I had a good experience at Kuwada (Rancho Cucamonga). My family and I ordered about 12 dishes on our visit. The selection felt limited (mostly rolls, nigiri, and appetizers). The rolls came very saucy, and most plates had an aesthetic appearance. Personally, if I were to ever revisit this location, I'd only order the garlic noodles w/ shrimp & the nigiri. For this review, I will focus on the Lobster Tail Roll ($36), Gyoza ($14), and Monaka Ice Cream ($7). I arrived at Kuwada (Rancho Cucamonga) on Sunday (around 12:50PM). Parking is very easy. The lot is HUGE. I had a reservation for 1PM, but a reservation felt superfluous since the restaurant was VERY empty. Throughout the entire dining experience, I only noticed one other group arrive. Staff is the HIGHLIGHT! Staff (receipt says JoJo) was the MAIN superstar. JoJo charmed the table; JoJo maintained a professional, kind demeanor; and JoJo worked very hard. JoJo gave excellent recommendations, and JoJo maintained a friendly, bright smile throughout our visit. Regarding food, it felt inconsistent. The food in the beginning was plated elegantly and carefully. However, as time progressed, it felt like the kitchen was beginning to rush despite the lack of customers. Food arrived very slowly, and later plates looked a little splattered and untidy. Thankfully, most of the food was very good. It's a journey of texture, fresh ingredients, and light & bright flavors. The Lobster Tail Roll ($36) had fried lobster bits, asparagus, avocado, masago, eel sauce, and mayo. It tasted like a vegetable roll at times. The Gyoza ($14 - 6 Piece) was panfried with seasoned pork and vegetables. Tasty!! And the Monaka Ice Cream ($7) is tiny with Macaroon Shell and a small scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream. All in all, these dishes didn't feel special, but they were prepared well enough. On ambiance, Kuwada (Rancho Cucamonga) is very attractive. The location is dimly lit, very clean, and spacious. However, the music is awkward at times. There were moments where light, lovely music was playing... only for random yelling music to briefly appear... to then suddenly be replaced with a country-style song. It all felt surreal. I don't think it was intended, but I think their music playlist was accidentally switched to the wrong track. Overall, Kuwada (Rancho Cucamonga) is an interesting experience. Honestly, the only reason this review is "5 Stars" is because our waitress was EXEMPLARY. Although the ambiance and cooking staff was lackluster, the front of house is MAGIC. This is a not bad, pricey place. 4.5 out of 5 read more

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My bestie and I had the best time here! I had been wanting to try this place forever!!! I made reservations online for us, and as things turned out, we were going to be about 15 minutes late for our reservation. I called to let them know and they were completely understanding! When we arrived, we were greeted and seated promptly. Waters were brought to the table quickly as well. The decor in this place is amazing! They were also playing really good music! We started with the combination carpaccio which was perfect because we each got to try the tuna, salmon and yellowtail. It was delicious! Then we ordered the Surf & Turf roll which is spicy crab and coconut shrimp, topped with seared Wagyu, truffle oil yuzu, and eel sauce--absolutely incredible! Next was the Kuwada roll which is crab, avocado and tempura flakes, topped with baked lobster, eel sauce, and masago. The presentation on this one was extraordinary--and the flavor was amazing! Finally we finished with the Shrimp Lover Roll which is crab shrimp tempura and cucumber, topped with shrimp, avocado, spicy mayo, and eel sauce--another winner! Jojo did an excellent job serving and clearing plates, as well as keeping our water filled! This place is a treasure and I can't wait to go back! read more

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Beautiful interior and overall a very enjoyable experience. The waiter who took care of us was professional, attentive, and gave excellent sake recommendations that matched the food really well. The hostess who seated us, however, seemed a little inexperienced and awkward with customer service, which made the first impression slightly off. The food itself was tasty and fun to share with a group. It didn't feel particularly authentic Japanese, but the specialty rolls had creative flavors and were perfect for trying different bites with everyone at the table. The biggest surprise was the cake at the end -- unexpectedly delicious and honestly one of the highlights of the meal. read more

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Came here for a friend's birthday meal and I was impressed with the quality of the food and service. We had a group of about 5 adults and two kids and they seated us right away in a private-ish room. They were very patient with us while we were trying to decide what to order. Servers came to check on us frequently and refill our waters. The food was delicious and I liked every item that we ordered. The rolls were huge and tasted great. It's so hard to find a decent sushi spot nowadays and this place really hit the spot. I don't come to Rancho Cucamonga often but if I do I will come back again. Parking: free and plenty Decor: nice and romantic, great for a date! read more

KUWADA - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

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Had an amazing experience at KUWADA. The sushi/ sashimi was absolutely delicious fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The restaurant itself is very clean and has a great atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable right away. It was in a secluded part of the restaurant plaza, so it was a little bit hard to find. The service really stood out. Everyone was very friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. Manager Chris was incredibly hospitable and went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, which made the visit even more special. Jonathan, the sushi chef, was not only skilled but also very engaging. He made the experience fun and interactive while clearly taking pride in his Omakase craft. From start to finish, everything was top-notch. Great food, great people, great vibe and great value. Look at the photos we took. We left with happy heart and belly. Definitely a place I'll be coming back to and recommending to others! read more

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We came here to celebrate my son's birthday, and unfortunately, the experience didn't match what you'd expect for the price. When we arrived, we didn't have a reservation, but the restaurant wasn't full. There were open tables inside and at the bar, yet we were seated right by the entrance. The spot wasn't terrible, but definitely not ideal, and no alternative seating was offered, which was surprising given the availability. The first issue was cleanliness. My chair (a velvet-style seat) was visibly dirty, covered in what looked like powder or residue. I was wearing a short dress, so it was very noticeable. I had to clean it myself and eventually switch chairs. The tables also looked worn out, with poor finishing and no real attention to presentation--just a candle placed on top. The plates where the food was served also looked dirty, which made the whole situation feel even more uncomfortable. Overall, the ambiance felt neglected. Our table wasn't properly set either. It was arranged for two people even though we were three, and we had to ask for additional utensils after the first roll arrived. Throughout the meal, service continued as if we were only two guests. The service itself was okay, but far from exceptional. We had to repeatedly ask the waitress to clear plates as they piled up, and aside from occasional water refills, there wasn't much attentive service. It lacked that level of care you'd expect, especially for the price. As for the food, the presentation of some rolls was decent, but the flavors were underwhelming. Most of the rolls felt very basic, nothing elevated or memorable, especially for the price. The only standout was a roll wrapped in cucumber, which tasted fresh and enjoyable. Also, one piece of salmon with truffle was excellent and gave that "wow" moment. Unfortunately, everything else fell flat. Our bill was around $283 before tip (about $335 total), and for that price point, I expected much more in terms of both service and flavor. I wouldn't recommend this place for celebrations. If you're just curious and want to try it casually, maybe stick to simple sushi pieces rather than rolls. The rolls, in particular, are overpriced for what they offer. Overall, it's not so much about the cost--it's about the mismatch between price, service, and quality. The experience just didn't justify it. While we still enjoyed celebrating my son, the restaurant itself didn't add anything special to the occasion. I wouldn't return. read more

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Secound time here still impressive With service and food Highly recommended for date night Hangout with bestie or chill vibes They also have private room for big party Resturant nice and modern clean look One complain is bathroom toilet is plug and not completely clean they should check hours for cleanliness and germs read more

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Mid. Has the audacity to charge 20 bucks for a California roll that's 8 pieces lol. Spent $160 and feel like I just got bent over and graped. Just save your money and go to an all you can eat. read more

I had came two days in a row, Sunday & Monday of this week. Sunday I had the Omakase Experience and there were no complaints. It wasn't busy when I first walked in but as I sat for some reason it just filled up. Being a patient person, I didn't mind it taking a bit longer than usual and the head sushi chef seen this so he gave me some items on the house while I waited for the Omakase to actually start. First quality was really fresh, all items were made greatly and I have no complaints on the food, not the drinks. If anything, I believe if they are to offer omakase regardless of how busy it is... they should space the courses out individually. Or two pieces at a time to make it like a traditional omakase and not just ordering a platter. Omakase is meant for bites, knowledge and courses. Old Fashioned (minus the sugar cube) was delightful and refreshing. Monday I had just got a few refreshing items to try but all in all this will be a go to spot for some light items and good libations. Interior is cool, good for dates, and music isn't loud so also great for conversations. read more

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Super cute sushi spot in Rancho. I reserved seating under their beautiful cherry blossom tree (highly recommend for our girls dinner.) Everything was delish. We ordered the chili garlic edamame and combination carpaccio to start. Then we ordered their crispy onion albacore roll, the shrimp lover roll & my favorite their pressed salmon avocado roll topped with truffle oil. Service was fast just how I like it. I tried my friend's cocktail drinks and they were good too. It's in a spacious parking lot full of bomb Asian restaurants and conveniently has Tesla superchargers as well. Our waitress was sweet and even surprised me with a Japanese cheesecake slice for my birthday. read more

KUWADA - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

Have been to this local Japanese spot a few times. It's very nice but a little pricy. The location has a lot of parking and the inside is very spacious and picturesque. Food wise, it's pricy, but they have a lot of variety, from yakitori skewers to sushi to hot foods. The drink and cocktail selection is very good as well. The sake is decently priced, even for huge bottles. My favorite thing? The garlic edamame! It's to die for! It's a fusion food where they have some yummy sauce that has garlic and Doubanjiang, which is traditionally Chinese. It makes a world of difference tho, and super good to much on while drinking. Would come back and try some new things next time. read more

In short: quality sushi and dishes with attentive and accommodating servers. We were visiting from Hawaii and attempted to go to another sushi place prior but the atmosphere wasn't what we wanted so called Kuwada 10 minutes away. They told us they could take us so we showed up and were given a side table. We asked instead if we could do a round table and they moved us there. I asked if they could do a hirame usuzukuri but info could not (it wasn't on the menu to begin with so no biggie). Ordered the shishito peppers, spicy tuna crispy rice, robata pork belly, hamachi, maguro, and uni sushi. The freshness of the fish and uni was incredible, and the other dishes were all delicious. Oysters were sold out, and the uni was Santa Barbara even though the menu said Japan (we prefer SB uni anyway so we lucked out). The servers came around quite frequently to keep our smaller table clear of dishes. We also felt the music was a bit too loud for conversation so asked the server if it could be turned down just a tad -- which he did. Really impressed by the food and accommodating service. Would definitely go back again. read more

KUWADA - Uni, maguro, and toro sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

food lemon yuzu sushi was amazing and had a strong authentic lemon flavor surf and turf was so filling and yummy lychee martini went down well, loved the flavor balance cheese cake here is AMAZING i loved it and usually i'm not really a fan of cheesecake service had the sweetest waiter ambiance upscale vibes but super good experience i personally loved the quiet and calm vibes they also have a traditional japanese style table parking: plenty pricing: average/ on the slightly higher end but reasonable read more

The service was excellent and the food is always great! Went on an off time and it was very relaxing! Perfect choice to eat, relax and enjoy! read more

Upon first glance, this place is a bit more upscale than regular sushi places and the ambience is a bit darker/more romantic. However, they do have a side room that can be reserved for birthday celebrations. This particular night, the party was quite rowdy so fair warning if you're looking for romantic ambience that it may be a hit or miss. Service was fast. This review is just for their specialty rolls and appetizers. They also advertise an omakase menu and separate specialty nigiri menu that I did not try. Of the appetizers, we got the edamame and creamy shrimp. Both were good though I did note the portion of size of the shrimp was small for the price. The edamame was salted - nothing mind-blowing but also not disappointing. Of all the rolls, I liked the pressed salmon avocado the most and would have probably ordered two of those had I known how good it was. The yuzu flavor was just great and the salmon was soft and not dry tasting. The rainbow roll was a little dry and is a skip imo. The crispy albacore roll was tasty however the onions were not really that crispy. The spider roll was a solid option that doesn't disappoint. For a sushi place in the IE, not a bad option! read more

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My friend and I, are sushi lovers and we Like trying out and give a shot whenever we found nice place, food quality. This place is our great spot to meet up and we feel for Sake :) Certainly beautiful fancy interior, and great service. We have been back multiple times and we need to try out their Omakase. We usually got the reservation right away. Large parking is available. read more

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Heard mixed things about this place but was very impressed. Got a huge mix of items but from tempura, to garlic edamame, desserts, sushi rolls, to sashimi it was all very impressive. Drinks were also strong and decent tasting. Uni was very fresh. The pressed salmon avocado specialty roll was my favorite of the ones I tried. What I would improve - some of the sushi rolls had too much sauce (good or bad depending on your liking) but if you waited too long the rice would start falling apart - most of the sashimi was very fresh but there were a few that I thought could be better Ambience has a nice clean modern look. Staff was very friendly throughout. Owner (?) came by to make jokes. Overall, for the area and pricing it was very enjoyable. Wouldn't mind coming back! Food: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 read more

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Served ROTTEN food. Literally rotten food. My mom spit out her food thats how bad it was. You could even smell it when it got to the table. I dont know how they sent it to the table like that. We will be lucky if we dont get sick. Served two different dishes that were SPOILED. We ordered something topped with masego and the masego was bad! The cook confirmed it was bad after sending it back and then had the audacity to send us our other roll topped with the SAME masego ! Also ordered the lobster tail roll and you could smell it as soon as it got to the table! Tried the lobster by itself and immediately got the rancid taste. Maybe their fridges arent working properly. After sending two dishes back youd think the chef would come to the table to address what happened but they didnt! Our whole meal shouldve been comped! Not just the two rotten rolls we sent back. read more

Totally recommend!!! Great food! Amazing service!! Had an amazing night! Great for a date night or even a family night out! read more

KUWADA - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

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Christian thank you for your guidance for an amazing dinner. Such a cute close low noise ambience. All the food was over the top. Cocktails were amazing also. In Rancho sushi is here! read more

Our server Jojo provided exceptional service. She really took care of us. We had the pleasure of experiencing the Valentine's Day Chef's menu. The food was superb. Each table had a rose, petals and the handkerchief was folded like a rose. I definitely recommend this restaurant. Thank you "Jojo" for such a wonderful & delicious experience. read more

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Food and service is definitely below average . We were seated at the bar promptly. However, it is evident that if you are pursuing an authentic experience then RUN! If I was to summarize the experience, it is a smoke show. You enter with high expectations and you leave very underwhelmed. We got the Classic Omakase. Service: the best service we got for the night was the host seating us at our table... Service was slow, inattentive, and clumsy all across the board. Our server had no clue what the difference in the fish offered on the day's classic versus premium Omakase, which is already a warning shot to us. He also appears to have drank a little bit too much sake that was offered by the other patrons as he knocked over one of our tea cups, didn't really check on how things were going, and definitely stumbled upon which nigiri fish was which (he had to pick up my plate and turn it into his view to figure out which was which). The HEAD CHEF himself didn't even bother telling us what sashimi was being served to us. At least he noticed we had no soy sauce to go with our sashimi... The nigiri is very careless. Wherever the head chef learned his techniques , he needs to go back and get a refund or maybe he failed out? The cuts of fish are not uniform, and were very sloppy. My husband's salmon nigiri had a BONE in it. The staff didn't notice this either. The nigiri mouthfeel was off as well. I do have to say though, the fish is fresh and decent quality. Hence 2 stars for that. Dessert: the yuzu creme brûlée taste is good, but clearly not set...the texture was like heavy cream... (see video) - matcha cheesecake tasted like it came out of the freezer Bottom line: this is a Sushi OmaPASSé read more

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Wow, this is by far our favorite Sushi restaurant in the world! We have tried places across the US, Italy, France, Korea, Japan, and England. Hands down, this is our favorite location. The ingredients are extremely fresh, the presentations are consistently beautiful, and the tastes are always a pleasant journey! We have tried more than half of the items on the menu and have never been disappointed. On the contrary, we have been delighted by every dish tried. We drive to this place regularly from San Diego. County to San Bernardino County just to treat ourselves to the food. All the waitstaff are amazing and Jojo is our favorite. She is wonderfully pleasant, courteous, and kind. We love coming here! Now time to take our afterglow 70 mile drive home and reminisce! read more

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Ordered Pressed Salmon,Yellowtail, Shrimp tempura and California roll. Everything was delicious. Some of the best sushi I have ever had. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I will definitely be back. read more

JoJo is the best!!! Had to follow her to Kuwada and found everyone here is phenomenal! The food is stellar every single time we go! Trust your chefs here, you're in good hands!! Also, every one of the cocktails are spot on delicious! This place is PERFECT for any occasion- just go! Enjoy! read more

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Our new go-to when we's in the area. Best sushi we've ever had... the flavors are so unique and amazing... it's like reading a beautiful short story. Everything was outstanding! The Blanco roll had a touch of truffle flavor, it was out of this world... and the Baja is just a mix of all these unique flavors i can't even describe but YOU need to try it for yourself. This place is perfect for date nights or small groups. They do have a couple of private rooms for bigger group. Oh, we'll be back for sure read more

KUWADA - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

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I have been here at least 3-4 times and the food, service, and drinks are always impeccable. The music and atmosphere is top notch. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for great sushi. read more

The ambiance: It's so gorgeous inside with beautiful decor and seating. The music they play is very Jazzy and not too loud but made for great background noise. The food: We ordered a variety of items Cucumber salad: very fresh but it didn't have enough dressing in my opinion. Was large enough for our party of 4 to share and still have a few pieces left. Tempura vegetables: crispy but bland. Would've been good with maybe a spicy mayo dipping. Tempura shrimp: 3 small pieces. Was just ok. Garlic noodles: I don't love thick noodles but these were AMAZING! Super flavorful, a lil spicy, very garlicky and you can also add a protein (we added shrimp) Get this dish! Rib eye skewers: Some pieces were tough, some chewy, some fatty. Didn't have a lot of flavor. Pass on this. Crunchyroll: Eh. Presentation was very low end kind of like what you could get in grocery stores. I expected more. Shrimp Lovers roll: good but I've had better. Drinks: We got the Lychee martini and Cherry blossom both very good! Service: the waiters/servers didn't have much personality. Very monotone. They brought items out one by one. Some faster than others. 2 of us had completely finished our rolls and the other 2 ladies were still waiting. The round table is beautiful with nice chairs but there's nowhere to put your purse so that was a bit of an inconvenience. We all just held them as we ate. Overall it was a nice time. I would come back and try something else on the menu. Hopefully the servers look like they enjoy their job next time around. read more

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Came here on a Sunday afternoon. Made reservations beforehand for a party of 6. Got there and they asked us to wait as they put two round tables close to each other since they had the square ones taken. Most of the restaurant was empty, just 3 other parties there. The seating situation wasn't ideal but we were still pleased with the ambiance. It was beautiful inside and our server was very attentive and professional. We ordered different sushi and karaage chicken. The sushi was okay. I'd give it a 3/5. The karaage chicken looked and tasted like deep fried chicken nuggets. I did not like them at all and was surprised they even presented it to us. I've had karaage chicken many times at different locations and it's never looked or tasted this way. Overall, it was an okay experience but I'd go elsewhere to satisfy my sushi cravings. read more

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Wow wow wow this place. Top tier sushi place in Rancho. The sushi chef we had was amazing! The presentation he was serving was amazing so good and definitely worth every penny! Thank you guys for the hospitality! read more

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Many, many good nights over one of a kind meals built by Jonathan. We're still regulars after all these years! read more

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I came here for lunch on a Friday. Parking: super easy it's in a plaza that has a huge parking lot Ambience: well decorated. Minimal but elegant. The music is a mixture of Sade and R&B. Service: the host was available right away. the server brought out the food in order and one at a time. He was very helpful in assisting to understand the menu. Food: I will give it a 8/10. Not because it is an 8 but I have had sushi from live specimen before so rarely anything can meet my 10 scale but if you compare this restaurant to the best sushi place in LA or OC, this is near 10/10. I had Wayu beef, sashimi (5 different types) and a sake. Nothing to complain about. Will come back! read more

Quality Sashimi. I came here with my friends and we just enjoyed every bite. The Toro melt in your mouth I almost cried it was so good. You can tell that it's a good quality sashimi. The Kpop looking chef is so nice and very entertaining. read more

KUWADA - (12) Signature Sashimi Assortment - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

Great atmosphere if you're looking for a slightly higher end sushi spot. Good food and sake. read more

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Food was good. Love the interior. Service was a little slow when there weren't much people there. One thing I did not like were the sticky floors. Even the bathroom had sticky floors. read more

No server young guy very nice , loved the poki salad , we liked it and a nice drink read more

KUWADA - Very tasty - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

A friend recommended this place. We all went with the intention of getting sushi rolls but the manager highly recommended fish. He said the chef handled fish with respect. In our group of 6 we got truffle, salmon, salmon belly, sashimi, , garlic, edamame, karaage, tuna carpaccio, red snapper, unagi, and albacore. Drinks we got were matcha lemonade, rosemary old fashion, and a lychee cocktail. Overall all the drinks were really really delicious. The old fashion was smooth and light, the matcha lemonade pungent and sweet. As for the lychee I didn't try it but my friend enjoyed it. All the fish was fresh and they put this salty wasabi caper sauce in top that is out of this world. The salmon belly was my favorite. It was so oily and melty. Another friend could not stop raving about the Truffle salmon. My ONLY complaint was the karaage. It was overcooked and dry, and surprisingly not flavorful. It was very crunchy though. I'd love to go back and try the rolls. read more

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Checked out Kuwada finally (previously Ori). Let me start off by saying I'm a sushi connoisseur. My grandpa gave me my first halibut sashimi when I was in grade school and it changed my life. I've worked in the industry as a server, my friend was an amazing sushi chef, and my mom's ex was a sushi chef. I know good sushi. That being said, I love sitting at the sushi bar whenever I have a chance to so I can get to know the chefs/artists. Jonathan took the reins on what to make and the skills/talents/creativity was top notch. We had blue fin toro, thinly sliced and seared a5 Wagyu, yellowtail belly, Uni, etc all topped with umami flavors, truffle oil, etc. Such an unexpected, pleasant sushi experience I've been LONGING for. A rare commodity in the IE. Looking forward to eating at Kuwada again. Want to invite ALL MY LOVED ONES because it was such a memorable experience with the best food and service. Food is truly an intimate love language and labor of love. Appreciated Jonathan so much. 100/10 recommend. read more

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This place is top tier! Its so beautiful inside, and the service is always great. The Food is AMAZING, its not "basic" sushi its a whole separate gourmet category. read more

Had a great experience at Kuwada. The food was really good and well prepared, the ambiance was welcoming and comfortable, and the staff was friendly and attentive throughout our visit. Parking was also easy and adequate, which made the overall experience even better. Definitely a place I'd come back to and recommend. read more