After eating here, reading some of the reviews makes me upset. I really can’t imagine walking away from this meal and not thinking it was amazing. We eat a lot of delicious food, but this was truly next level—both when it comes to food and service.
There were several bites that blew me away, some deliciously sweet scallop, a rich, oily mackerel with a dot of mustard, and the amazing rice bowl to close. The flavors were complex and simple at the same time, elegant and fresh.
It was my birthday so we also sprung for the reserve wine and sake pairings. It was so worth it—some of the sakes we drank were $400/bottle, and they were unlike any sake I’ve had before, and paired perfectly with each dish.
I can’t overstate how knowledgeable and kind our server was, and how small touches (like a free pour of sparkling wine) for my birthday made me feel special.
Eating here is very calm, almost soothing. It’s quiet, and the food really is the focus. Highly recommend.
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Kenzo Napa is the brainchild of Kenzo Tsujimoto, the founder of Capcom of Street Fighter fame. He wanted to bring the love of Napa Valley wines to his home country so started the award winning Kenzo Estates vineyard.
Missing authentic Japanese Kaiseki cuisine while in Napa, he then opened Kenzo Napa helmed by the 3 Michelin star chef of the restaurant Kanda in Tokyo.
Kenzo, located in Napa, is a serene oasis to Japanese cuisine and our excellent meal was greatly enhanced by the food and wine descriptions of Patrick
📷 Kaiseki Menu $275 / Grilled Shizuoka Fresh Water Eel / Seasonal Hassun ~ blue shrimp, kanagawa octopus, Hokkaido scallop with sweet corn, yukon gold potato caviar, tomato gelée / Yamaguchi Tilefish Owan / Seared Chiba Cutlassfish Sashimi / Chiba Seabass and Green Asparagus Okakiage / Chilled Somen Noodle with Nagasaki Abalone / Slow Roasted A5 Satsuma Wagyu Tenderloin / Chef‘s Sushi / Chef’s Dessert
📍Kenzo (Napa, CA)
Reservations are required on Opentable and dining is all inside with both counter and table seating available. All credit cards including AmEx are accepted.
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This is my first Michelin star restaurant. This restaurant is located in downtown Napa and there are plenty of parking spots around the restaurant. It requires reservations. Right when I entered I was shocked by the ambience. The decorations make you feel warm and the space is ample. We were seated at a table instead of in front of the bar because we had four people. However, you could still see the chefs making dishes. The dishes are designed well with the traditional kaiseki style. The server explained everything including the ingredients and the meaning of each dish right after serving.
Since the restaurant has its own vineyard, they also provide tasting flights. I didn't try that because I had already been to several wineries that day. Nonetheless, I still ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc for the starter. The name of the wine is asatsuyu, which means morning dew. And as the name suggests, the wine is very fragrant and smells fruity, which makes you feel like you're on a mountain waiting for the sunrise. The taste is also very smooth just like the small drops of water on the leaves as they slide down. I would definitely recommend bringing one bottle home (or more).
As for the dishes, most dishes were not warm dishes that day, which is not really my preference. However, we could still experience different umami brought by various ingredients from the mountains to the seas. Saying that, I wasn't really astonished by the dishes. The major reason is that the combination of ingredients is the most important part of presenting them. The presentation of the dishes that day did not make me feel like 1+1>2. Just 1+1=2. If not for the wine, I would just give this place a 4. I still enjoyed the dishes but I would expect more from a Michelin restaurant. Since their menu changes every season, maybe I'll give it a try next time and see if I will change my mind.
Omakase experience in Napa! You can definitely tell that all the ingredients they use are fresh. Emailing them would be the best way to make reservations. Its an individualized experience, as you eat through the menu at your own pace. Minimalistic design at the restaurant. They welcome you with a warm towel for your hands; they have a basket for each table to place jackets/bags; and the chef signs your menu after the meal - makes for a great keepsake. We paid about $700 for 2 with their wine and sake pairing.
My wife and I had an incredible experience dining at Kenzo on our Honeymoon. Alexis was our server and he provided the highest class of service we’ve ever revieced at a restaurant.
I can not recommend Kenzo enough to anyone who ventures to Napa! Absolutely worth the Michelin Star!
Probably the best dining experience of my life to date. The service was impeccable (did a great job of explaining the concept of Kaiseki) and the food so good as to defy description. My wife and I are already discussing our next visit. Incredible.
Amazing dining experience! The staff has such meticulous attention to detail and clearly is so highly trained in their chosen craft. Each dish had such unique and delicate balance of flavors and I love that they incorporate produce from the Napa estate. The wine was superb as well. I feel very lucky to have gotten to dine with them and would recommend it to any person appreciative of fine dining.
My girlfriend took me to Kenzo to celebrate my birthday. Food was spectacular. Patrick took good care of us. We did not have the pairing because we had two wine tastings during the day. Overall, Kenzo was a great experience but I’m not sure I will repeat it. You should try it once, though.
This place is the best food we had when we visited Napa. It has one Michelin star, but it honestly deserves 2 or 3! The culinary team is phenomenal; every course makes one pause to enjoy the beautiful flavors and rich umami. Service was impeccable, building was clean, sanitized, and gorgeously styled after traditional Japanese architecture. The wine and sake pairings were perfect for each course. Do NOT miss this restaurant when you visit.
Fantastic dining experience. We were sat on the sushi chefs table and saw the 2 masters at work. Great service and presentation. Doing the wine pairing really made it that much more special.
The best Japanese restaurant in Napa Valley.
Brilliant service from friendly staff.
Although not yet awarded a Michelin star, it's only a matter of time.
This is Michelin star Japanese Kaiseiki. Fine dining and it's not cheap, $225/person for a set menu but you will definitely enjoy every bite as it is not only colourful, but also very delicious with combinations of different flavours in one bite. Very well thought mix of flavours and texture.
A real treat !
Everything is really delicious and is better than all other Michelin-1star Japanese restaurants.
Chef is super cute though :)
Super recommend it if you go to Napa Valley. Besides, their wine is exceptional!
Michelin awarded excellent modern Japanese Kaiseki restaurant. Well selected fresh foods are served. Suggest you to order pairing by enjoying their own Napa brand wines.
I wasnt expecting much when I saw the bento in a plastic box. But it tasted AMAZING. Everything is so soft, comforting, and delicious. They just melt in my mouth.
I had it for lunch, but I would recommend it for dinner as well. It feels you will have a really good night sleep after eating this. Also, it doesn’t look like much in the picture, but it’s a lot of food for lunch.
I was just passing by the town, so I just had it in my car next to a park. But it felt like I was having a real Kaiseki meal, because it really tasted that good. The price may seem a little high, but after you eat it, it’s totally worth the money. I hope this restaurant can survive COVIS, I think this is one of the best Japanese food I’ve had this year.
About $300/person but worth it! Everything tastes fantastic (except the dessert lol)
A wonderfully thought out and well paced experience from beginning to end. We were treated with complimentary champagne to start, and complimentary Kenzo dessert wine to finish. We then visited the Kenzo Estate two days later to get a deeper dive tasting experience of their wines (all quite spectacular). Highly recommend both the restaurant and wine estate.
The service couldn't have been better. You never wanted for anything. The meal was a non stop feast of tasty morsels. You get your own chef and he really takes care of you. Huge variety of dishes. Highly recommend this dining experience
Fabulous! If you are near Napa and like Japanese food then this is THE place. High quality. Great service. And is you have yet to see a 3 year old dried onto just ask - fascinating.
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