Ash K. live, bring your passport, sunglasses and universal language translator, cause you're in for one hell of a trip. My wife brought Ash K. to our Fourth of July party and all I can say is Wow! Its not just that he did great magic, though he did do the world's second best disappearing trick (I'll tell you about the best when you're older). It was his ability to constantly mislead the audience just a little bit, convince them they were headed left and then take a quick right, and visa versa, that made the show far more then the sum of its well executed magical parts. My Japanese born wife described him as "European sophisticated but not pushy about it." I would probably have just said "entertaining smartass" but never mind- either way you kind of wind up at the same place. I know Ash K. does everything from TV and big auditoriums to trade shows. If you ever have a chance to see this engaging performer, don't pass it up. Kevin, Ash K.'s manager, is a friend and I'm well aware that he's ruffled a few feathers on Yelp. I don't know all the details (which suits me fine), but I can say Ash K. was a joy at my party and other than a missing rabbit we're all the better for having had him perform. read more

I had the pleasure of being entertained by Ash K in the Fairmont in SF during the Holiday Tea Service. He was so funny, that I had him come to the house for my Son's 7th Birthday party. Once again he had the entire kids and adults laughing for the entire audience- kids and adults! His tricks are awesome because they're up close and involve the audience. Thanks Ash K for all the laughter you've brought into our lives! Can't wait to see you again! read more

Gotta LOVE ASH K.!!!!!!!!! Ash was the MC for our Vegan event at The Marsh last night and not only is he charming, he is graciously talented and an eloquent speaker. Love the magic he makes and I have to say, he'd be perfect for any occasion! read more

Ash K is a great entertainer. He understands how to embrace an audience without taking over. His magic is terrific and his jokes are funny. We hired him for a party today and everybody loved him. Trust me i am in the party business and know a lot of magicians, Ash is one of my favorites. read more

6/27/07 5 stars Pretty good? Nah. Great! And very fun. Ash is wonderful with kids of ALL ages. User ratings of my original review (from my old Yelp account, which I can no longer access) as of 7/15/17: None read more

I loved it! Ashkenazi the Pretty Good was both delightful and amazing, despite my being a jaded person. He was very witty, too - which I didn't expect in a kids' show. It was fun to watch the kids being included in the show. BTW, I'm a friend of Kevin (but, honestly, hadn't seen Ash K before) read more

I saw Ash K perform magic at the Fairmont Hotel's Holiday Tea Service. He did an outstanding job entertaining us and must have done so for others because a little kid followed him to our table to watch more! The magic was all close-up, making the tricks all that much more impressive as there was no off-stage or off-screen activity to fool us. In one trick Ash K put a gold coin in my friend's hand, when opened the hand held a silver coin! What?! How did that happen?! As other reviewers have noted, Ash K has a great sense of humor and mixes comedy into his magic to create a highly entertaining performance! If you get a chance to see / hire Ash K, don't miss out! read more

Hanukkah 2016 - Ash K had our family in stitches and asking for more latkes. Very entertaining, engaging and super funny.

If you haven't seen Ash K. yet, go for it! I'm spending the summer working with his fellow magician, Kevin, and it's been a great experience. Kevin uses his and Ash K.'s performance magic to teach young kids at summer camp how to be magicians. I have to say, we counselors are learning just as much as the kids are! Ash K.'s organization is definitely worth your while. Psst... ask for the "Eenie-Meenie" trick. It's pretty mind-blowing! read more

I saw Ash K at a birthday party. He circulated among the guests and did little card and coin tricks that were really entertaining. I caught his sleight of hand a few times, but he is so funny and engaging that nobody seemed to mind ... I certainly was entertained. He did a more stage-like show towards the end of the night that was also quite entertaining. Almost every trick involved a volunteer from the audience and his banter was as entertaining as the tricks. I think Ash K would be a great fit for any kid's party or adult's party, but maybe not so much for teens. You need to be in a mindset to suspend disbelief and go with the flow to enjoy yourself with this sort of show. Teenagers are a bit too set on proving their intelligence and finding out the "truth" of things, so they'd probably make a big fuss if they spotted any of the sleight of hand. Ash K's appeal is his humor and his tricks ... but if you are dead set of spotting his tricks you will probably spot one or two ... most of his tricks are ones that magic fans will have seen before ... cards, coins, ropes, rings, etc. But he performs these tricks with style and attitude and you can be entertained even if you've seen them before. As with any magician, make sure you have the right audience before inviting Ash to be the entertainment. read more

Ash K performed at my daughter's 10 birthday party and his show was incredible. Both the kids and the adults were fully entertained for the 45 minute show. He kept the attention of the entire audience and had us all laughing; the kids kept talking about how much fun the show was after it was over and they all loved being brought up "on stage". There were a couple of challenging 10 year olds in attendance but Ash K handled the tough crowd brilliantly. My 9 year old insists on bringing Ash K back for her party and I can't wait for a second show. HIGHLY RECOMMEND for kids and adults alike!! read more

Ash is so amazing. We're still wondering how he finished that incredible trick with the chalkboard. The kids in the audience loved being involved in the performance, and the intimate setting really enhanced the experience. Totally. Awesome. read more

You were GREAT at Dave's Birthday party -- people still ask me, "Who WAS that guy!?" Your reputation still stands strong -- VERY Entertaining! Thanks for being there! Melissa read more

The show was good for (little kids), which was great, because that's why we went. make sure you go up 2 the 2nd floor read more

Experienced Ash at a Bridal Shower. So much FUN and kept us entertained and laughing the entire performance. He is professional, approachable and adds a great touch to an otherwise traditional event. Highly recommend. read more

Pretty good? Nah. Great! And very fun. Ash is wonderful with kids of ALL ages.

We just saw Ash K's show at a bridal shower and he was WONDERFUL! He had everyone in the group laughing and in awe of his wonderful show! Very entertaining for all ages in the group from seven years old to the parents of the couple to be married. The show was done at a wonderful pace and he was very flexible with our schedule. Great show! read more

Ash K is amazing. The kids and adults had a great time. I honestly don't remember laughing this hard in such a long time. The magic tricks were also awesome. It was comedy with magic. It can't get any better then that. read more

I've seen Kevin in action as both a magician and musician. As a musician, his combo played beautifully, and was well attuned to the mood of the evening. Early in the event, the music was sedate, and added nicely to the ambiance. As the evening progressed, people started dancing, and Kevin started rocking. They took requests, and kept to the style of music people were asking for. It was great. I've seen the magic also, which was a lot of fun. The tricks are good, and Kevin keeps up a really hilarious repartee with the audience. All in all, you can't go wrong with this guy, I highly recommend him. read more

Our company contracted Kevin (Ashkinaz) to perform at our Company Christmas Dinner. It was an amazing show. He made people of all ages laugh and enjoy themselves. He is very professional and an enjoyable person. There are no regrets after seeing Kevin perform. His magic also overcomes language barriers, which says a lot about his ability. He is amazing. -Olga at Avenue Body Shop read more

Ash K. did a great job entertaining our customers at a recent dinner. He was able to read the atmosphere of the group quickly and adapted his performance while also personalizing his magic to amaze us. Everyone really enjoyed him and talked about the event for weeks. Mark Heyvaert Rolta International, Denver, Colorado read more

I had a big group of rowdy and active 8-9 year old boys for my son's birthday party on 12/09/14. I hired Ash K. for a magic show entertainment. He kept these kids so amused & engaged them in his show not to mention he made them laugh so much...They loved it! The adults were also very much entertained and loved the magic tricks. His magic tricks were seriously so cool!! I would definitely recommend Ash K. to anyone planning a kids birthday party weather big or small. The goody bags he brought were also fantastic and worth the time & effort into buying goody bag items. The kids were very happy. :-) the kids apparently told my son this was the most fun birthday party they had ever been to! Also Ash K.'s manager Kevin Madden was awesome. He was prompt in sending out info, answered questions and returned phone calls quickly. This was a great experience. Thank you so much Ash K. For making this birthday party so special & thanks to Kevin for coordinating. read more

Ash K is amazing. I met him at Lefty O'Doul's. Not only are his magic tricks really magical (none of the skeptics at my table could figure out how he did it), he is gracious, funny and kind. Spend some time with him, you'll see. read more

Saw Ask K at a child's birthday party, and I had just as much fun as they did! He has such command of the room (or backyard!), and his humor was appropriate for all ages. Sometimes entertainers have this world weary persona, but Ask K looks as though he likes his job, enjoys being there, and has fun with his audience. I'm a fan! read more

Hands down the best Magician around, not only for kids he is great for adults too. Very reasonable and a great performer. Keep it up Ash K

Ash, the famed Balkese magician, performed at our son's birthday party and was fantastic. Extremely funny and charismatic, Ash kept a group of potentially restive 7-9 year olds (as well as the adults) captivated throughout. In addition, we received a disquisition on his native land of Balka where apparently he learned the tools of the trade that he has clearly by now mastered. Excellent show. read more

Kevin (Ask K's manager) came to my son's 5th Birthday celebration this weekend to teach him and his little friends magic. I honestly don't know who was more entertained, the kids or the parents. Kevin did a wonderful job keeping the kids laughing and focused for almost a whole hour! His experience with kids really showed in both his patience and ability to keep the lessons fun while weaving in plenty of humor to keep the parents laughing out loud. Each kid left with their own goodie bag filled with magic tricks (a great non-sweet takeaway). Would highly recommend Kevin for your child's next party. Thanks again to Kevin for a birthday my son will surely never forget. read more

Better than Pretty Good The stage is tucked away near Union Square, one of those surprising treasures that are semi-secrets in San Francisco. We felt a certain delight in simply making our way to the show. Not a bad way to approach a performance of magic. We were there to see Ashkenazi the Pretty Good, a comic magician from somewhere in Eastern Europe called Balka. The man himself appears onstage in a cape and pointy hat like some childhood fantasy of a wizard. From that moment on the show is well paced, well executed and funny. Audience interaction was the best part of a good thing. Ash managed to totally exasperate my 13 year old into transports of laughter in front of a brand new beau. She seemed both delighted and embarrassed. The magician projects a charming and disarming innocence; he sets himself up as the target of the humor more often than not. He mixes moments of silliness with periodic witty asides and very effective tricks. One, involving soap bubbles, proved to be the hands down teen favorite of the afternoon. Some people take an intellectual approach to illusions: everyone knows that you can't actually make things wink in and out of existence; it's the presentation that floats the show. I watch magic shows to have my faith in wonder restored. I come to be amazed. I want to shiver when impossible things happen. I want my fingers to twitch at some show of dexterity. I want to be taken out of the usual and brought somewhere else. Ashkenazi the Pretty Good's Family Magic Hour did that for me and my three children... and some of their friends, and my Dad and a good friend of mine (ok, I brought a horde with me). The best part, for me, was seeing my Father, all sixty-cough years of him, combat vet, scientist and serious thinker, grinning like sunshine for the whole hour. We were eight of us. The youngest of us was 12 and the oldest... well lets just say that he has shoes older than the 12 year old. Everyone laughed and each had a favorite illusion. Not a bad report card in an era of fancy movie special effects and the expectation of things that are bigger, flashier and more amazing. We felt our time very well spent. Go see the show and be reminded that there are absolutely delightful things hidden where you do not expect them and that sometimes smaller and up close is much more than just pretty good. read more

We read the great reviews of Ash K. and were excited to have him come for my son's 13th birthday party. We did have a big group of boys. Ash K. may be a wonderful Magician, but his magic is not even recoverable in my memory. His behavior towards the boys was militant, demeaning, derogatory and not at all in the neighborhood of fun. I honestly could not wait for him to leave my house. And I had to apologize to the boys and parents for the negative behavior of our hired entertainment. Perhaps he should reconsider doing shows for children. I am still a bit mortified at even revisiting this horrible experience. read more