This is a walkthrough of Kenzo's Spring 2024 Menu and a few of my notes for each course: Simmered Shimane Lake Shinji Icefish with Jidori Egg Yolk | Icefish was phenomenal. Great addition of the wakame in the jidori egg yolk. Seasonal Hassun (crispy hokkaido scallop with lotus root, hyogo firefly squid, hokkaido cherry trout nanbanzuke, green pea tofu with hokkaido sea urchin, sweet kumquat with tofu dressing) | The crispy scallop with lotus was the best; squid was a silky, delightful texture; closing on the tangy-sweet kumquat note was creative. Have to love that green pea tofu with uni. Canadian Snow Crab Shinjo Owan (signature dashi broth, turnip, maitake mushroom, mitsuba parsley, and yuzu) | I didn't love the snow crab shinjo dumpling with that particular blending of vegetables; the Canadian snow crab ends up in a supportive role to the maitake and to the broth. Nagasaki Cornet Fish Sashimi (with a ponzu gelee) | I love akayagara; this presentation was balanced perfection. Grilled Chiba Sawara Mackerel | A surprising rustic inclusion to this menu line-up. still contemplating the rationale for the mackerel feature at this point of the food journey, as the next dish is also a grilled fish Cherrywood Smoked Mie Bluefin Tuna Okakiage (kale, black pepper and tamari soy sauce-an) | The tamari soy sauce overpowered the tuna. The enso calligraphy with the sauce was a nice aesthetic touch. A5 Satsuma Wagyu Tenderloin Jibuni (taro, chrysanthemum cress, and grated shizuoka wasabi) | Easily the star of the show this evening; I am still thinking fondly of that wasabi; could have scaled back on that rich sauce, however -- it became a bit overpowering. Chef's Selection of Sushi with Red Miso Soup | I cannot recall what that first one to the right that looks spherical was, but loved it; so glad to close with that fatty tuna; a heartwarming red miso. If I'm being nitpicky, however, the presentation of the miso is reminiscent of a cremation urn for ashes, so in terms of aesthetic considerations, I might have gone with a different style of soup bowl and lid. Chef's Featured Desserts | An apple jelly with the perfect mousse topping; strawberry mochi and leaf wrap with red beans; ginger ice cream Overall, I highly recommend this experience. Great attention to detail. Most of the ingredients shine, although at times the dishes could be heavy-handed with the sauce. The Japanese cuisine almost felt French influenced.

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Kenzo is a kaiseki based Japanese restaurant with seasonal ingredients and menus that change. The flavors were delicious and clean, accentuating each ingredient in various ways of intervention. Overall I really enjoyed my meal, though I can't say it's more memorable than some of the meals I had at ryokans in Japan. The ambiance was minimal and the service was attentive.

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We chose Kenzo to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, and it also marked our first Kaiseki experience. From the moment we arrived, we were immersed in Japanese hospitality, or omotenashi, which made the evening unforgettable. We were seated at a private counter, and the personalized menu with "Happy Anniversary" printed on it was a delightful touch. Our server, who had recently moved from Japan and had been with Kenzo for just two weeks, greeted us warmly and presented us with warm wet towels and an exquisite wine menu. Each dish we enjoyed showcased simple yet amplified flavors that left us thoroughly impressed. The timing and sequence of the courses created a beautiful flow, making us feel as though we were journeying through different cities in Japan, where the ingredients originated. Having visited various cities in Japan, this dining experience truly took me back. We were so impressed that we recommended Kenzo to my sister and brother-in-law, who described their meal as life-changing. We can't wait to return for their summer menu and relive the magic. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an authentic and extraordinary Japanese dining experience.

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The last time I visited Napa, I went to Kenzo's estate and the ladies there recommended I go dine at Kenzo Napa if we had time. Unfortunately we didn't have time our last visit. So when I found out I was going to Napa again, I immediately made reservations to this restaurant. I really liked the service here. My cup of tea was never empty because they kept refilling for me even without me asking them to. Also, they made sure to serve us together and if one of us went to the restroom, they would hold on bringing out food until we were both ready. The servers made sure to explain each dish to us in detail and the sake pairing they offered went really well with each dish. However, I feel like for the price we paid, the food was not as impressive as I had hope for. I think the presentation of the dishes was amazing, but the taste was a little lacking. The 2 dishes that stood out to me was the wagyu and the desserts. Overall, I feel like everyone should come at least once for the experience, but I don't think I would be back again since it was pretty expensive.

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Things I aspire to in life: to go here exactly four times per year -- to have each new season's menu. It's just so good.

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Superb Kaiseki meal this side of the Pacific! Note not a sushi “omakase” restaurant - this is kaiseke, so know the difference. There is one sushi course, which was as amazing as the other courses. A 7-star meal and attentive service to match.

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I would not normally leave a review for a mediocre experience but with about $1,000 spent, I would definitely not make the same decision to have my birthday dinner here. One of the dishes had a cold fish component that tasted like canned sardines. I agree with a previous review that only one of the dishes had a wow factor (wagyu) but the rest of the dishes were so subpar it wasn't worth it. The one nigiri dish with uni was so scant with uni. Please save your money and go elsewhere.

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I was put off by our waiter who seemed not totally with it (talked super slow and would forget what he was saying mid sentence and often seemed like he was somewhere else) and was also not responsive, not attentive, and forgetful. At $300pp, I expected at least one dish or two to wow me but none really stood out, except maybe the A5 wagyu, which was very tender. Save your money and leave the Japanese meals for when you're in NYC or SF.

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If you appreciate extremely high quality fish, exceptional customer service, genuine omakase experience and gorgeous display of dishes, dining at the bar is a must. Kenzo is quietly tucked away one street down from the heart of downtown Napa. We were so intrigued by the restaurant and it's story connected to the Kenzo Winery in the hills of Napa, we visited the next day for a tasting. Recommend you look it up! Custom menus for our anniversary and complimentary champagne made the experience that more enjoyable. We hope to come back soon.

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I mention that because Kenzo was EVERYTHING French Laundry was not. There were exotic ingredients and new tastes I'd never experienced, and old ones with a new spin that changed my appreciation of them. The service was simply impeccable! You would look over and a cup of tea empty a moment ago was magically refilled. The wait staff were professional, incredibly knowledgeable, and clearly proud of the restaurant and service they provided. The in-depth knowledge of sake was also very, very much appreciated! There were only 2 tables (plus sushi bar seating), so the attention to diners was laser-focused. The environment is spare, which was fine and focused more attention on what we were there for: the food. Normally I would go dish by dish to describe, except I don't want to ruin it for you. Half the fun was the surprise of unusual and delightful tastes. For me, the highlight was the Wagu beef. It was mouthwatering, texture like butter. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. But what really set it apart was a rice cracker crust. It brought this novel umami and crunchy texture that sent the experience into the stratisphere! The wagyu spring roll was also elevated to a Michelin star experience. A chef who can take a dish as pedestrian as a spring roll and make it memorable is a genius. Similar for 2 separate interpretations of miso soup. The first had a yuzu-infused spinach that was sublime. The second used a red miso I had never tasted before, and was a new experience of savory. While only 3 bites, the scallops wrapped in daikon radish also delighted the palette. As I said, I won't ruin the rest, as the discovery was half the fun. The portions were all perfect. And let me strongly suggest that you follow the order of tasting each plate recommended by your server. It was well conceived to build and contrast, one taste following the other. The chef is a master. This restaurant is deserving of 2 more stars!

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Hands down the best dining experience we've ever had! The food is outstanding !! The staff amazing !! A special thank you to Adrian our main server. We celebrated my husband's 40th bday & already can't wait to go back.

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Loved the atmosphere. It was a soft opening for a new owner May I put new owner in quotes. Maybe didn't have the fastest staff for the soft opening but the food was phenomenal. Please give them the opportunities to work some kinks out. There staff was really nice and very friendly nice and accommodating.

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