Best Japanese Restaurants in Coral Gables

Good but Valentines day was especially busy. Even with a reservation we were asked to wait 90 minutes before sitting down at the table

We had a very nice dinner. Our dumplings, snapper, Carolina Gold rice, and cabbage were excellent and a nice size to share between two people. The wait staff described food and drinks perfectly and were friendly and attentive (but not too attentive). The drink list is not large, but our suggested wines paired very nicely with our plates.

Yellow tail ceviche was extraordinary ! Shrimps and sushi’s super fresh. Volvemos seguro!!

I highly recommend this spot. Will be going again as everything I tried was amazing and tasty. The salmon nigiri was the largest pieces of nigiri I’ve had before. Their box is perfect for trying various things and sharing. The Unagi and then the snow crab poncho was also amazing! Definitely want to go back.

Kao is an underrated spot in Coral Gables. Many restaurants pop up and last a year or 2. Kao has persevered without sacrificing quality and service. My husband and I had not been in since Covid. We were in the Gables and decided to revisit the place and it did not disappoint. We like many things about Kao: the diverse menu options, all of which were delicious, excellent service from our thoughtful server Helen, excellent cocktails, ambiance is fun and creative and they turn into a club on the weekend. My husband and I ordered the Braised Lamb Shank which was super tender and flavorful after being stewed over 5 hours. The mixed vegetables were delicious as well. Our friends had the grilled octopus which was tender and delicious and the Flap Steak which was tender and tasty. We started with a sausage appetizer and the sausage was spicy and tasty. We also each had an empanada of a different flavor. They were crispy and tasty. For dessert, we shared the brownie sunday and the choc chip cookie sunday which were both delicious. We recommend Kao highly and hope you will give it a try. Debbie & Darin S