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Kinjo Sushi
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
7101 MacLeod Trl SWCalgary, AB T2H 0L8
(403) 255-8998
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Kinjo Sushi
Review Highlights
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"Also: Free Pocky for everyone after every meal." In 12 reviews -
"Peter the owner is very jovial." In 11 reviews -
"...bar so you can just grab whatever you want, and the prices..." In 3 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Justin F.
Calgary, AB
3/12/2012 5 Check-ins Here
5 stars....I didn't want to me the kind of person who either gives 1 star or 5 stars. I wanted the first time I gave my 5 stars to someone to be special. Now my dreams have come true.
As soon as I walked through the door, I was greater by almost every staff member in the place at the same time. I know this is a gimmick they use here where the person at the door calls out something and everyone within earshot just yells out a generic hello, but it really make me smile.
We were sat quickly and brought out a plate with 4 rolls for us to try. I was excited. I walked in starving, and without having to say anything there was a plate of food in front of me.
The staff were incredibly friendly, almost tripping over each other trying to make sure we had what we needed. Then it Happened....
It was someones birthday. What an event that was. They must have sang 5 songs to this poor man. What was surprising was that all the staff involved seemed really excited to be celebrating this persons birthday. They even engaged the restaurant to join in. It was really fun to watch.
All in all I really enjoyed kinjos. The staff were very friendly, atmosphere was fun, food was fast and not to mention the free box of pocky. I was offered one but the girl I was with was. When I questioned this, the server said its cause "you're sweet enough." Even men like to get compliments :)
The only thing I have to advise is make sure when you arrive, you have your entire party. They will not seat you until your party is complete. Kinda strange and not much of a sitting area while you wait. However not a big enough deal for me to take away a star.
Stay hungry my friends
Justin -
Review from Randy S.
Edmonton, AB
5/25/2012
Let me start off by saying, I've been to Kaiten Sushi places in Tokyo & Kyoto. Yes, I understand that its really not a fair comparison.
Kinjo seems to be a fairly popular place. I've been a few times, mostly for dinner, but once for lunch. The Host(ess) are friendly enough and I've never had to wait in line to get a seat. The best part of Kaiten Sushi is that the minute you sit down, you can be eating as the boats with the plates of sushi just roll on past you.
The waiter/waitresses are less than attentive and even though there seems to be a pile of them at the various stations. The time it takes for them to get you what you want is anything but prompt. I usually ask for low sodium shoyu. Typically I'll wait 5+ minutes. I have also asked for Green tea and water, again... it takes much longer than I think it should based on the number of restaurant patrons to wait staff ratio. They are definitely not short staffed here. Especially considering you serve yourself.
The food rolls past you on the boats. Great if you don't know what you want, as you can select sushi on the fly. My only complaint with Kinjo is that they will only have about 5-6 varieties out at a time. California roll, spicy tuna roll, salmon sushi, tuna sushi, and maybe a tomago. once one of those selections gets depleted then they put something else out. Yes, you can ask for something special. Again, its the wait time that comes into play. The sushi is good, but I wouldn't call it stellar.
The staff are friendly enough and the last time I was there, my friends were offered up a box of Pocky. A nice gesture on Kinjo's part.
Considering that Kinjo in in the middle of the prairies, in a land locked province. I give them full credit for making a go at Kaiten Sushi.
Cons
Offer up more choices on the sushi belt, get the staff to focus on customer service instead of texting their friends, and you'll definitely go up a star.
Pros
Friendly staff, Solid standard and fresh sushi, reasonable prices. I'll go back, but given the choice, I'd rather go to Tokyo and eat there. -
Review from Éva B.
Calgary, AB
3/3/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I don't care what anyone says. I love this place and I love the staff. Listen all the staff stop to take a moment to celebrate a person who they don't even know. I think it's wonderful they take the time to add a flare to the dining experience. It may seem cheesey and tacky to some of you but it better than other places where you have to practically light something on fire to get their attention. That's just me though.
I've been coming to Kinjo for along time now. Every time I come the food is always excellent I love the atmosphere and the staff is friendly and work quickly. I swear I've never seen my order come out as fast as it did tonight. It almost magically appeared before us.
The female dragon, rainbow rolls, some tempura, I love a mix of everything and it was all very good. I took my friends tonight here for dinner we normally do sushi on their side of the city but tonight I wanted to introduce them to Kinjo. Plus I LOVE pocky!
We all had a good time. We totally stayed way.. past close today and they didn't even rush us out. I feel awful though. I know what's like to work and have people not get the hint we were just enjoying ourselves and time ended up slipping past us. (Not the first time this has happened to me at dinner either.) I told the girl she should have kicked us out half an hour ago but she just laughed and I apologized for being a bad customer. They handle anything and everything very well. -
Review from Kate B.
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I stopped in here with a friend for a Friday night sushi date. After a brief wait, we managed to get a seat at the sushi bar, and these seats are tight! You are literally brushing elbows with the rest of Calgary in this place. Which worked out okay for us, the people next to us were friendly enough and I didn't mind them throwing comments into our conversation randomly, it actually made it more interesting.
We chose to dine just off the boats, grabbing whatever caught our eye. Some items seem to go around for ever, whereas others were snared before they even made it to us. It seems that if you could plan your seating strategically, you would be able to sample most everything. Sadly, it doesn't work like that so I hope you like California rolls! ;)
I would say to pass on the nigiri and focus on the rolls. The fish options didn't look that great to me on the boats but I said to hell with it, and tried some anyway. I can't even remember all that I had, but I know I had some tamago, salmon and possibly prawn. I know I did not care for the fish much, I really don't like when there are ribbons of tough things that I have to gnaw on (do fishes have gristle?) - shudder. The guy dinning next to me (the chatty one) had a bone or some cartilage in his, not cool. The rolls were nothing to write home about either, these seem to be fairly easy to come by but are nothing more than very basic/simple rolls. If you want something more than that you would likely have to order off the menu.
I like the idea of this, but somewhere it falls down. Maybe I don't like my fellow diners used plates stacking up next to me (or even my own, for that matter) or being bumped and jostled all the time. I like to think of a sushi night as being...zen. This is more hustle n bustle, amped up energy at every turn and in my opinion this is a once and a while place, not somewhere I could see myself frequenting. I agree with others, the prices aren't that high but I would be willing to pay extra for the quality. Yes, it is a totally fun and unique experience. However, the eats at Kinjo really aren't for me. I would go back for the atmosphere and entertaining aspect of it, but if I want high quality sushi I will look elsewhere.
And, I totally agree - the pocky sticks really are such a nice touch, people love them and rave about that little addition. The staff are great and run a tight ship, yes all the outbursts of song and public humiliation happen. I kind of think that these things are the draw with this restaurant; there seems to be a faithful following among Calgarians and I'm alright with that. -
Review from Joel K.
1/14/2012
I don't know anything about sushi. That's just a fact. So if you're a sushi enthusiast with pictures of spicy tuna rolls adorning the walls of your home or a special pair of "sushi chopsticks" that you polish on the weekends, you might have a bone to pick with me.
I was invited out for sushi a few nights ago. My response was a knee jerk, "Ah, I'm not really a sushi guy, but I'm down to try." See, I was basing that statement on one bad experience I had with sushi where avocado goop squirted all over my mouth and made me want to barf. But let's move on, because Kinjo did none of those things.
We were seated promptly and soon green tea arrived. In the meantime I enjoyed a chorus of Japanese guys singing happy birthday for what felt like roughly 5 minutes in all sorts of different keys. It wasn't annoying though, it was endearing, like I imagine your kid making you breakfast in bed would be if the breakfast was actually only plastic fruits from a toy set. That sort of feeling.
... I don't have kids. So I can't say that from experience. Anyways..
We ordered what can likely be called the "white man's sushi" mix - Volcano Rolls, Yam rolls, Philedelphia rolls (I think?) and some other incredibly non-threatening sushi types. We also got yam tempura and asparagus.
A little while later a nice boy in a red suit came around to ask if we wanted Pocky sticks for dessert. Well, of course we did, except he made the lovely woman I was having sushi with work really hard to get them after she asked if we could have two boxes. See, that's sort of a faux pas, though not totally out of the question. So in response to her boldness, he gave her the bricks and made her -GASP- kiss me on the cheek - before handing over the goods. Well hats off to you, pocky stick boy. Thanks to you I later got compliments on my smooth skin.
Back to the food.
It was delicious, and I'm "not a sushi guy". It wasn't too fishy. The volcano rolls were a major highlight because I'm a big fan of a little spice. The yam tempura was delicious too, and the yam rolls were great.
Service was excellent despite being incredibly busy. It was a fun experience that even someone who "isn't a sushi guy" can really enjoy!
We capped off the night by eating our strawberry and chocolate pocky sticks at the SAME TIME to simulate chocolate raspberries. My, aren't we creative?
Answer: YES. -
Review from Danelle W.
Calgary, AB
2/1/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Kinjo was definitely a fun experience - different than any other I've had at a sushi restaurant in Calgary thus far.
We headed out on a Thursday night, yet it was still pretty busy. However, if you don't request to sit at a table, they can usually seat you at the bar pretty quickly - there was no wait for us.
There's sushi floating around on boats at the bar, which is supercool. You are welcome to take one straight from the boats if you know what you're doing. We weren't sure you were allowed at first (and it wasn't quite explained) so we opted to order from the menu instead.
They bring you a little sampler plate to start, which was great - we got to try a few new things (although I've confirmed that I just don't like salmon *sadface*) and Peter, the owner, came around to give everyone their complimentary box of Pocky. He's quite the character, asking couples to reaffirm their love for each other and having the entire staff break out into song. He was only around for about the first half hour of our meal, though - not sure if he took off for the evening or went to the other (newer) location.
The sushi was excellent, as was the chicken teryaki. The two types of soy sauce was also a neat addition. My least favourite roll was the Kinjo Roll (unfortunately) but all in all I very much enjoyed the meal. The sake was nice and strong, although it's odd that 5 oz was $4,50 and 10oz was $9... would expect a small price break for the bigger amount?
The one thing that really threw the evening off was that they never removed the plates. It wouldn't ordinarily be a big deal but on a surface as small as the bar was, they got in the way very fast, especially if you have someone sitting on either side of you. I get (now) that it has to do with counting how much sushi you've eaten from the menu and the bar, but I can't help but wonder if there's a better way. Either way, I'd definitely request a table next time since I'm not likely to take right off the boats anyhow.
Will definitely be back to Kinjo - a very awesome experience and fun place to go. -
Review from Justin L.
Vancouver, BC
2/25/2012
This place is really a 4 star place, but I just... don't like being disturbed while I'm eating...
I'm sorry, but I would like this place a lot more if it didn't run the risk of Peter Kinjo visiting me everytime with his knife pointed at me. If you go to Kinjo's for your first time it is entertaining at first when he tells you to hold the girls hand (it can be your mom, or your girlfriend) and tell you how much you love them and how beautiful they are... and he also gives you free pocky as a result, but the act got old years ago. He's been using the same lines when this place opened 6-7 years ago?
I still return here for the food though. I'm from Vancouver and so it's not really fair to compare sushi from between the two cities because I think Vancouver wins hands down... but for Calgary it's really good and consistent. My favorite things here are the volcano roll, salmon (sake), the salmon with hollandaise sauce on it, the rack of lamb, and the magic steak (although it's not very large in size). -
Review from Carl K.
Montréal, QC
5/7/2012
Kinjo himself is a bit of a boob (he loves to interrupt your meal to threaten the boyfriend/husband with a fake knife, then offer Pocky) but the food is so fantastic it's worth it. If you can get a table next to the rotating trays of sushi (and grab a volcano roll) you're in for a treat.
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Review from Tiffany N.
Calgary, AB
11/12/2011
12/30
This place is always packed! I went here last night to celebrate two birthdays, and probably ate two birthdays worth of sushi. Everything here is well made and reasonably priced.
We waited a little while for a booth and watched in anticipation as a tiny army of servers quickly cleaned one up for us. As soon as we sat down, one appeared with a little complimentary sampler plate of different rolls. You'll get about 3 servers every time you eat here and they're often pretty go! go! go! So you won't get to catch a name unless they stand still long enough for you to read a name tag. They operate like a well-oiled machine.
If you plan on eating a lot of food here, wait for a booth. Otherwise, you'll be putting your plate of sushi on your lap while trying to make room for the other stuff you ordered on the narrow bar. Even if you're just grabbing plates off the boats, since they're charging you per plate; they won't get cleared off and you'll have a small stack going pretty quickly. Wait for a booth.
Yeah, I've been here on dates before, where Peter forced my date to take my hand and sing to me. Eesh. But since he's moved on to the Dalhousie location; it hasn't happened again :D. My favorite thing to order here is the Vegetable Roll, and I've been here so often, they know to make it for me without mayo. It comes with avocados and strawberries, nomz! I also got to try their spinach gomae last night. It was so good, but it arrived late, so I could barely finish it. Kinjo always makes me sad that I can't eat more. Kinjo has also recently put a list of their vegetarian-friendly items on the back of their specials menu! I love when I can eat more than just two or three things at a restaurant!
Also: Free Pocky for everyone after every meal! If it's your birthday, they give you Almond Crush Pocky :)Listed in: F, F, D, HK, 30 Days Hath Movember, Calgary 1Ups, Ash Gala Wonderful
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Review from Susan P.
Calgary, AB
3/30/2012
Good atmosphere, always busy but always seated within 5minutes or less!
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Review from Garrick L.
12/30/2011
When I was a little boy, I hoped to one day be surrounded by fat Japanese men prancing around and singing Happy Birthday to me. I was always the special kid in class.
Today, my childhood dream has finally been fulfilled. I came to Kinjo Sushi to celebrate my uncle's birthday, and after reading all the good reviews about this place, I had high expectations walking into this Japanese themed restaurant. The atmosphere is a traditional Japanese building, set with cherry blossom paintings and samurai swords. Even the waiters were dressed in traditional Japanese attire.. that was a good laugh!!
I'm not a sushi connoisseur, but I can say that the sushi was delicious. We ordered the shrimp tempura, mango sushi rolls, spider rolls, fried tofu, and unagi rolls, all of which were tasty. Everyone at our table swept clean every single piece of rice and caviar on the plates.
Our waitress was very quick and personable. Our orders came out incredibly fast (the chefs must be sushi masters!!), but our food was not prepared in haste. All of our rolls were rolled tightly, and the rice did not fall apart when we grabbed them. And boy, I ate my fried tempura faster than a ninja could throw his shuriken. (yes I went there..)
However, it wasn't just our waitress who was looking after our table. Another member of the management came and asked us how our food tasted and handed out free Pocky. Let me repeat that: Free Pocky!! At that point I exploded a little with a small burst of happiness and shamelessly snatched my Strawberry Pocky, shoving all the wafers in my mouth in less than 3 seconds. Do not judge me.
In the end, the service was great, the atmosphere was enjoyable, and the sushi was delicious as always. I will definitely come back to Kinjo Sushi and Grill Restaurant.. this place is out of this world!! -
Review from Kyle H.
Calgary, AB
3/22/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Very good sushi. Awesome staff and a great menu. Free pocky for the ladies.
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Review from Matt B.
2/4/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Fair warning - if you are wanting a quiet night out with not much interaction, DON'T go here. Fortunately when I visited I wasn't looking for that.
Often before I go somewhere I tend to check out their website, and try to determine what the atmosphere is like. This place looked like a lot of fun.
Peter Kinjo was doing some rounds while we were there, big knife in hand. He was handing out boxes of Pocky to the ladies. However, when he approached the couples, the game often changed. Peter would have the guy hold his girlfriend's hand, profess his love for her, then give him the box of Pocky to give to her along with a kiss.
We hadn't reserved a table, but we got seated quite quickly at the sushi bar. I haven't had enough sushi to be able to identify it as it floated by, so we ordered off the menu. The sushi was excellent, but it definitely got crowded with plates, etc. by the end. Had there been someone sitting beside me, we definitely would have had no room. They do this to keep track of what you eat by plate colors - different colors signify different prices.
At one point during the meal, the staff stopped and did a musical number, with Peter leading it all. It was highly entertaining.
I'd recommend watching the video on the "Why Kinjo?" page on their website before heading there to get a better idea of the atmosphere.
Definitely going to be going back. -
Review from Miss J.
Calgary, AB
11/9/2011
I love Kinjo! My parents introduced this place to me, and that's my go-to whenever I'm meeting my mom for sushi (Macleod location).
The service is fantastic (you can sit by the bar and just select off of the boat or order from the menu). The sushi is fresh and tasty. They always start you off with a little sample plate, and you leave with a box of Pocky. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Calgary, AB
9/26/2011
Kinjo is always busy! That must mean good things! The parking is okay, but if its really busy, you might have to steal a parking spot next door at Wendy's.
When you first arrive in Kinjo, you are immediately greeted by the hosts at the front and if its busy, they'll ask you your name and what you prefer for seating: sushi bar, booth near the sushi bar, or table. I prefer the booth near the sushi bar, so you have a big space to eat as well you can grab whatever you like from the boats and also have some privacy. Spence and I went on a Sunday, around 7:30PM and of course there was a line. We waited about ~20 minutes to get a booth at the sushi bar and when you get seated, you receive a sample of some sushi which is nice.
The menu is pretty big and there's a lot to choose from, but don't forget the sushi bar! We ordered tea with some miso soup and salad to start, then some shrimp tempura which has nice, light batter and decided to just pick and choose from the sushi bar. Dont forget that each plate has a different cost! Plates: Red ($3.25), Yellow ($3.75), Green ($4.95) and Blue ($6.25). We found that it can add up pretty darn fast! Our bill was $55!
Our waitress was very friendly, always topping up our water and tea as well as checking up on us to see if we've got everything we want or needed anything else. :) Oh, and you always leave with pocky!
SIDE NOTE: If you read my review about Sakana, we think that Kinjo and Sakana are very similar. Driving past macleod, we saw that there is going to be a new Sakana location opening right across from Kinjo...talk about competition! -
Review from Sally L.
Calgary, AB
2/13/2012
Excellent customer service everytime- have been going for years- can get in and out quickly if needed, very accommodating even if place is busy. My kids have loved it- Peter makes them feel special - bit corny- but they love it. He has a great memory. Good fresh sushi made on the spot. We have even resorted to take out when we have a craving.
One of my fav sushi spots in Calgary and I love sushi!! -
Review from Rosalyn A.
Halifax, NS
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Kinjo is the leader in both service and quality. I love my sushi and tend to be a bit of a sushi snob! I was very very impressed with the taste and textures of all they had to offer (and I had almost everything). The waitresses were so pleasant and very very thorough. I loved that my water was always topped off and always checked on~!
Being my first time, one of the guys who worked there made it very fun! They all sang to welcome me on my first time, which was awesome and hilarious as well as embarrassing! They also sang to a woman who was celebrating her birthday! all very entertaining!
I would reccommend anyone to KINJO SUSHI. Being your first time or a veteran you will find all your favorites here! Not to mention at a crazy low price. (we at till we were filled to the brim and were surprised at the inexpensive menu!) -
Review from Wendy P.
Andre, you totally made this a five-star night.
Andre is the name of the staff member who came along halfway through our meal with some packages of Pocky and got my best friend to tell me what a wonderful friend I am! A few minutes before, he lead the staff in song to a couple who was in the restaurant for their anniversary. It's like Red Robin's meet a sushi bar.
I was impressed we got in so quickly for a Saturday night. I think the sushi bar that wrapped itself all the way around Kinjo may have helped in the expediency at which people ate their food. It's not really set up for long talks after you've eaten your meal, not that I felt rushed or pressured to leave at any point. Note-there are tables available as well if there are more than two of you. But definitely give the bar a try if you're willing.
The sushi itself was on par with being good quality yet inexpensive. The menu boasts a selection of what Kinjo refers to as "red, yellow or green plate" options. The servers are friendly, the food is fresh and served in a decent amount of time. We ordered the spider roll, a spicy tuna roll, avocado roll, rainbow roll and salmon sashimi. The spider roll was most definitely the largest and most colourful, and one my best friend was the most willing to eat (she's not so much a fan of the raw fish concept).
The real draw for Kinjo is definitely the atmosphere. It was so happy and fun! And I carried the Pocky around in my purse to nibble on for a couple of days afterwards. Thanks for the treat! -
Review from Gabe A.
2/21/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I have had a tattered history with this sushi bar: as the white husband of an Asian, I am a highly visible target for Peter's gregarious teasing, especially on a slower day. He came to the table with his giant knife and demanded embarrassing things, then told Kat that "maganda, you're too good for this guy!" All in good fun, I am sure, but as a couple who prefer to eat in peace, it was quite offputting, and I hadn't been back there in a few years.
Kat, Kyla, my mother-in-law and I came here for dinner on Family Day, and if we were looking for peace, we surely did not get it: there was a 25-minute wait to get in (after we'd phone and they told us it wasn't busy, but its first come first serve), and the place was bustling like gangbusters. We eventually got a place right on the floating sushi bar, a new experience for me. Being the first time with this experience, I was delighted: plates of delicious sushi floating right past me, and I grab whatever I pleased. It took a couple of minutes to get over the uncertainty (maybe they are for someone?), and after that it was all downhill.
Orders of gyoza and tempura, smoked salmon and California rolls, unagi and a mango-salmon-tempura roll: by the end of it all, we have 17 plates stacked in front of us, but thankfully the price wasn't as sky-high as I'd feared. More importantly for a lazer-quick sushi bar, the fish was very fresh and incredibly edifying: we were all sated and rubbing our tummies with a big smile.
Peter was absent, and in his place was a less irritating guy named Andre: he came around all smiles and shouts, and only asked me to hug Kat. Phew! At one point the staff started singing Happy Birthday to a patron, and during the applause I let out an Erick-style war yelp. It must have cut through because the entire place went silent, and in a moment straight out of Dumb and Dumber, Kat pointed to me like Lloyd pointed to Harry. Bit of a personal embarrassment, but I got a box of Pocky sticks out of it, for being "a crazy guy," because they "love crazy guys"....most likely because Peter would fire them otherwise! All in all, I would recommend this place as a great location to get some great sushi, but be warned of being put on the spot.Listed in: Gat Top 10
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Review from Angelo T.
2/28/2011
I never imagined that I would ever involve a getting-stuck-in-an-elevator story in a review . But, our whole department, in making an unwise discussion in testing an elevator's limits, was all stuck simultaneously for over an hour. I'm not going to go into much detail there because to me it all played exactly how it would depicted in sitcoms, just pure hilarity. Once they got the elevator working, we all happily jumped out like clowns from...a clown car.For being good sports, our managers gave us an all-you-can eat Friday lunch pass. Tired of the same old pizza orders, I suggested we order take-out from Kinjo sushi.
Kinjo has received a lot of love for its in-store experience and deserves as much towards its take-out experience. We were worried that we had to wait till 11:30am (which was Kinjo's official opening time) to place our order, but when my manager called Kinjo @ 9:30am, she spoke to the enthusiastic Andre, who took our order and guaranteed to have it available by 10:30am for pickup. In fact, he even threw in a free mango/shrimp tempura roll with a few boxes of pocky sticks.
The food was great quality and tasted fresh. I usually find that for take-out orders, a lot of the quality found in an in-store experience degrades due to the time it takes to transport the food. But Kinjo's sushi was neatly packed with space to breathe between each pieces of sushi. The presentation of the rolls and nigiri were according to how you would receive them if you had ordered at the restaurant. Their combo plates are great and while I found their nigiri fish fresh, I really enjoyed their maki rolls.
Someday I'll be able to stroll into Kinjo's restaurant and have the opportunity to extend a firm handshake to the man Andre himself. Maybe I'll take an elephant with me to an elevator in hopes of getting another free lunch :D -
Review from Holly K.
Calgary, AB
1/14/2011 ROTD 2/22/2011
Oh, this is going to be fun!
I took the sushi class there! If you really want to know how much fun that was, and why your next corporate party (minus the boss, you will know later why) should be held here, bear with me and read on!
So... One day me and my ex decided to get into something together. Just so that we had something to show for trying to make it work in front of the divorce judge.
I love sushi so much, that I thought it would be wicked to know how to make it. Well, it really helps couples bonding - at home it takes about 3 hours to cook the rice...
So... Ready?
First five minutes were just plain fun. Putting those aprons on, getting to know other people in class (full every time!), rearranging the neat looking gadgets and peaking at those little white cups for sake...
Next five minutes it got even better. Peter, the owner, slowly began to make us all fall in love with his amazingly energizing personality.
Oh boy... Next five minutes were the beginning of something that later was a bit difficult to remember) Sake began to be poured... Endlessly. No, man, I mean - endlessly!
Fast Forward a bit - I do not remember when I had so much fun learning something new!
We all made our own rolls and sushi and sashimi. We got to taste them and even got platters to take home!
It was very entertaining to roll those first rolls.
Then the staff together with Peter started to entertain us in many other ways - serenading the couples, cracking funny jokes and so on.
Sake was still being poured endlessly...
Everyone in class had so much fun and after a few hours we all felt like we knew each other forever!
There were fun contests too!
ONE SERIOUS ADVICE: Have a designated driver or call a cab! You will not want to drive after this class!
Excellent choice for a corporate party or a birthday. Could think would be a great idea for a stagette/stag. Million occasions where this class can be a real great idea to take 20 - 30 people to!
GREAT VENUE! GREAT STAFF! GREAT SERVICE!
P.S. When I came back there a while later for lunch, they recognized me and I got extra treats just because I took that class!Listed in: Best Places for Small Business…
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Review from J P.
Calgary, AB
8/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Busy busy busy. Must be good ...
good atmosphere, hustle and general vibe. To be fair I went at 9:30 close to last call. The suhi was messi, not well built and lacking in presentation.
To make up for it, there was good hosting, a fun vibe (seemed very young folks), and inexpensive sushi which allowed for a very large sampling without breaking the wallet -
Review from SplitSecond A.
9/29/2011
great service, i highly recommend the mango roll very good. there a guy named andre that is very friendly and always walkin around giving free samples n talkin with ppl. IF you tell them you are from out of town you get a special greetings as well. very clean and pretty good price. for desert i like the pear ice cream or something like that. will def come back when im in town
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Review from Sarah C.
1/5/2011
Kinjo is fantastic - there are many times I've been to other sushi places and have been disappointed with their salmon and tuna quality. I have been to Kinjo 20+ times and have never once been disappointed in the quality of fish.
The rice is always perfect and I really like that they have a sweet and regular soya sauce to choose from. My boyfriend and I go there quite frequently and the bill is always right around $50 every time. We love the giant squid legs - they come with volcano sauce for dipping. The sashimi is delightful as well.
Although sometimes when it is busy, it is quite chaotic - once seated the chaos seems to dissipate and it really isn't a big deal. The staff is always friendly even despite this chaos as well. It is sometimes difficult to pay at the end of the dinner because there are so many people in the make shift waiting lounge.
Overall Kinjo is the go-to for sushi for me. -
Review from Queenie M.
Calgary, AB
5/19/2011
Food: 3/5
Atmosphere: 3/5
Service: 3.5/5
Overall experience: 3/5
(1- Terrible; 3- decent; 5- Fantastic)
**Been busy and just catching up on old reviews. This is based on my visit last year**
After hearing good reviews from my sister's and mom's friends we decided to come here as a family for dinner. Honestly, I'm a little adverse to the other reviews since I only found this place mediocre. My entire family agrees with me and that we've had better sushi elsewhere.
We went on a busy Friday night and thankfully managed to get a table before a rush of people came in after us. It's your typical Japanese restaurant except they have a giant sushi conveyor belt in the middle where you can pluck individual sushi dishes from. Then there's several chefs busy rolling out sushi and making tempura within the area.
Once we were seated we ordered some green tea which came out lukewarm - disgusting! Every table received free samples of tempera and a few sushi pieces before ordering. I thought it was a pretty unique concept and excellent ploy to boost customer experience. The tempera was greasy and the shrimp was small and over battered. The sample sushi pieces were really small but I found it very flavourful and wanted more.
To further 'enhance' customer experience, there was this crazy, over enthusiastic Asian man wielding a knife (owner) who greeted us and presented all the girls/women at the table with a box of strawberry pocky. I thought the free pocky was awesome but the theatrics from the owner was over kill. slightly entertaining at first, but I just sat there with the most uncomfortable, fake smile on my face. My mom and I found it super awkward talking to him and I just wanted him to go away!
The menu consisted of your typical sushi/sashimi ranging from $3-$5 and up to $7 depending on what you get; large varieties of temperas and deep fried foods like calamari, fried veggies and karrage; grilled meats, rice and noodles dishes; and unique sushi combos from $9-$15. We ordered a few basic sushi dishes such as the salmon/tuna roll (6 pieces for $3.25); the special Male Dragon roll of crab meat, avocado, cucumber, unagi and tempera (8 pieces for $11); and a Spider Roll to go (5 pieces for $9). I was expecting terrific sushi from what i've heard and i found it just average. The special rolls didn't seem very unique to me and I didn't like how I got dinky sushi pieces for the price they were charging me. I've had bigger rolls, for the same quality at a slightly cheaper price elsewhere. The unagi wasn't fresh and was overly sauced.
Overall, the service, free samples and pocky were great (not something you would see at restaurants), but the sushi and atmosphere kinda fell short. It just didn't live up to my expectations. -
Review from Rick P.
Lethbridge, AB
11/29/2011 6 Check-ins Here
I drive 200 km to get to Calgary and I weep if I can't make time for this place.
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Review from Jeanette H.
Calgary, AB
4/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We've been going here for a while & always enjoyed the food, quick service & theatrics. Never left without Pocky & always full.
Thanks Peter! -
Review from Kevin J.
Calgary, AB
5/25/2009
Kinjo's sushi is like a spiritual orgasm. You'll try this stuff and you will literally experience the best sushi that Calgary has to offer. Another thing Kinjo has that most "Sushi" restaurants don't have is that the hospitality is very hands on. How many sushi restaurants give out "free" samples of their sushi?
If you want to break the ice with your new date, take them to Kinjo and have Peter Kinjo shove his gigantic knife in your face as you recite his love oath to your date. The only major flaw is that Kinjo isn't the cheapest sushi in town. However, it's still reasonable considering the quality and taste of the food. If you want "The Famous Kevy Recommendation", I would suggest the Ikura sushi with a Coke to drink. Very tasty. -
Review from Kellen P.
Calgary, AB
2/2/2012
Always fast and good. And cheap.
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Review from Sara L.
Calgary, AB
2/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
Great place! Enjoyable friendly atmosphere!
Even once you enter the door, you're greeted by the entire staff.
Complimentary plate of sushi is brought once you are seated, a 'tester' or sample plate with 3-5 pieces, that I've always found delicious.
The sushi bar is great and anyone who has been there before has most likely met Peter the owner, who is always hilarious and sets a great mood for the meal. -
Review from Marianne H.
Calgary, AB
12/30/2008
A great balance for lovers of teppan-style food and excellent sushi, Kinjo does both effortlessly without the usual teppan price.
You can sit at the sushi bar and pick your treats right off the often-refreshed sushi boat, particularly during peak dining hours. A comprehensive list allows you to choose small portions of cooked fare, (such as steak, chicken or seafood) at a reasonable price, as well as sushi selections.
For fans of yakiniku sauce (Japanese-style steak sauce) be sure to ask for a bowl of rice with a side of "Magic" sauce. Fans of the Japanese Village steak sauce will not be disappointed!
If you're lucky, Peter, the owner, will stop by your table to crack a joke or offer you one of his Japanese pearls of wisdom. As you prepare to leave, you will surely be offered your choice of either strawberry or chocolate Pocky...that is IF you are female!
Overall, I prefer this restaurant over any other of its kind in Calgary. I hope you will too! -
Review from Mark S.
De Winton, AB
5/18/2009 1 Check-in Here
Every time someone new walks through the door the whole sushi bar crew yell something in Japanese that sounds like "Lashi". We asked Henri what it meant and he said it was to welcome them and to warn the sushi chef crew to get ready. It certainly helped create a fun atmosphere. When you sit down, they bring you a free sampler and I enjoyed all four pieces.
We had about five trays of the Volcano roll which was a little spicy but very good. I tried the Egg roll, which was battered egg on top and tempura yam inside. It was different but a really nice addition to the regular sushi. All in all, the sushi was very good. Unfortunately I must say that the Tempura shrimp was not great but everything else made up for that. -
Review from Meghan B.
Calgary, AB
4/15/2011
I have not had a bad experience at Kinjo, they are always so friendly and the food is good! I love the moving sushi bar so you can just grab whatever you want, and the prices are reasonable. You can fill up for $15! If you want to pick from the moving sushi bar rather than order from the menu, go at supper time. The wait time is sometimes around 20-30 minutes at supper, but it's worth it. There's something for everyone at Kinjo, not just sushi but other Asian hot dishes.
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Review from C T.
Calgary, AB
9/8/2009
Pretty good food. Had the salmon sashimi - very sweet and a fair size. Had their Lobster Roll (lobster meat, tail and all!), Hot Unagi Roll (all warm and gushy!), Female Dragon Roll (pretty sight to see!), also had their Special Scallops Sushi (found their nigiri seaweed is crispy and adds a bit of a crunch to the wonderfully-put-together special scallops sushi!)
Peter @ Kinjo comes to the table and schmoozes with the party at the table - everyone's rolling in laughter and we get Glico Pocky as gifts. Not only that, we also got a sushi sampler at the start and in the middle, Peter presented us with a tempura sampler consisting of 2 prawns, yam, brocolli and asparagus! I've never been to a restaurant that gives out free food before.
Might have to come back again! -
Review from Reihaneh R.
Edmonton, AB
11/27/2011
Too expensive! We were 3 and we end up paying 100$. The quality of fish is good and if you eat a little the price would be good but not a good place if you are hungry! And they charge you 4.5$ for a small cup of green tea! And don't try the acvacado tempura, disgusting.
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Review from Chad W.
Calgary, AB
10/9/2008
Kinjo offers beautiful authentic decor, awesome staff, and a great place to grab some sushi. Their full menu is bound to keep even the most picky sushi-eaters happy. Sake here flows like the Bow River.
The prices are reasonable and the sushi is of only the highest-quality.
As for Yuki; her smile is worth a thousand meals. -
Review from spaniel l.
Calgary, AB
5/18/2009
This is one of the places I go to when I crave sushi in Calgary.
Freshness of the fish=OK (probably one of the better ones in Calgary)
Tempura is also OK
Rolls are good , you will recognize all the rolls on the menu.
Oncea again, if you want sushi in Calgary check this place out. -
Review from David C.
Calgary, AB
4/26/2009
Wow. I have visited this place 4 times now and each time I go I like it more.
The sushi is good, but atmosphere is even better. If you are looking for more than the normal ho-hum experience, this is the place. Peter the owner is very jovial. -
Review from Matt T.
Calgary, AB
12/8/2010
I am a bit biased in my review of Kinjo because I am currently negotiating with Peter to let me open a second location with him somewhere along 16th ave north or on 17th ave south...but I will be honest in this review.
I was first introduced to Kinjo about 5 years ago I believe and it was my first time trying sushi. I have been a regular ever since and usually go about 3 times a month and it's the only place I eat sushi at in Calgary anymore.
I've had sushi all over the world and to me it's really about freshness in materials and mastering flavor combinations. I have yet to eat at Kinjo when the food didn't taste fresh and I have now tried everything on their menu and all the flavor combinations have been excellent.
I now know that Kinjo serves "simple" sushi. They don't really try and step out on a limb with their dishes and just try and make their staple dishes really well which I like. The food is excellent, served fast and always hot when it's required.
There is a difference between most sushi places and Kinjo that is very obvious when you walk in...Peter Kinjo. The owner is a fun loving guy who walks around with a large knife threatening everyone...in a good way! The guys are forced to sing to their spouse. "I just called to say I love you" is his favorite...the women are forced to tell their man that he should buy them dinner because they are soooo beautiful... hahaha. It's a production around that place. Personally I like it. Even though his nickname for me sucks, I always seem to be scruffy and to him I'm "hairy white boy" and I call him "average looking older chinese guy" :) We go there often on birthdays with friends and you're guaranteed never to leave there hungry or without having had many laughs. So far I haven't seen anybody take offense to his antics but I'm sure some have. He means well though and rewards every female who walks through the door with some pocky which is a great desert for the drive home.
The building isn't big enough plain and simple. The sushi bar is always full and the 4 booths and 4 tables don't suffice. Going there at 6 pm means you will have to wait a bit which to me is a good sign. I'd be more interested in a restaurant that's always busy then one that always seems to have lots of room. There are many many regulars and Peter knows most of them by name. The floors are always clean and the sushi chefs uniforms are very clean as well. I've seen Peter bring out clean uniforms on many occasions when a chef is dirty.
The booths are a good size for four people and also have access to the sushi boat.
The little thing that gets me with Kinjo is the sweet soy sauce. Many people have never heard of this and it is heaven! It's basically just sweetened regular soy sauce but to me it makes a world of a difference. They sell it for 3 bucks for a big sized container if you want some to go. I stock up because it's great for cooking with and I love it at home.
Peter told me a few years ago that he was having a rough day because he had to fire a waitress and you could see he was visibly shaken. Peter prides himself on having great service and very very friendly staff. He said that the girl didn't want to learn their songs and didn't smile enough so he had to let her go. That's what the bar is like around there. When's the last time you felt that way at Globefish? Umm never?
So far I haven't talked about any flaws and like any place there are some. They don't have much room when you're waiting for a table. It is awkward. i always tell people that it's worth it when we're scrunched up together.
They teach sushi making classes which are fun and an excellent date idea if anybody is looking for one. Dinner and some fun guaranteed. The problem is they are very popular so they can be tough to get into! Once again a good sign though in my eyes just a bit inconvenient for some.
They do sometimes rush their tempura out which means it can be oily. Once again not a huge problem but I said I'd be honest so...
All in all I would whole-heartedly reccommend trying Kinjo as soon as possible and make sure you go in prepared to sing a bit and please try the sweet soy sauce :)
Matt -
Review from Stacey J.
3/31/2011
I went to place last night and I was surprised in how good it was. The service was good, people were happy and the food was perfect. If you love sushi and you are stopping in Calgary I highly suggest this place.
