Don't Be Fooled! Not the same restaurant that is in Maui. The food here came out so quickly that we could not believe that it was actually prepared from scratch. The calamari was totally different from the Maui restaurant and it looked as if it came from a frozen microwaveable package. I honestly cannot recommend this place at all. Many better options in the Waikoloa area.
(1)
P. S.
We stopped by here for dinner since it seemed like a pretty packed place. We sat at the sushi bar and had sushi bar specials, and the crab ramen. I don't mind if the place is not fancy, but I do expect the food to taste decently good. The carpaccio we got had a sauce that didn't go well with the fish, and the crab ramen was undercooked and very salty. I found myself ordering a bowl of rice to fill myself up at the end because I lost interest in tasting other things on the menu. The one upside was that our server was very rice.
(2)
Douglas M.
Sansei was my wife's favorite bar on the Big Island. It is very nice and very classy. We stopped by after a wonderful day of scuba diving! (Kona Diving Company--reviewed separately). I had a Christmas drink, with eggnog, candy cane and a few other ingredients. It came chilled and frosty. My wife on the other hand had a Hot Toddy. Yes we always go to Japanese restaurants for Christmas drinks and Hot Toddies! I prefer to get my Sake at French or Italian restaurants. We didn't have the food this trip, maybe next time we will. It looked wonderful and I am sure it is tastier and far less expensive than the hotels that dominate the area.
(4)
Ruthie N.
Okay -get over the plastic cover on the table, stemware and plates -the food is over the top Foie gras -portion extremely large -best portion for value Duck - to die for- Shrimp noodle cake -don't miss it Waitress is extremely accommodating Went in 3nights later -sat in back next to large local golf party -big mistake - First course for me arrived 15 min before hubby -foie gras does not make it cold -same thing happened with main course -know who is wait staff Two meals -$150 each and totally different experience
(2)
Julia D.
My family goes to Hawaii every year and we visit this restaurant each time we come here. The atmosphere and ambience is calm yet busy with the large amount of people. Although it is expensive, the fresh, high quality food makes up for it. Their calamari is probably the best in the world, and I always order calamari in every place that has it. I always come here for the sushi, especially their Alaskan Roll, Spicy Hamachi Roll, Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll and Butterfly Roll. Save up for this place and indulge a little in heaven.
(5)
Yekta A.
Literally the best sushi restaurant we have been to in Hawaii! The sushi is fresh (takes a while to make), there are a lot of choices but ask if you're not certain, all I know is that we ate so much and couldn't stop! Located inside of a mall, so feel free to walk off the sushi afterwards and shop!
(5)
Some G.
Great place to order bunch of appetizer plates to share. Food quality is definitely above average compared to everything in the area. In fact I'd venture to say it's above average by mainland standard! (A rarity on the island) No view though. Skip the poke (mostly veggies) and try their shrimp cake (comes with crispy chowmein with sauce to submerge it in), miso butter fish, any of their deep fried rolls, etc. Price is pretty reasonable depending on what you get. However if you want a good deal I think they have 50% off once a week. You'd have to wait in line and pay for it with your vacation time:) Overall recommend this place as solid Asian fusion restaurant with good food and reasonable food prices.
(4)
Tiffany T.
* Visit again? YES * Location: super clean, in shopping center * Staff: very nice * Food: 8/10 * Price: $$ w/o the 50% off promo * Proportion: good DETAILS Definitely recommend going during the 50% sushi (excludes drinks)! It was our first time there and we tried most of the appetizers and many sushi rolls. We tried at least 17 items on the menu.
(4)
Jessica H.
The 11ounce Filet Mignon was the best steak of my life!! Yes I know it's a seafood sushi place...I was craving steak and my GOD did they not disappoint. It was very pricey at $45...but SOOOO WORTH IT. Slightly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and juicy all around. The best part was scraping and soaking up all the extra juices and butter on the place with the pieces I was cutting. Seriously, the best steak I have ever had....my mouth is watering typing about it. Dynamite shrimp are another must, soooo yummy!! Everyone in my party (seven people) loved what they had....sashimi...shrimp/veggie tempura...miso soup...fried calamari...calamari salad...sushi.. Ambiance is quite cold (A/C is kickin!) and loud, but very nice night out :) Service was good.
(5)
Ron U.
A perfect place to eat, drink and celebrate a birthday. From beginning to end the service was impeccable. SO many choices with Sushi it's hard to pick just 20. The fish was almost too pretty to eat, but we did. GREAT wasabi that will clear your sinuses and even low sodium soy sauce. Desert was vanilla ice cream encrusted in nuts an chocolate. VERY reasonably priced I might add.
(5)
Nadia K.
What I like about Sansei is that it's very family friendly and accommodating to large groups. Don't expect fancy because it's a casual restaurant and is loud. Both the menu and the drink list is extensive so it'll be easy to find something for everyone. They offer kids meals complete with a keiki sundae. But don't expect the sushi/sashimi to be of the highest quality. Sansei is better known for their creative and inventive sushi rolls. Service was great even though it was such a busy night!
(3)
Pam M.
I had dinner here a few weeks ago on a Friday night. Reservations are strongly recommended, which I made via Open Table. They do accept walk ins, but they are seated after the reserved guests are seated. Upon arrival I saw some people who didn't have a reservation & were crabby after waiting since they were walk in status & had to wait a while. They have a full saketini selection. I had a pear saketini & my bf had a beer. We had: - Agedashi tofu (3/5) - lightly fried tofu with ponzu - Shrimp dynamite (3/5) - tempura shrimp with garlic masago aioli & unagi glaze - Miso butterfish (4/5) - tender fish roasted in sake & sweet miso - Foie gras nigiri (5/5) - my favorite dish - seared & served with onions & mango on the side - Torched Kona Kampachi (4/5) - light & spicy - Yellowtail Nori Aioli Poke (2.5/5) - this was just ok Service was quick & friendly.
(4)
GLENN F.
khon2.com/2015/06/19/bew… You have to read this do not eat white tuna 3 people on our group got sick. We had a kid that got sick on White Tuna, and two adults. Do not order the White Tuna on the menu.
(1)
Judy R.
We often visit the Sansei in Waikiki every year during our family vacations. We've always loved Sansei for the quality and the ambiance. This new Sansei nicely situated in Waikaloa Village was very close and convenient to the Hilton (not recommended). What we ate: Foie gras nigiri w/ caramelized onions $18.95 - OMG this was the highlight of my day. This french inspired nigiri master piece was something to really write home about! The flavors and textures worked so well together. The overall taste of this dish overexceeded my expectations! Lobster & Blue Crab Ravioli - this dish was very nice; came in a creamy truffle sauce. Good thing that the portion was small because it is very rich. Mango crab salad hand roll $11.75 - our "69" roll 17.25 Caterpillar roll 18.95 Really enjoyed this spot. We'll definitely be back!
(4)
Ken L.
Tourist Trap. My first day on the Big Island and it's late (8:30 pm). Many reviews found on yelp nearby rated at 3.5 stars or less. From experience, I know that 3.5 star reviews are iffy locations because they usually contain a wide range of low to high scores, thus producing an unreliable result. I decided to break the tie by asking a local. So the local person in a nearby clothing shop recommended Sansei. The wait lasted no longer than 10 mins with seating at the bar, we proceeded with: Edamane - it is what it is, a steamed veggie snack while waiting for real food Calamari - overcooked, overly sauced, and extremely small portion size Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi - first of all, isn't SASHIMI a term for thinly sliced raw fish? Maybe Sushi is the right name... This ahi is wrapped in arugula and spinach with a panko crust and flash fried. Unimpressed, the fish did not taste fresh and the overall did not have any pop. Foie Gras nigiri - 3 stars. Foie gras, lightly seared and tied to a mushy rice ball via a seaweed strip. Rice too mushy and foie gras was nothing to write home about. This is the only time I can recall Foie Gras being just OKAY!! Ramen - 3.25 stars. Probably their best "dish", bowl rather. Not special but it was a decent bowl of soup and noodles. The bill came to about $90 for an extremely lackluster dinner for our first night on the Big Island. I learned a lesson here: locals, at times, aren't a good source of food recommendations, either. =/
(2)
Justin B.
Some of the best food, hands down! Amazing fish special of the evening, exquisite sushi rolls, incredible fried ice cream. Highly recommend this place. Lila has impeccable memory and the food was served fresh and hot... Or cold depending on what you order.
(5)
Tessa D.
My boyfriend and I were staying at the Hilton and had eaten at Imari the night before, but Sansei was loads better and less expensive. We didn't have a reservation, but upon walking in we asked to put our name down and after a twenty minute wait we were seated at the bar. The service at the bar was average, we had a hard time getting the attention of the person who was serving us. The food was absolutely delicious, and there were so many options. I highly suggest eating here, especially if you're staying at one of the resorts. It's more expensive than your average sushi place, but the quality is high and it's totally worth it.
We spent 10 days at Kolea and stopped here for dinner on an evening we were too tired to drive to kona. I've been here 2x previously in years past. It's located in the far back section of the queens shops in Waikoloa. Good: The service was fantastic, our server was very proactive with bringing out stuff the keep the 1 year old baby happy. Food selection is quite large, everything from sushi, pasts and steak.. "Something for everyone. The take reservations and I recommend making one. It seems like everyone from every condo in the area comes out for dinner at the same time around here. Bad: The wine by the glass selection was limited and the pour was stingy for $11 a glass. The menu while very diverse was very unorganized.. It took me 20 mins to go through it.. Appetizers were scattered among entrees. The salads didn't offer protein choices. The cesaer came with calamari and they're didn't allow to sub for chicken. Overall a good place and we will def come back.
(4)
Erin W.
We went and had just sushi - it was good, nothing out of this world. What was outrageous was charging $18/pint for a Maui brewing company beer... Opted for our local Deschutes Brewery pint for less than half the price. Who pays $18 for a pint of beer? Not anyone from the Pacific Northwest where beer flows like wine... I heard the steaks were delicious - but we didn't have that. Would've been 4 stars if not for the crazy local beer cost. It was just a "good" dinner.
(3)
Sadie D.
Probably the worst sushi ive ever had in my whole life all the food we ordered had no flavor and was overpriced the portions were too small and the service was bad as well would not recommend this place
(1)
Chris S.
Of all the places in this general resort area we were least impressed here. Being on Hawaii we expected far better sushi. Almost everything we tried didn't taste fresh and half of the items were fishy. Personally, I tried a few pieces and lost my appetite, instead turning to the miso soup and white rice to fill up. We ordered $100 worth of sushi and didn't touch half of it. On the other hand, there is value here, namely on Friday and Saturday nights when from 9:30 till close they do half off the menu (and karaoke). You can come with the locals and see how they let loose when they get off work. Otherwise leave the sushi for when you're on the mainland, unless you live in Kansas, or someone in the central part of the country. If that's the case, you'll probably give this a 5.
(3)
Tiger F.
Chef Kodama should be ashamed. The front of the house lady was rude but with a smile. Our server constantly pushed upcharged undersized drinks. Sushi was tasty but the portions were so small. Atmoshere is a throw back to the 80's. All the seating was either not padded or barely padded. This is a sign the owners want you to hurry up...turn and burn. Profit over quality. We had a similiar issue at the Kihei Sansei. We will not be back. corporate greed is what u get here, at least at McDonalds you don't feel hustled.
(2)
Kelly L.
* Price: $$$. However, Sunday and Monday from 5 to 6 pm, 1/2 price sushi. 3 stat. * Ambiance: casual. Friendly. 3 star * Location: waikoloa resort area. Queen Market place. Free parking. Good eatery option for the area. 4 star * Meals: consistent with other Sansei in Honolulu. Excellent sushi rolls. 4 star. * Service: friendly and pleasant. 3 + star. This is averaged to 4 star for me. We love Sansei in Honolulu and are glad to find this place in Waikoloa area. We came on new year day for dinner and we're lucky to get seated without reservation. Our server, Courtney l, is pleasant but busy since the place is packed. Our food came out at a good pace. The spider roll is tasty with sesame seeds on the rice and served over chilly fish sauce which is very interesting but working well. The Sansei ramen is standard but not particularly memorable. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and would recommend this restaurant to our friends and family! It is a hit expensive but not overpriced for the area.
(4)
Floyd W.
Visiting Kona from Honolulu with mainland guest and decided to dine at Sansei over the past weekend. I have to say we were disappointed in the quality of the food. Two of us ordered the catch of the day and, unfortunately, it was overcooked and dry. The pork chops were ordered by another and they also were served overcooked, dry and tough. This is the first bad experience I've had at a Sansei restaurant. The overall quality of service was fine.
(2)
Slappy M.
This is, without a doubt, some of the absolutely worst sushi I've ever eaten. It is painfully clear that people who think this is good do not live in areas with fresh seafood, or good chefs. Whoever develops their sushi rolls needs to be slapped. It takes a special talent to make food taste this poorly. The items on the menu cost far too much for such bad quality.
(1)
Nick A.
Sansei is an absolute must dining experience when your in Waikaloa. Make a reservation because there will be a wait to get in if you don't. The staff is friendly and your food will get to you quickly. The menu options are outstanding and there a lot of choices that will fit your needs. I suggest the "Dynamite Shrimp" and the "Maui Steak." It really doesn't matter what you order it will be fantastic. If you don't mind waiting in line get there early for happy hour and you can save money too.
(5)
J W.
Yes you must try this on the big island and Oahu!! Best sushi ever. Tried the miso butter fish for the first time here. Omg! Hint: stand in line only on Sundays between 3:30-4pm and get sushi 50% off till six. First come first serve. Opens at 5pm. Worth it with discount or not. (they go shopping for new fish Monday am and this is traditional) If you're in Oahu on Mondays am. O dark thirty go to the fish market and see the auction live!!
(5)
Sarah H.
Gotta say, I keep coming here because they serve foie-gras sushi. It's freakin' fantastic. I'm also seduced by the consistent quality of fish, though I think this is less Sansei-specific and more just the remarkable sashimi fish on the island, from Safeways to the Canoe House, the quality of fish available here is just astounding. Sansei has creative, saucy rolls, and tasty fried dishes. They do NOT have fresh wasabi (boo!). They also have super-long wait times for tables, and when we recently sat and ate dinner at the bar, had ABSURD wait times for our food. We waited 45 minutes for our ordered sushi, which is freakin' absurd. I get that we're on vacation and everyone's on Hawaii time, but when I'm hankering for sushi and my wait time AFTER ordering is almost an hour, I'm at the point of gastronomic frustration where I want to slip on an apron, snag a knife and start slicing my own sashimi. Eat here for the foie.
(3)
Anna H.
The only reason this is 2 stars is because it wasn't a complete crapshoot. LOCATION: A resort shopping center --- the exterior is nice, but the interior is meh. There's nothing really spectacular about the restaurant itself. SERVICE: So-so. My husband and I went around 6:30 without reservations. When we told the hostess we hadn't made reservations, it seemed like we were inconveniencing her in doing her job, which was slightly irritating. When the hostess sat us at our table, she said it would be awhile due to no reservations --- is it me or should we be serviced the same regardless of having reservations or not? The waitress did make it to our table after about 5mins of waiting and she was pleasant, but seemed frazzled --- she walked past our table twice saying that she needed to do something else before getting to us, which was a bit flustering. Everything, service wise, was mediocre after that. FOOD: Bland, forgettable and EXTREMELY overpriced; our bill came to $60 PRE-tip. We got 2 apps and 2 rolls --- all were average in taste and sloppy in presentation. There's nothing too much more to say about the food.
(2)
Magnum P.
Blasting through the Big Island made me hungry and searching for sushi. While the setting in the shopping mall at a resort was a caution sign, the food was decent. I liked the sushi and the noodle dishes. Small and pricey servings but great friendly service. Also the air conditioning is a welcome relief to the Waikoloa heat. I would hit the early bird specials, but be prepared to stand in line.
(3)
Annie H.
we went for dinner on a Sunday night and the place was really busy. Good thing I made an online reservation as we hardly had to wait. I tried their ramen, panko crusted ahi sashimi roll and takah sushi roll. Everything was excellent. The ahi roll came almost right away and the server did tell us that there would be a bit of a wait for the other roll bc the sushi bar was busy. The ramen came and we finished and waited another 15 minutes until we got the other roll. It was a bit too long of a wait. Other than that service was friendly and food tasty although a bit on the pricier side.
(4)
Lizzie D.
This place is nothing to boast about. This place was designed for the rich, primarily white, tourists that vacation in the Waikaloa area. Tried it out and all the sushi is incredibly over priced. I understand that everything in Hawaii is a little more expensive than the main land but this was just ridiculous. Sushi was sub par, nothing to brag about. The drinks were solid, but how hard is it to mess up a mai tai. The thing that really made the night was they had a truffle snow crab miso soup that was pretty boss. Food came out fast but again, it was not worth the price. I would have rather gone to the ABC market and got some musubi from the deli. Much cheaper and still totally delicious.
(3)
Tony L.
If I could, I would rate Sansei as 3 1/2 stars. We stopped by here after checking into our resort, and we decided to stop by since there wasn't a wait to get seated. The restaurant is located in Queen's Marketplace, and there is plenty of parking in the back of the mall. We ordered: Miso butterfish: wow, this was good, nicely broiled. However, you only get four small pieces of fish. Should have ordered two orders. Shrimp dynamite: this dish was pretty good: fried shrimp with aioli and eel sauce. Chinese-style sashimi: thin slices of kampachi with sesame oil, soy sauce and cilantro: not bad, but my least favorite app. Tempura udon: just ok, pretty standard (comes with pork as well). Takah special roll: this was pretty good, with shrimp, ahi and crab Normally, I stick with sushi and sashimi at sushi restaurants, but I really liked the cooked appetizers here, especially the butter fish and the shrimp dynamite.
(3)
Rosalina R.
Our stone shrimp drizzle with unagi oil was so delicious so was our ahi roll and our tempura sweet potato was also very very good my friend from Denver was really pleased Service was awesome our waitress was real professional and knew what to recommend as I never ordered there before but ate there prior with someone else doing the ordering; it was my friend from Denver first time going to Sansei he goes to Japanese restaurant in Denver; but the seafood isn't fresh like Sansei Will definitely go back to Sansei especially during happy hour 5:30-6 some of the menu are good prices we got almost $10.00 off on our meal
(5)
Nicole K.
Sansei, located in Queen's Market near Waikoloa Beach Resort, is a tourist hot spot! Besides its proximity to a resort, the idea of fresh sushi and "local flavors" is a beacon for anyone visiting Hawaii. Playing tourist myself on a recent trip to the Big Island, we decided to stop by Sansei for dinner and enjoy some sushi. The minute we walked in, we were greeted by the hostess and gave our reservation name. The hostess then turned to her co-worker and said: "I don't remember where I seated them...". Out loud! I was like "Uhh...we better have a table!" They found a table, I guess, and we were seated immediately. I understand that for a busy restaurant, reservations may be shuffled, but don't say out loud that you don't remember where you seated us! Our waitress was incredibly nice and had some terrific recommendations. I ordered the Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Handroll (flavorful but not worth the hype), Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll (loved it - but no rice FYI), Japanese Hamachi & Grilled Shiitake Mushroom Tartare (I loved it, but it was not well received with the rest of my table...), and the Sansei's Granny Smith Apple Tart for dessert (very good). Over all the food was good, but perhaps not worth the price. I've read that there are terrific Happy Hour deals, so that may be a better option for most.
(3)
Becca F.
Really good sushi rolls, decent beer selection, gets packed on weekend nights when I'd recommend making a reservation (especially on Fridays during the local's night/happy hour when the restaurant offers super discounts for those seated before a certain time). I recommend the 69 roll and the caterpillar roll. The mango crab role was alright but odd in the sense that it's wrapped in lettuce instead of seaweed. The battered rock shrimp are a good appetizer to share with the table, though they are a little too heavily breaded for my personal taste. The best part of dinner was our waitress, Larissa. Amazing service, great recommendations, and she put up with my weirdo dad's old man jokes. If you are able to request a table in her section you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Jeremy H.
I will say that the experience was close to perfect. The wait staff was on it and very nice as well as informative as to the sushi. Wait time was close to none and the food looked amazing. But the fusion of the ingredients and placement of it makes for a meal that appeals to all the senses. It's one thing to go have sushi and it's another to go have Sansei.
(4)
Lauren M.
Happy hour is so very worth it! 50% off most of the menu! My friends and I ordered all sushi rolls and here are our favorites: 1. Mango crab salad roll- comes with two smaller rolls, but it has great flavor! Creamy and fresh, I really enjoyed the combination of sweet and salty 2. Takah sushi special roll- fairly standard roll, but tasty! Good size and fresh ingredients 3. Sansei special roll: this was my friends favorite roll. The cilantro went well with the spicy crab. Another sweet and salty combo If you go during happy hour then get there early! (5-6pm Sunday and Monday)
(4)
Anna K.
The quality of the sushi rolls was good, with fresh ingredients. Atmosphere wasn't great. Staff was rude, though our waitress was friendly.
(3)
Mike S.
Best sushi and sashimi in the Wiakoloa area. We were there for two weeks and ate at most of the restaurants in the area. We had two great meals at Sensai, the management and waiters were very friendly and accommodating, the manager even found us a quiet table when my wife let him know it was my birthday. The prices were very reasonable, and look for the special in the local magazines. The food was the best we had in the Kona coast. The sashimi was firm and tasted very fresh. Would have given this 5 stars, but had one small complaint, they had a crowded bar, and the bartender scolded me for trying to order a beer while standing at the waiters area, so I walked around the bar, and she did not pay me any more attention.
(4)
V T.
We finally ventured into Sansei's on our last night on the Big Island. What a surprise and great experience. We got to sit at the sushi bar and our sushi chef was very nice and professional. The sushi and sashimi were better than average. Our misoyaki butterfish was absolutely delicious (much better than Roy's) and to die for. My wife's hamachi was fresh and super delicious. Overall, really good experience and better yet, excellent food. Avoid Roy's and eat here instead.
(4)
Romeo V.
Ordered for Dinner: Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll $11 Sashimi grade Hawaiian ahi, arugula and spinach wrapped into a sushi roll, panko-crusted, flash-fried and served with Sansei's mild soy wasabi butter sauce Macadamia Nut Crusted Pork Tenderloin $25 On garlic mashed potatoes with Asparagus and covered in Hollandaise sauce. Shiitake Mushrooms in cabernet demi-glaze. Tempura Fried Macadamia Nut Ice Cream $9 Vanilla ice cream wrapped with buttery pound cake, rolled in roasted macadamia nuts, flash-fried and served with chocolate and caramel sauces Again, I'm not a Sushi enthusiast but this is my favorite restaurant in Hawaii. The Ahi Sashimi Sushi rolls were excellent. The rolls were deep red and flash fried, it melted in your mouth. I ate everything on my plate when I received the Pork Tenderloin, cleaned it up nicely. The dessert was ok to good. I had higher expectations...I'll probably order the Creme Bruelee next time. This is a MUST for Sushi lovers. If you are in Maui, Oahu, or the big island (Waikoloa in Hawaii), you need to go here for dinner one evening. The service we received was excellent. It is definitely worth the trip.
(4)
Michael K.
Do yourself a favor, take a break from the junk they are serving at the Hilton and Marriotts and get some REAL food here! GREAT sushi, great menu! Early bird special is a helluva deal! 50% off almost all items on menu on Sundays before 6pm! (but go EARLY, it fills up fast!!)
(4)
david l.
Really? It's just OK. Over-priced and over-rated for sure. Not much competition for this restaurant in this area of the Big Island though... The pre-packaged sushi at the upscale grocery store in this same shopping plaza looked tastier.
(3)
Ponso P.
your typical Japanese American place. The atmosphere was nice. Wide range of selection for everyone. The wait staff was very good and on top of things.
(3)
John L.
Excellent dinner. Was rushed to order to meet the early bird special but well worth it. Can't miss with the menu recommendations.
(4)
Alma M.
I liked this place so much that I had to give it two visits during my stay in Waikoloa. The menu is extensive and there's a lot to try. There were only two of us during my visits, but if you go with a group you can probably try more of what they have to offer. This is definitely a place to share dishes. We sat at the bar during both meals, and the bartenders were helpful and made good suggestions for the most part. I gave it four stars because one of the highly recommended dishes (the Hamachi Kama) was good, but not as great as the bartender said it would be. Plus, they were out of the dish the night she suggested it, so I had to go back to try it. The dish did not live up to the hype, but was decent. Now for the rest of the food... I liked everything, but the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Tuna Roll was a standout. The soy wasabi butter sauce was just what the dish needed, and was extremely delicious. I was a little weary about the roll being fried, but it was light and not overwhelming at all! The fish was also really, really fresh. Other standouts include the Mango Crab Salad Roll (the sauce was amazing!), the Miso Butterfish (really light and flavorful), and the Cajun Seared White Tuna Sashimi. I also tried a standard sushi roll, just for good measure, and it was also fantastic. Dessert was also noteworthy... definitely try the tempura fried ice cream. The pound cake crust takes the dish up a notch, and I guarantee that it stands out from any fried ice cream I have had before. The presentation was also thoughfull. Overall, I would say that if you are in the area, this place is a must try. If you are looking for unique dishes, good prices and good time... check it out!
(4)
Brian G.
Some dicey reviews here led me to believe good experiences were hit and miss at best and the food would be average at a high price. Sansei was on my do not visit list. That said when my wife insisted on sushi, and I didn't feel like driving all the way to Kona, Sansei is where we ended up. Pros - -- The waitress. I was very thankful we were seated in her section. Not only was she attentive but ran out after we left with my wallet in hand. It had fallen out of my pocket and luckily she found it. Cons - -- There is a disparity between the food they are serving and the price. The special rolls my wife ordered ranged from underwhelming to "meh, I really don't want to eat that." If you end up at Sansei avoid their special rolls especially those from the deep fry. Seriously.
(3)
Soo S.
Our friends picked us up from the airport and took us straight to Sansei's for dinner. I was exhausted and nauseated from the flight due to the turbulence so eating was far from my mind. I ended up ordering their Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish and Sansei Style Ahi Poke. We all dove into the plates. I was in heaven. I never had tasted Butterfish or Poke before. They were delicious. Butterfish melted in my mouth and the Poke tasted fresh and marinated to my liking. Everyone else ordered different rolls, but I didn't bother tasting them since I was satisfied with the Butterfish and Poke plates. Service was excellent.
(4)
Sam A.
Without a doubt try all six of their award winning sushi dishes. They are simply amazing. I recommend that you arrive before 1730 so you can take advantage of the 25% discount. We dropped $75.00 for two people but worth every penny.
(5)
Alan W.
Came here during a short stay at the Hilton Waikoloa and wished I could have found it earlier in the trip. Wife had two sashimi dishes that she says were "awesome!", I had the 16oz New York steak. I did notice the fish all looked extremely fresh and my steak was unreal good. Definitely looking forward to trying DK's in Waikiki now! It blew away Morton's and Ruth Chris! The steak was about $40 and comes with 2 sides. I would say the similar setup at either Morton's or Ruth Chris would come in at $60. I ordered a couple of Kirin draft beers too, they definitely understand that beer must be served cold. I can't wait to go back! Kudos to sushi master "Moose" who knows how to make you feel at home here.
(5)
Susyn D.
Went here our last night in Maui. So glad we did. We went to the restaurant in the Kapalua Resort. They said to go if we love sushi and sashimi.There was a 45 minute wait - so what? we ate at the bar. Our bartenders gave us some great sushi and sashimi suggestions. OMG - sushi, sashimi and sake were out of this world!!
(5)
k k.
We've dined here a few times. Pretty lively and noisy. The hostesses, wait staff and bartenders have always been great and friendly. Sometimes the servers seem overwhelmed cause its busy. The hardest part is figuring out what to order because the menu is large. Their fusion type rolls are the best bet. Miso soups not bad and edamame good to graze. The food is good but its tourist prices for small portions. They have a deal for early birds that I think is 25% off. Overall not bad for Big Island but would be better with lower prices... We will go back but there are other spots I'd go first.
(3)
Ben F.
Every time i think about the time I ate here, my throat itches. came here with a huge party last year for my wife's work trip and had a good time. We ordered like it was nothing, bottles of sochu, sushi and sashmi. Everything was going good, but there was this thing I should of questioned. THE AMA-EBI. I though I was pretty versed in sushi making having worked in in a sushi restaurant. I've never been to Hawaii so what I thought I saw was something only in Hawaii. The ama-ebi I'm used to is pinkish white with a red tail and comes with a fried head. The one's we got were blueish gray, kinda like a tiger prawn, hmm? These were big too, like 16/20's. In my mind i wasn't sure, but I rationalized with myself and said, "maybe these are indigenous Hawaiian ame-ebi", Ate like 4 of them, tasted like ama-ebi, I even insisted that everyone try one as a challenge. Success! I ate the most and didn't feel too good after, mostly in my throat and mouth. hard to breathe and itchy throat. Lesson learned the hard way. I shoulda went with my instinct. I hope you guys over there are reading this. Ama-ebi are not tiger prawns. I need some water.
(1)
PAUL T.
Best meal we ate on our trip and we ate at roy's and the four seasons. We had sushi after returning from the observatory visitor center one night and ate there the next night. The food is the best. Maybe not the best ambiance as it is in a shopping center but it is a great place for a great meal.
(5)
Rose O.
King crab ramen and granny smith apple tart were absolutely divine. The atmosphere and service is wonderful. We always like coming here to eat even though we live in kona.
(4)
Hoa Q.
The prices seem reasonable, but the portions will break your budget. The four of us shared the Japanese Calamari Salad $10, Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish $11, Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll - $13, Sansei Style Ahi Poke - $13, and more. The Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll was my favorite. The fish tasted like butter and melted in your mouth. In general, the fish was really fresh and tender with no fishy smell. The only dish I wasn't really fond of was the calamari because it tasted like krispy orange chicken. At 6PM on a Thursday, the restaurant was very quiet. However, our reservation was booked 1 month ahead.
(4)
Jessica A.
We did not go for Happy Hour. Perhaps I would have been more pleased. We got Edamame, Agedashi tofu, Miso butterfish, spicy tuna roll, and Paia Maki. The only thing that was decent was the spicy tuna roll - fish seemed fresh and sauce was tasty. Complaints: Edamame. Really, how do you screw this up? At worst, take frozen edamame out of bag, steam/boil, salt, serve. It came cold and practically raw. I asked them to microwave it which made it slightly more palatable but still pretty sad. Paia Maki roll fell apart pathetically when barely touched with chopsticks. Really nigiri and makizushi comes down to rice. It doesn't take much effort to get fresh fish, especially in Hawaii (one would think anyway, see comments re: butterfish below). A roll should never, ever disintegrate like that. If it does, it means the chef screwed up the rice to rice vinegar ratio that day or let it dry out. Miso butterfish sauce was rich to the point of being inedible hiding less than fresh butterfish. Agedashi tofu looked appealing enough but was a flavorless, gelatinous mass inside. The Mirin-Soy Dashi was delicious but not good enough to save it. The service was very good and the place's only saving grace was that upon seeing our barely touched butterfish and agedashi, our server removed then from the bill. Nonetheless, doesn't begin to compare with Northern California or even some of the sushi places in Boston. Expected much more from Hawaii.
(2)
Rollin R.
Amazing sushi, best in Waikola. Tried the omakase, but only the sushi rolls were memorable and this is coming from a tough NYC sushi critic! Try the tuna panko crusted rolls and all of their specialty rolls are good. They try too hard with their pan-Asian wanna be hot dishes with duck sauce and sweet and sour doused all over the food. Not good unless you're from the mid-west and never had real Asian food before. Skip the entree hot dishes and go right for the sushi. Ambiance isn't great but who cares when you're on vacation at a nice resort area.
(4)
Bruges L.
The sushi is excellent and the sushi chefs prepare the sushi super fast. We tried the Miso Butterfish appetizer - absolutely delicious - the fish melts in your mouth, the Seaweed Salad, the Ahi Poke, the Spider Roll, the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll, and the Takah Sushi Special Roll. The fish is very fresh. If you sit at the sushi bar, the sushi chefs are very attentive. The downside is the service and Sansei needs some major work on that end. The hostess was easily distracted. We told the hostess when we arrived that we had reservations and the restaurant had several empty tables. However, she did not seat us and seemed confused on what she needed to do. We had to wait another 5 to 10 minutes before a manager noticed us and asked if we had been helped. When we told him that we had a reservation, he seated us promptly. Furthermore, when we sat at the sushi bar, we had to repeatedly to try to flag down our waiter because the sushi chefs can't take drink orders. The sushi chef eventually had to track down our waiter in order to get the bill. The waiter never came back to refill water glasses or check on us.
(3)
Burt K.
We had dinner at Sansei Waikoloa. When I first walked in I was reading the menu at the hostess counter. A waiter came by and flopped a bunch of menus on the menu that I was reading. I thought that was rude but I did not say anything. The hostess sat us with indifference. We ordered sushi platters for our first course. Two out of three was good. The third sushi dish was bland although they all had fancy names. The service was very slow. The waiter had to apologize for the slow service for the main dish and the dessert. I ordered the Japanese roasted chix which was too salty for my taste. The apple tart was a flattened pastry with a scoop of ice cream. D Kodama should address this restaurant because I rate it a lot lower than Roy's
(1)
Erin W.
I would have rated as a 5-star however it took my boyfriend alot of rolls to satisfy his tummy. The sushi was phenominal, I loved everything we had. Many were recommendations and I was so happy we tried new items outside of the norm we usually order at home. Next time we will make sure to hit the 50% off nights/times! My favorite was the Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Hand Roll. The others highlights were: Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll, Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish (this one isn't a roll, it's fish that melts in your mouth..yummm). We also had the spider roll & spicy tuna roll.
(4)
sam w.
This place is over rated. If you've had fresh sushi in California, this place will pale in comparison. We liked their fois gras roll and that was about it.
(2)
Nathan B.
My review will be slightly different than many others, as I came here on a Saturday night around 11:00 PM and did not eat. We heard that there was free karaoke and smokin' deals on drinks and sushi, so we had to check it out our last night in Waikoloa. We got a table and settled in for a good time. The place seemed to be filled with locals who were absolutely killing it on the karaoke. Mostly love songs were being performed, but this was no amateur hour - these people could SING! The waiter happily set us up with all the Sake Bomb fixings and away we went! A couple people had some sushi rolls, and the one bite I tried was good. Definitely a fun place to check out.
(4)
Lilah M.
I was very excited to have a Sansei finally open here, having eaten there on Oahu and Maui, but the Big Island one lacks a lot in ambiance, and the food is nowhere near as good as the other versions. When we were first sat, we were placed right under an air conditioning vent going full blast, and a light so bright, I thought the Hawaii police force was going to interrogate me as I dined. Very bright and frosty cold are not a good dining combo. The entire dining room is bright, actually. It's surprising to me, considering that they built this place from scratch, that this is the vibe they were going for. Everyone I know who goes there says this. Why so bright, DK? Onto the food, some of it was good, some of it was downright awful. I love sushi and have eaten at some of the best places in the entire world. It is not like me to let any sushi go to waste, but there were some items that just didn't work, like their BLT roll, which was incredibly dry. The sushi was standard issue, pretty mediocre. Had I ordered bit by bit, I would not have tried so much the food. I would have called it a day after several items. I didn't hate it, but I found it just okay. I definitely would not drive from Kona to go there again, especially when we have Kenichi's and Sushi Kazu so close. If you're in the neighborhood and want sushi, go here. I just wouldn't go out of my way to dine here.
(2)
Eugene H.
We were here during our honeymoon and were very lucky to have this restaurant near our hotel. You need to try the restaurant sampler which features small portions of the restaurant's signature dishes. It turned out to be the best dining experience for us during our whole trip to Hawaii. They also have early bird specials for 25-50% of sushi and entrees, but it gets really crowded fast, so arrive early! We saw this restaurant in Waikiki and Maui as well.
(5)
Keromi K.
I've eaten at Sansei in Maui a few times and figured the one on the Big Island would be similar. The employees here just seem miserable or uninterested. The moment we walked in, the guy behind the desk basically rolled his eyes when he saw us. It was still early, but he gave us the "Do you have a reservation?" bad attitude. I looked at around and it was barely full. After making a big show of putting our name down, he said "She'll decide what to do with you" and pointed to the hostess on the phone. Ummm... ok. After that, things just got worst. Our waiter forgot an entree and tried to insist that we didn't order it. Our sushi came way late and after the rest of our party had finished their entrees (which were tiny by the way). Food wise, it tasted fine but was too expensive for what you get. No one greeted us goodbye when we left but just looked like they would rather be working somewhere else. Yeesh......
(2)
Mike W.
Nice place. Sushi is good, not amazing, with one exception: the dragonfly roll was fantastic. However, you get what you pay for, it costs $18.
(4)
brian m.
I have eaten here several times now and have not been dissapointed!
(4)
Heather C.
Creative rolls, fresh fish (try the ahi poke), and the 1/2 priced late night special can't be beat. Ambiance is either empty or packed (karaoke nights). Definitely one of the more lively spots in Waikoloa.
(4)
MrSantaMonica K.
a must when you visit the Big Island and also Maui... sushi is to die for, but my fave is the ahi tuna... the wine selection is very good but watch out, a glass of chalk hill chard (I hate chardonnay) is over $20/glass...
(4)
Jason M.
This is just like the Sansei location in Kihei, but the space is a bit more spacious and upscale. I had the Tasting Menu for two, which we split with three people. Fantastic - I particularly loved the Japanese-style calamari. Service was excellent, and they were able to squeeze us in on a Friday even though we didn't have reservations. If you're going for the 50% off everything after 10pm special, definitely call ahead for reservations.
(4)
George W.
I have been to Sansei's In Maui and it was fabulous so I was looking forward to returning to a different location in the big island in hopes of receiving the same quality, service and attentiveness. Sadly, the big island location in Waikola is everything but. First of all, we were seated and told that there weren't enough menus so they would bring us menus. We waited about 10 minutes to receive menus. Another 15 minutes go by and we are finally asked if we wanted something to drink. 10 minutes go by and we receive our drinks. We place our orders. 2 people get their meal, 20 minutes later the rest of the table receives their food only to have it sent back due to un-cooked noodles. This Is not something I expect from a DK restaurant and I am throughly disappointed and plan to write negative reviews on every website I can find in regards to this horrible service. I can also guarantee that the 5 other people at my table will write their share of reviews regarding this. Sanseis of Waikoloa- Big Mistake. You need to learn how to treat your customers as guests!
(1)
Brian S.
Food is very good. Service is good. Location is decent. For the location, the prices are very good. I am a sushi fanatic and the food quality and variety are very good. Very safe bet for a low key sushi place in a resort setting. I would go here again.
(4)
Paul H.
Thought everything was great, would come back for sure.
(4)
Janine D.
Located at Queen's Shop next to the food court, Sansei has great service, great food and decent atmosphere. For New Year's Eve they gave out party favors to everyone which was cool. We came here twice during our 1 week stay at the Big Island. Too bad they don't have outside seating for the beautiful weather. Note: they have 50% off food specials on Sunday and Mondays and 25% off the rest of the days between, don't quote me on this, 5PM and 6PM. For the 50% off, start lining up at 4:30PM, or half an hour before the special begins. Take it from a sushi hog, their sushi is fresh; it has good texture and flavor. They didn't have albacore. Their truffle crab ramen soup was a bit salty for me but delicious to my boyfriend. They also have some organic steaks there so that is a big plus for me. Watch Food, Inc. and you'll understand why organic steak, chicken, etc is important. It permanently changed the way my boyfriend and I eat.
(4)
william p.
I've been to Sasei on Maui and the Big Island. I particuarly like their early bird special. It's good for chain sushi but it is expensive during peak hours. I am not sure that I would eat there during prime dinner hours. The value isn't there for me.
(3)
Alex M.
The Food: Delish and unique sushi rolls! I visited twice in 10 days and some of my friends even went there 3 times. We had a variety of starters, rolls, etc. Everything was excellent! Following are some of the must haves, although I don't think you'll go wrong with anything: Japanese Calamari Salad- It was soooo good. The fried calamari was very tasty..it had a tangy, almost buffalo-wing sauce on top. It's actually a spicy kochujang vinaigrette. Sansei's Shrimp Dynamite- It was, well, DYNAMITE Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll- A definite must taste Seared Foie Gras Nigiri Sushi The decor is fine...who cares if it's not the best layout, as long as the food is delish and, being the sushi snob that I am, it was! This is one of my favorite restaurants in all of Hawaii, located in Waikoloa on Hawaii's Big Island- Queen's Shops... it's better than Roy's which is across the street at King's Shops. Although I love the chocolate souffle at Roy's...YUM. They have great meal deals after 10pm and karaoke nights too. Fun! The service was fine! However, you have to keep in mind that you're on Hawaii...not New York City. So things are done at a slower place and you really should take it down a couple of notches. I recommend that unless you have a plane to catch, slow down and soak in the Aloha spirit....sip a cold sake, and enjoy the food and leisurely pace of the Islands.
(4)
Kate M.
We ordered the pre-fix menu; that was amazing. Every dish they brought out had such great flavors and beautiful presentation. The service was great; menu items were brought out just as we finished the last course on the table. My favorite dish was a calmari; that tasted like it was served in a buffalo sauce.
(5)
Keit K.
Good food, not the best, but right next to the best, what can you expect for the price? Decent affordable prices especially if I'm on vacation. Came here at six pm and they have a 25% off sale on everything if you order before a certain time. Bill came out to $90 for 3 people. Friendly staff.
(4)
Alecia M.
We recently visited Sansei in Waikoloa during the early bird special hours. Not only was the food absolutely amazing (we enjoyed a wide selection of various sushi, sashimi, as well as the dry aged ribeye - wow!), but the service was exceptional as well. Our server was friendly and helpful, and he also made sure that everything was to our liking. He also brought out some extras for our two year old son at no charge - an extra bowl of rice, miso soup, and later, a kids-sized deluxe sundae. The dry-aged ribeye was amazing - cooked exactly to order, so tender and juicy and flavorful that I had to fight off the rest of my family who wanted to "help" me with it. We enjoyed our evening so much that we returned the following evening as well. We enjoyed the filet Mignon as well as some exceptional deserts - the fried macadamia nut ice cream was remarkable, and the warm chocolate cake was outstanding.
(5)
C K.
I thought that a seafood joint on an island would be more impressive than this. The saving grace was that we ordered the prix fixe menu for two and the value was good-- a lot of their most popular dishes included, but to be honest, I can't remember much of anything that I ate. Let's take their calamari dish for example-- it came with fried calamari on top of a whole lot of greens with some sauce. I was an English major and I am aware of many laudatory adjectives, but the aforementioned dish doesn't warrant any. I also remember thinking that the seafood wasn't that fresh or that well cooked. Could this have anything to do with the new fishing regulations surrounding the Hawaiian islands? This is the kind of place I might take a date if I were a 15-year-old boy feigning sophistication.
(3)
Christian D.
Five of us got there after a long drive... the place is pack with local teenagers just hanging out. The place is extremely loud, and it got worse when they fired up the karaoke machine. They had a special "50% off appetizers". We ordere like 3 per person. The waitress couldn't hear our order, and was already hostile at that point. Then brought random plates to our table without telling us what it was, and was rude when we asked. The food we ordered, mostly "asian fusion" was awful! The soups were lukewarm, and tasteless, the rest was straight of a fryer, dripping oil. We're so glad we didn't order the sushi, if the quality of the fish was as bad as the rest. Finally, when the check arrived. They charged us 18% tip on the full price for a horrible service and meal, and when we asked to either let us tip ourselves or have the tip calculated on the price on the check, not the menu price, the waitress refused, cursed at us, then said that the manager was out. Finally, as we were leaving, she yelled at us and told the bouncers at the door to "stop us" (as if we were running away) because I happened to have signed the "customer copy" and not the "merchant copy". Incredible... I have never been treated this poorly !
(1)
David W.
I am giving Sansei five stars not because the food is as good as it gets, but merely because I had a great dinner experience, mainly for two reasons: 1) I got to enjoy a good meal with my mom and 2) the hostess was probably the cutest girl I've seen on this trip to the Big Island. I know the two don't make for an ideal scenario, but I made the best of it, drinking lots of green tea and making frequent trips to the bathroom by the front entrance so I can smile awkwardly at her. Hawaiian girl with colored contacts and a flower in your right ear (that means you're single right?) - if you're reading this, holler! Anyway, on to the food! Out of all the restaurants we tried on the Big Island, Sansei by far came with the most recommendations, local and otherwise. Plus I had a monster workout right before dinner and had built up a huge appetite, so the conditions were right to get our grub on. After asking our server for some sushi recommendations, we went with the shrimp dynamite (appetizer), salmon sashimi (my favorite!), o-toro nigiri (one of the daily specials), spider roll (I always try this at every new Japanese restaurant I visit), panko crusted ahi sashimi roll and the yaki-maki roll. Again, this wasn't mind-blowing sushi, but I would say it is the best sit-down meal at a non-grub restaurant I enjoyed on the Big Island. The custom-made sauces for each roll were all very tangy or zesty, and I only used my soy sauce and wasabi for the sashimi and nigiri - even then, I dipped very sparingly because the fish was all super fresh. Breaking it down: Dynamite shrimp: if you like honey glazed walnut shrimp at your local Americanized Chinese restaurant, you'll like this even better. Spider roll: nothing particularly special about the roll itself - spider crab leg was fresh, batter was good and the rice was good as expected of Japanese short grain. The roll was served on a bed of tangy sauce with chilis and a hint of either mango or apricot, and it really topped off the dish! Yaki-maki roll: California roll (with real crab, thank goodness) wrapped in smoked salmon and baked with special ponzu sauce. Again, the sauce was super delicious, very similar to the sauces used on seared fish or baked scallop rolls. I would have preferred the salmon to be raw instead of baked, but the quality of fish was so good that even baked the salmon was still super tender. Ahi sashimi roll: this was pretty interesting; sashimi grade ahi tuna wrapped with spinach, rice and seaweed, covered in panko and then flash fried. I really enjoyed the mini battle of textures in my mouth, but again the sauce really brought the runners home. Salmon sashimi: I have unfairly high standards for salmon sashimi, so to say that I enjoyed this dish means a lot, even though it wasn't the best I've ever had. The fish was very fresh, and the slices were cut so that pieces ALMOST melted in my mouth. Almost, but not quite. But at 6 pieces for $10, definitely worth it. O-toro nigiri: I'm not picky but I know what I like, and fatty tuna is one of the few fish I enjoy as much as good salmon. THIS DISH HIT HOME. Upon entering your mouth, the Japanese imported o-toro immediately melts like butter, leaving you to enjoy its rich taste with the sprinkling of green onions upon a bed of vinegar treated Japanese rice and a little bit of wasabi. If this is on the specials menu, please do yourself a favor and order it. Green tea ice cream: not excessively sweet, very rich and a great way to top off a great meal. Great ambiance, one of the few crowded restaurants we visited on our trip, cute friendly staff, and good food at a reasonable price (most sushi orders were around the $15 range - we didn't check out the drink prices though). If you're on the Kona side of the Big Island, GO GET IT. Cute hostess girl please send me a message or something.
(5)
Janet K.
The worst Japanese food I have had in awhile. Plus the restaurant was ridiculously noisy and had terrible decor - tacky plastic square plates, plexiglass over the tables and hard wooden benches in the booths. The miso soup and udon noodles were lukewarm. The beef was too salty and the white rice mushy. The waitress forgot our hot tea but we didn't remind her because we figured it would come out cold. It is surprising that it has received so many good reviews - perhaps the area does not have enough decent alternatives. I recommend Merriman's and even Macaroni Grill.
(1)
John N.
This is a great sushi place. We had dinner here the first night we arrived on the island and were not disappointed. The sushi is extremely fresh and delicious. If it were a little less expensive, I would have given it 5 stars.
(4)
Kathy M.
My son, husband and I were visiting the Big Island and thought we would check out the food here since all we noticed were nothing but great reviews. We were sorely disappointed with the service as soon as we stepped foot into this place. Our waitress was very rude and short with us. Very disappointing!!! We were going to have a meal there but, decided the service was so bad we would only stay for a round of tropical drinks which were great and my son had an amazing appetizer, as for the sushi, it was the worst we've ever had. If your looking for great sushi - you have to check out Sushi Rock in Hawi approx. 25 miles north of Waikoloa Beach Resort. We ended up going to the Hilton Waikoloa Beach Resort for Dinner and it was AMAZING!!!! The food, service and location with an ocean front view was wonderful 4.5 star. So glad we decided to go elsewhere to enjoy great food and the service to match!!!
(2)
BrokeDaMou F.
I've been to the other 2 Sanseis on Maui, and this one is the same. Very fresh fish. In fact, I think fresher than Sushi Kazu and Sushi Shiono in Kailua-Kona. The Sushi rice was just okay. You can't beat the Special pricing if you are there between 5:30 when they open and 6 pm. But you may get "day-old" fish, you never know. Personally, I've had good luck and bad when coming to other Sanseis before 6 pm, so I don't do it any more. If you get a "fried" roll, try to order only one kind, they start to taste the same after a while. Service was great, and parking is ample.
(4)
Neal L.
Just came back. Nice restaurant with wide choice including my wife's favorite mentaiko. Fitted us in on a Friday night without reservations, albeit at the close of season. A little pricey all things considered but everything in this area is.
(4)
Michael Z.
Here on a 10 day vacation in Hawaii, and I was going to wait to review all of the restaurants when I got back to Oregon. But I needed to write this tonight while it was fresh in my mind. Sansei stands for triple A service Those a's stand for atrocious, abysmal and awful. Four of us sat down, and when the waitress came over, she took our drink orders, followed by our sushi and dinner orders. 10 minutes later a few dishes arrived. 10 minutes later some other dishes arrived. I had ordered three portions of sashimi, miso, and a bowl of sticky rice. So we now have two partial deliveries, we had not yet received our drinks, and I'm getting a little peeved. The drinks finally arrive, and my sashimi, but no miso and no rice. One of our dinner companions questioned the server as to where the rice was, and we immediately got attitude, replying ."the food comes out when the food comes out.." Also, it drives me crazy when the servers don't know who gets what, and they get it wrong here every time.In the end the food and sushi was just OK, but with terrible service and very uncomfortable seating, I wanted to score this place with one star, my companions talked me into upping it to a two. We come to Hawaii a lot, and we have our normal rotation of restaurants, but Sansei won't be joining that rotation.
(2)
Mark B.
We are huge fans of Sansei in Kapalua (Maui) and were looking forward to dining at this location ever since we booked our trip to the Big Island. What a huge letdown! Nothing was fresh. Everything looked and tasted as if it had been sitting in the freezer for a long while. When we asked the chef for a recommendation for something fresh, he said what we had been eating was the freshest fish he had. That was enough for us to know we had to cut our losses and leave. The fact that we could make a same day reservation should have tipped us off that this location was a poor imitation of it's Maui brethren. Never going back to this locale.
(1)
R K.
decor: my gf and expected this place to be nicer looking, especially with its location. it was a bit odd and the furniture selection was on the economical side. service: the hostesses was a bit lost. she took forever to seat people even though there were plenty of tables open. after waiting for about 15 min, she was finally able to take our name. she then looked around for two minutes, crossed off our name and finally sat us (she did this with other parties in front of us). wtf?? out waitress was not very attentive, a bit slow, and forgot one of our orders. food: it was ok. not good but not bad either. the sushi chefs looked really young (early 20's) and not japanese or even asian. if i'd seen that when i first walked in, i probably would have left. that said, i rather just have some sushi and japanese bowls at the island gourmet market in the same center. better food and cheaper.
(3)
T K.
Went last night. Waited in line for 1 hour in the hot sun prior to opening. They let us in 10 minutes late. Rushed our food. The rolls were small and falling apart. They literally threw them together. I thought their special matched the quality of the food 1/2 priced sushi for half quality sushi. Drive 20 min. to Waimea and try Red River.
(1)
Emily S.
My husband and I went to Sansei during our 5 day kid-free vacation at the Marriott and had our best dinner on the island. Food was terrific - and we eat a fair amount of sushi at home, so we are moderately picky. Ordered the $80 tasting menu (for 2 people!! great deal!!) and couldn't believe how much food was served. The first 4-5 dishes were the best - somewhat surprising tastes and great presentation. The Panko Crusted Ahi Sushi and Sashimi Roll was fabulous (must try!) as was the Mango and Crab Salad Hand Roll. The Japaense Calamari Salad was perfect - couldn't recommend higher. Neither of us was as big a fan of the last two courses - the ravioli and the butterfish - but that also could have been because we were so stuffed that we were having trouble eating more food. Overall, I'd say it was 4.5 starts - not perfect, but easily the best food we had on the island - and without spending a zillion dollars! If we hadn't wanted to try a bunch of places, I would have eaten here more than once.
(4)
Jenny V.
Having been to the Sansei Seafood on Maui in Kapalua, we were eager to try the Sansei on the Big Island. Unfortunately, this was a huge mistake. Sansei is located in the shops in Waikoloa and is really easy to find. There is ample parking and they take reservations. That's where my review should end because if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say it, right? Well, here goes. We had reservations for 4 persons and showed up about 10 minutes early. Despite the fact that there were about 10 empty tables, we were asked to wait. Since there really wasn't any place to wait, we stood around the hostess station. Once we were seated and given menus, we were deserted by the staff. We were in the middle of the restaurant so it wasn't as if they couldn't see us. When the server finally showed up, our friends ordered the prix fixe menu as the 5 course meal seemed pretty close to what they had been looking at on the regular menu. My husband and I ordered a few sushi rolls and one main entree. We were appalled when the server came out a while later and literally threw the friends' first course on the table in front of them with no explanation. We didn't get our first roll for another 15 minutes, about the same time the friends' 2nd course came out. Having ordered the same roll as our friends' third course, we were a little concerned that we were eating their food because the server then delivered ALL of the friends' remaining courses as well as three rolls for us. No explanation, even when asked. And the food? In a word, inedible. Every "roll" was about 4 pieces (not what we had experienced in Maui), had more "salad" on the plate than anything else, and everything seemed to have been deep or flash fried (not in the menu description). The main entree was cold, the sushi was warm. YUCK!!!! We were so disappointed, we actually mentioned it to the server and she just nodded then dropped off the bill for a ridiculous sum considering we had no alcohol and barely any food. I would never go back.
(1)
Jen C.
You know that feeling you get after eating awesome sushi - you're pleasantly full, jazzed and happy with the world? If you know what I'm talking about, then this place will be a big disappointment for you. My husband and I ordered some of their signature dishes, the butterfish and the shrimp cakes. Those were pretty good for the most part, especially the butterfish. The sushi was "meh". We ordered their spicy tuna crunch which was sweet and squishy, not spicy at all. We also ordered one of their signature rolls (something with crab, tuna, avocado, etc) and I thought it was mushy and gloppy. I was really looking forward to eating delicious sushi but this was not the place. Other complaints: It was a Saturday night and the place was DEAD. The lighting was so bright and the decor was so cheesy I thought I was in a cross between Benihana and TGIFS. We cut our meal short and were back in our hotel within the hour.
(3)
Jennifer D.
We came here on Monday at 5pm, and we really lucked out! Turns out that Sansei does a happy hour thing where the majority of the week, from 5p-6pm, you get 25% off the menu, with the exception of drinks and certain "special" items (expensive) like lobster. However, on Sunday and Monday, you get FIFTY PERCENT off! HALF! Wow. So, we got sunomono for $2, which was very cool and fresh. We also tried out their award winning panko crusted ahi tuna roll ($6.50), which was deep fried. I always steer clear of deep fried rolls, but this one got an award, so we tried it. It was not greasy, and fresh tasting with the extra spinach inside, and the ahi tuna was not cooked at all, so the roll was probably flash fried. We also tried out their award winning mango crab roll ($5.50) which was fresh tasting and I enjoyed. We got the butterfish ($6.50) which was melt in your mouth delicious, and it haunts me to this day....I want more! We also tried out a takah roll ($6) which was tasty, not memorable. The portions are not huge, but the presentation was nice. The already added 17% gratuity was based off of pre-discounted price, so the grand total was $36.64, which was tremendously less than what I was planning to pay at a fancy Asian fusion-ish Sushi restaurant in this part of Hawaii. (This area is resort central, and you've got all your fancy pants restaurants up here.) I probably wouldn't pay full price, because I'm not that rich, which is why we didn't go back. However, I found the food to be delicious and a real treat.
(5)
Cyndy L.
Great steak and loved the king crab ramen. Kids liked the shrimp tempura. Friendly service but did not appreciate how the waitress tried to push extra alcohol on us. Kind of pricey but there is a 25% early bird discount before 6:00.
(4)
Geoff And Jenni G.
We had a mediocre to average experience at this restaurant... the staff were great - super helpful and extremely friendly, but the food didn't match our expectations... especially with all the marketing bumf they have about famous this, award winning that... :-(
(2)
Ramona A.
I was shocked when I went to this site and read the great reviews. My husband and I went on a Sunday evening and were seated promptly. For the prices on the menu I expected a little better decor than cheapie Burger King seats but I heard the food was good... As we were sitting down the waitress asked us what we would like. We told her it would be nice to have a look at the menu to see if there were any specialty drinks. Within less than a minute she came back again. We sent her away one more time and felt so rushed to order that we did, hoping that would keep her busy. Within 5 minutes we had our appetizers and as I was cutting mine (we hadn't even started eating them yet) they brought out our entrees and assured us our sushi was on it's way. While we ate our appetizers our sushi got warm and out entrees got cold. Our waitress came every few minutes to ask how things were (I lost track after 6 times) and I learned to keep my fork in my hand or the busboy would come and try to take my plate away if I put it down. I'm a slow learner so it took 2 attempts at him trying to take my appetizer away before I learned! I've been in the restaurant business my whole life and have eaten at many but never (never!) in my life had I had such a horrible meal. The food was great but the service was the worst ever. I've dealt with "burnem and turnem" but this was extreme!! They had us in and out within 30-45 minutes and we paid $160 for 2. At those prices I would expect better service with a more leisurely pace. Great food, bad decor, bad service, high prices for what you get. You decide if you want to chance it.
(1)
Anastasia H.
Tempura sweet potato: purple sweet potato(less "sweet" than a orange sweet potato but has a good flavor with the special sauce), mango hand rolls (two hand rolls with two or three chunks of mango each and a sweet Thai sauce), spicy tuna roll( accidentally got the crunchy spicy roll which was good but not sure it would be worth the extra money). Altogether I would recommend but make sure they get you the right meal and charge you for what you order.
(4)
Pat L.
We went at 5:30 on a Sunday, 1 seat left at regular bar. We were told 30 minute wait and we could have the 1 seat until something else opened. As soon as we received our drinks we were told that the seat was already spoken for after all. So we would need to stand for 30 minutes. We tried to pay our bar tab but the bartender would not look our way. We paid at hostess station and left a well deserved 30 cent tip. This location not run well like other locations, beware!
(2)
Kathy C.
Love this place! Worth standing in line for the 50% off days. We've been to the kona and Maui locations. Our favs are the miso butterfish, panko crusted ahi, and the Granny Smith apple tart but honestly we enjoyed everything we've tried. One of our must haves whenever we are in Hawaii.
(5)
Ryan K.
Best butterfish I've ever had.
(5)
Tai M.
Sansei seems to be consistent at all of their restaurants. They were able to take a walk-in group of 11 of us on Saturday night with no problems. Food and service was good.
(4)
Cindy L.
Happy Hour on Sunday and Monday from 5pm to 6pm. 50% off most menu items, excluding drinks. We got there at around 5:40 pm on Sunday night, the place was already packed. Luckily, the host was nice enough to give us a table by the kitchen. We ordered the Panko crusted ahi roll, mango crab meat roll, taka roll, Nisei sushi set, crab meat saimin and side order of ikura. Everything was delicious, the food came quickly, service was friendly. Total bill was $67 with 17% gratuity. Definitely a good deal considering all the resort prices we've been paying at Waikoloa.
(4)
Ned B.
We went here because a friend suggested it. Should have ignored him. We were greeted and seated immediately since we were eating at the sushi bar. Our waitress came and took our drink order promptly. Then thing went downhill real fast. I ordered a non-flavored ice tea. What i got was raspberry ice tea. I ask the waitress to replace it and she became furious and that was the last time we saw her. Thank god we were at the sushi bar otherwise we would not have received any food. We found the sushi to be average at best. it wasn't bad but not exceptional. There are two Sansei's on Maui which are really good places to eat. This place will never see us again.
(1)
Kimberly A.
Holy cow...or fish. My family and I ate here while on vacation in Hawaii and we had such a wonderful time. The food was fresh and delicious. The menu was large enough that those of us who don't usually eat sushi (that'd be me) could experiment with some fishy things and order non-fishy things (the fish was so good, though!). The service was excellent. Our server was helpful, but not pushy.The hostess was really friendly, too! I would highly recommend Sansei to anyone visiting the Big Island and looking for a fun, family-friendly, delicious dining experience.
(5)
Lyn C.
I always enjoy Sansei. There are several locations around Hawaii and I have never had a bad encounter at one. I feel like The Big Island doesn't have as large of an array of choices for food as some of the other islands. We did reserve a table ahead of time bc it does get crowded. Thankfully it was pretty easy and we were able to get some shopping done in the mall while waiting for our table. Our waitress was really cool. Chill, checked up on us regularly, and didn't rush us. She gave great tips on what to get and was very attentive! All the food is always good. I can't remember some of the rolls that we got but the items worth mentioning are: Shrimp dynamite Panko crusted ahi- my favorite Lobster crab ravioli- 3 pieces; good but a little too rich for my tasting Other honorable mention foods that we didn't order are the ramen and foie gras... Illegal in Cali so why not get it here!! Go during HH to get food 50% off!
(5)
Ella A.
Panko crusted ahi is amazing!! The portion of shrimp dynamite gets smaller each time i go, but its still badass yummy. Its a hit and miss with the servers. Sometimes you get some that are beyond amazing and other times it falls short.
(5)
Sara D.
Good quality. Good but didn't blow us away. Ambiance was average because it's in a shopping center.
(3)
Kozue M.
Love this place! If you're looking for a good casual dining place this is the restaurant to go to! I would make a reservation if I were you because it gets pretty busy. They are able to accommodate big groups; both times that I went, we had about 10 of us. For the restaurant to be busy, the service is pretty quick. Now for the must haves: shrimp dynamite, miso butterfish, sansei special roll, & beef teriyaki! Since it's a touristy place, they do bump up the price but it's still pretty good! I've been to the one in Oahu too; I might like that one better because they have local performers at night.
(4)
Jeff L.
The food and service were good, but after two days from eating there I can't think of anything that stood out as excellent and that is why I'm only giving a three star. We enjoyed the crab Ramen noodle soup and the tempura battered ice cream was good. Sushi quality was average. I recommend going right at opening to take advantage of 25% discount otherwise you can easily spend $40+ a person. Drinks are expensive as is the food, but that goes for just about any restaurant. Note to non alcohol drinkers : you will be charged a $2 bar fee even when ordering a tropical fruit juice.
(3)
Jack L.
Sansei is definitely a decent eatery and a convenient place to grab some sushi in Waikoloa. However, the whole place just screams "A-OK" or "average." At arrival, the hostess promptly seated us in the middle of the dinning room. The place was packed, and it got quite noisy pretty quickly. Unfortunately, it was hard to hear others at our table. Our server was very pleasant and working hard throughout the entire meal. However, it was somewhat awkward when she just randomly stepped away for a couple of moments in the middle of describing the specials. She later apologized and told us she was closing out another table. Not the best customer service, but nothing terrible. All of the food was just average. I forget the names of the rolls, but we went with the famous Mango and Crab Hand Roll, the Veggie Roll with Asparagus, the Spicy Salmon Skin Roll, the Tempura Shrimp Hand Roll with Tuna, the Japanese-Jerk Spiced Chicken, and the Tempera Combination Platter with Shrimp and Veggies. Many of the items were very average and just lacked boldness or refinement. The Jerk Chicken was actually very flavorful and tasty, but the skin was not crispy and was unappealing with a rubbery texture. The temperua platter was average, but the veggies were completely drowning in batter. I had to pull most of the batter off the sliced veggies to make them remotely appealing. The best dish of the evening was definitely the Mango Crab Hand Roll. The flavor composition was spot on, and the rolls were light and refreshing. Overall, a decent sushi spot in Waikoloa. However, it certainly didn't compare to sushi joints back in the Bay Area.
(3)
Keandra S.
This place is amazing!!! Trust! The Best sushi I've ever had in 39 years! And I know sushi!!
(5)
Baby's Away Big Island H.
We recommend Sansei Seafood & Sushi Bar as the best sushi restaurant on the Big Island. The service is excellent and the food choices are plentiful and very tasty. This is a place where local people and visitors to the island can enjoy food from the island.
(4)
Patrick J.
Excellent sushi while visiting Kona. The restaurant is located in the Queens shopping center near the Hilton Waikaloa Resort. Our goal on this trip was to eat as much seafood as possible. We had poke at Umeke's the first night and after a lot of running around and sightseeing that day, we stopped in to Sansei on the recommendation of a couple we met. We ordered the Tuna carpaccio, Crab ramen, a Dragonfly roll, and the Shrimp dynamite. We also ordered a couple of specialty cocktails from the menu. The food and drinks were excellent, but the Carpaccio and Crab Ramen were the stand outs. Great place with a very relaxed atmosphere. If you get there between 5:30 and 6:30, you get an automatic 25% discount on the entire check including drinks. Great deal and the sushi is excellent.
(4)
Natalie O.
Ambience is good. Waitstaff wonderful. Sushi is good. Do not get steak. Was a total waste of $45. Pan fried with butter not grilled. It was gross. Never again.
(2)
Dania-Maria K.
We came here for our one year anniversary dinner, my man listened to me ramble on about how I wasn't sure what I wanted and I mentioned Japanese food once and he knew we needed to come here. We were seated in a booth (the lovely staff made that happen for us) and menus were handed to us promptly. We ordered the panko crusted spinach ahi sashimi sushi roll and edamame for our appetizers. Wow, I was very impressed with the award winning (as it states on the menu) panko crusted sashimi roll. The wasabi butter sauce was bomb! The dish was very well made and delicious. Next we ordered the Nissei combination plate. All the fish on that was fresh and very tasty. The roll of choice to add to that for us was the spicy tuna, I couldn't get enough of it. We also ordered the unagi eel roll and the California roll to round off our meal and man, were we stuffed. Since it was our anniversary our server, unexpectedly and surprisingly, brought out a free creme brulee (which is one of my top favorite desserts). We enjoyed that sucker real quick and were very satisfied. Overall the experience was a good one. The service was very fast and friendly, we had a great time celebrating us that evening.
(4)
Donald F.
Excellent food! Don't know what the negativity is about. Food came out quickly and 25% off before 6 pm. Thank you to Chelsea!
(5)
Melly B.
Poor Service, Waitress had made mistakes often, one was with submitting payments. On a brighter note, I have always enjoyed their food. A variety of options to choose from, a little overwhelming at times.
(2)
Trudee H.
The quality of food here - especially the panko crusted ahi - is overrated and overpriced for what you get. The crab ramen with truffle was served warm , not hot with a few pieced of crab and So salty. I should have gone to Roy's instead.
(2)
TianChee S.
Ever want disappointment after already getting disappointed during the meal? Then come right here to eat! Most deceiving practices I know by this restaurant. They offer happy hour (50% off) on most of the items on their menu from 5-6pm but oh by the way we'll also force a mandatory 17% gratuity on top of that so it's not really 50% off anymore and just a mere 32%. That wasn't the thing that bothered me the most. It was the fact that we were seated before a bunch of other people at the bar yet we were last one to get our orders in and also get served. That just drove me insane. The other people got like 5 orders already served to them while we only got 1 dish....that is absolutely unacceptable and poor planning on their part. I was basically starving and irritated as the first people that got seated were the last ones to get their orders in and the slowest dishes to trickle in to us. Keep in mind those rolls are already overpriced for what you get so that 32% is a joke of a discount. Ordered their Butterfly roll that was so tiny and nasty and couldn't tell what I was eating. There were supposed to be salmon pieces in there but they were basically non-existent. Ginger slices were poorly plated and dragging on the side of the dishes (basically touching the table..grosss..) Save yourself this frustration and disappointment. Will never return here and would NEVER recommend anyone to dine here. Service was astrocious and I still had to pay a forced gratuity of 17%...that was just stupid and doesn't make any sense. Gratuity should never be forced upon the customer and the customer should dictate how the service was...Most irrate was getting forced gratuity when it was just the two of us.....who does that? I can understand tables of 6 or more as that's the more common thing but for just two people? Unbelievable...
(1)
Brian G.
Ok, so everyone raved about this sushi place but I wouldn't feed this to anyone. Maybe I am spoiled living in California but everyone raves about there local sushi bar and we have been to all the Hawaiian islands, mexico, and various parts of the U.S. if you want to try Sushi that will never compare to any other sushi restaurant again, visit one if the sushi locations in the Sacramento County area called Mikuni Sushi. Hands down the best sushi and have never tasted anything to compare it close to Mikuni Sushi Resruarant. This was the first Sushi place I have ever eaten at about 15 years ago and have never been able to find anything better but will continue to try various sushi places in my travels to see if they can be topped. If you are in the Sacramento California area try it and you will never taste the same.
(1)
noc f.
Good drinks. Got the Ahi trio chirashi and Yellowtail Aioli Poke were both yummy. Pretty crowded and popular place with tourists. Awesome location with shops nearby to walk around while u wait for a table. Our server, Tansy, was very sweet and quick. Always with a sweet smile :) Best of all....We left our card there coz we had to rush out, and she was so honest and left it at the front desk for us to pick up. Thanks, Tansy. We came back looking for her but she wasn't there tonight. Thanks for a wonderful experience and good grub!
(5)
Cindy U.
Don't know why I fell for it but we did, for all the award winning dishes they had posted at the entrance. The Panko crusted ahi roll was... Interesting. Sauce was sweet and spicy... Very Chinese in flavor vs Japanese. We went on a Tuesday. The sushi did not taste fresh and the sushi rice were little hard footballs under a thin slice of fish. The server was nice and friendly but came back every 2-3 minutes! Let me eat in peace! Come back in 25! The shrimp dynamite was ok but I've had better walnut shrimp at the Chinese restaurant back home. We ordered quite a few things since we were on a tasting spree hoping for something we could leave on a good note on... No, didn't happen. Way overpriced and yes, tourist trap for sure.
(2)
Alana K.
Awesome sushi, karaoke going on, full bar, and perfect atmosphere.
(5)
Morris F.
Fantastic food and fantastic service. Our party ate sushi, steak, fish, lamb chops, and noodles and everyone love it so much we went back a second time and enjoyed it just as much.
(5)
William H.
Great food and service get there when they open at 530 pm most of the menu is 25% off until 6pm. It fills up fast so best to make a reservation.
(5)
Bernadette A.
Maybe it has the best food but we'll never know and they missed out on our dining dollars. We walked in and were not even acknowledged by the two at the hostess stand. One of them may have even been the manager. They never even looked up. We stood there debating nearly 5 minutes and decided to go elsewhere. I don't even think they saw us, a family of 4, looking right at them and talking about leaving. Won't try again. Looked super small and overcrowded anyway.
(1)
Cat L.
Been to all four Sansei locations and am never disappointed. Must try the Sansei's Panko-Crusted Ahi Sashimi sushi roll. The dynamite shrimp is decent, a little soggy yet bland. I recommend this place for anyone who wants great sushi and a great bar!
(4)
Nan T.
We were excited to come to this location but we disappointed. The poke was really salty and chewy. My husband order Ramen noodle that taste like it was from an instant noodle. Overall the experience was very disappointing.
(2)
Liberty K.
Great meal! Came during happy hour! Lots if great choices even with limitations! Yes the still limit the discount items, they are indicated with circle and line through it for no you cant have this discounted! Kids had mac and cheese with Teri chicken and pasta. Little weird since the appetizer for them was miso soup. Price was right with the happy hour special. One of the better meals during out trip. 100 with tip for 5 not bad!!!
(5)
Ron And Anita T.
Went to Sansei Seafood and Sushi Bar on a recent stay here and thought it was okay. Full disclosure here; this is definitely a sushi place and not much more. The extensive menu, five or six pages, has only one, maybe even a half page, devoted to non-sushi plates. Not a great sushi fan, but others in the party were. That said, the fish of the day, which two of us had, and the seafood and pasta was up there with the best. One of us did have sushi, and he thought it was good. The one year old had mac and cheese; loved it! Have to comment on the service-it was incredible. Very busy place, good sized, never-the-less, very friendly, attentive and fun server. The venue was nothing special, in a mall and would not be noticeable anywhere. Prices are about what you'd expect in Hawaii-not a bargain!
(4)
Judy W.
We cut our dinner short so we can save our appetite for better Italian food at king's shop. First order came the foie gras and it was a total disappointment. My bf who I tried to convince to eat the foie gras that I raved about all the time would never trust me to take another bite of that again. I don't even know if I can take another bite of one of my favorite indulgences again. They totally destroyed it.
(1)
Julie H.
Great service! Melissa our server shared many great details about the menu. Everything from the sushi bar was expertly prepared by Moose. Great tip from the hostess...eat at the sushi bar for the additional rolls and specialty items. Try the foie-gras. The butter fish melted in our mouth. Creative rolls with great flavor and super fresh fish.
(5)
Roy V.
Favorite place for all occasions: -Pau Hana Happy Hour with friends- order a bunch of appetizers and sushi rolls. Awesome bar service! -Dinner- You will enjoy any fresh seafood dish or special. Daughter's favorite is the shrimp and vegetable tempura. -Late Night - Friday and Saturday nights it turns into a karaoke bar with discounted food specials from 9 or 10 pm. **Every visit there I must have the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll, Shrimp Dynamite, Deep Fired Ice Cream and Ichigo-tini.**
(5)
Jenny K.
I had a very terrible experience here. Even though it is in the heart of a tourist area, I would not recommend coming here. A lot of people line up for the happy hour special, but it is really just a scam. Not only do you get smaller portions, they also tack on a mandatory 17 percent gratuity. The service was terrible. We were definitely treated poorly possibly because of our ethnicity. We sat next to a pair of Caucasian women are very friendly, but the service that they got was remarkably better than ours. We set the bar so the bartender was the one who served us. The first complaint I had was that she did not bother to greet us even though we set there for about 10 minutes staring at her. As soon as the caucasian ladies sat down next to us at the bar, the bartender to get them and gave them their drinks and took their orders before we even got our water. Their food also arrived 30 to 40 minutes before ours.
(1)
Andy M.
Extremely disappointed. Seemed like we were an annoyance. Food not very good either. Not a good value. Would not dine there, or any other company restaurant, again.
(1)
Diana N.
Not sure what's up with all the bad reviews. Maybe they decided to change managers right before we got there =) Without any reservations, we waited a whole 5 minutes before being seated. Yvette, our waitress, was hands down the sweetest waitress I've ever seen. That's saying a lot since I used to be a waitress at my parent's restaurant. I swear she could've been our mother! She treated us and all of her patrons as if they were family. She doted upon my two little ones and made sure they were happy. She noticed my son finished all his rice and offered another bowl to put in his miso soup. =) Very attentive and sweet. I'd come back just for her =) Food was great! Never had I tried my beloved foie gras on rice as sushi. I was a bit apprehensive....but surprisingly I loved it! The slices were very generous..and the flavor was soooooo gooooood! There were only two pieces but any more than that would've been too much. At 18 bucks, it's expensive, but for two huge slices, it was worth it! My daughter's kid's meal was a chicken dish that was surprisingly delicious. Hubs and I picked off her leftovers like vultures! Hubs got a ramen topped with crab and truffle oil. Pretty darn tasty, but a bit expensive. To give them credit, there was a hefty amount of crab =) Mud pie for dessert was another yummy ending to a great meal. When I asked if they were offering any military discounts for the memorial day weekend, the manager said no, but offered to take the dessert off the bill and thanked us for our service. Classy =)
(5)
Tom T.
Wife and I ate there last night, the sushi was fresh and awesomely good. The sushi portions I felt were generous cuts of fish. The rolls were creative and very tasty I am not ashamed to say I cleaned my plate! My wife had shrimp tempura and she enjoyed that as well. The service was excellent, really good waitress. Oh and if you get there at 530 they were offering a discount so we took advantage of that.
(5)
Mimi L.
YUMMMY!!!! We visited Kona and found Sansei there! The food was soooo good! My son ordered the children's Teriyaki steak. Very tasty and the portion size was perfect for him. I even got to steal a couple of bites! My hubby ordered the pork chops! Holy cow.. that was so tasty and very tender!! He savored every bite! I was in a boring mood and had a ramen shrimp tempura. Yum! Service was quick and fast. The ambiance was good too. Not too noisy and fine for families! I would definitely go again!
(5)
Josh M.
We flew in to Kona at 8 and on the way to Hawi we wanted to find an open restaurant that wasn't Dairy Queen. This fit the bill, and we didn't care about the price. The seafood was good quality, though the price was a lot higher than it should be. We were just happy to get real food after 9 on the Big Island.
(4)
Tommy H.
Place gets 3 stars for good service but that is about it. If you are truly a connoisseur of sushi, then you would avoid this place as the sashimi and sushi were only marginal at best. Definitely nothing to rave about.
(3)
Tracey C.
This is a wonderful place for sushi. I know that when we get back to Los Angeles I will crave the mango salad hand roll and the dragonfly roll. Also awesome was the pinko crusted ahi sashimi roll. We also really enjoyed the ahi three ways appetizer. It's a friendly, lively and fun place to go and the sushi is exceptional. We went on a very busy night and even still we were treated to warm Hawaiian hospitality and the sushi wait time was extreme short. Quit reading this and go get a mango roll!! Aloha!
(4)
Anthea L.
Our family has loved coming to this restaurant for years so we made a reservation at 8. We arrived before 8 to check in and were told they were cleaning off tables and then handed us a pager to hold onto. First of all, if you're just cleaning off tables, why would you give us a pager?! It takes less than 5 minutes to wipe off a table and set it. (I've worked in the restaurant industry so I have a pretty good idea of what customer service should look like). Anyhow, after 20 minutes of waiting, I went back inside and while the hostess apologized, she also said she lost our reservation and didn't have any tables together for us. So she didn't even quote a new time. Meanwhile, a group of 5 guys came in to checkin for their 8:30 reservation and were seated immediately. That was it for us!!! We handed the pager back and decided to leave. The hostess didn't even try to help or provide us with a time. So we walked through the area and were seated immediately at Macaroni Grill WITHOUT WAITING and WITHOUT a reservation!! We will likely pass up Sensai in the future without regret.
(1)
Caren G.
Went there Saturday night...you can hardly go wrong w Sansei's. Ordered the Calamari, Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll, Taka sushi special roll n topped it off with a bite of the tempura fried ice cream. The service was very fast and outstanding! No doubt the best sushi on the Kohala Coast!
(4)
Brad D.
This could have been a four star review. Great selection on the menu but they didn't cook the food right. I had a special with some locally caught fish and a pork chop combo. Unfortunately the fish and pork chop were both overcooked and dry. It was a thin piece of fish and they should have known it would cook fast. Pork can be hard to get right but for $40, it's not too much to ask that my meal isn't overcooked. My wife had a duck breast and it was a little rare. Both meals tasted good but it's a shame they didn't get the temperatures right. I expected much better
(2)
Patrik K.
Good Sushi. Nice service. Fair price. If you come Thursday till Saturday between 5.30 to 6.00 it's happy hour and you get 25% off. Reservation is a good idea (-;
(4)
Dean I.
We finally came here to try the popular sushi. Sansei didn't disappoint with their extremely fast service, great food, and good pricing. We started with the bagel roll (hidden gem), which is smoked salmon, Maui onion, and cream cheese. Then, I had the crab ramen w/ truffle and jalapeño, Gail had the sansei special roll and shrimp cake. Last, but not least, we squeezed in the tempura ice cream. Wow, that was a meal. This was under $70, what a deal! The fried ice cream was awesome, only Kenichis has a similar quality of this dessert. The wait staff was very attentive and the food came out quickly. One of the best overall experiences. :)
(5)
Britney G.
Yum yum yum!!! Asian Calamari salad, yellow submarine, carpaccio are all great picks!!! Can't go wrong with sushi especially the Panko crusted ahi sashimi roll!!!! This place has it all in regards to Japanese fusion foods! Casual dining
(4)
Marcie M.
I didn't get an opportunity to explore the food in Hawaii like I really wanted, but the goal to get GOOD sushi was accomplished on my first night in Kona! Sansei was a mere ten minutes from our resort so we stopped in for a to-go order. We went with the recommended panko crusted ahi tuna roll and it was INCREDIBLE. I really enjoyed it along with the sauce. So delicious! For a quick 20 minute wait, it was a wonderful treat. I would recommend it based on the two rolls we had! If you are craving sushi and in Kona, this is a great choice in my humble sushi opinion.
(4)
Gary Y.
Sushi bar / karaoke bar. This place hit the spot for a late night dinner. The sashimi is the way to go but the rest of the menu is not bad.
(3)
Kristina K.
Outstanding, for the price out of this world! Fresh with a huge menu for anybody. Salmon belly, Chinese hot sesame oil sashimi, sashimi plate, shrimp dynamite and desserts were phenomenal!! Go btw 5 - 6pm for half off!! We are going back!
(4)
Jo N.
It was a bit disappointed and poor service. Started out with the front desk not very polite or serious talking to customer. They were busy chatting among themselves. Server was too busy to talk to another table instead of taking our order or refill water. Discriminated bc we are not dress up or ethnicity? Because the other Caucasian table got better treatment. It was disappointed experience.
(1)
Johnny L.
Sushi was tasty, loved their version of Spicy Tuna rolls. It's different how it's made in California. The staff was sweet and attentive, even on a busy night on Saturday.
(4)
Nadine B.
A must during each of our trips to the Big Island. Come early for the 25% off from 5-6 pm. Calamari is yummy, as is the pinko-crusted ahi. Deep fried ice cream is a tasty dessert.
(4)
Cathy W.
After having exhausted our 2 dining options at The King's Shops (Roy's and Merriman's), we thought we should check out The Queen's Market for a change of scene. After walking around the entire plaza, we finally decided on Sansei over the food court & Macaroni Grill (since we can get that anywhere in California). Again, our luck kicked in again as we were soon seated at the sushi bar even though they were very packed for dinner. We ended up ordering: 1. Japanese Hamachi & Grilled Shiitake Mushroom Tartare - $13 I was curious as to what a tartare was like and, boy, was I NOT a fan...lol. I'm not sure if it's because how they made their tartare or I just don't like the consistency of the dish, but I didn't like it at all. My boyfriend thought it was just okay as well. 2. I had originally ordered the "Issei" sushi combo, but the waitress must have misheard because the sushi bar chef served us the "nissei" combo, which was fine. It's pretty ordinary and nothing really stood out on the plate (but I would say the fish was pretty fresh, thank goodness). 3. Sansei's Seafood Pasta - we wanted to try something a little different so we ordered the pasta instead...in hindsight, we should have ordered something else, lol. The pasta was okay...it lacked the seafood component (maybe 1 or 2 pieces of seafood) and the rest of was just goop from the noodles and the sauce and the over-cooked veggies. I definitely have had better Japanese food elsewhere and do not have to pay an arm and a leg for them. We probably would have had a better time at the food court or even Macaroni Grill - at least they do their pasta right for the most part!
(2)
Amy M.
It's sushi in a shopping center of a tourist area. The prices were high as to be expected. My fiance and I ended up dining here 2 times during our stay. The food was good but not the best I have had. For the convenience to our hotel I enjoyed it.
(3)
J C.
Beware: Over priced and over rated sushi place. Be prepared to spend $100-$150 for two people with drinks plus tip. Better to go to a luao and spend that amount than here. Also be prepared to be up-sold by your waiter. They will recommend the most expensive thing on the menu inexplicably. Just very annoying tactics when it comes to dining. This place is not worth your money.
(2)
Kris M.
Went here for the first time. The food was awesome and the service was on point and fast. They even gave 25% off for anything ordered before 6pm including desert which could be ordered and brought later. The prices are on the higher side but it's well worth it
(5)
chida t.
the food was excellent and creative blend of flavors some of the high point include miso butter fish and a shrimp cake with crispy noodles it looks like a giant spider but it is good eating. the server was very attentive especially since we were a large party 11. also had the steaks which was cooked to perfection.
(5)
Grace L.
I was here on vacation with my boyfriend and we wanted to eat somewhere nice on our last night. Although we received the 25% discount, the food was still very expensive. I wouldn't have minded if I was full from the dinner but we ordered a pizza shortly after and devoured that after we left. The panko crusted ahi was very tasty but the portions were small. The salmon skin roll however was awful. You couldn't even taste the salmon skin and all you could taste was the spicy sauce. The Agedashi Tofu was alright but nothing special. The sweet potato tempura was mediocre and cold. The only reason I might ever return would be to eat the panko crusted ahi, although it is still pricey and unfilling so maybe not...
(2)
Karen L.
Pretty tasty spot for some sushi. I can't remember exactly what we ordered, but we had some rolls, some poke, and some of their award-winning dishes. Some were hit or miss, but overall, the food was delicious.
(4)
D P.
Absolutely a disappointing, almost horrible, experience. Seems more like a fast food chain operation. Our experience was only slightly better than awful. We will never return. First, the shrimp came out before the salad. No fork to eat it with.and it took a while to get anyone;s attention to get a fork! Then the house salad came, no tomatoes, which cost an extra dollar for four slices. The ahi was not fresh! The onion rings were OK, but $8 for four onion rings is a bit much. No knives with the silverware, had to ask the hostess for a knife. I then waited 10 minutes after my wife was served for my soup and noodles - the soup was lukewarm and the noodles not cooked all the way. Then the waitress took away my soup spoon! We didn't even think about dessert because we couldn't stand the wait only to be more disappointed. We cannot see why anyone would ever return to this poor semblance of a restaurant when there are so many that are far better in the area.
(1)
June B.
We loved the one on Maui so much we came to the one on Kona. We were not disappointed. Very good food here. Best of all the staff knows the food and what's good to order.
(4)
Justin V.
Took my wife and son here for Mother's Day dinner since it was close to our hotel. The menu has a vast selection of entrees and seafood as well as sushi. My wife and I usually share food to see what we really like since we have similar tastes, (which is usually everything and almost anything). We started with the butterfish appetizer which was delicious and also the scallops with mushrooms. Both were very good. We had the 11 ounce tenderloin and it was cooked exactly to our desired temp and tasted great. The food here is very good and service is also great but it does come at a price. This place is pricey but the ambiance is still casual since it is Hawaii. My son had the keiki chicken pasta but he enjoyed the miso soup and ice cream more. Nice place, just a little too pricey.
(3)
Erika C.
Great sushi, came out fast, fish was not fishy at all...very fresh! I don't remember what I ordered, but between my husband and I, we ordered 6 items and they were all great! We have also been to the Sensei in Maui which was even better than this one...not sure why this one only has 3.5 stars on yelp..
(5)
Erin Y.
We were a little nervous after being seated, since we were told to come for the 50% off and karaoke on Friday nights - turned out that it doesn't start til 9:30 and it was only 7. But the food made the full priced meal totally worth it! Go for the seafood - all the fish was extremely fresh. We had the panko crusted ahi roll - ahi was so fresh that it prompted us to order an ahi nigiri. We also had the yaki-maki roll, which had delicious real crab, but the highlight was the smoker salmon. Both rolls were tasty but a little too flavorful for someone like me who usually prefers sashimi. The real high point of our meal was the special fresh catch and local cream corn. That day it was mahi mahi with truffled mac and cheese. The mahi mahi was cooked to perfection - extremely juicy and flavorful. Some of the best I've ever had. The mac and cheese was surprisingly good too. Flavor was excellent without being too cheesy. Overall it was a great last dinner of our trip. The service was fast and friendly, and the seafood was really fresh and delicious. We'll just have to come back next time for the karaoke. Side note: Lava flow's strawberry syrup was a little too artificial tasting and too sweet. I'd pass on it next time.
(4)
Michael C.
Probably the worst sushi we have had before. Read the reviews and don't understand how many people liked it. Over priced for a six piece roll. The Panko crusted Ahi Roll was terrible. All you taste is Panko and not the Ahi. Save your money go somewhere else.
(1)
Shauna G.
This is our go-to place to eat in Waikoloa. True, the dinner items are overpriced...but we never get any of the dinner entrees. We stick to the nigiri sushi and appetizers. First off, the foie gras nigiri is so 'ono! Their pieces of foie gras are very generous. For those visiting from California, this is a must...when we lived in California and got hit with the foie gras ban, we were so disappointed. Another thing to try is the grilled hamachi collar. However, they sell out rather quickly so it's best to either arrive for an early dinner or reserve one in advance. Other items we enjoyed: Hamachi & Mushroom Tartare, Miso Butterfish, ahi sashimi
(5)
J S.
Definitely not good sushi and way overpriced. It's not even decent for Kona standards. Stay away unless money isn't an issue, you like dry rice, and enjoy flavorless sushi. We paid over $100 for really small roles and ramen. The portion size left us hungry so we made a trip for some burgers. They have good diet coke though.
(1)
Sophie B.
We got dinner here our first day. I got mahi mahi special stuffed with crab. It was pretty good. Apple tart for dessert was delicious. Would love to try some sushi rolls next time.
(4)
Jill E.
Having been to japan and eaten sushi there, I'm a purist an have definite feelings about sushi. We've been going to try this restaurant for the past several visits and finally managed to get it done. It's not your typical place, they have many rolls that would probably never be served in Japan and cater to the US taste, but that said, yum. Do not miss the Panko breaded ahi roll. I think it was absolutely the best although there were several others that were amazing as well. They had a decent kids menu, important when there are kids with you. My husband isn't a sushi eater so he ordered a steak. It took absolutely forever, we were almost done by the time he got his dinner and instead of the steak being medium it was almost raw. He never could get the attention of the server so he manfully ate it. To the server's credit, when she did come back to check and he mentioned it, she gave him his dinner for 50% off. Not cheap by any means but very good. We made a reservation because there were six of us, I recommend reservations especially on weekends.
(4)
Amber C.
Good service, we came at the end of the night so there weren't many people here. It was nice that they offered last call for orders. The crab ramen was very good and they used real crab.
(4)
Kimi N.
It was my first time! 5 of us went and we ordered A LOT OF FOOD!! but heres some of my favs.. *Asian Shrimp Cake: Don't judge by the looks!! it is pretty good compared to how it looks! I am not too sure if I liked the noodle on top of it but shrimp cake with the pesto sauce was amazing:) *Broiled Mussels: only 4 pieces for $9.95.. I am a seafood lover so totally worth it and it was really good. *Shrimp dynamite: it was my favorite appetizer. it tasted like honey walnut shrimp. *Yaki-Maki Roll: california roll with baked salmon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! baked salmon says it all *panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll: this is the one that I always wanted to try!!!! it was just so awesome:) *Fried Icecream: THE BEST FRIED ICECREAM IVE EATEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE we ordered all of our food before 6pm.. so they were all 25% off :) TOTALLY WORTH IT
(5)
L H.
I absolutely love this place. I love their sushi. In fact, I was in such a crave for sashimi and some spicy tuna rolls last-night, and the first thing came to mind is Sansei. I have never felt uncomfortable; but, just the opposite. (Fantastic!) I have always been treated with respect and great customer service and most importantly I admire that they are always smiling. I recommended this fabulous restaurant to my family, friends and quest, not to mentioned the cute logo the have of a Octopus.
(5)
Abby W.
Our really dismissive and inattentive server is one of the main reason our experience was so poor. The prices were reasonable ($$$) for a Japanese/ Sushi house in a resort. The quality of the food was good, but for the most part we were pretty underwhelmed. We ordered one of their most expensive rolls and were pretty disappointed at the fact we've had better sushi at much less expensive places. We might give it another shot before we leave the resort, and if we do, we'll update our review.
(2)
Jessie I.
Usually when people say "overpriced", I roll my eyes because what does that REALLY mean? But, the food here WAS overpriced, and I'm gonna try to provide some context. The ambiance did not match the price - and I wouldn't care about that if the food matched the price, but it didn't. My family ordered both entrees and sushi rolls: The ENTREES were overpriced based on QUALITY, not quantity - my cousin had a ~$13 ramen that had tough/inedible char siu and a pretty tasteless dashi. The noodles also were of Top Ramen quality. My ahi salad was just a tiny portion of un-seasoned seared ahi on lettuce with dressing - it could have used another ingredient. The rest of the entrees are probably not worth writing about, but basically provided about the same level of satisfaction: food price did not match the food quality. The SUSHI ROLLS were overpriced based on QUANTITY, not quality - we got a spicy something roll, and two "fried" rolls where there was no rice, but it was like the outer nori was battered and then deep fried. They were good - my dad liked them so much, he re-ordered them ...mostly because we got about 7 thin pieces of the roll. I'd say the rolls were a total of ~4 or 5 inches long, and each slice was about a half-inch or so thick. The math on that estimation may be off. But for that quantity of food, I felt that about $13-18 per roll was just too much (there were cheaper options ~$9 but with far less exciting ingredients). Moral of this story - only go here for sushi during happy hour (which I believe is around 4-6). Or, for dinner, go to Roy's in the King's Marketplace across the street for better ambiance and quality.
(2)
Kyle Y.
The food here is top notch in their category of cuisine. I'm a bit surprised by the negative reviews regarding this place. We ended up waiting there about 45 minutes prior to them opening for dinner and there was quite a long line. The restaurant was rather cramped due to a lot of tables packed close together. Since they were offering a special on the entire menu we quickly picked about 6 items off the menu. Our waitress was awesome with her recommendations and exceptional service. Some of the diners she was servicing were rude and I commend her for the way she handled the situation. The food that stood out to me was the Shrimp Dynamite (ordered x2), Mango & Crab hand roll, Panko crusted ahi sashimi roll. I'm not a big fan of sushi or rolls but I really enjoyed the rolls. Not to mention the dessert, Tempura Fried Macadamia Nut Ice Cream is one of the best desserts I've ever had. This definitely won't be the last time I eat here. From here on out, every time I visit Hawaii, Sansei is at the top of my list when eating.
(5)
Brennan T.
Amazing and creative sushi, and the best steak I've ever had! The 22-oz bone-in rib-eye was tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. I didn't know steak could taste that good! The tempura is lightly battered, crispy, and not greasy. Save room for dessert because the fried ice cream and apple tart are amazing!
(5)
Anita C.
I've had two work events at the Hitlon Waikoloa the last month and I've come to Sensei's for dinner both trips and I have to say, it's not bad. I actually was craving their Japanese calamari salad after having it the first time, which is always a good sign! The first time my coworkers and I came here, we were there before 6pm for Happy Hour! Woohoo!! huge discount all around! They should really accept the iDcard, that would be even sweeter! I got the calamari salad, and a rainbow roll. The salad was the winner in that round. Second time I went, I got the salad again and I tried the miso teriyaki chicken, again the salad won! The salad dressing is just amazing; it's sweet yet a little tangy, there's enough dressing where the lettuce is not drowning it in, its just oh so yummy! The chicken was kind of bland, I had to use some soy sauce to add some flavor to it. I also ordered a side of white rice because nothing comes with rice these days and they do not have any brown rice available. They have a full bar, along with sitting at the sushi bar. This place gets crowded. even on a weekday, so make reservations.
(4)
Amber C.
Last minute decision and we were able to get a reservation. A reservation here is highly recommended. It's super busy! Group dinners as well as couples. The menu has a huge selection so it took us awhile to order. Just got some beer and sushi rolls but omg the sushi was excellent! Got these mini fish tacos as a starter, then had the 69 which is unagi, then the blt which is crispy salmon skin. Really want to go back and try other things! Our waitress was so sweet. Gave us great tips and we didn't feel rushed at all. Let us order, and keep our menu in case we wanted to order more which we did:) def a place to check out.
(5)
Victoria C.
Came here craving some nice sushi. Maybe we've been spoiled by other areas that have provided fresh fish from poke stands, but this was really just a tourist-y restaurant that didn't have the sushi rolls that filled my craving. I felt like the fish wasn't fresh (which seems kind of hard, given the location) and the restaurant was way too crowded for the quality of food it was giving. It's usually pretty easy to please me when it comes to food, but this just wasn't making it for me. It seems maybe the cooked dishes would've been a better bet, but one good thing was the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll. It was different and I'd never had one before. Overall though, if I ever had the chance I'd never come back here again.
(2)
daisy l.
It's ok...pricey
(3)
Bryan P.
Outstanding sushi at a reasonable price.
(4)
Cielo C.
Panko crusted ahi was great ! I also ordered the tempura plate and salmon dish and it was plenty to share for the 3 if us .Server was great. Overall it was great . Definitely recommend for you to try!
(4)
Mikkel T.
Decent sushi and good service... So here's the deal on the "happy hour": it is 50% off most food items on the menu... it is on Sunday or Monday and from 5-6. You should get there closer to 4:30 to stand in line and wait for a seat. We arrived at 5:15 and were one of the last ones in the door and put on a wait list to be seated and hopefully make it in before 6. They mistakingly seated someone behind us on the wait list at about 5:55pm but realized the mistake and seated us and honored the happy hour specials. Server was polite and food came out quickly. We ordered 5 roles of sushi for a party of 2. The roles are not huge so happy hour is best. Prices range from $8ish to $14ish per role and there are about 5-6 pieces per role... Not huge but again a reason to hit happy hour. Food was good, atmosphere was fine, service was good. Happy hour makes it more enjoyable on your wallet.
(4)
Kevin T.
We tried this place because the reviews on Yelp were pretty good. We got there, checked the menu outside and waited for our table. I must admit that the menu looked like it had some tasty dishes. I couldn't decide what to order. I ended up getting the udon with beef slices. It wasn't udon in soup, but rather cooked udon noodles in some brown sauce with some beef slices. That wasn't the bad part. They sprinkled Romano cheese over the udon and beef. Really? Romano cheese & udon? Worst combination ever! Like I said, their menu looked like there could have been some good items. Maybe I just picked the wrong one or I'm just too picky. I wouldn't take another chance on this place though. It was pricey like a lot of restaurants on the island, but I could've gotten something a lot better if my resort (Marriott Waikoloa) wasn't so close to this place. Came here for the convenience and paid the consequences.
(1)
J H.
If anyone hasn't given this 5 stars they have not had the Panko crusted ahi roll and the crab ramen!!! LOVE it!!!
(5)
Keola m.
The restaurant is very nice..Staff are very plesant. However, I have 2 major problems with this establishment 1. Some friends from Japan and I was greeted by our waitress and she started her shpeal..."Welcome to Sansei...we are a TRADITIONAL Japanese Restaurant. haha I got strange looks from all the Japanese nationals. btw, this is NOT a traditional Japanese Restaurant. 2. on the menu they list their entrees as LARGE. Ok. Im from Hawaii and the servings are NOT large. The appetizers are SMALL. $7.50 for 6 onion rings. The Ono n Liguine was really good but the other 7 dishes were just.....ok
(2)
Michael B.
Most of our meals were fine, nothing exceptional. However one person became ill overnight and upon reflection, may have been from the tuna that had lots of sauce, maybe an attempt to hide that it wasn't fresh? Don't know. Waitress was pleasant, tea frequently refreshed.
(2)
Jenn H.
Quick and dirty: not the most authentic food ever. Go in thinking it's more "fusion" than "Japanese". Rolls are good, but for the love of god, don't order the ramen! ----- We stayed in a house in Puako, fairly close to Waikaloa--so one night (actually, New Year's Night), we decided to give this place a shot. As would probably be expected of a restaurant on New Year's night, this place was packed! We were told there was a 45 minute wait--but it turned out to be more like 20 minutes :) Another problem with going on New Year's night was that there's about 50 million orders flying around at once. We definitely got our food in a strange order--a few rolls, a few of our entrees, a few more rolls, two more entrees, and a roll that would have arrived close to 15 minutes after we finished our food (had we not cancelled it--ironically, this was the ahi sashimi, which should have taken the least amount of time of the several rolls we ordered). As to the quality--the rolls were fine--tasty, but nothing to write home about. I personally ordered the 69 roll (california roll with unagi on top--several people at the table didn't eat raw fish), and we shared a few others. Three of us at the table ordered the Sansei ramen, myself included. I have to say, this is probably the worst ramen I've had in my life. Seriously, it tastes like an instant noodle pack, with a piece of pork in it. The entire contents of the bowl had like 2 pieces of pork, noodles, and some soup. No veggies, no eggs, no naruto, no nothing! Broth was a little salty for my taste, and tasted "thin". My thought is--if you can't do it right, you have no business making it! Our waitress (I'm sad I didn't get her name!) was amazing! She was obviously really smart, worked quickly (a rarity in Hawaii), and was on top of everything. One of us had ordered a medium steak, and it came out past "well done", so we had it sent back. The redone order was a little rarer than medium, but luckily she was ok with it (probably because she didn't want to wait another half an hour!) Our waitress was really polite, gave us updates on all of our food (which rolls were coming, status of the steak, etc.), and checked on us frequently without being invasive (which is hard to do!). In summary--a few hiccups in food, decent rolls, terrible ramen, great service...and cutting a little slack for new year's night--earns a solid 3 from me.
(3)
Kimberly H.
Seriously the best sushi I've ever had, and I am a sushi-snob. We sat at the bar and avoided the crazy long line for restaurant seating. It was a great environment, intimate, and delicious!
(5)
Gerard H.
The family loved this place....superior sushi creations, and great service. We will go back again, before our vacation has ended. The prices are very reasonable. GO FOR IT !!
(5)
Bruce H.
One of the better, more reliable places for a great meal in the Waikoloa area. Some great unique sushi rolls. They tend to be very busy during holiday weeks, and our last visit was a very busy night. We showed up for a 7:30 reservation, and were seated closer to 8:00. Good cocktails. Service was very nice. Place can be loud, but it's a Saturday night & they were packed.
(4)
Eric N.
Their menu has WAY too much going on. Definitely not a place to take an indecisive person or date. It could take you half an hour to figure out what you want. And if you take that long to decide, you better hope you aren't disappointed in your choice, because the prices don't help your feelings either. I wasn't overly "wowed" at all with this place. Due to the overwhelming amount of menu choices, I figured I couldn't go wrong by ordering 3 of their "award winning" dishes (Only 1 of those 3 was award winning in my mind btw): The mango crab salad roll was good, but I felt like the portion was small (my roll only had 2 pieces). Do not attempt to eat the whole piece in one bite or the crab will fall out and you will have an abstract painting of spicy sauce on your fancy dress shirt. (Not like that happened to me or anything! lol) The panko crusted ahi tuna roll was interesting. You get the crunch from the panko on the outside, the crunch from the lettuce on the inside, and the softest part of the roll is the ahi itself. It was interesting but I wasn't very impressed by the soy-wasabi butter sauce underneath. If I had it to do over, I would probably order something else instead of this roll. The best thing I ordered, and what swayed my would-be 1 star rating into a 2, would have to be the Japanese Calamari salad. I was at a table of 6 and out of everything we ordered, everyone wanted to try my dish. The sauce was killer! The presentation in the won-ton bowl was nice as well. If you go, I recommend that item as a must order... Maybe other items on the menu are good - but it will take you a long time try everything and find them...
(2)
Melissa K.
This place is so good. we had a whole bunch of specialty rolls they were all good and fresh. Crab ramen was the best ramen ive ever had. Duck was cooked to perfection. Wait staff is nice and fast. Crowded durong happy hour so come early
(4)
Bruce R.
We (family of 4) had a really good meal here. We like sushi and although this isn't amazing sushi it is definitely more than adequate given the close proximity to the resort hotels here near Kona on the Big Island. Out meal was sushi, green mussels, beef teriyaki, ramen noodles for one of our kids and the volcanoe shrimp app. All were rated above average by our table. The service was excellent and the food came out super fast, which is always good with our hungry boys. KEY - as mentioned over and over, take advantage of the early bird deal on Sundays and Mondays to get 50% off almost all items. You have to order by 6, and there will be a line, so get there early, it makes the whole meal very reasonable for what is otherwise an expensive area for a good meal.
(4)
Tiffany V.
If you want real sushi, dont come here. Sushi and ramen are sucks. You can get better sushi at the Gourmet Island at the Quuen's Marketplace
(1)
Anna T.
Meh
(2)
Jordan G.
Great sushi, great selection. A bit slow on service, but to be fair it was during the holiday season. The food is alway on the mark
Review done on 8-5. The locals love this place and for a good reason too.--its pretty damn good. for those who don't know, they have wildly good specials here, especially on Sundays and Mondays. The catch is that you have to get here and wait if you want to get in and be able to take advantage of the specials. The bottom line is that the food is great and just as good as some other sushi spots on The Big Island that dont even offer discounts. The rolls are all good and fresh and once you order, the food starts coming as soon as it is ready. Not all of the dishes are on the special promotion but most are. We tried some pretty good stuff. One of the dishes that really stood out was the spicy beef tenderloin served over udon. It was almost Italian tasting but still tasted mostly Japanese due to the predominant spices. The mango salad rolls are also very tasty and you have to save a few of your calories for the deep fried tempura ice cream with macadamia nuts and assorted other drizzles. For me, I would go here and pay full price but as long as they have the special, it's wise to patronize on Sunday or Monday. Enjoy!! Oh, by the way, to the owners, please don't stop the specials, after a week of being there some price relief is very much appreciated.
(4)
Tani K.
Mmmmm...Mmmmm...GREAT! This is by FAR my favorite restaurant on the west side of the Big Island. Clean, professional, helpful staff and the food is OUTSTANDING. I'm sorry but these folks can't be beat when it comes to sauces. Just the sauce (ANY SAUCE) and a bowl of rice and I'm good to go. This is not just sushi. Their aged steak is my hubby's favorite, my favorite is the Miso Butterfish and then I like to top it off with their made on-site mud pie...or the apple tart with caramel sauce...and a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream... This place is not fast food - and the prices reflect this fact. But this place is worth the wait and worth the $.
(5)
Clay Y.
We checked in early with the ladies at the front for our 8:00 dinner reservation for 6. While we waited we saw groups of 3, 5 people without reservations get seated. At 8:30 they told us that they "lost" our table! Terrible service regardless of how great the food is! Six disappointed locals!
(1)
Jacob F.
Must try the panko crusted ahi roll, sensei special roll, yellowtail poke, every piece of fish we had was super fresh!
(5)
stephanie p.
Hands down this is a local among the islands, super fresh food, fast service, and very nice service. My husband had sushi of some kid, my son and I had tempora, I was so happy when they serviced us so fast. When you have a 18 month old I say we are on borrowed time, and they seemed to totally understand that. we ate there twice in two weeks and I would recommend it even if not a sushi fan they have steaks and other food on the menu!
(5)
Carla F.
Kama'aina special 50% off sushi on Sunday evenings for one hour, but show up early because the line starts to form around 4:00pm. Ahi Poke melts in your mouth with not one flavor overpowering the other. I strongly recommend this dish. Mango Crab Salad Roll, Shrimp Dynamite, I can't even begin to remember what else we ordered, but I was not disappointed with any of it. The Tempura Ice cream was amazing. I've had this dessert all my life at dozens of Japanese restaurants. Such a simple dessert, but when done well it's unforgettable. The restaurant itself was a surprisingly small location, which was full the entire time we were there. We've also ventured to the Oahu location & will visit both Maui restaurants this year. Oishi!
(4)
Ms P.
My sister recommended Sansei on our trip to the Big Island. The four of us decided to pay a visit on a Friday. We should have been warned by the "50% off" special that night and staff checking I.D.'s out front that this may not be the best time to visit...don't expect their A-game on the 50% off nights. We decided to order a bunch of items off the list to share. We let our server know this was the plan and to not include peanuts, as one person in our group was allergic. The first item brought to our table had peanuts. :( The next dishes were accidentally brought to another table, so we waited a long time for them to eventually appear. When they finally did arrive, they were not what we ordered. Waited again...:( Food was very good, but noticed the portions of fish in the salads were light. Our server was not on top of things and spent alot of time chatting it up with local friends at a different table. It took a lot to get her attention. We finally went to the manager to request the bill. After spending about 2 hours (most of it waiting for our food) we see the bill has a 17% gratuity automatically added. We asked that it be removed and the manager did so, without asking any questions. The manager was really personable and great - wish the service we received from our server was on the same level. Overall, we left disappointed after hearing such great things about this place. Maybe our experience would have been different on another non-50% off night, but we won't be back. Food: 4 stars Service: 1 star Great manager: +1
(2)
Jay R.
If you want horrible customer service and an extremely rude hostess then this is your place. We were told about the dinner specials on Sundays from 5-6pm so we arrived at 5:15 to wait in line. We got the buzzer for our table at 5:20 and we were told right away, "You need to be seated and order by 6pm to get the special." It was kind of rude but I understand they need to have a cutoff for when the special ends. So while we are waiting, 2 groups of people - 1 group of two and another group of 4 are lead to the back of the restaurant seating which we were told was closed. There were a good 10 tables back there so there was plenty of space available to seat additional patrons. At 5:55 our buzzer goes off so I go up to the hostess to be seated. I asked her if they would still honor the special as we already knew what we wanted. I was told "no - the special is over." So I asked her why seeing that it was 5 minutes of 6pm. She even looked at her phone and agreed that it was before 6pm. I'm a pretty mellow guy but I told her that if they didn't honor the special we were going to leave. Without batting an eye, she said there is no way we are honoring the special - take it or leave it. So my girlfriend and I walked out without being seated. They kept the back portion of the restaurant closed to create a line and limit the amount of people they could seat for the specials. In my opinion, that's just bad business. I've also never had to deal with a hostess that was this rude. The sad thing about this experience was that the food did in fact look good but I wasn't able to make it to the table.
(1)
Brian S.
Love this place and come here at lest every week when we are here. I had the panko crusted fresh ahi sashimi and sansei's mango crab salad handroll. I received the crab and mango fast but took over 30 min to find out they never placed the order for the ahi, after it took about 5 - 10 min to get it. It's worth it To eat here but come for the specials coz it is a little pricey.
(4)
Dan Y.
I went to Sansei with my family on the day we arrived on the Big Island and to Waikoloa Resort. Luckily for us, it was about 6pm (9pm west coast time) and so we were starving but they happened to be doing an early bird special. I don't remember what the discount was exactly but I do remember that with the discounts, the prices seemed extremely fair especially by Waikoloa standards. I would warm however that the portions were actually a bit small considering that they are intended to be family size and shared. If you were going with a group of four adults, I'd say that you probably need to order four separate dishes. That could become a little pricey but at the same time, I really enjoyed the food here so the variety certainly wouldn't hurt either. Bottomline: if you're in the Waikoloa area and want to eat locally, Sansei is one of your top choices. More reasonable pricing than Roy's, better food than Merriman's, better than Macaroni Grill.
(4)
Lucas W.
Not as good as Sansei on other islands. Very expensive for average sushi - over $50 for take out 3 rolls and an app - and none of the dishes even had raw fish. However, not alot of sushi choices in the immediate area. At these prices, might as well eat at a hotel.
(2)
Terel B.
We're big Sansei fans with most of our experiences in the Kapalua, Maui location. We enjoyed our dinner this time as well, but it didn't blow us away like it normally does. We had the butterfish, the 7 oz. butter poached cold water lobster tail with crab cake, the crab ramen, a seaweed salad, and the shrimp dynamite. The shrimp dynamite stole the show, whereas the butterfish is usually what makes us moan. It had a perfect fry on the shrimp--hot, crunchy batter that wasn't greasy, and the sweet/salt/sour/heat balance was perfecto. Lobster tail was overcooked and a bit dry. The butterfish (Alaskan Black Cod soaked in mirin, miso, soy sauce, sugar, and sake for several days and then pan-seared) was great this time around, but no better than you'd get at Monstera or any other Japanese eatery on the islands. The ramen was tasty, even if a bit salty (and I'm a salt maniac), but it seems to be sliding downhill at a steady rate. When we first had the ramen some 6 years ago in Maui, it came in a very large bowl, featured a "log" of real king crab meat taken from the shell, sliced red chiles, fresh basil and cilantro leaves, and white truffle oil visibly floating on top and knocking you over with that haunting, truffle aroma. The last few times we've had it, the bowl was smaller, the crab was no longer the "log" (un-broken meat from the thickest part of the king crab leg). Instead it had shredded, unrecognizable crab meat, possibly from a can. The fresh basil and cilantro are now minced and tossed in sparingly. No gorgeous red chile or pretty leaves in the bowl. I couldn't taste the white truffle oil this last time, either, although the intense, smokey dashi was quite redeeming. Surprisingly, it's still a great bowl of ramen (there's no type of food I eat more often back home in Silicon Valley, where we have some of the best ramen in the country). Even with the deficiencies I just listed, it still ranks highly for this noodle afficionado. This should tell you just how AMAZING the ramen USED to be! We'll still hit Sansei each time we're visiting the islands, but I'm going to give the Waikoloa Village (Queens Shopping Center) location a solid 3 stars. Although we didn't get it this time, the panko crusted ahi roll is one of Sansei's signatures that we've enjoyed on previous visits. Worth ordering.
(3)
Janel P.
I don't think I've ever seen a menu with so many food and drink options ever! It was hard to choose a dish. I decided on the crab ramen. It was SO SALTY that I did not enjoy it. I did enjoy every bite I stole from my family's plate though and we ordered a lot of food, so we got a great sampling of the menu. Friendly service too.
(4)
Eunice B.
If you have been to the Sansei in Waiks, you'll be disappointed. Looks the same but more expensive and about 50 percent less portions. Sb mini rolls. Sad wine by the glass selection. Oh well, beats the hotel tho!
(2)
Mariel S.
Food is not good here. We started with a few things but then left to finish dinner somewhere else. Tuna tataki was over dressed and was super fishy and not fresh. The crunch roll had stale tempura crumbs. The sansei roll was just okay.
(1)
Trudy C.
We have been coming to this restaurant for the last few years and the service has certainly gone downhill. We ate there several times during our 2 week vacation in Wailkoloa recently. One night, our server forgot to put my order in so I watched my family eat their food while waiting for my meal to come. The second time, we were served a bowl of miso soup that was half full and we had to ask our server to filll it properly. Third time I ordered the Sansei ramen bowl and our server kept asking me if I wanted t this way and that way--had to tell her 3 times that I wanted what was on the menu -- nothing different--just what was on the menu! Had to ask for more water, etc. The food is good but seriously, the staff need to retrained. The servers are always rushed and hurrying around and they just look unhappy--like they want you to eat and leave please so they can turnover the table. Come on--
(2)
Janet D.
SHADY!!!Fraud!! Rip-Off 1. 50% discount is actually only 37% as they charge you 17% gratuity and they give you 37% less food. However..if you talk to the manager, they will take off the 17% gratuity. After all a gratuity is at the discretion of the customer. 2. If you're getting the 25% discount.. It's actually only 8% as they charge you 17% gratuity. 3. They limit the amount of people they take for the early bird special by keeping their back two dining rooms empty. 4. Sometimes they trick you buy seating you just at 6pm so you no longer qualify for the earlybird special. Being that you already waited you're less likely to leave. 5. Sushi takes forever considering there are 4 sushi chefs and sushi isn't getting cooked. Infact the cooked food came out before the sushi 6. You get better sushi at Shiono's in the Island Gourmet Market, Monstera at the Maunalani shops or Imari at the Hilton. 7. Food comes out randomly in no particular order...sometimes it doesn't come at all. Make sure you keep track so that you're not paying for something you did not eat. 8. Atmosphere: The place reaks of old frying oil and fishy-ness. 9. Atmosphere: uncomfortable furniture 10. If you're here to enjoy the "delicate flavors of fresh fish".. FORGET ABOUT IT..sushi here is drenched with sauces such as sweet chili or mayonnaise that could cloak a battleship. 11. Food is over salted.
(1)
Nish N.
If you're in the mood for sushi on the Big Island, go here. Sansei is a laid back sushi restaurant, very family friendly, and with some of the best fish I've had in a long time. For starters, the Edamame and Seaweed Salad were deliciously fresh, and seasoned ever-so lightly. But of course, it's the sushi that really excels, and honestly I can't find fault with any of the pieces we tried. The Mango Crab Roll was fantastic, as was the Sansei Special Roll. Do not miss out on the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll, either, a truly unique taste. Oh, and the Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish, my goodness! Have some fun exploring the menu, pair it with a frothy Longboard Lager, man I wish I could be there right now.
(5)
Ji J.
Went here for the early special. only about 80% are 50% off. Non of the steak and seafood were not on the 50% off menu. Their signature dishes were all decent, but very pricey even with the 50% off. 6 of us paid $370 w steak, a bottle of sake and 5 beers (alcohol is not discounted) I would not come back because it was okay pricey food...It's worth trying just once, but go there on Sunday before 440pm or Mon 440pm (opens at 5pm). I would rather eat at Monstera if you have a car (8 min drive).
(3)
Brian W.
I should preface this review by saying that I'm not a sushi guy. Unfortunately my wife loves sushi so we ended up at this place and I was left to choose from some non-raw lackluster overpriced menu options. The restaurant was basically empty at 7pm, never a good sign. Although the service was fine and my wife seemed satisfied with her sushi, something about this place just kept us feeling blah and underwhelmed. The teriyaki steak I ordered was good, but small and really salty, and the tempura onion rings were bland and unsatisfying. It looked like they had some famous (and expensive) sushi options so hopefully there is more to this place than we experienced. Overall it was one of the least memorable meals of a 2 week honeymoon.
(2)
Renie G.
One of the best places u can eat at, on the island it's absolutely delicious. U will not be disappointed if u eat at the best places.
(5)
Jen R.
We went to Monstera in Mauna Lani instead of here one night because someone recommended. But that was a huge mistake. We really enjoyed our time here. The food took some time to makes its way to us but they were every bite worth it. Portions were fair for the price, too. Their dessert was fantastic.
(5)
Shant A.
Service was good although they mixed up one of our order with someone else's. The waiter was friendly and frequently checked to see if everything was good. The rolls were great I recommend the spicy tuna and the dragon fly, but nothing was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING....
(4)
Julie L.
Had the calamari (yum!) and tuna carpaccio (super yum, but the portion was a little on the small side for the price - even for Hawaii). Craig the bartender was great!
(4)
Shawn G.
This is a strip mall sushi joint. If you like rolls with cream cheese, bacon, nuts, fruit, mayonnaise this the place for you. Really the rolls aren't bad, they are filling, and they serve that clientele. The fish is medium grade, at best. Otherwise, there is nothing authentic about this Japanese place. Stick to teriyaki, rolls, and salads and you have a winning dining experiences. Otherwise, skip it if you want real Japanese.
(3)
Chris S.
This place was the highlight of our Waikoloa portion of our trip as far as eating was concerned. Food was awesome and the servers were very friendly.
Since our first visit, we went back 3 more times for dinner during our trip on the Big Island. I must say the quality of their food is excellent. Though the noodles and the fancy entrees and sushi creations are still on the salty side for my taste, but the ingredients and preparation of each dish are unbeatable. We had different servers each time and they were all friendly and professional. We felt relax and well cared about. One dinner I brought it up to our server that the portion of my yellowtail sashimi was obviously smaller than the last time, she voiced my concern to the chef, and he made me a new order with more generous cuts...outstanding.
(4)
D B.
This is a upbeat fun place. I tried several different rolls and there wasn't one that I disliked. The staff was quick and attentive.
(4)
Jennifer S.
This is a well deserved 5 stars for this restaurant because my vacation stomach is overly critical..and this rocked my entire 5 day stay on the Big Island. In order to secure our position in the 50% off line we started waiting at 4:08..and we were the 4th party there. The people in line were great...2 parties were locals..and they were hilarious. One guy had a beer in his hand and had been sent on behalf of his family to wait. Another couple brought an umbrella and a chair to sit in..it was a sight to see. The line wasn't too bad...casual chit chat with our neighbors..some music playing and some Hawaiian dancers came out to perform. Important to note: THERE ARE TWO LINES. Left side is for the bar/sushi bar (24 seats) and the right side is for the restaurant seating. If you can, get in the Sushi Bar line because it goes in and orders first!! We got the following: Edamame (Free!!) Mango Crab Roll - Two giant rolls of goodness! There was a sweet chili sauce that mixed perfectly with the sweetness of the mango and the freshness of the lettuce. This roll is simply genius Spicy Tuna - This was actually spicy! Not TOO spicy, but it was a great pairing for the rest of our rolls. Spider Roll - Perfectly crispy with the chili sauce again. The tempura didn't taste greasy or hit your stomach like a rock..was a fluffy texture and not too shabby Sake Sashimi ($5) - I went to heaven on a giant piece of salmon when i ate this dish. WOWZERS. So fresh and so healthy looking. This dish set a whole new standard for my sashimi. Ahi Tuna Roll - This had lettuce inside the roll with a buttery sauce with sesame with it. The Tuna was perfectly cool inside and the outside was crispy and warm. This roll looked like it came out of a magazine. Crispy Butterfly Roll - This was not one of my favorites, but I'm not really a tempura, deep fried rolls kind-of-gal. If you like the breaded and deep fried sushi, this is definitely a good choice for you though! Whole bill was $47 which includes the 17% gratuity -- roughly $7.80 per roll. The 50% off was SOOO worth the 1 hr wait! Not bad at ALL for perfection in a roll. :D
(5)
Dean H.
Overpriced, small portions, and just plain not good. I was seriously shocked at the quality of the food here at Sansei. I have no idea if it was what we ordered or what night we went on but it was horrible. Ordered ramen and udon and it was a medium sized bowl of udon and ramen with a small shrimp tempura in it and a few pieces of roast pork. All for 12 dollars. Mines was supposidly the crab ramen specialty dish. Well, it was a little more tasty than the other 2 bowls but at 19 dollars a bowl I was expecting more. Other dishes were served ala carte and was charged 3 dollars for a scoop of rice. A friend ordered jerk chicken and was not impressed. 2 of the ladies ordered a calamari dish and said it was over dressed with the sauce. The children were asked if they wanted juice and each of the juice drinks were 4.50. OK, I am all for spending some green on fine dining but seriously, nothing was fine about the food we got. Mediocre meals with high price tags. Even the ambiance wasn't really there, noisy and close quarters with other tables made it not really a great atmosphere. The service was ok (17% gratuity added automatically) and the bathrooms were semi clean. We will not be coming back to Sansei sad to say.... 073/365 notgoodatall yelp challenge
(1)
Morgan L.
From a Kid's View I have been here 4 times and the food is excellent. The first time, I got the Sansei's Udon Noodles, or whatever they are called...The udon noodles were chewy and very good. The soup, however, was saltier then I expected. The tempura was crispy and delicious. This dish comes with green onions, so for those who don't like it, try to order it without. It also came with a few chops of roasted pork. () The second and the third times, I got the Sashimi Trio. It contained yellowtail (hamachi), tuna, and salmon. Each fish had three slices. It was chewy and buttery and very yummy. They seemed to be very fresh, () The fourth time, I ordered the Sansei's Ramen Noodles. If you know what cup of noodles are, then this dish is very similar but better. The soup was tasty and not too salty comparing to the udon I had before. The noodles where chewy as well. It came with a shrimp tempura in the top, with green onions, and some cuts of roasted pork.() The food is delicious, the servers are nice and cheerful, and the restaurant is clean and kids friendly. If I come back to the Big Island, I would sure come here again.
(4)
Troy M.
Went here with my wife while on a short Waikoloa Getaway. I was really looking forward to dinner at Sansei. The night before we had an awesome meal at Roys and was hoping for a repeat here. Sadly we were let down. Atmosphere: Blah...None what so over maybe noisy describes it best. The bathroom was kinda dirty. Food. Average at best. We had a several dished included the panko roll and nothing stood out as great. Sashimi was slightly below average grade. I eat at a sushi bars on oahu once a week and may family are all commercial tuna fisherman. I know good fish this was not that great quality. Service. Below average. the food came out at a weird pace. And the large table next to us who had ordered 10 min after us got there food which was the same dished before us. What is up with that? This place should and could be a 4 to 5 star place but it seems the server and others here lack passion. Everyone we encountered at Roys the night before were happy and friendly and passionate about serving us. The people a Sansei ...knd of the complete opposite. If your looking for a nice dinner I would say go to Roys for the sure thing. This place is probably too much of a hit or miss. I regret not going back to Roy's for our last meal on our stay in Waikoloa.
(2)
Carlie C.
I ate at the Kapalua Sansei a few years ago, and it was quiet, intimate, and the food was fantastic. The Waikoloa location is none of those things. The restaurant was overcrowded, full of loud families, very touristy, service was slow and inattentive, and items were completely overpriced in comparison to the quality of the food. I would not return to this Sansei location. If you are looking for a great meal check out Monstera. It is in the same shopping center and totally delicious!
(2)
P B.
Look for Laila. She was great. Have the foie gras and the Scottish salmon belly for sure. Can't wait to try their Maui location next.
(5)
Carolyn J.
Came for dinner on our last night on the Big Island. Great sushi spot! Made rezzies but came earlier on our way back from Kona and they accommodated us. We ordered: Sweet Asparagus Tempura Spears with tentsuyu dipping sauce - Good Sansei's Ramen Noodles - Good with Roast Pork in homemade Dashi, topped with a traditional Tempura Shrimp Japanese Calamari Salad - OK Calamari fritti tossed in spicy kochujang vinaigrette served over Kula greens in a crispy won ton basket Sashimi Trio - FRESH Hawaiian ahi, yellowtail tuna and fresh salmon sashimi Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll - MUST TRY Sashimi grade Hawaiian ahi, arugula and spinach wrapped into a sushi roll, panko-crusted, flash-fried and served with Sansei's mild soy wasabi butter sauce Yaki-maki Sushi Roll - YUM! California roll wrapped with smoked salmon and baked with Sansei's Special Dynamite Sauce Service was good and staff were attentive. Good to see locals in this place as well. Total bill was $90 inc tip. Sure its pricey for sushi, but this is Hawaii. I'd still come back.
(4)
Catherine F.
I wasn't sure what to think of a shopping center sushi restaurant, but Sansei is simply incredible. The food is "fusion" and the menu is extensive enough for a party with differing palates and dietary restrictions, which is great for the area, and was personally helpful for my party. I actually dream of the mango crab salad rolls, and consider them to be one of my favorite things I have ever eaten anywhere. I live in NYC - I eat sushi fairly regularly, and I like to dine out at nice restaurants... but these mango crab salad rolls are just truly delicious. Everything at Sansei was fresh, tasty, really good, but truthfully, I can never remember what I eat after those mango crab salad rolls. I cannot wait to return.
(5)
Cynthia M.
Came to this place while on vacation 6/11/13. The eel, spicy tuna rolls were excellent. Wasn't a big fan of their specialty items, felt they lacked substance. We stuck with what we liked and it was great. Tried their Jerked Chicken, this was excellent. So juicy, not spicy, something you must try. Also tried their veggie pasta which was quite tasty. Although these two items were under the Family Meals, the portions weren't for a family size. Service was great. I would go there again!
(4)
Katya D.
Coming from NYC here on vacation my only regret is that I didn't find this place my first night here! I did spend my last two dinners here though and must say the service was impeccable and the sushi amazing! I have sushi probably once a week at least at some of the best places in NYC and around the world and this place is right up there in my top 5. The fish was super fresh, I tried the winning sushi rolls, mango crab hand roll and the panko ahi roll. Both really great and interesting takes on normal sushi! The best of the bunch was definitely the crab ramen with Asian truffle broth. This was really to die for and I had it both nights, both times the different waitresses mentioned that was their favorite. Amazing! I wish there was a location closer to home! Can't wait to try more on the menu when I'm here again.
(5)
Ira B.
BEST RESTURAUNT EVER could use some redecorating but the food was amazing my boyfriend took me for our anniversary we started off with crispy sweet onion rings in tempura batter and the pano crusted ahi roll the roll- best thing i have ever eaten anywhere ever! the fish was fresh it was perfectly seared and seasoned and very crispy with this delicious wasabi butter to dip it in for dinner my bf got the sirloin and lobter which was cooked perfectly and on a bed of garlic potatoes AND liguine i got the crab cakes and lobster tail everything comes with this asian veggie mix the and the portions are very generous the crab cakes were incredible. soft and melty inside and crispy outside with a slight spice to them. absoolutly delicious the service was fast and everyone was very friendly. we even got a table earlier than our reservation! i would reccomend this resturaunt to anybody who asks.
(5)
T. T.
Food was good but service was GREAT! When you get excellent services, you will find youself more relaxed and able to enjoy your meal. It's unfortunate that this review was written after a one time experience there...otherwise, I would've made statements like, "Trust me on this, this place has mindblowing ramen noodle! Chris, our waitor, is one of a kind!"
(4)
Joy A.
Yum! We had a group dinner here prior to the wedding. The sushi was fresh - but they also had four-legged options for the meat eaters! I have to personally recommend the foie gras nori (so worth the $$$) and the butter fish - it was like buttah! Service was great despite our large group. Overall, a treat! As mentioned by others, they do have happy hour - enjoy 50% Sunday and Monday; and 25% off other days. Note that they open at 5:30 and your order must be in by 6pm. Lines are heavy so be there no later than 5pm. Also watch our for the asterisks - those menu items are not part of the happy hour (i.e. my foie gras is not discounted - boo).
(5)
Anatoli L.
Feel bad giving such a low rating to the place which has lots of great reports, but it is what it is. May it was just a late Sunday fluke with substitute chef and substitute wait stuff? Not sure. We stopped by for dinner late Sunday night. Food was indistinguishable. Worst spider roll I ever had, and tuna crunch roll, which is typically one of my favorites in many places, was also so so. Food alone is under three stars for sure. Service was ever worse than food. May be our waiter, Stacey, got upset that we didn't listen to her recommendations, but service was just below average. Our check arrived all of a sudden without any questions about dessert, clearly a statement "get out of here". Overall, very bleak experience, so taking also in account prices, this place is definitely not recommended. If you want to spend money on something good, go next door to Roy's (worth every penny).
(2)
Krystal L.
We were staying at the Hilton for a week and came here twice. First time food was great, but our waiter was odd... He seemed tired and I overworked. The food was good. I had sushi and my husband had a crab ramen dish. The ramen was average so he wasn't over the top satisfied about it. The waiter brought me the wrong sushi combo, even thought I POINTED to the one I wanted and he said it to me and I said yes...but he did bring my other 2 pieces that were missing... We went a second time and it was a whole different experience. We had a native local woman as our waitress and she was fun, friendly an attentive unlike the first time we were there. I got sushi again and my husband this time got one of the highly recommended dishes ( I think it was the mahi mahi?). He was very pleased. Would recommend this place!!
(4)
Terese B.
Third location I've eaten at and they have all been great! The service was attentive and helpful. Love when the sushi chef tells me I'm too ambitious (read: lady that's a crap-load of food)! It was all fresh and yummy! Highly recommend the caterpillar and dragonfly rolls.
(4)
Louis F.
Excellent sushi. Ate at the sushi bar and had a great conversation with the sushi chef. He gave us some local tips on where else to eat at.
(5)
Jake V.
Eat the butterfish. Come here if you're staying somewhere on the northern end of the west coast, it's among your better options (though there isn't a view). Stick with the recommendations from the menu (they have an octopus next to them), and you'll be all set.
(4)
Julie N.
We loved the food at their Kapalua restaurant a couple of years ago, so we definitely had to give this place a shot and we were rewarded for it. Sansei does a fantastic job on putting an "Island touch" on their dishes. We had their Poke, Chilean Sea Bass and sushi roll called a Spicy Tuna Crunch. The flavors were great and the presentation was beautiful. Be sure to make reservations because it was packed when we were there on a Monday night.
(5)
Chris O.
Much like the Sansei I tried on Maui, this was a place to get pretty good Japanese food for a fair price. Nice fresh sushi for regular mainland prices and some cool specialties that will impress. Service was very good and I like the style of the place. This is one of the only places near the Hilton that I think is worth checking out.
(4)
L C.
We heard about the 50% off food on Monday from 5:00-6:00pm from a local and decide to give it a try. The reality is not everything is 50% so be careful if you are on a budget. Anything on the board (specials), drinks, and marked with * is not discounted. In addition, they charge 17% gratitude (even though there was only two of us). Service- Forgetful. My husband ordered a tea and it never showed up. Food- We order some sushi and it was good but not exceptional.
(3)
George P.
Had a great evening at Sansei the other night. Make sure you call ahead for a RESERVATION....important if you don't feel like waiting! We ended up waiting at the bar but had such a good time there that we decided to CXL our table request and just hang at the bar itself. Bartenders were great, particularly Mario. He paid attention and was pleasant the entire evening. MUST ORDER the Panko Crusted Ahi Roll - delicious!! If you like crunchy shrimp - Order the Shrimp Dynamite. It was...well...Dynamite!! The Ahi Poke was fantastic....little kick to it!! The Mexican Burrito roll was really good as well!!! Favorite thing was the Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura!!!! Great bar, lots of variety of liquors and it's fun to experiment. Turned out every night is Karaoke night and it was just the thing our group needed!!! We all got a little down and dirty with the Karaoke....good times. We'll definitely be back. Be prepared to drop a bit of $$ but it's worth it!
(4)
Kat W.
My husband and I were there just last night (02Jul09) and had a wonderful time. The place was packed, and we squeezed ourselves in at the sushi bar (my one quibble - it WAS a squeeze!). Normally we go crazy and order a whole plate of sushi, but we were in a dilemma with all the different choices, and ended up ordering only a hamachi kama, a Kohala Crunch roll, and some agedashi tofu while we considered. Boy, I'm glad! Servings were plentiful, and those three items (well, my Beloved also had a bowl of steamed rice) were sufficient to stuff us to the gills! I love hama-kamas, and this one was served with ponzu sauce and a light salad. The ponzu was delicious with the fish - I'm used to a simple squeeze of lemon and grated daikon - and the fish itself was tender and moist with a lovely, crunchy skin. Agedashi tofu is such a homey, simple dish that there's not a lot you can do to it except make it fresh and well - and Sansei came through! The sauce was just right, the tofu was fried perfectly, and all they "added" was a garnish of cress and shredded daikon, carrots and beets. I love agedashi tofu, and this is definitely deliciously done! I saved the best for last: the Kohala Crunch roll. A huge roll, and well worth the $15 tag, considering it was, effectively, a full entree. The menu description said it was coated with rice crackers, so I expected some sort of crumb coating, but instead they were tiny pearls of CRUNCH which echoed the more delicate crunch of the deep fried asparagus inside the roll. The cilantro-and-something-else sauce over it was DIVINE!, and the spicy tuna and radish sprouts that were in with the asparagus added the perfect flavor punch. This is the first time I've ever gone to a sushi restaurant and not even touched the soy sauce - it was that perfect right from the start! Many have mentioned the 50% discount they give at certain hours, but I should mention that I don't believe it's on the WHOLE menu; there are certain special items that keep the full price. Nonetheless, if you choose to go during those hours, you will have plenty of choices to make from a well-prepared and varied menu. I should also note that Sansei is not *just* sushi; they have a full menu with steak, chicken, duck, fish, shrimp, etc. (even vegetarian options!), so everyone who goes will find something to their taste. Usually when I go for sushi, I want something straightforward and incredibly fresh (which Sansei definitely has), but the fusion element to Sansei's menu brings fresh delight to a favorite food genre... and I wonder if I can get my husband to spoil me there again before we leave? After all, there's so much more on the menu that I'm dying to try! ;-)
(5)
Su-Lynn T.
Sansei was yummy. We heard so much about it but had missed it on our last 2 trips to Hawaii, so we were pretty excited to try it in Nov 2010. We waited for 45 minutes to get in on the Monday early bird dinner where everything was 50% off. It's definitely worth it. We ordered a LOT of food. My favorite was the panko crusted ahi tuna roll with the arugula. So good and the soy butter sauce is delicious. Also great was the shrimp cake in a sauce that was so good, we had the waitress leave the empty plate so we could mop up the sauce with other things. Hahaha. The only gripe is the long wait for the 50% off, and also when we asked the waitress to recommend dishes to us, everything she said was fried, so we ate waaay too many fried things. They were all tasty though so ordered on separate occassions would have been fine. Definitely not for sushi purists, but if you like fun, interesting pacific rim fusion food, you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Katrina A.
This place is AMAZING! My boyfriend, my tummy and I left very happy. We had the Sansei Special Roll and Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Hand Roll. Oh-Em-Gee! Yes! So delicious! We also had the Fried Tempura Macadamia Nut Ice Cream. That was THE BEST fried ice cream I've ever had. Definitely ONO FOOD! And special shout out to those that have written bad yelp reviews about this place. Yes, You DEF picked the wrong items on the menu. DUH. We also went at a perfect time as well. 5:30-6 on Sundays and Mondays - Sushi rolls and other menu items are 50% off. The staff is super friendly! Especially the sushi chef, Pat.
(5)
Lisa H.
The best dinner that I had in Hawaii. It was so good, I went back twice in one week to try more things on the menu! Fois gras nigiri was very unique and satisfied my fatty meat craving. Ramen is great. Rolls are delicious. Sashimi is divine. Try everything! You can't go wrong.
(5)
Collin W.
The food here was so overpriced and everything was pretty bad. The only thing that was decent was the shrimp dynamite. But everything else was bad. Service was bad and the atmosphere is so ugly especially the bar
(1)
Ferdmeister V.
Not bad .. I have had better sushi at other places. Nice place though.
(3)
Rachel M.
I got the ramen noodle dish because I was just recovering from the flu and it hit the spot. My husband got sushi, which he really enjoyed.
(4)
Lung T.
My wife and I went here on a whim. We were worried it was just another tourist restaurant, but we were very wrong. It has the feel of a family owned restaurant and has a very large variety of dishes/sushi rolls. I have had a lot of sushi, but this was by far the Best sushi ever!!! Fresh seafood that melts in your mouth...clean flavors...real crab in the California roll...it's a must on the big island!!
(5)
Lori K.
I was in a bit of a predicament while trying to rate this place. I felt like the food was about 3.5 stars, but the service was more like 2 stars. So overall it's not quite a 3, but since yelp doesn't let you rate fractions of stars, a 3 it is. Let's start with the good stuff though. The food was very good for the most part.We ordered the tasting menu for two, which had an excellent variety of dishes. The sushi rolls were unique and very tasty. The panko crusted ahi roll, sansei special roll, and mango crab salad handroll were all very good. The calamari salad is also really good, but I would have liked more greens. The miso butterfish was my favorite. The fish was cooked perfectly and was very flavorful. The shrimp cake and lobster/crab ravioli were delicious as well. My sister ordered the ramen which was good, but I could order ramen that's just as good but half the price. Now, the service was something else. I'm not sure if they were short handed or what, but our waiter was really not all there. The place is pretty huge, maybe they just couldn't keep up. Throughout our meal, our waiter lagged to bring us certain things and forgot about others. When we would ask what happened to stuff he was bringing, he just brushed it off and reassured it was on it's way, instead of just admitting he forgot and apologizing. He must have realized something was wrong at some point, because he brought our table a complimentary cheesecake, which sadly ended up being pretty bad. Oh well... we ate it nonetheless. Overall, good food, iffy service. Can't decide whether I'd return to this location based off this experience. Maybe I'll try a different location next time.
(3)
M B.
Not that great. We had all sushi and found it average at best. As a important point of distinction, we had dinner at the Maui location two nights prior and it was vastly different. The Maui location was excellent. My nigiri rice was salty, the fish was cut too large and from the less desirable parts of a side. I read the reviews from others prior to going on yelp and tripadvisor, but couldn't believe them. I should have...
(2)
Tom C.
I think they are over thinking sushi. But since there wasn't any other Japanese restaurants around this place is good enough.
(3)
Kevin Y.
After a long line to get 25% off.. We and 28 others had to order fast since the discount for getting order in before 6pm.. Next I order sushi rolls and I almost through up.. We told waiter it tasted like cat food... I couldn't believe it...the wife tried and spit out.. Also my wife had the pork medallion which was horrible too... .our german waiter was nice to remove the cat food ... Umm sushi rolls ticket.. BUT then decided to charge us 17% gratuity even though that ruined our dinner... The best part after purging in the restroom, Was seeing an arbies sandwich in food court next door... 2 nights later, we had a 5 star experience at Ruth's Chris steakhouse! Great food!
(1)
Christopher B.
Great sushi but a little pricey...even for a sushi bar.
(4)
Jena R.
ATTENTION ALL NEW-COMERS TO SUSHI: THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU! This place has a LOT of options so you might want to know what they are. One thing you MUST know above all else is the many, MANY different types of fish that this place sells. You will also have to know what the difference between nigiri, sushi, & sashimi is. It is a very good place if you know what your getting!! I would highly advise bringing someone who knows the different types of fish. The bottom line is: EITHER BRING A FRIEND WHO KNOWS THEIR FISH OR BE PREPARED TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS
(4)
Jean L.
This place has great sushi!!! We came here for the lobster dinner and stayed for the sushi. We had the Panko Encrusted Ahi Roll...great combination of texture and taste. The roll had a slight sweetness to it and complimented well by the woody taste of the arugula. The crab salad and mango roll are great too. Lobster dinner was okay. If I had to do it all over again....probably would have skipped the lobster dinner and gotten more rolls. Still a great place for sushi...innovative to say the least.
(4)
Sonnie S.
We just got to the Big Island and were hungry so we went here before checking in to the hotel. We got some nigiri and unagi roll and some edamame. It was fine for what it was. Two beers from the cooler. $26. Much better than hitting some fast food chain place.
(4)
Maylee H.
Great rolls!! And they have a vast variety of entrees as well. The scallops are a must but start it off with the calamari. Their fish is fresh, and they also have great ramen dishes. We ordered the dragon roll, calamari, roast duck, seared ahi and scallops.
(5)
Cindy O.
We dined at Sansei on Christmas Eve. We had the bagel roll (smoked salmon and cream cheese sushi roll), the panko crusted ahi roll, and the spider roll. The servers are enthusiastic and eager to provide the best service, the food is promptly prepared and delivered, and the food is excellent!
(4)
Eric Z.
youtube.com/watch?v=NZ4P… I did a video! Love the food and the discount you can get for the early bird special is AWESOME!
(5)
Peter C.
Very good food and excellent wine selection.
(4)
Kenny D.
horrible service, poor food quality, overpriced!
(1)
Paul L.
Three couples went to dinner at Sansei on 7mar13. The service was terrible. Two of the party were completely finished with dinner before the 3rd person was served. The remaining 3 were served as the 3rd person finished. Several of the group said the food was good, but my risotto was heavily over salted. To top it off, they insisted on a 17% gratuity and were unwilling to let us choose our own amount (certainly because it would have been far less than 17%) With all the good restaurants on the Big Island, and Waikoloa in particular, this one is a good one to miss.
(1)
Ay-Laina D.
We came here once on a Friday night during the late-night menu period. Wasn't expecting so many tourists. One Haole guy stole our chair from our table without asking, and staff did nothing about it! Also, our waitress was whatever. Dull, quiet, Taciturn. And the she had the nerve to tack on a 17% tip to our bill FOR us. Wth? You did not earn that. At. All. Food was just alright. Thank god it was half off. Save money and stress and just go shokudo instead.
(2)
E M B.
This place was delicious and service was super fast! Try the Ahi carpaccio...it was amazing! It was a bit pricey, but they did have a special for 25% off between 5:30-6pm. Would def recommend!
(4)
Peter M.
Best sushi on the big island.
(5)
Lisa H.
Wow! If you are a SF foodie! You must eat here!! So brilliant. Brilliant "Sansei" gourmet food! Hard to decide what to order but the Panko Encrusted Ahi Roll was a great starter! Delicious!-Thumbs up! The Calamari Salad was fried with a Overly Sweet sauce and raw salad which was good for about 3-4 bites. (but if more than 2 adults R eating this, it'll go).-Thumbs sideways, diff. take on calamari The Miso Butter fish with Japanese pickles was a mismatch and the sifh is done better at Roy's.-Skip! My kids had their udon and the SOUP was SPOT ON delicious, carefully crafted, appreciate it! -Thumbs up! Kids also had Tamago Sushi- Little too sweet for me but, they make their own, so -Thumbs up on that! Spicy Tuna Cruchy Tempura roll- YUM! Thumbs up! [This is where we fell off the track...the pictures on the table], My husband wanted to try the Hamachi, Shitake? Poke with the Truffle oil. VERY Earthy and Opposite of what we realized was a Sweet side kinda meal. BIG BRAKES put on our palate here. It was good but...Maybe it should have come out first. So after this dish, I felt like the restaurant does cook to the sweeter side.-esp after 2 more bites of Calamari- I had to repair my palate by eating my husband's Agedashi Tofu -THUMBS UP which was spot on flavor profile! Someone in the kitchen is doing a great job on Dashi making- broths! ( a little more in the Homemade Tamago and I'm all over it.) I don't think this is a "Come for Traditional Sushi" place -the prices were astronomical too. I came for the name the "Sansei"-3rd generation spin on Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine.-And for this, the 4 stars. There is creativity abound on this menu but I think it's in the small dishes and unique rolls! Great new place to consider for dinner aside from Waikaloa's offerings. A little cheaper than Roy's (for all that we ordered!) and almost as satisfying.
(4)
Leslie K.
Husband and I had a sensational evening at Sansei in Maui a few months ago. Very pricey but all aspects of dining experience were excellent. Thrilled to see that there was a Sansei on Big Island near where we were staying. Expected another fabulous evening of fine dining. Family of four, no drinks besides water, no dessert, $150 with tax and tip and we left very very disappointed. Fish was very fresh but nothing was outstanding as it was in Maui. We are bummed that we wasted money and time we could have eaten somewhere better. Meh, I've experienced better. Completely agree with Jessie l.'s 8-18-13 review. What a waste of an evening out.
(2)
Catherine Y.
Not authentic. Was quite disappointed with the food.
(2)
Gibby K.
Came here after seeing an ad from those tourist magazines, they have the Happy Hour Monday special from 5-6pm, this restaurant did not disappoint, the sushi was the freshest we found on the Kona side of the big Island, You gotta try the fresh Hawaiian Tuna Carpaccio, Miso butterfish, and Kenny G roll. If you like Nigiri - definately go with Shiromi (White Fish), its one of the freshest tasting I've ever tried. You should arrive early as the line starts forming 20 mins prior, you'll eventually get in, but better to get there early to get your order in first. Make sure to save room for dessert - this was our favorite part of the meal, we had both the Tempura Ice Cream and Apple Tart - both were excellent! It's no surprise why they've won so many awards and accolades!
(5)
Lala l.
This place sucks! I lived on the bay area for 8 years, and after having fair share of good sushi in the bay area, this place is SO NOT WORTH THE MONEY, or your time! Long wait to get in, and I just don't get it, honestly, everyone waiting obviously hasn't had good sushi. Everything I ordered was very mediocre, and way overpriced for the poor quality of sushi. Even the dessert I got (which the server raved about to us) was really bland and not worth the money at all! Nothing I had was even remotely close to being worth the money. You'd be better off going to get fresher and better sushi at the Marketplace at the opposite end of the queen shops. Really good and fresh sushi selection, for probably more than half the price, and no wait! There's a wine bar in the market too, if you feel like just drinking wine and eating somewhere. or, grab a bottle of wine and sushi from the market, and go eat at the beach 2 minutes away! :)
(1)
Erika B.
Had a great meal here recently on my honeymoon. There was a pretty long wait for tables on a Tuesday night, but there was space at the sushi bar which we happily took (more fun to watch the sushi chefs anyways). We got a lot of nigiri, all of which was fresh and really good, and a few good rolls too. The best thing was a nigiri special, hamachi charred with a spicy garlic glaze that was awesome - we ordered two portions. Also the shrimp dynamite was awesome, a great way to start the meal. Service at the bar was attentive and food came out really fast - amazingly fast considering how busy the restaurant was! My husband used to work in a sushi restaurant and has really high standards so it's hard to find someplace that he likes, and this spot was a winner.
(5)
Nick C.
If you want good sushi go to San Francisco. I you want mediocre sushi at ridiculous prices go to Sansei. Atmosphere: loud and obnoxious. Waitstaff: forgetful. Menu: insanely overwhelming. Sushi: so so. Chef's special creations: salty and wonky. This was the third restaurant we went to here on Hawaii's big island. It's also the worst. We've had better Sushi for half the price. Skip this one and satisfy your fish cravings elsewhere. PS. What kind of sushi joint doesn't have gyoza? Especially one that has a menu with about 300 items on it? Our kids were terribly disappointed in that.
(2)
Sue C.
We saw this place but never had a chance to try in Maui so we did this time. The food is ok but way too EXPENSIVE. The waiter told us that every dish had a generous portion, which was not true at all, especially considering the price. The atmosphere is also loud and the tables are cramped. We had a booth but was right next to a group of 12 and a family of 5, both of which were so close in that I heard all about the group members whining about the high price of the drinks and the mom explanation to the dad that the kids were not eating b/c they were too tired from their afternoon at the pool. Definitely not a romantic place, at least for me. The owners/chefs are seriously too proud of their dishes in that they put the articles and pictures all over the table underneath the glass. What a show off! I got particularly upset at the "Japanese Squid Salad" in that they used a wonton wrapper (Chinese) and kochujang (Korean) vinaigrette and yet called it Japanese!!!! It is located in the Queens market, which is right next to Hilton and Marriott in Waikoloa Village. There are very few restaurants in this neighborhood so the choices are limited but I do not think this place is worth going again.
(2)
Pebble L.
Food was amazing for everyone in our party of 10, but the service was horrible and the kitchen does not time items. Those who ordered sushi were served faster than those who ordered other items. It's one ticket, it should be timed for the table, not the kitchen. So some were finished their meals while others were just being served. It took almost 15 minutes to close out because no one was around to stop and take my credit card.
(3)
Jessica F.
During our visit to Waikoloa, we visited Sensai two nights in a row. It was definitely the best for its prices and large selection. However, on our second night last night, we ordered the yellow tail poke, rainbow roll and Asian shrimp cake. Woke up early this morning with food poisoning! NEVER going back again. And they charge a 17% gratuity fee? For what? Getting us sick? This place blows. Do not be fooled by their 25% off happy hour!
(1)
Jon M.
Good sushi, but a few other things were lacking. I came for dinner a few weeks ago and was greeted by probably one of the most brusque hostesses ever, which probably put a bad taste in my mouth right from the get-go. Once we were seated, the service improved somewhat, but the waitress didn't seem to be too pleased that my wife and I weren't ordering enough food for her tastes (we initially ordered an appetizer and three helpings of sushi). The sushi was good and very fresh, and the prices were reasonable. If the service had been better and/or the ambiance had been nicer (it was loud and crowded), then I might have been more likely to rate this place higher.
(3)
Stefan Z.
Hmmm... Where to start... First off, this is one of the best places to go to get casual Japanese cuisine and more for reasonable prices. We've had a consistent average of about $40 per person, no-holds-barred eating. And before I go any further, this place is delicious. I've been to Sansei years before in Maui at the ritzy Ritz-Carlton resort, but this place seems to be a tiny bit different. I've yet to figure out why, maybe its just me. But I would give the one on Maui a five star rating without hesitation, it was that good. We ate there four times and it was just fabulous. This place seemed to be a cut below in terms of the dishes I've come to remember as my all-time favorite eats. I've decided at this point that I've committed a mistake in that I just got lemons for prodding at the corners of the menu. One trip there I got ramen, which had an extremely salty stock and the other I got nigiri sushi that was rather disproportionately prepared (see the wiki on nigiri). Therefore I can't really give it five stars, but hear me out before you judge... My two friends I ate there with, however, only ordered off of the specials menu and dishes recommended by our waitress on both trips. They couldn't stop talking about how fantastic their dishes were. I tried them myself. They were great. If I had done the same, I would easily give it a fat five stars. But my experience on Maui made me expect just a little more from them. Bottom line: Get the specials (of the week, plus anything in the boxes), don't bother with anything else. Oh, and PANKO CRUSTED AHI FTW. GET IT.
(4)
Tiffany T.
We called and got the scoop on the 1/2 priced menu on Sundays and Mondays. Almost anything you order between 5-6 is half priced. Basically you go cue up between 4:30-4:45. They open around 5:10 or so and seat 100 people. We were there on Dec 30th (a busy time of year) so it was good we got there right at 4:30. It is a zoo when you get in because they are seating so many tables at once. Our waitress was still OUTSTANDING. Explained everything and pointed out the 5 or 6 items that were not eligible for the 50% discount. She even told us the ins and outs of sake when we asked for a tasting. I know she was CRAZY busy but still managed to be one of the better servers we have had in a long time. We ate exclusively from the sushi menu and went to town. We tried about 12 items off the menu. The variety was excellent. The fish quality was exceptional. If I am back in the area again we will eat here for sure. Our entire crew loved it.
(5)
Thomas H.
Not sure what all the rave or the crowd is about. Maybe it's b/c we have good Japanese food in SF bay area, but besides the miso butter fish, everything else we ordered was just average. If you want good Japanese food, drive 5 minutes north to Monstera in Shops at Mauna Lani area, it's much better! First of all, they need to simplify that 8 page menu, especially when the same item appears in 3 diff places. Really, this ain't no Cheesecake Factory. - sashimi, we had maguro (tuna) and hamachi (yellowtail) and was quite disappointed to find the hamachi with bone (or scale?) still on one of the pieces. - Tamago (egg): not too bad and not too sweet like most places - Hiyashi Seaweed Salad: regular seaweed salad, good portion - Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll: bleh, not that interesting, still not sure why this is so popular - Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish: this one was good local fish - Shrimp + assorted veggie tempura: LOTS of food, but the presentation? no, there's none, they just stack them up and serve it right out
(3)
David H.
Going there tonight for 7pm dinner that i just made the res with a manger named Ron...he was very gracious and accomodating And we will provide a recommendation when we return. Given that it is the off season, we have found some restaurant are hooking us up with free drinks, appetiZers,etc. Roy's took excellent care of us last night - highly recommend.
(3)
Anita J.
We went for the happy half hour they have at this location on a Saturday night. Line up at 5pm, to get seated at 5:30pm, then get majority of your order in by 6PM. Sunday and Monday it's 50% off, and Tuesday through Saturday it's 25%. Service: Quick, polite, and was happy to make recommendations. Ambiance: Open view sushi kitchen, standard Asian restaurant feel Food: Fantastic, the freshest sushi I have ever had (I haven't been to Tokyo yet). Aside from the sushi, we ordered a noodle dish, shrimp cake and lots of tempura. What we ordered (for 7 people) and it was a bit too much, probably could have cut 2. Sansei's Asian Shrimp Cake (app portion) Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll Japanese Calamari Salad Sweet Onion Tempura Rings Shrimp Tempura Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish Sansei's Seafood Pasta (entree portion) Traditional Japanese Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura (entree portion) Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll Shrimp Tempura Roll Bagel Roll California Roll Spicy Tuna Roll
(4)
Lil I.
You must come come here, and make a rez to avoid loooong lines! Food: The crab-mango salad roll, butterfish, ahi is amazing. Portions are small, appetizer size, but two per person is fine. Atmosphere: They have karaoke on Fri + Sats! Price: Discounts of 50% from 5-6 Sun, Mon, 10pm-1am Fri, Sat Discounts of 25% from 5:30-6 Tue-Fri? A previous reviewer complained about the automatic charge of 17% for gratuity, but perhaps it's there to make sure the waitress gets tipped for the total cost before the discount?
(5)
Kimo S.
Having just been to the Waikiki location we decided to stop by here for the late night Happy Hour special, 50% off their late night menu (sushi & select dishes) starting at 10:00pm - 1 am. Most guests on vacation probably don't eat this late but for the younger crowd this is a great deal for a late meal. First off, the late night special means two things: open karaoke night (just like Waikiki) and a definite local hang-out crowd. This is the place in Waikoloa, probably the entire Kohala Coast, for the locals to drink and hang-out for a late night gathering. Was quite interesting to see how the local scene here is much different than Oahu, we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. The nigiri sushi did not have as large a cut as the Waikiki location so we stuck to the rolls instead. The nigiri was tasty and fresh but it was about 25% less fish than we were used to. The rolls were really good though, I would highly recommend the Sansei Special Roll and Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Roll. Delicious! I actually prefer this location over the Waikiki location just due to it being a little more fresh (since it is new), the karaoke wasn't as loud and the sushi was just as tasty as back on Oahu. Overall a great spot if you want to grab a late dinner and drinks.
(4)
Thelma Lee G.
Really disappointing since we just adore the one on Maui. We tried a lot of dishes but they just didn't work....not sure why exactly. The flavors didn't meld and the food used was possibly not the freshest. Good service but I would skip this place.
(2)
Jillian P.
I love it here! They have AMAZING DEALS! From 5:30 till I think either 6:00 or 6:30 anything you order off of the menu is 50% off on Sundays and 25% off all other days of the week. The food is GREAT! Portions are small for the price you pay (if you're paying regular price). Their BROWNIE sundae is THEEEEEE ABSOLUTE BEST! To this day, it's the BEST brownie I've ever eaten. Overall, I'd recommend it. :)
(4)
Dave K.
Without a doubt both the best restaurant and the best value within shuttle distance of the Hilton Waikoloa. The mango, crab salad hand roll was outstanding. The off-menu dragon-fly roll was great. Amazingly, they also do a fine job with their steakhouse-like steak menu. The service is great. They have a nice kids' menu. Only downside: you better like sushi or steak as, despite the enormous menu, that's really all there is.
(5)
Jeannanicole D.
On one hand, I have to admit that Sansei's saimin broth is spectacular. I love soup and I love noodles. This is my #1 suggestion for Saimin, thus far. On the other mangled gorilla hand, their waitstaff is HORRENDOUS. I haven't had good service at any Sansei, and i've been to them all. The saimin is definitely worth it.
(3)
Joseph L.
Sanseis is a place where you can get a fusion of flavors. Their menu has a lot of things that make me think "huh... is this going to work..." but I am surprised every time I order. The service is pretty average for a restaurant in town, but their clashing flavors that somehow mesh makes this place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The first time I came here, I took my girlfriend when they had the ocean festival and it was great. All the food was exquisite and different. There were many combinations that I thought would not go right but ended up tasting excellent. I forgot what the dessert was called but it was apple with some fried crepe thing and ice cream. DELICIOUS! We came here shortly after and ordered a dinner for two special (it seems that when we come here, we lose all ability to piece together a dinner order.) The food was good and different but it was all sweet. I can't really eat all sweet foods for dinner so it wasn't great. I suppose it was our fault for ordering it though. I am looking forward to the next time I am in the area looking for a place to eat. Would definitely reccomend this place for a nice dinner date.
(4)
Lisa C.
we ordered a bunch of sushi to share and were not let down. the fish was fresh and the rolls were well thought out. the service was super slow and sort of rude, but otherwise a good experience.
(3)
Kevin S.
We came for the 25% off special. We were not disappointed. Excellent service but only mediocre decor...the tables were plastered with too much junk about a cookbook. We started with a California roll--not very exciting but made with real crab--and the Cucumber & Wakame Sunomo, but was delicious. We had the Dynamite Shrimp, which was not as spicy as I thought it would be but was still very tasty (my partner didn't like the creamy sauce on tempura) and the pinko crusted ahi sashimi sushi, which was amazingly delicious. The shrimp and vegetable tempura entree was delicious and perfectly batters and fried. the tempura ice cream was disappointing as I didn't like the cake batter wrapped around the ice cream. Still, it was well worth the prices, and even better at 25% off before 6PM.
(4)
L. B.
It's casual dining which is good for family or just hang out with friends. We always start with Miso Butter Fish and some sushi rolls such as Dragon Roll, Spider Rolls and some nigiri sushi. So far from our experience, the greeters, waitress, bartenders are great with customers, sometimes we just walk in and seat at bar area. Some of the menus are great some are not, the problem I think the consistency of the taste and portion. It could be from large menu items. They have 50% off early bird dinner on every Monday from 5:30pm until 6pm with first come first serve service, although the portion & quality a little bit less than regular price, it's still worth it to try :)
(3)
Doug L.
Zero stars, if there was such an option. Horrible horrible horrible. That's all I have to say about this place
(1)
Toni M.
Some of the most amazing sushi , my taste buds have ever know. Hits the wallet deeply but worth the splurge if you have the budget. You wont regret spending that much, just make sure you can!
(5)
Sumit G.
We ordered 3 things: - Udon noodles - this was excellent - Miso chicken for the kids - very average - Sushi platter - average And some sake - which was actually decent for the price. Overall, I would go back to this place, but probably not order sushi. I guess my expectation of Sushi in Hawaii was high and this place didn't meet it.
(3)
Dustin H.
This would have received an extra star or two but they slammed the bill with a 17% gratuity for TWO of us! "Because it's Happy Hour" WHAT? Really?! You get 25% off if you get in and order in the first 30 minutes of the restaurant being opened. But then, because of that they automatically charge you and extra 17%!!! I'm getting mad about it just writing this review. Errrr.... I kinda expect the auto-gratuity with parties of 6 or more but for two people, who ordered 6 rolls and iced tea? This leaves me still searching for a good sushi spot on the island. This does not encourage return customers.
(1)
David G.
Not worth the price, food was average
(3)
Kristin C.
Had a quick dinner meal hear after the long flight from the mainland. It was really good. Ordered a couple of special rolls that were very good. Also had the seared ahi salad. The ahi was served to perfection. Service was good. The only miss was that they did not have any inari sushi. Overall, a very good meal experience.
(4)
Patrick W.
If you are an inexperienced sushi lover, then this place is for you. It gives you all the right product in a touristy way. This restaurant is located in the mall in Waikoloa. Safe location and good for families and kids.
(2)
Jennifer D.
Came here for dinner with my husband in October 2009 on our honeymoon. Sushi was outstanding! So fresh and so different. We had the panko crusted ahi sashimi roll as recommended by fellow yelpers...soooo amazing! We had the sansei's mango crab salad hand roll...also amazing! Gotta eat it with your hands! We also had the spider roll, spicy tuna and hawaiian rolls. All delicious. It is a little pricy but we are used to paying that much for specialty rolls in the new york/new jersey area. We also tried the tempura fried macadamia nut ice cream...slammin! We had a great experience and really enjoyed the food. And our waitress Malia was very nice and gave us good recommendations.
(5)
Natalie S.
My boss who frequently comes to Hawaii told me that I should definitely try Sansei. Luckily, Sansei was very close to my hotel at the Marriott. Sansei I guess is sort of popular in the islands, they have locations in Maui and on Oahu besides the Big Island. We were quickly seated and the food came out fast. I liked the agedashi as it was light and they had ginger and carrots on the top. The seaweed salad was also good. They use a different type of breading for their tempura which was more doughy. We ordered to panko ahi rolls - soo delicious and worth coming back. The butter sauce was incredible and the flash frying on the outside didn't disturb the ahi, which was still raw on the inside. The Sansei Sunset was also a very refreshing drink.
(4)
bunnymouse k.
We went to the Waikiki location last year and loved it so we thought we would give the Waikoloa location a try this year. Unfortunately, it was a very different experience. We had ordered three dishes but we can only recall 2 at this time: 1) Duck eggroll: Greasy and chewy. Yes, they were fried eggrolls but they tasted like they were fried at an earlier time and reheated for our order. 2) Tuna poke: Overly dressed and a few tuna pieces were sinewy. The fish also didn't feel cold at all. I'm not sure if it's suppose to be that way or it was under chilled. I would give the service 3 stars because the waitress had offered to take the poke back when I told her a few pieces of the fish were not chewable. We would have ordered more food but after our first 3 dishes, we were ready to go elsewhere for dessert.
(2)
Karl S.
Yummy! If you love sushi you will love this place. If you are unlucky enough to be in the neighborhood with somebody who does NOT love sushi, they too will LOVE this place. Come AT 5:00pm and get 25% or 50% off depending on the day of the week.
(5)
g b.
Worst sushi ever! I ordered a caterpillar roll that should have been called an avocado roll. The sushi here is over priced. The unagi in the caterpillar roll was so little, it looked like they only sliced the skin part if the unagi and put it in a roll with a boatload of avocado on top. Additionally, the size of the rolls were really small.
(2)
Gwen E.
Ok people I'm giving Sansei's 4 stars because you must consider the other options in the area. Yes, it is expensive, but the food is actually really good so compared to some of the other resort restaurants here in Waikoloa it deserves some credit. The ambience however is lacking, it does get loud and cramped. Not a place for a romantic meal, but great for groups. Every time I've been there the service was just fine. I would stick to the sushi for sure, they have some really great rolls. The entrees are good, but just too darn pricy to justify ordering them. Good drinks too, my favorite is the Lychee Martini, yum.
(4)
Bill M.
The wife and I arrived on Easter Sunday at 5PM, honestly not sure if the place was open. What a surprise when we found out that not only were they open, but it was half-priced sushi and seafood night. The place was half full by 5:30 and almost capacity by 6. The interior is nothing special, but it is comfortable and all-in-all a good choice. They offer an $80 Omakase that looked quite good including a couple of Yelper's recommendations. It was not eligible for the half-price discount, so we skipped it. So we ordered ala carte. We got the Yelper recommended Miso Butterfish appetizer. That was tremendous. The chunks of fish melted in your mouth. The sauce was sweet but light. Definitely recommended. Next up was the Sansei Special Roll. This is spicy crab in cilantro speckled rice, covered with a sweet Thai spicy sauce. What a taste combination this is. The cilantro and Thai sauce were perfect together. The spicy crab meat was not overpowering, but the heat was noticeable. We also ordered fresh salmon. This was just about as good as any I've had in the Pacific Northwest. It was so good that we got an extra order to cap the evening. The scallop and masago with quail egg were both very good too. The weak link was some flower named item that contained both tuna and yellowtail wrapped in the form of a bowl. Both pieces of fish were not good. Having liked the place so much and having somehow missed finding the Seafood Bar in Waimea, we popped in on a Wednesday night. The $17 Blue Fin Toro Nigiri was tasty, but nothing beats the fresh salmon. The tobiko was especially good this evening. We skipped the more expensive Asahis this time for the $4 special Kona Longboard Lager drafts. Can't say it was the tasty decision, but it was in the Island spirit. Service was 5-stars. The service was excellent, very attentive and helpful. In the end, with the half price discount, the meal, w/tip came to just less than $70. $19 of that was a couple of tall Asahis. Note that the discount is only 25% on Tues - Fri and only from 5:30 to 6:00 and given the short window for the discount, I'd recommend getting a reservation for 5:30. Two lines form out front, one with reservations, one without. The line "with" gets in first. I called and made a reservation at 5:20 while standing outside the restaurant so I could get in the "with" line.
(4)
May F.
I can't believe anyone can think this place is good. We had a really nice server but the food is really bad. I am used to great sushi from SF and bay area and the seafood is frozen and sashimi is not fresh. Unagi was ok but portions are small and really bad. I am willing to spend the money for good food but that was a huge waste of $100 and that was half off! Terrible! I feel bad because I really like the server.
(1)
Jessica W.
Great dining option close to Waikoloa resorts! Amazing poke and an OUT OF THIS WORLD tuna carpaccio appetizer....the rolls were good but not spectacular, if I went again I'd stick to the raw options. Three cheers for Sake bombers within walking distance of my hotel. ;)
(4)
John K.
Spectacular, and highly recommended! Some of the best sushi we've had this side of Japan, and with great service and location, this is a must try.
(5)
Cassandra K.
While we enjoyed 2 of the special sushi rolls they weren't worth the outrageous price. This place is so overpriced it's ridiculous and the ambiance is a zero. Save a night out for sushi when you are in San Francisco.
(2)
Britton J.
Here's the thing. I never, ever send anything back at a restaurant (who wants a spit-burger after you've offended the chef?). But I broke my life-long "no-send-back" rule after ordering seared ahi ($30) and getting a gray chunk of 100% cooked ahi. Gawd, that was disgusting. They admitted that they had cooked it wrong and redid it. In the meantime, my boyfriend was looking quizzically at this "dinner," which didn't even qualify as an appetizer. His fish entree had two microscopic pieces of fish -- not even as big as someone's thumb. OK, maybe a baby's thumb, but c'mon, people. For just under thirty bucks, bust out more than an ounce and a half of fish. And to top it off, the flavor of his dish was pretty meh. I'll admit that when my dinner was done right it tasted pretty good, but the whole experience was completely off-putting. I mentioned to the server that I was amazed that the kitchen had sent out well-done ahi when I had ordered it seared, and that my boyfriend's entree didn't even approach appetizer size. She offered us a free dessert, but we were pretty much done with the place by then. The manager came to talk to us and he said that he had noticed that the fish dish that my bf ordered did appear to be coming out of the kitchen with small pieces. Um, yeah. He comped the more expensive dinner, which was a nice gesture. But it can't make up for the fact that this place is a terrible value for the quality of the food and the portion sizes. Go to Roy's across the street. The food is much, much better, the service is better, the drinks are better, and the value is better.
(1)
Chris F.
The Sansei in Waikoloa is nothing even close to the quality or ambiance of the Sansei in Kapalua. A big bummer. Drenched all our rolls in cheap Thai chili sauce rendering it massively over-sweetened and gave the food an overall gimmicky feel to it. Way overuse of mayo too. Dislike
(1)
Beverly P.
We came here for dinner one night and freakin' loved it! The place looked brand new and had a sort of backyard-patio theme. Our server was really nice and efficient the whole time. I loved even more that this place valued presentation as much as taste. All of the dishes looked so pretty and picture perfect! We started off with a bit of alcohol: hot sake with amaretto. It was an unlikely combination that melded together wonderfully; the crispness of the sake mixed well with the amaretto's smoothness. Our appetizer was the Hawaiian Moi Roll. There was no rice, but just pieces of moi sashimi over a ponzu truffle sauce...amazing! For dinner we tried three items: the Kenny G, the Sansei Special Roll, and the Takah Sushi Special Roll. Basically, all of these items had the freshest ingredients and some very interesting elements (cilantro?). What struck me the most was how soft the sushi rice was! It wasn't mushy or anything...just so soft and yummy. For dessert we had the macadamia nut tempura roll! Basically the same as California Beach Rock'n Sush: ice cream deep-fried in pound cake batter and drizzled with chocolate sauce, macadamia nuts, and whipped cream...so good and so pretty! Essentially, I think this place is my California Beach Rock'n Sushi on the Big Island...I'm hooked!
(5)
Nalini Y.
The 50% off sushi after 10:00 pm is great and now they're even doing a "power hour" from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm with $2.00 draft beers! The horrendous karaoke is bearable with the moderately priced, decent food & drink.
(4)
Lindsey F.
Make a reservation and order the Panko Crusted Ahi roll. SO GOOD!!!!!!
(4)
Hide S.
Nigiri sushi was beyond disaster. As soon as I picked up, the rice fell apart. It's obvious that the sushi chef there was not trained properly and the restaurant is not targeting a picky Japanese guy like me. Fish quality was ok though. If you like to eat sushi, go to the sushi section at the ABC store located in the other end of the mall. Their sushi is made fresh by a Japanese guy and much much much much better. I'd rather take out their sushi and eat on the beach.
(1)
R A.
The early bird special is a good deal. Service OK.
(3)
Brian B.
Nothing to complain about here ... it's your solid standard Americanized/Hawaiianized Japanese fare. It's a bit overpriced for what you get (quality wise, not quantity). I liked the "69" roll. My dad's fish was a bit dry. Bustling atmosphere with plenty of families...conversation was a little hard. Service was good. I'd come back.
(3)
Geoff B.
I had the catch of the day and asked for it blackened. It was out of this world good! So good in fact, I went back the next day and had it again. The rice that accompanied the fish was outstanding as well. The dish was full of awesomeness!
(5)
Fred T.
Had dinner here with spouse and cousin and cousin's family. Everyone ordered rolls while I ordered the seared ahi tuna salad. Everyone got served except me. I waited and waited, finally asked the waitress what happened to my salad. She said she would check, that had already been 20-30 minutes into our meal. 10 minutes later she finally appears and said they had to cut another block of tuna (WHAT??? did they have to catch it first too?) It took another 10 minutes for it to appear, by that time I considered canceling it since everyone else was finished. But I gave in and took it. The salad was not impressive, there were maybe 5 pieces of thinly sliced tuna, seared at the edges. The rest of the salad was plain. The dressing was ok, it was pooled at the bottom of the salad. The waitress did not apologize in any way, other than to offer me a bowl of miso soup while I waited. I complained to the manager at the end of the meal as I left. In his defense he apologized and asked that I return in the future and he 'would make it right'. I'll wait to see.
(2)
Betty Y.
We landed at the Kona airport around 8pm. I already knew from reading my guidebook that lots of things wouldn't be open by the time we got to the hotel and checked in... Our hotel turned out to be next to the Queen's Marketplace plaza, and across from the King's marketplace where we saw high end stores, Roys, a market, and Macaroni Grill? After we checked in we took off to try to find something open for dinner, avoiding Macaroni Grill if possible...nothing wrong with it, but we were in Hawaii so that wasn't really on the list of must try spots. We found Sansei open at the end of the plaza. Saved! We went to the Maui location a couple of years ago so we were familiar with the place. It was about 9:30pm so when we walked in, the hostess mentioned that if we waited 30 mins we could do the Late Night Happy Hour 50% off menu. Cool! We grabbed a couple of drinks at the bar and waited it out for a short while. When the time came...the bartender handed us a menu and we started ordering up. We tried the Ahi Poke, the nigiri sushi plate, salmon skin hand roll, and spicy tuna cut roll. Everything was tasty and enjoyable. The bartender was really helpful and service was great. This was a great way to get the Hawaii trip rolling.
(4)
Callie B.
I can't say enough about this place. It was the best meal we had on the island by far. The sushi was inventive, well made and sooo tasty. Our server was fantastic and attentive. I can't eat tuna (weird food intolerance) and there were still plenty of yummy choices for me. They even get bonus points for offering gluten free Tamari for those allergic to wheat (soy sauce.) The ambiance is nothing special but the food makes up for it. Get there EARLY and get 25% off most menu items. On Sunday I hear its a full 50% off but since most sushi o-FISH-ionados wouldn't touch fish on a Sunday or Monday, going any other time is a safer bet. I went nuts for the 69 roll - damn I could go for one right now!
(5)
Victoria B.
Really good deal if you get the 5-6 happy hour special. If you are willing to do the sushi bar you are seated first and can get there at 4:45, otherwise plan to get there by 4:30 to be seated in time.
(4)
Billy K.
I didn't expect too much considering I haven't had good food on this Island yet and the reviews on here are not anything of spectacular. I ordered the lobster and crab ravioli and vegetable tempera. Ravioli in a Japanese restaurant? I know right? Well let's move on. When the Ravioli came I was shocked at the small portion. It consisted of 3 tiny pieces of Ravioli and it wasn't even good. Enough already. Is this place even worth a longer review? NO... Wait... the service was also not good. I asked our waiter for wasabi and ginger many times and finally got it after many attempts.
(2)
Rob T.
Not good. I actually didn't have a yelp account until I went to this restaurant, but felt I needed to write up something on this placebo I got one. I was on the big island for vacation and wanted some sushi and this place got some good reviews and was close by. The reviews did not hold up. With an allergy to gluten, sushi is a an usual safe choice, just pick something without a soy sauce add and you are good.but for some reason this location couldn't delete sauces for rolls. Why not? So I ordered something easier, a rainbow roll. The rainbow roll took 35 minutes to come out and we were one of three tables filled in the restaurant. My wife's grilled tuna and my kids tempura shrimp were delivered and finished before I got a roll. I also had to pay $5 extra for real crab because the fake crab might have had gluten in it. Ok, my allergy I am willing to pay a little extra to be safe. One problem, there was about $.75 worth of crab in the roll. The sushi was also warm, not like room temp warm, but like it sat under a heater warm. Not the best way to eat sushi IMO. Then the check came and there was a 17% gratuity charge added. I asked and the server said that it was for my convenience. I asked about this being for groups of 6 or more and we are only 4. She said it was for my convenience and that if I wanted it removed I would have to talk to a manager to put on what I wanted for a gratuity. I paid the bill and left. One more thing. My kids had a meal of tempura shrimp and veggies. There were three small shrimp and one potato a scoop of rice and miso soup, all for $14. What a rip off. Never go again. They are in a position to take tourists with no concern about repeaters. Please avoid.
(1)
Amanda A.
Sansei was at one time one of my favorites in the islands - first on Oahu then on Maui. Maui seemed to go down hill in the last few years and visiting in waikaloa will be my last trip to sansei. Got all of my old favorites (so excited) and was very disappointed by all. Seems to be cutting corners with presentation at the very least. Temps were off as well. Very sad but I will not make the same $100 mistake again (no alcohol)
(2)
Victoria L.
- a bit pricey - great service - waitress rec'd dish but was too spicy and she took back and took off our bill - sashimi - kenny g - tasty just wish larger portions - liked taste of the garlic, smooth.. - very large menu w/ lots of options - i'd almost sa
(3)
Jimmy G.
We walked over here twice for dinner in 5 days while staying at the nearby Marriott in Jan. 2010, so obviously I liked the food. It's kind of an interesting place with standard Japanese fare, some nouveau/Pan-Asian dishes, and then a steak-house side of the menu. We stuck with some of their specialty maki-sushi rolls (Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll, Takah Sushi Special Roll), tempura veggies, fried calamari salad (hold the fried wonton basket -- seemed unnecessary). The one dessert that we tried was huge and decadent (easily shared) -- Tempura Fried Macadamia Nut Ice Cream. I'd say it's a $$ to $$$ place, depending on whether you have drinks and dessert.
(4)
Steve T.
As good and as fresh as it gets. They have items that don't appear to be good, but when you start eating them, are amazing. I can't say enough nice things about this place. When we first got the menus, we picked what we wanted, none of the items being the "specials" that were displayed. The waiter gave us a few hints and we picked the blue-boxed items on the menu and were not disappointed. Two of our group got the $80 multicourse meal and it could have easily fed the four of us. A little crowded if you don't have reservations. The seating is a little chaotic and you almost sit with other diners with the tables being so close. Two visits in three nights indicates good food.
(5)
Raquel D.
This place was a gem suggested to us by our resort bartender. We came only for the karaoke, but found Japanese food so good that even my stringent standards were blown away. The food was so fresh, and subtle, and flavorful that the group I was travelling with came back to eat three times in two days. I highly recommend the D.K.'s Crab Ramen with Asian Truffle Broth, the Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish, and their Rainbow Roll. They have a wonderful deal on Sunday nights for happy hour, where almost everything on the menu is 50% off. I think our group saved $60 on that, managing to stuff ourselves to the brim. Our server that first night, Ben, was very attentive, and had a great sense of humor. He wasn't our server the 2nd night, but he recognized us and came by to help when he could. This place was so fantastic! Rumor is they might be opening a location in Seattle. If that happens, I'll be there a few times a week.
(5)
Weilun C.
I went there after strong recommendation from a local I met on my way to the Big Island. I tried the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll, and it's something new and definitely worth trying. I also had miso soup and some traditional rolls, and they were good. The price is reasonable for a sushi restaurant. If you are in the neighborhood (the Queen's market) and looking for a place for sushi, you should try Sansei.
(4)
Vicki S.
Food & service not as good as Maui location. Sushi prepared differently and servers didn't seem happy to be busy. Would recommend the tempura fried Mac nut ice cream.
(3)
Jeff W.
come for the first hour and save 25% off! some items like foie gras sushi not discountable but nearly everything else. good flavor, texture, and fresh fish. creative menu in addition to the sushi items. while on the Big Island make a stop here.
(4)
Josephine W.
Please note that the 5 stars I am giving only applies to the fact that this place is really as good as it gets, on the big island. My fiancee and I went there on a Sunday, we walked around the shopping center and just missed the line. We got right in just to hear that they were offering 50% off most items. SCORE! The only downfall is how much they normally charge for sushi. $16.95 for a roll!?! That is absurd and is a blatant overcharge. I won't get into the price, since we got 50% off and the sushi was fish-tastic! When we eat Japanese food, we never order teriyakis or tempuras. We always eat fish, it's the most important factor in judging a restaurant. This place serves your food as it becomes ready. Also, order your fish stat, because they run out of certain things quickly. I tried ordering the sea urchin maki and they were all out, it had only been an hour since they opened. We ordered the Butterfry, Spicy Hamachi, Yaki-Maki, Negi-Hama, and Scallop Rolls, as well as a sashimi trio appetizer. We ate it all, too, between the two of us. If we have to drive 1.25 hours for supreme sushi, we are eating as much as we can. I pride myself on gluttony! Sansei's sushi was so delicious we had no choice other than to eat it all anyways. The fish was indeed fresh. The Butterfry roll is slightly fried and it was perfect, they didn't completely cook the fish inside, it was the perfect temperature, and the outside wasn't hard. I'm normally not into fusiony places either, but this place does do a little bit of fusion and they do it damn well. I don't know why there isn't one of these restaurants near Hilo. The sake wasn't overpriced, which was a relief. It is a nice restaurant but their motto is casual dress, casual food. I definitely recommend this to anyone on the island who wants good sushi. Before we found this place, our favorite was Sushi Shiono in Kona. They're number 2 now. Oh, one more thing, Sansei has an extensive selection of wine. It's odd for a sushi restaurant to have that, but they do. I really wanted to try some of their wines but I gotta do sake with sushi. It's like white on rice, it's the only thing that works for me.
(5)
D V.
Good, fresh sushi. With reservations, we rolled in around 7:45pm on a Saturday night. The place was packed with locals and tourists alike. It's always nice to see the locals eating in the same restaurant. Everything we tried was good, and service was efficient. I can't remember the names of the different items we had, but the standout dishes were the Moi rolls and Miso glazed Butterfish. The Moi rolls were these wonderful tasty pieces of Sashimi wrapped around a few slivers of gobo. They were also spiked with some habanero heat....very nice! The Butterfish was my favorite. Just the right amount of sweetness (not too much) glazed on four little nuggets. I could have ordered another round. We walked by a few nights later and the dining room looked half empty. If you go on the weekends, I'd recommend reservations but they're likely unnecessary on the weekdays.
(3)
Shelly K.
I had to sign up for Yelp just to write a review on this place! I have to say since they discontinued their Restaurant Row location they're brand has really gone downhill. I've been to their Waikiki location and was not impressed, so when we went to the Waikoloa location I didn't have very high expectations. It started out well enough with our waiter Nosal (I'm assuming that's his name because it's listed on my receipt) he was friendly and polite, but slow service. We waited for about 45 minutes for the entrees to come out and when mine did not show up after about 50 minutes our waiter was no where to be found. I finally hailed down a manager only to find out my entree and my sister's sushi orders were never even put in and our waiter didn't even bother to stop by to acknowledge the mistake! I ordered the ramen and let's just say it tastes just the like Sun Noodle Shoyu Ramen you can buy at Marukai. It seems like what happened is he figured he could give crappy service because we had a party of 8 which meant an automatic 17% gratuity. Although the food was maybe a 7/10, I will never go there again! The worst dining experience we have had to date. As we were walking out of the restaurant I overheard two other tables talking about how their orders were missing as well so we were not alone. Needless to say I made sure that 17% gratuity was removed from the bill.
(1)
Mais S.
Best sushi ever but very pricey even at the 5:30pm happy hour prices. Very much worth it though. It is a wonderful sushi adventure. Go on Sundays/Mondays when happy hour sushi is 50% off or go to Seiji on Alii Drive instead if you are on a strict budget but want great sushi.
(4)
Christina W.
Visit: Late dinner, 10 pm Roses: + GREAT discounts. 50% off menu after 10 pm on Thursdays. + Delicious, fresh sushi. + Food presentation. + Surrounded by stores, should you find yourself having to wait. + Several seating options: booth, table, sushi bar. Thorns: - Pricey. Definitely go during a discount time to get bang for buck.
(4)
Linda F.
Even if for some crazy reason I didn't love Hawaii, I'd still go back just for Sansei. Foie gras sashimi. Oh my god. Service can be a little spotty at times, though.
(4)
Chloe Y.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle...! Fancy menu,. . . don't be fooled by colorful pictures. When we first got the menu, we thought this place just might have some potential. The sushi items were . . . interesting. It was very Americanized Japanese food. The sushi wasn't terrible but I've definitely had better. Perhaps it's because LA has much better Japanese food, so this place can not compare. But that really isn't the big deal here. The ramen and udon both had the same broth and it was microwaved. I don't care where you go, for $12 a bowl, it better not have just come out of a microwave. Just how do I know it's microwaved? The entire bowl was hot! Not just part where the hot soup covers the bowl (that area obviously would be hot) but the tip of the bowl was hot. Ever try to take something out of a microwave after it's been in there for a few minutes? The darn thing will burn your hand. So yea, "sizzle sizzle" careful don't burn your hands. I think that pretty much sums it up.
(2)
Joe L.
This place caught me and my family totally by surprise. We honestly didn't know what to expect walking in. Walking out however, we were pleasantly surprised. Our first impressions were its really high price. Yes, I suppose you could justify it by saying that it's in Queen's shopping center. But come on, it's in the middle of nowhere. In the entire plaza, they were the only place that actually had a line! Oh, and we had gotten there at 4p, waiting for it to open at 5p.... so that already caught our eye. Talking with some of the other customers, they were all regulars (kinda figured since this is Hawaii after all). And all of them talked about two things: panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll and the yaki-maki sushi roll. And I can definitely tell you that those are the two things you have to know about this place! The two rolls are neither Japanese, American, nor Hawaiian, but what feels to be a fusion and synergy of the cultures. That said though, be prepared to do two things: get a heart attack from the food, as well as a heart attack from the bill. It's not a cheap place people, not by a long shot. For a family of four, we're used to paying like $40 and maybe $50 for say Olive Garden or something. Here, it was $90 after a "50% off special" (be very careful here! They say 50% off but that's after a 17% gratuity charge before any discount, which means you're barely getting 30% off, only for the non-asterisk items!). Also, we heard that you have to finish exactly on time. If you order at 6:01, then you have to pay full charge. There is no grace period. The food itself was ok. The fish is fresh, but obviously buying from the marina yourself, it'll be a lot cheaper. So, get the panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll, goes for $13 and the yaki-maki sushi roll for $17. They're on the pricy side, so just don't go too much overboard, got it? I can't give this place a five. Their service is excellent however. Rating their service: 5 stars, taste: 5 stars; quality: 5 stars; price really got them though... I'm a stickler, what can I say!
(4)
Shreekant P.
Good sushi selection. The dynamite shrimp is ok. Ahi tuna sashimi was quite good. We had a late reservation as we had checked in to Kona a couple of hours earlier. Interestingly, we were still finishing our dinner when the 10 pm+ menu came out, and all sushi were half off!
(3)
evan f.
We were taken to Sansei by friends who live nearby and raved about it. We and the other couple new to Sansei were not impressed. Overall the restaurant seems very full of itself (but without justification). As we often do in a new place when presented with the option we ordered the sampler dinner for 2. To his credit our server (who was a bit over-the-top) warned us that their policy is to bring things out as they become ready, not according to a schedule of courses. This sounded like a maverick, free-thinking policy on its face, but the reality is that they just pile dishes up on the table with no delay between them. We all commented on how rushed everything felt, and that alone would keep me from returning. At $40/plate we expect to be able to linger a little, and with a total of $450 for a table of 7 we would not expect them to need to turn and burn the tables so aggressively. The food was so-so at best. Unfortunately for us the "sampler" dinner is apparently a selection of their richest, sweetest dishes. Except for the Miso and Edamame, every dish was excessively sweet and tasted as though its primary ingredient was butter. I know that sugar and butter are great and loved by many (myself included), but should Calamari taste like a dessert? Our companions seemed happy enough with their entrees, so it is possible that our negative experience was largely the result of a bad ordering decision. However, I strongly believe that if a restaurant is going to have a sampler menu it should reflect some of the stronger dishes and a variety of what they can offer, not just the 8 butteriest choices. It's back to the bottom of the queue for Sansei--perhaps we'll give it another chance, but not until we've given a fair chance to just about every other option on the Big Island.
(2)
Malea X.
what a great find! a few types of veg sushi, plus veg appetizers. the mushrooms are divine! the veg sushi is very good and the price is great. despite not having a reservation we had no wait for a table. the reservation line was longer than the the line with the rest of us and there were still lots of empty tables.
(4)
g k.
This was my 2nd visit to Sansei for the Monday 5pm 50% off special. We go a bit crazy ordering dis and dat but it is well worth it. Maybe not so if we paid full price. The Asian Shrimp Cake was delicious, especially liked the deep fried ramen doing a Medusa impression on the outside of the cake. The Panko crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll is a fav of mine with the thin layer of rice made more like mochi with a crispy crust of panko. Although the ginger hoisin smoked duck breast is fabulous, decided to try the pork tenderloins oscar which was deliciously tender with shiitake mushrooms, king crab and bernaise sauce. Also had the shrimp and salmon but was relatively tame. Again, worth the 30 minute wait in line for 50% off excellent food and service.
(4)
Carol S.
Great sushi, huge menu, but KNOW THIS: there is a 17% gratuity tacked to your bill which negates any early bird discount. Had never encountered a forced gratuity before on big isle, and won't go back.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Ian B.
Don't Be Fooled! Not the same restaurant that is in Maui. The food here came out so quickly that we could not believe that it was actually prepared from scratch. The calamari was totally different from the Maui restaurant and it looked as if it came from a frozen microwaveable package. I honestly cannot recommend this place at all. Many better options in the Waikoloa area.
(1)P. S.
We stopped by here for dinner since it seemed like a pretty packed place. We sat at the sushi bar and had sushi bar specials, and the crab ramen. I don't mind if the place is not fancy, but I do expect the food to taste decently good. The carpaccio we got had a sauce that didn't go well with the fish, and the crab ramen was undercooked and very salty. I found myself ordering a bowl of rice to fill myself up at the end because I lost interest in tasting other things on the menu. The one upside was that our server was very rice.
(2)Douglas M.
Sansei was my wife's favorite bar on the Big Island. It is very nice and very classy. We stopped by after a wonderful day of scuba diving! (Kona Diving Company--reviewed separately). I had a Christmas drink, with eggnog, candy cane and a few other ingredients. It came chilled and frosty. My wife on the other hand had a Hot Toddy. Yes we always go to Japanese restaurants for Christmas drinks and Hot Toddies! I prefer to get my Sake at French or Italian restaurants. We didn't have the food this trip, maybe next time we will. It looked wonderful and I am sure it is tastier and far less expensive than the hotels that dominate the area.
(4)Ruthie N.
Okay -get over the plastic cover on the table, stemware and plates -the food is over the top Foie gras -portion extremely large -best portion for value Duck - to die for- Shrimp noodle cake -don't miss it Waitress is extremely accommodating Went in 3nights later -sat in back next to large local golf party -big mistake - First course for me arrived 15 min before hubby -foie gras does not make it cold -same thing happened with main course -know who is wait staff Two meals -$150 each and totally different experience
(2)Julia D.
My family goes to Hawaii every year and we visit this restaurant each time we come here. The atmosphere and ambience is calm yet busy with the large amount of people. Although it is expensive, the fresh, high quality food makes up for it. Their calamari is probably the best in the world, and I always order calamari in every place that has it. I always come here for the sushi, especially their Alaskan Roll, Spicy Hamachi Roll, Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll and Butterfly Roll. Save up for this place and indulge a little in heaven.
(5)Yekta A.
Literally the best sushi restaurant we have been to in Hawaii! The sushi is fresh (takes a while to make), there are a lot of choices but ask if you're not certain, all I know is that we ate so much and couldn't stop! Located inside of a mall, so feel free to walk off the sushi afterwards and shop!
(5)Some G.
Great place to order bunch of appetizer plates to share. Food quality is definitely above average compared to everything in the area. In fact I'd venture to say it's above average by mainland standard! (A rarity on the island) No view though. Skip the poke (mostly veggies) and try their shrimp cake (comes with crispy chowmein with sauce to submerge it in), miso butter fish, any of their deep fried rolls, etc. Price is pretty reasonable depending on what you get. However if you want a good deal I think they have 50% off once a week. You'd have to wait in line and pay for it with your vacation time:) Overall recommend this place as solid Asian fusion restaurant with good food and reasonable food prices.
(4)Tiffany T.
* Visit again? YES * Location: super clean, in shopping center * Staff: very nice * Food: 8/10 * Price: $$ w/o the 50% off promo * Proportion: good DETAILS Definitely recommend going during the 50% sushi (excludes drinks)! It was our first time there and we tried most of the appetizers and many sushi rolls. We tried at least 17 items on the menu.
(4)Jessica H.
The 11ounce Filet Mignon was the best steak of my life!! Yes I know it's a seafood sushi place...I was craving steak and my GOD did they not disappoint. It was very pricey at $45...but SOOOO WORTH IT. Slightly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and juicy all around. The best part was scraping and soaking up all the extra juices and butter on the place with the pieces I was cutting. Seriously, the best steak I have ever had....my mouth is watering typing about it. Dynamite shrimp are another must, soooo yummy!! Everyone in my party (seven people) loved what they had....sashimi...shrimp/veggie tempura...miso soup...fried calamari...calamari salad...sushi.. Ambiance is quite cold (A/C is kickin!) and loud, but very nice night out :) Service was good.
(5)Ron U.
A perfect place to eat, drink and celebrate a birthday. From beginning to end the service was impeccable. SO many choices with Sushi it's hard to pick just 20. The fish was almost too pretty to eat, but we did. GREAT wasabi that will clear your sinuses and even low sodium soy sauce. Desert was vanilla ice cream encrusted in nuts an chocolate. VERY reasonably priced I might add.
(5)Nadia K.
What I like about Sansei is that it's very family friendly and accommodating to large groups. Don't expect fancy because it's a casual restaurant and is loud. Both the menu and the drink list is extensive so it'll be easy to find something for everyone. They offer kids meals complete with a keiki sundae. But don't expect the sushi/sashimi to be of the highest quality. Sansei is better known for their creative and inventive sushi rolls. Service was great even though it was such a busy night!
(3)Pam M.
I had dinner here a few weeks ago on a Friday night. Reservations are strongly recommended, which I made via Open Table. They do accept walk ins, but they are seated after the reserved guests are seated. Upon arrival I saw some people who didn't have a reservation & were crabby after waiting since they were walk in status & had to wait a while. They have a full saketini selection. I had a pear saketini & my bf had a beer. We had: - Agedashi tofu (3/5) - lightly fried tofu with ponzu - Shrimp dynamite (3/5) - tempura shrimp with garlic masago aioli & unagi glaze - Miso butterfish (4/5) - tender fish roasted in sake & sweet miso - Foie gras nigiri (5/5) - my favorite dish - seared & served with onions & mango on the side - Torched Kona Kampachi (4/5) - light & spicy - Yellowtail Nori Aioli Poke (2.5/5) - this was just ok Service was quick & friendly.
(4)GLENN F.
khon2.com/2015/06/19/bew… You have to read this do not eat white tuna 3 people on our group got sick. We had a kid that got sick on White Tuna, and two adults. Do not order the White Tuna on the menu.
(1)Judy R.
We often visit the Sansei in Waikiki every year during our family vacations. We've always loved Sansei for the quality and the ambiance. This new Sansei nicely situated in Waikaloa Village was very close and convenient to the Hilton (not recommended). What we ate: Foie gras nigiri w/ caramelized onions $18.95 - OMG this was the highlight of my day. This french inspired nigiri master piece was something to really write home about! The flavors and textures worked so well together. The overall taste of this dish overexceeded my expectations! Lobster & Blue Crab Ravioli - this dish was very nice; came in a creamy truffle sauce. Good thing that the portion was small because it is very rich. Mango crab salad hand roll $11.75 - our "69" roll 17.25 Caterpillar roll 18.95 Really enjoyed this spot. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Ken L.
Tourist Trap. My first day on the Big Island and it's late (8:30 pm). Many reviews found on yelp nearby rated at 3.5 stars or less. From experience, I know that 3.5 star reviews are iffy locations because they usually contain a wide range of low to high scores, thus producing an unreliable result. I decided to break the tie by asking a local. So the local person in a nearby clothing shop recommended Sansei. The wait lasted no longer than 10 mins with seating at the bar, we proceeded with: Edamane - it is what it is, a steamed veggie snack while waiting for real food Calamari - overcooked, overly sauced, and extremely small portion size Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi - first of all, isn't SASHIMI a term for thinly sliced raw fish? Maybe Sushi is the right name... This ahi is wrapped in arugula and spinach with a panko crust and flash fried. Unimpressed, the fish did not taste fresh and the overall did not have any pop. Foie Gras nigiri - 3 stars. Foie gras, lightly seared and tied to a mushy rice ball via a seaweed strip. Rice too mushy and foie gras was nothing to write home about. This is the only time I can recall Foie Gras being just OKAY!! Ramen - 3.25 stars. Probably their best "dish", bowl rather. Not special but it was a decent bowl of soup and noodles. The bill came to about $90 for an extremely lackluster dinner for our first night on the Big Island. I learned a lesson here: locals, at times, aren't a good source of food recommendations, either. =/
(2)Justin B.
Some of the best food, hands down! Amazing fish special of the evening, exquisite sushi rolls, incredible fried ice cream. Highly recommend this place. Lila has impeccable memory and the food was served fresh and hot... Or cold depending on what you order.
(5)Tessa D.
My boyfriend and I were staying at the Hilton and had eaten at Imari the night before, but Sansei was loads better and less expensive. We didn't have a reservation, but upon walking in we asked to put our name down and after a twenty minute wait we were seated at the bar. The service at the bar was average, we had a hard time getting the attention of the person who was serving us. The food was absolutely delicious, and there were so many options. I highly suggest eating here, especially if you're staying at one of the resorts. It's more expensive than your average sushi place, but the quality is high and it's totally worth it.
(4)Kalei K.
High level of personal and professional care. Before I go in to review, I'd like to mention that I have a FATAL allergy to peanuts. If you have any children or if you, yourself have a food allergy, you'll understand me when I say that I needed to be extremely cautious about the food I was eating, especially since peanuts was an ingredient listed on the menu. As we walked in, I had hoped that my reservation I made via my Open Table app went through and thankfully it did. We were promptly greeted as we walked in and seated immediately. We began our dinner with a surprise appetizer of panko crusted Ahi with arugula compliments of the GM, Thomas Alejado. I've been around the world twice and let me say that this has got to be one of THE finest General Managers I've ever met in my life! Refined, well trained, polite, tentative and very humble. Dinner: I had the 7 oz. Filet Mignon with the 7 oz. lobster tail. Cooked to perfection, both dishes were equally delicious to say the least. The steak was glazed in a Hamakua mushroom reduction sauce and the lobster was FRESH served with drawn butter and lemon wedge. The dish came with mashed potatos and baby island vegetables. My fiancé had the Takah special roll, consisting of Ahi, ama ebi, crab, avocado rolled in tobiko. He enjoyed every bite of it and says it was "made perfectly without too much rice...." Dessert: GO WITH THE CREME BRÛLÉE! TRUST ME ON THIS ONE! Very smooth and not overly heavy. I hope my review of this fine establishment will help you to make your decision on whether or not to eat here.
(5)Christina M.
We spent 10 days at Kolea and stopped here for dinner on an evening we were too tired to drive to kona. I've been here 2x previously in years past. It's located in the far back section of the queens shops in Waikoloa. Good: The service was fantastic, our server was very proactive with bringing out stuff the keep the 1 year old baby happy. Food selection is quite large, everything from sushi, pasts and steak.. "Something for everyone. The take reservations and I recommend making one. It seems like everyone from every condo in the area comes out for dinner at the same time around here. Bad: The wine by the glass selection was limited and the pour was stingy for $11 a glass. The menu while very diverse was very unorganized.. It took me 20 mins to go through it.. Appetizers were scattered among entrees. The salads didn't offer protein choices. The cesaer came with calamari and they're didn't allow to sub for chicken. Overall a good place and we will def come back.
(4)Erin W.
We went and had just sushi - it was good, nothing out of this world. What was outrageous was charging $18/pint for a Maui brewing company beer... Opted for our local Deschutes Brewery pint for less than half the price. Who pays $18 for a pint of beer? Not anyone from the Pacific Northwest where beer flows like wine... I heard the steaks were delicious - but we didn't have that. Would've been 4 stars if not for the crazy local beer cost. It was just a "good" dinner.
(3)Sadie D.
Probably the worst sushi ive ever had in my whole life all the food we ordered had no flavor and was overpriced the portions were too small and the service was bad as well would not recommend this place
(1)Chris S.
Of all the places in this general resort area we were least impressed here. Being on Hawaii we expected far better sushi. Almost everything we tried didn't taste fresh and half of the items were fishy. Personally, I tried a few pieces and lost my appetite, instead turning to the miso soup and white rice to fill up. We ordered $100 worth of sushi and didn't touch half of it. On the other hand, there is value here, namely on Friday and Saturday nights when from 9:30 till close they do half off the menu (and karaoke). You can come with the locals and see how they let loose when they get off work. Otherwise leave the sushi for when you're on the mainland, unless you live in Kansas, or someone in the central part of the country. If that's the case, you'll probably give this a 5.
(3)Tiger F.
Chef Kodama should be ashamed. The front of the house lady was rude but with a smile. Our server constantly pushed upcharged undersized drinks. Sushi was tasty but the portions were so small. Atmoshere is a throw back to the 80's. All the seating was either not padded or barely padded. This is a sign the owners want you to hurry up...turn and burn. Profit over quality. We had a similiar issue at the Kihei Sansei. We will not be back. corporate greed is what u get here, at least at McDonalds you don't feel hustled.
(2)Kelly L.
* Price: $$$. However, Sunday and Monday from 5 to 6 pm, 1/2 price sushi. 3 stat. * Ambiance: casual. Friendly. 3 star * Location: waikoloa resort area. Queen Market place. Free parking. Good eatery option for the area. 4 star * Meals: consistent with other Sansei in Honolulu. Excellent sushi rolls. 4 star. * Service: friendly and pleasant. 3 + star. This is averaged to 4 star for me. We love Sansei in Honolulu and are glad to find this place in Waikoloa area. We came on new year day for dinner and we're lucky to get seated without reservation. Our server, Courtney l, is pleasant but busy since the place is packed. Our food came out at a good pace. The spider roll is tasty with sesame seeds on the rice and served over chilly fish sauce which is very interesting but working well. The Sansei ramen is standard but not particularly memorable. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and would recommend this restaurant to our friends and family! It is a hit expensive but not overpriced for the area.
(4)Floyd W.
Visiting Kona from Honolulu with mainland guest and decided to dine at Sansei over the past weekend. I have to say we were disappointed in the quality of the food. Two of us ordered the catch of the day and, unfortunately, it was overcooked and dry. The pork chops were ordered by another and they also were served overcooked, dry and tough. This is the first bad experience I've had at a Sansei restaurant. The overall quality of service was fine.
(2)Slappy M.
This is, without a doubt, some of the absolutely worst sushi I've ever eaten. It is painfully clear that people who think this is good do not live in areas with fresh seafood, or good chefs. Whoever develops their sushi rolls needs to be slapped. It takes a special talent to make food taste this poorly. The items on the menu cost far too much for such bad quality.
(1)Nick A.
Sansei is an absolute must dining experience when your in Waikaloa. Make a reservation because there will be a wait to get in if you don't. The staff is friendly and your food will get to you quickly. The menu options are outstanding and there a lot of choices that will fit your needs. I suggest the "Dynamite Shrimp" and the "Maui Steak." It really doesn't matter what you order it will be fantastic. If you don't mind waiting in line get there early for happy hour and you can save money too.
(5)J W.
Yes you must try this on the big island and Oahu!! Best sushi ever. Tried the miso butter fish for the first time here. Omg! Hint: stand in line only on Sundays between 3:30-4pm and get sushi 50% off till six. First come first serve. Opens at 5pm. Worth it with discount or not. (they go shopping for new fish Monday am and this is traditional) If you're in Oahu on Mondays am. O dark thirty go to the fish market and see the auction live!!
(5)Sarah H.
Gotta say, I keep coming here because they serve foie-gras sushi. It's freakin' fantastic. I'm also seduced by the consistent quality of fish, though I think this is less Sansei-specific and more just the remarkable sashimi fish on the island, from Safeways to the Canoe House, the quality of fish available here is just astounding. Sansei has creative, saucy rolls, and tasty fried dishes. They do NOT have fresh wasabi (boo!). They also have super-long wait times for tables, and when we recently sat and ate dinner at the bar, had ABSURD wait times for our food. We waited 45 minutes for our ordered sushi, which is freakin' absurd. I get that we're on vacation and everyone's on Hawaii time, but when I'm hankering for sushi and my wait time AFTER ordering is almost an hour, I'm at the point of gastronomic frustration where I want to slip on an apron, snag a knife and start slicing my own sashimi. Eat here for the foie.
(3)Anna H.
The only reason this is 2 stars is because it wasn't a complete crapshoot. LOCATION: A resort shopping center --- the exterior is nice, but the interior is meh. There's nothing really spectacular about the restaurant itself. SERVICE: So-so. My husband and I went around 6:30 without reservations. When we told the hostess we hadn't made reservations, it seemed like we were inconveniencing her in doing her job, which was slightly irritating. When the hostess sat us at our table, she said it would be awhile due to no reservations --- is it me or should we be serviced the same regardless of having reservations or not? The waitress did make it to our table after about 5mins of waiting and she was pleasant, but seemed frazzled --- she walked past our table twice saying that she needed to do something else before getting to us, which was a bit flustering. Everything, service wise, was mediocre after that. FOOD: Bland, forgettable and EXTREMELY overpriced; our bill came to $60 PRE-tip. We got 2 apps and 2 rolls --- all were average in taste and sloppy in presentation. There's nothing too much more to say about the food.
(2)Magnum P.
Blasting through the Big Island made me hungry and searching for sushi. While the setting in the shopping mall at a resort was a caution sign, the food was decent. I liked the sushi and the noodle dishes. Small and pricey servings but great friendly service. Also the air conditioning is a welcome relief to the Waikoloa heat. I would hit the early bird specials, but be prepared to stand in line.
(3)Annie H.
we went for dinner on a Sunday night and the place was really busy. Good thing I made an online reservation as we hardly had to wait. I tried their ramen, panko crusted ahi sashimi roll and takah sushi roll. Everything was excellent. The ahi roll came almost right away and the server did tell us that there would be a bit of a wait for the other roll bc the sushi bar was busy. The ramen came and we finished and waited another 15 minutes until we got the other roll. It was a bit too long of a wait. Other than that service was friendly and food tasty although a bit on the pricier side.
(4)Lizzie D.
This place is nothing to boast about. This place was designed for the rich, primarily white, tourists that vacation in the Waikaloa area. Tried it out and all the sushi is incredibly over priced. I understand that everything in Hawaii is a little more expensive than the main land but this was just ridiculous. Sushi was sub par, nothing to brag about. The drinks were solid, but how hard is it to mess up a mai tai. The thing that really made the night was they had a truffle snow crab miso soup that was pretty boss. Food came out fast but again, it was not worth the price. I would have rather gone to the ABC market and got some musubi from the deli. Much cheaper and still totally delicious.
(3)Tony L.
If I could, I would rate Sansei as 3 1/2 stars. We stopped by here after checking into our resort, and we decided to stop by since there wasn't a wait to get seated. The restaurant is located in Queen's Marketplace, and there is plenty of parking in the back of the mall. We ordered: Miso butterfish: wow, this was good, nicely broiled. However, you only get four small pieces of fish. Should have ordered two orders. Shrimp dynamite: this dish was pretty good: fried shrimp with aioli and eel sauce. Chinese-style sashimi: thin slices of kampachi with sesame oil, soy sauce and cilantro: not bad, but my least favorite app. Tempura udon: just ok, pretty standard (comes with pork as well). Takah special roll: this was pretty good, with shrimp, ahi and crab Normally, I stick with sushi and sashimi at sushi restaurants, but I really liked the cooked appetizers here, especially the butter fish and the shrimp dynamite.
(3)Rosalina R.
Our stone shrimp drizzle with unagi oil was so delicious so was our ahi roll and our tempura sweet potato was also very very good my friend from Denver was really pleased Service was awesome our waitress was real professional and knew what to recommend as I never ordered there before but ate there prior with someone else doing the ordering; it was my friend from Denver first time going to Sansei he goes to Japanese restaurant in Denver; but the seafood isn't fresh like Sansei Will definitely go back to Sansei especially during happy hour 5:30-6 some of the menu are good prices we got almost $10.00 off on our meal
(5)Nicole K.
Sansei, located in Queen's Market near Waikoloa Beach Resort, is a tourist hot spot! Besides its proximity to a resort, the idea of fresh sushi and "local flavors" is a beacon for anyone visiting Hawaii. Playing tourist myself on a recent trip to the Big Island, we decided to stop by Sansei for dinner and enjoy some sushi. The minute we walked in, we were greeted by the hostess and gave our reservation name. The hostess then turned to her co-worker and said: "I don't remember where I seated them...". Out loud! I was like "Uhh...we better have a table!" They found a table, I guess, and we were seated immediately. I understand that for a busy restaurant, reservations may be shuffled, but don't say out loud that you don't remember where you seated us! Our waitress was incredibly nice and had some terrific recommendations. I ordered the Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Handroll (flavorful but not worth the hype), Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll (loved it - but no rice FYI), Japanese Hamachi & Grilled Shiitake Mushroom Tartare (I loved it, but it was not well received with the rest of my table...), and the Sansei's Granny Smith Apple Tart for dessert (very good). Over all the food was good, but perhaps not worth the price. I've read that there are terrific Happy Hour deals, so that may be a better option for most.
(3)Becca F.
Really good sushi rolls, decent beer selection, gets packed on weekend nights when I'd recommend making a reservation (especially on Fridays during the local's night/happy hour when the restaurant offers super discounts for those seated before a certain time). I recommend the 69 roll and the caterpillar roll. The mango crab role was alright but odd in the sense that it's wrapped in lettuce instead of seaweed. The battered rock shrimp are a good appetizer to share with the table, though they are a little too heavily breaded for my personal taste. The best part of dinner was our waitress, Larissa. Amazing service, great recommendations, and she put up with my weirdo dad's old man jokes. If you are able to request a table in her section you won't be disappointed.
(4)Jeremy H.
I will say that the experience was close to perfect. The wait staff was on it and very nice as well as informative as to the sushi. Wait time was close to none and the food looked amazing. But the fusion of the ingredients and placement of it makes for a meal that appeals to all the senses. It's one thing to go have sushi and it's another to go have Sansei.
(4)Lauren M.
Happy hour is so very worth it! 50% off most of the menu! My friends and I ordered all sushi rolls and here are our favorites: 1. Mango crab salad roll- comes with two smaller rolls, but it has great flavor! Creamy and fresh, I really enjoyed the combination of sweet and salty 2. Takah sushi special roll- fairly standard roll, but tasty! Good size and fresh ingredients 3. Sansei special roll: this was my friends favorite roll. The cilantro went well with the spicy crab. Another sweet and salty combo If you go during happy hour then get there early! (5-6pm Sunday and Monday)
(4)Anna K.
The quality of the sushi rolls was good, with fresh ingredients. Atmosphere wasn't great. Staff was rude, though our waitress was friendly.
(3)Mike S.
Best sushi and sashimi in the Wiakoloa area. We were there for two weeks and ate at most of the restaurants in the area. We had two great meals at Sensai, the management and waiters were very friendly and accommodating, the manager even found us a quiet table when my wife let him know it was my birthday. The prices were very reasonable, and look for the special in the local magazines. The food was the best we had in the Kona coast. The sashimi was firm and tasted very fresh. Would have given this 5 stars, but had one small complaint, they had a crowded bar, and the bartender scolded me for trying to order a beer while standing at the waiters area, so I walked around the bar, and she did not pay me any more attention.
(4)V T.
We finally ventured into Sansei's on our last night on the Big Island. What a surprise and great experience. We got to sit at the sushi bar and our sushi chef was very nice and professional. The sushi and sashimi were better than average. Our misoyaki butterfish was absolutely delicious (much better than Roy's) and to die for. My wife's hamachi was fresh and super delicious. Overall, really good experience and better yet, excellent food. Avoid Roy's and eat here instead.
(4)Romeo V.
Ordered for Dinner: Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll $11 Sashimi grade Hawaiian ahi, arugula and spinach wrapped into a sushi roll, panko-crusted, flash-fried and served with Sansei's mild soy wasabi butter sauce Macadamia Nut Crusted Pork Tenderloin $25 On garlic mashed potatoes with Asparagus and covered in Hollandaise sauce. Shiitake Mushrooms in cabernet demi-glaze. Tempura Fried Macadamia Nut Ice Cream $9 Vanilla ice cream wrapped with buttery pound cake, rolled in roasted macadamia nuts, flash-fried and served with chocolate and caramel sauces Again, I'm not a Sushi enthusiast but this is my favorite restaurant in Hawaii. The Ahi Sashimi Sushi rolls were excellent. The rolls were deep red and flash fried, it melted in your mouth. I ate everything on my plate when I received the Pork Tenderloin, cleaned it up nicely. The dessert was ok to good. I had higher expectations...I'll probably order the Creme Bruelee next time. This is a MUST for Sushi lovers. If you are in Maui, Oahu, or the big island (Waikoloa in Hawaii), you need to go here for dinner one evening. The service we received was excellent. It is definitely worth the trip.
(4)Michael K.
Do yourself a favor, take a break from the junk they are serving at the Hilton and Marriotts and get some REAL food here! GREAT sushi, great menu! Early bird special is a helluva deal! 50% off almost all items on menu on Sundays before 6pm! (but go EARLY, it fills up fast!!)
(4)david l.
Really? It's just OK. Over-priced and over-rated for sure. Not much competition for this restaurant in this area of the Big Island though... The pre-packaged sushi at the upscale grocery store in this same shopping plaza looked tastier.
(3)Ponso P.
your typical Japanese American place. The atmosphere was nice. Wide range of selection for everyone. The wait staff was very good and on top of things.
(3)John L.
Excellent dinner. Was rushed to order to meet the early bird special but well worth it. Can't miss with the menu recommendations.
(4)Alma M.
I liked this place so much that I had to give it two visits during my stay in Waikoloa. The menu is extensive and there's a lot to try. There were only two of us during my visits, but if you go with a group you can probably try more of what they have to offer. This is definitely a place to share dishes. We sat at the bar during both meals, and the bartenders were helpful and made good suggestions for the most part. I gave it four stars because one of the highly recommended dishes (the Hamachi Kama) was good, but not as great as the bartender said it would be. Plus, they were out of the dish the night she suggested it, so I had to go back to try it. The dish did not live up to the hype, but was decent. Now for the rest of the food... I liked everything, but the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Tuna Roll was a standout. The soy wasabi butter sauce was just what the dish needed, and was extremely delicious. I was a little weary about the roll being fried, but it was light and not overwhelming at all! The fish was also really, really fresh. Other standouts include the Mango Crab Salad Roll (the sauce was amazing!), the Miso Butterfish (really light and flavorful), and the Cajun Seared White Tuna Sashimi. I also tried a standard sushi roll, just for good measure, and it was also fantastic. Dessert was also noteworthy... definitely try the tempura fried ice cream. The pound cake crust takes the dish up a notch, and I guarantee that it stands out from any fried ice cream I have had before. The presentation was also thoughfull. Overall, I would say that if you are in the area, this place is a must try. If you are looking for unique dishes, good prices and good time... check it out!
(4)Brian G.
Some dicey reviews here led me to believe good experiences were hit and miss at best and the food would be average at a high price. Sansei was on my do not visit list. That said when my wife insisted on sushi, and I didn't feel like driving all the way to Kona, Sansei is where we ended up. Pros - -- The waitress. I was very thankful we were seated in her section. Not only was she attentive but ran out after we left with my wallet in hand. It had fallen out of my pocket and luckily she found it. Cons - -- There is a disparity between the food they are serving and the price. The special rolls my wife ordered ranged from underwhelming to "meh, I really don't want to eat that." If you end up at Sansei avoid their special rolls especially those from the deep fry. Seriously.
(3)Soo S.
Our friends picked us up from the airport and took us straight to Sansei's for dinner. I was exhausted and nauseated from the flight due to the turbulence so eating was far from my mind. I ended up ordering their Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish and Sansei Style Ahi Poke. We all dove into the plates. I was in heaven. I never had tasted Butterfish or Poke before. They were delicious. Butterfish melted in my mouth and the Poke tasted fresh and marinated to my liking. Everyone else ordered different rolls, but I didn't bother tasting them since I was satisfied with the Butterfish and Poke plates. Service was excellent.
(4)Sam A.
Without a doubt try all six of their award winning sushi dishes. They are simply amazing. I recommend that you arrive before 1730 so you can take advantage of the 25% discount. We dropped $75.00 for two people but worth every penny.
(5)Alan W.
Came here during a short stay at the Hilton Waikoloa and wished I could have found it earlier in the trip. Wife had two sashimi dishes that she says were "awesome!", I had the 16oz New York steak. I did notice the fish all looked extremely fresh and my steak was unreal good. Definitely looking forward to trying DK's in Waikiki now! It blew away Morton's and Ruth Chris! The steak was about $40 and comes with 2 sides. I would say the similar setup at either Morton's or Ruth Chris would come in at $60. I ordered a couple of Kirin draft beers too, they definitely understand that beer must be served cold. I can't wait to go back! Kudos to sushi master "Moose" who knows how to make you feel at home here.
(5)Susyn D.
Went here our last night in Maui. So glad we did. We went to the restaurant in the Kapalua Resort. They said to go if we love sushi and sashimi.There was a 45 minute wait - so what? we ate at the bar. Our bartenders gave us some great sushi and sashimi suggestions. OMG - sushi, sashimi and sake were out of this world!!
(5)k k.
We've dined here a few times. Pretty lively and noisy. The hostesses, wait staff and bartenders have always been great and friendly. Sometimes the servers seem overwhelmed cause its busy. The hardest part is figuring out what to order because the menu is large. Their fusion type rolls are the best bet. Miso soups not bad and edamame good to graze. The food is good but its tourist prices for small portions. They have a deal for early birds that I think is 25% off. Overall not bad for Big Island but would be better with lower prices... We will go back but there are other spots I'd go first.
(3)Ben F.
Every time i think about the time I ate here, my throat itches. came here with a huge party last year for my wife's work trip and had a good time. We ordered like it was nothing, bottles of sochu, sushi and sashmi. Everything was going good, but there was this thing I should of questioned. THE AMA-EBI. I though I was pretty versed in sushi making having worked in in a sushi restaurant. I've never been to Hawaii so what I thought I saw was something only in Hawaii. The ama-ebi I'm used to is pinkish white with a red tail and comes with a fried head. The one's we got were blueish gray, kinda like a tiger prawn, hmm? These were big too, like 16/20's. In my mind i wasn't sure, but I rationalized with myself and said, "maybe these are indigenous Hawaiian ame-ebi", Ate like 4 of them, tasted like ama-ebi, I even insisted that everyone try one as a challenge. Success! I ate the most and didn't feel too good after, mostly in my throat and mouth. hard to breathe and itchy throat. Lesson learned the hard way. I shoulda went with my instinct. I hope you guys over there are reading this. Ama-ebi are not tiger prawns. I need some water.
(1)PAUL T.
Best meal we ate on our trip and we ate at roy's and the four seasons. We had sushi after returning from the observatory visitor center one night and ate there the next night. The food is the best. Maybe not the best ambiance as it is in a shopping center but it is a great place for a great meal.
(5)Rose O.
King crab ramen and granny smith apple tart were absolutely divine. The atmosphere and service is wonderful. We always like coming here to eat even though we live in kona.
(4)Hoa Q.
The prices seem reasonable, but the portions will break your budget. The four of us shared the Japanese Calamari Salad $10, Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish $11, Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll - $13, Sansei Style Ahi Poke - $13, and more. The Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll was my favorite. The fish tasted like butter and melted in your mouth. In general, the fish was really fresh and tender with no fishy smell. The only dish I wasn't really fond of was the calamari because it tasted like krispy orange chicken. At 6PM on a Thursday, the restaurant was very quiet. However, our reservation was booked 1 month ahead.
(4)Jessica A.
We did not go for Happy Hour. Perhaps I would have been more pleased. We got Edamame, Agedashi tofu, Miso butterfish, spicy tuna roll, and Paia Maki. The only thing that was decent was the spicy tuna roll - fish seemed fresh and sauce was tasty. Complaints: Edamame. Really, how do you screw this up? At worst, take frozen edamame out of bag, steam/boil, salt, serve. It came cold and practically raw. I asked them to microwave it which made it slightly more palatable but still pretty sad. Paia Maki roll fell apart pathetically when barely touched with chopsticks. Really nigiri and makizushi comes down to rice. It doesn't take much effort to get fresh fish, especially in Hawaii (one would think anyway, see comments re: butterfish below). A roll should never, ever disintegrate like that. If it does, it means the chef screwed up the rice to rice vinegar ratio that day or let it dry out. Miso butterfish sauce was rich to the point of being inedible hiding less than fresh butterfish. Agedashi tofu looked appealing enough but was a flavorless, gelatinous mass inside. The Mirin-Soy Dashi was delicious but not good enough to save it. The service was very good and the place's only saving grace was that upon seeing our barely touched butterfish and agedashi, our server removed then from the bill. Nonetheless, doesn't begin to compare with Northern California or even some of the sushi places in Boston. Expected much more from Hawaii.
(2)Rollin R.
Amazing sushi, best in Waikola. Tried the omakase, but only the sushi rolls were memorable and this is coming from a tough NYC sushi critic! Try the tuna panko crusted rolls and all of their specialty rolls are good. They try too hard with their pan-Asian wanna be hot dishes with duck sauce and sweet and sour doused all over the food. Not good unless you're from the mid-west and never had real Asian food before. Skip the entree hot dishes and go right for the sushi. Ambiance isn't great but who cares when you're on vacation at a nice resort area.
(4)Bruges L.
The sushi is excellent and the sushi chefs prepare the sushi super fast. We tried the Miso Butterfish appetizer - absolutely delicious - the fish melts in your mouth, the Seaweed Salad, the Ahi Poke, the Spider Roll, the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll, and the Takah Sushi Special Roll. The fish is very fresh. If you sit at the sushi bar, the sushi chefs are very attentive. The downside is the service and Sansei needs some major work on that end. The hostess was easily distracted. We told the hostess when we arrived that we had reservations and the restaurant had several empty tables. However, she did not seat us and seemed confused on what she needed to do. We had to wait another 5 to 10 minutes before a manager noticed us and asked if we had been helped. When we told him that we had a reservation, he seated us promptly. Furthermore, when we sat at the sushi bar, we had to repeatedly to try to flag down our waiter because the sushi chefs can't take drink orders. The sushi chef eventually had to track down our waiter in order to get the bill. The waiter never came back to refill water glasses or check on us.
(3)Burt K.
We had dinner at Sansei Waikoloa. When I first walked in I was reading the menu at the hostess counter. A waiter came by and flopped a bunch of menus on the menu that I was reading. I thought that was rude but I did not say anything. The hostess sat us with indifference. We ordered sushi platters for our first course. Two out of three was good. The third sushi dish was bland although they all had fancy names. The service was very slow. The waiter had to apologize for the slow service for the main dish and the dessert. I ordered the Japanese roasted chix which was too salty for my taste. The apple tart was a flattened pastry with a scoop of ice cream. D Kodama should address this restaurant because I rate it a lot lower than Roy's
(1)Erin W.
I would have rated as a 5-star however it took my boyfriend alot of rolls to satisfy his tummy. The sushi was phenominal, I loved everything we had. Many were recommendations and I was so happy we tried new items outside of the norm we usually order at home. Next time we will make sure to hit the 50% off nights/times! My favorite was the Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Hand Roll. The others highlights were: Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll, Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish (this one isn't a roll, it's fish that melts in your mouth..yummm). We also had the spider roll & spicy tuna roll.
(4)sam w.
This place is over rated. If you've had fresh sushi in California, this place will pale in comparison. We liked their fois gras roll and that was about it.
(2)Nathan B.
My review will be slightly different than many others, as I came here on a Saturday night around 11:00 PM and did not eat. We heard that there was free karaoke and smokin' deals on drinks and sushi, so we had to check it out our last night in Waikoloa. We got a table and settled in for a good time. The place seemed to be filled with locals who were absolutely killing it on the karaoke. Mostly love songs were being performed, but this was no amateur hour - these people could SING! The waiter happily set us up with all the Sake Bomb fixings and away we went! A couple people had some sushi rolls, and the one bite I tried was good. Definitely a fun place to check out.
(4)Lilah M.
I was very excited to have a Sansei finally open here, having eaten there on Oahu and Maui, but the Big Island one lacks a lot in ambiance, and the food is nowhere near as good as the other versions. When we were first sat, we were placed right under an air conditioning vent going full blast, and a light so bright, I thought the Hawaii police force was going to interrogate me as I dined. Very bright and frosty cold are not a good dining combo. The entire dining room is bright, actually. It's surprising to me, considering that they built this place from scratch, that this is the vibe they were going for. Everyone I know who goes there says this. Why so bright, DK? Onto the food, some of it was good, some of it was downright awful. I love sushi and have eaten at some of the best places in the entire world. It is not like me to let any sushi go to waste, but there were some items that just didn't work, like their BLT roll, which was incredibly dry. The sushi was standard issue, pretty mediocre. Had I ordered bit by bit, I would not have tried so much the food. I would have called it a day after several items. I didn't hate it, but I found it just okay. I definitely would not drive from Kona to go there again, especially when we have Kenichi's and Sushi Kazu so close. If you're in the neighborhood and want sushi, go here. I just wouldn't go out of my way to dine here.
(2)Eugene H.
We were here during our honeymoon and were very lucky to have this restaurant near our hotel. You need to try the restaurant sampler which features small portions of the restaurant's signature dishes. It turned out to be the best dining experience for us during our whole trip to Hawaii. They also have early bird specials for 25-50% of sushi and entrees, but it gets really crowded fast, so arrive early! We saw this restaurant in Waikiki and Maui as well.
(5)Keromi K.
I've eaten at Sansei in Maui a few times and figured the one on the Big Island would be similar. The employees here just seem miserable or uninterested. The moment we walked in, the guy behind the desk basically rolled his eyes when he saw us. It was still early, but he gave us the "Do you have a reservation?" bad attitude. I looked at around and it was barely full. After making a big show of putting our name down, he said "She'll decide what to do with you" and pointed to the hostess on the phone. Ummm... ok. After that, things just got worst. Our waiter forgot an entree and tried to insist that we didn't order it. Our sushi came way late and after the rest of our party had finished their entrees (which were tiny by the way). Food wise, it tasted fine but was too expensive for what you get. No one greeted us goodbye when we left but just looked like they would rather be working somewhere else. Yeesh......
(2)Mike W.
Nice place. Sushi is good, not amazing, with one exception: the dragonfly roll was fantastic. However, you get what you pay for, it costs $18.
(4)brian m.
I have eaten here several times now and have not been dissapointed!
(4)Heather C.
Creative rolls, fresh fish (try the ahi poke), and the 1/2 priced late night special can't be beat. Ambiance is either empty or packed (karaoke nights). Definitely one of the more lively spots in Waikoloa.
(4)MrSantaMonica K.
a must when you visit the Big Island and also Maui... sushi is to die for, but my fave is the ahi tuna... the wine selection is very good but watch out, a glass of chalk hill chard (I hate chardonnay) is over $20/glass...
(4)Jason M.
This is just like the Sansei location in Kihei, but the space is a bit more spacious and upscale. I had the Tasting Menu for two, which we split with three people. Fantastic - I particularly loved the Japanese-style calamari. Service was excellent, and they were able to squeeze us in on a Friday even though we didn't have reservations. If you're going for the 50% off everything after 10pm special, definitely call ahead for reservations.
(4)George W.
I have been to Sansei's In Maui and it was fabulous so I was looking forward to returning to a different location in the big island in hopes of receiving the same quality, service and attentiveness. Sadly, the big island location in Waikola is everything but. First of all, we were seated and told that there weren't enough menus so they would bring us menus. We waited about 10 minutes to receive menus. Another 15 minutes go by and we are finally asked if we wanted something to drink. 10 minutes go by and we receive our drinks. We place our orders. 2 people get their meal, 20 minutes later the rest of the table receives their food only to have it sent back due to un-cooked noodles. This Is not something I expect from a DK restaurant and I am throughly disappointed and plan to write negative reviews on every website I can find in regards to this horrible service. I can also guarantee that the 5 other people at my table will write their share of reviews regarding this. Sanseis of Waikoloa- Big Mistake. You need to learn how to treat your customers as guests!
(1)Brian S.
Food is very good. Service is good. Location is decent. For the location, the prices are very good. I am a sushi fanatic and the food quality and variety are very good. Very safe bet for a low key sushi place in a resort setting. I would go here again.
(4)Paul H.
Thought everything was great, would come back for sure.
(4)Janine D.
Located at Queen's Shop next to the food court, Sansei has great service, great food and decent atmosphere. For New Year's Eve they gave out party favors to everyone which was cool. We came here twice during our 1 week stay at the Big Island. Too bad they don't have outside seating for the beautiful weather. Note: they have 50% off food specials on Sunday and Mondays and 25% off the rest of the days between, don't quote me on this, 5PM and 6PM. For the 50% off, start lining up at 4:30PM, or half an hour before the special begins. Take it from a sushi hog, their sushi is fresh; it has good texture and flavor. They didn't have albacore. Their truffle crab ramen soup was a bit salty for me but delicious to my boyfriend. They also have some organic steaks there so that is a big plus for me. Watch Food, Inc. and you'll understand why organic steak, chicken, etc is important. It permanently changed the way my boyfriend and I eat.
(4)william p.
I've been to Sasei on Maui and the Big Island. I particuarly like their early bird special. It's good for chain sushi but it is expensive during peak hours. I am not sure that I would eat there during prime dinner hours. The value isn't there for me.
(3)Alex M.
The Food: Delish and unique sushi rolls! I visited twice in 10 days and some of my friends even went there 3 times. We had a variety of starters, rolls, etc. Everything was excellent! Following are some of the must haves, although I don't think you'll go wrong with anything: Japanese Calamari Salad- It was soooo good. The fried calamari was very tasty..it had a tangy, almost buffalo-wing sauce on top. It's actually a spicy kochujang vinaigrette. Sansei's Shrimp Dynamite- It was, well, DYNAMITE Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll- A definite must taste Seared Foie Gras Nigiri Sushi The decor is fine...who cares if it's not the best layout, as long as the food is delish and, being the sushi snob that I am, it was! This is one of my favorite restaurants in all of Hawaii, located in Waikoloa on Hawaii's Big Island- Queen's Shops... it's better than Roy's which is across the street at King's Shops. Although I love the chocolate souffle at Roy's...YUM. They have great meal deals after 10pm and karaoke nights too. Fun! The service was fine! However, you have to keep in mind that you're on Hawaii...not New York City. So things are done at a slower place and you really should take it down a couple of notches. I recommend that unless you have a plane to catch, slow down and soak in the Aloha spirit....sip a cold sake, and enjoy the food and leisurely pace of the Islands.
(4)Kate M.
We ordered the pre-fix menu; that was amazing. Every dish they brought out had such great flavors and beautiful presentation. The service was great; menu items were brought out just as we finished the last course on the table. My favorite dish was a calmari; that tasted like it was served in a buffalo sauce.
(5)Keit K.
Good food, not the best, but right next to the best, what can you expect for the price? Decent affordable prices especially if I'm on vacation. Came here at six pm and they have a 25% off sale on everything if you order before a certain time. Bill came out to $90 for 3 people. Friendly staff.
(4)Alecia M.
We recently visited Sansei in Waikoloa during the early bird special hours. Not only was the food absolutely amazing (we enjoyed a wide selection of various sushi, sashimi, as well as the dry aged ribeye - wow!), but the service was exceptional as well. Our server was friendly and helpful, and he also made sure that everything was to our liking. He also brought out some extras for our two year old son at no charge - an extra bowl of rice, miso soup, and later, a kids-sized deluxe sundae. The dry-aged ribeye was amazing - cooked exactly to order, so tender and juicy and flavorful that I had to fight off the rest of my family who wanted to "help" me with it. We enjoyed our evening so much that we returned the following evening as well. We enjoyed the filet Mignon as well as some exceptional deserts - the fried macadamia nut ice cream was remarkable, and the warm chocolate cake was outstanding.
(5)C K.
I thought that a seafood joint on an island would be more impressive than this. The saving grace was that we ordered the prix fixe menu for two and the value was good-- a lot of their most popular dishes included, but to be honest, I can't remember much of anything that I ate. Let's take their calamari dish for example-- it came with fried calamari on top of a whole lot of greens with some sauce. I was an English major and I am aware of many laudatory adjectives, but the aforementioned dish doesn't warrant any. I also remember thinking that the seafood wasn't that fresh or that well cooked. Could this have anything to do with the new fishing regulations surrounding the Hawaiian islands? This is the kind of place I might take a date if I were a 15-year-old boy feigning sophistication.
(3)Christian D.
Five of us got there after a long drive... the place is pack with local teenagers just hanging out. The place is extremely loud, and it got worse when they fired up the karaoke machine. They had a special "50% off appetizers". We ordere like 3 per person. The waitress couldn't hear our order, and was already hostile at that point. Then brought random plates to our table without telling us what it was, and was rude when we asked. The food we ordered, mostly "asian fusion" was awful! The soups were lukewarm, and tasteless, the rest was straight of a fryer, dripping oil. We're so glad we didn't order the sushi, if the quality of the fish was as bad as the rest. Finally, when the check arrived. They charged us 18% tip on the full price for a horrible service and meal, and when we asked to either let us tip ourselves or have the tip calculated on the price on the check, not the menu price, the waitress refused, cursed at us, then said that the manager was out. Finally, as we were leaving, she yelled at us and told the bouncers at the door to "stop us" (as if we were running away) because I happened to have signed the "customer copy" and not the "merchant copy". Incredible... I have never been treated this poorly !
(1)David W.
I am giving Sansei five stars not because the food is as good as it gets, but merely because I had a great dinner experience, mainly for two reasons: 1) I got to enjoy a good meal with my mom and 2) the hostess was probably the cutest girl I've seen on this trip to the Big Island. I know the two don't make for an ideal scenario, but I made the best of it, drinking lots of green tea and making frequent trips to the bathroom by the front entrance so I can smile awkwardly at her. Hawaiian girl with colored contacts and a flower in your right ear (that means you're single right?) - if you're reading this, holler! Anyway, on to the food! Out of all the restaurants we tried on the Big Island, Sansei by far came with the most recommendations, local and otherwise. Plus I had a monster workout right before dinner and had built up a huge appetite, so the conditions were right to get our grub on. After asking our server for some sushi recommendations, we went with the shrimp dynamite (appetizer), salmon sashimi (my favorite!), o-toro nigiri (one of the daily specials), spider roll (I always try this at every new Japanese restaurant I visit), panko crusted ahi sashimi roll and the yaki-maki roll. Again, this wasn't mind-blowing sushi, but I would say it is the best sit-down meal at a non-grub restaurant I enjoyed on the Big Island. The custom-made sauces for each roll were all very tangy or zesty, and I only used my soy sauce and wasabi for the sashimi and nigiri - even then, I dipped very sparingly because the fish was all super fresh. Breaking it down: Dynamite shrimp: if you like honey glazed walnut shrimp at your local Americanized Chinese restaurant, you'll like this even better. Spider roll: nothing particularly special about the roll itself - spider crab leg was fresh, batter was good and the rice was good as expected of Japanese short grain. The roll was served on a bed of tangy sauce with chilis and a hint of either mango or apricot, and it really topped off the dish! Yaki-maki roll: California roll (with real crab, thank goodness) wrapped in smoked salmon and baked with special ponzu sauce. Again, the sauce was super delicious, very similar to the sauces used on seared fish or baked scallop rolls. I would have preferred the salmon to be raw instead of baked, but the quality of fish was so good that even baked the salmon was still super tender. Ahi sashimi roll: this was pretty interesting; sashimi grade ahi tuna wrapped with spinach, rice and seaweed, covered in panko and then flash fried. I really enjoyed the mini battle of textures in my mouth, but again the sauce really brought the runners home. Salmon sashimi: I have unfairly high standards for salmon sashimi, so to say that I enjoyed this dish means a lot, even though it wasn't the best I've ever had. The fish was very fresh, and the slices were cut so that pieces ALMOST melted in my mouth. Almost, but not quite. But at 6 pieces for $10, definitely worth it. O-toro nigiri: I'm not picky but I know what I like, and fatty tuna is one of the few fish I enjoy as much as good salmon. THIS DISH HIT HOME. Upon entering your mouth, the Japanese imported o-toro immediately melts like butter, leaving you to enjoy its rich taste with the sprinkling of green onions upon a bed of vinegar treated Japanese rice and a little bit of wasabi. If this is on the specials menu, please do yourself a favor and order it. Green tea ice cream: not excessively sweet, very rich and a great way to top off a great meal. Great ambiance, one of the few crowded restaurants we visited on our trip, cute friendly staff, and good food at a reasonable price (most sushi orders were around the $15 range - we didn't check out the drink prices though). If you're on the Kona side of the Big Island, GO GET IT. Cute hostess girl please send me a message or something.
(5)Janet K.
The worst Japanese food I have had in awhile. Plus the restaurant was ridiculously noisy and had terrible decor - tacky plastic square plates, plexiglass over the tables and hard wooden benches in the booths. The miso soup and udon noodles were lukewarm. The beef was too salty and the white rice mushy. The waitress forgot our hot tea but we didn't remind her because we figured it would come out cold. It is surprising that it has received so many good reviews - perhaps the area does not have enough decent alternatives. I recommend Merriman's and even Macaroni Grill.
(1)John N.
This is a great sushi place. We had dinner here the first night we arrived on the island and were not disappointed. The sushi is extremely fresh and delicious. If it were a little less expensive, I would have given it 5 stars.
(4)Kathy M.
My son, husband and I were visiting the Big Island and thought we would check out the food here since all we noticed were nothing but great reviews. We were sorely disappointed with the service as soon as we stepped foot into this place. Our waitress was very rude and short with us. Very disappointing!!! We were going to have a meal there but, decided the service was so bad we would only stay for a round of tropical drinks which were great and my son had an amazing appetizer, as for the sushi, it was the worst we've ever had. If your looking for great sushi - you have to check out Sushi Rock in Hawi approx. 25 miles north of Waikoloa Beach Resort. We ended up going to the Hilton Waikoloa Beach Resort for Dinner and it was AMAZING!!!! The food, service and location with an ocean front view was wonderful 4.5 star. So glad we decided to go elsewhere to enjoy great food and the service to match!!!
(2)BrokeDaMou F.
I've been to the other 2 Sanseis on Maui, and this one is the same. Very fresh fish. In fact, I think fresher than Sushi Kazu and Sushi Shiono in Kailua-Kona. The Sushi rice was just okay. You can't beat the Special pricing if you are there between 5:30 when they open and 6 pm. But you may get "day-old" fish, you never know. Personally, I've had good luck and bad when coming to other Sanseis before 6 pm, so I don't do it any more. If you get a "fried" roll, try to order only one kind, they start to taste the same after a while. Service was great, and parking is ample.
(4)Neal L.
Just came back. Nice restaurant with wide choice including my wife's favorite mentaiko. Fitted us in on a Friday night without reservations, albeit at the close of season. A little pricey all things considered but everything in this area is.
(4)Michael Z.
Here on a 10 day vacation in Hawaii, and I was going to wait to review all of the restaurants when I got back to Oregon. But I needed to write this tonight while it was fresh in my mind. Sansei stands for triple A service Those a's stand for atrocious, abysmal and awful. Four of us sat down, and when the waitress came over, she took our drink orders, followed by our sushi and dinner orders. 10 minutes later a few dishes arrived. 10 minutes later some other dishes arrived. I had ordered three portions of sashimi, miso, and a bowl of sticky rice. So we now have two partial deliveries, we had not yet received our drinks, and I'm getting a little peeved. The drinks finally arrive, and my sashimi, but no miso and no rice. One of our dinner companions questioned the server as to where the rice was, and we immediately got attitude, replying ."the food comes out when the food comes out.." Also, it drives me crazy when the servers don't know who gets what, and they get it wrong here every time.In the end the food and sushi was just OK, but with terrible service and very uncomfortable seating, I wanted to score this place with one star, my companions talked me into upping it to a two. We come to Hawaii a lot, and we have our normal rotation of restaurants, but Sansei won't be joining that rotation.
(2)Mark B.
We are huge fans of Sansei in Kapalua (Maui) and were looking forward to dining at this location ever since we booked our trip to the Big Island. What a huge letdown! Nothing was fresh. Everything looked and tasted as if it had been sitting in the freezer for a long while. When we asked the chef for a recommendation for something fresh, he said what we had been eating was the freshest fish he had. That was enough for us to know we had to cut our losses and leave. The fact that we could make a same day reservation should have tipped us off that this location was a poor imitation of it's Maui brethren. Never going back to this locale.
(1)R K.
decor: my gf and expected this place to be nicer looking, especially with its location. it was a bit odd and the furniture selection was on the economical side. service: the hostesses was a bit lost. she took forever to seat people even though there were plenty of tables open. after waiting for about 15 min, she was finally able to take our name. she then looked around for two minutes, crossed off our name and finally sat us (she did this with other parties in front of us). wtf?? out waitress was not very attentive, a bit slow, and forgot one of our orders. food: it was ok. not good but not bad either. the sushi chefs looked really young (early 20's) and not japanese or even asian. if i'd seen that when i first walked in, i probably would have left. that said, i rather just have some sushi and japanese bowls at the island gourmet market in the same center. better food and cheaper.
(3)T K.
Went last night. Waited in line for 1 hour in the hot sun prior to opening. They let us in 10 minutes late. Rushed our food. The rolls were small and falling apart. They literally threw them together. I thought their special matched the quality of the food 1/2 priced sushi for half quality sushi. Drive 20 min. to Waimea and try Red River.
(1)Emily S.
My husband and I went to Sansei during our 5 day kid-free vacation at the Marriott and had our best dinner on the island. Food was terrific - and we eat a fair amount of sushi at home, so we are moderately picky. Ordered the $80 tasting menu (for 2 people!! great deal!!) and couldn't believe how much food was served. The first 4-5 dishes were the best - somewhat surprising tastes and great presentation. The Panko Crusted Ahi Sushi and Sashimi Roll was fabulous (must try!) as was the Mango and Crab Salad Hand Roll. The Japaense Calamari Salad was perfect - couldn't recommend higher. Neither of us was as big a fan of the last two courses - the ravioli and the butterfish - but that also could have been because we were so stuffed that we were having trouble eating more food. Overall, I'd say it was 4.5 starts - not perfect, but easily the best food we had on the island - and without spending a zillion dollars! If we hadn't wanted to try a bunch of places, I would have eaten here more than once.
(4)Jenny V.
Having been to the Sansei Seafood on Maui in Kapalua, we were eager to try the Sansei on the Big Island. Unfortunately, this was a huge mistake. Sansei is located in the shops in Waikoloa and is really easy to find. There is ample parking and they take reservations. That's where my review should end because if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say it, right? Well, here goes. We had reservations for 4 persons and showed up about 10 minutes early. Despite the fact that there were about 10 empty tables, we were asked to wait. Since there really wasn't any place to wait, we stood around the hostess station. Once we were seated and given menus, we were deserted by the staff. We were in the middle of the restaurant so it wasn't as if they couldn't see us. When the server finally showed up, our friends ordered the prix fixe menu as the 5 course meal seemed pretty close to what they had been looking at on the regular menu. My husband and I ordered a few sushi rolls and one main entree. We were appalled when the server came out a while later and literally threw the friends' first course on the table in front of them with no explanation. We didn't get our first roll for another 15 minutes, about the same time the friends' 2nd course came out. Having ordered the same roll as our friends' third course, we were a little concerned that we were eating their food because the server then delivered ALL of the friends' remaining courses as well as three rolls for us. No explanation, even when asked. And the food? In a word, inedible. Every "roll" was about 4 pieces (not what we had experienced in Maui), had more "salad" on the plate than anything else, and everything seemed to have been deep or flash fried (not in the menu description). The main entree was cold, the sushi was warm. YUCK!!!! We were so disappointed, we actually mentioned it to the server and she just nodded then dropped off the bill for a ridiculous sum considering we had no alcohol and barely any food. I would never go back.
(1)Jen C.
You know that feeling you get after eating awesome sushi - you're pleasantly full, jazzed and happy with the world? If you know what I'm talking about, then this place will be a big disappointment for you. My husband and I ordered some of their signature dishes, the butterfish and the shrimp cakes. Those were pretty good for the most part, especially the butterfish. The sushi was "meh". We ordered their spicy tuna crunch which was sweet and squishy, not spicy at all. We also ordered one of their signature rolls (something with crab, tuna, avocado, etc) and I thought it was mushy and gloppy. I was really looking forward to eating delicious sushi but this was not the place. Other complaints: It was a Saturday night and the place was DEAD. The lighting was so bright and the decor was so cheesy I thought I was in a cross between Benihana and TGIFS. We cut our meal short and were back in our hotel within the hour.
(3)Jennifer D.
We came here on Monday at 5pm, and we really lucked out! Turns out that Sansei does a happy hour thing where the majority of the week, from 5p-6pm, you get 25% off the menu, with the exception of drinks and certain "special" items (expensive) like lobster. However, on Sunday and Monday, you get FIFTY PERCENT off! HALF! Wow. So, we got sunomono for $2, which was very cool and fresh. We also tried out their award winning panko crusted ahi tuna roll ($6.50), which was deep fried. I always steer clear of deep fried rolls, but this one got an award, so we tried it. It was not greasy, and fresh tasting with the extra spinach inside, and the ahi tuna was not cooked at all, so the roll was probably flash fried. We also tried out their award winning mango crab roll ($5.50) which was fresh tasting and I enjoyed. We got the butterfish ($6.50) which was melt in your mouth delicious, and it haunts me to this day....I want more! We also tried out a takah roll ($6) which was tasty, not memorable. The portions are not huge, but the presentation was nice. The already added 17% gratuity was based off of pre-discounted price, so the grand total was $36.64, which was tremendously less than what I was planning to pay at a fancy Asian fusion-ish Sushi restaurant in this part of Hawaii. (This area is resort central, and you've got all your fancy pants restaurants up here.) I probably wouldn't pay full price, because I'm not that rich, which is why we didn't go back. However, I found the food to be delicious and a real treat.
(5)Cyndy L.
Great steak and loved the king crab ramen. Kids liked the shrimp tempura. Friendly service but did not appreciate how the waitress tried to push extra alcohol on us. Kind of pricey but there is a 25% early bird discount before 6:00.
(4)Geoff And Jenni G.
We had a mediocre to average experience at this restaurant... the staff were great - super helpful and extremely friendly, but the food didn't match our expectations... especially with all the marketing bumf they have about famous this, award winning that... :-(
(2)Ramona A.
I was shocked when I went to this site and read the great reviews. My husband and I went on a Sunday evening and were seated promptly. For the prices on the menu I expected a little better decor than cheapie Burger King seats but I heard the food was good... As we were sitting down the waitress asked us what we would like. We told her it would be nice to have a look at the menu to see if there were any specialty drinks. Within less than a minute she came back again. We sent her away one more time and felt so rushed to order that we did, hoping that would keep her busy. Within 5 minutes we had our appetizers and as I was cutting mine (we hadn't even started eating them yet) they brought out our entrees and assured us our sushi was on it's way. While we ate our appetizers our sushi got warm and out entrees got cold. Our waitress came every few minutes to ask how things were (I lost track after 6 times) and I learned to keep my fork in my hand or the busboy would come and try to take my plate away if I put it down. I'm a slow learner so it took 2 attempts at him trying to take my appetizer away before I learned! I've been in the restaurant business my whole life and have eaten at many but never (never!) in my life had I had such a horrible meal. The food was great but the service was the worst ever. I've dealt with "burnem and turnem" but this was extreme!! They had us in and out within 30-45 minutes and we paid $160 for 2. At those prices I would expect better service with a more leisurely pace. Great food, bad decor, bad service, high prices for what you get. You decide if you want to chance it.
(1)Anastasia H.
Tempura sweet potato: purple sweet potato(less "sweet" than a orange sweet potato but has a good flavor with the special sauce), mango hand rolls (two hand rolls with two or three chunks of mango each and a sweet Thai sauce), spicy tuna roll( accidentally got the crunchy spicy roll which was good but not sure it would be worth the extra money). Altogether I would recommend but make sure they get you the right meal and charge you for what you order.
(4)Pat L.
We went at 5:30 on a Sunday, 1 seat left at regular bar. We were told 30 minute wait and we could have the 1 seat until something else opened. As soon as we received our drinks we were told that the seat was already spoken for after all. So we would need to stand for 30 minutes. We tried to pay our bar tab but the bartender would not look our way. We paid at hostess station and left a well deserved 30 cent tip. This location not run well like other locations, beware!
(2)Kathy C.
Love this place! Worth standing in line for the 50% off days. We've been to the kona and Maui locations. Our favs are the miso butterfish, panko crusted ahi, and the Granny Smith apple tart but honestly we enjoyed everything we've tried. One of our must haves whenever we are in Hawaii.
(5)Ryan K.
Best butterfish I've ever had.
(5)Tai M.
Sansei seems to be consistent at all of their restaurants. They were able to take a walk-in group of 11 of us on Saturday night with no problems. Food and service was good.
(4)Cindy L.
Happy Hour on Sunday and Monday from 5pm to 6pm. 50% off most menu items, excluding drinks. We got there at around 5:40 pm on Sunday night, the place was already packed. Luckily, the host was nice enough to give us a table by the kitchen. We ordered the Panko crusted ahi roll, mango crab meat roll, taka roll, Nisei sushi set, crab meat saimin and side order of ikura. Everything was delicious, the food came quickly, service was friendly. Total bill was $67 with 17% gratuity. Definitely a good deal considering all the resort prices we've been paying at Waikoloa.
(4)Ned B.
We went here because a friend suggested it. Should have ignored him. We were greeted and seated immediately since we were eating at the sushi bar. Our waitress came and took our drink order promptly. Then thing went downhill real fast. I ordered a non-flavored ice tea. What i got was raspberry ice tea. I ask the waitress to replace it and she became furious and that was the last time we saw her. Thank god we were at the sushi bar otherwise we would not have received any food. We found the sushi to be average at best. it wasn't bad but not exceptional. There are two Sansei's on Maui which are really good places to eat. This place will never see us again.
(1)Kimberly A.
Holy cow...or fish. My family and I ate here while on vacation in Hawaii and we had such a wonderful time. The food was fresh and delicious. The menu was large enough that those of us who don't usually eat sushi (that'd be me) could experiment with some fishy things and order non-fishy things (the fish was so good, though!). The service was excellent. Our server was helpful, but not pushy.The hostess was really friendly, too! I would highly recommend Sansei to anyone visiting the Big Island and looking for a fun, family-friendly, delicious dining experience.
(5)Lyn C.
I always enjoy Sansei. There are several locations around Hawaii and I have never had a bad encounter at one. I feel like The Big Island doesn't have as large of an array of choices for food as some of the other islands. We did reserve a table ahead of time bc it does get crowded. Thankfully it was pretty easy and we were able to get some shopping done in the mall while waiting for our table. Our waitress was really cool. Chill, checked up on us regularly, and didn't rush us. She gave great tips on what to get and was very attentive! All the food is always good. I can't remember some of the rolls that we got but the items worth mentioning are: Shrimp dynamite Panko crusted ahi- my favorite Lobster crab ravioli- 3 pieces; good but a little too rich for my tasting Other honorable mention foods that we didn't order are the ramen and foie gras... Illegal in Cali so why not get it here!! Go during HH to get food 50% off!
(5)Ella A.
Panko crusted ahi is amazing!! The portion of shrimp dynamite gets smaller each time i go, but its still badass yummy. Its a hit and miss with the servers. Sometimes you get some that are beyond amazing and other times it falls short.
(5)Sara D.
Good quality. Good but didn't blow us away. Ambiance was average because it's in a shopping center.
(3)Kozue M.
Love this place! If you're looking for a good casual dining place this is the restaurant to go to! I would make a reservation if I were you because it gets pretty busy. They are able to accommodate big groups; both times that I went, we had about 10 of us. For the restaurant to be busy, the service is pretty quick. Now for the must haves: shrimp dynamite, miso butterfish, sansei special roll, & beef teriyaki! Since it's a touristy place, they do bump up the price but it's still pretty good! I've been to the one in Oahu too; I might like that one better because they have local performers at night.
(4)Jeff L.
The food and service were good, but after two days from eating there I can't think of anything that stood out as excellent and that is why I'm only giving a three star. We enjoyed the crab Ramen noodle soup and the tempura battered ice cream was good. Sushi quality was average. I recommend going right at opening to take advantage of 25% discount otherwise you can easily spend $40+ a person. Drinks are expensive as is the food, but that goes for just about any restaurant. Note to non alcohol drinkers : you will be charged a $2 bar fee even when ordering a tropical fruit juice.
(3)Jack L.
Sansei is definitely a decent eatery and a convenient place to grab some sushi in Waikoloa. However, the whole place just screams "A-OK" or "average." At arrival, the hostess promptly seated us in the middle of the dinning room. The place was packed, and it got quite noisy pretty quickly. Unfortunately, it was hard to hear others at our table. Our server was very pleasant and working hard throughout the entire meal. However, it was somewhat awkward when she just randomly stepped away for a couple of moments in the middle of describing the specials. She later apologized and told us she was closing out another table. Not the best customer service, but nothing terrible. All of the food was just average. I forget the names of the rolls, but we went with the famous Mango and Crab Hand Roll, the Veggie Roll with Asparagus, the Spicy Salmon Skin Roll, the Tempura Shrimp Hand Roll with Tuna, the Japanese-Jerk Spiced Chicken, and the Tempera Combination Platter with Shrimp and Veggies. Many of the items were very average and just lacked boldness or refinement. The Jerk Chicken was actually very flavorful and tasty, but the skin was not crispy and was unappealing with a rubbery texture. The temperua platter was average, but the veggies were completely drowning in batter. I had to pull most of the batter off the sliced veggies to make them remotely appealing. The best dish of the evening was definitely the Mango Crab Hand Roll. The flavor composition was spot on, and the rolls were light and refreshing. Overall, a decent sushi spot in Waikoloa. However, it certainly didn't compare to sushi joints back in the Bay Area.
(3)Keandra S.
This place is amazing!!! Trust! The Best sushi I've ever had in 39 years! And I know sushi!!
(5)Baby's Away Big Island H.
We recommend Sansei Seafood & Sushi Bar as the best sushi restaurant on the Big Island. The service is excellent and the food choices are plentiful and very tasty. This is a place where local people and visitors to the island can enjoy food from the island.
(4)Patrick J.
Excellent sushi while visiting Kona. The restaurant is located in the Queens shopping center near the Hilton Waikaloa Resort. Our goal on this trip was to eat as much seafood as possible. We had poke at Umeke's the first night and after a lot of running around and sightseeing that day, we stopped in to Sansei on the recommendation of a couple we met. We ordered the Tuna carpaccio, Crab ramen, a Dragonfly roll, and the Shrimp dynamite. We also ordered a couple of specialty cocktails from the menu. The food and drinks were excellent, but the Carpaccio and Crab Ramen were the stand outs. Great place with a very relaxed atmosphere. If you get there between 5:30 and 6:30, you get an automatic 25% discount on the entire check including drinks. Great deal and the sushi is excellent.
(4)Natalie O.
Ambience is good. Waitstaff wonderful. Sushi is good. Do not get steak. Was a total waste of $45. Pan fried with butter not grilled. It was gross. Never again.
(2)Dania-Maria K.
We came here for our one year anniversary dinner, my man listened to me ramble on about how I wasn't sure what I wanted and I mentioned Japanese food once and he knew we needed to come here. We were seated in a booth (the lovely staff made that happen for us) and menus were handed to us promptly. We ordered the panko crusted spinach ahi sashimi sushi roll and edamame for our appetizers. Wow, I was very impressed with the award winning (as it states on the menu) panko crusted sashimi roll. The wasabi butter sauce was bomb! The dish was very well made and delicious. Next we ordered the Nissei combination plate. All the fish on that was fresh and very tasty. The roll of choice to add to that for us was the spicy tuna, I couldn't get enough of it. We also ordered the unagi eel roll and the California roll to round off our meal and man, were we stuffed. Since it was our anniversary our server, unexpectedly and surprisingly, brought out a free creme brulee (which is one of my top favorite desserts). We enjoyed that sucker real quick and were very satisfied. Overall the experience was a good one. The service was very fast and friendly, we had a great time celebrating us that evening.
(4)Donald F.
Excellent food! Don't know what the negativity is about. Food came out quickly and 25% off before 6 pm. Thank you to Chelsea!
(5)Melly B.
Poor Service, Waitress had made mistakes often, one was with submitting payments. On a brighter note, I have always enjoyed their food. A variety of options to choose from, a little overwhelming at times.
(2)Trudee H.
The quality of food here - especially the panko crusted ahi - is overrated and overpriced for what you get. The crab ramen with truffle was served warm , not hot with a few pieced of crab and So salty. I should have gone to Roy's instead.
(2)TianChee S.
Ever want disappointment after already getting disappointed during the meal? Then come right here to eat! Most deceiving practices I know by this restaurant. They offer happy hour (50% off) on most of the items on their menu from 5-6pm but oh by the way we'll also force a mandatory 17% gratuity on top of that so it's not really 50% off anymore and just a mere 32%. That wasn't the thing that bothered me the most. It was the fact that we were seated before a bunch of other people at the bar yet we were last one to get our orders in and also get served. That just drove me insane. The other people got like 5 orders already served to them while we only got 1 dish....that is absolutely unacceptable and poor planning on their part. I was basically starving and irritated as the first people that got seated were the last ones to get their orders in and the slowest dishes to trickle in to us. Keep in mind those rolls are already overpriced for what you get so that 32% is a joke of a discount. Ordered their Butterfly roll that was so tiny and nasty and couldn't tell what I was eating. There were supposed to be salmon pieces in there but they were basically non-existent. Ginger slices were poorly plated and dragging on the side of the dishes (basically touching the table..grosss..) Save yourself this frustration and disappointment. Will never return here and would NEVER recommend anyone to dine here. Service was astrocious and I still had to pay a forced gratuity of 17%...that was just stupid and doesn't make any sense. Gratuity should never be forced upon the customer and the customer should dictate how the service was...Most irrate was getting forced gratuity when it was just the two of us.....who does that? I can understand tables of 6 or more as that's the more common thing but for just two people? Unbelievable...
(1)Brian G.
Ok, so everyone raved about this sushi place but I wouldn't feed this to anyone. Maybe I am spoiled living in California but everyone raves about there local sushi bar and we have been to all the Hawaiian islands, mexico, and various parts of the U.S. if you want to try Sushi that will never compare to any other sushi restaurant again, visit one if the sushi locations in the Sacramento County area called Mikuni Sushi. Hands down the best sushi and have never tasted anything to compare it close to Mikuni Sushi Resruarant. This was the first Sushi place I have ever eaten at about 15 years ago and have never been able to find anything better but will continue to try various sushi places in my travels to see if they can be topped. If you are in the Sacramento California area try it and you will never taste the same.
(1)noc f.
Good drinks. Got the Ahi trio chirashi and Yellowtail Aioli Poke were both yummy. Pretty crowded and popular place with tourists. Awesome location with shops nearby to walk around while u wait for a table. Our server, Tansy, was very sweet and quick. Always with a sweet smile :) Best of all....We left our card there coz we had to rush out, and she was so honest and left it at the front desk for us to pick up. Thanks, Tansy. We came back looking for her but she wasn't there tonight. Thanks for a wonderful experience and good grub!
(5)Cindy U.
Don't know why I fell for it but we did, for all the award winning dishes they had posted at the entrance. The Panko crusted ahi roll was... Interesting. Sauce was sweet and spicy... Very Chinese in flavor vs Japanese. We went on a Tuesday. The sushi did not taste fresh and the sushi rice were little hard footballs under a thin slice of fish. The server was nice and friendly but came back every 2-3 minutes! Let me eat in peace! Come back in 25! The shrimp dynamite was ok but I've had better walnut shrimp at the Chinese restaurant back home. We ordered quite a few things since we were on a tasting spree hoping for something we could leave on a good note on... No, didn't happen. Way overpriced and yes, tourist trap for sure.
(2)Alana K.
Awesome sushi, karaoke going on, full bar, and perfect atmosphere.
(5)Morris F.
Fantastic food and fantastic service. Our party ate sushi, steak, fish, lamb chops, and noodles and everyone love it so much we went back a second time and enjoyed it just as much.
(5)William H.
Great food and service get there when they open at 530 pm most of the menu is 25% off until 6pm. It fills up fast so best to make a reservation.
(5)Bernadette A.
Maybe it has the best food but we'll never know and they missed out on our dining dollars. We walked in and were not even acknowledged by the two at the hostess stand. One of them may have even been the manager. They never even looked up. We stood there debating nearly 5 minutes and decided to go elsewhere. I don't even think they saw us, a family of 4, looking right at them and talking about leaving. Won't try again. Looked super small and overcrowded anyway.
(1)Cat L.
Been to all four Sansei locations and am never disappointed. Must try the Sansei's Panko-Crusted Ahi Sashimi sushi roll. The dynamite shrimp is decent, a little soggy yet bland. I recommend this place for anyone who wants great sushi and a great bar!
(4)Nan T.
We were excited to come to this location but we disappointed. The poke was really salty and chewy. My husband order Ramen noodle that taste like it was from an instant noodle. Overall the experience was very disappointing.
(2)Liberty K.
Great meal! Came during happy hour! Lots if great choices even with limitations! Yes the still limit the discount items, they are indicated with circle and line through it for no you cant have this discounted! Kids had mac and cheese with Teri chicken and pasta. Little weird since the appetizer for them was miso soup. Price was right with the happy hour special. One of the better meals during out trip. 100 with tip for 5 not bad!!!
(5)Ron And Anita T.
Went to Sansei Seafood and Sushi Bar on a recent stay here and thought it was okay. Full disclosure here; this is definitely a sushi place and not much more. The extensive menu, five or six pages, has only one, maybe even a half page, devoted to non-sushi plates. Not a great sushi fan, but others in the party were. That said, the fish of the day, which two of us had, and the seafood and pasta was up there with the best. One of us did have sushi, and he thought it was good. The one year old had mac and cheese; loved it! Have to comment on the service-it was incredible. Very busy place, good sized, never-the-less, very friendly, attentive and fun server. The venue was nothing special, in a mall and would not be noticeable anywhere. Prices are about what you'd expect in Hawaii-not a bargain!
(4)Judy W.
We cut our dinner short so we can save our appetite for better Italian food at king's shop. First order came the foie gras and it was a total disappointment. My bf who I tried to convince to eat the foie gras that I raved about all the time would never trust me to take another bite of that again. I don't even know if I can take another bite of one of my favorite indulgences again. They totally destroyed it.
(1)Julie H.
Great service! Melissa our server shared many great details about the menu. Everything from the sushi bar was expertly prepared by Moose. Great tip from the hostess...eat at the sushi bar for the additional rolls and specialty items. Try the foie-gras. The butter fish melted in our mouth. Creative rolls with great flavor and super fresh fish.
(5)Roy V.
Favorite place for all occasions: -Pau Hana Happy Hour with friends- order a bunch of appetizers and sushi rolls. Awesome bar service! -Dinner- You will enjoy any fresh seafood dish or special. Daughter's favorite is the shrimp and vegetable tempura. -Late Night - Friday and Saturday nights it turns into a karaoke bar with discounted food specials from 9 or 10 pm. **Every visit there I must have the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll, Shrimp Dynamite, Deep Fired Ice Cream and Ichigo-tini.**
(5)Jenny K.
I had a very terrible experience here. Even though it is in the heart of a tourist area, I would not recommend coming here. A lot of people line up for the happy hour special, but it is really just a scam. Not only do you get smaller portions, they also tack on a mandatory 17 percent gratuity. The service was terrible. We were definitely treated poorly possibly because of our ethnicity. We sat next to a pair of Caucasian women are very friendly, but the service that they got was remarkably better than ours. We set the bar so the bartender was the one who served us. The first complaint I had was that she did not bother to greet us even though we set there for about 10 minutes staring at her. As soon as the caucasian ladies sat down next to us at the bar, the bartender to get them and gave them their drinks and took their orders before we even got our water. Their food also arrived 30 to 40 minutes before ours.
(1)Andy M.
Extremely disappointed. Seemed like we were an annoyance. Food not very good either. Not a good value. Would not dine there, or any other company restaurant, again.
(1)Diana N.
Not sure what's up with all the bad reviews. Maybe they decided to change managers right before we got there =) Without any reservations, we waited a whole 5 minutes before being seated. Yvette, our waitress, was hands down the sweetest waitress I've ever seen. That's saying a lot since I used to be a waitress at my parent's restaurant. I swear she could've been our mother! She treated us and all of her patrons as if they were family. She doted upon my two little ones and made sure they were happy. She noticed my son finished all his rice and offered another bowl to put in his miso soup. =) Very attentive and sweet. I'd come back just for her =) Food was great! Never had I tried my beloved foie gras on rice as sushi. I was a bit apprehensive....but surprisingly I loved it! The slices were very generous..and the flavor was soooooo gooooood! There were only two pieces but any more than that would've been too much. At 18 bucks, it's expensive, but for two huge slices, it was worth it! My daughter's kid's meal was a chicken dish that was surprisingly delicious. Hubs and I picked off her leftovers like vultures! Hubs got a ramen topped with crab and truffle oil. Pretty darn tasty, but a bit expensive. To give them credit, there was a hefty amount of crab =) Mud pie for dessert was another yummy ending to a great meal. When I asked if they were offering any military discounts for the memorial day weekend, the manager said no, but offered to take the dessert off the bill and thanked us for our service. Classy =)
(5)Tom T.
Wife and I ate there last night, the sushi was fresh and awesomely good. The sushi portions I felt were generous cuts of fish. The rolls were creative and very tasty I am not ashamed to say I cleaned my plate! My wife had shrimp tempura and she enjoyed that as well. The service was excellent, really good waitress. Oh and if you get there at 530 they were offering a discount so we took advantage of that.
(5)Mimi L.
YUMMMY!!!! We visited Kona and found Sansei there! The food was soooo good! My son ordered the children's Teriyaki steak. Very tasty and the portion size was perfect for him. I even got to steal a couple of bites! My hubby ordered the pork chops! Holy cow.. that was so tasty and very tender!! He savored every bite! I was in a boring mood and had a ramen shrimp tempura. Yum! Service was quick and fast. The ambiance was good too. Not too noisy and fine for families! I would definitely go again!
(5)Josh M.
We flew in to Kona at 8 and on the way to Hawi we wanted to find an open restaurant that wasn't Dairy Queen. This fit the bill, and we didn't care about the price. The seafood was good quality, though the price was a lot higher than it should be. We were just happy to get real food after 9 on the Big Island.
(4)Tommy H.
Place gets 3 stars for good service but that is about it. If you are truly a connoisseur of sushi, then you would avoid this place as the sashimi and sushi were only marginal at best. Definitely nothing to rave about.
(3)Tracey C.
This is a wonderful place for sushi. I know that when we get back to Los Angeles I will crave the mango salad hand roll and the dragonfly roll. Also awesome was the pinko crusted ahi sashimi roll. We also really enjoyed the ahi three ways appetizer. It's a friendly, lively and fun place to go and the sushi is exceptional. We went on a very busy night and even still we were treated to warm Hawaiian hospitality and the sushi wait time was extreme short. Quit reading this and go get a mango roll!! Aloha!
(4)Anthea L.
Our family has loved coming to this restaurant for years so we made a reservation at 8. We arrived before 8 to check in and were told they were cleaning off tables and then handed us a pager to hold onto. First of all, if you're just cleaning off tables, why would you give us a pager?! It takes less than 5 minutes to wipe off a table and set it. (I've worked in the restaurant industry so I have a pretty good idea of what customer service should look like). Anyhow, after 20 minutes of waiting, I went back inside and while the hostess apologized, she also said she lost our reservation and didn't have any tables together for us. So she didn't even quote a new time. Meanwhile, a group of 5 guys came in to checkin for their 8:30 reservation and were seated immediately. That was it for us!!! We handed the pager back and decided to leave. The hostess didn't even try to help or provide us with a time. So we walked through the area and were seated immediately at Macaroni Grill WITHOUT WAITING and WITHOUT a reservation!! We will likely pass up Sensai in the future without regret.
(1)Caren G.
Went there Saturday night...you can hardly go wrong w Sansei's. Ordered the Calamari, Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll, Taka sushi special roll n topped it off with a bite of the tempura fried ice cream. The service was very fast and outstanding! No doubt the best sushi on the Kohala Coast!
(4)Brad D.
This could have been a four star review. Great selection on the menu but they didn't cook the food right. I had a special with some locally caught fish and a pork chop combo. Unfortunately the fish and pork chop were both overcooked and dry. It was a thin piece of fish and they should have known it would cook fast. Pork can be hard to get right but for $40, it's not too much to ask that my meal isn't overcooked. My wife had a duck breast and it was a little rare. Both meals tasted good but it's a shame they didn't get the temperatures right. I expected much better
(2)Patrik K.
Good Sushi. Nice service. Fair price. If you come Thursday till Saturday between 5.30 to 6.00 it's happy hour and you get 25% off. Reservation is a good idea (-;
(4)Dean I.
We finally came here to try the popular sushi. Sansei didn't disappoint with their extremely fast service, great food, and good pricing. We started with the bagel roll (hidden gem), which is smoked salmon, Maui onion, and cream cheese. Then, I had the crab ramen w/ truffle and jalapeño, Gail had the sansei special roll and shrimp cake. Last, but not least, we squeezed in the tempura ice cream. Wow, that was a meal. This was under $70, what a deal! The fried ice cream was awesome, only Kenichis has a similar quality of this dessert. The wait staff was very attentive and the food came out quickly. One of the best overall experiences. :)
(5)Britney G.
Yum yum yum!!! Asian Calamari salad, yellow submarine, carpaccio are all great picks!!! Can't go wrong with sushi especially the Panko crusted ahi sashimi roll!!!! This place has it all in regards to Japanese fusion foods! Casual dining
(4)Marcie M.
I didn't get an opportunity to explore the food in Hawaii like I really wanted, but the goal to get GOOD sushi was accomplished on my first night in Kona! Sansei was a mere ten minutes from our resort so we stopped in for a to-go order. We went with the recommended panko crusted ahi tuna roll and it was INCREDIBLE. I really enjoyed it along with the sauce. So delicious! For a quick 20 minute wait, it was a wonderful treat. I would recommend it based on the two rolls we had! If you are craving sushi and in Kona, this is a great choice in my humble sushi opinion.
(4)Gary Y.
Sushi bar / karaoke bar. This place hit the spot for a late night dinner. The sashimi is the way to go but the rest of the menu is not bad.
(3)Kristina K.
Outstanding, for the price out of this world! Fresh with a huge menu for anybody. Salmon belly, Chinese hot sesame oil sashimi, sashimi plate, shrimp dynamite and desserts were phenomenal!! Go btw 5 - 6pm for half off!! We are going back!
(4)Jo N.
It was a bit disappointed and poor service. Started out with the front desk not very polite or serious talking to customer. They were busy chatting among themselves. Server was too busy to talk to another table instead of taking our order or refill water. Discriminated bc we are not dress up or ethnicity? Because the other Caucasian table got better treatment. It was disappointed experience.
(1)Johnny L.
Sushi was tasty, loved their version of Spicy Tuna rolls. It's different how it's made in California. The staff was sweet and attentive, even on a busy night on Saturday.
(4)Nadine B.
A must during each of our trips to the Big Island. Come early for the 25% off from 5-6 pm. Calamari is yummy, as is the pinko-crusted ahi. Deep fried ice cream is a tasty dessert.
(4)Cathy W.
After having exhausted our 2 dining options at The King's Shops (Roy's and Merriman's), we thought we should check out The Queen's Market for a change of scene. After walking around the entire plaza, we finally decided on Sansei over the food court & Macaroni Grill (since we can get that anywhere in California). Again, our luck kicked in again as we were soon seated at the sushi bar even though they were very packed for dinner. We ended up ordering: 1. Japanese Hamachi & Grilled Shiitake Mushroom Tartare - $13 I was curious as to what a tartare was like and, boy, was I NOT a fan...lol. I'm not sure if it's because how they made their tartare or I just don't like the consistency of the dish, but I didn't like it at all. My boyfriend thought it was just okay as well. 2. I had originally ordered the "Issei" sushi combo, but the waitress must have misheard because the sushi bar chef served us the "nissei" combo, which was fine. It's pretty ordinary and nothing really stood out on the plate (but I would say the fish was pretty fresh, thank goodness). 3. Sansei's Seafood Pasta - we wanted to try something a little different so we ordered the pasta instead...in hindsight, we should have ordered something else, lol. The pasta was okay...it lacked the seafood component (maybe 1 or 2 pieces of seafood) and the rest of was just goop from the noodles and the sauce and the over-cooked veggies. I definitely have had better Japanese food elsewhere and do not have to pay an arm and a leg for them. We probably would have had a better time at the food court or even Macaroni Grill - at least they do their pasta right for the most part!
(2)Amy M.
It's sushi in a shopping center of a tourist area. The prices were high as to be expected. My fiance and I ended up dining here 2 times during our stay. The food was good but not the best I have had. For the convenience to our hotel I enjoyed it.
(3)J C.
Beware: Over priced and over rated sushi place. Be prepared to spend $100-$150 for two people with drinks plus tip. Better to go to a luao and spend that amount than here. Also be prepared to be up-sold by your waiter. They will recommend the most expensive thing on the menu inexplicably. Just very annoying tactics when it comes to dining. This place is not worth your money.
(2)Kris M.
Went here for the first time. The food was awesome and the service was on point and fast. They even gave 25% off for anything ordered before 6pm including desert which could be ordered and brought later. The prices are on the higher side but it's well worth it
(5)chida t.
the food was excellent and creative blend of flavors some of the high point include miso butter fish and a shrimp cake with crispy noodles it looks like a giant spider but it is good eating. the server was very attentive especially since we were a large party 11. also had the steaks which was cooked to perfection.
(5)Grace L.
I was here on vacation with my boyfriend and we wanted to eat somewhere nice on our last night. Although we received the 25% discount, the food was still very expensive. I wouldn't have minded if I was full from the dinner but we ordered a pizza shortly after and devoured that after we left. The panko crusted ahi was very tasty but the portions were small. The salmon skin roll however was awful. You couldn't even taste the salmon skin and all you could taste was the spicy sauce. The Agedashi Tofu was alright but nothing special. The sweet potato tempura was mediocre and cold. The only reason I might ever return would be to eat the panko crusted ahi, although it is still pricey and unfilling so maybe not...
(2)Karen L.
Pretty tasty spot for some sushi. I can't remember exactly what we ordered, but we had some rolls, some poke, and some of their award-winning dishes. Some were hit or miss, but overall, the food was delicious.
(4)D P.
Absolutely a disappointing, almost horrible, experience. Seems more like a fast food chain operation. Our experience was only slightly better than awful. We will never return. First, the shrimp came out before the salad. No fork to eat it with.and it took a while to get anyone;s attention to get a fork! Then the house salad came, no tomatoes, which cost an extra dollar for four slices. The ahi was not fresh! The onion rings were OK, but $8 for four onion rings is a bit much. No knives with the silverware, had to ask the hostess for a knife. I then waited 10 minutes after my wife was served for my soup and noodles - the soup was lukewarm and the noodles not cooked all the way. Then the waitress took away my soup spoon! We didn't even think about dessert because we couldn't stand the wait only to be more disappointed. We cannot see why anyone would ever return to this poor semblance of a restaurant when there are so many that are far better in the area.
(1)June B.
We loved the one on Maui so much we came to the one on Kona. We were not disappointed. Very good food here. Best of all the staff knows the food and what's good to order.
(4)Justin V.
Took my wife and son here for Mother's Day dinner since it was close to our hotel. The menu has a vast selection of entrees and seafood as well as sushi. My wife and I usually share food to see what we really like since we have similar tastes, (which is usually everything and almost anything). We started with the butterfish appetizer which was delicious and also the scallops with mushrooms. Both were very good. We had the 11 ounce tenderloin and it was cooked exactly to our desired temp and tasted great. The food here is very good and service is also great but it does come at a price. This place is pricey but the ambiance is still casual since it is Hawaii. My son had the keiki chicken pasta but he enjoyed the miso soup and ice cream more. Nice place, just a little too pricey.
(3)Erika C.
Great sushi, came out fast, fish was not fishy at all...very fresh! I don't remember what I ordered, but between my husband and I, we ordered 6 items and they were all great! We have also been to the Sensei in Maui which was even better than this one...not sure why this one only has 3.5 stars on yelp..
(5)Erin Y.
We were a little nervous after being seated, since we were told to come for the 50% off and karaoke on Friday nights - turned out that it doesn't start til 9:30 and it was only 7. But the food made the full priced meal totally worth it! Go for the seafood - all the fish was extremely fresh. We had the panko crusted ahi roll - ahi was so fresh that it prompted us to order an ahi nigiri. We also had the yaki-maki roll, which had delicious real crab, but the highlight was the smoker salmon. Both rolls were tasty but a little too flavorful for someone like me who usually prefers sashimi. The real high point of our meal was the special fresh catch and local cream corn. That day it was mahi mahi with truffled mac and cheese. The mahi mahi was cooked to perfection - extremely juicy and flavorful. Some of the best I've ever had. The mac and cheese was surprisingly good too. Flavor was excellent without being too cheesy. Overall it was a great last dinner of our trip. The service was fast and friendly, and the seafood was really fresh and delicious. We'll just have to come back next time for the karaoke. Side note: Lava flow's strawberry syrup was a little too artificial tasting and too sweet. I'd pass on it next time.
(4)Michael C.
Probably the worst sushi we have had before. Read the reviews and don't understand how many people liked it. Over priced for a six piece roll. The Panko crusted Ahi Roll was terrible. All you taste is Panko and not the Ahi. Save your money go somewhere else.
(1)Shauna G.
This is our go-to place to eat in Waikoloa. True, the dinner items are overpriced...but we never get any of the dinner entrees. We stick to the nigiri sushi and appetizers. First off, the foie gras nigiri is so 'ono! Their pieces of foie gras are very generous. For those visiting from California, this is a must...when we lived in California and got hit with the foie gras ban, we were so disappointed. Another thing to try is the grilled hamachi collar. However, they sell out rather quickly so it's best to either arrive for an early dinner or reserve one in advance. Other items we enjoyed: Hamachi & Mushroom Tartare, Miso Butterfish, ahi sashimi
(5)J S.
Definitely not good sushi and way overpriced. It's not even decent for Kona standards. Stay away unless money isn't an issue, you like dry rice, and enjoy flavorless sushi. We paid over $100 for really small roles and ramen. The portion size left us hungry so we made a trip for some burgers. They have good diet coke though.
(1)Sophie B.
We got dinner here our first day. I got mahi mahi special stuffed with crab. It was pretty good. Apple tart for dessert was delicious. Would love to try some sushi rolls next time.
(4)Jill E.
Having been to japan and eaten sushi there, I'm a purist an have definite feelings about sushi. We've been going to try this restaurant for the past several visits and finally managed to get it done. It's not your typical place, they have many rolls that would probably never be served in Japan and cater to the US taste, but that said, yum. Do not miss the Panko breaded ahi roll. I think it was absolutely the best although there were several others that were amazing as well. They had a decent kids menu, important when there are kids with you. My husband isn't a sushi eater so he ordered a steak. It took absolutely forever, we were almost done by the time he got his dinner and instead of the steak being medium it was almost raw. He never could get the attention of the server so he manfully ate it. To the server's credit, when she did come back to check and he mentioned it, she gave him his dinner for 50% off. Not cheap by any means but very good. We made a reservation because there were six of us, I recommend reservations especially on weekends.
(4)Amber C.
Good service, we came at the end of the night so there weren't many people here. It was nice that they offered last call for orders. The crab ramen was very good and they used real crab.
(4)Kimi N.
It was my first time! 5 of us went and we ordered A LOT OF FOOD!! but heres some of my favs.. *Asian Shrimp Cake: Don't judge by the looks!! it is pretty good compared to how it looks! I am not too sure if I liked the noodle on top of it but shrimp cake with the pesto sauce was amazing:) *Broiled Mussels: only 4 pieces for $9.95.. I am a seafood lover so totally worth it and it was really good. *Shrimp dynamite: it was my favorite appetizer. it tasted like honey walnut shrimp. *Yaki-Maki Roll: california roll with baked salmon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! baked salmon says it all *panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll: this is the one that I always wanted to try!!!! it was just so awesome:) *Fried Icecream: THE BEST FRIED ICECREAM IVE EATEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE we ordered all of our food before 6pm.. so they were all 25% off :) TOTALLY WORTH IT
(5)L H.
I absolutely love this place. I love their sushi. In fact, I was in such a crave for sashimi and some spicy tuna rolls last-night, and the first thing came to mind is Sansei. I have never felt uncomfortable; but, just the opposite. (Fantastic!) I have always been treated with respect and great customer service and most importantly I admire that they are always smiling. I recommended this fabulous restaurant to my family, friends and quest, not to mentioned the cute logo the have of a Octopus.
(5)Abby W.
Our really dismissive and inattentive server is one of the main reason our experience was so poor. The prices were reasonable ($$$) for a Japanese/ Sushi house in a resort. The quality of the food was good, but for the most part we were pretty underwhelmed. We ordered one of their most expensive rolls and were pretty disappointed at the fact we've had better sushi at much less expensive places. We might give it another shot before we leave the resort, and if we do, we'll update our review.
(2)Jessie I.
Usually when people say "overpriced", I roll my eyes because what does that REALLY mean? But, the food here WAS overpriced, and I'm gonna try to provide some context. The ambiance did not match the price - and I wouldn't care about that if the food matched the price, but it didn't. My family ordered both entrees and sushi rolls: The ENTREES were overpriced based on QUALITY, not quantity - my cousin had a ~$13 ramen that had tough/inedible char siu and a pretty tasteless dashi. The noodles also were of Top Ramen quality. My ahi salad was just a tiny portion of un-seasoned seared ahi on lettuce with dressing - it could have used another ingredient. The rest of the entrees are probably not worth writing about, but basically provided about the same level of satisfaction: food price did not match the food quality. The SUSHI ROLLS were overpriced based on QUANTITY, not quality - we got a spicy something roll, and two "fried" rolls where there was no rice, but it was like the outer nori was battered and then deep fried. They were good - my dad liked them so much, he re-ordered them ...mostly because we got about 7 thin pieces of the roll. I'd say the rolls were a total of ~4 or 5 inches long, and each slice was about a half-inch or so thick. The math on that estimation may be off. But for that quantity of food, I felt that about $13-18 per roll was just too much (there were cheaper options ~$9 but with far less exciting ingredients). Moral of this story - only go here for sushi during happy hour (which I believe is around 4-6). Or, for dinner, go to Roy's in the King's Marketplace across the street for better ambiance and quality.
(2)Kyle Y.
The food here is top notch in their category of cuisine. I'm a bit surprised by the negative reviews regarding this place. We ended up waiting there about 45 minutes prior to them opening for dinner and there was quite a long line. The restaurant was rather cramped due to a lot of tables packed close together. Since they were offering a special on the entire menu we quickly picked about 6 items off the menu. Our waitress was awesome with her recommendations and exceptional service. Some of the diners she was servicing were rude and I commend her for the way she handled the situation. The food that stood out to me was the Shrimp Dynamite (ordered x2), Mango & Crab hand roll, Panko crusted ahi sashimi roll. I'm not a big fan of sushi or rolls but I really enjoyed the rolls. Not to mention the dessert, Tempura Fried Macadamia Nut Ice Cream is one of the best desserts I've ever had. This definitely won't be the last time I eat here. From here on out, every time I visit Hawaii, Sansei is at the top of my list when eating.
(5)Brennan T.
Amazing and creative sushi, and the best steak I've ever had! The 22-oz bone-in rib-eye was tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. I didn't know steak could taste that good! The tempura is lightly battered, crispy, and not greasy. Save room for dessert because the fried ice cream and apple tart are amazing!
(5)Anita C.
I've had two work events at the Hitlon Waikoloa the last month and I've come to Sensei's for dinner both trips and I have to say, it's not bad. I actually was craving their Japanese calamari salad after having it the first time, which is always a good sign! The first time my coworkers and I came here, we were there before 6pm for Happy Hour! Woohoo!! huge discount all around! They should really accept the iDcard, that would be even sweeter! I got the calamari salad, and a rainbow roll. The salad was the winner in that round. Second time I went, I got the salad again and I tried the miso teriyaki chicken, again the salad won! The salad dressing is just amazing; it's sweet yet a little tangy, there's enough dressing where the lettuce is not drowning it in, its just oh so yummy! The chicken was kind of bland, I had to use some soy sauce to add some flavor to it. I also ordered a side of white rice because nothing comes with rice these days and they do not have any brown rice available. They have a full bar, along with sitting at the sushi bar. This place gets crowded. even on a weekday, so make reservations.
(4)Amber C.
Last minute decision and we were able to get a reservation. A reservation here is highly recommended. It's super busy! Group dinners as well as couples. The menu has a huge selection so it took us awhile to order. Just got some beer and sushi rolls but omg the sushi was excellent! Got these mini fish tacos as a starter, then had the 69 which is unagi, then the blt which is crispy salmon skin. Really want to go back and try other things! Our waitress was so sweet. Gave us great tips and we didn't feel rushed at all. Let us order, and keep our menu in case we wanted to order more which we did:) def a place to check out.
(5)Victoria C.
Came here craving some nice sushi. Maybe we've been spoiled by other areas that have provided fresh fish from poke stands, but this was really just a tourist-y restaurant that didn't have the sushi rolls that filled my craving. I felt like the fish wasn't fresh (which seems kind of hard, given the location) and the restaurant was way too crowded for the quality of food it was giving. It's usually pretty easy to please me when it comes to food, but this just wasn't making it for me. It seems maybe the cooked dishes would've been a better bet, but one good thing was the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll. It was different and I'd never had one before. Overall though, if I ever had the chance I'd never come back here again.
(2)daisy l.
It's ok...pricey
(3)Bryan P.
Outstanding sushi at a reasonable price.
(4)Cielo C.
Panko crusted ahi was great ! I also ordered the tempura plate and salmon dish and it was plenty to share for the 3 if us .Server was great. Overall it was great . Definitely recommend for you to try!
(4)Mikkel T.
Decent sushi and good service... So here's the deal on the "happy hour": it is 50% off most food items on the menu... it is on Sunday or Monday and from 5-6. You should get there closer to 4:30 to stand in line and wait for a seat. We arrived at 5:15 and were one of the last ones in the door and put on a wait list to be seated and hopefully make it in before 6. They mistakingly seated someone behind us on the wait list at about 5:55pm but realized the mistake and seated us and honored the happy hour specials. Server was polite and food came out quickly. We ordered 5 roles of sushi for a party of 2. The roles are not huge so happy hour is best. Prices range from $8ish to $14ish per role and there are about 5-6 pieces per role... Not huge but again a reason to hit happy hour. Food was good, atmosphere was fine, service was good. Happy hour makes it more enjoyable on your wallet.
(4)Kevin T.
We tried this place because the reviews on Yelp were pretty good. We got there, checked the menu outside and waited for our table. I must admit that the menu looked like it had some tasty dishes. I couldn't decide what to order. I ended up getting the udon with beef slices. It wasn't udon in soup, but rather cooked udon noodles in some brown sauce with some beef slices. That wasn't the bad part. They sprinkled Romano cheese over the udon and beef. Really? Romano cheese & udon? Worst combination ever! Like I said, their menu looked like there could have been some good items. Maybe I just picked the wrong one or I'm just too picky. I wouldn't take another chance on this place though. It was pricey like a lot of restaurants on the island, but I could've gotten something a lot better if my resort (Marriott Waikoloa) wasn't so close to this place. Came here for the convenience and paid the consequences.
(1)J H.
If anyone hasn't given this 5 stars they have not had the Panko crusted ahi roll and the crab ramen!!! LOVE it!!!
(5)Keola m.
The restaurant is very nice..Staff are very plesant. However, I have 2 major problems with this establishment 1. Some friends from Japan and I was greeted by our waitress and she started her shpeal..."Welcome to Sansei...we are a TRADITIONAL Japanese Restaurant. haha I got strange looks from all the Japanese nationals. btw, this is NOT a traditional Japanese Restaurant. 2. on the menu they list their entrees as LARGE. Ok. Im from Hawaii and the servings are NOT large. The appetizers are SMALL. $7.50 for 6 onion rings. The Ono n Liguine was really good but the other 7 dishes were just.....ok
(2)Michael B.
Most of our meals were fine, nothing exceptional. However one person became ill overnight and upon reflection, may have been from the tuna that had lots of sauce, maybe an attempt to hide that it wasn't fresh? Don't know. Waitress was pleasant, tea frequently refreshed.
(2)Jenn H.
Quick and dirty: not the most authentic food ever. Go in thinking it's more "fusion" than "Japanese". Rolls are good, but for the love of god, don't order the ramen! ----- We stayed in a house in Puako, fairly close to Waikaloa--so one night (actually, New Year's Night), we decided to give this place a shot. As would probably be expected of a restaurant on New Year's night, this place was packed! We were told there was a 45 minute wait--but it turned out to be more like 20 minutes :) Another problem with going on New Year's night was that there's about 50 million orders flying around at once. We definitely got our food in a strange order--a few rolls, a few of our entrees, a few more rolls, two more entrees, and a roll that would have arrived close to 15 minutes after we finished our food (had we not cancelled it--ironically, this was the ahi sashimi, which should have taken the least amount of time of the several rolls we ordered). As to the quality--the rolls were fine--tasty, but nothing to write home about. I personally ordered the 69 roll (california roll with unagi on top--several people at the table didn't eat raw fish), and we shared a few others. Three of us at the table ordered the Sansei ramen, myself included. I have to say, this is probably the worst ramen I've had in my life. Seriously, it tastes like an instant noodle pack, with a piece of pork in it. The entire contents of the bowl had like 2 pieces of pork, noodles, and some soup. No veggies, no eggs, no naruto, no nothing! Broth was a little salty for my taste, and tasted "thin". My thought is--if you can't do it right, you have no business making it! Our waitress (I'm sad I didn't get her name!) was amazing! She was obviously really smart, worked quickly (a rarity in Hawaii), and was on top of everything. One of us had ordered a medium steak, and it came out past "well done", so we had it sent back. The redone order was a little rarer than medium, but luckily she was ok with it (probably because she didn't want to wait another half an hour!) Our waitress was really polite, gave us updates on all of our food (which rolls were coming, status of the steak, etc.), and checked on us frequently without being invasive (which is hard to do!). In summary--a few hiccups in food, decent rolls, terrible ramen, great service...and cutting a little slack for new year's night--earns a solid 3 from me.
(3)Kimberly H.
Seriously the best sushi I've ever had, and I am a sushi-snob. We sat at the bar and avoided the crazy long line for restaurant seating. It was a great environment, intimate, and delicious!
(5)Gerard H.
The family loved this place....superior sushi creations, and great service. We will go back again, before our vacation has ended. The prices are very reasonable. GO FOR IT !!
(5)Bruce H.
One of the better, more reliable places for a great meal in the Waikoloa area. Some great unique sushi rolls. They tend to be very busy during holiday weeks, and our last visit was a very busy night. We showed up for a 7:30 reservation, and were seated closer to 8:00. Good cocktails. Service was very nice. Place can be loud, but it's a Saturday night & they were packed.
(4)Eric N.
Their menu has WAY too much going on. Definitely not a place to take an indecisive person or date. It could take you half an hour to figure out what you want. And if you take that long to decide, you better hope you aren't disappointed in your choice, because the prices don't help your feelings either. I wasn't overly "wowed" at all with this place. Due to the overwhelming amount of menu choices, I figured I couldn't go wrong by ordering 3 of their "award winning" dishes (Only 1 of those 3 was award winning in my mind btw): The mango crab salad roll was good, but I felt like the portion was small (my roll only had 2 pieces). Do not attempt to eat the whole piece in one bite or the crab will fall out and you will have an abstract painting of spicy sauce on your fancy dress shirt. (Not like that happened to me or anything! lol) The panko crusted ahi tuna roll was interesting. You get the crunch from the panko on the outside, the crunch from the lettuce on the inside, and the softest part of the roll is the ahi itself. It was interesting but I wasn't very impressed by the soy-wasabi butter sauce underneath. If I had it to do over, I would probably order something else instead of this roll. The best thing I ordered, and what swayed my would-be 1 star rating into a 2, would have to be the Japanese Calamari salad. I was at a table of 6 and out of everything we ordered, everyone wanted to try my dish. The sauce was killer! The presentation in the won-ton bowl was nice as well. If you go, I recommend that item as a must order... Maybe other items on the menu are good - but it will take you a long time try everything and find them...
(2)Melissa K.
This place is so good. we had a whole bunch of specialty rolls they were all good and fresh. Crab ramen was the best ramen ive ever had. Duck was cooked to perfection. Wait staff is nice and fast. Crowded durong happy hour so come early
(4)Bruce R.
We (family of 4) had a really good meal here. We like sushi and although this isn't amazing sushi it is definitely more than adequate given the close proximity to the resort hotels here near Kona on the Big Island. Out meal was sushi, green mussels, beef teriyaki, ramen noodles for one of our kids and the volcanoe shrimp app. All were rated above average by our table. The service was excellent and the food came out super fast, which is always good with our hungry boys. KEY - as mentioned over and over, take advantage of the early bird deal on Sundays and Mondays to get 50% off almost all items. You have to order by 6, and there will be a line, so get there early, it makes the whole meal very reasonable for what is otherwise an expensive area for a good meal.
(4)Tiffany V.
If you want real sushi, dont come here. Sushi and ramen are sucks. You can get better sushi at the Gourmet Island at the Quuen's Marketplace
(1)Anna T.
Meh
(2)Jordan G.
Great sushi, great selection. A bit slow on service, but to be fair it was during the holiday season. The food is alway on the mark
(4)Grace C.
My bf and I went to this restaurant twice during our week-long trip. I am giving them 5 stars because of the early bird special on most of their menu items- Sunday and Mondays are 50% and Tuesdays-Sat. are 25% off from 5:30-6pm. There is also karaoke/sushi happy hour after 10pm on the weekends. I thought some of the food was overpriced if you didn't get a discount. Reservations are suggested for groups and if you want to make sure you get the early bird special without having to rush over when the doors open. People will congregate outside prior to opening. Delicious -Panko Crusted Ahi Tuna -Miso Butterfish- The fish is tender and has a sweet sugary miso sauce on it. Note that the fish is more like a side entrée. It is not big enough to be a main entrée. -Rainbow Roll Worth Trying Once -Mango Crab Hand Roll -Salmon Carpaccio w/Ikura Salad -DK crab ramen with truffle broth- My bf who doesn't like ramen, really liked the truffle broth. I'm not a huge fan of truffle so the taste was a bit strong for me and it masked the taste of the shredded crab in the soup. The noodles were cooked al dente. Messed Up -Spider Roll- It was too fried that I couldn't taste the crab in it. Dessert Note: I was going to get dessert, but realized that the fried tempura ice cream was only covered in chopped macadamia, NOT with macadamia ice cream. It's good if you like vanilla ice cream. The size of that dessert is HUGE which could be split amongst 2-3 people.
(5)Greg G.
Review done on 8-5. The locals love this place and for a good reason too.--its pretty damn good. for those who don't know, they have wildly good specials here, especially on Sundays and Mondays. The catch is that you have to get here and wait if you want to get in and be able to take advantage of the specials. The bottom line is that the food is great and just as good as some other sushi spots on The Big Island that dont even offer discounts. The rolls are all good and fresh and once you order, the food starts coming as soon as it is ready. Not all of the dishes are on the special promotion but most are. We tried some pretty good stuff. One of the dishes that really stood out was the spicy beef tenderloin served over udon. It was almost Italian tasting but still tasted mostly Japanese due to the predominant spices. The mango salad rolls are also very tasty and you have to save a few of your calories for the deep fried tempura ice cream with macadamia nuts and assorted other drizzles. For me, I would go here and pay full price but as long as they have the special, it's wise to patronize on Sunday or Monday. Enjoy!! Oh, by the way, to the owners, please don't stop the specials, after a week of being there some price relief is very much appreciated.
(4)Tani K.
Mmmmm...Mmmmm...GREAT! This is by FAR my favorite restaurant on the west side of the Big Island. Clean, professional, helpful staff and the food is OUTSTANDING. I'm sorry but these folks can't be beat when it comes to sauces. Just the sauce (ANY SAUCE) and a bowl of rice and I'm good to go. This is not just sushi. Their aged steak is my hubby's favorite, my favorite is the Miso Butterfish and then I like to top it off with their made on-site mud pie...or the apple tart with caramel sauce...and a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream... This place is not fast food - and the prices reflect this fact. But this place is worth the wait and worth the $.
(5)Clay Y.
We checked in early with the ladies at the front for our 8:00 dinner reservation for 6. While we waited we saw groups of 3, 5 people without reservations get seated. At 8:30 they told us that they "lost" our table! Terrible service regardless of how great the food is! Six disappointed locals!
(1)Jacob F.
Must try the panko crusted ahi roll, sensei special roll, yellowtail poke, every piece of fish we had was super fresh!
(5)stephanie p.
Hands down this is a local among the islands, super fresh food, fast service, and very nice service. My husband had sushi of some kid, my son and I had tempora, I was so happy when they serviced us so fast. When you have a 18 month old I say we are on borrowed time, and they seemed to totally understand that. we ate there twice in two weeks and I would recommend it even if not a sushi fan they have steaks and other food on the menu!
(5)Carla F.
Kama'aina special 50% off sushi on Sunday evenings for one hour, but show up early because the line starts to form around 4:00pm. Ahi Poke melts in your mouth with not one flavor overpowering the other. I strongly recommend this dish. Mango Crab Salad Roll, Shrimp Dynamite, I can't even begin to remember what else we ordered, but I was not disappointed with any of it. The Tempura Ice cream was amazing. I've had this dessert all my life at dozens of Japanese restaurants. Such a simple dessert, but when done well it's unforgettable. The restaurant itself was a surprisingly small location, which was full the entire time we were there. We've also ventured to the Oahu location & will visit both Maui restaurants this year. Oishi!
(4)Ms P.
My sister recommended Sansei on our trip to the Big Island. The four of us decided to pay a visit on a Friday. We should have been warned by the "50% off" special that night and staff checking I.D.'s out front that this may not be the best time to visit...don't expect their A-game on the 50% off nights. We decided to order a bunch of items off the list to share. We let our server know this was the plan and to not include peanuts, as one person in our group was allergic. The first item brought to our table had peanuts. :( The next dishes were accidentally brought to another table, so we waited a long time for them to eventually appear. When they finally did arrive, they were not what we ordered. Waited again...:( Food was very good, but noticed the portions of fish in the salads were light. Our server was not on top of things and spent alot of time chatting it up with local friends at a different table. It took a lot to get her attention. We finally went to the manager to request the bill. After spending about 2 hours (most of it waiting for our food) we see the bill has a 17% gratuity automatically added. We asked that it be removed and the manager did so, without asking any questions. The manager was really personable and great - wish the service we received from our server was on the same level. Overall, we left disappointed after hearing such great things about this place. Maybe our experience would have been different on another non-50% off night, but we won't be back. Food: 4 stars Service: 1 star Great manager: +1
(2)Jay R.
If you want horrible customer service and an extremely rude hostess then this is your place. We were told about the dinner specials on Sundays from 5-6pm so we arrived at 5:15 to wait in line. We got the buzzer for our table at 5:20 and we were told right away, "You need to be seated and order by 6pm to get the special." It was kind of rude but I understand they need to have a cutoff for when the special ends. So while we are waiting, 2 groups of people - 1 group of two and another group of 4 are lead to the back of the restaurant seating which we were told was closed. There were a good 10 tables back there so there was plenty of space available to seat additional patrons. At 5:55 our buzzer goes off so I go up to the hostess to be seated. I asked her if they would still honor the special as we already knew what we wanted. I was told "no - the special is over." So I asked her why seeing that it was 5 minutes of 6pm. She even looked at her phone and agreed that it was before 6pm. I'm a pretty mellow guy but I told her that if they didn't honor the special we were going to leave. Without batting an eye, she said there is no way we are honoring the special - take it or leave it. So my girlfriend and I walked out without being seated. They kept the back portion of the restaurant closed to create a line and limit the amount of people they could seat for the specials. In my opinion, that's just bad business. I've also never had to deal with a hostess that was this rude. The sad thing about this experience was that the food did in fact look good but I wasn't able to make it to the table.
(1)Brian S.
Love this place and come here at lest every week when we are here. I had the panko crusted fresh ahi sashimi and sansei's mango crab salad handroll. I received the crab and mango fast but took over 30 min to find out they never placed the order for the ahi, after it took about 5 - 10 min to get it. It's worth it To eat here but come for the specials coz it is a little pricey.
(4)Dan Y.
I went to Sansei with my family on the day we arrived on the Big Island and to Waikoloa Resort. Luckily for us, it was about 6pm (9pm west coast time) and so we were starving but they happened to be doing an early bird special. I don't remember what the discount was exactly but I do remember that with the discounts, the prices seemed extremely fair especially by Waikoloa standards. I would warm however that the portions were actually a bit small considering that they are intended to be family size and shared. If you were going with a group of four adults, I'd say that you probably need to order four separate dishes. That could become a little pricey but at the same time, I really enjoyed the food here so the variety certainly wouldn't hurt either. Bottomline: if you're in the Waikoloa area and want to eat locally, Sansei is one of your top choices. More reasonable pricing than Roy's, better food than Merriman's, better than Macaroni Grill.
(4)Lucas W.
Not as good as Sansei on other islands. Very expensive for average sushi - over $50 for take out 3 rolls and an app - and none of the dishes even had raw fish. However, not alot of sushi choices in the immediate area. At these prices, might as well eat at a hotel.
(2)Terel B.
We're big Sansei fans with most of our experiences in the Kapalua, Maui location. We enjoyed our dinner this time as well, but it didn't blow us away like it normally does. We had the butterfish, the 7 oz. butter poached cold water lobster tail with crab cake, the crab ramen, a seaweed salad, and the shrimp dynamite. The shrimp dynamite stole the show, whereas the butterfish is usually what makes us moan. It had a perfect fry on the shrimp--hot, crunchy batter that wasn't greasy, and the sweet/salt/sour/heat balance was perfecto. Lobster tail was overcooked and a bit dry. The butterfish (Alaskan Black Cod soaked in mirin, miso, soy sauce, sugar, and sake for several days and then pan-seared) was great this time around, but no better than you'd get at Monstera or any other Japanese eatery on the islands. The ramen was tasty, even if a bit salty (and I'm a salt maniac), but it seems to be sliding downhill at a steady rate. When we first had the ramen some 6 years ago in Maui, it came in a very large bowl, featured a "log" of real king crab meat taken from the shell, sliced red chiles, fresh basil and cilantro leaves, and white truffle oil visibly floating on top and knocking you over with that haunting, truffle aroma. The last few times we've had it, the bowl was smaller, the crab was no longer the "log" (un-broken meat from the thickest part of the king crab leg). Instead it had shredded, unrecognizable crab meat, possibly from a can. The fresh basil and cilantro are now minced and tossed in sparingly. No gorgeous red chile or pretty leaves in the bowl. I couldn't taste the white truffle oil this last time, either, although the intense, smokey dashi was quite redeeming. Surprisingly, it's still a great bowl of ramen (there's no type of food I eat more often back home in Silicon Valley, where we have some of the best ramen in the country). Even with the deficiencies I just listed, it still ranks highly for this noodle afficionado. This should tell you just how AMAZING the ramen USED to be! We'll still hit Sansei each time we're visiting the islands, but I'm going to give the Waikoloa Village (Queens Shopping Center) location a solid 3 stars. Although we didn't get it this time, the panko crusted ahi roll is one of Sansei's signatures that we've enjoyed on previous visits. Worth ordering.
(3)Janel P.
I don't think I've ever seen a menu with so many food and drink options ever! It was hard to choose a dish. I decided on the crab ramen. It was SO SALTY that I did not enjoy it. I did enjoy every bite I stole from my family's plate though and we ordered a lot of food, so we got a great sampling of the menu. Friendly service too.
(4)Eunice B.
If you have been to the Sansei in Waiks, you'll be disappointed. Looks the same but more expensive and about 50 percent less portions. Sb mini rolls. Sad wine by the glass selection. Oh well, beats the hotel tho!
(2)Mariel S.
Food is not good here. We started with a few things but then left to finish dinner somewhere else. Tuna tataki was over dressed and was super fishy and not fresh. The crunch roll had stale tempura crumbs. The sansei roll was just okay.
(1)Trudy C.
We have been coming to this restaurant for the last few years and the service has certainly gone downhill. We ate there several times during our 2 week vacation in Wailkoloa recently. One night, our server forgot to put my order in so I watched my family eat their food while waiting for my meal to come. The second time, we were served a bowl of miso soup that was half full and we had to ask our server to filll it properly. Third time I ordered the Sansei ramen bowl and our server kept asking me if I wanted t this way and that way--had to tell her 3 times that I wanted what was on the menu -- nothing different--just what was on the menu! Had to ask for more water, etc. The food is good but seriously, the staff need to retrained. The servers are always rushed and hurrying around and they just look unhappy--like they want you to eat and leave please so they can turnover the table. Come on--
(2)Janet D.
SHADY!!!Fraud!! Rip-Off 1. 50% discount is actually only 37% as they charge you 17% gratuity and they give you 37% less food. However..if you talk to the manager, they will take off the 17% gratuity. After all a gratuity is at the discretion of the customer. 2. If you're getting the 25% discount.. It's actually only 8% as they charge you 17% gratuity. 3. They limit the amount of people they take for the early bird special by keeping their back two dining rooms empty. 4. Sometimes they trick you buy seating you just at 6pm so you no longer qualify for the earlybird special. Being that you already waited you're less likely to leave. 5. Sushi takes forever considering there are 4 sushi chefs and sushi isn't getting cooked. Infact the cooked food came out before the sushi 6. You get better sushi at Shiono's in the Island Gourmet Market, Monstera at the Maunalani shops or Imari at the Hilton. 7. Food comes out randomly in no particular order...sometimes it doesn't come at all. Make sure you keep track so that you're not paying for something you did not eat. 8. Atmosphere: The place reaks of old frying oil and fishy-ness. 9. Atmosphere: uncomfortable furniture 10. If you're here to enjoy the "delicate flavors of fresh fish".. FORGET ABOUT IT..sushi here is drenched with sauces such as sweet chili or mayonnaise that could cloak a battleship. 11. Food is over salted.
(1)Nish N.
If you're in the mood for sushi on the Big Island, go here. Sansei is a laid back sushi restaurant, very family friendly, and with some of the best fish I've had in a long time. For starters, the Edamame and Seaweed Salad were deliciously fresh, and seasoned ever-so lightly. But of course, it's the sushi that really excels, and honestly I can't find fault with any of the pieces we tried. The Mango Crab Roll was fantastic, as was the Sansei Special Roll. Do not miss out on the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Roll, either, a truly unique taste. Oh, and the Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish, my goodness! Have some fun exploring the menu, pair it with a frothy Longboard Lager, man I wish I could be there right now.
(5)Ji J.
Went here for the early special. only about 80% are 50% off. Non of the steak and seafood were not on the 50% off menu. Their signature dishes were all decent, but very pricey even with the 50% off. 6 of us paid $370 w steak, a bottle of sake and 5 beers (alcohol is not discounted) I would not come back because it was okay pricey food...It's worth trying just once, but go there on Sunday before 440pm or Mon 440pm (opens at 5pm). I would rather eat at Monstera if you have a car (8 min drive).
(3)Brian W.
I should preface this review by saying that I'm not a sushi guy. Unfortunately my wife loves sushi so we ended up at this place and I was left to choose from some non-raw lackluster overpriced menu options. The restaurant was basically empty at 7pm, never a good sign. Although the service was fine and my wife seemed satisfied with her sushi, something about this place just kept us feeling blah and underwhelmed. The teriyaki steak I ordered was good, but small and really salty, and the tempura onion rings were bland and unsatisfying. It looked like they had some famous (and expensive) sushi options so hopefully there is more to this place than we experienced. Overall it was one of the least memorable meals of a 2 week honeymoon.
(2)Renie G.
One of the best places u can eat at, on the island it's absolutely delicious. U will not be disappointed if u eat at the best places.
(5)Jen R.
We went to Monstera in Mauna Lani instead of here one night because someone recommended. But that was a huge mistake. We really enjoyed our time here. The food took some time to makes its way to us but they were every bite worth it. Portions were fair for the price, too. Their dessert was fantastic.
(5)Shant A.
Service was good although they mixed up one of our order with someone else's. The waiter was friendly and frequently checked to see if everything was good. The rolls were great I recommend the spicy tuna and the dragon fly, but nothing was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING....
(4)Julie L.
Had the calamari (yum!) and tuna carpaccio (super yum, but the portion was a little on the small side for the price - even for Hawaii). Craig the bartender was great!
(4)Shawn G.
This is a strip mall sushi joint. If you like rolls with cream cheese, bacon, nuts, fruit, mayonnaise this the place for you. Really the rolls aren't bad, they are filling, and they serve that clientele. The fish is medium grade, at best. Otherwise, there is nothing authentic about this Japanese place. Stick to teriyaki, rolls, and salads and you have a winning dining experiences. Otherwise, skip it if you want real Japanese.
(3)Chris S.
This place was the highlight of our Waikoloa portion of our trip as far as eating was concerned. Food was awesome and the servers were very friendly.
(5)Thomas M.
To Sansei in Waikoloa, I used to think that your food was delicious. Despite your notoriously bad service (and the automatic 17% "gratuity") I frequented your establishment to taste deliciously fresh fish in unique and interesting ways. The uni and ikura used to be so great that I even continued to order it after one of your waitstaff rudely corrected my Japanese enunciation and talked down to me like I was a petty gaijin. Returning to your establishment last week for the first time in a year, I saw this same rude waiter working there. I guess the automatic gratuity doesn't do much in the way of preserving a meritocracy - at the very least it retains bad employees. But it's not your business model that keeps me from returning. It's not your rude wait staff, ugly décor, or the way you herd waiting patrons around like cattle. The real reason why I will never return is your food. Your god-awful food. It was only last week, on one of the final days of our 10-day Big Island escapade, where my girlfriend and I visited your establishment to experience again the three dishes we missed the most: calamari salad, ahi panko roll, and the DK ramen. All three were inedible in their various ways. The calamari salad and the ahi panko roll were so salty that it overloaded my sodium taste receptors, making it hard for me to taste "normal" food for hours afterward. However, before I was overloaded with salt, I was left with a lingering taste of rancid butter from the sauce of both dishes. We could not taste the ramen when it finally showed up about 20 minutes later, but instead enjoyed the mouthfeel of yesterday's grainy ramen noodles. The worst part was that the main chef owner was there through all of this. I know because I could match a picture of him at our table with him standing behind the sushi bar. He was allowing this bland, stale, and otherwise insulting excuse of a ramen to escape the kitchen bearing his namesake! The horror! My biggest regret of that day (besides walking into Sansei in the first place) was not confronting Chef DK personally and asking him for an explanation and a comp. Instead, I paid $50 (and the mandatory tip) and left hungry, confused, and downright gypped. And this is why I will never return to your 1-star establishment. Sincerely, Thomas M P.S., Please, stop calling it a "gratiuity" and start calling it by what it really is: a mandatory service fee.
(1)Amy W.
Since our first visit, we went back 3 more times for dinner during our trip on the Big Island. I must say the quality of their food is excellent. Though the noodles and the fancy entrees and sushi creations are still on the salty side for my taste, but the ingredients and preparation of each dish are unbeatable. We had different servers each time and they were all friendly and professional. We felt relax and well cared about. One dinner I brought it up to our server that the portion of my yellowtail sashimi was obviously smaller than the last time, she voiced my concern to the chef, and he made me a new order with more generous cuts...outstanding.
(4)D B.
This is a upbeat fun place. I tried several different rolls and there wasn't one that I disliked. The staff was quick and attentive.
(4)Jennifer S.
This is a well deserved 5 stars for this restaurant because my vacation stomach is overly critical..and this rocked my entire 5 day stay on the Big Island. In order to secure our position in the 50% off line we started waiting at 4:08..and we were the 4th party there. The people in line were great...2 parties were locals..and they were hilarious. One guy had a beer in his hand and had been sent on behalf of his family to wait. Another couple brought an umbrella and a chair to sit in..it was a sight to see. The line wasn't too bad...casual chit chat with our neighbors..some music playing and some Hawaiian dancers came out to perform. Important to note: THERE ARE TWO LINES. Left side is for the bar/sushi bar (24 seats) and the right side is for the restaurant seating. If you can, get in the Sushi Bar line because it goes in and orders first!! We got the following: Edamame (Free!!) Mango Crab Roll - Two giant rolls of goodness! There was a sweet chili sauce that mixed perfectly with the sweetness of the mango and the freshness of the lettuce. This roll is simply genius Spicy Tuna - This was actually spicy! Not TOO spicy, but it was a great pairing for the rest of our rolls. Spider Roll - Perfectly crispy with the chili sauce again. The tempura didn't taste greasy or hit your stomach like a rock..was a fluffy texture and not too shabby Sake Sashimi ($5) - I went to heaven on a giant piece of salmon when i ate this dish. WOWZERS. So fresh and so healthy looking. This dish set a whole new standard for my sashimi. Ahi Tuna Roll - This had lettuce inside the roll with a buttery sauce with sesame with it. The Tuna was perfectly cool inside and the outside was crispy and warm. This roll looked like it came out of a magazine. Crispy Butterfly Roll - This was not one of my favorites, but I'm not really a tempura, deep fried rolls kind-of-gal. If you like the breaded and deep fried sushi, this is definitely a good choice for you though! Whole bill was $47 which includes the 17% gratuity -- roughly $7.80 per roll. The 50% off was SOOO worth the 1 hr wait! Not bad at ALL for perfection in a roll. :D
(5)Dean H.
Overpriced, small portions, and just plain not good. I was seriously shocked at the quality of the food here at Sansei. I have no idea if it was what we ordered or what night we went on but it was horrible. Ordered ramen and udon and it was a medium sized bowl of udon and ramen with a small shrimp tempura in it and a few pieces of roast pork. All for 12 dollars. Mines was supposidly the crab ramen specialty dish. Well, it was a little more tasty than the other 2 bowls but at 19 dollars a bowl I was expecting more. Other dishes were served ala carte and was charged 3 dollars for a scoop of rice. A friend ordered jerk chicken and was not impressed. 2 of the ladies ordered a calamari dish and said it was over dressed with the sauce. The children were asked if they wanted juice and each of the juice drinks were 4.50. OK, I am all for spending some green on fine dining but seriously, nothing was fine about the food we got. Mediocre meals with high price tags. Even the ambiance wasn't really there, noisy and close quarters with other tables made it not really a great atmosphere. The service was ok (17% gratuity added automatically) and the bathrooms were semi clean. We will not be coming back to Sansei sad to say.... 073/365 notgoodatall yelp challenge
(1)Morgan L.
From a Kid's View I have been here 4 times and the food is excellent. The first time, I got the Sansei's Udon Noodles, or whatever they are called...The udon noodles were chewy and very good. The soup, however, was saltier then I expected. The tempura was crispy and delicious. This dish comes with green onions, so for those who don't like it, try to order it without. It also came with a few chops of roasted pork. () The second and the third times, I got the Sashimi Trio. It contained yellowtail (hamachi), tuna, and salmon. Each fish had three slices. It was chewy and buttery and very yummy. They seemed to be very fresh, () The fourth time, I ordered the Sansei's Ramen Noodles. If you know what cup of noodles are, then this dish is very similar but better. The soup was tasty and not too salty comparing to the udon I had before. The noodles where chewy as well. It came with a shrimp tempura in the top, with green onions, and some cuts of roasted pork.() The food is delicious, the servers are nice and cheerful, and the restaurant is clean and kids friendly. If I come back to the Big Island, I would sure come here again.
(4)Troy M.
Went here with my wife while on a short Waikoloa Getaway. I was really looking forward to dinner at Sansei. The night before we had an awesome meal at Roys and was hoping for a repeat here. Sadly we were let down. Atmosphere: Blah...None what so over maybe noisy describes it best. The bathroom was kinda dirty. Food. Average at best. We had a several dished included the panko roll and nothing stood out as great. Sashimi was slightly below average grade. I eat at a sushi bars on oahu once a week and may family are all commercial tuna fisherman. I know good fish this was not that great quality. Service. Below average. the food came out at a weird pace. And the large table next to us who had ordered 10 min after us got there food which was the same dished before us. What is up with that? This place should and could be a 4 to 5 star place but it seems the server and others here lack passion. Everyone we encountered at Roys the night before were happy and friendly and passionate about serving us. The people a Sansei ...knd of the complete opposite. If your looking for a nice dinner I would say go to Roys for the sure thing. This place is probably too much of a hit or miss. I regret not going back to Roy's for our last meal on our stay in Waikoloa.
(2)Carlie C.
I ate at the Kapalua Sansei a few years ago, and it was quiet, intimate, and the food was fantastic. The Waikoloa location is none of those things. The restaurant was overcrowded, full of loud families, very touristy, service was slow and inattentive, and items were completely overpriced in comparison to the quality of the food. I would not return to this Sansei location. If you are looking for a great meal check out Monstera. It is in the same shopping center and totally delicious!
(2)P B.
Look for Laila. She was great. Have the foie gras and the Scottish salmon belly for sure. Can't wait to try their Maui location next.
(5)Carolyn J.
Came for dinner on our last night on the Big Island. Great sushi spot! Made rezzies but came earlier on our way back from Kona and they accommodated us. We ordered: Sweet Asparagus Tempura Spears with tentsuyu dipping sauce - Good Sansei's Ramen Noodles - Good with Roast Pork in homemade Dashi, topped with a traditional Tempura Shrimp Japanese Calamari Salad - OK Calamari fritti tossed in spicy kochujang vinaigrette served over Kula greens in a crispy won ton basket Sashimi Trio - FRESH Hawaiian ahi, yellowtail tuna and fresh salmon sashimi Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll - MUST TRY Sashimi grade Hawaiian ahi, arugula and spinach wrapped into a sushi roll, panko-crusted, flash-fried and served with Sansei's mild soy wasabi butter sauce Yaki-maki Sushi Roll - YUM! California roll wrapped with smoked salmon and baked with Sansei's Special Dynamite Sauce Service was good and staff were attentive. Good to see locals in this place as well. Total bill was $90 inc tip. Sure its pricey for sushi, but this is Hawaii. I'd still come back.
(4)Catherine F.
I wasn't sure what to think of a shopping center sushi restaurant, but Sansei is simply incredible. The food is "fusion" and the menu is extensive enough for a party with differing palates and dietary restrictions, which is great for the area, and was personally helpful for my party. I actually dream of the mango crab salad rolls, and consider them to be one of my favorite things I have ever eaten anywhere. I live in NYC - I eat sushi fairly regularly, and I like to dine out at nice restaurants... but these mango crab salad rolls are just truly delicious. Everything at Sansei was fresh, tasty, really good, but truthfully, I can never remember what I eat after those mango crab salad rolls. I cannot wait to return.
(5)Cynthia M.
Came to this place while on vacation 6/11/13. The eel, spicy tuna rolls were excellent. Wasn't a big fan of their specialty items, felt they lacked substance. We stuck with what we liked and it was great. Tried their Jerked Chicken, this was excellent. So juicy, not spicy, something you must try. Also tried their veggie pasta which was quite tasty. Although these two items were under the Family Meals, the portions weren't for a family size. Service was great. I would go there again!
(4)Katya D.
Coming from NYC here on vacation my only regret is that I didn't find this place my first night here! I did spend my last two dinners here though and must say the service was impeccable and the sushi amazing! I have sushi probably once a week at least at some of the best places in NYC and around the world and this place is right up there in my top 5. The fish was super fresh, I tried the winning sushi rolls, mango crab hand roll and the panko ahi roll. Both really great and interesting takes on normal sushi! The best of the bunch was definitely the crab ramen with Asian truffle broth. This was really to die for and I had it both nights, both times the different waitresses mentioned that was their favorite. Amazing! I wish there was a location closer to home! Can't wait to try more on the menu when I'm here again.
(5)Ira B.
BEST RESTURAUNT EVER could use some redecorating but the food was amazing my boyfriend took me for our anniversary we started off with crispy sweet onion rings in tempura batter and the pano crusted ahi roll the roll- best thing i have ever eaten anywhere ever! the fish was fresh it was perfectly seared and seasoned and very crispy with this delicious wasabi butter to dip it in for dinner my bf got the sirloin and lobter which was cooked perfectly and on a bed of garlic potatoes AND liguine i got the crab cakes and lobster tail everything comes with this asian veggie mix the and the portions are very generous the crab cakes were incredible. soft and melty inside and crispy outside with a slight spice to them. absoolutly delicious the service was fast and everyone was very friendly. we even got a table earlier than our reservation! i would reccomend this resturaunt to anybody who asks.
(5)T. T.
Food was good but service was GREAT! When you get excellent services, you will find youself more relaxed and able to enjoy your meal. It's unfortunate that this review was written after a one time experience there...otherwise, I would've made statements like, "Trust me on this, this place has mindblowing ramen noodle! Chris, our waitor, is one of a kind!"
(4)Joy A.
Yum! We had a group dinner here prior to the wedding. The sushi was fresh - but they also had four-legged options for the meat eaters! I have to personally recommend the foie gras nori (so worth the $$$) and the butter fish - it was like buttah! Service was great despite our large group. Overall, a treat! As mentioned by others, they do have happy hour - enjoy 50% Sunday and Monday; and 25% off other days. Note that they open at 5:30 and your order must be in by 6pm. Lines are heavy so be there no later than 5pm. Also watch our for the asterisks - those menu items are not part of the happy hour (i.e. my foie gras is not discounted - boo).
(5)Anatoli L.
Feel bad giving such a low rating to the place which has lots of great reports, but it is what it is. May it was just a late Sunday fluke with substitute chef and substitute wait stuff? Not sure. We stopped by for dinner late Sunday night. Food was indistinguishable. Worst spider roll I ever had, and tuna crunch roll, which is typically one of my favorites in many places, was also so so. Food alone is under three stars for sure. Service was ever worse than food. May be our waiter, Stacey, got upset that we didn't listen to her recommendations, but service was just below average. Our check arrived all of a sudden without any questions about dessert, clearly a statement "get out of here". Overall, very bleak experience, so taking also in account prices, this place is definitely not recommended. If you want to spend money on something good, go next door to Roy's (worth every penny).
(2)Krystal L.
We were staying at the Hilton for a week and came here twice. First time food was great, but our waiter was odd... He seemed tired and I overworked. The food was good. I had sushi and my husband had a crab ramen dish. The ramen was average so he wasn't over the top satisfied about it. The waiter brought me the wrong sushi combo, even thought I POINTED to the one I wanted and he said it to me and I said yes...but he did bring my other 2 pieces that were missing... We went a second time and it was a whole different experience. We had a native local woman as our waitress and she was fun, friendly an attentive unlike the first time we were there. I got sushi again and my husband this time got one of the highly recommended dishes ( I think it was the mahi mahi?). He was very pleased. Would recommend this place!!
(4)Terese B.
Third location I've eaten at and they have all been great! The service was attentive and helpful. Love when the sushi chef tells me I'm too ambitious (read: lady that's a crap-load of food)! It was all fresh and yummy! Highly recommend the caterpillar and dragonfly rolls.
(4)Louis F.
Excellent sushi. Ate at the sushi bar and had a great conversation with the sushi chef. He gave us some local tips on where else to eat at.
(5)Jake V.
Eat the butterfish. Come here if you're staying somewhere on the northern end of the west coast, it's among your better options (though there isn't a view). Stick with the recommendations from the menu (they have an octopus next to them), and you'll be all set.
(4)Julie N.
We loved the food at their Kapalua restaurant a couple of years ago, so we definitely had to give this place a shot and we were rewarded for it. Sansei does a fantastic job on putting an "Island touch" on their dishes. We had their Poke, Chilean Sea Bass and sushi roll called a Spicy Tuna Crunch. The flavors were great and the presentation was beautiful. Be sure to make reservations because it was packed when we were there on a Monday night.
(5)Chris O.
Much like the Sansei I tried on Maui, this was a place to get pretty good Japanese food for a fair price. Nice fresh sushi for regular mainland prices and some cool specialties that will impress. Service was very good and I like the style of the place. This is one of the only places near the Hilton that I think is worth checking out.
(4)L C.
We heard about the 50% off food on Monday from 5:00-6:00pm from a local and decide to give it a try. The reality is not everything is 50% so be careful if you are on a budget. Anything on the board (specials), drinks, and marked with * is not discounted. In addition, they charge 17% gratitude (even though there was only two of us). Service- Forgetful. My husband ordered a tea and it never showed up. Food- We order some sushi and it was good but not exceptional.
(3)George P.
Had a great evening at Sansei the other night. Make sure you call ahead for a RESERVATION....important if you don't feel like waiting! We ended up waiting at the bar but had such a good time there that we decided to CXL our table request and just hang at the bar itself. Bartenders were great, particularly Mario. He paid attention and was pleasant the entire evening. MUST ORDER the Panko Crusted Ahi Roll - delicious!! If you like crunchy shrimp - Order the Shrimp Dynamite. It was...well...Dynamite!! The Ahi Poke was fantastic....little kick to it!! The Mexican Burrito roll was really good as well!!! Favorite thing was the Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura!!!! Great bar, lots of variety of liquors and it's fun to experiment. Turned out every night is Karaoke night and it was just the thing our group needed!!! We all got a little down and dirty with the Karaoke....good times. We'll definitely be back. Be prepared to drop a bit of $$ but it's worth it!
(4)Kat W.
My husband and I were there just last night (02Jul09) and had a wonderful time. The place was packed, and we squeezed ourselves in at the sushi bar (my one quibble - it WAS a squeeze!). Normally we go crazy and order a whole plate of sushi, but we were in a dilemma with all the different choices, and ended up ordering only a hamachi kama, a Kohala Crunch roll, and some agedashi tofu while we considered. Boy, I'm glad! Servings were plentiful, and those three items (well, my Beloved also had a bowl of steamed rice) were sufficient to stuff us to the gills! I love hama-kamas, and this one was served with ponzu sauce and a light salad. The ponzu was delicious with the fish - I'm used to a simple squeeze of lemon and grated daikon - and the fish itself was tender and moist with a lovely, crunchy skin. Agedashi tofu is such a homey, simple dish that there's not a lot you can do to it except make it fresh and well - and Sansei came through! The sauce was just right, the tofu was fried perfectly, and all they "added" was a garnish of cress and shredded daikon, carrots and beets. I love agedashi tofu, and this is definitely deliciously done! I saved the best for last: the Kohala Crunch roll. A huge roll, and well worth the $15 tag, considering it was, effectively, a full entree. The menu description said it was coated with rice crackers, so I expected some sort of crumb coating, but instead they were tiny pearls of CRUNCH which echoed the more delicate crunch of the deep fried asparagus inside the roll. The cilantro-and-something-else sauce over it was DIVINE!, and the spicy tuna and radish sprouts that were in with the asparagus added the perfect flavor punch. This is the first time I've ever gone to a sushi restaurant and not even touched the soy sauce - it was that perfect right from the start! Many have mentioned the 50% discount they give at certain hours, but I should mention that I don't believe it's on the WHOLE menu; there are certain special items that keep the full price. Nonetheless, if you choose to go during those hours, you will have plenty of choices to make from a well-prepared and varied menu. I should also note that Sansei is not *just* sushi; they have a full menu with steak, chicken, duck, fish, shrimp, etc. (even vegetarian options!), so everyone who goes will find something to their taste. Usually when I go for sushi, I want something straightforward and incredibly fresh (which Sansei definitely has), but the fusion element to Sansei's menu brings fresh delight to a favorite food genre... and I wonder if I can get my husband to spoil me there again before we leave? After all, there's so much more on the menu that I'm dying to try! ;-)
(5)Su-Lynn T.
Sansei was yummy. We heard so much about it but had missed it on our last 2 trips to Hawaii, so we were pretty excited to try it in Nov 2010. We waited for 45 minutes to get in on the Monday early bird dinner where everything was 50% off. It's definitely worth it. We ordered a LOT of food. My favorite was the panko crusted ahi tuna roll with the arugula. So good and the soy butter sauce is delicious. Also great was the shrimp cake in a sauce that was so good, we had the waitress leave the empty plate so we could mop up the sauce with other things. Hahaha. The only gripe is the long wait for the 50% off, and also when we asked the waitress to recommend dishes to us, everything she said was fried, so we ate waaay too many fried things. They were all tasty though so ordered on separate occassions would have been fine. Definitely not for sushi purists, but if you like fun, interesting pacific rim fusion food, you won't be disappointed!
(4)Katrina A.
This place is AMAZING! My boyfriend, my tummy and I left very happy. We had the Sansei Special Roll and Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Hand Roll. Oh-Em-Gee! Yes! So delicious! We also had the Fried Tempura Macadamia Nut Ice Cream. That was THE BEST fried ice cream I've ever had. Definitely ONO FOOD! And special shout out to those that have written bad yelp reviews about this place. Yes, You DEF picked the wrong items on the menu. DUH. We also went at a perfect time as well. 5:30-6 on Sundays and Mondays - Sushi rolls and other menu items are 50% off. The staff is super friendly! Especially the sushi chef, Pat.
(5)Lisa H.
The best dinner that I had in Hawaii. It was so good, I went back twice in one week to try more things on the menu! Fois gras nigiri was very unique and satisfied my fatty meat craving. Ramen is great. Rolls are delicious. Sashimi is divine. Try everything! You can't go wrong.
(5)Collin W.
The food here was so overpriced and everything was pretty bad. The only thing that was decent was the shrimp dynamite. But everything else was bad. Service was bad and the atmosphere is so ugly especially the bar
(1)Ferdmeister V.
Not bad .. I have had better sushi at other places. Nice place though.
(3)Rachel M.
I got the ramen noodle dish because I was just recovering from the flu and it hit the spot. My husband got sushi, which he really enjoyed.
(4)Lung T.
My wife and I went here on a whim. We were worried it was just another tourist restaurant, but we were very wrong. It has the feel of a family owned restaurant and has a very large variety of dishes/sushi rolls. I have had a lot of sushi, but this was by far the Best sushi ever!!! Fresh seafood that melts in your mouth...clean flavors...real crab in the California roll...it's a must on the big island!!
(5)Lori K.
I was in a bit of a predicament while trying to rate this place. I felt like the food was about 3.5 stars, but the service was more like 2 stars. So overall it's not quite a 3, but since yelp doesn't let you rate fractions of stars, a 3 it is. Let's start with the good stuff though. The food was very good for the most part.We ordered the tasting menu for two, which had an excellent variety of dishes. The sushi rolls were unique and very tasty. The panko crusted ahi roll, sansei special roll, and mango crab salad handroll were all very good. The calamari salad is also really good, but I would have liked more greens. The miso butterfish was my favorite. The fish was cooked perfectly and was very flavorful. The shrimp cake and lobster/crab ravioli were delicious as well. My sister ordered the ramen which was good, but I could order ramen that's just as good but half the price. Now, the service was something else. I'm not sure if they were short handed or what, but our waiter was really not all there. The place is pretty huge, maybe they just couldn't keep up. Throughout our meal, our waiter lagged to bring us certain things and forgot about others. When we would ask what happened to stuff he was bringing, he just brushed it off and reassured it was on it's way, instead of just admitting he forgot and apologizing. He must have realized something was wrong at some point, because he brought our table a complimentary cheesecake, which sadly ended up being pretty bad. Oh well... we ate it nonetheless. Overall, good food, iffy service. Can't decide whether I'd return to this location based off this experience. Maybe I'll try a different location next time.
(3)M B.
Not that great. We had all sushi and found it average at best. As a important point of distinction, we had dinner at the Maui location two nights prior and it was vastly different. The Maui location was excellent. My nigiri rice was salty, the fish was cut too large and from the less desirable parts of a side. I read the reviews from others prior to going on yelp and tripadvisor, but couldn't believe them. I should have...
(2)Tom C.
I think they are over thinking sushi. But since there wasn't any other Japanese restaurants around this place is good enough.
(3)Kevin Y.
After a long line to get 25% off.. We and 28 others had to order fast since the discount for getting order in before 6pm.. Next I order sushi rolls and I almost through up.. We told waiter it tasted like cat food... I couldn't believe it...the wife tried and spit out.. Also my wife had the pork medallion which was horrible too... .our german waiter was nice to remove the cat food ... Umm sushi rolls ticket.. BUT then decided to charge us 17% gratuity even though that ruined our dinner... The best part after purging in the restroom, Was seeing an arbies sandwich in food court next door... 2 nights later, we had a 5 star experience at Ruth's Chris steakhouse! Great food!
(1)Christopher B.
Great sushi but a little pricey...even for a sushi bar.
(4)Jena R.
ATTENTION ALL NEW-COMERS TO SUSHI: THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR YOU! This place has a LOT of options so you might want to know what they are. One thing you MUST know above all else is the many, MANY different types of fish that this place sells. You will also have to know what the difference between nigiri, sushi, & sashimi is. It is a very good place if you know what your getting!! I would highly advise bringing someone who knows the different types of fish. The bottom line is: EITHER BRING A FRIEND WHO KNOWS THEIR FISH OR BE PREPARED TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS
(4)Jean L.
This place has great sushi!!! We came here for the lobster dinner and stayed for the sushi. We had the Panko Encrusted Ahi Roll...great combination of texture and taste. The roll had a slight sweetness to it and complimented well by the woody taste of the arugula. The crab salad and mango roll are great too. Lobster dinner was okay. If I had to do it all over again....probably would have skipped the lobster dinner and gotten more rolls. Still a great place for sushi...innovative to say the least.
(4)Sonnie S.
We just got to the Big Island and were hungry so we went here before checking in to the hotel. We got some nigiri and unagi roll and some edamame. It was fine for what it was. Two beers from the cooler. $26. Much better than hitting some fast food chain place.
(4)Maylee H.
Great rolls!! And they have a vast variety of entrees as well. The scallops are a must but start it off with the calamari. Their fish is fresh, and they also have great ramen dishes. We ordered the dragon roll, calamari, roast duck, seared ahi and scallops.
(5)Cindy O.
We dined at Sansei on Christmas Eve. We had the bagel roll (smoked salmon and cream cheese sushi roll), the panko crusted ahi roll, and the spider roll. The servers are enthusiastic and eager to provide the best service, the food is promptly prepared and delivered, and the food is excellent!
(4)Eric Z.
youtube.com/watch?v=NZ4P… I did a video! Love the food and the discount you can get for the early bird special is AWESOME!
(5)Peter C.
Very good food and excellent wine selection.
(4)Kenny D.
horrible service, poor food quality, overpriced!
(1)Paul L.
Three couples went to dinner at Sansei on 7mar13. The service was terrible. Two of the party were completely finished with dinner before the 3rd person was served. The remaining 3 were served as the 3rd person finished. Several of the group said the food was good, but my risotto was heavily over salted. To top it off, they insisted on a 17% gratuity and were unwilling to let us choose our own amount (certainly because it would have been far less than 17%) With all the good restaurants on the Big Island, and Waikoloa in particular, this one is a good one to miss.
(1)Ay-Laina D.
We came here once on a Friday night during the late-night menu period. Wasn't expecting so many tourists. One Haole guy stole our chair from our table without asking, and staff did nothing about it! Also, our waitress was whatever. Dull, quiet, Taciturn. And the she had the nerve to tack on a 17% tip to our bill FOR us. Wth? You did not earn that. At. All. Food was just alright. Thank god it was half off. Save money and stress and just go shokudo instead.
(2)E M B.
This place was delicious and service was super fast! Try the Ahi carpaccio...it was amazing! It was a bit pricey, but they did have a special for 25% off between 5:30-6pm. Would def recommend!
(4)Peter M.
Best sushi on the big island.
(5)Lisa H.
Wow! If you are a SF foodie! You must eat here!! So brilliant. Brilliant "Sansei" gourmet food! Hard to decide what to order but the Panko Encrusted Ahi Roll was a great starter! Delicious!-Thumbs up! The Calamari Salad was fried with a Overly Sweet sauce and raw salad which was good for about 3-4 bites. (but if more than 2 adults R eating this, it'll go).-Thumbs sideways, diff. take on calamari The Miso Butter fish with Japanese pickles was a mismatch and the sifh is done better at Roy's.-Skip! My kids had their udon and the SOUP was SPOT ON delicious, carefully crafted, appreciate it! -Thumbs up! Kids also had Tamago Sushi- Little too sweet for me but, they make their own, so -Thumbs up on that! Spicy Tuna Cruchy Tempura roll- YUM! Thumbs up! [This is where we fell off the track...the pictures on the table], My husband wanted to try the Hamachi, Shitake? Poke with the Truffle oil. VERY Earthy and Opposite of what we realized was a Sweet side kinda meal. BIG BRAKES put on our palate here. It was good but...Maybe it should have come out first. So after this dish, I felt like the restaurant does cook to the sweeter side.-esp after 2 more bites of Calamari- I had to repair my palate by eating my husband's Agedashi Tofu -THUMBS UP which was spot on flavor profile! Someone in the kitchen is doing a great job on Dashi making- broths! ( a little more in the Homemade Tamago and I'm all over it.) I don't think this is a "Come for Traditional Sushi" place -the prices were astronomical too. I came for the name the "Sansei"-3rd generation spin on Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine.-And for this, the 4 stars. There is creativity abound on this menu but I think it's in the small dishes and unique rolls! Great new place to consider for dinner aside from Waikaloa's offerings. A little cheaper than Roy's (for all that we ordered!) and almost as satisfying.
(4)Leslie K.
Husband and I had a sensational evening at Sansei in Maui a few months ago. Very pricey but all aspects of dining experience were excellent. Thrilled to see that there was a Sansei on Big Island near where we were staying. Expected another fabulous evening of fine dining. Family of four, no drinks besides water, no dessert, $150 with tax and tip and we left very very disappointed. Fish was very fresh but nothing was outstanding as it was in Maui. We are bummed that we wasted money and time we could have eaten somewhere better. Meh, I've experienced better. Completely agree with Jessie l.'s 8-18-13 review. What a waste of an evening out.
(2)Catherine Y.
Not authentic. Was quite disappointed with the food.
(2)Gibby K.
Came here after seeing an ad from those tourist magazines, they have the Happy Hour Monday special from 5-6pm, this restaurant did not disappoint, the sushi was the freshest we found on the Kona side of the big Island, You gotta try the fresh Hawaiian Tuna Carpaccio, Miso butterfish, and Kenny G roll. If you like Nigiri - definately go with Shiromi (White Fish), its one of the freshest tasting I've ever tried. You should arrive early as the line starts forming 20 mins prior, you'll eventually get in, but better to get there early to get your order in first. Make sure to save room for dessert - this was our favorite part of the meal, we had both the Tempura Ice Cream and Apple Tart - both were excellent! It's no surprise why they've won so many awards and accolades!
(5)Lala l.
This place sucks! I lived on the bay area for 8 years, and after having fair share of good sushi in the bay area, this place is SO NOT WORTH THE MONEY, or your time! Long wait to get in, and I just don't get it, honestly, everyone waiting obviously hasn't had good sushi. Everything I ordered was very mediocre, and way overpriced for the poor quality of sushi. Even the dessert I got (which the server raved about to us) was really bland and not worth the money at all! Nothing I had was even remotely close to being worth the money. You'd be better off going to get fresher and better sushi at the Marketplace at the opposite end of the queen shops. Really good and fresh sushi selection, for probably more than half the price, and no wait! There's a wine bar in the market too, if you feel like just drinking wine and eating somewhere. or, grab a bottle of wine and sushi from the market, and go eat at the beach 2 minutes away! :)
(1)Erika B.
Had a great meal here recently on my honeymoon. There was a pretty long wait for tables on a Tuesday night, but there was space at the sushi bar which we happily took (more fun to watch the sushi chefs anyways). We got a lot of nigiri, all of which was fresh and really good, and a few good rolls too. The best thing was a nigiri special, hamachi charred with a spicy garlic glaze that was awesome - we ordered two portions. Also the shrimp dynamite was awesome, a great way to start the meal. Service at the bar was attentive and food came out really fast - amazingly fast considering how busy the restaurant was! My husband used to work in a sushi restaurant and has really high standards so it's hard to find someplace that he likes, and this spot was a winner.
(5)Nick C.
If you want good sushi go to San Francisco. I you want mediocre sushi at ridiculous prices go to Sansei. Atmosphere: loud and obnoxious. Waitstaff: forgetful. Menu: insanely overwhelming. Sushi: so so. Chef's special creations: salty and wonky. This was the third restaurant we went to here on Hawaii's big island. It's also the worst. We've had better Sushi for half the price. Skip this one and satisfy your fish cravings elsewhere. PS. What kind of sushi joint doesn't have gyoza? Especially one that has a menu with about 300 items on it? Our kids were terribly disappointed in that.
(2)Sue C.
We saw this place but never had a chance to try in Maui so we did this time. The food is ok but way too EXPENSIVE. The waiter told us that every dish had a generous portion, which was not true at all, especially considering the price. The atmosphere is also loud and the tables are cramped. We had a booth but was right next to a group of 12 and a family of 5, both of which were so close in that I heard all about the group members whining about the high price of the drinks and the mom explanation to the dad that the kids were not eating b/c they were too tired from their afternoon at the pool. Definitely not a romantic place, at least for me. The owners/chefs are seriously too proud of their dishes in that they put the articles and pictures all over the table underneath the glass. What a show off! I got particularly upset at the "Japanese Squid Salad" in that they used a wonton wrapper (Chinese) and kochujang (Korean) vinaigrette and yet called it Japanese!!!! It is located in the Queens market, which is right next to Hilton and Marriott in Waikoloa Village. There are very few restaurants in this neighborhood so the choices are limited but I do not think this place is worth going again.
(2)Pebble L.
Food was amazing for everyone in our party of 10, but the service was horrible and the kitchen does not time items. Those who ordered sushi were served faster than those who ordered other items. It's one ticket, it should be timed for the table, not the kitchen. So some were finished their meals while others were just being served. It took almost 15 minutes to close out because no one was around to stop and take my credit card.
(3)Jessica F.
During our visit to Waikoloa, we visited Sensai two nights in a row. It was definitely the best for its prices and large selection. However, on our second night last night, we ordered the yellow tail poke, rainbow roll and Asian shrimp cake. Woke up early this morning with food poisoning! NEVER going back again. And they charge a 17% gratuity fee? For what? Getting us sick? This place blows. Do not be fooled by their 25% off happy hour!
(1)Jon M.
Good sushi, but a few other things were lacking. I came for dinner a few weeks ago and was greeted by probably one of the most brusque hostesses ever, which probably put a bad taste in my mouth right from the get-go. Once we were seated, the service improved somewhat, but the waitress didn't seem to be too pleased that my wife and I weren't ordering enough food for her tastes (we initially ordered an appetizer and three helpings of sushi). The sushi was good and very fresh, and the prices were reasonable. If the service had been better and/or the ambiance had been nicer (it was loud and crowded), then I might have been more likely to rate this place higher.
(3)Stefan Z.
Hmmm... Where to start... First off, this is one of the best places to go to get casual Japanese cuisine and more for reasonable prices. We've had a consistent average of about $40 per person, no-holds-barred eating. And before I go any further, this place is delicious. I've been to Sansei years before in Maui at the ritzy Ritz-Carlton resort, but this place seems to be a tiny bit different. I've yet to figure out why, maybe its just me. But I would give the one on Maui a five star rating without hesitation, it was that good. We ate there four times and it was just fabulous. This place seemed to be a cut below in terms of the dishes I've come to remember as my all-time favorite eats. I've decided at this point that I've committed a mistake in that I just got lemons for prodding at the corners of the menu. One trip there I got ramen, which had an extremely salty stock and the other I got nigiri sushi that was rather disproportionately prepared (see the wiki on nigiri). Therefore I can't really give it five stars, but hear me out before you judge... My two friends I ate there with, however, only ordered off of the specials menu and dishes recommended by our waitress on both trips. They couldn't stop talking about how fantastic their dishes were. I tried them myself. They were great. If I had done the same, I would easily give it a fat five stars. But my experience on Maui made me expect just a little more from them. Bottom line: Get the specials (of the week, plus anything in the boxes), don't bother with anything else. Oh, and PANKO CRUSTED AHI FTW. GET IT.
(4)Tiffany T.
We called and got the scoop on the 1/2 priced menu on Sundays and Mondays. Almost anything you order between 5-6 is half priced. Basically you go cue up between 4:30-4:45. They open around 5:10 or so and seat 100 people. We were there on Dec 30th (a busy time of year) so it was good we got there right at 4:30. It is a zoo when you get in because they are seating so many tables at once. Our waitress was still OUTSTANDING. Explained everything and pointed out the 5 or 6 items that were not eligible for the 50% discount. She even told us the ins and outs of sake when we asked for a tasting. I know she was CRAZY busy but still managed to be one of the better servers we have had in a long time. We ate exclusively from the sushi menu and went to town. We tried about 12 items off the menu. The variety was excellent. The fish quality was exceptional. If I am back in the area again we will eat here for sure. Our entire crew loved it.
(5)Thomas H.
Not sure what all the rave or the crowd is about. Maybe it's b/c we have good Japanese food in SF bay area, but besides the miso butter fish, everything else we ordered was just average. If you want good Japanese food, drive 5 minutes north to Monstera in Shops at Mauna Lani area, it's much better! First of all, they need to simplify that 8 page menu, especially when the same item appears in 3 diff places. Really, this ain't no Cheesecake Factory. - sashimi, we had maguro (tuna) and hamachi (yellowtail) and was quite disappointed to find the hamachi with bone (or scale?) still on one of the pieces. - Tamago (egg): not too bad and not too sweet like most places - Hiyashi Seaweed Salad: regular seaweed salad, good portion - Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll: bleh, not that interesting, still not sure why this is so popular - Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish: this one was good local fish - Shrimp + assorted veggie tempura: LOTS of food, but the presentation? no, there's none, they just stack them up and serve it right out
(3)David H.
Going there tonight for 7pm dinner that i just made the res with a manger named Ron...he was very gracious and accomodating And we will provide a recommendation when we return. Given that it is the off season, we have found some restaurant are hooking us up with free drinks, appetiZers,etc. Roy's took excellent care of us last night - highly recommend.
(3)Anita J.
We went for the happy half hour they have at this location on a Saturday night. Line up at 5pm, to get seated at 5:30pm, then get majority of your order in by 6PM. Sunday and Monday it's 50% off, and Tuesday through Saturday it's 25%. Service: Quick, polite, and was happy to make recommendations. Ambiance: Open view sushi kitchen, standard Asian restaurant feel Food: Fantastic, the freshest sushi I have ever had (I haven't been to Tokyo yet). Aside from the sushi, we ordered a noodle dish, shrimp cake and lots of tempura. What we ordered (for 7 people) and it was a bit too much, probably could have cut 2. Sansei's Asian Shrimp Cake (app portion) Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll Japanese Calamari Salad Sweet Onion Tempura Rings Shrimp Tempura Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish Sansei's Seafood Pasta (entree portion) Traditional Japanese Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura (entree portion) Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll Shrimp Tempura Roll Bagel Roll California Roll Spicy Tuna Roll
(4)Lil I.
You must come come here, and make a rez to avoid loooong lines! Food: The crab-mango salad roll, butterfish, ahi is amazing. Portions are small, appetizer size, but two per person is fine. Atmosphere: They have karaoke on Fri + Sats! Price: Discounts of 50% from 5-6 Sun, Mon, 10pm-1am Fri, Sat Discounts of 25% from 5:30-6 Tue-Fri? A previous reviewer complained about the automatic charge of 17% for gratuity, but perhaps it's there to make sure the waitress gets tipped for the total cost before the discount?
(5)Kimo S.
Having just been to the Waikiki location we decided to stop by here for the late night Happy Hour special, 50% off their late night menu (sushi & select dishes) starting at 10:00pm - 1 am. Most guests on vacation probably don't eat this late but for the younger crowd this is a great deal for a late meal. First off, the late night special means two things: open karaoke night (just like Waikiki) and a definite local hang-out crowd. This is the place in Waikoloa, probably the entire Kohala Coast, for the locals to drink and hang-out for a late night gathering. Was quite interesting to see how the local scene here is much different than Oahu, we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. The nigiri sushi did not have as large a cut as the Waikiki location so we stuck to the rolls instead. The nigiri was tasty and fresh but it was about 25% less fish than we were used to. The rolls were really good though, I would highly recommend the Sansei Special Roll and Sansei's Mango Crab Salad Roll. Delicious! I actually prefer this location over the Waikiki location just due to it being a little more fresh (since it is new), the karaoke wasn't as loud and the sushi was just as tasty as back on Oahu. Overall a great spot if you want to grab a late dinner and drinks.
(4)Thelma Lee G.
Really disappointing since we just adore the one on Maui. We tried a lot of dishes but they just didn't work....not sure why exactly. The flavors didn't meld and the food used was possibly not the freshest. Good service but I would skip this place.
(2)Jillian P.
I love it here! They have AMAZING DEALS! From 5:30 till I think either 6:00 or 6:30 anything you order off of the menu is 50% off on Sundays and 25% off all other days of the week. The food is GREAT! Portions are small for the price you pay (if you're paying regular price). Their BROWNIE sundae is THEEEEEE ABSOLUTE BEST! To this day, it's the BEST brownie I've ever eaten. Overall, I'd recommend it. :)
(4)Dave K.
Without a doubt both the best restaurant and the best value within shuttle distance of the Hilton Waikoloa. The mango, crab salad hand roll was outstanding. The off-menu dragon-fly roll was great. Amazingly, they also do a fine job with their steakhouse-like steak menu. The service is great. They have a nice kids' menu. Only downside: you better like sushi or steak as, despite the enormous menu, that's really all there is.
(5)Jeannanicole D.
On one hand, I have to admit that Sansei's saimin broth is spectacular. I love soup and I love noodles. This is my #1 suggestion for Saimin, thus far. On the other mangled gorilla hand, their waitstaff is HORRENDOUS. I haven't had good service at any Sansei, and i've been to them all. The saimin is definitely worth it.
(3)Joseph L.
Sanseis is a place where you can get a fusion of flavors. Their menu has a lot of things that make me think "huh... is this going to work..." but I am surprised every time I order. The service is pretty average for a restaurant in town, but their clashing flavors that somehow mesh makes this place. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The first time I came here, I took my girlfriend when they had the ocean festival and it was great. All the food was exquisite and different. There were many combinations that I thought would not go right but ended up tasting excellent. I forgot what the dessert was called but it was apple with some fried crepe thing and ice cream. DELICIOUS! We came here shortly after and ordered a dinner for two special (it seems that when we come here, we lose all ability to piece together a dinner order.) The food was good and different but it was all sweet. I can't really eat all sweet foods for dinner so it wasn't great. I suppose it was our fault for ordering it though. I am looking forward to the next time I am in the area looking for a place to eat. Would definitely reccomend this place for a nice dinner date.
(4)Lisa C.
we ordered a bunch of sushi to share and were not let down. the fish was fresh and the rolls were well thought out. the service was super slow and sort of rude, but otherwise a good experience.
(3)Kevin S.
We came for the 25% off special. We were not disappointed. Excellent service but only mediocre decor...the tables were plastered with too much junk about a cookbook. We started with a California roll--not very exciting but made with real crab--and the Cucumber & Wakame Sunomo, but was delicious. We had the Dynamite Shrimp, which was not as spicy as I thought it would be but was still very tasty (my partner didn't like the creamy sauce on tempura) and the pinko crusted ahi sashimi sushi, which was amazingly delicious. The shrimp and vegetable tempura entree was delicious and perfectly batters and fried. the tempura ice cream was disappointing as I didn't like the cake batter wrapped around the ice cream. Still, it was well worth the prices, and even better at 25% off before 6PM.
(4)L. B.
It's casual dining which is good for family or just hang out with friends. We always start with Miso Butter Fish and some sushi rolls such as Dragon Roll, Spider Rolls and some nigiri sushi. So far from our experience, the greeters, waitress, bartenders are great with customers, sometimes we just walk in and seat at bar area. Some of the menus are great some are not, the problem I think the consistency of the taste and portion. It could be from large menu items. They have 50% off early bird dinner on every Monday from 5:30pm until 6pm with first come first serve service, although the portion & quality a little bit less than regular price, it's still worth it to try :)
(3)Doug L.
Zero stars, if there was such an option. Horrible horrible horrible. That's all I have to say about this place
(1)Toni M.
Some of the most amazing sushi , my taste buds have ever know. Hits the wallet deeply but worth the splurge if you have the budget. You wont regret spending that much, just make sure you can!
(5)Sumit G.
We ordered 3 things: - Udon noodles - this was excellent - Miso chicken for the kids - very average - Sushi platter - average And some sake - which was actually decent for the price. Overall, I would go back to this place, but probably not order sushi. I guess my expectation of Sushi in Hawaii was high and this place didn't meet it.
(3)Dustin H.
This would have received an extra star or two but they slammed the bill with a 17% gratuity for TWO of us! "Because it's Happy Hour" WHAT? Really?! You get 25% off if you get in and order in the first 30 minutes of the restaurant being opened. But then, because of that they automatically charge you and extra 17%!!! I'm getting mad about it just writing this review. Errrr.... I kinda expect the auto-gratuity with parties of 6 or more but for two people, who ordered 6 rolls and iced tea? This leaves me still searching for a good sushi spot on the island. This does not encourage return customers.
(1)David G.
Not worth the price, food was average
(3)Kristin C.
Had a quick dinner meal hear after the long flight from the mainland. It was really good. Ordered a couple of special rolls that were very good. Also had the seared ahi salad. The ahi was served to perfection. Service was good. The only miss was that they did not have any inari sushi. Overall, a very good meal experience.
(4)Patrick W.
If you are an inexperienced sushi lover, then this place is for you. It gives you all the right product in a touristy way. This restaurant is located in the mall in Waikoloa. Safe location and good for families and kids.
(2)Jennifer D.
Came here for dinner with my husband in October 2009 on our honeymoon. Sushi was outstanding! So fresh and so different. We had the panko crusted ahi sashimi roll as recommended by fellow yelpers...soooo amazing! We had the sansei's mango crab salad hand roll...also amazing! Gotta eat it with your hands! We also had the spider roll, spicy tuna and hawaiian rolls. All delicious. It is a little pricy but we are used to paying that much for specialty rolls in the new york/new jersey area. We also tried the tempura fried macadamia nut ice cream...slammin! We had a great experience and really enjoyed the food. And our waitress Malia was very nice and gave us good recommendations.
(5)Natalie S.
My boss who frequently comes to Hawaii told me that I should definitely try Sansei. Luckily, Sansei was very close to my hotel at the Marriott. Sansei I guess is sort of popular in the islands, they have locations in Maui and on Oahu besides the Big Island. We were quickly seated and the food came out fast. I liked the agedashi as it was light and they had ginger and carrots on the top. The seaweed salad was also good. They use a different type of breading for their tempura which was more doughy. We ordered to panko ahi rolls - soo delicious and worth coming back. The butter sauce was incredible and the flash frying on the outside didn't disturb the ahi, which was still raw on the inside. The Sansei Sunset was also a very refreshing drink.
(4)bunnymouse k.
We went to the Waikiki location last year and loved it so we thought we would give the Waikoloa location a try this year. Unfortunately, it was a very different experience. We had ordered three dishes but we can only recall 2 at this time: 1) Duck eggroll: Greasy and chewy. Yes, they were fried eggrolls but they tasted like they were fried at an earlier time and reheated for our order. 2) Tuna poke: Overly dressed and a few tuna pieces were sinewy. The fish also didn't feel cold at all. I'm not sure if it's suppose to be that way or it was under chilled. I would give the service 3 stars because the waitress had offered to take the poke back when I told her a few pieces of the fish were not chewable. We would have ordered more food but after our first 3 dishes, we were ready to go elsewhere for dessert.
(2)Karl S.
Yummy! If you love sushi you will love this place. If you are unlucky enough to be in the neighborhood with somebody who does NOT love sushi, they too will LOVE this place. Come AT 5:00pm and get 25% or 50% off depending on the day of the week.
(5)g b.
Worst sushi ever! I ordered a caterpillar roll that should have been called an avocado roll. The sushi here is over priced. The unagi in the caterpillar roll was so little, it looked like they only sliced the skin part if the unagi and put it in a roll with a boatload of avocado on top. Additionally, the size of the rolls were really small.
(2)Gwen E.
Ok people I'm giving Sansei's 4 stars because you must consider the other options in the area. Yes, it is expensive, but the food is actually really good so compared to some of the other resort restaurants here in Waikoloa it deserves some credit. The ambience however is lacking, it does get loud and cramped. Not a place for a romantic meal, but great for groups. Every time I've been there the service was just fine. I would stick to the sushi for sure, they have some really great rolls. The entrees are good, but just too darn pricy to justify ordering them. Good drinks too, my favorite is the Lychee Martini, yum.
(4)Bill M.
The wife and I arrived on Easter Sunday at 5PM, honestly not sure if the place was open. What a surprise when we found out that not only were they open, but it was half-priced sushi and seafood night. The place was half full by 5:30 and almost capacity by 6. The interior is nothing special, but it is comfortable and all-in-all a good choice. They offer an $80 Omakase that looked quite good including a couple of Yelper's recommendations. It was not eligible for the half-price discount, so we skipped it. So we ordered ala carte. We got the Yelper recommended Miso Butterfish appetizer. That was tremendous. The chunks of fish melted in your mouth. The sauce was sweet but light. Definitely recommended. Next up was the Sansei Special Roll. This is spicy crab in cilantro speckled rice, covered with a sweet Thai spicy sauce. What a taste combination this is. The cilantro and Thai sauce were perfect together. The spicy crab meat was not overpowering, but the heat was noticeable. We also ordered fresh salmon. This was just about as good as any I've had in the Pacific Northwest. It was so good that we got an extra order to cap the evening. The scallop and masago with quail egg were both very good too. The weak link was some flower named item that contained both tuna and yellowtail wrapped in the form of a bowl. Both pieces of fish were not good. Having liked the place so much and having somehow missed finding the Seafood Bar in Waimea, we popped in on a Wednesday night. The $17 Blue Fin Toro Nigiri was tasty, but nothing beats the fresh salmon. The tobiko was especially good this evening. We skipped the more expensive Asahis this time for the $4 special Kona Longboard Lager drafts. Can't say it was the tasty decision, but it was in the Island spirit. Service was 5-stars. The service was excellent, very attentive and helpful. In the end, with the half price discount, the meal, w/tip came to just less than $70. $19 of that was a couple of tall Asahis. Note that the discount is only 25% on Tues - Fri and only from 5:30 to 6:00 and given the short window for the discount, I'd recommend getting a reservation for 5:30. Two lines form out front, one with reservations, one without. The line "with" gets in first. I called and made a reservation at 5:20 while standing outside the restaurant so I could get in the "with" line.
(4)May F.
I can't believe anyone can think this place is good. We had a really nice server but the food is really bad. I am used to great sushi from SF and bay area and the seafood is frozen and sashimi is not fresh. Unagi was ok but portions are small and really bad. I am willing to spend the money for good food but that was a huge waste of $100 and that was half off! Terrible! I feel bad because I really like the server.
(1)Jessica W.
Great dining option close to Waikoloa resorts! Amazing poke and an OUT OF THIS WORLD tuna carpaccio appetizer....the rolls were good but not spectacular, if I went again I'd stick to the raw options. Three cheers for Sake bombers within walking distance of my hotel. ;)
(4)John K.
Spectacular, and highly recommended! Some of the best sushi we've had this side of Japan, and with great service and location, this is a must try.
(5)Cassandra K.
While we enjoyed 2 of the special sushi rolls they weren't worth the outrageous price. This place is so overpriced it's ridiculous and the ambiance is a zero. Save a night out for sushi when you are in San Francisco.
(2)Britton J.
Here's the thing. I never, ever send anything back at a restaurant (who wants a spit-burger after you've offended the chef?). But I broke my life-long "no-send-back" rule after ordering seared ahi ($30) and getting a gray chunk of 100% cooked ahi. Gawd, that was disgusting. They admitted that they had cooked it wrong and redid it. In the meantime, my boyfriend was looking quizzically at this "dinner," which didn't even qualify as an appetizer. His fish entree had two microscopic pieces of fish -- not even as big as someone's thumb. OK, maybe a baby's thumb, but c'mon, people. For just under thirty bucks, bust out more than an ounce and a half of fish. And to top it off, the flavor of his dish was pretty meh. I'll admit that when my dinner was done right it tasted pretty good, but the whole experience was completely off-putting. I mentioned to the server that I was amazed that the kitchen had sent out well-done ahi when I had ordered it seared, and that my boyfriend's entree didn't even approach appetizer size. She offered us a free dessert, but we were pretty much done with the place by then. The manager came to talk to us and he said that he had noticed that the fish dish that my bf ordered did appear to be coming out of the kitchen with small pieces. Um, yeah. He comped the more expensive dinner, which was a nice gesture. But it can't make up for the fact that this place is a terrible value for the quality of the food and the portion sizes. Go to Roy's across the street. The food is much, much better, the service is better, the drinks are better, and the value is better.
(1)Chris F.
The Sansei in Waikoloa is nothing even close to the quality or ambiance of the Sansei in Kapalua. A big bummer. Drenched all our rolls in cheap Thai chili sauce rendering it massively over-sweetened and gave the food an overall gimmicky feel to it. Way overuse of mayo too. Dislike
(1)Beverly P.
We came here for dinner one night and freakin' loved it! The place looked brand new and had a sort of backyard-patio theme. Our server was really nice and efficient the whole time. I loved even more that this place valued presentation as much as taste. All of the dishes looked so pretty and picture perfect! We started off with a bit of alcohol: hot sake with amaretto. It was an unlikely combination that melded together wonderfully; the crispness of the sake mixed well with the amaretto's smoothness. Our appetizer was the Hawaiian Moi Roll. There was no rice, but just pieces of moi sashimi over a ponzu truffle sauce...amazing! For dinner we tried three items: the Kenny G, the Sansei Special Roll, and the Takah Sushi Special Roll. Basically, all of these items had the freshest ingredients and some very interesting elements (cilantro?). What struck me the most was how soft the sushi rice was! It wasn't mushy or anything...just so soft and yummy. For dessert we had the macadamia nut tempura roll! Basically the same as California Beach Rock'n Sush: ice cream deep-fried in pound cake batter and drizzled with chocolate sauce, macadamia nuts, and whipped cream...so good and so pretty! Essentially, I think this place is my California Beach Rock'n Sushi on the Big Island...I'm hooked!
(5)Nalini Y.
The 50% off sushi after 10:00 pm is great and now they're even doing a "power hour" from 9:30 pm to 10:30 pm with $2.00 draft beers! The horrendous karaoke is bearable with the moderately priced, decent food & drink.
(4)Lindsey F.
Make a reservation and order the Panko Crusted Ahi roll. SO GOOD!!!!!!
(4)Hide S.
Nigiri sushi was beyond disaster. As soon as I picked up, the rice fell apart. It's obvious that the sushi chef there was not trained properly and the restaurant is not targeting a picky Japanese guy like me. Fish quality was ok though. If you like to eat sushi, go to the sushi section at the ABC store located in the other end of the mall. Their sushi is made fresh by a Japanese guy and much much much much better. I'd rather take out their sushi and eat on the beach.
(1)R A.
The early bird special is a good deal. Service OK.
(3)Brian B.
Nothing to complain about here ... it's your solid standard Americanized/Hawaiianized Japanese fare. It's a bit overpriced for what you get (quality wise, not quantity). I liked the "69" roll. My dad's fish was a bit dry. Bustling atmosphere with plenty of families...conversation was a little hard. Service was good. I'd come back.
(3)Geoff B.
I had the catch of the day and asked for it blackened. It was out of this world good! So good in fact, I went back the next day and had it again. The rice that accompanied the fish was outstanding as well. The dish was full of awesomeness!
(5)Fred T.
Had dinner here with spouse and cousin and cousin's family. Everyone ordered rolls while I ordered the seared ahi tuna salad. Everyone got served except me. I waited and waited, finally asked the waitress what happened to my salad. She said she would check, that had already been 20-30 minutes into our meal. 10 minutes later she finally appears and said they had to cut another block of tuna (WHAT??? did they have to catch it first too?) It took another 10 minutes for it to appear, by that time I considered canceling it since everyone else was finished. But I gave in and took it. The salad was not impressive, there were maybe 5 pieces of thinly sliced tuna, seared at the edges. The rest of the salad was plain. The dressing was ok, it was pooled at the bottom of the salad. The waitress did not apologize in any way, other than to offer me a bowl of miso soup while I waited. I complained to the manager at the end of the meal as I left. In his defense he apologized and asked that I return in the future and he 'would make it right'. I'll wait to see.
(2)Betty Y.
We landed at the Kona airport around 8pm. I already knew from reading my guidebook that lots of things wouldn't be open by the time we got to the hotel and checked in... Our hotel turned out to be next to the Queen's Marketplace plaza, and across from the King's marketplace where we saw high end stores, Roys, a market, and Macaroni Grill? After we checked in we took off to try to find something open for dinner, avoiding Macaroni Grill if possible...nothing wrong with it, but we were in Hawaii so that wasn't really on the list of must try spots. We found Sansei open at the end of the plaza. Saved! We went to the Maui location a couple of years ago so we were familiar with the place. It was about 9:30pm so when we walked in, the hostess mentioned that if we waited 30 mins we could do the Late Night Happy Hour 50% off menu. Cool! We grabbed a couple of drinks at the bar and waited it out for a short while. When the time came...the bartender handed us a menu and we started ordering up. We tried the Ahi Poke, the nigiri sushi plate, salmon skin hand roll, and spicy tuna cut roll. Everything was tasty and enjoyable. The bartender was really helpful and service was great. This was a great way to get the Hawaii trip rolling.
(4)Callie B.
I can't say enough about this place. It was the best meal we had on the island by far. The sushi was inventive, well made and sooo tasty. Our server was fantastic and attentive. I can't eat tuna (weird food intolerance) and there were still plenty of yummy choices for me. They even get bonus points for offering gluten free Tamari for those allergic to wheat (soy sauce.) The ambiance is nothing special but the food makes up for it. Get there EARLY and get 25% off most menu items. On Sunday I hear its a full 50% off but since most sushi o-FISH-ionados wouldn't touch fish on a Sunday or Monday, going any other time is a safer bet. I went nuts for the 69 roll - damn I could go for one right now!
(5)Victoria B.
Really good deal if you get the 5-6 happy hour special. If you are willing to do the sushi bar you are seated first and can get there at 4:45, otherwise plan to get there by 4:30 to be seated in time.
(4)Billy K.
I didn't expect too much considering I haven't had good food on this Island yet and the reviews on here are not anything of spectacular. I ordered the lobster and crab ravioli and vegetable tempera. Ravioli in a Japanese restaurant? I know right? Well let's move on. When the Ravioli came I was shocked at the small portion. It consisted of 3 tiny pieces of Ravioli and it wasn't even good. Enough already. Is this place even worth a longer review? NO... Wait... the service was also not good. I asked our waiter for wasabi and ginger many times and finally got it after many attempts.
(2)Rob T.
Not good. I actually didn't have a yelp account until I went to this restaurant, but felt I needed to write up something on this placebo I got one. I was on the big island for vacation and wanted some sushi and this place got some good reviews and was close by. The reviews did not hold up. With an allergy to gluten, sushi is a an usual safe choice, just pick something without a soy sauce add and you are good.but for some reason this location couldn't delete sauces for rolls. Why not? So I ordered something easier, a rainbow roll. The rainbow roll took 35 minutes to come out and we were one of three tables filled in the restaurant. My wife's grilled tuna and my kids tempura shrimp were delivered and finished before I got a roll. I also had to pay $5 extra for real crab because the fake crab might have had gluten in it. Ok, my allergy I am willing to pay a little extra to be safe. One problem, there was about $.75 worth of crab in the roll. The sushi was also warm, not like room temp warm, but like it sat under a heater warm. Not the best way to eat sushi IMO. Then the check came and there was a 17% gratuity charge added. I asked and the server said that it was for my convenience. I asked about this being for groups of 6 or more and we are only 4. She said it was for my convenience and that if I wanted it removed I would have to talk to a manager to put on what I wanted for a gratuity. I paid the bill and left. One more thing. My kids had a meal of tempura shrimp and veggies. There were three small shrimp and one potato a scoop of rice and miso soup, all for $14. What a rip off. Never go again. They are in a position to take tourists with no concern about repeaters. Please avoid.
(1)Amanda A.
Sansei was at one time one of my favorites in the islands - first on Oahu then on Maui. Maui seemed to go down hill in the last few years and visiting in waikaloa will be my last trip to sansei. Got all of my old favorites (so excited) and was very disappointed by all. Seems to be cutting corners with presentation at the very least. Temps were off as well. Very sad but I will not make the same $100 mistake again (no alcohol)
(2)Victoria L.
- a bit pricey - great service - waitress rec'd dish but was too spicy and she took back and took off our bill - sashimi - kenny g - tasty just wish larger portions - liked taste of the garlic, smooth.. - very large menu w/ lots of options - i'd almost sa
(3)Jimmy G.
We walked over here twice for dinner in 5 days while staying at the nearby Marriott in Jan. 2010, so obviously I liked the food. It's kind of an interesting place with standard Japanese fare, some nouveau/Pan-Asian dishes, and then a steak-house side of the menu. We stuck with some of their specialty maki-sushi rolls (Kapalua "Butterfry" Roll, Takah Sushi Special Roll), tempura veggies, fried calamari salad (hold the fried wonton basket -- seemed unnecessary). The one dessert that we tried was huge and decadent (easily shared) -- Tempura Fried Macadamia Nut Ice Cream. I'd say it's a $$ to $$$ place, depending on whether you have drinks and dessert.
(4)Steve T.
As good and as fresh as it gets. They have items that don't appear to be good, but when you start eating them, are amazing. I can't say enough nice things about this place. When we first got the menus, we picked what we wanted, none of the items being the "specials" that were displayed. The waiter gave us a few hints and we picked the blue-boxed items on the menu and were not disappointed. Two of our group got the $80 multicourse meal and it could have easily fed the four of us. A little crowded if you don't have reservations. The seating is a little chaotic and you almost sit with other diners with the tables being so close. Two visits in three nights indicates good food.
(5)Raquel D.
This place was a gem suggested to us by our resort bartender. We came only for the karaoke, but found Japanese food so good that even my stringent standards were blown away. The food was so fresh, and subtle, and flavorful that the group I was travelling with came back to eat three times in two days. I highly recommend the D.K.'s Crab Ramen with Asian Truffle Broth, the Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish, and their Rainbow Roll. They have a wonderful deal on Sunday nights for happy hour, where almost everything on the menu is 50% off. I think our group saved $60 on that, managing to stuff ourselves to the brim. Our server that first night, Ben, was very attentive, and had a great sense of humor. He wasn't our server the 2nd night, but he recognized us and came by to help when he could. This place was so fantastic! Rumor is they might be opening a location in Seattle. If that happens, I'll be there a few times a week.
(5)Weilun C.
I went there after strong recommendation from a local I met on my way to the Big Island. I tried the Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll, and it's something new and definitely worth trying. I also had miso soup and some traditional rolls, and they were good. The price is reasonable for a sushi restaurant. If you are in the neighborhood (the Queen's market) and looking for a place for sushi, you should try Sansei.
(4)Vicki S.
Food & service not as good as Maui location. Sushi prepared differently and servers didn't seem happy to be busy. Would recommend the tempura fried Mac nut ice cream.
(3)Jeff W.
come for the first hour and save 25% off! some items like foie gras sushi not discountable but nearly everything else. good flavor, texture, and fresh fish. creative menu in addition to the sushi items. while on the Big Island make a stop here.
(4)Josephine W.
Please note that the 5 stars I am giving only applies to the fact that this place is really as good as it gets, on the big island. My fiancee and I went there on a Sunday, we walked around the shopping center and just missed the line. We got right in just to hear that they were offering 50% off most items. SCORE! The only downfall is how much they normally charge for sushi. $16.95 for a roll!?! That is absurd and is a blatant overcharge. I won't get into the price, since we got 50% off and the sushi was fish-tastic! When we eat Japanese food, we never order teriyakis or tempuras. We always eat fish, it's the most important factor in judging a restaurant. This place serves your food as it becomes ready. Also, order your fish stat, because they run out of certain things quickly. I tried ordering the sea urchin maki and they were all out, it had only been an hour since they opened. We ordered the Butterfry, Spicy Hamachi, Yaki-Maki, Negi-Hama, and Scallop Rolls, as well as a sashimi trio appetizer. We ate it all, too, between the two of us. If we have to drive 1.25 hours for supreme sushi, we are eating as much as we can. I pride myself on gluttony! Sansei's sushi was so delicious we had no choice other than to eat it all anyways. The fish was indeed fresh. The Butterfry roll is slightly fried and it was perfect, they didn't completely cook the fish inside, it was the perfect temperature, and the outside wasn't hard. I'm normally not into fusiony places either, but this place does do a little bit of fusion and they do it damn well. I don't know why there isn't one of these restaurants near Hilo. The sake wasn't overpriced, which was a relief. It is a nice restaurant but their motto is casual dress, casual food. I definitely recommend this to anyone on the island who wants good sushi. Before we found this place, our favorite was Sushi Shiono in Kona. They're number 2 now. Oh, one more thing, Sansei has an extensive selection of wine. It's odd for a sushi restaurant to have that, but they do. I really wanted to try some of their wines but I gotta do sake with sushi. It's like white on rice, it's the only thing that works for me.
(5)D V.
Good, fresh sushi. With reservations, we rolled in around 7:45pm on a Saturday night. The place was packed with locals and tourists alike. It's always nice to see the locals eating in the same restaurant. Everything we tried was good, and service was efficient. I can't remember the names of the different items we had, but the standout dishes were the Moi rolls and Miso glazed Butterfish. The Moi rolls were these wonderful tasty pieces of Sashimi wrapped around a few slivers of gobo. They were also spiked with some habanero heat....very nice! The Butterfish was my favorite. Just the right amount of sweetness (not too much) glazed on four little nuggets. I could have ordered another round. We walked by a few nights later and the dining room looked half empty. If you go on the weekends, I'd recommend reservations but they're likely unnecessary on the weekdays.
(3)Shelly K.
I had to sign up for Yelp just to write a review on this place! I have to say since they discontinued their Restaurant Row location they're brand has really gone downhill. I've been to their Waikiki location and was not impressed, so when we went to the Waikoloa location I didn't have very high expectations. It started out well enough with our waiter Nosal (I'm assuming that's his name because it's listed on my receipt) he was friendly and polite, but slow service. We waited for about 45 minutes for the entrees to come out and when mine did not show up after about 50 minutes our waiter was no where to be found. I finally hailed down a manager only to find out my entree and my sister's sushi orders were never even put in and our waiter didn't even bother to stop by to acknowledge the mistake! I ordered the ramen and let's just say it tastes just the like Sun Noodle Shoyu Ramen you can buy at Marukai. It seems like what happened is he figured he could give crappy service because we had a party of 8 which meant an automatic 17% gratuity. Although the food was maybe a 7/10, I will never go there again! The worst dining experience we have had to date. As we were walking out of the restaurant I overheard two other tables talking about how their orders were missing as well so we were not alone. Needless to say I made sure that 17% gratuity was removed from the bill.
(1)Mais S.
Best sushi ever but very pricey even at the 5:30pm happy hour prices. Very much worth it though. It is a wonderful sushi adventure. Go on Sundays/Mondays when happy hour sushi is 50% off or go to Seiji on Alii Drive instead if you are on a strict budget but want great sushi.
(4)Christina W.
Visit: Late dinner, 10 pm Roses: + GREAT discounts. 50% off menu after 10 pm on Thursdays. + Delicious, fresh sushi. + Food presentation. + Surrounded by stores, should you find yourself having to wait. + Several seating options: booth, table, sushi bar. Thorns: - Pricey. Definitely go during a discount time to get bang for buck.
(4)Linda F.
Even if for some crazy reason I didn't love Hawaii, I'd still go back just for Sansei. Foie gras sashimi. Oh my god. Service can be a little spotty at times, though.
(4)Chloe Y.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle...! Fancy menu,. . . don't be fooled by colorful pictures. When we first got the menu, we thought this place just might have some potential. The sushi items were . . . interesting. It was very Americanized Japanese food. The sushi wasn't terrible but I've definitely had better. Perhaps it's because LA has much better Japanese food, so this place can not compare. But that really isn't the big deal here. The ramen and udon both had the same broth and it was microwaved. I don't care where you go, for $12 a bowl, it better not have just come out of a microwave. Just how do I know it's microwaved? The entire bowl was hot! Not just part where the hot soup covers the bowl (that area obviously would be hot) but the tip of the bowl was hot. Ever try to take something out of a microwave after it's been in there for a few minutes? The darn thing will burn your hand. So yea, "sizzle sizzle" careful don't burn your hands. I think that pretty much sums it up.
(2)Joe L.
This place caught me and my family totally by surprise. We honestly didn't know what to expect walking in. Walking out however, we were pleasantly surprised. Our first impressions were its really high price. Yes, I suppose you could justify it by saying that it's in Queen's shopping center. But come on, it's in the middle of nowhere. In the entire plaza, they were the only place that actually had a line! Oh, and we had gotten there at 4p, waiting for it to open at 5p.... so that already caught our eye. Talking with some of the other customers, they were all regulars (kinda figured since this is Hawaii after all). And all of them talked about two things: panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll and the yaki-maki sushi roll. And I can definitely tell you that those are the two things you have to know about this place! The two rolls are neither Japanese, American, nor Hawaiian, but what feels to be a fusion and synergy of the cultures. That said though, be prepared to do two things: get a heart attack from the food, as well as a heart attack from the bill. It's not a cheap place people, not by a long shot. For a family of four, we're used to paying like $40 and maybe $50 for say Olive Garden or something. Here, it was $90 after a "50% off special" (be very careful here! They say 50% off but that's after a 17% gratuity charge before any discount, which means you're barely getting 30% off, only for the non-asterisk items!). Also, we heard that you have to finish exactly on time. If you order at 6:01, then you have to pay full charge. There is no grace period. The food itself was ok. The fish is fresh, but obviously buying from the marina yourself, it'll be a lot cheaper. So, get the panko crusted ahi sashimi sushi roll, goes for $13 and the yaki-maki sushi roll for $17. They're on the pricy side, so just don't go too much overboard, got it? I can't give this place a five. Their service is excellent however. Rating their service: 5 stars, taste: 5 stars; quality: 5 stars; price really got them though... I'm a stickler, what can I say!
(4)Shreekant P.
Good sushi selection. The dynamite shrimp is ok. Ahi tuna sashimi was quite good. We had a late reservation as we had checked in to Kona a couple of hours earlier. Interestingly, we were still finishing our dinner when the 10 pm+ menu came out, and all sushi were half off!
(3)evan f.
We were taken to Sansei by friends who live nearby and raved about it. We and the other couple new to Sansei were not impressed. Overall the restaurant seems very full of itself (but without justification). As we often do in a new place when presented with the option we ordered the sampler dinner for 2. To his credit our server (who was a bit over-the-top) warned us that their policy is to bring things out as they become ready, not according to a schedule of courses. This sounded like a maverick, free-thinking policy on its face, but the reality is that they just pile dishes up on the table with no delay between them. We all commented on how rushed everything felt, and that alone would keep me from returning. At $40/plate we expect to be able to linger a little, and with a total of $450 for a table of 7 we would not expect them to need to turn and burn the tables so aggressively. The food was so-so at best. Unfortunately for us the "sampler" dinner is apparently a selection of their richest, sweetest dishes. Except for the Miso and Edamame, every dish was excessively sweet and tasted as though its primary ingredient was butter. I know that sugar and butter are great and loved by many (myself included), but should Calamari taste like a dessert? Our companions seemed happy enough with their entrees, so it is possible that our negative experience was largely the result of a bad ordering decision. However, I strongly believe that if a restaurant is going to have a sampler menu it should reflect some of the stronger dishes and a variety of what they can offer, not just the 8 butteriest choices. It's back to the bottom of the queue for Sansei--perhaps we'll give it another chance, but not until we've given a fair chance to just about every other option on the Big Island.
(2)Malea X.
what a great find! a few types of veg sushi, plus veg appetizers. the mushrooms are divine! the veg sushi is very good and the price is great. despite not having a reservation we had no wait for a table. the reservation line was longer than the the line with the rest of us and there were still lots of empty tables.
(4)g k.
This was my 2nd visit to Sansei for the Monday 5pm 50% off special. We go a bit crazy ordering dis and dat but it is well worth it. Maybe not so if we paid full price. The Asian Shrimp Cake was delicious, especially liked the deep fried ramen doing a Medusa impression on the outside of the cake. The Panko crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll is a fav of mine with the thin layer of rice made more like mochi with a crispy crust of panko. Although the ginger hoisin smoked duck breast is fabulous, decided to try the pork tenderloins oscar which was deliciously tender with shiitake mushrooms, king crab and bernaise sauce. Also had the shrimp and salmon but was relatively tame. Again, worth the 30 minute wait in line for 50% off excellent food and service.
(4)Carol S.
Great sushi, huge menu, but KNOW THIS: there is a 17% gratuity tacked to your bill which negates any early bird discount. Had never encountered a forced gratuity before on big isle, and won't go back.
(3)