Japanese restaurants are known for serving aesthetically-pleasing food which is as good as it looks. Their major foible is the fact that their food never truly gets you stuffed. This place does neither. I clearly asked for no onions on any of my order... But they put onions on every aspect of my bento box. Some of my colleagues were not even close to being full when they finished with their order. My below average bento box cost a total of $12 too. The price isn't worth it for the quality or quantity.
(1)
Chris K.
Adam at the Teppan table was fantastic. Request him; you will not be dissapointed! Everything was really good. I had the fillet mignon, fried rice,, salad with house dressing, and miso soup. very good choices. I would defiantly get thier house dressing. The show Adam puts on in front of you with fire and knives and spinning and throwing things is really cool. on a down note, our waitress was kind of slow. I think she might have been busy and been given too many tables. Certainly not her fault and she tried and was pleasent, I just wish she would have came more. Upsettingly, they were out of both kinds of draft beer and out of the first two bottles of beer that I ordered. I can't wait to go back. I will defiantly get the house salad dressing again, the miso soup, fried rice but I might try aa seafood next time. If you are looking for a fun date night dinner with more than just a meal brought to your table, don't pass this place up; make reservations now. -reservations are suggested.
(5)
Rick T.
Tried to take my wife for a birthday dinner. Called for a reservation at 8pm and didn't get seated until 9:15pm. Take your chances on a Saturday night! When they told us that we had to wait another 15 to 20 minutes for the chef that was enough. We decided to go elsewhere.
(2)
Mark V.
This place is a joke! Never coming here again! First time my wife and I came here the service was awful! We saw our waiter twice the entire time we were there. One to take our order and two to give us our food! We had to hunt the waiter down to get our check! Went again the 2nd time hoping the service was better.....NOPE! Same awful service. The 2nd time we were seated at a hibachi table and our seats was close to a back doorway. We could all smell trash while sitting there. When we arrived at 5pm on a Sunday, no one was there so we were hoping we get good service....I was wrong! First to be seated last to be served! So sad! We ordered drinks and the glass was filled half way!! When we asked our waitress why the drinks were only filled half way she ignored the question and pretended like she didn't hear us. We arrived at 5pm and we left at 7pm. This place sucks!!!! The BAD: Horrible service! Waiters and waitresses who don't care Drinks filled half glass Hibachi food tasted burnt One bathroom stall Trash smelling atmosphere The GOOD: Sushi
(1)
Kyra N.
Went to lunch there today and it was awesome as usual. Staff is so friendly. We always sit at the sushi bar. I love the salad with house dressing! I always say I'm going to try other sushi places in town but I always come back to Kamakura. I've never had a bad meal there!
(5)
Yanhua S.
My friend and I went there and order ramen. The service is very slow. The ramen is so bad. The soup is filled with all soy bean sauce the noodle is very very firm. hard to eat. I will never order it again
(1)
Amarin P.
This was on Saturday. 7:35pm arrived and got seated immediately 7:36-7:49pm watched servers walking by, chefs bringing food out themselves, and the hostess doing nothing 7:50pm got our waters and "a server will be with you shortly" 7:51-7:59pm tried to understand what the word "shortly" meant 8pm walked out We went to Sushi Kame and we received way more attentive service. I might visit Kamakura again "shortly".
(1)
Earth A.
On a Saturday evening, we waited 25 minutes without anyone taking our orders. First 15 minutes went by, we confronted the hostess and was told that a waiter will be with us shortly. Waited another 10 minutes, still no one to take our order. So we walked out. Not enough waiters, the chef has to come out to serve by himself. Bad management, can't hold a dinner service on a Saturday night. Everyone in the restaurant was waiting for his or her food. I've been there many times and this was the worst experience I've ever had here.
(1)
BD S.
Not sure why the haters are hating, we got in and got served quickly. Food was good, Tristan was a fine chef. A little pricy, but no more than any other hibachi grill I've been to.
Yum! It's been a family tradition to go here for the teppan tables for anyone's birthday. It just really cozy and you get to sit around and talk while the chef prepares your food in front of you. It's great because my dad could get his white rice and steak while I can get sushi and eel and whatever else I feel like trying at the time. It will be sure to make everyone happy! The teppan meals are probably the best value since you get salad, soup, choice of meats (or two or three) and rice and veggies. You leave feeling SO full! Actually, I'd recommend sharing a portion because there's just way too much food! Don't forget to get some green tea ice cream for dessert :)
(5)
Jack F.
Although pricier than many restaurants in town, Kamakura delivers the quality of dining experience. I have been there at least 3 times: one time with a large group for the grill and twice with my spouse for sushi dinners. Make sure to check timing before you go: they are closed between lunch and 5PM. The food is delicious, and the servers are attentive: often times just an eye contact is sufficient to get them to come over immediately. The decor is OK, but the environment is pleasant and quiet: great for a quiet romantic meal. The higher prices are the only reason I did not give this restaurant 5 stars. What else can I say? I'm going back soon.
(4)
Sonny S.
Came here for my friend's birthday. I heard great things about this place so I had high expectations. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. The pros: the hibachi chef was very entertaining and friendly. the food was delicious, especially the scallops - perfectly seared with a golden brown exterior and tender interior The cons: small portions for what you pay for, the server didn't seem to know the menu at all - seemed really frazzled, asked him several questions that he didn't know the answer to, had to ask for refills on my drink countless times, overcharged my friend's credit card by like $40...wtf. Overall, the food was decent, service was not great...not impressed
(3)
Jonathan J.
Don't be scared off by the exterior -- I've only dined here once, but had a good experience. I ordered the udon & inari, which came with a plate of veggie tempura, a couple inari pockets, and a nice big bowl of udon soup. For less than $12, this is by far the best deal I've seen for this meal. From other reviews it sounds like quality can vary from dish to dish, and the location makes it a hassle to get to if you don't have a car. But I would still recommend this place, and would definitely come back again for the udon & inari.
(4)
Taylor L.
Had a great experience. Adam was our teppan chef and he was amazing. Very entertaining and hilarious. Food was deliciously seasoned and cooked to perfection. I left feeling satisfyingly full and in good spirits. I will continue to dine here.
(5)
Xavier W.
Overpriced, mediocre sushi restaurant that only knows how to sell atmosphere and presentation. The service was good though and is the only reason that I have not given them 1 star. you really are better off buying sushi at schnuks. There are much better places in the nearby area.
Place is relatively nice. Went on a Tuesday night, no crowd at all. I mostly got sushi rolls, and those were quite excellent. Nice, quiet ambience. Little to no loud conversation, soothing atmosphere. Maybe best for couples or business dates. Would not recommend families. Delicious sushi, though! I recommend the rainbow roll, fantastic.
(4)
Jessica B.
This place officially became my go-to birthday dinner 5 years ago. The sign isn't flashy, but this place is definitely worth noticing. I've always made reservations in advance for the teppanyaki grills, have never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a table to be cleared from an overstaying party, and have always had excellent service from both the waiters and the chefs. Every time I dine here, I order the Three Samurai meal to get chicken, steak, and shrimp. The quality of each of those is fine and I have never had a problem with steak being overcooked or chicken being undercooked. I also recommend the house dressing with the salad and a bowl of clear soup, although if you must insist on having miso you still won't go wrong. I've only ordered sushi a few times, and I never felt there was anything wrong with their sushi. I don't eat sushi often, but I definitely feel that the rest of the restaurant is their strong point. The bar inside is also well stocked and tended by someone who knows their way around drinks. The chefs are all experts in their general teppan-grill-tricks, with some learning new techniques and others inviting the guests in on some of the fun (usually breaking an egg, not throwing knives!). Reading some of the other reviews for this place, I have to wonder why people judge a restaurant based on the occupants. There is only 4 teppanyaki grills and at least 4 chefs. This is not Benihana. This is not a place for screaming children, although the restaurant should not be held responsible for a family that does not know otherwise. Sometimes if you have a very low number in your party and you choose to come on a busy weekend, you may be placed at a table with another family so that everyone can eat when they would like rather than waiting hours and being denied reservations at all for lack of grill space. Of course if you have some type of allergy to something your grill-neighbor is ordering, you should mention something so that the restaurant may make accommodations. I repeat, this is not Benihana. This is a nicer place. If you come in wearing sweats and work clothing, don't be surprised if a staff member looks at you the way you would look at someone else wearing the same outfit to a wedding. You don't have to wear the nicest of clothing, but at least don't look like you got out of bed! If food temperature is your problem, remember that they don't mind if you eat the vegetables while they're finishing cooking the meat. Your other option is undercooked meat, or overcooked vegetables, and the chefs do make sure you receive neither.
(5)
Ken S.
First off, there was no wait. I did seem to take a little too long for my food. I ordered Unagi, ummm, it melted in my mouth!!!! Not every place has this good of Unagi! The ahi was good and the spider roll as well. I will go back. The presentation was not the greatest but it's the quality of the fish that I care about. QUALITY is what Kamakura presented.
(5)
Mike B.
By far the best sushi in town and one of a few where you can get the "Teppan" grill style. Most of my reviews are in comparison to other places around and after being to a place multiple times. I have frequented Miko's, but a meal at Kamakura has converted me. The sushi is fresh tasting and just delicious. The atmosphere is a little stuffy and the teppan grill is a good, but too much for what you get, and the service has been hit or miss. But still worth a try.
(4)
Sam W.
Welcome to Restaurant Hell, courtesy of Kamakura. Going there with girl. Ordering Bento box (me), one of those fancy soft shell crab sushi rolls (her). Minutes go by. Many. After almost an hour, talking to the waiter. "We've got management problems" he says, like in a bad sitcom in which *we* the customers are supposed to feel sorry for *him*. More time passes by. Finally my lunch box comes in. Close to inedible. The Sarku chicken (cheap fast-food!) in Market Place Mall is many many degrees of magnitude better. How about the sushi we ask? "Your order had a lot of complications (!). First they've burned your chicken then they've forgotten to put the crab in the sushi roll." No kidding? Not, apparently. After ten minutes: sorry we have to go, we said, we'll get the sushi roll (a $15 one!) to go. The waiter kind of half-apologizes and says: "I won't charge you for the sushi." Probably we were way too polite, or didn't show anger or something, because when he brought the check the sushi was there included, with no explanation regarding the change of mind. We actually had to leave, I had an appointment. Friend eats sushi a little later.... there is no crab in it (15$ roll!), just the traces of the skin of the soft shell crab. (Yes, we know the delicacy that soft shell crab, properly prepared, can be.) All in all an incredibly bad experience, almost on a par with the other horror stories restaurants in Chambana - B Won and The Great Impasta. The name and reputation of Japan, for which I have the greatest respect, don't deserve this cruel bastardization!
(1)
Matthew L.
OK....so when I give this place 5 stars...it's because this is as good as sushi gets HERE! Really, the sushi is simple, delicious, the appetizers are great, the service is always good...there are lots of great things about this place. If this restaurant were in the middle of downtown, it would be %100 packed, %100 of the time! Thank goodness it isn't, because I have never had to wait for a table. Order the German roll (weird, I know, but it's GREAT), the Terayaki Mushrooms, the Gyoza, and the Nigiri... Also for dessert try the Mochi with red bean.. YUMMY cold chewy deliciousness!
(5)
Lauren C.
As far as I remember, this place is pretty good. A pretty unique restaurant for Champaign. Definitely sit at one of the tables where the food is cooked in front of you, it's basically a requirement.. or something. The food was consistently pretty good but nothing hugely fantastic and not a whole lot of traditional dishes, unfortunately. Never had sushi here
(3)
Pete B.
I think this place deserves a 3.5 star. Ive been here about 4 times. The food was consistently good, but it's not something to write home about. The price was on the high side, but it's totally what you expected from this kind of place (the decor is nicer than what it seems from the outside). I really have a mixed feeling about this place. The food is authentic though for the most part, so I guess that's a good change from Americanized Japanese food. There was one thing I didn't like; fried salmon roll. The breading was thick and greasy. Otherwise, food was good. The whole experience was good, but there really wasn't a "wow" moment.
(3)
Kevin Y.
I came here after graduating back in May and my experience was pretty lackluster. The food itself was decent, pretty good when you take into consideration that it's sushi in Central Illinois. The problem with this place is the service. The place wasn't busy at all, yet our waitress seemed a bit frazzled and the service was slow. First issue was that we weren't given any napkins and had to ask once we were served food, which to be honest isn't a big issue, but it took over 30 minutes to get a couple of sushi rolls when the place wasn't busy. Our waitress didn't really bother to stop and ask how we were doing during our meal. When we were done eating, our waitress asked us if we wanted some green tea, to which we accepted. However, she left and didn't come back for about 15 minutes or so, with no tea. At this point we decided to just ask for the check and leave, which took about another 10 minutes, although she came back with tea this time. If you have the time, then Kamakura is a pretty good choice in terms of sushi, and I've had good experiences with their teppan in the past.
(2)
K- C.
We arrived at 8:45 pm on a Wednesday evening (they close at 9:00 pm). The 'OPEN' sign was on and clearly blinking 'OPEN'. They appeared to be slow but had several tables with guests in the dining room and two tables of guests at the grill. We asked to be seated at the grill. We were refused service and told they were getting ready to close. I cannot image turning away business in a poor economy. We generally spend at lest $50.00 a person there..which I think is significant for the Champaign-Urbana market. The hostess repeatedly said, we cannot serve you because the staff would have to wait on you to finish your meal. I will never go back. If they had been completely empty I would have had a better understanding of their position. And if they stop serving at a specific time before they close, perhaps they should turn off the 'OPEN' sign.
(1)
Eric K.
Japanese food in central Illinois? I'm not too sure what to make of this, especially from the unflattering and nondescript building it is located in. Upon stepping inside, however, it's like you've walked into an isolated world, and nothing in the room suggests that you're in Champaign anymore. The structure of the room, though, feels more like 1950's diner than Japanese restaurant, with a huge pit in the center of the main dining room, and booths to the side. I only caught a quick glimpse of the other side of the restaurant, but it looked a lot cozier than where we were sitting. I came on a fairly quiet Friday night, with maybe only two dozen people in the restaurant, yet the service was definitely below par. After the maitre d' seated us, nobody even came to our table until she wandered back 5 minutes later asking if anyone has showed up to serve us. The waitress was pretty inattentive also; after the appetizer, my glass of water stood empty for the rest of the meal. As for the food, I ordered a beef teriyaki bento box, which came with tempura, rice, miso soup, salad, and three pieces of nigiri sushi. The beef was cooked to perfection, and coated in a teriyaki sauce as delicious as I have ever tasted. Though we are a long way from the closest ocean, the sushi also tasted very fresh. The rest of the bento box was great, as I would expect from an established Japanese restaurant. I also ordered a separate sushi roll, containing cucumber, tempura, and spicy tuna, which was very fulfilling, albeit quite pricey. This is a very decent restaurant, but for a $50+ meal in Champaign, I would expect flawless service.
(3)
Lisa B.
First of all this is NOT one of my favorite types of foods. We went for lunch and I ordered the chicken teriyaki box thing. It wasn't bad but it certainly wasn't good either. The portions are really small which really didn't bother me. The salad came in the upper left square of the box. It was about a 2 inch by 2 inch square. The salad was good but again you only get a couple of bites of it. What really cracked me up was the vegetables. In the lower right box (2 x2) was ONE brocille top and a half of a mini carrot!! The rice was really sticky but my friend told me it's supposed to be that way so it sticks on the chop sticks. I had to use a fork of course because I can't get anything to stick on chop sticks. I like the chicken teriyaki from the mall better so maybe that tells you how much I know about Janpanese food. It was a fun experience and I would go again...... if someone forced me to.
(2)
Katherine C.
Ugh. This place is always packed for reasons I can't quite grasp. The parking lot looks crowded every time I drive by. Sometimes I'm suspicious that they must hire confederate diners to make the place look popular and lure unsuspecting customers inside. I only have one thing to say about the service here. This is the type of place where the wait staff will judge you by your potential to tip, and then ignore you if you obviously fall into the category of "poor college student." If you come here, regardless of your background, at least dress like you own money so that you'll get your drinks refilled. On a particularly busy weekend night, I showed up with a friend and expected to wait for for a table. Good news: we were seated immediately. Bad news: we were seated at a teppenyaki table...when we had no intention of eating teppenyaki...and we had to share the table with a large family who we obviously did not know. Don't get me wrong, I am not offended by cafeteria-style dining (I'm a college student, after all), but this should not be the seating arrangement at a place that presents itself as some kind of fine restaurant. Throughout the meal, I had to whisper to my dinner companion to avoid disrupting a stranger's family dinner (awkward?). Be careful about bringing a date here, or at least make a reservation in advance. The food? Blegh. Let me be clear on this--I've tasted sushi on both the east coast and west coast, and I am in no way prejudiced against eating sushi in the Midwest. I even think there's some decent sushi in Champaign (at other restaurants), so my standards are not impossible to meet. Again, I've always eaten at Kamakura on busy nights, because I naively assumed that most sushi restaurants will bring out the best fish when serving crowds of customers. Instead, I received garbage that smelled and tasted like rotting fish. Maybe by the time they got to my order, they had to use the smelly leftovers at the bottom of the barrel? When I got home, I tried to purge my mouth with Listerine. Even with it's advertised "deep-cleaning action," I couldn't get the taste of putrid fish out of my mouth. I drank some coffee, chewed gum, etc., but there was no redemption from the haunting taste of old fish. My suggestion? Stick to the cooked dishes at Kamakura: tempura, teriyaki, udon, etc. With so many better sushi restaurants in the area, I don't see how Kamakura hangs onto customers. I can forgive bad service, but food that ruins your breath for an entire day is not acceptable. This is the kind of place that gives sushi a bad reputation.
(1)
Mariam N.
I came here with a large party during an almost-empty lunch hour. The food took a while to get to us (45 minutes), though a number of us ordered the lunchtime bento boxes or noodles. My order was adequate --tempura bento-- if not awesome. What grossed me out was a colleague's agedashi tofu. Agedashi tofu is soft tofu battered in potato or corn starch and lightly deep fried; it sits in a dashi or seaweed broth and is garnished with ginger, bonito flakes, and/or green onions. Her tofu was tough and rubbery (overly fried, and then left to sit out for a while), swimming in a thick sweet and sour sauce and garnished with cilantro and lime slices. When she sent it back to the kitchen, observing that it was not actually agedashi tofu, our server told her that the chef is Japanese, the implication being that it must then be "authentic." Baffling, considering how easy it is now to find a good agedashi tofu recipe online. I will continue to skip the Japanese restaurants in this town, thanks.
(2)
Esther K.
The food was not bad... not stand out either. One thing that really bothered me though was the sticky floors. Um... there is this thing called the mop that can solve that problem for you in a jiffy!
(3)
Bruce P.
Took my family to Kamakura to celebrate my wife's birthday. Our food was very tasty, our chef was very personable and entertaining. We had a great meal and I'm looking forward to going back. Highly recommended!
(5)
Hannah J.
For the price and location, Kamakura's a nice sushi place. I used to go here much more often when I lived in the area, and I was absolutely never disappointed by the quality of the food. Considering it was central Illinois, the prices were good for the sushi we got. The simplest rolls are usually the best--but as for the fancier rolls, we enjoy the Illini roll a lot. The service, however, has been anywhere from outstanding to absolutely horrendous. Once, my friend and I went with a small group, and we saw the waiter exactly once, when he took our order. Later, when we were leaving, we received a totally incorrect check ($20 charge for an $80 meal). However, I've definitely received extremely good service here. I think when they get busy, they focus on the hibachi customers more than the sushi side. I've never had the hibachi, but we're going for a special occasion tomorrow night, so I'll update the review then. I don't understand why Kamakura's getting such a bad rap on Yelp. It's a decent place with affordable sushi. You get twice as much sushi here than at Ko Fusion for the same price--I'm sorry, I'm a little above paying for "hipness" in Champaign, thanks. EDIT 7/6/11 My family and I had the hibachi dinner on Friday night. Again, not a whole lot of hate here. I enjoyed the speed of service, even for the busy Friday night, and the "performance" of the chef, which was understated but amusing. None of us in the party had a bad meal, we were all pretty happy with our food (except for my boyfriend and brother, who were a mite ticked at the portion sizes), and even my mom's girlfriend, who is notoriously picky and had never eaten Japanese food before, was content with her meal. I don't think it was overly greasy--it has butter in it, of course, but that's the style.
(4)
Ally S.
Outstanding food. Oustanding service. Favorites: Teppan table with steak/chicken combo. miso or clear soup (tip: add pepper if you like) house dressing - to die for... mmmmm the best dressing sauteed mushrooms! TREAT YOURSELF!!! Take a date! Have a brew!
(5)
America Q.
I didn't get to try the sushi but it sure looked good. I had a bento box meal, teriyaki chicken, it was yummy. Seasoned really well. I also had their miso soup which I thought was a little salty but good none the less. I nice touch is they willing split the bill. Would totally recommend it.
(4)
Anthony G.
The food was tasty, and was presented very nicely. We had a couple rolls, fried tempura appetizer, and gyoza. We enjoyed it. There were some downsides. The price was very high compared to the amount of food we received. Also, we waited a very long time for our food. It's worth trying. If your standards for Japanese restaurants aren't too high, you will most likely enjoy it.
(3)
Ali A.
Went with a friend and got a Bento box (Salmon teriyaki). Food was good, but the place is a bit far from campus. I'm not a fan of Miso soup, but the rest of my meal was good.
(3)
Evan A.
Great sushi and teppanyaki. The service is friendly and warming. I'm a bit of a sushi snob and I have to say this is the best place in town. I've tried Kofusion, Sushi Kame, and Yellowfin. The fish at Kamakura is always the freshest and I enjoy the flavor of the rice as well. As you know, sush is all about the rice and Kamakura has the best. The teppan is great as well. Each chef has a unique personality and cooking style. It makes going more often enjoyable and different everytime. Even if you have to wait a little for a table, it's one of the best dining experience in Champaign. This is the only Japanese restaurant owned by a Japanese family. I've talked to the owner a few times at the sushi bar, great people. I would suggest this place to anyone.
(5)
Bar C.
I have eaten here a few times, depite the poor reviews. I thought that the sushi was very good. It isn't cheap but you won't find a sushi place that is good and cheap. I enjoyed the sushi rolls and sashimi. The rolls were a good size and very fresh.
(4)
Justine F.
My experience at Kamakura's Teppan lounge was luke warm and it was kind of an awkward experience. Sure, watching the chef (with mad knife skills) flip an egg with two knives and not drop it - is pretty impressive... but as far as eating a hot meal... it is practically impossible. You have to wait for the veggies to be cooked for how many ever people are at your table & then the meat is served up last. Now you're looking at luke warm veggies with semi-warm meat. It just takes too dang long to get the entire meal on your plate. As for table conversation, last time I was there -- we were placed next to people who had one too many drinks, who were super excited about the war in Iraq and were definitely racist as hell. Wow, get way to start & end a meal. I really considered buying a drink just to throw it at them. Either way, the food is eh for 20+ dollars. For a one time experience, I say it's worth it. But I am not all that into sitting next to strangers especially when their racist remarks make me gag.
(3)
Anthony S.
We have been dining here since 2008. While service can be average and above we always enjoy mixing sushi with the cooked food. Quality is way above average and they honor their reservations.
(5)
Basim Z.
I love this place. It looks nice and very clean on the inside. I've been here a couple times with my girlfriend and we both love it. I had the sukiyaki and my girl had the beef teriyaki. Both of them were really good, especially hers. I have to say that the salad with the Japanese house dressing is amazing as well.
(4)
Teej T.
Kamakura wouldn't be a great Japanese restaurant back home, but it's pretty good for Champaign, and my heart lept to see Katsu, Udon, Soba, and so many other thigns that remind me of home. Te setting is a bit too 'Orientalist,' and the food average, but I'm definitely coming back, because an approximation of the food I'm used to eating in California is better than none at all.
(3)
Tonya R.
I can see this would be a good group experience, the setting of the tables, lined walls with cozy booths and private areas for larger groups seemed appealing. The food however, was underwhelming. What was ordered: Bento lunch box, teryaki chicken and sushi: Spicy tuna was TERRIBLE. Yes, I like the American version with the spicy mayo but this was far from and there was some sort of spicy-pepper mixture on top of the tiniest rolls i've ever seen. The taste was lacking and the rice seemed a bit stale. The guest I was with had a beef/veggie bowl and it was bland, served in nothing more then a standard brown gravy with little taste. Best item on the menu: iced tea. Don't waste your time. The price may be decent, but the food lacks the same feeling.
(2)
Jason M.
please batter your crab, last time i ate the crab it had no batter it was horrible, i would give you guys a redo on this but, besides that, you guys are worse the sushi rock, i ordered over 100$ worth of sushi, and yet none met my satisfaction, please once a sushi restaurant goes bad, it goes bad forever, so redirect yourselves.
(1)
Christy O.
We came here to celebrate a birthday. It was a cold weekday night and the restaurant was pretty empty. One thing I immediately noticed is that the inside of the restaurant is so, so much nicer than the outside. I have driven past this place a hundred times and always got the impression this place was probably dingy inside. I was very wrong. Not only was the dining room very elegant and classy, but the staff were professional too. Our server made a good recommendation for my son since there was no kid's menu. We started out with an appetizer of tempura shrimp which was excellent and tasty. I had the miso soup and it was spot on - goooood. Then we had our sushi, the philly roll, alaska roll, and illini roll. Oh heavens, it was so good. The illini roll had a kick to it, quite spicy, but I love spiciness. Until now, I thought good sushi in Champaign was wishful thinking. We ended our dining experience with a bowl of green tea ice cream, so, so wonderfully delicious.
(5)
Vinh T.
It's great to have a really good Japanese restaurant in Urbana Champaign, considering that U-C is a small college in middle of the state. Kamakura consistently serves good food. Love their sushi and tapan. I stopped by at least once when I travel to U-C.
(4)
Lillian N.
I visited my boyfriend for the weekend and he decided to take me out to Kamakura (may be he thought that I missed Japanese food). It was a Saturday night and we got there at around 10 p.m. We noticed that they are about to close and asked if they can still take us in. They said that they can take us and we told them that we have one more friend coming. So they sat us down and another girl came up and told us that the sushi bar already close for the night and they suppose to close in 2 minutes. She hurried us to order from the menu and told us that the kitchen might not take anymore order if our friend did not get there in 2 minutes. (And I am not exaggerating, that was what she told us.) I was really hungry and decided to order yakitori with yakisoba and it came with a salad and fried rice. The food was horrible. There was 3 sticks of skewered chicken which they tried to pass as yakitori and cost almost $8 and the fried rice looked so horrible that I did not even touch it. My yakisoba tasted worse than a 100 yen instant soba that I could have bought at any convenient store in Japan. And the service was the worst thing at this place. I am not that picky when it comes to food and especially if I am hungry, I will chow down anything. My advice to those who are considering Kamakura, save your money, instant noodle or noodle cup taste better than the food they serve there.
(1)
Joyce S.
We went here with a party of 10 family members on a Friday evening. We made a reservation for 5:30 and because we came from out of town, we were 10 minutes early. Instead of taking us to a table, they sent us to the "waiting room", which seemed to be a store room with upturned chairs, old newspapers, a very dirty floor and evidently no air as it was very stuffy. We had a decent meal, with friendly, attentive service but I did not shake the feeling that I was not a respected patron because of the bad beginning. Our bill was over $260 that evening. (No one had anything alcoholic to drink...most drank water.) It would take 15 minutes to tidy up that "waiting room" if they intend to continue to use it. Also the outside of the restaurant is a little untidy. It also needs attention.
(3)
M K.
I've eaten here three times over the past 5 years and I've been disappointed each time. Sometimes it's because they mess up my orders, sometimes it's because the food is just underwhelming or simply not fresh. I know people who like this place a lot, so perhaps I am just unlucky.
(2)
Kris H.
Worst Japanese food in town! I go here about once every three years or so to give it another chance and see if it has improved. The bottom line is that i sucks and has sucked for the past 10 years and it is not getting any less sucky with time. The food tastes the way a public bathroom smells. I think they raid dumpsters for their ingredients. There is a 1000000x better Japanese restaurant just up Neil at Church as well as many more around town. Go there instead :-)
(1)
Rachel S.
sorry excuse for a Japanese restaurant. The few times I've eaten there, the food has been extremely greasy and salty. I can't see how this place stays in business.
(2)
Xander S.
Champaign has a few places that purport to sell Japanese food. Ko-Fusion and a few chiefly Korean restaurants come to mind. Yet among these, Kamakura is the only one where the image matches the quality of the food. For a restaurant in central Illinois, especially on a road next to the middle of nowhere, there's no need to go overboard with decor. Yet Kamakura's elegant interior stands in stark contrast to the dusty cornfields outdoors. The food is diverse for a stand-alone Japanese restaurant, and makes me wonder how many of the original ingredients were traded for easier-to-obtain substitutes. The taste, like the restaurant, is elegant in spices, to make up for the decidedly bland base. I have yet to try their sushi, or bento boxes, so I cannot review those yet.
(3)
Anne W.
I've eaten here a number of time and the menu is boring. The bento boxes are okay. The teppan is okay too. Nothing special. At least they don't dump sweet and sour sauce all over their food like Miko's does. But the rolls are really dissapointing. I ordered a spicy tuna roll and they sprinkled hot flakes on top. That's not a spicy tuna roll. Save your money and don't eat here. Service is okay. But who cares about the service when the food is just so pricey and mediocre.
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Specialities
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 : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Mark C.
Japanese restaurants are known for serving aesthetically-pleasing food which is as good as it looks. Their major foible is the fact that their food never truly gets you stuffed. This place does neither. I clearly asked for no onions on any of my order... But they put onions on every aspect of my bento box. Some of my colleagues were not even close to being full when they finished with their order. My below average bento box cost a total of $12 too. The price isn't worth it for the quality or quantity.
(1)Chris K.
Adam at the Teppan table was fantastic. Request him; you will not be dissapointed! Everything was really good. I had the fillet mignon, fried rice,, salad with house dressing, and miso soup. very good choices. I would defiantly get thier house dressing. The show Adam puts on in front of you with fire and knives and spinning and throwing things is really cool. on a down note, our waitress was kind of slow. I think she might have been busy and been given too many tables. Certainly not her fault and she tried and was pleasent, I just wish she would have came more. Upsettingly, they were out of both kinds of draft beer and out of the first two bottles of beer that I ordered. I can't wait to go back. I will defiantly get the house salad dressing again, the miso soup, fried rice but I might try aa seafood next time. If you are looking for a fun date night dinner with more than just a meal brought to your table, don't pass this place up; make reservations now. -reservations are suggested.
(5)Rick T.
Tried to take my wife for a birthday dinner. Called for a reservation at 8pm and didn't get seated until 9:15pm. Take your chances on a Saturday night! When they told us that we had to wait another 15 to 20 minutes for the chef that was enough. We decided to go elsewhere.
(2)Mark V.
This place is a joke! Never coming here again! First time my wife and I came here the service was awful! We saw our waiter twice the entire time we were there. One to take our order and two to give us our food! We had to hunt the waiter down to get our check! Went again the 2nd time hoping the service was better.....NOPE! Same awful service. The 2nd time we were seated at a hibachi table and our seats was close to a back doorway. We could all smell trash while sitting there. When we arrived at 5pm on a Sunday, no one was there so we were hoping we get good service....I was wrong! First to be seated last to be served! So sad! We ordered drinks and the glass was filled half way!! When we asked our waitress why the drinks were only filled half way she ignored the question and pretended like she didn't hear us. We arrived at 5pm and we left at 7pm. This place sucks!!!! The BAD: Horrible service! Waiters and waitresses who don't care Drinks filled half glass Hibachi food tasted burnt One bathroom stall Trash smelling atmosphere The GOOD: Sushi
(1)Kyra N.
Went to lunch there today and it was awesome as usual. Staff is so friendly. We always sit at the sushi bar. I love the salad with house dressing! I always say I'm going to try other sushi places in town but I always come back to Kamakura. I've never had a bad meal there!
(5)Yanhua S.
My friend and I went there and order ramen. The service is very slow. The ramen is so bad. The soup is filled with all soy bean sauce the noodle is very very firm. hard to eat. I will never order it again
(1)Amarin P.
This was on Saturday. 7:35pm arrived and got seated immediately 7:36-7:49pm watched servers walking by, chefs bringing food out themselves, and the hostess doing nothing 7:50pm got our waters and "a server will be with you shortly" 7:51-7:59pm tried to understand what the word "shortly" meant 8pm walked out We went to Sushi Kame and we received way more attentive service. I might visit Kamakura again "shortly".
(1)Earth A.
On a Saturday evening, we waited 25 minutes without anyone taking our orders. First 15 minutes went by, we confronted the hostess and was told that a waiter will be with us shortly. Waited another 10 minutes, still no one to take our order. So we walked out. Not enough waiters, the chef has to come out to serve by himself. Bad management, can't hold a dinner service on a Saturday night. Everyone in the restaurant was waiting for his or her food. I've been there many times and this was the worst experience I've ever had here.
(1)BD S.
Not sure why the haters are hating, we got in and got served quickly. Food was good, Tristan was a fine chef. A little pricy, but no more than any other hibachi grill I've been to.
(4)Jonna N.
First of all, by the looks of the outside of Kamakura, I thought that the inside would look just as sketchy, but this was not the case at all. Once I opened the front doors, it was like stepping into a whole new world. It was very pretty, neat, and tidy inside. I particularly liked the booths with glass tables. They have decorative cloths covering the windows that gave the place a dim, kind of romantic lighting. It complimented the shades of blues on the booths. Another cute detail was the mini Japanese statues and figurines on the wall opposite of the windows. It helped to show a little bit of culture. There were 3 different menus, one for drinks, sushi, and Teppanyaki (Hibachi) and Teriyaki dishes. Their menus were detailed which helped a lot especially on their drinks menu. I do not find too many menus that define what flavors to expect with their sakes and wines. Although I did eye the Japanese dish menus, I was set on sushi. We ended up waiting over an hour for the sushi. They were short staffed. Only one waiter was going around taking orders and delivering the food. I saw two hostesses when I walked in which was strange to me because why would they need two hostesses when they needed more waiters. Then again it is a small restaurant and the sushi had a bit of a twist. My friend got miso soup, eel roll, and tempura salmon roll. I got a spicy scallop roll, Philadelphia roll, and spicy salmon roll. The miso was a bit salty. The eel roll was tasty. The tempura salmon roll was really cute. It looked like little tofu squares. The spicy scallop roll was so spicy that it covered the taste of the Philly roll. I made a mistake by eating that first. I thought that the pieces of fish in the sushi were a good size. Also I have never seen a spicy salmon roll made the way they made it. It has a piece of salmon in the roll and then spices on the outside. To me, I like heat so this roll was not spicy enough for me. This is where the abundance of spicy sauce on the spicy scallop roll helped out. If I come back, I would try Since the prices are a bit on the expensive side, I might come back here when I'm really craving sushi or Japanese food. I did enjoy the décor and small twists on the rolls though. I think this place is one of the better sushi places in Champaign-Urbana.
(3)Ashley B.
Yum! It's been a family tradition to go here for the teppan tables for anyone's birthday. It just really cozy and you get to sit around and talk while the chef prepares your food in front of you. It's great because my dad could get his white rice and steak while I can get sushi and eel and whatever else I feel like trying at the time. It will be sure to make everyone happy! The teppan meals are probably the best value since you get salad, soup, choice of meats (or two or three) and rice and veggies. You leave feeling SO full! Actually, I'd recommend sharing a portion because there's just way too much food! Don't forget to get some green tea ice cream for dessert :)
(5)Jack F.
Although pricier than many restaurants in town, Kamakura delivers the quality of dining experience. I have been there at least 3 times: one time with a large group for the grill and twice with my spouse for sushi dinners. Make sure to check timing before you go: they are closed between lunch and 5PM. The food is delicious, and the servers are attentive: often times just an eye contact is sufficient to get them to come over immediately. The decor is OK, but the environment is pleasant and quiet: great for a quiet romantic meal. The higher prices are the only reason I did not give this restaurant 5 stars. What else can I say? I'm going back soon.
(4)Sonny S.
Came here for my friend's birthday. I heard great things about this place so I had high expectations. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. The pros: the hibachi chef was very entertaining and friendly. the food was delicious, especially the scallops - perfectly seared with a golden brown exterior and tender interior The cons: small portions for what you pay for, the server didn't seem to know the menu at all - seemed really frazzled, asked him several questions that he didn't know the answer to, had to ask for refills on my drink countless times, overcharged my friend's credit card by like $40...wtf. Overall, the food was decent, service was not great...not impressed
(3)Jonathan J.
Don't be scared off by the exterior -- I've only dined here once, but had a good experience. I ordered the udon & inari, which came with a plate of veggie tempura, a couple inari pockets, and a nice big bowl of udon soup. For less than $12, this is by far the best deal I've seen for this meal. From other reviews it sounds like quality can vary from dish to dish, and the location makes it a hassle to get to if you don't have a car. But I would still recommend this place, and would definitely come back again for the udon & inari.
(4)Taylor L.
Had a great experience. Adam was our teppan chef and he was amazing. Very entertaining and hilarious. Food was deliciously seasoned and cooked to perfection. I left feeling satisfyingly full and in good spirits. I will continue to dine here.
(5)Xavier W.
Overpriced, mediocre sushi restaurant that only knows how to sell atmosphere and presentation. The service was good though and is the only reason that I have not given them 1 star. you really are better off buying sushi at schnuks. There are much better places in the nearby area.
(2)Kali M.
Aw, poor Kamakura, why all the hate? I have a soft spot for this place, because it's been a family favorite for YEARS - my dad took us there when they first opened because he had recently discovered sushi (remember when not everyone was aware of this heaven? However passé it may be now, sushi had it's place 10ish years ago...), and we continued going back periodically. Mostly for special occasions (my Prom group went here senior year), because for our standards at the time it was pricey. We still stop in most every time I visit, usually for the Teppan. I can't tell if the chefs/waiters aren't as jazzed about their restaurant as they used to be, or if it's just my perspective that's changed. Either way, the experience is never "special" like it was back in the day. Still, they do well. I'm surprised at the negative reviews because, to be honest, Kamakura would likely earn a solid 3.5-star average where I currently hail from (LA), and I would have thought we had higher standards for cuisine -- especially of the Asian variety -- out here. !
(3)Sherry Y.
Place is relatively nice. Went on a Tuesday night, no crowd at all. I mostly got sushi rolls, and those were quite excellent. Nice, quiet ambience. Little to no loud conversation, soothing atmosphere. Maybe best for couples or business dates. Would not recommend families. Delicious sushi, though! I recommend the rainbow roll, fantastic.
(4)Jessica B.
This place officially became my go-to birthday dinner 5 years ago. The sign isn't flashy, but this place is definitely worth noticing. I've always made reservations in advance for the teppanyaki grills, have never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a table to be cleared from an overstaying party, and have always had excellent service from both the waiters and the chefs. Every time I dine here, I order the Three Samurai meal to get chicken, steak, and shrimp. The quality of each of those is fine and I have never had a problem with steak being overcooked or chicken being undercooked. I also recommend the house dressing with the salad and a bowl of clear soup, although if you must insist on having miso you still won't go wrong. I've only ordered sushi a few times, and I never felt there was anything wrong with their sushi. I don't eat sushi often, but I definitely feel that the rest of the restaurant is their strong point. The bar inside is also well stocked and tended by someone who knows their way around drinks. The chefs are all experts in their general teppan-grill-tricks, with some learning new techniques and others inviting the guests in on some of the fun (usually breaking an egg, not throwing knives!). Reading some of the other reviews for this place, I have to wonder why people judge a restaurant based on the occupants. There is only 4 teppanyaki grills and at least 4 chefs. This is not Benihana. This is not a place for screaming children, although the restaurant should not be held responsible for a family that does not know otherwise. Sometimes if you have a very low number in your party and you choose to come on a busy weekend, you may be placed at a table with another family so that everyone can eat when they would like rather than waiting hours and being denied reservations at all for lack of grill space. Of course if you have some type of allergy to something your grill-neighbor is ordering, you should mention something so that the restaurant may make accommodations. I repeat, this is not Benihana. This is a nicer place. If you come in wearing sweats and work clothing, don't be surprised if a staff member looks at you the way you would look at someone else wearing the same outfit to a wedding. You don't have to wear the nicest of clothing, but at least don't look like you got out of bed! If food temperature is your problem, remember that they don't mind if you eat the vegetables while they're finishing cooking the meat. Your other option is undercooked meat, or overcooked vegetables, and the chefs do make sure you receive neither.
(5)Ken S.
First off, there was no wait. I did seem to take a little too long for my food. I ordered Unagi, ummm, it melted in my mouth!!!! Not every place has this good of Unagi! The ahi was good and the spider roll as well. I will go back. The presentation was not the greatest but it's the quality of the fish that I care about. QUALITY is what Kamakura presented.
(5)Mike B.
By far the best sushi in town and one of a few where you can get the "Teppan" grill style. Most of my reviews are in comparison to other places around and after being to a place multiple times. I have frequented Miko's, but a meal at Kamakura has converted me. The sushi is fresh tasting and just delicious. The atmosphere is a little stuffy and the teppan grill is a good, but too much for what you get, and the service has been hit or miss. But still worth a try.
(4)Sam W.
Welcome to Restaurant Hell, courtesy of Kamakura. Going there with girl. Ordering Bento box (me), one of those fancy soft shell crab sushi rolls (her). Minutes go by. Many. After almost an hour, talking to the waiter. "We've got management problems" he says, like in a bad sitcom in which *we* the customers are supposed to feel sorry for *him*. More time passes by. Finally my lunch box comes in. Close to inedible. The Sarku chicken (cheap fast-food!) in Market Place Mall is many many degrees of magnitude better. How about the sushi we ask? "Your order had a lot of complications (!). First they've burned your chicken then they've forgotten to put the crab in the sushi roll." No kidding? Not, apparently. After ten minutes: sorry we have to go, we said, we'll get the sushi roll (a $15 one!) to go. The waiter kind of half-apologizes and says: "I won't charge you for the sushi." Probably we were way too polite, or didn't show anger or something, because when he brought the check the sushi was there included, with no explanation regarding the change of mind. We actually had to leave, I had an appointment. Friend eats sushi a little later.... there is no crab in it (15$ roll!), just the traces of the skin of the soft shell crab. (Yes, we know the delicacy that soft shell crab, properly prepared, can be.) All in all an incredibly bad experience, almost on a par with the other horror stories restaurants in Chambana - B Won and The Great Impasta. The name and reputation of Japan, for which I have the greatest respect, don't deserve this cruel bastardization!
(1)Matthew L.
OK....so when I give this place 5 stars...it's because this is as good as sushi gets HERE! Really, the sushi is simple, delicious, the appetizers are great, the service is always good...there are lots of great things about this place. If this restaurant were in the middle of downtown, it would be %100 packed, %100 of the time! Thank goodness it isn't, because I have never had to wait for a table. Order the German roll (weird, I know, but it's GREAT), the Terayaki Mushrooms, the Gyoza, and the Nigiri... Also for dessert try the Mochi with red bean.. YUMMY cold chewy deliciousness!
(5)Lauren C.
As far as I remember, this place is pretty good. A pretty unique restaurant for Champaign. Definitely sit at one of the tables where the food is cooked in front of you, it's basically a requirement.. or something. The food was consistently pretty good but nothing hugely fantastic and not a whole lot of traditional dishes, unfortunately. Never had sushi here
(3)Pete B.
I think this place deserves a 3.5 star. Ive been here about 4 times. The food was consistently good, but it's not something to write home about. The price was on the high side, but it's totally what you expected from this kind of place (the decor is nicer than what it seems from the outside). I really have a mixed feeling about this place. The food is authentic though for the most part, so I guess that's a good change from Americanized Japanese food. There was one thing I didn't like; fried salmon roll. The breading was thick and greasy. Otherwise, food was good. The whole experience was good, but there really wasn't a "wow" moment.
(3)Kevin Y.
I came here after graduating back in May and my experience was pretty lackluster. The food itself was decent, pretty good when you take into consideration that it's sushi in Central Illinois. The problem with this place is the service. The place wasn't busy at all, yet our waitress seemed a bit frazzled and the service was slow. First issue was that we weren't given any napkins and had to ask once we were served food, which to be honest isn't a big issue, but it took over 30 minutes to get a couple of sushi rolls when the place wasn't busy. Our waitress didn't really bother to stop and ask how we were doing during our meal. When we were done eating, our waitress asked us if we wanted some green tea, to which we accepted. However, she left and didn't come back for about 15 minutes or so, with no tea. At this point we decided to just ask for the check and leave, which took about another 10 minutes, although she came back with tea this time. If you have the time, then Kamakura is a pretty good choice in terms of sushi, and I've had good experiences with their teppan in the past.
(2)K- C.
We arrived at 8:45 pm on a Wednesday evening (they close at 9:00 pm). The 'OPEN' sign was on and clearly blinking 'OPEN'. They appeared to be slow but had several tables with guests in the dining room and two tables of guests at the grill. We asked to be seated at the grill. We were refused service and told they were getting ready to close. I cannot image turning away business in a poor economy. We generally spend at lest $50.00 a person there..which I think is significant for the Champaign-Urbana market. The hostess repeatedly said, we cannot serve you because the staff would have to wait on you to finish your meal. I will never go back. If they had been completely empty I would have had a better understanding of their position. And if they stop serving at a specific time before they close, perhaps they should turn off the 'OPEN' sign.
(1)Eric K.
Japanese food in central Illinois? I'm not too sure what to make of this, especially from the unflattering and nondescript building it is located in. Upon stepping inside, however, it's like you've walked into an isolated world, and nothing in the room suggests that you're in Champaign anymore. The structure of the room, though, feels more like 1950's diner than Japanese restaurant, with a huge pit in the center of the main dining room, and booths to the side. I only caught a quick glimpse of the other side of the restaurant, but it looked a lot cozier than where we were sitting. I came on a fairly quiet Friday night, with maybe only two dozen people in the restaurant, yet the service was definitely below par. After the maitre d' seated us, nobody even came to our table until she wandered back 5 minutes later asking if anyone has showed up to serve us. The waitress was pretty inattentive also; after the appetizer, my glass of water stood empty for the rest of the meal. As for the food, I ordered a beef teriyaki bento box, which came with tempura, rice, miso soup, salad, and three pieces of nigiri sushi. The beef was cooked to perfection, and coated in a teriyaki sauce as delicious as I have ever tasted. Though we are a long way from the closest ocean, the sushi also tasted very fresh. The rest of the bento box was great, as I would expect from an established Japanese restaurant. I also ordered a separate sushi roll, containing cucumber, tempura, and spicy tuna, which was very fulfilling, albeit quite pricey. This is a very decent restaurant, but for a $50+ meal in Champaign, I would expect flawless service.
(3)Lisa B.
First of all this is NOT one of my favorite types of foods. We went for lunch and I ordered the chicken teriyaki box thing. It wasn't bad but it certainly wasn't good either. The portions are really small which really didn't bother me. The salad came in the upper left square of the box. It was about a 2 inch by 2 inch square. The salad was good but again you only get a couple of bites of it. What really cracked me up was the vegetables. In the lower right box (2 x2) was ONE brocille top and a half of a mini carrot!! The rice was really sticky but my friend told me it's supposed to be that way so it sticks on the chop sticks. I had to use a fork of course because I can't get anything to stick on chop sticks. I like the chicken teriyaki from the mall better so maybe that tells you how much I know about Janpanese food. It was a fun experience and I would go again...... if someone forced me to.
(2)Katherine C.
Ugh. This place is always packed for reasons I can't quite grasp. The parking lot looks crowded every time I drive by. Sometimes I'm suspicious that they must hire confederate diners to make the place look popular and lure unsuspecting customers inside. I only have one thing to say about the service here. This is the type of place where the wait staff will judge you by your potential to tip, and then ignore you if you obviously fall into the category of "poor college student." If you come here, regardless of your background, at least dress like you own money so that you'll get your drinks refilled. On a particularly busy weekend night, I showed up with a friend and expected to wait for for a table. Good news: we were seated immediately. Bad news: we were seated at a teppenyaki table...when we had no intention of eating teppenyaki...and we had to share the table with a large family who we obviously did not know. Don't get me wrong, I am not offended by cafeteria-style dining (I'm a college student, after all), but this should not be the seating arrangement at a place that presents itself as some kind of fine restaurant. Throughout the meal, I had to whisper to my dinner companion to avoid disrupting a stranger's family dinner (awkward?). Be careful about bringing a date here, or at least make a reservation in advance. The food? Blegh. Let me be clear on this--I've tasted sushi on both the east coast and west coast, and I am in no way prejudiced against eating sushi in the Midwest. I even think there's some decent sushi in Champaign (at other restaurants), so my standards are not impossible to meet. Again, I've always eaten at Kamakura on busy nights, because I naively assumed that most sushi restaurants will bring out the best fish when serving crowds of customers. Instead, I received garbage that smelled and tasted like rotting fish. Maybe by the time they got to my order, they had to use the smelly leftovers at the bottom of the barrel? When I got home, I tried to purge my mouth with Listerine. Even with it's advertised "deep-cleaning action," I couldn't get the taste of putrid fish out of my mouth. I drank some coffee, chewed gum, etc., but there was no redemption from the haunting taste of old fish. My suggestion? Stick to the cooked dishes at Kamakura: tempura, teriyaki, udon, etc. With so many better sushi restaurants in the area, I don't see how Kamakura hangs onto customers. I can forgive bad service, but food that ruins your breath for an entire day is not acceptable. This is the kind of place that gives sushi a bad reputation.
(1)Mariam N.
I came here with a large party during an almost-empty lunch hour. The food took a while to get to us (45 minutes), though a number of us ordered the lunchtime bento boxes or noodles. My order was adequate --tempura bento-- if not awesome. What grossed me out was a colleague's agedashi tofu. Agedashi tofu is soft tofu battered in potato or corn starch and lightly deep fried; it sits in a dashi or seaweed broth and is garnished with ginger, bonito flakes, and/or green onions. Her tofu was tough and rubbery (overly fried, and then left to sit out for a while), swimming in a thick sweet and sour sauce and garnished with cilantro and lime slices. When she sent it back to the kitchen, observing that it was not actually agedashi tofu, our server told her that the chef is Japanese, the implication being that it must then be "authentic." Baffling, considering how easy it is now to find a good agedashi tofu recipe online. I will continue to skip the Japanese restaurants in this town, thanks.
(2)Esther K.
The food was not bad... not stand out either. One thing that really bothered me though was the sticky floors. Um... there is this thing called the mop that can solve that problem for you in a jiffy!
(3)Bruce P.
Took my family to Kamakura to celebrate my wife's birthday. Our food was very tasty, our chef was very personable and entertaining. We had a great meal and I'm looking forward to going back. Highly recommended!
(5)Hannah J.
For the price and location, Kamakura's a nice sushi place. I used to go here much more often when I lived in the area, and I was absolutely never disappointed by the quality of the food. Considering it was central Illinois, the prices were good for the sushi we got. The simplest rolls are usually the best--but as for the fancier rolls, we enjoy the Illini roll a lot. The service, however, has been anywhere from outstanding to absolutely horrendous. Once, my friend and I went with a small group, and we saw the waiter exactly once, when he took our order. Later, when we were leaving, we received a totally incorrect check ($20 charge for an $80 meal). However, I've definitely received extremely good service here. I think when they get busy, they focus on the hibachi customers more than the sushi side. I've never had the hibachi, but we're going for a special occasion tomorrow night, so I'll update the review then. I don't understand why Kamakura's getting such a bad rap on Yelp. It's a decent place with affordable sushi. You get twice as much sushi here than at Ko Fusion for the same price--I'm sorry, I'm a little above paying for "hipness" in Champaign, thanks. EDIT 7/6/11 My family and I had the hibachi dinner on Friday night. Again, not a whole lot of hate here. I enjoyed the speed of service, even for the busy Friday night, and the "performance" of the chef, which was understated but amusing. None of us in the party had a bad meal, we were all pretty happy with our food (except for my boyfriend and brother, who were a mite ticked at the portion sizes), and even my mom's girlfriend, who is notoriously picky and had never eaten Japanese food before, was content with her meal. I don't think it was overly greasy--it has butter in it, of course, but that's the style.
(4)Ally S.
Outstanding food. Oustanding service. Favorites: Teppan table with steak/chicken combo. miso or clear soup (tip: add pepper if you like) house dressing - to die for... mmmmm the best dressing sauteed mushrooms! TREAT YOURSELF!!! Take a date! Have a brew!
(5)America Q.
I didn't get to try the sushi but it sure looked good. I had a bento box meal, teriyaki chicken, it was yummy. Seasoned really well. I also had their miso soup which I thought was a little salty but good none the less. I nice touch is they willing split the bill. Would totally recommend it.
(4)Anthony G.
The food was tasty, and was presented very nicely. We had a couple rolls, fried tempura appetizer, and gyoza. We enjoyed it. There were some downsides. The price was very high compared to the amount of food we received. Also, we waited a very long time for our food. It's worth trying. If your standards for Japanese restaurants aren't too high, you will most likely enjoy it.
(3)Ali A.
Went with a friend and got a Bento box (Salmon teriyaki). Food was good, but the place is a bit far from campus. I'm not a fan of Miso soup, but the rest of my meal was good.
(3)Evan A.
Great sushi and teppanyaki. The service is friendly and warming. I'm a bit of a sushi snob and I have to say this is the best place in town. I've tried Kofusion, Sushi Kame, and Yellowfin. The fish at Kamakura is always the freshest and I enjoy the flavor of the rice as well. As you know, sush is all about the rice and Kamakura has the best. The teppan is great as well. Each chef has a unique personality and cooking style. It makes going more often enjoyable and different everytime. Even if you have to wait a little for a table, it's one of the best dining experience in Champaign. This is the only Japanese restaurant owned by a Japanese family. I've talked to the owner a few times at the sushi bar, great people. I would suggest this place to anyone.
(5)Bar C.
I have eaten here a few times, depite the poor reviews. I thought that the sushi was very good. It isn't cheap but you won't find a sushi place that is good and cheap. I enjoyed the sushi rolls and sashimi. The rolls were a good size and very fresh.
(4)Justine F.
My experience at Kamakura's Teppan lounge was luke warm and it was kind of an awkward experience. Sure, watching the chef (with mad knife skills) flip an egg with two knives and not drop it - is pretty impressive... but as far as eating a hot meal... it is practically impossible. You have to wait for the veggies to be cooked for how many ever people are at your table & then the meat is served up last. Now you're looking at luke warm veggies with semi-warm meat. It just takes too dang long to get the entire meal on your plate. As for table conversation, last time I was there -- we were placed next to people who had one too many drinks, who were super excited about the war in Iraq and were definitely racist as hell. Wow, get way to start & end a meal. I really considered buying a drink just to throw it at them. Either way, the food is eh for 20+ dollars. For a one time experience, I say it's worth it. But I am not all that into sitting next to strangers especially when their racist remarks make me gag.
(3)Anthony S.
We have been dining here since 2008. While service can be average and above we always enjoy mixing sushi with the cooked food. Quality is way above average and they honor their reservations.
(5)Basim Z.
I love this place. It looks nice and very clean on the inside. I've been here a couple times with my girlfriend and we both love it. I had the sukiyaki and my girl had the beef teriyaki. Both of them were really good, especially hers. I have to say that the salad with the Japanese house dressing is amazing as well.
(4)Teej T.
Kamakura wouldn't be a great Japanese restaurant back home, but it's pretty good for Champaign, and my heart lept to see Katsu, Udon, Soba, and so many other thigns that remind me of home. Te setting is a bit too 'Orientalist,' and the food average, but I'm definitely coming back, because an approximation of the food I'm used to eating in California is better than none at all.
(3)Tonya R.
I can see this would be a good group experience, the setting of the tables, lined walls with cozy booths and private areas for larger groups seemed appealing. The food however, was underwhelming. What was ordered: Bento lunch box, teryaki chicken and sushi: Spicy tuna was TERRIBLE. Yes, I like the American version with the spicy mayo but this was far from and there was some sort of spicy-pepper mixture on top of the tiniest rolls i've ever seen. The taste was lacking and the rice seemed a bit stale. The guest I was with had a beef/veggie bowl and it was bland, served in nothing more then a standard brown gravy with little taste. Best item on the menu: iced tea. Don't waste your time. The price may be decent, but the food lacks the same feeling.
(2)Jason M.
please batter your crab, last time i ate the crab it had no batter it was horrible, i would give you guys a redo on this but, besides that, you guys are worse the sushi rock, i ordered over 100$ worth of sushi, and yet none met my satisfaction, please once a sushi restaurant goes bad, it goes bad forever, so redirect yourselves.
(1)Christy O.
We came here to celebrate a birthday. It was a cold weekday night and the restaurant was pretty empty. One thing I immediately noticed is that the inside of the restaurant is so, so much nicer than the outside. I have driven past this place a hundred times and always got the impression this place was probably dingy inside. I was very wrong. Not only was the dining room very elegant and classy, but the staff were professional too. Our server made a good recommendation for my son since there was no kid's menu. We started out with an appetizer of tempura shrimp which was excellent and tasty. I had the miso soup and it was spot on - goooood. Then we had our sushi, the philly roll, alaska roll, and illini roll. Oh heavens, it was so good. The illini roll had a kick to it, quite spicy, but I love spiciness. Until now, I thought good sushi in Champaign was wishful thinking. We ended our dining experience with a bowl of green tea ice cream, so, so wonderfully delicious.
(5)Vinh T.
It's great to have a really good Japanese restaurant in Urbana Champaign, considering that U-C is a small college in middle of the state. Kamakura consistently serves good food. Love their sushi and tapan. I stopped by at least once when I travel to U-C.
(4)Lillian N.
I visited my boyfriend for the weekend and he decided to take me out to Kamakura (may be he thought that I missed Japanese food). It was a Saturday night and we got there at around 10 p.m. We noticed that they are about to close and asked if they can still take us in. They said that they can take us and we told them that we have one more friend coming. So they sat us down and another girl came up and told us that the sushi bar already close for the night and they suppose to close in 2 minutes. She hurried us to order from the menu and told us that the kitchen might not take anymore order if our friend did not get there in 2 minutes. (And I am not exaggerating, that was what she told us.) I was really hungry and decided to order yakitori with yakisoba and it came with a salad and fried rice. The food was horrible. There was 3 sticks of skewered chicken which they tried to pass as yakitori and cost almost $8 and the fried rice looked so horrible that I did not even touch it. My yakisoba tasted worse than a 100 yen instant soba that I could have bought at any convenient store in Japan. And the service was the worst thing at this place. I am not that picky when it comes to food and especially if I am hungry, I will chow down anything. My advice to those who are considering Kamakura, save your money, instant noodle or noodle cup taste better than the food they serve there.
(1)Joyce S.
We went here with a party of 10 family members on a Friday evening. We made a reservation for 5:30 and because we came from out of town, we were 10 minutes early. Instead of taking us to a table, they sent us to the "waiting room", which seemed to be a store room with upturned chairs, old newspapers, a very dirty floor and evidently no air as it was very stuffy. We had a decent meal, with friendly, attentive service but I did not shake the feeling that I was not a respected patron because of the bad beginning. Our bill was over $260 that evening. (No one had anything alcoholic to drink...most drank water.) It would take 15 minutes to tidy up that "waiting room" if they intend to continue to use it. Also the outside of the restaurant is a little untidy. It also needs attention.
(3)M K.
I've eaten here three times over the past 5 years and I've been disappointed each time. Sometimes it's because they mess up my orders, sometimes it's because the food is just underwhelming or simply not fresh. I know people who like this place a lot, so perhaps I am just unlucky.
(2)Kris H.
Worst Japanese food in town! I go here about once every three years or so to give it another chance and see if it has improved. The bottom line is that i sucks and has sucked for the past 10 years and it is not getting any less sucky with time. The food tastes the way a public bathroom smells. I think they raid dumpsters for their ingredients. There is a 1000000x better Japanese restaurant just up Neil at Church as well as many more around town. Go there instead :-)
(1)Rachel S.
sorry excuse for a Japanese restaurant. The few times I've eaten there, the food has been extremely greasy and salty. I can't see how this place stays in business.
(2)Xander S.
Champaign has a few places that purport to sell Japanese food. Ko-Fusion and a few chiefly Korean restaurants come to mind. Yet among these, Kamakura is the only one where the image matches the quality of the food. For a restaurant in central Illinois, especially on a road next to the middle of nowhere, there's no need to go overboard with decor. Yet Kamakura's elegant interior stands in stark contrast to the dusty cornfields outdoors. The food is diverse for a stand-alone Japanese restaurant, and makes me wonder how many of the original ingredients were traded for easier-to-obtain substitutes. The taste, like the restaurant, is elegant in spices, to make up for the decidedly bland base. I have yet to try their sushi, or bento boxes, so I cannot review those yet.
(3)Anne W.
I've eaten here a number of time and the menu is boring. The bento boxes are okay. The teppan is okay too. Nothing special. At least they don't dump sweet and sour sauce all over their food like Miko's does. But the rolls are really dissapointing. I ordered a spicy tuna roll and they sprinkled hot flakes on top. That's not a spicy tuna roll. Save your money and don't eat here. Service is okay. But who cares about the service when the food is just so pricey and mediocre.
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