As always, the food at Kenichi is fresh and delicious. It's one of our favorite places in Aspen, if you can get a reservation!
(4)
Joseph B.
Average sushi, nothing to rave about. Chef and staff were great. Love the kale salad...but still let and hungry after the sushi.
(2)
A H.
Outstanding - not cheap - lets say - "Aspen reasonable" - $50 a head w/ plenty of Sapporo. Highly recommend trying the Spicy Wok seared edamame - no need to ask if its 'really spicy?" - the answer is 'depends on who makes it tonight" - for 7 bucks, be adventurous - I thought it was outstanding. All rolls we had were great - super fresh and presented to perfection. They do serve 'unexpected' rolls - like the Bonzai tuna roll that is topped w/ strawberry slices (see picture above)- I personally prefer to get my fruit intake at Robeks Juice Bar - but, everyone else I was with thought it was great. Make reservations - especially during holiday periods.
(5)
Ryan Z.
Best sushi I've ever had. Cost on the other hand for our party of 11...$2K Unreal presentation, flavor, uniqueness, every detail was perfect. The corner room with the dug out floor is truly a must do. Bring and iPod and you can hook it up to play your playlist. This is by far the most extravagant service/meal I've ever experienced. I don't remember what the dish was called, but they have these heated stones that come out with all kinds of raw meats to cook on, kinda like a fondu place, that were out of this world. They also carry this sake that is amazing. Super pricey stuff, but ask the waiter to give you the story/background on how it's made and where it comes from. We tried almost damn near everything on the menu and couldn't complain or critique a thing. Would love to go back!
(5)
Paul H.
What's all the hype about? I think the sushi is OK and the music is good. Wait, must be the scene. It's Aspen; I forgot there needs to be an "it" place. Food: The sushi is good, but I have had much better. Anything fried is bad (old oil - bad, bad, bad). The sashimi was very good though. Drink: Wine menu is pretty good and eclectic. Prices were inflated, but that's everywhere. Ambiance: As you would expect of an "it" place - crowded, loud and full of self-entitled people...even on a Monday night. But the place is well designed, lighting is terrific, music decent. The bar is tight, but the bar dining is great (especially the "private" alcove if you're into feeling special). All in all, more scene than quality food. There are a couple other options in town that serve much better fish.
(2)
Sharon M.
not as good as Matsuhisa but more affordable.
(5)
Alex D.
There are three sushi restaurants in Aspen, and this by far ranks as my favorite. Go to the sushi bar, chat it up with the chefs, and tell them to send you whatever they think you would enjoy. You will not be disappointed. My favorites are the godzilla roll (not on the menu) and the sake (salmon) with goat cheese. Melty...
(5)
Christina E.
I was disappointed with my food. After all the great reviews.. my experience did not match the expectations. Udon was too soft. Sushi rice was to hard. The only thing I would agree with is the service was excellent, it was low key and relaxing, not cheap, and the spicy edamame was delicious.
(3)
KC W.
Excellent sushi. My husband and I had great sushi and Sapporo here. Reputed to be a locals hangout, we found the place to be low key and relaxing. I LOVED the spicy edamame. The sashimi was quite good, too.
(5)
Catherine A.
I ate at Kenichi with my family last week and loved the delicious food and great atmosphere. The sushi is extremely fresh and there are so many ridiculously tasty dishes like the yellowtail serrano, blue cheese tuna (might sound like a strange combination of favors but it's actually incredibly tasty) & dynamite lobster. Between those dishes and the combination of rolls and sashimi we ordered, the entire meal was top notch. Hunter, our server, was also exceptional. Knowledgable, attentive and friendly, from his strong recommendations to great attitude, he made our experience a very positive and memorable one. All-in-all, I'd highly recommend dining at Kenichi when in Aspen!
(5)
Kevin T.
Great staff and server, was able to find a table showing up an hour before my reservation. The sake, especially heated sake, selection was small and unreasonably priced, and the food had a serious wait behind it. The menu is absolutely massive, with ten to fifteen specials which made me feel fairly uncomfortable as I struggled to order quickly with my party, who all knew what they wanted prior. My waitress had 24 other people whom she was serving simultaneously, and did a remarklable job given the circumstances. The food did take quite a while and was nothing to rave about. The Keniche Special was my favorite dish of those I tried, however nothing was extraordinary. The prices were brutal for the quality of food, yet service made up for some of that. The creme brulee and mochi deserts were amazing, and I highly recommend them. Not quite the play to go for a traditional sushi dinner, and certainly no Matsu, but would be a nice spot for a casual meal with friends.
(3)
Sarah E.
This is an aspen must. My family goes every time we're in town. The spicy edamame is to die for. The sushi chefs know their fish and will talk to you about where they get it and what is freshest. Homemade wasabi is REALLY spicy but amazing if you like wasabi. Really good place for groups - back room where you sit on the ground with a pit hollowed under the table - comfortable but thematic.
(5)
Trooper S.
Visited this place because Takah Sushi was closed for the night. What a mistake. Walking in, we we're overcome by a loud, rude bartender (male). We asked to be seated away from the bar (we are 30 mind you and it was still too loud). The server we had was very cold and inattentive. The food was just ok but pricey for the abrupt atmosphere. Our dinner kept getting interrupted by the loud guests doing shots with the sushi chefs. I should have taken other yelpers advice and stayed away. Go to Takah Sushi instead!
(1)
Linda K.
I've had better sushi at home in LA at our local Asian grocery store. No kidding! The sashimi was average but the sushi rice didnt't even come close to the real thing! We've been coming to Aspen for years but I won't be coming back to Kenichi!
(1)
cath g.
What a shame this place "was" sooo good. They have lost their way, best wishes for recovery! Last night hostess gave away our table then waiter was fake nice/hostel like it was our fault. Sashimi was the only good thing oh and the bartender was excellent. Think perhaps they tried to book too many tables? The head sushi chef seemed to be trying but manager was not engaged with clientele. We were really treated poorly and they did not seem to care. DO NOT RISK GOING HERE! Many other wonderful restaurants in Aspen to enjoy. Oh and the bald hostel waiter needs Listerine!!!
(1)
Monica K.
The ABSOLUTE WORST SERVICE EVER!! We spent 40 minutes waiting for a server to take our drink order. It's a Sunday night and the restaurant is half empty. We waited and waited for food that never came! Our server was nowhere to be seen, and the manager -Amber was NOT helpful and tried to fight with us about the horrendous service we had!
(1)
Karyn W.
Terrible service, food, ambiance. What a joke! The American sushi chefs wore tiny pony tails on the crown of their heads with pokadot bandanas - why?! TINY portions and HUGE bill. The hostesses were more like high school cheerleader rejects.
(1)
Alex W.
This is the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to. You would think that is a bold statement since it's in the middle of the country and how can it be as fresh as a coastal city? But coming from someone who travels all over the country every week, this blows LA, NYC, and even Seattle out of the water. The menu features a blend of trendy unique dishes and traditional, and every single item was "mmmh" worthy. Some dishes we even ordered seconds! Highly recommend to a foodie visiting Aspen.
(5)
Levente N.
I would rather eat sushi from a gas station, then to go back here again!! This place is a joke!! Don't let the nice decor fool you!!
(1)
David M.
.
(5)
Erin B.
Your meal will not come cheaply, but it will be memorable. We enjoyed a wide selection of small bites (must try: black cod; kobe hot rock; and yellowtail serrano). The flavors are well balanced, and though you do not get more than a few bites of any one item, every item is memorable. We sat in a table tucked in a corner, which was very enjoyable. I cannot comment on the sushi bar itself, but the ambiance overall is enjoyable.
(5)
Zach G.
Great rolls and an excellent place for a quick dinner before. Great bar selection. The specialty rolls are awesome and well worth the price.
(5)
Manal Y.
I wouldn't go here for sushi. Lots of other good places in town and service here is mediocre, timing of food delivery is off and it's overpriced for the quality. That said, seems like a cool place to grab a drink.
(1)
John B.
Do you enjoy overpaying for food served by smug, condescending and pushy waitstaff? Do you like to wait in an overcrowded entryway filled with angry customers for half an hour or more to be seated even when you have a reservation? Would you welcome the chance to pay $48 (one of the more "reasonably" priced entrees, by the way ....) for a rack of lamb that's actually the smallest double chop -- weighing in around 4 ounces and sliced up into 1/16th of an inch thick pieces -- you've ever seen? If so, then Kenichi (known to Aspen locals as "A-Hun-Eachie") is the place for you. My view of this restaurant is not based on one visit --- though my most recent dinner there was the straw that broke the camel's back. Rather, it is based on multiple visits over the past 10 years, in which I have experienced all of the things mentioned above. Can the food be great? Yes. That's why -- at least for a while -- many customers, like me, will overlook the surly service, inflated prices and laughably small portions. But, eventually, the bad overcomes the good. In fact, on this last visit -- a Saturday evening in the middle of Christmas week -- there were many vacant tables. Maybe people are catching on .... If you're in Aspen and have to have sushi, go to Matsuhisa. You'll spend the same $, but leave feeling valued as a customer rather than the victim of a sushi bar mugging.
(2)
andrea b.
Rudest bartender Ross that we have ever experienced- and we travel 150+ nights globally- so arrogant and condescending. Table service was OK, but the upsell for $45 for 3 bites of food on a hot rock...really? Sashimi orders are very tiny too. We will not return. Nobu is more cost effective believe it or not!
(2)
CK P.
Are you SERIOUS? We had dinner there last night and I have to say that the food was AWFUL! The sushi was not fresh at all. We had toro (marketed from New Zealand) that was like rubber. The other raw fish was not good either. They did not get order right a number of times. Luke warm miso soup. Yakisoba that was overcooked and when we asked if they could make with al dente noodles, they said that all the noodles were like that. The rolls were edible, but nothing special. The service was OK, but the sushi chefs could not make it dishwashers at a real sushi bar. They were more interested in drinking with customers than making edible sushi. The interior is nice, but does not make up for the extremely sub par food. Save your time and $ and go somewhere else.
(1)
Steven M.
I am sitting here at kenichi waiting for the food for two out of the four in our party. The appetizers were quite good, though pricey. The gyoza were done well, but $17. For high end $$$$ Japanese food, both the food quality and the service should be impeccable. It took them 20 minutes after they delivered two dishes to deliver three sushi rolls. Incredibly awkward for the people staring at their food cooling. We won't be back.
(2)
Tanya G.
I went to Kenichi to celebrate a friend's birthday, we had a large party and sat in the bar area. Usually when you are with a large party it's hard to get good service. Our waitress Tracy was awesome and kept our table supplied with food and drinks at all times. The ambience was great and the food even better. I have never had oysters on the half shell that tasted so good.
(5)
Greer B.
Love Kenichi. The black cod is amazing. My son always requests Kenichi when we are in the sushi mood. The staff and owner always greet us and are friendly and attentive. Definitely a restaurant you will want to visit on your trip to Aspen.
(5)
Andrew R.
Waited over an hour for a table even though we had a reservation. Food was ok.
(2)
abigail y.
Ughh...so terribly disappointed. Rolls were stuffed with entirely way too much rice, and very little fish. And perhaps fish from days ago? Bland flavors which honestly made us worried about the quality. We wanted to go big by asking for the chef's choice for the night. Maybe he was not working...which led us all believe we could have gotten better sushi at the local grocery for 90 percent less. Sorry Aspen, Nebraska has better sushi choices than this. More encouraging is the great ambience, and super cool bar.
(1)
Luis G.
Kenichi. Whew. We had the privilege of sampling this restaurant along with our Aspen food tour during the summer. We got to meet the chefs, they made us special dishes, my oh my it was amazing. So amazing, we came back and made it our last dinner in Aspen before we headed home. Kenichi offers a fine dining experience. The sushi rollls are carefully crafted, the rice is pillowy perfect, the ingredients are fresh, and the flavors just pop. What makes this restaurant special is the balance between bold and light flavors that makes everything just right. Service was awesome too. It makes this review difficult, because this restaurant still doesn't match the best sushi I've ever had but it's darn close. Also they could benefit from a better music selection. Dancehall does NOT pair well with fine dining, and especially Japanese fine dining. This is not casual so be prepared for a nice hefty bill, and if you want, indulge on their impressive and delicious sake which was specifically formulated for the restaurant in Japan. $90 a bottle. Great experience, awesome food. Can't go wrong with Kenichi.
(4)
Tim O.
It's always interesting to find great seafood in the mountains! We had a wonderful dinner - the himachi sashimi was especially good. Flawless service - innovative menu - yes it is expensive - but fresh fish in Aspen has to be a challenge.
(5)
Andy K.
Simply put find another place for sushi! Came here on a Saturday night in September. 9pm and only 3 tables filled. Took over an hour for the sushi and never got the pot stickers we ordered. Manager came by and comped the entire meal as they should but the food wasn't even worth eating. Don't go here.
(1)
Haley S.
Amazing!! Such a nice staff and the food was great. The sushi is a little ricey but it was so much better than matsushya. Go here!! Awesome place. Might go back today for a spicy tuna handroll.
(4)
Karen M.
Went to Kenichi last night for dinner and was nervous not to eat at the bar having had a bad experience in the past. I'm pleased to say that they have redeemed themselves in my mind. Service was great and so was the food. While extremely busy for New Years eve, we were given special attention and even ordered some items not on the menu and were accommodated by the Sushi chef. The quality of the fish was outstanding and were treated like rock stars even with our children. Thanks Kenichi!
(5)
Amanda K.
Excellent fish (even this far from an ocean) and some delicious composed dishes too. The sushi chefs were super nice so I recommend sitting at the bar. Loved the tuna tacos - spicy seared ahi with greens and a house sauce inside taco shells. Another standout was a dish of cubed tuna, avocado, cucumber, seaweed and a delicate dressing. These really started us out on the right foot. We enjoyed some fresh yellowtail sashimi as well as an interesting unagi roll dressed with thinly sliced avocado and strawberry - a good dessert. I admit I'm not a big fan of most rolls and these did not sway me otherwise. So next time I'd stick with the sashimi and dishes. But this place was a very pleasant surprise.
(4)
Richard S.
If you want average sushi but a cool scene, Kenechi is your place! Way too much rice vs. fish in the rolls, always have to watch that ratio. Find something better in Aspen, seriously.
(2)
Natalie G.
Kenichi is a great place if you want a lot of fun with really tasty sushi. The menu is extensive and all the different rolls and sashimi styles are creative and delicious. Sit at the bar if you can with the tall handsome bartender, he is hilarious and has great food suggestions paired with some good laughs.
(5)
Nicholas W.
Meh. Shishito Peppers are one of my favorite things, here- they were awful. Edamame was undercooked. Sushi was disappointing. The fish quality seemed to be good, although the rolls themselves were too full of rice (and packed to tight). The fresh Wasabi was AMAZING and I will never go back to the other "Green Stuff" Lastly- they add a 10% labor fee to your bill- I didn't catch this until the next day, so ended up tipping 32+ %
(2)
Ashley B.
This is the best sushi we have ever had. We didn't realize it at the time- but after our Tokyo honeymoon and a trip to the much-raved Sushi Den, we're settled that Kenichi is the best we've had hands down. I say definitely go to the sushi bar- our sushi chef was incredibly attentive and gave us free sashimi, (which was very tasty). They also made the best (and biggest) spider roll my husband has ever had. I will say our actual waitress wasn't very good, but she wasn't actually giving us anything as we didn't order any hot food. I wouldn't say it is as expensive as some have said, but I don't think we drank while we were there. I think it was under $50 for both of us.
(5)
Ryan C.
Upon arrival the atmosphere was what was expected. After the third bumbling server came to ask if we had heard about the specials I knew we were in trouble. They seemed uninterested in our table and the three servers helping us seemed to all leave us in their rear view mirror. No one asked how our food was once it came out or even brought a knife to cut our steaks. We waited 10 minutes for a fork and knife. Upon cutting into the Wagyu filet I had ordered I realized it was so far overcooked I had to ask for it cooked again to medium rare! This took 25 minutes. Not one apology or even server come offer to fill our drinks. Inconsistently cut sushi and plate presentations between my steaks. I have not been this disappointed in a restaurants overall performance in a while. You can definitely spend your money and time better elsewhere in Aspen.
(2)
Christine L.
Wow, not sure where these other reviewers have had sushi. This place was awful, especially considering the price. There was way too much rice in the rolls and the nigiri, and the rice wasn't cooked right on top of that. It was definitely too mushy. I have no complaints about the fish, though the crab in the Spider roll could've been meatier. The Komodo roll was just a bad combination. The calamari was the type sliced thick from a large squid, and the texture was way off, being a bit dry and grainy. Some pieces were also ridiculously chewy. We also had the Dynamite Shrimp which was the only thing I'd want to order again. But it was not enough to save this review. Besides the food quality, the timing of the dishes was way off. Typically one receives the rolls and nigiri altogether. We got our nigiri first, and then we had to wait about 10 min for our rolls. Lastly the loud music is annoying as well as the lighting.
(1)
Ashley B.
I don't get the rave reviews for this place. The sushi was ok. They have interesting options. Although, the price does not equal the quality. The wine list for such a high end place was a major disappointment. The service was fine, minus the sushi chief forgetting one of my rolls ... we sat at the sushi bar which was way to mushed together. If you want people watching then this place is pretty good, you are going to see some characters. My mom and I had a pretty good laugh in that respect. All and all, I would not go back. Give me a good NYC hole in the wall sushi place over Kenichi any day!
(2)
Colleen P.
Yup, loved this place. Everything about it was great. My only complaint is that when I went back to get the spring rolls I had been craving, they didn't have them on the menu, and couldn't make them. We did a late night here, no sushi. Food was all excellent, service was mediocre, which seems to be on par for Aspen in the summer. Overall, my favorite place to eat in Aspen.
(5)
A S.
I loved this place. We got here late one night. I say "late" because everything closes so early in Aspen. I think it was around 11pm or so. We sat at the sushi bar. The manager came to say hello and gave us some sake on the house. He did a shot with us! Besides choosing a couple of things, we let one of the chefs prepare whatever he wanted for us. Everything was delicious, fresh, original and beautifully presented. The music was loud, yeah, but it was decent rock&roll/lite heavy metal (except a couple of nasty hip hop songs). We really enjoyed this place. I totally recommend it.
(4)
nini t.
Don't let the loud music and "scene" fool you. This place has incredibly fresh, delicious sushi, backed by an executive sushi chef that knows what he's doing. My bf was hesitant to try this place because of the blasting music as we approached the restaurant. It was a Monday night and we had just finished watching a movie at the Wheeler Opera House. Snow was falling and we were hungry. Kenichi was packed at around 9:30pm. The hostess told us it'd be about a 10-15 minute wait, so we passed the time watching the Olympics on one of their many tv screens. We prefer the sushi bar and that's where we were seated. Upon glancing at the menu, I observed that the prices were on par with Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in NY. We weren't planning on dropping a couple hundred dollars for this meal, so we ordered very minimally. We opted for the special salmon of the day, asking our chef for sashimi style. He kept asking us if we wanted a special sauce. A little annoyed, I blurted back that I just wanted to taste the freshness of the fish. It was fresh all right, and very tasty. Little did I realize who I was giving attitude to. We happened to be seated in front of their executive sushi chef, Kiyomi Sano, who not only forgave me for my ignorance, but went out of his way to provide us with one of the most incredible sushi experiences we've ever had. If you enjoy sushi, here's my advice to you: head straight for the sushi bar and keep your fingers crossed that you get seated by Kiyomi San's station. Don't bother ordering. Trust the man to serve you with the most incredible sushi you've ever eaten. When Jeff and I finally caught on to the talent of our chef, we asked him to recommend us something. We decided on hamachi and what followed was the most delicious yellowtail I've ever eaten. I was mesmerized watching him prepare it. He sprinkled some spices, then shaved on some fresh salt, followed by searing with the blowtorch. I was in sashimi heaven. I just popped a piece in my mouth, closed my eyes, and chewed to my heart's content. Kiyomi San was also very generous with giving us little samples of goodness. He educated us on eating the shredded daikon that usually accompanies a sashimi dish, saying how healthy and nutritious it is, so it shouldn't be wasted. Like eager students, we listened and learned. By the end of the night, we befriended a few of the chefs behind the counter. My bf and i were offered flowers, I couldn't stop laughing, and Jeff and I agreed we'd go back for omakase. You can see what fun chefs Kiyomi San and his team are by looking at one of my photos. They clap, they dance and they serve up the most exquisite sushi. Our meal ended up being about $60 a person.....a deal for how full and entertained I was.
(5)
Robyn B.
We started with a few appetizers, shrimp and spicy edamame and they were so good we were all excited for our entrees. Sadly they didn't live up to the appetizers. 3 of us split several sushi rolls and they were just ok compared to other sushi rolls I've had in the past. As another reviewer stated they were mostly rice and very little fish that wasn't the best quality. Another person in our party tried the scallops that you cook on a stone. The stone didn't come out hot enough to really do much to the scallops and they didn't have much flavor. They were served with a salt that no one at the table liked. The atmosphere is very cool and the appetizers were good so I would say stop in for some drinks and apps.
(2)
Ross P.
Kenichi is absolutely amazing! The food was fantastic and the service was unparalleled. Brady and Ross were awesome. I can't wait to go back tomorrow night!
(5)
Aman S.
A regular staple of mine every time I am in Aspen. The dynamite lobster is to die for and it melst in your mouth. The nigori pearl is good too. They need to get sparkling sake though....
(4)
Cheryl C.
I'm not the biggest raw fish fan but Kenichi may have permanently transformed me into a sushi lover! We were seated immediately and the service and ambience were phenomenal. Two of the chefs even came to our table. We sampled most of everything and absolutely nothing disappointed. The dumplings, rolls, seafood, meats, desserts and sake were all exceptional. Even our small children loved it. Yum, yum, yum!
(5)
Johanna K.
one of my favorite sushi restaurants. ever. their food is amazing, sushi is scary fresh considering we're tucked away in the rocky mountains. the only reason they get four instead of five stars is I have had shoddy service here. if someone famous is dinning consider yourself lucky to even get your waters refilled. they ruined my birthday one year with that noise. my birthday dinner was a complete disaster and I was super bummed but this kind of service happens say, one out of every 15 visits ( I said this place was one of my favorites, right?) its just unfortunate that the worst service I ever had there was on my 29th birthday this year. boo hoo.
(4)
Mark K.
Our favorite sushi spot in Aspen. Better service and value than Matsuhisa. The spice edamame are worth trying. Reservations are a must as it does it busy.
(5)
Vincent J.
Sushi was good. The fish was fresh. I felt the rolls were lacking. Maybe we ordered the wrong ones.
(3)
Erin P.
We were in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic and met the owner at a bar, and he told us about his restaurant. I loooove sushi so I was all about it! This was a great restaurant, and we loved the fresh wasabi. You have to try it! We sat at the sushi bar and were entertained by the chefs. Great food and great ambiance!
(5)
Robert H.
Update 6/2012: I'm downgrading Kenichi two stars based on my last visit there (and it probably will be my last, literally). I regret recommending it to so many people. On this visit, the waitress substantially overcharged me for TWO items -- one of them I was charged TRIPLE what the correct price was. When I pointed these costly "mistakes" out to her, she didn't even give a very sincere apology. In general the service was a bit arrogant and not nearly as good as it used to be. When I told some locals about my experience, no one was surprised. Apparently this place is known for overcharging and aggressively up-selling. Too bad their management and attitude is so poor, because the food is still pretty good. --------- Sophisticated atmosphere since the extensive remodeling. Service was excellent, food was very good, but I did not try a wide variety of items. I especially liked the different types of seaweed salad available and the availability of fresh, un-dyed ginger as an option.
(2)
Matthew T.
We were in Aspen for the 4th of July and decided to make a reservation for 10 people at Kinichi. We were also celebrating a birthday and we let the staff know when we sat down. A few of us orders apps and about 40 min later people started receiving their entree's and the apps were no where to be found. When I asked the server (short blondish hair, English maybe) what the status of the the apps was he said "Im sorry I got carried away with the drink orders." Well this was confusing because most of us had already ordered drinks and paid at the bar, and he had staff delivering all the drinks. Any how 20 min later the apps were served to the wrong side of the table, so it took another 15 min to get another order of apps out. When I expressed my frustration to the waiter, he simply said I'm sorry and walked off. I have a great appreciation for servers, however my experience here left me with feeling that Kinichi really doesn't care about their customers, at least not us. Because of the service I received I left a smaller tip than normal and when we were walking out of the restaurant I saw our same server reading the bill and complaining to his staff (I'm assuming about the tip). I decided to go back to the restaurant, gave the server an additional $50 and let him know that I have dined her many times never had an experience like this... He could have cared less and barely even looked at me. I have been eating sushi in Aspen for 20 years (Usually at Taka Sushi which is now closed), and never experienced service like this. I went to Kinichi because two of the Sushi chefs that left Taka ended up at Kinichi. In the end, I was disappointed. If I eat here again I hope to have a different experience.
(2)
Briana T.
My boyfriend and are big sushi fans so we search for the best places wherever we go. Most of the places we have gone to are in NYC (we have tried several) since I go to school there so we have pretty high standards. We have spent 2 summers in Aspen for the music festival and agree that Kenichi is the best place we have been to! Perhaps we know how to order, but the rolls we have gotten are incredible. It is quite expensive, probably because they ship in fresh fish, so I recommend it for special occasions.
(5)
Cecile S.
We were looking forward to dining here during our stay in snowmass. We had our reservation made and even got there a little early. When the time for our reservation came and went we asked the hostess what was going on? She said what do you expect it's the holidays! Wow what an answer. They gave us the option to sit at the bar and wait which I guess is ok if we didn't have 6 children with us. They offered us a few free appetizers which was generous. Now our table is ready things are looking promising. We sit and after waiting forever we are now waiting again for our server! Well ok we order our food and it comes out. The sushi was good nothing shockingly delicious. We also ordered Kobe beef on hot plates. The servers came out making a big deal how hot they were but unfortunately they don't know the difference between hot and cold. We couldn't cook the meat so they took the 4 hot plates with meat back. When they brought them back they forgot the meat. The manager did not get us more meat only offered to take two off the receipt. Hello we ordered 4.. Am I the only one lost in this transaction. Why should we pay for 2 if we didn't eat 2? All in all for an aspen restaurant it falls well below aspen standards. Don't bother coming here unless you enjoy bad service with inexperienced staff.
(2)
JJ B.
Good, not great...
(3)
tim s.
The food was good, but we only got to it after they gave away our table (which I called and confirmed three hours earlier). Apparently since the people before us showed up late, we then ha to wait an hour for our table. Seemed like a bad policy...and didn't put us in a good mood. Not a bad place, but probably wouldn't go back.
(3)
ThreeWordReviews ..
Inauthentic. Generic. Sceney.
(3)
Brent O.
Atmosphere is lovely. But sushi was awful... Fishes were fish enough but sushi rice was not for sushi... I am so disappointed that people think that was sushi...
(2)
Brian G.
Bonzai and Godzilla roles were incredible. I've never had rolls with strawberries on them. The idea wasn't appealing but I'm glad I took the risk. I think those were the best rolls I've ever tasted. The tako was one of the best cuts of octopus I've ever had. Solid muscle, no fat. The other roles and sushi were good to average. Stick with the specialty roles.
(4)
Scott S.
It is always nice when I am home to go and eat some world class sushi. I have traveled all over the world and had some phenomenal sushi. Kenichi can hold its own when compared. The blacken cod is just amazing! People have complained about the prices being high, but factor in rent and food cost for high quality seafood, roll that up into the fact it is Aspen then you have to choose if you want to pay the price, it's Aspen! Playground of the rich and famous. If you want to step up your dining experience. Sit at the sushi bar (when it's slow) and ask them to just make whatever. This is one of my favorite ways to dine. But be warned that this can set you up for a more expensive tab by the end. Mainly because you will want to keep eating and experiencing the array food that is placed in front of you. Grab a nice cold sake to pair with the meal if you want to go all out.
(5)
Matthew T.
We were in Aspen for the 4th of July and decided to make a reservation for 10 people at Kinichi. We were also celebrating a birthday and we let the staff know when we sat down. A few of us orders apps and about 40 min later people started receiving their entree's and the apps were no where to be found. When I asked the server (short blondish hair, English maybe) what the status of the the apps was he said "Im sorry I got carried away with the drink orders." Well this was confusing because most of us had already ordered drinks and paid at the bar, and he had staff delivering all the drinks. Any how 20 min later the apps were served to the wrong side of the table, so it took another 15 min to get another order of apps out. When I expressed my frustration to the waiter, he simply said I'm sorry and walked off. I have a great appreciation for servers, however my experience here left me with feeling that Kinichi really doesn't care about their customers, at least not us. Because of the service I received I left a smaller tip than normal and when we were walking out of the restaurant I saw our same server reading the bill and complaining to his staff (I'm assuming about the tip). I decided to go back to the restaurant, gave the server an additional $50 and let him know that I have dined her many times never had an experience like this... He could have cared less and barely even looked at me. I have been eating sushi in Aspen for 20 years (Usually at Taka Sushi which is now closed), and never experienced service like this. I went to Kinichi because two of the Sushi chefs that left Taka ended up at Kinichi. In the end, I was disappointed. If I eat here again I hope to have a different experience.
(2)
Saga F.
This used to be my fave Asian restaurant in Aspen but something has really changed here. Not the same attention to flavors as it used to be and now is just standard fare with a high price tag...Not sure if chef or owner changed but I am really bummed. Biggest disappointment was their pork belly dish which used to be to die for but now they use a country bacon that is mushy with an orange citrus sauce that makes no sense. And the dynamite shrimp was one shrimp cut into 5 pieces on a plate for $9! As much as I hate to say it I will not be back. Too many other great restaurants in Aspen. I wish they would go back to the way they used to be.
(2)
Darren K.
The best dining experience in aspen.... Where do we start: Wait staff - so nice and patient. Or server let us taste a few different sake before we ordered bottle Sushi bar - insane. We sat next to a local who ordered beers for the sushi chefs - how awesome Fish - amazing - fresh - and delicious. We had a few Custom rolls that blew me away.
(5)
Julie C.
The prices at this place is pretty up there. But apparently sometimes they have a happy hour menu at the bar. The sushi I got I thought sas just mediocre and the cooked foods were alright, nothing that really wowed me. In fact I'd like to point out that the fish was not cut properly and the calamari was just too thick. The sauce that came with the calamari though was really good! If your going to pay full price just go to Matsuhisa instead. You'll get your money's worth there. This place primarily gets more locals coming in. But that doesn't mean it's more authentic or that it taste better. I think it's a more loyalty thing. Overall though it seems that if your travelling alone and not wearing some top notch they'll a little weird about serving you?
(2)
Firas A.
Ambience is nice and server was good & friendly. The quality of the sushi was NOT good. The fish itself seems fine, but the preparation was just terrible. You're better off buying pre-made sushi from City Market. The rolls and the nigiri sushi were so badly made...the rice was hard and so tightly packed. I could watch a Youtube video and prepare far better sushi than that. We always go to Matsu, but thought we'd try something different for a change. Don't make that mistake.
(1)
Christine L.
Wow, not sure where these other reviewers have had sushi. This place was awful, especially considering the price. There was way too much rice in the rolls and the nigiri, and the rice wasn't cooked right on top of that. It was definitely too mushy. I have no complaints about the fish, though the crab in the Spider roll could've been meatier. The Komodo roll was just a bad combination. The calamari was the type sliced thick from a large squid, and the texture was way off, being a bit dry and grainy. Some pieces were also ridiculously chewy. We also had the Dynamite Shrimp which was the only thing I'd want to order again. But it was not enough to save this review. Besides the food quality, the timing of the dishes was way off. Typically one receives the rolls and nigiri altogether. We got our nigiri first, and then we had to wait about 10 min for our rolls. Lastly the loud music is annoying as well as the lighting.
(1)
Ashley B.
I don't get the rave reviews for this place. The sushi was ok. They have interesting options. Although, the price does not equal the quality. The wine list for such a high end place was a major disappointment. The service was fine, minus the sushi chief forgetting one of my rolls ... we sat at the sushi bar which was way to mushed together. If you want people watching then this place is pretty good, you are going to see some characters. My mom and I had a pretty good laugh in that respect. All and all, I would not go back. Give me a good NYC hole in the wall sushi place over Kenichi any day!
(2)
Ryan C.
Upon arrival the atmosphere was what was expected. After the third bumbling server came to ask if we had heard about the specials I knew we were in trouble. They seemed uninterested in our table and the three servers helping us seemed to all leave us in their rear view mirror. No one asked how our food was once it came out or even brought a knife to cut our steaks. We waited 10 minutes for a fork and knife. Upon cutting into the Wagyu filet I had ordered I realized it was so far overcooked I had to ask for it cooked again to medium rare! This took 25 minutes. Not one apology or even server come offer to fill our drinks. Inconsistently cut sushi and plate presentations between my steaks. I have not been this disappointed in a restaurants overall performance in a while. You can definitely spend your money and time better elsewhere in Aspen.
(2)
A S.
I loved this place. We got here late one night. I say "late" because everything closes so early in Aspen. I think it was around 11pm or so. We sat at the sushi bar. The manager came to say hello and gave us some sake on the house. He did a shot with us! Besides choosing a couple of things, we let one of the chefs prepare whatever he wanted for us. Everything was delicious, fresh, original and beautifully presented. The music was loud, yeah, but it was decent rock&roll/lite heavy metal (except a couple of nasty hip hop songs). We really enjoyed this place. I totally recommend it.
(4)
nini t.
Don't let the loud music and "scene" fool you. This place has incredibly fresh, delicious sushi, backed by an executive sushi chef that knows what he's doing. My bf was hesitant to try this place because of the blasting music as we approached the restaurant. It was a Monday night and we had just finished watching a movie at the Wheeler Opera House. Snow was falling and we were hungry. Kenichi was packed at around 9:30pm. The hostess told us it'd be about a 10-15 minute wait, so we passed the time watching the Olympics on one of their many tv screens. We prefer the sushi bar and that's where we were seated. Upon glancing at the menu, I observed that the prices were on par with Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in NY. We weren't planning on dropping a couple hundred dollars for this meal, so we ordered very minimally. We opted for the special salmon of the day, asking our chef for sashimi style. He kept asking us if we wanted a special sauce. A little annoyed, I blurted back that I just wanted to taste the freshness of the fish. It was fresh all right, and very tasty. Little did I realize who I was giving attitude to. We happened to be seated in front of their executive sushi chef, Kiyomi Sano, who not only forgave me for my ignorance, but went out of his way to provide us with one of the most incredible sushi experiences we've ever had. If you enjoy sushi, here's my advice to you: head straight for the sushi bar and keep your fingers crossed that you get seated by Kiyomi San's station. Don't bother ordering. Trust the man to serve you with the most incredible sushi you've ever eaten. When Jeff and I finally caught on to the talent of our chef, we asked him to recommend us something. We decided on hamachi and what followed was the most delicious yellowtail I've ever eaten. I was mesmerized watching him prepare it. He sprinkled some spices, then shaved on some fresh salt, followed by searing with the blowtorch. I was in sashimi heaven. I just popped a piece in my mouth, closed my eyes, and chewed to my heart's content. Kiyomi San was also very generous with giving us little samples of goodness. He educated us on eating the shredded daikon that usually accompanies a sashimi dish, saying how healthy and nutritious it is, so it shouldn't be wasted. Like eager students, we listened and learned. By the end of the night, we befriended a few of the chefs behind the counter. My bf and i were offered flowers, I couldn't stop laughing, and Jeff and I agreed we'd go back for omakase. You can see what fun chefs Kiyomi San and his team are by looking at one of my photos. They clap, they dance and they serve up the most exquisite sushi. Our meal ended up being about $60 a person.....a deal for how full and entertained I was.
(5)
Robyn B.
We started with a few appetizers, shrimp and spicy edamame and they were so good we were all excited for our entrees. Sadly they didn't live up to the appetizers. 3 of us split several sushi rolls and they were just ok compared to other sushi rolls I've had in the past. As another reviewer stated they were mostly rice and very little fish that wasn't the best quality. Another person in our party tried the scallops that you cook on a stone. The stone didn't come out hot enough to really do much to the scallops and they didn't have much flavor. They were served with a salt that no one at the table liked. The atmosphere is very cool and the appetizers were good so I would say stop in for some drinks and apps.
(2)
Ross P.
Kenichi is absolutely amazing! The food was fantastic and the service was unparalleled. Brady and Ross were awesome. I can't wait to go back tomorrow night!
(5)
Cheryl C.
I'm not the biggest raw fish fan but Kenichi may have permanently transformed me into a sushi lover! We were seated immediately and the service and ambience were phenomenal. Two of the chefs even came to our table. We sampled most of everything and absolutely nothing disappointed. The dumplings, rolls, seafood, meats, desserts and sake were all exceptional. Even our small children loved it. Yum, yum, yum!
(5)
Johanna K.
one of my favorite sushi restaurants. ever. their food is amazing, sushi is scary fresh considering we're tucked away in the rocky mountains. the only reason they get four instead of five stars is I have had shoddy service here. if someone famous is dinning consider yourself lucky to even get your waters refilled. they ruined my birthday one year with that noise. my birthday dinner was a complete disaster and I was super bummed but this kind of service happens say, one out of every 15 visits ( I said this place was one of my favorites, right?) its just unfortunate that the worst service I ever had there was on my 29th birthday this year. boo hoo.
(4)
Mark K.
Our favorite sushi spot in Aspen. Better service and value than Matsuhisa. The spice edamame are worth trying. Reservations are a must as it does it busy.
(5)
Vincent J.
Sushi was good. The fish was fresh. I felt the rolls were lacking. Maybe we ordered the wrong ones.
(3)
Erin P.
We were in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic and met the owner at a bar, and he told us about his restaurant. I loooove sushi so I was all about it! This was a great restaurant, and we loved the fresh wasabi. You have to try it! We sat at the sushi bar and were entertained by the chefs. Great food and great ambiance!
(5)
Robert H.
Update 6/2012: I'm downgrading Kenichi two stars based on my last visit there (and it probably will be my last, literally). I regret recommending it to so many people. On this visit, the waitress substantially overcharged me for TWO items -- one of them I was charged TRIPLE what the correct price was. When I pointed these costly "mistakes" out to her, she didn't even give a very sincere apology. In general the service was a bit arrogant and not nearly as good as it used to be. When I told some locals about my experience, no one was surprised. Apparently this place is known for overcharging and aggressively up-selling. Too bad their management and attitude is so poor, because the food is still pretty good. --------- Sophisticated atmosphere since the extensive remodeling. Service was excellent, food was very good, but I did not try a wide variety of items. I especially liked the different types of seaweed salad available and the availability of fresh, un-dyed ginger as an option.
(2)
Cecile S.
We were looking forward to dining here during our stay in snowmass. We had our reservation made and even got there a little early. When the time for our reservation came and went we asked the hostess what was going on? She said what do you expect it's the holidays! Wow what an answer. They gave us the option to sit at the bar and wait which I guess is ok if we didn't have 6 children with us. They offered us a few free appetizers which was generous. Now our table is ready things are looking promising. We sit and after waiting forever we are now waiting again for our server! Well ok we order our food and it comes out. The sushi was good nothing shockingly delicious. We also ordered Kobe beef on hot plates. The servers came out making a big deal how hot they were but unfortunately they don't know the difference between hot and cold. We couldn't cook the meat so they took the 4 hot plates with meat back. When they brought them back they forgot the meat. The manager did not get us more meat only offered to take two off the receipt. Hello we ordered 4.. Am I the only one lost in this transaction. Why should we pay for 2 if we didn't eat 2? All in all for an aspen restaurant it falls well below aspen standards. Don't bother coming here unless you enjoy bad service with inexperienced staff.
(2)
JJ B.
Good, not great...
(3)
tim s.
The food was good, but we only got to it after they gave away our table (which I called and confirmed three hours earlier). Apparently since the people before us showed up late, we then ha to wait an hour for our table. Seemed like a bad policy...and didn't put us in a good mood. Not a bad place, but probably wouldn't go back.
(3)
ThreeWordReviews ..
Inauthentic. Generic. Sceney.
(3)
Brian G.
Bonzai and Godzilla roles were incredible. I've never had rolls with strawberries on them. The idea wasn't appealing but I'm glad I took the risk. I think those were the best rolls I've ever tasted. The tako was one of the best cuts of octopus I've ever had. Solid muscle, no fat. The other roles and sushi were good to average. Stick with the specialty roles.
(4)
Briana T.
My boyfriend and are big sushi fans so we search for the best places wherever we go. Most of the places we have gone to are in NYC (we have tried several) since I go to school there so we have pretty high standards. We have spent 2 summers in Aspen for the music festival and agree that Kenichi is the best place we have been to! Perhaps we know how to order, but the rolls we have gotten are incredible. It is quite expensive, probably because they ship in fresh fish, so I recommend it for special occasions.
(5)
Brent O.
Atmosphere is lovely. But sushi was awful... Fishes were fish enough but sushi rice was not for sushi... I am so disappointed that people think that was sushi...
(2)
Debbie C.
As always, the food at Kenichi is fresh and delicious. It's one of our favorite places in Aspen, if you can get a reservation!
(4)
Joseph B.
Average sushi, nothing to rave about. Chef and staff were great. Love the kale salad...but still let and hungry after the sushi.
(2)
A H.
Outstanding - not cheap - lets say - "Aspen reasonable" - $50 a head w/ plenty of Sapporo. Highly recommend trying the Spicy Wok seared edamame - no need to ask if its 'really spicy?" - the answer is 'depends on who makes it tonight" - for 7 bucks, be adventurous - I thought it was outstanding. All rolls we had were great - super fresh and presented to perfection. They do serve 'unexpected' rolls - like the Bonzai tuna roll that is topped w/ strawberry slices (see picture above)- I personally prefer to get my fruit intake at Robeks Juice Bar - but, everyone else I was with thought it was great. Make reservations - especially during holiday periods.
(5)
Ryan Z.
Best sushi I've ever had. Cost on the other hand for our party of 11...$2K Unreal presentation, flavor, uniqueness, every detail was perfect. The corner room with the dug out floor is truly a must do. Bring and iPod and you can hook it up to play your playlist. This is by far the most extravagant service/meal I've ever experienced. I don't remember what the dish was called, but they have these heated stones that come out with all kinds of raw meats to cook on, kinda like a fondu place, that were out of this world. They also carry this sake that is amazing. Super pricey stuff, but ask the waiter to give you the story/background on how it's made and where it comes from. We tried almost damn near everything on the menu and couldn't complain or critique a thing. Would love to go back!
(5)
Paul H.
What's all the hype about? I think the sushi is OK and the music is good. Wait, must be the scene. It's Aspen; I forgot there needs to be an "it" place. Food: The sushi is good, but I have had much better. Anything fried is bad (old oil - bad, bad, bad). The sashimi was very good though. Drink: Wine menu is pretty good and eclectic. Prices were inflated, but that's everywhere. Ambiance: As you would expect of an "it" place - crowded, loud and full of self-entitled people...even on a Monday night. But the place is well designed, lighting is terrific, music decent. The bar is tight, but the bar dining is great (especially the "private" alcove if you're into feeling special). All in all, more scene than quality food. There are a couple other options in town that serve much better fish.
(2)
Sharon M.
not as good as Matsuhisa but more affordable.
(5)
Alex D.
There are three sushi restaurants in Aspen, and this by far ranks as my favorite. Go to the sushi bar, chat it up with the chefs, and tell them to send you whatever they think you would enjoy. You will not be disappointed. My favorites are the godzilla roll (not on the menu) and the sake (salmon) with goat cheese. Melty...
(5)
Christina E.
I was disappointed with my food. After all the great reviews.. my experience did not match the expectations. Udon was too soft. Sushi rice was to hard. The only thing I would agree with is the service was excellent, it was low key and relaxing, not cheap, and the spicy edamame was delicious.
(3)
KC W.
Excellent sushi. My husband and I had great sushi and Sapporo here. Reputed to be a locals hangout, we found the place to be low key and relaxing. I LOVED the spicy edamame. The sashimi was quite good, too.
(5)
Karyn W.
Terrible service, food, ambiance. What a joke! The American sushi chefs wore tiny pony tails on the crown of their heads with pokadot bandanas - why?! TINY portions and HUGE bill. The hostesses were more like high school cheerleader rejects.
(1)
Alex W.
This is the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to. You would think that is a bold statement since it's in the middle of the country and how can it be as fresh as a coastal city? But coming from someone who travels all over the country every week, this blows LA, NYC, and even Seattle out of the water. The menu features a blend of trendy unique dishes and traditional, and every single item was "mmmh" worthy. Some dishes we even ordered seconds! Highly recommend to a foodie visiting Aspen.
(5)
Levente N.
I would rather eat sushi from a gas station, then to go back here again!! This place is a joke!! Don't let the nice decor fool you!!
(1)
David M.
.
(5)
Erin B.
Your meal will not come cheaply, but it will be memorable. We enjoyed a wide selection of small bites (must try: black cod; kobe hot rock; and yellowtail serrano). The flavors are well balanced, and though you do not get more than a few bites of any one item, every item is memorable. We sat in a table tucked in a corner, which was very enjoyable. I cannot comment on the sushi bar itself, but the ambiance overall is enjoyable.
(5)
Manal Y.
I wouldn't go here for sushi. Lots of other good places in town and service here is mediocre, timing of food delivery is off and it's overpriced for the quality. That said, seems like a cool place to grab a drink.
(1)
Zach G.
Great rolls and an excellent place for a quick dinner before. Great bar selection. The specialty rolls are awesome and well worth the price.
(5)
Greer B.
Love Kenichi. The black cod is amazing. My son always requests Kenichi when we are in the sushi mood. The staff and owner always greet us and are friendly and attentive. Definitely a restaurant you will want to visit on your trip to Aspen.
(5)
Andrew R.
Waited over an hour for a table even though we had a reservation. Food was ok.
(2)
abigail y.
Ughh...so terribly disappointed. Rolls were stuffed with entirely way too much rice, and very little fish. And perhaps fish from days ago? Bland flavors which honestly made us worried about the quality. We wanted to go big by asking for the chef's choice for the night. Maybe he was not working...which led us all believe we could have gotten better sushi at the local grocery for 90 percent less. Sorry Aspen, Nebraska has better sushi choices than this. More encouraging is the great ambience, and super cool bar.
(1)
Monica K.
The ABSOLUTE WORST SERVICE EVER!! We spent 40 minutes waiting for a server to take our drink order. It's a Sunday night and the restaurant is half empty. We waited and waited for food that never came! Our server was nowhere to be seen, and the manager -Amber was NOT helpful and tried to fight with us about the horrendous service we had!
(1)
Marva V.
This is a pretty pricey restaurant with the chicken teriyaki being about $30. My husband had to send it back as it had an awful taste to it. I suggested that the sauce was burnt which would have been a neat trick since there was so little of it to render it inedible. It was also small being maybe 6 oz of meat. I was extremely disappointed in the salmon sashimi as well, particularly the portion size for the price (back home we can get 3x as much for around the same price). Additionally it was not very professionally cut with the pieces looking like they had been cut by a two year old. The only positive thing about the experience was that the head waiter (not our waiter) noticed we were unhappy and made it right. As a side note, when I asked for something warm to drink other than green tea, for medical reasons, they offered warm water. Also, they allowed a large party of women in there to get completely drunk and out of control, blasting music and sexually harassing the employees while destroying the experience for other customers Definitely not worth the money or the time to go there!!
(1)
Mike K.
Food ok, service was fast, looked like a nice bar scene They have an odd practice of a mandatory 17% gratuity for takeout food. I asked about I was told it was for the bartender who walked the food from the kitchen 20 ft and handed it across the bar
(2)
Noah F.
This place is awesome al the food here is to die for. It is so good. Great Place to go and always very helpful with changing the food if you are in town you should totally go.
(5)
Miles H.
I've been here twice. The first time it was 4 star service, tonight it was 2 star. Therefore, they get 3 stars. Tonight our server was Kyle. He was just ok. Asked basic questions and gave basic answers. No friendliness at all. We were lucky we got a general "thanks" when he brought the check. Nothing but below ordinary. On top of that, all I ordered for a drink was coke. I had 3 refills. When we got the check we found on not only was the coke $4.00, it was $4.00 per refill. $12 for 3 cokes? Jesus. Even McDonalds gives free refills. This was a complete rip off. I mean, our bill came to $200 for 3 of us.... And they charge for refills? That's outrageous. Glad to say I don't think I'll be going back. Which is sad, because it has the potential to be a great place.
(3)
Madeline C.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Aspen (though there are only a few). The decor is stunning, and the wait staff is beyond friendly. I love sitting at the sushi bar and chatting with the chefs - They are so much fun to talk to, and always have interesting new recommendations for things I've never tried before. Had an amazing plate of yellow tail sashimi last time I was in town, per the recommendations of the chefs, and it was out of this world. Definitely worth a visit!
(5)
Jessica B.
Very good sashimi and rolls! Very friendly staff....great experience. Would highly recommend and will visit again one day
(4)
Katie W.
I am always irritated when asked to wait at a crowded bar with no space when I have a confirmed reservation. Luckily, we were able to secure seats after about 15 minutes of standing around. The bartender was friendly, but obviously swamped. Once we were finally seated, our server was prompt and friendly. We ordered several dishes to share, but the highlights were the Miso cod and the Kenichi special roll. The nigiri we had were average, I will stick to the rolls next time we dine here. We did have issues with the sushi rice in one of the rolls, the roll completely fell apart when I grabbed it with my chopsticks. Our server brought over kiddie chopsticks since she thought I was having issues using them. I consider myself adept with chopsticks, but no amount of chopstick skill could have saved the pieces, the rice was just not sticky enough.
(4)
Laguna B.
The reviews seem consistent - Had we looked at this we would not have chosen this restaurant for our kids! they were over charged and the service was zero!!! Adults went to another Japanese restaurant Matsushita since it was busy season and 8 adults had better food, and service at Matsu with smaller bill than the 6 kids at Kenichi! how does that work???
(1)
Catherine A.
I ate at Kenichi with my family last week and loved the delicious food and great atmosphere. The sushi is extremely fresh and there are so many ridiculously tasty dishes like the yellowtail serrano, blue cheese tuna (might sound like a strange combination of favors but it's actually incredibly tasty) & dynamite lobster. Between those dishes and the combination of rolls and sashimi we ordered, the entire meal was top notch. Hunter, our server, was also exceptional. Knowledgable, attentive and friendly, from his strong recommendations to great attitude, he made our experience a very positive and memorable one. All-in-all, I'd highly recommend dining at Kenichi when in Aspen!
(5)
Kevin T.
Great staff and server, was able to find a table showing up an hour before my reservation. The sake, especially heated sake, selection was small and unreasonably priced, and the food had a serious wait behind it. The menu is absolutely massive, with ten to fifteen specials which made me feel fairly uncomfortable as I struggled to order quickly with my party, who all knew what they wanted prior. My waitress had 24 other people whom she was serving simultaneously, and did a remarklable job given the circumstances. The food did take quite a while and was nothing to rave about. The Keniche Special was my favorite dish of those I tried, however nothing was extraordinary. The prices were brutal for the quality of food, yet service made up for some of that. The creme brulee and mochi deserts were amazing, and I highly recommend them. Not quite the play to go for a traditional sushi dinner, and certainly no Matsu, but would be a nice spot for a casual meal with friends.
(3)
Sarah E.
This is an aspen must. My family goes every time we're in town. The spicy edamame is to die for. The sushi chefs know their fish and will talk to you about where they get it and what is freshest. Homemade wasabi is REALLY spicy but amazing if you like wasabi. Really good place for groups - back room where you sit on the ground with a pit hollowed under the table - comfortable but thematic.
(5)
Trooper S.
Visited this place because Takah Sushi was closed for the night. What a mistake. Walking in, we we're overcome by a loud, rude bartender (male). We asked to be seated away from the bar (we are 30 mind you and it was still too loud). The server we had was very cold and inattentive. The food was just ok but pricey for the abrupt atmosphere. Our dinner kept getting interrupted by the loud guests doing shots with the sushi chefs. I should have taken other yelpers advice and stayed away. Go to Takah Sushi instead!
(1)
Linda K.
I've had better sushi at home in LA at our local Asian grocery store. No kidding! The sashimi was average but the sushi rice didnt't even come close to the real thing! We've been coming to Aspen for years but I won't be coming back to Kenichi!
(1)
cath g.
What a shame this place "was" sooo good. They have lost their way, best wishes for recovery! Last night hostess gave away our table then waiter was fake nice/hostel like it was our fault. Sashimi was the only good thing oh and the bartender was excellent. Think perhaps they tried to book too many tables? The head sushi chef seemed to be trying but manager was not engaged with clientele. We were really treated poorly and they did not seem to care. DO NOT RISK GOING HERE! Many other wonderful restaurants in Aspen to enjoy. Oh and the bald hostel waiter needs Listerine!!!
(1)
Luis G.
Kenichi. Whew. We had the privilege of sampling this restaurant along with our Aspen food tour during the summer. We got to meet the chefs, they made us special dishes, my oh my it was amazing. So amazing, we came back and made it our last dinner in Aspen before we headed home. Kenichi offers a fine dining experience. The sushi rollls are carefully crafted, the rice is pillowy perfect, the ingredients are fresh, and the flavors just pop. What makes this restaurant special is the balance between bold and light flavors that makes everything just right. Service was awesome too. It makes this review difficult, because this restaurant still doesn't match the best sushi I've ever had but it's darn close. Also they could benefit from a better music selection. Dancehall does NOT pair well with fine dining, and especially Japanese fine dining. This is not casual so be prepared for a nice hefty bill, and if you want, indulge on their impressive and delicious sake which was specifically formulated for the restaurant in Japan. $90 a bottle. Great experience, awesome food. Can't go wrong with Kenichi.
(4)
Tim O.
It's always interesting to find great seafood in the mountains! We had a wonderful dinner - the himachi sashimi was especially good. Flawless service - innovative menu - yes it is expensive - but fresh fish in Aspen has to be a challenge.
(5)
Karen M.
Went to Kenichi last night for dinner and was nervous not to eat at the bar having had a bad experience in the past. I'm pleased to say that they have redeemed themselves in my mind. Service was great and so was the food. While extremely busy for New Years eve, we were given special attention and even ordered some items not on the menu and were accommodated by the Sushi chef. The quality of the fish was outstanding and were treated like rock stars even with our children. Thanks Kenichi!
(5)
Amanda K.
Excellent fish (even this far from an ocean) and some delicious composed dishes too. The sushi chefs were super nice so I recommend sitting at the bar. Loved the tuna tacos - spicy seared ahi with greens and a house sauce inside taco shells. Another standout was a dish of cubed tuna, avocado, cucumber, seaweed and a delicate dressing. These really started us out on the right foot. We enjoyed some fresh yellowtail sashimi as well as an interesting unagi roll dressed with thinly sliced avocado and strawberry - a good dessert. I admit I'm not a big fan of most rolls and these did not sway me otherwise. So next time I'd stick with the sashimi and dishes. But this place was a very pleasant surprise.
(4)
Richard S.
If you want average sushi but a cool scene, Kenechi is your place! Way too much rice vs. fish in the rolls, always have to watch that ratio. Find something better in Aspen, seriously.
(2)
Natalie G.
Kenichi is a great place if you want a lot of fun with really tasty sushi. The menu is extensive and all the different rolls and sashimi styles are creative and delicious. Sit at the bar if you can with the tall handsome bartender, he is hilarious and has great food suggestions paired with some good laughs.
(5)
Nicholas W.
Meh. Shishito Peppers are one of my favorite things, here- they were awful. Edamame was undercooked. Sushi was disappointing. The fish quality seemed to be good, although the rolls themselves were too full of rice (and packed to tight). The fresh Wasabi was AMAZING and I will never go back to the other "Green Stuff" Lastly- they add a 10% labor fee to your bill- I didn't catch this until the next day, so ended up tipping 32+ %
(2)
Darren K.
The best dining experience in aspen.... Where do we start: Wait staff - so nice and patient. Or server let us taste a few different sake before we ordered bottle Sushi bar - insane. We sat next to a local who ordered beers for the sushi chefs - how awesome Fish - amazing - fresh - and delicious. We had a few Custom rolls that blew me away.
(5)
Julie C.
The prices at this place is pretty up there. But apparently sometimes they have a happy hour menu at the bar. The sushi I got I thought sas just mediocre and the cooked foods were alright, nothing that really wowed me. In fact I'd like to point out that the fish was not cut properly and the calamari was just too thick. The sauce that came with the calamari though was really good! If your going to pay full price just go to Matsuhisa instead. You'll get your money's worth there. This place primarily gets more locals coming in. But that doesn't mean it's more authentic or that it taste better. I think it's a more loyalty thing. Overall though it seems that if your travelling alone and not wearing some top notch they'll a little weird about serving you?
(2)
Saga F.
This used to be my fave Asian restaurant in Aspen but something has really changed here. Not the same attention to flavors as it used to be and now is just standard fare with a high price tag...Not sure if chef or owner changed but I am really bummed. Biggest disappointment was their pork belly dish which used to be to die for but now they use a country bacon that is mushy with an orange citrus sauce that makes no sense. And the dynamite shrimp was one shrimp cut into 5 pieces on a plate for $9! As much as I hate to say it I will not be back. Too many other great restaurants in Aspen. I wish they would go back to the way they used to be.
(2)
Firas A.
Ambience is nice and server was good & friendly. The quality of the sushi was NOT good. The fish itself seems fine, but the preparation was just terrible. You're better off buying pre-made sushi from City Market. The rolls and the nigiri sushi were so badly made...the rice was hard and so tightly packed. I could watch a Youtube video and prepare far better sushi than that. We always go to Matsu, but thought we'd try something different for a change. Don't make that mistake.
(1)
Marva V.
This is a pretty pricey restaurant with the chicken teriyaki being about $30. My husband had to send it back as it had an awful taste to it. I suggested that the sauce was burnt which would have been a neat trick since there was so little of it to render it inedible. It was also small being maybe 6 oz of meat. I was extremely disappointed in the salmon sashimi as well, particularly the portion size for the price (back home we can get 3x as much for around the same price). Additionally it was not very professionally cut with the pieces looking like they had been cut by a two year old. The only positive thing about the experience was that the head waiter (not our waiter) noticed we were unhappy and made it right. As a side note, when I asked for something warm to drink other than green tea, for medical reasons, they offered warm water. Also, they allowed a large party of women in there to get completely drunk and out of control, blasting music and sexually harassing the employees while destroying the experience for other customers Definitely not worth the money or the time to go there!!
(1)
Scott S.
It is always nice when I am home to go and eat some world class sushi. I have traveled all over the world and had some phenomenal sushi. Kenichi can hold its own when compared. The blacken cod is just amazing! People have complained about the prices being high, but factor in rent and food cost for high quality seafood, roll that up into the fact it is Aspen then you have to choose if you want to pay the price, it's Aspen! Playground of the rich and famous. If you want to step up your dining experience. Sit at the sushi bar (when it's slow) and ask them to just make whatever. This is one of my favorite ways to dine. But be warned that this can set you up for a more expensive tab by the end. Mainly because you will want to keep eating and experiencing the array food that is placed in front of you. Grab a nice cold sake to pair with the meal if you want to go all out.
(5)
Mike K.
Food ok, service was fast, looked like a nice bar scene They have an odd practice of a mandatory 17% gratuity for takeout food. I asked about I was told it was for the bartender who walked the food from the kitchen 20 ft and handed it across the bar
(2)
Noah F.
This place is awesome al the food here is to die for. It is so good. Great Place to go and always very helpful with changing the food if you are in town you should totally go.
(5)
Miles H.
I've been here twice. The first time it was 4 star service, tonight it was 2 star. Therefore, they get 3 stars. Tonight our server was Kyle. He was just ok. Asked basic questions and gave basic answers. No friendliness at all. We were lucky we got a general "thanks" when he brought the check. Nothing but below ordinary. On top of that, all I ordered for a drink was coke. I had 3 refills. When we got the check we found on not only was the coke $4.00, it was $4.00 per refill. $12 for 3 cokes? Jesus. Even McDonalds gives free refills. This was a complete rip off. I mean, our bill came to $200 for 3 of us.... And they charge for refills? That's outrageous. Glad to say I don't think I'll be going back. Which is sad, because it has the potential to be a great place.
(3)
Madeline C.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Aspen (though there are only a few). The decor is stunning, and the wait staff is beyond friendly. I love sitting at the sushi bar and chatting with the chefs - They are so much fun to talk to, and always have interesting new recommendations for things I've never tried before. Had an amazing plate of yellow tail sashimi last time I was in town, per the recommendations of the chefs, and it was out of this world. Definitely worth a visit!
(5)
Jessica B.
Very good sashimi and rolls! Very friendly staff....great experience. Would highly recommend and will visit again one day
(4)
Katie W.
I am always irritated when asked to wait at a crowded bar with no space when I have a confirmed reservation. Luckily, we were able to secure seats after about 15 minutes of standing around. The bartender was friendly, but obviously swamped. Once we were finally seated, our server was prompt and friendly. We ordered several dishes to share, but the highlights were the Miso cod and the Kenichi special roll. The nigiri we had were average, I will stick to the rolls next time we dine here. We did have issues with the sushi rice in one of the rolls, the roll completely fell apart when I grabbed it with my chopsticks. Our server brought over kiddie chopsticks since she thought I was having issues using them. I consider myself adept with chopsticks, but no amount of chopstick skill could have saved the pieces, the rice was just not sticky enough.
(4)
Laguna B.
The reviews seem consistent - Had we looked at this we would not have chosen this restaurant for our kids! they were over charged and the service was zero!!! Adults went to another Japanese restaurant Matsushita since it was busy season and 8 adults had better food, and service at Matsu with smaller bill than the 6 kids at Kenichi! how does that work???
(1)
Andy K.
Simply put find another place for sushi! Came here on a Saturday night in September. 9pm and only 3 tables filled. Took over an hour for the sushi and never got the pot stickers we ordered. Manager came by and comped the entire meal as they should but the food wasn't even worth eating. Don't go here.
(1)
Haley S.
Amazing!! Such a nice staff and the food was great. The sushi is a little ricey but it was so much better than matsushya. Go here!! Awesome place. Might go back today for a spicy tuna handroll.
(4)
Colleen P.
Yup, loved this place. Everything about it was great. My only complaint is that when I went back to get the spring rolls I had been craving, they didn't have them on the menu, and couldn't make them. We did a late night here, no sushi. Food was all excellent, service was mediocre, which seems to be on par for Aspen in the summer. Overall, my favorite place to eat in Aspen.
(5)
Ashley B.
This is the best sushi we have ever had. We didn't realize it at the time- but after our Tokyo honeymoon and a trip to the much-raved Sushi Den, we're settled that Kenichi is the best we've had hands down. I say definitely go to the sushi bar- our sushi chef was incredibly attentive and gave us free sashimi, (which was very tasty). They also made the best (and biggest) spider roll my husband has ever had. I will say our actual waitress wasn't very good, but she wasn't actually giving us anything as we didn't order any hot food. I wouldn't say it is as expensive as some have said, but I don't think we drank while we were there. I think it was under $50 for both of us.
(5)
Aman S.
A regular staple of mine every time I am in Aspen. The dynamite lobster is to die for and it melst in your mouth. The nigori pearl is good too. They need to get sparkling sake though....
(4)
John B.
Do you enjoy overpaying for food served by smug, condescending and pushy waitstaff? Do you like to wait in an overcrowded entryway filled with angry customers for half an hour or more to be seated even when you have a reservation? Would you welcome the chance to pay $48 (one of the more "reasonably" priced entrees, by the way ....) for a rack of lamb that's actually the smallest double chop -- weighing in around 4 ounces and sliced up into 1/16th of an inch thick pieces -- you've ever seen? If so, then Kenichi (known to Aspen locals as "A-Hun-Eachie") is the place for you. My view of this restaurant is not based on one visit --- though my most recent dinner there was the straw that broke the camel's back. Rather, it is based on multiple visits over the past 10 years, in which I have experienced all of the things mentioned above. Can the food be great? Yes. That's why -- at least for a while -- many customers, like me, will overlook the surly service, inflated prices and laughably small portions. But, eventually, the bad overcomes the good. In fact, on this last visit -- a Saturday evening in the middle of Christmas week -- there were many vacant tables. Maybe people are catching on .... If you're in Aspen and have to have sushi, go to Matsuhisa. You'll spend the same $, but leave feeling valued as a customer rather than the victim of a sushi bar mugging.
(2)
andrea b.
Rudest bartender Ross that we have ever experienced- and we travel 150+ nights globally- so arrogant and condescending. Table service was OK, but the upsell for $45 for 3 bites of food on a hot rock...really? Sashimi orders are very tiny too. We will not return. Nobu is more cost effective believe it or not!
(2)
CK P.
Are you SERIOUS? We had dinner there last night and I have to say that the food was AWFUL! The sushi was not fresh at all. We had toro (marketed from New Zealand) that was like rubber. The other raw fish was not good either. They did not get order right a number of times. Luke warm miso soup. Yakisoba that was overcooked and when we asked if they could make with al dente noodles, they said that all the noodles were like that. The rolls were edible, but nothing special. The service was OK, but the sushi chefs could not make it dishwashers at a real sushi bar. They were more interested in drinking with customers than making edible sushi. The interior is nice, but does not make up for the extremely sub par food. Save your time and $ and go somewhere else.
(1)
Steven M.
I am sitting here at kenichi waiting for the food for two out of the four in our party. The appetizers were quite good, though pricey. The gyoza were done well, but $17. For high end $$$$ Japanese food, both the food quality and the service should be impeccable. It took them 20 minutes after they delivered two dishes to deliver three sushi rolls. Incredibly awkward for the people staring at their food cooling. We won't be back.
(2)
Tanya G.
I went to Kenichi to celebrate a friend's birthday, we had a large party and sat in the bar area. Usually when you are with a large party it's hard to get good service. Our waitress Tracy was awesome and kept our table supplied with food and drinks at all times. The ambience was great and the food even better. I have never had oysters on the half shell that tasted so good.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Debbie C.
As always, the food at Kenichi is fresh and delicious. It's one of our favorite places in Aspen, if you can get a reservation!
(4)Joseph B.
Average sushi, nothing to rave about. Chef and staff were great. Love the kale salad...but still let and hungry after the sushi.
(2)A H.
Outstanding - not cheap - lets say - "Aspen reasonable" - $50 a head w/ plenty of Sapporo. Highly recommend trying the Spicy Wok seared edamame - no need to ask if its 'really spicy?" - the answer is 'depends on who makes it tonight" - for 7 bucks, be adventurous - I thought it was outstanding. All rolls we had were great - super fresh and presented to perfection. They do serve 'unexpected' rolls - like the Bonzai tuna roll that is topped w/ strawberry slices (see picture above)- I personally prefer to get my fruit intake at Robeks Juice Bar - but, everyone else I was with thought it was great. Make reservations - especially during holiday periods.
(5)Ryan Z.
Best sushi I've ever had. Cost on the other hand for our party of 11...$2K Unreal presentation, flavor, uniqueness, every detail was perfect. The corner room with the dug out floor is truly a must do. Bring and iPod and you can hook it up to play your playlist. This is by far the most extravagant service/meal I've ever experienced. I don't remember what the dish was called, but they have these heated stones that come out with all kinds of raw meats to cook on, kinda like a fondu place, that were out of this world. They also carry this sake that is amazing. Super pricey stuff, but ask the waiter to give you the story/background on how it's made and where it comes from. We tried almost damn near everything on the menu and couldn't complain or critique a thing. Would love to go back!
(5)Paul H.
What's all the hype about? I think the sushi is OK and the music is good. Wait, must be the scene. It's Aspen; I forgot there needs to be an "it" place. Food: The sushi is good, but I have had much better. Anything fried is bad (old oil - bad, bad, bad). The sashimi was very good though. Drink: Wine menu is pretty good and eclectic. Prices were inflated, but that's everywhere. Ambiance: As you would expect of an "it" place - crowded, loud and full of self-entitled people...even on a Monday night. But the place is well designed, lighting is terrific, music decent. The bar is tight, but the bar dining is great (especially the "private" alcove if you're into feeling special). All in all, more scene than quality food. There are a couple other options in town that serve much better fish.
(2)Sharon M.
not as good as Matsuhisa but more affordable.
(5)Alex D.
There are three sushi restaurants in Aspen, and this by far ranks as my favorite. Go to the sushi bar, chat it up with the chefs, and tell them to send you whatever they think you would enjoy. You will not be disappointed. My favorites are the godzilla roll (not on the menu) and the sake (salmon) with goat cheese. Melty...
(5)Christina E.
I was disappointed with my food. After all the great reviews.. my experience did not match the expectations. Udon was too soft. Sushi rice was to hard. The only thing I would agree with is the service was excellent, it was low key and relaxing, not cheap, and the spicy edamame was delicious.
(3)KC W.
Excellent sushi. My husband and I had great sushi and Sapporo here. Reputed to be a locals hangout, we found the place to be low key and relaxing. I LOVED the spicy edamame. The sashimi was quite good, too.
(5)Catherine A.
I ate at Kenichi with my family last week and loved the delicious food and great atmosphere. The sushi is extremely fresh and there are so many ridiculously tasty dishes like the yellowtail serrano, blue cheese tuna (might sound like a strange combination of favors but it's actually incredibly tasty) & dynamite lobster. Between those dishes and the combination of rolls and sashimi we ordered, the entire meal was top notch. Hunter, our server, was also exceptional. Knowledgable, attentive and friendly, from his strong recommendations to great attitude, he made our experience a very positive and memorable one. All-in-all, I'd highly recommend dining at Kenichi when in Aspen!
(5)Kevin T.
Great staff and server, was able to find a table showing up an hour before my reservation. The sake, especially heated sake, selection was small and unreasonably priced, and the food had a serious wait behind it. The menu is absolutely massive, with ten to fifteen specials which made me feel fairly uncomfortable as I struggled to order quickly with my party, who all knew what they wanted prior. My waitress had 24 other people whom she was serving simultaneously, and did a remarklable job given the circumstances. The food did take quite a while and was nothing to rave about. The Keniche Special was my favorite dish of those I tried, however nothing was extraordinary. The prices were brutal for the quality of food, yet service made up for some of that. The creme brulee and mochi deserts were amazing, and I highly recommend them. Not quite the play to go for a traditional sushi dinner, and certainly no Matsu, but would be a nice spot for a casual meal with friends.
(3)Sarah E.
This is an aspen must. My family goes every time we're in town. The spicy edamame is to die for. The sushi chefs know their fish and will talk to you about where they get it and what is freshest. Homemade wasabi is REALLY spicy but amazing if you like wasabi. Really good place for groups - back room where you sit on the ground with a pit hollowed under the table - comfortable but thematic.
(5)Trooper S.
Visited this place because Takah Sushi was closed for the night. What a mistake. Walking in, we we're overcome by a loud, rude bartender (male). We asked to be seated away from the bar (we are 30 mind you and it was still too loud). The server we had was very cold and inattentive. The food was just ok but pricey for the abrupt atmosphere. Our dinner kept getting interrupted by the loud guests doing shots with the sushi chefs. I should have taken other yelpers advice and stayed away. Go to Takah Sushi instead!
(1)Linda K.
I've had better sushi at home in LA at our local Asian grocery store. No kidding! The sashimi was average but the sushi rice didnt't even come close to the real thing! We've been coming to Aspen for years but I won't be coming back to Kenichi!
(1)cath g.
What a shame this place "was" sooo good. They have lost their way, best wishes for recovery! Last night hostess gave away our table then waiter was fake nice/hostel like it was our fault. Sashimi was the only good thing oh and the bartender was excellent. Think perhaps they tried to book too many tables? The head sushi chef seemed to be trying but manager was not engaged with clientele. We were really treated poorly and they did not seem to care. DO NOT RISK GOING HERE! Many other wonderful restaurants in Aspen to enjoy. Oh and the bald hostel waiter needs Listerine!!!
(1)Monica K.
The ABSOLUTE WORST SERVICE EVER!! We spent 40 minutes waiting for a server to take our drink order. It's a Sunday night and the restaurant is half empty. We waited and waited for food that never came! Our server was nowhere to be seen, and the manager -Amber was NOT helpful and tried to fight with us about the horrendous service we had!
(1)Karyn W.
Terrible service, food, ambiance. What a joke! The American sushi chefs wore tiny pony tails on the crown of their heads with pokadot bandanas - why?! TINY portions and HUGE bill. The hostesses were more like high school cheerleader rejects.
(1)Alex W.
This is the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to. You would think that is a bold statement since it's in the middle of the country and how can it be as fresh as a coastal city? But coming from someone who travels all over the country every week, this blows LA, NYC, and even Seattle out of the water. The menu features a blend of trendy unique dishes and traditional, and every single item was "mmmh" worthy. Some dishes we even ordered seconds! Highly recommend to a foodie visiting Aspen.
(5)Levente N.
I would rather eat sushi from a gas station, then to go back here again!! This place is a joke!! Don't let the nice decor fool you!!
(1)David M.
.
(5)Erin B.
Your meal will not come cheaply, but it will be memorable. We enjoyed a wide selection of small bites (must try: black cod; kobe hot rock; and yellowtail serrano). The flavors are well balanced, and though you do not get more than a few bites of any one item, every item is memorable. We sat in a table tucked in a corner, which was very enjoyable. I cannot comment on the sushi bar itself, but the ambiance overall is enjoyable.
(5)Zach G.
Great rolls and an excellent place for a quick dinner before. Great bar selection. The specialty rolls are awesome and well worth the price.
(5)Manal Y.
I wouldn't go here for sushi. Lots of other good places in town and service here is mediocre, timing of food delivery is off and it's overpriced for the quality. That said, seems like a cool place to grab a drink.
(1)John B.
Do you enjoy overpaying for food served by smug, condescending and pushy waitstaff? Do you like to wait in an overcrowded entryway filled with angry customers for half an hour or more to be seated even when you have a reservation? Would you welcome the chance to pay $48 (one of the more "reasonably" priced entrees, by the way ....) for a rack of lamb that's actually the smallest double chop -- weighing in around 4 ounces and sliced up into 1/16th of an inch thick pieces -- you've ever seen? If so, then Kenichi (known to Aspen locals as "A-Hun-Eachie") is the place for you. My view of this restaurant is not based on one visit --- though my most recent dinner there was the straw that broke the camel's back. Rather, it is based on multiple visits over the past 10 years, in which I have experienced all of the things mentioned above. Can the food be great? Yes. That's why -- at least for a while -- many customers, like me, will overlook the surly service, inflated prices and laughably small portions. But, eventually, the bad overcomes the good. In fact, on this last visit -- a Saturday evening in the middle of Christmas week -- there were many vacant tables. Maybe people are catching on .... If you're in Aspen and have to have sushi, go to Matsuhisa. You'll spend the same $, but leave feeling valued as a customer rather than the victim of a sushi bar mugging.
(2)andrea b.
Rudest bartender Ross that we have ever experienced- and we travel 150+ nights globally- so arrogant and condescending. Table service was OK, but the upsell for $45 for 3 bites of food on a hot rock...really? Sashimi orders are very tiny too. We will not return. Nobu is more cost effective believe it or not!
(2)CK P.
Are you SERIOUS? We had dinner there last night and I have to say that the food was AWFUL! The sushi was not fresh at all. We had toro (marketed from New Zealand) that was like rubber. The other raw fish was not good either. They did not get order right a number of times. Luke warm miso soup. Yakisoba that was overcooked and when we asked if they could make with al dente noodles, they said that all the noodles were like that. The rolls were edible, but nothing special. The service was OK, but the sushi chefs could not make it dishwashers at a real sushi bar. They were more interested in drinking with customers than making edible sushi. The interior is nice, but does not make up for the extremely sub par food. Save your time and $ and go somewhere else.
(1)Steven M.
I am sitting here at kenichi waiting for the food for two out of the four in our party. The appetizers were quite good, though pricey. The gyoza were done well, but $17. For high end $$$$ Japanese food, both the food quality and the service should be impeccable. It took them 20 minutes after they delivered two dishes to deliver three sushi rolls. Incredibly awkward for the people staring at their food cooling. We won't be back.
(2)Tanya G.
I went to Kenichi to celebrate a friend's birthday, we had a large party and sat in the bar area. Usually when you are with a large party it's hard to get good service. Our waitress Tracy was awesome and kept our table supplied with food and drinks at all times. The ambience was great and the food even better. I have never had oysters on the half shell that tasted so good.
(5)Greer B.
Love Kenichi. The black cod is amazing. My son always requests Kenichi when we are in the sushi mood. The staff and owner always greet us and are friendly and attentive. Definitely a restaurant you will want to visit on your trip to Aspen.
(5)Andrew R.
Waited over an hour for a table even though we had a reservation. Food was ok.
(2)abigail y.
Ughh...so terribly disappointed. Rolls were stuffed with entirely way too much rice, and very little fish. And perhaps fish from days ago? Bland flavors which honestly made us worried about the quality. We wanted to go big by asking for the chef's choice for the night. Maybe he was not working...which led us all believe we could have gotten better sushi at the local grocery for 90 percent less. Sorry Aspen, Nebraska has better sushi choices than this. More encouraging is the great ambience, and super cool bar.
(1)Luis G.
Kenichi. Whew. We had the privilege of sampling this restaurant along with our Aspen food tour during the summer. We got to meet the chefs, they made us special dishes, my oh my it was amazing. So amazing, we came back and made it our last dinner in Aspen before we headed home. Kenichi offers a fine dining experience. The sushi rollls are carefully crafted, the rice is pillowy perfect, the ingredients are fresh, and the flavors just pop. What makes this restaurant special is the balance between bold and light flavors that makes everything just right. Service was awesome too. It makes this review difficult, because this restaurant still doesn't match the best sushi I've ever had but it's darn close. Also they could benefit from a better music selection. Dancehall does NOT pair well with fine dining, and especially Japanese fine dining. This is not casual so be prepared for a nice hefty bill, and if you want, indulge on their impressive and delicious sake which was specifically formulated for the restaurant in Japan. $90 a bottle. Great experience, awesome food. Can't go wrong with Kenichi.
(4)Tim O.
It's always interesting to find great seafood in the mountains! We had a wonderful dinner - the himachi sashimi was especially good. Flawless service - innovative menu - yes it is expensive - but fresh fish in Aspen has to be a challenge.
(5)Andy K.
Simply put find another place for sushi! Came here on a Saturday night in September. 9pm and only 3 tables filled. Took over an hour for the sushi and never got the pot stickers we ordered. Manager came by and comped the entire meal as they should but the food wasn't even worth eating. Don't go here.
(1)Haley S.
Amazing!! Such a nice staff and the food was great. The sushi is a little ricey but it was so much better than matsushya. Go here!! Awesome place. Might go back today for a spicy tuna handroll.
(4)Karen M.
Went to Kenichi last night for dinner and was nervous not to eat at the bar having had a bad experience in the past. I'm pleased to say that they have redeemed themselves in my mind. Service was great and so was the food. While extremely busy for New Years eve, we were given special attention and even ordered some items not on the menu and were accommodated by the Sushi chef. The quality of the fish was outstanding and were treated like rock stars even with our children. Thanks Kenichi!
(5)Amanda K.
Excellent fish (even this far from an ocean) and some delicious composed dishes too. The sushi chefs were super nice so I recommend sitting at the bar. Loved the tuna tacos - spicy seared ahi with greens and a house sauce inside taco shells. Another standout was a dish of cubed tuna, avocado, cucumber, seaweed and a delicate dressing. These really started us out on the right foot. We enjoyed some fresh yellowtail sashimi as well as an interesting unagi roll dressed with thinly sliced avocado and strawberry - a good dessert. I admit I'm not a big fan of most rolls and these did not sway me otherwise. So next time I'd stick with the sashimi and dishes. But this place was a very pleasant surprise.
(4)Richard S.
If you want average sushi but a cool scene, Kenechi is your place! Way too much rice vs. fish in the rolls, always have to watch that ratio. Find something better in Aspen, seriously.
(2)Natalie G.
Kenichi is a great place if you want a lot of fun with really tasty sushi. The menu is extensive and all the different rolls and sashimi styles are creative and delicious. Sit at the bar if you can with the tall handsome bartender, he is hilarious and has great food suggestions paired with some good laughs.
(5)Nicholas W.
Meh. Shishito Peppers are one of my favorite things, here- they were awful. Edamame was undercooked. Sushi was disappointing. The fish quality seemed to be good, although the rolls themselves were too full of rice (and packed to tight). The fresh Wasabi was AMAZING and I will never go back to the other "Green Stuff" Lastly- they add a 10% labor fee to your bill- I didn't catch this until the next day, so ended up tipping 32+ %
(2)Ashley B.
This is the best sushi we have ever had. We didn't realize it at the time- but after our Tokyo honeymoon and a trip to the much-raved Sushi Den, we're settled that Kenichi is the best we've had hands down. I say definitely go to the sushi bar- our sushi chef was incredibly attentive and gave us free sashimi, (which was very tasty). They also made the best (and biggest) spider roll my husband has ever had. I will say our actual waitress wasn't very good, but she wasn't actually giving us anything as we didn't order any hot food. I wouldn't say it is as expensive as some have said, but I don't think we drank while we were there. I think it was under $50 for both of us.
(5)Ryan C.
Upon arrival the atmosphere was what was expected. After the third bumbling server came to ask if we had heard about the specials I knew we were in trouble. They seemed uninterested in our table and the three servers helping us seemed to all leave us in their rear view mirror. No one asked how our food was once it came out or even brought a knife to cut our steaks. We waited 10 minutes for a fork and knife. Upon cutting into the Wagyu filet I had ordered I realized it was so far overcooked I had to ask for it cooked again to medium rare! This took 25 minutes. Not one apology or even server come offer to fill our drinks. Inconsistently cut sushi and plate presentations between my steaks. I have not been this disappointed in a restaurants overall performance in a while. You can definitely spend your money and time better elsewhere in Aspen.
(2)Christine L.
Wow, not sure where these other reviewers have had sushi. This place was awful, especially considering the price. There was way too much rice in the rolls and the nigiri, and the rice wasn't cooked right on top of that. It was definitely too mushy. I have no complaints about the fish, though the crab in the Spider roll could've been meatier. The Komodo roll was just a bad combination. The calamari was the type sliced thick from a large squid, and the texture was way off, being a bit dry and grainy. Some pieces were also ridiculously chewy. We also had the Dynamite Shrimp which was the only thing I'd want to order again. But it was not enough to save this review. Besides the food quality, the timing of the dishes was way off. Typically one receives the rolls and nigiri altogether. We got our nigiri first, and then we had to wait about 10 min for our rolls. Lastly the loud music is annoying as well as the lighting.
(1)Ashley B.
I don't get the rave reviews for this place. The sushi was ok. They have interesting options. Although, the price does not equal the quality. The wine list for such a high end place was a major disappointment. The service was fine, minus the sushi chief forgetting one of my rolls ... we sat at the sushi bar which was way to mushed together. If you want people watching then this place is pretty good, you are going to see some characters. My mom and I had a pretty good laugh in that respect. All and all, I would not go back. Give me a good NYC hole in the wall sushi place over Kenichi any day!
(2)Colleen P.
Yup, loved this place. Everything about it was great. My only complaint is that when I went back to get the spring rolls I had been craving, they didn't have them on the menu, and couldn't make them. We did a late night here, no sushi. Food was all excellent, service was mediocre, which seems to be on par for Aspen in the summer. Overall, my favorite place to eat in Aspen.
(5)A S.
I loved this place. We got here late one night. I say "late" because everything closes so early in Aspen. I think it was around 11pm or so. We sat at the sushi bar. The manager came to say hello and gave us some sake on the house. He did a shot with us! Besides choosing a couple of things, we let one of the chefs prepare whatever he wanted for us. Everything was delicious, fresh, original and beautifully presented. The music was loud, yeah, but it was decent rock&roll/lite heavy metal (except a couple of nasty hip hop songs). We really enjoyed this place. I totally recommend it.
(4)nini t.
Don't let the loud music and "scene" fool you. This place has incredibly fresh, delicious sushi, backed by an executive sushi chef that knows what he's doing. My bf was hesitant to try this place because of the blasting music as we approached the restaurant. It was a Monday night and we had just finished watching a movie at the Wheeler Opera House. Snow was falling and we were hungry. Kenichi was packed at around 9:30pm. The hostess told us it'd be about a 10-15 minute wait, so we passed the time watching the Olympics on one of their many tv screens. We prefer the sushi bar and that's where we were seated. Upon glancing at the menu, I observed that the prices were on par with Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in NY. We weren't planning on dropping a couple hundred dollars for this meal, so we ordered very minimally. We opted for the special salmon of the day, asking our chef for sashimi style. He kept asking us if we wanted a special sauce. A little annoyed, I blurted back that I just wanted to taste the freshness of the fish. It was fresh all right, and very tasty. Little did I realize who I was giving attitude to. We happened to be seated in front of their executive sushi chef, Kiyomi Sano, who not only forgave me for my ignorance, but went out of his way to provide us with one of the most incredible sushi experiences we've ever had. If you enjoy sushi, here's my advice to you: head straight for the sushi bar and keep your fingers crossed that you get seated by Kiyomi San's station. Don't bother ordering. Trust the man to serve you with the most incredible sushi you've ever eaten. When Jeff and I finally caught on to the talent of our chef, we asked him to recommend us something. We decided on hamachi and what followed was the most delicious yellowtail I've ever eaten. I was mesmerized watching him prepare it. He sprinkled some spices, then shaved on some fresh salt, followed by searing with the blowtorch. I was in sashimi heaven. I just popped a piece in my mouth, closed my eyes, and chewed to my heart's content. Kiyomi San was also very generous with giving us little samples of goodness. He educated us on eating the shredded daikon that usually accompanies a sashimi dish, saying how healthy and nutritious it is, so it shouldn't be wasted. Like eager students, we listened and learned. By the end of the night, we befriended a few of the chefs behind the counter. My bf and i were offered flowers, I couldn't stop laughing, and Jeff and I agreed we'd go back for omakase. You can see what fun chefs Kiyomi San and his team are by looking at one of my photos. They clap, they dance and they serve up the most exquisite sushi. Our meal ended up being about $60 a person.....a deal for how full and entertained I was.
(5)Robyn B.
We started with a few appetizers, shrimp and spicy edamame and they were so good we were all excited for our entrees. Sadly they didn't live up to the appetizers. 3 of us split several sushi rolls and they were just ok compared to other sushi rolls I've had in the past. As another reviewer stated they were mostly rice and very little fish that wasn't the best quality. Another person in our party tried the scallops that you cook on a stone. The stone didn't come out hot enough to really do much to the scallops and they didn't have much flavor. They were served with a salt that no one at the table liked. The atmosphere is very cool and the appetizers were good so I would say stop in for some drinks and apps.
(2)Ross P.
Kenichi is absolutely amazing! The food was fantastic and the service was unparalleled. Brady and Ross were awesome. I can't wait to go back tomorrow night!
(5)Aman S.
A regular staple of mine every time I am in Aspen. The dynamite lobster is to die for and it melst in your mouth. The nigori pearl is good too. They need to get sparkling sake though....
(4)Cheryl C.
I'm not the biggest raw fish fan but Kenichi may have permanently transformed me into a sushi lover! We were seated immediately and the service and ambience were phenomenal. Two of the chefs even came to our table. We sampled most of everything and absolutely nothing disappointed. The dumplings, rolls, seafood, meats, desserts and sake were all exceptional. Even our small children loved it. Yum, yum, yum!
(5)Johanna K.
one of my favorite sushi restaurants. ever. their food is amazing, sushi is scary fresh considering we're tucked away in the rocky mountains. the only reason they get four instead of five stars is I have had shoddy service here. if someone famous is dinning consider yourself lucky to even get your waters refilled. they ruined my birthday one year with that noise. my birthday dinner was a complete disaster and I was super bummed but this kind of service happens say, one out of every 15 visits ( I said this place was one of my favorites, right?) its just unfortunate that the worst service I ever had there was on my 29th birthday this year. boo hoo.
(4)Mark K.
Our favorite sushi spot in Aspen. Better service and value than Matsuhisa. The spice edamame are worth trying. Reservations are a must as it does it busy.
(5)Vincent J.
Sushi was good. The fish was fresh. I felt the rolls were lacking. Maybe we ordered the wrong ones.
(3)Erin P.
We were in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic and met the owner at a bar, and he told us about his restaurant. I loooove sushi so I was all about it! This was a great restaurant, and we loved the fresh wasabi. You have to try it! We sat at the sushi bar and were entertained by the chefs. Great food and great ambiance!
(5)Robert H.
Update 6/2012: I'm downgrading Kenichi two stars based on my last visit there (and it probably will be my last, literally). I regret recommending it to so many people. On this visit, the waitress substantially overcharged me for TWO items -- one of them I was charged TRIPLE what the correct price was. When I pointed these costly "mistakes" out to her, she didn't even give a very sincere apology. In general the service was a bit arrogant and not nearly as good as it used to be. When I told some locals about my experience, no one was surprised. Apparently this place is known for overcharging and aggressively up-selling. Too bad their management and attitude is so poor, because the food is still pretty good. --------- Sophisticated atmosphere since the extensive remodeling. Service was excellent, food was very good, but I did not try a wide variety of items. I especially liked the different types of seaweed salad available and the availability of fresh, un-dyed ginger as an option.
(2)Matthew T.
We were in Aspen for the 4th of July and decided to make a reservation for 10 people at Kinichi. We were also celebrating a birthday and we let the staff know when we sat down. A few of us orders apps and about 40 min later people started receiving their entree's and the apps were no where to be found. When I asked the server (short blondish hair, English maybe) what the status of the the apps was he said "Im sorry I got carried away with the drink orders." Well this was confusing because most of us had already ordered drinks and paid at the bar, and he had staff delivering all the drinks. Any how 20 min later the apps were served to the wrong side of the table, so it took another 15 min to get another order of apps out. When I expressed my frustration to the waiter, he simply said I'm sorry and walked off. I have a great appreciation for servers, however my experience here left me with feeling that Kinichi really doesn't care about their customers, at least not us. Because of the service I received I left a smaller tip than normal and when we were walking out of the restaurant I saw our same server reading the bill and complaining to his staff (I'm assuming about the tip). I decided to go back to the restaurant, gave the server an additional $50 and let him know that I have dined her many times never had an experience like this... He could have cared less and barely even looked at me. I have been eating sushi in Aspen for 20 years (Usually at Taka Sushi which is now closed), and never experienced service like this. I went to Kinichi because two of the Sushi chefs that left Taka ended up at Kinichi. In the end, I was disappointed. If I eat here again I hope to have a different experience.
(2)Briana T.
My boyfriend and are big sushi fans so we search for the best places wherever we go. Most of the places we have gone to are in NYC (we have tried several) since I go to school there so we have pretty high standards. We have spent 2 summers in Aspen for the music festival and agree that Kenichi is the best place we have been to! Perhaps we know how to order, but the rolls we have gotten are incredible. It is quite expensive, probably because they ship in fresh fish, so I recommend it for special occasions.
(5)Cecile S.
We were looking forward to dining here during our stay in snowmass. We had our reservation made and even got there a little early. When the time for our reservation came and went we asked the hostess what was going on? She said what do you expect it's the holidays! Wow what an answer. They gave us the option to sit at the bar and wait which I guess is ok if we didn't have 6 children with us. They offered us a few free appetizers which was generous. Now our table is ready things are looking promising. We sit and after waiting forever we are now waiting again for our server! Well ok we order our food and it comes out. The sushi was good nothing shockingly delicious. We also ordered Kobe beef on hot plates. The servers came out making a big deal how hot they were but unfortunately they don't know the difference between hot and cold. We couldn't cook the meat so they took the 4 hot plates with meat back. When they brought them back they forgot the meat. The manager did not get us more meat only offered to take two off the receipt. Hello we ordered 4.. Am I the only one lost in this transaction. Why should we pay for 2 if we didn't eat 2? All in all for an aspen restaurant it falls well below aspen standards. Don't bother coming here unless you enjoy bad service with inexperienced staff.
(2)JJ B.
Good, not great...
(3)tim s.
The food was good, but we only got to it after they gave away our table (which I called and confirmed three hours earlier). Apparently since the people before us showed up late, we then ha to wait an hour for our table. Seemed like a bad policy...and didn't put us in a good mood. Not a bad place, but probably wouldn't go back.
(3)ThreeWordReviews ..
Inauthentic. Generic. Sceney.
(3)Brent O.
Atmosphere is lovely. But sushi was awful... Fishes were fish enough but sushi rice was not for sushi... I am so disappointed that people think that was sushi...
(2)Brian G.
Bonzai and Godzilla roles were incredible. I've never had rolls with strawberries on them. The idea wasn't appealing but I'm glad I took the risk. I think those were the best rolls I've ever tasted. The tako was one of the best cuts of octopus I've ever had. Solid muscle, no fat. The other roles and sushi were good to average. Stick with the specialty roles.
(4)Scott S.
It is always nice when I am home to go and eat some world class sushi. I have traveled all over the world and had some phenomenal sushi. Kenichi can hold its own when compared. The blacken cod is just amazing! People have complained about the prices being high, but factor in rent and food cost for high quality seafood, roll that up into the fact it is Aspen then you have to choose if you want to pay the price, it's Aspen! Playground of the rich and famous. If you want to step up your dining experience. Sit at the sushi bar (when it's slow) and ask them to just make whatever. This is one of my favorite ways to dine. But be warned that this can set you up for a more expensive tab by the end. Mainly because you will want to keep eating and experiencing the array food that is placed in front of you. Grab a nice cold sake to pair with the meal if you want to go all out.
(5)Matthew T.
We were in Aspen for the 4th of July and decided to make a reservation for 10 people at Kinichi. We were also celebrating a birthday and we let the staff know when we sat down. A few of us orders apps and about 40 min later people started receiving their entree's and the apps were no where to be found. When I asked the server (short blondish hair, English maybe) what the status of the the apps was he said "Im sorry I got carried away with the drink orders." Well this was confusing because most of us had already ordered drinks and paid at the bar, and he had staff delivering all the drinks. Any how 20 min later the apps were served to the wrong side of the table, so it took another 15 min to get another order of apps out. When I expressed my frustration to the waiter, he simply said I'm sorry and walked off. I have a great appreciation for servers, however my experience here left me with feeling that Kinichi really doesn't care about their customers, at least not us. Because of the service I received I left a smaller tip than normal and when we were walking out of the restaurant I saw our same server reading the bill and complaining to his staff (I'm assuming about the tip). I decided to go back to the restaurant, gave the server an additional $50 and let him know that I have dined her many times never had an experience like this... He could have cared less and barely even looked at me. I have been eating sushi in Aspen for 20 years (Usually at Taka Sushi which is now closed), and never experienced service like this. I went to Kinichi because two of the Sushi chefs that left Taka ended up at Kinichi. In the end, I was disappointed. If I eat here again I hope to have a different experience.
(2)Saga F.
This used to be my fave Asian restaurant in Aspen but something has really changed here. Not the same attention to flavors as it used to be and now is just standard fare with a high price tag...Not sure if chef or owner changed but I am really bummed. Biggest disappointment was their pork belly dish which used to be to die for but now they use a country bacon that is mushy with an orange citrus sauce that makes no sense. And the dynamite shrimp was one shrimp cut into 5 pieces on a plate for $9! As much as I hate to say it I will not be back. Too many other great restaurants in Aspen. I wish they would go back to the way they used to be.
(2)Darren K.
The best dining experience in aspen.... Where do we start: Wait staff - so nice and patient. Or server let us taste a few different sake before we ordered bottle Sushi bar - insane. We sat next to a local who ordered beers for the sushi chefs - how awesome Fish - amazing - fresh - and delicious. We had a few Custom rolls that blew me away.
(5)Julie C.
The prices at this place is pretty up there. But apparently sometimes they have a happy hour menu at the bar. The sushi I got I thought sas just mediocre and the cooked foods were alright, nothing that really wowed me. In fact I'd like to point out that the fish was not cut properly and the calamari was just too thick. The sauce that came with the calamari though was really good! If your going to pay full price just go to Matsuhisa instead. You'll get your money's worth there. This place primarily gets more locals coming in. But that doesn't mean it's more authentic or that it taste better. I think it's a more loyalty thing. Overall though it seems that if your travelling alone and not wearing some top notch they'll a little weird about serving you?
(2)Firas A.
Ambience is nice and server was good & friendly. The quality of the sushi was NOT good. The fish itself seems fine, but the preparation was just terrible. You're better off buying pre-made sushi from City Market. The rolls and the nigiri sushi were so badly made...the rice was hard and so tightly packed. I could watch a Youtube video and prepare far better sushi than that. We always go to Matsu, but thought we'd try something different for a change. Don't make that mistake.
(1)Christine L.
Wow, not sure where these other reviewers have had sushi. This place was awful, especially considering the price. There was way too much rice in the rolls and the nigiri, and the rice wasn't cooked right on top of that. It was definitely too mushy. I have no complaints about the fish, though the crab in the Spider roll could've been meatier. The Komodo roll was just a bad combination. The calamari was the type sliced thick from a large squid, and the texture was way off, being a bit dry and grainy. Some pieces were also ridiculously chewy. We also had the Dynamite Shrimp which was the only thing I'd want to order again. But it was not enough to save this review. Besides the food quality, the timing of the dishes was way off. Typically one receives the rolls and nigiri altogether. We got our nigiri first, and then we had to wait about 10 min for our rolls. Lastly the loud music is annoying as well as the lighting.
(1)Ashley B.
I don't get the rave reviews for this place. The sushi was ok. They have interesting options. Although, the price does not equal the quality. The wine list for such a high end place was a major disappointment. The service was fine, minus the sushi chief forgetting one of my rolls ... we sat at the sushi bar which was way to mushed together. If you want people watching then this place is pretty good, you are going to see some characters. My mom and I had a pretty good laugh in that respect. All and all, I would not go back. Give me a good NYC hole in the wall sushi place over Kenichi any day!
(2)Ryan C.
Upon arrival the atmosphere was what was expected. After the third bumbling server came to ask if we had heard about the specials I knew we were in trouble. They seemed uninterested in our table and the three servers helping us seemed to all leave us in their rear view mirror. No one asked how our food was once it came out or even brought a knife to cut our steaks. We waited 10 minutes for a fork and knife. Upon cutting into the Wagyu filet I had ordered I realized it was so far overcooked I had to ask for it cooked again to medium rare! This took 25 minutes. Not one apology or even server come offer to fill our drinks. Inconsistently cut sushi and plate presentations between my steaks. I have not been this disappointed in a restaurants overall performance in a while. You can definitely spend your money and time better elsewhere in Aspen.
(2)A S.
I loved this place. We got here late one night. I say "late" because everything closes so early in Aspen. I think it was around 11pm or so. We sat at the sushi bar. The manager came to say hello and gave us some sake on the house. He did a shot with us! Besides choosing a couple of things, we let one of the chefs prepare whatever he wanted for us. Everything was delicious, fresh, original and beautifully presented. The music was loud, yeah, but it was decent rock&roll/lite heavy metal (except a couple of nasty hip hop songs). We really enjoyed this place. I totally recommend it.
(4)nini t.
Don't let the loud music and "scene" fool you. This place has incredibly fresh, delicious sushi, backed by an executive sushi chef that knows what he's doing. My bf was hesitant to try this place because of the blasting music as we approached the restaurant. It was a Monday night and we had just finished watching a movie at the Wheeler Opera House. Snow was falling and we were hungry. Kenichi was packed at around 9:30pm. The hostess told us it'd be about a 10-15 minute wait, so we passed the time watching the Olympics on one of their many tv screens. We prefer the sushi bar and that's where we were seated. Upon glancing at the menu, I observed that the prices were on par with Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in NY. We weren't planning on dropping a couple hundred dollars for this meal, so we ordered very minimally. We opted for the special salmon of the day, asking our chef for sashimi style. He kept asking us if we wanted a special sauce. A little annoyed, I blurted back that I just wanted to taste the freshness of the fish. It was fresh all right, and very tasty. Little did I realize who I was giving attitude to. We happened to be seated in front of their executive sushi chef, Kiyomi Sano, who not only forgave me for my ignorance, but went out of his way to provide us with one of the most incredible sushi experiences we've ever had. If you enjoy sushi, here's my advice to you: head straight for the sushi bar and keep your fingers crossed that you get seated by Kiyomi San's station. Don't bother ordering. Trust the man to serve you with the most incredible sushi you've ever eaten. When Jeff and I finally caught on to the talent of our chef, we asked him to recommend us something. We decided on hamachi and what followed was the most delicious yellowtail I've ever eaten. I was mesmerized watching him prepare it. He sprinkled some spices, then shaved on some fresh salt, followed by searing with the blowtorch. I was in sashimi heaven. I just popped a piece in my mouth, closed my eyes, and chewed to my heart's content. Kiyomi San was also very generous with giving us little samples of goodness. He educated us on eating the shredded daikon that usually accompanies a sashimi dish, saying how healthy and nutritious it is, so it shouldn't be wasted. Like eager students, we listened and learned. By the end of the night, we befriended a few of the chefs behind the counter. My bf and i were offered flowers, I couldn't stop laughing, and Jeff and I agreed we'd go back for omakase. You can see what fun chefs Kiyomi San and his team are by looking at one of my photos. They clap, they dance and they serve up the most exquisite sushi. Our meal ended up being about $60 a person.....a deal for how full and entertained I was.
(5)Robyn B.
We started with a few appetizers, shrimp and spicy edamame and they were so good we were all excited for our entrees. Sadly they didn't live up to the appetizers. 3 of us split several sushi rolls and they were just ok compared to other sushi rolls I've had in the past. As another reviewer stated they were mostly rice and very little fish that wasn't the best quality. Another person in our party tried the scallops that you cook on a stone. The stone didn't come out hot enough to really do much to the scallops and they didn't have much flavor. They were served with a salt that no one at the table liked. The atmosphere is very cool and the appetizers were good so I would say stop in for some drinks and apps.
(2)Ross P.
Kenichi is absolutely amazing! The food was fantastic and the service was unparalleled. Brady and Ross were awesome. I can't wait to go back tomorrow night!
(5)Cheryl C.
I'm not the biggest raw fish fan but Kenichi may have permanently transformed me into a sushi lover! We were seated immediately and the service and ambience were phenomenal. Two of the chefs even came to our table. We sampled most of everything and absolutely nothing disappointed. The dumplings, rolls, seafood, meats, desserts and sake were all exceptional. Even our small children loved it. Yum, yum, yum!
(5)Johanna K.
one of my favorite sushi restaurants. ever. their food is amazing, sushi is scary fresh considering we're tucked away in the rocky mountains. the only reason they get four instead of five stars is I have had shoddy service here. if someone famous is dinning consider yourself lucky to even get your waters refilled. they ruined my birthday one year with that noise. my birthday dinner was a complete disaster and I was super bummed but this kind of service happens say, one out of every 15 visits ( I said this place was one of my favorites, right?) its just unfortunate that the worst service I ever had there was on my 29th birthday this year. boo hoo.
(4)Mark K.
Our favorite sushi spot in Aspen. Better service and value than Matsuhisa. The spice edamame are worth trying. Reservations are a must as it does it busy.
(5)Vincent J.
Sushi was good. The fish was fresh. I felt the rolls were lacking. Maybe we ordered the wrong ones.
(3)Erin P.
We were in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic and met the owner at a bar, and he told us about his restaurant. I loooove sushi so I was all about it! This was a great restaurant, and we loved the fresh wasabi. You have to try it! We sat at the sushi bar and were entertained by the chefs. Great food and great ambiance!
(5)Robert H.
Update 6/2012: I'm downgrading Kenichi two stars based on my last visit there (and it probably will be my last, literally). I regret recommending it to so many people. On this visit, the waitress substantially overcharged me for TWO items -- one of them I was charged TRIPLE what the correct price was. When I pointed these costly "mistakes" out to her, she didn't even give a very sincere apology. In general the service was a bit arrogant and not nearly as good as it used to be. When I told some locals about my experience, no one was surprised. Apparently this place is known for overcharging and aggressively up-selling. Too bad their management and attitude is so poor, because the food is still pretty good. --------- Sophisticated atmosphere since the extensive remodeling. Service was excellent, food was very good, but I did not try a wide variety of items. I especially liked the different types of seaweed salad available and the availability of fresh, un-dyed ginger as an option.
(2)Cecile S.
We were looking forward to dining here during our stay in snowmass. We had our reservation made and even got there a little early. When the time for our reservation came and went we asked the hostess what was going on? She said what do you expect it's the holidays! Wow what an answer. They gave us the option to sit at the bar and wait which I guess is ok if we didn't have 6 children with us. They offered us a few free appetizers which was generous. Now our table is ready things are looking promising. We sit and after waiting forever we are now waiting again for our server! Well ok we order our food and it comes out. The sushi was good nothing shockingly delicious. We also ordered Kobe beef on hot plates. The servers came out making a big deal how hot they were but unfortunately they don't know the difference between hot and cold. We couldn't cook the meat so they took the 4 hot plates with meat back. When they brought them back they forgot the meat. The manager did not get us more meat only offered to take two off the receipt. Hello we ordered 4.. Am I the only one lost in this transaction. Why should we pay for 2 if we didn't eat 2? All in all for an aspen restaurant it falls well below aspen standards. Don't bother coming here unless you enjoy bad service with inexperienced staff.
(2)JJ B.
Good, not great...
(3)tim s.
The food was good, but we only got to it after they gave away our table (which I called and confirmed three hours earlier). Apparently since the people before us showed up late, we then ha to wait an hour for our table. Seemed like a bad policy...and didn't put us in a good mood. Not a bad place, but probably wouldn't go back.
(3)ThreeWordReviews ..
Inauthentic. Generic. Sceney.
(3)Brian G.
Bonzai and Godzilla roles were incredible. I've never had rolls with strawberries on them. The idea wasn't appealing but I'm glad I took the risk. I think those were the best rolls I've ever tasted. The tako was one of the best cuts of octopus I've ever had. Solid muscle, no fat. The other roles and sushi were good to average. Stick with the specialty roles.
(4)Briana T.
My boyfriend and are big sushi fans so we search for the best places wherever we go. Most of the places we have gone to are in NYC (we have tried several) since I go to school there so we have pretty high standards. We have spent 2 summers in Aspen for the music festival and agree that Kenichi is the best place we have been to! Perhaps we know how to order, but the rolls we have gotten are incredible. It is quite expensive, probably because they ship in fresh fish, so I recommend it for special occasions.
(5)Brent O.
Atmosphere is lovely. But sushi was awful... Fishes were fish enough but sushi rice was not for sushi... I am so disappointed that people think that was sushi...
(2)Debbie C.
As always, the food at Kenichi is fresh and delicious. It's one of our favorite places in Aspen, if you can get a reservation!
(4)Joseph B.
Average sushi, nothing to rave about. Chef and staff were great. Love the kale salad...but still let and hungry after the sushi.
(2)A H.
Outstanding - not cheap - lets say - "Aspen reasonable" - $50 a head w/ plenty of Sapporo. Highly recommend trying the Spicy Wok seared edamame - no need to ask if its 'really spicy?" - the answer is 'depends on who makes it tonight" - for 7 bucks, be adventurous - I thought it was outstanding. All rolls we had were great - super fresh and presented to perfection. They do serve 'unexpected' rolls - like the Bonzai tuna roll that is topped w/ strawberry slices (see picture above)- I personally prefer to get my fruit intake at Robeks Juice Bar - but, everyone else I was with thought it was great. Make reservations - especially during holiday periods.
(5)Ryan Z.
Best sushi I've ever had. Cost on the other hand for our party of 11...$2K Unreal presentation, flavor, uniqueness, every detail was perfect. The corner room with the dug out floor is truly a must do. Bring and iPod and you can hook it up to play your playlist. This is by far the most extravagant service/meal I've ever experienced. I don't remember what the dish was called, but they have these heated stones that come out with all kinds of raw meats to cook on, kinda like a fondu place, that were out of this world. They also carry this sake that is amazing. Super pricey stuff, but ask the waiter to give you the story/background on how it's made and where it comes from. We tried almost damn near everything on the menu and couldn't complain or critique a thing. Would love to go back!
(5)Paul H.
What's all the hype about? I think the sushi is OK and the music is good. Wait, must be the scene. It's Aspen; I forgot there needs to be an "it" place. Food: The sushi is good, but I have had much better. Anything fried is bad (old oil - bad, bad, bad). The sashimi was very good though. Drink: Wine menu is pretty good and eclectic. Prices were inflated, but that's everywhere. Ambiance: As you would expect of an "it" place - crowded, loud and full of self-entitled people...even on a Monday night. But the place is well designed, lighting is terrific, music decent. The bar is tight, but the bar dining is great (especially the "private" alcove if you're into feeling special). All in all, more scene than quality food. There are a couple other options in town that serve much better fish.
(2)Sharon M.
not as good as Matsuhisa but more affordable.
(5)Alex D.
There are three sushi restaurants in Aspen, and this by far ranks as my favorite. Go to the sushi bar, chat it up with the chefs, and tell them to send you whatever they think you would enjoy. You will not be disappointed. My favorites are the godzilla roll (not on the menu) and the sake (salmon) with goat cheese. Melty...
(5)Christina E.
I was disappointed with my food. After all the great reviews.. my experience did not match the expectations. Udon was too soft. Sushi rice was to hard. The only thing I would agree with is the service was excellent, it was low key and relaxing, not cheap, and the spicy edamame was delicious.
(3)KC W.
Excellent sushi. My husband and I had great sushi and Sapporo here. Reputed to be a locals hangout, we found the place to be low key and relaxing. I LOVED the spicy edamame. The sashimi was quite good, too.
(5)Karyn W.
Terrible service, food, ambiance. What a joke! The American sushi chefs wore tiny pony tails on the crown of their heads with pokadot bandanas - why?! TINY portions and HUGE bill. The hostesses were more like high school cheerleader rejects.
(1)Alex W.
This is the best sushi restaurant I've ever been to. You would think that is a bold statement since it's in the middle of the country and how can it be as fresh as a coastal city? But coming from someone who travels all over the country every week, this blows LA, NYC, and even Seattle out of the water. The menu features a blend of trendy unique dishes and traditional, and every single item was "mmmh" worthy. Some dishes we even ordered seconds! Highly recommend to a foodie visiting Aspen.
(5)Levente N.
I would rather eat sushi from a gas station, then to go back here again!! This place is a joke!! Don't let the nice decor fool you!!
(1)David M.
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(5)Erin B.
Your meal will not come cheaply, but it will be memorable. We enjoyed a wide selection of small bites (must try: black cod; kobe hot rock; and yellowtail serrano). The flavors are well balanced, and though you do not get more than a few bites of any one item, every item is memorable. We sat in a table tucked in a corner, which was very enjoyable. I cannot comment on the sushi bar itself, but the ambiance overall is enjoyable.
(5)Manal Y.
I wouldn't go here for sushi. Lots of other good places in town and service here is mediocre, timing of food delivery is off and it's overpriced for the quality. That said, seems like a cool place to grab a drink.
(1)Zach G.
Great rolls and an excellent place for a quick dinner before. Great bar selection. The specialty rolls are awesome and well worth the price.
(5)Greer B.
Love Kenichi. The black cod is amazing. My son always requests Kenichi when we are in the sushi mood. The staff and owner always greet us and are friendly and attentive. Definitely a restaurant you will want to visit on your trip to Aspen.
(5)Andrew R.
Waited over an hour for a table even though we had a reservation. Food was ok.
(2)abigail y.
Ughh...so terribly disappointed. Rolls were stuffed with entirely way too much rice, and very little fish. And perhaps fish from days ago? Bland flavors which honestly made us worried about the quality. We wanted to go big by asking for the chef's choice for the night. Maybe he was not working...which led us all believe we could have gotten better sushi at the local grocery for 90 percent less. Sorry Aspen, Nebraska has better sushi choices than this. More encouraging is the great ambience, and super cool bar.
(1)Monica K.
The ABSOLUTE WORST SERVICE EVER!! We spent 40 minutes waiting for a server to take our drink order. It's a Sunday night and the restaurant is half empty. We waited and waited for food that never came! Our server was nowhere to be seen, and the manager -Amber was NOT helpful and tried to fight with us about the horrendous service we had!
(1)Marva V.
This is a pretty pricey restaurant with the chicken teriyaki being about $30. My husband had to send it back as it had an awful taste to it. I suggested that the sauce was burnt which would have been a neat trick since there was so little of it to render it inedible. It was also small being maybe 6 oz of meat. I was extremely disappointed in the salmon sashimi as well, particularly the portion size for the price (back home we can get 3x as much for around the same price). Additionally it was not very professionally cut with the pieces looking like they had been cut by a two year old. The only positive thing about the experience was that the head waiter (not our waiter) noticed we were unhappy and made it right. As a side note, when I asked for something warm to drink other than green tea, for medical reasons, they offered warm water. Also, they allowed a large party of women in there to get completely drunk and out of control, blasting music and sexually harassing the employees while destroying the experience for other customers Definitely not worth the money or the time to go there!!
(1)Mike K.
Food ok, service was fast, looked like a nice bar scene They have an odd practice of a mandatory 17% gratuity for takeout food. I asked about I was told it was for the bartender who walked the food from the kitchen 20 ft and handed it across the bar
(2)Noah F.
This place is awesome al the food here is to die for. It is so good. Great Place to go and always very helpful with changing the food if you are in town you should totally go.
(5)Miles H.
I've been here twice. The first time it was 4 star service, tonight it was 2 star. Therefore, they get 3 stars. Tonight our server was Kyle. He was just ok. Asked basic questions and gave basic answers. No friendliness at all. We were lucky we got a general "thanks" when he brought the check. Nothing but below ordinary. On top of that, all I ordered for a drink was coke. I had 3 refills. When we got the check we found on not only was the coke $4.00, it was $4.00 per refill. $12 for 3 cokes? Jesus. Even McDonalds gives free refills. This was a complete rip off. I mean, our bill came to $200 for 3 of us.... And they charge for refills? That's outrageous. Glad to say I don't think I'll be going back. Which is sad, because it has the potential to be a great place.
(3)Madeline C.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Aspen (though there are only a few). The decor is stunning, and the wait staff is beyond friendly. I love sitting at the sushi bar and chatting with the chefs - They are so much fun to talk to, and always have interesting new recommendations for things I've never tried before. Had an amazing plate of yellow tail sashimi last time I was in town, per the recommendations of the chefs, and it was out of this world. Definitely worth a visit!
(5)Jessica B.
Very good sashimi and rolls! Very friendly staff....great experience. Would highly recommend and will visit again one day
(4)Katie W.
I am always irritated when asked to wait at a crowded bar with no space when I have a confirmed reservation. Luckily, we were able to secure seats after about 15 minutes of standing around. The bartender was friendly, but obviously swamped. Once we were finally seated, our server was prompt and friendly. We ordered several dishes to share, but the highlights were the Miso cod and the Kenichi special roll. The nigiri we had were average, I will stick to the rolls next time we dine here. We did have issues with the sushi rice in one of the rolls, the roll completely fell apart when I grabbed it with my chopsticks. Our server brought over kiddie chopsticks since she thought I was having issues using them. I consider myself adept with chopsticks, but no amount of chopstick skill could have saved the pieces, the rice was just not sticky enough.
(4)Laguna B.
The reviews seem consistent - Had we looked at this we would not have chosen this restaurant for our kids! they were over charged and the service was zero!!! Adults went to another Japanese restaurant Matsushita since it was busy season and 8 adults had better food, and service at Matsu with smaller bill than the 6 kids at Kenichi! how does that work???
(1)Catherine A.
I ate at Kenichi with my family last week and loved the delicious food and great atmosphere. The sushi is extremely fresh and there are so many ridiculously tasty dishes like the yellowtail serrano, blue cheese tuna (might sound like a strange combination of favors but it's actually incredibly tasty) & dynamite lobster. Between those dishes and the combination of rolls and sashimi we ordered, the entire meal was top notch. Hunter, our server, was also exceptional. Knowledgable, attentive and friendly, from his strong recommendations to great attitude, he made our experience a very positive and memorable one. All-in-all, I'd highly recommend dining at Kenichi when in Aspen!
(5)Kevin T.
Great staff and server, was able to find a table showing up an hour before my reservation. The sake, especially heated sake, selection was small and unreasonably priced, and the food had a serious wait behind it. The menu is absolutely massive, with ten to fifteen specials which made me feel fairly uncomfortable as I struggled to order quickly with my party, who all knew what they wanted prior. My waitress had 24 other people whom she was serving simultaneously, and did a remarklable job given the circumstances. The food did take quite a while and was nothing to rave about. The Keniche Special was my favorite dish of those I tried, however nothing was extraordinary. The prices were brutal for the quality of food, yet service made up for some of that. The creme brulee and mochi deserts were amazing, and I highly recommend them. Not quite the play to go for a traditional sushi dinner, and certainly no Matsu, but would be a nice spot for a casual meal with friends.
(3)Sarah E.
This is an aspen must. My family goes every time we're in town. The spicy edamame is to die for. The sushi chefs know their fish and will talk to you about where they get it and what is freshest. Homemade wasabi is REALLY spicy but amazing if you like wasabi. Really good place for groups - back room where you sit on the ground with a pit hollowed under the table - comfortable but thematic.
(5)Trooper S.
Visited this place because Takah Sushi was closed for the night. What a mistake. Walking in, we we're overcome by a loud, rude bartender (male). We asked to be seated away from the bar (we are 30 mind you and it was still too loud). The server we had was very cold and inattentive. The food was just ok but pricey for the abrupt atmosphere. Our dinner kept getting interrupted by the loud guests doing shots with the sushi chefs. I should have taken other yelpers advice and stayed away. Go to Takah Sushi instead!
(1)Linda K.
I've had better sushi at home in LA at our local Asian grocery store. No kidding! The sashimi was average but the sushi rice didnt't even come close to the real thing! We've been coming to Aspen for years but I won't be coming back to Kenichi!
(1)cath g.
What a shame this place "was" sooo good. They have lost their way, best wishes for recovery! Last night hostess gave away our table then waiter was fake nice/hostel like it was our fault. Sashimi was the only good thing oh and the bartender was excellent. Think perhaps they tried to book too many tables? The head sushi chef seemed to be trying but manager was not engaged with clientele. We were really treated poorly and they did not seem to care. DO NOT RISK GOING HERE! Many other wonderful restaurants in Aspen to enjoy. Oh and the bald hostel waiter needs Listerine!!!
(1)Luis G.
Kenichi. Whew. We had the privilege of sampling this restaurant along with our Aspen food tour during the summer. We got to meet the chefs, they made us special dishes, my oh my it was amazing. So amazing, we came back and made it our last dinner in Aspen before we headed home. Kenichi offers a fine dining experience. The sushi rollls are carefully crafted, the rice is pillowy perfect, the ingredients are fresh, and the flavors just pop. What makes this restaurant special is the balance between bold and light flavors that makes everything just right. Service was awesome too. It makes this review difficult, because this restaurant still doesn't match the best sushi I've ever had but it's darn close. Also they could benefit from a better music selection. Dancehall does NOT pair well with fine dining, and especially Japanese fine dining. This is not casual so be prepared for a nice hefty bill, and if you want, indulge on their impressive and delicious sake which was specifically formulated for the restaurant in Japan. $90 a bottle. Great experience, awesome food. Can't go wrong with Kenichi.
(4)Tim O.
It's always interesting to find great seafood in the mountains! We had a wonderful dinner - the himachi sashimi was especially good. Flawless service - innovative menu - yes it is expensive - but fresh fish in Aspen has to be a challenge.
(5)Karen M.
Went to Kenichi last night for dinner and was nervous not to eat at the bar having had a bad experience in the past. I'm pleased to say that they have redeemed themselves in my mind. Service was great and so was the food. While extremely busy for New Years eve, we were given special attention and even ordered some items not on the menu and were accommodated by the Sushi chef. The quality of the fish was outstanding and were treated like rock stars even with our children. Thanks Kenichi!
(5)Amanda K.
Excellent fish (even this far from an ocean) and some delicious composed dishes too. The sushi chefs were super nice so I recommend sitting at the bar. Loved the tuna tacos - spicy seared ahi with greens and a house sauce inside taco shells. Another standout was a dish of cubed tuna, avocado, cucumber, seaweed and a delicate dressing. These really started us out on the right foot. We enjoyed some fresh yellowtail sashimi as well as an interesting unagi roll dressed with thinly sliced avocado and strawberry - a good dessert. I admit I'm not a big fan of most rolls and these did not sway me otherwise. So next time I'd stick with the sashimi and dishes. But this place was a very pleasant surprise.
(4)Richard S.
If you want average sushi but a cool scene, Kenechi is your place! Way too much rice vs. fish in the rolls, always have to watch that ratio. Find something better in Aspen, seriously.
(2)Natalie G.
Kenichi is a great place if you want a lot of fun with really tasty sushi. The menu is extensive and all the different rolls and sashimi styles are creative and delicious. Sit at the bar if you can with the tall handsome bartender, he is hilarious and has great food suggestions paired with some good laughs.
(5)Nicholas W.
Meh. Shishito Peppers are one of my favorite things, here- they were awful. Edamame was undercooked. Sushi was disappointing. The fish quality seemed to be good, although the rolls themselves were too full of rice (and packed to tight). The fresh Wasabi was AMAZING and I will never go back to the other "Green Stuff" Lastly- they add a 10% labor fee to your bill- I didn't catch this until the next day, so ended up tipping 32+ %
(2)Darren K.
The best dining experience in aspen.... Where do we start: Wait staff - so nice and patient. Or server let us taste a few different sake before we ordered bottle Sushi bar - insane. We sat next to a local who ordered beers for the sushi chefs - how awesome Fish - amazing - fresh - and delicious. We had a few Custom rolls that blew me away.
(5)Julie C.
The prices at this place is pretty up there. But apparently sometimes they have a happy hour menu at the bar. The sushi I got I thought sas just mediocre and the cooked foods were alright, nothing that really wowed me. In fact I'd like to point out that the fish was not cut properly and the calamari was just too thick. The sauce that came with the calamari though was really good! If your going to pay full price just go to Matsuhisa instead. You'll get your money's worth there. This place primarily gets more locals coming in. But that doesn't mean it's more authentic or that it taste better. I think it's a more loyalty thing. Overall though it seems that if your travelling alone and not wearing some top notch they'll a little weird about serving you?
(2)Saga F.
This used to be my fave Asian restaurant in Aspen but something has really changed here. Not the same attention to flavors as it used to be and now is just standard fare with a high price tag...Not sure if chef or owner changed but I am really bummed. Biggest disappointment was their pork belly dish which used to be to die for but now they use a country bacon that is mushy with an orange citrus sauce that makes no sense. And the dynamite shrimp was one shrimp cut into 5 pieces on a plate for $9! As much as I hate to say it I will not be back. Too many other great restaurants in Aspen. I wish they would go back to the way they used to be.
(2)Firas A.
Ambience is nice and server was good & friendly. The quality of the sushi was NOT good. The fish itself seems fine, but the preparation was just terrible. You're better off buying pre-made sushi from City Market. The rolls and the nigiri sushi were so badly made...the rice was hard and so tightly packed. I could watch a Youtube video and prepare far better sushi than that. We always go to Matsu, but thought we'd try something different for a change. Don't make that mistake.
(1)Marva V.
This is a pretty pricey restaurant with the chicken teriyaki being about $30. My husband had to send it back as it had an awful taste to it. I suggested that the sauce was burnt which would have been a neat trick since there was so little of it to render it inedible. It was also small being maybe 6 oz of meat. I was extremely disappointed in the salmon sashimi as well, particularly the portion size for the price (back home we can get 3x as much for around the same price). Additionally it was not very professionally cut with the pieces looking like they had been cut by a two year old. The only positive thing about the experience was that the head waiter (not our waiter) noticed we were unhappy and made it right. As a side note, when I asked for something warm to drink other than green tea, for medical reasons, they offered warm water. Also, they allowed a large party of women in there to get completely drunk and out of control, blasting music and sexually harassing the employees while destroying the experience for other customers Definitely not worth the money or the time to go there!!
(1)Scott S.
It is always nice when I am home to go and eat some world class sushi. I have traveled all over the world and had some phenomenal sushi. Kenichi can hold its own when compared. The blacken cod is just amazing! People have complained about the prices being high, but factor in rent and food cost for high quality seafood, roll that up into the fact it is Aspen then you have to choose if you want to pay the price, it's Aspen! Playground of the rich and famous. If you want to step up your dining experience. Sit at the sushi bar (when it's slow) and ask them to just make whatever. This is one of my favorite ways to dine. But be warned that this can set you up for a more expensive tab by the end. Mainly because you will want to keep eating and experiencing the array food that is placed in front of you. Grab a nice cold sake to pair with the meal if you want to go all out.
(5)Mike K.
Food ok, service was fast, looked like a nice bar scene They have an odd practice of a mandatory 17% gratuity for takeout food. I asked about I was told it was for the bartender who walked the food from the kitchen 20 ft and handed it across the bar
(2)Noah F.
This place is awesome al the food here is to die for. It is so good. Great Place to go and always very helpful with changing the food if you are in town you should totally go.
(5)Miles H.
I've been here twice. The first time it was 4 star service, tonight it was 2 star. Therefore, they get 3 stars. Tonight our server was Kyle. He was just ok. Asked basic questions and gave basic answers. No friendliness at all. We were lucky we got a general "thanks" when he brought the check. Nothing but below ordinary. On top of that, all I ordered for a drink was coke. I had 3 refills. When we got the check we found on not only was the coke $4.00, it was $4.00 per refill. $12 for 3 cokes? Jesus. Even McDonalds gives free refills. This was a complete rip off. I mean, our bill came to $200 for 3 of us.... And they charge for refills? That's outrageous. Glad to say I don't think I'll be going back. Which is sad, because it has the potential to be a great place.
(3)Madeline C.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Aspen (though there are only a few). The decor is stunning, and the wait staff is beyond friendly. I love sitting at the sushi bar and chatting with the chefs - They are so much fun to talk to, and always have interesting new recommendations for things I've never tried before. Had an amazing plate of yellow tail sashimi last time I was in town, per the recommendations of the chefs, and it was out of this world. Definitely worth a visit!
(5)Jessica B.
Very good sashimi and rolls! Very friendly staff....great experience. Would highly recommend and will visit again one day
(4)Katie W.
I am always irritated when asked to wait at a crowded bar with no space when I have a confirmed reservation. Luckily, we were able to secure seats after about 15 minutes of standing around. The bartender was friendly, but obviously swamped. Once we were finally seated, our server was prompt and friendly. We ordered several dishes to share, but the highlights were the Miso cod and the Kenichi special roll. The nigiri we had were average, I will stick to the rolls next time we dine here. We did have issues with the sushi rice in one of the rolls, the roll completely fell apart when I grabbed it with my chopsticks. Our server brought over kiddie chopsticks since she thought I was having issues using them. I consider myself adept with chopsticks, but no amount of chopstick skill could have saved the pieces, the rice was just not sticky enough.
(4)Laguna B.
The reviews seem consistent - Had we looked at this we would not have chosen this restaurant for our kids! they were over charged and the service was zero!!! Adults went to another Japanese restaurant Matsushita since it was busy season and 8 adults had better food, and service at Matsu with smaller bill than the 6 kids at Kenichi! how does that work???
(1)Andy K.
Simply put find another place for sushi! Came here on a Saturday night in September. 9pm and only 3 tables filled. Took over an hour for the sushi and never got the pot stickers we ordered. Manager came by and comped the entire meal as they should but the food wasn't even worth eating. Don't go here.
(1)Haley S.
Amazing!! Such a nice staff and the food was great. The sushi is a little ricey but it was so much better than matsushya. Go here!! Awesome place. Might go back today for a spicy tuna handroll.
(4)Colleen P.
Yup, loved this place. Everything about it was great. My only complaint is that when I went back to get the spring rolls I had been craving, they didn't have them on the menu, and couldn't make them. We did a late night here, no sushi. Food was all excellent, service was mediocre, which seems to be on par for Aspen in the summer. Overall, my favorite place to eat in Aspen.
(5)Ashley B.
This is the best sushi we have ever had. We didn't realize it at the time- but after our Tokyo honeymoon and a trip to the much-raved Sushi Den, we're settled that Kenichi is the best we've had hands down. I say definitely go to the sushi bar- our sushi chef was incredibly attentive and gave us free sashimi, (which was very tasty). They also made the best (and biggest) spider roll my husband has ever had. I will say our actual waitress wasn't very good, but she wasn't actually giving us anything as we didn't order any hot food. I wouldn't say it is as expensive as some have said, but I don't think we drank while we were there. I think it was under $50 for both of us.
(5)Aman S.
A regular staple of mine every time I am in Aspen. The dynamite lobster is to die for and it melst in your mouth. The nigori pearl is good too. They need to get sparkling sake though....
(4)John B.
Do you enjoy overpaying for food served by smug, condescending and pushy waitstaff? Do you like to wait in an overcrowded entryway filled with angry customers for half an hour or more to be seated even when you have a reservation? Would you welcome the chance to pay $48 (one of the more "reasonably" priced entrees, by the way ....) for a rack of lamb that's actually the smallest double chop -- weighing in around 4 ounces and sliced up into 1/16th of an inch thick pieces -- you've ever seen? If so, then Kenichi (known to Aspen locals as "A-Hun-Eachie") is the place for you. My view of this restaurant is not based on one visit --- though my most recent dinner there was the straw that broke the camel's back. Rather, it is based on multiple visits over the past 10 years, in which I have experienced all of the things mentioned above. Can the food be great? Yes. That's why -- at least for a while -- many customers, like me, will overlook the surly service, inflated prices and laughably small portions. But, eventually, the bad overcomes the good. In fact, on this last visit -- a Saturday evening in the middle of Christmas week -- there were many vacant tables. Maybe people are catching on .... If you're in Aspen and have to have sushi, go to Matsuhisa. You'll spend the same $, but leave feeling valued as a customer rather than the victim of a sushi bar mugging.
(2)andrea b.
Rudest bartender Ross that we have ever experienced- and we travel 150+ nights globally- so arrogant and condescending. Table service was OK, but the upsell for $45 for 3 bites of food on a hot rock...really? Sashimi orders are very tiny too. We will not return. Nobu is more cost effective believe it or not!
(2)CK P.
Are you SERIOUS? We had dinner there last night and I have to say that the food was AWFUL! The sushi was not fresh at all. We had toro (marketed from New Zealand) that was like rubber. The other raw fish was not good either. They did not get order right a number of times. Luke warm miso soup. Yakisoba that was overcooked and when we asked if they could make with al dente noodles, they said that all the noodles were like that. The rolls were edible, but nothing special. The service was OK, but the sushi chefs could not make it dishwashers at a real sushi bar. They were more interested in drinking with customers than making edible sushi. The interior is nice, but does not make up for the extremely sub par food. Save your time and $ and go somewhere else.
(1)Steven M.
I am sitting here at kenichi waiting for the food for two out of the four in our party. The appetizers were quite good, though pricey. The gyoza were done well, but $17. For high end $$$$ Japanese food, both the food quality and the service should be impeccable. It took them 20 minutes after they delivered two dishes to deliver three sushi rolls. Incredibly awkward for the people staring at their food cooling. We won't be back.
(2)Tanya G.
I went to Kenichi to celebrate a friend's birthday, we had a large party and sat in the bar area. Usually when you are with a large party it's hard to get good service. Our waitress Tracy was awesome and kept our table supplied with food and drinks at all times. The ambience was great and the food even better. I have never had oysters on the half shell that tasted so good.
(5)