It's alright, nothing special. I've had better sushi in different parts of Canada before (Vancouver). Went here in a co-workers suggestion and got the rainbow roll, tuna roll and chicken teriyaki. All of it was pretty basic. No complaints, but the way my co-worker made it sound as if I needed to go out of my way to try this sushi. Clearly a miss here for me, just your average run-of-the-mill sushi spot. Kind of small inside and frequented by a bunch of students, but I didn't have to wait long. Got my food to go, so maybe next time I should try eating there, but I can't help but think there has to be tastier sushi spots in Waterloo. The hunt continues.... read more

I love the sushi here. So yummy! This was my second time visiting Ken Sushi, and it was just as amazing as the last. Both times I ordered the "Ken Sushi" Dinner ($23) and was delighted with my meal. Best bang for your buck as it comes with miso soup, a garden salad, 10pcs dynamite roll, and 10pcs assorted sushi. The fish is fresh, and the sushi rice is perfect! Best sushi in Waterloo. I'll definitely be back! read more

Ken Sushi - Ken Sushi Dinner ($23) 10pcs Dynamite Roll, 10pcs Sushi, miso soup, and garden salad ("Kappa" Cucumber Roll pictured behind) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

So good! Freshest fish in Waterloo, I swear. The servers are so kind and courteous. The sushi chef (Ken) really cares about the quality of his food and makes sure customers are enjoying it! Despite it being a la carte, the prices are reasonable and I'd rather have good sushi and not overstuff myself than mediocre sushi that I gotta force down to get my money's worth. Definitely coming back! read more

Ken Sushi - Take sushi ($16), mind you the chef accidentally gave me two extra pieces. Comes w/ miso soup and salad. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I'll say this. I have lived in Japan AND Korea and was raised in a partially Asian household. I grew up with fresh seafood from the ocean that flowed in front of my table as I wait for the female deep sea divers to rise up with my fresh oysters. I have sat at the table next to the rolling waves of the ocean hitting my feet while I get served fresh fish and seaweed. I never thought I would come across this freshness again, let alone in Kitchener, Canada. Alas, I came across Ken's Sushi. It has THE freshest and cleanest oysters and fish anywhere around. Chef Ken comes to you directly to give you the oysters which are from either of your choosing of Pacific or Atlantic and they are like butter. And the presentation reminds me of the amount of importance that Asians put into serving food. The place is Korean run, which means it's going to be of the highest quality of everything. The ambiance is perfect and don't expect and all you can eat buffet. You can't get quality like this if you're shoveling your face. You will find that with the quality of food there, you'll be satisfied way sooner than you think. You HAVE to go. read more

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By far my favourite place to get sushi in KW. The sushi is fresh and good tasting. And the service when dining in is good as well.

I am delighted to see that we finally have another decent quality sushi restaurant after Watami closed down in 2016. Unlike many other sushi restaurants in the KW region, Ken Sushi only offers a la cart ordering with no AYCE option, to ensure the higher quality of its food. Environment: The restaurant is located at the Blair House apartment building at University/Phillip, which is really convenient for the student body nearby, as it's walking distance from the campus. The interior of the restaurant is very bright, open, and nicely renovated. There are a good number of 4-person booth seats, and at the back there are small private rooms for larger groups. The sushi chefs are located out in the open kitchen so you can see how they prepare the sushi and the fish are displayed for the customers to see as well. Food: I came here with a friend and between the 2 of us we ordered a 40 piece sushi boat for $44, which came with 16 sashimi slices, 12 maki rolls, and 12 sushi nigiri. Unfortunately, they did not allow us to choose what type of fish we wanted and we did not get a run-down of the pieces when our food was served. From what I could tell, we got California Roll and Spicy Salmon Roll for the maki rolls; salmon, white tuna, tuna, tilapia, red snapper, and yellow tail for the sashimi and sushi nigiri...just my wild guess. The maki rolls were quite disappointing as, to me, it basically tasted like something I could have gotten at the mall or at every other AYCE sushi restaurants. But at least the rice wasn't super hard and the maki didn't fall apart when I picked it up. The sashimi was pretty good and it definitely tasted quite fresh with no strong fishy taste. However, a few pieces did feel a little watery, but the good news is I didn't bite into any ice shards. I was quite surprised of how they made the sushi nigiri, because there is a hint of wasabi in between the fish and the rice, and that's how nigiri was made traditionally. I personally don't like the taste of wasabi, but I appreciate that their effort to stay authentic. Service: Your typical Asian restaurant quality of service, where you can call any server walking by to place your order. However, as I've mentioned earlier, I was disappointed that we didn't get a run-down of what was in the sushi boat, especially when we couldn't request the for the specific pieces. In conclusion, if you're looking for a nice restaurant with quality sushi at KW, where you can your meal without being rushed to order before the last call, then Ken Sushi is definitely the way to go. Although, keep in mind that the prices are more steep than the a la cart options at AYCE restaurants. read more

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Decent food but terrible, or I would say, RUDE customer service. We were seated on one of the booth because we have 3 people, and after the lady knew that one of us didn't order she rudely asked us to move to another table that fitted 2 people. Seriously?? Another time we got there telling them we have 3 people, actually 4 cuz one of our friends were late. Again, lady would let us sit on that tiny table while all booths are empty. We walked out immediately and gotta find another restaurant. I saw them changing customers' seats several times while they are eating, from small table with 3 chairs to another one with 2. I know they try to seat as many people as they can because restaurant is small, however, those tiny table couldn't even fit 3 large plates that we usually ordered before. read more

Food AMAZING. super yummy and awesome variety. Service is great. Food comes quite fast. Love this spot been coming here for some time. Will continue to come! read more

Ken's sushi is definitely some of the most fair-priced and fresh sushi in the tri-city area, and especially in the university district. My favorites on the menu are the chirashi lunch/dinner, which is ~20 pieces of a variety of sashimi on top of sushi rice, and the Hovic dinner which is a california roll, a few pieces of sushi, and a few pieces of sashimi. They all come with miso soup and a garden salad which are equally delicious. What brings this review from 4 stars to 5 stars is the undivided attention and incredible service exhibited from the servers, sushi chefs, and Ken himself. My cup of tea was never even close to half empty and Ken gave my friend and I a "long time no see special" to show his gratitude for our continued support. read more

Ken Sushi - Hovic dinner - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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I LOVE this place! Finally an a-la-carte sushi restaurant that is both reasonably priced and gives you good portions. I'm super picky when it comes to sushi, but this place is definitely a 5/5 star for me. Ordered a miso soup, agedashi tofu, assorted sushi, a Black Dragon roll, and the Mount Fuji roll and the bill came to $60 after tips and tax. The only thing I didn't like was that they put a bit of wasabi underneath the raw fish of the sushi. I'm not a fan of wasabi so it was an unpleasant surprise for me. Apart from that, the raw fish is so fresh - it just melts in your mouth! The place is small, cozy, and clean. The servers are super friendly and quick! Will definitely be paying multiple visits to Ken Sushi. read more

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Food are really good and the staffs are very friendly! The ambience is great and you can relax while eating. Must try!!!! read more

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Ken Sushi house is very out of place in Waterloo. When you come here, you are instantly transported out of the depressing hole that is Waterloo. The sushi is probably just average compared to Toronto, but is better than anywhere else in Waterloo. The restaurant is clean, well decorated and has great customer service. We got the medium sashimi sushi and roll combo with a rainbow dragon roll. Well worth. read more

Ken Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Best a la carte sushi in the Waterloo region since Watami closed down! Ken Sushi opened not long ago, in an expanding little "strip plaza" under the Blair House on Phillip St. I didn't have high expectations coming to this restaurant, but I was quite surprised at the quality of the food here. Sashimi Dinner ($20) - 18 pieces of assorted sashimi and a side of rice. You get a nice variety of fish, including salmon, surf clam and tuna, all of which tastes really fresh! I was also impressed with the presentation. However, the bowl of rice was dry and hard. Spicy Salmon Roll ($6.95) - 6 pieces. The roll is filled with salmon and only has a thin layer of rice, which is amazing. There's also the perfect amount of spicy flavour, such that it didn't take away from the salmon taste. Dynamite Roll ($8.95) - 10 pieces. Best bang for your buck, I'd say! The roll is pretty big and you could actually taste all the fillings (shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber and fish eggs) as you chew each piece. The service here is great! All the servers are really friendly and attentive, even when it got busy. I came on a Tuesday night, and by 6:30pm, the restaurant was packed, with a lineup of people waiting for tables. I would definitely come back to try some of their other sushi rolls or hot foods! read more

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If you're looking for high quality sushi close to the university, you gotta visit Ken's! It was my go-to sushi spot while working at the university. It's closeby, service is quick, affordable and the sushi is fresh and high quality. It does get busy during the lunch rush, so I highly recommend going for an early lunch! Also, Ken actually is the head chef (not just some random name) and he's super friendly! read more

The location, the environment and the friendly sushi chef are awesome! The lunch bento are way too small and not worth the price. read more

Ken Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Meh. It's not great, I had high hopes given all the positive reviews. I ordered the sushi lunch A which came with 6pcs of sushi and 6 pcs of salmon roll. I ordered takeout and waited around 20 minutes. They were busy so that was understandable. The lunch takeout doesn't come with soup or salad but if you dine in you'll get soup and salad so that is a bummer since they both cost the same. Upon opening my takeout container I was disappointed. The sushi looks alright but the roll was terrible. Then salmon was a weird colour and didn't taste very fresh. The rice is also quite bland. Probably won't return in the future, since you can get similar quality sushi even on the UW campus. read more

Ken Sushi - Sushi lunch A - 6 pc sushi and 6 pc salmon roll. The roll was mediocre at best. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Definitely the best sushi place in the area now (if you are looking for nigiri and sashimi). Sad that Watami had to close down, though this location is much more accessible for students. Had the Ken Sushi dinner which was pretty good. It was actually quite a lot of food (probably need to have an actual appetite to eat it). It is on the pricier side here, although there are lunch specials you can take advantage of. Clean and spacious, good decor + environment. Would recommend and planning to come back! read more

AT LAST. A decent sushi place located not too far from the Waterloo campus and at a reasonable price. I just love how close and accessible this location is for students who are on a budget, but craving sushi. It's an a-la-carte style sushi bar, with a very impressive interior that gives you the feel of a high-end sushi bar like the ones back in downtown Toronto. Except with the additional feature of having reasonable prices for some fresh-quality sushi. This is my third time coming here, and I've yet to experience any disappointment. The servers & sushi chefs are so friendly & on-par with your orders. Throughout all three visits, I've ordered different varieties of sushi that come from the lunch specials section to the specialities rolls. The fish itself is so fresh the salmon almost melts in your mouth. Not to mention the portioning is enough to make your stomach content. Lunch specials usually range anywhere between $10-$15 before tips and taxes depending on what you order. Traditional rolls are around $10 or less, and the speciality rolls range from about $10-$20! read more

Ken Sushi - Lunch special & speciality roll! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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I've been here around three times so far and overall enjoyed it - they're really a 3.5/5 for me but their Snow White roll pushes them to a 4/5. The best specialty roll by far is the Snow White roll - it's a torched white tuna over a dynamite roll and the sauce (some kind of sweet barbecue-y mayo) they use is just awesome. It's an absolute favourite and I see/hear people order it all the time when I'm there. I've also really liked their black dynamite roll, the eel is always cooked really well and sweet. Their service is really good, turnaround time is fast and one time they gave us the wrong roll - they were super accommodating and let us keep it on the house and brought out our actual order. I would skip their sashimi plates - the tuna we had was still frozen (literal frost when I chewed) and the rest of the fish was okay - not bad not great. read more

Waiting for my Teriyaki California roll Good taste, and good service Come here for the second time now read more

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For being location right in the middle of the student district, I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality experience I had at Ken Sushi. The fish tastes fresh, the plate presentations are well thought out, the menu boasts a variety of creative speciality rolls, the interior is bright and comfortable, and the staff are all extremely friendly! Would definitely come back as this is now one of the best spots for sushi in KW. Also, Jake is the coolest and nicest sushi chef ever. YOU KEEP DOING YOU, JAKE. I was very impressed by the creative menu items. I ordered salmon in a cup (salmon sashimi with avocado). I imagined it to be simply a few pieces of sashimi and avocado in a small cup. But what I got was a healthy amount of sashimi seasoned with sesame seeds and seaweed flakes, beautifully presented in a martini glass, and garnished with lemon slices, spirals of pickled beets and radish, and sprigs of greens. The only disappointing thing were the avocado slices. They were on the overripe and mushy side. Still enjoyable though! read more

Ken Sushi - Appetizer: salmon sashimi in a cup with avocado. Very well presented in a martini glass - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Very good! Charashi don and unagi don are the best. I also got other sashimi and sushi dishes from their lunch menu and it was great! It's a small, but nice place located right under Blair House on Phillip st. Next door is some ShareTea and Balzac's coffee. The sushi chefs are great and if you get a seat next to the sushi bar you can see them create your order right in front of you. read more

Ken sushi is probably my fav sushi resto in the KW area!!! My favourite from the menu is Snow white roll ($13.95). In my opinion, it's the best roll on the menu! The torched tuna on top is AMAZING! I also tried the Salmon sushi pizza ($8.99), it was really really good too! The crispy fried rice base is amazing and gave it a nice texture read more

Ken Sushi - Snow white roll ($13.95) Salmon sushi pizza ($8.99) by @btrixlovesfood - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I used to be a big fan of the sushi here but I am quite sure I got food poisoning during my most recent visit. The quality has decreased: fish tastes like it was frozen and thawed (tastes watery), the red tuna is a weird opaque colour, the uni (sea urchin) was very melty and tasted like sea water, prices for the rolls are very high considering the quality and size. However, I have yet to find a better a la carte sushi restaurant in Waterloo... Stick to the salmon and combo sets! read more

Food [8/10] The sushi and sashimi are tasty and the presentation is great. I think that its comparable to a nice sushi bar in Toronto and much better than the majority of places in Waterloo. The prices are a bit higher but it's to be expected. Service & Atmosphere [10/10] The service I got was fantastic. I sat at the bar and I was served very quickly and the staff was friendly. Since the place is new the place is really clean and their decore is great. I really got nothing the critique here read more

Ken Sushi - The sashimi plate looks and tastes great! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Excellent sushi, always fresh, great quality. Fantastic service. Great ambience. My family and I love this place.

If you need your fix of fresh sashimi or a la carte sushi in the KW area, this is the spot. Ken's is always fresh and at a reasonable price point. From the bento boxes (lunch menu) to the boats, everything is super delicious. Not to mention, Ken, is super nice as well. This time I went, we got the small size boat -- this is perfect for 2 people! All in all, it's THE place to go for good sushi in Waterloo. read more

Ken Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

One of the best restaurants in Waterloo. They provide various dishes with great quality. The proportion is pretty big. The food looks nice and delicious. Chefs and staffs so friendly and helpful. read more

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What a treat it was last night to order take out from this place. The Waterloo combo was perfect on a rainy fall evening. The rice was warm and fresh, the 36 pieces were perfectly laid out in a pie shaped platter and so delicious. Service was fast and staff were friendly and polite. read more

This review is solely based on their sashimi and nigiri. A friend and I shared the Smallest love boat including tip and tax it would be around 60. It had a decent variety of sashimi and sushi and you can tell it was fresh. I was glad they didn't put too many cheap fillers like surf clams, fake crab etc. The chefs were nice enough to accommodate us with one of the items. The food takes a while to come but overall it is decent, just pricey. They also have uni, scallop, and octopus sashimi if you are into that. read more

Probably the best sushi in Waterloo. The sushi chefs are super friendly. There are a ton of options. It may have been just tonight but they took almost 30 minutes to get us our sushi. We got our other orders almost right away but the sushi took way too long. I slowly ate my udon noodles and they still didn't get us two rolls out. Not very apologetic about t either. I'm pretty sure they forgot. read more

No sushi estaurant compares to this. It is absolutely top notch and well-worth the money. By far my favourite sushi place of all time. Great quality, amazing taste! read more

Ken Sushi - Royal Salmon Combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I love Ken's sushi! I've been here multiple times, and each time had been generally and consistently pleasant. The service is quick and the sushi chefs are very welcoming and friendly :) the food itself is delicious! The fish and rolls taste fresh and flavourful. In my recent visits here I got the chicken donburi, t.t roll (my favourite!!) and spicy salmon roll, which were all delicious! The portion size for the donburi was pretty big and filled me up. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food you're getting. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

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Waterloo region is changing dramatically with large residential buildings with commercial real estate in the lobby. I'm thankful this restaurant was an outcome of the city expansion. The restaurant is always buzzing with happy customers because the quality of the food is amazing! My favourites are the agadashi tofu, a sashimi platter or a love boat to share. read more

best sushi in town! Ken is the funniest and best Sushi Chef, always love coming back here read more

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On my mission to try out all the sushi restaurants in KW, I visited Ken Sushi House a couple of nights ago. I've only been here once before, for lunch, and it was honestly better than this visit - this was a miss. The quality of the fish is on par with what you find at AYCE restaurants. Just look at the salmon - very little marbling. It lacks flavour and is a little cheesy because of that. The service was great though, with very attentive servers. Unfortunately, the food was overpriced for the quality and being in a student area ($24...really???), so I won't be returning anytime soon. read more

Ken Sushi - Hovic Dinner Special ($24) - 10pc assorted sashimi, 6pc sushi, and 6pc California roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Been coming here since Winter 2017, love the sushi as it is always fresh and insta. worthy. It's perfect for any occasion, whether it be a quick lunch or for group settings. The Snow White roll is a must try, the fish on top is torched and melts in your mouth. The menu provides a large variety of options and the boats are great for sharing. read more

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So yummy. Can tell they use fresh ingredients ! One of the best sushi places in kw will definitely go again :) read more

Ken Sushi - Matsu sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Ken REALLY knows his sushi. This place serves a variety of sushi, sashimi, speciality rolls, bento boxes and udon noodles bowls made with top quality ingredients. All the fish is so fresh and clean-tasting, I also love the light vinegary taste of their sushi rice. I came here on a saturday and unfortunately they don't do their lunch specials on this day. Instead, I ordered from their sushi dinner section and got the Ken Sushi ($21) which was 10 pcs dynamite roll and 10 pcs sushi. My mom ordered the sashimi dinner ($20) which was 18 pcs assorted sushi with a bowl of rice. The dynamite roll is packed with avocado, tempura shrimp, cucumber and fish egg, each piece is pretty big too! I really enjoyed it! My mom also really liked her meal and thought the fish assortment was great. This place is pricey but you do pay for the high quality of the food! Well worth it if you're looking for a place to splurge! read more

Having tried many Japanese restaurants in Waterloo, I feel like this is one of the best places. The sashimi was really fresh, and the other dishes were very nice too. The atmosphere is lovely, and the wooden bowls are a nice touch. Downsides of the restaurant is the long wait and the relatively higher price in comparison to the other Japanese restaurants. However, it really differentiates itself from the all-you-can-eat sushi places. read more