I love Kenichi Aspen. It's one of those places I keep going back to, especially for happy hour, it's so good. Every time I've been, the sushi is fresh, the drinks are great, and the service is always on point. I was just there recently and had Jao as my server for the first time. She was so sweet and really attentive, I'll definitely be asking for her again. My favorites are the Dynamo roll and the Toro Toro Toro (special). If you're in Aspen, definitely check it out. read more

Kenichi Aspen - Dynamo Roll, Toro Toro Toro roll, spicy edamame and a few others - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

One of Aspen's long-standing favorites for a reason. The sushi is consistently fresh and the menu has a lot of great options. The hamachi and signature rolls were excellent. Lively atmosphere and great service. read more

Not a lot of vegan choices. The best dish (and it was spectacular) was the eggplant dengaku. The eggplant is in a delicious miso sauce and it's served with a grilled rice cake. Highly recommend you try this! It's small, so get your own! The rest of the dishes we tried were average: vegan sushi roll, bok choy, tempura (under seasoned) and the shishito peppers. read more

See all

Went to Kenichi for the first time and had the most incredible server. I have a severe gluten and soy allergy so dining at sushi restaurants can be challenging but Bridget, our server, was extremely helpful. She never once felt irritated at my allergies but instead was so diligent about offering a GF menu and checking with the kitchen about avoiding soy. She was kind and helpful. If you have any food intolerance just ask for Bridget! read more

My star rating: * Totally avoid. Why are you even open? ** Avoid unless the last restaurant on earth. *** Several important misses. Not recommended. **** Very enjoyable experience. Highly recommended. ***** Hits every mark of perfection. Best Japanese restaurant in Aspen! Go ahead and treat yourself. PROS Wow! Top-quality sushi Beautiful restaurant Wonderful menu selections Incredible sake choices Very professional, friendly staff Japanese Uni was best I have ever had CONS A bit expensive, but worth it for such quality food (we did not hold back on ordering and spent about $200 pp + tip) - no regrets. read more

Kenichi Aspen - At the beautiful sushi counter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

See all

I eat here every year. I am in Aspen. It is a staple in my visit. The food is always spectacular. The sushi is outstanding. The sashimi is always fresh and delicious. I've never had an issue at this restaurant and have always found the food outstanding. I recommend this place to all my friends that come here. The service that they have is great and the intimate feeling you get when you get there is even better. This is a must-have on every visit. read more

Have been a couple years in a row and always enjoyed the food and drinks. I would go back and they took incredibly good care of us this year for a birthday dinner. read more

Even though we stayed at Snowmass Village, we took the complimentary bus down to this location because our friend's daughter preferred location because of the better vibe, and she was right. We were seated at a tight table, but not too tight that we were sitting on each other like some of the other restaurants in town. Started off with the wagyu cooked on a hot stone. It was good, but why is wagyu always thinly sliced so that you can't really taste the fattiness of the meat? Still, it was nice with the dipping salt and sauce also tried a lobster dish and some tacos, which I barely remember. The teriyaki bento was pretty good and we had lots of wine and sake, which is probably why I know I enjoyed myself, but don't remember much of the meal tbh. I do remember that our waitress was very accommodating and I felt a little guilty about how long we sat at the table. read more

Deserves a much higher rating- tied with Matsuhisha for best sushi in town. An absolutely great experience even with a black out during our whole dinner. They did their best to get us as much as our food out as they could. Our waiter, David, was extremely accommodating & friendly. The food is delicious and fresh. We loved the wagyu beef bites, toro toro toro roll, miso soup, short rib appetizer, yellowtail serano. Ambiance is very relaxing & lively. Perfect for big groups & families read more

Kenichi Aspen - Blake roll & toro toro toro roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

See all

We stared at the bar where Lily and Aubrey are amazing bartenders. We then moved to a table where Bridget and Carl took care of us all night. The best food and best service in the valley. read more

Our experience was okay, as sushi servers from LA we had high expectations with this restaurant since it was recommended from a coworker. Everything was fine, the server was nice, knowledgeable and the ambiance is upscale nightlife like. The music was good and everyone helps with running food, drinks and clearing plates. The only reason I give this 3 stars is because we thought the price point was a bit high for quality of food. We ordered pretty much 800 dollars worth of food for a table of 4 and money isn't an issue. We were full/ content but not stuffed. Our favorite was the lobster dynamite, torched salmon, duck bao and uni nigiri. One thing that disappointed us was the hot stone wagyu and salmon, it said it was cooked tableside but we had to do the cooking and immediately the wagyu stuck to the hot stone and it pretty much overcooked the meat. The salmon also got stuck so we had chunky pieces. The cocktails were also on the meh side, the yuzu lemon drop was okay but lychee martini was not good at all. Overall we probably won't be back but it was a okay experience. We ate everything (annihilated every dish) but I think we just have high standards for sushi since we work at an upscale sushi restaurant. I think it's a nice restaurant, modern upscale vibe. Come for the ambiance and experience. Expect to spend some money too. read more

See all

Omg. This is my fave place to dine. I've been to both Snowmass & Aspen locations. Incredible sushi. Great sake menu. Great service. Did not feel pressure or oversold. Not overly bougie ... ( like most of Aspen) , yet definitely felt like fine dining. read more

Great food and good service! The crispy tofu was surprisingly good! Well-seasoned and great texture. Definitely the highlight of the meal since it has a very unique taste that I have not had before in other Japanese restaurants. Scallop was tender. The mushrooms and the vegetables underneath the scallops were yummy. The Godzilla roll was good. The strawberry on top was actually a good addition to the roll - a little bit of sourness makes it tastes lighter. The shrimp was a little heavy: both the coating and the sauce. But still good. Overall I enjoyed the quality of the food I tried here. read more

See all

the service was moderate pace but everyone was very nice. The food was very good! Would recommend. read more

See all

I am a local, and I have been to every restaurant in Aspen. We attended a group dinner with 13 guests. The food was good, but the service was atrocious. Some people were still waiting for their first beverage after two rounds of appetizers and the main courses were on the table. When we asked the waiter, he said that he could either take drink orders or serve our food. He was rude and flippant. We got management involved and he called our gracious 70+ year old hostess a "C**t". She came back to the table crying and apologizing to everyone for such a night. I will personally never step foot here again. No complaints with the food, but after this experience I just can't support an organization that would have this person serving the public. read more

Dear foodie readers...if you are in Snowmass go try Kenichi...I don't know if it's my body requesting salt after a long day of skiing, but I always crave soy sauce on our ski trips...is that just me? Well anyway, everyone was too tired from a long day of skiing to join us, so it ended up just being my hubs and I...we were seated at the bar, since we did not have reservations (highly recommend), but it was perfect...the bartender was great, so friendly and helpful with some recommendations...we had the veg yaki soba...it's a huge portion, enough to share, was delicious...we also got the eggplant, was so different, very tasty...as for rolls we tried the dynamo roll, along with the yellowtail roll...both amazing...we really enjoyed it, hit the spot after a fantastic day of skiing. read more

See all

Kenichi earns 5 stars but I'd take 1/4-1/2 star off for one reason...read through to see why. It was quite late when we were ready for dinner (about 9pm) so we weren't quite sure we'd get seated anywhere, Kenichi was our first choice. As we approached we noticed they had their heat lamps going and empty tables outside- yes! However, they're not currently serving outside due to the lack in number of servers (real problem everywhere). It was decided that we could order our food "to go" but utilize their outdoor table. The bartender that we placed our order with decided that wasn't good enough (we had been good with it) and she, along with other staff, so very kindly brought all of the plates, serving pieces, and our plated food out to us. They absolutely went way above and beyond out of their way to accommodate us in a most generous manner. We always remember Kenichi to have the kindest staff, still true today a dozen years later! Our sushi is always fresh and delicious. It's presented nicely. I also appreciate the plant based options. The deleting of 1/4-1/2 star is because their ambience music is anything but ambient. It was literally the most disgusting rap music I've ever heard, this coming from a true music lover of ALL genres. This particular playlist included rap that most definitely denigrated women and was peppered continuously with talk about f@*king. Not too pleasant over dinner read more

Kenichi Aspen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

Quality - okay. Service - great! Food was good, but not as great as the prices listed. Cleanliness was there but not as everywhere else in the area Variety of dishes which is great for any picky eaters. read more

See all

As a self proclaimed sushi snob, I have high standards for fish quality and flavor. Kenichi exceeded our expectations! Excellent food and great, friendly servers. We will return! read more

Kenichi is my favorite Japanese spot in Aspen, hands down. There is a beautiful back room for large groups, and that was where we were seated. The menu is very expensive, but below were some of the highlights: - rock shrimp - miso soup - miso eggplant (mind blowing!!) - New Zealand king salmon - yuzu drop martini - wagyu hot rock During my time in Aspen, I've also visited Jing and Matsuhisa. In terms of both food and atmosphere, Kenichi came out on top! read more

We had an amazing time dining here last night. We were a party of two, so since we went early enough in the evening we were able to get a seat at the sushi bar without an issue. One of our favorite parts of the night was watching the sashimi chefs plating the dishes from our seat at the bar. They, along with our waitress, were extremely kind and providing amazing service the entire night. We got some of the sushi rolls, which all turned out amazingly. All in all, I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a nice sushi dinner in Aspen. read more

Kenichi Aspen - Tempura shrimp roll, spicy tuna roll, Mega Salmon roll, Dynamo roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

THIS SALMON ROLL WAS BUSSIN BUSSIN But In all seriousness everything we really enjoyed everything we ordered. Thanks. read more

Kenichi Aspen - Mega salmon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

Kenichi Aspen exceeded my expectations. The food was on par with Nobu and the service was better. Our server Zach was electric. He was great the entire evening. We ordered several rolls so I had the opportunity to try several items on the menu. All were great. Thanks for a great night read more

Kenichi was absolutely fabulous! I would compare it to Nobu or Uchi. It was the best quality of fish you will find in aspen and the best service. ASK FOR IVO!!! He had the best recommendations and was just an absolute gem to chat with. We will not miss a trip to Kenichi next time we come up to Aspen. :) 12/10 read more

See all

I feel really bad leaving this review because the service was incredible. Zach was an amazing waiter who knew the menu like the back of his hand and also provided great recs for Aspen sightseeing. But as an avid Yelper, who relies on reviews to make decisions on reservations/meals, I feel I have an obligation to my fellow Yelpers, so I'll jump right into it. Spicy edamame was either over or under cooked, I couldn't tell but it was TOUGH. They were smothered in sauce and sesame seeds, you could practically make a soup at the bottom. Spicy tuna crispy rice was worse. The crispy rice was over cooked and crunchy, not crispy. Consistency of a McDobalds hash brown. The tuna was rolled in a big ole ball and was room temp and chewy. Just not good no matter how much we soaked it in soy sauce at the end. Toro toro toro special was also not great. The color of the toro on top and the consistency of the roll were of poor quality and not worth the $30+. Nigiri also sub par. The rice that came with the nigiri fell apart that you couldn't eat the piece in one bite. Miso soup was really the only thing we could stomach in it's entirety. And for the rest of the dishes we got, each had overwhelmingly too much sauce. Reminded me of the dishes I liked as a young kid when my parents wanted to mask any flavor of fish just so that I would eat it. Save your money and just hold on experimenting with sushi in Colorado. At the end of the day, you can't really EXPECT 10/10 sushi anywhere but the coasts or major US cities. read more

10/10 experience at Kenichi. Do not miss out on this absolute gem of a restaurant when visiting Aspen. I came here with a relatively large group, which usually results in lower quality service -- but not here -- we received top notch service from our waitress, who had such positive energy. The rest of the waitstaff was also very helpful and went above and beyond. Everyone in my party got different things from the menu; some got the sushi/sashimi while others ordered hot dishes. I wish I'd taken more pictures of everyone else's food, but I was having too much fun to remember to. Rest assured everyone was very satisfied with their meals. I got the wagyu hot rock with brussels sprouts and was not disappointed. The cocktails were also delicious -- I tried both the Tokyo Drift and an Espresso Martini. Of course we also ordered a couple rounds of Sake bombs for the table, which added to the experience. The room we were in allowed us to play our own music, which was a nice addition, as we were able to create a more energetic mood. The sound of our music did not carry over to the rest of the restaurant however, and the main dining room had a very nice, low key vibe that would be perfect to return to for a date night or more laid back dinner. The night we came here ended up being everyone's favorite night in Aspen, in part because of our experience at Kenichi. I know I will definitely return now whenever I'm back in town as will my friends. If you're trying to decide whether to make a reservation, don't hesitate. read more

Kenichi Aspen - Hot rock and Brussels sprouts - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

Great quality sushi, and a strong variety of rolls to keep things interesting. Nori on the King Crab hand roll was also great, btw, imo that matters. Everything was a bit pricey, especially the $25 pork buns (for only 2) and the singular hand roll was also $20+. the "traditional rolls" ie the eel were reasonably priced and tasty. It's Aspen, so I guess pricing is what it is, but without a notably fantastic quality or presentation charges this steep felt unjustified and got away from what I had imagined Kenichi to be, which is a more comfortable alternative to the stuck-up Matsuhisa. Jao was our server and she was great - one of the only waitresses I've ever had who on my first visit to a restaurant took care to ask, remember, and use our party's names! She was generally so sweet and helpful. All the other visiting servers who brought various plates were also kind and instructive, and our cups of water were never empty. Service was among the best overall that I have had in Aspen. Nice and approachable but not intrusive. Cool ambience, could do with less EDM music though. read more

Love love love! One of our favorite restaurants in aspen. Best sushi and customer service. Zach the manager is awesome. It's definitely worth trying! read more

(Jan 10, 2023) We came as a pretty big group so were able to work our way through a lot of the menu. The nigiri and sashimi was very good. For Aspen, it was top tier. I don't think all of it would hold up in other cities known for having really great fish. The king salmon was the table favorite for sashimi and nigiri. Eggplant Dengaku - I'm not a big fan of eggplant but I still really enjoyed this dish. It was almost like an eggplant potato chip. Eggplant enjoyers at the table thought this item was really special. Spicy Tuna over Crispy Rice Cakes - Really yummy overall. One of my favorites that we ordered. The tuna was great and the crispy rice cakes add some great texture to what otherwise would be a wet, mushy bite. Pork Buns - Another highlight. These were just really great pork buns. There was not anything particular different or special but the execution was just great. Ton Gyoza - Really tasty gyoza. The filling was juicy. Roasted Shishito Peppers - These had a sprinkling of parmesan which added a lot of flavor and salt. I love eating the peppers just for the thrill of maybe getting a spicy one. Dynamite Shrimp Dynamite Lobster - I thought that both of these had too much tempura batter. Some people enjoyed them but others agreed that it was more like just eating coating and was too hard to taste the shrimp or lobster. Hot Rock Wagyu - The hot rock is a lot of fun and the meat was good but I didn't think it was special. Assortment of Various Rolls - The rolls were quite good. If you find one that sounds good you will most likely really enjoy it as all the ones we ordered were well done. Lamb Lollipop - These were tasty but not incredible. If you don't love lamb, I'd probably pass on these for the sushi offerings. Boneless Braised Beef Short Ribs - Little bite sized pieces of short rib atop a mash potato base with demi-glace poured over. The short rib was my favorite dish that we had although I love short rib so I may be biased. The short rib was just really well cooked. It was incredible tender and fatty which made it super juicy. Like any good short rib it just fell apart in my mouth and almost melted. The mash potatoes were also well done. We came for a birthday dinner and the resturant brought a chocolate lava cake that was also very tasty. They also had fun cocktails that were popular at the table. The Yuzu Drop was a favorite. The service was good. At first everything was coming out quickly and the staff was very attentive. Mid-dinner there was lull when no new sushi was arriving but it was a needed rest from the chaos of the orders. I'd rate it somewhere in the high 8s out of 10. B+. read more

Had a wonderful meal! The Godzilla roll omg never knew that strawberry was good with raw fish

Whilst Matsuhisa (Nobu) remains the top sushi see-and-be-scene environment in Aspen, Kenichi is a decent choice, especially if seeking to impress an apres-ski date with dining at the bar at Kenichi. Kenichi is loud and busy with an intimate ambiance, which could benefit from a few cosmetic tweaks - Japanese paraphernalia and a metal sculpture of the skeleton of a fish are only picked up after a while and not directly visible from the point of arrival with the front of house staff. The food is of a good standard though, similar to my experience at Clark's the price of wine per glass is too high and is driving the average price of a dinner for two into the same realm as seasonal pop-up, EMP Winter House with which there is no contest. A shame as excessive mark-up of the wine is tainting what could be a challenger to the dominance of the Nobu empire in Aspen in time to come. In addition, from where I was sat at the bar immediately behind my back was the narrow space for the serving staff to wind their way to tables. At one point I heard a heated discussion between two wait staff complaining about who was serving which table. At a later juncture in my meal, chefs behind the counter were taking bourbon shots - my favorite - though glad I was finishing dinner and not starting. read more

See all

Good but not great. Expensive as to be expected in Aspen. Nice ambiance. Good service. Probably a 3x multiplier compared with good sushi in most city centers we visit. We sat at the sushi bar and watched the vary talented sushi chefs. That was entertaining...those guys have some skills! read more

This place is bomb! Service was quick and attentive the entire evening. Chefs sushi choice was phenomenal...the uni was sweet, the toro was melt-in-your-mouth good. The rolls were perfect. Great ambiance! For Aspen, it was less pretentious than matsuhisa and we just had a great evening read more

Kenichi Aspen - Nigiri - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

Excellent meal! In Aspen with a group for a CE class and were able to make reservations in advance. We were seated at two separate tables to make our large group covid-compliant but we were close enough together that it was a non-issue. Our orders were coursed out and served family-style with care to keep any specific orders separate for those who'd ordered them in our group. The quality of the fish was fantastic, and the flavor profiles were perfectly balanced. The service was great and the staff allowed us to enjoy our evening without much interruption. 10/10 would come back! read more

Came here yesterday for a friends birthday and had the best time! They really were so friendly and great service. We enjoyed the sake and sushi. Thanks for having us! read more

Only did takeout - would definitely not recommend. Experience - when we called to order, they notify you that takeout orders are subject to a 20% gratuity and also demand your credit card upfront. Both these things rub me the wrong way for obvious reasons. Portions - Then, when we opened our takeout package at home, we were extremely disappointed to find a pittance of a meal for $130. Reference the attached photo. Quality - once we took a bite, we were even more upset at the dry rice. Instead of a melt-in-mouth experience, the nigiri just crumbled apart. Overall, would not order from Kenichi again. Your mileage may vary. read more

Kenichi Aspen - 5 nigiri, 1 regular roll, 1 hand roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Aspen, Colorado

Went here a few years ago for New Year's Eve and was great. The follow up did not disappoint. Our server was Zach and he was fantastic. He had great knowledge of the menu and gave us good recommendations. We had the Greentail and Dynamo rolls which were a great pair! Then we also got the lamb lollipops with mint chimichurri, which were very good. Last but not least, we got some torched salmon sashimi with dried miso which was very flavorful and delicious! Kenichi is very tasty, but is on the expensive side so be ready to shell out a little bit. read more

See all

Loved this place! The sushi was melt in your mouth delicious. Also enjoyed that it seemed to be away from the 'scene' of Aspen and the server was very delightful. We have not been treated this well in a long time! Highly recommend making this a part of your time here. read more

Great sushi/Japanese spot. Very fresh and broad selection of fish. Tasty specialty rolls including crab roll, shrimp tempura roll a Kenichi roll. The miso black cod was solid. The dynamite shrimp appetizer was not what I expected in a very good way. The wine list is quite good and by Aspen standards not terribly overpriced. I'll be back. read more

After some confusion with a takeout order, I arrived to get the order. I found the staff less than polite. Short and rather put out to grab my bags, I thanked them and they didn't even say one word to me. Although the food was good, my two interactions with the staff did not prompt me to return or suggest others attempt to order takeout here. Disappointed read more