Dear Lord in heaven, where do I start with this terrible experience? We arrived on a Sunday night before Christmas, around 7:30. We were told by the host, who didn't smile once and sounded as robotic as Al Gore on sedatives, that there would be a 4- minute wait. It was a long time to wait, but we were in the mood for teppanyaki, so we agreed, took a pager, and took two stools at the adjoining bar. The bar area floor was dirty with straw wrappers scattered on the ground. How difficult is it for a manager or busser or server to walk by and pick stuff up. It just shows a lack of pride and caring. We ordered a couple of mojitos, they tasted fine. They were made with sake as well as white rum, so they had a little extra punch. Pretty good mojito, but one was enough for me. After 15 minutes, the pager buzzed. So they overdelivered, which sounds good. But the amount of time they quoted was so long that we nearly left, when in reality, it only took a third of that time for us to get a table. We got sat with six other folks, took waters to go with our mojitos, and then waited to place our order. And we waited. And waited. It took about 10-12 minutes for the server to be ready to take our orders. The thing with the server is she didn't even smile. Maybe it was stress, or the end of a long day, but my goodness, can't you try to create a happy and positive atmosphere for your guests? We're spending a lot of money to eat here, make it feel like a worthwhile investment! The waits weren't over yet though. The first course was, of course, miso soup. And from the time we sat down to the time the soup arrived, we waited 33 minutes, and yes we checked the clock. We had not eaten in nine hours, so that time felt even longer. She did apologize to the table, but couldn't she have asked a manager or someone to assist her? We also noticed a table that got sat after us had their chef start to prepare their dinner even before we received our salads. At this point, we were considering leaving, but decided to hang on. Our chef, Lucas, came over just before the salads were brought out. The timing was so off and I don't know if that's on management or the wait staff. Anyway, the salads were very enjoyable, and I liked the ginger dressing very much. And thankfully, Lucas was an entertaining chef between the onion flame and making the girl who was celebrating her birthday feel welcome (although she had less emotion and personality than the host at the stand) by giving her first dibs on the food and extra portions. The vegetables, fried rice, and shrimp appetizer all tasted great. I did get a huge amount of rice though, but I was able to finish it; I guess that's what nine of hours of waiting can do. For the entrée, I ordered the filet mignon and salmon. I ordered it medium, and while it tasted really tender and juicy, There was very little char on the steak. Mom complained of too much garlic on hers, so I wound up eating her portion. The salmon was ok, but nothing special. I poured a good amount of yum yum sauce on top for some more flavor. About halfway through the dinner, I asked for a refill on my water and a girl next to me asked for a refill on her Dr. Pepper. Fifteen minutes later, nothing had arrived. At that point, we just looked at each other and exchanged that head shake as if to say, "Yeah we ain't getting this drinks are we?" The drinks never did arrive. Once we finished, we paid cash and just got out of there. The meal tasted just fine; I appreciate Lucas' charisma and skills. But that wasn't enough to salvage our time at this establishment. The overall experience can best be described as disappointing and substandard. That's not due to poor food, it's about deficient customer service and and lack of customer care. read more

I came to Kanki for a Valentine's day lunch before a movie. I'm not local to Raleigh, and hadn't been to this mall before. It is easy enough to get in and out of. We waited about 30 minutes for our food, which I thought was reasonable. We sat in the front area, not the steakhouse style seating in the back. Our servers were very attentive and kept our drinks full. The food was good, not great. At first glance, I thought my food looked very dry, and when I ate it I was reassured of that. The food really reminded me of Mexican food minus any kind of seasoning you'd find there and add soy sauce. It just wasn't a typical hibachi plate. I enjoyed the experience but the food was sub par. Im not sure if I'll be back simply because I'm not local to the area. read more

Thank you Maria and everyone who helped serve me and family I brought here to eat from NY. The calamari, sushi rolls and our dinner cooked in front of us was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! Continue to keep the food fresh and cooked to perfection. My uncle Abdel that visited while teaching dance at Duke University for ADF really enjoyed it and wanted to come back and get more. Schedule didn't allow it. But next time he visits to NC for work he will definitely be back. The bar tenders working that day really helped and made the service run smoothly with getting drinks with our meal also! I have to write another review and mention everyone's name to show my appreciation and keep servicing people the way you do! And the manager that use to be one of the chefs for 30 years also greeted us before closing. Everything was great!!! THANK YOU! THE DATE WAS WED JULY 5, 2023. read more

Went on a Monday night and did not sit in front of the chef for an authentic experience. The area only had one bartender as waitress but it was busy (we were sitting in the mall hallway/entrance area). Food was cold and the chicken hibachi was terrible. The chicken had terrible texture and flavor was off. I have heated up chicken in the microwave with much better texture and flavor. The fried rice was good but again cold. I thought this was a safe pick with all of the good reviews but should've known better. Elect for a table in-front of the cook if you decide to give this a try. At least you know it was cooked within the last few hours or days. PS: forgot to mention the bus boy was serving food between tables. read more

Horrible wait time for the chef to come once seated, one hour with wining hungry kids! Management doesn't care

Ordered grub hub and got this.a lot less food than I was expecting.. I've been to khanki and the serving sizes are normally lot bigger than this. Looks like they forgot half the rice! This was $16 on grub hub.. yes I know prices are higher on grub hup but $16 for this?? read more

Kanki - Hibachi Steak and Shrimp Lunch - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Have been a go to for years! Food is always good. The cooks that prepare the meal in front of you are always funny and entertaining. Note, there's usually a wait for that but if you don't want to wait, you can seat yourself at the bar and area around it. (Much faster) read more

Kanki - Hibachi Steak* - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Terrible experience! I came in on a Sunday afternoon 3:45, there wasn't a wait so we sat right down. Unlike other experiences they took our order within a few moments, and we started eating our 1st courses while the table filled up. That's as good as it got. Our cook cross contaminated the chicken, seafood, and steak continuously throughout cooking. His excuse was, "I didn't know that there were allergies. Next time you have to speak up, but sorry." Then, after messing up on the infamous "onion volcano", he threw away the onions. Went in the back for 5 min and came back with onions to make another successful volcano. By that time the vegetables were burnt, so he left the table again without saying a word. When he comes back, he has a tray of raw vegetables. He removes the then burnt vegetables off the burner and starts over cooking the new veggies. We were also confused as to why we had very little rice on our plates. I'll post a picture. Lastly, my boyfriend had to get the manager involved after he got mushrooms in his order after telling the waitress and the cook twice "no mushrooms, please". The manager was very apologetic and had his food recooked. We left at 5:40. read more

Kanki - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Food was mediocre; the decor was old, furniture shabby (not shabby chic), dishes were plastic and reminded me of what you get at a cafeteria. read more

Called in order asking for two emperor delights. One steak medium rat and one well but not burnt. Arrived to pick up order, one with no steak at all and the one with steak so black and hard it Couldn't be cut with a knife. Called the manager, they put steak that looked like it was saved from the table and the rice in second plate looked as if it was from yesterday. Best alternative, go inside and see what you are getting and how they are cooking it. Dnt waste your money. please read more

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Ordered for takeout, got home and realized all of our meals were burnt. We've been eating here for several years so this was disappointing, especially since we drove 45 minutes to get it. read more

What the heck happened to the Kanki we all used to know and love??? It has gone majorly downhill over the past couple of years. I highly doubt not recommend this place for sushi or hibachi. It is not how it used to be. High food quality and good service is gone. read more

Jane was our waitress and she was not attentive to my needs, she really was not listening to my request, 1st request was no ice in my ice tea, she bought my ice tea with ice in it, 2nd request was i ordered the vegetable delight with shrimp, i got no shrimp in my meal, 3rd request i wanted another ice tea, never got it, and 4th request i wanted a copy of my receipt, she gave everyone their receipt and forgot about me! I felt as though she was rushing us out the door. She really gave me a hard time, i was not happy with Jane, she's not attentive at all. read more

We had a choice to sit in the private dining area or the group area. We did group seating but I kind of wish we did private because everything felt so rushed. The waitress was very nice but got our order wrong after asking us and clearly stating how we wanted the steak cooked and my friend's allergies. That's a big no-no when you have someone that's highly allergic to shellfish. Once we corrected the cook, he let us know that his food would be cooked separately. It was also kind of annoying that the waitress filled tea every time we took a sip. The food itself was really mediocre and kind of bland, but it was a lot of fun to watch the cook. The birthday surprise was great as well. I might give it another chance in the private dining area. read more

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As always, great service. Jason, Marshall and Dennis did a fabulous job taking care of us at the bar after we had to leave the cheesecake factory after terrible service and drinks and bird food that was inedible. Drates, service, everything including the food was awesome read more

Kanki - I ordered the sashimi but the Hibachi was so delicious. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The food was fine but the waitress named Kim was very rude she body shammed a12 YEAR OLD. She told told a MINOR that they shouldn't drink and eat so much , however a parental guardian said that she was out of line and does not need to say those thing to customers let alone a 12 year old child. read more

This dinner was going really well and we enjoyed our time and the service until our chef made a comment that included a terrible racial slur about a group next to us in the restaurant. It was highly inappropriate and made everyone at our table extremely uncomfortable. Very disappointed in the restaurant for not handling it better either. read more

I do not live in the area but I am staying across the street from the mall that this restaurant is located in. I wanted sushi so I made my way over. Service was prompt but not very friendly. The vibe was a bit depressing. As I approached the hostess stand, two or three young women were having a gab session and seemed a bit put out by my presence. I was asked "Show or No Show?", at first I was confused but I figured out what they meant, the were asking if I wanted to eat around a grill where a chef prepared the meals in front of you. I declined and opted for a seat in the sushi bar area. I ordered a 1/2 roll for an appetizer and chicken teriyaki. The roll was okay but definitely not fresh. The teriyaki was dried out bite size pieces of chicken that did not even look like chicken. The fried rice was not fried with the traditional egg and veggies it was just brown colored rice and devoid of any flavor. The vegetables were stir fried and seemed fresh. Over all the food was a miss. They clearly have ceased to care at this restaurant and I predict that it will fade away like so many others who provide lackluster service and food that is not fresh and prepared properly. read more

First visit- came here to celebrate a First Communion. First customers since we arrived at 11am. Staff were very attentive although we arrived 30 min before they opened, we were given a pager and paged at 11:30 sharp. Since we were the first to be seated the place was nice and clean. Our waiter was great and so was the cook. The menu had lots of options including seasonal items plus lunch items were offered during the weekend which was great. I have been to other same style restaurants but they definitely give huge portions for awesome price. The food tasted great. We ordered West Coast Rolls which we pretty good. We enjoyed the miso soup and appreciation salad dressing options were offered. Food was cooked great. read more

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This place has turned to trash!The server forgot about my food twice!Didnt even bring my salad and the chicken was burnt!The manager wow what a joke!!He took 10 mins to come over with a smug look on his face explaining what happened he only said ok!!!I told him what i thought about his trash food and service!!Do not go there it's garbage like the food and management!! read more

Was my husband and I's first time trying this restaurant and it did not disappoint! Our server was amazing, always checking up on us and refilling our drinks before we even ask. The food was awesome too. We ordered the walking dead and tempura rolls as well as steak and chicken habachi and none of them disappointed. Only reason I am giving this restaurant a 4 star rating is because the hostess was rude to us when we first walked in. We didn't know we had to seat ourselves and we stood there waiting while neither of the two in front said anything. And when we finally asked for help she gave us attitude. read more

This is was my first time here and many more to come!!! :) The service is outstanding, beyond outstanding!!! Very clean and an upstanding restaurant. We went for lunch. My hubby got a mixed drink and it was made perfectly. We ordered a sushi roll for appetizer and it was so yummy! For our main lunch entree we ordered Hibachi chicken chicken and Hibachi steak. Both were cooked perfect, portion size good, white sauce good, everything was very tasty!! The atmosphere and ambience was really good! We simply loved this place and will be back often!!! Highly recommend!!!! read more

Kanki - Lunch menu - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Sat at the bar since it was crowded and the gentleman that served us started off with asking us our order and didn't ask which soup we preferred. I don't eat chicken not beef so he assumed that I wanted the soup with chicken broth when I wanted the miso soup. He told me I would have to wait for them to prepare it. He also didn't bring us any utensils so at least we could have our salad. A couple who came 10 mins after us and sat next to us not only did he asked them which type of soup they liked but also gave them utensils and their Mido soup while I still waited for my Miso soup and our utensils. He passed us numerous times and didnt check on us and acted like we weren't there. After about 30 mins we asked the other waitress to give us the check for our drinks and we left. Never again will we go to Kanki and sit at the bar. read more

We had a reservation but there was no chef. (?????) The staff told us we should just wait over there (standing). They couldn't or wouldn't give us a time limit. Rude, rude, rude. After 20 minutes past our reservation it was konnichiwa. I'm guessing poc are not supposed to complain about poor treatment but I'm not gonna pay anyone to abuse me... (Wake Forest Rd location) read more

The service was okay, 1st drink was good but the second had too much basil in it. My calamari was a little chewy but alright. The show was good and was a good spot for our team meeting. Plenty of space. I got steak and chicken with rice. Very good. read more

Kanki - Sushi & Calamari - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Third time having an Excellent meal we truly enjoy Kanki Japanese I hope anyone who read some less than Favorable remarks will give them a try read more

The SECOND AND LAST TIME I ORDER FROM THIS Location. I always request no onions they add onions anyway. This food costs too much to not get what you order. I'll just drink an extra 6 minutes to wake forest road location. It's sad when food is your entire business. read more

Service is extremely slow. It is not the fault of the servers or cooks because they are trying their best. I feel that the issue plaguing this restaurant is poor management and planning. I hope they fix this by hiring more and staffing more. read more

Awful service. Extremely rude waiter. Food took more than an hour to arrive. Couldn't even get a water.

I've been to Kanki several times for dinner, but this was my first time having lunch there. We were there to celebrate a birthday and there were about 12 of us. You're able to make reservations until I believe 4pm, but it still took us at least 30 minutes to be seated. Once we were seated, I wasn't sure why it took so long because the dining area with the hibachi tables weren't all taken. Our server came to take our drink orders within 10 minutes after we were seated. After she brought our drinks out, she took our lunch order. The lunch prices are really good for the amount of food you receive. When you order your entree, you get the choice of soup or salad. The chef, Steven came out maybe 20 minutes after we ordered, he was great. Everyone's food was prepared exactly how we requested it and each bite was delicious. It alway a great time when dining at Kanki! read more

The waiting time to get a table was about 20+ minutes, even with a reservation. (Saturday night) It then took another 20+ minutes for the Chef to arrive and start cooking. It was neat watching him cook, but I didn't find the food to be anything special. You get a TON of rice, which isn't really my thing and some meat. Pretty expensive meal at $30, 5 or 6 scallops and some veggies. I can make that at home for 1/3 of the cost and I don't have to drive all the way to Raleigh for it either. I am also curious to what oils they use to cook the food in, as I am pretty particular about that, not all oils are created equal. I am also curious if the meats are organic/pasture raised or not. All in all if you care about the details such as the oils, meat quality and not eating a CARB BOMB, I would pass on this place. read more

Friendly staff, clean establishment but the portions are too small for what you pay. Don't get me wrong, you'll get a heaping pile of rice on your plate, a pile of zucchini, onions and mushrooms but if you get the shrimp and scallop hibachi combo like I did you'll get about 4 shrimp and 4 scallops. For $30. I've been to other hibachi restaurants and I've received more shrimp and scallops. But that pile of rice tho.... I wouldn't return. read more

Kanki is your typical hibachi place! I'm definitely a fan of it because of two reasons: 1. great portions and 2. fresh sushi! Whenever I come here I usually opt to skip the show and just order from the tables near the bar. I haven't tried a sushi roll here that I did not like! Also, there is a huge price different from the lunch and dinner menu. If you just want to try this place out for the first time, come for lunch! read more

Kanki - Otake crunch roll & half of a crab roll. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

There food is amazing and very good, me and my aunt wanted to eat there they said. A 15 minute wait it took at least 5 the food was great. Had a really good time read more

Kanki - Hibachi Chicken - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Stopped by for a quick solo dinner and sat immediately at the bar. When I asked the bartender to recommend a not-too-sweet drink, she suggested the Saketini which ended up being 1) well balanced 2) not too sweet like I asked and 3) only $5 instead of $10! The Tunagi roll was fresh and compact- perfect for dipping in soy sauce without falling apart. The Sashimi roll was topped with tuna that was a little bland but still fulfilled my sushi craving. quickly. The bartender was friendly, knowledgeable, and quick! Food: 4/5 stars. Drink: 5/5 stars. Service: 5/5 stars. read more

Kanki - Tunagi (rolled in cucumber) and Sashimi (topped with tuna) rolls + a Saketini. Verdict: 4/5 for food. 5/5 for drink. 5/5 for service. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great birthday dinner for a group of teenage boys because you are entertained and get lots of food! Service was great, we were seated right away, our chef was friendly and animated, waitstaff was attentive, and on Tuesday nights all wine is $5 a glass. They were having problems with their beer taps, so they were sold out of most of their canned beers. The food is always tasty--seared sesame encrusted tuna is hands down my favorite, but I sampled ribeye, shrimp and scallops and it was all good--smothered in fat, butter and oil, but good. You can opt for steamed rice to save yourself a few calories (or weight watcher smart points). read more

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Took my kids (7,5,5) and we all had a great time. Good service, fun show, tasty food.

HORRIBLE!!!! My wife and I ordered through GrubHub and it was $98 including "fees" and driver tip. I also paid $4 for extra rice because I love their rice and know the portions on to go orders tend to be bad. Tonight took it to a whole new level. This is the plate that had the "extra rice". Half the plate is zucchini with rest being a small combo of steak, chicken, shrimp and rice. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I have never felt so insulted from a to go order, especially one close to $100. The food is good, but what a joke, this will never happen again and I hope all of you reading this review stay away from ordering a to go order from Kanki. This is criminal. read more

Kanki - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Ordered food to go. Girl in the take out area is extremely RUDE! I asked for extra veggies and was charged for them broc carrots etc to be specific) get home and I have rice and pretty much a plate FULL of onions. All of our plates were the exact same one piece of cauliflower and one piece of looks like bell pepper everything else is onions and more onions and extra onions So paid an extra 4.00 for onions. 50.00 for lunch and have three plates of onions. If you love onions this is your place they will fix u right up. Not what I asked for ! read more

Kanki - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We celebrated a birthday and had a great time. The chef was entertaining and food delicious. The birthday lady was sang to and received a sweet treat. Often we sit in the sushi bar and have 'sushi Sunday' (with Saké) and have always enjoyed our experiences. read more