K’s Kitchen — Restaurant in Provo

The food is decent enough, but the service is AWFUL! And when I say awful, I don't just mean slow or forgetful, but outright adversarial. We made a reservation for 14 people, and ended up having 17 people show up. They accommodated the first two extras, but then put up a nearly 30 minute fight, including a call to the owner who asserted, as the manager had, that they had already been accommodating enough and that it was our fault for having a larger party than planned. If this were a Michelin-starred restaurant with a month-plus waiting list and meticulously planned seating, I could understand that. But it wasn't. It's a casual bistro that had more than 50% open tables at the time, including two that were adjacent to our party. I've done catering for over 15 years, and I've executed events with planned seating for over 300 guests. I've never had a single one where seating charts didn't have to be adjusted last minute. And I've always made it work just fine. Somehow these guys couldn't figure out how to grab a chair from an adjacent table and put it at the end of our table, because the owner says that's very complex and difficult and requires extensive planning. By contrast, I took a group to another local Japanese restaurant the next city over just last Friday, without even making a reservation. I just walked in about 10 minutes ahead of my group and let them know we would have at least 10 people, but possibly as many as 16. Without even consulting a manager or owner, the hostess just looked at the dining area (which is smaller and less open-plan than K's), figured out how to get us started with 10, and came up with an idea for accommodating more if they showed up. That's proper service and ingenuity, and she did it on the fly. I don't know if K's realizes that they are just a block down the street from a convention center. They can't afford to be this incompetent at handling unexpected groups, or they're guaranteed to draw poor reviews from convention-goers. I've already seen one review from another person in my group, and the owner doubled down on their inflexible attitude in their response to that one. I imagine they'll do the same here, insisting that it's all our fault for underestimating our party size. But as I said, I've been catering for longer than this place has been in business, and I keep getting jobs because I'm good at adapting, which happens almost every single job. K's needs to learn to adapt, or they simply have no business in the...

Upon visiting the K' Kitchen Japanese restaurant , I was met with a mixed dining experience that, while showing promise, also highlighted areas for improvement. Firstly, the service was commendably efficient, with staff members being attentive and quick to respond. However, this efficiency sometimes bordered on haste, particularly when I was placing my order, which detracted from the overall dining experience. As someone unfamiliar with the Japanese language and the names of dishes, I found the menu to be somewhat challenging to navigate. The inclusion of images for each dish on the digital menu would greatly enhance the ordering process, making it more accessible to those not well-versed in Japanese cuisine.

Despite the restaurant being empty with no other customers in line, the service felt unnecessarily hurried. This rush did not translate into the quality of the food, which, while served promptly, was lacking in flavor. The restaurant clearly excels in the speed of service, but there seems to be a need for a better balance between efficiency and culinary excellence. The dishes could benefit from more attention to taste and presentation, ensuring that speed does not come at the expense of quality.

Another aspect that could be improved upon is the availability of sauces. The limited selection required me to stand up multiple times to obtain them, suggesting a possible intention to economize on such accompaniments. Enhancing the variety and accessibility of sauces could significantly improve the dining experience.

The ambiance of the restaurant was characterized by low lighting and a sparse setting, which, while understated, might miss an opportunity to fully embrace and reflect the vibrancy of Japanese culture. Japanese culture is known for its rich colors and nuances, and incorporating more of these elements into the restaurant's decor could provide diners with a more immersive and authentic experience. As an ambassador of Japanese culture through its cuisine, the restaurant has the potential to offer a more enriching and culturally reflective dining experience.

In conclusion, while the restaurant boasts commendable service speed and an efficient ordering process, there is a noticeable room for improvement in terms of food flavor, menu accessibility, and cultural ambiance. By addressing these areas, the restaurant could enhance its appeal and provide a more satisfying and authentic experience for...

Second time I came here. First time (2022), I tried oyakodon and it was great. Came in a bowl. Chicken tasted nice. 5/5

Came again today (2023) and tried the oyakodon and Katsudon. The oyakodon's chicken tasted boiled. I'm fairly certain that it was boiled at a very high temperature for way too long prior to storing. It was briefly grilled, but you could definitely tell it was not prepared correctly. Oyakodon=Disappointing, 1/5

I'd expect the katsudon to be a deep fried pork cutlet, but it had a texture I can't place. Based on the chicken, the pork was likely boiled. The katsudon was heated over a grill which gave a very different texture. Enjoyed it still. Katsudon=Disappointing, 1/5

K's Kitchen gives the impression that it is a sit-down place. But as my second visit, everything came in styrofoam boxes reminiscent of a carnival or a low-quality fast food place. That didn't influence the food, but it is a significantly different experience to go once, have it nice (all the lights on), and then to come again and have the impression of a cheap diner. Prices are going up so that's probably why they switched, but I didn't expect a place that felt like a sit down restaurant to have styrofoam containers for dining in. Experience=Surprising 1.5/5

Not sure what happened between my first and second visit, but something happened. Unfortunately, this experience has put K's Kitchen into my list of places that I'd rather not go (as opposed to places I do want to go and places I want to avoid).

Portion size is great. Loved the egg. Rice was a bit soggy and overcooked....