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Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - WAIKOLOA, Hawaii, Waikoloa, HI

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - WAIKOLOA, Hawaii

4.1
4.1
1620 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 48 times today
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Kid-friendly
We are now open 7 days a week for normal dinner service from 5pm-8:30pm! Sunday and Monday we have our early bird special the doors open at 4:45 and the special is over with at 5:30! Please call us to order 808.886.6286

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Sansei, meaning third generation, is a locally owned contemporary Japanese Restaurant offering new wave sushi. The force behind the food is Chef/Owner Dave "DK" Kodama. An Oahu native, he is fearless when it comes to flavors and one of the most adventurous chefs you will meet. At Sansei he has combined his Japanese heritage with Hawaii's incredible ethnic mix and flavors he experienced in his travels to create a New Wave Sushi. Japanese-inspired Pacific Rim, Contemporary Japanese type of cuisine. Call it whatever you like, what you will taste are the unique combinations of flavors and textures.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Sushi, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon, Sun 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Mon, Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (808) 886-6286
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Jaymar Barrios
  • Catering
    Custom catering. Please call the restaurant at 808-886-6286. Ask for Tom Alejado, General Manager.
  • Neighborhood
    Waikoloa
  • Cross street
    Queen Kaahumanu Hwy
  • Parking details
    General Parking at the front or back area of the Queens Marketplace Shopping Center.
  • Public transit
    There is a resort shuttle bus that travels throughout the Waikoloa Resort area, drop off and pick up area at the Queens Marketplace shopping center. There is a minimal fee for shuttle rides.
  • Entertainment
    Friday Nights - Free Karaoke from 9:30pm to 12:00pm Saturday Nights - Live Music from 9:30pm to 12:00pm Must be 21 years or older with valid I.D.. 50% off Appetizers & Sushi items Special Bar Drink Prices
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,620 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1
4.1 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 3.8Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Hawaii / Big Island

    Kid-friendly

  • Hawaii / Big Island

    Neighborhood gem

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar in Waikoloa offers a mixed dining experience. Guests praise the "great service" and "fresh sushi," making it a favorite for some. However, others note inconsistent food quality and service, with some dishes being "overpriced." Despite this, many find the seafood "delicious" and the atmosphere welcoming.

1,620 Reviews
  1. Kristine

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food. EB bonus a must! Great service. Enjoyed it all

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  2. KC

    VIP

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on December 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Happiest waitress ever, shared the specials gave us time to decide and open to our requests, made note of our gluten intolerance and brought us Tamari. We were seated in the back quieter dining room under a vent that couldn’t be turned off, the only drawback, it was freezing.

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  3. Chris

    VIP

    New Orleans

    13 reviews

    1.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on November 30, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    We’ve been to the Sansei in Waikiki on Oahu which was very good and the food was excellent. The Sansei on the Big Island was another story. The fish we ordered was not fresh at all to the point that we were concerned about eating it. The prices were very high for food that seemed inedible. The lobster poke bowl had maybe three tiny pieces of lobster and was more like a salad with lettuce and a mayo dressing. Sushi rolls were terrible. I’ve had better sushi from a gas station. We wasted $150 on a meal we couldn’t eat. Avoid at all costs.

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  4. Boris

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 29, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We are sushi lovers from San Francisco, we know and appreciate good sushi, and we try them anywhere we go, from Japan to South America. This place set at least two records in our experience. First, they have to sell their sashimi with a microscope because you won't be able to see the tiny pieces of fish without it. Seriously, I've never seen sashimi pieces that small, though there was nothing small about its price. Second, their Rainbow roll is worth the Guinness book of records as the weirdest Rainbow roll ever. You know, Rainbow roll is such a well known standard that all sushi restaurants serve it, and you can use it as a test to compare different restaurants. Normal Rainbow roll has 4-5 different sorts of fish on top of California roll. Their roll has two sorts of "fish" - tuna and avocado. Have you ever seen a rainbow of two colors only? :) The inside is also nothing of California roll, e.g. no crab meat. But all that would be forgiven if the rolls were tasty. Alas, they were not. Sushi rolls in the nearby food court inside the grocery store are better (and cheaper too). Overall, grossly overpriced bad food and the feeling of wasted time and money.

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  5. Elena

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 29, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was very flavorful. Hamachi carpaccio was excellent. My son tried chicken misoyaki and seafood past, it was outstanding.

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  6. Peter

    Denver

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had some sushi rolls and the hamachi nigiri. The rolls were fresh, delicious and beautifully prepared. Hamachi was melt in your mouth. Service was warm, friendly and attentive. Highly recommend.

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  7. Belinda

    VIP

    Seattle

    44 reviews

    3.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on November 24, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    This wasn’t the Sensei I expected. We got seated at a table that didn’t have a wait staff assigned. There were only 3 table in the back dining area. Someone was nice enough to take our order. We ordered a tempura roll, and the assorted sushi plate. It came quickly, looked and tasted like it’s mass-produced. Not the Sensei I expected. It took forever to get our check since no one was assigned our table. We won’t go back for a second time on this trip.

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  8. Kapelieli

    Hawaii

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service and quality of food is worth the price. Would definitely recommend early bird specials.

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  9. Mercedes

    New York City

    9 reviews

    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on November 20, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Place was just ok . Kind of dated My food was cold not too appetizing to look at but had flavor , I order two small plates That where extra small for the price “be aware of broccolini side you’ll get one branch” Lol My boyfriend had fish was really good , his food was hot. Service was excellent!

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  10. Nita

    Hawaii

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 20, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Everything was great as usual. Hadn't gone there in a while but glad we came back.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - WAIKOLOA, Hawaii is rated 4.1 stars by 1620 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 48 times today
Google Map for Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - WAIKOLOA, Hawaii

201 Waikoloa Beach Drive Suite 801, Queen's Market Place, Waikoloa, HI 96738

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Queen Kaahumanu Hwy
  • Neighborhood
    Waikoloa
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon, Sun 6:00 pm–8:30 pm Mon, Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Sushi, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    General Parking at the front or back area of the Queens Marketplace Shopping Center.
  • Public transit
    There is a resort shuttle bus that travels throughout the Waikoloa Resort area, drop off and pick up area at the Queens Marketplace shopping center. There is a minimal fee for shuttle rides.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jaymar Barrios
  • Entertainment
    Friday Nights - Free Karaoke from 9:30pm to 12:00pm Saturday Nights - Live Music from 9:30pm to 12:00pm Must be 21 years or older with valid I.D.. 50% off Appetizers & Sushi items Special Bar Drink Prices
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (808) 886-6286
  • Catering
    Custom catering. Please call the restaurant at 808-886-6286. Ask for Tom Alejado, General Manager.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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