Under staffed, employees are under appreciated, no cell service regardless of the provider

Disappointed with the service as we were looking forward to having a nice dinner out for the first time since Covid. Waited a good 10 minutes before a waiter finally came to the table. He started with "sorry, we are short staffed". Then asked what we wanted to order without bothering to explain the menu. Our son ordered a miso soup and we ordered a bottle of wine. 15-20 minutes later, no miso soup, and we could see our bottle sitting at the bar. The waiter kept passing up our table. At one point he picked up our bottle and sat it back down and walked away. There was a table behind us that got seated after us (approx 2 feet apart, not 6 which made us a little uneasy) that received much faster service and a much friendlier server. We decided to leave and go elsewhere. read more

This place is pretty good. I went at lunch time and they had a special 2 for 1 on the negiri sushi. The fish in general was clean and tasty. A few different pieces of fish had similar if not the same seasoning which I wasn't impressed with when I compared them. It does appear that they make their tamago in house which is always a bonus and good sign since it is not so easy to make. Overall the meal was good and I'm glad I was able to get the 2 for 1, because at regular prices I'd be hard pressed to spend twice as much for what I ate. read more

I'll start this off by saying I'm not sushi person. I came because it said Japanese as well. They pretty much only serve sushi and very small tapa plates. But as someone who really never eats sushi, I enjoyed the food. A couple complaints, the serving sizes for the tapas are ridiculously small for the price. I guess they're going for the upscale thing, but I wasn't convinced. I just can't comprehend spending money on dinner and still being hungry. Decor and ambience were cool and the service was great too. So if you're looking for a quiet, romantic restaurant, this will do. If you wanna be full without spending too much, go somewhere else. read more

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Awesome food and the best service. Almost every thing we ate were fresh and delicious. Definitely will come back. I would recommend the house fried rice and rolls. read more

KUU Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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if service is any part of a quality restaurant experience, then this place is seriously lacking We asked for a large takeout order and paid in advance, tipping generously (25%) before they started preparing the order. Almost an hour later our food finally arrived. This is after we watched tray after tray of freshly made sushi go by. The manager gave us no apology, even when pressed for one. I'm forced to conclude that they really just don't care about customer service. I will never go back and never recommend this place to anyone. Do yourself a favor and go to a real sushi place like Kubos where they actually care about customer satisfaction. read more

I stopped by for social hour on a Tuesday, i liked the vibe, not too crowded and loud as it would be during the weekend! Cindy our server was really nice, attentive and knowledgable about the food and rolls. I ordered the rin, june and hot n spicy roll, they were all really good! The chocolate dessert was also yummy! Overall it was a nice experience! read more

Decided to come for my boyfriends birthday dinner. We made reservations days before, so when we came in, we were seated right away. Our server, Cindy, was very knowledgeable with the menu and how the food was made. She very attentive and gave us amazing service! We tried everything she recommended and it did NOT disappoint. The food was amazing! We will be coming back soon! read more

The food is amazing, I came to eat while it was slow and something that bothered me was that 2 out 6 glasses of water had napkins to absorb the condensation from the water glass. Perhaps I should've informed that to my waitress. It's ok though I'll get over it. My recommendations -Hot rock -Truffle suzuki -Hama Yuzu read more

Have I really not reviewed KUU yet? I'm disappointed in myself. One of the best sushi experiences I've ever had. Quality of fish is second to NONE in the city of Houston. Our waiter took the time to extensively explain the menu. We ordered rice with onions on top that look alive and was a nice filling appetizer. Followed by their most popular sushi roll. Even the cocktails were made with love and grace. I like that you can dine on the couches on the outdoor patio or inside at a nice white linen table- it's whatever kind of experience you want it to be- chill or elegant. But either way- the food will be a 10 out of 10x read more

Good experience dinning here. Big menu. Decent quality of food, with very nice decoration. The portion is very small. They also have a big bar. Service is a little slow as I came on a Saturday night read more

KUU Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ever since KUU opened, I've been desperate to try it and there's not a better occasion to do so than one's birthday. I made a reservation last week for a party of 8 and started counting down the days. Even though I was super excited, I was a bit wary of the fact that KUU could just be another restaurant that is overly hyped. Fortunately, last night's dinner was everything it needed to be and better. { FOOD } + Kanpaccio: Light, refreshing and positively scrumptious. The orange slices make this dish, you cannot try this without the fruit. + Tuna Lobster with Lotus Chips: Easily my favorite tapa of all. Do yourself a favor and pile the tuna, lobster meat, a pear slice and a cherry tomato atop a lotus chip and smother it with some guacamole. Heaven. + Creamy Spicy Popcorn Shrimp: They aren't kidding when they say creamy, but that cream sauce they use *hmm* SO GOOD. I couldn't stop popping these not-so-spicy bad boys into my mouth. +/- Seared Sea Scallop: Perfectly seared and quite juicy, but this dish lacks that extra oomph. - Braised Pork Jowl: The pork jowl just wasn't my cup o' tea. I was excited when we ordered it, but when it came, it just fell flat of expectations. What I did really enjoy, though, was the red wine reduction. + Chili Prawn: I didn't try this because I'm not a fan of prawns, but those who had one loved it. They said it was tender, juicy, a little spicy but with a kick of twang to it. + Hot Rock: Yummms, you betcha we loved the akaushi beef! When the servers bring out this dish, they kind of "start" it going for you so you're not helplessly trying to pull off a stuck slice of meat from the rock (I'm talking about you, Uchi). They also mix together a nice lemon dipping sauce, which I thought tasted much better than the ponzu sauce. + Sake (Salmon) Sashimi: What makes this sashimi different than other restaurants is the yuzu kosho on the salmon, which gives the fish a nice zesty taste. +/- Hamachi (Yellowtail) Sashimi: Cuts were superb, but there's nothing special about this compared to the salmon. + Butternut Squash Miso Soup: WOW. A miso base mixed with butternut squash to create a delicate in-between-soupy-and-creamy broth. The marshmallow at the bottom of the bowl helps to sweeten up the soup and don't forget about the king crab pieces! + Crab Bisque: This soup is off the menu, kind of like a soup du jour. The broth reminded me of a gumbo broth rather than a tomato puree (like typical lobster bisque), but it was very tasty and full of crab meat. + Kuu Roll: This roll was a mixture of what some would say "a little sweet and sour;" it has all the right flavors that will leave you craving for more. This was one of my last dishes of the night, and the roll is very refreshing and light in a way that it almost makes you forget that you just ate half the menu. + Poseidon Roll: There's something comforting about hot rolls, as they usually just melt in your mouth with goodness and the Poseidon does not disappoint. - Lemon Tart: Took a small bite, too much chocolate; not a fan of chocolate, bye. + Soy Cheesecake: Creamy, soft, and delicious. Don't let the "soy" fool you; it's still a cheesecake and I thought it tasted better than the normal ones. + Homemade Ginger Cake: Ours came with vanilla ice cream instead of green tea (apparently, just a temporary change) but it didn't phase me at all. The cake was moist and I could barely taste the ginger! The scoop of ice cream, though, could definitely be bigger. { DRINKS } + Kamoizumi KomeKome-Shu Sake: Probably the ONLY sake I could drink all day. It is equivalent to a fine dessert wine as it is deliciously light and sweet with the right amount of fruity. + Jasmine Apple Martini: Unlike any martinis I've had before, and the best part is that it's so good, I barely notice the alcohol. - Plum Sake: Don't know what it's called, but unless you literally want to drink alcohol infused Robitussin, I would stay away... unless that's your thing, or you just want really strong sake. { SERVICE } Giovanni was an angel. He was attentive, generous, and just so happy to be there. He made great recommendations, allowed us to try that plum sake, and gave me a free birthday dessert. It's waiters like him that make people want to come back for more. We met the manager, as well, who was extremely nice and dropped by the table a couple of times. He gave us fried eggplant appetizers, on the house, and for someone who hates eggplants, I ate like three of them. I'm not sure if they're on the menu or not, but dear god, I hope so. Overall, outstanding food, service and quality. KUU had a lot to live up to and it far exceeded my expectations. read more

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Oh KUU, I've been waiting for you to open! Walking into your doors for the first time tonight, I haven't been THAT excited since... well, Uchi. And sorry boo, I know you hate that. I heard the word "Uchi" being tossed around a lot tonight, much to the protests of several servers arguing that the concept is actually pretty different. But I've gotta say, if Uchi has ANY competition in our fair city, you may very well be it, my friend. So just take the damn compliment already! AMBIANCE: Not to say the two restaurants are completely the same. KUU, although sporting the same large, bright sushi bar and contemporary wooden décor as Uchi and Kata Robata even, is a larger restaurant. Where Uchi has a more intimate, casual, Montrose-y feel and serves a younger, more hipster crowd, KUU seems to cater better to bigger, older, corporate crowds w/ its expansive bar, lounge area, and slightly classier ambiance. Their big, covered patio area will be a hit come spring-time and they do have a private room for small parties. Their bigger booths also have this "zabuton" thing going on, which I think is pretty neat. Tatami rooms are so old-school Japanese anyway. Way to be hip, KUU. --- --- --- --- --- So, let's talk food, fellow foodies. As a Japanese restaurant, you can rest assured that you'll have your nigiri and your rolls, but KUU's main offerings are in the form of Japanese tapas. They've got cold tapas, hot tapas, "age"/fried tapas -- each with their own unique blend of flavors and textures. Here's what my fiancé and I tried, from best to bust: + KANPACCIO (kanpachi, sake-infused orange + grapes, yuzu garlic soy Thai-chili): this cold tapa received glowing recommendations from our hostess, bartender, AND server... and damn, did it deliver! Uchi fans will undoubtedly recognize its similarity to the "Hama Chili" dish, but I liked KUU's version more. Bigger orange slices. Sake-infused. More burst of flavor. Reeeeal fresh and clean. + CITRUS-CURED FLUKE (w/ edamame puree, kale chips, ponzu gelee): again, another fresh-tasting tapa! I LOVED every aspect of it: hearty, grainy puree; salty, crispy kale... and the ponzu gelee cubes? Freaken genius. + KUU ROLL (Asian pear + avocado topped w/ tuna, yuzukosho, lobster claw meat, edamame puree): obviously, I have a thing w/ fruit in savory dishes. This roll is KUU's signature roll for a reason - all the different flavors mesh perfectly. I really enjoyed the slightly-sweet-tartness and crunch of the pear. + NIGIRI (Akaushi, Unagi, Uni, Tamago): everything was satisfying except for the Akaushi. It would've definitely benefited from some sauce drizzled on top - ponzu, anything. + NEW STYLE SOFT SHELL CRAB TEMPURA (w/ guac & roasted tomatoes): basic soft-shell crab tempura. But w/ guac and tomatoes of all things? That's a first. Not sure if I get that... + WAGYU & UNAGI (w/ kimchi-fruit emulsion & roasted tomatoes): Of all the dishes, this one fell flat for us. It just didn't taste like anything special, especially when compared to the intricate-tasting cold tapas above. + DESSERT : HOMEMADE GINGER CAKE (w/ green tea ice cream & apple chip): it was b/w this, Soy Cheesecake, and Lemon Tart, and our server recommended this dessert. It wasn't bad -- the cake was moist and the ice cream definitely had a genuine green-tea bitterness to it -- but it wasn't amazing either. And sorry KUU, but the way to this girl's heart is one badass dessert. --- --- --- --- --- SERVICE: Aside from hostess Brittnee and bartender Elorie being AWESOME simply because I know them (haaaay girls!), our server Nelson was a delight. He was attentive, helpful, gave great recs, and thoroughly explained dishes that he brought out. Unfortunately, when he wasn't around, our dishes were delivered by other servers who didn't bother to say anything else besides, "Here's your _____." Thanks Sir Obvious, but I know the names of the dishes. Tell me ABOUT the dishes. I wonder if the servers pool tips... because right now, it's looking a lot like "every server for himself" out there. I also wasn't too pleased with the managers, who were too busy doting over the "fat cat" tables that they didn't even notice any of the other 23525 patrons sitting around them. I would've been happy to discuss the grand opening, the delicious food, and the great impression KUU was leaving me with if only a manager devoted a few precious minutes to simply ask how everything was. But I guess since I don't have like, 4 bottles of wine on my table, I'm not as important. Totally not "KUU"L. (haaah, not important, but at least I'm witty.) SO, IN CONCLUSION... really nice place. Amazing cold tapas. Fresh sushi. Nelson is awesome. Snooty managers are NOT awesome. And the lackluster dessert menu makes me sad. I like you, KUU, and I'll probably be back. But for now, I'm still a devoted Uchi cheerleader. read more

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A beautiful and modern restaurant near Memorial City Mall serving fresh fish and a great fusion of traditional and unconventional Japanese fare that's sure to compete with Uchi and Kata. For a special occasion double dinner date, we decided to check out Kuu. Conveniently located right off I-10 and Gessner in the new shopping plaza (in front of Memorial Hermann Hospital), Kuu has plenty of parking in the front of the restaurant and in its plaza parking garage. Upon finding this restaurant, you're immediately greeted with an great outdoor patio area (think an earthier, sleeker version of Brenner's patio area), with plenty of seating and lounging available. I'd say it's perfect for a happy hour spot, but since it was a little chilly and windy that night, we decided to head on in quite quickly for dinner. (There's a pretty spacious indoor bar area as well!) You can make reservations on OpenTable, but I'd recommend calling them directly to see if they have other available times that OpenTable doesn't show. We were immediately seated in the back of the main dining area, which had a warm and modern feel (filled with dark woods, glass, beautiful lighting, clean lines, and an open view to the kitchen). Our server, Nelson, was perhaps the most helpful, knowledgeable, and kindest waiter I've had in my entire life of dining. Once he found out it was our first time dining at Kuu, he made sure to walk through the menu with us in a Yelp-like style (citing reviews and recommendations - no joke!) and answering any questions we had. Based on some of his recommendations and, for others, on our curiosity, we ordered the following things: Drinks: I'd highly recommend the Beet U Up cocktail (tequila, mezcal, fresh beet juice, and salt) - it's a creative take on a margarita on the rocks, but with an earthier flair and a slightly sweet taste to it. The lychee martini wasn't too great (not sweet at all!). If you want to try a sake, try the Akitabare Koshiki Junzukuri - Northern Skies Junmai Sake - a lovely clean sake for your meal. They also have a full bar, in case you're not into cocktails and sake (but then you'd have to ask yourself why you're at a fancy Japanese restaurant to begin with...) Shishito Peppers - 4.5/5.0 - After falling in love with grilled shishito peppers at 1252 Tapas Bar (see my review for them), I couldn't help but order this as a light appetizer for our table for 4. Shishito peppers are as large as serranos, as mild as bell peppers, but as complex as chipotle. Simply garnished with togarashi (chili pepper spice), bonito flakes, and sea salt, this dish is my ideal starter to any meal. A great alternative to your typical edamame (which they also have), but it's a little small to share as a single appetizer for four people. Hama Yuzu Roll - 4.5/5.0 - King crab lovers, rejoice! This is such a perfect roll, with each bite filled with lots of fresh and sweet King crabmeat, the bitterness of green onions and micro cilantro, the spiciness of thin serrano pepper slices, and the tartness of the yuzu vinaigrette. I'm still dreaming about it... Kuu Roll - 3.5/5.0 - Their signature roll, filled with Asian pear, avocado, tuna, lobster, and edamame purée and yuzu sauce. It caught my eye with the Asian pear, but I thought it really couldn't compare to the Hama Yuzu. Poseidon Roll - 3.0/5.0 - Slightly let down by other Yelp reviews citing this as the best roll there is, I thought it was actually mediocre. I can see why people would be so attracted to it - just look at what it's filled with (scallop, tuna, salmon, and yellowtail, topped with tobiko, micro cilantro, and truffle yuzu vinaigrette). It was just too mushy for me. It was nice to have that hint of truffle though. Hot Rock - 4.0/5.0 - For those steak-kinda guys, this is a great (light) dish to have. It's great in presentation (who wouldn't want to cook their own slices of Akaushi beef on an extremely hot rock?!), but a little small in portion. Served with some yummy garlic butter and a ponzu dipping sauce. Seared Sea Scallop - 4.5/5.0 - This is a representative dish of Kuu's modern take on Japanese cuisine (think Uchi-style). These perfectly cooked scallops were served with kabocha squash, braised fennel, a wonderful yuzu-yogurt sauce, and a poached egg. Who can deny anything with an oozy egg ontop! My hubby licked this plate clean. Highly recommend! Kyushi (sp?) Selection - 4.0/5.0 - For $45, you can order a variety of 6 pairs of sashimi slices from crazy rare and unconventional fish that the chef orders everyday. (I typically remember ingredients in dishes, but I can't even remember the names of the fish because they're so uncommon!) All I can say is that these slices of sashimi were some of the freshest I've ever had. It's served in a beautiful box, but I felt it was a shy too pricey for a dinner entree (the selections are listed on the back of the menu's front cover). I'd highly recommend it if you're into great cuts of raw fish. read more

KUU overly exceeded my expectations for service. I was very impressed and happy with my experience there that I would be back again. We came for my fiancé's birthday. Our waiter was very attentive and made great recommendations off the menu. However, we already had a few items in mind we wanted to order. What we wanted to order was the hamaccio, uni crusted king crab, Saba shio, kuu roll, and assortment of sushi including uni. However, the restaurant was out of uni (no uni crusted king crab or sushi) and Saba shio, which at first we were very disappointed. We ended up ordering the chili prawns and miso black cod as replacements. All items we ate were delicious! I would definitely recommend the miso black cod and chili prawns as those were cooked very well. Glad we ordered those to our items to eat! Our waiter definitely felt bad about all the missing items they couldn't serve us. As such, we were greeted by the manager and head chef for the night to apologize. That definitely made me happy that they cared but I was also surprised with the amount of items they sent our table to make up for it. We were given flounder carpaccio, seared albacore wrapped in truffle, and a pork belly dish the head chef said was similar to the grilled Berkshire pork. All were very good,and I really liked the seared albacore sushi wrapped with the truffle. We were also gifted with all three desserts to try! I can definitely tell you I was extremely full at this point, but I can never say no to dessert! The rice pudding was nice and little with a crust top similar to crime brûlée. There was also a pumpkin cake, which was good but I think my least favorite of the three. The last was called Gomo choke, which was a chocolate dessert. This was probably my favorite of the three and definitely a great way to end the night. Overall, this ended up being a great birthday dinner for my fiancé. Service was beyond excellent, and the food was delicious. Yes, it's similar to Uchi, but there were definitely things here I liked that I would come back for. Thank you KUU for a great night. read more

Great happy hour from 4:30-6:30pm Monday through Friday With free appetizers. Twice I've been there in the midst of the energy corridor traffic and both times I received great service and a good variety of appetizers to try. read more

Went for a Cmas department lunch in Dec and this place is legit! The food is fresh and delicious. The tuna tartar is small but packs tons of flavor. Hot rock beef was so fun and the ponzu sauce is perfect. And salmon is out of this world. The wine list is nice and I look forward to going back for more. read more

HOLD UP. Did I really just spend $191 on food and drinks for only two people???? There has been some major hype about KUU so I had to check it out for myself. And after dropping some hefty Benjamin's (LITERALLY), I'm not sure if that was such a good idea. Two people, six drinks, five dishes, and one sushi roll later and the bill was $191. Was it worth it? Yes and no. Don't get me wrong, the food at KUU is awesome. But it's definitely not worth spending $200 on. KUU is the type of restaurant you go to when you're celebrating a special occasion. So prepare your wallets because they're about to take a major beat down. Nonetheless, I will say this. The service here is seriously top notch. The entire waitstaff are like the dream team of servers. They really understand how fine dining service should be and for that, I will definitely return. Next time, though, I'll check out their happy hour instead. KUU is a new hot spot and I can see why there's a lot of hype. In my opinion, they don't seem like a one hit wonder sushi joint. One thing that did boil my blood is that for a $200 tab, you would think valet would be complimentary. What's up with that?! read more

The fish, wonderful, fresh and absolutely delicious. But the small plates, are not as impressive. 3 bites of food will cost you about $15-$20 per plate. While the restaurants menu is set up similarly to Uchi's style, but I wouldn't stack this place up next to Uchi. So in conclusion... come here for the nigiris/rolls, and stay away from the hot plates/desserts. read more

I start by apologizing to fellow Yelpers. I was so hungry I didn't take a single photo. Jared was very helpful in navigating the extensive menu. Overall we were extremely pleased with all the food. Next time I promise to take pics read more

I came here for my Valetine's date with my girl friend. This year it was her turn to pick out the place and I was kind of nervous because I have never heard of this place before. My friend told me that the chef was the chef for Uchi. Now I am intrigued! Like many restaurants, they had a set menu for Valetines for $160 which isn't bad because it came with a glass of champagne and 7 course meal! The ambiance was very romantic with an open kitchen area. Our waitress was very friendly even when we kept asking what felt like 100 takes for our pictures. The restaurant was not that crowded being that it was only opened a week ago. I liked it that way anyway because you guys know how the waitstaff gets on Vday. All the dishes were great!! But my favorite was the very first course, citris cured fluke. Man!! It was so good!!! Pieces of fish placed on a bed of mashed edameme topped with kale chips. SO GOOD!! Creamy popcorn shrimp was the bomb.com! Their Kuu Roll is similar to a vegas roll but with chunks of real lobster meat on top!! After the 6th course I was so full!! I would say that I got my money worth. I ordered another drink after finishing my champagne. I believe the name of the drink was Ginger Pear (I love anything with pear :)). It was pretty strong and put me in a very mood lol. While we were finishing up our dessert, the chef came over and introduced himself (well it was obvious he was the chef lol). He asked what we thought of food. I love it when the chef comes talk to their customers. It's almost felt like meeting a celebrity. Haha!! Maybe that's just me. I would love to come back here and explore their regular menu. It is pricier but I think it is worth it for all the exotic dishes they have to offered. I will update this review once I try out their regular menu! read more

I stumbled upon this place because I was looking for a place to eat nearby the Memorial High School before going to church. I had some time to kill and was really hungry since I haven't ate all day. Yelp helped me locate this nearby and since I love Japanese food I thought why not? It was located in the "Gateway" of Memorial area. I parked my car in the parking garage (very convenient since it was raining). It wasn't hard to find being that it was on the first floor. I was greeted immediately by several hostesses. I was seated right away but at the end of the bar. Interesting choice of where they seated me. The only reason I took away one star was because my "assigned waitress" was suppose to be a girl name Brittany (or however she spelled it) but instead a waiter name John helped me after realizing that Brittany was not gonna wait on me. However he was nice enough to explain the menu for me being that it was my first time and the menu is a bit different than most. They had a good selection for sushi lovers. The food is quite expensive so don't expect a cheap bill. I ordered the Poseidon roll and the different soft shell crab, which is one crab fried and cut in half. The waiter explained that it is a taster dish. Basically it is a small portion for $$$. I am a fan of crab so I decided to try it. I had the honors to see the sushi chef name Leo make my Poseidon roll in front of me. Awesome work and you could tell he had a knack for it. As for the taste, I was surprised to find that it was a bit spicy but it went well with the salmon and tuna in the roll. To be honest, I couldn't taste the chopped scallop but I still enjoyed it. It was a perfect combination of the tuna, salmon, scallop, and yellowtail combined. It was fresh and packed with flavor. I enjoyed the vinaigrette sauce that went with it, which means I didn't have to dip it in soy sauce for taste. Okay so by the time I got to the soft shell crab, I was a bit full. The crab was placed on a bed of guacamole and roasted cherry tomatoes. It was not disappointing, but once again it is a bit pricey which is expected from this place. So all in all the food was delicious and John was a great waiter. Will I be back? Maybe when I am feeling fancy again. read more

KUU Restaurant - Poseidon roll - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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For my 24th birthday, I had the chance to visit KUU for the first time. This is byfar one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Houston. All of the dishes we tried were delightful and bursting with unique flavors. I highly recommend getting the mushroom in coconut sauce. Our server was courteous and checked on us frequently. I had a great experience at KUU and will definitely be coming back. read more

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Really enjoyed the happy hour here. The flavors in the food are very deliberate and masterfully crafted. I also had a drink that they made in-house watermelon infused vodka which was really great and refreshing on a hot day. Grilled edamame - awesome flavor, also good if you are feeling hungry because this is the most generously portioned item on the menu. Tuna Bite - maybe the favorite cold dish, really interesting combination of flavors and textures. Wagyu kushiyaki - nothing to write home about, kind of tough. Overall it's not the cheapest place in town but you will see why when you eat the food. Good quality and excellent flavors overall. read more

Never heard of this place until a friend posted a pic on instagram. Went for lunch today. A little hard to find but worth it. Nice decorations and atmosphere. We were seated and greeted in a timely manner. Its the little things in a restaurant experience that makes me give a 5 stars. Menus were beautiful, staff was professional and knowledgable. Even the silverware and plating was made of good quality and nice. It was our first time there, so our waiter went through everything for us. We ordered the business lunch bento box and the Poseidon sushi roll. The wait wasnt long for food. Finally, the food was delish! I dont think I've ever had such a good sushi roll. One where there is more fish than rice, one that has no imitation crab meat and is still such a big roll! I'm not a food critic but this was so good!! My red snapper bento with butternut miso soup, also so yummy. All this was worth the slightly pricey menu. The waiter said we should come back and try the dinner menu, I definitely will! read more

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Our experience here was perfect. I love that they tell new customers to try everything without soy sauce and wasabi first to truly understand the flavors. They also bring out each dish and explain what's in it and how they play together. We sat at the bar and our drinks were always refilled, we were kept entertained, and we made new friends. The food was solid! We made it in during happy hour and tried quite a few things but definitely try their mule. read more

Unlike most of Houston's popular sushi joints, KUU gets major points for being easily accessible on a Friday night. My fiance and I walked in around 8 without any reservations and were seated immediately. As somebody who's constantly worried about making reservations ahead of time and annoyingly long wait times, this was refreshing. KUU still seems pretty new, so that might explain the abundance of open tables on a Friday night. After our top notch experience, I have a feeling things could turn around and eventually it might not be quite so easy to get in. Either way, we were happy to see a big, open space that was lively, but still quiet enough to carry on conversation. The menu is pretty heavy on the sashimi/nagiri/cold raw dishes and lighter on the rolls, which was fine with both of us. We only ordered one roll and decided to be more adventurous with the rest of our dishes. Our waitress was exceptionally helpful (shout out to Evie- she was awesome!) and made lots of good suggestions. She was also very interested on hearing our feedback for one of their newer dishes because the chef wanted to know how it was being enjoyed. For a minute I felt like a judge on Top Chef! We had to wait slightly longer for one of our dishes, but wouldn't have even noticed if the waitress hadn't apologized for it. After our last plate came out, they decided to bring us out another dish as an apology. We were blown away at the amazing service! The owner even stopped by to introduce himself and give us his card. Very impressive. I don't usually give out a ton of 5 star reviews, but KUU definitely earned it. The entire experience earned it. All around great place and can't wait to go back! read more

I've read so many mixed reviews about this place and I think the reason why some people might not have had great experiences here is because you have to know going into it that this is a very high end restaurant. The ambiance is nice but casual enough that it might be easy to think it's just another sushi restaurant, but the head chef actually used to work at Nobu - one of the most expensive restaurants in the world - so don't be fooled, it's definitely a gourmet restaurant. And because of that, simply ordering a sushi roll isn't going to give you the whole experience. My dad is a huge Nobu aficionado so when he and my mom came to visit me, he'd done all the research about KUU and was really excited about ordering all the best dishes, so we probably had the best experience possible. It wasn't crowded at all when we came, even though we had reservations - my guess is that KUU's prices paired with its Gessner location hasn't helped its publicity - but we got to sit outside by a fire pit and it was really lovely. Everyone working there was very friendly, and our waiter was so knowledgeable about every single dish and all the Japanese customs. Even though we had a pre-determined hit list for the menu, the waiter recommended we go with the chef's design, which meant that we just allowed the head chef to select dishes for us based on our preferences. We decided to do that and just tell the chef which appetizers we thought looked good ahead of time. I can't remember exactly what we ordered, but I remember thinking that no dish could exceed the last and then having that expectation surpassed each time. I think we got about two dishes from each "category" plus our own plates of sushi at the end and a delicious black and white chocolate cake for dessert. My parents both got the traditional sake to drink, and the waiter made them follow the Japanese custom of never pouring your own sake. Everything was absolutely incredible; I honestly can't say I've ever had a better meal in my life. My parents, who travel pretty often and tend to spare no expenses at the best restaurants, agreed that our meal at KUU was second only to one of their dinners at Nobu. If you want to get the best out of KUU, you should definitely just go all out, but since doing that is pretty tight on the wallet, I recommend going with a group of three to four people and getting a sushi roll of your own but ordering a few appetizers (try one from each category) to share. The next time you're looking for a place for a special occasion, definitely try KUU! read more

Food was excellent. Must order the striped sea bass! Overall very good experience. Can't wait to come back and try other things. read more

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Hmm, it's like a soulless Uchi, except the stars are the specialty rolls instead of the dishes. We tried a tataki dish, flute, and makaral with Brussel sprouts. None is worth mentioning. The specialty rolls however were very delicate: - Kuu roll: the pear among the seafood is refreshing, softer than apple; - Poseidon roll: a wee bit of truffle oil here was actually a great touch. Eggplant nagiri was amazing, like vegetarian fat lol. Then we tried the ginger cake dessert, also not worth mentioning, can't taste ginger. Problem with the place is none of the servers seemed to care about food. Nor did the manager seemed to care about the only table of customers they had. It was like dining in a hotel restaurant or a chain, or at a business lunch... Yikes. read more

Kuu has to be one of my favorite sushi places in Houston. The atmosphere is amazing and the staff is always on top of their game. The plating is gorgeous and of course the food is great. You have to try this place at least once and experience the work of art. read more

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This is probably my favorite sushi place in and around Houston. I have been twice to this place and was amazed by food both the times. Their amber jack cold plate was to die for. Best thing I have ever had definitely would go again and again read more

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Amaaaazing!! Better than I remembered it from the last time I came here when they first opened. Cody waited on us tonight and was awesome!! Service was impeccable all around from everyone really. My boyfriend and I ordered the Green with Envy drink, sake toro sashimi, spicy chopped scallop sushi, the Yui roll, Truffle Suzuki roll, and their donuts for dessert. Everything was so so fresh and full of flavor. That salmon belly, yummmm! Literally melts in your mouth. I appreciated the ikura bits on top too, what a nice finish :) Love this place! read more

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I hate to leave bad reviews, but this place sucks. I ordered at 6:30 PM and it's after 8:00 now and half of my order hasn't arrived yet. Someone at my table just got their edamame appetizer. The drinks aren't bad, but they aren't anything to write home about. Also, I'm not impressed with the quality of the sushi. Quite frankly, the fish tastes a little too fishy. Seriously, this place sucks. I feel sorry for my server. And here is $400 (before tip) in the shitter. read more

This place blew my mind. From the grilled edamame to the sushi to the pork belly was outstanding. Then finished off with toro. Wow!! But the best part really was our sever Zachary. He's a superstar host and really took care of us. read more

Outstanding food and service describe Kuu! As many other reviewers said, this place is comparable to Uchi and MF Sushi. The quality of the fish is superb. We tried many items but for sure my favorite was the Kanpaccio. It's a perfect combination of savory, citrus and sweet - my mouth is watering just to think about it. The salmon sashimi was melting in the mouth, however, I found the octopus sashimi a bit tough. The truffle, Poseidon, Kuu rools were all really good as well! read more

From a previous review, I saw that Adrian Peterson was seen here dining, so I had the impression KUU must be quality place to get sushi. I made a reservation to have dinner here on a Saturday evening. The location is convenient, located just off I-10 West and shares a strip center with several businesses and restaurants. Walking along the breezeway just outside the restaurant and looking in, gives the feel for a cool, intimate dining experience. As my friend and I came in, the hostess promptly seated us and were soon after given menus by the waiter. We sat in booth seating near the center of the restaurant. There was also the nice option of sitting in the typical table seating. The Caucasian gentlemen waiting on us was attentive but was indifferent in presenting the menu to us and was not so in tune to answering our questions about the menu. We started off with some edamame and shinto peppers. I am not sure if shinto peppers are always this good, since it was my first time having them but, I enjoyed them much. Out of the three rolls we ordered, I liked the Kuu signature roll the best. It was probably one of the best tasting rolls I have had so far. Other items on the menu attracted my attention and I most likely eat here again. read more

Kuu is an amazing sushi restaurant. From the romantic and modern ambiance, to the knowledgable servers, and the amazing food Kuu has definitely become a new favorite; knocking out The Fish in midtown to second in my book. Entering the restaurant, the hostess warmly welcomed us and we were immediately seated with a waiter shortly following behind. With us being new customers, our waiter gave us a run through the entire menu of every section, while inserting suggestions and commentary on various items he felt would be suitable or were personal favorites. This is especially impressive considering I have never encountered this type of service in any type of restaurant. In the end, we ultimately chose: the shima aji sashimi, the miso black cod, butternut squash miso soup, Kuu roll, and Yui roll. No complaints whatsoever on any dish. The shima aji sashimi was probably the cleanest and most delightful sashimi I've ever had; it literally melts in your mouth. Our appetizers of miso black cod and butternut squash miso soup were just as delicious. Just as the sashimi melted in our mouths, the miso cod literally melted in our mouths as well and was filled with more flavor than I've ever had at any restaurant. If you've ever been to The Fish in midtown, they serve a beautiful miso cod as well, but hands down Kuu's miso cod trumps all. As for the butternut squash miso soup, it was exactly as the waiter described, "Thanksgiving in a bowl". It was creamy and for a soup it was beautifully presented to us with the waiter pouring the soup into the soup bowl filled with various soup fillings. Finally,the Kuu roll and Yui roll were the most refreshing sushi rolls I've ever encountered. The Kuu roll had crispy asian pears that gave the sushi a great refreshing bite in combination to the fish of the roll. The Yui roll was just as great but possibly even more refreshing with incorporations of lime alongside the fish within the roll. It literally sparked our taste buds! Aside from what I experienced, literally everything on their menu is quality, having a lot of their menu's ingredients imported from japan or selected for the best, making their menu to die for with A5 kobe from Japan as well as special sashimi items imported from Japan as well. Also, they have an extensive drink menu as well for individuals interested in alcoholic beverages such as Japanese sake. In the end all of this ended up putting a $100 dent in our pockets (including tip), but was definitely worth the splurge for such an amazing early dinner. I would recommend having a really nice date night or night out with friends here. Its a great place with a great staff you wouldn't find anywhere else. read more

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Impressed by the kanpaccio and tiradito from the cold menu. Seared hotate was excellent as well. Finished off with riazul añejo and a chocolate orange tarte. So good! read more

KUU Restaurant - Madai usuzukuri - Japanese Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We walked in after leaving an awful experience at the Lexus event across the walkway (hosted by Houston CultureMap Social). Drew, the general manager heard our comments about the CultureMap event and asked what he could do to make our night better. Brandon and the other bartender were very courteous, friendly and fast. We ordered almost everything on the happy hour menu (mostly small plates and few rolls). We ordered the crunch salmon roll and the spider roll. Both of the rolls were good but our faves were the fried chicken & pickles (chicken karaage), the crispy rice cake, salt & pepper snapper, house cured bacon & jalapeno, and the ringo hirame. All of those small bites were seriously outstanding and presented beautifully. For drinks, I ordered the kuucumber mint and she ordered the gin blossom. Both drinks, while very different were light and refreshing. They have a good selection of whiskeys so I will definitely be back soon to try out the dinner menu. A link to the summer happy hour menu. "http://www.scribd.com/doc/233333203/KUU-Summer-Happy-Hour-Menu" The food, the service and the ambience turned what would've been a bad night into a great one. read more