Kiki College Hill - Japanese restaurant in Cincinnati - 5932 Hamilton Ave, USA

Kiki is Asian fusion done perfectly! 👌This place becomes busy for good reasons and I recommend a reservation even on weekdays. Street parking. The drinks are sneaky alcoholic (which is the best compliment) and I think the appetizers are a standout! Do order several! I cannot recommend this place enough and kudos to the chef/owner. His training in Japan definitely shows.

With all the accolades, nominations, and a visit from Guy Fieri, I expected Kiki to knock our socks off. Well, this was not the case. We ate early on a Sunday and our server Joel was friendly and explained how the menu worked. I ordered a glass of pinot grigio, but they were out of that, so he suggested another white. We ordered the Curry Pan, which looked fun, but tasted bland and dry. The Inari Soba was a dish I've never heard of, so we ordered that. It was also bland and dry, and there was no where near enough dressing on the soba noodles. The "shell" was also mushy. It looks pretty in a picture though! Next was Chicken Karaage. The tempura batter made the pieces super crunchy, but it really lacked seasoning. There is a choice of 5 sauces from which to choose at $1 each. The gyoza was the star of the small plate dishes. The presentation was unique with the apron of batter holding them together. You can taste that the filling is an original recipe of Chef Hideki and Yuko because it is unlike any gyoza we have tasted. The sauce was so citrus forward that, although we didn't enjoy it, must have been a perfect compliment to the gyoza. Lastly, I ordered the Shio Ramen. It was good, the noodles were springy, and the pork belly and egg were cooked perfectly. After returning from Vancouver where there is a great ramen joint on every corner, this one to me was only good, not great. I wish there was more of it, and more toppings. There are also good ramen spots near me in West Chester.

Our visit to Kiki for my birthday was met with exceptional hospitality! Joel did an amazing job wrangling our group. Despite having two vegans and a gluten-free person in our group, we all left feeling very satisfied. The vegetable tempura was definitely a highlight of the evening and one of the best dishes I've had this year. It's safe to say that everyone was raving about the delicious food.

The combination of yummy Japanese food and the delicious allure of kimchi proved to be an outstanding culinary adventure. Each component of the poke bowl worked together harmoniously, creating a symphony of flavors that left me in awe. What truly set these dishes apart was the quality and freshness of the seafood. Every morsel was expertly sourced, ensuring that the flavors were pristine and the textures were impeccable - I could eat the scallops each and every day!

Fantastic food — I haven’t had a single dish here that wasn’t great. The cocktails are inventive and so tasty. The flavors are unique and impressive; foodies will LOVE this place; and non-foodies can find great options to enjoy and return to over and over again. The new brunch menu is a delight.

A beautiful gem. I appreciate how they do not have a large menu, rather, a small menu of relatively simple Japanese dishes done just right. The ingredients are very fresh, for example, I got the tamaki plate (d.i.y sushi rolls) as an appetizer and the raw tuna was very light and fresh. The shio ramen was perfect, again, not trying to do anything new or crazy, just making this classic comforting dish perfectly and with care. The handmade noodles were so good and perfectly chewy. A large alcohol selection including several types of sake and Japanese beers (I got the Red Rice beer and really liked it). For dessert that day they were offering raspberry cheesecake with matcha crust and matcha ice cream with bits of Kit-Kat in it. They were both delicious and fresh tasting, with a pure but not overpowering matcha flavor. I especially loved the ice cream. :) The space is very clean, cozy, and airy with a very pleasing design and beautiful, simple dishware. In a truly lovely Japanese way, every detail is done with purpose and beauty is enhanced by minimalism. The staff were all very friendly and professional, and seemed excited about working here. It felt like a place where appreciation for good cooking and simple beauty is shared by customers and staff as people come to enjoy these comforting and lovingly made dishes in a lovely space. I am looking forward to coming back here with my family. Thank you to the owners and staff!

One of the best meals in Cincinnati. Every single course was incredible. The seared scallops, gyoza pork, seaweed salad, oysters... wow. I could go on and on. I would highly, highly recommend trying to reserve your table. It's a small spot so I don't think they usually take big parties. They do have a waitlist they can put you on. If you do have to wait, just go down the street to a bar and chill. It is worth the wait.

My family and I love this place and come here more than any other restaurant in Cincinnati! Amazing Asian fusion, great food all around, kind and friendly service. There isn’t anything on the menu that I don’t like. If you’re thinking about going, just do it!