We went here a few times right when they opened and... it was very mid, we tried it 3 or so times in the first few months and it was just not better than some of the other local places. We decided to try Kawa again the other night for the first time in a few years and they have really turned things around. I would say on par with Jaku. The food and presentation was great. read more

Kawa Sushi - Yummy Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

We chose the poke bowl and a gyoza starter. Our server was attentive and the the ambiance was pleasing. Hopeful the venue will expand so we can experience quality Asian Fare and not have to drive into GR' read more

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Went to Kawa in Rockford at 1pm on a Friday, and it was pretty empty. Our service was good, the server was attentive and friendly. (I don't remember her name but she had the most awesome potsticker bowl earrings!!) The margaritas were ok. We ordered the Bluefin Tuna, and Shrimp Tempura roll and Salmon Nigiri. All were fresh with good flavor profiles, my only critique is the rolls were not tight enough and easily fell apart while transferring to a plate using chopsticks. Good experience overall, will return to try other menu items like the poke bowl. read more

Inside and outside seating available and plenty of servers to keep up with the demand. Our server was attentive and gave us a chance to enjoy a nice Friday night out without feeling rushed. The half house salad with ginger dressing was larger than salads you get at other sushi restaurants. The veggies and greens were fresh and the dressing was delicious. The Kawaii(?) roll was on the fishy side in case you like or don't like that. The Vegetable roll was good. They were both well made. I don't come to Rockford often but Kawa is one of my go-to's in town. read more

Kawa Sushi - Kawaii Roll and Vegetable Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

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Amazing sushi!! We made reservations to sit along the River, I highly recommend that. Our server was great, food was delicious. My husband was a big fan of the mini egg rolls. We would definitely come back! read more

Kawa Sushi - Menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

Every time my wife and I have come to this restraint we've had excellent waiters and waitresses. They keep your water filled, and have always been very polite. The soy garlic gyoza and 911 roll are a MUST. Each time we return we're excited to try new things. read more

Pretty good food but the service and speed of food delivery to the table is usually slow...especially if you get sushi. There always seems to be a problem or delay whenever we've gone in. Sushi rolls will typically arrive 15+ mins after you've finished eating any hot food. read more

4.5 experience We had lovely service from our server. Drinks were delicious. Food was outstanding. The crab rangoons were unlike others we've had and we loved them. Rich filling with a sweet complimentary dip. The tempura green beans were also excellent, and the garlic aoli was delicious! Enjoyed our seaweed salad as well. We ordered the bibimbap which was very good and spicy. Great portion to share. We ordered two rolls - the gossy and angry wives. These kinda brought down the experience a half Star. Both were smoky and just okay. Made us wonder if something was off about them because the menu didn't indicate smokiness. We had the tempura ice cream for dessert and it was also a great choice for sharing! Loved the tempura batter. Definitely a spot you don't want to miss! We will be back. read more

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We often order take out from here . We love spicy pucker , GTR and Ultimate rolls as well as many standard rolls . The best thing though are the laws poppers , hands down the best jalapeño poppers I've ever had , stuffed w crab and cream cheese as well as seasoned perfectly... wow read more

Kawa never disappoints. Has a very nice ambiance and a sharp interior. It has been me and my girlfriend's lunch spot for the last 3 years and it just gets better and better. Today we got the Japanese lasagna roll which was absolutely delicious. 10/10 would recommend. I also would recommend starting off with the soy garlic gyoza. i would also like to recommend is the lisa lisa roll which is also amazing. read more

Kawa Sushi - Lisa Lisa Roll, Soy Garlic Gyoza, Japanese Lasagna Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

Ate dinner there a few nights ago with my wife. Service was fine but food was meh. Had 4 different signature rolls and wasn't impressed by any of them. it was our first time there. My suggestion is to go to Maru Sushi in grand Rapids. Far superior sushi and appetizers there. read more

The sushi was good, but what stood out to me was the non sushi items. The appetizers are delectable and I really loved their fried rice. Their bulgogi was also a chef's kiss good. Give them a try for an awesome date night or friends meetup. The service was great everyone was friendly and very attentive. They are also one of the only sushi places that have blue fin tuna so if you're a sushi snob you might like that. read more

Let me start by saying the food here was amazing! My husband and I love sushi, and it's so nice to have a spot in Rockford, finally. Really exceptional! There were some issues, not all of which are that big of a deal. 1. They don't have a liquor license. Which is fine. Just be aware. 2. Hopefully it has improved, but the first time we went we dined in, and service was SLOW. We got our waters and hot tea, placed our order, and then didn't see our server again for 40 minutes. They were clearly prioritizing takeout orders over dine in orders, which was super frustrating. 3. It would have been nice if they had free wifi, especially if 40 minutes is a normal amount of time for a couple rolls of sushi. 4. Once we had been there a few minutes the AC kicked on and it was extremely cold. Fortunately we had ordered some hot tea, but it was pretty uncomfortable. 5. After the already long wait one of our rolls finally came out, but we were told it would be another 15 minutes for the rest. All of the issues were pretty shortly after they had first opened, so I really hope some of the kinks have been worked out. Since that first experience we've eaten from there a couple more times, but only takeout. I want to hear that someone else had a better dine in experience before trying that out again. Still 4 stars, because again, the food was incredible, and isn't that the most important thing? read more

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I tried this last night and really liked it. The spicy tuna had a nice kick and the crab rangoons were the best I have had in a while. The service was great. Personable and quick. read more

Finally, a delicious sushi place in downtown Rockford! We've been here twice so far and have been super impressed all around. The staff are very engaging and friendly and eager to help and make recommendations. We've tried the GTR roll, the WSOP roll, the Spicy Pucker roll and the Kawa Poppers - they all were incredible! The outdoor patio is spectacular, right on the Rouge River! We will definitely become regulars here, it's so good! read more

Kawa Sushi - GTR roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

The food and service were amazing, went here on a recommendation from a friend and they did not disappoint. They have a large amount of seating options, including a patio outside, which was perfect for the day. Ambiance was a clean and modern. Bathrooms were super clean also which is always a plus! Server was pleasant and made frequent checks to make sure we were still doing good. Shout out to Kawa Sushi for an awesome lunch! read more

Kawa Sushi - Raspberry Beret & Hard Cider - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

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FOOD SO GOOD AND FRESH I FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES. Ramen is exquisite. And sushi is fresh and flavorful. The outside patio is peaceful. read more

Kawa Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

I visited for the first time and was really amazed by the service. Our waitress, Leah, was quick and met all of our needs. The food was fantastic and I loved walked around Rockford when done. I'll be back. read more

Everyone is always so nice here. Love the patio in the summer. Smaller sushi menu makes it easier to choose, each roll is so good. Everything we have tried is great from all menu categories. Family friendly place. Great addition to Rockford! read more

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Wow, just wow. I've never been treated more rudely than I did walking into this spot. To be polite, I called to make sure it was ok if we came in since it was 35min to closing time. The hostess said it was fine so we headed in. When we walked in the door no one greeted us. We must have seen 8 employees who completely ignored us. Finally, the host (who I spoke to) came up without a greeting. She sat us at a spot that hadn't been cleaned yet. It was so uncomfortable and embarrassing I finally told her we are going to leave because we didn't feel welcome. She simply responded "ok". We turned around and left. Not another word from her or anyone else. Whoever does the hiring here should seriously consider upping their staff. We won't be returning and I highly recommend other folks do the same. read more

Great food. Great service. Nice selection of sushi with some unique offerings. Nice location.

Barely warm food and poor service today. Normally a better experience here.. parking can be challenging here too but that's not their fault

Stopped in on a Wednesday around 5pm with my sister and two young kids to dinner. Parking available in the main lot, however, it is a shared / public lot so it does fill up at peek hours. We walked in and I noticed right off the bat that it was dead inside - only one other table of two. Since it was a beautiful summer evening we opted for the patio and there were a few more tables of people out there. Our server came up quickly and gave me a small specials menu and directed me to the QR code postcard for the full menu. Fair warning - as of the end of August they still do not have a liquor license (no stars deducted for this, as it's not their fault). We started with the gyoza and the calamari skewers. The gyoza order had quite a few on the plate, I was surprised at the amount. They were okay with a sticky/ sweet sauce on top. When asked if we could get a side of the sauce for dipping we were brought back half a tiny solo side cup full. Our server noted that the sushi chef had no idea what it was and told her to look in the kitchen for the jar of sticky brown sauce... odd. The calamari were a huge disappointment - three skewers of fried calamari (3 per skewer) on a bed of lettuce and a lemon wedge. No sauce. I asked if there was a side sauce I could order and I was told no. Pass on these. Kids got the kids mac n cheese - nothing fancy just Kraft & fries. Hard to mess up. I ordered the Ultimate Kawa Roll - size was good and the spice level was good, however, the taste was off - mainly because the roll appeared to have been flame torched and tasted like it was done with a lighter? It was not a baked roll so I was a little confused as to why it looked like this and why it tasted like that. California roll was okay but my sister and son noted that the seaweed flavor was too strong. I did get two sashimi pieces that were very good but pricey. My sister got a chicken dinner that was okay - cant remember what it was and I don't see it on the menu so not sure if it is still on there! We did have to wait a while for our server to bring our check, as it did get busy on the patio. We sat for probably 15-20 after we were done eating. The patio has a TON of bees - so if you are allergic, fair warning. Also, they do not offer a sashimi or nigiri meal option - only al la cart - too pricey. We did leave a little disappointed. Nothing really hit the spot for us. I'm hoping they can step it up a notch, as having a sushi place in Rockford is much more convenient than driving into GR. However, as it.. good sushi is worth the drive. read more

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My family and I moved to the area from Southern California this summer and one of the hardest parts of leaving was saying farewell to our favorite fresh sushi joint. I came to the soft open of Kawa with questions about how good sushi in Michigan could be, but my husband and I were absolutely blown away by the quality and taste! We had the beef fried rice (the beef was incredibly tender and not at all dry), a deep fried Philadelphia roll (nice and crispy outside), and on recommendation from the chef a spicy pucker roll (incredible flavor combo). We've been back at least once a week since then and haven't had a single item we wouldn't order again! The staff is still working out some kinks in terms of service but the food is absolutely top notch. Highly recommend! read more

Kawa Sushi - Beef fried rice (didn't get a photo before it was nearly gone. So tender!) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

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Tried for the first time.... Dinner - parking a bit of a challenge. The lot right in front is small, there is a public lot nearby, had to park there. One diner in our party has celiac (allergy to gluten - becomes sick if has any/food cross contaminated). She called the day prior to validate they could accommodate. Was told they could. Dinner time, we are eating our edamame looking at the QR code/online menu. Waitress comes for order - celiac diner states she has an allergy & will need accommodations. Waitress is unsure, calls manager over. Manager is nervous but states there are certain basic rolls they could make, and make on clean surface w clean utensils to avoid cross contamination. We all place our respective orders.... Food comes out a little piecemeal. Everyone has at least one dish, so we start to eat.... Waitress rushes over and states she has the gf item (although had already delivered item to celiac diner).... Confused we try to validate - manager comes over - looks like a deer in the headlights. Waitress is beside herself apologizing, owning the mistake.... Manager doesn't say much.... Celiac diner had one piece of the wrong roll not prepared in a cautious/non contaminated way - so we press on and finish our meal. No offer for discount, again, no apology from manager.... Food was good. I had basic tuna roll & spicy tuna roll. Celiac ordered basic salmon rill. Others in party ordered the 911 roll, the spicy pink slip. The spicy tuna was not hot spicy. Others in my party liked the 911 & spicy pink slip more. Restaurant does not serve alcohol. Saw other diners walking across parking lot from rockford brewing with beers & bringing into kawa. This is not a celiac friendly restaurant. No gf soy sauce. As a non-celiac/non-food allergy diner, it was a good experience. Unfortunately, due to issues with my celiac dinner companion, it was not a good experience. read more

Kawa Sushi - Tuna roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

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We had a nice time at your establishment last nite...we enjoyed our assortment of sushi....we're from Chicago and eat quite a bit of sushi in the city and found yours to be right up there...we look forward to sitting outside this summer and having a view of the river read more

Kawa Sushi - High top table was the SPOT to sit at to view our sushi chef David - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

I've been there a few times, and each time, the fish is extremely fishy and tough. I'm truly baffled how anyone could think their sushi is good. read more

This restaurant has amazing food. The environment is great and service is amazing. There is a wide selection of sushi I had never tried before that I fell in love with and a wide selection of other food as well. Overall great experience and would definitely recommend going to Kawa. read more

Food choices of rolls were okay...but lacked flavor compared to other sushi places we've been to. Service was not great and the restaurant was empty the majority of the time we were there. Now we understand why. Space is okay, but feels very cold. Would prefer Jaku or Ju over this place. Will not be back. read more

The service at this place is awful. Took an hour and a half to get one roll for take out. Ridiculous. read more

We went here for the first stop on our progressive 5th anniversary dinner. Was hoping for a cocktail and an amazing roll, but only got 1 of the 2! My 4 stars has nothing to do about the drink, but just so you know, they don't have a liquor license! Our roll was fantastic! Definitely not a "cute food" to eat on a first or second date as it was massive, but so so delicious! The atmosphere is very chill and the staff was fantastic. Prices are reasonable and plenty of parking in the lot on the Friday night we went. The only reason I gave this restaurant 4/5 is because there were waaaaaay too many employees on staff for the evening. My husband and I both felt like we were being watched constantly and we felt super uncomfortable by it. We will be going again. read more

Kawa Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

This place is AWESOME. I grew up in Orange County, CA - about 15 minutes from Laguna Beach, and access to some of the best sushi in the Country. Naturally, my standards are pretty high after almost 30 years of the freshest fish you can ask for. I will admit that I am a bit of a sushi snob. My boyfriend and I relocated to this area from the West Coast in November of last year, and I have been skeptical about the fish. Yes, we're near water, but not salt water! lol. Kawa opened up and all of my sushi prayers have been answered! The fish is fresh, nice big slices on top of rolls/nigiri, the appetizers are all so yummy! Everything is flavorful, and did I mention FRESH? Everything comes to the table piping hot (if it's supposed to be lol). If only they had all you can eat! Their liquor license is in process and should be coming in a couple months. Did someone say sake? We have also tried their take out a few times. Nice and easy ordering, accurate timelines for pick up, so everything is just ready when you're getting there. Nothing sits for long periods of time. They have only forgotten a roll ONCE and promptly made it right. Thank you Kawa for choosing Rockford and killing the game! read more

Would be a 5 star bur 2 times in a row when calling in an order they apparently heard wrong and gave me a separate roll than what I ordered. Food is good. Wait staff is attentive and pleasant read more

Fish quality is just better than anything around. Fair prices for what you get. Super friendly staff. This place is my favorite in Grand Rapids. My personal favorite sushi other than any of the nigiri is the japanese lasagna roll. read more

A perfect addition to downtown Rockford! I'm glad a restaurant is making use of the riverside area to deliver amazing food. The sushi it better than any of the other places I've tried in Grand Rapids or Holland, and very tasty appetizers. I'm excited to be able to get sushi so close to home! My favorite items are the ultimate kawa roll, and the takoyaki. read more

Kawa Sushi - California roll-top Ultimate kawa roll-middle Dragonfly roll (my favorite)- bottom - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

Absolutely delicious every single time. Soy garlic dumplings are a staple in our house and we tell everyone they need to try them. So much flavor!!! read more

After biking the White Pine Trail in Rockford my wife and I used Yelp to search for late afternoon lunch. Kawa has high ratings so we stopped in. What a great location on the Rouge River! We chose a high top table inside since we were hot from biking but could have chosen the deck. I had a Kawa Water cocktail which was vermouth, vodka, triple sec and I really loved it! We ordered 3 original house rolls: Sunny Daze, Spicy Pucker, Gossy which all were fantastic and I didn't dip in soy sauce because the flavor was SO good and they had sauce in bottom of serving trays. They all had a balance of flavors and crunch too without fried anything. We both absolutely loved this place. Oh and the seaweed salad is the best I've had because it had lighter flavor and served a thin bed of mixed greens...so good. read more

Beautiful indoor and outdoor seating right next to the river, lots of menu options, and each dish is brought out as soon as it's prepared. Super excited for this addition to Rockford read more

Kawa Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rockford, Michigan

Food was great.service was nice and quick.location was the best.it also look very good structurally built.bathroom was easily accessed.view was also great.5 stars.also try the Grand Canyon roll. read more

Best quality tuna in the GR area! My new go-to sushi restaurant. Excellent service as well! read more

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