I have been here many times and would summarize it as:
Tapanaki - 5 star
Sushi - 3 star
Today i am going to write about the sushi. Â I actually ate in the Tapanaki side with my friends but ordered sushi, I had the tapanaki many times and wanted to try the sushi. Â Well it was kinda goofy. Â At first they just handed me a sushi ordering form. Â Sadly I don't know what roll is what (Ie dragon vs caterpillar) off the top of my head. Â So I had to go ask for a more thoroughly explaining menu that listed ingredients. Sadly their site doesn't have anything either...
Volcano Roll - 6.50
A spicy roll with eel and a spicy mayo sauce - very good! Â
Spider Roll - 16
Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab. Â This was horrible, the first time I got it, it was burnt to a crisp and no meat survived the frying. Â I asked the waiter about it and she said that's how it comes and people complain a lot. Â Eventually she offered a manager and the manager said that's how it comes but if you want it undercooked I can get you another. Â So they did. Â It was better but not good at all still. Â Very sad. Â The most expensive thing and it wasn't that good.
Dragon Roll - 8
Eel as well but not spicy and I think this one was fried as an entire roll. Â This was pretty decent. Â Not as good as the Volcano though.
Considering these prices, I would think that the rolls would be amazing. Â I get the same rolls for cheaper and better made at a sushi house like Sushi Ya or even an all you can eat at Sushi Para. Â And I would pay less in both cases for better quality. Â So sad :(
We enjoy coming here all the time, but unfortunately this past experience went downhill at the end of our dinner. Â The food was GREAT! Â The only reason they are receiving one star is because of poor training. Â The same person cleaning the grill was also acting as our server at the end of the night. Â The bust boy came over and asked if we were done with our dinner. Â Before I could allow him to throw away my 3/4 full bowl of fried rice and barely eaten steak and salmon combo, I had to stop him. Â As he was packing our food, he shook his head with frustration. Â First off, you're not our server. Â Second, you failed to ask if we would like to take the rest home. Â So don't take your frustration out on us. Â
Kampai needs to train their staff better. Â Poor training results in a one star. Â We plan to return, but they need to train their staff better. Â Bust Boy = Bust Boy. Â Server = Server.
This just so happens to be one of my favorite places to go! I especially wanted to comment on the Kampai floating sushi bar next door which is so much fun AND delicious!!! This is one of my favorite places to go with coworkers. Â I especially like that you have the opportunity to sample multiple sushi options and the cost is based on the color of the plate you choose. I highly recommend it!
Review Source:First experience with the grab at your own pace sushi boat. Great concept and it was a fun experience but it was very difficult for us as my bf is allergic to shellfish. Hardly anything is labeled and the sushi chefs are too busy to answer when we asked if these items contained shrimp. Sushi was good, service was friendly, its close so I'll probably end up back here.
Review Source:My husband and I used a LivingSocial deal for this.
The atmosphere is fairly loud-- and I rarely complain about noise. They sat us an a table with 4 kids. The kids were indeed well behaved, but it was a bit upsetting that they took that risk of putting a couple on a date night at a table where kids almost outnumbered adults.
Our waitress was quite.. too quiet for the atmosphere. I didn't like how she tried to up-sell things like the fried rice without mentioning the additional charge we had noted on the menu. Also, at the end.. we were sitting around waiting for our hot tea.. which our menu said came with our meal.. and when we finally asked if it was included as we thought, she said, "yes, if you ask." We found that really strange.. that they don't bring out hot tea that is included UNLESS you ask??
All in all, we had an enjoyable experience. The food portions were generous.. and it was definitely tasty.To be honest, if I hadn't had the LivingSocial deal, I probably would've been upset with the prices/value. If we are in the mood for a similar experience, we will most likely choose Benihana instead on account of the atmosphere.
One of my favorite all time restaurants. Â Their golden shrimp, while it might be taking years off my life, is one of the best things I have ever eaten. Â Their fried rice is incredible, with a side of yolk sauce. Â I recommend the chicken and golden shrimp combo, but the Kam Pai special is always a good way to go too. Â My friends and family all love this place. Â There are always tons of left overs and now that they have groupons and living social deals I don't even think it's expensive. Â With places like this I don't know why anyone would go to Benihana.
Review Source:Food was very good; delicious teriayki chicken and golden shrimp. Generous portions of everything, vegetables and meat alike. Â The steak wasn't amazing but not bad at all.
The atmosphere was very nice; there must have been 6 birthdays in a restaurant of 50 people and the staff sang and made a big deal for each one. Â I noticed that a group brought their own cake and the staff was nice enough to cut it and serve it for them (very cool). Â
We had a LivingSocial deal and weren't given the stinkeye (like so many other restaurants who treat you like trash when you bring in a coupon). Â The service staff was friendly, re-fills were frequent and it's generally a great place for Japanese. Â
My only issue was that the Japanese style-cooking showmanship (I'm sure there's a term for this) was really short. Â My girlfriend and I were seated at a table with 2 single parent/single child groups and the cook basically tossed his spatula for a second, did the onion train thing (never gets old), cooked our food, and left. Â Granted, this isn't really a big deal at all but I happen to enjoy that sort of thing and when the cook takes pride in it, I enjoy the experience more and it puts a nice touch on the evening. Â When they rush through it and half-ass it, it feels really lame and boring. Â Were this our first date, I would have been embarrassed. Â
All in all, I recommend Kampai as a great place to get dinner. Â Not terribly expensive and yet terribly tasty. Â Try and be seated somewhere towards the center for a cooking show that has some flair. Â Good for kids, birthdays, and dates (just maybe not the first date). Â :-)
Came here with a friend who is a regular. Â I had been to the sushi side before, that was more fun. Â The steak house side food was good, but the chef was very very lame. Â He did the volcano/choo-choo and spun the spatula. Â That was IT. Â No spinning the egg, no tossing the shrimp. No clickity clacking at all. Â There was even a kid at our table. Â The kicker is that the chef went on to his next table and put on a show for them. Â Hmmm. Â I mean, really you ARE paying for the experience, right? Oh, and about the veggies, we were at end of his service line, and there were mostly onions left, I got no carrots and a tine fraction of a pea pod.
Review Source:I LOVE THIS PLACE. Â I've been to many hibachi steakhouses over the years. Â Whenever I travel my wife and I make it a point to go to a new one.
We've been to House of Kobe in Indiana hundreds upon hundreds of times in the last 20 years. Â We enjoy Benihana and Ron of Japan.
MOST of all we enjoy Kampai!
We stumbled across a groupon last year and we took a chance. Â It's our new favorite. Â Now its a monthly habit.
The Golden Shrimp (and the rest of their food of course) may be the prime reason why we return. Â They have excellent service and treat us well every visit. Â The chef's bring the tricks and are on their game.
It's kind of a hole in the wall, not fancy dining by any means, but it doesn't matter.
Customer for life!
Landlocked Chicago-land is not exactly the first (or second... or tenth...) place that comes to mind when I think of regions to find good sushi, and I happen to be extremely picky about my sushi, so take this review with a grain of salt if you're the type of person that's satisfied by things like California or spicy tuna rolls. For me, the sushi and hibachi is edible, satisfies hunger, and has never made me sick, but I personally would never come here if it wasn't for my coworkers who tend to greatly enjoy the standard Americanized kaiten-sushi and hibachi. Overall, this place would satisfy the majority of people who've never had amazing sushi, for those who have, it's not even close to the real thing. The service is very attentive and friendly though and the price point between inexpensive and reasonable for what you get, so it's worth at least a shot if you're in the area.
Review Source:A visit for our Anniversary! My wife loves Kampai, especially the Golden Shrimp.
We scheduled our visit that day, and it took three calls to get through to someone! There needs to be a better way to get to a person after 10:30am (Reservations supposedly open at 10am) to ask for a table since they are 'required'. I called at 10:30am, 1:00pm, and then again at 5:00pm when I finally got hold of a person. Plan early!
Our chef was polite and skilled, having some fun with our table of all adults. I think they enjoy 'showing off' for kids more, but he did well in demonstrating his skills. The usual volcano and spinning spatula. He really shined with balancing the spinning egg for the Fried Rice, cracking it perfectly at the end of the bit! That's a tougher one.
We started with Salad, Soup, Shrimp Flambe and a helping of Fried Rice. The salad was fresh, with an ample serving of Ginger dressing and a cup of soup. The Shrimp Flambe with vegetables and Fried Rice (upgrade) were good, though the Fried Rice lacked much flavor while being slightly salty. We added some of the dipping sauces to liven up the rice, but then it was way too salty. Linda had the chef add some teriyaki sauce, and seemed happy with that.
Linda ordered Teriyaki Steak with Golden Shrimp, and I ordered Garlic Shrimp with Teriyaki Salmon. The steak was done well and prepared with flair. The Golden Shrimp was a hit with Linda, too. She was all smiles when our chef spread the Golden sauce on thick! My shrimp were excellent, with an equally rich application of garlic sauce. Nice flavor and nicely cooked shrimp. The salmon was a nice piece of fish, prepared well, but a bit salty - not untypical for teryiaki.
For desert (included) we got a bowl of ice cream. I'm always partial to the Green Tea ice cream, and it was very good. We were even brought a cupcake (nothing special, but nice touch) in honor of our Anniversary. If you come for a celebration (birthday, anniversary...) they even sing to you in English and Japanese.
Overall, for the price, it was OK. Serving sizes were adequate, but lacked some of the polish of other similar restaurants. Conveniently located if you live in the area, and the Sushi is supposed to be great, though we haven't tried that here, yet.
This review is for the Sushi Boat section of the restaurant...
This isn't really the best setting for a group, but somehow I always went there with like 6 people...everyone loves this place!
It is not much to look at on the inside, but during lunchtime, you sit around a huge circle. All the sushi chefs are inside the circle, and between you/them is a moat with little boats of sushi floating by! All of the plates are color-coded, so you know how much each plate is (ranging from $1-$6, generally). Some of them are sashimis, some are rolls (vegetarian and non), and some even have salad or fruit, just to mix it up! You simply grab what you want before it floats by (before someone else gets their hands on it!)...and if you miss it and it doesn't come back around, they'll usually replace it.
If there is anything that you want that isn't floating by period, you can always ask the chefs for special requests, and they will happily oblige.
Typically, a plentiful serving of plates and a mug of tea will run me about $24, which is good for sushi.
I just find this place to be unique and great for a get-to-know-you type of outing. Since you sit directly next to people, it's not great for a group.
This review is for the Sushi Boat section of the restaurant. Â It's really nice and clean. Â You see the chefs making sushi in the middle of the room surrounded by wooden sushi boats on water.
The sushi is fresh and they also make hibachi items as well like fried chicken wings, golden shrimp on these little white ceramic cups, etc.
Each person who sits at the sushi bar gets a number or if it's all under one bill, then your group will get just 1 number (Green side you're still eating, flip over Red you're done check please). Â
There's not really personal space here. Â You can literal eat with the person next to you and get into their conversation even though you don't mean to over hear them.
You can also order off the hibachi menu like fried rice or steak. Â
It's kind of pricey, they charge you by the plate. Â If you don't see what you want in terms of sushi, you can order off the menu.
You're paying for quality and presentation. Â
At least they offer you a stamped card. Â The amount of you bill you get a stamp. Â When the card is full, then you get a gift certificate for your next visit.
It's a nice place for a quick lunch if you have a taste for sushi. Â
I'll go back if I'm in the area and have a taste for Golden shrimp!
Kampai Japanese Steak House has 2 entrances. Â One entrance is for the hibachi grill restaurant, the other entrance is for the sushi restaurant. Â My friends and I managed to eat at both restaurants on 2 separate occassions. Â This review consists of the Hibachi Grill experience and the Sushi Restaurant experience.
First impressions:
1) Free parking. Â Nice.
2) They love their signs here. Â There's a sign for no short-sleeved shirt for men. Â Otherwise, no service. Â There's a sign explaining Groupon conditions. Â There's a sign for groups ("Groups will not be seated unless everyone is in the restaurant.")
Is the owner a teacher in the past life? Â Doesn't bother me. Â At least they are straightforward with the rules.
Hibachi Grill experience:
Note: Â
1) Large groups will not be seated unless everyone is in the restaurant. Â This makes sense actually, since it is a hibachi grill-style of eating. Â The chef needs to know everyone's orders before they start cooking so they can prepare the amount of ingredients.
2) Expect to be charged a lot. Â This is, after all, hibachi-style. Â You are paying for the food and the experience. Â
+ Not as crowded as Benihana. Â Calling ahead for reservations will help you get seated sooner.
+ Very friendly service
+ Food is not bad. Not spectacular but not bad either. It's your standard food you'd expect from a hibachi grill. Â (Think very salty, very buttery! Â Not good for your health but it's yummy!)
+ I was closely watching our chef to make sure they cleaned up well because of some feedback about the place being unclean. Â As far as our experience went, our chef was very clean. Â It was also very organized and friendly.
+ Clean bathrooms.
*Nothing negative to say.
The Sushi Restaurant experience:
Note: Â Large groups will not be seated unless everyone is in the restaurant.
+ Not crowded for a Saturday night so that's always a plus for me
+ Very friendly service
+ Very attentive staff. Â I would turn around to ask for something, and right away, a staff person would make eye contact and run towards me.
+ If you don't see a sushi you want on the floating boats, you can always order your own sushi.
+ Sushi on boats and priced based on the color of your plate. Â Straightforward enough.
+ There are other items for non-sushi eaters: Â udon, teriyaki chicken/beef/veggies, tempura,etc.
- The negative about this place is that there is no refrigeration of the pre-prepared sushi in the floating boats. Â I wanted to eat sushi but after seeing that they were displayed in the boats at room temperature, I ordered teriyaki instead to make sure I don't worship the porcelain gods when I get home.
Worth a try. Â Just make sure your sushi is fresh and has not been on display for a long time at room temperature.
My son and I just had dinner here this past weeken. The cook at my table had no idea of the difference between medium rare and raw. He sautéed my steak and mushrooms for about 45 seconds then put it onto my plate. I asked him to cook it longer and he looked at me with a blank look on his face. At that point I said forget it. The beef was barely tan and the red was clearly visible through the tan, between where the blood was seeping through. Also, the mushrooms wear clearly still raw. I like raw mushrooms, but not in a dish where they are intended to be cooked.  I've had steaks a some of the best steakhouses in the Chicago area, I know what medium rare should be. And I know what blue beef is.  This was definitely blue beef. I'm not very happy I wasted my dollars here.
Review Source:The chef we had was mediocre. Not really an entertainer, BUT I do have to admit your volcano was stacked pretty high. Probably the highest I've ever seen at any Tepanyaki restaurant that I have gone to. They are on a higher end price compared to other Tepanyaki places. Which is surprising for the quality and presentation of their food.
They used this extremely tiny box to box my food and mixed it all together, and I don't know about anyone else but when u order salmon terriyaki and garlic shrimp, mixing it together is the last thing you want. Along with your rice and vegetables all in 1. Even though it's seafood, they're two different flavors! I was upset about that. I did complain because the person did not ask me if I wanted it separate, but should have taken it to consideration. My son for the first time did not eat all his food as he usually does. Probably, most likely, will not be returning here, even though I got a gift card to make up for boxing my food all in one tiny box.
Just celebrated our anniversary here, first time having an anniversary dinner with the kids. Would we enjoy or just be stressed? ENJOY!
Dispelling the rumors...
FYI - for all the folks complaining about the barrage of signs - as of July 2012 this is under control. I recall seeing an oxygen tank warning (I think they'd be remiss to take that down) and one other sign. We were asked pleasantly in the beginning if we had any special offers with us (we didn't) and that was it.
We were politely asked if a plate/bowl could be taken before we were done with it.
They do have a kids menu, our kids enjoyed - it is on the pricier side though but as mentioned we were there for a special occasion so it was OK for us.
Yes - the decor is aged. I think they'd have to close down to redecorate which would of course be very sad!
BEST FOR LAST THOUGH...the meal is AWESOME. I compare to Benihana which we coincidentally visited a couple weeks ago - no comparison. Needed to dip all my Benihana meat in sauce. I dipped one piece of Kampai meat in sauce just to get a taste of it - but the meat stood awesome on its own. Mai tai was generously potent. Our table chef was talented with the tricks and humorous (engaging the kids, allowing us all to relax) and the finished product was great.
This was the first visit back to Kampai in years, as we were apprehensive about going with kids...but my daughters enjoyed the food. In fact, I don't think my 4-year old has ever eaten so much steak in her life. And still, I was FULL to the max when we were done. No dessert needed.
Lots of people were celebrating birthdays here and they make a great scene for the guest of honor. I'd consider it for a close friend/family member.
Overall - we'll be back!
The good: quickly seated, appetizers and drinks came quickly, atmosphere pleasing... Sort of.
The bad: high prices for a tiny amount of food, atmosphere looked run down and old not sure why there is a sign calling for a dress code that men should wear sleeved shirts, not many people here on Friday night, lots of signs on groupon users and <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> users felt unwanted, chef not very enthusiastic, wait staff have heavy accents hard to understand did not come back to ask how wemwere doing, hibachi table looked like no proper ventilation, lots of waiters came by before noticing my cup was empty, 11$ plate sharing fee....
The ugly: wait staff woman followed me outside in the parking lot to ask why I didn't tip.....Wow...
In conclusion: overpriced, small food portions, old run down atmosphere, and extremely rude wait staff. Go else where for the price.
I went here with some coworkers and was super excited because I really wanted to try the sushi on boats! Yea, it's the same as any other sushi except on boats but I'm easily amused! Let down when I got there...we were going to the Steakhouse not the Sushi half. Either way, it was a fun time. One coworker was visiting from the UK and they don't have Japanese Steakhouses like this there where they cook at the table and put on a little 'show'.
I started with the Sushi Combo Small for $11.95 which includes one piece each of Tuna, Shrimp, Salmon, White Tuna, and three pieces of California Rolls. Overpriced for what it is. Rolls were okay though, neatly done and sushi was the sashimi was fresh.
I had the Sirloin Steak with Chicken Teriyaki combo for dinner. It comes with a shrimp appetizer covered in a buttery egg gloop but sadly I'm allergic to shrimp so couldn't eat that at all. My coworkers thoroughly enjoyed the goop on top and loved that they got to have mine! These steakhouse dinners always come with a bunch of veggies which I could do without. Onions are gross! The chicken teriyaki was good but not amazing. The steak was a bit dry and didn't have much flavor. Green tea ice cream to end the meal, you can never go wrong with that.
I left with my tummy packed to the extreme, but I'm just not a fan of these places really. It's one of the better steakhouses in the area though. Our bill for 4 people was $250!!! Thank goodness I had the company card, but would never go back here at the crazy prices.
So, yes, I was one of the last groupon users and got a reservation just before mine expired. Â I have been to all of these "fake" Japanese steak houses and as a Japanese person, am always well aware that nothing about the experience is going to be authentic. Â But, with a $50 credit, why not?
We sit down and are immediately asked in front of the whole table whether we have a Groupon and told to turn it over. Â Why was that necessary? Â (And at the end of the meal, the waitress then claimed we never gave it to her, which begs the question of why they don't wait to the end)
Typical song and dance, but I like that the menu has a few more options than most places (Husband was able to get a Wagyu steak) and LOVE that I don't have to have that nasty golden shrimp egg glop on my shrimp appetizer like many places give you. Â The food here is rapid fire and you literally cannot talk or take your time for fear of your bowl/plate/etc being taken away before you are done. Â Seriously, by the end of the meal, I was literally hanging on to my rice bowl in fear.
At $102 regular price for the two of us (with three drinks), it is steep for the quality. Â But, take the Groupon off and $46 is more like it. Â (And don't ask me how $50 off lead to more like $60 - I didn't question it)
I am a bigger fan of the sushi side of this place, but the husband was so excited to get rapid-fire eating and be in and out in about an hour and 15 minutes that I think he would come back.
Thank goodness we didn't have a stroller, Groupon, oxygen tank, <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> certificate, or sleeves that were too short. Â When you arrive at Kampai, you are assaulted with warning signs, regulations, and rules about each of the above. Â Don't forget the sign to like them on Facebook! Â The hostess seemed particularly put out by our presence, even though we were fuil-paying, non-Groupon-carrying customers with appropriate sleeves.
The chef was great and put on an engaging show. We especially liked the onion volcano. Â The food was plentiful and delicious. The dinner combos include soup, salad, rice, veggies, meat/fish, and ice cream, and it felt like we got our money's worth.
Service was overall chilly (except for the chef, who was the only one who didn't ask us if we had a Groupon deal), but the food was great.
One of my favorite things about going back home to Beijing/Hong Kong is conveyor belt sushi (aka train sushi). Sushi is made, plated, and sent along this little conveyor belt that travels around and diners pick up what they want and eat. So simple! So awesome! Choo choo!
Anyway, I don't think we have any train sushi in Chicago (?) but a week ago, I read Taryn T's review about sushi revolving around on little boats and momentarily spazzed out. IS THERE BOAT SUSHI IN THE SUBURBS?!
We went to scope it out on Friday, all the way out in Mt. Prospect, and I have not been able to calm down since.
First of all, it is in a strip mall. I love restaurants in strip malls! Strip malls also mean PARKING. There is also a Jazzercise shopfront in this strip mall - they still do that?! (The sushi bar is actually the door underneath the Yu Yu Sushi and Seafood sign, not the Kampai Steakhouse sign).
Second of all, it is to quiet and relaxing in there. A Friday night 8pm dinner elsewhere would probably have me tearing my hair out - but here, there are only a few patrons, friendly sushi chefs, and boats traveling around on water with plates on sushi on them. The steakhouse portion is an entire different story though (from the looks of it, I would suggest avoiding it unless you like a full restaurant with lots of children and cooking smoke).
Lastly, the dining experience is great. Sake nigiri is my absolute weakness and plenty of it came around on the boats. The California-esque roll with crab salad was tasty and the spicy scallop hand roll was a spicy, creamy awesome mess. I want to eat their spicy scallop hand roll all the time. What is terrific about their set-up, is the sushi chefs all hang out in the middle of this boat/river circle, so you have them at your disposal should you want anything that isn't traveling around you (GET THE SPICY SCALLOP HANDROLL!) It seemed that you could order stuff from the steakhouse menu too, but on Friday, I was all about cramming as much rice as possible into my stomach. Mission accomplished!
For people who are fans of ordering a bunch of crazy rolls when they go out to eat sushi, this probably isn't such a good option. They did advertise some crazy mozzarella roll, but items on the boats were pretty standard.
As an added bonus, you get a punch card when you dine here! 1 punch for every $5 spent, and 20 punches = $10 off.
In April, they will be opening another restaurant in the same space that will service noodle soups and donburi rice bowls. I'm so excited! But really, I will continue to return here because I adore sushi that moves in front of me - train, boat, I don't care.
The owner of this place is badass. She's a short Japanese woman with big glasses and obviously takes her sushi seriously - she gave me HER PERSONAL KNIFE when she noticed we were having trouble cutting up the mochi ice cream (and yes, it does in fact need to be cut up in little pieces - unless you feel confident enough to put a meatball-sized piece of food in your mouth).
I love the setup here - little plates of sushi rolls, sashimi and edamame slowly revolve around the restaurant on top of little wooden boats propelled through a narrow, circular stream of water. If you want something, just grab it off of a boat. If you want to order something else, one of the chefs (in a little preparation area at the center of the circle) will whip it up for you in minutes.
Three of us filled up on sushi, edamame and ice cream, and the total was just under $30 - awesome.
While the food is good, this is not the place to go if you're trying to impress a date. The atmosphere is very, very casual and kid-friendly - I mainly come here with family or friends.
I found a bug today.
It is not a bug in software, not in hardware system, and not in any context with extended meaning. It is a real bug - in the soup. Â Where there is one bug, there are more bugs. Â The managers response was, "It must have flown into my bowl after it left the kitchen." Â Beware, LOOK BEFORE YOU SWALLOW!
This place needs a serious make over. Â I'm sure the health dept would have a field day in this place.
The place looks like nothing special from the outside, but walk inside and it's a bustling Teppanyaki style restaurant! The wait was half an hour - on a Sunday! My friend and I were in a bit of a hurry and almost walked out. Then the host found a way to seat us immediately. It did take too long to get a cook, but the place was pretty busy.
I ordered the Teriyaki chicken and scallops combo...but ended up with salmon instead of scallops. The cook should have read back the order to us. I was a little upset but I didn't mind the salmon.
Anyway, dinner was very filling and delicious. The combo came with a salad (YUM dressing), soup, shrimp appetizer and white rice ($1 extra for fried rice). You also get ice cream at the end!
And then there's the show the cooks put on. Always a good one! I've been to a few Teppanyaki places before, so they all do pretty much the same shtick, but our cook did something different: after flipping a whole egg around the grill and around his arms and hat, he rolled it on the grill and said "egg roll." Hee :)
It's expensive... Almost out of most peeople's price range for just a normal dinner. It is more a special occasion type place. BUT! That is my old reason for giving it four stars because the food is UNREAL delicious! The golden sauce will melt in your mouth and the garlic sauce is unbelievable! It is always good too... no inconsistency here!
The decor is pleasant and clean, although the bathrooms may leave something to be desired.
The chefs are always fun! They must be will trained since I have never had a lousy chef there.
If you want a fun, delicious experience to remember... go to Kampai!
So my girlfriend had never been to a Japanese Teppanyaki style restaurant before. I have been to a few different places like this and loved it every time, especially after a few scotches!
So after reading reviews on some of the local Teppanyaki joints, we chose Kampai. I've always wanted to try Benihana just to see what it was like, but I've heard the food at Kampai was better. So I figured this would be the perfect place to bring my special lady friend. And it was!
We arrived 30 minutes early and tipped back a few drinks at the bar. The decor is sorely lacking in the place first off, but if you're sitting at a table being entertained by a master chef pushing flaming onion volcanoes, flipping uncracked eggs high into the air and catching them gently with a metal spatula, who's complaining?
The whole experience is great fun. It helps to go with a large group of friends whom which may provide lots of rowdy feedback to the chef to "egg" them on so they'll really put on an exciting show.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot...the food was pretty darn amazingly delicious as well. We started off with the Spicy Garlic Shrimp as an appetizer. The spicy garlic topping is TO DIE FOR. Thank GOD for Garlic. And damn, Â it was covering my lobster tail as well! Filet mignon was medium rare and succulent too.
All in all, I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a good time and good food as well!
It's quite a bit of money for something that is simply adequate. There wasn't anything that I disliked; however, neither was there anything that made a huge impact on me. I can really only remember the salad dressing. But everyone knows you go to these places for the showmanship.
Soup was good, salad was good, appetizers were alright, main course was decent and dessert was very nice. It's not very easy to mess up rainbow sherbet. The chicken teriyaki was my main dish, which was good, but nothing to rave about.
I didn't feel so bad about coming here after using the Entertainment card that made the bill a little bit less than half off. With tip it came out to $30 total. Completely fine, but I wouldn't recommend paying full price. We didn't even get any extra special things. With drinks and all that you'll easily spend $30 per person or more.
***
This is a bit of an update, but I didn't feel like making an entirely new review. The next day I heated up my leftovers and found them to be blander than week-old Leeann Chin. That's not a good sign. It took a large dose of olive oil and salt to bring it back to life. Sadness.
Want to experience a sushi lover's paradise, followed by some Teppanyaki before polishing off a cocktail or two (ok, four! Â but who's counting) at a divey little karaoke bar?
Head to Mt. Prospect's Kampai. Â Ignore its strip mall location. Â You'll thank me, I promise.
The sushi bar is small and the centerpiece is the bar itself. Â The chefs are located in the center of the bar, which means that if you are lucky enough to get a bar-side seat, you can observe their efficient and artistic preparations. Â The sushi arrives in front of you, not via conveyor belt, but a tiny boat floating around the circumference of the bar. Â Its cargo is composed of small dishes containing sushi. Â This is a color-coded enterprise. Â The prices vary between $2-5 each. Â Dishes vary by the time of day and time of the week. Â But, if you don't see your favorite maki or nagiri, do not despair! Â Just ask one of the friendly chefs. Â
As William K. remarked, "Welcome to my happy place." Feel free to experiment. Â Come on, I dare you! Â Step outside your comfort zone here. The sushi is consistently fresh, relatively inexpensive (as compared to Chicago prices) and the maki and nagiri are expertly prepared and tasty. Â Gold stars for making the rolls bite sized.
I will admit that I am not a huge fan of Teppanyaki, however, the performances of the chefs and the food quality of Kampai match that of Benihana. Â The steakhouse portion of Kampai is renowned for its egg yolk sauce. Â If you want to make your doctor have a heart attack while looking at your cholesterol test results, just be sure to eat here the week of the test. Â Also, be sure to come hungry. Â The amount of food that comes with your meal is humongous. Â The last time I was here, I hadn't had lunch before arriving, and I still managed to take half my dinner home.
If you are in a larger party and can't make up your mind between sushi and Teppanyaki, feel free to head to the steakhouse. Â For those in your party who do not want Teppanyaki, the restaurant will bring over sushi prepared to your specifications.
Want to end your evening out on a good note? Â No need to leave Kampai. Â Just head on over to its karaoke bar. Â Pull up a stool, find a table, get some more plum wine, hot sake, beer, or a traditional American cocktail and relax while listening to some talented folk. Â This place has its regulars and they are neither shy nor untalented. Â You might be entertained by suave older men crooning Sinatra or a closet Bon Jovi fan with killer pipes. Â No drunken 20-somethings screaming "Like a Virgin" here. Â Kampai takes its karaoke seriously!
I went there because of all the great reviews on yelp, and I still don't get  why there's so many good reviews.
I ordered the steak and lobster meal, which was the most expensive out of the lot. Â The lobster was so overcooked, it was like chewing rubber. Â I still can't decide whether I liked the egg yolk sauce or not since it was so heavy and it was good in small portions, but I know I definitely didn't like it over the lobster. Â The yolk sauce itself just stunk of lobster which overwhelmed whatever original taste it had. Â Perhaps I would have liked the yolk sauce alone.
The fried rice was easily probably the most awful fried rice I've ever tasted. Â Fried rice is so easy to make, a monkey can do it! Â How they managed to screw that up is beyond me.
They charge for refills on soda. Â For $25-$39 a meal and $2.50 for a glass of soda, they'd think offer free refills. Â Talk about greedy. Â
They didn't offer a noodle appetizer or anything, and also didn't offer you a choice of salad dressing. Â I personally dislike the ginger dressing all these restaurants serve thinking it's so "asian."
All in all, I would NOT recommend anyone come here. Â You're better off going to some chain Benihana's or better yet, Hamada in Tinley Park if you ever drive out there.
This review is for the sushi boat part of th restaurant.
If I had to pick a last meal, this place would be it! Â The sushi is fresh and beautiful. Â There is a crunchy/spicy shrimp dish that is to DIE FOR!
I usually pig out and the meal gets quite expensive, so I cannot go more often. Â Last time I had the warm sake with my selections and I did not snarf too much food this time. Â
I cannot wait to go back again.
This restaurant is my absolute favorite place to eat. Â Every year on my birthday I head here for a nice dinner with the family. Â I've never had a bad time here and I really wish I could eat here more often.
They start you off with some salad that has this Asian type dressing on it that I've tried to duplicate but have never been able to it's a mouth orgasm. Â They also serve a pretty decent soup. Â The chef's then come out and blow your mind with their culinary skills. The cook at your table so everything is in view. They are masters at what they do flipping shit onto your plate and such. I always get an order of golden shrimp which is some shrimp cooked with a layer of some golden yolk sauce (this stuff is out of this world good and will probably lead to an early death). Â For my main meal I usually get the Kobe steak stir-fry. Â The dish consists of Kobe steak so tender it melts in your mouth. Â The vegetables they use are some of the finest I've ever had. Â They give you 3 or 4 ramekins of really good dipping sauces. Â
This place is pretty pricey so I don't go more than once or twice a year, but it is so worth it when I do.
Venturing to Kampai has always been a real treat for me and my family. If you are seeking deliciously tasting and uniquely prepared food then this place is for you! The chefs are very friendly and undoubtedly keep you entertained throughout your entire meal!
The seafood, steak, chicken, fried rice, stir fry vegetables... ITS ALL SO DAMN GOOD!!! I have been eating here for years and have never, ever been disappointed.
You MUST try their golden egg yolk sauce. It may not sound that appetizing, but it literally is the greatest thing ever created!
Recommendation: Leave your coats and jackets in your car because your clothing will smell of food (since they cook right at your table).
**This review is only for the sushi side and NOT their hibachi**
Oh how I long for the cool sushi shops I ate at while in Hong Kong where the food is served in little floating boats going in a circle. Â Wait, what? Â There's one like that in Mount Propect? Â Sugoi desu ne!!!!! Â Well... I guess as with possibly unrealistic high hopes, this place was bound to disappoint. Â The restaurant looks like it's starting to show its age. Â You sit down at a counter and wait for the food to come around and grab whatever you like off color coded plates on a revolving track. - no boats :(
The overworked (but friendly) man inside this neverending circle of sushi constantly churned out plate after plate of food. Â This includes but is not limited to sushi. Â For the most part, the sushi coming around is okay - around what you'd expect from Whole Foods. Â You can special order other items with your server and if you catch the man inside the circle, you can ask him to make you favorites (he'll happily oblige).
Although the sushi here is unexciting and fairly average (2 stars), Kampai's one saving grace is a little rice bowl that comes around with egg yolk and butter sauce. Â WOWEE, it's so rich that eating it feels like taking a syringe of butter and directly injecting it into my heart. Â But hey, you only live once right, what's a couple of days or so give or take? Â All in all, the service was good and the food, bolstered by the buttery rice bowl, makes for a 2.5-3 star experience.
Not the best teppanyaki I've had but pretty darn good. Â This place is both a Japanese steakhouse (one side) and floating sushi bar (other side).
Steakhouse: Â Great food. Â The show isn't as spectacular as some of the others I've been too, but if you are just going to eat good food then that shouldn't be an issue. Â The setup is kind of old school, not very fancy and not very casual. Â Easy to miss because it's located in a strip mall.
Sushi Bar: Â Good sushi, not the best I've had but it definitely holds it own. Â I like the concept. Â Basically it's bar style seating and different dishes float around the bar on little boats (thus the name Floating Sushi Bar). Â It's kinda neat. Â The color of the plates you grab determine the cost. Â You can special order if you don't see what you want. Â
All in all, both places are pretty good. Â The service has been decent, the prices are comparable to other restaurants of this type in the area.
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