Review Kinkaku Izakaya - Kitchener

I went out for lunch here. It was easy to get a table and the staff were quick and helpful (specially Summer).They had solid Sushi and Appetizer options and decent prices. I generally liked the food and would recommend. The atmosphere inside the restaurant is quite nice too.

Was excited to try this sushi place in Waterloo - the sushi is very fresh and delicious. We ordered on a paper that the server brought back to the kitchen, but the service was relatively quick. It is a bit expensive (price includes gratuity and tips) but would come back as the sushi was very fresh and great filling-rice ratios. Also was the first time trying the fried mars bar which was very tasty. There is a time limit so make sure to come on time to make the most of your experience!

Waterloo has some hidden sushi places. I would rate Kinkaku one of the top spots for sushi in Waterloo. Make sure to get there early cause there is usually a wait time, but I lucked out with no wait time. It’s an AYCE place but kinda expensive. It’s worth it though . We got a variety like Godzilla Roll, Ebimayo, Cruch Dragon Roll, Iazkaya Roll etc. Everything was FRESH. I loved the Spanish style pan fried shrimp with the grilled onions. Had a lot of flavour. Their service was fast and all the tables have a time limit of 90mins. One thing to keep in mind is you cannot waste food here or else they will remind you and charge you wastage fee. Overall great customer service, ambience and quality. Would definitely come back.

Typical all you can eat restaurant with more specialty rolls than usual but nothing that will differ them from other all you can eat places. On a week day the price of dinner was $38 plus gratuity and tax that was very expensive for mid week dining! They were also out of Melona Bars which was very disappointing!

Kinkaku Izakaya has been one of my favorite restaurants in Kitchener since it opened. service has always been amazing, along with the fact that the food is just spectacular. All the fish is amazingly fresh and delicious. If you want something other then fish they have plenty of delectable beef dishes too. 9.5 out of 10 easily.

been my favourite restaurant for years now. glad its open again post mandates!! food is great, fish and meat is always fresh and perfectly done. went to AYCE and all of our dishes were brought within 5 minutes of ordering!! one thing im upset about though is that prices went up a lot and theres an automatic 15% tip.. could use a bit of fixing on the inside of the restaurant, maybe putting some kind of curtain or coverage around kitchen because you could always see dishes and boxes and some garbage if you sit in the booths; as well as fixing the walls between booths instead of just having them covered with a big plastic sheet but i understand that can be tough after being closed for a little while. still a great experience and worth the prices, especially AYCE. :)))

Came to Kinkaku after more than a year and unfortunately it seems like their quality and service has deteriorated. The sushi rolls we ordered was average and there was nothing special about it. The Rolls did not taste fresh like they used to. We would love to come to Kinkaku but over the years seems like while their prices have increased, their quality and service has dropped. We had 2 servers come to take our orders that created confusion between them which caused us to consistently repeat our orders. They have also increased the price for Lunch and have reduced the seating time to 75 minutes which is way less than other AYCE restaurants. They have also removed ice cream as a desert from the lunch menu which we found surprising since their mango ice cream used to be delicious. All in all, Kinkaku has now become an average AYCE joint and does not hold the glory it did before.

Today is the first day of the year, I went this place for lunch and I had a really bad experience because of the service they provided. We ordered this much food(see picture down below) and we finished most of them, only 4 pieces of sushi have left in the plate and we thought we are ready for bill(but we are literally still eating) then we asked one of the servers for the bill, and she starts to educating us: “You guys shouldn’t left this much food, but since today is the first day of the year, we won’t charge you guys, but remember next time we will charge you.” I’ve been to many sushi restaurants. Even I’ve worked at a sushi buffet place before for more than one year, I totally know in what situation a restaurant needs to do the extra charge thing. Plus, today is the first day of the year, we were forced to pay a 15% tip. We still have to pay 15% tips for the bad experience. I WILL NEVER COME BACK TO THIS PLACE AGAIN🥳

#fun

One of the better ‘all you can eat’ in the area. They serve different kinds of japanese foods and they’re all taste ok. Their hand rolls and cheese dumpling are must orders.

Ambience is perfect, food is very good, only downside is long wait time, overall fantastic restaurant. Certainly if you have the time, try it out.

The food was good, as expected (with one exception). The service was also good. The handicapped washroom was well executed and the price was comparable to sushi places in Toronto. We were here for ACE lunch. Unlike what you would expect the handrolls and nigiri were not overly loaded with rice. Yes, the amount of fish per sushi was small but so was the ball of rice. All in all a decent lunch. Here is where they fail miserably: California Roll. We order this roll everywhere we go not only because we like it but because it is a good barometer of the skill of the chef. The sad part about this is that it was a skillfully executed roll. The layer of rice was very thin, there was ample crab and avocado but... the failure was the cucumber. Instead of the usual crisp crunch of a cool cut of cucumber what I go was a tree like cluster of julienned cucumber skins. Please refer to the picture. There was not a shred of cucumber meat anywhere to be found. The resulting sensation was not at all palatable. The skins completely ruined the texture profile of the dish and I could only think that they had some peels they wanted to get rid of so they unloaded them on us. I will go back there again if I am ever in Kitchener but I will return any California Roll that comes to me looking like this.

This is hands down the best sushi restaraunt I have been to, even beats places in Toronto. First, dont let the price scare you. Its about 4 to 5 dollars more per person than other choices in kw but more than worth it. The shashimi was very fresh, rolls well put together with great flavour combos, delicious desert options. The service was excellent, Scott was our waitor and he did an amazing job.

For KW this is good ayce sushi. But we will not be returning it is not worth the wait or price or the ridiculous pricing requirements they have on kids! Even on weeknights we have had to wait an average of 45mins to over an hour for a table. They do not take reservations for under 6 people. My ratings for this place used to be higher but with the transfer of ownership we have noticed a decline in the service and some other areas. We have noticed some menu changes after the ownership switched hands, for example there is one thing that really stood out- in terms of kids pricing, their requirements is for you to be under 12 years of age AND have to be under the height of 42 inches. My sister is 11 and she is 59inches and she is considered to be on the shorter side in her class. So this height requirement seems to be a little unreasonable. When asked why there is a height requirement, the girl at the front desk told us rudely because the taller you are, the more you eat. This seems like a far stretch especially since my sister is only 80 pounds. I think it would make a little more sense to have it by weight requirement instead of height? (And yes they measure your height! ) Kids pricing really should just be based on age in my opinion. It almost feels like we were being punished for having a taller sibling. And if you have a newborn, who is purely breastfed, according to their pricing you will be charged $4.99+tax for just bringing the baby to the restaurant!

I would rate this place lower if I could. The Sushi is acceptable but not worth the wait or price. This place tops the list as having the THE RUDEST SERVICE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. We will never be returning.

Went there ytd at around 5:45 ?? And we had to wait 20 mins to get a table !! Its crazy !! But the food is actually pretty good ~ i saw that they had a cheese strawberry roll ... At first i just order it for fun ... But its actually pretty good :) i love that they had butter corn and the fried...

Best sushi in KW that I have had, quite expensive (but worth it) compared to other all you can eat and also extremely busy. Carpaccio is excellent, fish quality is consistently better than other places and their sides are delicious (korean squid, mushrooms). Overall very good

Kinkaku Izakaya was my first ever experience at an all you can eat Sushi place. After a very long time I had an exceptional dining experience where quality of food and service were of great standards.<br/>The wait staff were fun and hard working at the same time. We were a party of 5 and upon arrival we got a table which was a bit tight. So we asked for a booth, to which the server replied that the people already seated there may take another 20 mins. At that time we were so hungry that we decided to stick to our table.<br/>Our server was persistent and wouldn't give up till we were seated comfortably in the booth we'd asked for earlier.<br/>Rightly so after 20 mins we got the booth we wanted and realized it was well worth the wait to be seated comfortably rather than shrugging shoulders with one another.<br/>The service was prompt and efficient from the time we placed the order.<br/>I highly recommend:<br/>1. Salmon carpaccio<br/>2. Ebimayo(tiger shrimp)<br/>3. Short ribs<br/>4. Grilled pork cheek<br/>5. Spicy salmon roll<br/><br/>We were eating like crazy and by the end of it we ended our feast with green tea ice cream, creme brûlée and fried mars bars.<br/><br/>I urge every foodie with a Japanese palate to please try them and you will be amazed on how awesome the food is at Kinkaku Izakaya.<br/><br/>Great job team. I'll be back soon.

The wait for this place on a Friday dinner time is long. Expect to be waiting an hour at least or more, but the wait is worth it. Once you're seared, food comes hastily and is well prepared. He staff are helpful and friendly. Definitely would recommend this place, and its one of the better sushi place in town.

Service: Kind and Helpful<br/>Atmosphere: Busy and lively<br/><br/>Food: Fresh and delightful<br/><br/>Would return? Yes<br/><br/>Was on the look out for a new sushi place outside of our usual place and was recommended this one by a friend. They said it was the best all you can eat sushi in the Kitchener/Waterloo and they were not wrong.<br/><br/>Now there is a time limit on how long you have to eat; we had an hour and forty five minutes to eat. I have heard and read that this is one of the major issues people have with this place, but honestly who needs more than that to enjoy their dinner? If you are looking for a place to lounge then this isn't going to be your place anyway.<br/><br/>We were greeted by friendly staff and after a short wait were shown to a seat. The establishment was sparsely decorated, with soft lighting, which suited the place well. The tables are close together and you can hear most other tables, but that becomes dull background noise quickly. There is an open kitchen where you can see everything being made and the staff is buzzing from table to table, making sure everyone gets the most out of their time. <br/><br/>If it was your first time at Kinakaku Izakaya or even your first time eating sushi the people there are very helpful. They inquired right away with what we are feeling like and provide some insight into the menu. They were also quick to point out some unique options on their menu. The Karaage (fried chicken thighs) with it's spicy dipping sauce deserves special note, as they were tender and juicy. <br/><br/>I would definitely recommend any of the signature rolls as they are like the standard rolls with just a little something extra. Actually on the note of the rolls and sushi I have to say these were the best tasting I have ever had and while most places pack on the rice Kinkaku uses it just as a serving device. Oh and for dessert deep fried mars bar. They are so good. So good.<br/><br/>Overall the meal was great but was a bit on the pricey side. Best sushi? Yes, but not that much better than most other places in the Ktichener/Waterloo. I would recommend everyone try it and hey if someone is visiting and is big into sushi then bring them here.

Absolutely fantastic sushi restaurant. All the ingredients are fresh and the food tastes fantastic. <br/><br/>However beware the every rising price, it is HIGHLY outrageous and the overwhelmingly rude comments regarding tips are ever present.

Quality of sushi and other menu items is excellent, but lunch selection is frankly disappointing compared to other options in KW. No dragon rolls or eel sushi for example.<br/><br/>Dinner is a much better value, and dessert options at dinner are fantastic. However the price is high compared to other options in the area.<br/><br/>The decor and atmosphere is hip but capacity is low, and they won't reserve tables for 5.

Great - no beating around the bush. Nicer, busier, and tastier than most. The servers take your order verbally instead of filling out a notecard. The calamari is top notch. It is also much nicer than most KW AYCE sushi venues. Take a gander. Try the seaweed salad. Enjoy!

More Expensive, But Better Quality ACYE. I've been to almost every AYCE sushi restaurant in the waterloo-kitchener area, and they each have their different strengths. Kinkaku Izakaya is among my favourites.<br/><br/>The quality of the food is amazing for AYCE. The sushi rolls are delicious and well presented. The beef skewers are practically steak skewers, rather than the cheaper variants you see elsewhere. When we first went there, we were surprised by how good the quality was. The one dip in quality we noticed was that the sashimi were too cold, and sometimes partially frozen.<br/><br/>The diversity of food on the menu was also amazing. They had a number of items you can't get at other sushi restaurants - especially in the appetizers / entrees sections. We found ourselves ordering lots of takuyaki and other japanese dishes I don't remember the names of.<br/><br/>The cost of the quality and diversity of dishes is that the price is a bit more expensive than the average AYCE restaurant. In my opinion, it is worth the few extra dollars.<br/><br/>Highly recommended!

Never actually ate the food. We showed up at 6:30 on a Sunday. There were a group of four ahead of us so we asked how long the wait will be. The girl said 30 minutes. Ok, not too bad. After 50 minutes a group of 6 left. I asked how long and was told 15 to 20 minutes. Ridiculous. <br/>If they had told us it could be an hour we would have left but returned on another day. However, now I'll never go back.

Rude and will never return. Met a few friends for dinner here on a week night. The minute we had paid our bill, our server told us we had to leave as there were other people waiting to be seated. One of the women drove in from Toronto. We rarely get together and it had been a long while so we wanted to sit after dinner and catch up with one another. We spent $90.00 + tip and were there just over an hour. And then they asked us to leave immediately after collecting our money! I explained that our friend had driven in from Toronto and we had not seen one another. It didn't matter. <br/>We will never ever return here again! Would rather go to ye's as they've never asked us to leave.

Bad AYCE sushi. If you can't wait to drive back to Toronto to find a decent place to eat then I suggest you go down to Mr Sub. This is the best Kitchener can do?????

My three favourite things all in one place. Japanese food, all-you-can-eat and tapas. I know it's not a tapas restaurant but the way it's served is Tapas Style. This is absolutely, hands down, one of the best Japanese Restaurants in the area.<br/>A home run guys!!

Best AYCE sushi in town. Service and food are amazing. Décor is much better than anything else around (Ye's, Sushi 99, etc). If you eat at Kinkaku Izakaya and then go back to the other ACYE sushi places, you should be shot!

Far and Away the Best AYCE Sushi in KW. I have eaten at most of the ayce (all you can eat) sushi places in the Kitchener-Waterloo region and Kinkaku is the best around. The atmosphere in the restaurant is pleasant and visually stimulating. The staff are very friendly without being too in-your-face or pushy, they offer suggestions for dishes to suit your tastes and are knowledgeable in the menu. The menu is varied with lots of options for vegetarians. The sushi itself is beautiful and delicious. Since my first visit to Kinkaku in early July, I've been to a couple other sushi places and they can't compare to Kinkaku. Strongly, strongly recommend this to anyone that likes sushi.. Check this place out!!

Really Impressed. I stumbled upon Kinkaku on Foursquare and went to try it out. It completely surpassed my expectations for an AYCE place and, in my opinion, rivals Watami in presentation, atmosphere and quality. <br/><br/>We got there around 6:30 and were promptly greeted and seated. The interior is not only well decorated, it is also deceptively large compared to what it looks like on the outside. The lighting was bright enough that you could definitely see what you were eating, but not over bright or harsh. They had 3 types of seating : Bar, table and booth.<br/>Music was soft and jazzy. <br/><br/>But the real highlights were the food and service. Our servers were friendly, polite, and conscientious. Our main server would ask us if we needed anything, you know, not constantly, but enough that we didn't ever need to call her over. The other waitstaff would excuse themselves when interrupting our conversation to bring our order, and would come over with a pot of green tea to refill my friend's cup before he even realized he needed a refill. Every one was super nice, and not at all pushy; not once did we feel rushed. I'm still really impressed. <br/><br/>The food was fantastic. The rolls were a good size (not too small, not too big) and had a great ratio of filling to rice (not like other places that try and fill you up with rice and skimp on the filling), Everything tasted fresh and clean. I personally love eel, but I tend to skip it at most AYCE places because it often tastes of chlorine or tinny to me, but at Kinkaku it was well seasoned/sauced, a thick piece, and devoid of any weird chemical taste. It was really great. <br/><br/>Everyone on Foursquare had suggested getting the salmon carpaccio, so we did, and man, it's fantastic. The citrus-y sour ponzu sauce plays off of the salmon perfectly. I'd definitely have it again. The Korean style squid is also something I'd recommend. The sauce was spicy, but not the kind that burns the whole way down. It was a clean burn; it was there, and faded quickly with no ill effects. It also had a hint of sweetness that was nice. <br/><br/>The prices are standard AYCE amounts, <br/>Lunch: 12.99<br/>Dinner: 22.99<br/>(add two bucks for weekends and holidays)<br/><br/>I will definitely come back!

Best sushi ayce in KW. Definitely the best all you can eat sushi place in Kitchener-Waterloo! Salmon was a tad fatty, but wow it was fresh! My favourite before trying Izakaya was Itamae, but Izakaya beat it by a landslide. There were a bunch of things on the menu that aren't accessible in the area. For example the okonomiyaki (which was like an explosion of heavenly goodness in my mouth. Sooooo good!). The interior design is lovely, but wish it wasn't so dark. Service is awesome! Received nothing but smiles and kindess by the waitresses, and the welcoming "irasshaimase"s from the cooks. Overall, I'd rate this place a 10/10!

I was hesitant at first (as my roommate recommended this place) to think that this sushi restaurant would be worth a 20/25 min bus ride. However, after going there the first time, the second time and the third, fourth time.. it honestly beats all the rest in the area. Yes, Kinkaku Izakaya is the place! Located in front of the Kitchener City Hall, and a few minutes walk from the Charles Street Terminal. Their price is roughly $1 more than their competitors but TRUST it is well worth whatever you will be eating!

I’m going to start off this post by saying, this is the best ayce (all you can eat) sushi place I’ve ever been. The quality of the fish is always fresh, and the variety of items on their menu is so vast that it makes my head ache (I’m very, very indecisive.. so picking what I want to eat is always a challenge). To be honest, I haven’t been to many ayce (all you can eat) sushi places, but I do have standards. And this place definitely exceeds my expectations every time. In the last month, I’ve been at Kinkaku Izakaya three times; twice in one week. You could say I’m a regular there now :p. I’ve actually had the same server every time I’ve been there, haha. First thing I should mention about Kinkaku Izakaya is that it’s not cheap. Compared to their near by competitor, Itamae, they are around a dollar to three dollars more expensive. Kinkaku has recently raised their ayce weekday dinner prices from $22.99 to $24.99 which is the same price as their weekend dinner price. I

Waterloo is full of AYCE (all you can eat) Japanese restaurants, the majority of which serve primarily sushi. However, if you’re willing to spend a little more to get better quality food, definitely check out Kinkaku Izakaya, located across Kitchener City Hall. They only allow 1 hour and 45 mins of dining time, and they are very strict on this. We saw them informing tables that their time was up, and telling them to vacate the table and pay at the front. This may come across as off-putting to some, but I think it gives you enough time to eat to your heart’s content.

Kinakaku Izakaya opened its doors a month ago and we chanced upon it while driving through Downtown Kitchener . An izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are casual places for after-work drinking. “Izakaya” entered the English language by 1987.It is a compound word consisting of “ i ” ( to stay ) and “ sakaya ” ( sake shop ), indicating that izakaya originated from sake shops that allowed customers to sit on the premises to drink. An izakaya is basically a tapas restaurant, mea