Great Japanese Steakhouse. The hibachi and sushi were both delicious. The service was excellent. Everything was fresh and flavorful and the atmosphere was great. Portions were decent. My steak hibachi was pretty good. Overall a good hibachi and sushi place. read more

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Everything about that restaurant is awesome. The service the way that they cook in front of you. It's just an amazing experience. I love every bit of it. read more

cleanliness! The restaurant is dark and dirty. Food had foul taste and made me sick ambiance dark to hide dirt read more

Been going to this place forever. We love family gatherings, they are always very welcoming. The chiefs specials for dinner are very filling. For the last 25 yrs we've celebrated lots of good times and meals at this old time favorite. Keep up the great work. We also love the bar ambiance. Very laid back. read more

I've been going to Kampai my entire life, their hibachi is unmatched. Anywhere else I've gone is never as good as Kampai. From the food to the experience with the cook, they are a solid 10/10 every single time. Highly suggest making reservations on the weekends, as they get very busy. If you're not in the mood for hibachi they have a separate quieter seating area upstairs available with full sushi bar, and a private room up there as well. Kampai is the best! read more

I have been coming here for years and years love my experience ever time food is yummy always the staff is great as well entertainment while you eat what's better than that. read more

Best sushi in town. Been going for almost 25 years. New owners are very friendly and accommodating. Love the peaceful and zen upstairs sushi area. Delicious miso soup and ginger salad dressing. Sushi and sashimi dinner entrees are our go-to: great portions and fish is always fresh. Hot house saki is delightful, especially in the winter. Treat yourself to a fried ice cream read more

Love Love Love. My absolute favorite place to go. Always wonderful service. One time I did get sick because they made my plate and let it sit that's the only issue I have. Is when you order hibachi to go you never know how long it's been sitting there unfortunately. But eating in is the absolute best choice never had an issue and it's always delicious read more

I've been going to Kampaii for about 35 years. We visited on Christmas Eve. I was able to get a reservation when I called earlier in the day. The four of us were seated at our own hibachi table which was appreciated during this COVID time. The waitress was friendly & efficient. Our chef was funny & entertaining. The food was excellent!! I had the steamed Shrimp dumplings for an appetizer & Shrimp hibachi for dinner. All the dinners include a small salad with amazing ginger dressing (house made) & clear soup which is SO good. Fried rice is made on the grill in front of you & is my favorite by far. Hot Sake is a must!! A great night! read more

Kampai Japanese Restaurant - Shrimp hibachi with Fried rice - Japanese Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Two of us came for sushi. They made us wait and then seated us at an empty hibachi table. No chef at the table. It was just a scuzzi table. An uncomfortable arrangement for two for dinner. Apparently, there is a sushi area we could have been seated in if we had known to ask. One family came, sat down at our table, ordered, and then left. They brought us the appetizers AFTER our dinner. There wasn't much room at the hibachi table for the meal. The atmosphere wasn't nice. I wouldn't go back. read more

Kampai Japanese Restaurant - A family sat at our table, ordered, then walked out. We were two for a sushi dinner, and they sat us at this empty hibachi table. - Japanese Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Quite pricey. $5.00 extra if you want fried rice instead of white rice. $4.00 per soda, wine $9.00 per glass. I called for reservations and left a message . A couple hours later I get a phone call confirming. The woman asked if it was a special occasion and I said it was my dad's 90th birthday. She offered a cake with a sparkler and some fanfare for $15. I said "sure". We arrived on time but had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. They said it was unusually busy and the service was a bit slow. Finally the chef showed up. My dad was joking that he was going to be 91 before the show started. The "noodles" that were part of the meal was spaghetti with soy sauce which was salty and boring. My steak and lobster were both over cooked and chewy (everyone ordered their steak medium). I didn't say anything because it was getting late and what were they going to do at that point? Re cook everything? I had to remove our plates to the dirty station behind us because no one else was bussing. There was also residue on the grill from the previous cook that I thought they would clean off ( they didn't) which was concerning my husband. Extra flavor I guess. The piece de resistance was when I mentioned the up sale of the cake, no one had a clue what I was talking about. They said they couldn't get in touch with the employee with the empty promises. They gave Dad a scoop of ice cream and we sang Happy Birthday. I had a prepared dessert at home that I could have brought if not for the "employee". Over $500 for 8 of us including the 18% gratuity they tack on for parties of 6 or more. Not returning. read more

Great time every time I've been there staff is so nice they go out of there way to make u feel like ur family read more

Kampai Japanese Restaurant - Very good food and nice family's. - Japanese Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

I feel like I tend to write only bad reviews and I hate to use this as a platform for such but I need to warn people. As a family we went here for my grandfathers 90th birthday. Reservations for 7PM and we were seated shortly after 7. The station we were sat at was not clean, the table top had burnt reminisce on it and there looked to be left over from years past in the crevices of the station. The place was busy with all of the Hibachi stations full and 2 of the stations appeared to have a large party all together. It took approximately another 20 minutes to be greeted by the Server who was nice and apologized for an extended wait explaining the delay. That they were abnormally busy. He took our orders for drinks and left. It took another 10+ minutes to get our drinks. We were entertained by the large group next to us having a blast with their chefs who were making jokes with their customers and performing a show together. It took another length of time for us to place our orders and another length of time for the chef to come out. When the chef came out he literally made 3 jokes and a couple little tricks, the proceeded to appear to rush through the entire meal. Oh he cleaned the cooktop prior to cooking, thank god. He took half the amount of time to cook as the other chefs who did their entire production and didn't make any further conversation with us. If there was conversation it was forced by us cause of how awkward the service was. The food came out and it was sub par hibachi food, nothing special. Flavors of teriyaki and salt. That's about it. $5 extra for fried rice which was pretty good compared to the other $30+ dinners and honestly was the best part of the meal. That's right, rice was the best part. They forgot an order of white rice and it wasn't even noticed by the chef. They forgot my mother's drink order several times during the service. They forgot my uncles filet and didn't notice until the end. The servers and chef consistently made excuses of how busy the place was and that there were new employees, which something told me this wasn't their first rodeo. The chef cleaned the table top better when leaving than it was when he cleaned it prior to cooking and left saying maybe his 5th sentence in his conclusion of service. We ate our meals and it felt like the scene from "A Christmas Story". My aunt made reservations and when doing such she spoke to a lady on the phone who "upgraded" the reservation for my grandfathers birthday with a cake, sparkler, and a birthday celebration. None of which occurred as they brought out the bill and forgot my family members deserts that came with their meals. When we questioned the service, the deserts were brought out and the server informed us that they do not have such birthday celebrations, that the lady my aunt talked on the phone with had been fired and that must have been her last hoorah. The server then walked away and grabbed the other server who used the gong and sang Happy Birthday with us. Overall, it was a disastrous, awkward, unprofessional experience for my grandfathers 90th. Thank god he really only cares about salty foods, will really eat anything and everything in front of him and he enjoyed it. I have no plans of ever returning to this place. read more

Stopped by this place with my family for a hibachi night and it was great! The chef was funny and entertaining. The food was cute and good!! Love a good hibachi night, I find it so cool that they can perform and cook our food right in front of us!! All the staff were so nice and the bar was an amazing time to relax with my family after a long week!! We will be back, thank you!! read more

Incredible live performance by the hibachi chefs. They are really funny and put on quite the show. Amazing cocktails read more

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Service has definitely declined. Went to hibachi twice in the last 6 months and it's nothing like it used to be, it's rushed, there are so "tricks" for the kids, not even flipping a lousy shrimp into someone's mouth. The take out portions are so tiny I actually went back & questioned if I had a child portion by accident, they were rude when I asked and didn't give me a reason to why I paid $14 for 3 shrimp cut into pieces (shrimp & noodles hibachi) If you're looking for Hibachi nine east is the place to go in branford read more

This has been a perennial favorite of mine for decades. The food is always fresh and delicious, the service great and entertaining. The chefs chop and cook right on the hibachi on your own table and are friendly and amazingly skillful. They'll amaze you with their dexterity in juggling their tools, flipping a piece of shrimp into a shirt pocket, the top of a hat or a patron's mouth, and make a flaming volcano from a stack of onion slices. Everyone has to try this place at least once, and I'm sure most will return time and again. I had the shrimp dinner, which was perfect as always. Don't forget a pitcher of hot sake. read more

The food was pretty good and the entertainment was nice but the bathrooms were a little dirty now I don't expect them to deep clean it or something but when I got my bowl of rice the lady was like casually walking by with salad plates and gives me a dirty fork and I was disgusted but overall it was a nice experience Will I dine here again: Maybe read more

Great meal and it's fun to watch them cook your dinner right in front of you. Try the filet mignon!

Had a great time for my husbands 65 th Birthday with all kids and the grandkids .. haven't been there in quite a while due to Covid . Food was awesome & service was the best !! They really entertained the kids .. read more

This place is amazing!!!!! My family and I enjoyed this place. The staff there treat you like family and they are very helpful .This Is one of the best hibachi restaurants I've been to. they also didn't make us feel rushed and they recommended different items on the menu I give it a A+++++++++++ read more

Great atmosphere but the food was just ok. We had hibachi. The chef was fun and the staff was nice. Have had better Japanese hibachi elsewhere in town. read more

I ordered a number of dishes. The Lemongrass soup was so salty that it was inedible. The Chicken with Cashews had NO CASHEWS! The Moo Shu pork was soggy, with a few pieces of pork. The shrimp roll had a cardboard-like wrap, and one small piece of shrimp. The scallion pancakes were quite good. And it was over $40. read more

An extraordinary, delicious, friendly service, and lovely restaurant for Japanese food. Kampai is known for its hibachi setting. Come here on a weekend and it's always packed. The food is always so good and they are very friendly with portions. The cooks are so friendly and always do the normal tricks and funny stuff that goes on with hibachi. Upstairs features a sit on the floor setting where you can order sushi and other food as well if you don't like hibachi. The bar is on the first level surrounded by a pond with little fish in it which is a very nice setting. I would recommend this place to anyone who loves Japanese food. It's a very nice place to go and enjoy yourself with family or a date! read more

For starters 1) their ginger dressing is one of a kind, so is their mustard sauce (for the seafood hibachi), 2) their steamed shumai and dipping sauce is out of this world, 3) and if you love chicken wings - the wasabi wings are a MUST TRY! Hibachi entrees including the shrimp flambe, hibachi noodles, and fried rice which your choice of meat or vegetables - these flavors can't beat any of the other hibachi spots around. Sushi menu is extensive, they have a unique spicy mayo for their spicy rolls and they're just delightful. The spider roll is my favorite! Their fried ice cream consists of coconut ice cream covered with rice flour tempura dazzled with chocolate sauce.... it's as heavenly as it sounds. Even though I'm over 21, I still order one of their non-alcoholic specialty drinks called the Melting Snow - one of the best beverages that can't be found anywhere else. Staff is family-friendly and super welcoming; atmosphere is as modern as ever before. They also offer happy hour and take-out which is very convenient for quick service! read more

I hadn't been to Kampai in many years and I was impressed with the remodel. It truly feels like you are in another place, somewhere exciting for a special occasion. While the decor has changed, the hibachi show is exactly the same as always (and the same as all the other hibachi restaurants I've been in between). Nonetheless, sometimes that's exactly what you are looking for, just a fun show with delicious food to celebrate with your family. The service was excellent, I often didn't even see the waiter float by to refill my water. The specialty drinks were small and underwhelming, best to stick with the green tea and enjoy your meal. read more

My family has been going to Kampai for years. It never fails to deliver good times and good food. The surf and turf here with shrimp flambé and mushroom flambé were just as good this time as they were when i was a kid. Thank you Kampai! read more

Awesome food! Best hibachi sauces ever! Great sushi suggestion from the waitress. Food is always consistent. Have never had a bad meal yet! Been going here for over 20 years! read more

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It was a Sunday night, so we called ahead to make a reservation. She said it would be about a half hour wait (7:45) for hibachi. No problem we thought we would have a drink and appetizer in the bar area. We had four kids with us, so for us to wait half an hour is not that big of a deal, but when we ended up waiting an hour without anyone giving us any real answer as to when we would be seated we got frustrated. only giving it three stars because the kids ate everything. In hindsight, they probably ate everything because they were so freaking starving by the time they got any food. read more

An excellent place for Hibachi! A nice restaurant to enjoy a delicious meal. Love how the food is cooked right in front of you. The noodles are unbelievable with the mustard sauce. Honestly everything is delicious! The salad dressing is one of a kind. It's different from other places. It's not too gingery but it has it's own unique and satisfying taste. The bar is very nice and there is happy hours! Compare to other restaurants this is probably a very reasonable price for Hibachi food! read more

I looooooove, love, LOVE Kampai! This restaurant has an awesome atmosphere and great food! There are two delicious sides to this restaurant, sushi and hibachi. I always go for sushi, because it's absolutely mouth-watering. You can sit at that sushi bar, on the floor at traditional low tables, in private booths surrounded by screens, or at regular old tables-- your choice! Either way, the sushi is to die for, and the service is friendly. On the negative side, I will say service can at times be a tad bit slow, but it's well made-up for when you taste their food. I've never gone to Kampai for Hibachi, but I've heard it's awesome. If you've ever been to a hibachi dinner show, you know what I am talking about. You sit around a table/grille as your own personal chef cooks and does tricks for you and your friends, making your food right before your eyes. It's very entertaining, and very delicious. I'd recommend Kampai to anyone. My only gripe is they aren't open for lunch! read more

Awesome service, drinks, food, and a beyond amazing teppanyaki chef. I was hoping to write my review before I forgot his name, but he was the best chef I've ever had at a hibachi. He was hilarious, chatty, and genuine. Although he was working/on the clock, he made us feel comfortable and as if we were longtime customers of Kampai (which we will be now after our experience!). We had so much fun, enjoyed the atmosphere, enjoyed the food, and the company of our chef. We will be back soon! read more

Ok so we used to frequent kampai allot about 10 years ago... The last couple times we were there it was kinda ehh but we tried it again tonight and let me tell ya... KAMPAI IS BACK! The drunks were great, the entertainment was superb (we had "train" as our chef) not only was this place totally packed (good sign) the food was amazing! Loved it! Will def return! read more

I love this restaurant and I always come here. I always have a great time and the chefs are great! The waitress is always there to help and be a good service! The new chefs is getting so much better! The foods are still delicious. The hostess is still rude to customers that she doesn't know but when she knows someone she's is nice to them. I heard that she was very rushing the waitresses and I sat in the middle of the table. Friday and Saturday night could get so busy! I came another day! There were five young girls gave sassy to the boss and to the young waitress. The boss tried to explain them how their restaurant works but they don't mine to wait for the chef for 1 1/2 hours... wanted to sit another table . so here come the young waitress that looks like she's 16... but she tried to explain to them how the menu works and gave her their sassy. End of the night they gave sassy attitude to the waitress saying (they didn't know that the restaurant charge them refill drinks and u can't change the fried rice to ex veg... they charge u ex veg. ) (something like that) they begin to says to the waitress that she never told them, but those girls in their 20s- 26yrs old. They tried to get free foods, but really.!?! How about this pretending to be in her position? They shouldn't come back at all.. I felt so bad for her(waitress) the waitress has her right to correct them. plus they seems to been here before and just acting like they never been here. But after all I love this place ! They change the bar so much! read more

This place used to be pretty good, especially because it was an easy local choice..ample parking, central location, not downtown, fair prices. The food was nothing mind blowing, but it definitely held it's own. After my last few experiences at Kampai, I can confidently say I won't be returning unless the decision is out of my hands. The owners/management are absolutely horrific to their staff. There are been multiple occasions that I've witnessed them scream at their employees to the point of tears (in the middle of the dining area), and a couple of times that other patrons have actually stepped in to defend the servers. I've never seen anything like it in my life, and based on that alone, I wouldn't choose to come back. That aside, you can get better sushi at Stop & Shop, and hibachi just doesn't vary too much from location to location for it to even matter. The sushi was salty to the point of being inedible. My spicy tuna roll was a piece of tuna slathered in spicy mayo and thrown onto a plate..might have been literally thrown, because the whole roll was unraveled. The roll was flavorless, all I tasted was heaps of mayo - not quite what I want when I'm eating sushi. I also ordered a firecracker roll, which looked like it was rolled by a three year old, but at least it stayed together? All I tasted was salt. Why? The crunchy tempura flakes on top were so hard and clumpy that I actually thought I bit into a rock. Seaweed salad was swimming in vinegar, everything was just bad. If nothing else, they're consistent, because my food was identical right down to the hard, clumpy tempura flakes, the last two times I went. Half of a star for consistency? And another half star for not serving rotten sushi. One star for having okay hibachi. read more

I visited Kampai a few weeks ago and it was terrible. I would not recommend this restaurant to my worse enemy!!! We were greeted and sat by a very surly woman...the decor was dated and didn't seem as if they put much attention into the restaurant. The soup tasted and looked like watered down soy sauce..the salad was brown and the dressing was also watery. The fried rice had lacked flavor, and they even added their secret ingredient....frozen mixed vegetables... The generic kind you would find at your neighborhood supermarket.. The noodles, again lacked flavor, and was made with angel hair pasta... Have you ever???? The steak and chicken were over cooked... need I say more??? DONT GO HERE!!! read more

I come here all the time, the Hibachi shows are, wonderful! Definitely recommend this place to anyone.!

Don't get me Wrong I absolutely love love love this place and the food its the best of the best. My biggest issue has been in the past year since covid. I get and understand things have been completely diff with every place. Kampai is usually open at 5 and closes around 10 never mind working around those hours they are closed on weekdays at times. My issue is everytime I go to oreder Hibachi around 7-7:30 they stop serving it unless you go in. Every time I go in im charged a bar fee for sitting at the hibachi table I don't drink at all. Im also charged per refill of soda and the full price for the drink every refill. Many people haven't noticed the bar charge is the tip for the table. So I was tipping between 20-30% on top of the bar charge they refuse to let you have your receipt for proof so next time I go im just taking a picture of it. This is not how you keep customers Im just saying. And it sucks because they are the best hibachi place I have found. sad they are going to lose some business when people start paying closer attention to there checks never mind not having food options besides sushi to order after 7 read more

Made a reservation for 7:30. Called at 7:25 saying g we'd be 5 minutes late - restaurant said no problem. Arrived at 7:35 only to find that it would be at least 45 minutes until table was ready. We are a family of 5, with 3 children. Offered us the bar. Group in the bar was so drunk and kept muttering for us to F$ck Off. Perfect for my daughter's 12th birthday. Just the ambience we were looking for. We left. If you want to hang with Branford's finest townies and a shellshocked hostess who doesn't know her left from her right, this is your place. Good luck, though. read more

We ended up here on NYE as they were one of the few places with reservations available and I am happy we did. While we did have to wait a little bit for our table (not the fault of staff) everything else was perfect. Hector, our chef, was amazing. He was very engaged and attentive. Several of our dinner orders had modifications and he was cognizant of all of them and made sure to double check with each person. My 8 year old, who is a very picky eater, said it was the best chicken he has ever had and I would agree. My 8 year old also asks a lot of questions and Hector not only answered all of them but engaged in dialogue with my son. Along with his great personality was his great culinary skills. The food was amazing. The service was great. Waitstaff were always on top of clearing plates, refilling drinks, etc. Only complaint is they charge extra for fried rice (hibachi dinners). Def will be going back. read more