Usually the best hibachi in Greenville. Tonight however wasn't as good. The shrimp had not all been prepped properly and most still had tails. Not a big issue for adults, but for my kids it was not good. Especially since we aren't given knives to cut the tails off. Probably an isolated incident, this place is usually very good.
(3)
Byron H.
This used to be one of Greenville's best Japanese places! Not anymore, I would rather have Joy of Tokyo anyday! They have let the building decor sit unmaintained, the food quality is not very good, and the chefs seem uninspired.The salad dressing (one of my favs here) is completely different and not very good. In fact, all of their sauces seem very bland. My daughter liked the white sauce but that was it. Our chef acted like it was his first day and did not say very much or do any flashy tricks. The server was almost as timid. Then came the overpriced bill... Overall a horrid lunch and with so many better choices in town, we won't be back!
(1)
Amanda M.
I always come here for sushi and I am NEVER disappointed. As a matter of fact I can't find any other sushi restaurants in the area that even compare to kanpai. Not to mention the fact that they have happy hour lunches where some of the best rolls are only three bucks and they offer the same deals on dinner happy hours too. I'm a regular here and I love it!!
(5)
Michael S.
TWO HOURS to be seated and finish a meal with reservations. 75 minutes at table with kids before any food started.Food quality, service and equipment is ole and dated. Our grill hood for 9 people did not work and they smoked us out without offering to relo us to another table. Caucasian kid was NOT a chief PLEASE ! Was great in the past but seriously needs an upgrade. Greenville has much better - do not waste your time and money !!
(1)
Bobsled B.
Absolute best sushi for your buck. Happy hour sushi is practically free, and it's delicious. Keep on keeping on Kanpai, we love you.
(4)
Marlowe W.
Get there early for happy hour and sit in the bar section if you don't want a grill table. We love this place! I get sushi every time and it's so delish. I love happy hour because I can get a ton of sushi for half the price! The wait staff is always friendly. All around a fun, yummy place!
(4)
Tom D.
Everything about this place was almost perfect - price, cleanliness - service - menu selection and taste-worthiness - a sure "return" will be applied! The staff were very pleasant - the price was within reason and the amount of food you get will mean "doggie bags" for sure! My tip here would be NOT to leave it in your hotel fridge!
(4)
Mayi B.
When we went we sat at the grill and had the hibachi cooked right in front of us. The cook was friendly. It was a bit pricey but the food and the service was good. They cooked the steak exactly how we wanted it and we were so full we ended up taking some home.
(4)
Steve S.
We went during their happy hour and even though there were only four ready for a grill table they still gave us the same service as they would for a full table. For the price, the food was great, equal to that we've received at other grills for higher prices. They do charge extra for fried rice, but those at our table who ordered it got about twice as much rice as those who got the standard streamed rice. We also were offered fried sprouts at no extra charge, even though they weren't listed on the menu.
(5)
Cary A.
If I could just return magically, to the days when Kampai was a quintessential staple of the Greenville culinary experience, I could bask in the grandeur of a truly unique gastronomic experience. Gone are those days, never to return. Upon my most recent return to Kampai, I was greatly saddened to see that such a Titan of Greenville had become so derelict. To illustrate my point I'll refer to my most recent experience there. As i walked through the door i noticed a noisome stench, perhaps from the layers upon layers of vaporized grease that had embedded itself into the walls and carpet. Appetite gone... Conceivably during a time of higher volume, the smell is less noticeable since all the "flat-top" grills would be generating robust pleasant aromas, but I'm not too sure. I began my experience with a salad which was absolutely drowning in an ocean of "ginger" dressing, which, at best, tasted flat and lacked any character, much like a sweet mayonnaise. That was followed by a couple of their "bargain" sushi rolls. I didn't expect much here, how can you screw up a simple tuna roll?? Well, here we go...The tuna was an overly soft texture, probably indicating its age, and the entire roll was barely holding itself together, as I clumsily attempted to reach my mouth from plate. Others in our party had "Chirashi" bowls, which were nothing more than piles of rice with a light broth, and a small bit of protein layered across the top. Overall extremely lack luster in appearance and flavor. I even observed my companions sullen faces as this piteous dish was placed in front of them. My heart actually sank and grieved for them as their expectations of a "memorable lunch" faded, replaced by indifference, apathy, and finally a persistent laxity about the whole experience. As my readers know, I will give every restaurant the benefit of multiple visits, and I do regularly occasion those restaurants who have severely disappointed me in the past. I just feel like Kampai has fallen behind the curve so far that I have visited for my last time. "Farewell old friend, we had a good run didn't' we..." Cheers, Cary
(2)
Gregory P.
Service was acceptable but not extraordinary. The food was marginal, but not horrible. The chef did accidentally drop some of the filet he had prepared for someone in our party down the disposal trap and then accidentally knocked that same person's drink into his plate. I'll pass next time.
(2)
Shaun G.
Extremely slow and unresponsive staff. Disregard for customer service and drinking on the job. Further, bartender and manager both continued to do shots while we were waiting on our checks. Absolutely horrible experience. Kanpai isn't what it used to be.
(1)
Karen M.
The sushi is great, the staff was.friendly and they have great happy hr specials on rolls and drinks. Bring your reading glasses, the menu font is like 8 ) I had the Spider roll and a Rainbow roll - I have had better, but it was still quite yummy.
(4)
Katie H.
I visited this restaurant later in 2012. The restaurant is very busy and the service could have been a little faster. The lighting is very dim and the smoke from the grills seems to hang in the air. The food is served in I guess what is called a hibachi grill style where the chef cooks on a large grill in front of the guests. I think it's fun to watch and the chef was entertaining. The food was good but not outstanding. I ordered some sushi as an appetizer and was pleasantly surprised. We came during Happy Hour so the rolls were almost half the regular price and pretty tasty. I haven't been back to eat at the restaurant, but I take advantage of their carry-out service during Happy Hour all the time.
(3)
Russell D.
The wait was gonna be 1.5 hrs so we decided to eat in the bar area and also we didn't care to have the "show". We were told to seat ourselves and menus were already on the table. There appeared to be 2 people servicing this entire area of about 25 tables but they were not all full. We waited about 10 minutes to get our drink order placed so we went ahead and ordered our food as well. Ordering in this area is a la carte so I had the Ribeye steak, fried rice, and broccoli / carrots. My brother had the salmon, and fried rice. My steak was okay... a bit tough. The rice was mushy but the flavor was okay. The broccoli / carrots were steamed or boiled with absolutely no seasoning at all. I could not eat it. I expected it to be cooked in with the steak but it wasn't. My brother's salmon was fishy tasting according to him and he also commented about the rice being mushy. Bottom line is we will not be back... there are plenty of other places like this to try and I have had better food at some of the "fast food" versions around town.
(1)
Tim C.
The sushi was mediocre, but my wife and I went during happy hour, which made it worth it. Each roll was only $2.75. We ordered the Midori Roll, Nemo Roll, Salmon Avocado Roll, and Spicy Tuna Roll. My favorite was the Salmon Avocado Roll, mainly because of the spicy paste they added to the roll. The other rolls were unspectacular, but worth the $2.75 we paid for each. The service was friendly and prompt, which was a nice plus.
(3)
Barbara W.
Growing up outside of Boston, I remember when Benihana of Tokyo was the hot thing. It was always exciting, as a kid, to go there and watch them flamboyantly toss the food around. For whatever reason, after childhood I stopped being excited by the Japanese Steakhouse thing. In fact, until the other night, it's probably been 15+ years since I've been to one. We went at 6:30pm, so we got the happy hour meal prices...quite reasonable. Kanpai was not as exciting as my memories of Benihana. The chef was actually quite subdued. He tried one trick (juggling eggs), and managed to drop one on the grill. Thankfully he didn't try to flip any food from the grill straight to our plates :) The food itself was quite good, and definitely worth the Happy Hour meal prices. The folks at the table that ordered fried rice got absolutely ginormous portions of rice...way too much to eat in one sitting. Everyone left with to-go boxes.
(3)
Michael M.
What a surprise! I heard so many good things about Kanpai of Tokyo from friends. But what a disappointment. Sushi was mediocre, entrees were alright, and the servers took their sweet time. Our server was incredibly unenthusiastic. We came in when it wasn't busy btw. It all translated to a very mundane experience.
(2)
Allison F.
Uuugh. I feel sick just thinking about the massive pile of fried rice that was on my plate last night. And the SMELL. Ooh. I had to take a shower when I got home last night because I didn't want my sheets smelling like a wok. And this morning when I opened the door to the laundry room (hand over mouth)...let's just say I might have to burn my clothes. For what it is, though, Kanpai is a pretty fun place. This Americanized "Japanese Steakhouse" is ideal for large groups. Everybody gathers around a massive, screaming hot griddle (that is actually built in to the table) to watch a Hibachi chef chop, stack, and set huge onion rings on fire, among other things. Keep hands and face away, though...the guy was so fast with last night's theatrics, the licking flames nearly singed my eyebrows. I ordered steak and shrimp. I will say that the shrimp were very good, and I was happy to see that they were deveined. The steak, however, was one of the toughest I've ever had. One and only bite of the ultra gristly "meat" (scraps, anyone?) ended up in my napkin. I should have known better. Obviously the steak at a place like this isn't going to be the best quality. They pride themselves on the SHOW, not on the actual food itself. These types of restaurants really aren't for me, but if you and your friends want to be entertained and don't have anything clean to wear, Kanpai is the place.
(3)
Ruben L.
1 of the big three Japanese steak houses in the G-vegas area. This place is right across the mall, so it gets a lot of traffic to begin with. If you want to get the early bird special (before 6pm M-F and before 5:30pm weekends) make reservations, or be sure to get here at least 15 minutes before opening. This place is ALWAYS packed. The food is pretty much what you expect. They have a number of combos (chicken and steak, steak and shrimp, etc...). I don't know if it's just me, but the tables seem REALLY close together. One time we went, some crack ass lady wanted to sit her group in the middle and break up our group of 4. Fortunately her group checked her, and we sat as we should have. Bonus- take a pic. of yourself in a sumo cutout when you first walk in. You can go here, Mimi's, or Miyabi and pretty much have the same exp. Sushi here- not so great.
(3)
Christine N.
I think I'm just a fan of the sushi. The sweet and spicy shrimp roll is a must and the price makes it worth it. The half price sushi is only the basic rolls but you can't beat the price.
(4)
Bradley S.
Best Japanese steakhouse in GVille. Better flavor, and not as cookie cutter as the rest.
(5)
Christina C.
Surprisingly good Sushi. Nicely packed rolls. Interior could use a make over. Waitstaff seems overwhelmed and confused, perhaps a bad day.
(3)
Laura M.
Out of the Japanese Steakhouses in Greenville, Kanpai is my least favorite. The service is okay, and the food is nothing special. However, they have Happy Hour sushi from 4:30-6:30 (I believe those are the times). Nigiri is $1.00 and Select rolls are $2.50. Now granted you're not going to get much more than your basic shrimp tempura rolls or salmon avacado rolls, it's still a pretty good deal. I'm picky about my Nigiri, so from my experience with it there, I just don't order it. But you can't beat $2.50 per roll, so I'll keep going back.
(2)
Jennifer N.
I took my friend Lee there for his birthday and I extremely regret it. I don't remember Kanpai being this bad...but its been several years since I've been there. The chef was really boring. He barely talked and seemed to keep forgetting what he was doing. He started the shrimp throwing then just put the shrimp aside and started cooking something else. I ordered the chicken and steak and my friend ordered shrimp and steak but the chef put the shrimp on my plate. Instead of trying to fix the situation he tried to say I ordered shrimp and then made my friend pick all the shrimp off of my plate...what kind of service is that? I'm glad I don't have a shellfish allergy. Also the server was very uncaring and made me feel like we were a hassle because we needed a drink refill. He never asked us if we wanted fried rice and never mentioned that fried rice was a $2 extra charge. He just gave it to us and charged us. I've never been to a hibachi place that charged extra for fried rice...I would not recommend this place. Go to Miyabis or better yet check our Sakura. Sakura was awesome for my birthday.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kirk S.
Usually the best hibachi in Greenville. Tonight however wasn't as good. The shrimp had not all been prepped properly and most still had tails. Not a big issue for adults, but for my kids it was not good. Especially since we aren't given knives to cut the tails off. Probably an isolated incident, this place is usually very good.
(3)Byron H.
This used to be one of Greenville's best Japanese places! Not anymore, I would rather have Joy of Tokyo anyday! They have let the building decor sit unmaintained, the food quality is not very good, and the chefs seem uninspired.The salad dressing (one of my favs here) is completely different and not very good. In fact, all of their sauces seem very bland. My daughter liked the white sauce but that was it. Our chef acted like it was his first day and did not say very much or do any flashy tricks. The server was almost as timid. Then came the overpriced bill... Overall a horrid lunch and with so many better choices in town, we won't be back!
(1)Amanda M.
I always come here for sushi and I am NEVER disappointed. As a matter of fact I can't find any other sushi restaurants in the area that even compare to kanpai. Not to mention the fact that they have happy hour lunches where some of the best rolls are only three bucks and they offer the same deals on dinner happy hours too. I'm a regular here and I love it!!
(5)Michael S.
TWO HOURS to be seated and finish a meal with reservations. 75 minutes at table with kids before any food started.Food quality, service and equipment is ole and dated. Our grill hood for 9 people did not work and they smoked us out without offering to relo us to another table. Caucasian kid was NOT a chief PLEASE ! Was great in the past but seriously needs an upgrade. Greenville has much better - do not waste your time and money !!
(1)Bobsled B.
Absolute best sushi for your buck. Happy hour sushi is practically free, and it's delicious. Keep on keeping on Kanpai, we love you.
(4)Marlowe W.
Get there early for happy hour and sit in the bar section if you don't want a grill table. We love this place! I get sushi every time and it's so delish. I love happy hour because I can get a ton of sushi for half the price! The wait staff is always friendly. All around a fun, yummy place!
(4)Tom D.
Everything about this place was almost perfect - price, cleanliness - service - menu selection and taste-worthiness - a sure "return" will be applied! The staff were very pleasant - the price was within reason and the amount of food you get will mean "doggie bags" for sure! My tip here would be NOT to leave it in your hotel fridge!
(4)Mayi B.
When we went we sat at the grill and had the hibachi cooked right in front of us. The cook was friendly. It was a bit pricey but the food and the service was good. They cooked the steak exactly how we wanted it and we were so full we ended up taking some home.
(4)Steve S.
We went during their happy hour and even though there were only four ready for a grill table they still gave us the same service as they would for a full table. For the price, the food was great, equal to that we've received at other grills for higher prices. They do charge extra for fried rice, but those at our table who ordered it got about twice as much rice as those who got the standard streamed rice. We also were offered fried sprouts at no extra charge, even though they weren't listed on the menu.
(5)Cary A.
If I could just return magically, to the days when Kampai was a quintessential staple of the Greenville culinary experience, I could bask in the grandeur of a truly unique gastronomic experience. Gone are those days, never to return. Upon my most recent return to Kampai, I was greatly saddened to see that such a Titan of Greenville had become so derelict. To illustrate my point I'll refer to my most recent experience there. As i walked through the door i noticed a noisome stench, perhaps from the layers upon layers of vaporized grease that had embedded itself into the walls and carpet. Appetite gone... Conceivably during a time of higher volume, the smell is less noticeable since all the "flat-top" grills would be generating robust pleasant aromas, but I'm not too sure. I began my experience with a salad which was absolutely drowning in an ocean of "ginger" dressing, which, at best, tasted flat and lacked any character, much like a sweet mayonnaise. That was followed by a couple of their "bargain" sushi rolls. I didn't expect much here, how can you screw up a simple tuna roll?? Well, here we go...The tuna was an overly soft texture, probably indicating its age, and the entire roll was barely holding itself together, as I clumsily attempted to reach my mouth from plate. Others in our party had "Chirashi" bowls, which were nothing more than piles of rice with a light broth, and a small bit of protein layered across the top. Overall extremely lack luster in appearance and flavor. I even observed my companions sullen faces as this piteous dish was placed in front of them. My heart actually sank and grieved for them as their expectations of a "memorable lunch" faded, replaced by indifference, apathy, and finally a persistent laxity about the whole experience. As my readers know, I will give every restaurant the benefit of multiple visits, and I do regularly occasion those restaurants who have severely disappointed me in the past. I just feel like Kampai has fallen behind the curve so far that I have visited for my last time. "Farewell old friend, we had a good run didn't' we..." Cheers, Cary
(2)Gregory P.
Service was acceptable but not extraordinary. The food was marginal, but not horrible. The chef did accidentally drop some of the filet he had prepared for someone in our party down the disposal trap and then accidentally knocked that same person's drink into his plate. I'll pass next time.
(2)Shaun G.
Extremely slow and unresponsive staff. Disregard for customer service and drinking on the job. Further, bartender and manager both continued to do shots while we were waiting on our checks. Absolutely horrible experience. Kanpai isn't what it used to be.
(1)Karen M.
The sushi is great, the staff was.friendly and they have great happy hr specials on rolls and drinks. Bring your reading glasses, the menu font is like 8 ) I had the Spider roll and a Rainbow roll - I have had better, but it was still quite yummy.
(4)Katie H.
I visited this restaurant later in 2012. The restaurant is very busy and the service could have been a little faster. The lighting is very dim and the smoke from the grills seems to hang in the air. The food is served in I guess what is called a hibachi grill style where the chef cooks on a large grill in front of the guests. I think it's fun to watch and the chef was entertaining. The food was good but not outstanding. I ordered some sushi as an appetizer and was pleasantly surprised. We came during Happy Hour so the rolls were almost half the regular price and pretty tasty. I haven't been back to eat at the restaurant, but I take advantage of their carry-out service during Happy Hour all the time.
(3)Russell D.
The wait was gonna be 1.5 hrs so we decided to eat in the bar area and also we didn't care to have the "show". We were told to seat ourselves and menus were already on the table. There appeared to be 2 people servicing this entire area of about 25 tables but they were not all full. We waited about 10 minutes to get our drink order placed so we went ahead and ordered our food as well. Ordering in this area is a la carte so I had the Ribeye steak, fried rice, and broccoli / carrots. My brother had the salmon, and fried rice. My steak was okay... a bit tough. The rice was mushy but the flavor was okay. The broccoli / carrots were steamed or boiled with absolutely no seasoning at all. I could not eat it. I expected it to be cooked in with the steak but it wasn't. My brother's salmon was fishy tasting according to him and he also commented about the rice being mushy. Bottom line is we will not be back... there are plenty of other places like this to try and I have had better food at some of the "fast food" versions around town.
(1)Tim C.
The sushi was mediocre, but my wife and I went during happy hour, which made it worth it. Each roll was only $2.75. We ordered the Midori Roll, Nemo Roll, Salmon Avocado Roll, and Spicy Tuna Roll. My favorite was the Salmon Avocado Roll, mainly because of the spicy paste they added to the roll. The other rolls were unspectacular, but worth the $2.75 we paid for each. The service was friendly and prompt, which was a nice plus.
(3)Barbara W.
Growing up outside of Boston, I remember when Benihana of Tokyo was the hot thing. It was always exciting, as a kid, to go there and watch them flamboyantly toss the food around. For whatever reason, after childhood I stopped being excited by the Japanese Steakhouse thing. In fact, until the other night, it's probably been 15+ years since I've been to one. We went at 6:30pm, so we got the happy hour meal prices...quite reasonable. Kanpai was not as exciting as my memories of Benihana. The chef was actually quite subdued. He tried one trick (juggling eggs), and managed to drop one on the grill. Thankfully he didn't try to flip any food from the grill straight to our plates :) The food itself was quite good, and definitely worth the Happy Hour meal prices. The folks at the table that ordered fried rice got absolutely ginormous portions of rice...way too much to eat in one sitting. Everyone left with to-go boxes.
(3)Michael M.
What a surprise! I heard so many good things about Kanpai of Tokyo from friends. But what a disappointment. Sushi was mediocre, entrees were alright, and the servers took their sweet time. Our server was incredibly unenthusiastic. We came in when it wasn't busy btw. It all translated to a very mundane experience.
(2)Allison F.
Uuugh. I feel sick just thinking about the massive pile of fried rice that was on my plate last night. And the SMELL. Ooh. I had to take a shower when I got home last night because I didn't want my sheets smelling like a wok. And this morning when I opened the door to the laundry room (hand over mouth)...let's just say I might have to burn my clothes. For what it is, though, Kanpai is a pretty fun place. This Americanized "Japanese Steakhouse" is ideal for large groups. Everybody gathers around a massive, screaming hot griddle (that is actually built in to the table) to watch a Hibachi chef chop, stack, and set huge onion rings on fire, among other things. Keep hands and face away, though...the guy was so fast with last night's theatrics, the licking flames nearly singed my eyebrows. I ordered steak and shrimp. I will say that the shrimp were very good, and I was happy to see that they were deveined. The steak, however, was one of the toughest I've ever had. One and only bite of the ultra gristly "meat" (scraps, anyone?) ended up in my napkin. I should have known better. Obviously the steak at a place like this isn't going to be the best quality. They pride themselves on the SHOW, not on the actual food itself. These types of restaurants really aren't for me, but if you and your friends want to be entertained and don't have anything clean to wear, Kanpai is the place.
(3)Ruben L.
1 of the big three Japanese steak houses in the G-vegas area. This place is right across the mall, so it gets a lot of traffic to begin with. If you want to get the early bird special (before 6pm M-F and before 5:30pm weekends) make reservations, or be sure to get here at least 15 minutes before opening. This place is ALWAYS packed. The food is pretty much what you expect. They have a number of combos (chicken and steak, steak and shrimp, etc...). I don't know if it's just me, but the tables seem REALLY close together. One time we went, some crack ass lady wanted to sit her group in the middle and break up our group of 4. Fortunately her group checked her, and we sat as we should have. Bonus- take a pic. of yourself in a sumo cutout when you first walk in. You can go here, Mimi's, or Miyabi and pretty much have the same exp. Sushi here- not so great.
(3)Christine N.
I think I'm just a fan of the sushi. The sweet and spicy shrimp roll is a must and the price makes it worth it. The half price sushi is only the basic rolls but you can't beat the price.
(4)Bradley S.
Best Japanese steakhouse in GVille. Better flavor, and not as cookie cutter as the rest.
(5)Christina C.
Surprisingly good Sushi. Nicely packed rolls. Interior could use a make over. Waitstaff seems overwhelmed and confused, perhaps a bad day.
(3)Laura M.
Out of the Japanese Steakhouses in Greenville, Kanpai is my least favorite. The service is okay, and the food is nothing special. However, they have Happy Hour sushi from 4:30-6:30 (I believe those are the times). Nigiri is $1.00 and Select rolls are $2.50. Now granted you're not going to get much more than your basic shrimp tempura rolls or salmon avacado rolls, it's still a pretty good deal. I'm picky about my Nigiri, so from my experience with it there, I just don't order it. But you can't beat $2.50 per roll, so I'll keep going back.
(2)Jennifer N.
I took my friend Lee there for his birthday and I extremely regret it. I don't remember Kanpai being this bad...but its been several years since I've been there. The chef was really boring. He barely talked and seemed to keep forgetting what he was doing. He started the shrimp throwing then just put the shrimp aside and started cooking something else. I ordered the chicken and steak and my friend ordered shrimp and steak but the chef put the shrimp on my plate. Instead of trying to fix the situation he tried to say I ordered shrimp and then made my friend pick all the shrimp off of my plate...what kind of service is that? I'm glad I don't have a shellfish allergy. Also the server was very uncaring and made me feel like we were a hassle because we needed a drink refill. He never asked us if we wanted fried rice and never mentioned that fried rice was a $2 extra charge. He just gave it to us and charged us. I've never been to a hibachi place that charged extra for fried rice...I would not recommend this place. Go to Miyabis or better yet check our Sakura. Sakura was awesome for my birthday.
(1)