Second visit to Anjin, and once again, the food did not disappoint! Yesterday, I had the three yakitori skewers, pork sando, and finished with their house-made matcha and pandan ice cream. Everything was so good! But beyond the food, the service is what really stands out to me. Adam has a way of making you feel genuinely welcomed, almost like you're having dinner with family. It's warm, attentive, and doesn't feel forced. That kind of hospitality makes the entire dining experience even more special. The restaurant is very intimate. Two visits in, and Anjin has consistently delivered on both food and service. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to! read more

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I flew in from LA to surprise my mom for her birthday- and while I was here my friend got us a table at this place. I was excited to try it- as it's supposed to be KCs only restaurant that made it on the New York Times top 50- so I wanted to see for myself. Let's start with the good. The ambience is really good. You feel like you're in LA- which made me feel a little less homesick. For the food, the pickled shrimp were the perfect combination of spice and flavor. The heat builds just enough to make you question your decisions before melting into the succulent sweetness of the shrimp. A sensual, almost masochistic experience. You will be punished a bit- but you will also kind of like it. Now, the mushroom tempura. I am genuinely afraid to write this review because I worry that if I tell you this dish is worth booking a flight from Los Angeles to Kansas City for, you will assume I have lost my mind and stop reading. If I tell you that it tastes like the platonic ideal of a panko-crusted cutlet except it is a mushroom, you will probably think I am "glazing it". The texture is perfect. The horseradish cream, smeared across the fried mushroom, is a religious experience. I don't know what they are doing in that kitchen, but I left with a fundamentally altered perspective on vegetarian food. I have recently become vegetarian (outside of me cheating tonight) and this dish made me feel as though I had been personally welcomed into the fold by God herself. I would fly back to Kansas City for this mushroom alone. I need you to understand that I am not being ironic. The corn and crab were a close second. Just exceptionally flavorful, and beautifully executed. The fried sakura pork collar sandwich was objectively an incredible sandwich. It was cooked and presented with the kind of precision you expect from a serious restaurant, while never losing sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, it is a sandwich. No identity crisis, no unnecessary deconstruction, no chef trying to convince me that I don't understand what a sandwich is. Just a really f***ing good sandwich. Now for the bad. Unfortunately, it was half the menu. The worst offender was the cabbage salad. I don't know what they were thinking. The presentation was "fine". But none of the ingredients fit together. There were some unfortunate textures at play and the tastes of the items did not play well together. They need to toss this one off the menu. The watermelon and bluefin tuna, on the other hand, was a bit of a miss. The presentation was lovely, but the flavor didn't quite deliver, particularly when it came to the tuna itself. Honestly, I think this would be a better first course, because it sets your expectations low enough that the rest of the meal can surprise you. Unfortunately, we had the mushroom tempura, so the bar had already been set somewhere in the stratosphere. The skewers were also nothing to write home about. They aren't even worth mentioning. They weren't bad tasting- but shouldn't be at a restaurant that is one of the "top 50". Maybe as a free surprise appetizer at a mom and pop shop. The goma saba and tuna are also not really worth a mention either- nothing worth trying or writing. Overall, Anjin is an extremely exciting restaurant. There are some misses, but the hits are so good that I find it difficult to care. The mushroom tempura alone has secured its place in my personal culinary history, and I suspect I will spend the foreseeable future trying to explain to people that, no, they really do need to fly to Kansas City to eat a mushroom. read more

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This lovely, small restaurant near Crossroads in Kansas City has a very small sushi bar-style counter seating, so getting reservations can be hard, but once you get one, it's worth the work. The staff are incredible--super knowledgeable, nice, conversational, and friendly. What more could you ask for? The food is FANTASTIC. I don't know how they categorize their style of cuisine but I'd call it "Japanese fusion" for lack of a better, more specific take. It's largely (or wholly?) Japanese, but I've been to Japan many times and am a huge fan of Japanese cuisine of all varieties, and I couldn't pinpoint some of the dishes, but this is not a criticism, only an explanation as to why I am challenged with categorizing the place. All small plates, we had excellent cocktails and a variety of (recommended) small plates, all of which were surprising and excellent. Standout dishes: well, all of them, but the Corn & Crab Okonomiyaki was delicious--and different; the skewers with Jidori Chicken Oyster, Barham Farm Chicken Heart, and Barham Farm Chicken Tsukune were delectable; and the local Enoki Mushroom Tempura--also incredible and should have ordered a second. The Fried Chicken Sando was good but I was surprised it wasn't as flavorful as it looked...or I hoped. Still, not complaining! read more

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So it took a bit to get into this place. They have 20 ish seats. Went on a Monday night. If you are into Sake this is your place. They have flights and they are awesome. If you are into soju you are in luck. The lemon is over the top. For food, buckle up. This is small plate style dishes but man do they just kill it. You get a menu similar to eating sushi. I tried most of the menu with zero regrets except for not ordering more to go. Highly recommend for a great date night or a dinner out with friends read more

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Walked through the streets of Kansas City at night to try the dessert here. They have side benches for you so you don't necessarily need a reservation! The soft serve was delicious, so smooth, flavorful and definitely had a unique flavor with the custard/japanese brown sugar and mango. They change up the flavors and toppings which makes it super unique and you HAVE to try the trash candy. I don't know who called it that, but I will eat trash all day everyday if it tastes like this. Beautiful ambiance with a very traditional Japanese restaurant set up. Super kind and attentive service. I would love to come back one day for the food! read more

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Fun place with great food. It's a little hard to hear if you have more than 2 people because the only seating is at the counter and there's loud music, but the food is worth it. The staff is super friendly, too. read more

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Anjin fills a niche in KC that was previously nonexistent. While I don't feel it offers authentic Japanese food, I think it serves as an interesting Japanese fusion spot. Do I think it warrants its long reservation waitlist? Not really. I think it's a bit overhyped. If I could give 3.5 stars, I would have. The prices are a bit much for what they serve, and I think their execution was imperfect. The rice for the eel dish was too soft, and I felt the quality of the rice was poor. The bread on the sandwich was also overtoasted to where the edges of the toast were very hard to bite down on (similar to biscotti level of crunch). The flavor profiles of the dishes were pretty basic-- they could work on this. There are better fusion places based on value and creativity, so I'm give or take on recommending Anjin. read more

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Have waited a long time to snag this reservation, and it was well worth the wait. A Japanese izakaya-style restaurant with authentic Japanese dishes. Hard to choose just a few items from their menu, but I went with the beet salad, the skewer platter, and finished it off with the soft serve. My favorite was probably the chicken heart skewer actually, so don't be scared to try this one! Everything was so delicious, simple yet really flavorful. Don't think you can go wrong with anything. Their Negroni was superb! Highly recommend, and will definitely be coming back. The service was exceptional!! read more

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Everyone has a list of places they want to try. Finally knocked a few off the list with an old Kansas City girl visiting. What are the new hotspots since I moved? Hold your sake. First, the vibe is so intimate and cozy. Getting in without reservations is tough unless you go at an odd hour. And if they do let you in, don't test them on the your time limit. Be extra grateful and make it easy so they can seat the actual pre-reserved folks. The place is small enough and the service is nearly 2:1, so they'll definitely remember you. With that said, we tried it best to be on good behavior but that Sake flight had us feeling spicy! Which I'll speak to next, the sake flight delightfully surprised me, and gave me a few things I liked enough to order again. Did not expect that. But I shouldn't be surprised, they're obviously going to have something wildly well-curated, given the successful history of Anjin's creator. I know I'm supposed to talk about the food. But it almost feels pointless. It was obviously amazing. It's a small curated menu. They're famous for their sandwich, whatever rotation they're serving will be sure to please you. They didn't have a lot of vegan options on the menu so my friend got the cabbage dish and it was absolutely wonderful as well. That might be my only watch out if somebody is a vegan, check out the latest menu before going. With such a curated, small menu it may or may not be in a vegan's favor depending on the season. And if it's not, just drink more sake! Can't wait to return, especially with those visiting from out of town to give them an authentic, locally-owned experience. read more

Anjin - Cabbage dish - Japanese Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The food is INSANE here. You HAVE to eat their fried pork collar sandwich, they slow cooked it for 72 hours. I also enjoyed their beer salad - a very delicious and delicate flavor profile with a lot to feel in your mouth. They also have a fine selection of liquor - I was able to find a fruity one I liked. Top tier service - we spoke about Japan, I liked his chainsawman pin, and I was hoping they had their logo available as merch - keychains and shirts! read more

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Really fantastic experience, and what a treat to experience this gem of a place. Had a 7p reservation. We did have to wait about 15 minutes for a table to clear for us. They had recently changed up their menu for the new season. Wait staff mentioned that 5 plates would be good for a party of 2. We ordered 4 with dessert and that was plenty for us. We ended up getting the yakitori, cabbage salad, onigiri, and pork sandwich. For dessert, it was a tea and peach swirled soft serve with dark chocolate praline, panda cookies, and KitKat. Everything was perfect. Flavors were robust and well seasoned. It was simple, but also bold, and yet balanced. The pork sandwich had such buttery bread, and that mustard contrast from the egg salad was paired well with the fattiness of the pork. Yakitori was so well seasoned; my favorite was the chicken thigh. Super juicy, and soft. Cabbage salad had a ton of contrasting flavors, the same miso dressing was such a concept. Onigiri was fat, fish was fresh in the middle, and I loved the fish roe. Ice cream was also superb. We left really full and our check wasn't too bad. We also got a green tea cocktail and mocktail, and spent a little over 100$ total. read more

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Man what a cool experience, you walk into Anjin and it's impossible to miss the intimacy they've created with their small bar, friendly staff and low lighting. Our servers were awesome to us, they let my partner test a few sakes before making a decision and they let you pick a unique sake cup which is very cool. Their the menu is somewhat limited albeit intentionally, maybe focused is the better word. We had the eel, beet salad, tempura, skewers and pork sandwich. All were really incredible, the beet salad really surprised me with some great flavor combinations and textures. The pork sandwich should agree with most Midwesterns, it's breaded juicy and served with egg salad dressing that really adds a nice flavor to an otherwise savory delicious bite. My favorite by far! Awesome experience, make sure you get a reservation, like a couple weeks out, it's that busy and rightfully so! read more

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This is hands down the most creative food that I have had all year. Really thought provoking food that is unlike anything I've had in a very long time. Coming from the Antler Room and trying something completely different, this owner-couple took a risk and it has shown how much work and dedication they have put into this experience. The staff are incredibly kind and knowledgeable. And also very proud of the food they're serving. From the cabbage salad to the shrimp tempura, these are excellent dishes that have texture, flavor and ingredients that work well together. With seasonal menu changes to come, I will definitely be returning. Reservations highly recommended as there are 20 seats at the counter. This place is popular for good reason. read more

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Unique Experience. The Layout is: 20 stools around the bar/kitchen There are not individual tables There are 3 menus: Food, Drink, Soft-Serve. The food menu is crafted as shared plates. If you're hungry, make sure to order the Pork Sandwich! The cocktails are sake based and potent! I enjoyed thier iced tea. The Soft Serve is also incredible! read more

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This was such a fun spot that provides an intimate dining experience. The staff was friendly and provided great recommendations. Everything we had was so unique, flavorful and delicious. This is such a gem and I can't wait to come back. Perfect for a date night or small party. read more

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Finally had the opportunity to try out the hottest new place in KC! We ordered 5 dishes to share, 2 drinks and dessert to share. This was the perfect amount for us--I ended up not being able to finish my sandwich. If possible, I'd give Anjin about 4.5 stars! First I'll start with the things I loved: love the ambiance. Very intimate with little finishes that made it more authentically Japanese. The vegetable dishes were by far my absolute favorite! The presentation, combinations of flavors, and use of seasonal ingredients was greatly appreciated. Our service was fantastic, we appreciated all the extra tidbits of information of ingredients, how things were cooked and could feel how much they all wanted to be at their job. Spritz was very nice and light and refreshing. I would love to come back and try sake flights! Yakitori was cooked to absolute perfection. Tasted exactly how I wanted it and remembered it from my time living in Japan. Charred and smoky on the outside, but tender and full of flavor on the inside. Things I didn't love: the tomato yuzu mocktail was very acidic. Still good, but wish the yuzu had balanced it more, or that it was saltier, or something--it was just missing a little bit more than it was. The pork collar sandwich is a hit for very protein heavy consumers--great price and a hefty amount of meat to supplement your meal. I just personally enjoy a more traditional thinner pork katsu...the egg salad was a great addition and the homemade shokupan was amazingly soft. Gyoza was good, but nothing extraordinary in my opinion. I did really enjoy the lemon balm that was added though. Ice cream was also very fun, but nothing extraordinary. All in all a fabulous experience and I am excited to return! read more

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We've been so excited for this place to open up and once reservations opened up, we jumped on it. The place is small, so expect limited availability each night, which means same day walk ins will be very hard on weekends. If you get a spot, I recommend you sample a few items, and definitely try their signature pork belly sandwich. It is so tender and full of flavor. Their stew and loaded sweet potato was delicious also. The chef came out and explained it is a rare type of potato not typically grown in the U.S. read more

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If I could give this spot more stars I would. We had an incredible evening here. Every plate was created with such care and intention. The food was so fresh and unlike anything we've had in KC! And the staff truly made the experience even better. Chatting with the team as was sat was such a treat. read more

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The flavors are where this place shines! I can't think of a single thing that was not delicious - the service was lovely and we felt well cared for, good recommendations and drinks were never empty. It's back to the food for me- lots of complex flavors that felt comforting and exciting at the same time. If you are looking for your next fun lunch or dinner- make this a place that you check out! read more

I've been patiently awaiting the opening of Anjin, and had a friend surprise me with a 9 pm reso for my birthday. I Ubered over, but my friend could park on the street out front, no problem. Once you step inside, you feel like you're transported out of KC. It's warm, inviting, and the decor fits the vibe. Service is top-notch, too. The sake flights are worth trying if you're curious. Drew did a stellar job explaining each, and they're all quite smooth. We started with the tempura, eggplant salad, and the tomato salad, and saved room for dessert, which was the way to go. Whatever sauce they gave you to dip the tempura in was drinkable. I could easily drizzle that on any food and make it better. Add the sandwich or the eel nabe to split if you're hungrier than we were. Also, I know what you're thinking- tomato salad in the summer? That's nothing new. Don't be quick to judge because that was easily the star of our meal. The vinaigrette and the added texture of the pistachios and puffed quinoa gave it something unexpected. While I did not order the pork sandwich, I admired it from afar and plan to return to try it out. At one point, we saw the shokupan they use for it in the back and talked about it with our neighboring diner. The owner stopped by and told us how he's been working on his milk bread recipe for years and picked up the bread molds in Japan. This level of dedication alone proves how thoughtful and unique this restaurant is to the KC food scene. This may be the first time I've visited a restaurant on opening night, and it did not disappoint. They've set the bar high for themselves, but I can't wait to see what fun they'll have in the future with this space. read more

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Talk about a fabulous meal! Anjin is a new Japanese Izakaya inspired restaurant by the people behind Antler Room. Was so glad it was restaurant week and that they weren't participating because then we could have a pretty chill evening. We tried a few interesting proteins (chicken hearts and pickled mackerel) and had the best sandwich I have had in years (seriously that pork sandwich had everyone at the bar groaning) and wrapped up with really fun soft serve twist with pandan and Thai iced tea flavors. We found this concept to be most similar to Noka - twists on Japanese flavors but the vibes couldn't be more different. Noka's vibe feels a little bit more upscale where Anjin is a bit more relaxed. Both are fabulous restaurants and I highly recommend them both but Anjin knocked our socks off. We did Triune last weekend and we loved that too, but if you're looking for more interesting foods, Anjin definitely brings it. To be a little more detailed: We started with cocktails. I had the persimmon infused sochu. Reminded me a lot of a mimosa. Then our first dish was the skewers. All three were great, including the chicken heart (a first for me). My favorite was definitely the chicken oyster skewer - OMG delicious. Then the tempura came out and that's when things really started to get going for me. If you're someone who is a little bit nervous about this concept and maybe a little bit pickier of an eater, this one is gonna be in your wheelhouse. The shrimp was perfectly cooked. It was so crispy. I joked to my fiancé that it reminded me of a savory funnel cake. Loved it. Next was the Mapo tofu. This wasn't my favorite because it was a little on the spicy side for me, but I thought the flavors were delicious and the scallops were perfectly tender, and the tofu melted in your mouth. And then we had the fried sakura pork collar sandwich. Holy cow! I cannot recommend this highly enough. It's got to be one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. And it was a true fusion because they did Carolina gold tonkatsu sauce on it, plus egg salad. And our server told us that the pork collar is basically the equivalent of a Wagyu steak on a pig so there's lots of really nice fatty marbling in it. Oh my God, so good. And the bread! I cannot tell you forcefully enough how much you need to eat the sandwich. These were the four things we ordered originally and my fiancé still had a hankering to try something else. I was getting pretty full, so I told him I would try a few bites of whatever he got, but that it was really up to him what he wanted to get. So he got the golden potato and pickled mackerel. It was an interesting potato salad because it had shredded potato in it and I thought the flavors were pretty good but I just don't like pickled mackerel so I did only have a few bites but that's not to say it wasn't good. If you're somebody who likes pickled fish, I think you would've loved it. And lastly, we of course, had to try the soft serve, which that night was a pandan and Thai tea. I thought the pandan flavor was stronger than the Thai tea, so maybe not the perfect thing to do for a twist, which is what we did, but we added hello pandas strawberry chocolate trash candy and the praline crunch. It was so yummy and a fun way to end the meal. My fiancé, the ice cream fanatic loved it! I think that's what I like about the experience at engine, it doesn't take itself too seriously and the vibes are really fun and social. You're sitting at a bar elbow to elbow with people you don't know and I chatted with a very nice couple next to us. It was fun seeing what people ordered as we were waiting for food to come out and socializing with them. But it's really fun, social experience that I don't think you get anywhere else in Kansas City. Go! read more

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Crossroads has a new neighborhood izakaya to enjoy, and it lives up to the hype! First of all, the service is phenomenal. Everyone working behind the bar (including the owners) were incredibly knowledgeable about the menu -- they gave me so much detail about each dish, it was amazing. The food came out quick, especially considering it was opening night. The pork collar sandwich was stunning. The prettiest, most Instagram-able cross section. And it was delicious and massive. I ate the tempura before I could even photograph it. Also delicious. They have a substantial sake menu and a few cocktails and beer options. They had a set sake flight that was so fun to try! Everyone was raving about the cocktails too. The space is small with just one long bar, so this is not the place to bring a huge group of friends. It's perfect for a romantic date night or a fun small group. Make a reservation and cozy up to the bar for a delicious meal and some drinks!! I can't wait to go back and try more. Street parking can be a struggle in Crossroads on busy nights, but Anjin is worth a walk! Only a couple blocks from the Crossroads or Kauffman Center streetcar stops. read more

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One of my favorite spots that new in KC. This place was worth it! I enjoy date night here with my favorite person. We got lucky and even saw James working there, he suppose to be a local celeb chef. But the chefs here, you can see them making their magic and helping their staff to make sure all patrons were good and satisfied with their plates and drinks. Because the food here is phenomenal, so good, unique and tasty. I would come here even for the sandwich but everything on the menu was so good. Definitely top spot in KC. read more

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Loved this place! Very unique dining experience. The service was amazing and the open kitchen was fun to watch. The yakitori was delicious and my favorite thing on the menu! Highly recommend. read more

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Anjin is an absolute must for anyone who loves Japanese izakaya-style dining. The restaurant is tiny with 20 seats which makes it feel incredibly cozy and intimate, but also means reservations are highly recommended. Every dish my husband and I tried was excellent. The yakitori skewers were perfectly cooked and packed with flavor, the tomato salad was simple and refreshing, and the pork sando was rich, crispy, and crave worthy. We paired our meal with a sake flight, which was a fun way to try a variety and complemented the food beautifully. Anjin delivers a thoughtful, elevated dining experience in a small space, and it's clear a lot of care goes into every detail. Already looking forward to coming back. read more

Anjin - Japanese Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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This restaurant is insanely good and I highly recommend if you can get a reservation!!!! Our experience and meal was delightful. I can't wait to go back again and enjoy another meal when they change the menu around. Ambiance and service were amazing. It is a very small restaurant, so harder to get a reservation not past 10:00 pm. We got in at 8:00 pm, so that was perfect! It's so unique for Kansas City. Nothing but great things to say! read more

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Came in for dinner the other night! The vibes, service, and food were phenomenal. Every dish was well balanced. We enjoyed everything we had ordered. The co owner Drew was super sweet and attentive. Definitely made the experience special. Can't wait to come back here again! read more

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Anjin blew me away with their service and menu! We enjoyed the hiramasa and melon tataki, skewers, fried black tiger prawn sandwich, eggplant salad, and soft serve. The pandan soft serve was so creamy and delicately flavorful and paired so well with the brown sugar syrup - it was such a wonderful introduction to the pandan flavor! The melon tataki was also a surprise star - I was hesitant to try it, but it ended up being one of my favorites on the menu. This is a great spot for a small group or to hang out by yourself - the servers and staff behind the bar were very knowledgeable and fun. The only thing that I will note is that in such a small venue, the smokiness of the stove made the air a little thick, but it ended up clearing up by the end of our dinner a bit. read more

Anjin - Japanese Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The KC food scene just got better with the addition of Anjin, a neighborhood Japanese inspired restaurant. The space is gorgeous. It is warm and welcoming without being over done. There are only 20 seats, so make sure to make a reservation. The open kitchen allows you to watch all the parts of service. The staff is knowledgeable and open to answer any question you might have. You might even be lucky enough to have one of the chefs serve your dish with a little extra explanation of the flavors and process. The menu changes so it entices you to keep coming back. The flavors aren't anything that you will get anywhere else in KC. My favorites are the eggplant salad (the eggplant is cooked and then chilled, the texture and flavor make it unique), the chicken skewers (these change all the time and come in a set of 3), the goat curry (served with sweet potato and pickles) and the eel (perfect cooked eel with egg and rice). They also have the best sake selection in KC. There is a flight so you try and learn, by the glass options and bottles. The menu describes the flavor and has charts that will help you learn the types of sake that you like. Then there is the soft serve ice cream with all the toppings. The flavor of the ice cream and the toppings change all the time and every single one has been delicious. read more

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What a fun night out last night at Anjin for my husband's birthday! We ordered the tomato salad, tempura, yakitori (5), and the eel nabe. All good, but hands down the yakitori (skewers) is the star. They seem to rotate them a lot so it's definitely something I'll order every time! Oh and we ended with the pandas/red bean twist with all the fun toppings- what fun! It was delicious. Cocktails- I tried the spritz, the martini (STRONG) and an adult version of one of the mocktails, but my favorite was my husband's sweet potato highball. The price was just right at about $100/pp including tip- in fact I think that's super affordable for the neighborhood and the staff to customer ratio. The real treasure here is the staff. We loved bantering with them (so happy to see James again, missed him at Waldo Thai), and they all seemed genuinely delighted. We counted ten staff for the small restaurant- no wonder we were taken care of so well. read more

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Stopped by Anjin for dinner on a Monday night. The place is small - you'll need a reservation even for a weeknight! Seating options are at the bar, so be prepared for that. Service was fantastic and I love the open kitchen so you can see all the things. My favorite dishes were the noodle soup and the pork collar sandwich. Everything was good and it was a fun place to go for a creative meal! read more

This place was pretty cool. I do want to give credit where its due: the hostess was great and the food tasted amazing, especially the fried items. Besides that, I feel like we got stuck with a server who did not care at all. We showed up later in the evening after waiting a long time to get a reservation. The hostess sat us down and said someone will take care of us. First of all, the immediate downside is the amount of men in that space working. It was pretty disappointing to see 8-10 men and just 2 women: 1 hostess and 1 dishwasher. Anyway, the person we had didn't explain anything to us and seemed to judge the sake we picked without making any recommendations. It took a while to also get that (and our other drinks) because they seemed to be hanging out with some other guests a few seats away. I get it, Big Plump may not be a young attractive lady out on the town, but I feel like I should still be treated like everyone else. I am not blaming those guests for being younger attractive women, and I probably also would've loved to get that level of service. I digress, sorry! I ordered 2 of everything cause I love food and my other guests ordered one of each. I got: cabbage salad, skewers, kakiage tempura, and beet salad. Cabbage salad was dank and the touch of the little fried anchovies was the perfect choice. Tempura was exceptional and I will kiss the hands of whoever did the frying on it. That black tiger prawn in it was delightful and still juicy. Beet salad was perfectly balanced and I enjoyed the puffed rice. I didn't get much of the seaweed taste from the walnuts, but it was good nonetheless. The skewers were delicate and grilled to perfection. They were good, but I wish there was something else with it, perhaps it was missing something (but I don't know what). Food wise, I preferred the fried dishes more. The most disappointing part was how I had to eves drop on the folks to the right of me when their server explained each dish because we didn't get that from mine. I had to ask random customers and a random worker what I was actually eating because the person we had was too busy flirting with the women. Similar to other fine dining places (and from what I was observing) as they drop off dishes, they explain what it is. On top of that, my party wanted more sake and asked twice, and they kept disappearing (I guess smoke break?) so we never got them. I know the guests next to us were irritated by us listening in on the explanation of the dishes but, we just really wanted to know what things were :( For the amount of food we ordered, I hoped we would be treated as normal. I understand that there is also a time limit on how long guests should stay and we were very respectful of that. A 3rd person offered us dessert, but the paper menu was written in a confusing way. I could've gone without it to be honest, but I respect that it was their own soft serve machine. We had to flag down that 3rd person to get our check way after we finished dessert. I don't know. Perhaps it was an off night for our initial server, but, I have been in this industry for more than 2 decades and I know when a waitstaff is flirting with guests and when they're being offered dishes for free. But, that shouldn't take away from the rest of the experience of other guests. Again, no hate on the other guests, but damn, what did I have to do to be treated like everyone else? The chairs were pretty uncomfortable and there was not enough space between my legs and the counter. That scoop seat was also uncomfortable because it's designed for being more laid back but I need to sit more upright because of the bar. When you get sake, they hold out a tray with cups to choose from--the reach of holding the tray and picking them out was just too clunky. I get the novelty of picking my own cup, but it shouldn't require them and guests to reach that hard. I'd rather you just give me a random one. As always, I over tip (~30% range), and am respectful. I've contemplated this review for months because the food was great, but the service just left such a bad taste--that is why the star rating is lower than I want it to be. I wish that team much success in their nominations. read more

All the food was very unique and delicious. Didn't have a reservation so we really didn't have high hopes for getting in but we were able to get seated within minutes. The servers were friendly and fast. read more

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Not a better place to eat or celebrate in KC. We ordered one of everything, and there's nothing I would've passed on. The egg plant was a surprising star. Eel was one of the tastiest things I've had in a long time. Tonkatsu sandwich is last meal worthy. I'd eat the Kakiage tempura every day. Sake flight was all so tasty, as well as all the cocktails. But truly, service was like sitting down to eat with your pals. Just lovely human beings, the whole bunch. If you're trying to decide between here and another place, go here. Dress up or not, you're good. Just come hungry :) read more

Anjin - Everyone gets the best seat in the house - Japanese Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

What had led me to Anjin was an article from KCUR that randomly popped up on my news feed about the best sandwiches in KC and this tonkatsu sandwich randomly appeared on the list. I was intrigued by the review and led me to embark on the journey to try out downtown's new Japanese inspired Izakaya. Does it meet the hype? Yes. I ordered the tonkatsu sandwich and the chicken/pork skewers. I have mixed thoughts on the tonkatsu sandwich, because the pork cutlet is a very thick hearty super-sized version that is a departure from traditional thinly cut tonkatsu. There needs to be a special advisory on the tonkatsu sandwich because it is literally ginormous. The pictures don't do it justice because it looks like a regular cute Japanese style sandwich but when you see it in person, one-half of it is the size of a quarter pounder w/cheese. I could not finish the whole sandwich myself. The skewers were grilled/smoked perfectly and felt like it was right out of a backyard blackstone bbq. For the future I will look forward to try out other menu items such as the Kakiage Tempura that includes black tiger prawn and also the American Eel Nabe. The atmosphere was a very clean, modern, hip vibe, with open kitchen. You could easily sense the excitement and enjoyment of all the other customers around. Service was outstanding. Everyone including the hosts, servers, and bartenders were super cheerful and enthusiastic to add onto the energetic ambiance. I tried the Orion Japanese Beer for the first time and it was refreshing and clean. I'm glad I had a chance to try out this beer as it is difficult to find anyone else carrying it in the area. The soft serve dessert is a must have at the end where they give you numerous fun choices for toppings and it was a splendid way to finish off the dinner. Seems like the word is already out, getting a prime time reservation on the weekends are already filled out a month in advance. The effort to book a time is well worth it. read more

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Anjin is amazing. The food is some of the best I have had in Kansas City. Every dish is layered, full of flavor and feels really special. The atmosphere is cozy but lively, and you feel connected to everything going on around you. You are close to the staff and other diners, which makes it feel like you are part of the experience instead of just watching it. The staff is friendly and helpful, and you can tell they really know and care about the menu. Between the food, the setting, and the way the space is set up, it is just a great place to spend an evening. I cannot wait to go back. read more

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This was the best dining experience I've ever had. The staff was incredibly attentive, wished me a happy birthday several times and checked on us all night, which made it feel really special. The head chef even came over to talk with us, which was cool. The restaurant is open concept so you sit right by the kitchen and get to watch the chefs cook, which made the whole experience really unique. The food was delicious and unlike anything I've had before. They even gave me a little box of matches at the end, which was such a fun detail. Amazing service, incredible food, and such a cool atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more

Anjin was truly a special experience! Dining here felt like I was in the heart of a big city. The service was truly outstanding. Because of the open kitchen concept and bar-style seating, the servers and customers are encouraged to interact, however, the servers do a great job at not being overwhelming to the customer. We started with their Beet Salad, which had such a unique flavor profile. Citrusy, fresh, and overall a light appetizer that pairs well with their Pork Sando entree... which was also to die for. The presentation of the food was all so well done, including the dessert. Highly recommend if you're stopping through KC! read more

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Truly a unique experience! A rare gem in the midwest. It is an open kitchen concept restaurant and as someone who's socially shy, I was nervous. But staff was interactive without being overbearing. The food was to die for, I 1000% recommend the beet salad. The sandwhich is definitely big so sharing it might be the move. The soft serve unfortunately didn't impress but its presentation was pretty. read more

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It was more about ambiance than the food. The standout was the beet salad, everything else was kinda meh.