Casa Kenji

Casa Kenji is a standout addition to the Houston dining scene, offering an incredible fusion of Japanese technique and bold flavors. The Kenji de Limón cocktail was the perfect start, pairing beautifully with the vibrant Crudo De Hamachi and the texture rich Bluefin Crudo. We loved the hot plates, especially the crispy Chicken Karaage and the savory Broccolini with its punchy gochujang salsa brava. The sushi was top tier, from the inventive Hama Chili and OT Makis to the melt in your mouth Chu Toro and King Salmon nigiri. Do not leave without trying the Cacao De Brasa; the smoked ice cream paired with the chocolate mousse created an unforgettable finish to the meal.

I would recommend this place a thousand times if I could! Everything was freshly made and all the nigiri just melted in our mouths. The pork chop, bluefin otoro binchotan, and the toffee mochi were all star dishes in my eyes, but everything we ate was delicious. Overall an amazing dining experience and the chefs exceeded my expectations of what Japanese-Latin fusion could taste like!

I got the chance to try Casa Kenji tonight and had a great experience. The atmosphere was chic , welcoming, and comfortable, making it an easy place to relax and enjoy the meal. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Our waiter, Thien was especially helpful and recommended some excellent options that we probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise! The service was friendly and attentive. Overall, it was a really enjoyable visit, and I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you’re a sushi fan.

Ate here last weekend. Ambiance and service were excellent. There were some standout dishes like the Bluefin Otoro they sear with charcoal tableside, the Broccolini and the Sweet Potato. Others were just ok - the shrimp and Chilean Seabass. The Toffee mochi dessert was very good. Overall we enjoyed the meal but not sure I would go back. Portions are small for the entrees and considering they encourage you to share I would have expected bigger portions. The Nigiri we ordered was very good - the King Salmon was delicious.

First, our waiter was phenomenal, being knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely warm. The eggplant was absolutely to die for, and the raw oyster creations were some of the best I’ve ever had. Please don’t change those. The addition of uni was the perfect touch of richness- flavorful without being over the top. My only small suggestion: when it comes to salt, a little goes a long way. 😉

Absolutely delightful experience at Casa Kenji last night. Every dish we tried was thoughtful, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. Highlights included the cabbage (way more exciting than it sounds), the Japanese sweet potato, and the kabocha tempura, all perfectly executed and deeply comforting. The binchotan and tataki were standouts as well, with the wagyu tataki being especially memorable: rich, clean, and expertly prepared. The pacing of the meal was perfect, they truly took their time. Each dish came out in a timely fashion, and they waited until we finished one course before bringing the next. Every dish was also clearly explained, which added to the overall experience. The menu feels creative without being pretentious, and you can tell how much care goes into both the ingredients and the technique. Can’t wait to come back and explore more, highly recommend.

It was a great experience with this high end sushi restaurant in my opinion, beautiful decoration, still keep it Japanese Vibe if you bring your friends and family celebrating in loud environments as Japanese restaurant in Japan. Taste: all the Shiromi(White fish) and Hikarimono (Silver-Skin fish) are super fresh from Toyosu Japan. Nirigi are affordable for this type of River Oaks location. Grilled Dish: Very well seasoned, beautiful display and smokiness is the highlight that I love it especially Akaushi Hot Rock. Dessert? Man, Toffee Mochi was the one that my Wife loveeeeee and die for. Shout out to Montserrat and the team for being helpful to make guests enjoy the atmosphere and beyond!!! Will come back eventually.

Great new restaurant! We did the somakase experience - a curated menu chosen by your server to your preferences and budget. Anthony did a great job, we ended up with some great dishes we might have never tried otherwise. Highlights are the cabbage (no joke this was incredible), nigiri, and Japanese pumpkin tempura. Only criticism we have is that the service was running a bit slow between dishes. It took a good 10-15 minutes between each course, of which we had 6.

I got to try this place a few weeks after its opening for an early dinner and it reallly surprised us! We started with the highly recommended bluefin otoro binchotan, and it was as good as it looked! It was served tableside and the charcoal smelled amazing. Our favorite bites of the night was definitely the wagyu tataki and the seared ocean trout belly. The mushrooms on the tataki were so tasty and the wagyu was cooked perfectly. We also got the wagyu hot rock, but I think I'd just go with the tataki. We came for a birthday, and they gave us a free cheesecake like dessert with a torched meringue, but we also had to order the toffee mochi.... both desserts were incredibly good and such a nice ending to our dinner. We will definitely be back!

We had an early dinner res at 5:30, so we were able to find street parking and happy hour drink pricing - I believe it was $3 off my drink? Very cute restaurant. Our favs of the night were: spider roll (the dipping sauce was a pleasant surprise), kabocha tempura, and sushi from the fish market menu, wish I remembered which ones we chose, but our waitress was very knowledgeable and gave great explanations and suggestions. A-okay: hama chili roll, salmon sashimi Not for us: cabbage and trumpet mushrooms, they were too smoky for our personal preference, but the spicy Latin sauces were good.

I was visiting my family and decided to come here for my anniversary. The ambiance and decor are amazing and inviting. The hostess was kind and accommodating and the staff was very friendly. We ordered a bunch of items, here's what I thought: * Crudo de Hamachi: 10/10 - super flavorful * Bluefin Ototo Binchotan: 10/10 - yummy and unique * Lubina: 10000/10 - absolutely amazing * Prawns: 5/10 - a bit messy and tricky to eat * Wagyu Tataki: 9/10 * Okoge: 7/10 * Japanese Sweet Potato: 8/10 * Chicken Karaage: 8/10 * Toffee Mochi: 9/10 One downside was that our drinks were forgotten and the waitress said they would be comped but they weren't. The food and atmosphere were still fantastic though. Highly recommend for a special occasion or just a treat yourself meal!

They just opened a couple of weeks ago! Valet is like $8 without tip. The restaurant is small but clean inside. Our server was also very informative and friendly! The dishes we ordered we not bad but portion sizes were on the smaller side for what you pay and it adds up quick! Dessert was the star of the show but we left still hungry. Some of the fish was also sold out. Make a reservation if you can because the restaurant fills up pretty quickly!

Came in on Christmas Eve with reservation, arrived 15 min early and seated immediately. Dress code: business casual Food 4.5/5: We got the bluefin otoro binchotan, beet tempura, seaweed salad, hotate sushi, maitake mushrooms and hot rock (Wagyu pieces seared on a rock). Binchotan, sushi and Wagyu were all very tasty and quite artistically served. Mushrooms were a bit underwhelming but everything else was very tasty Service 5/5: very friendly and helpful, gave good advice on food and drinks. Always kept water topped and checked in frequently. Ambiance 4.5/5: gorgeous location, we were seated in a semilunar booth which makes for a romantic seating. Value 2.5/5: very small portion sizes for fairly high prices. Value in this is obtained through enjoying artistic presentation and experience. Overall 4.3/5: very tasty food with amazing service and ambiance but very small portions for the price. Parking: valet available, we parked street parking

It's hard not to compare Casa Kenji to heavyweights like Uchi and Uchiko, especially given the quality level and price point--but Casa Kenji holds its own in a very confident, distinctive way. We opted for Somakase, where the staff collaborates with you to design a multi-course experience, and it was absolutely the right choice. The service was top-notch--attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely engaged throughout the meal. The nigiri was fresh, elegant, and beautifully balanced, while the hot dishes stood out for their creativity and bold flavors. What really differentiates Casa Kenji from its peers is its fearlessness. Unlike some Japanese fine-dining restaurants that play it safe, Casa Kenji leans unapologetically into Latin fusion, creating unexpected combinations that work remarkably well. The result feels expressive, modern, and memorable rather than restrained or overly traditional. That said, we visited during their second week of opening, and while the restaurant is already impressive, there's clearly room to refine a few things. The biggest miss for us was the cocktail program. We tried several drinks--they were decent and perfectly drinkable, but not standout, especially considering this is not an inexpensive dining experience. At this level, the cocktails should feel as thoughtful and elevated as the food. The atmosphere is another area where Casa Kenji hasn't quite reached the level of places like Uchi. The space is pleasant, but it lacks the same sense of elegance or distinctiveness that makes those restaurants feel special from the moment you walk in. Overall, Casa Kenji is a very strong debut--bold, creative, and confident in its culinary vision. If they continue to refine the cocktail program and elevate the ambiance, this place has the potential to become a true destination. Even now, it's absolutely worth visiting, especially if you're looking for an omakase-style experience that pushes boundaries rather than playing it safe.

This restaurant just opened December 9th so we're some of the first to experience... I will say that the quality is on point and on par with the best sushi places in Houston. And the price is on par too! Definitely on the high side. Just the two of us spent $300 - and we don't eat much and the hubby doesn't even drink. Since it's brand new of course we were fine with a few missteps. The staff was extremely courteous and enthusiastic about the food. Reminds me of the early days of Uchi. There was a little bit of confusion regarding what was available and what was out of stock. We began with the Lubina and also the Bluefin Otoro. Both delicious - very flavorful. The otoro was so fantastic that my husband had to order a second. Also ordered several assorted nigiri (including uni) which were fantastic quality-wise, but more of the traditional nigiri vs the crudos which had very bold and inventive flavors. Our hot dishes were the wagyu and the prawns. Lots of meat on the wagyu plate so we were pleasantly surprised. The mushrooms they paired with the steak were deeply flavored must have been marinated with care. The prawns were tasty as well but I will say that a different presentation - with the shells at least partially removed - would have been much better. We really had to fight through the dish to separate the meat from the shells. Would have been nice to have presented it like a lobster tail, with the option to eat the shells. Eating the shells was suggested by our waiter but honestly they were way too chewy. Maybe if they had been fried hard. Finally we ended with the chocolate mousse. Again a bit of a misstep - it was served completely frozen. Like rock hard. Needed a steak knife to cut through it. Tasted good but nothing different from your standard chocolate dessert paired with the usual vanilla ice cream. You could get something equivalent at The Cheesecake Factory honestly. Overall it was a good experience but for the price I'd recommend one of usual top-tier sushi spots - Kata Robata, Uchi, Uchiko, Neo, Doko, Katami, Hidden, Oheya, 5Kinokawa. The Houston food scene has too many options to come away with a less than perfect experience.

Amazing dinner experience for my friend's birthday! We started with some tempura and prawns then went crazy on the nigiri and sashimi. Every thing was so tasty and fresh. The king salmon OMG!!! I had an amazing mocktail and all of my friends loved their lychee martinis. 10/10 would go again.

Such a great experience at Casa Kenji. My friend booked this place for her birthday, and I'm always a little worried about service when it comes to large groups--but Casa Kenji did an amazing job hosting our party. As soon as we arrived we were greeted and seated. Waiter filled everyone up with water and gave recommendations for drinks. They gave us a few moments for the rest of our party to arrive before placing orders. Waiter was patient, knowledgeable and gave really good recommendations to each and every one of us based on our preferences. The serving sizes are pretty small so you will have to order multiple items to get a full experience. I ordered the beets, prawns, and wagyu tataki. Beets were good but could have been cooked just a little longer to be perfect. They were paired with a smooth creamy yuzu aioli to help balance the earthiness of the beets. Next up was the prawns. Prawns were grilled perfectly. They had this nice robust tomato sauce that created a nice balance and not too heavy. The star of the show was the wagyu tataki. The wagyu was cooked to perfection, just the right amount of seasoning, paired with the most delicious seasonal mushrooms. Mushrooms were buttery and soft and really enhanced the Wagyu flavor. I did not try any specialty cocktails but my tequila and seltzer was made perfectly. Honorably mentions from the table were the chicken karaage, the sea bass, and the soft shell crab. I definitely will be back to explore more menu options.

The ambiance was nice, the service was very good. The food was 40 dollar tapas basically. I weigh 225 pounds so I'm not skinny, and not super fat but it would take 3-4 entrees here to get a full meal. So don't come here unless you are prepared to spend 500 dollars for two people because their spirits are priced like the food as well.

THIEN IS AMAZINGGGG WOOOOOO He made our experience so wonderful on top of everything else-food, ambience, being great too! Anthony was so professional and on top of it too. We left so satisfied and excited to come back!

My friend am I had dinner on their second day opening. Loved the decor and ambience. Food and cocktails were excellent. My favorite was the yuzu cocktail, delicious and it stood out. Service was fantastic.

Beautiful ambiance and enjoyed the bites! The restaurant's main dining room is separated from the bar lounge area. I'm sure the lounge will become a lively spot for drinks and bites for friends, couples and families. The staff was incredibly attentive during the initial preview and excited to see them succeed!

Every dish got crazier and crazier. 10/10 food, service, and ambiance. Definitely my #1 favorite in Houston now

First time trying this place out. Sometimes new places can have issues with service and consistency but casa nailed it. We had a great server with a lot of energy who gave us wonderful recommendations. The food was delicious. My favorite was the bluefin otoro binchotan, pork chop and Nigiri selections the server brought us. The location itself was easy to get to, they had valet and it is beautiful inside. I look forward to going back and sitting on the patio.

A welcome addition to the Houston food scene. There's something special when the staff at an establishment are invested in your experience. We had incredible recommendations from Frank, our warm and exceptionally informed server. The copper aesthetics are also incredible.

Super welcoming staff and our waitress was amazing. Came last night for a second date and loved the fact the place felt lively while still being able to have a clear conversation. Food was stellar, had a few tartar gunkan pieces with some other small bites and my date did the same. Everything was very good, fresh, and exciting. I did not take any pics but I'll try n upload some of my dates. Great spot!!!

Great food! Great service! And we love the atmosphere, intimate yet inviting. Definitely coming back

I try, try, try not to post negative reviews unless an experience is just truly terrible but I honestly feel a duty to post about this restaurant because when people go out to a special restaurant, and it's expensive, it's important that they leave feeling that their money wasn't wasted, and that their expense was honored. This is a beautiful restaurant, and our server Jason was so sweet, that's true, but the food was some of the worst I have ever, ever had. The portions were microscopically small, the menu was fussy...just trying so hard but missing the mark. I could not understand where the idea of Latin fusion was; just because you make things spicy does not make them Latin inspired. They didn't specify where the oysters came from until we asked because they were distinctively not good. At that time we were told they were from Alabama, so they were awful. The hot rock waygu was served without butter so the beef stuck to the rock. Cocktails were not impressive. We were starving when we left and our bill was enormous. More expensive than Uchi and just so, so bad. Do not recommend this restaurant at all.

Wow!!! We are big uchi fans but thought we would try something different. This place is excellent! Khai was a lovely waitress. Very attentive and professional. (Even told us when to get cameras out if that's your thing. Not ours, but we thought it was sweet.) The ambience is absolutely perfect. So charming. We were impressed with the fish and the fusion aspect. Sometimes new places have kinks to work out. If you're worried, don't. They know what they're doing here! Definitely recommend.

such an incredible staff and fantastic food!!!! Felt so welcomed right when we walked in the door and had great recreations from the owners who walked around- loved it!