KITA MODERN JAPANESE — Restaurant in Charleston

So, this is going to be a long review...

We read about this new restaurant in Charleston and decided to give it a shot. When we walked in we were immediately impressed by its classy, sleek, minimalist style. There weren't many people there, and since it was a Saturday evening it did make us wonder if we made a good choice. However, that concern was quickly squashed!

This is HANDS-DOWN one of THE BEST restaurants I have ever been to personally and I have visited many major cities (Chicago, NYC, Denver, Orlando, Sarasota, Charlotte) and always make a point to eat at the highest rated places -- I fancy myself an amateur foodie lol. I can't believe I can actually say that, in my very own Charleston, WV I have had some of the most delicious food of my life.

Everything was perfect! The presentation was Michelin star quality. Every dish was prepared with great care and lots of love. Our choices were - Tempura, Crispy Pork Belly, Beef Ribs, Grilled Corn, Tonkotsu Ramen and a couple of sushi rolls (one was chef's choice, and the other I can't remember). First of all, the Pork Belly was served on a bed of savory Tonkotsu grits that took me to a whole nother level! I couldn't stop eating it! The crispiness of the pork belly had a wonderful crunch and the fat literally melted in your mouth like a bacon-infused butter. Guys! Please do yourself a favor and order this!

The Beef Rib was GIGANTIC and was braised and rubbed to perfection-no chewing necessary! The Jalapeno, lime and cilantro was the perfect accompaniment.

Now, I have had a fair amount of ramen in my day, (the real stuff not the bagged junk) and I have to say Kita NAILED this Tonkotsu! That broth was made with so much love! You could taste layer after layer of complex flavors. I also greatly appreciate they use the traditional pickled egg. DELICIOUS! I dream about this ramen. It's in league all it's own!

The tempura, even though a simple dish, was really elevated. There was literally no greasy spots left behind and the quality of thebatter was like nothing I have seen before. Light and crunchy.

One last thing, all the employees were so nice and humble. The owner is genuinely kind and cares not only for the customer and their experience but also for the employees. It's truly an amazing place! I am going...

Came in with a group of four at 7:15pm on July 1st, 2025. We were seated immediately because the restaurant was mostly empty. Drink orders were taken, then food orders about fifteen minutes later when the drinks were delivered. The drink service was a little slow, but our server was busy bussing tables, so I didn't mind.

Unfortunately, the next time our server came back it was with half the table's food, about 7:45.

My wife and I never received our food.

At 8:15, having ordered almost an hour previously, and having watched our other two party-members eat their food, we flagged down the waitress and asked her to cancel our order.

Ultimately we did receive the sushi roll we ordered, and my wife did receive her soup and salad, but we never received the entrees.

The most shocking thing to me was that, after asking the waitress to cancel our order, we were never once approached by management. I imagine cancelling a placed order for half a table is a pretty shocking thing, and something a manager might have wanted to look into?

Instead the waitress asked us to wait longer, which we declined, and then she took the entrees off our ticket.

With one sushi roll and two drinks each, my wife and I still spent $100, and didn't get a chance to even eat an entree.

Not our waitress's fault, though. She was incredibly sweet and very hard working (she was one of two servers I saw and the only one bussing tables).

Ultimately, the service from the back of the house was very poor, and a mismanaged kitchen ruined what was otherwise shaping up to be a good...

We’ve been dining at Kita Japanese since just a few days after their grand opening, and I can’t express how thrilled I am to have such an exceptional Japanese restaurant here in Charleston. The menu is fantastic, with so many delicious options that keep us coming back.

The pork katsu is amazing—crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. I would love to see a true katsu curry カツカレーoption added to the menu one day, as it would be a perfect addition! My husband is a huge fan of their yakisoba, and the crab rice is absolutely to die for. Every time we’ve had their sushi, it’s been fresh and delicious, rounding out the menu nicely.

The drink menu is also solid, with some great cocktail options that complement the food well. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, making each visit a pleasure.

I’ll admit, the first few times we went, they were playing country music, which killed the vibe a bit, but they’ve since switched to a more sophisticated low-key club BGM that suits the restaurant’s atmosphere perfectly and really enhances the experience.

They had an incredible set menu on Valentine’s Day that was a real treat, and overall, the restaurant provides a fantastic dining experience. The portions are generous and reasonably priced for the amount of food you get.

One small thing we missed on our last visit was the Thai tea, which I wish more people had ordered so it would still be available! But even without it, Kita remains an absolute favorite of ours. If you’re in Charleston, this place...