The Kosher Cactus visited Kasai Kosher Hibachi in July of 2021. This review was written in October of 2021.
- Where is Kasai Hibachi?
- What is the vibe at Kasai Hibachi?
- What food do they serve?
- Does Kasai Hibachi serve drinks?
- Is Kasai Hibachi kid-friendly?
- Final Thoughts
Where is Kasai Kosher Hibachi located?
Kasai Hibachi is located at 2524 Coney Island Avenue, just off Avenue V.
If you’re taking public transport, the closest subway is the Q line, which stops at Neck Rd and E6th, just a 5 minute walk from the restaurant.
The B68 bus is a closer option, and it stops just outside the restaurant.
Kasai does have some parking options in the side streets around the restaurant, but you may have to circle for a few minutes before you find one. It’s good to keep that in mind if you want to be on time for your reservation.
What time is Kasai Hibachi open?
The restaurant is open from 5:30PM- 11:00PM Monday through Thursday, after 8PM to 11PM on Saturdays, and 2PM to 11PM on Sundays.
Does the restaurant have take-out options?
Kasai Hibachi does have take-out options, but there is nothing quite like seeing hibachi in person. If you love the food and you want it delivered anyway, you can find it at UberEats, GrubHub, or Postmates.
What is the vibe at Kasai Hibachi?
Kasai is a Hibachi restaurant. A Hibachi is a Japanese grill pan that is used to grill and fry meat table-side, but the word has come to encompass a style of eating where the food is cooked directly in front of you. At Kasai, the cooking is a huge part of the experience. Everything you order is prepared by your chef tableside, while you sit back and enjoy the show.
The restaurant is loud, and fun! You get the hectic chaos of a kitchen, but from a safe vantage point of good music, a pretty candle for ambience, and the mouthwatering smell of incredible food.
Although there were frustrations in previous years of not-great service, since reopening in 2020 (post COVID), Kasai has had overwhelmingly positive reviews for being amazingly accommodating.
Do I need to make a reservation?
Yes, yes, yes! There are limited seats at Kasai, and people tend to stay for close to, or more than, 2 hours. Because of how the restaurant is structured, the turnover is very slow. If you show up without a reservation, your chances of getting in are slim. If you want to visit right away, I’d recommend at least calling ahead, so you don’t get turned away at the door.
Here’s a pro tip: The tables seat 8 (or a squishy 9), so try to go with a large group so you can all sit at one table, without strangers.
What kind of food do they serve at Kasai Hibachi?
Most of the dishes on the menu take their inspiration from East Asian cuisine. The dishes are made table side, and while they are not plated in such gourmet fashion, the food is delicious and plentiful.
Because of how the tables are shaped (each party curved around a central grill), the space is not ideal for sharing dishes, and each customer is encouraged to order their own main dish.
On the menu are incredible fish starters, various tartars, and fried dumplings, and hot appetizers, mostly made from chicken and beef. There’s a separate sushi menu, and an Entree menu of all the steak options- and more. Everything is amazing- order one of each.
What is on the menu at Kasai Hibachi?
These are some of the dishes we have tasted, and loved:
Hibachi Rib Eye Steak.
This was a classic ribeye, marinated in the house rub and seared to perfection. The outside was crispy, the inside was a delicious, just-done, pink color. The main dishes (and this was one of them) come with fried rice and vegetables, which complimented the meat beautifully.
Classic Yakitori.
This is a hot appetizer, and a great one. Yakitori is Japanese street-food, on a skewer (like kebabs). Fried up in Kasai’s house-sauce, every bite of this just falls off the skewer and melts in your mouth.
Crispy Wonton Basket.
This dish is pulled beef BBQ, piping hot, layered into a crunchy fried wonton bowl, with a bed of salad leaves underneath, and topped with crispy sweet potato chips. The meat came practically dripping with excess sauce, and the entire dish is absolutely mouthwatering.
Sushi.
Ok, I know this is not one item. But Kasai has an incredible sushi menu, and every roll that we ordered, and passed around the table to ultimately share between us, was just so incredible. The freshest possible fish, perfect rice, and neat rolls of incredible sushi. On the specific menu, my favorite roll was the house-named Kasai Roll. It is spicy tuna, salmon and kani, wrapped in soybean paper instead of the traditional nori wrap. The roll is served with a mango salsa sauce, which is actually addictive. Yes, we ordered another.
Yasai Harumaki.
Traditional spring roll, served with an incredible dipping sauce. It was snugly wrapped in a wonton, and delivered steaming hot to the table. Amazing.
What else is on the menu?
- Cold Appetizers
- Hot Appetizers
- Hibachi Mains
- Desserts
- Sake
- Wines
How do I go off-menu at Kasai Hibachi?
Ask the waiter about the special of the day! As is the case with most restaurants that serve fish dishes, Kasai always has something amazing going on with the fresh catch of the day.
What Hashgacha are they under?
Kasai is under the Kosher supervision of Kehilah Kashrut, under Rabbi Z Adler. All meats are Glatt, and all wines are Mevushal.
Does Kasai Hibachi serve drinks?
Yes! Kasai has an incredible wine menu- there are over 40 options to choose from.
Kasai also carries Kosher Sake! This Japanese alcohol (pronounced sah-kee) is made from fermented rice, and usually heated to drink (think tea). If you’ve never tasted it, Sake is a little like dry white wine, but is higher in alcohol content (about 20%). Kasai’s sake options include some sweetened versions of the alcohol, and some bubbly versions. 10/10 would recommend.
Are there vegan/ vegetarian options on the menu?
Although Kasai is technically a steakhouse (but a very fun one!)The restaurant does carry some vegan options: Hibachi Tofu for a main dish, a side of Edamame, or Field Greens as a cold appetizer. In the interest of full disclosure, I have not tasted any of these dishes, or seen any pictures of them. Basically, if you taste them, let me know how you liked it.
Is Kasai Hibachi kid-friendly?
Yes, Kasai is kid-friendly! This is really exciting because this marks the first kosher steakhouse reviewed by the Kosher Cactus that is kid-friendly!
There’s a kids menu featuring items like Hibachi Chicken (just chicken, grilled in house-sauce), or simple Shnitzel, with fried rice and veggies.
The wait staff and chefs are also particularly attentive to children, and if it’s not too hectic when you visit, they’ll put on a special show for the kids.
Yes, there are high-chairs available for little kids.
Is Kasai Hibachi wheelchair accessible?
Although the restaurant is wheelchair accessible, sadly, there are no accessible bathrooms. You can either take the risk (um, yikes), or try to take yourself to the Brooklyn Public Library across the street (it closes at 6PM). Good luck!
Does Kasai Hibachi serve desserts?
There are a few items on the dessert menu. Firstly, Lemon Meringue Pie. Dessert is not usually the specialty of a steakhouse, but this one just takes the cake. Crispy shell underneath, perfect lemon-y custard inside, sweet meringue swirls on top. So, so good.
We also tried the Tropical Sorbet, which was ok. I don’t think it’s house-made.
Next time we visit, I’d love to get Volcano Smores.
Final Thoughts
Kasai Kosher Hibachi is expensive, but an incredible experience. It can get a little overwhelming, but the chaos is part of the fun. The food is very good, the service is excellent, and the chefs are fantastic. Be prepared to spend a while at Kasai- this is not an experience to be rushed.
Although we went with a large group, and ordered a ton of food, at the end we split the entire bill and paid $154 per person. Not bad at all, for dinner and a show!
