I have eaten at enough sushi restaurants to know the formula…read more Step 1: Install bamboo. Step 2: Add a dragon. Step 3: Play mysterious flute music. Step 4: Name every roll after either a volcano, a ninja, or an apocalypse. Komodo Loco apparently looked at that formula and said, "Nah." This place has actual character. The restaurant is dark and cool without feeling like you're being interrogated. There are cozy little nooks everywhere, and somehow it manages to feel both laid-back and upscale. Like if a speakeasy and a sushi restaurant had a child who grew up with excellent taste. Then the food arrived. Look, I've had plenty of sushi. I've had good sushi. I've had "my friend won't stop talking about this sushi" sushi. Komodo Loco belongs in the last category. The fish was incredibly fresh, but what really stood out was that the rolls didn't all taste like slight variations of spicy mayo negotiating with cream cheese. The flavors were genuinely original. We ordered the Crispy Rice Bites, the T-Dub Roll, and the Horacio Roll based on our server's recommendations. The Crispy Rice Bites were so good I briefly considered ordering a second round before I had finished the first. The T-Dub Roll disappeared from the plate so quickly that I suspect it may have violated several laws of physics. The Horacio Roll was one of those dishes that makes you stop talking mid-sentence and stare into the middle distance while reconsidering every life choice that led you to not order two of them. Which brings me to our server: Breann. Or Breanna. I apologize for not knowing which one. In my defense, I was busy entering a committed relationship with sushi. My daughter is moving to Denton, and since we don't live here, we asked what we should order. Breann/Breanna immediately became the Gandalf of menu navigation. There was no hesitation. No "everything is good." No vague server diplomacy. Just confident recommendations that absolutely delivered. She was kind, funny, helpful, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. More importantly, she made my daughter feel at home in a city she's about to call home. As a dad, that meant a lot. I also loved how Komodo Loco celebrated Pride Month. Not because restaurants have to weigh in on everything, but because the atmosphere simply communicated: "Hey, you're welcome here." And honestly, that's one of the best things a restaurant can do. Good food fills your stomach. A welcoming place fills the room. Komodo Loco managed to do both. So yes, I'll be back every time I'm in Denton. My daughter thinks she's moving here for school. I think she's moving here so I'll have an excuse to eat at Komodo Loco several times a year. One of us is probably right.

Food was great, but the service was slower than expected. My husband and I came with two…read morefriends--we were seated right away and ordered drinks quickly. It wasn't very busy at the time, but our drinks still took about ten minutes to arrive. We started with potstickers, which were delicious, and our little one's avocado came out quickly, which we appreciated. However, after placing our order, we noticed several tables seated after us receiving their food before we did. At one point, we were concerned our order may have been overlooked. When the food finally arrived, it was very good--no complaints there--but the wait was a bit disappointing, especially since most of what we ordered were appetizers. Overall, we'd still come back, just hoping for a smoother experience next time.

Honestly this sushi was great! They serve a full portion and the rolls are really big. We came in…read morewhile they were slow, so we got our meal really quickly. Would 100% recommend!

Love getting Sakura takeout! The OMG roll is my favorite. Tempura fried Cali roll with jalapeño…read morewith spicy mayo and eel sauce. The staff is always nice and welcoming. Unfortunately they always seem slow for dine in, I wish they were shown more love.

Absolutely loved this place! The ramen was some of the best I've had the broth was incredibly…read moreflavorful and rich. The dumplings were not only delicious but also the cutest little dumplings ever. We also tried the garlic fried rice, and it was amazing. The prices were very reasonable for the quality and portions. What really stood out, though, was the service. Our waitress was fantastic and paid attention to the little details. My friend was making sure our order didn't include mushrooms, and she took the time to ask if it was due to an allergy so she could make sure everything was safe. That level of care really felt like going above and beyond. Great food, great prices, and outstanding service. We'll definitely be back!

This place is not lacking for great reviews and I can tell why…read more 1. Simple but varied menu. They have a few staple items that they do exceptionally well that keep people coming back. 2. The atmosphere is pretty slick. A Photo Booth like space, nice bathrooms and flexible seating to accommodate both large parties and small parties. Reasonable prices that allow you to try new things and enjoy other things that you may be familiar with. All of the items that we had are in the photos, but the creative presentation is what stood out most! Cute bao buns, chicken served with ramen to allow the customer to enjoy it as they would like, and good sized portions. My only ask would be for more broth with the ramen dishes. The noodle to broth ratio was just slightly off. 9/10 would recommend.

We went after work, this location is right in the same parking area as Quality Inn, so it's easy to…read morefind. This location seems better and bigger than the other branch. Love the atmosphere and ambiance, of this place. Walked in and was immediately greeted and seated. We got a hibachi set, with salmon, grilled vegetables rice and soup. We also ordered some takoyaki, sashimi set and soft shell crab. Please get the crab if you like seafood you won't be disappointed. The sashimi set also had some thick cuts of fish, I enjoyed it. We also got a sushi roll, which was delicious. Trying to remember the name, but we were too hungry. Our server was friendly and sweet, our food also came out on a cute robot server. There was a nice mix of patrons inside the restaurant and they also seem to get a lot of take out orders, which is a great sign. The decor is cool, definitely a positive experience. We will be back soon

Ambiance and smell needs improvement. Price and food are great. Rest rooms need fragrance and…read morebetter service. Okay for me but I would not recommend to others or take clients. Service is friendly

I've been here a few times now and I love it more each time! The food is so good, haven't had…read moresomething I didn't like yet. While the bahn mi isn't exactly traditional, it is still very good -- I'd highly suggest getting it with the pate. The sampler appetizer has a little bit of everything and is great for sharing. Pineapple fried rice was delicious. Pad Thai also great! If you're a spicy eater like me, just go for very spicy. They have 4 spice levels (mild, medium, spicy, very spicy) and this is a reminder to myself to get very spicy next time. Thanks for the delicious meals!

Malai Kitchen in Clearfork is a welcome detour from a shopping afternoon, Thai and Vietnamese…read morecuisine in a bright, airy space that makes you want to settle in for longer than your credit card probably intended. A quick note on seating: the patio is lovely in theory, with the optional open windows and a breezy feel, but the chairs are not winning any comfort awards. Inside booths are the move. Also worth noting, this is Fort Worth, and once the thermometer hits triple digits, the patio conversation ends itself if the windows are open. Plan accordingly. Malai starts every table with steamed sticky rice and an eggplant dip, which is a charming little ritual and a genuinely good one. We also kicked things off with the Edamame, a heads up on the heat level there, and the Fried Imperial Rolls, filled with ground pork and shrimp and served with a sesame soy sauce. Fair warning: these do not photograph well and arrive at the table looking a little shy. Don't be fooled. They're flavorful, subtly spicy, and well worth ordering. For entrees, we tried the Basil Vegetable Fried Rice two ways, one vegan and one with chicken. The vegan version was a genuine surprise, with vegetables cooked just right and a flavor that didn't need the chicken to make its case. The mushrooms, however, had the texture of something you'd find in a hardware store. Chew at your own risk. The Green Curry, meanwhile, was a case of too much of a good thing. The curry was so heavy-handed it drowned everything underneath it. Sometimes restraint is a virtue. Save room for the Banana Pot de Crème. It's creamy, subtly sweet, and a graceful finish to the meal. The service at Malai is enthusiastic, and I do mean enthusiastic. The staff works as a team, all smiles, attentive, always nearby. Occasionally a little too nearby. More than once a plate nearly disappeared before we were done with it. It's a small complaint, and honestly a far better problem than the alternative. They're warm, cheerful, and clearly enjoy what they do, which goes a long way. Portions are generous, so order a few dishes and share the wealth. For a lunch stop between shops, Malai Kitchen punches well above its weight.

We came here for dinner and had a great overall experience!…read more The Butcher's Cut was solid but pretty standard--very similar to a classic steak frites. The star of the meal was definitely the Oak Smoked Salmon. The yuzu added a bright citrus note and the seaweed salad paired perfectly with it. We sat outside and really enjoyed the city vibe with cars passing by. Service was excellent--friendly, attentive, and never made us feel rushed or like a bother for all our requests.

I wish I took photos but I forgot lol. The food was good though and it's easy to share between a…read moregroup of people! The marketing felt kind of off, a "Asian smokehouse." I was kind of expecting more Asian food but reading into later realized it was an interesting Asian and Texan fusion. My group had several dishes: coconut rice, brisket, karrage, salmon, etc. all tasty and flavorful. I appreciated that the staff would explain and give tips on how to eat the food to experience the best flavors!

My son and I went there this weekend, we just moved to Mineral Wells. I was a little leary because…read moreI never see a lot of cars but when I went on Google it had great reviews. So, we went around 230/3 in the afternoon on Saturday. The person working was friendly enough. I am not sure if that time of the day is considered dinner menu or lunch menu, but we were charged dinner menu prices which is fine enough except we received day old rice that was reheated and stale. The vegetables were good and the meat was tender. The salad dressing tasted like straight up mayonnaise. I want to go back and give them another try before I just drive to Weatherford in the future because I really hate that I got old stale fried rice. If I hadn't had that I think the meal would have been worth dinner menu prices.

The wife and I were hanging around the downtown shops and stopped in for lunch. We had an…read moreappetizer, calamari, and it was ok. Not much flavor and chewy. However, the sushi made up for it. I had the Spicy Girl and it was very good, very flavorful. The wife had chicken and rice and she said it was really good. If you want good sushi in Mineral Wells give it a shot.

Everything was delicious. Server explained everything to us. It was a great night. You must have a…read morereservation. The place was packed.

Charlemagne was the absolute best, and the Szechuan fried rice with wagyu steak was the best fried…read morerice I have ever had!