Was in Waterloo to grab lunch and randomly ended up discovering Ken Sushi House…read more The restaurant itself is simple and cozy, making it a comfortable place to sit down and catch up with friends. Service was friendly, and the food came out at a good pace even though it got a bit busy during our visit. We ordered a few items to share. The hwe dup bap (sashimi rice bowl) had fresh sashimi over rice with vegetables, it was light, refreshing, and a good choice if you're not looking for something too heavy. The chirashi bowl came with a nice assortment of sashimi and generous portions. The fish tasted fresh and there was a good variety. We also tried the salmon avocado roll, which was a classic, simple combination done well, and the spicy salmon roll, which had a mild kick and good texture overall. Overall, this was a solid spot for fresh sushi with good portion sizes, especially if you're looking for a casual place to eat in Waterloo.

I visited Ken Sushi House late one night in November 2025 with my partner while we were in the…read moremiddle of a show at the Maxwell. It was already quite late (around 8:30 p.m.), and most nearby sushi spots--like Exclamation Waterloo and Oka Sushi--were closed, so we were grateful that Ken Sushi House was still open and within walking distance. We ordered the small sushi boat ($60 for 40 pieces). Overall, we enjoyed it, but as someone who's had a lot of sushi, I wouldn't say it was particularly impressive or memorable. The quality was decent, though it felt a bit pricey for what was served. That said, the experience was still pleasant thanks to the very friendly staff, which made us feel welcome despite the late hour. The restaurant itself felt a little dated and could benefit from some renovations, but it was a solid, reliable option when choices were limited late at night.

Ordered the suicide ramen expecting a nice slice. Although the noodles were flavorful, they were…read morenot at all spicy and I wished they were. The restaurant was a cozy, clean space with a friendly owner. Would come back to try something else.

Amazing place, delicious food too! You must try their ramens, the broth is extreamly rich and…read moreflavourful, sweet and salty, magnifique!!! Service is wonderful, even if you are coming for the first time you feel as all the staff knows you. They treat you with care and friendliness, it makes you feel welcomed. The restaurant has a charming small family owned business, that to me makes it even more valuable. Big hearts and big plates!!

Service was great, very good and child friendly, had delicious food- Mapo Tofu, kung pao chicken,…read moreMomos, dumpling soup. The flavors were spot on.

So I haven't been back here since I was in U Waterloo…read more This place had selection but now with take out its limited to a menu. Ordered the braised fish with tofu and chicken leg with cumin. I don't think I would order the chicken again it's like 75%dry chili and 25% chicken. And it under fills the container (I only bought it because the lady showed me the container -but frankly I'm still hungry with a heartburn from the oil+chili. I feel like I paid 15$ for dried chilies). The braised fish with tofu and chilies. Um there were burnt chillies on top. It's not fungus. Like it was charred black. Greasy overall (probably the way it's supposed to be made??) The taste is okay but I just found it cheap on the chicken protein, sells more chilli than protein. Pricewise it was 30$ after tax it could be cheaper. This is one of the more authentic places but no vegetable dish options. But it's time to help small businesses. This place takes cash and debit. So lend them a hand. I've had takeout that left me hungry and very uncomfortable. Help! (I just want to also note I experienced some food poisoning symptoms 48hours after eating take out here)

the tonkatsu is top notch. portions are generous. friendly staff. not too busy either…read more you get options for noodles and the menu is straightforward

Came to Waterloo for the first time to visit family. They reccomended this spot, and I wish they…read morehadn't. The restaurant was empty and dingy. The server had a lot of trouble taking our order, and mispronounced the names of the menu items. Also, they were out of some of the items we ordered. Chicken Karage: Surprised by how juicy the meat was. The coating was just alright, but the chicken was good. Sukiyaki Beef Don: Bad. The egg was stringy and somehow dry. The miso soup was bland. Worst of all, the sukiyaki was doused in sauce and was too salty.

Great food at amazing prices. This is a hidden gem in the region. Asian dinner food at its best.read more

A wide variety of food options, food came out decently quick. Very affordable pricing. Great place…read moreto go to as a break from studying.

Jinzakaya and Kinka Izakaya are Waterloo staples - 5 years ago, I savoured every chance I got to…read moreeat at these restaurants! Still amazing AYCE spots, but I'm probably just not built to take full advantage of the massive menu here. We came around lunch time and ordered the dinner menu, since there are a couple cannot-be-missed dishes that aren't on the lunch menu. Their strength compared to other AYCE restaurants is definitely their non-sushi options - the carpaccio, skewers, grilled shrimp, steamed egg, and beef roll with enoki mushroom are some of my favourites. I think the only thing that gives me pause is the price tag - $40.99 is a lot, especially for a student. You would have to really stuff yourself to make that value worth it. I do wish they had a couple of the chef favourites on the lunch menu so that people trying to have a cheaper meal could also try those items. Overall, it's probably still the best AYCE sushi in Waterloo. The quality is great and the dishes are tasty. Service was also pretty good, they have you write your order on a paper. I think one or two items were missed but we had no issue with following up on them.

Jinzakaya has loads of options to choose from on their all you can eat menu. There's a large…read morevariety of sushi and sashimi and their fish tastes fresh. They also provide pretty thick slices of fish. The service was amazing we had a very nice waitress who was nice and really attentive. The interior of the restaurant is decorated very well. Overall this a very good spot for sushi.

Food is ok . Was expecting more flavour from this place but overall would was unassuming . Would…read moretry again in a pinch but better options for Thai in area

3.5/5 Thai Bistro is…read morelocated in the heart of Belmont Village (which I must say is quite a unique community in Kitchener!). Before entry, it does look like a completely run down place (i.e: hole in the wall establishment), but don't let that scare you away! I ordered a chicken pad thai, along with a glass of water. Overall the pad thai was decent, except the fact there was an imbalanced proportion of noodles and other ingredients, and it felt like I continuously ate chicken, bean sprouts, and carrots instead of the noodles themselves. Sad though, since I found the noodles (and sauce) very tasty and the chicken not very special. Service was okay, however I had to wait about 5-10 minutes for an employee to come out and clear one of the tables since all the tables were covered with plates (I arrived at the tail end of the lunch rush). Also, at the end I had to wait about 5 minutes for an employee to come out and ask for the bill. It seems to be a family joint, with only 2 (maybe 3) people working, so I can somewhat understand. I will also try Northern Thai in Downtown in the near future and will make my decision on which one's better.

Tip: The shio ramen and gyoza are excellent…read more My rating is 4.5. I'll round up. Years ago, when I frequented Waterloo often, there was a Kenzo Ramen in the plaza next door from the University of Waterloo. It closed and I was sad. I loved having a meal there. Last month, I took a Friday off and did a day trip to the Waterloo area. I felt like ramen after completing my shopping excursion. I did a search and found out that Kenzo Ramen had returned to Waterloo, but in a different part of the city. I was thrilled to pieces. I headed over here for a late lunch. This eatery is located in a plaza with a ton of parking. I backed into a spot and headed over to the entrance. I saw a sign on the door saying that the eatery was experiencing air conditioning issues. Oh, no! It was a hot day. I had flashbacks checking into accommodations in Winnipeg and learning that it didn't have air conditioning in my room. But, I love Kenzo. I needed nourishment. I opened the door and walked in. It wasn't hot at all. This place had at least two massive portable air conditioning units going. It felt cool. Yay! A female staffer immediately greeted me. I let her know that I'd like to dine in. She said I could sit anywhere. Naturally, I chose to sit next to the air conditioning unit. It was the best move. I was cool the entire time at this eatery. I ordered the following items: - Water with ice - Diet Coke - Gyoza (3) - Shio ramen For the shio ramen, I asked that the bamboo shoots be held. I added an egg and corn. The iced water was needed. It was hot outside and the water was refreshing. Same with the Diet Coke. This place was kind to get me a glass with ice. I poured the cold pop into the glass. So good! My gyoza came out next. I got three of them. They were perfectly pan-fried. The filling was delicious and generous. I liked the dipping sauce. My ramen came out next. I was excited. I was reuniting with the best bowl of ramen. The chashu slices were thick and tender. I loved them. So flavourful with the perfect protein-to-fat ratio. The egg was jammy. The corn was perfect. The ramen was chewy and perfect. I loved the green onion with the shio soup base. The saltiness was perfect. It enhanced everything in my bowl of ramen, but didn't make me thirsty for the rest of the day. I paid my bill at my table. The woman brought me the payment machine. I paid with a credit card and tipped. Done! I let her know that my meal was excellent. She seemed appreciative. I visited the washroom before making tracks home to Markham. It was clean. No complaints. It's great that Kenzo Ramen is back in Waterloo. I was ecstatic to order my usual again. The quality and taste remain the same as I remembered them to be. I look forward to returning. The food is amazing and staff are so nice. (305)

This was a nice little spot to get some fresh ramen. The restaurant interior was pretty basic,…read morenothing too special. They have seat cushions to sit on the benches which was nice. The service was good and our waitress was kind. The ramen was pretty decent. The broth was good but could have been a little more flavourful, the noodles were cooked well and the meat was soft. My personal favourite was the egg that came with it. The yolks had a sweetness to them that added nice flavour. Would overall give it a 7.5/10. The karrage chicken was okay. It was lacking some seasoning and the creamy yuzu sauce that came with it tasted a little bit like lemon curd. The chicken was juicy on the inside though. Would give this a 5/10.