Kona Grill
5100 Avalon blvd, Alpharetta, GA, 30009
Kona Grill Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Alpharetta for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alpharetta for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alpharetta for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5100 Avalon blvd
Alpharetta, GA, 30009 - Phone (470) 226-1540
- Website https://www.konagrill.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
- Mon : 11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Andy B.
One of my best friends lives in John's Creek and I had to meet him to let him borrow a gadget. We quickly decided to meet for dinner, so we met at Avalon. First, the whole "Avalon" concept is not for either of us. Everyone looked like a d-bag. Most people acted like them too. But, I digress from my point. We went to Kona Grill because we had heard there was a happy hour with half-price sushi and deeply discounted drinks. We were seated around 5:50 PM. It wasn't until 7:30 that we were paying the bill. We were seated quickly - there were plenty of open tables and the place certainly wasn't even near capacity, although busy-ish. We placed an order for two sushi rolls and a couple of drinks (the waiter had never heard of disaronno, so I assumed the bar didn't have it and switched my order to a Crown on the rocks - which I found out later was OVER $10 each). A half hour later, we placed another order for two more sushi rolls because we were really hungry and we still hadn't received the first two. The waiter acted like he didn't know what we were talking about, but went to check on our first two rolls. The people next to us had three items arrive at their table while we were waiting on our first. The people on the other side of us hadn't even been approached by a waiter during this whole time. When our first two finally arrived, we quickly placed our final order for two more (6 total, in 3 groups of 2). The first two were scarfed quickly. The sushi was above average at best. Nothing spectacular, and the reason for the one extra star above minimum. Overall, if you want good sushi, go somewhere else. If you want atmosphere, d-baggery, and to be able to tell your friends/coworkers that you regularly visit Avalon, come here. Those who know their food know better. Certainly not worth the wait or the greeter/hostess attitude. They were too busy talking to each other that they didn't even say goodbye as we left.
(2)Em S.
I overall enjoyed my visit here. I am from out of town and was brought here by a local. I ordered the chicken and broccoli stir fry. I LOVED IT!!! Our server was a bit dazed at some moments but I can't really say she provided us with bad service. I will definitely be visiting again when I come back into town.
(4)Caroline K.
Me and my boyfriend went there for the first time, just out of curiosity to try it out . The place looked nice and said why not. Set at the outside bar, ordered drinks and few items from the happy hour menu. My cocktail was good, my boyfriend had beer , but when the food came out.... Ugggg.... We had couple sushi rolls and a margarita flatbread . It was bad, sushi rice was so wrong, wasn't even sticky at all . Spicy tuna wasn't spicy and was tasting pretty bad . And what kind of margarita pizza or flatbread whiteout fresh basil? After out sushi came out and waited a while I had to ask the bartender about the flatbread cause was taking way too long. And guess what , that was exactly what you would get - a soggy dough !!!!! I mean , we were very disappointed in their food. I may be back for a drink and atmosphere that's about it . Food sucked !
(2)Jim C.
Great food and happy hour from 4-7.
(4)Toni G.
Beautiful place. I ordered the cheapest thing on the lunch menu..pad Thai. Think I embarrassed myself by licking the bowl clean.. Wish it could have been more spicier. And I even asked to make my tastebuds bleed... Still not very spicy hot for my palate.
(5)Craig R.
Let me start by saying the ambience inside is hip and beautiful, including a tall fish tank in the waiting area. The outside seating and half outdoor bar seating is some of the best at Avalon. That's where it all ends. This was our second time at Kona and we gave the first visit a pass since it was a busy night. That was just a horrible experience. Tonight topped it. First, we were told it was a 30 minute wait, even though it was a Sunday night and the outside seating was empty. The table was ready in 2 minutes so I'm not sure what was off on the management of available tables and timing. When we finally got seated our waitress never came to our table so another waiter offered to help us. "Sorry, I'm not your waiter but do you need drinks?" We ordered sushi, edamame, and 2 kids meals, asking for the kids meals to come early. The meals took forever to arrive and the sushi came first. The kids still hasn't even received their drink order at this point. Then came the edamame and last came the kids meals. My son's meal was wrong. We asked for it to be corrected and that took another 15 min. The sushi itself was average to poor so don't bother ordering sushi here. We foolishly ordered dessert and specifically asked "will it take long?" and after being convinced it wouldn't we proceeded to wait another 20 min for our desserts. Here is the best part. As we waited for dessert the manager came by and asked how things were going and we told her it was slow. We wanted to give honest feedback in a nice way. Her response (blonde woman with accent) "well, I know it doesn't look busy out here but you should see how busy it is inside". Wrong answer. She then offered to take something off the bill versus just taking it off he bill without asking. We told her that was not necessary. Rookie mistake # two on the manager's part. She should have just taken it off the bill. This restaurant is in a really great area so it will always remain busy but the service is atrocious, the manager needs guidance, and the food is very average.
(2)Victoria V.
Kona grill is a favorite of ours. The ambience is awesome. It really feels like you're somewhere else. This place gets busy so make reservations before hand. The food is fantastic. My favorite is the soft shell crab roll. Service is mediocre otherwise they would get 5 stars.
(4)Ashley S.
There aren't too many memorable food options in Avalon, but Kona Grill is probably my second favorite after El Felix. Diverse menu and great atmosphere. I love the waterfall glass behind the sushi bar. I've ordered the shrimp salad and sushi so far. Sushi was decent, nothing special. Shrimp salad came with a lot of shrimp. The last time I ordered the shrimp salad, however, the shrimp was a bit tough.
(4)Angela K.
Service is excellent! The food was great!! A very beautiful decor!!! Make sure the twin ladies are your waitress.
(5)Kristie D.
This is a large place with beautiful indoor and outdoor seating and we finally figured out how to get a seat! Go in about 30 minutes before they close and they will likely be able to find you a spot. We were trying to get some apps in before a movie and our server was just awesome at making sure we got out on time, mucho appreciation. It's on the pricey side (not outrageous but not cheap) but we live in Johns Creek, everything!! is on the pricey side. The menu is a little funky for my admittedly pedestrian country-style taste buds but my gastro-sophisticated sweetie was in heaven. He had some kind of tuna sushi roll (yuck, that's called bait where I come from) that was very much enjoyed. I had some nachos that didn't much resemble nachos but still tasty. I'm looking forward to our next visit, hopefully when the hullabaloo about Avalon dies down it'll be easier to get in.
(4)Mauricio A.
So after a long week of hard work, hot days and car modding, the wife informed me we had a double date night on Saturday night, and since we haven't seen much of each other lately due to our opposite schedules I said sure! So, this place was picked, since we planned on watching Jurassic World at 940pm. I've been meaning to try it out for a while, so this worked out perfectly. We got there around 6pm on a Saturday with no reservations (rookie mistake) so we put our names and went to the bar to get some drinks, the place was packed but we made it work. Got some Wine and Bourbon and the night started. After some seats cleared up at the Sushi bar (first come first serve) we went that way and chilled out till we got our table. We got the text, and at this point is maybe 7ish, wait wasn't that long, and we got directed to our outside table. At first, the sun was shining right in our faces, but as the night progressed then the sun went away, a little muggy but it worked out. We put in another round of drinks to continue the good time and conversation we were having, and also decided on an appetizer, the Spinach and Artichoke dip, which was ok, nothing wow about it, but we had an appetite, therefore it disappeared rather quickly. Later, our server came back and started talking about specials and such. Everyone in the table other than me had an idea on what they wanted (sushi) and they ordered while i was asking questions about some of the dishes and recommendations. I'm a big fan of Mac and Cheese so that was my obvious decision, and as soon as I said it the waitress gave me the nahh, you don't want that look... I asked why? she said, portion size.. so went with the pro and took her advise. Ultimately went with the Kona Filet. Food arrives, sushi looked amazing as my friends and wife were enjoying themselves, and my filet looked amazing. It was tender, cooked at exact temperature i wanted, buttt, lacked some seasoning. Mashed potatoes were ok, but the vegetables were fireeeee! Overall, we had an Ok experience. Food was average, but the ambiance is what I believe the focus is for this restaurant. Maybe it was a busy night, who knows. One thing i definitely know, I'll come back to chill and get some drinks at the bar while watching a game or hanging out with friends. Very classy and upscale feel. 3.5 Stars from me.
(3)Andrea M.
I heard happy hour (Mon thru Thurs) here was the way to go since certain things were half off... The prices during other times weren't terrible either way. The average price was around $16 for the entrees and salads and $10 on average for the sushi and other menu items like the sandwiches and flatbreads. Service was friendly and attentive. The gal had a smile on and knew what to recommend from each section. The restaurant was definitely crowded when we ventured here around 6 PM on a Friday. With Avalon being so new too, I would suggest making a reservation just to be on the safe side. Now the food review: Sushi sampler - There will be a mini (and yummy) salad along with some pretty okay sushi. The quality was pretty good. This sampler had shrimp, tuna, salmon, and a California roll. It didn't have any super interesting sushi. I don't think I'd rec this sampler plate because it's too plain. Get something unique and special at Kona. Lobster mac n cheese - Baked to a divine perfection. There was a good ratio of lobster and cheese. The portion size was a tad smaller than expected, but the gooey goodness was worth it. Kona Grill will be to the right of the theater btw; it's huge so you won't miss it.
(4)Craig E.
This is not a review of Kona's food or drinks, as we never had the opportunity to dine there, after calling Sunday around 5p and asking if we would need reservations for two around 6:30p. We were told by a very pleasant young lady that we would be fine just walking in. Upon arrival at 6:30p, we were told there was a 45 minute wait! Even after telling them our story of calling ahead and being assured that we would be fine w/o a reservation - they didn't offer any thing to help the situation. Went to Marlows next door and had a great, welcoming dinner.
(1)EJ S.
This was a pleasant surprise on our stroll around Avalon. Normally we'd hit Antico but mom wanted a salad so we headed here instead. The lettuce wraps were excellent, and the potstickers were tasty. We shared the Kona salad, grilled chicken instead of macadamia fried. The kitchen mixed it up, which was fine and mighty tasty, but not exactly healthy. Shout out to Ace, our waiter extraordinaire. He was outstanding!
(4)Shannon H.
This place just rocks ok! Go now and ask for Bryan. Attentive, funny, full of suggestions, this guy is awesome. Moving onto ambience. Five stars. Reminds me of China Grill minus the techno music. Actually I've had so much fun here, I don't really remember the music they play. I'm assuming not dance music because my lil ears would def hear that! Moving on, food! Chicken Satay is awesome sauce. I think at this point I've had every appetizer on the menu and I enjoyed them all except the Gouda fondue. One out of 12 isn't bad!!!! Speaking of apps, what goes great with apps? DRINKS!!!!! Whose happy hour starts at THREE and goes until seven? KONA GRILL! half off drinks and apps! That ALONE is reason enough to stop by here! Run....now.....unless it's before three Pm. Get there before five as this place fills up quickly
(5)Jennifer L.
I had a pretty good experience dining here for the first time on a Sunday afternoon. Loved the interior decor and the weather was perfect for a nice lunch while enjoying their outdoor patio seating. Very trendy and hip place. Food is pretty solid, albeit a bit overpriced. But it's at the Avalon, so I expected that. Tropical mango punch cocktail - Nice and fruity, borderline too sweet (even though I like sweet/fruity drinks). The flavors were nice, needed a bit more acidic flavor in it to balance out the sweetness. However, my drink was extremely weak. I always joke about how I'm a "cheap date" because I'm tiny and it doesn't take much, but I didn't feel it at all. Not even a slight buzz. You'd expect to feel at least something if you're paying $9 for this drink. Beef bulgogi tacos - Beef had good flavor, slaw was awesome! The slaw was fresh, crunchy, and had just the perfect amount of tang and sweetness. It was super refreshing paired with the beef. Very smart idea. Chef was a bit heavy-handed with the hoisin sauce, which made it a little salty. A little bit of hoisin sauce goes a long way, so remember to ask for less hoisin sauce if you want to taste all the yummy flavors. Seafood ceviche - Not really anything that blew me away. It had nice chunks of seafood, but was a little bland. The tortilla chips were slightly stale. My dining partner had to salt both the ceviche and the chips. Salmon sashimi - Delicious and fresh. Pricey, but you get 5 generous pieces of thick-sliced salmon. They were very fatty and melted in my mouth. No fishy taste at all. Great atmosphere and solid food, although a bit pricey. I had a good experience, so I'll be coming back to try out some other items on the menu.
(3)Kanna K.
This restaurant is especially for Sushi. It has two bars and one for Chinese cuisine and the other regular American cuisine. It was so good in the weekends and I had a beer and a starter. It was good and the ambience was excellent.
(3)Jessie C.
I have only been here during happy hour during the week. It can be a really yummy and inexpensive happy hour if you are sure to keep some things in mind: Happy hour is Mon - Thurs 4pm to 7pm. BE SURE to get there and put your order in before 7pm. Otherwise, they will not honor it. They will only honor the Happy hour specials if you sit at bar and table tops in the bar area. This place has a great outdoor seating area but the area doesn't honor happy hour specials. The Happy hour specials are a really good deal. Last time I went I has 2 sushi rolls, the Chicken and Shrimp lettuce wraps and a sangria for $20 bucks. Not bad at all. I was stuffed when I left. The AVACADO EGG Rolls are my favorite. The rolls are the same as Cheesecake Factory HOWEVER, THE DIPPING SAUCE HERE is Amazing! I have also had their frozen margarita during happy hour and not only was it yummy, it was also strong. The service is really good. However, the first time I went I felt as though she was rushing us during happy hour. DURING HAPPY HOUR: While this place does get crowded, it is not the best place to mingle or meet new people. It seems as though most people are on dates or with coworkers during happy hour in groups. I HAVEN'T BEEN on the weekends yet, when I do I will let you know if the crowd is different. I imagine with the weather getting better, we should expect this place to be lively on weekend nights.
(4)Brittany M.
I decided to stop by here today (7/1/2015), while I waited for a movie to start. I ordered an appetizer the chicken +shrimp lettuce wrap (big mistake)... It was so salty, I ate one wrap and could not finish... So, then I figured maybe their desserts are better...ordered the butter cake. I expected more raspberry sauce than was on the plate... The texture of the cake wasn't the best, and all I could taste was pieces of sugar. On a better note, the ice cream that it came with was good. All in all, this will be the first and last time I visit here. Very disappointed in the food. The restaurant itself is nice inside and has a great outside area to relax and chat with friends. I just wish the food was better.
(1)Sritama D.
Great place to wine and dine, we missed the happy hour by a whisker but have heard it's pretty good worth for money. Try the sushi It's Just Right! I'm a city gal and like the crowd and the buzz but if you are looking for a nice romantic dinner probably not the best choice..given the place is mostly crowded the service is a tad slow. Overall great experience for a Friday night dinner if you are going light on your cals and need a place to unwind. Will come back again for sure!!
(4)Amy S.
Left reservation (highly recommend because this is a busy busy place even during the week because they have happy hour). The high quality of the food was incredibly noticeable. Even the raw fish atop rice for the sushi sampler was very tasty and fresh tasting. I then enjoyed a very flavorful pork tenderloin served over mashed potatoes and bok choy. It was exactly what I wanted and it was superb. Highly recommend!
(5)Kirk F.
Wanted to eat here ever since the Avalon opened. Loved the look of their outdoor patio tables. Arrived on a Thursday evening and put our name in around 7:15pm. Told it would be at least 45 minutes. Went across the way to Marlows for a drink and app while we waits. Walked away with a "to go" beer that I could carry around. Cool. Enjoyed walking around and finally (after asking several times) got seated on the patio. Ordered more drinks and apps. Smoked Gouda fondue is a must. Realized we were 5 minutes away from weeknight happy hour that started at 9pm. Miss Shannon took care of us and gave us happy hour prices (after asking nicely). Also ordered the BBQ chicken flatbread. Spicy sauce!!! Great date night place. Can save $$ if you wait till 9pm on a weeknight to order. Will have less of a Wait as well. Will defiantly be back. Just got to know about the happy hour deals.
(4)Brett G.
Good ambience. Sat at the outside bar on a Saturday afternoon. Nice place to have a drink. Live Music playing in the square. Started with Avocado Egg rolls. Great app. Sushi took 45 mins to get to us. Tuna tataki was a bit skimpy and a lil fishy. Wave roll was pretty pasty and chewy. Overcooked rice maybe? With all the other restaurant choices here in Avalon it would be a while before I come back to eat here. Would probably only come back for a drink on the patio.
(3)Erica S.
I had the beef tacos they were amazing! Taste like the Japanese hibachi chicken skewers from tgi fridays. Waitress sucked though. Kept forgetting requests.
(3)Jim W.
We dined here on a Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. I know this as I had to make a reservation to do so about a week in advance. The place was quite busy when we arrived, apparently due to happy hour. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table, which was fine. However, the table we got was outside, with me staring into the sun for 30+ minutes. Luckily the weather was just cool enough to make this bearable. We started off with a drink order and pot-stickers as an appetizer. Water was delivered promptly but wine took a lot longer. If you are at all familiar with authentic pot-stickers, or even the frozen sort they sell at Costco, Kona Grill's won't seem that impressive. They weren't bad, they were just bland. We eventually ordered our entrees and my wine showed up. Once our orders arrived, the consensus was that everyone's food was 'okay'; just 'okay'. The sushi, which had been the main focus of coming here, seemed a bit limited to my wife. The lobster mac-and-cheese was acceptable, and my cheeseburger was fine, but in roughly the same class as any other restaurant. We agreed there wasn't much point in returning. If I need to plan a week ahead just for a meal, it better be a very impressive meal. Otherwise, I'll stick to planning ~ 30 minutes ahead and being completely satisfied.
(2)Lan N.
I went out with coworkers after work on a Friday night. We were seated immediately, I guess because the dinner traffic hadn't rolled in yet. Very nice looking place. High class vibe. I ordered the coconut shrimp Kona sushi roll and clam chowder. My clam chowder, I would have to say as someone who orders it almost every time it's on a menu, was pretty amazing. So 5 stars for the clam chowder. So, because not everything can be perfect. I rated my visit 4 stars because there was an issue with the sushi roll I ordered so I can't rate how it tasted. This isn't to say no one should ever go to this place. I'm just reviewing my experience. But the server was pretty great and allowed me to order another roll. I don't remember the name of the second roll but it was a simpler sushi roll with raw salmon in it. Now let me tell you, this roll was pretty awesome. And to top off these two amazing things that excited my taste buds, the server didn't charge me for either sushi rolls. So all I had to pay for was my clam chowder. I mean I was more than happy to pay for what I ate, but the server was kind enough to make up for the issue with my original roll, which was great. Anyway. I recommend it. I will be returning to order the same items on the menu. And my taste buds will be pleased. That is all.
(4)Eric B.
Decided to try Kona Grill as I have tried every other place within the Avalon. Good vibe to it, trendy decor, nice patio, and they have an outside bar area where you can sit and enjoy the TVs and weather if it's nice. Started out with the lettuce wraps, which were very tasty. It's a mixture of ground chicken and shrimp, which sounded odd, but it was good. The Oriental Salad was next. I tend to enjoy the napa, cabbage type of salads and the dressing was excellent. Ordered Sushi as well, very good. Hard to find good sushi in Alpharetta so I was pleased that it was to my liking. Will go back as service was good and it's cool to chill outside and people watch there. Good work Kona Grill!
(4)Mikaela Z.
Virginia Woolf said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." After my visit to Kona Grill, my thoughts were clear as crystal, my love ... well that's just not a problem, and I slept like a baby, dreaming of my return in the near future. Visited before the restaurant even opened. Generally you can expect training nights to be rough. Sure, there were a few kinks in the service, but the food and drinks were spectacular. I was so impressed. Started with the avocado eggroll. The sauce that comes with it is out of this world amazing. I would definitely recommend it! Next we had the filet, a California roll, a vegetable roll, and the cooked salmon roll. The filet was amazing. I'm a medium-well meat gal...and usually that means I sacrifice a little on tenderness and flavor. This was not the case with the Kona filet. I think that I would have cut it with a butter knife. It was amazing. The rolls were just ok. Probably didn't order the best of the best from that list. Ordered the salmon from the kids menu. I was blown away by the kids menu selections and prices. The salmon came with a choice of two sides. My daughter loved everything, and the portions left enough for me to try a little too! The drinks were really good. Tried a classic mojito, a coconut mojito, and I can't remember the name of the other drink but it had ginger beer and gin in it. All were fantastic. FANTASTIC. Skip the classic mojito and go for the coconut though. The ambiance of the restaurant is really nice. It has a trendy vibe. The finishes are impressive. Even the bathrooms are lovely. I can't recommend Kona enough. The only reason they got 4 stars instead of 5 is because the prices seem a little high. Our bill was $120 for two plus a baby. I would visit again, absolutely. I want to try their happy hour, I've heard that menu has great deals. Just check it out, it is worth the trip and there isn't much like it around!
(4)Saba A.
Worst.Cocktails.Ever. I would stick to beer and wine! I think this is a perfect 'hang out' spot on a sunny day especially outside in the area. The food was all right, the flavors didn't spark in any way. But I wasn't expecting much from a chain restaurant. The service was okay too. There was 3 people at the host stand, and no less than 10 tables aviailable but they said there was nothing open for 45 minutes on a sunny, Saturday afternoon so we sat at the bar. Nothing special at Kona Grill!
(3)Grant G.
I've been to this place several times. I really like the food, atmosphere, and was excited to go there Sunday when it was the first warm day of the year and sit on the patio. We arrived shortly after 1 and ordered within 5 minutes of sitting down. Received my appetizer within 10 minutes. We waited 30 minutes and the waiter came by and finally refilled our glasses and told us that it would be out shortly. After 45 minutes we still didn't have our meal and there was no sign of our waiter. We needed to be somewhere, so I got up to go look for him to ask him to put it in a box. Still couldn't find him. At one hour I had to walk into the kitchen area to find the manager to ask for help. She said she would take care of immediately. 10 minutes later, our waiter showed up with food in a box and the bill for $117. No apologies. He just walked off. I get that things get messed up or delayed sometimes and patience is often warranted; however, this type of customer service and the lack of acknowledging a botched visit by the waiter and, more importantly, the manager was inexcusable and deserves to be shared with other patrons.
(1)M D.
When they first opened, they were fantastic. We went to Kona weekly for sushi at happy hour. It was great. After the last three visits however, we've given up and dine elsewhere. The sushi has really gone down in taste and presentation. It tasted extremely "fishy" and far from fresh. At one dining experience, I had multiple long strands of hair wrapped in the rice of my sushi roll. (The waiter was very nice and removed the sushi from our bill.) At the next visit, we made the mistake of sitting at the sushi bar...the amount of flies that land on the ready-and-waiting sushi is really quite disgusting.
(2)Katie N.
This restaurant was VERY crowded, but the whole shopping center was bustling the night I went as well. There is a movie theater and an ice skating rinks right next door. Service was on the slow end, hut not bad for how busy they were and the quality of service was good. The restaurant has a sushi menu and a standard entre menu which features seafood - I'm guessing it is Hawaiian style. Everyone was very pleased with their meals and drinks - no complaints. Portions were generous. The desserts are AMAZING. We ordered to share the passion fruit creme brulé, the supreme brownie, the carrot cake, and the butter cake. The portions on each dessert were ginormous - the carrot cake was seriously a quarter of a whole cake and the brownies were equally large. The carrot cake was the favorite of them all but the creme brulé was my second favorite. My total bill for 2 drinks, entree, and a dessert with tip was around $60 for just me. The outdoor bar is very nice and has heaters installed for the winter.
(4)Scott P.
Last night was my second time visiting Kona Grill. Both trips have been great and very different! The first was just me a friend at the bar taking advantage of the great app and sushi menu and last night was a birthday party of 20! Both experiences were terrific in terms of the food, service and atmosphere! The staff did a great job in accommodating our large party and I couldn't be happier with the experience. GREAT JOB KONA GRILL! One note - They don't allow any confetti so keep that in mind if you plan an event there! :)
(5)Anjanetta W.
I can honestly say that I love this place. The atmosphere is great, the Gouda fondue is delicious and I love the Crunchie sushi roll. I also love the side garden salad and the wonderful house dressing along with the huge slices of carrot cake. I would say the parking in this new shopping mall is kinda sucky, but this place makes up for it!!!
(5)J S.
The service was mediocre, our server was distracted and unfriendly. Our very simple meals took over 40 minutes to come out and there was no apology from our server about wait time. Seafood ceviche was tasteless and dry. The lobster and shrimp roll was bland also. Will not patronize again. The only reason I gave it 1 star was because I enjoyed the ambience.
(1)Marissa F.
Service was sooooooooooo sloooooowwwwww. We probably would have ordered more food but it took so long for what we initially ordered there was no way we could wait for another round. Mediocre at best. Overpriced. So many other options in the area I wouldn't waste your time.
(2)Greg R.
Spent 20 minutes to get service and then who knows how much longer to get out drinks. All the while a number of servers passed us without making eye contract. Huge place, with large staff but awful service. We decided to cancel the order and move on. Assumed it would take an hour plus to get sushi
(1)Nisha A.
Love the food love the ambiance but very poor management that's why three stars !!! We have been here many times for regular dinners.. Last time we were having dinner out server mentioned that they have happy hour from 10 pm onwards on Saturday.. So after the movies at 10 pm we went to dinner asked for a table to sit in the patio outside.. They said it was a 30 min wait.. Trust me there were empty tables outside.. We sat in the dining area ordered -expecting it to be happy hour prices... Done with our dinner When we were ready to order dessert our server then mentions the happy hour menu. Confused I asked but this is is happy hour so he said that that is only if we were sitting outside or in the bar or lounge area.. The dining area is full price..when we mentioned that we thought it was happy hour price he said he was sorry that the person who seated us did did not mention that where we were seated was not eligible for happy hour.. That's Not cool!!!
(3)Tammi D.
Atmosphere: fantastic. Posh, trendy, very hip. But very loud. I was super excited to check this place out, and left sorely disappointed. I started with a glass of Sonoma Cutrer. Yum. But at $13.50, the pour was pretty weak. We decided to try the sashimi and rolls. Presentation was okay, but the wasabi was dry and crumbly. I went to grab a piece of sushi ( I have had years of experience using chopsticks), and the roll fell apart. The rice was dry. The fish didn't taste very fresh. If not for the vibe and decor, this would get one star from me. Leaving with an $80 plus tab for sub par food left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2)Bongski D.
Check in late after a movie and got into their happy hour time and surprisingly the sushi and calamari are pretty tasty and well made. The waiter recommended the Bama roll and i personally liked it.
(4)Caitlyn B.
Today was the second time I have been to Kona Grill and I loved it! We had the shrimp and chicken lettuce wraps to start and I couldn't stop eating them. They were very flavorful and had a great sauce! I had the Korean tuna sushi roll and a side salad for my entree and loved both of them. The sushi was very fresh and the salad wasn't your normal boring "side salad." It had a bunch of veggies and a great dressing mixed in. It also has a patio that will be great when it is warm out! I highly recommend this restaurant!
(5)K K.
Awesome Sushi, server Cam was phenomenal. Ask to be seated in her section. Very informative and knowledgeable. Great recommendations.
(5)Ed M.
The food, especially the sushi is pretty good. The service, especially at the bar, is weak. The bar surface is never cleaned, the service is slow and the bartenders are either aloof, or outright rude.
(2)Denise d.
We dined at Kona Grill this afternoon. Although we enjoyed the ambiance and friendly staff there were many areas that needed some improvement. The waitress was slow to greet, food took forever to come out, and the spacing of the tables was way to close together, making it difficult for the waiters to pass with the food. We started with sushi which was delicious, the avocado egg roll was very tasty. I ordered the salmon salad which was seasoned nicely. My husband ordered the roast beef sandwich which he said was fair, (a very small side of fries). My daughter's order was wrong, she ordered a medium well cheeseburger and was brought a rare burger with out the cheese. I am hoping That my next visit to the Alpharetta location is better. My husband was very pleased with the Kona Grill in Kansas City.
(2)Erik L.
Been to Kona Grill three times now. Once for late night drinks on the patio and twice for dinner with friends. Okay here's the deal, this place just opened so you will expect a couple of issues that need to be smoothed out but they are minor. Every time I have gone I have received GREAT SERVICE. A+ to Bryce as he was our last server and very attentive. This place gets busy and loud during dinner so I recommend going off peak hours if you can, if not expect a sizable wait but they do offer reservations. The food is excellent, highly recommend the Diablo Shrimp for appetizer and Miso Sake Sea Bass for dinner. Our server said during their training they all tried most of the menu and can help you find something you will like which has been helpful. Pork Tenderloin was WOW! Haven't tried desserts here yet. Sushi rolls need a little work for the price as it can be loosely wrapped but it tastes good. Drinks are great, get yourself a London or Kentucky Mule! So when you get the bill you may be shocked, it's not a cheap place by any means, but the service has been great all three times, the atmosphere is warm and inviting but a little loud, and the food has been great each time. I am surprised to see some bad reviews for this restaurant but hey you can't please everyone I guess. Hope this review helps.
(5)Wendy H.
I'm SHOCKED to see any negative reviews for Kona Grill........I couldn't wait to write a review for them after a fantastic meal and experience there. Maybe give them more than 24 hours of opening their doors before you expect perfection. Anyways.........We dined there Halloween night and were really impressed with every aspect of the restaurant start to finish. Our server delivered great service, the place is absolutely gorgeous inside, the menu is loaded with great options, every plate of food we saw coming out of the kitchen looked divine. We ordered the Macadamia Nut Chicken with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and the Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken. I had a Cucumber Mojito, and we had a delicious Butter Cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Everything was 5 star perfection! This might be our new favorite place to dine, try it and it might be yours too!
(5)Olivia S.
Great place. You have to go during their happy hour (mon-fri 3-7?)though to get half priced sushi and appetizers! It is very yummy and service was great. The outside seating area is very cute. Kids meals come with a lot of food!
(5)Elena K.
Very cool place with extensive menu from amazing burgers to sushi. Open view of kitchen, sushi bar and a bar area with fireplace. Located @ Avalon next to the movie theater with window wall to the courtyard and ice rink.
(5)Louise H.
Stopped in on a busy holiday weekend for a quick bite. Like the decor, and ambience. Food was very tasty. Our server was excellent! The music was a bit too loud, had to talk loudly so the person next to me could hear what I was saying.
(3)Lauren D.
Had a terribly disappointing meal at Kona. We waited nearly 90 mins for a table after being told they don't take reservations for parties of more than 4. Yet we were then told that the reason for the long wait was reservations of 5 ahead of us. Told us we would wait 45 mins and at 90 we were finally seated by annoyed hostesses. The manger seemed to not care at all that we waited that long. We finally were sat and had a completely clueless waiter, Bryan (per the receipt). Forgot to put in drink orders, when reminded he forgot them again. We ate an entire appetizer, still without drinks. He then mixed up who ordered what and then forgot the other items requested (extra chips). Food was mediocre at best - sushi was not even better than a cheap place - for half the price. Disappointed in this restaurant's service, manager's handling of the seating issues and the food. Most of all, disappointed that this place will continue to be full due to its location alone. I would suggest one of the other restaurants in Avalon instead. Won't go back. Ever.
(2)Lorrie B.
The atmosphere was great! The wait staff was a little bit slow, but it just opened and was slammed the night we were there so we didn't mind. Food was great and the people watching is good from the patio. The patio is first come first served and we liked that!!
(4)Kim D.
It has been awhile since I have been here, but I wanted to d a review anyway. We had been to see a movie at the Regal Avalon, and by the time we were done we were hungry and discovered Kona Grill's Happy Hour menu. I will keep it simple....everything we had was really, really good. Drinks were good. Service was exceptional and we very much enjoyed the young college-age gentleman who waited on us and provided interesting conversation. We will definitely be back, especially for the sushi specials.
(3)Anthony R.
Went to Kona for a date, the ambiance was great and the waitstaff friendly. The sushi portions were smaller than average but very good, had the volcano roll and it was delicious. I highly recommend Kona at the Avalon for a dinner date or just casual dining.
(5)D B.
The rolls are average at best. The table service was very good. Too bad the food wasn't as good!
(3)Robert U.
Ordered the Pork meal. Tender, tasty, and filling. I rate it as one of the best I have eaten.
(5)Morah J.
If only the food was as half as good as this place decor. It looks so high end and promising as you enter this beautiful restaurant, but the slow service and the boring food are a big disappointment.
(1)Jenna S.
My finance and I went to kona for the first time on Friday around 5pm. We luckily got the last outside table on this gorgeous 79 degree day. Sitting outside was great for people watching and was a prime location in the sunshine. We arrived during happy hour and started with a margarita and white sangria. The Margarita was a little too sweet but the sangria was on par. The avocado egg rolls and the calamari were a pretty good start. The egg rolls were incredible and the calamari had a lot of breading if you are into that. Next we got a Sam Adams and a Chardonnay both at happy hour pricing along with the spicy tuna roll and the bama roll. Both were pretty awesome. Overall, the food and drinks were great but the location and patio is what will keep us coming back. The bill for 2 rolls, 4 drinks and 2 appetizers was less than $50! Awesome job kona grill!!
(4)Amy V.
Kona is another great addition to the Avalon. It has a cool atmosphere both inside and out with a very friendly staff and delicious food. We started with the potstickers at the suggestion of our waitress and they were a great find! For lunch we had several of the sushi rolls, all of which we loved. To round out the meal we shared a bottle of the Spellbound petite sirah (okay, two). All and all a great lunch and a place to try again!
(4)Jeff V.
When is this place going to get it together in regards to "service"??? I have been here several times hoping they will figure it out but it is always..always..horrible!!!
(2)Amirali K.
Horrible service. We waited couple hours for just couple orders of sushi and there were not even busy.
(1)V A.
Sunday night...not busy...food was excellent but not worth the long wait.. We were seated at 6 and food didn't come till 730!!!! No apology from waitress, she just smiled and said the food would be worth it. My sons appetizer California roll was brought to table after we completed our meal...didn't appear to be enough staff in kitchen and staff appeared to be scrambling in dining room....I will keep with sushi house until this place stocks up on staff!!!
(1)Todd M.
My wife and I had a similar experience as other reviewers. Sat at the bar, as the wait for a table was 30+ min at 930p...no biggie. Specialty drinks were good (Mojito and Mule kick) but pricey $9-10 Food was average to above average for cost and flavor but with good presentation. Our issue was with the service, and I'll leave it at that. Will most likely be back again as I'm hoping the service was poor due to it being new (open about a month).
(3)Tiffany J.
From a visit in late April 2015: Stood at the bar for 20 minutes while the female bartender served the guy next to me. She looked me in the eyes several times and never came to take my order. She never asked me if I had been helped... as I blatantly stood there with my credit card in my hands. A another gentleman came up next to me after 20 minutes and she immediately took his order. Haven't tried the food at this place. I'm willing to give the food a chance but will never order a drink from the bar... Not that I ever could in the first place.
(1)Alex M.
So good!! Quick service, friendly workers, and GREAT food. My boyfriend and I went for lunch and had sushi and sliders. It was our first time at the restaurant but we will definitely be back!!
(5)Chris B.
Very nice location, foods nothing to write home about. Service is slow, the check was the only fast part of the experience. I doubt I will repeat.
(3)Annie N.
Went to kona grill today for happy hour with my husband and it was just great. We ordered plenty of food and a drink. The food came out in a timely manner and the service was great. We especially enjoyed the avocado egg rolls :). Will be back very soon!!
(5)Darrell C.
I really wanted to like this place, it has great decor and the patio is awesome. We went in for happy hour and decided to try the spicy tuna roll and atlantic roll. We were left to sip our watery vodkas on the rocks (supposedly with splashes of soda) while we waited 30 minutes or so for the two dishes to arrive. They weren't really bad tasting, but more like what you'd expect at a sushi buffet. The texture threw us off, as the fish looked like canned meat, not like any sushi I've ever had. We sent the dishes back with our explanation that we did not expect the actual meat to be "mushy". The waitress had obviously been trained to handle this objection, as she had a very polished response. Apparently, their tuna and salmon filets are "shredded" before they roll them into the rice. Ok, but why? Is this typical? The waitress told us it was "Americanized" sushi. I have sushi at least once a month, but this was a first...feel free to educate me? I wouldn't feel the need to shred sushi grade tuna personally. Anyway, we sent them back for a voodoo roll, which was ok, and arrived promptly. So, minus one for "Americanized" sushi. Minus one for slow delivery on the first round. Minus one for the poorly prepared drinks. Minus TWO for not taking the food we sent back off the check. (I could care less about the $8.00, it's just the right thing to do). Plus one for the decor and patio. Hopefully, management will train the staff to make "rocks" cocktails with a splash correctly (walk over to Marlow's if necessary, they get it right) and pay more attention to neglected patrons. I wasn't sure if the waitress tried to comp the mush meat rolls and management told her no, or if she failed to ask, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt, as she was very pleasant. Ultimately, it's managements' failure either way. Lots of potential here, but I'm not likely to return.
(1)Colleen M.
We have been a couple of times now and have to say we have enjoyed all the food we've had from beef tacos to bama rolls. The service can be a bit slow in the high top area and the hostii seem unable and or uninterested in moving from the front desk to accommodate guests or find someone who will. It's like they are glued behind that thing. We had the best luck sitting at the bar and getting served by Tracy. She was great! Very friendly and knowledgable and awesome customer service skills. We love the happy hour specials and will be back for those for sure!
(3)Anna T.
Loved the food, the place is very nice with outdoor seating with fire. Service was not 5 starts, but it was Ok!
(4)Erika W.
Awesome cocktails...basil pasta sure is spicy...in a good way. Spinach dip was only OK - too heavy on the spinach.
(5)Catie B.
Love Love LOVE! I love the menu here - the decor is pretty cool too. Can't wait until it gets warmer so I can enjoy the fire-pits and waterfall outside too.
(5)Melissa I.
My friend and I sat at the bar for happy hour. The bartender was very helpful, friendly and prompt. The drinks and sushi were delicious. I think the prices even for happy hour are a little high and if I could the rating would actually be a 3&1/2 star. For a happy hour drink to still cost $12 is a little pricey. What happened to the $5 deals? Just a suggestion. Or offer $3 half wine pours, just some feedback. Overall service was fairly quick, so it seems like the kitchen staff are starting to figure it out.
(4)Kacy P.
The experience was terrible from the beginning with the interaction with the hostess. I had booked a table on line for 8pm. We had gone in about 50 min early. The hostess was very rude & said that we could not be seated until our reservation time. Ok, we'll walk around for awhile. She never mentioned that we could be seated outside whenever a table opened up. Came back about 40 min later & once again she was very rude. She directed us to sit in waiting area until our table was ready. Another couple came & sat down & were immediately approached by a waitress to see if she could get them a drink or sushi. She then saw us sitting there & asked if we needed anything. Another hostess came about 15 min later & said that we could sit outside or wait a little longer for inside. We chose outside, which they had a few open tables, which is first come first served. Our waiter came & took drink orders. I ordered a glass of wine & my daughter ordered a water. The wine came first from another waiter about 15 min later. Finally our water came & I ordered an appetizer. I don't think our waiter had that many tables, he was spending great amounts of time with the table next to us. Our appetizer came, it was great & we ordered 2 sushi rolls. He never asked if he could bring us anything else to drink. Ok, they have a guy who only makes sushi, so it should be no more than a 10 min wait. We waited at least 20 min maybe 30... Our waiter was MIA. Sushi FINALLY came & it was really good. Our waiter finally came back to see if we wanted dessert. No just the check please. Once again, he took my credit card & bill & was gone about 20 min. How long does it take to complete the transaction? Bottom line, food was good- service was terrible!! Will have to think Long & hard if I will go back here.
(1)Alger L.
I have given this restaurant so many chances to rise to the occasion. Great location, nice patio but the food is mediocre at best and the service lacks on all levels. Such a shame!
(1)Oyette R.
We've been to Kona grill 3 times this week. Once, just me and my husband. We had to sit at the sushi bar because they were too busy. You can order from the full menu from the sushi bar as well. The service, I would say is slow.. but all you really need to get around that is a glass of nice red wine, and good company ( I love my husband to death, so any time with him is good company). I had sushi and he had the pepperoni flat bread. We shared the bulgogi taco. Everything was really good. The pepperoni flat bread had substantial bread, so it doesn't seem like you're not getting enough food. My sushi was good.. I did not expect it to be as good as Tanaka (also in Alpharetta) which is a hole in a wall kinda place, but my husband thought it was better. Second time, we went with two other friends. Everybody enjoyed their food. Wednesdays you get half off a bottle of wine. We had it again today, but I don't think we ordered as good. But it was still great because I had two glasses of good wine (good wine makes up for everything). It's pricey, and the wait time could be ridiculously long... but the ambiance is great, the servers are attractive (most of the patrons are too), but they have good house red wine, and I'm easy!
(4)Dusty R.
Decent but not a wow. The sushi was good. Our party split 6 different roles. They were all good. The place is loud and not good for conversation.
(3)Yvonne M.
Fun place with fantastic sashimi. We had a table of 6 - shared 11 rolls, sashimi plates. We left pieces behind, because we were all so full. Big, full rolls. Enjoy!
(4)Tara R.
Reading these previous negative reviews, I have to say I think it's a little unfair to review a restaurant too harshly during its opening week. It just takes time to get an operation this size up and running. That being said, we had lunch here on opening day and really did enjoy the potstickers, sushi roll, pad thai and our server. Loved the ambiance inside and out, lots of heated al fresco tables surrounding the front. Cool water feature at the bar and aquarium at the entrance. Looking forward to coming back to sample more of the menu.
(4)Stephen A.
The food was interesting and unique. Excellent flavor. The service was great. Very cheerful, attentive and considerate. It took a little bit longer than expect to get the food but the place was packed. The ambience was contemporary and upbeat but not too loud.
(5)Jeff S.
Krystal provided excellent service except for the fact that she recommended the dumplings which she claimed was a huge portion but they only gave you 5 which is ok if they are charging half the price but if you are going to charge $10 for dumplings, at least give 6 so you can share evenly =) The sushi was mediorce, I admit I am a little bit of a snob with sushi because I am spoiled by NY sushi. Sunshine Roll was the best of the 3 we ordered and probably give it a 6.5 out of 10 (take off the lemon slice which can be overpowering) Lobster/Shrimp roll was good but shrimp or whatever was inside seemed very small - 6 /10 Wave Roll - another bad recommendation by server, has potential to be good but again, the shrimp they use for the shrimp tempura is really insultingly small 4.5/10 So place was ok, thumbs up for atmosphere & service, thumbs down for price and dumplings - and neither up or down on sushi - just meh Other food items such as diablo shrimp and flatbreads looked good but didnt get to try. Out of brownie for dessert so got the carrot cake which was good / huge portion. I am suspicious that 5 stars must be staff or friends of staff, or just people who have never tried sushi outside of Atlanta area I would have given it 2.5 stars if possible but I just felt 3 stars for ambiance and service was too generous
(2)Arlene H.
We sat at the hight tops on the friday night of Halloween, it took 8 minutes for someone to come great us. Then it took another 5 minutes for us to get menus. Ofcouse to top it off it took 15 minutes to get my drink (water.) Cool environment but horible service. The waitors where running around and looked confused.
(1)Maria A.
I've been here two times - the first day it opened - I sat at the bar and had a good experience. Today, I'm here and we have a terrible waitress that is less than helpful. They are out of three menu items and it's only 9 pm. We have already been waiting for 25 minutes for our appetizer.
(2)Crissy H.
I have been to this location 3 times since it opened, each time the food was on point, but the service is definitely slow, as seems to be the case with every restaurant I have visited in Avalon. I will be back because of the delicious and varied menu, though. highly recommend the chicken and shrimp lettuce wraps and the basil pesto chicken linguini - my husband said this is one of the best dishes he's ever tried! If you like spicy, this is definitely a must-try!
(4)Steve K.
Excellent at Every level. Service, food, ambiance, price. Went with friends and I left a huge sushi fan. Would go again and again.
(5)Wendy M.
Excellent. I have searched the entire eastern OTP area for great sushi with little luck. But now, my search is over! Kona is perfect and has a beautiful ambiance. Plus, there's lots of popular stores in the same complex.
(5)carin b.
AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This restaurant is so mediocre it's amazing that it's open!!!!!!
(1)Marvis B.
Love the atmosphere. Friendly wait staff. The happy hour appetizers & drinks are great with a variety of food to choose from. A fun place to meet up after work or go late for the "reverse happy hour".
(5)Brian S.
Kona has been open for a few months now. They seem to be correcting and have corrected opening restaurant kinks. The hostess stand and staff need to perk up a bit to greet people as they enter the space. The food on two visits have been good on average with the sushi side being great and the grill side being ok. The ambiance is created from a lot of restaurant concepts cool focal points. The fish tank from seafood joints, the infinity water wall from Japanese, and the dramatic lighting fixtures from high end steak houses. The service was great. Not pushy and sales driven nor absent and complacent just perfect. She gave us time when we needed and was Prompt at times also. Request Allison if you go. Allison really knows how to take care of you and make you feel special.
(4)Carolyn C.
I really like Kona. I have been twice in the last week and can't wait to return. The servers are friendly and they have a relaxed but upscale environment. The specials are great: half price bottles of wine on Wednesdays and happy hour 3-7pm and 7-close during the week I think. They have really good sushi and many half price options during happy hour. Lots of food and drink specials for happy hour. Outside area is great with views of the fountain that has multi color lights at night.
(5)Thao N.
We went for the first time tonight with some friends. Although our friends had been a couple of time before. The food was very good. I especially liked the garlic bread. Service was slow. We were told it would be two hours for the main dining room, but the bar and the other section of the restaurant was on a first-come-first-serve basis. I was confused since there was no way to know who was ahead of us. We decided then to just stand around, stare some folks down, and hope to get a table. I took a while for us to get our drinks and food. We weren't sure who our server was. Everyone was running around. It was pretty chaotic. The manager was very nice and apologetic, gave us a discount.
(3)Mary A.
Waitstaff needs to be better trained. Our "guy" was a mess. I particularly liked his declaration that the salmon had been flown in that morning from . . . Hawaii. Nice try. The potstickers were mediocre, the calamari came out stone cold and no one was in sight to tell . . . or send it back to the kitchen. I ordered the pad thai, which tasted like BBQ sauce and not fish sauce. The chicken was overcooked and dry (and cold) and the shrimp pieces were little hard nuggets. Sorry, guys, not coming back.
(1)Toad M.
Beautiful atmosphere for the Avalon bar scene...but a 2 hour wait... Get real Alpharetta. This is Georgia not California. The crowd reminded me of downtown Roswell...A bunch of fifty year olds trying to look and act thirty. I did see a few 30 year olds. I hope the younger generation can take this place over so we don't have another pasties within 20 miles of eachother. The bar was crowded so no way to stop for drink or food. We will try another or not.....
(4)Kelly K.
Update to initial review: My husband and I have eaten at every restaurant in Avalon and although our initial experience at Kona was not great, it has become one of our favorite places to grab a quick bite. (We probably dine at Kona 3-4 times per month!). The Kona Chopped Salad is definitely a favorite for both of us, the macadamia nut encrusted chicken in the salad is AMAZING! As for the sushi, the yellowtail jalapeño sashimi is my favorite and the sushi sampler is a nice option for a light lunch. I stand by my initial review of the sushi rolls and would not recommend them to sushi fans that actually enjoy sushi (raw fish). The amount of fish is minimal and in rolls such as the spicy tuna roll, it is minced too fine with the sriracha sauce presenting the most pronounced flavor to the taste buds. Definitely looking forward to warmer weather when we can experience Kona's spectacular outdoor seating area which offers the best viewing spot of Avalon's beautiful fountain and activity lawn!!
(4)Pete C.
My first and last trip to Kona Grill took place last evening. Service was a bit slow, food was not hot, and resolution took too long. Although the staff was very nice and courteous, this establishment was a disappointment
(1)Jeannine G.
We went for dinner on a Saturday night and the food was really food but took forever to get it. It also took forever to get a drink from the bar. I think the worst thing about it was the manager and the food runners were sarcastic and not very helpful. Our main course and appetizer arrived at the same time, while others in our party had no food. The food was good so hopefully the restaurant will work out the kinks. There are too many good restarants to put up with poor service.
(1)Don C.
Been to Kona Grill several times and all have been great experiences and really surprised with some of the bad reviews posted. The place is busy and there are waits almost every night so check in and enjoy the Avalon. Service has always been very good and food is excellent. Coconut Shrimp Rolls, Lettuce Wraps and seafood entrees are very good. Prices are fair and especially some good wines 1/2 off on Wednesdays. One negative though could be the dining area seating which some of the tables seem to be tight in areas.
(5)Cade Y.
Service was absolutely terrible. It took 45 minutes to get our rolls and then another 45 minutes to get a single roll that they didn't bring out with the others. Food was good but the service ruined the overall experience.
(1)Hannah P.
Had dinner at Kona last night for the first time. We had an overall great experience. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The sea bass is some of the best I've had. The sushi was also great. Our only complaint is that we ordered the sushi as appetizer , and it came out with our food. Sushi chef was backed up which was understandable since it was a packed Friday night. We will definitely go again!
(4)Rose W.
We went here Friday night! Very beautiful place! We sat at sushi bar and everyone was very polite and friendly. Sushi was excellent!
(5)Lisa W.
We came in to have a drink. Lots of servers coming and going but none decided to acknowledge us. 15 minutes later we left. The fireplace seemed cozy though.
(1)Char M.
Only go if you want to sit outside -- If you want great food and good service -- MOVE ON and find a new place. Food was ok, service was bad -- we went for lunch and it was not busy. Food took a long time to come out (burger, chopped salad and kid grilled cheese). For the quality of the food we got -- completely over priced. Very upsetting -- great location. We were visiting from out of town and WAS excited to try it and sit outside. Empty water glasses on a table is not acceptable in any establishment -- especially one at this price point. Server was not around -- but was there to take my credit card and wait for it. Ouch.
(2)Jennifer A.
The decor is trendy, the happy hour drink specials are a good deal but the food is sub par. I had two sushi rolls that were by far the worst I have ever had ( I have eaten a LOT of sushi at many different restaurants so I have a good base of comparision). One tasted like it was topped with canned cat food. I had the lettuce wraps and they were nothing special. My boyfriend ordered the sea bass and it was ok. The portion was small and the fish was overcooked and the accompanying rice was over seasoned with sesame oil. The Sea Bass served at nearby Village Tavern is far superior quality and priced more resonably. I would go back for Happy Hour drinks but I would likely not eat there again.
(2)Wendi S.
They have fabulous sushi, and the flatbread pizza was the bomb. Everything I have ordered here has been top notch, well cooked, and delicious! The service is pretty good, and the food takes average time to arrive. If it is really crowded, you will wait for a good 10 minutes just to order, but if it is not, they are pretty good about at least getting your drink order. The only problem is that it is really, really LOUD and CROWDED. We went once on a Wednesday night and once on a Sunday night and once on a Saturday afternoon. At one point when we went on a Sunday evening, there was a gathering of people, and a lady had her rear right in my daughter's face while she was trying to eat. I would only go back on a week night and go early unless you like people almost sitting on your table. It was pretty bad. But the food is fabulous!
(4)Joe C.
I want to give this place 5 stars, but I just can't justify it yet due to their slow service. I understand you are busy, but so is every other restaurant in The Avalon. The hostesses always seem to have this arrogance about them. Sorry ladies, I don't care how good you look or think you look, just try to actually smile and greet customers a little more often. Anyhow, I digress. I am a big fan of their happy hour here as it runs 4-7 PM every weekday, and they offer quite an extensive menu which includes some great sushi rolls, appetizers, and flatbreads. The Korean BBQ chicken flatbread is fantastic, as are all the sushi rolls. Drink specials of course are also part of the deal, so take advantage of this. If you come here for dinner and want a table outside the bar/lounge area, expect a hour wait. The crowd here is often a mix between young professionals and older businessmen, and of course your local tennis moms out for their daily wine dosage. Business casual is the attire around here. Great outdoor patio and bar as well with plenty of flat screen TV's.
(4)Donn J.
A family of 5's first experience at Kona Grill. We got there around 1:30pm, we had a 25 minute way, so we waited. We were seated promptly, the interior decor was a miss, it seemed like it was trying to hard to be trendy. As we were seated, i noticed it was plenty cold...our server takes our drink order, our appetizer, and our entree orders. Our appetizer were the potsticker, which are 5 chicken and veggie filled dumplings, tasted ok, but definitely not worth the $10. Next was the Clam Chower w/Apple Bacon, that was the only winner in the entire meal. Not salty, perfect seasoning, creamy, with a little smokiness of the apple bacon, it gave a very savory taste to the chowder, it was perfect! Next up is the Beef Tacos, they come in this flaky, thick, overly chewy shell, couldn't really taste the beef or its natural marinade/juices because of the overly poured sweet sauce they put in the taco's. The Dragon Roll was...well just a Dragon Roll, nothing unique, it was ok...the eel little tough. We then had the Sushi Sampler, which is Shrimp, Tuna, Salmon, California Roll with their House Salad. All i had to say is, "Where is the Sushi?" The Sushi Sampler should be called, "The HOUSE salad w/ some sushi" because thats all you see on your plate, just a BIG house salad. Lastly, the Big Kahuna Burger, why is it called the Big Kahuna Burger? I should of asked, that was my mistake, its just a cheddar cheese burger with Caramelized Onions, thats it. It was ok. NEXT!
(2)Zia S.
Good menu but they are trying a bit too hard to be exotic and something different. And that would be fine if they got their flavor mix right. Nice ambiance though and very nice desert. Rock shrimp tempura was excellent.
(3)Aida K.
I made reservations for 10 people about 10 days in advance. When I called to see if I could add a couple more people to the reservation 2 days before the event, they told me that they could not find my reservation anywhere and that they actually don't even take reservations for that large of a party Saturdays at 8 pm. I was told I was out of luck and there is nothing they could do for me. Pretentious place that likes to have 2 - 3 hour wait time so they can feel "special."
(1)Todd M.
My wife and I had a similar experience as other reviewers. Sat at the bar, as the wait for a table was 30+ min at 930p...no biggie. Specialty drinks were good (Mojito and Mule kick) but pricey $9-10 Food was average to above average for cost and flavor but with good presentation. Our issue was with the service, and I'll leave it at that. Will most likely be back again as I'm hoping the service was poor due to it being new (open about a month).
(3)Jeff V.
When is this place going to get it together in regards to "service"??? I have been here several times hoping they will figure it out but it is always..always..horrible!!!
(2)Amirali K.
Horrible service. We waited couple hours for just couple orders of sushi and there were not even busy.
(1)Tiffany J.
From a visit in late April 2015: Stood at the bar for 20 minutes while the female bartender served the guy next to me. She looked me in the eyes several times and never came to take my order. She never asked me if I had been helped... as I blatantly stood there with my credit card in my hands. A another gentleman came up next to me after 20 minutes and she immediately took his order. Haven't tried the food at this place. I'm willing to give the food a chance but will never order a drink from the bar... Not that I ever could in the first place.
(1)Alex M.
So good!! Quick service, friendly workers, and GREAT food. My boyfriend and I went for lunch and had sushi and sliders. It was our first time at the restaurant but we will definitely be back!!
(5)Chris B.
Very nice location, foods nothing to write home about. Service is slow, the check was the only fast part of the experience. I doubt I will repeat.
(3)Annie N.
Went to kona grill today for happy hour with my husband and it was just great. We ordered plenty of food and a drink. The food came out in a timely manner and the service was great. We especially enjoyed the avocado egg rolls :). Will be back very soon!!
(5)Darrell C.
I really wanted to like this place, it has great decor and the patio is awesome. We went in for happy hour and decided to try the spicy tuna roll and atlantic roll. We were left to sip our watery vodkas on the rocks (supposedly with splashes of soda) while we waited 30 minutes or so for the two dishes to arrive. They weren't really bad tasting, but more like what you'd expect at a sushi buffet. The texture threw us off, as the fish looked like canned meat, not like any sushi I've ever had. We sent the dishes back with our explanation that we did not expect the actual meat to be "mushy". The waitress had obviously been trained to handle this objection, as she had a very polished response. Apparently, their tuna and salmon filets are "shredded" before they roll them into the rice. Ok, but why? Is this typical? The waitress told us it was "Americanized" sushi. I have sushi at least once a month, but this was a first...feel free to educate me? I wouldn't feel the need to shred sushi grade tuna personally. Anyway, we sent them back for a voodoo roll, which was ok, and arrived promptly. So, minus one for "Americanized" sushi. Minus one for slow delivery on the first round. Minus one for the poorly prepared drinks. Minus TWO for not taking the food we sent back off the check. (I could care less about the $8.00, it's just the right thing to do). Plus one for the decor and patio. Hopefully, management will train the staff to make "rocks" cocktails with a splash correctly (walk over to Marlow's if necessary, they get it right) and pay more attention to neglected patrons. I wasn't sure if the waitress tried to comp the mush meat rolls and management told her no, or if she failed to ask, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt, as she was very pleasant. Ultimately, it's managements' failure either way. Lots of potential here, but I'm not likely to return.
(1)Colleen M.
We have been a couple of times now and have to say we have enjoyed all the food we've had from beef tacos to bama rolls. The service can be a bit slow in the high top area and the hostii seem unable and or uninterested in moving from the front desk to accommodate guests or find someone who will. It's like they are glued behind that thing. We had the best luck sitting at the bar and getting served by Tracy. She was great! Very friendly and knowledgable and awesome customer service skills. We love the happy hour specials and will be back for those for sure!
(3)Catie B.
Love Love LOVE! I love the menu here - the decor is pretty cool too. Can't wait until it gets warmer so I can enjoy the fire-pits and waterfall outside too.
(5)Anna T.
Loved the food, the place is very nice with outdoor seating with fire. Service was not 5 starts, but it was Ok!
(4)Erika W.
Awesome cocktails...basil pasta sure is spicy...in a good way. Spinach dip was only OK - too heavy on the spinach.
(5)Melissa I.
My friend and I sat at the bar for happy hour. The bartender was very helpful, friendly and prompt. The drinks and sushi were delicious. I think the prices even for happy hour are a little high and if I could the rating would actually be a 3&1/2 star. For a happy hour drink to still cost $12 is a little pricey. What happened to the $5 deals? Just a suggestion. Or offer $3 half wine pours, just some feedback. Overall service was fairly quick, so it seems like the kitchen staff are starting to figure it out.
(4)Oyette R.
We've been to Kona grill 3 times this week. Once, just me and my husband. We had to sit at the sushi bar because they were too busy. You can order from the full menu from the sushi bar as well. The service, I would say is slow.. but all you really need to get around that is a glass of nice red wine, and good company ( I love my husband to death, so any time with him is good company). I had sushi and he had the pepperoni flat bread. We shared the bulgogi taco. Everything was really good. The pepperoni flat bread had substantial bread, so it doesn't seem like you're not getting enough food. My sushi was good.. I did not expect it to be as good as Tanaka (also in Alpharetta) which is a hole in a wall kinda place, but my husband thought it was better. Second time, we went with two other friends. Everybody enjoyed their food. Wednesdays you get half off a bottle of wine. We had it again today, but I don't think we ordered as good. But it was still great because I had two glasses of good wine (good wine makes up for everything). It's pricey, and the wait time could be ridiculously long... but the ambiance is great, the servers are attractive (most of the patrons are too), but they have good house red wine, and I'm easy!
(4)Dusty R.
Decent but not a wow. The sushi was good. Our party split 6 different roles. They were all good. The place is loud and not good for conversation.
(3)Kacy P.
The experience was terrible from the beginning with the interaction with the hostess. I had booked a table on line for 8pm. We had gone in about 50 min early. The hostess was very rude & said that we could not be seated until our reservation time. Ok, we'll walk around for awhile. She never mentioned that we could be seated outside whenever a table opened up. Came back about 40 min later & once again she was very rude. She directed us to sit in waiting area until our table was ready. Another couple came & sat down & were immediately approached by a waitress to see if she could get them a drink or sushi. She then saw us sitting there & asked if we needed anything. Another hostess came about 15 min later & said that we could sit outside or wait a little longer for inside. We chose outside, which they had a few open tables, which is first come first served. Our waiter came & took drink orders. I ordered a glass of wine & my daughter ordered a water. The wine came first from another waiter about 15 min later. Finally our water came & I ordered an appetizer. I don't think our waiter had that many tables, he was spending great amounts of time with the table next to us. Our appetizer came, it was great & we ordered 2 sushi rolls. He never asked if he could bring us anything else to drink. Ok, they have a guy who only makes sushi, so it should be no more than a 10 min wait. We waited at least 20 min maybe 30... Our waiter was MIA. Sushi FINALLY came & it was really good. Our waiter finally came back to see if we wanted dessert. No just the check please. Once again, he took my credit card & bill & was gone about 20 min. How long does it take to complete the transaction? Bottom line, food was good- service was terrible!! Will have to think Long & hard if I will go back here.
(1)Alger L.
I have given this restaurant so many chances to rise to the occasion. Great location, nice patio but the food is mediocre at best and the service lacks on all levels. Such a shame!
(1)Yvonne M.
Fun place with fantastic sashimi. We had a table of 6 - shared 11 rolls, sashimi plates. We left pieces behind, because we were all so full. Big, full rolls. Enjoy!
(4)Tara R.
Reading these previous negative reviews, I have to say I think it's a little unfair to review a restaurant too harshly during its opening week. It just takes time to get an operation this size up and running. That being said, we had lunch here on opening day and really did enjoy the potstickers, sushi roll, pad thai and our server. Loved the ambiance inside and out, lots of heated al fresco tables surrounding the front. Cool water feature at the bar and aquarium at the entrance. Looking forward to coming back to sample more of the menu.
(4)Stephen A.
The food was interesting and unique. Excellent flavor. The service was great. Very cheerful, attentive and considerate. It took a little bit longer than expect to get the food but the place was packed. The ambience was contemporary and upbeat but not too loud.
(5)Jeff S.
Krystal provided excellent service except for the fact that she recommended the dumplings which she claimed was a huge portion but they only gave you 5 which is ok if they are charging half the price but if you are going to charge $10 for dumplings, at least give 6 so you can share evenly =) The sushi was mediorce, I admit I am a little bit of a snob with sushi because I am spoiled by NY sushi. Sunshine Roll was the best of the 3 we ordered and probably give it a 6.5 out of 10 (take off the lemon slice which can be overpowering) Lobster/Shrimp roll was good but shrimp or whatever was inside seemed very small - 6 /10 Wave Roll - another bad recommendation by server, has potential to be good but again, the shrimp they use for the shrimp tempura is really insultingly small 4.5/10 So place was ok, thumbs up for atmosphere & service, thumbs down for price and dumplings - and neither up or down on sushi - just meh Other food items such as diablo shrimp and flatbreads looked good but didnt get to try. Out of brownie for dessert so got the carrot cake which was good / huge portion. I am suspicious that 5 stars must be staff or friends of staff, or just people who have never tried sushi outside of Atlanta area I would have given it 2.5 stars if possible but I just felt 3 stars for ambiance and service was too generous
(2)Arlene H.
We sat at the hight tops on the friday night of Halloween, it took 8 minutes for someone to come great us. Then it took another 5 minutes for us to get menus. Ofcouse to top it off it took 15 minutes to get my drink (water.) Cool environment but horible service. The waitors where running around and looked confused.
(1)Maria A.
I've been here two times - the first day it opened - I sat at the bar and had a good experience. Today, I'm here and we have a terrible waitress that is less than helpful. They are out of three menu items and it's only 9 pm. We have already been waiting for 25 minutes for our appetizer.
(2)Crissy H.
I have been to this location 3 times since it opened, each time the food was on point, but the service is definitely slow, as seems to be the case with every restaurant I have visited in Avalon. I will be back because of the delicious and varied menu, though. highly recommend the chicken and shrimp lettuce wraps and the basil pesto chicken linguini - my husband said this is one of the best dishes he's ever tried! If you like spicy, this is definitely a must-try!
(4)Steve K.
Excellent at Every level. Service, food, ambiance, price. Went with friends and I left a huge sushi fan. Would go again and again.
(5)Wendy M.
Excellent. I have searched the entire eastern OTP area for great sushi with little luck. But now, my search is over! Kona is perfect and has a beautiful ambiance. Plus, there's lots of popular stores in the same complex.
(5)carin b.
AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This restaurant is so mediocre it's amazing that it's open!!!!!!
(1)Brian S.
Kona has been open for a few months now. They seem to be correcting and have corrected opening restaurant kinks. The hostess stand and staff need to perk up a bit to greet people as they enter the space. The food on two visits have been good on average with the sushi side being great and the grill side being ok. The ambiance is created from a lot of restaurant concepts cool focal points. The fish tank from seafood joints, the infinity water wall from Japanese, and the dramatic lighting fixtures from high end steak houses. The service was great. Not pushy and sales driven nor absent and complacent just perfect. She gave us time when we needed and was Prompt at times also. Request Allison if you go. Allison really knows how to take care of you and make you feel special.
(4)Marvis B.
Love the atmosphere. Friendly wait staff. The happy hour appetizers & drinks are great with a variety of food to choose from. A fun place to meet up after work or go late for the "reverse happy hour".
(5)Carolyn C.
I really like Kona. I have been twice in the last week and can't wait to return. The servers are friendly and they have a relaxed but upscale environment. The specials are great: half price bottles of wine on Wednesdays and happy hour 3-7pm and 7-close during the week I think. They have really good sushi and many half price options during happy hour. Lots of food and drink specials for happy hour. Outside area is great with views of the fountain that has multi color lights at night.
(5)Thao N.
We went for the first time tonight with some friends. Although our friends had been a couple of time before. The food was very good. I especially liked the garlic bread. Service was slow. We were told it would be two hours for the main dining room, but the bar and the other section of the restaurant was on a first-come-first-serve basis. I was confused since there was no way to know who was ahead of us. We decided then to just stand around, stare some folks down, and hope to get a table. I took a while for us to get our drinks and food. We weren't sure who our server was. Everyone was running around. It was pretty chaotic. The manager was very nice and apologetic, gave us a discount.
(3)Mary A.
Waitstaff needs to be better trained. Our "guy" was a mess. I particularly liked his declaration that the salmon had been flown in that morning from . . . Hawaii. Nice try. The potstickers were mediocre, the calamari came out stone cold and no one was in sight to tell . . . or send it back to the kitchen. I ordered the pad thai, which tasted like BBQ sauce and not fish sauce. The chicken was overcooked and dry (and cold) and the shrimp pieces were little hard nuggets. Sorry, guys, not coming back.
(1)Toad M.
Beautiful atmosphere for the Avalon bar scene...but a 2 hour wait... Get real Alpharetta. This is Georgia not California. The crowd reminded me of downtown Roswell...A bunch of fifty year olds trying to look and act thirty. I did see a few 30 year olds. I hope the younger generation can take this place over so we don't have another pasties within 20 miles of eachother. The bar was crowded so no way to stop for drink or food. We will try another or not.....
(4)Kelly K.
Update to initial review: My husband and I have eaten at every restaurant in Avalon and although our initial experience at Kona was not great, it has become one of our favorite places to grab a quick bite. (We probably dine at Kona 3-4 times per month!). The Kona Chopped Salad is definitely a favorite for both of us, the macadamia nut encrusted chicken in the salad is AMAZING! As for the sushi, the yellowtail jalapeño sashimi is my favorite and the sushi sampler is a nice option for a light lunch. I stand by my initial review of the sushi rolls and would not recommend them to sushi fans that actually enjoy sushi (raw fish). The amount of fish is minimal and in rolls such as the spicy tuna roll, it is minced too fine with the sriracha sauce presenting the most pronounced flavor to the taste buds. Definitely looking forward to warmer weather when we can experience Kona's spectacular outdoor seating area which offers the best viewing spot of Avalon's beautiful fountain and activity lawn!!
(4)Pete C.
My first and last trip to Kona Grill took place last evening. Service was a bit slow, food was not hot, and resolution took too long. Although the staff was very nice and courteous, this establishment was a disappointment
(1)Jeannine G.
We went for dinner on a Saturday night and the food was really food but took forever to get it. It also took forever to get a drink from the bar. I think the worst thing about it was the manager and the food runners were sarcastic and not very helpful. Our main course and appetizer arrived at the same time, while others in our party had no food. The food was good so hopefully the restaurant will work out the kinks. There are too many good restarants to put up with poor service.
(1)Don C.
Been to Kona Grill several times and all have been great experiences and really surprised with some of the bad reviews posted. The place is busy and there are waits almost every night so check in and enjoy the Avalon. Service has always been very good and food is excellent. Coconut Shrimp Rolls, Lettuce Wraps and seafood entrees are very good. Prices are fair and especially some good wines 1/2 off on Wednesdays. One negative though could be the dining area seating which some of the tables seem to be tight in areas.
(5)Cade Y.
Service was absolutely terrible. It took 45 minutes to get our rolls and then another 45 minutes to get a single roll that they didn't bring out with the others. Food was good but the service ruined the overall experience.
(1)Lisa W.
We came in to have a drink. Lots of servers coming and going but none decided to acknowledge us. 15 minutes later we left. The fireplace seemed cozy though.
(1)Char M.
Only go if you want to sit outside -- If you want great food and good service -- MOVE ON and find a new place. Food was ok, service was bad -- we went for lunch and it was not busy. Food took a long time to come out (burger, chopped salad and kid grilled cheese). For the quality of the food we got -- completely over priced. Very upsetting -- great location. We were visiting from out of town and WAS excited to try it and sit outside. Empty water glasses on a table is not acceptable in any establishment -- especially one at this price point. Server was not around -- but was there to take my credit card and wait for it. Ouch.
(2)Jennifer A.
The decor is trendy, the happy hour drink specials are a good deal but the food is sub par. I had two sushi rolls that were by far the worst I have ever had ( I have eaten a LOT of sushi at many different restaurants so I have a good base of comparision). One tasted like it was topped with canned cat food. I had the lettuce wraps and they were nothing special. My boyfriend ordered the sea bass and it was ok. The portion was small and the fish was overcooked and the accompanying rice was over seasoned with sesame oil. The Sea Bass served at nearby Village Tavern is far superior quality and priced more resonably. I would go back for Happy Hour drinks but I would likely not eat there again.
(2)Wendi S.
They have fabulous sushi, and the flatbread pizza was the bomb. Everything I have ordered here has been top notch, well cooked, and delicious! The service is pretty good, and the food takes average time to arrive. If it is really crowded, you will wait for a good 10 minutes just to order, but if it is not, they are pretty good about at least getting your drink order. The only problem is that it is really, really LOUD and CROWDED. We went once on a Wednesday night and once on a Sunday night and once on a Saturday afternoon. At one point when we went on a Sunday evening, there was a gathering of people, and a lady had her rear right in my daughter's face while she was trying to eat. I would only go back on a week night and go early unless you like people almost sitting on your table. It was pretty bad. But the food is fabulous!
(4)Hannah P.
Had dinner at Kona last night for the first time. We had an overall great experience. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The sea bass is some of the best I've had. The sushi was also great. Our only complaint is that we ordered the sushi as appetizer , and it came out with our food. Sushi chef was backed up which was understandable since it was a packed Friday night. We will definitely go again!
(4)Rose W.
We went here Friday night! Very beautiful place! We sat at sushi bar and everyone was very polite and friendly. Sushi was excellent!
(5)Mikaela Z.
Virginia Woolf said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." After my visit to Kona Grill, my thoughts were clear as crystal, my love ... well that's just not a problem, and I slept like a baby, dreaming of my return in the near future. Visited before the restaurant even opened. Generally you can expect training nights to be rough. Sure, there were a few kinks in the service, but the food and drinks were spectacular. I was so impressed. Started with the avocado eggroll. The sauce that comes with it is out of this world amazing. I would definitely recommend it! Next we had the filet, a California roll, a vegetable roll, and the cooked salmon roll. The filet was amazing. I'm a medium-well meat gal...and usually that means I sacrifice a little on tenderness and flavor. This was not the case with the Kona filet. I think that I would have cut it with a butter knife. It was amazing. The rolls were just ok. Probably didn't order the best of the best from that list. Ordered the salmon from the kids menu. I was blown away by the kids menu selections and prices. The salmon came with a choice of two sides. My daughter loved everything, and the portions left enough for me to try a little too! The drinks were really good. Tried a classic mojito, a coconut mojito, and I can't remember the name of the other drink but it had ginger beer and gin in it. All were fantastic. FANTASTIC. Skip the classic mojito and go for the coconut though. The ambiance of the restaurant is really nice. It has a trendy vibe. The finishes are impressive. Even the bathrooms are lovely. I can't recommend Kona enough. The only reason they got 4 stars instead of 5 is because the prices seem a little high. Our bill was $120 for two plus a baby. I would visit again, absolutely. I want to try their happy hour, I've heard that menu has great deals. Just check it out, it is worth the trip and there isn't much like it around!
(4)Saba A.
Worst.Cocktails.Ever. I would stick to beer and wine! I think this is a perfect 'hang out' spot on a sunny day especially outside in the area. The food was all right, the flavors didn't spark in any way. But I wasn't expecting much from a chain restaurant. The service was okay too. There was 3 people at the host stand, and no less than 10 tables aviailable but they said there was nothing open for 45 minutes on a sunny, Saturday afternoon so we sat at the bar. Nothing special at Kona Grill!
(3)Grant G.
I've been to this place several times. I really like the food, atmosphere, and was excited to go there Sunday when it was the first warm day of the year and sit on the patio. We arrived shortly after 1 and ordered within 5 minutes of sitting down. Received my appetizer within 10 minutes. We waited 30 minutes and the waiter came by and finally refilled our glasses and told us that it would be out shortly. After 45 minutes we still didn't have our meal and there was no sign of our waiter. We needed to be somewhere, so I got up to go look for him to ask him to put it in a box. Still couldn't find him. At one hour I had to walk into the kitchen area to find the manager to ask for help. She said she would take care of immediately. 10 minutes later, our waiter showed up with food in a box and the bill for $117. No apologies. He just walked off. I get that things get messed up or delayed sometimes and patience is often warranted; however, this type of customer service and the lack of acknowledging a botched visit by the waiter and, more importantly, the manager was inexcusable and deserves to be shared with other patrons.
(1)Caroline K.
Me and my boyfriend went there for the first time, just out of curiosity to try it out . The place looked nice and said why not. Set at the outside bar, ordered drinks and few items from the happy hour menu. My cocktail was good, my boyfriend had beer , but when the food came out.... Ugggg.... We had couple sushi rolls and a margarita flatbread . It was bad, sushi rice was so wrong, wasn't even sticky at all . Spicy tuna wasn't spicy and was tasting pretty bad . And what kind of margarita pizza or flatbread whiteout fresh basil? After out sushi came out and waited a while I had to ask the bartender about the flatbread cause was taking way too long. And guess what , that was exactly what you would get - a soggy dough !!!!! I mean , we were very disappointed in their food. I may be back for a drink and atmosphere that's about it . Food sucked !
(2)Toni G.
Beautiful place. I ordered the cheapest thing on the lunch menu..pad Thai. Think I embarrassed myself by licking the bowl clean.. Wish it could have been more spicier. And I even asked to make my tastebuds bleed... Still not very spicy hot for my palate.
(5)Jim C.
Great food and happy hour from 4-7.
(4)Katie N.
This restaurant was VERY crowded, but the whole shopping center was bustling the night I went as well. There is a movie theater and an ice skating rinks right next door. Service was on the slow end, hut not bad for how busy they were and the quality of service was good. The restaurant has a sushi menu and a standard entre menu which features seafood - I'm guessing it is Hawaiian style. Everyone was very pleased with their meals and drinks - no complaints. Portions were generous. The desserts are AMAZING. We ordered to share the passion fruit creme brulé, the supreme brownie, the carrot cake, and the butter cake. The portions on each dessert were ginormous - the carrot cake was seriously a quarter of a whole cake and the brownies were equally large. The carrot cake was the favorite of them all but the creme brulé was my second favorite. My total bill for 2 drinks, entree, and a dessert with tip was around $60 for just me. The outdoor bar is very nice and has heaters installed for the winter.
(4)Scott P.
Last night was my second time visiting Kona Grill. Both trips have been great and very different! The first was just me a friend at the bar taking advantage of the great app and sushi menu and last night was a birthday party of 20! Both experiences were terrific in terms of the food, service and atmosphere! The staff did a great job in accommodating our large party and I couldn't be happier with the experience. GREAT JOB KONA GRILL! One note - They don't allow any confetti so keep that in mind if you plan an event there! :)
(5)Anjanetta W.
I can honestly say that I love this place. The atmosphere is great, the Gouda fondue is delicious and I love the Crunchie sushi roll. I also love the side garden salad and the wonderful house dressing along with the huge slices of carrot cake. I would say the parking in this new shopping mall is kinda sucky, but this place makes up for it!!!
(5)M D.
When they first opened, they were fantastic. We went to Kona weekly for sushi at happy hour. It was great. After the last three visits however, we've given up and dine elsewhere. The sushi has really gone down in taste and presentation. It tasted extremely "fishy" and far from fresh. At one dining experience, I had multiple long strands of hair wrapped in the rice of my sushi roll. (The waiter was very nice and removed the sushi from our bill.) At the next visit, we made the mistake of sitting at the sushi bar...the amount of flies that land on the ready-and-waiting sushi is really quite disgusting.
(2)Greg R.
Spent 20 minutes to get service and then who knows how much longer to get out drinks. All the while a number of servers passed us without making eye contract. Huge place, with large staff but awful service. We decided to cancel the order and move on. Assumed it would take an hour plus to get sushi
(1)Tammi D.
Atmosphere: fantastic. Posh, trendy, very hip. But very loud. I was super excited to check this place out, and left sorely disappointed. I started with a glass of Sonoma Cutrer. Yum. But at $13.50, the pour was pretty weak. We decided to try the sashimi and rolls. Presentation was okay, but the wasabi was dry and crumbly. I went to grab a piece of sushi ( I have had years of experience using chopsticks), and the roll fell apart. The rice was dry. The fish didn't taste very fresh. If not for the vibe and decor, this would get one star from me. Leaving with an $80 plus tab for sub par food left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2)Nisha A.
Love the food love the ambiance but very poor management that's why three stars !!! We have been here many times for regular dinners.. Last time we were having dinner out server mentioned that they have happy hour from 10 pm onwards on Saturday.. So after the movies at 10 pm we went to dinner asked for a table to sit in the patio outside.. They said it was a 30 min wait.. Trust me there were empty tables outside.. We sat in the dining area ordered -expecting it to be happy hour prices... Done with our dinner When we were ready to order dessert our server then mentions the happy hour menu. Confused I asked but this is is happy hour so he said that that is only if we were sitting outside or in the bar or lounge area.. The dining area is full price..when we mentioned that we thought it was happy hour price he said he was sorry that the person who seated us did did not mention that where we were seated was not eligible for happy hour.. That's Not cool!!!
(3)Caitlyn B.
Today was the second time I have been to Kona Grill and I loved it! We had the shrimp and chicken lettuce wraps to start and I couldn't stop eating them. They were very flavorful and had a great sauce! I had the Korean tuna sushi roll and a side salad for my entree and loved both of them. The sushi was very fresh and the salad wasn't your normal boring "side salad." It had a bunch of veggies and a great dressing mixed in. It also has a patio that will be great when it is warm out! I highly recommend this restaurant!
(5)Denise d.
We dined at Kona Grill this afternoon. Although we enjoyed the ambiance and friendly staff there were many areas that needed some improvement. The waitress was slow to greet, food took forever to come out, and the spacing of the tables was way to close together, making it difficult for the waiters to pass with the food. We started with sushi which was delicious, the avocado egg roll was very tasty. I ordered the salmon salad which was seasoned nicely. My husband ordered the roast beef sandwich which he said was fair, (a very small side of fries). My daughter's order was wrong, she ordered a medium well cheeseburger and was brought a rare burger with out the cheese. I am hoping That my next visit to the Alpharetta location is better. My husband was very pleased with the Kona Grill in Kansas City.
(2)Bongski D.
Check in late after a movie and got into their happy hour time and surprisingly the sushi and calamari are pretty tasty and well made. The waiter recommended the Bama roll and i personally liked it.
(4)Erik L.
Been to Kona Grill three times now. Once for late night drinks on the patio and twice for dinner with friends. Okay here's the deal, this place just opened so you will expect a couple of issues that need to be smoothed out but they are minor. Every time I have gone I have received GREAT SERVICE. A+ to Bryce as he was our last server and very attentive. This place gets busy and loud during dinner so I recommend going off peak hours if you can, if not expect a sizable wait but they do offer reservations. The food is excellent, highly recommend the Diablo Shrimp for appetizer and Miso Sake Sea Bass for dinner. Our server said during their training they all tried most of the menu and can help you find something you will like which has been helpful. Pork Tenderloin was WOW! Haven't tried desserts here yet. Sushi rolls need a little work for the price as it can be loosely wrapped but it tastes good. Drinks are great, get yourself a London or Kentucky Mule! So when you get the bill you may be shocked, it's not a cheap place by any means, but the service has been great all three times, the atmosphere is warm and inviting but a little loud, and the food has been great each time. I am surprised to see some bad reviews for this restaurant but hey you can't please everyone I guess. Hope this review helps.
(5)Wendy H.
I'm SHOCKED to see any negative reviews for Kona Grill........I couldn't wait to write a review for them after a fantastic meal and experience there. Maybe give them more than 24 hours of opening their doors before you expect perfection. Anyways.........We dined there Halloween night and were really impressed with every aspect of the restaurant start to finish. Our server delivered great service, the place is absolutely gorgeous inside, the menu is loaded with great options, every plate of food we saw coming out of the kitchen looked divine. We ordered the Macadamia Nut Chicken with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and the Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken. I had a Cucumber Mojito, and we had a delicious Butter Cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Everything was 5 star perfection! This might be our new favorite place to dine, try it and it might be yours too!
(5)Olivia S.
Great place. You have to go during their happy hour (mon-fri 3-7?)though to get half priced sushi and appetizers! It is very yummy and service was great. The outside seating area is very cute. Kids meals come with a lot of food!
(5)Elena K.
Very cool place with extensive menu from amazing burgers to sushi. Open view of kitchen, sushi bar and a bar area with fireplace. Located @ Avalon next to the movie theater with window wall to the courtyard and ice rink.
(5)K K.
Awesome Sushi, server Cam was phenomenal. Ask to be seated in her section. Very informative and knowledgeable. Great recommendations.
(5)Ed M.
The food, especially the sushi is pretty good. The service, especially at the bar, is weak. The bar surface is never cleaned, the service is slow and the bartenders are either aloof, or outright rude.
(2)Louise H.
Stopped in on a busy holiday weekend for a quick bite. Like the decor, and ambience. Food was very tasty. Our server was excellent! The music was a bit too loud, had to talk loudly so the person next to me could hear what I was saying.
(3)Lauren D.
Had a terribly disappointing meal at Kona. We waited nearly 90 mins for a table after being told they don't take reservations for parties of more than 4. Yet we were then told that the reason for the long wait was reservations of 5 ahead of us. Told us we would wait 45 mins and at 90 we were finally seated by annoyed hostesses. The manger seemed to not care at all that we waited that long. We finally were sat and had a completely clueless waiter, Bryan (per the receipt). Forgot to put in drink orders, when reminded he forgot them again. We ate an entire appetizer, still without drinks. He then mixed up who ordered what and then forgot the other items requested (extra chips). Food was mediocre at best - sushi was not even better than a cheap place - for half the price. Disappointed in this restaurant's service, manager's handling of the seating issues and the food. Most of all, disappointed that this place will continue to be full due to its location alone. I would suggest one of the other restaurants in Avalon instead. Won't go back. Ever.
(2)Lorrie B.
The atmosphere was great! The wait staff was a little bit slow, but it just opened and was slammed the night we were there so we didn't mind. Food was great and the people watching is good from the patio. The patio is first come first served and we liked that!!
(4)Anthony R.
Went to Kona for a date, the ambiance was great and the waitstaff friendly. The sushi portions were smaller than average but very good, had the volcano roll and it was delicious. I highly recommend Kona at the Avalon for a dinner date or just casual dining.
(5)Kim D.
It has been awhile since I have been here, but I wanted to d a review anyway. We had been to see a movie at the Regal Avalon, and by the time we were done we were hungry and discovered Kona Grill's Happy Hour menu. I will keep it simple....everything we had was really, really good. Drinks were good. Service was exceptional and we very much enjoyed the young college-age gentleman who waited on us and provided interesting conversation. We will definitely be back, especially for the sushi specials.
(3)D B.
The rolls are average at best. The table service was very good. Too bad the food wasn't as good!
(3)Robert U.
Ordered the Pork meal. Tender, tasty, and filling. I rate it as one of the best I have eaten.
(5)Morah J.
If only the food was as half as good as this place decor. It looks so high end and promising as you enter this beautiful restaurant, but the slow service and the boring food are a big disappointment.
(1)Jenna S.
My finance and I went to kona for the first time on Friday around 5pm. We luckily got the last outside table on this gorgeous 79 degree day. Sitting outside was great for people watching and was a prime location in the sunshine. We arrived during happy hour and started with a margarita and white sangria. The Margarita was a little too sweet but the sangria was on par. The avocado egg rolls and the calamari were a pretty good start. The egg rolls were incredible and the calamari had a lot of breading if you are into that. Next we got a Sam Adams and a Chardonnay both at happy hour pricing along with the spicy tuna roll and the bama roll. Both were pretty awesome. Overall, the food and drinks were great but the location and patio is what will keep us coming back. The bill for 2 rolls, 4 drinks and 2 appetizers was less than $50! Awesome job kona grill!!
(4)Amy V.
Kona is another great addition to the Avalon. It has a cool atmosphere both inside and out with a very friendly staff and delicious food. We started with the potstickers at the suggestion of our waitress and they were a great find! For lunch we had several of the sushi rolls, all of which we loved. To round out the meal we shared a bottle of the Spellbound petite sirah (okay, two). All and all a great lunch and a place to try again!
(4)V A.
Sunday night...not busy...food was excellent but not worth the long wait.. We were seated at 6 and food didn't come till 730!!!! No apology from waitress, she just smiled and said the food would be worth it. My sons appetizer California roll was brought to table after we completed our meal...didn't appear to be enough staff in kitchen and staff appeared to be scrambling in dining room....I will keep with sushi house until this place stocks up on staff!!!
(1)Aida K.
I made reservations for 10 people about 10 days in advance. When I called to see if I could add a couple more people to the reservation 2 days before the event, they told me that they could not find my reservation anywhere and that they actually don't even take reservations for that large of a party Saturdays at 8 pm. I was told I was out of luck and there is nothing they could do for me. Pretentious place that likes to have 2 - 3 hour wait time so they can feel "special."
(1)Em S.
I overall enjoyed my visit here. I am from out of town and was brought here by a local. I ordered the chicken and broccoli stir fry. I LOVED IT!!! Our server was a bit dazed at some moments but I can't really say she provided us with bad service. I will definitely be visiting again when I come back into town.
(4)J S.
The service was mediocre, our server was distracted and unfriendly. Our very simple meals took over 40 minutes to come out and there was no apology from our server about wait time. Seafood ceviche was tasteless and dry. The lobster and shrimp roll was bland also. Will not patronize again. The only reason I gave it 1 star was because I enjoyed the ambience.
(1)Marissa F.
Service was sooooooooooo sloooooowwwwww. We probably would have ordered more food but it took so long for what we initially ordered there was no way we could wait for another round. Mediocre at best. Overpriced. So many other options in the area I wouldn't waste your time.
(2)Joe C.
I want to give this place 5 stars, but I just can't justify it yet due to their slow service. I understand you are busy, but so is every other restaurant in The Avalon. The hostesses always seem to have this arrogance about them. Sorry ladies, I don't care how good you look or think you look, just try to actually smile and greet customers a little more often. Anyhow, I digress. I am a big fan of their happy hour here as it runs 4-7 PM every weekday, and they offer quite an extensive menu which includes some great sushi rolls, appetizers, and flatbreads. The Korean BBQ chicken flatbread is fantastic, as are all the sushi rolls. Drink specials of course are also part of the deal, so take advantage of this. If you come here for dinner and want a table outside the bar/lounge area, expect a hour wait. The crowd here is often a mix between young professionals and older businessmen, and of course your local tennis moms out for their daily wine dosage. Business casual is the attire around here. Great outdoor patio and bar as well with plenty of flat screen TV's.
(4)Donn J.
A family of 5's first experience at Kona Grill. We got there around 1:30pm, we had a 25 minute way, so we waited. We were seated promptly, the interior decor was a miss, it seemed like it was trying to hard to be trendy. As we were seated, i noticed it was plenty cold...our server takes our drink order, our appetizer, and our entree orders. Our appetizer were the potsticker, which are 5 chicken and veggie filled dumplings, tasted ok, but definitely not worth the $10. Next was the Clam Chower w/Apple Bacon, that was the only winner in the entire meal. Not salty, perfect seasoning, creamy, with a little smokiness of the apple bacon, it gave a very savory taste to the chowder, it was perfect! Next up is the Beef Tacos, they come in this flaky, thick, overly chewy shell, couldn't really taste the beef or its natural marinade/juices because of the overly poured sweet sauce they put in the taco's. The Dragon Roll was...well just a Dragon Roll, nothing unique, it was ok...the eel little tough. We then had the Sushi Sampler, which is Shrimp, Tuna, Salmon, California Roll with their House Salad. All i had to say is, "Where is the Sushi?" The Sushi Sampler should be called, "The HOUSE salad w/ some sushi" because thats all you see on your plate, just a BIG house salad. Lastly, the Big Kahuna Burger, why is it called the Big Kahuna Burger? I should of asked, that was my mistake, its just a cheddar cheese burger with Caramelized Onions, thats it. It was ok. NEXT!
(2)Brett G.
Good ambience. Sat at the outside bar on a Saturday afternoon. Nice place to have a drink. Live Music playing in the square. Started with Avocado Egg rolls. Great app. Sushi took 45 mins to get to us. Tuna tataki was a bit skimpy and a lil fishy. Wave roll was pretty pasty and chewy. Overcooked rice maybe? With all the other restaurant choices here in Avalon it would be a while before I come back to eat here. Would probably only come back for a drink on the patio.
(3)Erica S.
I had the beef tacos they were amazing! Taste like the Japanese hibachi chicken skewers from tgi fridays. Waitress sucked though. Kept forgetting requests.
(3)Zia S.
Good menu but they are trying a bit too hard to be exotic and something different. And that would be fine if they got their flavor mix right. Nice ambiance though and very nice desert. Rock shrimp tempura was excellent.
(3)Andy B.
One of my best friends lives in John's Creek and I had to meet him to let him borrow a gadget. We quickly decided to meet for dinner, so we met at Avalon. First, the whole "Avalon" concept is not for either of us. Everyone looked like a d-bag. Most people acted like them too. But, I digress from my point. We went to Kona Grill because we had heard there was a happy hour with half-price sushi and deeply discounted drinks. We were seated around 5:50 PM. It wasn't until 7:30 that we were paying the bill. We were seated quickly - there were plenty of open tables and the place certainly wasn't even near capacity, although busy-ish. We placed an order for two sushi rolls and a couple of drinks (the waiter had never heard of disaronno, so I assumed the bar didn't have it and switched my order to a Crown on the rocks - which I found out later was OVER $10 each). A half hour later, we placed another order for two more sushi rolls because we were really hungry and we still hadn't received the first two. The waiter acted like he didn't know what we were talking about, but went to check on our first two rolls. The people next to us had three items arrive at their table while we were waiting on our first. The people on the other side of us hadn't even been approached by a waiter during this whole time. When our first two finally arrived, we quickly placed our final order for two more (6 total, in 3 groups of 2). The first two were scarfed quickly. The sushi was above average at best. Nothing spectacular, and the reason for the one extra star above minimum. Overall, if you want good sushi, go somewhere else. If you want atmosphere, d-baggery, and to be able to tell your friends/coworkers that you regularly visit Avalon, come here. Those who know their food know better. Certainly not worth the wait or the greeter/hostess attitude. They were too busy talking to each other that they didn't even say goodbye as we left.
(2)Victoria V.
Kona grill is a favorite of ours. The ambience is awesome. It really feels like you're somewhere else. This place gets busy so make reservations before hand. The food is fantastic. My favorite is the soft shell crab roll. Service is mediocre otherwise they would get 5 stars.
(4)Craig E.
This is not a review of Kona's food or drinks, as we never had the opportunity to dine there, after calling Sunday around 5p and asking if we would need reservations for two around 6:30p. We were told by a very pleasant young lady that we would be fine just walking in. Upon arrival at 6:30p, we were told there was a 45 minute wait! Even after telling them our story of calling ahead and being assured that we would be fine w/o a reservation - they didn't offer any thing to help the situation. Went to Marlows next door and had a great, welcoming dinner.
(1)EJ S.
This was a pleasant surprise on our stroll around Avalon. Normally we'd hit Antico but mom wanted a salad so we headed here instead. The lettuce wraps were excellent, and the potstickers were tasty. We shared the Kona salad, grilled chicken instead of macadamia fried. The kitchen mixed it up, which was fine and mighty tasty, but not exactly healthy. Shout out to Ace, our waiter extraordinaire. He was outstanding!
(4)Craig R.
Let me start by saying the ambience inside is hip and beautiful, including a tall fish tank in the waiting area. The outside seating and half outdoor bar seating is some of the best at Avalon. That's where it all ends. This was our second time at Kona and we gave the first visit a pass since it was a busy night. That was just a horrible experience. Tonight topped it. First, we were told it was a 30 minute wait, even though it was a Sunday night and the outside seating was empty. The table was ready in 2 minutes so I'm not sure what was off on the management of available tables and timing. When we finally got seated our waitress never came to our table so another waiter offered to help us. "Sorry, I'm not your waiter but do you need drinks?" We ordered sushi, edamame, and 2 kids meals, asking for the kids meals to come early. The meals took forever to arrive and the sushi came first. The kids still hasn't even received their drink order at this point. Then came the edamame and last came the kids meals. My son's meal was wrong. We asked for it to be corrected and that took another 15 min. The sushi itself was average to poor so don't bother ordering sushi here. We foolishly ordered dessert and specifically asked "will it take long?" and after being convinced it wouldn't we proceeded to wait another 20 min for our desserts. Here is the best part. As we waited for dessert the manager came by and asked how things were going and we told her it was slow. We wanted to give honest feedback in a nice way. Her response (blonde woman with accent) "well, I know it doesn't look busy out here but you should see how busy it is inside". Wrong answer. She then offered to take something off the bill versus just taking it off he bill without asking. We told her that was not necessary. Rookie mistake # two on the manager's part. She should have just taken it off the bill. This restaurant is in a really great area so it will always remain busy but the service is atrocious, the manager needs guidance, and the food is very average.
(2)Ashley S.
There aren't too many memorable food options in Avalon, but Kona Grill is probably my second favorite after El Felix. Diverse menu and great atmosphere. I love the waterfall glass behind the sushi bar. I've ordered the shrimp salad and sushi so far. Sushi was decent, nothing special. Shrimp salad came with a lot of shrimp. The last time I ordered the shrimp salad, however, the shrimp was a bit tough.
(4)Angela K.
Service is excellent! The food was great!! A very beautiful decor!!! Make sure the twin ladies are your waitress.
(5)Kristie D.
This is a large place with beautiful indoor and outdoor seating and we finally figured out how to get a seat! Go in about 30 minutes before they close and they will likely be able to find you a spot. We were trying to get some apps in before a movie and our server was just awesome at making sure we got out on time, mucho appreciation. It's on the pricey side (not outrageous but not cheap) but we live in Johns Creek, everything!! is on the pricey side. The menu is a little funky for my admittedly pedestrian country-style taste buds but my gastro-sophisticated sweetie was in heaven. He had some kind of tuna sushi roll (yuck, that's called bait where I come from) that was very much enjoyed. I had some nachos that didn't much resemble nachos but still tasty. I'm looking forward to our next visit, hopefully when the hullabaloo about Avalon dies down it'll be easier to get in.
(4)Mauricio A.
So after a long week of hard work, hot days and car modding, the wife informed me we had a double date night on Saturday night, and since we haven't seen much of each other lately due to our opposite schedules I said sure! So, this place was picked, since we planned on watching Jurassic World at 940pm. I've been meaning to try it out for a while, so this worked out perfectly. We got there around 6pm on a Saturday with no reservations (rookie mistake) so we put our names and went to the bar to get some drinks, the place was packed but we made it work. Got some Wine and Bourbon and the night started. After some seats cleared up at the Sushi bar (first come first serve) we went that way and chilled out till we got our table. We got the text, and at this point is maybe 7ish, wait wasn't that long, and we got directed to our outside table. At first, the sun was shining right in our faces, but as the night progressed then the sun went away, a little muggy but it worked out. We put in another round of drinks to continue the good time and conversation we were having, and also decided on an appetizer, the Spinach and Artichoke dip, which was ok, nothing wow about it, but we had an appetite, therefore it disappeared rather quickly. Later, our server came back and started talking about specials and such. Everyone in the table other than me had an idea on what they wanted (sushi) and they ordered while i was asking questions about some of the dishes and recommendations. I'm a big fan of Mac and Cheese so that was my obvious decision, and as soon as I said it the waitress gave me the nahh, you don't want that look... I asked why? she said, portion size.. so went with the pro and took her advise. Ultimately went with the Kona Filet. Food arrives, sushi looked amazing as my friends and wife were enjoying themselves, and my filet looked amazing. It was tender, cooked at exact temperature i wanted, buttt, lacked some seasoning. Mashed potatoes were ok, but the vegetables were fireeeee! Overall, we had an Ok experience. Food was average, but the ambiance is what I believe the focus is for this restaurant. Maybe it was a busy night, who knows. One thing i definitely know, I'll come back to chill and get some drinks at the bar while watching a game or hanging out with friends. Very classy and upscale feel. 3.5 Stars from me.
(3)Andrea M.
I heard happy hour (Mon thru Thurs) here was the way to go since certain things were half off... The prices during other times weren't terrible either way. The average price was around $16 for the entrees and salads and $10 on average for the sushi and other menu items like the sandwiches and flatbreads. Service was friendly and attentive. The gal had a smile on and knew what to recommend from each section. The restaurant was definitely crowded when we ventured here around 6 PM on a Friday. With Avalon being so new too, I would suggest making a reservation just to be on the safe side. Now the food review: Sushi sampler - There will be a mini (and yummy) salad along with some pretty okay sushi. The quality was pretty good. This sampler had shrimp, tuna, salmon, and a California roll. It didn't have any super interesting sushi. I don't think I'd rec this sampler plate because it's too plain. Get something unique and special at Kona. Lobster mac n cheese - Baked to a divine perfection. There was a good ratio of lobster and cheese. The portion size was a tad smaller than expected, but the gooey goodness was worth it. Kona Grill will be to the right of the theater btw; it's huge so you won't miss it.
(4)Jennifer L.
I had a pretty good experience dining here for the first time on a Sunday afternoon. Loved the interior decor and the weather was perfect for a nice lunch while enjoying their outdoor patio seating. Very trendy and hip place. Food is pretty solid, albeit a bit overpriced. But it's at the Avalon, so I expected that. Tropical mango punch cocktail - Nice and fruity, borderline too sweet (even though I like sweet/fruity drinks). The flavors were nice, needed a bit more acidic flavor in it to balance out the sweetness. However, my drink was extremely weak. I always joke about how I'm a "cheap date" because I'm tiny and it doesn't take much, but I didn't feel it at all. Not even a slight buzz. You'd expect to feel at least something if you're paying $9 for this drink. Beef bulgogi tacos - Beef had good flavor, slaw was awesome! The slaw was fresh, crunchy, and had just the perfect amount of tang and sweetness. It was super refreshing paired with the beef. Very smart idea. Chef was a bit heavy-handed with the hoisin sauce, which made it a little salty. A little bit of hoisin sauce goes a long way, so remember to ask for less hoisin sauce if you want to taste all the yummy flavors. Seafood ceviche - Not really anything that blew me away. It had nice chunks of seafood, but was a little bland. The tortilla chips were slightly stale. My dining partner had to salt both the ceviche and the chips. Salmon sashimi - Delicious and fresh. Pricey, but you get 5 generous pieces of thick-sliced salmon. They were very fatty and melted in my mouth. No fishy taste at all. Great atmosphere and solid food, although a bit pricey. I had a good experience, so I'll be coming back to try out some other items on the menu.
(3)Shannon H.
This place just rocks ok! Go now and ask for Bryan. Attentive, funny, full of suggestions, this guy is awesome. Moving onto ambience. Five stars. Reminds me of China Grill minus the techno music. Actually I've had so much fun here, I don't really remember the music they play. I'm assuming not dance music because my lil ears would def hear that! Moving on, food! Chicken Satay is awesome sauce. I think at this point I've had every appetizer on the menu and I enjoyed them all except the Gouda fondue. One out of 12 isn't bad!!!! Speaking of apps, what goes great with apps? DRINKS!!!!! Whose happy hour starts at THREE and goes until seven? KONA GRILL! half off drinks and apps! That ALONE is reason enough to stop by here! Run....now.....unless it's before three Pm. Get there before five as this place fills up quickly
(5)Kanna K.
This restaurant is especially for Sushi. It has two bars and one for Chinese cuisine and the other regular American cuisine. It was so good in the weekends and I had a beer and a starter. It was good and the ambience was excellent.
(3)Eric B.
Decided to try Kona Grill as I have tried every other place within the Avalon. Good vibe to it, trendy decor, nice patio, and they have an outside bar area where you can sit and enjoy the TVs and weather if it's nice. Started out with the lettuce wraps, which were very tasty. It's a mixture of ground chicken and shrimp, which sounded odd, but it was good. The Oriental Salad was next. I tend to enjoy the napa, cabbage type of salads and the dressing was excellent. Ordered Sushi as well, very good. Hard to find good sushi in Alpharetta so I was pleased that it was to my liking. Will go back as service was good and it's cool to chill outside and people watch there. Good work Kona Grill!
(4)Jessie C.
I have only been here during happy hour during the week. It can be a really yummy and inexpensive happy hour if you are sure to keep some things in mind: Happy hour is Mon - Thurs 4pm to 7pm. BE SURE to get there and put your order in before 7pm. Otherwise, they will not honor it. They will only honor the Happy hour specials if you sit at bar and table tops in the bar area. This place has a great outdoor seating area but the area doesn't honor happy hour specials. The Happy hour specials are a really good deal. Last time I went I has 2 sushi rolls, the Chicken and Shrimp lettuce wraps and a sangria for $20 bucks. Not bad at all. I was stuffed when I left. The AVACADO EGG Rolls are my favorite. The rolls are the same as Cheesecake Factory HOWEVER, THE DIPPING SAUCE HERE is Amazing! I have also had their frozen margarita during happy hour and not only was it yummy, it was also strong. The service is really good. However, the first time I went I felt as though she was rushing us during happy hour. DURING HAPPY HOUR: While this place does get crowded, it is not the best place to mingle or meet new people. It seems as though most people are on dates or with coworkers during happy hour in groups. I HAVEN'T BEEN on the weekends yet, when I do I will let you know if the crowd is different. I imagine with the weather getting better, we should expect this place to be lively on weekend nights.
(4)Brittany M.
I decided to stop by here today (7/1/2015), while I waited for a movie to start. I ordered an appetizer the chicken +shrimp lettuce wrap (big mistake)... It was so salty, I ate one wrap and could not finish... So, then I figured maybe their desserts are better...ordered the butter cake. I expected more raspberry sauce than was on the plate... The texture of the cake wasn't the best, and all I could taste was pieces of sugar. On a better note, the ice cream that it came with was good. All in all, this will be the first and last time I visit here. Very disappointed in the food. The restaurant itself is nice inside and has a great outside area to relax and chat with friends. I just wish the food was better.
(1)Sritama D.
Great place to wine and dine, we missed the happy hour by a whisker but have heard it's pretty good worth for money. Try the sushi It's Just Right! I'm a city gal and like the crowd and the buzz but if you are looking for a nice romantic dinner probably not the best choice..given the place is mostly crowded the service is a tad slow. Overall great experience for a Friday night dinner if you are going light on your cals and need a place to unwind. Will come back again for sure!!
(4)Amy S.
Left reservation (highly recommend because this is a busy busy place even during the week because they have happy hour). The high quality of the food was incredibly noticeable. Even the raw fish atop rice for the sushi sampler was very tasty and fresh tasting. I then enjoyed a very flavorful pork tenderloin served over mashed potatoes and bok choy. It was exactly what I wanted and it was superb. Highly recommend!
(5)Kirk F.
Wanted to eat here ever since the Avalon opened. Loved the look of their outdoor patio tables. Arrived on a Thursday evening and put our name in around 7:15pm. Told it would be at least 45 minutes. Went across the way to Marlows for a drink and app while we waits. Walked away with a "to go" beer that I could carry around. Cool. Enjoyed walking around and finally (after asking several times) got seated on the patio. Ordered more drinks and apps. Smoked Gouda fondue is a must. Realized we were 5 minutes away from weeknight happy hour that started at 9pm. Miss Shannon took care of us and gave us happy hour prices (after asking nicely). Also ordered the BBQ chicken flatbread. Spicy sauce!!! Great date night place. Can save $$ if you wait till 9pm on a weeknight to order. Will have less of a Wait as well. Will defiantly be back. Just got to know about the happy hour deals.
(4)Jim W.
We dined here on a Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. I know this as I had to make a reservation to do so about a week in advance. The place was quite busy when we arrived, apparently due to happy hour. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table, which was fine. However, the table we got was outside, with me staring into the sun for 30+ minutes. Luckily the weather was just cool enough to make this bearable. We started off with a drink order and pot-stickers as an appetizer. Water was delivered promptly but wine took a lot longer. If you are at all familiar with authentic pot-stickers, or even the frozen sort they sell at Costco, Kona Grill's won't seem that impressive. They weren't bad, they were just bland. We eventually ordered our entrees and my wine showed up. Once our orders arrived, the consensus was that everyone's food was 'okay'; just 'okay'. The sushi, which had been the main focus of coming here, seemed a bit limited to my wife. The lobster mac-and-cheese was acceptable, and my cheeseburger was fine, but in roughly the same class as any other restaurant. We agreed there wasn't much point in returning. If I need to plan a week ahead just for a meal, it better be a very impressive meal. Otherwise, I'll stick to planning ~ 30 minutes ahead and being completely satisfied.
(2)Lan N.
I went out with coworkers after work on a Friday night. We were seated immediately, I guess because the dinner traffic hadn't rolled in yet. Very nice looking place. High class vibe. I ordered the coconut shrimp Kona sushi roll and clam chowder. My clam chowder, I would have to say as someone who orders it almost every time it's on a menu, was pretty amazing. So 5 stars for the clam chowder. So, because not everything can be perfect. I rated my visit 4 stars because there was an issue with the sushi roll I ordered so I can't rate how it tasted. This isn't to say no one should ever go to this place. I'm just reviewing my experience. But the server was pretty great and allowed me to order another roll. I don't remember the name of the second roll but it was a simpler sushi roll with raw salmon in it. Now let me tell you, this roll was pretty awesome. And to top off these two amazing things that excited my taste buds, the server didn't charge me for either sushi rolls. So all I had to pay for was my clam chowder. I mean I was more than happy to pay for what I ate, but the server was kind enough to make up for the issue with my original roll, which was great. Anyway. I recommend it. I will be returning to order the same items on the menu. And my taste buds will be pleased. That is all.
(4)Sritama D.
Great place to wine and dine, we missed the happy hour by a whisker but have heard it's pretty good worth for money. Try the sushi It's Just Right! I'm a city gal and like the crowd and the buzz but if you are looking for a nice romantic dinner probably not the best choice..given the place is mostly crowded the service is a tad slow. Overall great experience for a Friday night dinner if you are going light on your cals and need a place to unwind. Will come back again for sure!!
(4)Amy S.
Left reservation (highly recommend because this is a busy busy place even during the week because they have happy hour). The high quality of the food was incredibly noticeable. Even the raw fish atop rice for the sushi sampler was very tasty and fresh tasting. I then enjoyed a very flavorful pork tenderloin served over mashed potatoes and bok choy. It was exactly what I wanted and it was superb. Highly recommend!
(5)Kirk F.
Wanted to eat here ever since the Avalon opened. Loved the look of their outdoor patio tables. Arrived on a Thursday evening and put our name in around 7:15pm. Told it would be at least 45 minutes. Went across the way to Marlows for a drink and app while we waits. Walked away with a "to go" beer that I could carry around. Cool. Enjoyed walking around and finally (after asking several times) got seated on the patio. Ordered more drinks and apps. Smoked Gouda fondue is a must. Realized we were 5 minutes away from weeknight happy hour that started at 9pm. Miss Shannon took care of us and gave us happy hour prices (after asking nicely). Also ordered the BBQ chicken flatbread. Spicy sauce!!! Great date night place. Can save $$ if you wait till 9pm on a weeknight to order. Will have less of a Wait as well. Will defiantly be back. Just got to know about the happy hour deals.
(4)Jim W.
We dined here on a Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. I know this as I had to make a reservation to do so about a week in advance. The place was quite busy when we arrived, apparently due to happy hour. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table, which was fine. However, the table we got was outside, with me staring into the sun for 30+ minutes. Luckily the weather was just cool enough to make this bearable. We started off with a drink order and pot-stickers as an appetizer. Water was delivered promptly but wine took a lot longer. If you are at all familiar with authentic pot-stickers, or even the frozen sort they sell at Costco, Kona Grill's won't seem that impressive. They weren't bad, they were just bland. We eventually ordered our entrees and my wine showed up. Once our orders arrived, the consensus was that everyone's food was 'okay'; just 'okay'. The sushi, which had been the main focus of coming here, seemed a bit limited to my wife. The lobster mac-and-cheese was acceptable, and my cheeseburger was fine, but in roughly the same class as any other restaurant. We agreed there wasn't much point in returning. If I need to plan a week ahead just for a meal, it better be a very impressive meal. Otherwise, I'll stick to planning ~ 30 minutes ahead and being completely satisfied.
(2)Maria A.
I've been here two times - the first day it opened - I sat at the bar and had a good experience. Today, I'm here and we have a terrible waitress that is less than helpful. They are out of three menu items and it's only 9 pm. We have already been waiting for 25 minutes for our appetizer.
(2)Crissy H.
I have been to this location 3 times since it opened, each time the food was on point, but the service is definitely slow, as seems to be the case with every restaurant I have visited in Avalon. I will be back because of the delicious and varied menu, though. highly recommend the chicken and shrimp lettuce wraps and the basil pesto chicken linguini - my husband said this is one of the best dishes he's ever tried! If you like spicy, this is definitely a must-try!
(4)Andrea M.
I heard happy hour (Mon thru Thurs) here was the way to go since certain things were half off... The prices during other times weren't terrible either way. The average price was around $16 for the entrees and salads and $10 on average for the sushi and other menu items like the sandwiches and flatbreads. Service was friendly and attentive. The gal had a smile on and knew what to recommend from each section. The restaurant was definitely crowded when we ventured here around 6 PM on a Friday. With Avalon being so new too, I would suggest making a reservation just to be on the safe side. Now the food review: Sushi sampler - There will be a mini (and yummy) salad along with some pretty okay sushi. The quality was pretty good. This sampler had shrimp, tuna, salmon, and a California roll. It didn't have any super interesting sushi. I don't think I'd rec this sampler plate because it's too plain. Get something unique and special at Kona. Lobster mac n cheese - Baked to a divine perfection. There was a good ratio of lobster and cheese. The portion size was a tad smaller than expected, but the gooey goodness was worth it. Kona Grill will be to the right of the theater btw; it's huge so you won't miss it.
(4)Jennifer L.
I had a pretty good experience dining here for the first time on a Sunday afternoon. Loved the interior decor and the weather was perfect for a nice lunch while enjoying their outdoor patio seating. Very trendy and hip place. Food is pretty solid, albeit a bit overpriced. But it's at the Avalon, so I expected that. Tropical mango punch cocktail - Nice and fruity, borderline too sweet (even though I like sweet/fruity drinks). The flavors were nice, needed a bit more acidic flavor in it to balance out the sweetness. However, my drink was extremely weak. I always joke about how I'm a "cheap date" because I'm tiny and it doesn't take much, but I didn't feel it at all. Not even a slight buzz. You'd expect to feel at least something if you're paying $9 for this drink. Beef bulgogi tacos - Beef had good flavor, slaw was awesome! The slaw was fresh, crunchy, and had just the perfect amount of tang and sweetness. It was super refreshing paired with the beef. Very smart idea. Chef was a bit heavy-handed with the hoisin sauce, which made it a little salty. A little bit of hoisin sauce goes a long way, so remember to ask for less hoisin sauce if you want to taste all the yummy flavors. Seafood ceviche - Not really anything that blew me away. It had nice chunks of seafood, but was a little bland. The tortilla chips were slightly stale. My dining partner had to salt both the ceviche and the chips. Salmon sashimi - Delicious and fresh. Pricey, but you get 5 generous pieces of thick-sliced salmon. They were very fatty and melted in my mouth. No fishy taste at all. Great atmosphere and solid food, although a bit pricey. I had a good experience, so I'll be coming back to try out some other items on the menu.
(3)Victoria V.
Kona grill is a favorite of ours. The ambience is awesome. It really feels like you're somewhere else. This place gets busy so make reservations before hand. The food is fantastic. My favorite is the soft shell crab roll. Service is mediocre otherwise they would get 5 stars.
(4)Craig E.
This is not a review of Kona's food or drinks, as we never had the opportunity to dine there, after calling Sunday around 5p and asking if we would need reservations for two around 6:30p. We were told by a very pleasant young lady that we would be fine just walking in. Upon arrival at 6:30p, we were told there was a 45 minute wait! Even after telling them our story of calling ahead and being assured that we would be fine w/o a reservation - they didn't offer any thing to help the situation. Went to Marlows next door and had a great, welcoming dinner.
(1)Brittany M.
I decided to stop by here today (7/1/2015), while I waited for a movie to start. I ordered an appetizer the chicken +shrimp lettuce wrap (big mistake)... It was so salty, I ate one wrap and could not finish... So, then I figured maybe their desserts are better...ordered the butter cake. I expected more raspberry sauce than was on the plate... The texture of the cake wasn't the best, and all I could taste was pieces of sugar. On a better note, the ice cream that it came with was good. All in all, this will be the first and last time I visit here. Very disappointed in the food. The restaurant itself is nice inside and has a great outside area to relax and chat with friends. I just wish the food was better.
(1)Mauricio A.
So after a long week of hard work, hot days and car modding, the wife informed me we had a double date night on Saturday night, and since we haven't seen much of each other lately due to our opposite schedules I said sure! So, this place was picked, since we planned on watching Jurassic World at 940pm. I've been meaning to try it out for a while, so this worked out perfectly. We got there around 6pm on a Saturday with no reservations (rookie mistake) so we put our names and went to the bar to get some drinks, the place was packed but we made it work. Got some Wine and Bourbon and the night started. After some seats cleared up at the Sushi bar (first come first serve) we went that way and chilled out till we got our table. We got the text, and at this point is maybe 7ish, wait wasn't that long, and we got directed to our outside table. At first, the sun was shining right in our faces, but as the night progressed then the sun went away, a little muggy but it worked out. We put in another round of drinks to continue the good time and conversation we were having, and also decided on an appetizer, the Spinach and Artichoke dip, which was ok, nothing wow about it, but we had an appetite, therefore it disappeared rather quickly. Later, our server came back and started talking about specials and such. Everyone in the table other than me had an idea on what they wanted (sushi) and they ordered while i was asking questions about some of the dishes and recommendations. I'm a big fan of Mac and Cheese so that was my obvious decision, and as soon as I said it the waitress gave me the nahh, you don't want that look... I asked why? she said, portion size.. so went with the pro and took her advise. Ultimately went with the Kona Filet. Food arrives, sushi looked amazing as my friends and wife were enjoying themselves, and my filet looked amazing. It was tender, cooked at exact temperature i wanted, buttt, lacked some seasoning. Mashed potatoes were ok, but the vegetables were fireeeee! Overall, we had an Ok experience. Food was average, but the ambiance is what I believe the focus is for this restaurant. Maybe it was a busy night, who knows. One thing i definitely know, I'll come back to chill and get some drinks at the bar while watching a game or hanging out with friends. Very classy and upscale feel. 3.5 Stars from me.
(3)Shannon H.
This place just rocks ok! Go now and ask for Bryan. Attentive, funny, full of suggestions, this guy is awesome. Moving onto ambience. Five stars. Reminds me of China Grill minus the techno music. Actually I've had so much fun here, I don't really remember the music they play. I'm assuming not dance music because my lil ears would def hear that! Moving on, food! Chicken Satay is awesome sauce. I think at this point I've had every appetizer on the menu and I enjoyed them all except the Gouda fondue. One out of 12 isn't bad!!!! Speaking of apps, what goes great with apps? DRINKS!!!!! Whose happy hour starts at THREE and goes until seven? KONA GRILL! half off drinks and apps! That ALONE is reason enough to stop by here! Run....now.....unless it's before three Pm. Get there before five as this place fills up quickly
(5)Kanna K.
This restaurant is especially for Sushi. It has two bars and one for Chinese cuisine and the other regular American cuisine. It was so good in the weekends and I had a beer and a starter. It was good and the ambience was excellent.
(3)Tammi D.
Atmosphere: fantastic. Posh, trendy, very hip. But very loud. I was super excited to check this place out, and left sorely disappointed. I started with a glass of Sonoma Cutrer. Yum. But at $13.50, the pour was pretty weak. We decided to try the sashimi and rolls. Presentation was okay, but the wasabi was dry and crumbly. I went to grab a piece of sushi ( I have had years of experience using chopsticks), and the roll fell apart. The rice was dry. The fish didn't taste very fresh. If not for the vibe and decor, this would get one star from me. Leaving with an $80 plus tab for sub par food left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2)Jessie C.
I have only been here during happy hour during the week. It can be a really yummy and inexpensive happy hour if you are sure to keep some things in mind: Happy hour is Mon - Thurs 4pm to 7pm. BE SURE to get there and put your order in before 7pm. Otherwise, they will not honor it. They will only honor the Happy hour specials if you sit at bar and table tops in the bar area. This place has a great outdoor seating area but the area doesn't honor happy hour specials. The Happy hour specials are a really good deal. Last time I went I has 2 sushi rolls, the Chicken and Shrimp lettuce wraps and a sangria for $20 bucks. Not bad at all. I was stuffed when I left. The AVACADO EGG Rolls are my favorite. The rolls are the same as Cheesecake Factory HOWEVER, THE DIPPING SAUCE HERE is Amazing! I have also had their frozen margarita during happy hour and not only was it yummy, it was also strong. The service is really good. However, the first time I went I felt as though she was rushing us during happy hour. DURING HAPPY HOUR: While this place does get crowded, it is not the best place to mingle or meet new people. It seems as though most people are on dates or with coworkers during happy hour in groups. I HAVEN'T BEEN on the weekends yet, when I do I will let you know if the crowd is different. I imagine with the weather getting better, we should expect this place to be lively on weekend nights.
(4)Anjanetta W.
I can honestly say that I love this place. The atmosphere is great, the Gouda fondue is delicious and I love the Crunchie sushi roll. I also love the side garden salad and the wonderful house dressing along with the huge slices of carrot cake. I would say the parking in this new shopping mall is kinda sucky, but this place makes up for it!!!
(5)Scott P.
Last night was my second time visiting Kona Grill. Both trips have been great and very different! The first was just me a friend at the bar taking advantage of the great app and sushi menu and last night was a birthday party of 20! Both experiences were terrific in terms of the food, service and atmosphere! The staff did a great job in accommodating our large party and I couldn't be happier with the experience. GREAT JOB KONA GRILL! One note - They don't allow any confetti so keep that in mind if you plan an event there! :)
(5)Grant G.
I've been to this place several times. I really like the food, atmosphere, and was excited to go there Sunday when it was the first warm day of the year and sit on the patio. We arrived shortly after 1 and ordered within 5 minutes of sitting down. Received my appetizer within 10 minutes. We waited 30 minutes and the waiter came by and finally refilled our glasses and told us that it would be out shortly. After 45 minutes we still didn't have our meal and there was no sign of our waiter. We needed to be somewhere, so I got up to go look for him to ask him to put it in a box. Still couldn't find him. At one hour I had to walk into the kitchen area to find the manager to ask for help. She said she would take care of immediately. 10 minutes later, our waiter showed up with food in a box and the bill for $117. No apologies. He just walked off. I get that things get messed up or delayed sometimes and patience is often warranted; however, this type of customer service and the lack of acknowledging a botched visit by the waiter and, more importantly, the manager was inexcusable and deserves to be shared with other patrons.
(1)Eric B.
Decided to try Kona Grill as I have tried every other place within the Avalon. Good vibe to it, trendy decor, nice patio, and they have an outside bar area where you can sit and enjoy the TVs and weather if it's nice. Started out with the lettuce wraps, which were very tasty. It's a mixture of ground chicken and shrimp, which sounded odd, but it was good. The Oriental Salad was next. I tend to enjoy the napa, cabbage type of salads and the dressing was excellent. Ordered Sushi as well, very good. Hard to find good sushi in Alpharetta so I was pleased that it was to my liking. Will go back as service was good and it's cool to chill outside and people watch there. Good work Kona Grill!
(4)J S.
The service was mediocre, our server was distracted and unfriendly. Our very simple meals took over 40 minutes to come out and there was no apology from our server about wait time. Seafood ceviche was tasteless and dry. The lobster and shrimp roll was bland also. Will not patronize again. The only reason I gave it 1 star was because I enjoyed the ambience.
(1)Marissa F.
Service was sooooooooooo sloooooowwwwww. We probably would have ordered more food but it took so long for what we initially ordered there was no way we could wait for another round. Mediocre at best. Overpriced. So many other options in the area I wouldn't waste your time.
(2)Saba A.
Worst.Cocktails.Ever. I would stick to beer and wine! I think this is a perfect 'hang out' spot on a sunny day especially outside in the area. The food was all right, the flavors didn't spark in any way. But I wasn't expecting much from a chain restaurant. The service was okay too. There was 3 people at the host stand, and no less than 10 tables aviailable but they said there was nothing open for 45 minutes on a sunny, Saturday afternoon so we sat at the bar. Nothing special at Kona Grill!
(3)Brett G.
Good ambience. Sat at the outside bar on a Saturday afternoon. Nice place to have a drink. Live Music playing in the square. Started with Avocado Egg rolls. Great app. Sushi took 45 mins to get to us. Tuna tataki was a bit skimpy and a lil fishy. Wave roll was pretty pasty and chewy. Overcooked rice maybe? With all the other restaurant choices here in Avalon it would be a while before I come back to eat here. Would probably only come back for a drink on the patio.
(3)Erica S.
I had the beef tacos they were amazing! Taste like the Japanese hibachi chicken skewers from tgi fridays. Waitress sucked though. Kept forgetting requests.
(3)Zia S.
Good menu but they are trying a bit too hard to be exotic and something different. And that would be fine if they got their flavor mix right. Nice ambiance though and very nice desert. Rock shrimp tempura was excellent.
(3)Aida K.
I made reservations for 10 people about 10 days in advance. When I called to see if I could add a couple more people to the reservation 2 days before the event, they told me that they could not find my reservation anywhere and that they actually don't even take reservations for that large of a party Saturdays at 8 pm. I was told I was out of luck and there is nothing they could do for me. Pretentious place that likes to have 2 - 3 hour wait time so they can feel "special."
(1)Em S.
I overall enjoyed my visit here. I am from out of town and was brought here by a local. I ordered the chicken and broccoli stir fry. I LOVED IT!!! Our server was a bit dazed at some moments but I can't really say she provided us with bad service. I will definitely be visiting again when I come back into town.
(4)Ed M.
The food, especially the sushi is pretty good. The service, especially at the bar, is weak. The bar surface is never cleaned, the service is slow and the bartenders are either aloof, or outright rude.
(2)Lauren D.
Had a terribly disappointing meal at Kona. We waited nearly 90 mins for a table after being told they don't take reservations for parties of more than 4. Yet we were then told that the reason for the long wait was reservations of 5 ahead of us. Told us we would wait 45 mins and at 90 we were finally seated by annoyed hostesses. The manger seemed to not care at all that we waited that long. We finally were sat and had a completely clueless waiter, Bryan (per the receipt). Forgot to put in drink orders, when reminded he forgot them again. We ate an entire appetizer, still without drinks. He then mixed up who ordered what and then forgot the other items requested (extra chips). Food was mediocre at best - sushi was not even better than a cheap place - for half the price. Disappointed in this restaurant's service, manager's handling of the seating issues and the food. Most of all, disappointed that this place will continue to be full due to its location alone. I would suggest one of the other restaurants in Avalon instead. Won't go back. Ever.
(2)Caroline K.
Me and my boyfriend went there for the first time, just out of curiosity to try it out . The place looked nice and said why not. Set at the outside bar, ordered drinks and few items from the happy hour menu. My cocktail was good, my boyfriend had beer , but when the food came out.... Ugggg.... We had couple sushi rolls and a margarita flatbread . It was bad, sushi rice was so wrong, wasn't even sticky at all . Spicy tuna wasn't spicy and was tasting pretty bad . And what kind of margarita pizza or flatbread whiteout fresh basil? After out sushi came out and waited a while I had to ask the bartender about the flatbread cause was taking way too long. And guess what , that was exactly what you would get - a soggy dough !!!!! I mean , we were very disappointed in their food. I may be back for a drink and atmosphere that's about it . Food sucked !
(2)Katie N.
This restaurant was VERY crowded, but the whole shopping center was bustling the night I went as well. There is a movie theater and an ice skating rinks right next door. Service was on the slow end, hut not bad for how busy they were and the quality of service was good. The restaurant has a sushi menu and a standard entre menu which features seafood - I'm guessing it is Hawaiian style. Everyone was very pleased with their meals and drinks - no complaints. Portions were generous. The desserts are AMAZING. We ordered to share the passion fruit creme brulé, the supreme brownie, the carrot cake, and the butter cake. The portions on each dessert were ginormous - the carrot cake was seriously a quarter of a whole cake and the brownies were equally large. The carrot cake was the favorite of them all but the creme brulé was my second favorite. My total bill for 2 drinks, entree, and a dessert with tip was around $60 for just me. The outdoor bar is very nice and has heaters installed for the winter.
(4)Lorrie B.
The atmosphere was great! The wait staff was a little bit slow, but it just opened and was slammed the night we were there so we didn't mind. Food was great and the people watching is good from the patio. The patio is first come first served and we liked that!!
(4)Anthony R.
Went to Kona for a date, the ambiance was great and the waitstaff friendly. The sushi portions were smaller than average but very good, had the volcano roll and it was delicious. I highly recommend Kona at the Avalon for a dinner date or just casual dining.
(5)Kim D.
It has been awhile since I have been here, but I wanted to d a review anyway. We had been to see a movie at the Regal Avalon, and by the time we were done we were hungry and discovered Kona Grill's Happy Hour menu. I will keep it simple....everything we had was really, really good. Drinks were good. Service was exceptional and we very much enjoyed the young college-age gentleman who waited on us and provided interesting conversation. We will definitely be back, especially for the sushi specials.
(3)D B.
The rolls are average at best. The table service was very good. Too bad the food wasn't as good!
(3)Robert U.
Ordered the Pork meal. Tender, tasty, and filling. I rate it as one of the best I have eaten.
(5)Morah J.
If only the food was as half as good as this place decor. It looks so high end and promising as you enter this beautiful restaurant, but the slow service and the boring food are a big disappointment.
(1)M D.
When they first opened, they were fantastic. We went to Kona weekly for sushi at happy hour. It was great. After the last three visits however, we've given up and dine elsewhere. The sushi has really gone down in taste and presentation. It tasted extremely "fishy" and far from fresh. At one dining experience, I had multiple long strands of hair wrapped in the rice of my sushi roll. (The waiter was very nice and removed the sushi from our bill.) At the next visit, we made the mistake of sitting at the sushi bar...the amount of flies that land on the ready-and-waiting sushi is really quite disgusting.
(2)Elena K.
Very cool place with extensive menu from amazing burgers to sushi. Open view of kitchen, sushi bar and a bar area with fireplace. Located @ Avalon next to the movie theater with window wall to the courtyard and ice rink.
(5)K K.
Awesome Sushi, server Cam was phenomenal. Ask to be seated in her section. Very informative and knowledgeable. Great recommendations.
(5)Jenna S.
My finance and I went to kona for the first time on Friday around 5pm. We luckily got the last outside table on this gorgeous 79 degree day. Sitting outside was great for people watching and was a prime location in the sunshine. We arrived during happy hour and started with a margarita and white sangria. The Margarita was a little too sweet but the sangria was on par. The avocado egg rolls and the calamari were a pretty good start. The egg rolls were incredible and the calamari had a lot of breading if you are into that. Next we got a Sam Adams and a Chardonnay both at happy hour pricing along with the spicy tuna roll and the bama roll. Both were pretty awesome. Overall, the food and drinks were great but the location and patio is what will keep us coming back. The bill for 2 rolls, 4 drinks and 2 appetizers was less than $50! Awesome job kona grill!!
(4)Amy V.
Kona is another great addition to the Avalon. It has a cool atmosphere both inside and out with a very friendly staff and delicious food. We started with the potstickers at the suggestion of our waitress and they were a great find! For lunch we had several of the sushi rolls, all of which we loved. To round out the meal we shared a bottle of the Spellbound petite sirah (okay, two). All and all a great lunch and a place to try again!
(4)V A.
Sunday night...not busy...food was excellent but not worth the long wait.. We were seated at 6 and food didn't come till 730!!!! No apology from waitress, she just smiled and said the food would be worth it. My sons appetizer California roll was brought to table after we completed our meal...didn't appear to be enough staff in kitchen and staff appeared to be scrambling in dining room....I will keep with sushi house until this place stocks up on staff!!!
(1)Todd M.
My wife and I had a similar experience as other reviewers. Sat at the bar, as the wait for a table was 30+ min at 930p...no biggie. Specialty drinks were good (Mojito and Mule kick) but pricey $9-10 Food was average to above average for cost and flavor but with good presentation. Our issue was with the service, and I'll leave it at that. Will most likely be back again as I'm hoping the service was poor due to it being new (open about a month).
(3)Nisha A.
Love the food love the ambiance but very poor management that's why three stars !!! We have been here many times for regular dinners.. Last time we were having dinner out server mentioned that they have happy hour from 10 pm onwards on Saturday.. So after the movies at 10 pm we went to dinner asked for a table to sit in the patio outside.. They said it was a 30 min wait.. Trust me there were empty tables outside.. We sat in the dining area ordered -expecting it to be happy hour prices... Done with our dinner When we were ready to order dessert our server then mentions the happy hour menu. Confused I asked but this is is happy hour so he said that that is only if we were sitting outside or in the bar or lounge area.. The dining area is full price..when we mentioned that we thought it was happy hour price he said he was sorry that the person who seated us did did not mention that where we were seated was not eligible for happy hour.. That's Not cool!!!
(3)Caitlyn B.
Today was the second time I have been to Kona Grill and I loved it! We had the shrimp and chicken lettuce wraps to start and I couldn't stop eating them. They were very flavorful and had a great sauce! I had the Korean tuna sushi roll and a side salad for my entree and loved both of them. The sushi was very fresh and the salad wasn't your normal boring "side salad." It had a bunch of veggies and a great dressing mixed in. It also has a patio that will be great when it is warm out! I highly recommend this restaurant!
(5)Denise d.
We dined at Kona Grill this afternoon. Although we enjoyed the ambiance and friendly staff there were many areas that needed some improvement. The waitress was slow to greet, food took forever to come out, and the spacing of the tables was way to close together, making it difficult for the waiters to pass with the food. We started with sushi which was delicious, the avocado egg roll was very tasty. I ordered the salmon salad which was seasoned nicely. My husband ordered the roast beef sandwich which he said was fair, (a very small side of fries). My daughter's order was wrong, she ordered a medium well cheeseburger and was brought a rare burger with out the cheese. I am hoping That my next visit to the Alpharetta location is better. My husband was very pleased with the Kona Grill in Kansas City.
(2)Bongski D.
Check in late after a movie and got into their happy hour time and surprisingly the sushi and calamari are pretty tasty and well made. The waiter recommended the Bama roll and i personally liked it.
(4)Louise H.
Stopped in on a busy holiday weekend for a quick bite. Like the decor, and ambience. Food was very tasty. Our server was excellent! The music was a bit too loud, had to talk loudly so the person next to me could hear what I was saying.
(3)Erik L.
Been to Kona Grill three times now. Once for late night drinks on the patio and twice for dinner with friends. Okay here's the deal, this place just opened so you will expect a couple of issues that need to be smoothed out but they are minor. Every time I have gone I have received GREAT SERVICE. A+ to Bryce as he was our last server and very attentive. This place gets busy and loud during dinner so I recommend going off peak hours if you can, if not expect a sizable wait but they do offer reservations. The food is excellent, highly recommend the Diablo Shrimp for appetizer and Miso Sake Sea Bass for dinner. Our server said during their training they all tried most of the menu and can help you find something you will like which has been helpful. Pork Tenderloin was WOW! Haven't tried desserts here yet. Sushi rolls need a little work for the price as it can be loosely wrapped but it tastes good. Drinks are great, get yourself a London or Kentucky Mule! So when you get the bill you may be shocked, it's not a cheap place by any means, but the service has been great all three times, the atmosphere is warm and inviting but a little loud, and the food has been great each time. I am surprised to see some bad reviews for this restaurant but hey you can't please everyone I guess. Hope this review helps.
(5)Wendy H.
I'm SHOCKED to see any negative reviews for Kona Grill........I couldn't wait to write a review for them after a fantastic meal and experience there. Maybe give them more than 24 hours of opening their doors before you expect perfection. Anyways.........We dined there Halloween night and were really impressed with every aspect of the restaurant start to finish. Our server delivered great service, the place is absolutely gorgeous inside, the menu is loaded with great options, every plate of food we saw coming out of the kitchen looked divine. We ordered the Macadamia Nut Chicken with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and the Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken. I had a Cucumber Mojito, and we had a delicious Butter Cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Everything was 5 star perfection! This might be our new favorite place to dine, try it and it might be yours too!
(5)Olivia S.
Great place. You have to go during their happy hour (mon-fri 3-7?)though to get half priced sushi and appetizers! It is very yummy and service was great. The outside seating area is very cute. Kids meals come with a lot of food!
(5)Anna T.
Loved the food, the place is very nice with outdoor seating with fire. Service was not 5 starts, but it was Ok!
(4)Erika W.
Awesome cocktails...basil pasta sure is spicy...in a good way. Spinach dip was only OK - too heavy on the spinach.
(5)Melissa I.
My friend and I sat at the bar for happy hour. The bartender was very helpful, friendly and prompt. The drinks and sushi were delicious. I think the prices even for happy hour are a little high and if I could the rating would actually be a 3&1/2 star. For a happy hour drink to still cost $12 is a little pricey. What happened to the $5 deals? Just a suggestion. Or offer $3 half wine pours, just some feedback. Overall service was fairly quick, so it seems like the kitchen staff are starting to figure it out.
(4)Catie B.
Love Love LOVE! I love the menu here - the decor is pretty cool too. Can't wait until it gets warmer so I can enjoy the fire-pits and waterfall outside too.
(5)Oyette R.
We've been to Kona grill 3 times this week. Once, just me and my husband. We had to sit at the sushi bar because they were too busy. You can order from the full menu from the sushi bar as well. The service, I would say is slow.. but all you really need to get around that is a glass of nice red wine, and good company ( I love my husband to death, so any time with him is good company). I had sushi and he had the pepperoni flat bread. We shared the bulgogi taco. Everything was really good. The pepperoni flat bread had substantial bread, so it doesn't seem like you're not getting enough food. My sushi was good.. I did not expect it to be as good as Tanaka (also in Alpharetta) which is a hole in a wall kinda place, but my husband thought it was better. Second time, we went with two other friends. Everybody enjoyed their food. Wednesdays you get half off a bottle of wine. We had it again today, but I don't think we ordered as good. But it was still great because I had two glasses of good wine (good wine makes up for everything). It's pricey, and the wait time could be ridiculously long... but the ambiance is great, the servers are attractive (most of the patrons are too), but they have good house red wine, and I'm easy!
(4)Dusty R.
Decent but not a wow. The sushi was good. Our party split 6 different roles. They were all good. The place is loud and not good for conversation.
(3)Char M.
Only go if you want to sit outside -- If you want great food and good service -- MOVE ON and find a new place. Food was ok, service was bad -- we went for lunch and it was not busy. Food took a long time to come out (burger, chopped salad and kid grilled cheese). For the quality of the food we got -- completely over priced. Very upsetting -- great location. We were visiting from out of town and WAS excited to try it and sit outside. Empty water glasses on a table is not acceptable in any establishment -- especially one at this price point. Server was not around -- but was there to take my credit card and wait for it. Ouch.
(2)Yvonne M.
Fun place with fantastic sashimi. We had a table of 6 - shared 11 rolls, sashimi plates. We left pieces behind, because we were all so full. Big, full rolls. Enjoy!
(4)Tara R.
Reading these previous negative reviews, I have to say I think it's a little unfair to review a restaurant too harshly during its opening week. It just takes time to get an operation this size up and running. That being said, we had lunch here on opening day and really did enjoy the potstickers, sushi roll, pad thai and our server. Loved the ambiance inside and out, lots of heated al fresco tables surrounding the front. Cool water feature at the bar and aquarium at the entrance. Looking forward to coming back to sample more of the menu.
(4)Stephen A.
The food was interesting and unique. Excellent flavor. The service was great. Very cheerful, attentive and considerate. It took a little bit longer than expect to get the food but the place was packed. The ambience was contemporary and upbeat but not too loud.
(5)Jeff V.
When is this place going to get it together in regards to "service"??? I have been here several times hoping they will figure it out but it is always..always..horrible!!!
(2)Amirali K.
Horrible service. We waited couple hours for just couple orders of sushi and there were not even busy.
(1)Tiffany J.
From a visit in late April 2015: Stood at the bar for 20 minutes while the female bartender served the guy next to me. She looked me in the eyes several times and never came to take my order. She never asked me if I had been helped... as I blatantly stood there with my credit card in my hands. A another gentleman came up next to me after 20 minutes and she immediately took his order. Haven't tried the food at this place. I'm willing to give the food a chance but will never order a drink from the bar... Not that I ever could in the first place.
(1)Darrell C.
I really wanted to like this place, it has great decor and the patio is awesome. We went in for happy hour and decided to try the spicy tuna roll and atlantic roll. We were left to sip our watery vodkas on the rocks (supposedly with splashes of soda) while we waited 30 minutes or so for the two dishes to arrive. They weren't really bad tasting, but more like what you'd expect at a sushi buffet. The texture threw us off, as the fish looked like canned meat, not like any sushi I've ever had. We sent the dishes back with our explanation that we did not expect the actual meat to be "mushy". The waitress had obviously been trained to handle this objection, as she had a very polished response. Apparently, their tuna and salmon filets are "shredded" before they roll them into the rice. Ok, but why? Is this typical? The waitress told us it was "Americanized" sushi. I have sushi at least once a month, but this was a first...feel free to educate me? I wouldn't feel the need to shred sushi grade tuna personally. Anyway, we sent them back for a voodoo roll, which was ok, and arrived promptly. So, minus one for "Americanized" sushi. Minus one for slow delivery on the first round. Minus one for the poorly prepared drinks. Minus TWO for not taking the food we sent back off the check. (I could care less about the $8.00, it's just the right thing to do). Plus one for the decor and patio. Hopefully, management will train the staff to make "rocks" cocktails with a splash correctly (walk over to Marlow's if necessary, they get it right) and pay more attention to neglected patrons. I wasn't sure if the waitress tried to comp the mush meat rolls and management told her no, or if she failed to ask, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt, as she was very pleasant. Ultimately, it's managements' failure either way. Lots of potential here, but I'm not likely to return.
(1)Colleen M.
We have been a couple of times now and have to say we have enjoyed all the food we've had from beef tacos to bama rolls. The service can be a bit slow in the high top area and the hostii seem unable and or uninterested in moving from the front desk to accommodate guests or find someone who will. It's like they are glued behind that thing. We had the best luck sitting at the bar and getting served by Tracy. She was great! Very friendly and knowledgable and awesome customer service skills. We love the happy hour specials and will be back for those for sure!
(3)Jennifer A.
The decor is trendy, the happy hour drink specials are a good deal but the food is sub par. I had two sushi rolls that were by far the worst I have ever had ( I have eaten a LOT of sushi at many different restaurants so I have a good base of comparision). One tasted like it was topped with canned cat food. I had the lettuce wraps and they were nothing special. My boyfriend ordered the sea bass and it was ok. The portion was small and the fish was overcooked and the accompanying rice was over seasoned with sesame oil. The Sea Bass served at nearby Village Tavern is far superior quality and priced more resonably. I would go back for Happy Hour drinks but I would likely not eat there again.
(2)Kacy P.
The experience was terrible from the beginning with the interaction with the hostess. I had booked a table on line for 8pm. We had gone in about 50 min early. The hostess was very rude & said that we could not be seated until our reservation time. Ok, we'll walk around for awhile. She never mentioned that we could be seated outside whenever a table opened up. Came back about 40 min later & once again she was very rude. She directed us to sit in waiting area until our table was ready. Another couple came & sat down & were immediately approached by a waitress to see if she could get them a drink or sushi. She then saw us sitting there & asked if we needed anything. Another hostess came about 15 min later & said that we could sit outside or wait a little longer for inside. We chose outside, which they had a few open tables, which is first come first served. Our waiter came & took drink orders. I ordered a glass of wine & my daughter ordered a water. The wine came first from another waiter about 15 min later. Finally our water came & I ordered an appetizer. I don't think our waiter had that many tables, he was spending great amounts of time with the table next to us. Our appetizer came, it was great & we ordered 2 sushi rolls. He never asked if he could bring us anything else to drink. Ok, they have a guy who only makes sushi, so it should be no more than a 10 min wait. We waited at least 20 min maybe 30... Our waiter was MIA. Sushi FINALLY came & it was really good. Our waiter finally came back to see if we wanted dessert. No just the check please. Once again, he took my credit card & bill & was gone about 20 min. How long does it take to complete the transaction? Bottom line, food was good- service was terrible!! Will have to think Long & hard if I will go back here.
(1)Alger L.
I have given this restaurant so many chances to rise to the occasion. Great location, nice patio but the food is mediocre at best and the service lacks on all levels. Such a shame!
(1)Jeff S.
Krystal provided excellent service except for the fact that she recommended the dumplings which she claimed was a huge portion but they only gave you 5 which is ok if they are charging half the price but if you are going to charge $10 for dumplings, at least give 6 so you can share evenly =) The sushi was mediorce, I admit I am a little bit of a snob with sushi because I am spoiled by NY sushi. Sunshine Roll was the best of the 3 we ordered and probably give it a 6.5 out of 10 (take off the lemon slice which can be overpowering) Lobster/Shrimp roll was good but shrimp or whatever was inside seemed very small - 6 /10 Wave Roll - another bad recommendation by server, has potential to be good but again, the shrimp they use for the shrimp tempura is really insultingly small 4.5/10 So place was ok, thumbs up for atmosphere & service, thumbs down for price and dumplings - and neither up or down on sushi - just meh Other food items such as diablo shrimp and flatbreads looked good but didnt get to try. Out of brownie for dessert so got the carrot cake which was good / huge portion. I am suspicious that 5 stars must be staff or friends of staff, or just people who have never tried sushi outside of Atlanta area I would have given it 2.5 stars if possible but I just felt 3 stars for ambiance and service was too generous
(2)Arlene H.
We sat at the hight tops on the friday night of Halloween, it took 8 minutes for someone to come great us. Then it took another 5 minutes for us to get menus. Ofcouse to top it off it took 15 minutes to get my drink (water.) Cool environment but horible service. The waitors where running around and looked confused.
(1)Steve K.
Excellent at Every level. Service, food, ambiance, price. Went with friends and I left a huge sushi fan. Would go again and again.
(5)Wendy M.
Excellent. I have searched the entire eastern OTP area for great sushi with little luck. But now, my search is over! Kona is perfect and has a beautiful ambiance. Plus, there's lots of popular stores in the same complex.
(5)carin b.
AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This restaurant is so mediocre it's amazing that it's open!!!!!!
(1)Brian S.
Kona has been open for a few months now. They seem to be correcting and have corrected opening restaurant kinks. The hostess stand and staff need to perk up a bit to greet people as they enter the space. The food on two visits have been good on average with the sushi side being great and the grill side being ok. The ambiance is created from a lot of restaurant concepts cool focal points. The fish tank from seafood joints, the infinity water wall from Japanese, and the dramatic lighting fixtures from high end steak houses. The service was great. Not pushy and sales driven nor absent and complacent just perfect. She gave us time when we needed and was Prompt at times also. Request Allison if you go. Allison really knows how to take care of you and make you feel special.
(4)Marvis B.
Love the atmosphere. Friendly wait staff. The happy hour appetizers & drinks are great with a variety of food to choose from. A fun place to meet up after work or go late for the "reverse happy hour".
(5)Carolyn C.
I really like Kona. I have been twice in the last week and can't wait to return. The servers are friendly and they have a relaxed but upscale environment. The specials are great: half price bottles of wine on Wednesdays and happy hour 3-7pm and 7-close during the week I think. They have really good sushi and many half price options during happy hour. Lots of food and drink specials for happy hour. Outside area is great with views of the fountain that has multi color lights at night.
(5)Thao N.
We went for the first time tonight with some friends. Although our friends had been a couple of time before. The food was very good. I especially liked the garlic bread. Service was slow. We were told it would be two hours for the main dining room, but the bar and the other section of the restaurant was on a first-come-first-serve basis. I was confused since there was no way to know who was ahead of us. We decided then to just stand around, stare some folks down, and hope to get a table. I took a while for us to get our drinks and food. We weren't sure who our server was. Everyone was running around. It was pretty chaotic. The manager was very nice and apologetic, gave us a discount.
(3)Pete C.
My first and last trip to Kona Grill took place last evening. Service was a bit slow, food was not hot, and resolution took too long. Although the staff was very nice and courteous, this establishment was a disappointment
(1)Jeannine G.
We went for dinner on a Saturday night and the food was really food but took forever to get it. It also took forever to get a drink from the bar. I think the worst thing about it was the manager and the food runners were sarcastic and not very helpful. Our main course and appetizer arrived at the same time, while others in our party had no food. The food was good so hopefully the restaurant will work out the kinks. There are too many good restarants to put up with poor service.
(1)Don C.
Been to Kona Grill several times and all have been great experiences and really surprised with some of the bad reviews posted. The place is busy and there are waits almost every night so check in and enjoy the Avalon. Service has always been very good and food is excellent. Coconut Shrimp Rolls, Lettuce Wraps and seafood entrees are very good. Prices are fair and especially some good wines 1/2 off on Wednesdays. One negative though could be the dining area seating which some of the tables seem to be tight in areas.
(5)Cade Y.
Service was absolutely terrible. It took 45 minutes to get our rolls and then another 45 minutes to get a single roll that they didn't bring out with the others. Food was good but the service ruined the overall experience.
(1)Lisa W.
We came in to have a drink. Lots of servers coming and going but none decided to acknowledge us. 15 minutes later we left. The fireplace seemed cozy though.
(1)Wendi S.
They have fabulous sushi, and the flatbread pizza was the bomb. Everything I have ordered here has been top notch, well cooked, and delicious! The service is pretty good, and the food takes average time to arrive. If it is really crowded, you will wait for a good 10 minutes just to order, but if it is not, they are pretty good about at least getting your drink order. The only problem is that it is really, really LOUD and CROWDED. We went once on a Wednesday night and once on a Sunday night and once on a Saturday afternoon. At one point when we went on a Sunday evening, there was a gathering of people, and a lady had her rear right in my daughter's face while she was trying to eat. I would only go back on a week night and go early unless you like people almost sitting on your table. It was pretty bad. But the food is fabulous!
(4)Hannah P.
Had dinner at Kona last night for the first time. We had an overall great experience. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The sea bass is some of the best I've had. The sushi was also great. Our only complaint is that we ordered the sushi as appetizer , and it came out with our food. Sushi chef was backed up which was understandable since it was a packed Friday night. We will definitely go again!
(4)Rose W.
We went here Friday night! Very beautiful place! We sat at sushi bar and everyone was very polite and friendly. Sushi was excellent!
(5)Mary A.
Waitstaff needs to be better trained. Our "guy" was a mess. I particularly liked his declaration that the salmon had been flown in that morning from . . . Hawaii. Nice try. The potstickers were mediocre, the calamari came out stone cold and no one was in sight to tell . . . or send it back to the kitchen. I ordered the pad thai, which tasted like BBQ sauce and not fish sauce. The chicken was overcooked and dry (and cold) and the shrimp pieces were little hard nuggets. Sorry, guys, not coming back.
(1)Toad M.
Beautiful atmosphere for the Avalon bar scene...but a 2 hour wait... Get real Alpharetta. This is Georgia not California. The crowd reminded me of downtown Roswell...A bunch of fifty year olds trying to look and act thirty. I did see a few 30 year olds. I hope the younger generation can take this place over so we don't have another pasties within 20 miles of eachother. The bar was crowded so no way to stop for drink or food. We will try another or not.....
(4)Kelly K.
Update to initial review: My husband and I have eaten at every restaurant in Avalon and although our initial experience at Kona was not great, it has become one of our favorite places to grab a quick bite. (We probably dine at Kona 3-4 times per month!). The Kona Chopped Salad is definitely a favorite for both of us, the macadamia nut encrusted chicken in the salad is AMAZING! As for the sushi, the yellowtail jalapeño sashimi is my favorite and the sushi sampler is a nice option for a light lunch. I stand by my initial review of the sushi rolls and would not recommend them to sushi fans that actually enjoy sushi (raw fish). The amount of fish is minimal and in rolls such as the spicy tuna roll, it is minced too fine with the sriracha sauce presenting the most pronounced flavor to the taste buds. Definitely looking forward to warmer weather when we can experience Kona's spectacular outdoor seating area which offers the best viewing spot of Avalon's beautiful fountain and activity lawn!!
(4)Joe C.
I want to give this place 5 stars, but I just can't justify it yet due to their slow service. I understand you are busy, but so is every other restaurant in The Avalon. The hostesses always seem to have this arrogance about them. Sorry ladies, I don't care how good you look or think you look, just try to actually smile and greet customers a little more often. Anyhow, I digress. I am a big fan of their happy hour here as it runs 4-7 PM every weekday, and they offer quite an extensive menu which includes some great sushi rolls, appetizers, and flatbreads. The Korean BBQ chicken flatbread is fantastic, as are all the sushi rolls. Drink specials of course are also part of the deal, so take advantage of this. If you come here for dinner and want a table outside the bar/lounge area, expect a hour wait. The crowd here is often a mix between young professionals and older businessmen, and of course your local tennis moms out for their daily wine dosage. Business casual is the attire around here. Great outdoor patio and bar as well with plenty of flat screen TV's.
(4)Donn J.
A family of 5's first experience at Kona Grill. We got there around 1:30pm, we had a 25 minute way, so we waited. We were seated promptly, the interior decor was a miss, it seemed like it was trying to hard to be trendy. As we were seated, i noticed it was plenty cold...our server takes our drink order, our appetizer, and our entree orders. Our appetizer were the potsticker, which are 5 chicken and veggie filled dumplings, tasted ok, but definitely not worth the $10. Next was the Clam Chower w/Apple Bacon, that was the only winner in the entire meal. Not salty, perfect seasoning, creamy, with a little smokiness of the apple bacon, it gave a very savory taste to the chowder, it was perfect! Next up is the Beef Tacos, they come in this flaky, thick, overly chewy shell, couldn't really taste the beef or its natural marinade/juices because of the overly poured sweet sauce they put in the taco's. The Dragon Roll was...well just a Dragon Roll, nothing unique, it was ok...the eel little tough. We then had the Sushi Sampler, which is Shrimp, Tuna, Salmon, California Roll with their House Salad. All i had to say is, "Where is the Sushi?" The Sushi Sampler should be called, "The HOUSE salad w/ some sushi" because thats all you see on your plate, just a BIG house salad. Lastly, the Big Kahuna Burger, why is it called the Big Kahuna Burger? I should of asked, that was my mistake, its just a cheddar cheese burger with Caramelized Onions, thats it. It was ok. NEXT!
(2)Alex M.
So good!! Quick service, friendly workers, and GREAT food. My boyfriend and I went for lunch and had sushi and sliders. It was our first time at the restaurant but we will definitely be back!!
(5)Chris B.
Very nice location, foods nothing to write home about. Service is slow, the check was the only fast part of the experience. I doubt I will repeat.
(3)Annie N.
Went to kona grill today for happy hour with my husband and it was just great. We ordered plenty of food and a drink. The food came out in a timely manner and the service was great. We especially enjoyed the avocado egg rolls :). Will be back very soon!!
(5)Andy B.
One of my best friends lives in John's Creek and I had to meet him to let him borrow a gadget. We quickly decided to meet for dinner, so we met at Avalon. First, the whole "Avalon" concept is not for either of us. Everyone looked like a d-bag. Most people acted like them too. But, I digress from my point. We went to Kona Grill because we had heard there was a happy hour with half-price sushi and deeply discounted drinks. We were seated around 5:50 PM. It wasn't until 7:30 that we were paying the bill. We were seated quickly - there were plenty of open tables and the place certainly wasn't even near capacity, although busy-ish. We placed an order for two sushi rolls and a couple of drinks (the waiter had never heard of disaronno, so I assumed the bar didn't have it and switched my order to a Crown on the rocks - which I found out later was OVER $10 each). A half hour later, we placed another order for two more sushi rolls because we were really hungry and we still hadn't received the first two. The waiter acted like he didn't know what we were talking about, but went to check on our first two rolls. The people next to us had three items arrive at their table while we were waiting on our first. The people on the other side of us hadn't even been approached by a waiter during this whole time. When our first two finally arrived, we quickly placed our final order for two more (6 total, in 3 groups of 2). The first two were scarfed quickly. The sushi was above average at best. Nothing spectacular, and the reason for the one extra star above minimum. Overall, if you want good sushi, go somewhere else. If you want atmosphere, d-baggery, and to be able to tell your friends/coworkers that you regularly visit Avalon, come here. Those who know their food know better. Certainly not worth the wait or the greeter/hostess attitude. They were too busy talking to each other that they didn't even say goodbye as we left.
(2)EJ S.
This was a pleasant surprise on our stroll around Avalon. Normally we'd hit Antico but mom wanted a salad so we headed here instead. The lettuce wraps were excellent, and the potstickers were tasty. We shared the Kona salad, grilled chicken instead of macadamia fried. The kitchen mixed it up, which was fine and mighty tasty, but not exactly healthy. Shout out to Ace, our waiter extraordinaire. He was outstanding!
(4)Toni G.
Beautiful place. I ordered the cheapest thing on the lunch menu..pad Thai. Think I embarrassed myself by licking the bowl clean.. Wish it could have been more spicier. And I even asked to make my tastebuds bleed... Still not very spicy hot for my palate.
(5)Jim C.
Great food and happy hour from 4-7.
(4)Greg R.
Spent 20 minutes to get service and then who knows how much longer to get out drinks. All the while a number of servers passed us without making eye contract. Huge place, with large staff but awful service. We decided to cancel the order and move on. Assumed it would take an hour plus to get sushi
(1)Craig R.
Let me start by saying the ambience inside is hip and beautiful, including a tall fish tank in the waiting area. The outside seating and half outdoor bar seating is some of the best at Avalon. That's where it all ends. This was our second time at Kona and we gave the first visit a pass since it was a busy night. That was just a horrible experience. Tonight topped it. First, we were told it was a 30 minute wait, even though it was a Sunday night and the outside seating was empty. The table was ready in 2 minutes so I'm not sure what was off on the management of available tables and timing. When we finally got seated our waitress never came to our table so another waiter offered to help us. "Sorry, I'm not your waiter but do you need drinks?" We ordered sushi, edamame, and 2 kids meals, asking for the kids meals to come early. The meals took forever to arrive and the sushi came first. The kids still hasn't even received their drink order at this point. Then came the edamame and last came the kids meals. My son's meal was wrong. We asked for it to be corrected and that took another 15 min. The sushi itself was average to poor so don't bother ordering sushi here. We foolishly ordered dessert and specifically asked "will it take long?" and after being convinced it wouldn't we proceeded to wait another 20 min for our desserts. Here is the best part. As we waited for dessert the manager came by and asked how things were going and we told her it was slow. We wanted to give honest feedback in a nice way. Her response (blonde woman with accent) "well, I know it doesn't look busy out here but you should see how busy it is inside". Wrong answer. She then offered to take something off the bill versus just taking it off he bill without asking. We told her that was not necessary. Rookie mistake # two on the manager's part. She should have just taken it off the bill. This restaurant is in a really great area so it will always remain busy but the service is atrocious, the manager needs guidance, and the food is very average.
(2)Ashley S.
There aren't too many memorable food options in Avalon, but Kona Grill is probably my second favorite after El Felix. Diverse menu and great atmosphere. I love the waterfall glass behind the sushi bar. I've ordered the shrimp salad and sushi so far. Sushi was decent, nothing special. Shrimp salad came with a lot of shrimp. The last time I ordered the shrimp salad, however, the shrimp was a bit tough.
(4)Angela K.
Service is excellent! The food was great!! A very beautiful decor!!! Make sure the twin ladies are your waitress.
(5)Kristie D.
This is a large place with beautiful indoor and outdoor seating and we finally figured out how to get a seat! Go in about 30 minutes before they close and they will likely be able to find you a spot. We were trying to get some apps in before a movie and our server was just awesome at making sure we got out on time, mucho appreciation. It's on the pricey side (not outrageous but not cheap) but we live in Johns Creek, everything!! is on the pricey side. The menu is a little funky for my admittedly pedestrian country-style taste buds but my gastro-sophisticated sweetie was in heaven. He had some kind of tuna sushi roll (yuck, that's called bait where I come from) that was very much enjoyed. I had some nachos that didn't much resemble nachos but still tasty. I'm looking forward to our next visit, hopefully when the hullabaloo about Avalon dies down it'll be easier to get in.
(4)Lan N.
I went out with coworkers after work on a Friday night. We were seated immediately, I guess because the dinner traffic hadn't rolled in yet. Very nice looking place. High class vibe. I ordered the coconut shrimp Kona sushi roll and clam chowder. My clam chowder, I would have to say as someone who orders it almost every time it's on a menu, was pretty amazing. So 5 stars for the clam chowder. So, because not everything can be perfect. I rated my visit 4 stars because there was an issue with the sushi roll I ordered so I can't rate how it tasted. This isn't to say no one should ever go to this place. I'm just reviewing my experience. But the server was pretty great and allowed me to order another roll. I don't remember the name of the second roll but it was a simpler sushi roll with raw salmon in it. Now let me tell you, this roll was pretty awesome. And to top off these two amazing things that excited my taste buds, the server didn't charge me for either sushi rolls. So all I had to pay for was my clam chowder. I mean I was more than happy to pay for what I ate, but the server was kind enough to make up for the issue with my original roll, which was great. Anyway. I recommend it. I will be returning to order the same items on the menu. And my taste buds will be pleased. That is all.
(4)Mikaela Z.
Virginia Woolf said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." After my visit to Kona Grill, my thoughts were clear as crystal, my love ... well that's just not a problem, and I slept like a baby, dreaming of my return in the near future. Visited before the restaurant even opened. Generally you can expect training nights to be rough. Sure, there were a few kinks in the service, but the food and drinks were spectacular. I was so impressed. Started with the avocado eggroll. The sauce that comes with it is out of this world amazing. I would definitely recommend it! Next we had the filet, a California roll, a vegetable roll, and the cooked salmon roll. The filet was amazing. I'm a medium-well meat gal...and usually that means I sacrifice a little on tenderness and flavor. This was not the case with the Kona filet. I think that I would have cut it with a butter knife. It was amazing. The rolls were just ok. Probably didn't order the best of the best from that list. Ordered the salmon from the kids menu. I was blown away by the kids menu selections and prices. The salmon came with a choice of two sides. My daughter loved everything, and the portions left enough for me to try a little too! The drinks were really good. Tried a classic mojito, a coconut mojito, and I can't remember the name of the other drink but it had ginger beer and gin in it. All were fantastic. FANTASTIC. Skip the classic mojito and go for the coconut though. The ambiance of the restaurant is really nice. It has a trendy vibe. The finishes are impressive. Even the bathrooms are lovely. I can't recommend Kona enough. The only reason they got 4 stars instead of 5 is because the prices seem a little high. Our bill was $120 for two plus a baby. I would visit again, absolutely. I want to try their happy hour, I've heard that menu has great deals. Just check it out, it is worth the trip and there isn't much like it around!
(4)