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Sama Zama

3.6 (299 reviews)
ModerateJapanese
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SAMA ZAMA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Sama Zama

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Spicy Chicken Ramen
Colleen C.

Amazing ramen!!! Intimate space but perfect for ramen vibes. Fast, friendly service! Limited drink options but you're allowed to bring in your own beverage (non-alcoholic). Great spot for a quick, cozy lunch or a fun dinner date.

Toni A.

I stumbled upon this cute little spot on 39th near Westport around dinner time. I was starving and wanted to try something new but didn't want to wait. Not sure how long it's been here but it's super cute on the inside. The service is friendly and and welcoming. It's small but not cramped. It's casual and pretty quick and made fresh to order. Vegan and vegetarian and gf options. Non alcoholic beverages in bottle and cans only. You can bring in your own beverages. Water is $1. To go containers are $1. You could probably bring your own container to save a buck. It was solidly good. I will def be back with my water bottle and to go container.

Spicy Ramen
Calie H.

Such an adorable spot! Tiny but very cute. I notice they keep the door locked during business hours. I think it is due to shortage staffs and to prevent certain people from coming in because of the area it is in. There is only 1 server, and she is super nice. We ordered a few dishes to try. All came out really quick. My favorite is the spicy ramen. Full of flavors and perfect cooked ramen. Yaki udon was kinda bland to my taste. Note: They do not have water. You must bring in your own or buy one for $1.

Andrew H.

Finally got to try Sama Zama and we left happily stuffed! Went here for lunch on a recent Saturday and there were a few other patrons enjoying their lunch when we arrived. Our waitress was very friendly and sat us right away. We were handed our normal menu and then a few house instructions: no free tap water (but you're able to bring your own drink - super cool!), and to-go containers are not free. Both seem pretty self explanatory of why Sama Zama is doing that and we both were happy they had rules like that versus having to close or cut corners elsewhere. We ordered pork katsu curry, takoyaki, garlic green beans, and a Korokke bento box. The food came out super fast and everything was hot when it arrived. The food was seriously so good and really reminded us of our trip to Japan earlier this year. The pork cutlet and curry (also was able to get some hot chili oil) were so comforting on this cold and rainy day. The takoyaki was delicious and looked just like it did from street vendors in Japan. The green beans were seasoned so well and had such a great garlicy taste. And the bento box was a great size with some fresh veggies accompanying it. We really loved our visit to Sama Zama and glad they have been able to stay open throughout the years. We are excited to come back and try more of the menu. The lady serving us was really great and the atmosphere of the restaurant was really laid back. Both of which really added to the experience!

Tonkatsu bento box
Rhonda G.

First time going here and it was amazing! The food was hot and delicious! The customer service amazing! 10 out of 10 would totally recommend!

Tonkotsu Ramen   Pork Topping Spicy
Genevieve H.

Amazing little place! Really good ramen. Make sure you bring your own water bottle here since they don't have tap water. Super friendly servers and a cool clean space inside. Great ramen. I had the spicy tonkotsu pork broth ramen. Perfect amount of spice, chewy textured noodles, rich pork broth! My friend got the chicken ramen and swapped the chicken broth for the pork broth... AMAZING! Also, the don't take Mastercard!

Spicy Chicken Ramen
Abby M.

This was so perfect! I got the chicken ramen and it was delicious. The service was very polite and it's a quite cute vibe!

Angela L.

First time customer and very happy! Ordered ramen and edamame for take out. It was ready fairly quickly and the owner (I assume) met me at the door with my order which I loved. When I got home I was taken aback by how neatly everything was packed and presented. On top of it all it tastes amazing! I will definitely be returning and telling my friends.

Fried Takoyaki
Nichole T.

My first impression was a bit skeptical, because the size of the restaurant was incredibly small, with one server, and no iced drinks (only bottled). They had a sign saying you are welcome to bring in your own drinks. However, the atmosphere was nice and cozy, with a very attentive server and quick service. The ramen was the shining star of our dinner, definitely one of the best in KC. My friend who is very experienced in traditional Japanese cuisine said the Takoyaki is also one of the best you can find in KC. My Yaki Udon was bland and not the best I've had. I'd recommend coming here if you're looking for good ramen.

Drinking Ramune
Antonio P.

Sama Zama is a great little Japanese restaurant tucked in the middle of Westport. It's easy to miss is you aren't looking for it, so I'm glad I finally came. I had never had takoyaki before, and I was told Sama Zama had the best in KC. It was so good! The takoyaki was soft and flavorful, with delicious chunks of octopus throughout. If that sounds yummy, I'd absolutely give them a try. I was a little wary of the pork ramen, only since I've had some pretty unimpressive pork ramen (especially broth) in KC. I'm glad to say my fears were needless, and the only thing that could stop me from eating more is how filling it all was. Sama Zama is definitely some of the better ramen in KC. Overall, I really enjoyed Sama Zaman and plan to be back when I'm craving Japanese. If you like ramen, takoyaki, or think that something on the menu looks tasty, I'd recommend stopping by!

Spicy Vegetarian Ramen w/ Miso Tofu
Caitlin E.

I absolutely love Japanese food, so how can I ever say no to Sama Zama? The food is good and the location is super cute. I'm mainly giving it 4 stars and not 5 due to price of food and the current shortage circumstances (they just started dine-in again and are charging for water and take-out containers). I usually order the vegetable yaki udon, but this time I decided to try something new. I got the Spicy Vegetarian Ramen with Miso Tofu; I was bummed I had to choose between vegetables and tofu (why not both?), especially considering it was around $15. The egg was overcooked; that being said, the dish was still very good. I can't justify going to Sama Zama all the time, but when I do it's always flavorful. Despite my nit-picky criticism, I truly think everyone should try Sama Zama. The staff are helpful and the food is really good. The menu has items you don't often see in Japanese restaurants in the Midwest, which is awesome.

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5 months ago

Cozy and consistent with great spicy tonkatsu and miso ramen. The service is timely and very friendly.

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11 months ago

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8 months ago

Food is delicious and service was amazing. Its definitely a must try in midtown. Im going to go back for the Sushi.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Awesome authentic ramen and okonomiyaki. Would totally come again. Good service great food.

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Akoya Omakase

Akoya Omakase

4.8(101 reviews)
3.0 miCentral Business District, Greater Downtown

I'm not one to typically write reviews, but Akoya was singlehandedly the best culinary experience…read moreI've had in Kansas City. The atmosphere is intimate, the staff were so attentive, and every single bite of food was better than the last. Highly recommend trusting the experts with the omakase; it was a life changing dinner for me personally. Drinks are beautiful and delicious as well. Cannot recommend Akoya enough.

Wow, how lucky am I to stumble across this amazing place across the street from my hotel and open…read morefor lunch!? On a Monday!? I rarely see omakase restaurants or izakayas open for lunch or on a Monday, so this was pretty exciting for me. I wandered in without a resy (I hear it is needed for dinner) and was seated at the bar. All three chefs were helpful and talkative. I ordered the chirashi lunch, and while I was assured it was enough to eat, I left myself open to future nigiri. I ordered an iced green tea to start, and it was served in a beautiful glass (see photo). It tasted like hojicha as it was roasty. First, I was served gomaae, blanched spinach in sesame dressing, which was very nice. Next was miso soup. The soup was lukewarm so not my favorite, but the presentation was nice. Then came my chirashi don: a small bowl with rice mixed with diced takuan on the bottom, an assortment of fish: masu (ocean trout), tai (sea bream), hamachi (yellowtail), akami (lean tuna), suzuki (sea bass), chutoro (medium fatty tuna), and o-toro (fatty tuna), accompanied with cucumber, shiso leaf, and thinly shredded daikon. While this was satisfying, the freshness and quality led me to try four additional nigiri: kinmedai (golden eye snapper) with lemon zest and charcoal salt, seared gindara (black cod) with yuzu miso, in-house cured saba (not on menu but glad it came up in conversation!), and for dessert, Hokkaido uni (also not on menu, but happened to be in and fresh)! Everything was fantastic and the prices are very reasonable. The service was wonderful too. I would love to return for dinner and enjoy the omakase experience (though it is available at lunch). Itadakimasu!

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Akoya Omakase - Seat sushi and dessert

Seat sushi and dessert

Akoya Omakase - Hand roll

Hand roll

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Anjin - Cabbage dish

Anjin

4.9(49 reviews)
2.6 miCrossroads, Greater Downtown

Have waited a long time to snag this reservation, and it was well worth the wait…read more A Japanese izakaya-style restaurant with authentic Japanese dishes. Hard to choose just a few items from their menu, but I went with the beet salad, the skewer platter, and finished it off with the soft serve. My favorite was probably the chicken heart skewer actually, so don't be scared to try this one! Everything was so delicious, simple yet really flavorful. Don't think you can go wrong with anything. Their Negroni was superb! Highly recommend, and will definitely be coming back. The service was exceptional!!

Everyone has a list of places they want to try. Finally knocked a few off the list with an old…read moreKansas City girl visiting. What are the new hotspots since I moved? Hold your sake. First, the vibe is so intimate and cozy. Getting in without reservations is tough unless you go at an odd hour. And if they do let you in, don't test them on the your time limit. Be extra grateful and make it easy so they can seat the actual pre-reserved folks. The place is small enough and the service is nearly 2:1, so they'll definitely remember you. With that said, we tried it best to be on good behavior but that Sake flight had us feeling spicy! Which I'll speak to next, the sake flight delightfully surprised me, and gave me a few things I liked enough to order again. Did not expect that. But I shouldn't be surprised, they're obviously going to have something wildly well-curated, given the successful history of Anjin's creator. I know I'm supposed to talk about the food. But it almost feels pointless. It was obviously amazing. It's a small curated menu. They're famous for their sandwich, whatever rotation they're serving will be sure to please you. They didn't have a lot of vegan options on the menu so my friend got the cabbage dish and it was absolutely wonderful as well. That might be my only watch out if somebody is a vegan, check out the latest menu before going. With such a curated, small menu it may or may not be in a vegan's favor depending on the season. And if it's not, just drink more sake! Can't wait to return, especially with those visiting from out of town to give them an authentic, locally-owned experience.

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Anjin
Anjin
Anjin - Tempura (get it!)

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Tempura (get it!)

Prime Sushi Bar - Sashimi chef choice, Fresh Uni, caterpillar roll, ultimate albacore roll... Wow presentation looks amazing...  digging in

Prime Sushi Bar

4.0(399 reviews)
1.4 miCountry Club Plaza
$$

I met my friend for lunch at Prime Sushi and we had a DELIGHTFUL meal! Our server was Josie, and…read moreshe was fabulous; neither of us had dined there before, and she was very patient as she guided us through the menus and answered all our many questions. She even brought us little sample plates to try some of the sauces! The food is over-the-top EXCELLENT! We both had the lunch specials with salad; I had the California roll and Philadelphia roll, and my friend had the Philadelphia roll, the shrimp and avocado roll, and the spicy salmon roll. Everything was SO fresh, SO perfectly put-together, and SO delicious!! The prices are extremely reasonable, and the ambience is upscale but comfortable. We will definitely return to Prime Sushi! Thank you for a truly memorable meal!

Tried Prime Sushi happy hour yesterday and the prices were good for happy hour. When we entered…read morethe mood was just right for sushi! Def a cute spot. It's a really good deal for what you get! It's perfect if you go with a friend and want to try different things. When we first got there, we went to the bar and our bartender was helpful! It wasn't too busy but it did start to pick up with the online orders which after trying the food, I see why! I enjoyed my bibimpap a lot! Everything was really tasty. I could have done without the cucumber salad but for $4, no complaints.

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Prime Sushi Bar - Happy hour menu Mon-Thur 4:30-6, Fri-Sun 2:30-5

Happy hour menu Mon-Thur 4:30-6, Fri-Sun 2:30-5

Prime Sushi Bar - Happy hour menu Mon-Thur 4:30-6, Fri-Sun 2:30-5

Happy hour menu Mon-Thur 4:30-6, Fri-Sun 2:30-5

Prime Sushi Bar - Miso Soup

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Miso Soup

TORO Hibachi & Sushi - Honey wasabi roll, crazy salmon roll, and dinosaur roll

TORO Hibachi & Sushi

3.9(235 reviews)
7.7 mi
$$

Very traditional Japanese ambience, but not a overly done…read more Service was impeccable and they checked on us regularly. The hot and sour and egg drop soup were great and very filling I like how they separate the sushi into raw and cooked because some people don't like raw and honestly can't eat raw... Great experience and will definitely go back

A group of us dropped in, and honestly, the vibes started out strong. The hostess was actually…read morepleasant and the place looked clean--which, in this city, is usually a win. Then we sat down at the teppanyaki table, and things went south faster than a dropped egg. Our server was solid, but the "chef" was a total trainwreck. It felt like we were an inconvenience to his schedule. He just rushed through the motions with zero engagement, like he was checking off a grocery list instead of actually cooking for people. The "Highlights" (and I use that term loosely): The Timing: I ordered the steak and scallops. He finished my steak before the rice even hit the grill. My cow just sat there getting cold while we watched him "work." The Culinary Wisdom: When one of us asked if the beef was a strip or a ribeye, he literally just said, "It's steak." Cool. Glad we cleared that up. The Cross-Contamination Special: We had a vegetarian in the group. He proceeded to cook her tofu directly in the steak juice. Truly a "chef's kiss" moment if you hate your customers. The Doneness (or lack thereof): The salmon was basically still swimming (raw), and the scallops were charred and tasted like fire and brimstone. The Mussels: I grabbed a side of green mussels. They were... fine? I've had much better elsewhere in town, but they were the Olympic gold medalists of my meal by default. The Silver Lining? The Sake. It came in a take-home glass, was incredibly easy to drink, and was 100% necessary to get through the rest of the experience. I can't speak for the sushi, but if it's handled with the same "I don't want to be here" energy as the teppanyaki, I'd stay far, far away. Two stars only because the hostess was nice and the Sake did its job.

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TORO Hibachi & Sushi
TORO Hibachi & Sushi - Chicken (5 oz.) Hibachi

Chicken (5 oz.) Hibachi

TORO Hibachi & Sushi - The hot water.

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The hot water.

Sama Zama - japanese - Updated May 2026

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