You will always see a long line here, and for good reason! Downtown's best sushi, hands-down. Their onigiri and chicken karage are absolutely phenomenal. read more

I had dinner here last night with a large group. I like that its right next to the bar, Westbound. everything came out pretty quickly. They close at 8:30 on the weekend so be sure to order by then. I loved the takoyaki pancake ball with octopus app. The korokke potato was too plain for me. The onigiri rice ball's outside was too salty. The kukai don rice bowl was very good but pretty spicy. read more

AMAZING! Since they make everything fresh, it does result in a bit of a wait but it is 100% worth it. We did go on a Friday night, so it might have been busier than normal. I can't wait to go back again! read more

Kukai - Mt Fuji, Korokke, Seaweed Salad, Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I usually get the Ramen which is probably the best I've had in Tucson. This time I ordered the spicy salmon bowl. I would have liked less sauce and a filet or larger pieces of salmon with sauce drizzled over the top. Instead They cut up very fine pieces of salmon and mix it in the sauce. The sauce is tasty (on the sweet side) it overpowers the tiny bits of salmon. I think I'll stick to the Ramen. read more

I am a fan!!!! Kukai is located at the annex which is one of my favorite places in Tucson. Ive had the change to try their rolls but Their vegan spicy ramen is a must. I tried the regular ramen and honestly the broth is one of the best I've had but after having the spicy one I was in love! read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Kukai doesnt have the best sushi, ramen, etc in Tucson. So why 5 stars? Because food doesnt have to be exceptional or fantastic for a 5 star rating. Food can be just right. Kukai is one of two food choices in the MSA Annex, a little shipping container shopping district in the Mercado and it does everything it needs to. Apart from being one of the few places in town with Onigiri (a personal favorite), everything they make comes out just right, without prices that will gouge your eyes out. For such a small and cramped (take a look at how many people are working the line inside) shop, this business has continued to pump out a solid choice for food every time I have been here. If anything, its concept and performance is like an elevated food cart from the streets of Japan. read more

Kukai - Front of House - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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One of the best sushi places in town. The ramen is great too but i always go for the poke bowls and onigiri. The line can get really long so make sure you go early or on the weekday. The people are nice and the vibes are great! read more

Kukai - ramen, onigiri, and poke bowl - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I had their special which was a delicately fried shrimp tempura over sticky rice. There was also a vegetable tempura that was really flavorful - zucchini and carrot and other grated veggies I'm not sure about - that I could've eaten 6 more of. Had a lovely sweet sauce that was a nice complement. I'll be back to try the homemade Ramen and a piece of sushi. I wasn't even hungry when we stopped on a whim but that special was too tempting - only $10! read more

Kukai - Shrimp tempura was so crispy and light, yet flavorful. Cooked perfectly. - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Sooo good Fresh and made to order Seriously delicious All the Onigiri will be a good choice, my favorite is the Takana & Grilled Salmon I have not had the ramen here read more

This is a photos of the Mt. Fiji. The food is absolutely amazing and the owners and staff are probably the nicest people possible. Also if you get the mt Fuji you should get extra eel sauce. It's freaking amazing. read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

How have I not known about this place!?!?!?! My taste buds were singing. The Mt. Fuji bowl gave me a foodgasm!!! The tuna melts in your mouth!!My mouth is watering at the memory!! I had it yesterday and I think I'm going back today.!! Menlo Park is a gem!!! What the COVID?!? Where have been?!? read more

Probably would have been 5 stars but... So we are staying in an air b&b for the night on our way back home to Texas. We saw the reviews about this place and thought that ramen was exactly what we needed after driving all day. We ordered the food to go because it was getting pretty chilly outside, waited about 25 minutes for our food (not a problem), then headed back to the air b&b. Only to discover that neither one of us got any broth for our ramen. It was just dry noodles with stuff on top. The gyu don rice bowl was awesome, the shrimp tempura was good but not too exciting. Based on the rice bowl alone it would have been 5 stars. But the missing broth for the ramen was a let down and neither one of us wanted to get back into the car after having driven all day to go back for broth read more

We stumbled upon Kukai while bike shopping last weekend. We checked out the menu and all decided on ramen. Apparently they don't alllways have it but the lantern happened to be up so we lucked out. It was perfect in the cold morning. Huge serving of piping hot soup with a soft boiled egg, slices of pork aNd shredded pickled ginger. My youngest isn't normally a fan of ramen but he nearly ate the whole bowl! The broth was seasoned very well and the noodles were a wonderful consistency, not squishy or too hard. I know it's a good broth when the leftovers congeal in the fridge- this definitely did. I heard you can check online to find out when the lantern is up. We've been to a lot of the ramen places in town and Kukai is definitely -at the top of my list of faves. Plus, the annex is such a cool atmosphere. read more

Kukai - Adorable little restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I usually don't eat this type of cuisine, but I had the opportunity to try it a few weeks ago at an MSA Annex event, and I'm totally a fan now! Kukai is serving very, very fresh, high quality, and tasty food. The sushi is especially fresh, which is important. The onigiri wraps are hearty and plentiful, loaded with flavor. They even have some vegetarian options, like the umeboshi onigiri (pickled plum, super flavorful and unique) and korokke croquettes (including a pumpkin variety!), which is ideal for our family. I loooove love love the tuna mayo onigiri, I've never had anything like it before and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. It was like a tuna salad with seaweed instead of bread. Very unique. Their sticky rice is perfect. It's the core of much of their food, and they totally nail it. The employees are very nice and helpful. Since you can see directly into the boxcar, you can see that they keep their kitchen and areas extraordinarily clean. It often takes a little bit of a while to get the food out though, but that's because it's very fresh, so I forgive that. I love that Kukai is in the MSA Annex, they're a definite asset to the area! read more

Noticed this on the recommendation list for new tries. Met up with familiar people and ordered their limited ramen, their sushi wraps and onigiri. The wraps are pretty tasty, they're pretty good in terms of taste and blending of flavors. My friend enjoyed it; but for for me I would say it could be better! Staff was very friendly to us and let us take our time on the menus. When I got my ramen I got a taste of what it was about! Ramen pretty plain, and not worth the price that a person would be putting it out for. Even more or less tasting like packaged ramen. If the ramen could get better flavors for another visit, that would be wonderful. I would say there's a good middle line for the sushi wraps, yummy onigiri, and average ramen that isn't for me. read more

Kukai - Ramen Noodles, Grilled Salmon Onigiri, Unagi Onigiri, Shrimp Tempura Hand Roll, Takoyaki, Pork Belly Onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

the food is absolutely amazing! so many different options and consistent quality. Service is always amazing and the seating area is open and comfortable. We love kukai and visit every month at least! A must try tucson restaurant! read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Nice set up of businesses using old containers. We had tempura, karaage chicken (Japanese fried chicken), pork belly roll, unagi (eel), and takoyaki (octopus) to go. I'm fairly certain it would be better to eat these food items at this location. Will try their ramen once the temperature drops next month (October). read more

Great food. Fast service . Great concept. Great ambience. Would recommend to everyone visiting Tucson.

Pro: good ramen Cons: went Sat nite, weather good, so Mercado was hopping, but not packed. Ordered ramen, gyoza, rice balls. AN HOUR AND 15 MIN LATER WE GOT OUR FOOD. Have never waited longer for a meal. C'mon, that's just poor management, poor kitchen. Gyoza good, ordered 3 diff rice balls: meh, don't bother. So if u love LOONG WAITS, come here on a weekend. read more

The food was great and the prices are also really great. The service was also great and they were pretty quick with our long order. In my opinion they make the best ramen in town. Would recommend to everyone ! read more

If there was a 6 star option I would be clicking on that right now. Wow wow wow! I had the Ramen here and it was awesome! I consumed the entire bowl without coming up for air, seriously good stuff. Perfection in a bowl. Thank you for making such beautiful food :} read more

This place has Friendly and helpful service! This spot is small and there are a few tables outside for seating. This is definitely a good option if you are looking for something quick and easy to grab. It is not a "sit down" type of restaurant. It's a part of the MSA annex so everything is housed in a remodeled box car. It's got a fun hipster vibe and puts a modern spin on things. The ramen was good, but a little too salty. The Kukai don was fine...needed more flavor. I added soy sauce and lots of chili powder to jazz it up. There aren't a lot of food options at the annex so this place was the best option we could find. read more

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What can I say, their vegan ramen's broth is by far the best broth I've tasted in the whole state of Arizona (and I'm a real sucker for a good ramen). It does have that umami taste that vegan broths usually lack. (I'm writting this and feel the urgent need to dine there again.) But it was a preface. First of all, they're in one of the best Tucson locations, MSA Annex. Secondly, I absolutely have to mention how caring and kind the people who work there are, even during the evening rush hours. Thank you! Now, to the food. Their vegan ramen is not very typical for a vegan ramen, I'd say, because it's pretty minimal (no tofu, for example). I do enjoy minimalistic meals actually, but with ramen, I would really appreciate at least an option of adding tofu in it (fried please). Their fried shiitake that come with ramen are absolutely great, though. I actually don't like mushrooms, but I ate them and they were delicious. The bottom line is the only thing that can make Kukai even better (for me) is if they added fried tofu to their ramen, everything else is perfect. read more

This place is so yummy! I'm not the only one that thinks so because it gets busy and you have to wait a bit but it's so worth it! So glad I work close by! The food was very fresh and I can see why everyone is Raving about this place! Seems pretty authentic and different from any other Japanese restaurants here in Tucson! read more

Kukai - Spicy tuna salad (Not correct name but I wrote this afterward) - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This place is delicious and amazing ! I highly recommend if you are looking for a delicious ramen! Went on a date there and me and my boyfriend loved it, he said it reminded him of home. The drinks are delicious! That place is *chefs kiss* I got the Spicy Miso Ramen and my boyfriend got Hakata Ramen read more

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In allot of asian countries , there are lots of places around the city that have outdoor seating/meals. Very very tasty cuisine without the hassle of a sit down dining and Kukai has elevated the experience here in the states. The Onigiri is nice and bountiful with a delicious filling ( Finally, a place that actually cooks your Eel perfectly! Many places either serve it cold or just nuke it in the microwave and I can tell Kukai actually toasts them! Nice and hot - good flavor and the texture is beautiful!) Also tried the Spicy tuna hand roll which was really tasty and edaname. Will definitely be back to try the Ramyen and other options like Takoyaki! Kitchen seems nice and clean -it's open layout for the way how the space is made, with lots of windows from every area! Drinks are also available including Japanese soda Ramyun. Very excited to return and try more delicious items!! Menu prices seem very very reasonable, perfect for the locations and layout -get lots of different items and try them all! They do call out your name after ordering so be nearby or earshot! read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This spot took me by surprise. I was nervous going in but it turned out well for us haha. I love their small but mighty menu. Their options are just enough but not overwhelming. We ordered a few onigiri. I would say their pork belly onigiri and bowls are best. Service was good. I'm sure it would be an even more enjoyable spot once the weather cools down. read more

Swung by for lunch today and I'm going to be honest...I haven't stopped thinking about the Takoyaki since. The spicy tuna hand roll was good, but WOW those soft fried, octopus stuffed orbs topped with shaved bonito and Japanese mayo REALLY stole the show. It is a must try dish not only at Kukai, nor at the Annex but in the whole of Tucson. read more

Kukai - Takoyaki -- Spicy Tuna Handroll - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I can't believe I haven't reviewed Kukai yet! The food here is wonderful and I will never turn down a trip to Kukai as any restaurant that sells takoyaki is a winner in my book. Kukai serves a lot of my favorite comfort foods in a way similar to the "plate lunch" style I'm used to from back home in Hawai'i. My personal favorites are the Gyu Don and the Katsu. While these are foods I can make myself at home, I love being able to head down the street for easy access to some childhood favorites. I live nearby to the Annex, and Kukai is hands down my favorite eatery there. read more

Kukai - Katsu Don and a spicy tuna hand roll - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The best ramen in Tucson! We love the environment and the folx who work at Kukai are wonderful. read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This new spot in the Annex is a great addition. It's definitely a different fare than the plant-based burger joint across the way and the taco shop in the Mercado, but it compliments them well. I tried the gyo don, a rice bowl with thinly sliced beef and pickled ginger. I have to admit it wasn't my favorite because it was super onion-y (with grilled onions and sliced green onions). I think this is a preference thing, so not a huge complaint. But unfortunately the onions weren't listed on the menu description. If they had been, I would have opted for something else. That said, the rice was well cooked and the beef delicious. I got a matcha milk tea. It was good, but prepackaged and not made in-house. Service was super fast, and the staff was very friendly. read more

Kukai - Matcha milk tea and gyo don - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The vegan ramen I got here is definitely one of my new favorites. The flavors are great overall, and the fried mushrooms are dreamy. The umeboshi onigiri was also amazing. Definitely coming back for more asap. read more

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This place is worth the line. Seriously some good ramen and the mt Fuji don was so good as well! I can't stop thinking about this place and can't wait to go back. read more

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Tried the hot new restaurant at the MSA Annex. Kukai. We had the Onigiri; traditional rice balls wrapped in seaweed. We tried the tuna mayo, grilled salmon and pork belly. The rice was soft and warm with just enough filling wrapped in seaweed. You order at the window and have a seat. Service was quick and friendly. Great addition to the Annex. read more

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Delicious Japanese food. Everything's cooked just right. I highly recommend. Go when you can!

I went to Kukai a couple of days before their official opening on the 28th (take that into consideration). It was very very very busy at the Annex that night and especially at Kukai. We waited for our food for one and a half hours. That is time that I will never ever spend again waiting for food. However, it's the Annex so there was more to do than just wait. Westbound had drinks flowing and there was an independent file premier that was being shown. At the time Kukai did not have seating (it has now been updated and they have their own seating) so it made it hard to find a spot and wait. When we finally received our ramen and beef onigiri and the Ramas was so delicious. By this point I was ravenous but it was worth the wait. The ramen broth is creamy yet dense at the same time and very delicious. I imagine now that they have a system going the wait time isn't as terribel. read more

Solid Japanese food! So happy to see an expansion of Japansese dishes in Tucson, as I've never tried onigiri before. They have a large selection of different flavors, from classic salmon to more unique, hard-to-find flavors like pickled plum. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with any dish! I personally like the pork belly onigiri and the beef onigiri. Both are super flavorful. I only wish there was more filling, but that's only because I'm greedy and the filling was so tasty. I would definitely recommend checking this restaurant out if you're in the area. It's right next to Westbound, so you can get some wonderful Japanese food and enjoy some good beer pairings! read more

Kukai - Tuna mayo onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Stumbled upon the little trendy shopping compound with the help of YELP. Was a little tough since when we arrived, all we saw were sea containers...didn't make sense...but we got out and walked around anyways. So glad we did! Kukai is a very authentic Japanese cuisine spot!! So nostalgic for my friend who grew up with her Japanese mom's cooking!!! We had the pork ramen, Japanese style fried chicken, and her childhood fav...RICE BALL w/mustard greens! Michael is humble and an amazing owner, cook, host, and person!! Thank you for your hospitality, Michael! read more

Kukai - Kakai food kitchen - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Kukai is named after a Buddhist monk that preached enlightenment through meditation and tranquility. Funnily enough, there is a bar right next to this place so you'll always be hearing loud people yelling and screaming. This place is perfect if you want a snack while drinking. I tried the unagi, salmon, and tuna onigiri, with the unagi (eel) standing out due to sauce that comes with it. We also ordered the spicy ramen which was great as well. read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Love this addition to the Mercado Annex! It was perfect to walk over and get some edamame and onigiri to have with our Westbound beers! They tried to sell me ramen, but it was way too hot for that! I loved my noritama onigiri, I enjoyed the modern triangle shape, and the flavors of the furikake. I also had a spicy tuna donburi, which had a healthy topping of tuna, and perfectly cooked sticky rice. It's a great location, you just get your food and sit outside in the plaza, and enjoy with a drink from Westbound. This will likely be a regularly stop for us when we visit the Thursday night Mercado farmers market! read more

Kukai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona