We dropped in after seeing a movie, 10 minutes before happy hour ended. We took advantage of the 10 minutes in. Ordered a few things off of the happy hour menu. Toby was our server and was extremely personable. Very friendly, knows an extreme amount about Hawaiian history. Karaage, edamame, Bao buns. All items came out fresh and hot! Our 13 and 16 year old gave the meal a 10 out of 10! Seriously, night snorkel with manta rays only got 8!!!! my husband, and I both ordered a mai tai, his with bourbon, mine with extra coconut - excellent. We finish off the meal with Matcha crème brûlée, highly recommend it! I never remember to take pictures before we devour food, apologies. read more

Kenichi Pacific - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Stopped by on a Sunday for dinner. Our server Tabia was super friendly and patient, even though we took a while to decide what to order. We had the citrus chicken, chicken katsu carbonara, samurai roll, miso soup and potato puree. Food was alright, everything was pricey. I was told the chicken katsu carbonara was flavorless. My friend did enjoy the citrus chicken! Samurai roll was meh. I was told the potato puree was good! Also on a weird note, the napkins smelled rotten... even having it sit on my lap I could smell them. Smelled like they might've left it sitting wet in the washer too long. read more

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Amazing quality sushi. I highly recommend checking this place out if you love sushi. Service was fast and friendly. I enjoyed the outdoor seating but definitely make a reservation if you want to sit indoors. I highly recommend the katsu carbonara and any of the nigiri. read more

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Went out for dinner with the family on our last night. The kids wanted sushi so we found this spot on Yelp. We didn't have reservations but we're sat promptly. Ordered a Sapporo on draft, but it didn't taste as I remembered so I recommend ordering from the bottle. Tapwater wasn't the best. We got the steamed edamame. The kids loved them. As for the sushi rolls, we ordered a rainbow roll, spicy tuna roll, shrimp tempura roll, and a Bushido Roll. Our favorites were the spicy tuna and the rainbow roll. I ordered the pan, seared citrus, chicken, and that was cooked to perfection along with its wok fried vegetables. My son loved the buttered noodles as well. Our server was attentive and friendly. We really enjoyed our dinner. read more

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Passed by there today and the place was cleared out. No tables the bar was vacant. Looks to be closed down. Last two times we were there the service was terrible. read more

Lamb chops at a sushi bar??? Damn skippy! We've been here before for happy hour, as it's walking (or crawling) distance from our condo. This last trip as we were perusing the Big Island Revealed guide (indispensable), we came across the review for this place and the dish we would never have considered: Macadamia Crusted Lamb Chops. Trust me...if your a fan of lamb, this may become your new fav! Served with a black vinegar reduction over potato puree and baby spinach, it truly checks all the yum boxes. Cooked to perfection, medium rare, tender juicy, just wish there were more chops in the order. Started with the Tsunami Roll, but by far the star of the show was the lamb. Seated quickly and service was prompt and friendly. Quiet, upscale dining area made for a nice night out. Now, off to KTA for a pint of the Big Island's own Tropical Dreams...Aloha! read more

While the service was friendly and prompt you just can't make up for the poor quality of the tempura shrimp or being out of Ahi. Luckily they had salmon to top our roll with...but I had to ask for it over the hamachi they were going to use instead of ahi. We've been before years ago and it was good, but this experience will keep me a way for a bit. read more

If you have read my reviews, you know that I like to look at: Location, Service, Food Quality/quantity, presentation and the X factor that businesses have sometimes. I love trying new places all over the world. Now for my honest review of Kenichi Pacific on the Big Island/Kona (Keauhou) Hawaii... The good, bad, and ugly! Kenichi Pacific is conveniently located in the shopping center adjacent to Longs Drugs (CVS), and the KTA Supermarket. On their door they list locations in Austin, Aspen, Dallas and Kona. The restaurant is laid out with the bar on the left and the dining room and sushi bar on the right. In front of their bar there is some outdoor seating. We opted to sit in the main dining room. The server was very nice, attentive and came immediately to take our order...we will call that the good! Now for the bad...In what world is it okay for a sushi restaurant in Hawaii, especially the big island to be "out of ahi tuna"? We ordered spicy Tuna roll along with other ahi rolls to be informed that they are completely out of tuna! Kona Hawaii is the Tuna Capital of planet earth, and poke is a Hawaiian staple, this should have been our first warning sign! We rolled with it (no pun intended), and ordered a California Roll, Tempura Roll and a specialty roll called the Shogun Roll and substituted Salmon for Ahi on that roll. The Tempura was pretty bad, it was chewy and stale. The CA roll was good at least. I'm a huge sushi fan and usually enjoy low sodium soy sauce. Did they have that? Nope! Now for the ugly. While eating the sushi I felt something moving on my legs, it's not unusual in Hawaii to have bugs, but this was the crunch that you definitely don't want in your crunchy roll, a huge cockroach on my legs. I brought it to the attention of our server, he promptly apologized and told me that the management was aware and just had the place fumigated. Unfortunately, these issues all point to a restaurant that is poorly managed. This dinner was by far the worst meal we had on Kona this trip. I'm saddened, because in years past this place was a staple here in Kona. When your restaurant is empty and other nearby places are packed that should be a warning sign. The service and location are great, but the food was iffy, and the cleanliness definitely needs improvement! I'm still hoping to find another restaurant on the island that might have Poke or Ahi tuna, luckily almost every other place I call on the Yelp top 10 does have Ahi... read more

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We came to the shopping center for the Hawaiian Culture Show (2nd Friday). We didn't expect to find this gem. We arrived for happy hour (which, amazingly, extends until 7pm). The drinks are so fresh, cold and good - we each had mai tais. The kids' chicken Karage was delicious (I tried a piece). We had several varieties of sushi rolls - rainbow, tuna and cucumber. Great prices and some of the freshest fish I've had in Hawaii. We also had the pork bun which blew my mind. I was thinking "how can a pork bun stand out - everyone makes them" but it did. I couldn't believe how delicious it was. Finally, we ordered the molten chocolate cake with ice cream (in a sushi bar!). It was insanely good and even the ice cream must be some kind of local amazing specialty. The staff is friendly, funny and kind. My only regret is that I didn't discover this until my last night in town. You should eat here!!! And, catch the music and dance show on 2nd fridays!!! read more

Kenichi Pacific - Happy Customers at Happy Hour - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

I really like this place. I have not been there in a bit, but I do remember the chicken Katsu carbonara and the Uni. I know they have switched ownership so I need to go there soon. The last time I was there, I waitress by the name of Shiori who is always our waitress when we would visit. this restaurant was so professional and helpful and made our dining experience spectacular. I hear she's not there anymore so I hope the food and the service will still be great. They have outside and inside seating. I prefer the inside seating because it's cooler as outside can be a little hot and humid at times. This is a good spot for sashimi and sushi and sake. read more

I have been coming to Kenichi Pacific for 20 years , and it has always been one of my favorite places to eat in Kona. I heard the place was under new ownership, and decided to give it a try. I am so happy with the new owners and what they have done with the place. We took our friends out to eat for a going away present, there was 6 of us. Our server Savannah was very charming and did an amazing job , she was super on it , and had a great attitude. The bartender Toby was also very cool and came to check on us , and made a great Kenichi 45 cocktail for our friend, and made a delicious infused hot sake for us. It was a busy Friday night, the place was Jamming . All our food came out on time and picture perfect and tasted even better than it looked, ( which is amazing) . The owners have changed the menu , and in my view , it seems like for the better! They still have the old classics from The previous owner , like the Mac nut crusted lamb and the dynamite shrimp, but have added delicious new steak options as well. My son loved the Filet mignon so much, we ordered a second one ! Both steaks came out perfectly medium, just as we ordered it . Our shrimp and scallop risotto was excellent, and sashimi and nigiri was fresh and perfect! They still had the amazing freshly baked chocolate molten cake that we all know and love , and even wrote , " we will miss you" on the plate for our friends that are leaving. We will definitely be back soon, and highly recommend this place. The owner Chris and Jordan are super cool people and we're both there making sure everyone was taken care of . Chris does the kitchen and his wife Jordan takes care of the front of the house. Great Job Kenichi Pacific , 5 stars ! ps . The calamari was to die for!!! read more

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I'm blown away by one of their special sushi, sushi dishes tonight, it was a Japanese Hawaiian Peruvian fusion that was just amazing delicate shrimp with avocado and a is hard to describe most creative sushi I've ever coming back find all of their other excellentsushi approaches from theor 4 master chefs. Appetizers excellent, especially the duck confit manapua Still one of the top restaurants in Kona read more

Everything about this lovely restaurant was amazing, my husband and I went there for our 25th wedding anniversary dinner and we're not disappointed. My husband had a selection of sushi and said that the Toro was the best he's ever had, well prepared and beautifully presented. I had the mushroom and pasta dish and was totally amazed at the taste texture and presentation. We will definitely come back to this restaurant and we thank the owners Jordan and Chris for the lovely anniversary dessert. Nothing has a aloha and feeling welcome by these beautiful people. The menu is vast come hungry! Need I mention the service was phenomenal read more

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Service was excellent, our hostess and server were very nice. I used to come here 20 years ago (yeah, I'm that old) and this place was DA SHIZT. They introduced me to uni (amazing) and natto (natto ever again) and some of the freshest fish and best sushi rice ever. . . Not today. The rice was unseasoned entirely, and the chirashi featured tiny-diced cuts of borderline unservable fish- I was shocked a shush chef let that leave their kitchen. With a $45 price tag, this dish was a total disappointment. I get better cuts of fish from KTA poke on the regular. This place used to be epic. I'd love to see them return to their former pride and quality. Their prices demand it. read more

As someone who genuinely loves sushi (and used to work in a sushi restaurant), I'm pretty picky about fish quality and presentation. This place surprised me in the best way -- the fish tasted fresh, the rolls were balanced, and everything came out beautifully presented. I came in for a Mother's Day dinner and was well taken cared by all the staff. I even ordered a few entrees and of course it was amazing! We left planning our next visit:) read more

Had a great meal. We went at the end of happy hour. We had some great Mai Tai's, appetizers, and an Ono special. Food was great and service was kind and warm. Would highly recommend. We will be back. My picky teenagers really enjoyed this place. FYI. They have a new chef. read more

I always look at the reviews when I am travelling to a new place. This one had some good reviews so I booked it. We had reservations but we came when they opened so no problem getting seated right away. I should of known that the place would be sub par from the sushi rolls being half off for happy hour. That was a sign. All the tourist came here for the cheaper happy hour. You don't get that price when sitting in the dinning room. That is for the bar area which all the people were waiting for as the doors opened. I went to a place like this before in Modesto and the food was sub par too. The server was really nice and explained the menu and the specials. We looked over the menu. I had seen that their duck confit was one of their specialties and I love duck. I ordered that. We got the BBQ ribs and the salmon sashimi. Duck bun, sea bass and the Agedashi tofu. My duck was dry and over cooked. I mentioned it to our server and he brought a menu back for me to get something else but I just didn't see anything. I didn't finish the duck. The duck bun was also dry. The sea bass was overcooked as well. The Agedashi tofu was ok. The salmon sashimi was not that fresh. Being on the island I expected better. TO top it all off , when we got our bill the waiter didn't even take off the duck which I had complained about. I didn't catch it till later and I was going to ask for a manager. I was pissed for it. But my wife saw that he was talking with the manager and they took off my duck from the bill. Wow this was our only bad meal of all the restaurants we went to on the Big Island. What a disappointment. I over heard some customers behind us saying that they were under a new owner so maybe that was it. Who knows. Everything was over cooked. So I would pass this place. read more

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The food was amazing! Highly recommend the chicken karaage, it was crispy on the outside hot & juicy on the inside. Cocktails were fun and tasty. Husband got the ribeye, flavorful and cooked to perfection. Love the outside seating with the table lights. Savannah was our server, she was very knowledgeable and nice! Highly recommend if you're in Kona! read more

If I could give it zero stars I would. Started off ok, a little slow with the service... then the kicker.... We ordered tempura- grabbed a piece and took a bite- it was COLD. I put the piece back on the plate and told the waiter. He brought back another plate of tempura and we each ate a dry, bad piece and then I picks up a piece that had a bite taken out of... it was the same piece I had taken a bite from previously. They took the tempura and threw it back into the oil to fry it again... YUCK! They didn't re-do it, they just took the same stuff and put back in oil to fry it a second time and were bad enough to leave the piece in there that I had already eaten.... So DISAPPOINTING!! Do not waste your money! read more

We love the Happy Hour and Dinners at Kenichi. We purchased Kenichi Gift card pack at Costco a while ago. We ate Easter dinner there - it was very busy and extremely good food. However, we were told that the cards we HAD JUST PURCHASED at Costco were not activated. We had to pay for the entire bill (plus we had already spent $80.00 on the two cards. Costco refunded our $80.00 plus gave us a $20.00 shop card. So we thought we would try again- Costco tried to check the balance - nothing comes up, so we tried several more times with the QR code- Nothing. 3 days later all it states is E-Gift Cards Coming soon. We stopped by before they were open and an employee stated that they have been seeing this - yet we can't get on to the website - it's blocked. No one answers the phone...Hopefully they will get this fixed so we don't have another embarrassing dining experience. read more

Used to be our favorite place in Kona. Unbelievable disaster of a dinner for 10 people. They were out of everything. Wine, most fish, the rice was clearly reheated - blech!!! How can they be out of fish at 7:00 on Saturday night??? The only thing I can think of is that they haven't been paying their purveyors so they didn't deliver their orders. Also only one poor waiter trying to cover the whole place. TOTAL FAIL read more

Arrived at 6:50 for a 7:00 reservation. Did not receive appetizers until 8:00, and no dinner by 8:30. Waiter refilled our water glasses at 8:00, spilled water on the table, used our napkins to partially wipe it up, and never came back to finish cleaning it up and bring us new napkins. We left at 8:30 without dinner. Will never go back. read more

Kenichi has Happy Hour when they open at 4:30pm, but only in the bar. It's a substantial discount on rolls and drinks. So, people show up as early as 4pm to stand/sit on line to get into the bar area. We did that again, and had some great sushi rolls at a great price. The rice is tender, the rolls are well made and the fish is exceedingly fresh. This is a deal that can''t be beat. On top of that, the bar staff at this place are top notch and keep up with the happy hour crowd as a matter of course. If you want an elevated experience, the dining room is very nice, as is the sushi bar. For a bargain though, the happy hour is the bomb. read more

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While vacationing in Kona, we found this incredible sushi restaurant. Chef Chris and his team prepared the freshest and most delicious dishes. Our server had the friendliest smile and took care of us throughout. I loved the Japanese decorations, and I look forward to sitting at the sushi bar and watch chef Chris up close. The best part about this gem is you can grab a discounted gift card at Costco. read more

This place is pretty low key in a mall area but the food is packed with flavor. Chefs special was fun and whimsical, the ube mash was super super tasty. The steak was tender but sauce was too salty, thought it was included so asked for it but honestly would do without it next time. Baos were tasty but a little underwhelming read more

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First time dining under new husband and wife ownership. One of the best dinners we've had in a while. It was fun to experience all the new exciting flavors husband-chef Chris is bringing to menu. Friendly warm greeting from hostess who sat us right-away. Our server Kiori was wonderful. The best hamachi crudo I've ever had with shiso, apple, and orange. Other standouts were the shrimp tempura roll on soy paper, poke chirashi with ikura, shrimp dynamite, and katsu carbonara. Save room for dessert and order the molten chocolate lava cake with coconut haupia ice cream, the hot and cold combo is classic. We will certainly be back.to try more of the new menu items. read more

Kenichi Pacific - Hamachi crudo with honey crisp apple, shiso, and orange. Shrimp tempura roll on soy paper. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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I've been traveling to Kona regularly for years and always make a point to visit Kenichi Pacific. This was the first time I've been disappointed. I arrived shortly after opening and sat in the bar for happy hour. It was extremely uncomfortable as there was no air conditioning so even if the food would have been good, it would have been hard to enjoy it in the heat. I ordered white tail nigiri, a rainbow roll and a spicy tuna roll. The quality of fish has definitely gone down. It did not taste fresh and was similar to grocery store sushi. The menu did not have any of the special rolls that they've had in the past with mango or other Hawaiian treats. It will have to receive many outstanding reviews for a return visit but based on my experience, this won't happen. read more

Decided to check out this place for dinner. We arrived during happy hour!!! OMG!!! The sushi was delicious and what a great deal ! Probably the least I've ever spent on any dinner! lol Happy hour is Tuesday thru Sunday from 4:30 - 6:00 pm. They take up to 50% off sushi rolls, some appetizers and some beverages. We ordered edemame and the following sushi rolls... Avocado roll, Tempura shrimp roll -tempura tiger prawn, scallion, spicy aioli, teriyaki California roll -snow crab, avocado, cucumber They were busy but the server/ bartender worked hard and made sure we were able to order in a timely manner and we received our food fairly quick. They were very kind too and worked as a team to make sure we continually had beverages! They also have a regular menu too and a lot of choices. The sushi was great! I would definitely come here again!! read more

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Asian restaurant and No green tea?? Not a good start. Sushi chef not experienced in creating a chirashi sushi dish. Not the same Kenichi as in years past read more

2nd visit: literally the next day we came back. We did a manta ray snorkel (highly recommend) and asked the captain where to eat. He said Kenichi Pacific and we laughed since we just ate there the night before. I asked him what he orders typically and he said he always eats the same: carpaccio - the meat and seafood, the miso black cod and the macadamia nut crusted lamb. We did all but the seafood carpaccio and loved it all. The tenderloin carpaccio was my fave. Maverick our waiter was great! 1st visit: We really enjoyed the food here. We got the special sushi roll with lemon and yuzu, and the die hard roll. I love anything with yuzu, if you haven't tried yuzu flavor, give it a go! Also tried the cold yuzu sake which was refreshing. We ate outside which was nice and quiet, and not too hot. The waiter was very attentive, and kept us up to date when the dessert would be out. We got the fried icecream which honestly I would skip, not a lot of flavor, and hard to cut. read more

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Favorite sushi place in Kona and this is our 3rd time here. We try to visit each time we come to Kona. We have ordered the noodles before and they are my daughter's favorite. The Sushi specials are always the way to go. The sushi is fresh and is usually my favorite to order the specials because they are not the same each time. The ube Mojito was wayyy to bitter and I could not drink, so I wasted $14. Everything else from service to being greeted with the Aloha spirit is wonderful. The restaurant is in a grocery shopping plaza and has nice outdoor patio eating but prefer inside booth. read more

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My fiancé and I stopped in at Kenichi after our hotel concierge recommended this as the best local sushi bar. It did not disappoint!! So much so that we decided to dine in TWICE during our 7-day stay to try other items on the menu. Our first night here, we ordered the sunomono, new style sashimi hamachi, hamachi toro, spicy calamari and mackerel special. Our server gave us great input on every item we had questions on and were considering ordering. We enjoyed every single dish - especially the special! We also enjoyed our drinks. I had the liloki martini and my fiancé had the maitai. Both drinks were very refreshing and flavorful! Would highly recommend both! The second night we wanted to try all new dishes since everything was so good the first night. We had the avocado Mac salad, dynamite shrimp, manupua buns, NY steak special and the sushi roll special (squid and clam roll). Again, we enjoyed every single dish we ordered! Our server this night had great humor and made our experience that much better! We left Kenichi really impressed with the quality and taste of everything we tried and the service from the wait staff and the owner! This was definitely a highlight of our trip! Would highly recommend! read more

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Ate there 2 times since it was convenient and food was good. Can get loud w/big parties there but the second time we were there it was nice. Next time we're in Kona we will be back. read more

Dinner for 3.... Very slow and inattentive service in an uncrowded restaurant. Our waitress would forget items (straws, sides of rice) and then disappear for long periods before returning with them. Anyway, the problem was with my wife's Seafood Special, which includes a lobster tail and sautéed shrimp. The lobster tail had a distinct odor of ammonia, a sure sign with shellfish that it's past its prime. Also, the shrimp was cooked but mushy, another sign that it shouldn't have been served. Both could cause severe food poisoning. So, my wife ate half the lobster tail, and a couple bites of the shrimp. We let the waitress and the busser know what was going on, both said they would let the chef (one of the owners) know. Not sure if this happened, but there was no attempt AT ALL, to make it right. Full charge for my wife's dinner, and they even charged for refilling Shirley temples. My mother-in-law had been to the place previously, and had good experiences. However, we should have read some of the more recent reviews before deciding to eat there. Most say the place used to be good (service, food) but has gone straight downhill since changing ownership.. Whatever. Will never return. read more

Came here for the happy hour sushi from 4:30pm-6pm and it did not disappoint! We pretty much ordered every roll available. Everything was fresh, and the service was super friendly. read more

Follow up - 6 months update. Pleasantly surprised with upgrade in food :) the menu has been updated and delicious. Happy Hour menu - 4:30-6pm. Zen roll, Tsunami and Spicy tuna roll were great. Cheers to the staff! read more

Kenichi Pacific - Sushi Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Dining at Kenichi Pacific Restaurant is a wonderful culinary experience. The menu highlights the freshest local seafood and ingredients of the Big Island of Hawaii. The chef and entire staff create an ambiance that is welcoming. A true Hawaiian Ohana experience that makes this restaurant a "go to" spot. The kampachi - both the sashimi and seared dishes were buttery and luxurious. The steak was beautifully presented on a hot plate with a delicious truffleyaki sauce that highlighted the delicate shimeji mushrooms on top. And - the risotto was creamy and provided a delicious base to the whole grilled prawns. A must order item. We just missed the shokupan bread pudding as it was a popular dessert item. We will definitely be back at the restaurant to try more items on the menu - and hopefully the special shokupan bread pudding will be a special on the menu again. Meeting Chef Chris as he presented the dishes allowed us to thank him personally for a delightful dining experience. Mahalo read more

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Folks, hear me on this. Kenichi is bar the best sushi restaurant on the big island, and quite possibly the continental US! We live in the Northwest and have access to the best sushi in the Northern Hemisphere and Kenichi is an absolute winner in that category and I would consider them award winning. We come to Kona 1-2 times a year and frequent Kenichi each time and they have never disappointed! Truth be told, it's our favorite restaurant in Hawaii and we implore all who are reading this to give them a shot! read more

Came here with a Alaska Flight Delay meal voucher for happy hour. Be aware that people line up for this to open at 4:30pm. They open the door, and we all fly in. Waitress came round took our orders; I asked about trying to use this voucher and she thought it would work. Anyway, we ordered a handful of rolls. Food came our pretty quick; the rolls are 6 pieces each. We loved the eel rolls. I had ordered a Hawaiian roll with pineapple, ahi and jalapeno. If you dont like spicy food you should avoid, but I LOOOOVVVEEE jalapeno spicing, and these rolls tasted delicious with a vicious kick at the end as the jalapeno kicks in. Yummy. The waitress took a few tries on the vouched; she tried the 'blue tooth thing with my phone, which tried to use my Google Pay; I convinced here to just key it in as I read the numbers to her and that worked; she got a fat tip for that as I didnt want to leave money on the table for Alaska Airlines. Loved it. Will come back again. read more

I've been going to Kenichi for three years and it has been in my top favorite sushi restaurants. However, Mr Kenichi recently retired and there's a new owner. Also new, younger sushi chefs with little experience. At first, the change wasn't noticeable, but now it feels like the sushi specials aren't all that great anymore. We used to get them everytime, but now they contain odd things like celery or cream cheese. Also, it's never good when rolls are slathered in runny "aioli" that her no flavor profile. Even my favorite New Style Sashima dish was disappointing. Like the specials, there's just no flair. The restaurant now feels like you're eating at an Applebees. Where's the creativity?? read more