Kinkaku Izakaya

I’ve been here countless times as a student, and as a huge fan of Japanese food, I can confidently say their hand rolls, sushi, sashimi, and desserts are among the best you can find at an all-you-can-eat place in Canada. The prices are reasonable, and there’s usually a line during dinner hours. Definitely recommend going for dinner — tons of options and almost everything is great.

Wow wow wow! What a hidden gem. This is honestly the best sushi I’ve ever had, no exaggeration. Since discovering this place, I’ve already been back multiple times. It’s honestly hard to believe you can get this level of quality at an AYCE. The food here could easily pass for a proper à la carte restaurant. We’ve tried almost everything on the menu by now. All the seafood dishes are incredible, super fresh, flavourful, and consistently good. We did try the grilled beef once, and while it was tasty, it was a bit chewy. Not really their specialty, so I’d stick to the seafood, which they clearly master. The staff are friendly, polite, and professional. Ordering can feel a little confusing the first time, but don’t hesitate to ask, they’ll walk you through it. Basically, you look through the menu, find what you want on the paper order sheet, and mark it down. One cool thing about this place is the back wall filled with awards and recognitions from over the years, it feels like a little piece of their history. Even the hallway to the washrooms looks like a mini museum, and the restroom doors are decorated to match the restaurant’s theme. You can tell they really care about details. Must-try items? Definitely the shrimp tempura, we always order a ton of them. My suggestion for first-timers is to try a bit of everything on your first visit, because everything is high quality, and it just comes down to personal taste. And whatever you do, don’t skip the fried chocolate dessert. It’s absolutely out of this world.

Stylish and delicious Japanese food. Super attentive personnel. Quick service. Affordable all-you-can-eat. The servings are small, but in this case it's a good thing, as you can try a variety of dishes. A really good refillable tea. Lovely place with authentic vibes.

Everything is cooked fresh and served straight to the table. Unlike most AYCE restaurants, nothing tastes like it’s been sitting under a heat lamp—You can genuinely taste the freshness in every dish!

It was our first time experiencing a Japanese cuisine. Since this restaurant is “all you can eat” we wanted to try everything on the menu. We checked most of the items that we wanted to eat and it was our mistake that we ordered everything in advance. Japanese food looks small and bite sized but it very fulfilling. The portions were pretty decent but I recommend to go slow explore one by one. This way you can get to eat more variety and since you can decide on how many pieces you want to order, you could have more control over the consumption and Less of wasting the food. Note: the restaurant charges on any food not eaten and they also charge you for if you wish to take away the remaining food. Since it was out first time, the restaurant was very kind for not charging the leftover food. I really appreciate that generous gesture. One must experience Japanese cuisine and I would recommend Kinkaku Izakaya for that. I now know how to order and what to order the next time I go there. All The staff were very kind and friendly. To find a parking is a bit difficult since it’s in the heart of the Kitchener downtown. If you are Lucky you would get a street parking closer to the restaurant. Overall we had an amazing time and it is must try place.

Excellent all you can eat restaurant! They have a lot of options to choose from and all of the dishes are tasty. My favourite dishes were the Salamon Tataki, Takoyaki, Kaarage, Korean Spicy Beef and Ebimayo (but everything was good). The staff are very accommodating and patient if you have any questions. The area itself is a bit small so I would recommend booking reservations in advance. For dessert, the Black Sesame Pudding is a must try!

Everything here is absolutely delicious. We often come here to celebrate life milestones or just as a treat to ourselves. We leave with full bellies and just so satisfied. The staff is so friendly and attentive and you always feel welcome. Their take out is also just as delicious.

Kinkaku Izakaya delivers an outstanding dining experience that keeps you wanting to come back. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is warm, modern, and inviting, making it a perfect place for a casual meal or a special night out. The restaurant is clean, well organized, and thoughtfully designed, creating a comfortable and enjoyable setting. The food quality is excellent and very consistent. Every dish is prepared with care, using fresh ingredients and great attention to detail. The menu offers a wide variety of Japanese dishes, from sushi and sashimi to hot plates and grilled items, so there is something for everyone. Presentation is beautiful, and flavors are well balanced, making each dish enjoyable. Service is another strong point at Kinkaku Izakaya. The staff are friendly, attentive, and professional, always checking in and making sure guests are comfortable. Orders are delivered promptly, and everything runs smoothly even during busy hours. Overall, Kinkaku Izakaya stands out for its high-quality food, excellent service, and welcoming atmosphere. It’s a great spot for dining with friends, family, or celebrating special occasions. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys Japanese cuisine and a great dining experience.

My BF is an alum of UWaterloo and said this was his favorite spot while he was there, so it was a must-stop on our trip. And I can see why it was his favorite. Love the vibes, very casual, and the server was really friendly too. She was super enthusiastic when our group requested sake bombs. This was my first time going to an AYCE izakaya, and it made me wish there was one where I live. The highlight was definitely the beef teriyaki - comes out sizzling hot. The chicken teriyaki felt sad in comparison lol. Sushi was pretty good quality as well. Melona bars to top off the night! Would come back here always if I was in the area.

Really good, fast, efficient service. Food quality (freshness and cooking) would be 4/5. If you are hungry in company, a pretty good stop.

Waterloo has some hidden sushi places. I would rate Kinkaku one of the top spots for sushi in Waterloo. Make sure to get there early cause there is usually a wait time, but I lucked out with no wait time. It's an AYCE place but kinda expensive. It's worth it though . We got a variety like Godzilla Roll, Ebimayo, Cruch Dragon Roll, Iazkaya Roll etc. Everything was FRESH. I loved the Spanish style pan fried shrimp with the grilled onions. Had a lot of flavour. Their service was fast and all the tables have a time limit of 90mins. One thing to keep in mind is you cannot waste food here or else they will remind you and charge you wastage fee. Overall great customer service, ambience and quality. Would definitely come back.

We were here twice once for the dine in ayce and the second time was for takeout after indoor dining was restricted. For ayce, they had a great selection of sushi on the menu with my favorite being the cappachios and sashimi. Everything we got was fresh and delicious. The drinks menu and desserts were amazing as well (highly recommend the creme brule and mojitos) . Our take-out experience was decent but the sushi was less quality than dining in even though it was pay per piece instead of ayce. The nigiris was a bit thiner with a lot more rice. There was also one roll that smelled a bit fishy as well. It was a good deal though and our family still enjoyed it. But I would go in person if I had the choice.

Food is excellent, price is too high. Depending on the time of, service can be slow. Ambience is nothing special

Visiting from another country -- loved the fact it is all you can eat. Assortment of kitchen made items and sushi. Some of my faves were the karage, big hand roll, beef ribs, pan fried udon and creme brulee was delicious!

Honestly, this was my go-to place for sushi during my undergrad days and when my sister asked me where we should have her birthday lunch, I did not hesitate to recommend this restaurant. It's been four years since I've last been to this restaurant and they are still serving up the same delicious sushi that I loved in the past. Unfortunately COVID is still a thing, and they were restricting the amount of people able to dine-in. The wait time without a reservation on a weekend afternoon lunch was around 45 minutes. They called you when they were ready with your table. AYCE lunch does not include sashimi and a couple of other dishes, but it is cheaper. So if you are craving sashimi, definitely go for dinner. Otherwise, lunch is definitely still worth it. My favourite would have to be their sushi. I know some places put way too much rice with their sushi and not enough fish, but not here. I love how the ratio of fish and rice is pretty balanced. Also, they have a variety of rolls to choose from and I recommend you try a couple. Our server was pretty nice and the restaurant gave us creme brulee as cake when we said it was my sister's birthday. I thought it was nice of the server to ask first if we wanted them to sing Happy Birthday to them publicly. Also, the food came out relatively quickly. Overall, their service was pretty good. The only con is that there's one bathroom per gender. And for some reason that day I went, the female bathroom was locked.

I was visiting my friend in Waterloo and for dinner, he suggested this place as it is his favourite sushi restaurant. I read the dinner menu online, and the variety of food available looked good! There is no reservation, so we went there an hour early. Even then, the place was packed! My friend gave his phone number to one of the employees at the entrance, so that he gets a call when there's a table available. An hour later, he got the call, so we were thrilled! The place had a lively and fun vibe~ Our waitress was friendly and attentive. She let us know that there's a time limit for dining, as well as how to order food (you write the quantity of item on a piece of paper). We passed it off to her and the food came a few minutes later. During our meal, she came by to check-in on us- filled our water, asked if we needed more paper (to order food) or needed anything else. Everything was fresh- from deep-fried shrimps to sushi rolls, there wasn't anything that I didn't like! My favourite part was the dessert- I wanted to try all the desserts! Unfortunately, I didn't have much room in my belly, so I chose crème brûlée and black sesame pudding. They were small sizes, which was perfect! Highly recommended! You'll leave this place with a smile on your face and a happy belly~ :)

I loveeeee the food here, the ratio of salmon (or whatever else you get) to rice on the nigiri is amazing I always come during the lunch time on weekdays since the price is more affordable then so I think it's super worth it. I didn't try any of the "fancier" rolls but if you're looking for the sushi basics for a good price, I think everything here tastes great and there's a good assortment of options too (even if you do choose the more limited lunch option)~ I enjoy the look of the restaurant and it was never super loud when to went so it was still easy to talk with your friends! There is a maximum seating time of 90 minutes and the staff will let you know when they'll take the last order from you.

I'm I would say it was quite disappointing to be honest yeah just very lackluster. I've been a sushi chef before and sashimi chef yeah anyways so I live in California, Mexico and all over and just came back from stuff. I know fresh fishes and this is not even close to it so, really good there when they have the sun special

This place is the best All You Can Eat (AYCE) sushi in Kitchener/Waterloo. There are obviously better "à la carte" sushi, but for the an AYCE restaurant, the quality and food is consistently delicious. In fact, many of my friends who live in Toronto would come back to Waterloo just for Kinkaku, and even people in Markham say that Kinkaku is the best AYCE they've tasted. It's one thing that you think about whenever you come to Waterloo - to eat Kinkaku (or KKK). Kinkaku (KKK)'s success lies in both its sushi and dishes. It not only has amazing sushi rolls, sashimi/carpaccio, handrolls, but also delicious dishes such as Takoyaki (must eat), butter corn, beef teriyaki, steamed egg (I recommend), ebimayo (everyone's favourite), and the jumbo Big Handroll that makes everyone conflicted (since it makes you full when you eat it, but it's so good that you keep on ordering it). The Salmon Sashimi is quite fresh and juicy. The specialty of KKK is its "Carpaccio". I highly recommend the beef carpaccio, which might look a bit scary, and salmon carpaccio. Their Black Dragon Roll is the best in my opinion. Finally, you must try their dessert - Crème Brûlée, topped with red bean ice cream, it's a perfect finish. Kinkaku is a satisfying feast that is perfect for any celebratory occasion, I recommend going with a group of friends since the price is actually quite expensive. Remember to pay in cash for 10% off. Also, they charge you tips if you have 6 people or above (so make sure you don't pay extra). Whether you just finished a midterm/final exam, grades came out and you passed, had a hard day at work, celebrating a friend's birthday...etc, Kinkaku is Waterloo/Laurier students' and many KW residents' favourite AYCE to stuff ourselves until we pass out. Now, just like any place, there are some things that can be improved. 1. There are a lot of people. Should make reservations if you have 6 people or above. They should honestly expand given the amount of customers. If you come here without reservations, at peak hours, expect 2-3 hours wait. Once my friend came at 6 and was seated at 830 (for 2 people!), you can see how crazy the line is. 2. They rush you. Remember, there's a time limit and they are really strict about it. Some people even think this is bad service. So don't waste time in ordering (go ham) and feast away. This is why I don't recommend date nights, I'd only come here for group feasts. 3. Decline in food quality over time: I've been to KKK for 5 years now, over the years, due to their dominant position as 1st ayce in KW region, they lowered in quality of food (slightly). For example, skewers meat are just normal quality now (it used to be high class steak meat and they were huge), creme brulet are also way smaller wrapped in aluminum, while it used to come in twice the portion with nice porcelain bowl. Overall, 5/5, not just in KW region, but also GTA.

When it comes to AYCE sushi in the KW area, there is not many options. First thing to note is that this place is extremely busy no matter what day. I've came here before on many different occasions and it's just as busy on Wednesday evening and Saturday nights. So if you're going with a group it would be best to make a reservation. It would be cool if they had ipads you can order from like other AYCE places but it's not a deal breaker. The only problem is that sometimes it slows down service. There were periods where we were waiting for our server but if you order a lot of food at once it's okay. Onto the food quality. My friends usually get the cheese wontons to start, along with some tempura, gyoza and takoyaki. I really like the dumplings and wontons but there's nothing too special about them. They're just deep fried so honestly anything deep fried tastes good. The mains are really good. I'm actually not a big sushi fan to start off so I really enjoy the cooked dishes like the beef teriyaki and salmon teriyaki. The sauce is not too sweet and very savoury. Honestly, I could eat at least 10 in one sitting LOL. The beef is usually cooked medium rare and very tender. The salmon is also very good - other places I've been to have salmon that is really chewy which is terrible. The raw foods are my friends favourite. They really enjoyed the salmon/tuna sashimi and carpaccio but make sure to order all the other options as well. The dessert menu is small but there is a lot of variety. The ice cream is delicious and very creamy. The deep fried mars bars are very good and the creme brulee is to die for. So make sure you have a little room. Lastly, we did make the mistake of ordering too much food and only we are to blame. The 1hour and 30 minute wait time honestly makes you feel so rushed because it really isn't that long. We ended up ordering a little too much sushi and took us a bit long to finish it so we didn't get much time for dessert. So don't forget to pace yourself because you'll get full quick! TLDR: Good quality sushi AYCE.

I hadn't had sushi in quite a while, so I was excited to try the best sushi in Waterloo. We had a reservation for 13 around 8:30pm. Unfortunately, this meant that we were split between two booths as the restaurant isn't too big. Almost every other AYCE sushi place I've visited has an iPad ordering system in place, so I found it much less efficient telling the waiter every time we wanted to order more. Service was also quite slow, and we often had to remind the waiter to check on our food. A few dishes stood out to me - the carpaccio, pork cheeks, hand rolls, and crème brûlée. The menu is quite unique, and I would recommend trying as many dishes as possible. Service was mediocre. We were informed around 9:45 that the kitchen was closing, and if we wanted to order any more food, we would have to place the orders then and there. I felt quite rushed to make a decision. The waiter also threatened to charge us for two pieces of sushi we had on left on the table. After we finished our dessert, we all sat talking for a while, but were instructed to pay as the restaurant was closing. For $42, I don't think I would return to this restaurant. There are similar-quality joints for much cheaper prices.

According to Google, Kinkaku means "Faithful Service" in the Japanese language. I don't know how accurate that actually is... but it is definitely reflected in the overall experience and service received at this AYCE Sushi restaurant. Originally from Toronto, but I occasionally come up to Waterloo to visit! When I do... kinkaku is always an option. It is by far one of the best sushi places I've ever had. This is why: Service (5/5): Fast and efficient service. Waiters and waitress' are all friendly and always happy to make suggestions. Oh and they always greet you when you come in! Not only that but, they check up on you very frequently even when it's busy. **Have you ever ordered so much at AYCE you don't remember the name of the food item when it's brought to your table? WELL, many AYCE places I go to don't usually state the name of the dish brought to your table... but this place does!!! It fulfills the experience, so you know what you're eating, especially if you're trying new dishes. Food (5/5): Q U A L I T Y. It's important to get your money's worth, yes of course, but you also want to ensure what you eat is the best you can get - given that you're paying almost $30-$40. The sashimi tastes very fresh every time. The red meats are cooked to perfection (if you like medium rare). Flavourful dishes!!! Everyone who lives in Waterloo knows this is the best AYCE sushi place. Everyone leaves with a smile. Everyone always comes back!! Given that this place is constantly busy, reservations are limited. If you plan to come for dinner, 6pm is ideal (right before the rush and wait if almost an 1hr).

I can see why this place is popular. Came here during the holiday season for a friend's birthday. Ordered a lot of Sashimi and cooked foods. Although I'm not a fan of not being able to select what I ordered and see it (you select but the waiter writes it down for you and goes to get it) almost all the food was delicious! The cooked food had a few things that I didn't particularly enjoy like the cooked Taco with a Sweet Chili heat sauce to it... It was odd. I wasn't a fan of the Yuzu sauce and Garlic Sashimi (it looks like Sashimi drowning in sauce) because it wasn't for my taste pallet. Otherwise, the Sashimi was super fresh, the Cooked beef was amazing and Takoyaki was great too! Try it out and see if you like it for yourself! The waiters are super friendly but there's usually a wait time because of the popularity of the place.

Damn, ok, not gunna lie, this place is really good! But a few factors need to be accounted for. The place is pretty small, and gets busy hella fast, so be sure to make a reservation if you have a group of 6 or more. If not, there's usually a wait of at least 30-45 minutes, with a max 90 min seating time. Last I went was on a Saturday night, so we paid the dinner rate of $30/person, plus the 15% tip since we had a large group of 9 people. With tax, the total came to $40! Although, the food was pretty worth it! I'm not a huge seafood fan so the Yam tempura rolls or mango cheese rolls are definitely my fave! All the food comes really fast, so makes it possible to get in and out in 90 mins. Dessert wise, the creme brule is great!! They have them prepared so it comes out in minutes! Overall, great food and great staff, highly recommend! P.S there's underground parking across the street at city hall. It's free for the first two hours on weekends which is great!

Maybeeee the best sushi I ever had and I've had lots all over the world. Never disappoints whether your doing delivery, pick up or all you can eat. They have large chunks of raw fish in all they're rolls even all you can eat(which is unheard of) good quality the avocado is never in bad shape. Also nice atmosphere! And nice drink menu(which is hard to find at a sushi restaurant imo). Thankfully kw has this place or I would be missing out by going to other sushi restaurants nearby.

Wow! Ever since I moved to Kitchener, my coworkers have been talking about this place. I didn't believe them when they were talking about how good it was. I finally got to try it in March for a friend's birthday. Their menu is decent (about a page long), but I've been to other sushi restaurants with a lot more choices. Their carpaccio was what took me over... it was soooooo delicious! Words cannot explain, the acidic sauce, thinly sliced sashimi and bits of deep fired garlic on top... it just melts in my mouth. I love it! Nothing to complain about the other items that I also ordered. We also ordered the strawberry cheese cream maki just for fun... it was interesting (but probably won't try it again)! Definitely a place to try if you are ever around the area. I did not get to take many pictures, was too busy eating! Value wise ~ Totally worth!

Never disappointed whenever I visit this place for sushi --- minus the long wait times. That can cause you and your group to get hangry but I promise you it'll be all worth it after!! The best and freshest sushi in the KW area. It's not just the university students that love it, I've seen business people around as well. As mentioned, prepare for long wait times, minimum 30 minutes wouldn't be surprising. The prices are slightly more expensive than the other AYCE places in this area but well worth the quality. It's a small restaurant that gives an intimate vibe. There are group booths in the back but don't count on getting seated there if you're just walking in for food. Service is quick once you actually get seated. Sashimi is thickly cut and melts in your mouth. Would highly recommend the mango salmon rolls, they are rly refreshing and delicious.

AYCE sushi has to be one of my favorite meals especially with a group of friends. We went on a weekend and were pleasantly surprised because everyone said the wait is usually 1-2 hours, but we got seated within 30 minutes. Food: Lunch menu wasn't as big as their dinner menu, but it was still delicious and well worth the long wait. Their menu was very diverse and I thought it was interesting that you were able to say "I would like x amount of pieces" because most AYCE sushi restaurant has a set number of items that they give! Service: Absolutely impeccable, the service was extremely fast and our server was awesome! After we sat down and ordered everything started coming out less than 10 minutes. Overall: I love Kinkaku Izakaya despite going only for their lunch special, I would love to return and try their dinner menu. The price is really good for the quantity and quality of their dishes. **Also one of our friends didn't eat and only wanted a drink and Kinkaku Izakaya had a awesome staff and they let her sit without paying for the lunch (She didn't want to eat). Most places would've made her pay regardless of eating or not so they were really awesome :) **

Best sushi around town! The service is a little different there, for all you can eat, you check off what you want on a piece of paper and sometimes they forget things but overall everything is amazing!!! Black Dragon Roll, Big Hand Roll, Deep Fried Cheese Wontons are a must try! Along with their sake bombs, just try not to break a glass lol.

Best buffet in town. I ate and ate and ate until my belly almost exploded. Everything was so good, if you go for the dinner menu, my fav was the butter corn and beef ribs! If you go for the lunch menu, they dont have sashimi and a lot of the tasty appetizers. However, remember to try their beef roll with enoki mushroom, SO GOOD, SOOOOO GOOD. I personally really like to mix&match the food. There are two combinations are must-try: (1)order a spicy tempura hand roll, then order their korean pan fried squid. Add the squid on the roll. you won't regret. (2)order the yam tempura, then order a coconut icecream, make a icecream sandwich out of it. EXTREMELY TASTY. Cons: Their calamari has TOO MUCH COATING. The karaage is very dry. The time limit is a little annoying but it's understandable considering the long line!

Service was fantastic, food very good, very busy place it is loud out there (not being negative at all). Fresh fresh and did I say fresh? In the middle of downtown Kitchener I can't wait to go back , AYCE sushi ranging from soup to beef teriyaki. By the way if you don't try the crème brûlée I will have to take your drivers license away from you and send you to Pearson airport on $600 flight to Ottawa with Air Canada with 6 suitcases that you will never see back in your possession again! We went to pay and the staff apologized for the service( which was a little slow but nothing to make our experience bad at all) as they were short staffed, they were literally running in the dining room ! Hats off we will be back

Food: Best sushi in KW (all you can eat). Everything is fresh and delicious. Service: Very welcoming and kind staff. Cost: On the Higher end but worth it. Atmosphere: Its very tight as its a small venue. Overall: Highly highly recommend, but make a reservation if you're going for Dinner.

Although I still like the food, I have to say I am disappointed in the last few times I've been here. I have felt extremely rushed each time, and especially during peak hours, the quality is not as good. Last Friday, my boyfriend and I were handed the check after 35 minutes of dinner (sitting time is 1hr45mins). We told them we were not done and continued to order, but they continued to ask us if we were finished. I enjoy taking my time with food, and having dessert interspersed throughout the meal. The waitresses continued to ask us when we would finish, so we finally left at the one hour 10min mark (which isn't very long anyway!). We had not finished our dessert and were told to take them with us (they really wanted us to free up a table, though only one couple was waiting and the table next to us was clear). At the cash register, they then had the audacity to tell us that next time, we would be charged for taking the dessert. The food quality was also lower. The eggplant was extremely overcooked, and the cabbage salad was swimming in sauce and had been sitting for a while and gotten soft. For the price, I expect better. Although the service is attentive and quick, I do feel very rushed. Unfortunately, Kitchener Waterloo does not have a better sushi ayce restaurant. But where I used to come every weekend, I will no longer simply because the experience is not pleasant. There are too many good sushi restaurants in Toronto with better food and lower prices for me to come here unless I cannot get away and am desperate. I love Japanese food and sushi, and truly wish there was a better alternative in this area. Kinkaku has great business in KW, but that is due to lack in competition. In Toronto or Vancouver, unless they get more seating tables, they would not be nearly as busy. I usually overlook poor service but considering this has occurred a number of times now, thought I should post for others to see.

Oh, Kinkaku, Kinkaku... my go-to place for all-you-can-eat Japanese food in the KW area. Consistently satisfying meals for an awesome price (at lunch, at least). I've been here 10+ times and keep coming back for more. There are long wait times for walk-ins on weekends, but making a reservation beforehand secures you a spot. 6+ people are required for reservations. The only thing keeping Kinkaku from 5 stars is that the servers often forget multiple dishes from your orders... I don't think I've ever had all of my food brought to me in all of the times I've been here. Thankfully, it is AYCE, so ordering extra tends to sort this out

Went to Toronto for a short vacation and yelp suggested me to try. After reading some great reviews about Kinkaku Izakaya, I decided to give it a try. The owner must of read my mind, there were lots of dishes that I loved and a few specially rolls that I wanted to try. All the fish tasted fresh and delicious. Absolutely love the grilled pork cheeks with the sauce. The Izakaya Roll was great as well. If your in the area, I highly recommend this restaurant. Staff was great, welcoming and provided great service.

Great service and I really enjoyed the sushi here! Some good rolls and very good quality sushi for an All you can eat place!

After countless recommendations from friends to visit this place for AYCE sushi, I finally did it! Came early at around 5 pm on a Sunday evening so there was no wait for a table. As there was a 1.5 hour seating limit and we were starving, our server was ready for us to order right off the bat. The sashimi selection was small, with only salmon, tuna, red snapper, and surf clam to choose from. However, it tasted fresh and higher quality than your typical AYCE. We also tried the grilled meats such as pork cheek and beef which were tender and juicy. My favourite thing about this place though is the variety of desserts. From puddings to deep fried mars bars, there's lots of sweets to try. I loved the creme brulee, and the matcha red bean pudding which was not overly sweet. The only item I'd skip ordering next time I'm here is the karaage, since I found the breading too thick and the chicken was dry even when dipped with mayo. Plus, it filled up valuable tummy space! Gotta save that room for more sashimi or dessert. Overall, the food was delicious here and service was great. I gotta recommend coming to this place if you're looking for sushi in the Loo. It'll definitely be a satisfying meal on any occasion!

Will always be my fav sushi spot. I live in Guelph and would travel all the way here because it's the best. I have yet to find a place as good as this place. They recently raised their price. Dinner is $30.99 and lunch is $20.99. Add $2 on weekends and holidays. A little pricey but worth it. They have raw beef carpaccio and it's amazing. Their food is always served hot and fresh, especially their sashimi. They also have stuff on their menu I don't usually find at other ayce sushi places. (Examples: takoyaki, nankotsu, kaarage) They are always super busy so I always make sure I'm there exactly when their lunch starts and exactly when dinner starts. If you're not there on time you would usually have to wait an hour. They also have a time limit and are pretty strict about it. Lunch is 1.5 hours and an hour and 45 mins for dinner. Give this place a shot. You won't regret it.

The best all you can eat sushi restaurant in KW for sure! There is always a line so for a weekday lunch you are probably looking at 30-60 minutes wait. The food quality is far higher than any other AYCE sushi and the price is about the same. For example, the nigiri at other restaurants comes with a lot of rice and a tiny slice of fish however, at kinkaku it's the opposite. The takoyaki is also very good and always served hot. Highly recommend!

Best sushi in town. My friends from Toronto say it's better than Toronto sushi too. It's always busy so sometimes takeout is easier than in-person.

Real talk, best ayce sushi in Waterloo/Kitchener area. Can definitely compete with the ayce in the Toronto area as one of the top competitors. The sashimi here is fresh, takoyaki made similar to the ones in japan, carpaccio well seasoned and many more. My girlfriend's favourite is the salmon carparccio and shrimp tempura. She describes them as "the salmon itself is very fresh and the shrimp tempura is very crispy and fried with the fresh oil. :) " My favourite is the beef teriyaki that comes sizzling on a metal plate. The cut of beef is good quality for an ayce, and it comes not overcooked, rare, with caramelized onions and a gentle sauce. Tip: The line up to get a table could be extended over 1hr waits when past the hours of 6, which is the prime time. If you want to be seated asap, come in as soon as the doors open for dinner (4pm). Awesome place, enjoy your meal!

I went and got the lunch menu which was ＄17 for weekends if you pay with cash. The menu was kinda small compared to other places and the food was hit and miss. I was expecting higher quality and flavour due to the price and the hype. The good stuff are pretty good but there were many average stuff too. Good: Taro ships, the tiger shrimp, mango sushi rolls, takoyaki Btw don't get any sushi roll with avocado in it...they really put too much and that's literally all you taste from the rolls The service was kinda slow, had to call on people many times to get our orders. They make the food pretty quickly though.

I think I can safely say this is everyone's favourite all you can eat sushi place in the KW region. DECOR: 5/5 Very izakaya-like. When I first came here, the decor was reminiscent to Kinka izayaka/Kinton Ramen. There have been a lot more restaurants opening with that style nowadays so although it may not seem too unique anymore, it has been this way for a while. Despite being izakaya style, they are quite generous of number of seats in the restaurant, even having larger group tables instead of the more economical open/large table seating you see at.. Momofuku for example. FOOD: 5/5 Okay yeah it's pricey. It's about the same price as Kaka Sushi in Toronto but you are definitely getting quality for that price. There are very few places that you will get quality food while still being an AYCE and this is one of them (and probably the only one in KW at all). They have a menu specifically for first timers that detail the recommended dishes to try. Their beef teriyaki is delicious though and always a fan favourite. Sushi wise, Big Handroll is a must try. SERVICE: 5/5 I'm not often one to over-praise good service but THE SERVICE WAS GREAT. It was almost freaky because it felt like every time I turned around (even to just look at the door) there would be a server walking towards me asking if I wanted anything. I'm so impressed because A) it's peak dinner hours, during a long weekend, and the restaurant is at a full house; and B) All you can eat places NEVER have good service. Honestly the only negative about this place is that you can't make reservations for groups of less than 6.

INSTANT DROP FROM 5 TO 2 STARS. This used to be one my favourite AYCE sushi bars up until last night when I witnessed a horrific stench that I don't think I could ever forget. The food quality and taste was always fresh and flavourful - hence why I was never stingy on the price but OH MAN I don't know if I'll ever step foot in there again. I got salmon carpaccio first as it's our usual favourite and it tasted fine. Until we got the salmon sushi/sashimi. As a salmon lover, I was about to engulf myself in all the salmon they had to offer but HOLY. WHAT WAS THAT SMELL. No lie, I almost puked in my mouth when I sniffed the salmon. To make sure I wasn't imaging things, I had my friends smell the salmon as well as sure enough, they also believed it had a foul stench. We told the waitress that the salmon smelled funny and she took it God knows where, and never came back. Later on some other lady came by our table and ATTEMPTED to address the issue by suggesting that the chef had put the salmon alongside the white tuna (wtf to that too LOL) hence why the salmon might've tasted odd. But UHM EXCUSE ME. We were complaining about the SMELL, not the taste of it. What kind of smell you ask? It was sour. Like the smell of an old dishcloth that needed to be replaced. Tl;dr: I ate raw salmon that smelled sour and felt sick the entire night. :)

Sooooooooooooooooooooo goooooooooooood!!!!!!!! Kinkaku was my choice of lunch venue after a long morning out trekking around Elora Gorge, and my friend and I came hungry for the $16.99 AYCE. I remember biting into the spicy salmon maki and the rest is just a happy blur...the rice was light, aromatic, fragrant and the salmon was fresh and not in the least bit "fishy" or smelly as other salmon offerings at sushi places can be. Pure joy. I also tried the hand roll which was great - light and very tasty! The yam tempura roll was also absolutely superb - crisp and flaky just as the outside should be, but still soft and tender within. There were rainbows in my eyes as I worked my way through roll after roll. I finished with the red bean and mango ice creams, which were nice (I much preferred the former though as the mango was a bit too intense for me but I just LOVE the sweet and subtle taste of red bean). Why not five stars? I ordered a spicy tuna roll that I think might have been something else - yellowtail, perhaps? It was white instead of the usual purplish colour and I didn't think it was the best. The rolls were also pretty big which made it a little hard to work through them (but at the end of the day, can I really complain about a generous portion?) The service was fast, but at the same time a little uncoordinated - within two minutes of our first order from one waiter, another came by asking if we were ready to order (presumably thinking we hadn't ordered anything yet). There was also a bit of a long wait for the first set of rolls (another two patrons right next to us came in later but got their first orders much sooner). Considering it's the priciest AYCE lunch I've had (without any iPads etc.) and the restaurant wasn't too packed, I'd hope for seamless service. I would really like to come back to try some of the more inventive dishes I've heard others Yelp about (Carpaccio? Fascinating..) that I believe are only offered for dinner. Next time :)

We came here on a Saturday night with no reservations. Waited 10min for a table for 4, which wasn't too bad. Their decor is beautiful and the restaurant has a great cozy & dark atmosphere. Like others have said they recently became AYCE. You can also order from the menu if you do not want AYCE, which is what we were planning to do since dinner was so expensive for the time we came. We ended up choosing ayce though, due to the variety of dishes that don't normally appear at ayce like takoyaki, ebimayo, and carpaccio. First of all, the service was great. Our waitress came by to refill water fairly often and knew specifics of every dish. She also spoke great English and was very polite, which sadly, is hard to come by at many ayce places in KW. The food also came very quickly, and we always received every dish - another problem with some ayce places that ask the customer to write what dishes they want. Even at Itamae with the iPad ordering system they tend to forget dishes. As for the food - everything was well prepared and delicious. We mainly had sashimi, appetizers, and specialty dishes. I highly recommend the white tuna carpaccio, kaki frai, okonomiyaki, fried squid, and takoyaki if you want to try dishes not normally served at your typical Chinese-owned Japanese restaurant. We had a couple of rolls, too, nothing too different from Sushi 99, and not as amazing as Watami, although still very good. The sashimi was also great. The nice thing about this place is that they allow you to order by number of pieces instead of bulk, which will allow you to enjoy the variety. They do have quite a variety of cocktails and sake, although we passed since we wanted the stomach to eat for ayce. Finally, dessert. It wasn't just ice cream (the typical ayce dessert), or some gross fried banana and other desserts they buy frozen. It was creme brulee, green tea pudding, and parfait. Now the parfait was just your choice of ice cream and some corn flakes, nothing special. The creme brulee on the other hand was delicious. And the green tea pudding is definitely something to try - it has red bean filling at the bottom - a delicious mix. Overall an amazing time here. I would definitely come back for lunch ayce, but not sure if I'd come for dinner again, although you do miss out on a lot of great dishes if you only come for lunch. Quick update 06/2015: I still come here consistently with large groups of friends - they are impeccable at handling big groups. Top notch service. Sometimes they have random special ice cream flavours like cookies and cream and coconut for dessert. They do enforce the 90 min seating limit for lunch and ~115min for dinner due to the high demand so make sure you get to your reservation on time. Oh, and I HIGHLY recommend making a reservation if you have a group that is larger than 4 people. Kinkaku is very popular every day of the week and waiting 15-30 min for a table w/o reservations is common now.

Kinkaku must have been the only restaurant in a few blocks that had a wait on a Wednesday night. And I see why! The sushi was pretty good, and the all-you-can-eat special was definitely worth the price. I ate so much, and still didn't hit the seat time limit. They close a little early for me. So the first night I came at 7:40, they told me that the wait was so long that I probably wouldn't be able to get a seat. So the next night I showed up around 6 and got in okay. I recommend the black dragon roll. I ate 2!

Probably the only AYCE that's worth it in Kitchener-Waterloo area. I've been here on multiple occasions and in comparison to other AYCE places I've been to- the quality here is the best. A lot of people will say it's pricy, but the quality is what makes it worth it, so it seems logical that they mark it at a higher price. To try everything that they offer in one go, you should come during the weekend for dinner (but is also the most busiest time). White tuna and Sashimi are really good, and pretty much the standard. The rolls are bomb, and the beef dishes are amazing. Any of the appetizers are a good choice. But what gets me is the dessert! Creme brulee allll day everyday. These creme brulees are made in small amounts but the quality of them really surprise me, very sweet and the flavour is spot on. If you have time, definitely come check out Kinkaku! you will have a blast eating here. The only issue would be the wait times- the place isn't huge. Coming to kinkaku on a friday/saturday night will probably result to a 1-2 hour wait. I can guarantee it's worth it though.

I come to Waterloo once a year for my client and we always eat here every time. We usually have a group of 4-5, so the wait can be up to 45mins even on a weeknight. Plenty of time for us to get hungry and then eat to our belly's delight. The sushi here is great quality and they have plenty of non-sushi types of food. Honestly one of the best AYCE Japanese places I've been to and I'm from Toronto!

I heard this was one of the best AYCE sushi places and I finally got to try it out today. I must say I'm disappointed because there wasn't much choice especially for the sashimi, there were only four choices. They had a lot of options for things that fill you up fast like the rolls and hand rolls which is not what you want at an AYCE place. Another thing is they don't take down your phone number if you're going to wait because there's "too many people ahead of you" which I don't really understand. Overall it was decent but I don't think I'd be coming back again.

Its about time I appreciated Kinkaku for what it really is - the benchmark of AYCE sushi, the best sushi in the city of Waterloo, and something I dearly miss while away from Canada. After experiencing more sushi places, I can't believe I didn't take more advantage of Kinkaaku when I had it. I used to thinK the price of 27/ person was expensive, but after seeing the world, I realized that this price is VERY REASONABLE, especially since it's orders of magnitude better than other AYCE. Kinkaku's salmon quality is unbelievable, especially for AYCE. You will not find a fresher cut of salmon anywhere in Waterloo. Even more amazing, is the salmon CARPACCIO - absolutely incredible. This extends to other sashimi and carpaccio as well, such as the white tuna and beef. You need to try the carpaccio. But perhaps the biggest appeal of Kinkaku is its incredible selection of appetizer dishes. You NEED to order the: ebimayo (fried tiger shrimp), ikayaki (grilled squid), mushroom butter yaki, strip loin steak, and pretty much EVERYTHING ELSE. A dark house dish is the grilled eggplant - surprisingly good! These are some incredibly high quality dishes, and all taste amazing. I would say 50%+ of your stomach space should be on these. The sushi rolls are great, but don't stand out. That's okay though: sushi rolls can't go wrong, and shouldn't be the highlight. Order one or two, but save your stomach on the appetizers and sashimi/carpaccio. The deserts are also incredibly good: the creme brulee, green tea pudding and deep fried Mars bar are all incredible. Do not pass up the opportunity to eat here. There is no better alternative. I know the lines are long (try to reserve or get here early), but it's definitely worth it. I cannot wait to return to Waterloo, to experience this some more.

We see them rollin', we eatin Those hand rolls, they tryna catch me stuffing (my face) If you've been keeping up with my reviews, you'll notice that I recently moved to Waterloo and I'm on a quest for the best (food). And surely enough, Kinkaku didn't disappoint! Came here for all you can eat, left with more than a full stomach, and a very very satisfied appetite Moving on to the good stuff (food), we got the all you can eat menu for dinner which was 27.99+tax, a little on the pricey side but well worth for the amount of options and quantity that they provide along with the quality of the items We ordered Miso soup, carpacios, ebimayo, ikaya (squid), salmon teriyaki, black dragon, rainbow and a big hand roll along with tempuras and a ton of sashimi I was a little hesitant on the carpacio and the hand roll but it did not disappoint! Extremely savoury food, which is rare for an AYCE place and the sashimi chunks were filling too! Topped off the meal with creme brulee and a perfect way to finish a splendid meal! Definitely coming here again, and if you're on the lookout for a sushi place or a nice date spot, you can be sure as hell, you've got that second date in the bag!

As most students in the region say, if you want amazing sushi, you've gotta go to Kinkaku. They have a very diverse menu of appetizers, entrées, and sushi; you might even find yourself ordering less sushi here just cause everything in the menu is of high quality. I highly recommend the carpaccio! With that being said, it is rather pricey. Also since it's super busy, you can only reserve a table if you have 6 or more people. This means that if you're going Friday night or on the weekend, you might be waiting up to an hour for a table. Additionally, you have a 2 hour time limit the moment you're seated. If you've got some cash lying around and have the patience of a saint, Kinkaku is a good time.

Kinkaku Izakaya is a All-You-Can-Eat Japanese buffet restaurant. Compared with lots of Japanese buffets in Toronto and K-W, this restaurant offers high-quality dishes. The taste and performance of the dishes are much more beyond most of buffets. I believe it the best Japanese cuisine in K-W. The price is also the regular standard among most of All-You-Can-Eat stores in Ontario. Highly recommend!

We, two of us, went there on a Saturday for lunch. Was told "all you can eat" only, wich is never a good sign. Luckily i asked for the lunch price. $33 per person, plus 15% "covid" surcharge. Add a beer each, tax and tip, its a minimum $120 for lunch. Total ripoff.... promptly left and went to KEN SUSHI WATERLOO.. Ken Sushi was $40 all in with drinks..... Go see Ken, run away from Kinkaku Izakaya!!!!!!!!

BEST SUSHI PLACE IN KW! I've been here several times and the service is always so quick, however can take an hour or 2 for wait times on the weekends for dinner service. But plenty of bars downtown Kitchener to grab a drink at while waiting. They switch up their menu specials at night with lots more options and rolls to choose from. I love their beef teriyaki that comes out on a sizzling skillet. All of the sashimi is so fresh and their salmon rose is literally perfection! Make sure to try their octopus balls as well, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise :)

I think this place has got to be one of the more decent sushi places in Waterloo/Kitchener. One of my favorite appetizers was the chicken cartilage with a side of their Japanese mayo of course. The sashimi and rolls are decent quality for an all you can eat restaurant. What I didn't appreciate was their very strict rules on making sure every single bite is eaten.. it's been about three times now that I've been there and that I feel like the waiters are watching me until I finish my meal. A little space and freedom please, thank you!