I enjoyed this place! It's expensive, but everything tasted fresh and delicious. We sat at the patio, but next time I'd do inside dining. The lighting and overall aesthetic looked nicer in there. The total came out to $120 before tip. We ordered 2 rolls, an appetizer, and a noodle dish. My favorite was the rainbow roll. We also got the butterfly pea drink and the pear one (I forgot the exact names). They were strong, but tasty. I'd come again for a special occasion. However, they didn't do a birthday cake even though they said they would over the phone... read more

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Service was EXCELLENT. The food was a bit of a hit and miss. Good: 1. The miso cod - tender and delicious 2. The ribs - finger-licking good! Bad: 1. Jidori Chicken fried rice - the use of jalapeños in this dish was highly questionable - it created an unappetizing sour flavor. 2. Green beans - same, this dish was awful. The green beans were tough and severely undercooked, and also had jalapeños which created a strange flavor. These two fusion dishes didn't work. The ambiance was beautiful. Inside is spacious. read more

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As many reviewers have noted this restaurant is often empty. There's a reason that restaurants are empty and it's because the food quality is usually not up to scratch. Unfortunately, that is the case with Kai lounge, which has lovely staff who are very welcoming and friendly, but unfortunately the quality of the sushi and presentation of their food is very poor. It is clear that no one in the kitchen is trained in Japanese cooking let alone the art of sushi. read more

1000% I recommend this restaurant, the drink was superb, as well as the apps and dinner! My waitress, Sammy, was hilarious!!! The highlight of our evening. She set the tone and brought the energy. She was engaging and I always say, you either got it or you don't, and she's got it! Back to food business, I hope the photos speak for themselves! read more

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Kai is an absolute gem! I stopped in for a few drinks and bites, and everything was spot on--the passionfruit martini and The Empress were delicious, and you can't go wrong with the Balboa or hash brown rolls. What really made the night, though, was the bartender Ian. He went above and beyond, making the entire experience feel special and welcoming. If you're in Huntington Beach, do yourself a favor and check this place out! also beautiful patio seating! read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - the balboa Balboa Cut Roll, the Empress and the passionfruit martini - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Really nice sushi joint in the mall. We had a hard time finding it. It is upstairs on the second floor. There are stairs outside right before you enter the food court. The place is huge. We got reservations pretty easily for a Saturday night in HB for five people. The service was a tad slow, but they were pretty great. Waters always filled. They checked in on us. My favorite was the amberjack nigiri. The halibut carpaccio was epic too. The hash brown roll is fire. Everything was great. It's a bit pricey but they have great quality food too. read more

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If I could give zero stars, I would. My husband and I came here for date night despite seeing several negative reviews because we wanted to give the place a chance and planned to have drinks nearby so it was convenient and we're craving sushi. We paid for a babysitter and were genuinely looking forward to a nice dinner. Unfortunately, Ian the bartender completely ruined the experience.Our waitress, Farrah was so sweet and attentive and honestly the only positive part of our night. We sat outside and almost immediately noticed that the bartender Ian, appeared to be drinking. Our drinks were taking forever and Farrah kept apologizing but it was pretty obvious Ian was more interested in entertaining two girls sitting at the bar. Throughout dinner we could hear him yelling, cursing and being loud. We ordered a second round of sake and found a fruit fly in it. It was already close to closing, so we didn't make a big deal about it. We simply told Farrah to please take it off the bill because obviously we weren't going to drink it. When she went to tell Ian, we could hear him loudly complaining about us and saying we had already finished the sake and insinuating that WE put the fly in the cup. He was saying all of this loud enough for us to hear while he was trying to show off in front of the girls at the bar. That's when my husband finally got upset and told him we weren't paying for the sake and that he'd rather give that money to Farrah as part of her tip. It was $10 but why would we pay for it if it had a fly? I saw the fly come out of the carafe which is the only reason we asked them to take it off the bill. I can probably count on one hand how many times I've sent something back at a restaurant because I'd usually rather just pay for it and move on but being talked about and accused of putting a fly in our own drink was absurd. What made the whole thing even worse was Ian's behavior toward the staff. Near closing we heard Farrah ask if he needed help cleaning some glasses since it was close to closing time but he was clearly busy entertaining and told her no and said to have the older Hispanic busser do it while pointing at him. The way he spoke about and treated the staff was uncomfortable to watch. Farrah kept apologizing to us for Ian's behavior and we kept telling her it wasn't her fault. We go out to restaurants all the time and I can't remember having a worse dining experience because of one employee. Our bill was $200 and the entire night felt like we kept getting interrupted by what we felt should have been a romantic dinner by Ian's behavior and how loud he was throughout the night. I really hope the owner looks into it and maybe watch the video from the outdoor patio so they can see how he was and the multiple shots he had that night. read more

I reached out about hosting an event for 45 people, first calling 3 times on August 26 and submitting an online event request, then leaving a voicemail the following day. I never received a response. On September 14, my fiancé and I went to the restaurant in person and spoke with the bar manager, who was helpful and told us the general manager would call the next day after 4:00 to discuss details. She never called. I followed up again on September 16 and was told she was too busy to come to the phone. I explained she was already a day late calling me back, and I'd be free the rest of the night for a return call. No one ever followed up. After weeks of trying to get someone to simply communicate with us, we have decided to take our business elsewhere. read more

The team here also operates other HB/NB restaurants, and they are all amazing. I literally can eat here all day. One day I just might read more

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Kai Lounge is such a cute spot with a modern, upscale vibe in a great location. The sushi was fresh and flavorful, and the drinks were really well made. I'm surprised it was packed but better for us. We had fast service! Perfect place for a date night or girls night if you're looking for good food and chill vibe. They also have a speakeasy but I didn't get a chance to try that yet. read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Horrible service! Our server was Farrah. There was one other table plus ours and she was not knowledgeable and very rude. We were charged for items we did not get, service was slow, she argued with us about happy hour prices when we arrived an hour before happy hour ended. She could not answer basic questions, and gave attitude when a question was asked. She did not want to fix the items she charged us wrong for and snatched the bill from our hand and rolled her eyes. Food was decent. Would not recommend based on service read more

We tried Kai and it was such a cute vibe! Loved the decor and ambiance of the restaurant. Cocktails - The Empress & Green Tea Old Fashioned - Albacore Dream Roll - Garlic Roll - Shishito Peppers - Black Angus Tenderloin Udon - Sticky Ribs - Yellowtail Belly Nigiri - Salmon Belly Nigiri - Balboa Roll read more

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Overall (3.75/5) A solid Asian fusion restaurant in a mall location that deserves more traffic than it gets. First Impressions (3/5) This was a repeat visit. Despite good food and location, the restaurant is rarely busy, which is surprising. What We Got (3/5) Oysters Beef udon Sushi rolls Taste and Quality (3.5/5) The beef udon was rich and flavorful. Sushi was average. Oysters were noticeably small compared to other places. Service (3.5/5) Friendly but could be more attentive. Space and Atmosphere (4/5) Nice lighting and a comfortable space located between two lively areas of the mall. Was It Worth It (3.5/5) Fair pricing for the quality, though not standout. Final Thoughts Good for casual dining if you are already in the area. I would return, but only when nearby. read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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The food was fantastic -- 10/10! We definitely recommend going with the omakase. They were super cool and accommodating when we asked to skip one specific type of fish, which we really appreciated. The quality and quantity were both great for the price. The appetizers are a bit on the smaller side for what they cost, but the drinks were fantastic and very reasonably priced. Overall, awesome experience and we'll definitely be back! read more

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I was craving sushi but can't eat it bc I'm pregnant. So all the things i ordered are pregnancy friendly. Started with the edamame. Has sweet chili sauce to it and a good amount. Blue crab hand roll - i think it would taste sooo much better if i didn't have that garlic butter in it. Or maybe they just put too much of it. Really takes away the taste of the blue crab Baked salmon roll - the cream cheese really bothered me. It tasted funky. I think it would be better without it. Japanese miso cod - wow this one was definitely the best. Next time would only order that. It was delicious, flaky, and flavorful. Service was good. Kind of dead here... read more

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The first time I came here during opening week, it was packed, and I thought, "Okay, this is cute" but it didn't immediately make me want to go again. Fast forward to yesterday--Sunday lunch at 12:30 p.m.--and the place was emptier than my social calendar after a breakup. Vibes? Off. My mom immediately asked me, "What's wrong with this place?" and I told her, "Oh, it's still early. It'll pick up." It didn't and Mama noticed. We were the only people in the entire restaurant. The food? Decent. The sashimi was chef's kiss--fresh and tasty. The cooked food? Eh, better luck next time- "You're just doing too much." If you come, definitely stick to the sushi and sashimi; they've got that down. Simple. Beautiful cuts. Fresh wasabi. As for the price, prepare to pay like you're dining oceanfront--except there's no ocean in sight. The space is gorgeous, service is great, but you're mostly paying for the Pacific City zip code and the view of... I think the Pasea???? Final verdict: Beautiful bougie decor perfect for the Gram, good sashimi and sushi but don't expect your wallet to leave happy. Im not sure what it is about Kai but... it just felt off. Overall, maybe bring your Ex's credit card because I wouldn't want to front this bill on my own. read more

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Fusion restaurant with relatively affordable dishes and good vibe. We came here for lunch on a weekend, it wasn't crowded at all, the interior is pretty with flowers from ceiling and artwork. They have lots of seating inside and outside. My fiancé and I got the green tea old fashion, meszal old fashion, pork belly fried rice, sashimi roll, and watermelon salad. Cocktails (7/10)-surprised that they weren't that sweet, but still get strong flavor of alcohol. Pork belly fried rice (6/10)-rice was soggy but the flavor of pork belly was good, lots of veggies which I appreciate Sashimi roll (7/10)-not the best I've had but give you a good amount of sashimi for $20 Watermelon salad (8/10)-surprised that the combination worked so well, the fatty pork belly goes with the fresh and sweet watermelon, would have to make this at home next time Overall not the best dishes but vibe is pretty, next time I'll try coming back for dinner. read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Watermelon Salad - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

We had a wonderful dinner at Kai. Every dish we ordered was delicious. For the sushi portion, all the fish was obviously fresh. The Garlic Roll was my personal favorite. We also enjoyed the Rib Eye, prepared to perfection. Pork Belly Buns, Sticky Ribs, Pork Belly Skewers, Garlic Noodles - all were winners! Our waiter was friendly and attentive. Overall, a 10/10 dining experience. read more

Loved loved loved the ambiance. Ian is the best bartender making sure we are always taken care of and that we get all the best suggestions in terms of drinks and food. The burger was delicious and the bun tasted like a warm croissant. I'm very thrilled with my first experience here. Thank you Ian! We appreciate you read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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We had the best time here! Our waitress was the sweetest human ever, so friendly and attentive. The drinks were delicious, the sushi was fresh and full of flavor, and cooking on the hot rock was such a fun experience. The decor is simply stunning, modern, unique, and beautifully accented with the gorgeous flower display. We can't wait to go back! read more

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We came to Kai Lounge on a Friday night and it was saurrrr empty -- was def not expecting it to be that empty LOL. My friend & I made reservations just in case it was busy, but was not needed. The food came out pretty quick and the drinks the server recommended was so good. I'd rate this place a 3.9/5. I've had better sushi elsewhere but this place was pretty decent :-) I also lovv how they offered real wasabi -- most sushi spots don't offer real wasabi so I was quite impressed seeing that ! I also really liked how the interior was aesthetically pleasing -- has lots of potential. read more

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Had a low-key Friday date night dinner at Kai Lounge with my wife -- great choice for a relaxing date night. It wasn't crowded (which was nice for us, though I hope they get more traffic because they deserve it). Started with the watermelon salad, which was fresh and light -- felt like we were making healthy choices before diving into the good stuff. The stuffed avocados were the star of the show -- creamy, flavorful, and gone in about 60 seconds. We also tried the garlic roll and Kai roll -- both totally hit the spot. Fresh food, friendly service, and a chill vibe -- perfect for catching up without yelling over loud music. Not quite five stars (could use a little more energy), but definitely a hidden gem we'll be returning to. Date night = success. P.S. Sorry I didn't add pix - I told my wife I wouldn't feed my camera before we fed ourselves tonight. LOL read more

Sami is an absolute 10/10 -- truly the star of Kai. She's basically a tour guide of all things Pacific City, ready with the best recommendations before you even know what you want. Fun, well-rested, and always in a great mood, she makes every visit feel easy and enjoyable. She is an INCREDIBLE speller. She quizzed us to make sure we could spell our orders. Helping the community. If you're wondering whether you can have something... just ask Sami. The answer is yes. Always yes. She makes a mean cocktail, has a perfectly chipper personality, and honestly, she'd be the reason I keep coming back to Kai again and again. Highly recommend sitting in her section! read more

OH my God everything I try here is better than any other sushi places that I've been before !! This Japanese sushi place is beyond my expectation. The food is delicious and the view is beautiful . Thank you so much Jason !! read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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We dropped by for lunch on Saturday no reservations needed as we were one of the first ones there in an empty restaurant. The ambiance and decor is nice with picture perfect blossom tree and a pretty couch with floral wall at the entrance, and Murakami artwork on the walls. I can see this place becoming more busy in the evening. A few people dropped in took a look at the menu prices and walked out. It's an expensive lunch. It's not authentic Japanese cuisine it's more fusion. The sushi chef is also not Japanese. Our party of four ordered: Hamachi crudo - good Watermelon salad - good Japanese black cod - good Jidori curry noodle - fair, it's spicy with peppers Spicy garlic noodles - good flavor garlic and spice Shiitake mushroom chicken noodles - fair but too salty All the noodle bowls use the same noodles but different sauces. Huntington Beach cut roll Hash brown cut roll This place is on the expensive side $$$ for lunch would be nice for an evening out with friends. read more

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Right off the bat, minus one star for the fact that the Mixed Tempura had a full slice of lemon that they battered and fried and I bit into unknowingly and had to spit out. The rest of the tempura plate was nothing to write home about either. The batter was not the light airy kind. All of the tempura was overcooked and dark colored. The dipping sauce was heavy on the soy sauce. On a happier note we discovered a new favorite being the Cod Nigiri requested seared. It seems to be Black Cod, and has a nice buttery sauce on top. Speaking of butter, the Edamame has butter on it, but that causes the other toppings like the garlic not to stick. I suggest they omit the butter and use roasted garlic puree to stick better, like I've seen other places do. As usual we loved the hash brown roll and ordered it without any modifications. My wife who normally doesn't like seaweed, agreed that at this place and on this roll the seaweed is nicely delicate and not chewy. We also ordered the snow crab Nigiri that we like but now that we discovered the Black Cod Nigiri, that is our focus from now on. The crispy rice spicy tuna was great as usual. The Echigo rice lager beer was fine but next time I'd get the Orion beer. One big disappointment was that they no longer do discounted wine on Thursdays. I wonder if they even participate in Wine Wednesdays. Also their corkage fee is a pricey $25. Nevertheless my wife got their Chasing Venus Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wine, and this time it tasted fresher than last time. So she was happy. The service was great. read more

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Classy Japanese bistro. The ambiance and decor is pretty. Awesome cocktails, fresh sushi, and excellent service. Located on the 2nd floor at the Pacific City mall in Huntington Beach, great location to dine. I'll have to come back and try the omakase next time! read more

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Great food and drinks + ambiance + service. The spicy tuna crispy rice dipped in the tempura sauce was amazingggg!! This place deserves more hype for sure. Definitely a little pricey but such a great date night spot read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Vegetable tempura and garlic edamame - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

This place is constantly empty yet the food takes forever. My friend ordered skewers and they took over 25 minutes. When they arrived, it was 2 tiny skewers cooked to med rare which couldn't have taken more than 3 mins to cook. The food itself is not bad, but the restaurant is a waste of space. It's awkwardly designed and feels like 3 different restaurants. When we walked in as the only people, the sushi chef was making a bunch of rolls. It was either for the biggest to-go order of all time or maybe he was practicing for the day this place has more than 5 guests. read more

Who wants seared salmon? You should maybe put that on your menu so people can see before ordering. Sushi was average and pricey. The best thing here was the server thanks for the good service but menu needs to be more detailed. read more

Just a heads up that portions are VERY small for the price point. Best tasting dishes were the SFR wagyu strips, oysters, and pork buns. Carrot cake was also very decadent and nice. The stir fried beef and rice was good, but not justified by the price. Good quality dishes with ingredients, but the miso cod, "wagyu" meatballs (very tough and def not wagyu), and plum ribs weren't too good. Very tough to chew and flavor wasn't what it should've been. Good spot to try once and experience different dishes, however it doesn't hit the spot in terms of a higher end dining with flavor and quality. read more

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Kai is such an underrated and gorgeous spot! Came here with wifey and some friends for lunch and we were not disappointed! We made reservations in advance and were seated right away upon our arrival. This spot is located within the Pacific City mall where there is underground parking. Parking is validated by the restaurant so make sure you bring your parking slip with you! As for the menu, Kai is serving up some unique Japanese fusion foods with sushi rolls, hand rolls, burgers, and more! I tried the Kaiseki burger and every bite was as delicious as the last! Wifey and our friends tried multiple rolls and all of them were fresh and delicious. Interior wise, this spot is a blend of coastal with Japanese cherry blossoms. The ocean backdrop with the sprinkles of Japanese culture make it such an aesthetically pleasing spot to dine at. Overall, our party had a wonderful experience dining here. The staff here are incredibly welcoming and helpful. We will definitely be back next time to try their dinner menu! read more

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Okay, Kai was recommended by someone at the collector shop on Main St. Went in the afternoon, and was very skeptical because the place was totally empty. Our waiter, Brendan was fantastic. We felt like he was our private assistant and took great care of us. We ordered a few appetizers, some sushi, fried rice, tempura and all of it was very tasty. I am Japanese and although not a traditional Japanese restaurant, it doesn't try to be that and has an extensive menu. We will definitely be back. read more

As someone who loves trying new sushi spots, and only ones they have a 4.0+ rating, this place was a huge disappointment. This was our first and definitely our last visit. Like others have mentioned, when we walked in, we were the only customers there. That alone wasn't an issue, and we were seated right away. I do want to note that our waitress was great. Unfortunately, the food is where everything fell apart. We ordered four rolls along with the spicy tuna fried rice roll. The fried rice roll was actually amazing. The other four rolls, however, were a complete waste of money. For rolls priced at $23 each, the quality was shocking. They were downright unpleasant, so much so that we had to spit out parts of a few rolls because they were impossible to chew?? It was incredibly strange and unlike anything I've experienced at a sushi restaurant. I've never left a sushi place with a supposed 4.2 rating feeling this disappointed. Very unfortunate. read more

Mandolin crank....10/10 super good food and the service was amazing. The pear martini was fire.

Not a fish kinda person... was pleasantly surprised by the non fish options. Quality dishes. Decent prices for the beach.

I truly loved this place. Not only is it gorgeous, the service was great. It is located in the Pacific city shopping center which i loved. Also the vegetable tempura was the best i ever had. It was the perfect amount and it wasn't dry at all. Perfect tempura. The Gyozas are a must. The house salad was very unique- with pickled flavors. I had the chicken fried rice-delicious. There was more chicken and peppers than rice but it was delicious. I had the roasted corn- i would skip it next time because 2 of the four were a little dry. But the truffle butter and the two juicy pieces were great. I truly had an excellent date night here. The price was also great under 200 for our bill. And im stuffed with leftove read more

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The ambiance was casual & romantic at the same time which is perfect for a cute little date night spot or with some friends. We ordered multiple plates of food because we wanted to try everything and each plate happened to be way better than we expected. Service was quick as well and it wasn't crazy busy when we went. Food: 10/10 They also have reservations online! We would love to come again. It's across from the Bungalow at Pacific City. read more

Kai Lounge - Sushi Bar & Kitchen - Berries & Cream Cocktail and sticky ribs - Japanese Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Located on the top floor (2nd floor) in the inner corner closest to the Paséa Hotel, Kai Modern Japanese Bistro has delicious food, great service and nice ambiance. I made reservations on Open Table but when I went to dinner here on a Monday it wasn't crowded at all. The food is good quality and offers a large selection of Asian Fusion. I wouldn't come here for the sushi but this is a good place to come with someone who doesn't like sushi yet if you want to get sushi. For example I was craving sushi but my friend is pregnant and can't eat raw fish so we came here and she had tons of choices and I still got to eat some raw fish. They have a large variety of appetizers too - the Tempura Rock Shrimp were really good and made even better with the sauce: a Yuzu honey aioli which was outstanding! - the Stuffed Jalapeños were also delicious and the perfect blend of spicy but not 'blow your head off spicy'. There were six of them and they came were stuffed with blue crab mix, mango puree, eel sauce, spicy mayo. The favorite thing I ate here was the Hamachi crudo which came with avocados on top and a side of a marinated cucumber salad. Pacific City is kind of a weird vibe of half empty mall with a lot of tourists but everything is brand new and pristine and Kai has great food! read more

VERY worthy of a FIVE STAR rating, in every regard!! Being in Pacific City in itself is a plus. It's literally beautiful here and the ambiance inside the restaurant is equally nice. We were there celebrating a birthday last Monday night, 06-05-23. Our waitress was friendly and pleasant. I did my Yelp homework before arriving, so I was excited to try all of the items on my list. Unfortunately, the hash brown roll which had many reviews was .... just "ok" to me, but maybe it's because I'm more into nigiri type sushi with awesome, fresh varieties of fish. To me, this tasted like a dessert. Nice variety of textures going on here, but "sweet" isn't how I explain sushi. We tried many appetizers, then went on to rolls and I knew better than to save the nigiri's for last. Unfortunately, the finale I was saving up for was not available as seen on Yelp. I was hoping for the tuna toro with uni and caviar. The waitress informed me they did not have caviar, then came back to say they didn't have uni either. SMH.... ok, so we went for the toro, plain and simple. It did NOT disappoint, and I can still taste it if I think hard enough here, two days later. I added 13 photos to Kai's Yelp collection but unfortunately, my photos for the black cod miso appetizer and my yuzu key lime dessert, were blurry, but there are plenty of photos already on Yelp of both of these items. There isn't a restaurant where I can honestly say that EVERYTHING we ordered was on point. Never before has this happened for me. So, needless to say, I'm very happy with my Kai experience. They Oysters were over the top! The BEST and most flavorful I've EVER had and as soon as I get my notes, I'll name each item here later, including the desserts. Pork Belly Skewers Watermelon Salad Oysters Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna Black Cod miso Sauce Stuffed Jalapeños Stuffed Avocado Salmon Belly Hokkaido Scallops Tuna Toro Hash Brown Roll Yellowtail Roll Lollipop Roll Moulten Chocolate Cake Pineapple Carrot Cake Key Lime Pie I don't normally have an alcoholic beverage, but was ready to go all the way and splurge. I opted for the Pear Martini, which was amazing! Others in my party drank beer, sake and wine. The martini was a little short on alcohol, IMO and since I'm not a drinker, it's sad to say, I didn't feel any "reaction", but as noted... delicious anyway. We overstayed our welcome here and ate way more than our share, however, felt very comfortable because everything we ate was "clean". Very little fried or greasy food, so if you're celebrating a special occasion, Kai is highly recommended!! read more

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