Kisaku

06/11/09

Kisaku is awesome

by sarah94 at Citysearch

Kisaku is amazing. I've gone at least once a week since it opened. I highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar. Nakano-san and Shimi always come up with really creative things, and all the food is always amazing. Take a minute to ask what's fresh, what's in season, and what you just absolutely must try. Definitely take their suggestions and be adventurous.

Oysters on half shells are a must to begin the meal, and if Aji Tataki is up on the specials board, you're in for a treat. In terms of cooked food, the tofu dengaku (fried tofu in red miso sauce) is sublime, and they the best calamari I have ever had in the country, no joke.

Also, either make reservations or come at less crowded times (it's easier to get in earlier, especially on week days).

• Pros: Great fresh fish. Great entrees. Great desserts.
• Cons: Parking can be annoying if your new to the neighborhood.

10/28/08

Great Variety

by iluvrain at Citysearch

I have been to Kisaku a few times now and every experience is different. There is always a great variety of fresh seafood and the servers are very knowledgeable about the menu. I was a bit of a novice on my first visit and I was directed towards a few simple rolls that I really enjoyed. Be careful because it can get busy at times!

10/08/08

Best sushi north of the bridges

by montyhouse at Citysearch

Okay, I'll admit it, Kisaku isn't the "quickest" restaurant around. (That's the only reason I didn't give a full 5 stars.) You might have to wait for a table, but there's a reason for that, and that reason is because people know good sushi when they find it, and nobody wants to leave. If you're looking for some fast-food style, grab-n-go sushi, then get out of the way, head on down to Blue-C or some other "joint" and grab some hour-old fish off the fish train.

BUT - If you're prepared to enjoy some sushi like a gentleman (or lady, as the case may be), then Kisaku is a fine choice. There's hustle, there's bustle, there's an energy present, and the fish is prepared with care and presented with flourish. On the rare occasions that it's calm, there is a quiet, refined elegance to the interior, but when it's busy (as it often is), there is a kinetic feeling to Kisaku that makes the dining experience contagiously exciting. Itadakimasu!

• Pros: Fine, fresh fish, contagious energy
• Cons: Yeah, yeah, yeah, long waits sometimes.

08/07/08

More like Ki-suck-u

by BolivianPrince99 at Citysearch

I have been to this restaurant three times, but only eaten there once. Why? Because the last two times I've been there, it's taken 5-10 minutes just to be acknowledged by the host, who is too busy working the phones to talk to the actual customers in the restaurant. After finally talking to us, the wait for a table (the first time) was too long and we went elsewhere. Last night, we'd planned ahead and made a reservation. We arrived at our appointed time, and after waiting the mandatory 5 minutes to get the host's attention, she told us that, although there were two open seats at the sushi bar (where we'd reserved spots), those open seats were being held for someone arriving 15 minutes later, and that we'd have to wait for the seats they'd allocated to us, which were still occupied.

Don't reward this kind of stupidity and bad service. I admit that their food is good; that's why I gave them a second chance. I won't make that mistake again.

• Pros: Good food
• Cons: Horrendous service

05/02/08

Sushi? No.

by koagari at Citysearch

Disappointed. I was a fan of this restaurant but last night I went there with a group of mix Japanese and Americans, the sushi they served was worse than Kaiten sushi. Fish was king of old.

But when I passed some Japanese people sitting at the counter, the sushi they are eating looks very good.

Does this happen because we were a big group? Or they though we were all Americans who do not know the difference of best sushi and so-so sushi. The service was great and so was the desert though.

• Pros: atomosphere
• Cons: parking