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Finally got here with my food, loving parents and beautiful wife for a special dinner out! I was nervous that the loud music and vibes here might put my older folks a bit off, but they actually loved every minute. The soundtrack here is the heartbeat of this restaurant and cannot be ignored. We were seated under the speaker (for added effect) and while I thought it would be problematic it actually ended up enhancing the experience because the food and drink just goes down so easy you feel like you're just hanging around with friends at a house party. On the cocktail front enjoyed a few new things, including the riff on a margarita, but my all-time favorite has got to still be the salty INU I don't know what it is about this drink, but it is just damn delicious and goes down so easy. The combo of basil shiso and grapefruit is delightful, especially with a hit of salt! And the food front, I tried the duck hearts which were great. We revisited the beef tongue which is always a hit. We also of course, had to have the soba noodles the chicken wing yakitori the Japanese pickles and so many others like the Japanese shrimp and shiitake fritter we also tried the mushroom croquettes which were surprisingly cheesy gooey gooey with an earth umami note. Not something I'd do again but glad I tried. Honestly we ordered a lot of the menu and I'm not ashamed at all. This spot is just grand!
Amazing experience! We sat at the bar and were served by Jamie. She was so friendly, attentive, gave super recommendations and made delicious cocktails. Highly recommend sitting at the bar. Definitely added to the experience watching the chefs in action. We came for light bites and will be back for more very soon. We had the hamachi and pear, shrimp gyoza, mushroom croquettes and cucumber salad. For drinks we had the Salty Inu and Okinawan Old Fashioned.
There is a reason this place gets fantastic reviews ! Went in with a friend and just smashed a few appetizers and had a few drinks. The service was top notch and the place was packed at 5pm on a Tuesday !' If you go anywhere in Reno GO HERE ! The wait will be worth it
It took me way too long to decide this may be my favorite place to go and belly up to the counter for a fun titillating meal. I love the Robata Grilled skewers and most every other thing in the menu. If I tried to get a reservation at my favorite izakaya restaurant in Vegas I'd be lucky to get one. This place does not take reservations so get there a little before 5:00 when they open the doors. Service is happy, helpful and efficient. The Japanese Caesar salad is freakishly fabulous with their own twist o. It. It seems, minutes after the doors open, it's packed. The loud music is iconic izakaya and you just get used to it. It's part of the vibe! So satisfying!
I was really disappointed with this restaurant. The prices are extremely high, but the food quality doesn't come close to justifying the cost. We waited 30-40 minutes for our food, even though the restaurant wasn't especially busy. The fried rice was overcooked, dry, and hard to chew. The ramen was the biggest disappointment of the meal--it cost $23 and was by far the worst ramen I've had. Several grilled items were also overcooked and even burned. One thing that stood out to me was that I didn't see a Japanese chef or many Japanese customers during my visit. While that alone doesn't determine food quality, it didn't give me confidence in the restaurant's authenticity, especially considering the prices. Overall, the portions were small, the quality was poor, and the prices were unreasonable. I don't mind paying more for a great meal, but this restaurant simply doesn't deliver the value. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back.
Kauboi is everything i wanted it to be. Its young and modern but feels classic at the same time. The decor feels very much downtown and staff have a similar vibe. They fit perfectly here and u can feel it. Every bite i experienced tonite was wonderful. Japanese inspiration with American urban style. Recipes that felt 100 years old mixed with fresh, new flavors. The Shrimp dumplings are something special. Wonderful flavor with a perfectly thin wrapper. I could eat 1,000 of them. I wish this place rented tables monthly so I could live here. Kauboi just stole my heart and stole first place on my list of Reno faves at the same time. I will be back. Again and again and again.
Been here twice now and not disappointed in the least. This place is really good. Its mostly small plates designed for sharing. They have all the sort of dishes that you would expect to see in an izakaya along a quiet street hidden somewhere in Tokyo. The music is played pretty loud so dont expect a romantic kind of dining expereience. Prices are definitely high and portions are small when compared to the prices. Food is tasty. Recommend the octopus, Caesar salad, chicken skin and spicy karrage. They have a Yuzu lager that is just plain yummy! 3.5 rounded to 4
Absolutely adore Kauboi Izakaya! This tapas style restaurant is great for groups and for those who want to sample different great dishes. We popped in on a Thursday afternoon and quickly got seated at the bar. Not pictured were the drinks we opted for which are the Mezcal Margarita and the Salty Inu, both were amazing. We opted for the chicken soup dumplings, the wagyu steak, and the pork belly ramen, and they did not disappoint. The flavors were all wonderful and complimentary, and we enjoyed each dish in its own regard. Overall, the service was quick and attentive, and the bartender was really helpful and got us in and out in a solid amount of time. We can't wait to be back, definitely recommend from a fellow Reno local!
Amazing food and always a great vibe here. I personally love going by-myself, sit at the bar where you can watch all the action going on. Pretty banger of a playlist going so it's a bit hard to have a convo if you're going for something more intimate. It's a fun place and it's perfect for solo, having a couple of cocktails and dishes to yourself, not for little kids. My favorite is the chicken thighs, the Ube Baby Cocktail and the spicy ramen. I've gotten other selections from their menu and you honestly can't go wrong with any. Perfect for a date night or girls night before hitting the town. Can be a bit hard to get a seat, so go there early and grab a spot!
Absolutely love sitting at the countertop and watching the chefs do their magic. Food is always delicious. Squid, charred broccoli, cucumbers, and chicken thighs were my favs on this trip. We also had hamachi, vegetable tempura and wild shrimp gyoza. When I visit Reno, this is on my Top 5 must eat list.
Went Saturday night, I didn't think the music was too loud at all. Sat at bar away from speakers, but I never thought it was too loud for any table. Fun to sit at bar and watch the chefs in their element, whipping at tons of great food under high pressure. Service was great, our server was super fun and checked on us multiple times, talked to the chefs a little bit, and they even served us a free appetizer, fantastic. The drinks are fantastic, we had several cocktails and they were all so so good. Food was awesome, especially if you like this kind of cuisine. We had to try the squid which had great flavor and texture and delicious sauce for dipping. Also had the ribeye steak, it's cooked rare and is super tender, really fantastic. Also had some dumplings and they were very tasty, nothing that blows you away but worth trying if you like dumplings. Super fun experience, I can't wait to come back. Very cool ambience, fun service, and some of the best "finer" dining in Reno. I'd say you gotta try at least once to see if it's for you.
Every time we return to Kauboi Izakaya, we are always completely satisfied with their delicious menu items and their excellent service! Last night we went for some cozy ramen instead of trying several dishes and we were so happy we did. I ordered the pork bone ramen and my husband got the bbq rib ramen. Each was served in a unique bowl and had beautiful presentations. The noodles were impressive and you can tell they are made from scratch. They had the perfect texture! The broths were so flavorful and good for the soul. Next time, I will order extra noodles because they were bomb.com!
Really amazing food and service! Food is reasonably priced as well and it's in a really fun area of midtown
Came back with some friends from Vegas and we ordered the following: Ordered: - Tokyo Fried Chicken Thigh and Spicy Mayo: This is so good! It's perfectly crisp 5/5 - Hamachi and Asian Pear and Aji Amarillo: fish is fresh, pear is good, and the cubed soy sauce all work surprisingly well together 5/5 - Ten layer Pork Tonkatsu and Black garlic: I love the hint of wasabi flavor, but you don't actually feel the spiciness of it. 5/5 - Chicken Skin Skewers: very crispy and thin on the outside and soft on the inside. 5/5 - Chicken Thigh Skewers: the chicken is not dry at all and the green onions helps bring out the flavor more 5/5 - Bone Broth ramen: pork is great, but the noodles, and broth tastes like a wonton soup . The egg yolk tasted different 3/5 - Battleship: the fries are thin and crispy which I love. The cheese balls and meat are good. The curry is good and it should come with a bowl of rice 5/5 - Gyoza: it's more a dumpling, a little too acidic but the meat is very flavorful 4/5 There was no wait this time on a Friday evening. I feel like the music is still too loud, but I enjoy the environment. The staff are always attentive and quick. This was a much better experience, than the first time I came here. However, the prices are still high for the amount of food served. read more
2 months ago
Took me long enough, but I finnaly stopped by Kauboi Izakaya. Walking in, I do like how this place looks. Great way to repurpose an older building in Midtown. Parking is fairly easy, with plenty of street spaces nearby, and an easy walk if you're already hanging around the neighborhood. The service was friendly and fairly prompt, and even for a weekday night the place was bustling, leading to a bit of a backup. Cool vibes all around, and it's neat to sit at the bar and watch the chefs do their thing. Though it does mean this is a little bit on the noisy side. Look at the menu, and there are tons of tempting options. As the name suggests, their specialty here is small plate off the grill or out fo the fryer. But they do serve really good-looking ramen, too, which I will make not to try next time I swing by. I at first went with a quick bite of grilled chicken thighs, which were just amazing! They were juicy, eprfectly seared, with some grilled green onions and an amazing sweet soy sauce. I also went with the yakionigiri, which are balls of rice that are grilled, brushed with sauce, and topped with a sort of mango slaw. A bit uncommon, but wow, these were also just so delicious! Also had a glass of sake, though they have a full bar should you want some other sort of beverage. Prices here are, I feel, a little on the higher end for small plates. However, I think it is definitely worth coming and trying this place out at least once or twice, just to expereince some of the good food. I'm sorry it took me so long to finally step through the doors, but I am certain I will be back again to try more of what's on the menu. read more
2 months ago
Might be our favorite spot in town, we go 1-2 times a month. The staff has been the same for years, which is one of our favorite spots. We always go for the shared plates, it's more expensive but worth it. Some things to consider before you visit: -No reservations, first come first serve. Most nights it's a 30-45 minute wait if you don't get there right when they open. We always put our name down and walk to Chapel for a cocktail while we wait. - Like many of the reviews state, it does get pretty loud. It is part of the experience. The later the night gets, the louder the music and the dimmer the lights. Don't be the annoying person that asks them to adjust either of those things. If that's not your vibe, you should dine elsewhere. - Seating is limited, not the place to have people just trickle in/ come and go. If you are dining here, everyone should show up on time. - They do have gluten free mods, but they are not available on the weekends. - I would not recommend for vegans We have tried basically the entire menu. Our favorites are the duck fried rice, Caesar, mushroom croquettes, soba noodles, ten layers of pork, pork gyoza, shrimp fritter, Tokyo fried chicken, chicken meatballs, rice tots, and mushroom jar. Everything we've tried is outstanding, even the beef tongue! Drinks are all really good, only note I have is that the wine pours are pretty small. If you haven't been here, definitely add it to your list. Easily top 5 restaurants in all of Reno! read more
7 months ago
Finally got here with my food, loving parents and beautiful wife for a special dinner out! I was nervous that the loud music and vibes here might put my older folks a bit off, but they actually loved every minute. The soundtrack here is the heartbeat of this restaurant and cannot be ignored. We were seated under the speaker (for added effect) and while I thought it would be problematic it actually ended up enhancing the experience because the food and drink just goes down so easy you feel like you're just hanging around with friends at a house party. On the cocktail front enjoyed a few new things, including the riff on a margarita, but my all-time favorite has got to still be the salty INU I don't know what it is about this drink, but it is just damn delicious and goes down so easy. The combo of basil shiso and grapefruit is delightful, especially with a hit of salt! And the food front, I tried the duck hearts which were great. We revisited the beef tongue which is always a hit. We also of course, had to have the soba noodles the chicken wing yakitori the Japanese pickles and so many others like the Japanese shrimp and shiitake fritter we also tried the mushroom croquettes which were surprisingly cheesy gooey gooey with an earth umami note. Not something I'd do again but glad I tried. Honestly we ordered a lot of the menu and I'm not ashamed at all. This spot is just grand! read more
3 months ago
Amazing experience! We sat at the bar and were served by Jamie. She was so friendly, attentive, gave super recommendations and made delicious cocktails. Highly recommend sitting at the bar. Definitely added to the experience watching the chefs in action. We came for light bites and will be back for more very soon. We had the hamachi and pear, shrimp gyoza, mushroom croquettes and cucumber salad. For drinks we had the Salty Inu and Okinawan Old Fashioned. read more
There is a reason this place gets fantastic reviews ! Went in with a friend and just smashed a few appetizers and had a few drinks. The service was top notch and the place was packed at 5pm on a Tuesday !' If you go anywhere in Reno GO HERE ! The wait will be worth it read more
It took me way too long to decide this may be my favorite place to go and belly up to the counter for a fun titillating meal. I love the Robata Grilled skewers and most every other thing in the menu. If I tried to get a reservation at my favorite izakaya restaurant in Vegas I'd be lucky to get one. This place does not take reservations so get there a little before 5:00 when they open the doors. Service is happy, helpful and efficient. The Japanese Caesar salad is freakishly fabulous with their own twist o. It. It seems, minutes after the doors open, it's packed. The loud music is iconic izakaya and you just get used to it. It's part of the vibe! So satisfying! read more
2 months ago
I was really disappointed with this restaurant. The prices are extremely high, but the food quality doesn't come close to justifying the cost. We waited 30-40 minutes for our food, even though the restaurant wasn't especially busy. The fried rice was overcooked, dry, and hard to chew. The ramen was the biggest disappointment of the meal--it cost $23 and was by far the worst ramen I've had. Several grilled items were also overcooked and even burned. One thing that stood out to me was that I didn't see a Japanese chef or many Japanese customers during my visit. While that alone doesn't determine food quality, it didn't give me confidence in the restaurant's authenticity, especially considering the prices. Overall, the portions were small, the quality was poor, and the prices were unreasonable. I don't mind paying more for a great meal, but this restaurant simply doesn't deliver the value. Unfortunately, I won't be coming back. read more
Kauboi is everything i wanted it to be. Its young and modern but feels classic at the same time. The decor feels very much downtown and staff have a similar vibe. They fit perfectly here and u can feel it. Every bite i experienced tonite was wonderful. Japanese inspiration with American urban style. Recipes that felt 100 years old mixed with fresh, new flavors. The Shrimp dumplings are something special. Wonderful flavor with a perfectly thin wrapper. I could eat 1,000 of them. I wish this place rented tables monthly so I could live here. Kauboi just stole my heart and stole first place on my list of Reno faves at the same time. I will be back. Again and again and again. read more
Been here twice now and not disappointed in the least. This place is really good. Its mostly small plates designed for sharing. They have all the sort of dishes that you would expect to see in an izakaya along a quiet street hidden somewhere in Tokyo. The music is played pretty loud so dont expect a romantic kind of dining expereience. Prices are definitely high and portions are small when compared to the prices. Food is tasty. Recommend the octopus, Caesar salad, chicken skin and spicy karrage. They have a Yuzu lager that is just plain yummy! 3.5 rounded to 4 read more
1 year ago
Absolutely adore Kauboi Izakaya! This tapas style restaurant is great for groups and for those who want to sample different great dishes. We popped in on a Thursday afternoon and quickly got seated at the bar. Not pictured were the drinks we opted for which are the Mezcal Margarita and the Salty Inu, both were amazing. We opted for the chicken soup dumplings, the wagyu steak, and the pork belly ramen, and they did not disappoint. The flavors were all wonderful and complimentary, and we enjoyed each dish in its own regard. Overall, the service was quick and attentive, and the bartender was really helpful and got us in and out in a solid amount of time. We can't wait to be back, definitely recommend from a fellow Reno local! read more
Amazing food and always a great vibe here. I personally love going by-myself, sit at the bar where you can watch all the action going on. Pretty banger of a playlist going so it's a bit hard to have a convo if you're going for something more intimate. It's a fun place and it's perfect for solo, having a couple of cocktails and dishes to yourself, not for little kids. My favorite is the chicken thighs, the Ube Baby Cocktail and the spicy ramen. I've gotten other selections from their menu and you honestly can't go wrong with any. Perfect for a date night or girls night before hitting the town. Can be a bit hard to get a seat, so go there early and grab a spot! read more
7 months ago
Absolutely love sitting at the countertop and watching the chefs do their magic. Food is always delicious. Squid, charred broccoli, cucumbers, and chicken thighs were my favs on this trip. We also had hamachi, vegetable tempura and wild shrimp gyoza. When I visit Reno, this is on my Top 5 must eat list. read more
1 month ago
Went Saturday night, I didn't think the music was too loud at all. Sat at bar away from speakers, but I never thought it was too loud for any table. Fun to sit at bar and watch the chefs in their element, whipping at tons of great food under high pressure. Service was great, our server was super fun and checked on us multiple times, talked to the chefs a little bit, and they even served us a free appetizer, fantastic. The drinks are fantastic, we had several cocktails and they were all so so good. Food was awesome, especially if you like this kind of cuisine. We had to try the squid which had great flavor and texture and delicious sauce for dipping. Also had the ribeye steak, it's cooked rare and is super tender, really fantastic. Also had some dumplings and they were very tasty, nothing that blows you away but worth trying if you like dumplings. Super fun experience, I can't wait to come back. Very cool ambience, fun service, and some of the best "finer" dining in Reno. I'd say you gotta try at least once to see if it's for you. read more
Every time we return to Kauboi Izakaya, we are always completely satisfied with their delicious menu items and their excellent service! Last night we went for some cozy ramen instead of trying several dishes and we were so happy we did. I ordered the pork bone ramen and my husband got the bbq rib ramen. Each was served in a unique bowl and had beautiful presentations. The noodles were impressive and you can tell they are made from scratch. They had the perfect texture! The broths were so flavorful and good for the soul. Next time, I will order extra noodles because they were bomb.com! read more
4 months ago
Really amazing food and service! Food is reasonably priced as well and it's in a really fun area of midtown read more
Total radness wrapped in a bow of indulgence. Sit at the bar and watch the crew do their thing. The food was fantastic. Small shareable plates so get a little of everything. Going back to try other dishes soon. The bathroom has a nice color scheme and clean and spacious. Such a fantastic restaurant read more
5 months ago
Food is good, unique and attractive. Whether it's the bar or table service, they're attentive. Ambiance is definitely cool vibe, easygoing, and chill. You don't have to dress up for this place, but if it's a cute girls night out, why not? read more
This might be one of the best spots I've eaten at in Reno. The vibe is cool, the cocktails are good, and the food is GOOD. Whenever we are in town, we now have this as a must-go. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu - we have loved almost everything on the menu. The one item I wouldn't say it a must-get is the ramen. It's decent but I'm a die hard ramen fan so would prefer to go to a place dedicated to it. But everything else truly is pretty gosh darn tasty. read more
1 year ago
Loved the atmosphere! Music was good, wallpaper is awesome and so are their plants on the bar. The mixed drinks were delicious and so was the food! Our waiter/bartender was so nice and friendly and service was fast! Definitely a place to try if you haven't already! read more
5 months ago
Had a great date night here last night. Sat at the bar, service was excellent! Had an Ube coconut cocktail & mezcal marg. Food is 10/10 as well! Great vibes. read more
What a cute date night spot! I've only been here one other time and it was during COVID. I was so happy to be able to try it again. It's located in midtown and they can get pretty busy! So just fair warning. It's very small and intimate. They play great music and the kitchen is visible from your seat. They also have bar seating as well. We started off with cocktails. I had their lychee martini. Not too sweet. We then got the hamachi to share and cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had a miso paste it was paired with. So yummy. I wanna try and make it myself. We got the yakatori chicken wings. Cooked perfectly and had a little spice to it. read more
This is by far one of the best restaurants in Reno! It could rival any big city restaurant as the food is unique and every dish is better than the next. Served in a meant to share style, you order off the menu and whatever comes out is served. This is a meal to linger over with friends that like to try a variety of different dishes. Some of my consistent favorites are the giant squid, chicken thigh skewers, rice tots, Japanese pickle plate, and the bacon wrapped sweet potatoes. The service is always fast and friendly and the ambiance is hipster cozy casual. The place is small and loud but it's a great spot for a date night and certainly one to impress out of town guests. read more
hello! first time here, atmosphere and vibe was popping, but not so much for the parking. tiny parking spaces in the back of the building, there are a few street parking spaces as well. food: the best is the wagyu, flavorful and tasty, the best dish the chicken skin was great wanted to try the beef tongue, but they ran out the chicken wings was way too salty, but the texture and crispiness was on point the cucumber was drenched too much in miso, it did not taste like cucumber anymore, more so of the sesame miso + salt the rest were mediocre read more
1 year ago
The 4 of us arrived with no reservations on Saturday evening and were told it'd be an hour wait. After they took our number, we headed to the bar down the street to kill some time. Our table was ready in 30 mins so we threw back our drinks and returned with bigger appetites. This place is sprinkled with kitschy decor but it fits the 'Kauboi' vibe of East meets West. It's a cool joint to bring a casual date or catch up with friends (albeit over loud music). The table setting and hand written menu were a nice touch and the service was excellent (thanks, Janica). When it comes to the food, if you're looking for authentic Japanese cuisine, you might be disappointed. The fare here is unapologetically a fusion of flavors. Some that clash, some that dance. - The hamachi app was as fun to look at as it was to eat. Accompanied by fresh, juicy asian pear sliced paper-thin and cute little yuzu gels, I wouldn't call it shareable as I wanted this all to myself. - The yakitori were well seasoned and grilled to perfection. - The shrimp gyoza was...unique, to say the least. Overpowered by the chili oil sauce that had a strong tomato paste flavor. - The duck fried rice had that crispy texture that I love so much but was extremely peppery. One too many cranks of the pepper mill had me wondering if this was intentional, hence the name Wicked Fried Rice. - I'm a fan of tonkotsu so I was excited to try their take on it, but this dish fell flat on its face. I can't speak for the spicy miso ramen since I didn't try it but both the noodles were under and the broth left much to be desired. Overall, an interesting take on Japanese food. The attentive service and lively ambiance is enough to entice me to come back and try the other dishes or indulge in some cocktails, but I'm skipping the ramen. read more
7 months ago
Just wow! Such amazing food and service. The food does come out on its own pace but it was a great change to try everything one at a time. Really enjoyed this restaurant! read more
This place is a vibe. The staff are very attentive and active, the ambience of the shop is very personalable and lively, they cook and prepare a lot of the food up front at the counter and seeing whole squid being prepared is a treat. The food though? The food was amazing. Extremely flavorful and juicy. The rice balls extremely crispy with a perfect amount of salt and my partner had a curry dish with fries that was extremely tasty. They are in the pricier range but the food is absolutely worth it. Would recommend. read more
The ube drink was cute and good. I loved all the food and I ate at a izakaya in Japan and this had the same feel with the container for the sticks! My husband enjoyed sake too and we also had ramen which was good. They take card and we sat inside. They close pretty early and you can't order cocktails and food past 8. You can watch them make the bbq which is cool and I'm sure when busy it can smell like bbq, the meatballs izakaya was my fav! Fried rice was good as well. For 3 people you need like 5-6 dishes to be full. It's like Japanese tapas, found parking across the street at the shopping center and they take card read more
6 months ago
Wowza, truly eclectic exceptional food. And the service was top notch. Jamie provided just the date night experience we were after. read more
This was a much anticipated visit! I had been hearing about the eclectic food choices and the cool vibes for a while. We decided to go for our anniversary. First of all it opens at 5pm. Be at there by 5-515. It fills up that quickly. It's not super big but we were lucky to be first in line (yes there is a line) about 5 min before it opened. After that time, the wait for a table will be 30 min to 2 hours. The place has really cool decorations and attention to detail. The wall has this cool velvet skull pattern. The music is veeeery loud and the lighting is on the darker side. We ordered drinks and were told at that time to order family style (share) because the food comes out in the order it comes out, they can't determine it. Grateful for the heads up so we ordered a handful of items to share. It took about 10-15 min to get our drink and then the first item we got about 5 min later. Rice tots. Yummy. This really set the tone for me. Next thing was the chicken heart with green onion yakitori. Also good. Wild shrimp gyoza was next and it was amazing. Then came the wing yakitori. A bit burnt and not much there but seasoning was good. We were really impressed by the pace the food was coming out. Then about 30 min went by and we waited and waited for the next two dishes. The giant squid finally showed and it was cold. This is a grilled item and everything thus far that had come out was piping hot. The flavor was great and the meat very tender but the fact it was cold meant it was sitting waiting to be served for a while. As we were discussing this the waitress came over and asked if we had gotten our shrimp gyoza already. We had and she said the chef had made extra and would like us to have it. Not sure if that was because of the wait and cold food or if he truly made extra but we weren't complaining since they were so good. The last item was the Wicked fried rice and unfortunately that was also cold. In conclusion (to this very long review), they get very busy so they may forget to serve your food but the food is delicious. We were there for about 2 hours in total because of the food wait. The serving sizes are on the smaller end for the price, so be ready to shell out $100+ if you order a handful of the items. They also had ramen which seemed like a fair portion. read more
8 months ago
Tonight we ordered the soba noodles, dragon rice balls, steak, Wagyu, shrimp gyoza, mushroom croquettes, and there was not a single miss. The steak was cooked perfectly, so tender it melted in our mouths. The soba noodles were light and refreshing, with tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado that balanced everything beautifully. Don't skip the beet salad, it's one of the best I've ever had, with granola and yogurt.For drinks, we had the mezcal margarita and the Ube de Baby, both incredible and creative, just like the menu. Kauboi is a Reno gem. Service is always fantastic. Staff is kind and attentive. I highly recommend calling ahead to make a reservation because there's almost always a wait, but trust me, whatever the wait is, it's 100% worth it. read more
7 months ago
TIME for an update! I started my last review in a much too snarky manner. I used a word that I literally had to look up when I re read the review to see if it needed to be updated. Good word, but a little to too eccentric for a readable review. Bleh. Anyway enough about my old review and on to my new review. My wife and I had decided to try the new Restaurant that had just opened a few doors down. But for some reason they are only open three days during the middle of the week. So we decided now was a good time to try Kauboi. We walked the few doors down and were seated right away. The space is pretty small, and the vibe of the restaurant is higher energy than the last time I was year over 5 years ago. The menu is still super interesting and attractive to adventurous foodie types. I wouldn't go here if I was seeking comfort food but that is a positive in Reno where so many places do "riffs" the old standards. Much of the energy came from music being a little louder and a little more aggressive than I am used to....but still added to the experience. Kauboi is a small plate type of place, best shared with no more than 3 or 4 people. We ordered up the Cucumber Salad, Hamachi, Lamb Gyoza and Pork Ramen. Splitting each plate was easy but so hard to not eat all of it. Thankfully I love my wife and want to not sleep on the couch or I could have easily gobbled down everything in front of me. We also ordered up a cocktail for each of us. I ordered up the Tokyo Drift and she ordered up a Ube drink. The main drift to the Tokyo Drift was very negroni-esque. Very good. I really liked my wife's Ube drink and probably will get that the next time. Good balance. The service was "detached attentive", not cloying and not ever slow or less than top notch. They even apologized for not having desserts but I wasn't disappointed at all. The ability to get in and have a seat in the small space is a great benefit garnered from not adding the lingering dessert phase. We looked over the menu one more time before leaving and realized we have 10-15 more items we want to try, so without a doubt we will be back. read more
Wwwooowww. This place was super good. It's a small restaurant so it gets busy fast. We went on a Friday night and it was about 45 minute wait so we had a drink at another midtown bar while we waited for our table. The wait was 100% worth the wait. Our server was really friendly and she explained the menu to us. They are small plates so we ordered a few items to share. My favorite was the spicy fried chicken and the vegetarian ramen. Everything was cooked to perfection and fresh. They have a fun drink menu. Definitely a cute date night spot or catching up with friends. Go and check them out... amazing Japanese restaurant. read more
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More info about Kauboi Izakaya
1286 S Virginia St
Reno, NV 89502
Midtown
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(775) 453-2592
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Ask the Community - Kauboi Izakaya
I've heard the food is wonderful but that it is very loud. Truth?
Yes but the atmosphere is part of the experience. If you're looking for quiet & intimate, this isn't your place.
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19 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
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