Kona Grill - Desert Ridge — Restaurant in Phoenix

To call our evening at Kona Grill merely a “meal” would be to undersell the operatic elegance of what unfolded. No, dear reader — it was an experience, a crescendo of hospitality orchestrated by none other than Jack, our server, guide, and unexpected hero of the night.

From the moment Jack glided to our table — with the poise of a Broadway lead making his entrance and the warmth of an old friend returning from voyage — we knew we were in deft hands. He greeted us not with the rote, robotic pleasantries that so often plague chain restaurants, but with a genuine sparkle in his eye and a tenor of enthusiasm that seemed to say, “You’re about to have the best damn night of your week — and I’m going to make sure of it.”

Jack’s knowledge of the Kona Grill menu bordered on encyclopedic. He didn’t just list options — he described them with such mouthwatering reverence that our party fell into hushed awe. When he spoke of the miso-sake sea bass, it was as if he were describing a mythical fish only caught in secret waters under a full moon. When he walked us through the sushi selections, he did so not like a server, but like a sommelier of the sea — deftly pairing rolls to our palates with the skill of someone born with soy sauce in his veins.

And the timing — oh, the timing. Plates arrived as if summoned by our very desires, drinks refreshed before we could notice the ice had begun to melt. Jack was omnipresent but never intrusive, a hospitality ninja who floated in and out of our meal like a ghost of perfect service. He anticipated our needs like a sixth sense. I genuinely began to wonder: Was Jack reading our minds?

But what truly elevates Jack from merely excellent to downright unforgettable is his charisma. He has the rare gift of making every guest feel like the most important table in the room. He cracked jokes that made even the grumpiest among us laugh, recalled our names without being prompted, and left us with the warm sensation that maybe — just maybe — humanity is doing okay after all.

To dine at Kona Grill with Jack as your waiter is to be transported from the ordinary into the extraordinary. It’s the kind of service that makes you check your calendar just to plan your return. Jack doesn’t serve tables — he curates experiences.

In short, if you’re heading to Kona Grill and you’re lucky enough to land in Jack’s section, cancel your other plans. Call your mother. Tip heavily. Because Jack isn’t just a waiter — he’s a legend...

I dined with a friend for lunch on 2/9. We split the bill in half and I signed the debit card receipt with a total of $50 including a 20%+ tip. The next day on 2/10 when I looked at my bank account I noticed the charge was over $20 more, $71.81 instead of $50 which I signed and approved for. I immediately called the restaurant and the manager Courtney responded saying she was able to locate the transaction and told me that the server had entered the wrong tip amount. She said she'll take care of it for a refund. A week went by and still NO REFUND, so I called again but I was told none of the managers were available due to a meeting. So I left a message to call me back, but did not receive a call. I tried 2-3 days later again but none of the managers were available to speak with me even though I called them first thing in the morning around 11am during the week. I left a message, no call back. On 2/22, I finally received a voicemail from a woman named Tatum asking me to call her back for more details (what else do they need from me?! They said they found the transaction before), when I called back the same day, I was told she was not available. I decided to call the corporate office, but they ended up just transferring my call to the restaurant (ugh!). Courtney, the manager who first responded, finally answered and said, "Oh, I remember you ... you haven't received your refund yet? I will contact the corporate office right now and call you back." She did not call me back. It's been another 5 days and as of today (2/27), still NO REFUND. NOTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF!!! I have been very patient for weeks and I don't understand why it is taking so long for such a simple refund process and I have never experienced such terrible customer service. Is the restaurant hoping that I will eventually forget about this overcharge? This is not about the overcharge amount of $21.81. It's all about the customer service. I will never go back and will be very careful not to be overcharged when paying - because you will have to fight for it for a looooooong time!!! UPDATE --- On 3/6/24, $21.81 was credited back to my account. No communication or what's so ever from the managers and it took them almost a month to do this transaction. I still think their customer service is horrible after all plus their food is over priced....

Not even sure where to begin. The only positive thing I can say is that our server was good. The biggest disappointment was the unprofessional attitude of Jenna the Manager. This place was super busy with lots of people waiting. Our server was busy trying to help another table get their food corrected that came out wrong from the kitchen. I overheard Jenna tell more than one person not to touch the empty, dirty table behind us because our server didn't clear the plates off the table. Obviously for Jenna, the server cleaning plates off a table is more important than providing good customer service. Again, Jenna lacks Management skills instead of lending a helping hand to her stressed out staff. There was a busser that wasn't exerting too much energy but instead of stepping in he allowed the table to sit. This is where Jenna lacks management skills. Instead of grabbing a few dishes or allowing someone who was available it was as if she had to exert her authority and not help her team through an extremely busy evening that was in obvious disarray from the moment we arrived. I observed Jenna speaking with another server while she was clearing the table. She watched that server carry out an armful of glasses, followed her out and didn't even offer to help or carry a glass. Maybe she was afraid of breaking a nail. The cleared off table next to us sat empty for 20 minutes before anyone was seated with a large amount of people still waiting in the lobby. The table behind us could have been cleared and seated in the time it took for Jenna to make sure people knew she was the Manager and not a team player. Let's talk about the food. It lacked in all areas from portions, to temperature, to taste! My sliders were black and cooked beyond recognition and so dry! This was a $150 meal that didn't come close to being worth that money. I've had better burgers and fries from Rally's than this place. The appetizers took a long time to come out, probably because they sat so long in the kitchen. They were luke warm and that's exaggerating! Kudos to our server for remaining calm, professional and providing good service. This place has a long way to go to be successful. Coming from someone who is in Management this was...