Description and review of Koi Japanese Bistro, a Japanese restaurant offering both traditional and fusion dishes located on the edge of Midtown Sacramento.
Koi Japanese Restaurant, a family-owned business, opened in early 2022. I had made a mental note at the time to check the restaurant out, but only recently paid it a visit.
The restaurant is in the space previously occupied by the Capitol Aquarium. I recall taking my daughter there when she was a child to gawk at the hundreds of tanks filled with fresh and saltwater fish, turtles, etc. Upon arrival, the first thing she would do was to head to the fish pellet machine so that she could feed the Koi swimming in their pond.
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Koi Japanese Bistro
A friend and I recently visited Koi Japanese Bistro for Happy Hour on a weekday prior to the attending the theatre (Broadway at Music Circus). The restaurant has its own parking lot, a rarity in Midtown.
The entrance is to the left of the building. As you enter you find yourself on a bridge spanning the koi pond with waterfalls to the left and right. I was looking to the smaller left side of the pond when my friend called my attention to the right. The Koi were aware of our entrance, and had crowded together looking up at us obviously hoping to be fed. Sorry guys.
The restaurant is larger than it looks from the exterior. We were seated in the dining area to the right. The décor is colorful, and includes Koi murals on the walls.
Menu
To start, we both ordered a glass of the house chardonnay for the Happy Hour price of $8 vs $10. Koi Japanese Bistro also offers beer, cider, as well as filtered, unfiltered and sparkling sake.
We looked over both the Happy Hour menu and the All-Day menu. My friend ordered the miso soup ($3) from the All-Day menu to start. From there we decided to share the Happy Hour Pork Gyoza (8 for $8), the Cucumber Salad ($6) and the Mixed Tempura ($13) from the All-Day Menu.
Koi Japanese Restaurant also offers a very nice variety of dishes you would expect including sushi rolls, nigiri and sashimi.
Review
Our server was both friendly and efficient. As the dining room filled up, she was kept busy taking and delivering orders. I was a bit anxious between being seated and her taking our order, but relaxed once our order was in and I had the chance to mention we were going to the theatre.
My friend enjoyed her Miso soup. The Gyoza were good but nothing special. We both enjoyed the Cucumber Salad. Unfortunately, I did not take a photo of it in time to showcase the presentation. The star of our meal was the Mixed Tempura that included two shrimp and assorted vegetables. The portion was generous, the coating was light and the veggies were done just right.
To Sum Up
To sum up, I look forward to returning to try some of their other menu items. The lunch special menu looks good.
Comments on Koi Japanese Restaurant?
What has been your experience at Koi? What menu items would you recommend?
Koi Japanese Bistro Snapshot:
- 1920 29th Street, #A, Sacramento, CA 95816 (between S and T Streets)
- (916) 619-8569
- Closed Sunday; Monday (5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.); Tuesday – Thursday (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.); Friday (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.); Saturday (5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
- Lunch Special Menu: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Happy Hour: Monday (5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.); Tuesday – Saturday (5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
- Vegan & Vegetarian Friendly
- Parking Lot & Street Parking
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