Kuni's, Buffalo NY

By far one of the worst dining experiences we've had in Buffalo despite a lovely ambiance. The server was rude and abrasive from the first interaction. It set the tone for a disappointing evening of extremely overpriced and undelivered food. This was supposed to be a special night out to celebrate and we all left with empty wallets and stomachs.

Maybe we had unreasonable expectations because we had heard how great the food is. Food was fine. Nothing super special.

Grilled baby octopus was delicious. Hot hot hot fish salad was a good variety of fish but just tossed with sambal olec. Portions were prohibitively small. It wouldn't be my first choice of restaurants to return to but I would definitely try it again if a group of friends wanted to go.

Atmosphere was perfect.

The food here is spectacular. The vibe is great. The prices are definitely pre pandemic. 100% worth it every time.

This was a great find. Food tasted amazing, and I was really surprised to find some things on the menu you normally don't see in Japanese restaurants in the United States. Very reasonable prices. However, they fill up fast, and the entire restaurant was full within 4 minutes of opening. I would definitely arrive early to get a seat.

The place is great. Rolls are amazing!
Staff is very nice and friendly. Atmosphere is great.
Perfect place for a nice dinner.

Very rude upon entry. Not very welcoming or didn't nicely explain that there would be a long wait. 2 hours seemed unrealistic.

One of the best sushi and Japanese dinners I’ve had anywhere in the world. Service was perfect, too.

Best sushi in Buffalo hands-down! Udon noodles are amazing as are the gyoza dumplings and seaweed salad selection (I've never seen anything like this assortment anywhere else).

Really wish we could place orders online ahead of time instead of having to call in.

Let's start by saying the food is very good. We enjoyed our sushi and our waitress was very pleasant. The place is cozy. What was very off-putting to me was when we arrived we were offered (by our waitress) sushi bar seating (several seats open) or a table. My 11yr old daughter is a lover of all things Japan and was so excited to sit at the sushi bar! Unfortunately, another staff member told her we couldn't sit there. No explanation. Maybe they don't want kids seated there? Fine, so we sit at a table. In comes a couple of people (one being a child) and that particular staff member sits them right down at the sushi bar (very chatty with them, appeared to be friends). Then a couple more sat at the sushi bar. It's a shame when rude staff can put a damper on what would have been a very pleasant meal. At least provide an explanation so your visitors don't feel so unwelcome. Mind you, this place doesn't take reservations.

It was definitely worth the wait. We have waited to try this place for months. Make a reservation or you can forget it. We went on a Thursday night. The Sushi was so authentic and traditional. Delicious!

Kuni’s is my favorite place for sushi and sashimi! On Lexington one block west of Elmwood. Great service and ambience as ever. We enjoyed the seaweed salad, and the small sashimi combination & a small sushi combination. And for dessert the chocolate and the green tea gelatos.

One of the finest dinners (sushi or otherwise) that my wife and I have ever had in Buffalo or anywhere! Every piece of my large sushi dinner (chef's choice) was perfect and delicious! Please see my picture. My seaweed salad had a slight bit of red pepper with the slightest bit of heat and a flavor that made it incredibly tasty. My wife's super fresh dinner salad was like heaven, with the best slightly spicy Japanese/Asian dressing we've ever tasted! All the lettuces and vegetables of her salad were laid out separately and perfectly, for a beautiful presentation! I wish I'd taken a picture of that too. She had the chicken and it was also delicious! There's no doubt that Kuni works his patootie off (and has done so for years!) to make sure each and every one of his customers get an exceptional meal and superb service. My wife and I owned restaurants in Buffalo for 27 years, beginning in 1974 when reviews were being done by both the "Buffalo Evening News" and the "Courier Express", with very critical yet fair reviews being done by Janice Okun and Marta Lane. I ran the front and she, as chef (self-trained and having attended several cooking schools in France), ran the kitchen. Trust me when I say that we both know just how difficult this business is. So we also give Kuni 5 stars not only for our dinners last night, but also for so many years of perseverance with consistent high quality food and service. Last night Thursday, 5/26/2022, my wife, best friend and love of my life of 46 years and I had one of the finest dinners of our lives. Thank you Kuni and everyone in the restaurant for such a wonderful evening, high quality dinners and terrific service. We'll see you next month on my 68th birthday:)

Do not believe the hype on this one. Are you looking for mall sushi with a high price tag and rude staff? You've got a winner.

I thought I was taking my partner for a special night of sushi. What we got was for one, a rude hostess, and two SUPER mediocre sushi. The rolls wouldn't even hold together and we're very small for a typical roll. Honestly a waste of money and a birthday dinner. Definitely not the best sushi in Buffalo. Don't ruin a special occasion with this place. Looks like someone got full of themselves and really let the quality go.

This is a fantastic restaurant with the best sushi in Buffalo! Very reasonable prices for such amazing food.

Complete waste of money! This is a "master sushi chef" restaurant? ! This is basically a Japanese alcohol bar with some sushi-resembling snacks. Very unimpressed with the sushi rolls. They are weak and not well made, not to mention tiny pieces. One thing, a California Roll is supposed to have cream cheese in it. Where is the cream cheese? These rolls are barely large enough to get any flavor because there is so little stuffing versus the amount of rice that it makes them a waste of money. It makes them too dry, as well, and gooey so they have a very poor mouth feel. Also, the seaweed wrap is not large enough to wrap completely around the rolls, so they are falling apart just sitting there! Miso soup is boring and salad is laughably weak. Thoroughly and completely unimpressed for my first time at the famous Kuni's since I moved here in 2002. Will not be going back. Unbelievably boring and poorly made! I wish I could return these and take my business somewhere else tonight.

The best sushi in buffalo. It’s so hard to find a place that makes it correctly, and traditionally, in a beautiful way.

Sashimi and sushi were great. But I was mostly surprised by Gintara, the grilled fish. Instantly melted in mouth!