Ke Charcoal Grill & Sushi — Restaurant in Calgary

The food here is fun and easy to share. It's changed a bit thru the years, but it's still pretty good.

Use to frequent this place weekly years ago when it first opened. It was great. The owner was there all the time and the staff became friends. Had at least 4 parties here, even reserving the whole top floor a few times. We all got older and pandemic hit, & habits changed. It was nice to go back after so long, though it did feel different. I'll explain what I mean.

Solid variety of drinks with a casual Japanese pub vibe. Friendly service, but please come with patience and kindness; don't be in a rush because it can be slow. The experienced waitresses all seem to be gone. Replaced with a newer younger crew. They are eager to serve but lack finesse of some of the previous ones. The previous ones were able to manage quick banter, a full house of tables, line up at the front, share recommenations, remember drink and food placements, quick to clear as needed, and always attentive but not hovering. Note: Food service was always on the slow side (fresh skewers take time), but it was hot and super tasty. If nothing else, this crew needs to watch the temperature of the food served and ensure it doesn't sit for too long. The okra, truffle tempura shrimp, and a few skewers were warm and not hot. The tempura was also soft and not crunchy. My kids liked the flavours but also commented on the texture and temperature. These items here used to be best in town. Hopefully, next time, they will be again.

About parking, if you're lucky, you can grab a spot in the small parking lot in the back. Otherwise, street parking is all around. You might just need to walk a little.

Washrooms are small; 1 single stall on the main floor, and a couple more in a roomier space upstairs. The stairs are long and a little steep. Ok, for the average person with no mobility restrictions, it could be challenging for some.

Their small deck is basic; upstairs, wooden picnic tables with umbrellas, not much of a view, but certainly comfy enough for chats with good friends. Always nice to have the option to sit outside on a sunny day.

Overall cost is on the pricey side but good place for beers and chatting while snacking on some yummy kushiyaki. I say pricey cuz my friends and I like to eat...alot. Our bills are + $200 each visit (2-4 people), not including tip. You can spend much less if your crew is less gluttonous ;).

This is a great place for new friends/dates; where sharing food might be awkward elsewhere. It's easy here. Any budget can be accommodated with single items being just a few dollars to fancy sake, costing more than your food. You might not get full, but everyone would be able to order something with minimal pressure.

My kids loved it and have already asked to go back. I am very happy to see the restaurant suriving the pandemic and thriving with a new generation of clients. I hope they stay around for many more. Cheers!

PS: For fresh oyster fans, one more reason to check...

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with my dining experience at Ke Charcoal Grill & Sushi on the evening of September 7. I have previously dined at other restaurants under your group and had consistently excellent experiences, so I had high expectations this time. Unfortunately, my visit did not meet those standards.

From the moment we entered, the environment was unappealing. There was a strong, unpleasant smell, and surfaces including tables and menus were sticky, making the initial impression very poor. Furthermore, there were flies in the dining area, and the temperature was uncomfortably high.

We ordered oysters, which were served on ice; however, the ice was partially melted, which I believe is insufficient for keeping the oysters fresh and safe to consume.

We also ordered sushi rolls, but the fillings were cut so finely that we couldn’t taste them, and the rolls were not wrapped tightly enough and fell apart easily. The cucumber roll looked fine, but it had the same problem: the fillings were so finely diced there was no texture. I would honestly rather buy a similar roll from T&T for the same price, I expect a basic dish like this to be executed properly at a mid-range Japanese restaurant.

We also ordered beef tongue skewers, which should have been served hot. However, the skewers arrived cold. When I raised this with the staff, they explained that the scallions and grated radish were taken directly from the refrigerator and placed on top, which cooled down the meat. I found this explanation extremely unreasonable, as such toppings should not affect the temperature of a properly served hot skewer. Additionally, the ramen we ordered was overly salty, and the noodles were overcooked and mushy.

While the staff did apologize and canceled the order for the cold beef tongue skewer, the overall dining experience left me highly dissatisfied. Given my positive experiences at other restaurants in your group, I had expected a much higher standard.

Finally, when providing the tip, my dissatisfaction with the service was reflected in the amount I left. The staff’s reaction to this was extremely unprofessional and made me feel both angry and disappointed. Based on this experience, I do not plan to return to this location.

I hope you will take this feedback seriously and address these issues to ensure future customers do not have a...

TLDR: not that memorable, but try it for yourself!

So normally, I go to kinjo because it’s inexpensive, the service is usually pretty good and the food comes out quickly. Those are the staples I search for generally in dining. You may have a different opinion and that’s cool with me to.

I’d like to share my experience for this restaurant and help round out peoples expectations.

We were seated quickly as there was no wait A+ Drinks were brought out and we were given ample time to review the menu. Also A+. We had marked down what we wanted and confirmed our order with the waitress and I had also ordered a Pepsi on the side as well. Food began coming out quickly and my Pepsi came with the glass stuffed full of ice which inherently isn’t bad.. But let me ask you, do you like overly watered down soda?

Yeah it wasn’t for me. My recommendation if anyone is listening; less ice more Pepsi :).

Now the next portion I won’t lie I was pretty rude. It totally wasn’t my intention as I believed that I was talking to my girlfriend and the wait staff wasn’t around so I didn’t intend for them to hear me. But I asked where’s the rice? This place has sushi… so rice should already been made!

I could be completely mistaken; as they might make it fresh, but I had intended to use the rice with my yakitori. I believe the staff may have heard me and asked if I wanted the rice right away. My apologies if I was rude in that moment.

The rice and the karage came. I had finished it off and we were waiting for our final dish. The piece dé resistancé (sorry French people my French is actually horrid). We had ordered the special salmon roll for my girlfriend but it never came.

The waitress did ask if I would like a refill on my soda. I had declined and hoped that my girlfriends order would come.

After about another 10 minutes we waited with no interaction. But we decided it wasn’t coming so I attempted to get someone’s attention as they walked past. That person had tunnel vision so my attempt was shot down. It was another 5 minutes before I was able to grab somebodies attention.

Our last interaction was alright, but I believe I’ll stick to kinjo. The food is about equal but the experience is better at the chain restaurant.

Don’t let this review sway you from trying them out however. Your experience might be completely different and could knock...