Decent not great sushi. Fishy AYCE rules. Seriously read before agreeing to AYCE here. The menu says "90-minute all you can eat" with a $1.50 charge per leftover piece. What it doesn't say is that the 90 minutes isn't an ordering window. It's a eat EVERYTHING on the table timer. Finish everything on your table under 90 mintues or pay for what's left. That's the real policy. We came to celebrate a birthday. Two friends catching up over a meal, and enjoying conversation. When the clock hit 90 minutes, we had four pieces left. Not because we were being wasteful, but because we were enjoying the food and conversation. Our server immediately offered to box them up at $1.50/piece. Food we ordered. Food included in the $50/person AYCE terms. Food sitting right in front of us that we fully intended to eat. I pushed back. The response? Eat them right now and there's no charge. So on a birthday, in a near-empty restaurant, we had to scarf down our last bites on command just to avoid being charged. The policy isn't just unclear, IT'S A TRAP and shameless cash-grab. You're not paying for leftovers. You're being penalized for not eating fast enough and rushed out. $50 per person deserves clarity upfront. Not a policy you have to piece together on your own after being bullied to eat faster. read more

Really enjoyed our meal here! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. We ordered the Splash Brothers roll, Spitfire roll, 49er roll, spicy tuna hand roll, and another hand roll, and every single item was delicious. The fish tasted fresh, the rolls had a great balance of flavors, and the hand rolls were perfectly made. Service was friendly, and the overall experience was excellent. We'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. Highly recommend if you're looking for quality sushi! read more

The kind of stairs I don't complain about haha! I stopped by solo so I could really only order for myself and I really wanted the Moriwase, as it was a sushi staircase. I didn't know each piece came with wasabi, otherwise, I would have asked for it without. Nevertheless, each piece was so fresh! They also don't skim on the fish, each piece had a thick piece of fish. Definitely a spot to bring friends and try a bunch of different rolls! read more

Kakuna Sushi - Nigiri Moriawase; Follow me @RimyEats on Instagram - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

AYCE was amazing! It was affordable, high quality, and tasty. I ate more of nigiri than the rolls. The fish was fresh. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Food was great, the Charizard roll is 10/10 Service was good and the food came out pretty fast read more

Kakuna Sushi - Grimmer roll 10/10 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Very good the best sushi in Milpitas ! We always order for take out the service is also good I give it 5 stars

Great sushi made very quick, huge rolls and clean seating on top of that all not expensive! read more

Kakuna Sushi - Surf and turf - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Kakuna sushi is a local favorite - I used to drive all the way up to Fremont for this, and I'm grateful now there's one in town!

Honestly for sushi on a budget, this place is not bad! My husband and I grabbed a late lunch and I kid you not, we were full from 2pm until 10pm and that's with a 3 hr pickleball session too. My husband can eat. Like 3 double doubles at in n out and he can be hungry in 3 hours. We spent less than $100 for 5 rolls. They did not skimp on the fish and they didn't over do it on the rice. The service was great and so attentive and they got a TV with sports playing. The fish quality was not the best but not bad and this is definitely a sauced up roll so it can get overwhelming but for the price I'd definitely come back. read more

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DO NOT COME HERE. This was, without a doubt, one of the most disgusting meals I've ever paid for in my lifetime. The tuna was brown, pale, and looked like it had been sitting out for who knows how long. It tasted absolutely vile, completely inedible. As if the food wasn't bad enough, the entire restaurant had a foul smell that made the experience even worse. Then came the bill. My friend and I split the payment, and we both selected the 15% tip option, yet we somehow each ended up tipping over $4, which was nowhere near 15% of our individual totals. We paid near 30% tip each which is ABSOLUTELY INSANE for the crap we got served. read more

Kakuna Sushi - brown & pale - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Sushi lovers, don't sleep on this gem! Have you ever seen a sushi staircase, Kakuna sushi literally raised the bar. From the artfully plated Nigiri Moriawase on a staircase, to the indulgent Omakase Box loaded with 10 varieties of sashimi from uni, oysters, toro and more, this spot delivers both flavor and presentation. The menu is huge! I love their variety of affordable rolls under $15. I always get their lunch special - buy 3 sushi rolls to get a 4th roll free. The Boujee Roll lives up to its name- lobster tail tempura, torched salmon, spicy tuna, real crab, and more sauces than your palate can keep up with. Every roll we tried was packed with fresh ingredients and bold flavors. With 5 locations across the Bay Area, Kakuna Sushi is your next casual quick service, generous and affordable sushi. read more

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Had a pleasantly delicious dinner last night with a friend around 6pm. For mid-tier sushi, Kakuna here in Milpitas is now top of my list for the South Bay. Plenty of seating that filled up fairly quick for a Thursday night. Ambiance is kind of eerie. Exterior is very unassuming, interior feels like a cafeteria. Old school restaurant chairs that belong in a pho place. In a way, it kind of adds to the "hole-in-the-wall" charm. Servers didn't really look like they wanna be there. You do have to chase them down for things. Food was great. We had a seaweed salad app, the Boujee Roll to share, and two sets of the Nigiri Moriwase which is a 9pc omakase. All that for about it $80 after tax pre-tip was a fantastic bang for your buck. The fish quality's a lot better than others in this mid-tier class. Some nigiri were downright melt in your mouth. As for the Boujee roll, they definitely fried up a whole lobster tail as it was no skimpy at all. I'd get the same order again next time. Would love to check out their other locations to see how they compare and am definitely returning here to assess consistency. 4/5 overall, will be back. read more

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Don't even think about it, just go! Great menu that won't disappoint. I dont remember what we ordered but they all turned out really good. My roll had the lobster. Yum yum yum. The outside of the restaurant was pretty plain - doesn't have that welcoming inviting curb appeal but you will be greeted with a warm hello as soon as you walk in. Will definitely pay this place a visit when we are back in town. Friendly service and attentive staff. WIN! read more

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I recently tried Kakuna Sushi Restaurant and went with their AYCE (All You Can Eat) option for $40. Overall, it was a decent experience, though not outstanding. One downside for me was the sushi rolls themselves. Many of the rolls I ordered started to look and taste very similar, as they shared many of the same ingredients and toppings. Because of that, the variety felt limited, and the flavors blended together after a while. The fish quality--specifically the salmon and tuna--was okay, but I could tell it was slightly lower quality compared to non-AYCE sushi spots. That said, there were definitely some highlights with the AYCE menu. I really enjoyed the ramen, sushi carpaccio, rice bowls, and tempura. Those items were a great addition and helped balance out the experience beyond just rolls. When we visited, there were only two employees working, and it got very busy--especially with our large party. The staff clearly did their best, but it was hard for them to keep up. We missed some refills, and there were moments of confusion when repeated sushi orders came out. While service was understandably affected, I do appreciate the effort they put in under the circumstances. Overall, the sushi is decent, and I'd consider coming back if I was extremely hungry and specifically craving an AYCE-style sushi dinner. Just go in with the right expectations: this is AYCE sushi, so it won't be top-tier quality, but it's a solid option for those who want variety, value, and a filling meal. read more

Located in Milpitas, parking is plentiful and easy to find. Noise level is average. I have to say some of their rolls are quite interesting. There's one called the Charizard that has hot Cheetos. Food is absolutely amazing. Presentation was very cool for the nigiri ladder. I loved the chilly mango roll. The texture was so unique and the balance of flavors were on point. Overall Kakuna Sushi a great sushi spot. The service is good as well. Added bonus of a cool name and subtle pokemon theme going on. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

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The service was good, on par to standard. It was pretty quiet with a little T.V noise in the background. The food was not on par...I have had better experiences from the Fremont location. I think I came excited because I enjoy Kakuna's but this location was met with disappointment. The staff were helpful and willing, so there's no feedback there. I mean the toro nigiri was not a disappointment, so not all was bad. I really enjoy eating lion king rolls, but this one tasted off that day I went. I ended up not togo-ing the leftovers because I didn't feel it was good or worth togo-ing. I am unfortunately not going to be coming back to this specific location, but I highly encourage others to give it a try and determine their own opinions! read more

Kakuna Sushi - Toro Nigiri (market price) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

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The sushi was delicious. The fish tasted fresh and the sauces were tasty. The chicken Yaki udon was a generous portion too! Highly recommend all three dishes read more

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My new go-to sushi spot! So happy to have found Kakuna cause they make delicious rolls at an affordable price. I typically go during happy hour and splurge on the multi-roll deals. The Kakuna Roll is one of my favorites and their extensive menu offers numerous options. Service is friendly and quick too. I've never had a problem with waiting for seating either. Looking forward to many more visits in the future. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

I wanted to try out more sushi places in the area and thought this place had interesting variety of selections. We ordered the hamachi carpaccio - this was very saucy and citrusy, almost little too saucy imo. I wanted the flavor of the hamachi to be brought out more but it kind of drowned in the sauce. Comparing to other carpaccios I've had. The sumo roll was protein packed which I liked and the fish were fresh. The kamikaze was great and loved the taste. The butterface roll was my favorite as the lemon slices went well with the salmon! The issue was with the server experience; i had written down the order in my notes and one asked to reiterate what i ordered and so i did. We got two kamikaze rolls when we only ordered one. When I asked about this, the server didn't seem happy and made us feel like it was our fault. I don't think I would come back again. The prices are pretty affordable though. read more

Unassuming place. Affordable food, large selection. Great place to check out. I have gone here twice with family and friends and I enjoy the times that I have eaten here they have huge portions. It's good to share. One can say that this is a hole in the wall because the storefront is very insuring in the parking lot is kinda sus because of some homeless who walks often times in that area. But if you want to try something good, go here read more

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I love sushi and unfortunately, I have a weak spot for AYCE sushi. Usually I can find a place which is decent and doesn't make me regret my decision to seek out an occasional AYCE sushi place. Unfortunately Kakuna falls into the category of "making me regret ". The ambience is a big zero with tons of reflective surfaces and subsequent noise which ruins the experience in my opinion. Service was adequate though barely. The meal started off with very good black tea and a sashimi salad, which was good. It went downhill from there. The quality of the fish is just not very good. The sauces were unimaginative... Again with the exception of the sashimi salad, which was actually decent. The poke salad that I had was a joke. It was teriyaki sauce on top of raw fish on top of lettuce. I try to stage my AYCE sushi as every place has always done when they serve AYCE sushi. But unfortunately, Kakuna doesn't know how to do that and serve me a lot of it upfront when it should've just been the Hand Rolls and the salads to start which I tried to get across to them. No such luck. I am still trying to find a great AYCE sushi experience in the South Bay. There is one that is at the top of my list though not as good as a lot of the places down in Los Angeles. Okawa. And it is about a mile down 237 towards the foothills. Much better choice and worth the extra gas. read more

The server explained to us how their AYCE policy works prior to ordering. Salmon, eel, hamachi nigiri, tempura appetizer, Kakuna roll, salmon carpaccio, etc was delicious. They checked on us multiple times and refilled our waters. Previously someone left a 1 star review claiming that they'll give you a free dessert if you provide a 5 star review? I don't recall seeing or hearing anything about that while I was there. read more

Went to Kakuna Sushi for dinner on a weeknight. I haven't been here in a while--last time was just for takeout. They've since renovated and expanded into the space next door, so there's a lot more seating now. It was really busy, with lots of families and big groups, but we were still seated right away. The space is definitely great for larger parties. That said, the room was really echoey, which dulled the overall dining experience. We ordered the Lion King, Skittles, and 49ers rolls--Skittles was my favorite! I also got the Nigiri Moriawase for myself, and my boyfriend and I shared the rolls. The nigiri had a great variety (tuna, shrimp, salmon, unagi), and for around $25, it was a great value. The fish cuts were thick and fresh, and there wasn't too much rice, which I appreciated. I've always liked how affordable the rolls are at Kakuna, and the menu has a really solid variety for both sushi lovers and those who want non-raw items. My first visit to Kakuna was in their fremont location, and glad to see that they've expanded to a few more locations! Service was attentive once we got going--they kept our waters filled and were friendly, though it did take a little while to flag someone down at first to place our order. Overall, a great casual sushi spot with good value and variety. Just be prepared for a louder environment if it's a full house! I still really like their rolls for the variety and affordability, but I think I'm more inclined to pick up for takeout in the future and eat in the comfort of my own home. read more

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We ordered a bento and a few rolls. Everything was served in large portions for good pricing. Fish was fresh and rolls had minimal rice read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Pretty good quality sushi for a good price!! When I'm not dining in, I love to get their party trays to go. They have so many options with various price ranges. My favorite rolls are the crunchy mango, lion king and their sashimi is thick cut and fresh. On the weekend and dinner, it can get busy so I recommend coming outside of those peak times. read more

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My friend and I were having a very late lunch and the happy hour here starts at 4, so we headed here. We took advantage of the buy 3 specialty rolls, get 1 free happy hour deal. 49ers (5/5): This roll is topped with scallop and salmon with tempura shrimp inside. The fish pieces were massive and great bang for your buck because the scallop pieces were big too. I really like this roll because it features two of my favorite fish. Dynamite roll (5/5): This roll is topped with torches escolar and fried soft shell crab on the inside. I've always thought escolar was okay, but I really liked how it tasted torched. The smokiness bring out the underrated flavor of the escolar. The deep fried crab added an extra layer of texture and flavor that gives you a unique flavor. However, my favorite part was the sauce on top. Hokkaido roll (4/5): This is a very raw roll and I definitely recommend if you really like it raw. This comes with a salmon avocado roll, with spicy bay scallops on top. The scallop wasn't spicy at all, so that was good for me. Despite being two great sushi fish that I really like, I don't think it works well together, but I still enjoyed it. Dragon Roll (4/5): Very typical and traditional, but loved how big the unagi pieces were. Overall Kakuna is still my favorite place in SJ read more

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I recently visited Kakuna sushi and they served some of the best rolls I've had in a long time. The sushi was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor, making it the highlight of the experience. Unfortunately, the service didn't match the quality of the food. The staff seemed disorganized, and it took a while to get our orders and refills. With a bit more attention to customer service, this place could easily become a top spot for sushi lovers. read more

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I can't lie and say we didn't try to walk away after finding this spot arriving for our 4 day holiday in the bay. Being from LA we consider ourselves sushi snobs so with that alone, we seriously started to walk back to the car. It was late and we were exhausted from the drive so we walked in 45 minutes to closing and I'm happy we did!! Soooo good and their portion sizes are pretty big! We got full sharing two rolls and a couple of pieces of sushi. Don't pass this place up! Looks were definitely deceiving!! Do yourself a favor, stop by and enjoy a roll or two. read more

Did the AYCE. The 90 minute timer starts when you sit down. It takes 30 minutes for them to get to your table with ginger, water, wasabi and to take your order. It takes another 30 minutes for the food to get to you, so by that time you're an hour in. You would have to place an order the moment your first order arrives. Food was so bad. The spicy tuna was mush, think baby food. Would skip on all the rolls, everything tastes the same. I guess the only nice thing I could say was the oysters were good but not enough to get me to come back. The server avoided eye contact, did everything but her job lol we had to wave down the manager but he was super nice and was able to help us each time. Place is a bust! Would not return. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

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I ordered from here for take out. The fish was so fresh and everything tasted delicious. The portions were large and reasonably priced. read more

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I am a couple weeks late on my review of this fine establishment. It is my new favorite sushi restaurant. My pro tip for you is to go with the deluxe chirasi if you're into sashimi. It comes with so much fish that it can even get nauseating in a good way. + Deluxe chirasi is a generous bowl of fresh sashimi over sushi rice. It is by far one of the best I've had ever. (5 stars) + Service is great with our food coming within minutes upon ordering. (5 stars) + Sashimi presentation is like a colorful sculpture of fish but you only get 9 cuts so be sure to get appetizers if this is all you're ordering. Love the fresh grated wasabi. (4.5 stars) + Bento beef teriyaki is a generous portion of basically sliced flank steak cooked medium well with a light drizzle of teriyaki sauce. (4 stars) + Many different add-ons available for the bento but we just got the vegetable tempura which was standard. (4 stars) From the outside looking in, Kakuna looks underrated. It's certainly not a "first date" type of place. However, it's a foodie's sushi go to spot if you want quality food. Can't wait to come back. read more

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Never disappoints for some tasty sushi rolls and bento boxes. Decent prices compared to other sushi shops in the area. This visit, I came for their sashimi! The Sashimi Deluxe ($45) included Salmon, Salmon Belly, Escolar, Fatty Tuna, Albacore, and Yellowtail. Shockingly, the yellowtail was my favorite! So fresh and sliced generously. The presentation was also really cute on a staircase. Service is a little slow and the interior is simple, but this is a good spot to bring groups. A lot of seating inside! Came here for a date and the ambiance was okay, no music playing... but there was baseball on the TV. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sashimi Deluxe - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

A good waiter makes customers leave.A racist waiter, and a kind-hearted racist old man. Do not come to eat here at all: the sushi and raw fish did not taste fresh. Shortly after eating, I started feeling stomach discomfort. The cooked dishes were also not very good. The menu presentation was confusing and somewhat misleading. One sushi item had a photo placed next to it that did not match what was actually served, even though the description listed similar ingredients. What I received was clearly not the sushi shown in the picture. Since it was not what I ordered, I did not eat it, but I was still charged $1.50 per piece for the uneaten roll. Also I am not sure if a normal customer can just walk in their back counter place, their food safety is concerning, that there is a customer (shown in picture below) not only walk to their back counter filming us and are also help defending them with no reason... When I politely asked the server about the discrepancy between the photo and the dish served, the situation escalated unexpectedly. The server suddenly raised their voice and began questioning me in an aggressive tone. He was also keep making a racist hand gesture that made the interaction uncomfortable. I felt disrespected during the exchange. I do want to mention that an older server at the restaurant was kind and professional, and I appreciated their attitude. If tipping individually were possible, I would have been happy to tip that person. The interior is very minimal, with only tables and chairs and little decor. Overall, this was not a pleasant dining experience. read more

Delicious food with fast service. Staff are attentive. We will visit again! Our favorite roll is the Oishii - must try! read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Food portions were a good size and prices were very fair, but the food wasn't very traditional in the sense. If you're looking for good prices that will fill you up definitely check it out. The deep fried rolls were good, some of the others were a bit too much. Quality of fish was ok. read more

Can speak to only takeout experience. The sushi was good, especially the salmon and hamachi. Toro wasn't great. Great place for rolls as the ones we got were tasty. Sushi rolls were priced reasonably as most of the rolls were under $15. We did takeout and had a good experience. For those looking for gluten free celiac friendly sushi, this place was careful with their cuts and maki rolls. read more

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If you want AUTHENTIC sushi this is definitely not the place. HOWEVER, for American sushi this is where it's at. The rolls we had were The Bay, Lion King, Charizard, Gaijin, and Nutcracker. The bay was really creamy is really good a little heavy for me personally but definitely would hit for some people. Lion king I had here was definitely the best in the bay. Gaijin is really refreshing with the cilantro and I like how the sauce is not that heavy so we could really taste the fish. Charizard is just a balanced with the creaminess and tasting the fish, it was our tables favorite. Nutcracker was experimental with pesto creams and nuts. It tasted not bad but for me the nuts were a little too much. Overall the service is pretty seeing that a customer didn't like something and they offered to remake it or make something else, and the place is clean and tidy. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Came here on a Friday evening as part of a big group reservation! The restaurant was pretty large and has a decent amount of seating inside, but they were still pretty packed! ~The Food~ The menu here is huge, they have quite a large variety of sushi rolls, noodles, and bento boxes. - Kakuna roll ($14.99): I ordered the Kakuna Roll, which had crab, spicy tuna, and onions on the inside, topped with torched salmon, spicy mayo, miso, unagi sauce, scallion, and tobiko! I thought they were pretty generous in their portion of crab and spicy tuna on the inside of the roll, which I really appreciated! However, I think they did go a bit overboard with the sauce on top, in my opinion! I think the combo of all those sauces was a bit overwhelming. The ambiance is very casual; it was a pretty packed night, so it was actually quite loud. Overall, if you enjoy more complex style rolls with lots of sauce, I would recommend this place! Personally, wasn't exactly my favorite type of sushi, but it was not bad! read more

Kakuna Sushi - Kakuna roll ($14.99) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

Food is really yummy and the restaurant provides great vegetarian options and can accommodate for allergies. read more

Kakuna Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California

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We arrived here for late dinner. We didn't expect a lot, but almost rolls are so good. I recommend these rolls if you like some sweet food. It's full and all services are good too read more

Kakuna Sushi - Roll and fried - Sushi Bars Near Me - Milpitas, California