Kiki College Hill

Wonderful dining experience. Every dish was so tasty and delicious. The seaweed salad was very complex and well rounded. The scallops were buttery and tender. And I could eat a pint of the match gelato

This place is the definition of a hidden gem -- it's an unassuming, casual environment, and very easy to drive past if you don't know it's there. The dinner menu is decent-sized and sticks mostly to classic Japanese dishes, but they're always adding new things (check their IG page). Overall, they keep things simple, but they add thoughtful touches, and excellence is in the little details. The Kyoto cocktail was superb -- very unique flavor combo I can't say I've ever had. They easily have some of the best gyoza I've ever had. The pork belly bao were my favorite bite out of all the dishes we tried -- the pork was super juicy and flavorful (and not too fatty), and the slaw was an amazing compliment with another unique and unexpected burst of flavor. You can't go wrong with the karaage, either. Service was great, and the vibe was very chill. I'll happily come back!

Had the short rib ramen, it was the special of the day. Delicious! We had the pickled veggies and kimchi too, fresh and bright. Glad we visited, as we heard this location was closing in a month. Too bad.

Kiki is Asian fusion done perfectly! 👌This place becomes busy for good reasons and I recommend a reservation even on weekdays. Street parking. The drinks are sneaky alcoholic (which is the best compliment) and I think the appetizers are a standout! Do order several! I cannot recommend this place enough and kudos to the chef/owner. His training in Japan definitely shows.

I hate to say that I wasn’t impressed with this spot. We had a few different menu items that we’d shared; the jackfruit bao, the cauliflower, and the tofu kimchi ramen. I had the paper crane as my drink which was good, but the food didn’t hit. The jackfruit bao was okay, but lacking flavor; I would have preferred some more differences in texture but even with the slaw it was just okay. The cauliflower was good, but would have been more manageable to eat if it hadn’t come in the form of a full head or if we had more than forks to break it apart. The kimchi ramen wasn’t very special either. Sometimes it fusion feels new and interesting, but at other times it falls flat. As for the atmosphere there were some fun artistic choices but the environment felt rather cold with the concrete floors and the scuff marks of rearranged furniture marking the walls. I like to give the benefit of the doubt; maybe we came in on an off day, or maybe what we had bad choices when it came to ordering. That said, if I’m ever coming back to Cincinnati, I will be choosing a different place for dinner.

With all the accolades, nominations, and a visit from Guy Fieri, I expected Kiki to knock our socks off. Well, this was not the case. We ate early on a Sunday and our server Joel was friendly and explained how the menu worked. I ordered a glass of pinot grigio, but they were out of that, so he suggested another white. We ordered the Curry Pan, which looked fun, but tasted bland and dry. The Inari Soba was a dish I've never heard of, so we ordered that. It was also bland and dry, and there was no where near enough dressing on the soba noodles. The "shell" was also mushy. It looks pretty in a picture though! Next was Chicken Karaage. The tempura batter made the pieces super crunchy, but it really lacked seasoning. There is a choice of 5 sauces from which to choose at $1 each. The gyoza was the star of the small plate dishes. The presentation was unique with the apron of batter holding them together. You can taste that the filling is an original recipe of Chef Hideki and Yuko because it is unlike any gyoza we have tasted. The sauce was so citrus forward that, although we didn't enjoy it, must have been a perfect compliment to the gyoza. Lastly, I ordered the Shio Ramen. It was good, the noodles were springy, and the pork belly and egg were cooked perfectly. After returning from Vancouver where there is a great ramen joint on every corner, this one to me was only good, not great. I wish there was more of it, and more toppings. There are also good ramen spots near me in West Chester.

Loved the vibe of the place. Great service. Incredible food. The pork belly bao was amazing. The fried cauliflower was the biggest, delicious surprise

Kiki’s is a cute ramen and brunch place. It’s in an up and coming neighborhood and the service feels more like an upscale restaurant. The shio ramen I got was good- one of the best I’ve had in the Midwest, but unfortunately was served without shio. I had to ask for the salt after the fact which was disappointing. Having been on a ramen pilgrimage in Japan, this store holds its ground to Japanese ramen shops- which says a lot because there really isn’t a ton of ramen places in the US that I can say that about. The ramen noodles were well cooked, the charsiu melted in your mouth and the broth was well balanced. Even their bamboo was decent. We also got the karage brunch bagel, which had a pomelo jam on it. While creative and fusiony- it wasn’t for me.

Beautiful, exquisite Japanese food! Had the vegetable Tempura, roasted sweet potato Yakiimo, & Caesar salad Grrrreat ambience as well...

I've eaten here a few times because of their vegan options. After today, however, I won't be back. It's Mother's Day, and my daughter and I had reservations for 2:30. She drove all the way from Columbus so we could have lunch together. As luck would have it, both of our phones died on the drive there, and she'd forgotten to bring her phone charger. I'm hopeless with directions, and my daughter, of course, had no idea how to get to Kiki, since she's from a different city. We took a few wrong turns and walked into the place at 2:52. I didn't think it would be a big deal, because the place was completely empty. One of the employees informed us that they were closed. I explained that we had reservations for 2:30. (What business would allow a customer to make a 2:30 reservation if they closed at 2:52?) The employee put her hand on her hip and basically yelled at us that they allowed a twenty minute window for reservations, but since we didn't call to give them a "heads up," our reservations were no longer valid. Whatever. I don't allow any window whatsoever for restaurants that refuse to serve me even though there's not another soul in the place...because I've missed their 20-minute deadline for reservations...by two lousy minutes. And that hire employees who raise their voice at me. I googled the place, and it seems they've had SEVEN health violations this year alone. So that's another good reason to cross this dump off my list. https://data.cincinnati.com/restaurant-inspections/kiki-llc/cincinnati-fso-024022-c4s/

Was excited to try this restaurant we saw it on Diners Drive ins and heard good things. However, after walking into the restaurant we were not greeted but met with the staff and a table just staring as if they were confused why we were there. A few minutes had passed and someone came up to the hostess stand to greet us and seat us. Staff were very non attentive and felt like they had an attitude when asking for recommendations or asking for additional information on the menu. Good part is food came out quick and some dishes tasted great but missing some seasoning. Bad part is the portions were small and overpriced. Overall would not recommend mainly due to staffs demeanor and the atmosphere that was in the restaurant.

Cute restaurant. Ordered a variety of apps and small plates and then the ramen and added chili crisp. Overall the food was good but not great! The marinated eggs in the ramen were delicious and I really enjoyed the chili crisp but it definitely could have been spicier.

Vibes: hipster, casual izakaya with plenty of bar seating; bring a friend or a few Tasting notes: Black cod kushiyaki: crispy skin and flaky meat with mildly sweet, light miso flavor; crunchy, slightly salty cabbage was a good contrast; solid portion for one person Karaage with oroshi ponzu: perfectly battered thigh meat; loved piling the flavored oroshi on the big pieces of chicken Kinoko bowl: earthy, tender mushrooms made up in portion size by number rather than thickness; sauce is on the sweet side, picked up well by generous portion of rice Seafood wonton ramen: not too spicy, subtly flavored broth, loved the shrimp/scallop wontons that were big bite-sized with fresh meat inside; light on the noodle portion but excellent springiness Matcha gimlet: very sippable and refreshing; just sweet enough with good balance of matcha and lime Matcha oreo gelato: shareable portion; soft with mild matcha flavor; wish there were more Oreo pieces Other thoughts: - friendly, attentive service - the dishes were satisfying for two moderately hungry adults Impression: light bites or a full meal, Kiki hits the spot when I am craving izakaya-style food!

Can't believe I haven't made the drive out here before, food was really great, not a single miss. The chicken karaage were juicy and large pieces, ponzu sauce and house mayo were great. The ramen was probably the most authentic Japanese ramen I've had in Cincinnati, not a fatty broth, very simple and flavorful - yes it is better than mochiko if you are looking for something more authentic. The fried haddock was delicious, could have been cooked maybe 30s-1min less but it was definitely not overcooked, fresh and flavorful. And the matcha oreo gelato was amazing, yuzu was good too but matcha one was best. Lovely ambiance, will be booking a reservation again soon!

I love Japanese food for its honor and focus on creating beautiful looking and tasting food with the freshest ingredients. Kiki nailed it. Every dish had the right combination of texture, unique flavors, fresh ingredients, and artfully created presentation. You should definitely give Kiki a try if you like the Japanese food vibe with a flare of unique food creations. My wife and I visited Kiki on a Sunday night and it was completely full. The restaurant has mostly tables for parties of 2-6, with many places to sit around the bar. The interior gave me a hipster vibe. The menu has mostly smaller sharable option which I liked because my wife and I could try more items. We got the Gyoza, Beet Skewer, Japanese sweet potato, Shio Ramen, and the Poke bowl, tonight with sashimi salmon. For drinks I had the Kiki lager from the neighboring Brinks brewery and my wife had the Yuzu lager from the Kiuchi brewery. Let me give a very brief review of each dish, because they all deserve part of the spotlight. Yakiimo - Japanese sweet potatoes. I want to marry this dish it made me so happy. The sweet potatoes were crispy and had a butter and salt mix on the top. I could eat this all day. Beet Skewer - I love beets and this dish had perfectly grilled beets with hazelnuts, which made them even better. Gyoza - the presentation of this Gyoza is like nothing you've seen AND had a very nice citrusy dipping sauce. My Poke Bowl had a perfect balance of sashimi salmon and precision cut cucumber for crunch. My wife's Shio Ramen was phenomenal. The broth EAS TO DIE FOR. The other stuff was good too, but that broth was heaven My Kiki beer was like a typical lager with hints of tea. My wife's Yuzu lager had a delightful layer of citrus flavor. Both beer were a fantastic step away front the beaten path. This is definitely a place I will recommend my friends and family that truly love food that respects freshness and unique flavors. I will for sure come back many times.

With all the accolades, nominations, and a visit from Guy Fieri, I expected Kiki to knock our socks off. Well, this was not the case. We ate early on a Sunday and our server Joel was friendly and explained how the menu worked. I ordered a glass of pinot grigio, but they were out of that, so he suggested another white. We ordered the Curry Pan, which looked fun, but tasted bland and dry. The Inari Soba was a dish I've never heard of, so we ordered that. It was also bland and dry, and there was no where near enough dressing on the soba noodles. The "shell" was also mushy. It looks pretty in a picture though! Next was Chicken Karaage. The tempura batter made the pieces super crunchy, but it really lacked seasoning. There is a choice of 5 sauces from which to choose at $1 each. The gyoza was the star of the small plate dishes. The presentation was unique with the apron of batter holding them together. You can taste that the filling is an original recipe of Chef Hideki and Yuko because it is unlike any gyoza we have tasted. The sauce was so citrus forward that, although we didn't enjoy it, must have been a perfect compliment to the gyoza. Lastly, I ordered the Shio Ramen. It was good, the noodles were springy, and the pork belly and egg were cooked perfectly. After returning from Vancouver where there is a great ramen joint on every corner, this one to me was only good, not great. I wish there was more of it, and more toppings. There are also good ramen spots near me in West Chester.

Great Japanese food. Had really fast service so you don't have to wait a long time. Definitely try the Kushiyaki Skewer it is delicious (See attached photo.) Came here for my mom's BDay, we were more than satisfied. Easily a 5/5 restaurant.

Made a last minute reservation on a Thursday evening and we were seated quickly. We ordered the oysters first which were from Nova Scotia and so petite and delicious. Next we split the tamaki hand roll which was $28. Generous amount of fish and so flavorful. Two people can get several hand rolls each with fish, rice, kimchi. We then ordered two types of ramen, the shio ramen and the kimchi ramen. The kimchi ramen was very good but a little saltier than I prefer but the shio ramen was outstanding. Overall, the service was extremely fast, the food was fresh and delicious and the experience was super positive. I will absolutely be returning to try there branzino with chimichurri.

Kiki do love me ? Sorry I couldn't resist, anyway super cute space with metered parking. I for sure suggest a reservation because the space is small but comfortable. I did not love the appetizer (chicken karaage) lacked seasoning but the chicken was crispy and the dipping sauce made it work. The fried green tomatoes stole the show as far as starters. The dinner is what reeled me In. The tuna poke bowl did not miss. It had flavor and seasoned well. You can't go without trying the seafood ramen , the broth was very good. The portions are not big so I suggest getting multiple things. The cocktail list makes the place a solid. Service was great so they delivered. Date night was a success!

Japanese food in College Hill? Yes, please!! The food is great and the service is just as good need I say more? I will so that you have the same great experience I did. The menu is kept simple but broad enough that it'll please even the pickiest of eaters. The dishes come out pretty quick so you're not left waiting in hunger or feeling forgotten about. The place is set up like a small diner intimate but inviting. The staff are very engaging and can explain the menu in detail so that you know what you're expecting before you get it. The only surprises are how good it all tastes. Tips to make your visit a success: 1) There may be a wait. On a weekend night expect to wait awhile. But the wait is worth it so come prepared and enjoy your time salivating over what you will soon experience. 2) Think tapas. This place will not serve large portions not even the ramen but if you come expecting that then you will order more to offset that. I say think tapas because it is set up for you to order multiple things from the menu. Come check out Kiki and get your taste of Japanese food now!!

Kiki College Hill is a GREAT choice for dinner. They have a pretty small menu, but that is because each item was selected carefully and a lot of work went into curating each dish. I found that the smaller menu also helps with decision making. My husband and I split karaage chicken (a MUST!) with a side of tasty dipping sauce. We also got the kinoko bowl. It had good flavor, but we add to add soy to spice it up as it was a little too mild. The gyoza was delicious. Spot on. It also had a pretty unique presentation! The individual dumplings were essentially served all baked into a super thing sheet of dough? Check out the pic. My friends ordered curry pan and liked it so much, they put in a second order! They also got edamame and generously shared with us. It was tasty. My friend ordered a poke bowl and had to ask for soy sauce to spice it up, as it was a bit mild in flavor. He said the soy sauce was the perfect addition! Our server was kind and helpful and walked us through the menu in detail! The restaurant itself has such a chill vibe with simple decor. It is exceptionally clean. The bathrooms have single use cloth towels that get washed between uses. I really appreciated this green practice. Would recommend popping into Kiki for dinner sometime. Actually, make a reservation-- they fill up FAST.

Unless you're hip and cool you're better off at Zundo in OTR. Pretentious and patronizing servers and food that is just okay. Another example of all style and no substance. How this place gets so many raves escapes me.

Love that they were able to seat us and take our order pretty quickly. The servers were really attentive. Sad to say that the flavor of the food isn't there. Not sure if it due to the demographics being served. Wish the jackfruit karaage had more of a jackfruit taste.

KIKI'S IS THE SPOT!!!! If you want ramen that speaks to your soul this is where you want to be. Heres what to order when you go: The Kakiage with all the dipping sauces (basically a fired vegetable fritter. If you like Outback fried blooming onion you'll enjoy this) The Pork Gyoza The Karrage and all the dipping sauces (basically fried chicken and extra delicious) The Shio Ramen You will thank me later! This is the ultimate winter comfort food. Hot Tip: Dont try to go late in the evening because they tend to be packed. But if you do, there are lots of bars near by to hang out in until your table is ready so dont be discouraged

I loved this place. We stopped by after a last minute decision and were able to get seats at the bar. I really enjoyed the whole experience. The service was great and the food was fantastic! I cant wait to get back!

Kiki is an absolute favorite, top 5 in the city. We love Kiki, the food is phenomenal and the staff are great. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu and always get an extra Curry Pan! Don't pass on kiki, it's top notch.

The cocktails are good. The service is good. The food is very disappointing. The breading on every fried dish is too thick. The ramen broth isn't very striking and tastes more like salt water with green onions. Everything is really just too salty, the sauce on the black cod was the worst example although the cod was perfectly cooked otherwise. I didn't want to dislike this food but, at its price point, there are other better options in Cincy, like Mei Japanese.

It's me, back again to rave again about Kiki. Apparently people usually only leave reviews when they don't like something, so now every time I leave raving 5 star reviews, I get comments saying I was paid for it so please know these are my own words and they are not being encouraged by anyone but my tummy. Kiki is my favorite neighborhood spot. It is everything I could want, from ambiance to experience and server interaction to the food. I have a lot of food aversions and pickiness and I have never had anything I disliked or sent back or even wanted to! (I could list my favorites but it would just be everything... but if I have to recommend specifics to a new Kiki-goer; start with the karrage, seaweed salad, Napa Caesar, and the Shio ramen) Every single thing I have had here is delicious, prepared and served with care, and the only negative thing is when they close. I don't have any food photos to share, but I do have a meme I made out of my love for Kiki. Thank you to everyone who works at Kiki making these experiences so positive.

I was underwhelmed by my experience at Kiki. The food is decent, but doesn't quite live up to the hype. The servers are somewhat patronizing, which is funny considering my 20+ years experience as a professional chef, but I get a kick out of youthful ignorance, and I laughed it off. -The scallops were quite good -Unagi was dry and somewhat flavorless -The potato croquette was decent(tastes like a -samosa with tamarind sauce) -The ramen was middling -oysters were good, but way overpriced Cincinnati doesn't have much of a food scene to speak of, so I understand why people would be excited by this place, but I'm not rushing back any time soon.

We went because it was on Dinner Drive thru and Dives. The only thing it had was the Ambiance. For what we spent the service was trouble. Our waitress spent her time at the hostess station vs cleaning off our table for the next plate The food was good but nothing memorable. I don't think we will go back

We had never gone to this restaurant before tonight since the last time we tried, a couple of years ago, they were closed for a private party. We made reservations for 6:30 pm on a Sunday. We were glad we did because within 15 minutes of our arrival, most tables were taken. The food at this restaurant is quickly served in small portions, somewhat like a tapas bar. We shared the Shashimi salad which came with three nice pieces of yellowtail, with matchstick cut cucumber, carrots and radishes. We had curry pan (which we split by eating it with our fingers as there was no way to manage this dish with chop sticks too big to pop in your mouth in one piece with a crispy outer layer that chop sticks could not cut), vegetable kakiage, a thinly sliced tempura-like dish made with asparagus and onions, pork belly Bao buns, which came with each of the parts separate so you could add the pork and the coleslaw to the bun then rap the bun around the condiments, and a huge portion of chicken Karaage. We did not bring leftovers home, though of what we had, the chicken would have been the best item for that. Great food very quickly served. Pleasant waitress. Had only a small wine list but many mixed drinks and several different kinds of sake. My husband had a beer and I drank water. They left a bottle of water o the table, which was a nice touch. (Street parking is free on Sundays.)

All around experience was fantastic! The food was authentic and well presented. Plan to share and return.

Still amazing! We were surprised to be able to walk right in on a Saturday night! This time I brought my husband. Cocktails were again on point as was our service-laid back, attentive, knowledgeable! We enjoyed some of the best oysters-that yuzu mignonette, along with a deconstructed sushi roll which was different and delicious. We opted for gyoza and karaage to round us out. All three sauces with the chicken karaage were perfect. I'm glad I didn't have to choose only one. We're so lucky this place is close to home. I'm sure it's only a matter of time until we're back!

We had a reservation and were seated promptly. I ordered the most delicious, dirty martini I've had in quite a while. It was chilled to perfection. We ordered several dishes for the table. Everything we tasted was delicious. We do have a vegan in our group who had no problem as there are lots of options. The room itself is very open. There are murals on several walls and you can see into the kitchen. They also have a full bar and very clean bathrooms.

Wonderful restaurant with tapas sized portions and a fresh take on asian cuisine. Their Japanese fried chicken, dumplings, curry pan, gyozas, napa caesar salad and oysters are all so yummy and fresh. The ramen tastes very authentic and not too salty/over seasoned; the noodles are thick and delicious. Vegan friendly menu and very reasonable prices! I love sitting at the bar and observing the beautiful interior. The staff is very kind and give great recommendations. Their desserts are lovely as well - the matcha kit kat ice cream is to die for.

Fantastic atmosphere service and atmosphere. They make it easy to order and to pay with a scanner at your table

Great first experience here. Service was good and helpful. Everything we had hit the mark. My favorite was the scallops.

Tasty ramen spot. It's more of a tapas-type experience, so you don't get the typical large portions. We got the jackfruit karaaage, mushroom gyoza, temaki, shio & kimchi ramen, with blueberry sorbet for dessert. All good but I wouldn't say the flavors blew me away. I'd come here again if I was in the neighborhood. Service was good and street parking was easy.

I wasn't impressed. Attitude had a lot to do with it. I may get e them another try but with so many other friendlier choices around, I am in no rush.

The only reason to give this review 2 stars was the really sweet bartender as we were sat at the bar. Though my spouse and I didn't have them for long and got a somewhat standoffish server. We ordered the ramen, poke bowl, and kimchi though the server was surprised when they brought out the wrong item in lieu of the poke bowl. Like other reviewers have said the food was bland and I suppose the clientele come for the ambiance. A little bit of seasoning could have gone a long way. I'm very familiar with Japanese cuisine as I've enjoyed it for decades at the various spots around the city, yes the very same ones where Toyota execs eat. And this was just a disappointing experience, we ended up going home and making ourselves dinner.

I ordered the mazemen feature and the sichuan hot honey chicken karaage feature to go through the online portal. The ramen was delicious! Such a strong umami flavor (a little too salty) and the snap peas added the perfect texture and seemed to have the flavors soaked through it (I feel like that doesn't always work with snap peas). The mushrooms were super juicy and the noodles were cooked perfectly. Note: this is a brothless ramen. The karaage was super crunchy, but not a lot of sichuan hot honey flavor (I wish they put the sauce on the side for dipping or something instead of on top, bc we ordered to go most of the sauce had seeped to the bottom of the box and wouldn't coat the chicken anymore). Would try the other ramens in the future.

I know everybody loves this place. We thought the food was meh. Sorry. Our cocktails we weak too. I think if you're in your 20s this is your scene. We're not, and it isn't.

Kiki's is a must have in your restaurant arsenal. The menu, service and product is excellent. It's an experience you must have. Nice gem in College Hill!

I came to this place with zero expectations with a few friends, and I was blown away! The food is served tapas style, but they are a pretty good size, so everyone can share. I really recommend the Napa Caesar Salad and the Jackfruit Karaage. Our server, Sam, was beyond helpful with food recommendations and which sake to order. I think with her serving expertise along with the chill vibes of the restaurant, I would highly recommend giving this place a chance, especially if you love Japanese food!

Trendy spot for the neighborhood, friendly customer service, and restaurant felt clean. Keep in mind this is a small plates kind of place, you will want to order several appetizers if you're hungry. What I ordered: -Housemade kimichi: delicious but pretty basic, as someone who eats kimchi often, there was no wow factor to justify spending $4 -Pork gyoza: also delicious, but again, nothing wowed me to justify spending $8 on 5 pieces when I've had gyoza in several other places that I couldn't get enough of -Shio ramen: this was my favorite of the night! The broth was rich, and surprisingly the small bowl had plenty of noodles in it. The marinated egg was the perfect texture and the pork was flavorful. I didn't mind paying $10 for this because everything in the bowl was well done. Would love a big bowl version of this ramen. I would come back again, but this would likely be a place I take my boujee LA and NYC friends too for a small plates and ramen experience.

One of the best restaurants in the city. Definitely worth coming to seasonally as they change their menu.

Excellent experience at Kiki. Our server Sammy was so nice and the suggestions she made were great. We started with a Kitty Paw, which has got to be the new best thing in seltzers. It was so tasty and not overly sweet. Their house beer is a lemongrass infused beer from Brink that was super drinkable and refreshing. We over ordered because we were so excited to try everything, but not sad that we did. The special was a plate of essentially make-your-own hand rolls with spicy tuna, avocado, nori, kimchi and rice. This is such a cute idea and I'm surprised I haven't seen this in other restaurants before. We ordered the Caesar salad, which sounds weird at a Japanese fusion place but it was delicious and had a lot of anchovy notes. The jackfruit nuggets are not to be missed even if you're a meat eater. Perfectly prepared and the sauce of the week was a Whiskey BBQ that was so good I can't imagine it not being a permanent item. The ramen was delicious and even though we were stuffed by then we managed to finish off most of the bowl, it was so good. 10/10 amazing experience!

Kiki pays attention to details. I especially loved the curry salt that was sprinkled on top of their tempura vegetables dish (the dish overall was sooooo yum) and the house-made pickled jalapenos and hot sauce presented when I requested a spicy kick to my ramen. I mean, the place does everything well for those of us who appreciate quality food. Only thing is that everywhere I have traveled from NYC to LA to abroad, Ramen is presented in larger bowls and the homemade broth is always the star. While Kiki will never compare themselves to one of those shops, they may benefit from benchmarking against them from a portion standpoint to offer a better sense of value for Ramen lovers. I found everything else to be priced right. I am rooting for Kiki. This place should be packed on Friday nights. I want to see them win.

My favorite restaurant in Cincinnati! The food is to die for! The drinks are also amazing even as Mock tails! The staff is so inviting and willing to make your experience the best! The dinner menu that rotates every season has some of the best Japanese dishes I've had in Ohio! The brunch bagels are also amazing since the combos of Japanese cuisine with bagels blends perfectly! The atmosphere is so artistic with always a solid ambiance no matter the amount of people.

It's cute, clean restaurant with hipster vibes and pleasant staff. Due to the initially laidback vibes I received, I honestly was not expecting to spend $80 for a party of 2 The service and ambience are great and honestly are the reasons why this review is 3 stars instead of two. Despite all their amazing reviews, the food was disappointing. Yes the ramen was good, but the quality and portion sizes of the food overall is not worth the price. My recommendation would be to cut all the prices in half. We were told the portion sizes would be small and decided to order four appetizers and two entrees. Below is a detailed review on each dish. Tuna Tonnato (2 stars): This dish looked like a hummus plate with vegetables. The tuna tasted like canned tuna salad made into a fine hummus like texture. It served as a dip for the vegetables. It tasted like tuna salad and quite fishy. It was not worth $13 and it was a disappointing dish to start out with. I would not order this again even if the prices was reduced to $6.50. Curry Pan (3 stars): It looked like a big potato croquette filled with potato, onion, carrot and curry seasoning. It was fried well and had a crispy panko exterior. For $4 or $5 (I can't remember the exact price) it was once again a bit over priced. It tasted pretty good except for the sauce underneath which tasted like cheap store bough BBQ sauce. If you order this I recommend asking for the sauce on the side or no sauce since I personally get it did a disservice to the dish. I would order this again if I was in the mood and ask for no sauce. Pork Gyoza (2.5 stars): The dough had a decent texture and I appreciated them crisping the bottoms. However, the filling tasted extremely bland and did not contain enough salt. The dipping sauce was acidic and had a slight tangy quality that I was not a fan off. I would not order these again. There are way better option in the Cincinnati area that are around the same price (5 gyoza for $8). Fried Chicken Karaage (2.5 stars): The chicken was cooked well. It was crispy and tasted fresh. However it was so under seasoned. Both the batter and chicken tasted like their was no salt. It was extremely disappointing. Both the ponzu sauce and Japanese Mayo were okay as well and did little to improve this dish. Once again for the quality and price, I would not order this dish again. Now for the entrées: Shio Ramen (3.5 stars): It was pretty good, but was the smallest portion I've seen for $10. They served it in bowls commonly used to serve sides of rice. The broth tasted pretty good and had a pretty balanced flavor profile. The salt level was also good. The pork belly was tender and not too fatty. The egg was also cooked nicely. The noodles were a bit stuck together, but had a nice texture. I feel there are better ramen places in Cincinnati that give you a larger portion size for around the same price. Unfortunately, I would not go back for the ramen due to the size of their bowls. There's no way I could make a meal out of this and based on my appetizer experience I would not be interested trying anything else on their menu. Pepe Meshi (3 stars): To be honest, this is the first time trying this dish. I just thought it was an odd choice to have spaghetti noodles and rice in the same dish. The chunks of confit chicken tasted good and were seasoned well. The broth was absolutely delicious. But the combination of the carbs with the toppings didn't provide a good texture and taste profile. For the size of this dish, I would say it's worth $10. I wish they would make a ramen with this broth use this bowl size. Unfortunately, I didn't love this dish enough to order it again. Overall I was a bit bummed by my experience here due to the great reviews. I do not plan on coming back due to portion sizes, cost and low quality of ingredients for some dishes.

I was skeptical at first because I wasn't such a big fan of the precursor restaurant in OTR- but this place really hits it out of the park. It's not pretentious. The menu size is just right. The food and beer pairings go great together

HERE YE! HERE YE! When you see the white sign with the waving kitten, wave back! Enter! This is going to be the best decision of your night. Kiki Ramen is unassuming from the outside but the decor once inside is simple, clean, and enjoyable. The staff is friendly and helpful. And the food is incredible! The service was quick and all of our food was hot and delicious. Definitely recommend getting a few different shareables so you can taste it all! I got the kimchi ramen and it may be my favorite ramen in the city! My compadre got the shio ramen and thought the pork belly was tender but not too salty, noodles were cooked perfectly, and that the chili oil added a lot to the broth. Absolutely wonderful! I'll be revisiting soon.

Cozy low key spot! It often feels like all the great restaurants are concentrated in downtown cinci/ otr, this is a great option for those wanting a fun casual vibe without all the fuss of going to the city.

I am a very basic eater. I was a little apprehensive about coming here, but I am so happy I did. The food was amazing! The service was excellent. Karaage was like fried chicken. There is so much flavor. I had the Ramen with the chili oil. So good. We already have plans for a next time.

This food was so good I forgot to take any pictures--that's how I know a dining experience was 10 out of 10! Heck, 100000000 out of 10!! My fiancé and I came HUNGRY and tried almost everything on the menu. The plate sizes are shareable and then we each got the ramen as our main dish. We left plenty full and plenty happy. The flavors are unreal and so delicious! Service was also by far one the best parts about dining here. Friendly greetings upon entry and everyone evoked such warmth. Super special shout-out to our server, Joel, who kept us entertained and well-fed the entire time. We'd probably come back just to chat with him (and get more of the sweet potatoes with miso butter *chef's kiss*). I loved that the owner came around to greet everyone during their dining experience--it was such a nice touch! We have found our new hidden gem and we can't wait to go back!

A little pricey, but very delicious. They had something for all of us. Much appreciated vegan options.

Amazing food and prices. We tried a lot of menu items and shared with our friends. Ramen and kimchi were excellent. We had the gyoza and it was very good. Excellent service friendly and food came out quickly. First time but will be back! Talked to the owner he was so incredibly nice.

Kiki's offers a simple menu that has amazing creative Japanese cuisine and absolutely delivered on flavor. I guess that should not come by surprise since Its owned by the former chef of Kazé restaurant which I adored. My husband an I shared Curry Pan, which was a panko crusted, potato, onion and carrot dumpling. Also ordered Kakiage, a thinly sliced onion and I believe sweet potato that is ever so lightly dredged in a tempura like batter and carefully fried to perfection! I could have eaten several plates of these!! For "main course" if you will, I had the Shio Ramen bowl special of the day and my husband the regular Shio Ramen bowl. My bowl was a bit spicer and I selected the gluten free noodles. Both had Chicken broth, pork belly and a marinaded egg. We absolutely loved every bit! Fantastic! Parking: There is limited parking behind the building and if your not lucky enough to get one there is metered parking as well. So first come first serve!