Sushi has gone from average to awful and the "top shelf" drinks are watered down.
(2)
Sai T.
Went there about 4-5 times. Loved it always. 4.5 stars is more apt. 1/2 star off for waiters not paying enough attention to tables. They have happy hours starting at 9:00 pm. These happy hours are great with food at 1/2 price and good priced drinks. But they can get pretty filled up during this time. Must try their angry edamame if you are a edamame and spicy fan. Other favorites are pot stickers, margarita flat bread, avocado rolls, lettuce wraps and chicken satay.
(5)
Claire H.
We frequent the Village Pointe area quite often so we decided to try out Kona Grill. My husband loves sushi and I, not as much. This place was the perfect alternative for our different tastes. I would highly suggest coming here during their happy hour. Yes, it's absolutely crowded in the happy hour only area, but the food was much more decently priced. My husband had four sushi rolls while I stuck with a cheeseburger sliders. I didn't have a bite of the sushi rolls, but my husband, well he would come back here every weekend. And my sliders, they definitely weren't small like most sliders. That was a plus! I gave this place three stars not for their food, but for the service. I understand that happy hour is the busiest time except that still isn't an excuse to completely ignore your customers. As for the bar area, there are seats for a reason, so I'm dumbfounded when most of the seats are empty event though there a ton of people standing beside it. Sit down so people can walk by!
(3)
John K.
Overall - 8 Atmosphere - 9 Food - 8 Service - 9 (scale of 1 to 10) What I ordered : Sparkling Sangria Chicken & Shrimp lettuce wraps Philly and spicy tuna roll I've been to the Kona Grill in Henderson, NV, just outside Las Vegas, and had a great experience and some excellent tasty bites. This is a great spot for happy hour and good for groups, friendly dinner or even a date. The sparkling sangria was just to die for, a white wine con-cation that I highly recommend. The chicken & shrimp lettuce wraps were super tasty, served with butter lettuce leafs (drizzle the sweet spicy sauce it comes with on the wraps) the sushi was good, nothing to write home about. A spicy tuna roll and Philadelphia roll ($5 a roll you really can't go wrong) If you are looking for a good HH this is the place to come!
(4)
Fred R.
Went to Kona Grill for the first time last night as a birthday gift. Our waiter, Matt, was phenomenal! He's very charismatic and completely knows the menu which assisted us in making our dinner selection. Our appetizers and dinner entre all tasted fantastic. I was even treated to a dessert since it was my birthday (and that was an unexpected, but delicious treat). TOP NOTCH DINING! The only "Con" was the noise/music level near the bar is too loud for "table talk", but we were accommodated and seated at a table further from the bar area and it was awesome. For the flavor and serving portions the prices are Very Reasonable! Thanks for a great meal! Will highly recommend to friends!
(5)
Justin S.
Busy place, great atmosphere. I had tacos, which were remarkably filling (and looked more like small burritos than tacos). I had both fish and chicken, and thought the fish tacos were full of delightful flavors.
(5)
Ben E.
Best happy hour in Omaha. Manger is wonderful and always stops by the table to make sure everyone is being taken care of and enjoying the meal. Highly recommend!
(5)
Mindi A.
My co-worker and I stopped in at Kona Grill Omaha on our first night in the city. From the start, everyone was very friendly in greeting, seating and taking our orders! The food was also made to order and incredibly tasty. The only complaint I have is that we ordered an appetizer and our server forgot to put the order in. Since it was his mistake, he gave us free dessert so it more than makes up for the missing appetizer. I ordered the Pad Thai and had it prepared vegetarian (taking the VegWeek challenge to eat vegetarian all week). It came out perfect and was surprisingly good with what I think is the right amount of heat. You can order the Pad Thai with chicken or shrimp. My co-worker order the Hawaii teriyaki ribeye and it came with red skin mashed potatoes and green beans. The steak came out with grilled pineapple on top of it. I didn't take a taste but it looked sooo delicious! For dessert, I ordered the snickers ice cream pie and my co-worker got their butter cake a la mode. The snickers pie is a collosal piece of ice cream on Oreo crust with caramel and chocolate. If you like snickers, you will love it! But consider ordering it to share because it is quite large. The butter cake was also larger than expected and came with a berry sauce. Also likely large enough to share.
(4)
Chad K.
I ate here a few times back in 2005 or so. Then I went a while without eating here and I recently stopped back in for dinner. I seem to remember it being better than it is now. Perhaps its glory days are behind it. Food was decent. I tried their Hawaiian Ribeye which is listed on their menu as a signature (or favorite or whatever) item. It had a terrific flavor, but the meat itself was a bit chewy and, although ribeyes are typically heavily marbled, rather fatty. My wife sampled a couple of their Kona Rolls from their sushi menu and was pleased with them. The food here has always been good. It's sort of an Asian fusion kind of thing and they have several items that put an Asian spin of what are typically American favorites. Service was not good. I couldn't tell if was because they were understaffed (seemed to be a LOT of employees moving around) or if the staff they had were just that bad. Several tables around us (with different waitpersons) were experience service delays too. Ambiance is off. I suppose it makes for a decent bar and happy hour experience, but for dinner it's just noisy and crowded and in a mostly bad sort of way. At this price point I expect it to be better. They serve good food, but service could be greatly improved. It's a borderline "like" for me.
(3)
Maka J.
The last time I was at Kona Grill (prior to my most recent visit) was right before I gave birth to my son... That was nearly one year ago! If you're participating in Happy Hour, make sure you get there EARLY. Seats/Tables tend to fill up quickly, and you have to have a quick eye and stealthy moves to successfully snag a seat. (Okay, I'm done with the alliteration - for now.) This time, we sat at the sushi bar. Our waiter wasn't the quickest or most attentive, and he often disappeared, but, my husband and I rarely require too much fussing over, so it was really all good. :) Sitting at the sushi bar was pretty fun, actually! We saw scores of orders come through. As soon as the sushi chefs cleared out their qeues, another onslaught of orders would arrive. I was REALLY impressed with their speed and efficiency. More importantly, I thought their attention to detail and their ability to make every sing roll beautiful was uncanny. :) I will continue to frequent Kona's Happy Hour. Of the establishments in Omaha, Kona and Blue are my favorites for sushi!
(4)
Luke R.
Kona happy hour is the best, half price apps and sushi rolls are incredible deal. $4 drafts and other select cocktails make this a perfect after work meal or snack. I have to admit though I always leave with a full stomach.
(4)
Sara D.
Besides the bar staff, I don't know why I go here. The food & table service have been mediocre at best the last few times someone has suggested we go there. The last time we went it was far from busy, yet after waiting over 15 minutes our table still hadn't been greeted. So, I went to the bar to order our drinks myself. When the server finally did get to the table she brought one menu for three people & seemed a bit inconvenienced when we asked for two more. I used to really enjoy Kona, but it's not a place I look forward to going to anymore.
(2)
Rayray J.
Impressive fish tank, great atmosphere on a Thursday night, nice service, except I wanted sashimi, she gave me sushi, but the recommendation of Dragon Roll was pretty good; as the same kind of fusions for Sushi+Drinks, I gave Hiro 88 5 stars, the reasons are: Kona Grill has less sashimi selections like surf clams whereas Hiro 88 has real kickass Chinese dish features like (pan seared) Spicy Tofu, Kona Grill still has Cheeseburger on the menu which proves this is an American style sushi place whereas Hiro 88 is a more straight Asian style sushi restaurant with a just cooler interior decor.
(4)
Nhi T.
Hello Kona Grill. I've been here plenty of times because it is one of my best friends' favorite restaurants. I think she can recite the menu, she has been here so many times. But I love going during Happy hour, which by the way is ALL DAY Sunday! $5 Sangrias ... SIGN ME UP! Their sangrias are nice and sweet tasting, not watered down, so you will definitely have a fun time while you are dining. Also, I would recommend the Mojitos and Margaritas, as well as their wine.. Happy hour menu includes some sushi rolls, but I always stick to the California roll. I'm not a big fan of their sushi rolls. Then there is edamame, seaweed salad, vegetable rolls, along with some other entrees/appetizers of which I cannot quite think of right now. I've only tried the Pad Thai off the big menu, but it is quite delicious. It's a little pricey, but well worth the visit!
(4)
Lianna N.
update: I had a better happy hour experience here the other day- food came out a bit faster, was a bit tastier, and I didnt order any drinks so that eliminates the disappointment there. Kona is one of those places where you can go with any of your friends and everyone will be happy and find something to eat. It's like Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant that offers dining at this level. The happy hour menu is pretty reasonable but I wouldn't want to eat here all the time. One of those safe bets when you dont know where to eat or your dining with picky eaters or people who have a limited palette.
(4)
Ross P.
Who hasn't been to Kona? If you like Asian fusion, it's pretty good. Definitely on the pricey side. Choose Blue's happy hour for better prices on drinks. For my latest meal, I tried the Chicken Pad Thai. It's ok, and much better at an authentic Thai restaurant, not to mention cheaper at a Thai restaurant. The reason Kona still gets 4 stars instead of 2 or 3 is their Macadamia Nut Chicken. It's awesome. Get it at lunch for a cheaper price.
(4)
Ruby J.
Good service...slowest bar ever!!! Waited over 5 minutes for a draw of coors light!! Need to work on that or get more help!!
(3)
Chunk G.
It's gonna sound weird, but this is some of my favorite pad thai in the city. I even like it better than Salween (gasp! I know). Is it "authentic" ennnh probably not... but I don't care- it _tastes_ good. Period. It does cost twice as much, but it's also twice the size.
(4)
Daniel K.
Everything is great here most of the time but huge warning!!! The newly added Piña Colada is unblended. They serve you a glass of what looks like cottage cheese, milk and rum poured over ice. It is even chunky coming out of the straw. Stay away from this Caribbean abomination! Stick to the American devised drinks for sure. Sushi is average. Potstickers and lettuce wraps are awesome and salads and entrees are good for the most part. Don't fall prey to the pineapple doom though!
(4)
David Y.
Note: This review is primarily for Kona happy hour. I think that Kona is a great option for groups with a diverse taste. By that, I mean that Kona offers a wide selection of different foods. The happy hour is pretty solid and the prices are even better. Expect anywhere from $3-$8 for most of the appetizers during happy hour. My favorites are: the lettuce wraps, gyozas, the flat bread pizza, the avocado wraps, and some of the sushi. I also enjoyed the pig wing as well. All in all, the food is solid (not spectacular) and the prices are very good. Service is always good and the atmosphere enjoyable.
(4)
John M.
The consistent pleasant experience I have at Kona Grill is the reason for these five stars. Some places just deliver what you expect. That's this place. I know I'll be treated well, meaning with courtesy and respect. The value proposition is excellent, especially during the Wednesday Happy Hour with half-price appetizers and wines. Always a convivial, adult atmosphere. 75-90 minutes of warm, comfortable atmosphere, and delicious food, even the sushi aside. I don't like sushi, so....
(5)
James E.
Wish I could give 0 stars. Essentially the menu looks fantastic and slightly overpriced. But when we got our food... oh wait we didn't get our food, maybe because we never got a waiter... after sitting for over 10:00 minutes and not hidden in a corner booth, with no water or recognition of our existence we decided to leave after we watched the empty table next to us get served water. Even with walking out no one bothered to inquire why we were leaving. It will likely take a miracle for us to walk back into kona.
(1)
Craig Z.
Came here for happy hour and couldn't have been more pleased. All of the food came out quick and hot!! Our waitress never let a drink run dry. I would frequent this place if I lived around here.
(5)
John A.
Had a wonderful experience. Love the open concept of the patio, sushi came quickly and service was prompt. Chad stopped by to make sure everything was good for us and we appreciate when a manager engages the guests with sincerity.
(5)
Jamie E.
My friend's food looked good, mine was fine. I ordered a Caesar with grilled chicken - the chicken was cubed which is always a sign it has been just sitting out in the back ready to go. The dressing was more clear than creamy. Just not that good. But their appetizers looked amazing. Avocado egg rolls looked perfect.
(2)
Fly_Gu Y.
We've eaten at Kona Grill over a year ago but for whatever reason when the "where are we gonna eat" discussion ensues, Kona Grill is never mentioned. This was the case last weekend when my wife and I were trying to determine where to eat for dinner. A handful of the usual suspects were mentioned but quickly vetoed because we were in the mood for something different. To my wife's surprise I suggested Kobe, even though after visiting a year ago we vowed never to return. We agreed to give them one last chance and set our sights on good ol' hibachi. Ten minutes later we arrived at the restaurant only to find that the waiting list was almost 2 hours long! We didn't want it that bad so we continued to ponder our options. Back in the car we tossed around a few more usual suspects and then I said, "What about Kona Grill". We couldn't remember any details from our first visit which suggest to us that we were neither impressed or turned off. Before making another worthless trip I called and was greeted by a friendly lady who introduced herself as Emily. I asked if there was a wait and was told no, come on over so to Kona Grill we went! We arrived at Kona Grill ten minutes later and were immediately shown to our seats. In what seemed like only a few minutes Dani came over and introduced herself as our waitress for the evening. Lets just say from start to finish the experience was great! The menu is expansive and there's truly something for everyone. I was so immersed in the dining experience I forgot to remember the names of the appetizers and entrees. I guess that means I will have to return, and soon because I am not going to leave my fellow Yelpers hanging.
(5)
Mark C.
Okay - if you dislike music being to loud and the bar not really being separated from the dining room - you probably should not go to Kona Grill during Happy Hour. Entered the building and one of the first things you notice is how loud it is. Music is loud...bar is loud and everyone in the dining area has to be loud in order to hear people at their table ( A minus for us) Service was good. Waitress explained items on the menu, made good recommendations and was quick with refills before even being needed. Food was good. Portions were fairly large. We all ended up with to go boxes. Had Pad Thai with shrimp (good), Pan Asian Noodles with Beef (Very good and spicy too), flatbread pepperoni pizza (good) and spicy tuna and spicy salmon. (Tuna good, Salmon not so much) Enjoyed the large fish tank behind the sushi bar and being able to watch the chefs make the sushi. Not so enjoyable was being able to see back into the kitchen area which unfortunately where we were located was a bit messy and took away from the overall positive atmosphere. Worth going to. Check out the Happy Hour specials.
(4)
Anna L.
I quite liked this place. The food was good, I've had chilli soup, avocado rolls and margarita. The service was nice. And atmosphere too. I would certainly recommend this place.
(4)
M R.
Sushi has gone from average to awful and the "top shelf" drinks are watered down.
(2)
Alyssa M.
I had the steak, mushroomand truffle oil pizza!... flatbread pizza! I love must things flatbread... this was awesome. SOOOOOOO GOOD! The best blend of flavors! The texture was great as well. It was AMAZING! The decor was very nice, upscale and cozy! I thought the prices were a little high... but that was to be expected. The service was great. I found out that they have a happy hour and I will BE BACK! And I will be trying the sushi on my next visit.
(4)
CC C.
We came in on Sunday afternoon, it was quite busy. We sat at the bar and Jess was our server. She was extremely good and friendly and fast. We ordered a few cocktails and calamari. Then we ordered the sliders and a few sushi rolls. We were pleasantly surprised at how equally tasty the sushi & sliders were. We won't order the calamari again, it was rubbery and the breading was just bad, every other aspect of our visit was superb. If you like spicy sushi, I recommend the voodoo roll, it was great.
(4)
Jamal R.
Hands down this is one of the best restaurants in town from there steak to sushi and there cheeseburgers! The price is very fair the customer service is beyond excellent!
(5)
Nikki W.
It was ok. The sushi is just average. The service was really good. The basic wines are very overpriced. The side house salads were plentiful and fresh. They come with blue cheese sprinkles. If I go back it will be during the listed happy hours as I don't ever want to pay full price again for sushi and drinks here.
(3)
Andrea W.
Great service and awesome food! I just stopped in for the happy hour. I had the happy hour margarita and my friend, a bud light. For food we ordered the avocado egg rolls and a crab crunch roll. (Minus one star for their sushi, sometimes seems mushy) Halfway through those we added on an order of potstickers. Somewhere between courses, the manager stepped in and said that they were having a problem with the steamer and that it will be fixed and we would have our potstickers in no time. We didn't even say anything and the potstickers were taken off our tab. That's honesty right there. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. It's def a new fave.
(4)
Luke S.
Kona Grill: I think I will finally quit you. Despite me trying at least 7 different entrees at seven different times, I can easily say that I won't be back. I'm unwilling to continue to be subjected to snotty high school hostesses, forgetful wait staff and meals that always miss the mark. It's like Kona is TRYING to make you hate going there.
(2)
Jessica Z.
My husband and I have tried this place quite a few times, for happy hour and dinner. If you want a table for HH, you may be out of luck if you don't show up right when it starts, which is pretty early. Even if you show up just for dinner, good luck finding a spot to sit in their patio area! We love their dessert - I'd say their key lime pie is comparable to what I've had in Key West! My husband likes the bread pudding. This place is so crowded and the food (besides the dessert we like) is really nothing to write home about. Because of that, we've deemed this place as dessert only. Of course, because it's so busy, we just call our order in and pick it up to go.
(4)
David W.
I heard from friends about this place and thought it was worth a try. Sorry to say it was disappointing. We sat and sat before I had to get up and find a waiter. After that, I figured things would go better. Wrong. Our waiter then seemed to go on break as we didn't see him until long after our drinks were gone. Flatbread, when it arrived, was just average. Not a fan!
(2)
Matt M.
They have very unique tacos here. The environment is unique and quite comfortable but the price to cuisine ratio is a little too off to get it over that 5 star hump. I love the patio area and the bright open window areas and the breeze coming through near the bar. On a really nice night it seems like the perfect place to eat.
(4)
Irene E.
Macadamia nut chicken was really good. I got some pesto pasta dish the second time around..good, but not like the chicken I had the first time. My Hibiscus drink was unique. Little pricey, but for a place like this, it's expected. Sushi was alright, I still think there are other places in the Omaha area that are better.
(4)
Jennifer S.
Eh. It's nowhere near as good as Blue, but the food is decent and the service is excellent. I have only had sushi here, so I can't comment on the rest of the food, but they do have an extensive non-sushi menu. They also have skinny cocktails (yes!) and nutritional information online, if anyone's into that. If you have to wait for a seat, you can do some shopping in the neighboring stores and the little buzzers will still go off. I went last weekend and got the yamada roll, which is supposed to have tempura sea bass. It did not. Perhaps the sea bass was in there somewhere, but if so, it wasn't tempura'd. My friend tried it and couldn't locate the sea bass, either. It was loosely rolled and so I couldn't pick it up with my chopsticks without it falling apart; I had to shovel it in my mouth with a fork---like an animal!! (lol) For some reason my plate came with two of the creepiest, whole fried shrimps that I've ever seen. Like, one of them had exploded eyeballs. Blech! The manager stopped by to see how everything was, and when I asked about the little creepy guys she said that it comes with the shrimp sushi. She offered to get me something else, and when I declined (I was actually super-full at that point), she took it off my bill without being asked. That was very sweet of her, considering that the shrimp sushi itself wasn't affected by the little creepy guys. This last visit had the worst food I've ever had there, so maybe it was a new sushi guy. It was still good enough that I'll go back if I'm over at Village Pointe. I wish they had tamago (egg sushi).
(3)
Cammy M.
My co workers and I went after work today. It was so hot in there you couldn't even sit on the patio. We all ordered drinks, apps and dinner. The waitress would only let SOME of us use the mall discount. That was incredibly rude. I have been going there ever since I started working at Village Pointe. Only once have I ever asked for the discount. One time the guy noticed my name tag and have it to me. Today our service was slow and it took FOREVER to get our checks. I'm done with Kona. It was an awful end to our day.
(1)
Chester V.
The Omaha location just isn't as good as the Kansas City spot. Kind of boring and blah... Food is good, but the sushi is terrible. The rice is by far the worst recipe of any sushi restaurant around.
(3)
Cara A.
Kona made a believer out of me yesterday. I've always had a ho-hum opinion of this place. However, after eating there yesterday I believe it now my #1 favorite Happy Hour spot. The flatbreads are fantastic (the Margarita is my favorite!), drink deals are good, Avocado eggrolls are delicious, and the rolls on their happy hour are affordable and taste great.. If you love spicy (and actually want sushi that actually has a little kick), Voodoo Rolls are the way to go, and if you're a fan of eel sauce definitely try the Atlantic Rolls. Every time I've gone here I've always been a little shocked at how affordable it was. It gets super busy during HH so seating options aren't always great (even though they have more seating than other similar restaurants). Speed of service is acceptable (they have always been very busy when I'm there, but I still eat within a reasonable amount of time). Over all, I really enjoy going here :)
(5)
Alyx C.
Horrible service. The manager tried to make it right but it just kept getting worse. Obviously people love this place because it is crazy during happy hour. BUT if you want a nice place to eat with good service, this is not for you!
(1)
Gregory J.
We had the Asparagus Salad and Pan Asian Noodles from the Vegan/Vegetarian menu. The view from the patio is nice. The music was a bit loud and has the base boosted a bit too much. I don't mind but some people may not like it. Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch. 5-Stars.
One of my favorite places to eat in Omaha so good. Try the lettuce wraps and the meatloaf both are amaZing!!!!!!!
(5)
Eric H.
The environment seemed to have an upscale and classy feel to it. The food prices were actually reasonable. There was a variety of choices to choose from. I had the jambalaya and it was great, with just the right amount of kick to it. This was my first time eating here and it made a great impression on me. The dessert I had was freshly made and very tasty.
(4)
Tanya P.
Kona has a great happy hour with drink specials and 1/2 priced apps. I'd recommend trying the sangria...red or white they both were delicious! Our waiter Rob was excellent! He was very attentive even though the place was packed. We ordered the margherita flatbread, calamari, spicy tuna roll & crab crunch roll. This was more than enough for three girls to munch on! The flatbread had a great balsamic reduction on it. The sushi rolls were fresh and put together perfectly. The calamari could have had a little more crunch to it but the sauce more than made up for it. If you haven't been here I recommend trying them out for happy hour to get a taste...trust me you will return for more! Happy hour runs from 3-7. Oh and if you can, sit on the patio, it's enclosed but the windows open:)
(4)
Matt R.
Love this place! Sushi is awesome, very consistent as well as some of the best calamari I've ever had. Great bbq chicken flatbread as well and big sake bombers. 5 bombers per order and $7.5 for all of them during happy hour. Can be crowded in the patio at times but all day Sunday happy hour makes it much more accommodating!
(5)
Manoj R.
Food is so-so but ambiance is very nice specially for young crowd. Their happy hour is great but if u r looking for good sushi this is not the place. But I go their once month to hang out with my buddies...
(4)
Hannah D.
I had the cucumber salad and a variety of sushi with my boyfriend. I was mainly disappointed because I was handed a fork to eat my meal with, country music was playing and when I asked for hot tea they brought a variety box. Just come in knowing this is NOT a nice sushi restaurant. Rather, it is an over Americanized imposter. Stick to the steak.
(4)
M. C.
i would skip the water with lemon wedges because i saw servers with ungloved hands work the register, work the floor and then pick lemons out of the container on the side of the bar with their bare hands. happy hour sushi was adequate. if you're hungry and shopping i would stop in here for $3-$4 sushi rolls or appetizers. just skip the water with lemon wedges.
(3)
Jessie F.
ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. I REPEAT ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. Ok now that we got that out of the way, I also like this restaurant when I'm not trying to be a cheap sake. Their menus are diverse, and the dishes themselves are a healthy dose. Although when sitting in the restaurant part it can be a little loud with the Bar directly next to it. Also,the music they decide to play over the loud speakers tends to lean towards a '90s house party...not that I'm fully complaining, but honestly how do you expect me not sing along to R. Kelly "Ignition?" Even if I'm on a first date.
(4)
Christine B.
My review is like the food...uninspired. Tried lettuce wraps, a few items from the happy hour menu (calamari and Americanized sushi) and the tuna steak sandwich. It's what I expected. Over salted, mediocre food (kudos on searing the tuna correctly, however). Over sweetened cocktails. Prompt, friendly service. I understand why people like it here (predictable food and atmosphere), it's just not my thing.
(2)
Ka'ili H.
About two days after I landed in Omaha my sis was raving about Kona Grill. I just came from the islands and if you know ANYONE from Hawai'i, we know good food when we, well, eat it. So, I had to oblige and try this place out. So far, I've been here three times, and have found love for this place for several different reasons. First Time: Our waitress on our first visit was super friendly and on it. (The place wasn't too busy as it was lunch time, but hey, some staff could just wanna use that downtime to talk about some new dude their dating!) Then: the owners or managers (i assumed there were the higher up people because of their suit-like attire) came by and asked us how our desserts were-----Delicious, btw! Next stop: We came for a friend's birthday for dinner. It was really crowded and our wait was about 40 minutes long!! BUT, we managed to entertain ourselves as we waited. Unfortunately, we had to wait an extra 20 minutes for our table. Our friend's husband politely let the hostess know of our extra minutes and the manager compensated us quite nicely! Great customer service always keeps us coming back for more. Started out the celebration with Sake: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Had some pizza: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Although I didn't taste any truffle oil Bro had some fish: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Sis had some chicken: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… And we all shared dessert: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… My last visit was a Girl's Lunch and it proved just as delicious as the last couple of visits, the food was tasty, drinks were strong, and our waiter was handsome & spot on! The sis had this wonderful drink: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… if you ever have the chance, DO try this, then eat the hibiscus, it's GOOD! the girls had this basil & mint lemonade: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… I had pizza once again, this one was crunchy and the ahi was fresh. mmmm good! yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Our friend had the ahi steak sandwich, well done yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Of course we topped off our delicious lunch with dessert and it was just as divine as the first time. You know it's good when that sweet stuff gives you the same feeling you got the very first time. We'll keep coming back for more for all of the goodness this place has to offer: Great customer service, attention to detail, fresh and flavorful foods, and lastly GREAT desserts!.
(5)
Daniel K.
I was part of the staff that opened this restaurant nearly a decade ago. Used to be such a cool and hip place, went back a few months ago and although the food is nearly the same, it's starting to feel like the chain it is.
(3)
Aline S.
This Kona Grill has EXCELLENT customer service. We ate here a few days ago and my friend had some Basil Pesto spilled on her purse accidentally. Within a minute the manager was at our table with her business card and 2 servers were there with rags. They cleaned her purse, offered to pay for professional cleaning, and paid for her meal. Bonus: My turkey burger with (a new) basil pesto was delicious!
(5)
Glenn P.
They had a good lunch special with sushi and salad combos.
(4)
Donald W.
Terrible service at the bar. Two people there and one keeps leaving. Been here ten minutes and only got s water so far.
(2)
Zach P.
BEST SUNDAY HAPPY HOUR (read as: day) EVER!! When I am home from school, my mother and I make a point to make the trek up to Omaha to hit Kona Grill Happy Hour and do some shopping every few weeks (poor us). We are obsessed with margaritas so when we came to our first ever Kona Happy Day, we had to try one (or two...-ish). The margaritas were perfectly flavorful with the perfect amount of tequila. We also ordered a variety of sushi, avocado rolls (aka god's gift to mankind), and some sliders. Each dish had its own unique flavor and exceeded our expectations. Especially being somewhat of a sushi snob, I was pretty impressed by the quality of sushi rolls that they served. The service was great, very friendly and the environment was super laid-back with some awesome music playing in the background. One Sunday that we went, all the music were throwbacks to the 90s. I hear you Backstreet Boys and pre-crazy train Britney Spears. Overall, Sunday Funday at Kona Grill is a fantastic way to spend a portion of your Sunday afternoon or early evening, followed by making irrational shopping decisions at the mall right next door.
(4)
M F.
Not impressed, you would be better off going to the Old Market, downtown Omaha where the prices, food, and service are much better. As we entered the restaurant the three hostesses were not friendly and after my wife and I found our seat at the sushi bar with no help, it took quite awhile to get water and someone to eventually take our order. However, the Calamari was outstanding! The one glass of ice water was even better....you make the decision.
(2)
Jilda F.
Reverse happy hour was fun. The sushi was delish customer service was top notch. Love the environment too!
(5)
Jonathan T.
The place smelled like beer. It was all over the floor and not mopped up. My shoes stuck to the floor. Our server was rude and slow. My co worker and I both got sock from whatever we ate. Not going back.
(1)
Kyle M.
AWESOME!! I went here during happy hour, (4-6) and we ordered two orders of sushi and one of their flatbreads, it was only 16 dollars and the food was outstanding. Our server Mike was attentive and super professional. This place is the place to go. Atmosphere was a Ten as well as the service and food.
(5)
Kaai L.
Kona Grill is a restaurant that has not disappointed me once. Everything I ordered each time I go there is amazing. I have tried a different entree, and each time, they are made to perfection. If you go there, you need to save room for dessert! They are to die for! I am in love with their ultimate fudge brownie, red velvet cake and their passion fruit creme brulee. So good! I have to say for a picky eater from Hawai'i, I am quite impressed with their food here. Like I said before, I have not been disappointed once :) I try to come here with some of my friends at least once a month, it can get expensive, especially if you buy drinks. Their fuji apple sake is really good, but don't expect to get too tipsy on it.
(5)
Jeremy S.
I think the title of this review should be "overrated." As a happy hour spot this place is toughest place to get into that I've ever seen. I really cannot figure out why. I think it is average not bad, not great. I was told by a bartender that if we want a table on a Friday we need to be there no later than 3:30. Wow! Their drink specials really aren't very cheap. They have draws of Bud Light and Miller Light on special...that' it for beer....seriously. Now I have to admit I still go here for a few items and the patio but mostly on Saturday since happy hour starts at 1pm. Yeah, I know. Awesome and not nearly as busy as weekdays. Things that are very good: Calamari (should get two mentions for how good it is) Avocado egg roll Ahi Steak sandwich and don't overlook the taro chips Things that aren't worth trying: Pizza...below average any sushi especially spicy tuna. My group always orders this and it is always some strange paste looking texture and I finally had to stop trying it just to see if it had gotten better. Believe me, it hasn't.
(3)
Sarah G.
Tried the sushi again - thinking that maybe they've had some time to refine it - plus, people go here for sushi all the time... pretty much just as I remembered. The sashimi wasn't really up to par either (and no thanks on the wasabe mayo) I'm not sure where they source their fish from, but it just didn't seem all that fresh to me. The rolls, just didn't have a lot of punch. When I still have sushi in front of me and willingly quit eating, that's not a good sign. Plus, I really dislike how gargantuan they insist on making their rolls... which in double-hindsight is maybe to compensate for the lack of powerful flavors. And finally... where's the nori and sushi grade rice, why use so much soy paper, and why do you insist on calling edamame "soybeans"? The Kona theme of 'east meets west' is probably responsible for all of my questions above. Like Bill said, I should probably have known better than to order sushi from a chain restaurant in Nebraska. Lesson learned (again). Service was good though, and I like the restaurant's decor and fishtank, which I think definitely warrants two stars. Though if I go back, I'll stick to burgers or pizza.
(2)
Kayla D.
LOVE Kona. Always hits the spot!
(4)
Amy F.
Went to West O for lunch after a craving for sushi that just wouldn't die and several others were closed from 2-4 in the area I am staying. Not a long wait, our server Sarah was very nice and friendly. We only ate the sushi- couple special rolls, spicy tuna, and the Tuna Tower! The Tower was really good, but the sushi overall wasn't the best I have had. It satisfied the craving and was filling. The resturant itself is nice, clean, and seems like a very trendy hang out for people in that area. The bathroom was clean, however it is in the the hallway next to the drink station and walkway to the patio...just watch out! The fake vanilla smell in there also was a little too much. For a late afternoon lunch this place was just right. Overall an A-OK resturant, and I might try the Kona Grill in Denver in the future.
(3)
Craig R.
Great Reverse Happy hour 9 to midnight every night!
(4)
Ben K.
Pros: Good happy hour specials Cons: I HATE West Omaha (Too far of a drive) It takes a lot to get me to go west past 132nd and Dodge, but my friends went here one night in the Village Pointe shopping center. Being in town for a short time, I decided to give it a shot. Kona is a chain with better locations in Denver and K.C. The Omaha one isn't up to snuff. The food isn't that good, the atmosphere is bland and boring, and all I want to do is leave when I'm there. Good thing drinks are cheap...
(2)
Matt B.
Macadamia Chicken is the bomb. Awesome. You'll want to order two. Gravy rocks. Downer: No Wi-Fi.
(3)
Eric O.
Num num, the service makes up for the boring ( yet delicious) sushi. Nothing crazy, but this allows them to knock each dish out of the park every time, if that makes sense...
(5)
Daryn P.
I awoke on Sunday, as I often do, hoping to begin the afternoon with a satisfying meal. It was Cinco De Mayo the day before and, although I'm not Mexican, I spent most of my time eating authentic street food, guzzling cerveza and hovering near a toilet. It was a long day. Incidentally, I wouldn't recommend wandering the streets of South Omaha while shouting, "Yo soy muy importante!" But, I digress. Every Sunday, my neighbor and I have brunch, typically at a place that serves waffles or Eggs Benedict. This past weekend, however, we thought we'd spend our Sunday at Village Pointe, which is quite a jaunt from our apartment building in the heart of downtown. First, we scanned the sale racks and new summer collection at Banana Republic. Then, we had a marvelous time trying on loafers at DSW. I'm certain that several passersby mistook us as gay, but I was having such a stupendous time that I hardly wasted a New York minute worrying about it. Exhausted from shopping, we thought Kona would be the perfect place to relax and enjoy a nice platter of food. I was quite enthused upon walking in. We were greeted kindly by a lovely hostess. She told us the patio was open seating, and then followed us with some menus. I wanted to get her name and phone number, but figured she was probably really busy with prom and everything. I guess I'll just have to find her on Facebook. After the hostess left our table and returned to her podium, we waited. Then, we waited some more. Then, we waited some more. After that, we waited some more. Nobody brought us water, said they'd be right with us, or even acknowledged us at all. My neighbor does smell a bit like cat urine, but that doesn't affect his status as paying customer. Given all of the servers, bartenders, and bussers that walked by our table, somebody could have at least smiled, or waved, or given us a thumbs up. "What's your threshold?" I asked my neighbor. "Let's give it a couple more minutes," he said. "Okay," I agreed, reluctantly. Then, we waited some more. My neighbor could sense that I was significantly agitated. "I reached my threshold ten minutes ago," I explained. "Let's go then," he suggested. "Yeah, let's get the H out of here!" I replied. "That was extremely disappointing," my neighbor shared, as we walked toward the exit. "I know," I said. "I got better service yesterday from a Mexican street vendor, and he didn't even speak English." "Have a nice day," the hostess said, as we walked out the front door. "That was ridiculous," I told her. "Yo soy muy importante!"
(2)
Mike S.
Service was impeccable; dinner was great- for a west Omaha chain.
(4)
Holly B.
Hubby said this was the only Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha...well it's not Hawaiian, more Asian fusion, but decent. We were not here for sushi, so I cannot comment on that. I was hoping for lau lau salmon, kahlua pork, poi, lomi lomi salad, stuff like that. Frankly I thought I was going to hate it the minute I walked in: loud, young singles bar lounge right next to front door, absent hostess. When she finallly turned up she asked if we wanted to sit in the outdoor or indoor bar lounge, at the bar, or in The Dining Room, like it was a place for untouchables. Of course we went there, so happy to be put out to pasture with the young parents and old farts. Much quieter with comfy tall booths to baffle the pounding pop music and shield our eyes from current mating rituals. The prices seemed a little high and the food came out so fast it kind of had me worried. But my seared ahi on bok choy and rice bed with sweet chli pepper sauce was good. His macadamia chicken with papaya sauce and haricots verte was good too. Had a beer, no apps or dessert, came to $47 before tip. Drinks menu is very funny with supposedly Japanese and Hawaiian translations of phrases like: "No more. I'm drunk already, so sorry". Dessert list uninspired but not ruled by chocolate, either. What a relief, but I was stuffed. This is going to sound funny but the glassware was so attractive: clear, no scratches, interesting shape, perfect size and weight. I must be living in squalor. Our waitress was fine, and I think the manager cruised by for a quick visit too.
(3)
Mike L.
Good and service ate great. Parking sucks due to the mall it sits in, but once you are inside you would not know you were surrounded my retail insanity. Appetizers are very tasty! The bar can get packed Thurs through Sat, but there are plenty of places to hang out while waiting for a table to open. There is open seating in the bar and the patio area too, if it is not too crowded and offers the same menu
(4)
Liz T.
My boyfriend and I have emptied our wallets on half the menu at Kona Grill. There's a lot of mediocrity in here, but a few things stand out--like the Sweet-Chili Glazed Salmon Salad ($10.50) and Volcano ($7.95). The latter is a baked crab and fish sushi with a sweet and spicy sauce--just scrumptious. I don't think any of the appetizers or seafood/meat specialties are worth yelping about. Kona Grill does an average take on interpreting Hawaiian fusion--I should know, I'm from Hawaii. Just stick with the sushi menu and you won't regret dropping half a Benjamin. The Dragon, Spider, and Wave rolls are all pretty yum-o. P.S. Don't eat the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee--even if it's on the house. Your palate will thank you and you'll thank me!
(4)
Guy S.
Nice restaurant, good food, horrible service! This is the second time in, figured we'd give it another shot, what a disappointment yet again. Server didn't get the order right. Flies everywhere inside the restaurant.. I will not be back. If you love sushi, sushi japan, hands down.
(1)
FranklyHonest H.
Excellent food, service, restrooms, tables, ambiance. 1) Make Reservations 2) Expect excellence! You WILL receive it! I made one teensy-tiny negative remark about an appetizer, and they replaced it immediately!!! And, did not charge me for it! It was not expected, but had the 5-Star WOW factor. 3) Happy hour is fun, arrive early. I think this is the best restaurant in Omaha and surrounding areas. sushi, sashimi, tuna. All the food is great. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jen H.
OK. We went to Kona randomly while trying to find somewhere to eat out west. Let it be known that I do NOT like west Omaha at all. I hate the pretentious attitude. A lot. That being said: There was nowhere to sit when we got there. Greeter was more or less indifferent to whether we sat anywhere. So we wandered and found ourselves at the sushi bar portion of the restaurant. The sushi was alright ( granted I am not any kind of professional sushi taster ) and the chef in front of us was polite and attentive. It was distracting to be sitting with your back to the apparent 'server highway' portion of the store, the cooks were yelling and servers were back and forth constantly. I can see why nobody was sitting there. Prices were alright. Maybe we'll be back to try something else, but I highly doubt it. Can't imagine finding a time where we could actually get a place to sit...
(3)
Cappy H.
Since I am an islander, naturally Kona Grill would be a place to check out. Lots of people there. The staff are all friendly and positive. They have good food and it is very clean. Impressed with the manager asking for feedback from random patrons. That same manager impressed me by his knowledge of the Loco Moco. The sushi flat bread was awesome. Great place for fun or with a date. Music is good and all around great place. Clean mall area too.
(4)
Liz W.
I've tried...several times to like this place, but it's just NOT happening. The restuarant is beautiful witha really nice atmosphere, but the food is just not cutting it. The drinks though, might make up for it. We just went again this last weekend, and happen to be there for happy hour. The deals were great...1/2 off most apps & $3 drafts. We had the margarita pizza (crust was way to thick and doughy), several sushi rolls (nothing impressive, & I hate mayo in rolls), chicken satay (it was good, but the dipping sauce wasn't) and the calamari (the SAVING GRACE of the whole meal!) Our waitress was decent, but on a previous visit, we waited for over 40 min just for drinks.
(2)
Michael W.
Stopped by as an alternative to Blue since they had put all of their outdoor seating away and Kona has a patio with windows that open. Hostess told us to sit anywhere we liked, so we did and were attended to promptly. Started with the edamame and a dirty grey goose martini. Pondered one of the steak entrees, but decided instead on the sweet-chili glazed salmon. My friend ordered the cod dish, which is new and I forgot the exact name of. Both of us ordered a side of mashed garlic potatoes. After a short wait our food arrived. Salmon was perfectly cooked, and the fried rice was moist and tasty. The broccolini was very good. Not sure exactly what broccolini stands for.. it seemed like grilled broccoli to me. Potatoes were creamy goodness as well! Tried the cod and it was quite good as well. Also had a dumpling that was part of the cod entree. Dumpling was good, though I suspect it would have tasted better if I hadn't been getting full by this point. At this point, we heard people at another table mention it was their birthday and the waitress informed them they got a free dessert. It was my birthday as well, so we spoke up and dessert arrived. Dessert was a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting filling the middle and the top. Despite being full, both of us nearly finished it. Even though there was tons of frosting, it wasn't overly sweet and complimented the cupcake perfectly. I'll return, though there are other places a bit higher on my list.
(4)
Kevin B.
Finally! The sixth time is a charm, there is one place in Omaha that can make sushi. Especially because the know what goes in a Volcano Roll which is my favorite, although thiers is kind of a deconstructed one, it is still great. Seriously the other sushi places I've been in Omaha have an item called Volcano Roll, but it's never how it's made everywhere else I've been around the country (weird Omaha thing). Anyhoo. Sampled 3 kinds of rolls, and the avocado egg rolls. Everything was outstanding. Decor is nice, waitstaff was friendly and helpful when I had questions.
(5)
Jason F.
Happy hour starts at 3pm I believe and is great..sushi is fresh and the pizza is tasty...If you can get there early, do so because it gets crowded quick.
(4)
Gigi G.
Be very careful of the bartenders! They want a credit card up front for a tab and file your card in a file by last name. The cards are not given back unless you ask! Really bad!!!i was on business from out of town and had to spend $60 for a taxi to take me back for my card. The General Manager didn't even say he was sorry and offered NO compensation. Food not worth $60 taxi ride!!'Beware!
(1)
Shawn G.
I can't, in good conscience, recommend going here to anyone I like. First, the good: The food is prepared capably (most of the time), and the sushi is your typically tasty upscale American variety. The restaurant is clean and the patio seating is a nice touch. Now, the bad: On a crowded night, prepare to wait 10-15 minutes longer than the hostesses tell you. We've been here a few times, and the hostesses never even seem to be close on the wait times for a table. The service once you're seated isn't much better. I've never eaten here and felt well taken care of by my server. The last time we went took the cake. I ordered a flat-bread pizza, which came out with a maximum of three pearls of mozzarella on the entire thing. "No problem," I thought to myself, "I'll just inform the waitress and I'm sure they'll straighten this out." Forty minutes later, our waitress decided to grace us with her presence and I explained, tactfully, the problems with my order. She sent the manager over, who proceeded to explain to me that the nuances of buffalo mozzarella are why there did not appear to be much on my pizza. (A quick google-search of the term will reveal to you why that's utter B.S., if you're wondering). At this point, I'm not only still hungry, but grumpy and insulted. The manager should know better than to pull that kind of crap with a customer, even if he did eventually take the meal off of our ticket. We paid our bill and stiffed the waitress, since the $2.13 she got from minimum wage and $1 we left her was more than she earned from our party. The verdict: The food and decor are good enough to save this place from one-star damnation, but even they can't save it from the two-star purgatory that the service and management wrought upon it. Take your money and pay a little extra at Firebirds at the other end of Village Point. You'll be glad you did.
(2)
Zachary Sam Z.
Kona's alright, to the point that I was thinking about 3 stars. But inevitably, something is a little off that makes my experience just... not good. Today it was stopping by for lunch at 1:30. The restaurant wasn't even half-filled, but the service felt really slow. The server was snippy, forgetful, and left us alone for 15 minutes at a time. I got the sushi here, because I knew what my grandma learned today - everything on the menu is *spicy*! She complained about every noodle dish having the word "spicy" in the description. I once got the seared tuna salad, which was insanely spicy, despite not having "spicy" in the description. So what can I say about the sushi? It's alright. I agree with Liz that the Wave was pretty yummy. I foolishly got another roll garnished with lemon. I seriously had a salmon roll garnished with lemon that was *perfectly* balanced once, but this was nowhere close. 99% of the taste was lemon! Yikes! I have a good time when I'm here with friends, and we're just looking for a place to get a drink and a sushi roll or two. But when I'm here with family (and, I guess, not as engaged in conversation?) I notice the shortcomings. For my money, I'd rather eat sushi at Hiro's.
(2)
Leif O.
Kona Grill is awesome! My wife and I go there for their reverse happy hour and get all the sushi we can! I love this place!
(5)
Cory O.
Go there for the happy hour, other than that you're on your own :) The food at Kona is pretty good, their menu has a lot of variety and the dishes are usually tasty. The wait staff is attentive and accurate, never really had any problem with the service there. The prices are moderate so you don't have to worry about breaking the bank. Three stars = A-OK which is exactly what I gave it, this place is alright to eat at. I will say that their happy hour is great though if you can find a table that hasn't been taken over by a "Trendy West-O Soccer Mom"! They come around 3:30pm and sit down / stake out tables out on the patio and just take up the entire patio waiting for their guests to arrive. Since you can only partake in happy hour if you're on the patio this can be very annoying if all the tables are taken and only one person is at each one!!!!
(3)
Jimmy H.
Great happy hour deals! Great food... Honestly I prefer intimate places like sushi Yama and Maru, but Kona has some amazing entrees that you can't get anywhere else.
(5)
Jeff C.
Great happy hour specials & food. Got my kids hooked on sushi. Great variety and atmosphere. We usually get the sushi but my favorite entree is the pan asian noodles (awesome times 2). The coconut chicken is also great (salad & entree). Would go there more often if it was easier to get a table, sign of a very good restaurant in Omaha.
(5)
Ryan C.
Defintiely one of my favorites! I usually go for reverse happy hour, and the half price sushi, appetizers, and drinks cannot be beat. The california crunch roll, avocado eggrolls, and the sake bombs are my top menu picks! Service is always prompt, food is always delicious, crowd is young and trendy, and the atmosphere is contemporary. Nothing to complain about here!
(5)
Andrew S.
I used to love Kona's sushi....that was until I tried sushi from Baby Blue and Hiro 88. Kona is consistently the least fresh of the 3 which is always disappointing but if you like the cooked stuff the Philadelphia roll is great and the crunchy crab is always good. The reason I give it 3 instead of 1 or 2 is the Macadamia Nut Chicken, this is an amazing chicken dish I recommend to everyone who is trying Kona for the first time. I always try to catch reverse happy hour for 1/2 price appetizers and cheap Sake Bombs.
(3)
Sean T.
I have seen Kona Grill many times but never tried it until this visit. I was never sure what it was by the name. Sushi? Grill? Didn't make sense ... but anyhow ... I had tried the rainbow roll, a spicy salmon roll, a cucumber salad, and the prime rib sandwich. The fish on the rainbow roll was very skimpy, and the tuna had a hint of fishy smell. The spicy salmon roll was spicy and the rice was perfect in flavor and texture for sushi. The cucumber salad was good, but need a little bit of acidity. The prime rib sandwich was really good except for a few bites had too much bleucheese concentrated in a small area. Overall, great experience and good food. I will go again.
(4)
Sarah C.
I'll admit: I LOVE their avocado egg rolls here. Compared to the Cheesecake Factory, they are so much better! I will also admit that I usually come here during their happy hour (I've come here once or twice for dinner and was not very impressed by their macadamia nut chicken: it was alright, nothing special) Wait staff varies. I've had some great waiters and waitresses, some bad. I usually see different faces each time. Ambiance I really like: it's very casual, and a more fast paced place (especially for the rush to get a table!!) Besides the avocado (egg?) rolls, the sushi's not special but it's decent: I do like their spicy tuna roll. However, the calamari is too dry, sweet and spicy shrimp had too much breading and sauce, and crab roll was basically a california roll without cucumbers and avocado. The sake bombs are a plus. Overall, there are good and bad qualities that make it decent, but not impressive.
(3)
Michelle N.
Went there last night for a small bite before going out. We sat at the bar and we weren't greeted by any of the two waitresses behind the bar AT ALL. And it's not like they were busy from what I saw. I counted TEN MINUTES. I was beginning to wonder if it was a self serve restaurant. Should I jump behind the bar and make my own drink? I finally stood up and asked for a menu. I'll probably try this place again when I come back to Omaha, I don't want a pair of bad waitresses to ruin the Kona experience.
(1)
Kim J.
Like Angela, I thought the atmosphere was good. It is not as much of a face time place as Blue. We sat at the bar, the sushi was good, nothing incredible but good sushi. We only ate sushi so I can't comment on anything else.
(4)
Tyler S.
I noticed a couple things wrong with the business info listed above, so I called and got the facts. 1) Mon-Thurs, the dining room closes at 10. The bar and patio are open until 12, but you have to be over 21 to sit there. The dining room is open until 11 on Fridays and Saturdays. 2) Everything on their menu, lunch dinner or sushi, is offered as a take out option. 3) I have been there many times with my family, and having the younger ones there has never been a problem, especially when eating on the patio. Ask for their magnadoodles as a fun alternative to coloring. All together, I love Kona, and my friends and I often find ourselves there, whether for happy hour, or for a nice dinner. They have a wide variety of food, and I recommend it for everyone!
(4)
Annie P.
Before moving to NE, my wife and I loved going to Kona Grill in Denver, CO. Unfortunately, we don't feel the same way in Omaha. The food is definitely not up to the same level. Sushi is not great, neither is the regular entrees. It really is a shame, we were hoping that there would be a Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha. I guess we will get our true Hawaiian food fix at home and on vacation (in Hawaii, L&L, etc).
(2)
Lisa G.
Eh. I have to admit, their avocado eggrolls are great. Love them during happy hour. I haven't gotten their main fare in quite some time, but my friend did get it recently...which reminded me why I only come here for happy hour...
(2)
Pukar R.
The atmosphere is good, the food is variable depending on what you get. I always get sushi here and I'm really not impressed. Blue Sushi is miles ahead in this department. The servers are very nice and courteous. If you want to have a private party, there is a large room in the back with a dining table to seat around 12 people if I remember correctly, which is cool. Overall a decent place to go out for a date but if you are looking for great sushi, you may want to go to Blue.
(3)
Melissa W.
I've been to Kona so many times it's hard to keep track but overall I still don't get the hype about this place. Yes, they do have good happy hour specials, IF you can get a table, since happy hour is only in their small bar area. They do give ladies a dollar off margaritas, which is nice (for us ladies anyway.) The food, in my opinion is just so-so. The sushi is not good and the pepperoni pizza tastes really funky. In the past I would have said the macadamia crusted chicken cabbage salad is fabulous but I caution you, that salad has given me food poisoning like symptoms twice, as well as my boss and others I've known who've eaten it. My suggestion, go to the late night happy hour and get some drinks, as well as the lettuce wraps and call it a night.
(3)
Oscar G.
I don't get out to Village Pointe as often as I used to, but when I do, Kona Grill is my first stop. Everything on their menu is great, and the service is usually top-notch. Hands-down, the best time to eat there is during their daily happy hour, as they offer a select menu of sushi rolls, appetizers, and beer at a significant savings, and you can pair a few selections to make a very cheap light dinner.
(4)
Angela W.
50/50: The atmosphere is good; the music they played was a refreshing change - better than some nightclubs around here. I found the sushi to be good, but average. The staff were accommodating and pleasant; didn't try to push us out the door as soon as we took a breather from the way-too-large dessert. The appetizer we shared was tasty and well proportioned. The human-brain-sized mound of potatoes that was served with the entree, though, was wasteful. I will go again for the atmosphere, but I don't think I can rave about the food, yet.
(4)
Ryan t.
Kona has a great happy hour and the sort of hybrid indoor/outdoor seating that can be utilized when it's cold out, but provides excellent opportunities for people watching when it's warm. The few times I've been here for dinner, the food was good, but not amazing. Definitely a good option if you are dining with a group of people where some like sushi and some want other options. The fact that it's located so far west is unfortunate, as I would probably eat here more often if it weren't so far out.
(4)
Cappy H.
Since I am an islander, naturally Kona Grill would be a place to check out. Lots of people there. The staff are all friendly and positive. They have good food and it is very clean. Impressed with the manager asking for feedback from random patrons. That same manager impressed me by his knowledge of the Loco Moco. The sushi flat bread was awesome. Great place for fun or with a date. Music is good and all around great place. Clean mall area too.
(4)
Liz W.
I've tried...several times to like this place, but it's just NOT happening. The restuarant is beautiful witha really nice atmosphere, but the food is just not cutting it. The drinks though, might make up for it. We just went again this last weekend, and happen to be there for happy hour. The deals were great...1/2 off most apps & $3 drafts. We had the margarita pizza (crust was way to thick and doughy), several sushi rolls (nothing impressive, & I hate mayo in rolls), chicken satay (it was good, but the dipping sauce wasn't) and the calamari (the SAVING GRACE of the whole meal!) Our waitress was decent, but on a previous visit, we waited for over 40 min just for drinks.
(2)
Michael W.
Stopped by as an alternative to Blue since they had put all of their outdoor seating away and Kona has a patio with windows that open. Hostess told us to sit anywhere we liked, so we did and were attended to promptly. Started with the edamame and a dirty grey goose martini. Pondered one of the steak entrees, but decided instead on the sweet-chili glazed salmon. My friend ordered the cod dish, which is new and I forgot the exact name of. Both of us ordered a side of mashed garlic potatoes. After a short wait our food arrived. Salmon was perfectly cooked, and the fried rice was moist and tasty. The broccolini was very good. Not sure exactly what broccolini stands for.. it seemed like grilled broccoli to me. Potatoes were creamy goodness as well! Tried the cod and it was quite good as well. Also had a dumpling that was part of the cod entree. Dumpling was good, though I suspect it would have tasted better if I hadn't been getting full by this point. At this point, we heard people at another table mention it was their birthday and the waitress informed them they got a free dessert. It was my birthday as well, so we spoke up and dessert arrived. Dessert was a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting filling the middle and the top. Despite being full, both of us nearly finished it. Even though there was tons of frosting, it wasn't overly sweet and complimented the cupcake perfectly. I'll return, though there are other places a bit higher on my list.
(4)
Jason F.
Happy hour starts at 3pm I believe and is great..sushi is fresh and the pizza is tasty...If you can get there early, do so because it gets crowded quick.
(4)
Kevin B.
Finally! The sixth time is a charm, there is one place in Omaha that can make sushi. Especially because the know what goes in a Volcano Roll which is my favorite, although thiers is kind of a deconstructed one, it is still great. Seriously the other sushi places I've been in Omaha have an item called Volcano Roll, but it's never how it's made everywhere else I've been around the country (weird Omaha thing). Anyhoo. Sampled 3 kinds of rolls, and the avocado egg rolls. Everything was outstanding. Decor is nice, waitstaff was friendly and helpful when I had questions.
(5)
Gigi G.
Be very careful of the bartenders! They want a credit card up front for a tab and file your card in a file by last name. The cards are not given back unless you ask! Really bad!!!i was on business from out of town and had to spend $60 for a taxi to take me back for my card. The General Manager didn't even say he was sorry and offered NO compensation. Food not worth $60 taxi ride!!'Beware!
(1)
Shawn G.
I can't, in good conscience, recommend going here to anyone I like. First, the good: The food is prepared capably (most of the time), and the sushi is your typically tasty upscale American variety. The restaurant is clean and the patio seating is a nice touch. Now, the bad: On a crowded night, prepare to wait 10-15 minutes longer than the hostesses tell you. We've been here a few times, and the hostesses never even seem to be close on the wait times for a table. The service once you're seated isn't much better. I've never eaten here and felt well taken care of by my server. The last time we went took the cake. I ordered a flat-bread pizza, which came out with a maximum of three pearls of mozzarella on the entire thing. "No problem," I thought to myself, "I'll just inform the waitress and I'm sure they'll straighten this out." Forty minutes later, our waitress decided to grace us with her presence and I explained, tactfully, the problems with my order. She sent the manager over, who proceeded to explain to me that the nuances of buffalo mozzarella are why there did not appear to be much on my pizza. (A quick google-search of the term will reveal to you why that's utter B.S., if you're wondering). At this point, I'm not only still hungry, but grumpy and insulted. The manager should know better than to pull that kind of crap with a customer, even if he did eventually take the meal off of our ticket. We paid our bill and stiffed the waitress, since the $2.13 she got from minimum wage and $1 we left her was more than she earned from our party. The verdict: The food and decor are good enough to save this place from one-star damnation, but even they can't save it from the two-star purgatory that the service and management wrought upon it. Take your money and pay a little extra at Firebirds at the other end of Village Point. You'll be glad you did.
(2)
Zachary Sam Z.
Kona's alright, to the point that I was thinking about 3 stars. But inevitably, something is a little off that makes my experience just... not good. Today it was stopping by for lunch at 1:30. The restaurant wasn't even half-filled, but the service felt really slow. The server was snippy, forgetful, and left us alone for 15 minutes at a time. I got the sushi here, because I knew what my grandma learned today - everything on the menu is *spicy*! She complained about every noodle dish having the word "spicy" in the description. I once got the seared tuna salad, which was insanely spicy, despite not having "spicy" in the description. So what can I say about the sushi? It's alright. I agree with Liz that the Wave was pretty yummy. I foolishly got another roll garnished with lemon. I seriously had a salmon roll garnished with lemon that was *perfectly* balanced once, but this was nowhere close. 99% of the taste was lemon! Yikes! I have a good time when I'm here with friends, and we're just looking for a place to get a drink and a sushi roll or two. But when I'm here with family (and, I guess, not as engaged in conversation?) I notice the shortcomings. For my money, I'd rather eat sushi at Hiro's.
(2)
Leif O.
Kona Grill is awesome! My wife and I go there for their reverse happy hour and get all the sushi we can! I love this place!
(5)
Cory O.
Go there for the happy hour, other than that you're on your own :) The food at Kona is pretty good, their menu has a lot of variety and the dishes are usually tasty. The wait staff is attentive and accurate, never really had any problem with the service there. The prices are moderate so you don't have to worry about breaking the bank. Three stars = A-OK which is exactly what I gave it, this place is alright to eat at. I will say that their happy hour is great though if you can find a table that hasn't been taken over by a "Trendy West-O Soccer Mom"! They come around 3:30pm and sit down / stake out tables out on the patio and just take up the entire patio waiting for their guests to arrive. Since you can only partake in happy hour if you're on the patio this can be very annoying if all the tables are taken and only one person is at each one!!!!
(3)
Jimmy H.
Great happy hour deals! Great food... Honestly I prefer intimate places like sushi Yama and Maru, but Kona has some amazing entrees that you can't get anywhere else.
(5)
Jeff C.
Great happy hour specials & food. Got my kids hooked on sushi. Great variety and atmosphere. We usually get the sushi but my favorite entree is the pan asian noodles (awesome times 2). The coconut chicken is also great (salad & entree). Would go there more often if it was easier to get a table, sign of a very good restaurant in Omaha.
(5)
Ryan C.
Defintiely one of my favorites! I usually go for reverse happy hour, and the half price sushi, appetizers, and drinks cannot be beat. The california crunch roll, avocado eggrolls, and the sake bombs are my top menu picks! Service is always prompt, food is always delicious, crowd is young and trendy, and the atmosphere is contemporary. Nothing to complain about here!
(5)
Andrew S.
I used to love Kona's sushi....that was until I tried sushi from Baby Blue and Hiro 88. Kona is consistently the least fresh of the 3 which is always disappointing but if you like the cooked stuff the Philadelphia roll is great and the crunchy crab is always good. The reason I give it 3 instead of 1 or 2 is the Macadamia Nut Chicken, this is an amazing chicken dish I recommend to everyone who is trying Kona for the first time. I always try to catch reverse happy hour for 1/2 price appetizers and cheap Sake Bombs.
(3)
Sarah C.
I'll admit: I LOVE their avocado egg rolls here. Compared to the Cheesecake Factory, they are so much better! I will also admit that I usually come here during their happy hour (I've come here once or twice for dinner and was not very impressed by their macadamia nut chicken: it was alright, nothing special) Wait staff varies. I've had some great waiters and waitresses, some bad. I usually see different faces each time. Ambiance I really like: it's very casual, and a more fast paced place (especially for the rush to get a table!!) Besides the avocado (egg?) rolls, the sushi's not special but it's decent: I do like their spicy tuna roll. However, the calamari is too dry, sweet and spicy shrimp had too much breading and sauce, and crab roll was basically a california roll without cucumbers and avocado. The sake bombs are a plus. Overall, there are good and bad qualities that make it decent, but not impressive.
(3)
Michelle N.
Went there last night for a small bite before going out. We sat at the bar and we weren't greeted by any of the two waitresses behind the bar AT ALL. And it's not like they were busy from what I saw. I counted TEN MINUTES. I was beginning to wonder if it was a self serve restaurant. Should I jump behind the bar and make my own drink? I finally stood up and asked for a menu. I'll probably try this place again when I come back to Omaha, I don't want a pair of bad waitresses to ruin the Kona experience.
(1)
Sean T.
I have seen Kona Grill many times but never tried it until this visit. I was never sure what it was by the name. Sushi? Grill? Didn't make sense ... but anyhow ... I had tried the rainbow roll, a spicy salmon roll, a cucumber salad, and the prime rib sandwich. The fish on the rainbow roll was very skimpy, and the tuna had a hint of fishy smell. The spicy salmon roll was spicy and the rice was perfect in flavor and texture for sushi. The cucumber salad was good, but need a little bit of acidity. The prime rib sandwich was really good except for a few bites had too much bleucheese concentrated in a small area. Overall, great experience and good food. I will go again.
(4)
Kim J.
Like Angela, I thought the atmosphere was good. It is not as much of a face time place as Blue. We sat at the bar, the sushi was good, nothing incredible but good sushi. We only ate sushi so I can't comment on anything else.
(4)
Tyler S.
I noticed a couple things wrong with the business info listed above, so I called and got the facts. 1) Mon-Thurs, the dining room closes at 10. The bar and patio are open until 12, but you have to be over 21 to sit there. The dining room is open until 11 on Fridays and Saturdays. 2) Everything on their menu, lunch dinner or sushi, is offered as a take out option. 3) I have been there many times with my family, and having the younger ones there has never been a problem, especially when eating on the patio. Ask for their magnadoodles as a fun alternative to coloring. All together, I love Kona, and my friends and I often find ourselves there, whether for happy hour, or for a nice dinner. They have a wide variety of food, and I recommend it for everyone!
(4)
Annie P.
Before moving to NE, my wife and I loved going to Kona Grill in Denver, CO. Unfortunately, we don't feel the same way in Omaha. The food is definitely not up to the same level. Sushi is not great, neither is the regular entrees. It really is a shame, we were hoping that there would be a Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha. I guess we will get our true Hawaiian food fix at home and on vacation (in Hawaii, L&L, etc).
(2)
Lisa G.
Eh. I have to admit, their avocado eggrolls are great. Love them during happy hour. I haven't gotten their main fare in quite some time, but my friend did get it recently...which reminded me why I only come here for happy hour...
(2)
Pukar R.
The atmosphere is good, the food is variable depending on what you get. I always get sushi here and I'm really not impressed. Blue Sushi is miles ahead in this department. The servers are very nice and courteous. If you want to have a private party, there is a large room in the back with a dining table to seat around 12 people if I remember correctly, which is cool. Overall a decent place to go out for a date but if you are looking for great sushi, you may want to go to Blue.
(3)
Melissa W.
I've been to Kona so many times it's hard to keep track but overall I still don't get the hype about this place. Yes, they do have good happy hour specials, IF you can get a table, since happy hour is only in their small bar area. They do give ladies a dollar off margaritas, which is nice (for us ladies anyway.) The food, in my opinion is just so-so. The sushi is not good and the pepperoni pizza tastes really funky. In the past I would have said the macadamia crusted chicken cabbage salad is fabulous but I caution you, that salad has given me food poisoning like symptoms twice, as well as my boss and others I've known who've eaten it. My suggestion, go to the late night happy hour and get some drinks, as well as the lettuce wraps and call it a night.
(3)
Oscar G.
I don't get out to Village Pointe as often as I used to, but when I do, Kona Grill is my first stop. Everything on their menu is great, and the service is usually top-notch. Hands-down, the best time to eat there is during their daily happy hour, as they offer a select menu of sushi rolls, appetizers, and beer at a significant savings, and you can pair a few selections to make a very cheap light dinner.
(4)
Angela W.
50/50: The atmosphere is good; the music they played was a refreshing change - better than some nightclubs around here. I found the sushi to be good, but average. The staff were accommodating and pleasant; didn't try to push us out the door as soon as we took a breather from the way-too-large dessert. The appetizer we shared was tasty and well proportioned. The human-brain-sized mound of potatoes that was served with the entree, though, was wasteful. I will go again for the atmosphere, but I don't think I can rave about the food, yet.
(4)
Ryan t.
Kona has a great happy hour and the sort of hybrid indoor/outdoor seating that can be utilized when it's cold out, but provides excellent opportunities for people watching when it's warm. The few times I've been here for dinner, the food was good, but not amazing. Definitely a good option if you are dining with a group of people where some like sushi and some want other options. The fact that it's located so far west is unfortunate, as I would probably eat here more often if it weren't so far out.
(4)
Sai T.
Went there about 4-5 times. Loved it always. 4.5 stars is more apt. 1/2 star off for waiters not paying enough attention to tables. They have happy hours starting at 9:00 pm. These happy hours are great with food at 1/2 price and good priced drinks. But they can get pretty filled up during this time. Must try their angry edamame if you are a edamame and spicy fan. Other favorites are pot stickers, margarita flat bread, avocado rolls, lettuce wraps and chicken satay.
(5)
Claire H.
We frequent the Village Pointe area quite often so we decided to try out Kona Grill. My husband loves sushi and I, not as much. This place was the perfect alternative for our different tastes. I would highly suggest coming here during their happy hour. Yes, it's absolutely crowded in the happy hour only area, but the food was much more decently priced. My husband had four sushi rolls while I stuck with a cheeseburger sliders. I didn't have a bite of the sushi rolls, but my husband, well he would come back here every weekend. And my sliders, they definitely weren't small like most sliders. That was a plus! I gave this place three stars not for their food, but for the service. I understand that happy hour is the busiest time except that still isn't an excuse to completely ignore your customers. As for the bar area, there are seats for a reason, so I'm dumbfounded when most of the seats are empty event though there a ton of people standing beside it. Sit down so people can walk by!
(3)
John K.
Overall - 8 Atmosphere - 9 Food - 8 Service - 9 (scale of 1 to 10) What I ordered : Sparkling Sangria Chicken & Shrimp lettuce wraps Philly and spicy tuna roll I've been to the Kona Grill in Henderson, NV, just outside Las Vegas, and had a great experience and some excellent tasty bites. This is a great spot for happy hour and good for groups, friendly dinner or even a date. The sparkling sangria was just to die for, a white wine con-cation that I highly recommend. The chicken & shrimp lettuce wraps were super tasty, served with butter lettuce leafs (drizzle the sweet spicy sauce it comes with on the wraps) the sushi was good, nothing to write home about. A spicy tuna roll and Philadelphia roll ($5 a roll you really can't go wrong) If you are looking for a good HH this is the place to come!
(4)
Fred R.
Went to Kona Grill for the first time last night as a birthday gift. Our waiter, Matt, was phenomenal! He's very charismatic and completely knows the menu which assisted us in making our dinner selection. Our appetizers and dinner entre all tasted fantastic. I was even treated to a dessert since it was my birthday (and that was an unexpected, but delicious treat). TOP NOTCH DINING! The only "Con" was the noise/music level near the bar is too loud for "table talk", but we were accommodated and seated at a table further from the bar area and it was awesome. For the flavor and serving portions the prices are Very Reasonable! Thanks for a great meal! Will highly recommend to friends!
(5)
Justin S.
Busy place, great atmosphere. I had tacos, which were remarkably filling (and looked more like small burritos than tacos). I had both fish and chicken, and thought the fish tacos were full of delightful flavors.
(5)
Luke R.
Kona happy hour is the best, half price apps and sushi rolls are incredible deal. $4 drafts and other select cocktails make this a perfect after work meal or snack. I have to admit though I always leave with a full stomach.
(4)
Mindi A.
My co-worker and I stopped in at Kona Grill Omaha on our first night in the city. From the start, everyone was very friendly in greeting, seating and taking our orders! The food was also made to order and incredibly tasty. The only complaint I have is that we ordered an appetizer and our server forgot to put the order in. Since it was his mistake, he gave us free dessert so it more than makes up for the missing appetizer. I ordered the Pad Thai and had it prepared vegetarian (taking the VegWeek challenge to eat vegetarian all week). It came out perfect and was surprisingly good with what I think is the right amount of heat. You can order the Pad Thai with chicken or shrimp. My co-worker order the Hawaii teriyaki ribeye and it came with red skin mashed potatoes and green beans. The steak came out with grilled pineapple on top of it. I didn't take a taste but it looked sooo delicious! For dessert, I ordered the snickers ice cream pie and my co-worker got their butter cake a la mode. The snickers pie is a collosal piece of ice cream on Oreo crust with caramel and chocolate. If you like snickers, you will love it! But consider ordering it to share because it is quite large. The butter cake was also larger than expected and came with a berry sauce. Also likely large enough to share.
(4)
Chad K.
I ate here a few times back in 2005 or so. Then I went a while without eating here and I recently stopped back in for dinner. I seem to remember it being better than it is now. Perhaps its glory days are behind it. Food was decent. I tried their Hawaiian Ribeye which is listed on their menu as a signature (or favorite or whatever) item. It had a terrific flavor, but the meat itself was a bit chewy and, although ribeyes are typically heavily marbled, rather fatty. My wife sampled a couple of their Kona Rolls from their sushi menu and was pleased with them. The food here has always been good. It's sort of an Asian fusion kind of thing and they have several items that put an Asian spin of what are typically American favorites. Service was not good. I couldn't tell if was because they were understaffed (seemed to be a LOT of employees moving around) or if the staff they had were just that bad. Several tables around us (with different waitpersons) were experience service delays too. Ambiance is off. I suppose it makes for a decent bar and happy hour experience, but for dinner it's just noisy and crowded and in a mostly bad sort of way. At this price point I expect it to be better. They serve good food, but service could be greatly improved. It's a borderline "like" for me.
(3)
Maka J.
The last time I was at Kona Grill (prior to my most recent visit) was right before I gave birth to my son... That was nearly one year ago! If you're participating in Happy Hour, make sure you get there EARLY. Seats/Tables tend to fill up quickly, and you have to have a quick eye and stealthy moves to successfully snag a seat. (Okay, I'm done with the alliteration - for now.) This time, we sat at the sushi bar. Our waiter wasn't the quickest or most attentive, and he often disappeared, but, my husband and I rarely require too much fussing over, so it was really all good. :) Sitting at the sushi bar was pretty fun, actually! We saw scores of orders come through. As soon as the sushi chefs cleared out their qeues, another onslaught of orders would arrive. I was REALLY impressed with their speed and efficiency. More importantly, I thought their attention to detail and their ability to make every sing roll beautiful was uncanny. :) I will continue to frequent Kona's Happy Hour. Of the establishments in Omaha, Kona and Blue are my favorites for sushi!
(4)
Sara D.
Besides the bar staff, I don't know why I go here. The food & table service have been mediocre at best the last few times someone has suggested we go there. The last time we went it was far from busy, yet after waiting over 15 minutes our table still hadn't been greeted. So, I went to the bar to order our drinks myself. When the server finally did get to the table she brought one menu for three people & seemed a bit inconvenienced when we asked for two more. I used to really enjoy Kona, but it's not a place I look forward to going to anymore.
(2)
Rayray J.
Impressive fish tank, great atmosphere on a Thursday night, nice service, except I wanted sashimi, she gave me sushi, but the recommendation of Dragon Roll was pretty good; as the same kind of fusions for Sushi+Drinks, I gave Hiro 88 5 stars, the reasons are: Kona Grill has less sashimi selections like surf clams whereas Hiro 88 has real kickass Chinese dish features like (pan seared) Spicy Tofu, Kona Grill still has Cheeseburger on the menu which proves this is an American style sushi place whereas Hiro 88 is a more straight Asian style sushi restaurant with a just cooler interior decor.
(4)
Nhi T.
Hello Kona Grill. I've been here plenty of times because it is one of my best friends' favorite restaurants. I think she can recite the menu, she has been here so many times. But I love going during Happy hour, which by the way is ALL DAY Sunday! $5 Sangrias ... SIGN ME UP! Their sangrias are nice and sweet tasting, not watered down, so you will definitely have a fun time while you are dining. Also, I would recommend the Mojitos and Margaritas, as well as their wine.. Happy hour menu includes some sushi rolls, but I always stick to the California roll. I'm not a big fan of their sushi rolls. Then there is edamame, seaweed salad, vegetable rolls, along with some other entrees/appetizers of which I cannot quite think of right now. I've only tried the Pad Thai off the big menu, but it is quite delicious. It's a little pricey, but well worth the visit!
(4)
Lianna N.
update: I had a better happy hour experience here the other day- food came out a bit faster, was a bit tastier, and I didnt order any drinks so that eliminates the disappointment there. Kona is one of those places where you can go with any of your friends and everyone will be happy and find something to eat. It's like Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant that offers dining at this level. The happy hour menu is pretty reasonable but I wouldn't want to eat here all the time. One of those safe bets when you dont know where to eat or your dining with picky eaters or people who have a limited palette.
(4)
Ruby J.
Good service...slowest bar ever!!! Waited over 5 minutes for a draw of coors light!! Need to work on that or get more help!!
(3)
Ross P.
Who hasn't been to Kona? If you like Asian fusion, it's pretty good. Definitely on the pricey side. Choose Blue's happy hour for better prices on drinks. For my latest meal, I tried the Chicken Pad Thai. It's ok, and much better at an authentic Thai restaurant, not to mention cheaper at a Thai restaurant. The reason Kona still gets 4 stars instead of 2 or 3 is their Macadamia Nut Chicken. It's awesome. Get it at lunch for a cheaper price.
(4)
Daniel K.
Everything is great here most of the time but huge warning!!! The newly added Piña Colada is unblended. They serve you a glass of what looks like cottage cheese, milk and rum poured over ice. It is even chunky coming out of the straw. Stay away from this Caribbean abomination! Stick to the American devised drinks for sure. Sushi is average. Potstickers and lettuce wraps are awesome and salads and entrees are good for the most part. Don't fall prey to the pineapple doom though!
(4)
Chunk G.
It's gonna sound weird, but this is some of my favorite pad thai in the city. I even like it better than Salween (gasp! I know). Is it "authentic" ennnh probably not... but I don't care- it _tastes_ good. Period. It does cost twice as much, but it's also twice the size.
(4)
David Y.
Note: This review is primarily for Kona happy hour. I think that Kona is a great option for groups with a diverse taste. By that, I mean that Kona offers a wide selection of different foods. The happy hour is pretty solid and the prices are even better. Expect anywhere from $3-$8 for most of the appetizers during happy hour. My favorites are: the lettuce wraps, gyozas, the flat bread pizza, the avocado wraps, and some of the sushi. I also enjoyed the pig wing as well. All in all, the food is solid (not spectacular) and the prices are very good. Service is always good and the atmosphere enjoyable.
(4)
James E.
Wish I could give 0 stars. Essentially the menu looks fantastic and slightly overpriced. But when we got our food... oh wait we didn't get our food, maybe because we never got a waiter... after sitting for over 10:00 minutes and not hidden in a corner booth, with no water or recognition of our existence we decided to leave after we watched the empty table next to us get served water. Even with walking out no one bothered to inquire why we were leaving. It will likely take a miracle for us to walk back into kona.
(1)
John M.
The consistent pleasant experience I have at Kona Grill is the reason for these five stars. Some places just deliver what you expect. That's this place. I know I'll be treated well, meaning with courtesy and respect. The value proposition is excellent, especially during the Wednesday Happy Hour with half-price appetizers and wines. Always a convivial, adult atmosphere. 75-90 minutes of warm, comfortable atmosphere, and delicious food, even the sushi aside. I don't like sushi, so....
(5)
John A.
Had a wonderful experience. Love the open concept of the patio, sushi came quickly and service was prompt. Chad stopped by to make sure everything was good for us and we appreciate when a manager engages the guests with sincerity.
(5)
Craig Z.
Came here for happy hour and couldn't have been more pleased. All of the food came out quick and hot!! Our waitress never let a drink run dry. I would frequent this place if I lived around here.
(5)
Jamie E.
My friend's food looked good, mine was fine. I ordered a Caesar with grilled chicken - the chicken was cubed which is always a sign it has been just sitting out in the back ready to go. The dressing was more clear than creamy. Just not that good. But their appetizers looked amazing. Avocado egg rolls looked perfect.
(2)
Fly_Gu Y.
We've eaten at Kona Grill over a year ago but for whatever reason when the "where are we gonna eat" discussion ensues, Kona Grill is never mentioned. This was the case last weekend when my wife and I were trying to determine where to eat for dinner. A handful of the usual suspects were mentioned but quickly vetoed because we were in the mood for something different. To my wife's surprise I suggested Kobe, even though after visiting a year ago we vowed never to return. We agreed to give them one last chance and set our sights on good ol' hibachi. Ten minutes later we arrived at the restaurant only to find that the waiting list was almost 2 hours long! We didn't want it that bad so we continued to ponder our options. Back in the car we tossed around a few more usual suspects and then I said, "What about Kona Grill". We couldn't remember any details from our first visit which suggest to us that we were neither impressed or turned off. Before making another worthless trip I called and was greeted by a friendly lady who introduced herself as Emily. I asked if there was a wait and was told no, come on over so to Kona Grill we went! We arrived at Kona Grill ten minutes later and were immediately shown to our seats. In what seemed like only a few minutes Dani came over and introduced herself as our waitress for the evening. Lets just say from start to finish the experience was great! The menu is expansive and there's truly something for everyone. I was so immersed in the dining experience I forgot to remember the names of the appetizers and entrees. I guess that means I will have to return, and soon because I am not going to leave my fellow Yelpers hanging.
(5)
Mark C.
Okay - if you dislike music being to loud and the bar not really being separated from the dining room - you probably should not go to Kona Grill during Happy Hour. Entered the building and one of the first things you notice is how loud it is. Music is loud...bar is loud and everyone in the dining area has to be loud in order to hear people at their table ( A minus for us) Service was good. Waitress explained items on the menu, made good recommendations and was quick with refills before even being needed. Food was good. Portions were fairly large. We all ended up with to go boxes. Had Pad Thai with shrimp (good), Pan Asian Noodles with Beef (Very good and spicy too), flatbread pepperoni pizza (good) and spicy tuna and spicy salmon. (Tuna good, Salmon not so much) Enjoyed the large fish tank behind the sushi bar and being able to watch the chefs make the sushi. Not so enjoyable was being able to see back into the kitchen area which unfortunately where we were located was a bit messy and took away from the overall positive atmosphere. Worth going to. Check out the Happy Hour specials.
(4)
Anna L.
I quite liked this place. The food was good, I've had chilli soup, avocado rolls and margarita. The service was nice. And atmosphere too. I would certainly recommend this place.
(4)
Jamal R.
Hands down this is one of the best restaurants in town from there steak to sushi and there cheeseburgers! The price is very fair the customer service is beyond excellent!
(5)
Alyssa M.
I had the steak, mushroomand truffle oil pizza!... flatbread pizza! I love must things flatbread... this was awesome. SOOOOOOO GOOD! The best blend of flavors! The texture was great as well. It was AMAZING! The decor was very nice, upscale and cozy! I thought the prices were a little high... but that was to be expected. The service was great. I found out that they have a happy hour and I will BE BACK! And I will be trying the sushi on my next visit.
(4)
CC C.
We came in on Sunday afternoon, it was quite busy. We sat at the bar and Jess was our server. She was extremely good and friendly and fast. We ordered a few cocktails and calamari. Then we ordered the sliders and a few sushi rolls. We were pleasantly surprised at how equally tasty the sushi & sliders were. We won't order the calamari again, it was rubbery and the breading was just bad, every other aspect of our visit was superb. If you like spicy sushi, I recommend the voodoo roll, it was great.
(4)
Nikki W.
It was ok. The sushi is just average. The service was really good. The basic wines are very overpriced. The side house salads were plentiful and fresh. They come with blue cheese sprinkles. If I go back it will be during the listed happy hours as I don't ever want to pay full price again for sushi and drinks here.
(3)
Andrea W.
Great service and awesome food! I just stopped in for the happy hour. I had the happy hour margarita and my friend, a bud light. For food we ordered the avocado egg rolls and a crab crunch roll. (Minus one star for their sushi, sometimes seems mushy) Halfway through those we added on an order of potstickers. Somewhere between courses, the manager stepped in and said that they were having a problem with the steamer and that it will be fixed and we would have our potstickers in no time. We didn't even say anything and the potstickers were taken off our tab. That's honesty right there. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. It's def a new fave.
(4)
Luke S.
Kona Grill: I think I will finally quit you. Despite me trying at least 7 different entrees at seven different times, I can easily say that I won't be back. I'm unwilling to continue to be subjected to snotty high school hostesses, forgetful wait staff and meals that always miss the mark. It's like Kona is TRYING to make you hate going there.
(2)
Jessica Z.
My husband and I have tried this place quite a few times, for happy hour and dinner. If you want a table for HH, you may be out of luck if you don't show up right when it starts, which is pretty early. Even if you show up just for dinner, good luck finding a spot to sit in their patio area! We love their dessert - I'd say their key lime pie is comparable to what I've had in Key West! My husband likes the bread pudding. This place is so crowded and the food (besides the dessert we like) is really nothing to write home about. Because of that, we've deemed this place as dessert only. Of course, because it's so busy, we just call our order in and pick it up to go.
(4)
David W.
I heard from friends about this place and thought it was worth a try. Sorry to say it was disappointing. We sat and sat before I had to get up and find a waiter. After that, I figured things would go better. Wrong. Our waiter then seemed to go on break as we didn't see him until long after our drinks were gone. Flatbread, when it arrived, was just average. Not a fan!
(2)
Matt M.
They have very unique tacos here. The environment is unique and quite comfortable but the price to cuisine ratio is a little too off to get it over that 5 star hump. I love the patio area and the bright open window areas and the breeze coming through near the bar. On a really nice night it seems like the perfect place to eat.
(4)
Irene E.
Macadamia nut chicken was really good. I got some pesto pasta dish the second time around..good, but not like the chicken I had the first time. My Hibiscus drink was unique. Little pricey, but for a place like this, it's expected. Sushi was alright, I still think there are other places in the Omaha area that are better.
(4)
Jennifer S.
Eh. It's nowhere near as good as Blue, but the food is decent and the service is excellent. I have only had sushi here, so I can't comment on the rest of the food, but they do have an extensive non-sushi menu. They also have skinny cocktails (yes!) and nutritional information online, if anyone's into that. If you have to wait for a seat, you can do some shopping in the neighboring stores and the little buzzers will still go off. I went last weekend and got the yamada roll, which is supposed to have tempura sea bass. It did not. Perhaps the sea bass was in there somewhere, but if so, it wasn't tempura'd. My friend tried it and couldn't locate the sea bass, either. It was loosely rolled and so I couldn't pick it up with my chopsticks without it falling apart; I had to shovel it in my mouth with a fork---like an animal!! (lol) For some reason my plate came with two of the creepiest, whole fried shrimps that I've ever seen. Like, one of them had exploded eyeballs. Blech! The manager stopped by to see how everything was, and when I asked about the little creepy guys she said that it comes with the shrimp sushi. She offered to get me something else, and when I declined (I was actually super-full at that point), she took it off my bill without being asked. That was very sweet of her, considering that the shrimp sushi itself wasn't affected by the little creepy guys. This last visit had the worst food I've ever had there, so maybe it was a new sushi guy. It was still good enough that I'll go back if I'm over at Village Pointe. I wish they had tamago (egg sushi).
(3)
Alyx C.
Horrible service. The manager tried to make it right but it just kept getting worse. Obviously people love this place because it is crazy during happy hour. BUT if you want a nice place to eat with good service, this is not for you!
(1)
Cara A.
Kona made a believer out of me yesterday. I've always had a ho-hum opinion of this place. However, after eating there yesterday I believe it now my #1 favorite Happy Hour spot. The flatbreads are fantastic (the Margarita is my favorite!), drink deals are good, Avocado eggrolls are delicious, and the rolls on their happy hour are affordable and taste great.. If you love spicy (and actually want sushi that actually has a little kick), Voodoo Rolls are the way to go, and if you're a fan of eel sauce definitely try the Atlantic Rolls. Every time I've gone here I've always been a little shocked at how affordable it was. It gets super busy during HH so seating options aren't always great (even though they have more seating than other similar restaurants). Speed of service is acceptable (they have always been very busy when I'm there, but I still eat within a reasonable amount of time). Over all, I really enjoy going here :)
(5)
Gregory J.
We had the Asparagus Salad and Pan Asian Noodles from the Vegan/Vegetarian menu. The view from the patio is nice. The music was a bit loud and has the base boosted a bit too much. I don't mind but some people may not like it. Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch. 5-Stars.
One of my favorite places to eat in Omaha so good. Try the lettuce wraps and the meatloaf both are amaZing!!!!!!!
(5)
Eric H.
The environment seemed to have an upscale and classy feel to it. The food prices were actually reasonable. There was a variety of choices to choose from. I had the jambalaya and it was great, with just the right amount of kick to it. This was my first time eating here and it made a great impression on me. The dessert I had was freshly made and very tasty.
(4)
Tanya P.
Kona has a great happy hour with drink specials and 1/2 priced apps. I'd recommend trying the sangria...red or white they both were delicious! Our waiter Rob was excellent! He was very attentive even though the place was packed. We ordered the margherita flatbread, calamari, spicy tuna roll & crab crunch roll. This was more than enough for three girls to munch on! The flatbread had a great balsamic reduction on it. The sushi rolls were fresh and put together perfectly. The calamari could have had a little more crunch to it but the sauce more than made up for it. If you haven't been here I recommend trying them out for happy hour to get a taste...trust me you will return for more! Happy hour runs from 3-7. Oh and if you can, sit on the patio, it's enclosed but the windows open:)
(4)
Matt R.
Love this place! Sushi is awesome, very consistent as well as some of the best calamari I've ever had. Great bbq chicken flatbread as well and big sake bombers. 5 bombers per order and $7.5 for all of them during happy hour. Can be crowded in the patio at times but all day Sunday happy hour makes it much more accommodating!
(5)
Manoj R.
Food is so-so but ambiance is very nice specially for young crowd. Their happy hour is great but if u r looking for good sushi this is not the place. But I go their once month to hang out with my buddies...
(4)
Hannah D.
I had the cucumber salad and a variety of sushi with my boyfriend. I was mainly disappointed because I was handed a fork to eat my meal with, country music was playing and when I asked for hot tea they brought a variety box. Just come in knowing this is NOT a nice sushi restaurant. Rather, it is an over Americanized imposter. Stick to the steak.
(4)
M. C.
i would skip the water with lemon wedges because i saw servers with ungloved hands work the register, work the floor and then pick lemons out of the container on the side of the bar with their bare hands. happy hour sushi was adequate. if you're hungry and shopping i would stop in here for $3-$4 sushi rolls or appetizers. just skip the water with lemon wedges.
(3)
Cammy M.
My co workers and I went after work today. It was so hot in there you couldn't even sit on the patio. We all ordered drinks, apps and dinner. The waitress would only let SOME of us use the mall discount. That was incredibly rude. I have been going there ever since I started working at Village Pointe. Only once have I ever asked for the discount. One time the guy noticed my name tag and have it to me. Today our service was slow and it took FOREVER to get our checks. I'm done with Kona. It was an awful end to our day.
(1)
Chester V.
The Omaha location just isn't as good as the Kansas City spot. Kind of boring and blah... Food is good, but the sushi is terrible. The rice is by far the worst recipe of any sushi restaurant around.
(3)
Jessie F.
ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. I REPEAT ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. Ok now that we got that out of the way, I also like this restaurant when I'm not trying to be a cheap sake. Their menus are diverse, and the dishes themselves are a healthy dose. Although when sitting in the restaurant part it can be a little loud with the Bar directly next to it. Also,the music they decide to play over the loud speakers tends to lean towards a '90s house party...not that I'm fully complaining, but honestly how do you expect me not sing along to R. Kelly "Ignition?" Even if I'm on a first date.
(4)
Christine B.
My review is like the food...uninspired. Tried lettuce wraps, a few items from the happy hour menu (calamari and Americanized sushi) and the tuna steak sandwich. It's what I expected. Over salted, mediocre food (kudos on searing the tuna correctly, however). Over sweetened cocktails. Prompt, friendly service. I understand why people like it here (predictable food and atmosphere), it's just not my thing.
(2)
Ka'ili H.
About two days after I landed in Omaha my sis was raving about Kona Grill. I just came from the islands and if you know ANYONE from Hawai'i, we know good food when we, well, eat it. So, I had to oblige and try this place out. So far, I've been here three times, and have found love for this place for several different reasons. First Time: Our waitress on our first visit was super friendly and on it. (The place wasn't too busy as it was lunch time, but hey, some staff could just wanna use that downtime to talk about some new dude their dating!) Then: the owners or managers (i assumed there were the higher up people because of their suit-like attire) came by and asked us how our desserts were-----Delicious, btw! Next stop: We came for a friend's birthday for dinner. It was really crowded and our wait was about 40 minutes long!! BUT, we managed to entertain ourselves as we waited. Unfortunately, we had to wait an extra 20 minutes for our table. Our friend's husband politely let the hostess know of our extra minutes and the manager compensated us quite nicely! Great customer service always keeps us coming back for more. Started out the celebration with Sake: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Had some pizza: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Although I didn't taste any truffle oil Bro had some fish: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Sis had some chicken: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… And we all shared dessert: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… My last visit was a Girl's Lunch and it proved just as delicious as the last couple of visits, the food was tasty, drinks were strong, and our waiter was handsome & spot on! The sis had this wonderful drink: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… if you ever have the chance, DO try this, then eat the hibiscus, it's GOOD! the girls had this basil & mint lemonade: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… I had pizza once again, this one was crunchy and the ahi was fresh. mmmm good! yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Our friend had the ahi steak sandwich, well done yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Of course we topped off our delicious lunch with dessert and it was just as divine as the first time. You know it's good when that sweet stuff gives you the same feeling you got the very first time. We'll keep coming back for more for all of the goodness this place has to offer: Great customer service, attention to detail, fresh and flavorful foods, and lastly GREAT desserts!.
(5)
Daniel K.
I was part of the staff that opened this restaurant nearly a decade ago. Used to be such a cool and hip place, went back a few months ago and although the food is nearly the same, it's starting to feel like the chain it is.
(3)
Aline S.
This Kona Grill has EXCELLENT customer service. We ate here a few days ago and my friend had some Basil Pesto spilled on her purse accidentally. Within a minute the manager was at our table with her business card and 2 servers were there with rags. They cleaned her purse, offered to pay for professional cleaning, and paid for her meal. Bonus: My turkey burger with (a new) basil pesto was delicious!
(5)
Glenn P.
They had a good lunch special with sushi and salad combos.
(4)
Donald W.
Terrible service at the bar. Two people there and one keeps leaving. Been here ten minutes and only got s water so far.
(2)
Zach P.
BEST SUNDAY HAPPY HOUR (read as: day) EVER!! When I am home from school, my mother and I make a point to make the trek up to Omaha to hit Kona Grill Happy Hour and do some shopping every few weeks (poor us). We are obsessed with margaritas so when we came to our first ever Kona Happy Day, we had to try one (or two...-ish). The margaritas were perfectly flavorful with the perfect amount of tequila. We also ordered a variety of sushi, avocado rolls (aka god's gift to mankind), and some sliders. Each dish had its own unique flavor and exceeded our expectations. Especially being somewhat of a sushi snob, I was pretty impressed by the quality of sushi rolls that they served. The service was great, very friendly and the environment was super laid-back with some awesome music playing in the background. One Sunday that we went, all the music were throwbacks to the 90s. I hear you Backstreet Boys and pre-crazy train Britney Spears. Overall, Sunday Funday at Kona Grill is a fantastic way to spend a portion of your Sunday afternoon or early evening, followed by making irrational shopping decisions at the mall right next door.
(4)
M F.
Not impressed, you would be better off going to the Old Market, downtown Omaha where the prices, food, and service are much better. As we entered the restaurant the three hostesses were not friendly and after my wife and I found our seat at the sushi bar with no help, it took quite awhile to get water and someone to eventually take our order. However, the Calamari was outstanding! The one glass of ice water was even better....you make the decision.
(2)
Jilda F.
Reverse happy hour was fun. The sushi was delish customer service was top notch. Love the environment too!
(5)
Jonathan T.
The place smelled like beer. It was all over the floor and not mopped up. My shoes stuck to the floor. Our server was rude and slow. My co worker and I both got sock from whatever we ate. Not going back.
(1)
Kyle M.
AWESOME!! I went here during happy hour, (4-6) and we ordered two orders of sushi and one of their flatbreads, it was only 16 dollars and the food was outstanding. Our server Mike was attentive and super professional. This place is the place to go. Atmosphere was a Ten as well as the service and food.
(5)
Kaai L.
Kona Grill is a restaurant that has not disappointed me once. Everything I ordered each time I go there is amazing. I have tried a different entree, and each time, they are made to perfection. If you go there, you need to save room for dessert! They are to die for! I am in love with their ultimate fudge brownie, red velvet cake and their passion fruit creme brulee. So good! I have to say for a picky eater from Hawai'i, I am quite impressed with their food here. Like I said before, I have not been disappointed once :) I try to come here with some of my friends at least once a month, it can get expensive, especially if you buy drinks. Their fuji apple sake is really good, but don't expect to get too tipsy on it.
(5)
Jeremy S.
I think the title of this review should be "overrated." As a happy hour spot this place is toughest place to get into that I've ever seen. I really cannot figure out why. I think it is average not bad, not great. I was told by a bartender that if we want a table on a Friday we need to be there no later than 3:30. Wow! Their drink specials really aren't very cheap. They have draws of Bud Light and Miller Light on special...that' it for beer....seriously. Now I have to admit I still go here for a few items and the patio but mostly on Saturday since happy hour starts at 1pm. Yeah, I know. Awesome and not nearly as busy as weekdays. Things that are very good: Calamari (should get two mentions for how good it is) Avocado egg roll Ahi Steak sandwich and don't overlook the taro chips Things that aren't worth trying: Pizza...below average any sushi especially spicy tuna. My group always orders this and it is always some strange paste looking texture and I finally had to stop trying it just to see if it had gotten better. Believe me, it hasn't.
(3)
Sarah G.
Tried the sushi again - thinking that maybe they've had some time to refine it - plus, people go here for sushi all the time... pretty much just as I remembered. The sashimi wasn't really up to par either (and no thanks on the wasabe mayo) I'm not sure where they source their fish from, but it just didn't seem all that fresh to me. The rolls, just didn't have a lot of punch. When I still have sushi in front of me and willingly quit eating, that's not a good sign. Plus, I really dislike how gargantuan they insist on making their rolls... which in double-hindsight is maybe to compensate for the lack of powerful flavors. And finally... where's the nori and sushi grade rice, why use so much soy paper, and why do you insist on calling edamame "soybeans"? The Kona theme of 'east meets west' is probably responsible for all of my questions above. Like Bill said, I should probably have known better than to order sushi from a chain restaurant in Nebraska. Lesson learned (again). Service was good though, and I like the restaurant's decor and fishtank, which I think definitely warrants two stars. Though if I go back, I'll stick to burgers or pizza.
(2)
Kayla D.
LOVE Kona. Always hits the spot!
(4)
Amy F.
Went to West O for lunch after a craving for sushi that just wouldn't die and several others were closed from 2-4 in the area I am staying. Not a long wait, our server Sarah was very nice and friendly. We only ate the sushi- couple special rolls, spicy tuna, and the Tuna Tower! The Tower was really good, but the sushi overall wasn't the best I have had. It satisfied the craving and was filling. The resturant itself is nice, clean, and seems like a very trendy hang out for people in that area. The bathroom was clean, however it is in the the hallway next to the drink station and walkway to the patio...just watch out! The fake vanilla smell in there also was a little too much. For a late afternoon lunch this place was just right. Overall an A-OK resturant, and I might try the Kona Grill in Denver in the future.
(3)
Craig R.
Great Reverse Happy hour 9 to midnight every night!
(4)
Matt B.
Macadamia Chicken is the bomb. Awesome. You'll want to order two. Gravy rocks. Downer: No Wi-Fi.
(3)
Ben K.
Pros: Good happy hour specials Cons: I HATE West Omaha (Too far of a drive) It takes a lot to get me to go west past 132nd and Dodge, but my friends went here one night in the Village Pointe shopping center. Being in town for a short time, I decided to give it a shot. Kona is a chain with better locations in Denver and K.C. The Omaha one isn't up to snuff. The food isn't that good, the atmosphere is bland and boring, and all I want to do is leave when I'm there. Good thing drinks are cheap...
(2)
Eric O.
Num num, the service makes up for the boring ( yet delicious) sushi. Nothing crazy, but this allows them to knock each dish out of the park every time, if that makes sense...
(5)
Daryn P.
I awoke on Sunday, as I often do, hoping to begin the afternoon with a satisfying meal. It was Cinco De Mayo the day before and, although I'm not Mexican, I spent most of my time eating authentic street food, guzzling cerveza and hovering near a toilet. It was a long day. Incidentally, I wouldn't recommend wandering the streets of South Omaha while shouting, "Yo soy muy importante!" But, I digress. Every Sunday, my neighbor and I have brunch, typically at a place that serves waffles or Eggs Benedict. This past weekend, however, we thought we'd spend our Sunday at Village Pointe, which is quite a jaunt from our apartment building in the heart of downtown. First, we scanned the sale racks and new summer collection at Banana Republic. Then, we had a marvelous time trying on loafers at DSW. I'm certain that several passersby mistook us as gay, but I was having such a stupendous time that I hardly wasted a New York minute worrying about it. Exhausted from shopping, we thought Kona would be the perfect place to relax and enjoy a nice platter of food. I was quite enthused upon walking in. We were greeted kindly by a lovely hostess. She told us the patio was open seating, and then followed us with some menus. I wanted to get her name and phone number, but figured she was probably really busy with prom and everything. I guess I'll just have to find her on Facebook. After the hostess left our table and returned to her podium, we waited. Then, we waited some more. Then, we waited some more. After that, we waited some more. Nobody brought us water, said they'd be right with us, or even acknowledged us at all. My neighbor does smell a bit like cat urine, but that doesn't affect his status as paying customer. Given all of the servers, bartenders, and bussers that walked by our table, somebody could have at least smiled, or waved, or given us a thumbs up. "What's your threshold?" I asked my neighbor. "Let's give it a couple more minutes," he said. "Okay," I agreed, reluctantly. Then, we waited some more. My neighbor could sense that I was significantly agitated. "I reached my threshold ten minutes ago," I explained. "Let's go then," he suggested. "Yeah, let's get the H out of here!" I replied. "That was extremely disappointing," my neighbor shared, as we walked toward the exit. "I know," I said. "I got better service yesterday from a Mexican street vendor, and he didn't even speak English." "Have a nice day," the hostess said, as we walked out the front door. "That was ridiculous," I told her. "Yo soy muy importante!"
(2)
Mike S.
Service was impeccable; dinner was great- for a west Omaha chain.
(4)
Holly B.
Hubby said this was the only Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha...well it's not Hawaiian, more Asian fusion, but decent. We were not here for sushi, so I cannot comment on that. I was hoping for lau lau salmon, kahlua pork, poi, lomi lomi salad, stuff like that. Frankly I thought I was going to hate it the minute I walked in: loud, young singles bar lounge right next to front door, absent hostess. When she finallly turned up she asked if we wanted to sit in the outdoor or indoor bar lounge, at the bar, or in The Dining Room, like it was a place for untouchables. Of course we went there, so happy to be put out to pasture with the young parents and old farts. Much quieter with comfy tall booths to baffle the pounding pop music and shield our eyes from current mating rituals. The prices seemed a little high and the food came out so fast it kind of had me worried. But my seared ahi on bok choy and rice bed with sweet chli pepper sauce was good. His macadamia chicken with papaya sauce and haricots verte was good too. Had a beer, no apps or dessert, came to $47 before tip. Drinks menu is very funny with supposedly Japanese and Hawaiian translations of phrases like: "No more. I'm drunk already, so sorry". Dessert list uninspired but not ruled by chocolate, either. What a relief, but I was stuffed. This is going to sound funny but the glassware was so attractive: clear, no scratches, interesting shape, perfect size and weight. I must be living in squalor. Our waitress was fine, and I think the manager cruised by for a quick visit too.
(3)
Mike L.
Good and service ate great. Parking sucks due to the mall it sits in, but once you are inside you would not know you were surrounded my retail insanity. Appetizers are very tasty! The bar can get packed Thurs through Sat, but there are plenty of places to hang out while waiting for a table to open. There is open seating in the bar and the patio area too, if it is not too crowded and offers the same menu
(4)
Liz T.
My boyfriend and I have emptied our wallets on half the menu at Kona Grill. There's a lot of mediocrity in here, but a few things stand out--like the Sweet-Chili Glazed Salmon Salad ($10.50) and Volcano ($7.95). The latter is a baked crab and fish sushi with a sweet and spicy sauce--just scrumptious. I don't think any of the appetizers or seafood/meat specialties are worth yelping about. Kona Grill does an average take on interpreting Hawaiian fusion--I should know, I'm from Hawaii. Just stick with the sushi menu and you won't regret dropping half a Benjamin. The Dragon, Spider, and Wave rolls are all pretty yum-o. P.S. Don't eat the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee--even if it's on the house. Your palate will thank you and you'll thank me!
(4)
Guy S.
Nice restaurant, good food, horrible service! This is the second time in, figured we'd give it another shot, what a disappointment yet again. Server didn't get the order right. Flies everywhere inside the restaurant.. I will not be back. If you love sushi, sushi japan, hands down.
(1)
FranklyHonest H.
Excellent food, service, restrooms, tables, ambiance. 1) Make Reservations 2) Expect excellence! You WILL receive it! I made one teensy-tiny negative remark about an appetizer, and they replaced it immediately!!! And, did not charge me for it! It was not expected, but had the 5-Star WOW factor. 3) Happy hour is fun, arrive early. I think this is the best restaurant in Omaha and surrounding areas. sushi, sashimi, tuna. All the food is great. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jen H.
OK. We went to Kona randomly while trying to find somewhere to eat out west. Let it be known that I do NOT like west Omaha at all. I hate the pretentious attitude. A lot. That being said: There was nowhere to sit when we got there. Greeter was more or less indifferent to whether we sat anywhere. So we wandered and found ourselves at the sushi bar portion of the restaurant. The sushi was alright ( granted I am not any kind of professional sushi taster ) and the chef in front of us was polite and attentive. It was distracting to be sitting with your back to the apparent 'server highway' portion of the store, the cooks were yelling and servers were back and forth constantly. I can see why nobody was sitting there. Prices were alright. Maybe we'll be back to try something else, but I highly doubt it. Can't imagine finding a time where we could actually get a place to sit...
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : 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 : No
M R.
Sushi has gone from average to awful and the "top shelf" drinks are watered down.
(2)Sai T.
Went there about 4-5 times. Loved it always. 4.5 stars is more apt. 1/2 star off for waiters not paying enough attention to tables. They have happy hours starting at 9:00 pm. These happy hours are great with food at 1/2 price and good priced drinks. But they can get pretty filled up during this time. Must try their angry edamame if you are a edamame and spicy fan. Other favorites are pot stickers, margarita flat bread, avocado rolls, lettuce wraps and chicken satay.
(5)Claire H.
We frequent the Village Pointe area quite often so we decided to try out Kona Grill. My husband loves sushi and I, not as much. This place was the perfect alternative for our different tastes. I would highly suggest coming here during their happy hour. Yes, it's absolutely crowded in the happy hour only area, but the food was much more decently priced. My husband had four sushi rolls while I stuck with a cheeseburger sliders. I didn't have a bite of the sushi rolls, but my husband, well he would come back here every weekend. And my sliders, they definitely weren't small like most sliders. That was a plus! I gave this place three stars not for their food, but for the service. I understand that happy hour is the busiest time except that still isn't an excuse to completely ignore your customers. As for the bar area, there are seats for a reason, so I'm dumbfounded when most of the seats are empty event though there a ton of people standing beside it. Sit down so people can walk by!
(3)John K.
Overall - 8 Atmosphere - 9 Food - 8 Service - 9 (scale of 1 to 10) What I ordered : Sparkling Sangria Chicken & Shrimp lettuce wraps Philly and spicy tuna roll I've been to the Kona Grill in Henderson, NV, just outside Las Vegas, and had a great experience and some excellent tasty bites. This is a great spot for happy hour and good for groups, friendly dinner or even a date. The sparkling sangria was just to die for, a white wine con-cation that I highly recommend. The chicken & shrimp lettuce wraps were super tasty, served with butter lettuce leafs (drizzle the sweet spicy sauce it comes with on the wraps) the sushi was good, nothing to write home about. A spicy tuna roll and Philadelphia roll ($5 a roll you really can't go wrong) If you are looking for a good HH this is the place to come!
(4)Fred R.
Went to Kona Grill for the first time last night as a birthday gift. Our waiter, Matt, was phenomenal! He's very charismatic and completely knows the menu which assisted us in making our dinner selection. Our appetizers and dinner entre all tasted fantastic. I was even treated to a dessert since it was my birthday (and that was an unexpected, but delicious treat). TOP NOTCH DINING! The only "Con" was the noise/music level near the bar is too loud for "table talk", but we were accommodated and seated at a table further from the bar area and it was awesome. For the flavor and serving portions the prices are Very Reasonable! Thanks for a great meal! Will highly recommend to friends!
(5)Justin S.
Busy place, great atmosphere. I had tacos, which were remarkably filling (and looked more like small burritos than tacos). I had both fish and chicken, and thought the fish tacos were full of delightful flavors.
(5)Ben E.
Best happy hour in Omaha. Manger is wonderful and always stops by the table to make sure everyone is being taken care of and enjoying the meal. Highly recommend!
(5)Mindi A.
My co-worker and I stopped in at Kona Grill Omaha on our first night in the city. From the start, everyone was very friendly in greeting, seating and taking our orders! The food was also made to order and incredibly tasty. The only complaint I have is that we ordered an appetizer and our server forgot to put the order in. Since it was his mistake, he gave us free dessert so it more than makes up for the missing appetizer. I ordered the Pad Thai and had it prepared vegetarian (taking the VegWeek challenge to eat vegetarian all week). It came out perfect and was surprisingly good with what I think is the right amount of heat. You can order the Pad Thai with chicken or shrimp. My co-worker order the Hawaii teriyaki ribeye and it came with red skin mashed potatoes and green beans. The steak came out with grilled pineapple on top of it. I didn't take a taste but it looked sooo delicious! For dessert, I ordered the snickers ice cream pie and my co-worker got their butter cake a la mode. The snickers pie is a collosal piece of ice cream on Oreo crust with caramel and chocolate. If you like snickers, you will love it! But consider ordering it to share because it is quite large. The butter cake was also larger than expected and came with a berry sauce. Also likely large enough to share.
(4)Chad K.
I ate here a few times back in 2005 or so. Then I went a while without eating here and I recently stopped back in for dinner. I seem to remember it being better than it is now. Perhaps its glory days are behind it. Food was decent. I tried their Hawaiian Ribeye which is listed on their menu as a signature (or favorite or whatever) item. It had a terrific flavor, but the meat itself was a bit chewy and, although ribeyes are typically heavily marbled, rather fatty. My wife sampled a couple of their Kona Rolls from their sushi menu and was pleased with them. The food here has always been good. It's sort of an Asian fusion kind of thing and they have several items that put an Asian spin of what are typically American favorites. Service was not good. I couldn't tell if was because they were understaffed (seemed to be a LOT of employees moving around) or if the staff they had were just that bad. Several tables around us (with different waitpersons) were experience service delays too. Ambiance is off. I suppose it makes for a decent bar and happy hour experience, but for dinner it's just noisy and crowded and in a mostly bad sort of way. At this price point I expect it to be better. They serve good food, but service could be greatly improved. It's a borderline "like" for me.
(3)Maka J.
The last time I was at Kona Grill (prior to my most recent visit) was right before I gave birth to my son... That was nearly one year ago! If you're participating in Happy Hour, make sure you get there EARLY. Seats/Tables tend to fill up quickly, and you have to have a quick eye and stealthy moves to successfully snag a seat. (Okay, I'm done with the alliteration - for now.) This time, we sat at the sushi bar. Our waiter wasn't the quickest or most attentive, and he often disappeared, but, my husband and I rarely require too much fussing over, so it was really all good. :) Sitting at the sushi bar was pretty fun, actually! We saw scores of orders come through. As soon as the sushi chefs cleared out their qeues, another onslaught of orders would arrive. I was REALLY impressed with their speed and efficiency. More importantly, I thought their attention to detail and their ability to make every sing roll beautiful was uncanny. :) I will continue to frequent Kona's Happy Hour. Of the establishments in Omaha, Kona and Blue are my favorites for sushi!
(4)Luke R.
Kona happy hour is the best, half price apps and sushi rolls are incredible deal. $4 drafts and other select cocktails make this a perfect after work meal or snack. I have to admit though I always leave with a full stomach.
(4)Sara D.
Besides the bar staff, I don't know why I go here. The food & table service have been mediocre at best the last few times someone has suggested we go there. The last time we went it was far from busy, yet after waiting over 15 minutes our table still hadn't been greeted. So, I went to the bar to order our drinks myself. When the server finally did get to the table she brought one menu for three people & seemed a bit inconvenienced when we asked for two more. I used to really enjoy Kona, but it's not a place I look forward to going to anymore.
(2)Rayray J.
Impressive fish tank, great atmosphere on a Thursday night, nice service, except I wanted sashimi, she gave me sushi, but the recommendation of Dragon Roll was pretty good; as the same kind of fusions for Sushi+Drinks, I gave Hiro 88 5 stars, the reasons are: Kona Grill has less sashimi selections like surf clams whereas Hiro 88 has real kickass Chinese dish features like (pan seared) Spicy Tofu, Kona Grill still has Cheeseburger on the menu which proves this is an American style sushi place whereas Hiro 88 is a more straight Asian style sushi restaurant with a just cooler interior decor.
(4)Nhi T.
Hello Kona Grill. I've been here plenty of times because it is one of my best friends' favorite restaurants. I think she can recite the menu, she has been here so many times. But I love going during Happy hour, which by the way is ALL DAY Sunday! $5 Sangrias ... SIGN ME UP! Their sangrias are nice and sweet tasting, not watered down, so you will definitely have a fun time while you are dining. Also, I would recommend the Mojitos and Margaritas, as well as their wine.. Happy hour menu includes some sushi rolls, but I always stick to the California roll. I'm not a big fan of their sushi rolls. Then there is edamame, seaweed salad, vegetable rolls, along with some other entrees/appetizers of which I cannot quite think of right now. I've only tried the Pad Thai off the big menu, but it is quite delicious. It's a little pricey, but well worth the visit!
(4)Lianna N.
update: I had a better happy hour experience here the other day- food came out a bit faster, was a bit tastier, and I didnt order any drinks so that eliminates the disappointment there. Kona is one of those places where you can go with any of your friends and everyone will be happy and find something to eat. It's like Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant that offers dining at this level. The happy hour menu is pretty reasonable but I wouldn't want to eat here all the time. One of those safe bets when you dont know where to eat or your dining with picky eaters or people who have a limited palette.
(4)Ross P.
Who hasn't been to Kona? If you like Asian fusion, it's pretty good. Definitely on the pricey side. Choose Blue's happy hour for better prices on drinks. For my latest meal, I tried the Chicken Pad Thai. It's ok, and much better at an authentic Thai restaurant, not to mention cheaper at a Thai restaurant. The reason Kona still gets 4 stars instead of 2 or 3 is their Macadamia Nut Chicken. It's awesome. Get it at lunch for a cheaper price.
(4)Ruby J.
Good service...slowest bar ever!!! Waited over 5 minutes for a draw of coors light!! Need to work on that or get more help!!
(3)Chunk G.
It's gonna sound weird, but this is some of my favorite pad thai in the city. I even like it better than Salween (gasp! I know). Is it "authentic" ennnh probably not... but I don't care- it _tastes_ good. Period. It does cost twice as much, but it's also twice the size.
(4)Daniel K.
Everything is great here most of the time but huge warning!!! The newly added Piña Colada is unblended. They serve you a glass of what looks like cottage cheese, milk and rum poured over ice. It is even chunky coming out of the straw. Stay away from this Caribbean abomination! Stick to the American devised drinks for sure. Sushi is average. Potstickers and lettuce wraps are awesome and salads and entrees are good for the most part. Don't fall prey to the pineapple doom though!
(4)David Y.
Note: This review is primarily for Kona happy hour. I think that Kona is a great option for groups with a diverse taste. By that, I mean that Kona offers a wide selection of different foods. The happy hour is pretty solid and the prices are even better. Expect anywhere from $3-$8 for most of the appetizers during happy hour. My favorites are: the lettuce wraps, gyozas, the flat bread pizza, the avocado wraps, and some of the sushi. I also enjoyed the pig wing as well. All in all, the food is solid (not spectacular) and the prices are very good. Service is always good and the atmosphere enjoyable.
(4)John M.
The consistent pleasant experience I have at Kona Grill is the reason for these five stars. Some places just deliver what you expect. That's this place. I know I'll be treated well, meaning with courtesy and respect. The value proposition is excellent, especially during the Wednesday Happy Hour with half-price appetizers and wines. Always a convivial, adult atmosphere. 75-90 minutes of warm, comfortable atmosphere, and delicious food, even the sushi aside. I don't like sushi, so....
(5)James E.
Wish I could give 0 stars. Essentially the menu looks fantastic and slightly overpriced. But when we got our food... oh wait we didn't get our food, maybe because we never got a waiter... after sitting for over 10:00 minutes and not hidden in a corner booth, with no water or recognition of our existence we decided to leave after we watched the empty table next to us get served water. Even with walking out no one bothered to inquire why we were leaving. It will likely take a miracle for us to walk back into kona.
(1)Craig Z.
Came here for happy hour and couldn't have been more pleased. All of the food came out quick and hot!! Our waitress never let a drink run dry. I would frequent this place if I lived around here.
(5)John A.
Had a wonderful experience. Love the open concept of the patio, sushi came quickly and service was prompt. Chad stopped by to make sure everything was good for us and we appreciate when a manager engages the guests with sincerity.
(5)Jamie E.
My friend's food looked good, mine was fine. I ordered a Caesar with grilled chicken - the chicken was cubed which is always a sign it has been just sitting out in the back ready to go. The dressing was more clear than creamy. Just not that good. But their appetizers looked amazing. Avocado egg rolls looked perfect.
(2)Fly_Gu Y.
We've eaten at Kona Grill over a year ago but for whatever reason when the "where are we gonna eat" discussion ensues, Kona Grill is never mentioned. This was the case last weekend when my wife and I were trying to determine where to eat for dinner. A handful of the usual suspects were mentioned but quickly vetoed because we were in the mood for something different. To my wife's surprise I suggested Kobe, even though after visiting a year ago we vowed never to return. We agreed to give them one last chance and set our sights on good ol' hibachi. Ten minutes later we arrived at the restaurant only to find that the waiting list was almost 2 hours long! We didn't want it that bad so we continued to ponder our options. Back in the car we tossed around a few more usual suspects and then I said, "What about Kona Grill". We couldn't remember any details from our first visit which suggest to us that we were neither impressed or turned off. Before making another worthless trip I called and was greeted by a friendly lady who introduced herself as Emily. I asked if there was a wait and was told no, come on over so to Kona Grill we went! We arrived at Kona Grill ten minutes later and were immediately shown to our seats. In what seemed like only a few minutes Dani came over and introduced herself as our waitress for the evening. Lets just say from start to finish the experience was great! The menu is expansive and there's truly something for everyone. I was so immersed in the dining experience I forgot to remember the names of the appetizers and entrees. I guess that means I will have to return, and soon because I am not going to leave my fellow Yelpers hanging.
(5)Mark C.
Okay - if you dislike music being to loud and the bar not really being separated from the dining room - you probably should not go to Kona Grill during Happy Hour. Entered the building and one of the first things you notice is how loud it is. Music is loud...bar is loud and everyone in the dining area has to be loud in order to hear people at their table ( A minus for us) Service was good. Waitress explained items on the menu, made good recommendations and was quick with refills before even being needed. Food was good. Portions were fairly large. We all ended up with to go boxes. Had Pad Thai with shrimp (good), Pan Asian Noodles with Beef (Very good and spicy too), flatbread pepperoni pizza (good) and spicy tuna and spicy salmon. (Tuna good, Salmon not so much) Enjoyed the large fish tank behind the sushi bar and being able to watch the chefs make the sushi. Not so enjoyable was being able to see back into the kitchen area which unfortunately where we were located was a bit messy and took away from the overall positive atmosphere. Worth going to. Check out the Happy Hour specials.
(4)Anna L.
I quite liked this place. The food was good, I've had chilli soup, avocado rolls and margarita. The service was nice. And atmosphere too. I would certainly recommend this place.
(4)M R.
Sushi has gone from average to awful and the "top shelf" drinks are watered down.
(2)Alyssa M.
I had the steak, mushroomand truffle oil pizza!... flatbread pizza! I love must things flatbread... this was awesome. SOOOOOOO GOOD! The best blend of flavors! The texture was great as well. It was AMAZING! The decor was very nice, upscale and cozy! I thought the prices were a little high... but that was to be expected. The service was great. I found out that they have a happy hour and I will BE BACK! And I will be trying the sushi on my next visit.
(4)CC C.
We came in on Sunday afternoon, it was quite busy. We sat at the bar and Jess was our server. She was extremely good and friendly and fast. We ordered a few cocktails and calamari. Then we ordered the sliders and a few sushi rolls. We were pleasantly surprised at how equally tasty the sushi & sliders were. We won't order the calamari again, it was rubbery and the breading was just bad, every other aspect of our visit was superb. If you like spicy sushi, I recommend the voodoo roll, it was great.
(4)Jamal R.
Hands down this is one of the best restaurants in town from there steak to sushi and there cheeseburgers! The price is very fair the customer service is beyond excellent!
(5)Nikki W.
It was ok. The sushi is just average. The service was really good. The basic wines are very overpriced. The side house salads were plentiful and fresh. They come with blue cheese sprinkles. If I go back it will be during the listed happy hours as I don't ever want to pay full price again for sushi and drinks here.
(3)Andrea W.
Great service and awesome food! I just stopped in for the happy hour. I had the happy hour margarita and my friend, a bud light. For food we ordered the avocado egg rolls and a crab crunch roll. (Minus one star for their sushi, sometimes seems mushy) Halfway through those we added on an order of potstickers. Somewhere between courses, the manager stepped in and said that they were having a problem with the steamer and that it will be fixed and we would have our potstickers in no time. We didn't even say anything and the potstickers were taken off our tab. That's honesty right there. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. It's def a new fave.
(4)Luke S.
Kona Grill: I think I will finally quit you. Despite me trying at least 7 different entrees at seven different times, I can easily say that I won't be back. I'm unwilling to continue to be subjected to snotty high school hostesses, forgetful wait staff and meals that always miss the mark. It's like Kona is TRYING to make you hate going there.
(2)Jessica Z.
My husband and I have tried this place quite a few times, for happy hour and dinner. If you want a table for HH, you may be out of luck if you don't show up right when it starts, which is pretty early. Even if you show up just for dinner, good luck finding a spot to sit in their patio area! We love their dessert - I'd say their key lime pie is comparable to what I've had in Key West! My husband likes the bread pudding. This place is so crowded and the food (besides the dessert we like) is really nothing to write home about. Because of that, we've deemed this place as dessert only. Of course, because it's so busy, we just call our order in and pick it up to go.
(4)David W.
I heard from friends about this place and thought it was worth a try. Sorry to say it was disappointing. We sat and sat before I had to get up and find a waiter. After that, I figured things would go better. Wrong. Our waiter then seemed to go on break as we didn't see him until long after our drinks were gone. Flatbread, when it arrived, was just average. Not a fan!
(2)Matt M.
They have very unique tacos here. The environment is unique and quite comfortable but the price to cuisine ratio is a little too off to get it over that 5 star hump. I love the patio area and the bright open window areas and the breeze coming through near the bar. On a really nice night it seems like the perfect place to eat.
(4)Irene E.
Macadamia nut chicken was really good. I got some pesto pasta dish the second time around..good, but not like the chicken I had the first time. My Hibiscus drink was unique. Little pricey, but for a place like this, it's expected. Sushi was alright, I still think there are other places in the Omaha area that are better.
(4)Jennifer S.
Eh. It's nowhere near as good as Blue, but the food is decent and the service is excellent. I have only had sushi here, so I can't comment on the rest of the food, but they do have an extensive non-sushi menu. They also have skinny cocktails (yes!) and nutritional information online, if anyone's into that. If you have to wait for a seat, you can do some shopping in the neighboring stores and the little buzzers will still go off. I went last weekend and got the yamada roll, which is supposed to have tempura sea bass. It did not. Perhaps the sea bass was in there somewhere, but if so, it wasn't tempura'd. My friend tried it and couldn't locate the sea bass, either. It was loosely rolled and so I couldn't pick it up with my chopsticks without it falling apart; I had to shovel it in my mouth with a fork---like an animal!! (lol) For some reason my plate came with two of the creepiest, whole fried shrimps that I've ever seen. Like, one of them had exploded eyeballs. Blech! The manager stopped by to see how everything was, and when I asked about the little creepy guys she said that it comes with the shrimp sushi. She offered to get me something else, and when I declined (I was actually super-full at that point), she took it off my bill without being asked. That was very sweet of her, considering that the shrimp sushi itself wasn't affected by the little creepy guys. This last visit had the worst food I've ever had there, so maybe it was a new sushi guy. It was still good enough that I'll go back if I'm over at Village Pointe. I wish they had tamago (egg sushi).
(3)Cammy M.
My co workers and I went after work today. It was so hot in there you couldn't even sit on the patio. We all ordered drinks, apps and dinner. The waitress would only let SOME of us use the mall discount. That was incredibly rude. I have been going there ever since I started working at Village Pointe. Only once have I ever asked for the discount. One time the guy noticed my name tag and have it to me. Today our service was slow and it took FOREVER to get our checks. I'm done with Kona. It was an awful end to our day.
(1)Chester V.
The Omaha location just isn't as good as the Kansas City spot. Kind of boring and blah... Food is good, but the sushi is terrible. The rice is by far the worst recipe of any sushi restaurant around.
(3)Cara A.
Kona made a believer out of me yesterday. I've always had a ho-hum opinion of this place. However, after eating there yesterday I believe it now my #1 favorite Happy Hour spot. The flatbreads are fantastic (the Margarita is my favorite!), drink deals are good, Avocado eggrolls are delicious, and the rolls on their happy hour are affordable and taste great.. If you love spicy (and actually want sushi that actually has a little kick), Voodoo Rolls are the way to go, and if you're a fan of eel sauce definitely try the Atlantic Rolls. Every time I've gone here I've always been a little shocked at how affordable it was. It gets super busy during HH so seating options aren't always great (even though they have more seating than other similar restaurants). Speed of service is acceptable (they have always been very busy when I'm there, but I still eat within a reasonable amount of time). Over all, I really enjoy going here :)
(5)Alyx C.
Horrible service. The manager tried to make it right but it just kept getting worse. Obviously people love this place because it is crazy during happy hour. BUT if you want a nice place to eat with good service, this is not for you!
(1)Gregory J.
We had the Asparagus Salad and Pan Asian Noodles from the Vegan/Vegetarian menu. The view from the patio is nice. The music was a bit loud and has the base boosted a bit too much. I don't mind but some people may not like it. Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch. 5-Stars.
(5)Christine H.
I have been to this place a number of times over the years and cannot think of a poor experience I have had. I really like their happy hour. I appreciate that it goes until 7 PM on weekdays. Most places, it ends at six, making it difficult to get in and out of there before it ends. Their happy hour is consistently very busy. They also play a Lot of fun music - late 90s early 2000 pop music. Their sushi isn't the best in town, but it is still pretty good. They don't have a huge roll selection like some other options here in town, but I can typically find something that I like. Their pizzas are tasty and they have a number of wonderful entrées. Great patio area. Another plus of this place, is that I feel it caters to adults and children, but keeps them separate. The happy hour in the bar isn't a place for children, but if you go into their dining room, I feel that is a great place kids can eat as well.
(4)Theresa R.
One of my favorite places to eat in Omaha so good. Try the lettuce wraps and the meatloaf both are amaZing!!!!!!!
(5)Eric H.
The environment seemed to have an upscale and classy feel to it. The food prices were actually reasonable. There was a variety of choices to choose from. I had the jambalaya and it was great, with just the right amount of kick to it. This was my first time eating here and it made a great impression on me. The dessert I had was freshly made and very tasty.
(4)Tanya P.
Kona has a great happy hour with drink specials and 1/2 priced apps. I'd recommend trying the sangria...red or white they both were delicious! Our waiter Rob was excellent! He was very attentive even though the place was packed. We ordered the margherita flatbread, calamari, spicy tuna roll & crab crunch roll. This was more than enough for three girls to munch on! The flatbread had a great balsamic reduction on it. The sushi rolls were fresh and put together perfectly. The calamari could have had a little more crunch to it but the sauce more than made up for it. If you haven't been here I recommend trying them out for happy hour to get a taste...trust me you will return for more! Happy hour runs from 3-7. Oh and if you can, sit on the patio, it's enclosed but the windows open:)
(4)Matt R.
Love this place! Sushi is awesome, very consistent as well as some of the best calamari I've ever had. Great bbq chicken flatbread as well and big sake bombers. 5 bombers per order and $7.5 for all of them during happy hour. Can be crowded in the patio at times but all day Sunday happy hour makes it much more accommodating!
(5)Manoj R.
Food is so-so but ambiance is very nice specially for young crowd. Their happy hour is great but if u r looking for good sushi this is not the place. But I go their once month to hang out with my buddies...
(4)Hannah D.
I had the cucumber salad and a variety of sushi with my boyfriend. I was mainly disappointed because I was handed a fork to eat my meal with, country music was playing and when I asked for hot tea they brought a variety box. Just come in knowing this is NOT a nice sushi restaurant. Rather, it is an over Americanized imposter. Stick to the steak.
(4)M. C.
i would skip the water with lemon wedges because i saw servers with ungloved hands work the register, work the floor and then pick lemons out of the container on the side of the bar with their bare hands. happy hour sushi was adequate. if you're hungry and shopping i would stop in here for $3-$4 sushi rolls or appetizers. just skip the water with lemon wedges.
(3)Jessie F.
ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. I REPEAT ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. Ok now that we got that out of the way, I also like this restaurant when I'm not trying to be a cheap sake. Their menus are diverse, and the dishes themselves are a healthy dose. Although when sitting in the restaurant part it can be a little loud with the Bar directly next to it. Also,the music they decide to play over the loud speakers tends to lean towards a '90s house party...not that I'm fully complaining, but honestly how do you expect me not sing along to R. Kelly "Ignition?" Even if I'm on a first date.
(4)Christine B.
My review is like the food...uninspired. Tried lettuce wraps, a few items from the happy hour menu (calamari and Americanized sushi) and the tuna steak sandwich. It's what I expected. Over salted, mediocre food (kudos on searing the tuna correctly, however). Over sweetened cocktails. Prompt, friendly service. I understand why people like it here (predictable food and atmosphere), it's just not my thing.
(2)Ka'ili H.
About two days after I landed in Omaha my sis was raving about Kona Grill. I just came from the islands and if you know ANYONE from Hawai'i, we know good food when we, well, eat it. So, I had to oblige and try this place out. So far, I've been here three times, and have found love for this place for several different reasons. First Time: Our waitress on our first visit was super friendly and on it. (The place wasn't too busy as it was lunch time, but hey, some staff could just wanna use that downtime to talk about some new dude their dating!) Then: the owners or managers (i assumed there were the higher up people because of their suit-like attire) came by and asked us how our desserts were-----Delicious, btw! Next stop: We came for a friend's birthday for dinner. It was really crowded and our wait was about 40 minutes long!! BUT, we managed to entertain ourselves as we waited. Unfortunately, we had to wait an extra 20 minutes for our table. Our friend's husband politely let the hostess know of our extra minutes and the manager compensated us quite nicely! Great customer service always keeps us coming back for more. Started out the celebration with Sake: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Had some pizza: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Although I didn't taste any truffle oil Bro had some fish: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Sis had some chicken: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… And we all shared dessert: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… My last visit was a Girl's Lunch and it proved just as delicious as the last couple of visits, the food was tasty, drinks were strong, and our waiter was handsome & spot on! The sis had this wonderful drink: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… if you ever have the chance, DO try this, then eat the hibiscus, it's GOOD! the girls had this basil & mint lemonade: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… I had pizza once again, this one was crunchy and the ahi was fresh. mmmm good! yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Our friend had the ahi steak sandwich, well done yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Of course we topped off our delicious lunch with dessert and it was just as divine as the first time. You know it's good when that sweet stuff gives you the same feeling you got the very first time. We'll keep coming back for more for all of the goodness this place has to offer: Great customer service, attention to detail, fresh and flavorful foods, and lastly GREAT desserts!.
(5)Daniel K.
I was part of the staff that opened this restaurant nearly a decade ago. Used to be such a cool and hip place, went back a few months ago and although the food is nearly the same, it's starting to feel like the chain it is.
(3)Aline S.
This Kona Grill has EXCELLENT customer service. We ate here a few days ago and my friend had some Basil Pesto spilled on her purse accidentally. Within a minute the manager was at our table with her business card and 2 servers were there with rags. They cleaned her purse, offered to pay for professional cleaning, and paid for her meal. Bonus: My turkey burger with (a new) basil pesto was delicious!
(5)Glenn P.
They had a good lunch special with sushi and salad combos.
(4)Donald W.
Terrible service at the bar. Two people there and one keeps leaving. Been here ten minutes and only got s water so far.
(2)Zach P.
BEST SUNDAY HAPPY HOUR (read as: day) EVER!! When I am home from school, my mother and I make a point to make the trek up to Omaha to hit Kona Grill Happy Hour and do some shopping every few weeks (poor us). We are obsessed with margaritas so when we came to our first ever Kona Happy Day, we had to try one (or two...-ish). The margaritas were perfectly flavorful with the perfect amount of tequila. We also ordered a variety of sushi, avocado rolls (aka god's gift to mankind), and some sliders. Each dish had its own unique flavor and exceeded our expectations. Especially being somewhat of a sushi snob, I was pretty impressed by the quality of sushi rolls that they served. The service was great, very friendly and the environment was super laid-back with some awesome music playing in the background. One Sunday that we went, all the music were throwbacks to the 90s. I hear you Backstreet Boys and pre-crazy train Britney Spears. Overall, Sunday Funday at Kona Grill is a fantastic way to spend a portion of your Sunday afternoon or early evening, followed by making irrational shopping decisions at the mall right next door.
(4)M F.
Not impressed, you would be better off going to the Old Market, downtown Omaha where the prices, food, and service are much better. As we entered the restaurant the three hostesses were not friendly and after my wife and I found our seat at the sushi bar with no help, it took quite awhile to get water and someone to eventually take our order. However, the Calamari was outstanding! The one glass of ice water was even better....you make the decision.
(2)Jilda F.
Reverse happy hour was fun. The sushi was delish customer service was top notch. Love the environment too!
(5)Jonathan T.
The place smelled like beer. It was all over the floor and not mopped up. My shoes stuck to the floor. Our server was rude and slow. My co worker and I both got sock from whatever we ate. Not going back.
(1)Kyle M.
AWESOME!! I went here during happy hour, (4-6) and we ordered two orders of sushi and one of their flatbreads, it was only 16 dollars and the food was outstanding. Our server Mike was attentive and super professional. This place is the place to go. Atmosphere was a Ten as well as the service and food.
(5)Kaai L.
Kona Grill is a restaurant that has not disappointed me once. Everything I ordered each time I go there is amazing. I have tried a different entree, and each time, they are made to perfection. If you go there, you need to save room for dessert! They are to die for! I am in love with their ultimate fudge brownie, red velvet cake and their passion fruit creme brulee. So good! I have to say for a picky eater from Hawai'i, I am quite impressed with their food here. Like I said before, I have not been disappointed once :) I try to come here with some of my friends at least once a month, it can get expensive, especially if you buy drinks. Their fuji apple sake is really good, but don't expect to get too tipsy on it.
(5)Jeremy S.
I think the title of this review should be "overrated." As a happy hour spot this place is toughest place to get into that I've ever seen. I really cannot figure out why. I think it is average not bad, not great. I was told by a bartender that if we want a table on a Friday we need to be there no later than 3:30. Wow! Their drink specials really aren't very cheap. They have draws of Bud Light and Miller Light on special...that' it for beer....seriously. Now I have to admit I still go here for a few items and the patio but mostly on Saturday since happy hour starts at 1pm. Yeah, I know. Awesome and not nearly as busy as weekdays. Things that are very good: Calamari (should get two mentions for how good it is) Avocado egg roll Ahi Steak sandwich and don't overlook the taro chips Things that aren't worth trying: Pizza...below average any sushi especially spicy tuna. My group always orders this and it is always some strange paste looking texture and I finally had to stop trying it just to see if it had gotten better. Believe me, it hasn't.
(3)Sarah G.
Tried the sushi again - thinking that maybe they've had some time to refine it - plus, people go here for sushi all the time... pretty much just as I remembered. The sashimi wasn't really up to par either (and no thanks on the wasabe mayo) I'm not sure where they source their fish from, but it just didn't seem all that fresh to me. The rolls, just didn't have a lot of punch. When I still have sushi in front of me and willingly quit eating, that's not a good sign. Plus, I really dislike how gargantuan they insist on making their rolls... which in double-hindsight is maybe to compensate for the lack of powerful flavors. And finally... where's the nori and sushi grade rice, why use so much soy paper, and why do you insist on calling edamame "soybeans"? The Kona theme of 'east meets west' is probably responsible for all of my questions above. Like Bill said, I should probably have known better than to order sushi from a chain restaurant in Nebraska. Lesson learned (again). Service was good though, and I like the restaurant's decor and fishtank, which I think definitely warrants two stars. Though if I go back, I'll stick to burgers or pizza.
(2)Kayla D.
LOVE Kona. Always hits the spot!
(4)Amy F.
Went to West O for lunch after a craving for sushi that just wouldn't die and several others were closed from 2-4 in the area I am staying. Not a long wait, our server Sarah was very nice and friendly. We only ate the sushi- couple special rolls, spicy tuna, and the Tuna Tower! The Tower was really good, but the sushi overall wasn't the best I have had. It satisfied the craving and was filling. The resturant itself is nice, clean, and seems like a very trendy hang out for people in that area. The bathroom was clean, however it is in the the hallway next to the drink station and walkway to the patio...just watch out! The fake vanilla smell in there also was a little too much. For a late afternoon lunch this place was just right. Overall an A-OK resturant, and I might try the Kona Grill in Denver in the future.
(3)Craig R.
Great Reverse Happy hour 9 to midnight every night!
(4)Ben K.
Pros: Good happy hour specials Cons: I HATE West Omaha (Too far of a drive) It takes a lot to get me to go west past 132nd and Dodge, but my friends went here one night in the Village Pointe shopping center. Being in town for a short time, I decided to give it a shot. Kona is a chain with better locations in Denver and K.C. The Omaha one isn't up to snuff. The food isn't that good, the atmosphere is bland and boring, and all I want to do is leave when I'm there. Good thing drinks are cheap...
(2)Matt B.
Macadamia Chicken is the bomb. Awesome. You'll want to order two. Gravy rocks. Downer: No Wi-Fi.
(3)Eric O.
Num num, the service makes up for the boring ( yet delicious) sushi. Nothing crazy, but this allows them to knock each dish out of the park every time, if that makes sense...
(5)Daryn P.
I awoke on Sunday, as I often do, hoping to begin the afternoon with a satisfying meal. It was Cinco De Mayo the day before and, although I'm not Mexican, I spent most of my time eating authentic street food, guzzling cerveza and hovering near a toilet. It was a long day. Incidentally, I wouldn't recommend wandering the streets of South Omaha while shouting, "Yo soy muy importante!" But, I digress. Every Sunday, my neighbor and I have brunch, typically at a place that serves waffles or Eggs Benedict. This past weekend, however, we thought we'd spend our Sunday at Village Pointe, which is quite a jaunt from our apartment building in the heart of downtown. First, we scanned the sale racks and new summer collection at Banana Republic. Then, we had a marvelous time trying on loafers at DSW. I'm certain that several passersby mistook us as gay, but I was having such a stupendous time that I hardly wasted a New York minute worrying about it. Exhausted from shopping, we thought Kona would be the perfect place to relax and enjoy a nice platter of food. I was quite enthused upon walking in. We were greeted kindly by a lovely hostess. She told us the patio was open seating, and then followed us with some menus. I wanted to get her name and phone number, but figured she was probably really busy with prom and everything. I guess I'll just have to find her on Facebook. After the hostess left our table and returned to her podium, we waited. Then, we waited some more. Then, we waited some more. After that, we waited some more. Nobody brought us water, said they'd be right with us, or even acknowledged us at all. My neighbor does smell a bit like cat urine, but that doesn't affect his status as paying customer. Given all of the servers, bartenders, and bussers that walked by our table, somebody could have at least smiled, or waved, or given us a thumbs up. "What's your threshold?" I asked my neighbor. "Let's give it a couple more minutes," he said. "Okay," I agreed, reluctantly. Then, we waited some more. My neighbor could sense that I was significantly agitated. "I reached my threshold ten minutes ago," I explained. "Let's go then," he suggested. "Yeah, let's get the H out of here!" I replied. "That was extremely disappointing," my neighbor shared, as we walked toward the exit. "I know," I said. "I got better service yesterday from a Mexican street vendor, and he didn't even speak English." "Have a nice day," the hostess said, as we walked out the front door. "That was ridiculous," I told her. "Yo soy muy importante!"
(2)Mike S.
Service was impeccable; dinner was great- for a west Omaha chain.
(4)Holly B.
Hubby said this was the only Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha...well it's not Hawaiian, more Asian fusion, but decent. We were not here for sushi, so I cannot comment on that. I was hoping for lau lau salmon, kahlua pork, poi, lomi lomi salad, stuff like that. Frankly I thought I was going to hate it the minute I walked in: loud, young singles bar lounge right next to front door, absent hostess. When she finallly turned up she asked if we wanted to sit in the outdoor or indoor bar lounge, at the bar, or in The Dining Room, like it was a place for untouchables. Of course we went there, so happy to be put out to pasture with the young parents and old farts. Much quieter with comfy tall booths to baffle the pounding pop music and shield our eyes from current mating rituals. The prices seemed a little high and the food came out so fast it kind of had me worried. But my seared ahi on bok choy and rice bed with sweet chli pepper sauce was good. His macadamia chicken with papaya sauce and haricots verte was good too. Had a beer, no apps or dessert, came to $47 before tip. Drinks menu is very funny with supposedly Japanese and Hawaiian translations of phrases like: "No more. I'm drunk already, so sorry". Dessert list uninspired but not ruled by chocolate, either. What a relief, but I was stuffed. This is going to sound funny but the glassware was so attractive: clear, no scratches, interesting shape, perfect size and weight. I must be living in squalor. Our waitress was fine, and I think the manager cruised by for a quick visit too.
(3)Mike L.
Good and service ate great. Parking sucks due to the mall it sits in, but once you are inside you would not know you were surrounded my retail insanity. Appetizers are very tasty! The bar can get packed Thurs through Sat, but there are plenty of places to hang out while waiting for a table to open. There is open seating in the bar and the patio area too, if it is not too crowded and offers the same menu
(4)Liz T.
My boyfriend and I have emptied our wallets on half the menu at Kona Grill. There's a lot of mediocrity in here, but a few things stand out--like the Sweet-Chili Glazed Salmon Salad ($10.50) and Volcano ($7.95). The latter is a baked crab and fish sushi with a sweet and spicy sauce--just scrumptious. I don't think any of the appetizers or seafood/meat specialties are worth yelping about. Kona Grill does an average take on interpreting Hawaiian fusion--I should know, I'm from Hawaii. Just stick with the sushi menu and you won't regret dropping half a Benjamin. The Dragon, Spider, and Wave rolls are all pretty yum-o. P.S. Don't eat the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee--even if it's on the house. Your palate will thank you and you'll thank me!
(4)Guy S.
Nice restaurant, good food, horrible service! This is the second time in, figured we'd give it another shot, what a disappointment yet again. Server didn't get the order right. Flies everywhere inside the restaurant.. I will not be back. If you love sushi, sushi japan, hands down.
(1)FranklyHonest H.
Excellent food, service, restrooms, tables, ambiance. 1) Make Reservations 2) Expect excellence! You WILL receive it! I made one teensy-tiny negative remark about an appetizer, and they replaced it immediately!!! And, did not charge me for it! It was not expected, but had the 5-Star WOW factor. 3) Happy hour is fun, arrive early. I think this is the best restaurant in Omaha and surrounding areas. sushi, sashimi, tuna. All the food is great. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Jen H.
OK. We went to Kona randomly while trying to find somewhere to eat out west. Let it be known that I do NOT like west Omaha at all. I hate the pretentious attitude. A lot. That being said: There was nowhere to sit when we got there. Greeter was more or less indifferent to whether we sat anywhere. So we wandered and found ourselves at the sushi bar portion of the restaurant. The sushi was alright ( granted I am not any kind of professional sushi taster ) and the chef in front of us was polite and attentive. It was distracting to be sitting with your back to the apparent 'server highway' portion of the store, the cooks were yelling and servers were back and forth constantly. I can see why nobody was sitting there. Prices were alright. Maybe we'll be back to try something else, but I highly doubt it. Can't imagine finding a time where we could actually get a place to sit...
(3)Cappy H.
Since I am an islander, naturally Kona Grill would be a place to check out. Lots of people there. The staff are all friendly and positive. They have good food and it is very clean. Impressed with the manager asking for feedback from random patrons. That same manager impressed me by his knowledge of the Loco Moco. The sushi flat bread was awesome. Great place for fun or with a date. Music is good and all around great place. Clean mall area too.
(4)Liz W.
I've tried...several times to like this place, but it's just NOT happening. The restuarant is beautiful witha really nice atmosphere, but the food is just not cutting it. The drinks though, might make up for it. We just went again this last weekend, and happen to be there for happy hour. The deals were great...1/2 off most apps & $3 drafts. We had the margarita pizza (crust was way to thick and doughy), several sushi rolls (nothing impressive, & I hate mayo in rolls), chicken satay (it was good, but the dipping sauce wasn't) and the calamari (the SAVING GRACE of the whole meal!) Our waitress was decent, but on a previous visit, we waited for over 40 min just for drinks.
(2)Michael W.
Stopped by as an alternative to Blue since they had put all of their outdoor seating away and Kona has a patio with windows that open. Hostess told us to sit anywhere we liked, so we did and were attended to promptly. Started with the edamame and a dirty grey goose martini. Pondered one of the steak entrees, but decided instead on the sweet-chili glazed salmon. My friend ordered the cod dish, which is new and I forgot the exact name of. Both of us ordered a side of mashed garlic potatoes. After a short wait our food arrived. Salmon was perfectly cooked, and the fried rice was moist and tasty. The broccolini was very good. Not sure exactly what broccolini stands for.. it seemed like grilled broccoli to me. Potatoes were creamy goodness as well! Tried the cod and it was quite good as well. Also had a dumpling that was part of the cod entree. Dumpling was good, though I suspect it would have tasted better if I hadn't been getting full by this point. At this point, we heard people at another table mention it was their birthday and the waitress informed them they got a free dessert. It was my birthday as well, so we spoke up and dessert arrived. Dessert was a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting filling the middle and the top. Despite being full, both of us nearly finished it. Even though there was tons of frosting, it wasn't overly sweet and complimented the cupcake perfectly. I'll return, though there are other places a bit higher on my list.
(4)Kevin B.
Finally! The sixth time is a charm, there is one place in Omaha that can make sushi. Especially because the know what goes in a Volcano Roll which is my favorite, although thiers is kind of a deconstructed one, it is still great. Seriously the other sushi places I've been in Omaha have an item called Volcano Roll, but it's never how it's made everywhere else I've been around the country (weird Omaha thing). Anyhoo. Sampled 3 kinds of rolls, and the avocado egg rolls. Everything was outstanding. Decor is nice, waitstaff was friendly and helpful when I had questions.
(5)Jason F.
Happy hour starts at 3pm I believe and is great..sushi is fresh and the pizza is tasty...If you can get there early, do so because it gets crowded quick.
(4)Gigi G.
Be very careful of the bartenders! They want a credit card up front for a tab and file your card in a file by last name. The cards are not given back unless you ask! Really bad!!!i was on business from out of town and had to spend $60 for a taxi to take me back for my card. The General Manager didn't even say he was sorry and offered NO compensation. Food not worth $60 taxi ride!!'Beware!
(1)Shawn G.
I can't, in good conscience, recommend going here to anyone I like. First, the good: The food is prepared capably (most of the time), and the sushi is your typically tasty upscale American variety. The restaurant is clean and the patio seating is a nice touch. Now, the bad: On a crowded night, prepare to wait 10-15 minutes longer than the hostesses tell you. We've been here a few times, and the hostesses never even seem to be close on the wait times for a table. The service once you're seated isn't much better. I've never eaten here and felt well taken care of by my server. The last time we went took the cake. I ordered a flat-bread pizza, which came out with a maximum of three pearls of mozzarella on the entire thing. "No problem," I thought to myself, "I'll just inform the waitress and I'm sure they'll straighten this out." Forty minutes later, our waitress decided to grace us with her presence and I explained, tactfully, the problems with my order. She sent the manager over, who proceeded to explain to me that the nuances of buffalo mozzarella are why there did not appear to be much on my pizza. (A quick google-search of the term will reveal to you why that's utter B.S., if you're wondering). At this point, I'm not only still hungry, but grumpy and insulted. The manager should know better than to pull that kind of crap with a customer, even if he did eventually take the meal off of our ticket. We paid our bill and stiffed the waitress, since the $2.13 she got from minimum wage and $1 we left her was more than she earned from our party. The verdict: The food and decor are good enough to save this place from one-star damnation, but even they can't save it from the two-star purgatory that the service and management wrought upon it. Take your money and pay a little extra at Firebirds at the other end of Village Point. You'll be glad you did.
(2)Zachary Sam Z.
Kona's alright, to the point that I was thinking about 3 stars. But inevitably, something is a little off that makes my experience just... not good. Today it was stopping by for lunch at 1:30. The restaurant wasn't even half-filled, but the service felt really slow. The server was snippy, forgetful, and left us alone for 15 minutes at a time. I got the sushi here, because I knew what my grandma learned today - everything on the menu is *spicy*! She complained about every noodle dish having the word "spicy" in the description. I once got the seared tuna salad, which was insanely spicy, despite not having "spicy" in the description. So what can I say about the sushi? It's alright. I agree with Liz that the Wave was pretty yummy. I foolishly got another roll garnished with lemon. I seriously had a salmon roll garnished with lemon that was *perfectly* balanced once, but this was nowhere close. 99% of the taste was lemon! Yikes! I have a good time when I'm here with friends, and we're just looking for a place to get a drink and a sushi roll or two. But when I'm here with family (and, I guess, not as engaged in conversation?) I notice the shortcomings. For my money, I'd rather eat sushi at Hiro's.
(2)Leif O.
Kona Grill is awesome! My wife and I go there for their reverse happy hour and get all the sushi we can! I love this place!
(5)Cory O.
Go there for the happy hour, other than that you're on your own :) The food at Kona is pretty good, their menu has a lot of variety and the dishes are usually tasty. The wait staff is attentive and accurate, never really had any problem with the service there. The prices are moderate so you don't have to worry about breaking the bank. Three stars = A-OK which is exactly what I gave it, this place is alright to eat at. I will say that their happy hour is great though if you can find a table that hasn't been taken over by a "Trendy West-O Soccer Mom"! They come around 3:30pm and sit down / stake out tables out on the patio and just take up the entire patio waiting for their guests to arrive. Since you can only partake in happy hour if you're on the patio this can be very annoying if all the tables are taken and only one person is at each one!!!!
(3)Jimmy H.
Great happy hour deals! Great food... Honestly I prefer intimate places like sushi Yama and Maru, but Kona has some amazing entrees that you can't get anywhere else.
(5)Jeff C.
Great happy hour specials & food. Got my kids hooked on sushi. Great variety and atmosphere. We usually get the sushi but my favorite entree is the pan asian noodles (awesome times 2). The coconut chicken is also great (salad & entree). Would go there more often if it was easier to get a table, sign of a very good restaurant in Omaha.
(5)Ryan C.
Defintiely one of my favorites! I usually go for reverse happy hour, and the half price sushi, appetizers, and drinks cannot be beat. The california crunch roll, avocado eggrolls, and the sake bombs are my top menu picks! Service is always prompt, food is always delicious, crowd is young and trendy, and the atmosphere is contemporary. Nothing to complain about here!
(5)Andrew S.
I used to love Kona's sushi....that was until I tried sushi from Baby Blue and Hiro 88. Kona is consistently the least fresh of the 3 which is always disappointing but if you like the cooked stuff the Philadelphia roll is great and the crunchy crab is always good. The reason I give it 3 instead of 1 or 2 is the Macadamia Nut Chicken, this is an amazing chicken dish I recommend to everyone who is trying Kona for the first time. I always try to catch reverse happy hour for 1/2 price appetizers and cheap Sake Bombs.
(3)Sean T.
I have seen Kona Grill many times but never tried it until this visit. I was never sure what it was by the name. Sushi? Grill? Didn't make sense ... but anyhow ... I had tried the rainbow roll, a spicy salmon roll, a cucumber salad, and the prime rib sandwich. The fish on the rainbow roll was very skimpy, and the tuna had a hint of fishy smell. The spicy salmon roll was spicy and the rice was perfect in flavor and texture for sushi. The cucumber salad was good, but need a little bit of acidity. The prime rib sandwich was really good except for a few bites had too much bleucheese concentrated in a small area. Overall, great experience and good food. I will go again.
(4)Sarah C.
I'll admit: I LOVE their avocado egg rolls here. Compared to the Cheesecake Factory, they are so much better! I will also admit that I usually come here during their happy hour (I've come here once or twice for dinner and was not very impressed by their macadamia nut chicken: it was alright, nothing special) Wait staff varies. I've had some great waiters and waitresses, some bad. I usually see different faces each time. Ambiance I really like: it's very casual, and a more fast paced place (especially for the rush to get a table!!) Besides the avocado (egg?) rolls, the sushi's not special but it's decent: I do like their spicy tuna roll. However, the calamari is too dry, sweet and spicy shrimp had too much breading and sauce, and crab roll was basically a california roll without cucumbers and avocado. The sake bombs are a plus. Overall, there are good and bad qualities that make it decent, but not impressive.
(3)Michelle N.
Went there last night for a small bite before going out. We sat at the bar and we weren't greeted by any of the two waitresses behind the bar AT ALL. And it's not like they were busy from what I saw. I counted TEN MINUTES. I was beginning to wonder if it was a self serve restaurant. Should I jump behind the bar and make my own drink? I finally stood up and asked for a menu. I'll probably try this place again when I come back to Omaha, I don't want a pair of bad waitresses to ruin the Kona experience.
(1)Kim J.
Like Angela, I thought the atmosphere was good. It is not as much of a face time place as Blue. We sat at the bar, the sushi was good, nothing incredible but good sushi. We only ate sushi so I can't comment on anything else.
(4)Tyler S.
I noticed a couple things wrong with the business info listed above, so I called and got the facts. 1) Mon-Thurs, the dining room closes at 10. The bar and patio are open until 12, but you have to be over 21 to sit there. The dining room is open until 11 on Fridays and Saturdays. 2) Everything on their menu, lunch dinner or sushi, is offered as a take out option. 3) I have been there many times with my family, and having the younger ones there has never been a problem, especially when eating on the patio. Ask for their magnadoodles as a fun alternative to coloring. All together, I love Kona, and my friends and I often find ourselves there, whether for happy hour, or for a nice dinner. They have a wide variety of food, and I recommend it for everyone!
(4)Annie P.
Before moving to NE, my wife and I loved going to Kona Grill in Denver, CO. Unfortunately, we don't feel the same way in Omaha. The food is definitely not up to the same level. Sushi is not great, neither is the regular entrees. It really is a shame, we were hoping that there would be a Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha. I guess we will get our true Hawaiian food fix at home and on vacation (in Hawaii, L&L, etc).
(2)Lisa G.
Eh. I have to admit, their avocado eggrolls are great. Love them during happy hour. I haven't gotten their main fare in quite some time, but my friend did get it recently...which reminded me why I only come here for happy hour...
(2)Pukar R.
The atmosphere is good, the food is variable depending on what you get. I always get sushi here and I'm really not impressed. Blue Sushi is miles ahead in this department. The servers are very nice and courteous. If you want to have a private party, there is a large room in the back with a dining table to seat around 12 people if I remember correctly, which is cool. Overall a decent place to go out for a date but if you are looking for great sushi, you may want to go to Blue.
(3)Melissa W.
I've been to Kona so many times it's hard to keep track but overall I still don't get the hype about this place. Yes, they do have good happy hour specials, IF you can get a table, since happy hour is only in their small bar area. They do give ladies a dollar off margaritas, which is nice (for us ladies anyway.) The food, in my opinion is just so-so. The sushi is not good and the pepperoni pizza tastes really funky. In the past I would have said the macadamia crusted chicken cabbage salad is fabulous but I caution you, that salad has given me food poisoning like symptoms twice, as well as my boss and others I've known who've eaten it. My suggestion, go to the late night happy hour and get some drinks, as well as the lettuce wraps and call it a night.
(3)Oscar G.
I don't get out to Village Pointe as often as I used to, but when I do, Kona Grill is my first stop. Everything on their menu is great, and the service is usually top-notch. Hands-down, the best time to eat there is during their daily happy hour, as they offer a select menu of sushi rolls, appetizers, and beer at a significant savings, and you can pair a few selections to make a very cheap light dinner.
(4)Angela W.
50/50: The atmosphere is good; the music they played was a refreshing change - better than some nightclubs around here. I found the sushi to be good, but average. The staff were accommodating and pleasant; didn't try to push us out the door as soon as we took a breather from the way-too-large dessert. The appetizer we shared was tasty and well proportioned. The human-brain-sized mound of potatoes that was served with the entree, though, was wasteful. I will go again for the atmosphere, but I don't think I can rave about the food, yet.
(4)Ryan t.
Kona has a great happy hour and the sort of hybrid indoor/outdoor seating that can be utilized when it's cold out, but provides excellent opportunities for people watching when it's warm. The few times I've been here for dinner, the food was good, but not amazing. Definitely a good option if you are dining with a group of people where some like sushi and some want other options. The fact that it's located so far west is unfortunate, as I would probably eat here more often if it weren't so far out.
(4)Cappy H.
Since I am an islander, naturally Kona Grill would be a place to check out. Lots of people there. The staff are all friendly and positive. They have good food and it is very clean. Impressed with the manager asking for feedback from random patrons. That same manager impressed me by his knowledge of the Loco Moco. The sushi flat bread was awesome. Great place for fun or with a date. Music is good and all around great place. Clean mall area too.
(4)Liz W.
I've tried...several times to like this place, but it's just NOT happening. The restuarant is beautiful witha really nice atmosphere, but the food is just not cutting it. The drinks though, might make up for it. We just went again this last weekend, and happen to be there for happy hour. The deals were great...1/2 off most apps & $3 drafts. We had the margarita pizza (crust was way to thick and doughy), several sushi rolls (nothing impressive, & I hate mayo in rolls), chicken satay (it was good, but the dipping sauce wasn't) and the calamari (the SAVING GRACE of the whole meal!) Our waitress was decent, but on a previous visit, we waited for over 40 min just for drinks.
(2)Michael W.
Stopped by as an alternative to Blue since they had put all of their outdoor seating away and Kona has a patio with windows that open. Hostess told us to sit anywhere we liked, so we did and were attended to promptly. Started with the edamame and a dirty grey goose martini. Pondered one of the steak entrees, but decided instead on the sweet-chili glazed salmon. My friend ordered the cod dish, which is new and I forgot the exact name of. Both of us ordered a side of mashed garlic potatoes. After a short wait our food arrived. Salmon was perfectly cooked, and the fried rice was moist and tasty. The broccolini was very good. Not sure exactly what broccolini stands for.. it seemed like grilled broccoli to me. Potatoes were creamy goodness as well! Tried the cod and it was quite good as well. Also had a dumpling that was part of the cod entree. Dumpling was good, though I suspect it would have tasted better if I hadn't been getting full by this point. At this point, we heard people at another table mention it was their birthday and the waitress informed them they got a free dessert. It was my birthday as well, so we spoke up and dessert arrived. Dessert was a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting filling the middle and the top. Despite being full, both of us nearly finished it. Even though there was tons of frosting, it wasn't overly sweet and complimented the cupcake perfectly. I'll return, though there are other places a bit higher on my list.
(4)Jason F.
Happy hour starts at 3pm I believe and is great..sushi is fresh and the pizza is tasty...If you can get there early, do so because it gets crowded quick.
(4)Kevin B.
Finally! The sixth time is a charm, there is one place in Omaha that can make sushi. Especially because the know what goes in a Volcano Roll which is my favorite, although thiers is kind of a deconstructed one, it is still great. Seriously the other sushi places I've been in Omaha have an item called Volcano Roll, but it's never how it's made everywhere else I've been around the country (weird Omaha thing). Anyhoo. Sampled 3 kinds of rolls, and the avocado egg rolls. Everything was outstanding. Decor is nice, waitstaff was friendly and helpful when I had questions.
(5)Gigi G.
Be very careful of the bartenders! They want a credit card up front for a tab and file your card in a file by last name. The cards are not given back unless you ask! Really bad!!!i was on business from out of town and had to spend $60 for a taxi to take me back for my card. The General Manager didn't even say he was sorry and offered NO compensation. Food not worth $60 taxi ride!!'Beware!
(1)Shawn G.
I can't, in good conscience, recommend going here to anyone I like. First, the good: The food is prepared capably (most of the time), and the sushi is your typically tasty upscale American variety. The restaurant is clean and the patio seating is a nice touch. Now, the bad: On a crowded night, prepare to wait 10-15 minutes longer than the hostesses tell you. We've been here a few times, and the hostesses never even seem to be close on the wait times for a table. The service once you're seated isn't much better. I've never eaten here and felt well taken care of by my server. The last time we went took the cake. I ordered a flat-bread pizza, which came out with a maximum of three pearls of mozzarella on the entire thing. "No problem," I thought to myself, "I'll just inform the waitress and I'm sure they'll straighten this out." Forty minutes later, our waitress decided to grace us with her presence and I explained, tactfully, the problems with my order. She sent the manager over, who proceeded to explain to me that the nuances of buffalo mozzarella are why there did not appear to be much on my pizza. (A quick google-search of the term will reveal to you why that's utter B.S., if you're wondering). At this point, I'm not only still hungry, but grumpy and insulted. The manager should know better than to pull that kind of crap with a customer, even if he did eventually take the meal off of our ticket. We paid our bill and stiffed the waitress, since the $2.13 she got from minimum wage and $1 we left her was more than she earned from our party. The verdict: The food and decor are good enough to save this place from one-star damnation, but even they can't save it from the two-star purgatory that the service and management wrought upon it. Take your money and pay a little extra at Firebirds at the other end of Village Point. You'll be glad you did.
(2)Zachary Sam Z.
Kona's alright, to the point that I was thinking about 3 stars. But inevitably, something is a little off that makes my experience just... not good. Today it was stopping by for lunch at 1:30. The restaurant wasn't even half-filled, but the service felt really slow. The server was snippy, forgetful, and left us alone for 15 minutes at a time. I got the sushi here, because I knew what my grandma learned today - everything on the menu is *spicy*! She complained about every noodle dish having the word "spicy" in the description. I once got the seared tuna salad, which was insanely spicy, despite not having "spicy" in the description. So what can I say about the sushi? It's alright. I agree with Liz that the Wave was pretty yummy. I foolishly got another roll garnished with lemon. I seriously had a salmon roll garnished with lemon that was *perfectly* balanced once, but this was nowhere close. 99% of the taste was lemon! Yikes! I have a good time when I'm here with friends, and we're just looking for a place to get a drink and a sushi roll or two. But when I'm here with family (and, I guess, not as engaged in conversation?) I notice the shortcomings. For my money, I'd rather eat sushi at Hiro's.
(2)Leif O.
Kona Grill is awesome! My wife and I go there for their reverse happy hour and get all the sushi we can! I love this place!
(5)Cory O.
Go there for the happy hour, other than that you're on your own :) The food at Kona is pretty good, their menu has a lot of variety and the dishes are usually tasty. The wait staff is attentive and accurate, never really had any problem with the service there. The prices are moderate so you don't have to worry about breaking the bank. Three stars = A-OK which is exactly what I gave it, this place is alright to eat at. I will say that their happy hour is great though if you can find a table that hasn't been taken over by a "Trendy West-O Soccer Mom"! They come around 3:30pm and sit down / stake out tables out on the patio and just take up the entire patio waiting for their guests to arrive. Since you can only partake in happy hour if you're on the patio this can be very annoying if all the tables are taken and only one person is at each one!!!!
(3)Jimmy H.
Great happy hour deals! Great food... Honestly I prefer intimate places like sushi Yama and Maru, but Kona has some amazing entrees that you can't get anywhere else.
(5)Jeff C.
Great happy hour specials & food. Got my kids hooked on sushi. Great variety and atmosphere. We usually get the sushi but my favorite entree is the pan asian noodles (awesome times 2). The coconut chicken is also great (salad & entree). Would go there more often if it was easier to get a table, sign of a very good restaurant in Omaha.
(5)Ryan C.
Defintiely one of my favorites! I usually go for reverse happy hour, and the half price sushi, appetizers, and drinks cannot be beat. The california crunch roll, avocado eggrolls, and the sake bombs are my top menu picks! Service is always prompt, food is always delicious, crowd is young and trendy, and the atmosphere is contemporary. Nothing to complain about here!
(5)Andrew S.
I used to love Kona's sushi....that was until I tried sushi from Baby Blue and Hiro 88. Kona is consistently the least fresh of the 3 which is always disappointing but if you like the cooked stuff the Philadelphia roll is great and the crunchy crab is always good. The reason I give it 3 instead of 1 or 2 is the Macadamia Nut Chicken, this is an amazing chicken dish I recommend to everyone who is trying Kona for the first time. I always try to catch reverse happy hour for 1/2 price appetizers and cheap Sake Bombs.
(3)Sarah C.
I'll admit: I LOVE their avocado egg rolls here. Compared to the Cheesecake Factory, they are so much better! I will also admit that I usually come here during their happy hour (I've come here once or twice for dinner and was not very impressed by their macadamia nut chicken: it was alright, nothing special) Wait staff varies. I've had some great waiters and waitresses, some bad. I usually see different faces each time. Ambiance I really like: it's very casual, and a more fast paced place (especially for the rush to get a table!!) Besides the avocado (egg?) rolls, the sushi's not special but it's decent: I do like their spicy tuna roll. However, the calamari is too dry, sweet and spicy shrimp had too much breading and sauce, and crab roll was basically a california roll without cucumbers and avocado. The sake bombs are a plus. Overall, there are good and bad qualities that make it decent, but not impressive.
(3)Michelle N.
Went there last night for a small bite before going out. We sat at the bar and we weren't greeted by any of the two waitresses behind the bar AT ALL. And it's not like they were busy from what I saw. I counted TEN MINUTES. I was beginning to wonder if it was a self serve restaurant. Should I jump behind the bar and make my own drink? I finally stood up and asked for a menu. I'll probably try this place again when I come back to Omaha, I don't want a pair of bad waitresses to ruin the Kona experience.
(1)Sean T.
I have seen Kona Grill many times but never tried it until this visit. I was never sure what it was by the name. Sushi? Grill? Didn't make sense ... but anyhow ... I had tried the rainbow roll, a spicy salmon roll, a cucumber salad, and the prime rib sandwich. The fish on the rainbow roll was very skimpy, and the tuna had a hint of fishy smell. The spicy salmon roll was spicy and the rice was perfect in flavor and texture for sushi. The cucumber salad was good, but need a little bit of acidity. The prime rib sandwich was really good except for a few bites had too much bleucheese concentrated in a small area. Overall, great experience and good food. I will go again.
(4)Kim J.
Like Angela, I thought the atmosphere was good. It is not as much of a face time place as Blue. We sat at the bar, the sushi was good, nothing incredible but good sushi. We only ate sushi so I can't comment on anything else.
(4)Tyler S.
I noticed a couple things wrong with the business info listed above, so I called and got the facts. 1) Mon-Thurs, the dining room closes at 10. The bar and patio are open until 12, but you have to be over 21 to sit there. The dining room is open until 11 on Fridays and Saturdays. 2) Everything on their menu, lunch dinner or sushi, is offered as a take out option. 3) I have been there many times with my family, and having the younger ones there has never been a problem, especially when eating on the patio. Ask for their magnadoodles as a fun alternative to coloring. All together, I love Kona, and my friends and I often find ourselves there, whether for happy hour, or for a nice dinner. They have a wide variety of food, and I recommend it for everyone!
(4)Annie P.
Before moving to NE, my wife and I loved going to Kona Grill in Denver, CO. Unfortunately, we don't feel the same way in Omaha. The food is definitely not up to the same level. Sushi is not great, neither is the regular entrees. It really is a shame, we were hoping that there would be a Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha. I guess we will get our true Hawaiian food fix at home and on vacation (in Hawaii, L&L, etc).
(2)Lisa G.
Eh. I have to admit, their avocado eggrolls are great. Love them during happy hour. I haven't gotten their main fare in quite some time, but my friend did get it recently...which reminded me why I only come here for happy hour...
(2)Pukar R.
The atmosphere is good, the food is variable depending on what you get. I always get sushi here and I'm really not impressed. Blue Sushi is miles ahead in this department. The servers are very nice and courteous. If you want to have a private party, there is a large room in the back with a dining table to seat around 12 people if I remember correctly, which is cool. Overall a decent place to go out for a date but if you are looking for great sushi, you may want to go to Blue.
(3)Melissa W.
I've been to Kona so many times it's hard to keep track but overall I still don't get the hype about this place. Yes, they do have good happy hour specials, IF you can get a table, since happy hour is only in their small bar area. They do give ladies a dollar off margaritas, which is nice (for us ladies anyway.) The food, in my opinion is just so-so. The sushi is not good and the pepperoni pizza tastes really funky. In the past I would have said the macadamia crusted chicken cabbage salad is fabulous but I caution you, that salad has given me food poisoning like symptoms twice, as well as my boss and others I've known who've eaten it. My suggestion, go to the late night happy hour and get some drinks, as well as the lettuce wraps and call it a night.
(3)Oscar G.
I don't get out to Village Pointe as often as I used to, but when I do, Kona Grill is my first stop. Everything on their menu is great, and the service is usually top-notch. Hands-down, the best time to eat there is during their daily happy hour, as they offer a select menu of sushi rolls, appetizers, and beer at a significant savings, and you can pair a few selections to make a very cheap light dinner.
(4)Angela W.
50/50: The atmosphere is good; the music they played was a refreshing change - better than some nightclubs around here. I found the sushi to be good, but average. The staff were accommodating and pleasant; didn't try to push us out the door as soon as we took a breather from the way-too-large dessert. The appetizer we shared was tasty and well proportioned. The human-brain-sized mound of potatoes that was served with the entree, though, was wasteful. I will go again for the atmosphere, but I don't think I can rave about the food, yet.
(4)Ryan t.
Kona has a great happy hour and the sort of hybrid indoor/outdoor seating that can be utilized when it's cold out, but provides excellent opportunities for people watching when it's warm. The few times I've been here for dinner, the food was good, but not amazing. Definitely a good option if you are dining with a group of people where some like sushi and some want other options. The fact that it's located so far west is unfortunate, as I would probably eat here more often if it weren't so far out.
(4)Sai T.
Went there about 4-5 times. Loved it always. 4.5 stars is more apt. 1/2 star off for waiters not paying enough attention to tables. They have happy hours starting at 9:00 pm. These happy hours are great with food at 1/2 price and good priced drinks. But they can get pretty filled up during this time. Must try their angry edamame if you are a edamame and spicy fan. Other favorites are pot stickers, margarita flat bread, avocado rolls, lettuce wraps and chicken satay.
(5)Claire H.
We frequent the Village Pointe area quite often so we decided to try out Kona Grill. My husband loves sushi and I, not as much. This place was the perfect alternative for our different tastes. I would highly suggest coming here during their happy hour. Yes, it's absolutely crowded in the happy hour only area, but the food was much more decently priced. My husband had four sushi rolls while I stuck with a cheeseburger sliders. I didn't have a bite of the sushi rolls, but my husband, well he would come back here every weekend. And my sliders, they definitely weren't small like most sliders. That was a plus! I gave this place three stars not for their food, but for the service. I understand that happy hour is the busiest time except that still isn't an excuse to completely ignore your customers. As for the bar area, there are seats for a reason, so I'm dumbfounded when most of the seats are empty event though there a ton of people standing beside it. Sit down so people can walk by!
(3)John K.
Overall - 8 Atmosphere - 9 Food - 8 Service - 9 (scale of 1 to 10) What I ordered : Sparkling Sangria Chicken & Shrimp lettuce wraps Philly and spicy tuna roll I've been to the Kona Grill in Henderson, NV, just outside Las Vegas, and had a great experience and some excellent tasty bites. This is a great spot for happy hour and good for groups, friendly dinner or even a date. The sparkling sangria was just to die for, a white wine con-cation that I highly recommend. The chicken & shrimp lettuce wraps were super tasty, served with butter lettuce leafs (drizzle the sweet spicy sauce it comes with on the wraps) the sushi was good, nothing to write home about. A spicy tuna roll and Philadelphia roll ($5 a roll you really can't go wrong) If you are looking for a good HH this is the place to come!
(4)Fred R.
Went to Kona Grill for the first time last night as a birthday gift. Our waiter, Matt, was phenomenal! He's very charismatic and completely knows the menu which assisted us in making our dinner selection. Our appetizers and dinner entre all tasted fantastic. I was even treated to a dessert since it was my birthday (and that was an unexpected, but delicious treat). TOP NOTCH DINING! The only "Con" was the noise/music level near the bar is too loud for "table talk", but we were accommodated and seated at a table further from the bar area and it was awesome. For the flavor and serving portions the prices are Very Reasonable! Thanks for a great meal! Will highly recommend to friends!
(5)Justin S.
Busy place, great atmosphere. I had tacos, which were remarkably filling (and looked more like small burritos than tacos). I had both fish and chicken, and thought the fish tacos were full of delightful flavors.
(5)Luke R.
Kona happy hour is the best, half price apps and sushi rolls are incredible deal. $4 drafts and other select cocktails make this a perfect after work meal or snack. I have to admit though I always leave with a full stomach.
(4)Mindi A.
My co-worker and I stopped in at Kona Grill Omaha on our first night in the city. From the start, everyone was very friendly in greeting, seating and taking our orders! The food was also made to order and incredibly tasty. The only complaint I have is that we ordered an appetizer and our server forgot to put the order in. Since it was his mistake, he gave us free dessert so it more than makes up for the missing appetizer. I ordered the Pad Thai and had it prepared vegetarian (taking the VegWeek challenge to eat vegetarian all week). It came out perfect and was surprisingly good with what I think is the right amount of heat. You can order the Pad Thai with chicken or shrimp. My co-worker order the Hawaii teriyaki ribeye and it came with red skin mashed potatoes and green beans. The steak came out with grilled pineapple on top of it. I didn't take a taste but it looked sooo delicious! For dessert, I ordered the snickers ice cream pie and my co-worker got their butter cake a la mode. The snickers pie is a collosal piece of ice cream on Oreo crust with caramel and chocolate. If you like snickers, you will love it! But consider ordering it to share because it is quite large. The butter cake was also larger than expected and came with a berry sauce. Also likely large enough to share.
(4)Chad K.
I ate here a few times back in 2005 or so. Then I went a while without eating here and I recently stopped back in for dinner. I seem to remember it being better than it is now. Perhaps its glory days are behind it. Food was decent. I tried their Hawaiian Ribeye which is listed on their menu as a signature (or favorite or whatever) item. It had a terrific flavor, but the meat itself was a bit chewy and, although ribeyes are typically heavily marbled, rather fatty. My wife sampled a couple of their Kona Rolls from their sushi menu and was pleased with them. The food here has always been good. It's sort of an Asian fusion kind of thing and they have several items that put an Asian spin of what are typically American favorites. Service was not good. I couldn't tell if was because they were understaffed (seemed to be a LOT of employees moving around) or if the staff they had were just that bad. Several tables around us (with different waitpersons) were experience service delays too. Ambiance is off. I suppose it makes for a decent bar and happy hour experience, but for dinner it's just noisy and crowded and in a mostly bad sort of way. At this price point I expect it to be better. They serve good food, but service could be greatly improved. It's a borderline "like" for me.
(3)Maka J.
The last time I was at Kona Grill (prior to my most recent visit) was right before I gave birth to my son... That was nearly one year ago! If you're participating in Happy Hour, make sure you get there EARLY. Seats/Tables tend to fill up quickly, and you have to have a quick eye and stealthy moves to successfully snag a seat. (Okay, I'm done with the alliteration - for now.) This time, we sat at the sushi bar. Our waiter wasn't the quickest or most attentive, and he often disappeared, but, my husband and I rarely require too much fussing over, so it was really all good. :) Sitting at the sushi bar was pretty fun, actually! We saw scores of orders come through. As soon as the sushi chefs cleared out their qeues, another onslaught of orders would arrive. I was REALLY impressed with their speed and efficiency. More importantly, I thought their attention to detail and their ability to make every sing roll beautiful was uncanny. :) I will continue to frequent Kona's Happy Hour. Of the establishments in Omaha, Kona and Blue are my favorites for sushi!
(4)Sara D.
Besides the bar staff, I don't know why I go here. The food & table service have been mediocre at best the last few times someone has suggested we go there. The last time we went it was far from busy, yet after waiting over 15 minutes our table still hadn't been greeted. So, I went to the bar to order our drinks myself. When the server finally did get to the table she brought one menu for three people & seemed a bit inconvenienced when we asked for two more. I used to really enjoy Kona, but it's not a place I look forward to going to anymore.
(2)Rayray J.
Impressive fish tank, great atmosphere on a Thursday night, nice service, except I wanted sashimi, she gave me sushi, but the recommendation of Dragon Roll was pretty good; as the same kind of fusions for Sushi+Drinks, I gave Hiro 88 5 stars, the reasons are: Kona Grill has less sashimi selections like surf clams whereas Hiro 88 has real kickass Chinese dish features like (pan seared) Spicy Tofu, Kona Grill still has Cheeseburger on the menu which proves this is an American style sushi place whereas Hiro 88 is a more straight Asian style sushi restaurant with a just cooler interior decor.
(4)Nhi T.
Hello Kona Grill. I've been here plenty of times because it is one of my best friends' favorite restaurants. I think she can recite the menu, she has been here so many times. But I love going during Happy hour, which by the way is ALL DAY Sunday! $5 Sangrias ... SIGN ME UP! Their sangrias are nice and sweet tasting, not watered down, so you will definitely have a fun time while you are dining. Also, I would recommend the Mojitos and Margaritas, as well as their wine.. Happy hour menu includes some sushi rolls, but I always stick to the California roll. I'm not a big fan of their sushi rolls. Then there is edamame, seaweed salad, vegetable rolls, along with some other entrees/appetizers of which I cannot quite think of right now. I've only tried the Pad Thai off the big menu, but it is quite delicious. It's a little pricey, but well worth the visit!
(4)Lianna N.
update: I had a better happy hour experience here the other day- food came out a bit faster, was a bit tastier, and I didnt order any drinks so that eliminates the disappointment there. Kona is one of those places where you can go with any of your friends and everyone will be happy and find something to eat. It's like Cheesecake Factory or any other restaurant that offers dining at this level. The happy hour menu is pretty reasonable but I wouldn't want to eat here all the time. One of those safe bets when you dont know where to eat or your dining with picky eaters or people who have a limited palette.
(4)Ruby J.
Good service...slowest bar ever!!! Waited over 5 minutes for a draw of coors light!! Need to work on that or get more help!!
(3)Ross P.
Who hasn't been to Kona? If you like Asian fusion, it's pretty good. Definitely on the pricey side. Choose Blue's happy hour for better prices on drinks. For my latest meal, I tried the Chicken Pad Thai. It's ok, and much better at an authentic Thai restaurant, not to mention cheaper at a Thai restaurant. The reason Kona still gets 4 stars instead of 2 or 3 is their Macadamia Nut Chicken. It's awesome. Get it at lunch for a cheaper price.
(4)Daniel K.
Everything is great here most of the time but huge warning!!! The newly added Piña Colada is unblended. They serve you a glass of what looks like cottage cheese, milk and rum poured over ice. It is even chunky coming out of the straw. Stay away from this Caribbean abomination! Stick to the American devised drinks for sure. Sushi is average. Potstickers and lettuce wraps are awesome and salads and entrees are good for the most part. Don't fall prey to the pineapple doom though!
(4)Chunk G.
It's gonna sound weird, but this is some of my favorite pad thai in the city. I even like it better than Salween (gasp! I know). Is it "authentic" ennnh probably not... but I don't care- it _tastes_ good. Period. It does cost twice as much, but it's also twice the size.
(4)David Y.
Note: This review is primarily for Kona happy hour. I think that Kona is a great option for groups with a diverse taste. By that, I mean that Kona offers a wide selection of different foods. The happy hour is pretty solid and the prices are even better. Expect anywhere from $3-$8 for most of the appetizers during happy hour. My favorites are: the lettuce wraps, gyozas, the flat bread pizza, the avocado wraps, and some of the sushi. I also enjoyed the pig wing as well. All in all, the food is solid (not spectacular) and the prices are very good. Service is always good and the atmosphere enjoyable.
(4)James E.
Wish I could give 0 stars. Essentially the menu looks fantastic and slightly overpriced. But when we got our food... oh wait we didn't get our food, maybe because we never got a waiter... after sitting for over 10:00 minutes and not hidden in a corner booth, with no water or recognition of our existence we decided to leave after we watched the empty table next to us get served water. Even with walking out no one bothered to inquire why we were leaving. It will likely take a miracle for us to walk back into kona.
(1)John M.
The consistent pleasant experience I have at Kona Grill is the reason for these five stars. Some places just deliver what you expect. That's this place. I know I'll be treated well, meaning with courtesy and respect. The value proposition is excellent, especially during the Wednesday Happy Hour with half-price appetizers and wines. Always a convivial, adult atmosphere. 75-90 minutes of warm, comfortable atmosphere, and delicious food, even the sushi aside. I don't like sushi, so....
(5)John A.
Had a wonderful experience. Love the open concept of the patio, sushi came quickly and service was prompt. Chad stopped by to make sure everything was good for us and we appreciate when a manager engages the guests with sincerity.
(5)Craig Z.
Came here for happy hour and couldn't have been more pleased. All of the food came out quick and hot!! Our waitress never let a drink run dry. I would frequent this place if I lived around here.
(5)Jamie E.
My friend's food looked good, mine was fine. I ordered a Caesar with grilled chicken - the chicken was cubed which is always a sign it has been just sitting out in the back ready to go. The dressing was more clear than creamy. Just not that good. But their appetizers looked amazing. Avocado egg rolls looked perfect.
(2)Fly_Gu Y.
We've eaten at Kona Grill over a year ago but for whatever reason when the "where are we gonna eat" discussion ensues, Kona Grill is never mentioned. This was the case last weekend when my wife and I were trying to determine where to eat for dinner. A handful of the usual suspects were mentioned but quickly vetoed because we were in the mood for something different. To my wife's surprise I suggested Kobe, even though after visiting a year ago we vowed never to return. We agreed to give them one last chance and set our sights on good ol' hibachi. Ten minutes later we arrived at the restaurant only to find that the waiting list was almost 2 hours long! We didn't want it that bad so we continued to ponder our options. Back in the car we tossed around a few more usual suspects and then I said, "What about Kona Grill". We couldn't remember any details from our first visit which suggest to us that we were neither impressed or turned off. Before making another worthless trip I called and was greeted by a friendly lady who introduced herself as Emily. I asked if there was a wait and was told no, come on over so to Kona Grill we went! We arrived at Kona Grill ten minutes later and were immediately shown to our seats. In what seemed like only a few minutes Dani came over and introduced herself as our waitress for the evening. Lets just say from start to finish the experience was great! The menu is expansive and there's truly something for everyone. I was so immersed in the dining experience I forgot to remember the names of the appetizers and entrees. I guess that means I will have to return, and soon because I am not going to leave my fellow Yelpers hanging.
(5)Mark C.
Okay - if you dislike music being to loud and the bar not really being separated from the dining room - you probably should not go to Kona Grill during Happy Hour. Entered the building and one of the first things you notice is how loud it is. Music is loud...bar is loud and everyone in the dining area has to be loud in order to hear people at their table ( A minus for us) Service was good. Waitress explained items on the menu, made good recommendations and was quick with refills before even being needed. Food was good. Portions were fairly large. We all ended up with to go boxes. Had Pad Thai with shrimp (good), Pan Asian Noodles with Beef (Very good and spicy too), flatbread pepperoni pizza (good) and spicy tuna and spicy salmon. (Tuna good, Salmon not so much) Enjoyed the large fish tank behind the sushi bar and being able to watch the chefs make the sushi. Not so enjoyable was being able to see back into the kitchen area which unfortunately where we were located was a bit messy and took away from the overall positive atmosphere. Worth going to. Check out the Happy Hour specials.
(4)Anna L.
I quite liked this place. The food was good, I've had chilli soup, avocado rolls and margarita. The service was nice. And atmosphere too. I would certainly recommend this place.
(4)Jamal R.
Hands down this is one of the best restaurants in town from there steak to sushi and there cheeseburgers! The price is very fair the customer service is beyond excellent!
(5)Alyssa M.
I had the steak, mushroomand truffle oil pizza!... flatbread pizza! I love must things flatbread... this was awesome. SOOOOOOO GOOD! The best blend of flavors! The texture was great as well. It was AMAZING! The decor was very nice, upscale and cozy! I thought the prices were a little high... but that was to be expected. The service was great. I found out that they have a happy hour and I will BE BACK! And I will be trying the sushi on my next visit.
(4)CC C.
We came in on Sunday afternoon, it was quite busy. We sat at the bar and Jess was our server. She was extremely good and friendly and fast. We ordered a few cocktails and calamari. Then we ordered the sliders and a few sushi rolls. We were pleasantly surprised at how equally tasty the sushi & sliders were. We won't order the calamari again, it was rubbery and the breading was just bad, every other aspect of our visit was superb. If you like spicy sushi, I recommend the voodoo roll, it was great.
(4)Nikki W.
It was ok. The sushi is just average. The service was really good. The basic wines are very overpriced. The side house salads were plentiful and fresh. They come with blue cheese sprinkles. If I go back it will be during the listed happy hours as I don't ever want to pay full price again for sushi and drinks here.
(3)Andrea W.
Great service and awesome food! I just stopped in for the happy hour. I had the happy hour margarita and my friend, a bud light. For food we ordered the avocado egg rolls and a crab crunch roll. (Minus one star for their sushi, sometimes seems mushy) Halfway through those we added on an order of potstickers. Somewhere between courses, the manager stepped in and said that they were having a problem with the steamer and that it will be fixed and we would have our potstickers in no time. We didn't even say anything and the potstickers were taken off our tab. That's honesty right there. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. It's def a new fave.
(4)Luke S.
Kona Grill: I think I will finally quit you. Despite me trying at least 7 different entrees at seven different times, I can easily say that I won't be back. I'm unwilling to continue to be subjected to snotty high school hostesses, forgetful wait staff and meals that always miss the mark. It's like Kona is TRYING to make you hate going there.
(2)Jessica Z.
My husband and I have tried this place quite a few times, for happy hour and dinner. If you want a table for HH, you may be out of luck if you don't show up right when it starts, which is pretty early. Even if you show up just for dinner, good luck finding a spot to sit in their patio area! We love their dessert - I'd say their key lime pie is comparable to what I've had in Key West! My husband likes the bread pudding. This place is so crowded and the food (besides the dessert we like) is really nothing to write home about. Because of that, we've deemed this place as dessert only. Of course, because it's so busy, we just call our order in and pick it up to go.
(4)David W.
I heard from friends about this place and thought it was worth a try. Sorry to say it was disappointing. We sat and sat before I had to get up and find a waiter. After that, I figured things would go better. Wrong. Our waiter then seemed to go on break as we didn't see him until long after our drinks were gone. Flatbread, when it arrived, was just average. Not a fan!
(2)Matt M.
They have very unique tacos here. The environment is unique and quite comfortable but the price to cuisine ratio is a little too off to get it over that 5 star hump. I love the patio area and the bright open window areas and the breeze coming through near the bar. On a really nice night it seems like the perfect place to eat.
(4)Irene E.
Macadamia nut chicken was really good. I got some pesto pasta dish the second time around..good, but not like the chicken I had the first time. My Hibiscus drink was unique. Little pricey, but for a place like this, it's expected. Sushi was alright, I still think there are other places in the Omaha area that are better.
(4)Jennifer S.
Eh. It's nowhere near as good as Blue, but the food is decent and the service is excellent. I have only had sushi here, so I can't comment on the rest of the food, but they do have an extensive non-sushi menu. They also have skinny cocktails (yes!) and nutritional information online, if anyone's into that. If you have to wait for a seat, you can do some shopping in the neighboring stores and the little buzzers will still go off. I went last weekend and got the yamada roll, which is supposed to have tempura sea bass. It did not. Perhaps the sea bass was in there somewhere, but if so, it wasn't tempura'd. My friend tried it and couldn't locate the sea bass, either. It was loosely rolled and so I couldn't pick it up with my chopsticks without it falling apart; I had to shovel it in my mouth with a fork---like an animal!! (lol) For some reason my plate came with two of the creepiest, whole fried shrimps that I've ever seen. Like, one of them had exploded eyeballs. Blech! The manager stopped by to see how everything was, and when I asked about the little creepy guys she said that it comes with the shrimp sushi. She offered to get me something else, and when I declined (I was actually super-full at that point), she took it off my bill without being asked. That was very sweet of her, considering that the shrimp sushi itself wasn't affected by the little creepy guys. This last visit had the worst food I've ever had there, so maybe it was a new sushi guy. It was still good enough that I'll go back if I'm over at Village Pointe. I wish they had tamago (egg sushi).
(3)Alyx C.
Horrible service. The manager tried to make it right but it just kept getting worse. Obviously people love this place because it is crazy during happy hour. BUT if you want a nice place to eat with good service, this is not for you!
(1)Cara A.
Kona made a believer out of me yesterday. I've always had a ho-hum opinion of this place. However, after eating there yesterday I believe it now my #1 favorite Happy Hour spot. The flatbreads are fantastic (the Margarita is my favorite!), drink deals are good, Avocado eggrolls are delicious, and the rolls on their happy hour are affordable and taste great.. If you love spicy (and actually want sushi that actually has a little kick), Voodoo Rolls are the way to go, and if you're a fan of eel sauce definitely try the Atlantic Rolls. Every time I've gone here I've always been a little shocked at how affordable it was. It gets super busy during HH so seating options aren't always great (even though they have more seating than other similar restaurants). Speed of service is acceptable (they have always been very busy when I'm there, but I still eat within a reasonable amount of time). Over all, I really enjoy going here :)
(5)Gregory J.
We had the Asparagus Salad and Pan Asian Noodles from the Vegan/Vegetarian menu. The view from the patio is nice. The music was a bit loud and has the base boosted a bit too much. I don't mind but some people may not like it. Overall, we really enjoyed our lunch. 5-Stars.
(5)Christine H.
I have been to this place a number of times over the years and cannot think of a poor experience I have had. I really like their happy hour. I appreciate that it goes until 7 PM on weekdays. Most places, it ends at six, making it difficult to get in and out of there before it ends. Their happy hour is consistently very busy. They also play a Lot of fun music - late 90s early 2000 pop music. Their sushi isn't the best in town, but it is still pretty good. They don't have a huge roll selection like some other options here in town, but I can typically find something that I like. Their pizzas are tasty and they have a number of wonderful entrées. Great patio area. Another plus of this place, is that I feel it caters to adults and children, but keeps them separate. The happy hour in the bar isn't a place for children, but if you go into their dining room, I feel that is a great place kids can eat as well.
(4)Theresa R.
One of my favorite places to eat in Omaha so good. Try the lettuce wraps and the meatloaf both are amaZing!!!!!!!
(5)Eric H.
The environment seemed to have an upscale and classy feel to it. The food prices were actually reasonable. There was a variety of choices to choose from. I had the jambalaya and it was great, with just the right amount of kick to it. This was my first time eating here and it made a great impression on me. The dessert I had was freshly made and very tasty.
(4)Tanya P.
Kona has a great happy hour with drink specials and 1/2 priced apps. I'd recommend trying the sangria...red or white they both were delicious! Our waiter Rob was excellent! He was very attentive even though the place was packed. We ordered the margherita flatbread, calamari, spicy tuna roll & crab crunch roll. This was more than enough for three girls to munch on! The flatbread had a great balsamic reduction on it. The sushi rolls were fresh and put together perfectly. The calamari could have had a little more crunch to it but the sauce more than made up for it. If you haven't been here I recommend trying them out for happy hour to get a taste...trust me you will return for more! Happy hour runs from 3-7. Oh and if you can, sit on the patio, it's enclosed but the windows open:)
(4)Matt R.
Love this place! Sushi is awesome, very consistent as well as some of the best calamari I've ever had. Great bbq chicken flatbread as well and big sake bombers. 5 bombers per order and $7.5 for all of them during happy hour. Can be crowded in the patio at times but all day Sunday happy hour makes it much more accommodating!
(5)Manoj R.
Food is so-so but ambiance is very nice specially for young crowd. Their happy hour is great but if u r looking for good sushi this is not the place. But I go their once month to hang out with my buddies...
(4)Hannah D.
I had the cucumber salad and a variety of sushi with my boyfriend. I was mainly disappointed because I was handed a fork to eat my meal with, country music was playing and when I asked for hot tea they brought a variety box. Just come in knowing this is NOT a nice sushi restaurant. Rather, it is an over Americanized imposter. Stick to the steak.
(4)M. C.
i would skip the water with lemon wedges because i saw servers with ungloved hands work the register, work the floor and then pick lemons out of the container on the side of the bar with their bare hands. happy hour sushi was adequate. if you're hungry and shopping i would stop in here for $3-$4 sushi rolls or appetizers. just skip the water with lemon wedges.
(3)Cammy M.
My co workers and I went after work today. It was so hot in there you couldn't even sit on the patio. We all ordered drinks, apps and dinner. The waitress would only let SOME of us use the mall discount. That was incredibly rude. I have been going there ever since I started working at Village Pointe. Only once have I ever asked for the discount. One time the guy noticed my name tag and have it to me. Today our service was slow and it took FOREVER to get our checks. I'm done with Kona. It was an awful end to our day.
(1)Chester V.
The Omaha location just isn't as good as the Kansas City spot. Kind of boring and blah... Food is good, but the sushi is terrible. The rice is by far the worst recipe of any sushi restaurant around.
(3)Jessie F.
ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. I REPEAT ALL DAY SUNDAY IS HAPPY HOUR. Ok now that we got that out of the way, I also like this restaurant when I'm not trying to be a cheap sake. Their menus are diverse, and the dishes themselves are a healthy dose. Although when sitting in the restaurant part it can be a little loud with the Bar directly next to it. Also,the music they decide to play over the loud speakers tends to lean towards a '90s house party...not that I'm fully complaining, but honestly how do you expect me not sing along to R. Kelly "Ignition?" Even if I'm on a first date.
(4)Christine B.
My review is like the food...uninspired. Tried lettuce wraps, a few items from the happy hour menu (calamari and Americanized sushi) and the tuna steak sandwich. It's what I expected. Over salted, mediocre food (kudos on searing the tuna correctly, however). Over sweetened cocktails. Prompt, friendly service. I understand why people like it here (predictable food and atmosphere), it's just not my thing.
(2)Ka'ili H.
About two days after I landed in Omaha my sis was raving about Kona Grill. I just came from the islands and if you know ANYONE from Hawai'i, we know good food when we, well, eat it. So, I had to oblige and try this place out. So far, I've been here three times, and have found love for this place for several different reasons. First Time: Our waitress on our first visit was super friendly and on it. (The place wasn't too busy as it was lunch time, but hey, some staff could just wanna use that downtime to talk about some new dude their dating!) Then: the owners or managers (i assumed there were the higher up people because of their suit-like attire) came by and asked us how our desserts were-----Delicious, btw! Next stop: We came for a friend's birthday for dinner. It was really crowded and our wait was about 40 minutes long!! BUT, we managed to entertain ourselves as we waited. Unfortunately, we had to wait an extra 20 minutes for our table. Our friend's husband politely let the hostess know of our extra minutes and the manager compensated us quite nicely! Great customer service always keeps us coming back for more. Started out the celebration with Sake: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Had some pizza: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Although I didn't taste any truffle oil Bro had some fish: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Sis had some chicken: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… And we all shared dessert: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… My last visit was a Girl's Lunch and it proved just as delicious as the last couple of visits, the food was tasty, drinks were strong, and our waiter was handsome & spot on! The sis had this wonderful drink: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… if you ever have the chance, DO try this, then eat the hibiscus, it's GOOD! the girls had this basil & mint lemonade: yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… I had pizza once again, this one was crunchy and the ahi was fresh. mmmm good! yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Our friend had the ahi steak sandwich, well done yelp.com/biz_photos/O0HL… Of course we topped off our delicious lunch with dessert and it was just as divine as the first time. You know it's good when that sweet stuff gives you the same feeling you got the very first time. We'll keep coming back for more for all of the goodness this place has to offer: Great customer service, attention to detail, fresh and flavorful foods, and lastly GREAT desserts!.
(5)Daniel K.
I was part of the staff that opened this restaurant nearly a decade ago. Used to be such a cool and hip place, went back a few months ago and although the food is nearly the same, it's starting to feel like the chain it is.
(3)Aline S.
This Kona Grill has EXCELLENT customer service. We ate here a few days ago and my friend had some Basil Pesto spilled on her purse accidentally. Within a minute the manager was at our table with her business card and 2 servers were there with rags. They cleaned her purse, offered to pay for professional cleaning, and paid for her meal. Bonus: My turkey burger with (a new) basil pesto was delicious!
(5)Glenn P.
They had a good lunch special with sushi and salad combos.
(4)Donald W.
Terrible service at the bar. Two people there and one keeps leaving. Been here ten minutes and only got s water so far.
(2)Zach P.
BEST SUNDAY HAPPY HOUR (read as: day) EVER!! When I am home from school, my mother and I make a point to make the trek up to Omaha to hit Kona Grill Happy Hour and do some shopping every few weeks (poor us). We are obsessed with margaritas so when we came to our first ever Kona Happy Day, we had to try one (or two...-ish). The margaritas were perfectly flavorful with the perfect amount of tequila. We also ordered a variety of sushi, avocado rolls (aka god's gift to mankind), and some sliders. Each dish had its own unique flavor and exceeded our expectations. Especially being somewhat of a sushi snob, I was pretty impressed by the quality of sushi rolls that they served. The service was great, very friendly and the environment was super laid-back with some awesome music playing in the background. One Sunday that we went, all the music were throwbacks to the 90s. I hear you Backstreet Boys and pre-crazy train Britney Spears. Overall, Sunday Funday at Kona Grill is a fantastic way to spend a portion of your Sunday afternoon or early evening, followed by making irrational shopping decisions at the mall right next door.
(4)M F.
Not impressed, you would be better off going to the Old Market, downtown Omaha where the prices, food, and service are much better. As we entered the restaurant the three hostesses were not friendly and after my wife and I found our seat at the sushi bar with no help, it took quite awhile to get water and someone to eventually take our order. However, the Calamari was outstanding! The one glass of ice water was even better....you make the decision.
(2)Jilda F.
Reverse happy hour was fun. The sushi was delish customer service was top notch. Love the environment too!
(5)Jonathan T.
The place smelled like beer. It was all over the floor and not mopped up. My shoes stuck to the floor. Our server was rude and slow. My co worker and I both got sock from whatever we ate. Not going back.
(1)Kyle M.
AWESOME!! I went here during happy hour, (4-6) and we ordered two orders of sushi and one of their flatbreads, it was only 16 dollars and the food was outstanding. Our server Mike was attentive and super professional. This place is the place to go. Atmosphere was a Ten as well as the service and food.
(5)Kaai L.
Kona Grill is a restaurant that has not disappointed me once. Everything I ordered each time I go there is amazing. I have tried a different entree, and each time, they are made to perfection. If you go there, you need to save room for dessert! They are to die for! I am in love with their ultimate fudge brownie, red velvet cake and their passion fruit creme brulee. So good! I have to say for a picky eater from Hawai'i, I am quite impressed with their food here. Like I said before, I have not been disappointed once :) I try to come here with some of my friends at least once a month, it can get expensive, especially if you buy drinks. Their fuji apple sake is really good, but don't expect to get too tipsy on it.
(5)Jeremy S.
I think the title of this review should be "overrated." As a happy hour spot this place is toughest place to get into that I've ever seen. I really cannot figure out why. I think it is average not bad, not great. I was told by a bartender that if we want a table on a Friday we need to be there no later than 3:30. Wow! Their drink specials really aren't very cheap. They have draws of Bud Light and Miller Light on special...that' it for beer....seriously. Now I have to admit I still go here for a few items and the patio but mostly on Saturday since happy hour starts at 1pm. Yeah, I know. Awesome and not nearly as busy as weekdays. Things that are very good: Calamari (should get two mentions for how good it is) Avocado egg roll Ahi Steak sandwich and don't overlook the taro chips Things that aren't worth trying: Pizza...below average any sushi especially spicy tuna. My group always orders this and it is always some strange paste looking texture and I finally had to stop trying it just to see if it had gotten better. Believe me, it hasn't.
(3)Sarah G.
Tried the sushi again - thinking that maybe they've had some time to refine it - plus, people go here for sushi all the time... pretty much just as I remembered. The sashimi wasn't really up to par either (and no thanks on the wasabe mayo) I'm not sure where they source their fish from, but it just didn't seem all that fresh to me. The rolls, just didn't have a lot of punch. When I still have sushi in front of me and willingly quit eating, that's not a good sign. Plus, I really dislike how gargantuan they insist on making their rolls... which in double-hindsight is maybe to compensate for the lack of powerful flavors. And finally... where's the nori and sushi grade rice, why use so much soy paper, and why do you insist on calling edamame "soybeans"? The Kona theme of 'east meets west' is probably responsible for all of my questions above. Like Bill said, I should probably have known better than to order sushi from a chain restaurant in Nebraska. Lesson learned (again). Service was good though, and I like the restaurant's decor and fishtank, which I think definitely warrants two stars. Though if I go back, I'll stick to burgers or pizza.
(2)Kayla D.
LOVE Kona. Always hits the spot!
(4)Amy F.
Went to West O for lunch after a craving for sushi that just wouldn't die and several others were closed from 2-4 in the area I am staying. Not a long wait, our server Sarah was very nice and friendly. We only ate the sushi- couple special rolls, spicy tuna, and the Tuna Tower! The Tower was really good, but the sushi overall wasn't the best I have had. It satisfied the craving and was filling. The resturant itself is nice, clean, and seems like a very trendy hang out for people in that area. The bathroom was clean, however it is in the the hallway next to the drink station and walkway to the patio...just watch out! The fake vanilla smell in there also was a little too much. For a late afternoon lunch this place was just right. Overall an A-OK resturant, and I might try the Kona Grill in Denver in the future.
(3)Craig R.
Great Reverse Happy hour 9 to midnight every night!
(4)Matt B.
Macadamia Chicken is the bomb. Awesome. You'll want to order two. Gravy rocks. Downer: No Wi-Fi.
(3)Ben K.
Pros: Good happy hour specials Cons: I HATE West Omaha (Too far of a drive) It takes a lot to get me to go west past 132nd and Dodge, but my friends went here one night in the Village Pointe shopping center. Being in town for a short time, I decided to give it a shot. Kona is a chain with better locations in Denver and K.C. The Omaha one isn't up to snuff. The food isn't that good, the atmosphere is bland and boring, and all I want to do is leave when I'm there. Good thing drinks are cheap...
(2)Eric O.
Num num, the service makes up for the boring ( yet delicious) sushi. Nothing crazy, but this allows them to knock each dish out of the park every time, if that makes sense...
(5)Daryn P.
I awoke on Sunday, as I often do, hoping to begin the afternoon with a satisfying meal. It was Cinco De Mayo the day before and, although I'm not Mexican, I spent most of my time eating authentic street food, guzzling cerveza and hovering near a toilet. It was a long day. Incidentally, I wouldn't recommend wandering the streets of South Omaha while shouting, "Yo soy muy importante!" But, I digress. Every Sunday, my neighbor and I have brunch, typically at a place that serves waffles or Eggs Benedict. This past weekend, however, we thought we'd spend our Sunday at Village Pointe, which is quite a jaunt from our apartment building in the heart of downtown. First, we scanned the sale racks and new summer collection at Banana Republic. Then, we had a marvelous time trying on loafers at DSW. I'm certain that several passersby mistook us as gay, but I was having such a stupendous time that I hardly wasted a New York minute worrying about it. Exhausted from shopping, we thought Kona would be the perfect place to relax and enjoy a nice platter of food. I was quite enthused upon walking in. We were greeted kindly by a lovely hostess. She told us the patio was open seating, and then followed us with some menus. I wanted to get her name and phone number, but figured she was probably really busy with prom and everything. I guess I'll just have to find her on Facebook. After the hostess left our table and returned to her podium, we waited. Then, we waited some more. Then, we waited some more. After that, we waited some more. Nobody brought us water, said they'd be right with us, or even acknowledged us at all. My neighbor does smell a bit like cat urine, but that doesn't affect his status as paying customer. Given all of the servers, bartenders, and bussers that walked by our table, somebody could have at least smiled, or waved, or given us a thumbs up. "What's your threshold?" I asked my neighbor. "Let's give it a couple more minutes," he said. "Okay," I agreed, reluctantly. Then, we waited some more. My neighbor could sense that I was significantly agitated. "I reached my threshold ten minutes ago," I explained. "Let's go then," he suggested. "Yeah, let's get the H out of here!" I replied. "That was extremely disappointing," my neighbor shared, as we walked toward the exit. "I know," I said. "I got better service yesterday from a Mexican street vendor, and he didn't even speak English." "Have a nice day," the hostess said, as we walked out the front door. "That was ridiculous," I told her. "Yo soy muy importante!"
(2)Mike S.
Service was impeccable; dinner was great- for a west Omaha chain.
(4)Holly B.
Hubby said this was the only Hawaiian restaurant in Omaha...well it's not Hawaiian, more Asian fusion, but decent. We were not here for sushi, so I cannot comment on that. I was hoping for lau lau salmon, kahlua pork, poi, lomi lomi salad, stuff like that. Frankly I thought I was going to hate it the minute I walked in: loud, young singles bar lounge right next to front door, absent hostess. When she finallly turned up she asked if we wanted to sit in the outdoor or indoor bar lounge, at the bar, or in The Dining Room, like it was a place for untouchables. Of course we went there, so happy to be put out to pasture with the young parents and old farts. Much quieter with comfy tall booths to baffle the pounding pop music and shield our eyes from current mating rituals. The prices seemed a little high and the food came out so fast it kind of had me worried. But my seared ahi on bok choy and rice bed with sweet chli pepper sauce was good. His macadamia chicken with papaya sauce and haricots verte was good too. Had a beer, no apps or dessert, came to $47 before tip. Drinks menu is very funny with supposedly Japanese and Hawaiian translations of phrases like: "No more. I'm drunk already, so sorry". Dessert list uninspired but not ruled by chocolate, either. What a relief, but I was stuffed. This is going to sound funny but the glassware was so attractive: clear, no scratches, interesting shape, perfect size and weight. I must be living in squalor. Our waitress was fine, and I think the manager cruised by for a quick visit too.
(3)Mike L.
Good and service ate great. Parking sucks due to the mall it sits in, but once you are inside you would not know you were surrounded my retail insanity. Appetizers are very tasty! The bar can get packed Thurs through Sat, but there are plenty of places to hang out while waiting for a table to open. There is open seating in the bar and the patio area too, if it is not too crowded and offers the same menu
(4)Liz T.
My boyfriend and I have emptied our wallets on half the menu at Kona Grill. There's a lot of mediocrity in here, but a few things stand out--like the Sweet-Chili Glazed Salmon Salad ($10.50) and Volcano ($7.95). The latter is a baked crab and fish sushi with a sweet and spicy sauce--just scrumptious. I don't think any of the appetizers or seafood/meat specialties are worth yelping about. Kona Grill does an average take on interpreting Hawaiian fusion--I should know, I'm from Hawaii. Just stick with the sushi menu and you won't regret dropping half a Benjamin. The Dragon, Spider, and Wave rolls are all pretty yum-o. P.S. Don't eat the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee--even if it's on the house. Your palate will thank you and you'll thank me!
(4)Guy S.
Nice restaurant, good food, horrible service! This is the second time in, figured we'd give it another shot, what a disappointment yet again. Server didn't get the order right. Flies everywhere inside the restaurant.. I will not be back. If you love sushi, sushi japan, hands down.
(1)FranklyHonest H.
Excellent food, service, restrooms, tables, ambiance. 1) Make Reservations 2) Expect excellence! You WILL receive it! I made one teensy-tiny negative remark about an appetizer, and they replaced it immediately!!! And, did not charge me for it! It was not expected, but had the 5-Star WOW factor. 3) Happy hour is fun, arrive early. I think this is the best restaurant in Omaha and surrounding areas. sushi, sashimi, tuna. All the food is great. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Jen H.
OK. We went to Kona randomly while trying to find somewhere to eat out west. Let it be known that I do NOT like west Omaha at all. I hate the pretentious attitude. A lot. That being said: There was nowhere to sit when we got there. Greeter was more or less indifferent to whether we sat anywhere. So we wandered and found ourselves at the sushi bar portion of the restaurant. The sushi was alright ( granted I am not any kind of professional sushi taster ) and the chef in front of us was polite and attentive. It was distracting to be sitting with your back to the apparent 'server highway' portion of the store, the cooks were yelling and servers were back and forth constantly. I can see why nobody was sitting there. Prices were alright. Maybe we'll be back to try something else, but I highly doubt it. Can't imagine finding a time where we could actually get a place to sit...
(3)