Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar – Kapalua
Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar Overview:
Japanese and Pacific Rim. Sushi, seafood, steaks. Karaoke, late nigh dining, full bar, reservations recommended. Find out what local restaurant reviewers James and Molly Jacobson think about Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar in West Maui’s Kapalua.
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January 25, 2011 @ 2:09 pm
We tried it last night becauese it is many years ‘Award Winning’ restaurant and highly recomended by one of the Maui dinning magazine. The food is not fresh and over cooked … The presentation is like fast food restaurant… I would say this is a typical Amercian Japanese restaurant not authantic Japanese restaurant. This place is over rated…..It was a total disappointment!!! I will never go back again!
November 27, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
If you know Japanese food, you will find Sansei to be mediocre at best. The ambience is disappointing. When we arrived it was very crowded and although we made reservations, we still had to wait for 30 minutes for a table. The interior looks like it was built for a family-style restaurant and there is no view. Tables are very close to one another and it is very noisy inside. Service was okay, waitress was rushed and not very attentive. For the quality of food and overall experience, we felt this restaurant was too overpriced. Its popularity is inexplicable.
November 16, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
For authentic sushi made by real Japanese sushi chefs, eat at Kai Sushi at the Ritz-Carlton. Otherwise, Sansei is good and the menu is designed for the American pallet with an abundant use of mayonnaise.
July 7, 2009 @ 12:47 am
Sushi and sashimi here could not be fresher and they offer a nice variety of Sake as well. While the ambiance is okay–tends to be quite loud in there, the fish more than makes up for it. We like some of the more unusal rolls and specials they have; we have not found anything like it here in the eastern U.S.
July 2, 2009 @ 11:10 am
This is the most amazing sushi you will ever taste.I can not name specific plates because of all the years we have been on Maui we have probably tried them all and all are a hit.When we are back on the mainland we always want more Sansei and can’t wait to dine here again.We have only been to the west Maui location but I’m sure the other is just as excellent.They also have some great discount offers for early birds and late nighters.Try it you will be hooked.
June 30, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
You must try the Foie Gras Nigiri – absolute, close-your-eyes heaven!
The rice here is incredible – the tempura-fried maki roll which came witht duck breast entree is probably the best rice I’ve ever tasted.
The prices would be fair if the restaurant was in California, which means that for Maui, they are a bargain! And that’s *not* even counting the “early bird” sushi discount they have sometimes
I think the next time we’re back in Maui we’ll be eating at Sansei pretty much every other day.
Both locations were great – I think the foie gras was better in the Kapalua site, though