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    Kai

    4.6 (348 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndNew American, Cocktail Bars
    Open 5:30 pm - 8:30 PM
    Updated a few days ago

    Kai Photos

    KAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale
    Quiet

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    Recommended Reviews - Kai

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    Reviews With Photos

    Bread
    Alyson W.

    Very special place where they try to make every detail of your experience absolutely divine, starting with the hand-painted, one-of-a-kind menus, to the introduction in the native language, to the respect given to the native tradition. Service was incredible - for each course change, a host of servers descended on our table in unison to greet us and prepare the food, often tableside or with some tableside finishing. They also included a dry-ice presentation to have us smell the creosote and finished with a gift for each of us and a hand-written thank you note. Incredible concept and well executed. They accommodated us when one of our party was very late and when one was cold, by giving us a blanket. I will say I was served a cocktail in a cracked glass, which is kind of scary, but they were very apologetic and I understand things happen.

    Deb B.

    I have never ever had an experience like the one I had last evening at Kai. From the moment we walked through the door until the moment we left which was 2 1/2 hours later, we were treated like celebrities. I've never had service this excellent and food prepared so beautifully and tastily (is that even a word?) We arrived a few minutes early and were greeted by our last name and presented with a tablet with specialty cocktails. The bartender came to us to take the order and to deliver the drinks while we waited for our 6 PM reservation. Everyone who works in this establishment, and there are many who make it happen, know all about the native culture, the menu, and seems so happy to be working here. You can select from a few choices of every course and there are some surprises from the chef in between. Whomever created the concept thought of everything even chilling thr silverware when we were eating a cold item and heating the silverware when we were eating a hot item. Each dish was masterfully explained by Taylor our wait staff. She had just the right amount of intelligence and humor to make the evening very enjoyable. The menu features native dishes and ingredients and most things are locally sourced. The staff know where every item comes from and we had a lot of exchange about what we were eating. As soon as we finished a course, wait staff scooped in and took the dirty dishes, pronto. They brushed crumbs off the table, though I couldn't see them. This level of service is unprecedented as is the food. It was pricey, but well worth it. As I was leaving one of the staff asked if I enjoyed the food and asked me to tell them what I had which I did. There was a lot. She gave me a beautiful card handwritten by Taylor as well as a gift. The ambiance is amazing and a tribute to the native culture on which the resort stands. I am a fan.

    Panna cotta

    Laura, Feliciano, Austin, and the rest of the staff were incredible in explaining all the foods and making sure everything was perfect. The food was amazing and you could tell care was put into it. Not many people were there so it was a quiet place to enjoy good food and the sunset

    Honey dessert
    Jessica P.

    More than just an incredible meal - it's an unforgettable experience. Kai has been on my list to try for years, and we finally visited this past weekend for my birthday. I truly could not have had higher expectations and they were surpassed. Each course told a story and was well executed, and the service was fantastic. We loved the pee posh garden, Ha:L, late harvest, u'uwhig, key lime pie, and honey. The duck was one of the best dishes I have ever had in my life. The hotel and restaurant are gorgeous, romantic, and very peaceful- I can only imagine how beautiful the view is at sunset. Such an amazing experience and I cannot wait to go back !

    Fonda S.

    this food was like nothing i've ever had before!!! the service was like i was the queen of england!!!!

    Kris F.

    Being with friends in the industry made the evening fantastic! The narration of what is on the plate is perfect. It draws you into the flavors before you even taste the food. I loved the great service in a relaxed environment. We all started at the bar, and the Cosmo was on point. We visited the beautiful fireplace and then meandered to the dining room, where the group I was with filled the entire room. Our lead waiter was gracious to our chit-chat and moved around to network. The wine pairing was perfect, as you could choose white, red, or both to accompany whatever tasty course you were presented. I highly suggest this as a place to take your team or go out on a romantic evening for two.

    Sylvia C.

    My husband brought me here to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary! We arrived early and that gave us time to walk around the grounds and just enjoy the sunset. Once we got to the restaurant, we were given a glass of wine and we sat next to the fireplace. I have to say I have never experienced such outstanding service! The service was exquisite! the food was delightful and our servers were knowledgeable and ever so friendly! The only criticism I have is that the lobster tail could have provided more lobster! I know it's a tasting menu but really one bite of lobster for $350 was a tad disappointing! Oh yeah, the wine pairing was phenomenal! but don't come here if you don't want to spend money with the wine pairing, it was $350 apiece and with the tip it was $900! But it was well worth it because the experience is something that's hard to put into words!

    Red sun
    Royce K.

    2nd time here was not a disappointment food and service as good as last time the bar tender I I wish I could remember her name she went well beyond what she had to do for a drink she even made and new one ramons aviation fiz it was the best

    Menu. Individual art on cover.
    Bella B.

    Experience photo-documented. MIC DROP. WOW. The service BLEW US AWAY more than the food and ambiance. And the food and ambiance were stunning. Yes, it was pricey, but it was so worth the visit. What a treat. Of course, MAKE RESERVATIONS. Overall, highly recommend!

    Bread
    Ethan S.

    I have to say this was the best experience I have had at a restaurant to date. From being called by our last names, having our chairs pulled out for us, napkins placed on us to a full on history lesson and a timeless story told through the food. Not to mention the lighting was yellow which I normally I'm not a fan of but they were able to match the lighting with all the colors around bringing out an exotic feeling.

    Emily K.

    Service was 10/10, ambiance was beautiful 10/10, food was beautifully presented with a lot of different flavors but I wasn't that wow'ed by it so 8/10. From their website, the restaurant "celebrates Native American cuisine... while highlighting the culture and history of the area" and it did just that. Maybe it was that I am not used to this kind of cuisine that things didn't sit so well with me that evening, but during the meal everything was great. It is pricey for the meal so maybe that why I was hoping for more. The history and culture that the servers were sharing was very interesting and the plates and silverware were created to match the vibe.

    Darya S.

    Absolutely phenomenal from the hostess stand to the walk out to your car. The staff here is out of this world. They are wholly dedicated to your experience. It is fine dining to the max. My husband and I waited for our table at the bar and he got a super cool cocktail. It was $50, and he said it was worth it. When our table was ready, the server came and got us. When you go inside, you see a gorgeous view of the sky and Native American cultural artifacts on the walls. It's simple but effective. As for the food, prepare to be amazed. I can't say enough about the thought and care the chef has clearly put into each bite. You get to choose four items off of the menu, and they add amuse-bouche, a cheese dish, and truffles as well. I chose the crab, the lobster, the veal, and the corn (dessert). I genuinely was worried my husband and I wouldn't be full, but we were satisfied in terms of hunger. In terms of taste, I don't think I can convey just how high-quality and elevated this meal was. The meat was so tender, the bread and cheese were so fresh, the sauces were so fragrant. What is extra cool is that your server (ours was Feliciano) explains each ingredient before you dive in, so you know what you're eating. It's kind of like a history lesson too, because there's a lot of Native American culture infused into the dishes. Yes, it's expensive, but it's probably the best dining experience I've ever had. When you leave the restaurant, the hostess even has the valet to have your car ready for you by the door. When we got our car, the valet gave us a jar of honey and a card thanking us for dining with them. Such a nice touch!

    Dawn B.

    My partner took me out for my birthday and we were super excited because we haven't been back to Kai since before Covid. It was our first fine dining experience in three years and one that was extremely disappointing. In the crab dish my partner bit into the cartilage, which should be an absolute no-no in fine dining. The onion tart was overwhelmingly horrible, one not, and missing a lot of seasoning. It was the only thing either of us could taste for the rest of the evening, which my partner ended up throwing up when we arrived home. Overall everything seemed to lack seasoning. The saving grace was the terrific service and desserts. Nothing was taken off of our check for the cartilage. It's a real shame to see such a fine establishment go down hill. It used to be my favorite restaurant but now I do not think we will go back.

    Garden.  This was my favorite!!

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    1 year ago

    Amazing food but small portions, even by fine dining standards. Great taste, and service, but leaving wanting a burger to fill the void

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    1 year ago

    Didn't return my phone call!! We had dinner there before and it was very good, but I guess they are too busy to call back!

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Kai

    Hi, is the prefix tasting menu a set menu, or does it give you options for each course?

    It's pre-fix, but you get still 2-3 selections for each of four or five main courses.

    Are the prices for the dinner that I'm seeing (145 fir tasting menu, 265 for wine pairing) per person? Is the wine pairing price extra or is that including the 145 for the tasting menu?

    That price is per person. The wine pairing price is the total price per person, it's not on top of the tasting menu price.

    Can anyone share the average price of dinner? The tasting menus specifically? Thanks!

    $145 for five courses, $265 with wine pairing

    View All 4 Questions

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    The Sicilian Butcher - Chandler

    4.4
    (2.5k reviews)
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    This is my go-to spot! The staff are always friendly, welcoming, and fun to chat with. The food is…read moreamazing, the restaurant is clean, and the atmosphere is great. It can get pretty busy, so be sure to plan accordingly. I also stopped by the bakery section and had the pleasure of meeting Siya. She was incredibly friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about all the bakery items. Thank you again for the cannoli, it was absolutely delicious! I'll definitely be back.

    I've been here before, but this is the first time I've ordered the meatballs, which is their…read more"thing." First, the atmosphere is very "Joey Maggiore." It must be the same interior designer because even though the restaurants are so different, they have a similar feel, and I like it! The enormous wine bottle light fixtures are pretty cool. We ordered the Saganaki to start, which is delish. I love the flavor of the lemon they use to put out the fire. Can you ever go wrong with delicious melted cheese? Hubby ordered rigatoni with Bolognese and steak meatballs. I didn't taste it, but he really liked it. My son ordered Caccio e Pepe pappardelle. I tasted it and it was very yummy. I had the meatball ferris wheel which is literally a little ferris wheel with little bowls with a different kind of meatball in each. The Ferris wheel ended up just making it harder to eat, but I do think the novelty of it is cute. That said, I was super disappointed. I liked the steak meatball pretty well and the arabbiata was yummy, but the rest were mediocre for me. I love meatballs but, honestly, I've had meatballs that I like better elsewhere. My bread was also over-toasted, making it kind of like a hard crumbly rock. Our server was very nice and quite friendly, but both my husband and I noticed that she actually boxed the food at the two tables near us for those people, but for us, just just dropped off boxes and a bag at our table and left us to do it ourselves. I don't mind doing it myself, but what made us different from the other tables? All in all it was good. The pasta was fresh and perfectly cooked and sooo good and the Saganaki was also delish. The meatballs, not so much for me.

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    Gelato and cannoli bar
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    The Craftsman Cocktails and Kitchen - Tempe

    The Craftsman Cocktails and Kitchen - Tempe

    4.3
    (107 reviews)
    6.1 mi

    I was surprised to see some really unflattering reviews. I know that there was a period of time…read morewhich was especially challenging at the Craftsman. Things that involved the prior manager and staff. We live about a mile from The Craftsman, and go there often. The new Manager has worked so very hard to make The Craftsman a great place. She and her wonderful staff help to make the place feel like small town friendly. The burger is fantastic as is the Bear (French dip), Volcano Pork and the Lemon Chicken. We tend to have the same thing usually, because they are so good. They also have good salads. Whereas I do not usually get a dessert at most restaurants, the desserts here are not to be missed. Great job to all of you working so hard to make this the neighborhood bar feel. We love coming in and enjoying the ambiance and food and feeling of friendship.

    Had dinner with friends here for the first time and heard they are under new management as of early…read moreMay(?). Allison and Les (apologies for any misspelling) took great care of us and checked in often. Menus were also recently updated with the change. Ordered the Gold Rush cocktail and the Miso Ocean Trout for dinner. The cocktail was done very well with a good balance between the alcohol and flavoring. The trout was probably one of the best fish dishes I've ever had. The miso paired so well with the dynamic sauce and the fish along with the sticky coconut rice and greens. I also took a bite of my friend's The Boar sandwich and it was delicious - fries were amazing. Will definitely be back!! Also, parking's a little tough since Postino's in the same plaza, but they do offer a discount if you ride share!

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    Bar Area
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    The Ostrich

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    4.1
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    9.1 mi
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    I really enjoy visiting this bar in DT Chandler. Located under the Crust restaurant, look for the…read morered light, if it's on they're open. My girlfriends and I love to share the apps .. plenty of yummy finger foods. The drink menu is loaded with some really great cocktails, the bartenders can whip you up almost anything. My friend had the Smokey old fashioned last night .. the added smoke definitely elevates that drink. I had a paper plane and it was refreshing, it was the perfect drink on a hot summer day. The ambiance is dark and moody.. very prohibition era vibes. Black & white Mug shots line the walls, beautiful blingy chandeliers and leather booths make for a cool intimate setting to chill with friends or a cozy date night nightcap.

    I haven't been to many speakeasy just yet but this was definitely a good starter! The vibe was…read moregreat, I love a dark but charming spot! I didn't get to spend too much time here so I do want to come back!! My friend and I both ordered an espresso martini but we didn't love it... we drank maybe less than half. I do think that was more of an US problem... out of all espresso martinis i've had, I probably only enjoyed 1 of them. As much as I want to love an espresso martini, I don't think it wants to love me back :( We also tried their nutella cheesecake which was delicious but not very nutella-ey as we expected. Overall we had a good experience here and definetly want to give it another try with different drinks!

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    The Baker
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    Kai - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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