I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to sushi bars. I think it's a great place if you like sushi rolls, however, if you're like me, a consumer of broad-based sashimi this probably is not going to be your first selection. It has a full bar, which is very nice and the drinks are generous, and the pricing for both the food and drink is very very reasonable. As for the ambience, it is in my estimate a bit congested. I certainly understand and respect, investors or owners making every attempt they can to maximize the space that they pay fortune for, but what I am making reference to was this particular evening there was live music and the stage literally presented a challenge to entering into the dining room without tripping over something connected to the entertainment. The service was nice, however the server was not familiar with sushi, nor did she understand the bourbon which was in the old-fashioned, which is a special of the house and we arrived at a time where there weren't a great number of patrons and her pace was quite slow. Perhaps she was having the same challenges we were making her way around the dining room, and that may have contributed to it, but from a patron perspective, it was an irritant to an enjoyable evening. In summary, if you like sushi rolls, this appears to be a place to go, the bar is quite good, the prices are reasonable, hopefully the server we had Will learn more about the products she is serving. read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Menu (partial) - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

Sashimi & Nigiri wasn't fresh. Dishes were beautiful but tasted fishy/sour... Restaurant was clean & decorative. Server, David, was VERY kind read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge offers good sushi combination that was both presented well and tastefully crafted. The setting is modern and laid back making it a friendly casual nice spot for a sushi meal. Service was friendly but a bit slow. Overall, the price range is on the higher end and worth to try to see it could be among top choice in the Katy area. read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

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This was my first time visiting Kokai and I was genuinely impressed! The food was fresh and flavorful. I ordered the Alaska Roll along with the Hibachi Chicken and Shrimp, and both were absolutely delicious. The strawberry lemonade was also a standout and very refreshing. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. The restaurant itself has a beautiful ambiance and is exceptionally clean. While it is a bit on the pricier side, the quality and experience make it well worth it. read more

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Randomly stopped her for a lunch break while shopping out in Katy. Very cool ambiance when you walk in. Like a club vibe but the music isn't super loud so you can actually enjoy yourself. The wait staff was nice and helpful with making selections. They are willing to alter their menu if you had any special accommodations. Your typical Japanese menu but it was all freshly made and very tasty. Lots of specials depending on the day and time you go. Would definitely recommend! read more

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I liked this place a lot, I love the lounge feel, the music was perfect to where I could hear the music but also still be able to talk with my table without yelling. The food was fresh and everything we ate was delicious. I was impressed by the mezcal drinks they had.. so good!! Will be back! Pro tip- if you have the app upside, you can get cash back by dining here. read more

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To start off with, my husband and I had very high hopes for this place based on the ratings, amazing website and diverse menu. I also was looking forward to the lounge vibe and a cool place to have dinner in Katy. To start off with, Fernanda, our server was fantastic. She is warm, smart and got our orders in well. The hostess was also extremely nice. Now, let's dig into this. To begin with I've never been to a Japanese or sushi restaurant that doesn't have any Japanese beer in stock. Would you go to a Mexican restaurant that doesn't have Mexican beer? Am I missing something here? Did the truck not make the delivery? The menu had a huge selection of Japanese beers but none were in stock. If I were the owner or operator of this establishment I would be at HEB loading up my cart with Japanese beer that afternoon rather than telling your customer you are Shit of Luck. The menu is misleading in my opinion. I ordered sliced sashimi dishes and both had a base of mayo layered under the fish. I ordered the maguro tataki and the hatatemanegni. The white fish dish I felt had too many citrus segments. Nowhere did it say mayo on the description for both dishes unless that is their house sauce. I guess I should asked and clarified. I asked for napkins to blot the mayo off but you could still taste it. The shrimp shumai was excellent though. What would you expect. We also ordered the sashimi roll. It did not look anything like the roll we ordered. Which was essentially a block of avocado, cream cheese, tuna, salmon and crab stick (they do not use real crab paper). It was fine but way too much cream cheese. It overpowered what could have been a great roll. I would just take the cream cheese out. My husband and I do a lot of sushi in Houston, this isn't our first rodeo. I feel honest feedback while it can be harsh can be constructive. I feel this place can improve. While we won't be back, they can work on some items and be better for other patrons. read more

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Fun fact: Koukai (different kanji,... probably) means "regret" in Japanese. And that's exactly how I feel 'bout this place right now. Ordered for delivery over the long weekend 'cuz I'm sad and got no friends. Apparently it's a chain from Venezuela. Now I don't mind Venezuelans, but the fact that it's a chain means I don't have to be polite the way I do with small businesses and can *crack my hands*. Wait hold on if from Venezuela then why is it a Japanese-Perúvian- you know what, let's get to the point. First off, I ordered the wakame salad with iidako (baby octopus), but what came to me was wakame salad with normal chopped octopus (tako). "Ii" also means "good" in Japanese. I can think of a very cruel war joke involving the Japanese here, but I'll just say this: This menu item might have wakame and tako in it, but it is not "ii". The suzuki fry was drenched in cream cheese which was off-putting right after the delivery, but after proper reheating, was actually pretty decent and the preparation of stuffing the feesh with kanikama before tempura-frying it is rather interesting. I would still halve the amount of cream cheese myself, though. But the star of the show for my way-overpriced dinner was the Aderezo de Ajonjoli Deluxe, which I assume means "mess of random BS" despite not knowing much Español because that's exactly what it looks, tastes and feels like. It has WAY too many things going on in it that it's hard to tell what's even IN there, all the flavors tend to clash together yet the one thing I can say for sure is that everything was drenched in an ill-concocted version of Perúvian mayo (which mostly reeks of vinegar with hints of orange juice). And you can have all this for the low, low price of $80 plus taxes and tips if you go by their online PICKUP menu. TL;DR Our heroes fought to not let food like this get into the United States. read more

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Placed our order and sat for 40 minutes before we left. Never got any food. It's a shame because we haven't had problems up to now. Good news is that we found another sushi place close by with excellent service. read more

Being generous with this review, service was decent. Chicken overcooked and tasted dry, not much flavor behind the sauce. Gyoza's were slightly warm but cold. Sushi was decent, had spicy tuna and fried rice was undercooked hard texture. I probably wouldn't recommend coming here. Just head to Katy Asian town. read more

The service came fast and our waitress was very attentive. The servers came with a smile and got everything right. I recommend getting hot sake and beer to pair with the rolls. We really enjoyed the Latin twist on the rolls. The room was filled with paper swans and colorful lights. It felt like being in a book. I guarantee if you're a sushi lover and enjoy fusion versions, this place would perfect for you! read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - We ordered 3 of the most popular rolls and they were really good. We shared with our kids and they loved it! - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

Everything was amazing! We came in with a big party and they were so accommodating and the service was quick and the food was delicious! Vicky was a great server! read more

So I really had high hopes for this place. I should of filtered to the lower rating reviews before coming here as they are really on point. Decor is cute, service was really good, and plating of the food was well done. This is the reason for the bonus star. Gotta give credit where due. Coming from the land of fresh fish and quality sushi, we have been on the hunt in Texas. This place is close to home and Yelp had it at 4 stars, so worth a shot. Wish I would of saved my money. If you eat sushi, this is not sushi. The wasabi even was off. Everyone knows if you put a pea size of just wasabi on your mouth, your nostrils are burning! You could eat a spoonful of this and NOTHING. So either it was old or just gross, it was not right. The sushi we didn't finish or take home, but we were nice just as they had been to us. We got in the car and we're like, "what was that? I hope we don't get sick." Well nausea onset around 3am. Maybe we jinxed ourselves but we could just feel all the wrongs being there. Skip this place, sorry to say. :/ read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

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i may have just found my new go-to for sushi nights. cozy setting, incredible flavors, and real care in every dish. i ordered tako kushiyaki, house salad deluxe, miso shiru soup, texans roll, fragata roll, vulcano roll, matshury roll. read more

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We have visited the restaurant several times but today Sunday July 13th, it was extremely packed. We booked for 9:00 pm and food arrived at our table at 9:30 pm - disappointing and unacceptable. Salmon sushi was flavorless, ceviche roll was lukewarm, mixed sauces weren't as tasty as before. The mixed sashimi was inedible. Hope you can improve ! Thanks ! read more

Exceptional sushi experience. This sushi place exceeded all expectations! The fish was incredibly fresh, with melt-in-your-mouth sashimi and beautifully crafted rolls. The variety on the menu was impressive, offering something for everyone, from classic favorites to creative specialty rolls. The ambiance was warm and inviting, perfect for a date night or casual dinner with friends. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, offering excellent recommendations and ensuring we had a great dining experience. **** Wesley offered an excellent service Don't miss the aderezo de ajonjolí deluxe --it was a standout! Overall, this is now my go-to spot for sushi. Highly recommend it. read more

Ordered Beef Yaki Soba, it was good, except one key ingredient was missing no Japanese cabbage, which is the soba! Told the waiter, but he said he would talk to the chef that never came back to talk to me walked by several times. Nice decor, but this dish was not hitting for me with no cabbage the most important part of the dish! read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Beef Yuki Soba with no Japanese cabbage! Yaki Soba Veggie YakiSoba Yaki Soba - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

This is a horrible experience. Avoid this place at all costs. The staff is rude, up charges everything and the food was horrible. Everything was dry, overcooked and mostly inedible. But they make sure they add a 20% gratuity on at the end. read more

I tried this place a few years ago and wasn't a fan. Years later I tried it again and it is definitely not any better and a reminder why I will never come back. Here are some reasons why: The dish I ordered had uneven cuts of salmon and not to mention a HUGE BONE which I nearly choked on. I asked what Japanese liquor is available and the manager at the bar said "We have Sapporo, Jack Daniel's, tequila..." Uhhh no. He didn't explain to me why they didn't have it, but he clearly understood my question. I sat at the bar and the staff (literally everyone) spoke Spanish to each other the entire time. I understand it can be a cultural thing. However I'm at a "Japanese" restaurant in the suburbs. It was a little uncomfortable for me. Overpriced and "blah" customer service. NOT for the sushi connoisseurs out there seeking quality. read more

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Excellent place if you are looking for a latin/japanese fusion restaurant this is your place, the food, the ambience (live music for your entertainment) and the hospitality of Palino it's THE BEST he is the friendliest and funniest server ever!! How to explain the flavor of their dishes? I would define them as an explosion of flavors on the palate that evokes memories. We loved the house salad that we combined with a kind of tuna carpaccio sealed with sesame seeds that it was recommended by Palino, it was a good choice very fresh and tropical. My favorite sushi was the Tsunami Roll, it had the perfect combination of flavors and I recommend it 100%. My husband ordered a Chicken Yakisoba, which seemed very tasty. We also ordered the tropical roll but it did not impress us as much as the Tsunami roll. The price/value ratio is good because the food is first class and on weekends they offer live, relaxing music. The atmosphere is perfect for any special celebration. Kokai is worth trying. read more

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If I could have given this place one star I would. I waited over 30 minutes for my food after placing a to go order. The food came and it wasn't what I expected and requested they switch it for something else. The people not only refused to replace the roll with something different but also refused to give me my money back. Don't eat here! Will never be returning. Highly disappointed. Wish I could give it no stars. read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - What even is this? - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

Kokai it's the best place that ever been to had sushi . Everything was amazing food, drinks and the best thing was the attention, we never lacked the "yes, I'm going to do it" awesome place! read more

The service with Palino, Lo Haré, was impeccable! His attention was superior and the food was overall great. The atmosphere was soothing, as music was enjoyable and I did not feel rushed whatsoever. 5 stars because of our server, Palino. I will surely return due to the quality of service and meticulous care. 7/9/24. read more

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Came here on a date on a Saturday and I was impressed by this little gem hidden in the shopping center. We had reservations and were seated promptly. There was a gentleman playing live music and he was very friendly. He talked to us to get an idea of the music we liked so that he could accommodate our music taste in his music set. I though that was thoughtful and personable. We got an appetizer that the waiter recommended, sushi and a kitchen dish. I also ordered a martini but was not impressed. When the waiter asked how the drink was, my date informed them of my dissatisfaction and my drink was replaced with a refreshing mojito that was good (still lacked alcohol lol). The food was fresh and tasted really good. The bathroom was clean and the ambience was the perfect setting for a date night, family night or quick bite to eat! I will absolutely return. read more

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I selected this place purely on location. Self temp checks at door. Sanitizer at door and at tables. Employees wearing masks and scanable menus as well as physical ones upon request . Resturant is small and the music was loud. Way to loud to have a nice conversation. Our server was nice, friendly and funny. Appetizer of edamame is a very small bowl. Appetizer of Gyozas were cold in the inside and doughy. Like they hadn't been steamed enough. Wasn't crazy about menu. Server recommend the Suzuki Fry so we ordered it, half our table of 6 liked it the half didn't. Fried white fish with some trying really hard to be good extra rich cream cheese basil sauce. Blah. Fried rice, Miami roll, Tsunami Roll and Rainbow Roll all forgettable. Not very good and the rolls were falling apart. Food was lacking in quality, flavor and freshness. read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Suzuki - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

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"Sushi heaven! I recently had the pleasure of dining at Kokai Sushi and Lounge and it was truly exceptional. The atmosphere was sleek and cozy with a warm staff.. Shout out to Edwin who made our family reunion amazing The sushi super fresh, and expertly prepared. We had the Tropical, Miami and Delight rolls.. super yummy. Also, the house salad and few hot dishes.. The prices may be a bit higher than your average sushi spot, but trust me, it's worth every penny. If you're a sushi lover like me, do not miss this place! And last but no least, kudos to Camilo.. His show made the night read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - ROLL TROPICAL Salmon $ Tuna Delight ROLL MIAMI CHEF - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

Our server Mafe was so accommodating and nice. It showed how hard she tried to do her job well and give us a good experience. Very attentive. I was a little worried about the price of rolls, but they gave a good portion and I felt satisfied. read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Pot of Hot Green Tea - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

We didn't eat here. The food may be great but the experience was not. Read below and form your own opinion. I made a reservation for two using Open Table but the restaurant's policy for a COVID-19 safe experience was too much for us. Firstly, they wanted us to fill out a form that asked personal medical information and I am not comfortable sharing these details just for the privilege for eating a dinner. I would not mind them asking questions or even taking my temperature- but writing my personal information onto a form is going too far. Secondly they said we had to where a mask while at the table and could only lower it to take a bite or drink. I realize restrictions are needed but don't appreciate when the restaurant makes the experience so poor. read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Health form they make you fill out before serving. This sucks - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

ambience is creepy. they have this lounge thing going on but it is just annoying. the service is slow. all the plants are fake. the sushi is bad. maybe that's why the music is loud so you won't taste the food read more

A different twist on Japanese/Latin cuisine so that took some getting used to. Portions are sizable and tasty. Customer service good during busy night. Give it a shot read more

Excellent food and great service. We've been here several times and the sushi and service has always been outstanding. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because on our last visit which was on a Friday night, they had live music and it was way too loud. We went with friends and we couldn't even hear each other talking. Other than the live music being too loud, everything else was excellent. Highly recommend. read more

Best sushi place in town! Outstanding service from Palino and team! Fantastic music and vibe! read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Cheers! - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

Absolutely adorable place ! They also have a hibachi table but I didn't get to try that! Presentation of dishes are absolutely beautiful! Flavor wise they taste amazing! It's not your typical Asian style sushi but fusion. Definitely a must try. read more

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Great atmosphere! Appetizers, rolls, and wine were absolutely delicious! The service was exceptional! "I'll do it." -Paulino read more

The place was very clean and organized and the food was so good, our waitress Vicky was so sweet and helpful!

Excelente comida y servicio excepcional por Sofía. Muy atenta y servicial. pedimos dos coctes nuevos y estaban muy ricos

Amazing staff and food is so delicious!! I've been to several sushi restaurants and it is out of this world good!! Location is great

Absolutely best first time experience! I went to this lovely gem for Houston Restaurants Week and had the best experience. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with grace. Our waiter was absolutely amazing. The food was soooo delicious. Presentation, ambiance and live music was incredible. Definitely will visit again very soon! read more

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First time here tonight ...and probably the last . Had reservations, got there took a few mins for anyone to acknowledge us and seat us. There is guy singing and playing piano inside the restaurant, enjoyed his music but it was just way to loud for this tiny place . We were literally seated by the speakers , so we couldn't hear each other and had to yell. He was nice though to ask us if we had any requests for him to sing / play . Waiter - took forever to get our order , took about 30 mins to bring our appetizer and about 40 mins to bring our two sushi rolls. . Extremely slow service , I've never waited so long in my life for food. Food finally arrives ( by the restaurant manager ) not by our waiter , and oh my worst sushi ever .( signature Rolls- Tsunsmi and Volcano. Mine was less bad than my friends .. his looked like someone accidentally spilled sour cream on his sushi. Like sauce with a side of sushi ( that's what his plate looked like and tasted even worse . I had the Tsunami..very mediocre, and very dry , lots of veggiesh topping and way too big to chew on. Will not be returning . Not sushi it is more like going to Taco Bell and asking for steak read more

Kokai Sushi and Lounge - Volcano - Japanese Near Me - Katy, Texas

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Our first time here. We went to a nearby all-you-can eat Japanese restaurant on a weekday but they were short-staffed and we were given a 20min wait time. So we had to randomly pick another Japanese restaurant nearby. We were out to celebrate a birthday. We were not expecting anything when we chose a random place. Come to find this is a gourmet fusion restaurant and we had our doubts. Fusion eateries can be disastrous BUT this establishment was the exact opposite in taste and presentation. Sophia was our server and she was very nice. We ordered the steak and shrimp ramen soup and were completely caught off-guard and blown away by how delicious the dish was! We would return for this dish alone and we will. We ordered a kid's meal and three rolls. I tend to not like rolls caked in sauce and where the ingredients are mostly cream cheese, avocado, and imitation crab, but these rolls were delish! The food tasted fresh as well. And another server Palino was just the sweetest! He presented a surprise dessert with a candle and there was so much genuine joy in his face. He happily took photos for us. We also learned that kids eat free on certain weekdays. The evening went from disappointing to strange a very enjoyable one--where we were so happy to be proven wrong. We highly recommend this place! read more