Koi Kawa Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar Reviews

great fresh tasteful sushi that we really enjoyed served by a very friendly sushi chef. They also have a nice variety of Japanese food that were very nice. great prices. highly recommend.

Our family just moved to SA. We've eaten here 2x. The first time was on a Wednesday night and the service was really slow. We were there for about 2 hours and had to cancel some plans later that evening because we didn't get done with dinner in time. The next time we went on a Friday evening and the service was better and the food was just as good. The staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean and it has a nice view of the park. This is our favorite Japanese spot so far. It's not cheap and our family of 4 usually spends about 80-90 for dinner.

This isn't a review on their food (my family thought it was good, I was fair from impressed but I didn't eat sushi and still wasn't impressed). Personally I like what little fish I eat, cooked, but my youngest son just graduated Air Force Boot camp and wanted Sushi. No problem, we found Koi Kawa on the web, so we went. When I received the ticket, while I was figuring out the tip I noticed they put on own tip on with out my permission. A 18% tip for a party of six. I was outraged! First of all I really believe in tipping! I'm in the restaurant business and believe if you give good service, you need to tip! In fact when I get poor service, I will still tip away but will tell the waitress/waiter that I shouldn't tip but will tell her/he why and what she/he did wrong, so she/him can learn, because most people won't say a thing. They just won't tip and the waitress/waiter thinks their just cheap and not knowing that it was their service that keep them from getting tipped. (Yes I know that some people are just tight and don't know the sowing and reaping thing. I do). Why a forced gratuity is wrong? A tipped is earned! If you give poor service than you don't deserve a tip! If you give good service you do deserve one. When a waitress/waiter sees a party of six or more, 99% of them know that their getting a tip and they don't worry about the service they give you. It should be left up to you, the customer wither they deserve to be tipped, not the restaurant! I want to say that on a scale of 1- 100, 100 being the best, the service was a 75. It was okay but they don't deserve the right to tell me or you what we should tip!!!!! I will also say that I was so involved in trying to find something to eat that I didn't see if they stated it on their menu and if they had I would have brought it to their attention and depending on what their reply was, I would have stayed there or left. Again, this isn't about their food, it is about forcing me to tip them at the rate they thought they deserved. A lot of restaurants do this but that don;t make it right!

We had an early dinner on a Friday night, business was slow and so was the service. The décor is minimalist and there was a slight “fishy” aroma in the entrance. There were a few people sitting at the sushi bar and three other tables in addition to ours. The waitress never informed us of any specials but maybe there were not any. The sushi was okay, c+ …not quite as fresh. The restrooms need to be refurbished …there are rust stains and corrosion in both sinks and around the floor in the stall. The soap dispenser was empty.

It's in a quiet shopping center. The food is amazing. Have tried multiple items and have never been disappointed. Try sushi rolls from the menu handout that is not attached to the regular menu. Everything is super reasonable in price too!

My favorite Japanese restaurant so far in San Antonio! Highly recommend to anyone looking for excellent food, nice ambience and great service!

I am not surprised to see Zagat has rated this among the top restaurants of any style in San Antonio. I visit here regularly for lunch with colleagues or dinner with friends and enjoy the variety and quality of the food and preparation. Toro (when available) or ahi, unagi, and salmon are among my favorites for sashimi. Then there is the tempura soft shell crab. And ikura don with quail egg. A large variety of terrific sushi rolls. I could go on. Good selection of Japanese beers and sake. Eat at the bar if there's room. I found this place years ago and will continue to prize every chance I get to eat here.

We enjoy Koi Kawa on every visit. We venture out to other sushi restaurants & always come back to koi kawa. The sushi is always fresh & prepared properly. They have a cucumber salad with this incredible dressing. The hot saki is great also. Ambiance is not the best compared to other places, but for a great meal & great service we always find it here.

Koi Kawa has been a San Antonio hidden gem for decades. My husband's grandparents brought me here the first time in 1998. The food is wonderful, with a wide selection of favorite rolls and a wide selection of house rolls that may surprise you. There is a lovely selection of noodles, tempura, and an appetizer selection that can easily be a meal. The beer is cold, the tea is hot, and the sake is silky. It really is an A-1 restaurant with a great staff.

The service here is fantastic! The food is always served fresh and they can try and make adjustments if you ask. You do not only have to order sushi from the menu, let them know what you want and they can make it for you. I love restaurants like this-they always think outside the box and try to make every customers visit special. They new owner has made the restaurant look a bit more modern and you can tell he has a passion for what he does. You can find him behind the bar creating beautiful and delicious works of art. The servers there are very attentive and truly want to help you enjoy your visit. Check it out for yourself if you are ever nearby or just visiting the museum, on a date, after school, before/after work, with a friend or family. Yes- they take reservations! Buen Provecho!

Chose Koi Kawa by chance. It's a small restaurant with relatively plain atmosphere, but nice windows overlooking the river and Brakinridge Park. Food was very good, service was friendly (though not particularly prompt). We had a good dinner for about $50 (including tax and tip). I'd go back.

Sushi with an infusion of Carribean-Tex-Mex...and done in a manner that deserves the highest of marks...We enjoyed 3 different rolls and my wife ordered a chicken dish that was outstanding... They really make every effort to make the meal an exceptional experience...we did 4 days in San Antonio and every meal was fantastic...this was the best...

Tucked away in the back of a complex called the boardwalk, the restaurant may not be the easiest to find, but it is truly a hidden gem. Coming from Hawai'i and the west coast, I will admit there are only a handful of sushi places I go to and Koi Kawa is at the top 9f the list. Offering the freshest sushi I've found in San Antonio, the variety of sushi rolls is incredible. Their namesake Koi kawa roll features tuna and is a great starter. I also love the Kiss of fire roll - Tuna, Hamachi, & Avocado Topped with Seared Tuna, Jalapeno, Sp. Mayo, Chili, Habanero Tobiko, but my go to is their salmon skin hand rolls. This is the only sushi restaurant I have found in San Antonio that prepares the skin with a little meat and braised in a toaster oven. Everywhere else here, they deep fry the skin giving you a greasy crisp. The prices are very reasonable for the area and the offer other Japanese cuisine. So, if looking for a more west coast style sushi, Koi Kawa should be your first choice

Fresh, clean tasting sushi and sashimi. Tasty rolls. Piping hot, crispy tempura. Fair prices. Crowd of newbies and regulars. Friendly staff.

We had appetizers and entrees and they were very good, high quality food. Wait staff was very attentive. Excellent experience, good price. We're visiting San Antonio and it's been one of our best meals.

Great location and good sushi. The cooked dishes seem nice but I always get some nigiri and a few rolls, so the sushi is what I know here, and it is fresh.

Visited w. wife, mother, and a friend and we all agreed our sushi was average. The prices are pretty cheap, though, so it does have that and great service going for it. Miso, sushi rolls, and noodle soup were all fair, but not great. The star of the meal was salmon which was cooked rare just how my mother likes it. It's pretty out of the way from downtown San Antonio, so unless you are dying for sushi find something better closer in town.

If only my 2nd Roll would have arrived on time, and 2 of our dishes/glasses weren't dirty. Services was extremely slow. But its a truly location. Its all the way in the back

This is not the same Koi Kawa we all come to know. I've been a loyal customer for 20 years, but Niki sold this restaurant to a new Korean owner. They kept the same name but this is not the same Koi Kawa. The menu is the same, but the food is horrible. The new owner does not know Japanese food, because those party sushi rolls all taste the same with siracha and mayo. Even the rice on the sushi is a disaster. Instead it taste like regular bland steamed rice. The rice on the tuna chirashi is bloody, and taste fishy. I got sick the next day.

Feels like back in the old country sitting at the sushi bar. A sushi joint owned by a Japanese- a rare find.

We have been going to Koi Kawa for several years. It has always been very good sushi rolls with average decor and friendly waitstaff. We hadn't been in awhile because of all the construction going on near the restaurant. We went for a casual Sunday lunch. The tempura appetizer was great! The sushi rolls, however, were just average and they had to remake my son's chicken teriyaki because the chicken breast was so dry and overcooked. It came out perfectly the 2nd time. Our server was very friendly and accommodating. I'm going to look for another "go to" sushi place but I'm willing to give Koi another try, possibly when all the construction is over and they are back to their usual hopping business.

This little gem has been in operation for over 20 years. The sushi is always very fresh. The other night they had sea urchin and fatty tuna and it was heavenly. Today the salmon was delicious. For lunch they offer a large variety of bento boxes as well as the main menu. The service is attentive and the setting is tranquil.

Innovative sushi roll and super fresh Sashimi, excellent lychee saketini. Friendly and attentive service. Will be back soon!

I'd put this one up there with best first date places. Wonderful view, food and feel.

I like sushi chefs that apply their creativity to offer up unique maki rolls that make you want to come back. Anyone can make a tuna roll. Special rolls abound. Try the Bank Roll-salmon on the inside with yellowtail on top. The Sunset Roll is also very tasty. It features yellowtail, salmon, smelt roe and avocado.

I live nearby and love sushi. I've tried a couple of the more popular places in SA, which have all been mediocre to disappointing. I know, we're in an area where it's not that popular of a cuisine, but a girl can always hope, right? Well when I found this place my dreams were fulfilled. The sushi is ALWAYS fresh, always firm and flavorful, and the service is always super friendly. It can be a little slow at times when the dining room is packed, but they serve with a smile and have gotten to know us as regulars. They have tamari sauce for those with gluten problems. The sashimi is prepared well as are the rolls and nigiri. Haven't tried the cooked menu so can't comment. It's tucked away in the back of a strip mall but has really unique architecture and a nice view of the river.

This place has been here forever. It is frequented by locals primarily. They have a nice selection of rolls and very very fresh fish.

Love everything about thisplace: setting, food, atmosphere, service. Be sure to get a window table.

We enjoyed our meal at Koi Kawa. The food was good and the sushi fresh. Prices were decent as well. At lunch we could see the nice view out the windows of the river, although we did not have a window seat. I am glad I read the reviews to learn that the restaurant is the in back of the complex.. I would never of found it otherwise. But this does not seem to hurt their business as they were pretty busy at lunch on a Friday. The rolls were tasty and the salmon sashimi was good too. As others said there are some rolls without descriptions, but the server can explain them all too you. I particularly liked the Red Dragon roll and the Dream roll. Our waitress had to leave and we switched to another, which I felt was odd in the middle of lunch time. The second waitress was not as attentive and we had to ask for refills of our drinks several times. Overall Koi Kawa was a very good sushi restaurant and I will come again the next time I am in San Antonio.

We live nearby and enjoy coming here for happy hour specials on rolls and sake. They also have great cooked specials for those in your party who may not want sushi. Enjoy watching the river and take a stroll in Brackenridge after your meal.

My husband, our two-year-old son and I went here for sushi, despite mixed reviews on this and other sites. We were absolutely pleased. We are sushi lovers, but not sushi connoisseurs, so authenticity is second to flavor for us. Nice ambiance, clean and bright. It was very quiet when we arrived, a half hour before the dinner rush, but never got too loud. Our waitress was attentive and pleasant. As a couple wanting a good dinner and not having the option of leaving our son behind, we were apprehensive of bothering other diners on a Friday night, no matter how well behaved he might be; however, the waitress brought his dinner first without our asking, provided smaller silverware (the first place in SA to do that!), etc. and was very understanding and helpful. The food was very good, fresh, hot or cold as it was supposed to be, plenty of it, served promptly as it was prepared, and certainly affordable. We would love to come back!

Great food, wonderful amiance & friendly service! Isn't that what we all want? YES, yes, yes! Stop in here for a great meal in a relaxing atmosphere - heaven!

*&^%#@! EXCELLENT!!! nice atmosphere yet very laid back. EXCELLENT food and good pricing

My family and I celebrated a birthday on Broadway at Koi Kawa. Dinner for 5 +1(9mo) with appetizers and entrees galore. We tried the mizo soup, rainbow rolls and the edamame. Very flavorful dishes set in urban-themed dishware. The entrees were excellent; I highly recommend the salmon sashimi. Price is fair for this location, we will make a return visit. The decor is very simple but they food makes up for the minimalistic curb appeal.

The restaurant is hard to locate as it is located in the far back corner of a shopping/business center. We went on a Saturday when it was raining so parking was not a problem. The restaurant was clean, the staff was friendly, and explained what was on the menu. We did have to ask for napkins and eating utensils. The sushi was average.

I am a huge fan of Japenese food and a big critic. I always judge a place on quality based on a simple order of something everyone else has. The crunch roll was moist and the best I ever had. The rest of the food was to dies for. I enjoy my edame salted and it wasn't, but Not everyone likes it salted, just be awar. Best hole in the wall!

Have eaten at every sushi place in town. Koi Kawa is good and priced right. Nothing fancy, but staff is always nice and clean environment. Everything I have tried has been good.

Hard to find location, tucked away in the back of the business center. The sushi was just average and lacked the WoW factor. The service was ok, had to remind the server for napkins and eating utensils. It's understandable if the place was super busy but the place was nearly empty.

Wonderful visit to this place. We had 3 rolls and we loved the Bellagio. The place was clean and the people working were very nice. Very tasty miso soup as well. We will

heard about this restaurant from locals & it was great. It is not near the riverwalk & a little hard to find. The sushi was fresh - had both nigiri & rolls.

This business is professional chefs, friendly service & has outstanding fresh delicious food. It has my highest recommendation. Thanks for coming to our Valkey.

Hands down this is my go to sushi spot! I'm kinda glad it's a little hard to find- better for me. All of the servers are very knowledgeable and helpful. the sushi is fresh, there's plenty of variety and the presentation is excellent. They have some great off menu items too.

I do not like Sushi. I just don't... Its the texture, or something. I went here because my husband likes it and there was a $20 worth for $10 coupon online. Honestly they won me over. The presentation is beautiful. The waiter was helpful in recommending things to try and very attentive. I ate more than I ever have before, and I liked it. Which is saying a lot for me!

Came here with my boyfriend in march. Food was simplistic but fascinating. Wonderful atmosphere, nice waittress, beautiful scenery. Been dying to come back.

this is a great little sushi spot! the sushi and staff is amazing! the best ungi i have ever had! yummy :)

Nothing mass produced about this place, every dish is prepared with attention to detail. This is not zushi sushi, it's better! Try the fiesta roll, avocado cup salads, and streamed dumplings! Japanese people eat here.

We had edamame and sushi rolls. The rolls were inexpertly made and so loosely rolled that they fell apart when we picked them up. The ratio of rice to other ingredients was off - the rolls had way too much rice. Two rolls were OK in that the fish tasted fresh enough that I wasn't afraid to eat them, however, they had little flavor. The fish did not taste fresh for the third. The prices are definitely cheap for sushi (maybe that's because there's more rice than anything else), but you get what you pay for. I eat sushi often and love it. I wouldn't return here.

We love to go out and eat sushi. This restaurant had so many choices & saki. We ended up ordering several items. Sit by the windows. The view is nice. The place is hidden way in the back.

Sushi and service were very good - and the price was very inexpensive - at least compared to prices in Canada. The interior is unlike any sushi restaurant we have experienced - kind of rustic, unsophisticated. Get a table at the back window with its view to the surprisingly bucolic exterior.

The food is Great…. the service is bad (They only had two servers) over worked. Server was good just over worker…I left a tip

Delicious food in a sweet restaurant, with big windows looking out on a park. Even our 5 year old loved it.

I like this little hidden gem. This inside is spacious, warm, and inviting. Our waitress was great at explaining the menu. We ordered the Sara roll, hand roll, tuna sushi, tappanyaki (chicken), and a couple of te-maki’s. The food was fresh and flavorful. The Sara roll was probably my favorite thing on the menu.

WOW! Who would have guessed this strip-center restaurant would be so gastronomically advanced. The tofu steak I had was the best I've ever had, hear or in Japan! Sushi very fresh. Service good. Beautiful, serene view out window. What a jewel!

I used to always eat sushi when I was young in California. Now I go to Koi Kawa on my birthday every year. I love their tempura lunch plate. The tempura is perfection and so is the miso soup. My niece loves their sushi. Something wonderful here for everyone. The view overlooking Brackenridge Park. Only drawback for me is the noise level is high at lunch time. (My ears are very sensitive to noise, so it may not bother you.) I consider Koi Kawa to be a real treat. \

Prices are great and the food is even better! Try the specialty rolls. I recommend the special sara with cream cheese and the sandra roll tempura fried. Miso soup is good too. Sake is very reasonable.

My husband enjoy date nights here. Try the Kobe beef steak, the sake, the Japanese soda. We've yet to find a roll we do not like from here.