It's not the best sushi in Baltimore, but it may be the best for the price and sheer quantity of food you get. The sushi is fresh and very tasty but the menu is minimalist when in comparison to some of the other neighborhood sushi places. Very reasonably priced, Kiku gives you literally a boat load of sushi. BYOB, the place would benefit a little more from a menu expansion but I guess it's good to stick with what you know.
(4)
Emma W.
No, it's not the best sushi I've had. But it's better than the few places I've tried in Fed and my boyfriend and I left full and happy. We were able to get a ton of food (two appetizers, three rolls), and two very large sapparo beers, for under $50. My recommendation? The spicy scallop roll. Not too many places offer this and it was very unique and delicious!
(4)
Vicky D.
I LOVE this place for many reasons. First of all, the sushi is fresh, cheap, and delicious. Sure I saw them microwave the soft shell crab once, but it was still good. If you like spicy, get the XTRA hot salmon or tuna roll and they will add red chili flakes, which I think is genius. One of the other reasons I love Kiku is the old couple that owns the place is so damn cute. The husband is always smiles and sometimes gives me an extra little treat, like nigiri or edamame. The wife is HILARIOUS and makes fun of my bf almost every time he sets foot in there, which automatically makes her awesome in my book. I would give 4 1/2 stars if I could, knocking off half for the microwave incident. Also, I would call before you go because they have some funky hours sometimes.
(4)
Bill L.
Hands down the best spicy tuna roll I have ever eaten. Not to mention, all other sushi rolls I have had from Kiku have been amazing. The couple who runs Kiku is unbelievably nice and always doing what they can to make a customer happy. I have ordered takeout from Kiku over a dozen times and I have never had a bad experience. The ingredients they use are always fresh and have a taste that is unmatched with other sushi restaurants in the Baltimore/Federal Hill area.
(5)
Emily D.
I'm in town for the day and wasn't feeling great so I just wanted some simple sushi ( I know not what most people want when sick). Anyway the place was cozy and they had a very large selection of sushi. My roll I can't remember what exactly I got.. but it was really good. My only gripe is as others have said.. this place was crazy slow. I knew this going in and thought I'd be ok since I had no place to go, but it was slow even with those expectations. It got to the point where I actually just got up and walked over to the table where my waitress was watching TV and asked for the check. I was 100% sure she wasn't coming over to ask any time soon.
(3)
Laith L.
This is by far the best sushi place in Baltimore. I highly recommend the house salad, spicy philly, Kiku special, hamachi special, and dynamite rolls. They are all absolutely spectacular. Every time I'm in Baltimore I stop by and I am never disappointed. If I lived in the area, I would live on light street just so I could go eat here every day. The owner is the nicest guy, with such a knack for his craft. If you don't try this place, you're seriously missing out. It is unparalleled in quality, taste, and creativity.
(5)
Christy F.
I was really looking forward to this place because it came highly recommended. But I was completely disappointed. I ordered edamame -- they came out nearly 15 minutes later completely soggy, like old beans had been re-boiled. I ordered the daily sushi special, which came with salad and soup. The soup and salad were nice -- the soup even had bits of tofu in it and some seaweed. The waitress completely forgot my friend's soda, even though we were only one of 3 tables in the place. The sodas weren't fountain drinks, but instead were plastic Coca-cola bottles. Let's just say I rarely never finish off a plate of sushi. I love sushi so much I will find room for it in my stomach if and when possible. But of the 3 rolls I ordered, I left 2 on the plate. The California roll was okay, but the spicy tuna and the spicy salmon were not. First, I didn't order those rolls -- I ordered a rainbow roll special -- which I'm sure I said fairly clearly to the waitress. But when it comes to sushi, I don't mind that much, and I didn't complain when she brought the wrong dinner. But the spicy rolls were just disgusting. It had a horribly fishy taste -- it definitely tasted off -- and the "spice" was just sort of dabbed on to the end of the rolls, not actually mixed into the fish. I really hope that this isn't typical for this place, and I'd try it again based on others' reviews, but this one visit was pretty horrible.
(1)
Menghe Q.
Best sushi place I've been to. Sushi is always fresh and delicious! If you like spicy, I highly recommend their spicy salmon, hamachi special, and philly rolls- amazing!
(5)
Mike M.
This was the 6th stop on my Baltimore Sushi Tour, but also the very first sushi bar that I patronized in Baltimore. It has a special place in my heart. :) Kiku is a tiny mom & pop place. Limited seating with only one chef (pop?) and one waitress (mom?). When crowded, expect to wait a bit. Kiku's menu covers your standard a la carte items, but also a variety of dinner combos and appetizers. There are a number of chef special items, that I've always found to be awesome. Also, non-sushi meals are available. Since this was restaurant #6, we just ordered and shared the 12 piece nigiri sushi combo - a variety of nigiri including tuna, salmon, red snapper and surf clam in this particular case. All were super fresh and delicious. Miso soup and salad were included. Overall, this also a favorite of mine (personally) in a much different way than joss. While Joss is much more experimental, offering much more rarely found items (which I love), Kiku is the perfect basic sushi bar that offers incredibly fresh, carefully prepared, and well-presented food. Being so small, the personal attention is quite evident.
(5)
Lynne M.
Small restaurant inside, but awesome takeout! We really liked the MD crab roll with asparagus, salmon avocado, dynamite special maki
(4)
Tara S.
Great sushi, very personalized service. Will definitely return on a regular basis.
(5)
Emily C.
A really cute (I think family-owned?) place in Fed Hill. The walls are covered with napkins decorated by I think this one patron. Every time he dines at Kiku, he decorates a napkin--there's a lot of napkins lining those walls. It wasn't all that busy, even though we were there on a Friday night. The sushi was pretty good. We just ordered a bunch of rolls a la carte. The gyoza were well done too. And it wasn't that expensive (for sushi). The total came out to around $20/person with tip. I was happy with my experience.
(3)
Meredith M.
Kiku Sushi definitely seems like a family run joint. We wandered in on a Sunday for an early dinner when the place was empty and we were immediately doted on. The sushi was made fresh and was STACKED with goodies. I don't actually remember what rolls we got but this place hooked us up so well we felt like VIP. We also had the Yaki udong which was pretty much the best yaki I've ever had in the States. The noodles were so gooey and fresh! Also, the price was pretty reasonable for sushi. For 2 people we paid about $40(including tip) and came out feeling full.
(5)
Schoene M.
fantastic sushi and the quiet sushi chef is always so kind and pleasant. this is our go-to place for sushi in baltimore. i love the atmosphere and how that artist / patron draws on the napkins each week he visits. never had a complaint. (i only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because the presentation isn't the finest -- but i do love the place.)
(4)
H C.
This place surprised me - the food is excellent. It's a pretty small place, which is fitting with the decor. The owner is super nice and runs everything himself. Rolls are very fresh, and very flavorful especially if you like spicy food. This dude's home-made spicy sauce is awesome, and the portions are generous too. Spicy salmon and Hamachi Special rolls were my favorite
(5)
Thomas B.
The Good: Kiku sushi has become our go to sushi spot since moving to Baltimore. There were a lot of misses at other places before finding Kiku. The napkin art work on the walls are a cool decorative touch that took a couple visits to actually notice. Tori, owner/chef, reminds me of Hattori Hanzo from Kill Bill, and he is a skilled chef. I have only ordered the nigiri and sashimi. The ratio of rice to fish is perfect; he does not put any wasabi on the nigiri and with the quality and freshness of the fish you don't need it. The Bad: It is a one man operation and if you happen to go when it is busy you are going to have to wait. Let's say you show up starving and there are two tables ahead of you, grab a 22 oz Sapporo beer out of the fridge and check out the napkin art work on the walls. The Ugly: Parking can be a pain in the ass depending on how busy it is on Light.
(5)
Kate L.
I am shocked at all the positive reviews. Went here twice - both experiences were PAINFULLY slow... because the owner is also the sushi chef. Both times he was the only employee present making dinners for those in the restaurant and those calling in takeout. I understand there was nothing he could have done in that moment, so we patiently waited, however, as a business owner you should see that as a weakness and hire a staff! Due to him being tied up, service was terribly slow and tables were not cleaned off after people left. In addition, there is no ambience. You could hear a pin drop in there. As for the sushi, I thought it was very good.
(2)
Jordan R.
This man is a sushi wizard. Best sushi in Baltimore and possibly the world (I've been to japan) this guy kills it. Never go anywhere else in Baltimore you will regret it. 10 stars!
(5)
Sara R.
UGH. In my quest to find the best sushi in Baltimore and after a very disappointing experience at Shoyou the previous night we decided to give Kiku a try. AGAIN with the "crab stick". When did Baltimore sushi places stop serving real crab? The crab stick was nasty and again, covered in mayonnaise. Maybe its me but this was not what I expected. Narrowing down my Baltimore sushi go-tos to only the Cross Street Market or Sticky Rice in fells point. At least they know what a difference real crab meat makes.
(1)
Renee T.
I have had better sushi. They are very nice and seem to try hard. It is just not very finely tuned sushi place.
(3)
Samantha G.
It's not like Kiku is bad. I've never had a horrible experience there. It's just always kinda 'meh." I guess my point is this: I've never been to Kiku Sushi because I'm all like, "Man I am craving some Kiku right about now!" The five times I've been are for the following reasons: -Wait at Thai Arroy was too long -Wait at Abbey Burger was too long -Home Slyce was not as nearby as we thought -Federal Hill Festival food was too overpriced -Saw someone we knew in the window who offered to buy us saki That alone should give you a clue that there are much better places to grab food in Federal Hill. Personally, I think Matsuri is a lot better. I end up at Kiku because there is never a wait and they have some good specials. The other day I got soup, salad, and four rolls for $12.95. Not too shabby. The sushi is OK. Not too flavorful. Fresh enough. Nothing special. No frills. Just one waitress and its always the same lady. I think her husband must be the sushi chef. If you need a quick meal and are craving sushi, Kiku will do the trick. I just don't think its a destination with the abundance of great sushi not too far away (I'm lookin' at you Sticky Rice!)
(3)
Supriya M.
Sunday night and no one was there - literally - one person who was cooking/serving and no patrons. It was good for us to have the whole place to ourselves but then more than 1/2 their menu was unavailable or it would take too long to cook. The one person was very nice and accomadating. The sushi was ok.
(3)
Maximillian S.
I came here with my boss and his boss after a conference at the convention center in downtown Baltimore. It was a not bad walk, so it seems the location is quite nice. The neighborhood that this restaurant is situated in is truly cute as hell and I hope I can get back to Baltimore at one time or another to explore more of that part of town. Walking it, the seating area is on the smaller side, but it still offers a fair amount of seats. There is wine and beer in a fridge near the front of the restaurant, so it's not quite BYOB. The man who waited on our table was the same man who made our sushi. It came out very quickly, the miso soup was absolutely killer and the salads were very VERY fresh. The sushi and sashimi came out in a wonderful display with the sashimi coming out on what appeared to be a large sea vessel. Absolutely adorable and set a good mood for the meal. The sushi and the sashimi were killer top to bottom. All fresh, all very delicately placed on the plates for us and all neatly put together and in HUGE quantities. Couldn't ask for a better place tucked away near the harbor.
(5)
Roger M.
As a former sushi chef, I give this place my full seal of approval. The quality of the fish is excellent and the technique of the rolls shows the chef/owner is a real pro. Not too much rice and and the proportion of ingredients inside is perfect. One example of how Kiku stands out is the spicy tuna roll. Rather than a mashed up mix of minced toro and hot sauce, they use whole slices of lovely tuna and a really yummy Sriracha aioli! that's the way I used to make it back in the day and it is superior to any other version. It's not a huge place, but it's cozy and the atmosphere is homey and welcoming and the owner is VERY friendly! And to round it all out, the prices are really, really good. We got four rolls and it was only around $25. GO ASAP!
(5)
Alisa L.
Quality? Good (check). Prices? Very reasonable (check). Service? Just the owner that night, who is very sweet (check). So the New Yorker in me was completely baffled as to why is this place almost empty when everywhere around is has a 1-2 hour wait? Take this restaurant, transplant it to New York, and it would likely command a 30 minute wait time on Saturday evenings. Regardless, this place is GOOD. The chef's homemade spicy sauce used on the spicy rolls were excellent (actually hot too!) and the fish was very fresh. Portions were more than generous. There was a little more than necessary rice, but the rice itself was very good too so I didn't mind that much. If I lived in Baltimore, this may help feed my once a week sushi habit. But alas, I do not, so Baltimoreans, take advantage of this place!
(5)
Diana A.
This place is so cute and not to mention yummy. You get to watch them make the sushi right in front of you. Definitely love!! Hit the spot for my sushi craving!
(4)
Marci Y.
The thirst is real. If you want great sushi in a relaxing unpretentious atmosphere please come here. Torrey(sp?) is amazing. It is like you are sitting in his home and he is cooking for you. This is not a fast in fast out place. If you are looking for that kind of atmosphere don't come here. If you want to relax your mind, enjoy your company, enjoy spirits and partake of lovingly made sushi then please......meet me here ;) but for reals this place is a must.
(5)
Grace D.
I go to Kiku Sushi about once a week. Tori is the sweetest man, who seems to run the entire place on his own. The sushi is absolutely amazing, the restaurant is in a fantastic location, and the prices are reasonable. It's small, and usually empty (at least when I go there)-- which I don't understand. This is my favorite sushi place, and Tori always gives a warm greeting as soon as you walk through the door.
(5)
Michelle B.
I was so ready to fall in love with this place. Good Yelp reviews? Check. Super friendly staff? Check. In and out the door with my carryout within 7 minutes? Definitely check. What could possibly go wrong?! In short, the food. I am really easygoing when it comes to sushi because while I recognize that some is better than others, in general so long as it's not from the supermarket I'll still enjoy it. I got the lunch special with a salmon and spicy tuna roll which also came with 2 side salads. I don't know what exactly was going on with the spicy tuna sauce but it tasted almost fruity and it was grosssss. The salmon would've been fine except that the tuna sauce had gotten all over it so everything was kinda ruined. If I were the kind of person who was capable of throwing away food I would have but instead I just ate half of it and threw the other half in the fridge, pretending I'll eat it later. And as for the salads, well I'm not even sure what I just ate. One was your standard iceberg salad with sesame/soy dressing. No complaints there. But the other was some weird pile of glass noodles and random slices of root vegetables. It was bizarre to say the least and thinking about it makes me gag a little bit. I'm sorry Kiku, I really wanted things to work out between us but we're just not meant to be.
(2)
T L.
Kiku is the best Sushi place in the Baltimore/DC area. I keep trying to find a better place and can't. The rolls are always fresh and tasty, and the owner/chef is a truly nice guy. The place and the food are not fancy, but if you are more interested in quality and consistency, this is the place to go. I've been eating here since 2005 and it really is that good.
(5)
Bryan J.
I try to stop by this place once every few years, since the owner is so, so friendly, and the sushi is done really well. He made this wasabi tuna salad thing that is THE SH*T. Seriously, make sure you order it. Most of the tuna was delicious, and without all the fatty American garbage that more fusion-y sushi places slam into their rolls.
(4)
J C.
It's hard to find good sushi in Baltimore, and I found myself coming back to Kiku Sushi to fulfill my sushi craving. There a few rolls here that I really enjoy: Butterfly, Hamachi Special and Dynamite ($7-10 per roll). Avocado and asparagus seem to be the vegetable ingredients of choice in the various rolls, which definitely compliment the fish! The spicy sauce here is particularly good. If you're looking for spectacular style of sushi presentation, don't come here. Also, it is a small place, so service can be slow on busy nights, but if you had a big group, call ahead and they'll reserve a table for you. The points for Kiku Sushi are for good rolls and friendly service.
(5)
Steve K.
Hmm. I wasn't very impressed with the quality of the sushi here. I would never call myself an expert, but compared with a good place like Sushi Sono in Columbia, the fish here tasted near-flavorless. To me that's a hallmark of a bad sushi place. Why is that? Too much freezing I suspect, maybe lower quality fish. While I'm not knowledgable enough to know the reason, I've definitely eaten at enough sushi places to know the difference.
(2)
Angela Z.
From the outside, this small Japanese restaurant doesn't look like much, but what it lacks in appearance it makes up for in taste. Located on Light St. in Federal Hill, it is within walking distance of the Harbor and downtown Baltimore. The inside of the restaurant is cozy - with seating for only about 20-25 people at a time. The decor is modest, but the atmosphere is still very comfortable. The sushi chef (who I think is also the owner) works behind the bar in the center of the restaurant. Though this was my first time there, the friend that I went with was a regular and quickly struck up a conversation with the staff. The sushi was amazing and the selection was fantastic. The miso soup is delicious (and priced well at $1.75 for a good sized portion). They also make a great Sashimi salad that has fresh raw salmon, tuna, and yellow tail in a soy-based sauce with noodles, avocado, and wasabi. From the sushi menu, my friend told me that everything is good and recommended the spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls. Being afraid of the spicy recommendations, I had the shrimp tempura roll with avocado, the Philly roll, and the Horizon Roll (which had tuna, salmon, red snapper on the outside & masago, avocado, and asparagus inside). Everything was delicious and the presentation, while modest, was very nice. Even though we went at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, we were seated right away (though I was told that the later in the night it gets the more chance you have of encountering a wait). The service was excellent and within 5 minutes of getting seated we had already put in our drink orders. The prices were reasonable and dinner for two ran about $40 with tip. I highly recommend this place and cannot wait to go back and bring some other friends along!
(5)
S H.
I got to say this place is too slow. The people who run the place are friendly and their sushi is ok but dude it's way too slow. Not an option again for the busy Thai arroy.
(2)
Catie F.
Every time I have sushi from Kiku (which is at LEAST once a week), I can't help thinking "How do they make it so good??" Though simple, it's really delicious, and at such a good price. I get take out often and the people there are so friendly, and they are very quick! Highly recommended for Thursday night takeout... or any night.
(5)
Lori H.
Wow, not sure what everyone sees in this place. Sushi was ok but several pieces not rolled well on the order of spicy tuna we had. Had the chicken teriyaki box and the only thing I could eat was the rice. Chicken was tough and looked funny. The tempura shrimp and veggies maybe should have been cooked more as they were very doughy and soft, tasted like oil as did the potsticker. Of course, the black hair stuck in my shrimp batter did not help. We left most of our meal, went back to our hotel and had ice cream for dinner. We will stick with west coast sushi from now on if this is as good as it gets! The staff seemed nice... That's about all I can say that is positive.
(1)
Ross C.
Literally (and yes I know the meaning) mom and pop. Food does take a while, so go in, order a beer, and relax. We've always been happy here and is a nice change of pace from other, sometimes more busy establishments.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Jennifer E.
It's not the best sushi in Baltimore, but it may be the best for the price and sheer quantity of food you get. The sushi is fresh and very tasty but the menu is minimalist when in comparison to some of the other neighborhood sushi places. Very reasonably priced, Kiku gives you literally a boat load of sushi. BYOB, the place would benefit a little more from a menu expansion but I guess it's good to stick with what you know.
(4)Emma W.
No, it's not the best sushi I've had. But it's better than the few places I've tried in Fed and my boyfriend and I left full and happy. We were able to get a ton of food (two appetizers, three rolls), and two very large sapparo beers, for under $50. My recommendation? The spicy scallop roll. Not too many places offer this and it was very unique and delicious!
(4)Vicky D.
I LOVE this place for many reasons. First of all, the sushi is fresh, cheap, and delicious. Sure I saw them microwave the soft shell crab once, but it was still good. If you like spicy, get the XTRA hot salmon or tuna roll and they will add red chili flakes, which I think is genius. One of the other reasons I love Kiku is the old couple that owns the place is so damn cute. The husband is always smiles and sometimes gives me an extra little treat, like nigiri or edamame. The wife is HILARIOUS and makes fun of my bf almost every time he sets foot in there, which automatically makes her awesome in my book. I would give 4 1/2 stars if I could, knocking off half for the microwave incident. Also, I would call before you go because they have some funky hours sometimes.
(4)Bill L.
Hands down the best spicy tuna roll I have ever eaten. Not to mention, all other sushi rolls I have had from Kiku have been amazing. The couple who runs Kiku is unbelievably nice and always doing what they can to make a customer happy. I have ordered takeout from Kiku over a dozen times and I have never had a bad experience. The ingredients they use are always fresh and have a taste that is unmatched with other sushi restaurants in the Baltimore/Federal Hill area.
(5)Emily D.
I'm in town for the day and wasn't feeling great so I just wanted some simple sushi ( I know not what most people want when sick). Anyway the place was cozy and they had a very large selection of sushi. My roll I can't remember what exactly I got.. but it was really good. My only gripe is as others have said.. this place was crazy slow. I knew this going in and thought I'd be ok since I had no place to go, but it was slow even with those expectations. It got to the point where I actually just got up and walked over to the table where my waitress was watching TV and asked for the check. I was 100% sure she wasn't coming over to ask any time soon.
(3)Laith L.
This is by far the best sushi place in Baltimore. I highly recommend the house salad, spicy philly, Kiku special, hamachi special, and dynamite rolls. They are all absolutely spectacular. Every time I'm in Baltimore I stop by and I am never disappointed. If I lived in the area, I would live on light street just so I could go eat here every day. The owner is the nicest guy, with such a knack for his craft. If you don't try this place, you're seriously missing out. It is unparalleled in quality, taste, and creativity.
(5)Christy F.
I was really looking forward to this place because it came highly recommended. But I was completely disappointed. I ordered edamame -- they came out nearly 15 minutes later completely soggy, like old beans had been re-boiled. I ordered the daily sushi special, which came with salad and soup. The soup and salad were nice -- the soup even had bits of tofu in it and some seaweed. The waitress completely forgot my friend's soda, even though we were only one of 3 tables in the place. The sodas weren't fountain drinks, but instead were plastic Coca-cola bottles. Let's just say I rarely never finish off a plate of sushi. I love sushi so much I will find room for it in my stomach if and when possible. But of the 3 rolls I ordered, I left 2 on the plate. The California roll was okay, but the spicy tuna and the spicy salmon were not. First, I didn't order those rolls -- I ordered a rainbow roll special -- which I'm sure I said fairly clearly to the waitress. But when it comes to sushi, I don't mind that much, and I didn't complain when she brought the wrong dinner. But the spicy rolls were just disgusting. It had a horribly fishy taste -- it definitely tasted off -- and the "spice" was just sort of dabbed on to the end of the rolls, not actually mixed into the fish. I really hope that this isn't typical for this place, and I'd try it again based on others' reviews, but this one visit was pretty horrible.
(1)Menghe Q.
Best sushi place I've been to. Sushi is always fresh and delicious! If you like spicy, I highly recommend their spicy salmon, hamachi special, and philly rolls- amazing!
(5)Mike M.
This was the 6th stop on my Baltimore Sushi Tour, but also the very first sushi bar that I patronized in Baltimore. It has a special place in my heart. :) Kiku is a tiny mom & pop place. Limited seating with only one chef (pop?) and one waitress (mom?). When crowded, expect to wait a bit. Kiku's menu covers your standard a la carte items, but also a variety of dinner combos and appetizers. There are a number of chef special items, that I've always found to be awesome. Also, non-sushi meals are available. Since this was restaurant #6, we just ordered and shared the 12 piece nigiri sushi combo - a variety of nigiri including tuna, salmon, red snapper and surf clam in this particular case. All were super fresh and delicious. Miso soup and salad were included. Overall, this also a favorite of mine (personally) in a much different way than joss. While Joss is much more experimental, offering much more rarely found items (which I love), Kiku is the perfect basic sushi bar that offers incredibly fresh, carefully prepared, and well-presented food. Being so small, the personal attention is quite evident.
(5)Lynne M.
Small restaurant inside, but awesome takeout! We really liked the MD crab roll with asparagus, salmon avocado, dynamite special maki
(4)Tara S.
Great sushi, very personalized service. Will definitely return on a regular basis.
(5)Emily C.
A really cute (I think family-owned?) place in Fed Hill. The walls are covered with napkins decorated by I think this one patron. Every time he dines at Kiku, he decorates a napkin--there's a lot of napkins lining those walls. It wasn't all that busy, even though we were there on a Friday night. The sushi was pretty good. We just ordered a bunch of rolls a la carte. The gyoza were well done too. And it wasn't that expensive (for sushi). The total came out to around $20/person with tip. I was happy with my experience.
(3)Meredith M.
Kiku Sushi definitely seems like a family run joint. We wandered in on a Sunday for an early dinner when the place was empty and we were immediately doted on. The sushi was made fresh and was STACKED with goodies. I don't actually remember what rolls we got but this place hooked us up so well we felt like VIP. We also had the Yaki udong which was pretty much the best yaki I've ever had in the States. The noodles were so gooey and fresh! Also, the price was pretty reasonable for sushi. For 2 people we paid about $40(including tip) and came out feeling full.
(5)Schoene M.
fantastic sushi and the quiet sushi chef is always so kind and pleasant. this is our go-to place for sushi in baltimore. i love the atmosphere and how that artist / patron draws on the napkins each week he visits. never had a complaint. (i only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because the presentation isn't the finest -- but i do love the place.)
(4)H C.
This place surprised me - the food is excellent. It's a pretty small place, which is fitting with the decor. The owner is super nice and runs everything himself. Rolls are very fresh, and very flavorful especially if you like spicy food. This dude's home-made spicy sauce is awesome, and the portions are generous too. Spicy salmon and Hamachi Special rolls were my favorite
(5)Thomas B.
The Good: Kiku sushi has become our go to sushi spot since moving to Baltimore. There were a lot of misses at other places before finding Kiku. The napkin art work on the walls are a cool decorative touch that took a couple visits to actually notice. Tori, owner/chef, reminds me of Hattori Hanzo from Kill Bill, and he is a skilled chef. I have only ordered the nigiri and sashimi. The ratio of rice to fish is perfect; he does not put any wasabi on the nigiri and with the quality and freshness of the fish you don't need it. The Bad: It is a one man operation and if you happen to go when it is busy you are going to have to wait. Let's say you show up starving and there are two tables ahead of you, grab a 22 oz Sapporo beer out of the fridge and check out the napkin art work on the walls. The Ugly: Parking can be a pain in the ass depending on how busy it is on Light.
(5)Kate L.
I am shocked at all the positive reviews. Went here twice - both experiences were PAINFULLY slow... because the owner is also the sushi chef. Both times he was the only employee present making dinners for those in the restaurant and those calling in takeout. I understand there was nothing he could have done in that moment, so we patiently waited, however, as a business owner you should see that as a weakness and hire a staff! Due to him being tied up, service was terribly slow and tables were not cleaned off after people left. In addition, there is no ambience. You could hear a pin drop in there. As for the sushi, I thought it was very good.
(2)Jordan R.
This man is a sushi wizard. Best sushi in Baltimore and possibly the world (I've been to japan) this guy kills it. Never go anywhere else in Baltimore you will regret it. 10 stars!
(5)Sara R.
UGH. In my quest to find the best sushi in Baltimore and after a very disappointing experience at Shoyou the previous night we decided to give Kiku a try. AGAIN with the "crab stick". When did Baltimore sushi places stop serving real crab? The crab stick was nasty and again, covered in mayonnaise. Maybe its me but this was not what I expected. Narrowing down my Baltimore sushi go-tos to only the Cross Street Market or Sticky Rice in fells point. At least they know what a difference real crab meat makes.
(1)Renee T.
I have had better sushi. They are very nice and seem to try hard. It is just not very finely tuned sushi place.
(3)Samantha G.
It's not like Kiku is bad. I've never had a horrible experience there. It's just always kinda 'meh." I guess my point is this: I've never been to Kiku Sushi because I'm all like, "Man I am craving some Kiku right about now!" The five times I've been are for the following reasons: -Wait at Thai Arroy was too long -Wait at Abbey Burger was too long -Home Slyce was not as nearby as we thought -Federal Hill Festival food was too overpriced -Saw someone we knew in the window who offered to buy us saki That alone should give you a clue that there are much better places to grab food in Federal Hill. Personally, I think Matsuri is a lot better. I end up at Kiku because there is never a wait and they have some good specials. The other day I got soup, salad, and four rolls for $12.95. Not too shabby. The sushi is OK. Not too flavorful. Fresh enough. Nothing special. No frills. Just one waitress and its always the same lady. I think her husband must be the sushi chef. If you need a quick meal and are craving sushi, Kiku will do the trick. I just don't think its a destination with the abundance of great sushi not too far away (I'm lookin' at you Sticky Rice!)
(3)Supriya M.
Sunday night and no one was there - literally - one person who was cooking/serving and no patrons. It was good for us to have the whole place to ourselves but then more than 1/2 their menu was unavailable or it would take too long to cook. The one person was very nice and accomadating. The sushi was ok.
(3)Maximillian S.
I came here with my boss and his boss after a conference at the convention center in downtown Baltimore. It was a not bad walk, so it seems the location is quite nice. The neighborhood that this restaurant is situated in is truly cute as hell and I hope I can get back to Baltimore at one time or another to explore more of that part of town. Walking it, the seating area is on the smaller side, but it still offers a fair amount of seats. There is wine and beer in a fridge near the front of the restaurant, so it's not quite BYOB. The man who waited on our table was the same man who made our sushi. It came out very quickly, the miso soup was absolutely killer and the salads were very VERY fresh. The sushi and sashimi came out in a wonderful display with the sashimi coming out on what appeared to be a large sea vessel. Absolutely adorable and set a good mood for the meal. The sushi and the sashimi were killer top to bottom. All fresh, all very delicately placed on the plates for us and all neatly put together and in HUGE quantities. Couldn't ask for a better place tucked away near the harbor.
(5)Roger M.
As a former sushi chef, I give this place my full seal of approval. The quality of the fish is excellent and the technique of the rolls shows the chef/owner is a real pro. Not too much rice and and the proportion of ingredients inside is perfect. One example of how Kiku stands out is the spicy tuna roll. Rather than a mashed up mix of minced toro and hot sauce, they use whole slices of lovely tuna and a really yummy Sriracha aioli! that's the way I used to make it back in the day and it is superior to any other version. It's not a huge place, but it's cozy and the atmosphere is homey and welcoming and the owner is VERY friendly! And to round it all out, the prices are really, really good. We got four rolls and it was only around $25. GO ASAP!
(5)Alisa L.
Quality? Good (check). Prices? Very reasonable (check). Service? Just the owner that night, who is very sweet (check). So the New Yorker in me was completely baffled as to why is this place almost empty when everywhere around is has a 1-2 hour wait? Take this restaurant, transplant it to New York, and it would likely command a 30 minute wait time on Saturday evenings. Regardless, this place is GOOD. The chef's homemade spicy sauce used on the spicy rolls were excellent (actually hot too!) and the fish was very fresh. Portions were more than generous. There was a little more than necessary rice, but the rice itself was very good too so I didn't mind that much. If I lived in Baltimore, this may help feed my once a week sushi habit. But alas, I do not, so Baltimoreans, take advantage of this place!
(5)Diana A.
This place is so cute and not to mention yummy. You get to watch them make the sushi right in front of you. Definitely love!! Hit the spot for my sushi craving!
(4)Marci Y.
The thirst is real. If you want great sushi in a relaxing unpretentious atmosphere please come here. Torrey(sp?) is amazing. It is like you are sitting in his home and he is cooking for you. This is not a fast in fast out place. If you are looking for that kind of atmosphere don't come here. If you want to relax your mind, enjoy your company, enjoy spirits and partake of lovingly made sushi then please......meet me here ;) but for reals this place is a must.
(5)Grace D.
I go to Kiku Sushi about once a week. Tori is the sweetest man, who seems to run the entire place on his own. The sushi is absolutely amazing, the restaurant is in a fantastic location, and the prices are reasonable. It's small, and usually empty (at least when I go there)-- which I don't understand. This is my favorite sushi place, and Tori always gives a warm greeting as soon as you walk through the door.
(5)Michelle B.
I was so ready to fall in love with this place. Good Yelp reviews? Check. Super friendly staff? Check. In and out the door with my carryout within 7 minutes? Definitely check. What could possibly go wrong?! In short, the food. I am really easygoing when it comes to sushi because while I recognize that some is better than others, in general so long as it's not from the supermarket I'll still enjoy it. I got the lunch special with a salmon and spicy tuna roll which also came with 2 side salads. I don't know what exactly was going on with the spicy tuna sauce but it tasted almost fruity and it was grosssss. The salmon would've been fine except that the tuna sauce had gotten all over it so everything was kinda ruined. If I were the kind of person who was capable of throwing away food I would have but instead I just ate half of it and threw the other half in the fridge, pretending I'll eat it later. And as for the salads, well I'm not even sure what I just ate. One was your standard iceberg salad with sesame/soy dressing. No complaints there. But the other was some weird pile of glass noodles and random slices of root vegetables. It was bizarre to say the least and thinking about it makes me gag a little bit. I'm sorry Kiku, I really wanted things to work out between us but we're just not meant to be.
(2)T L.
Kiku is the best Sushi place in the Baltimore/DC area. I keep trying to find a better place and can't. The rolls are always fresh and tasty, and the owner/chef is a truly nice guy. The place and the food are not fancy, but if you are more interested in quality and consistency, this is the place to go. I've been eating here since 2005 and it really is that good.
(5)Bryan J.
I try to stop by this place once every few years, since the owner is so, so friendly, and the sushi is done really well. He made this wasabi tuna salad thing that is THE SH*T. Seriously, make sure you order it. Most of the tuna was delicious, and without all the fatty American garbage that more fusion-y sushi places slam into their rolls.
(4)J C.
It's hard to find good sushi in Baltimore, and I found myself coming back to Kiku Sushi to fulfill my sushi craving. There a few rolls here that I really enjoy: Butterfly, Hamachi Special and Dynamite ($7-10 per roll). Avocado and asparagus seem to be the vegetable ingredients of choice in the various rolls, which definitely compliment the fish! The spicy sauce here is particularly good. If you're looking for spectacular style of sushi presentation, don't come here. Also, it is a small place, so service can be slow on busy nights, but if you had a big group, call ahead and they'll reserve a table for you. The points for Kiku Sushi are for good rolls and friendly service.
(5)Steve K.
Hmm. I wasn't very impressed with the quality of the sushi here. I would never call myself an expert, but compared with a good place like Sushi Sono in Columbia, the fish here tasted near-flavorless. To me that's a hallmark of a bad sushi place. Why is that? Too much freezing I suspect, maybe lower quality fish. While I'm not knowledgable enough to know the reason, I've definitely eaten at enough sushi places to know the difference.
(2)Angela Z.
From the outside, this small Japanese restaurant doesn't look like much, but what it lacks in appearance it makes up for in taste. Located on Light St. in Federal Hill, it is within walking distance of the Harbor and downtown Baltimore. The inside of the restaurant is cozy - with seating for only about 20-25 people at a time. The decor is modest, but the atmosphere is still very comfortable. The sushi chef (who I think is also the owner) works behind the bar in the center of the restaurant. Though this was my first time there, the friend that I went with was a regular and quickly struck up a conversation with the staff. The sushi was amazing and the selection was fantastic. The miso soup is delicious (and priced well at $1.75 for a good sized portion). They also make a great Sashimi salad that has fresh raw salmon, tuna, and yellow tail in a soy-based sauce with noodles, avocado, and wasabi. From the sushi menu, my friend told me that everything is good and recommended the spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls. Being afraid of the spicy recommendations, I had the shrimp tempura roll with avocado, the Philly roll, and the Horizon Roll (which had tuna, salmon, red snapper on the outside & masago, avocado, and asparagus inside). Everything was delicious and the presentation, while modest, was very nice. Even though we went at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night, we were seated right away (though I was told that the later in the night it gets the more chance you have of encountering a wait). The service was excellent and within 5 minutes of getting seated we had already put in our drink orders. The prices were reasonable and dinner for two ran about $40 with tip. I highly recommend this place and cannot wait to go back and bring some other friends along!
(5)S H.
I got to say this place is too slow. The people who run the place are friendly and their sushi is ok but dude it's way too slow. Not an option again for the busy Thai arroy.
(2)Catie F.
Every time I have sushi from Kiku (which is at LEAST once a week), I can't help thinking "How do they make it so good??" Though simple, it's really delicious, and at such a good price. I get take out often and the people there are so friendly, and they are very quick! Highly recommended for Thursday night takeout... or any night.
(5)Lori H.
Wow, not sure what everyone sees in this place. Sushi was ok but several pieces not rolled well on the order of spicy tuna we had. Had the chicken teriyaki box and the only thing I could eat was the rice. Chicken was tough and looked funny. The tempura shrimp and veggies maybe should have been cooked more as they were very doughy and soft, tasted like oil as did the potsticker. Of course, the black hair stuck in my shrimp batter did not help. We left most of our meal, went back to our hotel and had ice cream for dinner. We will stick with west coast sushi from now on if this is as good as it gets! The staff seemed nice... That's about all I can say that is positive.
(1)Ross C.
Literally (and yes I know the meaning) mom and pop. Food does take a while, so go in, order a beer, and relax. We've always been happy here and is a nice change of pace from other, sometimes more busy establishments.
(4)