Great sushi at a great price! Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. You could tell they liked working there.
(4)
Bill H.
Good atmosphere, great service, great crowd. Food good, Chicken in orders was dry. I'll order something else next time. I will go back.
(4)
Eric H.
The first time I came here the owner was very rude to me that's was shortly after he took over about a year later I ordered sushi to go I was so disappointed I said I would never come back the price for what I had gotten was insane. I went back a year or so later with friends and I actually liked it that time and so I came back today and enjoyed the food again my server Kelsey was good very nice and always smiling however the the dark haired server that picked up my check I found alittle rude and full of herself she was serving the table next to me, don't ever ask if I need change just bring it. Bravo for the team work but lose the self conceited attitude. Overall I'll be back.
(4)
Alex W.
Kanpai doesn't disappoint. The last time I'd been was a few years ago and was hoping for the best as I'd had great visits during college. People may have concerns about sushi in the middle of the Midwest, but everything tasted fresh. Due to our wait by the time we sat down my friend and I had a feeling of what we were getting. We got our own roll (CB & Spicy Tuna Rolls) and we split the monthly special - the Charizard Roll (like the Pokemon). We both agreed the Charizard was by far AMAZING, one of the best things we'd ever eaten. Our Kanpai salads were surprising, we didn't expect so much crunch and house dressing. It was good though. For being a small restaurant the beer selection was great too! Unfortunately though our seats were closest to the doors and we both had to wear our jackets because of the extreme cold wind blowing in/out whenever opened. That sucked tremendously. Hopefully whenever I return they'll do something about the seating or maybe get a bigger venue.
(4)
Victoria A.
Kanpai is awesome! Best place in town for sushi. I've always had an excellent experience when dining in. However, I must say the take out is always somewhat of a disaster. Not sure if it's the roll maker or the packaging, but my rolls always seem to be unrolled and some come completely open. So dine in: always fantastic. Take out: crapshoot.
(3)
Emily D.
A few of our friends recommended Kanpai on our trip to Evansville, so before leaving we decided to go for a quick lunch. We were surprised on how small the restaurant was, like other reviews have stated. Mostly table seating but we were able to get seated as soon as we walked in despite the restaurant being crowded. The server was quick and polite, nothing exceptional or above and beyond..pretty standard. They had a really good bentobox special for only 9 dollars which was impressive, we decided to opt out. I started out with an order of crab rangoon and was very disappointed. Very bland, deeply fried and came with a spicy sauce. I would definitely opt out. It tasted like a greasy ball of cream cheese. The boyfriend got the Incredible Hulk Roll and the Veggie Roll (both vegetarian). We were impressed to see that they came up with something more than just the standard sweet potato sushi roll and mixed veggie. He was very happy. After asking the server how big the rolls were, I got the Yum Yum Roll. This was my first deep fried roll and I was actually pleasantly surprised. One roll was more than enough to get me full and satisified and I was very impressed with the quality and price of the roll. I also noticed that they had some of my other favorites (dragon roll) for only $7! Where I usually go, those are about 14-15. Overall I was impressed by the quality of the sushi but because of my experience with the crab rangoon I had to give it a 3/5. Definitely worth the visit if in the area.
(4)
Sonya A.
My favorite thing about this place is when I want quick sushi in Evansville this is the place to go. It's a small little place but the people are friendly and the sushi is alright which makes it good in my book. Food: 4/5 - Stay away from the Sushi Pizza (what was I thinking!?) Service: 4/5 Location: 4/5
(4)
Stacey C.
Great Experience and Sushi was delicious! Very small as far as seating! Sunday is $1 domestics
(5)
Amanda B.
Kanpai used to be much better. Got a take out order (the online ordering feature is very convenient) and it was very disappointing. The pho soup was downright terrible - incredibly chewy bits of beef and grainy noodles. No veggies to add to it aside from jalapenos (a wide array of sauces though). Got a few sushi rolls -- mediocre at best. Too much sauce on one and the other two fell apart as we tried to eat them. :(
(1)
Elizabeth M.
My opinion of this restaurant has wavered over the last several years, but my current position is this: Kanpai is a fun place for decent sushi / Asian fusion cuisine. It's got a hip atmosphere, fairly unique menu, and nice drink specials, which is for a sushi place, because you're usually spending slightly more on food. It can be a bit cramped for my taste, especially when you have to wait (it's best to wait outside). A few of the menu items seem to be a bit over-priced. But I do like that their salads seem slightly more substantial than what you get at similar restaurants.
(3)
Tony J.
ate dinner there last night. they have a very interesting menu. its like the most popular japanese, chinese, vietnamese, and korean dishes put together. but yesterday we went japanese (sushi). they were ok but i had much better. the sushi chef even made a mistake of using imitation crab meat sticks instead of smoked salmon in my philadelphia roll. i could barely taste the eel in my unagi roll. the dynamite roll is pretty good, just enough spice and a good size piece of tuna inside. maybe we will try the bulgogi and pho next time. UPDATE: 2nd act We did go back last December to try the korean dish, vietnamese pho, and lemongrass noodle. Very disappointed with the pho and lemongrass dish. The bulgogi is OK but I had bulgogi before from other (korean) restaurants and it is not even close.
(3)
Tony D.
My wife and I found this place years ago before it became the place it is today. The sushi has always been phenomenal! My wife is from here, so every time we visit, we are always sure to schedule a stop here for lunch (a few times a year). We lived in San Diego for about 2 years, so we've had plenty of great sushi, and this place is a real contender all the way out here in Indiana. I highly recommend the seared ahi tuna for a starter and at this point we've had just about every roll on the menu without once being disappointed. My wife loves the tiger roll, which we get every time, and I highly recommend the SOB, which is very unique and full of flavor! Throughout the week they also have great drink specials from $2 locals to $8 bottle of wine. Don't miss this sushi spot!
(5)
Food C.
First of all allow me to inform everyone that the new owner of this establishment has ran it down to the ground! I used to come here years ago. With my recent visit in town I wanted to stop by for some of my regular favorites. I was surprised when I walked in and I saw to "white" men behind the sushi counter making the sushi!? Either way, I sat down with my mother and my daughter and I proceeded to order. My mother ordered miso soup which she immediately sent back. I had to taste it for myself and I totally agree. It was disgusting! My poor daughter ordered chicken fried rice. Which should be easy and simple enough. Her order came out 10 minutes after all of ours! When it finally came there was not one piece of frozen vegetable in it. Not a pea, not a carrot, NOTHING. Not even egg!!! She didn't eat it. I didn't blame her. I ordered shrimp and mixed vegetables. Obviously the mixed vegetables came from a frozen bag. I was very surprised and shocked with the lack of taste. I also ordered the pho soup. Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this wreck of a mess that they sent to my table. It didn't get touched by me! Finally when the waitress came to my table I had to ask her: what nationality is your cook in the back preparing these meals? I can tell she didn't want to tell me so I had to ask a few times. Finally she disclosed to me that the chef for this Asian restaurant is Mexican and that English was his second language....Which explains a lot in itself! Along with the Mexican cook, the two White sushi chefs and the almost empty dining area it was obvious that this place is a disaster! I showed her my daughters chicken fried rice, that wasn't eaten, I even showed her the soup that she brought me was not touched. She didn't want to take anything off of my bill or even apologize or excuse this pathetic excuse of food. I received a bill for $50.49. For food we never even ate! The owner of this establishment should be ashamed of himself! I think the health department needs to come in and see what's really going on. I don't recommend this place at all!
(1)
Meghan H.
Best crab Rangoon and pork dumplings ever! And I am crab Rangoon connoisseur! Very friendly staff and great sushi!! Would definitely go again!
(5)
Christine L.
The seaweed salad while delicious was ridiculously overpriced. I have to say this place charged twice the amount for the same portion I have had at any other place. The sushi lacked creativity. I got the spicy tuna and tuna and scallions maki rolls. They were the same exact roll but one was sprinkled with diced scallions and the other had spicy sauce drizzles over it. The roll themselves didn't even taste that great. I find that hard to say considering I must have lucked out my entire life because I have really never taste bad sushi until now. The roll diameter was lacking as well. Completely not worth the $17 I was charged for 12 tiny bites and small palm size portion of salad. Oh well you live and learn.
(1)
Andrea B.
Yummy yummy yummy Ive got sushi in my tummy!!
(5)
Jillian W.
I recently moved to Evansville from Indianapolis, and have been in search of a great sushi place. Since I work very close to Kanpai, I eat here close to once a week, mostly for sushi. The sushi is fresh, and tastes pretty good. It's kind of overpriced, though, and one of the lunchtime sushi chefs makes the rolls much too small. At dinner time, the rolls are much more generous. I would like to see a greater variety of components to the sushi--cream cheese is overused, avocado and asparagus are underused, and I don't think I've ever had a roll here that includes masago. The servers are very friendly, and will recognize me when I come in. Service is prompt, but you have to wait a while for your food. When I come with my husband and we order different things, they don't bring our food out at the same time, which I don't like. The only other food I've tried at Kanpai is the crab rangoon, which was great, and the pho, which was not so great. I LOVE pho, and am looking for a great bowl of that here too! The broth was much too thick, and way too salty. And incredibly overpriced. I paid $10.75 for my lunchtime bowl, while at my favorite pho restaurant in Indianapolis, a bowl of beef pho goes for $5.75 at dinner time. I won't be ordering that again. All in all, though, so far Kanpai is the best sushi I've had in Evansville, and I will keep going back.
(3)
Sheena D.
I was glad to see a new sushi place in Evansville, but this place needs a little bit of work. Food was good and fish above average, however not the freshest cut. When I arrived, it was packed....no one open seat, which tells me this is a frequented sushi place. The wait wasn't that long, but there was no real waiting area. It was hot! ... not sure if the AC was out or it was just crowded, but it was hot and the fans just were not cutting. Prices are decent and hot sake was hot. All that being said, I would return.
(4)
Zach E.
Having just moved here from SF there really isn't any comparison to the seafood on the west coast. The food is just fine. We started out with the Kanpai shrimp and it was tasty but it really needed some heat. I recommend sweet Thai chili or straight up red chili sauce. The California role was kind of bland and flavorless and did not have nearly enough sesame on it. The Godzilla roll was tasty. I think the majority of the flavor came out of the sauces squirted on the roles; perfectly crisped up roll. Delicious -- a little heavy on the sauce though. I'd do it again.
(3)
Caleb R.
Love Kanpai, also it is great for takeout!!!!
(5)
Nicci S.
Okay, this is the second time I've been here and as bad as it was the first time, the second was even worse. The good service is its only saving grace because the food is just terrible! The nigiri and the rolls are flavorless; the rolls are not evenly cut so you get some random huge pieces that are all-but-impossible to eat. I guess if I were a beer drinker I might have cause to add another star. They really should just focus on on the bar since that's what they seem to do best.
(1)
Sam W.
I have been back a few times. Their sushi is good and so is the miso soup.
(3)
Whitney P.
My wife constantly asks for sushi. It's like she dreams about it. Me? Not so much. When I get sushi, I usually get something very Southern Indiana Caucasian, like something with cream cheese, crab and cucumber. At Kanpai, I get the Philadelphia roll, adding spicy mayo. Best things ever? Their crab rangoon. Flippin fantastic. Best I've EVER had. And for dessert, the raspberry wontons. If I wasn't planning on eating there tonight already (my wife plays music there), I would be now. Some tips- they have live music on Wednesdays. The seating is limited, but they take reservations. Mwuah!
(4)
Meg B.
The Bad I was so excited to finally eat here and was really let down by my lunch. I went for the bento box lunch special, soon to realize that a box wouldn't even be present at my meal. I got a side salad drenched in an insane amount of dressing. The beef and vegetables tasted like leftovers that weren't microwaved long enough. The vegetables managed to be soggy, while the overall dish was kind of lukewarm. The Good Crispy wontons on the salad-- good life preserver for the pool of dressing. California roll-- YES. Even though my lunch was ehhh, I'll probably come back for sushi. Step up your game, Kan Pai! You could've been great!
(2)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :4593 Washington Ave
Evansville, IN, 47714
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Amy R.
Great sushi at a great price! Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. You could tell they liked working there.
(4)Bill H.
Good atmosphere, great service, great crowd. Food good, Chicken in orders was dry. I'll order something else next time. I will go back.
(4)Eric H.
The first time I came here the owner was very rude to me that's was shortly after he took over about a year later I ordered sushi to go I was so disappointed I said I would never come back the price for what I had gotten was insane. I went back a year or so later with friends and I actually liked it that time and so I came back today and enjoyed the food again my server Kelsey was good very nice and always smiling however the the dark haired server that picked up my check I found alittle rude and full of herself she was serving the table next to me, don't ever ask if I need change just bring it. Bravo for the team work but lose the self conceited attitude. Overall I'll be back.
(4)Alex W.
Kanpai doesn't disappoint. The last time I'd been was a few years ago and was hoping for the best as I'd had great visits during college. People may have concerns about sushi in the middle of the Midwest, but everything tasted fresh. Due to our wait by the time we sat down my friend and I had a feeling of what we were getting. We got our own roll (CB & Spicy Tuna Rolls) and we split the monthly special - the Charizard Roll (like the Pokemon). We both agreed the Charizard was by far AMAZING, one of the best things we'd ever eaten. Our Kanpai salads were surprising, we didn't expect so much crunch and house dressing. It was good though. For being a small restaurant the beer selection was great too! Unfortunately though our seats were closest to the doors and we both had to wear our jackets because of the extreme cold wind blowing in/out whenever opened. That sucked tremendously. Hopefully whenever I return they'll do something about the seating or maybe get a bigger venue.
(4)Victoria A.
Kanpai is awesome! Best place in town for sushi. I've always had an excellent experience when dining in. However, I must say the take out is always somewhat of a disaster. Not sure if it's the roll maker or the packaging, but my rolls always seem to be unrolled and some come completely open. So dine in: always fantastic. Take out: crapshoot.
(3)Emily D.
A few of our friends recommended Kanpai on our trip to Evansville, so before leaving we decided to go for a quick lunch. We were surprised on how small the restaurant was, like other reviews have stated. Mostly table seating but we were able to get seated as soon as we walked in despite the restaurant being crowded. The server was quick and polite, nothing exceptional or above and beyond..pretty standard. They had a really good bentobox special for only 9 dollars which was impressive, we decided to opt out. I started out with an order of crab rangoon and was very disappointed. Very bland, deeply fried and came with a spicy sauce. I would definitely opt out. It tasted like a greasy ball of cream cheese. The boyfriend got the Incredible Hulk Roll and the Veggie Roll (both vegetarian). We were impressed to see that they came up with something more than just the standard sweet potato sushi roll and mixed veggie. He was very happy. After asking the server how big the rolls were, I got the Yum Yum Roll. This was my first deep fried roll and I was actually pleasantly surprised. One roll was more than enough to get me full and satisified and I was very impressed with the quality and price of the roll. I also noticed that they had some of my other favorites (dragon roll) for only $7! Where I usually go, those are about 14-15. Overall I was impressed by the quality of the sushi but because of my experience with the crab rangoon I had to give it a 3/5. Definitely worth the visit if in the area.
(4)Sonya A.
My favorite thing about this place is when I want quick sushi in Evansville this is the place to go. It's a small little place but the people are friendly and the sushi is alright which makes it good in my book. Food: 4/5 - Stay away from the Sushi Pizza (what was I thinking!?) Service: 4/5 Location: 4/5
(4)Stacey C.
Great Experience and Sushi was delicious! Very small as far as seating! Sunday is $1 domestics
(5)Amanda B.
Kanpai used to be much better. Got a take out order (the online ordering feature is very convenient) and it was very disappointing. The pho soup was downright terrible - incredibly chewy bits of beef and grainy noodles. No veggies to add to it aside from jalapenos (a wide array of sauces though). Got a few sushi rolls -- mediocre at best. Too much sauce on one and the other two fell apart as we tried to eat them. :(
(1)Elizabeth M.
My opinion of this restaurant has wavered over the last several years, but my current position is this: Kanpai is a fun place for decent sushi / Asian fusion cuisine. It's got a hip atmosphere, fairly unique menu, and nice drink specials, which is for a sushi place, because you're usually spending slightly more on food. It can be a bit cramped for my taste, especially when you have to wait (it's best to wait outside). A few of the menu items seem to be a bit over-priced. But I do like that their salads seem slightly more substantial than what you get at similar restaurants.
(3)Tony J.
ate dinner there last night. they have a very interesting menu. its like the most popular japanese, chinese, vietnamese, and korean dishes put together. but yesterday we went japanese (sushi). they were ok but i had much better. the sushi chef even made a mistake of using imitation crab meat sticks instead of smoked salmon in my philadelphia roll. i could barely taste the eel in my unagi roll. the dynamite roll is pretty good, just enough spice and a good size piece of tuna inside. maybe we will try the bulgogi and pho next time. UPDATE: 2nd act We did go back last December to try the korean dish, vietnamese pho, and lemongrass noodle. Very disappointed with the pho and lemongrass dish. The bulgogi is OK but I had bulgogi before from other (korean) restaurants and it is not even close.
(3)Tony D.
My wife and I found this place years ago before it became the place it is today. The sushi has always been phenomenal! My wife is from here, so every time we visit, we are always sure to schedule a stop here for lunch (a few times a year). We lived in San Diego for about 2 years, so we've had plenty of great sushi, and this place is a real contender all the way out here in Indiana. I highly recommend the seared ahi tuna for a starter and at this point we've had just about every roll on the menu without once being disappointed. My wife loves the tiger roll, which we get every time, and I highly recommend the SOB, which is very unique and full of flavor! Throughout the week they also have great drink specials from $2 locals to $8 bottle of wine. Don't miss this sushi spot!
(5)Food C.
First of all allow me to inform everyone that the new owner of this establishment has ran it down to the ground! I used to come here years ago. With my recent visit in town I wanted to stop by for some of my regular favorites. I was surprised when I walked in and I saw to "white" men behind the sushi counter making the sushi!? Either way, I sat down with my mother and my daughter and I proceeded to order. My mother ordered miso soup which she immediately sent back. I had to taste it for myself and I totally agree. It was disgusting! My poor daughter ordered chicken fried rice. Which should be easy and simple enough. Her order came out 10 minutes after all of ours! When it finally came there was not one piece of frozen vegetable in it. Not a pea, not a carrot, NOTHING. Not even egg!!! She didn't eat it. I didn't blame her. I ordered shrimp and mixed vegetables. Obviously the mixed vegetables came from a frozen bag. I was very surprised and shocked with the lack of taste. I also ordered the pho soup. Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this wreck of a mess that they sent to my table. It didn't get touched by me! Finally when the waitress came to my table I had to ask her: what nationality is your cook in the back preparing these meals? I can tell she didn't want to tell me so I had to ask a few times. Finally she disclosed to me that the chef for this Asian restaurant is Mexican and that English was his second language....Which explains a lot in itself! Along with the Mexican cook, the two White sushi chefs and the almost empty dining area it was obvious that this place is a disaster! I showed her my daughters chicken fried rice, that wasn't eaten, I even showed her the soup that she brought me was not touched. She didn't want to take anything off of my bill or even apologize or excuse this pathetic excuse of food. I received a bill for $50.49. For food we never even ate! The owner of this establishment should be ashamed of himself! I think the health department needs to come in and see what's really going on. I don't recommend this place at all!
(1)Meghan H.
Best crab Rangoon and pork dumplings ever! And I am crab Rangoon connoisseur! Very friendly staff and great sushi!! Would definitely go again!
(5)Christine L.
The seaweed salad while delicious was ridiculously overpriced. I have to say this place charged twice the amount for the same portion I have had at any other place. The sushi lacked creativity. I got the spicy tuna and tuna and scallions maki rolls. They were the same exact roll but one was sprinkled with diced scallions and the other had spicy sauce drizzles over it. The roll themselves didn't even taste that great. I find that hard to say considering I must have lucked out my entire life because I have really never taste bad sushi until now. The roll diameter was lacking as well. Completely not worth the $17 I was charged for 12 tiny bites and small palm size portion of salad. Oh well you live and learn.
(1)Andrea B.
Yummy yummy yummy Ive got sushi in my tummy!!
(5)Jillian W.
I recently moved to Evansville from Indianapolis, and have been in search of a great sushi place. Since I work very close to Kanpai, I eat here close to once a week, mostly for sushi. The sushi is fresh, and tastes pretty good. It's kind of overpriced, though, and one of the lunchtime sushi chefs makes the rolls much too small. At dinner time, the rolls are much more generous. I would like to see a greater variety of components to the sushi--cream cheese is overused, avocado and asparagus are underused, and I don't think I've ever had a roll here that includes masago. The servers are very friendly, and will recognize me when I come in. Service is prompt, but you have to wait a while for your food. When I come with my husband and we order different things, they don't bring our food out at the same time, which I don't like. The only other food I've tried at Kanpai is the crab rangoon, which was great, and the pho, which was not so great. I LOVE pho, and am looking for a great bowl of that here too! The broth was much too thick, and way too salty. And incredibly overpriced. I paid $10.75 for my lunchtime bowl, while at my favorite pho restaurant in Indianapolis, a bowl of beef pho goes for $5.75 at dinner time. I won't be ordering that again. All in all, though, so far Kanpai is the best sushi I've had in Evansville, and I will keep going back.
(3)Sheena D.
I was glad to see a new sushi place in Evansville, but this place needs a little bit of work. Food was good and fish above average, however not the freshest cut. When I arrived, it was packed....no one open seat, which tells me this is a frequented sushi place. The wait wasn't that long, but there was no real waiting area. It was hot! ... not sure if the AC was out or it was just crowded, but it was hot and the fans just were not cutting. Prices are decent and hot sake was hot. All that being said, I would return.
(4)Zach E.
Having just moved here from SF there really isn't any comparison to the seafood on the west coast. The food is just fine. We started out with the Kanpai shrimp and it was tasty but it really needed some heat. I recommend sweet Thai chili or straight up red chili sauce. The California role was kind of bland and flavorless and did not have nearly enough sesame on it. The Godzilla roll was tasty. I think the majority of the flavor came out of the sauces squirted on the roles; perfectly crisped up roll. Delicious -- a little heavy on the sauce though. I'd do it again.
(3)Caleb R.
Love Kanpai, also it is great for takeout!!!!
(5)Nicci S.
Okay, this is the second time I've been here and as bad as it was the first time, the second was even worse. The good service is its only saving grace because the food is just terrible! The nigiri and the rolls are flavorless; the rolls are not evenly cut so you get some random huge pieces that are all-but-impossible to eat. I guess if I were a beer drinker I might have cause to add another star. They really should just focus on on the bar since that's what they seem to do best.
(1)Sam W.
I have been back a few times. Their sushi is good and so is the miso soup.
(3)Whitney P.
My wife constantly asks for sushi. It's like she dreams about it. Me? Not so much. When I get sushi, I usually get something very Southern Indiana Caucasian, like something with cream cheese, crab and cucumber. At Kanpai, I get the Philadelphia roll, adding spicy mayo. Best things ever? Their crab rangoon. Flippin fantastic. Best I've EVER had. And for dessert, the raspberry wontons. If I wasn't planning on eating there tonight already (my wife plays music there), I would be now. Some tips- they have live music on Wednesdays. The seating is limited, but they take reservations. Mwuah!
(4)Meg B.
The Bad I was so excited to finally eat here and was really let down by my lunch. I went for the bento box lunch special, soon to realize that a box wouldn't even be present at my meal. I got a side salad drenched in an insane amount of dressing. The beef and vegetables tasted like leftovers that weren't microwaved long enough. The vegetables managed to be soggy, while the overall dish was kind of lukewarm. The Good Crispy wontons on the salad-- good life preserver for the pool of dressing. California roll-- YES. Even though my lunch was ehhh, I'll probably come back for sushi. Step up your game, Kan Pai! You could've been great!
(2)